FIC: "Avalanches Approaching" (1/10)
Avalanches Approaching
By Simarillion
Fandom: Supernatural RPS
Universe: Alternative Universe
Rating: PG-13/R (this instalment)
Beta: asm_z
Pairing: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki, Jared Padalecki/Sandra McCoy (mentioned), others
Warnings: slash, M/M
Word Count: 3,340
Summary: Extra! Extra! Read all about it! (Of pictures, and rumours, and beginnings)
Disclaimer: None of the herein presented happenings and events are true. Everything is 100% fiction and that includes the sexuality of the characters. I don’t claim to be in the know about their relations and private affairs, and I don’t make any money with the creation of this story.
Author’s Note: I changed the age of Jensen and Jared, they are the same age now. The plot wouldn’t really work otherwise.
This is part 3 of the Glaciology! ‘verse. Jensen is a scientist in the field of glaciology and he spends most of his time surrounded by ice, whereas Jared is a Hollywood movie star. Prequel to this story are Invisible Glaciers and Iceberg Anatomy.
[ Masterpost]
Part One
Jensen has been in Texas for a full week now. His already planned vacation time started early when he injured his already sprained ankle the first time he took the dogs out after his time off. The ligament didn’t tear, but Jensen was in a lot of pain, make that hellish pain, for two days. It was decided that he should leave the snow and ice behind for something less challenging to maneuver in. So, the States it is, and Texas was only the logical choice, since he wanted to go there a month later anyway.
His parents were ecstatic when he called them about his earlier arrival. From the amount of food he’s been fed, his mum had apparently done nothing else but cook from the time Jensen contacted them, to the time he arrived three days later.
Even Dean, who usually preferred the cold, the snow, and the ice, had been ecstatic about their trip south. The reason for this is most likely to be found in the increased number of human slaves that pet, and scratch and feed him. Jensen has complained more than once about the dog’s shameless behavior, claiming that it gives the impression of him not properly taking care of Dean. The husky couldn’t care less about Jensen’s protests.
In the last seven days, he had mostly spent his time, helping around the house (as far as his mum would let him - with him being injured and all), visiting with his brother and his family (which includes meeting the youngest member of the Ackles family for the first time since she’s started school), mentally support his father with his latest garden shed project, harass his sister with late night phone calls (preferably when her latest boyfriend is around - as are their mum’s orders), and check in with friends.
All of this has kept him somewhat busy, but being used to starting his days at four thirty in the morning and staying up late more often than not, leaves a lot of hours that need filling, now that he’s with his family.
Fortunately he got a call yesterday, from Chris. What Jensen didn’t know is that today Kane is giving a concert in Dallas, in a pub they used to play in when they started out many years ago. Since Jensen is in Texas, and he’s not busy, his presence is mandatory.
So he finds himself anticipating meeting up with his friends, and spending some time away, not eating, or talking about wood panels. That alone guarantees an awesome time.
In the afternoon he takes a shower. The heat is almost unbearable for someone like him who live in the Polar Region. He then tries to iron his clothes for the evening. It stays at trying because the moment his mum sees him starting up the iron, she chases him off, claiming that men don’t know how to do this properly.
Jensen hides out in the kitchen and steals a handful of oatmeal cookies. It’s surprising he wants to eat something even though he’s getting stuffed all day long. Only when his mum declares that she’s finished with his clothes, does he return to the living room.
The rest of the day, he plays with Dean, and at seven he gets ready, heading out half an hour later. Jensen puts his foot down on his mum’s brilliant idea of having his dad drive him to the concert (just in case his foot is still too injured for him to drive himself). Jensen compromises and calls a cab. At least he doesn’t have to worry about parking his car.
The Roadhouse is already pretty full when Jensen arrives. Some of the patrons are here because of the band, some are regulars who come here every night. Chris’ face stares at him from an ample bosomed chest. The young woman proudly presents her shirt and the print on it to everyone who’s interested. Some of the guys are even allowed to touch.
He scans the room and then the stage. People he doesn’t know are setting up the instruments and preparing everything for the gig. It’s strange for Jensen to see the roadies work, because he can still remember the days when they did all of that themselves. No-one to help with anything.
