Domestic Bliss (1/3)
It begins in the grocery store.
As Jensen looks over a can of green Chile enchilada sauce and a jar of mole paste, he catches sight of an extremely tall, somewhat-dark, and ridiculously handsome man snatching canned tamales off the shelf. Jensen furrows his brow, wondering who in the world actually buys canned tamales.
“Hey,” the guy says quietly with a nod.
Jensen returns much the same: a nod, small smile, and a soft, “Hey.”
From the corner of his eye, Jensen sees the guy drop the tamales into the plastic shopping basket clutched in one hand then snag another can to present to Jensen. “Much easier to cook.”
It’s a generic looking can, but it’s mole sauce all the same, and according to the graphic on the cover, it’s dark as chocolate. Jensen’s mouth waters at the thought of velvety cocoa lacing his dinner, and when he looks up the guy’s arms, tanned and ripped with strong muscles, he’s near ready to drool.
He nods at Jensen again. “And it tastes pretty damn good. Trust me.”
“I’m not trusting a guy who eats tamales out the can.”
There’s a smile breaking, hitching high in one corner, and the guy’s nodding yet again. “Okay,” he says easily, twirling the can in his hand before putting it back in its place. “Your loss.”
And then Jensen’s watching him walk away. Which really isn’t such a bad thing, with those long legs leading up to a tight, little ass.
Danneel comes up from behind then takes in the same sight with a small moan. “Can we bring him home?”
“No.”
“Can I? I promise to be quiet.”
“No!” Jensen harps as he turns on her. “You’re never quiet.”
“It’s the wall. Paper thin.”
With an eyebrow up high, he replies, “I highly doubt it.”
She just smiles and pushes the cart along.
---
Two aisles over, he sees the guy again, and Jensen does his best not to stare as they cross paths. Danneel’s bending over to grab a bag of off-brand corn flakes from the bottom shelf, and the guy takes a second to check her out. But as he passes Jensen, he takes at least three to go from head to toe and smile.
Jensen spins in place and watches the guy walk away again. This time, allowing himself to really value it as he feels a dirty, little smirk work its way onto his face.
After tossing the cereal into the cart, Danneel stands beside him, leaning in close to get a long look of the departing figure. “Can I really not bring him home?” she whines.
“We done?” he asks quickly.
“No. I need Q-tips. And him.”
He snorts then yanks the cart around to follow the guy. “You can use my Q-tips.”
“But you always complain when I do.”
As he finds a checker next to the one the other guy’s waiting for, Jensen smiles broadly. “I promise I won’t this time.”
She clucks her tongue as he looks over the magazine rack.
Jensen’s obvious, he knows he is, but doesn’t even care at this point: he’s blatantly staring over the top of the gum rack to watch the guy unload his basket then turn to the candy rack on his side of the aisle. His eyes slowly make their way up and find Jensen’s, and he smiles, too.
“Hi,” Jensen says with a smirk as he tugs a pack of Stride off the rack.
“Hi,” he returns with much the same manner, popping a pack of Skittles into the air and catching it without taking his eyes off Jensen.
Despite hearing the soft clearing of Danneel’s throat, he continues to watch, and be watched. Then he shouts, “Ow!” and reaches for his ankle, glaring up at Danneel pushing their cart forward.
When he spins back to the next check-out, the guy’s laughing and turning to the conveyor belt to drop his candy. Jensen kicks the cart right into Danneel, muttering, “Bitch.”
“Whore,” she grunts as she positions the cart out of his way.
“I hate you,” he mumbles as he again looks over the top of the gum rack.
“Thank you,” she returns sweetly.
The guys shifts enough to eye Jensen and chuckles. “You two are cute.”
To get his real intent across, Jensen’s eyes drop down the guy’s face, focusing on the thin lines of his lips, and then Jensen briefly licks his own. “Yeah, she’s adorable.”
Danneel kicks the back of his knee but he does his best to stay upright and keep his eyes locked into the hazel ones looking right back. He puts his hand into the air between them. “Jensen.”
It takes a few moments of eying both Danneel and Jensen before he finally takes it, grip tight. “Jared.”
With little thought, Jensen boldly and slyly asks, “You like dinner?”
Jared goes up on tip toes and eyes the groceries Danneel’s putting onto the belt. “Which sauce did you buy?”
“La Preferida.” Jared hums then goes back to his checker, and Jensen rolls his eyes before glaring at Danneel. “All your fault,” Jensen mumbles.
Looking beyond bored, she gives him raspberries in reply.
