Fic- #Me too
#Me too
Summary- From a prompt on spnkink_meme ( read prompt here)
The Supernatural Set was not untouched by the 'me too' campaign that swept the entertainment industry (and the rest of the world).
A/N-
Despite the dark theme, the story is more or less light and fluffy.
Also, it's 3am. And I'm sleep deprived. Please forgive any mistakes.
And oh, obviously, none of this is true.
Anyway, so on to the story...
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Jared stared at the door as it slammed shut in the wake of an irritable Jensen. It was unlike the older man to make a scene and storm off the way he just had, and Jared knew he was partly to blame- he had felt his co-star’s mounting irritation all morning but had persisted with his teasing under the mistaken belief that he would finally get to the bottom of whatever was going on with his best friend. He glanced apologetically at girls in make-up, but fortunately they had all worked together for enough years now that they too looked worried instead of angry.
“Did- did something happen between the two of you?” Martha ventured hesitantly.
“If it did, I’m unaware of it myself,” He responded, mind still spinning over Jensen’s uncharacteristic outburst over some teasing.
“Something’s going on with him,” Mary, the girl who usually worked on Jensen commented as she put away her stuff. “He’s got dark circles on his dark circles...”
Jared swallowed. He’d gone through phases like that multiple times himself while he’d been battling his depression, but Jensen typically took enough care of himself that he needed minimum concealing make-up. Well, apart from what was needed to cover his tattoo for JJ. Sure, they’d both come in from late-nights of too much drinking and too little sleep; but as they’d grown older the partying had gone down... and anyway, Jensen’s current haggard look was not the effect of too much boozing and too many women.
For one, he loved Danneel too much to step out on her. And second, usually where Jensen went, Jared followed and he knew for a fact that the man had done nothing but gone straight home from the set. He briefly worried if something was wrong with the twins, but no... He would’ve known if that had been the case, wouldn’t he?
As if on cue, his phone began buzzing, the screen flashing ‘Dani calling’ over an image of the red haired beauty that was his best friend’s wife.
“Hello?”
“Jay, I need to talk to you. It’s about Jensen.”
“Oh. Uh... yeah, sure. When?”
“Now?”
He glanced at his watch; he had a good three hours before they were due to shoot his scene. And it was a casual look for him so he wouldn’t need too long in make-up. He glanced up at Martha and May, “uh, ladies? Can we continue this in two hours?”
Both women nodded easily.
He smiled his thanks at them before speaking into his phone again, “Yeah, okay. Now is fine for me as well. I just have to be back in set by one, though.”
“No problem,”
“See you at Calahan’s?” he asked, naming the coffee shop ‘round the corner from the WB set.
“No, I’ll pick you up.” Danneel returned briskly. “Meet me at the gate in five. And oh, don’t tell Jensen.”
It wasn’t long before the two of them were seated at a quiet corner of the cafe, sipping absently at their individual orders.
“What is it?” Jared ventured when it looked like Danneel was unable to.
She looked up at him sadly, her large brown eyes dewy and the corners of her shapely lips turned down in distress. “Am I losing him, Jared?”
“What?!” He spat, coughing as the coffee went down the wrong way at the unexpected question.
“Oh c’mon... you think I haven’t noticed? He’s pulling away, Jare. And I don’t know how to stop it...” She sighed resignedly. “It’s fine. It’ll hurt but fine, I can learn to live with it eventually... just. Just-” She sighed, looking away as big, shiny tears glittered in her eye. She shuddered through a silent sob before turning back to face him, “I know he’s your best friend, but I’m begging you. Please? Just tell me this much... Are- are the two of you finally together?”
Jared shook his head immediately, eyes wide.
“Then, is- is there someone else?”
“He’s not cheating on you, Dani,” He told the distraught woman quietly. “He would never-”
But she was nodding before he finished, a tiny sad little smile tilting the corners of her lips.
“But you’re not wrong to worry, I- uh... I’ve noticed the change too. ... I don’t know what’s exactly bothering him, but.” He shrugged. “Yeah... so, uh- question is what’re we going to do ‘bout it?”
“He’s been having nightmares,” Danneel revealed after a brief pause as she sipped at her latte consideringly.