“Look at what the cat dragged in. If it isn’t the snowman.” The sarcastic drawl comes from right behind him, and Jensen turns around grinning. With others he would be more reserved, but with Chris he doesn’t think twice before he wraps his friend in a tight hug.
“Look who’s talking, cowboy. What’s with the weird hair? Someone drag you through the bushes?” He smiles wide. Jensen’s sure he looks like an idiot.
“Fuck you, Ackles.” Chris throws his arm around Jensen’s shoulder after he’s unwrapped them. “Looking forward to singing with us?”
Every time he goes to see Kane play it is the same. Chris will make him go on stage and sing a couple of songs with them. Every time.
“Like you would let me do anything else.” His answer is met with a determined nod, and then Jensen’s steered through the crowd and to the backstage area. Or at least what counts as backstage in this pub. It’s more like the mostly empty storage room. There are a couple of chairs and a table with drinks, placed there in the attempt to make it more comfortable for the musicians.
They find Steve in a corner, strumming his guitar, and singing quietly. Their approach isn’t noticed, and only once Chris claps him on the shoulder, does Steve look up and see the two of them. When his eyes fall onto Jensen he brightens up.
“Jensen!” Steve sets the guitar aside and gets up to hug him. “Good to see you, man.”
“Yeah, good to see you, too.” Jensen means it from the bottom of his heart. Steve and Chris are great friends, and one of the things he regrets, working so far from Texas, and the States, is that he gets to see them only every couple of years.
“Jensen’s gonna sing with us.” The way Chris says it, like it’s the logical thing to do, feels good as well.
“Great.” With that Steve hands Jensen a guitar. “Tune it, and then you can play with us during the rest of the show as well.”
Jensen looks from his friend to the instrument and then to Chris, who just grins, and then back to the guitar. With a shrug he takes it form Steve and sits down next to him. Both of them are strumming their guitars when Chris returns with his own, and then there’s only the sound of them plucking and strumming the strings, playing parts of the songs, mostly to help Jensen remember.
It’s about thirty minutes later that the roadies are returning backstage, giving the all clear for the show. And then Jensen finds himself on stage. There’s a bar stool for him to sit on, so he won’t have to stand on his injured foot for so long. He sits down and starts playing with the rest of the band.
He’s really having a great time, singing in the background, playing the guitar. When Jensen’s making music, and he concentrates on it, he’s most of the time closing his eyes or looking at his guitar. Looking out at strangers while playing makes him too nervous. So, when he looks up after the first half of the show, and seeing a huge figure at the bar, his first thought is that Jared’s here, but then he remembers that the other is in LA, and that he doesn’t know that Jensen’s here.
The next song starts, and he concentrates on the music again, but from then on he can’t help but glance at the giant. The stage lights make it hard for him to recognize any facial features, the brightness having his eyes tear up. Then it’s Jensen’s turn to sing lead, it’s a song Chris wrote especially for the times when Jensen is with them, and he steps to the front.
From this place he can see the mysterious stranger clearly, and he panics for a second, when it turns out that it really is Jared who’s here. He thinks about skipping out on singing, but then Chris claps his shoulder and Steve makes some joke for the crowd, and Jensen uses the time to get his act together.
During the song he carefully avoids looking in Jared’s direction, and focuses at some point straight ahead of him instead. After a couple of minutes it’s over, and he returns to his stool in the back, relieved to be out of the spotlight. Even though he likes singing and playing music, the attention is sometimes a bit too much for him.
There are a couple songs more, and then they wrap the show up. The crowd’s cheering them on, demanding an encore, and Jensen is stupefied when they want to hear him again as well. So Chris sings and then Jensen has to return to the mike at the front. There’s clapping and whistling, and the first cords of a song him and Chris used to play back in high school starts. Adrenaline rushes him when he realizes that he might not remember the whole lyrics, but every time he’s not sure how to continue, Chris just joins in. They sing it like it’s supposed to be a duet.
