Unnatural History, "Caught In-Between" ch.3, rated T
Fandom: Unnatural History
Title: Caught In-Between
Chapter Title: 3: Turning Up the Heat
Author: Paynesgrey
Rating: R/M
Genre: Adventure/Romance
Characters/Pairings: Henry/Maggie, Jasper/Maggie, & hinted Jasper/Henry
Warnings: polyamory, UST in later chapters.
Disclaimer: Cartoon Network owns Unnatural History. I only borrow and play.
Notes: In progress. OT3 fic, with mature situations to be added later. (Once completed I'll post to the UnH comm here at LJ.)
URLS: FFnet | AO3
Story Summary:As a strange heat wave hits DC, the gang becomes involved in a mystery that enhances their feelings for one another, with a new fertility artifact as a possible cause. Henry x Maggie x Jasper. In-progress.
Previous Chapter
Chapter Three: Turning Up the Heat
Maggie walked through the halls of Smithson High, annoyed at feeling perspiration forming on her chin and under her ears. It was unusually hot for October, and by this time of the year, the school was getting ready to do full maintenance runs on the heating systems and make preparations for the upcoming winter. However, today had felt more like mid-July.
Ignoring the heat, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and she made note of the other students in the hall, choosing outfits better suited for a day like today. The halls already felt like they were roasting as more students filled the school.
"It is too freaking hot today," a voice bemoaned behind her, and she recognized the voice as Jasper's. When she turned around to meet him, he had quickly and politely enough, drew his eyes from her chest. She crossed her arms and regretted wearing a sleeveless shirt that showed some cleavage. She looked over at Henry, who shot her his usual innocent yet charming smile. He and his cousin were prime examples of extreme opposites.
"So, how was story time in the Bartlett household?" Maggie asked. Jasper grinned, but Henry looked slightly lost.
"Ah, you sure you want to talk about this now?" Jasper asked with a laugh. He pulled on the collar of his Green Lantern t-shirt. "It's already hot in here."
Maggie rolled her eyes. "Did you find out?"
"Find out?" Henry asked. "I worked late at the new exhibit, and at home we just did homework, and talked a little about..."
"Henry told me who he liked," Jasper said finally, his tone bored and slightly emotionless. Maggie threw him an intimidating look, her curiosity already eating away at her.
"Well?" Maggie turned both to Henry and Jasper, studying their expressions and realizing that while both boys were delighting in the suspense, only Jasper seemed to enjoy it more than Henry. Henry didn't seem to think the news was a big deal, just chatter. She swore that he'd be more expressive if there were some adventure to undergo instead.
"So, by process of elimination," Jasper said, his voice heavily leaden with cheekiness, "the only girl that Henry could determine he liked above all other girls in Smithson High was the delightful Maggie Winnock."
Maggie's eyes widened, and quickly her face felt cold, and then instantly it turned blazing hot, and she knew that she was blushing. She noticed Jasper's smarmy grin, and she was ready to strangle him before he reassured her. "Relax. He likes me as much as he likes you."
Maggie felt her embarrassment thankfully subside, and then she turned to Henry. "So, you don't really like anyone as Madison had liked you?" Maggie asked, trying to ignore Jasper's abhorrent, satisfied smirk at her expense and meeting Henry's gaze. Thank goodness he still had that serene look on his face, one absent of the teenage male odiousness. Sometimes she was grateful for it that she could almost kiss him, but then again, that was another matter altogether. Maggie cleared her throat.
"Not yet," he said definitively. He shook his head. "I don't know why you two are so obsessed over who I like, or even potentially like."
Jasper scoffed. "Well, it just proves you're a real boy, Henry, not made of wood and led by strings."
Henry frowned at him with contempt. "I am a real boy. Just because I grew up differently than you did does not mean I don't have feelings like anyone else. It doesn't mean I don't like girls, and learning from monks does not mean I'm celibate."
"I'm sure that's not it at all," Maggie said reassuringly, shooting Jasper a dark look. "Henry's right. Jasper, stop teasing him," she scolded as Henry looked grateful at her siding with him.
"Hey, you brought it up," he said, throwing up his hands and walking down the halls toward his first period class. "At least I didn't ask you who you liked, Maggie."
"Yeah," Henry said, his face brightening with a sudden idea. "Who do you like, Maggie?"
Maggie smiled deviously at him and winked. "That is for me to you and for you to never find out, Henry Griffin." Maggie narrowed her eyes at Jasper, still smirking. "Same goes for you, Jasper."
Maggie stalked off toward first period class ahead of them, but not before turning around to sneak another look at Henry, one with genuine interest. Henry no doubt picked up on it, his expression transforming into deep thought.
It may have not been her intention to share that glance with Henry, but she couldn't help looking at him one more time, wondering if she could see something else in the way he regarded her. The possible notion that Henry could like her beyond friendship seemed bizarre, but it intrigued her, like a theory that she'd never contemplated before but actually had merit.
A theory that was too tempting not to test.
