Room 504, Tuesday Morning

[intraspective]

This morning, Ino could be found sprawled out on the floor of her room, after having cracked the door open for airflow, and scribbling in a notebook. It… it was probably incredibly pathetic of her to be making a list of the pros and cons of choosing either Michael or Kabuto.

Michael, she had to admit, had more pros. At least at the moment. Of course, she was somewhat biased, because Kabuto was being a jerk to her. Even though she did deserve it.

She stared at her Kabuto-list and sighed. Cons she had plenty of, but…

That was just it. If she were really certain then there wouldn’t be a ‘but’. Yet there was.

This was going to be a total pain, wasn’t it? What did she want?

[Open!]

Comments

[withoutverona]

"I will make sure to tell you," Romeo grinned mischievously. "And 'tis always how I approach dealings with those in charge -- forgiveness is much easier to get, too, than permission."

He started to turn to the door. "I ought not take so much of your time with my foolishness. I see you are at work."

[intraspective]

"In some cases," Ino amended, "and depending on how much I think they might mind."

She sighed, "Yeah, something like work anyway." And look how cheerful she was about it too!

[withoutverona]

"Sounds like it is not the most pleasant of tasks," Romeo sympathized.

[intraspective]

"I did something really stupid," she said, looking down, "but the only way to make it work out for the better is to make up my mind about what I really want, and then..." Ino shrugged, attempting to sound casual, "see how it works out."

[withoutverona]

"Usually when I do something stupid, I just keep going with what my heart says, and that rarely makes things better," Romeo admitted. "Stopping to make up your mind can only help, at least."

[intraspective]

"Impulse control issues, I so relate to that," Ino muttered, looking rueful, "they're the bane of my existence right now. I didn't think what I did it would matter and it turned out it did and, yeah, I've made a mess of things. And there's no easy way to make up my mind either. Or any guarantee that whatever I decide will turn out the way I want it to. That," she said pensively, "will depend on other people."

The control freak in her did not like that at all.

[withoutverona]

"Impulse control," Romeo agreed, and rubbed his chin, thinking. "Does knowing you cannot control things at least make it easier to decide? It is almost as though what you pick matters not, as others must make choices as well."

[intraspective]

"That'd be too easy, of course," Ino said frankly, "I messed this up--so I've got to be the one to make the first step towards, towards whatever it is I want. It's not fair to any of us involved if I can't make up my mind and know what I want. I can't blame my mistakes on someone else, even though I'd like to." Oh, how she'd like to.

[withoutverona]

Romeo grimaced -- it sounded like a hard situation. "Do you need to choose now, or could you wait, and so choose neither?" He asked tentatively.

[intraspective]

"I could wait," Ino said slowly, "it probably wouldn't hurt things further, not that I've made any progress on making a decision anyway. But," she fiddled with her hair, "I've never been able to stand just leaving broken things be. And this is way, way broken as of this moment."

[withoutverona]

Romeo flailed. "I am out of my depth in trying to offer advice, but I am sorry," he said quietly. "It is hard to see something you care about broken." Or dead.

[intraspective]

"I don't think there's any advice that'd be any use but what I've already been told. 'Make up your mind.' But you are sweet to try and help." Ino said, offering him a rueful smile, "And I've no intentions of just letting it stay broken. I'm too stubborn to just give up." She... just didn't know what shape it'd be fixed into.

[withoutverona]

"Then being stubborn is your virtue, and I will leave you to worry about the problem," Romeo told her. "And if you want to sound things out, I am next door."

[intraspective]

Her lips twitched when he called her stubbornness a virtue. That wasn't something she heard very often.

"Thanks," she said sincerely, "I'll keep it in mind if I need someone to talk to."