Christmas Ficlet Numero Quatro: On This Christmas Eve
Title: On This Christmas Eve
Words: 2,200
Rating/Warning: R/Language
Summary: There’s no way he wants to be here, on Christmas Eve, to interrupt a family dinner and deliver bad news.
Notes: For those requesting copfic for Christmas! This is pre- In This Windy City, pre-J2ness.
Jensen hops up the stairs, eyes looking over the brownstone that’s lit up by multi-colored lights roped across the arch to the front porch and around the picture window.
At the door, he takes a deep breath, shakes his hands out then balls them into fists. There’s no way he wants to be here, on Christmas Eve, to interrupt a family dinner and deliver bad news.
Another few breaths and he raises his fist to knock but there’s a burst of laughter and playful shouting from within. He can hear male and female voices alike, shouting to be heard over one another, and the sure laughter between them all.
Jensen smiles lightly and then frowns as he brings his fist up and knocks three times. He tucks his hands inside his open winter coat, gloved hands settling at his hip as he looks out onto the affluent neighborhood. This house is by far the liveliest one for as far as he can see. It makes him feel worse for having to break up the happy scene beyond the door. Which opens to reveal a young, tall, auburn-haired woman who’s face is bright and pink with a broad smile.
Her eyes move across Jensen then widen when they reach his waist where his badge is on display, and Jensen cringes with her tense look. “Officer?” she asks with worry.
“Hi,” he says with a nod and soft smile. “Is your brother home?”
“Is everything okay?”
He looks just beyond her, not catching much of the living and dining rooms that’re still lively with family and laughter. “Yes, ma’am,” he says mechanically. “Just need to speak to your brother.”
She pulls back a few inches, staring at him, and then she breaks a strange smile. “Oh! You’re Jensen?”
“Yes, I-”
But he can’t get out more because she’s pushing the door open and tugging him right inside, yelling, “Jared!” right in Jensen’s ear.
He winches but does his best to hide the pain as he’s all but dragged through the living room and into the attached dining room.
All action comes to a halt with family in various states of cleaning up and eating: some sitting with ignored plates, others moving around the room to stack dishes and platters. But there’s no Jared.
Megan pushes him to face the group. “Guys, this is Jensen,” she says with an obvious grin.
There’s a short pause as all eyes land on him until everyone erupts into salutations and smiles. He’s offered a seat, a drink, a plate, all but what he needs at the moment.
It’s awkward for sure, and the way they’re all excited with him makes him wonder what all Jared has said about him. Surely, after two years, the family knows they’re partners. But the ever-building tension between him and Jared can’t be something that Jared would keep quiet, given how friendly and open the guy’s always been.
It makes Jensen nervous, so much so that he lets the whole scene carry on without much argument, especially when Megan tugs his coat and suit jacket off. But that’s when everyone freezes and all eyes are on his holster, hanging from the straps that criss-cross his back.
“I’m sorry,” Jensen insists with a hand covering his gun. “I was just heading in.”
“What’s all the ruckus in here?” Jared asks as he enters from the kitchen. He stops, eyes tight to Jensen, going wide before he seems to shake himself out of it. “Hey.”
“Merry Christmas,” Jensen says with a nod. And he swears he can hear how warm and caring it sounds, which makes him cringe inside. Yet he can’t deny that seeing Jared all loving smiles with his family, dressed nicely in a soft, dark sweater as opposed to rumpled shirts and ties for work, it makes something stir.
Jensen clears his throat and takes his jacket from Megan’s hands, still hanging in the air as everyone watches the interaction. He sadly smiles to the group. “I’m sorry to interrupt your dinner.” Then he looks to Jared. “Can I talk to you outside?”
“Yeah, yeah, of course,” Jared says quickly, shucking a platter of sweets to the table and bypassing his family without a word.
Outside, Jensen slips back into both of his jackets and looks out to the neighborhood. Then he shakes his head to Jared coming out in just his sweater and jeans. White Christmas in Chicago is always a beautiful sight with snow coating branches and lawns, but it’s bitter as hell.
“You’re gonna get sick,” Jensen grumbles playfully. “And then cough and sneeze all over me.”
“I will and you’ll love it,” Jared shoots back with a small smile. He crosses his arms across his chest and bounces on his feet for warmth as he watches Jensen. The smile falls away and he tips his head. “Not like I hate seeing you every day, being my partner and all, but what brings you to Lincoln Park on Christmas?”
