The scariest moment is always just before you start.
— Stephen King (via megdegrant)
Yoshiko, at her most vulnerable, was one of the key highlights Kanan loves when she teases her. The adorable blush she makes whenever she became frustrated or embarrassed never failed to make Kanan smile. Unlike what others perceived her as; odd, those unique aspects of her, Kanan found early charming. Her demanding attitude combined with her bold confidence shook Kanan to the core. During their secluded moments, they'd shared together, Yoshiko's open-minded manner and insistence on sharing intimate details about her worries took the breath right out of Kanan's chest.
Yoshiko had always thought she'd be alone, with nobody to love her. Kanan proved her wrong when she confessed to Yoshiko.
"I really like being with you, okay? Not many people could handle someone like me." She spoke as if them dating were a bad thing. She meant no harm but in Kanan's eyes, every word she uttered with mirrored her own self-insecurities. Those same emotions bubbled in Kanan's heart and without thinking, she caught Yoshiko's kiss in a heated kiss, pushing her down on the bed squarely in the center and shifting her knee between Yoshiko's legs when Yoshiko grasp the corners of her shoulder.
The bed shook beneath her feet, her lip trembled. Would Yoshiko push her away for randomly coming onto her? She felt the pull of anxiety threaten to spill but her concerns were easily dashed when Yoshiko gingerly wrapped her arms and kissed with slow vigor. Kanan couldn't muster the courage to tell her but a small part of her felt like Yoshiko understood her words. Between their proximity, the rush of emotions broke from within Yoshiko. Small hiccups erupted from Yoshiko's lips when Kanan pressed near her skin, licking the stray tear away.
It tasted faintly of salt.
"You're doing great, really great Yoshiko." Kanan flashed her a bright smile in between kisses, resting her hand on Yoshiko's flushed cheeks as she pulled the basil blanket over their bodies. "There's no need to cry." Her head bumped against Yoshiko's forehead; fingers cupping her cheek while Kanan slipped her hand in Yoshiko's own, beaming.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." her voice stopped mid-sentence, and Kanan understood.
"You don't have to say anything. Go back to sleep."
"Are you sure?"
Kanan nodded. "I don't mind. I'll stay here with you."
"But..."
"It's okay. I couldn't sleep anyway."
Kanan appreciated the shy facade in Yoshiko, even if half the time she couldn't decipher what the younger girl said. It was the thought that counts. At least that's what Kanan had in mind.
Trust was a two-way street.
She had decided long ago to shower Yoshiko with love so much, Yoshiko would grow to hate it. It was precisely when Valentine's day came, Kanan finally decided Yoshiko's gift.
Chocolate.
She knew Yoshiko had a keen sense of taste, primarily with spices so Kanan deliberately switched sugar with spice. The desirable chocolate was reserved for the best of the best. Spending countless times in the kitchen only made it more trying when her handiwork was possibly going to become the best chocolate Kanan could have done. Shifting her focus over to the kitchen counter, Kanan slid open the oven door and placed the tray of chocolates in the oven.
Once done, she slouched into the rear, finally able to breathe peacefully, wiping her head with the back of her hand. Kanan glanced back at the time, numbers displaying across the timer's surface. It couldn't have been no more than a mere ten minutes but already, anxiety began to creep in. quickly departing from the chair, she strolled towards the kitchen and opened the oven to take another closer look.
"Still not ready…" she mumbled.
A scowl etched its way across Kanan's features as she closed the oven door gingerly, making her way back to the dinner table. Kanan slumped her arm on the surface and sighed. She only hoped everything would turn out right. Or at least, the way she wanted it too. Yoshiko at times was very difficult to please, so Kanan had to put in the extra work to surprise the younger girl. She tapped her finger on the hard table, puckering her lips while she toyed with the hem of the ribbons sprayed across the table. Eventually, the timer dinged and Kanan perked up, her eyes landing on the tray of sweets before her.
Maybe there was hope, after all.
Quickly, Kanan grabbed the oven mitts and placed them on, happily making her way to the oven and swiftly pulled the tray of steaming hot biscuits from out the corridor and dropped it gently on the cold surface of the kitchen table. Next to the tray was a chocolate gun designed especially for decorating cakes. Kanan had removed the handle and easily made it into a frost from which she could squeeze the excess chocolate on.
