Eight Cozy Nights (of Schmoop): 8 Candles!
Last drabble!
I really am so very thankful for everyone who's been supporting these, and I've enjoyed taking some risks, and trying out new things, as well as exercising my brain and challenging myself. I might do some meta on the whole shebang tomorrow...
Title: Holiday
Characters/Pairings: Jared/Jensen
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,583
Notes: annkiri requested: I want Jared/Jensen with Jared going around giving everyone on set things and stressing out when Jensen explains that some people on the crew are Jewish and don't want little baby Jesus things. *g* Umm. Or you know... something more cool! :)
Summary: Jared gets eight presents, and Jensen makes himself at home.
Holiday
Beware of Texans bearing gifts
There's maybe a week left until the winter hiatus, and Jared comes up with his most spectacular idea ever. He comes in bright and early, nearly bouncing on his heels with joy. He's decked out in the cheesiest Christmas sweater he could find, ringing jingle bells and wearing: a Santa hat, elf ears, and a red Rudolph nose that blinks. All at once.
"What is it, exactly, about this holiday that turns you into a crack addict?" Jensen asks over his extra-large coffee cup.
"Shot of Christmas cheer?" Jared says, holding up a flask of what Jensen can only assume is eggnog. He laughs it off and Jared continues his gifting and decorating rampage through the set.
"Y'know, not everybody here celebrates Christmas, Jared?"
"And?"
"Mmm just saying," Jensen goes back to his coffee, shrugging his shoulders and snatching one of Jared's candy canes from his front pocket.
Jared cocks his head and smirks.
***
On the first night of Hanukkah, some of the crew gets together and lights a menorah. Even those that aren't Jewish are there for the impromptu ceremony. Jared's lost most of the Christmas trimmings he was wearing, except for the hideous sweater his nearsighted Aunt Beatrix must have bought him. Jensen's there because they are withholding his coffee until it's over.
One of the technicians says the prayers, and afterwards everybody smiles and they say; "Happy Hanukkah!" to each other. Little toy dreidels and dishes of gelt get passed around, and then it's back to work.
That night, the power goes out in Jensen's hotel. He calls Jared and asks to crash on his pull-out couch, which is fine of course. When he gets there, Jared greets him at the door with his hair mussed and his eyes half-lidded.
Jensen holds up a six-pack. "Happy Hanukkah, dude." Jared laughs and lets him inside.
***
The next day the power company finds water damage in the hotel from a burst sewage pipe, among a host of other problems that had been swept beneath the rug. All the guests are compensated and relocated, and Jared just gives Jensen a nod before he even has to ask.
"But you're bringing me more beer, right?"
Jensen raises his eyebrow and slurps down more coffee. "Nah, it'd be too predictable..." he mutters cryptically, walking off to the wardrobe trailer.
After the sun goes down and the candles are lit, Jensen slips Jared a palmful of chocolates.
His hand is warm in Jared's, but doesn't linger.
***
Jensen is actually pretty low-maintenance, so long as Jared stays the hell away from his giant coffee mugs, and doesn't leave toothpaste smudges in the sink. He gets these dirty looks from him, and a long suffering sigh as Jensen makes a big show of scrubbing them off with a paper towel.
On the third night, Jensen gives him one of his giant mugs full of hot chocolate and extra marshmallows. It's Jared's favorite one because it has little dogs in Santa hats on it.
"It's yours Jay, consider it bartering for the rent." Jensen says, as he rearranges the fridge; putting the fruit in the fruit drawer and the vegetables in the vegetable crisper.
***
"You really make your bed every morning?" Jared asks as he peers over the corner of the couch, while Jensen tucks in the sheets and makes neat little hospital corners.
"I like coming home to a bed that's made."
"But you're just gonna sleep in it again."
"It makes me feel good."
"You're so persnickety."
"You were a bed-jumper, weren't you?"
"Of the very worst kind."
That night as they watch the game, Jensen sneaks into Jared's room during a commercial and makes his bed. When he gets back to the sitting room, Jared is sitting on Jensen's pull-out, surrounded by strewn pillows and blankets, curled up and pretending to sleep.
Well, Jensen pretty much has to jump on top of him and wrestle him to the floor, laughing all the way.
***
The fifth day is a long one, the crew does the lighting ceremony with tired drooping eyes, the prayers almost whispers.
By the time Jared and Jensen get back to the apartment, they're barely awake. Jared shuffles to the kitchen for a beer and Jensen curls up on the armchair and starts nodding off.
"Hey, hey." Jared shakes him awake. "C'mon Jensen, you wanna sleep in a bed tonight, right?" Jared pulls at his arm until he stands. "That chair is not comfy, trust me."
Jensen kisses him.
