What I Wrote to You
AN: Hey everyone I'm back! It took a little longer for me to update than usual because of a little accident I got in to over the weekend. Lets just say it involved 12 stitches to the foot and leave out the gory details. Anyways thank you to all my new alerts and my new reviewers CrazyCaz and TieDyeJackson! Of course Marla and Ambient as well!
Disclaimer: I don't own That 70's Show
Chapter 11: Lucky
Jackie felt completely underdressed in her own home. Eric was wearing a nice buttoned down shirt and brown slacks that made him look so posh and dashing while her slinky tank and sweats combo was so unattractive. Since when did he ditch those bargain brand clothing he used to wear and trade them in for such fashionable wears. She was absolutely itching to raid her wardrobe and change into something more appropriate.
"Can I get you something to drink?" She asked placed a hand on his arm to grab his attention.
"Some coffee would be nice if you have any."
The smile he sent her had her nerves rattling. Why was she feeling nervous? This was just Eric Forman yet a smile already had her palms sweating. Oh god he could probably tell! His forearm felt so warm under her hand and he could probably feel her perspiring.
"Hey," her eyes met his and she just fell in. Hypnotized by the way they seem to darken with concern and how piercing his gaze seemed to bore into her. "Are you sure you're doing alright? I was told you left work because you were feeling sick so if you're not feeling well I could come back another time."
"I'm good," she squeaked a little too quickly. "I'm feeling a lot better now so please stay."
"Well if you're sure." The hand he placed onto of hers seemed to just engulf her smaller ones. It was rough yet soft at the same time and it made her heart beat unusually loud.
Jackie pulled away from him and stood. She needed the distance because for some reason finally having him in front of her made her feel vulnerable. She couldn't read his thoughts like with his letters and now she would actually have to respond back. She knew the person in the letters but at the same time she realized that she didn't really know the man in front of her. It was both a wonderful and discerning realization.
"I'll go make us a pot," she said scurrying away quickly to the safety of her kitchen before he could even utter an okay. The coffee maker was an old thing and would probably need replacing soon but it still did its job. An extra scoop in to make it darker, just how she liked it, and the coffee was a brewing. "I'll be back in a sec," she called out to him. "I'm just going to put on something to wear."
Jackie practically flew into her room and dove into her walk in closet. Another reason she hasn't moved from this place was because of the closet space. Where else would she find an apartment with a closet so spacious anywhere in Point Place. She needed all the room provided to house all of her wardrobe.
Despite the amount of clothes she had she may as well had none. Dozens of outfits tried on yet none seemed to look good enough before she finally settled with a pair of jeans that made her butt look nice and a light blue cashmere sweater that gave just a peek at some cleavage.
More time must have passed than she thought because when she returned to the kitchen the pot of coffee was already brewed. She popped her head out to peek in the living room to see Eric sitting quietly with one of her copies of Cosmos in hand. She couldn't help the giggle from arising.
"Hey," he said looking up with wide eyes. "I was just uh…"
"Looking up how to properly put on mascara so it doesn't clump?" All the nerves that had been swirling inside of her seemed to slowly banish after seeing him trying to fumble out an excuse. "I can teach you if you want?"
His mouth opened and closed a few times before noticing the mirth in her eyes. "Oh ha ha. Nice burn Jackie. Not!"
She smiled mockingly at him and crossed her arms, "Well if you're done looking up fashion tips maybe you could come help me bring out the coffee."
He glared playfully but still went over to assist her. She didn't really need help but having found some comfort with him she didn't want a pause to bring back the same tension. Without the haze of awkwardness obscuring her sight she finally noticed that the image she had drawn of him in her mind did not match the person in front of her.
He wasn't as skinny as she imagined him to be nor was he as tall. Still he towered a head taller than her and the muscles in his arms were defined attractively. In a way she wasn't surprised that her images of him weren't exact but at the same time she cursed the fact that he looked so much more handsome than she envisioned.
"I really like your apartment," he said placing their mugs on the table. "There's a lot of room here and you really know how to decorate the place up."
A smile formed at the compliment. She took pride in her home décor and having someone notice made her feel like swelling. "Thank you, that's actually why I fell in love with this place when I first found it. There was so much room and I knew I could pretty it all up!"
He chuckled at her words. "Well you did a great job. I'm very impressed you have a knack for it."
"Speaking of that, where are you living now? I know you didn't move back in with your parents and I have no idea where you're staying."
"Actually," he rubbed the side of his neck sheepishly. "I'm kind of looking for a place to live at the moment. I'm staying with a friend but I'd really like to find a place as soon as possible to get out of her hair."
"Her?" She asked with a propped eyebrow. "Eric Forman are you living in sin with another woman?"
She was only teasing him because she wanted to see that blubbering awkwardness again but he just laughed at her words.
"Oh yeah I'm living in sin with a woman old enough to be my grandmother." He wiggled his eyebrows coyly. "If she's lucky maybe I'll give her a foot rub."
