[Action]

[fierybluebird]

[Marco is wandering around campus about to do Disciplinary Committee Rounds and whistling to himself. As he whistles, occasionally a few birds come and land on his head or shoulders or arms and whistle and tweet back to them. In fact, by all appearances he appears to be talking directly to them. Still he continues walking around, deadpan as can be, as though there was perfectly nothing strange about being surrounded by a bunch of birds asking why he has to be out so late and are phoenixes related to owls, and hey where's that loaf of bread he promised? They've got babies to feed you know!]

So long as you hush when I'm sneaking up on someone you can have a hotdog too, okay?

[One bird keeps tweeting an objection to this. She doesn't like hotdogs.]

Fine, you can have fruit.

[This seems to quiet her down.]

Comments

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

[Now Sokka's just sort of laying across Marco's shoulders.] He seems like a nice guy. He said you were ugly but I don't think he meant it. [Tired voice is back. That shouting took a lot out of him.] He carried me to the infirmary too. Nice guy.

[fierybluebird]

He is a nice guy. But I'm sure he did mean it, eh. About me. I told you, he doesn't like me. At least this marine version.

He's the best, most loyal friend a guy could ask for. Although he probably thinks you're insane.

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

Oh I dunno. I don't really remember the conversation... but I'm always charming.

[fierybluebird]

Uh-huh, very. But don't worry, Sp-- the Commodore tends to think many people are crazy. Doesn't mean he likes you any less.

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

Well that's good. Because if I can be his friend then I can get him to be your friend too. [Murmurs, all murmurs. The motion of Marco's walk is putting him to sleep.]

[fierybluebird]

[Quiet laugh.]

We'll see. Don't try too hard though. Even when he wasn't a pirate, my Ace took months to just stop trying to kill Pops every day.

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

He didn't try'n kill me. Jus'tossed me over his shoulder and... and carried me t'the nurse... [Snores.]

[fierybluebird]

Well, you're not the strongest man in the world either. [Sets Sokka in infirmary and has some quietly tense words with the staff about letting him wander outside when he's clearly delirious.]

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

[Sokka's fingers wrap around Marco's pants and tug tug tug until Marco leans down.]

I told him that you taught me about girls.

[fierybluebird]

... What did he say to that? [Faintly amused.]

Has that been helping any by the way?

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

He said that you're evil but I don'think the two were related.

[Sokka pats Marco's head.]

I don't think Grell wants to kill me an'more. I don't have anyone else t'practice on.

[fierybluebird]

Well, I am evil.

[Bemused by the pattings.]

Hey, improvement. Good job. You could try Bulla.

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

No you're not. And Bulla doesn't want to kill'me 'lready.

[fierybluebird]

So sure of that?

I can be pretty sneaky.

And I meant you could practice flirting with Bulla.

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

Nu-uh. Cos I got Suki.

... somewhere.

[Sokka struggles to push himself up and latches his hands onto Marco's shoulders, looking at him seriously, very close.]

I know you're a good guy.

[fierybluebird]

[Pats Sokka's head at the super-loyalty to Suki. It's always something Marco respects.]

Well, you've got different definitions than most, eh.

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

[Sokka scowls.] Have you ever murdered, or raped, or... uh, blown stuff up just for fun?

[fierybluebird]

[Eyeroll.] Of course not. I'm not an anarchist. Actually, I do burn stuff for fun. But it's usually fireworks. Ace was the one with the penchant for burning down entire fleets of ships at once. That's why I call him Sparky.

Honestly, even that prick Kaidou isn't as bad as everyone makes pirates out to be here.

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

[There's a nod, because that's what Sokka thought, and it seems to be enough of an answer to let him lay back down and wiggle under the blankets.]

I know you love Ace and all, but he's kind of a jerk.

[fierybluebird]

[Starts laughing.] You just called him a nice guy earlier.

But yeah, he is. There's a lot I can't tell you about him, it's not mine to share. But he has his reasons to want to put so much distance between himself and piracy. And since that's how my Ace died... maybe it's not the worst choice.

[Grits his teeth and looks momentarily miserable at that.]

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

[Sokka just reaches out and pats Marco's hand.]

We'll figure [yawn] figure something out.

[fierybluebird]

It's okay, Sokka, really.

Thanks for the loyalty, eh?

Ace is a good guy at heart, he just has a lot that he's going through. And as a marine... [Shrugs.] But you gave me back some of my faith. It'll work out.

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

[By telling Marco that Ace was a jerk? But he did help him to the infirmary. So. Uh.

Sokka pats his hand again and then curls up tighter.]

We'll figure something out.

[fierybluebird]

Yeah, we will. When you've had some rest. [Pats his head.]