Real Person Fic - CW: Take Me for Everything
Title: Take Me for Everything
Fandom: Real Person Fic - CW
Characters/Pairings: Jared/Jensen, vaguely implied background Danneel/Misha
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 4,082
Author’s Note: This is for ordinaryink who is as bad for me as I am for her. I was hanging out with her in her lovely home in New York and we somehow got to watching videos from YouTube (on her television, technology is fascinating) and she had this saved in her favorites. Before showing it to me, the sneaky little beast said, "I have this saved because someone needs to write a J2 AU of it." Don't think I don't C wut she did thar. Anyway, I promised to write it as a reward when she finished her Grimmchesters, fair is fair. Title was taken from the Sick Puppies' "All the Same" which is, apparently, the official song of the Free Hugs Campaign. Or something. Thanks to clex_monkie89 for looking over this and pointing out the times Danneel is in two places at once XD. I had every intention of not writing this fic until mid-/late-July, but then the news of NY's new gay marriage law broke and I just had to. And, uh, hence the ending. SORRY, GUYS, I AM SCHMOOPY TONIGHT. ETA 5/7/2013: Thanks to eos_rose, you can now read this and the timestamp in epub format here.
Summary: AU: In his five years as a New York City police officer, Jensen's seen weirder. But this guy is still pretty weird. Who stands around giving hugs out to strangers, anyway?
AO3 ♥ PDF
Working as a cop in New York City, you see some weird shit.
You get used to some weird shit.
This is by no stretch the weirdest thing Jensen has seen or had to deal with in the last five years.
Okay, but that said, it's still pretty damn weird.
The call he got was from a shop owner reporting someone loitering in the middle of a mall in the Bronx. It sounded standard enough, but then the dispatch forgot to mention that the complaint was about a guy holding a sign advertising "FREE HUGS" over his head with a wide grin.
"Uh, sir?" Jensen says, feeling a little bizarre as he approaches. "I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."
The giant turns to face Jensen, noticing for the first time that he's there. His smile doesn't falter. "Hello, officer, would you like a hug?"
"No," Jensen says slowly. "I would like you to leave."
"Why?" he asks, though his smile dims a little and his arms don't stretch up quite as high.
"You're loitering," Jensen tells him. "So unless you have a permit, this is illegal."
"But I'm not hurting anyone," he says. "And I don't think I'm bothering anyone, either."
"You must be, because someone complained."
Hug Guy lets out a disappointed huff and lowers his sign. "Okay, okay," he says. "I'll go."
"Thank you," Jensen replies, watching him fold the sign up.
"Sure you don't want a hug first, though?"
Jensen shakes his head, laughing silently, and puts a hand on the guy's back, steering him out of the mall.
_______________________________________________________________
When Jensen gets sent to the same mall a few days later, it never occurs to him that it might be the hug guy again. After the initial amusement wore off, Jensen had mostly forgotten about the entire incident.
But there he is. Same hand-drawn sign, same distractingly broad shoulders hoisting it up, and a smile so earnest on his face, Jensen feels like he's about to kick a puppy. Which is unfair; Jensen isn't the bad guy. He didn't make the law-he has no problem with whatever weird hobby this is. He's just trying to do his job.
Jensen waits until an old lady disentangles herself from the man's embrace, walking off with a smile like she's just won the Bingo World Championship, before stepping up and clearing his throat.
"Oh no!" says Hug Guy, but his smile widens. "What'd I do this time, officer?"
Jensen doesn't let the dimples dazzle him into forgetting what he's here for, but it's a near thing. "The law on this hasn't changed since Tuesday, buddy."
"How about I leave if you give me a hug?"
"Are you trying to bargain with me?" Jensen asks.
Hug Guy studies Jensen for a moment or so before saying, "Depends? Is it working?"
"What? No!"
"I'm sorry to hear that." The guy licks his lips and grins darkly. "In that case, I'm not going quietly."
It takes a half a minute of staring up with his mouth hanging open for Jensen to grasp that the man is serious. "You understand that means I'm gonna have to arrest you?"
"Yes." He lowers the sign and shifts his weight from one foot to the other. "I, uh. My ride's not coming until 5, so I don't really have anything better to do."
"Than get arrested?"
He nods.
"You are going to take a hit to your record because you don't want to be bored at a mall for three hours?" Jensen asks.
"Unless you want to drive me home without taking me in." He pouts. "Though I kind of always wanted to be a felon."
"This isn't a felony," Jensen answers, realizing after a beat that he shouldn't be encouraging this.
"Details." Hug Guy drapes an arm on Jensen's shoulder, warm and familiar, and Jensen shoves it away. "Are you gonna cuff me? 'Cause that would be kind of kinky."
Jensen sighs. "Give me your ID."
"Less kinky," he replies, digging into his pocket. He pulls out a worn wallet and sorts through cards until he has his driver's license. "But okay."
Jensen reads over it-the home address is less than ten minutes away, and it's been a slow day. He might as well. "Okay, Jared. Follow me."
"Really? I get to ride in the police car? Please tell me you have a police car."
"Yeah, I have a police car," Jensen replies. Jared's steps pick up immediately, excitement pouring off him in waves. "Dude, how old are you?"
Jared laughs. "Can I ride around in the back?" he asks, pointedly ignoring the question. "Like a real criminal?"
"You bet you're riding in the back," Jensen answers, unlocking the door and pointing Jared's way inside. "Not about to let you ride with me unprotected. You could be a psycho with a hug fetish for all I know."
