Fic: Rainbow Connection. AU RPS. Jensen/Jared. NC-17. 2/4

[felisblanco]

Continued from Part 1.

“So there I was, wearing my finest Armani and the guy throws up on me! Can you imagine? He was lucky I didn’t sue his ass.”

Jensen stared at the man sitting opposite him. “Please tell me he didn’t die.”

“What? No.” Tom waved it off. “They just pumped his stomach. I mean, it was just some shrimp.”

“Which he’d already told you he was allergic to and you served him anyway,” Jensen pointed out, incredulous.

“Well, it’s not like I could make paella de marisco without it,” Tom said, completely oblivious. “I mean, the shrimp makes the whole dish.”

“And it never occurred to you to maybe make something else?” Jensen asked coldly. “Like, I don’t know, something your date wouldn’t die from?”

“I like shrimp,” Tom said, frowning. “Besides, I chopped them up really fine and added a buttload of garlic. He shouldn’t even have been able to taste them.”

Jensen sat there speechless, watching the man pick at his food with a look of disdain on his face. “Damn, I never should have ordered the veal. It will go straight to my hips.”

“I need to use the bathroom,” Jensen said quickly and stood up before he did something totally justifiable in the eyes of everyone but the law and punched the guy’s face in. Jesus! What was it with him and bad dates?

He stayed in the bathroom as long as he could, pondering what to do. Finally he texted Danneel ‘SOS. Call me in 5 min. PLEASE!!’ and went back to the table. Tom had finished his food (or sent it back, Jensen didn’t know and he certainly didn’t care) and was looking at the menu again. When Jensen slid into his seat Tom looked up and smiled.

“You want dessert? Or…” He leaned forward, sly look in his eyes. “Do you want to go back to my place and have dessert there? And by dessert, I mean my dick.”

Before Jensen could think of an appropriate answer (He really wasn’t sure there was one, except maybe, “Please fuck off and die!”) his phone rang. He gave Tom a smile and held up one finger, asking him to hold that thought.

“Hello?”

“This better be important,” Danneel hissed in his ear. “I’m in the middle of something!”

“What? Now?” Jensen said, faking annoyance.

“I have Gen between my thighs, right now! You want me to tell you what she’s doing?” Danneel threatened. “Because I will. In details.”

Jensen couldn’t help the small shudder. “Joanna, we said next weekend. Not tonight. I’m on a date.” He gave Tom an exasperated look and mouthed, “Ex-wife.”

Tom grimaced.

“She’s got two fingers up my pussy. And she’s doing things with her tongue that-“

“Fine! But you can’t keep doing this. We have a schedule. What? All week and next weekend, too? But… Fine! Jeez. I’ll pick her up in twenty minutes.”

“She’s wearing a strap-on!” Danneel yelled in his ear as he hung up.

Great. Now that was gonna give him nightmares for a very long time to come.

Jensen turned to Tom with an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry. Something came up at my ex-wife’s work and I have to go pick up my daughter. I’m sure you understand.”

“Don’t you have a babysitter?” Tom asked irritated. “I mean, I assumed-“

“I’m really sorry,” Jensen lied. “I’ll be busy all week and next weekend, too. But after that… Although Joanna said something about a stomach flu that’s been going around at the daycare…”

“That’s all right,” Tom said quickly. “We’ll do it later. Maybe next time we should just start with the dessert?” He smirked and Jensen forced on a stiff smile.

“Maybe.” He threw a few bills on the table, enough to cover the food he hadn’t yet eaten and half the bottle of wine. “I’ll call you.” And he hurried out before Tom could remind him that he didn’t actually have his number.

Once outside he texted Danneel a quick, ‘Thank you for that nightmare!’ and got an evil ‘Muhahahaha’ in return.

His stomach grumbled in protest as he walked past the many restaurants on Main Street. Tom had insisted on ordering for him, seeing as apparently he was a regular at the restaurant, a posh place that Jensen normally wouldn’t have bothered even looking at. He’d rattled of some weird sounding French name and twenty very long and boring minutes later the waiter had presented Jensen with some kind of strange pâté, about the size of Jensen’s pinky, and some salad that had at least two more colors than Jensen considered normal. It hadn’t tasted bad exactly, just weird. And honestly, for those kind of prices, he expected steak! That… whatever it was, hardly even wetted his appetite. Truth was, he was starving.

He considered just going home but if he remembered correctly his fridge contained very little food, or at least edible food. More like fungus experiments. He hardly ever bought groceries unless Marie was staying over. It just felt too sad to make dinner for one person. Maybe he should just order pizza. And eat it alone.

Jensen sighed. After he moved out from Joanna and Marie he’d stayed at Chris’s place. Chris had put up with him moping around for six months before he threw him out and told him to get his shit together and get laid already. So Jensen found an apartment, sobered up and even got his daughter back, at least as far as the joint custody allowed him. He was still working on the whole ‘get laid’ part. Mostly he spent his nights watching bad TV and missing Marie.

Another growl thankfully distracted him from that line of thought. He was just passing a small Italian restaurant and decided to ignore how pathetic it was to be eating alone. He checked the menu that hung outside for prices - reasonable, and the steak came with homemade fries! Seemed his Friday night was looking up.

He stood awkward in the waiting area for a moment before a blond guy with squinty eyes and the start of a rather ugly goatee came up to him and asked if he had a reservation.

“Uhm, no. I just thought I’d see if-”

“How many will you be?” the guy cut him off, clearly not interested in Jensen’s reasons.

Jensen clenched his jaw. “Just me,” he said and forced a smile.

The guy gave him a sympathetic look that had Jensen gritting his teeth. “Oh dude, that’s just sad.”

Jensen stared at him. “Excuse me?”

“Friday night, guy like you, all alone? That’s just sad, man.” The guy sighed dramatically. “Let me see what I can do,” he said and disappeared into the main area.

For a moment Jensen contemplated turning around and walking out but the place was warm and looked really cozy and all the customers seemed happy with their food. And he really wanted that steak.

“Come with me,” the blond guy said when he came back just moments later. “I have the perfect table for you.”

He led Jensen through the restaurant and to a small table in the corner, just by the kitchen entrance. Jensen couldn’t really see what was so perfect about it except maybe that it was situated in a place that made sure no one else would want it. He gave the guy a suspicious look but the waiter only grinned and pulled out the chair.

“Trust me,” he said. “Perfect.”

Jensen bit down his irritation and sat down. “I would like…” he started, ignoring the menu.

“Fruit salad and one of those tall drinks with an umbrella?” the waiter suggested smoothly.

