Disclaimer: I do not own That 70s show or Bright Eyes.
A/N: This is a one shot. I hope you guys like it! Some of these situations take place over a period of time and the last two happen right back to back. Sorry if the transition sucks. Its a songfic.
Hyde sat in the basement alone. He hadn't really been doing much since the blow of Jackie and Fez being together hit him. Of course he wouldn't let anyone else know that. So now all day he kept his glasses on, went to work, slept or did the circle. He really just kept to himself. The gang had been trying to figure out what was wrong with him, even Jackie was being nice to him. She came over once in awhile to just sit with him, kind of like she had with Kelso when she was with Hyde. He knew it was purely friendship to her now and that's what hurt. To see one of his friends kiss her the way he had, or to run to someone else when she was upset. He tried to act normal, throwing in the occasional burn but he felt like he did the night he found Kelso in the hotel with Jackie all the time now. He stopped hanging out with Fez because he resented him. He often sat in the basement trying to see if he was wrong, if Jackie still had feelings for him.
You still kiss me
One night he was sitting in the basement and hadn't gone to work all day. Eric and Donna were in Kenosha looking at apartments and Kelso was with Brooke and Betsy. Jackie had come over because she was supposed to meet Fez in the basement. He remembers this night well. She was sitting there watching Dallas with him. Normally, he wouldn't watch something like that but he wasn't really watching it, he was watching her. She made a comment about the TV show and he just sighed.
"Steven, what's wrong with you?" She asked him, looking up at him with her doe eyes.
He looked at her kind of surprised to hear her talk to him so directly. She really hadn't done that much since they broke up.
"Huh?" he asked.
"You have been so quiet lately. What's going on?"
"Nothing," He replied. He didn't want to pour his soul out to her, its not like she cared anymore.
"Fine, if you don't want to talk about it…"
"There's nothing to talk about Jackie," He told her simply.
They sat there for a few more minutes in silence. And then she started to get annoyed.
"Where's Fez? He was supposed to be here a half an hour ago. We are supposed to go to some country club party with my mom. I can't go there alone!" She complained.
Then he looked at her and realized she was dressed up. He grunted.
"What?" She asked annoyed.
"I'm glad I don't have to go to those anymore," He said more for his benefit then to make her feel bad.
She sighed and rolled her eyes, she hadn't really been fighting with him much anymore since she was with Fez and tended to ignore his antics. That pissed him off more then anything because he missed fighting with her because fighting with her meant making up and making up always led to….
"Steven!" She bellowed, just like she used to and he looked up and smiled.
"What?" He replied somewhat annoyed to throw her off.
"Fez just called, he can't make it. Some emergency at the salon…" She trailed off.
"Smart guy," he said under his breath but loud enough for her to hear.
"Look Steven, I know we…" She began to say.
"No," He replied and looked at the TV.
"But, Steven, you haven't even heard what I was going to say!"
He missed this he really did and he was going to do everything in his power to make this last as long as possible.
"I know what you are going to say Jackie and its not going to work." He replied.
"But I can't go by myself! They will make me sit at the singles table and I will look like a loser!" She whined.
"Don't even try it," He said looking at her. She put her face in her hands and began to shake. "Jackie, you are not really crying,"
She began to wale and sob and he got a pit in his stomach just like he did every time he heard her cry, or fake cry or whatever it was. He just didn't want to see her sad.
"Oh come on Jacks, I know you aren't crying you are just trying to get me to go with you," He said moving from his chair to the couch where she sat. When she didn't respond he felt like he had to say something. "Its not going to work,"
She put her head on his chest making it seem worse. "Fine," He said defeatedly. "I'll go,"
She sat up and smiled brightly at him, no tear stains on her face, just like she had done for prom too. He knew how she worked him, he missed seeing her smile like that at him. She leaned forward and Hyde felt tense, he wanted to feel her lips on him so bad. He started to get anxious as she was leaning in. His lips were burning.
But it's just on the cheek
Yeah, you still kiss me, but it's just on the cheek
Yeah, you still kiss me sometimes, but it's just on the cheek
You pull away so easily
He let out a small sigh as he felt her press her lips against his cheek.
