Disclaimer: I don't own iCarly. I'm only the author of a humble fanfic.
It was a busy Saturday in Seattle, cars whistling by on the street, boats in the water busily transporting goods and large crowds of people walking down the streets. Then there was a pair of high school kids, no older than sixteen, on a street corner. One was moving in circles around other who just stood still in contemplation – a distinctive pair compared to the bustling world around them…
"I knew it! We're lost! Completely, and hopelessly, lost! I really should have seen this coming, but no you had to drag me along with you after catching whiff of this 'Mystery Meat'." Freddie half-shouted while pacing around a rather agitated Sam, the disdain in his voice didn't go unnoticed.
"It smelled good! And I swear it's somewhere around here!" She shouted back in defense while giving him a glare.
She couldn't help herself! They were on their way to the Groovy Smoothie when this wonderful fragrance caught the attention of Miss Samantha Puckett. No, we're not talking about sweets, or baked goods. It smelt like some sort of delicious meat, with a sauce of some sort and a heavenly aroma that Sam couldn't resist following the odor even if she tried. Of course, she completely disregarded the fact that it was a windy day in Seattle and the smell really could have come from anywhere. That minor detail didn't matter. All that mattered was grabbing Freddie and dragging him to wherever the food was. (Not to say that she wanted his company it's just… well, she was broke that's all!)
Freddie gave Sam a sideward glace, trying to hide his amusement from that very Sam-like defense.
"Sure, Sam, I'm sure it's real close by. Now c'mon, how are we going to get back home?"
Sam frowned at this, "Get back? No! We need to find that restaurant!"
Freddie rolled his eyes and shook his head; obviously, he wasn't going to get any help from her. He stuck his thumb in his pockets in mock casualty and started to drum the four fingers outside, thinking about what to do next.
Freddie was so focused it took him a few minutes before he finally realized that his left hand kept tapping over a bulge in his pocket, and another moment before it finally registered, "Ah! My pearPhone! Of course!" Freddie said enthusiastically while pulling out the phone, "It has a GPS feature!"
Sam gave Freddie a doubtful look while he was typing on the touch screen; he couldn't be serious.
"Let's see… Go to Bushwell Plaza.... Seattle..."
Yup, he was serious. Sam couldn't believe it. She really wanted to go to that restaurant, never mind the fact that she didn't know what it was. She just really wanted to go, eat some great food (obviously) but also joke around, have a few laughs, and kinda spend their time together maybe… a little… differently.
How differently, she wasn't quite sure, I mean look at him plugging away at his pearPhone; he was a total geek, dweeb, nerd, dork (and Sam was certain she could think of an abundance of names among those same lines). However, there was also something about Freddie that was very enduring lately, something about those snarky comments, sly smiles, challenging glances and sincere nature that seemed to get to her lately.
Sam beat herself up for even having these straying thoughts over the past few months, but Sam had always been a decisive girl, and these new insights needed to be explored. Carefully though, there was a fine line between friendship, banter-buddies, and who-knows-what-else and Sam didn't even want Freddie to know she was walking on that line. After all, if she was imagining these "feelings" she wanted to keep the relationship they had now. Even if that relationship might appear odd to the outside eye at least it was theirs and they were content with it.
So Freddie had to remain clueless about this new examination and normal everyday outings needed to be stretched just a tad bit until this topic could be fully explored and Sam could decide what she should do. The thing is… She has been trying to explore this area for a few months and the answer remained… confusing. Even worse, Freddie seemed to be acting slightly different each time.
He would look at her with amusement, as though he had some sort of greater appreciation for her character. They were both shocked to realize they could actually hold conversations without fighting. (A realization that actually made them argue about said topic. So… Maybe not without completely fighting, but they were definitely going for a longer period.) In fact, it was usually when they were bickering that Sam would notice a change in Freddie. His eyes would have a spark in them, as though something flipped a switch. And then there were these times, when his eyes softened on her and his grin wouldn't be filled with sarcasm or a dare but something else. It was those times when Sam would have to quickly look away or insult someone (anyone!), trying to cover the fact that Freddie, yes the Fred-dweb himself, gave her shivers.
Sam let out a small sigh. These feelings were more than confusing to her and it seemed, this time, she wouldn't have a chance to keep exploring the meaning beyond those looks and smiles. Adventure over; Freddie will be done any moment now. Still, as pointless as it was, she looked up at the sky, framed by tall buildings, and gave it a glare – as if it was to blame.
'C'mon! Give me something… Anything to work with!' Sam thought with a scowl on her face.
As if cowering from the threat another gust of wind blew past the nearby buildings, tweaking Sam's nose.
"AH-HA!" Both Sam and Freddie interjected in unison.
Freddie walked closer to the now slowly moving Sam, pearPhone in hand, "According to my pearPhone we're supposed to go -"
"That way!" Both said while pointing in opposite directions.
"That way?" Freddie said confused while looking down the direction Sam was pointing to, "No Sam; it's this way. Home is this way!"
"And the mystery restaurant is this way! I know it!" She said more insistently.
"And how do you know it's that way?" Freddie asked in amused disbelief, an eyebrow raised.
