Liz Attack: The Art of Aggression in Romance [30 Rock; Jack/Liz]
TITLE: Liz Attack: The Art of Aggression in Romance
FANDOM: 30 Rock
PAIRING: Jack/Liz
SPOILERS: Season one
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY:
*****
Liz stormed into her office and flung her purse toward her sofa without looking. When the sofa cried out an indignant, "Hey!" Liz spun around and cast an apologetic look at her friend, Jenna.
"Sorry, Jenna. Didn't know you were in here," she made a face, adding, "stalking me."
Jenna set the purse aside and rose to her feet, concern in her wide eyes. "What's wrong? You look totally stressed, and... like you didn't get much sleep or something."
"I didn't," Liz huffed, plopping gracelessly onto her chair.
"What's going on?"
When Liz slowly drew her eyes up to meet her friend's, realization dawned on Jenna's features, and she gasped slightly. "The dream again?"
Liz nodded emphatically and squinted her eyes shut, running her fingers through her hair agitatedly. "It won't stop!" She kind of would be okay with ripping her hair out right now. The pain would be a refreshing change from the frustration.
"Is it the same every night?"
"Well, the plotline is basically the same," she sighed, "Just... the locations change. Sometimes it takes place in here, sometimes at my place, sometimes in his office, the time that it took place on-set was really weird."
Jenna's eyes widened. "Like with the audience there?"
"No!" Liz couldn't help but look downright disgusted. She folded her arms and slumped back in her chair, clarifying under her breath, "After-hours."
That won an approving smile from her friend. "Nice!"
"No, it's not nice!" she exclaimed. "It's nowhere near nice. It's very very not nice, in fact. And it's... it's frustrating."
Jenna scrunched her nose. "So it's that bad in the dream?"
Liz shook her head slowly, emphasizing each word slowly. "Not. At. All."
"Ohhh, I get it. So that's why it's not nice?" She raised her eyebrows. "Have you talked to Jack about it yet?"
Liz was certain Jenna belonged in a nuthouse for that question. "What?! No, of course not! Why on earth would I bring this up to Jack?"
Jenna shrugged, innocence written all over her features. Except she was anything but. "I don't know, I just... thought maybe that would help."
Liz rolled her eyes. "Yeah sure, because that wouldn't make things awkward or anything. Not to mention he's been driving me nuts lately."
"With desire?" Jenna teased, grinning.
Sometimes Liz really wanted to punch Jenna. Very, very hard. But not this time. This time, she was kinda right. "Unfortunately? Yes. But I don't know that it's necessarily Jack!"
"Oh yes it is, honey. I've been saying that since the beginning. I've seen sparks between you guys since day one."
"But I think it's just because... I'm a little frustrated in general since Floyd and I split up, and since Jack and I are around each other so much every day, it's only natural that my subconscious might project--"
"Blah, blah, blah!" Jenna interjected loudly, smug grin still in place. "You can try to college-talk your way out of this as much as you want, Liz, but it's not going to work."
"It freaks me out!" Liz hissed, glancing surreptitiously at the door and making sure Jack wasn't about to come through it. "Every time he touches me, I just wanna... like... throw him up against a wall. That's not natural."
"What's not natural is the fact that you haven't actually done that yet," Jenna chuckled. "I would've within the first week. He's just so... yummy."
"Ew."
"Don't deny it. And how exactly does he touch you?"
"Just innocent, stupid little stuff. Like when he wants to get my attention he grabs my forearm, or... if we're walking somewhere, he's kind of taken to putting his hand on the small of my back -- y'know, that old chivalry thing?"
"He is very chivalrous. I love the way he treats you."
Liz made a face. "You mean constantly criticizing the way I look -- and act -- to the point where I want to throw myself off the top of 30 Rock?"
"Liz, you haven't figured out that that's his way of flirting with you?" Jenna giggled. "Come on! It's that old pulling-the-pigtails thing guys do. He teases you relentlessly because he likes you. I mean think about it, Liz, as much as he criticizes you about how you dress, how often does he check you out? Because I see him do it a lot. Especially lately, since you've started wearing dresses, and... makeup."
