(no subject)
Title: Jared Padalecki and the Pitch of Destiny
Author: poor_choices
Fandom: Supernatural RPS
Pairing: Jared Padalecki/Jensen Ackles
Rating: PG.
Warnings: None I can think of!
Word Count: 3000.
Summary: Jared was going to hide his dorkiness in college. And then his roommate wanted to join the Quidditch league.
Notes: Written for strangeoldface for fandomaid! I hope you enjoy it :D
Disclaimer: Lies and untruths.
"So, do you like Quidditch?"
Jared stiffens, a little terrified. He was kind of hoping college would be his chance to start over. He'd been the nerdy, awkward kid all through high school, and he swore it was going to be different in college. He could hide his dorkiness. He would limit it to online. IRL, he'd be cool.
Except apparently his roommate has him pegged in the first five minutes. Does he give off a scent of loser?
"Uh, what?" he asks. "That's the Harry Potter thing, right?" He figures a normal person would know that.
Masi grins. "Yeah! They're starting a team. I got an e-mail about it from the gaming listserv."
Jared blinks. "You're on the gaming listserv already?"
Masi, apparently, did not get beaten up in high school for being a nerd. Or he didn't care. "Yeah," he says, easily. "I'm kind of a dork. I want to design video games! I'm do a lot of graphics stuff."
Jared feels a huge weight lift off him. "Oh thank god. I want to write fantasy novels."
"So does that mean you want to go to Quidditch tryouts with me?" asks Masi.
Jared figures if nothing else, it's a sport. And probably no one there will beat him up. And Masi clearly won't. So it's gotta be safe.
"Yeah," he says, unable to keep a grin off his own face. "I fucking love Harry Potter."
Seriously, it's Quidditch. Jared can't say no to that.
*
"Oh my God," says Jared, immediately trying to hide behind Masi. Of course, Masi is almost a foot shorter than he is, so it's pretty much a losing battle.
"What?" asks Masi, confused. "You're wearing a Ravenclaw jersey, everyone knows you're here for Quidditch."
"That guy," says Jared.
Over dinner their first night of being roommates, Jared explained his hopes and dreams for college, which were pretty much not to get beaten up for either being a dork or being gay. Which was his entire high-school experience. Masi apparently comes from a small town where no one really cared that he was a dork, and apparently the captain of the football team also liked to DM on the weekend. Jared is kind of jealous.
The point being that Masi has agreed to be his co-dork and doesn't care that he's gay. So Jared doesn't mind freaking out about hot dudes in front of him.
"There are like twenty guys here, Jared."
"The one in the Gryffindor shirt? With the goggles? And the clipboard?"
"Oh, yeah," says Masi. "That's Jensen Ackles. He's the founder of the Quidditch league. We're Facebook friends."
"I know he's Jensen Ackles! Shit. He's in my English class. Oh my God."
"Jared, breathe. What's wrong? Does he hate you?"
"I kind of, um," says Jared, and he's eternally grateful that that's enough for Masi to catch on.
"Oh. Oh! Yeah, I guess he's kind of--if you're into that."
"I'm into that," Jared admits. "He's--this is his?"
"Yup," says Masi, pushing his glasses up with a smug grin. "He is a bonafide geek. We got into this long Facebook discussion about which Final Fantasy was the best."
"Which one did he say?"
"Nine and Ten."
"Oh God," groans Jared. "He's perfect. I'm doomed."
Masi laughs. "Come on, we'll go sign up. I'll be your wingman! I'm like dorky Asian Barney Stinson."
Jared isn't totally convinced, but what Masi lacks in height he makes up for in determination, and he pretty much drags Jared over to meet Jensen Ackles.
Jensen's got this whole ensemble going. He's got what Jared knows for a fact are the official Harry Potter Quidditch goggles pushed up over his forehead, and his Gryffindor jersey is clearly home-made, but really well done. He even has bracers on. And when he sees Jared and Masi, he smiles.
Jared actually goes a little weak in the knees.
"Hey!" says Jensen. "Masi, right?"
"Yeah, hi!" says Masi. "This is my roommate, Jared."
Jensen turns the full force of his smile on Jared, and Jared does not swoon. Probably. "Hey, Jared. You're in Kripke's American Legends class, right? You look familiar."
Jared licks his suddenly dry lips. "Yeah," he says, managing to not sound like a total crazy person. Possibly just because he only said one word.
