<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/6gHyA34.jpg)</div><strong><span class="bbc_u">Kugetsuki Shiori</span></strong>(https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=236641.msg11654413#msg11654413)<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Kirigakure, North Gate<br/><strong>Tag:</strong>Kita Seiji, Kita Tomo, Zato Ichimaru<br/><hr/><br/>Shiori cast her the blind swordsman a slight smirk instinctively, even though she was aware he couldn't see it. She obviously wouldn't mind him relying on her, as she let him know with a soft, slightly bemused hum. "That sounds good. We'll meet there then, early this evening." She nodded as she reaffirmed the commitment, bowing her friendly politeness, as she prepared to see them off. "I hope your visit goes well! Please have a pleasant time!"<br/><br/>-- --<br/><br/>"Oh! There it is again." The young Iryou-nin announced in a somewhat delightful tone, spotting a tiny stream coming up to the surface once more, flowing through one of the special channels that the village had running throughout, weaving together the underground rivers with the streets and pathways above. Although it was presented in a way to catch attention, each surface section was only a few meters long, if that. She wouldn't have had much insight into how they all fit together, had Ichimaru not filled her in on what was happening below them. She's since been keeping her eyes out for streams, which made for a welcome bit of entertainment. Kirigakure had it's own serene beauty about it, mysterious and subtle, with grand constructions seemingly sneaking up on it's view, emerging from the mists with more than a vague silhouette imprinted in the distance. Still, it wasn't one that anyone could appreciate from afar, thanks to the omnipresent mist. But, she imagined her companion wasn't much deterred by that.<br/><br/>Shiori enjoyed her walks quiet walks with Ichimaru. His keen senses were handy, and reminded her that there was much more to this world beyond what our sight could tell us, encouraging her to rely on her other senses more and to seek beyond what her own vision might had been telling her. But, it was hardly the only reason. It was also his stoic, peaceful manner. She enjoyed spending time with Tomo as well, as she could be a fun companion to let loose with, but she always felt a little pressure to try and entertain the lively kunoichi while she was with her, forcing her to be a little more assertive than she would otherwise be inclined to. Tomo was uncomfortable if she was straying on the quiet side, and needed to be regularly engaged to feel like her friend was enjoying herself. Not so with Ichimaru. Their time together often lingered off in period of silence, where they could wordlessly appreciate each other's company and speak at their leisure. As much as she enjoyed a little girl time with Tomo, she felt she could be a little more at ease like this.<br/><br/>Her dark blue eyes lifted towards her companion, smiling at him appreciatively briefly, but as she pulled her gaze away, she found her focus lingering a bit lower, focusing on his bicep, thinly veiled with the fishnet mesh. He got plenty of exercise nearly every day, training his kenjutsu to a fine art, but she hadn't really taken the time to appreciate the result, seeing as she saw him so often. His muscular prowess was certainly developing, wasn't it?<br/><br/><em>What would it be like to touch? Would it feel firm, if she were to run her fingers over it? Would the smoothness of his youthful skin give it soft sensation? If he were to hold her hand, would he squeeze her? Or would he be gentle with her? Would he lean into her?<br/><br/>Maybe she should ask to hold his hand, to find out. It doesn't have to be weird. Tomo grabbed his hand earlier, and he didn't seem to mind too much, as long as she wasn't yanking his arm. She's leaned on his arm before, as he has hers. Maybe she wouldn't have to ask. Their arms were already so close. So very close. They were practically holding hands already. She should just reach for it. It would work out. He trusts her. She trusted him. She cared about him. It's a little affection, nothing more. She yearned for companionship. Maybe he did too. Help each other out. Just reach for it.<br/><br/>Do it. Surrender to his strength. Grab it. Feel his warmth. Touch it. Accept the love. Take it. Let it fill your being.</em><br/><br/>A cautious flex of her wrist nearly allowed her hand to close the distance with his, her fingers extending out to slip into his...only to curl back into her palm, feeling the soft contours of her glove as she pulled back into a gentle fist, raising it up and brushing back her hair casually, clearing a bit of sweat from her hairline. "It's a bit humid, isn't it?" She asked, with a slight tinge of humor in her voice, playing off the unusual gesture, knowing he might had caught her movement.