Tuck Everlasting - Jesse Tuck x Reader - Modern Times#4. “God, you’re pretty.”#8. “Why are you looking at me like that…?”#9. “Wait! Stop!”
You don’t know what had come over you. You had no idea how to describe it either. It was just this sudden urge (instinct?) to go and climb a tree. You hadn’t done it in years, and were definitely out of practice. But it was something that you found yourself doing nonetheless.
Wandering through the woods looking for just the right tree, you stopped at the trunk of an old oak. Peering up into its branches, you knew this was the one. Placing a hand on the trunk, you began climbing. It took you a few tries to find the right footing, but as soon as you did, you were off!
Moving up the tree seemed like second nature, and you had no idea how your feet knew exactly the right places to step, but they did. Soon enough, you were breaking the treeline. Overlooking the other trees around you, no words could describe the view. The sun and the clouds, along with the birds who were flying from tree to tree, it was a breathtaking sight. You were very grateful for whatever power convinced you to come and see this beauty of nature, but now a question remained.
How were you to get down?
Looking back to the ground from the top was not a good idea, but you did it anyway. You could feel your knees lock together as you tried to find the same path you climbed up, but it would not be easy to follow it backwards.
Taking a deep breath, you slowly began to inch yourself back down the tree. Unfortunately, about three fourths of the way down, you stepped on the wrong branch, and you felt it give way underneath you. Letting out a noise of surprise as you fell, you saw the flash of some colors before everything went black.
When you came to, you found your head was being cradled by a stranger. Curiously peering up at his face, you felt your heartbeat start to pick up. Noticing your awakeness and your staring, the stranger spoke.
“Are you okay? You took quite a big fall. Can you tell me your name?” But when you didn’t respond, just continued to stare, he decided to ask a different question. “Why are you looking at me like that…?”
You couldn’t stop the words from coming out of your mouth if you tried, “You’re just really pretty. God, you’re pretty. Too pretty.” Reaching up, you place your hand on his cheek. “You can’t be real.”
The man chuckled and placed a hand on top of yours. “I am real, and I’m worried that you might have a concussion. Do you feel dizzy at all?” But you ignored him, trying to take in all of the features of his face. “Hello?” he asked. He let out a sigh, waving his other hand in front of your eyes, startling you but gaining your attention.
And it was then that your common sense came back to you. Pretty or not, this guy was a stranger! Scrambling up, you stumbled for a minute before booking it out of there. You could hear him behind you, trying to catch up, calling out. “Wait! Stop!” But you kept going.
When you thought you had lost him, you stopped to take a break and catch your breath. However, you were less safe than you thought. You heard a rustling above you and then the guy from before dropped down right in front of you. You froze in both shock and awe at the ability of the stranger.
“There you are! I thought something happened. I’m not going to hurt you, if that’s what you were thinking. I really just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Turning your head sheepishly, you admit, “I may have overreacted. It just kind of hit me that I didn’t know you and shouldn’t just be so trusting of a stranger, so I ran. Sorry.” Rubbing the back of your neck, he took a step closer, which you eyed warily, still slightly unsure.
Sticking out his hand, the guy introduces himself. “Jesse Tuck. Pleasure to meet you and be called pretty by you.” You give a slight chuckle, shaking his hand and introducing yourself as well. “Since we’re no longer strangers, can I help you now? I seriously think you have a concussion and I can give you a ride to the hospital to get it checked out.”
“That would actually be really nice,” you reply with a smile. And so you and Jesse head back towards his car.
“Why were you climbing that tree anyway? That one looked the most unsteady out of the surrounding bunch.”
Deciding to be honest, you explained your sudden urge to climb, and how that tree just called to you. He stopped walking and seemed to really look at you. Glancing back at the tree, he let out a soft chuckle. “Do you believe in fate?” he asked you.
“I guess, why?”
“Because I think I saw you fall for a reason.” And that was how you met an immortal guy, who would also become your boyfriend, by falling out of the tree that protected that special spring so many years ago.
Tuck Everlasting - Jesse Tuck X Reader#41. Take notes, sweetheart.
Over the course of the many years that you knew Jesse Tuck you were never surprised by the amount of things that he knew. He was a smart guy, a sponge collecting information from every place he visited over the centuries.
Sure, not all of the information was useful, but it was still interesting and made for good conversation starters. Of course, one of Jesse’s favorite subjects was trees. He loved climbing them, studying them, sleeping in them, and most importantly talking about them. If an activity involved a tree, Jesse was there.
