Chapter 14
"So what are we doing tonight?" Jackie said grinning. "There's a new movie playing at the theater. Its not girly, I swear. Or we could go down to the Hub…." She continued excitedly.
"Jackie, can't we just stay in tonight?" Hyde asked leaning his head back against the couch. "We've been …doing whatever this is for almost three months now. We should probably talk about it or something," he grumbled.
"If its not broke why fix it? Are you getting bored or something?" Jackie asked hiding her trepidation with a smile. She guessed that Hyde was already growing restless and wanting to move on. She'd mentally prepared herself for this moment and although it did hurt; it wasn't as crippling as she was worried it would be. She'd forced herself to remain as detached as possible. At least she'd gotten to be with him for a little while again, she reasoned.
"What? No," Hyde said in surprise. He hadn't expected Jackie to suggest breaking up or ending…..whatever they were doing together so calmly. He'd felt like such a girl the past few months, not knowing how Jackie was feeling was driving him nuts. He was beginning to long for the days he'd have to bark at her to shut her pie hole just to get a moment's escape from her rambling. Now, she seemed to take each moment as it came without expecting anything else. She didn't seem happy, merely satisfied. He never realized how much he relied on Jackie's analyzing and need to define everything. A few years ago he would have thought he was living the dream. Sex, limited conversation and no talk about the future. It sucked. "What are we doing?" he finally asked. "With us," he clarified seeing her dark brow furrow.
"Deciding what we're going to do tonight, if anything," she offered questioningly. "I guess I don't know what you're asking," Jackie said. "Look if you're unhappy, just say so. We'll knock it off, no big deal;" she said hoping to reassure him. "No emotional blackmail, I promise," she added touching his shoulder hesitantly. "I'd still like to be your friend," she said softly.
"Look, I just want to know if we're dating or not. If somebody asks if I have a girlfriend; I should be able to answer that question. What are we?" Hyde asked through gritted teeth.
"Friends with benefits?" Jackie offered hopefully. "Are you worried that I'll cause a scene or something if I catch you out on a date?" she asked ignoring the way her gut twisted at the mental image. "I promise not too," she said offering him her pinkie.
"So…I mean nothing to you?" Hyde said trying to hold onto his zen. He hated having this conversation; it made him feel like a girly wuss.
"Of course you do," Jackie exclaimed in shock. "Steven, I don't want you to think that I don't…..care for you. Because I do, very much;" she insisted rubbing his arm affectionately.
"Do you love me?" he asked forcing himself to look at her face instead of at his shoes.
"Steven, why do we have to discuss that? Its not going to change anything. Haven't you been happy with the way things have been going between us?" she said desperately, fighting the urge to curl up into a little ball. They were getting into dangerous territory and she didn't have a clue why.
"Why can't you answer the question then?" Hyde asked fighting the urge to smirk. Jackie's body language told him everything he wanted to know, but he'd still like to hear her admit it.
"Fine. Yes I do," Jackie grumbled. "Its still not going to change anything. I don't even know why we're having this conversation," she complained with a sigh.
"Then why not make it official. Let's be a couple," Hyde said grabbing her hand. "Look, I know things didn't work out before but we're older now…." He began before Jackie put her fingers across his lips to silence him.
"No," Jackie said firmly. "We've been down that road before, we know where it leads. Lets just leave things as they are and see where if anywhere it takes us. What's wrong with that? Let's not ruin it," she pleaded almost feeling sick to her stomach.
"What if I gave you an ultimatum?" Hyde said taking off his glasses. "Like the one you gave me over a year ago," he added staring at her broken expression.
"You'd get the same answer, I did," Jackie whispered fighting back tears. "Are you giving me an ultimatum, Steven?" she asked taking a deep breath to steady herself.
"I guess I am," Hyde said giving her forehead a lingering kiss, while he blinked back tears of his own. "You know where to find me, Doll," he said slipping his shades back on and hurrying out of the apartment before he could embarrass himself further.
"Why aren't you sticking up for me, Donna?" Hyde demanded a few weeks later in the basement. "What do you guys talk about anyway?" he asked grumpily.
"First of all, I'm still waiting for her to cool down. Cut me some slack, that little midget is scary," Donna defended herself pointing at Hyde. "Secondly, I kinda owe her one for being….well a dumbass last year. When she's not so scary, I'll test the waters but until then I'm agreeing to whatever she says. I have a self preservation instinct," she said scowling.
"In case you haven't noticed, for a ninety-five pound midget, Jackie hits hard and she has pointer shoes than most girls. Donna's got to stay on Jackie's good side if she's gonna talk you up man. Girl logic," Eric said with a shrug.
"She still hasn't called me. It bugs the hell out of me," Hyde grumbled crossing his arms and sulking.
"You gave her an ultimatum, Hyde," Donna said trying not to laugh. "After that big stink you made about her giving you one it kinda makes you look like a hypocrite. I mean, have you even told Jackie why you want to be with her? Give her a reason to think that it wouldn't be a repeat of the disaster before?" Donna asked giving Hyde an apologetic look.