As their checker lazily pushes their items over the scanner, Jensen shuffles forward to pull the cart out of aisle. Jared passes with a strange smile but not five seconds later, he steps back into view.
They’re watching each other before Jared speaks: “Corn or flour tortilla?”
“Corn,” Jensen answers slowly.
“Tomorrow?” When Jensen nods, Jared does, too, and presents a piece of paper tucked between two fingers. “Don’t burn the sauce,” he says with a smile.
Jensen takes the paper and smirks right back. “I promise.”
Again, Jensen watches Jared walk away. The view’s even better than before, what with knowing he’ll be seeing Jared again soon. When he turns back to Danneel, lips in a near-painful smile, she looks put-out.
“Can we go now?”
“You’ve got plans tomorrow.”
“No, I don’t.”
“You do now.”
The mole sauce only minimally burns, the comal warms the tortillas well enough to roll cheese enchiladas, and the store-bought flan works pretty well as a capper to the festive meal.
“This ain’t half bad,” Jared murmurs on his last bite of dessert. He’s been moaning through every bite.
Jensen knows he’s not that good of a cook; Jared’s doing it all for show. And it ridiculously excites Jensen.
As Jensen stacks dishes into the sink, Jared hovers next to him. “You sure I can’t help?” Jared asks kindly.
“Yeah, you’re off the hook. I’m not washing now anyway.”
“Leaving it for your roommate?”
“Hell yeah,” Jensen smirks back. But then he laughs to himself. “Okay, total lie. She’ll never do ‘em. She hates how her fingers get all pruney.”
“So do I,” Jared replies, sounding serious but there’s a glint in his eye that says otherwise.
Jensen licks his bottom lip, knowing that it’s his secret weapon, and smiles when Jared’s eyes are stuck on the motion. “Don’t wanna waste my time anyway.”
Jared raises an eyebrow while taking a deep breath and looking back to Jensen’s eyes. “Why’s that?”
He goes for his second best weapon: biting into his bottom lip. Seconds later, he’s got Jared’s hands all over him, roaming from his back to his neck, hips to his ass, and their tongues are twirling together with wide mouths as Jared pushes him into the counter. Jensen grabs onto the collar of Jared’s button-up and tugs him in as he sucks at his bottom lip, as he pushes his thigh between Jared’s legs with purpose.
Jared moans and rocks against Jensen’s leg, and Jensen grins as he breaks the kiss to say, “Second door down the hall.”
Pulling back, Jared’s chest heaves, and he pushes a hand into the air with a surprisingly calm face. As if they aren’t seconds from jumping each other all over again. “Lead the way.”
They’re both fairly composed, each straightening clothes as they walk through the hallway and Jensen nudges his bedroom door open. As soon as he nears the bed, Jared tackles him to it, and they’re laughing together but then flipping around to find mouths, kissing hard and wet. Jensen rolls to his back and shoves his hands inside the back of Jared’s shirts, pushing them up with one hand while the other roams south, dipping beneath the waistband of his jeans and underwear. Jensen tugs Jared down and in, making Jared moan all over again.
Jared sits up to peel his shirts off and Jensen takes the time to do the same. Simultaneously, they grope one another’s chests with a mumbled, “Jesus.”
“God, you’re so smooth,” Jared revels.
Jensen smirks and drags his fingernails over the ripple of Jared’s abdomen. “Look at you.” He glances up as he openly squeezes his fingers over Jared’s chest. “You are insane. I love it.”
Jared bites into a smile then shifts back to work on Jensen’s fly. “When I first saw you,” he says quietly, as though he’s talking to his hands while they open Jensen’s jeans and pull the fabric down. “Saw your legs. The bend of your legs, Christ. It was all I could think about as I kept shopping. The way you walk.”
Rising to his elbows, Jensen shimmies his hips to help Jared get the jeans off, leaving Jensen in just dark boxer briefs. As Jared handles Jensen’s shins then grazes his hands up over his knees and thighs, Jensen sighs happily. “Your hands. Around that stupid mole sauce.”
Jared moves in close, hitching Jensen’s knee up and leading to wrap it around his waist. “It’s damned good mole sauce.”
“I’m not complaining,” Jensen murmurs just before Jared kisses him, tongue punching in, fat and wet and playful as they kiss for what seems like hours.
As he gets antsy from the lack of anything more than some through-the-clothes grinding and kissing his mouth raw, Jensen reaches into the back of Jared’s pants, tugging on the waistband of his underwear. Sucking off a kiss, Jensen mumbles, “Take these off.”