***
The next day they have off, and Jensen's gone by the time Jared wakes up.
Jared already had plans for today, meet up with some of the guys, go to a bar and watch hockey and get drunk. Call his Mama and find out who's coming to the Christmas dinner this year. Organize his CD collection.
Jared spends most of the day texting Jensen. Not even about the kiss last night, just his random thoughts throughout the day on the minutiae of life. Whatever he can think of, and Jensen responds in kind.
Hey Jensen, I wanna learn how to cook. You'll teach me?
What makes you think I know how to cook?
Sandy said she heard that you always cook breakfast for people after sex. You're known as the post-coital Muffin Man. No cuddling, but plenty of pastries and OJ.
Lies and more lies. I don't make muffins, first of all. And I'm an excellent cuddler.
I keep opening the fridge and trying to will the contents to change with the powers of my mind. But alas, it will not happen. Unless my baking soda has mutated into a kind of delicious yogurt. Could that happen?
I'm going to have to put poison-control on speed dial, aren't I?
Dude, now I really want yogurt. With strawberries, but not the fruit on the bottom, that's gross. It's like they figured out how to take all the happiness and color out of strawberries.
You come up with the best non-sequitors.
I am a beautiful and unique snowflake.
Thank god.
You're bringing home yogurt, right?
Jared tries not to think too hard about when it became Jensen's home as well.
He goes to bed early, and when he wakes up there's a book on his night-table, with a bow stuck on the cover.
Jared laughs and reads the title aloud. "Zen Haiku for Beginners."
***
"You know haiku doesn't actually have to follow the 5-7-5 vowel scheme nowadays?"
"Hello to you too." Jensen puts down his groceries and Jared tosses something at him. Jensen catches the little silver chain, and opens his palm to see a set of keys.
"Figured I'd get you a set since your hotel's probably found uranium in the walls or something. And so you can stop swiping mine when you go out. So, happy penultimate night of Hanukkah!" Jared says, looking back to his book. "I mean, unless this was a clever hint that I should write you poetry. Dirty haiku limericks or sonnets or something."
Jensen presses his mouth together, and mumbles.
"What?"
"I said thanks."
"No you didn't."
"I should go."
Jared stands up, putting the book down on the coffee table. "Don't go-"
"If I stay, I'm never going to want to leave. You need to tell me to go."
Jared crosses the room to where Jensen's standing in the kitchen next to groceries and keys and still in his jacket, melting snow leaving wet stains on the shoulders and his scarf. "God, Jensen. Don't go."
"I bought groceries for us. We're not even anything! Much less an us."
"Okay, whoa, English translation please?"
"This place feels too much like home, you," Jensen swallows. "You and me and home-do you get what I'm saying?"
Jared kisses him, and whispers as he pulls away. "Don't leave, don't ever leave me. This house..."
Jensen grabs him and hugs him close, burying his face in Jared's shoulder.
"You make this place home for me." Jared says, thinking aloud. "That's what you give to me."
***
On the eighth night, the crew celebrates both the last night of the holiday, and the last working day before the break. There's a big party with latkes and cookies and jelly donuts. Jared holds Jensen's hand under the table, and Jensen gives him the rest of his applesauce.
"Is this my present?" Jared whispers, and Jensen shakes his head, mouthing 'later.'
That night, Jared and Jensen stand on either side of the bed, taking the pillows off, pulling the comforter out.
"See, isn't this better then coming home to a mess?" Jensen says. Jared shakes his head and jumps on top of the mattress, scrunching the covers up. Jensen follows suit, covering Jared's body with his own, pinning him down and kissing him. Jared kisses back just as hard, hands reaching up to hold Jensen's face to his.
"You want your present?" Jensen asks. Jared nods.
"Chocolate-chip pancakes."
"What?"
"I'm going to make you pancakes for breakfast, when we wake up."
When Jared finally gets it, he smiles, dropping his hands to Jensen's chest and pulling up his shirt, kissing his stomach. He reaches over the nightstand to turn out the light.
***
In the end, it's not about Christmas or Hanukkah, or any other holiday. It's not about God or Santa or presents or lights on a menorah. It's really all about a miracle.
And it only took eight nights to happen.
Princeton - Where's My Christmas Morning?
The LeeVees - Holiday
All the rest:
1. Sugar Rum Cherry & The First (Noelle) [J2, NC-17 and PG-13 respectively]
2. Listening to Otis Redding... [Sam/Dean, John/Mary, PG-13]
3. How A Rose E'er Blooming [Jared/Jensen, PG-13]
4. Faded From The Winter [Sam/Dean, NC-17]
5. Christmas With You Is The Best [Sam/Dean, R for cussing and implied wincest]
6. The Nutcracker [Sam/Dean, PG-13]
7. Warmer Climate [Sam/Dean, NC-17]
I really am so very thankful for everyone who's been supporting these, and I've enjoyed taking some risks, and trying out new things, as well as exercising my brain and challenging myself. I might do some meta on the whole shebang tomorrow...
