Cold Comfort
Theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNXYUoyCU1I
"Yui-chan~! Come on, I can't take you ignoring me..."
The delinquent clicks her tongue as she stops going over the flow chart of beverage-making conjured in her mind and pauses the repetitive circular motion she'd gotten comfortable doing while wiping down tables.
"If you want a drink then you should've asked Billy."
Nene whines, her cheeks puffing up in a pout as she leans over Yui's shoulder to watch her work.
"So cold! I could've done anything today, but I decided to keep you company. Ya know why~? Because I-"
"It's not my problem you decided to waste your time!"
Yui talks over the catgirl as she moves on to the next table with her cheeks tinged red.
Her teasing aside, Nene did have a bit of a point. Having a real job was something she was still getting used to even if it was only part-time. The closest thing she'd had to one before was a handful of one-off gigs before settling into theft. The catgirl's presence offered some much-needed variety to break up the monotony of what would otherwise be mind-numbing work to the delinquent. And while she had gotten a better handle on her temper, it helped that she was generally too flustered to snap at a customer.
"Well, knowing you aren't dying of loneliness is all the reward I need. That, and getting to see you in uniform~"
Yui scoffs. The uniform in question was essentially just her school clothes with an apron thrown over them. Since her shift was after classes and they comprised the most professional-looking items she had, it only made sense.
"Since you'll be taking it off pretty soon...got any plans?"
The delinquent considers the question for a moment, considering her options. It wouldn't be right to say that she didn't have any, but things felt so busy, and soon enough she'd be dealing with an internship. That part was more than a little exciting, but at the same time it made her feel sick for some reason. And if she wasn't busy, then everyone else was. The urge to pry and force herself into the personal business of her friends was as strong as the realization that there could be reasons they weren't involving her in every part of their lives.
Besides getting tired of me.
She shakes the thought from her mind as soon as it comes, but it leaves her with the sort of icky feeling she got from a nasty cold. Playing Ako only did so much to beat it back.
"Yui-chan?"
Nene rubs against her, but Yui only makes a token effort to shoo the catgirl away as she sighs.
"Nah. I'll just sleep or something."
"Then why don't I join you~? I know you enjoyed it last time~."
"No."
"Fi~ne. I'll just walk you home then."
The delinquent only grunts, not finding the threat of company as bothersome as usual. The next few minutes are spent mostly in silence while she finishes her cleaning duties and Nene takes a break from teasing her. When she's done, Yui exchanges her apron for a slightly worn scarf and a thicker jacket than usual to account for the dropping temperature — a reminder that she might want to hurry up with any gifts she plans to buy or make.
"I'm out!"
Yui yells to the backroom and receives a tired "Uh-huh" from her employer. Satisfied, she steps out with Nene following close behind. The silence hangs for a few moments longer until the catgirl breaks it.
"So, you must be pretty excited, right?"
"What for?"
"Don't tell me you forgot!? Your internship starts soon!"
The delinquent winces. She hadn't forgotten but did momentarily forget that it was something to be excited about. She hadn't expected to do well during the exam or get any offers, and now she had one from the only Hero she might want to learn the ropes from. The whole situation meant she would be separated from her usual group too. It was a little overwhelming and the more she thought about it, the more she convinced herself that the bad outweighed the good.
"Uh, yeah. It's cool."
Nene raises and hums, unimpressed with Yui's show of enthusiasm.
"You don't sound excited."
"Tch. No one would compared to you. What's it matter anyway?"
"Of course it matters how my Yui-chan's feeling~!"
The delinquent rolls her eyes but jumps slightly when she finds Nene's smiling face only inches from her own.
"It's okay to be nervous. New things are always a little scary."
"I ain't nervous!"
Yui clenches her teeth as she shoves past Nene and to the other side of the street. The catgirl huffs as she follows.
"Then what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"If you won't tell me then I'll just be worried sick until you do..."
