✘ .//. I'm tired of holding this inside my head { closed }

[usedwatergun]

Who: Katara and Dick Grayson
Where: Route 36
When: July 6th
Summary: I know a secret, I'm hoping you can keep it.
Rating: PG-13 IDK nothing is going on here aside from teenagers being awkward with crushes.
Log:
I think we picked a pretty good spot.

[It looks like a good place to camp, like something Sokka might pick. Not too far in the open, not too deep into the trees or grass, little risk of being attacked by wild Pokemon or stumbled upon by any trainers. It's secluded but not isolated. Jet is at ease, at least, though Kohta sets out to patrol as per usual in a new place.

They'd managed to set up the tents and all that was left was to get something cooking, once they gathered up some fire wood. She hadn't done much in the way of "work" in Goldenrod City but she was still looking forward to getting back to something familiar and simple like camping.

It was supposed to be a quick visit, stop by for the bug catching contest, meet up with Dick, then ask about continuing their travels together. She'd been traveling alone ever since Zuko returned home and even though she stayed in touch with others it just never did sit well with her.

She knew she should have probably been back to at least check on the house, but knowing that it would be empty when she got there hadn't made that all that appealing. Working on the plans for the Center was a welcome distraction, except for the fact she'd gotten a little muddled up on what she needed to be doing, but hey, between ancient Pokemon showing up out of the ground running amok, rampaging trainers, sudden new arrivals, and equally sudden epiphanies? She hoped that would be understandable. If she could just get this straightened out then she'd be in good shape, she thinks, glancing towards her companion.

Spirits just don't let this end up being AWKWARD afterwards.]

Once we get the firewood we can get started on dinner.

Comments

[usedacrobatics]

What's this "we" you're talking about?

[Dick has Carmilla already out. Nocturnal Pokemon to find fire wood? It works.]

You chose the camp site. That's not "we."

So I should be the one to make dinner, because that's not "we," either.

[usedwatergun]

[She was talking to Appa. Imissthisshow Katara just rolls her eyes, but it's less about exasperation and much more resigned amusement. He's definitely a stickler for giving credit where it's due- not that she minds that.]

Alright, but since "we're" on the subject if you make dinner then that means I'm washing the dishes. [Hey, he's throwing around air quotes and we's, she gets to do the same. Fair is fair.

Since they're getting situated for the night she might as well let a couple of the others out. Kuzon, Kishi, Kaya, and Arnook among them. Arnook can help with the wood gathering, she figures. The others can unwind.]

[usedacrobatics]

[He discreetly lets out the Pokemon she wouldn't associate with Robin when he sees what she's done. Caroline's learned to recognize the time of day and plant herself where he's most likely to build a fire. She likes to feel important.]

Like I'm going to try and take more work. [He laughs a little.]

Honestly, if you'd asked, I'd claim to need more time to learn how.

[Poor little rich boy.]

[usedwatergun]

[Teasingly:]

And you'd have gotten a hands on demonstration and plenty of practice. [Last time Sokka tried that he'd gotten dish duty for a week until he'd "learned" how to do it right.

Then she had to take him off dish duty because he'd started getting some crazy ideas about how to do it better... and he's no mechanist.]

Arnook, would you mind bringing us back some fire wood? [She gets a sort of grunt in answer, and the Lucario gets up to head into the woods. Katara takes a moment to take stock of what the others are doing, more out of habit than anything. Specifically Dick.]

[usedacrobatics]

Sounds threatening.

[Maybe he should rethink his strategy. He's busy ringing stones for a fire pit and laying out ingredients, utensils, a pot, etc.

Definitely felt better about this whole thing while traveling with someone.]

I probably still need some supervision, right?

Non-threatening supervision.

[usedwatergun]

[She at least tries not to sound too amused.

Not very good at it though, and there's some laughter hiding under her reply.]

I'll go easy and teach by example tonight.

[Probably a good plan to rethink it. Katara, meanwhile, checks on a couple of other things- like how their drinking supply is doing, and then the map to see if she has any streams marked in this area.

She takes a seat on the ground for the time being. Arnook will probably bring back a log or something for them to use for a seat, but that'll be a bit yet.]

[usedacrobatics]

Then I can stop trying, right?

[He gets the Pokegear on now and is flipping around for EV news when he sits down next to her, legs crossed and not really noticing when his knee brushes against hers-- it's fabric and fabric, and he's preoccupied.]

[usedwatergun]

[She's nervous as she begins to let her hair down out of its braid (easier for dealing with the heat during the day, but less than comfortable to sleep in). She's got butterflies in her stomach and it's not entirely because of the close proximity. Or the contact. Or the fact that she's about to take not one, but two huge risks here.

But well. Here goes nothing.]

Not a chance, boy wonder.

[She'd heard him use the monicker before a couple of times, so she expected some type of response- maybe a milder reaction to what she'd gotten for using "stay traught" during their second-first conversation.

Just that this time she was doing it perfectly knowingly, and wasn't making much of a secret of the fact she was watching him from the corner of her eyes. Or the hints of a smile waiting for his reaction- if any.]

[staystraught]

[How generic a term is "boy wonder?" the boy wonders. But that's all he has time for.]

Is that part of the example?

