Old News - Part Nine - The End
Title: Old News
Author: Annie
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Jensen/Jared
Rating: NC17
Summary: The Media always love a scandal - sometimes, though, they don’t look at the tragedy behind the words.
Disclaimer: I don’t own anything or anyone. This is pure fiction and no reflection on the real people - whom I love too much to hurt!!
Previous chapter
Newsflash
’Exclusive - Supernatural Stars To Hold Press Conference. Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki will talk to the media at 12noon. Hear what they have to say LIVE on the Entertainment Channel. Don’t miss this!
Jared is sweating, already, he can feel the liquid dripping down the back of his neck and he wipes at it with his hand, lifting his hair up off his nape and pushing his head forward, his fingers slipping disgustingly against the wet skin.
He glances across at Jensen who looks strangely cool, calm and collected. His face, behind his glasses, is impassive and he looks smart and clean. Jared’s heart aches with love and he wonders, as he often does, what the hell Jensen sees in him, why the hell Jensen fell in love with him in the first place.
He knows it won’t be easy; he spent an hour on the phone this morning with his parents. Sure, after the Danneel thing they had a pretty good idea, but he hadn’t actually put it into words yet, hadn’t actually told them the truth.
His mom cried a little and his dad did the stoic silence thing. He knows it is going to take months, maybe longer, for them to get used to this, but they are going to have to, because he isn’t changing his mind now, he isn’t going back.
After that they both rang Kripke; again, it wasn’t easy, and Jared knew that their decision could ruin everything. Eric understood enough, urging them to be honest but careful. Jared couldn’t help but smile at that and he really hopes that this won’t ruin Sam and Dean forever, won’t put an end to the brother’s Winchester. Without the series they would never have met and Jared doesn’t even want to go down that road.
He tried to think of another couple, any other gay actors that came out like this. There was Anne Heche and Ellen Degeneres, but that didn’t last too long and now Heche had a baby. Jared smiled to himself, wryly, at least that wasn’t gonna happen to them.
He glanced across to where Jensen stood; he looked pale but happy, at ease for the first time in a while. He wanted so much to just kiss him and keep him here, but he knew they had to do this, knew that they had to be honest, let them have what they wanted.
Jared sighed and wiped his face, his hand coming away wet.
Soon it would be time to go and, suddenly, he felt like a condemned man, all confidence gone.
“Hey.” Jensen came over, put his hands on Jared’s shoulders, buried his head against Jared’s neck. “Come on now Jay, I need you to do this ok? I need us both to do this. Don’t wuss out on me now.”
Jared swallowed and smiled, pulling Jensen around so that they were face to face, cupping Jensen’s chin in his hand and staring down at him, eyes glowing.
“I love you,” he said, meaning it with every fibre of his body and soul, “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” Jensen nodded. “And we are gonna get through this, we are. Doesn’t matter to me anymore, if they don’t like it. They can go to hell! Fuck, if I never work again it doesn’t matter, cause I have you and if I have you - I have everything I want in life.”
Jared swallowed again, a huge lump in his throat making his mouth taste bitter with salt-tears. “That’s the nicest thing anyone ever said to me,” he said, with a wobbly smile, “and the most romantic.”
“When this is over, we are gonna get ourselves a little condo in LA and live like a couple of old folk.” Jensen laughed “Just you, me and the dogs, doing REAL gay things like buying wallpaper and matching carpets, maybe even picking out each others shirts.”
Jared grinned then, the tears he had been holding back spilling over his cheeks and chin. Jensen shook his head and wiped away a stray tear with a shaking finger.
“Let’s do this thing.” He said.
***
The room was heaving, standing room only and Jared was burning under the lights of the cameras, his eyes stinging at the endless flashing. He sat at the table, Jensen beside him, his stomach rolling as if he were on board ship. Their agents stood behind them, eyes on the press, lips tight. Microphones were thrust forward and Jared felt Jensen’s hand on his thigh suddenly, squeezing tight and hard.
Jared opened his mouth, throat dry, his eyes fixed on the cameras; there was so much he wanted to say, but now he was here he couldn’t think of a thing and he coughed, suddenly, his eyes watering. Jensen’s grip tightened on his thigh and moved higher, making Jared wince a little, as he felt himself grow, embarrassingly, half-hard.
“I’m going to say this once and then that will be it.” Jensen’s voice came as a surprise to him and he turned to look at the older man.
Jensen was smiling, at ease, apparently putting all his ghosts at rest, Jared gulped as Jensen’s fingers began to play with his fly, cupping Jared’s groin as he nodded at the press.
“Jared and I are a couple and have been for the last two and a half years. We are sorry for the distress we caused our friends and family by keeping this a secret, but we did it with the best intentions. We are happy with each other and there are no other parties involved in this. We intend to live together as a couple and will be happy to give interviews at a later date, when we are settled in to our new home. We hope that this announcement will be welcomed and accepted by fans of ourselves and of ‘Supernatural’. That is all.”
