She has a realization.

It hits Bloom as she blinks her eyes open, immediately shutting them again against the bright light of England's early morning. The aspirin from last night has brought her hangover down to a much more manageable level, but her common sense is back in full force, yelling at her for the second bottle of wine. She turns to face away from the windows, burying her face into the pillows. They give off a familiar smell of cologne and leather, and Bloom finds a smile flickering across her face.

And then The Thought slips into her mind, and she sits up with wide eyes.

And then her phone rings.

She scrambles for it - she doesn't know where Baltor is, but doesn't want to wake him if he's asleep. "Hello?"

"Good morning sunshine! How was dinner with Mike and Vanessa?"

Bloom rubs sleep out of her eye, looking around for the jeans she shucked off before climbing into bed last night. She's used to feeling a little twinge of guilt when she lies to the girls about where she is on Earth, but it's so early this one hits her particularly hard. It takes her several seconds to respond: "It was nice, Stel. Thanks. Is everything okay?"

"Well...you know you owe me one for helping you study for Foreign Magical Affairs last semester..."

"And I take it today is the day I repay the favor?"

"Brandon surprised me last minute with lunch reservations for this darling café in the city!" Bloom can almost hear Stella bouncing up on her toes in excitement. "We've been so busy these last few weeks, there was no way I could say no."

"But this was the day you were going to help Musa out at the music café." Bloom locates her jeans and gets out of bed, tucking the phone under her chin. "Which I'm assuming is where I come in."

"It'll only be for a few hours! I know Musa can probably do it on her own, but we should support her on this.

"Uh-huh." Bloom's reply is laced with sarcasm as she goes to the mirror and adjusts her clothes, trying her best to make it look like she hasn't slept in them.

"Pretty please, Bloom."

She makes a hmm noise into the phone, but sees herself grinning in the reflection. "...I get to eat any leftovers you guys have."

There's an excited yell on the end of the line. "You're the best, dahling! I'll let Musa know so you won't be by yourself with a bunch of freshmen -"

Stella stops talking so abruptly Bloom has to check and make sure the call hasn't dropped. "Stella?"

"Nothing!" the Solarian princess replies, a new light in her voice. "I just realized I forgot something. Thanks again, Bloom!"

"Forgot what?" Bloom asks, but there's only a click as the call disconnects. She looks at the phone suspiciously - Bloom's known Stella long enough to recognize when she's scheming based on voice alone, but she's not even sure what's triggered this episode. But there isn't time to think about it now, so Bloom shoves her phone into a pocket and goes out to the living room.

Baltor is asleep on the couch, a book open on his chest as it rises and falls in a steady rhythm. She carefully sits down next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder and sending a small jolt of magic to wake him. Sure enough after a moment his eyes blink open, head lolling to the side to look at her.

Bloom smiles. "Hey. I'm heading out."

He blinks at her several times, still half asleep. "Can you teleport?" Baltor asks around a yawn.

"Yes, I'm fine. Go sleep on a real bed."

There's a lazy smile, and without warning he pulls Bloom close, kissing her softly. "Call me later, all right?"

It takes effort to keep her voice - and everything else - normal. Her stomach - previously in knots - untangles itself and does several flips. "Of course."

Seemingly satisfied, Baltor stands up, stretching like a cat waking up from a nap, and goes back to the bedroom. Bloom watches him, and when the door closes, tentatively reaches up and touches her lips.

When Bloom steps into Alfea's newly decorated music café, there are already dozens of fairies crowded on barstools and examining instruments. Musa's nowhere to be seen, but Bloom spots Roxy carrying a tray of dark purple drinks (no surprise there - Roxy's eyes had lit up when Musa asked if she'd bartend). And next to her tuning a blue semi-electric guitar…

"Andy?"

Andy Kim looks up and smiles when his eyes land on Bloom. "Well, well, look who decided to join us this morning."

Bloom has to laugh, and sets her bag down on a table. "I would've sped up if I knew...what are you doing here?"

"I got the word there was a music café opening up, and hey, how could I miss that? And how can I say no when a literal princess calls and asks if I'll come by since she stuck her friend here to cover a lunch date?"

Bloom shakes her head. "Of course Stella would put you up to this. I was hoping if you ever did come to the dimension it'd be for something more special that boosting a defensive barrier through the power of a guitar solo."

"Hey, stepping on a planet that isn't Earth is special enough. Almost threw up when I got through the portal."

"It's true," Roxy gives him a friendly elbow to the side. "I picked him up."

"Oh really? And it was that bad?"

"Terrifying." When Bloom gets within arm's reach Andy pulls her into a hug and gives her a friendly peck on the cheek. "I'm hoping my girlfriend is better at the return spell. Or won't judge me too much if I do lose my magic lunch."

She laughs, Roxy joining in behind her. "Oh god, don't tell me that's why Stella asked you here. I've told her a million times we're still just friends."

"Well, I wasn't about to start telling the truth about that, or your, ahem, real boyfriend." Andy had met Baltor once; last Halloween at the Frutti Music Bar, where they seemed to get along fine despite some initial bumps. Though Andy didn't know everything he had done in the magical dimension, Bloom and Roxy had given a basic rundown along with instructions to not mention Baltor's name around any of the others.

"Your real boyfriend," Andy continues with a smug look, "who based on the hangover face and messy hair, you were actually with last night."

Bloom rolls her eyes, but takes a hair tie out of her jacket pocket and pulls her locks into a ponytail. She had stopped at her dorm room to throw on new clothes and wash off the previous night's makeup, but didn't stop to think about anything else. She'd been too distracted. "It's not that bad...is it?"

"I know what you look like hungover is all. Can't you guys just magic those away?"

