ＣＡＮ＇Ｔ ＨＥＬＰ ＦＡＬＬＩＮＧ ＩＮ ＬＯＶＥ

𝔢𝔩𝔳𝔦𝔰 𝔭𝔯𝔢𝔰𝔩𝔢𝔶

♜

My head rests on Fez's shoulder as the gang, plus Red, unfortunately, sits silently in the basement.

I examine the faces of everyone seated around me, going down the line. 

Wow, Hyde looks like he's having the time of his life. I'm being sarcastic in my own head. Why am I being sarcastic in my own head?

Jackie stares intensely at him, squinting and widening her eyes furiously. She probably thinks she has love powers or something.

Donna frowns before shifting her tongue inside of her mouth. Counting teeth?

Fez, who is on the floor with me, wraps an arm around me with a smile and picks up a dirty M&M from the floor before spitting it back out into a napkin.

Eric gazes miserably at the T.V., his eyes half-lidded in exhaustion. I wrinkle my nose as a nasty smell fills the room and he looks around at everyone suspiciously.

Kelso grins giddily, probably thinking about how good he looks.

Red just glares at all of us, making eye contact with me and giving me a look that clearly says, They're all dumbasses.

Kitty enters through the door closest to her husband with a box in her hands. "So, how's it going?"

"Really well," Red sighs. "The foreign kid just ate something off of the floor."

I chuckle quietly as Fez smiles sheepishly.

"Okay, well," Kitty announces, "Eric, your father is going to drive me to work."

"That's right. And if you do anything wrong, I'll know, because one of you is a snitch. You just think about that while I'm gone."

"Well, they're not going to do anything wrong because I brought a box of activities to occupy their time."

Fez takes it and moves past me to sit on Red's previous seat.

"So, be good and have fun! Do crafts, not drugs!

"Ooh, a model airplane and glue!" Fez chimes.

Red stops and snatches the glue from his hands before slamming the door behind him.

Kelso pulls me into his lap so that I don't have to sit on the floor and I smile gratefully, only briefly thinking about our almost-kiss.

"Princess, man, do you know how to disable smoke alarms?" Hyde asks. "I thought maybe, with your family being in the mafia and all, that you'd know some of that spy stuff?"

"God, not again with the mafia shit," I groan with a small laugh, glad that I'm making progress in getting over him and that we can banter as per usual.

"So... is that a no?"

I roll my eyes. "No, you asshole."

"Okay. Can we do Circle at your house, then?"

"Red put a hair on the doorknob to make sure we wouldn't leave."

"We'll use the front door!"

"Laurie."

"You're friends with her! Bribe her out of it!"

"If Laurie wants to get Eric in trouble, nothing will stop her."

He rubs his hands over his face and offers weakly, "We'll sneak out?"

"Seven people?"

He scoffs. "Man, whatever. I guess we'll just have to wait."

Fez raises his hand. "Does anyone have glue?"

♜

I tie my dark hair into a braid, checking myself out in the mirror before heading outside to the Cruiser. Since Red has finally revoked Eric and Hyde's curfew, the boys and I have decided to go out for some drinks.

I hop into the backseat and they immediately begin catcalling me, with the exception of Eric, as he thinks of me as a sister.

"Shut up," I blush, turning my attention to the dirt on the window.

"Who are you trying to impress, little lady?" Eric chuckles, glancing at me through the rearview mirror.

"No one, dumbass."

"You're wearing your favorite necklace."

"Is that a new perfume?" Kelso adds, draping an arm around my shoulders.

"Tell us, Princess," Hyde smirks. "Are you trying to get picked up?"

I roll my eyes. "That's rich coming from you, manwhore."

"Burn!" Michael exclaims cheerfully.

"I'm seriously not trying to attract anyone. I just haven't gone out in a while and I want to look nice."

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you that you'll be attracting a lot of attention in that tiny Point Place bar," Eric warns. "People are going to see your clothes, correctly assume that you're rich, and try to get money out of you. This isn't a high-level New York club, Ana."