“Yes, sir,” Jared replies lightly. He shifts back to his knees, eyes on Jensen all while he undoes the button fly. It’s a slow and painful process, because Jensen can’t stop the hitch in his breathing when Jared pushes his jeans and boxers down to reveal the absence of tan lines. Pure caramel skin from head to toe is unleashed when Jared stands at the foot of the bed and strips down.
Jensen gulps; he can hear it in the room, and Jared chuckles. Again, he trails his hands up Jensen’s legs, slowing as he nears his boxer briefs. His fingers take a terrifyingly unhurried walk over the fabric before slipping under the elastic band. “Can I?” Jared asks.
Laughing, allowing his nerves to find a way out, Jensen nods. “Like you even had to ask.”
“Well, I’ve been told I’m a gentleman,” he replies airily as he pulls the underwear down and off.
As soon as he’s naked, Jensen sits up with his knees bending then opening wide. He wraps a hand around Jared’s neck to bring him down between his legs, lips close but not quite touching, because Jensen’s suddenly moaning at Jared’s hand suddenly wrapped tight around his dick.
“I might’ve lied,” Jared whispers against Jensen’s mouth.
“About you being gentleman?” Jensen mumbles, eyes slipping shut with the sensation of Jared’s hand pumping at a steady rate.
“Okay, that, too,” he chuckles. “But, your bowlegs? I only thought about ‘em for a second. Then it was what you’d do with ‘em when I fucked you.”
Jensen inhales sharply then smiles as he grabs Jared’s dick and returns the favor. “Funny about that.”
Jared’s hips stutter at the touch and his breathing stalls. “Yeah?”
Ringing his leg tight around Jared’s hip, forcing their bodies even closer together, Jensen lets go of Jared’s dick and grabs his neck again, pulling him down. “Was thinking the same thing. Around your hips,” Jensen suggests. “Or spread wide with your hands. Or over your shoulders.”
“Okay, yeah, yeah,” Jared says excitedly. “Let’s do all those things.”
Jensen grins and hitches his legs up as high as he can, folding them over Jared’s back and tugging into a rhythm. “Let’s do it then.”
Jared laughs, slowing his body’s response to Jensen. “Slow your roll. Tell me where your gear is.”
Twisting back, Jensen nudges the top drawer of his nightstand open, and Jared all but leaps forward to get into it and grab the bottle of lube and a condom. He slicks his fingers up then slowly pushes into Jensen, making him groan and arch his back. Jensen releases incredible noises that could otherwise embarrass him, but Jared’s fingers are a blessing with the way they reach inside and stretch him. And Jared’s looking down on Jensen with his tongue stuck between his lips and his heated eyes switching between his hand in Jensen’s ass and Jensen’s gaze.
Ready and more than eager, Jensen nods enthusiastically. “Okay, okay, you’re good.”
This time, Jared is the one with the loud gulp as he takes his fingers out, fumbles with the condom, lubes his dick, and lines up. He hesitates then looks down at Jensen. “Now, I’m not the biggest guy in the world, but I’m not the smallest by far. This could hurt like hell.”
“It’s like Nike, Jared,” Jensen chides. “Just fucking do it.”
He chuckles as he pushes in, planting his hands into the mattress and then starting a steady pace. “You’re an asshole you know that?” he asks with a small curl to his mouth.
Jensen hitches his legs up, knees bent and tight against Jared’s sides to open himself up more. “It’s been said.”
Jared rolls his eyes back as Jensen gives himself up, keeping his knees high and legs open. He grabs onto Jensen’s knees as he settles onto his own and starts moving faster, dick sliding in and out with ease, balls slapping Jensen’s ass. “You feel so good, God, you so do, this feels so good,” he rambles, unabashedly.
He ain’t wrong, Jensen thinks with wonder. The pressure of Jared hitting him deep, forcing him wide, is unmatchable to any memory of his fairly healthy sex life. Though Jensen tries to reason that maybe it’s just a result of the margaritas, loosening them up. Or the fact that Jared is about the hottest body he’s seen in years, and the guy obviously knows how to use it. If the smooth roll of his hips is anything to go by …
When Jared tips his head back and closes his eyes, Jensen salivates at the line of Jared’s neck and has to grab his own dick, stripping it fast and quick. Jared gets even faster, whimpering to Jensen’s groans, and then Jensen moans when he breaks, thick come shooting up his belly.
Eyes blown wide, Jared keeps pounding Jensen’s ass, biting his lip before his breathing gets louder and higher. It’s one high sound as he comes, whiny but blissful, bottom lip still caught between his teeth.
After, they’re on their backs, staring at the ceiling and breathing hard.
