Disclaimer. Characters not mine.
Rocky climbed in through the window, with a picture perfect Tinka in tow well mostly, her hair was down and you could see the excitement etched onto her pretty face. Ty following close behind, helping his girlfriend through the window, gently kissing Tinka's cheek "your such a gentleman" she giggled in response to Ty's kiss, glad that they were finally dating...the only small worry was Gunther's reaction when he found out.
Today was the day Tinka had been waiting 3 months for…yep, Gunther was returning home, and she wasn't the only one who was excited, Rocky, Ty and Deuce were all in the apartment gearing up to meet him too. To say his absence had been noticed was a major understatement, Ty had missed Gunther like crazy. Yeah he poked fun at the glitter bomb occasionally but everyone knew him and Gunther were actually really close. Even Deuce had noticed the blonde's absence and had taken to mimicking the hessenheffer entrance every once in a while...which at first everyone had found endearing but eventually led to two particular peoples complaints on the matter, claiming that it was just irritating and on a more childish note a bad imitation.
Today he came home from the old country, everyone had been waiting in various stages of exccitement and anxiety all week and in five hours they would meet him at the airport and almost everything would be back the way it was, they were just waiting on Cece who had just been woken up by Rocky, quickly stumbling out of bed, screaming at them for letting her sleep in so late when she saw their clothed attire and put the clues toether, quickly running into bathroom to shower and change, grabbing the dress she had had ready, with some cute kitten heels and tying her hair back in a neat ponytail, applying minimal make up and running out to meet them.
Ty chuckled upon seeing her dress, until Tinka elbowed him in the ribs, smiling and grasping Cece's hand quickly, apologising for letting her sleep so late, smiling as Cece brushed it of with a sweet smile and making them all rush out the door, grasping Tinka's hand for moral support at what she was about to do.
She was barely able to admit it to herself that she missed him, it was only after a month that she realised something was wrong.
flashback
She had just walked into school and was standing at her locker, turning to smile at Tinka "morning tinka", she smiled hugging the blonde, in the two weeks Gunther had been gone Rocky and Cece had officially welcomed her as one of their best girl friends, Tinka stepped back smiling "Morning Cece, you up for a movie night tonight?, my place 8pm". Cece nodded quicly, figuring that a movie night was the perfect thing to distract her from whatever had been distracting her lately."See you there", she smiled back watching Tina skip to her next lesson...noting how well Tinka seemed to be handling Gunther's leaving. Smiling and giggling silently to herself when she saw Ty do his spin and turn flirt move on her as she walked by, secretly wishing Ty luck in winning her over thinking that Ty had a way bigger chance with Gunther out of the country...cause in all honesty Gunther tended to be over protective of Tinka when it came to guys, then again she smiled to herself the over protectiness was endearing on him...cute even. Rocky's voice quickly snapping her out of it and immediatley telling rocky bout the movie night sleepover at tinka's place, glad when Rocky agreed.
That evening.
Tinka greeted them at the door, the smell of sweet popcorn wafting out along with the enticing smell of fresh baked cookies and brownies...making both girls basically melt into puddles of saliva. Inviting them in and closing the door the girls instantly fell into a relaxed chatter, sitting in a triangle on the floor, a bunch of junk food in the middle of them with a film playing in the background none of the girls so much as attempting to watch it. "So Tinka...you seeing anybody lately?" Cece asked coyly, waiting for a chance to pounce on the blushing blonde. "No" she smiled blushing, "...why?", she asked out of curiosity wondering if Cece was maybe thinking of fixing her up. "It's just, I saw you talking to Ty today...you both seemed fairly friendly with each other" she giggled suggestively enjoying the way Tinka's face lit up like a flame when Ty was mentioned, confiming Cece's suspicions. "Wait what?, you like Ty" Rocky interjected shocked, Tinka stared at the ground blushing like a little girl and nodded silently...jumping back in total shock when her two girl friends jumped up and started screaming crazily, staring at them as if they were completely mental. Smiling slightly when the girls sat back down and started bombarding her with questions, obviously thrilled by the news. Then elaborated that she had liked him since they went out and was thinking of asking him out again, but hadnt cause she knew him and her brother were friends and so he might say no to her or her brother might have a problem with it. Cece laughed at this, "Tinka, Gunther was the one who chose Ty to ask you out...if he had a problem with Ty he wouldnt have picked him." Cece smiled encouragingly, feeling a strange wierd feeling when she reminded herself that he wasnt here anymore. That night was the first night she felt wierd about him being gone...but in no ways was it the last.
