Fair warning, I'm uploading from my phone and I don't have my usual grammar checker but I will try my best to self-edit. Just ignore the comma splices...

Edit: Because I'm turning this into a collection of one-shots (previously it was just this chapter, as a stand-alone one-shot), see chapter 2 for a full explanation of how it's going to work.

Title: Feminal Idiosyncrasies

Summary: Kim needs a favor from the guys and uses her girly charm to convince Jack to help her. When Jack later insists she let him do the heavy lifting, she finds herself stubbornly mad and now injured. Just a one-shot!

Kim spotted the boys just inside the dojo and put on the sweetest smile she could. She skipped straight to the boys, interrupting whatever they were talking about. "How are my 3 favorite boys?"

Their faces fell right away and they gave her a knowing look. "Okay, what do you want, Kim?" Milton asked.

Kim's voice rose an octave and a half and she put on her best shocked face. "What? Why would you think that?"

Jack rolled his eyes and stood closer to Kim. "Come on, Kim. We all know you milk your femine attributes when you want something from the three of us. Skipping, really? I mean you've used the sweet little voice a million times and the big eyes are like your signature move-but skipping? That's a new low even for you," Jack explained.

"I do not!" Kim said.

"Yeah, you do, even Jerry can see it," Milton said.

"What can I see?" Jerry asked.

"Kim's explicit exploitation of her feminal idiosyncrasies to obtain her desired outcome," Milton supplied.

"I have no idea what you just said, but I can tell Kim wants something when she acts all girly and innocent. It's the eyes that get you though!" Jerry warned.

"See," Jack pointed out.

"Okay fine, I do want something," Kim admitted.

"Oh no, I'm not falling for it this time! Don't look her in the eyes!" Jerry shouted as he closed his eyes and ran off. He ran straight into the lockers and fell back, but kept his eyes shut. Eventually, he found his way to the locker rooms.

Kim turned her attention back to the remaining two boys. "Anyways, I need more service hours by the end of the week and the hospital I usually volunteer at is full so I had to look elsewhere. There's a retirement home nearby, the Seaford SeniorCare facility, and I managed to sign up for a time slot tomorrow!"

"Great!" Jack said sarcastically. "Why do you need our help?"

"Because they said they needed 2 volunteers… And I kind of said I had a good friend who would come," Kim spit the last part out fast and winced.

"And now you need one of us to come be your good friend?" Milton asked, unamused.

"Well it's not like it would be hard. We're all good friends, aren't we?" Kim asked, turning on her sweet voice again.

"Why can't you ask somebody else? Why do they even need 2 volunteers? Wouldn't they want as many as they can get. Isn't 1 better than 0?" Jack asked.

"Well… they said they were looking for strong young men and are already good as far as servers go, which is what I'd have been doing. I really need this service opportunity though so I asked if I could still come and help with what I could if I brought a good friend who happens to be a strong young man," Kim explained.

"And you weren't offended that they didn't want you to come because you're a girl?" Jack asked, not believing Kim would give into sexist gender roles that easy.

"Look, I really need this and I didn't want to blow it by putting up a fuss, okay? My plan was to help them with whatever they need, even if it isn't serving the residents like they usually have girls do. But I had to convince them to let me come first." Kim looked between the boys, trying to read their expressions. So far, they both seemed a little hesitant. "Please? It's only a few hours tomorrow."

Milton started to back away and pushed Jack a little closer to Kim. "You know what, it sounds like you need a strong young man and Jack definitely fits that category. You wouldn't want to show up with a spaghetti noodle like myself," Milton reasoned. Kim gave him a confused look before Milton turned around and took off on a full-on sprint to the locker rooms.

She rolled her eyes and turned back to Jack: the last one standing. He was her last hope and she knew she'd have to convince him. She lowered her head slightly and looked up at Jack, making her eyes big and soft. "I really need help, Jack. Please? I'll owe you a favor."

Jack tried to distance himself from Kim but she just followed him back. She grabbed his arm and snuggled close to him, acting innocent.

