puzzle 'verse: it’s like a story of love (jared/jensen, r, 1500 words)

[strippedpink]

So, more than a year ago I wrote [ this fic] for Sweet Charity, about deviously curious high school Jared and Jensen, his bewildered college crush. Some people liked it, YAY!, and then I was asked by juice817 to write a sequel, again, for Sweet Charity.

THIS IS NOT THAT SEQUEL LOLZ. Not yet, anyway! But she also asked for some accompanying Jared POV from the first fic, particularly Jared and Jeff after Christmas, and I wasn't really sure how to tie it into the sequel I was planning, sooooo I figured I'd just split it off into its own little one-shot deal. Like, a prequel. For the sequel. A sequel prequel! A teeny little deleted scene, if you will, that's what this is, and if you haven't read the first fic then you absolutely will not care about this, so feel free to pass on by.

For those of you who DO read, just consider it as an appetizer, with the main course coming in the next few days. ♥ ♥ ♥

Title: it’s like a story of love
Pairing: Jared Padalecki/Jensen Ackles
Rating/Warnings: R (cursing, boytouching, SCHMOOP. Always schmoop.)
Word Count: 1500+
Summary: Sometimes things really are that easy.

Jared hears him coming about two minutes before he actually catches sight of his brother. He doesn’t get up and leave, no matter how strong the urge is; just watches Jeff clomp through the fallen leaves with a look on his face that Jared isn’t really willing to dig too deep to figure out at the moment.

“Hey,” is all Jeff says, dropping down onto the ground next to him. His voice is softer than Jared’s heard their entire vacation. Full of hesitation, and Jeff swallows and picks up a handful of leaves and crumples them distractedly in his fist. Jared watches the brown and red pieces go scattering and sucks in a sharp breath before meeting his brother’s eyes.

“Jensen’s gone,” Jeff says, and Jared digests this piece of information with a shaky nod. He was wondering, after all, sitting out here by himself and feeling sorry for himself, and Jensen, and Chad-god, Chad. Who didn’t deserve any of the bullshit Jared had laid on him tonight or, really, ever.

“Is he-” Jared trails off, rubs his hand across his mouth and clears his throat. Jeff’s lips curl into a frown, but Jared asks anyway. “Is he okay?”

“Strange.” Jeff shifts until he’s staring at Jared head-on. Jared resolutely refuses to budge. “He seemed to think I should be asking you the same thing.”

Of course. Jared wants to laugh at that, at how fucking chivalrous Jensen tries to be. When it comes to him, anyway…and if that isn’t the whole goddamn problem in a nutshell.

“You shouldn’t blame him,” he says, the words catching the wind and coming out a bit more fierce than he’d intended. Jeff looks ready to argue, maybe, and Jared shakes his head. “I’m serious, Jeff. I’m the one who fucked up and thought…”

“What?” Jeff’s eyes take on a curiously anxious light, and Jared falls back on his elbows. “Jesus, JT, what the hell were you thinking?”

That he’d had everything under control. That this thing between him and Jensen was so important, so fucking right and everything that it had to somehow work out in the end. Even when he hated Jensen, when he was buried inside someone else and loving it, it was always there at the corners of his mind. Him and Jensen. Somehow. It had to happen, because Jared just wanted it so much, and maybe he’d never really learned how to deal with things not working out his way.

“That I love him. And that I don’t really know how to be sorry for that.”

“Jesus,” Jeff says again. “Jesus, Jared.”

They fall into an awkward silence that’s worse than when Jared was sitting there by himself, going over every horrible thing he and Jensen had said to one another. If he’d had any doubts about how Jensen felt for him, the look on Jeff’s face right now would have sealed the deal. The stupid son of a bitch wants Jared as much as Jared wants him. But neither one of them have a goddamn clue how to go about getting each other.

“Well. Do I need to kick his ass?” Jeff finally asks, so quiet that Jared almost thinks he imagined it. He blinks, then can’t quite stop the laugh bubbling up his throat. Jeff’s gaze narrows. “What the fuck is so damn funny?”

“You,” Jared manages to get out, sitting up and running both hands through his hair. “Trying to protect my virtue from your big, bad, best friend who’s like…three feet shorter than both of us. Not to mention the last time you and Jensen had a fight, you tripped over your lightsaber and wound up in the emergency room and Jensen cried for two weeks.”

“Okay, one, I never should’ve told you that story. And two…I could totally take Jensen. Name the time and place,” Jeff grumbles indignantly, but there’s a smile lurking at the edges of his mouth, and when he meets Jared’s eyes again, they both crack up.

“Hey,” Jared says once the chuckles die down. He reaches over and grips Jeff by the shoulder. “Thanks. But I think I can handle this on my own. I just need some time to figure it out.”

