Stressed Decisions [Hiroe/Hana]

Hana smiled weakly at the suggestion. That was not the type of thing she would normally do. Changing Divisions to relax felt counterproductive, and she was still unsure whether or not being a Shinigami was the smart thing to do. Being a wife was easier, and likely way more up her wheel house. At least she could say she had more training in that subject, and learning to cook probably wasn't that hard.

"I will have to think about it," Hana said. She took up another sip of her smoothie, the fruity drink having melted a bit while they talked. "I am not sure where I belong, or if I really do... However, I will not quit until I find out for certain. That is the only thing I can confirm. Anything else would be a lie, and I do not lie."

Hiroe slammed her fists together as she offered Hana a firm nod. She was correct. There was no true way to know where she stood until she discovered the outcome of her labor for herself. Hiroe had already ascertained her path in life. No matter what, her journey would begin anew at the Gotei. There was little else to be said about her path than that. Did she expect to luck into as many resources as she did? Of course not. Even so, she would exhaust them until they were no longer available. Rindou. Kimitsuki. Yuuto. Byakuya. She had the tools. And she would use them. Patting Hana's shoulders, Hiroe resolved to assist Hana as much as she would allow. Her path was hers to decide from hereon out. If nothing else, she was relieved to hear the woman had no intention of hanging up her Gotei gloves too early.

"Good. Now, let's talk about something more positive and upbeat. You never listen to me, you know that? A boyfriend would make at least half of these worries go away. They'd hug you, cuddle up to you, kiss you, tell you everything'll be alright, but noooooooo~ Someone is just too prideful for boys, huh~?"

Hana visibly tensed at the mention of boys and boyfriends and cuddling...

Her face turned a bright red as her eyes widened. As Hiroe went on about how a boyfriend would somehow be beneficial, Hana grabbed her long ponytail brought the hair forward to cover her blushing cheeks. Boys were taboo!

"I-It is not that I am too prideful, or any such thing!" Hana said, talking through her locks of hair. The tingling heat in her cheeks was too much! "I merely have yet to find... anyone that I... well, think of that way. And besides, I don't see you with a boyfriend, Hiroe! Where is your cuddly... kissy... huggy... guy friend?"

Hiroe grinned at Hana's reaction, amused by how she tried to shift the point of focus back onto her. She had her pick of options to choose from. She was simply biding her time on who was the right pick. Someone had confessed to her before, but she turned him down since the barely knew one another. Kaito was a possible option, too, but he hadn't really offered much in the way of any romantic notes. They experienced a date, but it hadn't really felt like a date. Either way, Hiroe was still feeling things out. Crossing her arms with a smug reaction, she shot a finger back at the blushing Hana.

"Haven't found em' yet, but I've got options. I'm just biding my time till I find the right one, hahaha! What about you? Got any guy options at least? Life's short, you know! We gotta get you into the dating world already. Judging by your blush, I can tell you've thought about it at least..." She humored, chuckling softly as she pinched at her cheek.

Hana let go of her hair and copied Hiroe's finger point. Her face lit up with embarrassment and she gently tapped Hiroe's hand away from her cheek.

"I do not have options, unfortunately." Hana said and then sighed, a small shy smile on her face. "And yes, you are right. I have thought about it. I would like to know what it feels like to go on a real date or find someone who cares for me, but I do not think I will be that lucky, so I prefer to keep desires for romance suppressed."

"Nonsense, I say! Nonsense!"

Hiroe waved her hand dismissively in response to the woman's blatant display of downplaying herself. From one woman to another, she undoubtedly felt Hana was an extremely attractive woman. Didn't have options? Don't think she'd be that lucky? Bull. All of it. Humility was certainly something to be admired, of course, but Hana wasn't even attempting that. Her grin widened, canting her head to the side.

"You're a pretty lady, Hana. Come on now. There are probably a few men just waiting to ask you out."

Then, a thought suddenly rose unbidden in Hiroe's mind. As if a lightbulb went off in her head, she snapped her fingers, pointing her finger toward the woman.

"You. Me. Traveling the Seireitei in search of men. And your role in all of that? Hitting them with the "are you single" question. If their single, there is no way they'll turn a beautiful lady like you down. I'll be your wingwoman, so you don't have to worry about getting discouraged. Sound good?"

For a moment, Hana's blush lessened, but Hiroe's compliment just brought it back, along with a true smile that shined bright. Compliments like that were not a common occurance for Hana, but when they happened, they brought her joy.

Before she had a chance to reply, Hiroe's idea bulb turned on and what came out of her mouth was shocking to Hana. It was a good kind of shocking, because Hana couldn't stop giggling at the idea. It was so silly, and crazy.

"You and I just asking random men?" Hana said, shaking her head with a wide smile on her face. "I do not think that will work very well. What if we ask a psychopath? Or they are not my type at all..." Hana blinked, realizing something. "Do I have a type? I should probably figure that out... What's your type again? Let's hope we do not share a romantic type, otherwise we will argue over them all. Haha."

"Listen, listen... if we run into a psychopath, I'll just kick the guy's ass. What matters is that you're getting out there and being a little spontaneous, you know?"

Hiroe was overwhelmingly confident in her belief that their bold trip would merit success. She genuinely thought Hana was an attractive woman, and there was no doubt in the world that an equally attractive man wouldn't be rearing to sweep her off of her feet. At the end of the day, what mattered most here is that they possessed the genuine intent to make the attempt. Hana would never know who mister right was if she didn't humor the thought of exploring the matter. Concerning her own romantic interest, Hiroe pondered her answer for a moment before expressing her interests in men.

"Handsome. Strong. Determined. Maybe someone a little like me honestly, one who supports my dream as much as I'd support them. My taste in men isn't really too complicated. If their charming and kind of flirty, that's a plus."

"Spontaneous?" That word never described anything that Hana did. Even when she was trying something new, it was calculated, thought out over and over again. Nothing was unplanned, never a surprise. Things that went unplanned felt like chaos to Hana, sometimes terrifying. Maybe being spontaneous would help...

"Handsome, strong, and confident?" Hana looked at her friend with a "that is so you" type attitude. Hiroe never seemed to overthink anything. She very much lived in the moment. It was something Hana admired about her.

"I find myself with a long list of no's, yes's, and maybe's when I think about this kind of thing," Hana said, but she sounded disappointed in herself. "I feel judgy and picky. For example, I remember making a list that required a height that did not make me feel like I needed to be picked up to kiss him, and I wanted a gentle smile, eyes that made me feel safe when he looked at m-... You see, this is so... bad! Ugh! I sound like I am reading a romance novel checklist. I do not know where to start."

"Not a fan of tall men, eh? I think the thought of you being picked up to get smooched is a friggin' riot, honestly. C'mere Hana, come over here so I can pick you up like my kid and give you a couple o' smoochies! Mwah, Mwah~"

Playfully mocking her companion, Hiroe loosed another guffaw from her throat as she slapped at her legs. It was an entertaining thought to imagine, doubly so when figuring out the woman's ideal type. Who would she enjoy? Who would she date? Who did she desire? Ahhh, enough of sitting around here and chewing on snacks! Rising up from her chair, Hiroe grinned as she seized Hana's arm, pointing toward the door. The day was still young, barely close to lunch time. Why not indulge themselves in a bit of chaos? Who knows what could sprout from their(her) spontaneous actions? Worth a shot, right? Of course it was. Pulling her through the door, Hiroe would set out, eyes surveying the Seireitei for a man worth Hana's affections.

"We're off! I can't wait any longer. We're doing this now. The Hana Relationship Arc begins today! Hahahahaha!"