generalflirt | ~♥THIRTY-ONE♥~

I ran.

[He apologized already, but that seems to be the crux of this whole chat. He's not even sure what he feels as he says this. He has a blaring headache, and he keeps his eyes evenly on Linda as he says this. Linda is confused again, but seems to pout a bit at her trainer]

[...un.expected.]

Yeah.

[Softly now, and watching him closely, not willing to dive right in and say what she has to say yet, but... watching.

And slightly impressed, really, that he brought it up.]

That was wrong. [It hurts.] I said... [I wouldn't run. I failed, Saki. He chokes up here, still looking at Linda. He reaches out to the rat, brushing her hair tuft which makes her look like Gold]

[...okay, so. Okay.]

Yeah. It... I wish you had stayed so we could have talked about it. But even if you had, I still [this hurts to say; her throat is tight] thought I was in love with Luffy. So we wouldn't have really been able to work it out, anyway.

[A quick breath.] I'm not saying it's okay - but I understand why you did, at least I think I do. And I want you to do something for me.

[Here is where she pauses to wait and see if he'll look at her.]

[he's still petting Linda, but he looks up. His expression is so disjointed so as to probably be unreadable. He's got a not-quite-smile on, his eyes look deeply pained, and his face is screwed up besides that]

What would you ask of me?

[Do you even understand]

[She swallows, and her voice is hesitant at first because - that sounds like so much more than she thinks that this is.]

You said you would always be there for me - I don't accept that promise. No one can keep that promise here. We don't even know what could happen the next second here - this place takes our minds, and our hearts, and sometimes... [she reaches out to touch her heart in a subconscious movement, trying to keep her pain inside.] it takes us away too.

So don't make me promises that you can't keep. [That's all she wants. Just don't lie to her. Don't give her something to hold onto that isn't there.]

But if you want to promise to try, instead... I'll take that. I can believe that.

[She moves the hand on her heart to lay her forearm across her knee and extend her hand between them, palm up.] Because I can believe you about the other part - friends, no matter what. You've put up with me hurting you this much, after all.

[...] Katara. [...] Katara, even then I- ["while you were loving Luffy, I still had feelings. But no, that's stupid. He pets Linda, a bit harder than is probably needed. Linda pouts at that and sends a quick electric shock into him. His fingers clench and he pulls his hand back with a bit of a start]

[He looks down at his just-shocked hand. That's interesting... It hurts, but not nearly as bad as that hatching did. Well then, he'll hold out his pinky for her]

As long as I am here and breathing. I won't run, and if I'm hesitating, remind me of this. Unless I loose all my memories, I'll stick to it.

That's not what I'm asking you.

[She's not sure if this is something she should do or not, but she's not out-right turning him down either.]

Are you sure you want me to hold you to that?

[He nods. Yeah, see, pinky?] We're friends now, I want to remain friends. [But I want so much more]

[But Katara still hesitates, thinking over everything he'd told her about what happened between him and Saki and. She's not sure that this is really what he needs right now.

But. She has to trust him to at least know his own mind and his own heart.]

I think you might put enough pressure on yourself not to run as it is.

[She holds up her hand, pinky out as well, but she doesn't move to join it with him. This isn't what she wanted. If he wants her to do this, he has to take that step.]

But if you really want me to do this, then I will.

[Does he?

There's about five centimeters between his and Katara's pinkies. He stares at that pinky, feeling a cold sweat pouring down him. I won't fail her, not like Saki. Not again. He listens to her, his eyes wide with something like reverence and a hint of fear. Slowly, the first centimeter is taken.]

[...And then the second...]

[his heart is racing, isn't it?

The third.

beat, beat]

[No, don't stop. Don't stop now. Don't go back on it. Don't give it up. Stronger, stronger, stronger. He'll be powerful enough to be there for her. He chose her. He knows that he wants to be with her.

it's a lie. No, it's not.

The fourth]

[I love you. No you don't.

I love you. It's a lie.

I love you. A lie. It's a lie. Hie eyes are almost too wide, but no, this narrow now, the become softer. They become more fragile. They become weaker. Is he trembling? No, he's not. Is he scared? He is.

"And she'll become your God."

God, huh. God. GOD.

No. No, he refuses. Saki is important. Saki is still important, but he broke up with her. It was done.

No it's not.

It's DONE

Afraid not

I don't love you I love you

The final centimeter. His pinky touches hers]

[I love you

...It's turned around. The world's upside down. It's not enough. It's insufficient. He can't say it. He's weak. She doesn't feel the same. Saki is still on his mind. Chouji (why is he thinking about him?) is still on hers. Luffy is on her's. Sokka doesn't approve. Shikamaru and Law have their own opinions, Sanji might not like him.

It's not a lie.

He wraps his pinky around hers, and shakes. His expression is oddly serene in that exact moment]

[Katara, meanwhile, doesn't have a clue what this is costing him.

She can tell that it's costing him something, and kind of wishes that he'd just stop and take the easy out she'd offered.

But he's not, he's going for it, and she wraps her pinky around his and shakes solemnly. She means it. She'll hold him to it now, even if it means freezing his legs in place, even if she would come to want the space from his run.

I hope this is the right thing.

She lets out a light sigh, but doesn't yet move to disentangle their fingers.]

I'm pretty sure this is almost the exact opposite of what I asked you for, you know.

You still agreed to it.

[With a smile on his lips. Linda, meanwhile... well. She's going to walk over to Katara to try to touch her in some capacity too]

You must be a bad influence. [She agrees without agreeing, and glances down when Linda makes contact with her knee.

She'll move reclaim her hand and rest it lightly on the pichu's head, if Linda - and Masaomi, considering he has to let her go - will allow it.]

[Masaomi... actually resists, considering holding it, but after the second tug, he releases her pinky. and he smiles. Linda will llow the touching. ...It's worth noting that Pichu has not yet gained a great deal of control over her own electricity. It'll be very, very light, but her fur does have static electricity going on even outside of the cheek-ports]

[It's a strange tingling sort of sensation, actually, not entirely unpleasant, but given Katara's issues with electricity it's not a very long head-pat at all, and she soon returns her hand to rest on her thigh. She doesn't pull her leg away from Linda's touch, though. The thick pants she wears under her tunic essentially insulate her from it.

Welp. Now she's said what she thought needed to be said, and then some, Katara will start to glance around in preparation to make her excuses and go.]

[...But now he's pulled back he's winking and pointing. Irreverently]

So I'm influencing you.

[...oh gosh.

And her gaze snaps back to his just so he can get the full effect of an eye-roll.]

Apparently.

[Not taking it back. Not getting flustered. And hopefully not giving him any more to work with either.]

Heh heh... That's only a matter of time now.

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