"Yeah, you better run my ID through the system just in case," Jared answers when Jensen's getting in behind the wheel. He scoots all the way up on the backseat so that his face is pressed against the plexi-glass.
"This is all really exciting to you, huh?" Jensen casts a quick glance up at the rear view mirror, catches white teeth and brown hair over bright eyes. He doesn't say anything, maybe lets his expression be the resounding "yes" Jensen was expecting. "So, uh. How do you decide you want to spend your life harassing people for hugs, anyway?"
Jared snickers. "That didn't come off judgmental at all."
"Sorry," says Jensen. And for the record, he actually is. Kind of. "It's just new. And a little odd."
"Back in college, when I was pledging my fraternity, my brothers made me do it while I was being hazed. That's how I started."
"You don't look like you're in college anymore."
"I'm not." Jensen sees him shrug out of the corner of his eye. "Just never really stopped doing it."
"But why?" Jensen asks, pulling up in front of a brick townhouse. "This it?"
"Yup, this is it. Thanks for the ride," Jared says. He waits for Jensen to let him out, and Jensen watches him climb three steps to the house's stoop before setting back on his way. He tries not to let it bother him so much that his other question went unanswered.
_______________________________________________________________
"I promise I will leave if you hug me."
"You will leave because I said so."
It's truly amazing how many times Jensen ends up having this conversation in the weeks that follow.
It's a little alarming how much Jensen starts to miss it on the days Jared is working instead of loitering.
_______________________________________________________________
"Come on, now. This is just getting ridiculous."
Jared's expression doesn't waver in the face of Jensen's annoyance. "It really is."
Jensen points to the exit, and Jared rolls his eyes, bringing his sign down. "Can’t you just let it slide? Most of the shop owners love this. I bring press, did you know that? Nightly news even stopped by to interview me. It's just the shoe repair man on the third floor. He has it out for me. I'm sure if we took a vote-"
"It's illegal, Jared. No votes." Jensen scrubs a hand over his face. "You're exhausting."
"Yes. But endearing? Just a little?"
Jensen says nothing.
"Officer Ackles, you have been arresting me for, what, two? Two and a half months now?"
"Fifteen separate calls, and you do realize this is my job, right? I'm supposed to be helping people, not clearing the same lunatic out of a mall every Tuesday and Saturday."
"And some Mondays and Sundays, too," Jared adds. He throws his head back on a laugh when Jensen can't hold back a frustrated noise. "So stop responding and let me do my thing." Jared smiles, the slow, steady smile that's been tormenting Jensen since the fifth time he met Jared. Jensen has reason to suspect Jared is not ignorant to its charms. "Unless you enjoy our little rendezvous?"
"Decidedly not."
Jared shakes his head, the sign moving with him. "Oh, admit it. I'm the best part of your week. Every week."
"You're a pain in my ass, and pretty soon, I am actually going to arrest you."
"I'd like to see you try, short stuff."
"I'd like to see you leave," Jensen replies.
Jared grins. "You gonna drive me home again today, Officer Jensen?"
Jensen's good mood sinks slightly. "Sorry, man. Not my lunch break this time."
"Ah," Jared says, same disappointed sag. "Damn it. I thought I finally had your schedule down."
"Stalker." Jensen hip checks Jared as they leave the mall together. "And a crappy stalker at that."
"My talents as a criminal lie in hugging." Jared's smile slips into a frown. "I'm sorry," he says. "Didn't mean to actually take you off the job."
Jensen waves his hand. "You know I don't show up on days I have real work to do, right? You're not that much of a threat, whatever you may like to think."
"One day I'll show you all." Jared laughs maniacally. "That'll teach you to be so neglectful."
"So report me."
Jared leans on Jensen's car, watching Jensen as he moves to the driver side. "After all the times you've let me slide? That's gotta go against some kind of code of decent human behavior."
"Get your delinquent ass off my car, Padalecki."
"Lunch time next Tuesday?"
Jensen smiles, looking down at his keys. "Don't get reported until 1 p.m., all right?"
"Deal," says Jared with a happy grin, a slap to the hood of Jensen's car before he heads in the direction Jensen knows means home for him.
_______________________________________________________________
Jensen is just driving around. He had plans with Danneel and Misha, but Danneel bailed and Jensen doesn't trust Collins not to taser him while off-duty if she's not there to supervise. So instead of the nice day trip to Central Park and dinner in Little Italy he'd planned, he's driven all the way to the city and is doing circles in his car to kill time.
In all honesty, he's almost wishing for work, so when his phone buzzes, Jensen doesn't give a shit who's calling. He jumps and answers on first ring.
"Hello?" Jensen pulls the phone away to check the caller ID and furrows his brow. "Steve?"
"Ackles, how's it going?"
"Fine, I guess. What's up?"
"Nothing much, buddy," he says, but there's something in his tone that worries Jensen. "You busy?"
Steve Carlson works for the department in Chelsea, they don't know each other well, Jensen only ever sees him on nights Chris is having a show and cops from his academy days show up. Steve doesn't call Jensen just to see what's up, so Jensen's heart immediately kicks into overdrive.
"Chris," he says. "Is Chris okay? I know he's working today, did something-?"
"Dude, relax, everything's fine. I'm just asking if you're busy."
Jensen stares at the row of taxis stretching interminably in front of him. "I'm sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic for fun. Why?"
"You need a hobby, Ackles."
"Was there a reason you called?"
Steve laughs across the line. "Yeah, he is doing the pissy thing. You wanna talk to him?" Jensen hears muffled voices before Steve is paying attention to him again. "Look, we have a situation in Highline Park, and I think we need you to take care of it."