[He finally settles on some music and with the general forest ambiance to clash with it, things are never going to be properly quiet.

Was that sufficiently nonchalant?]

I think we have enough wood to get started, I just need to finish the stone ring.

[sifukatara]

[Huh, no reaction- well, not exactly. It definitely makes her wonder for a moment. She wasn't giving up already (Why would he admit to something like a second identity on the first pass?), but she needed to be sure about her approach before she made an idiot of herself.]

Not really, no...

[Time to regroup and try again. She stood, just as Arnook was setting down said firewood.]

Right... I guess I'll take a look for a stream to refill the canteens.

[Being around running water might also help her think, just in case it turned out she was about to make an idiot of herself.]

[staystraught]

Okay.

[Something about her tone convinces him she's not convinced, and he determines not to make any sudden moves. Any interest will betray him, and he counts the Pokemon around him, making sure she won't recognize them as Robin's.

This also means the ball is in entirely in her court. He's stuck playing defense, because the moment he goes on offense...

Part of him thinks "but I told M'gann" and the other part answers "but M'gann is your teammate." But from Katara's perspective...

He sets up a few things to roast, once Carrie gets the fire going. Doesn't even pay attention to what they are, just hoping they'll keep him busy until she's back with water.]

[sifukatara]

[While she was away Katara took the time to get her thoughts together. The water, easily found with the knowledge she'd picked up in travel, definitely helped. She spent a few moments just letting her hands dip beneath the surface while trying to come up with a plan. The cat is already out of the bag, if she's right. It's really too late to ask herself if she's sure she wants to pursue this course, but she wants to be positive of the decision anyway.

It hasn't gone over her head that if he's able to keep two different personas going and to keep that a secret then there's a chance she doesn't really know him as well as she thought, but it's not a pleasant thought. She doesn't like dismissing the time they'd already spent together as housemates, getting to know one another, looking out for each other, and now- would she end up ruining all of it by pressing this now? Her gut says no. Her intuition and her faith in their friendship says he wouldn't hold it against her for figuring it out. Doesn't make trying to approach the subject any less intimidating, but she NEEDS to know.

When Katara returns there are already several items over the fire. She takes stock more out of habit than anything, remembering that he's indeed still learning and so she keeps an eye out for things to point out, correct, or offer tips for. At the moment she herself is a bit distracted, though, and seeing fruit roasting is actually rather common place for her.

Silently she offers over his canteen as she stops next to him, then lowers herself to sit again.

Then she just watches the fire for a few moments, and a silence spans. Katara thinks she knows how to start broaching the subject again.]

... [Wait.] Are those dried apples?

[... That was not what she had in mind.]

[staystraught]

[He's just opening the canteen as she says it, and his head-jerk spills just a little on his face.

Smooth, Grayson.]

That.

[He scoots a little closer just to be sure.]

That sure is.

[Oh, my God.]

I thought it felt a little. Lighter. I guess.

[Carrie can be seen walking behind a tree to laugh privately. He glowers just a bit, but shakes it off.]

I'll just find... something else.

[sifukatara]

[She won't tease him about that one yet, and instead gives him a moment to find something else to roast. She's trying to work the courage back up again after that awkward interruption. She does not have a great history of boys and confessions, like, at all. She's pretty darn nervous, stomach twisting and turning, pulse quickening, and does it feel uncomfortably warm or is that just her?]

... [Yeah, no, this is ridiculous and Katara is addressing it.]

Okay, before the elephant-rhino in the room gets any bigger- I've figured it out. You and Robin- you're the same person. You were testing me back at the prom.

[She refrains from adding the "Right?" to the end, because even though she does want confirmation heeeee hasn't given her any reason to believe he won't take the out if she presents it. She knows what can happen when one expresses doubt at the wrong time.]

[staystraught]

[He drops his bag, and wishes like hell for sunglasses.]

Not-- not testing you. I mean, I might have been checking you out, but not testing you.

[He doesn't test. Teases, sure, but...]

So... do you want a prize?

[He only barely stops himself himself from grabbing the bag to toy with. Feels oddly ashamed of himself-- a spy is never caught, Harriet; a superheros's secret identity is never figured out, Dick.]

No one's ever put it together before.

[He's trying not to sound annoyed, but it's hard.]

[sifukatara]

[And then there's the giddy sort of rush when he confirms it. Followed by more uncertainty because he sounds irritated. She's pretty sure that between the two of them she's the one that's in the right to be irritated- though she's not, not really. Buuut she does look at him in surprise.]

What? No. [She's picking up on it, but she's not sure WHY he sounds annoyed. She looks from him back to the fire again.]

You definitely didn't make it easy, but I guess I had a head start, since I knew you before... [She exhales, trying to expel some of that nervous tension.

It's not working, at least not well.]

I figured it must have been important so I didn't want to pry about it. I just had my reasons for wanting to know, now.

[staystraught]

Well, wanting to know is natural.

[The head start bit makes him feel... not better, but less annoyed. Less bothered.

He picks up his bag again, and starts rifling for actual roastable food again. Just for busy hands and averted eyes.]

Back home, it's... very important that it remains a secret. The Batman-- if you knew I was Robin, it'd be very, very easy to connect the dots and figure out who he is. He's kind of well-known in his civilian identity.