markofthebrave | [ Action, Voice ] .056

[Okay, so waking up today was weird. She thought it was Saturday, but by the state of the house and where things were... it was actually Monday. Sokka was back - woke up in his own bed, and all, but when Katara went to check on Toph to see if she remembered what happened...

Her room was bare. There was nothing left. Toph was gone.

After stumbling to the wall and leaning on it a long moment to get herself together - is it going to hurt like this every time? - it was time to tell the household.

That accomplished, one of them had to let the town know... and Katara volunteered. She opened up her journal to find a mission summons from the Malnosso. She stared at it a long moment - now? When her housemates need her most they're calling for her now? She shut the journal. She needed a moment to process.

Eventually, she'll open up the journal again. Her voice is a little strained, but steady.]

I'm sorry I don't know any other way to say this but... Manliness Classes are going to have to be canceled again. Toph's gone home.

And... [hhhng, announcing this to the village is so weird, but...] Sokka's back. [There, that's better. Starting with him gives her someplace to stand on.] But I'll be leaving on a mission tomorrow, so... I'll see you all in a week or so.

[So after making this post mid-morning, Katara sets about doing what she needs to do. Sirry Crags, huh? She knows how to handle high altitudes and fighting in snow. She'll just... pop into the Item Shop to double check for a few things, and then hopefully bump into someone willing to help her carry groceries home. It looks like she's going to need to do a week's worth of cooking today.]

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Yeah. I was there on a draft once.

[A shadow enters her eyes for a moment.]

Don't worry, I'll be fine.

Haha~ Well, I'll defer to your judgement. After all, I'm the guest [And here he makes a weird hand motion - somewhere between a dismissive wave and a vulcan solute] and I doubt you've let down many as a host.

[And he will do this just that- he leans onto a barstool at the counter]

Yes. [Her voice is infused with emotion, with soft certainty and... tinted with loss.] We're very good friends.

[Snort.]

Sure. That'll be the day.

[In fact, she moves to take out bacon now. Mmm, bacon.]

Then you shouldn't do it. [It's said lightly, but with conviction.] Not if you have responsibilities here that you can't trust anyone else with if you go out there.

I was just going to do cereal... but I guess it's too late to make it to school now. Is there anything you'd like?

[He eyes the bacon and frowns.]

You are a cruel, cruel sister. [He shakes his head.] Guess I better wake Toph up, then.

[She smiles a little hollowly.] I try not to.

[And then it's putting the kettle on the stove. She'll wait in the kitchen, though, getting the mugs and the tea. She's tired and hurting and emotionally drained, so the conversation initiation is in his court.]

[How direct should he be...? There's a few options. He's sitting here in the kitchen, watching her work with mugs, kettle, tea. And it's the evening before she's off on some unknown mission. It's the weekend 0 a weekend he at least does not remember - since they had that explosion. So that means...]

Say, Katara, do I look more handsome to you?

You survived the mission and now you want to die here, is that? [She puts the bacon on the counter.]

Go put a shirt on. I'll see if she wants pancakes or waffles.

[FOR POST CONTINUITY'S SAKE.]

[Her head whips around and she sets the mug in her hand down on the counter a little harder than she means to.]

What?

[WHAT KIND OF A QUESTION IS THAT?!]

[Okay he's in, might as well see it through]

Well, I mean, between the hair and working out more, I daresay I've gotten a lot more charming - not that the blonde me wasn't sexy too, but...

Fine, fine. You can rouse the beast this time.

[With a shrug, he heads over to his room to grab a shirt.]

[She blinks, her brows coming together.

He's seriously asking her this?

...

And he's asking it now?]

[She looks down for a minute, organizing her thoughts and collecting her emotions, folding them back in. She almost wants to yell at him for asking this question. Doesn't he know how uncomfortable it makes her?

But she said she was going to try not to yell at him, and she doesn't really want to wake Sokka, who won't be happy with her being up right now on the night before her mission.

And she supposes it's a fair question. He has changed a lot in the past few weeks.]

[He glances at Toothless. He knows they're both thinking the same thing.]

...It's not that. I know there are people who could take care of him now. It's just--well, never mind. It's probably something I should do at some point. I just need to warm up to the idea a little more first, I think.

Well, you're putting me in an awkward spot... [And she doesn't feel like letting him completely get away with that, regardless of anything else. But then she looks up and smiles at him, a small, polite smile.]

But I told you I liked your hair. I can't say I noticed the working out... [not. really. although she does remember the view from the hot spring, now that you mention it.] So if you're asking me if I like the new look, then yes, I do.

[Which. Doesn't answer his question entirely at all. But that's almost the point.]

[She evaded it. But she also answered... it's a fair enough compromise. He shrugs, chortling to himself] Ah, I guess I was...! But even so, I think it's a fair question. And I'm glad to know that I'm fetching your eyes, Katara.

[And so, she goes to wake Toph and... gets no response. She calls out Toph's name and opens the door and... stumbles into the wall.

There's nothing but silence for a long moment before she calls out a little weakly:]

Sokka.

I think you know how you look, Masaomi.

[So can we not talk about it anymore, please? Ever? In fact she turns away from him to fetch - something. It doesn't matter what, she'll know it when she finds it.]

Ah. To me, anyway. Not to you.

Well, there's no rush. The other "rewards" aren't that interesting.

[...to her, anyway.]

[Frown. And she is practically convinced that she should just move on from this conversation. But... but...

But they lose people so easily here.]

If I give you a compliment, will you promise to take it as it is and not let it go to your head too much?

[She said, without turning around.]

Depends... Will you believe me if I give you one in return?

[...Okay that's cruel. He bites his lip as soon as he says it, immediately regretting it. That's too harsh and too direct. He shakes his head.]

-But ah... no. I'll promise either way.

[She lets out an exasperated sigh at his initial response, and when she turns she crosses her arms under her chest and looks at him flatly. It's about the least complimentary way to give a compliment now, her tone is completely matter of fact. She hadn't intended to deliver it this way until his other statement exasperated her.]

I like your hair like this a lot. I think it brings out your eyes.

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