The Perk, Friday Morning

[intraspective]

Ino hadn't slept well, waking up long before the sun, and so, after handwavily training for a good while, she made her way to the Perk. Getting a tea, she curled up in a comfortable chair where she could keep an eye on the outside.

Tugging out a notebook and tapping her pen against her cheek absently, Ino glanced at her list of pros and cons for each boy and huffed in exasperation.

This was ridiculous. She sipped her tea moodily.

[Open for all your Ino or Perkly needs.]

Comments

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabtuo glanced over his shoulder and raised his eyebrows at Ino. He didn't say a word, but the expression said enough. Especially when it shifted to his usual smirk and he looked away, accepting his tea with a polite 'thank-you'.

Walking over to one of the other tables, Kabuto took out one of the scrolls he carried with him and, for all intents and purposes, appeared to be studying it.

[intraspective]

Ino eyed him dubiously, not even bothering to try and hide the fact that she was staring.

He wasn't even going to say anything?

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto felt the stare, and glanced up, giving Ino his "what?" look. Really. It wasn't polite to stare.

[intraspective]

It wasn't polite not to say hello either. Not, mind, that she wanted him to say hello or anything. Really.

Ino bristled slightly. "Go away."

Because, clearly, that was the best way ever to get him to say something.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

The other ninja snorted with half-smothered laughter, hiding his smile behind his hand as he moved to push his glasses up. It was a public place. He was under no obligations to speak to anyone, and had full right to be there. His attentions went right back to the scroll.

[intraspective]

Ino glared at him then looked thoughtfully at her notebook. A few seconds later a crumpled up ball of paper was flung at him.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

The ball bounced off Kabuto's head, and he bent to retrieve it. Setting it aside, he returned to the scroll.

Of course he wasn't trying to be antagonistic. Where would anyone get such an idea?

[intraspective]

Where would anyone get such an idea? How would anyone not get such an idea?

Another paper ball was flung at him.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

With just the slightly hint of a smirk, Kabuto picked up the latest ball. Spreading it flat over the scroll he was studying, he smoothed out the creases.

Finding it blank, he took out a calligraphy brush and quickly inked something onto the page. After the ink dried, he balled the paper up and sent it back.

[intraspective]

Ino caught the ball, mostly out of reflex, and looked dubiously at it. Maybe this was her hello?

A tiny explosion, mostly just puff and then disintegrating into ash when she opened it, killed her hello-theory. She huffed, and started shaking her hands to get rid of the ash. Boys.

The paper ball she flung at him this time had one word written on it in blue pen:

Jerk.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto opened the ball, read it, and smirked. Giving Ino a mocking bow from where he sat, he discarded her recent ball next to the other one.

[intraspective]

In her haste to fling yet another ball at him, the paper Ino tore from her notebook wasn't entirely blank. Too bad she didn't notice that before flinging it at him.

Pros/Cons
Michael --- Kabuto

That was as far as she'd gotten today as far as writing things down went. That was probably a good thing.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Upon discovering the writing on the page, Kabuto had to pick up his pen to add to it.

Pros/Cons
Michael --- Kabuto
As if he has any good points?

He then sent it back to her. The barristas were probably either amused or annoyed at their communication methods.

[intraspective]

Ino rolled her eyes upon reading what he wrote.

Pros/Cons
Michael --- Kabuto
As if he has any good points?
He does. He's got many good points.

She flung it at him with slightly more force than strictly necessary. Hey, they weren't making a mess, except for the ash from the little explosion, this was a perfectly acceptable mood of communication. It wasn't like the place was busy.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Writing again, Kabuto sent it back with an easy toss. He wasn't going to be so rude as to actually hit her with it.

Pros/Cons
Michael --- Kabuto
As if he has any good points?
He does. He's got many good points.
Oh yes. Smart as a kunai, that one.

[intraspective]

She stared at the paper for a long moment before writing and then tossing it at him. Well, she was aiming for his tea.

Ino was ruder than Kabuto was some of the time.

Pros/Cons
Michael --- Kabuto
As if he has any good points?
He does. He's got many good points.
Oh yes. Smart as a kunai, that one.
What do you have against him?

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto caught the ball before it could knock over his cup. Ninja reflexes were good for that.

Against whom?

[intraspective]

She gave an irritated sounding hiss.

Against Michael.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto looked to be mildly amused.

Who said anything about Michael?

[intraspective]

Ino considered flinging her tea at him.

You don't like him. Why not?

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto rolled his eyes before writing back.

Must you really ask?

[intraspective]

You're the one that said I was just a game to you. What, don't like having your game pieces do something unexpected? Michael didn't do anything wrong as far as I'm concerned.

She'd been the one that messed up. If anything she would've expected him to hate her.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto picked up his scroll, packing it away, before getting up. He deposited the ball on Ino's table on his way out.

Not my words.

[intraspective]

Her hands shook and she lunged out to grab his arm, nearly knocking over her tea in the process. "What's that supposed to mean?"

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

The silver-haired ninja looked down at her, a slight smile curving his lips. He debated keeping his silence, but replied, "You should know."

[intraspective]

She looked down. "I don't know," Ino said quietly, loathe to admit her failure but wanting an answer more, "I've thought and I've thought and... explain it to me, please?"

Ino added, nearly inaudibly. "I miss you."

Because she did even if she didn't know who to choose.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto shook his head. "I've told you many times that you shouldn't put words in my mouth, Ino-san," he reprimanded gently, resting a gloved hand on Ino's head.

The small, warm pulse of chakra that Kabuto sent through her said more than he did, even if at the same time he tugged his other arm free of her grip.

[intraspective]

Ino shivered slightly at the chakra, watching him with wide eyes and somewhat reassured.

"I don't mean too," she told him simply.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps not. But you also don't listen." Kabuto smiled. "You're very headstrong, Ino-san." A compliment, or an insult? Maybe a bit of both.

[intraspective]

"I can learn to listen," she said stubbornly, ignoring his last statement, "if you give me a chance."

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"I give you many opportunities. There are some things I've even put in writing for you, if you've ever taken the time to realize it." The other ninja shrugged. "I need to be going."

[intraspective]

... in writing? Ino didn't know what he was talking about. The paper balls?

"Okay," she said, looking away then asking, "Kabuto-san? Are you mad at me?"

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto clearly remembered giving Ino one of his old notebooks. Obviously she hadn't read all of it.

"Mad at you? What gave you that idea?"

[intraspective]

She hadn't. She'd been a bit busy all things considered. And not really in the mood to be going through what he'd been teaching her lately.

"Just... checking," because she almost felt like he should be mad at her so it was a bit of a surprise to find that he wasn-- "Are you?"

See? She'd caught that one. He hadn't actually answered her question.

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

Kabuto waited patiently for Ino to get it, and grinned when she did. "Not terribly. Maybe at first, but I've changed my mind. It does happen." He shrugged. "We can discuss this at length another time...but not here."

[intraspective]

His smile made her feel better. That was stupid, right?

"Where?" she asked, "When?"

If she kept it simple maybe there was less chance she'd mess up on listening to him?

[sound-loyalty.livejournal.com]

"Later, in the dorms." Kabuto turned to leave, waving over his shoulder. "Have a good day."

[intraspective]

Well, that answered one of her questions. Sort of. "I'll try," she said, spirits sinking again and not feeling up to pressing him for more detail, "you too, Kabuto-san."