Battle of the Lightbulb | 11/11 | NC17
Title: The Battle of the Lightbulb (or The Perils of Shared Living) | Part Eleven
Author :Meh_Forget_It
Beta: Wolfish_Willow
Fandoms: RPS
Warnings: Slash, m/m sexual relations, strong language,
Rating: NC17
Summary: Jared thought moving in to an apartment just off campus with four other guys in his second year of college was an amazing idea. It’s not long before he realises that it really wasn’t. Thankfully he has his insane best friend to keep him grounded and his childhood friend who lives in another apartment… and whose housemate is hot.
Disclaimer: I don’t own anyone, given they’re real people… And as of April 2010, owning people is illegal in Britain. Shame. So this didn’t/isn’t/won’t happen. Again, shame.
Pairing: Jared/Jensen, slight Mike/Misha
Characters: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Michael Rosenbaum, Tom Welling, Chad Michael Murray, Richard Speight Jnr, Christian Kane, Danneel Harris, Genevieve Cortese, Mark Sheppard…
Status: Complete
Word Count: 4,099 words (this part)
Interlude Three
Note Twenty
Jared had no clue how to deal with the new note, or where it came from when he found it on the new notice board three weeks after Jared had first taken Jensen to Asylum. They had since been back six times, well together. Jared had been there alone almost every night since then. Which was possibly the cause of the note; Misha had been working a lot of hours at Asylum. And when he wasn't, he was either locked in his room studying or at the library or Mike's house. But Jared figured he spent the same amount of time, if not less than Misha, in the apartment.
Still staring at the note in confusion, he jumped slightly when Milo stepped up next to him and looked at what he was reading.
"Is he alive? Moved out? You're the one most likely to know," Milo pointed out calmly and Jared just stared at him like he was insane, because really, he did sound a little unbalanced.
"You think I wouldn't have mentioned a tiny thing like Misha dying?" Jared asked him and Milo flushed but shrugged.
"Dunno. I mean, where is he? I haven't seen him for over a week."
"He's been working a lot. Like myself, and Jason. You know, we need jobs so we can eat? What the hell else made you think this?" Jared asked him. Milo shrugged again, clearly feeling a little embarrassed about the whole thing.
"His room’s kinda empty too. Not much in there. Like he's just slowly moving out or something," Milo told him and Jared felt it prudent not to point out that his room was just as empty as Misha's was. And that the reason for it was because they were slowly moving out.
"And so you thought he was dead. Huh. You know, asking someone would have made more sense, and come across as more concerned than a note on the back of a receipt," Jared pointed out, turning around and going back to his room.
He really didn't want to deal with them anymore. Really. Besides, finals were just on the horizon and he needed to study. He figured he'd concentrate on them and just ignore all the shit going on in the apartment. Though he really wasn't looking forward to telling Milo and Jason that they wouldn't be taking up the lease with this apartment for a second year. Chad seemed to have accepted it since Jared had told him, and had even been over to the apartment when he had helped them take a couple of small things over.
Jason and Milo, however, were not as accepting or laid back as Chad was. Well, Jason wasn't at least.
A week later and Jared's finals were looming ever closer, thus meaning that he hardly got time to see Jensen at all, and only got to see Misha when he felt he'd studied enough and decided to hide out at the Asylum. Though he also spent an equal amount of time hiding in Dreaded Fairies and getting to know Mark more. Surprisingly, he actually had a lot more in common with Mark than he did with Richard and spent quite a few nights in Dreaded Fairies, just talking to Mark about their favorite books. Jared thought he had died and gone to heaven when Mark showed him his library in the adjoining room to his office at the bar.
So when Jared wasn't studying and reading in Mark's library, or with Jensen or Misha, he was in the apartment, also studying. But he hardly ever got anything done when he was there because the atmosphere in the house was beginning to get a touch tense as everyone started to stress over their own looming exams.
Which was how he explained away the new note, though who put it in there and what the hell they were thinking when they did it, he had no clue. It was a little amusing actually. But the notes then got worse. And really, Jared wondered what the hell was going on with his housemates.
Jared didn't want to know. He really didn't. Alright, he sort of wanted to know what the elusive item that remained unnamed actually was, but other than that? He didn't want to know. Which was why he shoved most of his clothes into a bag, grabbed the books and folders that he'd need and moved out of the apartment for the time during his exams.
He'd decided to move into his and Misha's apartment. He would still pay the rent for the remaining month so that he didn’t break the contract with his last landlord. But he honestly thought that if he stayed in that place any longer, he was at risk of snapping completely and killing them all.