Liz rolled her eyes...
"And as much as he harps on you, do you also notice every time he does something nice for you? You gotta wake up now, honey. Jack Donaghy has a thing for you, and those dreams should be a screaming message that you have a thing for him, too." She smiled, as if highly proud of herself for that in-depth analysis. "Go for it!"
"I can't just... do that. I'm not you. I don't have... confidence like that." She tilted her head and amended, "If he keeps doing that gentleman crap though, I dunno." Looking up, she admitted to her friend. "I'm kinda close to a breakdown, I think."
Jenna, rather than offer sympathy, just smiled and said, "Good. Maybe that's what you need to take action!"
A knock on the door diverted their attention, and when Jack poked his head inside, Liz straightened in her chair while Jenna smiled gleefully.
"Jack," Liz breathed.
"Jack!" Jenna echoed cheerfully. Liz felt like punching her again. "Hello."
"Good morning. Uh, Lemon..." He came inside and held out his arm, his gesture for her to get up and go with him. "I need to speak with you in my office please."
"Really? Do you have to?" She grimaced.
Jack just appeared to ponder her sanity for a moment before responding simply, "Yes."
Begrudingly, Liz rose to her feet. "Alright."
She was able to ignore Jenna's huge grin (even though she could feel it) as they walked out, but she was unable to ignore the electricity at the base of her spine when Jack placed his hand on her lower back to guide her. She closed her eyes as they walked and figured she was in for another very long, very frustrating day with him.
*****
The elevator ride was excruciating. Especially since Jack liked to stand right next to her... even if they were the only two people on the elevator. When they reached his office, he had stopped at Jonathan's desk to give him instructions about some sort of golf... thing. Liz wasn't really paying attention, because as he was doing this, he curled his hand around her upper arm to keep her there with him.
Liz had to close her eyes and clench her teeth in order to keep from doing something embarrassing, like slapping him or... throwing him onto Jonathan's desk and kissing the hell out of him. And her head kinda hurt from clenching her teeth so hard, but... it was better than throwing him onto Jonathan's desk.
Jack had wanted to discuss the budget, and whether or not she'd be willing to fire a quarter of her staff. Liz's position on that had been a firm, "Um, no," and Jack accepted it with a nod and his trademark, "Fair enough."
"That's it?" She raised her eyebrows. "No negotiation? No attempt to get me to fire an eighth of my staff instead?"
Jack shrugged. "There are other ways to get around our budgetary restrictions." He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes contemplatively, templing his hands together over his desk blotter. "You don't think Jenna would mind giving up her dressing room, do you?"
Liz opened her mouth to protest, then saw the slow smile creeping across his face. She sighed in relief and shook her head at him. "Okay, good for you. You got me."
"I'll put that on, as you say, my 'I'm awesome' list." He got up and again held out his arm, and Liz rose to her feet accordingly.
Liz felt like her hands were shaking. She couldn't take much more of this -- of being around him -- without taking a chance and figuring out if there was anything there between them, or if it was just the dream.
When Jack's hand slid across her lower back, Liz closed her eyes, her restraint wearing thin. "Jack, please don't do that."
"Do what?" He looked over at her and never removed his hand.
"Be nice to me. Touch me. Just... don't."
"What is the matter with you today, Lemon? Got something on your mind you'd like to tell me about?"
When Jack's hand slid around to the curve of her waist, still guiding her to the door, Liz lost it. She snapped. She grabbed Jack by the lapels of his suit and shoved him against the wall near the door, and... she pounced. She pretty much attacked lips while her hands gripped his lapels so hard her knuckles turned white. She waited for Jack to shove her away. Instead, he pulled her closer, closed his hands over her hips, and deepened the kiss.
Liz was rather proud of herself for that head-first dive she took by kissing him aggressively. She could probably pretty much write her own book on aggression; it might even sell better than Jack's. She'd have to look into it. For now, she was certain she didn't want Jack to stop kissing her.
