bakerstreet | Little Steps

Little Steps

little steps

No matter how much they care for the other person and want to be with them, some people simply can't dive head first into relationships. Little things that form intimacy and romance, little acts we take for granted - being close, holding hands, kissing, showing affection in public - they won't or can't do...at least not right off the bat. Something in their past, their experiences, their trauma, or even their personality holds them back. For both them and the person they're "dating," as it were, this can lead to a frustrating experience.

Still, steps can be taken towards letting the walls fall down. Little, tiny steps, but those can mean the world all the same.

The People
One With the help of a partner, one person warms up.
Two Both sides of this couple are learning how to be in a relationship and to be open.

The Actions
Talking → A relationship can't exist if there's not some communication, so either learn to use your words or become so close you can speak without them.
Spending Time → Even such mundane occurrences as watching TV or cooking together is new ground.
Touching → You might just find you enjoy reaching out and touching them.
Kissing → Another kind of touch, when you think about it.
Cuddling → ...at least they're warm and, hopefully, soft.
Sleeping → You're at your absolute weakest when you're asleep. It shows trust to doze off around this person.
Public Display → It's one thing to be in love in private, but showing you care in public is a different story.
Kind Words → Three little words (more or less) are all it takes. Why, then, are they so hard to get out?
Sex → The ultimate stumbling block to some. To be laid blissfully bare is to truly let your guard down.

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[ Oh, you wanted them lower? All you had to do was ask! Mari happily adjusts to wrap around Kanan's waist instead, squeezing tight. ]

No can do! See, it's your punishment for failing my quiz. [ A low giggle, and she kisses the edge of Kanan's jaw. ] You'll just have to endure, Contestant Matsuura.

[Her sigh is harried, defeated. At the rate they're going, allowing Mari to do however she likes is an increasingly viable possibility.]

Then. [She angles her head, looking on Mari's side.] Won't you tell me the standard answer?

[The game show analogy wore out its welcome long ago, but she'll roll if they are sticking to it.]

[ Letting Mari do however she likes, at the end of the day, is the only real viable possibility. It's just that sometimes, it takes six or seven calls -- or the physical equivalent thereof -- to get people to see that.

But Mari can be pretty patient when she wants to be, so she doesn't mind waiting. ]

Mm... [ Is she contemplating it that seriously, or just distracted by how soft Kanan's skin feels, and how nice she smells? ... The latter, definitely the latter. The way she breathes her in is a dead giveaway. ] For which question?

[One? Pick only one?

The sense that she is a next, if yet conscious, meal being toyed with hasn't lessened.

How troublesome.]

Wait, I got this. Uhh...R-E-L-L-I...

[The sounds of Mari's breathing are certainly slowing her down.]

Bzzt. [ She blows a hot, reprimanding breath against the side of Kanan's neck. Come on, what would Dia say? Honestly. ]

You're really bad at this, you know that?

[Score two for leaving her hair down the rest of her life.

She'd made the mistake of inhaling right when Mari chose to blow on her neck, the hitch, the slow and forced swallowing thereafter, would be obvious.]

Why else do you think I'm getting the simplest out of the way first?

[Justification for her claim to the answer. LOGIC.]

[ A snort. ] I meant you're bad at that, too.

[ With that, she loosens her hold -- just enough to lean back, now looking Kanan in the eye. ] I feel sorry for you not getting a single one right, so I'll help, okay? Just repeat after me. R, A, L, L, I...

Hah? [Here it comes, the return of the dubious expression.]

Did you say "A"? That makes no sense. [Translation: SOUNDS FAKE BUT OK.

A shame they'd called Dia earlier. She's sorely tempted to get backup from Dia anyway, against her better judgment.

Between the inevitable wrath (and endless nagging) of Dia and FAKE BUT OK, however, it wouldn't hurt (so much) to play along.] ...R-A-L-L-I...

[ Are you really going to make this into an argument, Kanan? Because only one person here lived in America until elementary school and then for another two years during highschool, and that wasn't you.

--Is what Mari may well have resorted to saying, except Kanan seems to be going with it anyway! Wonderful. Now, where were they? I... ]

... Love, [ she punctuates that one with a peck to Kanan's lips, ] You. [ And one more. ]

[ And she pulls back. ]

-- Whoopsie, silly me! There's no U in caterpillar, backwards or forwards! ♪

[_{_AA}A^{^AA}A_AA^A

What actually explodes out of her, in a less impressive display:] Y-You tricked me!

