Disclaimer: I own nothing. I don't own anything from That 70's Show (Wish I did but I don't) and I do not own the song "The Good Stuff" that's Kenny Chesney's. (I wish I owned my but I don't sadly)
Author's Note: This idea came to me after hearing the song on the radio the other day. It's another Red gives advice to Hyde cause those moments are fav, mostly cause they're two of my top five fav characters! Anywoo lemme know what you think and Enjoy!
The Good Stuff
It was only minutes before midnight when Steven Hyde climbed down the apartment stairs and out of the building heading to his El Camino. He couldn't stay in the apartment any longer or he really would blow. Starting the engine, not bothering to turn the radio on, he just drove off not knowing where he was going and not really caring. As he drove, he kept thinking about the argument he'd just been apart of, not paying attention to the direction he was going in but trying his best to realize where a stop sign was.
Somehow, probably because he'd traveled the street so many times before, he ended up in front of his childhood home.
Not where he lived with Edna, that was his childhood house; this place was his childhood home.
He climbed out of his car and headed to the side door, hoping it was unlocked. The lights in the kitchen were off, and though Mrs. Forman had always said the kids were welcome any time day or night Red was a different story. When he slid the glass to the side, Hyde wasn't sure if he should've felt relieved or worried. They really had to start locking their doors.
Hyde walked through the dark kitchen, never switching on the lights and into the living room where he found a tired looking Red standing by the bar.
"Hey Red." Hyde greeted stopping Red from pouring some wine into the glass.
"Damn it. I knew I should have locked the backdoor first." came Red's greeting.
Hyde gave a smirk as he took a seat on the barstool and Red rolled his eyes and released a small groan.
"You're not leaving until I ask what's wrong, are you?"
Hyde shook his head and Red sighed.
"Alright, what'll it be?" Red asked in his annoyed, but not really annoyed, tone of voice.
Hyde looked around at the various bottles trying to decide. But the argument had shaken him up so much he couldn't even think of asking for a beer. "I don't know, man. The good stuff."
Red looked at his son with a serious look in his eyes, "You can't find that here."
"Mrs. Forman finish it?"
Hyde's joke did not amuse Red.
"No." he sternly said, "There is no drink ever made by man, worthy enough to be called 'the good stuff.' You wanna know what the good stuff is?"
Hyde bit his tongue and kept a comment concerning a certain something to himself, letting Red continue.
"The good stuff is… well it's like that first long kiss on a second date."
Hyde thought back to all those long second date kisses, but one stuck out the most and it was on a first date.
"Then you get back home ten minutes late, to a mother who was worrying her head off because you weren't home on time." Red continued.
Hyde snorted "Yeah, good one Red."
"Alright, well what about when you proposed?" Red questioned. "Huh? When you got down on one knee, had your palms sweating, stumbled on your words, and still she agreed to spend the rest of her life with you?"
Hyde frowned, "I didn't stumble on my words and my hands weren't sweaty." he said defensively.
Red looked at the younger man, not believing a word he'd said, "Steven, when I proposed to Kitty my hands were shaking so much I dropped the ring in the spaghetti plate. I can only imagine what kind of stunt you pulled."
Hyde shifted in his seat as he thought about when he proposed and how he had opened to ring box to reveal nothing in it. He'd left it at home on his dresser, as he had earlier that day tired to make the box look perfect for the ring.
Red's voice broke him from his thoughts.
"The way that she looks with the rice in her hair, when the two of you are running out of the church."
Hyde looked over at Red, thinking he'd be met with the same somber expression. So he was surprised when he saw a small grin and a far away look on the older man's face. Hyde guessed he was thinking of Kitty. He'd seen their wedding pictures and Kitty did look beautiful, just like his own bride had.
"And let's not forget those burnt meals." Red said with a chuckle.
"Yeah." Hyde agreed. For the past year that seemed to be the only thing he'd been eating at home. "Wait a minute, you mean Mrs. Forman was a bad cook too?"