Sam pulled on Freddie's arm to bring his ear down to her height, "Mamma's never wrong about food." She whispered in a low voice. "Never."
Freddie instantly took a few steps back and returned to his full stature, involuntarily shivering from the closeness and the feel of her warm breath on him. He looked away briefly, getting that thought out of his head before looking at her again. The smirk on her face was contagious and he began to shake his head in amusement because, for a brief instance, he actually considered following her again.
"Besides, where's your sense of adventure Fred-dork?" Sam said with a wide grin. She pointed back determinedly to the direction she pointed to before. "To the mystery food!" She happily cheered.
Freddie couldn't help but to smirk. She really was something was she? As to what that something else was Freddie was still unsure. He knew she always had the power to get under his skin but somehow the definition of that seemed to expand into other feelings.
Like when she came to his door, asking for help. It tore at him, it didn't make sense as to why, but it did. And the memory of her face and pleading eyes… The encountered left him both empowered and powerless. Empowered because it was a significant sign in how much she trusts him. Powerless because that face, full of despair, still haunts him. Both of these reason is why he helped her then but both affects lingered. It didn't make sense as to why she held as much power as she did, and that aspect bothered Freddie.
There were even these times when a simple smile from her seemed to freeze him in his tracks. 'Probably because genuine, non-evil smiles from her are so rare.' He tried to reason to himself. And a simple raise of her eyebrow in challenge would make him churn inside. 'Hormones.' He reasoned.
Then there were times when his blood would boil from her insults. And he would just stand there, trying to gather himself to be above it, but she would keep pushing and pushing and all he wanted to do was push her back. Banter between them was fun, Freddie even got a secret thrill from it, and he would wonder if Sam got that same rush.
And then, there were those times when Sam would be yelling at him from such a close distance and her words would begin to escape him. His eyes would begin to focus more on her lips and the graceful movements they made when yelling at him with all her might. Then the image of him pushing her up against the lockers or wall and kissing her, hard, would come to mind. And he would continue to kiss her until all his frustrations were kissed out and she finally understood how he felt.
How he felt…
Freddie looked at Sam who was still determined as ever to go to her mystery meal and shook his head, reminding himself 'no'.
She was wrong, these feelings were wrong and, in every possible way, they were wrong together.
"Yeah but Sam…" Freddie said slowly and quietly while pointing in the opposite direction. "We really should…"
A shock simultaneously ran up and down his system like an electrical current. Freddie raised a brow and looked to the source realizing the cause of the shock was Sam hooking her arm in his.
She smiled up at him, her resolve not weakening. (After all, if she could intimidate the universe into giving her what she wanted Freddie should be a piece of cake!) "That's not a request, Benson; we're going!"
Freddie looked at their linked arms and back to Sam whose beaming eyes were obviously determined.
"I guess... a small adventure couldn't hurt." He reluctantly caved in.
Her smile grew, to the point of being one of those smiles that froze him in his tracks.
"Atta boy Fred-dork! C'mon!" She said while charging ahead, her arm slipping out in the process.
The sudden lack on contact left an uneasy feeling of emptiness and Freddie subconsciously reached out with his right hand and took hold of Sam's backhand.
The contact brought Sam to an instant stop as she looked at the hand that now held her left one before turning around and giving her full attention to Freddie, a look of surprise and confusion on her face.
A faint blush rushed across the techie's face. Why did he do that?! 'Think of something quickly!' He said to himself. "A-a small adventure couldn't hurt…" He repeated quietly at first before gaining a little more confidence in his next clause, "Only on the condition that we stick together…"
Sam continued to stare at him, eyes uncertain. Freddie was certain that she was obviously debating if she should beat him up.
"J-just a precaution! I mean... We are lost, y'know." He further justified; he was even beginning to fool himself.
Sam processed the information, gave a slow nod, then turned back around and continued to walk abet a slower pace.
Freddie just continued to stand there, completely shocked that the excuse worked. A tug on his arm seemed to bring him back.
"Well c'mon dweeb, they're not going to hold the food for us." Sam teased with a small laugh while half turning back.
Freddie smiled and nodded, taking a few steps forward to catch up. He looked at his pearPhone in his left hand, the realization that he could use the GPS feature to locate all the restaurants within a ten-mile radius dawning on him. He turned back to Sam, mouth open ready to tell her the exciting news when he couldn't help but to notice the small smile Sam seemed to be holding back before he took another a glace at their joined hands.
Freddie closed his mouth and slightly shook his head. He caught the glance from Sam, expecting her to inquire about his behavior but she decided not to, instead opting out for a small laugh and a look to tell him he's crazy.
He smiled back at her and shoved the phone into his left pocket. 'Deliberately deciding to be lost with Sam, perhaps I am crazy.' He chuckled at the thought.
Hand-in-hand walking down the streets of Seattle. 'Maybe,' Freddie noted, 'I should get lost with Sam more often.'
END
A/N: This iCarly fic is loosely based on one of the fan-arts from a Seddie contest called iCarly: Home is… That Way. I plan on writing one more fan-fic based on the winning entry. (Provided I get that artist's permission as I got this one.)
Reviews are always appreciated but I'm content in just sharing the story for others to enjoy.