Jensen nods, feeling something press in his chest at Jared’s words. “There’s a body in the Loop.”
Jared licks his lips and Jensen tries not to stare at the movement. “Couldn’t just call? Had to step in with your gun at my mom’s?”
He doesn’t sound wholly offended, but there’s some obvious bother there. Jensen puts his hands up as his voice drops low. “I’m sorry for that. I didn’t intend it. Your sister was just yanking jackets off before I realized it.”
Jared seems to believe him, with the way his face settles more softly. “Why didn’t you just call?” he asks oddly.
“I did. But you weren’t answering.”
Jared pulls his phone out, punching a few buttons and then laughs at himself. He waves it at Jensen. “Put it on silent during grace, never turned it back on.” Jensen just nods and smiles in return. “How’d you find my mom’s house?” Jared asks strangely.
Jensen smirks. “I have learned a few things on the job.”
Jared nods slowly, eyes intent on Jensen’s, like he’s doing his best to read Jensen’s mind.
He bristles under the intense assessment, yanking his gloves out of his coat and tugging them into place. “So, I hate to ruin your holiday, but are you up for doing a little work? I can bring you back after a few hours, so long as we get a once-over of the scene before the unit tears it apart.”
It takes Jared some time to respond; he nods and sighs before shaking his head and chuckling to himself. “Man, my mom’s gonna kill you for this.”
“I can take her,” he replies flatly, but then he’s smiling.
Jared laughs and pushes at Jensen’s shoulder as he turns back to the house
*
It takes more than just a few hours for them to go over the scene of a man shot and left for dead in the South Plaza of Willis Tower. Jared and Jensen take extra care to interview those on duty in the tower, not to mention those at 311, 300, 250, 150 and 125 South Wacker to log anyone coming or going, which was slim to none depending on shifts for building engineers and security staff.
Well past midnight, Jensen pulls up to Jared’s mom’s house so Jared can crash on the couch and be there for presents in the morning before they step back out for work.
But Jared isn’t moving from the car; he looks to Jensen and softly smiles. “You wanna come in for coffee?”
Jensen raises his eyebrows with a sly smile. “Just coffee?”
It’s a joke, one like anything they mock each other with every other day of the week. It never means anything. At least, Jensen doesn’t think it ever does.
Jared seems to take a moment to think about it then he rolls his eyes and looks up at the house. “It’s my mom’s house, you fucking pervert. Yes, it’s only coffee.”
There is a lie in Jared’s argument: they also have pie. Jared warms up a slice of apple for himself, sweet potato pecan for Jensen, and tops both with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
While sitting next to each other on the living room couch, lit only by the outdoor lights that hang over the picture window, Jared spoons a serving of pie ala mode and fusses with it on his plate without looking at Jensen. “So, what were you doing before you came and kidnapped me from Christmas?”
Jensen can see a small curl to Jared’s lips, but he still feels bad for having done it. “Was at my dad’s in Palatine. He didn’t seem to care much that I had to leave. What with everyone else who was there,” Jensen adds as he reaches for the coffee table to get his mug of coffee. He sips then puts it down, leaning back into the couch and stretching his legs further under the table.
He relaxes for the moment, thinking over the strained relationship with his father, how he’d been happy to have gotten the call so he could leave the blended family gathering where he didn’t know many but was expected to make a showing. It was all so different than Jared’s family celebrating with smiles and love.
“I’m sorry for dragging you away,” Jensen says gently as he looks at Jared with a small frown.
Jared’s immediately shaking his head, swallowing down his bite of pie and ice cream. “Nah, it’s fine. I’ve had a few dozen Christmases, gonna have dozens more.”
“Yeah, but still.”
“One spent on the job ain’t so bad.”
Jensen gives him a look like he doesn’t believe him, but Jared just waves him off. With a nod, to break the tension, Jensen smirks. “Could be worse. Could have a shitty partner that you can’t stand to be around.”
“Funny, that’s exactly what I have,” Jared teases, knocking his knee into Jensen’s.
When Jared’s knee stays there, flush to Jensen’s leg, Jensen feels his skin prick up, and he worries about Jared feeling it, of reading something between them that Jensen’s certain is there, but so very afraid to even tempt. From the moment they’ve stepped out as partners, it’s been the perfect blend of friendship and success, and Jensen wouldn’t trade it for anything.