That also usually meant that you were there too. Which also meant that you learned a lot about trees. Not as much as Jesse of course, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t trying to teach you.
“Ooh, this one is a Japanese maple. The leaves usually have more points than a regular maple and it turns a gorgeous shade of reddish-purple in the fall. The branches are a lot more delicate too, so climbing them takes a lot of balance. Make sure to take notes sweetheart.” And then he was off, hoisting himself from branch to branch trying to make his way to the top.
You can only laugh as you watch him go, getting a lot higher than you thought he would be able to. You can see his hand reach up over the tree top, but his head doesn’t break through and soon enough he’s back on the ground with you.
“I couldn’t find a good place to break through. Let’s try to find another one to look through the top of.” But you decide to take a shot at it. Approaching the tree, you gently work yourself from branch to branch, keeping yourself on the more solid branches, you make it to where Jesse must have been.
Reaching a hand out, you hear Jesse call that you made it. But then you carefully inch yourself further up the branch, attempting to get slightly higher. Finding a balance between two smaller branches, you’re able to poke your head through the top of the tree.
“Hey, Jesse! Who’s taking notes now?” You let out a triumphant laugh and Jesse just shakes his head at you.
“I’m still the tree master around here.”
“Whatever you say, Jesse, but I still beat you this once, and I’m not going to let you forget it!”
Prompt: Not a request - I was kind of thinking about what would happen if Winnie had an older sibling and they met the Tucks and so this happened.
Fandom: Tuck Everlasting
Pairing: Jesse Tuck X Foster!Reader
Summary: You decide to go after your sister when she disappears, little did you know you’d be swept up in an adventure that would open you up to all of life’s possibilities.
Word Count: 4,666
Warnings: Irresponsibility? Maybe some language? Not a lot
A/N: In this I’m pretending that the man in the yellow suit isn’t a thing just because it would mess with the flow of the story. It’s kind of a rewrite? I guess you could call it that. Also, I am an only child so I have no experience with siblings, but I know that relationships vary widely so I kind of just went with what felt natural.
~~~
You sit in the parlor, watching as your mother paces up and down the room wringing her hands. Letting out a sigh you look out the window to see the constable and his son coming up the walkway. Glancing back at your mother, you get up and open the door, ushering them in before they could even knock. “The police are here,” you call, causing her to jump.
“Officers! You must find her! I feel so awful for the way I spoke to her last. What if she never comes back? Oh, you just have to find her! I’m worrying myself away with grief,” your mother exclaimed, her fear quite evident in her panicked and rushed tone.
“Slow down, Mrs. Foster, and start from the beginning. Who’s missing and at what time did you consider them gone?” Joe asked, opening a notebook. Hugo stood beside him and opened a notebook of his own, a determined look on his face. Your mother went over the details of that morning and how Winnie wanted to go to the fair, and how she had a frog in her pocket.
You kept gazing out the window as she regaled the events that transpired, imagining Winnie coming running out of the forest any moment. But you were soon jolted out of your daze when Hugo stepped up next to you to look out as well. “Don’t worry, (Y/N). I know we’ll find your sister. She might even come back on her own by the end of the day.”
“Thanks, Hugo. I wish I could do more to help. Maybe if I had just talked with her and spent more time with her I could have kept her from getting so upset about that fair. Or at least went on a walk with her, rather than have her be out in that wood by herself.” Letting out a sigh, you turn to him with a sad smile.
He returns the smile and extends a hand. You dutifully shake it and he gives a nod as you show him and the constable out. “Please return with any news you find,” your mother eagerly says.
“And any other news, we don’t get the paper anymore,” your grandmother calls from her rocking chair. You let out a small laugh, but cover it with a cough. Constable Joe gives a slight bow, Hugo mimicking him a few moments later, and then they’re gone. You can hear your mother start pacing again, and you return to your spot by the window. When you see the officers fade off into the distance you decide to be proactive.
“Mother, I think it would be best if you laid down. You’re not making anything better by pacing and worrying yourself to death. I’ll ensure that you’re informed when there’s any news.” Her face is pale, and she seems about to protest, but you interject, “-It won’t do Winnie any good if she comes home to you sick from fear. A nap will do you good.” She seems to cave at the good intention written on your face and gives a stiff nod before retiring to her room.
