(no subject)

[longsufferingly]

Here is some fic for elsewhere_kels! ngl, I will probably write more of this sometime.

Make Me Smile
Jensen Ackles/Danneel Harris, AU, PG. Danneel is having a bad day until an international superstar shows up at work.


Danneel is having the shittiest day.

On her way to the bus, a jerk spilled coffee on her and then told her to watch where she was going, her first class had a pop quiz on a book she swore was due next week, she ran into Riley at lunch and tried to win her back by being an asshole, and her bike got a flat, so now she's late to work.

Jeff is generally understanding, so when she gets in--frazzled, still coffee-stained, and near tears--he tells her to take fifteen on the clock and get herself sorted out.

She has a spare polo in her locker, so she gets changed, and washes her face, feeling marginally more human. She takes a deep breath and tries out a smile in the mirror.

She looks vaguely terrifying with the way her mascara is running, so she goes and raids Sophia's locker for makeup remover.

By the time she's goes out to the floor, she looks human, and she gives Jeff a grin as thanks.

"Just don't spill anything on yourself," says Jeff. "I don't have another shirt for you."

"Thanks, boss," says Danneel. Normally, she likes working at the campus coffee shop. Today, well, she's kind of understandably pissed at hot beverages. She's still craving coffee, though.

"Oh my gosh," says Miranda. "Did you hear?"

Danneel raises her eyebrows. Miranda is sixteen, and really excitable.

"Did Zac finally ask you out?" Danneel teases. "Are you going to prom together?"

"No!" She flushes. "Someone might hear you! He's a senior."

Danneel laughs. It's not their busiest time, and the high school kids don't come in until the evening. Danneel can't imagine any of the five college students care who Miranda has a crush on. "Okay, okay, sorry," she says, putting up her hands. "What should I have heard?"

"Guess who's in town!"

"I'm pretty sure I'm not going to guess."

Miranda looks around, and then leans in close behind the espresso machine. "Jensen Ackles."

Danneel blinks. She's honestly surprised she hadn't heard--she's not putting pictures of Jensen Ackles on her Trapper Keeper like Miranda almost certainly does, but she definitely likes him. Which she knows is cliche, because every girl in the world loves him but--okay, he's hot, sure, but it's more than that. He's kind of adorable, weirdly--bashful and sweet, when he lets himself through.

"What's he doing here?" Danneel asks. She thought he was filming some big budget action movie off in--well, somewhere that isn't a random college town in Connecticut. Usually news like celebrities visiting travels like wildfire here.

"No one knows!" says Miranda, making it sound very mysterious. "Someone saw him this morning."

Danneel rolls her eyes. "Oh, someone saw him this morning. So it must be true." She grins so Miranda knows she's teasing. "Go get me some more French Roast, we're running low."

Miranda salutes and scampers off and Danneel goes to hang out by the register, arranging the cookies so they look like a flower, and then a boat. It's really slow.

"Do you take requests?" someone asks. "Do a horsie!"

Danneel glances up, and then up more. Some giant guy is grinning at her, but not like she just got caught out. Like they're sharing a joke.

"Don't be a dick," says--oh holy shit, there's no way. But the tall guy stands aside, and now that Danneel sees them together she thinks he's a bodyguard, maybe, someone she's seen before, because, yeah, that's Jensen Ackles. And he's smiling at her. "Ignore him," says Jensen Ackles. "He was dropped as a child. Never learned manners."

"Oh screw y'all," says the tall guy. "I'll go grab a table."

Danneel swallows, giving Jensen Ackles her best smile. "I could probably handle a bunny," she says. "If you want."

Jensen Ackles laughs a little, like he's surprised. "I'm good," he says, smiling at her.

"So can I get you guys some coffee?" she asks, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, coffee would be great. Um--something with lots of caramel and sugar and whipped cream for him, and just regular black for me."

"Man after my own heart," says Danneel, grinning. She goes over to the machine to start on the regular. "I've got whatever tooth-rotting frappacino all the high school girls order, how's that sound? Jeff calls it the cavity express. Not in front of customers, of course."

"Perfect," says Jensen Ackles. "He's secretly a thirteen-year-old girl."

Danneel had some coffee on for herself, so she just pours two cups and gives one to Jensen Ackles. "That one'll take longer, you can have a seat and I'll bring it over if you want."

"Nah, I'll wait," he says, leaning against the counter. He watches as she starts on the other drink. "Maybe you can answer a question for me, actually."

"I can try. What is it?"

"Is there anything to do here?" he asks. "Other than go back to the hotel and drink like a loser."

"Bowling alley?"

Jensen wrinkles his nose. "Probably not. I really suck at bowling."

"Movies?"

"That can be a little weird," he admits. "Something a little more--interactive?"

Danneel laughs. "I guess that depends on if you want to get mobbed by college kids. Because I know about a few parties."

Jensen grins. "I'm not really sure that's a good idea." He raps his knuckles lightly on the counter. "I was thinking dinner."

Danneel finishes off the drink and brings it over to Jensen. "Yeah, we've got a lot of decent restaurants. Nothing too fancy, but I could give you recommendations."

Jensen laughs, flushing a little and looking down at the cup of coffee. "No, um--I meant. You could go to dinner with me."

Danneel blinks, feeling her own cheeks heat up.

"Or not," says Jensen. "If you've got a boyfriend, which you probably do, or are busy with having a life, or, you know, whatever."

He's nervous, Danneel realizes, between the endless repetition of holy shit Jensen Ackles is asking me out that's taking over her brain. "I'm single," she says. "And not busy." She pushes her hair behind her ear. "I'm off at seven."

Jensen brightens, giving her a bright, shy smile. "Yeah? Awesome." He laughs a little. "So, um, I'm Jensen."

Danneel smiles, doesn't say I know. "Danneel. Nice to meet you."

Jensen looks at the coffee, and at the table where his bodyguard is sitting, and then glances back up at Danneel. "I should, um. Go over there. And drink my coffee."

Danneel knows she should not be wanting to ruffle Jensen Ackles's hair. Instead she grabs a napkin and jots down her name and number. "Seven," she reminds him. "Call me."

Jensen grins. "Yeah, definitely." He nods to himself. "I'll see you tonight, Danneel."

"Yeah," says Danneel, fighting to play it cool. "Have a good day, Jensen."

And the way Jensen kind of trips over his own feet when she smiles at him on his way back to the table upgrades her day all the way to best ever.