Worth the Wait
Worth the Wait
He loved Christmas, really he did, but after two weeks back in Texas with his family he was happy to be home. He’d gotten in late last night and slept through the morning, barely waking up when he felt Jensen fall into bed beside him at some stupid hour of the morning. He’d insisted on taking a cab home from the airport when he realized how late Jared’s flight in had been. They’d both decided to spend the holidays with their families instead of one another, a little time to rest and relax. He hated being separated from Jensen even for that short time, but it gave them both the space they needed, and the perspective after living in each other’s pockets 24/7.
The afternoon was still new when Jared woke and he leaned over, placing a light kiss on Jensen’s cheek before sliding softly out of bed. The shower was blissfully hot and soothing after last night’s red eye flight into Vancouver and between that and sleeping in he finally felt human. Hungry, but human.
Jensen had gained a little time on the flight back so he knew his lover would wake up hungry and well rested in a few minutes. He thought about what he was going to do today and smiled. Nothing too much, a day at home with no other plans than relaxing, but he’d thought about dinner and making something nice for Jensen tonight. He’d stopped at the grocery store on the way home from the airport and stocked up on what he’d need so they wouldn’t have to leave the house for a few days.
He threw on a pair of his oldest, butter soft jeans and made his way down to the kitchen, smiling as he starting mixing up the batter. Honey banana pancakes were a favorite in the Ackles-Padalecki house even if they weren’t made often. Jared found them two years before when he’d been looking for something special to make Jensen on Valentine’s Day. He’d read both honey and bananas were supposed to be aphrodisiacs and he’d given it a try. He didn’t know if it was an aphrodisiacs or not, but Jensen never failed to appreciate the effort he put into making them.
The skillet was hissing nicely when he splayed it with water so he began pouring the batter. It went quickly, the batter turning to fluffy stacks and the table was set. He was just finishing the last of the bacon when he felt the press of lips against the nape of his neck.
“Morning.”
Jared leaned back as arms wrapped around his waist. “God I missed you.” He didn’t mean to say it, meant to make some sort of smart ass comment about how it wasn’t morning anymore, but Jensen was pressed against his back and the kitchen smelled of pancakes and it apparently turned him into a sap.
He felt the smile against his skin and it was worth later teasing. “Hungry?” he asked before Jensen could start just yet.
“I’ll get the drinks.”
Jared felt Jensen moving away and he turned the burner off, placing the rest of the bacon on the platter. He walked past Jensen with the food, placing it on the table as he watched Jensen carry over the orange juice and the coffee pot. He stopped for a quick kiss before heading back in for the syrup and butter.
He set it down and took a seat next to Jensen at the table. Jensen turned into him for another kiss and Jared was more than happy to oblige. He let his hand come up to rest on Jensen’s cheek, and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss without thinking about it.
Jensen groaned into his mouth, but then he was pulling back, smiling as he licked his lips. “You really don’t expect me to eat if you keep doing that do you?’ He asked.
Jared laughed. “You telling me you missed my cooking more than you missed me?”
“It’s all part and parcel, but the pancakes will only stay warm so long.”
And really, it’s one of the things he loved the most about Jensen. They’d made the transition from friends to lovers before Jensen had moved in with him but Jensen never let him forget they were friends first. As lover, Jensen would probably have taken him back to bed, or even woke him as soon as he got home, demanding his attention. The friend, however, let him sleep in and made him eat. He also made him laugh more than he’d ever laughed with another person.
His mamma said it was what told her this relationship was for keeps. It was what made her look past the whole same sex part to see that Jensen was really what was best for him. Jensen’s mom, said it was the fact that Jared brought that out in her son that did it. He’d never admit that to Jensen, anymore than he’d admit to talking to her about it. Their moms had seen it coming before anyone else though and apparently had decided between the two of them that if it made their boys happy they would support it.
“Yeah yeah, but I’m only letting go because you need your stamina.”
“You got plans for me today?”
Jared smiled, touching Jensen’s face lightly. “Definitely.”
