as the description says, this is set right after the kiss in 1x18. I always believed it was right about then Toby realized he was in love with Happy. I mean, everyone has their own speculations, this is just mine!

enjoy!

A tingling remained on his lips as he walked, the Los Angeles nighttime breeze prickling his skin.

The doc couldn't, nor did he bother, attempting to repress the wide, cheeky grin plastered across his face.

Don't talk. Don't ruin it.

Happy had kissed him. Actually kissed him.

Pursuing her for this long had finally paid off.

Toby was still somewhat dazed from the passion and lust that'd practically knocked him off his feet.

Happy had taken him with such force, such intensity, evoking mountains ranges of goosebumps and a fluttering in his chest as if he were a lovesick schoolboy. Her lips entwined with his were firm, yet her wanting to savor the moment had exposed a hint of what he'd already hoped was there. Affection deeply buried away under layers of sarcasm, curt responses, reluctance to accept a romantic relationship, and longstanding shields, among the other traits that she worked to maintain in order to keep herself closed off. Whether she would admit it or not, something, something she probably couldn't fully comprehend, was there. Her genius prevented it from blossoming, and her EQ prevented her from welcoming it.

Of course, Toby had been open about his feelings towards Happy. He would admit they were there. She knew they were there. He had no interest in denying it. He'd always wanted her to know.

It'd birthed as a mere respect and appreciation for both her attractiveness, and her intelligence, alongside other attributes. Then it'd begun to flourish into affection, an admirative crush. And from that, stemmed his intimate desires that'd scared her into trying to further push him away.

But tonight's kiss had sparked a revelation, stronger than everything he'd felt before, giving him the confirmation and solidation of the entirety of their connection. It was something Toby should've previously realized. He'd been far too engaged in his own thoughts and wants to pick up on the clues that would've clearly shown it to him.

If he told her, he wasn't sure where they'd proceed. Where their relationship might lead them. Where it could lead them. He didn't know how it would work. What it would be like. After all, despite his extensive studies in the human behavioral fields, Happy Quinn was still unpredictable. And her robotic heart was still in the early stages of achieving a humanlike level. Even under the guidance of all her intelligence, she didn't possess the ability to accept such a passionate proclamation, let alone reciprocate its ardor.

Toby would wait for her to reach a mark in development where she could wholeheartedly partake in a relationship.

The shrink was unsure of how much time would elapse before then. Happy's growth slowly increased each day, bit by bit.

Whenever she was ready, he'd be there. He certainly wasn't a perfect human either. Not very damn close. But he'd still wait for her to attain a level where they could figure out the rest of the way together.

At this point, Toby only was certain of two things.

The first, was, of course, that he wanted to be with her. There was a million reasons why. The way she made him feel. The fascinating gleam in her eyes when she was accomplishing something that fell under her vast umbrella of skills. The sarcastic comments that never failed to show him deep down, she did care.

But the most important reason he wanted to be with her had only just hit him after their kiss. The breadth of how far his adoration went. It wasn't just a crush or a wish to be romantically involved with her anymore.

It was much, much more than that.

Now, it was something more meaningful.

It was what every human craved yet also what they feared. What Paige had been trying so hard for months to get them to feel.

It was love.

He was in love with Happy Quinn.