“You were right,” Jensen says groggily.
Jared turns his head. “What’s that?”
“That was some damn good mole.”
In the morning, they go through it all over again. This time, positions are reversed and Jensen gets to test the agility of Jared and his long legs. They don’t last any longer than the night before, but they’re coming just as happily, pleasure ripping through them and making them each smile beyond exhaustion and lack of food.
“Breakfast?” Jensen suggests.
Jared grins. “I could go for some pancakes.”
He frowns, thinking of how he’d cut yesterday’s shopping trip short - with good reason, really good reason now that he has Jared in bed - and he’d forgotten to get any sort of morning foods. And it’s not like he or Danneel regularly stock many anyway. “Coffee?”
“Definitely,” Jared nods.
“And scones?” Jensen offers as he sits up in bed and drags his boxer briefs on.
“Those are them fancy muffins, right?”
Jensen laughs and knees Jared in the side, more playful than painful. “You’re kind of an idiot, huh?”
“That’s harsh, man. Especially after the last twelve hours.”
“Been a good twelve hours,” Jensen returns wistfully as he casually strokes his belly.
“Need me some energy before we go again,” Jared smirks in return.
“There’s a great place a few blocks over. Trust me. I love it.”
After pulling on jeans and t-shirts, they stumble out of the apartment building together, and within seconds, Jared’s ringing his arm around Jensen’s shoulders and pulling him close. He goes so far as to smell Jensen, first at his shoulder and then behind his ear, dropping a kiss at each place.
“You smell good fucked over,” Jared murmurs.
Jensen laughs, his arm going around Jared’s back to hold him even closer. He feels giddy and warm and pretty ridiculous to be all wrapped up in Jared not much more than 24 hours since they met, but he can’t deny the thrill he gets at the newness of it all.
When Jensen had received his Master’s degree and brought then-boyfriend Jake to the bar for his class’s celebration, he did whatever he could to keep space and act like it wasn’t that important.
But, it’s Danneel’s birthday and, as roommates and best friends since high school, Jensen’s required to blow a giant wad of money to get them both drunk. And he decides it’s a good excuse to get Jared drunk as well, and invites him.
Jared’s smiling everywhere, charming everyone who’s shown up for Danneel, and Jensen’s smitten beyond repair. Even after spending nearly every day together (on Wednesday, Jensen had to work late and Jared early and they’d managed to survive). Even when he would normally drown in far too much attention by spending this much time with someone; he can’t help but feel drawn to Jared.
“You ready for another?” Jared asks when Jensen catches up to him at the bar.
“Of course,” he smiles, patting a palm at Jared’s lower back as they’re bumped close together by the crowd growing, waiting for drinks.
After Jared orders two beers, he leans in to plant a quick kiss at the side of Jensen’s throat. “You smell good.”
Jensen grins in return, unable to blush at Jared’s compliments; hearing them so often, every day, he’s pretty darned close to perfecting immunity.
“Look good, too,” Jared adds with his hand roaming over Jensen’s back, fingers dragging in the soft cotton of his dark sweater.
“Oh, gag me,” Danneel exclaims when she appears between them, shoving them apart.
“I didn’t know a ball-gag was on your birthday list,” Jensen smarts back.
She scowls at Jensen then looks to Jared. “It’s my birthday,” she says slowly, and Jensen guesses it’s to hide how drunk she already is before midnight. “You know what that means?”
“That you’re getting wasted?” Jared chances.
“It means he’s going to blow me tonight.”
She spins to Jensen and frowns. “What? How?”
“Because I’ve been buying your drinks. And he feels sorry for the fact that I live with you. You don’t touch-”
“Guys, guys,” Jared cuts in with a laugh. “Seriously. No fighting. There’s enough to go around.”
“And no sharing,” Jensen instructs, a finger pointed at each of them.
“I promise,” he grins in return, all but crushing Danneel between them when he moves in to kiss Jensen.
Once the beers are served and paid for, the three of them head to the pool table in the corner where the rest of Danneel’s celebration carries on. She hangs back a few steps, tugging on Jensen’s arm to keep him back as well.
“You’re going kinda quick here, aren’t ya?”
“I’m not the DD, don’t look at me,” he replies before taking a long gulp of beer.
She tsks at him. “I mean with Jared.”
“No, not too quick,” he argues immediately. “Just having fun. He’s fun.”
“Just fun? I haven’t seen you in the apartment for a week.”
Jensen looks over to the group and finds Jared chatting up a few of Danneel’s work friends, ones Jensen hasn’t bothered saying more than a polite hello to. Then Jared glances over and smiles before getting back into the conversation.
