ＡＮＤ ＹＯＵＲ ＢＩＲＤ ＣＡＮ ＳＩＮＧ

𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔟𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔩𝔢𝔰

♛

"Wow, Hyde, I can't believe it," Donna exclaims as we check out the El Camino. "Your own set of wheels!"

"Yup. That's where Ana and I-"

"Shut it," I warn.

"She's the best thing that's ever happened to me," Steven says, pulling me into his side.

"You'd better be talking about me, asshole."

He offers a cheeky grin. "No promises. Oh, the only thing that was better than her was when Kelso swallowed that fish hook."

"Yeah, that was the one magic trick I could never get right," Michael sighs.

"Alright, Hyde," Eric nods, "this car is fine, but it's no Vista Cruiser."

I laugh, resting my head on my boyfriend's shoulder. "You're right. It's better."

He gasps, offended. "Oh, yeah? How many miles are you getting to the gallon?"

"Eleven," Steven answers readily.

"Okay, fine! But you know, the Cruiser seats eight! Nine, if someone sits on the stain."

"Yeah, Forman, do you have any idea how many chicks I can fit in the flatbed? Thirty-two, and that's with Big Rhonda."

I raise my eyebrows at him.

He smirks at me silently and pecks me on the lips.

Jackie walks around to the back and immediately grimaces. "Ew!"

Fez and Caroline pop up from the flatbed.

"Hello," Fez pants, helping his girlfriend out.

"What are you doing back there, Fez?" Hyde chortles.

"I was... I was just showing Caroline the back of the car... and my tongue."

"Fez this isn't your car," Kelso reminds him.

"Be quiet," he hisses.

"It's okay, Fezzie," Caroline beams. "You don't have to try to impress me anymore. I'm your girlfriend. Now, walk me home!"

Steven hugs me from behind as we watch them go. "Hey, Princess, do you want me to show you the back of the car and my tongue?"

I roll my eyes playfully and reach back to kiss him on the cheek. "Later tonight, maybe."

He grins. "Nice."

"But only if you be good."

"Fuck," he curses. "I'm shit at that."

I giggle. "You're not off to a good start."

"Ugh, can you two stop with the pillow talk?" Jackie whines.

Steven glares at her. "Fine.  Do you guys want to go cruising with me?"

"I'll pass," I say.

"Yeah, me too," Kelso nods. "I'm too mature for that now."

"Ooh!" Jackie chirps, pulling me and Donna to the side. "Do you guys want to go to the mall?"

"As fun as that sounds, Jackie, I'll have to say no," the redhead answers.

"Me too," I sigh. "I'm trying to cut down on my spending."

"Saving is stupid," Jackie scoffs. "Come on."

"No, Jackie."

"Fine!"

"I'll go with you," Kelso offers.

"Okay!" she beams. "Let me go get my beret and some Certs with Retsyn."

"Cool."

Hyde scowls as she rushes into the Formans' house. "Wait a second, man, you're too mature to go cruising with me, but you'll go to the mall with Jackie?"

"It's this new thing we're trying, man, we're friends! See, I did some reflecting, and I realized that Jackie is the only girl I want to be with. We were meant to be together. She just doesn't know it yet. But I have a plan."

"Oh, no."

"Oh, yeah. See, she wants to just be friends, right? So I'll be her friend, but what she doesn't realize is that I'm also a boy. Yeah, sooner or later, 'friend' is going to lead down the path to 'boy', and I'll be her 'friend-boy'!"

Steven nods with a hint of a smile on his lips. "That is a great plan."

Jackie comes out and starts walking with him.

"That is a terrible plan."

"Look on the bright side," Eric shrugs. "Maybe we'll be there if it all blows up in his face."

"When it all blows up in his face," I correct.

I frown as Steven gently rests his hands on my hips and starts guiding me toward the garage. "What are you doing?"

He lifts me up and plops me onto the flatbed with a devilish smirk. "Showing you the back of the car."

♛

"Hey, Mrs. Forman," Steven chimes, walking into the Formans' kitchen with me in tow. "Happy birthday."

We hold our gifts out to her. I ended up meeting up with Jackie and Kelso at the mall anyway, managing to drag my boyfriend along, and we picked out two simple pendants for her.

"Oh," she coos, tearing up. "I can't believe you remembered."

"How could we forget?" I smile.

"You two are the first people to say anything all day!"

I frown. "That's extremely rude. I should go yell at them... well, at least Eric."

"No!" she snaps. "If they don't figure it out on their own, they'll meet the wrath of Kitty! I can finally punish them!"

She opens each gift. "Oh, these are beautiful. Thank you so much."

Steven leans down for a kiss on the cheek, and I do the same... minus the leaning down.

"Do you two want to stay over for dinner?"

"I'm alright, Mrs. Forman," I say politely. "Although, if it's okay with you, I'll take a sandwich."

"Me too," Steven nods.

She puts together a sloppy joe. "Now, a sandwich is a sandwich, but a Manwich is a meal!"

Hyde takes the sandwich, thanks her and disappears while she makes another for me.