Jared’s eyes snapped to hers in surprise: Jensen was usually the strong, silent type... more prone to offer his shoulder to others than to lean on anybody else’s help. Jared remembered his friend’s steadfast support when he’d woken from nightmares while he was going through the worst of his depression...and while he and Jensen had shared rooms- and occasionally even a bed, platonically- far too many times to keep count, he couldn’t remember a single instance when the older man had woken from a nightmare.
He reached across the table to take Danneel’s smaller hand in his, “We’ll figure it out,”
She squeezed back instinctively, her expression turning determined. “We will.”
And that was how Jared found himself covertly trailing after Jensen as the actor stalked across to where the guest director was going through the changes in the script. He ducked behind some nearby equipment to evade detection and snooped on his friend guiltily. Nate, the guest director for the current episode was not exactly a first timer on the Supernatural set, having directed them before once, way back in season one. And the man had worked with Jensen briefly on one of his earlier projects. It stood to reason that the two would be friends, and Jared hated the brief twist of jealousy that the thought reared in him... If he thought about it though, Jensen’s strange behaviour had started ever since Nate had rejoined their crew and Jared wondered if there was something brewing between the two.
Nate- Nathan, to those who didn’t know him, was slightly older than them... maybe a few years plus or minus Jeff’s age, and the man was good looking in a regular way- not Jensen’s preternatural handsomeness nor Jared’s bright smile or Jeff’s rugged looks, not even close, but then again, they were actors, looking good for the camera was part of their job description; Nate was good-looking in a more wholesome way: the way regular folks not involved in the movie-making industry are. He was a few inches shorter than Jensen, and had that salt-and-pepper thing going which was all the rage for men of that age. Jared sighed, Jensen always had a thing for slightly older men- he didn’t get it, but maybe the so called ‘power imbalance’ excited Jensen.... he had always hoped that if Jensen ever decided to play for his own side, he’d be the one the gorgeous green eyed man would approach, but guess that wasn’t in the cards...
Still, it didn’t explain why Jensen refused to leave the set while Alex’s scenes were undone...
Was Jensen involved with someone older and someone younger???
It seemed unlikely given what he knew of his friend, especially in light of how he had bristled just that morning when Jared had ribbed him about having the hots for their younger co-star. Jared didn’t think he’d ever seen Jensen that offended... the man had jumped up from where he’d been sitting exclaiming that he wasn’t a predator... Jared frowned as he thought about Jensen’s reaction again: they teased each other about so many things- some far more inappropriate that what he’d said about Jensen and the younger actor but Jensen had never taken offense the way he had just then...
Jared rubbed against his forehead absently; he was getting a headache from worrying over his friend.
Raised voices had him glancing towards the two men again. He frowned as he took in Jensen’s furious expression.
“- nk I don’t know what you’re doing? Keeping the boy back on trumped up excuses about needing to re-shoot his scenes?”
“I’m the director here, Ackles. You’d do better to keep that in mind.” The director shot back gruffly.
“Oh trust me, I’m never going to forget that,” Jensen returned, “And yeah, I know that it’s your decision about whether a scene needs to be re-shot, but I do hope you know that I’ll also just keep staying back. You’re not getting Alex by himself to breathe poison in his ears.”
The director’s smirk turned cruel, “Well, I’ll just have to find a way to get you thrown off the set for a few hours then, won’t I?”
“You can try. I’ve been doing this show for over a decade now, you think I’m still that scared li’l boy you knew? What makes you think anyone’ll pick you over me?”
The man very studiously didn’t meet Jensen’s eyes as he buffed his nails. “So has Jared, Ackles. Worked on this show for a decade, I mean. And yet I managed to get him thrown off set yesterday. ... With how much you two disrupt shooting, you really think I’m going to have trouble convincing anybody that I need you away for a few hours to get production running smoothly again?”
Jared’s eyes widened the longer this conversation went on. Whatever was happening, he needed Eric and Rob to hear about this; hell, this was something the network execs needed to hear. But without proof it would be Jensen’s word (if the man even agreed to ever speak about this) against Nate’s and Jared wasn’t sure how much pull Nate had with the network bigwigs. He would of course support Jensen, but given how well known their camaraderie was, it was possible that people would assume he was just sticking up for his friend and not a real witness to the exchange. He needed to come up with a plan... something that would give him irrefutable proof that Nate was the bad guy. He glanced around and the camera equipment he was hiding behind gave him an idea. He discreetly switched it on.
