Muffins 'verse | #01; Muffins, Coffee and Chemo
Title: Muffins, Coffee and Chemo
Author: cocoplumb
Beta: moviegeek03
Rating: PG-13
Genre: pre-slash. Jensen/Jared. sick!Jensen.
Warnings: cancer.
Word Count: 2000+
Summary: Jensen and Jared crash into each other outside a coffee shop, they go inside and eat muffins. At some point, Jared asks Jensen out, except Jensen’s not so sure a chemo lounge is the greatest place for a first date.
Notes: I am so very out of practise and I can barely remember writing this it was that long ago. But I'm in need of an ego boost this evening, so I posted it on a whim *bites nails.*
It was possibly the lamest thing Jared has ever done for attention. The lamest thing he’s ever done period. Crashing into some random dude in the middle of the street so deliberately like he did. The man was just that gorgeous though, just that eye-catching. Jared’s humility was totally worth it. The guy wouldn’t have given him the time of day otherwise.
“Oh, my God…I’m so sorry. Man, I’m such a klutz.” Jared bent down to help the man with his books.
He hadn’t meant to bump into him that hard.
“It’s okay,” the man muttered in return, on his hands and knees, in a friggin’ puddle, picking up his pen from the sidewalk while Jared collected the bookmark that had fallen out of one of the books.
Okay, yeah, this was really bad.
“I should buy you a coffee or something to make this up to you,” Jared said, eyeing the coffee shop on the other side of the street.
“Oh, no, it’s not problem, man. Honestly, it’s fine. I’m fine,” the man held his hand out to take the books back from Jared, who held onto them just a little more firmly, not wanting to give them up. God, this man was even more gorgeous up close. His piercing green eyes, his strong -if slightly boney- jaw, the freckles against his pale skin.
“Please, just a quick coffee? Just to get out of this cold for a little while.” Jared could see the man’s small shivers under his black hoodie and matching beanie. Jared gave him his best puppy dog eyes and chewed on his bottom lip.
“Um…” the man looked behind Jared’s head into the distance, his expression clearly showing he was trying to search for some kind of excuse. Lucky for Jared, he couldn’t seem to find one. “Okay, just a quick coffee.”
Jared grinned. “Awesome!” He all but threw his fist in the air. Probably would have done so if his hands weren’t full with the man’s books. “I’m Jared, by the way.”
“Jensen.” Jensen stepped to take his books from Jared once again.
“I’ve got these,” he said with a smile, holding them to his chest and let Jensen lead the way across the road to the coffee shop.
Jensen held the door for him and Jared held his tongue at the urge to joke, ‘Such a gentleman.’ Or something even more stupid.
They found two seats easily, on the couch in the back of the shop and there was even a table where Jared could set down Jensen’s books, not so smoothly.
“I think I made you lose your page,” Jared admitted with a sheepish look, pulling out the leather bookmark he’d stuffed in his pocket.
Jensen waved a hand at him. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve read them all about a million times; not really sure why I even bother with that bookmark,” he commented, taking it from Jared with a light chuckle.
Jared huffed a nervous laugh himself. “So um…I’ll get the drinks, what do you want?”
“Bottle of water is totally fine.”
“Come on, man. I got your books and your knees all wet.” Jared glanced at Jensen’s soggy jeans. “The least I can do is buy you is a soda.”
Jensen shook his head. “I like water. As long as I get a straw,” he smirked.
“Really? Just water?” Jared wasn’t judging. It was just slightly odd coming into a coffee shop for coffee and then choosing to drink water.
“Really,” Jensen smiled. “Thanks.”
Jared tapped the table and left to line up in the queue. It was pretty empty in the shop, so Jared didn’t have to wait all that long to be served. He ordered himself a vanilla latte, Jensen a bottle of water -reluctantly- and requested a straw, and an umbrella, which was kind of stupid because it wasn’t a cocktail bar.
Though surprisingly, when his orders came on the tray, there was a tiny yellow paper umbrella poking out of the opened bottle of water, as well as a multicolored straw. Jared chuckled. It looked like he had a small toddler waiting for him.
“Can I have two of these too?” he asked, picking up two cherry muffins from the basket on the counter.
Jared paid, telling the woman behind the register to keep the change. He picked up the tray and steadily walked to the back corner of the shop where Jensen was waiting, slumped on the furthest couch seat, his beanie head resting on the cool wall. Jared wondered if the man was getting over the flu that had been going around. He looked exhausted.
