Fic: Almost Exactly Right (J2, PG13, 4800 words)
Title: Almost Exactly Right
Author:bree_black
Pairing: Jared/Jensen (sort of)
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 4800
Beta: Thanks to mementis for the rush job.
Summary: Jared takes being a good friend a little too seriously. (Or: The one where going gay for Jensen just makes sense).
Disclaimer: I made all of this up, and with a fever no less. It's not true.
Notes: Written for kruel_angel after conversation in a storyfinders post about imperfect endings where things don’t quite work out. Also, I really don't write J2 often. I don't even know where this all came from, or what I'm supposed to do with it now.
Jared Padalecki prides himself on being a truly excellent friend. He’s the guy you can always count on to help you move boxes, to help plan the surprise party, or to cover your bar tab when you lose your wallet. Once, someone had given Jared a “World’s Best Friend” badge when he’d helped her search for her missing cat in the middle of the night, and Jared still has it, tucked into a photo album somewhere. Jared takes his friend skills fucking seriously.
Which is why he doesn’t get discouraged when he first meets Jensen Ackles, the dude he’s shooting the new WB pilot with. Yeah, Jensen’s a little quiet, a little reserved, maybe even a touch standoffish, but Jared’s confident he’ll be able to turn the situation around quickly. It’s a new job, after all, and everyone’s a bit nervous starting a new job. So Jared keeps talking, keeps pushing, keeps inching closer and closer. Because he’s the best fucking friend in the world.
The thing is, it’s kind of exhausting working with Jensen. This isn’t Jared’s first time working with the network, and he’d figured he’d known what he was getting into when he signed on to Supernatural. It’s not that he’s lazy, there’s just this unspoken rule about TV acting. On Gilmore Girls, they’d give it their all every couple of takes, but phone in the rest. Working every day, that was the only way to keep from going crazy, and doing a horror show Jared had expected this trend to continue. It’s the WB after all, not HBO. Jared had expected this role to be physically, but not emotional demanding.
But Jensen Ackles never phones it in. There’s an intensity to Jensen’s performance, during every single take, and during the first few episodes he transforms Dean Winchester from the typical bad boy to someone with real depth. And Jared, despite his best intentions, finds himself pulled along, finds Sam pulled into Dean’s orbit. Besides, if he slacks off he looks ridiculous next to Jensen.
“Man,” Jared sighs, exhausted after another day of working way too fucking hard. “I think we need a night out.”
Jensen shrugs, noncommittal as always. “I guess.” He strips off Dean’s jacket and necklace, setting them carefully aside in the trailer, where wardrobe will be able to find them.
This is the most excited Jared has ever seen Jensen about going out. “Alright!” he says, energized once again. Tonight is going to be the night he and Jensen Ackles become friends.
***
Three hours later, Jared has no idea where he’s gone wrong. He’s picked one of his favourite Vancouver spots so far, a cool little pub just outside of downtown. The music is good, the food is delicious and the company is hand-picked. Because he’s such an awesome friendly person, Jared knows a lot of the Supernatural crew already, even the ones he hadn’t worked with before the show. He’s invited a bunch of guys and a few of the girls to join them, and the beer and the conversation is flowing. Except not in the corner of the booth, where Jensen sits.
Jared doesn’t think Jensen’s said more than ten words to anyone since he’d arrived at exactly the agreed time. He’s worked his way through two beers in less than an hour, but that hasn’t made him any chattier. If anything, Jensen seems to be melting into the background, disappearing into the dark leather of the seat. The louder the conversation around him, the more silent Jensen falls.
“My wife watched the pilot, and she told me that with ‘those pretty boys’ on screen, we’re likely to attract a female audience too.”
“And don’t forget the gay demographic,” someone adds, and there’s another burst of raucous laughter, “so long as Jared and Jensen hang on to that chemistry.”
Jared laughs and has to brush his bang out of his eyes, and by the time he checks over his shoulder again, Jensen has slid out of the booth and is striding toward the bar.
“Excuse me,” Jared says, as he pushes back his chair and follows Jensen across the room.
“Hey,” he says, touching Jensen lightly on the shoulder as the bartender pours him another beer. “You doing okay?”
Jensen nods and takes a long sip of beer. “Actually,” he says, “no, I’m not. I’m sorry. I’m just really bad in groups.”
“Oh,” Jared says. Mentally, he reconfigures his entire friendship strategy. “Well that’s okay.”
“Also,” Jensen adds, so quietly Jared can barely hear, “I’m gay.”
“Oh,” Jared says again, feeling profoundly stupid. He thinks back over the last hour of conversation, which had involved way too many jokes about Dave’s skinny jeans, Stanley Park after dark, and why it was not okay for men to wear black nail polish. “And you’re not out?”
“To my family, yeah,” Jensen answers, “but not professionally. So I just...keep to myself. I actually have no idea why I’m telling you this.”
Jared knows why. Obviously it is because Jensen senses his awesome friend skills. Jared smiles, and motions like he’s zipping up his lips. “It’s cool, dude. Hey, I just got the new Madden game. You wanna get out of here?”
“Yeah,” Jensen says, and sets down his still-full drink. “That sounds really great.”
***
So that’s how it starts, and it’s pretty much smooth sailing from there. Part of Jared is even a little disappointed, because he’d expected winning Jensen over to be a challenge. Instead, his friendship with Jensen is the easiest he’s ever had. They like the same movies, play the same video games, and share a common sense of humour, once Jensen gets used to the set and lets down his guard a little. Even better, they get along just as well on set as off and most of the time - night shoots and death scenes aside - Jared really looks forward to going to work in the morning. Once Jared decides it makes no financial sense for Jensen to still be living in a hotel when he has half a house he doesn’t use and Jensen moves in, he looks forward to coming home from work too.
As good as things are, it doesn’t mean Jared stops worrying about Jensen. As a friend, he believes in being proactive, so the third time he comes home from a date to find Jensen sitting on the couch in his underwear, cradling a bowl of popcorn, he decides to take action.
“Hey!” he says, so loudly Jensen jumps and popcorn flies everywhere. “We should go to the gay bar this weekend.”
“Oh yeah,” Jensen drawls, picking popcorn out of the couch. “Why? Your date that bad?”
“No,” Jared explains, “she was cool. It’s just that you should get to meet cool people too.”
Jensen blinks up at Jared, and then pointedly stuffs an entire handful of popcorn into his mouth. “Can’t,” he says, struggling to talk through the mouthful.
