Ah… Childhood. This was one of my favourite shows growing up. I always had such a huge crush on Clover... Which is weird, now that I look at it, because I've always related to Sam more.

-ahem- Anywho! Now that I feel sufficiently old, let the fandom expansion continue. If you've got a suggestion as to which fandom I should visit next, feel free to PM me or post a review. Even if you don't, feel free to post a review ;D

Disclaimer: I do not own Totally Spies. Thanks go to GrimGrave for looking this over.

lll

"Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam!"

She knew that wheedling tone, knew what it meant and how it would result in her changing her entirely too busy schedule around despite the fact that there weren't enough hours in the day or enough of her to go around. Sam sighed, but didn't fight her fate, resting her hand on her chin just as one of her best friends, a pretty brown-skinned girl with chin-length black hair cut into a bob and wide, innocent eyes the same shade and richness of chocolate, rounded the corner and charged right across the classroom, nearly bowling the redhead over.

"Ohmigod, you have no idea how happy I am to see you~"

Which, of course, meant she was desperately in need of her fellow crime-fighter's brilliance. Sam sighed again, assuming a flat expression despite the amused, borderline affectionate sense of incredulity she felt at the moment. "I'm guessing you've already tried Clover."

It was a statement, not a question, but the brunette pouted indignantly nonetheless. "The nerve of that girl; she told me 'that sounds like a personal problem' and went off with that meathead jock, Jeremy."

"How terrible," the redhead deadpanned. "So what's the problem this time?"

She could tell from the way the caramel-skinned beauty was grinning that this would be a doozy of an assignment… And she had once saved the world with nothing more than a normal, everyday scrunchy, the batteries from her Compowder, and a lipstick laser.

"I've got this huge research paper on—" She lifted her hands to make air quotes. "—'a political figure in the past century who's reign still effects our everyday life' due and I haven't even gotten around to picking up any research material between that new reality show that came out, forgetting about the stupid assignment and—" Here, she lowered her voice because there were still some students milling around the entrance of the nearly-vacant classroom. "—being a spy."

"Those first two are your own fault," the older girl replied, unimpressed.

"Don't say that," the brunette groaned. "C'mon, have a heart!"

Sam didn't respond for a moment, toying with the idea of leaving her friend to the wolves. Alex was far from stupid, but she really needed to do something about her inability to remain focused on things she didn't deem interesting. She had absolutely no will power sometimes.

At last, the redhead asked, "How long is your paper supposed to be?"

"Six pages, if you don't count citations. Double-spaced." She beamed, likely thinking she had won her friend over. "Thank you so much—"

Green eyes narrowed and the girl lifted her hand in a 'hold it' gesture. Now, the all-important: "And when is it due?"

"Uh… Yesterday?"

"…"

"Please, Sam? My teacher said I could make it up as long as I email it to her before class tomorrow."

… Class began at six in the morning. Their school day was just ending and Sam had her own assignments to complete—not including fighting crime on the DL as a secret agent. If you did the math, it all equaled a late night without sleep and a guaranteed stress-induced headache from being stretched too thin.

This was the part where she got up and walked away. It seemed Alex realized that because she latched onto the taller girl and hit the redhead with her most soulful puppy dog eyes.

A whine. "Pretty please?"

She didn't pause in her task, zipping shut her school bag with an air of finality.

"Darnit, um… I'll make those brownies you like!"

Sam made the mistake of looking up incredulously and soon found—for the umpteenth time—that she couldn't resist that darned, pitiful gaze. It helped that those brownies were a chocolately explosion of delicious, but when it came down to it, Alex might not have had any will power when it came to school work, but Sam didn't have any will power when it came to Alex. It was inevitable that she would eventually agree to anything the pretty brunette asked of her and, once again, the redhead gave up on fighting fate.

Let the countdown begin.

