(Whoever keeps giving me anonymous guest reviews (if you're even the same person), I don't know who you are (and wish you'd tell me) but you're a lifesaver. I want to hug you to death and give you chocolate and cake. I wouldn't even write this otherwise. And it makes me feel so happy inside 3
Now I can feel this story stretching out more. I might even need to plan further chapters in advance...hmm...that way I won't lose heart. Also, I wrote this at work at the same time of my other stuff. Tehee.)
Strawberry-sprinkled coffee tasted bizarre in Canaan's mouth. It felt like a mix of coconut and wine, not that she'd ever been far enough out of it to try that either. In a way, it was sweet and serious combined in one, and she wasn't quite sure what to make of it.
Across from her, Alphard was sipping something that looked even more extreme, if that was even possible. The liquid in her cup was a murky bubbling colour, and it was starting to froth. Canaan wasn't sure she wanted to know what was in it.
At first, she'd been almost lost about which café they went to. Even though Canaan had been doing assignments for Natsume in Shanghai for the past few years, she usually operated alone. Usually, she focused on what was important, like advantageous viewpoints to take down her target, or the amount of cover from gunfire. Not places to take a girl out.
What am I doing here again? she wondered. And how had it come to this? If Alphard was just playing her again…
"How's the coffee?" Alphard said calmly, watching her with the ghost of a smile. "I ordered it specially for you."
I bet you did, Canaan thought darkly. "Thanks," she muttered, trying to at least sound grateful as she swallowed it down.
The two of them didn't say anything for several moments then, just concentrating on their drinks. Canaan avoided Alphard's gaze, quickly staring down into the strange blend of strawberry and coffee in front of her. Her mind had frozen up all at once. What did people do on dates anyway?
What do I do? What do I say? Canaan started to panic, staring at her coffee harder until she felt tears build up in the corners of her eyes. I've never been asked out before. Except by Maria, and that was very different. What do I do with Alphard? Does she expect me to kiss her? Even though we already did that? She gripped the sides of her chair tightly, trying to calm herself. Maybe she wants me to do it again?
The waitress passed by their table, holding up a tray of extra drinks. "Are you two enjoying yourselves?" she said brightly.
"Yes, thank you," Alphard said curtly, making it clear that the depth of her friendliness was currently limited to one person at the moment. "We can manage."
Canaan nodded automatically, then looked up at her coffee frowned. The waitress looked familiar for some reason. Jumpy quirky attitude, constantly moving about, two circle hoops of hair on either side –
"Yun-Yun?" she said in disbelief.
Yun-Yun jumped and almost dropped the tray. "Huh? Canaan?" she exclaimed. "Oh. Yeah! Um. Of course you're Canaan. I knew that. It's great to see you!" She turned around and her eyes widened as they settled on Alphard. "Aaaiiieeeee! You! You you you you you YOU!" Her finger pointed at Alphard, then flicked to Canaan, then back again. "You've kidnapped Canaan! Maria was right!" Alphard raised an eyebrow. "Maria?"
Yun-Yun quickly clamped her hands over her mouth, momentarily forgetting that she was trying to hold the tray of drinks at the same time. It hit the floor with a crash and coffee spilled everywhere.
"I didn't say that! I didn't say that!" She held her hands up as Canaan looked at her doubtfully, and then began flailing them all over the place, her eyes darting here and there from Alphard to the spilt coffee, as if at a loss at to which was more dangerous. "Noooo! It didn't happen! Alphard isn't here, she hasn't kidnapped Canaan, I didn't drop the coffee, Maria didn't tell me to follow you- "
Canaan stood up so fast that she almost knocked her own bizarre coffee concoction over. "Excuse us for a second," she said quickly to Alphard, and then dragged Yun-Yun over to the corner at the end of the café, all too aware of Alphard's eyes at her back.
"What is going on?" she demanded of the Borner, pinning her up against the wall. "What are you doing here? Is Maria telling you to stalk me as well?" She had enough to worry about without Alphard stalking her…
Yun-Yun's eyes opened wide again. "No! Nonononono," she blabbered. "I just work here. I work in a lot of places!"
"And you just happen to be working as a waitress in the café that me and Alphard go to!" Canaan said accusingly.
Yun-Yun held her chin up with a lofty air, her mouth dropping into a sulky pout. "I've been working here for weeks," she claimed.
"You were working as a piano cleaner last Tuesday. And before that, a clown assistant. And a…a singer." Canaan shut her eyes at the terrible memory of that last one. "Answer me. Has Maria told you to keep an eye on me?"
Yun-Yun continued to avoid her gaze, muttering illegible garble under her breath about spilt coffee and the lack of meat buns around to stuff her bra with.
"Maybe," she said eventually.
Canaan let go of her, bringing one hand up to her brow. I don't believe this, she thought. This is just what I don't need. But Maria was just looking out for her. She cared about her, cared about her a lot more than most people. Her best friend.
Her face softened just thinking about her. Being with Maria gave her a feeling of peace and tranquillity which she didn't feel anywhere else. Being with Alphard tended to piss her off all the time for some reason, but in a good way. If that made sense.
"Yun-Yun," she said gently, "I'm glad that Maria is so concerned about me, but it's different now. I'm doing fine. I am in compete control of the situation and Alphard has not kidnapped me." Well, I let her kidnap me because I liked it, she thought darkly. "Just…just stay out of her way and serve the drinks as usual, okay? I don't think she's going to shoot you or anything."
"You don't think?" the Borner said shrilly. She put her hands on her hips and stared at her. "If she hasn't kidnapped you then what are you doing with her? Having dinner?"
Canaan chewed her lip and avoided her gaze. It didn't work. "Yeah," she said lamely. "We're having dinner."
"But she's a terrorist."
"Yeah," Canaan admitted.
"She's the leader of the Snakes."
"I know."
"You hate each other."
"It's more a love-hate relationship right now," Canaan muttered, her face going red.
For several seconds Yun-Yun just stared at her in shock. She blinked, her eyes going from Canaan's body language to the way her hands were clasped out in front of her nervously, to her frequent glances to Alphard back at the table.
"Oh my god," Yun-Yun breathed, taking a step back.
"It's not what you think," Canaan said quickly.
"You are dating one of the most ruthless terrorists in the world, someone who murders people for a living – "
"I murder people for a living too."
Yun-Yun wasn't done, her voice coming out in a series of splutters. " – and almost killed the President of the USA, and – and – and experimented on my entire village when they released that virus into – "
"Now wait just a second there." Canaan held up her hands quickly. "I don't think that was her fault. That was more her sister being evil and sadistic. She was more interested in going after me instead."
"Well…" Yun-Yun looked pained. "She's still a terrorist. She takes delight in blowing up buildings and threatening people and ruining people's lives."
Canaan cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Yeah…I was going to talk to her about that at some point."
"How does any of this make for a healthy relationship?"
"I'm working on it. I'm working on it." Canaan took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. "Look. It's only one date at the moment. We haven't even talked yet. All I'm asking is that you don't interfere." She placed her hands on Yun-Yun's shoulders, staring into her eyes pleadingly. "Please? Can you promise me that you aren't going to interfere?"
Yun-Yun looked back at her with an expression resembling sympathy.
"I'll try," she said doubtfully.
Canaan decided that was probably best for now. "Good," she said heavily. "Now if you excuse me, I have to get back to my date."
She walked back to Alphard's table, her mind racing. Yun-Yun being here couldn't be good. This was not going to end well. Surely nothing else could go wrong.
(Second part of the date in the next chapter! :D)