Work Text:
“Rising up, back on the street, did my time, took my chances, SING IT, JACK!”
“Went the distance, now I’m back on my feet, just a man and his will to surviiiiiiive” Jack yells at his jogging father. Aaron laughs so hard, he stops jogging, his hands on his knees as he stops in the middle of the park track. “Dad, are you okay?” Jack calls from his bike. Aaron just waves a hand in his general direction as he takes deep breaths.
“C’mon, baby, we got two more miles to go,” you chant as you circle Aaron on your rollerblades. “Water bottle?” you offer, leaning down to duck under his head and meet his eyes. He accepts it gratefully and takes a swig before pouring a small amount over his head and standing up straight, jogging in place.
“Okay… Okay, I’m ready.”
“Are you sure? You have the right idea, you should stand there and rest a bit more,” you insist, licking your lips lasciviously as you watch small rivulets of water travel down his neck and arms. He laughs at this, tossing the bottle and you, and you catch it, squealing giddily as you skate backwards. “Catch me if you can, love!” you yell as you turn around and speed down the track, red skates like fire as you hurtle towards Jack, a huge smile on your face. “Bike fast, baby! Gotta make daddy run for it!” Jack shrieks out a laugh and pedals his red bike as fast as his little feet can, and you coast along backwards as you taunt your boyfriend. “Old age affecting your speed, sweetie?
“Oh, don’t you wish, Y/N!” he yells back, quickly gaining on you. He sprints, pumping his legs forward as his arm shoots out towards you, only for you to twirl to the side and watch as he stumbles forward. You snort as he attempts to recover and not fall on his hands, Jack snickering from a few feet in front of the two of you.
“I don’t gotta wish when you got agility like that, do I?” you tease, skating in literal circles around him. You turn around, and you’re about to glide towards Jack when a hand wraps around your wrist and pulls. Your feet slip out from under you as Aaron’s other hand wraps around your waist, the two of you falling back against the plush, emerald Spring grass and your body propped on top of his. You smile down at him as your braids brush against his cheeks, and he smiles back, loving the way the sunlight coming through the leaves and gives your dark hair a golden hue. He takes advantage of the way you get lost in his cocoa-colored eyes and slips his fingers under the hem of your shirt, tickling your stomach. You collapse on top of him in a fit of giggles, stuttering into his shoulder pleas for him to stop. Aaron only laughs at your torture, flipping you over so you lay back on the grass and he sits next to you, both hands frantically wriggling against the taut skin of your abdomen.
“Jack!” he calls behind him with amusement in his voice. “Come help tickle Momma with me!”
“Okay, Daddy!” he replies, abandoning his bike on the grass and tickling your tummy alongside his father. You writhe on the ground, tears in your eyes, as one of Jack’s hands attack your underarm. You try to crawl away only for Aaron to wrap his arms around your waist and pull you into his lap, his strong hands gripping your sides. Jack climbs into your lap to attack your underarms and neck, but you retaliate by lifting his shirt and pouncing on his squishy tummy. The three of you roll around on the grass in a happy puppy pile until you come out victorious, sitting on Aaron’s back and clutching Jack to your chest, trapping his arms. You rub your nose against his neck, play biting him while he wiggles in glee in your arms, until Aaron flips over. You land on your back with a thump on the grass, and Jack’s weight falls on your stomach, knocking the breath out of you. The pressure on your ribcage doesn’t alleviate until Aaron scoops the two of you into his arms in a group hug, both you and Jack smiling contentedly as you both nestle into the embrace. Aaron is brushing a kiss against your forehead when you hear a sweet voice calling out in surprise.
“Jack? Aaron? Is that you?” All three of you turn, and Jack waves happily.
“Hi, Beth!” he chirps, stepping out of the hug and running to Beth, who even in a plain black jogging suit and beanie, looks statuesque and collected. As you get up, Aaron chivalrously offering you a hand as you stabilize yourself on your skates, you look down at yourself at grimace, thinking your red running shorts and tank must make you look blotchy and your braids must be in all kinds of sweaty disarray.
“Beth! It’s so good to see you!” Aaron says, hugging her perfunctorily. “When did you get back in town? How long are you here?” Beth’s nails dig into Aaron’s running tank as they hug, and her hand rests oh-so-innocently when they part. You narrow your eyes slightly before gliding to stand in between Aaron and Jack.
