0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
The Auspicious occasion of Katara's birthday.
-?-
Part 1: Trust
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Momo is in my room, vaguely irritating me with his crazy hijinks. He's spent the better part of the last ten minutes trying to catch the rainbow on the far wall. I hung my prism from the window last night like Zuko said. This morning I woke up to all the colours on my far wall and it was amazing. I just watched it moving in the breeze and relaxed.
Until Sokka put Momo in my room.
When he wants me to wake up but doesn't want to suffer my just-woken-up-wrath, he resorts to a Momo alarm.
You can't ignore a Momo-wake-up-call. But oh how I tried! Momo is just a bundle of cuteness and noise. I commanded that Momo leave and let me sleep - as it is my birthday right that everybody do as I say. Momo looked at me with a confused expression. He clearly doesn't understand birthday rules.
There's only so long I can lie in bed pretending to be asleep. I could hear shenanigans going on downstairs without me-so I got up.
-?-
There was an enormous amount of fruit and pastries and other baked goods on the table when I came down. There was a bit of fussing between Suki and Aang over some streamers they were putting around the window. Sokka was already tucking into the pastries and calling out suggestions to them and to Toph and Zuko. Toph was standing on Zuko's shoulders –she was trying to metal bend the light fixture into a curl so they could hang something off it. Sokka kept saying 'a little to your left-no your other left-no the other left.' Zuko made a small noise of frustration and said that he only had the one left. When Toph was satisfied, they got Sokka to hand them the other end of some streamers – so the room was nice and colourful and festive! I made a loud cough and everybody turned to look at me. Then they all cried happy birthday in unison.
We all sat down together and started passing around the various fruit and yogurts and pastries. Me and Sokka had a conversation about his Momo wake up calls. The others were a bit cross that he'd woken me up before they'd finished decorating. Sokka said decorating schmecorating – the food was ready, so he woke me up so they could all get started on the birthday deliciousness!
I birthday commanded that he do ten push ups for waking me up. He grumbled and muttered something about the great birthday dictatorship starting already. But he did the push ups. The others watched open mouthed in astonishment at Sokka's compliance. Sokka said that's what a birthday dictatorship was like and everybody had better do what I say...it was just easier. I said I was a benign dictator and only used my birthday powers for evil if I had been woken up too early. Sokka grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'if you say so' under his breath.
I asked Suki to pass me the moon peaches. Next to mangoes, they are my favourite fruit. Suki brought them over and gave me a deep curtsey as she presented them. I was confused. Suki said that Sokka had insisted that this was how I liked everything to be presented to me on my birthday. Okay – four birthdays ago, I made Sokka bow to me every time he addressed me or presented me with something. Four birthdays ago! And he really deserved it at the time!
Now he's told everyone I'm like some evil birthday dictator with delusions of grandeur.
I have made him to push ups again in retaliation.
We got in to a conversation about favourite fruits and how they had all gone together to the most amazing fruit market on the other side of the island that had fresh produce from everywhere. Suki said that they even had sea prunes and she knew how much Sokka and I had liked them. She was quickly and promptly silenced by the others. Do sea prunes have something to do with the plan?
Zuko tried to steer the conversation back to fruit and he and Toph got into a conversation about passionfruit. Was the firenation purple passionfruit superior to the earth kingdom golden passionfruit? Only time and possibly a small sparring session will tell. I told them that I found them both equally delicious.
Aang said 'speaking of fruity deliciousness –happy birthday.' At first I didn't quite understand comment but Aang presented me with a big bowl of spiky berries. He explained that they were dragon berries and they were really rare and expensive in the firenation – he looked to Zuko for confirmation and Zuko nodded and said they were a luxury extravagance. I passed the bowl around so everybody could try a little bit of luxury extravagance. When everybody had a few on their plates, Zuko showed us how to peel them- because he was the only one who had eaten them before. It was a lot of work because the outer shells were so spiky and scaly (that's how they got their name- because their shells look like a dragon hide), but Zuko said it was totally worth it.
