Room 504, Tuesday Morning

[intraspective]

After first period Ino was back in her room, sprawled on her bed, and carefully making notes on how best to poison Logan-sensei for class on Thursday.

What? He’d pretty much told her to. Ino was only listening to his instructions.

And, well, playing with poisons was an excellent thing to focus her fury on.

...in her opinion anyway.

[Expecting one, but open. ETA: ...I know what day it is. Really. ^^;;]

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[intraspective]

"You go on and on and on about words meaning more than anything else," she said, not looking at him and curling up on her bed. "Actions speak more to me though."

And actions said that she came last, after, not first.

"Do want you want."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"And because I thought you could handle yourself, as you always insist to me, you think I considered you last?"

He actually looked... a little annoyed.

"The radio mentioned nothing about anything happening to you," he said slowly, "I know. I listened. And I did nothing but stay in my room trying to make something for you all yesterday. And because someone else was there with me--"

He was actually shaking.

"The only person I put Amber in front was me because everyone is more important than me. And I did much more dangerous, and much more damaging when you were taken by the stone angels. I was recovering for over a week from that asylum and I'd do it again without a thought for you.

"If you've made up your mind, then there's not a damn thing I guess I can do about it. But it is your action, not mine."

[intraspective]

Ino looked down.

It was stupid, she knew it was stupid, knew that it couldn't end well, but what came out of her mouth was, "Amber's blonde."

And blue-eyed.

And nicer than she'd ever be.

Really, it wasn't--shouldn't--be that surprising that he'd go looking for a replacement.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"...and?"

Yeah, he wasn't getting it. Not in the least.

Less annoyed, more confused.

[intraspective]

It took her even longer this time to decide if she wanted to continue down her list.

"...blue eyes too."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He looked at Ino for a moment before--

Before--

Oh, it can't be this ridiculous!

"But she didn't come get me when I was curled up in my room content to wither and die. Nor did she threaten to kill Andrew for hurting me. Nor do I trust her to handle me when I'm feeling peckish or angry or sullen. She didn't come with me to see the Queen of the O.Z. Nor does she teach me how to defend myself. And I seriously doubt she'd take the news that I've jammed a bundle of pain and misery down a man's brainpipe well at all."

He leaned so as to look her in the face.

"She, as much as I like her, and as blue as her eyes may be and as blond as her hair might be... is not my sister. And I wouldn't want her to be."

His smile was rather wry and more than a little tired.

"She's far too nice for me. You should know that."

[intraspective]

Ino looked rather mutinous by the end of that list, but said nothing.

It didn't matter, really.

Feelings didn't answer to any sort of logic.

"I guess."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I know. It's one of the very few things I know."

[intraspective]

She just shrugged, staring at her hands.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

And he settled down where he was to wait until she gave him more to work with.

[intraspective]

Ino eyed him for a long, long few moments.

"...what?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I'm not leaving until things are resolved.

"I tried the 'let's calm down and see how things are in a few days' and I lost Andrew.

"I'm not doing that again."

He crossed his arms stubbornly.

[intraspective]

"I'm calm," she protested, fiddling with her notebook. "I haven't tried to stab you."

...

"...or gone after Amber." Though it had been considered.

Which, really. Amber would be dead in a heartbeat if Ino went after her.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"But is anything actually resolved? No, I don't think so."

He sighed.

[intraspective]

"It's not just going to fix itself."

Especially when Ino still didn't believe him.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Exactly. Which is why I'm still here."

He wasn't leaving until she did.

[intraspective]

...Ino really wished him luck with that one.

"It's not going to magically get better just because you're here."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"It's not going to magically get better. Period, end of sentence.

"But so far you don't want to tell me what might help make it better so I'm staying until you decide on that."

[intraspective]

"I told you what was wrong," she said petulantly.

Only, you know, not really. Just touched on the edges, and that couldn't take care of the problems that had been there long before he'd shown up in her life.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"No, you didn't."

He looked just as petulant.

"You told me Amber was blond and blue eyed. And you called me a liar. The rest I've had to figure out. So I'll stay here until things really get handled."

[intraspective]

She shrugged.

"That's what's wrong."

...Ino was not feeling very cooperative about this. No, not at all.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"That Amber is blond and I'm a liar? Which I'm not."

[intraspective]

She shrugged.

It was a matter of perspective, she supposed.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"You still haven't even said what I've lied about."

[intraspective]

She shrugged, giving him a dubious look.

Seriously, now. He still didn't get it?