What If? (P1) || Jake / Reader || Draft

Regrets

"How was it?" Grace greets you both as you two walk in, and set your masks up on the wall hooks.

"It was nice to get out." Trudy waves off the earlier events. "I slipped but nothing came of it. I'm fine, little miss over here, though - she's all wet and cranky."

You can't help but roll your eyes as you set the bag down, and walk over to help her set hers down on the table as well.

"We got some food for dinner." You move on. "- Fish as the main course."

"Holy shit." Grace sounds out as you help Trudy pull it out from the bag. "-That'll feed us for two dinners, at least. How did you manage that?"

"I'm thinking it may have heard Trudy fall, got curious, and then just didn't care to swim off when I jumped in. It was rubbing up on me so I took it."

"Well I'll be damned." She says, rather impressed.

———

Trudy helps you tend to the fire as you set it up to grill a few things.
   
The only source of light now as the eclipse starts.

Norm seems to finally take a break from his busy evening, and comes out to sit with you both.
   What you don't know is that Jake had taken a break earlier as well, and got some time to speak with Norm.

Worried he pushed you too far.

"Ahh, that smells so good." Norm greets with. Even though the masks filter the air and produce their own, it still allows a bit of scent to trace through— especially the unforgettable way the air typically smells of a sweet cinnamon.
  
"Hey." Trudy greets him as he comes to sit next to her on the log.
"Hope you're hungry. We'll have it in in a moment, you didn't have to come out here."

"I needed to get out for a few minutes, even with the Avatar I'm still quite cramped being inside all the time with this form."
   He jokingly lifts an arm up, and pretends to squeeze at his bicep. "-Don't want to lose all this muscle mass."

It's uncontrollable the way you scoff, and have to bite on your own lips to prevent it any further.

"I heard that." Norm teases. "You're jealous. I'll look like one of those W-W-E wrestlers soon enough, you watch."

Trudy leans forward and pats a hand on his abdomen.
  "Sure you will."

"Hey." He shoots back.

"I like you better this way."

Their conversation fades into the background as you watch them bicker and playfully bat at one another.

It was bittersweet seeing them like this, knowing the Norm you had come to know was so lost without her as the years went on. Never truly moving on.

Even down to the way he painted the Samsons after the design hers had in its last moments.

You'd give anything to make sure neither of them suffered from this, ever again.

——————

Everyone gathers around the larger table in the living room, except for Jake.
   He's still out, doing who knows what - probably training since he's been so hard on himself lately.

"I'll put Jake's plate in the fridge." Grace offers. "He can always reheat it later."

But as she goes to grab for it, here he comes out of the back rooms. Wheeling in as he gives a small wave to everyone.

"Look who finally decided to join the family." Grace banters.

"Ahh, you know me." He comes in beside you, and unscrews a water bottle before placing it on the table. "-I'm never gonna miss out on food."