Sam grunted, her grip weakening, muscles straining as she tried desperately to maintain her hold on the sheer surface of the skyscraper window with the suction-cup glove gadget with one hand and the ankle of the blonde girl that dangled in the open air, muttering obscenities against their employer, with the other. Clover, for her part, was wisely using her lipstick laser to create an opening in the window below so that they could get out of this sticky situation, but it was slow going and her counterpart feared that she would drop the other spy.

Clear blue eyes flicked towards her, as though the older girl had read her thoughts, and the blonde scowled. "You drop me, Sam, and this friendship is over."

She didn't bother arguing that there were bigger problems than their friendship to worry about, instead snapping, "Would you please just hurry?"

After a small eternity, Clover released a triumphant sound and slid a glass circle out of its place, taking care to lower it gently into the room so as to avoid alerting others of their presence. Though, by this point, someone had to have noticed. She nodded to Sam, who released her, and used her grip on the opening's lip to swing herself safely inside before poking her head back out and hissing, "Let's get out of here!"

Now came the easy part. Sam reached up, lowering the power level of the glove so that it loosened its hold on the window, and slid down the side of the building, one leg extended to slow her descent. She should have slid down to the lip of the newly-made opening and pulled herself inside; instead, the gadget made an alarmed series of chirps and, suddenly, she was falling towards the ground.

Air; she was surrounded by the stuff, but somehow she couldn't figure out how to get some into her lungs in order to scream—to somehow release the terror that was bubbling beneath her breast. She closed her eyes and, contrary to what every movie and book ever claimed, she didn't witness her life in a flash of insight. All she saw was darkness and, in that moment, her heart's frenetic pace calmed as she accepted the fact that this was all she would see for the rest of eternity.

Did she have regrets? Sure. But if she could go back and do it all again, she wouldn't change a thing—

The image of a grinning, dark-skinned beauty flashed through her mind's eye and her heart began to race anew.

Okay, maybe one thing…

Something crashed into her from… the side? A person, apparently, if the arm wrapping around her waist and the nubile frame pressed up against her back were anything to go by. Sam dared to open her eyes and she nearly melted with relief when she saw who had (literally) come swinging in at the last moment to save the day: Alex. The brunette's smile was a little strained and there was concern in dark orbs as she tightened her grip around her ally's waist.

"You looked like you could use a hand." Normally, the cheesy line would have made the redhead groan, but she was far too busy being grateful that she hadn't met the same fate as her Compowder on the sidewalk several stories below. Alex activated the rewind function on her grappling hook and they sailed quickly upwards to land on the skyscraper's roof, where they both collapsed, panting.

She owed the young woman her life. This wasn't the first time she had been rescued; as a team, they tended to save one another from danger every now and again. For some reason, however, this instance felt more personal.

As if Alex had somehow sensed her peril and risked life and limb to come to her aid.

Before Sam could even begin to consider the origin of such an uncharacteristically romantic thought, a giant tube—the plastic kind used in construction—reared up like a snake and sucked them into its dark maw before either girl could even cry out in alarm.

WOOHPed again.

Moments later, the teens found themselves thrown onto a couch in a posh office, the owner of which was an older man sitting in a blue computer chair behind a wooden desk, his fingers threaded together in front of his face. He seemed to be deep in thought as they righted themselves, failing to acknowledge his visitors' presence until Sam cleared her throat politely.

"Ah… Hello, girls. Excellent work today."

"Were you watching the same mission we were?" Clover demanded. "Because that totally could have gone better."

"Nonsense. There was a wrinkle or two that needed to be ironed out, but I speak for all of us here at WOOHP when I say I'm very happy with the results of today's mission." He turned his head to look at the green-clad spy. "Sam, how are you feeling? I know you had a bit of a close shave."

"Shaken up, but fine. I managed to break my Compowder."

"Oh, that? You were all due for an upgrade, anyway. I'll get those to you as soon as possible." He smiled pleasantly. "Congratulations once again on a job well done. Have a wonderful evening, ladies."

