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longsufferinglymoar backstory for the Natalie 'verse, Jared's POV, fml.
"I'll give you ten bucks," is what Jared finally tells Gloria, once I'll be your best friend and I'll love you forever have failed.
Gloria raises her eyebrows. "Ten bucks? To wait one table?"
The guy at table fifteen is, honest to god, the single hottest person Jared has ever seen. Jared doesn't even know how it's possible. And it's not like he thinks that waiting on this table will get him a date, but he's fucking curious. It's his third time in the restaurant and Jared keeps failing to get him seated in his zone. Despite his best efforts.
Therefore, bribery.
"Yes, Jesus. Please?"
"Fine," says Gloria. "That makes up for the awesome tip I'm gonna lose." She looks Jared up and down. "And for the record, he's really polite and has never even hinted at checking me out."
Jared grins. Gloria has amazing legs and a kickass body, so if she's not turning his head, maybe God loves Jared and the guy is gay. "I owe you so much, Gloria," he tells her.
"You owe me ten bucks, you horny moron. Get over there."
Jared's still grinning when he makes it to hot guy's table. He's wearing a nice shirt and slacks, and a tie that he's loosened a little. Up close, he has these amazing eyes and freckles on his nose, and Jared's grin widens. "Hi, I'm Jared, I'll be your server today. Can I get you a drink to start?"
The guy smiles back, a little shyly. "I think I'm all set to order."
"All right," says Jared, dampening his grin a little in an attempt to put the guy at ease. "What can I get you?"
The transaction proceeds pretty much as usual. It's not like Jared was expecting true love and miracles, or anything, but the guy is hot and he definitely checked Jared out a little, and since he's a regular (at least so far), Jared's got a little hope. He pays by credit card, and Jared commits the name--Jensen Ackles--to memory.
Pathetic, yes. But so worth the ten bucks.
*
Jared is coming back from what he thinks was a fairly successful audition and getting changed before dinner with a bunch of friends when he meets Jensen Ackles waiting for the elevator.
"Uh," says Jared. "You're--you go to Davis, right?"
Jensen glances up and flushes. "Yeah. You're--Jared?"
Jared smiles. "That's me, yeah. You live here?"
"Just moved in a few weeks ago," says Jensen, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm Jensen, by the way. Ackles."
"Nice to meet you." He takes in Jensen's attire, the same formal clothes as before, but he's already lost the tie and unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt. "Just getting back from the office?" he guesses.
"Yeah. Exciting night of me and the TV," he says wryly, and then flushes. "I mean, uh."
Jared laughs. "Sounds awesome to me. But, hey, if you're interested in something else, I'm grabbing dinner with some friends. You can join."
Jensen blinks. "Really?"
"Hey, yeah. I mean, being new in town, not knowing anybody, it sucks, right?"
"Yeah, kind of. But I don't wanna impose or--"
"You're not. But I promise I won't be offended if you don't go," says Jared.
"No, that'd be--I'd love to. Let me just go get changed," Jensen offers.
Jensen gets off a floor below Jared, and Jared pumps his fist as soon as the doors close. Life is awesome.
*
As it turns out, Jensen Ackles is not only the hottest guy Jared's ever met, but funny and into most of the sports as Jared, with a wry sense of humor and a love of cheap beer. He seems amenable to the idea of the becoming friends, but it doesn't take a genius to tell that he's skittish about relationships--even platonic ones.
Jared doesn't find out Jensen's deal, his actual this is the bad shit that's happened to me past, for another few months, and when he does Jensen is fucking wasted.
"Wasn't supposed to be like this," says Jensen, to Jared's neck. It's doing bad things to Jared to have Jensen so fucking close.
"Like what?" asks Jared, wrapping an arm around Jensen. Jensen moves closer to him, and Jared can't help a smile.
"Supposed to be done with all the drinking and the," he waves his hand. "Stuff."
"You're not that old," says Jared fondly.
"Married," says Jensen. Jared stiffens, but Jensen doesn't notice. "Got married, should have--supposed to be forever."
"You got divorced?" Jared asks, relaxing slightly.
"Cuz I'm gay," says Jensen morosely. "Should've told you. You don't mind I'm gay, right?"
"Nah," says Jared. "I'm gay too."
"Oh," says Jensen, and Jared can feel his face heating up. "I bet you don't suck at it, though."
Jared thinks about making a dirty joke, but doesn't. "At being gay?"
"Divorce is scary," says Jensen. "Not really ready to be with anybody. And I miss my kids."
"You have kids?" asks Jared. "Do you ever get to see them?"
"Never again," says Jensen blankly. "Never."
"Jesus, I'm--god, I'm sorry."
"Miss 'em a lot," says Jensen. Then, "Like you."