"That's not my precinct," Jensen replies. "And it's my day off."
"Right, right, I know. But we have this guy loitering, and he's saying he's not leaving unless you come tell him to."
Jensen's forehead drops to his steering wheel. "Free hugs?"
"That's the one," Steve says brightly.
"Why don't you just arrest him?"
"He's a nice guy," Steve answers, like that's supposed to matter. Jared has some kind of magic if he can charm veteran New York cops like Carlson into bending rules just by talking. Not that Jensen didn't already know the guy's smile was lethal. "Anyway, you don't have to come. Just wanted to try doing it the easy way before-"
Jensen bites his lip. "He really asked for me?"
"Will budge for none other."
Jensen's stomach tightens; against his will he switches on his turn signal and begins working through lanes, moving to a less-busy, more-direct route now that he actually has somewhere to go. "Yeah, okay. I'll be there in 20, just let me get off Broadway."
"That's what I like to hear," Steve says before hanging up.
Jared doesn't even wait for Jensen to tell him to leave. As soon as Jensen climbs the stairs to the park, Jared packs up his things and they go out for beers.
_______________________________________________________________
The following Sunday, Danneel makes up for ditching Jensen with a shopping date. She lets Jensen choose where they go, and it's entirely by coincidence that they end up at the mall Jared usually haunts.
Jensen feels the press of someone against his back and guesses who it is before they're whispering into his ear. "You look better in the uniform."
It's Jared'S voice, pitched low and husky, and Jensen can't help the hot spike it sends through him. They've been doing this dance for almost six months now, and Jensen still isn't sure if Jared is flirting or toying with him.
"It's my day off," Jensen replies, turning from Danneel to Jared. "So you'd better be careful. The Sunday cop isn't half as friendly as I am."
"Oh, I know. And not nearly as good looking." Jared winks with his whole face, making Jensen shake his head. He doesn't let himself wonder if he's blushing, and he certainly doesn't let himself acknowledge how much Danneel is going to mock him for this. "I met him last month. But don't worry, I agreed to go quietly. I've still got a clean record. "
"So I can carry on my association with you, then?"
Jared smiles, half-nodding, and then sets his face in a serious expression that looks about as natural on him as a pair of silicone boobs would. "So, what are you doing here? Don't you know this mall is my turf?"
"Your turf?"
"That's right. I'm the king of this playground."
"I'm enjoying some shopping on my day off. If I'd known you came here on the days you aren't harassing me, believe me, I would have gone somewhere else."
"This is how you spend your time when you're not telling kids to get off your lawn, then?"
"You're hardly a kid, Jared," Jensen points out. "However much you may act like one."
Jared makes a speculative sound, then he must notice Danneel is still standing there watching them, because he backs up a few steps, smiling wide. It looks forced, which is new in Jensen's experience.
"Does your lovely girlfriend want a hug?" he asks, holding up his sign.
Danneel looks to Jensen for clarification, but Jensen just shrugs. "It's exactly as crazy as it looks."
"I'm not his girlfriend," she says, first order of business. Jensen isn't surprised. Danneel's always been able to figure him out with one look, and it's not like he isn’t grateful she's clearing the air. Not that his stupid crush on the free hugs guy is ever going anywhere, but it feels important somehow. "Now let me get this straight, you just stand here and hug whoever wants to hug you?"
"Yes, ma'am," Jared replies, his smile relaxing into something more genuine.
"That's weird, right?" Jensen asks, turning to her. "It's not just me?"
"That's fucking awesome is what that is," Danneel replies. "Can I do a run and jump hug?"
"If you're really not his girlfriend, will you be mine?"
Danneel laughs, shoves her purse into Jensen's hands, and gets a good head start before leaping, smacking into Jared's chest so fast he hardly catches her. Apparently, this is the most awesome thing in the world to the both of them, so Danneel ends up inviting Jared to tag along with them for the rest of the day. He hesitates for all of ten seconds, casting a mournful glance at the sign hanging limply in one hand, before agreeing to it.
He fits into the conversation without Jensen having to do any awkward ice-breakers, and Jensen doesn't miss the meaningful glances Danneel keeps sending in Jensen's direction. Two hours later, they're sitting at the food court finishing up cups of ice cream when Danneel gets a call from Misha and excuses herself. Jensen thinks of leaving with her, but Jared watches him, a look in his eyes that makes Jensen hope, just maybe, he's not the only one who enjoys their weekly run-ins a bit too much.
Jensen stays seated, just in case.
Jared is uncharacteristically quiet as he scoops up the last few spoonfuls of mint chocolate chip, and then he looks up at Jensen through his bangs. "Thanks for letting me hang out today. I hope I wasn't imposing."
Jensen laughs. "I felt like I was imposing half the time, man. It was fun."
"That Danneel is a handful, huh?"
"You have no idea." Jensen crumbles up his napkin and drops it in his cup. "So, I guess I should be heading home pretty soon."
"Wait," Jared says. "Are you in a rush?"
Jensen shakes his head, which makes Jared sit up straighter. "You remember the first time you arrested me, when you asked why I still do the hug thing?"
"Yeah," says Jensen. "But I swear it's not 'cause I was judging you. I was just-"
"No, I know. Want me to show you?"
"Sure," Jensen agrees.
Before he knows it, Jared is grabbing his hand, dragging him to the mall's main plaza with only 20 seconds of pausing at the food court trashcan to toss their cups and spoons. Jared foists the sign into Jensen's hands before Jensen has the chance to stop it, and Jensen looks down at it, pushing it away before Jared even says anything. But Jared won't take it back.