But he doesn’t move his leg. He inches it over just a bit, like it’s a natural little twitch, and he keeps eating his pie. After a few minutes, there’s a bit more pressure from Jared but not a word. Not even when he puts his plate, surprisingly only half eaten, to the coffee table and leans further into the couch.
He asks quiet, easy questions about Jensen’s plans for dinner, one that will be spent with his mom’s side of the family, which sparks nearly two hours of them talking. They refill coffee mugs and never lack conversation, which runs the gamut of Christmas traditions to warm vacations to the Bears chances in the playoffs.
Jared nudges Jensen’s knee and smiles tiredly. “Maybe we just crash on the couch and head out after presents.”
“I’m not watching you guys open presents,” Jensen insists.
“Why not?”
“’Cause,” he argues. “It’s not like I got presents for you guys.”
“I got you something,” Jared says with another bump to Jensen’s knee.
Without thinking, Jensen puts his hand to Jared’s leg, mostly to keep it from hitting him again. But he can’t put enough willpower to removing it, so he keeps it there. Jensen swallows and takes a deep breath. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”
Jared pats Jensen’s hand then rubs his palm over the back of it. It could be a simple little movement, but Jensen warms with it and for once, he’s trying to see more in it.
“Stop worrying,” Jared says easily.
And as Jensen definitely reads something in those words, he allows himself to have the moment. He smiles lightly to another taste of the sweet dessert and the calm of the room in these early hours of Christmas Day.
He presses his thumb over Jared’s and nods. “Alright. Quitting the worry.”
“Okay,” Jared nods back, squeezing lightly at Jensen’s hand.
“What’d you get me?”
“I’m not telling you,” he laughs, pushing at Jensen’s hand before reaching forward for his mug.
“It’s not gonna suck, right?”
Another laugh, but more bothered this time. “It’s not gonna suck.”
“You sure?” Jensen asks with high eyebrows, still joking, still enjoying them sitting together.
Jared pushes his head into the back cushion and his shoulders out as he relaxes into the couch. “I’m very sure.”
They’re touching from shoulder to hip to knee to shin, and any other time that Jared’s gone too far with touching, Jensen’s backed off. He doesn’t now. He settles into the couch, closes his eyes, and murmurs, “Good. Because I don’t want you ruining my Christmas.”
Jared snorts, and then Jensen does, too, and he falls asleep with a smile in place. Wakes with one, too.
Words: 2,200
Rating/Warning: R/Language
Summary: There’s no way he wants to be here, on Christmas Eve, to interrupt a family dinner and deliver bad news.
Notes: For those requesting copfic for Christmas! This is pre- In This Windy City, pre-J2ness.
Jensen hops up the stairs, eyes looking over the brownstone that’s lit up by multi-colored lights roped across the arch to the front porch and around the picture window.
At the door, he takes a deep breath, shakes his hands out then balls them into fists. There’s no way he wants to be here, on Christmas Eve, to interrupt a family dinner and deliver bad news.
Another few breaths and he raises his fist to knock but there’s a burst of laughter and playful shouting from within. He can hear male and female voices alike, shouting to be heard over one another, and the sure laughter between them all.
Jensen smiles lightly and then frowns as he brings his fist up and knocks three times. He tucks his hands inside his open winter coat, gloved hands settling at his hip as he looks out onto the affluent neighborhood. This house is by far the liveliest one for as far as he can see. It makes him feel worse for having to break up the happy scene beyond the door. Which opens to reveal a young, tall, auburn-haired woman who’s face is bright and pink with a broad smile.
Her eyes move across Jensen then widen when they reach his waist where his badge is on display, and Jensen cringes with her tense look. “Officer?” she asks with worry.
“Hi,” he says with a nod and soft smile. “Is your brother home?”
“Is everything okay?”
He looks just beyond her, not catching much of the living and dining rooms that’re still lively with family and laughter. “Yes, ma’am,” he says mechanically. “Just need to speak to your brother.”
She pulls back a few inches, staring at him, and then she breaks a strange smile. “Oh! You’re Jensen?”
“Yes, I-”
But he can’t get out more because she’s pushing the door open and tugging him right inside, yelling, “Jared!” right in Jensen’s ear.
He winches but does his best to hide the pain as he’s all but dragged through the living room and into the attached dining room.
All action comes to a halt with family in various states of cleaning up and eating: some sitting with ignored plates, others moving around the room to stack dishes and platters. But there’s no Jared.
Megan pushes him to face the group. “Guys, this is Jensen,” she says with an obvious grin.
