Fic: In a Blink
Title: In a Blink
Author: firesign10
Pairing(s): Jared/Jensen
Word Count: 2440
Rating: M
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Not real, no profit
Summary: Jensen is a grumpy senior Cupid that’s burnt out on love. Rookie Cupid!Jared takes it upon himself to show Jensen how wonderful love really is.
Notes: From theatregirl7299's prompt above in the Be Mine Valentine Comment Meme. Thanks to jerzcaligrl, rocketmojo, and merenwen76 for feedback and support. I hope you like it, Theatregirl7299!
New art 3/26/21 by amberdreams:
For Livejournal, continue after cut, or read on on AO3
Jensen sighed heavily as he hung his Bow on the rack at the entry to Cupid Quarters. It was close to Valentine's Day, so his caseload of lovers to be united was heavier than usual. He'd been busy flitting all over the world, shooting arrows and watching people fall in love. Now he just wanted to rest his wings and get a cold one.
“Isn't it just wonderful?” gushed an unfamiliar male voice. Jensen rolled his eyes-he could hear the smile in it without looking. “I never get tired of this job! I'm so happy I got promoted in time for Valentine's Day this year!”
Jensen felt a growl leave him, and he tried not to turn and see who this newbie was. Curiosity won out, however, and he glanced over, shooting for an appearance of nonchalance.
Nonchalance was difficult to maintain though. The new Cupid was ridiculously gorgeous. Tall, taller than Jensen himself, and he was one of the tallest Cupids. A mop of dark hair, deliciously tousled, and sparkling eyes. If that wasn't enough, he was smiling and displaying the loveliest dimples that Jensen had ever seen.
Hopefully Jensen didn't stand there gaping as long as it seemed. He hurriedly cleared his throat and said gruffly, “Well, whatever. You seen one V-Day, you've seen them all.” He turned back to unwrapping his Cupid sash, the pristine white cloth that draped from his shoulder to down across his genitalia and then off over one thigh. It stayed put by magic, thank goodness; otherwise all of the Cupids would be fixing it all day instead of making their rounds.
Jensen wasn't wild about the outfit, but he remembered the days that Cupids flew out naked, and he was not in any hurry to return to that. It was all well and good on sunny days, but running into bad weather in your birthday suit was not at all enjoyable. He'd had enough rain drenching his ass and lightning striking the jewels for a lifetime.
He finished pulling on some soft, worn jeans and a t-shirt, then reached for his boots. A movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he turned back to the rookie.
The rookie was staring at him, eyes wide and, oh no, swimming with tears. Jesus. Jensen might be jaded, but he wasn't a dick. He pulled a packet of tissues from his locker and handed them to--
“Jared. I'm Jared. Thank you.” Jared took a tissue and wiped his eyes. He took another one and blew his nose, which Jensen was grateful for because he could see a little wet bead starting to run from one of Jared's nostrils, and it was making him feel uncomfortable. Jared mopped up, and Jensen breathed a little sigh of relief.
“Why would you say that?” asked Jared, and Jensen realized he wasn't going to get out of there easy. “Valentine's Day is so special! We are privileged to see so many people experiencing sublime moments of love! How could we tire of that?” He reached into his own locker and pulled out some clothes, which was when Jensen calmly observed that Jared was naked.
Yeah, calmly. That's right, if calmly meant your heart skipping a couple of beats, and your hands getting sweaty, and your dick waking up to react obnoxiously. Jensen was thankful he already had his jeans on, and he carelessly slung his arm across himself to conceal the bulge. Jared was busy dressing and didn't see, so thank fuck for that, Jensen thought. None of this had anything to do with Jared's rippling muscles, his amazing pecs, his sweet ass, or the mile-long legs. Nope, no siree. Nothing to see there at all.
It took a few seconds for Jensen to be able to hear again, so he missed when Jared resumed talking. “--an important job. People's fate lies in our hands, their chance for joy.” Jared pulled a t-shirt over his head, succeeding in mussing up his hair even more, so that Jensen wanted to rumple it with his fingers. “Don't you feel that way too?”
Those eyes fastened on Jensen's, which let him see how magically multi-colored they were. They were pulling Jensen in, hypnotizing him, and he couldn't manage to reply to Jared, but merely nodded dumbly.
