Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen‘s relationship was a long time in the making. While the duo didn’t officially begin to explore their connection until the final week of Love Island USA Season 7, fans outside of the villa have long been shipping “Nicolandria.” Some have even sparked conspiracy theories that Vansteenberghe, despite being in a couple with Cierra Ortega, was finding any reason he could to share a steamy smooch with Carthen in one of the earlier challenges this season.

In Season 7, Episode 8—which aired on June 10—the Islanders took part in the “Pucker or Pie” challenge. Each person had to pick a “juicy question card” and answer which Islander best fit the description. A flip of a giant coin then decided whether they got to kiss each other or throw a whipped-cream pie into the other’s face.

Vansteenberghe, then in a couple with Ortega (who was removed from the villa in Episode 30 over resurfaced posts of her using an anti-Asian slur), was the first to go, and his card allegedly read, “Which Islander do you think, other than your partner, is the best kisser?” The registered nurse named Carthen, then in a couple with Taylor Williams, but he ended up needing to throw a pie into her face instead of his lips.

Because of the prompt’s awkward wording and the fact that Vansteenberghe looked up from the card halfway through his sentence, Nicolandria stans were convinced that the card never actually said “other than your partner” and he just wanted an excuse to kiss Carthen.

When we asked him about the rumor over a recent Zoom call, he coyly replied, “I can neither confirm nor deny,” while Carthen added, “Plead the fifth, guys. We will never know.”

It took a long time, but the duo did eventually find their way to each other after Ortega was booted from the villa. They came in second place in the show, and currently have plans to continue exploring their relationship in the real world.

“We said we just want to explore outside the villa and we’re actually taking action to that,” Carthen told us. “Right now, we’re just trying to map out and schedule out when I’m going to Florida to have dinner with Miss Jennifer and the family, and also getting him to Decatur to meet my family as well. They’re super excited to meet him.”

Love Island USA Season 7 is currently streaming on Peacock.