Just Friends

*50*

"Is it just me or does this summer feel like it just blew by?" FP wonders as he sits on the front steps of his porch with Alice. She had come to him all giddy that the stars were out and you could see the constellations, and had dragged him outside with her. Though he's mainly been watching her rather than the sky, so in awe of how fascinated she is by it all.

"I think so too," Alice agrees. "So many huge moments in our lives happened in such a short period of time."

"You can say that again." FP sighs, it really was one for the books.

"It was pretty perfect though." Alice says, nudging him softly, her eyes sparkling when she smiles at him.

"I'd relive it every day if I could," He admits with a chuckle. "As cheesy as that may sound."

"It is kinda cheesy," Alice teases, leaning in to him. "Look at that one!" Alice points towards the sky, tracing out a constellation with her finger.

He follows her finger, trying to see just what she sees but comes up empty handed. "I think I'm bad at this." He admits, blushing.

Alice smiles softly at him and takes his hand, drawing out the shape. "You're not bad at it," she tells him. "You just don't do this very often, you always conveniently have an excuse when I ask you to come stargazing with me." She narrows her eyes at him and he blushes harder.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I've just never been able to get into the whole astrology thing like you." He tells her. "I do like watching you though, you always look so mesmerized."

"I love it, it's kind of like an escape. You just lie down and think of all that could be." She tells him dreamily.

His heart swells as he stares at her, so overcome by feelings he feels like he's going to burst. "That sounds nice."

She raises an eyebrow at him, fighting back a laugh. "That all you've got to say? I'm trying to make a pitch to you here, throw me a bone at least." She nudges him again, and he smiles.

"I'm just not as good with words as you are." He shrugs, but the way he's looking at her tells her everything she'll ever need to know.

"I think you're better than you think you are." The words nearly get caught in her throat, her breath feeling like it's been stolen from her. "Do you want to head in?" The invite is so simple on the surface and yet he can sense the true question in it.

He nods, looking at her with such tenderness she could nearly cry. "Yeah, if you're ready to."

Another double-meaning, and she takes a moment to think about it, it'll change things for sure, but she's never felt like this. So overwhelmed in the best way possible, so she just nods her head and brushes a soft kiss to his lips, answering him without words.

She extends her hand to him when she stands and he takes it in his own, following her inside. There's still a takeout bag from Pop's on the coffee table, and a movie playing in the background, and yet all they can notice is one another. Alice swears she can hear FP's heart pounding just as loudly as her own, both so aware of what comes next.

FP is the one who makes the first move, something Alice is grateful for. It feels strangely like her first time all over again, so nervous and unsure how to begin, and yet yearning for it.

His large hands cup her face, calloused thumbs stroking along her cheekbones as he connects their lips. It sends a shiver down her spine, how much heat is behind such an innocent seeming kiss. It melts away her nerves though, and she immediately falls into him, nails dragging up through the back of his hair as her lips drag against his ever so slowly.