Entering the apartment, he was shocked to find Misha sitting in the front room with Mike, both watching TV, though Jared noticed they also had books and notebooks around them as well.
"Hey guys. Didn't know you were over here, Meesh," Jared said, dropping his bag by the free chair and moving to sit in it. Misha smiled at him widely while Mike grinned and waved in greeting before going back to watching the TV.
"Yeah, I came here to study this morning, invited Mike over to join me about two hours ago. You doing alright?" Misha asked. Jared shrugged, yawning widely as his lack of sleep caught up with him.
"I'm moving in here for the time being. I don't think I can stay at that place much more. I mean, I'll probably go back every so often, because I haven't brought all my clothes and stuff. But for the next week at least? I refuse to go back there," Jared muttered, yawning again, then sighing and sitting up properly. He dragged his bag onto his lap and dug through it for his notes on his next exam.
"Might join you," Misha commented, looking back down at his own notes. There was silence broken only by the occasional scratch of a pen against paper and the TV in the background. It was interrupted by Misha about ten minutes later. "Do you have any idea what 'it' was?"
Jared went back to the apartment straight after his last exam, needing to get some more clothes and to try and speak to Milo and Jason, or one of them at least, about not moving in next year. Misha agreed to meet him there after his own exam for the day finished, though he didn't know when that was going to be. He was, therefore, surprised (but not overly so) to walk into what seemed like a war zone, with Misha standing off to the side, holding a note and watching it all with wide eyes. Jared also suspected that he looked a little amused by everything as well.
Walking over to Misha, he looked at him curiously and only got the note handed to him as a response. Reading it, he snorted in amusement, which was apparently the wrong thing to do.
"Oh, look! It's Jared! Let me guess, you were in on this as well? It does seem like something you would do! Don't think I've forgotten last year’s note about the mugs! I know it was you, Jared!" Jason snapped, immediately spinning to glare at the sound of Jared’s snort. Jared just stared at him with wide eyes, completely shocked and a little confused by everything.
"Er… I'm sorry, but what? What have I supposedly done now?" Jared asked. He tried to keep his anger down, knowing that a majority of it was caused by lack of sleep and stress. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Jason, seeing Milo and Chad looking equally as confused Jared felt.
"You've read the note! Are you trying to tell me that you had nothing to do with it?" Jason asked him, the look on his face telling Jared that he wouldn't believe him if he did, and Jared sighed heavily, glaring back at Jason.
"I had nothing to do with the damn note. Don't know if you've noticed, Jason, but I haven't been here for nearly two weeks," Jared pointed out, letting his bag drop off his shoulder when he realised that this was going to take a while.
"Oh please! Where have you been then? Your boyfriend’s? Really? He let you hang around for two weeks and didn't get fed up with you?" Jason asked with a roll of his eyes and a scoff, and Jared really wondered what Jason had against either himself or Jensen. Or their relationship possibly.
"Jensen probably wouldn't have cared, but he's been busy himself these past couple of weeks, so no. I wasn't at Jensen's. Actually, you know what, this gives me the perfect opportunity to tell you something," Jared said, glancing to the side when he saw Misha step up next to him, realising what it was Jared was going to tell them.
"What is that exactly?" Jason asked him, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow at them. Jared half expected him to tap his foot as well and had to bite his cheek to stop himself from laughing.
"It's about next year. I'm not living here with you guys. I've got another place. That's where I've been over the past two weeks," Jared told them, feeling a small sense of satisfaction when Jason gaped at him.
"I'm moving in with Jay. We're both leaving here at the end of semester. Quite frankly, you guys have driven us insane over the past year. Be lucky you weren't smothered in your sleep. I'm not kidding," Misha continued with a small shrug.
"What? What the hell does that mean?" Jason asked, and Milo nodded, moving to stand next to Jason. Chad just shook his head and sighed moving to the side so he wasn't dragged into it.
"The fucking notes! Come on! It's pathetic, it's annoying and it's all kinds of crazy! Why can't you just tell people what's bothering you like adults?!" Jared exploded, lack of sleep combining with Jason and Milo's ignorance over what they had done wrong finally making him snap.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Milo asked, frowning at him and Jared gaped at him.
"What does it sound like? You're pathetic little note war has driven us insane over this past year. Have you not noticed that me and Meesh barely spent any time here after the first month of living here? We couldn't take anymore pitiful bitching!" Jared shouted, throwing his hands in the air in exasperation that his point didn't seem to be making it across.
"Jay's right. We never knew what the fuck kind of war zone we'd be walking into whenever we woke up, or got in from work. So we just decided to combine our working hours so we'd spend as little time here as possible. It helped that Jay's close friend also lived nearby so we could hide out there when neither of us were working," Misha told them in a calm voice, which made tiny alarm bells ring in Jared's head, as he knew it was the calm before the storm with Misha.
