The day had been pleasant, if aggressively normal, thus far. The Richie customers had all behaved, Bunny had made a few good sales of their own initiative, andโbest of allโwhat theyโd thought would be another difficult shift with Austen had turned outโฆmanageable. (Bunnyโs word for โpretending not to need the stockroom when Austen was right thereโ.)
But the box of cookies placed neatly on the front counterโfollowed by Austen herself initiating conversationโwas a real plot twistโฆand one that Bunny did not think they could navigate while keeping their trademark cool.
(If, of course, โkeeping their trademark coolโ in the past had included noticeably avoiding Austen at every turn.)
There was no exit. There was only Austen. Bunny pretended that they were not more intimidated by Austen than they had been by any other person on the face of the earth.
โDid I, like, do something to you?โ she was saying.
Had she done something? โฆTechnically no. Had she โsaid something stupidโ? Definitely not. The problem with Austen was that those things never could have happened with her. Bunny didnโt dislike herโthey feared her.
The cookies were vanilla. The flavor of classic perfection. โฆThis conversation was going to be hell, wasnโt it?
Bunny let out a long breath, half to collect their thoughts and half to fill the space. It had been very obvious, in hindsight, that theyโd been trying not to go near her.
Then Bunny found themself turning to face the wall.
โIโm not avoiding you right now, by the wayโIโm embarrassed as fuck,โ they said. โI shouldโve just asked for different shifts.โ
They turned back around; their cheeks, they could feel, were pink.
โThis is extremely nice, and I can tell that you put effort into having this conversation right,โ said Bunny. โI just hate telling you that itโs something as common as me being intimidated by you. I mean, how many people tell you that on the daily?
โEverything that comes from you is pristine, powerful, perfect.โ Bunny leaned their elbows on the counter and placed their head in their hands. โAnd I gotโI getโthrown off. I think I have to keep up. Then I think I canโt.โ
Bunny looked up at Austen and added, โAre these honest to God for me?โ