Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter two of "Gone in the Dark." This chapter introduces Lo'ak, Tsireya, Aonung, and Roxto. There is some Lo'ak/Tsireya as well. Stay tuned for chapter three.
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Chapter 2: Unruly Patient/A Little Comfort
Lo'ak unwrapped a bandage on the upper part of twenty-two-year-old Julay's right arm slowly while sitting on a cot in one of many marui that had been turned into makeshift hospitals an hour later. He shot a glance at Tsireya, who was stitching up a gash on the lower part of twenty-year-old Eli's left arm as she sat beside him on another one. He turned back to Julay as he twitched his ear. Both of the injured happened to be Green Spears. They had the same curly black hair, strong upper bodies, paddle-like tails, and turquoise skin the Metkayina did. However, they had no tattoos as their clan did not practice tattooing.
Julay winced painfully and flattened her ears against her skull. She gritted her teeth and emitted a snort. She was around Neytiri's height. Her long hair was tied up in a bun with a few loose strands hanging out. The tip of her tail was missing. She had scars going up and down her left arm. Her right eye had a scar over it. It stopped just below the eyelid after starting above the eye ridge.
Eli breathed deeply and swallowed hard. He was slightly taller than Julay was. His long hair was tied back in a ponytail very similar to that of Jake's. His tail had two circles of scars at the base of it. His nose had a tiny white dot in the middle of it. He heard Julay wince and looked toward her and Lo'ak, who had just applied ointment to her wound from a bowl.
"Will you be careful?" Julay snapped and gritted her teeth.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean to make it sting," Lo'ak apologized.
"Julay, don't be hard on that boy. He can't help it if the medicine he puts on wounds stings sometimes," Eli said gently.
"The medicine Nessa applies to our wounds never stings, except when they are serious," Julay pointed out seriously.
"To be fair, Lo'ak father comes from a world where medicines are known to sting. It does not even last long," Tsireya added.
Eli twitched his ear. "Tsireya gets it. I wish you would, Julay."
"The quicker Lo'ak finishes, the faster I can leave," Julay leered.
"I can't exactly do this quickly. I have to be careful as Dad told me," Lo'ak insisted.
Julay huffed. "Just shut up, and tend to my wound."
Lo'ak laid the bowl aside and grabbed a needle with a thread tied to it. He pushed it through the bottom of the wound. He pulled the thread through carefully. Julay hissed in much pain and glared at him once it was completely through the wound.
"Be careful!" Julay yelled fiercely.
"I'm sorry!" Lo'ak responded, his voice showing hints of anger. "You are the one of the worst patients I have tended to since this war started."
"If you were not a freak, you would be competent," Julay growled through clenched teeth. "If it had not been for the Metkayina, this war would never have happened!"
"Just stop it, Julay!" Eli snapped in a ferocious voice. "I am getting sick and tired of you complaining!"
"Let me take over, Lo'ak. You should not have to deal with that young lady," a male voice said.
Lo'ak, Tsireya, Julay, and Eli turned to see Aonung and Rotxo standing at the entrance. Aonung had his arms crossed while Roxto had his hands on his sides. Both boys swung their tails from side to side twice.
"How long have you been standing there, Aonung?" Tsireya asked.
"Long enough to hear Julay complain about every little thing regarding your boyfriend's medical care," Aonung said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Sa'nok is right. The Na'vi can be bigger complainers than humans can sometimes."
"If he was not being incompetent, then I would not be complaining," Julay said, glaring at Lo'ak. "Being a freak makes him such."
Rotxo scoffed. "Oh, please. Lo'ak is far from incompetent in applying medical care. You just want to complain because he looks different. Well, different can be good. Lo'ak saved Jake's life in the sinking SeaDragon, despite he was told to stay put. He helped him realize the value of taking risks instead of running away."
"Jake knows it is risky for him and his family to live here, but he is willing to have them stay put," Aonung added.
"We bullied Lo'ak and Kiri due to their human features. We shouldn't have. We are ashamed of it," Roxto said guiltily. "You should not chide him for looking different."
Aonung came to Lo'ak's side. "Anyway, let me take over. You need a break, especially from Julay."
Lo'ak sighed in relief and let go of the needle. "Thank you. I hate to say it, Julay, but you are a bitch to me."
"You will always be a freak to me," Julay retorted.
Lo'ak stood up and walked out to the pier. Rotxo went over to Tsireya and gestured toward him. She released her hold on the needle. She rose to her feet as he seated himself next to Eli. Aonung sat down next to Julay and took hold of the needle. He began to stitch up her wound. She sighed in a warm way.
"You are better than that freak is," Julay said rudely.
"Don't start with me, Julay," Aonung warned in a stern voice. "I am not in the mood for your complaining."
"I do not know how you can be friends with that guy," Julay said, shaking her head in disbelief. "He looks nothing like us."
"Lo'ak may look more human than Na'vi, but that does not make him any less than us," Tsireya said angrily. "The same goes for his father."
"You should understand his father is the reason all this crap happened to the People," Julay pointed out while glaring at her. "You are willing to help him make it worse."
"That is enough, Julay," Aonung hissed fiercely. "You will not talk to my sister like that. Is that clear?"
Julay looked away, a huff leaving her mouth. Aonung glanced at Tsireya and motioned toward the pier. She nodded at him and headed outside. Rotxo started to stitch up Eli's wound.