Kim knew Jack's tendency to get jealous and decided to use it to her advantage. "I suppose I could always ask some other strong young man. There's all those boys on the football team that have been dying to spend some time with me. I just thought I'd ask you guys first. And you know, you are my boyfriend. But I suppose there are others…"

Jack pulled his arm out of Kim's hold and grabbed her. She was a little shocked by his physical reaction, but when she recovered she smirked.

"I'll go. Just don't ask any of those jerkish, self-obsessed jocks," Jack said.

Kim smiled and gave Jack a peck on the lips. "Thank, Jack. You're the best!" With that she ran off to the girls locker room and Jerry and Milton came back out to ask Jack what went down.

The next day, Jack picked Kim up after school and they drove to the retirement home. Kim was in a very talkative mood and Jack just smiled and listened to her recount her day to him.

"Enough about me, what about you, Jack? You know you really shouldn't let me go on this long. Relationships are supposed to be a two-way kind of thing. It's not fair if I do all the talking," Kim said.

"It is if I get to listen," Jack reasoned. "I like hearing about your day, Kim," he assured her.

"Well, I want to hear about your day. But you better talk fast because we're almost there."

Jack laughed and told Kim all about his day. It really wasn't exciting, but the way Kim questioned him about random details made it sound thrilling.

"Well, we're here," Jack said as he pulled into a parking space.

"I can see that, silly. Come on. And, thank you for coming. It means a lot," Kim said.

They got out of the car and started to walk in and Jack muttered "it's not like I really had a choice."

"I heard that," Kim said as she nudged him.

Jack nudged her back and smirked as he ran up to the door to open it for her before she could hit him. "How gentlemanly," Kim commented sarcastically.

"I live to serve, m'lady," Jack bowed.

Kim snickered and walked in to the front desk. "Hi, I'm Kim Crawford. I called about volunteering."

The secretary looked up and smiled. "Yes. Is this your friend?" she asked, gesturing to Jack.

Kim nodded. "Yeah, he's here to volunteer also."

"Perfect. I'll call Kristy to let her know you're here. You can have a seat for now, she'll be a few minutes."

Kim thanked the lady and sat down with Jack. A few minutes later, a woman came in and looked around for Kim and Jack. She spotted them and walked over. Kim stood up and kicked Jack to pull him out of the daze he was in and he quickly stood up next to her.

"You must be Kim," she said. Kim nodded. "Well I'm Kristy and I handle all of our volunteers around here. And what is your name, son?" she asked Jack.

"Jack, ma'am," he smiled.

She smiled back and her eyes brushed over Jack's sturdy build, impressed. Kim wasn't jealous, the lady looked nearly 50, but she was slightly annoyed. "Well, if you'll follow me."

Kristy started to walk off and Jack and Kim rushed up behind her, struggling to keep up with the surprisingly fast woman. "Obviously, we don't get a lot of muscle around here, so we always have a need for a strong young man like yourself, Jack," she explained while they speed walked.

Hearing the "strong young man" again but this time from somebody from the actual retirement home, Jack looked at Kim and smirked. She wasn't making it up.

They walked all through the home until they reached large glass double doors, leading to a large backyard. "Tomorrow night, we are having a big party and there are lots of preparations to be made. Most of the decorations are already made and easy to put up, but the job could be done so much faster if we have somebody to help move the heavy furniture," Kristy explained. "Jack, there is a room full of metal outdoor tables and chairs that we need brought out and assembled all around the yard."

Jack looked around the yard and saw the door to the room Kristy was referring to and nodded. Kim looked around as well and smiled.

"And Kim, you can… you can clean the windows. The outsides haven't been cleaned for a very long time, I'm sure our residents would appreciate a clear view of the gorgeous landscape, especially after Jack brings out all the furniture," Kristy smiled.

"Oh, I'm sure there is a lot of furniture. I don't mind helping Jack set it all up," Kim responded quickly. She was not going to do some made up job just because Kristy thought she wasn't strong enough to get her hands dirty.

Kristy smiled nervously and turned to Jack. "Oh, I don't know id you want to do that sweetheart, I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself. Do you think you'll need help, Jack?" she asked.