Never in a million years did she think she'd be here -- pressed tight against her boss, the two of them kissing like horny teenagers. Jack's fingers on one hand were digging into her hip, while the other hand had slid up her back, over her shoulders, and under her hair to cup the back of her neck.
In one swift motion, Jack reversed their positions and pinned Liz against the wall, his lips slanting against hers, still refusing to break this first hungry, passionate kiss.
Liz felt a familiar sensation sliding down her spine, a very familiar need she was positive Jack would know how to satisfy. Wow, she really was frustrated if she was thinking about actually going through with this.
If Jenna was here (well, first Liz would have to tell her to get the hell out, but...) she would tell her to stop listening to her brain and follow her heart and her body for once. So Liz did exactly that. She broke from Jack's lips, and breathlessly commanded him, "Lock the doors."
He stared at her with wide eyes, and it probably would've made her laugh if she wasn't so damn flustered right now. "Uh--"
"Do it before I change my mind."
"Of course." He made haste toward the door and, before locking it, he pulled it open ever-so-slightly and barked at his assistant. "Jonathan! Absolutely NO calls!" Then, without waiting for a response, he slammed the door, locked both of them, and rushed back over to Liz, sweeping her up in another intense kiss.
He was a really good kisser. Not that she doubted he would be. Or... thought about it. At all. Ever.
He knew just the right time to tilt his head and soften his lips, just the right way to grasp her waist, and just the right time to run his fingertips down her neck. Liz was pretty much putty in his hands, which she hated and loved all at once.
They stumbled around the office together, contemplating the couch, or the nearest wall. Finally they crashed against the desk.
"Here's good," Liz heard herself panting. She briefly decided Jenna would be so proud of her before she decided to shut out her thoughts completely. Then she hopped up on the desk, smiled at Jack as he smiled at her, and yanked him down by the tie for another kiss.
*****
"So..." Liz fought to regain her breath as they resituated their clothing. "About what I needed to talk to you about... about what's been bothering me lately... umm..." She nodded slowly. "I think, uh... I think that pretty much covered it."
Jack nodded back, equally slow. "Well, I'm glad I was able to help you, uh... work that out." A slow, almost bashful (Jack Donaghy? Bashful?) smile twitched at one corner of his lips, as he amended, "So to speak."
They chuckled in unison, nervously, kind of searching each other with their eyes. Liz averted her own to his tie, and she reached up to fix the knot. "There."
"Thank you, Liz."
She smiled. Never in a million years did she think this could happen between her and Jack, and it would feel... not weird. Normal, almost. She didn't want to say 'right' because that would just incite a freakout, but it was... almost right.
There had been minimal fumbling, which far exceeded her expectations for their first time (not that she'd thought about it before. At all. Ever). She guessed part of that was the pent-up frustrations on both their ends from the constant bickering, but she never thought them together would actually be... great.
And he'd called her by her first name. Which was oddly sweet. Now he was gently placing his hands over her hips and leaning down, and her head was reflexively turning up to meet him as his lips closed in on hers.
There was no aggression to be found in this kiss, though it was no less intense than the others. When they broke apart this time, Jack asked her quietly, "May I take you out this evening, Liz?"
Liz continued to listen to Jenna and ignored all the bells and whistles and alarms going off inside her head, and nodded. "Yeah. I'd like that."
"Good. I'll have a car pick us up at seven."
Her eyebrows raised at the quick planning. "Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
"Ahh." They were back to their old bantering style, but with just a bit more subtext and innuendo thrown in. "Well, wherever we're going, there's a dream I've been meaning to tell you about."
Jack mirrored the eyebrow-raise, interest piqued. "Really?"
"Mm-hmm." She slid her hands down his tie and brushed past him, heading for the door.
"What is it about?"
She turned to look at him over her shoulder. "It's about all of..." she gestured between them. "This, kinda."
Jack twitched a smile, still intrigued. "Can't wait to hear about it."
Liz decided to throw a coy smile at him over her shoulder while she reached for the doorknob...
"Uh, Liz, that's still--"
She ran head-on into the door. "Ow!"