"Well, welcome to the club," says Jensen, looking around with satisfaction. "We've got an awesome turnout, so I'm thinking we'll be able to field six teams with a few subs." He hands the clipboard over to Masi and gives Jared another blinding smile. "Any idea what position you like?"
Jared chokes; Masi thumps him on the back without even looking up from the sign-up sheet. "Uh," says Jared. "Sorry?"
"You know," says Jensen, apparently unfazed. "Seeker, Chaser..."
"Oh!" says Jared. "Keeper, probably? I was a goalie in soccer in elementary school. Or Chaser. I run fast."
Jensen nods, looking like he's genuinely pleased. "Keepers are awesome, we need more. I think you should be able to do that. And Chaser too. It's gonna be pretty informal."
"This is the first season you're doing this, right?" asks Jared, taking the clipboard from Masi.
"Mostly," says Jensen. "We dicked around with it some last semester, but it wasn't anything serious. Just me and a couple buddies making idiots of ourselves on brooms."
Jared laughs. "That sounds, uh--"
"Painfully dorky," says Jensen cheerfully. "You don't have to tell me."
"I own a Boba Fett costume," Jared says, without meaning to, and immediately flushing. "I mean, I'm just saying, I know from dorky."
"But you have excellent taste," says Jensen, and then he winks. He should come with a Surgeon General's warning.
Jared is saved from answering by a couple girls who come to ask Jensen if they can sign up. Jared mostly manages to not freak out and try to figure out if Jensen is being nicer to them, or likes them better, or anything else stupid like that.
"Hey, guys," Jensen says, glancing over his shoulder once th girls have the clipboard.
"Yeah?" says Jared.
"If you want to get some practice in, go see my friend Danneel," he says, gesturing to a red-haired girl in a Slytherin robe. "She's running drills."
"You have drills?" asks Masi.
"The internet is magical," says Jensen, grinning. "I'll e-mail you guys once we get team rosters. I'm hoping we can start games next week." He gives Jared a softer smile, just for him. "And I'll see you in class, Jared."
Masi elbows him as they're walking over to the gaggle surrounding Jensen's friend Danneel. "You totally don't need a broomstick," he says. "You're floating."
"Shut up," says Jared, but he really can't deny it.
*
"Hey," says someone, and Jared looks up from the dragon he's doodling in the corner of his notes to see Jensen standing behind the chair next to his. "Is this seat taken?" he asks, apparently unaware that Jared's mouth is suddenly completely dry and his palms are sweating.
"Uh, no," says Jared. "Morning."
"Morning," Jensen replies, sliding into the seat with a yawn. "I love this class, but did Kripke have to schedule it this early? I had to have like five cups of coffee."
Jared smiles a little. "Not a morning person?"
"Not even a little," says Jensen, closing his eyes and leaning back. Jared wonders how it's possible for someone to have a sexy neck. It's not fair.
"How's the Quidditch stuff going?" Jared asks, mostly so he doesn't have some kind of spasm and attempt to lick Jensen. That would be awkward.
"Pretty good," says Jensen. "Danneel keeps telling me who to give her. I think it was a bad idea to let her do trainings. She was scheming." He grins at Jared. "She wants you for her keeper, by the way."
Jared laughs. "Good to know I'm not last pick, anyway."
Jensen grins. "Definitely not. I told her she'd have to fight me for you."
Jared flushes everywhere--he's pretty sure his toes are red. "Oh," he says. "I'm really not any good," he says.
If Jensen notices that Jared is suddenly radioactive pink, he doesn't mention it. "Danneel was impressed. And she has good taste."
Jared clears his throat, a little awkwardly. "So, she's your girlfriend?"
Jensen snorts. "No, definitely not. I'm gay, she's single. You're welcome to try asking her out if you want."
Jared manages to continue breathing through supreme effort. Hot, amazing, gorgeous, Quidditch-playing Jensen Ackles is gay. And then he realizes he's said nothing to Jensen and looks like some sort of heaving fish. "No," he says, with his least awkward smile. "Uh, I'm gay too? So she's not my type."
Jensen's smile widens. "Yeah, I was pretty sure," he says. "My gaydar rules."
Jared wants to respond, but then Kripke comes in and starts class. He's got a meeting right after too, which is probably for the best. He never dated in high school, never knew any other gay guys, and he's not really sure how he's supposed to react. Is he allowed to just say, "Awesome, please marry me?"