"Okay, no, seriously, hold it up. Just for a few minutes."
Jensen makes sure to look put-upon, but he lifts the sign up and begins to feel himself coiling uncomfortably as people pass by. Jensen is a personal bubble kind of guy, and the idea that strangers might take his offer seriously is terrifying.
But then Jared's body is pressed flush against Jensen's back, and Jensen is mortified for entirely different reasons, none of them having to do with the fact that Jared is completely uninterested in respecting Jensen's bubble.
"Watch their faces," he says, like he's coaching Jensen through something important. "Even the ones that don't hug you. I mean, hardly anyone does. But almost everyone, their faces when they see the sign. Just watch."
Jensen does as he's told; at first he doesn't see it. They're laughing at him, that's what he sees. But as the minutes tick away, Jensen begins to suspect he might get it after all.
"They're laughing at me," Jensen says.
Jared bites the inside of his cheek. "That's not it," he says.
"No, they are. But they're laughing, that's the point. They look happy."
Jared looks down, his smile not as pronounced as usual, but Jensen can't help liking how private it feels. "Did you ever realize how rare it is to see someone smile in this city?"
Jensen hardly resists the urge to reach up and kiss him.
"Hey, Jared?"
"Mmmhmm," Jared replies.
"You want a hug?" Jensen offers, shaking the sign a little over his head.
Jared hugs like he's crushing bones. He smells like mint and sweat, and Jensen feels lightheaded when he lets go, but he's got no regrets.
_______________________________________________________________
Jensen doesn't even bother saying anything some days, just herds Jared to the exit. He'd every intention of making today one of those days, but Jared resists, forcing Jensen to stand his ground.
"Move along, octopus. You've been snitched on. You gotta go."
"No, wait, I have a petition."
Jensen hasn't had his coffee yet, so he blinks for a minute, waiting for it to make sense. Nope, not making sense. "You have a what now?"
"A petition. It's a pretty serious petition, too. It's got over 10,000 signatures. And every single shop owner in this fine establishment has signed."
"Except the shoe repair man on the third floor," Jensen guesses.
Jared's expression mimics utter sorrow. "I don't know what I did to him in a past life, Jensen, but it was way out of line."
Jensen flips through the enormous stack of papers Jared digs out of his messenger bag and hands him. He wasn't joking about the petition being serious. "Where did you get 10,000 freaking signatures?"
"Times Square," Jared replies casually. "Weren't you wondering where I was all last month?"
Yes, Jensen had been, was maybe even a little worried and hurt about Jared's absence. But the mental image of Jared trying to pull the same crap he pulls on Jensen with stony Times Square cops like Jim Beaver makes it worth the unusually quiet month of August in retrospect.
"You made a spectacle of yourself in the middle of Times Square through the scorching month of August just so you could come back here with 10,000 signatures to back you up?"
Jared preens. "The people of New York have spoken, and they want hugs."
"I give up with you," Jensen says, handing the papers back and shaking his head as he turns to go.
Jared takes a step forward. "Wait-Jensen?"
Jensen looks back, lifting an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
"I have another petition," he says, almost shy as he holds out a paper.
It's just one sheet this time, only three signatures: Jared's, Danneel's, and some idiot named Sam Winchester who must have signed the wrong sheet. The petition is labeled: "Jensen should totally have dinner with Jared."
Jensen looks down at it, up at Jared, and then back down. Jared puts his hand on one end of it, tugging slightly to get Jensen's attention. "Jen?"
"Jared?"
"Have dinner with me?"
Jensen licks his lips. "Is this petition legally binding?"
Jared makes an exasperated face, which is nice. Jared's been ignoring Jensen for the better part of a year. It's about time for a little payback. "No."
"Ah, well," Jensen says, smiling apologetically. Jared's face falls, and Jensen hardly manages not to laugh. "I guess that means my answer is still yes."
_______________________________________________________________
"With the uniform on, Jensen," Jared begs. "To celebrate the new law."
Jared hasn’t been terrorizing the streets of New York with his hug campaign nearly as much since he and Jensen started dating a year and a half ago. When he does, Jensen doesn't mind joining him, even made his own sign to stand next to Jared with. But it still feels kind of like a betrayal of the New York PD to be doing it in the uniform.
"You know that the gay marriage law didn't make hug soliciting legal, right?"
"Free love is free love," Jared insists, kissing Jensen's neck and pressing the sign into Jensen's palm. Jensen accepts it blindly.
"Nope. I can marry you in the uniform if you want. But I cannot hold this sign and loiter in this uniform."
"You know most of the cops in the city, it's not like they're gonna arrest you. Shit, half of them will join you-they're all more fun than you are."
"Marry them if they're so much better."
Jared puts a hand on each of Jensen's cheeks, leaning in for a kiss. "Just this one time."
"This one time and then we retire the free hugs sign?"
"Promise," Jared says. "Forever. I will nail it to the living room wall tonight."
"All right," Jensen says, putting his sign up in the air and letting a little girl run up and hug him almost as soon as she's had time to read it. "But no free hugging at our wedding."
Jared smiles from ear to ear. "I wouldn't think of it," he says as they watch the little girl run off.
Jensen knows he's full of shit, can see the wheels in Jared's head turning already. Jensen imagines he'll be dropping his suit jacket on the floor of a honeymoon suite in a few months only to find a "hug me" sign taped to his back.
Secretly, that's the part he's looking forward to the most.
ETA: Now comes with art! Go squee at it!!
