The One Where Mayhem Saves the Day...Sort of, R, J2
Instead, he slaps the hand offered in front of him and smiles. “Hey, man, I’m Chad.”
==
So when “It” all starts, it’s not like Chad has any issues with Jensen. Yeah, he’s shy, maybe a bit too stiff for him but he seems like a cool guy. Jared obviously likes him so the guy can’t be all that bad.
Then again, Jared’s always bitching about Chad as a friend so that doesn’t say much about Jensen.
Still, even if he did have issues with the dude, he would have to suck it up, or so Jared said - “He’s sticking around so don’t be mean and blah, blah, blah.” He thinks the last part is completely unjustified but he keeps his mouth shut to appease Jared for now. He’s saving up his douche points for later - he’s dying to tease Jared about sounding like a teenage girl desperately trying to convince her friends that her boyfriend really is a great guy.
So whatever, what are friends for, right? But he doesn’t really have to do that nice shit tonight; as it so happens, he and Jared are in L.A. at the same time for the first time in months. To celebrate, Jared had promised to meet him for some drinks the second night he’s in town, just chilling and hanging out. Which means, in Chad speak, a night of cooking up the best plans to leave Jared completely embarrassed and to the point of pathetic drunkenness.
All right, so maybe he shouldn’t be pranking his friend right away when he hasn’t seen him in months but come on, Chad’s a douche. It’s a reputation he has proudly accepted and therefore, will work hard to keep said reputation up. Jared’s learned to deal.
But ten thirty rolls around and his friend still has yet to show. He couldn’t have missed the guy, he’s a fucking Sasquatch after all so he heads towards the door of the joint. That gives him the opportunity to spring on him in a full fledged surprise attack - a brilliant plan, if Chad says so himself.
And lo and behold, he spots a Sasquatch by the wall next to the door. He smirks, patting himself on the back for his awesome victory, and pushes through the thick crowd. He wonders if he should pounce or just sneak up behind Jared and scare him that way (the latter requires more energy and patience than Chad really has). He’s leaning more towards the former when he sees his friend’s head tilt back in laughter, his body swaying close to something.
Huh. Clearly, Jared isn’t alone. Not that it bothers him; Jared just got back from cold-ass, lonely Canada, he’s probably brought Sandy along with him to maximize their time together. Not everyone is as fortunate as Chad is to work with his girl so he can see why Jared would invite her along. He might need to tone down his plans but it’s totally cool - he can attack Jared later.
However, once he gets a clear shot of his target, he doesn’t see Jared with a short, hot chick.
He sees Jensen. Not shy, stiff Jensen but comfortable, happy Jensen, leaning towards Jared like a reflection. Jared leans down to murmur something, sending the other man into more laughter. Chad’s only met Jensen once but he’ll bet that Jensen doesn’t act like that around just anyone. Either that or the guy is really fucking wasted.
He knows now is the time to jump out and make Padalecki close to pissing himself but when his eyes sweep over the two, he feels almost…weird for thinking of interrupting their little “moment.”
Then he snaps out of it, remembers he’s Chad Motherfucking Murray who ruins moments for a living so he lunges straight at his friend, screaming, “SASQUATCH!”
The moment is thus, ruined with a bang, and Chad has to listen to Jared calling him a douche bag five million times but it’s so worth it. Chad just grins and claps his friend on the back, basking in the glow of his success.
The strange moment lays forgotten in his mind.
==
Chad is really glad that he managed to fly up to Vancouver during his break because Mike’s parties? Are fucking awesome. Chad even admits he’s almost bitter that Jared gets more chances to attend these things than he does. He tried to tell Jared that once but Jared whapped him upside the head and told him to stop pouting (which, he obviously pouted even more when his head started pounding like a motherfucker).
Chad steps out of the shower and wraps a towel around his waist, grabbing another one to dry his hair. He isn’t happy that he has to keep it long like this - like Lucas needs to enhance his teen angst by looking like a heart throb - but he’ll manage to convince the producers somehow. The guy deserves a little manliness after the shit he’s been through.
But fuck that for now; he has to focus on one thing: partying until he blows his brains out. Tonight, Mike promised a hell of a goodbye party since Chad’s leaving tomorrow. And when it comes to parties, Mike never fails to deliver. All Chad has to do is throw on jeans and a t-shirt, drag Jared to Mike’s place, and proceed to have a fucking awesome night.
He changes into his clothes and ruffles his hair into a messy, tousled look, pleased with himself before leaving the bathroom. He walks down the hall, opening his mouth to shout Sasquatch’s name when he hears the door open and a muffled voice beats him to it, the jerk. But it’s Jensen and - oh yeah - he’s in Vancouver too. He’s also friends with Mike and Tom; it’s only natural he’d come along too.
Not like Chad’s complaining; at least the guy is decent enough to be ready on time, unlike a certain 6’4” giant. But Chad’s not pointing any fingers at anyone or anything. He would never do that to Jared.
“Jared?” he hears Jensen say again, voice tinted with amusement, “What are you doing?”
“You’re not supposed to know it’s me, fucker,” Jared huffs. Chad’s kind of amused and perplexed that his bud thinks he can’t stand out because come on, Jared. But Jensen’s next words answer Chad’s question.
“Your hands are fucking huge, dude. It’s hard not to know when you cover my eyes.” Chad peaks around the corner just in time to see Jared move his hands away with a pout on his face, making him look all of five years old.
“You like my hands and you know it,” the younger man says with a nudge to Jensen’s shoulder. Jensen snorts as he moves to lean against the counter lazily, his body now facing Jared completely.
“Who says bigger is better?” he remarks, an eyebrow quirked.
“Excuse me?” Jared says with that little high pitched inflection he gets when being challenged. Chad grins; he so knows where this is going. He’s only been telling Jared that for ages but Jared’s only answer is a swift smack to the head. He thinks it’ll be so much better (and much less painful) to see someone else get the same treatment. And who better than Mr. Maturity himself, the one and only Jensen Ackles?
He’s so involved in imagining each glorious detail perfectly that when he does pay attention again, he sees that maybe his glorious plan might not play out as he hoped.
He doubts trapping someone against the counter and looming over him rather closely doesn’t count as a smack to the head.
“Why Mr. Ackles, I do beg to differ,” Jared murmurs with a lazy smirk, hands placed close to Jensen’s sides on the counter top.
Wow. Chad…actually doesn’t have any words. That’s never really happened before but then again, neither has this. Yeah, yeah, Jared’s touchy feely and thinks hugs are the best goddamn thing since, like, sex and all but this is different than touchy feely. It sails past a friendly touch towards…well, something.
Okay, so Chad’s not known for his coherency; he’s got other talents, thank you very much.