[Couldn't keep the stutter from showing, this time. Ugh. She huffs, frustrated as much at herself as with Mari.]

Seriously, if you just wanted to make me say it...

[ The accusation only makes Mari look all the more pleased-- until that last little addition, which instantly flips her self-satisfied grin into a scowl. She claps her hands around Kanan's cheeks, hard, pulling her in until their noses are barely an inch apart.

And she stares into her eyes with the sort of no-nonsense glare that'd make even Dia a little pale in the face. ]

Kanan.

I asked.

[-- all you had to do was get the vocal recordings from Riko, was how she originally planned to finish with. But that would exacerbate things, and they don't need any further exacerbating.]

Yeah. You did. [Fine. Fine!! Maybe she should have put a later expiry date on it!!!

UGH.]

[ Squeezing her cheeks a little harder -- good thing they're so soft and squishy. ] So? Are you going to say it back, or should I call Dia again?

[ Because at this point, it'd almost definitely be easier to get Kanan's confession from her. ]

Hnnngh.

[It isn't even so much the prospect of Dia (although the threat is, indeed, threatening). It's the extra complication she has in mouthing the syllables. Squeezing an answer out of somebody wasn't supposed to be literal!

Still, when has she ever known Mari to go about any task the conventional way.]

Iloveyou. [More like "ah 'hwuh ghyeh". An Effort Was Made.]

That doesn't even sound like anything!

[ Oh. Right. Kanan's face, she might need it. Mari'll let up... a bit. ]

Now do it properly!

[s q u i n t.

Suddenly reminded of the Oharas' many, many pets. Is this how Mari housetrains them...]

I love you.

[Contrary to popular (mis)belief, the prior attempt did not make the current one less stressful at all.]

[ Well, you can be sure none of Mari's actual dolphins ever gave her half this much grief. It's worth it, though, if the thousand-watt intensity with which her face lights up is any indication. ]

Really, really?

[ It's not that she needs the reassurance, but. Indulge her? ]

Really.

[A single word, and she feels as if she has reached a lifetime's quota of embarrassment. And commitment. And plenty else which falls under the umbrella of complicated feelings in general. But if it means having Mari smile at her like this, it's alright -- better than alright.]

I was waiting for a more suitable time and place to tell you, but. [Yeah.]

Hee!

[ That single word, amazingly, makes Mari's grin grow even bigger. She releases her hold on Kanan's face in full, so she can instead wrap her arms around her again -- they'll both need it for support, as she lets her body fall forward against Kanan. ]

Geez, like when? You know it's not some big secret, right?

It's not, huh. [As long as she didn't legitimize the declaration by putting it across in unequivocal terms, though, they could deny it, or rather, Mari could always deny it were she thus inclined. Mari always had the option, the chance, to stop her if she so wished.

Not anymore.]

I still think my birthday would've been good. [A birthday. Not necessarily the birthday next year.]

[ This again... That's the thing about Kanan logic, it's every bit as befuddling the second time around. And for Mari to not get it, that's gotta be, like, pretty befuddling. ] I was thinking this since earlier, but what kind of person confesses on their own birthday? A confession is basically a gift, right, so if anything you should've given it on my birthday! Duh!

I didn't want to scare you off. Those are... [She fidgets with the ends of Mari's hair, a tic cultivated unwittingly ever since she had once again gotten used to holding Mari in her arms on a regular basis. Occupying her hands helps her think.] Important words. Not to be used lightly.

Telling you on your birthday would put you on the spot.

[And surely Mari understands why she won't have that.]

Huhhh... [ Mari blinks slowly, glance flickering between Kanan's face and the fingers twirling her hair.

Really? That's why?

Her brow pinches. ]

You're so weird, Kanan. [ It's chiding, but soft. ] Did you think there's any way I wouldn't want to hear it? I mean... [ Her hold around her tightens a moment. ] Would you hug someone you don't like? [ One hand lets go then, taking hold of Kanan's own, lacing their fingers together to still the fidgeting. ] Or hold hands with someone you don't like? Or...

[ Lowering her head, Mari gently presses her lips over Kanan's knuckles. ] Kiss someone you don't like?

[She's chuckling when she makes use of their reversed height difference to kiss the wrinkle between Mari's brows, appeasing, willing it to smooth out.

Of course Mari would find the most straightforward solution.]

Coming from you? Takes one to know one, weirdo.

Have I not been showing enough interest in you to your satisfaction? Hmm?

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