generalflirt | ~♥THIRTY-ONE♥~

[...Hm. Scooted closer, he's actually going to make the reach to try to put an arm - or well, a hand - on her shoulder. Ideally, he'd pull her into a side-hug, but he's going to just... do it. Close to it, anyway]

Cut and dry? No feelings? [He tries to keep that tone even. He tries to not have doubt in it. It might leech a bit]

[Honestly? A friend's comforting touch right now would be awesome. But Katara can't help but feel that indulging in that with Masaomi would be... misleading at best, under the circumstances.

She shakes her head and speaks quietly:]

I don't know if it's cut and dry - but it's not like last year, with Chouji. And Luffy wouldn't lie to me - those feelings of love are gone.

[She rolls her shoulder lightly under his touch.] And hands off, Masaomi.

["Hands off." It's a direct order. Everything in him wants to resist but... if she's going to be direct like that and not just shove him off, he'll comply. He just frowns, not quite pouting but... well]

Ah... yeah. If you're sure of that much... [A sigh. What is he even saying?]

I'm glad for it.

[Truthfully, she misses his touch as soon as he removes his hand.

But she has to look out for him as well as herself. Even it felt good for the moment, reassuring and warm, she can't be selfish about this. Going back on what she said just because she needed to be comforted and then reinforcing the rules when she didn't - that's not fair to him. She doesn't want to use him, she doesn't want to lead him on - she desperately wishes things could be simple, that they could go back...

But what's the point in wishing?

Around this time last year, they'd been dancing around his hotel room with her hand over his mouth to keep him from shouting out her confused feelings about Chouji. Now...

Moon and stars, when did her heart start feeling so empty?

Katara looks down and blinks rapidly to hold back tears.

But he's speaking, and when his words sink in they're a bit jarring - glad for it? He's glad? She looks up at him again and... oh. Of course he is.]

Yeah. I'm sure. It might be weird for a little bit, but Luffy and I have been friends for almost two years. This isn't going to stop that.

[I don't regret it, he'd said.

...and she's not sure if she should now reinforce the fact that things haven't changed with the way she feels about him either, but... she'll wait for a bit, to see if she has to.]

[And now... a genuine smile for her. No, no doubts now. He doesn't fail to notice her being sad and he really, really would like to do something about it but in all due honesty, she'll probably just... not want to hear it. Not want him to touch her or something all over again. And while that makes him sad...

I love you. Let's make that true]

It would have been a shame to lose a friend over this.

[Heh.]

Yeah.

[Because she can take that and apply it to both of them, really. While what had happened with her and Masaomi had been brief, it had the potential to be no less devastating. But somehow, amazingly, they were still okay.]

It would have been.

But. [And he says this next part very pointedly. It commands a certain attention, which oddly enough Linda at least gives.] It's also a shame there's nothing left, in a way, too.

[As her gaze jerks back up to him, it's initially just a bit of a wibble, because ouch.]

[But that flickers into exasperation very, very quickly.]

Why do you say that?

Because loving someone just to leave a void is too sad.

[Okay, yeah, that just snakes right in and stings.

Katara drops her gaze and swallows hard.]

...well, I can't argue with you there.

[She draws her knees more tightly to here chest and just sort of generally tries to curl in on herself and disappear, never a fan of being seen hurting.]

But at least we know what's real and what's not.

Hm. [He considers a moment. He looks to Linda and then back to her. How does he put this... lightly.] Is a "lie" not real?

It's a real lie.

Ahh.... maybe, but. [A pause, and then in a somewhat more somber tone] That's a fallacy, Katara.

[She shifts to look up at him, waiting for the forthcoming explanation while holding herself together as best as she can.]

A "lie" is as real as people accept it to be.

[And he levels a dramatic "point" to go with this. At his own heart]

So for us, all of us, that is - a "lie" doesn't make it not real. The feelings, the memories.

Edited 2012-03-01 00:31 (UTC)

[She shakes her head.]

But it does make it not true.

[And she returns her attention to her knees.]

It wasn't our hearts' choice, or an act of our will or... any real attraction or feelings. The memories might be there, but it was something forced on us.

[She swallows hard.] So even if it leaves you empty afterwards...

[Bite your lip. Close your eyes. Shake your head and don't cry.

Breathe.]

It's different if the experiment shows you something about someone that you hadn't seen before before - if it leaves you confused - that's something else. But there's nothing real, nothing true about last week.

Edited 2012-03-01 00:34 (UTC)

[And he drops his arms. He inhales, and narrows his eyes before-]

Bullshit.

Edited 2012-03-01 00:35 (UTC)

[She looks up at him, surprised by his vulgarity, but unyielding.]

No, it isn't.

Yes, it is.

No, it isn't. Why would I say it if I didn't think it was true?

Because it's easier to survive.

Wrong.

[And now she's getting irritated.]

I'm not saying it because I think it's easy, I'm saying it because I think it's true!

It's not easy. It's easier. [And groans here, shifting his sitting position. Linda, not sure who to side with here, just stands awkwardly between them. Humans. Man you're silly.]

There's nothing easy about being in love and then having it vanish. But, then... love's odd. [a beat] Love's the most common thing in the world.

[...what are you even saying? She huffs a little, exasperated, tense, and... tired. So bone-weary.]

I'm not even sure we're talking about the same thing anymore.

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