When you know that she’s gone, you turn to grandmother only to find that she is dozing in her chair as well. Steadying yourself you take a step out of the house. Although apprehensive to leave, you know that you had to find Winnie, and who better to find her than her sibling? As you step out of the boundary of your front yard. Breathing deeply, you make your way to the wood.
The second you step into the shadows provided by the overhanging branches, you feel completely different. Like your life is just beginning. Breathing in the fresh air, and the scent of the Earth fills your nose and you feel revitalized. You walk further in, dedicated to finding Winnie and bringing her home safe.
As you continue on, you take in all of the different trees, the shadows they cast, and the life that flows through it’s limbs. The birds sitting on the overhanging boughs, the squirrels scurrying through the leaves, and the frogs sitting at the base of the trunk.
Inspecting the frog closest to you, you give it a questioning look, “Do you know where my sister went?” It just ribbits at you and hops away. Trying to think like Winnie, you decide to follow it. The worst could happen is that you don’t find her. Setting off after the amphibian, you keep your eyes open for any sign of her bright red hair.
You had considered calling out for her, but decided against it just in case anyone else was in the woods. And there was the fact that she probably wouldn’t answer. Trailing after the frog as they kept moving, you find yourself come upon a spring. You didn’t even know that your property had any source of water on it. Thinking of taking a drink, you step forward, but you’re stopped when you hear a shout.
Whipping your head around, you’re surprised to find that no one is behind you. Furrowing your brow you let out a tentative, “Hello?” When only silence greets you, you shake your head, thinking that the fresh air may have been a little too fresh. Taking another step toward the spring, bending down to scoop a handful, you let out a scream when a pair of boots drops in front of you.
Falling backwards onto your butt, you’re surprised to see a young face standing in front of you, holding a hand out to you. He has a sheepish grin on his face. Hesitantly taking it, he helps you up. Brushing some of the dirt from your clothes, you finally meet his eyes, and are stunned at the hazel ones that peer right back into yours. You see a wisdom in them, a kind that only comes with age.
But then you see a flash of red above you and the spell is broken. Looking up you see your sister. “Winnie!” you yell, excited at finding her. She carefully makes her way down the tree trunk in front of you, and you can’t help but watch in awe. When her feet finally touch the ground you rush past the stranger and scoop her into your arms. “Do you have any idea how worried mother has been? Thank God you’re safe.”
Winnie stands limply in your arms before squirming away, taking a step back. She seemed happy to see you, but a little disappointed at the same time. Glancing back at the stranger, he cocked his head, and gave her a shrug. “I’m having fun with Jesse, I was going to come home after the fair.”
“Hey, you never said anything about a fair,” ‘Jesse’ says, giving her a look, “Is there one going on tonight or something?”
“Yeah!” Winnie exclaims, “It only comes once a year and mother wouldn’t let me go. That’s why I ran away. (Y/N) here wouldn’t even think about helping me go, because they’re such a stick in the mud.” She gave you a scowl, and you can’t help but feel a little hurt that she partially blames you.
“I’m sorry that mother said ‘no’, but why is it my fault that she didn’t agree?” you ask exasperated.
“You could have at least taken my side! It was a tradition to go, one that father would have wanted us to continue it. But you just went along with it, like it was nothing.” You could hear her start to get choked up, and opened your arms. She hesitantly walked forward and gave you a proper hug, burying her head in your chest. Pulling her tight and rubbing circles on her back, you apologize.
“I didn’t know that the fair meant that much to you. And I’m sure if mother knew she would have agreed. But running away is no way to deal with your problems, Winnie. They’ll just grow over time until you can never return. Okay?” you ask looking down at her. She nods and steps back, looking a little more cheerful.
Your attention finally returns to the stranger, or ‘Jesse’. You stick out a hand and introduce yourself with a smile, “(Y/N) Foster, eldest sibling. Pleasure to meet you, and thank you for looking after Winnie.”
“Pleasure’s all mine. Your sister is quite the adventurer, it’s nice to meet another. I’m Jesse Tuck.” Giving your hand a firm shake, he returns the smile, and you can’t help the butterflies that form in your stomach. You break eye contact, glancing anywhere but at him as you feel your cheeks heat up, but your eyes lock onto the tree that the two had appeared out of.
“Want to give it a try?” Jesse asks, with a raised brow. You adamantly shake your head, but Jesse takes one look at Winnie before grabbing your arm and pulling you towards the trunk. “It’s easy, just follow my lead. Step one, find a sturdy branch. Two, don't you dare look down. Three, pull your body up, and don’t forget to dig in your heels.”
