The 7 Reasons You're Obsessed With Maks & Meryl

Dancing with the Stars might be over for the season, but people are still talking about it. More to the point, people are still talking about Maks Chmerkovskiy and Meryl Davis getting married and why, exactly, that hasn't happened yet. In fact, it's nearly impossible to discuss this season's Dancing with the Stars at all without bringing Maks and Meryl up eventually, because they're what made the season worth watching. The dancing was good too, but, Maks and Meryl were phenomenal.

Phenomenon is the best word to use to describe how Maks and Meryl have captured the public consciousness in a way none of us really saw coming. Had they kissed in the finale, I'm about 90 percent sure that everyone would have forgotten to care who actually went home with the trophy. The Maks and Meryl Phenomenon shows no signs of stopping or fading any time soon despite any word on the couple's future being ambiguous at best and nonexistent at worst. How exactly did we get so obsessed?

It's true that Maks and Meryl have amazing chemistry both on and off the stage, but that alone isn't enough to make them so wildly popular and certainly not for this long. It feels like the whole world will be on the edge of their seats waiting to hear that Maks and Meryl are finally dating, if not engaged. There are plenty of moments that we can point to that prove without a doubt that the two of them belong together, but their relationship as a whole has a lot of popular factors working in its favor.

1. It's a Real Life Fairytale

We have compared Maks and Meryl to Beauty and the Beast before, but there's a reason that tale is as old as time. It's still a popular trend in books, television, and movies for a kind-hearted girl to meet a dark, brooding bad boy who changes his ways to love and protect her. That's what makes Rumpelstiltskin and Belle from Once Upon a Time so popular, that idea that you are the one girl that a guy would give up everything for. That kind of relationship generally doesn't work out as well in real life as it does in the movies, but Maks and Meryl seem like one of the exceptions.

2. They Were (Flirty) Friends First

No matter how much we might wish otherwise, the fact still remains that Maks and Meryl are currently just friends. They're so comfortable with each other that their body language is screaming budding romance, but they're still just friends. And, for now, that's great. The best relationships are the ones based on friendship and chemistry and Maks and Meryl have been building theirs slowly and surely over the course of the season.

3. Dancing Gets Boring After a While

This has less to do with Maks and Meryl and everything to do with the format of the show. With a title like Dancing with the Stars, you pretty much expect to get what you're tuning in for. Maks and Meryl as a couple came completely out of left field and gave us something to think and talk about than just the same old thing we think and talk about every season. There will always be dance routines to dissect, but will there ever be another Maks and Meryl?

4. They're Insanely Attractive

Ours is a very shallow society and Maks and Meryl are two completely gorgeous people who need to make a completely gorgeous baby. Or pull a Brangelina and adopt a string of completely gorgeous babies. Pick your favorite aspect of their appearances. Meryl's hair? Maks' smile (especially when directed at Meryl)? The fact that he's a head taller than her? The options are endless.

5. Maksim Shipped It Harder Than We Did

The president of the Maks and Meryl fan club is none other than Maksim Chmerkovskiy himself. It didn't take very long after meeting Meryl for Maks to be singing her praises and wanting to marry him and that kind of instantaneous devotion is addicting to watch. Half the reason to pick up a romance novel is to read about an insanely hot guy who wants you, you, and only you, after all.

6. They're the Ultimate "Will They/Won't They" Couple

They might have acted like they were together every second of every day, but they still aren't actually together. The anticipation is more than enough to drive us crazy with theories and wishes. Maks and Meryl constantly seem to be teetering on the edge of a grand romantic moment, as if they know we'll helplessly tune in to every interview to see if this is the day our favorite couple finally gets together.

7. Yes, The Chemistry

None of these elements would work nearly as well without Maks and Meryl's much touted chemistry. It was amazing, it was instantaneous, it took us all by surprise, and we're still reeling from how steamy and yet sweet it was. Anytime they're in the same room, it's hard to imagine how they hit into it with all of that crushing sexual tension. Do something about it already, guys!

Image: Tumblr; maksimc/Instagram; meryledavis/Instagram