"Wait—!"

But the sofa jerked backwards, unseating the trio and sending them sliding down yet another long, spiraling tube.

"Shouldn't we be at the library?"

Alex gestured dismissively. "We'll get to it."

Rather than comment, the redhead slung the shopping basket over her arm and followed the shorter girl down the grocery store's narrow aisles. She didn't say anything when the brunette piled snacks into the plastic container; remained silent when her best friend debated for ten minutes on what brand of brownie mix to buy. She even managed to hold her tongue when Alex began a spirited debate with the nerdy guy at the checkout counter (she had a thing for "geeks" it seemed), despite the sharp spike of annoyance she felt upon seeing the way the young man's eyes wandered appreciatively over her best friend.

They were dressed similarly, of course—tank tops and shorts to stave off the summer heat—but Alex was way prettier. It had always been that way, now that the redhead thought about it: males just tended to gravitate towards the brunette.

It was only when they got to the parking lot and the other teenager announced that she was hungry and that they should grab a late lunch that Sam sighed, "Alex."

"Okay, okay!" That pout could bring about the end of the world if the mocha-skinned cutie had a mind to do so. "Party pooper. To the stupid library."

…

The automatic doors parted to allow a gust of cold air to rush past and the girls shivered as they headed past the reception desk and the teen literature section. Soon, they came to the collection of tables where they recognized students from their school studying and whispering amongst themselves and Alex's stomach released a low growl.

"I'm so hungry…"

"Shhhhh!"

Suddenly, the duo was on the receiving end of several death glares and the redhead smiled apologetically as she hurried her best friend towards the rear of the library where the reference section was. After greeting the librarian, who she had spoken with on more than one occasion, they began their search.

An hour later…

The sun set and the sky darkened to find Sam and Alex at the front entrance of the latter girl's house, straining under the weight of the stacks of library books and the grocery bags they each carried. The brunette managed to pull her house keys from her pocket and got the door open, nearly falling into the darkness within as she hurried to set down her load, and Sam followed at a much slower pace, balancing the tomes expertly as she felt along the wall for a light switch.

With a triumphant sound, the redhead located what she had been looking for and the lights flickered on to reveal the living room: a modern affair with simple black leather furniture and crème-coloured walls and floor tiles.

"My parents are out of town," Alex explained. She swore that dark eyes flicked to the front of her rather revealing tank top, but that had to have been her imagination. "I'll be right back. Make yourself comfortable."

Sam did as she was told and sat on the leather L-shaped couch, opening the other girl's laptop, which sat on a glass-top coffee table in front of the plush seat, and logging in with the brunette's credentials. They shared everything, after all, as best friends tended to. After pulling up a Word document, the young woman began sorting through the books they had collected in order of relevance and, by the time she had made an organized mess of the living room, Alex had reentered the room, her expression awed and a bag of chips in her hands.

"Geez, Sam, you're the best—you know that?"

"I've been told," the redhead chuckled. "Are you ready?"

The sigh she received in response was dejected, but Alex sat down next to her nonetheless and selected a book. "Let's get this over with."

A companionable silence fell between the teens, punctuated by the sharp crunch of chips between the brunette's teeth.

Crunch, crunch. "You want one?"

Sam shook her head, chuckling affectionately. Alex had such a kind, generous heart—it was what she loved most about the brunette. "No thank you."

Her friend tutted. "Let me know if you need anything."

Anything? Her brain ran with the unintended invitation and Sam bit back a sigh, heat spreading through her in a storm of hormones and suppressed desires.

About half an hour passed without incident and, for the most part, the pair didn't speak, perusing the assembled tomes for useful information. They were entering the second half of the hour when Alex groaned, tossing her book aside and falling onto her back, her limbs akimbo.

"I can't do this anymore."

Sam twisted her wrist to check her watch. "… It hasn't even been an hour yet."

She pouted. "I don't wanna."