-x-
Maggie and Jasper had both confused him, though Maggie far more than Jasper. Henry knew Jasper's curiosity in his interests were amicable at least, and showing interest in Maggie had opened Henry's eyes up to Jasper's feelings and how important his cousin really was to him.
Maggie's reaction to Jasper's teasing that day was enough to distract him from the unusual heat wave in Washington D.C. People gabbed about it in the halls, but Henry's thoughts could only turn to the image of Maggie's surprised face and reddened cheeks. She tensed, guarded as if she was hiding something, and if Jasper had been clearer at first without teasing her, Henry concluded her reaction might have been much different.
Henry would have offered one of his past stories indicative of his wonder, but he chose to keep it to himself. He didn't want to upset Maggie anymore by saying that almost every girl he had encountered who had professed in liking him (the tribal princess who tried to marry him included) had reacted in the same way Maggie had.
While he didn't want to make Maggie uncomfortable, he also didn't want to upset Jasper again. It was clear that his cousin had liked Maggie more than he admitted, and though it wasn't Henry's place to push him to admit his own feelings, Henry almost wished he did.
Would things be easier if Jasper just admitted his feelings to Maggie? He wondered about that all night, and he seemed to think it would do no harm to their little group if he did. However, his feelings shifted slightly when he observed Maggie's immediate reaction to Jasper's teasing.
For once in his life, Henry felt something - quickly and differently - toward wanting something and not having to politely share it. He would never intentionally harm his cousin, and he knew that Jasper could be territorial, about his stuff, his space, and even the music in a room. Now, his cousin was being territorial about Maggie, even though he had made no move to inform Maggie about his feelings. Somehow in all of this, honesty had failed under Jasper's obvious insecurities.
Jasper was afraid of change, or rejection, and now, Henry was quite sure his cousin was afraid that he would potentially swoop in and take the girl Jasper had liked since he was ten.
Clearly, it would be unwise for Henry to talk to Jasper about it bluntly, but Henry needed advice, and he caved to the idea of asking his parents, and he didn't want to ask Uncle Brian (who would probably side with Jasper) and he certainly didn't want to talk to Maggie. Not until he was sure there was anything going on at all.
His Linguistics teacher had called on him at this moment, which drew him out of his tumultuous thoughts and exposed him to the rest of the class as not paying attention. In fact, Henry didn't think about school a lot that day. He was too busy mulling over this Maggie business, so much that he hadn't even really noticed the rising heat, or that his teacher had been talking about the new museum exhibit looking for volunteers to work extra hours.
Naturally, for daydreaming in class, Henry was automatically drafted.
Chapter Four
Title: Caught In-Between
Chapter Title: 3: Turning Up the Heat
Author: Paynesgrey
Rating: R/M
Genre: Adventure/Romance
Characters/Pairings: Henry/Maggie, Jasper/Maggie, & hinted Jasper/Henry
Warnings: polyamory, UST in later chapters.
Disclaimer: Cartoon Network owns Unnatural History. I only borrow and play.
Notes: In progress. OT3 fic, with mature situations to be added later. (Once completed I'll post to the UnH comm here at LJ.)
URLS: FFnet | AO3
Story Summary:As a strange heat wave hits DC, the gang becomes involved in a mystery that enhances their feelings for one another, with a new fertility artifact as a possible cause. Henry x Maggie x Jasper. In-progress.
Previous Chapter
Chapter Three: Turning Up the Heat
Maggie walked through the halls of Smithson High, annoyed at feeling perspiration forming on her chin and under her ears. It was unusually hot for October, and by this time of the year, the school was getting ready to do full maintenance runs on the heating systems and make preparations for the upcoming winter. However, today had felt more like mid-July.
Ignoring the heat, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and she made note of the other students in the hall, choosing outfits better suited for a day like today. The halls already felt like they were roasting as more students filled the school.
"It is too freaking hot today," a voice bemoaned behind her, and she recognized the voice as Jasper's. When she turned around to meet him, he had quickly and politely enough, drew his eyes from her chest. She crossed her arms and regretted wearing a sleeveless shirt that showed some cleavage. She looked over at Henry, who shot her his usual innocent yet charming smile. He and his cousin were prime examples of extreme opposites.
"So, how was story time in the Bartlett household?" Maggie asked. Jasper grinned, but Henry looked slightly lost.
"Ah, you sure you want to talk about this now?" Jasper asked with a laugh. He pulled on the collar of his Green Lantern t-shirt. "It's already hot in here."
Maggie rolled her eyes. "Did you find out?"
"Find out?" Henry asked. "I worked late at the new exhibit, and at home we just did homework, and talked a little about..."
"Henry told me who he liked," Jasper said finally, his tone bored and slightly emotionless. Maggie threw him an intimidating look, her curiosity already eating away at her.
"Well?" Maggie turned both to Henry and Jasper, studying their expressions and realizing that while both boys were delighting in the suspense, only Jasper seemed to enjoy it more than Henry. Henry didn't seem to think the news was a big deal, just chatter. She swore that he'd be more expressive if there were some adventure to undergo instead.
