[ Action, Voice ] .055

[markofthebrave]

[These decorations have been up for a few days now, and while at first Katara thought they were pretty they have now succeeded in making her grumpy. Yes. Very grumpy. Grumpy enough to make a post about it, in fact.]

How do they expect us to sleep with all these lights in our window? I've put a double curtain over it, and the light is still keeping me awake. Does anyone have any ideas?

[You might catch some muttering about: "Moving to sleep down in the basement" or "It's not too cold to camp out in the forest" before the journal shuts. She'll get back to it in a little bit, she just needs to finish making the grocery list.

Once she finishes with any replies that she may receive, Katara heads into town. The lights really are pretty. And so are the wreaths and the snowmen and the... unfamiliar sprigs of green over the doorway to the grocery store really kind of... isn't. Why is that even there? Katara pauses underneath it to examine it more closely...]

Comments

[Action]

[moezama]

[He was blushing even more now that her hand was there. Quickly he turned his head to one side]

Well, you are too. [He said without thinking. He glanced down at her again. She was closer to him now. Curious, he turned back to look at her, leaning forward slightly to see her face better.]

But it's....nice.

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[Blink, blink.

And her blush continues.]

Oh. Is it?

[She repeats, stupidly, without looking away or moving backwards.]

[Action]

[moezama]

[He smiles, and then rested his hand on her shoulder.]

It's all right...tis the season after all. [His face was coming closer to hers.]

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[This is starting to ring bells of THIS IS WRONG. Because. She just met this guy. Even though... yeah... coming closer isn't really a bad thing. All the same, just as he leans down, Katara looks up sharply. Something isn't quite right--]

[Action]

[moezama]

[-and when she looks up, she'll get a gentle kiss on the forehead.

This action seem to be enough for the affects to finally wear off on him. In which case, he realized what he just did and backs away, out of the circle.]

...! [He wasn't under the influence anymore, but his face was still red, this time out of embarrassment and confusion.]

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[GAH!

She stumbles back a few steps, well out of the mistletoe's influence.]

What the- what just happened?

[Action]

[moezama]

I don't--I'm sorry it's... [He turns from her, a hand over his mouth. He points a shaky hand at the plant, continuing to speak through his hand.]

Mistletoe, but...it shouldn't have done that.

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

Wait, what? [She's blushing, but his... extreme embarrassment makes it seem like she needs to console him. Obviously it wasn't some sort of... sincere gesture of affection or any kind of assault or anything like that. More Malnosso hijinks, then?]

What do you mean, "mistletoe?"

[Action]

[moezama]

Mistletoe. You're...when two people are under it, you're suppose to kiss. It's part of a holiday tradition, but...

[There's something not right about this mistletoe.]

[Action] 1/?

[markofthebrave]

[...]

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[Sloooooooooooooooooooowly shifting her gaze to the mistletoe.]

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[Glaring at it, as two plus two equals four.]

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[CRACK!

That is the sound of a very fast waterwhip flaring out and slicing the mistletoe down on the ground.]

[Action] done!

[markofthebrave]

Stupid Malnosso. That's just like one of their tricks - taking a weird holiday tradition and making it so people have no choice but to follow.

[With the water away, she crosses her arms in righteous indignation and satisfaction. There. Stay down, mistletoe. Stay down.]

[Action]

[moezama]

[He stares. What...what did Katara just do? That water! Where-]

How-- [As he looks from the fallen mistletoe and back to where it was, he frowns.] It came back...

[Action] 1/2

[markofthebrave]

[She stairs at the respawning mistletoe.]

Oh, that's just not fair.

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

Do you think it'll still work if I freeze it?

Action]

[moezama]

[He quietly ponders on the thought.]

...Well it would still be hanging there. I don't know if it would stop the weird effect.

[He's not about to go under there again and test that out.] What magic are you using anyway?

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

It's not magic - it's bending. [And she will just stream some water out and freeze the plant.] Maybe it'll warn some people off, anyway.

[Action]

[moezama]

Bending? [The plant now looked like an out of place icicle, just hanging there in front of the door.]

...I'm sorry about earlier. I probably should have been honest about the plant.

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

Oh, that's okay. [She blushes, but quite literally waves it off.] Things like this happen in Luceti. It could have been a lot worse.

[You may have to repeat your question, because she is otherwise focused.]

[Action]

[moezama]

Yea...I guess that's true. You sound like you've been here for a while then.

[He'll get back to that bending stuff momentarily.]

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

A lot longer than I thought I would be when I got here. Almost two years now.

[Action]

[moezama]

....That is a long while. [He still can't imagine himself being here for that long.]

Ah, maybe we should move inside...? We can keep talking in the store. I'm curious about what you did with the water earlier.

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[One more glower at the mistletoe and then-] Sure, if you want.

[Of course, SOME PEOPLE would be more suspicious about a guy who looks like who he looks like. But it doesn't even cross her mind, after the way he reacted to that kiss. Instead, she just enters the store.]