Author's Note: I rewrote chapter two (I didn't change anything; I just made it better), so if you guys wanted to check that out, it'd be pretty chill:D
Review response time!
—Mega Awesome Marx: You realize that I love you, right? 'Cause I do. A lot.
—Shippolove844: I'm sad that it's almost over, too! I'm going to miss this story, haha. And I love Red, too! He was one of my favorites on the show. …Wait, who am I kidding? They were ALL my favorites. (Except for Donna. And Randy. And Bob. And Midge. And Pam. And, and, and…)
—whisperinginthewind: As per usual, my response is that I love you and that you're amazing for helping me out so much with this story (insert fail heart here)
—MsChanandaler: I can't believe you spent that much time on my story! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I appreciate it so much! :D
—jaygal11: I know. Hyde is my absolute favorite person of all freakin' time (insert heart here). And thank you so much! I'm so glad you like this(:
—TL22: Yay! It doesn't matter how many times you say it; I'll never get tired of hearing it:D And another yay! I'm so glad I wrote the scene well. I've been trying really hard to work on my descriptiveness!
Hyde let out a yawn as he sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes to rid them of the morning's weariness. He removed his hands from his face and opened his eyes, but frowned when he looked around. Where was he? And who the hell was next to him?
He looked over and saw a girl with long, dirty blonde hair splayed across her pillow. She was lying on her stomach, and her face was facing away from him. He studied her figure for a moment, trying to place who she might be. He couldn't help but wonder how he managed to fuck up so badly… again.
He glanced around the bedroom again, which was when everything came back to him. He was in an apartment above the Hub. He blinked his eyes three times and looked back down at the girl next to him. He let out an uncharacteristic grin when he realized that he hadn't fucked up. The girl he woke up to was, finally, Chris.
He slipped out of bed as carefully as he could so as not to wake her. He walked his way over to where he remembered the living room and started searching through boxes, looking for the box labeled 'kitchen'. He looked through almost every box before finally finding the one he wanted. He carried it over to the room in which it belonged and put it onto one of the countertops. He rummaged through it and began putting various things away: silverware, Tupperware, alcohol, and various kitchen appliances all went into drawers and cabinets until he finally found what he'd been searching for— the coffee maker. He pulled it out and set it up on the counter before pulling two mugs out of the cabinet where he'd just placed them. He made himself a cup of coffee and left one next to the coffee maker in case Chris was going to want one. He then sat up on the countertop and sipped at the steaming liquid in his hand.
He heard light footsteps behind him and turned around to see Chris stumbling out of her room, incoherent through her mask of sleep. She walked all of about three steps before she noticed Hyde and stopped in her tracks. She stared at him through her mess of hair in a dumbfounded fashion, every bit as confused about last night as he had been. She paused and when realization dawned on her, she said nothing. She merely pointed to his neck and said sarcastically, "Nice hickey."
"Shit happens," he remarked with a smirk on his face. He gestured over to her mug on the counter and added, "Coffee's over there if you want it."
She cocked an eyebrow and made her way into the kitchen slowly. She took her first sip of coffee— black; just the way she liked it— and frowned a bit when she saw the empty box sitting next to Hyde. "You unpacked?" she asked in surprise.
"Just the kitchen." He paused before deciding to tack on, "Don't get used to it, man. I'm only helpful when I'm getting some."
"Don't get used to it, man," she retorted mockingly. "You're only getting any if you're helpful."
He scowled at her for a moment and informed her with a jokingly angry undertone, "You always friggen twist my words around."
"It's what girlfriends are for, Hyde," she reminded him before leaning forward and planting a small kiss on his lips. She pulled away after a second and asked, "Are you growing a beard?"
"Thinking about it," he admitted, stroking the stubble that was on his chin. He looked at her and added, "But if you have a problem with it… Wait, what am I saying? I don't care."
Chris grinned at him and rolled her eyes. Previously that comment might have upset her, but she was getting more and more used to his acting like an asshole. She cupped his chin in her hand and stroked it with her thumb before musing, "I think I might actually really like you with a beard."
Hyde's left eyebrow shot up. He stared at his girlfriend incredulously as he inquired, "Are you trying to turn me off of the idea?"
Chris rolled her eyes at him once again and took her last sip of coffee. She set the mug down in the sink and said, "Thanks for the coffee." She paused and looked around the scrungy-looking space and added, "I think I'm going to go to the store and buy some food. We have almost nothing."
