Hey there!

I had this idea ages ago, and my friend kept pushing it and pushing it until eventually I started it. I've been staying up late and skipping writing notes in class to write this on my phone and in my notebook. It's been a true struggle. But here we are.

I'm super stoked for this. Also, I would like to apologize in advance for this whole thing. That is all I will comment on the matter.

Read on, my little Rockliff friends, and enjoy!

I don't own anything. Also, side-note: as for Riker/Lucy and any other couple that may come about later, I'm indifferent. Riker needed to marry someone for the sake of the events of the story, so. This is about Rockliff. Nothing else matters.

Rocky had wanted to kiss Ellington for a long time.

He didn't know exactly when it happened or what triggered it. But there was something, some moment way back when that made him see Ellington differently. Not a bad different by any means. Just something other than what they already were, what they had been from day one.

Oddly enough, Rocky was pretty sure that things had started to get different between them when the rumors of Ellington and Rydel started to fly. Maybe that was what changed things. Ell and Rydel got closer and started doing things that made people question the state of their relationship. Rocky started to feel possessive over his friendship with Ellington, and it just developed into something that confused him a lot.

Months passed where Ellington and Rydel continued to be closer than normal, and soon it was just past Rocky's 20th birthday, and he was confused. He was sure that he was Ellington's best friend and it didn't seem fair to him that he was being replaced so easily. He moped about it a lot, even complaining to Riker once. "Jeez, you sound like you have a crush on him or something," Riker had said, and it'd changed Rocky's whole view on the situation.

So, yeah, he'd always seen something in Ellington as more than a friend. It was really weird to him, new and exciting and somewhat scary. He didn't know how to go about the realization. All he did know was that he wanted to kiss him.

The opportunity presented itself one day, and Rocky wasn't going to let it go.

The family trip back to Hawaii was in celebration of Riker and Lucy's engagement. Which, okay, before there was any type of celebrating, there was a whole lot of fighting. The relationship had been so out-of-the-blue in the first place that an engagement after only seven months seemed ridiculous. Riker fought it, though, using only the argument that they loved each other more than anything, and Lucy had wanted this. Both families realized they weren't getting anywhere with disagreeing, so they took it in stride and worked on accepting it.

R5 booked a show down in Hawaii, because why go there and not have something for the fans? The concert was on the last night of the five-day, four-night trip with the Lynches, Hales, and Ellington. Afterward, Rocky asked Ell if he wanted to ditch the planned after party and hang out on the beach with him.

Ellington glanced over his shoulder at everybody talking and laughing and mingling with drinks in their hands before turning back to Rocky. "Um, sure," he replied. "Why, though?"

Rocky shrugged and slipped his hands into the pockets of his cargo shorts. He started down the wooden steps that led down to the beach, Ellington a few steps behind. "I dunno. Might as well enjoy the last night we got here in peace, right?"

"But during a party?" Ell asked. Once they had descended the narrow staircase, he walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Rocky down the incline of the sand. "Parties are fun."

"They're also loud, and I have a headache." It wasn't entirely a lie. Rocky's head hurt from how much he was fighting the urge to say I have feelings for you and also I want to have sex with you and I'd love your opinion on the matter.

Ell nodded. "Fair enough."

"You can go back, if you want. We just haven't hung out in a while. Alone, I mean."

"Yeah, no, I gotcha. This is totally cool, too." Ellington offered a smile as he sat down where he was, right above the shore. He didn't want to get his feet wet.

Rocky sat down next to him and sighed. He didn't know what he wanted to talk about or if he was even going to say anything about his feelings at all. He hadn't really planned to. He just wanted to be with Ell. Maybe it was selfish, but it was true that they hadn't spent time together in ages. Above all else, Rocky missed his best friend.

The moon was almost full and the sky was full of stars and it was totally cliché. Rocky liked it, though. Clichés made him happy and stars were cool. He liked looking at them. More specifically, he liked looking at the stars with someone because there wasn't really pressure to talk about anything. It was just about gazing and wondering.