“Okay, I really like him,” Jensen admits. “But, it’s not too quick.” She quirks a brow at him and he clucks his tongue. “Sometimes it’s just good off the bat.”
“For you? Since when?”
“It just is.”
“If you say so,” she replies airily.
Jensen spins to walk backwards, heading toward Jared but gloating as he clucks his tongue again. “You’re just jealous the sex is amazing.”
“Oh, come on,” Danneel whines. “No torturing the birthday girl!”
Jensen’s most serious relationship was a good eight months of casual hookups with the same guy and no one else. He never bothered to spend the night when he had to work the next morning, and truth be told, he stopped talking to that guy after the first night Jared stayed over, that first date. So, not that serious.
Here, now, they’ve taken to spending the night at each other's places, even on work nights. Each have been good about getting up early so they could head home, shower, and get to work on time.
But one unfortunate night, they’d stayed up for a solid two extra hours as they made out like teenagers on Jared’s couch then moved onto the bedroom for a long, thorough bout of sex. Jensen had fallen asleep without setting the alarm for his phone, and so he wakes with Jared’s, thirty minutes later than he’d planned.
“Oh, fuck, shit, fuck, fuck,” Jensen spits out as he runs across the bedroom to yank on his underwear, khakis, and track down his socks and shirts from wherever they’d been stripped and tossed to.
Jared rolls out of bed and easily snatches up one of Jensen’s socks, tossing it onto the bed before finding his button-up. “Jen, it’ll be okay.”
“No, no, it won’t,” he complains in return. Then he pauses and looks up, more than surprised at the soft, thoughtful way Jared had shortened his name. “Jen?”
Shrugging, Jared awkwardly smiles and motions at the shirt on the bed. “Found it.”
Jensen kneels on the bed, moving slowly to meet Jared on the other side. “Jen?”
“It was just easier to say. I’m tired.”
He chuckles then pulls Jared in. “It’s okay. I love it,” Jensen quietly admits. He kisses Jared, slow but with intention, because he really does. He likes Jared more than he cares to admit and suddenly loves hearing a nickname said with such affection.
Jared kisses back with more feeling, licking into Jensen’s mouth, hand holding the back of Jensen’s head and keeping him steady.
“Mmm, mmm, mmm,” Jensen sounds off, a bit sadly really, as he stops the kiss. “Have to go. I’m running so late.”
Jared slips his arm around Jensen’s neck, holding him right there so he can keep on kissing, asking in between, “Stay for a little more? I can drive you into work?”
With more kisses, and all while smiling against Jared’s mouth, Jensen disputes, “Can’t wear day-old clothes.”
Pulling back, Jared slaps Jensen’s ass. “I’ll get you something of Chad’s.”
“Wait, no-” Jensen replies, but Jared’s already heading to his roommate’s bedroom. When Jared returns with a black suit shirt, he’s grinning to Jensen’s frown. “I don’t know what’s on that thing!”
“It’s still got the tags.”
“Really?”
Jared chuckles as he takes a long look at the surprisingly pressed cotton shirt. “You see him in more than a few threads holding sleeves together?”
Jensen fights a smile then walks to the bathroom. “Need a shower?”
Jared quickly follows, and before his hair’s wet, Jensen’s on his knees and licking across the head of Jared’s dick. Raking his nails through Jensen’s hair, Jared moans and watches Jensen suck him down, lips shiny and wide, taking him in fluid bobs over his head.
“God, you’re good,” Jared murmurs.
And Jensen only sucks harder and faster, wanting so much to be so good for Jared. He presses hard with his tongue on the underside of Jared’s dick as he slides up and down. He grips Jared’s hips to rock him into his mouth. He lets Jared set the tempo.
With Jensen’s eyes up and Jared’s down, their gazes lock into one another. Jared’s are full of lust and wonder before he tips his head back into the water as he bites off a groan and spills into Jensen’s mouth.
Jensen stands, dick aching and curving up to his belly, and his only reprieve is when Jared pulls him in to kiss and he rubs against Jared’s abdomen. But then Jared turns him around, one arm winding across his chest and the other rubbing down over Jensen’s belly, down past his dick, and cradling his balls. As Jared mouths at Jensen’s neck, Jensen starts fisting himself. His chest heaves out and in with each movement and he tips his head back to Jared’s shoulder as he jacks himself in earnest, the slap of wet skin barely heard over the shower.
Jared sill murmurs, “You feel so good, wanna feel you like this. Just like this when you come.”