“Oh come on,” Jared protests. “You’re not that famous, man. No one’s gonna recognize you.”
“S’not that,” Jensen replies, spitting bits of popcorn everywhere. “Just don’t wanna.”
“Don’t be a chicken.”
“Not chicken. Just not interested.”
“I’ll come with you. I’m a great wingman.”
“You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”
“Never.”
Jensen sighs heavily. “Fine,” he says, “but I’m gonna buy some new sunglasses for the occasion.”
***
They skip the line not because they’re famous, but because they’re hot. Jensen ducks his head as they pass the bouncer, wearing his new shades, but Jared makes sure to give him one of his friendliest grins before following Jensen inside. If Jen’s gonna be a regular or something he’s gonna want a good relationship with the bouncer.
Inside it’s mostly dark. The bar itself is decked out in neon so patrons can find it, but the dance floor is only illuminated by multi-coloured strobe lights. Jensen takes off his sunglasses, and Jared snorts.
“Shut up,” Jensen says, weaving his way across the dance floor on his way to the bar. Jared follows in his wake. “I’m gonna have two drinks, then we’re going home to watch the game.”
Jared surveys the room as Jensen orders them both drinks. “Don’t sell this place short,” he says, as Jensen hands him something sweet-smelling and bright pink he probably means as an insult. “Look at all the potential gay love in this place.”
Jensen snorts. “Right. Love.”
“Fine,” Jared concedes, “potential gay sex. Gay sex you desperately need, because I don’t think you’ve gotten laid since I met you.”
“Nuh uh,” Jensen objects, taking a sip of his normal-coloured beverage. “There was that guy at that party, remember?”
“Doesn’t count if you were too drunk to remember what actually happened, and I had to carry you home.”
“Well fuck,” Jensen says, surveying the crowd in earnest now. Jared follows Jensen’s eyes as they sweep across the crowd, coming to rest on a tall guy leaning against the wall opposite them.
“He’s cute,” Jared says, “go get ‘im, Tiger.”
Jensen rolls his eyes, but pushes himself off from the bar. “I hate you for making me do this,” he calls, as he disappears into the crowd.
Jared has no trouble amusing himself for the next half hour. He’s very friendly, and he dances with a few guys and a couple of girls he’s pretty sure are lesbians for awhile. He’s a terrible dancer, so they figure out pretty quickly that he’s straight but it doesn’t seem to bother them. They congratulate him on being so devoted to his poor antisocial gay friend, and Jared is gratified. One day Jensen too will appreciate the lengths he’s willing to go to for their friendship, he’s sure.
Jensen finds him again when he’s ordering another one of those pink drinks.
“Where the fuck have you been?” Jensen snaps, leaning up to speak into Jared’s ear to be heard over the music. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“I’ve been over there,” Jared answers, gesturing in the general direction of his new friends with the hand not holding the glass. “How did it go with tall, dark and handsome?”
“Fine,” Jensen answers curtly, his breath tickling Jared’s ear. “Can we go now?”
Jared beams. “If it went well you should ask him to come home with you!” he announces. “I promise I’ll stay out of your way.”
Jensen just shakes his head, and in a particularly bright flash of a strobe light Jared notices the tension in his shoulders and the way his body is angled towards the exit. Apparently, it had not gone terribly well.
“Oh,” Jared says. “Yeah, we can go. Just one more dance first.”
“Nooo,” Jensen whines. “Don’t throw me back in the shark pool.”
Jared finishes his drink in one gulp. “Not gonna,” he says. “Dance with me.”
Jensen rolls his eyes and mimes putting his sunglasses back on, but he lets Jared pull him by the wrist out onto the dance floor.
“Ahem,” Jared says, as he holds Jensen at a careful arms length, shuffling back and forth like they’re at a middle school dance. Jensen laughs, his teeth flashing in the bright lights, and Jared feels very pleased with himself. He holds one of Jensen’s arms above his head and Jensen - reluctantly - twirls until he’s pressed close against Jared’s chest.
“Hey,” Jared says into Jensen’s ear, “wanna come back to my place?” Jensen actually giggles, and Jared mentally appoints himself Master Friend of the Universe.
***
The idea hits him three months later, when he’s on a date with a friend his makeup artists has set him up with, a pretty redhead named Jennifer. She’s been telling him about her job as a marketing assistant, and though she’s funny and engaging and she’s wearing a low-cut dress he can’t help but appreciate, Jared realizes his mind has been wandering.
He’s missing a hockey game to be here, and though it doesn’t bother him that much he knows Jen would rather die than miss one second and, whether Jared likes it or not, Jensen will be awake when he gets home, ready to give him a play-by-play summary of what had happened. Truthfully, sometimes Jared intentionally misses games so he’ll get to see one of Jensen’s bizarre, rambling, off-colour recaps. He considers stopping to pick up a pizza on the way home, since Jensen barely eats these days, and the shrimp risotto he’s had for dinner isn’t exactly filling.
“...so then she said, but where’s the turtle?!” Jennifer’s laugh is clear as a bell and very pretty, and Jared tries to laugh along and pay more attention through dessert. His effort isn’t terribly successful, and he’s relieved when Jennifer says she has to work early in the morning. He makes sure she catches a cab, and then grabs one himself.
“The nearest pizza place,” he tells the driver, “and then home.”
When Jared opens the front door, pizza box in hand, the only light in the house comes from the TV. An infomercial for some kind of hideous costume jewellery is playing. Jared dumps the pizza box on the counter, then tiptoes over to the couch.
Jensen is asleep, wearing only his boxers and the wool throw Sera gave them for Christmas. The popcorn bowl sits on the coffee table, half-empty. It’s barely eleven, but they’ve been working long days lately and Jensen must’ve been wiped. Jared crouches in front of the couch, and touches Jensen’s shoulder.
Jensen comes awake slowly, blinking rapidly in the dim light of the TV. Then he recognizes Jared and smiles, and something inside Jared melts.
“Okay so,” Jensen begins, “this was the worst fucking game I’ve ever seen in my life.” Most games, these days, are the worst game Jen has ever seen in his life.
“Oh yeah?” Jared says.
“Yeah, ” Jensen continues, “Because -” And then Jared kisses him.