Jensen glared at him. What the fuck? “Steak, medium rare. Fries. And a beer, thank you,” he spitted out.

If anything the guy looked even smugger. “Some delicious meat coming up right away, sir. And a large beer. You want it big, right? Sir?”

Something in the way he said it made Jensen’s cheek flush. “Yeah. That would be… good,” he gritted out.

The waiter smirked and swept the menu off the table before strutting off, looking as smug as a cock in a henhouse. Jensen stared after him, confused. Why did he feel like he’d just been ordering a male prostitute instead of a meal?

He looked around, noticing that everyone else seemed to be tended to by petite and much more polite waitresses and wondered what it was that made him attract all the weirdoes. He could just hear Chris joking, “It’s your punishment for wanting dick now,” and inwardly groaned. Maybe it was. Maybe he just had really bad karma.

“Your beer, sir- Ackles!” a voice said beside him, making him look up. And up and up. And… oh man. Maybe God didn’t hate him so much after all. There was something familiar about the tall, very fine looking waiter staring down at him with a shocked look in his eyes. “I mean, Jensen. I mean… hi.”

Now he remembered. The guy at Marie’s daycare this morning. Ja-something. Jason? No. Jasper?

“Sir Ackles?” Jensen said with a small smile. “I think I’d remember if I’d been knighted.”

The guy (Jarrod? Jared! That was it!) blushed adorably and ducked his head. “I kinda tripped there,” he said. “Over my tongue. I do that.”

“Noted.” Jensen looked him up and down. As cute (and obscenely tight) as the unicorn t-shirt had been this morning the black slacks and pristine white shirt did wonders for Jared’s already rather impressive body. “So now you’re gonna tell me you serve unicorn meat?”

Jared looked dumbfounded for a moment but then he chuckled, his face going a little redder. “Uhm, no. Don’t think that’s actually legal.”

“Or, you know, real,” Jensen pointed out.

Jared’s eyes widened. “What? Unicorns aren’t real?” he gasped. “Oh my God!”

“I can see now why you work at a daycare center,” Jensen snorted. “Not sure what you’re doing here, though.” He raised his eyebrow at his beer, still sweating away on the tray.

“Oh, sorry.” Jared swiftly moved the glass over to Jensen’s table. “You kinda caught me off guard. Didn’t expect to see you. Or you know, anyone. Anyone I know, that is.” He shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “Most of my friends live on the other side of town.”

Even if Jared probably didn’t mean it to sound like Jensen was one of his friends, the accidental implication still made his heart jump just a little.

“Me too. This was a total coincidence,” he said then, for some odd reason he just couldn’t explain, added, “I kinda ran out of a bad date at Pierre’s.” He glanced up just in time to see a strange look flitter through Jared’s eyes but it was gone again before he could determine what it was.

“Ah,” Jared said. He gave Jensen a lopsided grin. “Never been there but I hear their food is… ” He paused.

“Weird?” Jensen suggested with a grimace. “Expensive? Portions guaranteed to keep an anorexic supermodel satisfied?”

Jared smiled. “Something like that.” He glanced back as there was a shout from the kitchen. “I’ll bring you your food in a minute. Until then, enjoy your beer.”

“Thanks.”

Jensen felt oddly disappointed as he watched Jared leave. He sipped the beer to make himself feel better. Hardly half a minute passed by before Jared came through the door again, carrying three dishes as expertly as any waiter Jensen had seen. He allowed his gaze to linger on Jared’s pretty spectacular backside as he elegantly weaved his way through the restaurant to one of the tables by the window. When he came back he gave Jensen a small smile and said, “Any minute now.”

Jensen nodded then leaned back, sipping his beer and secretly enjoying the sight of Jared as he brought out one dish after another. Or maybe not so secretly considering the blond waiter gave him a smug grin and said, “Didn’t I tell you? Absolutely perfect place for you,” as he passed with an older couple, showing them the way to a much nicer corner table.

Jensen blinked, cheeks turning a little pink. Was he really that obvious? Considering he’d been so deep in the closet of denial he’d knocked up his girlfriend and married her, that seemed a bit embarrassing.

He was brought out of his musings when a big plate landed suddenly right in front of him. The steak was the size of his hand, the fries looked like they would melt in his mouth and the smell was enough to make his mouth water.

“Oh yeah,” he moaned, inhaling the delicious scent of real food. “God yeah, that’s the stuff.”

A choked off sound made him look up to find Jared gazing down at him, cheeks flushed, lips turned up in a smile. “Keep that up and the woman at the next table is gonna order what you’re having.”

Jensen went beet red. “I’m really hungry,” he mumbled embarrassed as he picked up his fork. “Like really, really. Starving.”

“I hope it lives up to your expectations,” Jared said with a laugh. He turned as if to leave but then seemed to change his mind and leaned over to whisper, “Just let me know if you want dessert. The chocolate mousse is positively orgasmic. You know, if the steak doesn’t quite get you there.”

Jensen’s jaw dropped along with his fork and knife. He didn’t even have the brainpower to shift his wide eyes up from Jared’s ass as he turned around, just stared at the stretch of black cotton over tantalizingly moving butt cheeks, steadily retreating.

Did that just happen? Did that really just happen? Or was he so desperate for sex (and steak) that he was hallucinating a gay pornographic version of When Harry Met Sally, casting himself as Meg Ryan and Jared as… whoever played the waiter?

“You know, the meat is supposed to be eaten, not just drooled on,” an annoying voice drawled in his ear, jerking him back to reality. “We have excellent service but we still expect our guests to feed themselves.”

Jensen snapped his mouth shut and shot the blond waiter a glare before retrieving his utensils. Then had to fight not to start moaning again when he put the first piece of juicy steak into his mouth. Oh. My. God!

-------

“Jared, breathe. Breathe.”

Jared doubled over, groaning, hands in his hair. “I told him the chocolate mousse would give him an orgasm!”

“Gay sex is seriously weird,” Chad said with a grimace.

“Chad, shut up. I just meant that it was good. Except I said it like… like…” He hid his face in his hands.

“Like you meant for him to eat it off your dick?” Chad suggested helpfully.

“Yes! No! Oh God.” He groaned again, horrified.

“Relax,” Beth said, patting his arm. “I tell customers that all the time and no one’s had me fired yet. They just order a lot of mousse.”

“He probably thinks I jerk off in it,” Jared said miserably. “Oh God, what if he has me fired from the daycare center for being a pervert with a mousse fetish?”

“You have a mousse fetish?” Chad asked, frowning.