The flash bulbs popped and the press erupted; Jensen put his arm around Jared and pulled the younger man closer, crushing his lips down hard onto Jared’s waiting mouth. The kiss deepened and held and Jared let himself go with it, aroused, happy and so damn content, knowing that, finally, he had gotten what he wanted.
***
The newspapers the next day were kind; even the gossip rags supportive. Pictures of Jensen after his suicide attempt and at yesterdays conference were printed side by side and Jared could see how much better Jensen looked, how much happier.
Their relationship was the talking point for days; in the tabloids, in the glossies and even on the TV. There was the inevitable fall-out, Danneel’s story as told in her own words, Sandy’s comments. Eventually though, it was old news, and Jared and Jensen flew back to Vancouver without hardly any fuss, no reporters waiting for them at the airport.
What was waiting for them on set though were sacks and sacks of fan mail. Each letter was full of kind comments, housewarming gifts and ‘Congratulations’ cards. Fans, it seemed, were not at all surprised, most of them, in fact, told them that they had been waiting months to hear the news and they were over the moon that Jared and Jensen had finally decided to ‘come out’.
They wondered why they hadn’t done it months ago.
***
Episode one of series four had the biggest ratings of that week, beating ‘Greys’ and ‘Lost’ by miles. Fans still flocked in their hundreds to the conventions, still wrote in for autographs, still asked odd questions. Life, it appeared, hadn’t changed that much and neither of them could quite believe it.
***
One Year Later
They announced their engagement in the early spring with a wedding to follow in the fall. They had to fit it in around the fifth and final series of ‘Supernatural’, plus the fact that they had the Oscars on their minds after Jensen’s nomination. Coming out, it seemed, had only enhanced their careers and if Hollywood wanted to turn its back on them, then it would have to turn its back on the films they made and the revenue they generated and, in a city ruled by money, that wasn’t ever going to happen.
Several other ‘unnamed’ actors came out, encouraged by ‘J2’ as they were affectionately known. Young, gay men in Hollywood looked up to them and they became, much to their own surprise, legendary.
Sometimes, Jensen looked at the press clippings of his suicide attempt or played back the old grainy footage of that night, shaking his head at the desperation he had felt, still ashamed that he had almost lost, not only his life, but the best thing that had ever happened to him, Jared.
But that was old news now and they were concentrating on making new stories.
After all - the press love a happy ending.
FIN
Master post
Author: Annie
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Jensen/Jared
Rating: NC17
Summary: The Media always love a scandal - sometimes, though, they don’t look at the tragedy behind the words.
Disclaimer: I don’t own anything or anyone. This is pure fiction and no reflection on the real people - whom I love too much to hurt!!
Previous chapter
Newsflash
’Exclusive - Supernatural Stars To Hold Press Conference. Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki will talk to the media at 12noon. Hear what they have to say LIVE on the Entertainment Channel. Don’t miss this!
Jared is sweating, already, he can feel the liquid dripping down the back of his neck and he wipes at it with his hand, lifting his hair up off his nape and pushing his head forward, his fingers slipping disgustingly against the wet skin.
He glances across at Jensen who looks strangely cool, calm and collected. His face, behind his glasses, is impassive and he looks smart and clean. Jared’s heart aches with love and he wonders, as he often does, what the hell Jensen sees in him, why the hell Jensen fell in love with him in the first place.
He knows it won’t be easy; he spent an hour on the phone this morning with his parents. Sure, after the Danneel thing they had a pretty good idea, but he hadn’t actually put it into words yet, hadn’t actually told them the truth.
His mom cried a little and his dad did the stoic silence thing. He knows it is going to take months, maybe longer, for them to get used to this, but they are going to have to, because he isn’t changing his mind now, he isn’t going back.
After that they both rang Kripke; again, it wasn’t easy, and Jared knew that their decision could ruin everything. Eric understood enough, urging them to be honest but careful. Jared couldn’t help but smile at that and he really hopes that this won’t ruin Sam and Dean forever, won’t put an end to the brother’s Winchester. Without the series they would never have met and Jared doesn’t even want to go down that road.
He tried to think of another couple, any other gay actors that came out like this. There was Anne Heche and Ellen Degeneres, but that didn’t last too long and now Heche had a baby. Jared smiled to himself, wryly, at least that wasn’t gonna happen to them.
He glanced across to where Jensen stood; he looked pale but happy, at ease for the first time in a while. He wanted so much to just kiss him and keep him here, but he knew they had to do this, knew that they had to be honest, let them have what they wanted.
Jared sighed and wiped his face, his hand coming away wet.
Soon it would be time to go and, suddenly, he felt like a condemned man, all confidence gone.
“Hey.” Jensen came over, put his hands on Jared’s shoulders, buried his head against Jared’s neck. “Come on now Jay, I need you to do this ok? I need us both to do this. Don’t wuss out on me now.”
