Girls' Week Out [Hiroe, Cala, Hana]

It was now a time for cooking, and Hana had to look to Hiroe for this one. She knew nothing about a kitchen, and definitely wasn't confident in whatever differences may exist in something as simple as a stove between the realms. As things were being prepared, Hana paid close attention to the vegetables, wondering how each of them would be cut and cooked. Then she realized something she hadn't thought about before. In her little experience, men kind of preferred meat heavy meals while women preferred veggie heavy meals. Which one were they cooking for again?

"Hey, Cala," Hana looked over to Cala holding up some chicken and a batch of carrots, "So, is your Valentine a girl or boy? It might be good to cater to their nutritional needs, right? That's what my family cooks often did for me. Though, I now admit I wish I had just learned to cook... I'd be more helpful here."

"Nutritional needs? I think you're overthinking things a little, Hana! In my opinion, as long as it tastes good and we all put heart into it, I don't think the valentine will care about nutritional value, male or female."

HIroe assured the two of them while she gathered the seasonings and set them down. Truth be told, perhaps it was a difference between the view of a noble in the Seireitei and a resident in the Rukongai, but Hiroe had always viewed cooking in the lens of what tasted good, what ingredients could come together in such a fashion that it brought a smile to the face of those who enjoyed their meals. To be certain, that didn't invalidate Hana's opinion one bit, it simply wasn't something Hiroe had ever considered. Now, she has a pan set against the stove. Chopping her own portion of vegetables and meat, Hiroe would prepare a bed of rice while she allowed Hana and Cala to offer any opinions during her task.

Obviously, it was up to Cala on what she felt comfortable with in terms of how the food would be produced as a whole, but even if she chose a vegetable heavy dish, the meat could still be something nice to enjoy as a nightcap. Now, she's glancing around every now and again, contemplating the overall way she wants to set the food out. After that, Hiroe sets her portion of meat and vegetables onto the pan, cooking them in a slow simmer. This was a good method of allowing the meat to absorb the flavor and seasoning. Part of the beauty in cooking was the experimenting part of the equation. There were several combinations they could employ, but it all came down to what Cala desired in the end. It was their valentine, after all.

Cala stood with Hana as Hiroe worked what seemed, more or less, like magic to the two of them. Cala simply stared, anxiously, and feeling like they should maybe be trying to help or learn while Hiroe prepared things. Cala was about to say something when Hana called for their attention, earning a curious tilt of the head from Cala, before Cala responded honestly.

"O-Oh. Saiko is a girl, long black hair in ponytails usually, u-umm.... very pale and thin. N-Not like uhh... umm... u-us.... but different."

Cala shrugged, their words failing them in that moment in describing how beautiful they thought Saiko was, before they blinked at the veggies and meat. They had never heard anything like that before and were about to answer when Hiroe commented about it not mattering so much and, well, Cala did not want to be rude but they somewhat agreed. At least they thought Saiko wouldn't care and, in fact, Cala would murmur.

"W-Well, she likes hamburgers from what I know s-so I think she likes meat more...."

Trailing off softly Cala would scamper over to Hiroe and, trying to watch what Hiroe did, sadly they didn't even have the basic knowledge to really understand what they were looking at so they quickly turned back to Hana and walked back to her. Their cheeks flushing softly as they gently took Hana's hands and gently tugged her a bit off to the side, not wanting to disturb Hiroe as she cooked as Cala murmured quietly with their eyes sheepishly on the floor.

"A-Also Hana...? W-Would you maybe... umm....."

Cala swallowed thickly, hands softly squeezing Hana's as they shuffled anxiously from foot to foot, before two wide, fearful lavender eyes would meet Hana's own and Cala would sigh softly.

"W-Would you maybe be willing t-to take the Valentine to her f-for me please? I-I'm not allowed in where you Shinigami are from s-so.... I-I need someone I can trust to take it a-and you helped me get things for it and Hiroe already did so much making it s-so I don't wanna ask her to and and and.... uhhmm...."