"Oh right, so what? You two just decided to get a place together next year and not tell us? What if we'd made plans to sign on this place for a second year? How selfish are you to not tell us this?" Milo asked, and that was it for Jared. He couldn't actually believe what he was hearing.
"You are joking right? Why the hell would any of you want to spend another year together? You seemingly hate one another with all the damn notes!" Jared said, sounding just as shocked and confused as he felt.
"We don't hate each other. We're good friends. Why would we hate each other?" Jason asked, and Jared gaped, floundering for an answer for a few minutes, then shrugged and shook his head.
"No clue. Look, we weren't being selfish. If you were stupid enough to sign another lease on this place for next year, then you were the stupid and selfish ones for doing so without consulting either of us. You didn't even try," Jared pointed out calmly, feeling he was right to do so.
"How were we supposed to ask you if you weren't ever around? Really, this whole year you've been kinda selfish. You just used this place as somewhere to rest your head at night, expecting all of us to clean up after you!" Jason told him. Jared clenched his hands to stop himself from punching him. Grinding his teeth together, he glared at Jason and took a step forward, feeling no shame when he used his height to intimidate Jason.
"I never once expect you to clean up after me. I never complained about the notes, I didn't complain when you locked me and Meesh out of the kitchen, I didn't do much when you accused me of mocking you. I've done nothing to you, Jason. Nothing. In fact, I've kept out of your way. So don't accuse me of using you," Jared said, before he stepped back and picked up his bag. "You know what? I'm leaving. I'm moving out of here today. I'll pay the rest of my rent so I don't break the contract, but that's all I'm doing."
Jared then sent one last glare to a shocked Jason, smiled reassuringly at Misha as he passed him and walked out of the apartment. When the door closed behind him, he gave a sigh of relief and decided to speak to the landlord about him not living there next year.
Jared knocked on the door to the landlord's office and waited until he was called to enter. He poked his head around the door and smiled at the man sitting behind his desk.
"Hey, Jim. Can I talk to you for a minute?" Jared asked, walking in and over to other chair in the room when Jim nodded and motioned for him to come in.
"Of course, Mr. Padalecki. What can I do for you?" Jim asked him. Jared shifted uncomfortably, feeling his smile slip a little. He'd never actually had anything against Jim, in fact, he was actually a shockingly laid back landlord.
"It's about next year. I just thought I'd tell you that I won't be signing another lease for the year. I won't be living there next year, I'm afraid. Sorry if it's gonna cause you any inconvenience," Jared said, nibbling his lip as Jim's face had progressively darkened the more Jared spoke.
"Oh. Right. And you decided to tell me this now? It's pretty inconvenient to inform me of this now, don't you think? I now have an empty, or half empty apartment to fill. Thank you, Mr. Padalecki, for causing me a great inconvenience. I hope you're very happy with yourself." Jared blinked and gaped at the man, completely stunned at what he was hearing.
"It's not… I didn't do it deliberately! I can't live with those people anymore! Do you know what it's like living up there? Hell is more welcoming!" Jared exclaimed, but Jim wasn't giving and just glared at him.
"Given I will probably have to find someone to fill the place now, and you have given me such short notice. Add to the fact that I will have to redecorate the room that you inhabited, then I am going to have to ask you to leave by the end of June. You have broken the contract and be grateful that I am only asking you to leave early, and not to pay the rest the rent you owe me up front," Jim told him, and Jared sat there, feeling numb.
"June?"
"Yes, I want the room you have been staying in completely stripped and empty. You have until the thirtieth of June. I will expect you to be out by then."
"But that's next week!" Jared pointed out, and Jim just shrugged. "My college classes haven't even officially finished yet!"
"That is not my problem. My current problem is to now fill your room, and get it ready should I be lucky enough to do so. Eight days, Mr. Padalecki. I want you out in eight days at the latest," Jim repeated, his tone telling Jared that that was the end of that. Nodding mutely, Jared grabbed his bag and walked out of the office.
He could only be thankful that he had an apartment, or he would have been completely screwed. He was also lucky that he'd moved most of his things as well. He looked up to see Misha standing on the entrance hall, looking at him in concern.
"Jay?"
"I've got to leave by next Thursday. My room's got to be empty and I've got to be gone by then," Jared told him in a voice much more calm than he actually felt.
"Shit, Jay. Does that go for me as well?" Misha asked, nibbling on his lip. Jared shook his head.