Eventually after about another week after a month of him being gone she realised the weird thing keeping her awake at night and the unscratchable itch was him. But even so she thought it was just because she had gotten so used to glitter boy buzzing around that it was weird to have him not around anymore. she was just sitting in her living room watching a rerun of the shake it up true teen life episode, giggling at the memories of how everyone had reacted to Rocky's diva or her and Gunther's 'love'...still impressed at just how well the directors and producers had cut it together to make it look real.
"Heys" Rocky said climbing in through the window, setting herself next to Cece smiling at what was on telly...remembering how stricken Cece had been when she saw the clip of her being 'in love', remembering something that hadnt crossed her mind or seemed strange until she thought about it now. "Cece, do you think it was wierd?", she asked vaguely facing her bestie. who looked at her in confusion, "what?", Rocky smiled, "the way Gunther reacted, do you think it was strange?".
Cece thought back carefully, truthfully admitting that she hadnt thought of it in detail, it was true that Gunther hadnt denied it and had seemed rather pleased with himself...almost bragging as he fist bumped with the other guys who congratulated him then how he stuck around almost as if he was making some sort of twisted move on her. she looked at the TV again seeing the blonde boy smiling at her as she gushed over the jacket. She knew where Rocky was heading with the questions...she just wasnt sure how to answer them. Shaking her head laughing "no, Gunther was just trying to bug me, like he always does...only this time he had way more ammo to use against me". Cece reasoned easily, refusing to believe that glitter boy had actually had an ulterior motive.
After two months she had started to miss other crazy things like how he would leave small sequins and glitter in her house when he hung out or babysat and stuff, she had taken to muttering the phrase hello bay-bee too herself at random intervals when it was a bit too quiet…or remembering all the random little old country facts he came out with. What really made her realise she missed him, was when Flynn came in one day and slumped down miserably."Hey Flynn, whats wrong?" she asked gently careful not to hurt the small boy anymore. "Nothing, its stupid", he sighed curling up into the armchair sadly "you want some bacon?" Cece asked sweetly, sad that her brother was so upset." He shook his head and stayed silent...panicking his big sister who was torn between calling their mum and calling an ambulance. "Whens he coming back?" Flynn asked quietly and Cece needed no elaboration to know who the he Flynn was referring to was. She sat down and hugged him tightly, reminding herself how young he still was and how upsetting it must be to have someone just leave so randomly like this, Flynn curled into her and Cece understood why he was so upset Gunther was really close to Flynn, heck Gunther was one of Flynn's only male role models, along with Deuce and Ty...of course this was upsetting for him. "Hey, listen okay, we all miss him...but he has responsibilities and stuff back home in the old country, I guess being royalty means leaving the people your close to sometimes...but he will come back okay, I promise he will come back" Flynn smiled at her slightly, believing her when she said he would come back...knowing his older sister would never lie about that.
"Do you miss him?" the young boy asked innocently, Cece nodded a bitter sweet taste in her mouth, "yeah Flynn, I miss him". She admitted honestly, thinking about her crazy sparkly frenemy...well more friend if she was honest.
After three months even Rocky noticed something off with her bestie when she rejected a date from one of the cutest boys in school. "Cece, hes one of the cutest boys in school, how can you not want to go out with him" Rocky argued with her bestie who simply looked annoyed and bored at the reoccuring argument, the argument had been going all week. "Rocky, Im just not all that into dating lately, let it go." she argued walking away seething at her friends nosiness, even more annyed at herself when she realised Rocky was right and that she really should be excited about the boy asking her out...coming up short when she couldnt even remember the guys name. "Cece, okay I get the dating, but what about the couples dance tournament, you didnt even enter...this isnt you, you would be all over that tournament winning and stuff", Rocky new she was in the wrong, she was worried though lately Cece had been unfocused and distracted...which in Cece world meant studying and contributing to society without getting in trouble or calling attention to herself. "Rocky i dont have a partner" Cece argued as her defence for not wanting to enter the competition. "Three shake it up guys asked you...you could easily have a partner, so why dont you?" Rocky argued back her voice climbing a few octaves. "Can you just let it go, Im busy lately okay...besides I have to go, I promisedIi would meet Tinka at Crusty's." she finsihed vaguely and walked of. Rocky's mind distracted by the Ty and Tinka relationship glad that they were finally together.