Jensen turned his face into the touch for a second, then pulled back, grabbing his coffee and sipping it with a small smile on his face.
Jared turned his attention to food then, piling his plate high. He really was hungry and having to smell the bacon while he cooked it had just made him hungrier. He poured himself a glass of juice and dug in, letting the sounds of breakfast with Jensen fill the air around him.
Breakfast wasn’t drawn out, but they both ate their share, enjoying the relaxing feel of eating together at their own table again. When it was over, they went back to bed, turned on the tv, and allowed themselves to drift back to sleep in each other’s arms.
It was early evening before he woke again. Sleeping with Jensen always made him sleep longer than he would alone. It was a good feeling, being safe and warm. He had other plans for the night though and he had to get a move on if he was going to do this right. He could tell that Jensen was going to be out a while longer so he didn’t worry as he slipped out of bed for the second time and made his way back to the kitchen.
It took about an hour to get everything the way he wanted it, the table was set with his best dishes, wine in a decanter on the table, and food waiting. Okay, so maybe he was taking the whole ‘way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’ bit a little too seriously, but he wanted tonight to be special. Their first meal together in over two weeks, the first they’d had time to make it into something more in over a month, and he was going to do it right.
He heard some noise from their room and made his way in. He looked through the door and smiled at Jensen, looking mussed and so much like a wakening god that he had to hold onto the door frame to keep from joining him in bed and making a go of all their earlier promises. Instead he let his eyes roam over Jensen.
“Gonna stand there all day, or come join me?”
“Actually, you’re going to come join me.”
“I am?”
He nodded to the chair in the corner where an outfit had been set aside. “Yep.”
Jensen looked at him curiously. “Where are we going?”
Jared smiled. “Just come down when you’re ready.” He walked away then, knowing that Jensen was up now and knowing that if he stayed long enough to watch him crawl out of bed he’d just push him back into it.
Instead, he went back to the dining room, making sure everything was ready, then went into the guest room and found his own waiting outfit. It only took a minute to get himself dressed. He threw on his best jeans, a dark pair that fit perfectly, followed by a black shirt and his suit jacket. It wasn’t his favorite outfit, but Jensen seemed to prefer him in it so he was willing.
He walked into the living room and was just sitting down when Jensen came in. He took a deep breath as his eyes took in the graceful way he moved into the room. He was in Jared’s favorite outfit and he was halfway to melting just knowing that Jensen was wearing what he’d picked out for him. He wore a white button up with a black tee-shirt underneath. His jeans were dark and hugged his body perfectly. To top it off he wore a soft gray jacket. He’d nearly knocked Jensen over the first time he’d seen him wearing that outfit. They’d been in public, of course, and he’d nearly mauled his friend on the red carpet. It was before they’d become lovers and it was really what made him realize there was something more than friendship in all the petting he did of Jensen.
So the outfit was definitely setting off all sorts of bells in his head right now and Jensen was doing the whole bashful virgin on her wedding night thing. He shook his head and stood up. “Drinks.” He said, trying to come up with something coherent, other than the always favorite, ‘take me to bed or lose me forever.’
Jensen tilted his head to one side and smiled. “Drinks?”
“As in, we need some. Come on.”
He held his hand out and Jensen took it, letting their fingers intertwine as he followed Jared into the dining room. He felt Jensen stop inside the door and he tugged him further in, stopping when he was at Jensen’s seat. “I figured you’d be hungry again when you finally woke up.” He said, nudging Jensen into the chair.
He grabbed the decanter and poured a glass of red wine for Jensen, then filled his own glass. Bringing it up to Jensen’s he smiled. “Welcome home love.”
Jensen’s smile was warm and affectionate and everything he’d wanted tonight to be. “Welcome home.”
Their glasses clinked and they both took a sip before Jensen looked at the table again and back. “This is… it’s incredible Jared.”
He thought the same thing himself as he eyed it again. He’d gone to the effort of digging out the tablecloth, used the good plates again and even put out candles for effect. He had fresh avocado with balsamic vinegar and fresh ground pepper laid out on their plates to start out with. Platters waited in the middle of the table with the steak he’d prepared along with asparagus and ginger.