"Whatever." I scoff and turn my head away again, but I begin to double-guess myself. Did I overdress?

When we get out of the car, Eric, Fez, and Kelso dash to the doors of the bar, but Hyde hangs behind and takes his jean jacket off, handing it to me.

"What is that for?" I genuinely question.

He looks me in the eye. "So you don't get asked for money." Although his words make sense, I know that they aren't completely truthful.

I gratefully accept it. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He wraps an arm around my waist and starts guiding me in, leaning down to mumble softly. "You look fine, by the way."

I smile gently, feeling slightly guilty for appreciating the physical contact from him so much. At least he isn't being an ass.

"Finally," Eric sneers as we enter the bar. "We didn't want to ask for drinks without you, Hyde."

"Why not?"

"We were scared," he whimpers.

"Alright, whatever," Steven sighs. "Let's drink."

We approach the bar and I feel him tense as soon as the bartender faces us, since he still holds me close to him.

"So, is school out early?" the man asks, catching us completely off-guard.

"Yeah, we're just-" Kelso starts.

"Kelso, shut  up," Eric hisses.

"I mean, no. No, we're old. We're all workers. Constructions workers. Hey, fellas, did you see that brick today? Wow!"

"Relax, guys," the bartender says. "It's 'Serve a Minor Night' at the old 'Don't Have a Liquor License Saloon.'"

"In that case, we'll have four beers and a mojito, please," I smirk.

"Sure thing," he chuckles. "You're not a lightweight, are you?"

I shrug with a small smile. "I'm tougher than I look."

He prepares my drink and slides beers to the guys. While handing Hyde his beer, he pauses. "You look familiar. Do I know you?"

"I should hope so," Hyde nods coldly. "Dad."

I almost choke on my mojito as the man's jaw drops. He quickly regains his composure and a grin spreads across his face.

"Hey, Steven!" he beams, shaking his free hand firmly.

"So you're Hyde's dad?" Kelso queries.

"Well, that's what his mother says!" the man attempts to joke. Wow, he is royally fucking up. "Kidding!"

"Hello, Mr. Hyde's Dad, I am Pez," Fez chimes, using his fake name. "I've heard much about you."

"All good things, I hope?"

"Well, if running out on your family and becoming a drunk is good, then yes."

I send a proud nod Fez's way, but the apprehension in the air is suffocating.

 I start to slink away with the other boys before Steven pulls me back to his side. I assume he wants someone there for comfort, and it wouldn't look very tough these days if he had one of the guys latched onto his hip, so I let him hold me there and rub his back soothingly.

"Wow, look at you!" his father gushes. "You're bigger! And you've got your mom's hair... and her sideburns! Is this your girlfriend? I like her!"

"I'm not his girlfriend," I say stiffly. "And, unfortunately, I can't say I like you very much, sir."

He glances at the both of us, struggling to keep a smile on his face in response to our stoic expressions. "So, how long has it been?"

"Eight years and fifty-one days," Steven answers quickly.

"Wow!" he laughs. "Time really flies when you're-"

"Drunk?"

"I was going to say 'having fun,' 'but, same thing!"

"Uh-huh. How long have you been back for?"

"Well, let's see. That must be about a year."

Hyde's hand drops from my hips. "A year?"

"Yeah, I was going to call you, but-"

"You were going to call me? Oh, man, that makes you, like... I don't know, what, Father of the Year?" He shakes his head in disbelief and pushes past him. "I'll see you around. 'Dad.'"

I down the rest of my mojito and snatch Hyde's beer as the man looks at me hopefully.

"I'm Bud, it's nice to meet you," he introduces himself, attempting to lighten the situation up, but I'm not having any of it.

I look at his extended hand and back up to his face. "Okay."

On my way out, I toss a bill on the table for the boys.

I find Steven on the curb with his hands tangled in his hair, not unlike the way I found him months ago on Career Day.

"Hey," I greet softly, joining him and smoothing out my dress.

"Hey."

"Do you still want your beer?"

"Yeah, thanks."

