Disclaimer: Butch Hartman created it. Nickelodeon airs it. Savvy?
"What page is the next problem on?" The dark-haired boy on the bed looks down at the two teenagers reading from the same textbook. "I think it's page 152."
The girl at the edge of the bed glances up. "No, Danny. We just got off of that page. It's 153."
"152!"
"153! Tucker, back me up on this." The teens look at the African-American boy in the beret. He stares at the book, but he doesn't seem to be focused on it.
"Tucker!" The girl gives him a light shove.
"What?"
"What page are we on?"
"Um…it had a six in it, right?"
The teenagers groan. "Tuck, it's bad enough that we have this headache of a midterm tomorrow, but if you're gonna zone out before we take it…"
"Don't worry, Danny. I've got it. What page are we on?"
"152."
"No. 153."
"Sam!"
"Danny!"
Tucker watches as his best friends argue. This makes for, as it did moments ago, a fine time to be distracted. Distracted by…her.
XxXxXxXxX
"Danny!"
It was three months ago. Tucker had been at Fenton Works looking for the halfa. There had been reports of ghost sightings in Amity Park and the long-time friends were going to investigate. It was around this time that Tucker noticed the little looks that Danny and Sam would give each other when they were sure the other wasn't looking.
He found it amusing that puppy love was developing between them…and frustrating that there wasn't someone for him.
"Where are you!"
"Down here waiting."
Tucker rushes down the stairs. "You could've said something."
"We need to meet Sam." The two boys head out the door. "Wait."
"What?"
"The Fenton Thermos. It's on my bed."
"Don't worry. I'll get it."
"Just make sure that you don't do anything that lets the ghosts escape."
Tucker grabs onto a doorknob and starts turning. "When have I ever done any…thing…?"
Behind the open door stood Jazz. No big deal, right. After all, Tucker has seen Jazz lots of times. Of course, in those times, she's fully clothed. Having just dried it, her long red hair hangs over her chest.
For a moment, the two of them stared at each other and Jazz could swear she saw Tucker's nose start to bleed.
The girl throws the door shut and pants. "Oh, Lord!"
Tucker stands in the hallway, the surprised expression still on his face.
"Tuck, what's the hold-up?"
The boy shakes his head and hurries to the door next to Jazz's room.
XxXxXxXxX
Danny couldn't help but wonder why Tucker's nose was bleeding. Thankfully, he believed the 'I ran into your bedroom door' excuse.
"It's 153, Danny. The word problem about how many apples the girl would have was at the bottom of 152, and now, we're moving on."
The boy flips to page 152. He looks up from the book with a grimace. "Fine. 153."
Sam smiles sweetly. A rare occurrence, but she likes to be right.
"All right. On top of page 153. 'Sherry is twice as old as her brother Steve was four years ago. If Steve is now 22, how old is Sherry?'"
"Okay, four years ago, Steve was 18, so we just need to…"
The question seems to evaporate upon reaching Tucker's ears. He has a pretty good idea of the answer (Thirty-six.), but only because he could get a handle on the material. A far-off look appears in his eyes.
XxXxXxXxX
"Tucker, can I talk to you?"
It had been a couple of days since the incident. Jazz skillfully waited until the kitchen was deserted before she called him in.
"Um, sure." He walks into the room and sits at the table. He darts his eyes around, keeping the focus away from the redhead.
"Now, I know that you…well, you saw me the other day. More of me than I would've liked, in fact. I'm just glad I had panties on at the time…" She notices his eyes moving. "Tuck, I'm wearing clothes. There's no need to avoid me."
"Sorry." His eyes focus on her.
Jazz leans in close. "You haven't told anyone about this, have you?"
"Not a soul. It'd probably get back to Danny, and he'd kill me."
She regains her upright sitting position. "Good. Now, no one needs to know about this. It's between the two of us."
"I have no problem with that, and, again, I really am sorry. I honestly thought I was going for Danny's room. I never had any intention of seeing you like that."
Jazz places her hands on Tucker's, hoping to calm him. "Tucker…there's nothing to worry about."
