A Little Love and Learning
Title: A Little Love and Learning
Pairing: Jared/Jensen, with mentions of past JDM/Jensen and Jared/Steve
Rating: NC-17, for swearing and lots of boy touching
Word Count: 22,000
Disclaimer: I can only fantasize that this is really going on. Alas, it's not. Unless it is, and if so, I want photographic evidence, dammit!
Summary: Jared and Jensen went to high school together but were never friends. They see each other again after ten years, and there’s an instant attraction. But Jensen still feels like the awkward geek to Jared’s Golden Boy, and Jared needs to heal from his breakup, or this relationship will never work.
A/N 1: This is forever and foremost for rain388 , who helped me work out the original idea, calmed me down when my Jensen muse refused to cooperate, and kept encouraging me when this took forever to finish. You are awesome and my favorite brain twin. \o/
A/N 2: Big thanks also goes to sweeter_melissa for her genius ideas and help.
Jensen smoothed down his tie for the tenth time, took a deep breath, and finally walked into the restaurant. And promptly went into panic mode when his first glimpse revealed not a soul he wanted to talk to or even knew. Why on earth had he let Mike convince him to go to this stupid reunion? He hadn’t had the best of times back then or very many friends, and he was an idiot to come. Idiot, idiot, idiot. He turned around, on the verge of fleeing back to his car when someone yelled, “Jensen!” and launched herself into his arms. He staggered back a step, arms coming around her instinctively. He smiled, his first smile in what felt like months, and set Allison back on her feet.
“Jensen, God, you look amazing!” Allison said, beaming up at him.
“So do you,” he replied, as Allison steered him further into the banquet room.
“No, seriously, Jensen. You must’ve grown a foot since high school! And, God, these arms!” She squeezed his bicep and whistled appreciatively.
Jensen blushed at the compliment, but that was just like Allison Mack. Always quick to praise his new sweater or tell him he was having a good hair day or “God, Jensen, those new glasses are fab!” He never believed her, of course, but it was still nice to hear.
She talked his ear off for a few minutes, catching up on 10 years of their lives, then remembered her husband over by the bar and dashed over to rescue him. Jensen sighed and looked around awkwardly. It amazed him how it could feel like no time had passed at all since high school and like it was a million years ago, all at once. He liked to think he’d changed since then, and not just in appearance, but he didn’t feel any different now, standing off to the side by himself and watching everyone else interact. It was the way it’d always been for him. The wallflower, his mama used to call him while smoothing his hair back. And he was doing the same thing all over again.
He was seriously gonna kill Mike for making him come to this damn thing. He never should’ve listened to him, something he learned a long time ago.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Jensen pasted on a smile and headed over to the bar. If nothing else, he needed a drink to get through the night.
~ o ~
Jared was surprised by how much fun he was having. He’d dreaded the reunion, especially after Steve left him and his plus-one became just one, but it was great to catch up with everyone he hadn’t seen since high school. Speaking of people he hadn’t seen… Was that Jensen Ackles? Jensen geeky-president-of-the-chess-club-always-tripping-over-his-shoelaces Ackles? Jesus, he must’ve had plastic surgery or made a pact with the devil or something, because damned if he didn’t look fucking incredible. Jared was walking over and standing in front of him before his brain fully formed the thought to do so.
“Jensen, right?” he asked, sticking out a hand.
Jensen looked completely startled for a moment before glancing pointedly at his nametag. “Uh, yeah. Hi, Jared,” he replied in the same quiet voice Jared remembered, though it was a hell of a lot deeper.
“Good to see you again, man.”
Jensen almost dropped his beer transferring it into his other to hand to shake Jared’s, raising an eyebrow in an unmistakable gesture of “why the hell are you acting like we’re best friends?” and smiled crookedly.
Jared inwardly winced. They were never what you’d call friends back in high school, but he never picked on Jensen. Well, not that he could remember. They had AP chem and calculus together senior year. Jensen always sat in the back of class and never raised his hand and didn’t seem to enjoy blowing shit up in chem lab like the rest of the guys. But he used to let Jared borrow his notes when he missed class for football or basketball stuff.
Jared realized suddenly that Jensen was looking at him with a slightly frightened expression and smiled to put the guy at ease. Backing up a step, Jensen gulped down about half his beer and smiled tentatively at him. Jesus, maybe he had been an asshole to Jensen in high school. He looked like he was ready to bolt.
“So, how about those Cowboys, huh?” Jared asked, then mentally smacked himself. God, he sounded like an idiot, but Jensen smiled genuinely at him this time and started spouting off team statistics, and they ended up talking for a good chunk of the night, leaning against the bar and drinking, one topic seamlessly flowing into the next.
~ o ~
Mike woke him up at a ridiculously early hour the next morning. Jensen groaned as he rolled out of bed to answer the door and glared when he saw Mike on the other side.
“Dude, what the hell? It’s Sunday, and the sun is barely up. Go away,” Jensen mumbled, leaning against the doorframe and crossing his arms.
“Ackles, man, it’s almost 2.” Mike shook his head with a grin, pushing past Jensen into his apartment. “I brought lunch so you won’t hate me too much.”
“Whatever.” He rolled his eyes and followed Mike into his tiny kitchen. “What are you doing here anyway?”
“I want the skinny on your reunion, man. Gimme details! Were there hot girls there you can introduce me to? Did you hook up with the quarterback in the locker room? Come on, don’t hold out on me!” Not waiting for Jensen, he opened the bag and shoved a handful of fries into his mouth.
Jensen blushed at mention of the quarterback, thinking about Jared. He and Jared just talked, no hooking up of any kind, but it certainly hadn’t sucked. It’d surprised him how much he and Jared had in common (both being teachers the main thing, since he always assumed Jared would continue with sports or something grander than teaching) and how easy it was to talk to him. He hadn’t wanted to stop, but Allison showed up with her husband, then some of Jared’s football buddies dragged him away. Jensen watched him walk away, flushing with embarrassment. But, damn, Jared had turned into a fucking sex god or something. Jensen found himself staring at his mouth or his dimples like a love struck 14-year-old several times. Luckily, Jared hadn’t noticed. He hoped not at least.
“Oho! What’s that dreamy look for?” Mike asked excitedly. He set down his half-eaten burger and leaned toward where Jensen huddled around his coffee maker.
“Nothing.” Mike just stared at him, so Jensen sighed and confessed, “I talked to this guy, that’s all. No big deal. I probably won’t ever see him again. He lives in Houston and he’s straight and I’m sure he wouldn’t be interested in me anyway and whatever. The whole reunion thing was awkward and fake and pretty much a waste of time and stop looking at me like that, Mike.”
Shaking his head, Mike took a huge bite of his burger. “You need to date again, dude. Or get laid. Something,” he said, mouth full and waving his burger for emphasis. Jensen winced as ketchup and mustard splattered all over his clean counter. “It’s been months since Jeff left. Time to move on. Get back in the saddle. Sow your wild oats.”
Jensen snorted into his mug and ignored him.
“Listen, man, I’m serious. This guy at the reunion? It’s the first time I’ve seen you vaguely interested in someone in forever. I know Jeff broke your heart and all, but it doesn’t have to suck to put yourself back in the dating pool. I just want you to be happy.”
“I am. I am,” he repeated more forcefully when Mike eyed him dubiously. He was, honestly, but maybe Mike had a point. He was well over Jeff, had been for awhile now, no matter what Mike seemed to think, but Mike had a point. His sister kept trying to set him up with her accountant or something. Maybe he’d let her. “I’ll think about it, okay?”
Slapping Jensen on the back, Mike turned his attention back to his food, and Jensen drained his coffee.
He forgot about it over the summer, though, concentrating more on spoiling his baby nephew and catching up on some much-needed sleep. He loved teaching, but he looked forward to summer break every year. It always ended too soon, of course, and before he knew it, he had to start working on lesson plans and getting back into teacher mode.
The first day of school, all Jensen heard about was this wonderful new teacher, Mr. P, how he was fabulous and gorgeous and so much younger than the old bag that used to teach government and he promised not to give too many tests or papers and said they’d get to watch Seinfeld every week and Mr. P, Mr. P, Mr. P. It wasn’t just the students gushing about him, but the faculty as well. He wondered why the awesome Mr. P hadn’t shown up to their beginning of the year staff meeting a couple weeks ago, but didn’t really dwell on it. Not that he could think about anything else during the day, since Mr. P was everyone’s favorite topic. He got kinda sick of it and sighed in relief at the last bell. It was the first day, so he didn’t have to stick around. He got to the parking lot and found that the chem club had christened his car, as usual, with chem equations and the like. He shook his head ruefully. He knew exactly who did it and that it’d get cleaned by the end of the week. He unlocked his car door and jumped a little when someone approached from behind and whistled in sympathy.
“Man, that sucks,” they said.
“Nah, it’s tradition. They’ll clean it,” he replied and turned around to find Jared walking up to him. What the hell?
“Hey, Jensen.”
“Jared? What are you-” But it all clicked into place. Mr. P, of course. Why did Jensen suddenly feel five foot tall and completely out of place? “I thought you were in Houston?”
“I was. This was kinda last minute. Lucky for me they had an opening here.”
“Yeah, lucky.” Jensen shifted his briefcase into his other hand and tried not to shuffle his feet under Jared’s gaze. He still looked amazing, and Jensen completely understood everyone’s keen interest in the new teacher now.
“It’s been great so far. You didn’t tell me how awesome the kids are here when I saw you back in June.”
“You didn’t give me much chance. You kinda…dominated the conversation.”
“Are you calling me a bigmouth?” Jared grinned, then checked his watch, making a face. “Sorry, Jensen, I’ve gotta head to my parents’ place. But I’ll see you around, right?” he yelled as he backed away.
Jensen nodded before climbing into his car. Maybe this year wouldn’t be so bad.