I play with the ring for a few moments after handing it to him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Then, who are you going to talk about it to?"

"No one."

I bite my lip. "I won't tell anyone you talked to me about it, if that's what you're worried about."

He exhales heavily and meets my gaze. His eyes reveal the amount of pain he's in, even if he doesn't admit it verbally.

"It's just so frustrating, you know?" he rants. "Not only does he come back and not call me, but when he sees me for the first time in eight years he tries to pretend that everything's fine. It's bullshit, man!"

"I know."

"And I'm sorry, Ana. I get that things are rocky between us and I get why and you shouldn't have to be here to support me right now."

"I don't have to, I choose to."

"Why?"

"Because you're my friend." 

I spread my arms and he accepts the hug, holding me tightly although my words don't hold the entire truth. 

I kiss his cheek. "It'll be fine."

He chuckles dryly into my shoulder. "How do you know that?"

"I don't. But we just have to hold onto that and hope it's true."

♜

"Jackie didn't give me the time of the day," Fez pouts as he rambles about his attempt to seduce Jackie, his nose in a nudie mag. "I hate this stupid magazine. Oh, no I don't, I love you."

Hyde chuckles as he looks at his own. "Fez, check this out. 'Tight pants turn a man's derriere into a lady's dream. And an open shirt shows a sexy chest and an irresistible joie de vivre.'"

"Really? I always thought my joie de vivre was in my pants."

"Joie de vivre means 'joy of life,' dum-dums," I giggle, accidentally bumping my head on Donna's shoulder.

"Okay, I can't believe I'm going to ask you guys this," she says, "but if any of you losers had a girlfriend, would you still look at those magazines?"

"Hey, I had two girlfriend plus a little action on the side, and I still looked at those magazines."

"You had action on the side?" Hyde frowns. "Who?"

Michael nods toward me with a wink.

"Stop it, you liar," I scoff after getting my laughs in order. "We've never done it with each other. It was that one girl from Sacred Heart."

"Sacred Heart?" Hyde raises his eyebrows.

"You wouldn't know her."

"Man, who was it?"

"Okay, does anybody here have an opinion that isn't a skeevy pig?" Donna interrupts.

"I'm glad you asked, Donna," Fez chirps. "If I had Jackie, I would never look at those magazines. Unless she's on the phone... or is shopping... or taking a short nap."

"Look, Donna," Steven sighs. "This is just the way guys are, okay? I mean, if Forman was actually dating the 'Naught Campus Co-Eds,' he'd be locked in a bathroom, looking at naked pictures of you!"

Kelso's face lights up. "Are there naked pictures of you guys?"

"Shut up, Kelso!" she snaps, smacking him.

"I think they're right," I input. "I mean, it's not like we don't do similar stuff."

"They're not supposed to know about that," she whispers gleefully at their incredulous expressions.

I'm unable to fight the smirk off my face. "Be quiet, Donna, this is how you get them to worship you."

♜

I flip through a Cosmo, reading about "Why Strong, Terrific Girls Get Hopelessly Involved with Losers".

Hyde steps out of his room with a large bag, quietly shutting the door behind him.

I furrow my eyebrows, setting the magazine down. "Where are you going?"

He turns on his heel. "I'm moving in with Bud."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Alright, well, um..." I approach him so that we stand in front of each other. "Make sure he takes care of you. Okay?"

"Okay." He purses his lips and carefully kisses my forehead. "I'll see you around, Princess."

"Bye, Steven."

♜

Oh my god I'm so soft for them in this chapter LMAO

i hope it doesn't seem like they're getting over their fight too quickly but she's fuckin crushing on him I'm not gonna have her ignore the fact that he's upset in this chapter lol

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

Another shoutout to @ThisCupOfTea for always being so amazing and supportive <3 love you hun

Love ALL of you,

Lissy!

P.S.: I was WAITING to use this song but no chapter before this one felt right lol, and thank you Google Translate for teaching me what joie de vivre means

P.P.S.: yep, that's a real Cosmo title