November 9, 2016, 3:07am
Jack padded barefoot down the stairs as quietly as he could. It was a hair past 3am and he'd been trying to fall back to sleep for at least an hour. Finally, he'd given up and decided to raid the fridge for a snack.
He turned the corner into the kitchen and opened the fridge, pulling out the milk and gently setting it on the counter. He pulled a bowl out of the cupboard next to him and opened the pantry to check his options. Do I feel fruity or chocolatey tonight? Always chocolate.
Jack reached up and grabbed the box of cocoa puffs from the top shelf and poured them into his bowl until it was nearly full. He unscrewed the cap from the milk jug and poured in just enough milk to risk his midnight snack spilling out the side. He quickly put the milk back in the refrigerator and grabbed a spoon.
He leaned back against the counter, bowl and spoon in hand, and began to shovel the overprocessed breakfast delicacy into his mouth. He sighed happily as he crunched through a mouthful of chocolatey balls, trying to forget the dream that had kept him awake.
Jack had just shoveled another spoonful into his mouth when he looked up to see Beth staring at him from the kitchen entrance. He could feel his cheeks flush as she gave him a quick once-over, her eyebrow arched in curiosity. He was suddenly very keenly aware that he had come downstairs in nothing but a white t-shirt and his boxers.
Reflexively Jack grabbed the box of cocoa puffs and held it in front of him, as if it was going to hide anything. At this point, Beth was trying so hard not to laugh at him that he felt ready to melt right into the counter itself.
"Beth, you're... here," he stammered. "In the kitchen. With me."
"I am," she replied, clearly holding back a chuckle. "I didn't think you'd be the bashful type."
Jack chuckled nervously. "You just... caught me by surprise, that's all," he lied, making no move to return the cereal box to the counter.
"I couldn't sleep," Beth said after an awkward moment of silence.
"Me either," Jack told her with a smile, still holding the box in front of himself. "I hope it wasn't our fault you couldn't sleep."
"It's fine," she assured him. She hadn't denied that Jack and Will's argument was what kept her up, but she didn't seem angry.
"You doing okay?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, but I don't think I'll be sleeping much tonight," she told him. "Hey, you want to play some cards or something?"
"Uhhh..." Jack looked down at the cereal box. "Sure, let me just, uh, put some pants on." He paused. "Because it's... cold."
Beth, who was wearing a tank top, smiled and gestured toward the stairs. "I'll just wait here for you then."
She's not going to move, Jack thought to himself with a sigh. She was enjoying this a little too much. With a quick smile of his own, he quickly deposited the cereal box on the counter and nearly dashed for the stairs. In record time he had pulled on a pair of flannel lounge pants and made it back downstairs.
"So, what card game did you want to play?" he asked as he stepped into the living room. "I've got some Magic cards upstairs."
Beth, who was rifling through the draws in one of the small side tables next to the TV, stopped and looked over her shoulder. The quizzical look on her face told Jack that she was not, in fact, interested in playing Magic the Gathering.
"It was just a joke," Jack told her with a nervous laugh. It was not a joke.
"I was thinking something with a regular deck of cards," Beth clarified with a judging smirk, turning back to the drawers.
"Bottom drawer on your left," Jack offered, sitting down at the end of the couch and pulling the coffee table closer. Beth sat down at the other end of the couch and began to shuffle the cards. "What are we playing?"
"Bullshit," she told him, continuing to shuffle.
"Bullsh- why am I not surprised?"
Beth glanced at him, smiled, then continued to shuffle.
"I'm sure there's no chance that you, a trained and experienced soldier, are extremely good at bluffing."
"I'm sure you'll be fine," she said as earnestly as she could manage.
Jack was not fine. Jack had lost five games in a row. Which was all the games. Beth was trying not to be smug about it, but he could tell she was enjoying herself.
"You're having too much fun," Jack accused.
"I resent that accusation," she replied, straight-faced. She placed three cards face down on the deck. "Three fives."
"Bullshit," Jack said firmly. Beth looked him in the eye, blinked twice, then turned the cards over. "Three fucking fives, are you serious?"
"Son of a bitch!"
They both turned toward the basement door, just in time to hear a gloriously loud crash.
"What is he doing down there?" Beth asked curiously.
"Probably building another time machine," Jack offered with a shrug and a smirk.
Beth stared at him, and for a moment Jack was worried he'd crossed the line. He was relieved to see her face break into a smile. "Not funny, Jack."
"I can't be funny all the time," he replied with a shrug.
"I think all that winning wore me out enough that I can get back to sleep," she told him, reaching down to tidy up the pile of cards.
"I'll get it," Jack offered. "Go get some sleep."
"Thanks Jack," she said, getting up from the couch and walking toward the stairs.
Jack reached over to grab the mess of cards on the coffee table, but stopped as Beth passed him. She bent down until her face was inches from his.
"I would've beaten you at Magic too," she whispered in his ear. Jack could see her smiling out of the corner of his eye before she stood up and continued toward the stairs.