bakerstreet | ( picture prompt meme )

[Are they okay? Maybe her uncertainty is clear from her face, even while she smiles and sets her hand on Mari's, with intention to soothe even though it feels more like an admission of her own vulnerability. Don't be nervous. Don't be sad. Although actions come easier than words, to not say a thing --

Mari's hands are so cold. Because of her.

So much for not belittling her feelings.

And she can't bear to see Mari hurt. And, even if only once, she wants to live up to the sort of person Mari has said she is.]

You're...I...I am dense, aren't I. [Her grip tightens.] It never occurred to me you thought of us in that way. But that's no excuse.

Please, let me do right by you from here on.

[ Mari swallows. Kanan sounds so-- serious. And her hand is steady around hers, and warm, and Mari is made instantly and acutely aware of how sticky her own hand must be making it. But she really, really doesn't want to pull away.

For what it's worth, her skin's growing hotter by the second. ]

Then-- then you don't mind? [ No, ugh, that's not clear-cut enough-- ] I mean, could I... kiss you?

[ Her voice drops to a very tiny mumble at the end, there. Almost funny, this timidness, for how shamelessly affectionate she is the rest of the time. ]

[The "no" she was about to say morphs into an undignified croak as Kanan's mind finally catches up with her ears, processing the whisper they had strained to take in.]

Isn't that... [Going too fast?

Or is it, in a friendship -- relationship??? -- founded on and maintained by every other conceivable gesture of affection already?]

Um, if, _{if you want?}

[Flushing and stammering. The perfect combination. Very smooth.]

[ Mari's no better. All the thoughts inside her head have deteriorated into a single endless string of oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, and the absolute most she can manage is staring up at Kanan's face while squeezing her hand far too tight for comfort. ]

Th... tha... [ Her tongue is heavy and stupid. She can't get the words out.

But then-- in an instant, her eyes snap wide open, and she scrambles to her feet, pointing at the window behind Kanan's head-- ]

Aaaahh!! That's our stop, that's our stop!

[The following events happen about simultaneously.

1. Kanan reflexively whips around to look out the window.
2. Mari standing, however, throws her off balance in the other direction.
3. The bus driver, a considerate gentleman who deserves better than a pair of dumb kids who neglected to ring the stop bell, brakes when he hears Mari cry out.

The end result: Kanan slips sideways and her forehead smacks into the window ledge with a loud thump. (ฅฅ;;;;) how much more abuse must her face suffer today.]

-- Kanan! [ That's a wholly separate kind of 'oh my god' as Mari reaches down, pulling her away from the window just a little too frantically to be gentle. ] Are you okay?!

[It's a short while till her eyes refocus; and, raising her fingers to touch the large red imprint on her forehead, she can already expect the bump sure to form to turn out quite nasty.]

I think. [The pain is terrible, yet she forces herself to rub at the tender area anyway.] I've got ointment in my first aid kit...we should alight first.

[She can stand. Good enough.]

Right, right! There we go! [ She supports Kanan with an arm at her waist as they step off the bus, Mari calling out a loud, cheery thank you at the driver that comes out just a little bit strained. The frown of concern is back on her features the moment the doors close behind them, and the bus putters away. ]

We can take care of it at the hotel, too. [ It's close -- closer than Kanan's house, though not so much of a difference that would make returning there impractical, if she so wished. ] Put a compress on it...

[A grunt in reply, to indicate that yes, she's listening.]

My forehead must look pretty bad, huh... [If she agrees, they'll cause the hotel staff undue alarm. Or be the subject of gossip, even. On the other hand, if she goes straight home...explaining the circumstances around how she got such a noticeable bruise is a tribulation in itself, when her family can see through any untruth and/or omission of detail on her part.

Not that she won't tell them about Mari, it's just...

What a pickle. The mere thought makes her headache worse.]

Your staff is going to think I was beat up or something.

[ Hmmm... a tricky situation indeed. She wouldn't want to cause her darling staff members any concern, nor any embarrassment for her darling Kanan! Mari ponders this for a solid fifteen seconds, before being struck by revelation: ] Oh! No problem! You see... Yakuza!

[Her pause is long enough to rival Mari's. Was that knock on the head harder than it initially felt?

Yakuza?]

No, I don't see.

