Mountie Duck, part 2/3
ART POST || MASTER || PART 1 || PART 2 || PART 3
Jared doesn't see Jensen for three days.
He sees him again Tuesday, when he's arguing with an woman quite advanced in her years, trying to sound reasonable even though it's the fourth time he's said it: "Ma'am, you can't carry your ice cream into America."
"Young man," she says. "I've been carrying my ice cream into America every morning since 1965. And what's more, I bought this from the tourist shop and they assured me I would be allowed to bring it over, so I will proceed to do so."
Miss Gray waves her ice cream cone with conviction.
"Fine," Jared says. "But the weather's getting cold, I don't want you getting sick."
She frowns at him, gives him a chilly hug, and then leaves. There are a lot of rules that he has to abide by. He looks over to Aldis for support, but he's talking with Alona. Adrianne gives him a thumbs up from her booth, though.
A Mountie is brave and a Mountie is fair, Mountie in Chief Ferris explained once, but it is really Aldis who takes it upon himself to teach Jared all he needs to know. He told Jared how the newest recruit has to sing the opening song when he arrives at the station every morning and then muck out the Mountie stables, and how Mounties were allowed to give out tickets with America's Hat gift cards to people who are caught doing especially good work in the community.
"Deal with that sort of thing often?"
Jared turns. Jensen is next in line. He's stealthy as usual, and really very attractive. Jared goes warm all over just seeing him, but reins it in; just because he and Jensen are both past and/or present sex-workers and Jared thinks they could get along really fucking well, doesn't mean Jensen hasn't gotten him nearly fired a time or two.
In fact, Jared fights a grin so hard he frowns when he says, "Sometimes people won't hug me at all."
Jensen passes his passport over, and says, "Sorry, man. That must really suck for you."
"Thanks." Jared runs a finger over Jensen's information which he knows by heart, and then returns it. "You're good." He steps around the booth and opens his arms, somehow doubting that a quickie in a bar amounts to absolute trust. He tries anyway. "Hug?"
Jensen raises an eyebrow and turns to go.
"Hang on a second," says Alona. "Is that-"
Jensen says, "Oh shit," and does an about-face to step right into Jared's open arms.
"Oof." Jared is so unprepared for this.
Jensen is solid and warm against him, burying his face in Jared's shoulder, the curve of his back fitted perfect under Jared's hand. Even though one of his sole preoccupations has been trying to hug Jensen, Jared had never expected to succeed, not really. But here Jensen is, tucked in like a kitten, and he gets a full-body shimmer feeling when Jensen's hair prickles his neck.
Peripherally, he hears Aldis say to Alona, "What is it?"
"Oh, nothing," she says. "I thought I saw this guy that I- don’t worry about it."
Jensen smells like aftershave and something sharp, almost like what Jared would imagine gunpowder to smell like. Jared has his eyes closed and no idea how long this hug has gone on for. It has definitely surpassed seven seconds and is moving deep and quick to unprofessional. It's long enough for him to relax into it, to note how Jensen is the perfect height and hard in all the right places. In fact, all of the places. He shifts and Jensen tucks in closer, almost like he's hiding rather than just suddenly down with the law.
"Dude," Jared snickers. "That a gun in your pants or you just happy to see me?"
As they are currently pressed together from knee to shoulder, Jared can feel exactly how that statement hits, when Jensen goes completely rigid in his arms. He mentally kicks himself.
"Sorry," he says - because of course you don't make dick jokes when a guy's finally allowed you to get your arms around him - but Jensen's already pulling back stiffly.
"No, you're right," Jensen says, not meeting Jared's eyes. "I'm just really happy to see you. Totally not a gun. I'll be going now."
"Wha-"
"Jensen Ackles!"
It's Alona.
"Shit," Jensen says again.
Alona is stalking toward Jared's booth, which is confusing, and Jensen is frozen in place.
"It is you!"
Jensen pulls up a jacket collar, but it only covers his chin. He says, "Not Jensen Ackles, you must have me confused with someone else."
Alona squints at him, and Jensen looks at Jared, eyes pleading, then steps closer and throws his arm around Jared's waist. Jared melts a little, due to having achieved twice in one day what he's been trying to accomplish for weeks.
"Just visiting my boyfriend," Jensen says, followed by, "I'm a Canadian."
Jared gives the top of Jensen's head a look that is incredulous. For his part, Jensen shrugs and smiles up at him, something open and unworried.
"Yeah," Alona says. "I guess I was confused. You looked familiar."
"Just have one of those faces, I guess."
She blinks. "Yeah. You do look a bit different from the guy I'm thinking of, and your accent is completely different. Huh."
She wanders back to Aldis, and when Jared looks down, Jensen smiles again and squeezes his waist. "I'll see you later, baby."
He disengages and walks away at a quick, casual stride.
It takes a couple seconds but then Jared breaks out of his shock and leaves his post, jogging to where Jensen's dangerously close to the dotted line.
"No, wait!"
He grabs Jensen's arm, and then ducks in and says, low, so no one else can hear, "One blow job and you're ready to get married?"
"Shut the fuck up," Jensen whispers back. He jerks away, and steps into America.
Jared watches him go.
When he wanders back to his booth, Alona and Aldis are looking very pleased with themselves.
Alona puts a hand on her hip, back to her usual self. "Boyfriend, huh?"
Jared feels surprisingly disappointed saying it. "He's not my boyfriend."
"Told you," Aldis tells Alona. "There's been a lot of sexual tension."
"No, really," Jared says.
"Oh I see," Alona says. "This whole time he's been playing hard to get."
"Gotta catch up, man."
Jared has a bad feeling about this. He hears Aldis tell Alona: "You owe me twenty bucks. As in, dollars. As in, American."
"Fine," Alona grumps. She pulls a twenty out of nowhere and hands it over. "The exchange rate is nearly one to one anyway. Gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Have fun at work!"
They watch her go.
"What does she even do?" Jared asks.
"I have no idea." Aldis sighs happily before he snaps himself out of it, and says, "Really, Padalecki? This from the guy teasing me about dating a civ?"
"I guess so," Jared says. He feels very uncertain. "Anyway, you guys aren't even dating."
"The girl's a bombshell, I'll take what I can get."
Jared's intercom buzzes. It's Mountie in Chief Ferris.
"Good work, Mountie Padalecki."
Jared presses the red button to respond. "Thanks."
That night, Jared sits in the center of their giant sofa, one arm along the back, the TV flickering on low volume. His legs are splayed out under the table and he's resting a cold beer against his thigh. It is his thinking pose.
Chad takes one look at him and demands, "What's going on? As your manager, it's my job to know."
