Everybody Knows (30 Rock, Jack/Liz)
Title: Everybody Knows
Fandom: 30 Rock
Pairing: Jack/Liz
Word Count: 474
Rating: PG
Summary: Liz and Avery run into each other. (Part of the ' Stay With Me' series.)
Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't sue!
*
Liz doesn't consider Jack to be out of her league. But, sometimes, when she considers the women he's been with -- Elisa and Bianca and, what was it he said one time, Elizabeth Hurley in the nineties? -- she thinks, "He's done better." It's not a self-loathing thing, just a realistic take on where she fits into the category of 'women Jack has slept with.'
(And she's done better than Jack. So. She doesn't know what point that is.)
She's having such thoughts right now as she and Avery stand across from each other, one of them in the elevator and one of them not. Because Avery is so pretty, so put together, so 'I'm not going to be on TV for a few more hours but I'm still camera-ready,' and Liz has her hands jammed into the pockets of her hoodie -- stained, but it was Frank's fault this time... small victories -- as she slouches against the back of the elevator.
Avery looks surprised to see her, but unlike Liz's, her discomfort doesn't seem to stick. (Or rather: Avery is better at pretending. Or maybe: she really feels fine with this.) She steps on to the elevator, greets her. Liz says 'hi' twice in response.
"I assume you're coming from Jack's office."
"No," she lies, and she's unsure why. It's not like she had sex with him while she was there. It's not like he tried. It's not like he wanted to. And then she thinks, well, he probably always wanted to try with Avery even when he decided not to because of time constraints or some other crap. (Why is she focused on the hierarchy of Jack's women?) "I was having lunch with a guy on the fortieth floor. Named Keith." She exhales roughly. "No, I wasn't."
"We're all adults, Liz."
"Right."
"I don't care what you and Jack do."
"You know--"
"And you're certainly not going to be the last woman Jack brings into my daughter's life, but you are going to be the one who sticks around after he stops sleeping with you--"
Liz wonders if Avery's stating the truth as she sees it (she is like Jack) or if she's trying to be mean (she is like Jack). And if Avery's trying to wound her, then she wrongly believes Liz doesn't see her... whatever with Jack as having an expiration date. But even though Liz is practical about the situation, she feels herself tense. Feels the sting. "Right."
"--so we should be comfortable with interacting when we have to."
"Of course. Yeah. Of course. I'm comfortable." There's silence. "I like your shoes," she offers, just to say something. (Not that they aren't nice shoes.)
"Thank you."
Later, she almost mentions it to Jack. Almost, but doesn't. That night, she stays at her own place.
END
Fandom: 30 Rock
Pairing: Jack/Liz
Word Count: 474
Rating: PG
Summary: Liz and Avery run into each other. (Part of the ' Stay With Me' series.)
Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't sue!
*
Liz doesn't consider Jack to be out of her league. But, sometimes, when she considers the women he's been with -- Elisa and Bianca and, what was it he said one time, Elizabeth Hurley in the nineties? -- she thinks, "He's done better." It's not a self-loathing thing, just a realistic take on where she fits into the category of 'women Jack has slept with.'
(And she's done better than Jack. So. She doesn't know what point that is.)
She's having such thoughts right now as she and Avery stand across from each other, one of them in the elevator and one of them not. Because Avery is so pretty, so put together, so 'I'm not going to be on TV for a few more hours but I'm still camera-ready,' and Liz has her hands jammed into the pockets of her hoodie -- stained, but it was Frank's fault this time... small victories -- as she slouches against the back of the elevator.
Avery looks surprised to see her, but unlike Liz's, her discomfort doesn't seem to stick. (Or rather: Avery is better at pretending. Or maybe: she really feels fine with this.) She steps on to the elevator, greets her. Liz says 'hi' twice in response.
"I assume you're coming from Jack's office."
"No," she lies, and she's unsure why. It's not like she had sex with him while she was there. It's not like he tried. It's not like he wanted to. And then she thinks, well, he probably always wanted to try with Avery even when he decided not to because of time constraints or some other crap. (Why is she focused on the hierarchy of Jack's women?) "I was having lunch with a guy on the fortieth floor. Named Keith." She exhales roughly. "No, I wasn't."
"We're all adults, Liz."
"Right."
"I don't care what you and Jack do."
"You know--"
"And you're certainly not going to be the last woman Jack brings into my daughter's life, but you are going to be the one who sticks around after he stops sleeping with you--"
Liz wonders if Avery's stating the truth as she sees it (she is like Jack) or if she's trying to be mean (she is like Jack). And if Avery's trying to wound her, then she wrongly believes Liz doesn't see her... whatever with Jack as having an expiration date. But even though Liz is practical about the situation, she feels herself tense. Feels the sting. "Right."
"--so we should be comfortable with interacting when we have to."
"Of course. Yeah. Of course. I'm comfortable." There's silence. "I like your shoes," she offers, just to say something. (Not that they aren't nice shoes.)
"Thank you."
Later, she almost mentions it to Jack. Almost, but doesn't. That night, she stays at her own place.
END