Author's Note: Annnnd another one! Enjoy!
Tsyeyk runs to Tsu'tey, grabbing onto his hands and pulling him closer to Mother and starts dancing, laughing in joy. It takes a jarring moment of Tsu'tey just staring at him in awe, trying to comprehend what he's seeing before he seems to realize what's happening around them. It just makes Tsyeyk laugh as he breathlessly sings and dances with Tsu'tey, who was very stiff at first, but the more Tsyeyk tugged and pulled and laughed, the more he moved. Loosening up as they move and swing around one another. Tsu'tey looked like he was almost trying to dance a specific way, but then seemed to think better of it and just follow Tsyeyk's lead.
The forest sings along with Tsyeyk and Mother as she joins them in dancing. Spinning and twirling and soon enough even Tsu'tey is laughing, eyes crinkling with his smile as Tsyeyk sings and spins and bounces, glowing brightly. Sylwanin and Neytiri dance with one another and Mo'at and Eytukan sit off to the side, leaning into one another and watching their daughters, Tsyeyk and Tsu'tey. Father lowers down onto his side, blue eyes leveled on Tsyeyk, always keeping him in his sight.
Eventually, Tsyeyk collapses against Tsu'tey sweating, panting and laughing breathlessly. Tsu'tey holds him tightly, not seeming to mind in the slightest, also sweating and panting, a weak laugh pulling from him through puffs of breath. Tsyeyk's glow eventually fades as he rests against Tsu'tey, trying to refill his lungs but it's never quite enough, and will his pounding heart to slow down. Tsu'tey soothingly rocks back and forth as Tsyeyk rests his cheek on the arms he has wrapped around Tsu'tey's neck.
Tsu'tey rubs up and down his flanks with rough but soothing hands. Now that he's calming down, the rocking motion and the gentle caress is putting him to sleep. Thankfully Tsu'tey doesn't seem to mind Tsyeyk pressing his weight into him. They just take that time to hold one another, the feel of the other pressed so close and take in the beauty of the world Mother created around them.
Tsyeyk pulls back enough to press his forehead to Tsu'tey's, staring up into his eyes and feels... connected. They gently rock back and forth, staring into each other's eyes and Tsyeyk feels like the space that exists between them vanishes. Everything around them is serene and perfect. And Tsyeyk knows it without Mother's warm caress passing over them that he was right all along.
Tsu'tey is a gift. From the twinkle in his eyes. The smile pulling harder on one side of his lips than the other. To his laugh. His swagger when he walks. To every breath that he takes. Even the sweet silence he lets surround them as he stares so lovingly into Tsyeyk's eyes. So sweet. So gentle. So perfect. Tsu'tey is a gift.
Leaving seemed harder today. Everyone hugged him just a little harder, and Tsu'tey almost seemed like he didn't want to let go. Mo'at kept whispering something to him, her eyes blown wide in wonder, her hands gripping his arms harder than usual. She would gesture to Mother around them and call her "Eywa". Even Eytukan, with his hands squeezing Tsyeyk's shoulders and looking into his eyes, seemed like he wanted him to stay. But Tsyeyk went home with Father, curling up under Tsu'tey blanket that no longer smells like the other boy and pulls Father's head down onto his chest, relishing in the warmth and falling asleep almost immediately.
The following day, Tsyeyk went to the field with Father a lot earlier than the previous days and was surprised to see that Tsu'tey was alone while waiting for him. His smile is so beautiful as he pulls Tsyeyk into his arms and properly greets both him and Father before taking Tsyeyk's hand and leading him into the forest. They take a familiar path that takes them to their little lake where Tsu'tey lowers his bag onto the large flat stone and pulls out cleaning supplies.
Understanding immediately, Tsyeyk jumps into the water and dips beneath the surface to wet himself down. He plays on his knees in the shallower end while Tsu'tey dumps lots of nice smelling oils into his hair, lathering it in and helping him lean forward and wash it out. Then again with something else. Then one more time, taking significantly less time than he did the first time.
