Viewfinder
Title: Viewfinder
Fandom: RPS
Characters: Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki
Prompt: 091. Birthday.
fanfic100 table: here
Word Count: 1,438
Rating: G
Warnings: It's cheesy as hell.
Summary: Jensen is a geek, and Jared knows exactly what to get him for his birthday.
Disclaimer: Yes, Jensen really is a geek. Yes, Jared really did buy him a director's viewfinder for his birthday. And, yes, they're extremely close. I don't see the problem here. ...Okay, fine, this is still fiction.
Author's Notes: Jensen refers to himself as a technology geek, and it makes me laugh. So, I wrote this. Because the idea of him being the annoying geek on set makes me laugh, too, even though it's a bit sad. Also, the love between these two when they mention this gift on the Day In The Life thing on the Season 1 DVDs? Priceless.
What people don’t know about Jensen Ackles is that he has layers. Or, at least, he had layers. But that was what made him so appealing to Jared when they first met. He and Jensen had just about everything in common when it came to the basics, so it was easy to get along with him. It was easy to like him. It was easy, after noticing how much of himself Jensen kept hidden, to want to peel back each and every layer possible and get to know him more.
Of course, as Jared found out, it wasn’t exactly as if Jensen was hiding. Sure, he was shy, but he wasn’t afraid to show his true colors. The man just enjoyed his privacy, and, in this business, you never knew who could end up feeding you to the dogs. So, while it wasn’t difficult to feel welcomed in Jensen’s presence and to trust him, it took him a bit to completely open up to others. And there was something exciting about that that Jared didn’t quite understand. He’d never been as intrigued by anyone else as he was by Jensen Ackles. He delighted in every detail he uncovered about Jensen, and each one only left him hungry for more. Suddenly, he had this insatiable appetite for someone else’s personal life that he swore couldn’t be healthy. But he couldn’t help it. And Jensen didn’t seem to mind. In fact, Jensen seemed to enjoy the slow reveal as much as Jared did.
Looking back, if Jared were to pick his favorite uncovered aspects of Jensen, one of them would have to be Jensen’s obsession with technology; at least the technology associated with his craft. It was one of the first things Jared discovered, early on in the first season of Supernatural. Jensen was a geek.
It started slow. Jared assumed it was because Jensen wanted to warm up to the crew first before hovering over them with a million questions about how everything worked. Jared wondered why Jensen had never asked those questions on other sets, but he guessed it was a “better late than never” type of thing. Not to mention the fact that this crew was exceptional in terms of openness and hospitality. He could only hope that they were in this for the long haul. They’d really gotten lucky with the coworkers they’d chosen.
That’s not to say that Jensen didn’t get a little overbearing at times. He knew when the crew had had too much. He knew when Jensen had been over the director’s shoulder for longer than usual. On those days, he’d watch as Jensen would excitedly walk over towards the cameras, eager to learn something new, and either the crew would scatter, or they’d call it a day and quickly start shutting things down. It made Jared laugh, to think that Jensen could get under their skin like that. But it also made him feel the way he felt when Sadie’s ears would actually go down, her eyes huge and brown and sad, tail hanging low and actually tucking up a little behind her. Maybe it even made him feel worse. That was when he realized that Jensen Ackles was already far too close to his heart.
So, Jared would strike up a conversation with Jensen. And not just any old conversation, but something about lights, camera, and action that would actually make Jensen ramble on a nonstop roll, his eyes brightening as he spoke. And, suddenly, whatever Jensen found fascinating, Jared found fascinating, too. He’d listen for as long as it took, interjecting when he could with encouraging words, alive with an enthusiasm he couldn’t fake. And he’d never forget the look in Jensen’s eyes when it was all over; when the conversation would finally lull and then stop completely. They’d still be bright and green with excitement, and then there’d be this tiny flicker of doubt or regret, a slight darkening, as if he’d gone on for too long and been a bore. And then they’d light up again, even brighter than before, when Jensen realized that Jared had enjoyed the subject just as much as he had. And then he would smile. It would be a small smile at first, just a barely perceptible tug at the corner of his lips, and then it would grow, and Jared couldn’t help but smile with him.
Jared knew it when Jensen’s birthday was coming up. He liked birthdays, liked celebrating, and when Jensen kindly took him out and paid for enough booze to get him smashed and practically carried him home, even though they barely knew each other when he’d turned 23 that first July, Jared had recorded Jensen’s birthday right then and there. He’d already pledged to do something special for Jensen in his mind that night, though he hadn’t yet figured out what. So, weeks before March 1st, he found himself approaching the director quietly after Jensen had walked away.
“Hey, man, where could I get one of those?” Jared asked, nodding towards the viewfinder hanging around the man’s neck. He’d watched from a distance the day before as Jensen had excitedly slipped it around his own neck, the director showing him just how to use it.
“Are you looking for a bargain, or the real kind?” the director asked.
“The real kind.”
