JanPepper Week: Day One - The Beginning
@janpepperweek Oh gosh... I'm sorry for how late this is. Going to do my best to have something for all the prompts by October! ALSO I know what Janice said in the show about, you know... how she got Floyd LOL but I'm not going to use that (because I just don't know how LOL) but anyways... hope you all enjoy :)
The board-house full of Muppets was busy and loud as per usual, though the thoughts swirling through Janice's mind seemed much louder. All of it was becoming a bit too much for her, so she made her way to the roof and sat down, looking up at the sky as the sun set and painted the sky so many pretty colors. She took a deep breath; only sound she heard being the traffic on the interstate in the distance. This was "her place". Well, her and Floyd's. They had started going up there to the roof all the time just to talk. It had started just over a month earlier when Janice found herself in a rather difficult situation. She was in a band and one of her bandmates had been given another title: her ex. She and Zoot had tried to make it work, but it just didn't work out that way. The Muppet Show was nearing its second season and the last thing Janice wanted was for things to be awkward. Would the band's performances be awkward? And what about the At the Dance sketches in which Kermit had paired her with Zoot?
Her and Zoot had both kept showing up to band rehearsals, and even then, they still spoke to each other. It just felt different. It was weird. Janice didn't like that, and she was sure Zoot didn't like it either. They were close for the longest time; long before anything romantic started between them. Thankfully, it had gotten much better over the last month and a half. The awkwardness was slowly fading, and they were both thankful. But now... new thoughts spun in Janice's mind.
Floyd was always there to listen to her feelings during the whole thing that was happening with her and Zoot. Right there on the roof where she sat was where it always happened. Not only would Floyd listen, but he made Janice feel heard. He made her feel calm. He made her feel less alone. She truly believed that just him being there for her made the whole situation so much more bearable for her. She felt safe with him; and when she really thought about it, she realized no one else had ever made her feel that way. Not even Zoot.
There was just something about the way Floyd talked to her, looked at her, that made her heart skip a beat. She had known Floyd even before she knew the others in the band. She saw him all the time, yet somehow, she wanted to see him even more. She thought that she was in love with Zoot, but she was feeling something now for Floyd that made her doubt that "in love" was exactly what she had felt for Zoot. She cared about Zoot, of course she did. But with Floyd it was just different. It was more.
What would he, like, even see in me anyways? She thought to herself. And wouldn't it be too soon anyways? Like, Zoot and I haven't even been broken up for two months yet.
She sighed and looked up at the sky above her. It was getting darker now, and the stars were lightly twinkling despite the sun not being fully set yet. She knew Floyd would be here soon, looking for her once he noticed she wasn't with the others while they prepared for dinner. As if her thoughts sent him a cue, she heard the door open and felt his presence beside of her.
"Hey Jan. You okay?" He asked her, something off in his voice.
She turned her attention to him then. "Fer sure. Are you?"
He looked down and didn't answer. "Sorry it took me a bit. I noticed you were gone and started to come up but Teeth wanted to talk."
Had something happened between him and Teeth? She shifted so that she could face him, one leg curled under her and the other left dangling off the edge of the roof. "Is everything okay? Did something, like, happen?"
He kept his gaze down and let out a breath. "We just, uh, got into a bit of an argument."
Janice's mouth gaped. "An argument? About what?"
Floyd let out another breath that sounded more like a bit of a laugh this time. Finally, he looked at her. "You."
Janice was taken aback. "Me? Like, why?"
Floyd looked down again, blushing slightly. He knew he could tell her, that she wouldn't be upset with him for it. Because talking about anything and anything at all was just natural for them. It always had been. "He, uh... he caught on and noticed that I, uh, y'know... like you."
Janice just stared at him, not sure exactly what to say at first. Was he saying what she thought he was saying?
"Like... like me?" She finally got a few words out.
Floyd laughed his usual laugh then. "Yeah, Jan. I like you. Y'know, like that. He's just worried if something did ever happen between us like that, what it would mean for the band. Given your history with Zoot and all that."
That made Janice wonder if Teeth had caught on to her having feelings for Floyd, too.
Floyd continued. "I mean, I don't want things to be even more awkward for you and Zoot again after you two are finally getting back to a good, uh, not awkward place. But I just wanted you to know that I do like you a lot, Janice. And... I wanna be with you. I actually have for quite some time now."
Janice felt her cheeks getting warm as she tried to fight a giggle at how cute his rambling was. She couldn't remember him ever doing it before. She had to bite her lip as his rambling continued.
"And I understand if you don't feel the same or you're not ready or if you're, y'know, done with band members or-"
"Floyd, stop," she cut him off, her giggle finally escaping her lips. He looked over at her again, and she rested a hand on his shoulder. "I-I do like you," she smiled. "Y'know, like that."
"You do?" He blinked a few times.
"Fer sure," she nodded. "And I wanna be with you too, Floyd."
Floyd looked at her in disbelief, and then let out a happy laugh. "So... we're a thing now?"
"I'd like to be," Janice coyly told him.
"And Zoot?"
"We'll figure that out later," she told him, wrapping her arms around him. He returned the hug, her face against his chest. She smiled more. "I'm sure everything will like, turn out fine. All I know is I like, wanna be with you no matter what."
Floyd nodded, even though she couldn't see from her position. He gently pressed a kiss into the top of her head and sighed happily. "I feel the same exact way, Jan."
