#loak

After losing everything to the Sky People, Tsayali finds a home with Jake Sully’s family. But as childhood friendships grow into something deeper, two brothers begin to see her differently. With war looming over Pandora once again, hearts will be tested, loyalties will be challenged, and one choice could change everything.

💙 In Every Lifetime | Avatar Fanfiction

Chapters 1-3 Published now on Wattpad.

Wattpad: @TsayaliEywa

On the other side of the hearth, Jake was not looking at him. Lo’ak could not read his set jaw or steely glare. 

For so long — decades — he had not been able to look anywhere else than at his father. 

But he knew, he knew. He knew what kind of adult he wanted to be. He knew who he was; how he would run to an endangered friend if it meant risking it all; how he would choose to be sensitive if it meant wounding himself; how that thing burning through him was hers, only hers, she who would one day gift him with the bow he fixed, she who always said, You are my pride and hope.

Suddenly, something heavy lifted and freed his heart; and the question, asked conversationally by a Metkayina warrior around the communal hearth, carried its own kind of answer; and he thought of his own attitude, of the way he used to laugh in the face of danger, and how he was always told, You are your father’s through and though; and a whole life spent trying to please, to overcome, to resemble, burned down like the last dying blaze under the fuming coal. 

Lo’ak’s eyes shone brightly as he softly lifted his chin, irises glinting in the fire’s light.

"I pray to be worthy of my mother. She is fierce. She never backs down. She fights when necessary, and knows not to run away. She taught me to feel intensely and care ferociously. She is the warrior I dream to become. I am proud to carry the ancestors’ blood through hers."

part one: chosen by trouble

summary: when the sully family arrives in awa’atlu seeking uturu, the clan watches them with caution, curiosity, and distrust. you try not to pay attention to the forest boy with sharp golden eyes and a reckless smile, especially after catching him staring during the communal feast. unfortunately for you, lo’ak sully has never been very good at looking away. and even more unfortunately, neither have the rest of the boys in the clan.

warnings: lo’ak sully has zero game strategy except staring, everyone notices, lo’ak is down catastrophically bad, pretty privilege but make it stressful, competitive flirting, lo’ak sully vs every metkayina male, reef drama

pairing: lo’ak sully x fem!reader

wc: around 2,5k

a/n: i was laughing my ass off while writing the tags

the days after the sully family arrives in awa’atlu begin changing shape before you even realize it is happening, slowly and quietly, in the kind of way that sneaks beneath your skin instead of crashing into you all at once, because at first it is only small things. noticing lo’ak sully standing somewhere in the distance during morning reef work, hearing his laugh before seeing him, catching him staring across communal platforms with that same impossible confidence written all over his face like he has never once been afraid of wanting something openly in his life

and eywa, that alone should have warned you

because boys in awa’atlu flirt constantly, they always have, especially with you, and usually it means nothing more than woven shell bracelets left outside your family marui, invitations to races near the eastern reef, polished gifts brought back after hunts, all harmless things from boys who have spent most of their lives trying to impress the prettiest girl in the clan

you are used to it

used to smiles lingering too long

used to attention following you through the village

used to hearing your name carried through gossip circles every time another boy embarrasses himself trying to earn a little more of your affection than the others

and normally, you handle it easily. a smile here, polite conversation there, enough kindness to avoid hurting feelings without ever encouraging too much

simple

except lo’ak does not behave like the others. the others want your attention because everyone else wants it too. lo’ak looks at you like he discovered something instead of won it, which is infinitely more flattering

“you are staring at him again.”

you nearly drop the woven sea shells in your hands as your cousin’s voice breaks through your thoughts, and immediately glare at her while she laughs softly beneath her breath, sitting cross-legged beside you on the outer platform where several girls prepare decorations for the upcoming eclipse gathering

“i was not staring.”

“you absolutely were.”

“i was thinking!”

“about the forest boy.”

you click your tongue in annoyance and continue threading shell beads together while ocean wind moves through the woven bridges around you, carrying the scent of saltwater and distant sea fruit fires from nearby maruis

across the village, several metkayina boys are helping the sully brothers prepare fishing equipment under supervision from older hunters, though “helping” might be generous considering ao’nung appears one irritated comment away from shoving lo’ak directly into the ocean.

lo’ak only laughs every time, of course he does

even from this distance you can see him grinning after another sharp comment from ao’nung, broad shoulders shaking slightly with amusement while he fixes one of the woven nets incorrectly on purpose just to annoy him further

idiot

your cousin notices the way your attention drifts immediately

“you like him!” she whisper-yells

“what?? i tolerate him!”

“you smiled while looking at him.”

“that means nothing?”

“it means enough!” she says with a big smile

before you can answer, movement below catches your attention as several younger children suddenly race through the lower platforms shouting excitedly about ilu races beginning near the eastern reefs, their voices carrying through the village loud enough to pull attention from nearly everyone nearby, including lo’ak. his head lifts instantly toward the sound before his eyes move automatically across the platform searching, and somehow, impossibly, finding you within seconds despite the dozens of people moving between you

no matter who he is talking to beforehand, no matter what he is doing, the moment lo’ak notices you there is always that same subtle shift in his face, like something sharp softens unexpectedly beneath his skin

then he grins. and this time you let out a small smile.

your cousin makes the most dramatic sound imaginable beside you

“oh eywa, save us!”