"No, I didn't mention you. I would advise not telling him until the lease is pretty much up. I have no idea why he reacted like that though, do you?" Jared asked, allowed Misha to lead him out of the apartment block and down the street towards their new place.
"Ah, see, that I might have an idea about. It might also explain Milo's reaction to your announcement," Misha added, and Jared looked at him with a frown. "Milo seemed to have gotten it into his head that we were all willing to sign on for another year. He'd informed Jim of that decision and had all but signed a new contract. You were a little too close to the truth with your accusations earlier, I think."
"Meesh, our friends are fucking insane," Jared muttered and Misha nodded solemnly next to him.
"They really are. You going to call Jensen later?" Misha asked and Jared sighed, nodding.
"Yeah. Do you have work tonight?"
"Nope! Shall we get drunk at our new apartment then? Invite Mike and Jensen over, too?" Misha asked with a small laugh, linking his arm with Jared's.
"That sounds like an awesome idea."
Epilogue
Two weeks after Jared's deadline to move out of the house came to an end, and Jared was helping Misha move what little he had left in the now-emptier looking apartment. Apparently Chad had decided that he hadn't wanted to live there either, thus making Milo and Jason have to either find a new place for the next year, or find three people insane enough to want to move in with them.
Apparently, San Francisco was full to the brim with insane people as Jason informed them that they had indeed found some people to move in with them, much to their own and Jim's relief. So, Misha had moved out mid-July with the help of Jared.
Jared groaned as he put down the last box with Misha's computer inside of it, and what felt like about a million rocks as well, stretching his back with a sigh of relief when he felt it click. He turned to look at Misha when he placed a box of his clothes on the bed and smiled gratefully at Jared.
"So, time to vegetate on the couch and get over that gruelling three hours of moving?" Misha asked, getting a laugh from Jared.
"Totally!" Jared agreed, still chuckling as he followed Misha out of his room and to the front room. They both fell down on to the couch with a sigh of relief, and Misha leaned over to grab them both a bottle of beer from the mini fridge next to the couch.
"Here's to our new apartment!" Misha said, clinking the neck of his bottle against Jared's with a beaming smile on his face.
"Here, here!" Jared said, taking a deep sip of his drink before he turned to look at Misha. "So, what are you plans for summer?"
"Actually, I'm staying here for most of it. Maybe go back for a week or two at some point, but Richard's offered to let me work full time over the summer. What about you?" Misha asked, shifting to sit sideways on the couch to face Jared, hugging his leg to his chest.
"Same here. I'll be living here for most of the summer. Jensen and Mike are, too, so I figured I may as well. See if I can build up my account balance a little," Jared told him with a grin. "Danneel seemed pretty happy that I wasn't going to be quitting over the summer; Gen will be going back home over the summer, so I think she was grateful that she only has to find one replacement."
"Did she ever give you that raise for taking her to Asylum? I've seen her there quite a bit since that night," Misha told him with a very amused grin, and Jared laughed.
"She actually did! So that will help my plan to make money. But also, I got offered a job by Richard and Mark when I told Mark about my plans to stay over summer."
"Really? Doing what?" Misha asked with a wide, excited smile, leaning forward a little and making Jared snort at him in amusement.
"To work on the doors for both the bars. Mostly Dreaded Fairies, but also Asylum whenever they might need extra doormen there. Apparently, Richard wants me to be Mark's submissive slave for all the big events," Jared added, rolling his eyes when Misha cackled in delight.
"What does Jensen think of that?"
"He finds it hot. It helps that Mark told him that his job is to make me look thoroughly debauched before I head to work on those nights. Otherwise, I get to act like a scary dom when working for Asylum, or a normal doorman at Dreaded Fairies," Jared told him, snickering at the thought of him being a dom.
"Well, you have the height. So we're gonna be workmates, too! That's awesome. This summer is going to be brilliant. And this is going to be the greatest apartment ever," Misha said with a firm nod, like that solved everything and now that he had said it, it would be so.
"I agree. Just, maybe we should not do any experimental cooking or anything like that. I don't think Mark and Richard will find it quite so amusing if it's their property we blow up."
"Point. So no experimental cooking. Good plan. Know what else there shouldn't be?" Misha asked, and Jared grinned, knowing exactly what Misha was about to say. "No damn notes."
"Excellent rule. So, here's to our proper first night in the greatest, note-free, apartment ever," Jared said with a laugh, once more tapping his bottle neck against Misha's. He leaned against Misha's side with a satisfied sigh. "Next year’s going to be awesome."
"It really is. And I might actually stick with Theology as my major. It's really rather interesting," Misha added, and Jared just burst into laughter. He really did have high hopes that things for the following two years of his degree were going to be fine.
