Have an aunt who has only ever lived with women. I was always told it was her roommate. Everyone refers to her as a roommate. They BOUGHT THE HOUSE TOGETHER. Have dogs together. Raise the other ones kids together.
When I was like 17, and openly gay, I straight up asked my grandmother if her sister was a lesbian. She said no they're just roommates and got super specific about it. I asked my aunt a couple weeks later when I saw her and she went "Well, yeah. Do I not wear enough flannel?"
Fwiw, being best friends and living together isn't that far off from dating. It's so fun to live with your best friend too, like all the sleepovers, campouts and hangouts combined :D (if you can't tell, I miss living with some of my best buds in uni!)
Sounds like a fun living situation, even if it did have its normal ups and downs. Sometimes one bedroom can be kinda a bit much, haha.