Yes! They jumped out of the bushes, all ooooossu!!, seven feet tall including that mullet! Having undoubtedly heard of my family's riches, they were looking to abduct me for ransom, but you stepped in to protect me and suplexed them a good ten feet away! The only blow they managed to land on you was that! It was all very heroic! Dashing!

[ She's definitely watched something like this in a movie at least once. Probably? Anyway. ]

With this, there's nothing to worry about, right? ♥

[She's laughing from the mental image, which might be a bad idea. Okay, she does see.]

I doubt there are any yakuza all the way out here in Numazu. [snrk] It's a great story, though.

[With holes big enough to sit in.] I wish I'd videoed that.

[ Ha! Made you smile. ] Ah, the tragedy! It's always the greatest heroes that go unsung--!

[ She grins, taking hold of Kanan's hand. ] But standing around here talking isn't going to make that bump any smaller, so we'd best get going, hmm?

How can I possibly turn down such a compassionate offer?

[The explanation to her family is a problem she'll chew on in the meantime.]

Much obliged, Miss Ohara.

It's the least I could do for my valiant savior!

[ Off to the hotel they go, then. Mari's sure to match her pace to Kanan's, watching for any signs of dizziness, not letting go of that hand until they've safely arrived. The hotel staff express sincere yet polite concern without being overly inquisitive -- they've seen the two of them arrive with skinned elbows and bruised knees enough times over the better part of a decade. Once Mari assures them there's nothing to worry about and that Kanan will be taken care of in short order, they ask no further questions, and the yakuza tale goes regrettably untold.

Once they're inside Mari's suite at last, she sits Kanan down by the living room table, then scuttles off to the bathroom. She's quick to return, dropping a couple of pills into Kanan's palm-- ] Here, for the pain-- [ before reaching up to apply the compress to the sore spot. ] Careful, it's cold!

[ ... she says helpfully, the very same moment she presses it into her skin. ]

Uaahhhh!

[Startled, Kanan nearly spills the painkillers. The cold's not so bad in itself, she just wasn't prepared.] Mari!!

...Aw, sheesh. You got me there.

[What's done is done. Still wincing a little, she tests the compress to make sure it stays (it does), then washes the pills down with sips from her water bottle.]

Heehee, oops! [ She could really stand to sound more apologetic there... regardless, Mari watches Kanan intently as she takes her pills, with the kind of look that can only come from honest concern. ]

How are you feeling? Is the pain bad? Dizziness, nausea? Ah-- [ She sticks her hand out milimeters from Kanan's face, two fingers curled in towards her palm-- ] How many fingers am I holding up right now?!

[Slowly...backing away...] Three?

[Has Mari been watching those medical dramas with more drama than medicine.]

I figure it'd be worse if I hit the back of my head. Only hurts here [a gesture at the compress], and I'm not even bleeding or anything.

[Cracking a wry smile.] Thickheadedness does have some uses, eh?

Good! Looks like that funny little bump is the only thing to worry about, then.

[ She grins back at that last bit. Ooh, ooh, she has one too! ] Well--! At the very least, you've gotta admit that confession had a real impact!

Yup, one of your greatest hits.

[Mari had confessed to her. Mari had confessed to her. Mari had confessed to her.

The thought, despite -- or perhaps because -- of the time it had taken to settle, and actual confirmation; still is so incredible, too good to be true. And yet, it is true. No two ways about it.]

...You were so brave back there. I kinda ruined the atmosphere, though.

Edited (punctuation...) 2016-10-24 06:12 (UTC)

[ Mari's grin slants with timidness, and she combs a hand through her hair. Geez, if you flatter her for something like that... she laughs, but it stutters a bit. ]

It's fine, it's fine! It was actually kind of a relief, you know? Of all the times to hit your head, I'd say you picked just the right one!

?

[A relief?]

If you say so. Not like I was planning on doing that, either. [Who does?]

[ She bumps Kanan's shoulder lightly with her own. ] I'm joking, so don't give me that look.

But it's true that I was really super-nervous, and wasn't sure what I should do next... so in that regard, it made things a bit easier. [ ... Maybe not that much of a joke, then. ]

[An observation she makes, too, but doesn't voice.]

I wouldn't know what to do either.

[She deliberates over her next words briefly.] Did I make you feel pressurized? Uncomfortable?

[Let me help fix this, is what she's trying to say.]

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