“I mean, no!” Jensen spluttered as he abruptly came back to himself. What kind of kooky vibes was this kid putting out that were bewildering Jensen like this? “I've seen plenty of matches end badly, or get made for the wrong reasons.” He snorted for emphasis, and then had to grab a tissue himself to make sure he hadn't snorted a booger out.
Jared was dressed now, but even with clothes on it was clear what a babe he was. Broad shoulders, narrow hips, and manly man-tiddies in the best possible way, tiny nipples poking through the thin knit fabric. Jensen wanted to adjust himself but it would be too obvious. In fact, he darted a quick glance down to make sure Downstairs Brain was being at least somewhat discreet.
Downstairs Brain was not being discreet in the least. Jensen settled for pulling on a hoodie for disguise and hoped for the best.
“Come out with me. Have a drink with me, and let me show you. You may be the old hand at this, but the beauty of it is still out there.” Jared's eyes were pleading, his sweet pink mouth sending out persuasive words that sailed into Jensen's ears and enticed him like a goddamn Siren. He'd run afoul of those hussies once and barely escaped with his dick intact.
But he couldn't refuse this beautiful baby Cupid. What could it hurt to have a drink, check out some humans? Jensen is almost an eternal, he can spare an evening.
“Okay.”
They left the locker room, exited the Cupid Locus of the greater Angelus Centralum, the great building where all of the various Wings were based. Jensen found himself trotting briskly down the marble steps to keep up with his new friend, turns out those long legs really ate up the distance.
They stopped for a couple of quick shots at the nearby bar favored by Cupids. Jensen went for his usual Patron straight up with a slice of jalapeno in it, while Jared chose a Slippery Nipple and then a Blow Job. Jensen snorted softly (he didn't want to risk the whole booger thing again) as he slung the tequila down his throat. Watching Jared licking the whipped cream off his lips from the Blow Job, however, resulted in a fresh round of jeans discomfort in his crotchal region.
Even without their wings, Cupids could blink anywhere in the world. Jared took Jensen's hand, and he was briefly distracted by its size and warmth so he didn't notice at first they'd landed. It was sunny wherever they were, and they landed on a wide green lawn. A stately stone house sat off to one side of the lawn, and a few tables with chairs were dotted together. Judging by the dishes and food, it was high tea.
Several people were sitting and enjoying the tea, with a couple of children running around on the law and playing. Jared drew Jensen over to one table where a young couple, mid-twenties Jensen guessed, sat together ignoring their tea. The young man held his ladyfriend's hand, his thumb gently stroking her knuckles, and they gazed silently at each other. Occasionally they glanced around, as if to pretend they were involved with the whole gathering, but it didn't look like anyone was fooled. The elderly couple present whispered and smiled, and the younger were oblivious.
“They already look in love,” whispered Jensen. He felt impatient to move on already.
“Wait,” answered Jared.
It was only a moment or two later when they saw it. A silver streak tracing a fine line in the air, dividing at the last second to hit both the man and the woman. They gasped softly, hands going to their hearts. And then--
“See,” murmured Jared.
Already close, the couple leaned into each other. One hand became both hands, clasped with fingers intertwined. Eyes that flirted shyly now stared into each other, the love in them palpable to the two Cupids. Love had struck and stuck.
Jared smiled at Jensen. “Yes?”
Jensen grumbled, “I suppose. That's only one though, and they were already halfway there on their own.”
“I have just a few more, and they will be worth it. I promise.”
Blink.
An instant later, they were in a veritable tropical paradise. Palm trees swayed in the warm breeze, shaking their fronds gracefully against the deep blue sky. The turquoise ocean lapped at the shores of a sandy beach. Again, there were several people around, doing various tasks as they moved between many huts and the water.
One hut had a pair of elderly women seated in front of it. Long gray hair in thick braids trailed down brightly colored dresses. Baskets of oysters and shells surrounded them, and one by one, the women opened and checked each shell, sorting them. They worked quietly but contentedly, faces relaxed and smiling as they traded the occasional comment to each other or called to another.
Jared and Jensen watched silently, waiting. The silver streak appeared, and Jensen observed closely to see what lithesome couple it would choose. Instead, the arrow split and landed in the two older shell-sorters. Startled, Jensen turned to Jared, who simply nodded at the ladies.