Probably he should start with a date.
*
"You should start with a date," says Masi. They're on a WoW raid, and Jared isn't sure this is really the best time to discuss this. He needs to concentrate. "He's gay and he plays Quidditch. You aren't going to have a lot of chances to date a hot, gay Quidditch player. It will be like all your Oliver Wood/Mary Sue fanfiction coming true."
"I never wrote Oliver Wood/Mary Sue fanfiction," says Jared, flailing his leg so he can kick Masi in the shin.
"I'm sorry, Gary Stu," says Masi, unrepentant.
"Whatever, he's hotter than Oliver Wood," Jared says, glaring.
"And I bet he has a bigger staff."
"I hate you so fucking much."
*
Jared is on Jensen's team--Keeper to his Beater. Masi, of course, makes a lot of jokes about beating as they walk over to practice, as well as trying to figure out if there's a way to indicate sexual preferences through Quidditch positions.
"You know," says Masi, "like pitcher and catcher in baseball. Maybe Keeper and Chaser?"
"Is there any way I can make this conversation stop happening?" Jared asks, groaning.
"I think you should make a move," Masi says. "He who dares wins. Tell him you'd let his Quaffle into your goal."
"That's the least sexy thing I've ever heard."
"Ask if his basilisk wants to explore your Chamber of Secrets?"
"Oh my God shut up," says Jared, laughing.
Jensen gives him and Masi a wave and a grin as they walk onto the field. Masi doesn't know his team captain, so he just follows Jared over, which Jared kind of appreciates. Approaching Jensen by himself is vaguely terrifying.
"Hey guys, welcome to practice. Oka, you're not on my team."
"I know," says Masi. "I just need you to point out Mike."
"The bald guy by the guy in drag," says Jensen, gesturing over.
Jared blinks and looks over at the same time Masi does. Indeed, there's a bald guy hanging out with a guy in a blonde wig and a Ravenclaw robe.
"That's Mike's boyfriend, Misha," Jensen explains. "He found out we didn't have anyone to do commentary, so he volunteered to be Luna Lovegood. I tried to stop him."
"Awesome," says Masi. "I love my team!" he adds, waving to Jared as he jogs off.
"Your roommate is kind of a weirdo," Jensen says mildly.
"Yeah," Jared agrees. "But you founded the Quidditch league, dude. I don't think you can talk."
Jensen laughs. "Touche. You ready to play?"
"As I'll ever be," says Jared, and feels much more confident after Jensen claps him on the shoulder, all warm camaraderie.
He's so screwed.
*
They scrimmage with Danneel's team, and although no one actually officially keeps score, Jensen tells Danneel loudly and often that they kicked her ass. Danneel takes it with grace, provided that elbowing Jensen in the ribs and then kicking him in the ankle really counts as "grace." Jared is a little bit terrified of her.
"Just wait til the real games start next week," Danneel says. "We'll bring our A-game. You'll be terrified. Besides, you stole my keeper to have your evil way with."
Jared, of course, flushes all over.
"It's not stealing, you never had him," Jensen says cheerfully. He smiles at Jared. "We're grabbing dinner, are you coming?"
"I should--" Jared starts, looking abortively back at the field. Mike and his boyfriend-in-drag seem to be taking Masi the other direction. "Oh," says Jared. "I guess he's set."
"Come eat with us!" Danneel says, slinging her arm around Jared's shoulder as best she can. He stoops down a little to accommodate her. "I can grill you. You're a freshman, right?"
"Yeah," Jared says, a little warily.
"Ooh, jailbait."
"Danneel, be nice."
"Jensen told you I'm gay, right?" Jared says. He doesn't really think she's hitting on him, but he just wants to be clear.
Danneel laughs. "Oh honey, believe me. Jensen told me you're gay."
*
"I was thinking I could Half-Blood Prince him," says Jared.
Masi doesn't look up from his textbook. "Is that a new sexual position I haven't heard of? Should I Urban Dictionary that shit? Or is it more an Adult Fanfic.net kind of thing?"
Jared snorts. "Has anyone ever told you you have a dirty mind? No, it's not a sexual position. Don't you remember in Half-Blood Prince where they win the Quidditch game and Harry and Ginny hook up?"