~ o ~
Jared used the hide-a-key to get into his parents’ house, then searched for his dad, eventually tracking him down in his room. He was dozing with the TV on, remote in his hand. He looked pale and overtired, and Jared wondered for the hundredth time what he would’ve done if his dad’s heart attack had been worse. He knocked gently on the doorframe, and his dad fumbled awake, smiling once he saw Jared hovering in the doorway.
“JT? That’s five days in a row you’ve come to see me. Did your mama send you to check up on me?” he asked and sat up straighter, patting the bed for Jared to join him.
“No. I can’t just want to see you for myself?” Jared settled cross-legged on the bed, subtly studying him. He seemed okay, other than the pale cast to his skin.
“It was just bypass surgery, kid. I’m okay.”
“Double bypass surgery, and you could’ve died.” He hadn’t said it specifically and no one had asked, but his dad’s health was a big factor in his coming back to Dallas. Not the whole reason, but it contributed.
His dad scoffed and waved a hand in dismissal. “Piece of cake really. Over and done with.”
“Dad-”
“How was school?”
Jared huffed quietly, but let him change the subject. “It was good. A little weird to be back. The last time I was there, I was picking up my diploma. Now I’m the one in charge. There are a couple familiar faces, so that’s nice. Weird but nice.” And awesome, he added in his head, thinking about Jensen. He thought about Jensen a lot over the summer, though he mostly attributed it to being lonely after Steve left. He put it out of his mind, though. Steve messed him up enough for a lifetime. The last thing he needed or wanted was to start crushing on someone new, even if that someone was drop-dead gorgeous.
“Knew you’d fit in right away, JT. You’ve always been able to adapt like that.”
Blushing, Jared ducked his head. “Thanks,” he mumbled, and his dad squeezed his knee.
“Gerry, Jared?” his mom called and poked her head around the corner a minute later. “You boys behaving?”
They both rolled their eyes at her grin.
“I didn’t think so. Come keep me company while I fix dinner, sweetie?”
“All right, Mama.” He ruffled his dad hair, ignoring his spluttering, and followed his mom into the kitchen. He leaned against the counter and watched her pull stuff out of the fridge and freezer. “How’s he really doing? He acts like double bypass surgery is just a walk in the park, and he won’t tell me anything but ‘I’m okay.’”
“He’s doing well, sweetie. Stop worrying.”
“Can’t. He’s my dad.”
“I know.” She reached up to cup his cheeks and pulled him down to kiss his forehead. “But he honestly is doing well, Jared. I went to his last doctor’s appointment, so I know. He has to take it easy for a few more weeks, but he’s healing well. You don’t have to worry so much.”
He sighed and relaxed. “Okay. Want some help with that?”
“Thanks, but I’ve got it. You can do the dishes after I make the mess.” She laughed at the face he made, then continued to prepare the spaghetti sauce. “How was school?”
“Good. Really good. I think I’m gonna like it there.”
“So coming home’s not so bad, huh?”
He smiled. “Nope, not so bad.”
They talked about their students while his mom cooked, and it was nice. It’d been a long time since he spent so much time with his family, and he only recently realized how much he missed them. He left the few friends he had back in Houston, completely started over with a new school and new apartment, was single for the first time in years, and it should terrify him, but he found himself enjoying it instead.
“Steve called yesterday to see how your dad’s doing,” she mentioned casually after a comfortable silence.
Jared instantly stiffened, knots forming along his shoulders and neck. “How did he know to call? Mama?” he asked more forcefully when she simply shrugged.
“He was part of this family for three years, Jared. He deserved to know what was going on.”
“No. He lost the right to know anything about my life the minute he walked out on me.” Gripping the edge of the counter tightly, he took a deep breath. He seriously needed to get over Steve. “Just promise me you won’t call him again, Mama.”
“Jared-”
“Promise me, please.”
“All right.”
“Thank you.”
He was close enough to his mom that the thing about Steve didn’t affect them for long. They were back to talking and laughing by the time his dad wandered downstairs in search of dinner. Jared watched as his dad kissed his mom’s cheek and knew that moving back to Dallas was the best decision he ever made.
~ o ~
On the second day of school, Jensen introduced Jared to Mike and Lauren. Mike shook his hand enthusiastically and made some kind of comment about his height. Jensen rolled his eyes in embarrassment, but Jared just grinned and teased Mike right back. Lauren stared up at him all pop-eyed and totally gone. Jensen had to nudge her, not too gently, before she said anything. Mike and Lauren grilled Jared for the entire lunch period, and Jensen just sat back and listened, pretending he wasn’t desperately interested in the answers. He never thought he’d see Jared again, and it kinda threw him to have Jared suddenly teaching at his school. Jared took it all in stride, though, grinning easily, and Jensen ignored the way his heart thudded at that.
And somehow after that, they just started hanging out, became instant friends, slotting together as if they’d all known each other for years. He wasn't sure who said it first, probably Kripke in that dry voice of his, but someone started referring to them as the four Musketeers, which Mike ate up like candy. Jensen was afraid he'd make them dress up like that for Halloween or, knowing Mike, just for the hell of it one day. They were close, though, bizarrely, at least to Jensen. They ate lunch together and went out after school, met at the football games on Fridays, and Jensen wanted to pinch himself, convinced this was a dream. In what reality was he friends with Jared Padalecki, star quarterback and hottest guy in school? And now this, a BBQ at Jared's that he and Mike were late to. Lauren was already there, taking over Jared's kitchen and throwing together a salad with a beer in one hand.
“Hey, babe,” Mike said, ignoring Lauren's frosty look when he reached around her to steal a couple carrot sticks. “Where's the man?”
“Outside trying to blow up the neighborhood. You'd think a good Texas boy would know how to light a grill properly,” she answered and smacked Mike's hand away from the cutting board.
“I'll go rescue him,” Jensen suggested, leaving Mike and Lauren alone in the kitchen. When he got outside, he saw Jared standing in front of a space-age looking grill and frowning. And wearing the girliest pink frilly apron Jensen had ever seen. He burst out laughing, and Jared turned to glare at him. “Having trouble there, dude?” he asked, still laughing, and flicked a ruffle on Jared's apron.
“I got it lit, but the heat setting seems to be wrong. It's either off or furnace blasting hot. I don't know about you, but I don't want my steaks charbroiled to ash in under 30 seconds. Stupid grill,” he huffed, putting his hands on his hips and kicking one of the legs of the grill.
Jensen swallowed an undignified giggle and went for a sympathetic smile instead. “Let's see if I can make heads or tails of it,” he said, moving in front to inspect the complicated knobs. He could feel Jared next to him, warm and large and so distracting, his breath feathering across his cheek. Clearing his throat, Jensen shifted slightly away from him and tried to calm down.
“See, this one should do the temperature control thing, but-” Jared pointed to the knob on the far right, brushing against Jensen's arm as he did, and Jensen almost went up in flames like the damn grill.
“Right. Um, it's gotta be something we're missing. So...”
They fiddled with it for awhile and eventually their fumbling with the controls got it working right. Jared grinned brightly, dimples flashing and making Jensen see stars, and enveloped him with his ridiculously long arms. Jensen flailed a bit and patted his back uncertainly. Mike and Lauren came out then, and Jared snagged them closer for a group, celebratory hug. It should've been awkward or stupid, but it just seemed to fit. Once Jared released them, Mike noticed the apron and pretty much collapsed in a fit of giggles, red-faced and tears gathering in his eyes.
“My nana gave it to me, so shut up, asshole,” Jared demanded.
Mike did, more so because Jared currently brandished a huge grilling fork than because he'd asked. Jensen and Mike left Jared to the cooking with Lauren offering helpful hints, and settled in the lawn chairs on the other end of the deck with the beers Mike had brought out. Jensen sat back and closed his eyes, enjoying the sunshine warming his skin.
“So that's your manly quarterback, huh?” Mike asked, knocking his knee into Jensen's.
Jensen flushed. He knew he'd regret telling Mike that Jared was the guy from the reunion. “He's not my anything, Mike,” he responded, hoping that didn't sound as disappointed as he felt. Whether he was attracted to him or not, Jared was straight, and even if he weren't, he was way out of Jensen's league and wouldn't look at him twice. Just like everyone in high school.
Mike grunted and tossed him another beer from the cooler at his feet. “If you say so.”
Jensen didn't get a chance to say anything, since Jared shouted that the food was ready and Mike knocked his chair over trying to get the first steak. Jared's eyes locked with his from across the deck, bright with amusement and something else more private, and Jensen forced down the brief hope that flared in his gut at that gaze.
~ o ~
“We’re going out to get shitfaced,” Mike whispered conspiratorially, leaning across Jensen’s lap to get in Jared’s face.
“Okay,” Jared whispered back, not bothering to hide his eye roll. He assumed Mike was being quiet so all their students didn’t hear them talking about going out after the football game, but that was slightly unnecessary. If he remembered right from his own days at Grant, the students probably got drunk and disorderly more often than anyone else. Friday night parties were a staple for him and his teammates back then.
“All right!” Mike clapped his hands, grinning, and stood up, stepping over an unlucky pair of freshman to reach the aisle.
“Are you sure you wanna go?” Jensen asked as they followed Mike and Lauren. “I can just take you home or something if you don’t want to hang out with these losers.” Mike shot him a wounded look and dramatically clutched his heart, but Jensen simply smiled and ignored him.
Jensen’s offer was tempting. He really liked Mike and Lauren, but he’d love to spend some time alone with Jensen, and not only because Mike could be overwhelming. He hadn’t gone out drinking for way too long, though, and his mouth kinda watered at the thought.
“Nah, it’s cool,” he assured Jensen.
