Sokka the 71st - [Action/Voice]

[markofthewise]

[Today, Sokka starts out with some simple messages for the journal.]

I know this is pretty late, but... Luceti has a way of causing delays. I got a lot of orders two months ago and they're all finally finished. If you haven't already picked them up, then... well, you should do that. I think you'll be pleased. [ooc: if you want to assume they already picked this stuff up a while ago, that's fine too!]

So, now that it's nice and warm these days, how do people feel about... fishing? I just made my own fishing rod, so I'm thinking tomorrow morning? Fishing time. On the river, maybe. Or I could bring out one of the boats and head to the lake. Some company wouldn't hurt. As long as you're not the noisy kind. I uh, actually want to catch some fish.

20th

[For today, Sokka works his regular shift at the smithy. From morning until the afternoon, he's at the smithy. There's not much to do now that he's done, so he straightens things out, hangs out on the couch with an alchemy book in his face, or if he gets bored with that... he reaches for his fishing rod under the couch and does a few practice casts. If he thinks no one will catch him doing it. Winry wouldn't approve. 8|

In the afternoon, he'll be around House 56 in the front and back yard, with a can of dirt and pushing over rocks and stones looking for worms underneath. A good fisherman needs his bait, after all! And he wants to be ready for tomorrow!]

21st

[As soon as his sparring practice is over, Sokka sets himself up on the southernmost bridge in town. Sure, it's a little gloomy today, but still time to fish. He has a chair, he has a fishing line, he has a cold box to put fish in, and he has not shortage of snacks and drinks. About ten minutes into his fishing, he gets drenched. Watch as poor Sokka has to gather up his stuff and flee back home. Later when he has an umbrella, he dejectedly heads to the smithy to put in a few hours. And then a few more hours later at the library to do alchemy research. No fishing today. :(]

22nd

[After a rainy day and rainy night, Sokka wakes up to A BIG BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW. He'll try to rush through his morning training, that way he can head to the river west of his house and ready a canoe. With a clear sky above, he's going out to the lake for fishing. There's room enough for two, for anyone eager to join. Following that, he'll be out on the southern lake fishing, cooking fish on the shore for lunch, and enjoying a good solid day off. STRESS FREE.]

Comments

[herotypical]

"...I wasn't sure what people would think. Of me. If they saw it."

[markofthewise]

"Maybe... why a bird?"

[herotypical]

Buffy bit her bottom lip. A rare habit, really. Reserved for when she was feeling coy. Girlish. Insecure. Uncertain.

"Well, it's a sparrow."

[markofthewise]

Suddenly it was all coming together. A smirk began to form as the obvious connection was made. "Like a certain piratey sparrow?"

[herotypical]

She nodded, emboldened by her friend's smirk. "He designed it and drew it and did it. Pretty talented, huh?"

A beat passed. "You don't have to answer that."

[markofthewise]

"Did he have to do the tattoo making song first?" He'd ran into Jack earlier that day already. Sokka hadn't fallen for the fish summoning song.

[herotypical]

"Of course. The man has to have a song for everything."

One of those love it about him things, apparently. Jack Sparrow always had something to sing about.

[markofthewise]

"Hopefully it didn't involve a rock and a stick."

It was one of those things Sokka did not love about Jack Sparrow, which was fortunate, because there was no romantic chemistry there at all.

[herotypical]

"What? Did he sing you a sour one or something?"

[markofthewise]

"No, tried to make me sing one." It didn't work.

[herotypical]

It had been a while since Sparrow had tried to coax her into singing. Perhaps he'd learned that a Summers woman was most pliant when she thought a plan was her own. Buffy, anti-songstress as she was, picked her bare moments to even only hum. And things hadn't quite been happy enough for a while.

Yet, she smiled. "And from the look on your face, I'm guessing he was met with not so much success?"

