Why I'm Talking to You timestamp!
For my babyboo karabou. See that? Hahah.
Merry Christmas present in the form of 1,200 words. Kara! Told you I was a good gift giver :-D
Jared? You have a visitor.
The words repeat in his head just after he hangs up with the receptionist, while he stares at the phone, and as he rises and leaves his cubicle. He’s just a junior level engineer, hasn’t done much more than verify marked blueprints and watch senior engineers run project meetings and delegate work. He doesn’t get visitors.
When he’s in the reception area, he’s looking at the long lines of a suit, Jensen’s suit. He knows Jensen from anywhere, at any angle. Jared looks around the area as he steps closer, making sure the receptionist isn’t paying much attention or that anyone who walks through reception is either.
Jensen turns before Jared says anything, and he’s smiling as he catches Jared head to toe.
“Hey, what’re you doing here?” Jared asks quietly, nervously tucking hands into his pockets.
In a quick movement, Jensen sucks his lips into his mouth and pushes them out while running a hand down his tie and straightening it, his other hand sliding into his pants pocket. He looks smooth and so well put together, and Jared feels awkward in his striped button up and khakis. But Jensen smiles like it’s perfectly fine, though he does shoot a quick look to the receptionist, who’s nonchalantly watching them. Jensen clears his throat and says, “Here for our meeting.” He looks at his watch then smiles. “11:30, right?”
To anyone else, this is Business Jensen. Sharp and pulled together, smiling and charming. To Jared, this is all a lie, especially since Jensen has never been to his office before, and Jared doesn’t have a single meeting on today’s schedule.
Jensen speaks over Jared’s silence, “If you need a few minutes, I can come back.”
“Uh, no, no. It’s fine,” he answers quickly, nervously. He motions a hand towards the hall to usher Jensen away.
As they walk, Jensen falls into step with Jared, hands smoothly in his pockets. “How’s your day going?”
Jared gets close, but not too close, and whispers, “What’re you doing here?”
“Which one’s yours?” Jensen asks, unbothered, as they reach an open space filled with dozens of cubicles.
Jared shoots him an odd glance. “You wanna see my cube?”
“Yeah, why not?”
Jared stops and shakes his head. “What’s your deal?”
Jensen coolly crosses his arms and smiles. “I was in the neighborhood to see the Murphys. Thought I’d stop by for lunch, but I guess you’re all too busy for the little people.”
He snorts and shakes his head again. “Little people, right. You and your Armani suit.”
Jensen’s hand slides over the breast pocket as he corrects, “It’s Hugo Boss.”
Jared laughs, finally easing up. “Like that’s any better.”
He rolls his shoulders and looks bothered for a split second then slips his hands back into his pockets. “You wanna get lunch or not?”
Jared checks his watch and looks around the area, tensing just enough that Jensen’s following his eyes, too. “Yeah, I guess. I just … I should check out or something. Let Jeffrey know.”
Jensen smirks for a quick moment and nods. “Whatever you gotta do.”
They meet near reception again, Jensen holding the door for Jared and following him into the elevator lobby.
“You get the all clear? Teacher grant a hall pass?”
He bristles and then eyes Jensen. Jared’s fresh meat at work, lowest man on the totem pole, and no matter how little he mentions his nerves at home, he’s sure Jensen can pick up on them. Sure that Jensen can figure out that Jared’s constantly nervous about doing well in his first job. Which makes Jensen’s demeanor here bother him even more. “Dude, what’s with you? Awfully punchy today.”
“Just had a good day.”
“Ain’t half over,” Jared points out as they enter the empty elevator.
He moves close, hand on Jared’s hip, and then he kisses him. “At the good part now.”
“Yeah?” Jared asks in between kisses, smile marking Jensen’s lips.
“Yeah.” He drops one final kiss before the doors open and they walk out. “Got the thumbs up from Murphy,” Jensen starts ticking off as walk through the lobby of Jared’s building. “Tom’s finishing up SKYY’s latest banner ads. And I got myself a hot lunch date.”
“Glad someone’s having a good day,” he grumbles, following Jensen outside and to the restaurant next door.
Jensen puts a hand to Jared’s chest to stop him from walking further. “Okay, so, to repeat you. Dude, what’s with you?”