Following his lead, you had soon broken through the canopy. From your perch you could see all the other trees, and even the roof of your house. Winnie climbed up behind you and pointed out some of the other things that she had seen before you had come. You followed her finger and couldn’t help the smile that made its way to your face at the beauty that the wood had revealed.
Soon though, you hear the soft sound of a music box. Glancing below you see a woman sitting on one of the exposed roots. You see Jesse’s face pale and holds a finger out for you to wait as he carefully climbs down the tree. You see someone else come into the small clearing, but he seemed older.
The other man made it to the woman first and the music stops abruptly. Winnie is now intrigued and tries to get a better look, leaning over one of the branches, but you quickly pull her back with a shake of your head. “I won’t have you getting hurt, and it’s not our business.”
“But Jesse’s my friend.” And before you can say anything, Winnie is making her way down the trunk. You quietly call after her, but she ignores you. Deciding it best to climb after her, you attempt to find a foothold, but flounder for a little bit before finally finding one. As you climb down, you’re able to hear some conversation.
When your feet finally touch the ground again you hear the words, “Please know that as a mother, I don’t approve of what we’re about to do,” followed by Winnie screaming. Quickly orienting yourself you see that Winnie is being thrown over the shoulder of the other man.
“Hey!” you yell, “Put my sister down.” As you run over, about to attempt and stop the man, Jesse grabs your arm, pulling you to a stop. At your appearance, the woman and man freeze, Winnie still wriggling in the man’s grasp. “I said, ‘Put her down’.” Wrenching your arm from Jesse’s hold, you take a step forward.
The man shares a look with the woman, who nods. Gently setting Winnie down, he takes the coat off of her head. When she can see again, she runs over to you, looking wildly at the three others in front of you. They all share a look, and then the woman speaks.
“I’m so sorry about that, it’s just…” she trails off. Glancing at the two men, she takes a deep breath before starting again. “Our family is in danger with you knowing about us, and so we just wanted to speak to you in a better secured area. Our home, without you knowing where it was. I didn’t realize that there was more than one of you,” she says with a pointed look at Jesse, he gives a timid smile, and the woman rolls her eyes. “Please forgive our rashness, it’s been a very spirited day.”
Giving Winnie a concerned look, she gives a slight nod. “It’s alright, but if you could please let us go home now, our mother is probably very worried about us.” The three pale at your response, looking to each other again, the man then steps forward with a stern shake of his head.
“We can’t do that until we have your word you won’t tell anyone about us.”
“And why should we? You seem to be living in our wood without anyone’s knowledge. That doesn’t sound questionable at all.” Glaring at them suspiciously, you pull Winnie tighter to you, wary of any sign of danger.
The woman holds out a placating hand. “Please, we don’t mean you any harm. I’m just a mother trying to look out for the safety of my boys,” she gestures to Jesse and the other man, “Let us take you back to our home where we can explain. My husband will know what to do, and no one will get hurt, I promise you.”
Glancing at Winnie, she gives you a shrug. And with a considerate look from Jesse, you nod your head. They group seems to visibly relax before starting through the wood. Following behind them, the trip is silent other than the sounds of the forest. Jesse attempts to make small talk, but after a shove and glare from the other gentleman, he stays quiet.
Soon you find yourself at a quaint little cabin in a clearing hidden behind a line of trees. It seemed old, but well kept and you can’t help but admire the decorations hanging outside. Little trinkets made of glass and other random items, together formed a fantastic display as the light hit them just right.
Entering into the house the woman wakes up a man asleep on a couch. Moving, he groans out, “Are the boys home, Mae?” You watch him stretch and scratch his head, still in his pyjamas, before turning and freezing at the sight of you and your sister. Winnie gives him a little wave. “Mae?” he questions. She just points at Jesse.
“Heya, pop!” he says excitedly, like nothing bad was happening. “These are my new friends,” Jesse said, gesturing to you. Winnie just waved again, nervously looking around.
Taking the lead, you step up and stick out your hand, Winnie right behind you. “(Y/N) Foster, and this is my sister, Winnie.” She peeks out from He looks at it dumbly for a second before abruptly standing up. You take a step back, bumping into her.
“Foster?” he asks, you warily nod your head. “I used to fish with your great grandfather!” He sticks his hand out and you give it a good shake. He nods his head and realizes, “Pants,” before heading down a hallway. Mae, the mother, looks after him, letting out a breath before turning back to you. She gestures towards the newly opened couch and you and Winnie take a seat.
