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A Riarkle Fanfic

Disclaimer** I own absolutely nothing. All rights go to the wonderful Michael Jacobs et al. I also don't own Letters to Juliet which is mentioned briefly.

"I can't believe we're both single tonight," Riley commented as she handed Farkle his glass of wine leftover from dinner, "Are we not both fabulous people?"

"You really take Single's Awareness Day to heart don't you?" Farkle chuckled.

He knew she was joking, they had the same conversation every year they were both single on Valentine's Day, which had admittedly, been most of them, though this was only the second year they were living together during it. She knocked her shoulder against him, as she snuck under the blanket he'd been hoarding.

"Only because it precedes half off all of the chocolate and candy day. Which is obviously the best day of the year."

"What's our plan this year? You get the chocolate and I get the gummies and hard candy?"

"Of course."

It was the same plan they had had since they were 17.

Riley smiled as she pulled the remote from his hands, flipping through the channels, lighting up as she finally picked from the myriad chick flicks that were playing.

"Yay. Letters to Juliet is on," she turned to Farkle with a puppy dog look in her eyes. "Please?"

"I'm going to need some full price chocolate for that," he teased.

He carefully slid out from under the blanket taking both of their empty glasses to the sink. Padding into the kitchen, he couldn't help but smile to himself. Riley had no idea that this was his ideal Valentine's Day. As he grabbed the bag of Hershey's kisses he thought back to how they had started living together, absent-mindedly puttering around the kitchen.

Maya had started working with her father as a liaison between On the Road and Metropolitan Museum of Art for the American Beauty exhibit. Because she was on the road so much, Riley and Maya had decided that Riley should get a new roommate, and Maya would just crash on the couch when she was home every few weeks. It had proven harder than they expected to find someone thrilled about that arrangement. Luckily, that had been around the same time Zay had accepted an offer to dance with the Boston Ballet Company, so Farkle was down a roommate as well. It only made sense that he and Riley would move in together.

In a matter of weeks she had turned his bachelor pad into a home, not that he could say he minded. They fell into a routine easily, though they had suffered a few awkward bathroom encounters on mornings when they were both running late. He couldn't help but smirk as he remembered the first time she'd seen him shirtless. He was sure (okay, he was hopeful) that he wasn't imagining the desire in her eyes.

The microwave beeping pulled him from his reverie, and he set to work mixing the warm milk into the barely melted chocolate. It was Riley's favorite way to make hot chocolate which they had discovered during a snow storm the year before. He poured the contents into two Disney mugs, topping it off with a few marshmallows and a layer of whipped cream. He carefully carried the two mugs back to the living room, pausing at the door to gaze at Riley. She was engrossed in the movie, tearing up as the main character talked about how her mom had left her. She was so beautiful – her dark hair was still pulled up into a twist from her day at work, but she had changed into sweats after dinner, and had added his sweatshirt though she was huddling under the blanket. He grinned embarrassedly when she caught him looking at her.

"What took you so long? I thought you were just getting chocolate."

"I didn't say in what form," he shot back easily, crossing the floor and handing her a mug.

"Double decadence hot chocolate?" she gasped eyes lighting up.

"Of course."

"Yay! Thank you, Farkle."

"My pleasure."

He settled down under the blanket, laying his free arm across the back of the couch as Riley snuggled into his side, humming contentedly. She smiled up at him adoringly.

"I'm glad I get to end every day with you, Farkle."

"You know, I never told you this, but I'm so glad you moved in here. You've made this place a home for me. I hope you feel at home too."

Riley laughed gently.

"Farkle, of course I feel at home. You're my home. You always have been. I love you, Farkle."

Farkle couldn't explain the feeling that was spreading through his chest, but he knew that he liked it.

"I love you too, Riley."

Once she drained the rest of her drink, Riley wrapped both arms around Farkle's waist, leaning her head against his chest. Farkle's arms closed around her automatically.

Home, they thought in unison, silently cherishing the moment.