Title: Holiday
Characters/Pairings: Jared/Jensen
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,583
Notes: annkiri requested: I want Jared/Jensen with Jared going around giving everyone on set things and stressing out when Jensen explains that some people on the crew are Jewish and don't want little baby Jesus things. *g* Umm. Or you know... something more cool! :)
Summary: Jared gets eight presents, and Jensen makes himself at home.
Holiday
Beware of Texans bearing gifts
There's maybe a week left until the winter hiatus, and Jared comes up with his most spectacular idea ever. He comes in bright and early, nearly bouncing on his heels with joy. He's decked out in the cheesiest Christmas sweater he could find, ringing jingle bells and wearing: a Santa hat, elf ears, and a red Rudolph nose that blinks. All at once.
"What is it, exactly, about this holiday that turns you into a crack addict?" Jensen asks over his extra-large coffee cup.
"Shot of Christmas cheer?" Jared says, holding up a flask of what Jensen can only assume is eggnog. He laughs it off and Jared continues his gifting and decorating rampage through the set.
"Y'know, not everybody here celebrates Christmas, Jared?"
"And?"
"Mmm just saying," Jensen goes back to his coffee, shrugging his shoulders and snatching one of Jared's candy canes from his front pocket.
Jared cocks his head and smirks.
***
On the first night of Hanukkah, some of the crew gets together and lights a menorah. Even those that aren't Jewish are there for the impromptu ceremony. Jared's lost most of the Christmas trimmings he was wearing, except for the hideous sweater his nearsighted Aunt Beatrix must have bought him. Jensen's there because they are withholding his coffee until it's over.
One of the technicians says the prayers, and afterwards everybody smiles and they say; "Happy Hanukkah!" to each other. Little toy dreidels and dishes of gelt get passed around, and then it's back to work.
That night, the power goes out in Jensen's hotel. He calls Jared and asks to crash on his pull-out couch, which is fine of course. When he gets there, Jared greets him at the door with his hair mussed and his eyes half-lidded.
Jensen holds up a six-pack. "Happy Hanukkah, dude." Jared laughs and lets him inside.
***
The next day the power company finds water damage in the hotel from a burst sewage pipe, among a host of other problems that had been swept beneath the rug. All the guests are compensated and relocated, and Jared just gives Jensen a nod before he even has to ask.
"But you're bringing me more beer, right?"
Jensen raises his eyebrow and slurps down more coffee. "Nah, it'd be too predictable..." he mutters cryptically, walking off to the wardrobe trailer.
After the sun goes down and the candles are lit, Jensen slips Jared a palmful of chocolates.
His hand is warm in Jared's, but doesn't linger.
***
Jensen is actually pretty low-maintenance, so long as Jared stays the hell away from his giant coffee mugs, and doesn't leave toothpaste smudges in the sink. He gets these dirty looks from him, and a long suffering sigh as Jensen makes a big show of scrubbing them off with a paper towel.
On the third night, Jensen gives him one of his giant mugs full of hot chocolate and extra marshmallows. It's Jared's favorite one because it has little dogs in Santa hats on it.
"It's yours Jay, consider it bartering for the rent." Jensen says, as he rearranges the fridge; putting the fruit in the fruit drawer and the vegetables in the vegetable crisper.
***
"You really make your bed every morning?" Jared asks as he peers over the corner of the couch, while Jensen tucks in the sheets and makes neat little hospital corners.
"I like coming home to a bed that's made."
"But you're just gonna sleep in it again."
"It makes me feel good."
"You're so persnickety."
"You were a bed-jumper, weren't you?"
"Of the very worst kind."
That night as they watch the game, Jensen sneaks into Jared's room during a commercial and makes his bed. When he gets back to the sitting room, Jared is sitting on Jensen's pull-out, surrounded by strewn pillows and blankets, curled up and pretending to sleep.
Well, Jensen pretty much has to jump on top of him and wrestle him to the floor, laughing all the way.
***
The fifth day is a long one, the crew does the lighting ceremony with tired drooping eyes, the prayers almost whispers.
By the time Jared and Jensen get back to the apartment, they're barely awake. Jared shuffles to the kitchen for a beer and Jensen curls up on the armchair and starts nodding off.
"Hey, hey." Jared shakes him awake. "C'mon Jensen, you wanna sleep in a bed tonight, right?" Jared pulls at his arm until he stands. "That chair is not comfy, trust me."
Jensen kisses him.
***
The next day they have off, and Jensen's gone by the time Jared wakes up.
