Kept!verse: Start as you mean to go on
This is the ninth story in my Kept!verse, in which Jeff's a billionaire, Jensen's a princess and Jared's the long suffering bodyguard. It follows Virgin Territory
Title: Start as you mean to go on
Author: tabbyshhh
Wordcount: 2,712
Rating: PG13
Characters/Pairings: Jeffrey Dean Morgan/Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki/Tom Welling
Warnings: RPS, AU
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: None of this is real. As far as I Know Jeff isn’t a billionaire, Jensen isn’t a princess and Jared isn’t a bodyguard.
Summary: Jeff asks the question…
Notes: Thanks to everyone who commented on the previous stories in this verse.
Jared finds Jensen in his closet, sitting on the floor in a puddle of shoes and discarded clothes.
“Jen?” He steps into the room cautiously, Chris warned him about Jensen’s mood as soon as he arrived on site.
“You want these shoes?” Jensen asks, holding up a purple snake skin loafer. “I don’t think I’ve ever worn them. They were pretty expensive, I think I bought them to piss Jeff off.” Jared winces a little at the dead tone in Jensen’s voice and then shakes his head. Despite their height difference they take the same size shoes and Jared now has a closet full of ridiculously expensive shoes.
“I don’t think I’d wear them.” He admits honestly. Jensen’s mouth quirks in a small smile but it fades quickly. “What are you doing?” Jared asks cautiously. Chris had told him Jeff had been called into work for an emergency and there had been a lot of yelling on Jensen’s part and then a lot of banging after Jeff had left.
“I promised Jeff I wouldn’t buy anything new until I cleared some stuff out.” Jensen shrugs. “But then he promised to help me so I don’t see why I should hold up my side of the bargain. You think Chris will like this shirt?”
“Sure.” Jared nods. It’s a plain black button down so it’s pretty inoffensive but Jared guesses it probably cost a lot. “Jeff wasn’t supposed to go to work this weekend, huh?”
“No.” Jensen sighs. “There’s an art show he was going to take me to see.”
“Well, you can still go, you know.” Jared offers. “I’ll go with you.” He guesses he was probably supposed to be going anyway, since he doesn’t work Saturdays usually and Jeff had asked him specially if he could come in.
“Thanks.” Jensen smiles weakly. “But…”
“But it’s not the same?” Jared grins. “Don’t worry, I get it.”
“Yeah.” Jensen sighs. “You sure you don’t want these?” He waves the shoes at Jared again and he can’t help but laugh.
“Jensen, I would not be seen dead in those things.” Jensen grins at him, tossing them off to the side in what Jared guesses is the pile for Goodwill. He spends a little while helping Jensen sort through the pile of clothes, putting aside shirts he thinks Chris might like, trousers for Sterling and Justin to fight over, and shoes he wants for himself.
“You must have the best dressed security force in the city.” He tells Jensen in an attempt to get him to smile. Jensen just eyes Jared’s ripped jeans and old army t-shirt and raises an eyebrow. Jared laughs but Jensen barely manages a smirk before his expression turns contemplative again. Jared really hates that Jeff can do this to Jensen, promise him things, get his hopes up and then shatter them just as quickly. He knows Jensen can be kind of high maintenance at times, but really, it’s Jeff who made him that way. “You want some coffee?” He offers after a while, because he can’t stand sitting here in silence any longer. Of the two of them, Jensen’s definitely the quieter, but not this quiet.
“Yeah. Thanks, Jared.” Jensen nods and Jared gets up, heading downstairs. He’s walking past Jeff’s study to get to the kitchen when he hears the older man’s voice from inside and suddenly he can’t help himself. He pushes open the door without knocking, something he’s never done before with this room. Jeff glances at him, a slight frown on his forehead as he wraps up his phone conversation.
“Jared?”
“Emergency over?” Jared asks, clenching his hands into fists unconsciously.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” Jared replies. “You’ve barely been gone two hours, so I don’t see how it was such a big crisis that it couldn’t have been dealt with by someone else.”
“Jared…”
“No. He’s practically in tears, Jeff.” Jared storms, it’s not an exaggeration, he let Jensen get away with keeping his head down but the way he kept swallowing and sniffling slightly had given him away. “You shouldn’t make promises to him and then just break them. It’s not fair. He loves you so much and you do this all the time, you need to take his feelings into account and…”
“I’m going to ask Jensen to marry me.”
“It needs to stop….What?” Jared asks, when he brain catches up with his mind and processes Jeff’s words.
“I’m going to ask him to marry me.” Jeff opens the desk drawer and pulls out a small black box. He opens it and Jared sees the two platinum bands sitting inside it. “The jeweller called today to say that they were ready.” Jeff explains. “I know I should have waited when I saw how upset he was, but they’ve already been delayed and I wanted to make sure they were perfect.”
