markofthebrave | [ Action, Voice ] .029

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[ Action, Voice ] .029

[For no very specific reason at all, Katara is happy this late afternoon. The air is getting colder, and the very fact that it's nipping at her face is enough to make her smile. Add to that the glorious storm of yesterday, that it is still drizzling...

It's started drizzling as she runs her errands in town, and she puts a hand up to bend an 'umbrella' above her head as she walks along. She forgets herself, though, as she comes to some large puddles in the road, and dropping her hand, stares at them for half a beat.

Well, she's already wet.

So she jumps in. Not bending at all, simply splashing about in the puddles along her way.

Feel free to catch her in this rare display of immaturity and glee - or even join her! Hopefully she won't catch a cold.

Much later, as she prepares dinner for her house, she makes a voice post.]

Anyone else looking forward to the change in the weather?

[OOC: I know notifs are so so down. Please ping me on AIM if it's been a while and I haven't tagged!]

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[Eh heh heh... she gives him a sheepish smile.]

Hi, Michael.

[Oh, he's having fun. Michael is nice enough to not laugh out loud like he'd like... but it takes time and obvious effort before he can risk speaking.]

Having fun~?

[So this look here? Very much tinged with a light blush.]

Well. [And then she gives him a quick engaging grin.] Yeah. I don't know. I just... felt like it. [And she shrugs a little, the blush becoming more pronounced.]

[If Michael weren't... Michael, he might give her a look that said something along the lines of of "damnit woman, you are dangerous kinds of cute." But no, he simply closes the distance between them, still barely suppressing a laugh.]

Nothing wrong with that, of course. I take it you're enjoying the weather though. [He lets a little laugh slip- better to vent it slowly, let off the pressure.] Nice to see that someone is, at least.

[So you know what's fun? Splashing in puddles. You know what's not? Standing in them while being approached by a cute guy after being caught splashing in puddles.

She'll just be stepping out of them now, ducking her head as she does to hide the fact that her blush seems to be having a very hard time fading.]

Might as well make the best of it, right?

Very true. Can't say I'm much for being out and about on a rainy day- but they do make for an excellent excuse to spend a nice, slow, peaceful day at home.

[He glances over the edge of his glasses, giving her a knowing look. He totally saw that... and now he's just contemplating how best to make her blush more.]

[She catches that look and blinks at him, the water dripping off her lashes and her hair, and for a moment being caught makes her blush flare hotter. Then Katara shrugs as she smiles a little, grateful that she's feeling her blush start to fade.]

So what brings you out, then?

Edited 2010-09-24 04:33 (UTC)

[Oh, this is going to be good.]

The usual. Getting something for dinner, checking to see if anything catches my eye in one of the other shops...

[wait for it.]

Marveling at how much prettier some girls are when they blush.

[Oh, that's just not nice. There's a moment where she just stares at him with a total lack of comprehension.

She is not USED to this sort of thing!]

[Um. Wow.] Thanks.

Um, I mean... [And she trails off, feeling unsure. Because, well, she was the only girl out here, right? And she had blushed, but... still. This was...

...she didn't even know what this was.]

And what have you been up to, besides enjoying the rain?

[Like nothing is out of the ordinary whatsoever. The sky is blue, water is wet, and Katara is one of the prettiest girls in Luceti. The facts according to Michael. And his posture, expression, everything says so loud and firm.]

[Katara takes a deep breath and tilts her head up to the sky before she answers. His appreciation is a little overwhelming for her. There had been no one else her age back home, and after being in Luceti for so long where even many of the boys were prettier than her, in the very back of her mind in a place where she hardly listens to at all, there are doubts about how she measures up to what she is supposed to be here. Especially since the last boy to express any sort of interest in her was Jet and - no, the love experiment didn't count. But even if it had, Zuko had run away right after it had finished...

Good reason or not, it still hadn't done her self-esteem any favors. She's very much out of her depth here, and she knows it. That's one of the only things she does know, besides the fact that her heart is pounding way too fast and she doesn't want to step away from Michael's presence.

...that, and she's getting uncomfortably wet and cold. She meets Michael's gaze again and smiles at him, moving her arms in a graceful arc as she bends the water off of herself.]

Nothing too exciting. It's Thursday, so it's the last day of school for the week. I'm just picking up some extra food for dinner - somehow every time we have leftovers they don't get left over.

[Michael takes a casual half-step closer to Katara- putting them both under the shelter of his umbrella. He had a strong hunch the gesture was unnecessary- but he knew quite well that didn't necessarily render it less significant.]

I actually seem to be having problems at the other end of that spectrum. [He laughs.] I've got to watch how much I cook, or I'll end up having to eat the same thing for days- and occasionally I'll luck out, and not end up sick of it halfway through.

