MASTERPOST: Song as Old as Rhyme - (J2, R)
Art: Song As Old As Rhyme
Artist: jdl71
Title: Song as Old as Rhyme
Author: amypond45
Rating: R
Pairing J2
Warnings: Bottom!Jensen
Summary: Jared is a genie, Jensen is the human who summons him. Hijinks and magic ensue. Tale as old as time.
READ IT ON A03
A/N: Many thanks to this year’s j2_reversebang for hosting this event and to jdl71 for the inspiring art that prompted it! Also to jdl71 for the beta!
PROLOGUE: JARED
I’m gonna kill her. I’m gonna kill all of them!
For years - maybe centuries - Jared paced and plotted revenge on the coven of witches who had cursed him. He knew their names: Alaina, Genevieve, Danneel, Ruth, Samantha. Alaina was their coven mistress, and Jared spent many hours thinking up special ways to exact his revenge on her. But they all deserved to die. He would find them, torture them, and curse them as he had been cursed. Then he would kill them. Slowly.
But during the dozens of times he was called out by a captor - the possessor of the lamp that kept him imprisoned - Jared forgot. Whenever he was called forth by his latest master, all Jared knew was what the curse allowed him to know. He was a genie cursed for all time to grant the greatest wish of whoever set him free, however temporarily. Once the wish was granted, the curse returned him to his prison until his next master called him forth. No human was ever allowed to call Jared more than once, so the lamp became useless afterward and, as a result, it was inevitably junked until it was discovered again, usually years or even centuries later.
Meanwhile, Jared had plenty of time to fume. His prison wasn’t small, but it was windowless and doorless and therefore claustrophobic as hell. As a supernatural creature, Jared didn’t need to eat or sleep, but he had access to all the books and other reading material he desired. The walls of his prison were lined with bookshelves, the table in the center of the room covered in newspapers and magazines.
Lately, though, a laptop had replaced the newspapers and magazines. He was aware of the passage of time, so he understood that he’d been imprisoned for several hundred years, maybe a thousand. Not that he remembered much about his life before becoming a genie. When he tried to think about that, his mind reverted to the moment he was cursed, the faces of the five women surrounding him, chanting the spell that cast him into this place forever.
Sometimes, Jared wondered what he had done to deserve this fate. Had he committed a crime? Injured one of the women in some way? Somehow, he suspected something like that. He could sense that he’d been a brute in his former life, selfish and haughty and full of himself. He’d used his wealth and good looks to get whatever he wanted, without considering the pain he might cause in the process.
He’d been a selfish beast, until this happened.
The terms of his curse were obvious. Remain imprisoned until called forth by a “master.” Explain the deal to the master. Grant the master’s greatest wish. Return to prison, repeat.
Jared couldn’t remember much about his past masters; like his time before the curse, his time outside his prison became a blur of half-remembered snippets of memory after he was imprisoned again. He did remember a particularly cruel master who forced him to perform unspeakable acts before granting him the “favor” of his release in the form of a wish, but of course, the wish itself was completely mundane. Something to do with ruling the world or some such ridiculous desire. Of course, the fool got exactly what he deserved, or so Jared had read after returning to his prison. Some wishes contained the fruits of their own destruction, and that one was definitely top of the list.
Most of the wishes were for wealth or love, and one enterprising young man had asked for more wishes, which was of course the one wish Jared couldn’t grant. One wish, he told the kid, and one wish only. That’s the deal.
Yeah, Jared had seen them all. He had a pretty cynical view of human nature after nearly a thousand years of granting wishes, and he was pretty sure nothing could surprise him.
Nothing, that is, until the day he was summoned by Jensen Ackles.
JENSEN
“What the hell?”
A beautiful, nearly naked man stood tall in the center of Jensen’s living room, arms crossed over his broad, bare chest, legs spread in a wide stance, bare feet planted firmly on Jensen’s polished hardwoods. A proud, sardonic sneer curled his lips as he raked his eyes up and down Jensen’s body.