"You're not my manager anymore, dickwad."
"Whatever." He comes into the room and throws himself into the embrace of their fluffy armchair. "As your roommate, then."
Silence descends.
Eventually, Chad drums his fingers against the arm of the chair. He hums under his breath a little and puts a foot up on the coffee table, before saying, "Jared, are you involved in anything illegal, morally dubious, or otherwise under the table?"
"No."
"Last time you said you hadn't been involved in something, we ended up not getting served drinks half the days of the week."
"So Danneel didn't take it very well- it was my first week on duty, and Aldis totally told me that I was allowed to give people tickets for being awesome waiters-in-line. I really freaked her out for a second."
"Dude, there are two people in town we should absolutely suck up to, and you ticketed one of them."
Jared shakes his head. "Anyway, I'm really not doing anything illegal. Remember the pact?"
"Yeah, I remember our pact. The question is, do you?"
"Hell yes I remember it!"
It had involved swearing in hushed voices, knee deep in snow, Chad whispering, 'We're going to put this shit behind us,' breath puffing icy between them. Chad leans toward Jared now, a mirror of that day.
"Are you sure though? Because it sounds like you're having second thoughts."
"I put that shit behind me once we crossed the border, just like we said. You know me, man."
Chad waves him off. "Yeah, yeah. Okay, all right. Then what are you all depressed about?"
Jared leans back again, beer to thigh. "Remember how I blew that guy in the storage room?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
Jared had gotten wasted just after and told Chad all about it.
"Well," Jared says. "Now he's telling everyone we're dating."
"Everyone who?"
"Work people."
"He came to your work?"
"Well, yeah, he's the hug guy."
Chad looks impressed. "Wow, perseverance pays off." Then, he frowns. "Hang on! I thought you said you put that shit behind you?"
"It wasn't for money!"
"Oh," Chad settles back into his chair. "Right. And now he's telling people you're his boyfriend?"
"Yes."
"You're serious."
Jared raises his eyebrows and nods, like would I joke about something like commitment?
Chad makes a gesture. "Well. Uh. Isn't it usually supposed to be the opposite? You blow a guy for years and he still tells everyone you're just football buddies?"
"That's what I thought." Jared is deeply confused. "Maybe he's using this as some sort of leverage."
"Nah. What do you even have that he wants?"
Jared inclines his head in agreement. "But he did lie about his name and he said he was Canadian, so it's gotta be something."
"Well, you said you thought he was in the business, right? Obviously he doesn't want his name out there. If this chick recognized him, it's no wonder he got all defensive. No one wants to be a public prostitute."
"Huh." That makes sense; Jared had ducked a couple people in his time.
"Look, Jay. Guy's weird. No crime in that. So cut him some slack. He's one of us. Probably needs a friend."
"Yeah...."
"And if people touch him, like, for work, it would suck balls to cross the border that often and get molested on top of that, you know?"
Chad always puts things in perspective. If Jensen needs a friend? Well, Jared can do that.
Jared is going to go about things in a more level-headed way, how he should have in the first place. And like Chad said, if Jensen's one of them, then he and Jared will be able to understand each other the way only people who've made a couple years' living off sleeping with people of all gender, manner, and legal age can.
Jared's completely working, though, really relaxed, taking things as they come. He'll deal with Jensen when he comes through the line. If he comes through the line.
Aldis waves at Jared while he's hugging some girl and telling her to have a good day. "Yo."
"Yeah?"
"Alona wants me to ask you if you if you've ever lived in the US?"
This almost throws Jared off his game. He looks over a passport and not at Aldis.
"Nah," he says, voice surprisingly steady.
He wonders if maybe Jensen told them, if it had slipped out somehow or if maybe he'd done it on purpose. But that would only implicate Jensen as well, and Jared doesn't think he'd do that.
"Were you ever involved with the government?" Alona asks.
"What?"
Her eyes are strangely intent on Jared. "You said you hadn't always been a Mountie."
Jared can't remember telling her that, but he kind of runs off at the mouth sometimes. "Nope," he says.
"Were you ever involved with higher-ups in the American government?" she repeats. "Or perhaps a head of any influential head of a company or organization?"
"Is it actually okay for you to hang around here?" Jared asks. "Don't you have a job or something?"
She smiles. "It's a simple enough question, Mountie Padalecki."
Aldis slaps his booth. "She's so funny."
Jared goes for joking, but maybe misses it by one point six kilometers. "Sorry, but I can only release that information with permission from my past employer." Who is probably wasted, playing Red Dead Redemption right now at their apartment.
Jensen arrives then, of course. Jared had been preparing to clear the air, but now he smiles at Jensen with heartfelt relief. Jensen considers Jared then darts a look at Alona. He's got good instincts. He angles in close over the booth while Jared checks his passport.
"How's your day going?"
"Good, good."
Jared is aware of Alona watching them, but for now he feels protected. He smiles ruefully at Jensen, who raises an eyebrow.
"So," Jared says.
Jensen waits, doesn't leave. Of course, Jared is holding his passport, but still. Now is as good a time as any. And Alona doesn't know anything, Jared is just paranoid.
"So. Uh." He fumbles. He has absolutely never been nervous around anyone since he was seventeen, praying to god he could get to second base after the game. He reminds himself he just wants to hang out with Jensen, and he takes a breath. "So, the Hat. That coffee shop over there."
They both look out the station, then back to each other.
"Let's go some time," Jared says.
Jensen stares at him.
Jared rolls his eyes. "I mean, we are dating and all."
Jensen's mouth quirks, but if he's going to say anything, it's cut off when Alona suddenly says, "Jensen Ackles!"
Jared looks past Jensen's shoulder.
"Mountie Padalecki," she says. "Show me that man's passport."
Affronted, Jared tells her, "I am not permitted to show one border goer's personal information to another border goer. By Mountie code, I'm sure."
Alona marches up. "Ackles, it is you. Don't bother lying, I can recognize you, even under that ridiculous toothbrush mustache that’s taking over half your face."
There's a beat during which Jared looks at Jensen and Jensen looks at Jared, and then Jensen turns.
He rips off his mustache, and they all wince.
"Fine," he says, after collecting himself. "I recognize you, too, even though you're wearing shoes and we no longer have the same haircut."
Alona stares at him. "What are you doing here, Ackles?"
Jensen has been made; there's really no question in Jared's mind.
Jensen's keeping it together admirably though. He says, "Of course you'll remember that thing that happened?"
Alona nods almost imperceptibly. "I do. Everyone does."
"Well, it didn't actually happen. And I felt honor-bound to make it right."
"Why?"
The first hint of emotion enters his voice. "You know why."
