Chapter 2: Past the Garden Shed and Straight Ahead (J2, NC-17)
Fic title: Past the Garden Shed and Straight Ahead : Chapter 1
Artist name: amberdreams
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: past domestic abuse, sexual language, non explicit sex, cussing, Chad
Back to full description and chapter index.
***
The next day Jared dropped Chad off at a local school where there were soccer pitches to mow and lines to repaint. It wasn’t ‘Better Homes and Gardens’ but it was a regular income for the business. Then, at five minutes to seven he rang the rattling old bell at the Ackles house. If he had put a little too much thought into his neat polo and work jeans specifically to impress him, then it was disappointing to find a procession of workmen also pulling into the premises. Various foremen set about claiming Jensen’s full attention and he waved at Jared from behind of wall of them, yelling a cursory, “Jared! You know what you’re doing. Surprise me!”
Now, Jared had a Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture and Landscaping, from Vermont University. It was where he and Chad had met and hatched their business plans. But in this case, he did not know what he was doing. He was unfamiliar with the size, layout and ecology of the gardens and unaware of Mr. Ackles’ preferences. Hell, he didn’t even know what sort of budget he had. He decided to start with questions that he could answer and progress from there. He gathered basic surveying tools, a soil testing kit, his camera and a notebook. Then he went for a walk.
By 11a.m. Jared was head over heels in love with an immense, neglected beauty, and trying desperately to remind himself that nobody had the money or commitment to embark on the sort of project he dreamed of. There was so much potential here but he knew there were always compromises. Most homeowners satisfied themselves with a little tree surgery, a bland lawn and some showy flowers. It was going to break his heart.
He came across a small orchard and set about cataloging twenty-eight lichen-clad trees. He scowled on encountering several neat rings of Chanterelle mushrooms beneath them. He stepped carefully around the outer edge of each ring with a sense of dread.
“Is it very bad? The lichen?” Ackles’ sudden appearance made him jump.
Today, Jared was going to be the very example of a professional, “Good morning, Mr. Ackles, I didn’t hear you approach. Lichen is not a problem, it isn’t a parasite, but it tells me that these trees are not in peak condition. If you want to keep them, then we can work on that.”
“Please, I’ve seen you virtually undressed. I was hoping we were past the point of surnames. Call me Jensen. Can I call you Jared?”
He nodded, “Of course, Jensen.”
“Good. Well, do you think we should keep these trees?”
Jared reined in his own hopes for the gardens and gave a considered answer, “It depends on your lifestyle and how you intend to use the grounds, and then of course, what your timelines and budget are. There are maintenance and safety considerations associated with all your choices. An orchard is a wonderful ecosystem, a feature, and source of fresh fruit. It can be a good place for children to play and learn but it requires regular maintenance, and supervision of young family members. It would support a plethora of wildlife, including pollinators but it will also attract wasps, which is natural and necessary but …” he trailed off, sure he was rambling like an idiot.
“Yellowjackets are no fun around kids,” Jensen finished for him, with a grin.
“Yeah, that sort of thing.” He placed a hand on the gnarled trunk of a pear tree and looked up into its branches. “There’s some tree surgery needed but all things considered, it’s not excessive.”
“And these mushrooms?” Jensen kicked his foot at one of the Chanterelle rings. “Do we need to poison them before they poison us?”
Jared couldn’t help himself, his own foot kicked out and connected with Jensen’s very expensive looking sneaker, “No.” he said in horror, then, with sinking realization of what he had just done, he tried to control the damage, “Sorry, if you don’t like them then you shouldn’t kick them. It could spread their spores and make it worse.”
Jensen now pushed his shades up onto his head and looked intently at Jared with wide green and long-lashed eyes. “Right. And you feel strongly about that?”
His eyes were very pretty, thought Jared, and it was enough of a distraction to prevent a full meltdown because he had just kicked the one person who could prevent the demise of his business. “I guess,” he answered carefully, “But they have a job and once they achieve it, they decline naturally. This particular variety is a tasty edible mushroom so you can harvest them, assuming you have someone experienced in identification. And I do mean experienced . You don’t want to mistake a Jack O’ Lantern for one of these beauties.” He drew a line across his neck in a death parody.
Jensen’s mouth widened into a smile and he gave a full bodied guffaw. “Oh, my. That would be unfortunate.”
“Yup,” confirmed Jared. He could rattle on about nature all day and he thought he could look at Jensen smiling all day too.
“And here I was, thinking you might be scared that faeiries would get us.” He made a circular gesture to mimic a faerie ring.
Jared’s stomach gave a familiar nauseous wobble, “Well, I suppose, if faeiries were to exist, you wouldn’t want to piss them off.” His offhand answer was given with practised ease, his discomfort readily disguised. First rule of the Padalecki family: Do not discuss the fae with strangers.
“Well then - coffee!” declared Jensen, changing the subject. “I kinda left you hanging this morning. I should have scheduled everyone to arrive at different times, but I’m an idiot. We can go into town, transfer your initial deposit from my bank account to yours, and then head into a coffee shop to discuss the gardens. Does that sound fair?”
“It sounds perfect,” said Jared and he didn’t know if he was talking about the prospect of earning money, the meeting, or the sound of Jensen’s voice.