“I’m sorry.” Jared says immediately. I shouldn’t have just assumed…”
“You didn’t assume.” Jeff waves a hand dismissively. “You were going off what Jensen told you. What I told him. I’m not upset, Jared. I’m glad he has a friend like you to stand up for him because he doesn’t always stand up for himself.”
“I hear he did this morning.” Jared grins.
“Oh yeah.” Jeff nods sheepishly. “Almost gave up the whole charade.”
“He was that scary?” Jared asks.
“Nah, he’s just that hot when he’s angry.” Jeff corrects grinning. Jared laughs, a little shocked, but believing it. “You know where he is?”
“In his closet. Be careful, he’s got a lot of shoes handy.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Jeff claps Jared on the back and goes in search of Jensen while Jared goes to tell Chris the news.
*
“Hey.” Jeff steps into Jensen’s closet, taking note of the piles of clothes and shoes on the floor. “I didn’t think you’d actually do this.”
“I keep my promises.” Jensen replies, not looking at him, focusing intently on the cabinet with his dress shirts, open in front of him.
“I guess I deserved that.” Jeff nods. “I like that one.” He adds, glancing at the shirt Jensen’s currently holding. Unsurprisingly, Jensen takes the shirt off the hanger and throws it onto one of the piles, the hanger landing in a pile of its brothers next to Jeff’s feet. Jeff takes a deep breath and tries not to sigh, he put Jensen in this mood, he’ll just have to get him out of it. “Leave that for a minute, Jen. C’mere.” Jeff requests. Jensen shakes his head, still not taking his eyes away from the job at hand. “Fine.”
Jeff steps closer to Jensen instead, closing the mirrored cabinet doors. He sees Jensen take a deep breath and hopes he’s not about to start yelling. Jensen doesn’t, which is almost worse. He just looks down at his bare feet, as though he’s waiting for Jeff’s next move.
“I’m sorry about this morning, ok? I know we had plans and it’s not fair of me to cancel them.” Jeff’s been making an effort to spend more time with Jensen, it’s not really an effort, not when he enjoys it so much, he just finds it hard to delegate at work, he’s always been an overachiever and a perfectionist and it’s hard to shake those habits. He never regrets it when he comes home early or takes the day to be with Jensen, and he knows he should do it more.
“I really wanted to see that show and today was the last day.” Jensen turns to him, but keeps his eyes on the floor.
“I know.” Jeff uses his hand to tug him close, sighing when Jensen rests his head on his shoulder. Jensen always forgives him so easily, no matter how upset he’s been. He tilts Jensen’s face up for a soft kiss. “I called the gallery. They said they’ll stay open for us tonight, a private showing. Maybe we could go for dinner first.”
“Really?” Jensen asks, brightening immediately.
“Yeah. We don’t even need to take security.”
“None?” Now Jensen looks suspicious.
“None.” Jeff confirms. “Now that Mullhoney’s behind bars, we’ll be safe in a restaurant and no one will know we’re going to the gallery. It’ll be fine.”
“I’ll let you convince Singer.” Jensen replies.
“Already taken care of.” Jeff nods. “I told him to send Jared home too, since he came in specially to come to the gallery with us.”
“He went to get coffee.” Jensen frowns a little and looks around, as though he’s expecting Jared to suddenly jump out of one of the doors.
“Yeah, I saw him. He came in to my study to yell at me.” Jeff smiles at Jensen’s surprised face. “I always forget how big he is until he gets angry.”
“He doesn’t get angry with me.” Jensen shrugs, grinning.
“That’s because you’re perfect and he loves you.” Jeff kisses him playfully. “If I didn’t know he was so head over heels for Tom I might get jealous.”
“Shut up.” Jensen shoves him. “You know there’s only ever been you.”
“Yeah.” Jeff pulls him in for a heated kiss. “Let’s get this place cleaned up.”
*
They send Jared home with a bag full of shoes and the few things that need to go to Goodwill.
“Have a good night, man.” He claps Jensen on the back with a huge grin and Jensen can’t help but smile back, even though he has no idea what’s wrong with Jared. All he can guess is that Jared’s going to see Tom and planning to get laid.
“Sure.” Jensen nods. “He’s so weird.” He whispers to Jeff when Jared’s gone, frowning when Jeff just gives him an enigmatic smile.
*
Jensen chats all the way through dinner; the art show that he’s so excited to see, when he can go shopping to replace the clothes he threw out, how Logan and his new brother Lincoln are getting along, his next project for school….
Jeff can’t remember the last time they went for dinner without security personnel hovering around them, either eating at the same table or one close by. Obviously the lack of an audience helps Jensen’s confidence and Jeff reminds himself to try and do this more often.
He listens to Jensen’s dialogue, chiming in when it’s expected and just soaking up the happiness radiating from his lover. It’s a far cry from the verbal dressing down he’d taken from Jensen earlier.