The point is, this…thingy-ma-jig looks like it goes deeper than Jared’s “hugs for everybody!” attitude. Because yes, while Jared will happily give anyone a bear hug for no reason whatsoever, he certainly won’t trap just anyone against a counter. The two of them haven’t even moved! They’re just standing there in the same position, matching smiles that are just plain weird on their faces, and distantly, Chad’s wondering when the fucking rainbows are coming in. But no, no, Chad’s not going down that road because Jared’s straight, Jensen’s straight, and this is just Chad overworking his brain.
You know what, fuck it. Fuck. It. This is the second time Jared has made Chad have to think about these strange little moment…thingys and it fucking sucks. It’s ridiculous, is what it is and he has full plans to forget these little moments. So he pops out from the hallway in plain view, smirk firmly on his lips.
“Miss me bitches?”
Later at Mike’s, if Jared punches him in the arm just a little harder, Chad takes it in stride and doesn’t think about what it means. He just bitches about it even more.
==
Okay, so entirely forgetting those moments? Totally doesn’t work out like Chad wants it to.
Mostly because he can’t get it out of his fucking mind.
Jared’s driving him down to the airport on a rainy Sunday, rambling about this and that and “…that morning when you woke up with a bra on, fuck, dude…” when the words just pop out of Chad’s mouth: “Are you gay for Ackles?”
The silence in the car is just plain weird. It’s not awkward, not comfortable either, just weird. Chad knows he should probably follow up with an explanation or something but Chad thinks his words explain themselves.
Then Jared just bursts out laughing. “What the fuck, dude?” And now Chad sort of feels like a dumbass, which he just hates because then that means Jared can dangle this over his head for years. He can just picture it when they’re old (thirty five, forty he thinks) and Jared saying, “Hey, remember the time when you thought I was gay?”
“Just answer the question,” Chad says with a scowl because this gay thing has past its expiration date and he can think of a gajillion things that don’t involve his friend’s sexuality that would be so much cooler, and easier, to think about. It’s not like Chad gives a shit if Jared wants it up the ass - it’s just one more thing to tease him about, after all - but it’d be nice if Jared would actually inform him of such a drastic change. He figures once Jared answers the question, that’ll be the end, and Chad’s free, free from these stupid thoughts.
But Jared, the fucker, responds with, “You really think I’m gay for Jensen?” That doesn’t answer his question at all and if he wasn’t getting so worked up over this, he would have noticed the curious tone in his friend’s voice.
“Fuck yeah! I’ve seen you two and you guys act like little kids skirting around each other before you ask the other out. There’s just…” he flails about, trying to find a word for it, “tension dude! And if you’re gay, fine, whatever, just tell me next time, yeah?”
“Chad, I’m not gay.” Jared’s amusement is enough to make Chad shut up and cross his arms over his chest like he’s five. He doesn’t want to keep getting teased for this; his loss of dignity is so not worth it at all.
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
When they get to the airport and Chad’s about ready to head into security, Jared pulls him into his trademark Padalecki bear hug. Chad pats Jared on the back, smiling even while he’s rolling his eyes. Because they do this every time, it’s tradition and Chad’s happy to follow traditions, even if they are silly. Then he heads straight into the line, fumbles through security for ten minutes, and manages to get to the terminal in tact with thirty minutes before his flight leaves. Awesome.
He only thinks about that car conversation once. And it’s when he realizes that Jared never really answered his question.
==
The next time Chad sees Jared, it doesn’t even come up.
==
The next, next time Chad sees Jared, he has Jensen pressed up against the wall, kissing him like the guy’s his goddamn candy stash, breaking away only to allow drunken giggles slip out. They don’t even notice Chad.
Huh. Well that answers his question.
==
So the way Chad sees it, he has several different options on how to handle his good friend suddenly turning gay. Right now, he can only think of two of those options because it’s nine in the fucking morning and no one in their right mind would be able to think after the night he had.
So, the two options.
Option 1) He can be the good friend, sit Jared down for a nice heart-to-heart and remind him how making out with someone else (a guy) while you have a steady girlfriend is not a good decision. Chad knows this from experience, therefore he is fully knowledgeable on such a thing and therefore, he is the perfect guy to do this.
Option 2) He lets Jared be a big boy and find out for himself, sucker.
Option one seems like the right thing to do. Option two seems like the safer choice in terms of Chad’s life and possibly balls (hey, Jared’s not all kittens and puppies).
Chad sighs and groans, falling back down on the couch. If he had just made coffee this morning, he might have picked the safer choice.
Instead, he calls up Jared, laughs at him for the monster hangover he must be suffering from, and tells him to get his ass over to Kevin’s Deli at three.
Doing the right thing sucks. A lot.
==
“I felt so bad getting home as late as I did,” Jared groans, setting his sandwich down to grab a napkin, “Sandy told me she’ll get me back later.” He looks over at Chad warily yet his lips quirk up in a smile. “Think I should be scared?”
“Your pint-sized girlfriend? Dude, I’d be wearing a cup the next few days.” Chad smiles as Jared laughs in agreement but inside? Inside, he’s plotting various ways to murder Jared for making him feel like shit for what he’s about to say.
Chad hates Jared just a little sometimes.
“Course,” Chad continues, his eyes sliding over towards the tall blonde chick strolling past them, “I would be wearing a full suit of armor if she caught you making out with your co-star.” He doesn’t even look over at Jared. Mostly because he’s too busy watching the blonde turn the corner.
Finally, there’s some movement coming from Jared’s general direction and Chad waits for a few seconds before turning back to Jared. Jared, who’s looking like a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar and is facing the death penalty.
Chad rolls his eyes. “I’m not here to kick your ass, Jay.”
“Like you could kick my ass,” Jared mumbles but he seems more relaxed, resting his head on his hands. Chad ignores the fact that the statement is totally true - it’s not like he’d admit that out loud anyways.
“Seriously man, I just want to make sure you know what you’re doing, ‘cause this…thing sounds like something I’d do.” He pauses. “Minus the extra dick.” He gets a small smile with that remark but nothing more. Mentally, Chad throws his hands up in a defensive position, thinking that he’s made his point and if Jared wants to comment, he will. So he picks at his chips, sips his Diet Coke, watches people pass by, but draws the line at humming just to fill in the damn silence Jared’s letting them drown in.
When he’s about to just leave with the thought to never bring this up again, Jared finally opens his big damn mouth.
“I’m still serious about Sandy. This…” He trails off, licking his lips before peeking up at Chad through his floppy hair, “This is just messing around.” He seems confident of his answer. Looks it too. And Chad’s gotta give Jared credit because Jared would do a hell of a lot more thinking about this than Chad would.