There is a long pause. Jared would be more fidgety about this happening at his booth, but he's dying to know how this is going to turn out, and also his line of border crossers has rerouted itself to Aldis's by itself. His line is smart and wonderful, as always. If he had enough in store, he would give them all Hat gift cards.
As it is, Jared tries to fade into the background and let this run its course. He sneaks looks at Jensen's mouth. It is a very nice mouth, one he'd never gotten a good look at before.
"All right," Alona says.
"Really? You'd do that."
Alona points at him. "I'll let it go, but you only have two weeks."
Jensen's face goes to mock surprise. "Why, Tal... is this a truce?"
"It would seem so."
She holds out a hand. Jensen stares at it, before slowly placing his hand in hers and squeezing. The handshake seems to be less about burgeoning goodwill and sealing a deal, and more about seeing who folds first.
Jared keeps watching until he feels compelled to intercede; there is no reason for this to get awkward.
"Well." He spreads his hands. "What's a little deception between friends, am I right?"
They both turn to him, like they're surprised he's still there, and then share a look Jared cannot parse.
Alona says, "But Jensen. Remember, I'm not the only one who knows you're here."
"Duh," Jensen says.
Alona leaves without a backward glance, Jensen staring after her, Jared idling by his side.
Aldis leans over his booth and shouts after her, "Have a good day at work, babe!"
Jared thinks maybe this whole thing should be unsettling, but it's only on a visceral level, upper-lip sympathy, and Jared isn't surprised to find that he still thinks Jensen is a pretty worthwhile guy. Jared's always had that problem, he goes with his gut.
Jensen finally turns.
"So," Jared says, breaking the moment. "Still taking me out to coffee?"
"Freeloader," Jensen says.
"Friday?" asks Jared.
"Okay." He looks Jared over, and Jared suddenly gets this overwhelming urge to take his hand and do something completely uncalled for.
It hasn't even crossed his mind to grab Jensen into a hug while he's within reach, because worrying about the job at a time like this, Jensen recently exposed, would be stupid. Now, though, Jared steps around his booth and Jensen raises an eyebrow like he's at least somewhat impressed by Jared's tenacity. Jared spreads his arms wide and announces his intentions to Jensen and the room at large, so that when Jensen evades him again, at least Jared won't be given another demerit: "By Mountie code I am required to give you a hug."
"I don't think so man," says Jensen, and the look on his face is totally relief. "But it's admirable that you keep on trying."
"...admirable."
"You know...." Jensen says, walking backward out of the country with his hands shoved deep in his pockets. "Honorable, and funny, or something. Keep up the good work."
Jared asks, "Is it working? You impressed?"
A smile crooks Jensen's mouth, small but unmistakable. "What do you think?"
Jared should be focusing on his job, on upholding Mountie tradition and on not getting fired. Instead he's reeling, happy. Without his mustache, Jensen's chuckle seems friendly, rather than malicious, and Jared, watching Jensen from across the booth, finds that he really likes the change.
Unrelatedly, Jared does one hundred and fifty pushups before their five o'clock meet up Friday night.
"You ran 6k this morning and picked up the frozen ham a lot like it was a weight," Chad tells him. "In case you didn't notice."
Jared hadn't noticed. It's no big deal, though. He works out all the time.
"I told my viewers that you finally have a date," Chad says. "They send you their well-wishes."
"That says a lot, coming from a bunch of science nerds."
"They're not science nerds. They're enthusiasts." Chad has always been very interested in chemistry, with a special leaning toward explosives, and when they'd gotten to Canada he had started ordering supplies and producing two-minute segments debunking or confirming stuff seen on TV. It has also turned into something of a confessional.
"Well, tell them thanks," says Jared. "But it's really not a date."
He may or may not wear his favorite old t-shirt that night, too, and a jacket that's weirdly stylish, and it's possible his stomach keeps jumping in anticipation. But it's no big, he just hasn't been on a date-shaped thing that didn't involve being paid four figures since middle school. In fact, getting coffee with the hottest guy in the universe who is kind of a jerk is pretty much the most romantic thing that's happened to him since his first kiss, which was in an actual tree when he was twelve.
When he gets to the Hat, he can't immediately spot Jensen. He idles by the display case and says hey when Kim comes by.
"Hey darling, what can I get you?"
"Nothing, I'm just waiting for this guy."
Kim is Jared's favorite, not because she drizzles caramel hearts on Jared's whipped cream, even when he doesn't ask, but because she is exceedingly nice.
"Well, you tell me when you need something."
Jared suddenly understands the phrase 'steps out of the woodwork' because Jensen appears out of nowhere, and the walls are made of wood.
Jared starts. "How do you do that?"
"Oh, you know. Extensive training."
Jensen smiles. Jared's heart clenches. This could be serious.
"So," Jared says. "Coffee. I know you like it, you always have a cup with you."
"Well, it is listed as my only weakness," Jensen says.
"Listed?" He laughs.
Jensen stares at him. "Yeah. Did you pull my file, or are you that observant?"
"Just observant, I guess."
Jared shoves his hands in his pockets. Jensen idles. A phone rings.
"That you?"
Jensen pulls it out and looks at the screen. "Yeah."
"You can answer it," Jared says, unsure if Jensen's trying to stand on date etiquette.
"Oh, I never answer."
"Should I ask why?"
"It could be anyone," Jensen says. "Obviously."
Jared grins and repeats, "Obviously. Paranoid bastard," and feels overly fond, and then it's their turn to order.
When Jensen and Jared get their double Americano and soy salted caramel triple-shot, respectively, they step out into the cold evening.
Jared sucks down some whipped cream and says, "You look good without the mustache."
Jensen kicks a rock and says, "Yeah, it was a hassle. I hate disguises."
Jared laughs.
"What?"
"Nothing," Jared says. "I just like that you call them that."
"Yeah, I guess yours is more like a stripper costume than a disguise."
"Hey," Jared jokes. "I've stripped before, but that's not part of the job description."
Jensen smiles at him, and that fucking mouth, Jared could cream his pants right now.
Jensen suddenly yawns, hiding it behind his cup. "Man, I'm glad we're getting coffee."
"Tired?"
"It's been a long day. And I didn't sleep much last night. I stayed up all night with a client."
Jared says, carefully, "Odd hours come with the job. It's not exactly nine to five."
Jensen answers just as carefully, "True."
They sneak glances at each other. Jared is ninety-five percent sure they're on the level with each other, that Jensen knows about Jared's past and Jensen's admitting his. Maybe ninety-eight.
"So," Jensen says. "When you said you weren't a real Mountie-"
"Dude." Jared frowns meaningfully. He shoots a glance to passersby who could not care less. He tells Jensen, "I'm kind of undercover."