“No! Well, sometimes I lick the spoon clean but… No!”

“Seriously, stop panicking,” Beth said as she grabbed the next plate, clearly enjoying the scene way too much. “If he really was offended he would have left by now. Instead he’s inhaling his meat and making very obscene noises while he’s at it. If anyone should be sued for lewdness it’s him, right there. I’ve almost dropped my tray twice!”

The image of Jensen inhaling a completely different kind of meat popped up in Jared’s head and he took another big gulp of water.

“Table six is up,” muttered Jeff irritably and slammed two plates up on the counter. Jared reluctantly took them and was about to push open the swing-doors with his hip when Jeff added, “You know, a guy who likes meat that much? Sounds like just your type.”

Jared fled the roar of laughter from his so-called friends, his face redder than he thought possible. Assholes the bunch of them. He swallowed his embarrassment and tried to look cool and professional as he walked by Jensen’s table, his eyes traitorously glancing over as he passed. Jensen was by now more than halfway through his meal and did in fact look like he could star in a food porn movie with the way his eyelids fluttered and he kept licking his lips between bites, catching drops of meat juice from the corners of his mouth with the tip of his tongue. He was completely immersed in his task, so much that he paid no attention to what was going on around him, including Jared. Despite his trepidation earlier Jared couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.

He shouldn’t have worried though. The next time he entered the dining area Jensen looked up and froze with his lips parted, showing a pink tongue nudging at the inside of his lower front teeth in anticipation of the dripping meat making its way to his mouth. Jared slowed his pace, pretending to be weighed down by the three plates he was carrying, and offered Jensen a wide grin as he walked by. Jensen instantly dropped his gaze and stuffed the piece of meat quickly into his mouth, consequently almost choking on it. Alarmed Jared quickly dumped the plates on the nearest empty table and grabbed Jensen’s shoulder, slapping him on the back.

“You okay?” he asked worried when Jensen had regained his breath and composure enough to nod in answer.

“Yeah, sorry,” he said, voice slightly hoarse. He coughed and pointed at his throat. “Wrong way.”

“Haven’t you learned not to inhale when you swallow?” Jared laughed, relieved.

It wasn’t until Jensen started coughing again, more frantically than before, that Jared realized what he said.

“I meant when eating! Not…” Jared stopped because there really was no way to escape the situation with even a trace of dignity. “I’ll just leave you to your meal,” he mumbled and backed off, picking up the plates he’d discarded and delivering them to their right places. He was trying to pass Jensen on his way back to the kitchen as quickly as he could when Jensen reached out, grabbing his wrist.

“You know,” he said, looking up at Jared with a small smile. “I think maybe I’ll have that mousse after all.”

Jared stuttered. “Mousse. Sure. Yeah. I’ll… Of course.”

And he fled again, this time into the kitchen, his pants tightening in anticipation of what Jensen’s reaction would be to what one of LA’s gourmet writers had said carried “ a sinful taste of ecstasy in every spoon.”

-------

“Stop that. What’s the rule? Hands under the table. You too, Michael.”

Jared filled plate after plastic plate with mashed potatoes, meatballs and gravy before handing them to Kristen that put them in front of each child, along with a plastic fork and a plastic glass of water. The kids were all fidgeting impatiently in their chairs, so eager to eat some had to sit on their hands to keep from grabbing the food before it was allowed. All, that is, except for Lexie, who was staring wide-eyed and confused at everything and everyone. It was her first day and she’d kept silent all morning, meekly doing exactly as she was told. Kristen told Jared not to worry, in a day or two the little girl would be running around screaming her head off like the rest of them.

“Everyone ready?” Kristen asked when the plates had all been filled and set. The kids nodded eagerly. “Okay, dig in.”

There was a loud ruckus as forks were grabbed and food was shoved into mouths and faces, what didn’t end up on their clothes or in their hair. Lexie blinked confused at her food before awkwardly bending over and trying to eat straight from the plate.

“Lexie,” Kristen said, fighting not to laugh. “It’s okay, you can pull your hands up now.”

Lexie seemed to consider this for a moment before deciding that it was probably easier that way so she picked up her fork and was soon happily eating along with the rest of them.

Jared shook his head in amusement and grabbed a plate of his own before sitting down next to Marie, who was trying to grab a hold of the fork despite her hands being encased in socks.

“You know socks usually go on your feet?” he reminded her one more time but Marie didn’t pay him any mind, a look of deep concentration on her face. “Sweetie, really, it would be easier if…” He gave up when she finally got a good grip and started shoveling food into her mouth, happy as a lark.

Sophia gave him a grin. “How long has it been now?”

“Two weeks!” He gave his stubborn little favorite a fond smile. “Apparently she sleeps with them as well.”

“Yeah? And you would know this how?” Kristen asked with a smirk.

To his horror Jared could feel himself blushing. “Her dad told me,” he said defensively. “We were just talking. What? I talk to parents.”

“Sure you do. Especially the pretty gay single ones.”

Jared glared at her but she just smiled sweetly, knowing he couldn’t really do or say anything with all the kids around. “I talk to the moms as well,” he argued lamely.

Well, most of them. He’d stayed clear of Marie’s mom, ever since their less than stellar first introduction a couple of weeks ago. She’d oddly enough been pretty much as he expected. Stunning looks, supermodel figure and a suspicious glare that had turn positively hateful when Marie didn’t want to go home but hung on to Jared’s leg, asking for her ‘dada’. Jared knew it was just a temporary preference, after all she’d been crying for her mama just a few hours earlier when she fell and hurt her knee, but Marie’s mom seemed to take it as a personal insult that her daughter would pick, not only her dad, but some guy working at the kindergarten, over her.

Things didn’t improve when he ran into her as he was leaving one day and she caught sight of his bag that had a very small rainbow pin on the side, hardly visible but apparently shone bright as a beacon, if her angry look was anything to go by. He found out the next day that she had started asking questions about him and then, when the girls had nothing but praise (not all lies) for him, she demanded to see Sam who she spoke to for quite some time before storming out, looking like “a gay fairy just peed in her cappuccino”, according to Sophia. Sam didn’t mention anything to Jared so he assumed whatever arguments Marie’s mother had put forward they had been shot down without hesitation. He just hoped she didn’t pull her daughter from the kindergarten, he’d really come to like the little girl.

