Jade awakens with a yawn in a bedroom that she immediately realizes isn't her own. The room is much darker than her's would be in the morning, the window faces the opposite direction of the sunrise and the curtains are made of a much heavier material, and it's much bigger as well. It doesn't take her long to remember that this is Beck's bedroom, that she had spent the night with him last night. However, as she yawns again and stretches her body out a bit, she finds that she isn't in bed beside her.
Confused, she rolls over and stretches her arm out a bit further, just to confirm. Yes, his side of the bed really is empty. Jade isn't sure where he could be. It's not like he could have snuck out in the middle of the night, this is his apartment...he wouldn't have anywhere else to go. Suddenly, the bedroom door opens, a small sliver of light from the other room falling across the bed, and Beck enters before gently closing the door behind him again. He tiptoes quietly across the floor, as if he's trying not to wake her.
"Morning..." She mumbles to him as he comes closer to the bed
"Fuck, did I wake you?" He sighs as he climbs back in beside her
"I don't think so." Jade answers him honestly "I've only been awake for a minute or two."
"Oh, okay."
"Where'd you go?" She asks as she snuggles up beside him again
Once they had come down from the adrenaline high of the previous night's activities and decided it was time to sleep, Beck had given her a t-shirt to sleep in so she wouldn't be cold. The fabric is soft and smells like him, and it brings her all that much more comfort as he wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her close to him.
"I was cleaning up the dishes from last night." He answers her honestly "I didn't want you to wake up to a mess."
"S'a mess I helped make..." She chuckles a bit "I wouldn't have minded."
"Well, s'all taken care of now regardless." He tells her, pressing a kiss to her temple "Are you still tired?"
"A bit, yeah."
After what they had done the night before, it would be hard for her not to be.
"Let's go back to sleep then..." He suggests, rubbing her arm gently "It's still early."
"How early?"
"Early enough that the street lights are still on."
"Fuck, that's early."
"That's why I'm saying we should go back to sleep..." He laughs, pulling her body as close to his as he possibly can "Goodnight, Jade."
"Goodnight."
They fall asleep for a few more hours, neither one of them moving as they stay cuddled up side-by-side. Their breathing is almost in sync, their chests rising and falling with the same rhythm as they both dream. Both of them might've been able to sleep until noon, if it hadn't been for the fire engine that came down the adjacent street with its sirens blaring.
Jade is the first to stir, moaning with annoyance as the sound registers. She finds Beck's hand beneath the blanket and laces their fingers together, bringing both of them up to her chest.
"Good morning..." Beck yawns "Again."
"Good morning again..." She tells him as she rolls over to face him "Sorry if I look like a troll."
"You look great." He assures her as he kisses her "I'm glad you decided to stay the night."
"Me too." She admits "However, I wish I would've realized this was a Dodgers shirt when I put it on last night..."
It had been dark, and it was the first shirt Beck had grabbed. Neither one of them gave it a whole lot of thought.
"What's wrong with the Dodgers?"
"Nothing, I guess." Jade sighs as she looks down at the shirt with a smirk "My dad is a big Yankees fan, hates every other team because he's so loyal. I was raised the same way, feels like I'm betraying him somehow."
"You could take it off..." Beck suggests "We could have an encore of last night."
"Maybe in a bit..." Jade laughs, reaching out and cupping the side of his face with one of her hands "I'm still waking up."
"Fair enough." He smirks "Should we just lay here for a while?"
"I'd like that."
"Me too."
Jade positions herself so that her head is resting against Beck's chest and he wraps an arm around her to hold her close. The steadiness of his breathing is comforting as he rubs her back gently. Again, their breathing falls into a synched rhythm as the two of them breathe each other in, but in a different way than they had breathed each other in the night before. After a while, Beck is under the impression that Jade had managed to fall back to sleep, and allows his eyes to become heavy as well. Just as he's about to drift off, she speaks and startles him awake again.
"Did you mean what you said last night?" Jade asks
"About what?"
They hadn't done much talking once they got to the bedroom, but they had done some. Beck isn't sure which part of the conversation Jade is referring to.
"About this being something special..." She clarifies "...whatever we are right now."
"Oh." Beck recalls "Yeah, I did. I do think we have something special, and I do think it's worth pursuing."
"So, this is the start of something then?"
"F'you want it to be, yeah." Beck nods "Do...do you want it to be?"
Her heart wants it to be, but her head still isn't sure. Jade knows that any relationship has the chance to be forever or has the chance to crash and burn...and that at the beginning the chances of either are pretty equal. She's spent her whole life thinking with her head and letting it ruin things for her, though...maybe she should try thinking with her heart for once and see where it gets her.
"I want it to be." She agrees "And I know that sounds crazy because we've only known each other for like a week but-"
"Hey..." Beck laughs, cutting her off "People have gotten married less than a week after meeting each other. I don't think deciding to pursue a relationship after three dates and two hookups is all that crazy."
"Well, when you put it like that...I guess it's not." She laughs "But, Beck?"