The kiss is weird, but it isn’t bad. Mostly it’s short and confused, because obviously Jensen doesn’t know what’s going on and he doesn’t open his mouth, and Jared’s sort of too busy thinking ahead to focus on the moment. He counts three Mississippi’s - which he figures is long enough to send a message - and then pulls away abruptly.
“We’ll talk in the morning,” he says, before running up the stairs to his bedroom.
***
When Jared goes downstairs in the morning Jensen is already awake, which is weird for a Saturday. He’s made coffee, too, and when Jared walks into the kitchen he hands him his favourite mug full, with just the right amount of milk and sugar.
“Hi,” Jared says brightly, trying not to let his voice vibrate with excitement. He takes a sip of his coffee. “This is perfect,” he says, “as always.” The coffee is probably a good omen, actually.
Jensen raises his eyebrows sceptically. “Good morning sunshine,” he says, “how high were you last night?”
“What?”
Jensen laughs. “You don’t remember? You came home all buzzed about something. You kissed me. You left a whole pizza on the counter. Munchies wear off or something?”
Aw, fuck. “I wasn’t high,” Jared says. “Cross my heart.”
Jensen humphs, and takes a long sip of his own coffee before sitting at the table. “Whatever you say.” He pretends to read the Sports section, but Jared can see him casting suspicious glances in Jared’s direction.
Jared coughs, then sits down at the table directly across from Jensen. “So I had this idea last night,” he says.
Jensen puts down the paper. “While you weren’t high?”
“Yeah,” Jared says, and this isn’t going nearly as smoothly as it had when he’d rehearsed it in his head. “I think you should be my boyfriend.”
Jensen spits coffee all over the Sports section, then starts coughing. Jared presses on, seizing Jensen’s distraction as an opportunity. “Or I should be your boyfriend. Or both. I didn’t mean to emasculate you or whatever.”
Jensen stops coughing and stares. It makes Jared feel profoundly uncomfortable. “So?” he says. “What do you think?”
Jensen chooses his words carefully. “This is a prank, right?”
Jared shakes his head.
“Jared,” Jensen says. “I am a man.”
“I know that,” Jared snaps. It bothers him when the world doesn’t immediately understand his brilliant ideas, and he expects better from Jensen in particular. “It’s why I asked you to be my boyfriend. Sexuality is fluid.”
“Not for everyone,” Jensen says. “Not all the time.”
“No,” Jared concedes. “But for me, now.”
Jensen shoves his chair back with an abrasive scraping noise, and starts to pace the kitchen. Jared stands too, and paces behind him.
“So you’ve suddenly decided you like cock?” Jensen asks, and Jared winces a little. He hadn’t really thought about that part, to be honest, and did Jensen need to be quite so blunt about it?
“I’ve decided I like you,” Jared answers honestly, stepping forward to pin Jensen, mid-pace, against the counter. “I mean think about it,” he says desperately, words spilling out at random and not in the careful speech he had planned. “We live together. We work together. We like all the same things. I know everything about you you’ll never tell anyone else. I stopped ordering mushrooms on my pizzas because I know you hate them. My mama loves you. You make me the perfect cup of coffee, and I know how to make yours too.”
Jensen has gone still and quiet. Jared realizes he might be pushing a bit too hard, and takes a step back from the counter, giving Jensen space to move.
“Listen,” he says, more gently. “It’s just that no one I’ve ever dated has ever understood me like you do. And sometimes, when I’m on a date - even a good date - I’m counting down the seconds ‘til I can come back home to you.”
Jensen opens his mouth just as Jared’s about to freak the fuck out. “Well,” he says, “people do already say we act like an old married couple.”
Jared could cry with relief, but he hugs Jensen tightly instead.
***
Jared is nothing if not dedicated to his projects. Go big or go home, he tells himself, and he decides to be the best boyfriend ever. He wakes Jensen up with coffee in the mornings and makes a point of telling Jensen how good his hair looks. At work he is extra diligent running lines, making sure that he’s doing everything just right so Jensen can deliver the performances that matter so much to him. During lunch he sits right next to Jensen, their thighs pressed together, and he puts extra cherries on his ice cream sundaes because he knows Jensen likes to steal them. When Jensen is tired after a long day’s work, Jared winds his arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders and leads him to the car.
The frustrating thing about all this is that nobody else seems to notice anything has changed.
“Hey,” Jared says while they’re getting their makeup done, “I think we should go to the gay pride parade this year.”
Jensen keeps shaving, and the makeup girl just smiles. “You’d certainly be popular,” she says. She flutters her makeup brush over his face one last time. “All done. See you guys later.”
Once she’s left the trailer, Jared groans in frustration. “What the hell?” he exclaims. “Why has no one noticed we’re dating?”
Jensen switches off the electric razor. “Maybe because we’re acting pretty much the same as we always have,” he says with a smile.
Jared pouts, and shoves another gummy rainbow candy in his mouth. He waves another through the air. “See! Rainbow!”
Jensen presses a brief kiss to his forehead as he leaves the trailer. “You’ve been eating those for years.”
When Jensen gets home that night - he’d had to film late, with Misha - Jared is sitting on the couch, drinking hot chocolate out of a mug emblazoned with EQUAL MARRIAGE NOW and reading Heather Has Two Mommies. He leaps to his feet and practically runs to the door to take Jensen’s coat, sliding in his stocking feet.
“Hey,” Jensen says, voice drained like it often is after work this season. “Something smells good.”
“I ordered Thai,” Jared says, already on his way to the kitchen to grab Jensen’s plate and a beer. “I knew you’d be too tired to cook.”
They sit down to eat in contented silence. Jared has ordered all of Jensen’s favourites, and the food is still warm because he’d called set and asked when they’d be done. Between dinner and his visit to the gay bookstore, he feels like he’s been a very good boyfriend today.
Jensen sets his fork down between bites, taking a slow sip of his beer. He looks at Jared for a moment, brow furrowed slightly.
“What?” Jared asks, unnerved.
“You,” Jensen says, “are the craziest person I’ve ever met. And I love you.”
Jared feels very warm. “I love you too,” he says, and it’s the most natural thing in the world. He smiles into his food for the rest of the meal, and he falls asleep in Jensen’s lap in the middle of Brokeback Mountain, which Jensen says is for the best because he wouldn’t like the ending.
***
On Valentine’s Day, they go out for dinner. To Jared’s immense satisfaction, Misha asks Jared if he has big plans that night and when Jared tells him, Misha looks surprised.