The water feels cold now on Jensen’s heated skin, and he’s blaming that for the shivers he can’t control. But it’s impossible to ignore the way Jared surrounds him as he gets himself off, as his hand gets faster and more intense, how his breathing becomes harsh and ragged until it’s more than shivers that make him quake in Jared’s arms. He comes with his muscles shaking in his legs, barely staying upright.
Tightening his arms, Jared keeps Jensen standing, kissing along his neck, down to his shoulder, sucking as he goes. “God, I love you,” he says on a light laugh. “That was good. So good, Jen.”
Jensen’s trying so hard to catch his breath that he can’t stand to respond to any of it. He just accepts it.
---
When Jared pulls his SUV up to Jensen’s building, Jensen looks out the window then over to Jared. Jared’s already leaning across the console and smiling at Jensen like he hung the moon and the stars and Jupiter. Jensen matches the smile and meets him, kissing softly, slowly. The way Jared gently nibbles on Jensen’s lower lip does more to encourage his toes to curl than their shower had.
Jared pulls back, murmuring, “Have a good day at work.”
Jensen leans back in for one last kiss, and then he backs out of the car. “You too, sweetie,” he sing-songs in mocking, but he’s still grinning when he gets to his desk.
---
Jensen has to wait for Jared to show up, but it’s not all too long. And it’s pretty damned great when Jared pulls right up to where Jensen’s standing on the sidewalk. Jared’s mouth is wide and showing off a fair amount of teeth, and the second he’s in the passenger seat, Jensen can’t stop himself from moving right in to kiss.
“Aww, did ya miss me for nine hours?” Jared jokes.
“I did,” Jensen nods and looks out the window as Jared directs the car onto the street. “You’re just a little cuter than the bus driver.”
“Just a little?”
“Yeah, she got a haircut last week,” Jensen jokes back, eyes on the buildings they pass. “Not too bad for a city employee.”
Jared laughs then reaches over the console to hold Jensen’s hand, fingers flexing between each other.
If Jensen could collapse into bed for the weekend, sleep all the hours away until Monday, he would most certainly do it. But when he gets home from a hellacious day of work and family issues, he’s faced with Jared.
“Hey, how was-” Jared starts but then he frowns. “Are you okay?”
Jensen takes a deep breath, trying like hell to hide the stress and strain keeping him down. “Yeah, just tired.” Jared nods and Jensen grimaces. “Not gonna be great company. You mind if we cancel?”
Jared’s nodding and moving away from the front door to let Jensen work the lock. He rubs a hand over the back of Jensen’s head then squeezes at his neck. “You wanna just hang out here? Let you decompress a bit with a little company?”
He’s ready to grunt and shake his head, push his way into the building and leave Jared on the doorstep. It’s what he does in these moods: force everyone else away until he can think straight. But Jared’s hand is warm and - not quite gentle, but - the strength in his fingers massaging away some tension is making Jensen relax in instants.
“Okay, yeah.” At Jared’s soft smile, he bites the inside of his cheek to not smile too hard back. He’s in a shitty mood; he wants to wallow in it. “But in warning. I’ll probably be an asshole.”
“Impossible.” Jared chuckles.
“You’d be surprised,” Jensen grumbles in return, dumping his laptop bag just inside the door where he kicks off his shoes and drops his suit jacket on top. He catches Jared eying the mess and he sighs. “Just leave it. It’s one of those days that I just don’t give a shit.”
Jared’s eyebrows go high. “That bad?”
Jensen yanks on his tie as he moves to the kitchen. He’s rifling through the dishwasher, cups turned over and plates tipping in all directions until he grabs a glass to fill with soda from a two-liter bottle that’s been on the counter for God knows how long. Danneel probably left it there. “It’s like … work decided to kick me in the ass and then my parents kicked me right in the balls.”
Laughing, Jared accepts the cup Jensen’s just poured and watches as he pours a second. “What happened with your parents?”
“They’re guilt tripping me over my sister,” he mumbles into his glass before drinking. He keeps looking into it when his voice drops and he rambles on. “She got into a car accident. She’ll be fine, but they like to remind me that it’s been too long since I’ve been home. Like to point out that Josh is always right there when they need him. So then I just put my head down at work, just to get through the day. But I made a shit load of mistakes and was raked over the coals for it. And it’s like-”
He’s cut off with Jared moving forward, smothering him in a hug, hands moving in firm circles across his back. The tightness of Jared’s embrace pushes air right out of Jensen’s lungs, but he’s comforted by the feel of Jared pressed in tight.