Lauren drove them to the bar, since she unfortunately got elected as the designated driver. She didn’t seem to mind, though, so Jared didn’t feel too bad. He was happy someone would be sober to watch over Mike. He was crazy enough anyway, let alone with beer and hard liquor pumping through his system. Jared vaguely recalled Shelter from before he moved to Houston as the bar the old men frequented and winced when he realized he was the old man now.
Mike knew the bartender and pushed his way to the front right away. He strolled back to their table with six shots and a Coke for Lauren somehow all balanced in his hands and slammed everything down. “All right, bitches, drink up!” he yelled, swallowing his two shots one right after the other. Exchanging an amused glance with Jensen, Jared followed suit, enjoying the burn of the tequila as it went down.
Sometime after the sixth or seventh shot (he stopped counting after three), he and Jensen wandered over to sit at the bar while Mike stayed at their table and regaled a crowd with some outrageous story from his glory days at college. Lauren escaped them pretty early on, joining other, normal friends. Jared liked this arrangement just fine anyway. It gave him a chance to talk to Jensen alone, which was totally entertaining, what with Jensen’s inability to hold his liquor. He slurred his words in this ridiculously adorable way, and he looked cute, slumped over the bar top with a loose smile on his lips. They hadn’t known each other long (Jared no longer counted all those years in school, because he started to realize he hadn’t actually known Jensen at all, just recognized him in class enough to borrow notes.), and this was the first time he’d seen Jensen let down his guard a bit. He was also stupidly hot in his white and green Grant High t-shirt and dark jeans, and Jared really wanted to lean over and lick the drop of tequila from the corner of his ridiculously pretty mouth.
He was maybe kinda drunk, too. And maybe his resolve not to get involved with anyone for awhile died about the second time Jensen smiled at him. No big deal.
“Babe!” Mike suddenly yelled, stumbling past them to throw his arms around Lauren and press an awkward kiss to her ear. Lauren smiled and patted his head, kept right on talking like he wasn’t attached to her side.
“Huh,” Jared grunted, watching them. “They aren’t, ya know, together, right?” Jensen choked on his mouthful of beer, spitting half of it out on the bar and coughing. “Jesus, are you all right?” Jared rubbed his back between his shoulder blades and handed him a couple napkins.
“Yeah,” Jensen wheezed. “You just…God, no, they aren’t together. God, no.” Shuddering, he rested his forehead on the bar and muttered what sounded like “ew, gross.”
“Oh, okay.” Jared furrowed his brow, belatedly realizing his hand was still on Jensen’s (amazingly muscular) back. He could feel the warmth of Jensen’s skin through the soft cotton of his t-shirt and Jensen didn’t seem aware of the touch, but he reluctantly moved his hand back around his beer bottle. When had he switched from tequila to beer? Oh, well. Didn’t really matter.
Jensen rotated his head to look up at him, blinking his ridiculously long eyelashes in a drunkenly exaggerated way. The green of the shirt made his eyes blaze an even more amazing green, and Jared felt familiar desire curl in his stomach. He was reasonably sure Jensen was attracted to him, but Jensen never did anything about it, out of shyness or what, Jared had no clue. He took a swig of beer, noticing Jensen track the movement out of the corner of his eye, and slid his lips down the neck to catch the drops clinging there, practically giving the bottle a blowjob. When Jensen’s eyes darkened, growing wide and heated, Jared thought, “Aha! Gotcha!” But then Lauren walked over and touched his wrist, claiming tiredness.
“If you still want a ride, we’re leaving now,” she said, and Jared nodded, suppressing a sigh.
She dropped them both off at Jared’s, since Jensen’s car was at the school and his place was closer to the bar. They tripped their way inside, not bothering to turn on any lights. After getting water for them both, he headed back into his living room. Jensen had already collapsed on the floor by the couch, lying on his back with his arms under his head. Jared sprawled on the couch and grimaced. He’d picked it up from the curb when he moved in, and it was too short, lumpy, and a spring dug into his back.
“Why’d you come back t’Dallas?” Jensen asked suddenly. “You got out, so why’d you come back?”
“Seemed like a good idea. I broke up with my boyfriend. Well, really, he left me, which was probably a good thing, since the last few months weren’t fun. We fought a lot, like out-and-out screaming matches and throwing things, and I came home one day to find all his shit gone and a note on the kitchen table with his key. Bastard didn’t even have the balls to tell me to my face,” he muttered, staring into his water glass.
“You’re gay?” Jensen exclaimed, sitting up on his elbows with his mouth hanging open, and Jared wanted to smack himself in the head.
“Uh, yeah. Is that a problem?” He guessed about Jensen, of course, between the rumor mill at school and what his own senses told him. He felt like an idiot, though, for not telling Jensen about himself before now.
“Problem?” Jensen answered. “No, no, no, of course not.” Shaking his head and mumbling quietly, he lay back down. “Is that why you came back then? Bad breakup?”
“Partly. My dad had a heart attack in July, needed double bypass surgery. It made me want to come back home, be near my family again. It’s crazy, but we actually all get together for family dinner most Sundays now. S‘nice.”
Jensen snorted. “My parents live 10 minutes away from me, and I only see them on major holidays.”
Jared shrugged, though Jensen wouldn’t see it. “A lot changed for me when my dad had his surgery.”
“Isn’t it weird, being back here?”
“Not really. Feels pretty good.”
“That’s cool, Jay.”
“Mm, yeah.”
He wanted to keep talking to Jensen, but his head spun and his limbs felt too heavy. His eyelids dragged shut, and a few minutes later, he passed out, Jensen asleep on the floor beside him.
~ o ~
“Come with me tomorrow to pick out a couch?” Jared asked, sitting on the corner of Jensen’s desk and loosening his tie. Jensen tore his eyes away from the mesmerizing sight and went back to grading his tests. “Please?” Jared added.
“You can’t pick out your own couch?”
“Jen, you’ve seen my apartment. Does it look like a have taste or know good furniture?”
Snorting, Jensen shook his head. “You are pretty pathetic.”
“So you’ll go with me?”
No one could resist Jared’s brighter-than-the-sun smile, least of all Jensen.
Which is how he found himself trudging through half a dozen furniture stores on Saturday afternoon. It really wasn’t too bad. Jared picked him up looking like sin personified in worn-soft jeans and a blue t-shirt that brought out the blue in his eyes, dazzling smile in place and radiating excitement. He was like a kid in a candy store, sitting, lying, and bouncing on every couch to test it. He acceded to Jensen when he vetoed a potential choice (orange paisley was never a good idea) and made Jensen try everything with him.
“This one looks comfy and big enough for me to sprawl out on. And it’s just plain brown suede, so that’s good, right?” Jared plopped down in the middle of the couch and grinned. “God, Jensen, you have to try this one. It’s like sinking into a marshmallow!” Scooting his butt around, he slumped down further. “Come on.” He tugged on Jensen’s hand, pulling him down, and Jensen practically fell in his lap with a tiny squeak. “See? Good, right?”
“Yeah,” he answered, voice muffled against Jared’s shoulder, where his head had landed. Jared’s shirt felt even softer than it looked, and he pretty much just wanted to stay there and inhale the clean scent of Jared’s aftershave or detergent or whatever made him smell so damn good. Instead, he went the safe route, extracting himself carefully from beneath Jared’s arm and retreating to the corner of the couch.
“It’s kinda like heaven in couch form,” Jared said dreamily, closing his eyes.
“You’re a little crazy. You know that?”
One corner of Jared’s mouth kicked up into a grin, his but-you-love-me-anyway smile, then he suddenly twisted around to lay with his head in Jensen’s lap. Jensen froze, not sure what to do, and Jared gazed up at him, eyes locked on his and dead serious.
“Perfect,” he murmured and settled in like he was ready to take a nap right there.
Jensen wanted to brush the hair out of Jared’s eyes, maybe trace the line of his jaw with his fingertips, but he folded his arms over his chest instead. He thought for awhile now that Jared was flirting with him, but always dismissed it. Why would Jared flirt with him? But this? Was pretty obviously flirting. The question, however, was whether Jensen had the courage to act on their mutual attraction or if he’d run, just like he always did.
“It’s settled. I’m getting this one,” Jared said after awhile, bouncing to his feet to find a salesperson.
He went back to Jared’s to wait for the delivery men to show up with the couch. They ordered pizza in the meantime, but Jared could hardly sit still, too keyed up from his new purchase. Jensen smiled and rolled his eyes, secretly jealous of how carefree Jared always seemed to be. After the delivery men finally placed the couch exactly where Jared wanted it and left, Jensen sneaked the extra purchase he’d made at the furniture store onto the corner of the couch. Jared came back into the living room from walking them to the door and stopped up short, staring.
“Jensen, what is this?” he asked, holding up the orange paisley pillow, brow arched.
“What? That didn’t come with the couch?” Jensen responded innocently.
“Jen, you-” He shook his head and grinned, then tackled Jensen onto the couch and hugged him, the pillow trapped between them. “Thanks.”
“Welcome.” That look in Jared’s eyes? That right there was totally worth the sacrifice to good taste and why he bought the pillow in the first place. He hugged Jared back, let himself enjoy it for a minute, because he had no idea if he’d ever get more than this.
~ o ~
Jared had another BBQ on Sunday, and Jensen stayed after everyone else left, helping Jared clean up, then settling back on the couch with a beer and Jared sacked out next to him. Jensen watched out of the corner of his eye as Jared rearranged his mile-long limbs and sighed contentedly. He was clutching the paisley pillow to his chest. It was stupid, but he sometimes still couldn’t believe he was friends with Jared Padalecki, Golden Boy extraordinaire of Grant High. He snorted, and Jared elbowed him in the side.
“What?” Jared asked, rolling his head on the back of the couch to look at him.
“Just thinking how weird it is to be here with you, considering what we were like in high school.”
“That was a long time ago, Jen.”