"--locked."
FIN
{x-posted to 30_rock and jack_liz
FANDOM: 30 Rock
PAIRING: Jack/Liz
SPOILERS: Season one
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY:
*****
Liz stormed into her office and flung her purse toward her sofa without looking. When the sofa cried out an indignant, "Hey!" Liz spun around and cast an apologetic look at her friend, Jenna.
"Sorry, Jenna. Didn't know you were in here," she made a face, adding, "stalking me."
Jenna set the purse aside and rose to her feet, concern in her wide eyes. "What's wrong? You look totally stressed, and... like you didn't get much sleep or something."
"I didn't," Liz huffed, plopping gracelessly onto her chair.
"What's going on?"
When Liz slowly drew her eyes up to meet her friend's, realization dawned on Jenna's features, and she gasped slightly. "The dream again?"
Liz nodded emphatically and squinted her eyes shut, running her fingers through her hair agitatedly. "It won't stop!" She kind of would be okay with ripping her hair out right now. The pain would be a refreshing change from the frustration.
"Is it the same every night?"
"Well, the plotline is basically the same," she sighed, "Just... the locations change. Sometimes it takes place in here, sometimes at my place, sometimes in his office, the time that it took place on-set was really weird."
Jenna's eyes widened. "Like with the audience there?"
"No!" Liz couldn't help but look downright disgusted. She folded her arms and slumped back in her chair, clarifying under her breath, "After-hours."
That won an approving smile from her friend. "Nice!"
"No, it's not nice!" she exclaimed. "It's nowhere near nice. It's very very not nice, in fact. And it's... it's frustrating."
Jenna scrunched her nose. "So it's that bad in the dream?"
Liz shook her head slowly, emphasizing each word slowly. "Not. At. All."
"Ohhh, I get it. So that's why it's not nice?" She raised her eyebrows. "Have you talked to Jack about it yet?"
Liz was certain Jenna belonged in a nuthouse for that question. "What?! No, of course not! Why on earth would I bring this up to Jack?"
Jenna shrugged, innocence written all over her features. Except she was anything but. "I don't know, I just... thought maybe that would help."
Liz rolled her eyes. "Yeah sure, because that wouldn't make things awkward or anything. Not to mention he's been driving me nuts lately."
"With desire?" Jenna teased, grinning.
Sometimes Liz really wanted to punch Jenna. Very, very hard. But not this time. This time, she was kinda right. "Unfortunately? Yes. But I don't know that it's necessarily Jack!"
"Oh yes it is, honey. I've been saying that since the beginning. I've seen sparks between you guys since day one."
"But I think it's just because... I'm a little frustrated in general since Floyd and I split up, and since Jack and I are around each other so much every day, it's only natural that my subconscious might project--"
"Blah, blah, blah!" Jenna interjected loudly, smug grin still in place. "You can try to college-talk your way out of this as much as you want, Liz, but it's not going to work."
"It freaks me out!" Liz hissed, glancing surreptitiously at the door and making sure Jack wasn't about to come through it. "Every time he touches me, I just wanna... like... throw him up against a wall. That's not natural."
"What's not natural is the fact that you haven't actually done that yet," Jenna chuckled. "I would've within the first week. He's just so... yummy."
"Ew."
"Don't deny it. And how exactly does he touch you?"
"Just innocent, stupid little stuff. Like when he wants to get my attention he grabs my forearm, or... if we're walking somewhere, he's kind of taken to putting his hand on the small of my back -- y'know, that old chivalry thing?"
"He is very chivalrous. I love the way he treats you."
Liz made a face. "You mean constantly criticizing the way I look -- and act -- to the point where I want to throw myself off the top of 30 Rock?"
"Liz, you haven't figured out that that's his way of flirting with you?" Jenna giggled. "Come on! It's that old pulling-the-pigtails thing guys do. He teases you relentlessly because he likes you. I mean think about it, Liz, as much as he criticizes you about how you dress, how often does he check you out? Because I see him do it a lot. Especially lately, since you've started wearing dresses, and... makeup."