ETA 2: Want more? There's now a short TIMESTAMP!
Fandom: Real Person Fic - CW
Characters/Pairings: Jared/Jensen, vaguely implied background Danneel/Misha
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 4,082
Author’s Note: This is for ordinaryink who is as bad for me as I am for her. I was hanging out with her in her lovely home in New York and we somehow got to watching videos from YouTube (on her television, technology is fascinating) and she had this saved in her favorites. Before showing it to me, the sneaky little beast said, "I have this saved because someone needs to write a J2 AU of it." Don't think I don't C wut she did thar. Anyway, I promised to write it as a reward when she finished her Grimmchesters, fair is fair. Title was taken from the Sick Puppies' "All the Same" which is, apparently, the official song of the Free Hugs Campaign. Or something. Thanks to clex_monkie89 for looking over this and pointing out the times Danneel is in two places at once XD. I had every intention of not writing this fic until mid-/late-July, but then the news of NY's new gay marriage law broke and I just had to. And, uh, hence the ending. SORRY, GUYS, I AM SCHMOOPY TONIGHT. ETA 5/7/2013: Thanks to eos_rose, you can now read this and the timestamp in epub format here.
Summary: AU: In his five years as a New York City police officer, Jensen's seen weirder. But this guy is still pretty weird. Who stands around giving hugs out to strangers, anyway?
AO3 ♥ PDF
Working as a cop in New York City, you see some weird shit.
You get used to some weird shit.
This is by no stretch the weirdest thing Jensen has seen or had to deal with in the last five years.
Okay, but that said, it's still pretty damn weird.
The call he got was from a shop owner reporting someone loitering in the middle of a mall in the Bronx. It sounded standard enough, but then the dispatch forgot to mention that the complaint was about a guy holding a sign advertising "FREE HUGS" over his head with a wide grin.
"Uh, sir?" Jensen says, feeling a little bizarre as he approaches. "I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."
The giant turns to face Jensen, noticing for the first time that he's there. His smile doesn't falter. "Hello, officer, would you like a hug?"
"No," Jensen says slowly. "I would like you to leave."
"Why?" he asks, though his smile dims a little and his arms don't stretch up quite as high.
"You're loitering," Jensen tells him. "So unless you have a permit, this is illegal."
"But I'm not hurting anyone," he says. "And I don't think I'm bothering anyone, either."
"You must be, because someone complained."
Hug Guy lets out a disappointed huff and lowers his sign. "Okay, okay," he says. "I'll go."
"Thank you," Jensen replies, watching him fold the sign up.
"Sure you don't want a hug first, though?"
Jensen shakes his head, laughing silently, and puts a hand on the guy's back, steering him out of the mall.
_______________________________________________________________
When Jensen gets sent to the same mall a few days later, it never occurs to him that it might be the hug guy again. After the initial amusement wore off, Jensen had mostly forgotten about the entire incident.
But there he is. Same hand-drawn sign, same distractingly broad shoulders hoisting it up, and a smile so earnest on his face, Jensen feels like he's about to kick a puppy. Which is unfair; Jensen isn't the bad guy. He didn't make the law-he has no problem with whatever weird hobby this is. He's just trying to do his job.
Jensen waits until an old lady disentangles herself from the man's embrace, walking off with a smile like she's just won the Bingo World Championship, before stepping up and clearing his throat.
"Oh no!" says Hug Guy, but his smile widens. "What'd I do this time, officer?"
Jensen doesn't let the dimples dazzle him into forgetting what he's here for, but it's a near thing. "The law on this hasn't changed since Tuesday, buddy."
"How about I leave if you give me a hug?"
"Are you trying to bargain with me?" Jensen asks.
Hug Guy studies Jensen for a moment or so before saying, "Depends? Is it working?"
"What? No!"
"I'm sorry to hear that." The guy licks his lips and grins darkly. "In that case, I'm not going quietly."
It takes a half a minute of staring up with his mouth hanging open for Jensen to grasp that the man is serious. "You understand that means I'm gonna have to arrest you?"
"Yes." He lowers the sign and shifts his weight from one foot to the other. "I, uh. My ride's not coming until 5, so I don't really have anything better to do."
"Than get arrested?"
He nods.
"You are going to take a hit to your record because you don't want to be bored at a mall for three hours?" Jensen asks.
"Unless you want to drive me home without taking me in." He pouts. "Though I kind of always wanted to be a felon."
"This isn't a felony," Jensen answers, realizing after a beat that he shouldn't be encouraging this.
"Details." Hug Guy drapes an arm on Jensen's shoulder, warm and familiar, and Jensen shoves it away. "Are you gonna cuff me? 'Cause that would be kind of kinky."
Jensen sighs. "Give me your ID."
"Less kinky," he replies, digging into his pocket. He pulls out a worn wallet and sorts through cards until he has his driver's license. "But okay."
Jensen reads over it-the home address is less than ten minutes away, and it's been a slow day. He might as well. "Okay, Jared. Follow me."
"Really? I get to ride in the police car? Please tell me you have a police car."
"Yeah, I have a police car," Jensen replies. Jared's steps pick up immediately, excitement pouring off him in waves. "Dude, how old are you?"
Jared laughs. "Can I ride around in the back?" he asks, pointedly ignoring the question. "Like a real criminal?"
"You bet you're riding in the back," Jensen answers, unlocking the door and pointing Jared's way inside. "Not about to let you ride with me unprotected. You could be a psycho with a hug fetish for all I know."
"Yeah, you better run my ID through the system just in case," Jared answers when Jensen's getting in behind the wheel. He scoots all the way up on the backseat so that his face is pressed against the plexi-glass.