Jensen seems to catch Jared's meaning. It could still totally be Jared's imagination. "Yeah? So...you're in the business?"
He asks it, and then waits. Watching Jared. Face still impassive. Holy shit.
The realization hits Jared like a truck. He breaks out into a grin. "Yeah. I mean, used to be. I thought you were, but I wasn't certain. No freaking way! What are the odds?"
"Now who's telling the whole street about it?" Jensen says him, but his mouth totally twists into the approximation of a smile when Jared laughs out loud, and it's great.
"You know," Jared says. "I used to tell myself that even if it wasn't glamorous sometimes, it's respectable. You know what they say, it's the world's oldest profession."
Jensen furrows his brow. "Do they say that?"
"Yeah. I mean... hired out to deal with soldiers since the beginning of written history. Used to get information out of people." Actually, in his mind, being a prostitute used to sort of feel like being a spy.
It's Jensen's turn to sound pointed, like he's agreeing. "We've been sort of invisible throughout history, haven't we."
"Totally. It's really misunderstood by the public. People have all these false ideas about how we're supposed to be, really stereotyping a group of people based on their employment. And it's hard work! Man, this one time-"
He stops. He realizes he's babbling, pleased that Jensen has more or less confirmed it and finally opened up to him, but somehow it makes Jared feel a little disappointed as well. He imagines Jensen with faceless men across the country, even women probably, and suddenly realizes how people must have felt when they found out about Jared. Not that he's told anyone, not really, but if he did ever try to date anyone, get serious, he suddenly realizes how they would have felt.
They're walking by a park now. There's a pond, frozen over, and a yellow slide. Jensen gives him a conspiratorial look, something dark, a look of understanding. Something in Jared loosens up.
He knocks Jared's shoulder with his. "Where are we walking?"
Jared slows and smooths the unwrinkled collar of Jensen's jacket, then tugs him by it, saying, "C'mere."
Jensen moves with it, and Jared dips his head in like it's nothing, only to be stopped by a hand on his chest, not a move to feel his awesome pecs, but to shove him away.
"What the hell?" says Jensen.
"Oh, I thought-" He thought they'd make out against the tree maybe and then they'd go from there.
"We already talked about this," Jensen says. "No kissing on the mouth. You know why that's a bad idea."
"Oh, yeah, right." Jared says, "I'm six months clean. I put that all behind me."
Jensen squints at him.
Jared hurries to say, "But I'm not looking to date anyone." He's not.
"Okay?"
Things get uncomfortable real fast. Until Jared says, "My apartment's one block over."
"Good idea."
Chad's out and the place is as messy as it always is. Jared switches on the lights and grabs them a drink, and when he comes into the living room, Jensen has the picture frame flipped over on the bookshelf.
"Oh, that's-" Jared doesn't exactly want to go into it.
Jensen looks understanding, setting the picture back down. "Infiltrating American politics?"
"Yeah," Jared says. "Or something."
"We going to stand out here talking about my international fame, or...."
Jensen pulls off his shirt. Then pulls Jensen into his room.
With Jensen in his bed, it's hard to feel like this is nothing. Jensen lets Jared finger him open until he comes and ends up giving Jared a hickey on his bicep, of all things.
"Where did you put my other shoe?" Jensen asks him, when he's suddenly getting dressed and Jared's still half under the covers, half blissed out. He gets up on an elbow and sees the boot behind the door but waits until Jensen finds it himself, because he likes the view.
"I have to work," Jensen tells him.
"Clients to please, and all that?"
Jensen lets out a bark of laughter. "It does feel like selling yourself to the man, doesn't it?"
"No argument there. That's pretty much exactly what it is." Jared's smiling. "You know what?"
Jensen waits by the bedroom door.
"This time I'll let you off easy," Jared says, and doesn't try to hug him.
Jensen slips out while Jared's turning off his alarm.
"So, banging Ackles." This is Chad's intro when he throws himself onto the couch next to Jared the following morning.
Jared says, eyes glued to the screen and a mouth full of Jelly Bellys, "No, we didn't actually do that."
He is playing Red Dead Redemption, solo. He hasn't showered and his breakfast was a banana and a liter of Sprite. Thank god for Saturdays is all that can be said at this juncture.
Chad nods, sympathetic. "Because it would be too gay." Mock face of surprise. "Oh wait-"
Jared snorts. "No, because we're both in the business. We can't get involved." He does air quotes.
"You're not anymore."
Jared shrugs, doesn't say anything.
"Unless-"
There's that question hanging in the air again, and Jared glances at Chad quick before looking back to the game out of necessity. "No, for the love of- I still haven't been sleeping around for money again, if that's what you're asking."
"Good, because you know where that shit gets you."
"For the last time, douche pimp, you were the one who booked the job."
There's an extended lull in conversation in which Jared shoots a bunch of outlaws on screen, but he and Chad are both thinking back to that other life. How they'd made bank, but how it was better that it was over. Probably.
These things come and go, he tells himself. He's a flexible guy. All he's ever wanted out of life is enough money to feed himself and enough time at home to play video games with friends, and he's pretty much got that now.
"Speaking of banging," Chad says. "For my last show, I tried to demonstrate a very delicate chemical reaction."
"I know, I watched it."
"Well, one of the upstairs neighbors may have called the cops. The Cease and Desist letter is on the fridge."
"Badge of honor," Jared says. "Please don't get us kicked out of Canada, though."
"I shall do my best." Chad grabs a remote and says, "Douche pimp, huh? You know, that's what I should have called myself."
Jared snorts. "Yeah, well, too late now. Unless-"
"No, I did not start another prostitution ring! I can't believe you're even asking!"
"Just checking, man."
Mustache gone, Jared cannot stop noticing Jensen's mouth.
"Noticing?" says Chad. "More like staring."
Jared snorts. "Why do I tell you these things?"
"I keep asking myself the same question," Chad tells him. "Please realize that you are pathetic and obsessed."
Jensen's currently across the bar, getting drinks from Louis. Jared stares at him. Not obsessed.
Although, Chad was a psych minor and is randomly insightful. And Jared is absolutely fixated. He's usually just pretty easygoing, gets along fine, but somehow being told that he's not allowed to have it is really messing with his head. He had a dream a day or two ago about swimming, pulling himself through a dark and cold pool until he reached the edge where Jensen was waiting. He dreamed about kissing water off Jensen's lips and Jensen tugging him down and teaching him to breathe underwater.
"I wonder if he uses chapstick," Jared says. "His lips look really soft."
"This is not work, Jared. I don't need to hear any details."