Jack looked at Kim but quickly averted his eyes. "Uh… you know I think I'll be fine. And what's the point of a nice set-up if nobody can see it, right?"

Kristy nodded in agreement with Jack. "Well then, I'll go get you some spray and towels, Kim." Kristy left quickly and Kim turned to Jack.

"Jack! Why did you say that? You don't seriously think I can't move a few chairs do you?" she scoffed.

"No! Of course not, Kim. I was being honest, I'm fine by myself. This way we can do two jobs at once!" Jack reasoned.

Kim rolled her eyes and rubbed a tired hand on her face. "You do know she just made that job up, right? I could be a lot more helpful if I work with you. They don't have anybody else who can do this job as well as us. They have plenty of people capable of holding a spray bottle and wiping a rag."

"To be fair, the windows are dirty, Kim. It does need to be done," Jack shrugged.

"Ugh! You're hopeless!" Kim threw her hands in the air and stomped off, too mad at Jack to stand by him anymore.

Kristy came out a moment later and found Kim brooding on the other end of the patio and gave her the cleaning supplies she would need. "If you need anything else, just let me know. And if you get too hot you're free to come in for a cool glass of lemonade," Kristy said. She smiled again and Kim put on her fake smile again, dropping it in relief when Kristy finally turned away. Her cheeks were beginning to hurt just by looking at that lady.

Kim started to clean the double door windows and snuck glances at Jack as Kristy directed him. She was absolutely smitten with his strength and clearly not the only one. Other residents and workers around watched and admired him work and she couldn't help but groan in disgust.

She worked efficiently, determined to at least do her job well. It helped that her anger at Jack made her scrub harder and faster. Despite being angry that she was given the job she was, the windows were more dirty than she'd have thought. She went through towels quickly and tried to use every inch of the rag before she grabbed another one.

After finishing all the french doors, and there were quite a few, Kim moved on to actual windows. She started with the bottom pane and tried to reach the top, but wasn't tall enough to do anything more than spray the glass. She looked around before taking note of the brick ledge at the bottom on the window. It was big enough. She could easily stand on it and she was sure she'd be tall enough then.

Decided, she set the spray down on the ledge and looked around for something to hold her steady. She couldn't put her hand on the glass, or she'd leave fingerprints and have to do it again. Instead, she gripped the underside of the two-inch long white frame between the top and bottom pane and pulled herself up. She had to stand fairly straight, the window frame was completely flat and she couldn't actually grab it, only push her fingertips up against it. Scooting to the side, Kim wiped the top pane clean and smiled as if she'd just achieved a great victory.

Moving on to the second top pane, Kim felt much more confident. She eagerly helped herself up and realized she hadn't sprayed the pane. She held the spray in her hand and tried to lean back, only holding onto the frame to spray. She started to lose her grip on the frame and her heart dropped. She pulled herself back and recovered from the quick scare, scooting over to spray sideways so she could keep her body close to the window instead.

After spraying, she slowly bent down to set the bottle on the ledge and pick up her rag. She had another scare, but quickly caught herself again. She wiped the window pane and looked at her work for any smudges. She noticed the far corner was still covered in dirt and tried to reach the corner. She extended her arm as far as she could and nearly had it, she just needed a few more inches. More confident after catching herself twice, Kim stood on the toes of one foot to reach out and finally was able to wipe the surface.

She smiled at a job well done and plopped back onto her feet. She realized her mistake too late. She had let go of the frame and her movement of landing on her heels propelled her body just enough to knock her off balance, even as skilled as she was. Kim started to sway and scratched at the window, trying to find the frame to grip. Her fingers brushed the bottom of the frame but provided no edge to actually latch onto.

Kim screamed as she fell backwards now, unable to save herself this time. She landed on the concrete hard and fast, it took her a moment after making contact to realize she wasn't in the air anymore. She tried to move and groaned when she felt a pain in her chest. The air was completely knocked out of her and her lungs burned until she was finally able to breath again.

"Kim!" Kim looked up from the ground and through her sideways vision saw Jack rushing towards her with a few people behind him.