"This is all really exciting to you, huh?" Jensen casts a quick glance up at the rear view mirror, catches white teeth and brown hair over bright eyes. He doesn't say anything, maybe lets his expression be the resounding "yes" Jensen was expecting. "So, uh. How do you decide you want to spend your life harassing people for hugs, anyway?"
Jared snickers. "That didn't come off judgmental at all."
"Sorry," says Jensen. And for the record, he actually is. Kind of. "It's just new. And a little odd."
"Back in college, when I was pledging my fraternity, my brothers made me do it while I was being hazed. That's how I started."
"You don't look like you're in college anymore."
"I'm not." Jensen sees him shrug out of the corner of his eye. "Just never really stopped doing it."
"But why?" Jensen asks, pulling up in front of a brick townhouse. "This it?"
"Yup, this is it. Thanks for the ride," Jared says. He waits for Jensen to let him out, and Jensen watches him climb three steps to the house's stoop before setting back on his way. He tries not to let it bother him so much that his other question went unanswered.
_______________________________________________________________
"I promise I will leave if you hug me."
"You will leave because I said so."
It's truly amazing how many times Jensen ends up having this conversation in the weeks that follow.
It's a little alarming how much Jensen starts to miss it on the days Jared is working instead of loitering.
_______________________________________________________________
"Come on, now. This is just getting ridiculous."
Jared's expression doesn't waver in the face of Jensen's annoyance. "It really is."
Jensen points to the exit, and Jared rolls his eyes, bringing his sign down. "Can’t you just let it slide? Most of the shop owners love this. I bring press, did you know that? Nightly news even stopped by to interview me. It's just the shoe repair man on the third floor. He has it out for me. I'm sure if we took a vote-"
"It's illegal, Jared. No votes." Jensen scrubs a hand over his face. "You're exhausting."
"Yes. But endearing? Just a little?"
Jensen says nothing.
"Officer Ackles, you have been arresting me for, what, two? Two and a half months now?"
"Fifteen separate calls, and you do realize this is my job, right? I'm supposed to be helping people, not clearing the same lunatic out of a mall every Tuesday and Saturday."
"And some Mondays and Sundays, too," Jared adds. He throws his head back on a laugh when Jensen can't hold back a frustrated noise. "So stop responding and let me do my thing." Jared smiles, the slow, steady smile that's been tormenting Jensen since the fifth time he met Jared. Jensen has reason to suspect Jared is not ignorant to its charms. "Unless you enjoy our little rendezvous?"
"Decidedly not."
Jared shakes his head, the sign moving with him. "Oh, admit it. I'm the best part of your week. Every week."
"You're a pain in my ass, and pretty soon, I am actually going to arrest you."
"I'd like to see you try, short stuff."
"I'd like to see you leave," Jensen replies.
Jared grins. "You gonna drive me home again today, Officer Jensen?"
Jensen's good mood sinks slightly. "Sorry, man. Not my lunch break this time."
"Ah," Jared says, same disappointed sag. "Damn it. I thought I finally had your schedule down."
"Stalker." Jensen hip checks Jared as they leave the mall together. "And a crappy stalker at that."
"My talents as a criminal lie in hugging." Jared's smile slips into a frown. "I'm sorry," he says. "Didn't mean to actually take you off the job."
Jensen waves his hand. "You know I don't show up on days I have real work to do, right? You're not that much of a threat, whatever you may like to think."
"One day I'll show you all." Jared laughs maniacally. "That'll teach you to be so neglectful."
"So report me."
Jared leans on Jensen's car, watching Jensen as he moves to the driver side. "After all the times you've let me slide? That's gotta go against some kind of code of decent human behavior."
"Get your delinquent ass off my car, Padalecki."
"Lunch time next Tuesday?"
Jensen smiles, looking down at his keys. "Don't get reported until 1 p.m., all right?"
"Deal," says Jared with a happy grin, a slap to the hood of Jensen's car before he heads in the direction Jensen knows means home for him.
_______________________________________________________________
Jensen is just driving around. He had plans with Danneel and Misha, but Danneel bailed and Jensen doesn't trust Collins not to taser him while off-duty if she's not there to supervise. So instead of the nice day trip to Central Park and dinner in Little Italy he'd planned, he's driven all the way to the city and is doing circles in his car to kill time.
In all honesty, he's almost wishing for work, so when his phone buzzes, Jensen doesn't give a shit who's calling. He jumps and answers on first ring.
"Hello?" Jensen pulls the phone away to check the caller ID and furrows his brow. "Steve?"
"Ackles, how's it going?"
"Fine, I guess. What's up?"
"Nothing much, buddy," he says, but there's something in his tone that worries Jensen. "You busy?"
Steve Carlson works for the department in Chelsea, they don't know each other well, Jensen only ever sees him on nights Chris is having a show and cops from his academy days show up. Steve doesn't call Jensen just to see what's up, so Jensen's heart immediately kicks into overdrive.
"Chris," he says. "Is Chris okay? I know he's working today, did something-?"
"Dude, relax, everything's fine. I'm just asking if you're busy."
Jensen stares at the row of taxis stretching interminably in front of him. "I'm sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic for fun. Why?"
"You need a hobby, Ackles."
"Was there a reason you called?"
Steve laughs across the line. "Yeah, he is doing the pissy thing. You wanna talk to him?" Jensen hears muffled voices before Steve is paying attention to him again. "Look, we have a situation in Highline Park, and I think we need you to take care of it."
