markofthebrave | [ Action, Voice ] .045

[Raine was right. A draft had come, this one worse than before - and in a place where she could be more useful than any other location. And she wasn't going.

She took a good long look at that list. And there are some people that she has to visit.

...okay, there are a lot of people she has to visit.

First stop - Shikamaru and Chouji's place. If she can't go herself, then she has to do what she can to help the people who are going out out, and that means talking with the strategist going out there who she trusts.

Next stop - Casa de Freedom Fighter. She may have put it off if her talk with Shikamaru hadn't made her realize how absolutely necessary this was.

From there... spirits, so many people... Katara takes out her journal and stares at it a bit before making a general voice post and then crafting some filters.]

If anyone - needs me for anything, or if there's anything I can do to help out before you go, I'm around. I've fought in swamps before, and although I don't know anything more about this one, I'll try to answer what I can.

[And now it's time for filters. She doesn't have anything specific to say to these people, not over the journals anyway, so the message is the same.]

[Filtered to Ginko, Masaomi, Raine, Kurt, and Sanji]

Hey. If you have time, I'd like to see you before you go.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[This is a beat of silence when Katara gives him a chance to say more, to turn around, to do anything other than just sit there like that...

...and then the beat stretches a minute, as Katara hesistates, deciding whether or not to push.

She reaches for his shoulder again, keeps the touch light.]

Masaomi?

[At least look at me. This isn't like you.

...this is deeper than the draft, isn't it.]

[He flinches there, but then... relaxes to the touch and nods to himself. No, he's not going to tell her- he can't... no. But it's obvious, isn't it? What even is he hesitating about?]

[...]

You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but this is deeper than the draft, isn't it.

...Ah. A little bit, yeah.

[And now, steeling himself, he finally turns to her, trying to keep his expression even]

[Katara drops her hand when he turns to her, as their sitting side-by-side makes that... awkward.]

You don't have to tell me. But sometimes talking about it helps.

[And to be fair, she doesn't even throw in the wibbly eyes. Her gaze instead is calm, concerned, and doing its utmost to convey 'I'm here.']

[For a moment, he considers it. A brief, fleeting moment, he thinks about telling her that he's broken. That he's beyond fixing. That he's a wreck which cannot be put back together no matter how much he wants to believe it - a fact only made more and more real as he sits here pining for memories that never existed with her. He wonders if it would give him Catharsis... but really...]

[She closes his eyes. In that same moment, a smile which doesn't match with the rest of his posture comes up onto his face. No, she'd just think he was weird. Maybe she would hate him. Maybe she scared or question it or maybe not even understand it. He doesn't know if he could handle that sort of special rejection.

He chuckles a bit, shaking his head]

[One more beat later, the smile widens, and he laughs more fully, smiling at her and reaches his hand out to touch the railing, leaping to his feet in much the same movement]

I don't think I should worry you, Ka~tara! Right now, my mind is just filled with unspeakable things, riiiight? After all! A pretty girl is right in front of me.

[Katara slumps a little, shuts her eyes for a moment. She'd said he didn't have to tell her. She meant it. All the same...

She wants to try to help him.]

[She opens her eyes and tilts her head up to look at him, remaining seated. A wry smile twists her mouth.]

Unspeakable things, huh?

[Let her guess. You're a 'sinful man.'

She's starting to recognize this flirting as a cover.]

Very much so, veeeeery much so! [He leaps now, onto the guard-rail of the bridge they're on. Despite his dour mood and current bravado, he balances on it neigh-perfectly, and takes a handful of steps away from where they were. He then turns on his heel, still on the rail, and puts on a mock-thoughtful pose]

I shan't say, I can't shame you!

[Eyeroll.] Thanks for the consideration.

[And she starts to stand up.] Although if it's that bad, you should just stop thinking about it.

A man can't help what he thinks when there's love and lust involved! [And he leaps off the rail now, with a theatrical flourish]

["Love and lust." Love. Lust. Love???]

Masaomi! [Oh, she is indignant.] You shouldn't just say things like that when you're kidding around!

['Love' is a special word, OK?

And lust is... something she doesn't want to think about.]

Was I kidding?

[He laughs, and then turns around. He lifts and arm and turns to grin at her, waving. He clearly means to flounce now. But all the same. He feels stronger. More in control.]

In either case, thank you.

[Well, she's not going to stop him. She's got her promise, and she tried to talk to him, and hmph. Hmph.]

[...although before he goes, her expression gradually softens.]

Take care out there, okay?

[Remember your promise.]

[He just laughs at that, starting to walk away.

He will, Katara. He will try to, anyway. He wishes- no. He'll wish once it's over]

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