Their return backstage is accompanied by applause and cheering, and Jensen feels almost drunk on the atmosphere. Never before had performing had such an effect on him. It’s no surprise that Chris and Steve decided to keep on making music after school.
“Jensen my boy, you were a hit.” Chris drapes his arm around him, his skin sweaty just like Jensen’s shirt. “How about you go on tour with us?”
It’s a running joke between them. Every time Jensen plays with the band, Chris will ask him to join them. “Aw, Chris, you sure about that. All the ladies out there will drop your ugly face for me. You know that you’ll stand no chance.”
His friend mock growls at him, and Steve laughs heartily.
“You know, he’s right about that. We’re lucky he’s no regular. We wouldn’t stand a chance of getting any girls with him around. No matter that he’s not interested in them.” Steve’s grinning at them now. “Come on, the two of you. The adoring crowd awaits, and I could really use a beer or two.”
They head back into the pub like that, Steve in the lead and Chris draped around Jensen. The woman with the big breasts makes straight for Chris, and Jensen gets relieved from the hold his friend has on him. The arm goes around her waist, pulling her closer to his side. She preens proudly, and clings to him.
When Jensen looks around, he finds Jared heading towards him. He’s smiling broadly, carrying two bottles of beer. Once he’s with Jensen, he holds one of the Coronas out to him.
“You never told me that you can sing.” Hearing Jared’s voice, and seeing him right in front of him, it feels like something is loosening up inside of Jensen. Like he’s been tense and now that Jared’s here he can let go and relax.
“It’s nothing special. Sometimes I play with Chris and Steve when they are doing a gig.” He takes the offered beer and takes a swig. The cold liquid feels good after singing for so long.
“What are you talking about. You were amazing.” Jared is all dimples as he smiles even wider. “I liked the last song best, the one you and Chris sang together.”
Jensen laughs. “Dude, that song, I wanted to strangle Chris when he started playing that one. It’s ancient, we played it back at high school, and I can only remember half of the word to it.”
“The two of you did great. Honest, no one noticed that you didn’t know the lyrics, it looked like you wanted to do it the way you did.” Together the two of them head into the same direction Chris and Steve disappeared in.
“Why are you here?” Jensen can’t help but ask. It’s kind of a mystery to him how Jared found out about the show and how he got to be in Texas in the first place.
“When you wrote that you’ll be in Texas early I decided to make a stop on my way from New York to LA. It’s sheer luck that I get to layover the same night of the show. About the show, I went to the band’s website and saw that they are playing here. It stood to reason that you would be here tonight.” He grins at Jensen, drinking from his bottle. “I tried to give you a call on my way from the airport to the concert, but it was turned off.”
“Yeah, I always do that when I go to a show. I didn’t do it once, and then it started to ring while I was on stage. Embarrassing much.” Jensen’s rueful look has Jared laugh amused, and he drapes his arm around Jensen’s shoulder. It’s a copy of Chris gesture earlier.
They find the band at a table in a corner, groupies and musicians all mixed together. Their approach is greeted with cheers and raised beer bottles. Chris raises his eyebrow at Jensen, nodding in Jared’s direction as if to ask what the other is doing here.
“Hey guys, try to behave for a chance. We got a celebrity in the house tonight. A real one too, not like you guys.” Jensen’s teasing is rewarded with loud protesting by Chris, Steve and the other band members, and an elbow to the side by Jared.
“Who’d have thought that Jared Padalecki would ever come to one of our concerts?” The comment is spoken in jest, but Jensen can see the steel in Chris’s eyes. His friend knows about Jensen’s interest in Jared, and he seems to think it’s his job to make sure that Jensen doesn’t get hurt by Jared.
“It’s actually not the first time that Jared’s been to one of your shows.” Somehow he feels like he’s got to protect his new friend from his old ones. And he wants Chris and Steve to like Jared. It’s important to him that the two of them approve of the actor.
“Is that so?” This time Chris’s voice reflects a little bit of the steel in his eyes.
Thankfully, Steve comes to the rescue. “Take a seat, Jared. You too, Jensen.”