There’s a short pause as all eyes land on him until everyone erupts into salutations and smiles. He’s offered a seat, a drink, a plate, all but what he needs at the moment.
It’s awkward for sure, and the way they’re all excited with him makes him wonder what all Jared has said about him. Surely, after two years, the family knows they’re partners. But the ever-building tension between him and Jared can’t be something that Jared would keep quiet, given how friendly and open the guy’s always been.
It makes Jensen nervous, so much so that he lets the whole scene carry on without much argument, especially when Megan tugs his coat and suit jacket off. But that’s when everyone freezes and all eyes are on his holster, hanging from the straps that criss-cross his back.
“I’m sorry,” Jensen insists with a hand covering his gun. “I was just heading in.”
“What’s all the ruckus in here?” Jared asks as he enters from the kitchen. He stops, eyes tight to Jensen, going wide before he seems to shake himself out of it. “Hey.”
“Merry Christmas,” Jensen says with a nod. And he swears he can hear how warm and caring it sounds, which makes him cringe inside. Yet he can’t deny that seeing Jared all loving smiles with his family, dressed nicely in a soft, dark sweater as opposed to rumpled shirts and ties for work, it makes something stir.
Jensen clears his throat and takes his jacket from Megan’s hands, still hanging in the air as everyone watches the interaction. He sadly smiles to the group. “I’m sorry to interrupt your dinner.” Then he looks to Jared. “Can I talk to you outside?”
“Yeah, yeah, of course,” Jared says quickly, shucking a platter of sweets to the table and bypassing his family without a word.
Outside, Jensen slips back into both of his jackets and looks out to the neighborhood. Then he shakes his head to Jared coming out in just his sweater and jeans. White Christmas in Chicago is always a beautiful sight with snow coating branches and lawns, but it’s bitter as hell.
“You’re gonna get sick,” Jensen grumbles playfully. “And then cough and sneeze all over me.”
“I will and you’ll love it,” Jared shoots back with a small smile. He crosses his arms across his chest and bounces on his feet for warmth as he watches Jensen. The smile falls away and he tips his head. “Not like I hate seeing you every day, being my partner and all, but what brings you to Lincoln Park on Christmas?”
Jensen nods, feeling something press in his chest at Jared’s words. “There’s a body in the Loop.”
Jared licks his lips and Jensen tries not to stare at the movement. “Couldn’t just call? Had to step in with your gun at my mom’s?”
He doesn’t sound wholly offended, but there’s some obvious bother there. Jensen puts his hands up as his voice drops low. “I’m sorry for that. I didn’t intend it. Your sister was just yanking jackets off before I realized it.”
Jared seems to believe him, with the way his face settles more softly. “Why didn’t you just call?” he asks oddly.
“I did. But you weren’t answering.”
Jared pulls his phone out, punching a few buttons and then laughs at himself. He waves it at Jensen. “Put it on silent during grace, never turned it back on.” Jensen just nods and smiles in return. “How’d you find my mom’s house?” Jared asks strangely.
Jensen smirks. “I have learned a few things on the job.”
Jared nods slowly, eyes intent on Jensen’s, like he’s doing his best to read Jensen’s mind.
He bristles under the intense assessment, yanking his gloves out of his coat and tugging them into place. “So, I hate to ruin your holiday, but are you up for doing a little work? I can bring you back after a few hours, so long as we get a once-over of the scene before the unit tears it apart.”
It takes Jared some time to respond; he nods and sighs before shaking his head and chuckling to himself. “Man, my mom’s gonna kill you for this.”
“I can take her,” he replies flatly, but then he’s smiling.
Jared laughs and pushes at Jensen’s shoulder as he turns back to the house
*
It takes more than just a few hours for them to go over the scene of a man shot and left for dead in the South Plaza of Willis Tower. Jared and Jensen take extra care to interview those on duty in the tower, not to mention those at 311, 300, 250, 150 and 125 South Wacker to log anyone coming or going, which was slim to none depending on shifts for building engineers and security staff.
Well past midnight, Jensen pulls up to Jared’s mom’s house so Jared can crash on the couch and be there for presents in the morning before they step back out for work.
But Jared isn’t moving from the car; he looks to Jensen and softly smiles. “You wanna come in for coffee?”
Jensen raises his eyebrows with a sly smile. “Just coffee?”
It’s a joke, one like anything they mock each other with every other day of the week. It never means anything. At least, Jensen doesn’t think it ever does.
