BACKDATED to July 3rd [ Action, Voice ] .049

[markofthebrave]

[Today, Katara sleeps in far later than her custom - in fact, she won't wake up until around one. No one in the house particularly wants her up, and when she does wake she feels as if a platypus bear has been playing kickball with her head. Everything is stuffed in cotton. And then some remaining memories of the past few days filter in through the pain, and suddenly Katara doesn't want to wake up.

She rolls over and finds her journal, blinking the lights from her eyes.]

Did you ever wake up feeling like you owed half the village an apology?

[She shuts the book, having overestimated her ability to do and be... anything. Everything hurts right now, and it's only several hours later when she'll get up out of the bed and make responses to anyone who may have responded back to her post.

If anyone in the house feels like ministering to a girl with a hell of of an experimental hangover, she'll be in her room and then in the kitchen, holding her head in her hands as she drinks water. It doesn't seem that Nala works for hangovers, and her concentration is way too shot to try to fix her own headache.]

Comments

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

So the Malnosso returned you just today, right?

[Said in that blatant we can pretend the last few days didn't exist sort of way, really.]

[markofthebrave]

[Has she ever mentioned how much she loves you, Nami? Her tone of voice is grateful.]

Something like that. [Pause a beat before admitting wryly] My head hurts.

[The memories and the personality mesh was just mean to it, and she might be hoping Nami has a hangover remedy or something.]

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

Want Chopper to take a look at you?

[Well, she might do. But a doctor is a good port of call first, waterbender or no.]

[markofthebrave]

[S-sob. No. No she doesn't. That will involve poking and prodding and fussing and...

But what if something else is wrong?]

...I guess that would probably be a good idea.

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

Mmm. He's home today. [By the power of godmod] Maybe you should drop by.

[markofthebrave]

[And as she's just remembered it's a certain pirate's birthday...]

That sounds good. When's a good time for me to drop by?

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

Anytime you like. I have nothing else on today... well, you could come visit and we could go up to the orchard, if you like.

[markofthebrave]

That sounds nice. [She said before she saw Shikamaru's entry about Chouji, back when she thought all she needed to worry about was her embarrassment.]

I'll see you soon.

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

[Welp, whenever you get done being examined by Chopper, Nami will be lurking in the kitchen putting together some food to take up to the orchard.]

[markofthebrave]

[Hopefully the examination won't take too long.]

Hey, Nami.

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

Hey. [Smile a little less brittle than the last time she saw Katara, at any rate.] You don't mind just some roast beef and cheese, right? I can't do lunches the way Sanji-kun does.

[markofthebrave]

It sounds great. [Smile only slightly strained at the edges.]

I'll have to leave a little bit before dinner, though.

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

[Nami just assumes the strain is from the embarrassment of the last week. Certainly, she hasn't seen a smile that isn't strained lately. Luceti sucks, Katara. We should start a club.]

No problem. Got the masses to feed? [She finishes packing a basket as she speaks.] How many are living with you now, anyway?

[markofthebrave]

Well, Zuko's still gone. But other than that, it's Sokka and Suki, and Toph and Yue. All the rooms in the house are full.

[Which is great, and horrible, and like a ticking bomb because sooner or later... they'll all go home.]

But actually, I have to go talk with Shikamaru.

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

...who?

[markofthebrave]

Chouji's best friend. [...] Chouji got sent home while I was out of it.

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

...oh. [She has mixed thoughts about Chouji; her son from Luceti Valley, but he seemed nice enough in the one conversation they had outside of that.

Though she didn't know he was friends with Katara, either.

And Katara won't appreciate the first response that comes to mind, either. Good for him. So after a faint, thoughtful pause, she keeps packing the basket, voice low and sympathetic.]

Friend of yours, I take it.

[markofthebrave]

Yeah. He was a really easy guy to like. And he was a good friend.

[She picks up a napkin in her hands, twists it.]

We were... together in February. And we became closer after that. And the last time I saw him... I was like that.

[She never thought she'd be grateful to be forgotten.]

So I want to see how Shikamaru's doing, and I want to hear what Chouji's going back into. [Shrug] Besides, sometimes people go back in pairs. Especially when they showed up together.

[So she wants to say goodbye. To at least one of them.

And she ducks her head to keep back tears. Caring hurts.]

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

[...oh. Kinda sorta more than friends, she sees. Nami's expression tightens in understanding. But she shakes her head.]

If you were that close, he'd know you well enough not to hold that week against you. It's not like any of us do.

[markofthebrave]

[.../miserable.]

...I'm pretty sure I tried to kiss him. In front of Trafalgar.

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

[There's that 'Trafalgar' again...but Nami's eyebrow lifts slightly, and then she shakes her head again and turns away, picking up the basket.]

A kiss is manageable. Law's smart enough and Chouji's smart enough to know that in experiments, all bets are off.

[Are you?]

[markofthebrave]

[She shakes her head.]

That's not it. I mean, yeah, that's embarrassing, but...

[But the last thing she did was embarrass and humiliate someone she cared about.]

[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

... Katara. If he ever comes back here and he remembers this place, I guarantee what happened will the least thing on his mind.

[markofthebrave]

Yeah, that's true. I guess that's a good thing.

[Her smile is fragile, like cracked glass.]

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[mikangirl.livejournal.com]

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