Jared had always been more than generous, and even more so when it came to his family and friends. Still, the director’s viewfinder and rushed shipping that he’d purchased for Jensen’s birthday was more than he’d ever spent on friends he’d known for years, let alone a man he’d only known for less than one. They didn’t even know if they’d still be working on another season together. But it didn’t matter. None of it mattered.
He tried to wait after it arrived in the mail. He wrapped it and shoved it aside, telling himself that it wouldn’t kill him to wait until Jensen’s actual birthday to give it to him. And yet, the day before, just one day, Jared found he couldn’t take it any longer, and he brought it to work with him, leg bouncing uncontrollably in the car as he and Jensen ran lines together. Once they got to set and got settled in their trailers, Jared went over and tapped on Jensen’s door before opening it up, the package held behind his back.
“Hey, what’s up?” Jensen asked tiredly, glancing over at Jared as he stood idly in the middle of his trailer, still sipping coffee in an attempt to wake up further.
“I, uh…” Jared cleared his throat and stepped closer to Jensen, bringing the package around and holding it out to him. “I know your birthday isn’t till tomorrow, but you know how patient I am.”
Jensen was awake then, his eyes fully opening and the hint of a smile on his lips, even as he rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“Jared, man, you didn’t have to get me anything. I figured we’d just head out to the bar this weekend, same as we did for your birthday.” He moved to set his coffee down on the counter, and then turned back to Jared, taking the package into his own hands, and Jared shrugged.
“I wanted to.”
“What is this?” Jensen asked, tearing at the paper. Jared kept quiet, just watching, fidgeting where he stood. It seemed to take forever, but Jensen finally managed to rip all the paper off, pop the box open, and…
Jared grinned. It was an instant reaction, a reflex, when he saw the shock register on Jensen’s face. He watched Jensen’s eyes, watched them flick up at him and then settle back on the open box. He watched them shine with anticipation and then dull, and he knew what Jensen was thinking; knew it when Jensen looked up at him, mouth falling open as he hesitated to speak, openly showing his regret.
“Take it,” Jared said, holding a hand up as the box came towards him. “You can take it, Jensen.”
“But, Jared, these things are-”
“It doesn’t matter, man.” Jared pushed back against the box until it hit Jensen’s chest. “Don’t worry about it. It’s a gift.”
“Thank you,” Jensen said softly, after a pause, and Jared actually had to look away from the gratitude in Jensen’s eyes. “Thank you, Jared.” He looked back up at Jensen then and saw him smiling, pulling the viewfinder out of the box and slipping it around his neck, already fiddling with it. And that look, making Jensen that happy, made it all worth it.
“You’re welcome.”
Fandom: RPS
Characters: Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki
Prompt: 091. Birthday.
fanfic100 table: here
Word Count: 1,438
Rating: G
Warnings: It's cheesy as hell.
Summary: Jensen is a geek, and Jared knows exactly what to get him for his birthday.
Disclaimer: Yes, Jensen really is a geek. Yes, Jared really did buy him a director's viewfinder for his birthday. And, yes, they're extremely close. I don't see the problem here. ...Okay, fine, this is still fiction.
Author's Notes: Jensen refers to himself as a technology geek, and it makes me laugh. So, I wrote this. Because the idea of him being the annoying geek on set makes me laugh, too, even though it's a bit sad. Also, the love between these two when they mention this gift on the Day In The Life thing on the Season 1 DVDs? Priceless.
What people don’t know about Jensen Ackles is that he has layers. Or, at least, he had layers. But that was what made him so appealing to Jared when they first met. He and Jensen had just about everything in common when it came to the basics, so it was easy to get along with him. It was easy to like him. It was easy, after noticing how much of himself Jensen kept hidden, to want to peel back each and every layer possible and get to know him more.
Of course, as Jared found out, it wasn’t exactly as if Jensen was hiding. Sure, he was shy, but he wasn’t afraid to show his true colors. The man just enjoyed his privacy, and, in this business, you never knew who could end up feeding you to the dogs. So, while it wasn’t difficult to feel welcomed in Jensen’s presence and to trust him, it took him a bit to completely open up to others. And there was something exciting about that that Jared didn’t quite understand. He’d never been as intrigued by anyone else as he was by Jensen Ackles. He delighted in every detail he uncovered about Jensen, and each one only left him hungry for more. Suddenly, he had this insatiable appetite for someone else’s personal life that he swore couldn’t be healthy. But he couldn’t help it. And Jensen didn’t seem to mind. In fact, Jensen seemed to enjoy the slow reveal as much as Jared did.
Looking back, if Jared were to pick his favorite uncovered aspects of Jensen, one of them would have to be Jensen’s obsession with technology; at least the technology associated with his craft. It was one of the first things Jared discovered, early on in the first season of Supernatural. Jensen was a geek.
It started slow. Jared assumed it was because Jensen wanted to warm up to the crew first before hovering over them with a million questions about how everything worked. Jared wondered why Jensen had never asked those questions on other sets, but he guessed it was a “better late than never” type of thing. Not to mention the fact that this crew was exceptional in terms of openness and hospitality. He could only hope that they were in this for the long haul. They’d really gotten lucky with the coworkers they’d chosen.
