"...but skipping the awkward transitioning phase is more efficient." Coming from someone with experience in the awkward transitioning phase- that ought to count for something. No stilted conversations, no learning how to talk with these new parameters on them, no odd fumbling for hands or new boundaries-

It's. Easier to not. "I thought- if I didn't make a big deal out of it, it wouldn't be a big deal. We could just...go forward and skip all. This."