“I guess it’s time to explain the story of the Tucks…” Mae says. The man comes back, apparently looking for something. “Do you want to help, Angus?”
“I have to go fishing,” he responds absentmindedly.
“Fishing?!” she asks incredulously.
“We have guests for the first time in decades, Mae. They need a meal!” And with that he heads out the door. Shaking her head after him, the other man comes up and places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Giving his hand a pat, she starts the amazing tale of the Tucks.
You learn that Miles is the one who had attempted the sister-napping, which he did apologize for. You were struck dumb at their story. Winnie, on the other hand, was asking a million questions. Angus returned, fishless, while she was doing so. Jesse came up and gently touched your arm, causing you to look up at him. “I know it’s a lot to take in.” Nodding you try to wrap your head around it all.
The music box, and the white paws of every cat in town. Everything they said explained more and more of the things around town you had always wondered about. But that didn’t mean you didn’t still have questions of your own. “So…” you say, immediately trailing off. “How old are you really?”
Jesse laughs and you can’t help but smile at the sound. “As you can imagine, I’m older than my seventeen year old physique.” Giving you a rueful smile, he lets out a sigh before saying, “I’m 102.” Wincing after, he carefully peers at you to see you looking at him in astonishment.
“Well, I have to say you look really good for a centurion.” He laughs again and you can feel a little bit of the tension you felt lifting. His eyes light up as his smile grows. You turn to Winnie and see her let out a yawn. Wrapping an arm around her, you rub her arm a little.
“Oh, you two must be exhausted. And your mother is probably worrying herself to death, I’ll walk you to the edge of the wood so you two can get home.” Mae starts to stand, but Angus stops her with a hand.
“At this hour? It’s definitely too late, and we never get to have company. We’ll take you two back first thing in the morning, you have my word.”
“But we need their word,” Miles interjects. “You can’t tell anyone about us, ever.”
“Why would we?” you question. “And even if we did say something, who would believe us? We’ve seen you firsthand and even I still have trouble believing it.” He gives you a stern look, and you square your shoulders. “We swear not to tell anyone about you, or the spring. It’s in the best interest for us as well, you know? Seeing as this is our wood, we wouldn’t want it being overrun with strangers as much as you do.”
Miles nods at this, before letting his mother lead you to the attic. Winnie changes out of her dress, and you change into something a little more comfortable as well. Giving you some blankets and pillows, Mae tells you the story of how Angus proposed to her, and with those happy thoughts in your head you try to fall asleep.
A hopeless venture if Jesse were to have anything to do with it. He climbs in the window, half scaring you to death, talking about some adventure. Winnie is all excited to go, but you were the voice of reason. “Winnie, we have to go home in the morning. That means a good night’s rest now. We’re definitely going to need it to deal with mother tomorrow.”
Winnie lets out a sigh, about to agree with you when Jesse gives her a look. Then Winnie is saying that she’s going to go to the fair with Jesse anyway. You splutter a little, glancing between the two before finally saying. “Fine, if you’re going, I’m going. You’re my responsibility, Winnie, so I’m going to be there if anything happens.”
And with that you find yourself climbing down the side of the cabin. Freezing at the sight of Mr. Tuck, Jesse comes careening out the door and you all look at him, wondering what’s about to happen. He just raises a brow at Jesse, who gives a winning smile in return. Letting out a sigh, he just waves you on, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to talk you out of your plan anyway. “Just keep it low profile,” is all he says as you pass by.
“Of course, pop. Thanks!” Jesse says, grabbing your hand and pulling you through the wood before he can change his mind. On your way to the fair, Winnie talks about the fun you used to have with your father there every year. She even bragged about your dart skills.
You could see the lights of the fair through the tree line as you made your way ever closer, heart picking up speed at the smell of food and the memories associated with it. You could almost imagine your father walking through the crowd looking for you and Winnie after you had wandered from his sight.
You’re jostled out of your thoughts when Winnie tugs on your hand, pulling you faster. You grab Jesse’s in response as you end up running towards the entrance. Out of breath, you start to take in the music and the different booths. Jesse and Winnie try to get you to play a few of them, but you politely decline, just keeping an eye on the two of them.
