markofthebrave | [Action] .009

[Action] .009

[Due to Sokka's unexpected bout of sheer win, Katara has been given the gift of free time and she plans on making the most of it... after she was shooed back to bed due to threats from Sokka that made no sense at all.

First, she wants to check in on Sanji at the Strawhat's House. Then she wants to stop by the school and see if she can register to go once things are back to 'normal.' And... she has an idea that is going to lead her to the weapons shop. Finally, she'll go grocery shopping because they're running low on easy-to-cook things. Maybe she'll even get a chance to stand by the bridge and practice with real waterbending! ...although saving her strength to keep healing Zuko is probably a better idea. She'll probably just stare at the water wistfully and talk to Sona.

If you're around any of these places today, feel free to say 'Hey!' or give her hand, since she's not exactly sure how to do what she wants to do at the smithy or the school.]

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[Ouch. Heart, stop that. This shouldn't be painful. Sanji will be okay.]

Do you? I bet they appreciate that.

[nods eagerly. Yey, his favorite subject!]

It's my way of saying thanks. Besides, I don't think the captain is very good at cooking. [utters this is a disappointed whisper] He put rocks in the turkey dish!

...rocks? Really?

...why?

[raises an eyebrow. And his entire face melts into disdain]

His chef did it once or something, but I don't see how that could come out right.

[huffs a bit]

He doesn't sound like a good chef anyway.

[Blink.] What makes you say that?

A chef doesn't just cook. He takes care of people! That's his job.

Luffy says he's busy, but if he's really a chef, he should be with his crew.

He's not doing his job! It's an embarrassment to chefs everywhere!

[Oh... Sanji... She reaches out and puts a hand on his shoulder.]

Hey. You've met Nami and Luffy and Usopp, right? And the rest of the crew? Do you really think they'd sail with someone who isn't a good chef?

Sometimes this place... it keeps you from doing what it is that you'd like to do. But I know, as soon as he can, he'll come back to them. [Smile.] And I'm sure he'll thank you for taking care of them while he couldn't.

[If, you know, you could talk to yourself.]

[his expression wavers between a pout and a frown. It's a sore subject for him, one he feels strongly about, but he's not so stubborn as to ignore the good points she's brought up. Nami definitely wouldn't sail with someone that incompetent.]

Is he lost? [at least then that gives him an excuse. A tiny one]

Edited 2010-03-17 02:04 (UTC)

[...oh, Sanji. Katara swallows.]

I don't know, Sanji. Maybe a little.

[Katara glances away and holds back tears through a force of will. Then she looks back at Sanji and smiles at him.]

But I'm sure you're doing a good job in the meantime! Everyone needs someone to look out for them sometimes.

[It's not quite the answer he wants, but it's good enough for now. Sanji eagerly dives to the next topic of conversation... or the last, depending on how you wanna look at it]

Yeah! I don't mind cooking for everyone.

I still need to cook for you too! Since you let me stay with you. [and really, he'll use any excuse to give someone food]

[Blink.] Oh, you don't need to do that, Sanji! I just came to check on you, I didn't want to put you into any trouble.

But it's fine! Did you eat yet today? I'll make you whatever you want, promise.

[Um. Did she eat? ...she didn't remember. She hadn't been very hungry recently.] Umm...

[that is as good as consent in his books]

See? You have to eat! Or you'll get tired. [and... other things will happen. But he will not dwell on that! Sliding off his seat]

What do you want, Katara?

[Blink, blink.] Um. Okay - whatever's easiest, Sanji. Really, I'm not very hungry.

I made omelets for everyone already...

Sandwiches are pretty easy. [poking his head into the fridge. Really, sandwiches are TOO easy but if she's not that hungry, something light is the best]

Or a salad. I know those are good for you.

[She laughs a little at his enthusiasm.] Really, Sanji - just something quick and easy will be fine. I'm sure whatever you make will be great.

[She's a ladyyyyyyy. So of course he must be enthusiastic]

Okay, we'll go with a salad. [first things first. He grabs a chair and pulls it to the counter - damn it, he can't wait until he's tall - then returns back to the fridge to grab the necessary ingredients: lettuce, tomatoes, some ham, radishes, some ranch dressing... it won't be as extravagant as what his adult self would make, seeing as he's only ten.

He still plans to make it look very pretty]

Edited 2010-03-17 03:30 (UTC)

[Katara watches him begin to prepare the food and hopes that she is able to force it down. His movements are different as a child -- there's far more concentration evident -- but there's still that sense of flow to it that reminds her of an art. The question she asks is one she's asked before, and it doesn't occur to her until after she asks it that the answer might be different, and maybe she shouldn't pry.]

Did you always want to be a chef?

[It's because he's a child that the question doesn't come as nearly a surprise as it did to his adult self. He often elicits such a reaction when anyone sees him cooking.]

Uh-huh. I think my mom was one. [The words are a blunt statement, with no room for sadness or remorse. Just fact] I always wanted to be in the kitchen before she died.

Oh. [And that makes so much sense. Katara's hand goes to her necklace, but she's not going to burden Sanji with her own story... it doesn't seem like she needs to. He's dealing with it his own way, even as a child, and she can't help but feel a little proud of him.]

I don't blame you. A kitchen is always such a warm place to be.

[And it's time for a change of topic.] Where I grew up, there was always snow on the ground. So we used to love coming into the kitchen. [...or the cooking tent. After the Fire Nation destroyed their homes.]

Really? All the time? [That's a bit hard for him to imagine. He slows in cutting up the lettuce]

[Katara nods.] Because we live on the bottom edge of the world. I'm from the South Pole. So I grew up surrounded by snow and ice... and seasons with long nights and long days. We'll have weeks where the sun is out -- all the time! And weeks where it's nothing but the moon.

In the springtime, there's still snow in most places, but little blue flowers will peep up like tiny blue bells in hidden spots. When I was little, I used to go with my brother to look for them... [...and we would bring them back to our mom.]

[the statement about the moon gets an odd, unreadable stare, but it's gone soon enough, replaced by an impressed nod... well, except for one part] That doesn't mean you have to go to bed all the time, right?

Oooh. That's cool! There's not really spring on the sea... but certain kinds of fish will return to certain areas, so the cooks get really excited. [goes back to chopping up the rest of the vegetables]

But I've never seen what spring is like on land yet.

Have you spent most of your life on the sea?

[She wondered what that would be like = to be surrounded by so much water, all the time.] We lived - live - by the sea. But I don't think that's the same thing.