“Messing around? That what you crazy kids call it these days?” He gets a snort for that one before he leans in, looking at Jared seriously. “Dude, seriously. I’m not here to judge or to tell you that you’re fucking up a good relationship. For all I know, Sandy already knows and is fine with it. I don’t care, I don’t need to know the details. But I’ve been noticing this shit since you started the show and if you can honestly tell me it’s just messing around, then I’m taking your word for it.” Jared looks as if he’s shocked his words but Chad just chalks it up to him being awesome and having the ability to be smooth with words; Jared’s never had the chance to appreciate him for that.
“I can’t believe you are the one actually trying to have a serious conversation,” his friend says finally and Chad rolls his eyes, smacks Jared’s head and picks up his drink to finish it off.
“Yeah, yeah, fuck you too,” he mutters, giving Jared a glare. Jared flashes an innocent look before it softens.
“Thanks man, for this.” Jared gestures between them (like it’s so hard to say ‘this talk,’ Jared, yeesh). Chad eyes him for a moment but knows deep down that it’s the end of the conversation. He’s got no reason to push this otherwise.
Plus, Chad’s earned his brownie points, did his good deed to humanity, he thinks he’s entitled to stop this before he springs tits and a pussy.
“All right, good. Let’s get going then, I hate to be seen in public too long around your ugly mug.”
The jury’s out: it’s just messing around. And he trusts Jared to know that himself.
==
Jared is a goddamn liar and Chad’s going to kill him because of it.
Fuck the fact that it’s been a few months and things change, Chad still thinks Jared hasn’t gotten the concept of telling your friends important shit.
All right, all right so Jared did tell Chad his plans to propose to Sandy and Chad did the usual friend routine a la Murray style: hug him, congratulate him, then proceed to give him a noogy and ramble off awesome plans for a bachelor party. And it’s okay for Chad to assume that the whole “Jared trying to be gay” thing would come to an end with said announcement.
But apparently not, because that’s where Jared being a goddamn liar comes into play - in two acts.
Act One: After Jared’s engagement announcement, they’re out in L.A., celebrating with pats on the backs and manly hugs for Jared on such a huge step. Sandy couldn’t make it tonight, Jared saying something about her wanting it to be a guy’s night. Still, he’s all dimples and white teeth, grinning so wide Chad thinks it’s permanently etched on his face. And well, why wouldn’t it be? The guy’s with his friends, he’s got a girl for life, and they’re out with a few beers. What more does Jared T. Padalecki need?
Chad watches him chat with the waitress in his friendly Texas-boy style but he catches his eyes occasionally slip away to scan the dark room as if he’s looking for someone. Apparently, there is something else his friend needs that isn’t here already.
Needy bastard.
Five seconds later, Jared’s double take tells Chad that he’s found whatever he’s looking for. And that grin, the one Chad had sworn could not fall off the dude’s face, loses a few watts when he zooms in on whoever his target is. Chad’s mouth is open to ask just who Jared’s expecting, body already twisting around to answer his own question when he sees Jensen standing at the entrance of the bar quietly, like he’s reluctant to take another step forward.
Chad turns back just to see Jared dismiss himself politely before heading straight towards Jensen, strides urgent as he moves through the small crowd. Chad hears the other guys laugh and someone is prodding Chad’s arm with his elbow but Chad just ignores them, eyes narrowed on the two men standing close together at the door. Any trace of that cheer is gone from Jared’s face, just looking down at Jensen with some sort of lingering regret. Jensen, though…Jensen just offers half-assed congratulatory smile that looks like it actually hurts and he pats Jared’s arm before he slips out the door.
It’s meant to be the end but not even five seconds later, Jared follows him out. Once the door shuts, it’s like the volume comes back on and Chad hears the incoherent rumble of the crowd, hears more laughter from the table as Derek tells another joke, and Chad’s eerily reminded of an L.A. club two years where everything stopped for just one intimate moment in time.
He’d think more about it but someone shoves another Corona at him and Chad takes it, laying the nagging thought to rest.
==
Act Two: The Morning After…or what Chad renames, “Too Fucking Hungover to Do Anything Productive, Much Less Answer a Damn Phone Call.”
“Pitiful soul damned to hell speaking,” he mumbles, rubbing his eyes and wondering just who he has to kill today for calling him. Especially after all that celebratory drinking last night, fuck.
“Chad?” Ohhhh, little engagement boy is going down.
“Jay, why are you calling me at ass-crack in the morning?”
“…It’s 11:30.”
“You called to be my alarm clock or do you actually have a point?” There’s silence after that and for a moment, Chad thinks that Jared actually got the hint. For like, the first time ever. But then Jared just has to open his mouth and Chad realizes that only in some fantasy would Jared ever get the hint.
“I made the right decision, didn’t I?” Chad blinks.
“Wha?”
“The right decision. To propose.” Oh Christ on a pogo stick, Jared. It hasn’t even been a week and he’s already freaking out. Worse yet, Jared is talking to Chad and considering his own track record, he should be the last person to talk to about this.
“Come on, Jay -“
“Chad, just…just humor me? Please?” Chad sighs and swings his legs over to the side of the bed, rubbing his eyes in hopes it’ll help wake him up.
“Fuckin’ hell, Sasquatch…” He can hear the ghost of a laugh from Jared but it lacks that usual bright-eyed-and-sunny quality to it. Chad knows that he should probably stop grumbling and start being serious but he really hates being serious. He can’t do serious, not like other people can, and he just really, really, really thinks Jared should call someone else who doesn’t have a divorce on record. Tom, Derek, his own mother, fuck, somebody else other than him.
Of course, Jared already knows this. But he also knows that Chad will be “that guy” for him when he absolutely needs it the most. And this is one of those rare times where he must need it the most.
All right, fine. Chad’ll try and stop being his usual douche-y self for five minutes. But only because Jared needs it.
“Jay, you and I both know you wouldn’t have even considered proposing if you didn’t want to be with Sandy.”
“I know, I know. I mean, I proposed for a reason, Chad, it obviously means something.”
“So what’s your damn problem then?”
“I don’t know, man! We’ve been together for years and it feels like it’s the next logical step but maybe there’s…something else. Something different.”
”Ahhhh, like you haven’t explored enough chicks to satisfy you?” Jared’s huff of annoyance clues him in that that’s definitely not what he’s talking about. Give Chad a break, he just woke up.
“No, just like a connection that I haven’t looked into yet. Something I haven’t really experienced until recently and…” Chad hears Jared inhale deeply, like his next words are a huge weight, “And I don’t want to keep wondering ‘what if,’ y’know?” And Chad does know but those questions always fuck with your mind and he’s not dying to find out what it means for his friend, okay? Chad said he’d try and stop being a douche for five minutes but it’s been all of two minutes and this is already way over his head. For fuck’s sake, Chad’s the guy you go to when you want to play practical jokes, not this heavy relationship shit. He thinks it’s time that he brings up - in case Jared needs reminding - that he is not the right guy for this.
“Dude, I don’t mean to be an asshole but are you really sure this is something you really want to talk to me about?”
