𝐈𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 - ᶠᵒᵒˡⁱˢʰ

9

The first time Gemma hears about the QSMP meetup in Brazil, she's nervous. She worries about ruining the friendships she's made on the server, fearing she might not be fun or could be overbearing. Deciding not to go seems like the easier choice, especially since she plans to attend TwitchCon and feels she'll be more prepared to see everyone then.

Gemma is content with her decision. Yet, when Foolish mentions the trip over FaceTime, she begins to second-guess herself.

"I've never been outside the US, so I'm super excited," Foolish says, balancing his phone on the counter as he pours coffee into a thermos. "Have you traveled outside of Spain?"

"Yeah, it's pretty easy in Europe," Gemma replies. "When I was fifteen, I took a train to Italy just because I wanted to celebrate my birthday there."

Foolish laughs, a pout forming on his face as he grabs his phone and thermos, heading to his streaming room. "You sound like you were so cool as a teenager. You should come to Brazil and show us your coolness."

"I'm not that cool anymore," Gemma says, feeling a bit weary. "And that's a weak reason for me to go."

Foolish rolls his eyes, settling into his chair and propping his phone on a monitor. "I'm about to start my stream."

"Damn, an early stream. I'll talk to you later."

"Yeah," he says, distracted as he sets up his stream. "Seriously though, it'll be more fun if you come. I want you to go."

Gemma blinks at her phone, shocked. There's no reason for that sentence to make her face flush. There's no reason for her to be affected by her friend's words. Yes, a friend. They're friends. A friend who just made her cheeks flush by saying he appreciated her company. Fuck.

"Right. Have a nice stream, bud," she squeaks, flailing to reach her phone. This realization is one she needs to have in private. "See ya when I see ya." Not waiting for a response, Gemma ends the call. The way he had casually mentioned wanting her to go had struck a chord in her heart, making her feel seen and appreciated in a way she hadn't fully acknowledged before.

Despite being emotional over so many things, Gemma missed this. How did she miss the fact that she liked Foolish?

Looking back, it's as clear as day. Every time she logged onto the server, her eyes would subconsciously search for his name on the tablist. It became a routine—an automatic response. She remembers the little details, like the way he laughed at her jokes, even the bad ones, and the genuine interest he showed in everything she said.

Their interactions weren't just confined to the server, either. She would eagerly wait for his calls and texts, a smile gracing her lips whenever her phone buzzed with a message from him. Their conversations were filled with playful banter, late-night discussions about random things. She realizes now how much she cherishes those moments, how her day would brighten just by hearing his voice.

Gemma reflects on the times she felt disappointed when he was too busy to play or when their calls were cut short. She had brushed off those feelings, attributing them to the natural want to hang out with your friend. But now, in the quiet of her thoughts, she understands it was more than that.

As she sits there, piecing together these memories and feelings, Gemma smiles softly. It's as if a veil has been lifted, revealing the truth that had been there all along. She likes Foolish—she really likes him. And now, with this newfound clarity, she feels a mix of anticipation and nervousness, but above all, a sense of excitement.

"Rose," Gemma sighs, flopping dramatically onto the couch. Her sister glances up from her bowl of noodles, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "I like someone."

Rose gasps, nearly dropping her dinner as she rushes over to sit beside Gemma. Gemma laughs at her excitement, grabbing her hands as Rose bounces eagerly. "Oh yeah? Who?"

"Foolish," Gemma admits, hiding her face with her hair at the smirk spreading across Rose's face. "Stop! I just realized my feelings myself, tell me it wasn't obvious."

"Well," Rose shrugs, making Gemma blush even more. "I did feel some chemistry there."

"Right?" Gemma nods, shaking Rose's hands that are still clasped in hers. "It's going to be tricky with the distance, but I think I can make it work, y'know? Like—"

"Hold up, Gem," Rose interrupts gently. "Did you tell him? Does he like you back?"

Gemma pauses, her mouth closing as she thinks. "I haven't told him, no. But! You said yourself, we have chemistry."

Rose grimaces, squeezing Gemma's hands. "Men are dumb as fuck. Maybe he's oblivious, or doesn't want a relationship. Especially a long-distance one."

Gemma deflates, dropping their clasped hands to play with her earring. She knew she was optimistic, but she hadn't considered a scenario where her feelings weren't reciprocated. "Well, there's that Brazil trip coming up. I wasn't planning on going, but maybe there I can..." Gemma gestures vaguely, "test the waters and see what happens."

"That's smart," Rose agrees. "It won't seem like you traveled just for him, and it won't get awkward since there'll be a bunch of people around."

Gemma nods, pulling out her phone. She opens the Brazil trip WhatsApp group chat that she hadn't left, as she planned to stay in it and see the pictures. With shaking fingers and a thorough proofreading by Rose, Gemma texts that she actually does want to join the trip.

oh em gee did i post a chapter? YEA!

I have stuff planned for brazil&twitchcon so I wanted to speed things up

gemma finally realizing is so funny lol girl was oblivious