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Tsireya went out onto the pier. She found Lo'ak sitting down with his feet in the water. He had his arms crossed. He had his eye on the sky. She went to his side to sit beside him. She set her feet in the water and placed her hands in her lap. She eyed him closely, her ears swiveling. He pressed his lips together before sighing in a heavy way.
"I have never seen someone complain as much as Julay has," Lo'ak grumbled annoyingly.
"Do not worry about her. Let her whine and complain. You were doing just fine in tending to her wound," Tsireya assured sweetly.
"You think so?" Lo'ak asked curiously.
"I know so. You were doing just as your father instructed. You tried hard not to cause discomfort to Julay," Tsireya explained.
Lo'ak snorted. "It is not easy to avoid causing discomfort when it comes to treating injuries."
Tsireya swung her tail up and down. "No, it is not. The majority of the injured you have cared for appreciate what you did for them. I do."
Lo'ak uncrossed his arms as he and Tsireya looked at each other. He took her hands into his. He gave them gentle squeezes before letting out a soft chuckle. He clicked his tongue twice.
"How did I get so lucky to find you?" Lo'ak asked while furrowing his brow.
"It was Eywa who brought us together," Tsireya pointed out matter-of-factly.
"I say you are quite right about that," Lo'ak whispered and laughed to himself. "Sometimes, I do not understand why she does what she does."
"I don't either," Tsireya agreed. "Anyway, some people have to…to—what was that word again?"
"Nitpick?" Lo'ak answered amusingly.
"That's right," Tsireya said, giggling softly. "They have to nitpick every little thing you do."
"I know, right?" Lo'ak said, rolling his eyes. "Julay even complained about how I was unwrapping her bandage. I was too slow for her liking." He mumbled curse words in Na'vi. "You can't rush wrapping or unwrapping a bandage."
"I do not blame Eli for being irritated with her. I was feeling the same way," Tsireya admitted.
"Something tells me he has to deal with her complaining a lot back at their village," Lo'ak suggested.
"I would not be surprised," Tsireya said, giving a shrug.
"She probably blabs about someone's business to her clanmates too," Lo'ak added with an irritated wince.
She scoffed in annoyance and shook her head in disbelief. "We have plenty of people like that here."
"No shit," Lo'ak grumbled and placed his hand on his forehead. "Spreading rumors can destroy a person's reputation." He laid it in his lap. "The People do not have a word for lie, but they have a word for false. False is the equivalent of lie. It means—"
"Fake, phony, imposter, and so on," Tsireya finished.
"When did you start finishing my sentences?" Lo'ak teased, a snicker leaving his mouth.
"Since now," Tsireya answered, a giggle coming from her.
He growled in playfulness. "Oh, you."
Lo'ak brought his hand to Tsireya's side to tickle it. He growled as if he were a thanator. She broke into a fit of hysterical giggles. He moved it to her stomach, causing her to get louder. She stopped when she heard whistling. They looked over their shoulders at the cover.
"Would you two quit making so much noise? It's grating on my nerves!" Julay blurted out irritatingly.
"Shut up, Julay," Eli snapped. "They are not harming anyone."
"Lo'ak is right. You are one of the worst patients we have ever seen," Aonung said, his voice showing some anger.
Rotxo snorted. "It'd be best if you just be quiet for a long while. A big mouth like that is just asking for trouble."
Eli cleared his throat. "Rotxo is right. Besides, Aonung and Tsireya are the prince and princess of the Metkayina. You need to show them the upmost respect."
Julay huffed and mumbled 'All right.' Aonung and Rotxo sighed in relief, as did Lo'ak and Tsireya. Eli followed suit and emitted a yawn.
"Thank Eywa that Julay was shut up," Lo'ak whispered and mumbled obscenities. "Someone could fit Polyphemus in her mouth."
"Believe me. I've seen Metkayina with bigger mouths than Julay," Tsireya responded with a shrug.
"Anyway, I hope my parents can found Kuai and her hunting party," Lo'ak muttered uncertainly. "It's not like her to return late."
"Kuai has always been…been—what was that word that starts with P?" Tsireya asked while tapping her temple with her finger.
"Punctual," Lo'ak said, his ears swiveling.
"That's right," Tsireya commented and swallowed hard. She touched the back of her neck with both hands. "It's been a long time since this clan has seen so many injured and dying Na'vi."
"Norm, Max, and the Avatar Team may have advanced medical technology, but it hasn't been able to save everyone," Lo'ak pointed out grimly.
"Maureen's laser-cutting device saved the lives of three mothers who were unable to deliver their babies normally. She delivered them by C-section," Tsireya said. "That is amazing."
"C-section has been used by humans to save the lives of babies since ancient times. Julius Caesar made it law before Rome became an empire. Mothers rarely survived the surgery back then. Now, most do," Lo'ak explained.
"That is good," Tsireya replied, sniffling. "I feel bad for the mothers who died from the surgery, though."
"It used to be very complicated," Lo'ak admitted. "Laser-cutting technology has reduced blood loss to a minimum."
"Humanity may have many flaws, but it has many strengths too," Tsireya commented, her ears perking up.
"It sure does," Lo'ak agreed and took her hand into his. "Still, I would not give up what I have to be with humans full-time. My home is here with you, my family, and the sea."
Tsireya laid her head on Lo'ak's shoulder. He let go of her to place his arm around hers. He rubbed her arm so lightly that it seemed he was not even touching it.