Kim's vision started to focus from it's blurry state and she saw Jack crouch down. He grabbed her arms and helped her sit upright. She hissed as she felt the scrapes on her arms and knee and gingerly looked down. She realized it looked like all those times she had fallen off her bike when she was younger and laughed a little.

Jack seemed confused by her reaction but quickly put it behind him. "Kim, are you okay?"

"I'm okay," she winced. She brought her hand up and realized her wrist hurt too, she must have bruised it when she fell.

Kristy finally arrived on the scene and gasped. "Oh my! Nurse! We need a nurse!" she called immediately upon seeing Kim's cuts. "Kim, dear, what happened?"

Kim looked up and saw Kristy looking at her with worry and then looked at Jack whose face looked pained as if he was the one who fell. "I was just trying to reach the corner of the window. I was standing on the ledge and I slipped," Kim explained, a little embarrassed after hearing herself explain her injury.

Before Jack could comment or reprimand her, a nurse came up and knelt down next to Jack. Jack scooted back and let the nurse fuss over Kim, making sure she wasn't concussed or anything. The nurse assured Jack and Kristy that Kim was going to be just fine and left to get bandages.

"Jack, sweetie, why don't you help bring Kim inside and out of the sun?" Kristy suggested.

Kim thought it was overkill but didn't object. Her cuts burned when her joints moved and she was thankful for Jack's arm around her waist. Kristy insisted he bring her to a couch and he set her down near the arm so she could lay sideways.

Kim thanked Jack and soon the nurse returned. She had wipes and bandages and sent Kristy away, knowing she could get a little over dramatic.

"Sorry about her, she means well, she's like a grandma. But she can be a little too caring," the nurse joked.

Kim smiled but didn't say anything, she wasn't sure if she should say anything about Kristy behind her back.

"Your wrist is just bruised, but I'm going to wrap it anyways and I don't want you to do anything that puts a strain on it for a day or two. As for the rest of you, you should be fine. We'll get you all wiped off and get some bandages to let the cuts heal on their own," the nurse explained. She started to clean Kim's wounds and she hissed when the alcoholic wipes stung. The nurse bandaged Kim up and left to let Kristy know she was fine.

Finally alone, Kim sighed and tried to sit up. "You know, if you'd have just let me help you, I wouldn't have gotten hurt…" she began.

Kim tried to suppress her smirk as she looked up at Jack. But then she lost her resolve when she saw Jack shaking his head. "Of course you'd say that. I'm glad you're still your usual stubborn self, or else I'd know something was really wrong." Kim punched Jack for that comment, he had earned it calling her stubborn. "Ow, Kimmy that one actually hurt!" he complained.

"Don't think I'm going to go easy on you just because you helped me inside! I can still punch just fine and I won't hesitate to do it again!" Kim threatened.

Jack took a defensive step back and put his arms in surrender. "Okay, okay, I won't call you stubborn again, even though you are!"

Before Kim had the chance to hit Jack again Kristy came back with a glass of lemonade. "Oh I'm so glad you're okay, Kim. I think it's best if you sit down for awhile. You did good work with the french doors, we can always have someone else do the windows."

"I don't mind finishing up," Kim started.

Kristy seemed too shocked to say anything, but she didn't have to, Jack beat her to it. "Kim, I don't think that's a good idea. You don't want to hurt your wrist more than just some bruising."

Kim knew Jack was right and agreed. "Fine. But I don't want to be a burden. Jack can finish what he was working on, I'm fine to stay here until then," Kim compromised.

"Sounds like a plan," Jack hastily agreed. He knew it was the best they'd be able to get out of Kim and didn't want her insisting on helping him with his job, which he was fairly sure she'd suggest if they pushed her.

The teens both looked to Kristy, she was in charge after all, and she sighed. "Okay, I suppose that works. But I don't want any more injuries, okay? You stay out of trouble, Kim." Kristy gave Kim a pointed look and she nodded, barely avoiding rolling her eyes.

