Everyone sat in the basement; Lucy bored as usual, looking through records since everyone was hogging the couch.

"Happy Veterans' Day!" Fez cheered, walking in, "Now where have you hidden the chocolate eggs?"

"Uh they're everywhere Fez start looking," Eric teased.

Jackie stood up from Hyde's chair and walked over to him by the freezer, "So Steven, isn't Veterans' Day romantic?"

"Oh yeah, government pawns and missing limbs. That's amore," Hyde said sarcastically.

Jackie sighed giddily, "I know, I know, it's a day for people in love to have fun together."

"You know all this talk about having fun makes me want to have fun," Kelso said, jumping up.

Lucy went to sit on Hyde's seat, grabbing a magazine, "All this talk about being in love makes me want to hurl."

"That too!" Kelso nodded, "Let's throw stuff at other stuff."

Eric stood up, "Man, that's perfect, I got stuff."

"I'm in!" Kelso smiled.

"Let's go!" Eric said, darting up the stairs and Kelso following after him.

"So Steven," Jackie said, patting his leg, "Would you like to go to Mr. Forman's barbecue with me?"

"Oh that's it, I'm going upstairs with the idiots," Lucy huffed, marching upstairs.

She walked out to the driveway where the boys were playing basketball.

"Is anyone else disgusted with how Jackie is pining after Steven? And has everyone else forgotten that he actually went to jail for her? Like, this is very disturbing!" Lucy sighed.

"It's not cool, man. Hyde is ruining my plans for getting back with Jackie," Kelso nodded.

"Well, why are you pissed off Luce?" Eric asked with a smirk.

Lucy bit her cheek in thought, catching the ball, "You and Donna are already going out! No more friends can date in The Circle!"

"Whatever you say!" Eric shrugged.

❁

Lucy stood in the driveway, drinking a soda and talking to some boy who thought he stood a chance. Jackie brought another older boy in attempts to make Hyde jealous. The Forman's and Pinciotti's had some weird rivalry going on over whose barbecue would be better.

She was soon ushered in the kitchen by her mother to help with the forces in crushing Bob's barbecue. Lucy gathered more chips and made her way out, standing by Kelso and Fez by the cooler, shaking beers.

"Man, I can't believe Jackie chose that guy over me!" Kelso complained.

"Or me for that matter," Fez agreed.

"Hell, even I'm better than that jerkwad," Lucy scoffed.

Kelso nodded, "Yeah that's true, Fez, you're a good looking guy. And Lu, you're like super hot, why hasn't every guy made a move?"

"Perhaps they are distracted by Jackie," Fez offered.

"Jackie, Jackie, Jackie, I'm getting sick of it, I swear all of you are infatuated with her! And I love her but it's just—" Lucy sighed, walking and fumbling with the multiple bags of chips.

Kelso dropped a beer, "Oh my gosh! You're jealous!"

"What!" Lucy shrieked, dropping the chips, "I am not! Why would I be?"

"No, no, it's cool! Plus jealous chicks are hot—ow!" He winced, rubbing the back of his head after Lucy smacked him.

Lucy picked up the chips, "I'm not jealous, Jackie can have whoever she likes, it's just Steven is an ass—"

"Jealous," Kelso and Fez nodded in unison.

Lucy rolled her eyes, "You're both idiots," spinning on her heel.

"Wait! I almost forgot! You want to get even?" Kelso asked, jumping up.

Lucy paused, before turning around, "What did you have in mind?"

❁

For the rest of the barbecue, Eric and Red were darting around doing anything elaborate and patriotic to beat Bob's barbecue.

Meanwhile, Lucy and Kelso were getting their petty revenge. Lucy stayed leaning against the fence while Kelso stood in front of her, occasionally leaning down to whisper in her ear and her erupting in a fit of giggles. Both of them had flirting down to a science.

Lucy had convinced herself that she was actually participating more to help Kelso than to help herself, she didn't see any reason to make anyone jealous.

The two had everyone else fooled. It was a godsend that Red was too preoccupied to take notice. Laurie had even pulled her sister aside surprised that they had similar taste in men—which they didn't. Jackie was annoyed that both Forman girls had managed to woo Kelso. Fez was drooling, not understanding that it was all a ploy. Eric was uncomfortable seeing them in passing. Hyde was fidgeting in his seat, furious.

The afternoon went on and Lucy was surprised that Kelso had only made one attempt to grab her ass. But the two stayed in the position, staying as close as possible to the eachother, glued by the hip if they ever wanted to go get a drink.