“Greetings, master,” the beautiful man said. “What is your wish?”
Jensen’s eyes widened. “What? Who are you?” He glanced behind him to see if the front door was open, frowned to see it still firmly closed. And locked, presumably. “How did you get in here?”
The beautiful man’s gaze dropped to the lamp Jensen was holding.
“You summoned me,” he said with a small shrug.
Jensen looked down at the lamp. It was an ordinary antique oil lamp, its metal tarnished with age. Chris had brought it to him last night as a housewarming gift, knowing how Jensen liked old things, and Jensen had only just now picked it up to examine it more closely. The decision to polish it had been an obvious one. The thing was badly tarnished, but Jensen suspected there was good brass underneath, maybe even silver.
Definitely not a beautiful man.
“You - You’re a genie?”
This had to be some kind of joke. Chris must have paid this gorgeous man to do this. The man was an actor. Had to be.
“Smarter than you look,” the man commented, multi-colored eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Wait. Did Chris put you up to this?” Jensen put the lamp down carefully on the shelf where Chris had placed it the previously evening. “He did, didn’t he? Thought it’d be funny to hire a - an actor to pretend to be a genie who would magically appear as soon as I started polishing the lamp.”
Nearly-naked Man’s smile widened, dimples popping and teeth gleaming, and Jensen felt the heat of a blush rising in his cheeks and across his chest. The man was beautiful enough when he wasn’t flashing that smile. Now he was devastating.
“Would it please you if I agreed to your terms?” he asked softly. “I could pretend to be an actor, if it suits you. It wouldn’t be the first time.”
Jensen frowned. “What are you talking about? You’ve done this before?”
“Many times.” The man’s blinding smile disappeared and the smug expression returned. “You humans are so skeptical, especially in this current age of science. Magic has all but left your world.”
“Okay.” Two could play this game. If the man wanted to play a part, Jensen could go along with it. “So you grant me three wishes, right? That’s how this works?”
Nearly-naked Man shook his head. “One wish. Only one. And it can’t be a wish for more wishes.”
“Uh-huh.” Jensen let his eyes sweep down Nearly-naked Man’s body. “I don’t even know your name.”
The man’s eyes widened. Jensen had surprised him.
“Jared,” he said. “My name is Jared.”
“Well, Jared, what if my wish was to set you free?”
Jared shifted his feet and frowned, obviously wary, as if he was unsure whether Jensen was teasing or serious.
“Why would you do that?” he asked. “You could have anything. Wealth, power, the love of a perfect woman - or man -”
Jensen shrugged. “Seems to me I’m looking at the perfect man right now,” he said. He dropped his chin to his chest, chuckling as he shook his head. “Chris sure knows how to pick ‘em.”
“I’m not sure I understand,” Jared said, and that right there was the tone Jensen had been waiting for. That little hint of insecurity, the tiny chink in this guy’s armor, and suddenly Jensen was more than attracted. More than intrigued.
“Okay, let me spell it out for you,” Jensen said. “My wish is for you to be free. Stop this - whatever it is. Don’t do it. Give it up. Stop being a genie. Let me see the guy underneath. The man behind the curtain. And for god’s sake, let me loan you some clothes.”
Jared’s arms dropped to his sides as he peered at Jensen in obvious astonishment. “You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I’m absolutely serious,” Jensen insisted. “And yes, I’m totally hooked. Seduced. Whatever it was you were going for here, you’ve got me. I’d just rather see you drop the act before we get to know each other better. Capiche?”
Jared put his hands on his hips and shifted his feet again. He crossed one arm in front of his chest and rested his other elbow on it, scratching his chin thoughtfully.
“You don’t understand what you’re saying,” he said. “You’re using your wish without fully understanding what you’re giving up.”
“No, I get it,” Jensen insisted. “I don’t need wealth, or power, but I would enjoy getting to know you, if you want to give that a shot. Totally up to you, of course. You’re free to go, if you’re not into that. If I’m not your type, I mean.”
