It was weird dating your best friend. A good weird but a little disorienting at first. Delaney never expected that the relationship would feel so natural yet so completely different. It was like she had been living her whole life in color, but now everything was in technicolor. She was still adjusting to the idea of being Austin's girlfriend—her best friend, the person she had always turned to for everything—but the more she spent time with him, the more it felt like they were meant to be in this new chapter together.

They'd go on walks in the park, still joking around and laughing just like before, but now there was this added layer, this unspoken understanding between them. His hand in hers felt different. It wasn't just a friendly gesture; it was an intimate promise that they were in this for real. Their conversations became deeper, their trust in each other stronger. Every day, she fell more and more in love with him, and every day, she couldn't believe her luck.

The transition from best friends to a couple was a natural one, and it made sense that it was effortless. They had spent years getting to know each other, so it wasn't like they were strangers, but now, it felt like they were seeing each other in a whole new But it wasn't all smooth sailing. There were moments of awkwardness, too. Like when they would look at each other a little too long, both unsure of what exactly to do with the intensity of the feelings that had always been there but never quite realized. 

And the first time they went on their first date, Delaney felt a flutter of nerves that had never existed between them before. It was just dinner, something simple, yet it felt monumental. Austin had taken her to a small, cozy restaurant, a place they had visited countless times as friends, but tonight it was different. It was their first real "date" as a couple, and everything felt like it had changed in the most exhilarating way. But it was also really great to be dating each other.

It felt so right, so natural, as though they'd always been meant for this moment. The way their hands fit together so perfectly, the way their laughter filled the spaces between their words, it was as if they had seamlessly shifted into this new phase of their relationship without missing a beat. The chemistry between them was undeniable, but now, there was something more—something deeper, more intimate, a bond that had always been there but was now stronger, unshakable.

Currently she was at Sonic Boom talking with Ally and Trish when Austin and Dez walked in. Delaney doesn't know how Austin does it, her heart skipped a beat or fluttered every time he sent her that smile. It was the kind of smile that made her feel like she was the only person in the world that mattered. And as he walked toward her, their eyes locking, she could feel the electricity between them—just like it had always been. But now, everything was amplified, more real, and undeniably stronger.

"Hey, you." Austin said, his voice low and full of warmth as stood by her, his hand naturally finding hers and giving hers a gentle squeeze.

"Hi." She smiled shyly back at him, squeezing his hand back and she leaned over to kiss his cheek. She giggled slightly at seeing his face flush a shade of red, feeling the same fluttering sensation she got whenever he did anything sweet or cute.

"Ugh, will you two stop being so sickly sweet." Trish groaned, her expression a mix of fake annoyance and amusement.

"Oh, come on, Trish." Ally teases, a knowing smile on her face. "We've been waiting for this moment since forever."

"Yeah, but still." Trish shrugged, crossing her arms. "You could at least try to tone it down."

"Nah, I don't think we can." Austin grins, pulling Delaney closer and pressing a kiss on her temple. "Right, babe?"

"Right." She smiled, feeling her cheeks flush as she leaned into his side, relishing the feel of his arm wrapping around her. She was still getting used to him calling her pet names and calling him pet names but it felt so natural, like it was meant to be. Every time he called her "babe" or "sweetheart," it made her heart swell with warmth and affection. There was something about the way he said it, full of love and tenderness, that made her feel like the most special person in the world.

Trish rolls her eyes, but there was a small smile on her face. Then her eyes widen when she noticed something Austin was wearing. "Are those the new shows you're endorsing?"

Austin's face lit up more at the mention of the new shoes. "Yeah, they're called Moon Walkers. They're good on the basketball court or the dance floor." He pulls away from Delaney for a moment but not before kissing her cheek. She smiles shyly at that, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Austin grabs the apple Ally had been eating, causing her to look at him in disbelief. Austin ignores her and tosses the apple in the trash can near the door easily getting it in. "Whoo!" He cheers, spinning once and turning back to them with a grin. "Anyway, the shoe company wants me to wear these every time I preform."

"You can debut them tonight on 'video countdown live'." Trish suggested.

Ally smiles excitedly. "I am so excited for the 'Austin Moon Special'." She smiles at Trish. "Nice work, Trish."

"Hey, it's my job. Most managers would be happy with a simple thank you." Trish admitted, smiling at Austin.

"But you want something else, don't you?" Finn guessed, leaned up against the counter near Ally with an arm around her waist as he raised an eyebrow at Trish.

"Duh. I'm not like them." Trish scoffs, pulling out something from the folder she held. "Here's a list of things you can buy me."

"I knew it." Finn murmured.

Austin raises his eyebrows at Trish but takes the letter. "I can't wait to see what fans voted on for your 'Top Ten' performances." Dez chimes in, his voice laced with excitement. "I personally voted seven hundred times for 'Finally Me'."