Then, Tsu'tey pulls out a new tweng for Tsyeyk, this one a red color. Not needing any help this time, Tsyeyk removes the one he's wearing and puts the new one on by himself. He grins pleased at Tsu'tey when he turns back around after offering his back when Tsyeyk stripped down.
After that, Tsu'tey sat Tsyeyk down and started talking to him carefully. He kept making the gesture that he did for clean, which was confusing for Tsyeyk as he had just done that. Did Tsu'tey want him to do it again? Was he not clean enough the first time?
Hesitantly, after multiple times of trying to explain whatever it was that he wanted, he just sighed, resigned, and sat down on the large flat rock next to his bag and twirls his finger for Tsyeyk to turn around. Tsyeyk scrambles to sit in front of him, giggling happily as Tsu'tey pulls out his bone comb and starts to run it through his hair once more, speaking low and soothingly, gently pulling through all the tangles and taming the wild mane. After going through it multiple times, Tsu'tey grabs another strange bone comb like thing from the bag and gathers up all of Tsyeyk's hair carefully before pinning it to the top of his head.
Then, he pauses again, hesitating. Tsyeyk looks over his shoulder at Tsu'tey curiously. He tilts his head a bit but it's hard with the weight of his hair balanced on the top of his head. Tsu'tey says something soft and soothing, turning Tsyeyk's head forward once more before getting to work on whatever it was that he was no doubt trying to explain to Tsyeyk.
Tsyeyk doesn't understand at first what's happening. First it was a strange sensation at the end of his braid - cold and warm, like it's being exposed to open air and the heat of Tsu'tey's palm - and it makes him stiffen. Then more and more of it is being exposed and Tsyeyk jerks away, whimpering, twisting to look at Tsu'tey with wide eyes.
Tsu'tey gently pulls him back and keeps going, combing and untangling his braid. The further he goes, the more exposed it becomes. Soon, Tsyeyk is trembling in terror, sobbing brokenly. No one is supposed to touch that. It's for Tsyeyk and Mother. And one more. But that's it. The one more - it's not time yet. Tsyeyk can't yet. It's not right. It's scary. This isn't right. No one else should be touching it. It has to be his choice, he knows. Mother demands that of all her children. It has to be their choice. He doesn't want this yet.
Father is sitting a few feet away, just watching them, despite all of Tsyeyk's crying and his sympathetic whimpering and the occasional lick to Tsyeyk's cheek, Father doesn't help him. Realistically, the rational little voice in the back of his mind assures him that Father would never just let something like this happen to him. He wouldn't just sit there and watch it happen. It had to of been what Tsu'tey was talking about. Father was able to understand him, but Tsyeyk, much to his chagrin, hadn't been able to understand what Tsu'tey was about to do.
Still, this was wrong. He doesn't understand why this was happening to him. It shouldn't be this way. It's not right.
But this is Tsu'tey. Tsu'tey wouldn't hurt him. Tsu'tey wouldn't force him. Tsu'tey would let it be his choice. So why was he doing this? Why wasn't he listening to Tsyeyk when he says no? When he tries to crawl away? Why does he just gently grab at his hips and pull him back to sit in front of him? Why does he keep whispering soft, soothing words when Tsyeyk just wants him to stop? Tsu'tey has always listened, so why is he not listening now?
"No, Tu'tey, no," Tsyeyk sobs, hiccuping. His voice is wrecked, his throat burning from crying for so long and so hard. Finally, Tsu'tey gently grabs hold of the thing that he shouldn't and brings it over Tsyeyk's shoulder, offering it to him. Tsyeyk carefully takes it and cradles it to his chest, finally calming down a bit now that he knows that it's safe, but still keeps crying softly.
"I'm sorry," Tsu'tey says softly, kissing his shoulder. "Tsyeyk, I'm sorry."
