Haven't Met You Yet, 3/3 (Epilogue), RPS, J2 AU, [PG]
Epilogue
“No. You can’t tell them. They’ll think I’m nuts.”
Jensen lifted one perfect eyebrow. Damn. How did he do that? “C’mon, Jay. It’s the funniest first meeting story in the history of forever.”
It had been a month. Summer was waning and the petals were falling and Jared had never been happier in his life. Except that now Jensen wanted to introduce him to his visiting parents and was planning on letting them know that Jared had been seeing Jensen’s grandfather and … no.
“Jen, you can’t. I mean, I was … “ He started coloring again. He’d been crushing on Jensen’s grandfather. How could he look Donna Ackles in the face if she knew he had pervy thoughts about her father?
Jensen had the audacity to laugh. “Everyone hit on Gramps back in the day. Nan said she had fight off other girls like flies. Said she snatched him up and never let go.”
Jared understood that. He’d snatched up Jensen and was absolutely never letting go. Jensen continued. “Old man was a hottie. A dreamboat in his day. An’ I look just like him. As you know.” Jared’s boyfriend did not suffer from any self-esteem issues.
“Yeah, you’re positively dreeeammmy,” Jared teased.
Jensen fake pouted, lips exaggerated into a duck pose. “You know you want it.”
It was beyond ridiculous. And really shouldn’t have been a turn on. But then again, it was Jensen. His merely breathing was a turn on. Jared wanted to grab him but was interrupted by the doorbell. “Oh my god. They’re here. Jensen, promise me … you can’t … “
His boyfriend winked at him and skipped toward the door. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t.
Before Jared could sweat further over this he was being introduced to an attractive, middle-aged couple. Donna had Jensen’s eyes, large and green. His nose he shared with his father. The boy had been lucky. Inherited the absolute most attractive qualities from both sides of the family. At least Jared felt justified in his heart-stopping reaction to Jensen’s features. He was truly beautiful.
“Jared. I’ve heard so much about you.” Donna took his hand warmly in both of hers. Her eyes moved around the parlor. “Oh … you’ve done wonders with the old place.” Jared watched her eyes glow like Jensen’s did when he first was invited fully inside. Like they were seeing two images at once superimposed over each other. Jared really understood that feeling.
Letting go she clapped excitedly. “A window seat! Alan, do you remember how many times I told Mom that this room was crying out for one? But she wouldn’t give up her plants.”
Jensen turned to him. “Remember I told you Nan had plants hanging from ceiling hooks?”
Jared nodded. He’d seen the hooks but decided on the window seat instead. He felt a pang of irrational guilt for having changed it. But Donna seemed to approve of his choice. Jensen came closer, arm wrapping around his lower shoulder. “It’s perfect. What I would have done.”
Donna’s voice rang out again. “Jared. Thank you so much for opening up your home to us like this.”
Alan spoke up, holding his hand out which Jared promptly shook. “Yes. It means the world to Donna to know it’s in good hands. Gail told us but … I think she needed to see it.” He leaned down and pecked his wife on the temple. It was sweet.
Jared quickly offered them a tour of the house and eventually they wound up at the entrance to the garden. Donna stepped down slowly, breathing in the sugar scent and gasping slightly. “But … it hasn’t … Oh my. Jared … it’s like my father himself took care of it.”
Jensen squeezed Jared’s hand and whispered. “Don’t worry. I was teasing. I’m not going to say-“
But Jared just looked at Jensen, locking his gaze with the eyes of the man he always wanted but never knew existed. He mouthed, “I love you.”
Jensen looked back at him wide-eyed. They hadn’t said that aloud yet. Well, not outside of partial murmurs buried deep inside each other. The returning smile told him everything he needed to know.
“He did take care of the garden,” Jared blurted out. Next to him he felt Jensen tense up. “Every moment I spent out here I felt inspired by something beyond me. It was infused in every rose bloom. Every blade of curling grass. I would sit on the bench and breathe it in and imagine quieter times and tall glasses of lemonade.”
“I often brought my father lemonade.” Donna’s voice was whisper soft. Her light hair flew in the breeze and Jared knew now what Jensen had been looking at in the doorway. What brought the brilliance to his eyes. She held a hand to her mouth, eyes looking up moistly at Jared. “It’s like it’s still in the family.”