It was.
Oh my god -that is the best thing I have ever tasted! It was just like honey and icecream and all other sweet delicious things at once. Suki was really enjoying her dragon berry on the other side of the table and loudly exclaimed that they were better than sex which caused Sokka to eye the berries mistrustfully. It didn't stop him from eating them and making his own happy-delicious-food-noise. There was a little awkward silence after Suki's pronouncement and she blushed and stuttered that she meant it was better than icecream or some other none-sex related food product.
Toph asked, quite cheekily, what would constitute a sex-related food product and Sokka frantically said that we didn't need to know.
I agree.
Eww.
I used my birthday powers to declare that conversation over.
We all tucked in with gusto and soon all the dragon berries were gone. Toph said that they were totally worth standing around in the woods for an hour while Aang got them. Aang apparently had the others stand look out while he engaged in some petty produce-thievery from the nearest dragon berry orchard. Was this the plan?
No, there had been so much secrecy about the plan that it will be a bit anticlimactic if the plan is just fruit related deliciousness.
Aang said that wasn't his only present and scooted off. Suki called after him that they had agreed to do presents tonight. But too late. Aang scooted back and he'd something behind his back and said that he wanted to be the first to give me a birthday present.
There was a little awkward moment. Zuko and I glanced at each other for a second.
I said that was really sweet, but I didn't mind about the order of presents and when they were given to me and Zuko had already given me his present last night. Aang gave him a look and Zuko blushed a little and said sorry to Aang, but he didn't know that Aang had been so keen on being the first. Toph asked what Zuko had gotten me and I stuck my foot in her lap so she could feel the anklet and told them about the prism. Toph ran her fingers over the anklet and declared it pretty and then Suki came over to have a look and the awkward moment passed. When we had all sat back down Aang came over to me and presented me with a huge bunch of firelilies.
-?-
Oh.
-?-
I took a deep breath and took the flowers and gave him a smile and said thanks. The whole time I was just thinking –they're not the same flowers-they're not the same flowers- I was trying to act normal. Aang was talking about how they were some really rare firelily that only grew on the island etc. When I heard him talking about them with Zuko yesterday – I never thought he'd get me the flowers. It's not Aang's fault. He doesn't know.
Firelilies always remind me a little of Hama.
But the firelilies I saw with her had been the common firelily. Red petals and orange tips. These ones had a deep dark purple centre and dark red petals with pink tips. They were totally different flowers and I should stop being silly.
Zuko offered to go put the flowers in a vase for me and I handed them over gladly and he took them into the kitchen.
Aang was looking at me hopefully and I smiled at him and gave him a quick hug and said thanks. The flowers were lovely-really. Sometimes small white lies are better. He doesn't need to know about Hama and firelilies and it would be impolite to say those flowers give me the jeebies.
Suki and Toph and Sokka went off to get their presents and left me alone with Aang for a second. Aang started asking if I really liked the flowers and I resorted to a small white lie again. Then I said that I probably enjoyed the dragon berries more because they were delicious and started talking about dragon berries with him. He was telling me how hard it had been to get them and began regailing me with the tales of his dragon berry heroics.
Zuko came back in and put the vase on the front window sill and said that firelilies like full sun- so it would be better if they stayed in this room because it got the sun all day. I agreed. Toph bounded back in, present in hand. She asked if she had to bow before giving me a present and I re-iterated that Sokka was only being silly and no bowing was necessary. Sokka and Suki came back in and Sokka was trying to hide something behind Suki's back.
And it looked like present time was upon us!
-?-
Toph said the day spa was her main present but this was just a little something extra. She handed me two long thin bits of metal with little dents at one end and a small loop at the other. She'd run a long piece of leather through the loops.
Was this a necklace?
I guess it must be.