"Yeah."
"There's one thing I have to know before I go all-in on this..."
"Okay, what is it?"
"I have to know what you do for a living." She insists "I know that you've said you work for a television network and that there's NDAs involved, and I want to respect that...but I really can't shake this thought in the back of my mind that you work for the mob."
"I don't work for the mob, Jade."
"Sounds exactly like something that someone who works for the mob would say."
"I..." Beck hesitates "I don't want it to change your opinion of me."
They reposition themselves so that they are both laying on their sides facing each other. They hold hands on top of the sheets, the fingers of Jade's left hand intertwined with Beck's right.
"If it's something that would change my opinion of you, I definitely need to know about it." She tells him "We can't start this on false information."
She's right, and he knows that. He owes her all of the information before she gets too involved. He doesn't want to lead her on or make her think that he's someone that he's not.
"Alright..." Beck takes a sharp breath "I'm...an actor."
"Thank god..." Jade lets out a sigh of relief
It's not the mob...or anything else that could be potentially dangerous.
"You're...not freaked out by that?"
Not as freaked out as she would be by the mob.
"Beck."
"Jade?"
"Why would that freak me out?" She asks him "I'm majoring in drama and theater studies. I want to work in entertainment. I could end up an actress one day too, or a writer who works with actors and actresses."
"I know that." He sighs "I just...I wanted us to get to know each other first without that being common knowledge. Sometimes when I lead with what I do for a living...people really only care about the superficial part of it and not what I'm really like as a person."
"So you wanted me to like you for you, not just because you're an actor and you might be famous?"
"Exactly."
On one hand, she wishes that he had been upfront with her when they met. She had shared her interest in the arts, it could have been something that potentially brought them closer sooner. On the other though, she gets it. If he has any major projects under his belt at all, if he's recognizable to anyone at all, he was probably relieved that she knew nothing about him and wasn't just trying to use him for fame or to get ahead.
"I guess that makes sense..." Jade agrees "Not to sound rude or anything, because I am just genuinely interested...would I know you from anything?"
"LA Med." Beck tells her
LA Med is one of the most popular shows on television, about a group of doctors and all of the medical drama that comes with it. Cat is a huge fan, and never misses an episode. After living with her for a few years, Jade has started watching the show as well. She isn't nearly as big of a fan as her roommate, but can follow the plot and recall basic details of it.
"Oh shit..." Jade chuckles "That's why you seemed so familiar. Harmon, right?"
She doesn't remember much about his character, but she definitely recognizes his face now that he's said something.
"Dr. Jason Harmon, that's me." Beck nods "I had a three episode arc as as soon-to-be promoted resident. I was in there just long enough for the audience to remember my face, that way they would be familiar with me when I show up in the spin-off."
That would explain why 'work' covered his expenses to move to New York, and why his apartment is so nice. It also explains why he doesn't mind spending money on her.
"Let me guess...New York Med?" Jade poses
"Manhattan Med." Beck corrects her "Dr. Richards is leaving the hospital and bringing his most promising residents to New York with him. I'm...one of the leads."
He hates phrasing it that way, it makes him sound so conceited, but it's the truth.
"Beck, that's seriously so cool." Jade grins "I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks..." He smiles "I'm just hoping that it runs for more than a season."
"I think it will."
"So, me being an actor doesn't freak you out?"
"Nope." Jade assures him "It's something else we have in common, one more reason to give this a try."
"Alright..." Beck smirks "Alright, great. Wow, that makes me feel so much better."
"Like a weight has been lifted?"
"Something like that."
"Y'know...I've never had sex with a doctor before." Jade admits "Or a TV doctor, at least."
"But you have." Beck laughs "You just didn't realize it."
"Well, now I realize it..." Jade slips a hand under Beck's t-shirt and runs it up his chest "Help me doctor, I think I have a fever..."
"I think you do too..." He nods with a smirk, pulling her shirt over her head before starting to kiss her neck "Jade, wait..."
"What? You're not into it?"
"No I am!" He promises her "I so am, it's just...the spin-off...my character being involved...it hasn't been announced yet. It will be soon, but until it is...I really need you not to say anything to anyone. Okay? Even Cat."
"You have my word." Jade nods "I swear."
"Alright, good..." Beck nods, allowing himself to relax again "Now, where were we..."
"I knew it!" Cat exclaims as Beck's IMDB page loads on her phone "I knew he looked familiar!"
A few nights ago when he came to pick Jade up for their date, Cat couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen Beck somewhere before. Living in such a big city, she passes by hundreds of people every day, so she hadn't thought much of it and forgot the feeling rather quickly. However, when her roommate came home dressed in last night's outfit and strongly hinted that Cat should google the man she had been spending so much time with...she was happy to see her thoughts somewhat confirmed.
"Cat-"
"You had sex with a TV doctor!" Cat squeals "Oh my god, that's so hot. He's so hot."