"So, by process of elimination," Jasper said, his voice heavily leaden with cheekiness, "the only girl that Henry could determine he liked above all other girls in Smithson High was the delightful Maggie Winnock."
Maggie's eyes widened, and quickly her face felt cold, and then instantly it turned blazing hot, and she knew that she was blushing. She noticed Jasper's smarmy grin, and she was ready to strangle him before he reassured her. "Relax. He likes me as much as he likes you."
Maggie felt her embarrassment thankfully subside, and then she turned to Henry. "So, you don't really like anyone as Madison had liked you?" Maggie asked, trying to ignore Jasper's abhorrent, satisfied smirk at her expense and meeting Henry's gaze. Thank goodness he still had that serene look on his face, one absent of the teenage male odiousness. Sometimes she was grateful for it that she could almost kiss him, but then again, that was another matter altogether. Maggie cleared her throat.
"Not yet," he said definitively. He shook his head. "I don't know why you two are so obsessed over who I like, or even potentially like."
Jasper scoffed. "Well, it just proves you're a real boy, Henry, not made of wood and led by strings."
Henry frowned at him with contempt. "I am a real boy. Just because I grew up differently than you did does not mean I don't have feelings like anyone else. It doesn't mean I don't like girls, and learning from monks does not mean I'm celibate."
"I'm sure that's not it at all," Maggie said reassuringly, shooting Jasper a dark look. "Henry's right. Jasper, stop teasing him," she scolded as Henry looked grateful at her siding with him.
"Hey, you brought it up," he said, throwing up his hands and walking down the halls toward his first period class. "At least I didn't ask you who you liked, Maggie."
"Yeah," Henry said, his face brightening with a sudden idea. "Who do you like, Maggie?"
Maggie smiled deviously at him and winked. "That is for me to you and for you to never find out, Henry Griffin." Maggie narrowed her eyes at Jasper, still smirking. "Same goes for you, Jasper."
Maggie stalked off toward first period class ahead of them, but not before turning around to sneak another look at Henry, one with genuine interest. Henry no doubt picked up on it, his expression transforming into deep thought.
It may have not been her intention to share that glance with Henry, but she couldn't help looking at him one more time, wondering if she could see something else in the way he regarded her. The possible notion that Henry could like her beyond friendship seemed bizarre, but it intrigued her, like a theory that she'd never contemplated before but actually had merit.
A theory that was too tempting not to test.
-x-
Maggie and Jasper had both confused him, though Maggie far more than Jasper. Henry knew Jasper's curiosity in his interests were amicable at least, and showing interest in Maggie had opened Henry's eyes up to Jasper's feelings and how important his cousin really was to him.
Maggie's reaction to Jasper's teasing that day was enough to distract him from the unusual heat wave in Washington D.C. People gabbed about it in the halls, but Henry's thoughts could only turn to the image of Maggie's surprised face and reddened cheeks. She tensed, guarded as if she was hiding something, and if Jasper had been clearer at first without teasing her, Henry concluded her reaction might have been much different.
Henry would have offered one of his past stories indicative of his wonder, but he chose to keep it to himself. He didn't want to upset Maggie anymore by saying that almost every girl he had encountered who had professed in liking him (the tribal princess who tried to marry him included) had reacted in the same way Maggie had.
While he didn't want to make Maggie uncomfortable, he also didn't want to upset Jasper again. It was clear that his cousin had liked Maggie more than he admitted, and though it wasn't Henry's place to push him to admit his own feelings, Henry almost wished he did.
Would things be easier if Jasper just admitted his feelings to Maggie? He wondered about that all night, and he seemed to think it would do no harm to their little group if he did. However, his feelings shifted slightly when he observed Maggie's immediate reaction to Jasper's teasing.
For once in his life, Henry felt something - quickly and differently - toward wanting something and not having to politely share it. He would never intentionally harm his cousin, and he knew that Jasper could be territorial, about his stuff, his space, and even the music in a room. Now, his cousin was being territorial about Maggie, even though he had made no move to inform Maggie about his feelings. Somehow in all of this, honesty had failed under Jasper's obvious insecurities.
Jasper was afraid of change, or rejection, and now, Henry was quite sure his cousin was afraid that he would potentially swoop in and take the girl Jasper had liked since he was ten.
Clearly, it would be unwise for Henry to talk to Jasper about it bluntly, but Henry needed advice, and he caved to the idea of asking his parents, and he didn't want to ask Uncle Brian (who would probably side with Jasper) and he certainly didn't want to talk to Maggie. Not until he was sure there was anything going on at all.
His Linguistics teacher had called on him at this moment, which drew him out of his tumultuous thoughts and exposed him to the rest of the class as not paying attention. In fact, Henry didn't think about school a lot that day. He was too busy mulling over this Maggie business, so much that he hadn't even really noticed the rising heat, or that his teacher had been talking about the new museum exhibit looking for volunteers to work extra hours.
Naturally, for daydreaming in class, Henry was automatically drafted.
Chapter Four