“Yeah.” He fell silent a minute. “I didn’t know back then that you were, uh-” He waved his arm vaguely, and Jared smiled.
“Gay?” he supplied.
“Yeah. Did you?”
“Know I was gay? Yeah, definitely. But it’s not something you advertise, ya know? Quarterback of the football team, homecoming and prom king announcing he’s gay?” He shook his head and frowned. “Not likely. Especially in Texas, especially back then. I would’ve been stoned to death. Now, though, it’s different. I’m glad our kids don’t have to worry about that kind of thing.”
“Yeah, me, too.” Jared smiled again, the big, blinding one, and Jensen’s heart skipped a beat. Jared made him feel like he was back in high school again, clumsy and socially inept and unsure what to do about his first crush. Ridiculous. I’m 28, for Christ’s sakes! I’m not that same nerd with the dorky glasses and too-big sweaters. I’ve changed since then! Except deep down, he still felt like an awkward 16-year-old, and Jared just made it worse.
“How did your parents take it?” Jensen asked carefully. That could be a painful subject, though thankfully not for him.
“My mom cried, and my dad wouldn’t talk to me for a month,” he admitted, a far away look on his face. “My brother and sister were great, though, and my parents got over it pretty quickly. They’re really supportive now. In a way, it brought my dad and I closer. It could’ve gone horribly, ya know, so I’m grateful to my family. I dated a guy my sophomore year of college whose parents kicked him out and disowned him. It may have taken my parents some time to get used to the idea, but I knew they still loved me.” He cleared his throat and nudged Jensen. “What about you?”
“My sister literally rolled her eyes and said “duh” in this terribly bored voice. No one else really reacted either. I guess it wasn’t much of a surprise. Everyone’s always been really great about it. I’ve been lucky.”
“That’s good, Jen.”
“Yeah.” He shifted and cleared his throat awkwardly. Seemed like he was always awkward around Jared, which was ridiculous. Never mind that he was drop-dead, stupidly good looking, smart, sweet, nice, caring, and probably a million more things. He was human, just like Jensen. So why did his palms sweat and heart pound anytime they were alone? Why did he feel like vomiting whenever he thought about asking him out? Because he did want to go out with him, wanted to find out what it was like to kiss that gorgeous mouth.
Jensen slept poorly that night, upset with himself for still acting so timidly around Jared. He liked Jared. A lot. And he was positive Jared felt the same way about him. His lack of courage angered him. He was better than that. He’d never made the first move before, though, not even with Jeff, who he’d been hopelessly in love with for months before they started dating. He wasn’t so sure he could go through with the whole thing without passing out or running away. If only Jared would do the asking. It’d be so much easier for Jensen, but Jared appeared to be waiting for him.
Rolling over onto his stomach, Jensen punched his pillow back into shape and argued with himself. It wasn’t a big deal asking someone on a date. Mike did it all the time. Hell, he got shot down half the time, but he lived through it. He didn’t cower at home or wimp out like Jensen. He could do this. He could definitely do this. It was Jared, nothing to be afraid of, right? He’d do it tomorrow, no matter what, no backing out. Decision made, Jensen dropped off to sleep.
Of course, he never told himself when tomorrow he’d do it, so he put it off for most of the day. Mike kept giving him funny looks, and Lauren felt his forehead, asking if he’d caught the flu. He avoided Jared. Until lunch anyways, when Jared bounced over to their table and plopped into a chair.
“Hey, man,” he said cheerfully, bumping Jensen’s ankle with his foot.
“Hi,” Jensen choked back and immediately bent his head to his oh-so-interesting ham sandwich.
Jared, of course, had Mike and Lauren in hysterics the whole time. Jensen laughed weakly and hoped no one noticed his serious lack of attention. Fifteen minutes before class, everyone gathered up their trash and trickled out to their classrooms. It was now or never. Jensen ignored the voice in his head shouting “never!” and grabbed Jared’s sleeve before he could get away. And before he completely lost his nerve. Waiting until the last of the lunch crowd left the lounge and Jared silently stared at him expectantly, Jensen finally took a steadying breath and met Jared’s eyes.
“Are you busy this weekend? I thought we could go to dinner or something. Just us, without anyone else. If you want.” Jesus, he sounded like a spazz. He hoped Jared got the idea and didn’t think it was just another of their usual weekend hanging out, doing nothing things. And, yeah, even in his head he sounded like a spazz.
Jared lifted an eyebrow at him. “Are you asking me out? On a date?”
“Uh, yeah?” He looked at his feet, his sudden burst of self-confidence draining. “I guess, I mean if you-”
“Jen, stop. I’d love to go out with you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
Jensen sighed in relief, then smiled and practically bounced to his next class.
~ o ~
Jared wasn’t sure what to expect when Jensen picked him up Saturday night. Yeah, they’d already hung out quite a bit and knew they got along all right, but this was different. This was a date, something he hadn’t done in a really long time. It seemed like a lifetime ago when he and Steve were together. At least together and happy. The last few months had been brutal. But Jensen wasn’t Steve, and this was just a casual let’s-see-where-this-takes-us date. He had to keep reminding himself of that. He didn’t want anything more serious.
Jensen looked nervous as hell when Jared opened the door, hands in pockets, shuffling his feet, bright pink staining his cheeks. He also looked incredibly smokin’ hot. Swallowing an inappropriate laugh, Jared smiled.
“What, no flowers?” he teased, and Jensen fumbled one hand out of his pocket to flip him off.
“Come on. Maybe if you’re nice, I’ll give you flowers later,” Jensen answered, some of his nervousness visibly easing.
They talked a bit in the car, about trivial things mainly, and Jared took the opportunity to study Jensen in the shadowed car. He wore a dark charcoal suit with a white dress shirt, the first button undone. Jared repressed the urge to lick the small vee of smooth golden skin revealed there.
“I haven’t done this in awhile,” Jensen blurted suddenly. He stared straight ahead, grip tight on the steering wheel and looking like he was facing the executioner.
“Either have I,” Jared admitted. “God, it’s been years since I went on a first date. But it’s okay. I’m not gonna eat you or anything, so relax.”
“Jared-”
“Relax.” Reaching over, he squeezed Jensen’s knee and smiled reassuringly.
Jensen blew out a breath. “Okay.”
His small smile came off as more of a grimace, but Jared didn’t care. It was better than nothing.
They lapsed into a comfortable silence after that till Jensen pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. Jared whistled appreciatively as they got out of the car.
“Dante’s? Wow, Jensen, you trying to impress me or something?”
He shrugged casually, but the corners of his mouth tugged up. “I hear the way to a guy’s heart is through his stomach, and from what I’ve seen of you, that’s true.”
“Ha, ha.”
Jared bumped their shoulders as they walked in, and by some miracle, the tension flowing off Jensen stopped after that.
Dante’s was busy, of course, being the most popular and best Italian restaurant in Dallas. He wondered how Jensen scored a reservation on a Saturday night on such short notice and got his answer when Jensen told him the chef was a friend of his father’s.
Dinner lasted for hours, since they couldn’t shut up long enough to order, let alone eat. Jared kinda wanted to say there forever talking to Jensen, especially after a glass of wine loosened him up enough to forget about being nervous. Jensen was so interesting to listen to. And watch. He always got this adorably eager look on his face when he was passionate about something, and Jared kept staring at him in a possibly creepy way.
When their server pointedly asked if they’d like the check 10 times in as many minutes, they finally decided to leave. Jared offered to pay half, but Jensen looked so affronted and pouted at him, so he just conceded defeat and let Jensen have his way.
“I’ll get it next time, though,” he insisted.
Jensen startled as if he never expected there to be a next time and mumbled, “Yeah. Sure.”
It was later than he’d thought; the street was pretty much deserted once they got outside. Jared nearly suggested jokingly that they go park somewhere, but Jensen vibrated with tension again, and he knew Jensen wouldn’t react well to the joke. Instead, Jensen drove him home. He hated to end their date so early. He loved spending time with Jensen, but he’d have to go slowly with his gun-shy friend.
Jared said goodnight and got out of the car, but Jensen scrambled after him with a quick “Hey, wait. I’ll walk you,” then quietly paced beside Jared up his sidewalk.
“You know, I’m starting to wonder if you think I’m the girl in this relationship,” Jared said, bouncing his keys in his palm and grinning.
“Is there any question about that? You have the girly hair and fascination with pink shirts and wear a frilly apron when you cook and probably more things I don’t know yet.”
Jared opened his mouth to defend his masculinity, but something else snagged his attention. “Oh, hey, you have an eyelash. Let me just…”
Jensen raised an eyebrow at him, like “Really? You’re going with that tired line?” He stood there, though, as Jared leaned closer and lifted his hand toward his face. And there really was an eyelash. He simply used it to his advantage.
“Make a wish,” he murmured, then shivered when Jensen blew on his finger.
Edging even closer, he noticed Jensen angle his head down, and this amazingly giddy feeling swept through him. He closed his eyes and moved in. And totally missed. His lips barely brushed the corner of Jensen’s mouth before their noses bumped and foreheads smacked together.
“Motherfucker!” he gasped at the same time Jensen reared back and groaned, “Ow! Shit!” Eyes watering, Jared felt his forehead and glanced at Jensen. He looked mortified, and Jared racked his brain for something funny or whatever to say to make the situation better.
“I’ve, uh, gotta go. I’ll call you later,” Jensen said quickly and practically ran back to his car, leaving Jared gaping after him.
Sighing in frustration, Jared unlocked his door and went inside. He waited five minutes, enough time for Jensen to hopefully calm down some, before calling him.
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning at 8,” he said as soon as Jensen answered. Because he sure as hell wasn’t gonna let Jensen get away so soon.
“Jay-” Jensen huffed.
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning at 8,” he repeated.
“All right,” Jensen agreed, and Jared could hear the smile in his voice.
“Night, Jen.”