As the glow of the arrow receded, one lady turned to speak to her friend. Their eyes caught, and Jensen could see the realization hit both of them. They were not just friends, or even best friends-they were soulmates. One of them picked up the hand of the other, kissing the wrinkled knuckles, and received in turn a soft stroke to her cheek.
The ladies returned to their work, but their knees touched underneath their gaily colored dresses, and their hands now brushed each other frequently. Whenever one of the others came near, they slowed, stopped, and smiled at the pair before continuing their task.
“It's not about being young and beautiful,” said Jared softly.
Jensen coughed; he must have accidentally inhaled some grit from the sandy beach. “Okay, let's go.”
Blink.
The magnificent, many-layered edifice sat in a sea of pale pink cherry blossoms. Jensen recognized it right away as Osaka Castle, a site he'd seen on many Cupid trips. Cherry blossoms were always particularly romantic.
Jared tugged on Jensen's hand, and they walked down one lane of cherry blossom trees. Jensen kept an eye out for the likely couple, although he did have to admit the previous couple had surprised him. Many couples and families were likewise strolling, so it was hard to guess who the latest targets might be.
One family walked past the Cupids; two adults shepherding two or three younger children, while an older child lagged behind. The laggard, a boy who looked to be ten or eleven, was clearly bored at having to stay near his family, and completely over the whole cherry blossom thing. He yawned and kicked his feet on the sidewalk, responding to his parents in a monotone when they looked back and called at him to keep up.
Something glinted against the pink flowers, and Jensen saw the arrow flying by. No target seemed apparent to him, and he scanned the lane in puzzlement. Jared tapped his shoulder and nodded at the boy.
“Watch.”
For one awful moment, Jensen feared an inappropriate match. It didn't happen often, but it had happened. Surely the boy was too young for...
Zing! The arrow split, one half hitting the boy, and the other disappeared into the bushes. Jensen clutched Jared's very sturdy and shapely bicep apprehensively.
The bushes parted and out bounded a beautiful Shiba Inu. Not a baby pup, but not full-grown yet either, the Shiba had a lovely ginger-light brown coat with black accents. It ran over to the boy, bouncing around and uttering short, sharp barks.
The boy was stunned, but then his expression of shock blossomed into delight. He plopped down onto the sidewalk and let the Shiba Inu lick his face and hands, petting the excited dog. Catching the Shiba Inu's face in his hands, the boy looked into its eyes and they shared a quiet moment, unaware of everything around them.
“It's not just humans,” said Jared. “It's more than that. More than romance, more than beauty. It's simply...love.”
Before they blinked away, they saw the family come back to the boy, meet the Shiba Inu, and after some pleading from all the kids, smile and accept that the family had a new pet. When they walked away, the dog stayed next to the boy's leg, curved tail held high as it wagged.
Blink.
They were back inside the Cupid's wing, in fact right back at their lockers. Jensen sat down heavily on the bench running between the locker rows, rubbing a hand over his face. He couldn't deny that Jared had shown him some powerful stuff. Maybe he'd forgotten some of this over the many, many years of his labor.
“Okay, I have to admit...you have a point.” Jensen cleared his throat-damn cherry blossom pollen-and sighed. “Maybe it's not all perfect, but it's not all bad either. Maybe I can find the moments like you do.”
Jared smiled winsomely. “Yay! I'm so glad you feel that way now! Especially because we have one more stop to make.”
Jensen looked up at him in surprise. Jared took his hand and tugged him back upright. “I just have to get something,” Jared said, opening his locker. Like most people, he had some odds and ends inside-toiletries, a jacket, a paperback for the slow times. One of those magnetic locker mirrors was stuck inside the door, and Jared pulled it off. “Look.”
In the frame of the mirror, Jensen saw himself and Jared, heads side by side. “Pretty hot couple of dudes,” he said, hoping to lighten the atmosphere after all the emotional moments they'd witnessed. Jared laughed.
Something glinted in the mirror...something silver. Jensen felt the pang, a pang he'd never thought to experience himself, only to give to others. His hand flew up to his heart, rubbing over it. He met Jared's eyes in the reflection and--
“No. You're kidding.” Disbelief warred with hope. Could it really be?
“Nope. It's for real.” Jared smiled the best smile yet. “You and me, Jensen...we're meant to be.”