Jared swallowed and smiled, pulling Jensen around so that they were face to face, cupping Jensen’s chin in his hand and staring down at him, eyes glowing.
“I love you,” he said, meaning it with every fibre of his body and soul, “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” Jensen nodded. “And we are gonna get through this, we are. Doesn’t matter to me anymore, if they don’t like it. They can go to hell! Fuck, if I never work again it doesn’t matter, cause I have you and if I have you - I have everything I want in life.”
Jared swallowed again, a huge lump in his throat making his mouth taste bitter with salt-tears. “That’s the nicest thing anyone ever said to me,” he said, with a wobbly smile, “and the most romantic.”
“When this is over, we are gonna get ourselves a little condo in LA and live like a couple of old folk.” Jensen laughed “Just you, me and the dogs, doing REAL gay things like buying wallpaper and matching carpets, maybe even picking out each others shirts.”
Jared grinned then, the tears he had been holding back spilling over his cheeks and chin. Jensen shook his head and wiped away a stray tear with a shaking finger.
“Let’s do this thing.” He said.
***
The room was heaving, standing room only and Jared was burning under the lights of the cameras, his eyes stinging at the endless flashing. He sat at the table, Jensen beside him, his stomach rolling as if he were on board ship. Their agents stood behind them, eyes on the press, lips tight. Microphones were thrust forward and Jared felt Jensen’s hand on his thigh suddenly, squeezing tight and hard.
Jared opened his mouth, throat dry, his eyes fixed on the cameras; there was so much he wanted to say, but now he was here he couldn’t think of a thing and he coughed, suddenly, his eyes watering. Jensen’s grip tightened on his thigh and moved higher, making Jared wince a little, as he felt himself grow, embarrassingly, half-hard.
“I’m going to say this once and then that will be it.” Jensen’s voice came as a surprise to him and he turned to look at the older man.
Jensen was smiling, at ease, apparently putting all his ghosts at rest, Jared gulped as Jensen’s fingers began to play with his fly, cupping Jared’s groin as he nodded at the press.
“Jared and I are a couple and have been for the last two and a half years. We are sorry for the distress we caused our friends and family by keeping this a secret, but we did it with the best intentions. We are happy with each other and there are no other parties involved in this. We intend to live together as a couple and will be happy to give interviews at a later date, when we are settled in to our new home. We hope that this announcement will be welcomed and accepted by fans of ourselves and of ‘Supernatural’. That is all.”
The flash bulbs popped and the press erupted; Jensen put his arm around Jared and pulled the younger man closer, crushing his lips down hard onto Jared’s waiting mouth. The kiss deepened and held and Jared let himself go with it, aroused, happy and so damn content, knowing that, finally, he had gotten what he wanted.
***
The newspapers the next day were kind; even the gossip rags supportive. Pictures of Jensen after his suicide attempt and at yesterdays conference were printed side by side and Jared could see how much better Jensen looked, how much happier.
Their relationship was the talking point for days; in the tabloids, in the glossies and even on the TV. There was the inevitable fall-out, Danneel’s story as told in her own words, Sandy’s comments. Eventually though, it was old news, and Jared and Jensen flew back to Vancouver without hardly any fuss, no reporters waiting for them at the airport.
What was waiting for them on set though were sacks and sacks of fan mail. Each letter was full of kind comments, housewarming gifts and ‘Congratulations’ cards. Fans, it seemed, were not at all surprised, most of them, in fact, told them that they had been waiting months to hear the news and they were over the moon that Jared and Jensen had finally decided to ‘come out’.
They wondered why they hadn’t done it months ago.
***
Episode one of series four had the biggest ratings of that week, beating ‘Greys’ and ‘Lost’ by miles. Fans still flocked in their hundreds to the conventions, still wrote in for autographs, still asked odd questions. Life, it appeared, hadn’t changed that much and neither of them could quite believe it.
***
One Year Later
They announced their engagement in the early spring with a wedding to follow in the fall. They had to fit it in around the fifth and final series of ‘Supernatural’, plus the fact that they had the Oscars on their minds after Jensen’s nomination. Coming out, it seemed, had only enhanced their careers and if Hollywood wanted to turn its back on them, then it would have to turn its back on the films they made and the revenue they generated and, in a city ruled by money, that wasn’t ever going to happen.
Several other ‘unnamed’ actors came out, encouraged by ‘J2’ as they were affectionately known. Young, gay men in Hollywood looked up to them and they became, much to their own surprise, legendary.
Sometimes, Jensen looked at the press clippings of his suicide attempt or played back the old grainy footage of that night, shaking his head at the desperation he had felt, still ashamed that he had almost lost, not only his life, but the best thing that had ever happened to him, Jared.
But that was old news now and they were concentrating on making new stories.
After all - the press love a happy ending.
FIN
Master post