Jensen took Jared’s hand and gripped it tight. “That’s cause it is.”
Both parents’ eyes widened at the emotion thickening their son’s voice. “Son, I hadn’t realized you two were so serious,” Alan questioned. But his interest was curious and hopeful and Jared felt like he would float away if Jensen lessened his grip.
“He’s the one,” Jensen said enigmatically. But his folks seemed to get it if their matching grins said anything.
Donna took Alan’s hand and said they were heading inside to freshen up and that they’d be right back out with the lunch they’d picked up along the way. “We’ll eat out here. I think it’s still warm enough.”
Alone, Jensen pulled Jared down for a slow, deep kiss. Not that Jared was complaining but he was puzzled at what was bringing on this sudden emotion. He stared at Jensen curiously.
“I love you, too,” Jensen spoke softly against his chin. He pulled back slightly and met Jared’s adoring gaze. “You told me you felt like you were waiting. I didn’t … I mean I never thought I was doing that. I dated and sometimes it worked for a while. Other times it sucked. But that’s how it went, you know? But Nan … she always told me … and later Gail … that one day someone special would come. The one. I admit I thought it was just silly romantic drivel. Gramps would wink at me like he was in on the joke. But … now … I don’t know. Maybe he knew. Maybe he did see you.
“I never thought of it that way until just now when you told my folks about feeling him and they just … did you see how they just believed?”
Jared looked to see that Jensen’s parents were still inside before sneaking another kiss, tongue snaking in for a quick taste. “I’ve been waiting to meet you since 1957.”
He could feel the slight shake in Jensen’s reply. “But … that’s impossible. You weren’t even born then.”
On the other side of the garden a shadow passed over the rose bush, a strong hand brushing the petals in a last whispered touch. Jared watched the sunshine wink in the spot where it had been. A sparkling glint among the dappled stems.
Jared pulled Jensen toward him again, meeting his lips to his lovers. He didn’t want to say goodbye, not when saying hello felt so much better. But he couldn’t help but think thanks as Jensen’s strong arms pulled him even closer.
fin
To Masterpost
“No. You can’t tell them. They’ll think I’m nuts.”
Jensen lifted one perfect eyebrow. Damn. How did he do that? “C’mon, Jay. It’s the funniest first meeting story in the history of forever.”
It had been a month. Summer was waning and the petals were falling and Jared had never been happier in his life. Except that now Jensen wanted to introduce him to his visiting parents and was planning on letting them know that Jared had been seeing Jensen’s grandfather and … no.
“Jen, you can’t. I mean, I was … “ He started coloring again. He’d been crushing on Jensen’s grandfather. How could he look Donna Ackles in the face if she knew he had pervy thoughts about her father?
Jensen had the audacity to laugh. “Everyone hit on Gramps back in the day. Nan said she had fight off other girls like flies. Said she snatched him up and never let go.”
Jared understood that. He’d snatched up Jensen and was absolutely never letting go. Jensen continued. “Old man was a hottie. A dreamboat in his day. An’ I look just like him. As you know.” Jared’s boyfriend did not suffer from any self-esteem issues.
“Yeah, you’re positively dreeeammmy,” Jared teased.
Jensen fake pouted, lips exaggerated into a duck pose. “You know you want it.”
It was beyond ridiculous. And really shouldn’t have been a turn on. But then again, it was Jensen. His merely breathing was a turn on. Jared wanted to grab him but was interrupted by the doorbell. “Oh my god. They’re here. Jensen, promise me … you can’t … “
His boyfriend winked at him and skipped toward the door. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t.
Before Jared could sweat further over this he was being introduced to an attractive, middle-aged couple. Donna had Jensen’s eyes, large and green. His nose he shared with his father. The boy had been lucky. Inherited the absolute most attractive qualities from both sides of the family. At least Jared felt justified in his heart-stopping reaction to Jensen’s features. He was truly beautiful.
“Jared. I’ve heard so much about you.” Donna took his hand warmly in both of hers. Her eyes moved around the parlor. “Oh … you’ve done wonders with the old place.” Jared watched her eyes glow like Jensen’s did when he first was invited fully inside. Like they were seeing two images at once superimposed over each other. Jared really understood that feeling.
