Chapter Text
Hailey opens the door to her apartment and closes it once inside. She takes off her boots, leaving them next to the door, leaves the car keys on the table with Jay's and goes to the bedroom, releasing the ponytail she has been wearing all day.
"Hello," Hailey greets him.
"Hello," Jay greets her, pauses the game, approaches her, takes her to his lap to kiss her and greet her properly.
"Are you playing the new game you bought yesterday?" Hailey asks as they separate, leaving her lap and sitting on the bed next to Jay, crossing her legs like a pretzel.
"Yes, Mario Kart," he replies.
After returning from Bolivia a little less than a year ago, Jay bought a TV and a Nintendo Switch 2, as well as video games for his bedroom, since his new job allowed him to be at home at a more reasonable time while Hailey continued to work at crazy times.
"Can I play?" Hailey asks.
"If you agree not to cheat," Jay tells him.
"How can I cheat if it's a game you just bought?"
Jay raises an eyebrow.
"Okay, I'll do it," Hailey promises.
Hailey may never have had consoles or video games when she was a child, but if there is one thing she is very good at, it is playing video games. He has always done it, no matter how new they are.
Jay knows it.
Jay gets out of bed, approaches the table under the TV, takes the other half of the blue Nintendo controller, plugs it in and returns to his side of the bed,
Giving it to Hailey.
They present the challenge for two players and choose their characters. Jay chooses Mario because he is faster and his favorite; he changes the car for a motorcycle and adds the triangular layer. Hailey chooses Princess Peach and the same accessories as Jay. Finally, they select the track of the Paris Promenade and start the game.
"The X button is for accelerating, the A button for braking, these buttons on the back of the controller," he pointed out, "this one to skid in curves and this one for shooting," Jay explained, settling in a comfortable position.
"I guess this one is to spin from side to side during the game, right?"
"Correct," he confirmed.
"Ready?" He asked before...
"Ready."
The game starts with a countdown of 3 to 1 and ends with a "Ready!", which marks the beginning of the game. Jay (Mario) starts from position 9, quickly reaching 5 with a super boost, and Hailey (Princess Peach) starts from position 10.
Jay wins the first game easily, without being defeated by anyone and taking the most points for the next one.
"I'm just warming up," Hailey said, getting out of bed, stretching her arms and legs, and sitting back down. "I'm going for number two."
Jay laughs.
"I'll let you win in your dreams, honey."
"If you say so."
What he doesn't know is that Hailey, just for seeing him play before and during this game, had already beaten him.
In fact, he didn't lie. Hailey won the second game, after having managed to knock everyone down while staying close to Mario in the last two rounds until one of the computer-controlled players fired a red projectile, knocking it down and allowing Princess Peach to win first place with both tied in points.
"Yes!" Hailey raises her arms in celebration.
"What were you saying, friend?" Hailey says, hitting her shoulder with his.
"It's not over yet," Jay reminds her.
Not accepting to lose another game.
"Yes, yes, yes. You keep saying that."
Just like her husband is very competitive, so is Hailey.
In the third and final game, they compete for first place, throwing bananas, bombs and green and red shells and everything they can get from the box with a question mark that knocks them down in each turn. Jay snorts and snorts every time Hailey does it, laughing at him. Mario is losing, in second place, while Princess Peach is in the lead, dodging with precision everything that her husband's player throws at her.
As Hailey approaches the last lap and the finish line, he kisses her, causing Princess Peach to crash and Hailey to lose the game.
"And now who is the cheater?"
"I just wanted to kiss you, you know?" He said smiling.
"Yes, I'm sure you did it to get first place."
"Really? I hadn't noticed." With a mischievous smile.
"Jay," he challenged him.
"It's okay, it's true. I wanted to win," he admitted.
"I knew it!"
"Shall we play again?" Jay asks, raising both eyebrows.
"Yes," Hailey nodded.
"We will definitely play again," Hailey settled between Jay's legs, back to his chest, with his head under his chin, getting comfortable while Jay looked for another court.
"Let's go for that revenge."
They both laughed during the three games. Jay tried to distract Hailey several times, but that didn't stop him from winning with a good advantage.