“As if you don’t like the attention,” his friend scoffs.
“True,” Chad concedes,” but really, Jay, how about someone who can be serious for more than two minutes? Like Tom. Or Jensen?” Something in his gut twinges at that name, like maybe Chad shouldn’t have mentioned it at all And suddenly, he’s back at the club last night - Jared standing close to Jensen, with nothing but concern and regret painted across his features and Jensen with this resigned look paired with a smile that even makes Chad ache, now that he thinks about it. Looking back, the moment was intense, it was intimate, it was so different than what Chad’s seen with his friend that -
Oh.
Oh.
Jared’s silence only confirms it. And Chad thinks he gets it now.
“…you’re a fucking liar, Jared.”
==
He doesn’t know where to go from there. Chad’s never quite faced something like this - sure, he maybe played around too much while he was married the first time but it wasn’t serious. And just based on his own damn eyes, he knows that this Jared n’ Jensen thing is serious.
What can Chad really say? He’s not Jared - and thank god for that - and he’s not the one who will have to live with his decision for the rest of his life. Unless there’s a big, major romance crisis and Chad has to save the day. Again.
Huh. Maybe Chad should rethink his position of ‘no interference.’
In the end, Chad ignores his gut feeling and tells Jared that he’ll support him in whatever decision he makes, even if it’s as shockingly disturbing as picking ass over pussy. Then they decide not to talk about it again, mostly because Chad points out - again - that he is the last person to consult about relationships. He’s thankful that Jared at least agrees with him, promising that if Chad was his last friend on Earth, Jared still won’t come to him for advice. Secretly, they know the promise is bullshit because Chad may be a douche, but he’s loyal and he can suck it up when the time calls for it. But they totally don’t have to say that right now.
==
So life goes on and apparently, so does Jared and Sandy’s engagement. Maybe Jared’s cold feet came super early or he rediscovered women or whatever. He seems like he’s made his decision and Chad’s continued to stick with his policy, “Don’t you even think about asking, you’ll get a massive headache, you dumbass.”
But sometimes, when his mood swings from douche to concerned human being, he’ll think back on that phone conversation. How he heard his friend’s voice go soft, uncertain of something for the first time in a long time. Jared, who’s always known what he wants and is more than happy to reach up and grab it, was for one moment questioning what he thought he had wanted. Chad used to think it’d be bigger than the man himself to make Jared fucking Padalecki question that. Instead, it took a shy, six foot Texan named Jensen Ackles to change all that.
It’s times like these Chad thinks that maybe Padalecki really had a reason to freak out.
==
When Jared tells Chad the news, Chad waits for the shock to sink in, the disbelief cement itself in his mind. Act like the best friend: Oh no! That can’t be, Jared! You guys were so perfect! (All right, he wouldn’t say that - he’s a douche and a man, after all and he has a reputation to uphold here).
But none of that happens. Instead, he just says, “I’m sorry, dude.” Jared shrugs, claps him on the back, and says nothing else.
Chad knows that his words were exactly what Jared was looking for. Nothing more, nothing less.
==
Nothing happens after that, as far as Chad knows, and he can understand why. There are still conventions, filming of a new movie, and life for his friend to juggle, not to mention Chad actually has his own life so he’s not exactly begging his friend for the latest details on his epic love life (not that he would beg, he’s not a fifteen-year-old girl). All he knows is that Jared’s chosen what he wants and that he will follow through with it. It’s Padalecki Policy, after all. And so Chad has no need to pry it out of him; he can reign his powers of jackass in just a little bit.
He manages to swing some time to visit Jared, a couple months into him shooting One Tree Hill and Jared shooting for season four of Supernatural. He loves North Carolina but he doesn’t mind seeing the cold snow of Vancouver. It’s cold as hell but Chad can handle it.
And fine, it may have to do with a hint of a party Tom might throw, even if Mike’s not up there this year. But Chad’s only seeing that as an extra bonus to seeing his friend. Totally.
Jared picks him up at the airport, Padalecki grin and all, and they spend the car ride back to Jared’s place laughing and teasing the hell out of each other like they’ve never been apart. Jared doesn’t bring up his fellow Texan and Chad doesn’t ask. He already knows about the Danneel and Jensen split amicably, though that’s no indication that Jared and Jensen are back to bumping uglies (yet). He has a feeling itching within him that it might come up this trip though, seeing as Chad has been the only relationship guru that Padalecki so brilliantly chose for the past few months. He really, really hopes he won’t find his answer from another talk but it does come with the friend territory.
Damn that territory.
However, he gets his answer with a satisfactory conclusion when they go straight from the airport to the bar that night, meeting up with Tom in their usual spot. They’re swapping funny stories, most of them involving fond memories of Mike when the bell over the door tinkles, signaling a new customer. Chad’s not facing the doors and he’s in the middle of telling the guys a story about him, Nutclopyse, and an ice scream scooper so he ignores it. Jared, however, loses all traces of goofy laughter. Instead, an ear-splitting grin appears on his face and he disappears from the table before Chad even gets to the good part. And he hates when he can’t get to the good part!
“Hey, what the fuck - “ He stops when he sees that the new customer is Jensen. Who damn near matches Jared’s grin when he sees Jared approach. Jared’s hand reaches out, lingering on Jensen’s arm as he steps in close. Suddenly, Chad’s brought back to that club in L.A. where he first witnessed this odd dance, when they acted like no one was even in the same room but this time…this is just different.
Well, well Jared…
Then just as quickly as he got up, Jared tugs Jensen out of the bar like it’s the last thing he’ll ever do. Chad wrinkles his nose because if what he thinks happened really happened, then he really doesn’t want to know what’s going.
Tom’s chuckle makes him turn around to face him, eyebrow raised. “Did I miss something?”
“Jared didn’t tell you?” Tom asks, giving Chad a curious look. Chad takes a minute, actually mustering up the energy to look thoughtful, then smirks.
“Come on, like Jared can keep his mouth shut?” And neither of them can argue with that.
==
So, he guesses everything worked out well. Jared’s not in some crisis anymore, no more need for a relationship guru, and Chad can go back to being an adorable, loveable douche bag. Which Chad welcomes with open arms and uses it to his every advantage.
Like now, for example.
He’s counting down from ten as he leans against the doorway and he’s this short of throwing up in a bucket. Jared’s currently enthralled in kissing Jensen, his hands at Jensen’s waist while Jensen’s cupping his face gently. It’s all slow and soft and sweet and all that girly romantic shit and Chad’s surprised he can manage to count down from ten without a peep of disgust. There are just some things Chad never needed to see and Jared making out with Jensen is definitely one of them. He’s glad he’s only staying a week, especially now that they’re living together. Christ, they’ve probably ruined everything with a flat surface in this place.
At three, he rolls his eyes.
Two, he holds back a gag.
