Work Text:
Takina wasn’t quite sure when it had started but recently whenever she was around Chisato she felt weird. Her face would warm at the small lingering touches the blonde left on her and her heart would thump wildly when she would shoot her a smile. Takina was confused to say the least, she’d never experienced this feeling before. Not to mention whenever she would see Chisato laughing it up with someone else she found herself getting annoyed, it confused her to no end.
It was a regular day at Cafe Lyco Reco when Takina walked into the changing room. She grabbed her uniform out of the locker when Chisato walked into the room greeting her “Good morning Takina!”
Takina gave a curt nod and replied “Good morning.”
The blonde began to undress behind her and Takina froze tightly gripping the uniform in her hands. She was snapped out of her thoughts when she felt a warm finger press against her right shoulder blade as Chisato mused “Ah! You have a birthmark here Takina.”
Takina quickly whipped her head towards the blonde and was met with puppy dog eyes and a wide smile. She felt her face warm as she looked down only to realize that Chisato was standing in her underwear. Takina quickly pulled on her uniform and muttered “Hurry and get dressed, we have work to do.”
Chisato pouted “Eh Takina you’re no fun!”
Takina left the changing room and let out a breath she didn’t even realize she had been holding in. She went to the kitchen and began to wash dishes, greeting Mika as she passed him. She scrubbed teacups and plates as she was absorbed in thought. ‘What is this feeling? Why couldn’t she look Chisato in the eyes? What did all of this mean?’
When lunch rush came the cafe became unusually busy requiring all hands on deck. Takina dried her hands on a kitchen towel before grabbing a notepad and walking towards the front door where a business man was waiting to be seated. She showed him to a table and asked what he would h like to order the man answered “I’ll have the sencha and ohagi mochi set.”
Takina heard a familiar laugh nearby and her eyes shot towards the sound. Only to be met with Chisato joking along with a table of high school girls. She looked like she was having fun talking to them, Takina thought. She felt a twinge of pain in her heart as she gripped her notepad tightly. She was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt a light tap on her arm. She looked back at the man to see him with a raised eyebrow and she stuttered “I-I’m sorry can you please repeat that?”
He gave a sympathetic smile and repeated “I’ll have the sencha and ohagi mochi set please.”
Takina gave a quick bow and replied “Of course, I’ll have that right out.”
She walked back to the kitchen and rested her head in her hands. This was bad it was starting to effect her work, she needed to figure this out, and she needed to do it fast. She thought for a moment before deciding this emotion had to be hate. Why el ese wouldn’t she not be able to look at chisato, or get mad when she saw her smiling with someone? She readied the mans order and walked it back out to him setting it down gently “Here you go sir.”
She looked over and saw that Chisato was still laughing along with those girls a few tables over and felt a small frown form on her face. She heard a chuckle from the man “You should just tell her”
Takina looked at him in confusion and asked “What do you mean?”
The man raised an eyebrow surprised that Takina had no idea what he was talking about and said “You have feeling for her no?”
Takina tilted her head “Well I guess if hate counts then yes.”
The man let out a chuckle noticing Takina click her tongue at Chisato and the group of girls before turning on her heel to walk away.
Lunch rush ended soon and Takina went behind the bar to begin counting the cash in the register as Chisato continued to tend to the remaining few customers. Takina had a handful of cash when she felt someone watching her she looked up and met eyes with Chisato from across the cafe. Chisato gave her a smile, not one of her customer service smiles either one of her genuine wide ear to ear smiles. Takina felt her face warm and she quickly turned her attention back to the cash in her hands leaving Chisato looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
The rest of the day went by without much trouble aside from Takina quickly changing tasks and averting her eyes when Chisato would look at her, she also broke a few dishes on accident but nobody needed to be reminded of that.
Takina had just dismissed changing back into her regular clothes when the door to the changing room opened and Chisato walked in. Takina grabbed her bag and headed towards the door to leave only to be stopped by Chisato grabbing her wrist. Takina tried to free herself from the blonde’s grasp but found her back against the wall. Chisato’s free hand slammed against the wall near Takina’s head. Takina felt her face flush and she turned her head away from the blonde. Chisato questioned “Okay, what’s going on with you? You’ve been acting weird lately.”
