After six years of living with someone of the opposite sex, neither of you having any romantic relationships during that time, you have to get over people asking if you've been secretly dating. Denying it doesn't do a thing, in fact the more you deny the more people think they're right. Takes a year to keep from getting flustered every time someone questions the extent of the relationship, after that a simple no is the only response you give. The second year has both of you ignoring the looks, whispers, the not-so sly jokes, gotta learn to keep a stone face every time without being a smartass about it. Once y'all hit three years of the questioning you accept it's never going away and you both start handling it differently. For you the whole thing is a pain in the ass, you're frustrated by it all but she's you're best friend so you deal with it. As for her, well, once she figured out she could annoy you by letting hints drop or acting like there was some truth to it, mostly around family. Her favorite way to imply a less than platonic relationship was to let people think you were both friends with benefits. Of course certain close friends thought that would eventually turn into a full on romantic thing.
For the longest time Vicky thought people were being ridiculous about her and the Twerp but in the last year she's started seriously thinking about how their friendship looked to someone else. And yes, the redhead was able to see how they'd come to the conclusions they did. Didn't change the fact that years were spent with no evidence to back it up other than them being closer than most friends, if they were the same gender no one would be saying any of this. He and Blondie were real close, guys fell asleep on the sofa together all the time, posted flirty messages to each other on social media, and not a single person asks if it's more than platonic. Double standards were a bitch. However changing their friendship wasn't about to happen nor were either about to move out for various reasons including their cat. Shared custody of a blind cat is not a situation she wants to deal with plus life was comfortable living together.
Another thing that her mind was lingering on was how they interacted when no one was around. Maybe a few things were right on the line or slightly over it, a couple were well over the line once she thought about them. Never did cross her mind that they did things that friends don't normally do since a few came naturally. If one of them had been in a relationship with another person, more than a couple things would be considered inappropriate in their friendship. Which made her wonder why neither of them had found a boy/girlfriend over the years, hell when was the last time one of them went on a first date? Last time she did was before Tootie came to live with her, Timmy might have gone on a couple while her sister lived with them about five and a half years ago. Okay her not dating wasn't too shocking, hard to find a man who isn't scared shitless by you and meets your standards. Why he hadn't was a mystery. Kid was everything most girls wanted; sweet, understanding, a good listener, no addictions or criminal record, good job, a romantic, among other things. She never bothered to ask until a few months ago and he shrugged at the question saying he didn't know. Next day he gave a slightly longer explanation about it being easier it just being them and relationships were a lot of drama and blah, blah, blah, unsatisfactory answer that told her squat.
Shortly after she called the only person that could adequately explain why they thought she and the brunette were or would one day be an item, her sister. Several awkward phone calls and a long road trip later, it got her thinking. Tootie's words swirled in her head the whole ride home, and were driving her nuts with how often they interrupted her day.
"Let me get this straight, you give me hell for thinking you two are dating and now you want to know why?"
Leaning against a wall in her sister's kitchen Vicky set the cup of coffee she'd been given down so she could cross her arms. "Yeah…Don't look at me like that!"
"You're thinking about him that way aren't you?"
Despite herself the redhead blushed, she wanted to wipe the smirk off her sibling's face. "Look I'm just curious to know why everyone and their mother thinks the way they do."
Still smirking Tootie took a sip from her cup before setting it on the counter. "Ever notice how you are around each other? That it doesn't take much for one of you to realize the other is hurting, down, or off, that the first thing you do to comfort them is some sort of physical contact? I'm not talking about the way friends normally do with a quick touch either, you put arms around the other, half hugs, things like that. All that cuddling in each other's beds, knowing all the little things that can make the other's day better, picking up on little tells –"
"We do not do all of that." There was the slightest bit of doubt in her voice.
"Yes you do. All of that and more."
Smug that she was the one to open the eyes of one half of the oblivious pair, took long enough, Tootie waited for it to all sink in. These two were so hopeless. Come on, not dating other people was a dead giveaway there was more to how they felt about each other, unconsciously anyway. It takes a while for people like them to connect the dots, especially when they weren't even letting the feelings surface. Seemed the redhead had already been thinking about it before that first phone call. The way there were around each other, they already acted like a couple, only thing missing was for them to realize it wasn't platonic love they felt for each other. Something the brunette had been struggling to accept for the last ten months after confiding in Chester. From what she was told, the blonde had teased about being single for so long when their friend said he let slip that he had Vicky, what did he need a girlfriend for. He'd tried to backtrack, that he meant living with her was enough and far easier than having love in his life. Chester managed to make him see that what he felt for her sister no longer qualified as platonic.
