Fishing for Winter

[buntails]

Characters: buntails and angle_on_it
When: Nowish
Where: Sokka's fishing hole, a pond in the Northwest Quarter
Rating: PG, really. These two are pretty tame.
Summary: Usagi and Sokka are catching and preserving fish for winter! preparation time.

Comments

[angle_on_it]

Sokka smiled when he saw Usagi all bundled in her sweater, eternally amused at how little tolerance for cold most people had. He had showed early (a new trend for him, it seemed,) so everything was already set up and waiting, including a blanket to sit on and one to spare nearby. "Nope, not at all," he replied easily. "You're right on time."

The weather was so much more pleasing to Sokka now. He wasn't wearing a coat, but he had opted to wear a long-sleeved shirt under his tunic top, allowing for the perfect amount of temperature control. Yeah, it was really starting to look like things were going to be comfortable again soon.

"Did you have any trouble finding the place? Things look different now that the leaves have all fallen."

[buntails]

She'll have him know she managed the North Pole before. (Oh, wait, she shivered and whined about the cold the whole time. In her defense, they'd all been there in those short-skirted sailor uniforms. Brrr!)

And that was probably why she noticed what Sokka was wearing.

"Whoa! You're really rugged if you're out here without a warm coat! It's getting really cold these days!"

She amended herself to answer his question just afterward. "No, I found it by the map."

[angle_on_it]

Sokka laughed at her comment about his ruggedness. He was pretty badass, wasn't he? But really, he'd been warm all day and he just liked the feeling of being cool again. "Nice work," he replied, obviously meaning her use of the map. "Why don't you sit down?" He patted the spot next to him.

It had been a little while since he'd seen Usagi in person and he was glad for once at it wasn't on the heels of the Animus sending someone home. He'd missed his best friend, missed that connection that seemed to be tested so heavily in the last month or two, missed just having her bright presence nearby, so it was a relief to share some time together without a pile of worries to consider. "I thought I'd show you how I made my fishing pole, to start," he explained, not intending to forget their intentions for meeting there.

[buntails]

She was only telling the truth. Sokka's people are a hardy type. Usagi smiled proudly at the praise of her still-lacking-but-improving navigational skills, and brushed off the spot right beside him.

"Show me!" She leaned forward eagerly for a better view; after all, if she was going to be able to do this later, she had to learn. She steeled herself to pay close attention.

[angle_on_it]

He scooted a little closer to her and brought his spare pole along. "I got a nice long branch from a tall, thin, straight three and I just stripped off the bark and extra branches, see? Then if you can find some wire, you twist on these little line guides here. It helps keep the line from tangling. Once you've done that, you just wind you line or string or whatever through -- leave a lot extra to spare if you can manage it -- and you're basically finished. Add some hook and some bait and you're ready to go."

[buntails]

Sokka, you are amazing and ingenious. It's hard to tell from her curious but rather blank expression whether she's following him, but then the makes a somewhat apt analogy that suggests she at least gets the basics.

"Sort of like threading a needle." Yep. Someone's been taking those sewing lessons with Morgana seriously.

*tree *your line ...Yikes, sorry. XD

[angle_on_it]

"Right, just like that," he noted, voice tinged with amusement. While they didn't spend a lot of time fretting over technical details, Sokka never got the impression (outside of navigation) that Usagi would have any real trouble following directions.

Sokka offers over the pole, one hand holding the line separate from the pole. "You can take this and cast your line, if you want. I'll pull mine in and show you if you think you can't do it without an example, but I'm pretty sure you'll be all right."

no worries XD sorry i'm slow

[buntails]

She's smart. However, it's rare for her to apply herself, which is where her reputation as a ditz comes from. She's really trying right now, though! So she give a quick nod, and holds onto the pole a moment before asking for the demonstration.

"Show me just a couple times? I want to do it right."

I swear I replied to this. T_T Sorry, bb.

[angle_on_it]

He grinned, and nodded amiably, reaching a hand down to help her to her feet. "Sure, but you gotta stand," Sokka said, and once she was on her feet, he reeled in his line.

"First, you gotta make sure you pull in most of your line, right? And it's all in the wrist, so you've got to turn and flick it like this," he explained, detailing the motion a couple times before actually following through. "Like that. Do you think you've got it? Do you want to try or should I show you again? There's no wrong way, just whats right and what works for you."

No worries! You know I love you at all times. <3

[buntails]

She stood up without complaint, and came just a bit too close, watching from right over Sokka's shoulder in her enthusiasm.

"I'll try!" she decides eagerly, and she snatches at the line, a little hastily. It looks fun, and she's excited to prove herself and that she can learn this new skill.

oh mai!

[angle_on_it]

He can't help but be amused by her enthusiasm, and he steps back, gesturing for her to go ahead and give it a go. "You know, I don't really remember learning how to fish," he informed her, figuring she'd appreciate the anecdote. "I'm sure my dad taught me, but I must have been really young," he noted, almost wistfully. "Just feels like the knowledge has always been there."

[buntails]

"I think it's great he taught you. You guys must have spent a lot of time together, going fishing or learning other things, too." She thinks of her own father, a man protective of his family and a fine, upstanding man but busy with work and rarely directly doing things like, say, helping with homework or teaching the children things. That was mama.

[angle_on_it]

"Well..." Sokka thought back, and while he harbored no anger over his childhood, there were a lot of things he wished could have been changed. "He went off to war when Katara and I were pretty young, but I guess you could say he taught me a lot."

He reached out and turned Usa just slightly, cold hands resting on her shoulders. The trajectory wasn't that important, but it would help her casting some. "I miss him a lot," he offered, because he knew she wouldn't judge him. "I think he would have been able to at least help with advice these last couple weeks." Spirits know, Sokka could have used the advice...

[buntails]

Far from judging, she agreed. "I wish I could talk to my mama," she said. "But even if I could... there's a lot I can't say. She doesn't know about my friends and me." Hopefully Sokka would put together exactly what she meant.

"So I guess... I have to rely on the advice from my friends here. They can help me keep going the right way."

[angle_on_it]

It doesn't take much for him to realize how she means, his mind going back to many conversations (and especially to that silly little disguise pen.) He smiled warmly and nodded. "That's a good idea," he offered, gesturing that she should give casting another try.

"There are a lot of good people here," Sokka informed his friend, "and a lot of smart people. I've never seen a group of more talented people. It's a shame they find reasons to fight so often -- if we worked together, this place could be really nice part of the time... when the Animus wasn't involved, I mean."

[buntails]

"You're right," Usagi said as she cast the line a bit further this time (and without tangling it, which was quite a feat). "If we come together, I think we can get further. Even about the Animus." It didn't help much when some wanted to work with them, some hated them, and some were trying to make deals with them.