“Night, Jay.”
part 2
Pairing: Jared/Jensen, with mentions of past JDM/Jensen and Jared/Steve
Rating: NC-17, for swearing and lots of boy touching
Word Count: 22,000
Disclaimer: I can only fantasize that this is really going on. Alas, it's not. Unless it is, and if so, I want photographic evidence, dammit!
Summary: Jared and Jensen went to high school together but were never friends. They see each other again after ten years, and there’s an instant attraction. But Jensen still feels like the awkward geek to Jared’s Golden Boy, and Jared needs to heal from his breakup, or this relationship will never work.
A/N 1: This is forever and foremost for rain388 , who helped me work out the original idea, calmed me down when my Jensen muse refused to cooperate, and kept encouraging me when this took forever to finish. You are awesome and my favorite brain twin. \o/
A/N 2: Big thanks also goes to sweeter_melissa for her genius ideas and help.
Jensen smoothed down his tie for the tenth time, took a deep breath, and finally walked into the restaurant. And promptly went into panic mode when his first glimpse revealed not a soul he wanted to talk to or even knew. Why on earth had he let Mike convince him to go to this stupid reunion? He hadn’t had the best of times back then or very many friends, and he was an idiot to come. Idiot, idiot, idiot. He turned around, on the verge of fleeing back to his car when someone yelled, “Jensen!” and launched herself into his arms. He staggered back a step, arms coming around her instinctively. He smiled, his first smile in what felt like months, and set Allison back on her feet.
“Jensen, God, you look amazing!” Allison said, beaming up at him.
“So do you,” he replied, as Allison steered him further into the banquet room.
“No, seriously, Jensen. You must’ve grown a foot since high school! And, God, these arms!” She squeezed his bicep and whistled appreciatively.
Jensen blushed at the compliment, but that was just like Allison Mack. Always quick to praise his new sweater or tell him he was having a good hair day or “God, Jensen, those new glasses are fab!” He never believed her, of course, but it was still nice to hear.
She talked his ear off for a few minutes, catching up on 10 years of their lives, then remembered her husband over by the bar and dashed over to rescue him. Jensen sighed and looked around awkwardly. It amazed him how it could feel like no time had passed at all since high school and like it was a million years ago, all at once. He liked to think he’d changed since then, and not just in appearance, but he didn’t feel any different now, standing off to the side by himself and watching everyone else interact. It was the way it’d always been for him. The wallflower, his mama used to call him while smoothing his hair back. And he was doing the same thing all over again.
He was seriously gonna kill Mike for making him come to this damn thing. He never should’ve listened to him, something he learned a long time ago.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Jensen pasted on a smile and headed over to the bar. If nothing else, he needed a drink to get through the night.
~ o ~
Jared was surprised by how much fun he was having. He’d dreaded the reunion, especially after Steve left him and his plus-one became just one, but it was great to catch up with everyone he hadn’t seen since high school. Speaking of people he hadn’t seen… Was that Jensen Ackles? Jensen geeky-president-of-the-chess-club-always-tripping-over-his-shoelaces Ackles? Jesus, he must’ve had plastic surgery or made a pact with the devil or something, because damned if he didn’t look fucking incredible. Jared was walking over and standing in front of him before his brain fully formed the thought to do so.
“Jensen, right?” he asked, sticking out a hand.
Jensen looked completely startled for a moment before glancing pointedly at his nametag. “Uh, yeah. Hi, Jared,” he replied in the same quiet voice Jared remembered, though it was a hell of a lot deeper.
“Good to see you again, man.”
Jensen almost dropped his beer transferring it into his other to hand to shake Jared’s, raising an eyebrow in an unmistakable gesture of “why the hell are you acting like we’re best friends?” and smiled crookedly.
Jared inwardly winced. They were never what you’d call friends back in high school, but he never picked on Jensen. Well, not that he could remember. They had AP chem and calculus together senior year. Jensen always sat in the back of class and never raised his hand and didn’t seem to enjoy blowing shit up in chem lab like the rest of the guys. But he used to let Jared borrow his notes when he missed class for football or basketball stuff.
Jared realized suddenly that Jensen was looking at him with a slightly frightened expression and smiled to put the guy at ease. Backing up a step, Jensen gulped down about half his beer and smiled tentatively at him. Jesus, maybe he had been an asshole to Jensen in high school. He looked like he was ready to bolt.
“So, how about those Cowboys, huh?” Jared asked, then mentally smacked himself. God, he sounded like an idiot, but Jensen smiled genuinely at him this time and started spouting off team statistics, and they ended up talking for a good chunk of the night, leaning against the bar and drinking, one topic seamlessly flowing into the next.
~ o ~
Mike woke him up at a ridiculously early hour the next morning. Jensen groaned as he rolled out of bed to answer the door and glared when he saw Mike on the other side.
“Dude, what the hell? It’s Sunday, and the sun is barely up. Go away,” Jensen mumbled, leaning against the doorframe and crossing his arms.
“Ackles, man, it’s almost 2.” Mike shook his head with a grin, pushing past Jensen into his apartment. “I brought lunch so you won’t hate me too much.”
“Whatever.” He rolled his eyes and followed Mike into his tiny kitchen. “What are you doing here anyway?”
“I want the skinny on your reunion, man. Gimme details! Were there hot girls there you can introduce me to? Did you hook up with the quarterback in the locker room? Come on, don’t hold out on me!” Not waiting for Jensen, he opened the bag and shoved a handful of fries into his mouth.
Jensen blushed at mention of the quarterback, thinking about Jared. He and Jared just talked, no hooking up of any kind, but it certainly hadn’t sucked. It’d surprised him how much he and Jared had in common (both being teachers the main thing, since he always assumed Jared would continue with sports or something grander than teaching) and how easy it was to talk to him. He hadn’t wanted to stop, but Allison showed up with her husband, then some of Jared’s football buddies dragged him away. Jensen watched him walk away, flushing with embarrassment. But, damn, Jared had turned into a fucking sex god or something. Jensen found himself staring at his mouth or his dimples like a love struck 14-year-old several times. Luckily, Jared hadn’t noticed. He hoped not at least.
“Oho! What’s that dreamy look for?” Mike asked excitedly. He set down his half-eaten burger and leaned toward where Jensen huddled around his coffee maker.
“Nothing.” Mike just stared at him, so Jensen sighed and confessed, “I talked to this guy, that’s all. No big deal. I probably won’t ever see him again. He lives in Houston and he’s straight and I’m sure he wouldn’t be interested in me anyway and whatever. The whole reunion thing was awkward and fake and pretty much a waste of time and stop looking at me like that, Mike.”
Shaking his head, Mike took a huge bite of his burger. “You need to date again, dude. Or get laid. Something,” he said, mouth full and waving his burger for emphasis. Jensen winced as ketchup and mustard splattered all over his clean counter. “It’s been months since Jeff left. Time to move on. Get back in the saddle. Sow your wild oats.”
Jensen snorted into his mug and ignored him.
“Listen, man, I’m serious. This guy at the reunion? It’s the first time I’ve seen you vaguely interested in someone in forever. I know Jeff broke your heart and all, but it doesn’t have to suck to put yourself back in the dating pool. I just want you to be happy.”
“I am. I am,” he repeated more forcefully when Mike eyed him dubiously. He was, honestly, but maybe Mike had a point. He was well over Jeff, had been for awhile now, no matter what Mike seemed to think, but Mike had a point. His sister kept trying to set him up with her accountant or something. Maybe he’d let her. “I’ll think about it, okay?”
Slapping Jensen on the back, Mike turned his attention back to his food, and Jensen drained his coffee.
He forgot about it over the summer, though, concentrating more on spoiling his baby nephew and catching up on some much-needed sleep. He loved teaching, but he looked forward to summer break every year. It always ended too soon, of course, and before he knew it, he had to start working on lesson plans and getting back into teacher mode.
The first day of school, all Jensen heard about was this wonderful new teacher, Mr. P, how he was fabulous and gorgeous and so much younger than the old bag that used to teach government and he promised not to give too many tests or papers and said they’d get to watch Seinfeld every week and Mr. P, Mr. P, Mr. P. It wasn’t just the students gushing about him, but the faculty as well. He wondered why the awesome Mr. P hadn’t shown up to their beginning of the year staff meeting a couple weeks ago, but didn’t really dwell on it. Not that he could think about anything else during the day, since Mr. P was everyone’s favorite topic. He got kinda sick of it and sighed in relief at the last bell. It was the first day, so he didn’t have to stick around. He got to the parking lot and found that the chem club had christened his car, as usual, with chem equations and the like. He shook his head ruefully. He knew exactly who did it and that it’d get cleaned by the end of the week. He unlocked his car door and jumped a little when someone approached from behind and whistled in sympathy.
“Man, that sucks,” they said.
“Nah, it’s tradition. They’ll clean it,” he replied and turned around to find Jared walking up to him. What the hell?
“Hey, Jensen.”
“Jared? What are you-” But it all clicked into place. Mr. P, of course. Why did Jensen suddenly feel five foot tall and completely out of place? “I thought you were in Houston?”
“I was. This was kinda last minute. Lucky for me they had an opening here.”
“Yeah, lucky.” Jensen shifted his briefcase into his other hand and tried not to shuffle his feet under Jared’s gaze. He still looked amazing, and Jensen completely understood everyone’s keen interest in the new teacher now.
“It’s been great so far. You didn’t tell me how awesome the kids are here when I saw you back in June.”
“You didn’t give me much chance. You kinda…dominated the conversation.”
“Are you calling me a bigmouth?” Jared grinned, then checked his watch, making a face. “Sorry, Jensen, I’ve gotta head to my parents’ place. But I’ll see you around, right?” he yelled as he backed away.
Jensen nodded before climbing into his car. Maybe this year wouldn’t be so bad.