"Why is he here?" Jared wonders.
"He has to come here. It's the one bar in town. Although he's totally distracting our bartender. Where are the free drinks? I can't pay for this shit, I don't have a job!"
"I don't know, maybe he's playing hard to get," says Jared, looking back to where Jensen is being talked at by Louis, looking impassive.
"He gives us both free drinks, if you hadn't noticed."
"He only gives me free drinks when you're standing right next to me."
Chad waves this off. "He's obviously a fan of the show."
Jared isn't usually the most talkative of guys, but this whole thing, this issue, is really annoying. "Look, it's like- It's not that I actually want to date the guy. I don't date."
"Right," Chad says. "Because you start spitting out poetry? And I'll turn you in myself."
Jared says, "I'd ask you to, believe me. But this is just... It's like, I don't know how to explain it. It's like every porno about cocksucking lips suddenly makes sense."
Now that Jared's thought of it, it's totally an apt way of describing Jensen's mouth.
"Nice," Genevieve says. She's taken to going out with them, even though she hasn't exactly been won over by Chad.
"Oh, thank god," Chad says. "Tell her, not me."
"I'm not your friend," she says. "This is a business relationship. I own your apartment, and you beg me to let you stay, even though the recycling was left out again this weekend."
"He's obsessed," Chad tells her. "Like, full-blown. And when I say blown...."
"I don't actually care. I really don't." She looks over. "No offense, Jared."
"None taken," Jared says. "Hey, Genevieve."
"Hey," she says. She leans over the bar, watching Danneel who is pouring drinks at the opposite end.
She goes cute when Danneel comes to serve people near them, but then steps behind Jared.
"I have to go," Genevieve says. "To the bathroom."
When she's gone, Danneel narrows her eyes and actually speaks to Jared. "I used the giftcard."
"Sorry again about that," he says. "I think one of my buddies at the station exaggerated a little bit and I believed him."
That seems to be the end of that conversation. But she's still standing there. "What are you doing here?"
"Cheering up my boy," Chad says.
Jared confirms. "He actually is."
He glances over at Jensen and then goes to peel the label off his beer, mouth tugging into a frown, a real one. A new beer slides across the bar top. He looks up and Danneel says, "You're friends with Genevieve," and leaves them to it.
Chad shakes his head. "We're lucky she has the hots for Gen."
"She's like a god," Jared agrees. "An angry god. We basically brought her a sacrifice. Gods love sacrifices."
"You tell your boy that, he'll think you're real romantic."
Jensen's next to Jared, suddenly. "Tell me what?"
Jared jumps, totally on edge. "How do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Nevermind. Hey, this is my roommate Chad. Chad, this is Jensen."
Chad shakes Jensen's hand and says to Jared, "Yep. He totally looks the part."
"The part?" asks Jensen, and Jared sees it coming a second before Chad says it.
"Like a hooker," Chad says, and crunches a couple pretzels.
Jensen squints at him.
Jared, on the other hand, is mortified. You don't just talk about this sort of thing in front of everyone, not without express permission. Chad knows this.
"Chad!" He frowns. "What the hell, man?"
"Sorry, we not talking about this?"
Jared scoffs.
Chad nods. "I get it. No worries." He nods to Jensen. "Nice to meet you, man."
He slaps Jared on the back as he passes.
"Sorry," Jared says. "He shouldn't have talked about that here."
"To be clear, though," Jensen says, "You do think I look like a hooker."
Jared doesn't choke on his beer. He runs a hand through his hair to give himself a second, then says, "Yeah, well. If I wasn't getting it for free, I'd pay at least five hundred."
"Is that the going rate these days?"
"Canadian," Jared says. "Just to make that clear."
"Asshole." Jensen smiles.
It knocks the wind right out of Jared. He blusters a little, saying, "If I'd of known the way to get in your pants is to call you a cheap deal, I'd have...." He thinks back to the first time they'd met up at the Bar, the proposition. "Oh wait, I guess I did do that. Huh. Lucky me."
"Whatever, Padalecki." Jensen rubs a hand over his chin like he's considering covering the smile. "Hey, so."
"So," Jared echoes. His eyes track down to that mouth that's pink and parted a bit. Jesus, this is getting bad.
"Sorry I left the other night," Jensen says. "I had a thing."
Jared shrugs. "No explanation necessary, really. It's no big."
Because it's really not. Jared doesn't do expectation. Never does. He's realistic, he's-
Jensen rubs a hand over his mouth again. "So, there's this...soiree I have to go to this Saturday."
Jared gives a mental fist pump because fucking yes, he totally knew it! He leans against the bar, all casual. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah." Jensen looks around, anywhere but Jared. "It's kind of this fancy dress thing- your regular black tie. I thought, if you were free...."
Jared grins. "You asking me out?"
"Ha," Jensen says. "Very funny. Although, it's nice to be able to be honest with someone. You're the first guy I've wanted to talk about work with. Even one of the other guys on the job."
Jared was never embarrassed about what he did, but wasn't necessarily interested in talking each specific job out beforehand, either. He gets it.
"You're telling me. I totally get how hard it is to have an honest conversation about work. And anyone I tried to date before, the first question they ask is, 'so what do you do?'"
"Right?" Jensen looks relieved, more open than Jared's ever seen him. "Yeah, so, I guess what I'm asking is... come with me? I could use a sidekick."
"Sure, I'll be your sidekick." Jared rolls his eyes. "You a comic book nerd as a kid?"
"As a matter of fact I was."
"Don't worry, I was, too."
Jensen sobers. "It's all right if you don't want to, though. No hard feelings. I know you said you didn't do that sort of thing anymore, but like I said, I kind of trust you, man."
Jared's feeling warm and fuzzy until he isn't. "Wait...you're asking me to do a job with you?"
Jensen frowns. "Yeah? What, did you think I was asking you on a real date or something?"
Jared experiences a moment of violent disappointment that surprises him. "No, it's just... no."
"Oh."
Jensen's watching him and Jared makes the situation easier for both of them.
"I just realized I have a thing."
Jensen repeats, "A thing?"
"Yeah." It's a lie but it's worth it. Jared puts a hand in his pocket, taps the bar with the other and looks around. "Totally forgot. Y'all have a good time, though."
"Right, I totally understand," Jensen says. "Just thought it would be nice to have backup. Just forget I said anything, all right?"
"Yeah."
They stare anywhere but at each other.
Jensen says, "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you?"
"Yeah," Jared says. "Yeah, have a nice time. Take care of yourself."
"For sure."
Jensen probably wants to slip away like he always does, so Jared turns away so he can do it.
