The urge struck me and I fired this out in like half an hour. I have morning after angst in my head now. Nanako is Kuroi-sensei's first name, for those not in the know. Review, and remind me that I am bad this, if you would.
She was drunk. Yui knew it. Unlike most people, she had a flag of drunkenness, which made it very clear when she'd had enough. Yui knew she was drunk when Nanako looked a lot more interesting than the booze.
While Konata had graduated from Nanako's class, Yui and Kuroi-sensei had maintained a friendship of desperation. They drank themselves silly every Saturday night, and regretted it together Sunday morning. Nanako still didn't know that Yui was married, and Yui was not inclined to tell her.
It's not that Yui was gay, not at all. She was married, happily, even if her husband was absent so often. She wasn't even bisexual. After her… unusual interest in Nanako presented itself, she made sure. No interest in girls whatsoever. Except one. Yui supposed, really, that Nanako just reminded her of her husband. The hair color and style, the attitude, even the drinking. Nanako was just similar enough to summon up happy memories, but different enough to beget the creation of new memories.
No! Not create new memories. Creating new "memories" was not an option. Not at all. Nanako made her desire for men very clear, repeatedly, every time they were together. Even if Yui were free to pursue those…thoughts, she could not. Admittedly, Yui had brought up the idea of finding "company" while he was away, and he had seemed unnaturally okay with it. Although, Yui knew he wasn't exactly average, that's why she married him. So she maintained the status quo, and enjoyed her time with Nanako, and even managed to usually be very platonic.
Except when she was drunk, which she currently was. Nanako had called after Yui got off work, as per usual, and recommended a new bar they could drink away their problems at, as usual. Hence, midnight is rolling around, and Yui feels uncomfortably warm where Nanako is leaning on her. "We've both had enough. Let's get home, Nanako." Only in the thrall of booze can Yui get away with her plain first name. It's a secret pleasure, and another bad sign.
Despite all impressions, Yui is a cop, and so she is the responsible one who gets them home every night. Naturally, this means Nanako crashes at her place once a week. Which means that the last thing Yui sees every Saturday night is Nanako, drunkenly snoring, and looking very… uh… nice. Yes. Nice.
As the two lean on each other, and Nanako, at least, snoozes through the taxi ride home, Yui tries very hard to remember the boozing lectures she's given at schools. Alcohol disrupts the thinking process, slowing you down. Bad decisions look like good ones. It's easy to do something you'll regret, come sobriety.
And as she pulls Nanako up the stairs, towards rest and forgetting, Yui reminds herself. She'll regret it. Nanako would ditch her for good. Politely refuse, ignore her voice mails, and Yui would lose what little pleasure she has now. No matter how painful that pleasure may be.
But as she helps Nanako get her shoes off, and Nanako slurs out a "thanks, yui. love ya," all Yui can do is swallow hard and concentrate on getting them both to something resembling a bed. Separate beds, that is. Two futons. Not one. God damn it.
But when Nanako gives her an almost-missed peck on the lips with her "goodnight," Yui crumbles. Alcohol-induced recklessness won over sobriety-induced sense by inches. She could blame it all on the alcohol in the morning.
Hopefully.