markofthebrave | [ Action, Voice ] .043

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[ Action, Voice ] .043

[All right, enough of this. It's Spring and she still loves Spring (only her third Spring ever!) and Katara has decided she is going to enjoy it. No school today, so in the late morning to mid afternoon, if you are by the paths along the river you will see one (1) Katara, with a basket and her knife, taking cuttings of wildflowers. She's careful not to take too much from any one tree or bush, and she's clearly enjoying herself.]

[General Voice]
I think my favorite part about Spring is the flowers. We just didn't have anything like this where I grew up. Although in the summers I'd go on a hunt for Mouse Ears. [She pauses, remembering the last time she'd done that...] Or at least I did when I was a kid. I even found one once!

But for all you people who grew up with flowers like this - what was it like, in your Springs? Did you have any fun flower traditions?

[And after the wildflowers have been turned into bouquets, it's time to go visiting! If she hasn't seen you or heard from you in a while, and she knows where you live, your house/apartment is Fair Game.

There are, however, a few people she needs to speak with about a few specific things, so it's time for some courtesy filters! These are not very strong and mostly to prevent your journals from spam]

[Filtered to Shikamaru]
Hey - you up for a spar later?

[Filtered to Nami]
...are those mikans still up for grabs?

[Filtered to Trafalgar Law]
...would you mind if I stopped by?

[Filtered to Zoro]
...hey. I haven't seen you, and I think we should talk.

[Hmm. That was everyone she needed to talk to, right? Hopefully that was it. If it wasn't, she hopes she'll bump into people during the day. Like Sokka - an idea has occurred to her which needs discussing.]

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[She hopes he knows that she wasn't directing him towards the Doctor just because of what the Doctor could learn. She thinks he does. And she gives him a little smile, slightly pained, mostly trusting.]

Thanks.

Mm. [And he folds his arms behind his head again and watches the sky.

It's been a while, he realizes, since he just laid in the grass like this. It pains him to have to get up.

His view of the clouds is a little sharper now, though, and the spots in his vision gone. With a sudden motion, he pushes his hands against the ground behind him and flips to his feet.]

I should be good enough to head back now, I think.

[The smile turns into a soft 'heh.']

Good. I was starting to think you were faking it.

[She doesn't have anything to pack up, so she's ready to go.]

Tch. [He swats at the grass clinging to the back of his clothes.] If I'd been faking it, I'd have made it worth my while and stayed out here long enough for a nap.

Why bother napping? The sun's going down. Soon enough it'll be time to go to sleep.

[And Katara starts leading the way back, stepping right into the shadows like they hadn't held her helpless a moment ago.]

Heh. What are these normal sleeping habits you speak of?

Oh, just one of those things normal people need in order to stay healthy. [Light eyeroll.] Ninja wouldn't know about that.

Of course not. We're creatures of the night, apparently.

[Or so everyone keeps saying. ~~Nevermind there hasn't been a single, canon nighttime battle in the history of Naruto]~~

I have it on good authority that ninja also hide behind rocks and shout 'kya!' when the go to attack people.

Pfft. Please. Any respectable ninja knows a bush has better cover.

Oh, of course.

[Katara - hesitates. She doesn't really want to get into this. But... it was only fair. And even though things... haven't really gone well these past couple of days while she's tried it she's not going to stop trying to do what she feels is right.]

Hey, Shikamaru?

Hm?

[She'd thought about it. Not on purpose, and not because she wanted to know, but because it had happened. She knew what his dreams had been about. And he'd probably figured that out too.]

I'm... sorry. That I know more than what you would have chosen to tell me yourself.

Edited 2011-05-20 06:58 (UTC)

[...

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what she's talking about.]

[He makes a small grunt to acknowledge he heard her and keeps walking, rolling his head away from her and up towards the sky again, lazily.