Jared tightens his arm around Jensen. "Yeah, I like you too."
*
"Just stop pussyfooting around and ask him out," says Neil. Neil is Jared's roommate, who knows, like every single other person in the universe (minus Jensen), that Jared is stupid in love.
"I'm going to," says Jared. "Just. When he's ready. I don't want him to feel like he has to date me to keep being my friend, and--never mind! Just, hot guys wink at him in bars and he blushes and runs away. I don't want to be one of them."
Neil rolls his eyes. "What is with you and damaged guys?"
"I don't like him because he's damaged," says Jared, doing finger quotes. "And he's not, okay? I like him, and I don't want to screw it up by pushing him too hard. So I'm waiting."
Neil shrugs. "Then please, get laid while you're waiting. You get cranky, man."
Jared gives him the finger. "All you have to do is ask, sugar."
*
Jensen gets a date almost a year after he first meets Jared.
Jared expects to be jealous about it, but he's not. He's actually really excited. Because Jensen going on a date with someone means that Jensen is now okay with dating. So Jared is in an incredibly good mood from the time Jensen says "Can't tonight, I have a date," to when Jensen comes back and flops on his couch and says, "Man, I suck at this."
"At what?"
"Dating! I forgot how."
Jared grins. "Not fun?"
Jensen shrugs. "Not my type."
"What's your type?" asks Jared, and Jensen blushes a little and looks down.
"Less lame," mutters Jensen, not making eye contact. "Guy couldn't carry on a conversation."
Jared grins. "Wanna have a beer and tell me about it?"
"Yeah, sounds great."
*
After two days, Jared breaks down and asks Jensen out, tripping over his tongue and terrified that Jensen will think their whole friendship is a lie, or something, but he just smiles and says yes.
They go out for Chinese, and Jared walks Jensen back to his apartment, which Jensen declares "pretty smooth."
"You wish you had my skills," says Jared, grinning wildly. He hasn't been able to stop grinning since Jensen said yes.
"Yeah, I'm dying of envy here, Padalecki."
"Had a good time tonight," says Jared. "I was thinking we could do it again sometime."
"You know me, I'm free whenever."
"Except for those other guys you're dating?" says Jared, mostly teasing.
"Yeah, I'm really a player," says Jensen, rolling his eyes.
"Totally." Jared leans a little closer, and Jensen shakes his head.
"You're so subtle," he says, and kisses Jared.
Jared is pretty sure he's in love.
"I'll give you ten bucks," is what Jared finally tells Gloria, once I'll be your best friend and I'll love you forever have failed.
Gloria raises her eyebrows. "Ten bucks? To wait one table?"
The guy at table fifteen is, honest to god, the single hottest person Jared has ever seen. Jared doesn't even know how it's possible. And it's not like he thinks that waiting on this table will get him a date, but he's fucking curious. It's his third time in the restaurant and Jared keeps failing to get him seated in his zone. Despite his best efforts.
Therefore, bribery.
"Yes, Jesus. Please?"
"Fine," says Gloria. "That makes up for the awesome tip I'm gonna lose." She looks Jared up and down. "And for the record, he's really polite and has never even hinted at checking me out."
Jared grins. Gloria has amazing legs and a kickass body, so if she's not turning his head, maybe God loves Jared and the guy is gay. "I owe you so much, Gloria," he tells her.
"You owe me ten bucks, you horny moron. Get over there."
Jared's still grinning when he makes it to hot guy's table. He's wearing a nice shirt and slacks, and a tie that he's loosened a little. Up close, he has these amazing eyes and freckles on his nose, and Jared's grin widens. "Hi, I'm Jared, I'll be your server today. Can I get you a drink to start?"
The guy smiles back, a little shyly. "I think I'm all set to order."
"All right," says Jared, dampening his grin a little in an attempt to put the guy at ease. "What can I get you?"
The transaction proceeds pretty much as usual. It's not like Jared was expecting true love and miracles, or anything, but the guy is hot and he definitely checked Jared out a little, and since he's a regular (at least so far), Jared's got a little hope. He pays by credit card, and Jared commits the name--Jensen Ackles--to memory.
Pathetic, yes. But so worth the ten bucks.
*
Jared is coming back from what he thinks was a fairly successful audition and getting changed before dinner with a bunch of friends when he meets Jensen Ackles waiting for the elevator.
"Uh," says Jared. "You're--you go to Davis, right?"
Jensen glances up and flushes. "Yeah. You're--Jared?"
Jared smiles. "That's me, yeah. You live here?"
"Just moved in a few weeks ago," says Jensen, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm Jensen, by the way. Ackles."
"Nice to meet you." He takes in Jensen's attire, the same formal clothes as before, but he's already lost the tie and unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt. "Just getting back from the office?" he guesses.
