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longsufferingly) wrote2010-02-28 08:13 pm
longsufferingly) wrote2010-02-28 08:13 pm
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So, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sadcypress was e-mailing me, and decided that she wanted fic based on the gmail theme we both happen to use, Teahouse. Which is pretty much the adorable adventures of a little fox who lives at a teahouse and spends his time playing flute for ducklings and practicing calligraphy and having tea with his friend the monkey. So she wanted fic where Jensen was the lonely fox and Jared was his friend the monkey, for whom he pined. And I clearly have trouble saying no to her, because here we are.
The Morning I've Never Seen
J2, 1500 words, G. In which Jensen is possibly a monk, Jared is definitely the love of his life, and they both might be animals, I guess I never specify.
The key to life, Jensen has discovered, is keeping busy.
It's not like he doesn't have enough to do. There are peaches to be picked and gardens to be weeded and ever since their mother abandoned them, those ducks won't stop coming around and trying to take up residence in his birdbath.
Just because he's alone doesn't mean he's lonely.
Plus, there are all the scrolls to read and sometimes pilgrims come looking for wisdom. Jensen has a rich and full life. He's always been happy, if a little--quiet.
He's important. His calligraphy is almost flawless.
So it's ridiculous that he feels like his whole life centers around tea time.
*
On Tuesdays, Mrs. Morgan comes up from town and brings him food and takes the calligraphy he's done for her. Before Jared moved in, she was the only person he ever saw regularly.
"You're looking thin," she tells him, patting his stomach. "I should bring you more next week. Don't tell me that boy's eating all your food."
"He's not," says Jensen. He looks through the box--extra steamed buns, just like he asked. "I'm fine."
She clucks her tongue. "I don't like you being all alone up here."
Jensen shrugs. "Living like a monk isn't just a saying, you know."
"Well, still."
"Thanks, Mrs. Morgan. I'll see you next week."
*
Jensen starts getting ready for tea at three-thirty every day, although he never boils the water until four. He gets everything together, painstakingly arranges the steamed buns and the teapot, makes sure everything is perfect for when Jared arrives.
He sits on the table and plays his flute for the ducks as soon as he's done, just so it won't look like he's waiting.
Jared is always late, and always apologizes.
"I ran into Julie on the way in and she needed help bringing her cart down the road," he'll say, or, "Man, you look at the clouds today? There was one that looked just like my mama. Totally amazing."
Jensen had a life before Jared. He just doesn't think about it much.
*
Jared moved in a few months ago. He came over the first day with a big box of daifuku and introduced himself.
"Hey, my name's Jared, I just moved in down the road."
Jensen didn't remember the last time he met someone who wasn't just passing by. "How far down?" he asks. There's nothing but mountain and trees as far as they eye can see.
"About a mile," says Jared. He gave Jensen a big grin. "You gonna tell me your name, or should I just call you the Mountain Monk or something?"
Jensen bit his lip. "Jensen. Nice to meet you." He accepted the daifuku and realized that, if he didn't say anything, Jared would probably go. "I was just going to have tea. Would you like some?"
Jared flashed another grin. "I'd love some."
And he just kept coming back.
*
On Wednesday, Jared shows up at quarter of four, when the ducks are trying to peck Jensen's feet into oblivion, like they have something against him playing the flute.
"I think they don't like the music," he hears Jared say. "Maybe something a little more upbeat."
Jensen stands up so fast he nearly kicks one of the ducklings. "Jared!"
"Hey," says Jared.
"You're early," says Jensen, kind of dumbly. He's usually had more time to prepare himself to see Jared.
"It happens sometimes."
"It never has before."
"Oh," says Jared. "Well. I always leave the same time. Just usually something happens." He holds out a box of daifuku with a grin. "Thanks for having me."
Jensen smirks back. "You didn't have to." He always says it, and Jared always brings daifuku. It's nice. "Come on in."
Jared follows him inside, and Jensen flushes. "The tea's not quite ready--you can wait upstairs while I finish."
"No, it's all right," says Jared, leaning against the wall. It's a small room and every time Jensen moves, he can't help reassessing how close he and Jared are. "Can I help?"
"No, it's fine," says Jensen.
Jared looks around, and Jensen realizes he's never spent that long in this room before. He watches out of the corner of his eye as he goes over to inspect one of the scrolls on the wall--long life and prosperity.
"I always wondered," says Jared. "Why did you become a monk?"