The clouds are steadily turning various shades of pink and purple, touched by the sun as it draws closer to setting. He likes them better when they're fluffy and white, or wispy trails across blue. He can appreciate both, though, he thinks.

Thinks about the sky because for years it was the best thing to think about when he didn't want to think about anything else.]

[Katara lets him passed her, frowning a little. Again. That still hadn't made it better. It seemed like nothing she tried did -

- but this wasn't about his old wounds. This was about choice and trust. And friendship. And maybe there was something she could do. On impulse, she runs to catch up with him.]

I can try to make it even.

Even?

[His tone is just as casual as ever, though maybe hints of "what are you talking about?" somewhere in there.]

[She thinks - fleetingly - of telling a story of her future. But it hasn't happened yet. It's not a True Thing. It wouldn't be equivalent.]

You can ask me whatever you want, even something I normally wouldn't answer. And I'll tell you.

[She's not... thinking about the consequences here, or the types of question he would ask - not even thinking of he'd find the offer ludicrous, that there was nothing about her he wanted to know. It's the offer that's important, she thinks. And the fact that she'd back it up.]

[He knows what she's getting at - anything literally means anything. It's a serious show of choice and trust, on her part. He appreciates the gesture more than the apology.

At the same time, he thinks it's about the stupidest thing he's heard. He doesn't want to learn anything about her like that, and he opens his mouth to say it-]

Anything, huh?

[...but those are the words that come out instead. What can he say? He's tired of Big Speeches. He's had more than enough of those, for one day.

That and serious conversation.]

Okay. What're your thoughts on Chouji?

[Blink, blink - bwah? And blush.]

What?

[She was literally about to tell him that it was none of his business, that thoughts on another person should be private to them, but - but that was the point of this, wasn't it. She takes a moment to gather her scattered thoughts before answering with her accustomed straightforwardness.]

I'd normally tell you that this wasn't about me, it was about what I thought about someone else, and talking about other people and that... doesn't feel right. But. I don't think Chouji would mind if I told you, so I guess it counts.

Chouji's... always been really kind to me, since even before we were friends. I think I'm lucky to know him. He's really easy-going, and talking with him is like... talking with someone you can tell anything to. He really cares about people, and he tries to see what's best in them - and I admire that. [They do have slightly different brands of optimism, after all.]

I think he's really strong, not just physically, but - his heart is strong. [She glances over at him.] He's an amazingly loyal friend to you. And he'd be a good friend to anyone.

...sometimes I wonder if it's really healthy how much he eats. I know it has to do with his jutsus, but I've seen Luffy and Trafalgar eat too and they store the food differently, but Chouji still moves like he's healthy so I guess it really is fine.

[A short breath before she addresses this squarely, because she's guessing it's why he asked-] I think I was lucky to be matched with him in February. Not everyone would have - been so nice about the whole thing. But the best part was being able to talk and get to know him more; that part wasn't made up. It was really weird right after it ended. [I hadn't wanted it to end.] But we got through it.

I trust him. And I'd miss him a lot if we remembered people when we go back home. But for now I'm just going to keep on being his friend.

[Of course he wouldn't mind. Shikamaru is almost positive that anything she has to say about him are things he's been telling Chouji for years now.

He likes it when other people see it too. He nods along with every point she brings up, and his smile grows a little wider with each one until she finally gets a chuckle out of him with the comment about how he eats. Slipped in with that breath she takes:] Maah, it's not that he eats too much, not really. He just eats crap he shouldn't sometimes.

[He still gets heartburn thinking about it. .__.

He lets her go on - because yes, even though he gave her opportunity to leave it out, that was a small part of the reason why he asked. It was a game-changer and brought about a stronger friendship for them, after all.

The smile returns, smaller now. Nevertheless, he agrees with her - she was lucky to have been matched with Chouji. Any girl would have been, and the same can be said for whatever woman he winds up with by choice, someday.]

He'd appreciate that. Your friendship is more than enough for him.

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[ Action, Voice ] .043

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