When he turns back, Chad's walking up with Genevieve to stand where Jensen had been five seconds before. Chad has a drink in-hand that was probably free. Louis is tracking him with his eyes and Jared feels jealousy, something sad.
"Where's the hooker?"
"Shut up."
"Let's have a barbecue," Chad says. "Gen, barbecue."
"Fine," she says. "Wait, what?"
"He wants people to follow their dreams," Jared says.
"Yeah, stop wasting your fucking time," Chad tells her.
"Wow, what an excellent, non-specific pep-talk. Also, you know nothing about my dreams, such as they are."
He says, "We're inviting Danneel."
She rolls her eyes. "Good luck getting her to come."
"Hey," Chad says to Danneel when she moves by them again. Genevieve disappears. "Come to our place, Saturday, one o'clock. Wear something hot."
Danneel rolls her eyes. Jared is struck by how she and Genevieve have similar facial expressions. Similar ways of speaking, too, and similar scariness. They would be absolutely perfect together.
"No," Danneel's telling Chad. "I'm not coming to your creepy party."
"It is not a party, it's a barbecue. And it's not for me, it's for Genevieve."
She stops walking away. "I'm listening."
"Look, it's not my place to say-"
"It's not."
"But she's in love with you, man."
Danneel frowns. "I'm not a man."
"Yes, we all know that." Chad sighs, which causes Danneel to frown and put out a hand. Chad begrudgingly pays her for the drinks. "Fine, it's none of my business. But just-"
Jared would not be a true friend if he didn't help a guy out when he was being shut down by the hot bartender.
"Look," he says. "Genevieve is a great girl."
Danneel frowns. "I know. She's exceptionally great. You think I don't know that?"
"Then what's the problem? She's definitely into you, even though you guys seriously avoid each other. And there's no way you're not into her, I've seen the way you look at her and how you're always giving her free drinks. So come!"
Danneel opens her mouth, probably to say no, but Jared can't deal with it anymore. He cuts her off. "Just give it a chance. Our place is-"
"I know where your place is."
"Okay." That could be weird, but Jared presses on, staying focused. "So, are you coming?"
"I... don't work that night."
"Believe me," Chad mutters. "We know."
She considers this. "What about Louis?"
They all look to Louis, who is drying glasses and attempting to look busy.
Chad squints, "What about Louis?"
Danneel shoots Jared a look. Jared gives Chad a discreet elbow jab to the ribs, hard.
Chad says, "Mother of- Okay, Jesus." He raises his voice, and Jared remembers why he likes the guy. He might be a giant douche sometimes, but when it comes to peoples' feelings, he plays nice. "Hey, Louis, right? You wanna join us for a barbecue this weekend? My man Jared's putting out."
"What?" Jared says.
Chad elbows Jared back, hard this time. Jared grits out, "Just because I'm not precious goods anymore doesn't mean you can-" But Chad's attention's back on Louis, who is wiping down the counter, looking pleased and weirdly embarrassed.
He says, "Yeah, man, I'd really love to. That's so great of you. Want me to bring anything? I got a special fish and chips recipe my family always makes."
Jared shoots Chad a look. Chad smiles tightly. "Yeah, whatever."
Louis's smile is pretty much blinding.
It is time to call home.
Jared's momma picks up on the third ring.
"Jared!" Her voice makes him more depressed than he'd expected. "How's business?"
"Business is...." His purported long-time, well-paying internship with a Texas-based multibillion-dollar oil company where at least half of his school went to work for has made his mother very proud. "Yeah, yeah, business is real good. Good or, I don't know, boring or something. Making money, though."
"I still don't see why you had to go all the way to Canada to work on this project," his mom says, and Jared feels a pang of homesickness. "They have shipping for a reason. And everything is outsourced these days."
Yeah, it had always been difficult to lie to his family about his job when he was a HCP, but talking around how he ended up as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is somehow more difficult to navigate.
"I told you, Momma, they transferred me, and I thought, I kind of could do with a change."
"I know, I just worry."
"How is everyone else doing?"
"Well, your father's gone real Home & Garden on me," she tells him, and then launches into a good-natured tirade about Jared's dad's choice of kitchen tiling.
Jared lets himself submerge in the familiarity, trying to ignore the horrible wrench of guilt at lying. It's old guilt, anyway. It's a sad truth, but the upside is, Jared has always been a people-person and he's really skilled at everything he puts his hands to. And he wasn't slumming it with creeps for petty cash. If anything, he was hanging off the arm of the upper echelon of society-creeps, who were willing to throw a ton of money at him for kinky sex and then a ton more to keep him quiet.
Over the three years he was at it, he grew out his hair a little and buffed up, he made enough to live pretty well and want for nothing, and now that he is done with it... well, all in all, he has very few regrets. Except now, with the frustration of being somewhere without being able to explain in context what is bothering him to his own mother.
His mom asks when he thinks he'll be home, which draws Jared up short. He's not sure when he's going to do about holidays. He's never spent a Christmas away, but now it looks pretty set in stone.
"I'll have to get back to you on that," is what he finds himself saying instead. He can't deal with that thought now.
"Jared, you're awfully quiet. What's wrong, baby?"
Jared tips his head back against the couch. He'd decided to ask her advice, but now he can't think of how to explain it.
"Well, there's this guy-" He rushes to amend, "Someone at work."
"Tell me more."
"He wants me to work on this project with him? It's no big deal. I just... he could probably use the help."
She waits for more, but when Jared doesn't continue, she says, "What's the problem then?"
"I'm not sure I agree with the terms?"
"Jared, you're being silly. You could always just ask. You have good judgment, and I don't think you'd be asking me if you hadn't made up your mind in some way."
"You're probably right." It's definitely part of the problem.
Having a barbecue was an awesome idea. It's cold-ish outside but that doesn't change the fact that it's a Saturday afternoon and they've got good music. Jared's on the balcony having a beer, just hanging out.
But his good mood dips a little when he sees Jensen come walking through the apartment parking lot. His chest hurts a little, even.
"What?" he says, mostly to himself. "Hell no. What is he doing here?"
Genevieve gives him a sidelong look from where she's grilling steak. "Aren't you two friends?"
"They're dating." Alona looks at him innocently. "You didn't break up did you?"
"Dating!" Genevieve looks almost embarrassingly excited for him. There is also a lot of disbelief there.
Jared frowns at Alona. "Uh, no, we didn't break up. I'm so glad he's here. Ahaha."
Danneel lights a cigarette. "You're a weird one, Padalecki."
That is a safe summation. Jared thinks about what his mom said, then goes back inside, past the living room where Aldis is on the couch watching hockey, and the kitchen, where Louis is happily gutting fish for actual fish and chips at a barbecue.