Author: firesign10
Pairing(s): Jared/Jensen
Word Count: 2440
Rating: M
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Not real, no profit
Summary: Jensen is a grumpy senior Cupid that’s burnt out on love. Rookie Cupid!Jared takes it upon himself to show Jensen how wonderful love really is.
Notes: From theatregirl7299's prompt above in the Be Mine Valentine Comment Meme. Thanks to jerzcaligrl, rocketmojo, and merenwen76 for feedback and support. I hope you like it, Theatregirl7299!
New art 3/26/21 by amberdreams:
For Livejournal, continue after cut, or read on on AO3
Jensen sighed heavily as he hung his Bow on the rack at the entry to Cupid Quarters. It was close to Valentine's Day, so his caseload of lovers to be united was heavier than usual. He'd been busy flitting all over the world, shooting arrows and watching people fall in love. Now he just wanted to rest his wings and get a cold one.
“Isn't it just wonderful?” gushed an unfamiliar male voice. Jensen rolled his eyes-he could hear the smile in it without looking. “I never get tired of this job! I'm so happy I got promoted in time for Valentine's Day this year!”
Jensen felt a growl leave him, and he tried not to turn and see who this newbie was. Curiosity won out, however, and he glanced over, shooting for an appearance of nonchalance.
Nonchalance was difficult to maintain though. The new Cupid was ridiculously gorgeous. Tall, taller than Jensen himself, and he was one of the tallest Cupids. A mop of dark hair, deliciously tousled, and sparkling eyes. If that wasn't enough, he was smiling and displaying the loveliest dimples that Jensen had ever seen.
Hopefully Jensen didn't stand there gaping as long as it seemed. He hurriedly cleared his throat and said gruffly, “Well, whatever. You seen one V-Day, you've seen them all.” He turned back to unwrapping his Cupid sash, the pristine white cloth that draped from his shoulder to down across his genitalia and then off over one thigh. It stayed put by magic, thank goodness; otherwise all of the Cupids would be fixing it all day instead of making their rounds.
Jensen wasn't wild about the outfit, but he remembered the days that Cupids flew out naked, and he was not in any hurry to return to that. It was all well and good on sunny days, but running into bad weather in your birthday suit was not at all enjoyable. He'd had enough rain drenching his ass and lightning striking the jewels for a lifetime.
He finished pulling on some soft, worn jeans and a t-shirt, then reached for his boots. A movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he turned back to the rookie.
The rookie was staring at him, eyes wide and, oh no, swimming with tears. Jesus. Jensen might be jaded, but he wasn't a dick. He pulled a packet of tissues from his locker and handed them to--
“Jared. I'm Jared. Thank you.” Jared took a tissue and wiped his eyes. He took another one and blew his nose, which Jensen was grateful for because he could see a little wet bead starting to run from one of Jared's nostrils, and it was making him feel uncomfortable. Jared mopped up, and Jensen breathed a little sigh of relief.
“Why would you say that?” asked Jared, and Jensen realized he wasn't going to get out of there easy. “Valentine's Day is so special! We are privileged to see so many people experiencing sublime moments of love! How could we tire of that?” He reached into his own locker and pulled out some clothes, which was when Jensen calmly observed that Jared was naked.
Yeah, calmly. That's right, if calmly meant your heart skipping a couple of beats, and your hands getting sweaty, and your dick waking up to react obnoxiously. Jensen was thankful he already had his jeans on, and he carelessly slung his arm across himself to conceal the bulge. Jared was busy dressing and didn't see, so thank fuck for that, Jensen thought. None of this had anything to do with Jared's rippling muscles, his amazing pecs, his sweet ass, or the mile-long legs. Nope, no siree. Nothing to see there at all.
It took a few seconds for Jensen to be able to hear again, so he missed when Jared resumed talking. “--an important job. People's fate lies in our hands, their chance for joy.” Jared pulled a t-shirt over his head, succeeding in mussing up his hair even more, so that Jensen wanted to rumple it with his fingers. “Don't you feel that way too?”
Those eyes fastened on Jensen's, which let him see how magically multi-colored they were. They were pulling Jensen in, hypnotizing him, and he couldn't manage to reply to Jared, but merely nodded dumbly.
