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Jackie was the peppermint; she’d informed him that she would have been the chocolate, except it caused breakouts, and she was never the cause of a breakout.
Hyde had scoffed--
( “Hmm,” Jackie hummed taking a second sip of Mrs. Forman’s famous peppermint and marshmallows hot chocolate. “You know, Steven, this hot chocolate is a lot like us.”
“Okay,” Hyde rolled his eyes, although he secretly didn’t really mind that Jackie loved to compare their relationship to everything.
“Sure! I’d say I’m the chocolate, because I’m warm, and beautiful, and popular--”
“You gonna keep complimenting yourself?
“But chocolate causes breakouts, so I guess I’m the mint.” )
--but she wasn’t so wrong.
She was powerful and strong, something you were hit with right in the face the first time you met her. She was sharp, too, knowing how to destroy someone with just a few calculated words, if she wanted to.
But she was also sweet, just like the subtler balancing notes of mint that weren’t always obvious at the first taste. It took a little while, but eventually her soft touches and enamored looks towards him made him understand how truly… loving she was. Not everyone could see it, just like not everyone would think mint was sweet, but he didn’t care; not everyone needed to know. Her minty ego would do just fine without.
And just like mint, she was beautiful. Her eyes were as bright as the leaves and her laugh was as vibrant. Mint was so full of flavor, of life; so was Jackie.
Jackie tilted her head to look over at Hyde, smiling at him as he sat thinking. “And you’re the marshmallow, Steven.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Uh, no.”
“Yes, you are! You’re sweet, and a softy--”
This time Hyde rolled his eyes. “Jackie, shut your piehole.”
“Yeah, well, marshmallows can be rough on the exterior, but they really are just soft inside, just like you.”
“That sounds so wrong.”
She swatted him. “And, they melt in the presence of the chocolate--”
“I thought you were mint.”
“I’m both!” she cried. “And just admit it, Puddin’, you’d do anything for me.” She pouted up at him, hoping her watery eyes and cute lip would convince him to say some doting words.
Of course, she had no such luck--well, maybe she had some luck. Hyde leaned over and kissed her instead, which she loved even more today because it tasted like hot chocolate and peppermint, and felt just like happiness.
Years Later...
“Here,” Hyde said, handing his wife a mug of peppermint and marshmallow hot chocolate. “Mrs. Forman’s recipe.”
Jackie eagerly accepted it. “It smells so good, Steven!” She pulled him down next to her on the couch. “You’re just the sweetest man--”
“All right.” Hyde cut her off; just because it’d been a couple decades didn’t mean he could handle sappy words much better.
“Mmhmm,” Jackie hummed, used to his cutoffs, and taking a sip of her hot chocolate. She leaned her head against his shoulder, basking in the quiet comfort of a late night, warm hot chocolate, and a cuddling husband.
“Do you remember,” Hyde started softly, bringing an arm around her shoulders. “That one time, when you said we were like the peppermint and the marshmallows?”
Jackie nodded her head, a little smile on her face. “I’d thought you’d forgotten.”
“No, I didn’t forget. I still think it’s cheesy as hell, but…” he trailed off, glancing down at Jackie. He leaned over a little to press a lingering kiss to her hair, rubbing her shoulder gently. “I would do anything for you, Jackie."
"I would do anything for you, too, Steven." She rested her hand on his chest, rubbing small circles with her fingers. "You are being as sweet as that marshmallow right now, you know," she said coyly.
"Yeah, yeah," Hyde muttered, but he smiled a little.
This was happiness.