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lmao

That’s fine

I hadn’t texted anything more, and Claude soon started to complain about their boss’s email requesting them to stay longer.

To be fair, what was I supposed to say? Invite someone on the ace spectrum to watch me fuck myself? Offer to give them a tutorial?

I cringed just imagining those scenarios.

No, Claude could bring up the thing again if they really wanted to. In the meantime, I was going to do my best to pretend this conversation never took place—and figure out a way to either ask them out or get them to ask me out.

The latter felt like the safest option, to be honest.

I supposed I could bake something again. Enticing them with food seemed to do the trick. Then again, I’d just baked for them, and we’d just met, and being at my place had definitely not played in my favor last time.

I needed a neutral ground where my head wouldn’t go straight to… any of the scenarios it really shouldn’t go. Not yet, at least.

Arlene

Are you at least eating something?

Claude

Just so you know, I’m usually the caregiver in a group

Arlene

That’s not an answer

Claude

Whatever

I’ll grab something on the way home

I had a huge burrito for lunch, so I’m good

Arlene

Oh

Yum

I covered my mouth with one hand. I was brimming with nerves. A part of me wanted to just take the leap and ask Claude out for dinner, but… No. I wasn’t the kind of girl who took the first step like that.

Was I?

Claude

Were you trying to imply something?

Arlene

What if I was?

Hypothetically

Claude