Jekyll and Hyde (That '70s Show)

chapter 18 (the good son)

SONG: Far Away Eyes by The Rolling Stones

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Ida's eyes were wider than those of a deer caught in the headlights - she was scared shitless. She and Hyde were sitting in the basement after school, watching The Exorcist on the TV and eating popcorn from the biggest bowl they could find in the kitchen. Ida was clutching it in her arms, curled up on the couch, sitting on needles, while Hyde was sitting next to her, his legs on the coffee table and arms crossed over his chest. He seemed very unamused and rather bored.

'Why are we watching this?' Ida asked him, her eyes glued to the screen.

Hyde frowned. 'You wanted to watch it.'

'I don't wanna watch it anymore.'

He looked at her. 'Then why are you still watching it?'

Eyes still on the TV, Ida grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl and before stuffing it into her mouth, replied, 'Cause I can't stop watching.'

Suddenly, the door to the basement opened. 'Hey, guys.'

And Ida let out a horrified scream, falling off the couch, the bowl flying out of her hands, sending popcorn into the air. She looked up and saw Eric standing by the door, watching her, unsure what even to say about the scene in front of him.

Hyde clicked his tongue in annoyance. 'Dammit, Ida! You spilled the popcorn everywhere.'

Closing the door, Eric answered, 'Well, since you're doing all the housework now, you can just clean it.'

'Shut up, Forman. I don't do all the house work,' Hyde told him and then stood up, shaking the popcorn of himself. 'Which reminds me, I have to go do the dishes.' Then he headed towards the stairs.

Ida was confused. 'You have to do what now?' It wasn't like Hyde to do any household chores, let alone wash the dishes.

Once he left, Eric joined Ida when she pulled herself back onto the couch. 'Could've given me a heart attack right there,' she told him, picking up the now empty bowl and setting it on the coffee table.

Eric reached for the remote and then changed the channel to Scooby Doo. 'Why were you even watching The Exorcist? You hate horror movies.'

'I know,' Ida said. 'Which is why I like to put myself through the torture of watching them. It's not even a problem to watch them - they're fun. But the issue is continuing to live a normal life after watching such movies.'

'Well, you've given me great ideas for pranks now,' Eric replied.

'Do you want me to end up in the emergency room?' she asked him. 'Anyways, what's gotten into Hyde? Doing the dishes? I don't think he even knows how to do that.'

Eric shook his head and shrugged. 'I don't know. He's acting like a housewife. It's like we got a new maid and not an orphan. I'm just waiting for him to welcome me home with freshly baked cookies.'

'He's acting like a housewife,' Ida repeated. 'I don't believe you.'

'You don't have to. You can just go see it for yourself. He literally does all of my chores,' Eric told Ida. 'And at first, I thought that was great because I don't have to do them anymore and can just have Hyde do them and lie that I did them. But you can't fool Red, so Hyde's been getting all of my allowance.'

Ida raised her eyebrows. 'So that's where he's been getting all that money from.'

'My money,' Eric said loudly and then buried his face into Ida's shoulder. 'He's taking my money, Ida.'