“Ready to go?” He asks when they’ve paid the bill. The waiter’s been making eyes at Jensen all night, but Jeff still tips him well, he can’t find it in him to be upset over it, not when Jensen’s so clearly oblivious to it.
Jeff spends most of the time at the gallery watching Jensen and nodding along while Jensen speaks with the artist, who strangely enough had decided to be on hand when the richest man in the city wanted to view his work. Jeff shakes his head and reminds himself not to be so cynical, making a mental note of the pieces Jensen seems to like the most so he can think about buying one or two. His accountant usually lets him get away with that, Art is an investment after all. They’re there for hours and Jeff can’t bring himself to mind, it’s not often he gets to see Jensen so relaxed around other people.
The few glasses of champagne Jensen’s had help and he holds Jeff’s hand on the way out to the car. It’s not that Jensen doesn’t like public displays of affection, he’s just shy about initiating them, as though he expects Jeff to brush him off. Jeff pushes him against the car and kisses him, warm and deep, smiling when Jensen whimpers and pulls him closer by the lapels of his suit jacket.
“Mmm. Home?” Jensen asks breathlessly.
“Actually, I was thinking coffee.” Jeff replies.
“Are you trying to kill me?” Jensen demands. Jeff laughs and shrugs. “It’s almost midnight, there aren’t any 24 hour coffee shops around here.”
“Mmm.” Jeff kisses Jensen again. “You got the key to Carlson’s with you?” He asks with a wicked grin. He knows Jensen still has a key, because sometimes, when they’re very short staffed and Steve’s out of town, Jensen will cover a shift or two at his old workplace.
“It’s in my wallet.” Jensen replies, eyeing Jeff speculatively. “We can’t break in there.”
“It’s not breaking in if you’ve got a key.” Jeff grins.
“Fine.” Jensen rolls his eyes. “But it’ll take a while to make a fresh pot.”
“That’s ok, I’ve got time to spare if it means seeing you in that apron.” Jeff bites at Jensen’s jaw, not missing the way Jensen blushes. It’s the cutest damned thing, that even after all these years Jensen’s embarrassed by how much Jeff wants him.
It’s not far to the coffee shop, and when they get there they’re met with a sudden deluge of rain that has them running and shoving each other like teenagers to get in the shop first. Jensen’s carefully spiked hair is flat against his forehead, reminding Jeff of lazy mornings spent together in the large Jacuzzi tub in their bathroom.
“God.” Jensen shakes his head, drips flying onto Jeff. He hangs his jacket off the back of a chair and pulls an apron on. “Hey.” He frowns when he steps behind the counter. “They left a pot on. They never do that on a Saturday night, they’re not open Sundays.”
“I may have told Mrs Carlson we were going to be in the area.” Jeff admits, making his eyes wide and innocent, the way he’s seen Jensen do a million times. Jensen just shakes his head with a smile and goes back to the pot of coffee.
“You never could resist the coffee from this place.”
“I never could resist the barista either.” Jeff grins at him over the counter.
“Wow, I knew you liked Steve, I didn’t know you felt that way about him. He’ll be flattered.” Jensen teases.
“You know exactly who I’m talking about.” This is it. Jeff’s steps around the counter.
“nuh uh.” Jensen shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Mr Morgan. No customers behind the counter, I don’t care if you are our best patron.” Jensen grins at him then turns to put the coffee pot back in its holder. When he turns back to face Jeff, Jeff’s down on one knee with the box in his hand.
Jensen’s mouth opens and closes uselessly, twice, and he blinks rapidly, as though he can’t quite believe what he’s looking at. “What are you doing?” He asks, just as Jeff pops open the box.
“Something I should have done a long time ago.” Jeff replies softly. “Jensen.” Jeff manages to smile, the beating of his own heart sounding so loud in his own hears that he’s sure Jensen must be able to hear it. “I love you.” Jeff swallows thickly. “Will you marry me?”
“Oh god.” Jensen drops to his knees in a way that makes Jeff wince because he’d be feeling that move for days. It’s only a fleeting thought because Jensen has his arms around Jeff as soon as they’re on the same level and he’s sobbing into his neck.
“Hey.” Jeff soothes. This wasn’t quite the reaction he’d expected.
“You’re completely unbelievable. You know that?” Jensen demands after kissing him fiercely. “When people ask how we got engaged, what am I supposed to tell them?” He demands. “Well, we started the day with a huge fight…”
“And ended it with the perfect evening.” Jeff adds. “That’s us, Jen. It gets fiery and complicated, and sometimes it gets messy.” Jeff shrugs the best he can when Jensen’s holding onto him so tightly. “But I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you. I wouldn’t want to. I’m already planning to spend the rest of my life with you. This is just so that everyone else knows it too. So you know it.” He wipes some of the tears off Jensen’s face. “You going to give me an answer?” He asks, smiling softly.
“You know the answer.” Jensen’s words are whispered against his mouth before he kisses him. And it’s fiery and complicated and a little bit messy. “Yes.”