“One water, one straw, and because I’m so awesome-”
“A paper umbrella?” Jensen sat up from the wall and chuckled.
“Yup.” Jared set the tray down on the table next to the now neatly piled books in front of Jensen. “I got you a muffin too, I don’t know if you like cherries but, they looked good.”
“Oh…” Jensen glanced at the muffins and turned an odd shade of white meets green. He pressed his lips together and made a face Jared didn’t understand.
Jared’s eyes flooded with panic. “Oh, God, you’re allergic aren’t you?”
“No, no,” Jensen laughed, waving his hands at Jared. “It’s great, thank you. They look…real good.” He picked up the muffin closest to him and ripped open the plastic. Jensen took a tentative bite and chewed for not very long before swallowing.
Jared chuckled and forced himself to stop staring like a creep. There was a fine line between gazing and stalking. “Christ, I thought I killed you for a second there.” He took the seat beside Jensen and shuffled into the cushions. Jared picked up his mug and looked at the pile of books again. He didn’t recognize any of the titles, but they all sounded hardcore. “So are you an English major or something?"
“Um…”Jensen picked up his water, carefully directing the straw between his lips.
What Jared would give to press his mouth to-
“No, I just like to read. I have a lot of spare time I guess,” Jensen shrugged.
“What do you do?” Jared asked, leaning closer.
“I was…um...nothing right now. Taking some time off, ya know?” Jensen glanced down at the table with a shy look.
Jared wondered what it would be like to be able to do just blow off work and do nothing for a few months. “Sounds like heaven.”
“Yeah…” Jensen’s voice faded. He picked off a bit of the muffin and shoved it in his mouth, chewing more carefully than he had been. “What do you do?” Jensen asked, perking his voice up some.
“I’m a lifeguard,” he said with confidence.
“Where?”
“At the gym.”
Jensen eyed him. “There isn’t a pool at the gym,” he said with hesitance.
“No, the other gym,” Jared nodded his head.
“There is no other gym.” Jensen was silent for a moment, nibbling the muffin. “You’re totally yanking my chain you jackass. Seriously, what do you do?” Jensen’s eyes narrowed and his expression brightened.
Jared chuckled. “Don’t laugh,” he held a finger up warning Jensen.
Jensen held both hands up. “I won’t laugh.”
“I’m …I’m a pathetic temp,” Jared said, bowing his head. His neck heated up suddenly. “You said you wouldn’t laugh!”
Jensen’s cheeks flushed a healthy shade of pink. “I’m sorry, you tell a guy not to laugh at something and he’s gonna laugh.”
“It’s not funny!” Jared insisted. “I have to fill in for people not knowing if I'll have a job tomorrow or not and everyone at my current place hates me, I might end up as a garbage man next week completely out of the blue or working in some old folks home cleaning the toilets but I have no choice not to do it I swear the temp agency hate their staff.
Jensen bent over, shaking his head and his laughter was starting to grab other customers’ attention.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. That was…insensitive of me,” he said with a snort, trying to contain himself but failing as he covered his mouth and laughed quietly into the palm of his hand.
“I’ll let it slide, on the count that you look cute when you laugh,” Jared told him.
Jensen blushed then distractedly went back to nibbling his muffin with a small smile.
Jared took a breath. Here goes nothing.
“Do you wanna go out on a date? Like, a real date, next week?” Jared asked, hopeful.
Jensen’s shoulders sank a fraction and his smile disappeared. “Listen, Jared, I really appreciate this, but…you don’t want to date me.” His laugh this time was dark and lifeless.
“Shouldn’t I be the one deciding that?” Jared said. “Next week, any day, name it and I’m there.”
“Jared, I’m pretty busy next week. I’ll be…I’ll be in the hospital.” Before Jared could even think of something to say, Jensen muttered quietly, “Jared, I have cancer.”
Jared’s mouth dried in an instant. He had to peal his tongue from the roof of his mouth to let out the, “Oh…” he felt obliged to.
Jensen continued, not looking at anything but the ground. “I’m having chemo, I’m bald. Everything makes me puke, I’m sore everywhere, I look like a friggin’ eighty year old on a good day.” Jensen sagged. “You can run away screaming now. Go on, I’m used to it. I’ll be okay. Go,” he said softly, like he was lulling a cat to shoo.