The people around the table move closer together, and then there are two places for him and Jared. Jensen has Jared move in first. He wants to be the one sitting opposite Chris to make sure his friend doesn’t scare Jared off.
“So, where did you see us?” Chris is still watching the newcomer like a hawk, but his tone of voice is neutral again. A small victory at least.
“It’s a couple of years back, and you were in a bar in LA. I think it was called The Salvage Yard.” Jared meets the Chris’s eyes, smiling brightly. If he notices the other’s hostility, he doesn’t let on. “You were great back then, but today was way better. I didn’t know that Jensen can sing.”
The looks he gets make Jensen blush. He looks at the table and takes a long drink from his beer.
“Yeah, Jensen is a real songbird.” Chris seems to like Jared better for the other complimenting Jensen’s singing. Apparently everyone who thinks that Jensen is a good musician is okay in Chris’s book.
“So, what are you doing in Dallas?” Steve’s question has Jared start talking about promotional work in New York, and shooting schedules.
For some time there are stories about the movie Jared’s currently working on. It’s the one he did the Polar boot camp for, and Jensen gets updates about how Chad, Hayden, and the others are doing. When one of the girls at the table asks about how Jared and Jensen know each other, the stories about Alaska start, and soon the whole table is laughing about jokes and pranks they pulled during the boot camp.
Seeing Jared in the midst of his friends has Jensen wanting more. He watches and wishes that this wasn’t a one time deal. But even if Jared shows up at more shows, what Jensen really wants he can’t have. Looking across the table his eyes meet Chris stare, who seems to have been studying for some time.
There’s an indeterminable look on his face. Almost as if he’s not sure what to think. Jensen smiles at him, but the look stays there. A comment on his right has Jensen rejoin the story telling, and he tries his best to ignore Chris.
It’s hours later that Jared announces he has to leave, and Jensen decides that it’s time to go home as well. The excitement of performing, the shock of seeing Jared here, and the alcohol are slowly but steadily catching up to him. If he wants to be able to make it on his own from the cab to the house, he has to go now.
They say their goodbyes, Jared promising that he’ll be there at the next show in LA, and Jensen calls a cab. Outside the night air is cool. It’s not cold but after spending so much time inside the pub, sweating from the heat, the change in temperature feels good.
“So, I was wondering if you’ll have the time to come to LA.” Jared’s eyes are gleaming in the light of the street lamp they are waiting at. “I’m shooting the next two months, and I’ll be nowhere else during that time, that means that whenever you want to you can come and visit.”
Jensen looks straight ahead. He has to go to LA shortly after Mac’s graduation. He’s meeting with David about the two latest projects of Adventure Ecology, but he’s not sure if staying with Jared is such a good idea.
“If you have Dean with you, you can bring him with you as well. I know that Sadie and Harley would love to play with him.” Jared seems to feel his reluctance to accept the offer. “Chad and the others would like to see you again as well.”
Jensen doubts that the other actors have though about him at all. He knows that Jared is trying to make the idea of visiting even more appealing to Jensen. He feels bad about being such a jerk about accepting. Jared seems to really look forward to it.
“Well, since everyone seems to be pining for my person, I can’t deny them my presence, can I?” He winks mischievously at Jared.
“Awesome.” The smiles he receives is almost blinding in its wattage.
“I’m staying in Dallas until Mac’s graduation, but the week after I have a couple of meetings with David in LA. Is that time alright with you?” A week at Jared’s place shouldn’t be too hard.
“It’s perfect.” Jared has this excited puppy air around him once more. The one he got every time they went to take care of the dogs. It’s good to see him so happy.
The cab arrives and takes Jensen home before it drives away, taking Jared to the airport. After another look at the retreating car, Jensen walks up to the front door, and lets himself in. He’s greeted by Dean and the dog smells Jared on his clothes, because he stares at the closed door as if expecting the other human to walk in as well.
“Sorry Dean, you’ll have to wait some more before you can see Jared again.” The words have the dog whine, but when no one opens the front door, he follows Jensen to his room.