I was a bit confused but said thanks for the necklace. She asked if I had any idea what the metal bits were. I did not. Toph explained that she knew enough of me and Sokka's sneaky ways to know that we both loved to snoop around and these two bits of metal would be able to pick most locks and she could show me how to use them. She'd bended them herself. Sokka thought this was awesome and tried to steal my present thunder. Toph has agreed to show him too. I have protested at being called a sneaky snooper in a backhanded manner. I declared that I wasn't really a snooper.
I have never snooped in my life!
There was a small awkward silence that followed this pronouncement and the others glanced at each other for a quick second.
Someone coughed politely.
Aang said my sneaky ways weren't a bad thing. Toph started recalling all the times I've been sneaky with her/ snooped through her stuff. She said all this in a very affectionate manner and gave me one of her friendly punches on the arm. I can't really be mad at her. She does have a point (she often has a point). And she means so well! And I have snooped through her stuff a fair bit.
Okay... so sometimes I'm a bit sneaky. I admitted it. I thanked Toph and gave her a hug and popped the keys around my neck. Really, it is a great idea. You never know when something like lock picking will come in handy. Then Sokka started going on about my sneaky ways back home and making everybody laugh with sneaky tales and the conversation took an alarming turn.
Sokka has to do push ups again.
Suki said that she was really impressed in how quickly I picked up all of Zuko's stealth tips the other day and that it was amazing that I was able to sneak up on her after only a couple of hours stealth training. She has had years of stealth training. That alone was a strong testament to my sneakiness. But she said this in such a nice and complimentary way that I felt really flattered.
Everybody turned and glanced at Zuko for his comments on my sneakiness. Out of everybody present, I had probably been the sneakiest with Zuko. He smiled and said that I had stalked him quite successfully for a long time and that was an even bigger testament to my sneakiness because he had also years of stealth training. Suki gave him a look and said she'd been stealth training since she was eight. Zuko replied that he'd been stealth training since he was seven. I thought the conversation was going to descend into a stealth-off between the two of them. So I made them shake hands with my birthday powers.
Aang was looking a little perplexed and said that he never knew I had stalked Zuko. I replied that it was back at the Western Air Temple and I had only stalked him a little. Zuko started coughing quite loudly on the moon peach he'd been eating. Sokka gave him some firm pats on the back.
-?-
Suki pulled out a thin long box from her pocket. It had been elegantly wrapped and had a green and gold ribbon around it. I opened it up and gasped. It was a beautiful and ornately carved sandalwood fan. I held it up and smelled it. Ooh I love that smell. Then I opened it up and started fanning myself in what I thought was an elegant manner. Suki said that she wanted to make me an honorary Kyoshi warrior but couldn't find any gold kyoshi fans in the firenation, but then she thought an ordinary fan might be more useful because it was so unrelentingly hot on this island anyway. I gave her a big hug and said I loved it. I really did. It was a useful gift.
-?-
Then it was Sokka's turn. He produced from behind his back a long straight stick. It had been painted in water tribe blue and white and he'd carved a little handle at one end and on the other he'd carved – common sense- and painted it a darker blue.
Was that an actual common sense stick? Sokka replied that he thought I would enjoy having my own righteous stick of common sense.
I do!
I really do!
I squealed in delight and gave him a big hug. My big brother is such an idiot sometimes and I never thought the day would come when I'd be glad that he'd read my stalker journal. It's such a lame, ridiculous present but I can't help but love it. I gave Sokka a light whack with the common sense stick -to test it out and because I was a little embarrassed that he'd bought up my stalker journal in a round-about gift-y fashion.
Sokka explained that it was a water tribe in-joke to everyone else. They were all wearing very confused faces. He said that with the stick I would be able to whack commonsense into people. Zuko face palmed and said that is going to be so bad for me under his breath. I have frequently told him that he is lacking in common sense.
I'm a bit thrilled with all my presents.