"So your team has to win first," says Masi, dubiously. "Sounds risky. You could just say, Jensen, do you want to go on a date? I've heard that works."
"Not for me," says Jared.
"Have you ever tried it?"
"Asking someone on a date?"
"Even going on one," says Masi.
"No," Jared admits. "Fuck you. God, he's a junior, he must have way more experience than me. There's no way he would be interested in me."
"He looks at you like you're an advance copy of the new Hobbit movie," says Masi. "Or something else appropriately dorky. I am not an expert on awkward gay dork romance, but you give me so much experience with it I think I could declare it as my major. And I say suck it up and ask him."
Jared considers. "When did you become so wise?"
"I'm Japanese," says Masi, as if this explains everything. "Haven't you seen any movie ever? I am genetically required to be the wise and all-knowing sensei to your dumbass American misfit."
"Thanks," says Jared. "That explains it."
"Wax on, wax off," says Masi, with appropriate Mr. Miyagi gestures.
Jared responds with an appropriate gesture of his own.
*
"So, are you Harry or Ginny?" asks Danneel.
Jared jumps. He didn't hear her coming at all. She's like a terrifying, badass ninja. "What?"
"I mean, when you and Jensen totally hook up after this game, are you going to be Harry or Ginny?"
Jared chokes. "Oh God, did Masi tell you about my plan? I didn't think you guys were even friends!"
Danneel looks amused. "I hate to break this to you, but it's not really a very, uh, crafty plan. It's about the most obvious plan you could ever come up with. And I totally approve."
"Really?" asks Jared.
"You also aren't subtle," Danneel says, pityingly. "It's adorable. You are an epic love story for the ages. With Quidditch."
"So this is your official best friend encouragement for me to jump Jensen after the game?" asks Jared.
"Or before," says Danneel. "It'll throw you guys off."
Jared laughs, feeling about a thousand times better. "Oh, like hell I'm falling for that."
"Can't blame a girl for trying," says Danneel, and punches him in the arm. He assumes it was lightly, but he thinks it will bruise anyway. The girl is scary. "Knock him dead, tiger."
*
Jared's plan falls apart a little when they lose. It's not entirely his fault--he lets some goals in, but their Chasers also aren't in great form, and Jensen is a decent Beater, but Danneel and Sophia are relentless, and there's a lot more tackling than there was in practice. By the end, Jared is covered in grass stains and more than a little bruised, but he's grinning ear to ear. Quidditch is awesome.
"Next time we're gonna get you, Harris!" Jensen yells.
"You wish, Slytherins rule!"
The rest of the team is heading off, so Jared lingers, helping Jensen pick up. "That didn't go terribly," he offers.
"Except for losing, it was totally awesome," Jensen agrees. He smiles. "You have fun?"
Jared laughs. "Yeah, it was awesome. I think I'm gonna be bruised for weeks."
Jensen looks around and laughs. "I think Danneel removed every single other person from the pitch," he says. "Subtle she's not."
Jared, of course, turns red. He has to work on that. "So you knew?"
Jensen smiles. "Knew that I wanted to ask you out and Danneel noticed? Yeah, I was aware."
"That I was going to jump you if we won," Jared clarifies. It's a lot easier now that Jensen's said he wants to ask him out.
"I always was more into Harry/Luna," says Jensen, thoughtfully. "Well, until I saw Misha's Luna." He grins. "Scarred for life."
Jared laughs. "My bad," he says. "Next time I'll use a more appropriate pairing."
"I would have allowed it," says Jensen. He leans up, easy as anything, and kisses Jared. "Come on. We'll get dinner. You can console me about the how we got our asses kicked. It's almost as good as hooking up on the field."
Jared blinks, taking a minute to recover, and then grins. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," says Jensen. "And I promise you can jump me after the first game we win too." He takes Jared's hand, twining their fingers together, and tugs him toward the dining hall.
"Will do," Jared promises. "Does this mean I don't have to use any of the Harry-Potter-themed pick up lines Masi came up with?"
Jensen laughs. "Uh, no, obviously. It means you have to use all of them."
"Even the one about your basilisk exploring my Chamber of Secrets?"
Jensen laughs so hard at that he has to stop walking to catch his breath. Jared guesses he maybe doesn't have to kill Masi.
"That might be the least sexy thing I've ever heard," Jensen says, when he recovers.
"Yeah," Jared agrees, "well. Good thing you're already picked up, right?"