Jackie couldn't help but giggle at his silliness. "That's so sweet of you!"
"Maybe if you're lucky I'll give you a foot rub."
She knew he was just teasing but she couldn't help but feel flushed at the thought of his big hands. She cleared her throat trying to hide it. "Please, maybe if you're lucky I'd let you."
Eric smirked provokingly, "There's nothing lucky about your smelly feet."
"I do not have smelly feet!" She gasped before pausing to look back tentatively and asking in a meek voice. "Do I?"
"Jackie I'm just kidding," he said laughing when relief showed on her face. "I mean they're smelly but not that smelly."
She punched him on the arm, "Keep that up mister and I'll throw you out of my apartment."
"Okay, okay," he pleaded with an amused grin. "I apologize for bringing it up I know how sensitive you are about them—"
She groaned loudly and punched him again. "You are such a jerk!" The menacing glare she sent him didn't have the effect that she wanted because of the tiny crack of a smile that she tried to keep down unsuccessfully. "One more word out of you and I'll send you packing."
He mimed zipping his lips and gave her a thumbs up.
She was starting to feel stupid for even being nervous around him. He had changed in a lot of ways but he was still the same in some. It was comforting and intriguing she settled.
"So you said you were looking for a place to live. Have you found any place that's caught your eye?"
He shrugged but didn't elaborate.
"Okay," she said in a drawl at his vague answer. "Have you been looking long?"
Again a shrug was her answer but the playful grin on his that formed on his lips finally clued her on what he was doing.
"Eric you goof. Stop taking my words literally and talk to me!"
He just laughed at her exasperation. "To answer your questions yes a couple of places have caught my eye and no I haven't been looking for long."
"Oh I love house hunting. They're so much fun!"
"Really?" He said perking up. "Well I need someone to help me look, if you're interested. I was told that I'd need a woman's perspective because I'm too much of a man to properly find a place."
Oh that was such a tempting proposition. She loved looking through apartments and visualizing the right furniture or wallpaper to make it look absolutely perfect.
"I really want to," she bit her lip in restraint. "I really do but I have a business to run. I don't think I'll have the time to be of much help to you."
Sometimes it sucked being a responsible adult.
"That's okay I understand."
She really, really wanted to help. Looking through apartments would actually be great because then maybe she could find something for herself as well and finally move out of this one. "I'm really sorry."
"Don't worry about it," he sent her a reassuring smile. "I'm sure I can find someone to help me."
"Hey maybe Brooke could help you!" The thought popping into her head, she had a great eye for things like that and was someone she could trust to find the best.
"Brooke?" He tilted his head questioningly. "As in Kelso's baby mama Brooke? Isn't she in Chicago?"
"Yes," she smiled in amusement. "She goes by Kelso's fiancée Brooke now though. They moved to Kenosha a few months ago when Michael asked her to marry him."
His eyes went wide. "Kelso actually got her to say yes?"
"It was so romantic too! Brooke told me all about it and I nearly swooned with her."
"Are you sure we're talking about the same Kelso here?" He asked skeptically. "The same Kelso that used to think that sex at the end of a date was the height of romance?"
She chuckled at his words, "Yes that same Kelso! Here I'll give you their address so you can ask for some help from Brooke. While you're at it you can catch up with Michael too."
He took the written address with a tentative hand. "Please don't tell me that Fez lost his accent or something else crazy like that. I don't think my little heart can handle it."
She couldn't help but laugh at his words. There was so much she knew about him but he hardly knew anything about all of them!
"Boy do I have a lot to tell you."
Steven Hyde flipped the little store flap that signaled open to closed and locked the doors to the Groove store. He hopped into his El Camino with thoughts that perhaps it was time to visit the Forman's. Since W.B. found out that he had been living in the store he had gotten him an apartment just a few streets down. Apparently it didn't look very professional if the owner was living in the store like some bum.
He didn't care either way. A free apartment meant he was king of his home and could do whatever he wanted. If he wanted to he could throw a kegger and invite everyone and their mother or he could have a nice quite night and light one up.
So he wasn't complaining at the development. The only downside was his inability to cook his own food. Sure all the take out he had been frequenting was starting to show but what could he do. He was still welcomed at the Forman's to dine and stay over whenever he wanted but he could only handle so much of Kitty's mothering and Red's short trigger foot that those visits were far in between.
He was starting to get sick of choosing between TV dinner and pizza. He had a craving for some home cooking and he knew that Kitty would be absolutely ecstatic to have him over. Since his divorce with Sam, Kitty had been more welcoming of him back into her house.
He figured it had something to do with Jackie because the two had developed a weird bond and was protective of the girl. They stayed away from each other for the most part but the few times they had run into each other at the Forman's had been curt and stiff. Truthfully he didn't really know what to think of her so it was just whatever. He had to admit though she looked really good.
He parked his car in the drive way and knocked on the sliding door. Already he could feel his mouth watering at the wafting smell coming from the kitchen.
"Steven, oh what a pleasant surprise!" Kitty said with laughter. "You're just in time for dinner. Would you like a plate?"