"Thank you! Thank you!" She exclaimed, and then she looked at him wickedly. "I knew that would work, it always works on you,"
"Yeah well, since I'm not your boyfriend anymore this is the last time you can ask me to go to one of these things," He said getting up and walking back to his room. He didn't want to see how she reacted to that. And it was probably because he was more afraid that she wouldn't.
"Oh come on Steven, you clean up good!" She said calling back to him.
And I still call you
"We need to do something," Eric whined.
"Like what?" Donna asked.
"I don't know, something. This place is so boring," He replied.
Hyde sat there watching his two friends think up something to do. He had been their third wheel a lot lately, and that's why they couldn't think of anything to do. Kelso was either with Betsy or working and Fez and Jackie consumed all of each others time.
"You know what we haven't done…." Donna said lowly to Eric.
"Yeah, I know…" He replied not trying to upset Hyde.
"Will the two of you just go upstairs and do it already? I'll be okay," Hyde told him.
"Maybe you could call Jackie and see what she is up to tonight. Fez went home early today to visit his friend Andrew," Donna suggested as she and Eric started to walk up the stairs.
Hyde sat there for a few minutes thinking that hanging out with Jackie wasn't such a good idea. He crossed his arms and stared at the TV. He was really sick of sitting here by himself though. He could go out and try to pick up a girl and have meaningless sex or he could hang out with the girl he was still in love with that was with one of his best friends. That was a tough choice. He sat there for a few minutes debating this topic again before picking up the phone.
But I get your machine
And I still call you, but I get your machine
And if I'm lucky I guess, I get your roommate answering
But you're at the bar, or at Gene's
It rang and rang and she didn't pick up. So he put the phone down and went back to watching TV. He tried to call her a few more times that night but never got a hold of her. Around one o'clock the basement door opened.
"Hey Hyde,"
"Kelso man, forget how to get here?" He asked.
"Nah, just been spending time with Betsy," Kelso said and sat on the couch. "You've been down here all night?"
"Yeah. Forman and Donna where here earlier. I tried to call Jackie since Fez is home…"
"Oh, she went with him," Kelso informed him.
And it felt like Hyde had been kicked in the gut. He got up from his chair and walked into his room. He just wanted to sleep it off. He wanted it to be over.
And we go to dinner
Hyde was at the Hub with the gang. He started to hang out with them more and more. Probably so he could see Jackie more and more. It was hard though because he had to ignore Fez and Jackie constantly being all over each other. The way she had been with Kelso and the way she had been with him. He was sitting at the table with Fez and Jackie, staring at anything but them. Eric and Donna were play foosball and Kelso was on the phone with Brooke.
"Ai! That was my last sugar baby," Fez complained.
"I'll give you some sugar," Jackie flirted.
"Jackie not now, this is serious! I need my candy," He said standing up. "I'll be right back,"
Jackie rolled her eyes and watched Fez rush out of the Hub in a hurry.
"Guess the candy's better," He said.
"Shut up Steven!" She bellowed and threw a fry at him.
He picked it up and started eating it. "Thanks,"
"You're just jealous," She said squinting at him.
"Of what?"
"Fez and I," She said forwardly.
"Yes I missed being ordered around like a dog,"
She playfully slapped his hand and it rested there for a second over his. He felt his hand tingle under hers and he looked up to see what she was thinking. She quickly snatched her hand back and looked uncomfortable.
But you won't hold my hand
We sit at the same table, but we don't play with our feet
Yeah, we still go to dinner sometimes, but we don't sneak a kiss
When the waitress turns around"So you guys ready to go?" Hyde heard Eric say and he turned around to face him.
"Yes!" She exclaimed a little to happily for Hyde's taste. He watched Fez walk in the door to the Hub and then reality started to kick in again. It wasn't going to be easy getting over her if she was always going to be around this often.
And we still watch movies,
"I always hate these made for TV. Movies crap," Hyde complained sitting in his chair.
"You never complained before," Jackie replied.
Most of the gang was hanging out in the basement watching a two-hour movie special on TV. Kelso however was not there.