[She blinks up at him, grateful for the gesture, and even edges forward a small half-step herself to bring her more thoroughly under the umbrella's covering. Dry is nice. And warm is nice. And Michael is nice, and warm, and tall--

--TALL? Where did that -- what did that have to do with anything?

Katara almost visibly wrenches her attention back to what he's saying.]

It's got to be hard to cook for only one person... I guess you could always try cooking a bunch of a staple and then just making it with different things, like chicken or fish...

[And then she gives him a quick smile.] And you could always come over and eat with us! We have dinner together every night, and that way you could meet everybody. Just let me know in advance so I know when to make extra.

[Katara is of the firm opinion that dinners are communal and no one should have to eat them alone.]

It does pose challenges- I've had plenty of practice at it though.

[losing your parents to be raised by your sister who also dies leaving you all alone tends to promote skill sets that include things like cooking for one. Though he rarely ate alone- there was lunch at school, and occasional meals taken in the mess hall on the Macross Quarter- those totally count as communal dining events, right?]

However... I'm never one to turn down an offer for dinner. But I do have one condition- you'll have to let me make dinner for you sometime.

[Blink. What?

What is this.

Seriously?]

Oh, no! You don't have to do that. [Waving her hands in front of her now and smiling as she leans back the slightest bit.]

I mean, that's really sweet of you, Michael, but I make dinner every night for the house. It's really no big deal.

[Oh, he won't be defeated that easily.]

Every night? That's all the more reason to let me treat you some time then. And if the rest of your house can't fend for themselves one night, it wouldn't be to hard to put together something to keep them sated too.

No, it's fine, really. I don't mind it. [Even though she is now cooking TWO meals a night. One vegetarian and one with meat.

...although there is a definite flicker across her that says she's considering the possibilities. She could make them their dinner in the afternoon and they could just warm it up...]

[As long as we're talking vegetarian and not vegan, Michael can handle both of those with one word: quiche.

Little known fact, real men DO eat quiche, and the smart ones make it on a regular basis. It's delicious, (somewhat) nutritious, ridiculously simple, and is one of the few dishes that actually shines as leftovers. But best of all, because of it's deceptive reputation, it's an amazing way to impress people.]

You deserve it... and I can tell you could use a break. I can see it in your eyes.

[And can he ever. Those pretty green eyes of his are staring STRAIGHT into hers.]

[Blink, blink. So much focused intensity... but she's not sure where this is coming from. It's not as if it's had a chance to get that bad yet, like when Zuko randomly took over dinner all those months back. And this 'You deserve it?' What is that? She's just doing what she's always done. And she doesn't appreciate being told that she needs a break, that he can see it, when she's feeling fine.]

It's really not that bad. It's kind of nice having a full house to cook for again instead of just me and Sokka, and it's not as if I really have to prepare anything. The grocery store has it basically ready to go.

[Says the girl who is used to waiting for the hunters to bring the meat home, then dressing, curing, and preparing, and cooking it.]

[Oh and one last thing. The whole "real men don't eat quiche" thing? No man in his right mind should turn down something that has that much cheese in it. EVER.]

At least keep it in consideration for when you feel like a change of pace then? I can sympathize with you on making dinner for others, after all.

[Change in tactics then. Katara is nothing if not a challenge. And that annoying voice in the back of his head likes her too. It says it's proud of him for putting forth this kind of effort for a girl with substance, for once.]

I can do that. [She smiles at him, fully intending to never bring it up again. But he's managed to pique her curiosity.] You're used to cooking for a lot of people?

[He shakes his head.]

No, just myself plus one for the most part. [Like his sister who's been dead for years, or the dozens of girls he's dated back home. But no need to mention any of them, right?]

I do understand what you mean, though. There's a certain satisfaction to be had in seeing people enjoy something you've put that sort of work into.

[He meant that to be a bullshit line. But at least part of the sincerity was kind of not faked. Funny, that.]

[Action] DONE

[Action] Sorry nothing. TOTALLY worth it.

[Action] ffffffff XD

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[Action] 1/3

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[Action] ...and I apologize for the tl;dr

[Action] what did I say? No. <3 teal deer.

[Action] LOL, then there will be herds of them, I'm afraid ^^

[Action] Looks like we're having venison tonight!

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[Action] oh, she's so doomed. ;;

[Action] if you can't tell I'm a fan of quiche, you may need to see an optomitrist.

[Action] I may be detecting that subtle vibe XD Sadly, Katara does not know this dish exists

[Action] Oh, she will.

[Action] She'll love it. ...especially if it means cooking just once a night for a while >>

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