Tired he just shrugs out of his clothes and curls up on the bed with Dean climbing in beside him.
continue: Part Two
By Simarillion
Fandom: Supernatural RPS
Universe: Alternative Universe
Rating: PG-13/R (this instalment)
Beta: asm_z
Pairing: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki, Jared Padalecki/Sandra McCoy (mentioned), others
Warnings: slash, M/M
Word Count: 3,340
Summary: Extra! Extra! Read all about it! (Of pictures, and rumours, and beginnings)
Disclaimer: None of the herein presented happenings and events are true. Everything is 100% fiction and that includes the sexuality of the characters. I don’t claim to be in the know about their relations and private affairs, and I don’t make any money with the creation of this story.
Author’s Note: I changed the age of Jensen and Jared, they are the same age now. The plot wouldn’t really work otherwise.
This is part 3 of the Glaciology! ‘verse. Jensen is a scientist in the field of glaciology and he spends most of his time surrounded by ice, whereas Jared is a Hollywood movie star. Prequel to this story are Invisible Glaciers and Iceberg Anatomy.
[ Masterpost]
Part One
Jensen has been in Texas for a full week now. His already planned vacation time started early when he injured his already sprained ankle the first time he took the dogs out after his time off. The ligament didn’t tear, but Jensen was in a lot of pain, make that hellish pain, for two days. It was decided that he should leave the snow and ice behind for something less challenging to maneuver in. So, the States it is, and Texas was only the logical choice, since he wanted to go there a month later anyway.
His parents were ecstatic when he called them about his earlier arrival. From the amount of food he’s been fed, his mum had apparently done nothing else but cook from the time Jensen contacted them, to the time he arrived three days later.
Even Dean, who usually preferred the cold, the snow, and the ice, had been ecstatic about their trip south. The reason for this is most likely to be found in the increased number of human slaves that pet, and scratch and feed him. Jensen has complained more than once about the dog’s shameless behavior, claiming that it gives the impression of him not properly taking care of Dean. The husky couldn’t care less about Jensen’s protests.
In the last seven days, he had mostly spent his time, helping around the house (as far as his mum would let him - with him being injured and all), visiting with his brother and his family (which includes meeting the youngest member of the Ackles family for the first time since she’s started school), mentally support his father with his latest garden shed project, harass his sister with late night phone calls (preferably when her latest boyfriend is around - as are their mum’s orders), and check in with friends.
All of this has kept him somewhat busy, but being used to starting his days at four thirty in the morning and staying up late more often than not, leaves a lot of hours that need filling, now that he’s with his family.
Fortunately he got a call yesterday, from Chris. What Jensen didn’t know is that today Kane is giving a concert in Dallas, in a pub they used to play in when they started out many years ago. Since Jensen is in Texas, and he’s not busy, his presence is mandatory.
So he finds himself anticipating meeting up with his friends, and spending some time away, not eating, or talking about wood panels. That alone guarantees an awesome time.
In the afternoon he takes a shower. The heat is almost unbearable for someone like him who live in the Polar Region. He then tries to iron his clothes for the evening. It stays at trying because the moment his mum sees him starting up the iron, she chases him off, claiming that men don’t know how to do this properly.
Jensen hides out in the kitchen and steals a handful of oatmeal cookies. It’s surprising he wants to eat something even though he’s getting stuffed all day long. Only when his mum declares that she’s finished with his clothes, does he return to the living room.
The rest of the day, he plays with Dean, and at seven he gets ready, heading out half an hour later. Jensen puts his foot down on his mum’s brilliant idea of having his dad drive him to the concert (just in case his foot is still too injured for him to drive himself). Jensen compromises and calls a cab. At least he doesn’t have to worry about parking his car.
The Roadhouse is already pretty full when Jensen arrives. Some of the patrons are here because of the band, some are regulars who come here every night. Chris’ face stares at him from an ample bosomed chest. The young woman proudly presents her shirt and the print on it to everyone who’s interested. Some of the guys are even allowed to touch.
He scans the room and then the stage. People he doesn’t know are setting up the instruments and preparing everything for the gig. It’s strange for Jensen to see the roadies work, because he can still remember the days when they did all of that themselves. No-one to help with anything.