-?-
After breakfast was packed away and everybody was ready to face the day I called a birthday silence with the common sense stick. I had thought up some group bonding activities for us to do together. These were activities that would normally meet with some reluctance from certain group members, but on my birthday everyone has to do what I say.
I demanded everyone do trust falls.
Because I could! No arguments!
Just trust falls!
Okay- there were some arguments. Toph said trust falls were lame and if someone tried to trust fall on to her they'd probably smush her and then all trust would be lost. I've paired her with Aang who has promised not to smush her and to make trust falls fun. Toph has raised an eye brow dubiously at Aang's trust fall enthusiasm. Sokka and Suki wanted to be paired together. I think so they can subtly feel each other up.
I was paired with Zuko which I was a bit thrilled with. Not because I want to subtly feel him up or anything.
...err just because trust has been a really big issue between us and I just think it would be nice if we could do trust falls. And it's good for group bonding and whatever else.
-?-
Zuko was a little reluctant and I told him it was either trust falls or a hundred push ups. He asked me if I would be mad if he choose the push ups. I told him I certainly would be! And then I poked him with the common sense stick.
He was looking really nervous and I got right up in his personal space and asked him what the problem was -really quietly. He looked at me a little shyly and said that he wasn't a very trusting person and found it really hard to just trust people and didn't think he'd be good at trust falls. I told him that I really trusted him and I asked if he trusted me. He looked away for a sec and then looked back at me. He said yes really softly. It made me really happy. That yes.
I told him that I promised I wouldn't let him fall and he promised me the same.
Sokka called out that we should stop whispering to each other already and just get our trust fall on! He and Suki had already done six trust falls and were way ahead of us! Aang said that he didn't know that trust falls was a competition and that he and Toph had already done seven. If it wasn't a competition before, it became one -after Aang said that.
Still the others seemed to be having a good trusting time. Except for Toph who wasn't enjoying it at the start. Toph hates trust falls and has the tendency to shriek as little as she falls back but Aang always catches her in some fancy and unexpected manner. Then when it's her turn to be the catcher, Aang places her arms out and tells her not to move and then just flops on her affectionately. She got the hang of it by the end.
As I predicted, Sokk and Suki got a bit touchy feely with their trust falls.
So did I.
Not in a bad way or anything.
I'm not going to lie. Zuko just has a really nice body. I may have gotten a bit err... handsy with his really nice body when I was the catcher. But he didn't mind and... it was all in a friendly and affectionate manner! Just because he seemed so nervous about the whole trust fall business. I caught him around his middle every time and I'd give him a little squeeze and whisper something like that wasn't so bad -was it? in his ear. He'd smile at me and then we'd switch places. He'd be nice and firm and strong to fall against. He'd catch me carefully every time. He may have been a bit more gentlemanly and less handsy with his catching technique. But he'd give me a little squeeze in return and say that trust falls weren't so bad after all.
He's right. They weren't so bad at all.
-?-
Exceptionally long and rambly author's notes follow:
Lovely wonderful readers! You have reached the end of the first part of Katara's birthday shenanigans! I'm planning to do her birthday in three parts. This part deals with the morning of her birthday. The next part will be more of a girly chapter (just to warn any men-folk out there!) and the third part will be about the plan! I hope you enjoyed reading part 1: trust!
Big thanks for all the wonderful reviews! You guys are just all kinds of fabulous and if I knew you in real life I'd want to do trust falls with you! Anyway reviews help my imagination come up with wacky hijinks! And I love reading all your comments and suggestions!
I have a small note of sad news: my computer is having a tantrum and has eaten my rough draft of the coming chapters.
Oh calamity!
I'll think I'll be able to get them back and all will be well, but for the moment they appear to have disappeared. My lovely fancy-man works in IT and is very computer geeky so hopefully he'll be able to get it back for me. I still had most of what would happen in this chapter in my head and I had a day off today - so I've been able to get this one up. I've written this chapter on his laptop and I am a fail whale at laptops so there maybe a few more typos than usual in this chapter. Sorry about that lovely readers!