Jared was quiet for a moment; they both were. He looked at the door, considering making a run for it like Jensen suggested. Until he realized he didn’t want to leave. He didn’t want to be shooed away. Jensen was a nice guy, he was handsome, and he was sweet. Not to mention he was the first person in nine months who willingly sat down to have coffee with Jared.
Jensen looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him and Jared wasn’t sure what he wanted, but he knew one thing; he really wanted a real date with Jensen.
“Hospital next week you say?” Jared rubbed his chin. “I think we can make it work. I can bring popsicles. I can sit with you. And I can totally hold your hair back while you puke. It’ll be a great date,” he smiled.
Jensen looked up at him as though he’d lost his mind. “Didn’t you just hear me? I said I was bald. Chemo, cancer. I have no hair to hold back. Who the hell would wanna date me?”
Jared grinned. “I do. So suck it up. What day and time should I meet you?”
“I…uh…” Jensen shook his head.
“Monday it is,” Jared said without a hesitation. “Hospital appointments always start early right? So…eight A.M.?”
“Nine,” Jensen croaked.
“Nine it is then. Should I meet you there with the popsicles or pick you up? Wait, if we’re gonna do this date right, I’m picking you up. Where do you live?”
Jensen’s face was still a void of confusion and…that thing Jared still didn’t understand. “You can’t be serious?”
“Deadly. Oh, crap, is it offensive to say ‘deadly’ to a cancer patient?” Jared scratched his chin again.
Jensen started laughing softly, his face full of disbelief. “I’ve never met anyone like you before. You’re serious? You’re gonna come for a date in a hospital and hold my hair back while I puke?”
Jared patted the top of Jensen’s beanie. “You don’t have hair, Jensen.” He rolled his eyes and gave Jensen a look of mock annoyance.
Jensen laughed again, deeper this time. “You’re the strangest person I’ve ever met.”
Jared beamed. “Is that a yes?”
Jensen took a breath, looking at Jared for real. His gaze wavered just slightly, before he said, “It’s a yes.” Before groaning, “This is gonna be the worst date in history.”
“Or the best.” Jared winked.
The End.
> 02#: Second Date
Author: cocoplumb
Beta: moviegeek03
Rating: PG-13
Genre: pre-slash. Jensen/Jared. sick!Jensen.
Warnings: cancer.
Word Count: 2000+
Summary: Jensen and Jared crash into each other outside a coffee shop, they go inside and eat muffins. At some point, Jared asks Jensen out, except Jensen’s not so sure a chemo lounge is the greatest place for a first date.
Notes: I am so very out of practise and I can barely remember writing this it was that long ago. But I'm in need of an ego boost this evening, so I posted it on a whim *bites nails.*
It was possibly the lamest thing Jared has ever done for attention. The lamest thing he’s ever done period. Crashing into some random dude in the middle of the street so deliberately like he did. The man was just that gorgeous though, just that eye-catching. Jared’s humility was totally worth it. The guy wouldn’t have given him the time of day otherwise.
“Oh, my God…I’m so sorry. Man, I’m such a klutz.” Jared bent down to help the man with his books.
He hadn’t meant to bump into him that hard.
“It’s okay,” the man muttered in return, on his hands and knees, in a friggin’ puddle, picking up his pen from the sidewalk while Jared collected the bookmark that had fallen out of one of the books.
Okay, yeah, this was really bad.
“I should buy you a coffee or something to make this up to you,” Jared said, eyeing the coffee shop on the other side of the street.
“Oh, no, it’s not problem, man. Honestly, it’s fine. I’m fine,” the man held his hand out to take the books back from Jared, who held onto them just a little more firmly, not wanting to give them up. God, this man was even more gorgeous up close. His piercing green eyes, his strong -if slightly boney- jaw, the freckles against his pale skin.
“Please, just a quick coffee? Just to get out of this cold for a little while.” Jared could see the man’s small shivers under his black hoodie and matching beanie. Jared gave him his best puppy dog eyes and chewed on his bottom lip.
“Um…” the man looked behind Jared’s head into the distance, his expression clearly showing he was trying to search for some kind of excuse. Lucky for Jared, he couldn’t seem to find one. “Okay, just a quick coffee.”