Jensen nods. "Good thing."
Author: poor_choices
Fandom: Supernatural RPS
Pairing: Jared Padalecki/Jensen Ackles
Rating: PG.
Warnings: None I can think of!
Word Count: 3000.
Summary: Jared was going to hide his dorkiness in college. And then his roommate wanted to join the Quidditch league.
Notes: Written for strangeoldface for fandomaid! I hope you enjoy it :D
Disclaimer: Lies and untruths.
"So, do you like Quidditch?"
Jared stiffens, a little terrified. He was kind of hoping college would be his chance to start over. He'd been the nerdy, awkward kid all through high school, and he swore it was going to be different in college. He could hide his dorkiness. He would limit it to online. IRL, he'd be cool.
Except apparently his roommate has him pegged in the first five minutes. Does he give off a scent of loser?
"Uh, what?" he asks. "That's the Harry Potter thing, right?" He figures a normal person would know that.
Masi grins. "Yeah! They're starting a team. I got an e-mail about it from the gaming listserv."
Jared blinks. "You're on the gaming listserv already?"
Masi, apparently, did not get beaten up in high school for being a nerd. Or he didn't care. "Yeah," he says, easily. "I'm kind of a dork. I want to design video games! I'm do a lot of graphics stuff."
Jared feels a huge weight lift off him. "Oh thank god. I want to write fantasy novels."
"So does that mean you want to go to Quidditch tryouts with me?" asks Masi.
Jared figures if nothing else, it's a sport. And probably no one there will beat him up. And Masi clearly won't. So it's gotta be safe.
"Yeah," he says, unable to keep a grin off his own face. "I fucking love Harry Potter."
Seriously, it's Quidditch. Jared can't say no to that.
*
"Oh my God," says Jared, immediately trying to hide behind Masi. Of course, Masi is almost a foot shorter than he is, so it's pretty much a losing battle.
"What?" asks Masi, confused. "You're wearing a Ravenclaw jersey, everyone knows you're here for Quidditch."
"That guy," says Jared.
Over dinner their first night of being roommates, Jared explained his hopes and dreams for college, which were pretty much not to get beaten up for either being a dork or being gay. Which was his entire high-school experience. Masi apparently comes from a small town where no one really cared that he was a dork, and apparently the captain of the football team also liked to DM on the weekend. Jared is kind of jealous.
The point being that Masi has agreed to be his co-dork and doesn't care that he's gay. So Jared doesn't mind freaking out about hot dudes in front of him.
"There are like twenty guys here, Jared."
"The one in the Gryffindor shirt? With the goggles? And the clipboard?"
"Oh, yeah," says Masi. "That's Jensen Ackles. He's the founder of the Quidditch league. We're Facebook friends."
"I know he's Jensen Ackles! Shit. He's in my English class. Oh my God."
"Jared, breathe. What's wrong? Does he hate you?"
"I kind of, um," says Jared, and he's eternally grateful that that's enough for Masi to catch on.
"Oh. Oh! Yeah, I guess he's kind of--if you're into that."
"I'm into that," Jared admits. "He's--this is his?"
"Yup," says Masi, pushing his glasses up with a smug grin. "He is a bonafide geek. We got into this long Facebook discussion about which Final Fantasy was the best."
"Which one did he say?"
"Nine and Ten."
"Oh God," groans Jared. "He's perfect. I'm doomed."
Masi laughs. "Come on, we'll go sign up. I'll be your wingman! I'm like dorky Asian Barney Stinson."
Jared isn't totally convinced, but what Masi lacks in height he makes up for in determination, and he pretty much drags Jared over to meet Jensen Ackles.
Jensen's got this whole ensemble going. He's got what Jared knows for a fact are the official Harry Potter Quidditch goggles pushed up over his forehead, and his Gryffindor jersey is clearly home-made, but really well done. He even has bracers on. And when he sees Jared and Masi, he smiles.
Jared actually goes a little weak in the knees.
"Hey!" says Jensen. "Masi, right?"
"Yeah, hi!" says Masi. "This is my roommate, Jared."
Jensen turns the full force of his smile on Jared, and Jared does not swoon. Probably. "Hey, Jared. You're in Kripke's American Legends class, right? You look familiar."
Jared licks his suddenly dry lips. "Yeah," he says, managing to not sound like a total crazy person. Possibly just because he only said one word.