Err fail whale is aussie slang for a really epic fail.
Never fear dear readers! We will go onwards! To infinity and beyond!
In this chapter:
Sokka employs the Momo alarm technique to wake up his sister. Waking up with pets is a tradition in my house. When you need someone to get up but you don't wish to deal with morning grumpiness – you let the dog into their room and voila! They are awake! No one can stay asleep in the face on her unrelenting cuteness/noisiness.
Birthday rules: So everybody has to do what she says – no arguments (or maybe just slight arguments.) I think this would be a family tradition! I think Sokka is used to copping it on her birthday and probably make similar retaliatory demands on his own birthday – give me a foot massage – make me stew etc. During this chapter Sokka is ordered to do push ups many times and he does it without fuss because it is just easier! She starts out ordering Sokka around the most because he's her brother and she's used to him and she's never previously had this many people at her birthday command before and she doesn't know how they'll all take it – the more at ease she feels with people – the more likely she is to get a little birthday bossy with them.
Dragon berries made an appearance in my Zuko's adventure with miss smarty-pants bossy boots fic. They are like lychees only more delicious! They are food orgasm inducing. Ooh a food orgasm is when you eat something so incredibly and fabulously delicious that you make that mmmhmhmmhm noise almost involuntarily –because it is that tasty!
Firelilies- I didn't want too much seriousness in this chapter, but I think the Hama experience would have been really traumatic for Katara, even though she's pushed most of her thoughts about it away. That bit with the firelilies in the episode was when I started to get really creeped out by Hama. I think for a long time to come – firelilies will remind Katara of Hama. Aang doesn't know this and he gets them because he wants to give her something romantic. She tries to be gracious about them but Zuko can tell when something is a little off with her and he takes them off her hands.
Sneaky ways- Katara has them and we all know it! I think she was in a bit of sneaky way denial. I just wanted a little group acknowledgement of her sneakiness and I thought Toph would be the one most likely to point it out (bluntly and affectionately). I also realised that everyone in the group except for Aang knew that Katara was stalking Zuko at the western air temple. So I wanted to let him in the loop about that. He has thoughts about that which will become apparent in another chapter.
Sandalwood fans are awesome!
The common sense stick- it just seemed like such a Sokka present. He is the only one who's read her stalker journal and knows how much she wants a common sense stick and he's just having a little joke with her. Katara will become a little too fond of her commonsense stick. Then she may misuse her commonsense stick! Then someone may hide it from her.
Everyone's presents gives an idea about how they see Katara. Zuko sees her as a hopeful optimist. Aang sees her as a romantic prospect. Toph sees her as an affectionate snooper/busybody (mother figure) and Suki sees her as a sister figure/equal and wants to initiate her into Kyoshi sisterhood. Sokka sees her as his little sister - a purveyor of commonsense and ridiculousness simultaneously.
Trust falls- okay they are lame! I know it. but I love them and they are a great vehicle to explore some trust issues. They are a great group bonding exercise and Katara is all about group bonding and being a family. But there are several people in teh group who would be a bit reluctant to do trust falls and I think Katara could only get them all to agree to do them on her birthday. Using her birthday powers.
Something that doesn't get developed much in the series but which I want to explore more is that Zuko has serious trust issues. Understandably so. Poor kid. But even in the crossroads of destiny – he seems a little more open to Katara (he lets her touch his scar and all). I think he is really starting to completely trust and care deeply for her (more than just crush on her) and this is a new and bizarre sensation for him and he's a bit elated/terrified of it. He didn't trust Mai very much when they were dating and felt quite insecure about her feelings. But he's developed something a little deeper with Katara and has come to a place where he will agree to do trust falls with her.
Which gives her an opportunity to get a little handsy/physically demonstrative with him. A handsy Katara is a happy Katara after all.
In the next chapter the girls will hit up a day spa together and there will be shenanigans and lady bonding.
Til then lovely readers...