Jared grinned. “Awesome!” He all but threw his fist in the air. Probably would have done so if his hands weren’t full with the man’s books. “I’m Jared, by the way.”
“Jensen.” Jensen stepped to take his books from Jared once again.
“I’ve got these,” he said with a smile, holding them to his chest and let Jensen lead the way across the road to the coffee shop.
Jensen held the door for him and Jared held his tongue at the urge to joke, ‘Such a gentleman.’ Or something even more stupid.
They found two seats easily, on the couch in the back of the shop and there was even a table where Jared could set down Jensen’s books, not so smoothly.
“I think I made you lose your page,” Jared admitted with a sheepish look, pulling out the leather bookmark he’d stuffed in his pocket.
Jensen waved a hand at him. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve read them all about a million times; not really sure why I even bother with that bookmark,” he commented, taking it from Jared with a light chuckle.
Jared huffed a nervous laugh himself. “So um…I’ll get the drinks, what do you want?”
“Bottle of water is totally fine.”
“Come on, man. I got your books and your knees all wet.” Jared glanced at Jensen’s soggy jeans. “The least I can do is buy you is a soda.”
Jensen shook his head. “I like water. As long as I get a straw,” he smirked.
“Really? Just water?” Jared wasn’t judging. It was just slightly odd coming into a coffee shop for coffee and then choosing to drink water.
“Really,” Jensen smiled. “Thanks.”
Jared tapped the table and left to line up in the queue. It was pretty empty in the shop, so Jared didn’t have to wait all that long to be served. He ordered himself a vanilla latte, Jensen a bottle of water -reluctantly- and requested a straw, and an umbrella, which was kind of stupid because it wasn’t a cocktail bar.
Though surprisingly, when his orders came on the tray, there was a tiny yellow paper umbrella poking out of the opened bottle of water, as well as a multicolored straw. Jared chuckled. It looked like he had a small toddler waiting for him.
“Can I have two of these too?” he asked, picking up two cherry muffins from the basket on the counter.
Jared paid, telling the woman behind the register to keep the change. He picked up the tray and steadily walked to the back corner of the shop where Jensen was waiting, slumped on the furthest couch seat, his beanie head resting on the cool wall. Jared wondered if the man was getting over the flu that had been going around. He looked exhausted.
“One water, one straw, and because I’m so awesome-”
“A paper umbrella?” Jensen sat up from the wall and chuckled.
“Yup.” Jared set the tray down on the table next to the now neatly piled books in front of Jensen. “I got you a muffin too, I don’t know if you like cherries but, they looked good.”
“Oh…” Jensen glanced at the muffins and turned an odd shade of white meets green. He pressed his lips together and made a face Jared didn’t understand.
Jared’s eyes flooded with panic. “Oh, God, you’re allergic aren’t you?”
“No, no,” Jensen laughed, waving his hands at Jared. “It’s great, thank you. They look…real good.” He picked up the muffin closest to him and ripped open the plastic. Jensen took a tentative bite and chewed for not very long before swallowing.
Jared chuckled and forced himself to stop staring like a creep. There was a fine line between gazing and stalking. “Christ, I thought I killed you for a second there.” He took the seat beside Jensen and shuffled into the cushions. Jared picked up his mug and looked at the pile of books again. He didn’t recognize any of the titles, but they all sounded hardcore. “So are you an English major or something?"
“Um…”Jensen picked up his water, carefully directing the straw between his lips.
What Jared would give to press his mouth to-
“No, I just like to read. I have a lot of spare time I guess,” Jensen shrugged.
“What do you do?” Jared asked, leaning closer.
“I was…um...nothing right now. Taking some time off, ya know?” Jensen glanced down at the table with a shy look.
Jared wondered what it would be like to be able to do just blow off work and do nothing for a few months. “Sounds like heaven.”
“Yeah…” Jensen’s voice faded. He picked off a bit of the muffin and shoved it in his mouth, chewing more carefully than he had been. “What do you do?” Jensen asked, perking his voice up some.
“I’m a lifeguard,” he said with confidence.
“Where?”
“At the gym.”
Jensen eyed him. “There isn’t a pool at the gym,” he said with hesitance.
“No, the other gym,” Jared nodded his head.
“There is no other gym.” Jensen was silent for a moment, nibbling the muffin. “You’re totally yanking my chain you jackass. Seriously, what do you do?” Jensen’s eyes narrowed and his expression brightened.