Cala voice faded off and died quietly, their face now tomato red, and their grip on Hana's hands became a firm, warm squeeze as they hung their head and stared shyly at the floor.

Okay, Hana learned something today. She had people constantly talking about her nutritional needs that she didn't often enjoy the food she ate. Everything was about her appearance and health, which was a good thing, but left most food less enjoyable. So, she agreed with Hiroe very quickly about just making it taste good. As Hiroe cooked, Hana did her best to copy the movements and put her end together. She was not good with a knife. Pieces were too thick or too thin, but she was very focused on trying it out. So much so, that she never even cut herself!

"So, we're working on this for a woman," Hana said as Cala explained. "So cute!"

As things came together, Hana was a little disappointed in how her part was coming out. "I am definitely going to have to work on this better. I'm kind of ashamed I've never cooked in my life... Thanks for letting me follow your lead, Hiroe, but I think I need a little more guidance in chopping veggies..."

Hana turned to Cala as a very, very important question was asked. "You want me to deliv-... Oh, Saiko's a Shinigami?" Hana said and took a moment to think about it. "Of course! I'd love to deliver it. The Soul Society is pretty big, so 'll need a full name, or a Division they're in, or some sort of way of finding them though."

"How do you want to pack all of this into the bento box?" Hana asked Cala while she slowly tried her hand at a new veggie. She was still focused, moving slower than before and taking any advice Hiroe would give her. "And Hiroe..." Hana said, her tone teasing. "We could use some of this for a Valentine for you too."

Hiroe had completed preparing most of the seasoned meat, acknowledging Cala's answer concerning his valentine's preference. Since she was already preparing meat, rice, and vegetables, she was certainly pleased to know her hunch was correct. Nutritional value didn't really matter unless someone was holding themself to a specific diet. To be certain, she wasn't entirely familiar with diets and nutritional values to begin with. Why confuse cooking like that, hm~?

In any case, Hiroe finished preparing the rest of the ingredients presenting the portions to both Cala and Hana, indulging in a small taste test to ensure she wasn't just blowing hot steam up their hindquarters by saying she could cook. Thankfully, at least by her tastebud's standards, the meal preparation was a success. This was pretty good! Expressed more fancily, it was absolutely exquisite. Humoring herself aside, Hiroe canted her head to the side at Hana's comment. A valentine for her, huh? Hiroe grinned a little, offering a playful wink in the woman's direction as she helped direct Cala and Hana on ways they could prepare the Bento Box.

"And we could use some of this for a valentine for you too, Hana," she retorted, well aware of the woman's position on finding that significant other to call a romantic partner. The last time they spoke on it, she hadn't changed her stance in the slightest.

Cala could not help the fierce blush that burned their pale cheeks as Hana called their Valentine's preparations "cute" as Saiko had called them the same things before, well and Ari nee-chan too, so Cala was beginning to feel squeamish at the pattern of reaction they were garnering. As the two others talked Cala returned to preparing the bento box itself, or the inner lid anyways, with their artwork and blinked as Hana asked for Saiko's full name and... division number? Cala looked very confused for along moment, but then something clicked and they nodded, pulling out their Nokia and messaging Saiko about what division she was in. After receiving a reply of "7th" Cala would hum as they had never really considered the obvious fact that Shinigami would be divided into some kind of military ranking. At least if Cala's very fuzzy understanding of living world militaries was anything to go by.

Regardless Cala gleaned a bit of knowledge about Shinigami and would look up from their phone at Hana with a small smile.

"Oh umm her name is Saiko Mori a-and she is in the 7th division! I dunno if that is good or not, are the bigger division numbers better or are the smaller ones?"