"Although…you did look nice. Like a horseless Lady Godiva."
"Tucker!"
He puts his hands up. "I'm just saying. Any guy would be lucky to have someone like you. Someone forgiving and smart…and beautiful."
The redhead blanched at the latter comment.
"Well, it was nice to have this talk. Thanks, Jazz." Tucker gets up and walks out.
"Tucker…" …stops walking. "You really think I'm beautiful?"
He turns around. "Well, yeah. Your hair, your eyes…wait. You mean to tell me that no guy has ever called you beautiful?"
"No guy outside my family, and they're just being nice. Maybe, it's just as well. I'm so busy with homework and tutoring, it just doesn't register."
Tucker goes back to the table and takes a seat. "That's too bad."
"Guys don't really see me as the dating type; someone with a social life. It's harder to take advantage of someone like me."
"Forget guys like that, Jazz. You should wait for someone who cares about you."
A blush creeps onto the girl's face. She can hardly remember getting up from her seat, but the next thing she knows, she's right in front of Tucker. Jazz bends down and kisses his cheek.
"Thanks, Tuck, and if it's any consolation, I don't know why girls don't date you, either." The redhead walks out, a spring in her step.
The boy watches her and rubs where he was kissed.
XxXxXxXxX
A week had passed since Tucker and Jazz talked. He was unsure what to think when Jazz kissed him. In his experience, members of the opposite sex were notorious for sending mixed signals. He hadn't been sure if Jazz was sending him a clear message or was trying to mess with him. That hurt him so, as he considered Danny like a brother. But if she was intimating the other thing he assumed, that would be downright creepy.
He walked around Amity Park, hoping to get some perspective on things. He didn't tell Danny or Sam where he was going. Sooner or later, the truth would slip out, leaving him with questions he was unable (and unwilling) to answer.
Finally, he sits down on a bench. He pulls out his PDA and checks a few files. A few benches away, he spies a blur of red hair. Taking special notice of the teal ribbon entangled within, he approaches the person.
"Oh, hey. I didn't know you came here."
"Every sailing ship needs clear seas to function." Tucker expresses slight puzzlement at the statement. "One of my teachers says it from time to time. It gets so frantic at home."
He notices the folded newspaper section in her hand. "Wow. Sudoku."
"Oh. You play?"
"Whenever I can. It really sharpens the mind. I love the challenge…and I just figured out why girls don't like me."
"Girls don't like you because you're immature." Tucker sulks a bit. He didn't see Jazz's smile. "They're immature, too. In a few years, they'll beg you for your time."
"I don't know. Girls flock to Danny and he's, what, a month younger than me?"
"We all work at our own pace."
"I guess. Put the '6' in the upper right corner of the middle block. Sorry. At this point, I could play it in my sleep. Jazz?"
"Yes?"
"What did you mean last week, when you kissed me?"
Jazz shrugs her shoulders. "Well, I…you looked like you needed some cheering up."
"What you said to me worked pretty well. Are you sure there isn't anything else?"
"Tucker…I…"
"What?"
"I…"
"What? Do you like me? Do you want to see me squirm? What?"
Jazz kisses Tucker on the lips. She takes a breath, while he looks surprised. "Why do those movies make it look so easy?"
"You actually watch those chick flicks?"
"Watch it. I'm a…woman." She didn't feel right referring to herself as a chick. "And why do you have to be so sweet?"
"My mother rolls me in sugar."
Cheesy as it was, Jazz couldn't help but smile at the joke. "I do like you, Tuck. More than you know. I just hope you don't think I'm taking advantage of you."
"Given my experience with women, I have no problem with being taken advantage of."
She silences him with another kiss. Luckily, the park was fairly deserted.
XxXxXxXxX
Tucker sighs deeply.
"Okay, this is officially a nightmare." The math textbook hits the floor. "It's like a prison of barely useful knowledge." The dark-haired girl has just about had it.
"Yes, but in prisons, they feed you." Danny swings his legs to the side of the bed. "We're gonna see if there's anything downstairs. You coming?"
Tucker waves his hand. "Nah, I'll stay up here."
