Room 504, Sunday Late Morning

[intraspective]

"Oh, come on!"

Ino glared at her reflection. There were still faint blue streaks in her hair, despite her best efforts at getting the paint out. A.J. was so dead when she caught up with him again.

Her door was open a crack, but Ino hadn't noticed. She was much more occupied with her hair.

"This isn't fair!"

[Open!]

Comments

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

"You are so freaking lying to me right now," Annette stated. "How come? If it was nothing really then you could talk about it. I tell you practically everything, Ino... what gives?"

[intraspective]

Ino buried her face in her blankets. "I'm thinking things over." Watching for developments. "I'll tell you as soon as I can." If she had to.

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

"Bullshit." Annette hardly ever cursed, but when she did, it was because she definitely was feeling the need to.

[intraspective]

Ino's head shot up, "You know what? I told him I wouldn't say anything unless I had to, so just leave off it for now, okay?"

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

"What is that supposed to mean? Unless you had to?"

[intraspective]

"Exactly what it means." Ino said firmly, "Unless I have to. Right now I'm waiting and watching for things."

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

Annette frowned. She didn't get any of this but then she was probably not supposed to. She looked down at her lap, pouting. How come anything and everything concerning A.J. upset her?

"Fine," she murmured.

[intraspective]

"I'll tell you if and when I can." Ino said reassuringly, "Just... not now."

Pause. "So? About Christmas?"

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

"It's all right, Ino, really. If it has to do with A.J. I'm probably better off not knowing anyway..."

She sighed and tried to smile, failing miserably. "What about Christmas? I'm going home... won't see Dick over the holidays at all."

[intraspective]

See? This was the kinda thing that made Ino think she should open her mouth and tell Annette, but then she thought about A.J. and... ugh.

"That sucks," Ino said sympathically, "is he upset about it too?" She shook her head, "But mostly I was wondering, what is it exactly? All I know is that it's a holiday coming up soon."

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

"No. He seems perfectly fine with it. But then Dick is almost perfectly fine with everything," she said, untying the laces on her sneaker on to retie them.

"I imagine for a lot of people here at Fandom, Christmas means different things. For me it is the celebration of Christ's birth."

[intraspective]

"Hmmm." Ino had several opinions on that but kept her mouth shut about Dick except to say, "Honestly. What does it take to upset him?"

She looked quizzical, "Why would you care about some guy's birth?"

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

Kissing A.J., Annette thought but wasn't about to say that. "I... really have absolutely no idea. I'm coming back for the New Years party but Dick is going home I think. We won't spend any of our holidays together." Annette shrugged. "No big deal. Really. It's fine."

"Ino, do you not have a religion at all?" Annette asked first.

[intraspective]

Ino made a face. It didn't sound fine to her, but whatever.

"Um, well, there's the will of Fire? But canon's pretty vague about it and a few other religions but..."

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

It wasn't fine. But Annette was getting tired of trying to feel for both her and Dick. She was just tired period.

"Well, I'm Catholic, and we celebrate Christmas as it being the day Christ was born. He is our savior... but that is my belief, Ino, not that of everyone. Religion is a touchy subject with most people and very debatable. At Fandom though, it's almost impossible as everyone seems to come from somewhere else and have brought with them their own belief."

[intraspective]

She nodded, even though it didn't make all that much sense to her. Why rely on someone else to save you? "Save you from what?" She couldn't help but ask, "And how do you celebrate it?"

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

"Hell," Annette said simply. Hell was bad. Hell was all fire and demons and... she shuddered. "We have a Christmas tree and share gifts with each other, which reminds me, I have a gift for you."

[intraspective]

"Do you have a Christmas tree here? A gift for me?" Ino was touched, "But I didn't even know to get you anything!"

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

"Yes," she smiled. "I have a small one in my room decorated in silver and red with pretty clear lights." Her smile deepened. "Gift giving is not done in hope that you get anything back, Ino. I got you something because you're my friend and I wanted to."

[intraspective]

"Ooooh, can I see it sometime?" Ino asked, then looked down, "But you didn't have to, and that means a lot." Pause. Grin. "What did you get me?"

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

"Of course you can, anytime." Annette continued to smile, glad for the safe ground now. "I'm not telling," she said all sing-songy like. "You'll just have to wait. It's wrapped all pretty under my tree."

[intraspective]

"How long do I have to wait?" Ino asked immediately. "And not even a little hint?" She looked imploring.

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

"Nope, no hints, and I'll give it to you sometime before the end of the week. How does that sound?" Annette asked, grinning.

[intraspective]

"Like it'll take forever." Ino said with a grin of her own.

She rolled over and stared at the ceiling. Blue hair dangling off the side of her bed. "Do you think Kabuto would be surprised if I got him something?" And now she had to get something for Annette, and A.J. and oh! Yondaime-sama and...

[misshargrove.livejournal.com]

Annette just grinned. It was fun making people wait. She was wicked like that.

"He might be surprised in that he would wonder why. But I would do it if you wanted to," she replied thoughtfully. "What would you get him anyhow?"