"That's Ally's song." Austin reminds him. "I've never preformed it."

Dez shrugs. "Hey, I like what I like." His friends look at him weirdly and with amusement as he began singing Ally's song. "I'm finally me..."

****

Later that day, Delaney stood in front of her mirror, a pile of clothes scattered around her room, each piece a potential outfit for the night. Her fingers brushed over the fabric, but nothing felt right. She wanted to look perfect, but everything she tried on made her second-guess herself.

The nerves were bubbling up again, and despite her best efforts to hide it, she couldn't shake the anxious feeling gnawing at her stomach. The Video Countdown Live special was a big deal, and even though she had the support of her label, her friends, and Austin, the pressure was still there. As she let out a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair, she heard a soft tap at her window. Delaney's heart skipped a beat, a smile forming on her lips before she even turned to the source of the sound. She moved to the window and lifted it, and there he was: Austin, grinning with that familiar mischievous look in his eyes.

"Hey, beautiful," Austin greets, his voice warm and teasing as he pulled himself up onto the windowsill, slipping into her room like he had a hundred times before. "Need some help?"

Delaney couldn't help but chuckle at his casual entrance, but butterflies swarm her stomach as he so casually called her beautiful like it was her name. "You always have perfect timing, you know that?"

Austin winks, walking over to her. "I like to think I have a sixth sense for when you need me." He eyes the pile of clothes on the bed before looking back at her, the concern flickering in his eyes when he saw the nerves she had been hiding. She gave him a small smile, but he could tell something was off. Austin places his hands gently on her shoulders, rubbing them lightly to help ease the tension. "You okay?" He asked softly, his voice full of affection and concern.

Delaney takes a deep breath and shrugged, trying to play it off. "Yeah, just...A little nervous. I want everything to be perfect tonight, you know?"

Austin smiles warmly and brushes a strand of hair from her face. "You've got this, Del. You're gonna be amazing. Everyone's already proud of you, and you've worked so hard to get here. I'm so proud of you."

Her heart swells at his words, and for a moment, she felt like she could breathe again. "Thanks, Austin. But I'm proud of you too. You've come so far with your music, your endorsements...Everything."

Austin chuckles and leans in to kiss her forehead. "Well, I couldn't have done it without my biggest supporter, so... thank you, Del. I love you. And we're gonna crush it tonight, just like we always do."

Delaney smiles and wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a hug. "I love you, too." She sighs contentedly as she melted into his embrace, letting his words and his presence calm her nerves. "And I'm really excited about doing a duet with you at the end of the show. It's going to be fun."

"Yeah, me too. But you still good wtih keeping us dating a secret to our fans and the media for now?" Austin asked hopefully Delaney paused for a moment, her heart fluttering at the thought of keeping their relationship under wraps. The idea of being with Austin in such a private, special way had been one of the things she cherished most. She gave him a reassuring smile, her fingers gently brushing the back of his neck as she spoke.

"Yeah, I'm good with it," She said softly, her voice filled with certainty. "We've got something good going on here, and I want to keep it ours for a little longer before the world gets to know. But don't worry, Austin, I'm not going anywhere."

Austin smiles, his eyes lighting up with relief and affection. "I'm glad you feel that way. I just want to make sure we're doing this at our own pace. No rushing into things."

"You got it." Delaney chuckles as she leans up to kiss his cheek, smiling when she saw a hint of blush appearing on his face. "Now, can you please help me pick out an outfit? I can't decide."

Austin grins, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he sat on the edge of her bed, eyeing the clothes strewn across the room. "Of course, I can help. But just so you know, I have a pretty solid fashion sense." He teased, throwing a wink her way.

Delaney couldn't help but laugh, her nerves starting to ease just a little at his playful attitude. "Well, I need all the help I can get. I just want to look right for tonight, you know?" She walked over to the clothes, still unsure about what to wear.

Austin stands up and moves toward her, gently pulling a few options from the pile, inspecting them with exaggerated concentration. "Okay, so if you wanna match with me, I'd vote for the blue or navy since I'll be wearing both colors. But if you don't wanna match, that's fine, too. You know, I think you'd look amazing in anything you choose, but those colors would look great on you." Austin gave her a playful grin, clearly enjoying the moment of helping her pick out an outfit.

Delaney smiles, feeling comforted by his support and playfulness. She takes the navy dress he'd pulled out and held it up against herself, examining the way it draped. It was simple but elegant, and she could already imagine how it would look with a little bit of makeup and her hair styled perfectly for the evening. "I think this one might work." She said, looking at Austin for approval.

Austin's face lit up with a smile as he nodded. "I think that's the perfect choice. You're going to look stunning, Del."

