Title: Speechless
Rating: K
Spoilers: Double Date
Characters/Pairings: Joe/Stella
Summary: Pure Horace Mantis Challenge # 6. Joe was speechless, but not for long.
Disclaimer: If I actually owned and/or wrote for the show I'd like to think the scripts would be a little smarter. While I am glad they stopped dancing around the Joe/Stella issue I kind of wonder what they plan to do with them now…
Author's Notes: Yeah, I kind of went the obvious route after seeing Double Date. And yes, the cheese factor is high. I am so lame.
************************
"Kissed her for the first time yesterday, Everything I wished that it would be. Suddenly I forgot how to speak" – Lovebug
************************
Joe barely felt it when his tailbone made contact with the floor, having completely missed the footstool next to him. His mind was racing and he was struck speechless from the fact he had just kissed Stella. His best friend since forever.
His Stella.
The kiss he gave her was awkward and gentle and unexpected and perfect.
This changed everything.
************************
Joe figured his brothers would believe he had left for school before them to catch Stella to apologize for crashing her date. And he figured he did owe her that. But he hoped he wouldn't have to apologize for the kiss, because he wasn't sorry.
He loved Stella. Joe had known that all along, even if he tried to deny it… over and over.
And really there was no going back from this. How could they?
Spotting the familiar blond at her locker Joe hurried over to her.
"Stella," he said softly.
"Oh! Uh, hi Joe." She sounded nervous, much like Joe felt.
They both stood in an awkward silence for a moment.
"I should have called you last night."
"I shouldn't have let you leave."
Their voices overlapped and both of them gave an anxious chuckle.
Joe took a deep breath. "I wish I could say I'm sorry for interrupting your date, but I'm not. Because I wouldn't have gotten to kiss you. And I know we agreed it was better for the band and better for our friendship, but I don't want to do this anymore. It can't be better for our friendship because all we do is fight over who each we're dating and we get jealous. All that fighting is going to put a strain on our relationship so it can just as easily ruin our friendship. So I'm willing to give it a try. You're my best friend Stella and no other girl gets me like you do. I want us to be together. Please?"
Stella looked a little shell-shocked. "Really? I… I thought about it all last night. And I want to give us a try too. I just wasn't sure you'd feel the same."
"Yeah, I feel the same. So everything else forgotten? I know I was a jerk but I was jealous, and you know I do stupid things when I'm jealous." He gave her a little grin.
She smiled shyly back. "Okay. I'll forgive you this time, for a price."
Joe's grin turned into a smirk. "Oh, really." He leaned forward and kissed her.
As he pulled away she sighed dreamily. "It's all forgotten," she whispered.