And her dad, a small voice added in his head, a voice that sounded smug and suggestive and suspiciously much like Sophia’s. He tried to ignore it. Yes, Jensen sometimes stalled and chatted a bit. And yes, he’d been to the restaurant twice in the last three weeks where they talked even more. (Once over mousse, which in hindsight had been a terrible (but oh so good) idea because Jensen eating any food was like porn in the making but eating mousse… Unf!) And yes, they got along famously because Jensen was cool and funny and they had a lot of stuff in common, both being Texas originated, having similar family backgrounds and liking the same kind of sports, food and music. And yes, the man was hot as a thousand suns. And yes, Jared would like to bone him, repeatedly. But that didn’t mean…

Jared stopped, mind going blank. He really shouldn’t start an argument he couldn’t win. Even if it was just with himself.

“He seems to like you,” Sophia said. She was smiling and not the usual smug grin she used whenever talking about Jensen, but a small encouraging one, and Jared could feel himself blushing even further. “At least he smiles more when you’re around.”

“Humph,” Jared murmured, dubious. When he was around it usually meant Marie was around as well and Jensen’s (gorgeous, gorgeous) smile probably had a lot more to do with that than whatever idiotic thing Jared was blabbering on about at the time.

“You should totally go for it,” Kristen agreed. “I mean, since I can’t have him it’s up to you to find out-“

She cut herself off, seeming to suddenly remember where and in what company they were. Not that the kids were actively listening, still too busy stuffing their faces, but they knew from experience there was always at least one who’d go home and tell their parents the most embarrassing thing accidentally done or said that day. Jared smirked, thinking he was off the hook, but Kristen just frowned for a moment and then smiled, way too brightly.

“I love sausages. Don’t you love sausages? Especially big ones.”

Jared froze. “Kristen,” he hissed but she wasn’t intimidated in the least, just turned to Sophia and asked her innocently, “Sausages, big or small?”

“Oh, definitely big,” Sophia agreed gravelly. “I mean, not too big, I want them to fit in my… bun. But yes, big ones. And thick.”

“Oh God,” Jared groaned, causing Marie to look at him with concern and then petting him with her gravy stained sock before continuing eating. “Girls, really…”

“There’s this guy,” Kristen continued conversationally, “I hear he has the best sausage but I don’t know if it’s big or small. Haven’t had a chance to check it out. Maybe you could do it for me, Jared?”

“Or maybe we could talk about something else?” Jared bit out, his face gone red as a tomato.

“Why? You’re not a vegetarian, are you?” Sophia asked in surprise. “Because I have this absolutely amazing recipe for stuffed butternut.”

“Oh really?” Kristen said interested. “Stuffed with what?”

“Ripe firm zucchini and creamy white-”

“Okay, okay!” Jared hissed. “Yes. I like big sausages. And I would love to find out how big this guy’s sausage is. But I can’t just go and, and… buy it, you know? Maybe he doesn’t want to sell it to me. Maybe, I don’t know, he doesn’t like my money. Or maybe he’s already sold it to someone else. Or-”

“Sossaj!” Michael yelled as he jumped up, pulled down his pants and did a little dance with his very own little sausage.

“Oh for god’s sake! Michael! Pull your pants up! We don’t eat naked!”

But it was too late, the other kids were laughing and giggling and some of them were following suit, pulling at their clothes and clearly wanting to join in the naked celebration of sausages.

Jared groaned and dropped his head on the table, which pretty much made him fold double considering the surface was only about twenty inches from the floor. Whatever happened he knew from now on he would never be able to even think about Jensen’s dick without the word ‘sausage’ popping into his head. Or eat a sausage without thinking about Jensen’s dick. Either way, he was bound to have some very awkward moments in the future.

---------

“No.” Jensen paced the examination room, feeling like a very angry tiger caught in a very small cage. “That is not negotiable.” His heart thundered in his chest but his jaw was set, eyes blazing with fury. “Because we have joint custody which means I have a say where and how my daughter spends her day.”

He knew he should have said “our” daughter when her voice got even more menacing, almost spitting the words into his ear, but at the moment he was too pissed off to care.

“Why won’t you just admit what is really bothering you?” he finally snapped which launched another onslaught. He listened to her rant on the other end, the phone gripped so tight in his hand he was afraid he’d break it. “You didn’t have a problem with that when we picked out the place together,” he reminded her icily. “In fact, if I remember correctly, you applauded the “educational diversity” of their staff.”

She hardly had time to start again before he cut in, his voice rising despite his best efforts to stay calm, “Before what? Before you got the fucked up idea into your head that being gay meant lusting after babies? Yeah, no, I will bring that up. I will bring it up whenever you try to poison my daughter’s mind against her own father. When you try to ruin my life with allegations so disgusting it makes me sick how you could even-”

The click as she hung up made him growl in frustration and he threw the phone on his desk, wishing he could hurdle it through the window.

“Fuck you! Fuck you, you fucking lying bitch. I wish I could…” He stopped and drew a deep breath, trying to calm down. No. He wasn’t going to sink down to her level.

There was a knock on his door and the receptionist’s head popped in, looking fearful enough that he knew some of the conversation must have carried outside. “Your four o’clock is here,” she said, smiling nervously. “Should I send her in?”

Jensen ran his fingers through his hair, then straightened his tie, trying on a smile. “Give me two minutes,” he said.

She nodded and backed out, closing the door behind her.

Jensen sighed, wondering how long it would take for this one to ask for a transfer. He wasn’t that bad, not really. Well, okay, so he was grumpy in the mornings until the caffeine level in his bloodstream had reached its desired level. And he was maybe not as friendly and easygoing as he used to be before everything happened but frankly, neither were they. His name might have been cleared but even now, four months later, he could feel eyes on him wherever he went, wondering, speculating if maybe, maybe… It made his skin flush with anger and humiliation.

Even people who’d worked with him since his first year of residency, a little over four years ago, still had a hard time looking him in the eye. In fact he’d overheard more than one saying how it didn’t seem right, him coming back to work here, “with children”, because apparently where there’s smoke there had to be fire. He’d tell them the only fire they’d find would be the one steaming from the nostrils of his Hellhound ex but he doubted they’d be willing to listen. Only reason he even got his job back was because Dr. Beaver was an old friend of his father’s and in the clinic Jim’s word was law. Some days he wished he could quit, just up and leave this place and the whole gossip mill with it, but he needed the job with its benefits and, more importantly, he needed to stay close to his daughter.