[markofthewise]

"He succeeded in keeping me from fishing for awhile." Though as their meal had demonstrated, Sokka had made up for lost time. At that moment, a breeze blew by and Sokka shivered under his damp clothes. He responded by pulling off his tunic. LOOK AT THESE PECS OKAY "Anyway, we should get you back to my place so Katara can have a look at you."

[herotypical]

"...Do you really think that's necessary? I mean, I can probably just take it east for a few--"

Buffy shrugged. But she didn't put up much of an argument, really. Things hurt and she didn't like it when they hurt and Katara was someone she should learn how to trust in this department, ideally.

[markofthewise]

"You lost your taking it easy rights when I had to help you up. Sorry."

Leaving her there, Sokka finally went to go fetch the canoe from the water. They'd still need to take it back, especially since Buffy could use a gentle trip back to the village. Walking would just make it worse, he figured.

[herotypical]

"Fair enough," she shouted after him -- feeling a little bad that he had done so much for her today.

Buffy waited at the water's edge. The water threatened to nudge her shoe'd toes and she took the time to struggle with removing them. They were heavy and wet and cold, anyway.

[markofthewise]

Squish squish squish went his boots as Sokka went into the water to flip the canoe over and gather whatever had fallen out. Fortunately one too many canoe flips had prompted him to set the canoe up for clips and tight spaces to tuck things so they'd stay in the same place. So if he lost anything underwater, it wasn't too important.

After he brought it back to the bank, he proceeded to pull his boots off, turning them over to let the water empty out, before tossing them inside the canoe along with his tunic. When he was ready, he gave her a nod to go ahead and climb back in. But this time she wasn't allowed to row. Or paddle.

[herotypical]

If climbing in was a painful process, she didn't show it. The first few bouts of aches and pains had take her by surprise but, in the end, Buffy was no shrinking violet and she could pace her way through the hurt if she chose to. And chose to she did.

"You said 'if'," she murmured, once they were underway. "If you got a tattoo. Have you ever wanted one?"

[markofthewise]

Oh. After he climbed in, he was left to answer the question. He wasn't entirely sure of the answer.

"Well... I did have some once. Remember that thing? The uh... Luceti Valley thing. I had tattoos, then. That was a big thing with Trafalgar, my fake dad. But none of the tattoos were things I'd want." But the idea had stuck with him after that.

[herotypical]

"Luceti Valley," she repeated. Carefully picking her way through the syllables. Luceti Valley was the reason she chose to get her tattoo, in the end. One of the reasons.

She sat much more still, this time. "They're...weird," she confessed. "The permanence is a little terrifying. But if I went home tomorrow? I guess it wouldn't be that permanent at all."

Somehow, that wasn't a perfect prospect.

[markofthewise]

"I guess nothing's permanent here." An obvious truth for anyone who had been in Luceti awhile. He'd seen tons of people come and go. Eventually their impact faded and they were replaced by people who never knew they had been around. Their stories ultimately were rarely retold. "But... I was thinking something as a reminder of home. So if I lost it, I'd be back home and wouldn't need a reminder."

[herotypical]

"...A reminder of home? A reminder like what? I-is there a...Water Tribe flag, or something?"

She was tempted to drag her fingers in the water but...nah. Sitting still.

[markofthewise]

"We have our own special symbol." He pulled the oar back in a bit, so he could use a free hand to pat the side of the boat. A moon over waves, it was probably one Buffy had seen before. It was on Sokka's armor and the Ocean Spirit out at the bay. "I have it painted on here. And my other ones."

[herotypical]

"O-oh! THe one on the side? I didn't realize it was so important. I thought it was...decoration. Normally, at this point, I'd lean over to have a look but..."

Hand gestures. Lots of hand gestures.

[markofthewise]

"Yeah, I've already been soaked enough. Thanks." Keep those hands inside the boat, Buffy. "But yeah, that's pretty much the symbol of the Water Tribe. It's kind of our emblem, basically."

[herotypical]

"It's nice. As emblems go, I mean. Very chic. Not that I'm an expert in national symbols or anything."