Jared’s eyebrows went up. “Oh, you’re my type, all right. That’s not the issue.”
Jared turned, letting his arms fall to his sides again, and paced as he talked. “The problem here is that you don’t know what you’re saying. You don’t believe in the magic. And if you don’t believe, the magic won’t work.”
He stopped pacing, turning to face Jensen again. “As much as I would love to grant your wish, I can’t.”
The lost look in Jared’s eyes melted Jensen’s heart. The big man’s vulnerability was almost more than Jensen could bear. Jensen almost wished he could believe that Jared was really a magical creature. He was definitely preternaturally beautiful, and perfect. Jensen had never fallen so quickly for anyone he’d never met before. Love at first sight wasn’t an idea he’d ever believed in, before. Sudden mutual attraction, yes. Immediate chemistry, sure. But Jared’s combination of strutting arrogance and little-boy helplessness, all wrapped up in the body of a Greek god, was utterly irresistible.
“I feel like I should offer you something to eat,” Jensen said.
“I don’t eat,” Jared said miserably.
“Oh. Well, how about some clothes, then. I think I’ve got a pair of sweatpants that might fit you, maybe a t-shirt.” Anything but that distracting loin-skirt the man was wearing.
“Okay.”
“Shoe-wise, though, I don’t think I have anything except maybe flip-flops,” Jensen mused as he considered Jared’s huge, long-toed feet. Long fingers, long toes, his horny mind provided helpfully. “Although I gotta say, it’s a shame to cover you up. I’d just as soon let you hang out all day with nothing on but that cute little skirt.”
Jared grinned, and it was every bit as adorable as the last time. Maybe more so because Jared seemed to be relaxing in Jensen’s presence, now that they were through the preliminaries. He followed Jensen down the hall to his bedroom, taking in the king-sized bed, the large flat-screen TV on the wall across from the bed, and the single glass of half-filled water on the bedside table.
“You live alone?” Jared asked as Jensen pulled dresser drawers open and yanked out sweatpants and a t-shirt. Dude probably needs underwear, he decided, pulling out a pair of clean boxer-briefs.
“I’m as single as they come,” Jensen answered as he shoved the clothes at Jared and nodded towards the bathroom. “You can change in there.”
Jared looked down at the clothes in his hands, clearly perplexed. “Why?”
“Uh, because you’re almost naked? And it’s making me horny? And as much as I’d love to fuck you, that’s probably not the best way to start a relationship.” Jensen rolled his eyes.
Instead of agreeing, Jared crowded closer, dropping the clothes on the floor and pushing down his loin cloth in one graceful movement. He kept his gaze locked to Jensen’s, licking his lips slowly with a wet, pink tongue.
Okay, then.
“I think that’s exactly what you should do,” Jared purred. “Except, I don’t bottom.”
All of the blood in Jensen’s body rushed immediately to his dick. This close, Jared was big all over, biceps and pecs stretched tight under taut, tan skin, massive shoulders like boulders atop his powerful, veined arms. Jensen tipped his head back to look up into Jared’s eyes and imagined himself held down and fucked vigorously. His eyes fluttered closed and a moan escaped his lips as Jared yanked Jensen against his chest, mouth crashing down over Jensen’s.
The sex was incredible, just as Jensen had imagined it would be. Jared grabbed and manhandled and held him down, something Jensen had only ever experienced once before, with his first lover when Jensen was eighteen. Jensen wasn’t a small man, and finding partners who could truly outmatch him physically wasn’t easy.
Afterwards, Jensen fell asleep, sore and sated, and when he woke up, Jared was gone.
Okay, that happened, he thought as he rolled over, into the space vacated by Jared’s body. He breathed deeply into the pillow, recovering the scent that lingered there, drawing it deeply into his lungs.
After a long, hot shower, Jensen returned to his bedroom, dressed and called Chris. It was still early evening, so he figured he’d ask Chris over to hash out what just happened.
Jensen did not expect Chris to deny the whole thing.
“No way, man,” his friend insisted. “I didn’t set you up, I swear.”