A sigh. "Seriously, Alex… You asked for my help, didn't you?"

"Yes…" was the grudging response.

"Okay then. Buckle down and get it done. If you do…" She thought quickly. "I've got a reward for you."

The brunette perked up at that and, again, Sam swore dark eyes roamed. "Really?"

No, actually, but if it would get the teen to focus on her assignment, she'd think of something. "Really."

And, for a time, the duo was quiet.

Alex's focus lasted for nearly an hour longer, by which time they had finished a rough outline and cited the sources they had found most useful. All that was left was—

"Break time!"

Sam blanched. "… You haven't even started typing your essay yet."

"That doesn't mean I don't deserve a break." The brunette was on her feet in the next instant and marching off in the direction of the kitchen. "I will finish it. But first, let's make those brownies."

Sighing, the teenager marked her page and followed behind her best friend, stopping in the doorway and crossing her arms over her chest. According to the time displayed by the kitchen stove, it was 11:07 and, according to her weary body, it was far too late. "At this rate, you're not going to get this assignment done in time."

"Not with that attitude, I won't!" She didn't see particularly concerned as she opened a cabinet overhead and stared into it for a moment. "Geez, I'm short. Give me a hand?"

It seemed there was nothing she could do to get Alex back on track at this very moment so she might as well. Sam went over to the other young woman and stood on tip-toe to retrieve a large glass mixing bowl, setting it on the counter as the brunette went around gathering the ingredients for brownies. Once everything had been collected, she began pouring baking mix into the bowl.

"You know what we should add?" Orbs the same rich colour of chocolate sparkled. The enthusiasm within them was infectious and the redhead found herself smiling. "Chocolate chips. Can you get some out of the fridge?"

She did as she was told, opening the double-door chrome appliance and locating a bag of chocolate chips. As she turned to hand it to the younger woman, she paused, biting her full bottom lip at the way the brunette was frowning in thought as she read the instructions on the back of the box.

'Cute.' She found that she thought that a lot about the younger teen; there was just something inherently charming about Alex that shut off her normally overactive brain.

"Is there something on my face?" Dark eyes were wide, curious.

Her cheeks heated. "No, sorry. I was lost in thought."

"You think too much," the brunette laughed, smiling affectionately. Her fingers brushed against Sam's as she received the package and the older girl flinched. "What's on your mind?"

'You.' Thank goodness for her mind-to-mouth filter. "Your project. We really should get back to work."

"This'll only take a minute."

The redhead shrugged and sat at the counter, watching as her friend began adding ingredients to the bowl. As she stooped to get the electric mixer out of a cabinet, Sam found herself staring again.

What was it about the mocha-skinned beauty that made her heart swell with happiness? Alex only had to look her way and the muscle raced, excited by the opportunity to be the object of the brunette's attentions. She wanted nothing more than for the young woman to be happy and, when the girl smiled at her, she felt as though she could do anything—could be anything that Alex needed her to be.

"Sam, can I ask you something?"

She returned to the present with a start and green orbs met brown. "Of course."

"How do you do it?" Well, that was a rather broad question. The teen waited patiently and, at last, Alex elaborated, "You're great at everything and I'm… Not. I wish I was more like you." Sam gaped—she couldn't help it—and her best friend laughed nervously. "Eheh… Never mind. I'm just being stupid; don't mind me."

Her heart broke when she realized that, despite the hasty insistence that she hadn't been serious, Alex meant every word. How could someone so wonderful believe something so terrible?

Sam couldn't help it—before she realized it, she had gotten up from her stool and crossed the kitchen to wrap her best friend in the whole world in a warm, comforting hug. Then, she released the girl and held her at arm's length. "You're not stupid, Alex. You're easily distracted, yes, and you're not a fan of deadlines, but I know you're brilliant." She offered a reassuring smile and the brunette smiled thinly in response. "You will get this paper done and you will get an 'A'."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Alex's expression brightened, if only a little, and she quickly turned her attention to the mixer. "I don't deserve you. You're so nice."