Tsyeyk uses one hand to rub at his aching head from all the crying, gasping for breath. Tsu'tey pauses in his detangling of Tsyeyk's hair to wrap his arms around him. He murmurs more soft apologies, kissing his shoulders and the back of his neck before getting back to work. Tsyeyk just stares straight ahead, sniffling and coughing. Tsyeyk's skull is sore by the time Tsu'tey stops again, despite how gentle he's being.
Tsu'tey stretches, working out the tension in his shoulders, carefully climbing to his feet and walking around to Tsyeyk's front. Tsyeyk watches him wearily, sniffling as, for the hundredth time since this started, Tsu'tey offers Tsyeyk his waterskin, softly pleading for him to drink. His expression is rightfully contrite. Tsyeyk hesitates, looking down at the offering, a petty part of him wanting to refuse, but his throat and head hurt so bad. Shakily, he reaches out to take it, being sure to bring his knees up to his chest to protect what shouldn't be touched and drinking up most of the water to sooth his throat a bit.
"No, Tu'tey," Tsyeyk rasps, sniffling as he passes the waterskin back. Tsu'tey closes it and lays it down next to Tsyeyk for him to keep drinking from. "No, Tu'tey. No."
Instead of nodding in agreement, Tsu'tey gives him this look that immediately tells Tsyeyk that it's not over. He starts to cry again, shaking his head enough to dislodge the mop of hair on top of his head. Tsu'tey, once more, sets to twisting it back into place and out of the way.
Tsyeyk waits for Tsu'tey to be sitting behind him again before pushing to his hands and knees to crawl away again, but Tsu'tey grabs his hips and pulls him back, this time down onto his lap. Tsyeyk cries harder, struggling for a moment until he realized that Tsu'tey was just holding, rocking back and forth a bit, his forehead pressed into the back of Tsyeyk's shoulder. It takes a few moments until his body starts to relax in Tsu'tey's hold. Tsu'tey carefully crosses his legs under Tsyeyk, pulling his hips closer so that they are slotted together perfectly, ensuring that Tsyeyk was leaning back against his chest.
Then he just holds him. Tsyeyk starts to relax against him, sniffling and coughing as Tsu'tey kisses his shoulder, neck, wet cheeks, even pressing kisses to his ear after whispering soft apologies and words so low and soothing despite him not knowing what they mean. Tsu'tey isn't going to force him, rationally he knows. But he's so scared. Tsu'tey is trying so hard to get him to understand, telling him, no doubt, but he just doesn't know the words. Father is still there, watching with big sad eyes, but doesn't move to separate them.
Because Tsu'tey is doing something to help him, Tsyeyk just doesn't understand. And because he doesn't understand, he's scared.
And just as he's about to fully relax again, Tsu'tey pulls back enough to reach over and take what shouldn't be touched and pulls it back over Tsyeyk's shoulder. And Tsyeyk's back to sobbing, moving to pull from Tsu'tey's lap but Tsu'tey wraps an arm around his waist to hold him for a beat until he stops tugging then goes back to what he's doing. Tsu'tey's voice is strained and sad, like he's as helpless as Tsyeyk even though he's the one doing this to him. His hands are rushed and every time his fingers run across the skin on what shouldn't be touched, Tsyeyk sobs harder, shaking from terror.
More than once, Tsyeyk almost throws up from his panic, and he has to settle for a second to stop it, but it always comes back. Then, Tsu'tey's hands pause again. His knuckles are brushing Tsyeyk's shoulder blade, nowhere near the end of it. Then something thick and sun-warmed brushes Tsyeyk's shoulder and he tenses up in surprise to see Tsu'tey's braid resting on his shoulder.
Tsyeyk stares at him, blinking through the tears streaming from his eyes as Tsu'tey drapes it over Tsyeyk's shoulder, softly saying something soothing and pressing another kiss to his shoulder. He waits until Tsyeyk tentatively takes it, wrapping his hand around the end of the braid where he knows the connection is made. Tsu'tey shivers, blinking rapidly before shaking his head and carefully going back to work. Tsyeyk sniffles loudly but his cries die down once more, feeling better now that he's hold Tsu'tey's thing that shouldn't be touched.