Hyde froze and stared at her for a moment. When he looked at her he saw in his mind a million different scenarios, all of which resulted in the same thing: her death. He kept imagining seeing her lying on the floor; at the hospital; in a casket…
"Hyde?"
He shook himself out of it and fought to keep a scowl from overtaking his features. His eyes never left her face as he jumped off of the counter and announced, "I'll come with you."
She gazed at him skeptically, asking with her eyes if he really wanted to come. She hesitated for a moment before saying uncertainly, "Um… sure. You can come."
He felt the immense urge to tell her that it hadn't been a question, but he decided that it was best to keep his mouth shut. He didn't want her getting pissed off this early in his plan. "Are we leaving now, or later?"
"I need to make myself look presentable, so we'll probably go in like an half an hour," she told him. When he gave her a puzzled look— how the hell did it take that long for somebody to get ready?— she responded simply, "I take long showers." He nodded his understanding. She looked at him, smirked, and said, "You can unpack while I get ready."
He shook his head and informed her, "You're making me work. A lot. So you'd better lose your virginity soon."
A grin appeared on her face as she nodded and said, "Sure, why not? After we go to the store I'll go see if Kelso has any plans."
Hyde lunged at her and wrapped her in his arms in a rare direct display of affection. He kissed the top of her head and rested his chin on her shoulder as he whispered in her ear, "You go call up Kelso, and I'll check in with Jackie."
"Low freaking blow, man!" Chris pulled out of his grasp and hit his chest playfully. "That was not kind."
"I meant every word of it," he swore, then planted a kiss on her lips. He placed his hands on her hips and told her, "I'll probably also kill the both of you."
"My, my, you're awfully abusive today!" she chirped happily. She kissed him softly and told him, "I'm going to go take a shower now. Get to work."
"Can't I just come with you?" he asked, trailing behind her slowly. He already knew what the answer would be, but it became definite when he heard her laugh and watched the door swing shut. He shrugged it off and went to the boxes again. There weren't very many of them— probably about six or seven, and none were very large. He moved over to the biggest one and lifted it, surprised at how light it was. He set it on the countertop next to the one he'd already unpacked. He opened the box and saw that it was full of Chris's clothes. He dropped it on the floor and kicked it over towards the bedroom door.
He was halfway through carrying over another box when he froze. What the hell was he doing? Was he really just... doing what she asked? Without any grumbling or complaining? He dropped the box on the ground and winced when he heard something within it shatter. He bent to pick up the box and see what he'd broken, but quickly straightened himself up again. Why did he care? Maybe he should just—
Hyde shook his head, forcing himself out of his panic attack. He was being stupid. How was he supposed to protect Chris if he hightailed it every time he thought about the fact that they were in a relationship?
Chris walked out of the bedroom, fully dressed and ready to go. She grinned at him and said, "I made it quick for you. Ready to go?" She noticed his expression and frowned. "What's wrong?"
Hyde pointed down to the box and said, "I dropped your box. I think I might've broken something."
Chris squatted down and opened the box, looking through to see what he'd broken. She pulled out the broken pieces of glass and frowned. "My best friend from California gave me this when we met." She dropped the pieces back in the box and stood, brushing it off easily. "Oh, well. I guess it's garbage now."
"Sorry," Hyde lied. He watched her shake out her head, and a few drops of water sprung from her hair and onto his face. He wiped them off, and she laughed.
"We're even. Get your glasses and we'll go," she said. She knew that Hyde rarely went anywhere without his sunglasses. When he'd gotten them out of the bedroom and returned with them on his face, she smiled and pressed her lips to his. "Ready?"
"Let's go," he said gruffly, placing a protective arm around her waist. He led her out of the apartment and down to the Hub with a flat, expressionless face. Behind his shades he was staring down every stranger, silently daring them to even try and touch his chick. He was apprehensive the entire trip, tensing every time somebody came a little too close to them. If anybody so much as gave them a second glance, he would draw Chris a little closer against his side and glare at them.
He couldn't help it. His childhood paranoia had flared up again, making him think anybody and everyone was there to hurt him— or, in this case, his girlfriend. Anybody there could be working with or for Domino.
He would get her over Hyde's dead body.
A/N: So there's some of Hyde's protectiveness coming in… Whisperinginthewind, I hope this chapter sufficed for you. :D But if not, there's more where that came from!
Thanks for reading guys. I looove you3
