Stop staring, Niall...we think we see a little drool.

There's been a lot of "are they?" or "aren't they?" surrounding Demi Lovato and One Direction singer Niall Horan's relationship. Did they go on a date after the VMAs? Did Simon Cowell really tell Demi to steer clear of supersweet Niall? Are they just good pals? Right, well, judging by this incredibly candid photo taken of them backstage at last night's "X Factor" finale, we still can't be entirely sure if they're dating, but they ARE interacting. In fact, judging by the wide-eyed look on his face, Niall looks downright spellbound by Demi's flawlessness! This has to be a positive step in the right direction.

Let's continue our photo close read: Nemi (scratch that, what a terrible name!) look super comfortable with one another, which would lead us to believe that there's an unspoken level of intimacy (yep, just call me Dan Savage!). On the other hand, maybe they're a little toooo comfortable with each other, which could indicate that Demi has relegated Niall to the dreaded "friend" status. Whatever the case may be, we'll go on the record to say that they'd make an adorable couple. And more important: DOUBLE DATES WITH HAYLOR.

+ Watch One Direction's "Kiss You" lyric video.

Photo credit: @TheXFactorUSA