A/N i am...so sorry for the delay in this. Im off of my adhd meds again and that makes writing hard, not to mention my hyperfixation on T7S is fizzling out and being replaced by other fandoms, unfortunately. BUT that being said, I am still determined to finish this story--i have plans for this plot that i am really looking forward to. I wont let it go unwritten, even if it takes longer than i had hoped it would. ANyway, on to the story!
random inspiration for this chap: "And Steven here likes black things and throwing stuff at glass." --Jackie
The bell rings throughout the halls of Point Place High, which signals the opening of classroom doors and releases a flood of students into the halls as they make their way to their next class.
Among the sea of teenagers, a petite brunette is fighting to stay afloat and not get dragged under. Jackie's lip curls in annoyance as she feels someone carelessly bump into her. She can't wait to get out of here, both for the day and, in a few years, for good. Sure, she enjoys being on the cheer team and even the challenge of classwork, but that's about it. She definitely won't miss the obnoxious people or the terrible food or anything else. Maybe she used to like the atmosphere of school, but like most everything lately, it's lost its appeal.
Even the good things, like cheerleading, just don't give her the same joy anymore. Any sense of importance or excitement they once provided gradually faded away as worries about her parents weighed her down.
Now she has a new source of dopamine; the sweet rush of law-breaking with Hyde. The fun of cheerleading can't even begin to compare to that, and lately, she's found herself daydreaming about her thrilling heists during practice, which causes her to fall behind in the motions. Kat Peterson will snap at her to focus and keep her head in the game, and the annoyed grumblings of other girls on the team can be heard.
Jackie rolls her eyes at the memory. Who cares what Kat or any of the other girls on the team think of her? If any of them knew what she's been doing in her free time they'd all shut up—no, they'd drop their jaws. She's been having real fun. Serious, real-life fun. Not this kid stuff, shouting with pompoms.
If they only knew...
"Hey."
Jackie swings her head to see that Hyde has appeared by her side, having managed to somehow find her in this barbaric crowd. She smiles as her cheeks tinge with a warmth that is becoming all too familiar. "Hey."
"Wanna skip sixth period?" Hyde asks casually.
She laughs lightly at such an irresponsible thought. "I wish."
"Me too, so let's do it."
She gives him a funny look when she sees that he's not joking. "Wait, you're serious?"
He cocks his head, looking amused. "Of course I'm serious."
"But why?"
He scoffs. "More like, why not? This place sucks and so does everyone here."
She snorts at that, his words eerily similar to her previous thoughts. "I don't know...I've never skipped before."
"Of course you haven't," he says with a shake of his head. "You're a square."
She opens her mouth to give a snarky reply in her defense but he quickly corrects himself, "Were a square," he leans closer and lowers his voice, "but now you're not. So what do you say?"
She considers it, going over the implications of such an action. She's never cut class without a legitimate reason, but that was before. Before life got complicated, before her parents decided they didn't love each other or her anymore, before she decided she didn't care about being the perfect girl they expected her to be. They don't love her anymore, maybe they never did, so what's the point?
The only real thing in her life is Hyde and their exploits. She feels alive with him, doing what they do best. That's the most certain thing she's ever known.
She doesn't need to think about it any longer, she knows the answer.
"Let's get out of here."
A steady stream of sunlight beats down on Point Place, but it's not enough to prevent a chill from blanketing over the town as well.
Jackie finishes the last bite of her Fatso burger before crumpling up the wrapper into a ball and tossing it into the paper bag that once held their food. Having cleaned up the rest of the trash, she looks up just in time to see the car pulling up to their destination.
"The water tower, really?" she asks, disappointed. She's not too annoyed, considering she'd been so desperate earlier she would've been willing to go to the city dump with Hyde rather than stay at school. But still, she'd been expecting for them to go somewhere a little more exciting, like a place they could steal from. There's really nothing to steal from this place…
Hyde cuts the engine with a shrug. "Yeah, why not?"
She frowns. "It's fine, I just thought you were gonna take us somewhere we could, you know, have some fun."
He smirks at her suggestively. "We can have some fun here."
She rolls her eyes. "No, I mean like, some not-so-legal-fun."
"Who says we can't have that kind of fun, too?" he asserts as if it's obvious.
"What do you mean?" she asks, her interest piqued.
Hyde twists around to grab his backpack from the back seat of the car and pulls it into his lap. He opens the top and holds it out towards Jackie so she can see its contents.
Her nose scrunches in confusion. "Spray paint. We're gonna vandalize the water tower? In broad daylight?"
He grins and takes the backpack from her. "Sure are. Everyone's in school, they'll never see it coming. Talk about satisfying." He gets out of the car, and with a sigh, Jackie follows suit.
They make their way up the rickety ladder until they reach the metal platform, Hyde getting his feet planted on it first. He offers a hand to Jackie, who gratuitously accepts. His touch sends a spark of fuzzy electricity up her arm.
He then gets one of the spray paint cans out of his backpack and starts shaking it up to prep its contents. "Remember the last time we were doing this up here?"