"Constellations are cool," he noted, although he had never been able to see them. Mark used to take Rocky, Riker, and Rydel into the backyard to see the stars when they were young; it was back when Ross was a baby and Ryland wasn't even born yet. Mark would point out things like the Dippers, but Rocky could never quite make them out. It had always frustrated him.

He leaned back on his hands, tilting his head as he looked up. He still couldn't really tell, but he assumed they were there.

"Yeah," Ell agreed. "I like stars."

They fell into a comfortable silence and Rocky debated what he should do. He had a lot of options, too many things to say. He couldn't decide which one would be best, and which one would totally ruin everything.

He could see Ellington out of the corner of his eye just looking up at the sky. He wondered if Ellington was enjoying the peace or just wanted to get back to the party. He couldn't tell. Ellington was too good at hiding things sometimes.

Rocky's fingers dug into the cold sand beneath him. This was a chance for him to change things. He knew it was a stretch, but he'd never know what he was missing if he didn't try.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked, still watching the stars.

He felt Ellington's eyes on him then, just looking at him. Rocky could tell that he was waiting for a "just kidding" or for Rocky to burst out laughing and lead them back up to the party. But Rocky didn't move or look away. He waited. That was all he could do.

"What?" Ellington finally asked.

"Can I kiss you?" Rocky repeated. This time, he turned his head.

Ellington looked confused. Understandably so. Rocky obviously didn't ask questions like this very often, so naturally there was hesitation and questioning.

Ellington wasn't sure what compelled him. It was probably the way Rocky looked at him, he figured, completely serious and looking like he'd be crushed if Ellington so much as said no. There was something in Rocky's expression that made it impossible for Ell to reject him.

And he'd be lying if he said he didn't think about it every once in a while.

"Okay," Ell uttered after a long pause.

He didn't see the harm in it. Whatever was going through Rocky's mind could apparently be helped with just a little kiss. It wasn't going to hurt anybody. While Ellington had thought about it before, the idea of actually kissing Rocky was foreign to him. He'd only ever kissed girls before. And this was Rocky, of all people. It was weird, but still, Ell had really wanted to say yes and he wasn't sure why.

Rocky didn't miss a beat. He leaned in and closed the space between them, pressing his lips to Ellington's firmly. It was slow and easy and just how Rocky had pictured it being.

Rocky was the one to pull away. He looked at Ellington for a second before casting his gaze downward, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well…that was nice."

Rocky looked up when Ellington spoke. "Yeah. I…yeah."

Ellington paused before speaking again. "Why'd you do it, though?"

Rocky shrugged. "I wanted to. And I felt like I should."

"But…what does it mean?"

"What do you think it means?" Rocky looked over at him, raising an eyebrow. "It means I like you, dipshit."

"I could do without the name-calling, thank you very much."

Rocky waved him off.

"But I'm flattered."

"You should be." Rocky stood up and brushed the sand off the back of his pants. He held out his hand to help Ellington up. "C'mere."

Ellington took his hand and let Rocky pull him to his feet. As soon as he was up, Rocky yanked him closer to kiss him again. Ell wasn't expecting this one. He still wasn't sure about this. Rocky liked him? Did this mean Rocky wanted to date him and keep kissing him all spontaneously like this? Ellington was really skeptical. He had never thought about this being something he wanted.

Ellington backed away and stared up at him. Rocky smirked and that was when Ell lost it altogether because, shit, Rocky was good-looking. He was attractive and his best friend and the only person Ellington trusted with his life.

They went back up to the party together and acted like all was normal.

Days and then weeks passed and the kiss was not forgotten. Neither wanted to pretend that it didn't happen, so instead of forgetting about it, they went off every chance they got. During rehearsals, hanging out, even at big group outings, they'd find somewhere secluded to make out and that was it.

The day after returning from Hawaii, when Ellington's previous doubts had come back to haunt him, it didn't take much convincing from Rocky. "S'just kissing," had been Rocky's argument. "Doesn't mean anything." So Ellington gave in, because what else could he do? He knew he couldn't deny thinking it was a decent idea because he wanted it just as much. And every time, the two of them would come back and have to pretend that it hadn't happened.