Red looked between him and his wife with a frown on his face. "Kitty, why are you still feeding the boy? Didn't you move out already?"
"I did but I know how much you guys miss having a son in the house since Eric's gone around the country doing bad things." He knew how much it pissed Red off that his son was traveling around and sending back huge amounts of cash from an unknown source. "So I figured I'd come back and fill that void for you."
Red smirked, "Well the position's already been filled because Eric's back."
If he wasn't wearing his aviators then they would have seen his eyes widened in a very un-zen like fashion.
"Oh isn't that wonderful Steven ahahahaha. My baby boy's finally back!"
"Forman's back?"
"Yes," Red said smugly. "So there's no reason for you to be here."
"Red stop it." Kitty scolded but was still smiling. "Steven is always welcomed for dinner. Maybe you're the one that doesn't want anything tonight."
As much as Red act it the final say will always be Kitty's.
"Oh fine but I want the fatty steak."
"We're having steak?" He asked with some surprise. Since when did the Forman's have steak on a random day of the week.
"Eric bought them for us since he wanted Red to find him a good deal on a car." Kitty answered pleasantly. "Red honey do you have any idea what kind would be good for him?"
"I hate to say it but those japs made a good car with this year's accord."
"Woah Red man can Eric afford something like that?"
The two Forman's just looked at each other before bursting out laughing. Was he missing something?
Eric burst out in laughter. He felt like he had been doing that for the better part of the evening and his side could certainly attest to that. Jackie was such a joy to be around that spending the day trading stories with her was the most fun he had ever had.
"That's not even the funny part," Jackie said giggling. At some point the girl had fallen over in laughter with her head on his lap and just never left the spot. "You just had to be there to see Brooke's face when she saw Michael covered in Betsy's baby food vomit. For such a little girl that baby can hold in a lot!"
"Stop it," he said in between gasps and covered her mouth with his hands to stop her. He couldn't handle any more his sides were hurting too much. "You're killing me with these stories. I can't believe I've missed so much." Whatever words she was trying to say was muffled by his hand but Eric just acted like he knew could understand her and answered. "What was that Jackie? Did you just say that you wanted me to tickle you to make up for trying to kill me via laughter?" He smirked when she glared at him but was unable to say anything but incoherent noises. "Well I mean that's a very generous offer and I think I'll— Ow!"
The girl smiled victoriously when he yelped in pain and pulled his hand away. "No, what I said was you won't miss much anymore now that you're back."
"Did you just bite me?"
"Who? Me?" She asked as innocently as possible. "I think you have the wrong girl Eric. I would never do such a thing."
"Are you sure you want to play this game missy?"
"Oh I do love games but I still have no idea what you're talking about." She tried to hide the amused smile but couldn't help it.
"I'll give you a choice." It was her turn to yelp when she felt his hands pinch her sides. "You're in a very vulnerable position you know so I'll let you off the hook if you admit to the crime."
She smiled toughly from his lap and put her hands up in a 'bring it' gesture. "Do your worst Forman."
"You had your chance Burkhart."
His fingers dove into her side pinching and tickling while the girl squealed and squirmed under his wrath. He did this for a few minutes until she finally couldn't stand it and surrendered. Her hair was disheveled and her shirt had ridden up from her squirming.
"Fine, fine" she said barely able to gather the breath needed to speak. "You win! I admit it I bit you."
"Thank you," he said dramatically. "You could have made this easier on yourself and just admit it for the start."
"I regret nothing." She said sticking her tongue out at him.
"You're just asking for it now." He said in a playfully menacing voice as he checked his watch. "You're just lucky it's so late or else you'd be regretting those words!"
"Excuses," she said with a grin. "I was just warming up too."
He just chuckled at her sass. "Don't tempt me missy or I'll stay and finish what I started."
"If I didn't have to work in the morning then maybe I'd let you."
He knew that she meant nothing by it but he still felt his heart quicken and his stomach plop strangely. Having her head on his lap and the slight sheen of sweat on her exposed body was wreaking havoc after those words.
"Could we do this again some time?"
The girl smiled and took her head off his lap to let him stand. He didn't know whether he wanted to cry in relief or sorrow. His lap felt unusually warm without her.
"Of course," she said leading him to the door by his hand. "I'd be mad if we didn't do this again."
Her words brought a big smile on his face. "Good, I had a lot of fun today."
"Me too," she said before leaning in and kissing him on the cheek. "You be safe going home you hear."
He could only nod dumbly after that causing her to giggle.
"Good night Eric," she said closing the door.
Before she could completely close it he finally managed to think. He placed his foot to stop the door for closing and pulled it open.
She looked startled by his sudden action but it what he did next that really floored her. Eric leaned over and kissed her on the cheek just like she had done and smiled. "Good night Jackie." And just like that he left with his mind a swirl.
Why did he just do that.
AN: Just a whole lot of fluff... ya know the good stuff... and a little cameo from Hyde... but mostly fluffy goodness...