“Just a bad day.” Jared’s uncomfortable with Jensen watching and waiting, looking all kinds of concerned. Jensen is unbelievably supportive, has been since the day they got together. But he’s also a Nervous Nelly and Jared’s usually the one calming him. This, right here, feels wrong. But Jared turns away, heads to the restaurant and just rambles on about having mismarked a redline for where a sprinkler would be aligned within a fire protection system, how his immediate supervisor made him recheck four sets of 15 prints to make sure he didn’t mismark any other items on the blueprints, and how his conference call ran twice as long and threw off his self-imposed schedule for the day. He complains as they’re seated, as they wait for their order to be taken, even through some of lunch.
Jensen’s eyebrows draw down, and he reaches across the small table to run a hand over Jared’s shoulder. “Alright, calm down.”
“No, I just,” he starts to shrug out of it, but then stops. He takes a breath and catches Jensen’s warm eyes and steady glance. “I’m sorry. It’s just … ”
Jensen’s mouth twitches and he gives an easy smile. “It’s fine. Don’t worry. We all have our days.”
“Kinda weird to be on this side of it.” When Jensen is quietly confused, Jared explains, “Usually you’re the one having a coronary, and Danneel and I are talking you off a ledge.”
“What? I don’t go out on a ledge … ”
“Every day,” Jared says with a light smile as he pokes around his plate for another forkful.
“Do not.”
“When Randy’s especially jumpy. When Tom submits typos. When you run outta coffee.”
Jensen clears his throat. “Alright, I got it.” Jared chuckles and Jensen shakes his head. “Real funny.”
Jared chuckles again, finally feeling light, like this is how he should be every day. With Jensen and feeling good. He’s easy enough that when they’re back at his building, he’s smiling at Jensen and wanting so badly to kiss him, but he’s worried about doing it in front of his building. Out in the open. He quirks his mouth and stuffs his hands in his pockets to keep himself from reaching out. “Thanks for lunch.”
“Not a problem,” Jensen nods, picking up on Jared’s nerves right here and keeping himself reserved for the moment. “I’ll see you later.”
“Of course. Thanks again.”
Jensen reaches forward, squeezes his elbow for a second then walks to the curb to hail a cab.
Jared steps closer to the front door, but watches Jensen the whole way. And when he’s heading back to his office, he’s grinning and can’t wait for five o’clock to come around.
Merry Christmas present in the form of 1,200 words. Kara! Told you I was a good gift giver :-D
Jared? You have a visitor.
The words repeat in his head just after he hangs up with the receptionist, while he stares at the phone, and as he rises and leaves his cubicle. He’s just a junior level engineer, hasn’t done much more than verify marked blueprints and watch senior engineers run project meetings and delegate work. He doesn’t get visitors.
When he’s in the reception area, he’s looking at the long lines of a suit, Jensen’s suit. He knows Jensen from anywhere, at any angle. Jared looks around the area as he steps closer, making sure the receptionist isn’t paying much attention or that anyone who walks through reception is either.
Jensen turns before Jared says anything, and he’s smiling as he catches Jared head to toe.
“Hey, what’re you doing here?” Jared asks quietly, nervously tucking hands into his pockets.
In a quick movement, Jensen sucks his lips into his mouth and pushes them out while running a hand down his tie and straightening it, his other hand sliding into his pants pocket. He looks smooth and so well put together, and Jared feels awkward in his striped button up and khakis. But Jensen smiles like it’s perfectly fine, though he does shoot a quick look to the receptionist, who’s nonchalantly watching them. Jensen clears his throat and says, “Here for our meeting.” He looks at his watch then smiles. “11:30, right?”
To anyone else, this is Business Jensen. Sharp and pulled together, smiling and charming. To Jared, this is all a lie, especially since Jensen has never been to his office before, and Jared doesn’t have a single meeting on today’s schedule.
Jensen speaks over Jared’s silence, “If you need a few minutes, I can come back.”
“Uh, no, no. It’s fine,” he answers quickly, nervously. He motions a hand towards the hall to usher Jensen away.
As they walk, Jensen falls into step with Jared, hands smoothly in his pockets. “How’s your day going?”
Jared gets close, but not too close, and whispers, “What’re you doing here?”
“Which one’s yours?” Jensen asks, unbothered, as they reach an open space filled with dozens of cubicles.
Jared shoots him an odd glance. “You wanna see my cube?”
“Yeah, why not?”
Jared stops and shakes his head. “What’s your deal?”