~ o ~
Jared used the hide-a-key to get into his parents’ house, then searched for his dad, eventually tracking him down in his room. He was dozing with the TV on, remote in his hand. He looked pale and overtired, and Jared wondered for the hundredth time what he would’ve done if his dad’s heart attack had been worse. He knocked gently on the doorframe, and his dad fumbled awake, smiling once he saw Jared hovering in the doorway.
“JT? That’s five days in a row you’ve come to see me. Did your mama send you to check up on me?” he asked and sat up straighter, patting the bed for Jared to join him.
“No. I can’t just want to see you for myself?” Jared settled cross-legged on the bed, subtly studying him. He seemed okay, other than the pale cast to his skin.
“It was just bypass surgery, kid. I’m okay.”
“Double bypass surgery, and you could’ve died.” He hadn’t said it specifically and no one had asked, but his dad’s health was a big factor in his coming back to Dallas. Not the whole reason, but it contributed.
His dad scoffed and waved a hand in dismissal. “Piece of cake really. Over and done with.”
“Dad-”
“How was school?”
Jared huffed quietly, but let him change the subject. “It was good. A little weird to be back. The last time I was there, I was picking up my diploma. Now I’m the one in charge. There are a couple familiar faces, so that’s nice. Weird but nice.” And awesome, he added in his head, thinking about Jensen. He thought about Jensen a lot over the summer, though he mostly attributed it to being lonely after Steve left. He put it out of his mind, though. Steve messed him up enough for a lifetime. The last thing he needed or wanted was to start crushing on someone new, even if that someone was drop-dead gorgeous.
“Knew you’d fit in right away, JT. You’ve always been able to adapt like that.”
Blushing, Jared ducked his head. “Thanks,” he mumbled, and his dad squeezed his knee.
“Gerry, Jared?” his mom called and poked her head around the corner a minute later. “You boys behaving?”
They both rolled their eyes at her grin.
“I didn’t think so. Come keep me company while I fix dinner, sweetie?”
“All right, Mama.” He ruffled his dad hair, ignoring his spluttering, and followed his mom into the kitchen. He leaned against the counter and watched her pull stuff out of the fridge and freezer. “How’s he really doing? He acts like double bypass surgery is just a walk in the park, and he won’t tell me anything but ‘I’m okay.’”
“He’s doing well, sweetie. Stop worrying.”
“Can’t. He’s my dad.”
“I know.” She reached up to cup his cheeks and pulled him down to kiss his forehead. “But he honestly is doing well, Jared. I went to his last doctor’s appointment, so I know. He has to take it easy for a few more weeks, but he’s healing well. You don’t have to worry so much.”
He sighed and relaxed. “Okay. Want some help with that?”
“Thanks, but I’ve got it. You can do the dishes after I make the mess.” She laughed at the face he made, then continued to prepare the spaghetti sauce. “How was school?”
“Good. Really good. I think I’m gonna like it there.”
“So coming home’s not so bad, huh?”
He smiled. “Nope, not so bad.”
They talked about their students while his mom cooked, and it was nice. It’d been a long time since he spent so much time with his family, and he only recently realized how much he missed them. He left the few friends he had back in Houston, completely started over with a new school and new apartment, was single for the first time in years, and it should terrify him, but he found himself enjoying it instead.
“Steve called yesterday to see how your dad’s doing,” she mentioned casually after a comfortable silence.
Jared instantly stiffened, knots forming along his shoulders and neck. “How did he know to call? Mama?” he asked more forcefully when she simply shrugged.
“He was part of this family for three years, Jared. He deserved to know what was going on.”
“No. He lost the right to know anything about my life the minute he walked out on me.” Gripping the edge of the counter tightly, he took a deep breath. He seriously needed to get over Steve. “Just promise me you won’t call him again, Mama.”
“Jared-”
“Promise me, please.”
“All right.”
“Thank you.”
He was close enough to his mom that the thing about Steve didn’t affect them for long. They were back to talking and laughing by the time his dad wandered downstairs in search of dinner. Jared watched as his dad kissed his mom’s cheek and knew that moving back to Dallas was the best decision he ever made.
~ o ~
On the second day of school, Jensen introduced Jared to Mike and Lauren. Mike shook his hand enthusiastically and made some kind of comment about his height. Jensen rolled his eyes in embarrassment, but Jared just grinned and teased Mike right back. Lauren stared up at him all pop-eyed and totally gone. Jensen had to nudge her, not too gently, before she said anything. Mike and Lauren grilled Jared for the entire lunch period, and Jensen just sat back and listened, pretending he wasn’t desperately interested in the answers. He never thought he’d see Jared again, and it kinda threw him to have Jared suddenly teaching at his school. Jared took it all in stride, though, grinning easily, and Jensen ignored the way his heart thudded at that.
And somehow after that, they just started hanging out, became instant friends, slotting together as if they’d all known each other for years. He wasn't sure who said it first, probably Kripke in that dry voice of his, but someone started referring to them as the four Musketeers, which Mike ate up like candy. Jensen was afraid he'd make them dress up like that for Halloween or, knowing Mike, just for the hell of it one day. They were close, though, bizarrely, at least to Jensen. They ate lunch together and went out after school, met at the football games on Fridays, and Jensen wanted to pinch himself, convinced this was a dream. In what reality was he friends with Jared Padalecki, star quarterback and hottest guy in school? And now this, a BBQ at Jared's that he and Mike were late to. Lauren was already there, taking over Jared's kitchen and throwing together a salad with a beer in one hand.
“Hey, babe,” Mike said, ignoring Lauren's frosty look when he reached around her to steal a couple carrot sticks. “Where's the man?”
“Outside trying to blow up the neighborhood. You'd think a good Texas boy would know how to light a grill properly,” she answered and smacked Mike's hand away from the cutting board.
“I'll go rescue him,” Jensen suggested, leaving Mike and Lauren alone in the kitchen. When he got outside, he saw Jared standing in front of a space-age looking grill and frowning. And wearing the girliest pink frilly apron Jensen had ever seen. He burst out laughing, and Jared turned to glare at him. “Having trouble there, dude?” he asked, still laughing, and flicked a ruffle on Jared's apron.
“I got it lit, but the heat setting seems to be wrong. It's either off or furnace blasting hot. I don't know about you, but I don't want my steaks charbroiled to ash in under 30 seconds. Stupid grill,” he huffed, putting his hands on his hips and kicking one of the legs of the grill.
Jensen swallowed an undignified giggle and went for a sympathetic smile instead. “Let's see if I can make heads or tails of it,” he said, moving in front to inspect the complicated knobs. He could feel Jared next to him, warm and large and so distracting, his breath feathering across his cheek. Clearing his throat, Jensen shifted slightly away from him and tried to calm down.
“See, this one should do the temperature control thing, but-” Jared pointed to the knob on the far right, brushing against Jensen's arm as he did, and Jensen almost went up in flames like the damn grill.
“Right. Um, it's gotta be something we're missing. So...”
They fiddled with it for awhile and eventually their fumbling with the controls got it working right. Jared grinned brightly, dimples flashing and making Jensen see stars, and enveloped him with his ridiculously long arms. Jensen flailed a bit and patted his back uncertainly. Mike and Lauren came out then, and Jared snagged them closer for a group, celebratory hug. It should've been awkward or stupid, but it just seemed to fit. Once Jared released them, Mike noticed the apron and pretty much collapsed in a fit of giggles, red-faced and tears gathering in his eyes.
“My nana gave it to me, so shut up, asshole,” Jared demanded.
Mike did, more so because Jared currently brandished a huge grilling fork than because he'd asked. Jensen and Mike left Jared to the cooking with Lauren offering helpful hints, and settled in the lawn chairs on the other end of the deck with the beers Mike had brought out. Jensen sat back and closed his eyes, enjoying the sunshine warming his skin.
“So that's your manly quarterback, huh?” Mike asked, knocking his knee into Jensen's.
Jensen flushed. He knew he'd regret telling Mike that Jared was the guy from the reunion. “He's not my anything, Mike,” he responded, hoping that didn't sound as disappointed as he felt. Whether he was attracted to him or not, Jared was straight, and even if he weren't, he was way out of Jensen's league and wouldn't look at him twice. Just like everyone in high school.
Mike grunted and tossed him another beer from the cooler at his feet. “If you say so.”
Jensen didn't get a chance to say anything, since Jared shouted that the food was ready and Mike knocked his chair over trying to get the first steak. Jared's eyes locked with his from across the deck, bright with amusement and something else more private, and Jensen forced down the brief hope that flared in his gut at that gaze.
~ o ~
“We’re going out to get shitfaced,” Mike whispered conspiratorially, leaning across Jensen’s lap to get in Jared’s face.
“Okay,” Jared whispered back, not bothering to hide his eye roll. He assumed Mike was being quiet so all their students didn’t hear them talking about going out after the football game, but that was slightly unnecessary. If he remembered right from his own days at Grant, the students probably got drunk and disorderly more often than anyone else. Friday night parties were a staple for him and his teammates back then.
“All right!” Mike clapped his hands, grinning, and stood up, stepping over an unlucky pair of freshman to reach the aisle.
“Are you sure you wanna go?” Jensen asked as they followed Mike and Lauren. “I can just take you home or something if you don’t want to hang out with these losers.” Mike shot him a wounded look and dramatically clutched his heart, but Jensen simply smiled and ignored him.
Jensen’s offer was tempting. He really liked Mike and Lauren, but he’d love to spend some time alone with Jensen, and not only because Mike could be overwhelming. He hadn’t gone out drinking for way too long, though, and his mouth kinda watered at the thought.
“Nah, it’s cool,” he assured Jensen.