"Yeah. Exciting night of me and the TV," he says wryly, and then flushes. "I mean, uh."
Jared laughs. "Sounds awesome to me. But, hey, if you're interested in something else, I'm grabbing dinner with some friends. You can join."
Jensen blinks. "Really?"
"Hey, yeah. I mean, being new in town, not knowing anybody, it sucks, right?"
"Yeah, kind of. But I don't wanna impose or--"
"You're not. But I promise I won't be offended if you don't go," says Jared.
"No, that'd be--I'd love to. Let me just go get changed," Jensen offers.
Jensen gets off a floor below Jared, and Jared pumps his fist as soon as the doors close. Life is awesome.
*
As it turns out, Jensen Ackles is not only the hottest guy Jared's ever met, but funny and into most of the sports as Jared, with a wry sense of humor and a love of cheap beer. He seems amenable to the idea of the becoming friends, but it doesn't take a genius to tell that he's skittish about relationships--even platonic ones.
Jared doesn't find out Jensen's deal, his actual this is the bad shit that's happened to me past, for another few months, and when he does Jensen is fucking wasted.
"Wasn't supposed to be like this," says Jensen, to Jared's neck. It's doing bad things to Jared to have Jensen so fucking close.
"Like what?" asks Jared, wrapping an arm around Jensen. Jensen moves closer to him, and Jared can't help a smile.
"Supposed to be done with all the drinking and the," he waves his hand. "Stuff."
"You're not that old," says Jared fondly.
"Married," says Jensen. Jared stiffens, but Jensen doesn't notice. "Got married, should have--supposed to be forever."
"You got divorced?" Jared asks, relaxing slightly.
"Cuz I'm gay," says Jensen morosely. "Should've told you. You don't mind I'm gay, right?"
"Nah," says Jared. "I'm gay too."
"Oh," says Jensen, and Jared can feel his face heating up. "I bet you don't suck at it, though."
Jared thinks about making a dirty joke, but doesn't. "At being gay?"
"Divorce is scary," says Jensen. "Not really ready to be with anybody. And I miss my kids."
"You have kids?" asks Jared. "Do you ever get to see them?"
"Never again," says Jensen blankly. "Never."
"Jesus, I'm--god, I'm sorry."
"Miss 'em a lot," says Jensen. Then, "Like you."
Jared tightens his arm around Jensen. "Yeah, I like you too."
*
"Just stop pussyfooting around and ask him out," says Neil. Neil is Jared's roommate, who knows, like every single other person in the universe (minus Jensen), that Jared is stupid in love.
"I'm going to," says Jared. "Just. When he's ready. I don't want him to feel like he has to date me to keep being my friend, and--never mind! Just, hot guys wink at him in bars and he blushes and runs away. I don't want to be one of them."
Neil rolls his eyes. "What is with you and damaged guys?"
"I don't like him because he's damaged," says Jared, doing finger quotes. "And he's not, okay? I like him, and I don't want to screw it up by pushing him too hard. So I'm waiting."
Neil shrugs. "Then please, get laid while you're waiting. You get cranky, man."
Jared gives him the finger. "All you have to do is ask, sugar."
*
Jensen gets a date almost a year after he first meets Jared.
Jared expects to be jealous about it, but he's not. He's actually really excited. Because Jensen going on a date with someone means that Jensen is now okay with dating. So Jared is in an incredibly good mood from the time Jensen says "Can't tonight, I have a date," to when Jensen comes back and flops on his couch and says, "Man, I suck at this."
"At what?"
"Dating! I forgot how."
Jared grins. "Not fun?"
Jensen shrugs. "Not my type."
"What's your type?" asks Jared, and Jensen blushes a little and looks down.
"Less lame," mutters Jensen, not making eye contact. "Guy couldn't carry on a conversation."
Jared grins. "Wanna have a beer and tell me about it?"
"Yeah, sounds great."
*
After two days, Jared breaks down and asks Jensen out, tripping over his tongue and terrified that Jensen will think their whole friendship is a lie, or something, but he just smiles and says yes.
They go out for Chinese, and Jared walks Jensen back to his apartment, which Jensen declares "pretty smooth."
"You wish you had my skills," says Jared, grinning wildly. He hasn't been able to stop grinning since Jensen said yes.
"Yeah, I'm dying of envy here, Padalecki."
"Had a good time tonight," says Jared. "I was thinking we could do it again sometime."
"You know me, I'm free whenever."
"Except for those other guys you're dating?" says Jared, mostly teasing.
"Yeah, I'm really a player," says Jensen, rolling his eyes.
"Totally." Jared leans a little closer, and Jensen shakes his head.
"You're so subtle," he says, and kisses Jared.
Jared is pretty sure he's in love.