Kanan chuckled faintly. "Guess it's time to get to work." She rolled up her shelves and prepared for what she would deem an amusing hour to say in the least.
Shuffling over to the dining table, she retrieved the final bits of materials needed to complete her final task; decorating the treats. While she waited for the tray to cool, she grabbed the mixing bowl and opened the top cabin of the drawer to pull out a mini-sized box of frosting; specifically, black frosting and rainbow sprinkles rested near her hand.
Apparently, Yoshiko had made it very clear she preferred dark matters of the supernatural when they went on their first date. Even now, Kanan gingerly recalled Yoshiko's energetics confidence when she had asked what cookies she wanted during their trip to the bakery. Bottom line, Kanan had Yoshiko all figured out.
Or, so she thought. Yoshiko was strange although Kanan liked a little diversity in her girlfriend. She was cute that way.
Kanan's lips were drawn in a flustered smirk as she blew into her hands, trying desperately to suppress the nervous butterflies seemingly dancing around her stomach. Never had Kanan experienced anything so baffling like this, except for the time she had her first kiss. Then again, Yoshiko had initiated the kiss since Kanan acted like a shy teenager.
"Meet me after school in the classroom," was Kanan's only reply to Yoshiko after they met for their early stroll to school.
This is way more embarrassing than I thought it would be…Kanan sighed for what felt like the hundred time. Valentine's day was fast approaching, no idea of what to get for Yoshiko, but this. She squeezed the bag tightly, its familiar wrapping crinkling in her hands. The door slammed to the side with Yoshiko strolling her way in unannounced, a smug grin plastered on her lips.
"You called me for this?" Yoshiko chuckled, looking up and down Kanan's body. She talked towards Kanan's form, with the slow of her hips, then stopped when she glanced at Kanan's nervous expression. "Come on, out with it."
"Close your eyes and hold out your hands," Kanan ordered. Yoshiko obeyed, holding her hands before Kanan's form and humming. Kanan swallowed hard before pushing the treats to Yoshiko's hands. "I m-made these for you."
Yoshiko accepted the gift quietly, eyes scanning over the dark-colored cookies beneath her palms. She undid the pink ribbon perched on the top and plucked one of the cookies before plopping it to her mouth. A delighted hum escaped her lips as she nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad. Not bad at all little demon."
"Oh…"
"What?"
"Nothing…I wasn't expecting you to say that."
"Well, that's extremely rude of you to say that." Yoshiko shook her head disappointingly.
"I-I didn't mean anything against you, it's just…" Kanan replied. she swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing. As embarrassing as it was, she needed to rid her consciousness. "Look what I wanted to say is, from here on out I'll continue giving you stuff like this for the next holidays and the next and so on." She averted Yoshiko's surprised face, hiding with the rise of her hand, the back of her palm passing over her lips in a nervous manner.
"Even on Christmas?" She challenged.
"Y-yeah. I'll make you a nice Christmas dinner for you and we can decorate the Christmas tree in my house."
Yoshiko pondered for a second, rubbing her chin. The thought didn't sound half bad, and she enjoyed eating her girlfriend's meals. "How long are you willing to do that?"
How long? Kanan's soft gaze shifted to greet Yoshiko's eyes, uneasiness plastered on her face. she reached forward, cupping Yoshiko's cheek gently while she spoke in a determined voice. "For the rest of our lives."
Yoshiko snickered. "Then…" She straightened her feet and inches closer, resting her arms loosely on the soles of Kanan's shoulders, leaning close while she pressed a chaste kiss to Kanan's lips and bit her lower lip. in response, Kanan flinched, "How cute… you still blush whenever we kiss."
"That's because I like kissing you," Kanan blushed.
Yoshiko rolled her eyes. "What a charmer." She added. Anyways, do you have a clear idea as to what you want for white's day?"
Kanan beamed. "You." She chuckled warmly, leaning down to steal a kiss from Yoshiko.
Today wasn't such a bad Valentines day, after all.
Not when Kanan got to steal kisses from Yoshiko.
Her eyes were sparkling in elation, arms wrapped firmly around Yoshiko's waist as she leaned in for another eager kiss, lips curled in a tender smile when Yoshiko whispered in her arms, "We'll figure it out. we have all the time in the world."