Room 504, Thursday Afternoon (After Classes)

[intraspective]

Ino had to admit that, really, she was pleased as anything about the fact that she got to show off her plants and have them be admired by someone who actually knew a bunch about them.

Which would be why she was fussing with her plants, rearranging them infinitesimally while she waited and tried not to look like she was waiting. Luckily, her plants were a rather good distraction.

Even if she was tired, and kinda wanted a nap instead.

[Expecting one, totally open for all. Door is open!]

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[intraspective]

Ino was just going to take a few moments to murmur silly nonsense to her newest plant, before beaming at Penelope.

"Come in, come in, and mind the plants."

Because her room was rather... drowning in them. If you weren't looking for it, you wouldn't even notice that she still had the second bed in her room.

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"I do the same thing," she commented after Ino spoke to her newest little plant.

But she came in and her eyes widened at her array of plants. "Oh, my. You have so many..." and that would be Penelope moving and amongst them, looking and bending here and there, fingering leaves gently.

[intraspective]

Ino was still kinda cuddling her new plant, and wandering over to introduce it to the ones on her desk. "You've got to make friends with them," she said to both the plant, and Penelope. "They've got feelings too, so you can't just have them 'round and think they'll be okay. Play nicely, okay?" That last was only to the plant as she neatly set it down.

"I didn't start out here with so many," she admitted, "but once you get started, it's hard to stop. Some of them'll get transplanted to the garden outside when it gets nicer, but most of these wouldn't make it very well outside, or are too special."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"They perk up when they hear my voice," she said, sitting down on the floor, looking at a particular plant. "It's quiet and soft and they thrive when fed that way. Yours seem to get along marvelously, just as mine do."

She nodded, understanding that. "Mine in my room will stay there, as I've told you, I've never had a garden. I'm looking forward to actually working in one this spring."

[intraspective]

She grinned. "Even though I'm not nearly so quiet and soft," Ino admitted, flopping down on the floor after grabbing a pillow to hug. When she spoke to her plants though, her voice was gentle. "Mine totally know better than to misbehave."

"Once it warms up, totally, we'll go down and inspect it," Ino promised, leaning over to point at a section of her room where it was mostly gorgeous red and gold flowers. "Those are called 'Sun's Glory'," she offered. "Karal--he used to be a student here--gave me seeds to grow as I wished when it looked like his world was in a load of trouble. They saved the world, but he let me keep the seeds and flowers. They're rare even in his world--a sacred flower." And she used them as a decoration. Go Ino.

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

She grinned, softly. "Despite my mother's loud influence, I spent most of my time alone, so I had no reason to be loud at anyone or anything. It was just me in my room." It was a terribly large room. "My plants and flowers love the piano. I no longer can play for them here but I do play a cd of classics which they seem to enjoy nearly almost as much."

Looking over to where she indicated, Penelope inhaled on a small gasp of air. "Oh, Ino, they're beautiful. It makes me wish, now that I know other places and worlds exist, that I could visit and take with me their plants and flowers back home."

[intraspective]

"I talk out loud a bunch," she admitted. "And leave the radio on for them a lot. Haven't tried anything classical though." Mostly because Ino wasn't entirely sure what counted as classical.

Her reaction got a grin. "Well," Ino said, "you can always ask people. Seeds generally aren't hard to get for a lot of people, and they might bring you back some."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"You're lucky in that aspect," she said, smiling. "You have no roommate, and not that I begrudge mine, because Claire is wonderful. But for fear of sounding insane, I don't often speak out loud when she is in the room. So far she hasn't said anything about my piano music."

She nodded, a little. "I'm not entirely sure who is from other worlds. I do know Gavin is -- do you know him? He looks just like my Max from home."

A small frown. "I didn't mean 'my' Max. Just Max."

[intraspective]

"If it's insanity you've got," Ino said, grinning. "Then anyone who likes plants as much has it too. It's terribly natural, I find, to talk to them."

"Gavin, Gavin, Gavin... oh! Desert boy, who flies ships or something," Ino said, bouncing a bit. "I know him a little bit, but not much."

A beat.

"Maaaax?"

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

She beamed, literally. Ino understood! "Yes! I would find it oddly sad and strange if someone loved plants and did not talk to them. After all, they are your very own."

"He's very nice, Gavin."

Penelope blushed and nodded and looked back down at Ino's plants.

"Max. He is... was, a really good friend."

[intraspective]

"They're like, babies almost," she said. "And it'd be weird if you didn't talk to a baby, right? Well, a plant depends on you too for affection so you've got to give it."

"Is, was?" she asked. "So you're not sure?"

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"Exactly. Anything can die without care and love, whether physical or not," she added.

"He... was, until he saw what I looked liked." She knew that needed explaining. "I only ever conversed with him through a two-way mirror. After days of visiting like this, I was able to muster up the courage to actually present myself to him."

[intraspective]

"And he didn't..." Ino waved one hand, looking uncomfortable.

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"He cursed and I fled the room, and I later learned that he was there... only to try and capture a picture of me. He wasn't serious. He didn't like me, for me... he just wanted my picture so it could be plastered all over the papers."

If he had only liked her, she could have made it work. The curse would have been broken.

[intraspective]

Somehow, Ino didn't think offering to beat him up would go over well.

See? Even Ino sometimes had a bit of tact.

"Do you, like, want a hug?" She could do hugs.

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

She looked up, smiled. "I wouldn't mind a hug, but I'm over him, if that helps."

She so totally wasn't over Max. He was the first boy she ever, truly liked, and had thought, felt... that he liked her too.

[intraspective]

Which meant Ino had to bounce over, kneel down, and throw her arms around Penelope.

"You," she said, "totally deserve someone who won't run no matter what."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

Penelope giggled and hugged her back tightly.

"That is so easier said than done, you do realize?" Hurley wasn't running, however, and she did like him.

[intraspective]

"Well," she said, hugging back a moment longer before flopping on the ground beside her. "Isn't that true of anything worth doing?"

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"I suppose so," she replied, looking at her. "But people are so... human." Therefore, at times, very difficult to deal with.

[intraspective]

"True," she said, thinking about Liir and how badly that had gone even though he didn't seem to care. Which hurt more than the fighting, really. "But sometimes, in being human, they can be pretty amazing beyond anything you could dream up, don't you think?"

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"Forgive me if I sound a little pessimistic, but I'm not sure I know that. I've never been close to anyone to judge properly. People are nice here, caring, and I suppose that can be considered amazing. Hurley is amazing."

[intraspective]

"Hurley is incredibly sweet, isn't he? And it's not just in real life," she said, grinning a bit. "In books too. You find it all the time--awful horrible things, and really amazing things all at once. Life's like that too, if you give it a shot."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"Like a big teddy bear," she replied, kindly. "He is very sweet. And yes, of course in books, and in movies too, I'm learning."

Penelope paused, and looked at Ino as though she were questioning whether or not to speak to her about something. She was a good listener and it was easy to be comfortable around her. But... the debate she was having in her head was walking the line and she just wasn't sure enough of herself.

[intraspective]

"I don't like movies," she confessed. "I get bored just sitting there, and staring at the screen. I like books better 'cause then I get to imagine it."

Ino glanced back at Penelope curiously. "Anything on your mind?"