Disclaimer & A/N: Hopefully, you know I don't own it. I wouldn't have screwed season 8 up so badly…
I'd Really Love to See You Tonight
Chapter 6 – And I Really Do Miss Your Smile
Hyde just let Kelso talk, and said, "Yeah, man… Great to see you." He wasn't going to let Kelso know how jealous he was, because Kelso had always been a dumbass. And now that he was older… Well, he was an older dumbass.
But still, they had been friends forever. As long as Hyde could remember, almost. Hyde didn't want it to be this way. He really didn't.
But what he wanted didn't change things.
Nevertheless, Hyde wasn't going to make a scene again. He was just going to put up with everything through the party, and then, he was getting out of here. He knew he shouldn't have come back. But, as usual, he couldn't tell Kitty no, and he'd had to come. He looked at Red. "Hey, Red, man… You got a beer?"
Red smiled. "Steven, have you ever known me not to have beer?"
Hyde grinned. "Guess not."
The two of them went into the kitchen, where Red handed Hyde two beers. "One's not gonna do it," he said. "Even though you did already have that rum and coke." He looked back into the fridge, then, as if something else came to mind, stood back up to face Hyde. "Oh, and Steven. If you ever try to get in a car and drive when you've been drinking again, I'll drive my foot into your ass."
Hyde was incredulous. How did Red always manage to pull out another foot-in-ass comment just when no one was expecting it? Hyde admired the older man for his quick wit and his ability to make asses everywhere cover themselves in fear of his foot.
Hyde sat down at the table, opening the can of Budweiser and taking a drink. "Thanks, Red," Hyde said, settling in the chair, crossing his leg so his boot was resting on his knee. "Damn good beer."
Red nodded as Hyde continued on, talking a bit more than normal about Jackie. "I don't know, man… I mean… I don't know why she got so pissed at me for leaving."
"I do," Red said, eager to stop the conversation and keep Steven from going any further. Seeing a man like Steven Hyde start talking about his feelings would have destroyed Red's faith in humanity.
"You do?" Hyde asked, confusion in the blue eyes which were, as usual, hidden behind his shades.
"Of course I do," Red said firmly. "It's because you're a dumbass."
Hyde rolled his eyes, but deep down, he had to agree with Red. He was a dumbass. Just as much as Kelso, but in his own way. Kelso was a stupid dumbass, and Hyde was a jealous dumbass. It had always been that way. And all the times he had hurt Jackie had been because of his own jealousy and nothing else…
The time he'd cheated on her with the nurse… And when he'd run off to Vegas and gotten drunk and married Sam… and decided to stay with her. The only person he could blame for any of those things was himself. No one else. As much as he'd tried to blame Jackie and Kelso for those things, they were his fault.
"Steven," Red said, breaking into the younger man's thoughts. "You should consider yourself damn lucky that Jackie even talks to you."
Hyde slammed his beer can down on the table. "Dammit, Red, I didn't come back here to watch Jackie flirt with Kelso and have you tell me what a dumbass I am and how lucky I am that Jackie talks to me."
"Well, Steven," Red said, almost amused. "If you don't want to hear that you're a dumbass, don't come here. Because I will always tell you and Eric that you're dumbasses."
Hyde nodded. "Yeah, Red, I guess so."
At this point, the door opened, and Hyde and Red both fought the urge to cringe when they heard the all too familiar voice say, "Hey, there! Hi, there! Ho, there!"
They turned around to face a now completely bald Bob Pinciotti.
"Son of a…" Red began as Hyde stood up. "Where are you going?" he asked.
"Well," Hyde said, a smile on his face. "Just thought I'd let you and Bob catch up a little."
He grinned evilly. Payback was sweet.
A/N: OK, so this wasn't the most plot-oriented of chapters, but it was fun to write. I wanted more interaction between Hyde and Red. Hope you enjoyed it, because I sure did.