“Interesting,” Misha says. “Is that like, a Texas thing?”
“No,” Jared says. “It’s a gay thing.” Then he hurries off to his trailer, buzzed because he’d told someone, even if it was only Misha, who probably has some kind of Valentine’s orgy planned himself.
Dinner is perfect. They both dress up, and Jensen tells Jared he cleans up nice and smiles brightly when Jared gives him a rose. They eat steak and lobster, and drink too much champagne, and share a slice of chocolate cake. Their waitress tells them they’re a good-looking couple and even though Jensen blushes, he doesn’t deny it and doesn’t shrink back in his chair.
On the drive home, Jensen puts his hand on Jared’s knee and Jared - a little tipsy - likes the way the warmth feels through his dress pants.
Inside the house, Jensen takes off Jared’s coat and leads him up the stairs so he doesn’t trip. Jared’s grateful for his hand, but he’s confused when Jensen pulls them both into his room instead of dropping Jared off in his own.
“Hey, what -” Jared starts to say, but stops when Jensen undoes his tie and presses a warm, wet kiss to his throat. “Oh, right.” It’s Valentine’s Day, so they’re probably supposed to be having sex about now.
Jared knows how this is supposed to go. He’s read a lot of gay literature by now, and he’s seen some queer cinema, and anyway, it’s not really that different, is it? He pushes Jensen towards the bed, kicking off his shoes along the way. He undoes the buttons of Jensen’s dress shirt, and is only confused for a moment when the buttons aren’t on the side he’s used to. Before long he has Jensen underneath him and they’re kissing like they’re supposed to.
It’s weird. It feels a lot like acting, actually. Like a very long screen kiss with no one to call action or cut. He feels all paranoid, like there are eyes on him, watching him, judging him. His lips and his tongue feel too slow, and he doesn’t know where to put his hands, keeps grabbing at Jensen’s chest for breasts that aren’t there. His heart starts to pound and his breath is short, like when he flubs a line during an important audition.
“Jared,” Jensen says, cupping Jared’s face with his hands. “You okay?”
Jared finds it hard to look him in the eye, but manages it somehow. “Yeah, I’m good.” He leans down to kiss Jensen again, determined to be good at this. Jared knows he can be good at this if only he tries hard enough.
Jensen grunts with frustration, and slides out from underneath him. Suddenly he’s on top of Jared, straddling him, and Jared can’t really avoid looking him in the eye without being really unsubtle about it. Jensen leans down to kiss him, thrusting his hips at the same time, and Jared feels it. Jensen’s hard cock, digging into his thigh.
Jared freezes, goes absolutely still and cold, and there’s no way for Jensen not to notice that. He goes still too, then rolls off of Jared to lie on his side. Their bodies don’t touch.
It feels like an eternity passes before anyone speaks. “I think I’m probably straight,” Jared finally squeaks.
“Yeah,” Jensen agrees. “I can’t say I’m that surprised.” He climbs out of the bed. When he leans over, Jared is pretty sure Jensen is going to punch him, but instead Jensen presses a soft, dry kiss to his forehead. “We’ll talk in the morning,” he says.
***
Jared’s pretty damn terrified when he goes down the stairs in the morning. He expects to find boxes packed and suitcases sitting by the door. He wouldn’t blame Jensen for leaving, not after how much Jared had fucked him around, even if unintentionally.
But there are no suitcases. There’s just Jensen, reading the Sports section. When the creak of the stairs gives away Jared’s position he looks up, and sets the paper aside. “Sit,” he says, and Jared does as he’s told.
Jensen brings him a cup of coffee, with exactly the right amount of milk and sugar. It’s in his EQUAL MARRIAGE NOW mug.
“I guess I don’t need this mug anymore,” Jared says.
“Like hell you don’t,” Jensen says, taking a sip from his own, plain, mug. “Same-sex marriage should be a priority for you, ‘cause you’re gonna be my best man if I ever get married.”
Jared looks up from his cup. “Really?” he says.
“Really. As long as I get to be yours whenever you find the dream girl.”
Jared grins, then bites his lip. “Hey Jen?”
“Yeah?” Jensen is pretending to be absorbed in the newspaper again.
“Is it okay if maybe I don’t find the dream girl for awhile, though? I sort of like things the way they are.”
Jensen chuckles. “She’ll come around if and when you’re ready. In the meantime, I like things the way they are too.”
Jared can’t stop grinning. “Hey,” he says, kicking Jensen under the table. “Did you remember to record last night’s game?”
“Of course I did. I’m not an idiot.”
“And Jen?” Jared asks.
“Yeah?”
“I was so close, though.”
Jensen sighs in that way that means Jared is being insufferable and simultaneously endearing. “Yes, Jared. You were almost exactly right.”
***
The fan is nervous, like she knows she’s walking on thin ice with the question. Also, the microphone the hotel’s provided is kind of shit, and there’s a lot of feedback going on. All the same, everyone in the room knows exactly what she’s referring to.
“I just wanted to know how you deal with the rumours and gossip about your personal lives? That must be kind of hard.”
The rumours have been harder to ignore, lately, because they’ve actually been true. Two months out of date, the news that Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki had spent Valentine’s Day together and were acting more than a little cozy on set had hit the gossip blogs, and Jared knows the fans have gotten themselves pretty worked up about it. He feels pretty bad that they missed all the action while it was actually happening.
“All the rumours about me are totally true,” Misha announces. “I have fourteen toes. Also, I have a sex dungeon in my house. Full of ponies.”
The audience laughs, and Jared is grateful to Misha for breaking the tension. The rumours don’t bother him, they never really have, but he worries about Jensen- who still hasn’t officially come out in any public capacity.
Jensen clears his throat and the mic screeches. “Sorry,” he says. He pauses. “The rumours only bother me because I’m never going to find a normal-sized boyfriend when everyone thinks I’m dating Sasquatch over here.”
The fans laugh - jokes about Jared’s height always go over well - before they really catch on to what Jensen has just said. Honestly, it takes Jared a second too.
“I’ll volunteer!” a guy screams from the back row.
Jensen squints. “You’re like, seventeen dude. I need a man, not a boy. Come to think of it, that’s why I can’t date Padalecki.”
The room erupts in laughter again, mixed with a fair bit of more serious applause. Jensen leans over to whisper in Jared’s ear. “That wasn’t so hard,” he says.
“You made their lives,” Jared agrees. He grins at the world at large, as they celebrate Jensen’s coming out. He is definitely the best friend ever.