“Okay.” Jeff licks his lips, hesitates. Then, “You’re my brother, Jared. I want you to be happy, and I mean. If it’s with my stupid best friend, then…”

“Yes, Jeff?” Jared says, amused by the way his brother’s mouth screws up while he’s searching for the right words to use.

“Don’t make me say it, dude.”

“It’s okay.” Jared laughs again, softer this time. “And for the record, I appreciate it. I don’t deserve it, but-”

“Oh, fuck that, JT.” And there’s no mistaking the sincerity in Jeff’s voice now. “You deserve everything, alright? And if you ever repeat this sappy conversation to anyone, I’ll deny it to the day I die.”

“Noted, bro.” Jared smiles, bumps him with his shoulder. “And hey, I love you, too.”

“Jesus Christ,” Jeff mutters, and then he stands up and brushes off the back of his pants. “You coming back, or you planning to stay out awhile longer? Mom and Dad are gonna have plenty of questions as it is.”

Jared grimaces. “I don’t know, man.”

“Look,” Jeff starts, shifting on his feet. Then he sighs. “I tried to get him to stay. He’s a goddamn idiot, but for what it’s worth. He’ll be there. Whenever you’re ready.”

Jeff’s so sure, always so sure when it comes to Jensen. Jared’s ready to feel that way, too.

xxx

He feels a bit like a stalker on New Year’s Eve. He lurks in the shadows and watches Jensen stare up at the red and gold fireworks streaking the sky; Jensen’s not alone, but he might as well be. The startled smile on his face when a blatantly intoxicated co-ed slams up against him, slings an arm around his waist and giggles in his ear pisses Jared off as much as it soothes his frazzled nerves. There’s the idea that Jensen really might not want him here, that he waited too long to try and fix this.

But as soon as the woman looks away, Jensen’s expression falls and he all but melts away from the crowd. Jared watches him walk away, shoulders hunched and eyes thoughtful during the entire ten minute journey toward a pretty mediocre apartment complex on campus. A few people stop him and make small talk; Jared shoves his hands in his pockets and wishes them all far, far away.

He’s fucking nervous. More nervous than the fifteen year old propositioning the hot, older guy who completely fucked him up and over and inside and out, and he runs through every possible reaction Jensen could have to his arrival before realizing Jensen’s moving away, it’s now or never, and he takes off across the lawn. Finds himself out of breath and barely managing to catch the door as Jensen begins to slam it close.

The look on his face is one Jared’s never going to forget.

“Oh, hell. Jeff sent you to finish me off after all, didn’t he?”

There’s hilarious, genuine worry in Jensen’s voice, and something inside of Jared just…breaks. “I’m a complete and total dick and I dumped my boyfriend on Christmas because I’m in love with you and I have been for four fucking years.” Jensen’s staring at him, and Jared takes another chance. Smiles big and bright. “God, okay. Hi.”

Jared’s back hits the wall around the same time Jensen’s mouth covers his own, and he laughs into the kiss and grabs for Jensen’s belt. Thank God, he thinks, and can almost hear it echoed out loud in Jensen’s deep timbre.

Jensen’s hands are everywhere at once. “I’m gonna fuck you right against this goddamn door, I swear to Christ.” Jared groans a little at the idea--finally--and tries to chase Jensen’s mouth when he pulls away and stares at Jared in sudden realization. “Does…does your brother know you’re here?”

Jared laughs and spreads his legs so Jensen can fit up against him. “Why, that weird you out?”

Jensen makes a sound that’s a cross between a laugh and choking on dry air. Things move pretty quick from there on out; Jared soon finds himself spread out on Jensen’s bed, his cock halfway down Jensen’s mouth and nasty curses on his breath.

When Jensen finally fucks him, it’s better than every time Jared fingered and opened himself up and imagined it. Jensen rocks back on his heels. Pulls Jared up tight against his chest and rests his forehead against Jared’s sweaty shoulder.

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited for this?” It’s a whisper in Jared’s ear, maybe even something he’s not supposed to hear; Jensen’s hands are tight on his hips like he’s afraid Jared might get up and leave any minute. Like he could really walk away from any of this.

“I, uh, I have a pretty good idea,” he manages to get out, and Jensen mouths up under his jaw. Pulls Jared back on his cock until they’re both spilling filth. “Dirty old man,” he adds minutes later and throws a smirk over his shoulder when Jensen’s eyes narrow.

“Jared.” His expression smooths out and his eyes go soft. “You’re going to stay, right?”

“Never wanna leave,” he admits, and Jensen’s arms go tight around him and it’s a new beginning, a better chance, for both of them.

Jared’ll take it.