Liz rolled her eyes...
"And as much as he harps on you, do you also notice every time he does something nice for you? You gotta wake up now, honey. Jack Donaghy has a thing for you, and those dreams should be a screaming message that you have a thing for him, too." She smiled, as if highly proud of herself for that in-depth analysis. "Go for it!"
"I can't just... do that. I'm not you. I don't have... confidence like that." She tilted her head and amended, "If he keeps doing that gentleman crap though, I dunno." Looking up, she admitted to her friend. "I'm kinda close to a breakdown, I think."
Jenna, rather than offer sympathy, just smiled and said, "Good. Maybe that's what you need to take action!"
A knock on the door diverted their attention, and when Jack poked his head inside, Liz straightened in her chair while Jenna smiled gleefully.
"Jack," Liz breathed.
"Jack!" Jenna echoed cheerfully. Liz felt like punching her again. "Hello."
"Good morning. Uh, Lemon..." He came inside and held out his arm, his gesture for her to get up and go with him. "I need to speak with you in my office please."
"Really? Do you have to?" She grimaced.
Jack just appeared to ponder her sanity for a moment before responding simply, "Yes."
Begrudingly, Liz rose to her feet. "Alright."
She was able to ignore Jenna's huge grin (even though she could feel it) as they walked out, but she was unable to ignore the electricity at the base of her spine when Jack placed his hand on her lower back to guide her. She closed her eyes as they walked and figured she was in for another very long, very frustrating day with him.
*****
The elevator ride was excruciating. Especially since Jack liked to stand right next to her... even if they were the only two people on the elevator. When they reached his office, he had stopped at Jonathan's desk to give him instructions about some sort of golf... thing. Liz wasn't really paying attention, because as he was doing this, he curled his hand around her upper arm to keep her there with him.
Liz had to close her eyes and clench her teeth in order to keep from doing something embarrassing, like slapping him or... throwing him onto Jonathan's desk and kissing the hell out of him. And her head kinda hurt from clenching her teeth so hard, but... it was better than throwing him onto Jonathan's desk.
Jack had wanted to discuss the budget, and whether or not she'd be willing to fire a quarter of her staff. Liz's position on that had been a firm, "Um, no," and Jack accepted it with a nod and his trademark, "Fair enough."
"That's it?" She raised her eyebrows. "No negotiation? No attempt to get me to fire an eighth of my staff instead?"
Jack shrugged. "There are other ways to get around our budgetary restrictions." He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes contemplatively, templing his hands together over his desk blotter. "You don't think Jenna would mind giving up her dressing room, do you?"
Liz opened her mouth to protest, then saw the slow smile creeping across his face. She sighed in relief and shook her head at him. "Okay, good for you. You got me."
"I'll put that on, as you say, my 'I'm awesome' list." He got up and again held out his arm, and Liz rose to her feet accordingly.
Liz felt like her hands were shaking. She couldn't take much more of this -- of being around him -- without taking a chance and figuring out if there was anything there between them, or if it was just the dream.
When Jack's hand slid across her lower back, Liz closed her eyes, her restraint wearing thin. "Jack, please don't do that."
"Do what?" He looked over at her and never removed his hand.
"Be nice to me. Touch me. Just... don't."
"What is the matter with you today, Lemon? Got something on your mind you'd like to tell me about?"
When Jack's hand slid around to the curve of her waist, still guiding her to the door, Liz lost it. She snapped. She grabbed Jack by the lapels of his suit and shoved him against the wall near the door, and... she pounced. She pretty much attacked lips while her hands gripped his lapels so hard her knuckles turned white. She waited for Jack to shove her away. Instead, he pulled her closer, closed his hands over her hips, and deepened the kiss.
Liz was rather proud of herself for that head-first dive she took by kissing him aggressively. She could probably pretty much write her own book on aggression; it might even sell better than Jack's. She'd have to look into it. For now, she was certain she didn't want Jack to stop kissing her.
