11 – Root of the Matter
Was this Romeo and Juliet for lesbians?
Serena had always had ideas about her sexuality, ideas that stemmed from years and years of formal school with cute girls and a lot of male friends who helped her walk through the awkward talks you did not get from your older sister who had the temperament of a very excitable and also dramatic puppy dog. There were a lot of first dates people just didn't know about and if they were spread anywhere, she still had blackmail to ruin their careers. In fact, she was pretty sure this was worse.
Hence why, despite that, Serena was ninety percent certain that she found Amou Kanade attractive in a myriad of ways. That did not equal liking her somehow.
The last ten percent of her certainty was laughing at her with a molotov cocktail and waiting to throw it on the hot oil called denial.
She wiggled the last crisper drawer back into place and sighed in relief. "I want pizza."
"I want to see your sister's face when she sees the bill on the credit card," Kanade countered from the couch.
Miku and Hibiki just groaned, laying comically on the carpet of the living room. Hibiki had actually faceplanted into it.
Serena admired the perfect form. Then she went for her cellphone. "What do you guys want?"
"meat!" Kanade replied immediately.
"Rice!" was Hibiki''s response, muffled in the carpet.
"Hibiki," Serena began with as much patience as possible. "We're not getting rice in tomato sauce."
She was very happy not to see the other girl's face. "How about in white sauce then?"
Serena pretended to think about it. "No."
Miku patted her on the arm and made herself get up. "Rice doesn't need to be with a casual meal, Hibiki."
"Aww..."
Serena, also taking pity, turned on the rice cooker.
...
By the time Hibiki and Miku left for real, the house was somewhat clean, but the rice cooker was empty. Spotless. And Serena hadn't washed it yet.
How.
"She's a rice vacuum," Serena decided, giving up and soaking the pot in the sink. She just... wasn't going to think about this anymore.
Kanade only snickered in sympathy and tied up the garbage bag. "That's just how she works. Don't think about it too hard."
"I don't think I can." Serena rubbed her eyes and distracted herself with the washing up. "You don't have to go home?"
"Not for a few hours." Kanade held a piece of pizza aloft, its box comfortable on her lap. "Chris – my roommate – is holding an impromptu tutoring session so her juniors don't get buried alive. Again."
"A...Again?"
"Something about 'being in the middle was not good enough." Kanade only shrugged again and took an oversized bite. She chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed. '"Mind if I kill the time over here with you?"
"Nope!" Serena heard her voice squeak and hated it. "Not really. No one else is here."
Kanade grinned and raised her fingers in a mocking two-finger salute. "You look to be the life of parties."
"only if those parties include me and my cats."
"I'd love a party with cats."
Serena blinked, actually feeling at... a bit of a loss. "Are... are you flirting with me?"
"That depends," Kanade turned her head to look Serena right in the eye. "Are you interested?"