Room 504, Saturday Evening

[intraspective]

After a handwavy day of training that had left her tired and achy, but in a good mood, Ino was sprawled out on her bed, hair still damp from a shower, and making faces at the latest book she was attempting to read. For something that had the word 'basic' in its title... it wasn't very basic at all.

And the dictionary she was flipping through only helped so much. Geez. She considered writing to the author and complaining about false advertising.

Or maybe she'd just fling it at the wall. The thunk it made was very satisfying.

[Open~!]

Comments

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"You're so easy to irritate," Kabuto replied, totally-not-intentionally shifting his hand on Ino's hip so that he could tickle her side just a little.

Totally not intentional at all.

"So this is a little more in the uses of poison, instead of just 'this is where it came from', hm?"

[intraspective]

Ino squirmed against him, trying not to giggle, "Stop that!" She batted at his hand. "Yeah, or that's what it sounded like anyway. It talked a lot about molecular biology too." Which she'd totally not understood.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Which can be fun, actually," Kabuto admitted. "It's a puzzle that just needs to be solved. Once you find the key, everything falls into place." He was more interested in poking Ino. Not that he'd admit it.

[intraspective]

"Why can't they explain it like that then?" Ino complained, slowly losing the battle not to laugh. Her sides were sensitive and he kept poking her.

"Stop it!" In retaliation she poked his side. Poke, poke, poke.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Because that wouldn't be right," Kabuto told her in a very patient voice. "It has to be complicated, or else anyone would be able to do it." Kabuto twitched a little, but otherwise didn't react. He could pretend not to be ticklish when he gave it enough attention.

"...Are you trying to tickle me?" he asked disbelievingly, giving her a very false surprised look.

[intraspective]

"What's wrong with everyone being able to do it?" Ino asked, poking him again.

"Would I do something like that?" Her innocent look was way, way better than his surprised one.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

He also wasn't trying. That definitely made a difference. "You would. You're strange that way." He was impervious to her attempts. Really, he was. But she surely couldn't be!

There was poking from Kabuto, the book momentarily abandoned.

[intraspective]

She really, really wasn't. And her giggles were coming in earnest now as she squirmed to try and avoid his poking.

And poke him at the same time of course. Duh.

"What's so strange," giggles over came her for a moment, "about me tickling you?" Her eyes danced with laughter, "You started it."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"What's strange is that you think it'll actually work," Kabuto explained wickedly, pressing his palm flat against Ino's side and sending a very controlled, light burst of chakra through it.

[intraspective]

Okay that? Had Ino nearly dying with laughter as she tried instinctively to get away. She sorta failed at it though.

"Chakra's cheating!" She managed to say through her laughter.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Is it?" Kabuto asked innocently, leaning back and giving her a moment to breathe. "I thought all's fair."

[intraspective]

"This isn't war!" Ino told him, shoulders shaking with laughter. She was grateful for the moment's reprieve.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Then it's the other one, is it?" Kabuto asked, raising an eyebrow. She did leave it wide open.

[intraspective]

That made her laugh too. She twisted to lay on her back and told him, "Being willing to and voluntarily hanging around in your company is nothing anywhere near love."

She even managed to say it without blushing. Much. 'Cause she didn't like him at all, you know.

... really.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto snickered against his hand. "Whatever you say. I'm surprised you didn't deny it to begin with, though." He laid back as well, taking the book with him and holding it up so he could still read it. "...This was a good purchase. I approve of it."

[intraspective]

"You're currently laying on my bed." Ino pointed out, "And I've fallen asleep on yours once with my memory fully intact. Saying I don't willingly hang around you seems a bit... ridiculous."

"I'd like it better if I could understand it," she observed, "but glad you approve, I suppose."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Love and war, Ino-san," Kabuto explained to her. "Not that you enjoy my company."

"I can read it to you, if you want. Would you be able to focus enough to do it tonight?" he asked sweetly, nudging her side with the back of his hand.

[intraspective]

She squeaked and moved slightly away. Slightly. "I can focus just fine if you'd stop that!"

"All's fair is definitely true in war." Her tone of voice making it clear she thought this was a stupid thing to doubt. After all, she was a shinobi too. "Love? Can't really say."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"That's what I thought you'd say," Kabuto said smugly, obviously pleased with himself. "You're so predictable sometimes."

He adjusted his position so that he could hold the book comfortably against his chest. "Can you see okay? You might need to move a little."

[intraspective]

"You say that often, but I don't think you mind." Ino said while moving closer so that she could see better. This put her kinda leaning on him, but she wasn't complaining. "Now I can."

One hand might have been creeping up to play with his hair.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto pulled her closer, then settled in to start reading aloud. The hair-playing was not unnoticed, though he left it unmentioned. As he read, he stopped frequently to explain different words and how they were being used to describe things. He was like a walking medical dictionary.

[intraspective]

He was definitely the nicest looking medical dictionary that she'd ever come across. Ino could get used to this kind of studying. She learned things and got to play with hair. Good times.

She took advantage of a pause, after almost an hour or so to ask, "How long did it take you to learn all of this?"

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Well, I'm almost nineteen..." Kabuto said, pausing and thinking about it seriously. "I started studying when my foster father took me in. He was the Konoha Medical Unit Squad's chief medical officer, so it made perfect sense." Kabuto smiled slightly, eyes half-closing because Ino playing with his hair was really relaxing.

[intraspective]

She blinked, and then, because she had to ask, "Almost nineteen? When's your birthday?" Ino played with his hair a bit more before asking, "Did you always like it? Studying medicine I mean. Or was that learned over time?"

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"It's something I've always had an interest in, yes." Kabuto's eyes fluttered completely closed for a moment, while he replied to her. "My birthday is..." There was a long pause, like he actually had to think hard to remember."...February 29."