Room 504, Wednesday Late Evening

[intraspective]

Ino ushered Tether in, taking him off his leash, and shut the door to her room with a sigh. Leaning against it, she watched as the puppy made himself comfortable on her bed with a whump of displaced air.

That got a bit of a grin, a small one, but there. “Maybe I’ll see if I can keep you, yeah?” she said, knowing she wouldn’t ask but the thought was the same—she did like having him around. He wasn’t going to care that she was in a bad mood, or that she wasn’t looking forward to tracking down, well, her.

And he hadn’t paid any bit of attention to her haircut. She appreciated that because she totally didn’t want to talk about it. Totally didn’t. She’d cried while they’d done it.

“Move over,” she told him, slumping exhaustedly on the bed. “It’s not your bed.”

He licked her hand, and she laughed quietly.

[Establishy mainly, and the door is shut but open if you have reason to talk to her. And as of this post, Ino’s hair is short (despite some of her icons, la). Mwah.]

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[intraspective]

"I'm not smart."

And that had been made abundantly clear, thanks.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"All right."

He wouldn't accept it, but he could accept that's not how she felt.

[intraspective]

...

...

"Go away."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He didn't move.

He looked down at her.

"What now?"

...yes, you've surprised him.

[intraspective]

"You're not helping!"

She knew, somewhere in the back of her head, that there was no way he could help because he wasn't from her world and didn't get it.

She knew that.

It didn't stop her from feeling betrayed by that realization though.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He didn't hold her, but he didn't let her go either.

"Oh? And what will help, hmm?"

[intraspective]

She forcibly pulled away from him, putting her back to the wall and looking defiant.

"Not you."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

It hit him like a slap to the face and the breath in was deep and harsh. His eyes blinked slow, as if he was willing time to still, before a shiver ran through him.

Eyes like chips of green eyes looked back at her.

"I see."

Of course.

There were too many things that ran through his head, a thousand unlikely events that would have gone on at home. He might have been able to take it any other day, but today he'd had to deal with Andrew. Today, he'd nearly told his father what lay before him.

[intraspective]

"No," she said, low and furious. "You don't."

A pause, not a beat.

"And that's the problem right now."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Of course I don't," he said with a roll of his eyes.

"You haven't told me what it is this time."

[intraspective]

"Get the fuck out."

It wasn't a snarl, or a shout. It was almost matter-of-fact.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

She'd been the one to tell him not to withdraw. And so, despite every instinct he had, he stood his ground.

"No."

Just as matter of fact.

[intraspective]

"It's my room," she hissed. "Get. Out."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He shook his head, as if she'd simply asked him if he'd like tea.

"Not until I find out why. Or discover you've got brain fever."

[intraspective]

"I don't want you here! Get out!"

Maybe if she repeated it enough she'd get it through his head.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I did hear you," he said with a snort.

"You don't have to repeat as if I was deaf."

[intraspective]

"You're not listening to me!"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"And I'm not hearing anything of any substance."

He looked back at her.

"And I wouldn't recommend volume. I've weathered worse than anything you can throw at me on that score."

[intraspective]

"I don't have anything to say to you," she said, speaking slowly as if he were the village idiot. "And I want you to go."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"And you've told me, while you were acting reasonable that I'm allowed to step up and be selfish," he said in the very same tone, a little sharper, a little harder because she KNEW.

She knew how easy it was for him to think he was stupid.

She knew how much that could hurt him.

And going for that low blow was not just uncharacteristic?

...it made his own claws drop.

"So I'm telling you that I'm not going anywhere until you explain why you've suddenly decided to act like a massive bitch."

[intraspective]

She'd heard worse applied to her. And by those she cared about. Ino's expression didn't change.

She scoffed, derision thick in her voice. "You wouldn't understand."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"And how do you know that?"

He wouldn't take the offensive. But he wasn't backing down.

[intraspective]

"Because you know nothing about how my world works."

Pause.

"Get. Out."

It bore repeating.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"And you know nothing about mine. And yet, I've managed not to act like an obnoxious child about things. Nor have I insulted your intelligence, treated you like common trash, and acted as if your very touch is poison."

[intraspective]

That got a scathing laugh.

"Oh, I'm sorry," though clearly she wasn't, "so sorry that I don't always want hugs, or want to fucking deal with you coddling me, or just freakin' agreeing with me when you don't even know what the fuck you're agreeing about!"