The tenseness in Tsu'tey relaxes again, the more that Tsyeyk calms down. He works in relative silence as Tsyeyk's whimpers and soft hiccups die out as he just stares out over the lake, watching the fish that had been splashing around aggravated, finally settle down. Even Father finally lowered his head to his paws, still staring at Tsyeyk in silence.
Once he reaches the bottom, the most sensitive part, Tsyeyk tenses up again, but doesn't sob like earlier, feeling better while holding Tsu'tey's, even though he still rationally knows that Tsu'tey would never hurt him. He just can't reconcile the fear inside of him. He wished that he could just understand what Tsu'tey was trying to say to him. He knows that he's getting there, but it's happening too slow for Tsyeyk.
Tsu'tey is still so gentle as he ties off the end, ensuring that the most sensitive part is completely covered before pulling out his curved claw from his thigh and carefully trimming the ends before he puts the claw away and grabs out more oils from his bag and runs it up and down the braid. Once it is thoroughly oiled, Tsu'tey carefully reaches over Tsyeyk's shoulder to take his own braid and before Tsyeyk can start to panic, he pulls the boy back flush against him, trapping Tsyeyk's braid between their bodies and away from Tsu'tey's hands that settle crisscross on his ribs.
"Done," he says softly, kissing Tsyeyk's damp cheek. "I'm sorry."
Tsyeyk sucks in a deep, shaky breath before starting to relax into Tsu'tey grip, tracing patterns in Tsu'tey's knees and thighs as he calms down. Tsyeyk rests the back of his head into the curve of Tsu'tey's shoulder, slumping as he stretches his legs out, listening to them crack at his knees and ankles. Tsu'tey carefully does the same, stretching out his own legs. They sit in content silence for a few minutes as Tsyeyk wills his aching head to ease.
Finally, Tsyeyk leans forward a bit to pull his braid over his shoulder to see it completely redone. Oiled and smooth, perfectly covered to protect the precious part underneath it. Tsu'tey gently nuzzles the junction between his neck and shoulder, placing another kiss there. Tsyeyk sinks into him, closing swollen eyes to rest. All of his energy - and anxiety - melting away from him.
Tsyeyk wakes to Tsu'tey gentle touches. He was now on his side on the nice warm rock, sunbathing with Tsu'tey laying against the length of his back, propped up on an elbow, lightly running the back of his fingers along Tsyeyk's cheek, to his jaw, neck, shoulder, arm, ribs, waist, hips to his thigh, then carefully back up the same path. Tsyeyk purrs softly while half asleep, mumbling something in a rough voice. His tail rests over Tsu'tey's thigh, curling a bit as he presses closer to Tsu'tey's warmth. He rubs at one of his swollen eyes before drifting again feeling Tsu'tey breathing in the scent gland on his neck before placing a soft kiss there.
Tsyeyk wakes again to Tsu'tey gently calling for him. He rolls onto his back, squinting up at the sun. It's just past the highest point in the sky, the darkness at the middle of the day coming and going without him having noticed. Tsyeyk's stomach cramps in pain, begging for food. He whines, stretching out as far as his body will allow before accepting Tsu'tey's help in climbing to his feet. He yawns looking around to see that Father was gone.
"Father?" Tsyeyk calls, rubbing at his eyes. Tsu'tey says something, running a comforting hand down his back that he leans into. Tsyeyk looks over at him, blinking tired, swollen eyes and Tsu'tey says something again, waving around. Tsyeyk watches the motion, not able to understand. He huffs, pouting.
Tsu'tey smiles and offers his hand for Tsyeyk to take. He does, standing by his side as Tsu'tey puts the strap of the bag across his chest and starts heading off into the forest, cuved stick in his other hand. Tsu'tey stops to gather some berries and showing Tsyeyk how to locate and dig up some worms for them to eat after Tsyeyk pointed to his stomach and asked, "Food?" He's munching as they make their way through the forest.
