The Perk, Monday Afternoon

[intraspective]

Ino had… maybe put off calling Tseng about her impending marriage for a few weeks. Maybe more than a few weeks. It was at least a month by now. Not because she thought he'd be mad about it, but because after everything to do with Kueng and all… it had been weird, if only in her head.

But there was only so long she could put it off and the longer she put it off the less she wanted to tell him.

Which was why she was at the Perk. Largest hot chocolate they had in front of her, and an apple fritter to eat after she got this phone call over and done with.

Ino's feelings on everything were kind of incoherently complicated right now, but especially when it came to Tseng, Zack, and her marriage.

She was… going to call him. Absolutely. She was going to steel herself and call him.

There was a significant part of her that was hoping he'd be too busy to pick up though.

[Open, yo!]

Comments

[ponytailedturk]

"Clearly you've spoken to Verdot about my early missions."

[intraspective]

She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her.

"Maybe once or twice. I couldn't resist."

[ponytailedturk]

There. That was the Iris he knew. Tseng smiled faintly.

"Don't tell Reno about that. I'll never live it down."

Either Reno.

[intraspective]

One of her eyebrows went up.

"What do I get for not telling them?" she asked playfully.

She wouldn't tell. She hadn't told yet, which was a pretty good indicator that she wouldn't tell.

But how could Ino resist asking that question?

[ponytailedturk]

"I won't ever put you on assignment near Icicle again."

He didn't intend to anyway, but it was always difficult to tell when it would be necessary. Theirs was an unpredictable job, after all.

[intraspective]

She squinted.

"That's not something you can promise."

[ponytailedturk]

"Fine. Then when I have other options, I'll go out of my way to take them, instead, even if you're the most convenient for the position."

That was a little more reasonable.

[intraspective]

Ino considered that. It was more reasonable and something she could expect him to be able to manage.

But on the other hand...

"I spent months there," she said reluctantly. "If you need someone in Icicle, I'm the best person for it."

She hated it, but a job shouldn't be compromised due to that.

"You'll have to owe me something else."

[ponytailedturk]

Tseng quietly considered that for a few moments himself, before replying, "And that's why you're indesposable, Iris. You're a TURK."

She knew what it meant. She lived by that.

[intraspective]

She smiled.

"You ain't getting out of owing me something," she said, since anything else wouldn't be right. Not right then.

But she felt... better. At peace.

[ponytailedturk]

"I'll get you something nice for your wedding."

Whatever form that happened to come in. What would a Turk wedding gift look like? Anything from a new weapon to the head of somebody who had wronged them, perhaps. He'd sort something out.

[intraspective]

Ino was... honestly kind of intrigued at the thought. What would he get her?

"Alright," she said, smiling a little more. "You're going to be invited, you know. So are all the others. I don't care if you have to work out shifts to show up, you're all going to be invited."

Zack and her were probably going to fight about that. But on this, Ino wasn't going to budge.

[ponytailedturk]

"Well, you'll have to come up with a date so that I can make a schedule that works," Tseng replied, still smiling faintly. "Otherwise you might just have to get married twice."

Because none of the other Turks would forgive him if they couldn't make it at least to the reception.

[intraspective]

"If that meant I got double the presents, I'd consider it," she mused. "But since people might object to that, I'll make sure a date is picked."

[ponytailedturk]

"Very good," Tseng replied. And then, after a moment spent mulling it over, he added, "If there's anything at all that you need to make this work, tell me. I'll see what can be done."

He had contacts all over Gaia, after all. If she needed anything from a caterer to the head of somebody they didn't particularly like to use as a centerpiece, he could provide.