Author:bree_black
Pairing: Jared/Jensen (sort of)
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 4800
Beta: Thanks to mementis for the rush job.
Summary: Jared takes being a good friend a little too seriously. (Or: The one where going gay for Jensen just makes sense).
Disclaimer: I made all of this up, and with a fever no less. It's not true.
Notes: Written for kruel_angel after conversation in a storyfinders post about imperfect endings where things don’t quite work out. Also, I really don't write J2 often. I don't even know where this all came from, or what I'm supposed to do with it now.
Jared Padalecki prides himself on being a truly excellent friend. He’s the guy you can always count on to help you move boxes, to help plan the surprise party, or to cover your bar tab when you lose your wallet. Once, someone had given Jared a “World’s Best Friend” badge when he’d helped her search for her missing cat in the middle of the night, and Jared still has it, tucked into a photo album somewhere. Jared takes his friend skills fucking seriously.
Which is why he doesn’t get discouraged when he first meets Jensen Ackles, the dude he’s shooting the new WB pilot with. Yeah, Jensen’s a little quiet, a little reserved, maybe even a touch standoffish, but Jared’s confident he’ll be able to turn the situation around quickly. It’s a new job, after all, and everyone’s a bit nervous starting a new job. So Jared keeps talking, keeps pushing, keeps inching closer and closer. Because he’s the best fucking friend in the world.
The thing is, it’s kind of exhausting working with Jensen. This isn’t Jared’s first time working with the network, and he’d figured he’d known what he was getting into when he signed on to Supernatural. It’s not that he’s lazy, there’s just this unspoken rule about TV acting. On Gilmore Girls, they’d give it their all every couple of takes, but phone in the rest. Working every day, that was the only way to keep from going crazy, and doing a horror show Jared had expected this trend to continue. It’s the WB after all, not HBO. Jared had expected this role to be physically, but not emotional demanding.
But Jensen Ackles never phones it in. There’s an intensity to Jensen’s performance, during every single take, and during the first few episodes he transforms Dean Winchester from the typical bad boy to someone with real depth. And Jared, despite his best intentions, finds himself pulled along, finds Sam pulled into Dean’s orbit. Besides, if he slacks off he looks ridiculous next to Jensen.
“Man,” Jared sighs, exhausted after another day of working way too fucking hard. “I think we need a night out.”
Jensen shrugs, noncommittal as always. “I guess.” He strips off Dean’s jacket and necklace, setting them carefully aside in the trailer, where wardrobe will be able to find them.
This is the most excited Jared has ever seen Jensen about going out. “Alright!” he says, energized once again. Tonight is going to be the night he and Jensen Ackles become friends.
***
Three hours later, Jared has no idea where he’s gone wrong. He’s picked one of his favourite Vancouver spots so far, a cool little pub just outside of downtown. The music is good, the food is delicious and the company is hand-picked. Because he’s such an awesome friendly person, Jared knows a lot of the Supernatural crew already, even the ones he hadn’t worked with before the show. He’s invited a bunch of guys and a few of the girls to join them, and the beer and the conversation is flowing. Except not in the corner of the booth, where Jensen sits.
Jared doesn’t think Jensen’s said more than ten words to anyone since he’d arrived at exactly the agreed time. He’s worked his way through two beers in less than an hour, but that hasn’t made him any chattier. If anything, Jensen seems to be melting into the background, disappearing into the dark leather of the seat. The louder the conversation around him, the more silent Jensen falls.
“My wife watched the pilot, and she told me that with ‘those pretty boys’ on screen, we’re likely to attract a female audience too.”
“And don’t forget the gay demographic,” someone adds, and there’s another burst of raucous laughter, “so long as Jared and Jensen hang on to that chemistry.”
Jared laughs and has to brush his bang out of his eyes, and by the time he checks over his shoulder again, Jensen has slid out of the booth and is striding toward the bar.
“Excuse me,” Jared says, as he pushes back his chair and follows Jensen across the room.
“Hey,” he says, touching Jensen lightly on the shoulder as the bartender pours him another beer. “You doing okay?”
Jensen nods and takes a long sip of beer. “Actually,” he says, “no, I’m not. I’m sorry. I’m just really bad in groups.”
“Oh,” Jared says. Mentally, he reconfigures his entire friendship strategy. “Well that’s okay.”
“Also,” Jensen adds, so quietly Jared can barely hear, “I’m gay.”
“Oh,” Jared says again, feeling profoundly stupid. He thinks back over the last hour of conversation, which had involved way too many jokes about Dave’s skinny jeans, Stanley Park after dark, and why it was not okay for men to wear black nail polish. “And you’re not out?”
“To my family, yeah,” Jensen answers, “but not professionally. So I just...keep to myself. I actually have no idea why I’m telling you this.”
Jared knows why. Obviously it is because Jensen senses his awesome friend skills. Jared smiles, and motions like he’s zipping up his lips. “It’s cool, dude. Hey, I just got the new Madden game. You wanna get out of here?”
“Yeah,” Jensen says, and sets down his still-full drink. “That sounds really great.”
***
So that’s how it starts, and it’s pretty much smooth sailing from there. Part of Jared is even a little disappointed, because he’d expected winning Jensen over to be a challenge. Instead, his friendship with Jensen is the easiest he’s ever had. They like the same movies, play the same video games, and share a common sense of humour, once Jensen gets used to the set and lets down his guard a little. Even better, they get along just as well on set as off and most of the time - night shoots and death scenes aside - Jared really looks forward to going to work in the morning. Once Jared decides it makes no financial sense for Jensen to still be living in a hotel when he has half a house he doesn’t use and Jensen moves in, he looks forward to coming home from work too.
As good as things are, it doesn’t mean Jared stops worrying about Jensen. As a friend, he believes in being proactive, so the third time he comes home from a date to find Jensen sitting on the couch in his underwear, cradling a bowl of popcorn, he decides to take action.
“Hey!” he says, so loudly Jensen jumps and popcorn flies everywhere. “We should go to the gay bar this weekend.”
“Oh yeah,” Jensen drawls, picking popcorn out of the couch. “Why? Your date that bad?”
“No,” Jared explains, “she was cool. It’s just that you should get to meet cool people too.”
Jensen blinks up at Jared, and then pointedly stuffs an entire handful of popcorn into his mouth. “Can’t,” he says, struggling to talk through the mouthful.