Yeah the reason I never complained before was because we would make out during this, he thought.
"There's drugs and shooting, what's not to like?" Eric asked.
The over acting bothered him but what was bothering him more was watching Fez sit on the couch with his arm wrapped around Jackie. And whenever something came on that she didn't like she would just cover her face on his shoulder, the way she used to with Hyde.
"Hyde's right, this movie sucks," Donna replied. "I'm hungry,"
"Well lets go to the hub then," Eric replied "You guys want to come?"
Hyde was about to say yes when he heard Jackie say no and Fez say yes.
"That's cool," was all he said.
"Oh go ahead," Jackie told Fez. "I'll just see you back at the apartment,"
He watched her kiss him goodbye. He hated being away from her. He hated that he could see her everyday and couldn't get as close to her as he once did. It killed him every time he looked at her.
He watched them leave and then looked over at Jackie who had stretched out on the couch making it uninviting for him to go join her.
"I thought you hated these movies," She said.
"I do," He replied.
"Then why did you stay?"
"I planned on putting something else on once they left," He told her.
"Well I want to finish watching this,"
"Sucks for you," He said getting up to change it. "I live here,"
"Yeah and I'm your guest,"
"Well I'm just not a good host,"
"Steven, its only like another hour," She whined.
"Yeah and what do I get out of it?" He asked.
"The fact that I will be happy,"
"Yeah see, that really has never stopped me before," He turned it and sat back down in his chair.
They both sat in silence for a while. She wasn't actually mad he changed it but she knew something was wrong with him. She picked up her coat and walked to the door.
But we don't share the couch
And we still rent movies, but we don't share the couch
Yeah, we still watch movies sometimes, but you don't lay in my lap
The plot is slow, take a nap"You know Steven, you've changed," She said.
"For good or bad?" He asked her.
"You know, I'm not sure," And with that she left.
And you even stay over,
Hyde woke up in the middle of the night. He couldn't sleep. He never thought that even though they had been broken up for almost a year now that it would still hurt this badly. He thought about her every night before he goes to bed. He even dreams about her. It made crazy. He walked out into the basement and turned on the tv. He sat down in his chair.
"What are you doing up?" Jackie asked him half asleep. She was laying on the couch with a blanket wrapped around her.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Fez and Kelso went to Chicago to visit the Playboy mansion, Kelso used to work at," She said angrily.
Hyde had to laugh; he didn't understand why she was so mad at Fez. Its not like he was going to cheat on her with a playboy bunny.
"Its not funny!" she whined.
"That still doesn't answer my question,"
"Well there is this creepy guy that lives across the hall that stares at me. He heard that Fez wasn't going to be here tonight and I didn't want to take my chances."
"Couldn't you have just spent the night at Donna's?"
"Eric was over there when I went over," She said disgustedly.
Hyde grunted.
"No one wants to see that," She replied.
"Except your boyfriend," He told her and she threw a pillow at him. He picked it up and tossed it back at her.
"You are not supposed to hit girls!" she told him and threw it at his head.
"I didn't hit you, I threw it at you," He said and did it again.
She picked it up and walked towards him and hit him with the pillow.
"Oh you want to fight?" He asked.
"No, I was just punishing you for throwing something at a girl," She said and he ripped the pillow out of her hand. And this started a pillow fight. She ran towards the couch to get a cushion and he followed her. She didn't expect him to and he hit her and she fell on the couch. His foot got caught on the couch foot and he fell right on top of her. He looked down at her, he hadn't been on top of her like this in forever and he missed it. She was still laughing but then looked really serious. He leaned into try to kiss her.
But now we stay in our clothes
Yeah, you'll even sleep over, but now we stay in our clothes
Yeah, you even sleep over sometimes, but we stay in our clothes
I'm only there so that you're not alone
She moved her head at the last second and Hyde rolled off of her on to the floor.
"Steven," She whispered.
He looked back up at her, thinking maybe she still wanted to kiss him.
"Can you sleep out here tonight. The basement is so dark and creepy. It makes some scary noises," She said frightened.
"Yeah sure, take my bed," He said softly.
