Title: Wanna Talk?
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, scripts, writers, or anything related to the official producation of the show. Obviously :.
Summary: This one-shot is merely my take on what happens immediately following their reunion in S7, and therefore takes place in "Down the Road Apiece."
"Fez, get out of here," Hyde demanded, pausing between sweet kisses from the beautiful brunette below him.
"OK, here I go," he said, running into the shower, in what he assumed was a "discreet" manner. Fez was never all too good at mastering the discreet-factor, per se.
"Seriously, man, LEAVE!" Hyde told him, getting frustrated. In a huff, Fez paraded across the room and out the door, slamming it behind him.
Jackie's mouth attacked his, twirling the tip of her tongue along his. She began to gingerly remove Hyde's top, but his hand caught her. Looking at him, pouty and confused, he reassured her with a sweet smile. She lay underneath him, his breath warm against her face; waiting.
"Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm all in for the hot make-up sex, but Jackie, don't you wanna talk a little first?" She stared at him quizzically, wondering what had gotten into the bad-ass Steven since they'd broken up. The one who'd never succumbed to the notion of discussing problems, issues, feelings.
"Talk?" she asked after a moment's silence. "Oh, baby, are you saying that for me?" Jackie smiled brightly, cupping his face in her little hands. "I really appreciate it, Steven, but being here with you is enough." She quickly returned to working her magic with her delicate tongue, down Hyde's bare neck. Once again, he pulled away from Jackie's eager body.
"No, it is just that we spent these past few weeks incredibly pissed and depressed, and, you know, maybe we should talk it out a little." Jackie gazed up at Hyde, thoroughly confused. Afraid he'd said too much, Hyde urgently added, "Just so we can get it out of the way. I know that you'll wanna discuss our relationship to death sooner or later, so we might as well get it over with." But his steel-blue eyes told a separate story; that he was initiating this conversation because he really cared.
Jackie was fully aware of the fact that Hyde had changed some since they'd started dating, transforming from the insensitive jerk allergic to love into a man who was inescapably still anti-conformist, a rebel, and unsentimental; but one who had a softer, deeper side. A side that particularly came out when in the company of a certain tiny, giddy endearingly shallow cheerleader.
But nonetheless FDR Steven Hyde, this was a huge gesture. Outsiders would think nothing of it, but Jackie knew better. What Jackie loved most, however, was not the raw sentiment of his invitation to discussion, but instead the mere unspoken acceptance that, yes, he really wanted to do this for her.
"OK, baby. So what did you want to say?" she asked cautiously, trying to not in any way ruin the moment. Any minute, he could retract his vulnerable openness, and so Jackie had to play her cards wisely.
He sighed. 'Just tell her, man', he thought. 'Tell her everything you're thinking, feeling, emoting. Tell her how much you care.' And so he did.
"Well, I wanted you to know that during our breakup, I was absolutely miserable," Hyde started, forming each word carefully and pre cautiously. Sure, he wanted her to know how he had felt without her, but he wasn't going to tell her too much. He would never let himself be stripped of his mystery. No, that was an essential part of his inescapable charm. "And, you know, I was really afraid to see you happy...without me. But, umm, I found that it was actually way harder to see you down. Because I knew it was my fault. And you had every right to wonder where our relationship was going, yet I had no right to lie to you and say I didn't know just because I didn't want to admit that I did know. I know that I want to be with you, and baby, I do see a future for us. I can't promise anything, no one can, but this is how I feel." He said it all so nonchalantly, as if emotional confessions were his specialty. Hardly.
The fact that he suddenly revealed everything stunned Jackie, and she was suddenly eager to talk. She knew it was immensely difficult for Steven to discuss this, and that gave her a newfound desire to let herself completely open up to him, too. "Yeah, I really was devastated," Jackie said with a sad smile. "You broke my heart, Steven." She paused, because she had not at all intended to lead the conversation in this direction. In fact, the words had rather slipped out of her mouth before she had had time to process them fully. But maybe Steven was right. Maybe they did need to resolve some things before diving back into their intense and complex relationship. "When Michael and I would break up, I'd turn to a state of somewhat feigned depression. Well, it wasn't so much faked as subconsciously forced. I thought that if I loved him, then each breakup should drastically affect me, every one as much as the others. So I let myself believe that I really truly missed him, and therefore, that I was in love with him. I've known for a while now that I was never actually in love with Michael. It was purely puppy-love. But what I still didn't know was: what is real heartbreak like? You've shown me...twice now." Jackie noted Hyde's pained expression and she realize that she was guilt-tripping him too much, which, for once, was not her intention. "Steven, I'm not trying to revisit our painful fights and breakups. All I'm saying is that I love you so incredibly much, more than I ever thought I could love someone, but that sometimes it is overwhelming. It excites me yet it also frightens me. It terrifies me how much power you have over how I feel and who I am...and, baby, as you know well, I like to be the one in control!"
She finished her last sentence with a stern pout, and Steven grinned. Her pout had never failed to cause him weakness in his knees. God, what did this girl doto him? Whatever it was, he undoubtedly loved it.
Steven followed her speech with a small nod, but that was all that was needed. Jackie smiled at him, satisfied that she'd finally let him know what had been building up ever since their first hookup in the very same basement in which they now sat quietly in, two years later. His simple acceptance provided a huge relief to Jackie.
"See?" he teased. "Of course there were things you wanted to say. Isn't there always?" He gave her a playful peck, and she sighed contentedly. "Jacks, you know I'm in love with you." He hadn't needed to say it, the conversation was essentially finished. But he'd wanted her to know the truth. He jerked her heart around too much, and he figured sometimes a brief reminder to Jackie about how he felt wouldn't hurt. In fact, it would add a much-needed healthy twist to their relationship.
Jackie just looked at him, soaking up the ecstasy of the moment. She gently pulled his head towards her's and kissed him deeply. "I love you, too, baby," she breathed into his ear. Her mouth was slightly upturned, but her eyes were what doubtlessly gave away the subtle smile. The mismatched colors looked even more electrifying than usual, and her lashes were slightly curled, framing the set of gorgeous eyes.
He picked his lovely angel up, letting her wrap her legs around his waist, and carried her into his dimly-lit room. Both had expected to seal the deal of their reunion with hormone-driven, wild sex, but that desire had been replaced with another. One to slowly, passionately make love. Steven usually cringed when Jackie referred to sex with such a "girly" term. But it was on his very cramped cot that night with his perfect girl that Steven quietly whispered, "Please, Jackie, make love to me."