So yeah, he’d been hoping for a good night, but who could blame him. There’s enough aphrodisiacs on the table to satisfy anyone’s appetite and he knew that Jensen knows it too. They’d hunted down aphrodisiacs on line one Valentine’s Day, before there was a them, trying to impress their prospective girls at the time. The steak was really just for Jared because there was something about the way Jensen ate it that turned him on more than just about anything.
He suddenly realized what he was thinking and shook his head. The suit, the aphrodisiacs, the steak. If he didn’t stop he wasn’t going to make it to dinner, let along find a way to watch Jensen actually eat any of it. Instead, he took another drink of his wine. “It’s nothing.” He finally managed to say. “Just…”
“Just what?”
“I just wanted something nice for you to return home to.” He said, looking down as he said it.
Jensen pulled his face up, looking him in the eye. “There’s always something nice for me to return home to Jay.” He said, drawing him even closer as his lips ghosted over Jared’s. He sighed into the kiss, then Jensen’s tongue was licking at his lips, asking for entrance. He parted his lips, letting Jensen deepen the kiss.
When Jensen finally pulled away Jared wasn’t sure he cared about the dinner anymore, but Jensen was, as always, the smarter of the two and began filling plates. Dinner went by in a blur. They talked about their trips, like they hadn’t talked every day of their vacation anyway, but it was funnier when they were together in person and they regaled each other with their family stories. The food was good and Jared was well stuffed as they sat back and opened another bottle of wine.
He had chocolate cake and chocolate covered strawberries for desert and Jensen laughed at the lengths Jared had gone too. “You know, I’m pretty much a sure thing Jared.” He’d teased, but he ate a piece of cake anyway, before finishing off three strawberries.
“You have got to try one of these Jared.” Jensen said softly and damn if he was able to hear anything at that point because watching Jensen wrap his lips around the strawberry was rather distracting.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Jensen finally said, taking one in hand and bringing it up to his lips. He took a bite, watching the way Jared looked at his mouth, then leaned forward, kissing him. He could taste the strawberry and chocolate and underneath that, the sweeter taste of Jensen himself.
“God Jared, been waiting for you all night.”
Jared smiled. “Was I worth the wait?”
“I’ll tell you later.” He said, pulling Jared into his arms and kissing him senseless. He felt his jacket being pushed off and realized that he had already worked Jensen’s off and was working on unbuttoning the shirt.
“Damn. Next time I dress you, remind me that less is more.”
Jensen laughed against his pulse and then nipped lightly at the vein there. “Next time, I’m just going to pull you into bed with me.”
“You’d give up food for me?” Jared teased as he felt Jensen pulling him out of the dining room and towards their bedroom.
“Never, but I’ll let you feed me after the sex.”
Jared laughed until he felt Jensen’s lips on his again and then he was far too busy kissing to laugh. The way to the bedroom wasn’t the most coordinated but between the kissing and their stumbling attempts at stripping each other along the way, they managed to get there in good time.
They were both naked when Jared pushed Jensen into the mattress and pulled his hands over his head, twining their fingers together and pressing his body into Jensen’s. Jensen’s hips bucked up into Jared’s and he let out a low moan when Jensen’s lips were on his throat. “God Jen, missed you.”
It was the third time he’d fallen asleep with Jensen that day. The first he’d been too sleepy himself to do anything more than wrap himself around his lover’s body and fall back to sleep. The second time, he’d been happy and full. This time, sated and feeling the languorous warmth of being with the man he loved, he was sure it was the best day of his life. He felt Jensen place a kiss on his temple and he pressed one into Jensen’s chest. It was as far as he planned on moving the rest of the night. “Worth the wait Jen?” He asked for the second time that evening.
Jensen laughed and he could feel it all around him. Nothing said home to Jared like this, Jensen holding him tight as they lay back, enjoying each other and what they could give. He felt the contented sigh escape from Jensen that matched his own feelings. “Yeah Jared, definitely worth the wait.”