You usher them behind a toy cart when you notice Constable Joe and Hugo. You feel slightly guilty for kind of lying to them by not saying you found Winnie, but it’s to protect the Tucks. As the night wears on Jesse keeps trying to get you involved, but ultimately devolves to trying to get a rise out of you, almost wanting you to prove him wrong.
“C’mon Winnie, let’s leave (Y/N) to be a stick in the mud,” he says, acting like he was going to walk off. Winnie gives you a sad look, about to follow him when you let out a groan.
“I’m not a stick in the mud! I’m sorry I just want to keep you two safe. Joe and Hugo are probably still here, and if I get distracted who’s going to watch your backs?” Jesse and Winnie share a look before shrugging their shoulders, turning to walk away again. “Fine!” you exclaim, and they finally turn around, “I’ll lighten up, okay?”
And with that Jesse and Winnie share a victorious smile. They both grab one of your arms and pulls you towards the dart booth. Letting out a sigh, you grab the weighted metal pins and take aim at the targets. Hitting all three, you get a little stuffed bear, which you hand to Winnie with a grin. You notice Jesse’s eyes on you and feel your cheeks heat up, “That was quite some skill you showed there,” he complimented. “Do you think you’d be that good with the bean bag toss?”
With a knowing grin, he grabs your hand, pulling you towards the next booth. You don’t do as well, but still win a prize, this time giving it to Jesse. He accepts it, hugging it to his chest. “I’ll keep it forever,” he says with a wink, butterflies swarming in your stomach again. This boy is going to be the death of me, you can’t help but think.
As the night starts to end, most of the booths closing and packing up for the next leg of their trip tomorrow, Jesse is adamant that you also get a prize to remember that night. He’d tried a few of the booths, but his last shot lay right ahead of him: the strong man test. Giving you a look, he confidently strode up to the operator. Grabbing the mallet, he raised it above his head with ease. He brings it down with a resounding crack, the bell ringing almost immediately.
Jesse grabs his prize before sauntering over to you, bestowing it into your care with a peculiar look on his face. Before you can even process it, you feel his lips on yours. Eyes slipping shut, you don’t even notice Winnie walking up to the two of you, still locked at the lips. It takes a poke in your side to get you apart, and you feel your whole face burn as Winnie just gives you two a look.
“We should probably head back,” Jesse announces with a clearing of his throat. You silently nod, and Winnie agrees, leading the way back to the cabin. The walk back is relatively silent, Winnie a few paces ahead, playing with the bear you won her.
But the silence between you and Jesse isn’t uncomfortable, and you can’t help the smile that works its way onto your face as you feel his hand slip into yours. Soon enough you’re back and climbing up the side of the house once again. However, Jesse pulls you in for another kiss before you head up. That night your mind is fuzzy as you fall asleep, almost believing that it was all a dream.
Yet, the sun streaming through the attic window in the morning confirms that it was real. As you slowly wake up, you turn to see Winnie still fast asleep, her bear in arms. Ruffling her hair a little, you quietly make your way down the stairs and into the kitchen where the Tucks are sitting eating breakfast. At your appearance, Mae makes you a plate and brings you a chair. Accepting it gratefully, you dig in, definitely hungry after last night’s adventure.
Winnie comes down soon afterwards. After breakfast, Mae gives you your, now clean, clothes from yesterday. As soon as you’re dressed to go you take a breath, not ready to leave. Winnie seems to share your sentiments, giving you a sad hug. Heading back down the stairs, the Tucks are all lined up to tell you goodbye. Shaking hands with Miles and Angus, you kind of just stare at Jesse, unsure of what to do.
But he offers to walk to the edge of the wood with you along with his mother. She hesitantly agrees, but allows it nonetheless. Setting out into the woods, you walk next to Jesse in silence, but it wasn’t as comfortable as last night, and he doesn’t take your hand. As soon as you reach the edge, you and Winnie give Mae a hug. Winnie tackles Jesse, and you give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He slips you a piece of paper as you pull away, and gives you a wink.
Furrowing your brow at him, he just winks again and walks back towards the cabin with his mother, sometimes glancing back at you. When you and Winnie make it to your front porch, you share a look before knocking on the door. Your mother opens it and almost sobs with relief at the sight of you.
After many apologies and hugs, your mother has you all sit in the parlor and talk. About anything. Most of it is about your feelings of isolation from the ‘proper’ way of mourning, and some of it is directly about the grief of your father’s death. Even grandmother contributes to the conversation, sometimes adding an outlandish comment, but sometimes actually giving some sage words to live by, as most grandmothers do.