'What?'

Before the redhead could say anything, the younger spy flipped the power switch on and the appliance made a loud, jarring sound; chocolate went everywhere, splattering messily on the walls and counter—and all over the girls, who screamed and cringed. It was Sam who managed to jerk the plug out of the wall, forcing the beaters to fall still and releasing a relieved sigh as she slumped against the counter.

"I'm sorry," Alex mumbled. The redhead looked up at her despondent tone: dark eyes were unusually shiny and her eyebrows were drawn together. "I'm a stupid clutz who can't do anything right."

"Don't say that!" Sam's stomach gave a curious little twist in response to the anxiety that filled her upon hearing such inaccurate words and she didn't think before insisting, "You're wonderful, Alex. You're the kindest, friendliest person I know and when you smile, it's like the sun has finally come out to warm the Earth with her gentle light. And I know I run the risk of sounding corny by saying so, but you're the best thing that has ever happened to me. Don't get me wrong: I love Clover to death; but I'd follow you to the ends of the world and back because I trust you completely. I know that you'll be there for me no matter what and I'd do the same for you. With you… It's different somehow. It feels deeper—more meaningful." She drew in a breath, but even the need for oxygen couldn't interrupt the flow of heartfelt words now that the floodgates had been opened. "You say you're stupid, but you're not. And anyone who says differently can go fuck themselves." She wasn't one for swearing, but it seemed appropriate in the heat of the moment and in the face of how strongly she felt. "If it wasn't for your quick thinking and intuition, WOOHP would have had to send us all home in body bags several times over. And, Alex? You're gorgeous. You've got that cute, curvy little figure and perfect skin. Heck, I wish my man was half as shiny and silky. It's incredible how little girls value themselves nowadays; unaware of how amazing they are because society tells them otherwise. Who the hell decided it was okay to pressure such lovely young women until they break? Seriously—"

The redhead snapped her mouth shut as she registered the utter lack of reaction from her companion. She meant every word of it, of course, but that didn't erase the horrified way her heart skipped a beat as her brain processed the sentiments it had let slip right past her usually effective filter.

"Sam…"

The young woman barely heard the stunned utterance over the way her heart pounded in her ears and her blood roared through her veins at the same frenetic pace as her thoughts.

Ba-dumpba-dumpba-dump. She wanted…

Ba-dumpba-dumpba-dump. More than anything…

The older teen released a soft sound; she wasn't sure when she had moved, but suddenly, her hands were buried in those silky, short black tresses and she was lost in pools of chocolate brown. When their lips first met, Sam felt—relieved; overjoyed; excited; awestruck; anxious; aroused; hopeful—complete. As though this very moment was the one point in time that all of her years of schooling and time spent saving the world had led up to. Every awkward moment, every silent berating at her own selfish desires, every hour of sleep lost and sensation of crushing guilt—erased in this one instance.

Heat spread through her body in a wave of mixed relief and desire and the young woman dared to embrace her best friend in the whole world. There was no turning back, and when they parted, she felt curiously bereft and she knew she couldn't go on without kissing Alex again.

Which was why her heart raced spasmodically as she bit her lip and watched the utterly blank look on the brunette's lovely face warp first into shock and then into bewilderment. "Sam…"

That tone—breathless, hesitant—made the muscle work even harder and the redhead feared it would spring out of her chest. Part of her wanted to turn tail and flee while a larger part just wanted to crush the mocha-skinned beauty to her and—

The teen's cheeks flushed hotter and she cleared her throat, desperately willing away the flood of images that filled her mind and whispering, "Yeah…?"

"You… Why did you…?"

