[action thread] [Mrs. Fix-it] [Open to Hiyori and Ino]

[sensus_diversus]

As planned, Hiyori had stopped by Home Depot on the way home, and had bought filler and some plaster, perhaps a little bit more than was necessary, but hey, that Ino chick was gonna pay her back for it anyway, right? She made sure to stuff the recepit into the bag along with her items. The plastic bag made that irritating rustling noise it always

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[bl0nd_ambition]

Everything seemed to be going wrong lately. First the only job she could find was impersonating a chicken, then she put a hole in wall, and finally--... finally her poor hair had taken abuse. She had wrapped a scarf around it though, so she wouldn't feel like bursting into tears every time she looked in a mirror. It was fading a bit, considering she washed it twelve times in an attempt to get the dye out.

"Hey," Ino said tiredly, opening the door for Hiyori. "I already have plaster but since you bought it, I'll pay you back for it." There went the money for food. She supposed she could live on those marshmallow chickens that Sakura gave her for Easter. "The hole is right there," she jerked her thumb back at the wall.

Maybe if she wore hoop earrings, everyone would just think she was trying to go for the gypsy look. That had possibilities.

[sensus_diversus]

Was this chick serious? With that scarf thing she looked more like some field worker than a stylish woman making a fashion statement. Still, though, it wasn't her business, right? Let her figure out that the look was crap on her own.

She nodded and dropped the bag next to the wall. It wasn't a big hole, thank God, and hopefully wouldn't need much work. She quickly ripped a sheet or two of newspapers away from the rest of the stack and got to work, dipping the paper gently in the filler, and then stuffing the hole with the damp material. She didn't have to wrinkle her nose at the smell anymore; it was just another aroma associated with every day life.

Once she was done with that part, she remembered the small paper stuck underneath the filler, and slipped it out, careful to keep it as clean as possible (which, truthfully, wasn't much). Hiyori almost felt bad for the girl, but not enough to lower her original price. "Here's how much I spent on this shit," she told her, passing it to her.

[bl0nd_ambition]

Ino gave a sigh of relief. It wasn't terribly expensive and she would still have enough left over to give her a few dollar tip and have enough money to eat something. She could always bum food off of Chouji if that didn't work out. It looked like this woman knew what she was doing which helped Ino out greatly.

"Can I offer you a drink? It's hot as hell in here," she complained, absently patting her hair scarf. Having just finished doing her usual yoga/pilates exercises before Hiyori arrived (and still in her sweatpants and tank top, no less!) she was already hot, tired, and thirsty to begin with. This apartment building was hot in the summer and freezing in the winter, no matter what she did. Even if Ino had the money, the windows couldn't hold up an air conditioner. "By the way, we haven't really formally met. Yamanaka Ino."

[sensus_diversus]

Hiyori turned back to face the wall, measuring the hole quickly with her eyes. She knew the woman behind her was talking, but she was really only half listening. Her interest was only piqued when a drink was offered to her, which she answered by nodding fervently.

She turned to face Ino after a few seconds of studying the broken plaster. "Hiyori Sarugaki. I'd ask ta shake hands, but I dunno if ya want this shit on your hands. Eh, an' while you're gettin' tha drinks, could I get a knife, too?" She almost brought her hands up to intertwine her fingers at the back of her neck, but fortunately realized that would be less than wise. She was forced to let them just dangle at her sides, which felt too awkward, but was unavoidable.

[bl0nd_ambition]

"You'll just owe me a handshake then," Ino walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a large pitcher of lemonade and pours two tall glasses. The kitchen drawer which held the utensils, which couldn't close all the way, seemed extra stubborn on hot days. Once she took the knife out, she gave up on trying to budge the stubborn thing. She put the items down next to Hiyori, moving to sit on the couch and watch, making sure to stay out of the woman's way.