That night you’re finally able to read the note Jesse gave you. You unfold it hesitantly, unsure about its contents, but excited to read it nonetheless. It read as follows:
Dear (Y/N),
I know that we haven’t known each other for very long, and I’m way too old for you. But spending last night with you made me feel more alive than I ever have before, even more than when I first saw New York. And that place is really amazing. I know that you also felt something when we kissed, but it’s up to you if you want to follow that feeling. We can meet in the wood and just talk, or anything, but I’d love to keep seeing you. I’ll wait by the spring at midnight for the next week just for you. I hope to see you there.
- Jesse Tuck
Your heart couldn’t help but flutter at his words. Your mind racing with all of the possibilities of what could happen, and what the future could hold. You decided to get a decent night’s rest for now, the choice could wait until at least tomorrow, but you had a feeling you already knew what you would end up picking. Pulling the prize Jesse won for you closer, you peacefully fell asleep, excited for what was to come.
Prompt: The way you said “I love you” prompt #6: “On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, the late sunlight glowing in your hair”
Fandom: Tuck Everlasting
Pairing: Jesse Tuck X Reader
Summary: You became friends with some boy who seemed to always be hanging out in your woods, and when you develop feelings for each other things are much more complicated than just teenage angst.
Word Count: 1,673
Warnings: Kind of a sad ending?
A/N: I tried to leave the ending as vague as possible? Probably didn’t go as well as I hoped, but I tried. Also I know that this probably won’t really apply for everyone cause not everyone lives with woods in their backyard (I don’t even have woods anymore, and when I did I never got to explore them, so who knows if this is accurate). I was just really sad at the lack of Tuck Everlasting fics and decided to write one myself.
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As the summer slowly turned into autumn, you decided to start doing some of your homework outside. Try to get as much fresh air as you could before the winter set in and ruined any outside activity due to the cold. You were in your backyard, facing the treeline of the forest that you had grown up with. You were looking through one of your textbooks, taking notes, when you heard a strange sound from the forest.
Peering through the trees, you thought you saw a flash of movement. Furrowing your brow, you set your book aside, wanting to take a closer look. Even if it was nothing, a nice stretch of your limbs wouldn’t hurt. You set out and walk the winding path that you know by heart, but don’t seem to find anything. After about half an hour, you turn to go back and finish your notes when you hear something overhead.
Looking into the branches above you, you’re surprised to see a face looking back at you. “Uh… Hi?” you say, unsure what this boy was doing in your woods. He just smiles at you and carefully starts climbing down, until he’s able to just hang and drop off of one of the branches.
Landing gracefully in front of you, he sticks out his hand to you. “Jesse Tuck, and you are?”
“I’m… (Y/N),” you reply, warily shaking his hand. You look around you, as if there could be more of him hiding somewhere else in the forest. “What were you doing?”
“Climbing a tree. What were you doing?” he asks in a teasing tone. You cross your arms at him and he seems to smile even wider.
“I came to see what some strange boy was doing in my woods.”
“Strange isn’t the worst thing I’ve been called,” he responds and walks past you. You turn to look at him walking away and start after him.
“Well, now where are you going?”
He turns around and walks backwards as he says, “You want to know where the ‘Strange boy’ is going? I’m going to find the tallest tree to climb. And I guess you’re joining me?”
You stop in your tracks. Why were you still talking to this guy? You should just let him be, but he seemed interesting, and this is definitely more entertaining than homework. Even with some of your instincts telling you to be wary, his eyes held a kindness that you couldn’t help but trust. You start to take a few steps after him. When he sees that you’re following him, his smile grows and he turns back around to walk forward.
You pick up your pace and start walking next to him. Glancing at him every once and awhile, you just follow his lead. He sometimes stops to look up at a tree, but after some consideration, continues walking. After the sixth tree you decide to take over the lead. Since you grew up exploring these woods, you knew the tallest tree. You start to head in the direction you knew it’d be in, and Jesse notices your shift, and starts to follow you.
You get there in about ten minutes, and when Jesse sees the tree, he has to stop to take in just how magnificent it is. With the season’s change at hand, the leaves were a rainbow of colors. Some were still green, while others were fire red, or daisy yellow, or orange, or brown. They blended together perfectly to form a stunning image.
