Room 504, Sunday Night

[intraspective]

She'd been alright getting back to the island. Holding it together and keeping a bounce in her step. She'd managed, even, to get through a shower--and was she ever glad to have a real shower again--but it was looking around her room, her things just as she'd left them--

Less than a week ago. More than seven months ago.

--that was making it hard for her to keep her composure. Ino settled herself--thinner than before but still herself--gingerly on her bed, her unfamiliar and yet almost too familiar bed, in a plain white shirt and grey leggings. Ino shrugged a bit, picking at the shirt.

She wasn't ready to sleep yet. Not now.

Not when things kept swirling around in her head. The quick patter of thoughts, persistent and aching, not letting her close her eyes and relax. Ino hadn't relaxed in months, not really, not daring to.

She was glad to be back. Seriously.

But it'd take time for her to be comfortable again.

[Door closed, post is oh so totally open!]

Comments

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto was on his way back to his room, but...

Rather than going to 505, he tried the door across the hall. Just on a whim, the soft rap of knuckles against hard wood. "...Ino?"

[intraspective]

Ino blinked at the door, at the soft voice, the quiet rap.

That, that was a voice she'd missed. She got to her feet, wobbling a bit, and made it to the door. Opening it, Ino peeked out, almost nervous, unaccountably nervous about seeing him again after so long.

"...Kabuto." Almost a whisper.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"You're back."

It wasn't a heartfelt outpouring of pretty words and everlasting love, but there was much more behind the simple phrase than could be contained in two words.

[intraspective]

Tears stung her eyes, the way she hadn't let them while in Paris, while travelling through Italy on her own and thinking it hopeless but not giving up.

Never giving up.

The door shifted, Ino moved, and unless Kabuto moved out of the way for some reason he'd find himself with an armful of shivering, trembling, terribly alive and here, girl.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael was the second to knock on her door - he'd hoped to be the first, but she wasn't the only person he'd needed to check on.

"Ino? You awake?"

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto held her tightly, not needing to say it but letting Ino know that he wasn't intending to let go anytime soon. "...I'm glad you're back."

[intraspective]

She was feeling calmer now, just a bit, steadier in her own skin and more able to breath in and not feel so out of place. Kabuto had helped remind her of the here and now.

For the second time she went to her door and opened it. "Sleep eludes me," she said quietly, "hey, Michael."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Hey." He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, carefully, noting the weight she'd lost. "You made it."

[intraspective]

She clung to him, her face buried against his chest and there was no way in hell she was letting go of him for a while.

"Me too," she said, words muffled by his shirt, "missed you."

[intraspective]

She leaned into him, her arms snaking around his waist. "I made it," she said, "I'm tenacious. Told you that before, didn't I?"

It didn't really matter what she said. Ino was just happy being there, being held, being safe.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Missed you, too." Kabuto didn't mind being clung to. He very much liked it, actually. It even brought a smile to his face. "Got your letter."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"You did", he agreed. "But it's good to see it. You... think you might sleep if someone's here, maybe?"

It was an offer. He thought she probably needed it.

[intraspective]

Her arms tightened around his waist even further as she tried to place what he was talking about.

...

"Oh," Ino said blinking, "that letter. That was a while ago, wasn't it?"

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Only a few days," Kabuto told her. "Longer for you, I suppose."

[intraspective]

"I'm glad to be back," she said, glancing down, resting her head against his chest. "I don't think sleep's the in the cards at all tonight. Too many thoughts, you know?"

[intraspective]

She closed her eyes and murmured, barely audibly, "...Seven months."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense", he said, stroking her hair in a hopefully-soothing way. "How long... were you gone?"

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"That is a bit longer, isn't it?" He murmured, rubbing her back lightly. "Have you been keeping up with your training?" It wasn't that Kabuto didn't care...it was more that he wasn't going to act any differently than normal, aside from the not-letting-Ino-go.

[intraspective]

She closed her eyes, just taking a moment to just feel things before answering him.

"...Seven months," she said eventually, "feels like forever, right now."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Seven months?" He winced and held her closer, tightly. "But you're back now. It's gonna be okay."

[intraspective]

Ino melted, just a bit, against him. "Some of it got a lot of practice," she told him, a soft giggle drawn out of her at that question, "straight out taijutsu got the least though. I didn't get into many full-out fights, and other training took up more of my time."

[intraspective]

Her eyebrows drew together a bit at that, though he probably wouldn't notice since she was still looking down.

"I'll be fine," she said reassuringly, not adverse to the clinging he was totally doing, "promise."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"We'll have to get back into a schedule, then. When you feel up to it." Kabuto allowed one small sign of affection; a light kiss pressed against Ino's forehead, and the small burst of chakra that accompanied it.

[intraspective]

She sighed; happily. Both the chakra and the kiss spoke louder than words would ever when it came to him, and she glanced up at him, eyes soft but older than they'd been when she'd left.

"As soon as possible," she said, glad he'd let her, want her to just move on like that, "though it wasn't a total waste. My chakra control got better," refined through constant usage to help her steal things, "and it doesn't take as much effort to heal bruises anymore."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Then you've made some progress, at least." Kabuto smiled back, noting the different look in Ino's eyes. "I just wanted to see if you were back...did you want me to go, and let you get settled? We can always see each other later."