FIC: Equal and Opposite
Title: Equal and Opposite
Author: shelbecat
Pairing: Julie & Tim
Rating: T (aka PG-13)
Summary: Written for fnl_laundrylist challenge #21, prompt #2 Julie wakes up the next morning with a hangover and a realization that her new destructive attitude blew up in someone else's face.
Equal and Opposite
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Julie learned that particular law last term, when she was sitting behind Lois with her head down, doodling Matt's name in the margin of her notebook. It didn't make much sense at the time, or at least, in the wake of the break-up that she didn't want but was solely responsible for, it didn't matter.
On a sleepy Saturday morning when her head weighs 50 pounds and her father is yelling at her to explain just what she thought she was doing with that 'boy', Julie reminds herself that actions have consequences, and this is hers. She peeks through slitted eyes at the living room, kitchen, hallway-but Tim's not there. Her father is not having 'that...that heathen' in his house.
Julie drops her head to the countertop, wishing they still had the old coffeemaker with a fresh pot already brewed.
/-/
She's grounded until she's 18. In reality she just has to stay home for a couple of weeks until her father realizes she's not actually a horrible person, and then life will go back to normal. Except normal at the Taylor household recently included Tim Riggins, and now he's nowhere to be found.
Julie slips out of the house on Sunday afternoon when her father is watching the game and her mother is preoccupied with Gracie. She's got a good three hours before her dad comes up for air. She'll be back before anyone notices she's gone.
Not that she has a clue where she's going.
Lois gives her a ride to Tim's house-awkward because Lois is almost as nervous about seeing Tim as Julie is. But Tim's not there. One thing Julie had learned in the short time she'd spent with Tim, he didn't forgive easily. Which just makes what she's trying to do that much harder.
Jason Street's house is next, but Jason doesn't live there anymore either. Jason's mom looks sad in the doorway and Julie doesn't have the heart to tell her Tim is essentially living on the streets. Instead she makes an apology for her mistake and accepts Jason's new address and directions.
Watching the unfamiliar street signs slip by the window, Julie clutches the piece of paper with Jason's address tight in her hand. A lifeline to Tim. It's the Moby Dick metaphor all over again only this time Tim is lost at sea and Captain Ahab is showing no interest in rescuing him.
Finally, they find Jason's new apartment and Tim's battered truck is parked right outside. She hesitates before getting out of the car.
"Want me to come with you?" Lois offers.
Julie shakes her head and climbs out quickly before Lois can object. The last thing she needs complicating the situation are Lois' hormones. She walks slowly to the door, checking the address twice more before knocking. It's quiet inside, and she's turning to leave when the door suddenly opens and Tim's standing there staring at her.
His best feature is his eyes. Julie's not interested in him, not that way, but still she thinks she could get lost in their depths, trying to unravel the mystery that is Tim Riggins. But then Tim coughs quietly and she blushes and looks away.
"I, uh...I just wanted to say sorry," she offers.
Tim nods, his hand braced firmly on the door.
"About the other night," she adds. "I don't really remember what happened."
That's not entirely true. She remembers Tim half-leading, half-carrying her out of the party and loading her into his truck. And she remembers him doing the same at her house, admonishing her to be quiet. And she remembers the scent of him, musky and warm, as he placed her on her bed. She's pretty sure she wanted to kiss him. And pretty sure he never would have.
In the doorway, Tim nods and moves to close the door.
"I told my Dad what happened," Julie blurts out, anxious to make him stay.
His eyes are dark when he turns back to look at her, filled with an obvious fear.
"N...n...nothing happened," she says quickly. "I mean, I told him nothing happened. You were just helping and it was completely innocent and I'm sure he'll get over it once he calms down a little bit."
Tim remains quiet, but his eyes appear to lighten. At least, his stance relaxes, and he slumps against the doorframe, crossing his arms on his chest.
"I think maybe you could come back," Julie continues. "You know, after he gets over it a bit more."
Finally Tim speaks. "I don't think that's such a good idea."
It's a terrible idea, and Julie knows it. She was drunk the other night, and not really thinking about her actions, but she could have done it. She could have kissed Tim. And then her father would have a real reason to despise him.
She smiles shyly and gestures over her shoulder to Lois waiting in the car. "I should go. I'm sort of grounded for, like, ever."
Tim grins, finally. He nods his head back into the apartment. "I don't think Jay will be quite so tough."
Julie nods, stepping away from the door. She's halfway down the walk when she turns suddenly and runs back, just as Tim is closing the door.
"Wait, I want to tell you something else." She's panting slightly, hoping he won't shut her out...yet.
He opens the door again, waiting for her to speak.
She hesitates, then takes the plunge. Rising up on her tiptoes, she wraps her arms around his neck, squeezing every ounce of hope she can muster into his body.
"Thank you," she whispers against his cheek. Then she kisses him, not in a romantic way, but just a light peck, because she needs him to know that someone cares about him. That she cares.
Julie doesn't look back this time. Lois asks her what happened when she climbs into the car, but Julie instructs her to just drive. As they pull away, she chances a glance back over her shoulder. In the doorway, Tim is still standing there, staring after her.
She smiles and slips down into her seat. It's the best reaction she could have hoped for.
/fin/
Disclaimer: All characters who appear in these stories belong to their respective creators, including Imagine Entertainment, NBC Universal Television Studio and Film 44.
Authors' Note: A companion piece to Rachel_wilder's To Breathe Again. Thanks to her for the beta and for keeping me on the Tim & Julie platonic love path.