Just the thought of Marie was enough to lighten his mood. It was finally his day to pick her up and he couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms. Of all the things he hated Joanne for - and there were plenty! - the fact that he’d been deprived of almost a year of his daughter’s life, a year he would never get back, topped the list. He’d missed her being able to sit up on his own, stand on her own, take the first steps. Say the first word. And God, just all the little things, like the milky baby smell that was all but gone by the time he finally got to bury his nose in her silky fine hair again. Right before all hell broke loose he’d felt the first tooth under his fingertip, just starting to break through. The next time he saw her, her smile showed a row of tiny pearly white teeth. Her baby blue eyes had turned green, her rosy cheeks had freckles. And she had no idea who her daddy was.

Jensen sighed. Half an hour and he’d be done for the day, and the weekend, and he could go pick up his daughter at the daycare. Where possibly maybe he’d run into a certain tall unicorn lover and… make disastrous attempts at flirting.

He blushed just thinking about it. Truth was, apart from an alcohol-blurred memory of some guy sucking his cock in med school, Jensen hadn’t actually… Well, he’d been “straight”, hadn’t he? Trying to be anyway. And then he’d married because that’s what you do when you accidentally impregnate the girl you’re trying to be straight with. And then he was a dad and married until… well, that happened with everything that followed, which didn’t exactly put him on the Most Eligible Gay Bachelor list. And since then he’d been busy getting his life back and raising Marie and not giving into the urge to kill his ex-wife. So… yes. The truth was...

The truth was he really liked Jared. And he thought possibly maybe Jared liked him back. Problem was, he had no fucking clue what to do next. How to actually be gay in praxis, not just, you know, by himself. Because he was getting very good at that. His laptop alone held an impressive number of gay porn. If he ever managed to get Jared into bed with him he would be the most educated guy who’d never had actual gay sex that Jared would ever meet.

Well, providing real life was anything like gay porn. He had a horrible suspicion it wasn’t, not any more than straight porn, something he’d found out the hard way. If it had been he possibly might have avoided the whole accidental-pregnancy-leading-to-marriage disaster. Then again, if he had, he wouldn’t have Marie. And despite the hell Joanna put him through, Jensen knew he wouldn’t change a single thing if it meant he still had his daughter. That being said, he was more than ready to put all that crap behind him and start living his life as a single gay man. Or possibly not so single, if he ever got up the nerve to ask Jared out.

He’d been doing his best to flirt with Jared every time they met but it was anything but easy seeing as Marie was usually right there. And Jared seemed clueless to his vague and sometimes, he had to admit, obscure innuendos. Or maybe he was just not interested. Maybe he had a boyfriend. Or maybe he wasn’t even gay. (No, he was. Definitely. Seriously, no straight guy would ever dress the way Jared dressed. Although Jensen was not sure gay guys dressed the way Jared dressed. Really, what was up with all those cartoon characters?)

Or maybe, just maybe, Jensen thought, face turning grim, someone had told Jared about Jensen being a potential pedophile.

There was a knock on the door, jerking him out of his rapidly darkening thoughts. Jensen hastily forced on a smile before calling out an invite. Work now, less than happy thoughts were better put on hold until later.

-----------

“Michael, no. Stop that. Come here!”

How was it possible for a kid not even one-third his size, to outrun him, Jared wondered as he once again missed the boy by an inch. It was like trying to catch a slippery fish in water. A slippery fish covered in mud and smelling like poop.

A daring side-jump finally put him in reach and he could feel his fingers grasp the sleeve of the boy’s jacket. Yes! That was -

The next thing he knew he was blinking up at someone’s head, haloed by the bright sun, hovering above him.

“Oh good, you’re alive,” a deep and somewhat familiar voice said and just like that the motherfucker of all headaches slammed into his forehead.

“Ow! Shit! Fuck, fuck, fuck!” He clutched at his head, rolling over on his side in agony. The world started spinning and he was pretty sure he was going to throw up.

“Easy, tiger,” the voice said, a warm hand settling between his shoulder blades. “Just breathe.”

“Breathe? My fucking brain is leaking out!” Jared gasped.

“Fuckfuckfuckfuck,” a bright voice chanted happily, reminding Jared of where he was. He forced one eye open to see a crowd of tiny people staring at him, most looking intrigued - the happy singer was Michael, the slippery little bastard - but a couple were wide eyed with fear and Marie was crying.

“I’m okay,” he assured them through gritted teeth. “See? Just go play now.”

“Come on, kids. The show is over,” Sophia said. “Jared, honey, you sure you’re okay?”

“No,” he groaned and Marie started bawling. “I mean, yes!” he lied. “I’m fine. I’m fine. Please don’t cry, sweetie, it makes Jared’s head hurt real bad.”

“Marie, it’s okay. Daddy will make Jared all better, okay? Don’t cry, baby.”

Daddy? Jared thought and suddenly he placed the familiar voice. Oh. Oh hell.

He rolled over on his back, feeling sand and mud stick to his shirt, and squinted up at the man crouching by his side, now holding a sniffling Marie in his arms. “Mousse man.”

Jensen frowned. “Yeah, I think he might have a concussion,” he said, looking up at Sophia who was still hovering. “You want me to drive him to the hospital?”

“No hospital,” Jared insisted, shuddering at the thought of yet another bill he couldn’t pay. “I’m fine. I’m just…” He tried to sit up and promptly fell back down. “Ow. Fu- fudge.”

“Come on.” Jensen heaved him up to a sitting position. “Do you have the flashlight?”

“No, I’m just happy to see you,” Jared mumbled before realizing - as a bright light suddenly shone in his eyes - that Jensen was probably not talking to him. Jensen huffed a laugh close enough that Jared felt the breath on his face, smelling of coffee and something sweet.

“Your pupils look normal,” Jensen murmured. “There’s no cut, just the start of a really big bump and the bruise will probably be spectacular. All the colors of the rainbow.”

He sounded more amused than Jared really thought fit for this very grave situation. He might be dying!

“What happened?” he asked, feeling gingerly with his fingers where a bump was definitely forming. Ow! “Did Michael hit me?”

This time Jensen definitely snorted. “Yes, Jared. A two year old knocked you out. He climbed up your gigantic body and smashed your head with a hammer, yelling that he was Thor, the god of thunder.”

Jared blinked. “Really?”

“No. You ran head first into the monkey bar.” Jensen helped him to his feet. “You good to walk?”

Jared nodded and consequently lost his balance, Jensen’s hand gripping his arm the only thing keeping him from falling over.

“Okay, this won’t work. Sophia, do you think you could get Marie’s things for me while I help Jared to the car?”

“Don’t have a car,” Jared told him as he stumbled down the path. “Shouldn’t drive anyway.”

“My car,” Jensen said patiently. “I’m driving. You sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?”

