het_reccers | That '70s Show, 4, Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde

Fandom Category: That ‘70s Show
Pairing: Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde
Fic Title: Outside Looking In
Author: rebeldivaluv
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2674709/1/Outside_Looking_In
Rating/Warning(s): T
Genre: Romance, Humor
WIP?: Yes

Special Rec: 6/21

Why This Must Be Read: There are plenty of fanfics out there that deal with the mess that was made of Jackie and Hyde in Season 8 with the whole stripper-marriage fiasco, but this is definitely one of the best, and is creatively and thoughtfully done through interconnected vignettes told from the POV of all our favorite characters. Humorous and heartwarming by turns, you’ll want to read it alone for what is easily one of the best-written (if not the best) Jackie/Hyde weddings -- which is told in a highly amusing yet surprisingly touching manner through the eyes of Eric of all people.

"Hyde!" Donna broke in, unable to sit through a round of Jackie gossip, in addition to the manicure. There were only so many sacrifices you could make in a day. "I meant did you want to talk about Hyde?"

Jackie looked up at her, honest confusion in her face. "Steven? Why would I want to talk about Steven?"

"Uh, because his wife left him today? Because of the way he was looking at you, and those awful things you said to him? It just happened; you can't pretend it meant nothing."

Jackie simply shrugged, a self-defense mechanism Donna knew she had picked up from Hyde. They had influenced each other so much in their years together. Donna used to think that was a good thing; now she wasn't so sure.

"Don't do that!" she ordered. "I've had enough of that from Hyde today. Come on, Jackie. You know you can talk to me. Just tell me: are you really over Hyde?"

"Honestly? I don't know, okay? It was like, he was my whole world, and then he wasn't in my life at all, and I couldn't even let myself think about him, couldn't get closure, no matter what I said, because we never had a chance to even talk it out. He was married, and that's all there was to it. Like our time together didn't matter to him at all. Like it never even happened." The pain in Jackie's voice now that she was finally talking was so intense Donna wondered how she could ever have missed seeing it all these months.

"And now?" she asked, softly, apologetically.

Jackie shrugged again, discarding Donna's hand and turning her attention to her own nails. "And now...I don't know. He hurt me a lot, Donna. Too much, maybe. But I'm the one who let him. I'm the one who made him my world, and then demanded he make me his. I don't want to go back to that."

Fandom Category: That ‘70s Show
Pairing: Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde
Fic Title: Imagine
Author: heatherlea75
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3514459/1/Imagine
Rating/Warning(s): T
Genre: Romance, Angst
WIP?: No

Special Rec: 7/21

Why This Must Be Read: This fic is an angsty emotional rollercoaster that addresses each and every issue that Jackie and Hyde have ever had when it comes to their relationship: the underlying insecurities and lack of trust that was always just lingering beneath the surface. It’s the best emotional purge to cleanse you of any disappointment or resentment you may have felt at the show’s ending for this pair.

The plane began to speed up, and she smiled. She always liked the roller coaster nature of take-off. But beside her, she heard a sharp intake of breath, and she looked at him. He seemed pale, and his Adam's apple was bouncing though the rest of his face was Zen. "Awww, Steven, are you nervous?" she teased, keeping her tone light, smiling sweetly at him. "You wanna hold my hand?"

He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a look. "Shut your piehole, Jackie," he answered.

She giggled and turned to look out the window. The plane lifted off the ground, and again, she heard him breath deeply. She wanted to look at him, but decided not to. He was already in a lousy mood.

But then, she felt his fingers on her arm. Just lightly grazing her arm, but there nonetheless. She turned her head, but his eyes were closed underneath the sunglasses. She was tempted to put her hand on top of his, but didn't. It was better with Steven to only do so much at one time. To only give him what he asked for. She'd learned that lesson the hard way.

She smiled and shook her head, turning back to the window. Steven was so funny. Never liked to admit he needed anyone to care about him, and then when someone did, he liked it. Like when she redecorated his room. He'd groaned and grumbled about it at first. Then made her redo it after she'd given into him. To this day, he had that duvet and the candles.

Steven was so funny. So complicated.

And such a damn heartache.

Fandom Category: That ‘70s Show
Pairing: Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde
Fic Title: Tipping Point
Author: janus_74 (tanner)
Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/32659
Rating/Warning(s): T
Genre: Romance, Angst
WIP?: No

Special Rec: 8/21

Why This Must Be Read: I find that alot of S8 fics tend to focus on Hyde being the one in the wrong because he was the one who married the stripper. To me, this fic doesn’t place blame on one of them over the other, and has a particularly strong (I’d say perfect actually!) Jackie voice. The way they get back together in this is just so true to who they are as characters while also showing the new maturity that both have gained.

She was in therapy. But only because her normal retail therapy was wreaking havoc on her working girl salary and not because she was crazy or anything. He was her moms therapist before she started partying in Mexico; actually she vaguely remembered the "extended vacation" might have been this guys suggestion.

And yet, here she was sitting in his office, spilling her guts about Steven and her and the mess that everything had turned into. And heaven help her he was starting to make sense.

"I think you need to realize how your actions make other people feel." he was telling her. "This Steven, for example, from everything you've explained to me it seems like he's reacting to some incident that you have precipitated. And if I had to guess at the mindset of this man, it's probably due to some deep seeded problem from his childhood. Possibly a parental or authority figure continued to let him down and he's built a defence mechanism to stop the hurt. I believe that his actions are simply the way he deals with this disappointment and stop himself from feeling pain.

But I want you to keep in mind that while both parties are to blame, you need to take responsibility for your actions. Jackie, I fear that you may have to accept that he doesn't want you in his life anymore in the capacity that you want."

"But I'm Jackie Burkhart." she interrupted. "Of course he's going to want to be with me."

Fandom Category: That ‘70s Show
Pairing: Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde
Fic Title: Secrets
Author: Lirazel
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3130363/1/Secrets
Rating/Warning(s): T
Genre: Romance, Angst
WIP?: No

Special Rec: 9/21

Why This Must Be Read: This is an incredibly insightful look at all the secrets that Jackie and Hyde know about each other, and it really fleshes out the characters we see onscreen and the dynamics of their relationship and their story so poignantly. It’s a bittersweet read as it shows you why the two of them are meant to be together but also what keeps them apart.

He knows that she still talks to her stuffed animals. He knows that when she gets fed up with Donna's ungirly ways, she will line up all of her toy bears and dogs and unicorns and ask their advice on what color to paint her toenails (he likes it when they're red; it's sexy) or what outfit to wear today (he likes that cream thing that leaves her shoulders bare—makes it easier to kiss them—though he thinks she looks damn hot in anything) or whether her mom still loves her (he hates Pam more than just about anybody, because he more than suspects that she doesn't). After all, her mom ran off without a thought of her daughter, and so Jackie doesn't have anyone to ask about these things anymore. She chatters on and on to the toys as she moves through her room, blaring out Donnie Osmond records and hanging up rainbow posters, and he knows that, in her head, she's really talking to her mom.

He kind of wishes that she had talked to him about those things. Maybe they would have lasted longer if he'd let her talk to him more—if he'd talked toher more. Not that he actually wanted to talk about them, or even that he'd actually have given her an answer. He probably would have zoned out, not really hearing what she said. But it would have been kind of nice to know that she trusted him that much, even if he didn't deserve and broke that trust more than once. But she didn't, and he did, and that's that.