They walk for a bit before a noise draws Tsyeyk's attention. He tenses, carefully chewing up the berries in his mouth, eyes blown wide as Tsu'tey leads him towards a large, six-legged beast, standing off by one of the nearby trees, eating as the moss gathered there. Tsu'tey leads him over to the beast, patting the strong muscles of its neck while glancing over at Tsyeyk.
"Pa'li," he says.
After a few attempts, Tsyeyk finally manages to rasp out, "Pa'li?"
Tsu'tey nods, smiling more. He gently tugs Tsyeyk closer to touch the magnificent beast before him. Tsyeyk took a moment to just stare into beautiful big golden-brown eyes and Sees her. She straightens up at the sight of him moving closer and offering her flank to him. In joy, Tsyeyk moves to her face instead, wrapping his arms around it to press the top of her head to his chest, hugging her tightly. She rumbles, pressing close but not enough to knock him over.
Tsu'tey steps back, smiling kindly and just letting Tsyeyk hug the pa'li. Tsyeyk nuzzles her face which makes her rumble more, pleased. She chirps a few times, backing up and offering her antennae to him. Tsyeyk tilts his head to the side, not understanding, but Tsu'tey climbs up onto her back, pulling his braid from over his shoulder and letting the tendrils weave together. He huffs, shaking his head at whatever it was that he got from her, before holding a hand out to him. Curiously, he takes it, not understanding until Tsu'tey helps pull him up onto her back too.
After a bit of scrambling, Tsyeyk presses tight to Tsu'tey's back, making him jolt in surprise when the ice-cold hand he hadn't been holding touches his pec from the arm looped over his shoulder. Tsu'tey reaches back, running the back of his fingers down Tsyeyk's side, softly asking, "Cold?"
Tsyeyk shakes his head, pressing close, smiling. "Tu'tey warm."
Tsu'tey sighs, grabbing onto that hand for a moment, engulfing it in warmth as the pa'li starts forward at a leisurely walk. Tsyeyk giggles in excitement, never having rode on anything's back aside from Father so this was new for him. After a few minutes, Tsu'tey places the hand warming Tsyeyk's back onto his thigh to keep him in place as he urges the pa'li faster. Faster and faster, they go. Tsyeyk holds tight to Tsu'tey, laughing in joy, eyes scanning the forest, unsure of where they were going but was so excited to be going - especially with Tsu'tey.
It's cold as they travel and Tsyeyk has to press close to Tsu'tey to keep warm, the wind whipping against his skin and pulling at the long strands of his flowing black mane. Movement in the forest catches his attention and Father bleeds out of the shadows, running not far from them, keeping pace. Nimble and precise, he maneuvers through the landscape with ease, keeping a distance from the pa'li and out of her peripheral as to not scare her, no doubt. Most other beasts get really scared whenever Father is around so it's understandable.
Tsyeyk presses tighter to Tsu'tey's back, gleefully calling out, "Father! Father!"
Tsu'tey glances over to see Father, tipping his head in greeting before facing forward once more. Father slows a bit, disappearing once more after a few minutes of traveling. As quickly as he appeared, he's gone.
Tsyeyk searches the forest around them as they go but can't find him again.
After a few more minutes of travel, Tsu'tey says something that Tsyeyk doesn't understand outside of his name. He looks ahead to see Tsu'tey pointing at something through the tree's hanging branches as they thin out a bit. Coming into view fast is a massive tree that stretches up into the sky, touching the clouds. Tsyeyk keeps his eyes on it, jaw falling open in awe. There was something this big in his forest and he never saw it?
"Hometree," Tsu'tey says as they slow again. "Hometree."
"Hometree..." Tsyeyk echoes, looking around as the enter the clearing leading up to Hometree and seeing Na'vi everywhere. Some practicing with their strange sticks, trying to hit targets. Some riding around other pa'li, some tending to plants, and others just milling about. But there was so many of them. Tsyeyk has never seen so many Na'vi gathered around.
