Wandering Romance

(Doo Wop) That Thing

Aubrey and Jax have started a weird sort of thing. She is unsure to call it a relationship as they both haven't voiced any commitments to each other. Although she is starting to think friends with benefits or fuck buddy might be applicable. She is pretty sure on the outside people have clearly labeled it like that, but she knows what they are is more than that. They're a thing and she thinks she's okay with that.

However, in the weeks that followed the night she moved into her place, Jax has a key to her home and a space in her dressers. And more often than not, she wakes up with him sliding into bed late at night. His arms would wrap around her. He would sleep or sometimes insistent kisses would wake her up that would always lead to more and would help her fall asleep again.

In the mornings, she would make him breakfast and ask about his night or day. Hell, she was even washing his clothes and buying him things for her place. In the evenings, she would make dinner and he would even help with the dishes. Afterward, they would watch TV whether it is a movie, TV show, or the news. Most night – every night – he would put her to bed. It was all very domestic for something they weren't making the moves to define.

She didn't even know if she wanted to define it. But this thing they had was a routine.

If they made the moves to make this something more – to label it – it meant calling attention to the things they both choose to ignore. She never makes comments on how he will disappear for days mostly with no warning. If she doesn't catch him packing things from her place, she doesn't know he is leaving. Sometimes she is bothered by the disappearing act. She doesn't need to know where he is going, but it would be nice to know that he is going somewhere. But she assumes Jax isn't used to having to answer to someone. Likes the freedom to do as he pleases and sometimes she thinks he might not even be out of Charming. He could be at the clubhouse doing God's know what. She usually gets her answer if he comes back and sleeps for 12 hours.

But when he doesn't sleep as if he has slipped into a coma, she isn't stupid. She may not be immersed in the Life and just because she seems to be a constant bed partner for Jax she knows that most likely she isn't the only one.

She knows it comes to the territory with the life he leads. She knows that Life is filled with women on a platter for them just like she knows Feds are a constant threat to the men.

For the sake of her own peace of mind, she doesn't ask about the other women that keep him company. It wasn't as if he was throwing them in her face. If she wanted to be naïve she might believe he wasn't sleeping with anyone.

But he had a life she couldn't find the courage to ask about and at this point was fine in not knowing.

She had her own life outside of him too. Just like she wasn't going to make the first move he wasn't either. So he doesn't ask her where she goes on weekends when he's gone, or when she thinks he is. Sometimes there are weekend trips to visit Payton at college and experience some college partying. She attends a few frat parties with no thought of consequences. And after a night of partying and she finds him sitting on her couch watching TV, he doesn't question how drinks weren't the only things her lipstick-stained.

It's weird as she used to be a girl that valued fidelity. She knows that she still does, but she and Jax aren't normal. Sure, she enjoys his company and is a great lay, but she's young, and being with him means accepting responsibilities – burdens – she doesn't want to consider. She doesn't want to tackle them on. And right now what they are works for them, but she knows eventually it's not.

A few months later, they are eating a small breakfast of cereal and toast. She had worked the 2nd shift at the diner the previous night and Jax had come strolling in her place an hour later. She is surprised that he isn't sleeping for 12 hours as she hadn't seen him in two days.