One, he can at least admit he’s glad that his friend is finally happy.
Zero. “Miss me bitches?”
==
So when “It” all starts, it’s not like Chad has any issues with Jensen. Yeah, he’s shy, maybe a bit too stiff for him but he seems like a cool guy. Jared obviously likes him so the guy can’t be all that bad.
Then again, Jared’s always bitching about Chad as a friend so that doesn’t say much about Jensen.
Still, even if he did have issues with the dude, he would have to suck it up, or so Jared said - “He’s sticking around so don’t be mean and blah, blah, blah.” He thinks the last part is completely unjustified but he keeps his mouth shut to appease Jared for now. He’s saving up his douche points for later - he’s dying to tease Jared about sounding like a teenage girl desperately trying to convince her friends that her boyfriend really is a great guy.
So whatever, what are friends for, right? But he doesn’t really have to do that nice shit tonight; as it so happens, he and Jared are in L.A. at the same time for the first time in months. To celebrate, Jared had promised to meet him for some drinks the second night he’s in town, just chilling and hanging out. Which means, in Chad speak, a night of cooking up the best plans to leave Jared completely embarrassed and to the point of pathetic drunkenness.
All right, so maybe he shouldn’t be pranking his friend right away when he hasn’t seen him in months but come on, Chad’s a douche. It’s a reputation he has proudly accepted and therefore, will work hard to keep said reputation up. Jared’s learned to deal.
But ten thirty rolls around and his friend still has yet to show. He couldn’t have missed the guy, he’s a fucking Sasquatch after all so he heads towards the door of the joint. That gives him the opportunity to spring on him in a full fledged surprise attack - a brilliant plan, if Chad says so himself.
And lo and behold, he spots a Sasquatch by the wall next to the door. He smirks, patting himself on the back for his awesome victory, and pushes through the thick crowd. He wonders if he should pounce or just sneak up behind Jared and scare him that way (the latter requires more energy and patience than Chad really has). He’s leaning more towards the former when he sees his friend’s head tilt back in laughter, his body swaying close to something.
Huh. Clearly, Jared isn’t alone. Not that it bothers him; Jared just got back from cold-ass, lonely Canada, he’s probably brought Sandy along with him to maximize their time together. Not everyone is as fortunate as Chad is to work with his girl so he can see why Jared would invite her along. He might need to tone down his plans but it’s totally cool - he can attack Jared later.
However, once he gets a clear shot of his target, he doesn’t see Jared with a short, hot chick.
He sees Jensen. Not shy, stiff Jensen but comfortable, happy Jensen, leaning towards Jared like a reflection. Jared leans down to murmur something, sending the other man into more laughter. Chad’s only met Jensen once but he’ll bet that Jensen doesn’t act like that around just anyone. Either that or the guy is really fucking wasted.
He knows now is the time to jump out and make Padalecki close to pissing himself but when his eyes sweep over the two, he feels almost…weird for thinking of interrupting their little “moment.”
Then he snaps out of it, remembers he’s Chad Motherfucking Murray who ruins moments for a living so he lunges straight at his friend, screaming, “SASQUATCH!”
The moment is thus, ruined with a bang, and Chad has to listen to Jared calling him a douche bag five million times but it’s so worth it. Chad just grins and claps his friend on the back, basking in the glow of his success.
The strange moment lays forgotten in his mind.
==
Chad is really glad that he managed to fly up to Vancouver during his break because Mike’s parties? Are fucking awesome. Chad even admits he’s almost bitter that Jared gets more chances to attend these things than he does. He tried to tell Jared that once but Jared whapped him upside the head and told him to stop pouting (which, he obviously pouted even more when his head started pounding like a motherfucker).
Chad steps out of the shower and wraps a towel around his waist, grabbing another one to dry his hair. He isn’t happy that he has to keep it long like this - like Lucas needs to enhance his teen angst by looking like a heart throb - but he’ll manage to convince the producers somehow. The guy deserves a little manliness after the shit he’s been through.
But fuck that for now; he has to focus on one thing: partying until he blows his brains out. Tonight, Mike promised a hell of a goodbye party since Chad’s leaving tomorrow. And when it comes to parties, Mike never fails to deliver. All Chad has to do is throw on jeans and a t-shirt, drag Jared to Mike’s place, and proceed to have a fucking awesome night.
He changes into his clothes and ruffles his hair into a messy, tousled look, pleased with himself before leaving the bathroom. He walks down the hall, opening his mouth to shout Sasquatch’s name when he hears the door open and a muffled voice beats him to it, the jerk. But it’s Jensen and - oh yeah - he’s in Vancouver too. He’s also friends with Mike and Tom; it’s only natural he’d come along too.
Not like Chad’s complaining; at least the guy is decent enough to be ready on time, unlike a certain 6’4” giant. But Chad’s not pointing any fingers at anyone or anything. He would never do that to Jared.
“Jared?” he hears Jensen say again, voice tinted with amusement, “What are you doing?”
“You’re not supposed to know it’s me, fucker,” Jared huffs. Chad’s kind of amused and perplexed that his bud thinks he can’t stand out because come on, Jared. But Jensen’s next words answer Chad’s question.
“Your hands are fucking huge, dude. It’s hard not to know when you cover my eyes.” Chad peaks around the corner just in time to see Jared move his hands away with a pout on his face, making him look all of five years old.
“You like my hands and you know it,” the younger man says with a nudge to Jensen’s shoulder. Jensen snorts as he moves to lean against the counter lazily, his body now facing Jared completely.
“Who says bigger is better?” he remarks, an eyebrow quirked.
“Excuse me?” Jared says with that little high pitched inflection he gets when being challenged. Chad grins; he so knows where this is going. He’s only been telling Jared that for ages but Jared’s only answer is a swift smack to the head. He thinks it’ll be so much better (and much less painful) to see someone else get the same treatment. And who better than Mr. Maturity himself, the one and only Jensen Ackles?
He’s so involved in imagining each glorious detail perfectly that when he does pay attention again, he sees that maybe his glorious plan might not play out as he hoped.
He doubts trapping someone against the counter and looming over him rather closely doesn’t count as a smack to the head.
“Why Mr. Ackles, I do beg to differ,” Jared murmurs with a lazy smirk, hands placed close to Jensen’s sides on the counter top.
Wow. Chad…actually doesn’t have any words. That’s never really happened before but then again, neither has this. Yeah, yeah, Jared’s touchy feely and thinks hugs are the best goddamn thing since, like, sex and all but this is different than touchy feely. It sails past a friendly touch towards…well, something.
Okay, so Chad’s not known for his coherency; he’s got other talents, thank you very much.
