The rain hadn't let up at all the next morning, so Tsunade managed to corner Ino in her own room to have a talk with her. Ino hoped to wake up while Tsunade was out and about doing her usual morning routine, but ended up waking up after Tsunade had freshened up already and came in wearing only a towel to collect her only pair of clothes to wash. "We're going to have that talk after I deliver." Tsunade cleared her throat. "Please don't avoid me." She turned around with her laundry and went downstairs.
What could she do? Ino didn't have the energy to leave her room, let alone her own bed. She rolled over to face the window and see the rain still pounding away. Surprised her window didn't shatter from the retreated pressure! Maybe it would and interrupt or even prevent the little talk. She almost felt tempted just to shatter the damn thing herself…if not the fact that Tsunade would know it was direct sabotage and that would land Ino into labor without pay, but it would also force Ino to sleep in the living room and soak her favorite sheets for weeks!
So she waited for it. Might as well. Tsunade would come back and they would talk…with Ino ignoring her and just saying 'yeah' every so often to act like she was interested. Tsunade appeared wearing the same towel, with her hair still wet and plastered to the back of her head and neck. Ino sighed as she saw Tsunade sat down in the office chair and cross her legs. "Shall we begin?" She asked.
"Yeah." Ino coughed out.
"You've been, for the past week…" Tsunade sighed as she relaxed back in her seat. "…sullen. You have expressed no interest in interacting with others and find yourself annoyed when you have to do something, you've been in bed too long, you're constantly tired…" Tsunade locked her hands together and looked at the still glued-down Ino. "In short…you're depressed! You're clinically depressed! Ino, you need help."
"Yeah." Ino repeated, with less interest than the first time she said it.
"You need treatment!" Tsunade enforced, standing up. "And not just antidepressants, I'm talking about therapy. Possibly entire months of therapy…and it is important…"
"To whom?" Ino groaned, actually saying something other than yeah, but not actually facing Tsunade "To only me. I would be wasting the time of the therapist and the money of my mom."
"Not if I do it and do it for free." Tsunade shrugged. "You've done plenty of good for our village, so it would be wrong to take any amount of money from a heroine…don't interrupt me." Tsunade held up a finger, anticipating Ino to repeat her new catchphrase or with a retort. "It's the least anyone could do…helping a veteran recover. I've talked with your mom, and she agrees with me."
"Shouldn't you be offering your services to a actual veteran? Like Naruto? I heard he's got problems…" Ino started to move around and coming close to face Tsunade. The Hokage leaned back in her chair now.
"Sakura's helping him with that." Tsunade filled Ino in. Seems like whenever she saw or heard from Sakura nowadays, her pink-haired apperentice seemed to be around Naruto…and vice-versa with the future Hokage. "His new hand has already managed to grasp basic objects. And you were useful. You took down Kinkaku, fought against Ten-Tails…"
"Yeah…" Ino once more repeated. "…yeah."
"You saved the world Ino!" Tsunade raised her voice. "You stopped a gigantic monster from destroying and took down a army! Ino…you're a heroine to not only to the people of Konohagakure, but to people all around the entire globe! And you…" Tsunade sighed. "…lost a great deal. What you're going through is…normal. You have every right to feel this way, it's okay."
"Is it?" Ino muttered, squished between her covers and pillows now.
"Yes." Tsunade confirmed, getting up and approaching Ino. "You can't ignore these sort of feelings. It's bad to ignore, it's bad to let it control your life. Do you want to get better?" Ino didn't move. "Don't you have dreams and ambitions? Do you wish to stay in bed all day long?" Ino budged a bit, but Tsunade reached over and gently pulled back the covers. Ino, still half-turned in bed, glanced at the older woman. "Ino…tomorrow…we will go into the living room and start the therapy. Your mother will join us…if you want. Do you want her to?"
Ino managed to shake her head. "Okay." Tsunade nodded. "I do want to help you. But your recovery is dependent on you as well." Tsunade pushed the covers back up. "Do try to get out of bed soon."
Tsunade turned to leave and continue her laundry, her towel getting caught on the bedpost. It didn't rip off her towel, but it did pull it down a bit. Ino didn't see anything too revealing, but she did halfway wish that she did…seeing someone naked and red in the face might provoke a laugh. She could use one good laugh to perk her up. Once Tsunade left the room and closed the door behind her, Ino managed to gather up the energy to pull her body out of bed and get her feet on the floor.
The rain just wouldn't die. Ino knew she had no way of escaping Tsunade. And ultimately…what's the harm in participating? Could help or at least get things started. Today would be a slow day, but hopefully it would be the last slow day.