fandomhighdorms | Shooting Range, Friday Around Noon

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Shooting Range, Friday Around Noon

Romeo sat lazily against one wall of the shooting range, carefully cleaning his gun as he waited for Ino. It would feel good to shoot something again, even if it was just a target.

[OOC: For Ino, but open to anyone else who might be in the range.]

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Oh.

Ino remained silent for a few moments. "It's quite a history," she said finally.

"It's mine," he said, drawing his legs in and trying to sound nonchalant. "It's not that I mind speaking of it, but no one really needs to hear about it." Which hadn't stopped him when he first got to Fandom, but he might have grown up a bit in the last six (ten, counting Paris) months. "I didn't mean to tell you, today, but the idea of a body without breath or movement triggered it in me."

She offered him a faint smile. "I'd be sorry that I reminded you of it, but at the same time, it sounded like you needed to, so I can't be that sorry."

Ino glanced sideways at him. "Just, yeah, if you ever find me like that? I'm not dead, seriously. Promise."

"I let myself be reminded of it," he shrugged. "I'll keep that in mind, should it happen. At the least, I would drag you to the clinic before beginning to mourn."

"Don't get the clinic," she said, glancing at him, "they'd be no good. Get Cable-san, he's got a bunch of skills regarding the mind. He'd probably be more useful, honestly."

"If this incredibly unlikely event occurs, I'll get you to Wellspring," he promised, sounding like his usual self.

Then hesitated. "People don't get stuck, do they?"

"Not in my world," she said, considering it, "at least as far as I know. Though I'd figure that there's a chance of it happening here. But, for anything, there's always a solution."

He nodded. "Especially here, where students go up against a God and don't die."

"Exactly," she said, nodding her head. "So even if the situation looks bad, chances are it'll work out okay."

"Things usually do," He agreed, nodding again. "Shall we shoot things more, or is it still storytime? I didn't really ask what was bothering you, I apologize if you want to talk."

She shrugged a little. "I probably should? Talking is supposed to be good for you, I know. But, you know, I can't think of anyway to put my problem without sounding like a totally awful person, so yeah..."

"I just told you I married a girl I had known for about twelve hours, killed her cousin, and then tried to poison myself," Romeo reminded her. "I get to be the awful person for this conversation, unless you're a secret cannibal."

Put that way... it did sound pretty bad, yeah.

"No cannibalism," she said, trying not to giggle. "And, yeah, I guess compared to that it's a bit stupid..."

Ino fiddled with her bangs. "Do you know Amber?"

"Aye," he nodded. "She always seems sweet and a bit naive. What of her?"

"She's got blonde hair and blue eyes," Ino said, wishing it didn't sound so pathetic because it still bothered her anyway. "And Liir spent Monday taking care of her instead of even bothering to call and tell me he was alright after the weekend when he was one of the ones that went to rescue people."

"It's a bit... like I'm being replaced."

Which was more than she'd told Liir when he'd demanded to know what was wrong.

"I like her... but at the same time I hate her for it. And now she and Liir are fighting, and going from radio... I bet that's my fault too..."

He frowned. "How long have you been seeing Liir?" he asked, thinking it had to be a new relationship since Andrew and Liir hadn't broken up that long ago.

"It seems early to fear replacement. But ... it's not about hair and eye color, Ino. Half the school is blond and blue-eyed. I'm blond and blue-eyed, not that Liir's taking care of me."

"Maybe he thought you could care for yourself and she couldn't." Which would have been roughly Romeo's assessment, should it come down to that.

...

...

Ino facepalmed, blushing. "I'm going to kill Reno, and Jenny," she muttered. "We're not dating," Ino explained, "he's my brother. Not my blood, but every way else."

She shrugged, frustrated. "He said that too. But that doesn't mean anything to how I feel."

Romeo turned scarlet. "I apologize," he said. "I half-heard something and ... clearly I paid attention to the wrong bits. Don't kill Reno, though, he usually has good booze." Which was not the only reason Romeo liked Reno, but he suspected it was one Ino would appreciate.

He reached out to pat her on the shoulder. "I know, and I'm sorry."

She leaned into the shoulder pat. Just a bit. "I'll kill him and then steal his booze," she said, "or maybe just steal his booze. Because they clearly said it, and even though it was cleared up the next day on the radio that's not the point. Not everyone listens every day."

"I'm trying not to get upset at him about it," she said, "because I know it's not fair, but at the same time... I can't help it. Can't help what I think even if he talks himself blue in the face saying the opposite."

"And some of us don't really listen even when we listen," Romeo admitted, letting his hand stay exactly where it was. "I listen for my name?"

"If I see Reno I'll ask him to apologize this week," he promised, closing his eyes in thought. "And no, you cannot change what you feel. Honestly, I would try to give Liir space to let my head settle, but this is a small island and I don't know if I could take my own advice."

"I don't normally listen either," she admitted, "but I have been since the weekend, so I can keep track of a few people." Lana, mostly.

"Tell him to apologize with booze," Ino said, smiling faintly. "And yeah, it's kinda hard to avoid him. And I don't even want to avoid him, though it might help."

"If he's your brother you wouldn't want to avoid him," Romeo had to admit. "Good luck figuring it out, however you do that? I know not what to tell you, save I am sorry it is weighing heavily on you."

"Thanks," she said, "for listening, and not, you know thinking I'm crazy. And, yeah, you know, I don't think you were that crazy either. I don't understand some of it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't make sense in some way."

He shook his head. "No. It didn't make sense. It happened, but that doesn't mean it made sense. But thank you."

"That's it's own kind of sense though, don't you think? Life happens, and don't think too hard 'bout how it happens."

She pushed herself to her feet. "Come on, let's shoot things more, yeah?"

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