"Oh."

"Oh, I didn't mean, like, ok..."

"Nothing happened here, right?"

"So, that almost happened..."

"You were really about to kiss me, weren't you?"

"...Were we just about to do something stupid?"

"Why did you stop?"

"Tell me you felt that too."

"Okay, wow. That was close."

"You leaned in first."

"I panicked, alright?"

"I thought you were going to kiss me."

"I wanted to."

"Don't look at me like that."

"So we're just going to pretend that didn't happen?"

"Right. Cool. Totally normal."

"My heart is beating ridiculously fast right now."

"If someone walked in right then, we would've had some explaining to do."

"You hesitated."

"We need to stop having moments like this."

"If I kissed you, I don't think I'd be able to stop."

"I almost ruined our friendship just now." (or made it better...)

"Can we talk about what just happened?"

"Can we never talk about what just happened?"

"You know, for a second there, I thought you were finally going to do it."

More: Reactions to… Masterpost

perfectionism - never being satisfied

honesty - coming off as rude and insensitive

devotion - can turn into obsession

generosity - being taken advantage of

loyalty - can make them blind for character faults in others

being dependable - always depending on them

ambitiousness - coming off as ruthless

optimism - not being realistic

diligence - not able to bend strict rules

protectiveness - being overprotective

cautiousness - never risking anything

being determined - too focussed on one thing

persuasiveness - coming off as manipulative

tidiness - can become an obsession

being realistic - being seen as pessimistic

assertiveness - coming off as bossy

pride - not accepting help from others

innocence - being seen as naive

selflessness - not thinking about themself enough

being forgiving - not holding others accountable

curiosity - asking too many questions

persistence - being seen as annoying

being charming - can seem manipulative

modesty - not reaching for more

confidence - coming off as arrogant

wit/humor - not taking things serious

patience - being left hanging

strategic - coming off as calculated

being caring - being overbearing

tolerance - being expected to tolerate a lot

eagerness - coming off as impatient

being observant - being seen as nosy

independence - not accepting help

being considerate - forgetting about themself

fearlessness - ignoring real danger

politeness - not telling what they really think

reliability - being taken advantage of

Here a some ways on how your characters could become/could've become friends.

"School & Childhood" Friends

Sitting next to each other on the first day of class

Being assigned as lab/project partners

Having the same teacher and complaining together

Sharing school supplies

Being the only two people who don’t know anyone

Riding the same school bus

Getting seated alphabetically near each other every year

Being in detention together

Letting the other cheat off of them

One person defending the other from bullying

Meeting at recess or on the playground

Competing on the same academic team

Being roommates in college

Always sitting next to each other in the library

Staying up late talking in the dorms

Helping each other study before exams

Meeting during orientation week

"Family Connections" Friends

Their mothers/fathers being friends

Being cousins close in age

Growing up as neighbors

Family friends who vacation together

Parents arranging playdates

Siblings introducing them

One family helping another during hard times

Their families attending the same religious or community events

Becoming friends because their kids are friends

Meeting at weddings or family reunions

Dating each others' siblings

"Neighborhood & Everyday Life" Friends

Living in the same apartment building

Seeing each other walking dogs every day

Sharing a fence/backyard

Helping shovel snow or carry groceries

Meeting at a local park regularly

Frequenting the same café

Running into each other during morning commutes

One person helping after a car breakdown

Being regulars at the same store

Sharing a laundry room in their apartment building

"Work & Professional Life" Friends

Starting work on the same day

Complaining about the boss together

Working late on the same project

Covering shifts for each other

Sitting beside each other in the office

Traveling together for work

Bonding during training sessions

Accidentally getting trapped in endless meetings together

One mentoring the other

Quitting the same toxic workplace

"Shared Interests" Friends

Joining the same sports team

Playing in the same band

Meeting in an online game

Joining the same fandom

Taking the same art/music/dance classes

Going to the same gym

Meeting through cosplay or conventions

Attending book clubs

Participating in hobby communities

Posting in the same niche online forum

Volunteering for the same cause

Meeting in a run club

Following each other online

"Through Other Friends" Friends

“You two would get along”

