This Is Us: 3 Reasons Deja and Malik Could Be Married in the Flash-Forward

It's confirmed. Deja and Malik are officially dating on This Is Us, and it looks like the lovebirds are headed into some serious relationship territory. Enough so that Randall, who was against the idea at first, has started coming up with awkward nicknames like "Dejik" and "Malaysia" for their ship. Despite being so young, they share a pretty deep connection, which has some fans speculating that Deja and Malik are married in the flash-forward. With all the twists and turns This Is Us brings, it's impossible to predict anything, but here are three reasons the couple could end up tying the knot in the future:

1. Malik repeats his dad's words to Deja. In episode one of this season, titled "Strangers," Malik makes fun of his parents, Darnell and Kelly, for their loving but "corny" banter. The next day, when he meets Deja at a barbecue for the first time, he repeats the exact line his dad used on his mom the day before. "For you, I'll give it everything I got," he tells her. Considering how much love there is between his parents, this could be indicative of how Malik sees his relationship with Deja progressing..
2. Deja still likes Malik, despite his personal circumstances. Deja is a smart, caring, and beautiful young woman who could date anyone she wants. But in episode three, "Unhinged," when Malik comes to her doorstep to tell her in person that he's the father of a 6-month-old baby girl named Janelle — whom he and his parents chose to raise rather than give up for adoption — she doesn't freak out and jump ship. This proves that she really has feelings for Malik, despite his "complicated" personal life.
3. Malik makes Deja feel like herself. Understandably, after Randall and Beth find out about Malik's baby and realise that Deja cut school with Malik and spent the day with him touring Philly, they aren't keen about her seeing him. But in episode seven, "The Dinner and the Date," they give the youngsters a chance and agree to meet Malik's parents for dinner. The tensions run high between the two sets of parents during dinner, but Deja calmly puts an end to their bickering when she apologises for cutting school with Malik and confesses that it was the best day of her life. Later, at home, Randall and Beth sit down with Deja and ask her to tell them more about Malik. "He makes me feel like myself," Deja says through flashbacks of her childhood. "Like I have a piece of home."

It's obvious that Malik makes Deja feel comfortable about herself and her past, and with all their meaningful interactions, it feels like this romance is being set up as the show's next epic love story. In an interview with The Wrap, Sterling K. Brown — who plays Randall Pearson on This Is Us — revealed that Malik and Deja's storyline is going to be explored further as the season progresses. "[Beth and Randall] do allow them to hang out, to spend time," he said. "I think it will become more clear in the next episode what their stipulations and rules are for seeing one another. But they're allowed to sort of pursue this relationship under a watchful eye."

They might be teenagers, but Deja and Malik are starting their relationship with a surprising amount of maturity and mutual respect. With the support of their parents, if they stay on this path, the couple could easily end up married. I'm sure we'll find out in due time, but we hope the showrunners throw us a tiny glimpse of Deja and Malik's future so we can get a better idea of where their love story is headed.