If You Only Knew
Title: If You Only Knew
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1129
Disclaimer: I can only fantasize that this is really going on. Alas, it's not. Unless it is, and if so, I want photographic evidence, dammit!
Summary: AU. It's been 20 years since Jared's seen Jensen.
A/N 1: This is for enablelove. We challenged each other to stop procrastinating, and this is her reward (and also my test). Hope you like it, sweetie!
A/N 2: Thanks to dugindeep for planting the kernel for the idea of this during our dinner discussion weeks ago.
“Jared, there’s someone here that needs to talk about a loan,” Kelly says, popping her head into his office.
“Thanks. Send ‘em in.”
Jared sits up straighter and minimizes his email on his computer, putting on his professional banker face. When the (ridiculously good looking) man comes in, Jared smiles and holds out his hand to shake.
“Hello. Have a seat. Kelly says you want to talk about a loan?”
“Yes, that--” The man cuts himself off as he catches sight of Jared’s nameplate. “Padalecki? Any relation to a Jeff?”
His eyebrows draw together. “He’s my brother.”
“You’re Jared?” The man’s eyes widen, large and green and framed by long eyelashes, as Jared nods. “Damn, you got big.”
“I’m sorry, do I know you?”
“Jensen? Ackles? I was Jeff’s best friend until I moved away when I was 15.”
“Holy shit.”
It’s not very professional, but Jesus. Of course he remembers Jensen. He still thinks about him, even though it’s been 20 years. Jensen’s family moved to Chicago. He didn’t think of that when he got transferred here a couple years ago. Chicago’s a big city, and who’s to say Jensen would still be here? He puts his suddenly shaking hands on his lap under the desk and wills his heart to stop racing.
“Oh, wow. I did not expect this. How are you, man?”
“I’m good. I’m really good. You?”
“Great.” Jensen smiles brightly, creating adorable lines at the corners of his eyes. It does nothing to calm Jared down.
He spots Kelly through his window and hides a grimace. He’s a grown man, not a stammering kid anymore. He can act normal around Jensen. Pushing his childhood memories away, he smiles at Jensen at folds his hands on top of the desk, hoping Jensen doesn’t notice they’re still shaking slightly.
“So about your loan. What questions did you have?”
Jensen laughs self-consciously and rubs the back of his neck. “I have the insane idea to open my own bakery, which means I need an insane amount of money for startup.”
“A bakery?”
“Yeah. I went to the culinary institute and I’ve been working in various restaurants since then, but I finally decided to do something for myself. Mostly thanks to my mom hitting me and demanding to know what I was waiting for.”
“Moms are good for that.” Jared grins, then turns to his computer to start pulling up some information for Jensen. “All right, do you have a ballpark number for the amount you’ll need to borrow?”
It’s easier after that, as they get into the business of discussing what Jensen needs. He’s already outlined the basics--the equipment he’ll need to buy and the cost of renting a space, monthly supply bills and what to pay his employees. Jensen’s smart and easy going, and Jared forgets after awhile that he’s talking to Jensen Ackles.
At the end, when Jensen’s standing and about to walk out the door, he pauses and glances back at Jared. “Do you want to get together sometime, catch up? I’d love to know Jeff’s up to, as well as the rest of your family.”
“Um, sure. That’d be great.”
They arrange a time to meet up for dinner next week and exchange numbers. Once the door finally closes behind Jensen, Jared lets out a long breath and lays his head on the desk, nerves still tingling.
Jensen Ackles. Shit. It’s a miracle Jared didn’t pass out.
***
“Hey, grab me another egg out of the fridge?” Jensen asks, looking at Jared from over his shoulder. He has flour on his cheek and a bit of dough on his lip from where he was sneaking a taste. Jared refuses to think it’s cute. Or hot.
He fetches an egg, then hops up on the island beside where Jensen’s working, kicking his heels against the lower cupboards. “What are you making me anyway?”
“A surprise,” Jensen says, throwing him a quick grin. “Also, it has a hoity-toity, hard to pronounce French name. But it’s good, trust me.”
“I do.”
It’s not the first thing Jensen’s made for him since they reconnected a couple months ago. The first time, Jared claimed he needed proof that Jensen knew what he was doing in order to get the loan. Jensen had rolled his eyes and invited Jared back to his place for the best damn apple pie he’d ever eaten. Somehow after that they’d become friends. Jared sometimes still can’t believe it.