“Don’t have insurance,” Jared mumbled. “Also, hate doctors.”

“That’s too bad,” Jensen said after a short silence. “Does that apply to all doctors? Even the ones who like mousse?”

“Doctors like mousse?” Jared asked doubtful. Even with a head injury he was pretty sure this was a weird conversation.

“This one does. In fact he’s become addicted to the most amazing chocolate mousse at this nice little Italian restaurant downtown, it’s positively orgasmic.”

“Huh. Just like… oh.” Jared let himself be manhandled into a nice looking jeep, sneaking a deep inhale when Jensen leaned over to fasten his seatbelt. Mmmm. It should be illegal to smell that good. “I might like some doctors,” he said just as Jensen was about to close the door.

The smile that Jensen threw him was enough to make him forget the blinding headache, if only for a moment.

Marie had thankfully stopped crying by the time Jensen carried her out to the car and put her in her car seat. “She was worried about you,” Jensen told Jared as he swung the car into traffic. “Guess she doesn’t think you’re a monster anymore.”

“We’re best friends now,” Jared said, then added fondly, “She’s the only one who’ll sleep with me.”

The car came to a screeching halt, throwing Jared forward in his seat. He looked over in alarm, shocked to see Jensen staring at him, pale and furious. “What… No! Naptime! We nap with the kids and she’s the only one who isn’t scared of sleeping next to me. I didn’t mean… Jesus!”

Jensen blinked, his posture relaxed and he took a shuddering breath. “Sorry. I… Maybe use different wording next time.”

Jared swallowed. “Right. Good idea.” He felt a little sick.

“Please don’t puke in my car,” Jensen said gruffly as he put it in gear and drove on.

They drove in silence until Jared finally dared to ask, “Uhm, where are we going?”

Jensen looked over at him, face blank, but then he seemed to shake himself free of whatever path his thoughts had taken. “What? Oh. Sorry. Home, right? Where do you live?”

“Uh… the other way?” At Jensen’s exasperated look he hastily added, “But it’s okay, I can walk. I mean, probably not, but there’s a bus…”

Jensen shook his head and looked around for a good place to turn around. “You got anyone at home to look after you? You should not be alone after a hit like that.”

“I don’t know,” Jared said, trying to remember Chad’s work schedule. “Maybe?”

“Maybe? Jared, you do live somewhere, right?” Jensen asked, sounding worried. “With people?”

“Yes! I have a roommate. But he’s probably working.” He groaned when something suddenly occurred to him. “Damn, I have to be at the restaurant at seven.”

The light turned green but Jensen didn’t move. He was frowning, looking back at Marie that had fallen asleep in the backseat and then straight ahead, clearly thinking. Finally he said, “Look, I don’t feel good leaving you alone. And forget about work. Call in sick. How many jobs do you have anyway? Should I expect to see you popping up at my gym and the grocery store as well?”

“Not unless you work out at the university gym,” Jared said absently. Did he even have any sick days left at the restaurant? He couldn’t remember.

“You’re going to university?”

He looked over to find Jensen staring at him and couldn’t help feeling slightly insulted. “Yeah? I’m not stupid, I just have a concussion,” he muttered.

“No, I didn’t mean…” Jensen shook his head. “How do you even have time to work out?”

“Who says I do?” Jared shot back. Headaches had a tendency to make him bad tempered.

Jensen gave him a pointed look. “I’m a doctor, I know muscles. And yours do definitely not come just from bussing tables and changing diapers.”

Jared stomach did a flip even if he tried his best not to jump to conclusions. Just because Jensen had noticed how he was built, didn’t mean he had been, you know, checking him out. But it did heighten the possibility.

“Actually, I run,” he said.

“Around the world?” Jensen asked, with raised eyebrows.

“No, mostly around the block. And to work. And from work. And to school and from school. And-”

“Okay, I get the picture,” Jensen cut in, putting the car in gear as the light turned green again. He was smiling and seemed to have forgotten all about Jared being a possible child rapist, thank God. “Don’t think you’ll be running for a while though. How’s the head?”

Jared patted his forehead and winced. “Attached. Unfortunately.”

Jensen snorted. “You’ll live. Okay, I’m probably going to regret this but … You can stay with me and Marie for the weekend.” He looked embarrassed when Jared turned to stare at him. “Not like I had any plans anyway. She has a bit of a cold so I thought we’d just stay in. Can’t have her mother accusing me of giving the kid pneumonia,” he muttered in a lowered voice that Jared was pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to hear.

“I… Thank you, but I’m fine. Really. Splitting headache, nausea and occasional word vomit but otherwise…”

“Who’s the doctor here?” Jensen said sternly but the crowfeet by his eyes betrayed his amusement.

“You,” Jared reluctantly admitted. “But…”

“So stop arguing.”

Jared closed his mouth. He didn’t really want to argue anyway. Truth was he felt like shit and being alone at home was a bad idea if his head suddenly decided to explode. Also, going home with Jensen? Well, it sure beat his former Friday night plans: staying home jerking off while thinking about Jensen.

“What kind of doctor are you anyway?” he asked as the thought occurred to him. “You’re not like a foot doctor, are you? Because, you know, head, foot? Not the same thing.”

“I’m a brain surgeon,” Jensen said solemnly. “I specialize in fixing people who run into monkey bars.”

Jared stared at him. “Really?”

Jensen chuckled. “No. I’m a pediatrician. Believe me, plenty of head injuries come my way. Some even from monkey bars, but usually from falling off them.”

“Oh.” Jared didn’t know what to say. Being innocently accused of child molestation was bad enough for a father but for one who also worked with children… He didn’t dare ask if Jensen was still practicing. That was a can of worms he had no intention, or even right, to open.

“Here we are,” Jensen said suddenly and swung up a short driveway to a typical small yellow suburban house, complete with a white, if slightly peeling, picket fence and a green overgrown lawn. “Ignore… everything,” he added as he parked and opened the door. “I haven’t got around to tidying this place up yet.”

“Okay. When did you move in?” Jared asked, fumbling with the seatbelt.

“Six months ago.”

“Oh.”

Catching the look in Jared’s eyes Jensen grimaced. “I’ve been busy with work and… stuff. Shut up.”

Jared raised his hands in surrender. “I didn’t say anything.”

He continued fumbling with the belt as Jensen went to pull grocery bags out of the trunk of the car. He was still at it when Jensen got back from carrying the bags inside. Jensen shot him a worried look but he still got Marie out of the car first and carried the sleeping, ragged-doll limp girl into the house. When he came out again Jared had finally managed to unlock the belt and open the door and was eyeing the ground dubiously. Seriously, how high was this jeep?