"She knows how I feel," Hyde said forcing the words out. Donna arched an eyebrow. "Oh, crap. I messed up again didn't I?" he said with a wince.
"At least you're showing improvement," Eric offered trying to be helpful. "I mean you didn't go and make the situation worse by shacking up with some whore, and laugh at her when she cries about it. See, this is a start," Eric said patting Hyde's knee encouragingly. "Just a suggestion though. You might start by telling her you love her when you are not in trouble. That way it doesn't look like you're trying to weasel you way out of trouble. Just a thought," Eric added while Donna nodded in agreement.
"First of all, get your girly hand off of my knee, Foreman. Secoundly, I realize that now. If you'll excuse me, I have to go find a way to fix this and to do that I need to go buy some film," Hyde said uncrossing his arms.
"Go get'em tiger!" Donna teased as he walked out of the door.
"He's gonna go make it worse, isn't he?" Eric said after the basement door closed.
"Most likely," Donna said in agreement. "Emotional gestures aren't really his thing," she added an Eric nodded.
"Well, I hope he's got some shin guards," Eric said getting off the couch with a sigh.
"I just hope he's wearing a cup," Donna said following her husband.
"Steven!" Jackie exclaimed opening her door in surprise. "Oh my god!" she said taking in his appearance. He was wearing a suit and tie, which she knew for a fact he hated doing.
"Can I come in? I wanna talk to you," Hyde said shifting uncomfortably. He missed having his sunglasses on his face but he knew Jackie hated them so he'd forced himself to take them off.
"Sure. Want something to drink?" Jackie asked opening the door wider so he could come in. She caught a whiff of his cologne as he passed by and thought she was going to jump him on the spot. She knew expensive cologne when she smelled it, and Steven Hyde was wearing just enough of the right kind to drive her crazy. Combine that with a freshly shaven face and….Down, girl; she told herself silently as she closed the door.
"Nope, I'm good. I have made a list of reasons why I think we should give it another shot. You might want to sit down because I'm kinda proud to say; that I look pretty good on paper," he said gesturing to the couch. She shrugged and sat down on her couch with an amused smile. This ought to be good, she thought.
"I'm all yours," Jackie said with a skeptical grin. Hyde took a deep breath before unfolding a piece of paper he'd pulled out of his jacket pocket.
"Good, so shut your pie hole and listen," he teased before clearing his throat. "Reason number one: I…love you, I don't know why because you're annoying but I'm nuts about you. Two: you love me and I noticed while you were asleep one night that you'd gone and had my name tattooed on your ass. It's a nice tattoo by the way. And since my name is already Steven you wouldn't have to go find another guy with that name. Convenience is key," he read in a strong voice. He gave her a playful wink when she started blushing. "Actually, I'm kinda surprised that Casey didn't notice that but he's a Kelso and they stupid tools. On to reason three: as much as I hate to admit it and I really do, I realize you're good for me. You motivate me to get off my ass and do something with my life and the only other people who do that are the Foremans. Four, you need someone who can pull your head from the clouds and make you take notice of this little place I like to call planet earth. I am just of a jerk to get this accomplished. We don't take grief from one another it makes us very compatible. Number five, lets face it no one could stand either one of us; not for the long haul we are both very high maintenance. Each of us in our own ways. Number six: Our birth parents sucked. We are just about the only people in the group who can fully appreciate what that means…" he continued trying to keep a light tone to hide the fact that his insides were twisting around. God, I hope this works, Hyde was thinking to himself. Coming up with a last minute get Jackie back plan probably should not have been formulated under the influence of copious amounts of weed. What he was about to say next was cut off when Jackie leapt off of the couch and crushed his lips with her own. "Did I make my case?" Hyde said, the sound partly muffled by the pressure from her lips. "Please, tell me I made my case. My pants are cutting me in half," he pleaded trying to pull her into her bedroom with him.
"If they're too small, why'd you buy them?" Jackie asked taking off his jacket while he pulled the clip out of hair.
"That's not what I meant, doll," Hyde groaned kicking off his shoes. When Jackie starting undoing his tie, he deepened the kiss.
"Will things really be different this time, Steven?" Jackie asked as he pulled off her shirt and began kissing her neck.
"Oh, yeah. Definitely different," Hyde was muttered kneading her back with his fingers.
"Prove it," Jackie challenged pushing him backwards onto her bed and straddling his waist.
"Prove it?" he repeated stupidly. His mind was having a hard time switching tasks. "What do you mean?" he moaned as Jackie nibbled on his collarbone, playfully. "Okay, how? Tell me how before I go crazy?" he demanded in a raspy voice.
"Marry me," Jackie breathed into his mouth before giving him another kiss. "Tonight," she said starting on his belt an arching a dark eyebrow at him in challenge.
"This is blackmail," Hyde said with a groan.
"Actually, I think its extortion," Jackie said giving him a squeeze. "Going once, going twice…."
"You win! You win!" Hyde said desperately. "You know I gotta say, Jacks. You're coming along nicely," he added almost proudly before giving her lips a triumphant kiss.