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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[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!"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Which would make sense if you hadn't asked for it, you contrary nit," he pointed out with a snort. "And if I was coddling you, you'd have to be an egg. As for agreeing with you, I don't always and I don't recall doing it today. Mostly I was attempting to listen."

[intraspective]

"You don't listen!" she protested vehemently. Nit? No, seriously? Nit? "You don't care, and you don't get it! You were so coddling me and I don't appreciated!"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"When you're shouting like a spoiled child? No. No, I won't," he answered with a dismissive snort.

"Treat me like I'm a human being and I'll respond accordingly."

He stepped farther into the room.

"And if I don't get it, perhaps the problem is that you haven't explained. I can only judge by what you say and what you've done. Congratulations: of the two of us, I can honestly say you're the one who makes no sense."

[intraspective]

"Don't like it? Then get out."

Her voice turned cruel. "I don't want you for a brother then."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

The temperature of room dropped.

His eyes sharpened and every line in his face turned to angles, harsh and hard.

And then he laughed.

"Did you think that would break me, Ino, my dear?" Amused. Darkly amused. "Did you think I would startle back and run crying?"

He stepped farther into the room. Just one step. One precise step.

"Silly, spoiled little girl. Stupid, arrogant little girl. Don't play this game with me. You don't have the first idea how to tear in deep. You're an amateur."

[intraspective]

She stayed where she was. Holding her ground.

"I'm not your 'dear', I'm not your sister," she hissed, never one to back down. "I am an amateur," she could admit that after this weekend, "and I want you gone."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"That's the thing about family, Ino," he said, not one of her words hitting home. His armor was on, his emotions were gone, and there wasn't anything she could do right now to hurt him. He was back in Kiamo Ko. He was staring across at the Witch. Staring at the contrary, tyrannical curling scorpion of a woman who'd quite literally damaged him beyond complete repair.

"It doesn't go away. It can't be dismissed. It's under the skin, ingrained in your memories, a part of you even if you hate them. Even if everything within you revolts against them. Even if it will ultimately destroy you."

He looked at her, eyes as empty and dark as a fishwell as he took another step.

"You could kill me, right here, right now, and that wouldn't change. In fact, it would be worse. We've already poisoned each other, Ino."

And he smiled. Genuinely smiled.

"You can't have what you want. You will never have what you want. Get used to it."