Jensen coolly crosses his arms and smiles. “I was in the neighborhood to see the Murphys. Thought I’d stop by for lunch, but I guess you’re all too busy for the little people.”
He snorts and shakes his head again. “Little people, right. You and your Armani suit.”
Jensen’s hand slides over the breast pocket as he corrects, “It’s Hugo Boss.”
Jared laughs, finally easing up. “Like that’s any better.”
He rolls his shoulders and looks bothered for a split second then slips his hands back into his pockets. “You wanna get lunch or not?”
Jared checks his watch and looks around the area, tensing just enough that Jensen’s following his eyes, too. “Yeah, I guess. I just … I should check out or something. Let Jeffrey know.”
Jensen smirks for a quick moment and nods. “Whatever you gotta do.”
They meet near reception again, Jensen holding the door for Jared and following him into the elevator lobby.
“You get the all clear? Teacher grant a hall pass?”
He bristles and then eyes Jensen. Jared’s fresh meat at work, lowest man on the totem pole, and no matter how little he mentions his nerves at home, he’s sure Jensen can pick up on them. Sure that Jensen can figure out that Jared’s constantly nervous about doing well in his first job. Which makes Jensen’s demeanor here bother him even more. “Dude, what’s with you? Awfully punchy today.”
“Just had a good day.”
“Ain’t half over,” Jared points out as they enter the empty elevator.
He moves close, hand on Jared’s hip, and then he kisses him. “At the good part now.”
“Yeah?” Jared asks in between kisses, smile marking Jensen’s lips.
“Yeah.” He drops one final kiss before the doors open and they walk out. “Got the thumbs up from Murphy,” Jensen starts ticking off as walk through the lobby of Jared’s building. “Tom’s finishing up SKYY’s latest banner ads. And I got myself a hot lunch date.”
“Glad someone’s having a good day,” he grumbles, following Jensen outside and to the restaurant next door.
Jensen puts a hand to Jared’s chest to stop him from walking further. “Okay, so, to repeat you. Dude, what’s with you?”
“Just a bad day.” Jared’s uncomfortable with Jensen watching and waiting, looking all kinds of concerned. Jensen is unbelievably supportive, has been since the day they got together. But he’s also a Nervous Nelly and Jared’s usually the one calming him. This, right here, feels wrong. But Jared turns away, heads to the restaurant and just rambles on about having mismarked a redline for where a sprinkler would be aligned within a fire protection system, how his immediate supervisor made him recheck four sets of 15 prints to make sure he didn’t mismark any other items on the blueprints, and how his conference call ran twice as long and threw off his self-imposed schedule for the day. He complains as they’re seated, as they wait for their order to be taken, even through some of lunch.
Jensen’s eyebrows draw down, and he reaches across the small table to run a hand over Jared’s shoulder. “Alright, calm down.”
“No, I just,” he starts to shrug out of it, but then stops. He takes a breath and catches Jensen’s warm eyes and steady glance. “I’m sorry. It’s just … ”
Jensen’s mouth twitches and he gives an easy smile. “It’s fine. Don’t worry. We all have our days.”
“Kinda weird to be on this side of it.” When Jensen is quietly confused, Jared explains, “Usually you’re the one having a coronary, and Danneel and I are talking you off a ledge.”
“What? I don’t go out on a ledge … ”
“Every day,” Jared says with a light smile as he pokes around his plate for another forkful.
“Do not.”
“When Randy’s especially jumpy. When Tom submits typos. When you run outta coffee.”
Jensen clears his throat. “Alright, I got it.” Jared chuckles and Jensen shakes his head. “Real funny.”
Jared chuckles again, finally feeling light, like this is how he should be every day. With Jensen and feeling good. He’s easy enough that when they’re back at his building, he’s smiling at Jensen and wanting so badly to kiss him, but he’s worried about doing it in front of his building. Out in the open. He quirks his mouth and stuffs his hands in his pockets to keep himself from reaching out. “Thanks for lunch.”
“Not a problem,” Jensen nods, picking up on Jared’s nerves right here and keeping himself reserved for the moment. “I’ll see you later.”
“Of course. Thanks again.”
Jensen reaches forward, squeezes his elbow for a second then walks to the curb to hail a cab.
Jared steps closer to the front door, but watches Jensen the whole way. And when he’s heading back to his office, he’s grinning and can’t wait for five o’clock to come around.