Jared chuckled. “Don’t laugh,” he held a finger up warning Jensen.
Jensen held both hands up. “I won’t laugh.”
“I’m …I’m a pathetic temp,” Jared said, bowing his head. His neck heated up suddenly. “You said you wouldn’t laugh!”
Jensen’s cheeks flushed a healthy shade of pink. “I’m sorry, you tell a guy not to laugh at something and he’s gonna laugh.”
“It’s not funny!” Jared insisted. “I have to fill in for people not knowing if I'll have a job tomorrow or not and everyone at my current place hates me, I might end up as a garbage man next week completely out of the blue or working in some old folks home cleaning the toilets but I have no choice not to do it I swear the temp agency hate their staff.
Jensen bent over, shaking his head and his laughter was starting to grab other customers’ attention.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. That was…insensitive of me,” he said with a snort, trying to contain himself but failing as he covered his mouth and laughed quietly into the palm of his hand.
“I’ll let it slide, on the count that you look cute when you laugh,” Jared told him.
Jensen blushed then distractedly went back to nibbling his muffin with a small smile.
Jared took a breath. Here goes nothing.
“Do you wanna go out on a date? Like, a real date, next week?” Jared asked, hopeful.
Jensen’s shoulders sank a fraction and his smile disappeared. “Listen, Jared, I really appreciate this, but…you don’t want to date me.” His laugh this time was dark and lifeless.
“Shouldn’t I be the one deciding that?” Jared said. “Next week, any day, name it and I’m there.”
“Jared, I’m pretty busy next week. I’ll be…I’ll be in the hospital.” Before Jared could even think of something to say, Jensen muttered quietly, “Jared, I have cancer.”
Jared’s mouth dried in an instant. He had to peal his tongue from the roof of his mouth to let out the, “Oh…” he felt obliged to.
Jensen continued, not looking at anything but the ground. “I’m having chemo, I’m bald. Everything makes me puke, I’m sore everywhere, I look like a friggin’ eighty year old on a good day.” Jensen sagged. “You can run away screaming now. Go on, I’m used to it. I’ll be okay. Go,” he said softly, like he was lulling a cat to shoo.
Jared was quiet for a moment; they both were. He looked at the door, considering making a run for it like Jensen suggested. Until he realized he didn’t want to leave. He didn’t want to be shooed away. Jensen was a nice guy, he was handsome, and he was sweet. Not to mention he was the first person in nine months who willingly sat down to have coffee with Jared.
Jensen looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him and Jared wasn’t sure what he wanted, but he knew one thing; he really wanted a real date with Jensen.
“Hospital next week you say?” Jared rubbed his chin. “I think we can make it work. I can bring popsicles. I can sit with you. And I can totally hold your hair back while you puke. It’ll be a great date,” he smiled.
Jensen looked up at him as though he’d lost his mind. “Didn’t you just hear me? I said I was bald. Chemo, cancer. I have no hair to hold back. Who the hell would wanna date me?”
Jared grinned. “I do. So suck it up. What day and time should I meet you?”
“I…uh…” Jensen shook his head.
“Monday it is,” Jared said without a hesitation. “Hospital appointments always start early right? So…eight A.M.?”
“Nine,” Jensen croaked.
“Nine it is then. Should I meet you there with the popsicles or pick you up? Wait, if we’re gonna do this date right, I’m picking you up. Where do you live?”
Jensen’s face was still a void of confusion and…that thing Jared still didn’t understand. “You can’t be serious?”
“Deadly. Oh, crap, is it offensive to say ‘deadly’ to a cancer patient?” Jared scratched his chin again.
Jensen started laughing softly, his face full of disbelief. “I’ve never met anyone like you before. You’re serious? You’re gonna come for a date in a hospital and hold my hair back while I puke?”
Jared patted the top of Jensen’s beanie. “You don’t have hair, Jensen.” He rolled his eyes and gave Jensen a look of mock annoyance.
Jensen laughed again, deeper this time. “You’re the strangest person I’ve ever met.”
Jared beamed. “Is that a yes?”
Jensen took a breath, looking at Jared for real. His gaze wavered just slightly, before he said, “It’s a yes.” Before groaning, “This is gonna be the worst date in history.”
“Or the best.” Jared winked.
The End.
> 02#: Second Date