Room 504, Thursday Early Evening

[intraspective]

Ino was currently sitting cross-legged on her bed, already in her pajamas, and brushing her hair out. Scattered on her bed were several other combs and various clips and hair ties.

It had been a pretty awesome week. All her classes were fun and now she was pretty much free until Monday to do whatever she wanted. At the moment though Ino was pretty content just to be brushing her hair, humming under her breath, while idly wondering if A.J. would show up like they'd arranged on Saturday.

The door was open.

[Open!]

Comments

[intraspective]

"Oh, haha." Ino rolled her eyes, "I don't know how else to describe her. I don't know her that well yet."

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"I'm just teasing," A.J. said, and, after taking a second to twist the elastic around the end of the new braid and flipping it over her shoulder. "There we go. How's number two looking?"

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Ino studied it seriously. "It's a lot better," she said after a long moment, "much tighter. Don't you think it looks nicer that the first one?"

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"I do," A.J. said, beaming and relieved once the silence had ended; the suspense was killing him! "I think I'm really getting the hang of it! You were right; it's pretty easy stuff."

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"Well," she amended, "this one is. It gets more complicated." Ino grinned ruefully, "Just like everything, I suppose."

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"How does it get complicated?"

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"Different angles, different splits, more layers, adding in hair as you go..."

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"Sounds like a lot of it is just various interpretations on the same basic concept, then, right?"

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"Yeah," Ino nodded, "but some of it can take hours if you're really ambitious."

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"Well, don't give me any ideas," A.J. grinned. "I might want to try some of those ones, and I know Anemone sure as hell won't stay still for hours."

[intraspective]

"You could add beads to her hair instead?" Ino suggested, "That's quicker than braiding for hours on end."

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"Dork," A.J. nudged her shoulder a little with his finger. "I'm talking about you letting me try it on your hair. Your a ninja. Patience is important for ninjas, right?"

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"Well," Ino hedged, "on a mission it's important."

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"Shouldn't it, like, permeate through every aspect of your life and stuff like that?"

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Ino gave him a Look that said very clearly 'Oh yeah, riiiight'.

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"You mean it isn't? I totally thought it was supposed to be a way of life, or some shit. Like in all those old samurai movies. Live and die by the sword, and stuff."

[intraspective]

Ino was still Looking at him like he'd lost his mind. "No," she said finally, "that'd be for crazy people like Master Skywalker and his 'must live up in temples and have no emotions whatsoever' illogic."

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"Well," A.J. stated, ducking his head slightly as he sneaked Ino's braid back into his hands and started undoing it again, "I live and die by my paintbrush, you know, so watch you you call crazy, there."

[intraspective]

"But you are crazy," Ino informed him, "it's just a cuter kind of crazy than Master Skywalker's."

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"Awwwww," A.J. said with excessive melting in his voice, from beaming so much, "you think I'm cute."

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She rolled her eyes, grinning. "So what if I do?" Ino said, "Don't let it go to your head."

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"I won't," A.J. said, and, really, he might act like it did, but it wouldn't. "Still, it is rather nice to hear, y'know."

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"Everyone likes compliments," Ino said, "and I suck at hiding my opinion on things so, yeah. Take it as I said then. I meant it."

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And that earned Ino a sudden light hug from behind. "And you're a total sweetheart," he said. "A short-tempered and easily angried one, but still a sweetheart."

[intraspective]

That would be Ino blushing furiously as he hugged her. "I am not," she muttered, embarrassed, "you've got to be joking."