Lauren drove them to the bar, since she unfortunately got elected as the designated driver. She didn’t seem to mind, though, so Jared didn’t feel too bad. He was happy someone would be sober to watch over Mike. He was crazy enough anyway, let alone with beer and hard liquor pumping through his system. Jared vaguely recalled Shelter from before he moved to Houston as the bar the old men frequented and winced when he realized he was the old man now.
Mike knew the bartender and pushed his way to the front right away. He strolled back to their table with six shots and a Coke for Lauren somehow all balanced in his hands and slammed everything down. “All right, bitches, drink up!” he yelled, swallowing his two shots one right after the other. Exchanging an amused glance with Jensen, Jared followed suit, enjoying the burn of the tequila as it went down.
Sometime after the sixth or seventh shot (he stopped counting after three), he and Jensen wandered over to sit at the bar while Mike stayed at their table and regaled a crowd with some outrageous story from his glory days at college. Lauren escaped them pretty early on, joining other, normal friends. Jared liked this arrangement just fine anyway. It gave him a chance to talk to Jensen alone, which was totally entertaining, what with Jensen’s inability to hold his liquor. He slurred his words in this ridiculously adorable way, and he looked cute, slumped over the bar top with a loose smile on his lips. They hadn’t known each other long (Jared no longer counted all those years in school, because he started to realize he hadn’t actually known Jensen at all, just recognized him in class enough to borrow notes.), and this was the first time he’d seen Jensen let down his guard a bit. He was also stupidly hot in his white and green Grant High t-shirt and dark jeans, and Jared really wanted to lean over and lick the drop of tequila from the corner of his ridiculously pretty mouth.
He was maybe kinda drunk, too. And maybe his resolve not to get involved with anyone for awhile died about the second time Jensen smiled at him. No big deal.
“Babe!” Mike suddenly yelled, stumbling past them to throw his arms around Lauren and press an awkward kiss to her ear. Lauren smiled and patted his head, kept right on talking like he wasn’t attached to her side.
“Huh,” Jared grunted, watching them. “They aren’t, ya know, together, right?” Jensen choked on his mouthful of beer, spitting half of it out on the bar and coughing. “Jesus, are you all right?” Jared rubbed his back between his shoulder blades and handed him a couple napkins.
“Yeah,” Jensen wheezed. “You just…God, no, they aren’t together. God, no.” Shuddering, he rested his forehead on the bar and muttered what sounded like “ew, gross.”
“Oh, okay.” Jared furrowed his brow, belatedly realizing his hand was still on Jensen’s (amazingly muscular) back. He could feel the warmth of Jensen’s skin through the soft cotton of his t-shirt and Jensen didn’t seem aware of the touch, but he reluctantly moved his hand back around his beer bottle. When had he switched from tequila to beer? Oh, well. Didn’t really matter.
Jensen rotated his head to look up at him, blinking his ridiculously long eyelashes in a drunkenly exaggerated way. The green of the shirt made his eyes blaze an even more amazing green, and Jared felt familiar desire curl in his stomach. He was reasonably sure Jensen was attracted to him, but Jensen never did anything about it, out of shyness or what, Jared had no clue. He took a swig of beer, noticing Jensen track the movement out of the corner of his eye, and slid his lips down the neck to catch the drops clinging there, practically giving the bottle a blowjob. When Jensen’s eyes darkened, growing wide and heated, Jared thought, “Aha! Gotcha!” But then Lauren walked over and touched his wrist, claiming tiredness.
“If you still want a ride, we’re leaving now,” she said, and Jared nodded, suppressing a sigh.
She dropped them both off at Jared’s, since Jensen’s car was at the school and his place was closer to the bar. They tripped their way inside, not bothering to turn on any lights. After getting water for them both, he headed back into his living room. Jensen had already collapsed on the floor by the couch, lying on his back with his arms under his head. Jared sprawled on the couch and grimaced. He’d picked it up from the curb when he moved in, and it was too short, lumpy, and a spring dug into his back.
“Why’d you come back t’Dallas?” Jensen asked suddenly. “You got out, so why’d you come back?”
“Seemed like a good idea. I broke up with my boyfriend. Well, really, he left me, which was probably a good thing, since the last few months weren’t fun. We fought a lot, like out-and-out screaming matches and throwing things, and I came home one day to find all his shit gone and a note on the kitchen table with his key. Bastard didn’t even have the balls to tell me to my face,” he muttered, staring into his water glass.
“You’re gay?” Jensen exclaimed, sitting up on his elbows with his mouth hanging open, and Jared wanted to smack himself in the head.
“Uh, yeah. Is that a problem?” He guessed about Jensen, of course, between the rumor mill at school and what his own senses told him. He felt like an idiot, though, for not telling Jensen about himself before now.
“Problem?” Jensen answered. “No, no, no, of course not.” Shaking his head and mumbling quietly, he lay back down. “Is that why you came back then? Bad breakup?”
“Partly. My dad had a heart attack in July, needed double bypass surgery. It made me want to come back home, be near my family again. It’s crazy, but we actually all get together for family dinner most Sundays now. S‘nice.”
Jensen snorted. “My parents live 10 minutes away from me, and I only see them on major holidays.”
Jared shrugged, though Jensen wouldn’t see it. “A lot changed for me when my dad had his surgery.”
“Isn’t it weird, being back here?”
“Not really. Feels pretty good.”
“That’s cool, Jay.”
“Mm, yeah.”
He wanted to keep talking to Jensen, but his head spun and his limbs felt too heavy. His eyelids dragged shut, and a few minutes later, he passed out, Jensen asleep on the floor beside him.
~ o ~
“Come with me tomorrow to pick out a couch?” Jared asked, sitting on the corner of Jensen’s desk and loosening his tie. Jensen tore his eyes away from the mesmerizing sight and went back to grading his tests. “Please?” Jared added.
“You can’t pick out your own couch?”
“Jen, you’ve seen my apartment. Does it look like a have taste or know good furniture?”
Snorting, Jensen shook his head. “You are pretty pathetic.”
“So you’ll go with me?”
No one could resist Jared’s brighter-than-the-sun smile, least of all Jensen.
Which is how he found himself trudging through half a dozen furniture stores on Saturday afternoon. It really wasn’t too bad. Jared picked him up looking like sin personified in worn-soft jeans and a blue t-shirt that brought out the blue in his eyes, dazzling smile in place and radiating excitement. He was like a kid in a candy store, sitting, lying, and bouncing on every couch to test it. He acceded to Jensen when he vetoed a potential choice (orange paisley was never a good idea) and made Jensen try everything with him.
“This one looks comfy and big enough for me to sprawl out on. And it’s just plain brown suede, so that’s good, right?” Jared plopped down in the middle of the couch and grinned. “God, Jensen, you have to try this one. It’s like sinking into a marshmallow!” Scooting his butt around, he slumped down further. “Come on.” He tugged on Jensen’s hand, pulling him down, and Jensen practically fell in his lap with a tiny squeak. “See? Good, right?”
“Yeah,” he answered, voice muffled against Jared’s shoulder, where his head had landed. Jared’s shirt felt even softer than it looked, and he pretty much just wanted to stay there and inhale the clean scent of Jared’s aftershave or detergent or whatever made him smell so damn good. Instead, he went the safe route, extracting himself carefully from beneath Jared’s arm and retreating to the corner of the couch.
“It’s kinda like heaven in couch form,” Jared said dreamily, closing his eyes.
“You’re a little crazy. You know that?”
One corner of Jared’s mouth kicked up into a grin, his but-you-love-me-anyway smile, then he suddenly twisted around to lay with his head in Jensen’s lap. Jensen froze, not sure what to do, and Jared gazed up at him, eyes locked on his and dead serious.
“Perfect,” he murmured and settled in like he was ready to take a nap right there.
Jensen wanted to brush the hair out of Jared’s eyes, maybe trace the line of his jaw with his fingertips, but he folded his arms over his chest instead. He thought for awhile now that Jared was flirting with him, but always dismissed it. Why would Jared flirt with him? But this? Was pretty obviously flirting. The question, however, was whether Jensen had the courage to act on their mutual attraction or if he’d run, just like he always did.
“It’s settled. I’m getting this one,” Jared said after awhile, bouncing to his feet to find a salesperson.
He went back to Jared’s to wait for the delivery men to show up with the couch. They ordered pizza in the meantime, but Jared could hardly sit still, too keyed up from his new purchase. Jensen smiled and rolled his eyes, secretly jealous of how carefree Jared always seemed to be. After the delivery men finally placed the couch exactly where Jared wanted it and left, Jensen sneaked the extra purchase he’d made at the furniture store onto the corner of the couch. Jared came back into the living room from walking them to the door and stopped up short, staring.
“Jensen, what is this?” he asked, holding up the orange paisley pillow, brow arched.
“What? That didn’t come with the couch?” Jensen responded innocently.
“Jen, you-” He shook his head and grinned, then tackled Jensen onto the couch and hugged him, the pillow trapped between them. “Thanks.”
“Welcome.” That look in Jared’s eyes? That right there was totally worth the sacrifice to good taste and why he bought the pillow in the first place. He hugged Jared back, let himself enjoy it for a minute, because he had no idea if he’d ever get more than this.
~ o ~
Jared had another BBQ on Sunday, and Jensen stayed after everyone else left, helping Jared clean up, then settling back on the couch with a beer and Jared sacked out next to him. Jensen watched out of the corner of his eye as Jared rearranged his mile-long limbs and sighed contentedly. He was clutching the paisley pillow to his chest. It was stupid, but he sometimes still couldn’t believe he was friends with Jared Padalecki, Golden Boy extraordinaire of Grant High. He snorted, and Jared elbowed him in the side.
“What?” Jared asked, rolling his head on the back of the couch to look at him.
“Just thinking how weird it is to be here with you, considering what we were like in high school.”
“That was a long time ago, Jen.”
“Yeah.” He fell silent a minute. “I didn’t know back then that you were, uh-” He waved his arm vaguely, and Jared smiled.