Once Kristy was sure Kim got the message, she walked back outside. Jack helped Kim up again and she limped outside and over to one of the chairs Jack had already set up. She leaned back in the chair and put her feet on the table. "I could get used to this," she sighed.

"Well don't get too comfortable, Kristy has already had me move this set twice and she's not convinced this configuration fits her 'mood of the party,' whatever that means," Jack said.

Kim giggled and watched as Jack walked in and out of the large house, carrying tables and chairs. He'd set them down with a grunt and then after a few Kristy would come over and politely ask him to make some adjustments. Then he'd go back in and bring out more. And the cycle went on like that for another 25 minutes before Kristy insisted he move the tables one last time and then leave. She was afraid if he stayed too long she'd keep changing her design and then it would ruin the integrity of her original layout.

After Jack completed the final rearrangement, he accepted a glass of lemonade and plopped into a chair next to Kim. "I really wish you didn't know how to explicitly exploit your feminal idiosyncrasies so well. Your desired outcome was a lot of heavy lifting."

Kim couldn't help but laugh at hearing Milton's words in Jack's mouth. "But you got free lemonade," Kim pointed out.

"Yeah. And a girlfriend who conveniently fell off a 3 foot window ledge and had to sit out while I did all the work!" Jack joked.

"You said it yourself: I know how to explicitly exploit my feminal idiosyncrasies," Kim shrugged.

"We really need to stop listening to Milton," Jack decided.

Kim nodded. "Yeah, too much and I don't think I'd be able to turn it off," Kim admitted.

"Oh like your feminal idiosyncrasies?" Jack said. Kim cringed at the mention and looked at Jack through squinted eyes. "Too much?" he asked.

"Yeah, one too many times…"

"Well, on that note, why don't we get out of here?" Jack stood up and grabbed Kim up as well.

They made their way to the front desk where Kim got her signed paper as proof for her service hours. "If you're feeling any better, you both are welcome to come to the party tomorrow. There is going to be music and food and dancing. Of course there will also be folks old enough to be your great grandparents, but it's a fun crowd," Kristy said.

"Thank you. Even though there was a little bump in the road, it was nice to come and help. Thank you so much for having us and for the lemonade," Kim said.

"Well, you're free to come back and help anytime you like. Young kids like you always bring some life into this old place." Kristy swatted at the air and Kim took a small step back just in case.

Jack thanked Kristy again and they finally made it out when Kristy was called away by a nurse and something about a bird's nest in the backyard. When they made it into Jack's car, he turned the car on but didn't pull out just yet.

"You know," he started, turning to Kim. "The guys and I haven't been giving you credit. As manipulative as you are, you have some feminine attributes that are good too."

Kim raised her eyebrows at Jack. "Like what?"

"Like your kisses…"

Kim giggled and was cut short when Jack leaned over the console and kissed Kim on the lips. She kissed back just as she remembered Jack called her manipulative. She pulled back up out of his reach, teasing him. Jack looked at her with a mix of confusion and yearning. Kim just responded with a short peck and turned back to face the front of the car.

"Just drive, you manipulator."

Jack shook his head. "Oh no, you owe me a favor, remember?"

"Jack, we're in the parking lot of a retirement home. That's not exactly the best place to make out," Kim pointed out.

"Fair point. What do you say we go for a drive, then?" Jack's eyebrows danced suggestively, trying to entice Kim just by looks.

Kim laughed at Jack's eagerness, amplified by her own emotions that they soon would be all alone with all the time in the world.

btw, I'm sorry to disappoint those who wanted a make out scene but I am a very single, never been in a relationship, waiting until marriage, kind of gal so really I'm doing you a favor... I wouldn't know where to start and what would be weird or normal so yeah...

ALSO, in the future, to anyone (if anyone) who cares, if I were to write more one-shots that all had a similar theme, do you like when they are separated as their own stories or do you like it if they are all grouped together into a collection of one-shots? I'm not promising anything—I was on a roll yesterday and was able to jot this story down—but I am thinking of writing more one shots with Kick (obviously) where Jack/the other guys protect Kim or take care of her or stuff like that. Thoughts? Again, no promises!