"Thanks," She replied and got up. She walked slowly back to his room and looked back out to him. It was different this time. The look use to mean aren't you coming but now it meant goodnight.
And you say that I hurt you,
He woke up the next morning and walked back to his room to see if she was still there. She was, and she was getting dressed. She was wearing his Led Zeppelin t-shirt. He stood there confused. She had given that back to him once they broke up and she was with Fez.
"What are you doing with that?" He asked.
She turned to look at him. "I have nothing else to wear, and its my shirt,"
"No it's not," He looked at her confused.
"Just because we aren't together anymore doesn't mean I can't wear this,"
"That's true but as soon as you gave it back to me it did."
"No it doesn't Steven! Its my shirt,"
"Whatever," He said. He really didn't want to get into this.
They just stood there staring at it. She pulled at the hem.
"You know, I never told you this, but I used to wear this to bed every night,"
He just looked at her with his sunglasses perched on his face. This was getting way to serious and he didn't want to talk about it. She was with Fez and it wasn't fair for her to keep rubbing their relationship in his face.
"Why did you come down to Chicago to see me that one night?" she asked. She had finally asked the question they hadn't talked about.
"It doesn't matter now Jackie," He said walking out of the room back to the basement.
"It does too!" She yelled "If you hadn't run off because you saw Kelso… Things could have been a lot different."
"Why do you even care? You are with Fez now,"
He turned around to see her holding the shirt and wearing her old clothes that she wore the night before.
"The whole thing with Sam…. it really hurt."
in a voice like a prayer
Yeah, you say that I've hurt you, and your voice is like a prayer
Yeah, well maybe I hurt you sometimes, but let's contrast and compare
Lift up your shirt, the wound isn't there
"Yeah well think about how I felt when you were with Kelso."
She didn't say anything. She dropped the shirt on the couch.
"Can you tell me one thing truthfully though?"
"Jackie…"
"Please Steven. I just have to know,"
"Sometimes its better not to know,"
"I promise I'll leave you alone,"
"Fine," He said biting on the inside of his cheek. He knew what the question was going to be and he did not want to answer it.
"Did you come to Chicago… to ask me to marry you,"
I guess that your truth, is just the ghost of your lies
"How is it going to make a difference now if you know or not?" He asked.
"Steven, Please?"
"No seriously Jackie. You are with Fez now. So if I tell you I wasn't you will feel secure because you have someone but if I say I was then what are you going to do? What?"
"I just have to know,"
I guess your kind of truth, is just the ghost of your lies
Yeah, your kind of truth, darling, is just the ghost of your liesI see through them all the time
"Its not going to change where we are now," He said bitterly.
"So you weren't going to?" she said and looked like she was going to cry.
He paused. Was she blind? Of course that's why he went there. But it didn't matter now. She was with Fez and they had already strained their friendship way to much.
"No," He lied.
He looked at her as she was about to break down. Her face started to wrinkle and become very hard. She took a deep breath.
"Thank you, now I know," She said walking over to the door. "And thank you for being honest," She said before walking out of it.
He felt like he was going to die. The pain hurt so much, how could he lie to her about that? Why couldn't he have just told her.
So I'm pouring some whiskey
He walked over to the shower and got a beer. He sat down next to the shower and began to drink it. He couldn't believe how stupid he was. She would have probably left Fez because that's how Jackie was. She would obliviously wanted some type of out. He knew she still wanted to be with him. There had to be some other reason why she spent the night last night. He thought.
Then he thought about possibly following her but that only lead him to drink more.
Eric walked down the stairs to the basement to see Hyde sit in a pile of beer cans. Almost like the time where they tried to get rid of all their beer. Except that time He, Kelso and Fez where there to help him get rid of it.
I'm gonna get drunk
Yeah, I'm pouring myself some whiskey, I'm going to get really fucking drunk
I'm pouring some whiskey right now, I'm going to get so, so drunk
That I pass out, forget your face, by the time I wake up.
"So I guess you heard?" Eric asked.
Hyde looked up at him. "Heard what?"
"Oh man, I'm really sorry," Eric said walking over to him.
"What happened?"
"Fez and Jackie got engaged,"