End Notes and pictures of some of the actual notes that inspired this...
Fic Masterpost
Art Masterpost
Author :Meh_Forget_It
Beta: Wolfish_Willow
Fandoms: RPS
Warnings: Slash, m/m sexual relations, strong language,
Rating: NC17
Summary: Jared thought moving in to an apartment just off campus with four other guys in his second year of college was an amazing idea. It’s not long before he realises that it really wasn’t. Thankfully he has his insane best friend to keep him grounded and his childhood friend who lives in another apartment… and whose housemate is hot.
Disclaimer: I don’t own anyone, given they’re real people… And as of April 2010, owning people is illegal in Britain. Shame. So this didn’t/isn’t/won’t happen. Again, shame.
Pairing: Jared/Jensen, slight Mike/Misha
Characters: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Michael Rosenbaum, Tom Welling, Chad Michael Murray, Richard Speight Jnr, Christian Kane, Danneel Harris, Genevieve Cortese, Mark Sheppard…
Status: Complete
Word Count: 4,099 words (this part)
Interlude Three
Note Twenty
Jared had no clue how to deal with the new note, or where it came from when he found it on the new notice board three weeks after Jared had first taken Jensen to Asylum. They had since been back six times, well together. Jared had been there alone almost every night since then. Which was possibly the cause of the note; Misha had been working a lot of hours at Asylum. And when he wasn't, he was either locked in his room studying or at the library or Mike's house. But Jared figured he spent the same amount of time, if not less than Misha, in the apartment.
Still staring at the note in confusion, he jumped slightly when Milo stepped up next to him and looked at what he was reading.
"Is he alive? Moved out? You're the one most likely to know," Milo pointed out calmly and Jared just stared at him like he was insane, because really, he did sound a little unbalanced.
"You think I wouldn't have mentioned a tiny thing like Misha dying?" Jared asked him and Milo flushed but shrugged.
"Dunno. I mean, where is he? I haven't seen him for over a week."
"He's been working a lot. Like myself, and Jason. You know, we need jobs so we can eat? What the hell else made you think this?" Jared asked him. Milo shrugged again, clearly feeling a little embarrassed about the whole thing.
"His room’s kinda empty too. Not much in there. Like he's just slowly moving out or something," Milo told him and Jared felt it prudent not to point out that his room was just as empty as Misha's was. And that the reason for it was because they were slowly moving out.
"And so you thought he was dead. Huh. You know, asking someone would have made more sense, and come across as more concerned than a note on the back of a receipt," Jared pointed out, turning around and going back to his room.
He really didn't want to deal with them anymore. Really. Besides, finals were just on the horizon and he needed to study. He figured he'd concentrate on them and just ignore all the shit going on in the apartment. Though he really wasn't looking forward to telling Milo and Jason that they wouldn't be taking up the lease with this apartment for a second year. Chad seemed to have accepted it since Jared had told him, and had even been over to the apartment when he had helped them take a couple of small things over.
Jason and Milo, however, were not as accepting or laid back as Chad was. Well, Jason wasn't at least.
A week later and Jared's finals were looming ever closer, thus meaning that he hardly got time to see Jensen at all, and only got to see Misha when he felt he'd studied enough and decided to hide out at the Asylum. Though he also spent an equal amount of time hiding in Dreaded Fairies and getting to know Mark more. Surprisingly, he actually had a lot more in common with Mark than he did with Richard and spent quite a few nights in Dreaded Fairies, just talking to Mark about their favorite books. Jared thought he had died and gone to heaven when Mark showed him his library in the adjoining room to his office at the bar.
So when Jared wasn't studying and reading in Mark's library, or with Jensen or Misha, he was in the apartment, also studying. But he hardly ever got anything done when he was there because the atmosphere in the house was beginning to get a touch tense as everyone started to stress over their own looming exams.
Which was how he explained away the new note, though who put it in there and what the hell they were thinking when they did it, he had no clue. It was a little amusing actually. But the notes then got worse. And really, Jared wondered what the hell was going on with his housemates.
Jared didn't want to know. He really didn't. Alright, he sort of wanted to know what the elusive item that remained unnamed actually was, but other than that? He didn't want to know. Which was why he shoved most of his clothes into a bag, grabbed the books and folders that he'd need and moved out of the apartment for the time during his exams.
He'd decided to move into his and Misha's apartment. He would still pay the rent for the remaining month so that he didn’t break the contract with his last landlord. But he honestly thought that if he stayed in that place any longer, he was at risk of snapping completely and killing them all.
Entering the apartment, he was shocked to find Misha sitting in the front room with Mike, both watching TV, though Jared noticed they also had books and notebooks around them as well.