Jensen huffed out a disbelieving breath. “But you gave me the lamp.”
“Yeah, because I found it in an antique store and I figured you’d like it,” Chris said. “Not because I was trying to punk you. Believe me, man, if I was planning on playing a practical joke, it wouldn’t be such a lame idea. I mean, come on. Magic lamps? Genies? You’d never fall for something like that!”
Jensen shook his head, frowning. “No, I wouldn’t. I didn’t.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Jesus, man. You should’ve seen this guy.”
“Wait. You didn’t fuck him, did you?” When Jensen hesitated, Chris blurted out, “Oh my god, Jensen! You did!”
“More like the other way around,” Jensen said, horny again just thinking about it. “Guy was huge.”
Chris chuckled. “Well, at least you got your money’s worth.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothin’,” Chris said, and Jensen could almost see his shrug. “Just that I didn’t pay much for that lamp.”
“Haha, very funny. Listen, you want to come over? I can throw some steaks on the grill, we can play a little guitar, maybe watch a game.”
“Sure. I’ll bring the beer.”
Jensen fully expected Jared to be long gone, so he did a double-take when he found the big man sitting on his couch, watching TV. Jared was dressed in the t-shirt and sweatpants Jensen had pulled out for him earlier, which were tight and too short on him, of course.
“He’s still here!” Jensen hissed into his phone as he retreated back down the hallway to his bedroom.
Chris chuckled. “Lucky you.”
“This isn’t funny, Chris.” Jensen took a breath, fought back his panic with a side of horny. “I mean, what’s his game?” Then Jensen had a terrible thought. “What if he’s a stalker?”
“Relax, man,” Chris said. “Just ask him to stay for supper. You can make him a steak. I’m almost at your door, anyway.”
“I don’t even know how he got in,” Jensen hissed. “I’m going to have to call the alarm company.”
“Chill, Jensen,” Chris soothed. “I’m sure he’s not a stalker.”
“How do you know?” A shiver slid up Jensen’s spine as he recalled the way Jared looked at him in the bedroom. “He seemed to know me. Too well.”
“Pushed all your buttons, huh?” Chris chuckled again.
“Shut up! This isn’t funny! It’s fuckin’ weird, is what it is.”
“I’m here.” The doorbell rang unnecessarily. “Let me in. I wanna meet him.”
Jensen turned his phone off and practically sprinted to the front door, barely glancing toward the living room. He didn’t fully understand why he was suddenly so shy around Jared, but it probably had something to do with the fact that he’d just fucked him. Jared was a total stranger, and Jensen had let that happen between them. Jensen wasn’t a prude, and he’d certainly had his share of one-night stands, but most of the time the guy had the decency to leave immediately afterward.
Jensen had never had to deal with the aftermath of his own snap judgment where sex was concerned. Ever. Until now.
“Thank God,” he murmured as he opened the door.
Chris took one look at him and shoved the box of beer into Jensen’s hands. “Where is he?”
Jensen nodded toward the living room, then took off for the kitchen with the beer. He wasn’t terrified of facing Jared, exactly. Really. It was just awkward, that’s all.
“Hey. I’m Chris.” Jensen could hear Chris’s easy introduction, could imagine him sticking his hand out confidently as he sized Jared up.
“Jared.” Jared’s soft voice sent shivers up Jensen’s spine. He was instantly hard. His hands shook as he opened the box of beer, put bottles into the refrigerator.
This had to stop. Jensen wasn’t a high-school kid on his first date, or a virgin after his first fuck. He was a full-grown man who had just had sex with another consenting adult. He could handle this.
“So you’re a genie, huh?” Chris was asking as Jensen joined them, beers in hand. He offered one to Jared, who shook his head.
“I don’t drink,” he said, lifting those soft, multi-colored eyes that mesmerized and haunted Jensen like no others. “And yes, I am a genie.”
“Huh.” Chris took his beer from Jensen as Jensen chugged his for courage. “So you grant wishes? Is that it?”
