[closed] call me curious george the way i keep asking questions

[bonobos]

Who: Sha-Ming and assorted
Where: Aldrip
What: A closed log comprised of custom starters for the month of May; if you would like to do something, just hit me up at moontrip -- I don't bite!
Warnings: None as of yet.

Comments

[bonobos]

[ oh shit, yeah -- he knows an undercurrent of anger when he hears it. it's crazy how she commands presence without looking directly at him; what the hell is this girl going to become in the future?

instinctively, sha-ming raises his hands in surrender before realizing that uh, obviously, she can't see that. he then heaves out a breath, climbing out of his spot and letting his heels skid against bark as he slides on down. ]

Yeah, yeah, I'm on my way mom.

[ and he's here, dusting off his pants, scratching at the back of his head. ]

Listen... it's not what you think... [ whatever she DOES think. ] Had to destress after... whatever the hell that all was.

[ another beat. ]

I saw you helped him. [ the him in question should be obvious, he thinks. ] So...

Thanks. I'm shit at saying that but-- I owe ya, seriously.

[fieldtrip]

[ The immediate admission of appreciation takes some wind out of her sails, which just leaves her grumpy and annoyed rather than outright angry. Toph huffs.

It actually takes her a second to parse what he's talking about because it is not obvious, so there's a short delay as she decides how to respond, but it's clearly because she's considering it and not because she's fumbling. ]

You saw I helped your neighbor [ she emphasizes the absurdity of that epithet ] but you couldn't at least let me know you're okay?! Didn't I say you were supposed to hide behind me next time something happened?

[ Because she was absolutely not joking about that. Toph takes her 'staff' seriously, even if the word itself is a bit of a joke. ]

And don't call me mom.

[bonobos]

[ well shit-- logically speaking, she's right, but he's mentally stumbling over himself and very visibly at a loss. like that just... hadn't occurred to him, whatsoever. hell, he hadn't even intended on going out of his way for minato outside of a quick hello before the kid started crying on him.

sha-ming idly scratches at the back of his head -- and despite the fact that she can't visualize his gaze, he's averting hers all the same. ]

I--Man, I don't know! I thought you were doing it outta pity.

[ which he very finally manages to blurt out. ]

And pity's good and all, like, I'll take it but I just-- forgot that...you're supposed to tell people these things-- listen, I just...

[ a defeated sigh. ]

I didn't think anyone would give a shit, alright? And I don't mean that to be like ohhhh, please tell me how you care, like...no, I mean it. It didn't pop into my brain at all. I don't do much good for this place and I know that, I wouldn't fault anyone for not carin' but I don't...got any reason to expect them to, either.

[ he's pinching the bridge of his nose now, keenly aware of the hole he's digging himself into. ]

But yeah, I hear you loud and clear, ok? I haven't done this in a long time.

[ ... ]

You know, the...

[ ...? ]

The, like...

[ ??? ]

The...f..friendship...thing...

[fieldtrip]

[ He's so clearly out of his depth and fumbling that Toph can't stay mad at him any longer. She's still miffed, but as Sha-Ming rambles on and she just stands there and lets him dig his own hole, it's rapidly overtaken by amusement shaded with fondness.

Toph wouldn't consider them more than casual friends as it is, and even that much she's open to revising if it seems like he isn't interested, but that's not the sense she gets from Sha-Ming verbally stumbling all over the place. It sounds like he does want to be friends, and just has no idea how to go about it.

Just like Minato, in fact. ]

Wow, that sounded painful, [ she drawls, smirking. ] Since I guess I need to spell it out for you, I don't really do pity, like, at all. [ In any direction, for any reason. Hence her open amusement at how awkward he is; not a trace of pity to be found. ]

So get that outta your head. You don't owe me anything. Minato was nice to me when I was having a hard time, and I like you and think you're funny, and that's all there is to it. I told you I'd hire you to read stuff for me because I don't give out freebies, and I'm out here trying to track you down because I don't just give up on people even if I just met them.

[ Toph reaches out and gives him a firm punch on the arm. ]

That's how I show friendship, by the way.

[bonobos]

[ he flinches just the slightest bit at the punch -- but then confusion very visibly colors his features, mouth pursed into a moue, a hand rubbing the soreness out of the spot she punched. she reads him well -- a little too well, and it makes him all the more nervous, practically regressing into the younger of the two.

some people really were just stupid kids at heart, yeah? ]

...Ok. I believe you. [ he admits with some reluctance, shrinking into himself. she reminds him so much of the guys he grew up with: it makes him smile. ] Thanks, Toph. [ he speaks more earnestly. ] I mean that. Can't say I'm good at this kind of stuff...like I said, it's sorta been awhile but, um...

Well, I can't let bossman down -- otherwise I'm a totally shit lackey!

[ and the energy slowly trickles back into him, reinforcing his more usual self. ]

Catch me up to speed: what've you been up to -- and do ya need anything from lil 'ol me?

[fieldtrip]

[ Awkward as he is, that's good enough for her. Obviously, she can tell how sincerely he means it, so she's hardly going to drag him through a heart-to-heart about their burgeoning friendship. Wow, doesn't that sound like a fun time. (No.) But Toph shows that she means it herself in other ways, like by not letting him slip right by the reason he's out here in the first place. ]

I do actually need you to read that contract I was talking about, but don't think you're getting away that easily.

Where've you been? Anybody I need to bury in rocks?

[ She wouldn't kill them but she would absolutely bury them up to their neck, so this is by no means an idle threat. ]