"Omatikaya," Tsu'tey says, gesturing to the other Na'vi, then to himself. "Omatikaya." Then he points up to the massive tree. "Omatikaya Hometree."
"Omatikaya... Hometree..." Tsyeyk whispers into Tsu'tey's ear, eyes wide in awe, still trying to take it all in. Tsu'tey grins, coming up to a strange structure where other pa'li are walking around inside of, grazing on the grass and even stretching out their long tongues to drink the nectar inside of the flowers.
A hunter, or maybe just another Omatikaya, comes up to them as they slow to a stop, reaching out to slow the pa'li and hold her in place as Tsu'tey maneuvers himself off of her back before turning to help Tsyeyk down. Tsyeyk accepts the help. He stays close to Tsu'tey but spins around in place slowly, taking in the life around him. They look like a hive of bugs, all moving around and coordinating, a buzz of never-ending activity. It's almost overwhelming. He's not sure where to look next. There is just so much happening around him.
Tsu'tey grabs the bag he strapped to the pa'li earlier, and a few other things, including his stick which he also slings over his chest and takes Tsyeyk's hand to lead him into one of the openings of Hometree. The person helping them looks at Tsyeyk with wide eyes as they pass. He stares back at them curiously as they go, trying to remember if they were one of the hunters that accompanied Mo'at, but they weren't.
Every few steps they stop because Tsyeyk is busy looking at something and has to be gently urged along by Tsu'tey, who was grinning the whole time. Tsyeyk watches as more and more of the Na'vi around turn to look at them as they pass, some inching closer, all whispering to each other with wide eyes. Tsyeyk presses closer to Tsu'tey, grabbing at his inner elbow with his other hand in worry, ears pressing back.
Tsu'tey whispers something sweet and gentle to him, pressing a kiss to the back of his hand that he brings up to his lips before lowering it again, but keeps pushing forward without hesitation. Of course, he would. This is his home. It's like Tsyeyk being scared to walk into the cave he shares with Father. It's his home, there is no need to be apprehensive or hesitant.
And once again, this is Tsu'tey. He would never do anything to hurt Tsyeyk. He wouldn't ever. And just because Tsyeyk didn't understand before what was happening, it ended up not being bad. Tsu'tey was helping clean him up, it seems. Now his braid is silky smooth like Tsu'tey's. Tsyeyk's not sure why it mattered, but it was the same as the tweng, he didn't need it, but it made Tsu'tey feel better that he had it. And it did offer him some protection from the cold, he supposed, but not as much as Tsu'tey's blanket, though.
Just because Tsyeyk doesn't understand, doesn't mean that Tsu'tey isn't doing things to help him. That much he's come to understand, at least.
More and more of the Omatikaya gather, watching him with wide eyes that make him nervous, but once they make it into Hometree, Tsyeyk is distracted by the interior. There was so much there. A spiral walkway leading up, lots of large areas filled with so many things that Tsyeyk has no idea what most of them are or what they could even be used for. There are Omaikaya everywhere, around them, on the floors above them, looking down, even on the outside of Hometree, peeking in from the entrances.
Tsu'tey calls out something about "palulukan" and "Father", and he looks around to see who he was talking to. He spots Eytukan stepping off the spiral walkway, nodding at Tsu'tey. He says something to a few of the hunters around them and they disperse, leaving Hometree.
"Father?" Tsyeyk asks, tilting his head.
Tsu'tey stops, glancing over at him, chewing on his full lower lip trying to think of how to say this. "Father..." he hesitates, then gestures to the space around them. "Father Hometree."
Tsyeyk tilts his head and Tsu'tey just offers a little smile.
As they pass deeper into Hometree, closer to Eytukan, the gathered Omatikaya reach out to touch Tsyeyk as he passes. He jolts in confusion, looking at their hands reaching for him. Tsu'tey feels his jolt and glances over his shoulder at him. He scowls at seeing them touch him, snapping something and pulling Tsyeyk closer. Tsyeyk glances at Tsu'tey, then to the displeased looks of the Omatikaya.