"Yeah, when you guys were trying to paint a pot leaf but failed," Jackie dryly reminds him. "Then Michael fell off and hurt himself and it wasn't even worth it because it ended up looking like a middle finger."
"Hey, first of all, Kelso was the one who messed up and made his section look like a hand giving the finger," Hyde defends himself. "And second, it was still worth it because vandalizing a public building with a middle finger and watching Kelso hurt himself are both successes in my book."
She rolls her eyes at his response but is unable to hold back a giggle in the process. She loves the way he thinks, what he finds entertaining and worthwhile. He's fascinating really; there's so much more to him than what meets the eye. He's complicated, a stunning contrast to the simplicity that is her ex-boyfriend Michael Kelso, and she likes it. A lot, actually. More than she ever thought she would. "Whatever. Now tell me what we're gonna paint this time."
He gives her a smirk as he hands her a can of spray paint. "I was thinking we could surprise each other. You work on this side, and I'll work on the other one."
She eyes him, eager for the creative challenge. "Alright, you're on." She looks down at the can he just handed her for the first time and a smile breaks out. "Purple? Just for me?"
He shrugs like it's no big deal. "Yeah, I was afraid you wouldn't agree to join in if I didn't have a girly color for you."
Her gaze softens. "That's so sweet. Thank you, Steven."
From the way he avoids her eyes and turns away Jackie can tell he's embarrassed. "Yeah, yeah. Now stop flapping your mouth and get to work."
Smiling to herself as the curly-haired boy walks away, Jackie removes the paint can's cap. As she starts to shake it up, she ponders what artistic vandalism piece she's about to create. It has to be pretty (which should be easy thanks to the purple color) and something that is very them. But of course, it can't be too obvious it's them. So then, maybe it should be something only they'll know.
Her eyes light up as inspiration strikes her. She raises the can and presses down, a spray of purple eagerly greeting the metal canvas before her.
A short while later, Jackie steps back from her artwork with a satisfied smile upon her lips. She walks around the tower to where Hyde had disappeared off to and finds him just finishing up his own design.
The four occult symbols from the Led Zeppelin IV album are displayed in thick black lines with red accents, along with Hyde's own words Play more Zeppelin.
She stares at the symbols in interest, vaguely recognizing the symbols. "Aren't those satanic or something?" she asks.
He takes off his sunglasses and looks over at her. "What, is it too scary for you?" he teases.
She casually shrugs. "No, I just don't get why they chose those symbols in the first place."
"Each member of the band chose a symbol they felt related to them," Hyde explains. "And they just look cool, it doesn't have to be deep."
She purses her lips. "Hm."
He raises an eyebrow at her monotonous reaction. "Okay, princess, what did you draw?"
An excited smile tugs on her lips. "Come see for yourself," she offers.
Hyde follows her over to her work area. The stylistic purple words Bonnie Clyde were here greet his eyes, along with an array of surrounding hearts and sparkles.
"Do you like it?" Jackie asks eagerly.
"Bonnie and Clyde. That's us, huh?"
"Yep!"
"Why are there so many hearts around our names?"
"Steven. Hearts make everything better, duh," she says defensively, hoping he doesn't notice the real meaning in her eyes. "And you know, the real Bonnie and Clyde were lovers."
The words Likeus hover in the air between them like a thick fog, but neither of them dare speak it. It's far too early for that. They don't know what they are and they're afraid of talking about it, because if they make it real then they make it susceptible to breaking.
"Whatever."
"Come on, then," she says with an impatient bounce. "Do you like it or not?"
"Yeah, sure," he admits. "You're rather artistic, I don't know if I've ever really noticed that before."
"Well, now you know. There are a lot of things I'm good at," she brags. She then glances down at his lips suggestively. "But you already knew that."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah." She smirks and pulls his head down to hers.
It's not long before Hyde has her pinned against the metal wall of the tower, increasing the passion of his kisses.
As she matches his energy with her own swollen lips, Jackie can't silence the tiny voice in the back of her head telling her how strange this all is. She's making out with Steven Hyde on the water tower during school hours, playing hooky as a break from their shoplifting heists. But as she's here in this moment, she can't imagine wanting to do anything else.
After making out at the water tower and screwing around in town doing God knows what else, Hyde and Jackie decide to finally head home. They're walking a ways down the street to where Hyde had parked his car so he can drive to the Burkhart house. It's starting to get dark out and the street lights have just turned on, leaving their sidewalk path ahead glow warm.
"Oh come on, up until a few weeks ago we rarely spent any one on one time together," Hyde claims. "There's no way you could successfully do a Freaky Friday swap with me without raising suspicion. You do not know me that well." He doesn't know how Jackie manages to pull him into such random topics. She can be just as nerdy as Forman sometimes, as much as she might deny it.
"Of course I do," she replies. "You like loud music, breaking the law, and the color black--which isn't even a color by the way, it's a shade. I learned that in art class."
"I don't care, it looks cool," he says. "Plus, it goes with everything; you should appreciate that, being obsessed with fashion and whatnot."