"That's not my precinct," Jensen replies. "And it's my day off."
"Right, right, I know. But we have this guy loitering, and he's saying he's not leaving unless you come tell him to."
Jensen's forehead drops to his steering wheel. "Free hugs?"
"That's the one," Steve says brightly.
"Why don't you just arrest him?"
"He's a nice guy," Steve answers, like that's supposed to matter. Jared has some kind of magic if he can charm veteran New York cops like Carlson into bending rules just by talking. Not that Jensen didn't already know the guy's smile was lethal. "Anyway, you don't have to come. Just wanted to try doing it the easy way before-"
Jensen bites his lip. "He really asked for me?"
"Will budge for none other."
Jensen's stomach tightens; against his will he switches on his turn signal and begins working through lanes, moving to a less-busy, more-direct route now that he actually has somewhere to go. "Yeah, okay. I'll be there in 20, just let me get off Broadway."
"That's what I like to hear," Steve says before hanging up.
Jared doesn't even wait for Jensen to tell him to leave. As soon as Jensen climbs the stairs to the park, Jared packs up his things and they go out for beers.
_______________________________________________________________
The following Sunday, Danneel makes up for ditching Jensen with a shopping date. She lets Jensen choose where they go, and it's entirely by coincidence that they end up at the mall Jared usually haunts.
Jensen feels the press of someone against his back and guesses who it is before they're whispering into his ear. "You look better in the uniform."
It's Jared'S voice, pitched low and husky, and Jensen can't help the hot spike it sends through him. They've been doing this dance for almost six months now, and Jensen still isn't sure if Jared is flirting or toying with him.
"It's my day off," Jensen replies, turning from Danneel to Jared. "So you'd better be careful. The Sunday cop isn't half as friendly as I am."
"Oh, I know. And not nearly as good looking." Jared winks with his whole face, making Jensen shake his head. He doesn't let himself wonder if he's blushing, and he certainly doesn't let himself acknowledge how much Danneel is going to mock him for this. "I met him last month. But don't worry, I agreed to go quietly. I've still got a clean record. "
"So I can carry on my association with you, then?"
Jared smiles, half-nodding, and then sets his face in a serious expression that looks about as natural on him as a pair of silicone boobs would. "So, what are you doing here? Don't you know this mall is my turf?"
"Your turf?"
"That's right. I'm the king of this playground."
"I'm enjoying some shopping on my day off. If I'd known you came here on the days you aren't harassing me, believe me, I would have gone somewhere else."
"This is how you spend your time when you're not telling kids to get off your lawn, then?"
"You're hardly a kid, Jared," Jensen points out. "However much you may act like one."
Jared makes a speculative sound, then he must notice Danneel is still standing there watching them, because he backs up a few steps, smiling wide. It looks forced, which is new in Jensen's experience.
"Does your lovely girlfriend want a hug?" he asks, holding up his sign.
Danneel looks to Jensen for clarification, but Jensen just shrugs. "It's exactly as crazy as it looks."
"I'm not his girlfriend," she says, first order of business. Jensen isn't surprised. Danneel's always been able to figure him out with one look, and it's not like he isn’t grateful she's clearing the air. Not that his stupid crush on the free hugs guy is ever going anywhere, but it feels important somehow. "Now let me get this straight, you just stand here and hug whoever wants to hug you?"
"Yes, ma'am," Jared replies, his smile relaxing into something more genuine.
"That's weird, right?" Jensen asks, turning to her. "It's not just me?"
"That's fucking awesome is what that is," Danneel replies. "Can I do a run and jump hug?"
"If you're really not his girlfriend, will you be mine?"
Danneel laughs, shoves her purse into Jensen's hands, and gets a good head start before leaping, smacking into Jared's chest so fast he hardly catches her. Apparently, this is the most awesome thing in the world to the both of them, so Danneel ends up inviting Jared to tag along with them for the rest of the day. He hesitates for all of ten seconds, casting a mournful glance at the sign hanging limply in one hand, before agreeing to it.
He fits into the conversation without Jensen having to do any awkward ice-breakers, and Jensen doesn't miss the meaningful glances Danneel keeps sending in Jensen's direction. Two hours later, they're sitting at the food court finishing up cups of ice cream when Danneel gets a call from Misha and excuses herself. Jensen thinks of leaving with her, but Jared watches him, a look in his eyes that makes Jensen hope, just maybe, he's not the only one who enjoys their weekly run-ins a bit too much.
Jensen stays seated, just in case.
Jared is uncharacteristically quiet as he scoops up the last few spoonfuls of mint chocolate chip, and then he looks up at Jensen through his bangs. "Thanks for letting me hang out today. I hope I wasn't imposing."
Jensen laughs. "I felt like I was imposing half the time, man. It was fun."
"That Danneel is a handful, huh?"
"You have no idea." Jensen crumbles up his napkin and drops it in his cup. "So, I guess I should be heading home pretty soon."
"Wait," Jared says. "Are you in a rush?"
Jensen shakes his head, which makes Jared sit up straighter. "You remember the first time you arrested me, when you asked why I still do the hug thing?"
"Yeah," says Jensen. "But I swear it's not 'cause I was judging you. I was just-"
"No, I know. Want me to show you?"
"Sure," Jensen agrees.
Before he knows it, Jared is grabbing his hand, dragging him to the mall's main plaza with only 20 seconds of pausing at the food court trashcan to toss their cups and spoons. Jared foists the sign into Jensen's hands before Jensen has the chance to stop it, and Jensen looks down at it, pushing it away before Jared even says anything. But Jared won't take it back.