Eytukan says something admonishing, but gentle, and most of the hands lower, but they still look after him with wide eyes. Tsyeyk's ears perk up at the sight of him, then he grins at him. Before he can pull away from Tsu'tey to go see him, Mo'at appears at Eytukan's side, smiling with bright eyes at Tsyeyk. A surge of joy lances through him as she opens her arms in greeting.
Tsyeyk giggles, rushing into her arms. Once more Eytukan places a hand on her back to keep her upright as Tsyeyk hugs her tightly, nuzzling her happily. She laughs, squeezing him in return just as tightly. She pulls back enough to say something softly and tucking long strands of black hair behind his ear. Tsyeyk's tail twirls around behind him happily. Tsyeyk lightly touches her cheek, so happy to see her, which she seemed to sense, because her eyes brighten.
"Hello, Tsyeyk," she says sweetly.
"Mo'at!" Tsyeyk gushes, grinning so hard his cheeks hurt. He leans in to nuzzle her again, which she welcomes.
He squeezes her happily, before pulling back and bouncing back over to Tsu'tey, his body shaking in excitement. He wraps his arms around Tsu'tey's chest, giggling happily when Tsu'tey reciprocates. He fits so perfectly against Tsu'tey, resting his forehead against the side of his neck, looking at them under Tsu'tey's chin. He looks around at all the faces staring back at him, trying to find familiar faces. "Sylly? Neytidi?" He asks, ears flicking.
Mo'at says something, waving her hand off behind her. Tsyeyk wilts a little when he doesn't immediately see them. He pouts, pursing his lips.
Tsu'tey rocks back and forth as Eytukan addresses the Omatikaya, talking and gesturing both to Tsyeyk and then around Hometree. Tsyeyk just watches the motions, not at all sure what he is saying, but Mo'at keeps looking over at him and smiling softly when their eyes meet. Tsyeyk's ears perks a bit each time they do, and his tail twirls, which makes her smile more. All those gathered keep looking between Tsyeyk and Tsu'tey and listening to what Eytukan is saying.
Eytukan says his name and Tsyeyk perks up, lifting his head a bit, blinking in confusion. "Tsyeyk?" He echoes.
Eytukan pauses, glancing over at him, a small smile quirking a bit before continuing. He goes on and says the word, "palulukan" again. Which makes Tsyeyk perk once more, but then he says, "Father" and Tsyeyk echoes him again. Tsu'tey huffs, his lips curving into an amused smile, giving him a squeeze around the ribs as Tsyeyk lowers his head back to the crook of Tsu'tey's neck, staring back at Eytukan.
Each time he would say words that Tsyeyk recognized, he would echo to show he understood. "Sylly" and "Tu'tey" and "Eywa" and "Hometree" and "Mo'at" and even "Mother". He was learning so many words. He didn't know what all Eytukan was saying, but there were so many words that he knew now that he hadn't just a few days ago. He just needed a little more time, then he would be able to completely understand what was said.
Then he would be able to speak to Tsu'tey!
While Eytukan is talking, Tsyeyk's eyes trail over the faces again, spotting a movement that draws his attention. A small face appears between a few sets of legs as the Omatikaya shift back and forth, listening to Eytukan, looking at Tsyeyk, and whispering to each other.
A small cub peeks out at Tsyeyk, which makes him tense up, eyes blown wide. Tsu'tey, feeling him tense, looks down at him, then follows his eyes, searching. It takes a moment as the cub presses into one of the legs, scared, before looking back over at them again with big golden eyes.
Carefully, Tsyeyk peels from Tsu'tey's arms and lowers down along his body, wrapping his arms around Tsu'tey's leg to keep balanced as he presses his cheek to Tsu'tey's thigh. Tsu'tey's hand lands onto the top of his head, lightly pushing his long soft strands of black hair from his face as the little face peers back at him. A small tail nervously swirling behind them.