"If you want addiction to magic, sure." Roxy pipes up. "Otherwise we drink coffee like everyone else. Which leads into the next question of..."

"Oh yes, please," Bloom groans in relief at the mere thought of caffeine. "If you're offering."

"I am. Andy?"

"Yeah, sure. Extra fairy dust, please."

Roxy rolls her eyes and sets off towards the bar, taking the drink tray with her.

"So," Andy says when the other girl is out of earshot, "what's up?"

Bloom blinks at him. "What?"

"No what. I may be your ex-but-current-fake-boyfriend, but even before that I was your friend. It's like…" he pauses, tapping a finger against his chin. "When we had our first test in high school, and you almost threw up in first period. That's your face right now."

He's right, Bloom knows. Her chest is heavy with anxiety, and has been since she got back. She sits on the edge of the stage, her legs dangling over. "It's...complicated."

"Shocking." Andy takes a seat next to her, guitar forgotten. "Have a bad time last night?"

"No! Nothing like that. It was great - more than great." She looks out at the gaggle of students and feels her stomach sink. "It's just funny...for the longest time this was the stuff I would talk to Stella and the girls about. And that's just off the table now."

"You've got Roxy."

"I know. But I worry - I dump so much of this on her, and she's really starting to make her way at Alfea. She doesn't need me constantly butting in with my own drama. And..she's great, but it's just different. Not what I'm looking for."

Andy nods like he understands, and he probably does, more than Bloom gives him credit for. He doesn't say anything, just puts a friendly arm around her shoulder and leans his head on hers.

Bloom keeps talking, because even with the silence she knows Andy's listening. "And I'm worried, because the longer this goes on and the more time I spend on Earth, the more obvious it is that something's happening. A few one offs of 'oh i'm seeing someone but it's not serious' is only going to work for so long. Before I get asked to bring my boyfriend places or hey why doesn't he want to come to Magix? The lying's going to get worse."

"You are a terrible liar."

"I know, and that makes me hate this even more!" Bloom sighs in frustration, banging a fist against her thigh and looking around the café. Musa had appeared over by the bar, striking up a conversation with Roxy as she worked her magic (figuratively, but possibly literally as well) on the coffee machine. "Things have changed so much."

"From when you started this?"

"Yes. Back then, I felt like even if the girls found out they'd understand on some level. They knew it was hard on me, being the only survivor from Sparx. But I'm not anymore. I have a family and a royal title and I..." Bloom pauses, and after a moment feels a surge of confidence - or maybe desperation. Either way it makes her take a deep breath and say the words that have been in her head since she woke up.

"I love him."

The minute she says the words, it feels like a weight is lifted off her shoulders.

Granted, part of that seems to be Andy as he lifts his head to look head-on at her. Bloom worries she's said too much, but then a genuine smile goes across his face, and he gives her a big hug. "Bloom, that's great!"

It's such an unexpected reaction she laughs, and then feels tears start to well up in her eyes. She swipes at them before they can fall, taking several deep breaths. "You might be the only person who's going to say that to me."

Andy doesn't try and tell her otherwise, and it feels like a good and bad thing at the same time. "I take it this realization was from last night's date."

"This morning, actually. I woke up with this raging headache, but even with it I felt...totally calm and safe and...it just hit me."

"Did you tell him?"

She laughs again. "No! No way. It's not just something to come out and say yet."

He gives her a confused look. "It's not?"

"We've only been 'officially' together for four months. It's way too soon."

"But I thought it was over a year now?"

Bloom raises an eyebrow. "Who said that?"

"Two coffees, one with extra fairy dust," Roxy zips back over to them, setting down two steaming mugs. Andy looks pointedly from Bloom to Roxy and back again. The pink-haired fairy's look turns to confusion as the two turn to glare at her. "I didn't actually put fairy dust in them. What's up?"

"You, spreading false information about my love life," Bloom says, taking a long drink from the mug. "But I'm not exactly surprised."

Roxy still looks confused, but gives a little smile. "I'm sure I'm right, whatever it is."

"I think you are, Roxx." Andy stands, shaking out his right foot - it likely fell asleep from the way he was sitting. "But then again, my opinion wasn't asked for."

Bloom chuckles. "What opinion would that be?"

"Don't wait. That stuff really doesn't matter when you've known someone for so long. There's already love factored into the equation. You just don't realize it yet."

"I'm sorry what?" Roxy asks, and grins at Bloom like a cat about to catch the canary.

"I will consider your opinion on the word that shall not yet be said, but I make no promises about anything."

Andy just grins. "You guys play Disney songs around here," he says loudly, grabbing his guitar and hopping off the stage towards Musa. "More specifically Hercules? I'm gonna need a backup choir."

Bloom rolls her eyes, but can't help but smile as he goes. It lasts until her eyes land on Roxy. "Not a word of this to him, okay?"

She holds up her hands. "Hey, I'm a lot of things, but I'm not cruel. It's not for me to tell. But I wouldn't mind the full story."

"Later," Bloom says, and stands up with hers and Andy's coffee. "For now, let's see what kind of musical magic Musa has in store for us."

It's the L word y'all!

This chapter takes place around the same time as 6x22, but in all honesty that episode is such a goddamn clusterfuck I have to insist you don't watch it.

I love Andy so much and will literally use any excuse to throw him into a story. #sorrynotsorry Also fun fact, the idea of Andy being Bloom's fake boyfriend was something that was going to be set up in a Halloween tie-in fic I meant to get out in 2019 but ended up running out of time. I'll try and do it in October this year, or earlier if you guys don't care about themed fics coming out around the specific holiday. Let me know!

Andy is also trying to see if anyone will help him sing I Won't Say I'm In Love.