“Oh come on,” Jared protests. “You’re not that famous, man. No one’s gonna recognize you.”
“S’not that,” Jensen replies, spitting bits of popcorn everywhere. “Just don’t wanna.”
“Don’t be a chicken.”
“Not chicken. Just not interested.”
“I’ll come with you. I’m a great wingman.”
“You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”
“Never.”
Jensen sighs heavily. “Fine,” he says, “but I’m gonna buy some new sunglasses for the occasion.”
***
They skip the line not because they’re famous, but because they’re hot. Jensen ducks his head as they pass the bouncer, wearing his new shades, but Jared makes sure to give him one of his friendliest grins before following Jensen inside. If Jen’s gonna be a regular or something he’s gonna want a good relationship with the bouncer.
Inside it’s mostly dark. The bar itself is decked out in neon so patrons can find it, but the dance floor is only illuminated by multi-coloured strobe lights. Jensen takes off his sunglasses, and Jared snorts.
“Shut up,” Jensen says, weaving his way across the dance floor on his way to the bar. Jared follows in his wake. “I’m gonna have two drinks, then we’re going home to watch the game.”
Jared surveys the room as Jensen orders them both drinks. “Don’t sell this place short,” he says, as Jensen hands him something sweet-smelling and bright pink he probably means as an insult. “Look at all the potential gay love in this place.”
Jensen snorts. “Right. Love.”
“Fine,” Jared concedes, “potential gay sex. Gay sex you desperately need, because I don’t think you’ve gotten laid since I met you.”
“Nuh uh,” Jensen objects, taking a sip of his normal-coloured beverage. “There was that guy at that party, remember?”
“Doesn’t count if you were too drunk to remember what actually happened, and I had to carry you home.”
“Well fuck,” Jensen says, surveying the crowd in earnest now. Jared follows Jensen’s eyes as they sweep across the crowd, coming to rest on a tall guy leaning against the wall opposite them.
“He’s cute,” Jared says, “go get ‘im, Tiger.”
Jensen rolls his eyes, but pushes himself off from the bar. “I hate you for making me do this,” he calls, as he disappears into the crowd.
Jared has no trouble amusing himself for the next half hour. He’s very friendly, and he dances with a few guys and a couple of girls he’s pretty sure are lesbians for awhile. He’s a terrible dancer, so they figure out pretty quickly that he’s straight but it doesn’t seem to bother them. They congratulate him on being so devoted to his poor antisocial gay friend, and Jared is gratified. One day Jensen too will appreciate the lengths he’s willing to go to for their friendship, he’s sure.
Jensen finds him again when he’s ordering another one of those pink drinks.
“Where the fuck have you been?” Jensen snaps, leaning up to speak into Jared’s ear to be heard over the music. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“I’ve been over there,” Jared answers, gesturing in the general direction of his new friends with the hand not holding the glass. “How did it go with tall, dark and handsome?”
“Fine,” Jensen answers curtly, his breath tickling Jared’s ear. “Can we go now?”
Jared beams. “If it went well you should ask him to come home with you!” he announces. “I promise I’ll stay out of your way.”
Jensen just shakes his head, and in a particularly bright flash of a strobe light Jared notices the tension in his shoulders and the way his body is angled towards the exit. Apparently, it had not gone terribly well.
“Oh,” Jared says. “Yeah, we can go. Just one more dance first.”
“Nooo,” Jensen whines. “Don’t throw me back in the shark pool.”
Jared finishes his drink in one gulp. “Not gonna,” he says. “Dance with me.”
Jensen rolls his eyes and mimes putting his sunglasses back on, but he lets Jared pull him by the wrist out onto the dance floor.
“Ahem,” Jared says, as he holds Jensen at a careful arms length, shuffling back and forth like they’re at a middle school dance. Jensen laughs, his teeth flashing in the bright lights, and Jared feels very pleased with himself. He holds one of Jensen’s arms above his head and Jensen - reluctantly - twirls until he’s pressed close against Jared’s chest.
“Hey,” Jared says into Jensen’s ear, “wanna come back to my place?” Jensen actually giggles, and Jared mentally appoints himself Master Friend of the Universe.
***
The idea hits him three months later, when he’s on a date with a friend his makeup artists has set him up with, a pretty redhead named Jennifer. She’s been telling him about her job as a marketing assistant, and though she’s funny and engaging and she’s wearing a low-cut dress he can’t help but appreciate, Jared realizes his mind has been wandering.
He’s missing a hockey game to be here, and though it doesn’t bother him that much he knows Jen would rather die than miss one second and, whether Jared likes it or not, Jensen will be awake when he gets home, ready to give him a play-by-play summary of what had happened. Truthfully, sometimes Jared intentionally misses games so he’ll get to see one of Jensen’s bizarre, rambling, off-colour recaps. He considers stopping to pick up a pizza on the way home, since Jensen barely eats these days, and the shrimp risotto he’s had for dinner isn’t exactly filling.
“...so then she said, but where’s the turtle?!” Jennifer’s laugh is clear as a bell and very pretty, and Jared tries to laugh along and pay more attention through dessert. His effort isn’t terribly successful, and he’s relieved when Jennifer says she has to work early in the morning. He makes sure she catches a cab, and then grabs one himself.
“The nearest pizza place,” he tells the driver, “and then home.”
When Jared opens the front door, pizza box in hand, the only light in the house comes from the TV. An infomercial for some kind of hideous costume jewellery is playing. Jared dumps the pizza box on the counter, then tiptoes over to the couch.
Jensen is asleep, wearing only his boxers and the wool throw Sera gave them for Christmas. The popcorn bowl sits on the coffee table, half-empty. It’s barely eleven, but they’ve been working long days lately and Jensen must’ve been wiped. Jared crouches in front of the couch, and touches Jensen’s shoulder.
Jensen comes awake slowly, blinking rapidly in the dim light of the TV. Then he recognizes Jared and smiles, and something inside Jared melts.
“Okay so,” Jensen begins, “this was the worst fucking game I’ve ever seen in my life.” Most games, these days, are the worst game Jen has ever seen in his life.
“Oh yeah?” Jared says.
“Yeah, ” Jensen continues, “Because -” And then Jared kisses him.
The kiss is weird, but it isn’t bad. Mostly it’s short and confused, because obviously Jensen doesn’t know what’s going on and he doesn’t open his mouth, and Jared’s sort of too busy thinking ahead to focus on the moment. He counts three Mississippi’s - which he figures is long enough to send a message - and then pulls away abruptly.
