Roxy had only been three years old the first time she'd scribbled "Mrs. Dirk Strider" on a stray piece of construction paper. Her mother decided to meet up with an old friend, Dave, at the park. She brought Roxy along to introduce her to Dave's younger brother, Dirk, as they were the same age. Dirk was a tall, wiry boy whose eyes were hidden behind a pair of shades identical to those his brother wore. While the children around them played and ran about, Dirk maintained an air of calm. As they were leaving the park later that afternoon, Roxy had whispered to her mother,

"I'm going to marry that boy someday." Her mother had laughed.

Fifteen years later, as Roxy rummaged through a box of old essays, stories, and drawings from her childhood, the aforementioned scrap of paper fluttered to the ground. She picked it up, laughing aloud when she realized what it was. The laugh was followed by a sigh, and her mouth pulled down at the corners. Fifteen years had gone by, changing countless things about herself and everything around her, but her heart remained the same. Roxy placed the paper back in the box and looked around her new apartment. It was small and efficient, made for a young person starting out on her own. Being in her own place was exciting, but it was also lonely. She reached for her phone and called the first number on speed dial. It rang only twice.

"Hey, Rox. How's the unpacking coming along?" Roxy could hear the smile in Dirk's voice. He'd no doubt been expecting her call.

"I'm pretty much done. I was just looking through some old papers," she answered, eying the nearby box with a smirk. "Now I'm just standing around and realizing how empty a place can feel when it's just me by myself." She heard him laugh.

"I'll be over in a few," Dirk said in mock exasperation.

About fifteen minutes after hanging up, Roxy went to answer the knock at the door, throwing it open enthusiastically. Dirk stood in the hallway with two grocery bags. No longer a boy, he was still tall at six feet, and though he was still thin, he'd built lean muscle that suited his frame. Also present were the trademark shades, the only difference being that they were pointed instead of round. Roxy grinned up at him.

"I can always count on you, DiStri," she said, taking one of the bags from him and going inside. They sat on the couch with their Chinese takeout, eating and chatting as the television, unheeded, provided quiet background noise. After they finished eating, Roxy took the empty containers to her tiny kitchen in order to dispose of them. She returned to find Dirk sifting through the old box of papers she'd left out. He looked up as she came into the room.

"I can't believe you kept all of these." He pulled out a sheet of notebook paper and began to read aloud. It was a short story they'd written together in fourth grade. Each assignment and project was examined, and after about two hours, they were sore from laughter.

"We were something else, Dirk," Roxy giggled, shaking her head. He looked as though he was about to respond, but stopped, his attention caught by something inside the box. She couldn't see his eyes, but Roxy felt her stomach knot. She'd forgotten about that paper! Slowly, Dirk removed his hand from the box and sank onto the couch beside Roxy. She pretended not to have noticed anything, browsing the TV guide aimlessly. She could feel him looking at her, but refused to acknowledge the fact. That paper was fifteen years old. Who cares if she'd had a crush on him when they were kids? She pushed away the voice in her head that chimed a reminder that her feelings hadn't changed. Well, they had, but not in a helpful way. Over a decade and a half of friendship, Roxy and Dirk had been through everything together, and had watched one another grow and change. They both had occasional dates, but nothing serious ever developed. For Dirk, Roxy had always guessed it was because of the way Dirk often distanced himself emotionally from other people. For herself, however, there were no excuses to be made. She knew exactly why she couldn't manage to hold down a steady relationship. Her mind traveled back to a certain memory, one that remained clear and dear to her heart.

At thirteen, emotional turmoil and sexual awareness took charge. Roxy felt more strongly about Dirk than ever. Dirk, on the other hand, was too busy trying to understand his own feelings to notice. While Dirk and Roxy shared a special bond, there were two others in their close-knit group of friends, Jane Crocker and Jake English. Sometime during eighth grade, Dirk had become aware of some more-than-friendly feelings towards Jake, and he didn't know what to make of it. Just as with any other problem, Dirk went to Roxy. She listened as he sorted through the clutter in his head. He knew he liked girls, but until Jake, he hadn't given any thought to dating other boys. He was confused, and he needed Roxy. Being the ever-reliable best friend, she listened and sympathized, never giving away her own feelings. When Dirk finally made a move and told Jake how he felt, Roxy stood by, waiting for him to recount the affair. When Jake broke Dirk's heart, she found no joy in what others may have viewed as an advantage on her part. She spent the weekend with him, watching older anime and eating unhealthy snack foods. On Sunday night, before she'd had to go back home, they were sitting on Dirk's bed watching Pokemon. Roxy looked over at Dirk, who was staring straight ahead at the TV. Even though his shades hid his eyes, Roxy could feel how tense he was. Her visit was nearing an end, as her mother would never let her stay out on a school night. She knew Dirk was dreading the idea of being alone that night. On impulse, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. After going rigid with surprise, Dirk relaxed and returned the hug, squeezing Roxy so hard that she became breathless for a moment. She felt something bump against her back before she heard a clatter on the floor. The embrace lasted a number of minutes, and as they pulled apart, Roxy saw that it had been Dirk's shades that fell. His eyes were red and teary, and he tried to avert his gaze in embarrassment. Roxy put a finger under his chin and turned his head to face her again. She looked directly into his eyes and smiled warmly.