"Okay, no, seriously, hold it up. Just for a few minutes."
Jensen makes sure to look put-upon, but he lifts the sign up and begins to feel himself coiling uncomfortably as people pass by. Jensen is a personal bubble kind of guy, and the idea that strangers might take his offer seriously is terrifying.
But then Jared's body is pressed flush against Jensen's back, and Jensen is mortified for entirely different reasons, none of them having to do with the fact that Jared is completely uninterested in respecting Jensen's bubble.
"Watch their faces," he says, like he's coaching Jensen through something important. "Even the ones that don't hug you. I mean, hardly anyone does. But almost everyone, their faces when they see the sign. Just watch."
Jensen does as he's told; at first he doesn't see it. They're laughing at him, that's what he sees. But as the minutes tick away, Jensen begins to suspect he might get it after all.
"They're laughing at me," Jensen says.
Jared bites the inside of his cheek. "That's not it," he says.
"No, they are. But they're laughing, that's the point. They look happy."
Jared looks down, his smile not as pronounced as usual, but Jensen can't help liking how private it feels. "Did you ever realize how rare it is to see someone smile in this city?"
Jensen hardly resists the urge to reach up and kiss him.
"Hey, Jared?"
"Mmmhmm," Jared replies.
"You want a hug?" Jensen offers, shaking the sign a little over his head.
Jared hugs like he's crushing bones. He smells like mint and sweat, and Jensen feels lightheaded when he lets go, but he's got no regrets.
_______________________________________________________________
Jensen doesn't even bother saying anything some days, just herds Jared to the exit. He'd every intention of making today one of those days, but Jared resists, forcing Jensen to stand his ground.
"Move along, octopus. You've been snitched on. You gotta go."
"No, wait, I have a petition."
Jensen hasn't had his coffee yet, so he blinks for a minute, waiting for it to make sense. Nope, not making sense. "You have a what now?"
"A petition. It's a pretty serious petition, too. It's got over 10,000 signatures. And every single shop owner in this fine establishment has signed."
"Except the shoe repair man on the third floor," Jensen guesses.
Jared's expression mimics utter sorrow. "I don't know what I did to him in a past life, Jensen, but it was way out of line."
Jensen flips through the enormous stack of papers Jared digs out of his messenger bag and hands him. He wasn't joking about the petition being serious. "Where did you get 10,000 freaking signatures?"
"Times Square," Jared replies casually. "Weren't you wondering where I was all last month?"
Yes, Jensen had been, was maybe even a little worried and hurt about Jared's absence. But the mental image of Jared trying to pull the same crap he pulls on Jensen with stony Times Square cops like Jim Beaver makes it worth the unusually quiet month of August in retrospect.
"You made a spectacle of yourself in the middle of Times Square through the scorching month of August just so you could come back here with 10,000 signatures to back you up?"
Jared preens. "The people of New York have spoken, and they want hugs."
"I give up with you," Jensen says, handing the papers back and shaking his head as he turns to go.
Jared takes a step forward. "Wait-Jensen?"
Jensen looks back, lifting an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
"I have another petition," he says, almost shy as he holds out a paper.
It's just one sheet this time, only three signatures: Jared's, Danneel's, and some idiot named Sam Winchester who must have signed the wrong sheet. The petition is labeled: "Jensen should totally have dinner with Jared."
Jensen looks down at it, up at Jared, and then back down. Jared puts his hand on one end of it, tugging slightly to get Jensen's attention. "Jen?"
"Jared?"
"Have dinner with me?"
Jensen licks his lips. "Is this petition legally binding?"
Jared makes an exasperated face, which is nice. Jared's been ignoring Jensen for the better part of a year. It's about time for a little payback. "No."
"Ah, well," Jensen says, smiling apologetically. Jared's face falls, and Jensen hardly manages not to laugh. "I guess that means my answer is still yes."
_______________________________________________________________
"With the uniform on, Jensen," Jared begs. "To celebrate the new law."
Jared hasn’t been terrorizing the streets of New York with his hug campaign nearly as much since he and Jensen started dating a year and a half ago. When he does, Jensen doesn't mind joining him, even made his own sign to stand next to Jared with. But it still feels kind of like a betrayal of the New York PD to be doing it in the uniform.
"You know that the gay marriage law didn't make hug soliciting legal, right?"
"Free love is free love," Jared insists, kissing Jensen's neck and pressing the sign into Jensen's palm. Jensen accepts it blindly.
"Nope. I can marry you in the uniform if you want. But I cannot hold this sign and loiter in this uniform."
"You know most of the cops in the city, it's not like they're gonna arrest you. Shit, half of them will join you-they're all more fun than you are."
"Marry them if they're so much better."
Jared puts a hand on each of Jensen's cheeks, leaning in for a kiss. "Just this one time."
"This one time and then we retire the free hugs sign?"
"Promise," Jared says. "Forever. I will nail it to the living room wall tonight."
"All right," Jensen says, putting his sign up in the air and letting a little girl run up and hug him almost as soon as she's had time to read it. "But no free hugging at our wedding."
Jared smiles from ear to ear. "I wouldn't think of it," he says as they watch the little girl run off.
Jensen knows he's full of shit, can see the wheels in Jared's head turning already. Jensen imagines he'll be dropping his suit jacket on the floor of a honeymoon suite in a few months only to find a "hug me" sign taped to his back.
Secretly, that's the part he's looking forward to the most.
ETA: Now comes with art! Go squee at it!!
ETA 2: Want more? There's now a short TIMESTAMP!