“Look at what the cat dragged in. If it isn’t the snowman.” The sarcastic drawl comes from right behind him, and Jensen turns around grinning. With others he would be more reserved, but with Chris he doesn’t think twice before he wraps his friend in a tight hug.
“Look who’s talking, cowboy. What’s with the weird hair? Someone drag you through the bushes?” He smiles wide. Jensen’s sure he looks like an idiot.
“Fuck you, Ackles.” Chris throws his arm around Jensen’s shoulder after he’s unwrapped them. “Looking forward to singing with us?”
Every time he goes to see Kane play it is the same. Chris will make him go on stage and sing a couple of songs with them. Every time.
“Like you would let me do anything else.” His answer is met with a determined nod, and then Jensen’s steered through the crowd and to the backstage area. Or at least what counts as backstage in this pub. It’s more like the mostly empty storage room. There are a couple of chairs and a table with drinks, placed there in the attempt to make it more comfortable for the musicians.
They find Steve in a corner, strumming his guitar, and singing quietly. Their approach isn’t noticed, and only once Chris claps him on the shoulder, does Steve look up and see the two of them. When his eyes fall onto Jensen he brightens up.
“Jensen!” Steve sets the guitar aside and gets up to hug him. “Good to see you, man.”
“Yeah, good to see you, too.” Jensen means it from the bottom of his heart. Steve and Chris are great friends, and one of the things he regrets, working so far from Texas, and the States, is that he gets to see them only every couple of years.
“Jensen’s gonna sing with us.” The way Chris says it, like it’s the logical thing to do, feels good as well.
“Great.” With that Steve hands Jensen a guitar. “Tune it, and then you can play with us during the rest of the show as well.”
Jensen looks from his friend to the instrument and then to Chris, who just grins, and then back to the guitar. With a shrug he takes it form Steve and sits down next to him. Both of them are strumming their guitars when Chris returns with his own, and then there’s only the sound of them plucking and strumming the strings, playing parts of the songs, mostly to help Jensen remember.
It’s about thirty minutes later that the roadies are returning backstage, giving the all clear for the show. And then Jensen finds himself on stage. There’s a bar stool for him to sit on, so he won’t have to stand on his injured foot for so long. He sits down and starts playing with the rest of the band.
He’s really having a great time, singing in the background, playing the guitar. When Jensen’s making music, and he concentrates on it, he’s most of the time closing his eyes or looking at his guitar. Looking out at strangers while playing makes him too nervous. So, when he looks up after the first half of the show, and seeing a huge figure at the bar, his first thought is that Jared’s here, but then he remembers that the other is in LA, and that he doesn’t know that Jensen’s here.
The next song starts, and he concentrates on the music again, but from then on he can’t help but glance at the giant. The stage lights make it hard for him to recognize any facial features, the brightness having his eyes tear up. Then it’s Jensen’s turn to sing lead, it’s a song Chris wrote especially for the times when Jensen is with them, and he steps to the front.
From this place he can see the mysterious stranger clearly, and he panics for a second, when it turns out that it really is Jared who’s here. He thinks about skipping out on singing, but then Chris claps his shoulder and Steve makes some joke for the crowd, and Jensen uses the time to get his act together.
During the song he carefully avoids looking in Jared’s direction, and focuses at some point straight ahead of him instead. After a couple of minutes it’s over, and he returns to his stool in the back, relieved to be out of the spotlight. Even though he likes singing and playing music, the attention is sometimes a bit too much for him.
There are a couple songs more, and then they wrap the show up. The crowd’s cheering them on, demanding an encore, and Jensen is stupefied when they want to hear him again as well. So Chris sings and then Jensen has to return to the mike at the front. There’s clapping and whistling, and the first cords of a song him and Chris used to play back in high school starts. Adrenaline rushes him when he realizes that he might not remember the whole lyrics, but every time he’s not sure how to continue, Chris just joins in. They sing it like it’s supposed to be a duet.