Jensen leaned into Jared’s space and spoke in a hushed, conspiratorial tone, “We’ll take my ride, it’s a unicorn.”
xxx
On to Chapter 3
Artist name: amberdreams
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: past domestic abuse, sexual language, non explicit sex, cussing, Chad
Back to full description and chapter index.
***
The next day Jared dropped Chad off at a local school where there were soccer pitches to mow and lines to repaint. It wasn’t ‘Better Homes and Gardens’ but it was a regular income for the business. Then, at five minutes to seven he rang the rattling old bell at the Ackles house. If he had put a little too much thought into his neat polo and work jeans specifically to impress him, then it was disappointing to find a procession of workmen also pulling into the premises. Various foremen set about claiming Jensen’s full attention and he waved at Jared from behind of wall of them, yelling a cursory, “Jared! You know what you’re doing. Surprise me!”
Now, Jared had a Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture and Landscaping, from Vermont University. It was where he and Chad had met and hatched their business plans. But in this case, he did not know what he was doing. He was unfamiliar with the size, layout and ecology of the gardens and unaware of Mr. Ackles’ preferences. Hell, he didn’t even know what sort of budget he had. He decided to start with questions that he could answer and progress from there. He gathered basic surveying tools, a soil testing kit, his camera and a notebook. Then he went for a walk.
By 11a.m. Jared was head over heels in love with an immense, neglected beauty, and trying desperately to remind himself that nobody had the money or commitment to embark on the sort of project he dreamed of. There was so much potential here but he knew there were always compromises. Most homeowners satisfied themselves with a little tree surgery, a bland lawn and some showy flowers. It was going to break his heart.
He came across a small orchard and set about cataloging twenty-eight lichen-clad trees. He scowled on encountering several neat rings of Chanterelle mushrooms beneath them. He stepped carefully around the outer edge of each ring with a sense of dread.
“Is it very bad? The lichen?” Ackles’ sudden appearance made him jump.
Today, Jared was going to be the very example of a professional, “Good morning, Mr. Ackles, I didn’t hear you approach. Lichen is not a problem, it isn’t a parasite, but it tells me that these trees are not in peak condition. If you want to keep them, then we can work on that.”
“Please, I’ve seen you virtually undressed. I was hoping we were past the point of surnames. Call me Jensen. Can I call you Jared?”
He nodded, “Of course, Jensen.”
“Good. Well, do you think we should keep these trees?”
Jared reined in his own hopes for the gardens and gave a considered answer, “It depends on your lifestyle and how you intend to use the grounds, and then of course, what your timelines and budget are. There are maintenance and safety considerations associated with all your choices. An orchard is a wonderful ecosystem, a feature, and source of fresh fruit. It can be a good place for children to play and learn but it requires regular maintenance, and supervision of young family members. It would support a plethora of wildlife, including pollinators but it will also attract wasps, which is natural and necessary but …” he trailed off, sure he was rambling like an idiot.
“Yellowjackets are no fun around kids,” Jensen finished for him, with a grin.
“Yeah, that sort of thing.” He placed a hand on the gnarled trunk of a pear tree and looked up into its branches. “There’s some tree surgery needed but all things considered, it’s not excessive.”
“And these mushrooms?” Jensen kicked his foot at one of the Chanterelle rings. “Do we need to poison them before they poison us?”
Jared couldn’t help himself, his own foot kicked out and connected with Jensen’s very expensive looking sneaker, “No.” he said in horror, then, with sinking realization of what he had just done, he tried to control the damage, “Sorry, if you don’t like them then you shouldn’t kick them. It could spread their spores and make it worse.”
Jensen now pushed his shades up onto his head and looked intently at Jared with wide green and long-lashed eyes. “Right. And you feel strongly about that?”
His eyes were very pretty, thought Jared, and it was enough of a distraction to prevent a full meltdown because he had just kicked the one person who could prevent the demise of his business. “I guess,” he answered carefully, “But they have a job and once they achieve it, they decline naturally. This particular variety is a tasty edible mushroom so you can harvest them, assuming you have someone experienced in identification. And I do mean experienced . You don’t want to mistake a Jack O’ Lantern for one of these beauties.” He drew a line across his neck in a death parody.
Jensen’s mouth widened into a smile and he gave a full bodied guffaw. “Oh, my. That would be unfortunate.”
“Yup,” confirmed Jared. He could rattle on about nature all day and he thought he could look at Jensen smiling all day too.
“And here I was, thinking you might be scared that faeiries would get us.” He made a circular gesture to mimic a faerie ring.
Jared’s stomach gave a familiar nauseous wobble, “Well, I suppose, if faeiries were to exist, you wouldn’t want to piss them off.” His offhand answer was given with practised ease, his discomfort readily disguised. First rule of the Padalecki family: Do not discuss the fae with strangers.
“Well then - coffee!” declared Jensen, changing the subject. “I kinda left you hanging this morning. I should have scheduled everyone to arrive at different times, but I’m an idiot. We can go into town, transfer your initial deposit from my bank account to yours, and then head into a coffee shop to discuss the gardens. Does that sound fair?”
“It sounds perfect,” said Jared and he didn’t know if he was talking about the prospect of earning money, the meeting, or the sound of Jensen’s voice.
Jensen leaned into Jared’s space and spoke in a hushed, conspiratorial tone, “We’ll take my ride, it’s a unicorn.”
xxx
On to Chapter 3