That’s not to say that Jensen didn’t get a little overbearing at times. He knew when the crew had had too much. He knew when Jensen had been over the director’s shoulder for longer than usual. On those days, he’d watch as Jensen would excitedly walk over towards the cameras, eager to learn something new, and either the crew would scatter, or they’d call it a day and quickly start shutting things down. It made Jared laugh, to think that Jensen could get under their skin like that. But it also made him feel the way he felt when Sadie’s ears would actually go down, her eyes huge and brown and sad, tail hanging low and actually tucking up a little behind her. Maybe it even made him feel worse. That was when he realized that Jensen Ackles was already far too close to his heart.
So, Jared would strike up a conversation with Jensen. And not just any old conversation, but something about lights, camera, and action that would actually make Jensen ramble on a nonstop roll, his eyes brightening as he spoke. And, suddenly, whatever Jensen found fascinating, Jared found fascinating, too. He’d listen for as long as it took, interjecting when he could with encouraging words, alive with an enthusiasm he couldn’t fake. And he’d never forget the look in Jensen’s eyes when it was all over; when the conversation would finally lull and then stop completely. They’d still be bright and green with excitement, and then there’d be this tiny flicker of doubt or regret, a slight darkening, as if he’d gone on for too long and been a bore. And then they’d light up again, even brighter than before, when Jensen realized that Jared had enjoyed the subject just as much as he had. And then he would smile. It would be a small smile at first, just a barely perceptible tug at the corner of his lips, and then it would grow, and Jared couldn’t help but smile with him.
Jared knew it when Jensen’s birthday was coming up. He liked birthdays, liked celebrating, and when Jensen kindly took him out and paid for enough booze to get him smashed and practically carried him home, even though they barely knew each other when he’d turned 23 that first July, Jared had recorded Jensen’s birthday right then and there. He’d already pledged to do something special for Jensen in his mind that night, though he hadn’t yet figured out what. So, weeks before March 1st, he found himself approaching the director quietly after Jensen had walked away.
“Hey, man, where could I get one of those?” Jared asked, nodding towards the viewfinder hanging around the man’s neck. He’d watched from a distance the day before as Jensen had excitedly slipped it around his own neck, the director showing him just how to use it.
“Are you looking for a bargain, or the real kind?” the director asked.
“The real kind.”
Jared had always been more than generous, and even more so when it came to his family and friends. Still, the director’s viewfinder and rushed shipping that he’d purchased for Jensen’s birthday was more than he’d ever spent on friends he’d known for years, let alone a man he’d only known for less than one. They didn’t even know if they’d still be working on another season together. But it didn’t matter. None of it mattered.
He tried to wait after it arrived in the mail. He wrapped it and shoved it aside, telling himself that it wouldn’t kill him to wait until Jensen’s actual birthday to give it to him. And yet, the day before, just one day, Jared found he couldn’t take it any longer, and he brought it to work with him, leg bouncing uncontrollably in the car as he and Jensen ran lines together. Once they got to set and got settled in their trailers, Jared went over and tapped on Jensen’s door before opening it up, the package held behind his back.
“Hey, what’s up?” Jensen asked tiredly, glancing over at Jared as he stood idly in the middle of his trailer, still sipping coffee in an attempt to wake up further.
“I, uh…” Jared cleared his throat and stepped closer to Jensen, bringing the package around and holding it out to him. “I know your birthday isn’t till tomorrow, but you know how patient I am.”
Jensen was awake then, his eyes fully opening and the hint of a smile on his lips, even as he rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“Jared, man, you didn’t have to get me anything. I figured we’d just head out to the bar this weekend, same as we did for your birthday.” He moved to set his coffee down on the counter, and then turned back to Jared, taking the package into his own hands, and Jared shrugged.
“I wanted to.”
“What is this?” Jensen asked, tearing at the paper. Jared kept quiet, just watching, fidgeting where he stood. It seemed to take forever, but Jensen finally managed to rip all the paper off, pop the box open, and…
Jared grinned. It was an instant reaction, a reflex, when he saw the shock register on Jensen’s face. He watched Jensen’s eyes, watched them flick up at him and then settle back on the open box. He watched them shine with anticipation and then dull, and he knew what Jensen was thinking; knew it when Jensen looked up at him, mouth falling open as he hesitated to speak, openly showing his regret.
“Take it,” Jared said, holding a hand up as the box came towards him. “You can take it, Jensen.”
“But, Jared, these things are-”
“It doesn’t matter, man.” Jared pushed back against the box until it hit Jensen’s chest. “Don’t worry about it. It’s a gift.”
“Thank you,” Jensen said softly, after a pause, and Jared actually had to look away from the gratitude in Jensen’s eyes. “Thank you, Jared.” He looked back up at Jensen then and saw him smiling, pulling the viewfinder out of the box and slipping it around his neck, already fiddling with it. And that look, making Jensen that happy, made it all worth it.
“You’re welcome.”