“Come on.” Jensen slipped his arm along Jared’s back and under his armpit. “Slowly,” he added and tugged. Jared tipped sideways out of the car and would have crashed to the ground if Jensen hadn’t caught him with both arms, wrapping them around his chest. “Fuck, you’re heavy,” he groaned.

“It’s all muscles,” Jared protested as he tried to find his feet. He was feeling faint but wasn’t sure if it was because of the head injury or because Jensen smelled really, really good.

“Well, how about you use some of them?” Jensen grunted. “Jesus!”

That last word was a half-squeak as Jared tripped over his own feet as well as Jensen’s and then did his very best impression of a tree falling in the forest, but with a lot less grace. Thankfully he didn’t bang his head again but that was only because he had a pretty soft landing, unlike Jensen who went down with a rather undignified yell which turned into an almost childlike whimper when Jared’s knee connected with a tender part of his anatomy.

“God, I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

“Get off,” Jensen wheezed between clenched teeth. “Off. Off!”

“Oh. Sorry.” Jared rolled off, managing to bang his elbow into Jensen’s nose as he went. “Shit! I’m so sorry. Again. Are you okay?”

Jensen groaned. “I ca belie the le yo ne childn.”

“What?”

Jensen carefully let go of his nose, scrunching it up and wriggling it from side to side as if to make sure it wasn’t broken. Jared wanted to point out it wasn’t even bleeding but thought better of it.

“I said, I can’t believe they let you near children! How many have you killed so far?”

“Dude, I’m not usually this clumsy!” Jared sputtered, indignant. “Well okay, I am, but not like deadly clumsy.”

“You could have fooled me,” Jensen said and sat up with a grimace. “Fuck, I think you broke my spine.”

“I don’t think you would be able to sit up with a broken spine,” Jared said dubious as he sat up as well, then backed off when Jensen glared at him. “But you’re the doctor so I’m sure you’re right.”

“Damn straight.”

Jensen got stiffly to his feet then stood straightening his shoulders and stretching his arms as he tried to realign his crooked-but-not-actually-broken-ha! spine, before dusting the grass and dirt off his ass.

“Come on, we better get inside before Marie wakes up,” he said as he offered Jared his hand. “Jared, you okay?”

Which is when Jared realized he’d been sitting with his mouth open, quite possibly drooling, while the image of Jensen’s tummy peaking out from under his shirt as he stretched, burned its way permanently into his retinas.

“What? Yeah, I’m fine. Fine. Just a little… haha.” He cleared his throat. “Right.”

He took Jensen’s hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, then stood swaying for a moment before Jensen once again wrapped an arm around his waist, looking increasingly worried.

“Maybe we should get you to a hospital,” he said, peering thoughtfully into Jared’s eyes. “I’m sure I can arrange something with the bill.”

“I’m fine, really. Just a bit…” His stomach rumbled. “Hungry?”

Jensen raised an eyebrow. It looked really cool and hot at the same time. Jensen defied the rules of temperatures all on his own. Also, Jared might possibly be rambling again because Jesus, Jensen was so close and what was that smell? Like cookies and candy and rolling around in manly hot gay sex. He wanted to lick it off Jensen’s neck.

“It’s called Hot Water,” Jensen said, his face red. “It was a gift.”

“What?”

“My cologne. Can we please stop talking about the way I smell and just go inside, please?”

Jared’s eyes widened. He’d said all that out loud? Maybe he really did have a brain injury. As they made their way slowly into the house he tried to look everywhere but at Jensen and feel anything but the heat of Jensen’s body where it was pressed up against his side. Those were some nice muscles though. Well, Jensen did say he went to a gym. Maybe Jared should check if he could get a job there… Oh wow, this was a really nice house. How much money did doctors make?

“It’s family money,” Jensen said stiffly. “Not that I do badly but…”

“Fuck, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with my mouth. It keeps saying stuff all on its own.”

“Yeah, yeah. Here, sit down. I need to go check on Marie.” Jensen dumped Jared on the couch in the living room before stomping off down the hall.

Jared hid his head in his hands and stifled a groan. What was wrong with him? Why was he always such a fucking idiot?

“Hey, you okay? Does your head hurt?”

He looked up to find Jensen standing over him, looking not pissed off but actually concerned. “It’s fine. I mean, yeah, it hurts but not too bad. I’m just, you know…” He stopped and sighed. “I’m sorry. I’ll call a cab.”

Jensen frowned. “Why?”

“Uhm, so you can get rid off me?”

If anything Jensen only looked more confused. “Why would I ask you here and then want to get rid off you?”

“Well, I crushed your balls, sniffed your neck and insulted your income. I’m thinking I better leave before you decide to have me fired from your daughter’s kindergarten.”

Jensen snorted. “Dude, my daughter would never speak to me again if I had you fired. And she’s pretty much the only person who still talks to me. Which is pathetic because she’s two and mostly speaks in single syllables so…”

“Why won’t people talk to you?” Jared asked confused and then he remembered. His face went so red he was sure it would catch fire any minute. By the way Jensen’s face shut down he knew exactly what Jared was thinking, which only made him feel a hundred times worse.

“I wouldn’t think you’d have time for gossip in a your workplace. Guess I was wrong.” He started to turn away but Jared grabbed him by the wrist.

“Dude, it’s not like that,” he said. “I asked, okay? Not about… I just asked if you and Marie’s mom were divorced. Something you said made me wonder.” Not really how it went down but the truth was just a little too humiliating.

“And what? They told you, yeah, who’d want to be married to a child molesting creep?” Jensen asked harshly. His face was pale and the pressed lips made a taut white line.

“No, they told me that they all wish you’d get custody over Marie because you make her a lot happier than her mother’s ever done.”

Jensen stood still, staring at him in surprise. Then he suddenly turned around and walked away but not before Jared caught a glimpse of tears filling his eyes. Jared sat still, not sure what to do. He felt like a tool and he had no idea if he’d just made matters better or worse. Time ticked by and he started to nod off, finally his head fell back and that’s all he knew until he woke up to someone crawling into his lap.

“Jad!” said a bright happy voice and warm soft arms wrapped themselves around his neck. “Jad!”

“Shh, shh, Maire. Let Jared sleep,” a voice that Jared recognized as Jensen’s whispered but Marie obviously thought Jared’s naptime should be over, just like hers. She kissed Jared sloppily on the cheek and tugged at his hair. He pretended to sleep until her tugs started to get painful then he threw his eyes opened and tackled her down on the couch, tickling her until she squealed with laughter.