"Hey guys. Didn't know you were over here, Meesh," Jared said, dropping his bag by the free chair and moving to sit in it. Misha smiled at him widely while Mike grinned and waved in greeting before going back to watching the TV.
"Yeah, I came here to study this morning, invited Mike over to join me about two hours ago. You doing alright?" Misha asked. Jared shrugged, yawning widely as his lack of sleep caught up with him.
"I'm moving in here for the time being. I don't think I can stay at that place much more. I mean, I'll probably go back every so often, because I haven't brought all my clothes and stuff. But for the next week at least? I refuse to go back there," Jared muttered, yawning again, then sighing and sitting up properly. He dragged his bag onto his lap and dug through it for his notes on his next exam.
"Might join you," Misha commented, looking back down at his own notes. There was silence broken only by the occasional scratch of a pen against paper and the TV in the background. It was interrupted by Misha about ten minutes later. "Do you have any idea what 'it' was?"
Jared went back to the apartment straight after his last exam, needing to get some more clothes and to try and speak to Milo and Jason, or one of them at least, about not moving in next year. Misha agreed to meet him there after his own exam for the day finished, though he didn't know when that was going to be. He was, therefore, surprised (but not overly so) to walk into what seemed like a war zone, with Misha standing off to the side, holding a note and watching it all with wide eyes. Jared also suspected that he looked a little amused by everything as well.
Walking over to Misha, he looked at him curiously and only got the note handed to him as a response. Reading it, he snorted in amusement, which was apparently the wrong thing to do.
"Oh, look! It's Jared! Let me guess, you were in on this as well? It does seem like something you would do! Don't think I've forgotten last year’s note about the mugs! I know it was you, Jared!" Jason snapped, immediately spinning to glare at the sound of Jared’s snort. Jared just stared at him with wide eyes, completely shocked and a little confused by everything.
"Er… I'm sorry, but what? What have I supposedly done now?" Jared asked. He tried to keep his anger down, knowing that a majority of it was caused by lack of sleep and stress. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Jason, seeing Milo and Chad looking equally as confused Jared felt.
"You've read the note! Are you trying to tell me that you had nothing to do with it?" Jason asked him, the look on his face telling Jared that he wouldn't believe him if he did, and Jared sighed heavily, glaring back at Jason.
"I had nothing to do with the damn note. Don't know if you've noticed, Jason, but I haven't been here for nearly two weeks," Jared pointed out, letting his bag drop off his shoulder when he realised that this was going to take a while.
"Oh please! Where have you been then? Your boyfriend’s? Really? He let you hang around for two weeks and didn't get fed up with you?" Jason asked with a roll of his eyes and a scoff, and Jared really wondered what Jason had against either himself or Jensen. Or their relationship possibly.
"Jensen probably wouldn't have cared, but he's been busy himself these past couple of weeks, so no. I wasn't at Jensen's. Actually, you know what, this gives me the perfect opportunity to tell you something," Jared said, glancing to the side when he saw Misha step up next to him, realising what it was Jared was going to tell them.
"What is that exactly?" Jason asked him, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow at them. Jared half expected him to tap his foot as well and had to bite his cheek to stop himself from laughing.
"It's about next year. I'm not living here with you guys. I've got another place. That's where I've been over the past two weeks," Jared told them, feeling a small sense of satisfaction when Jason gaped at him.
"I'm moving in with Jay. We're both leaving here at the end of semester. Quite frankly, you guys have driven us insane over the past year. Be lucky you weren't smothered in your sleep. I'm not kidding," Misha continued with a small shrug.
"What? What the hell does that mean?" Jason asked, and Milo nodded, moving to stand next to Jason. Chad just shook his head and sighed moving to the side so he wasn't dragged into it.
"The fucking notes! Come on! It's pathetic, it's annoying and it's all kinds of crazy! Why can't you just tell people what's bothering you like adults?!" Jared exploded, lack of sleep combining with Jason and Milo's ignorance over what they had done wrong finally making him snap.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Milo asked, frowning at him and Jared gaped at him.
"What does it sound like? You're pathetic little note war has driven us insane over this past year. Have you not noticed that me and Meesh barely spent any time here after the first month of living here? We couldn't take anymore pitiful bitching!" Jared shouted, throwing his hands in the air in exasperation that his point didn't seem to be making it across.
"Jay's right. We never knew what the fuck kind of war zone we'd be walking into whenever we woke up, or got in from work. So we just decided to combine our working hours so we'd spend as little time here as possible. It helped that Jay's close friend also lived nearby so we could hide out there when neither of us were working," Misha told them in a calm voice, which made tiny alarm bells ring in Jared's head, as he knew it was the calm before the storm with Misha.