Becoming the last two awake at a party

Mutual friends inviting both people repeatedly

Being added to the same group chat

Becoming friends after a breakup divides the friend group

One friend “adopting” the quieter person

Meeting through double dates

Their two friend groups mixing with each other when two people start dating

Becoming roommates through mutuals

"Random Coincidences" Friends

Missing the same train

Being stranded somewhere together

Wearing the same outfit or shirt

Reaching for the same book in a library

Accidentally texting the wrong number

Dancing next to each other at a concert

Sitting together in the airport during a delayed flight

Sitting next to each other on the train/plane

Getting stuck in an elevator with each other

Meeting on holiday together

One person dropping something and the other helping

Surviving an embarrassing moment together

Laughing at the same thing no one else noticed

"Funny & Unexpected Situation" Friends

Mistaken identity leading to conversation

Fighting first and later becoming close

One stealing the other’s seat

A shared hatred of the same person

Both pretending to understand something they don’t

Meeting because of a lost pet

Becoming friends after a minor car accident

One person overhearing the other say something unhinged and agreeing

Meeting through a heated conversation in a comment section

Accidentally attending the wrong event together

Competing against each other and gaining each other's respect

More: Friendship Masterpost (Prompts & Advice)

Part X

How to show pleasure

dilated pupils

mouth half opened

increased heart rate

increased breath rate

increased blood flow

heightened sensitivity

body parts turning warm and flushed

body parts becoming engorged or wet

tension in the entire body

trembling

involuntary contractions

hard to speak, but incapable to be quiet

How to show tenderness

sincere, warm, and open smile

slow and soft movements

leaning in towards what they feel tender about

listening carefully, head held towards them

gentle tone of voice

softening of facial expressions

relaxed eyebrows

soft and relaxed eyes

a hint of a tear appearing

relaxed mouth with a little smile

gently touching or stroking who or what they feel tender about

calm breathing, not too shallow, not too deep

How to show guilt

avoiding eye contact or looking down

tightness in the shoulders, neck, and jaw

being hunched over, slumped shoulders, making themself small

turning their body away from who they feel guilty towards

sweaty palms

trembling hands

heart racing

fidgeting with their entire body

crossing and uncrossing one’s legs

shifting from one foot to the other

pacing around

knot in the stomache, not being able to eat or eating too much to compensate

a feeling of heaviness in their body

How to show curiosity

open, dilated eyes

holding eye contact

raised eyebrows

tilting of the head

leaning towards what they find curious

mouth slightly open

uncrossed arms

actively listening

holding still, so they don't miss anything

More: How to write emotions Masterpost

Making them a cup of tea/coffee exactly how they like it

Tucking a note into their bag or pocket for later

Sending a "did you eat?" or "thinking of you" text out of the blue

Saving them the last bite of something you know they love

Warming their hands when it's cold

Turning on the heated seat / adjusting the AC before they ask

Saying "text me when you get there"

Wiping crumbs or lint off them without making it a thing

Complimenting something ordinary, like how good they smell

Thanking them out loud for everyday things

Saying “drive safe” even if they hear it all the time

Walking on the street-side of the sidewalk

Letting them pick the music even if it’s not your favorite

Saving them a seat or spot next to you

Opening the door or holding it just a second longer for them

Sending a "made it home?" text

Checking the weather and reminding them to bring a jacket

Setting an alarm earlier so you can wake up together

"You're my biggest pain in the ass. Would you please annoy me for the rest of our lives?"

"I'm tired of pretending I don't want to share my food with you forever. Marry me?"

"I promise to always kill the spiders if you promise to always make my doctor's appointments. Deal?"

"We're both weirdos. Why not make it official and be weird together forever?"

"Okay, totally weird idea. How about marriage?"

"Will you be my emergency contact, life partner, and snack sharer for life?"

"Can I keep you forever, like you're keeping my favorite hoodie that you'll never give back to me?"

"We could annoy so many people in our lives by marrying each other. Wouldn't that be fun?"

"What would you rather, you marrying me or me marrying you?"

"I want to annoy you until we're old and gray. Say yes?"

"We're both a little weird and we have a bad track record when it comes to relationships. Maybe we're doing every potential partner a favour by taking us off the market."

"Would you marry me? Totally platonically, if you want. Or romantically. If that's what you're into."

“I'm not jealous! I just… It just bothers me that… Holy shit. I'm jealous.”

“Why do I even care? It's not my life!”

“Oh.” Oh.

“Fuck. That wasn't part of the plan.”

“I never meant to develop feelings, but… I think I did.”

“You're like a virus I can't get rid off, and I think lately the infection has reached my heart.”

“Oh, I'm an idiot.”

“You make me happy like no one else. I'm not sure what exactly that means yet, but… I know it means something.”