If she could get her sister to that point too they might finally see what the rest of their friends and family have been talking about for so many years. And yes she had every intention of rubbing it in their faces.
"So," the redhead kept her eyes down, "what now?"
Pink eyes looked up at her and quickly filled with dread. "I'm glad you asked, let's go sit down, this will take a while."
Vicky spent that weekend with her sister working out her feelings before coming home to do some more thinking on her own. Life at her apartment continued as normal ever since. No point fixing what works fine for both parties right? Love could ruin what they had and what they had was enough. So much to her sister's disappointment she decided to not act on her feelings.
That was how she planned to handle things until he came home today acting off. Brat ignored her asking what was wrong and they'd been having a standoff for an hour in his room. Would be a funny sight seeing them both lying on his bed, her arms were crossed over her chest starring at the ceiling and he had his arms over his eyes, if it weren't for the tension. Right now it was a waiting game to see who would cave first.
Or who would get distracted by the cat jumping on the bed confused why it was so quiet. Answer is Vicky, she clicked her tongue and the black fluff ball laid down on her stomach. Psyche purred as she was petted.
"Hey cat, what're you doing huh? Too quiet for you?" She was trying not to sound annoyed, didn't really work. "If someone wasn't refusing to talk to me it wouldn't be. Get him to tell me what's up, Psyche."
The purring got louder as the redhead kept talking to the cat, not noticing her roommate had moved his arms so he could peak over at her. Seeing her interact with animals is an interesting thing, every barrier down, all smiles, and gentle, it's cute.
"What'd you say?"
Crap, he said the last part out loud. He pulled a pillow over his face.
"Did you just call me cute?"
"No."
Okay, he never said she was cute unless it was to tease her so why did he say it out of the blue? Sounded like he meant it, in what way though? That was the only question that mattered cause her heart was speeding up at the thought that he might be into her. Damn Tootie for putting this love crap in her head.
Ignore it, ignore it and it'll go away and nothing will change.
Dumbass it's already changed, ever since you started thinking this thing between the two of you might not be 100% platonic. Things are gonna be different either way.
True, for weeks she'd been second guessing anything she said or did in case it came off as flirting. Several times he gave her a look when she didn't speak her mind or added something under her breath to back track. Come to think of it he wasn't as cuddly lately, seemed to be trying to avoid it a lot. So either he wanted to keep romance out of it in case it ruined what they had or the thought disgusted him so he was trying to correct behavior that came off romantic. Which would be worse, potential breakup or living in a delusion?
Quit your bellyaching, since when do you hesitate? Kid isn't going to cut you out of his life if dating doesn't work out you idiot, he's better than that.
She nudged the cat off her stomach so she could lay on her stomach to look at him. Propped up on her elbows she looked at the pillow covering his head thinking about her next move. Jumping right into the subject probably wasn't the best idea with him acting the way he was, should try a patient approach but where's the fun in that?
"You think I'm cute." The redhead teased, poking the pillow about where his cheek would be. "You like me don'cha?"
From under the pillow she heard a muffled 'fuck you'. It made her giggle.
"Hey I've offered," quickly she pulled the pillow away and tossed it onto the floor, "or would you prefer a couple dates first?"
"Do you have to say it like it's a joke?" Shit, she didn't think he'd take it seriously.
And damn her mouth for being faster than her brain. "Well since I don't know where that head of yours is at, yes."
"Get out of my room."
"Say please first."
"Dammit Vicky get out!" Before she knew it he was on his feet pulling her to the door.
"Chill Turner all I wanted to know is why you're acting weird today."
They were standing on opposite sides of his doorway now. His grip on her wrist tightened for a second before he turned around to look her in the eye. "My roommate is a bitch that's why."
"But you love me anyway."
"And I'll never understand why." Took a few seconds for what he said to register, when it did his face turned bright red, a lovely match to the blush spreading across her own face. "I-I mean- fuck."
Stunned silence followed while their brains worked in overdrive to decide how to proceed. It felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest. Timmy Turner just said he loved her, love, loved, as in romantically. And he looks like he's about to pass out so the redhead led him back to the bed. The look on his face matched what she was thinking, 'well there it is', and it clicked. Someone had helped him figure out his feelings same as Tootie had for her. Guess they were as oblivious as other people said.
"So you love me, right?"
"Yes."
"Aw."
"Jesus don't you dare start teas-"
Her lips were on his long enough to cut him off. She pulled back a bit to smile at him; shock was a good look for him. Also words are hard, she'd mess them up anyway.
Correction, goofy, happy smile was better. Looks like he didn't want to mess this moment up with words either. Instead he kissed her back, smile never leaving his face making them both laugh. After all it only took six years to get to this point.