Tsyeyk mumbles something but Tsu'tey softly says, "Baby?"
"Baby?" Tsyeyk echoes his voice soft in awe, eyes wide. "Tu'tey, it's baby!"
Tsu'tey pets his hair. "Yes. She's a baby."
As if realizing that they were talking about her, the little cub - baby, Tsu'tey calls her, leans away from the male that she was pressed again, looking like she wanted to come closer to Tsyeyk. And he really wanted her to. He has never seen an Na'vi cub before. Na'vi baby. All the other cubs that he had ever seen were just smaller versions of their parents, but she didn't look like Tsu'tey. She didn't look like Mo'at. Not even the small things that Neytiri and Sylwanin had of Mo'at in them. She looked so different from any of them.
The male next to the baby pets down the braids on her head. She looks up at him as he says something to her. She presses her face into his hip, saying something before glancing back over at Tsyeyk, lips curving slightly. She tilts her face a little more and Tsyeyk catches a strangeness to her face that wasn't present on the immediate Omatikaya around her. A deep distinguished gouge in her cheek. Grooves like nails going from her hairline down to her cheek stopping just short of the corner of her mouth.
She seems to notice where Tsyeyk's eyes travel and shame flickers across her face as she turns away, burying it into the man's hip, tail wilting behind her. She brings a hand up to her face and rubs roughly at her eyes.
Tsyeyk's ears press back, face pulling sadly, not understanding why she suddenly looked so upset. "Baby?" He calls, making some of the nearby adults shift away to let Tsyeyk see her better.
She tenses for a moment before peeking back over at him hesitantly. There is something akin to both fear and hope shining in her big, beautiful eyes. She wraps her arms around the man's hips, seeking comfort from him. He pets down her braids, saying something softly back to her, but her eyes don't leave Tsyeyk's, searching for... approval? Acceptance? Tsyeyk's not sure, but he doesn't think she should look at him that hard. She didn't need anything from him. In fact, he's in awe of her.
Tsyeyk has seen many beasts out in the wild carved in like stone from battles they have fought and survived. Even Father has a few stories written across his skin from long before Tsyeyk came along. She was a little huntress. Faced battles and won, unlike Tsyeyk.
Tsyeyk's tail slaps hard against the ground as his face lights up. "Tu'tey! Pretty! Pretty, pretty baby!"
Shock flickers over her face for a moment before it brightens up, a smile nearly splitting her face in two. Her little tail curls happily and she bounces a bit, looking up at the man. "Pretty!" She repeats., her voice pitched in a way like she couldn't believe it. Then she says words like, "Father" then "Eywa" then "Pretty".
Tsyeyk doesn't know entirely what she says, but she's excitedly bouncing, eyes bright with joy and Tsyeyk can't help his tail whooshing behind him as he fights the near overwhelming urge to bounce along with her as Tsu'tey runs the back of his fingers against the side of Tsyeyk's face and temple.
Eytukan and Mo'at stare at him for a moment, Mo'at opening smiling and Eytukan closing his eyes and the corners of his mouth tilting up. He takes a moment to collect himself before announcing something about "Tsyeyk" and "Omatikaya" and all those around whooped and holler, making Tsyeyk jump at the volume, suddenly scared, but the young baby cub smiles back at him, eyes cresting in joy. He doesn't know what they were all cheering for, but even Tsu'tey's face is bright as he pulls Tsyeyk up to a stand and presses their foreheads together.
Tsyeyk wraps his arms around Tsu'tey, smiling when the other boy's arms wrap around him in return. Their foreheads and bodies slot perfectly together as they stare into the eyes of the other. And to Tsyeyk, Tsu'tey is just... breath-takingly beautiful. His crooked smile. His eyes sparkling with joy.
Something big has happened, he knows. And it has something to do with Tsu'tey. What Tsu'tey has done. And even though he doesn't know what happened, he knows that it's right. Because Tsu'tey is a gift. So beautiful. So wonderful. So perfect.