markofthebrave | [ Action, Voice ] .056

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[ 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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I know.

[he breathes that out. He still doesn't... move back. For a moment. But then he bows his head and shoot back, taking a more comfortable position which still sees him on the same cushion, but takes him right up out of her space. His voice is. Weird. He can't decide if he's resigned? Sad? Just accepting?]

Ah... I know.

[And he leans his head to the side, leaning his whole upper body against the couch's back sideways, so he can still face her]

[She doesn't look back up at him until it's safe, until he's moved back completely and then - he's still looking at her. Awkward. So much awkward.

Why did he have to say that?

She can't really blame him for it. He'd said... he'd said he wanted her to want him back. So he's trying to make it different. He's trying to set his own lines.

...and she wonders if the rest of their time together will be wrestling over just where those lines should be.

She sighs and starts to move, sliding her legs towards the floor, but then she hesitates, glancing back up at him, her movement stopped before her legs hit the ground.]

Then you know I'm sorry too, right?

I do.

[Simply. But she's... making a move. to shift? to stand? leave? He might have blown the situation. He might have destroyed his chance. Both of those fill him with a sort of dread, but this is just the game, right? It's how love is played.

...Hah, love]

[He closes his eyes]

I'm flattered by that, actually.

[A quick intake of breath and - okay, she wants to ignore this, OKAY, she really doesn't want to talk about this but...

...but that's not fair at all, is it.

And she slowly draws her knees back towards her chest.]

What do you mean by that?

[Because that makes no sense to her mind. Why would he be flattered that she was sorry she was hurting him?]

I... mean. [his head is still resting on its side there, but he rolls it off. He folds his arms behind his head then makes to "lay down" on the couch. It's a weird position though. he's laying down to try to only take up one and one fourth cushion, to give her some space. his arms fold behind his head and it's more like a sit up position]

I mean that you aren't obligated to feel that way. But you're sympathetic - trying, really.

[That... can't be comfortable. She eyes his position and then scoots over a little further towards the arm rest, giving him more room.]

Trying what?

[Because clarity seems to be both of their long-lost friend]

Katara, that's obvious.

[He'll take the extra room. But he jerks his head up to this]

[A touch of frustration leaks into her tone.] If it was obvious to me, I wouldn't be asking you.

[What? What does he think she's trying to do?]

You're trying to put up with me.

[Blink.]

[Pffff....

And she starts laughing.

Because. What a way to put it. It felt like that sometimes, but really...]

[Smiling now, she shakes her head.]

I'm not trying to put up with you. I'm trying to figure out how I can still be your friend.

["Put up with" meant tolerate which meant nothing like enjoy. And that's somehow what she still wanted - for them to be friends, to be able to enjoy each other's company. That was it.]

I said that!

[Indignantly. What, is she trying to ruin his cool guy swag-]

[-wait that was too loud. This next part is a loud whisper]

That's what I meant anyway! That's the flattering part!

[He's so offended. This whole thing situation so ridiculous and awful and emotionally entangling and Katara is just so tired-

She starts laughing again, one hand coming up to cover her face. Her laughter is warm, if tired, and this whole thing is just so-]

Okay, okay! [She says on a chuckle, lowering her hand. Her smile is still stretched wide from her laughter.] I get it, I'm sorry.

Edited 2012-02-05 17:48 (UTC)

You should be, ruining a man's pride!

[SIGH. SIGH. Swag and sigh but he's clearly not taking this reply seriously]

[EXASPERATED SIGH. She speaks automatically, with humor, and not really taking any thought in what she's saying. Later, she'll blame it on exhaustion.]

I didn't ask you to start liking me, you know. It's all your own fault.

[...but really, this comes out of her heart. She doesn't like walking on eggshells. And she doesn't like hurting him. She really kind of hates this position of pressure and pulling and uncertainty. She can't help feeling responsible for his heart, but at the same time she really wishes that he would just stop it.]

[He blinks once... then twice. And then laughs. Oh man, what a Katara-like thing to say. In fact, he might just be laughing too loud for the quiet house at night, and given his precarious position on this couch, he might just roll onto the floor]

[What even-- why is he laughing?

...did he just fall on the floor?

...yes, yes he did.]

[Pffff.

His laughter is contagious anyway, when it's this genuine - in fact, it sounds really nice - and so she starts laughing too.]

Shhh!

[Through her giggles.]

I can't- [PFFTAHAHAHA] I can't stop- [AHAHAHA Oh my God Katara. Seriously? Seriously? He even hit his head on that fall, but he's still laughing between a few tears in his eyes]

[Oh man, he hit his head? Okay, that kind of urges her into action. She scoots down the couch, still laughing - which upsets her balance a little, to start to lower herself to kneel next to him.]

Shh! Come on, you'll wake people up!

[Just don't grab on to her as she's moving down or anything, Masaomi, despite that she's extending a placating 'shhing' hand. That could end. Poorly.]

I- know! [Pffft] I know, I got this-!

[He totally hit his head and he... well he doesn't intend to pull on her, he more intends to just swat her hand, but as he's trying to cut off the laughing and semi-sobbing, he is breathing hard enough that he needs to get a grip onto something, he takes hold of her hand]

[Which, sadly, results in overbalancing her. Coming to kneel beside his head as she is, when he grabs her hand and holds it somewhat over his chest, she wobbles forward so that she falls beside him with a thud onto her knees by his head. She plants her other hand hard just above his head to keep from crashing into him, and her unbound hair falls forward with the motion. It's long enough that it veils both their faces like a curtain, and suddenly she's not laughing anymore.

Her eyes are wide.

Well, shit.]

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