Never in a million years did she think she'd be here -- pressed tight against her boss, the two of them kissing like horny teenagers. Jack's fingers on one hand were digging into her hip, while the other hand had slid up her back, over her shoulders, and under her hair to cup the back of her neck.
In one swift motion, Jack reversed their positions and pinned Liz against the wall, his lips slanting against hers, still refusing to break this first hungry, passionate kiss.
Liz felt a familiar sensation sliding down her spine, a very familiar need she was positive Jack would know how to satisfy. Wow, she really was frustrated if she was thinking about actually going through with this.
If Jenna was here (well, first Liz would have to tell her to get the hell out, but...) she would tell her to stop listening to her brain and follow her heart and her body for once. So Liz did exactly that. She broke from Jack's lips, and breathlessly commanded him, "Lock the doors."
He stared at her with wide eyes, and it probably would've made her laugh if she wasn't so damn flustered right now. "Uh--"
"Do it before I change my mind."
"Of course." He made haste toward the door and, before locking it, he pulled it open ever-so-slightly and barked at his assistant. "Jonathan! Absolutely NO calls!" Then, without waiting for a response, he slammed the door, locked both of them, and rushed back over to Liz, sweeping her up in another intense kiss.
He was a really good kisser. Not that she doubted he would be. Or... thought about it. At all. Ever.
He knew just the right time to tilt his head and soften his lips, just the right way to grasp her waist, and just the right time to run his fingertips down her neck. Liz was pretty much putty in his hands, which she hated and loved all at once.
They stumbled around the office together, contemplating the couch, or the nearest wall. Finally they crashed against the desk.
"Here's good," Liz heard herself panting. She briefly decided Jenna would be so proud of her before she decided to shut out her thoughts completely. Then she hopped up on the desk, smiled at Jack as he smiled at her, and yanked him down by the tie for another kiss.
*****
"So..." Liz fought to regain her breath as they resituated their clothing. "About what I needed to talk to you about... about what's been bothering me lately... umm..." She nodded slowly. "I think, uh... I think that pretty much covered it."
Jack nodded back, equally slow. "Well, I'm glad I was able to help you, uh... work that out." A slow, almost bashful (Jack Donaghy? Bashful?) smile twitched at one corner of his lips, as he amended, "So to speak."
They chuckled in unison, nervously, kind of searching each other with their eyes. Liz averted her own to his tie, and she reached up to fix the knot. "There."
"Thank you, Liz."
She smiled. Never in a million years did she think this could happen between her and Jack, and it would feel... not weird. Normal, almost. She didn't want to say 'right' because that would just incite a freakout, but it was... almost right.
There had been minimal fumbling, which far exceeded her expectations for their first time (not that she'd thought about it before. At all. Ever). She guessed part of that was the pent-up frustrations on both their ends from the constant bickering, but she never thought them together would actually be... great.
And he'd called her by her first name. Which was oddly sweet. Now he was gently placing his hands over her hips and leaning down, and her head was reflexively turning up to meet him as his lips closed in on hers.
There was no aggression to be found in this kiss, though it was no less intense than the others. When they broke apart this time, Jack asked her quietly, "May I take you out this evening, Liz?"
Liz continued to listen to Jenna and ignored all the bells and whistles and alarms going off inside her head, and nodded. "Yeah. I'd like that."
"Good. I'll have a car pick us up at seven."
Her eyebrows raised at the quick planning. "Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
"Ahh." They were back to their old bantering style, but with just a bit more subtext and innuendo thrown in. "Well, wherever we're going, there's a dream I've been meaning to tell you about."
Jack mirrored the eyebrow-raise, interest piqued. "Really?"
"Mm-hmm." She slid her hands down his tie and brushed past him, heading for the door.
"What is it about?"
She turned to look at him over her shoulder. "It's about all of..." she gestured between them. "This, kinda."
Jack twitched a smile, still intrigued. "Can't wait to hear about it."
Liz decided to throw a coy smile at him over her shoulder while she reached for the doorknob...
"Uh, Liz, that's still--"
She ran head-on into the door. "Ow!"
"--locked."
FIN
{x-posted to 30_rock and jack_liz