"Well, welcome to the club," says Jensen, looking around with satisfaction. "We've got an awesome turnout, so I'm thinking we'll be able to field six teams with a few subs." He hands the clipboard over to Masi and gives Jared another blinding smile. "Any idea what position you like?"
Jared chokes; Masi thumps him on the back without even looking up from the sign-up sheet. "Uh," says Jared. "Sorry?"
"You know," says Jensen, apparently unfazed. "Seeker, Chaser..."
"Oh!" says Jared. "Keeper, probably? I was a goalie in soccer in elementary school. Or Chaser. I run fast."
Jensen nods, looking like he's genuinely pleased. "Keepers are awesome, we need more. I think you should be able to do that. And Chaser too. It's gonna be pretty informal."
"This is the first season you're doing this, right?" asks Jared, taking the clipboard from Masi.
"Mostly," says Jensen. "We dicked around with it some last semester, but it wasn't anything serious. Just me and a couple buddies making idiots of ourselves on brooms."
Jared laughs. "That sounds, uh--"
"Painfully dorky," says Jensen cheerfully. "You don't have to tell me."
"I own a Boba Fett costume," Jared says, without meaning to, and immediately flushing. "I mean, I'm just saying, I know from dorky."
"But you have excellent taste," says Jensen, and then he winks. He should come with a Surgeon General's warning.
Jared is saved from answering by a couple girls who come to ask Jensen if they can sign up. Jared mostly manages to not freak out and try to figure out if Jensen is being nicer to them, or likes them better, or anything else stupid like that.
"Hey, guys," Jensen says, glancing over his shoulder once th girls have the clipboard.
"Yeah?" says Jared.
"If you want to get some practice in, go see my friend Danneel," he says, gesturing to a red-haired girl in a Slytherin robe. "She's running drills."
"You have drills?" asks Masi.
"The internet is magical," says Jensen, grinning. "I'll e-mail you guys once we get team rosters. I'm hoping we can start games next week." He gives Jared a softer smile, just for him. "And I'll see you in class, Jared."
Masi elbows him as they're walking over to the gaggle surrounding Jensen's friend Danneel. "You totally don't need a broomstick," he says. "You're floating."
"Shut up," says Jared, but he really can't deny it.
*
"Hey," says someone, and Jared looks up from the dragon he's doodling in the corner of his notes to see Jensen standing behind the chair next to his. "Is this seat taken?" he asks, apparently unaware that Jared's mouth is suddenly completely dry and his palms are sweating.
"Uh, no," says Jared. "Morning."
"Morning," Jensen replies, sliding into the seat with a yawn. "I love this class, but did Kripke have to schedule it this early? I had to have like five cups of coffee."
Jared smiles a little. "Not a morning person?"
"Not even a little," says Jensen, closing his eyes and leaning back. Jared wonders how it's possible for someone to have a sexy neck. It's not fair.
"How's the Quidditch stuff going?" Jared asks, mostly so he doesn't have some kind of spasm and attempt to lick Jensen. That would be awkward.
"Pretty good," says Jensen. "Danneel keeps telling me who to give her. I think it was a bad idea to let her do trainings. She was scheming." He grins at Jared. "She wants you for her keeper, by the way."
Jared laughs. "Good to know I'm not last pick, anyway."
Jensen grins. "Definitely not. I told her she'd have to fight me for you."
Jared flushes everywhere--he's pretty sure his toes are red. "Oh," he says. "I'm really not any good," he says.
If Jensen notices that Jared is suddenly radioactive pink, he doesn't mention it. "Danneel was impressed. And she has good taste."
Jared clears his throat, a little awkwardly. "So, she's your girlfriend?"
Jensen snorts. "No, definitely not. I'm gay, she's single. You're welcome to try asking her out if you want."
Jared manages to continue breathing through supreme effort. Hot, amazing, gorgeous, Quidditch-playing Jensen Ackles is gay. And then he realizes he's said nothing to Jensen and looks like some sort of heaving fish. "No," he says, with his least awkward smile. "Uh, I'm gay too? So she's not my type."
Jensen's smile widens. "Yeah, I was pretty sure," he says. "My gaydar rules."
Jared wants to respond, but then Kripke comes in and starts class. He's got a meeting right after too, which is probably for the best. He never dated in high school, never knew any other gay guys, and he's not really sure how he's supposed to react. Is he allowed to just say, "Awesome, please marry me?"
