Yamanaka Ino (Iris)

Funnily enough, the door opened just a little more and there was the sound of little padded paws. Then, right next to her on the bed, a rather soft meow.

...don't get me wrong, this is wonderful, but it was cold in my room and stairs are too big right now.

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Ino blinked over the side of her bed.

Awwwww.

"Hi, Liir," she said, smiling. "I still think you do this on purpose you know, but come on up."

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I wish I could.

He hopped onto bed and clawed his way up the covers until he was up and rubbing against Ino's side.

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She petted him gently. "You so did," Ino informed him. "You've really got to get over this, you know. Just 'cause you've had a bad weekend doesn't mean you can go 'round turning yourself into a kitten."

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It was just a small amount of luck, I assure you.

The purring wasn't all that expressive, however, so it just said 'yay, I'm being petted' as he nuzzled to her hand.

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She sighed, and twisted around so she could give the kitty a sort of hug. "Dork," she informed him. "And you've got awful taste in boys, did you know? And that's not just 'cause Trism's from wherever."

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He's my friend. And I don't know what your trouble is.

But it was again just a purr and a flop in Ino's hands.

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The flopping was cute.

"Whatever," she said. "I hate him."

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And there wasn't much else to it because he was too busy purring.

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Ichigo considered that he was quite possible glutton to punishment as he made his way up to the fifth floor. Really, she'd walked out of his room moodily last week and then just disappeared so there was no reason for him to go up to Ino's room. None at all.

Except maybe that he was getting a little concerned. Maybe. If you squinted. Either way, he was just thinking how he could actually try and find his shirt if she wasn't there when he found the door open and the room occupied. So much for that plan.

Either way, he was staying inside the door opening until he knew the coast was clear. "Hey."

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"Hi!" she chirped. "I have a Liir-kitten!"

Who was small and grey with big green eyes, and sleeping on a corner of her bed.

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Ichigo eyed the cat on her bed, distracted from his grumpiness for a moment. "Isn't that a student?"

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"Yup," she said, grinning. "It's Liir, and he's my brother so when he's a kitten I look after him."

And play with ribbons and take photos.

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"Okay," he rubbed the back of his neck and debated that maybe he didn't want to have this conversation around anyone else. "So you're going to be busy."

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She eyed him dubiously. "What's up?"

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Ichigo shrugged casually, his eyes flicking to the kitten and back again. "I was about to ask you that."

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Ino sighed, and scooped Liir-kitty up before neatly depositing him in the closet on a shirt that had fallen off of its hanger.

"That better?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips to stare at him. "And what are you talking about?"

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And now he felt badly for the student/kitty, still... He stepped further in the room and closed the door behind him. "You've been avoiding me."

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Liir would be fine, geez.

Ino blinked. "What?"

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Sure, he probably was sitting on Ichigo's shirt.

He stared back at her, having expected her to at least know what he was talking about. "You've been avoiding me," he repeated, emphasising the words.

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Another blink.

"That's news to me?"

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"You left all cranky!" he reminded her, gesturing widely. "And then I went to visit you and you weren't there so what am I supposed to think?"

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"You came to visit me?"

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Dammit, that sounded... He wasn't finishing that thought and he stuffed his hands in his pockets in a short movement.

"Just went to bug you at the clinic," he mumbled.

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