Office Hours, Monday, 10/27

[tyler_gone]

It was Monday, which meant Tyler had to have office hours. So he was in his office; that was a given.

However, nothing said he had to actually work while he was there. Tyler was spending his time at his desk playing the stupidest Internet games he could find as part of an effort not to think about his weekend. (Though the kids' parents hadn't been all bad.)

His office door was open for anybody who wanted to bother him.

Comments

[intraspective]

She shrugged a bit. "It's just... silly... to do something that's not got a potential use."

[tyler_gone]

Tyler rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I still think there's a purpose to demolitions without casualties, though," he argued. "I admit I might have been a little flip in how I presented it."

[intraspective]

"Sure," she said, wrinkling her nose. "Blow up a bridge to disrupt supply lines, blow up a shed to cause a distraction, or something. But blowing up a building generally means you want causalities."

[tyler_gone]

"Generally, not every time," Tyler said. "It was a class exercise, Ino. And I'm not a fan of pretending to blow people up." Beating them to a pulp, on the other hand ...

"Your dad did help me understand why you saw it the way you did." Which was as close as Tyler would come to a concession.

[intraspective]

Ino could live with that, she supposed.

"Fine," she said, not quite sulking. "I still don't get the exercise at all, geez."

A beat.

"And please never ever talk to Ichigo's dad ever again 'bout me. That's just weird and creepy."

[tyler_gone]

Tyler thought Ichigo's dad was kind of weird and creepy, but he supposed that was a thought he shouldn't share. "Done. I wasn't planning on it anyhow."

[intraspective]

"Thank you!" she chirped, beaming at him. "Because, seriously, no. Last thing his dad needs is any information on me."

[tyler_gone]

"He seems invested in Ichigo's personal life," Tyler conceded, in a bit of teacher code for "weird and creepy." "I wouldn't have said a name if I'd known how he'd take it. I don't actually care who you date, by the way."

[intraspective]

Ino was... just not going to mention how some people thought she had a thing for Tyler-sensei, nope.

"I'm crushed at that," she said impishly. "'Cause clearly I expect everyone to care 'bout my life. Only not. I feel so bad for Ichigo, stuck with him as a dad."

[tyler_gone]

Tyler's life was probably happier if he continued in blissful ignorance on that first point.

"At least he's out of the house," Tyler tried. "Honestly, my dad kind of forgot I existed after he and my mom split up. I can't blame a guy for trying."

[intraspective]

Ino was hardly going to admit to anything like that to his face.

"That sucks. Like, a lot. Sorry, Tyler-sensei. And I guess not," she said dubiously. "But, seriously, there's a million ways to be less obnoxious 'bout it." Really, now.

[tyler_gone]

"It's twenty years ago," Tyler said, waving it off. He wasn't sure why he'd decided to tell Ino about his daddy issues to start with. "But I wouldn't disagree that there are better ways to stay involved, and do not tell Ichigo I said that."

[intraspective]

She blinked.

"Why not?"

[tyler_gone]

"Because the last thing I need is for someone to come crying in here saying I insulted his dad, what do you think?"

[intraspective]

She laughed. "He's not going to say that. I told him I met his dad and he said he was so sorry about a million times."

Because three equaled a million, right?

"I guess I won't tell, though. If you insist."

[tyler_gone]

Tyler relaxed a little. "You can tell him I'm sorry I gossiped mentioned his personal life to his dad," he said. "That wasn't all that relevant."

[intraspective]

"I'll tell him," she promised, "though I think he'd rather just pretend it never ever happened."

[tyler_gone]

"That does seem to be how a lot of people get past parents' weekend," Tyler nodded. "Denial's a fantastic thing."

He was planning to indulge in a spot of it, himself.

[intraspective]

"My weekend was good other than that," she said, amused. "But I get it. That was me last year."

[tyler_gone]

"I thought your dad was awesome," Tyler said, amused.

[intraspective]

"He is," she said. "But his reaction to who I was dating at the time would've been... distinctly not awesome. Kabuto was a traitor from my world."

...Ino had never claimed to have good taste in boys.

[tyler_gone]

"So you got the whole star-crossed lovers thing going on?" Tyler asked. "Yeah, that doesn't usually end well. Or thrill parents."

[intraspective]

She snickered. "It was more... he's dangerous, and could kill me in a heartbeat, but I amused him, so he let me stick 'round? It was exciting. And then he disappeared into thin air, literally, after he graduated, so..."

And that was a bit wistful. She still missed him, even if that was stupid.

"Dad would've pulled me out of Fandom, for sure."

[tyler_gone]

Tyler tilted his head at Ino, considering her for a moment. He wouldn't have put her down as the death wish type.

"I wouldn't blame him," he said simply. "If I ever had a daughter, 'doesn't want to kill her' would be on my list of things I'd want her to look for in a boyfriend."

[intraspective]

"I don't blame him, for the way he'd have reacted," Ino said, staring back at him. "I would've, if I'd been caught, but it's over now and..."

A bit of a shrug. "Not a whole lot he can do now, yeah? Still don't mention it, but it worked out."