Snapshots

36. Making it Work

 Takes place exactly eleven days after Act Your Age. Ferbnessa.

Ferb wanted to ingrain the scene in his memory. He ran his fingers through her silky hair, his other hand resting on her back. The touch made Vanessa raise her head from his chest, a lazy smile on her lips.

It had been months since they started dating, and Ferb still felt the need to pinch himself, just to be sure it wasn't a dream. How had he gotten so lucky? Her blue eyes sparkled. He could lose himself in those eyes. Could she hear how quickly she made his heart beat?

She moved her legs, entwined with his, and Ferb felt his cheeks heat up as he was reminded of close they really were. Vanessa grinned and wiggled against him more.

Ferb swallowed, trying to ignore it. Not that he didn't like it, but her father had a bad habit of bursting into her apartment like he owned it, and Ferb really didn't want to die. Of course, he was overreacting. Just being in her apartment was a damnable enough offense, the intimacy of the scene would only ensure a slower death.

A finger tugging at the collar of his shirt dragged him back to the present.

"What's going through that genius brain of yours?" The fingers moved to the top button, playing with it as if contemplating undoing it.

'Your father' didn't seem like a good answer to that question so Ferb went with a different, yet just as true, thought.

"How much I love you."

Fingers stilling, Vanessa's smile faded a little. "Don't say that."

Ferb blinked. Why not?

"Can we not have this conversation right now?" The smile was gone like it never existed. Ferb wanted it to come back.

"When then?" What time was it now? He couldn't see the clock while lying on the sofa.

"Later." She laid her head back down on his chest. "Let it go, Ferbs."

How could he let it go? Did she not love him back? Ice filled his veins. Was that it? She liked him, she made that overwhelming clear, but was that all there was? He wouldn't be upset with her. Why would someone as beautiful as her choose him?

"You're still thinking about it." Vanessa sighed.

Ferb shrugged best he could with how they were laying.

She started to sit up, and it took all Ferb's control not to use his hand on her back to stop her. Pushing back with disappointment, once she untangled herself from him, he too sat up and slid his legs off the sofa.

"I didn't want to bring it up yet." She didn't look at him as she straightened out her red shirt. "I think I want to break up."

Ferb snorted. "Did I ever tell you that your jokes aren't funny?"

"Ferb, I'm being serious." Vanessa groaned. "Long-distance relationships never work."

He blinked. It did for Candace and Jeremy. Not that he ever wanted to base a relationship off of that obsessiveness, but they were happy together. "We can make it work."

Already, he was forming plans. Very unrefined ones, he'd need Phineas to add the creative spark to his rough ideas. Though, doing it himself would make it more personal. More romantic, in a certain sense. But he might overlook a better plan on his own.

It was a tough decision.

She took his hand, her soft fingers interlacing with his. "I'd rather out relationship end on a high note than have it go down in flames over time."

"It doesn't have to." He didn't want it to. It had taken years to reach this point. He couldn't count the number of times he'd almost given up ever reaching it.

Letting this dream end without a fight was something he couldn't do.

He placed his other hand on top of hers. "We're us. There's nothing we can't do if we try."

She smiled. "You have never-ending optimism, you know that?"

Laughing, Ferb shook his head. He wasn't the optimistic one, that was Phineas. But after so long, Phineas probably rubbed some of it off on him. "Only when it comes to us."