When Jared opens the door into the hall, Jensen's already at the other end.
"You're quick," Jared says.
Jensen comes toward him at a lazy pace. "Yeah."
Mrs. Mlakar comes up the stairs then, her arms laden with plastic shopping bags.
"Here," Jensen says. "Let me help you."
Jared wants to roll his eyes because of course his fake boyfriend who wants him to start sleeping with rich dudes again, maybe in a threesome type way, helps old ladies with their groceries.
Mrs. Mlakar says, "Thank you, young man."
And Jensen says something that Jared doesn't understand. Mrs. Mlakar smiles widely and puts a hand on Jensen's arm, and responds, laughing.
Jared is taken aback. "You speak Slovenian?"
Jensen shrugs. He walks Mrs. Mlakar to her door and says a few more things. Jared leans against the doorjamb and watches while Jensen ducks his head to receive a kiss on the cheek, and then Mrs. Mlakar leaves them alone in the hallway.
"So...."
"Call it a hobby," Jensen says. "I'm sure you picked up a couple languages here and there on the job."
"Not really. I guess I use body language more?" The few foreign diplomats who had hired Jared had spoken English at a very advanced level. Not that talking was necessary past the initial discussion about fees, safe consent, and proper protection.
He and Jensen are just idling in the hallway. Jared is trying to remain annoyed but Jensen just puts him at ease, it's inexplicable. "You ever think you're a little overqualified?"
"For what?"
"You know....the job? Like, how'd you even end up there, you know?"
Jensen looks bemused. "Same way as you, I'm sure: natural talent recognized by recruiters."
Jared laughs. "Guess you could put it that way? Anyway, I majored in engineering. Then, I got offered the job during junior year, and thought, hey, I could make some extra money. But, you know."
Jensen nods. "It's hard to quit."
"Yeah."
Jared had taken up hooking on the side. One week alone paid for his rent, utilities, and going out to eat for a month. He took a quarter off and just never went back.
"Anyway, I don't really regret it," Jared tells him.
"Oh yeah?"
"Nope. You?"
Jensen gets a faraway look in his eyes. "Every day."
And there's the edge. But Jared's not going to let regret fill up the hallway. It's not a good look on Jensen. Jared suddenly can't really fault the guy for asking him to work with him. Jared may be uncomfortable about the whole thing, but the idea of Jensen doing this against his will... but it's something that's out of Jared's control.
Jared jerks his head to the door. "So, I promised all my guests steak. And there's a game on."
Jensen follows him to the door. "Don't say it."
"What."
"Don't give me that innocent crap. I know how this goes. I totally think I got you down, only for it to turn out you're a Packers fan."
"When it's Saints vs. Packers, then yeah. Yeah, I am. Only through years of careful observation."
"Hey, Padalecki!" Genevieve says when they come in. She's across the room, holding up a picture frame. "Since when did you date?"
"Uh," says Jared. He looks to Jensen who looks back. "Make yourself comfortable."
He moves across the room. Freaking Chad.
Alona steps in next to her to take a look. "He's kind of old. Hang on, isn't that the senator of-"
"So!" Jared says. He pulls out his wallet. "Wanna see my horse? Her name's Apple. Well, she's not actually mine, but she's my favorite in the Mountie stables. I'm totally picking her when I get my riding credentials."
He's distracting them, expertly throwing them off the scent. He takes the picture frame from Genevieve's hands and pushes the picture of Adrianne cuddling Apple into her hands instead. Apple is somewhat squat, and a pretty brown color. She could win over anybody.
"Oh my god!" they both say.
Jared is a genius. He puts the picture frame under Chad's sciencey magazines.
"You and Danneel were really hitting it off on the balcony," he says, voice low.
She frowns. "I told you, it's not going to work. But it's really nice of you."
"I'm doing you a favor. Go talk to her."
Genevieve pats him on the shoulder and heads in the direction of the bathroom. Alona has disappeared somewhere without Jared noticing and so he goes out to the grill and grabs himself and Jensen some food, and then wanders in to the kitchen to get drinks. Louis is slicing potatoes on the cutting board on their one clean counter and debating with Chad over which came first, the hat or the helmet. Jared moves back into the living room.
Aldis waves a remote at him from the couch. Jared looks to Jensen who is spacing the fuck out, that much is obvious, eyes glued to the TV but unblinking, holding a beer against his leg. Aldis is talking at him about the hockey game.
Jared feels it his duty to interfere, save the damsel, maybe get a kiss for his troubles. He swings over the couch and slots in next to Jensen.
"Nice," Jensen says.
"I'm mighty flexible."
Jensen appears unmoved, save the side of his mouth twitching upward. It's very gratifying. Jared wants to taste it. But no, he's on a mission to do something for his country.
"Hey, Aldis," he says.
"Yeah, man?"
"Pass the remote, would ya? I need to check the game."
Aldis smiles. "What are you talking about? This is the game."
Jared smiles tightly back and Jensen clenches his jaw.
So, Jared is kind of an asshole. He snags the remote and changes it to football on the international channel.
"When you're suddenly on coffee duty next week, you'll know why," Aldis tells him.
"But we don't do coffee duty at the station."
"Exactly," Aldis says.
Jared shrugs and slings an arm along the back like he always does and turns the TV up a couple notches. The crowd's cheering, game in the third quarter. Jensen's knee knocks his and Jared looks over.
"Hm?"
"Bet you a handjob the Saints win."
"Oohhhkay," Aldis says, and leaves the room.
Jared watches him go, then settles back. "Nuh uh, Packers've got Rogers."
Jensen shrugs and says, "Doesn't change anything."
Jared isn't usually all that competitive, but this seems like a win-win. "Fine, you're on."
Jensen kicks up a boot to rest on the coffee table and angles a little to lean a fraction of a centimeter in Jared's direction.
Jared expects to spend the rest of the game getting increasingly worked up, noticing how close they're sitting and being happy they're just hanging out, but what really happens is Rogers makes a play and Jensen yells, "Oh come on!" and gestures to the screen and says, "That was a fluke." and Jared experiences the sweet rush of victory. Until fourth quarter when he has to concentrate completely.
"No, that was a fluke," he says.
There are four mistakes and a dirty play the ref neglects to call.
"Aw, come on," he shouts. "That doesn't count!"
"That not-counting thing's gonna get you on your knees real quick they keep it up," Jensen tells him.
"Whatever."
"Ahem."
They turn.
Danneel says, "Nice party, guys, but I gotta go."
"What! You just got here!" Jared turns more on the couch. "And what about...."
She grimaces. "You really don't know, do you?"
"Huh?"