Their return backstage is accompanied by applause and cheering, and Jensen feels almost drunk on the atmosphere. Never before had performing had such an effect on him. It’s no surprise that Chris and Steve decided to keep on making music after school.
“Jensen my boy, you were a hit.” Chris drapes his arm around him, his skin sweaty just like Jensen’s shirt. “How about you go on tour with us?”
It’s a running joke between them. Every time Jensen plays with the band, Chris will ask him to join them. “Aw, Chris, you sure about that. All the ladies out there will drop your ugly face for me. You know that you’ll stand no chance.”
His friend mock growls at him, and Steve laughs heartily.
“You know, he’s right about that. We’re lucky he’s no regular. We wouldn’t stand a chance of getting any girls with him around. No matter that he’s not interested in them.” Steve’s grinning at them now. “Come on, the two of you. The adoring crowd awaits, and I could really use a beer or two.”
They head back into the pub like that, Steve in the lead and Chris draped around Jensen. The woman with the big breasts makes straight for Chris, and Jensen gets relieved from the hold his friend has on him. The arm goes around her waist, pulling her closer to his side. She preens proudly, and clings to him.
When Jensen looks around, he finds Jared heading towards him. He’s smiling broadly, carrying two bottles of beer. Once he’s with Jensen, he holds one of the Coronas out to him.
“You never told me that you can sing.” Hearing Jared’s voice, and seeing him right in front of him, it feels like something is loosening up inside of Jensen. Like he’s been tense and now that Jared’s here he can let go and relax.
“It’s nothing special. Sometimes I play with Chris and Steve when they are doing a gig.” He takes the offered beer and takes a swig. The cold liquid feels good after singing for so long.
“What are you talking about. You were amazing.” Jared is all dimples as he smiles even wider. “I liked the last song best, the one you and Chris sang together.”
Jensen laughs. “Dude, that song, I wanted to strangle Chris when he started playing that one. It’s ancient, we played it back at high school, and I can only remember half of the word to it.”
“The two of you did great. Honest, no one noticed that you didn’t know the lyrics, it looked like you wanted to do it the way you did.” Together the two of them head into the same direction Chris and Steve disappeared in.
“Why are you here?” Jensen can’t help but ask. It’s kind of a mystery to him how Jared found out about the show and how he got to be in Texas in the first place.
“When you wrote that you’ll be in Texas early I decided to make a stop on my way from New York to LA. It’s sheer luck that I get to layover the same night of the show. About the show, I went to the band’s website and saw that they are playing here. It stood to reason that you would be here tonight.” He grins at Jensen, drinking from his bottle. “I tried to give you a call on my way from the airport to the concert, but it was turned off.”
“Yeah, I always do that when I go to a show. I didn’t do it once, and then it started to ring while I was on stage. Embarrassing much.” Jensen’s rueful look has Jared laugh amused, and he drapes his arm around Jensen’s shoulder. It’s a copy of Chris gesture earlier.
They find the band at a table in a corner, groupies and musicians all mixed together. Their approach is greeted with cheers and raised beer bottles. Chris raises his eyebrow at Jensen, nodding in Jared’s direction as if to ask what the other is doing here.
“Hey guys, try to behave for a chance. We got a celebrity in the house tonight. A real one too, not like you guys.” Jensen’s teasing is rewarded with loud protesting by Chris, Steve and the other band members, and an elbow to the side by Jared.
“Who’d have thought that Jared Padalecki would ever come to one of our concerts?” The comment is spoken in jest, but Jensen can see the steel in Chris’s eyes. His friend knows about Jensen’s interest in Jared, and he seems to think it’s his job to make sure that Jensen doesn’t get hurt by Jared.
“It’s actually not the first time that Jared’s been to one of your shows.” Somehow he feels like he’s got to protect his new friend from his old ones. And he wants Chris and Steve to like Jared. It’s important to him that the two of them approve of the actor.
“Is that so?” This time Chris’s voice reflects a little bit of the steel in his eyes.
Thankfully, Steve comes to the rescue. “Take a seat, Jared. You too, Jensen.”