"Oh right, so what? You two just decided to get a place together next year and not tell us? What if we'd made plans to sign on this place for a second year? How selfish are you to not tell us this?" Milo asked, and that was it for Jared. He couldn't actually believe what he was hearing.
"You are joking right? Why the hell would any of you want to spend another year together? You seemingly hate one another with all the damn notes!" Jared said, sounding just as shocked and confused as he felt.
"We don't hate each other. We're good friends. Why would we hate each other?" Jason asked, and Jared gaped, floundering for an answer for a few minutes, then shrugged and shook his head.
"No clue. Look, we weren't being selfish. If you were stupid enough to sign another lease on this place for next year, then you were the stupid and selfish ones for doing so without consulting either of us. You didn't even try," Jared pointed out calmly, feeling he was right to do so.
"How were we supposed to ask you if you weren't ever around? Really, this whole year you've been kinda selfish. You just used this place as somewhere to rest your head at night, expecting all of us to clean up after you!" Jason told him. Jared clenched his hands to stop himself from punching him. Grinding his teeth together, he glared at Jason and took a step forward, feeling no shame when he used his height to intimidate Jason.
"I never once expect you to clean up after me. I never complained about the notes, I didn't complain when you locked me and Meesh out of the kitchen, I didn't do much when you accused me of mocking you. I've done nothing to you, Jason. Nothing. In fact, I've kept out of your way. So don't accuse me of using you," Jared said, before he stepped back and picked up his bag. "You know what? I'm leaving. I'm moving out of here today. I'll pay the rest of my rent so I don't break the contract, but that's all I'm doing."
Jared then sent one last glare to a shocked Jason, smiled reassuringly at Misha as he passed him and walked out of the apartment. When the door closed behind him, he gave a sigh of relief and decided to speak to the landlord about him not living there next year.
Jared knocked on the door to the landlord's office and waited until he was called to enter. He poked his head around the door and smiled at the man sitting behind his desk.
"Hey, Jim. Can I talk to you for a minute?" Jared asked, walking in and over to other chair in the room when Jim nodded and motioned for him to come in.
"Of course, Mr. Padalecki. What can I do for you?" Jim asked him. Jared shifted uncomfortably, feeling his smile slip a little. He'd never actually had anything against Jim, in fact, he was actually a shockingly laid back landlord.
"It's about next year. I just thought I'd tell you that I won't be signing another lease for the year. I won't be living there next year, I'm afraid. Sorry if it's gonna cause you any inconvenience," Jared said, nibbling his lip as Jim's face had progressively darkened the more Jared spoke.
"Oh. Right. And you decided to tell me this now? It's pretty inconvenient to inform me of this now, don't you think? I now have an empty, or half empty apartment to fill. Thank you, Mr. Padalecki, for causing me a great inconvenience. I hope you're very happy with yourself." Jared blinked and gaped at the man, completely stunned at what he was hearing.
"It's not… I didn't do it deliberately! I can't live with those people anymore! Do you know what it's like living up there? Hell is more welcoming!" Jared exclaimed, but Jim wasn't giving and just glared at him.
"Given I will probably have to find someone to fill the place now, and you have given me such short notice. Add to the fact that I will have to redecorate the room that you inhabited, then I am going to have to ask you to leave by the end of June. You have broken the contract and be grateful that I am only asking you to leave early, and not to pay the rest the rent you owe me up front," Jim told him, and Jared sat there, feeling numb.
"June?"
"Yes, I want the room you have been staying in completely stripped and empty. You have until the thirtieth of June. I will expect you to be out by then."
"But that's next week!" Jared pointed out, and Jim just shrugged. "My college classes haven't even officially finished yet!"
"That is not my problem. My current problem is to now fill your room, and get it ready should I be lucky enough to do so. Eight days, Mr. Padalecki. I want you out in eight days at the latest," Jim repeated, his tone telling Jared that that was the end of that. Nodding mutely, Jared grabbed his bag and walked out of the office.
He could only be thankful that he had an apartment, or he would have been completely screwed. He was also lucky that he'd moved most of his things as well. He looked up to see Misha standing on the entrance hall, looking at him in concern.
"Jay?"
"I've got to leave by next Thursday. My room's got to be empty and I've got to be gone by then," Jared told him in a voice much more calm than he actually felt.
"Shit, Jay. Does that go for me as well?" Misha asked, nibbling on his lip. Jared shook his head.
"No, I didn't mention you. I would advise not telling him until the lease is pretty much up. I have no idea why he reacted like that though, do you?" Jared asked, allowed Misha to lead him out of the apartment block and down the street towards their new place.