The point is, this…thingy-ma-jig looks like it goes deeper than Jared’s “hugs for everybody!” attitude. Because yes, while Jared will happily give anyone a bear hug for no reason whatsoever, he certainly won’t trap just anyone against a counter. The two of them haven’t even moved! They’re just standing there in the same position, matching smiles that are just plain weird on their faces, and distantly, Chad’s wondering when the fucking rainbows are coming in. But no, no, Chad’s not going down that road because Jared’s straight, Jensen’s straight, and this is just Chad overworking his brain.
You know what, fuck it. Fuck. It. This is the second time Jared has made Chad have to think about these strange little moment…thingys and it fucking sucks. It’s ridiculous, is what it is and he has full plans to forget these little moments. So he pops out from the hallway in plain view, smirk firmly on his lips.
“Miss me bitches?”
Later at Mike’s, if Jared punches him in the arm just a little harder, Chad takes it in stride and doesn’t think about what it means. He just bitches about it even more.
==
Okay, so entirely forgetting those moments? Totally doesn’t work out like Chad wants it to.
Mostly because he can’t get it out of his fucking mind.
Jared’s driving him down to the airport on a rainy Sunday, rambling about this and that and “…that morning when you woke up with a bra on, fuck, dude…” when the words just pop out of Chad’s mouth: “Are you gay for Ackles?”
The silence in the car is just plain weird. It’s not awkward, not comfortable either, just weird. Chad knows he should probably follow up with an explanation or something but Chad thinks his words explain themselves.
Then Jared just bursts out laughing. “What the fuck, dude?” And now Chad sort of feels like a dumbass, which he just hates because then that means Jared can dangle this over his head for years. He can just picture it when they’re old (thirty five, forty he thinks) and Jared saying, “Hey, remember the time when you thought I was gay?”
“Just answer the question,” Chad says with a scowl because this gay thing has past its expiration date and he can think of a gajillion things that don’t involve his friend’s sexuality that would be so much cooler, and easier, to think about. It’s not like Chad gives a shit if Jared wants it up the ass - it’s just one more thing to tease him about, after all - but it’d be nice if Jared would actually inform him of such a drastic change. He figures once Jared answers the question, that’ll be the end, and Chad’s free, free from these stupid thoughts.
But Jared, the fucker, responds with, “You really think I’m gay for Jensen?” That doesn’t answer his question at all and if he wasn’t getting so worked up over this, he would have noticed the curious tone in his friend’s voice.
“Fuck yeah! I’ve seen you two and you guys act like little kids skirting around each other before you ask the other out. There’s just…” he flails about, trying to find a word for it, “tension dude! And if you’re gay, fine, whatever, just tell me next time, yeah?”
“Chad, I’m not gay.” Jared’s amusement is enough to make Chad shut up and cross his arms over his chest like he’s five. He doesn’t want to keep getting teased for this; his loss of dignity is so not worth it at all.
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
When they get to the airport and Chad’s about ready to head into security, Jared pulls him into his trademark Padalecki bear hug. Chad pats Jared on the back, smiling even while he’s rolling his eyes. Because they do this every time, it’s tradition and Chad’s happy to follow traditions, even if they are silly. Then he heads straight into the line, fumbles through security for ten minutes, and manages to get to the terminal in tact with thirty minutes before his flight leaves. Awesome.
He only thinks about that car conversation once. And it’s when he realizes that Jared never really answered his question.
==
The next time Chad sees Jared, it doesn’t even come up.
==
The next, next time Chad sees Jared, he has Jensen pressed up against the wall, kissing him like the guy’s his goddamn candy stash, breaking away only to allow drunken giggles slip out. They don’t even notice Chad.
Huh. Well that answers his question.
==
So the way Chad sees it, he has several different options on how to handle his good friend suddenly turning gay. Right now, he can only think of two of those options because it’s nine in the fucking morning and no one in their right mind would be able to think after the night he had.
So, the two options.
Option 1) He can be the good friend, sit Jared down for a nice heart-to-heart and remind him how making out with someone else (a guy) while you have a steady girlfriend is not a good decision. Chad knows this from experience, therefore he is fully knowledgeable on such a thing and therefore, he is the perfect guy to do this.
Option 2) He lets Jared be a big boy and find out for himself, sucker.
Option one seems like the right thing to do. Option two seems like the safer choice in terms of Chad’s life and possibly balls (hey, Jared’s not all kittens and puppies).
Chad sighs and groans, falling back down on the couch. If he had just made coffee this morning, he might have picked the safer choice.
Instead, he calls up Jared, laughs at him for the monster hangover he must be suffering from, and tells him to get his ass over to Kevin’s Deli at three.
Doing the right thing sucks. A lot.
==
“I felt so bad getting home as late as I did,” Jared groans, setting his sandwich down to grab a napkin, “Sandy told me she’ll get me back later.” He looks over at Chad warily yet his lips quirk up in a smile. “Think I should be scared?”
“Your pint-sized girlfriend? Dude, I’d be wearing a cup the next few days.” Chad smiles as Jared laughs in agreement but inside? Inside, he’s plotting various ways to murder Jared for making him feel like shit for what he’s about to say.
Chad hates Jared just a little sometimes.
“Course,” Chad continues, his eyes sliding over towards the tall blonde chick strolling past them, “I would be wearing a full suit of armor if she caught you making out with your co-star.” He doesn’t even look over at Jared. Mostly because he’s too busy watching the blonde turn the corner.
Finally, there’s some movement coming from Jared’s general direction and Chad waits for a few seconds before turning back to Jared. Jared, who’s looking like a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar and is facing the death penalty.
Chad rolls his eyes. “I’m not here to kick your ass, Jay.”
“Like you could kick my ass,” Jared mumbles but he seems more relaxed, resting his head on his hands. Chad ignores the fact that the statement is totally true - it’s not like he’d admit that out loud anyways.
“Seriously man, I just want to make sure you know what you’re doing, ‘cause this…thing sounds like something I’d do.” He pauses. “Minus the extra dick.” He gets a small smile with that remark but nothing more. Mentally, Chad throws his hands up in a defensive position, thinking that he’s made his point and if Jared wants to comment, he will. So he picks at his chips, sips his Diet Coke, watches people pass by, but draws the line at humming just to fill in the damn silence Jared’s letting them drown in.
When he’s about to just leave with the thought to never bring this up again, Jared finally opens his big damn mouth.
“I’m still serious about Sandy. This…” He trails off, licking his lips before peeking up at Chad through his floppy hair, “This is just messing around.” He seems confident of his answer. Looks it too. And Chad’s gotta give Jared credit because Jared would do a hell of a lot more thinking about this than Chad would.
“Messing around? That what you crazy kids call it these days?” He gets a snort for that one before he leans in, looking at Jared seriously. “Dude, seriously. I’m not here to judge or to tell you that you’re fucking up a good relationship. For all I know, Sandy already knows and is fine with it. I don’t care, I don’t need to know the details. But I’ve been noticing this shit since you started the show and if you can honestly tell me it’s just messing around, then I’m taking your word for it.” Jared looks as if he’s shocked his words but Chad just chalks it up to him being awesome and having the ability to be smooth with words; Jared’s never had the chance to appreciate him for that.
