The Time is Now
Jack woke slowly, enjoying the warmth of his bed and the sun shining in through his curtains; not to mention the feel of another warm body lying next to his. It was with a jolt of surprise that he realised last night had really happened, that it hadn't just been a dream he would probably have felt guilty over, and that he really did have Syd in his bed. He grinned up at the ceiling, feeling more alive than he had since he'd given up the red morpher, his emotions a jumble of relief, happiness… almost euphoria. He'd never actually believed this would happen, despite the confidence he projected to the world. Syd had had a glamorous career before giving it all up to join SPD and she was used to getting what she wanted - it was completely different to his own background and until now that had been a barrier he wasn't entirely sure would ever be broken down.
But apparently Syd hadn't seen the problem, which was how they'd ended up here. He smiled softly and brushed a few stray strands of hair out of her face and she twitched a little, right on the verge of waking. That was when the bubble broke, consternation replacing his initial elation. There was no guarantee that Syd would be okay with this when she woke up and he didn't want to lose a close friend because of it. If Syd freaked, okay, he could deal. He could walk away. They were friends, they'd had some fun and that would be it. They'd probably be awkward around each other for a while, but that was fine too, because it wasn't like they saw a lot of each other anymore and there wouldn't be any tension due to simply having no choice but to be around each other. They'd be fine.
He sighed, not believing the lie he was trying to spin to himself. Last night hadn't been anything like the one-night stands he was used to and that very fact scared him more than a little. He couldn't just walk away from this, that had never been an option. If Syd freaked they'd just have to find some way to deal with it. He didn't have so many close friends he could afford to lose one. A quiet sound permeated his thoughts and he looked over at Syd in time to see her eyes blink open. It took a moment but he saw it the moment startlement and wariness was replaced with recognition.
"Morning," he said tentatively, propping himself up on one arm, chin resting on the palm of his hand.
"Morning," she replied with a smile, not sounding the least bit upset about finding herself in his bed, both of them minus the clothes. He wanted to say something, anything, make sure they were okay, still friends if nothing else, but that was before Syd raised herself up on her elbows and kissed him solidly on the mouth. At that point he decided talking could wait, sliding his hands down the curve of her spine and enjoying the feel of soft skin under his palms.