Chapter Text
Lo'ak's mind was racing he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Is he with the great mother, finally with the brother he left everyone for. Left everything for.
"Ewan tsmukan?" the gentle voice he'd given it all for coxed him out of his thoughts
Taking a deep breath Lo'ak tilted his head to look up, listening to the strong pattern of a heart he believed had stopped all those days ago he slowly looked through his tears into the bright yellow eyes he'd watched close on those rocks when he thought his light had left him alone in the darkness of life.
"'teyam?" He whispered, as if saying his brothers name would make the great mother pull them apart once more
Neteyam blinked slowly and tightened his hold on the younger boy in his arms as if scared he'd disappear at the slightest change,
"hey baby bro, what's happened?" the concern that laced his brothers words made Lo'ak cringe in embarrassment for what he'd done. for who he'd left.
"i'm sorry I left them I had to" Lo'ak let out a sob he didn't know was he holding in as he melted into his brothers comforting embrace feeling guilty for feeling at peace for the first time in days, he let out all the grief and pain he'd been holing in, away from anyone who'd ask, not that many did.
"Leave who tsmukan? what happened since I left?" the gentle tone of Neteyam's words began to sooth Lo'ak as they'd done many times throughout there life, his brothers words always felt like air to Lo'ak even when they'd be on bad terms he'd constantly find solace in the gentle flow of how Neteyam spoke.
"I d-didn't k-kn-ow what to d-do, i'm n-not st-rong like you" he hiccupped wetly, feeling the tears he was shedding fall on to his brothers scarred chest leaving water tracks in there wake
"Bro your making no sense, everyone's in the marui i saw them i promise we're all here" the confusion in Neteyam's voice pulled Lo'ak out of his thoughts
"w-what...what do you mean...we..i'm not..." pulling away from his brother and looking him dead in eyes Lo'ak saw the realisation of his words hit the strong bright brother he'd looked up to much harder than he'd ever thought possible
"No Lo'ak your still here, your still alive. The great mother allowed me to return, I am alive just as much as you are. I promise baby brother" the pain in Neteyam's words was evident although Lo'ak could tell he was trying to hide it
Falling into his brothers safe and warm embrace and hearing the strong heartbeat he'd grew to memorize once more Lo'ak sighed deeply letting all the pain out through his breath realising the great mother gifted him with the one thing he needed to survive this world. His big brother was back, he no longer needed to feel alone and scared without his protection and now his family was whole once more.
"stay" was all he could ask while he drifted off hearing the ocean lap at the beach and his brother breath smoothly, no longer trapped in a place he never knew with the fallen of a clan he never loved
"always bro" was the last thing Lo'ak heard as he fell into a sleep he'd been avoiding for longer than he'd ever admit.
He knew he could sleep and wake up to a bright light, he was no longer followed by the darkness of the ongoing war and fighting he had a shred of home he had his light.
They all now had the light of the forest with them at sea.