“No one would believe you,” Jensen was saying now. “Sure, we joke around, but we also get the job done.”
“Your parts maybe,” Nate conceded with a careless shrug. “The other guest stars are a whole other story. I’m sure they would jump at the chance to have a day’s shoot uninterrupted by pranks from the show’s leads.”
“You can try,” Jensen repeated with a growl, “But I’ll be keeping my eye on you. You won’t get a chance to hurt Alex.”
“Tell me something,” The director asked, “Why do you care about the boy so much? I thought it was Jared you were willing to take a bullet for?”
“It’s not about the kid,” Jensen answered after a short pause, “It’s about monsters like you keeping their grubby hands to themselves.”
“Ah,” Nate murmured thoughtfully, “So if I were to say I could still ruin Jared’s career I’d have a better chance of sampling that tight ass again?”
Jared wanted to throw up as he registered the filth the man was spouting, but the ‘still’ and ‘again’ in the man’s last sentence caught him off-guard. He’d already hurt Jensen once?
He tried to swallow down his tears as he called security and whispered that he needed their help, sharing his location so that they could reach him as quickly as they could. He was glad that the two men were loud enough by now to not have heard him.
“What makes you think that I’m still tight?” Jensen shot back mutinously, clearly not thinking through his responses and just countering with whatever came to his mind. “Maybe I’ve been taking it up the ass on the regular from Jared’s monster dick since you last had me and am loser than a whore’s panties by now?!”
Jared blushed where he stood- he had fantasized about the two of them getting together so many times now, but had never managed to convince the older man to risk their friendship over a romp between the sheets. While he didn’t begrudge his friend’s reasoning, he couldn’t help but wish it had been the truth...
“Well, you could always let me have a ride for old time’s sake and be the judge of that myself?” Nate purred, reaching out to stroke a finger over Jensen’s full lips.
Jensen hauled off and punched the man square in the face immediately. Even far as Jared was, he heard the crunch of the man’s nose breaking. “If you think I’m still that kid from a decade ago, you are sorely mista-,” He growled but froze as security rushed them.
“He’s gone crazy!” Nate complained loudly, “Get me away from him, please! He- he punched me!”
But the security had known Jensen and Jared for twelve years now and while they did step in between the irate actor and the bleeding director, no one made any move to restrain him.
Jared stepped out from where he’d been hiding, already dialling Eric and explaining the situation to both- the man on the other end of the line and the gathered security. The on-set medic set up Nathan with a splint and cleaned the blood, and it took Jared seven hours to explain what had happened to Eric and Robert Singer- who’d flown in as soon as they had heard about what had transpired. All in all, it was three in the morning by the time the whole mess had been sorted and they had been cleared to head home.
Everything in Jared wanted to sling an arm across Jensen’s shoulders; because no matter how successful he had been, it was the confirmation of having his friend’s arms around him that gave him the real sense of satisfaction. Still, Jensen was an intensely private man and Jared could appreciate that... He didn’t protest as the older actor made his way to his trailer.
Jensen seemed to have retreated into himself and Jared could sympathize, if not empathize- having something you’d been forced to hide for over a decade become public in a matter of minutes was bound to be stressful. Still, he needed to bring the man out of his mind and so stuck his chewed up gum on the table at Jensen’s trailer- a move that Jared knew irked the older man and never failed to garner a reaction.
He became worried when Jensen didn’t react.
“uh... Jen?” He called hesitantly.
Green eyes flew up to meet his and the tightly leashed fear he saw in them took his breath away.
“Is- is it true, then?” He managed, “Nate threatened you with me?”
Jensen shrugged, obviously incapable of words for the moment.
Jared closed his eyes, allowing that to sink in. He had heard what Nathan had said. And they had rehashed the whole thing so many times with Eric and Rob and the two suits that had flown down from the network... but the focus had been on the assault; not on the reason.