Walking up to it, you place a hand on the trunk and think back to the first time you climbed the tree. It had been after a particularly stressful day one spring, and you had wanted nothing more than to just get away from the world. Climbing from branch to branch and emerging above everything else in the forest gave you a sense of how miniscule some things really were in life. As Jesse stepped up next to you, he rested his hand on the trunk as well, you knew that he understood the thoughts going through your head.
After a few minutes of just appreciating nature, Jesse’s hand moves to the closest branch and grabs a sturdy hold, pulling himself up. He looks at you with a twinkle in his eye, “Race you to the top!” he shouts, before taking off like a shot.
You gasp and start climbing. With your familiarity of the branches, you’re soon caught up to Jesse. It seems like a tie for as to who gets to the top first, but the view is a prize enough for the both of you. From your perch you can see all the other trees and their changing leaves, along with the life that each of the trees hold.
The two of you just sit there and take in the majesty that is the world, and even though you don’t really know Jesse Tuck, you know that he’s someone worth getting to know.
You do end up getting to know him over the course of the month. Meeting at your treeline after school everyday, you explore the woods like you never did when you were younger. You play games and ask each other stupid and deep questions. But even after getting to know him, you still don’t know where he came from, or all that much about his family, You know better than to push something that you don’t know about, but you still wish that he would open up to you more.
With the weather getting colder and colder, and the nights becoming more and more prevalent, you try to convince Jesse to meet you at the library, or somewhere else that there’s heat. Instead, he brings you to his tent. You raise your eyebrow when he first suggests it, but after finally getting to see it, it’s actually really nice.
It’s similar to a popup caravan, but it’s been modified for comfortable living, including a wood stove that keeps you both warm as you talk about everything and nothing. Winter comes and goes, with you giving Jesse some books, and him gifting you a drawing he did from the top of your tree: the tallest tree in your woods.
Spring comes and you know that your friendship with Jesse is growing to be more than that, but you stomp down those thoughts, not wanting things to change between the two of you. That doesn’t last long though, when Jesse gives you a bouquet and a kiss on Valentine’s day. You’re left awestruck, but finally kiss him back when your senses come back to you.
After that day, you spend more time with Jesse, and it seems like he’s trying to make the most out of the time before the summer. Still sharing stories like when you first met, but you notice that Jesse doesn’t seem as enthusiastic as before. You try to cheer him up with plans of the future, but that only seems to make him even more somber. Finally, you decide to confront him. It’s been about nine months since you first met Jesse Tuck, and you aren’t about to let him be sad on your watch.
You make a picnic, complete with sandwiches, chips, cookies, and a blanket. When Jesse sees the basket in your arms when you meet him, you can see his eyes light up. As he takes your hand, you can’t help the smile that makes its way to your face. Deciding to eat at your spot at the trunk of the tallest tree, you set out the blanket and prepare your special meal. You sit in relative silence, sometimes broken by your giggles and quiet jokes.
When you’ve finished eating, you find yourself in Jesse’s arms and can’t help but wish you could just stay there forever. His head is resting on top of yours, and you can only imagine what’s going through his mind. Your hands in his, you give them a squeeze, and when you know you have his attention you take a deep breath and ask the question you’ve been dreading the answer to.
“You have to leave when summer comes, don’t you?” Your voice is quiet, but still shatters the peaceful time you were having like a siren.
Jesse doesn’t respond right away. He clutches to you tightly and buries his head into your shoulder. You carefully run your hand through his hair, knowing that this is just as hard for him as it is for you. Hearing him mumble something, you turn so you can look at him. “What?”
You see the tears in his eyes as he repeats himself, emotion laced throughout the bold statement, “I love you.” You can feel your adoration for Jesse well up and you’re kissing him with every fiber of your being.
“I love you, too,” you reply when you finally pull away. His hands cup your cheeks, and he kisses your forehead. You relax into him, and you just sit there, absorbing the magnitude of what just happened and what is to come. When the sun starts to set, and the night air causes you to shiver, Jesse finally gets up and helps you pack up, still not saying a word.
You walk him back to his tent and you give him a kiss on the cheek. As you turn to head home, he grabs your hand and pulls you back to him. Kissing you roughly, you can feel everything he’s feeling. His desperation to hold onto today. His sorrow at having to say goodbye. You give him everything you have in that kiss, every ounce of love you can muster.
When you pull away for air, your foreheads are resting against each other and you feel like you’re the only ones left in the universe. You don’t know what the future holds, but even if Jesse isn’t there, you know that you will never be able to forget the time you spent with him, or the way he made you feel.
