Ashley & Cara's Relationship History Is Actually Iconic

The two first started hanging out while filming the rock-and-roll drama Her Smell in April 2018, though they initially appeared to be nothing more than very good friends. However, a month later, when Benson and Delevingne were spotted leaving a Lauryn Hill concert together in New York, rumors started circulating about their maybe-relationship (even though Delevingne was romantically linked to Paris Jackson at the time).

The two actors continued to spend time together throughout May. On May 20, Benson posted a pic on Insta of her and Delevingne with their mutual friend, Chloé Caillet. A week later, the two were seen getting handsy with each other while paying for a parking meter in West Hollywood, making the speculation about their more-than-friendship intensify.

After a few months with relatively few sightings of the maybe-couple, the two women were seen getting cozy at Sofitel LA Riviera 31's Salsa Nights in Los Angeles while celebrating Delevingne's 26th birthday. A source for Entertainment Tonight said, "When the two weren't sitting, they were intimately dancing with each other and laughing throughout the night."

Just two days later, Benson shared a selfie on Instagram in which she's wearing a necklace with Delevingne's initials on it. Benson was seen wearing that same "C" necklace at Heathrow Airport on Aug. 14, where she and Delevingne shared a kiss. Elle asked Benson about the meaning of the necklace, but the actor played it coy. "There's this company called Lola James that designs these 'squad goals' or friendship necklaces, so that's really it," she said.

When asked about her relationship with Delevingne by People towards the end of the month, Benson neither confirmed nor denied that their relationship was romantic, saying she'd rather keep it private. "I think it's the best way in any relationship," she said. "I've always been very private about them, and I think it's just better."

Benson and Delevingne were spotted at Paris Fashion Week together in late September, where Benson reportedly sat in the front row of the Balmain show while Delevingne worked the catwalk.

A month later, a source reportedly told Us Weekly that Benson was "very happy" in her relationship with Delevingne. "Ashley and Cara are dating," the source said. "This is the first girl she's ever dated. This relationship with Cara is the first time she's been in a healthy relationship and she feels as if it's really easy with her."

Benson continued to support her rumored model GF in March. She and Delevingne's sister Poppy were spotted in the first row at Chanel's Paris Fashion Week show, where Delevingne opened the show, and Benson later posted a selfie on Insta of her, Poppy, and stylist Jamie Mizrahi in a cab together.

A day later, Mizrahi posted a pic of her own on Instagram, showing Benson and Delevingne getting cozy in the back of a car following the fashion show. "post show cuddle puddle," she captioned the pic.

In late May, the maybe-couple was photographed buying a very pricy (and definitely NSFW) sex bench. Called the "Master Series Faux Leather Sex Bench," Benson and Delevingne were seen giggling and looking very pleased with their new investment as they hauled it into Delevingne's house in West Hollywood.

A few weeks later, they reportedly took an even bigger risk. A source told Us Weekly that Benson sold her home in Los Angeles so she could move in with Delevingne.

Despite the fact they'd been romantically linked for over a year by June 2019, Benson and Delevingne had yet to confirm their relationship — until the model posted a video on June 14 that dispelled any remaining doubt. Captioned "#PRIDE," the video showed Delevingne taking Benson by the chin and giving her a sensual kiss.

E! News asked about her decision to post the video at the TrevorLIVE Gala a few days later. In response, Delevingne said, "I don't know, because it is Pride. It's been 50 years since Stonewall happened and I don't know. It's been just about our one-year anniversary so, why not?"

During her speech at the gala, Delevingne gave a shoutout to her boo. "I also have another very special woman in this room to thank and you know who you are," she said. "She's one of the people who helped me love myself when I need it most and I really needed it. She showed me what real love is and showed me how to accept it, which was a lot harder than I thought. I love you, Sprinkles."

In return, Benson gave her GF a sweet shoutout in her Instagram Story. "Love you @caradelevingne," she wrote. "Proud of you @trevorproject."

Soon after attending Zoe Kravitz's wedding together in Paris, the two were spotted with matching bands on their ring fingers on July 10 while on vacation in Saint Tropez, leading fans to believe they were possibly engaged. The fact that Benson may have also gotten a tattoo of Delevingne's initials, as well as a tattoo of the model's nickname, Squish, only added fuel to the fire.

While the two didn't commented on the engagement rumors, Delevingne did talk about meeting Benson on the set of Her Smell during an interview with Marie Claire, which was published on Aug. 13. "We weren’t looking for it," she said. "It was really just very authentic and natural."

A few weeks later, Delevingne opened up even more about their "sacred" relationship with Elle UK. "I get why people care so much, and I don’t want to be so secretive that people think I’m ashamed of anything," she explained. "But I’ve never been in a relationship where things are so public, or where I posted pictures of someone else. This seemed different."

She then went on to speak about not wanting to hide their relationship any longer. "We had gotten to the point where we had kept it a secret, or at least not wanted attention, and now I feel like I'm not going to not be proud," she said. "Which isn't the same thing as wanting to pose on a red carpet together, either. People make their own assumptions and that's what worried me. Because if it is something that is so good, you don't ever want anyone to ever change it, even though people shouldn't have that power."

Just a week after the Elle interview was published, Benson and Delevingne packed on the PDA at the 2019 US Open Women's Final, making it clear they weren't holding back any longer.

On Oct. 14, Delevingne was honored by Girl Up for her advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, and she had plenty to say about her GF while talking to E! News on the red carpet. "It's so nice to have someone in my life that supports me so much and loves me," she said. "I'm the luckiest girl in the world."

Though they didn't take any red carpet pics together, Benson did post a video of Delevingne giving a speech in her Instagram Story. "So proud of you," Benson wrote. "I love you."

In honor of Benson's 30th birthday on Dec. 18, Delevingne posted a series of photos on her Instagram, along with a heartfelt caption.

"Happy birthday @ashleybenson," she wrote. "There is so much I could say but something I love and cherish most about us is that I don’t need to because YOU KNOW and that's all that matters. It's you and me which is my favourite. My safe place. You let me be silly, you let me be wild, you keep me free, secure and curious. I feel like I've known you my entire life and I am so proud of watching you grow into the woman that you always dreamt of being. I love you beyond words my sprinkles, choonchi, angel face, grumpy ass, sweet cheeks, never boring, buttmunch, Benson."

Here's hoping that Cashley enjoys several more years of nicknames and NSFW purchases, because I simply can't get enough of these two together.