“I care, that's all. We're friends; friends care. That's all this is…”

“We're more than just friends, aren't we?”

“I think… Maybe, I knew all along, and was just too afraid to admit it to myself.”

“This was never just friendship.”

“I can't keep pretending anymore.”

“How much longer can I tell myself this isn't what it looks like to everyone else?”

“Ah, shit. That explains all the dreams.”

“How did you realize I had feelings for you before I did??”

"I'm happiest when I'm with you."

"Oh, how sweet you are!"

"My eyes are always searching for yours."

"Have I told you lately how cute you are?"

"Ours is my favourite love story."

"I can't sleep without you."

"The best date is anything we do together."

"Pretty good story to tell our future kids, right?"

"I could do this forever with you."

"Sometimes I just want to hold your hand in public, so everyone sees we're together."

"You're the greatest gift I've ever gotten."

"When I look at you, I see my future."

"Nothing makes me happier than you."

"I will miss you as soon as you leave here."

"You keep getting prettier everytime I look at you."

More: One-Liners Masterpost

"Not sure why you thought this would be a good idea."

"Oh, you miss me? Well, I didn't miss you at all."

"Stop the pleasantries, why are you here?

"Nice to see you're obviously not doing well."

"Is it garbage day already?"

"Well, look what the cat unfortunately dragged in."

"Crazy how you think it is anything but inappropiate for you to show up here."

"I feel like I'm being punished for something."

"Roses are red, violets are blue, please stay away, I live well without you."

"Why couldn't you just stay away?"

"No! You have no right to just show up again like nothing happened!"

"I will not let you into the house and I will not let you back into my life."

"Let's just act like we don't know each other."

"Why did you have to come back and create all that chaos once again."

"After everything you've done you just wander over here and pretend like everything's cool?"

More: Reactions to... Masterpost

Requested by: @fishy-poof-crackers

Text

To make it more convincing when they finally tell the world about their (fake) relationship, they have a list of things they need to practice so they feel comfortable in front of an audience. Hand-holding, wrapping an arm around the other's shoulders, cheek kissing, real kissing...

They are theater kids at heart, so of course they do rehearsals.

Reading articles on how to "kiss like a real couple" ruins their afternoon, because they try to follow all the advice at once.

They realize their first kiss will be a lie in front of people to sell their fake relationship. So they tell their "partner" and make sure it's just a tiny lie and just the two of them for the first kiss.

They are fighting about who the better kisser is, so they use their time to find out.

Public affection never came natural to them, but it is what sells the relationship, so they practice to get more comfortable.

They know that there wouldn't be a chance that they had to passionately kiss in front of an audience, a simple peck would be appropiate enough, but it doesn't hurt to practice it anyway. Just in case.

Practice kissing actually makes them less nervous before going out as a fake couple, so they keep on doing it.

They are taking this very serious and therefore keep a list of all the ratings each practice kiss got from them.

Dialogue

"Well, we'll need to look convincing."

"Oh my god, what if they ask us to kiss?" "Who is going around asking couples to kiss in front of them?"

"Maybe we can say we're just not into PDA?"

"I never kissed anyone before and now it will be with you in front of people."

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" "Wow, there actually are people demanding others to kiss."

"Promise me not to fall for me when I kiss you."

"Can we try again? Properly?"

"So... how was that?"

"I get that we should practice once or twice, but every day?"

"You can do it a bit more... deeper. I give you permission."

"Not sure what we are practicing for anymore."

"I have heard my kisses can be pretty intoxicating, so maybe I should drive you home after this."

More: Fake Dating Masterpost

The Citrus Scale is a classic way to label the sexual explicitness of your fanfiction work.

Nowadays, it is more common to simply see the tag 'smut', but if you want to be a little more discreet while still specifying the level of explicitness, you can use the citrus scale. The most commonly used fruits on the scale are lime and lemon.

Lime indicates the presence of sexual content, which is more implied, involving make-out sessions and groping, but not direct intercourse. Often, the scene ends with a fade-to-black moment when intercourse begins, so it is implied without going into detail.

Lemon is more explicit. You can expect graphic details in a lemon story.

So there is a bit of a difference between a 'lime' and a 'lemon' story. However, there are some other fruits on the scale which I haven't come across that often.

There's orange, which doesn't even imply intercourse, but rather light intimacy, such as kissing and cuddling.

The last one is grapefruit. I really haven't seen this that often, so don't quote me on it, but in my experience, grapefruit signals an even smuttier lemon story to come.