"Suit yourself." With that, Sam follows Danny out, leaving the techno-geek alone. A light knock at the door.
"Well, that was fast." He doesn't even look up as the door opens. Jazz walks in and looks around, only to find… "Tucker?"
The boy glances up at her. He puts up quite a fight with the butterflies in his stomach. "Oh, hey, Jazz." Given the slight squeaking in his response, however, it's a losing battle. "So, what are you doing here?"
"Well…" She rubs the back of her head. "It's my house." She walks into the room and sits at the edge of the bed.
"Right. Right." Tucker laughs a little. "Um, what brings you to Danny's room?"
"I…was just looking for a pencil."
Tucker gazes at her.
"What's wrong?" She starts to feel her face for any blemishes.
"There's a pencil behind your ear." The redhead checks her left ear. There is, indeed, a pencil sticking into her hair.
She pulls it out. "I guess I came in here for nothing."
He shrugs. "Yeah, I guess so."
She jumps on him and starts kissing him. He runs his fingers through her long hair. They each moan a little as the make-out session progresses. The sound of an opening door does nothing to distract them.
"What in the world!"
Jazz and Tucker snap their heads toward the individual at the door. Three mouths hang open for a moment, unsure what to say. The dark-haired intruder clears their throat.
"You know that Danny isn't going to like this."
"Sam, he can't know", Tucker asserts, standing up and helping Jazz to her feet.
"And what do I have to gain by not telling him?" By now, the Goth's hands are on her hips.
Jazz cocks an eyebrow. "How about our eternal silence about your…matters of the heart?"
Sam's eyes widen. "What matters of the heart?"
The redhead glances to her make-out buddy, who takes her lead. "Come on, Sam. We weren't born yesterday. You still haven't told Danny, have you?"
The younger girl turns away and grits her teeth. She mutters something unintelligible.
Tucker puts a hand to his ear. "I'm sorry. Was that a 'yes' or a 'no'?"
"It's a 'fine'. I'll be quiet, but you can't keep this a secret, forever."
"Thanks, Sam."
Danny walks into the room. He takes a sip from a soda can. "Hey. Did I miss anything?"
"Nah. Nothing much."
"Oh. Jazz, what are you doing here?"
"Just looking for a pencil." She picks up the one she dropped during the session. Jazz gives Tucker a wink. This gesture goes unnoticed by Danny, but not Sam.
The redhead walks out.
XxXxXxXxX
Two hours have passed. The three teens look spent. Having to study so much is certain to wipe out anyone.
"Hey, guys. How's it going?" Jazz stands in the doorway again, a concerned smile providing some much needed warmth.
The friends answer with variations of "rough" and "inhuman".
She walks in. "You know that an all-nighter doesn't have to be all night. You need to take a break sooner or later."
Danny takes a breath. "I guess you're right."
The redhead opened her mouth to say 'I am right', but closed it. They've been through enough here. Also, there will be time enough later on.
Tucker is the first on his feet. "Sounds great. How 'bout Nasty Burger?"
"Oh, do we have to go there?" Jazz pouts.
"Why not?" Tucker walks toward the door. "We always go there."
"That's the problem. That stuff'll kill you."
"Nobody lives forever." He gives a pleading smile.
Jazz looks away. She glances back toward him. "All right." She takes his hand and they walk out…something that does not go ignored by the halfa.
"What the--? Sam, did you see what…? They were…what's going on here?"
A mischievous smile forms on her face. The girl liked it when he was flustered. She kisses Danny, leaving a bemused smile on his face. She leans over to his ear and, with a whisper, she tells him: "It's a secret."
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A/N: I first encountered Tucker/Jazz in "Jazz's Jitters" and enjoyed it. It made me smile in "Her Brother's Friend". In "Beyond Reason", I became a die-hard fan. This is my first (and hopefully, not last) exploration of the possibility of Tucker/Jazz. If you liked (or didn't like) this story, be sure to thank (or blame) Me the Anon One and BlueMyst19 for getting me hooked.
Thanks for reading and have a nice day.