Room 512, Monday Early Morning

[intraspective]

Ino was drowsy, and warm, and comfortable. Michael’s arm was draped over her and she came to wakefulness slowly. She blinked up at the ceiling for a few moments, just orienting herself, and trying not to think too hard about any of the emotional tangles that she could get caught in.

Just good fun.

And if she kept telling herself that, maybe it’d be true.

Carefully sitting up, not wanting to wake Michael--no surprise that she’d be up earlier than him really, not with her training—Ino glanced over at him, almost fondly--

And froze.

Those were... scars. On his back. Faint, but there. Ino leaned over to get a better look, one hand reaching to gently trace them, as her eyes narrowed.

[For the boy in the bed! Room and boy modded with permission! That Ino and Michael woke up together and talked is FB everything else, including the topic, is severely NFB.]

Comments

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael sighed and turned over for a proper look at her.

"It was usually surface damage. I promise."

He was only talking physically, of course, for the most part.

[intraspective]

"I'm the one that healed our bruises last time," she said quietly, thinking of all the other damage that had been done. "Don't you dare try to downplay it."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Bruises are surface damage", he said equally quietly, trying to meet her eyes. "They heal, and they're gone. Same for the little cuts I got these from."

Little, but deep.

[intraspective]

"They still hurt you," she said, avoiding his eyes. "And deeply."

It didn't matter if they were only minor injuries, that wasn't the point. The point was the intent behind them. She wouldn't have cared if he'd gotten bruised while playing a game, or the cuts from the same. It was the reasons behind the injuries, however long ago the actually wounds had healed, that upset her.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Ino, look at me." He waited a second, then continued. "It'd have hurt me if someone I loved did this. I never loved Hank."

[intraspective]

She looked at him when he asked her to. "It's still sad," she said, quietly. "So much time lost."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"I wasn't alone." He raised a hand to her face. "Not for too long."

Just three years.

[intraspective]

"For too long," she disagreed, closing her eyes when he touched her face. "Too long."

She didn't need to know how long it had been in years, it was easy to see that there was damage done and that meant it had been too long.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael, unfortunately, was in thorough denial about any and all damage.

"But that part's over now too."

[intraspective]

"And now you can heal," she said, bringing one hand to cover his resting against her face.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

He smiled faintly.

"Already healing."

[intraspective]

"Yeah?" she asked, opening her eyes to stare down at him. "Really healing?"

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Far as there's anything to heal from... getting there."

It was as far as he'd go.

[intraspective]

She turned her face so that she could press her lips to his hand. "I'm glad," Ino murmured.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael didn't answer out loud, just used that hand to tilt her face so he could kiss her.

[intraspective]

She let him, kissing him back softly, almost gently.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

He could go with gentle. Gentle was nice, and on his side, it was something like an apology.

[intraspective]

He didn't have to apologize for anything. She, eventually, broke the kiss and smiled at him. "You'll be fine."

She'd make sure of it. For as long as he was around.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"One way or another... yeah." He smiled back.

[intraspective]

"We should probably reappear outside your room soon," she told him. "I don't know 'bout you, but I'm getting hungry."

Which, well, really--was a bit of a surprise lately.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Used a lot of energy", he pointed out wickedly. "Come on, let's get dressed and I'll cook you something."

[intraspective]

She very gently swatted at him. "Brat," Ino said, "though I'm so not complaining about either."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Didn't think you would", was the smug response.

[intraspective]

"Yeah, yeah," Ino said, glancing round for her kimono. "You're not complaining either, so there."

Or something. Ino made sense, honest. Sometimes.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Hell no."