“I mean, no!” Jensen spluttered as he abruptly came back to himself. What kind of kooky vibes was this kid putting out that were bewildering Jensen like this? “I've seen plenty of matches end badly, or get made for the wrong reasons.” He snorted for emphasis, and then had to grab a tissue himself to make sure he hadn't snorted a booger out.
Jared was dressed now, but even with clothes on it was clear what a babe he was. Broad shoulders, narrow hips, and manly man-tiddies in the best possible way, tiny nipples poking through the thin knit fabric. Jensen wanted to adjust himself but it would be too obvious. In fact, he darted a quick glance down to make sure Downstairs Brain was being at least somewhat discreet.
Downstairs Brain was not being discreet in the least. Jensen settled for pulling on a hoodie for disguise and hoped for the best.
“Come out with me. Have a drink with me, and let me show you. You may be the old hand at this, but the beauty of it is still out there.” Jared's eyes were pleading, his sweet pink mouth sending out persuasive words that sailed into Jensen's ears and enticed him like a goddamn Siren. He'd run afoul of those hussies once and barely escaped with his dick intact.
But he couldn't refuse this beautiful baby Cupid. What could it hurt to have a drink, check out some humans? Jensen is almost an eternal, he can spare an evening.
“Okay.”
They left the locker room, exited the Cupid Locus of the greater Angelus Centralum, the great building where all of the various Wings were based. Jensen found himself trotting briskly down the marble steps to keep up with his new friend, turns out those long legs really ate up the distance.
They stopped for a couple of quick shots at the nearby bar favored by Cupids. Jensen went for his usual Patron straight up with a slice of jalapeno in it, while Jared chose a Slippery Nipple and then a Blow Job. Jensen snorted softly (he didn't want to risk the whole booger thing again) as he slung the tequila down his throat. Watching Jared licking the whipped cream off his lips from the Blow Job, however, resulted in a fresh round of jeans discomfort in his crotchal region.
Even without their wings, Cupids could blink anywhere in the world. Jared took Jensen's hand, and he was briefly distracted by its size and warmth so he didn't notice at first they'd landed. It was sunny wherever they were, and they landed on a wide green lawn. A stately stone house sat off to one side of the lawn, and a few tables with chairs were dotted together. Judging by the dishes and food, it was high tea.
Several people were sitting and enjoying the tea, with a couple of children running around on the law and playing. Jared drew Jensen over to one table where a young couple, mid-twenties Jensen guessed, sat together ignoring their tea. The young man held his ladyfriend's hand, his thumb gently stroking her knuckles, and they gazed silently at each other. Occasionally they glanced around, as if to pretend they were involved with the whole gathering, but it didn't look like anyone was fooled. The elderly couple present whispered and smiled, and the younger were oblivious.
“They already look in love,” whispered Jensen. He felt impatient to move on already.
“Wait,” answered Jared.
It was only a moment or two later when they saw it. A silver streak tracing a fine line in the air, dividing at the last second to hit both the man and the woman. They gasped softly, hands going to their hearts. And then--
“See,” murmured Jared.
Already close, the couple leaned into each other. One hand became both hands, clasped with fingers intertwined. Eyes that flirted shyly now stared into each other, the love in them palpable to the two Cupids. Love had struck and stuck.
Jared smiled at Jensen. “Yes?”
Jensen grumbled, “I suppose. That's only one though, and they were already halfway there on their own.”
“I have just a few more, and they will be worth it. I promise.”
Blink.
An instant later, they were in a veritable tropical paradise. Palm trees swayed in the warm breeze, shaking their fronds gracefully against the deep blue sky. The turquoise ocean lapped at the shores of a sandy beach. Again, there were several people around, doing various tasks as they moved between many huts and the water.
One hut had a pair of elderly women seated in front of it. Long gray hair in thick braids trailed down brightly colored dresses. Baskets of oysters and shells surrounded them, and one by one, the women opened and checked each shell, sorting them. They worked quietly but contentedly, faces relaxed and smiling as they traded the occasional comment to each other or called to another.
Jared and Jensen watched silently, waiting. The silver streak appeared, and Jensen observed closely to see what lithesome couple it would choose. Instead, the arrow split and landed in the two older shell-sorters. Startled, Jensen turned to Jared, who simply nodded at the ladies.
