tale as old as time

roxanne smiled a little as felicity told her she appreciated what she did. it was nice to hear, even if it wasn’t from her father. “coffee, please. i’d sell my soul for some right now, if i’m honest.”

“please, i’m not stubborn,” she huffed. “i’m just... reacting to your stubbornness. you can’t blame me for that.” at his question, she sighed and wiggled around as she dragged her keys out from her pocket. “here.”

“but he does nice things for all his friends.” or at least roxanne assumed as much. she hadn’t actually paid that much attention. perhaps she would have to change that. “maybe he doesn’t carry them, but still...”

roxanne groaned. “why are you so stubborn?” she asked, as though she wasn’t stubborn herself.

“so... so, this happened a year ago, then?” roxanne asked, still trying to wrap her head around it. “how do you know he still likes me, then? whatever crush he had could’ve faded away.”

roxanne didn’t respond until she’d pulled into the restaurant’s parking lot. “what? since when? how do you know?” she said. “and i won’t tell him you told me, but still...”

“how is that a major difference?” not that it mattered either way. he was talking to her now. “yep, this is it.”

“wait, why would you tell mason? why were you asking me all that in the first place?” she asked, turning the corner.

roxanne shifted a little in the driver’s seat. a pathetic attempt at stalling for time. “well... i wouldn’t be opposed.”

“not for more than a few seconds every few months or so, so i don’t think it really counts.” she was exaggerating, but only a little. she should have expected charity’s next question, but she still didn’t completely know how to answer. “i...” now she was imagining it, and she had to admit that it was rather nice. and logical. had she always felt this way and not noticed. “...yeah.”

“and now you’re giving me the silent treatment,” roxanne sighed, crossing her arms as much as she could in her position.

“...well, i guess he could be. the two aren’t mutually exclusive,” she said. she would have said more had charity not asked her next question, and it took everything in her not to slam the brakes. “i -- wait, wait -- what? i... i don’t think i’ve considered being more than friends with anyone.” that wasn’t entirely true. she’d entertained a brief thought or two, but she’d always pushed it away in favour of her work.

“no, one hour at most,” she said, using the most authoritative voice she could muster when she was so exhausted.

the question took roxanne by surprise, and seemed slightly off-topic, but she had no choice but to go with it for now if she wanted answers. “we’re friends? he’s nice, and he’s always looking out for my well-being, even when i’m being stubborn, so i guess he’s pretty selfless. or he’s just as stubborn as i am, one of the two. his art is beautiful and he’s very creative, not to mention helpful and sweet.”

roxanne’s frown deepened. “what? what are you talking about? what secret?” she asked, confused.

roxanne started qiggling around, but she was still too tired to do much damage. “fine, whatever, let’s get this over with. i’m only sleeping for one hour, okay? one hour.”

“no, seriously, tell me,” roxanne said with a frown, wishing she didn’t have to keep her eyes on the road so she could watch charity’s reactions.