Jared already had plans for today, meet up with some of the guys, go to a bar and watch hockey and get drunk. Call his Mama and find out who's coming to the Christmas dinner this year. Organize his CD collection.
Jared spends most of the day texting Jensen. Not even about the kiss last night, just his random thoughts throughout the day on the minutiae of life. Whatever he can think of, and Jensen responds in kind.
Hey Jensen, I wanna learn how to cook. You'll teach me?
What makes you think I know how to cook?
Sandy said she heard that you always cook breakfast for people after sex. You're known as the post-coital Muffin Man. No cuddling, but plenty of pastries and OJ.
Lies and more lies. I don't make muffins, first of all. And I'm an excellent cuddler.
I keep opening the fridge and trying to will the contents to change with the powers of my mind. But alas, it will not happen. Unless my baking soda has mutated into a kind of delicious yogurt. Could that happen?
I'm going to have to put poison-control on speed dial, aren't I?
Dude, now I really want yogurt. With strawberries, but not the fruit on the bottom, that's gross. It's like they figured out how to take all the happiness and color out of strawberries.
You come up with the best non-sequitors.
I am a beautiful and unique snowflake.
Thank god.
You're bringing home yogurt, right?
Jared tries not to think too hard about when it became Jensen's home as well.
He goes to bed early, and when he wakes up there's a book on his night-table, with a bow stuck on the cover.
Jared laughs and reads the title aloud. "Zen Haiku for Beginners."
***
"You know haiku doesn't actually have to follow the 5-7-5 vowel scheme nowadays?"
"Hello to you too." Jensen puts down his groceries and Jared tosses something at him. Jensen catches the little silver chain, and opens his palm to see a set of keys.
"Figured I'd get you a set since your hotel's probably found uranium in the walls or something. And so you can stop swiping mine when you go out. So, happy penultimate night of Hanukkah!" Jared says, looking back to his book. "I mean, unless this was a clever hint that I should write you poetry. Dirty haiku limericks or sonnets or something."
Jensen presses his mouth together, and mumbles.
"What?"
"I said thanks."
"No you didn't."
"I should go."
Jared stands up, putting the book down on the coffee table. "Don't go-"
"If I stay, I'm never going to want to leave. You need to tell me to go."
Jared crosses the room to where Jensen's standing in the kitchen next to groceries and keys and still in his jacket, melting snow leaving wet stains on the shoulders and his scarf. "God, Jensen. Don't go."
"I bought groceries for us. We're not even anything! Much less an us."
"Okay, whoa, English translation please?"
"This place feels too much like home, you," Jensen swallows. "You and me and home-do you get what I'm saying?"
Jared kisses him, and whispers as he pulls away. "Don't leave, don't ever leave me. This house..."
Jensen grabs him and hugs him close, burying his face in Jared's shoulder.
"You make this place home for me." Jared says, thinking aloud. "That's what you give to me."
***
On the eighth night, the crew celebrates both the last night of the holiday, and the last working day before the break. There's a big party with latkes and cookies and jelly donuts. Jared holds Jensen's hand under the table, and Jensen gives him the rest of his applesauce.
"Is this my present?" Jared whispers, and Jensen shakes his head, mouthing 'later.'
That night, Jared and Jensen stand on either side of the bed, taking the pillows off, pulling the comforter out.
"See, isn't this better then coming home to a mess?" Jensen says. Jared shakes his head and jumps on top of the mattress, scrunching the covers up. Jensen follows suit, covering Jared's body with his own, pinning him down and kissing him. Jared kisses back just as hard, hands reaching up to hold Jensen's face to his.
"You want your present?" Jensen asks. Jared nods.
"Chocolate-chip pancakes."
"What?"
"I'm going to make you pancakes for breakfast, when we wake up."
When Jared finally gets it, he smiles, dropping his hands to Jensen's chest and pulling up his shirt, kissing his stomach. He reaches over the nightstand to turn out the light.
***
In the end, it's not about Christmas or Hanukkah, or any other holiday. It's not about God or Santa or presents or lights on a menorah. It's really all about a miracle.
And it only took eight nights to happen.
Princeton - Where's My Christmas Morning?
The LeeVees - Holiday
All the rest:
1. Sugar Rum Cherry & The First (Noelle) [J2, NC-17 and PG-13 respectively]
2. Listening to Otis Redding... [Sam/Dean, John/Mary, PG-13]
3. How A Rose E'er Blooming [Jared/Jensen, PG-13]
4. Faded From The Winter [Sam/Dean, NC-17]
5. Christmas With You Is The Best [Sam/Dean, R for cussing and implied wincest]
6. The Nutcracker [Sam/Dean, PG-13]
7. Warmer Climate [Sam/Dean, NC-17]