I've learned my lesson. Shikamaru was right-- I'm a supervisor, not a worker, she thought to herself, leaning her chin in her hand and sipping her lemonade. This woman-- Hiyori-- really looked like she knew what she was doing. At least she wouldn't have to look into Kin's room of horrors anymore.

[sensus_diversus]

Hiyori was glad to find that this woman wouldn't be one of the type who constantly bereted her with what she was doing 'wrong'. Instead there were drinks and the eventual cash. The grip of the knife was thankfully clean (hers often weren't), and she cut the plaster without too much problem, except for that mess she made. UGH, now she would have to clean up, too.

It was too quiet, though, she thought desperately as she snatch the glass up and took a quick gulp of the relieving lemonade. So, as she stood to fit the plaster into the wall, she risked a question. "So...how's your hair?"

[bl0nd_ambition]

Immediately Ino's hand went to the scarf on her head. There was a long pause before she finally took out the pins and let her newly blackened hair fall past her waist. In the dim light, the hair took on an almost purple sheen. She supposed it could be worse; her hair could have been green.

"It's pretty different," she had through the stages of mourning earlier: denial, anger, bargaining, sadness, and finally acceptance, and was slightly calmer than when she first looked in the mirror. "I'm just praying it will wash out."

Acceptance? Sort of. Plotting revenge? Definitely.

[sensus_diversus]

It wasn't her kind look, Hiyori had to agree. This woman played her part as a blonde perfectly, and now that her hair had been dulled to this purple, well. She looked awful. Hiyori would wait until she'd gotten paid to say anything scathing outright, though.

"Different's right," she replied without much enthusiasm, returning her mind to the task at hand. The plaster seemed to have been cut to the right size, but the newspaper she'd filled the hole with was only partially dry, so she opted for waiting a few minutes before moving on. She replaced the glass for the plaster in her hands, and leaned against the wall to the right of her hole languidly.

"So, you got your hair dyed for this hole, here? Roommate must have one hell of a short fuse."

[bl0nd_ambition]

"She's practically certifiable," Ino twisted the scarf back around her hair. "It was an accident, who does this over an accident?" Of course, Ino did blast obnoxious music afterwards but that was only after Kin started yelling. What's fair is fair after all. The lemonade was cool so Ino put the frosty glass against her forehead. Something would have to be done about the poor ventilation here.

"Thanks again for doing this. I really appreciate it. Do you do this stuff for a living?"

[sensus_diversus]

Her finger reached out and poked at the newspaper, glad to find it stiff against the pressure of her fingertip. Hiyori nodded in half-hearted agreement, even as she wondered if she might have reacted in the same way as Ino's roommate. EH, maybe. Depended on where the hole was, and how large. And just how much even liked the person.

Her drink was nearly finished at this point, so she just gulped down what was left of it, and put down the glass. Break over, back to work. She poked a hole through the small bit of plaster with the nail she'd brought with her, string already attached. Her mouth worked as her hands did, replying at a steady pace so as to make sure that she had at least half her mind on the task. "Kinda. Imma construction worker."

[bl0nd_ambition]

"I see. Well, I'll leave you to your work," Ino stood up and starting walking to the bathroom. The woman probably wasn't a serial killer plus they didn't have anything to steal if she was a robber. Asuma was in the next room should anything suspicious occur. "I'm off to take a shower. I'll be out to pay you, you should be done by then. Help yourself to anything in the fridge if you're still thirsty."

[sensus_diversus]

More nodding, but she didn't glance over her shoulder to watch her go off. The near-silence (it was never really still in Lysgar) had the potential to become unnerving, standing in this unfamiliar apartment, fitting plaster by herself. She was used to the brusque company of others, not helping, just there.

Still, she worked steadily, placing the plaster in carefully and then spreading the filler across the surface. It wouldn't look beautiful, but, hell, that's not what she was gettin' paid for. Once finished, she stepped back and not so much admired her craftsmanship as much as dared it to fall apart.