The plan was going without a hitch, Lucy and Kelso were just talking about the same nonsense they always did but standing closer together, Lucy running her hands up and down Kelso's chest, getting a rise out of everyone. In doing so, they ended up distracting themselves from their own annoyance with everyone else.

That is until Hyde came marching back outside after punching Jackie's date, "Jackie get your car, we're going on a freaking date."

Lucy's giggles stopped short and her and Kelso looked up in shock.

Jackie stood up beaming, "Oh my God, it's a Veterans' Day miracle!"

"I need a drink," Lucy whined. Her and Kelso stomped off; he went to mope in the kitchen while she made her way over to the ice bucket, sneaking two beers while her parents weren't looking.

She spun around and bumped into Hyde, who turned around.

"Sorry—" she started, "—Oh, um well have fun on your date."

"Yeah, whatever, have fun with your..." he trailed off, unsure of the word to pick while gesturing to Kelso.

Lucy pursed her lips and nodded, about ready to quip another remark.

"Steven! We should get going!" Jackie smiled, walking up with her car keys.

Lucy nodded, before walking into the kitchen to join Kelso, "Sorry buddy," she smiled, handing him a beer as she hopped on the stool beside him.

"Eh it's alright, her loss anyways," Kelso shrugged, taking a drink.

Lucy laughed, "Damn right it is! You're a catch!"

She was taken aback when Kelso leaned in to kiss her. "Whoa there buddy," Lucy said, quickly jumping back in her seat, she hesitated for a moment before shrugging, "Eh, what the hell?" Lucy leaned in again, Kelso surprised but obviously not displeased.

❁

Lucy was in the driveway, cleaning up trash left over from barbecue. Everyone else had gone home after going to the Pinciotti's.

"Hey!" Hyde called, walking into the driveway.

Lucy stood up and turned to look at him, "Hi."

"So, you and Kelso?" Hyde asked.

"It's none of your concern," Lucy laughed.

"Really? Because he's drunk off his ass bragging about how you guys made out," Hyde said.

Lucy just shrugged innocently with a smirk, "Why would you care? You were with Jackie."

Hyde nodded, "Yeah, I understand why Kelso put up with Jackie for so long, she's great company and all, just not the company I was looking for."

"Oh, looking for a Pam Macy or Chrissy type?" Lucy asked, dumping the bag of discarded cans into the trash.

Hyde shrugged, "Nah, if I wanted that I'd go with Laurie."

"Of course you would," Lucy scoffed before mumbling asshole under her breath.

"What's that LSD?" Hyde asked with a smirk, stepping closer to her as she leaned against the garage door.

"Nothing," Lucy plastered on a smile, "Just wondering where Kelso is, because he may not be the smartest, but he's definitely got other things going for him."

"So you did make out?" Hyde asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Lucy chuckled, "Never said we didn't, Steven."

Hyde clenched his jaw, thinking for a moment, "You know what you're doing don't you?"

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," Lucy teased.

He began pacing, "You know I like you and then you go and flirt with some guy and then you go and make out with Michael Kelso of all people after hanging on him all day—"

"What?" Lucy asked breathless, furrowing her eyebrows.

"What?" Hyde asked confused, stopping in his tracks in front of her.

"You just said—you like me?" Lucy stammered.

Hyde looked around unsure, "Well, yeah," he nodded, more sure now, "Yeah for a while now, you have a pretty addictive personality. You've got to be the most amazing person I've ever met."

Lucy cheeks flushed red and she quickly tried to brush it off with a laugh, "So what now Steven?" she asked, hiding her nerves with a challenge.

Hyde chuckled lightly with a smirk before stepping closer, placing a hand beneath her chin and tilting her head up, the other resting on her waist as he leaned in to kiss her.

She placed a hand upon his chest, the other cupping his cheek, wanting him closer. His touch caused her senses to go into overdrive, she was engulfed by the scent that she had now associated with him and had come to enjoy. Lucy could barely believe any of this was happening. Knowing the kiss was real now made it different; the closest she could get to describing it was like a drug, it was like being high but somehow better.

The two pulled away abruptly at the loud clattering and yelling of their friends.

"Aw! Where'd the pony go?" Fez yelled dismayed.

Kelso furrowed his eyebrows, equally unsettled, "Have you guys seen it? It was very...pony-like and pink!"

❁