Letting go she clapped excitedly. “A window seat! Alan, do you remember how many times I told Mom that this room was crying out for one? But she wouldn’t give up her plants.”
Jensen turned to him. “Remember I told you Nan had plants hanging from ceiling hooks?”
Jared nodded. He’d seen the hooks but decided on the window seat instead. He felt a pang of irrational guilt for having changed it. But Donna seemed to approve of his choice. Jensen came closer, arm wrapping around his lower shoulder. “It’s perfect. What I would have done.”
Donna’s voice rang out again. “Jared. Thank you so much for opening up your home to us like this.”
Alan spoke up, holding his hand out which Jared promptly shook. “Yes. It means the world to Donna to know it’s in good hands. Gail told us but … I think she needed to see it.” He leaned down and pecked his wife on the temple. It was sweet.
Jared quickly offered them a tour of the house and eventually they wound up at the entrance to the garden. Donna stepped down slowly, breathing in the sugar scent and gasping slightly. “But … it hasn’t … Oh my. Jared … it’s like my father himself took care of it.”
Jensen squeezed Jared’s hand and whispered. “Don’t worry. I was teasing. I’m not going to say-“
But Jared just looked at Jensen, locking his gaze with the eyes of the man he always wanted but never knew existed. He mouthed, “I love you.”
Jensen looked back at him wide-eyed. They hadn’t said that aloud yet. Well, not outside of partial murmurs buried deep inside each other. The returning smile told him everything he needed to know.
“He did take care of the garden,” Jared blurted out. Next to him he felt Jensen tense up. “Every moment I spent out here I felt inspired by something beyond me. It was infused in every rose bloom. Every blade of curling grass. I would sit on the bench and breathe it in and imagine quieter times and tall glasses of lemonade.”
“I often brought my father lemonade.” Donna’s voice was whisper soft. Her light hair flew in the breeze and Jared knew now what Jensen had been looking at in the doorway. What brought the brilliance to his eyes. She held a hand to her mouth, eyes looking up moistly at Jared. “It’s like it’s still in the family.”
Jensen took Jared’s hand and gripped it tight. “That’s cause it is.”
Both parents’ eyes widened at the emotion thickening their son’s voice. “Son, I hadn’t realized you two were so serious,” Alan questioned. But his interest was curious and hopeful and Jared felt like he would float away if Jensen lessened his grip.
“He’s the one,” Jensen said enigmatically. But his folks seemed to get it if their matching grins said anything.
Donna took Alan’s hand and said they were heading inside to freshen up and that they’d be right back out with the lunch they’d picked up along the way. “We’ll eat out here. I think it’s still warm enough.”
Alone, Jensen pulled Jared down for a slow, deep kiss. Not that Jared was complaining but he was puzzled at what was bringing on this sudden emotion. He stared at Jensen curiously.
“I love you, too,” Jensen spoke softly against his chin. He pulled back slightly and met Jared’s adoring gaze. “You told me you felt like you were waiting. I didn’t … I mean I never thought I was doing that. I dated and sometimes it worked for a while. Other times it sucked. But that’s how it went, you know? But Nan … she always told me … and later Gail … that one day someone special would come. The one. I admit I thought it was just silly romantic drivel. Gramps would wink at me like he was in on the joke. But … now … I don’t know. Maybe he knew. Maybe he did see you.
“I never thought of it that way until just now when you told my folks about feeling him and they just … did you see how they just believed?”
Jared looked to see that Jensen’s parents were still inside before sneaking another kiss, tongue snaking in for a quick taste. “I’ve been waiting to meet you since 1957.”
He could feel the slight shake in Jensen’s reply. “But … that’s impossible. You weren’t even born then.”
On the other side of the garden a shadow passed over the rose bush, a strong hand brushing the petals in a last whispered touch. Jared watched the sunshine wink in the spot where it had been. A sparkling glint among the dappled stems.
Jared pulled Jensen toward him again, meeting his lips to his lovers. He didn’t want to say goodbye, not when saying hello felt so much better. But he couldn’t help but think thanks as Jensen’s strong arms pulled him even closer.
fin
To Masterpost