-----
I guess I wasn't the best one to ask
Me myself, with my face pressed up against love's glass
To see the shiny toy I'd been hoping for
The one I never could afford
-----

Jet Black rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, smudging a bit of potting dirt on his skin. The bonsai on the table before him remained untouched by the clippers in his right hand.

"Do we have anything for breakfast?" Faye called. She'd come out into the livingroom strutting like a peacock.
He looked up suspiciously. "Check the fridge." Snipping a tiny branch, he added, "I'm not saying you'll find anything there, though."

She bent forward from her waist, investigating the refrigerator as if sticking her head inside would yield sight of some food she'd missed before.
Milk, mushrooms, and one bell pepper. She sighed in melodramatic despair, despite the pleasant feeling of the cold air against her skin.
"Come on, there's got to be some reserves or something"

"You ate those, remember?" Jet gave her a pointed sidelong glance. "Don't complain. We'll be on Mars in a few hours, and you can stuff your face all you want there."

Faye blinked and pouted. If I had any cash, you mean, she thought. She shut the refrigerator door and stood up, stretching her back and arms with a petulant purr.
"In a few hours, huh? Like how many?"
"Four or five, looks like."
She smiled childishly and hopped over to the couch opposite him. "Sounds like a good time for a read and a catnap." Digging a fashion magazine from underneath the couch, she flipped it open to an unread page and lay across the couch on her side.

She seems a lot less grumpy than usual, Jet mused. Maybe she's a morning person after all. He rubbed his chin with a gloved hand, contemplating the next cut on the tiny tree. Contemplating not looking past the bonsai towards Faye's loose tank top. Contemplating thirst.

He stood and removed his gloves. "I'm going to make some jasmine tea."

Faye looked up.

"Well? Do you want any?"

Her eyes fall back onto her magazine. "Sure, that'd be nice."

She really is less grumpy today. Wonder what's up. He pulled the dented teakettle out from the crowded kitchen cabinet and filled it with water. Aah, who knows what decides a woman's mood, anyhow. They change their minds as often as waves hit the shore. I just hope this mood sticks around for a while. It's... it's good to see her happy.

Faye lay silently on the livingroom couch, her eyes focused somewhere past the page in front of her face. Jasmine tea, huh. She scanned a few more lines of the magazine article. Yeah, I guess he seems like a tea type of guy
She yawned widely, tears beading at the corners of her eyes. The ship's low-level hum surrounded her; through it, various sounds reached her ears: the light metallic taps of the teakettle and heating stove from the kitchen; the buzz of the refrigerator's cooling element; the distant hiss of running water as Spike showered
A contented smile crept softly across her lips as she reflected on the morning's unexpected sequence of events, then faded as her thoughts slipped deeper. I wonder what the deal is, why he's so gloomy. It's not healthy to be hung up like that. You should enjoy opportunities that come your way, right? I certainly do.
Her smile returned, and she hummed happily, replaying in her mind the sensations she'd relished earlier. For the first time in three years, she felt filled.
She stretched her arms and legs past the edges of the couch, and turned onto her side, and quickly fell into a light, peaceful sleep.

Jet found a baking sheet that sufficed as a tea tray. Improvise, improvise. It's what you've got to do in this life use whatever opportunity comes your way He hummed a soft tune as he poured the tea into two Japanese-style porcelain cups. The steam condensed along the lips of the glazed clay, forming hundreds of tiny shining beads. He placed the teakettle alongside the cups on the baking sheet and carried the set into the livingroom.
Gingerly descending the short half-steps, he smiled vaguely, amused at how housefrau-ish he must look. Whatever. It's a good morning today, we'll land on Mars soon - what's better than a hot cup of tea and
Faye lay asleep on the couch, breathing softly.
Heh. Okay, so she's not a morning person after all.

Jet set the metal tray on the table next to the bonsai. Lifting a teacup to his lips, he noticed Faye shifting as she sighed in her sleep. The fabric of her top, caught underneath her body, pulled and stretched over her back. Her hair fell softly across her graceful white neck.
The scent of jasmine blossoms and the sight of Faye's deceptively delicate curves filled his senses. Faye stirred again, and the sleeve of her loose tank top fell wide, revealing the very edge of her right breast, and much of her back.

Jet's eyes narrowed when he noticed the deep red marks across and underneath her shoulder blade.

A split-second of consternation dissolved, and sank cold and heavy into his chest. He swallowed a mouthful of tea without tasting it.

When you held her, Spike, did you even take a moment to really notice her? Did you even want her one tenth as much as...

Far behind him, the hiss of the shower stopped abruptly.
Jet shut his eyes and sipped his tea, hoping the steam would clear his mind.

-----
Always closing my eyes and wishing I'm fine
Even though I know I'm not this time
Dodging your memories, a field of knives
Always on the outside looking in on other's lives
And I say, love will come to you...
-----

Notes from the whole grain author:
Lyrics are from "Love Will Come to You". This song reminded me of Jet, so blame the Indigo Girls for this fic.

All throughout working on "Getting Even", I kept feeling sorry for Jet because he was left out. ;_; He always gets left out, poor guy. I think he had a thing for Faye towards the end of the show. I did't think he would react well when he found out Faye and Spike hooked up (hey, he's Jet, he can put two and two together), but hopefully sometime soon he'll find out that Faye isn't really in love with Spike... right? I hope so. Hang in there, Jet! You'll have a chance someday soon!

::waves "Go Go Jet Black" flag::