"I didn't want to get married," says Jensen, focusing on the whisking the tea. "So."
"Mm," says Jared. "Do you like it?"
I used to, Jensen thinks.
"It's all right," he says.
"I'd get so lonely up here!" says Jared, laughing. "I don't know how you don't go crazy."
"I've got you," says Jensen, before he can stop himself.
"Yeah," says Jared. "But that's not enough."
Jensen keeps whisking the tea.
*
Jensen never actually declared himself to be a monk. It's just that if you live all alone in the mountains, people assume that you're a monk, and start thinking you have wisdom. The first time a pilgrim showed up, Jensen just made him some tea and gave him some peaches and sent him on his way.
Now, he's better at it.
"What do you seek?" he asks the pilgrim of the day. One of the ducks quacks irritably at him, which doesn't really help the wisdom-of-the-ages routine.
"I need advice," says the pilgrim.
"Tell me of your troubles," says Jensen. He feels like a douche, but people expect monks to be dignified.
Of course, the ducks are still pecking him, so it's not really an ideal situation for dignity.
"My family wishes me to marry a woman I do not love. What should I do?"
Jensen looks down at his broom. "You can't make others happy unless you are happy yourself," he says finally.
Sometimes, he feels like he hasn't learned anything at all.
*
The first thing Jensen does when he wakes up is sweep the path outside his house. Then he goes into the orchard to pick peaches, and he eats those for breakfast.
He's resigned himself to throwing some crumbs to the ducks on his way over. It seems that he's stuck with them.
When he comes back from the orchard, Jared is sitting on his front steps. The ducks are paying attention to him.
Jensen stares for a long minute. "You're early," he says.
"Well," says Jared, standing up, "if I'm not doing much of anything, and you're not doing much of anything, it seems silly not to do nothing together."
"Oh," says Jensen.
"But I can leave," says Jared. "If you want."
"I've never seen where you live," Jensen blurts out accidentally.
Jared smiles. "It isn't too far. Want to see?"
*
It's a nice day, too early for it to be getting hot yet. Jared walks with his hands laced behind his head, and talks about whatever comes to mind. Jensen can't remember the last time he heard so much of another person's voice.
When they get to the edge of the orchard, Jensen falters.
"What?" asks Jared, turning around.
Jensen makes sure he steps forward before he answers. "I just--haven't left in a while."
"You can, though, right? I'm not making you break your vows, am I?"
"I never took any vows," says Jensen.
Jared looks surprised. "You didn't?"
"I'm not really a monk. Just--someone who lives alone in a house in the mountains and likes calligraphy."
"Oh," says Jared. "I just thought--"
"Everyone always does," says Jensen. "But, no. I'm just--"
"Weird?" Jared supplies, but he's got a smile a mile wide on his face, so Jensen just laughs and ducks his head.
"Yeah, I guess I am."
*
Jared's house looks a lot like Jensen's. He doesn't have the orchard, but he has a nice vegetable garden, and strawberries growing by the door. Jensen smiles when he sees one of his wall scrolls against the wall--serenity.
"It's nice," says Jensen.
"I can make you breakfast," says Jared. "I owe you, after this long."
"That'd be great," says Jensen. "Can I help?"
Jared smiles. "Of course not. Have a seat."
Jared has a low table and cushions, and Jensen feels surprisingly at home, given how long it's been since he was anywhere but his own house.
Jensen wonders what it would be like if he came to visit Jared sometimes. If they came to each other, instead of Jared just coming for tea. Maybe Jared would like having his help in the garden.
He'd like having Jared's help.
"Here," says Jared, putting down rice and miso in front of Jensen. "Enjoy."
"Thanks," says Jensen, waiting to start until Jared's sitting across from him.
Jared takes a long sip of soup before he speaks. Then he says, "I thought you had vows."
"Sorry about that," says Jensen. "I should have explained."
"I just--I figured you were off the market," he says.
Jensen blinks. "Um."
"But you're not."
"No," says Jensen carefully. "I'm--no vows. No rules."
"So if I wanted to kiss you--" says Jared.
"Yeah," Jensen says. "I wouldn't mind."
*
Jared folds up the futon while Jensen makes tea the next morning. Jensen sweeps the path and Jared feeds the ducks. Jensen teaches Jared calligraphy, and he's awful at it.
They have tea at four, the same as always, but Jared doesn't leave after. He's there when Jensen lights the lanterns, and he's there when Jensen turns them off.