<br/><br/>When was the last time she fed? It had to be this morning, before they took off. It may had only been several hours, but she had been using her Wind release to clear the fog as they sailed and to help aid her movement. Maybe she was getting low again.<br/><br/>When she was hungry or tired, some really weird thoughts sometimes emerged. Temptations that she never had before. Not before that day, anyway. It was screwing with her mind, she knew. Trying to get her to feed on the largest sources of chakra. Still, it was hard to discern sometimes where the thoughts were coming from. It would be comforting to blame all of her disturbing thoughts and behaviors on her parasitic blood, but wouldn't that be awfully convenient for her, wouldn't it? To blame all her personal faults on her disease, and take none of the responsibility? Was it really that different than the strange tastes got from being hungry?  Or the weird fantasies that came out when someone needed intimacy? She was just tired, and hungry, wasn't she?<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote from: Zato Ichimaru</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"Mmm." Ichimaru suddenly licked his lips, "Something smells delicious."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Almost as if on cue, the swordsman chimed in, just as she questioned her own desires, letting his own hunger be known. Shiori blinked her eyes in surprise, but wasted little time in looking around. She hadn't noticed the scent before, but now that it was at her attention, she smell it very clearly. They had to be close to the source. "Yeah, it does. Looks like there's a stall here. Hold on a moment." Without much hesitation, she asked the girl for a couple of sample sticks, politely thanking her afterward, and turning towards her taller companion, offering him one of the samples to sate his appetite for the moment, taking care not to actually touch him.<br/><br/><em>So very close...</em><br/><br/>"<em>Mmm~!</em>It's pretty good! How about we settle here and have shrimp for lunch?" She asked in a girlishly delightful voice, even though she knew he would be up for it. As she peeled back the curtain, however, the pair of genin found that the small stall had quite a few customers already. Most of it's stalls were already taken by what looked to be fellow shinobi. They looked like they were having a good time, but this wasn't quite what they were looking for. As Zato-kun made a suggestion to take their leave, the petite brunette nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah. Maybe we should check the rendezvous point first, and come back later."<br/><br/>Before they could slip away unnoticed, however, one of the female members turned around, obviously intent on addressing them, lighting a slight blush on Shiori's cheeks. From the back, she seemed reasonably attired at a quick glance, but now that she was approaching them, she could clearly see the Kirigakure kunoichi was strutting around in little more than a vest, a bikini and some leg-wear. It startled her at first, but she had to admit, it made some sense, considering how close Kirigakure was surrounded by ocean and an abundance of large bodies of water. Walking around in scant cloth probably made it much easier to breath in this humid environment as well, considering how hot it felt under her own modest garments. But, with such intimate, shapely curves so plainly laid out, it made it hard to ignore, even for her. Yet another circumstance where she was glad to have a male companion who wouldn't be able to appreciate such embarrassing things.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote from: Kirigakure Jonin</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"Oh, more <em>visitors</em>!" She said, flashing a smile and a wink- her eyes were blue just like her hair, "I guess you two are just on a date and<em> totally</em> not here for the exams."</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/><em>Yes. Play along. Lean into your lover. Press yourself into his powerful physique.</em><br/><br/>"<em>N-No.</em>" Shiori answered, a bit more firmly than she intended, leading to a sheepishly self-aware smile, softly clearing her throat and hiding her mouth behind her gloved fingers as she attempted to regain her polite composure. "I hate to disappoint, but I'm afraid it's nothing that exciting. We were just walking by and found the aroma most alluring, so we decided to check it out. Sorry to disturb you." She explained, lowering her hands into her lap in a feminine manner and bowing a bit more formally towards her elder as she offered her apology. They were guests in this town, after all.