Jared seems to take a moment to think about it then he rolls his eyes and looks up at the house. “It’s my mom’s house, you fucking pervert. Yes, it’s only coffee.”
There is a lie in Jared’s argument: they also have pie. Jared warms up a slice of apple for himself, sweet potato pecan for Jensen, and tops both with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
While sitting next to each other on the living room couch, lit only by the outdoor lights that hang over the picture window, Jared spoons a serving of pie ala mode and fusses with it on his plate without looking at Jensen. “So, what were you doing before you came and kidnapped me from Christmas?”
Jensen can see a small curl to Jared’s lips, but he still feels bad for having done it. “Was at my dad’s in Palatine. He didn’t seem to care much that I had to leave. What with everyone else who was there,” Jensen adds as he reaches for the coffee table to get his mug of coffee. He sips then puts it down, leaning back into the couch and stretching his legs further under the table.
He relaxes for the moment, thinking over the strained relationship with his father, how he’d been happy to have gotten the call so he could leave the blended family gathering where he didn’t know many but was expected to make a showing. It was all so different than Jared’s family celebrating with smiles and love.
“I’m sorry for dragging you away,” Jensen says gently as he looks at Jared with a small frown.
Jared’s immediately shaking his head, swallowing down his bite of pie and ice cream. “Nah, it’s fine. I’ve had a few dozen Christmases, gonna have dozens more.”
“Yeah, but still.”
“One spent on the job ain’t so bad.”
Jensen gives him a look like he doesn’t believe him, but Jared just waves him off. With a nod, to break the tension, Jensen smirks. “Could be worse. Could have a shitty partner that you can’t stand to be around.”
“Funny, that’s exactly what I have,” Jared teases, knocking his knee into Jensen’s.
When Jared’s knee stays there, flush to Jensen’s leg, Jensen feels his skin prick up, and he worries about Jared feeling it, of reading something between them that Jensen’s certain is there, but so very afraid to even tempt. From the moment they’ve stepped out as partners, it’s been the perfect blend of friendship and success, and Jensen wouldn’t trade it for anything.
But he doesn’t move his leg. He inches it over just a bit, like it’s a natural little twitch, and he keeps eating his pie. After a few minutes, there’s a bit more pressure from Jared but not a word. Not even when he puts his plate, surprisingly only half eaten, to the coffee table and leans further into the couch.
He asks quiet, easy questions about Jensen’s plans for dinner, one that will be spent with his mom’s side of the family, which sparks nearly two hours of them talking. They refill coffee mugs and never lack conversation, which runs the gamut of Christmas traditions to warm vacations to the Bears chances in the playoffs.
Jared nudges Jensen’s knee and smiles tiredly. “Maybe we just crash on the couch and head out after presents.”
“I’m not watching you guys open presents,” Jensen insists.
“Why not?”
“’Cause,” he argues. “It’s not like I got presents for you guys.”
“I got you something,” Jared says with another bump to Jensen’s knee.
Without thinking, Jensen puts his hand to Jared’s leg, mostly to keep it from hitting him again. But he can’t put enough willpower to removing it, so he keeps it there. Jensen swallows and takes a deep breath. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”
Jared pats Jensen’s hand then rubs his palm over the back of it. It could be a simple little movement, but Jensen warms with it and for once, he’s trying to see more in it.
“Stop worrying,” Jared says easily.
And as Jensen definitely reads something in those words, he allows himself to have the moment. He smiles lightly to another taste of the sweet dessert and the calm of the room in these early hours of Christmas Day.
He presses his thumb over Jared’s and nods. “Alright. Quitting the worry.”
“Okay,” Jared nods back, squeezing lightly at Jensen’s hand.
“What’d you get me?”
“I’m not telling you,” he laughs, pushing at Jensen’s hand before reaching forward for his mug.
“It’s not gonna suck, right?”
Another laugh, but more bothered this time. “It’s not gonna suck.”
“You sure?” Jensen asks with high eyebrows, still joking, still enjoying them sitting together.
Jared pushes his head into the back cushion and his shoulders out as he relaxes into the couch. “I’m very sure.”
They’re touching from shoulder to hip to knee to shin, and any other time that Jared’s gone too far with touching, Jensen’s backed off. He doesn’t now. He settles into the couch, closes his eyes, and murmurs, “Good. Because I don’t want you ruining my Christmas.”
Jared snorts, and then Jensen does, too, and he falls asleep with a smile in place. Wakes with one, too.