“You were my first crush,” Jared blurts, then immediately claps his hands over his mouth. He wonders if you can die of mortification.
Jensen turns off the mixer and slowly turns to face him. “Really? You were a little kid.”
“I was six! When it started at least.”
“Exactly!”
“Didn’t stop me from imagining you kissing me.”
Eyes wide, Jensen stares at him for a long moment while Jared wishes he could slink away and pretend this never happened.
“Wow. Uh, thanks?”
“Thanks?” Jared repeats, frowning.
“I don’t know! What do you say to someone that tells you he had a crush on you as a kid?”
“I don’t know. I shouldn’t have said anything.” Hunching his shoulders, he covers his face with his hands. “You were always so nice to me and played with me, unlike most of Jeff’s other friends. And you’re still so amazing and gorgeous and you bake things that are almost better than sex. How am I supposed to ignore that?”
“Jared,” he says, and it sounds so fond that Jared flushes.
“What?”
He startles when Jensen wraps his fingers around his wrists and brings his hands down off his face. He avoids Jensen’s eyes until Jensen tips his head up with a thumb under his chin. He doesn’t look angry or insulted, which Jared’s grateful for, but he still feels like an idiot.
“So if I kiss you now, that would be fulfilling your childhood fantasies?”
Jared ducks away from Jensen’s touch, cheeks heating. “Don’t tease me, Jensen.”
“I’m not teasing. I’ve wanted to kiss you for weeks.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
Jensen’s suddenly a lot closer, standing between Jared’s legs, his breath warm on Jared’s mouth. Jared swallows hard and unconsciously sways forward, then closes his eyes.
The kiss, when it comes a second later, is nothing like how he pictured this as a kid. It’s a 100 times better. Jensen’s mouth is impossibly soft, and he tastes like sugar and butter, nearly too sweet. When Jared opens his mouth wider, Jensen snakes his tongue inside, it turns a little dirty and wet.
“Jesus,” Jared breathes as they break for air. “I’m really glad I waited until you knew what you were doing instead of attacking you when you were 10.”
Jensen laughs before leaning in again. “Me too.”
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1129
Disclaimer: I can only fantasize that this is really going on. Alas, it's not. Unless it is, and if so, I want photographic evidence, dammit!
Summary: AU. It's been 20 years since Jared's seen Jensen.
A/N 1: This is for enablelove. We challenged each other to stop procrastinating, and this is her reward (and also my test). Hope you like it, sweetie!
A/N 2: Thanks to dugindeep for planting the kernel for the idea of this during our dinner discussion weeks ago.
“Jared, there’s someone here that needs to talk about a loan,” Kelly says, popping her head into his office.
“Thanks. Send ‘em in.”
Jared sits up straighter and minimizes his email on his computer, putting on his professional banker face. When the (ridiculously good looking) man comes in, Jared smiles and holds out his hand to shake.
“Hello. Have a seat. Kelly says you want to talk about a loan?”
“Yes, that--” The man cuts himself off as he catches sight of Jared’s nameplate. “Padalecki? Any relation to a Jeff?”
His eyebrows draw together. “He’s my brother.”
“You’re Jared?” The man’s eyes widen, large and green and framed by long eyelashes, as Jared nods. “Damn, you got big.”
“I’m sorry, do I know you?”
“Jensen? Ackles? I was Jeff’s best friend until I moved away when I was 15.”
“Holy shit.”
It’s not very professional, but Jesus. Of course he remembers Jensen. He still thinks about him, even though it’s been 20 years. Jensen’s family moved to Chicago. He didn’t think of that when he got transferred here a couple years ago. Chicago’s a big city, and who’s to say Jensen would still be here? He puts his suddenly shaking hands on his lap under the desk and wills his heart to stop racing.
“Oh, wow. I did not expect this. How are you, man?”
“I’m good. I’m really good. You?”
“Great.” Jensen smiles brightly, creating adorable lines at the corners of his eyes. It does nothing to calm Jared down.
He spots Kelly through his window and hides a grimace. He’s a grown man, not a stammering kid anymore. He can act normal around Jensen. Pushing his childhood memories away, he smiles at Jensen at folds his hands on top of the desk, hoping Jensen doesn’t notice they’re still shaking slightly.