"All new brides are Steven. But all they need is some practice and motivation, which is why you keep asking for seconds. That and because you don't want a visit from Niagara Falls."
For the first time since he got there Hyde let out a laugh, not a long loud one but a laugh none the less.
"And there's still so much you two are gonna go through, that are gonna are gonna make up 'the good stuff.' And it's all stronger than any kind of whiskey." Red continued to say as he pointed his index finger at Hyde. "The sight of Kitty holding a newborn Laurie, in the hospital bed is still as clear in my head as it was the day it happened."
Hyde watched his father, surprised by his almost happy mood.
"The way she jumped around the room, the day I gave her that string of pearls when Eric married Donna." Red continued, "And that t-shirt she gave me that said 'I'm a Grandpa'."
"You still have that thing?" Hyde asked in disbelief.
Kitty had given Red the t-shirt the day Donna gave birth to Luke Robert Forman. She'd bought one for herself, hers saying 'I'm a Grandma', and was thrilled to wear it, Red however wasn't a happy camper. Still, he wore the shirt and the pictures in the baby album were the perfect piece of evidence.
"Damn straight." he replied with a smirk.
Hyde shook his head; he didn't realize what a softie Red could be.
"You know what one of my favorite parts is?" Red asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Do I wanna know?" Hyde asked showing the same expression.
Red frowned as he shared, "I'm talking about me being here with her and her being here with me, just as we've been for the past thirty years. And we'll keep being there for each other, holding the others hand, until the good Lord calls one of us up. That Steven, is the good stuff."
Hyde was silent, taking in Red's words. Trying to picture himself and the woman he'd been fighting with, ever being like the Formans. He shrugged. It could happen.
"Red we had a fight…"
Red titled his head, "Really?" he asked sarcastically.
"Yeah." Hyde said releasing a soft chuckle at Red's actions.
"Alright this is what you're gonna do." Red began, as he turned his voice back to the strict, firm tone Hyde was used to hearing. "When you get home she'll start to cry. And as soon she sees you, she'll say 'I'm sorry.'"
"Awesome." Hyde said with a smirk on his lips.
"When she does you say 'So am I.' Dumbass." he muttered the last word just loud enough for Hyde to hear, "Then you look into those eyes, that for some reason, are full of love just for you. And you drink that up."
"That's the good stuff?" Hyde questioned and Red nodded.
"Red?" a familiar female voice called from upstairs, causing both men to look at the direction of the stairs but saw no one.
Red poured some wine into the glass that stood beside the one he had filled when Hyde had come in. He cleared his throat, "Now if you'll excuse me I've got some other good stuff to take care."
He grabbed the two glasses, one for him and one for Kitty, and headed up the living room stairs. Hyde watched him for awhile before shaking his head. Yeah ending up like the two of them wouldn't be too bad.
******
Hyde opened the apartment door and walked in. The lights were on so he knew his wife wasn't asleep, what he didn't know was where she was. He opened his mouth to call her name but when he saw a small figure walk towards him, he stopped.
She walked to him with her arms crossed as she glared at him.
"Steven." she greeted coldly.
'Note to self.' Hyde thought to himself, 'Never listen to Red again.' There was no way his wife was going to start crying and apologize.
"J…"he managed to say before the tiny brunette though her arms around him.
"I'm sorry." she cried shocking Hyde so much, it took him a few seconds before he wrapped his arms around her.
'That man is a God.' Hyde thought before remembering what else Red had shared with him tonight.
"So am I, Jackie."
Jackie pulled away abit, just so she could see his. "Really?"
Hyde looked down at her and saw past the tears in her eyes and saw nothing but love.
"Yeah." he kissed her forehead, "I don't need to have that guys weekend. They're a bunch of morons anyways. I don't want that"
Jackie laughed, "Well what do you want?"
Looking into Jackie's eyes he told her the truth. "The good stuff."
The End
Author's Note: So what'd you think? Please let me know by leaving a review it'll really mean a lot! Until next time, thanks for reading, hope you liked, please review, take care, bye!