“I can’t believe you are the one actually trying to have a serious conversation,” his friend says finally and Chad rolls his eyes, smacks Jared’s head and picks up his drink to finish it off.
“Yeah, yeah, fuck you too,” he mutters, giving Jared a glare. Jared flashes an innocent look before it softens.
“Thanks man, for this.” Jared gestures between them (like it’s so hard to say ‘this talk,’ Jared, yeesh). Chad eyes him for a moment but knows deep down that it’s the end of the conversation. He’s got no reason to push this otherwise.
Plus, Chad’s earned his brownie points, did his good deed to humanity, he thinks he’s entitled to stop this before he springs tits and a pussy.
“All right, good. Let’s get going then, I hate to be seen in public too long around your ugly mug.”
The jury’s out: it’s just messing around. And he trusts Jared to know that himself.
==
Jared is a goddamn liar and Chad’s going to kill him because of it.
Fuck the fact that it’s been a few months and things change, Chad still thinks Jared hasn’t gotten the concept of telling your friends important shit.
All right, all right so Jared did tell Chad his plans to propose to Sandy and Chad did the usual friend routine a la Murray style: hug him, congratulate him, then proceed to give him a noogy and ramble off awesome plans for a bachelor party. And it’s okay for Chad to assume that the whole “Jared trying to be gay” thing would come to an end with said announcement.
But apparently not, because that’s where Jared being a goddamn liar comes into play - in two acts.
Act One: After Jared’s engagement announcement, they’re out in L.A., celebrating with pats on the backs and manly hugs for Jared on such a huge step. Sandy couldn’t make it tonight, Jared saying something about her wanting it to be a guy’s night. Still, he’s all dimples and white teeth, grinning so wide Chad thinks it’s permanently etched on his face. And well, why wouldn’t it be? The guy’s with his friends, he’s got a girl for life, and they’re out with a few beers. What more does Jared T. Padalecki need?
Chad watches him chat with the waitress in his friendly Texas-boy style but he catches his eyes occasionally slip away to scan the dark room as if he’s looking for someone. Apparently, there is something else his friend needs that isn’t here already.
Needy bastard.
Five seconds later, Jared’s double take tells Chad that he’s found whatever he’s looking for. And that grin, the one Chad had sworn could not fall off the dude’s face, loses a few watts when he zooms in on whoever his target is. Chad’s mouth is open to ask just who Jared’s expecting, body already twisting around to answer his own question when he sees Jensen standing at the entrance of the bar quietly, like he’s reluctant to take another step forward.
Chad turns back just to see Jared dismiss himself politely before heading straight towards Jensen, strides urgent as he moves through the small crowd. Chad hears the other guys laugh and someone is prodding Chad’s arm with his elbow but Chad just ignores them, eyes narrowed on the two men standing close together at the door. Any trace of that cheer is gone from Jared’s face, just looking down at Jensen with some sort of lingering regret. Jensen, though…Jensen just offers half-assed congratulatory smile that looks like it actually hurts and he pats Jared’s arm before he slips out the door.
It’s meant to be the end but not even five seconds later, Jared follows him out. Once the door shuts, it’s like the volume comes back on and Chad hears the incoherent rumble of the crowd, hears more laughter from the table as Derek tells another joke, and Chad’s eerily reminded of an L.A. club two years where everything stopped for just one intimate moment in time.
He’d think more about it but someone shoves another Corona at him and Chad takes it, laying the nagging thought to rest.
==
Act Two: The Morning After…or what Chad renames, “Too Fucking Hungover to Do Anything Productive, Much Less Answer a Damn Phone Call.”
“Pitiful soul damned to hell speaking,” he mumbles, rubbing his eyes and wondering just who he has to kill today for calling him. Especially after all that celebratory drinking last night, fuck.
“Chad?” Ohhhh, little engagement boy is going down.
“Jay, why are you calling me at ass-crack in the morning?”
“…It’s 11:30.”
“You called to be my alarm clock or do you actually have a point?” There’s silence after that and for a moment, Chad thinks that Jared actually got the hint. For like, the first time ever. But then Jared just has to open his mouth and Chad realizes that only in some fantasy would Jared ever get the hint.
“I made the right decision, didn’t I?” Chad blinks.
“Wha?”
“The right decision. To propose.” Oh Christ on a pogo stick, Jared. It hasn’t even been a week and he’s already freaking out. Worse yet, Jared is talking to Chad and considering his own track record, he should be the last person to talk to about this.
“Come on, Jay -“
“Chad, just…just humor me? Please?” Chad sighs and swings his legs over to the side of the bed, rubbing his eyes in hopes it’ll help wake him up.
“Fuckin’ hell, Sasquatch…” He can hear the ghost of a laugh from Jared but it lacks that usual bright-eyed-and-sunny quality to it. Chad knows that he should probably stop grumbling and start being serious but he really hates being serious. He can’t do serious, not like other people can, and he just really, really, really thinks Jared should call someone else who doesn’t have a divorce on record. Tom, Derek, his own mother, fuck, somebody else other than him.
Of course, Jared already knows this. But he also knows that Chad will be “that guy” for him when he absolutely needs it the most. And this is one of those rare times where he must need it the most.
All right, fine. Chad’ll try and stop being his usual douche-y self for five minutes. But only because Jared needs it.
“Jay, you and I both know you wouldn’t have even considered proposing if you didn’t want to be with Sandy.”
“I know, I know. I mean, I proposed for a reason, Chad, it obviously means something.”
“So what’s your damn problem then?”
“I don’t know, man! We’ve been together for years and it feels like it’s the next logical step but maybe there’s…something else. Something different.”
”Ahhhh, like you haven’t explored enough chicks to satisfy you?” Jared’s huff of annoyance clues him in that that’s definitely not what he’s talking about. Give Chad a break, he just woke up.
“No, just like a connection that I haven’t looked into yet. Something I haven’t really experienced until recently and…” Chad hears Jared inhale deeply, like his next words are a huge weight, “And I don’t want to keep wondering ‘what if,’ y’know?” And Chad does know but those questions always fuck with your mind and he’s not dying to find out what it means for his friend, okay? Chad said he’d try and stop being a douche for five minutes but it’s been all of two minutes and this is already way over his head. For fuck’s sake, Chad’s the guy you go to when you want to play practical jokes, not this heavy relationship shit. He thinks it’s time that he brings up - in case Jared needs reminding - that he is not the right guy for this.
“Dude, I don’t mean to be an asshole but are you really sure this is something you really want to talk to me about?”
“As if you don’t like the attention,” his friend scoffs.