"I love you," she had told him, wrapping her arms around him once more. Hugging her back fiercely, Dirk gave a short laugh.

"I know you do, Rox. Thank you." But he hadn't known. He still didn't know. When she looked into his eyes, she'd seen all of his unguarded vulnerability, all of his pain, and she'd known. She loved him. Not the kind of love they'd always had as best friends. It was more than that. Roxy knew with all her heart that Dirk meant more to her than anyone or anything else ever had.

Much to her relief, Dirk did not mention the paper, and she began to wonder if he'd actually seen it to begin with. She felt herself dozing as she leaned against his shoulder.

"I take that as my cue to leave, RoLal," Dirk said, smiling and getting to his feet. Roxy was hit with the sudden realization that she would be completely alone overnight in a new place. She grabbed Dirk's wrist before he could go anywhere.

"Please don't go, Dirk," she pleaded, giving him her best puppy-dog face. "Stay with me?" His expression softened, and he sat down beside her.

"How could I possibly say no to that?" Roxy snuggled against him happily.

She awoke with a start, sitting upright in pitch blackness. After a disorienting few seconds, she remembered where she was. Beside her there was faint rustling followed by Dirk's concerned voice.

"You okay, Roxy?" He put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine. I was just confused for a minute," she reassured him. They settled back into the bed, facing one another in the dark. "Thanks for staying, Dirk." Dirk said nothing for a moment, and then Roxy felt a hand in her hair as Dirk lightly brushed his fingers through it. She shivered at the touch.

"Rox?"

"...Yeah?"

"Who is 'Mrs. Dirk Stider?'" He was smiling now, she knew. Her cheeks felt hot as the blush spread under her skin. She felt flustered, unsure of what to say.

"I was three years old!" She cried defensively. Dirk laughed, his hand moving from her hair as he traced a finger down her arm. She was sure he could feel the heat rising in her skin.

"So you don't write my name in notebooks anymore?" he teased.

"Of course not!" Roxy stuck her tongue out at him, despite the fact that he couldn't see. She waited for him to respond, and became nervous with his silence. He grabbed her hand and pulled it towards himself, lacing and unlacing their fingers. Roxy was beginning to have heart palpitations.

"Hmm. That's too bad." Dirk's tone was indecipherable. Was he teasing, or was he serious? Finally, Roxy seemed to gain composure. She matched his tenue.

"Yeah, too bad for you." She felt his laughter before she heard it. Before she could react, he pulled her closer until there was nothing more than a breath of space between their faces. Dirk's next words came quietly.

"Yeah, too bad for me." The air and the sudden silence both fell heavily between them as Roxy processed what he was saying.

"Dirk, what are you saying?" He stopped fiddling with her hand.

"I'm just saying that, well," he cleared his throat. "When I think of a "Mrs. Dirk Strider," your face is the one that comes to mind. When I think about the future, you're always right there with me. I can't imagine it any other way. I know it's the middle of the night, and this is kind of out of nowhere, but I just have to tell you. I love you, Roxy." Roxy was motionless, stunned and silent. Dirk shifted anxiously. "You don't have to say it back, Rox. I don't expect that. Just please say som-"

"Dirk! Stop talking," Roxy exclaimed, cutting him off. Dirk waited. "Dirk. If you honestly didn't expect me to say it back, then you are more oblivious than I ever thought. Of course I love you! I've always loved you. I've known since that night in your room when I told you so. I never said anything, because I never thought that you – I mean – when-"

Before Roxy could unscramble her thoughts, she felt Dirk's lips on her own, soft and warm, gentle but firm. Just like that, there was nothing in the world aside from her body and his, connected by lips. He moved closer, eliminating the gap between them. Without breaking the kiss, they moved so that Dirk held himself over Roxy, and her body was pressed against the mattress. Dirk moved his mouth slowly along her jawline, down her neck, and back to her slightly parted lips. Roxy did not hesitate as her hands slid under the hem of Dirk's t-shirt, pulling it up. He obliged her, removing it and tossing it aside before he returned to kissing her.

"My turn," Roxy sang playfully. Dirk smiled, but seemed reluctant before asking,

"Are you sure?" Roxy sighed, trying to sit up.

"Don't be silly, DiStri. Take it off, or I'll do it myself." And so the shirt came off, among other things.

Dirk awoke early in the morning to find himself in a tangle of Roxy and blankets. A feeling he couldn't quite name passed over him as he observed Roxy's sleeping face. He didn't want to risk waking her, but couldn't resist snuggling closer against her. She blinked sleepily up at him, smiling.

"Good morning," Dirk murmured in her ear.

"Good morning to YOU, Mr. Strider," she laughed, rolling over to face him directly. He leaned down and kissed her softly, once on the forehead and once on the lips. "What I would give to wake up like this every morning," Roxy sighed. Dirk raised his eyebrows.

"Who says we can't?"