“We’ll talk in the morning,” he says, before running up the stairs to his bedroom.
***
When Jared goes downstairs in the morning Jensen is already awake, which is weird for a Saturday. He’s made coffee, too, and when Jared walks into the kitchen he hands him his favourite mug full, with just the right amount of milk and sugar.
“Hi,” Jared says brightly, trying not to let his voice vibrate with excitement. He takes a sip of his coffee. “This is perfect,” he says, “as always.” The coffee is probably a good omen, actually.
Jensen raises his eyebrows sceptically. “Good morning sunshine,” he says, “how high were you last night?”
“What?”
Jensen laughs. “You don’t remember? You came home all buzzed about something. You kissed me. You left a whole pizza on the counter. Munchies wear off or something?”
Aw, fuck. “I wasn’t high,” Jared says. “Cross my heart.”
Jensen humphs, and takes a long sip of his own coffee before sitting at the table. “Whatever you say.” He pretends to read the Sports section, but Jared can see him casting suspicious glances in Jared’s direction.
Jared coughs, then sits down at the table directly across from Jensen. “So I had this idea last night,” he says.
Jensen puts down the paper. “While you weren’t high?”
“Yeah,” Jared says, and this isn’t going nearly as smoothly as it had when he’d rehearsed it in his head. “I think you should be my boyfriend.”
Jensen spits coffee all over the Sports section, then starts coughing. Jared presses on, seizing Jensen’s distraction as an opportunity. “Or I should be your boyfriend. Or both. I didn’t mean to emasculate you or whatever.”
Jensen stops coughing and stares. It makes Jared feel profoundly uncomfortable. “So?” he says. “What do you think?”
Jensen chooses his words carefully. “This is a prank, right?”
Jared shakes his head.
“Jared,” Jensen says. “I am a man.”
“I know that,” Jared snaps. It bothers him when the world doesn’t immediately understand his brilliant ideas, and he expects better from Jensen in particular. “It’s why I asked you to be my boyfriend. Sexuality is fluid.”
“Not for everyone,” Jensen says. “Not all the time.”
“No,” Jared concedes. “But for me, now.”
Jensen shoves his chair back with an abrasive scraping noise, and starts to pace the kitchen. Jared stands too, and paces behind him.
“So you’ve suddenly decided you like cock?” Jensen asks, and Jared winces a little. He hadn’t really thought about that part, to be honest, and did Jensen need to be quite so blunt about it?
“I’ve decided I like you,” Jared answers honestly, stepping forward to pin Jensen, mid-pace, against the counter. “I mean think about it,” he says desperately, words spilling out at random and not in the careful speech he had planned. “We live together. We work together. We like all the same things. I know everything about you you’ll never tell anyone else. I stopped ordering mushrooms on my pizzas because I know you hate them. My mama loves you. You make me the perfect cup of coffee, and I know how to make yours too.”
Jensen has gone still and quiet. Jared realizes he might be pushing a bit too hard, and takes a step back from the counter, giving Jensen space to move.
“Listen,” he says, more gently. “It’s just that no one I’ve ever dated has ever understood me like you do. And sometimes, when I’m on a date - even a good date - I’m counting down the seconds ‘til I can come back home to you.”
Jensen opens his mouth just as Jared’s about to freak the fuck out. “Well,” he says, “people do already say we act like an old married couple.”
Jared could cry with relief, but he hugs Jensen tightly instead.
***
Jared is nothing if not dedicated to his projects. Go big or go home, he tells himself, and he decides to be the best boyfriend ever. He wakes Jensen up with coffee in the mornings and makes a point of telling Jensen how good his hair looks. At work he is extra diligent running lines, making sure that he’s doing everything just right so Jensen can deliver the performances that matter so much to him. During lunch he sits right next to Jensen, their thighs pressed together, and he puts extra cherries on his ice cream sundaes because he knows Jensen likes to steal them. When Jensen is tired after a long day’s work, Jared winds his arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders and leads him to the car.
The frustrating thing about all this is that nobody else seems to notice anything has changed.
“Hey,” Jared says while they’re getting their makeup done, “I think we should go to the gay pride parade this year.”
Jensen keeps shaving, and the makeup girl just smiles. “You’d certainly be popular,” she says. She flutters her makeup brush over his face one last time. “All done. See you guys later.”
Once she’s left the trailer, Jared groans in frustration. “What the hell?” he exclaims. “Why has no one noticed we’re dating?”
Jensen switches off the electric razor. “Maybe because we’re acting pretty much the same as we always have,” he says with a smile.
Jared pouts, and shoves another gummy rainbow candy in his mouth. He waves another through the air. “See! Rainbow!”
Jensen presses a brief kiss to his forehead as he leaves the trailer. “You’ve been eating those for years.”
When Jensen gets home that night - he’d had to film late, with Misha - Jared is sitting on the couch, drinking hot chocolate out of a mug emblazoned with EQUAL MARRIAGE NOW and reading Heather Has Two Mommies. He leaps to his feet and practically runs to the door to take Jensen’s coat, sliding in his stocking feet.
“Hey,” Jensen says, voice drained like it often is after work this season. “Something smells good.”
“I ordered Thai,” Jared says, already on his way to the kitchen to grab Jensen’s plate and a beer. “I knew you’d be too tired to cook.”
They sit down to eat in contented silence. Jared has ordered all of Jensen’s favourites, and the food is still warm because he’d called set and asked when they’d be done. Between dinner and his visit to the gay bookstore, he feels like he’s been a very good boyfriend today.
Jensen sets his fork down between bites, taking a slow sip of his beer. He looks at Jared for a moment, brow furrowed slightly.
“What?” Jared asks, unnerved.
“You,” Jensen says, “are the craziest person I’ve ever met. And I love you.”
Jared feels very warm. “I love you too,” he says, and it’s the most natural thing in the world. He smiles into his food for the rest of the meal, and he falls asleep in Jensen’s lap in the middle of Brokeback Mountain, which Jensen says is for the best because he wouldn’t like the ending.
***
On Valentine’s Day, they go out for dinner. To Jared’s immense satisfaction, Misha asks Jared if he has big plans that night and when Jared tells him, Misha looks surprised.
“Interesting,” Misha says. “Is that like, a Texas thing?”
