generalflirt | ~♥THIRTY-SIX♥~

[...after the first slam he was annoyed. After the second his lip twitched. After the third he made sure his finger was nowhere near the record button and just burst out laughing, because oh Katara, this is why he loves you. He allows himself twenty off seconds of laughing his ass off away from the book before he clicks it again, sounding oddly amused]

O-oh, how about that one bridge? We might avoid stairs that way?

[Oh, he's amused. Well, that's just peachy.]

Fine.

[Because a bridge is SO much less public. But she's still annoyed. Maybe she'll borrow someone's watch.]

We'll walk along the river.

[She doesn't slam, but she does shut the book again.

Seriously, what is her life?]

Sounds like a plan.

[And at 1, he'll be waiting there. Actually, he'll be rolling his shoulders too because they're still slightly sore from that fight with Chien on the night of the seventh, but oh well]

[And so it was that Katara did what she could to help out Korra and Asami, made sure the girls were taken care of and that there was a cart she could use at the smithy when she went from her meeting with Masaomi to the grocery store, strapped on her new waterskin, and headed out to meet with Masaomi.

She has, by this time, managed to calm down. Mostly. She's still pricky, but the indignation is a good thing. It wards off the dread.

Part of her is very much aware that this might be the last time that they talk like this, and that irritates her and grieves her and just - it was stupid. This whole thing was so stupid.

So she's still frowning to herself when she comes to meet him - if not exactly on time, than not too late either.]

Hey.

[Worth noting: he still has on her bracelet, the bradstache, and now a 5 yen cone tied around his neck by a strong in a long necklace. It's tucked under his shirt now. he's tossing Linda's ball idly in the air while he's waiting. But when he sees her coming there, her smiles, still tossing the ball.]

Hey, Katara. Shikamaru really outdid himself with that waterskin!

[And you might have outdone yourself with him a few days ago, but that doesn't need to be said]

[Well, at least the mustache leaves Katara safe from any wayward feelings of attraction that could have otherwise escaped. Some people just don't look good with facial hair.

She hasn't really seen Shikamaru in the past few days, but she's trusting that he's well enough, so it's a glancing blow of concern with only a small amount of pain that meets that greeting.]

Yeah, it's really beautiful.

[Of note: she hasn't really had a chance to examine it super closely yet, so though she knows it was handmade, she hasn't spotted his clan symbol yet, and even if she did, she hasn't attached the right significance to it.

Also, she knows you too well to assume this is a casual mention.]

[He catches the the ball now, holding it out before bringing his arm back to his side. And come on, he totally looks like a sexy beast with this mustache. You know it's the sexiest mustache.

Either way, he smiles a bit broader and bows]

Thank you, by the way. He's doing infinitely better today and I know you had a hand in that.

[He has no doubt others did too. He assumes Ino did and the dead (Lupin, Temari) gave him their own peace of minds. He could only break him so much, someone else crushed him. He assumes Katara]

[She glances down and smiles a little.

That had been one of the most difficult conversations she'd ever had, and she'd confessed something to him she never thought would pass out of her lips, but.

...worth it.]

I'm glad - I'm really glad to hear that.

And I was glad to see it! He's my best friend, you know.

[This is only the second time he's said that. It still feels alien on his lips even if he knows it rings true. Even if it's betraying Mikado, he can't help but feel more correct in being honest to himself. ...Which is something interesting, because that's the focus of what he needs to speak to Katara about. He stands from his bow, rolling his shoulders again]

[It is, perhaps, strange that her first thought goes to Chouji before Mikado. And then the mess of loyalties old and new and relationships torn apart and this place tangles itself up in her mind and in her heart, and all she can say is a somewhat startled:]

Oh!

Edited 2012-07-12 05:22 (UTC)

[...Hah. He turns now, motioning for her to get in step with him. They were going to walk along the river, right? He starts tossing Linda's ball again, pleased that he ended up creating a natural segway towards a topic he's dreading going to (because it's such an uphill battle]

I doubt he feels the same way, of course. He has his village, not to mention Chouji-kun. Objectively speaking, I'm sure I'm in the top ten, but I very much doubt I'm in the top three. [And he hums] I'm happy though.

[...Heh. She moves to walk alongside him.]

Well, I'm glad.

[And she is, because it's much better to view Shikamaru as a best friend than a guy that she hardly ever sees you talk to - oh, and who runs a gang that you feel you need to diametrically oppose at all corners.]

He's a good friend.

[Katara is lousy at labels, as you may have noticed. The closest she gets to friend qualifications are: friend, good friend, really good friend.]

A really good one.

[And then she grins at Masaomi a little, open and honest, because she's glad for him.]

[Oh he's noticed. It's probably because of that he smiles to himself, wondering what if any of the labels she would apply to him. He keeps tossing the ball, grinning to himself in his own world, pleased with his choices, pleased how things worked out... and happy to be at dawn, finally.

Now the only hanging thread is to help the woman he loves.]

So are you, you know. Where would us two boys be without you?

[She thinks back to when she'd first introduced Shikamaru and Masaomi to each other, how she'd vouched for the other one --

You barely trusted me then, did you

--and how they had somehow turned into this...

Her tone is wry, bemused:]

I have no idea.

Off being stupid, probably. We're both very stupid creatures, ultimately.

[he thinks of it too. Flirting with Temari, Shikamaru's reactions in the draft. That was when it all began with him and Katara too]

[She's not so sure that she would give Shikamaru that label, but pointing that out seems tacky.]

I don't know about that...

[After all, you both seem to do some pretty stupid things even WITH her influence. 8|

Also, you're buttering her up for something, she can tell.]

Trust me, I would. Sasssh~ [He keeps tossing the ball. But eventually, he catches it, and then with a hum] So how many are there now? Ikki-chan, Jinora-chan, that attractive one... Asami-san?

[That attractive one. Huff.

She knew it.]

Korra, Lin, and Tarrlok as well, though Lin and Tarrlok aren't staying with us, and I think Korra and Asami will finish moving out today.

[The names, by the way, are all said without any particular inflection. They are all problems in one way or another, and Katara's already started forming various plans of attack.]

Edited 2012-07-12 06:01 (UTC)

[...Hm] None of them are your family.

[Blithely]

Not... exactly.

[What do you call Korra? Or Lin?]

Eeeeh?

[Let's look at it, see what he's working with. He twirls Linda's ball around in his palm with his thumb]

[She shook her head.]

It's complicated.

[And since part of it has to do with Aang, and another part has to do with Toph, she's not sure she trusts you with it.]

It can't possibly be so complicated you can't take two minutes to explain.

[What happened to the trust they shared. Seriously. Open up to him]

[Aang is not exactly your favorite person, Masaomi. Neither is Toph. She doesn't trust you completely with their interests.

But.

She supposes she can tell you what Korra would tell you herself, or what you'd learn in any five minute conversation with Ikki.

She looks straight ahead, then.]

Korra's the new Avatar. And Lin is Toph's daughter.

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