near the main campfire - tuesday afternoon

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He lay in the grass, mostly because he could. It was a little damp since the day seemed to flutter between beautiful and damp, but he didn't much mind. He didn't catch colds too easily (perhaps the one dip in the well had been enough) and water didn't have any kind of adverse effect on him...

And it was nice out. Soothing. Almost as much as the church, it would let him think.

[open!][flying portion NFB for distance from the ground]

Comments

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I'm not usually," he said. "And if I was, well, the wet would be a problem."

He patted around with his hand to find a dry spot, couldn't find one, and finally hooked his fingers around his bag. There was a large cloth napkin he'd used to wrap a couple of cookies up in that was still there.

He pulled it out and laid it down.

"If you're not just passing by," he offered.

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

Sokka grinned and took one. "DUDE! Even if I WERE just passing by, I'll ALWAYS stop for cookies. Thanks!"

As he chewed it, he cocked an eyebrow questioningly. "So... what do 'green' and 'wet' have to do with one another? I'm not sure I follow you."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"My mother," and it was always hard to say it, but that's why he kept doing it; perhaps someday, he'd smooth the edges off of the word and it wouldn't cut, "was green. Like I was that day. I've learned since that it's a trait that only comes out in the girls. Remember that day when we got random children visit us?"

He pulled a cookie for himself from his bag and sat up a little.

"The other oddity about her, though, was that she was allergic to water. It's what ended up killing her, in fact."

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I remember that day," Sokka replied, with a sad, wistful little smile. "So, you had a little green girl? That's AWESOME!"

He found himself scratching his head. "How exactly does that WORK? Being allergic to water, I mean. It... doesn't make much sense. Especially if you're not."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I had a little green girl and a pale little boy," he said whistfully. Family, fully formed. While it had been terrifying, it'd also been sort of wonderful.

...had he fouled things up for Trindle, then? If he and Andrew broke up and never stayed together to raise a little green girl?

Oh. Sokka. He was being rude.

"It burned her. Like acid. And I suppose it's because of my father. I couldn't tell you. I don't really know much of anything to do with her other than what I saw. She was rather close-lipped."

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, we all miss the kids," Sokka told him softly, noticing the moments of silence. "Even the really annoying ones. ...Maybe not the Stinson brats."

He winced, then. "You-- your mother. I'm sorry. I... I lost my mother, too -- she died in an attack on our village. She... It's not the same without her. Your mom must have been pretty special, huh?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Not the same without her.

It was probably the best thing anyone had ever said about it. The one he could identify with the most. Not the same without her. No, Oz wasn't the same without her. He wasn't either. Kiamo Ko. The Emerald City. Any of it. She'd left a hole.

"I'm sorry for your loss.

"And yes, she was... unique."

He wouldn't be too exact. Or mention that until that little green girl, he hadn't known that she was his mother. It would be unfair to Sokka and while he tried not to lie if he didn't have to, he could keep information to himself so as not to make things difficult.

He breathed in, then out and offered another cookie.

"I've got brownies as well."

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

Sokka took the cookie, and grinned at the mention of brownies. "If you WANT me to eat all your food, I'll be more than happy to. And... I'm sorry for your loss, too. And sorry for talking about stuff."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I mentioned it. I should also mention I'm terrible at general conversation."

The cherry-vanilla brownies were pulled out of the bag, unwrapped from their napkin, and held out after he'd taken one.

"And I like to cook. Bake as well."

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

"Pffft. No one's terrible at conversation. All you have to do is just say whatever's on your mind. It's easy. I mean, you're conversating pretty well right now, right?"

He shoved the rest of the cookie in his mouth and snagged a brownie. "Hey, if you ever need to get rid of the stuff you cook," he said, spraying crumbs, "I'll gladly offer my services."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Generally, I try to agree with people and offer up baked goods. To be fair, it's worked."

"And if I went into what's on my mind..."

He shook his head and laid back after taking another bite.

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

Sokka frowned. "Is everything all right? Need a posse to help save the world, or something?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Kind of did that. Well, as far as 'not making it worse' counts for saving it."

He smiled before turning his head to Sokka.

"Thanks for asking, though."

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

Sokka shrugged. "No big. It's what we do around here. I'm sorry your world-saving didn't turn out all right, though."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"It turned out well enough," he said. "It could have gone much worse. I'm actually rather pleased, to be honest. Other than the fact that it's made me a little overly sensitive.

"Hence the sitting on the ground."

He smiled at Sokka.

"You don't have to apologize for anything, you know. I'm exceedingly difficult to offend."

[sarcasm-guy.livejournal.com]

An eyebrow cocked. "I wasn't apologizing," Sokka pointed out. "I was sympathizing. Different thing entirely."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Ahh. I'll have to make sure I remember that."

There wasn't any sarcasm. It was just something he noted.

"Told you I wasn't much good at this."

But he was smiling by then.