He thought back to Season one when they were still getting to know each other... and now that he thought about it, he and Jensen had that big fight during Nate’s tenure as director- the older Texan suddenly furious about the way Jared was pranking people and delaying the shoot. He wondered if he had not been the one to blame at all, but Jensen had simply erupted that day because of what Nate had been doing to him. He looked up questioningly, “What did he say to you?”
Jensen swallowed. “Does- does it matter?”
“It does to me,” He whispered.
“He- he told me he could have you blacklisted. You were still new. And even though you were good- still are- he could spread the word that you were difficult to work with and that your work ethic was seriously lacking...”
Jared lowered his head.
“And that’s not true! None of it, you know?” Jensen went on, the words tumbling out as he tried to explain. “You were still so naive back then, and you simply didn’t have enough experience to take a hit like that to your reputation. ... but the thing that you gotta realize, Jay...is that none of it was about you, okay?”
“How can you say that?!”
Jensen shook his head, “You know I’d worked with him once before, right? We uh... we’d fooled around a bit that time. Nothing- nothing hard-core... just-just a few handjobs and one blowjob.” He explained, hint of desperation underlying his tone.
“He wanted more this time?” Jared guessed.
Jensen nodded. “And I refused. I- uh... I had my eye set on a certain dimpled greek-god.”
Jared blinked, unable to believe that Jensen was actually confessing to wanting him. He peered up shyly, “You mean it? You- you wanted me?”
The other man looked away, wiping a hand over his face and he nodded. “Yeah. But Nate wasn’t one to accept a ‘no’. ... When he realized he had nothing against me, he-”
“He used me against you.” Jared finished. He thought about that... they had barely known each other then and Jensen had still cared enough to step up and shield him.
“Why did you let him?” Jared asked, horror lacing his words as he realized that his playfulness had cost Jensen so much. “You could have told me...Or-or-or simply walked awa-”
“And let the chips fall where they may?” Jensen asked with a laugh. “Yeah, I tried.”
“That fight we had... you were so angry with me...” Jared whispered, connecting the dots.
Jensen shrugged, “I figured out that I couldn’t live with myself if I did that.”
“Oh god, Jensen,” He whispered, leaning in helplessly. His lips grazed Jensen’s stubbled cheek instead.
Jared pulled back instantly, mortified. “I- uh... I’m sorry. I just thought you’d still want me.”
“I do,” Jensen confessed softly, unable to meet his eyes. “But I’m not clean.”
“Don’t be an idiot!” Jared grumbled and leaned back in. Once more he was held back- this time by a firm hand to his chest. He glanced up quizzically, “Now what?”
“I’m married. So are you.”
“Really?” He pulled up Sam Winchester’s best bitch-face.
“I don’t want to break you and Gen up, Jay! You guys have kids!” Jensen looked away and then back as he continued, “So do I. Have kids, I mean. I can’t do this to them. Or to Dani.”
“What if I told you that the three of us have been waiting for you all this time?” Jared asked on a huff of laughter.
“What?” The older man repeated blankly, eyes wide.
“Look, Dani and Gen both always figured that someday or the other you and I were going to give into our big gay love.” He began, then noticing Jensen’s disbelieving look threw up his hands, “I’m serious. Looks, you can call them an ask, okay? Anyway, thing is, they’re cool with it. Hell, Dani and Gen have been together for some time now.”
“Dani’s cheating on me?”
“If that’s how you want to look at this,” Jared rolled his eyes. “Dude! Our wives are giving us permission to be together. Why are you not over the moon about this? They’ll not throw us out and divorce us, okay? We get to keep the kids and have each other... honestly; I can’t see how this could get better... Our kids see us together all the time anyway. They’re not going to object.”
“Our kids... Jay, how am I ever going to face them after this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Their daddy took it up the ass... they’ll never look up to me again.”
“You really think JJ’s that shallow? The twins? Well, the twins are too young to understand any of this... but JJ might... and I can promise you that she’ll only be proud of her daddy for saving her silly unca-jay. And maybe worried because you got hurt doing it. She won’t hate you.”
Jared watched as the shoulders finally came down from around the man’s ears and relaxed. It would take a little more time to convince Jensen that the two of them could really get together, but he had waited for twelve years... a few more days were not going to matter.