Yours, Mine, Ours Part 6
“So what did you think of the commercial?” asked Jensen as he lathered up Jamie’s hair. He was kneeling next to the bath.
“Well, I liked it but I didn’t recognize a lot of the people. And I’m a little worried that it’s a family thing but I don’t remember them… can we maybe have a test run, like with did with the lunch for Monday? Could we maybe have a big party without camera’s first?”
Jensen smiled, “I’ll see what I can do. You’ll like them, they all like you.”
“Okay. Will you give me a Mohawk?” he asked. He followed it with another question, “Did you really like it?”
“I really liked it.” Jensen pushed Jamie’s hair up into a Mohawk.
“But you don’t like it when people look at you. You go quiet.”
“I used to like it a lot, Jamie, used to show off as much as you.”
“You don’t anymore.”
“I think I might start again. It’s more fun than being quiet. And for a long time I was really sad but I’m not so sad anymore.”
“Because of Jared.”
“Because of a lot of things Jared’s one of them.”
“Do I make you happy?” Jamie sounded worried as though it was maybe his fault that Jensen had been sad.
“You make me happiest in the world. You’re the most important person in my life. Love you more than anything: more than cake. Head back,” Jamie tilted his head back and Jensen leaned over the tub to rinse Jamie’s hair. Jensen didn’t tell his son that he was only thing that’d been stopping Jensen from killing himself for so long. You can’t tell a six-year-old that. “And I’m sorry I was quiet and didn’t have people here. But we’ll have a test run of the barbeque and it’ll be good.”
“I love you too, Daddy. Is there time for toys or do I have to go to bed now?” asked Jamie. Jamie was never really difficult at bedtime, not really.
“There’s a little while.” Jensen reached for the crate where Jamie’s bath toys lived. He handed Jamie dinosaurs, octopuses, boats, pirates. Jamie wound the boats and got them sailing around the bathtub. A full scale war broke out between the dinosaurs and the aquatic creatures. The casualties sank to the bottom of the tub. The causalities included civilians: dead pirates, fisherman, and Optimus Prime all sleep in a watery grave alongside the dead fishes and dinosaurs. The dinosaurs won, as they always did when Jamie orchestrated the battle. “Time to get out.” He picked up Jamie and wrapped him in a towel. Jamie dried off, brushed his teeth, and stood still as Jensen brushed his hair. Jamie was quickly redressed into his Spongebob PJ’s and was settled into bed listening to Jensen and Tricia singing and playing music. Jensen sat on the bed with Jamie, just cuddling for a little while and finally he kissed him one last time and said, “Sleep well, baby. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He walked back into the living room and smiled as Jared came in. He was sweaty, in shorts and an old t-shirt that says, “Grope Yourself: Avoid Testicular Cancer.”
“Where did you get that?” asked Jensen smiling. He headed towards the kitchen where he poured them both a glass of wine.
“Chad took a screen printing class in college. I also have one that says, ‘My Name is Jared Ask Me Why I’m so Vain’ and one that says, ‘My Drunk Sport is Trying to Convince People Engineering is Fun.’” Jared took a sip of his wine and sat up on the counter.
“That’s a bit harsh.”
“No, just honest. Chad had one that said, ‘My name is Chad Ask Me why I’m a Douche Bag’ and one that said, ‘My Drunk Sport is Vomiting on Hot Strangers and not Getting Their Numbers.’ Which was also accurate.”
“What about the vain one?”
“I am vain. Besides when people would ask me I would just say, ‘Have you noticed how hot I am?’ and laugh.” Jensen laughed and Jared said, “Thanks for being so cool with him tonight.”
“You don’t need to thank me. I really like him. And I’m going to have some words with the guys. He’s well aware of how they feel about him. It’s not cool… You didn’t tell me he’s Chad Michael Murray.”
“Oh, well. He’s just Chad.” He must have seen the look Jensen gave him and said, “No, not like that: I’m not diminishing him.” He took a breath. “When I came here the first time you thought I was TV’s Chef Jared. I was a conceited egotist who was fake nice to your kid and had capped teeth. And now you wouldn’t say, ‘My boyfriend TV’s Chef Jared’ you would say, ‘My boy Jared’. He’s not Chad Michael Murray. He’s Chad Murray my best friend. And sure he’s an artistic genius but that’s not who he is. He didn’t even add his middle name until he needed to because there’s some other cinematographer with the same name.”
It was sweet, kind, honest. “I love you,” said Jensen. He leaned forward and kissed Jared slowly, “I really do.”
“Did you like the promo?”
“Loved it, loved seeing everyone.”
“I didn’t know Chad was filming at the barbeque.”
“We looked good dancing together.”
“You sure you don’t mind? It’s a national spot.”
“No, I liked it. Liked seeing me on TV. I like showing off, deep down. And honestly, my parents and in-laws are going to adore it.”
“Okay,” Jared curled his fingers behind Jensen’s ear and guided him back to his mouth. “I’m glad. I like it.”
“Wanna go play in the pool?”
“And by that do you mean pool sex?” asked Jared, teasingly, against Jensen’s lips.
“No. I mean,” Jensen kind of blushed, “actually playing. Let the dogs in with us. Get out the pool noodles.” Then he added quickly, “Don’t make a dirty joke about noodles.”
Jared chuckled, “I had such a good one.” He kissed Jensen, “That sounds awesome.” He drained his wine glass and walked towards the back door. The dogs were hot on his heels.