“Well, you obviously feel better,” Jensen said as he walked in, carrying a tray containing two sodas and one juice.

Jared let go of Marie, who instantly started jumping on the couch, and sat up, gingerly touching his head. “Yeah. Still hurts but I don’t feel as dizzy,” he said. “Thanks.”

“Marie, get off the couch, honey. You know that’s not allowed.” Jensen put a protesting Marie on the floor before sitting down beside Jared and turning on the TV. “I’d offer you a beer but I kinda have a rule not to mix alcohol with head injuries.” He frowned. “You are old enough to drink beer, right?”

“Dude, I’m twenty four,” Jared said, indignant. The soda was cool and refreshing and thankfully helped clear his head even further.

“Sorry.” Jared didn’t think Jensen sounded sorry in the least. If anything he sounded quite pleased. “Guess you just look young. Might be the clothes.”

Jared looked down on his t-shirt. It was one of those he’d found at Goodwill. This one had a picture of the Power Puff Girls. It was a little snug but not as obscenely tight as the unicorn one had been. His sneaky plan of luring the kids in with cartoon characters and other fictional creatures had worked fine. Plus it meant he didn’t stain his regular clothes with paint or puke or spaghetti sauce or whatever else the kids decided to throw at him that day. Today’s artfully applied stain was meatloaf with ketchup.

“This?” he said with a flamboyant flick of his wrist. “Honey, this is in now. Don’t you follow Fashion Weekly?”

Jensen snorted. “On what channel? Nickelodeon?”

“Funny. Your daddy is a funny man, Marie.”

Marie barely spared him a glance, too busy attacking a Disney princess themed coloring book with her crayons. Jensen just laughed.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching a rather busty young woman apologizing for the coming weekend’s less than prime weather. Jared couldn’t help wondering if they’d made her pop open an extra button to distract the viewers from all the clouds graying the area map.

“So…” Jensen suddenly said. He cleared his throat. Jared looked over but Jensen’s eyes were set on the TV, his cheeks slightly flushed. “About earlier…” Jensen finally continued, then cleared his throat again. “What you said.”

“I was only repeating what they told me. Not that we talk about you,” Jared added hastily. “Or actually have time to gossip. I mean, everyone there works really hard and…”

“Jared, breathe,” Jensen said, giving him a small smile. “I’m not mad. I’m trying to say thank you.”

“Oh.” Jared didn’t know what to say. It was an odd thing to be thankful for, people not thinking you were a monster. But then again, for Jensen it probably wasn’t.

“I’m really sorry that happened to you,” Jared said, choosing his words carefully seeing as Marie was less than two feet away. “I mean, anyone can see you love Marie more than anything. And that she loves you. For what it’s worth, I agree with them. About, you know, which one of you should have her.”

Jensen didn’t answer, just sat and stared at the TV, but after a while he nodded and stood up. “I’m just gonna…” he mumbled, voice a little hoarse. “Dinner. You must be starving.”

Jared felt awkward. As if it wasn’t enough that he was taking up space and what precious time Jensen had with his daughter, now Jensen was going to feed him as well? “You don’t have to…” he started but Jensen was already out of the room and gone to the kitchen, judging by the banging of pots and pans a few moments later.

Jared sat still, not sure what he should do. He felt like he should at least offer to help, even if his cooking skills were less than lacking, but that meant leaving Marie on her own. Daycare policy stated to never leave the kids alone in a room, not even for a minute. Not just for the kids’ safety, Jared suspected, but because if something did happen, however minor, it would make the daycare center susceptible for suspicion of neglect. Now, Jared’s nephews and nieces pretty much ran around wherever they wanted but the Padaleckis were a tough bunch and a few cuts and scrapes never really worried anyone. Knowing how protective Jensen was of Marie it was just as likely that he’d have Jared’s head on a platter if something happened to her under his watch. Even if they were in Jensen’s home and Jared wasn’t technically on duty.

“Do you need help?” he finally decided to holler over the noise from the TV and kitchen. Something hit him on the nose and he yelped, turning sharply. Marie was glaring at him, the crayon she’d thrown at him lying on the carpet.

“Sshh!” she hissed. “Don yell!”

“Sorry, sweetie.” He gave her an apologetic smile, duly chastened. “Do you think we should help your daddy make dinner?”

“No,” she dismissed and turned back to her coloring book. Cinderella was now covered in patches of brown, yellow and green, not a single one of them within any set lines.

Okay, that settled that. He sat back on the couch again, a little out of sorts. He had no idea what was on TV but it looked very boring. Something about trucks. He looked around the living room, again noticing how newly moved in it looked. Not that his and Chad’s place would ever be featured in any interior design magazines but at least it looked lived in. Here the walls were bare, the furniture were scarce and there were boxes labeled ‘BOOKS’ and ‘CDS’ littering the floor. It was a shame because it was a really nice house that could be made to feel like an actual home if Jensen just put in a little effort.

He was already rearranging some of the furniture in his mind when Jensen came back, wearing a black apron with the words “Sexy & Single” printed on front. “It should only be about twenty minutes,” he said, still looking awkward. “Hope you like chicken and pasta.”

“My favorite,” Jared said happily.

Jensen gave him a suspicious look. “Really?”

“Dude, any food I don’t have to cook myself is my favorite,” Jared assured him. “So I guess that answers my question,” he dared to add. “The single part, I mean, the sexy one I’d already figured out.”

Jensen flushed red, blinking rapidly. “What?”

Jared gestured at the declaration on his chest. “Talking about fashion…”

Jensen looked down, clearly confused, but then his face broke out into the most wonderful smile that would have had Jared’s knees buckling if he wasn’t already sitting down.

“My so-called best friend gave it to me last Christmas.” Jensen chuckled. “It came with a chef hat that says ‘Gay Man Cooking’. She swears she found it like that but I’m pretty sure she had it special made.”

“She sounds like a great friend,” Jared said wistfully. Last Christmas Chad gave him a month’s subscription to Playboy.

Jensen smiled fondly. “She is. The best,” he said and walked back into the kitchen, leaving Jared on the couch, feeling happy Jensen had someone like that in his life and insanely jealous that that someone wasn’t him. Except for the girl part, he liked his dick way too much to exchange it for boobs. Both because he doubted they’d suit him but also because it would put a rather abrupt halt to all he things he wanted to do to Jensen with said dick, things he was pretty sure Jensen would also appreciate more than boobs.

Continued in Part 3