The people around the table move closer together, and then there are two places for him and Jared. Jensen has Jared move in first. He wants to be the one sitting opposite Chris to make sure his friend doesn’t scare Jared off.
“So, where did you see us?” Chris is still watching the newcomer like a hawk, but his tone of voice is neutral again. A small victory at least.
“It’s a couple of years back, and you were in a bar in LA. I think it was called The Salvage Yard.” Jared meets the Chris’s eyes, smiling brightly. If he notices the other’s hostility, he doesn’t let on. “You were great back then, but today was way better. I didn’t know that Jensen can sing.”
The looks he gets make Jensen blush. He looks at the table and takes a long drink from his beer.
“Yeah, Jensen is a real songbird.” Chris seems to like Jared better for the other complimenting Jensen’s singing. Apparently everyone who thinks that Jensen is a good musician is okay in Chris’s book.
“So, what are you doing in Dallas?” Steve’s question has Jared start talking about promotional work in New York, and shooting schedules.
For some time there are stories about the movie Jared’s currently working on. It’s the one he did the Polar boot camp for, and Jensen gets updates about how Chad, Hayden, and the others are doing. When one of the girls at the table asks about how Jared and Jensen know each other, the stories about Alaska start, and soon the whole table is laughing about jokes and pranks they pulled during the boot camp.
Seeing Jared in the midst of his friends has Jensen wanting more. He watches and wishes that this wasn’t a one time deal. But even if Jared shows up at more shows, what Jensen really wants he can’t have. Looking across the table his eyes meet Chris stare, who seems to have been studying for some time.
There’s an indeterminable look on his face. Almost as if he’s not sure what to think. Jensen smiles at him, but the look stays there. A comment on his right has Jensen rejoin the story telling, and he tries his best to ignore Chris.
It’s hours later that Jared announces he has to leave, and Jensen decides that it’s time to go home as well. The excitement of performing, the shock of seeing Jared here, and the alcohol are slowly but steadily catching up to him. If he wants to be able to make it on his own from the cab to the house, he has to go now.
They say their goodbyes, Jared promising that he’ll be there at the next show in LA, and Jensen calls a cab. Outside the night air is cool. It’s not cold but after spending so much time inside the pub, sweating from the heat, the change in temperature feels good.
“So, I was wondering if you’ll have the time to come to LA.” Jared’s eyes are gleaming in the light of the street lamp they are waiting at. “I’m shooting the next two months, and I’ll be nowhere else during that time, that means that whenever you want to you can come and visit.”
Jensen looks straight ahead. He has to go to LA shortly after Mac’s graduation. He’s meeting with David about the two latest projects of Adventure Ecology, but he’s not sure if staying with Jared is such a good idea.
“If you have Dean with you, you can bring him with you as well. I know that Sadie and Harley would love to play with him.” Jared seems to feel his reluctance to accept the offer. “Chad and the others would like to see you again as well.”
Jensen doubts that the other actors have though about him at all. He knows that Jared is trying to make the idea of visiting even more appealing to Jensen. He feels bad about being such a jerk about accepting. Jared seems to really look forward to it.
“Well, since everyone seems to be pining for my person, I can’t deny them my presence, can I?” He winks mischievously at Jared.
“Awesome.” The smiles he receives is almost blinding in its wattage.
“I’m staying in Dallas until Mac’s graduation, but the week after I have a couple of meetings with David in LA. Is that time alright with you?” A week at Jared’s place shouldn’t be too hard.
“It’s perfect.” Jared has this excited puppy air around him once more. The one he got every time they went to take care of the dogs. It’s good to see him so happy.
The cab arrives and takes Jensen home before it drives away, taking Jared to the airport. After another look at the retreating car, Jensen walks up to the front door, and lets himself in. He’s greeted by Dean and the dog smells Jared on his clothes, because he stares at the closed door as if expecting the other human to walk in as well.
“Sorry Dean, you’ll have to wait some more before you can see Jared again.” The words have the dog whine, but when no one opens the front door, he follows Jensen to his room.
Tired he just shrugs out of his clothes and curls up on the bed with Dean climbing in beside him.
continue: Part Two