“That is correct.” Jared’s gaze swept over Jensen’s body and Jensen tried not to shiver.
“So if I asked you to make me a famous, successful musician and singer, you could grant my wish?”
Jared’s gaze locked with Jensen’s, after thoroughly raking over Jensen’s body again. A tiny smirk curled up the corner of his mouth, like he could tell how nervous and uncomfortable Jensen felt, the bastard.
“I am here for Jensen,” Jared said. “He summoned me. I can only grant his wish.”
Chris raised an eyebrow while Jensen took another swallow of his beer.
“Oh. Well, in that case, Jensen, please wish for me to become a famous and successful musician.”
Jensen rolled his eyes as he turned away toward the kitchen. “I’m starting the steaks. Jared, you’re welcome to stay. I guess you don’t need me to say that.”
He left the beer he had brought for Jared on the coffee table, just in case, but he suspected the big man wouldn’t touch it. It was a relief to escape into the kitchen to fetch the food and grab another beer. He had no doubt Jared meant to stay as long as he wanted, and part of Jensen wanted that, too, which is what scared him. It occurred to him that he’d had sex with Jared at least partly as a way to pretend that Jared didn’t have a hold over him, no matter how fascinating and enticing he was. If he could get Jared out of his system by fucking him, well. That strategy had worked for Jensen in the past. Jensen was good at controlling his own horny nature. Fuck ‘em and leave ‘em had always worked before.
But with Jared, Jensen was dangerously off-kilter, and it wasn’t just the crazy genie story. There was something about Jared that touched something deep inside him. Jared pushed all kinds of buttons Jensen didn’t even know he had. Whatever it was, it wasn’t just sex. He’d established that.
Determined to control the tumult inside him, Jensen focused on preparing dinner. He marinated the steaks and opened a bottle of cabernet to air, then chopped onions, peppers, and summer squash to throw on the grill. His hands were still shaking, so when he cut himself he wasn’t surprised.
“Fuck!”
Jared appeared instantly at the kitchen door, a concerned frown creasing his handsome face.
“Jensen?”
“I’m fine,” Jensen snapped, wrapping a dish towel around the wound and applying pressure to staunch it.
“Here. Let me see.”
Jared moved up behind him, reaching for Jensen’s hand, and Jensen was helpless to refuse. It was like Jared had some kind of power over him. He let Jared unwind the dishcloth, hold his open hand in both of Jared’s big paws. He was painfully aware of Jared’s body pressed up against his. When he drew a shaky breath, he could smell him. Spicy citrus and sweat. Good. The best smell.
“Not too deep,” Jared noted as he held Jensen’s hand and covered the wound with his other hand. Jensen felt a momentary surge of heat. His hand seemed to glow under Jared’s. When Jared pulled his hands away, Jensen immediately missed his touch, and when Jared backed up, Jensen missed the press of his body, too.
Jensen’s hand was healed.
The blood was still there, of course, but when Jensen wiped it away with the dishtowel, there was no wound. Not even a scar.
“How did you -”
Chris took that moment to interrupt, looking for more beer, and Jensen looked up at Jared, frowning in confusion.
“Did I miss something?” Chris asked, glancing between the two men.
Jared had already washed the blood off his hands, and he gave Jensen a little smirk as Jensen followed suit.
“I don’t know,” Jensen answered his friend, examining the skin where the cut had been. “I cut my hand, and I think Jared just healed it.”
“Really?” Chris raised a skeptical eyebrow. “I guess that could come in handy, if the wish thing doesn’t work out. Right, Jen?”
“So what else can you do?” Jensen asked, looking up at Jared curiously. He was still sure Jared wasn’t magical, but there had to be some kind of trick involved here.
Jared shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. The disdainful sneer had returned to his soft lips, and Jensen wanted to kiss it away. He suddenly wished they were alone.
“I’m bound to you, Jensen,” Jared said. “You freed me from the lantern, so now I must serve you.”
He didn’t seem happy about it.
