A/N: And they were (college) roommates.

Lying awake staring at the ceiling and unable to fall asleep wasn't that strange of an occurrence for Tori, what with the combination of stress and anxiety that her college classes and part time job brought her, but hearing her roommate's voice at this hour of the night was definitely new.

"You're in no position to criticize my socks."

Tori was confused, and turned her head to the side to look at her roommate, in her own bed on the opposite side of their small dorm room.

"Jade? What are you..."

Her tired voice trailed off as she realized her roommate was fast asleep, her (pretty) sleeping face illuminated in the dim moonlight coming through the window. Tori realized what had happened (Jade had talked in her sleep!), and held her breath in anticipation of possibly hearing more nonsensical sleep talk from her. Which she did, a few moments later.

"They're my favorites..." came her roommate's sleepy voice. Tori held in her giggles.

"Why?" Tori prodded amusedly, remembering something from her high school Psychology class that sometimes sleep talkers responded if they were prompted by someone.

There was a small pause before Jade's next words.

"Because I love you."

Tori let out a tired little chuckle, and because she wasn't done testing her theory out just yet, said, "Well, I love you, too."

She waited with bated breath, but this time no reply came; Jade seemed to be done with her sleep talking. But just to be sure, Tori waited a little while longer, grinning tiredly to herself as she stared at the ceiling.

Just after their digital clock hit one in the morning, Tori's eyelids finally began to feel heavy, and she knew sleep was coming. She yawned, giving up on listening for any more sleep talk for the night.

"Sweet dreams, Jade."

Tori sleepily spoke the words aloud in their quiet dorm room, before turning on her side to finally embrace sleep.

Tori was studying by herself in the college cafe when Jade confronted her the next day between classes. She looked up from her notebook as her roommate sat down across the small table from her.

"Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?" Tori asked, looking at Jade with pure confusion in her eyes over the rims of her glasses.

"What you said last night," Jade said, making Tori even more confused.

"Me? You were the one who was talking in your sleep." She smiled as she remembered Jade's random sentence. "You said, and I quote, 'You're in no position to criticize my socks.'"

Jade shook her head. "Forget about that. Did you mean it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tori said, frowning. Suddenly it hit her, and she gasped. "Wait, how much of your sleep talking were you actually awake for?"

"Did you mean it?" Jade asked a third time, slowly, punctuating each word. Tori stared back at her, holding eye contact. She'd said the words to see if she'd get any more sleep talk responses out of Jade...but had there been some truth underneath her little 'test'? That's what Jade was asking her.

She had felt something deep inside her for her roommate; how could she not? They had known each other for almost a year, lived in very close quarters, even had some of the same classes.

But it had been almost one in the morning, she had been tired, and thought her roommate was just sleep talking. Was it actually love she felt for her? Had she meant it?

Looking deep into her heart answered that; Tori steeled herself before answering.

"Yes."

She saw a flicker in Jade's pretty eyes; her heart skipped a beat.

"Now answer my question: how much of your sleep talking were you actually awake for?" Tori narrowed her eyes. "You weren't even asleep, were you?"

Jade broke their eye contact and looked down to her folded hands. "No. I know how you have trouble sleeping at night, so I used pretending to sleep talk to...see how you would react to me saying how I feel about you." Jade said this last part quickly and quietly.

Tori leaned back in her chair, taking in Jade's answer with a small smile. "Aw, I can't believe you faked talking in your sleep just so you could say you love me and see if I'd say it back."

Jade quickly glanced around before looking back to Tori. "Ssh, you don't have to tell the whole campus."

Tori chuckled, reaching for one of Jade's hands and taking it in her own. "But really, it was sweet."

Jade rolled her eyes, but grinned at Tori.

A/N: Oh my God, they were (college) roommates. Thanks for reading!