Jared nudges his head into Jensen’s. “Your sister really gonna be alright?”
Jensen rings his arms loosely around Jared’s hips, though his hands curl into Jared’s shirt and hold on. “Yeah. But I guess she was groggy at first. Kept asking about me.” He swallows then mumbles, “Don’t see her nearly enough. I feel like such a dick.”
After a bit of silence, Jared leads Jensen to the living room, pulling him down onto the couch. They settle easily, Jensen’s back to Jared’s chest, and Jared’s palm is warm as it runs short paths across Jensen’s chest. The TV keeps them company, filling in for conversation. And it’s so ridiculous to prefer it to a night out with Jared, to good food and drink and even better sex. But Jensen relaxes against Jared and accepts the quiet support, relishing the ease of just hanging out.
“Babe!” Jared calls from kitchen. “You want American, cheddar, or Colby?”
“You got sharp?” Jensen shouts from his spot on the couch, remote in hand and flipping through HD stations to find the next football game.
“I got mild sharp.”
“What the hell?” he laughs, thumb still punching the channel down button furiously. He draws a long swallow from his beer, not even caring to pace himself today, already feeling a warm buzz since they started during the noon game. “It’s sharp or it’s not. Mild is bull shit.”
Jared’s head appears over the back of the couch. “I can give you extra sharp later.”
Jensen tips his head back to take in Jared’s grin, and then he smirks. “I guess that makes up for it,” he murmurs as Jared dips his head down and they kiss, Jared sucking off his lips with a pop when he moves away, disappearing a second later.
When Jensen turns back to the TV, one corner of his mouth is hitched up and his cheeks are starting to warm with the moment. But then his eyes skate to the side and he finds Chris and Steve watching him, both with their bottles raised to their mouths but not drinking.
“What?” he barks, scowling at the TV to cover how ridiculous he’s sure Jared and he had just been.
“Babe?” Steve asks skeptically.
“Shuddup,” Jensen grumbles. “What damned channel is the game on?”
“Pussy TV,” Chris offers.
“I don’t think they have an HD station,” Steve adds on with a laugh.
Jensen gives them a nasty look. “You know, you two can just -”
“Jesus, you’re in love with the guy,” Chris cuts in while studying Jensen’s face.
His cheeks are now hot, he can feel that much, but he’s not sure what else can be read in his expression. “I’m not in love with him. It’s just …”
“Three weeks,” Steve laughs. “You’re so fucking gone after three weeks.”
“I am not,” he defends sharply before looking over his shoulder and to the kitchen. He can see Jared just outside the patio doors, still grilling up lunch with his dogs happily dancing around him. Even with the distance between them, he lowers his voice. “I don’t love him. Okay? I just, really … like … spending time. Here.” Chris and Steve give him a long look and Jensen adds, “Do you see the size of his TV? It’s 65 inches!”
Chris raises an eyebrow. “So, it’s the size you’re lookin’ for?”
Jensen’s saved by the sound of the balcony door sliding open then shut. “Soup’s on!” Jared yells, smile and pride evident in not only his voice but his look when the guys join him in the kitchen to divvy up cheeseburgers, grilled potato spears, and seasoned corn on the cob.
Steve and Chris get messy with their plates, piling potatoes high and nabbing two ears of corn each before ambling back into the living room.
Jared motions at the table with that same pleased smile, motioning for Jensen to load his plate first. But Jensen just slides close and kisses the side of his mouth. “Looks delicious. You sure it’s not just all filler?” he jokes.
“It’s gonna be so good,” Jared promises, palm stroking the curve of Jensen’s back. Then he nudges Jensen to the table. “Go ahead. I wanna see you try it.”
Jensen lifts an eyebrow but still gets everything together: burger with mild sharp cheese and a healthy pile of lettuce and grilled onions topped with a slather of mayo. He takes his time to bring it to his lips, giving Jared teasing looks as he opens his mouth wide enough to fit around the large burger.
Just one bite, a few seconds of chewing and tasting, and Jensen’s moaning, quite inappropriately really, and he knows it. The burger’s not just juicy and perfectly medium rare; it’s got smooth spices sprinkled throughout and it’s fucking incredible.
“Oh my God,” he mumbles through a second, larger bite. “This is amazing. I love this.” He swallows quickly then bites again. “Holy shit, Jared. Where you been hidin’ this?”
Jared chuckles lightly but his grin is blinding as he smooths his hand down Jensen’s back and kisses the side of his head. “I told ya.”
“Thanks for grillin’ for us,” Jensen says through slower chewing with a smile still in place. “My own little Betty Crocker.”