Takina muttered “I’m fine.”
“Hm, then why is Mika telling me you’re all distracted at work today? Also your face has been red almost all day are you sick?” Chisato asked as she rested her hand on Takina’s forehead.
“My physical condition is fine.” Takina answered.
Chisato raised an eyebrow “but mentally?”
Takina sighed “It’s been better.”
The blonde let go of Takina’s wrist and questioned “So you wanna talk about it? What’s going on?”
Takina thought for a moment before speaking “I don’t know if you’re the best person for me to talk about this with.”
Chisato tilted her head to the side “why not?”
“Well you are part of my frustrations.” Takina deadpanned.
Chisato looked surprised “What? Did I do something to upset you? If I did just let me know and I’ll make sure I don’t do it again!”
Takina shook her head “You didn’t do anything specific. It’s just that when i’m around you my face feels hot, and my hear beats fast, and when you act friendly with other people it hurts my heart. Maybe I have a heart issue?”
Chisato tried to hold in a laugh and failed miserably. Takina looked at her confused “What, What’s so funny? I’m being serious!”
Chisato clutched her sides and answered “I know that makes it even funnier!”
Takina tilted her head to the side as the blonde wiped a tear and continued speaking “Takina , you like me!”
Takina scrunched her eyebrows in thought before saying “No, I hate you.”
Chisato’s mouth gaped and she mocked offense “Takina that’s rude!”
Takina stared at her in confusion.
“Takina you just described what it feels like to like someone!” Chisato exclaimed.
Takina shook her head “Um, I don’t think so.”
Chisato sighed as she blushed “Okay then. Takina answer me this, have you ever thought about holding hands, kissing, or even you know having s-sex with me?”
“Well yes but that doesn’t mean I like you, you can think about all those thing with hate too.” Takina answered.
Chisato’s face flushed “Takina you useless lesbian! Normal people don’t think about kissing and having sex with people they hate! Anyways what do you think the difference between hate and love is?”
Takina thought for a moment. She’d never really thought about it before but when asked like that, what WAS the difference between love and hate. Sure both were strong emotions held for another person but what lied beyond that? Hate was usually associated with anger and hostility whereas love was more happy and warm. When she thought about it like that it finally hit her “P-Perhaps you’re right, maybe I do like you.”
Chisato nodded her head “Yeah, it sounds like it.”
Takina blushed “But I know you don’t feel the same so it’s okay.”
Chisato grabbed Takina’s shoulders and exclaimed “Hey! Don’t go deciding my emotions all on your own! I like you too, I have for a long time.”
Takina’s eyes widened and she asked “What do you mean? Since when?”
Chisato smiled nervously “To be honest I thought it was pretty obvious that I liked you, especially after that day at the DA almost eight months ago.”
Takina’s mouth gaped “That long?! Why didn’t you tell me?”
Chisato giggled “well I didn’t want to push my feelings onto you if you didn’t feel the same way so I was trying to be kinda subtle about it but you are oblivious so obviously you didn’t realize that I liked you.”
Takina groaned and hid her blushing face in the crook of Chisato’s neck “now I feel stupid that it took me so long to realize that I liked you. I can’t believe I thought I hated you!”
Chisato laughed as she ran a hand through Takina’s hair “Yeah but that clueless part of you is cute too.”
Takina pulled away to look into Chisato’s eyes and pout at her. Chisato leaned down and left a quick peck on Takina’s lips before saying “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”
Takina blushed and hid her face in Chisato’s neck again. The two girls were hugging when the door to the changing room opened and Mizuki walked in and asked “Are y’all done in here? We’re trying to close up shop so everyone can leave.”
Upon seeing a blushing Takina wrapped in Chisato’s arms she questioned “wait what’s going on in here?”
Chisato grinned “Oh me and Takina just confessed our love for each other.”
Mizuki exclaimed “HUH?! Y’all are dating before I got a boyfriend? TEENAGERS THESE DAYS!”
Takina and Chisato looked into each other’s eyes and began laughing.