5th Floor Common Room, Monday morning before class

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Michael was cooking breakfast again. He'd had some trouble deciding on what to go for, so there were a variety of foods spread out on the counter.

All comers were welcome to request their favourites.

[ooc: open as common rooms are!]

Comments

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

Probably wise. He wouldn't take it well. He accepted the card and shoved it in a pocket.

"Thanks. Don't like people keeping tabs on me."

Especially not people who disliked him for stealing their girlfriends.

[intraspective]

"He does it to everyone," Ino said, trying to be reassuring, "it's not just you."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but it's about what he might do with it since it's me."

He wandered over with a plate of eggs and sat down next to her.

[intraspective]

"He hasn't tried to kill you yet," Ino said, leaning against him slightly, "that's a good sign."

She stared down at her hands. "I need to apologize to him." And she was so not looking forward to that.

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

He relaxed, almost imperceptibly, at the proof she still wanted anything to do with him.

"You don't", he objected. "He needs to apologize to you for what he said."

[intraspective]

"I hurt him," Ino said, voice barely above a whisper, "and I didn't mean to. I didn't think he'd care, but he did."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"So that gives him the right to hurt you back?" Michael demanded.

[intraspective]

She didn't look up. "In his mind, I deserved it." No mention of how she almost felt like she'd deserved it. "I can't blame him for being mad."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, you can, when he didn't tell you why." He nudged the plate carefully into her lap. "You can eat your eggs, too."

[intraspective]

"He's not a... straight-forward person." Ino said, picking at her eggs, "I... pretty sure I'm his only friend."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"People like that, it's... sometimes by choice", he offered.

Oddly enough, that wasn't condemnation. More like just something he knew.

[intraspective]

She sighed. "He's still the one I..." Ino couldn't say it, not right now, "he's important to me."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Doesn't mean you should just take it when he acts like this."

[intraspective]

Ino glanced up at him. "I don't know what to do," she admitted, "I've never been in this situation before."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I... can't really help there", he had to tell her. "You got anyone to ask?"

[intraspective]

"I haven't felt much like talking to my friends." Ino said, "I don't know how they'd react." She took a deep breath, "After all, I am the one that cheated on him."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"They're your friends", Michael pointed out firmly.

[intraspective]

"I know," she said, picking at her eggs some more, "but I... I just," Ino stared at nothing in particular, "it's my problem. I should be able to handle it."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"Y'know", he said after a silent moment, "if my sister heard me saying something like that, she'd smack me in the head."

[intraspective]

She smiled slightly. "Lucky I'm an only child then."

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"She'd smack you too, trust me. The lucky part's where she's not here."

[intraspective]

"She doesn't know me very well," Ino protested, "would she really hit me?"

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"...well, maybe not. You'd get the Isabel Look, though."

[intraspective]

That got almost a giggle, before she sighed again. "Michael? What... what are we anyway?"

[rebelheartalien.livejournal.com]

"...I don't know", he had to admit, looking down at her. "I mean, you're all upset about Kabuto now, so... what do you want us to be?"