Things had been going well recently, which should have been the first sign of trouble.
Chihiro had been managing small talk with both Aoi and Sakura over the last few days, with actual social graces and everything. Admittedly, they were always the ones to initiate, but it was still something – namely, listening to Aoi talk about whatever she'd just been doing and exchanging pleasantries and meaningful nods with Sakura.
She'd actually thought she had things under control. She was hoping to maybe befriend them, both because they were genuinely cool people who she wanted to spend more time around and because she loved suffering. She wasn't quite sure why they were bothering to keep interacting with her, but it wasn't like she was going to question it. Maybe it was that irresistible sarcastic programmer charm.
They point was, everything had been good, even if Mondo teased her mercilessly any time either of them came to the shop.
Then everything changed when they came in at the same time. Apparently Chihiro had been deluding herself to think that they might have any interest in her other than as a minor acquaintance. Because now she sees them interacting with each other, and wow, they're obviously made for each other.
She can't even blame them, because they're fricking adorable together. They're sitting across the table from each other and somehow their body language still reads like they're cuddling. And then Aoi says something that makes Sakura laugh, and Chihiro practically melts into a puddle of romantically frustrated goo. Why are they both so beautiful?
She only realizes she's been staring when Mondo nudges her arm, holding up their respective drinks. Shit, right, she was supposed to be working. But how is she expected to be productive when the human equivalent of those hand-holding otters are sitting across the room?
She calls out both of their names, and then is far too relieved when Sakura's the only one who comes over. She hands over the drinks, and because she isn't in enough pain yet, decides to open her mouth. "You two are really cute together! Congratulations."
She's sure she's bright red, but she forces herself to keep looking in at least the general direction of Sakura's face. At least she doesn't seem offended. Really, she seems more surprised than anything, though she might actually be smiling a little.
Oh good, she's finally realized how terrible Chihiro is at this "human interaction" thing. At least she has the grace not to comment. "Thank you," she says instead. She stands there for a moment longer, apparently thinking, but leaves without saying anything else.
Chihiro is ready to hide behind the counter until they leave, but she'd like to think she's slightly more mature than that. Besides, she might as well watch while she can. This is prime domestic fantasy material, and who knows when they'll come in together again?
She looks over just in time to catch Aoi looking at her, and promptly panics and ducks under the counter. Which won't help her any next time either of them come in, but that's a problem for the future. Right now all she can do is hope that it's a coincidence and that Sakura didn't actually relay her comment. If she did, she might have to quit her job and live out the rest of her days in her room.
Her plans for a system to attend lectures via Skype are rudely interrupted by the sounds of someone walking toward the counter. She looks at Mondo, silently begging him to handle it, but he just gives her a thumbs up and starts cleaning the blenders. She can't believe he'd betray her like this, just because she may have given his number to that one customer as payback for teasing her about her ill-timed crushes.
Wow, now that she thinks about it their friendship is like 50% a cycle of petty revenge.
The point is that she's forced to stand up and act like a rational adult who had a perfectly good reason for being under the counter.
Then she sees who it was who came over, and realizes it doesn't matter what she'd been doing because she's about to make a fool of herself anyway. Does she ever do anything else around Aoi? No, of course not, that would be asking too much.
She's so busy trying to maintain her smile despite her internal freakout that it takes her a moment to think about the fact that Aoi had already gotten her drink. So if she's at the counter again… "Oh no!" she gasps. "Did I mess up your order? I'm so sorry, I'm sure I can get you store credit or something, just give me a minute…"
She could probably have worked herself up even further, but thankfully Aoi cuts her off. "No no, you're fine! It was as good as always!" She smiles, then apparently remembers why she came over in the first place. "I was just, um… Okay, I was trying to figure out the best way to say this, but I'm just going to wing it! Right. So, I was wondering, would you want to hang out when you get off work? No pressure or anything, I don't want to be creepy, you're just really cute."
Come on brain, a detached part of Chihiro thinks. If you're going to bother me about this girl for weeks, the least you can do is help me out when the thing we've been dreaming about actually happens.
Her brain conveniently doesn't respond, which is how Chihiro ends up blurting out, "What about Sakura?" Which doesn't answer Aoi's question, so she's tries again. "I mean, no, you're not creepy, I think you're really cute too!"
She really needs to get a handle on her thoughts before she starts talking. She's running out of ways to call herself an idiot.
Fortunately, Aoi seems to be doing better at organizing her thoughts, though she's blushing heavily. "Thank you? And, well, if you want Sakura would love to come too, but we thought it might be a bit much all of a sudden? Whatever works for you, we really don't want to push you into anything."
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"Wow," she finally says. "I just – wow, okay, this is a lot to process. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'd love to go out with you! If that's what you're asking, I mean. It's just, can we talk first? Just, like, all three of us, once I get off work."
"No problem! I mean, I know I can come on a little strong sometimes." Aoi scratches the back of her head, her smile containing a touch of self-deprecation. "We'll just wait around, then?"
"That sounds amazing," Chihiro says. "Maybe this time I'll figure out how to react to having two gorgeous women asking me out."
Aoi laughs, and it's like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. "Sounds good!"
She sprints back to her table and begins babbling excitedly to Sakura. Chihiro doesn't even pretend that she's not watching them, but when Aoi finishes her story they're both smiling, so it's probably okay.
Mondo chooses that moment to declare the blenders clean. He looks at her and raises an eyebrow, and she sticks her tongue out at him. They're going to gossip about it later, of course, but for now she's got a semi-date. She didn't even have a chance to worry about it beforehand, so she thinks she's doing pretty well. She's entitled to a little childishness.