"True. What about the other things?" she presses. "Why do you like them?"
He sighs but decides to humor her, his brow slightly creasing in thought. "I like loud music because it drowns out annoying sounds--like you talking, for example," he says pointedly, but she knows he doesn't mean it, not anymore. Maybe he did once, but those days have passed--mostly. "And I like breaking the law because the system is rigged, so why shouldn't I screw it over right back?" He nudges her with his shoulder. "And when you break the law the way we do, you get something out of it, too. Personal gain."
She nods her head to his answer. "Fair enough."
As they continue to walk down the sidewalk, Hyde bends down to pick up a rock and toss it at an empty glass bottle that's sitting along a fence, knocking it over and breaking it. It's certainly not an isolated occurrence.
"Should I add 'throwing stuff at glass' to the list?" Jackie asks, her eyes dancing with amusement.
He shrugs in disinterest. "Go ahead."
"So what should I put down as the reason?"
"There doesn't have to be a reason for everything. Some things you just, I don't know, do. Because you get the random urge or whatever."
"But why do you get the urge?"
"Who knows, alright? Just natural I guess."
Upon reaching an old boarded-up house they both come to a stop as Hyde once again takes the time to pick up a rock, this time throwing it at one of the glass windows. The glass breaks with a satisfying sound, but Jackie is more interested in the boy who did the breaking than the window itself, eyeing him curiously. "You know what I think, Steven? I think you like breaking glass because you're broken and you want it to feel what you feel."
Hyde rolls his eyes at her dramatic conclusion, but Jackie is unfazed as she continues, "Or maybe you just like being the one doing the breaking for once. You like the power."
He turns to face her head-on, giving her a look that says he's done with this, but he's also slightly amused. It's annoying but in a cute way. Like most of the things she does. "Oh really? That's what you think?"
She raises her chin in confidence, not backing down. "Yes, it is."
"Well, I think you're thinking too much into this and you need to stop psychoanalyzing other people and start focusing on yourself."
She pouts. "Aw, but Steven it's fun to try to get inside that curly head of yours," she says, stepping forward to touch his hair.
He gently but firmly grabs her wrists and pulls them away. "And I think throwing stuff at glass is fun. So you should understand."
"Fun?" she asks skeptically.
"Yep. That's all."
Jackie shrugs in reluctant defeat. "Fine. At least tell me you make a wish when you do it then."
His brow furrows. "What? Why would I do that?"
She spreads out her hands in emphasis. "You know, like that scene in It's a Wonderful Life. George tells Mary it's a tradition to make a wish and then throw a rock at that old abandoned house and try to hit some glass. Then they both did it."
Hyde shakes his head. "I should have known it would be something stupid."
"What? It's a great movie," she insists, but doesn't get a response from Hyde as he walks away. She grabs his arm and pulls him back over. "Oh, come on, we have to do it now. What would it hurt?"
"My pride."
"No one else has to know."
"I'll know."
She switches up her tactics, sticking out her lower lip and giving him the best doe-eyed look she can. "Do it with me? Please?"
He rolls his eyes again but complies. "Ugh, fine. You really are pestering, you know that, right?"
"Yeah, but it works," she reasons with a bright grin.
They each search the ground to find a good rock to throw.
Hyde watches as Jackie closes her eyes and presumably makes her wish, a soft smile on her lips. He feels a warm flutter in his stomach, a feeling he's been experiencing more and more often as of late. She just looks so peaceful, radiant even. Beautiful. Truly, truly beautiful.
Despite himself, he can't help but wonder what it is she's thinking of, what wish she might have on her lovely heart.
Still smiling, Jackie opens her eyes and lets the rock soar through the air and shatter a window. She turns to Hyde who looks impressed.
"You have a good arm," he comments.
"I have to. I'm a cheerleader, we throw people," she explains. "It's your turn."
Swallowing his pride, Hyde picks up his own rock and successfully pitches it at another window, but not before thinking to himself Iwish for this to be real, whatever it is that's going on between Jackie and me.
"What did you wish for?" she voices her curiosity.
"I can't tell you," he upholds. "Haven't you seen the movie? Isn't that why Mary's wish came true?"
"Pfft, I know but I'm really curious so I don't care. Besides, what happened to you thinking it's stupid?"
"I do think it's stupid," he affirms. "But if you're gonna make me do something stupid from a movie, at least have the decency to stick to the story's lore." He starts to walk away again. "Now let's get out of here already, I think I've had enough of you for one day."
Jackie does a little jog to catch up to him and step into place beside him. "Okay, I get it, I went too far. If it makes you feel better, I'll move my name from the list of things you like to the list of things you hate."
"Good."
"Because you hate me."
He comes to an abrupt halt and turns to her, waiting for her to do the same. An inkling of a smile tugs at the corners of his lips while he tries to keep his eyes serious. "Yeah, I do." His hand finds her waist and pulls her close. "So much," he breathes against her lips, his own lips finally curling into a smile as they press against hers.