But they knew. Between the two of them, that was all that mattered.

For a while, at least.

The more Ellington thought about it, the more he started to warm up to the idea of actually being with Rocky. It seemed simple enough. The two of them were closer than anyone else in the group and they all knew it. They had their own secret language. They understood each other. Ellington thought that was a pretty solid basis for any relationship: best friends first.

He didn't say anything to Rocky about it, though, not at first. But Rocky often times made it seem like he felt the same. It always happened when they were doing something simple like watching movies with the group, where the two of them would sit a little too close and their thighs would touch without it actually being suspicious, and when Ell and the rest of them were sucked into the movie, Rocky would just watch him. Ellington noticed it almost every time. Rocky had this look that Ellington couldn't really explain, but it made him feel like maybe Rocky had those same maybe-it-could-work thoughts. It was more than enough to give Ell the courage to bring it up.

They were going at it in a storage closet in the studio one day, exactly one month and one week after the trip to Hawaii. It was stingy and small, but exactly what they had grown accustomed to. Rocky had Ellington pinned against the door as he kissed him. They struggled to keep quiet as the rest of the band continued to rehearse in the studio. Rocky had said he was going to the bathroom and Ellington's excuse was that he was calling his mom, so they didn't have a lot of time.

Rocky trailed his lips down to Ellington's neck. Ell gripped Rocky's shoulders and let out a heavy breath.

"Maybe we should stop sneaking around," he whispered.

Rocky lifted his head. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…make this something more than just making out all the time." He swallowed thickly, trying to catch his breath. "You—you said you liked me, so…"

"Are you talking about being boyfriends?"

Ellington nodded swiftly.

Rocky sighed, slumping his shoulders. "That's so gay, dude," he mumbled, kissing Ellington and wrapping his arms around him to pull him close. It took Ellington all he had to fight back the urge to make an Evidently, so are you comment.

"It's just what we're doing now but without the secrets. Right? Don't you want that?" Ellington asked between kisses.

"Yes. Yes, whatever. We're dating."

Ellington felt an immediate adrenaline rush. They'd gotten past weird and awkward a month ago; everything now was just new and exciting. Ell wasn't afraid anymore. It was just Rocky.

"And as my first official action as your boyfriend, I would like to grant myself full access into your pants whenever I want."

Ellington brought a hand up to his face and blushed. "Maybe we should finish rehearsal first."

When they went back (a few moments apart to ease suspicion), Rocky simply looked at Ellington. Ellington shook his head. Rocky knew what that meant, surprisingly: that they weren't going to say anything to the band right now. Ellington sat behind his set and picked up his sticks.

"Alright," he exclaimed, "let's do it." He raised his sticks to hit them together and count off so they could finish rehearsal.

Rocky and Ellington had been texting or talking whenever they got a second alone about when and how they were going to tell everyone. First their families, then their friends, then the fans, they decided. It was the most logical way to go. They just didn't know when and how.

Things took an unexpected turn two weeks after the day in the storage closet. It wasn't meant to happen. All Ross had wanted was to watch Romeo & Juliet in the basement in peace. It was his favorite place to turn off all the lights and sit at the corner of the sectional sofa and watch his favorite movie. He had never asked for this.

His bare feet on the carpeted stairs were silent as he made his way down. Rocky and Ellington might have heard him otherwise. But Ross was halfway to the couch before he even noticed them, and then he stopped dead.

Ellington was sprawled on the brown leather couch, Rocky hovering above him. Both were shirtless and kissing feverishly. Ellington had his jeans around his ankles, and Rocky's hand was shoved down the front of Ellington's underwear. It was a scene Ross had never imagined or ever wanted to see. His face twisted into a mixture of confusion and slight disgust.

He opened his mouth to say something, but he was mostly too shocked to make noise. His feet were planted where they were. He would have screamed and run away, but his blood ran cold and he just couldn't. He was confused above all else because, honestly, what?

He finally unfroze when Ellington moaned rather loudly against Rocky's lips. Ross shuddered and turned his head away.

