The Grounds around the Stables, Friday Morning

[intraspective]

The ground was still wet from the rain earlier, but Ino was out bright and early to fuss with her garden area. After double-checking that all the little markers were in place, and fixing the ones that had moved—how?—she rocked back on her heels and considered the ground. Hmmm.

It was the perfect time to start digging up the ground and making it so she could plant her seedlings. Yes, she’d promised Karal that she’d have him help, but Ino didn’t see why she couldn’t, you know, start.

There’d still be plenty of work to do after all. With a grin, and a bounce in her step, Ino went and fetched her gardening shovel, then set to work cheerfully.

[Open, yes. I’ll be slow due to that whole working thing, but should be mostly around.]

Comments

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Calming is good. I have a problem with claustrophobia, and learning to calm myself helps," explained Hoshi.

"I'm not sure if they had any artistic merit, but there were lots of different colors. I even threw in some glitter," she snickered.

[intraspective]

"Because of the whole... lack of people thing, right?" Ino asked. "That's why you've got that problem right?"

"Glitter makes everything better," she laughed. "Maybe pass it off as an art project?"

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Probably," said Hoshi. "The few times I had to deal with large groups of people, I would have panic attacks. Because of that, I would just avoid large groups of people. And small spaces, also."

She giggled. "I even had glitter in my hair," she said.

[intraspective]

"You're getting better though, right? Because that sounds..." really boring, "not so much with the being good."

"Awwww," Ino grinned. "I bet that was adorable! Did anyone get pictures of you?"

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"I'm getting better," said Hoshi. "I couldn't relax at all at homecoming, and then had a panic attack the next day. But at the Valentine's masquerade, I had no such problems."

"I don't think there were any pictures, except the crayon ones," she said with a smirk.

[intraspective]

...

Yeah. When Hoshi had gone with Michael. Whatever.

Ino smiled. "That's totally a good thing then! I'm glad, it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun, I don't think, for you if you never got better at it."

"That's probably a good thing, yeah? So nobody can keep it to laugh at you later on."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

Hoshi wasn't going to say anything about Michael as long as Ino didn't.

"I like getting to know people, and it helps to not have a panic attack when I want to go into a social situation," said Hoshi.

"I don't think I got into anything embarrassing last weekend, but at least I didn't get married," she said, giggling.

[intraspective]

Ino wasn't going to. Just, no.

"It would, yes, totally help if you like meeting new people," she nodded. "New people are awesome." Ino loved new student day, seriously.

...

She blinked. "...Married?"

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Yes!" said Hoshi, grinning. "Do you know Johnny and Savannah? Over the weekend while they were little like the rest of us, they decided to get married. They invited Robin to the wedding, and he told me about it afterwards when we woke up together Monday morning," she said.

Then, blushing, she added, "I mean, he slept over in the spare bed in my room Sunday night, and we were our normal selves Monday morning."

[intraspective]

...

Ino looked amused. "So, like, are Johnny and Savannah still married?"

...

"Robin's a frog," Ino said blankly. "Why would I--If you'd slept-slept-with a frog I'd be a little... yeah."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Well, I don't know how legally binding the ceremony is at their age," said Hoshi with a shrug.

"Robin took me to homecoming," said Hoshi. "He's really sweet, but yeah, he's a frog. I'm not sure..."

[intraspective]

"I suppose, with here being what it is, that it's as legally binding as they want it to be."

"... I don't think I'd be able to get over the whole 'frog' thing to, you know, think anything, you know, like being more than friends."

Green people she could do. Frogs... not so much.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"All I really want, I guess, is not to be alone," Hoshi tried to explain. "And Robin is a really good friend. But... well, I would like something more. I just haven't found the right person yet."

[intraspective]

Ino could understand that. Totally.

"Maybe you'll find that someone soon? Or, at least, a someone for now?"

Did that make sense? It made sense to her; really.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"I hope so," said Hoshi. "I mean, I felt a really strong connection with one person, but it's just not going to happen. I just hope I can find that with someone else."

Hoshi was talking about Commander Archer, of course, but Ino could interpret that in any way she liked.

[intraspective]

...

...

Well. That made her feel all... not so delighted. Was Hoshi talking 'bout...

"Why wouldn't it happen?" Ino asked after a long moment.

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

Hoshi hugged Porthos to herself. "The timing's really bad. He's not really available." After all, the commander was twice her age and over 100 years in the future.

[intraspective]

Okay.

...

Now she was even warier. "Why isn't he available?"

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Because he's currently deployed on a Vulcan ship somewhere in the year 2145," said Hoshi. "Plus, I think he's dating this waitress at a bar back home."

[intraspective]

Words could not accurately express how glad she was that it wasn't 'bout Michael. Seriously.

"Oh." Ino blinked a bit. "Well, that'd totally suck."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"It does. I'm trying to put that behind me and move on," said Hoshi. "I mean, there are so many single guys in this school, right?"

[intraspective]

That totally wasn't a twitch. Totally not.

Ino looked thoughtful. "I've got no idea, actually. Most of the ones I know have got someone."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"Same here," said Hoshi. "Oh well. Maybe we'll get some more students coming in for the summer."

[intraspective]

She grinned. "I totally can't wait for that to happen! I'll be totally talking to anyone I don't recognize that day."

[itsjustlanguage.livejournal.com]

"I might do that too," said Hoshi, smiling as well.