The Sun in My Eyes

51 Starting Like a Fire, Tonight You Lit the Flame

WARNING: POSSIBLE SEXY STUFF AHEAD

In Which Bobby and Lili are supposed to be just friends. But I think there's been a glitch.

**

"That movie was so fucking cute." Maitland, stretched out on the living room floor like a mangy blue-haired house cat, turned toward Bobby. "I thought I'd hate it, because you usually have shite taste in films, but I liked it."

He pressed a hand to his chest. "Why thank you for such a heart-warming compliment, Maitland."

"Eh, it was alright," Jonno declared. "Didn't have enough nudity though."

Bobby turned off the television. "Oh aye, it suffered from a lack of naked Paul Rudd."

"I actually second that," Dean said. Louis slapped him on the arm in mock outrage.

Bobby glanced at Lili. They'd sat together like they always did after dinner, laying on a pile of pillows and blankets on their stomachs, but there was a buzzing silence between them that made him nervous.

"Hey Lili." Maitland rolled onto her side. "Forgot to ask. Did you win your fucking thing?"

It seemed to take Lili a moment to realise someone was speaking to her. "Hmm? What? Oh, yeah, I did."

"Congratulations!" Louis crowed. "So now what?"

"Thanks! I've got one more solo competition coming up soon and then I'm calling it for the year. I can only stomach my own ego so much." She tucked her curls behind her ears as she sat up.

Bobby sat up as well, crossing his legs in front of himself. "Are you doing the routine you won with?"

"No, this requires an all new one. And I got overly ambitious with the choreography, so it's more complex than what I normally perform solo. I've been practising it for months but I'm still a bit worried about it, to be honest."

"Lil, you work harder than anyone I know," he said. "I'm sure it's already phenomenal."

Louis nodded. "Aye, I'm sure it is. But if you're worried about it, the empty flat on the lower level is a big wide open space and we just redid the floors. You're welcome to use it for practise anytime."

Lili's smile opened up like a rare flower and Bobby's heart gave a decisive thump. "Really?"

"Why not? If Bobby can use that kitchen for big baking projects, you can certainly use the rest for dancing."

"That would be so wonderful. The studio I use is under renovation and I had no idea how I was going to practise. I mean I can make my flat work by moving all my furniture, but the floors aren't great for it."

"Then it was meant to be," Louis said. "It's not even locked, so use it whenever. There are three standing mirrors already down there, so you can see yourself while you dance."

"Three?" Bobby could see Lili's brain connecting dots and he tried to hide his smile. They had some form of this conversation every single time she visited. "That's the exact number I told you I used at home, Louis," she said. "This wouldn't be another attempt to lure me into moving in, like, would it?"

Louis blinked wide, affronted blue eyes at her and pressed a hand to his chest. "It hurts me that you'd accuse me of such a thing, hen. But since you brought it up, it would save you a lot of money and time if you just moved to Glasgow, wouldn't it? I have some really great properties for you to look at, and in the meantime you could stay in the lower level and it would double as a dance studio that you wouldn't even have to pay for! I mean the savings alone! And since we adopted Isla, we haven't felt comfortable renting it to strangers, so you'd be one of the only people we'd even consider–"