Room 504, Thursday After Classes

[intraspective]

After class found Ino laying sprawled out on her bed and resisting the urge just to fall asleep. It would totally screw over her regular schedule if she slept now and woke up at, like, one in the morning. Instead, she was trying to study the notebook Kabuto had given her.

She wasn’t retaining much though. Ino buried her head in her arms and sighed. Was it later yet?

Ino left the door open in hopes that someone would stop by and help keep her awake.

[Open!]

Comments

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Oh? What happened?" He walked over to Ino without being invited, resting one hand on her back between her shoulder blades.

[intraspective]

She relaxed against his touch, turning her head to look at him. "I wasn't hurt," Ino clarified, "but Cable-san was in a coma."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"You look tired," Kabuto observed, sending a small pulse of chakra to merge with Ino's own. Precise control kept it from being too jarring, though it would be obvious that he'd done it.

[intraspective]

"Didn't sleep," she admitted, "was working on a way to get into his mind and break him out of the coma." Ino's eyes closed at the pulse of chakra, and she hummed, "You didn't have to do that, but thank you."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Hmm. That's definitely an alternate use for your talents." Kabuto was interested in that application, filing it away in his mind for later perusal. "You're welcome. Your Cable-san is fine now, I take it?"

[intraspective]

"His mind is complicated," she wrinkled her nose, "and he says he's fine, but I still think he should've stayed last night. I walked him home after he was released."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Most people's minds are complicated," Kabuto pointed out. "Not everyone is like your friend Sakura-san."

[intraspective]

Ino gave him a very flat look. "Leaving Sakura out of this conversation, that's not what I meant. I can navigate a regular mind just fine. His wasn't regular."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

He was only teasing. It wasn't his fault that his form of teasing was mildly offensive.

...Okay, maybe it was his fault.

"How was it different? Barriers, or something of the like?"

[intraspective]

"Something like that," she said vaguely, "and his metal stuff? So didn't help. It's almost like it's alive. It was moving around last night." Ino shivered slighlty, "Really creepy."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"...Interesting." Kabuto was intrigued. Which really was to be expected from someone like him. "It was moving while he was unconscious?"

[intraspective]

"There was a lot of glowing," Ino said thoughtfully, "but the metal mostly started moving right before he became fully conscious."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Hmm." That was slightly less interesting. Still, it might still be worth looking into. "Are you planning to attend classes, now?" Kabuto chided.

[intraspective]

"I attended today!" Ino protested, "Even though I totally just wanted to stay in bed. But I did get to talk to a drunken squirrel, so that was sorta fun."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"One of the radio squirrels?" Kabuto asked, rubbing Ino's back lightly. It could have been meant as a reassuring gesture, but who could be sure?

[intraspective]

It felt really nice, no matter how it was meant. "Mmmmm," Ino agreed, "I asked how I could bribe it if I had to, and it told me rum, pistachios, or humiliating pictures. It was adorable."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"...But not ramen?" Kabuto smirked slightly, sliding his arm around Ino's shoulders to give her a half-hug.

[intraspective]

She wiggled happily against him. "No ramen. I don't know what a squirrel would do with ramen."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Eat it?" Kabuto suggested, not letting go. "That would be logical..."

[intraspective]

"Like drunken squirrels who report the news is logical?" Ino pointed out, totally not wanting him to let go.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"For Fandom, it's relatively normal," Kabuto pointed out. "They aren't as crazy as they could be. At least they aren't peeping toms like a certain Leaf ninja?"

[intraspective]

...

"What?"

There was a bunch of incredulous staring. What was that supposed to mean?

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto raised his eyebrows. "You don't know about your own Legendary Sannin's lecherous habits?"

[intraspective]

"The only Sannin I've met is Tsunade-sama," Ino said, still staring, "and you will never convince me that she does something like that."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Grinning, Kabuto shook his head. "No, not Tsunade-sama. The other one. Jiraiya-sama...though I doubt he's very deserving of such respect. I'm surprised you haven't caught him around the hot springs. Unless maybe he was there and you just didn't notice..."