"So," she giggles.

I raise an eyebrow. "So?"

She nudges me with her shoulder. "What's up with you and Steven?"

I try to appear nonchalant, although my cheeks are probably too pink for that since she giddily laughs.

"Oh, are you two dating? I saw you kissing that Michael at the Veterans' Day barbecue, but I hoped it wouldn't last. And Steven came in and started complaining about it, and he said," she does her best Hyde impression, "'If I like her, shoot me!' and I said 'Pow!'"

I chuckle. "Yes, Mrs. Forman, we are dating."

"Oh!" she gossips. "I always thought you two would be good together. Has he given you his class ring yet?"

"He wears it on his pinkie. And I still have the one from when I first moved here, so-"

She gasps dramatically. "He gave you one right away? Oh, it was love at first sight!"

"Mrs. Forman, it's not that big of a deal-"

"Okay, okay, I'll keep quiet," she gushes. "Just remember what I told you a little while ago. Steven is still a boy, and I know you've gotten around, but take your time with him."

"Got it, Mrs. Forman."

"Good. Now take your Womanwich and go!"

I grab the sloppy joe and thank her before walking out to the driveway.

♛

The next day, Red's voice snaps as I finish up a leftover Womanwich in the garage, dangling my legs off the side of a table. "What are you doing here?"

I shrug, hiding the fact that he scared the living shit out of me. "Just eating my Womanwich."

"Oh," he nods. "Where are the rest of your dumbass friends?"

"Jackie and Kelso are at the mall and everyone else is at the Hub."

"Why aren't you with them?"

"Didn't feel like going. How'd it go with Kitty?"

He chuckles dryly. "Eric and I remembered fifteen minutes before midnight. We got her a present though?"

"A present? What'd you get her?"

He scratches the back of his neck. "We gave her a funnel."

"A funnel?"

"From the kitchen."

"From the kitchen?" 

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in," he laughs.

I smile as he lifts himself onto the table next to me.

"So, uh, I heard you're with Steven now."

I bite my lip, hoping that this conversation won't be awkward. "Yeah. Kitty told you?"

"Did you ask her to be quiet about it?"

"No. She told me she would be, but women aren't always truthful," I grin.

"You can say that again," he agrees before pausing. "Look, Anastasia, Steven means a lot to us, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't care about him. But if he hurts you and I find out, I will make sure to stick my foot so far up his ass that it comes out of his dopehead mouth."

I gape at him for a moment before clearing my throat with a small smirk. "Thanks, Red."

"Yeah, whatever."

"I don't think he'll do anything though."

"You can never completely trust boys. Hell, you can't even trust men most of the time."

I look down at my hands and examine the ring on my right middle finger. "I'll have to hope that he won't do anything too stupid, then."

He scoffs. "Good luck."

I hesitate before asking him the question I've been wanting to ask for some time now. "Why do you guys care about me so much? I mean, I'm just one of your son's idiot friends. Is it..." I trail off.

"Spit it out," he says softly, probably intending for it to be harsh.

I lower my tone. "Is it pity? Because my parents are assholes?"

He doesn't even yell at me to watch my language. "No," he answers easily. "If it were out of pity, we would have just called Child Protective Services. Or, Kitty would have."

"So why?"

"Honestly, I don't know. You're likeable, and you look out for your friends. You're our neighbor. We act like your parents sometimes. I mean, look at me now, I'm telling you that if your boyfriend hurts you, I'll crush him. I don't know how to explain it, but you're... something of an honorary Forman."

I laugh. "I appreciate it."

"And hey, you're a kid that I don't have to pay for! How great is that?"

"Yeah, it's pretty great," I admit. "Red, thanks so much. Really. I don't want to get sappy or whatever, but I've never really had a dad. So you're really cool for kind of stepping in there."

"You're welcome."

He meets my eyes for a moment and awkwardly opens his arms. I let him hug me, scooting closer to him to make it easier.

I know that he doesn't like showing affection, too, so that makes it all the more valuable.

I wrap my arms around his torso and he kisses the top of my head.

♛

"Hi," I grin, my face so close to Hyde's that our noses are touching.

He smirks at me. "Hi."

"Hi."

"This is annoying but weirdly cute. I don't get it."

"It's 'cause you're a softie inside," I tease, watching his blue eyes examine my features.

"Am not!" he protests.

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am-"

I silence him by gently pressing my lips against his.

He pulls back after a second or two and rests his forehead on mine. "Hey, Princess?"

"Hm?" I hum.

"You're really hot."

I laugh, kiss his cheek, and let him lay me down onto my bed and pull me into his chest. "I know."

"I love-" he pauses. "I like you... a lot."

I smile softly. "I know."

♛

I've been nonstop simping for the beatles for the past week

I just want to say thank you for all the support! It's unreal to me that so many people enjoy my work <3

As always, feedback, comments, and votes are appreciated!

Love you guys so much,

Lissy

P.S.: And Your Bird Can Sing is such a good song and i also love the fact that "bird" can be British slang for "girl"