Yes, why had she? The perilous plunge that existed beneath the all-too narrow gap between friend and lover had always managed to deter the conscientious redhead before, so what had changed? Why had she finally "manned" up and acted upon the desire—a thing that she had become so good at resisting—that swelled within her at the very sight of the sweet, cheery, good-natured, sexy little—

"A-Alex?!" she gasped, shaken from her thoughts by the arms that loomed around her neck and the cute face that was suddenly very close to hers.

The small, shy smile that curved full lips was alluring to say the least, but even more so was the softly uttered, "I've, um, wanted you to do that forever."

"…" A heartbeat; an infinitesimal moment of hesitation.

With a low groan, Sam leaned in, claiming her best friend's lips for a second time and sinking her fingers into short, silky locks. Though she didn't have much experience in the matter (her past handful of boyfriends had proved to be rather unenlightening) it felt almost natural to dart her tongue out to meet Alex's, the wet warm muscles dancing eagerly as the girls pressed closer to one another.

The essay could wait. All that mattered at this very moment was kissing Alex.

Sam was melting.

Alex chuckled huskily—the sound playful and inviting—and the older teen growled, bucking against the thigh that had somehow found its way between hers. She wasn't sure when they had moved to the bedroom, but stepping across the threshold seemed to have flicked on some 'sexy temptress' switch in the brunette's head because she had very handily pushed Sam onto the bed and straddled her, ravishing the taller girl with kisses and little love bites until the redhead's conscience—her logic and good sense—had dissolved completely.

She was shocked—and pleasantly so. Who would have thought the innocent, happy-go-lucky brunette would be so… domineering?

Not that Sam was about to let the little minx walk all over her…!

Using her larger size to her advantage, the redhead twisted, flipping Alex onto her back so that she was the one doing the straddling and the younger spy was the one—

A shudder ran the length of Sam's spine and she arched into the mocha-skinned beauty's touch, a quiet, pleased mewl leaving her in response to the little waves of pleasure the firm, possessive grip on her backside sent washing through her.

Why weren't they naked yet? She needed to feel every bit of the young girl's skin against hers.

As though reading her thoughts, the younger girl reached for the hem of her tank top and Sam lifted her arms eagerly to aid in the removal of the totally unnecessary article of clothing. They wrestled for a moment, hormones making their impatiently reaching hands clumsy and uncooperative, but eventually managed to strip down to their underwear—

'Oh my…' The curvaceous brunette was quite a bit more endowed than her loose-fitting clothes let on and the lace lovingly cupping ample swells of flesh made the older teen's heart race.

Alex, for her part, bit her bottom lip. "My daydreams didn't do you any justice."

Sam gaped. "Your what?"

The very idea that Alex had ever considered her in that way…

"Nothing~!" the younger girl chirped, cupping a pale peak in one hand, and her best friend started. She pinched a nipple that stood at attention beneath the thin fabric of a lime green sports bra, sliding her free hand along the length of the taller teen's frame to grab the curve of her hip. "Now kiss me."

Who was she to deny the mocha-skinned beauty?

Their lips met again, this time with less urgency—more appreciation of the gravity of the moment—and the young women clutched at each other, their tongues twisting in a sensual tango as their bodies moved against each other, seeking sweet, sweet friction.

Without breaking their oral embrace, the brunette swapped their positions, once again dominating the redhead in every sense of the word; every touch, every gasp and breathy moan made the older girl's core heat to molten proportions until she couldn't bear the steady ache that built between her legs. If she didn't get some sort of relief soon, she feared she would burst…

Great minds thought alike, it seemed, because Alex grinned and full lips brushed against the sensitive shell of the redhead's ear as she murmured, "Hey, Sam?"

She shivered and her eyes were unfocused as she looked up at her partner. "Mm?"

"Heh. I think it's time I claimed the reward you promised me."

"You… ah… didn't even finish your paper!"

The brunette scoffed, nuzzling into the pale column of her best friend's throat and laying a trail of warm, wet kisses as she moved down, down, down…

And, by the time she was nestled cozily between eagerly splayed thighs, Sam was whimpering.

