Apartment Above the Boards, Thursday Afternoon

[intraspective]

Ino hadn't wanted to... not bother Zack, exactly, but hadn't wanted to bring anything up that was too raw given everything, and then coupled with Tseng's visit (which had confused and intrigued her in about equal amounts, with an odd, unexpected dash of finding it comforting that he'd come--or, perhaps, comfortable was the better word?) well, Ino just hadn't wanted to step ungently.

There was a time and place for that.

But she and Reno really did need to get going, the trip Zack was going on with the school gave them time to get away more or less scot-free, and... before that happened, she didn't want to hold back Aerith's letters.

Tseng hadn't wanted to punish Aerith any further--well, Ino had never wanted to at all.

"Hey," she said, smiling as Zack came in after class. "What did you cover today?"

She was sitting cross-legged on the floor, sorting through notes from her shop, not having bothered to put on more than a tank-top and shorts on today, since she hadn't been out.

[For the modded-with-permission guy, but also open for calls and/or visitors.]

Comments

[puppy_fair]

"I miss home," Zack admitted softly. "I mean, it's home. And there are so many loose ends back there..."

That were somebody else's problem now.

[intraspective]

"Yeah, I know," she said, her throat tight. "I'll see what I can do 'bout that, okay?"

Maybe... maybe they could work something out.

[puppy_fair]

Zack nodded a tiny bit, looking down at her and trying a little smile on for size.

"And... hey... if you can't, you can't. I know you'll do your best. That's enough."

[intraspective]

"It ain't enough," she said, meeting his gaze. "'Cause you ain't home. I'll figure it out."

Ino said that the same way she said she was going to save Gaia. It was a fact.

"But, in the meantime, it ain't the same, but there's other Gaia's for you to go to. Reno's Tseng might have work for you too."

[puppy_fair]

"In that shattered world...?" Zack bit his lip, but nodded a little. "I... I maybe could visit my... his... parents there, too. Knowing them, they're probably wondering how Regal is doing."

He laughed softly.

"They remember everybody, you know?"

[intraspective]

"Yeah, they do," she said, smiling. "Or, and this is reachin' a bit, but you could try my dad. He might--I don't know, you talk to him more than I do these days."

None of it were home, and she knew that, but she didn't want him feeling trapped either.

[puppy_fair]

Zack nodded a little.

"Maybe he could find something for me to do," he agreed. "And I wouldn't mind checking on Mom and Dad and Cloud, either."

He worried about Cloud. And he knew Cloud was doing just fine in Konoha.

[intraspective]

"You can tease him for dating his medic," she said cheerfully, looking delighted at the idea. "And oooooooooh, have you told your parents 'bout us gettin' engaged? They'd love to hear it in person, even if you've called them!"

[puppy_fair]

"They've already got the wedding planned," Zack laughed. "But telling them in person would be pretty great anyway. And... maybe breaking it to them that we probably want some control over how we do that, too."

[intraspective]

"A little would be nice," Ino admitted, though she laughed too. "Maybe they're just getting impatient 'cause we ain't done any planning."

Even Tseng had called her out on that. Tseng.

[puppy_fair]

"... I mean, we'll get to it, though," Zack said, after a long pause.

It hadn't really occurred to him that planning was, in fact, a step.

[intraspective]

"I weren't worried 'bout it," she said, wanting to reassure him. "I know we'll get there."

They were just bad at it.

[puppy_fair]

"It's just everyone else who's worried, huh?" Zack smiled faintly, shaking his head. "It's not really a surprise, though, is it? We're taking our time, doing our own thing. It's what we've always done."

[intraspective]

"I didn't think it were a surprise," she said, comfortable. "We're happy--at least, we're happy with us and that's the most important thing. Everything else will come."

A beat.

"Though I do like bein' engaged, don't get me wrong."

[puppy_fair]

"Engaged is nice," Zack noted, his smile going fond. "It's a promise. I'm sure marriage is, too, but this one is... lighter? I guess?"

[intraspective]

"Yeah," she said, her voice soft. "Somethin' for us to grow into, ain't it?"

[puppy_fair]

"Exactly," Zack agreed with a small nod of his head. "Something comfortable and just us."

[intraspective]

It almost made her feel guilty, for what she and Reno were planning to do. Almost. She knew it would be hard on Zack, once he realized she was gone--and gone without authorization--and that he couldn't follow.

But she'd always been able to make the hard decisions, even when they were cruel.

"I love you," she said. "You're my most precious person."

So she was going to fight like hell for him and their home.

[puppy_fair]

Zack smiled, and then nuzzled his face into her hair.

"I love you too," he replied. "My precious person."