And tomorrow, they have another day to look forward to.
sadcypress was e-mailing me, and decided that she wanted fic based on the gmail theme we both happen to use, Teahouse. Which is pretty much the adorable adventures of a little fox who lives at a teahouse and spends his time playing flute for ducklings and practicing calligraphy and having tea with his friend the monkey. So she wanted fic where Jensen was the lonely fox and Jared was his friend the monkey, for whom he pined. And I clearly have trouble saying no to her, because here we are.The Morning I've Never Seen
J2, 1500 words, G. In which Jensen is possibly a monk, Jared is definitely the love of his life, and they both might be animals, I guess I never specify.
The key to life, Jensen has discovered, is keeping busy.
It's not like he doesn't have enough to do. There are peaches to be picked and gardens to be weeded and ever since their mother abandoned them, those ducks won't stop coming around and trying to take up residence in his birdbath.
Just because he's alone doesn't mean he's lonely.
Plus, there are all the scrolls to read and sometimes pilgrims come looking for wisdom. Jensen has a rich and full life. He's always been happy, if a little--quiet.
He's important. His calligraphy is almost flawless.
So it's ridiculous that he feels like his whole life centers around tea time.
*
On Tuesdays, Mrs. Morgan comes up from town and brings him food and takes the calligraphy he's done for her. Before Jared moved in, she was the only person he ever saw regularly.
"You're looking thin," she tells him, patting his stomach. "I should bring you more next week. Don't tell me that boy's eating all your food."
"He's not," says Jensen. He looks through the box--extra steamed buns, just like he asked. "I'm fine."
She clucks her tongue. "I don't like you being all alone up here."
Jensen shrugs. "Living like a monk isn't just a saying, you know."
"Well, still."
"Thanks, Mrs. Morgan. I'll see you next week."
*
Jensen starts getting ready for tea at three-thirty every day, although he never boils the water until four. He gets everything together, painstakingly arranges the steamed buns and the teapot, makes sure everything is perfect for when Jared arrives.
He sits on the table and plays his flute for the ducks as soon as he's done, just so it won't look like he's waiting.
Jared is always late, and always apologizes.
"I ran into Julie on the way in and she needed help bringing her cart down the road," he'll say, or, "Man, you look at the clouds today? There was one that looked just like my mama. Totally amazing."
Jensen had a life before Jared. He just doesn't think about it much.
*
Jared moved in a few months ago. He came over the first day with a big box of daifuku and introduced himself.
"Hey, my name's Jared, I just moved in down the road."
Jensen didn't remember the last time he met someone who wasn't just passing by. "How far down?" he asks. There's nothing but mountain and trees as far as they eye can see.
"About a mile," says Jared. He gave Jensen a big grin. "You gonna tell me your name, or should I just call you the Mountain Monk or something?"
Jensen bit his lip. "Jensen. Nice to meet you." He accepted the daifuku and realized that, if he didn't say anything, Jared would probably go. "I was just going to have tea. Would you like some?"
Jared flashed another grin. "I'd love some."
And he just kept coming back.
*
On Wednesday, Jared shows up at quarter of four, when the ducks are trying to peck Jensen's feet into oblivion, like they have something against him playing the flute.
"I think they don't like the music," he hears Jared say. "Maybe something a little more upbeat."
Jensen stands up so fast he nearly kicks one of the ducklings. "Jared!"
"Hey," says Jared.
"You're early," says Jensen, kind of dumbly. He's usually had more time to prepare himself to see Jared.
"It happens sometimes."
"It never has before."
"Oh," says Jared. "Well. I always leave the same time. Just usually something happens." He holds out a box of daifuku with a grin. "Thanks for having me."
Jensen smirks back. "You didn't have to." He always says it, and Jared always brings daifuku. It's nice. "Come on in."
Jared follows him inside, and Jensen flushes. "The tea's not quite ready--you can wait upstairs while I finish."
"No, it's all right," says Jared, leaning against the wall. It's a small room and every time Jensen moves, he can't help reassessing how close he and Jared are. "Can I help?"
"No, it's fine," says Jensen.
Jared looks around, and Jensen realizes he's never spent that long in this room before. He watches out of the corner of his eye as he goes over to inspect one of the scrolls on the wall--long life and prosperity.
"I always wondered," says Jared. "Why did you become a monk?"
"I didn't want to get married," says Jensen, focusing on the whisking the tea. "So."