As the glow of the arrow receded, one lady turned to speak to her friend. Their eyes caught, and Jensen could see the realization hit both of them. They were not just friends, or even best friends-they were soulmates. One of them picked up the hand of the other, kissing the wrinkled knuckles, and received in turn a soft stroke to her cheek.
The ladies returned to their work, but their knees touched underneath their gaily colored dresses, and their hands now brushed each other frequently. Whenever one of the others came near, they slowed, stopped, and smiled at the pair before continuing their task.
“It's not about being young and beautiful,” said Jared softly.
Jensen coughed; he must have accidentally inhaled some grit from the sandy beach. “Okay, let's go.”
Blink.
The magnificent, many-layered edifice sat in a sea of pale pink cherry blossoms. Jensen recognized it right away as Osaka Castle, a site he'd seen on many Cupid trips. Cherry blossoms were always particularly romantic.
Jared tugged on Jensen's hand, and they walked down one lane of cherry blossom trees. Jensen kept an eye out for the likely couple, although he did have to admit the previous couple had surprised him. Many couples and families were likewise strolling, so it was hard to guess who the latest targets might be.
One family walked past the Cupids; two adults shepherding two or three younger children, while an older child lagged behind. The laggard, a boy who looked to be ten or eleven, was clearly bored at having to stay near his family, and completely over the whole cherry blossom thing. He yawned and kicked his feet on the sidewalk, responding to his parents in a monotone when they looked back and called at him to keep up.
Something glinted against the pink flowers, and Jensen saw the arrow flying by. No target seemed apparent to him, and he scanned the lane in puzzlement. Jared tapped his shoulder and nodded at the boy.
“Watch.”
For one awful moment, Jensen feared an inappropriate match. It didn't happen often, but it had happened. Surely the boy was too young for...
Zing! The arrow split, one half hitting the boy, and the other disappeared into the bushes. Jensen clutched Jared's very sturdy and shapely bicep apprehensively.
The bushes parted and out bounded a beautiful Shiba Inu. Not a baby pup, but not full-grown yet either, the Shiba had a lovely ginger-light brown coat with black accents. It ran over to the boy, bouncing around and uttering short, sharp barks.
The boy was stunned, but then his expression of shock blossomed into delight. He plopped down onto the sidewalk and let the Shiba Inu lick his face and hands, petting the excited dog. Catching the Shiba Inu's face in his hands, the boy looked into its eyes and they shared a quiet moment, unaware of everything around them.
“It's not just humans,” said Jared. “It's more than that. More than romance, more than beauty. It's simply...love.”
Before they blinked away, they saw the family come back to the boy, meet the Shiba Inu, and after some pleading from all the kids, smile and accept that the family had a new pet. When they walked away, the dog stayed next to the boy's leg, curved tail held high as it wagged.
Blink.
They were back inside the Cupid's wing, in fact right back at their lockers. Jensen sat down heavily on the bench running between the locker rows, rubbing a hand over his face. He couldn't deny that Jared had shown him some powerful stuff. Maybe he'd forgotten some of this over the many, many years of his labor.
“Okay, I have to admit...you have a point.” Jensen cleared his throat-damn cherry blossom pollen-and sighed. “Maybe it's not all perfect, but it's not all bad either. Maybe I can find the moments like you do.”
Jared smiled winsomely. “Yay! I'm so glad you feel that way now! Especially because we have one more stop to make.”
Jensen looked up at him in surprise. Jared took his hand and tugged him back upright. “I just have to get something,” Jared said, opening his locker. Like most people, he had some odds and ends inside-toiletries, a jacket, a paperback for the slow times. One of those magnetic locker mirrors was stuck inside the door, and Jared pulled it off. “Look.”
In the frame of the mirror, Jensen saw himself and Jared, heads side by side. “Pretty hot couple of dudes,” he said, hoping to lighten the atmosphere after all the emotional moments they'd witnessed. Jared laughed.
Something glinted in the mirror...something silver. Jensen felt the pang, a pang he'd never thought to experience himself, only to give to others. His hand flew up to his heart, rubbing over it. He met Jared's eyes in the reflection and--
“No. You're kidding.” Disbelief warred with hope. Could it really be?
“Nope. It's for real.” Jared smiled the best smile yet. “You and me, Jensen...we're meant to be.”