Delaney felt a warm rush of affection at his words. There was something about Austin's support and the way he always made her feel like she could take on anything that eased her nerves. She slipped the dress on, stepping into the bathroom to finish getting ready. When she returned, Austin was leaning casually against the doorframe, waiting for her.

"So, what do you think?" Delaney did a spin, smiling nervously at him, her heart skipping a beat as his gaze lingered on her. Austin's eyes softens as he took in the sight of her, a smile spreading across his face. For a moment, he just stood there, clearly at a loss for words, completely captivated by how she looked. Delaney felt the butterflies swarm her stomach again, a blush creeping into her cheeks. "Is it too much? Or not good? I can try on another dress or—"

Austin quickly shakes his head, reaching out to stop her mid-sentence. "No, Del, it's...perfect." He cups her cheek with his hand, his thumb stroking her skin softly. "You're perfect."

There goes those butterflies again. Delaney felt her blush deepen as she leaned into his touch. "I don't know about perfect..." She mumbled shyly, avoiding his gaze.

Austin chuckles softly, his thumb brushing against her cheek in a gentle rhythm. "Well, I do. You're absolutely perfect, Del. I'm not just saying that because I think you look stunning, though you definitely do. It's everything about you—your kindness, your confidence, the way you make everything better just by being yourself." He smiles fondly, his eyes warm with affection as he looked at her. "You're more than perfect to me."

Delaney felt a rush of warmth at his words, her heart fluttering in her chest. She tried to speak but found herself at a loss for the right words, her usual witty remarks and comebacks completely gone in the face of Austin's sincerity. Instead, she let out a soft laugh, shy but grateful. "You really know how to make a girl feel special, don't you?"

Austin grins, the playful glint never leaving his eyes. "I only speak the truth." He pauses, looking her over again, his gaze tender. "And seriously, you look incredible." He takes a step closer, his voice softening. "How do you feel in it?"

Delaney takes a moment to adjust her posture, running a hand down the smooth fabric of the navy dress. She felt elegant but still like herself. "I like it a lot. I think...I think it's perfect for tonight." Her smile grew as she met his eyes. "Thanks for helping me pick it out."

Austin nods, his own smile widening. "Anytime. So, you ready to head out?"

Delaney takes a deep breath, steeling herself for the evening. She smiles, feeling a wave of confidence wash over her. "As ready as I'll ever be."

****

(delaney's outfit for this chapter & the next chapter)

That evening Delaney was Shredders Beach Club where the Video Countdown Live was being held at. She felt nervous, anxious, excited, all the feels. It was going to be hard to not act like a couple with Austin since they're in public, but the good thing for them was when they were just best friends they had always been inseparable and affectionate. So really the only thing changed affectionate wise is that they couldn't kiss each other on the lips and have to be a bit more careful about their touching.

She was standing with Austin, Trish, Ally, Dez, Finn off to the side of the stage, frowning when she noticed her boyfriend panicking as he went through a duffle bag he brought. Ally must have noticed too because she speaks up in concern, "What's wrong, Austin?"

"I'm looking for my Moon Walkers. I packed everything else. My lucky shirt, my lucky brush, my..." Austin pauses when he pulls out his teddy bear he still had. His friends and girlfriend look at him with amusement. He smiles sheepishly. "I'm not sure what this is doing here." Delaney patted his shoulder, smiling sympathetically at him. He gave her a small smile, his own hand coming to hold her free one, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"You guys ready to start the show?" The host suddenly asked.

"Uh, actually, we just need a few..." Austin started to say, but the host didn't seem to listen because he stepped back on stage and started the show anyway. Austin's shoulders slumped in defeat as he leaned his head on Delaney's shoulder with a pout. Delaney giggled a little, moving her hand to his back to comfort him.

The host explained how they're counting down the top ten Austin Moon and Delaney Ellington's performances, all voted by the fans. And he added how at the end of the show, Austin and Delaney would preform for them live. "Now, let's get them out here."

Austin lifts his head off her shoulder with wide eyes. "I can't go on camera without my sneakers. They must be at Sonic Boom." He realizes. "You guys over for me." He ran off before they could say anything.

"I'll take care of this." Dez reassured his friends.

"Oh boy." Finn muttered with a heavy sigh, leaning his head on Ally's shoulder, his arm still around her waist.

"Hey, don't say anything to embarrass Austin." Trish told Dez.

"Please." Dez scoffs before stepping on stage. "Jett, Austin's gonna be awhile. He's backstage popping a huge zit."

"Yeah, we probably shouldn't have let him on stage." Finn remarked and the girls nodded in agreement.

"Okay, disgusting." Jett comments, turning back to the camera. "Roll the video. Here's number ten, 'Can You Feel It?'." 

A/N austin & delaney are finally dating & as cute as ever yay :)