“be quiet.”

“he looks at you like he has already written songs.”

“nobody writes songs?”

“he would.”

you roll your eyes while smiling because you can’t stop it before standing with the shell baskets balanced against your hip, mostly because continuing this conversation feels dangerous to your sanity

“where are you going?” she asks immediately

“away from you!”

“mmhm” she says knowingly “and definitely not toward the reef where the forest boy is.”

you ignore her completely which would work better if your face was not warm already.

the woven bridges beneath your feet sway gently as you make your way toward the lower docks where clan members gather near the racing reefs, laughter and conversation echoing over the water while ilu glide beneath the surface in flashes of blue and silver.

the village feels alive this time of day, bright, warm, familiar

and somewhere ahead, lo’ak sully is probably about to become your problem again.

you spot him before he spots you this time, a rare victory

he stands near the edge of one of the lower platforms beside neteyam and spider while several metkayina boys explain racing techniques with varying levels of patience, though judging by the amused expression on neteyam’s face, lo’ak has already ignored most of the instructions

predictable, very predictable

you slow slightly near the edge of the platform, listening absently while one of the older hunters demonstrates proper riding posture for sharper reef turns.

lo’ak lasts approximately thirty seconds before attempting the maneuver anyway, badly.

his skimwing jerks sideways beneath him, nearly throwing him directly into the water while several people yell at once

you laugh before you can stop yourself.

his head turns toward the sound immediately, and there it is again. that grin. even soaking wet and halfway to drowning himself, lo’ak somehow still looks unbearably pleased just because you laughed at him

“you did that on purpose” neteyam mutters as lo’ak climbs back onto the platform dripping seawater everywhere

“did it work?”

“unfortunately.”

lo’ak pushes wet braids out of his face before looking toward you again, and suddenly you become very aware of how many girls nearby are watching him now too. interesting…

because yes, boys stare at you constantly, but lo’ak gets attention too. especially here lately

the younger metkayina girls whisper whenever he passes now, drawn toward the same reckless confidence that keeps getting him into trouble around the reefs

you expected that realization to bother you less than it does. unfortunately one of the girls nearby moves closer toward him while smiling shyly, offering a woven shell cord she clearly spent hours making

lo’ak blinks once in surprise before accepting it politely. he smiles, says something kind, and just by him doing that your stomach twists unexpectedly. ridiculous, completely ridiculous. because why should that affect you? boys flirt with you all the time, girls flirt with him now too. normal. except the moment lo’ak glances back toward the docks and notices your expression shift slightly, his attention changes instantly. the girl is still speaking to him, but he barely notices now. his eyes stay entirely on you

then, without hesitation, he hands the shell cord to spider and starts walking toward the dock instead

toward you

your pulse immediately betrays you

“you are terrible at this” you say with a small smile the second he reaches the platform

his brows lift slightly. “at what?”

“racing?”

he grins. “you laughed tho!l

“because you almost died!”

“still laughed.”

you hate how smug he sounds about that, especially because he is right

water drips from the ends of his braids onto the wooden platform beneath your feet while ocean wind moves between you carrying salt and sunlight and something warm beneath it that smells distinctly like him now

“you came to watch?” he asks

“everyone came to watch.”

“yeah” he says softly, eyes holding yours too steadily “but you still came.”

heat crawls slowly into your face, again.

eywa, this boy is going to be the death of you. before you can think of a response, another metkayina hunter approaches carrying fishing spears across one shoulder, smiling immediately when he notices you standing there

“there you are” he says warmly, “i was looking for you earlier.”

you smile automatically. “why?”

“my mother wants to know if you are still joining us tonight.”

“yes, i promised her i would.”

“good” he replies, reaching briefly toward your wrist to adjust one of the shell bracelets there, “she likes having you around.”

the contact is innocent, brief, normal. yet beside you, lo’ak goes completely still

you notice it instantly. the subtle tightening of his jaw, the way his shoulders straighten slightly

jealousy.

and for some terrible reason, seeing it sends warmth blooming low in your stomach instead of discomfort.

the hunter continues speaking for another minute before finally leaving toward the upper platforms again

silence settles afterward

you glance sideways, and lo’ak stares out toward the water now, expression unreadable

“you are jealous.” you say carefully

his eyes flick toward you immediately

“am not.”

liar

you smile slightly “you are.”

he exhales through his nose once before shaking his head, though the corner of his mouth twitches anyway like he knows denying it is useless

“okay” he mutters eventually “maybe a little.”

“why?”

that catches him off guard, you can see it happen

because suddenly lo’ak, reckless impossible lo’ak who always seems to know exactly what to say, hesitates for the first time since meeting you. his gaze drifts briefly toward the ocean before returning slowly to your face

and when he speaks again, his voice is quieter than before

“because they all look at you like they already decided something.”

your breath catches slightly

“decided what?”

his eyes hold yours steadily

“that they want you and their gonna get you”

the words settle heavily between you while waves crash softly against the reef below

because he says it so simply, like it is obvious, like he hates the idea anyway

your pulse stumbles painfully hard

“and you do not?” you ask before thinking better of it

big mistake. because lo’ak’s expression changes instantly. slower now, more focused

then he smiles.

“pretty sure that became obvious the second i saw you dancing.”