Danneel pauses to shrug on her jacket. "It's nothing," she says. "It was a sweet thought, but I can't do this."
"But, Genevieve-" He hadn't even realized how much he cared, but he can see Genevieve sitting out on the balcony and it hits home.
"I know," Danneel says before she leaves. "Don't worry about it. I'll see you around."
"Wow." Jared feels like a total jerk.
"Yeah," Jensen says. "Wait, what's going on?"
"Wait here," Jared says. He gets up and goes out onto the balcony. Genevieve is staring into the middle distance, deep in thought.
"Hey."
She smiles at him.
"So I get the feeling you guys know each other."
"You're not a relationship counselor," she tells him. "And besides, we all have our personal sob stories. Not worth talking about."
"Come on," Jared says. "I'm a total gossip. You should see me and Aldis down at the station. We totally eavesdrop on everyone."
She clasps her hands over her knees. "Fine. Long story short, when I went away to college, I thought she wanted to break up."
"I got the feeling you two knew each other."
"Yeah, that's an understatement. And after that, I got really sad about it and didn't talk to her. Then, when I moved back, it had been a couple years, and we just didn't talk."
"But... this town is really small!"
"Believe me, I know."
"But she's right there! Giving you free drinks with cherries and generally acting like you're the best thing around. Okay, look. I'm not one to talk about my fucking feelings. But there's a girl there who loves you."
Genevieve laughs. "Why is this so important to you?"
"Fuck if I know. It's just...this is it. I know it. I can feel it." He doesn't know her at all really, but sitting with her here, he wants her to be happy. He says, "I mean, how stupid is that, but I believe it with all my heart.'
She's looking at him like he's an idiot. "Such a sap, Padalecki. I do this, you gotta promise me something."
"Of course."
"Fix things with Jensen. He's a weird guy, but I think he's into you, too."
Jared laughs. "Deal."
They look at each other until Genevieve laughs and Jared says, "Not that I want to kick you out of my party but-"
"Fine, I'm going."
Jared sits down on the couch next to Jensen after she leaves. He thinks about Chad getting all optimistic and starting fresh, how he's personally always thought it was a nice sentiment, but kind of a load of bullshit.
But maybe Chad's not wrong. And maybe Jensen's sitting next to him right now, needing Jared to help him out, and it might all turn out great.
Jared clears his throat. Jensen shoots him a glance.
"Okay," Jared says. "I'm in."
Jensen turns his head. "Huh?"
The least Jared can do is help him, give him all he can, and hope it makes him feel like a better person.
"Tonight," Jared says. "I'll come with you to that job you talked about. If you still want a sidekick or whatever stupid term you used."
"Sweet," Jensen says. "We need to leave in an hour."
Jared said he'd come, but it doesn't mean he has to love it. Some of the inspiration is wearing off, and he is leaning against the hotel table, arms crossed across his chest, feeling somewhat petulant imagining Jensen getting thrown down onto rich bedsheets by people who are not Jared.
"You sure you don't want to know the game plan?" Jensen calls into the room.
The bathroom door's cracked five inches, maybe seven, it's like Jensen doesn't even care if Jared's out here, doesn't care about modesty. Jared's not real modest, and Jensen apparently isn't either- you can't really be if you're in this line of work. Jared's trying hard not to get up and push the door open. He is a professional.
"I don't," he says. "I'm coming with you, but out of some misplaced sense of dedication that you haven't earned."
There's a pause that's pointed, probably amused, then, "All right, have it your way."
Jensen has been scarily pleasant since Jared agreed. Jared goes to take a seat on the bed. He wants to flop back and close his eyes and wake up to Jensen crawling over him, telling him that Jared damn better wake up and kiss him.
Despite the idea of Jensen sleeping with other people, Jared's kind of excited about the party. Well, the food. He used to go to these things when he was around fifteen, going with his parents. Jared had loved these kind of events. He had loved being the center of attention, ladies in sparkly dresses telling him what a nice young man he was. He loved hanging with all the kids and trying to seem formal and polite like their parents had asked, but, as the night progressed, skipping around in upstairs rooms, playing crazy games of hide and seek in big backyards.
He must be totally sunk in memories, and also Jensen has a stealth quality about him that always takes Jared by surprise, because suddenly Jared's jolted out of his own head to find Jensen bending over a table, writing out a note.
Jared half stands on reflex. Holy fucking shit, he thinks. Holy fucking shit on a stick.
Jensen doesn't notice, thank god, and Jared lowers himself back to sitting at the edge of the mattress again, adjusting his pants like he's sixteen and has never seen a hot guy in Armani before.
Jensen apparently doesn't even go bow tie, just eschews it completely and leaves the top two buttons of his shirt open. Jared surreptitiously loosens a cuff, then the other, because apparently the dress code is more roguish than he's been led to believe.
Jensen pulls on a jacket while Jared watches, a jacket that is crisp over a shirt that's crisper and white as the fresh-fallen snow outside. His hair is ruffled with gel and his mouth is so kissable and Jared clears his throat and stands and goes to the mirror to look himself in the eyes for a silent pep-talk. He's wearing a pretty sweet grey shirt that feels like a million bucks against his skin. He looks himself over, rubs a hand over his own mouth like the pressure will help at all, thinking, keep it together man, you're a professional.
When he turns, Jensen flicks his eyes up. Interesting.
"You checking out my ass?"
Jensen shrugs. "I'm dating a hotass, so sue me."
"Yeah," he says. "You remember that."
Jensen raises an eyebrow as if to say, so that's how we're playing it, huh? but only steps in and says, "Hey, you missed a cufflink."
His fingers brush Jared's wrist, obviously deliberate. Jared tries to hold his breath, because he gets a full body sensation of longing all the way down to his polished shoes.
"So," he says. "What exactly are we doing here? In general terms."
Jensen steps away to look at himself in the mirror again. "We're going to a party where we will convince the head of a deeply influential company into giving me precious documents he has in his possession. You will be posing as my date and distracting anyone who might accidentally happen upon me while I'm working. Then, we're going to make our escape out of the second-floor balcony window."
And if Jensen hadn't raised his eyebrows conspiratorially, Jared might have almost believed him. He laughs.
"Sure, sure. And you're the sexiest super spy around. You have a code name or something?"
"No, do you?"
"Some people call me Jay, I guess?"
"Good to know," Jensen says, but his attention is already elsewhere. "Okay, just think of it as helping me get to the man who holds my entire future in his hands. It's kind of important."
"That much money, huh?"
"Yeah," Jensen says. As they're walking out the door, he adjusts Jared's collar. "Now shut the fuck up and play your part."
"Yeah, whatever."
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