Nene lets out a long sigh and her tail slumps alongside her shoulders. Yui's hands grip the fabric of her jacket pockets and her body stiffens when she glances at the dejected-looking catgirl. The act shouldn't have worked so well but the accumulated guilt of 'lying' about her problems seems to come back all at once. Her mouth feels dry and she suddenly can't stand to look at her companion, opting instead to look at her feet while her teeth grind together.
Then, her arm is grabbed and she's forced to look.
"You don't have to tell me, but you know you can, right?"
The genuine seeming worry in Nene's eyes and her earnestness unnerves the delinquent slightly. Even with how much had changed, the idea that she would want to hear her vent was foreign. Her eyes clench shut and she takes a deep breath.
"Look, it just feels weird. Not used to things going this well."
It wasn't everything she wanted to say. She didn't know how to voice the endless doubts she had about herself and how out of place she still felt, but this was something and it felt good to tell someone who wasn't a cat. Well, a normal cat anyway. Yui visibly relaxes, but not entirely. Her eyes stay shut as she mentally prepares herself for the worst.
If I'm lucky, she'll laugh and we'll pretend this didn't happen.
Tension hangs in the air as she waits for the seemingly inevitable jeers. Nene's usually playful expression is distorted into a mocking one and the delinquent can already hear the deluge of ridicule for how stupid she is to worry when the truth is obvious. Maybe she could try to play it off, but her hand was already balled in a fist. The sound of wind blowing serves as the accompaniment to Yui's increasingly distressing thoughts, the chilly weather biting at her nose and ears. With each excruciating second of silence, the world seems to somehow grow even colder. Yet, it's somehow still more tolerable than the even harsher reality she expects when she opens her eyes.
She feels Nene's hand release her arm and it's almost comforting. It was better for the catgirl to get on with it and leave her in the cold.
"You're so silly sometimes."
A soft warmth envelops Yui as she's yanked out of her lonely world by the catgirl's embrace. Part of her wishes that Nene had just laughed, or left, or done anything besides hug her. It doesn't know what this means and the delinquent hadn't gotten any better at hugs since blowing up at Chris. The other part doesn't care. It's too filled with relief and desperate to just feel OK for a moment that her arms awkwardly wrap around Nene of their own volition. When she finally musters up the courage to open her eyes, the sight of a swishing tail lets her know that her world hasn't ended yet.
"I told you: things are always a little scary the first time. You'll get used to it."
Nene pulls back slightly to look Yui in the eyes, smiling as brightly as ever.
"And if my cute kouhai needs a lap cat to help, I'll always be around~"
She punctuates her offer with a wink while Yui rolls her eyes.
"Yeah, well thanks for...this."
"Thanks for telling me."
Nene moves to break their hug but finds the delinquent not quite willing to let go yet. Her cheeks flush a deep crimson as she looks between Yui and herself. When Yui catches on to her mistake, she hastily stuffs her hands back into her jacket and looks away as her own cheeks burn.
"I, uh..."
I don't want to be alone right now.
"...could use some help washin' Ako. If it's not trouble."
"But she hates me!"
"Tch. It's not gonna get any better if you avoid her. Why don't you try talking or somethin'?"
"I think my cute, kitty features are the problem..."
Yui shrugs and starts slowly trudging in the direction of her home. Her pace slows down the farther she gets, wanting to hear the catgirl's answer before moving forward.
"Fi~ne, but only because you're asking."
Nene sidles up to the delinquent, the energetic movements of her tail betraying her elation at the invitation despite the condition set.
Her anxieties hadn't totally evaporated and she was uncertain that what she was doing now was the right decision. Still, it was comforting to know that at least one person wouldn't be put off by all the ugly things she felt. The only thing she had to worry about in the immediate future was whether Ako would refuse to take a bath with her 'rival' around. She'd likely have to bribe the feline with snacks if she didn't want a damp cat running around.