"Ah, see, that I might have an idea about. It might also explain Milo's reaction to your announcement," Misha added, and Jared looked at him with a frown. "Milo seemed to have gotten it into his head that we were all willing to sign on for another year. He'd informed Jim of that decision and had all but signed a new contract. You were a little too close to the truth with your accusations earlier, I think."
"Meesh, our friends are fucking insane," Jared muttered and Misha nodded solemnly next to him.
"They really are. You going to call Jensen later?" Misha asked and Jared sighed, nodding.
"Yeah. Do you have work tonight?"
"Nope! Shall we get drunk at our new apartment then? Invite Mike and Jensen over, too?" Misha asked with a small laugh, linking his arm with Jared's.
"That sounds like an awesome idea."
Epilogue
Two weeks after Jared's deadline to move out of the house came to an end, and Jared was helping Misha move what little he had left in the now-emptier looking apartment. Apparently Chad had decided that he hadn't wanted to live there either, thus making Milo and Jason have to either find a new place for the next year, or find three people insane enough to want to move in with them.
Apparently, San Francisco was full to the brim with insane people as Jason informed them that they had indeed found some people to move in with them, much to their own and Jim's relief. So, Misha had moved out mid-July with the help of Jared.
Jared groaned as he put down the last box with Misha's computer inside of it, and what felt like about a million rocks as well, stretching his back with a sigh of relief when he felt it click. He turned to look at Misha when he placed a box of his clothes on the bed and smiled gratefully at Jared.
"So, time to vegetate on the couch and get over that gruelling three hours of moving?" Misha asked, getting a laugh from Jared.
"Totally!" Jared agreed, still chuckling as he followed Misha out of his room and to the front room. They both fell down on to the couch with a sigh of relief, and Misha leaned over to grab them both a bottle of beer from the mini fridge next to the couch.
"Here's to our new apartment!" Misha said, clinking the neck of his bottle against Jared's with a beaming smile on his face.
"Here, here!" Jared said, taking a deep sip of his drink before he turned to look at Misha. "So, what are you plans for summer?"
"Actually, I'm staying here for most of it. Maybe go back for a week or two at some point, but Richard's offered to let me work full time over the summer. What about you?" Misha asked, shifting to sit sideways on the couch to face Jared, hugging his leg to his chest.
"Same here. I'll be living here for most of the summer. Jensen and Mike are, too, so I figured I may as well. See if I can build up my account balance a little," Jared told him with a grin. "Danneel seemed pretty happy that I wasn't going to be quitting over the summer; Gen will be going back home over the summer, so I think she was grateful that she only has to find one replacement."
"Did she ever give you that raise for taking her to Asylum? I've seen her there quite a bit since that night," Misha told him with a very amused grin, and Jared laughed.
"She actually did! So that will help my plan to make money. But also, I got offered a job by Richard and Mark when I told Mark about my plans to stay over summer."
"Really? Doing what?" Misha asked with a wide, excited smile, leaning forward a little and making Jared snort at him in amusement.
"To work on the doors for both the bars. Mostly Dreaded Fairies, but also Asylum whenever they might need extra doormen there. Apparently, Richard wants me to be Mark's submissive slave for all the big events," Jared added, rolling his eyes when Misha cackled in delight.
"What does Jensen think of that?"
"He finds it hot. It helps that Mark told him that his job is to make me look thoroughly debauched before I head to work on those nights. Otherwise, I get to act like a scary dom when working for Asylum, or a normal doorman at Dreaded Fairies," Jared told him, snickering at the thought of him being a dom.
"Well, you have the height. So we're gonna be workmates, too! That's awesome. This summer is going to be brilliant. And this is going to be the greatest apartment ever," Misha said with a firm nod, like that solved everything and now that he had said it, it would be so.
"I agree. Just, maybe we should not do any experimental cooking or anything like that. I don't think Mark and Richard will find it quite so amusing if it's their property we blow up."
"Point. So no experimental cooking. Good plan. Know what else there shouldn't be?" Misha asked, and Jared grinned, knowing exactly what Misha was about to say. "No damn notes."
"Excellent rule. So, here's to our proper first night in the greatest, note-free, apartment ever," Jared said with a laugh, once more tapping his bottle neck against Misha's. He leaned against Misha's side with a satisfied sigh. "Next year’s going to be awesome."
"It really is. And I might actually stick with Theology as my major. It's really rather interesting," Misha added, and Jared just burst into laughter. He really did have high hopes that things for the following two years of his degree were going to be fine.
End Notes and pictures of some of the actual notes that inspired this...
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