Probably he should start with a date.
*
"You should start with a date," says Masi. They're on a WoW raid, and Jared isn't sure this is really the best time to discuss this. He needs to concentrate. "He's gay and he plays Quidditch. You aren't going to have a lot of chances to date a hot, gay Quidditch player. It will be like all your Oliver Wood/Mary Sue fanfiction coming true."
"I never wrote Oliver Wood/Mary Sue fanfiction," says Jared, flailing his leg so he can kick Masi in the shin.
"I'm sorry, Gary Stu," says Masi, unrepentant.
"Whatever, he's hotter than Oliver Wood," Jared says, glaring.
"And I bet he has a bigger staff."
"I hate you so fucking much."
*
Jared is on Jensen's team--Keeper to his Beater. Masi, of course, makes a lot of jokes about beating as they walk over to practice, as well as trying to figure out if there's a way to indicate sexual preferences through Quidditch positions.
"You know," says Masi, "like pitcher and catcher in baseball. Maybe Keeper and Chaser?"
"Is there any way I can make this conversation stop happening?" Jared asks, groaning.
"I think you should make a move," Masi says. "He who dares wins. Tell him you'd let his Quaffle into your goal."
"That's the least sexy thing I've ever heard."
"Ask if his basilisk wants to explore your Chamber of Secrets?"
"Oh my God shut up," says Jared, laughing.
Jensen gives him and Masi a wave and a grin as they walk onto the field. Masi doesn't know his team captain, so he just follows Jared over, which Jared kind of appreciates. Approaching Jensen by himself is vaguely terrifying.
"Hey guys, welcome to practice. Oka, you're not on my team."
"I know," says Masi. "I just need you to point out Mike."
"The bald guy by the guy in drag," says Jensen, gesturing over.
Jared blinks and looks over at the same time Masi does. Indeed, there's a bald guy hanging out with a guy in a blonde wig and a Ravenclaw robe.
"That's Mike's boyfriend, Misha," Jensen explains. "He found out we didn't have anyone to do commentary, so he volunteered to be Luna Lovegood. I tried to stop him."
"Awesome," says Masi. "I love my team!" he adds, waving to Jared as he jogs off.
"Your roommate is kind of a weirdo," Jensen says mildly.
"Yeah," Jared agrees. "But you founded the Quidditch league, dude. I don't think you can talk."
Jensen laughs. "Touche. You ready to play?"
"As I'll ever be," says Jared, and feels much more confident after Jensen claps him on the shoulder, all warm camaraderie.
He's so screwed.
*
They scrimmage with Danneel's team, and although no one actually officially keeps score, Jensen tells Danneel loudly and often that they kicked her ass. Danneel takes it with grace, provided that elbowing Jensen in the ribs and then kicking him in the ankle really counts as "grace." Jared is a little bit terrified of her.
"Just wait til the real games start next week," Danneel says. "We'll bring our A-game. You'll be terrified. Besides, you stole my keeper to have your evil way with."
Jared, of course, flushes all over.
"It's not stealing, you never had him," Jensen says cheerfully. He smiles at Jared. "We're grabbing dinner, are you coming?"
"I should--" Jared starts, looking abortively back at the field. Mike and his boyfriend-in-drag seem to be taking Masi the other direction. "Oh," says Jared. "I guess he's set."
"Come eat with us!" Danneel says, slinging her arm around Jared's shoulder as best she can. He stoops down a little to accommodate her. "I can grill you. You're a freshman, right?"
"Yeah," Jared says, a little warily.
"Ooh, jailbait."
"Danneel, be nice."
"Jensen told you I'm gay, right?" Jared says. He doesn't really think she's hitting on him, but he just wants to be clear.
Danneel laughs. "Oh honey, believe me. Jensen told me you're gay."
*
"I was thinking I could Half-Blood Prince him," says Jared.
Masi doesn't look up from his textbook. "Is that a new sexual position I haven't heard of? Should I Urban Dictionary that shit? Or is it more an Adult Fanfic.net kind of thing?"
Jared snorts. "Has anyone ever told you you have a dirty mind? No, it's not a sexual position. Don't you remember in Half-Blood Prince where they win the Quidditch game and Harry and Ginny hook up?"
"So your team has to win first," says Masi, dubiously. "Sounds risky. You could just say, Jensen, do you want to go on a date? I've heard that works."