“It’s part of the curse,” he continued. “I must protect you at all costs. Keep you safe.”
Jensen took in a quick breath, almost a gasp, really. He couldn’t look away from that intense gaze, those beautiful multi-colored eyes that seemed to see into his very soul. He’d never felt so exposed, so seen.
Chris cleared his throat. “Hey, guys. This is fascinating and all, but I’m starving.”
Jensen started. He’d literally forgotten Chris was there.
“Yeah, right,” he muttered, blushing furiously as he turned away from Jared. “I’ll fire up the grill, get the food on. We should be ready to eat in about ten minutes.”
“So tell us more about yourself, Jared.” Chris picked up his previous conversation. “Where did you grow up?”
“I don’t remember,” Jared said, and Jensen could feel his eyes on Jensen’s back, boring a hole into his bones. “It was a long time ago.”
“Huh.” Chris took another swallow of his beer. “So how long have you been an actor?”
Jared shrugged, clearly reluctant to play along.
Chris nodded, exchanging glances with Jensen. “You know Jensen’s an actor, right?”
“More of a producer and director, in recent years,” Jensen corrected. “Semi-retired.”
“Which is why he’s here,” Chris continued. “Just moved into the neighborhood from Hollywood.”
“I did not know,” Jared admitted.
“Yeah. Jensen’s been in a few TV shows you’ve probably seen. Dark Angel, Smallville, a couple of pilots that didn’t get picked up. Oh, and that show that ran for a season and got canceled. What was it called?”
“Hunters,” Jensen muttered.
“Hunters, right. It was a pretty good show, all things considered,” Chris said, and Jensen smiled, shooting his friend a grateful look. Chris’s loyalty and support had always been important to him, even more so now that he’d left show business behind.
“All things considered?” Jared repeated as he and Chris followed Jensen out to the deck. Jensen started up the grill and arranged the food to start cooking, back turned to the others as he worked. He could feel Jared’s eyes on his backside.
Chris sat down at the patio table and took a swallow of his beer. He offered a beer to Jared, but the big guy refused. Again.
“Yeah, well, the network was in a state of transition,” Chris explained. “A lot of shows got canceled. It definitely wasn’t Jensen’s fault. Might have been his co-star’s, though.”
“His co-star?”
“Yeah. Fella named Mark Kent. Don’t look him up because he’s literally the most unknown actor on TV.” Chris shook his head. “There isn’t even an IMDb entry for him.”
“So how did he get the part?” Jared seemed genuinely curious.
“Beats me. He must’ve known somebody, that’s all I can tell you. Maybe had a genie of his own. Anyway, he and Jensen had zero chemistry. Jensen acted his heart out, but Mark just wasn’t into it. He always seemed ready to walk at the first opportunity.”
“Now, don’t speak ill of the dude,” Jensen chided gently. “He didn’t want the part in the first place. It wasn’t his thing.”
“Yeah, well, I’d like to know what his thing was.” Chris shook his head. “Definitely not acting, apparently.”
“I’m sorry your show got canceled, Jensen,” Jared said softly.
Jensen shrugged. “It wasn’t meant to be,” he said. “Happens all the time in show business. Anyway, I was luckier than most. I got a directing career out of it, some juicy guest-starring roles, and a bank account that allowed me to retire early and move here. Win-win.”
“It’s a win for me too, good buddy,” Chris said with a grin. “I don’t know how I would’ve kept the Lone Star going if you hadn’t stepped in to pay off the mortgage.”
Jensen raised his beer, letting the food grill on its own for a moment. “Here’s to partners,” he saluted.
Chris raised his beer and they clanked bottles before taking swallows. Jared watched them silently, eyes slightly narrowed. Chris noticed and barked out a laugh.
“Hey Jared, just so we’re clear, Jensen and I are just friends, okay? We used to compete for the same roles in Hollywood, back in the day, that’s all. We bonded over our mutual competitiveness and constant failures to get the parts we both auditioned for. Also our love of music, which I gave up everything else to pursue.” He grinned ruefully. “Unsuccessfully, at least so far.”