Cala seemed genuinely perplexed as, frankly, aside from Hana, Hiroe and other vague Shinigami friends they had made their primary interaction with Shinigami had been fighting them so learning about them had rarely been an opportunity on a deep level. Cala filed this information away tidily and blinked as Hana asked how they wanted to arrange the bento, and nodded, finishing up their rather modest artwork of themselves and Saiko under a night sky of lavender and blue fireworks. Cala was, to be frank, unsure of how to order but Hiroe then came to the rescue!

With everything situated wonderfully in the Bento, with only small murmurs of preference from Cala themselves, they nearly clapped their hands to their face in surprise when, unintentionally, Hana and Hiroe caused something else to click in their mind too! Cala, being two entities in one body, almost always use "we" to refer to just themselves. As a singular descriptor. So, on reflex, when Hana and Hiroe both mentioned that "We" would use the leftovers for the other's Valentine Cala's brain instinctively substituted "We" for "I" and Cala's face bloomed a cherry red at the implications!

Now stepping back from the two of them, sheepishly looking down at the ground, Cala's right arm crossing their slim frame to grip their left bicep as they pursed their lips. Their voice stammering horribly as they suddenly felt as if they were intruding!

"O-Oh gosh..... I am sorry I-I didn't realize. If I had known you two wanted to use the food we bought for each other I-I would have used the last of my money for more!"

Cala fretted rather innocently and earnestly.

"I-I'm so sorry you two have to use my leftovers b-but I'm very happy you two have each other for Valentine's!"

Cala would smile, albeit a bit shakily, as the universal but unnamable feeling of being the "third wheel" coiled in their gut with a sudden, awkward fierceness. Though that did leave Cala vaguely wondering what their role in this little trip was supposed to be if Hana and Hiroe were dating, maybe Hana felt shy or nervous about being alone with Hiroe? Certainly Hiroe was pretty but Cala had never gotten the impression Hana would struggle with such things.~

Thankfully, everything had come together very well. With Hiroe's masterful cooking, as evidenced from a quick taste Hana also took part in, there was no way that Cala's Valentine, Saiko Mori, wasn't going to be happy with this. Hana made sure to memorize the information Cala gave about the person in question. She would deliver it the moment they got back. Until then, it belonged safely in the fridge to be preserved later. Luckily, Hana even knew a good way to rewarm it once she got back to the Soul Society, so that wouldn't be an issue either.

Cala's sudden outburst was something Hana truly did not expect to happen. The quick mindless banter Hana and Hiroe had confused things for Cala very quickly. Hana looked at Hiroe to see if she got the implications that Cala just through out. A moment later, Hana was holding back a laugh that she struggled with. A moment after that, she was laughing pretty hard, holding her stomach, and covering her mouth with an open hand. At times, even Hana's casual mannerisms appeared princess-ly. After she stopped, she looked to Cala with a soft smile.

"Hiroe is not someone I am dating," Hana said. "She's my best friend, and we are both in preference of the male sex. I am also not interested in any romantic relationships at the moment. Though I am sure Hiroe will tell you that is because I haven't found the right guy, I don't think about it. No worrying about the food."

Hiroe was honestly surprised by Cala's stammering mannerism, unable to fully recognize what they were panicking about. Then, it clicked. She turned to Hana, then to cala, and back to Hana again. Without pause, she shared in Hana's laughter, tapping at her legs as she laughed harder than she actually intended. She supposed it made sense, given the overall banter, but Hiroe had always been a fine appreciator of men. Most, if not all of her crushes, were entirely of the male variety. Hana, on the other hand, simply had no desire to date, no matter how many times Hiroe joked at the woman's expense. She'd certainly make her change her stance one day! This gal group would all have significant others in their lives, mark her words! After her laughter died down, Hiroe wiped a tear from her eye as she ruffled Cala's hair.

"Nah, it's totally because you haven't found the right guy. Mark my words, the right man is gonna come in' and charm you to the point you won't be able to turn him down. Anyway, Cala... it's pretty much what she said. We're not dating one another, and neither one of us are currently dating anyone. Besides, we have plenty of ingredients to make somethin' work. Don't you worry about it, okay~?"