"I'll finish it—scout's honor. But first…"

It was a good thing the girl's parents were out of town, but the redhead couldn't say the same for the neighbors.

Sam stirred, sleek muscle coiling beneath smooth, pale flesh as she stretched like a cat. She snuggled into the form next to her, opening her eyes and blinking against the blindingly bright sunlight filtering in through the blinds… to find that the bed was empty save the huge plush bear she had mistaken as her missing bedmate.

Her heart missed a beat and her stomach sunk like a stone as the red-head lurched into a sitting position.

Had Alex really abandoned her? There was no way…

Amidst the haze of her panicked thoughts, something caught the teenager's eye and she reached out, snatching the brightly-coloured sticky note that had been stuck to the lamp shade of the lamp sitting on the brunette's nightstand:

You were sleeping so soundly I couldn't bring myself to wake you. And don't even think about going to class because you deserve a day off. I'll see you after school.

—Alex

Emerald orbs went wide: she had never missed a day of school before—WOOHP assignments and illnesses be damned. This was unacceptable!

…

Still, the redhead slumped against the plush bedspread, a smile spreading across her face as her brilliant mind returned to the events that had transpired there only hours before. She stretched, her muscles aching deliciously, and sighed happily, cuddling the stuffed animal to her chest. It smelled of Alex.

Eventually, she'd have to get out of bed and be responsible about her absence. But for now—

Maybe just five more minutes.

…

Apparently, her coming into school late merited preparation for a swiftly approaching apocalypse because some of Sam's classmates openly gaped as she entered the cafeteria, dark green orbs scanning for her friends.

There—Alex was waving and Clover did a double take.

"This is big," the blonde remarked as she joined them. "You're late. And you totally look like the cat that ate the canary. What's his name?"

Was she really that obvious? "You're being ridiculous, Clover."

"Right… Sure." Bright blue eyes slid suspiciously from the redhead to the brunette. "So what's your story?"

Her fork paused halfway to her mouth. "Huh?"

"You were on time today. You're never on time."

"You're imagining things." She resumed eating, humming happily as she chewed. "Mm… You've got to try this, Sam."

"That good, huh?" The teenager snagged her best friend's fork and helped herself to the decadent-looking desert on her plate. "Mm… That is good."

"Oh. My. God." Sam arched an eyebrow at the absolutely flabbergasted expression on Clover's face and Alex blinked, confused, but neither girl got to question the exclamation before the blonde gasped, "You two are finally doing the nasty?! It took you long enough."

Wait… What?

"How did you—?" Alex began.

"What makes you say—?" Sam asked at the very same time.

Clover snorted, flipping her hair in a practiced motion. "Um, duh? You two have been total lesbos for each other forever. Not that I mind or anything—do what you want and all that—but it was really frustrating to see my best friend's being so stupid. In fact, I was this close—" She held her index finger and thumb an infinitesimal amount of space apart. "—to just locking you two in a room and letting you figure it out from there."

It was Sam's turn to gape. "How long have you known Alex and I…" She cleared her throat, her face doing its best to imitate her hair. "Have been interested in each other?"

"Let me see…" The blonde cocked her head to the side, frowning contemplatively. "Carry the four… Add one… Ah-hah! Approximately: for-friggin-ever." She giggled at the unimpressed look she got from the older girl. "Relax, Sam. Geez. You're really smart, but that doesn't mean you know everything. Am I right, Alex?"

"Aaaanyway, what do you say we head to the mall after school? I saw these killer shoes and I have to be the first to wear them…"

As Clover continued on about her would-be purchase, green eyes met brown and Sam smiled shyly, extending her hand and threading her finger through Alex's.

"You guys are cute and all, but could you quit it with the googly eyes? I just ate."

Perhaps she should have acted on her desires much sooner, but then she supposed there was plenty of time to make up for opportunities she had missed.

-End-