Changing Diet (Hiroi/Kimitsuki)

"Kimitsuki! I'm bored!"

Sitting, legs splayed, hunched back, and face contorted, Hiroi couldn't help herself but complain about the situation at hand. She had followed after the redhead to watch her train, but Hiroi doesn't have the aptitude for sitting still for too long. After only 30 minutes, she became restless, and it's only fair she relates her woeful state to every close by. It just so happens that Kimitsuki is the only person around.

Strangely enough, it was weird for Hiroi to even be out here. Rarely has the gal shown interest in following after Kimitsuki when the Danava goes out to train, opting to stay indoors and waste away in her room. Hiroi has been doing that a lot lately. Her room has become an estrange sanctum where few ever travel. It's unclear what's been going on in there, but something must have occurred for Hiroi's change in behavior.

Erm?

Well, it's not like she's seeing anything particularly new. However, Kimitsuki's density was always cumbersome. That still proves true now. In all honesty, without diving into the real reason Hiroi followed after Kimitsuki, she had grown a bit curious about the Danava's training regime. She may have also wanted to see Kimitsuki just because as well. Hiroi'd never admit that despite her rather provocative speaking patterns though.

It just didn't help her that she had been staring a bit every now and then, and that she had let intrusive thoughts bother her. Even without an insatiable hunger, Hiroi still could not escape that intrinsic desire to taste whatever she found acceptable. Kimitsuki is someone she finds more than acceptable. The problem here is evident.

It doesn't help that the dumb redhead lacked common sense at times. Hiroi's not strong enough to keep her composure whenever Kimitsuki decides to place hands on her. That sweat looked salty, and Hiroi couldn't help but think about how she enjoyed putting salt on certain meals, and that lead to thoughts about how this and that would taste, and it's better if the scene's left unexplored.

"Ah- Oh! Train? Me? Ah- Uhhhhhhhhh... I guess?"

Well, her broken brain pushed aside, Hiroi did come out here. She's never trained per say. Her strengths had lied with her abilities. She has always lacked physical prowess outside of her ability to mimic animals, so she's unsure how well she'd do with exerting her poor flabby muscles.

There's oblivious, and then there's stupid.

Kimitsuki is somehow both. There's no way she's ignorant to how all of this would affect someone! Hiroi, who used to be mentally handicapped, could understand the issue with how Kimitsuki's interacting with her. Why couldn't the Danava? No. Kimitsuki understood perfectly that she's leading the poor slob along. It all started after Hiroi recovered from that accident that felt ancient. No, again. This has been a thing since Hiroi was a Danava.

Sometimes Hiroi did think back to then, wondering if she could ever regain that driving purpose again. Of course, that eternal hunger was a curse, but it was something that made Hiroi more than a lazy loser. Not to say that's what's held her up in her room, but her uselessness has made her less than willing to be around. It's hard to not think she's just been in the way lately.

That's why she got up as Kimitsuki bought up training. She'd never admit that's why she disturbed Kimitsuki's training or why she even came with the redhead. After thinking for so long, she had decided to try and do something, or see if she even could. The easiest way to do so is to train, right? She's never trained before, but it can't be that hard, right? She probably should have bothered someone besides Kimitsuki though. There's an obvious reason why, and Hiroi is actively trying her best to not acknowledge the redhead walking around the way she is.

But, again, you can't really ignore someone who's right there in your face. Hiroi kept quiet though, letting Kimitsuki take her hand and put the sword in it. It feels weird to hold, top heavy and whatnot. There are a lot of top heavy things that are probably weird to hold..., and Hiroi's mind is soured again. Her face, slowly turning red, turned as her fingers tightened around the sword's hilt.

Attraction comes from a lot of things. Hiroi had tried to separate the desperation she felt as a Danava from how she feels now. Back then, her feelings for Kimitsuki were toxic, fueled by a need for attention that none had ever gave her. The endless hunger she had made it worse until it became an obsession that Hiroi was sure would have turned deadly.

Time has made it clear that Hiroi is still attracted to Kimitsuki, even without the Kiga aspect of her. Of course, that understanding didn't come over night. It was a slow burn with Hiroi seeing other people attractive too, like Hiroe or Abalia. However, their attraction were more in the moment tinges while Kimitsuki is a constant fire in her chest. Hiroi's not stupid enough to not recognize that she's still vying for the Danava's attention.

Kimitsuki's suddenly aware of it too. Guess after avoiding the redhead as she had, even that fire starter would notice Hiroi's nervous behavior. Hiroi could kind of see that Kimitsuki's trying to be less provocative, but that made it clear that they've both become aware of something neither have yet to say.

The new sword is appreciated, but Hiroi didn't like what came next. She had hardly paid attention to the lesson because of the tense air, but Kimitsuki made it impossible to not pay attention. There are a lot of things in Hiroi's head, and she had steeled herself to keep it hidden. Kimitsuki's sudden insistence broke that dam in her head, and she couldn't stop her mouth as words flowed free.

"I'm sorry, Kimitsuki. I'm useless, and stupid, and weak, and a burden, and greedy, and a slob, and a good for nothing loser."

Yeah. Hiroi has spent days thinking about how she's been doing nothing but causing trouble one way or another. She followed after Kimitsuki to Soul Society and almost killed someone Kimitsuki came to like because of jealous feelings. Even after that, she's done nothing, nothing at all.

"You're done so much for me, and I've not done anything to thank you. All I've ever done is cause trouble. I can't even protect myself. I don't know what I want to do with myself. Every time I think about it, I can only think about you, but I don't want the only thing I want to just be you."

She then blushed, deeper than she ever had before, turning her head and wishing she could just rip her hand free and run away.

"I mean... I want you, but I just want to know what else I can do besides vie for your attention like a child. I've been thinking what I should do to become a bit more deserving of it, but my head's just blank..."

"...Eh?"

Hiroi had listened, even let Kimitsuki pull her face, but the silence that fell between them dragged as Hiroi's conscious caught up to what just happened. Kimitsuki talks too much, but Hiroi can't get mad. She started it. Besides, her sudden rise in temperature wasn't from Kimitsuki's fire.

"W-Wait! You can't just- Ah!"

Exploding with a shrill to her voice, Hiroi jumped, her hair practically bouncing as she turned her face from Kimitsuki again. This time, she actually got away from the redhead's grasp and started flailing her arms just a bit, almost like she's connected invisible dots around her. Here she is, trying to get through her complicated feelings while Kimitsuki, bless her heart, is just as plain as a wooden plank.

"Kimitsuki!" Hiroi stammered, taking her revenge by grabbing the dunce by the face, squishing that smiling face.

"You think you're cool, like some Prince Charming or something? Take you on dates and crap, eh? My heart can't take it."

Pouting with wet eyes, Hiroi hated how much her chest burned. She'd rather taste Kimitsuki's actual fire than this, but this is just something she has to deal with now, huh? Maybe this'll get easier, but if Kimitsuki's going to be this blunt with her affections, Hiroi can already tell she's going to need a chalk to keep from getting heart burn.