if we're going based on when i started shipping them, it's been a couple of years by now. they just crashed into me one night and now they are my everything.

character-wise tho, pipin had been harboring a crush on soba since the grand melee back in heavensward- hard not to like a guy who can beat your dad in one on one combat (even though pipin knows raubahn would've won if he had both arms), especially when the first real meeting was when soba was sopping wet and furious at being accused of murder on top of all of his friends sacrificing themselves for him, and the second meeting was helping break raubahn out of prison. neither meetings are conducive to catching crushes. but, it is incredibly easy to catch feelings for a guy who smiles so confidently, who is sure of himself and where he stands, and is so ardent in his loyalty to his friends and allies that a little seed was planted and nurtured whenever soba deigned to visit ul'dah. (no one would've been upset if he put ul'dah out of sight and mind considering how the bloody banquet went, but soba wasn't going to let lolorito have any sort of long standing victory over him, you see.)

soba didn't realize he liked pipin until much, much later. he isn't the kind of person to pick up on romantic undertones. making friends is easy. figuring out someone may love him? that's much harder, so he needs someone to be upfront with their emotions surrounding him so he can put himself in that line of thought. now, this doesn't mean he didn't love spending time with pipin. he thought that pipin's dry humor was sharp and hilarious, and soba was always willing to poke at pipin's bubble to get an honest reaction out of him, or even challenge him to small contests whether he won or not because he liked spending time with him!

some would say that's akin to going on dates, but not sosoban checheban. he wasn't thinking that at all.

so, pipin sits on his feelings for a few years, soba is clueless for those few years, and it isn't until after the events of endwalker that soba starts realizing that he might actually like like pipin. crazy. it doesn't solidify until soba moves to ul'dah permanently, finally choosing to not live out of inn rooms and settle somewhere that he can have a permanent address (and despair over taxes), and pipin takes him to a festival happening in the city where he sees how pipin smiles at him that the thoughts of romance and love barrel into him and leave him embarrassed and tongue tied.

there was no dramatic declaration of love between them. neither of them are into such things. no, they didn't tell each other until soba brought it up over a night of drinking, and asking pipin what he'd do if he loved an adventurer, someone who doesn't stay in one place for too long. and pipin says that he wouldn't mind at all, but he would greatly appreciate it if that adventurer would take better care of himself since he can't go on those travels himself.

it's a slow start to a relationship. they're both testing waters and lowering defenses, and they both decided to keep it a secret until they were both more comfortable with telling others.

that does not stop the confusion of raubahn congratulating them getting together, or why nanamo keeps sending them extravagant gifts to celebrate their coming together.