“True,” Chad concedes,” but really, Jay, how about someone who can be serious for more than two minutes? Like Tom. Or Jensen?” Something in his gut twinges at that name, like maybe Chad shouldn’t have mentioned it at all And suddenly, he’s back at the club last night - Jared standing close to Jensen, with nothing but concern and regret painted across his features and Jensen with this resigned look paired with a smile that even makes Chad ache, now that he thinks about it. Looking back, the moment was intense, it was intimate, it was so different than what Chad’s seen with his friend that -
Oh.
Oh.
Jared’s silence only confirms it. And Chad thinks he gets it now.
“…you’re a fucking liar, Jared.”
==
He doesn’t know where to go from there. Chad’s never quite faced something like this - sure, he maybe played around too much while he was married the first time but it wasn’t serious. And just based on his own damn eyes, he knows that this Jared n’ Jensen thing is serious.
What can Chad really say? He’s not Jared - and thank god for that - and he’s not the one who will have to live with his decision for the rest of his life. Unless there’s a big, major romance crisis and Chad has to save the day. Again.
Huh. Maybe Chad should rethink his position of ‘no interference.’
In the end, Chad ignores his gut feeling and tells Jared that he’ll support him in whatever decision he makes, even if it’s as shockingly disturbing as picking ass over pussy. Then they decide not to talk about it again, mostly because Chad points out - again - that he is the last person to consult about relationships. He’s thankful that Jared at least agrees with him, promising that if Chad was his last friend on Earth, Jared still won’t come to him for advice. Secretly, they know the promise is bullshit because Chad may be a douche, but he’s loyal and he can suck it up when the time calls for it. But they totally don’t have to say that right now.
==
So life goes on and apparently, so does Jared and Sandy’s engagement. Maybe Jared’s cold feet came super early or he rediscovered women or whatever. He seems like he’s made his decision and Chad’s continued to stick with his policy, “Don’t you even think about asking, you’ll get a massive headache, you dumbass.”
But sometimes, when his mood swings from douche to concerned human being, he’ll think back on that phone conversation. How he heard his friend’s voice go soft, uncertain of something for the first time in a long time. Jared, who’s always known what he wants and is more than happy to reach up and grab it, was for one moment questioning what he thought he had wanted. Chad used to think it’d be bigger than the man himself to make Jared fucking Padalecki question that. Instead, it took a shy, six foot Texan named Jensen Ackles to change all that.
It’s times like these Chad thinks that maybe Padalecki really had a reason to freak out.
==
When Jared tells Chad the news, Chad waits for the shock to sink in, the disbelief cement itself in his mind. Act like the best friend: Oh no! That can’t be, Jared! You guys were so perfect! (All right, he wouldn’t say that - he’s a douche and a man, after all and he has a reputation to uphold here).
But none of that happens. Instead, he just says, “I’m sorry, dude.” Jared shrugs, claps him on the back, and says nothing else.
Chad knows that his words were exactly what Jared was looking for. Nothing more, nothing less.
==
Nothing happens after that, as far as Chad knows, and he can understand why. There are still conventions, filming of a new movie, and life for his friend to juggle, not to mention Chad actually has his own life so he’s not exactly begging his friend for the latest details on his epic love life (not that he would beg, he’s not a fifteen-year-old girl). All he knows is that Jared’s chosen what he wants and that he will follow through with it. It’s Padalecki Policy, after all. And so Chad has no need to pry it out of him; he can reign his powers of jackass in just a little bit.
He manages to swing some time to visit Jared, a couple months into him shooting One Tree Hill and Jared shooting for season four of Supernatural. He loves North Carolina but he doesn’t mind seeing the cold snow of Vancouver. It’s cold as hell but Chad can handle it.
And fine, it may have to do with a hint of a party Tom might throw, even if Mike’s not up there this year. But Chad’s only seeing that as an extra bonus to seeing his friend. Totally.
Jared picks him up at the airport, Padalecki grin and all, and they spend the car ride back to Jared’s place laughing and teasing the hell out of each other like they’ve never been apart. Jared doesn’t bring up his fellow Texan and Chad doesn’t ask. He already knows about the Danneel and Jensen split amicably, though that’s no indication that Jared and Jensen are back to bumping uglies (yet). He has a feeling itching within him that it might come up this trip though, seeing as Chad has been the only relationship guru that Padalecki so brilliantly chose for the past few months. He really, really hopes he won’t find his answer from another talk but it does come with the friend territory.
Damn that territory.
However, he gets his answer with a satisfactory conclusion when they go straight from the airport to the bar that night, meeting up with Tom in their usual spot. They’re swapping funny stories, most of them involving fond memories of Mike when the bell over the door tinkles, signaling a new customer. Chad’s not facing the doors and he’s in the middle of telling the guys a story about him, Nutclopyse, and an ice scream scooper so he ignores it. Jared, however, loses all traces of goofy laughter. Instead, an ear-splitting grin appears on his face and he disappears from the table before Chad even gets to the good part. And he hates when he can’t get to the good part!
“Hey, what the fuck - “ He stops when he sees that the new customer is Jensen. Who damn near matches Jared’s grin when he sees Jared approach. Jared’s hand reaches out, lingering on Jensen’s arm as he steps in close. Suddenly, Chad’s brought back to that club in L.A. where he first witnessed this odd dance, when they acted like no one was even in the same room but this time…this is just different.
Well, well Jared…
Then just as quickly as he got up, Jared tugs Jensen out of the bar like it’s the last thing he’ll ever do. Chad wrinkles his nose because if what he thinks happened really happened, then he really doesn’t want to know what’s going.
Tom’s chuckle makes him turn around to face him, eyebrow raised. “Did I miss something?”
“Jared didn’t tell you?” Tom asks, giving Chad a curious look. Chad takes a minute, actually mustering up the energy to look thoughtful, then smirks.
“Come on, like Jared can keep his mouth shut?” And neither of them can argue with that.
==
So, he guesses everything worked out well. Jared’s not in some crisis anymore, no more need for a relationship guru, and Chad can go back to being an adorable, loveable douche bag. Which Chad welcomes with open arms and uses it to his every advantage.
Like now, for example.
He’s counting down from ten as he leans against the doorway and he’s this short of throwing up in a bucket. Jared’s currently enthralled in kissing Jensen, his hands at Jensen’s waist while Jensen’s cupping his face gently. It’s all slow and soft and sweet and all that girly romantic shit and Chad’s surprised he can manage to count down from ten without a peep of disgust. There are just some things Chad never needed to see and Jared making out with Jensen is definitely one of them. He’s glad he’s only staying a week, especially now that they’re living together. Christ, they’ve probably ruined everything with a flat surface in this place.
At three, he rolls his eyes.
Two, he holds back a gag.
One, he can at least admit he’s glad that his friend is finally happy.
Zero. “Miss me bitches?”