Summary: What can you give to your rich girlfriend for her birthday when she has everything one can think of? Kanan wonders, before a couple of blue haired and burgundy haired girls help her with it.
Kanan/Mari

Hugs

The soft pitter-patter of the rain bouncing against the ground resounds through the air, replacing the usual bustle filling the practice room around the present hours and which far from being filled of energetic melodies as it usually does, is filled with the most absolute silence after practice has been cancelled due to the rain.

And yet, there's a blue haired third year girl inside it, her head resting on one of her hands as she watches the rain falling outside. As she watches fixedly the drops perched on the windows racing between them as if they had the answer to her current dilemma, or the key to her predicament.

A sigh escapes her lips as Kanan keeps watching them, hoping they could help her to find a gift for her girlfriend whose birthday is just a couple of days away, having no idea of what to give Mari as a gift for it.

What do you gift somebody who is rich and probably has everything one can think of, or can easily get?

Kanan thinks as another sigh escapes her lips and she hunches over the table in the practice room to rest for a bit, closing her eyes to focus on the soft melody of the rain falling hoping it answers her problem.

Soon enough, a couple of muffled voices joins such a peaceful melody, footsteps resonating around, before the door of the practice room opens and Kanan opens her eyes to turn and look at the "intruders" still hunched over the table.

- Kanan-san.

Riko greets her with a timid smile while Yoshiko waves at her awkwardly.

- Good afternoon, Riko, Yoshiko. Practice has been cancelled today.

She tells the other girls in case they didn't know about the change of plans while she sits up, hearing Yoshiko snorting in return.

- Yeah, we know. But we need a place to stay and take shelter until it stops raining.

Kanan can only smile at the younger girl, before Riko chimes in kindly, each girl taking a seat beside her to keep her company.

- Are you also stuck in here because of the rain?

She asks amicably, and the older girl can't help but smile thinking how they might be the help and the answer she was looking for.

The couple of girls might not be as close to Mari as she and Dia are, but they're her beloved's sub-unit mates, part of Guilty Kiss, and she knows the great care the blonde has for them always trying to act like a good senpai to them trying to help them in her own very shiny way. Mari's words, not hers.

The older blue haired girl can only chuckle at this and shake her head, before she smiles at the couple softly.

- No. I'm afraid I was thinking about something.

This only makes the other two girls nod sympathetically, before Yoshiko chimes in.

- Tell me, little demon, what is that worries you and makes you be as gloomy as the day... Is there anything the great fallen angel Yohane can help you with?

Yoshiko asks pompously, eliciting a giggle from the burgundy haired girl at her other side as well as a smile from Kanan.

- Maybe she can. Both of you actually – Kanan answers with a smile, earning herself the attention of both girls – Mari's birthday is just a couple of days away, but I'm afraid I have no idea of what I can be giving her as a gift.

She confesses to them as she rubs the back of her head, seeing Yoshiko nodding with her arms crossed across her chest, before talking.

- What a terrible girlfriend you are, senpai.

She tells her as Riko gasps.

- Y-Yocchan!

The burgundy haired girl scolds the younger girl who just shrugs her shoulders in return and Kanan can only chuckle, sighing as she leans back on her chair.

- You're right, though. It's just… what do you give somebody who is rich and practically has everything one can think of?

Kanan asks rhetorically, seeing Riko giving her a sympathetic look while Yoshiko chuckles.

- I guess now that you say it, being poor isn't so bad. There's always something you can give as a gift to poor people…

The younger girl says making the couple of older girls laugh at how right she is.

With a collective sigh, they lean back on their chairs and begin to think about the older blue haired girl's question.

- Maybe you can give Mari-san some notebook and a pen. I'm sure as the director of the school she needs them.

Riko tries to enlighten them, seeing Kanan shaking her head sadly.

- I've already thought about it, but Dia is going to gift them to her.

- Then, a watch or a car. I'm sure they can be handy.

Kanan wants to laugh at the handy word, and because she has already thought about them, but sadly, they exceed her very modest budget, letting the other girls know about it as they keep brainstorming about the blonde's birthday gift.

- I'm sure Chika-chan will give her a bag of mikans, so that's a no – Riko contributes, making Yoshiko snort.

- Fishes are also a no.

- Yocchan!

- What!? I'm just saying it because our beloved senpai loves the sea and fishes too much.

Kanan can only chuckle because even though the younger girl is right, she wouldn't be giving her girlfriend a fish, rolling her eyes just by imagining it and Mari's grimacing face.

- Maybe you can give her a seashell – Riko tries with an encouraging smile that makes Kanan smile too, yet shake her head once again.

- Even though it's a lovely gift, I'm afraid I already gave Mari a seashell necklace years ago.

- Of course.

Yoshiko says with a soft smile, the three of them sighing at the lack of ideas, before the younger girl seems to have an idea.

- Well, if anything, there's nothing our dear Mari loves more than a hug from you.

She simply says, making Kanan frown while Riko giggles.

- Yocchan is right. Mari loves your hugs the most. They always cheer her up whenever she's sad.

She tells her with a kind smile on her lips while Yoshiko nods and grins at their senpai.

- Soooo... you're telling me that I should give my girlfriend a hug as her birthday gift?

Kanan asks unsure, seeing both girls smiling widely while nodding.

- Totally.

- Many of them actually.

They say in perfect unison, and Kanan can only giggle because, well, it seems like something nice and they might be right.

- I'll give her a lot of them, then. Thank you, girls.

She thanks them, the three of them looking outside to see how the rain has already stopped and the sun is getting out again. Biding their goodbyes, they leave the school to walk to their respective homes.

A couple of days go by, and the awaited day finally arrives, and with it, an inexplicable feeling of nervousness settles in Kanan, obliging her to take a deep breath as she waits outside her girlfriend's room at the hotel, before she raises her hand to knock on it.

- Kanan! – the blonde greets her chirpily yet still in her silk pajamas – Don't tell me that my beloved shiny dolphin wanted to be the first one to wish me a happy birthday?

She says in between playful giggles yet more than happy to see her girlfriend there first thing in the morning, letting Kanan in as the blue haired girl slowly relaxes.

- Maybe.

- Aw, you're so cute~

Mari teases her, leaving a kiss on her cheek that makes her blush, before Kanan clears her throat and moves her hand to her pocket to take something out of it.

- H-here. I hope you like it.

She tells her as she takes Mari's hand in hers to place something small on it. Mari can only smile widely as she sees the odd pearl with aquamarine and purple details in it on the palm of her hand.

- Aw, it's beautiful, Kanan.

She says warmly, loving the pearl as she touches it ever so delicately and while Kanan smiles.

- I've thought maybe you could use it in a necklace or a bracelet.

Kanan says as Mari grins at her wonderful girlfriend's idea, before the blue haired girl grows nervous again.

- I… I actually have something else for you – Kanan tells her nervously, seeing Mari smiling softly at her.

- Aw, my sweet dolphin, you know you didn't need to.

She tells her, yet Kanan can only shake her head and step closer to wrap her arms around her girlfriend and pull her into a tight hug.

- This one is actually your gift.

She whispers softly against her head, kissing it as she feels Mari circling her back with her arms and resting her head more on her shoulder to hug her back tightly.

- I really love it, Kanan.

The blue haired girl hears her girlfriend saying warmly, hugging her tighter as they stay like that for some minutes enjoying their closeness.

And maybe, Yoshiko and Riko were right, her hugs are the best gift she could give Mari, smiling softly at their invaluable help as she leaves another kiss on the blonde's head.