“No,” Jared says. “It’s a gay thing.” Then he hurries off to his trailer, buzzed because he’d told someone, even if it was only Misha, who probably has some kind of Valentine’s orgy planned himself.
Dinner is perfect. They both dress up, and Jensen tells Jared he cleans up nice and smiles brightly when Jared gives him a rose. They eat steak and lobster, and drink too much champagne, and share a slice of chocolate cake. Their waitress tells them they’re a good-looking couple and even though Jensen blushes, he doesn’t deny it and doesn’t shrink back in his chair.
On the drive home, Jensen puts his hand on Jared’s knee and Jared - a little tipsy - likes the way the warmth feels through his dress pants.
Inside the house, Jensen takes off Jared’s coat and leads him up the stairs so he doesn’t trip. Jared’s grateful for his hand, but he’s confused when Jensen pulls them both into his room instead of dropping Jared off in his own.
“Hey, what -” Jared starts to say, but stops when Jensen undoes his tie and presses a warm, wet kiss to his throat. “Oh, right.” It’s Valentine’s Day, so they’re probably supposed to be having sex about now.
Jared knows how this is supposed to go. He’s read a lot of gay literature by now, and he’s seen some queer cinema, and anyway, it’s not really that different, is it? He pushes Jensen towards the bed, kicking off his shoes along the way. He undoes the buttons of Jensen’s dress shirt, and is only confused for a moment when the buttons aren’t on the side he’s used to. Before long he has Jensen underneath him and they’re kissing like they’re supposed to.
It’s weird. It feels a lot like acting, actually. Like a very long screen kiss with no one to call action or cut. He feels all paranoid, like there are eyes on him, watching him, judging him. His lips and his tongue feel too slow, and he doesn’t know where to put his hands, keeps grabbing at Jensen’s chest for breasts that aren’t there. His heart starts to pound and his breath is short, like when he flubs a line during an important audition.
“Jared,” Jensen says, cupping Jared’s face with his hands. “You okay?”
Jared finds it hard to look him in the eye, but manages it somehow. “Yeah, I’m good.” He leans down to kiss Jensen again, determined to be good at this. Jared knows he can be good at this if only he tries hard enough.
Jensen grunts with frustration, and slides out from underneath him. Suddenly he’s on top of Jared, straddling him, and Jared can’t really avoid looking him in the eye without being really unsubtle about it. Jensen leans down to kiss him, thrusting his hips at the same time, and Jared feels it. Jensen’s hard cock, digging into his thigh.
Jared freezes, goes absolutely still and cold, and there’s no way for Jensen not to notice that. He goes still too, then rolls off of Jared to lie on his side. Their bodies don’t touch.
It feels like an eternity passes before anyone speaks. “I think I’m probably straight,” Jared finally squeaks.
“Yeah,” Jensen agrees. “I can’t say I’m that surprised.” He climbs out of the bed. When he leans over, Jared is pretty sure Jensen is going to punch him, but instead Jensen presses a soft, dry kiss to his forehead. “We’ll talk in the morning,” he says.
***
Jared’s pretty damn terrified when he goes down the stairs in the morning. He expects to find boxes packed and suitcases sitting by the door. He wouldn’t blame Jensen for leaving, not after how much Jared had fucked him around, even if unintentionally.
But there are no suitcases. There’s just Jensen, reading the Sports section. When the creak of the stairs gives away Jared’s position he looks up, and sets the paper aside. “Sit,” he says, and Jared does as he’s told.
Jensen brings him a cup of coffee, with exactly the right amount of milk and sugar. It’s in his EQUAL MARRIAGE NOW mug.
“I guess I don’t need this mug anymore,” Jared says.
“Like hell you don’t,” Jensen says, taking a sip from his own, plain, mug. “Same-sex marriage should be a priority for you, ‘cause you’re gonna be my best man if I ever get married.”
Jared looks up from his cup. “Really?” he says.
“Really. As long as I get to be yours whenever you find the dream girl.”
Jared grins, then bites his lip. “Hey Jen?”
“Yeah?” Jensen is pretending to be absorbed in the newspaper again.
“Is it okay if maybe I don’t find the dream girl for awhile, though? I sort of like things the way they are.”
Jensen chuckles. “She’ll come around if and when you’re ready. In the meantime, I like things the way they are too.”
Jared can’t stop grinning. “Hey,” he says, kicking Jensen under the table. “Did you remember to record last night’s game?”
“Of course I did. I’m not an idiot.”
“And Jen?” Jared asks.
“Yeah?”
“I was so close, though.”
Jensen sighs in that way that means Jared is being insufferable and simultaneously endearing. “Yes, Jared. You were almost exactly right.”
***
The fan is nervous, like she knows she’s walking on thin ice with the question. Also, the microphone the hotel’s provided is kind of shit, and there’s a lot of feedback going on. All the same, everyone in the room knows exactly what she’s referring to.
“I just wanted to know how you deal with the rumours and gossip about your personal lives? That must be kind of hard.”
The rumours have been harder to ignore, lately, because they’ve actually been true. Two months out of date, the news that Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki had spent Valentine’s Day together and were acting more than a little cozy on set had hit the gossip blogs, and Jared knows the fans have gotten themselves pretty worked up about it. He feels pretty bad that they missed all the action while it was actually happening.
“All the rumours about me are totally true,” Misha announces. “I have fourteen toes. Also, I have a sex dungeon in my house. Full of ponies.”
The audience laughs, and Jared is grateful to Misha for breaking the tension. The rumours don’t bother him, they never really have, but he worries about Jensen- who still hasn’t officially come out in any public capacity.
Jensen clears his throat and the mic screeches. “Sorry,” he says. He pauses. “The rumours only bother me because I’m never going to find a normal-sized boyfriend when everyone thinks I’m dating Sasquatch over here.”
The fans laugh - jokes about Jared’s height always go over well - before they really catch on to what Jensen has just said. Honestly, it takes Jared a second too.
“I’ll volunteer!” a guy screams from the back row.
Jensen squints. “You’re like, seventeen dude. I need a man, not a boy. Come to think of it, that’s why I can’t date Padalecki.”
The room erupts in laughter again, mixed with a fair bit of more serious applause. Jensen leans over to whisper in Jared’s ear. “That wasn’t so hard,” he says.
“You made their lives,” Jared agrees. He grins at the world at large, as they celebrate Jensen’s coming out. He is definitely the best friend ever.