Jensen watched Jared strip. He put his clothes on a chair at the patio table and then dove in. Sadie and Harley followed him quickly. Jensen went outside and started pulling out rafts, noodles, and torpedoes from the big toy box. He set up the basketball hoop and threw in little balls.
“You’re serious about playing, aren’t you?” said Jared.
“It’s been a strange day, lots of students, waiting for the promo. Are you into this?”
“Totally. I would love to beat your ass at basketball.”
Jensen stripped, throwing his clothes towards Jared’s own. He went to the very end of the deep end and walked away from the edge. Taking a running start he did a cartwheel into the pool. As he came up, breaking the water surface he was laughing. “I love this pool.”
“That was very smooth.”
“I swim a lot after Jamie’s gone to bed. I find it really relaxing. Wanna have a tea party?”
“We’re in the pool.”
“You’ve never played tea party?”
“I did with my sister and her dolls.”
“No, you sit on the bottom of the pool and say something and then you come up for air and see if the other person got it.”
“I can’t keep my eyes open under water.”
“I have goggles.” Jensen said and pushed himself up over the edge. He went back to the chest and pulled out goggles which he threw to Jared.
“You’re very prepared.”
“I have a six-year-old. It makes it more acceptable to have lots of toys.” Jensen jumped back in. “Deep end or shallow?”
“Shallow. Let’s start slow.”
“Okay,” agreed Jensen. He swam down to the end. He took a deep breath before sinking beneath the water. Jared swam under the water and sat down across from him. “Let’s start easy,” said Jensen through the water. “You’re wearing goggles.” He stood and spat out water. “What did I say?”
“You said, ‘Let’s start easy: you’re wearing goggles.’ Right?”
“Totally. See, the vibrations and lip reading all help.” Jensen smiled.
“How do you know who wins?”
“There’s no winner: it’s just fun.”
They played for twenty minutes until they were both feeling dizzy. And finally Jared said, “I’m going to pass out if we keep this up. Basketball?”
“Sure” Jensen agreed.
They treaded water in the deep end, making baskets and trying to shove each other out of the way. The dogs got really into the game, liked to help shove but were indiscriminate pushers. Jared made sixteen baskets in a row. The night was beautiful and not too hot. After a while Jared was totally out of breath. “How are doing this?”
“About three nights a week I spend two hours swimming laps after Jamie is asleep and before Annie calls me.”
“You never told that on any of our not-dates.”
Jensen thought and said, “Tricia… the first thing she said when we were looking for houses was, ‘Buy a house without a pool so that we build the perfect one.’ We used to swim every night once everyone had left and Jamie was down for the night. Every night. And when we were not-dating I didn’t want to tell you that because we never told anyone. If Jamie had known he never would have gone to bed and other people would have stayed late. It was ours and I didn’t want to tell you that when you were a friend as opposed to a boyfriend.”
“Thanks, for bringing me out here.”
“Wanted you here. Haven’t had someone to play games with in too long. Been swimming alone for so long and I wanted to be with you tonight.” He leaned forward, still treading water, and kissed Jared slowly. “Wanna get out?”
“Yeah, that would be good,” Jared nodded. Jensen watched him. The moon was bright and the water on Jared’s skin glinted. All the tight muscles moving under Jared’s skin made Jensen’s mouth water. He was waiting for the moment when Jared would realize, “Jen, do we have towels?”
Jensen smirked, “No.”
“So how are we drying off?” asked Jared.
“We’re streaking inside; it’s part of the fun.”
“What about Jamie?”
“Sleeps like the dead. Don’t worry about him. It’s just fun.”
“What about the dogs?”
“Oh,” Jensen paused, “I didn’t think about that.” He pushed himself out to the pool. The dogs moved to the stairs and clambered out.
“Shake,” Jared commanded. The dogs shook. “Shake.” They shook. Jared repeated the process five more times.
“Jared, they’re short haired. It’s good enough.”
“It’s weird. I thought you’d be a lot more anal about the dogs. I mean you’re such a neat freak.”
“I may like things to be neat and clean but I don’t sweat the details. Life is not neat and clean and, while I like to start the day with everything in order, by the end of the day it doesn’t really matter.”
“When I put my clothes in your drawers I realized that yours are all arranged by the rainbow. You’re working the Roy G. Biv system.”
“I know which drawer to look in for whatever shirt I want.” Jensen picked up his and Jared’s clothes. “I started doing it on tour. It saves time.”
“It’s a little weird.”
After the warm pool the air felt cool on his skin. “Inside, c’mon.”
“You sure he won’t wake up?”
“I’m positive. Last one into the bedroom loses.”
“So what am I winning?”
Jensen moved to him and kissed him slowly. “Me,” He said against Jared’s lips then quickly added, “One, two, three, go.” He said it in a rush and ran before Jared could even grasp the words. The dogs skittered after Jensen. They got in Jared’s way and there was no chance for him to win.
When he got to the bedroom he saw Jensen in the bathroom toweling off his hair. “You cheated.”
“I did,” Jensen agreed. He threw a towel to Jared and said, “Harley, Sadie, out.” He pointed to the door and they left the bedroom. “I don’t want them to watch.”
“I agree,” said Jared. He shut the door behind the dogs, “So what do you win for cheating?”
~~~
Part 7