“Thanks for comin’ over,” he returns with another kiss at Jensen’s hairline. “It seemed like for all the time we spend together, friends would be the next step.”
There’s a flutter in Jensen’s stomach, a thought to correct Jared, a warning on moving too fast. But as he swallows the delicious meat, mild sharp cheddar cheese hitting his taste buds just enough, Jensen grins in return. “Yeah, good call.”
Jared cups the back of Jensen’s head, bringing him in for a proper kiss. It’s slow and almost delicate, but there’s so much warmth in Jared’s mouth, his tongue working perfectly alongside Jensen’s, that it heats Jensen up. He drops his burger at the table, hoping it hits his plate, and he winds his arms around Jared’s waist to feel all of him from chest to hips. They keep on kissing, heads tilting in all directions to increase the angles of tongues. Lips swiping wetly without ever speeding up, undistributed by the hollering from the living room where Chris and Steve have apparently found the right game.
There’s the sound of a throat clearing then an awkward, “Hey,” and Jared and Jensen split immediately to the sight of Jared’s roommate in the doorway.
“Oh, hey! Chad!” Jared says quickly. “What’s up? You hungry?”
“Yeah,” he responds, drawing the word out as he keeps eying Jensen. “I think the dogs’re going berserk outside.”
“Oh, shit,” Jared grunts as he races out the balcony doors, leaving Jensen and Chad alone, and in utter silence. They’ve crossed paths in hallways and out on the street, but haven’t yet said more than a word to one another.
Jensen takes the moment to put his hand out with a friendly smile. “Hi. I’m Jensen, Jared’s …” he trails off, not even sure what to really say.
He’s saved when Chad flatly says, “Yeah, I know. See ya coming in and out at all hours. I know what you’re up to.”
“Okay,” Jensen returns awkwardly, accepting defeat on the conversation. “Burgers are amazing. You should try one.” He nods just as he takes another bite of his.
Chad has a burger loaded on a bun in seconds and turns away. “Yeah, Jay makes ‘em all the time,” he mumbles and heads down the hallway towards the bedrooms.
Jensen swallows thickly as he watches the doorway Chad had just used. “Alright, good talk,” he mumbles to himself.
In the coffee house, Jensen inhales sharply, reveling in the rich scents of cocoa beans mixing with the toasted smells of fresh bakery coming out of the oven just one room over.
Jared slides into the rounded corner booth and grins as he hands over a tall coffee. Jensen happily accepts it, smelling the steam that rises through the drink hole. “What is this?” he asks with wide, happy eyes.
“White mocha. A li’l whip on top.”
Shaking his head, Jensen sips a bit of the hot liquid, then moans. “My God,” he murmurs. “The love I have for caffeine.” Jared snorts, making Jensen smile at him. “Man, this tastes insane. You know me too well.”
Jared settles against Jensen’s side, arm rung behind Jensen’s head at the top of the booth. He kisses Jensen’s cheek then softly smiles when Jensen faces him. “Happy thirtieth.”
Jensen drinks again, taking his time to taste and swallow, and then awkwardly smiles at him. “Thirtieth? I’m thirty-two, and you don’t even have the right month.”
There’s chuckling from Jared, but Jensen can tell it’s off. Especially when he puts his palm to the table, fingers spread wide, and his eyes won’t stop staring down at his hand.
Jared clears his throat and looks away, and it’s a sudden realization smacking Jensen right in the chest. “Thirty days,” Jensen says dumbly. Jared glances over, hesitation clear in his face and with the way he draws his bottom lip between his teeth. Jensen shifts closer, dragging his free hand over Jared’s leg, squeezing at the thigh. He purses his lips just so he doesn’t grin madly. “Thirty days.”
Jared drops his hand to Jensen’s, holding it in place. “I know it’s been crazy fast, but it’s been really good.”
Jensen nods, knowing that Jared’s so right, but there’s a small nagging thought. He laughs to himself to settle his nerves and says, “It’s been better than good.”
Jared’s lips spread wide, revealing an imperfect but beautiful, toothy smile.
On impulse, Jensen closes the space, mouth hard against Jared’s but not bothering to do more than just be there.
When he backs off, he feels flushed and ridiculous. Even more so when his mouth spills, “Never felt this before.”
“Me neither,” Jared replies, eyes soft and sated. “At least not like this. This fast.”
“Yeah,” Jensen agrees. His sight drops down Jared’s face just a little, trying to focus somewhere other than Jared’s caring gaze. But he has to look right back up. Then he’s smiling with Jared.
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