"Dude," he finally said, loudly enough to get their attention.

They both stopped and turned to him. Ellington immediately shoved Rocky off of him and reached down to pull his jeans back up. As he was having trouble with his pants, Rocky groaned and rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Oh, for God's sake," he muttered, shaking his head. Of course Ross had to pick then of all times to come down.

"What…the hell?" Ross blinked. "Wha—"

Rocky sighed. "Well, surprise."

Ross stared blankly at him, his eyes wide. The kid looked like he'd seen a ghost. Which, okay, what he really had seen could easily scar him for life. Rocky got that part.

"I suppose now is the best time to tell you that I'm fucking our drummer."

"Dating. Dating," Ellington interjected quickly when he watched Ross' eyes bulge out even more. Ellington glared at Rocky before turning back to Ross and shrugging. "We—we're dating." His pants were still only half up because it was hard to do that sitting down.

Ross stood in awe as Rocky got up from the couch. He bent down to pick up the previously discarded shirts off the floor. Ellington stood beside him, finally getting his pants on and pulling his shirt over his head. Rocky threw his into a corner of the room; he'd get it later.

All the while, Ross stayed frozen. He stared at Ellington.

"Stop looking at him like he just killed every family member you've ever known." Rocky grinned. "He's just sleeping with one of them."

"Dating."

"Officially sleeping with one of them."

Ross finally snapped out of his state of shock to look confused. "But…why?"

Rocky shrugged. "Why is Riker with Lucy? Why is anyone with anyone? 'Cause they like each other. We like each other, genius."

"Yeah, but since when do you two like each other?"

"Since I gazed into his eyes and saw the answers to the freaking universe," Rocky said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Ellington elbowed him, so Rocky sighed and gave a serious answer. "Since…a while, I guess."

"But he kissed me in Hawaii."

"Hawaii?" Ross asked. "That was, like, months ago. Why haven't you guys said anything?"

"You're the first to know and you're taking it a little weird." Rocky raised his eyebrows.

Ross shook his head quickly. "No, I—I'm fine with it. It's just…out of nowhere. Completely out of nowhere."

"That's why I said surprise."

It was a lot to take in, but Ross had run out of questions and he was pretty sure the initial shock of finding out they were dating had worn off. Mostly, he was just stuck with the image of the scene he had had to look at.

"You should probably tell everyone," Ross suggested after a few moments. "It'll get weird."

Rocky looked at Ellington and shrugged.

"I don't think anyone's gonna care that much. Or even be that surprised. You guys were always a little gay."

"Watch it, Blondie," Rocky warned, brushing past Ross and messing up his hair. Ross reached up to fix it as Rocky started upstairs.

"Where are you going?" Ross asked.

"Bathroom. Wanna come?"

Ross rolled his eyes at his brother's sass. He heard the door at the top of the basement stairs open and close and turned back to Ellington.

"Sorry you had to see that," Ellington offered, scratching the back of his head. "We thought you were taking a nap."

"I was, but then I woke up, and I wanted to watch a movie. So here we are."

Ellington told Ross he'd sit through the entirety of the original Romeo & Juliet with him and not complain when Ross recited his favorite lines to make up for it. Rocky was not thrilled with the idea upon his return and went back upstairs on his own.

When the movie was over and Ellington was done with Shakespeare for the rest of his life, the two of them went up. They entered the living room to find Rocky lounging on the couch with an Xbox controller. Rydel and Riker were standing in the doorway. They looked lost, but Rocky didn't seem to be paying any attention to them.

"I told them that we're sleeping together with labels," Rocky explained without moving his gaze away from the TV screen.

"I don't think I'm ever going to understand why the term 'dating' is so difficult for you."

Rocky shrugged. "Their reactions wouldn't have been as funny."

Yayyyyy this was boring but that just means there are greater things coming later ho0hoh0o0o0hoh0o0hho0

I am expecting this to be about 20 chapters long in the end, so yeah.

This is gonna be fun.

Hope you enjoyed! Next one's gonna be a slow-ish one too, but not too bad.