FTEC: Monday Evening

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

Okay.  Just because last Friday two of her friends came in hurt didn't mean that was going to happen every time Katara was at the clinic.  Really.  The vampires were all killed and there was no reason for anyone else to be hurt. 

Or so she was trying to convince herself.

Katara might have been a little bit twitchy and pace-y at the Clinic tonight.  

Comments

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

A pretty healthy looking Mel cautiously entered the clinic looking for Katara.

She gave her a sheepish wave. "Hey."

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

Katara was visibly relieved when she realised Mel wasn't hurt. "Hey, how are you?" She paused. "Okay, probably a stupid question."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Better. You know. Slayer healing thing," Mel said relaxing a bit. "Sorry for giving you such a crazy night on Friday."

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

"I'd rather me be here than someone else," she said and moved forward to give her a hug.

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

Mel awkwardly took the hug. "I'm just glad Rikku is okay. And... um. Yeah. Also thanks for coming after me."

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

"Of course we were going to come after you," Katara said. "It's what friends do."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Yeah... well I was hoping to avoid that part," Mel said sheepishly. "The last thing I wanted was for you guys to be in danger."

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

"Last thing we wanted was for you to be in danger too," she pointed out.

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Kind of in my job description," Mel said attempting to make a lame joke. "Hopefully I didn't take you away from any family."

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

Katara made a face. "Xander and Willow and Dawn helped their Buffy who was a slayer. It's not like it's unheard of." She shrugged though. "Nah, but I have family here all the time so it's okay?"

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"True," Mel said quietly and not addresses whether she was talking about Katara's first statement or her second one.

And was probably the reason for the change of topic that suddenly happened. "So. Did anything happen between you and your date at homecoming?"

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

Katara tilted her head, noticing the subject change but not commenting on it. "Nope. I kinda wrote that I had fun in the paper the week before break though."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Well there's different kinds of fun you know," Mel said with a small smirk. "Did you at least kiss him?"

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

She looked shifty. "Would you like some cookies? I think there are some back in the supply room."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"I'm not that easily dist- Wait. What kind of cookies?"

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

"Chocolate chip and those funny ones with jelly swirls," she said, waving Mel to come into the back with her. "Come on."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

Mel followed her. "Don't think that this is going to make me forget to ask whatever topic we were talking about."

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I know," Katara said, finding the cookie box and putting it out on the table. "I wasn't expecting it. Are you glad classes started again?"

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Ask me at the end of the week when I actually have classes," Mel smirked. "I get to lie around all week and do nothing."

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

"Oooh, I'd be jealous but I'm doing that the rest of the week. I don't have anything else until Friday. Well, and it's the full moon on Thursday, but waterbending doesn't count," she said.

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Full moon?" Mel teased. "Is there some ritual where you have to go out and dance naked or something?"

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

Katara giggled but shook her head. "Nah, just my bending is attached to the moon. So it's strongest when the moon is full, and I like to go out and take advantage of it as much as possible."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Makes sense, I'd do the same thing if my power was connected to it," Mel said. "What's it like? Do you sense it or something?"

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

"I just feel stronger and able to do more with the water," she said thoughtfully. "It's not like I can feel the moon itself, just the pulling of it on the ocean."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Do other benders have something like that?" Mel asked in a curious fashion.

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

She shrugged. "Aang didn't...well, not for airbending. Firebending is ruled by the sun."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"So does that mean when the Sun goes down I have a better chance of beating the crap out of Zuko?"

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

Katara snorted. "If you had an eclipse, maybe. He's weaker at night, but by no means helpless." She looked at Mel. "Thought you weren't wanting to beat the crap out of him anymore."

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Yeah well he's asking for it lately," Mel grumped.

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

"He's Zuko," Katara said in tones of one stating the obvious. "Is he worse than usual?"

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

Mel sighed. "Yes. But it's mostly my fault."

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

Katara offered her the box of cookies again. "Want to talk about it or pretend it didn't happen?"

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

Mel facepalmed as she took a cookie.

"I told Zuko how I felt for him."

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

"...in a good way?" she asked.

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

Mel was already reaching for another cookie at this point.

"In a I-love-you type way," Mel said looking horribly embarrassed.

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

Katara just stared. And knew that probably wasn't the best reaction to a friend.

"Did you hit your head in that fight? Really really hard?"

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"I didn't think I was going to see him again," Mel face-palmed. "Though, yeah my head was hit pretty hard. I don't think he'll buy that as an excuse."

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

"What did he say?" she asked. €"Maybe you don't need an excuse?"

...okay, so it was doubtful.

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"Um..."

Mel sighed. "It really doesn't matter. He was pretty much just ticked off that I brought any kind of emotion into it. We've been avoiding each other ever since."

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

Katara frowned. "He's a jackass. ..um, I mean. I'm sorry. Want me to freeze him to a wall?"

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

And to Mel's credit she only considered the offer for 30 seconds.

Okay a minute, but she was eating a cookie at the time.

"Nah. That would just make the situation worse."

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

"If you change your mind, I totally would," Katara said, taking a bite of her own cookie.

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"I'll give him a week to get back to normal. If not? We'll freeze him to the ceiling."

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

"And by 'back to normal' you mean slightly less cranky?" Katara asked, making a face.

[cantjossme.livejournal.com]

"And less flaily. Yes," Mel sighed. "You probably think I'm an idiot, don't you?"