“So about your loan. What questions did you have?”
Jensen laughs self-consciously and rubs the back of his neck. “I have the insane idea to open my own bakery, which means I need an insane amount of money for startup.”
“A bakery?”
“Yeah. I went to the culinary institute and I’ve been working in various restaurants since then, but I finally decided to do something for myself. Mostly thanks to my mom hitting me and demanding to know what I was waiting for.”
“Moms are good for that.” Jared grins, then turns to his computer to start pulling up some information for Jensen. “All right, do you have a ballpark number for the amount you’ll need to borrow?”
It’s easier after that, as they get into the business of discussing what Jensen needs. He’s already outlined the basics--the equipment he’ll need to buy and the cost of renting a space, monthly supply bills and what to pay his employees. Jensen’s smart and easy going, and Jared forgets after awhile that he’s talking to Jensen Ackles.
At the end, when Jensen’s standing and about to walk out the door, he pauses and glances back at Jared. “Do you want to get together sometime, catch up? I’d love to know Jeff’s up to, as well as the rest of your family.”
“Um, sure. That’d be great.”
They arrange a time to meet up for dinner next week and exchange numbers. Once the door finally closes behind Jensen, Jared lets out a long breath and lays his head on the desk, nerves still tingling.
Jensen Ackles. Shit. It’s a miracle Jared didn’t pass out.
***
“Hey, grab me another egg out of the fridge?” Jensen asks, looking at Jared from over his shoulder. He has flour on his cheek and a bit of dough on his lip from where he was sneaking a taste. Jared refuses to think it’s cute. Or hot.
He fetches an egg, then hops up on the island beside where Jensen’s working, kicking his heels against the lower cupboards. “What are you making me anyway?”
“A surprise,” Jensen says, throwing him a quick grin. “Also, it has a hoity-toity, hard to pronounce French name. But it’s good, trust me.”
“I do.”
It’s not the first thing Jensen’s made for him since they reconnected a couple months ago. The first time, Jared claimed he needed proof that Jensen knew what he was doing in order to get the loan. Jensen had rolled his eyes and invited Jared back to his place for the best damn apple pie he’d ever eaten. Somehow after that they’d become friends. Jared sometimes still can’t believe it.
“You were my first crush,” Jared blurts, then immediately claps his hands over his mouth. He wonders if you can die of mortification.
Jensen turns off the mixer and slowly turns to face him. “Really? You were a little kid.”
“I was six! When it started at least.”
“Exactly!”
“Didn’t stop me from imagining you kissing me.”
Eyes wide, Jensen stares at him for a long moment while Jared wishes he could slink away and pretend this never happened.
“Wow. Uh, thanks?”
“Thanks?” Jared repeats, frowning.
“I don’t know! What do you say to someone that tells you he had a crush on you as a kid?”
“I don’t know. I shouldn’t have said anything.” Hunching his shoulders, he covers his face with his hands. “You were always so nice to me and played with me, unlike most of Jeff’s other friends. And you’re still so amazing and gorgeous and you bake things that are almost better than sex. How am I supposed to ignore that?”
“Jared,” he says, and it sounds so fond that Jared flushes.
“What?”
He startles when Jensen wraps his fingers around his wrists and brings his hands down off his face. He avoids Jensen’s eyes until Jensen tips his head up with a thumb under his chin. He doesn’t look angry or insulted, which Jared’s grateful for, but he still feels like an idiot.
“So if I kiss you now, that would be fulfilling your childhood fantasies?”
Jared ducks away from Jensen’s touch, cheeks heating. “Don’t tease me, Jensen.”
“I’m not teasing. I’ve wanted to kiss you for weeks.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
Jensen’s suddenly a lot closer, standing between Jared’s legs, his breath warm on Jared’s mouth. Jared swallows hard and unconsciously sways forward, then closes his eyes.
The kiss, when it comes a second later, is nothing like how he pictured this as a kid. It’s a 100 times better. Jensen’s mouth is impossibly soft, and he tastes like sugar and butter, nearly too sweet. When Jared opens his mouth wider, Jensen snakes his tongue inside, it turns a little dirty and wet.
“Jesus,” Jared breathes as they break for air. “I’m really glad I waited until you knew what you were doing instead of attacking you when you were 10.”
Jensen laughs before leaning in again. “Me too.”