“I’m actually here to stay! The director at the Smithsonian in DC decided that I was too valuable an archaeologist to let stay away for too long, so they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse! And all the people I love and care about are here, so it wasn’t that hard of a decision,” she states with a modest tilt of the head. You clench your jaw at the subtle bragging and flirtatious body behavior before taking a deep breath and relaxing your shoulders. You knew that was your anxiety talking; you knew that was just your jealousy and insecurity reading too much into every word, so you smile, knowing that Beth must be a lovely person and that you must accept that about her.
“That’s great! You have to tell us about Hong Kong sometime. That reminds me, Beth, this is Y/N, my girlfriend. Y/N, this is Beth,” he says, leaving out how he knows her. He knows you know. You hold out your hand with a charming smile.
“Hello, Beth! I’ve heard so much about you from Jack and Aaron, including about your work. I would love to hear about some of the fascinating artifacts you helped uncover and catalogue in the East sometime,” you say as you shake hands. Beth smiles back and gives you a subtle once over as she looks down at you. Even on rollerblades, you’re shorter than her, what the hell.
“Why, thank you! It really was such illuminating work and a great milestone for my career, I was so grateful for the opportunity.” She points cutely at your feet. “Are those rollerblades? I haven’t seen those for years! You know, running is a much more effective method of cardio, I’d be happy to give you some tips sometime… Y/N? It is Y/N, right?” she asks with a polite smile and another tilt of the head. Your smile becomes tight as you nod and bite the inside of your cheek at the unbelievable shade she just threw at you. She wanna play that game, you’ll play; you grew up in the South, the fuckin birthplace of saccharine sweet venom.
“Oh, these old things? I just like to bring ‘em out when we all go out together. I don’t really need the exercise since I teach at a dance studio and practice capoeira on a regular basis. I find that the martial arts is the best way for a woman to exercise, since it keeps me fit and teaches self-defense. Capoeira in particular helps keep the body extremely flexible. Does that sound like something you’d be interested in? The school I teach at sometimes, the classes are all filled up, but I could definitely put in a good word for you,” you offer kindly, your small smile and slight shrug of the shoulders meant to convey humility while your hand clasped behind your back intimidate Beth with the confidence and swagger the vulnerability of your torso reveals. Her smile drops, showing her unhappiness, and Aaron side-eyes you, knowing exactly what you’re doing, and puts his hand on your shoulder.
“We really ought to be going, Beth. I have a marathon to finish training for, and we have a playdate later. It was really nice seeing you,” he says, hugging her again. Beth hugs back, looking less pleased this time, before Jack hugs her hips.
“Will you come to visit us, Beth? We missed you, and I wanna hear about Asia,” he says despondently.
“Oh, definitely, Jack! I have so many stories, I can’t wait!” she replies. The she-witch gives you a triumphant passing glance as she looks down and coos at Jack, patting his hair. When he pulls away, her smile is back full force, while you brush a finger against Jack’s cheek.
“Oh, bless your heart, ain’t you sweet? We have your number, we will definitely make plans,” you throw at her sweetly, before looking down at Jack. “Why don’t you go pick up your bike where you left it? We still have a mile and a half to go.”
“Yes, momma!” he chirps, turning and jogging to the grass. Your eyes follow him, not needing to look at her face; you were too composed for that. The three of you head down the track with goodbye waves of varying enthusiasm, and you continue for about half a mile before the silent man beside you says what is on his mind.
“What on earth was that, Y/N?” he asks, jogging perfectly matching pace with your seemingly nonchalant gliding. Unlike before, the hand behind your back is gripping your forearm in a show of tenseness and apprehension.
“THAT… was me being jealous and insecure and hostile, and for that, I am sorry.” At this, you face him, an apologetic look on your face as you implore him to understand. “However, in my defense, she totally started it.” Aaron only continues to look forward, his stoic manner unnerving you more by the second, before his face relaxes and he huffs out a laugh.
“Bless your heart, Y/N?,” he laughs, incredulously. Your face lightens, and you push off ahead lightly, spinning around to skate backwards and face him as you laugh with him.
“Southern women are born knowin how to win a catfight with words, honey. Serves her right; her body language just SCREAMED ‘I’m boutta homewreck you’.” you reply with an upturned nose. Aaron just laughs harder and takes your hand.
“Your accent always come out so strong when you’re indignant,” he says, amused.
“You love it,” you reply, stopping to pull his face down and kiss him, and his arms wrap around your waist and pick you up, spinning you.
“Momma, Dad, C’MON!” Jack yells from twenty feet in front of the two of you. “You can’t stop and kiss in the middle of the track.” The two of you break apart, laughing, and Aaron puts you on the ground before you take his hand and pull him forward, joyously.