That night Rocky stayed at Cece's neither girl carrying a grudge towards the other, hugging and making up Cece apologising for walking of and being rude and Rocky for being controlling and crazy. Watching telly in the living room, chatting and laughing, eventually falling into companiable silence, surprised when she turned round about half hour later to find Cece perched on a table chair with phone pressed to her ear, watching as her bestie bit her lip and cursed when the person didnt answer. what she didnt see was the mixed torn expression Cece had had just before making the call. already having formed an evil plan in her head, fitting the late phone call with the no dating to form a crush conclusion = the belief that Cece had a crush on someone. So when Cece fell asleep on the sofa, Rocky grabbed her phone and went through the call history...almost dropping it when she saw who Cece had tried to call. Immediately knowing what it meant and waking Cece to inform her, jostling her awake causing Cece to fall onto the floor in shock at being awoken. "What?" she groaned in pain and exasperation, Rocky thrust the phone towards Cece so she could see the call history "you tried to call Gunther" rocky stated less wildly, wishing her friend would wake up and see the urgency "yeah, so?" Cece yawned falling back asleep. "so...do you realise what it means?" Rocky questioned irritably, "no, but Im sure your gonna tell me" Cece responded sleepily and sarcastically Rocky huffed at her friend, annoyed that she wasnt more curious or serious about it. "Cece...you have a crush on Gunther" Rocky stated proudly expecting her friend to jump up and start screaming in denial, instead Cece let out a sleepy yawn and muttered "yeah...and?" then promptly fell back asleep leaving her best friend stumped for a response, trying to understand what Cece meant, wondering if Cece wasnt surprised because she already knew or was just too tired to register what she was saying.
The next morning was funny, Cece woke up to the smell of food being cooked, then looked over to see Rocky cooking. Sleepily wondering over trying to get the crazy dream out of her messsed up little head, "You okay?" rocky asked, Cece nodded annoyed about how she wasnt angry or left in denial by the dream, "Rocky, I had a strange dream last night...and it made me realise something, I think I have crush on someone" she told her friend carefully avoiding eye contact, Rocky held back a smile "and..." she urged Cece for a name. "I think its someone we both know...someone crazy and sparkly", her face flushed and waited for her friend to flip. "...I dont now who your talking about, just tell me his name" Rocky lied tring not to smirk. "...its Gunther...I have a crush on glitter boy" Cece's face was full on fire truck red and Rocky was giggling, then hugged her friend saying she had figured it out and that she supported Cece's crush completely.
Month four had been the most difficult, when Cece realised how she felt suddenly she went from irritated by not knowing why she was distracted to impatient and anxious, Tinka took the news of Cece's crush really well...even telling Cece that she had been sad when they broke up throwing her arms around Cece and telling her it was about time, everyone else knew and made a few jokes here and there...well Ty tried but one quick look from Tinka mde sure to shut him up permamently afterwards...Deuce didnt mind and left the whole thing to Cece, having the mind not to interfere...Flynn was thrilled, taking this to mean her and Gunther would be a sure fire bet when he got home and that it meant he would get to see Gunther even more than he did before, Cece not having the heart to explain that Gunther might not like her back and that he shouldnt have too much faith in it. Telling herself more than anyone not to get her hopes up. Just lettingher brother believe it.
Leading to today, with Cece and Tinka waiting nervously at the airport waiting for his flight to come in, growing more and more nervous every second…then suddenly turning to leave convinced that she couldnt do this and that it was a bad idea, being stopped by Tinka who understood perfectly how Cece felt, listening wholeheartedly about Cece's belief that he wouldn't care and would laugh at her…calming her down and getting her to sit and wait patiently, cursing her brother in the loveliest way for taking so long, secretly praying for him to like her or at least missed her knowing how much it would hurt Cece otherwise...wishing for it to be like a romantic comedy, where he comes in missing her like crazy, she runs and hugs him spilling how she missed him and needed him. She had seen how much Cece cared and how worked up and happy she had been the past month when she finally figured it out. desperate for her not to get her heart crushed.
Until a familiar blonde head walked towards them, and Tinka left, walking then running to embrace her twin brother saying how much she missed him and next time she was coming with him. Him saying hey to everyone else and accepting hugs from Rocky and Tinka and bro hugs from the guys..seeming not to notice that one fiery red head failed to hug him. Tink trying not to point out how obvious the group was being when they each slowly found reasons to disappear for a little while, Tinka and Rocky bathroom, Ty and Deuce food…leaving Cece and Gunther standing there watching them go. Making Tinka worry both for cece and herself.