Room 504, Saturday Morning

[intraspective]

Waking up, for a few mintues, she'd managed to convince herself that yesterday was just a really bad dream. Then she'd caught sight of one of the textbooks he'd lent her and it had all come crashing back.

She buried her face in her pillow. She'd been so stupid to, to... care about him. And he'd used that against her.

Later, perhaps, she'd want to find people who actually cared about her and weren't just lying.

Right now though, Ino was curled up in her blankets and really didn't feel like doing much of anything.

[Door is closed, post is open!]

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[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

There was a knock at her door.

[intraspective]

She started at the knock and spent a few moments deciding if she wanted to bother answering.

"Come in," she said, finally, "it's not locked."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

He pushed the door open and stepped in.

"...Ino?"

[intraspective]

"Hey," she said, attempting a smile, "don't you have work today?"

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Got a bit of time before opening", he assured her, grin fading when he got a look at her face. "...you okay?"

[intraspective]

"No," Ino admitted, looking down, pulling her legs in close so there was room for him to sit if he wanted, "not really."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

He did sit, looking down at her.

"Something happen?"

[intraspective]

"... Kabuto broke up with me." She blinked furiously and tried not to sniffle. "And he, he said that'd it had all just been a g-game. T-that it hadn't meant anything..."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"...what. Just... out of nowhere?"

[intraspective]

She took a deep breath. "I just went to see him, last night, because I hadn't talked to him since Monday. I figured he'd gotten caught up in research again," Ino stared at her hands, willing them to stop shaking, "b-but that happened instead. He said I was just wearing rose-coloured glasses and 'it had been fun'."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael scowled, then reached for her hand.

"Guy's an idiot."

[intraspective]

She shook her head, clinging to his hand. "H-he told me not to care about him when we first started," Ino closed her eyes, "b-but I can't help it and, and... I'm so stupid to think he'd care back."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Did he ever tell you he didn't, before this?" Michael demanded. "Without being mean?"

[intraspective]

She shook her head. "He said I was his favourite person in Fandom," Ino said softly, "and that he liked being around me."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Then there's gotta be something he was lying about", he told her flatly. "One way or the other."

[intraspective]

Ino hunched her shoulders and didn't respond. What was she supposed to say? Even if she asked him now, how would she know if he was telling her the truth.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael squeezed her hand.

"Hey. Whichever way he was lying, is that the kind of guy you want to get upset about?"

[intraspective]

"I can't help it," Ino said helplessly, "I've never been able to just... stop caring."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"So turn it the other way. Be mad at him, he deserves it."

[intraspective]

"I will be," Ino said, glancing at him with the barest shadow of a smile, "I will be... just not today. I can't..."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

He returned the smile, encouragingly.

"Want to come to work with me? Keep me company."

[intraspective]

"Don't know how good of company I am today," Ino said slowly, "but," she paused, "but staying here isn't a good idea either, is it? He lives just across the hall..."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, don't do that", he said firmly. "You don't have to talk a lot."

[intraspective]

"Thanks Michael," she said quietly, offering him a slight smile, "I'll be there once I'm... ready, I guess."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Any time", he said, and meant it.

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

Cassandra still wasn't used to the whole knocking thing. "Hey, Ino," she said as she opened the door.

Then she caught sight of the other girl and froze. "Um... bad time?"

[intraspective]

Ino smiled weakly at Cassandra, mid-way through brushing her hair, "Bad day, but come in."

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

She had been planning to ask Ino about sparring or sneaking sometime, but... "Talk?"

[intraspective]

She ducked her head, as if not looking up would make it easier, "Kabuto dumped me," Ino said trying to get it over with quickly, "and said he'd never cared about me anyway. That it was all a lie."

Ino took a deep breath. "I'm fine." Clearly she wasn't.

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

"Lie," Cassandra frowned, not making it at all clear what she was referring to. "Sorry."

[intraspective]

"No," Ino admitted, glancing up, "you're right. But I... I'd like to be fine."

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

That drew a nod of approval. Cassandra considered for a moment, then tilted her head, "Distraction?"

[intraspective]

That got a small smile out of her. "I promised Michael I'd show up at Luke's for at least a little while today. Did you have something in mind? Maybe after that as that thread is already in progress?"

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

"Spar? Sneak?" Both?

[intraspective]

Ino turned the ideas over in her head, "... spar," she said, finally, "I don't think I've got the concentration for sneaking around right now."

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

"Roof? Later?"

[intraspective]

She nodded, starting to brush her hair again, "Sounds like a plan to me." Pause. "Thanks Cassandra."

[iseewhatyoumean.livejournal.com]

"Anytime," she grinned and waved before turning to leave.