Room 504, Tuesday Evening

[intraspective]

Awesome day had kinda dribbled into augh, blah day, and it was kinda Romeo's fault.

It wasn't that she blamed him, really—or, at least, no more than she blamed everyone else for the issues that came up whenever her world was inevitably compared to theirs—but few people asked so out-right and then the whole religion deal just gave her a headache.

She sprawled on her bed, punching in a text on her phone and stared at it for a long moment before hitting send, and tugging out a scroll to read.

[Open door, open post!]

Comments

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

Jennifer knocked on Ino's open door and peeked in. "Sis?" she said, hoping she was in.

[intraspective]

"Sis is here and not-so-busy," Ino said, smiling slightly at name as she furled her scroll back up. "What's up? Come on in."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"Not much," Jennifer said, entering. "Mainly just wanting to come apologize."

[intraspective]

Ino paused.

And thought back.

". . .I'm owed an apology?"

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"I'm thinking maybe around here... it might be a good idea to know how to defend myself," Jennifer said. "Plus... good exercise."

[intraspective]

Oooh!

"What brought that on?" Ino asked, sitting up and patting the bed. "I mean, I do think it's a good thing, but definitely--why?"

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"Partially the alligators," Jennifer said. "Partially realizing I was being a little too... idealistic."

[intraspective]

"Some idealism is a good thing," Ino said, because she was pretty sure it was, even if she wasn't really feeling it tonight. "But, I don't know--should I congratulate you? Or commiserate with you?"

A beat.

"I'm not the best, I don't think, right now for commiserating, I admit."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"I don't think it's either," Jennifer said. "I actually mostly came because I thought, maybe... I could get you to teach me. Not now, obviously. But I figure a teacher close to my size would be a good thing."

[intraspective]

. . .this was starting to be a bit deja vu-ish.

Uh. "Guess," she said, a bit dubiously, "but I'm crap at controlling myself if something's bothering me, and I wouldn't want to hurt you because I was mad at someone else. I stopped lessons before because of that. It's totally not you, you get that right? Because, definitely, would love to. Just."

You know. Issues.

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Jennifer said. "So I'm guessing hurting me could get... real bad?"

[intraspective]

Ino studied the ceiling.

"It's a chance," she explained, "I'm not a very nice person in a fight, and I've been trained to not pull my punches, even in a spar. Here, I have to, and that's hard enough for me. Add in my bad temper at times, and I fail hard at it."

[not-jaded-yet.livejournal.com]

Jennifer nodded. "I don't suppose you know of anyone else, maybe?" she said.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

There was a knock on the door. Siblings were just popping up all over.

[intraspective]

They were!

"Knocking's a bit silly when the door is open," Ino said, smiling slightly at him. "Hey, you."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Yes, but it's the gesture," he explained before slipping into the room.

"Hello to you too. How've you been, other than off island?"

[intraspective]

Meh.

"Meh," Ino said, because this was Liir and not Jennifer. "I exist, my bruises are gone, I've got a bit of a headache."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Anything I can do?" he asked as he walked in a little farther.

If she said no, that'd be the end of it. But he had to ask.

[intraspective]

"Texted Reno," she said, shrugging a bit. "No offense, but he'll probably get it better than you."

She contemplated.

"You could give me a hug, though." And maybe make her feel like less of a freak.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He stepped closer and wrapped his arm around her to pull her into just such a thing.

"Of course. That I'll always do."

[intraspective]

Ino clung to him. "Dork," she said, because that was easier. "Always is a dumb thing to say."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"As long as I am physically able and cognizant," he qualified for her.

[intraspective]

"And in the same universe?" she teased, poking him in the side.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I would count that as physically able," he said with a brief chuckle at the poke.

"After all, it's a physical limitation."

[intraspective]

"It's a different limitation," she said moodily. "I don't know."