"Mm," says Jared. "Do you like it?"
I used to, Jensen thinks.
"It's all right," he says.
"I'd get so lonely up here!" says Jared, laughing. "I don't know how you don't go crazy."
"I've got you," says Jensen, before he can stop himself.
"Yeah," says Jared. "But that's not enough."
Jensen keeps whisking the tea.
*
Jensen never actually declared himself to be a monk. It's just that if you live all alone in the mountains, people assume that you're a monk, and start thinking you have wisdom. The first time a pilgrim showed up, Jensen just made him some tea and gave him some peaches and sent him on his way.
Now, he's better at it.
"What do you seek?" he asks the pilgrim of the day. One of the ducks quacks irritably at him, which doesn't really help the wisdom-of-the-ages routine.
"I need advice," says the pilgrim.
"Tell me of your troubles," says Jensen. He feels like a douche, but people expect monks to be dignified.
Of course, the ducks are still pecking him, so it's not really an ideal situation for dignity.
"My family wishes me to marry a woman I do not love. What should I do?"
Jensen looks down at his broom. "You can't make others happy unless you are happy yourself," he says finally.
Sometimes, he feels like he hasn't learned anything at all.
*
The first thing Jensen does when he wakes up is sweep the path outside his house. Then he goes into the orchard to pick peaches, and he eats those for breakfast.
He's resigned himself to throwing some crumbs to the ducks on his way over. It seems that he's stuck with them.
When he comes back from the orchard, Jared is sitting on his front steps. The ducks are paying attention to him.
Jensen stares for a long minute. "You're early," he says.
"Well," says Jared, standing up, "if I'm not doing much of anything, and you're not doing much of anything, it seems silly not to do nothing together."
"Oh," says Jensen.
"But I can leave," says Jared. "If you want."
"I've never seen where you live," Jensen blurts out accidentally.
Jared smiles. "It isn't too far. Want to see?"
*
It's a nice day, too early for it to be getting hot yet. Jared walks with his hands laced behind his head, and talks about whatever comes to mind. Jensen can't remember the last time he heard so much of another person's voice.
When they get to the edge of the orchard, Jensen falters.
"What?" asks Jared, turning around.
Jensen makes sure he steps forward before he answers. "I just--haven't left in a while."
"You can, though, right? I'm not making you break your vows, am I?"
"I never took any vows," says Jensen.
Jared looks surprised. "You didn't?"
"I'm not really a monk. Just--someone who lives alone in a house in the mountains and likes calligraphy."
"Oh," says Jared. "I just thought--"
"Everyone always does," says Jensen. "But, no. I'm just--"
"Weird?" Jared supplies, but he's got a smile a mile wide on his face, so Jensen just laughs and ducks his head.
"Yeah, I guess I am."
*
Jared's house looks a lot like Jensen's. He doesn't have the orchard, but he has a nice vegetable garden, and strawberries growing by the door. Jensen smiles when he sees one of his wall scrolls against the wall--serenity.
"It's nice," says Jensen.
"I can make you breakfast," says Jared. "I owe you, after this long."
"That'd be great," says Jensen. "Can I help?"
Jared smiles. "Of course not. Have a seat."
Jared has a low table and cushions, and Jensen feels surprisingly at home, given how long it's been since he was anywhere but his own house.
Jensen wonders what it would be like if he came to visit Jared sometimes. If they came to each other, instead of Jared just coming for tea. Maybe Jared would like having his help in the garden.
He'd like having Jared's help.
"Here," says Jared, putting down rice and miso in front of Jensen. "Enjoy."
"Thanks," says Jensen, waiting to start until Jared's sitting across from him.
Jared takes a long sip of soup before he speaks. Then he says, "I thought you had vows."
"Sorry about that," says Jensen. "I should have explained."
"I just--I figured you were off the market," he says.
Jensen blinks. "Um."
"But you're not."
"No," says Jensen carefully. "I'm--no vows. No rules."
"So if I wanted to kiss you--" says Jared.
"Yeah," Jensen says. "I wouldn't mind."
*
Jared folds up the futon while Jensen makes tea the next morning. Jensen sweeps the path and Jared feeds the ducks. Jensen teaches Jared calligraphy, and he's awful at it.
They have tea at four, the same as always, but Jared doesn't leave after. He's there when Jensen lights the lanterns, and he's there when Jensen turns them off.
And tomorrow, they have another day to look forward to.