When Winter Flowers Bloom

Chapter 1: Friends with Potential Benefits

"He said what?!" Emily screeched.

Fiona struggled to contain her laughter. "That...that I was the only one he wanted to see when he woke up, and went to bed..."

"Isn't that like, basically a love confession?" Emily shot her a confused look.

Fiona snorted. "I don't know!"

"I swear that's some wedding vows shit. If this man aint down bad, then he is farrrrrming!" Emily smirked with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "And what about you?"

Fiona startled out of her giggle. "What about me?" she asked with slight indignation.

"Girl, don't act all coy with me. Do you feel anything for him?"

"No! Well, not like that. We're just friends."

Emily gave Fiona the look. After a few seconds, Fiona sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. Look, I don't know, alright? It's like, weird. We're streamers, making content together. And yeah, that content is mostly flirting, but he initiates most of it! I just, kinda, go along with it...but so what, right? It's just for fun."

Emily continued to give her the look. "Uh-huh. For fun. Right."

Fiona crossed her arms and took on a defensive tone. "Well, what about you and Nick? Just friends?"

Emily gasped. "That's different! You know that's different. That's just Nick being...Nick. I don't encourage it at all."

Fiona imitated her gasp. "Encourage?!" She then looked a little bashful. "Well, fine, maybe I encourage it a little bit...but so what, it's just for fun. It's funny. And the chat loves it! So, why not?"

Emily shrugged. "You're right. As streamers, we gotta do what's best for our stream. That's why I still hang out with Nick..." At Fiona's shocked face, Emily let out a laugh. "Kidding! I'm just kidding, obviously."

"Draaamaaa," said Fiona with a giggle. Emily groaned.

"You really are hanging out with Arther too much though. I mean, seriously, 10 hours of playing a dating game together? And haven't like, your past ten streams featured him too?"

"No! I had, like, at least one stream without him in it. And I mean, I was just in Austin living with him, so that doesn't count. And most of my future streams also won't have him in it." She paused, and shrugged. "Probably. Anyways, who cares? Are you jealous or something?"

"No!" Emily pouted. "Maybe a little bit. Not of you, of Arther. I want all the attention you're giving him."

"Aww, Emily. I'm sorry. We'll hang out soon, I promise! It's just, you know...."

"I get it, I get it. Gotta strike while the iron's hot!" Emily put on a teasing smile. "Although, I will admit. You two are super cute together."

"Emily!"

"What? It's true! We're all rooting for you two to get together. Nick's even got a pot going for when you'll make it official. I bet December; a Christmas miracle!"

"Oh, my god. You're kidding, right?" Fiona's face had gone blood red.

Emily shrugged and batted her eyes. "Maybe, maybe not. Hey, be honest," she suddenly had a serious look, "if he confessed to you. In person, off stream. That he liked you, for real. What would you say?" She had a glimmer in her eye, in tense anticipation of the answer.

Fiona thought for a moment. She turned the idea over in her mind. Obviously, it wasn't her first time considering it. But after every new stream they do together, it feels like the answer becomes less and less clear...