Alex and Winn were best friends.

They met at college interviews, for different courses but on the same day. Then they kept running into each other. In their dorms. In the library. In the corridors. Even at each other's places of work. They even ran into each other on a night out, when Winn stopped her from drinking a drink some guy had slipped a roofie into, earning Winn a black eye from the guy and a bag of peas from Alex's freezer on his face.

They started hanging out more after that. Winn who didn't speak to his father had an automatic invite to all of the Danvers family holidays, which Winn gladly accepted. At Thanksgiving he met Alex's parents and her younger sister Kara. She was a sweet girl a few years shy of college herself.

"So how did you two meet?" Alex mother asked as they passed the various vegetables around the table.

"Winn saved my butt on a night out actually," Alex told her mom.

"Well we met at our interviews and kept running into each other, but I saw some guy slip something into her drink, and I had to intervene."

"Winn that's very noble of you." Alex's father told him.

"Not as noble as the black eye he got for his trouble," Alex added, "took it like it was nothing."

"I boxed as a teenager, I know how to take a punch." He told them laughing. "It didn't even hurt," he assured her parents. "Alex gave me some peas from her freezer and we just talked for a while. Turns out we have a lot in common." The pair shared a smile which was hilariously misinterpreted by Alex's family and that's when the fun started.

Near the end of their first year of College they started renting a place together near campus, splitting the easily affordable rent of the two bedroomed place between them. Since Alex and her sister were home schooled and Kara recently got her licence Alex's sister was a frequent visitor.

"Are you two dating?" Kara asked Alex one day.

"Kara don't be silly, me and Winn aren't like that, we're friends."

"Ew," Kara wrinkled her nose.

"Not like that either, Kara we're not seeing each other, OK?"

"Whatever," Kara said hugging her sister and leaving.

That night Winn and Alex went to a bar on campus, a pitcher of beer and some large nachos to share and set up a game of 8 ball. "So my sister asked if we were dating today."

"Seriously? Why does everyone think that? Guys and girls can be friends without there being more. It is a shame; we could be so gross together."

"Exactly," Alex said drinking her beer. "Ooh, hottie with a body making eyes at your ass," she nodded behind him to a guy at the bar. He turned and saw the guy checking him out as he leaned over the table and smiled.

"That's Mon-El, he's a literature major, he wants to be a teacher, he rents an apartment in our building."

"Well you can go back to his place and I can get some sleep tonight."

"Wouldn't be so sure of that," he said ending their game, "cutie with the boobies checking you out over there," Alex turned to where he was looking.

"Looks like I won't be getting any sleep tonight." Alex told him. "I call dibs on our place." Winn rolled his eyes at her.

"Whatever Danvers," he chuckled, "but if you're gonna fuck in the shower tomorrow lock the freakin' door."

"Try knocking, or not using the bathroom while I'm in the shower."

"You started that trend."

Alex rolled her eyes and changed the subject. "Go, before your hottie loses interest."

Winn crept into the apartment early the next morning to find Alex making pancakes, "you're happy, how was your cutie?"

"Cutie? Nice to know I'm appealing to men too," the woman from the night before, "not that I'm interested, but thank you, nice to know." She walked over wearing one of Alex's t-shirts and shorts. "I'm Maggie."

"Winn. Nice to meet you."

"So, where's your hottie?"

"He is on his morning run, though he might come by later," he told them. "So what do you do Maggie?"

"I'm training to be a police officer."

"That's interests," Winn said stealing some berries from Alex's plate before she could smack his hand away. "I'm gonna catch up on my sleep, lovely meeting you Maggie."

Winn dropped into his bed and slept better than he had in a while, he and Mon-El hadn't gotten much rest last night, he ached pleasantly as he relaxed into the mattress.

Kara parked her car in the campus parking a short walk from Winn and Alex's place. She had news and just couldn't tell Alex over the phone, it had to be done in person. She saw Winn standing outside the library and went to wave but stopped when a guy walked up to him and they kissed. Not a peck either, a deep kiss. Winn smiled as they parted and took the other man's hand. How could he do that to her sister? She turned quickly and went full speed to Alex's place and knocked angrily.

"Did you forget your key again?" Alex asked laughing, "Kara," she said surprised, "what're you doing here? Come inside," Alex said happy to see her sister. "Everything OK?"

"I just saw Winn on campus, he was kissing a guy, how could he do that to you Alex? I mean there's nothing wrong with being gay but to cheat on you like that? Urgh, how could he?" Alex could tell her sister was angry.

"Kara we've been over this, me and Winn have never been together."

"But-?" Kara froze when the door to her sister's bedroom opened and a woman, dressed in nothing but underwear and one of the t-shirts Kara bought Alex for her birthday, came out and over to them kissing Alex.

"Morning, hi," she said seeing Kara, "you must me Kara, your sister told me all about you."

"Alex?"

"Kara this is Maggie, my girlfriend. The guy you saw Winn with would have been Mon-El his boyfriend. Me and Winn have never been together, we're just really good friends. Kara you OK?"

"I have a headache," she said, it was a lot to take in. She wondered how her parents would take the news, they really liked Winn.

"Maybe you should lay down," Alex suggested and Kara nodded. Alex took her to the couch and Maggie brought over a bottle of water. "So how come you came out to see me? Not that I'm not thrilled."

"Oh, um, right, James asked me on a date, I wondered if we could go shopping and you could help me pick something nice?"

"Of course we can," Alex assured her sister hugging her. "I'm really happy for you, how about I get a shower, you get yourself together and we go now?" Kara nodded. Maggie left, saying she had a class, but Alex knew she was just giving them time together. When they arrived back at the apartment Winn's door had a tie on the handle.

"That wasn't there earlier," Kara noted.

Alex's eyes widened. "You know what I changed my mind we can go to the bar on campus and eat."

"But-"

"Oh fuck yeah, Mon, right there," Kara froze, mortified. Alex quickly covered her sister's ears and lead her out, quickly remembering to snatch up her keys from the bowl by the door. At the bar Alex slid a glass over to Kara.

"I know you're really underage but just this one should help with the shock." She said. Kara understood why she was sat in a booth. She tried knocking it back but choked and spat it back out.

"That's disgusting," she said coughing.

"I didn't say it was nice." Alex told her. "You OK?"

"Mmhmm," Kara said softly.

"So, you and James huh?" Alex said trying to change the subject.

"You and not Winn huh?" Kara said smiling. Alex sighed relieved, her sister would be fine.

Alex and Kara got back to the apartment a few hours later. It was quiet and just starting to get dark, it was only an hour but Alex didn't want Kara driving home. Winn and the man from that morning came out of his bedroom, thankfully fully clothed. Kara avoided Winn's eyes at all costs and excused herself to the bathroom. "Is she OK?"

"Well she no longer thinks we're a couple," Alex said. "You guys may have scarred her for life earlier."

"Oh no." Winn said before dissolving into giggles with Alex.

"It's my fault," Alex said, holding up her hands. "I didn't see the tie you put on the door handle."

"Kara I'm so sorry," Winn said once she got back.

"You told him?"

"He asked if you were OK," Alex told her. Kara remained silent but looked at Winn.

"Are you OK with me not being with your sister?" Kara nodded, "am I still invited to Thanksgiving?" Kara grinned and nodded. "Can I get a hug?"

Kara laughed and nodded, "yeah," he hugged her tightly. "Mon-El right?"

"Nice to meet you," he said shaking her hand.

"You got a good guy there," she told him.

"I know," he smiled.