"Not for me," says Jared.
"Have you ever tried it?"
"Asking someone on a date?"
"Even going on one," says Masi.
"No," Jared admits. "Fuck you. God, he's a junior, he must have way more experience than me. There's no way he would be interested in me."
"He looks at you like you're an advance copy of the new Hobbit movie," says Masi. "Or something else appropriately dorky. I am not an expert on awkward gay dork romance, but you give me so much experience with it I think I could declare it as my major. And I say suck it up and ask him."
Jared considers. "When did you become so wise?"
"I'm Japanese," says Masi, as if this explains everything. "Haven't you seen any movie ever? I am genetically required to be the wise and all-knowing sensei to your dumbass American misfit."
"Thanks," says Jared. "That explains it."
"Wax on, wax off," says Masi, with appropriate Mr. Miyagi gestures.
Jared responds with an appropriate gesture of his own.
*
"So, are you Harry or Ginny?" asks Danneel.
Jared jumps. He didn't hear her coming at all. She's like a terrifying, badass ninja. "What?"
"I mean, when you and Jensen totally hook up after this game, are you going to be Harry or Ginny?"
Jared chokes. "Oh God, did Masi tell you about my plan? I didn't think you guys were even friends!"
Danneel looks amused. "I hate to break this to you, but it's not really a very, uh, crafty plan. It's about the most obvious plan you could ever come up with. And I totally approve."
"Really?" asks Jared.
"You also aren't subtle," Danneel says, pityingly. "It's adorable. You are an epic love story for the ages. With Quidditch."
"So this is your official best friend encouragement for me to jump Jensen after the game?" asks Jared.
"Or before," says Danneel. "It'll throw you guys off."
Jared laughs, feeling about a thousand times better. "Oh, like hell I'm falling for that."
"Can't blame a girl for trying," says Danneel, and punches him in the arm. He assumes it was lightly, but he thinks it will bruise anyway. The girl is scary. "Knock him dead, tiger."
*
Jared's plan falls apart a little when they lose. It's not entirely his fault--he lets some goals in, but their Chasers also aren't in great form, and Jensen is a decent Beater, but Danneel and Sophia are relentless, and there's a lot more tackling than there was in practice. By the end, Jared is covered in grass stains and more than a little bruised, but he's grinning ear to ear. Quidditch is awesome.
"Next time we're gonna get you, Harris!" Jensen yells.
"You wish, Slytherins rule!"
The rest of the team is heading off, so Jared lingers, helping Jensen pick up. "That didn't go terribly," he offers.
"Except for losing, it was totally awesome," Jensen agrees. He smiles. "You have fun?"
Jared laughs. "Yeah, it was awesome. I think I'm gonna be bruised for weeks."
Jensen looks around and laughs. "I think Danneel removed every single other person from the pitch," he says. "Subtle she's not."
Jared, of course, turns red. He has to work on that. "So you knew?"
Jensen smiles. "Knew that I wanted to ask you out and Danneel noticed? Yeah, I was aware."
"That I was going to jump you if we won," Jared clarifies. It's a lot easier now that Jensen's said he wants to ask him out.
"I always was more into Harry/Luna," says Jensen, thoughtfully. "Well, until I saw Misha's Luna." He grins. "Scarred for life."
Jared laughs. "My bad," he says. "Next time I'll use a more appropriate pairing."
"I would have allowed it," says Jensen. He leans up, easy as anything, and kisses Jared. "Come on. We'll get dinner. You can console me about the how we got our asses kicked. It's almost as good as hooking up on the field."
Jared blinks, taking a minute to recover, and then grins. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," says Jensen. "And I promise you can jump me after the first game we win too." He takes Jared's hand, twining their fingers together, and tugs him toward the dining hall.
"Will do," Jared promises. "Does this mean I don't have to use any of the Harry-Potter-themed pick up lines Masi came up with?"
Jensen laughs. "Uh, no, obviously. It means you have to use all of them."
"Even the one about your basilisk exploring my Chamber of Secrets?"
Jensen laughs so hard at that he has to stop walking to catch his breath. Jared guesses he maybe doesn't have to kill Masi.
"That might be the least sexy thing I've ever heard," Jensen says, when he recovers.
"Yeah," Jared agrees, "well. Good thing you're already picked up, right?"
Jensen nods. "Good thing."