markofthebrave | [ Action, Accidental Video, Voice ] .054

[Today, after the typical Saturday late morning house-cleaning and laundry doing, Katara heads into town. She's got grocery shopping to do, true, but she has another more specific destination in mind: The Flower Shop. You guys carry seeds for trees, right?

Thus armed, she will head back home, ~~steal~~ borrow one of Sokka's canoes, and head up to the nearest lake. Once there, she intends to use Faren to plant and strengthen the tree seeds in order to replace the tree she dessicated in her last spar with Shikamaru. She may even give into the urge to jump into the lake and go for a swim.]

[Accidental video:]

[In fact, regardless of whether or not there's company there for her to plant the tree or go swimming, the urge to just jump into the lake is one she is going to give into. The fact that it is an urge, though, prompts her to be less than careful as she strips off her waterskin, belt, and pouch which holds her journal, causing it to jostle opened as it lands on the ground. Fortunately, the fates are kinder to her than they could have been and the video function is not pointing directly at her. Just enough, though, to see her back as she shimmies out of her overtunic before Katara steps out of the camera completely. There will shortly be the sound of a loud SPLASH. And then the video just records the sky and perhaps a loud "EEP." That water is cold. This will probably be a very short swim.

Later, at home and over a cup of tea, she sets up a voice message.]

[Private: to Robin]

Hey, the experiment's over. When do you want to come over for dinner?

[If you hoped she would forget, masked man, your hopes were in vain!

As always, feel free to bump at her in town, on her way out of it, or even at home or the lake!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[And he doesn't? If all there was to life was keeping busy, he'd have gone nuts a long time ago.]

I thought so. We should hang out after I get back, sometime.

[He clearly doesn't if he has time to watch clouds. 8|

Quit trying to make her go cloud watching with you.]

Sure! You and Ino can come over for dinner sometime.

[Because that's totally what you meant, right?]

[He makes time for it. Sometimes he misses the good old days when it used to be the opposite.]

Because I'm sure Sokka would love that.

Why would he mind?

He'd probably think we're dating or something.

You and Ino? [Seriously, you are not making any sense here.] Why would that bother him? Besides, that wouldn't be hard to straighten out.

Tch. I meant you and me.

[Katara looks at him through the screen as if he'd lost his mind.]

Why would the think that if you showed up with Ino? [Scratch that.] Why would he think that at all?

[..."Prayer" is not a large part of her world's culture. But if it was, right now she would be sending one out to the spirits that this isn't the prelude to anything weird, awkward, or otherwise horrible. She has never thought of Shikamaru like that, and while she can't think of a single reason why he'd think of her like that, this has to be coming from somewhere, right?]

[Just rolling his eyes here.]

Hell if I know, and I didn't say anything about Ino. [For very specific reasons.]

I came by your house looking for Sokka earlier though, and Toph mentioned something about me being there to ask you out on a date.

[He is obviously not taking this seriously, sounding equal parts bored and amused. He wonders what Chouji would think of that.]

But I did! [Now she's really confused. She just shakes her head and completely dismisses the comparison at this next bit of news.]

And that's Toph. She was just being sarcastic. No one would actually think that.

[That's said a bit firmly since this whole conversation has her a little off-balance. She'd never thought about Shikamaru like that. Why hadn't she?

And for a moment she lets herself think about it. He was attractive, a strong fighter, capable, and he cared about people. She trusted him. ...he was also lazy, far smarter than she, operated on a moral code and had commitments completely different than her own, and a downright brat sometimes.

He wouldn't ever be happy with me. I couldn't make him happy.

...and he couldn't make me happy either.

Not to mention that dating Chouji's best friend would just be weird. And as a quick cover, she moves right along after barely more than a pause.]

We had Robin over just last week. No one thought that when I invited him.

[Fortunately - or maybe unfortunately? - those aren't the kind of thoughts that Shikamaru finds himself thinking when she says that. For all of his comments on women and what makes them appealing, both inside and out, actual romantic pursuits aren't something he's ever given much consideration... one experiment here aside...

He'll marry someday. Far as he's concerned, someday is still a long ways off.]

Eh. I still think cloud watching is less troublesome. Less people for you to cook for, too.

I can not believe you're turning down free food. What are you cooking for yourself, ramen? [Don't make her pull out the 'Chouji would want me to make sure you're eating' card. Because she will. She has that card. Oh yes.]

Oi, ramen's not so bad. But that's Naruto's schtick.

[He eats it sometimes when he's feeling lazy, and yes, usually when he's hanging out with Naruto, but he's not completely lost in the kitchen.]

I found a grill at the item shop a while back and dragged it over here. I grill a lot of different meat, and I got a hold of some recipes for stuff to do with them too.

[He got them from Sanji, the first time Chouji was mallynapped. It's not like he's never had the chance to practice.]

Ino makes dishes to go with it sometimes.

[She remembers that. She gave you recipes. This isn't about your competency or ability to take care of yourself, but she'll be happy to tease you about that, if you like.]

If the way you cook is as good as the way you make tea, it's a wonder you're not as skinny as Brook now.

[Who? Journal stalker that he is, though, it only takes a few seconds to make the connection.]

...that skeleton guy?

[A quick grin - there's obvious affection attached to the name.] Yes. [And then she grows mock sober.] Although he loves tea, so he might be insulted with the comparison.

Oi, oi, what about me?

[He's not serious, because yes, he did pick up on that fondness. But come on. You just compared him to a perverted skeleton ~~that he'll never meet~~. 8|]

What about you?

[And then she grins, though the smile fades quickly. She's been talking with him too long, she knows he has to prepare and rest.]

Come back safely, all right?

Edited 2011-11-18 02:02 (UTC)

Yeah, yeah.

[Hmph. Troublesome girl...]

[But he can tell she's taking this seriously.]

I'll catch you later, okay?

[Don't worry, it'll be fine.]

Of course you will. [She dredges up a smile from somewhere. It's even halfway impish.] After all, you're coming over for dinner.

[It had better be, Shikamaru Nara.

And she shuts the book.]

[ Action, Accidental Video, Voice ] .054

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