“Gay?” he supplied.
“Yeah. Did you?”
“Know I was gay? Yeah, definitely. But it’s not something you advertise, ya know? Quarterback of the football team, homecoming and prom king announcing he’s gay?” He shook his head and frowned. “Not likely. Especially in Texas, especially back then. I would’ve been stoned to death. Now, though, it’s different. I’m glad our kids don’t have to worry about that kind of thing.”
“Yeah, me, too.” Jared smiled again, the big, blinding one, and Jensen’s heart skipped a beat. Jared made him feel like he was back in high school again, clumsy and socially inept and unsure what to do about his first crush. Ridiculous. I’m 28, for Christ’s sakes! I’m not that same nerd with the dorky glasses and too-big sweaters. I’ve changed since then! Except deep down, he still felt like an awkward 16-year-old, and Jared just made it worse.
“How did your parents take it?” Jensen asked carefully. That could be a painful subject, though thankfully not for him.
“My mom cried, and my dad wouldn’t talk to me for a month,” he admitted, a far away look on his face. “My brother and sister were great, though, and my parents got over it pretty quickly. They’re really supportive now. In a way, it brought my dad and I closer. It could’ve gone horribly, ya know, so I’m grateful to my family. I dated a guy my sophomore year of college whose parents kicked him out and disowned him. It may have taken my parents some time to get used to the idea, but I knew they still loved me.” He cleared his throat and nudged Jensen. “What about you?”
“My sister literally rolled her eyes and said “duh” in this terribly bored voice. No one else really reacted either. I guess it wasn’t much of a surprise. Everyone’s always been really great about it. I’ve been lucky.”
“That’s good, Jen.”
“Yeah.” He shifted and cleared his throat awkwardly. Seemed like he was always awkward around Jared, which was ridiculous. Never mind that he was drop-dead, stupidly good looking, smart, sweet, nice, caring, and probably a million more things. He was human, just like Jensen. So why did his palms sweat and heart pound anytime they were alone? Why did he feel like vomiting whenever he thought about asking him out? Because he did want to go out with him, wanted to find out what it was like to kiss that gorgeous mouth.
Jensen slept poorly that night, upset with himself for still acting so timidly around Jared. He liked Jared. A lot. And he was positive Jared felt the same way about him. His lack of courage angered him. He was better than that. He’d never made the first move before, though, not even with Jeff, who he’d been hopelessly in love with for months before they started dating. He wasn’t so sure he could go through with the whole thing without passing out or running away. If only Jared would do the asking. It’d be so much easier for Jensen, but Jared appeared to be waiting for him.
Rolling over onto his stomach, Jensen punched his pillow back into shape and argued with himself. It wasn’t a big deal asking someone on a date. Mike did it all the time. Hell, he got shot down half the time, but he lived through it. He didn’t cower at home or wimp out like Jensen. He could do this. He could definitely do this. It was Jared, nothing to be afraid of, right? He’d do it tomorrow, no matter what, no backing out. Decision made, Jensen dropped off to sleep.
Of course, he never told himself when tomorrow he’d do it, so he put it off for most of the day. Mike kept giving him funny looks, and Lauren felt his forehead, asking if he’d caught the flu. He avoided Jared. Until lunch anyways, when Jared bounced over to their table and plopped into a chair.
“Hey, man,” he said cheerfully, bumping Jensen’s ankle with his foot.
“Hi,” Jensen choked back and immediately bent his head to his oh-so-interesting ham sandwich.
Jared, of course, had Mike and Lauren in hysterics the whole time. Jensen laughed weakly and hoped no one noticed his serious lack of attention. Fifteen minutes before class, everyone gathered up their trash and trickled out to their classrooms. It was now or never. Jensen ignored the voice in his head shouting “never!” and grabbed Jared’s sleeve before he could get away. And before he completely lost his nerve. Waiting until the last of the lunch crowd left the lounge and Jared silently stared at him expectantly, Jensen finally took a steadying breath and met Jared’s eyes.
“Are you busy this weekend? I thought we could go to dinner or something. Just us, without anyone else. If you want.” Jesus, he sounded like a spazz. He hoped Jared got the idea and didn’t think it was just another of their usual weekend hanging out, doing nothing things. And, yeah, even in his head he sounded like a spazz.
Jared lifted an eyebrow at him. “Are you asking me out? On a date?”
“Uh, yeah?” He looked at his feet, his sudden burst of self-confidence draining. “I guess, I mean if you-”
“Jen, stop. I’d love to go out with you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
Jensen sighed in relief, then smiled and practically bounced to his next class.
~ o ~
Jared wasn’t sure what to expect when Jensen picked him up Saturday night. Yeah, they’d already hung out quite a bit and knew they got along all right, but this was different. This was a date, something he hadn’t done in a really long time. It seemed like a lifetime ago when he and Steve were together. At least together and happy. The last few months had been brutal. But Jensen wasn’t Steve, and this was just a casual let’s-see-where-this-takes-us date. He had to keep reminding himself of that. He didn’t want anything more serious.
Jensen looked nervous as hell when Jared opened the door, hands in pockets, shuffling his feet, bright pink staining his cheeks. He also looked incredibly smokin’ hot. Swallowing an inappropriate laugh, Jared smiled.
“What, no flowers?” he teased, and Jensen fumbled one hand out of his pocket to flip him off.
“Come on. Maybe if you’re nice, I’ll give you flowers later,” Jensen answered, some of his nervousness visibly easing.
They talked a bit in the car, about trivial things mainly, and Jared took the opportunity to study Jensen in the shadowed car. He wore a dark charcoal suit with a white dress shirt, the first button undone. Jared repressed the urge to lick the small vee of smooth golden skin revealed there.
“I haven’t done this in awhile,” Jensen blurted suddenly. He stared straight ahead, grip tight on the steering wheel and looking like he was facing the executioner.
“Either have I,” Jared admitted. “God, it’s been years since I went on a first date. But it’s okay. I’m not gonna eat you or anything, so relax.”
“Jared-”
“Relax.” Reaching over, he squeezed Jensen’s knee and smiled reassuringly.
Jensen blew out a breath. “Okay.”
His small smile came off as more of a grimace, but Jared didn’t care. It was better than nothing.
They lapsed into a comfortable silence after that till Jensen pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. Jared whistled appreciatively as they got out of the car.
“Dante’s? Wow, Jensen, you trying to impress me or something?”
He shrugged casually, but the corners of his mouth tugged up. “I hear the way to a guy’s heart is through his stomach, and from what I’ve seen of you, that’s true.”
“Ha, ha.”
Jared bumped their shoulders as they walked in, and by some miracle, the tension flowing off Jensen stopped after that.
Dante’s was busy, of course, being the most popular and best Italian restaurant in Dallas. He wondered how Jensen scored a reservation on a Saturday night on such short notice and got his answer when Jensen told him the chef was a friend of his father’s.
Dinner lasted for hours, since they couldn’t shut up long enough to order, let alone eat. Jared kinda wanted to say there forever talking to Jensen, especially after a glass of wine loosened him up enough to forget about being nervous. Jensen was so interesting to listen to. And watch. He always got this adorably eager look on his face when he was passionate about something, and Jared kept staring at him in a possibly creepy way.
When their server pointedly asked if they’d like the check 10 times in as many minutes, they finally decided to leave. Jared offered to pay half, but Jensen looked so affronted and pouted at him, so he just conceded defeat and let Jensen have his way.
“I’ll get it next time, though,” he insisted.
Jensen startled as if he never expected there to be a next time and mumbled, “Yeah. Sure.”
It was later than he’d thought; the street was pretty much deserted once they got outside. Jared nearly suggested jokingly that they go park somewhere, but Jensen vibrated with tension again, and he knew Jensen wouldn’t react well to the joke. Instead, Jensen drove him home. He hated to end their date so early. He loved spending time with Jensen, but he’d have to go slowly with his gun-shy friend.
Jared said goodnight and got out of the car, but Jensen scrambled after him with a quick “Hey, wait. I’ll walk you,” then quietly paced beside Jared up his sidewalk.
“You know, I’m starting to wonder if you think I’m the girl in this relationship,” Jared said, bouncing his keys in his palm and grinning.
“Is there any question about that? You have the girly hair and fascination with pink shirts and wear a frilly apron when you cook and probably more things I don’t know yet.”
Jared opened his mouth to defend his masculinity, but something else snagged his attention. “Oh, hey, you have an eyelash. Let me just…”
Jensen raised an eyebrow at him, like “Really? You’re going with that tired line?” He stood there, though, as Jared leaned closer and lifted his hand toward his face. And there really was an eyelash. He simply used it to his advantage.
“Make a wish,” he murmured, then shivered when Jensen blew on his finger.
Edging even closer, he noticed Jensen angle his head down, and this amazingly giddy feeling swept through him. He closed his eyes and moved in. And totally missed. His lips barely brushed the corner of Jensen’s mouth before their noses bumped and foreheads smacked together.
“Motherfucker!” he gasped at the same time Jensen reared back and groaned, “Ow! Shit!” Eyes watering, Jared felt his forehead and glanced at Jensen. He looked mortified, and Jared racked his brain for something funny or whatever to say to make the situation better.
“I’ve, uh, gotta go. I’ll call you later,” Jensen said quickly and practically ran back to his car, leaving Jared gaping after him.
Sighing in frustration, Jared unlocked his door and went inside. He waited five minutes, enough time for Jensen to hopefully calm down some, before calling him.
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning at 8,” he said as soon as Jensen answered. Because he sure as hell wasn’t gonna let Jensen get away so soon.
“Jay-” Jensen huffed.
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning at 8,” he repeated.
“All right,” Jensen agreed, and Jared could hear the smile in his voice.
“Night, Jen.”
“Night, Jay.”
part 2