Author: shelbecat
Pairing: Julie & Tim
Rating: T (aka PG-13)
Summary: Written for fnl_laundrylist challenge #21, prompt #2 Julie wakes up the next morning with a hangover and a realization that her new destructive attitude blew up in someone else's face.
Equal and Opposite
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Julie learned that particular law last term, when she was sitting behind Lois with her head down, doodling Matt's name in the margin of her notebook. It didn't make much sense at the time, or at least, in the wake of the break-up that she didn't want but was solely responsible for, it didn't matter.
On a sleepy Saturday morning when her head weighs 50 pounds and her father is yelling at her to explain just what she thought she was doing with that 'boy', Julie reminds herself that actions have consequences, and this is hers. She peeks through slitted eyes at the living room, kitchen, hallway-but Tim's not there. Her father is not having 'that...that heathen' in his house.
Julie drops her head to the countertop, wishing they still had the old coffeemaker with a fresh pot already brewed.
/-/
She's grounded until she's 18. In reality she just has to stay home for a couple of weeks until her father realizes she's not actually a horrible person, and then life will go back to normal. Except normal at the Taylor household recently included Tim Riggins, and now he's nowhere to be found.
Julie slips out of the house on Sunday afternoon when her father is watching the game and her mother is preoccupied with Gracie. She's got a good three hours before her dad comes up for air. She'll be back before anyone notices she's gone.
Not that she has a clue where she's going.
Lois gives her a ride to Tim's house-awkward because Lois is almost as nervous about seeing Tim as Julie is. But Tim's not there. One thing Julie had learned in the short time she'd spent with Tim, he didn't forgive easily. Which just makes what she's trying to do that much harder.
Jason Street's house is next, but Jason doesn't live there anymore either. Jason's mom looks sad in the doorway and Julie doesn't have the heart to tell her Tim is essentially living on the streets. Instead she makes an apology for her mistake and accepts Jason's new address and directions.
Watching the unfamiliar street signs slip by the window, Julie clutches the piece of paper with Jason's address tight in her hand. A lifeline to Tim. It's the Moby Dick metaphor all over again only this time Tim is lost at sea and Captain Ahab is showing no interest in rescuing him.
Finally, they find Jason's new apartment and Tim's battered truck is parked right outside. She hesitates before getting out of the car.
"Want me to come with you?" Lois offers.
Julie shakes her head and climbs out quickly before Lois can object. The last thing she needs complicating the situation are Lois' hormones. She walks slowly to the door, checking the address twice more before knocking. It's quiet inside, and she's turning to leave when the door suddenly opens and Tim's standing there staring at her.
His best feature is his eyes. Julie's not interested in him, not that way, but still she thinks she could get lost in their depths, trying to unravel the mystery that is Tim Riggins. But then Tim coughs quietly and she blushes and looks away.
"I, uh...I just wanted to say sorry," she offers.
Tim nods, his hand braced firmly on the door.
"About the other night," she adds. "I don't really remember what happened."
That's not entirely true. She remembers Tim half-leading, half-carrying her out of the party and loading her into his truck. And she remembers him doing the same at her house, admonishing her to be quiet. And she remembers the scent of him, musky and warm, as he placed her on her bed. She's pretty sure she wanted to kiss him. And pretty sure he never would have.
In the doorway, Tim nods and moves to close the door.
"I told my Dad what happened," Julie blurts out, anxious to make him stay.
His eyes are dark when he turns back to look at her, filled with an obvious fear.
"N...n...nothing happened," she says quickly. "I mean, I told him nothing happened. You were just helping and it was completely innocent and I'm sure he'll get over it once he calms down a little bit."
Tim remains quiet, but his eyes appear to lighten. At least, his stance relaxes, and he slumps against the doorframe, crossing his arms on his chest.
"I think maybe you could come back," Julie continues. "You know, after he gets over it a bit more."
Finally Tim speaks. "I don't think that's such a good idea."
It's a terrible idea, and Julie knows it. She was drunk the other night, and not really thinking about her actions, but she could have done it. She could have kissed Tim. And then her father would have a real reason to despise him.
She smiles shyly and gestures over her shoulder to Lois waiting in the car. "I should go. I'm sort of grounded for, like, ever."
Tim grins, finally. He nods his head back into the apartment. "I don't think Jay will be quite so tough."
Julie nods, stepping away from the door. She's halfway down the walk when she turns suddenly and runs back, just as Tim is closing the door.
"Wait, I want to tell you something else." She's panting slightly, hoping he won't shut her out...yet.
He opens the door again, waiting for her to speak.
She hesitates, then takes the plunge. Rising up on her tiptoes, she wraps her arms around his neck, squeezing every ounce of hope she can muster into his body.
"Thank you," she whispers against his cheek. Then she kisses him, not in a romantic way, but just a light peck, because she needs him to know that someone cares about him. That she cares.
Julie doesn't look back this time. Lois asks her what happened when she climbs into the car, but Julie instructs her to just drive. As they pull away, she chances a glance back over her shoulder. In the doorway, Tim is still standing there, staring after her.
She smiles and slips down into her seat. It's the best reaction she could have hoped for.
/fin/
Disclaimer: All characters who appear in these stories belong to their respective creators, including Imagine Entertainment, NBC Universal Television Studio and Film 44.
Authors' Note: A companion piece to Rachel_wilder's To Breathe Again. Thanks to her for the beta and for keeping me on the Tim & Julie platonic love path.