Jared nodded, accepting Chris’s assurances.
Chris raised his bottle. “Besides, you are much more his type, as you have no doubt figured out by now.”
Jensen rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the grin that tugged on the corners of his mouth. Jared leaned back in his chair, stretched his long legs out in front of him, and crossed his ankles and arms, a little smirk returning to his soft lips.
Smug bastard.
“Here. Dig in.”
Jensen presented the freshly-grilled food, plunking plates down onto the table along with forks and steak knives. Chris speared a steak and started in on it, and when Jared didn’t, Jensen decided to tease the big guy a little.
“Hey Jared. If you’re not going to eat, do you mind grabbing some steak sauce from the fridge? Oh, and the bottle of wine on the counter. And Chris and I could use a glass of water. Each. There’s a pitcher of filtered water in the fridge, glasses in the cupboard.”
Jared frowned, and for a moment Jensen thought he would refuse, but when Jensen raised an expectant eyebrow, the big guy rolled his eyes and pushed to his feet.
“Just because you’re my master doesn’t mean I’m your servant,” he groused as he departed for the kitchen.
Chris gave a low whistle. “Master, huh? Wow. You should push that.”
“Shut up.” But Jensen couldn’t help the little grin that threatened to split his face open. “Master” did have a nice ring to it, even if he felt anything but in control where Jared was concerned.
“He doesn’t eat,” Chris observed, sticking his fork into a second steak. “More for me.”
Jensen rolled his eyes. “I mean, what the hell, Chris? Man doesn’t eat, doesn’t drink. Does he sleep? What’s going on here?”
Chris shrugged. “Drugs, maybe?”
“Yeah, maybe.” Jensen frowned into his food. None of this sat right. His feelings for Jared were all over the place. Lust, sure, but wave after wave of protectiveness, too. Plus something he couldn’t define, something that made him tingle all over when Jared walked into the room. More than just that curse Jared talked about, Jensen felt like he knew Jared. Like he’d always known him. Like they were meant to be together.
Chris watched him closely for a moment, then pronounced, “You’re going to let him stay, aren’t you?”
“I just get the feeling he’s got nowhere else to go,” Jensen hedged, but his friend could see right through his defenses.
“You’re not buying into his genie thing, though, right? All that stuff about bonding?”
Jensen scoffed. “Of course not! I just think the kid could use a little help right now.”
“And you’re just the guy to give it,” Chris grinned. “Mister Never-Saw-a-Kicked-Puppy-He-Didn’t-Adopt Ackles.”
“Jared’s not a kicked puppy,” Jensen muttered. “He’s more like a lost wolf.”
Chris shrugged again. “So keep him. Maybe offer him a job. We could use a dishwasher at the Lone Star. Job’s his if he wants it, at least until he overdoses on whatever it is he’s tripping on.”
This time, Jensen’s grin took over his face. “Thanks, Chris. I owe you one.”
Jared took that moment to return to the table with the steak sauce and the drinks, which he put down before returning to his chair.
“Thanks, buddy,” Chris acknowledged, reaching for the sauce. “Say, Jared. What would you think about a job at our bar?”
“A job?” Jared frowned, skeptical.
“Yeah. You ever washed dishes?”
“No, I have not.” Jared’s frown deepened.
“I can teach you,” Chris assured him. “It’s not hard. You can start tomorrow if you want. We open at ten-thirty for the lunch crowd.”
Jared looked at Jensen.
“You can stay here,” Jensen offered. “At least, until you find a place of your own. In the meantime, you can move into my spare bedroom. Temporarily, of course.”
Jared grinned, dimples popping, and Jensen could swear the sun just came up.
“Yeah, okay,” Jared agreed. “Sounds great.”
“It’s settled then.” Chris nodded, satisfied. He glanced between the two men and shook his head. “You two are cute.”
“Shut up.” But Jensen couldn’t stop the little smile that tugged on the corners of his mouth, no matter how he tried.
ON TO PART TWO