Disclaimer: I don't own Lizzie McGuire or the characters. Disney does.
After, surprisingly remembering to say goodbye to Miranda, they headed back to Lizzie's house.
Mr and Mrs McGuire were in the kitchen, so they gave a short greeting, and then Lizzie steered them outside.
They very much needed to talk…privately. And it wasn't hard to guess that her bedroom was off limits.
They sat down together on the steps of the porch, and for a moment, it was silent.
Lizzie took a deep breath after gathering her thoughts, and decided to just take the plunge.
"Okay, look, I know that I said that I wasn't sure about when I started…seeing you as more than a friend."
"Yeah, and I totally overreacted. It doesn't even matter when, all that matters is that you do…like me, don't you?" Gordo turned and they met gazes for the first time.
Lizzie blushed and ducked her head, staring at her knees, replying shyly, "Yeah."
"Right. So, that's all that matters, I was being an idiot-"
"No, I…Gordo, can you just let me say this?"
Gordo shut his mouth and nodded, waiting attentively.
Lizzie cleared her throat and steeled her nerves, forcing herself to look directly into his clear blue eyes, "When I said that I wasn't sure when I started seeing you as more than a friend, I was telling the truth. But only because I never realised and accepted that that was the way that I felt. We've known each other for so long, and I've always cared for you so much that I didn't understand what it actually meant…"
She took a deep breath and reached down to where Gordo's hand was on the step. Gordo quickly turned his hand and wrapped it around hers, squeezing comfortingly. She opened her mouth to speak, but she kept on freezing. Then, she felt herself backtracking and not only was she unsure about saying it, she was now unsure about feeling it.
Gordo's gaze was piercing into her, as he at once tried to interpret what she was trying to say, and to determine what he could say to calm her nerves.
Her mouth moved a few more times before she sighed resignedly and looked away, face on fire, hands shaky in embarrassment.
Gordo cleared his throat, lifted their hands up, and pressed his soft, warm lips to the back of her hand for a long moment. He finally spoke, gently, "I'm sorry I jumped on you and assumed something."
Gordo wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side, pressing a sweet kiss to her forehead.
Lizzie shifted into his warmth, the burn and tingle of their bare skin touching. She wiped her eyes and burrowed into Gordo's neck, where she'd never felt so safe.
After a little while, the intimacy started to feel a little overwhelming. They broke apart a little awkwardly. Lizzie stood, fixing her hair, "Uh, I think I'm gonna call Miranda."
Gordo wandered into the living room, spotting a football game on TV. "Hi Mr McGuire, you mind if I watch the game with you?"
Mr McGuire narrowed his eyes as he scoped him out, but he was too nice to say no.
After a while of silence, Mr McGuire simply said, "All I want is for her to be happy and safe."
Gordo gave Mr McGuire a sincere look, "Me too."
Mr McGuire paused, "…I know…Would you like a drink, Gordo?"
"Yeah, thanks Mr McGuire."
And the long running tension between them dissolved. All was now right and good in their male world.
Gordo glanced up when Lizzie walked in, "Hey, she coming?"
"Yeah," Lizzie nodded, walking over, intending to sit beside him. She went to one side, when Gordo shifted to that side, so she made for the other side, and Gordo shifted back. Deciding to end it, she quickly sat to one side. Unfortunately, in the mixup, Gordo moved there also and their legs got tangled up. Lizzie yelped as she sprawled backwards, but was grabbed at the last minute.
Once the confusion passed, Lizzie realised that she was somewhat sprawled over Gordo's lap, and his hands were firm on her waist. She accidentally caught his eye from their close distance, and she turned bright red immediately. "Oh, Sorry- I-"
"No- I-I didn't mean to- I thought-" Gordo stammered and trailed off as their eyes locked. Lizzie's large brown eyes were staring into him from inches away, the distance magically becoming shorter. He was drawn in, tilting his chin up to brush his lips with hers, their eyes still wide and staring at each other.
Mr McGuire's voice entering the room snapped them out of their daze.
Lizzie slid off to the side and shuffled away, Gordo snatched his hands back to himself.
They sat there in awkward silence.
Lizzie's Dad joined them on the couch, handing a snack to Gordo. He chatted to them both, not realising the tension in the air, not having noticed a thing.
After another five minutes the doorbell rang, Lizzie sprang up, yelling, "I'll get it!"
Gordo forced himself to stand- he should really go say hello to Miranda. But although he loved being around Lizzie, sometimes the tension between them got really unbearable. It was sort of ridiculous seeing as they'd been 'dating' for a while and they'd known each other since birth.
Miranda and Lizzie gossiped in their usual way, and Gordo managed to wing it and appear as if he were in the conversation, when he was actually preoccupied.
After a while, Lizzie grabbed Miranda and started up the stairs, and Miranda grabbed Gordo in turn. When he finally realised what they were doing, he was already halfway up the stairs. He stopped, nearly sending Miranda toppling.
She looked back at him, "Gordo? What are you doing?"
Gordo opened his mouth, but was interrupted.
"I was about to ask the same question," Mrs McGuire said, looking up at them from downstairs her tone more a curious and friendly reminder, than a scolding.
"Yeah, I just forgot," Gordo mumbled, turning to go back down.
"Wait- Mom! Miranda's here! We always go up to my room to hang out!"
"Lizzie? Gordo? What's going on? Why can't-?" Miranda questioned, confused.
"I can't go into Lizzie's room," Gordo filled in.
"Why- oh yeah…" Miranda slowly smirked, "What did you get caught doing?"
"Miranda!"
"Nothing!" Both Gordo and Lizzie exclaimed, hotly embarrassed.
"It's just something that Lizzie's Dad and I decided would be appropriate… considering the fact that they are now…dating."
Lizzie cleared her throat, her face bright red, but she was determined, "But Mom, surely you can make an exception when Miranda is here. I mean, all you said was that you didn't want us up there alone. If Miranda's there, we won't be alone."
Mrs McGuire took a moment, eyes narrow in suspicion.
"Please?" Lizzie said.
Mrs McGuire sighed, "Okay…but-"
"We know," Lizzie jumped in, unwilling to be further embarrassed. "And we'll keep the door open and you can check in as often as you like." Before a word could be spoken otherwise, Lizzie yanked Miranda up the stairs.
Gordo gave Mrs McGuire a sheepish smile as he walked up the stairs after them.
"So, what did you really do to get those rules?" Gordo walked in to hear Miranda grilling Lizzie.
Lizzie blushed and sat on her bed, "Nothing, Miranda, drop it."
"Okay," Miranda smirked and sat down too.
Gordo stood there, never having felt more awkward and out of place with his two friends in Lizzie's bedroom.
"Well, sit down," Miranda bossed, smirking.
Gordo perched on the corner on the end of the bed, as far away from Lizzie as possible.
Miranda snickered, grabbed hold of Gordo's shirt in a fist and yanked him up, dragging him around towards Lizzie. Before Gordo even gained his balance, Miranda grabbed each of their hands and clasped them together.
Lizzie and Gordo each glared at Miranda while blushing lightly.
But then, as Miranda started to talk, and Lizzie answered excitedly, and Gordo delivered his sarcastic one-liners, it started to feel just like normal…except for the exciting shiver that passed through her body whenever Gordo's thumb caressed over the back of the hand.