"Alright, calm down please." Jade urges "I-"
"So he's an actor?" Cat asks her excitedly "Is that why he's here in the city? Is that the mysterious 'work' that he does?"
"Yes, but-"
"Is it a movie?"
"Cat." Jade holds her hands up in surrender "Can I have a moment to breathe?"
Beck had told her not to share anything with Cat about his project, and in reality she hadn't. Googling his name and finding out that he had been an actor on LA Med was very much something Cat could have done on her own, Jade didn't reveal anything there. His secret about the spinoff and the part that he plays is still safe with her.
"Not when you come in post-'walk of shame' and drop this kind of information on me!" Cat laughs "Speaking of which, congrats on spending the night by the way."
"Thanks..." Jade blushes with a small smirk as she makes her way down the hallway to her bedroom
"Tell me everything!" Cat insists as she follows behind her "Spare no details!"
"There's not much to tell..." Jade chuckles "I went over...he made me dinner...we had some wine...we had sex a few times-"
"How many times is 'a few'?" Cat asks
"Twice at night and once in the morning."
"Good for you!"
"Thanks." Jade smirks again "And, uh...I think we might be officially a thing?"
"Like boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"I think so, yeah." Jade nods "We were talking about it but then we got a bit...distracted."
"By what?"
"You know by what."
"So there's no confirmation?"
"Not officially." Jade shakes her head "We both agreed that we think there's something special between us, and we want to pursue a relationship...but then I told him I needed to know what he does for a living if we were going to do that. And then we started talking about his being an actor...then we had sex...and now I'm here."
"Call him and ask him." Cat tells her simply, as if it's the most simple concept
"I left twenty minutes ago..." Jade reminds her "Don't you think that'll make me seem a bit desperate or I dunno, overbearing?"
"Hmm..." Cat ponders the thought for a moment "Maybe. Okay, take a shower first. Dry your hair, study for like an hour maybe, then call him and ask him. It'll make it look like it's been on your mind for a while."
"It won't make it look that way, it'll be true..." Jade points out
Is she in a relationship or not? She'd like to know, she feels like she has the right to. Serves her right for being so easily distracted this morning. Not that she could really help it, any woman would be distracted in that situation.
"Well there you have it." Cat winks "I'm going to go study for a while. Let me know how it goes."
Shaking her head, Jade retreats to her own bedroom as Cat disappears into her's. She grabs a new outfit, a much more comfortable outfit than her dress from the night before that she had to wear home, and goes to the bathroom to take a shower. The whole time she finds her mind wandering to Beck...his eyes, his hands, his voice...every aspect of him. She misses him already, which she takes to be a good sign...but she can't admit that to him. Not yet, at least. She doesn't want to come across as crazy, obsessed, or overbearing.
After her shower, she dries her hair and starts a load of laundry, then returns to her bedroom to make an attempt at studying. Jade has always tried not to stress too much about finals. Very few of her classes have actual exams at this point, most of them opted for final papers or projects, but if she doesn't know the information that she does need to study at this point...there's not much that cramming will really be able to help her with anyway. Still, she finds her mind distracted and wandering off to Beck; the sound of his voice and the way his hands felt as they caressed her body...the way his lips tasted like wine when they kissed. They have something special, it's worth pursuing, but they never actually said the words that they should have said to make it official. Eventually, she reaches for her phone and dials his number.
"Hey!" Beck answers almost immediately, and she can hear the smile in his voice
"Are we dating?" Jade asks him bluntly "I mean, obviously we're dating, but are we exclusive? Are we-"
"Boyfriend and girlfriend?" Beck cuts her off, finishing her question "Yeah, we are. At least...I thought that we were?"
"We never actually finished that discussion." Jade chuckles a bit "We got a bit carried away this morning."
"Yeah, we tend to do that, don't we?" Beck laughs "Well, yes. I'm your boyfriend, so long as you're okay with that."
"I am." She confirms "Are you okay with me being your girlfriend?"
"More than okay with it." He admits "Glad we settled that."
"Me too."
"I should get going..." Beck sighs "My girlfriend has some final exams that she needs to study for, and I don't want to be a distraction."
"You're not a distraction." She assures him
"Well, don't let me become one then." He tells her playfully "Study, Jade. You can't lose that perfect GPA because of me."
"But-"
"No but's, babe..." Beck laughs again
Babe...
Jade likes the sound of that.
"I'll tell you what..." He offers "Stay focused and get some studying done, and I'll drop by with a pizza around dinner time. Sound good?"
"Sounds fantastic." She admits "I'll see you tonight then."
"Only if you study!"
"I will, I promise."
"Do you have flashcards or anything like that?" He asks her "Maybe I could quiz you a little bit too."
"Is that an innuendo?"
"That's a legit offer." Beck chuckles "Get your head out of the gutter."
"Oh, but we have so much fun in the gutter!"
"Jade..." Beck's playful tone turns serious "You need to study, I promise that I'll see you tonight."
"Alright." She agrees "I'll see you tonight...boyfriend."
"Can't wait...girlfriend."