Seeing Clownpiece will always give me a giggle remembering the SNL sketch commercial for Dillon Edwards Investments (at www.clownpenis.fart). Link does not actually work.
Apparently, NBC wants to scrub that one from their memory, so it's not available on youtube.
I mean, I did see that and to me it was very much of an "Azusa is in denial" moment. I mean, the fact that her mind immediately jumped to Yui being into her is also more points for the ship if you ask me
Given that this can be interpreted innocently if you wanted to(after all, both dogs and cats nuzzle to express platonic affection), I'd lean heavily towards "just pandering".
^ Non spoilery as possible but the woman in the middle, Makima, has essentially turned those two as well as many others into her loyal lap dogs. Both figuratively and maybe literally.