(no subject)

[waterbends]

[Katara has never had issue with the beds in Paradisa. They were warm, comfortable, but as snug and content as she is in the blankets, she can sense that there’s something maybe just a little off. There’s pressure against her arm and side - something is cuddling her.

Momo isn’t in Paradisa. So what in the world —

She shifts just a little, groggily opening her eyes and looking to the side.

Oh. It was Joshua.

Joshua was cuddling her. Of course.]

[Katara flings herself back, knocking her journal off of the bedside table — and this is where it begins transmitting. She screams.]

What are you doing in my room? What are you doing in my bed? [Her voice just gets shriller and shriller.] Out, out, out, out, out!

[ And while anyone listening might expect just as loud of a reaction (After all this is a rather commonplace scenario here, isn't it?) from whoever is invading the poor girl's bed, instead there's just a soft grunt of irritation. He's half-asleep and not placing the voice, but the shriek sure sounds familiar. He mutters groggily, ]

Huh, Langley...?

Joshua?!

[Another shuffling sound, and the sound abruptly stops as Katara scoops the journal off the floor.]

Comments

[waterbends]

I'm a member of the Peace Patrol, you know. I probably shouldn't warn you.

[ofhope]

Probably.

[ But he isn't too worried. Even if she doesn't warn him, he's sure he can move quickly enough, or stop time if he has to. The only person he might be worried about is Charles, and he doubts a guy in a wheelchair is gonna come to bust down a door, if he's even still around. ]

But you were when you came out to see me at the tree, too.

[waterbends]

Yeah, and Zuko got so mad about that he nearly tore my head off.

[She could probably stand to be more worried than she currently is. But if he was going to hurt her, he would have at the tree.]

I was curious about you. That's not a crime.

[ofhope]

Did he? That's not surprising. He tends to overreact... Although so do you.

[ Really, he doesn't much get it. Sometimes it amuses him, sometimes it pisses him off, sometimes he doesn't care... But it's all nonsense. ]

Well I guess if we're going to be stuck together for a week, you'll get to satisfy your curiosity. By the way, can I have some coffee?

[waterbends]

I don't overreact.

[It's said softly, a little huffily, and she settles back to continue meditating.]

I've honestly never had coffee before. You'll probably just need to wish a cup of it up.

[ofhope]

[ Joshua really doesn't like doing that with prepared food, but he shrugs and does it anyway. At least he can request it exactly how Fiore makes it.

Whatever, he'll finish his breakfast and let her NOT overreact in her little corner. ]

[waterbends]

[She's NOT overreacting! She meditates every morning, thank you very much. Though if she remains uninterrupted for a full hour, she will eventually slump and squint at him.]

Hey.

[ofhope]

[ He meant earlier, silly billy. But he's forgotten by now anyway, having sort of drifted off into a trance of his own while staring out the window.

At her voice entering the picture again, Joshua shifts before slowly looking over. ]

Hm?

[waterbends]

Thanks. For keeping your word at the tree and not, you know. Killing me.

[Not that's being especially gracious, but she's had a little time to mull this stuff over.]

[ofhope]

[ He turns back away, returning to his coffee. ]

What do you think I am, a monster? I have no reason to kill you.

[ 'You were never a threat,' goes without saying... But still, it's a backhanded compliment. Joshua doesn't go around killing people without a reason, even if it's a bad reason. (Is there ever a good reason?) ]

[waterbends]

I don't know. [She leans back against the wall, her posture almost childish.] There are a lot of kind of monstrous people here. You could have been one of them.

[ofhope]

You assume a lot from one battle. A battle you probably joined without knowing any of the details, am I right?

[waterbends]

.. people were getting hurt. Mobbing.. it needed to be stopped.

[ofhope]

None of those people got hurt or killed...until your friends interfered, and I was forced to get violent in order to protect Legato.

The collateral damage could have been avoided. It was never our intention to hurt any of them.

So maybe, if you and your vigilante group had been thinking more clearly, you could have waited patiently for us to part ways with the city residents, and then attack us.

Your impatience caused the deaths. Think about that, before you judge me too harshly, miss.

[waterbends]

You shouldn't have been using them in the first place. What were you even trying to accomplish?

[ofhope]

...Something you wouldn't understand.

[waterbends]

..no. Probably not if you thought it justified controlling people like that.

[ofhope]

I didn't really care if it was justified or not. That wasn't my problem. My job was to protect Legato.

[waterbends]

I really wish I could understand, you know.

[ofhope]

I'm sure you do. Your type always wants to understand everything, and get into everybody's business. You're probably really bossy, too. Always thinking you know better.

It's too bad you'd make a terrible wife, because you'd probably make a good mother.

[waterbends]

[And Katara rolls her eyes so emphatically that the action itself is almost audible.]

I'm not bossy. And you have no way of knowing what kind of mother or wife I'll make. I'm only fifteen, and besides, like you said... we barely know each other.

[ofhope]

Yes, but I have the unfortunate advantage of having to tolerate your noise.

[ It's an edge he could do without... ]

I was fifteen when I came here.

[waterbends]

[Get over it, Joshua.]

My birthday's next month, but I don't think I'll really be sixteen yet.

[ofhope]

What do you mean? If it's your birthday, you'll be sixteen. Don't worry about details. The castle doesn't.

[waterbends]

[She rubs the back of her head with her nails, groaning.]

I really wish that didn't make so much sense.