Kailua begins to feel things for the youngest Sully boy. She tries to work up the courage to spend more time with him, but sees him sitting with her younger sister by the shore.
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What if I told you I like you, They don't know about us, If I can't have you
After Kailua escaped from her mothers torturous punishment of scraping barnacles off of the huts for being in a punch up, Ao'nung included, she ventured off for some food to prepare for the feast later that night.
She was there a while, having collected many array of fruits except the one she wanted most. A yovo fruit. Hard to find and even harder to get. They resided in the mangrove area; and Kailua wasn't quite skilled enough to scale the trees to get them yet. Alas; she tried anyway. Thankfully, she was alone, so the embarrassment of failing was kept personal.
Until it wasn't.
"Why did you help my sister?" Kailua turned with a frown. "I'm sorry?" Lo'ak shifted from one foot to the other. "My sister. Why did you help her?" Kailua muttered under her breath as she stood on her toes, reaching for the fruit hanging tantalisingly in front. "Because she needed it. My brother has the tongue of a viper wolf; short and deadly." She strained her arm, reaching for the yovo fruit; her fingertips barely grazing the side. "I have been on the receiving end of those words before; and it's not an experience I would recommend," She gave a grunt as she jumped; still, she missed.
Lo'ak pulled himself onto the tree branch and sat there, swinging his legs. "I'm surprised you fought your brother though. You pack a mean punch for a small person," Kailua deadpanned him, sticking her tongue out. "I'm a girl. We're shorter than the men; not weaker." Lo'ak huffed. "Is that all? I need to collect fruits for the feat tonight to celebrate Ao'nung and me getting our first tattoos."
Lo'ak hummed. "What tattoo are you getting?" He asked, standing on the branch. He walked slowly alongside it with a small smirk. Kailua knew he was doing it to wind her up; and yet, she fell for the bait. "For killing my first Akula a little while back. Shortly before you came," She shook her head. "And my brother for scaring one off and saving a young child," She jumped once more at the yovo fruit with a frustrated scream. "I killed it anyway; but still,"
She kicked the tree petulantly, sliding down to the ground. "And I don't know what. My mother, or as Tsahik, will decide. She will receive a vision from Eywa; and tattoo us at the time." Lo'ak was silent for a moment, and Kailua enjoyed it. She shut her eyes with a sigh, ready to go for a nap.
When suddenly, "Here," She opened her eyes to not one, not two, but three yovo fruits being displayed to her. "For me?" She asked quietly. "Yeah, I saw your short skxawng ass struggling, and I thought what better way to be a gentleman?" Kailua pursed her lips. "You know, you don't have to be such an ass, right?" Lo'ak barked a laugh. "Where'd you learn ass? That's a sky person word," Kailua shrugged. "You think I don't hear you and your family arguing playfully on my mornings?"
Kailua stood and accepted the fruit. "But thank you anyway," Her hands brushed his, sending a spark all through her body. With a sudden urge to see him more, she blurted: "Do you wanna come to the tattooing tonight?" Lo'ak frowned with his eye hairs. "Uh.. isn't that just for mates? And family members?" Kailua shifted, balancing the fruits. "Typically yeah. But my mom is doing the tattoo, my brother is receiving one, my father is supervising as olo'eyktan, Ao'nung had asked Tsireya to come, which means I haven't asked anyone," She rambled. Lo'ak raised his other eye hair. "And, usually, you have to have completed your iknimaya before you can be consider ready for mating. Otherwise, you're just close friends,"
He grinned. "Then sure. I'd love to see a tattoo done," He paused for a moment. "And see Ao'nung cry like a bitch,"
He did. Lo'ak indeed, laughed. Kailua had been gifted her tattoo before her brother, upon his insistence that women should go first. Hers included a blacked out mini alula with a grey spear running through its middle. Not quite how she killed it, but it does the job. It stung painfully, what with being on her back, but she braved through. If not to prove to her parents that she was strong enough, then to the Sully boy who was watching intently. "We had to complete our iknimaya before we get tattoos." Lo'ak said softly so as not to disturb Ronal. "Usually we do too. But sometimes, during great acts of bravery or heroism, we get them early. It's not rare, but it's not common either." Kailua whispered back, hissing slightly when her mother began to colour the spear. Lo'ak peered over her shoulder, watching in awe.
"There," Ronal announced a few moments later. "Make sure to bathe it every four hours and apply this paste for 2 days." She thanked her mom as she took the paste. "Now go. You are complete; your brother needs silence." Kailua gaped. "But he was allowed to watch mine?" Her mother glared. "Be glad I am letting you go with no further punishment. Stay, and I may forget myself. Tell me, how many huts are there in the village?"
Kailua grabbed Lo'ak's hand and dashed out, calling a thank you over her shoulder.
Later that day, Kailua found herself walking towards the beach with a utumauti fruit. Why? She was trying to thank Lo'ak for getting her the yovo fruits earlier… and maybe spend more time with him. Sue her, he was cute! He was… different. Maybe it was the sky person in him, but he was different to what Kailua had known. While the men in her clan respected women as birth givers and life providers, many were hesitant to let them fight. It was fine for those who didn't have a mate; like Kailua, but because she was Olo'eyktan's eldest daughter, they treated her like she was sea glass. It's not like she's even tsakarem; that's Tsireya. Kailua was… she had no idea. Kailua would probably end up being a warrior thanks to her abilities.
She switched the utumauti fruit to her other hand as she pushed a branch out of the way. Her feet meet sand, a slightly unwelcome change to the cool grass that tickled her feet previously. She'd had to climb all the way to the top to obtain the fruit, scratching and scraping herself to no end. Yet: she prevailed.
The grass was cool on her aching feet; smooth almost. The sand, whilst a comforting presence, irritated the cuts on her soles. She pressed through, taking quick, jump like steps. She finally hit the beach area, moving into a quicker pace when she caught sight of the dark blue na'vi. "Lo'ak!" She called. As he turned, Kailua's heart plummeted to the seafloor. "Hello sister!" She continued the walk over, much slower now. He turned back to Tsireya briefly, throwing his head back in a laugh. Tsireya hid her giggle behind her hand, eyes twinkling.
"Everything ok?" He asked. Everything about the scene displayed in front told her everything she hated to know. Lo'ak was sat back on his palms, relaxing with his legs in the water. Tsireya was curled up by his side, her legs folded underneath as she faced him full on. Her hair was semi-loose, only tied up by a piece of seagrass and flower Kailua gifted her a few days ago. She switched herself into focus with a small inhale. "Oh, nothing. I think your brother was looking for you. I'll tell him you're here," She smiled once more. "Ok," He said. Kailua hesitated briefly before beginning to walk back. "Kailua!?"
She turned, probably a little too eagerly. "Yeah?" She called back. "Can you also tell him I won't be back for evening meal?" Kailua sighed deeply this time, waving her hand. "Sure, no problem," He gave her a thank you grin before turning back to Tsireya.
Kailua felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. Why though? It's not like he knew she liked him? At least Tsireya had made it more obvious than she had. Kailua walked off the sand with a final look over her shoulder as Tsireya giggled loudly.
She let the utumauti fruit roll out of her hands and onto the ground as she fought back tears.