Archive of Our Own ^beta

Grocery shopping with Jensen is an experience. When they first started grocery shopping together, Jeff found Jensen’s shopping habits annoying rather than endearing. Now it’s all part of “Jensen Watching,” observing Jensen to figure out what goes on in that beautiful head. Jensen’s methodical about everything and probably even more so about what he decides to eat. He has patterns and methods that he always follows.

For example, Jensen always carries a list, the same list, his staples. Sometimes he adds to it before they go, but he’ll always erase any new items when they get home. Jeff looked it over once, and it’s detailed. Probably too detailed. When he’s angry at Jensen for being stubborn and set in his ways he imagines burning it.

They always start with produce, which might be Jeff’s favorite part of the entire experience. It’s oddly fascinating Jensen arrives at the produce he wants, in this case apples, and surveys the piles of fruit for a few moments. Then his hands hover a few inches above and wriggles his fingers like he’s conjuring the right piece to come to him. Jensen then carefully picks up an apple that meets his initial standards, examines it and if it passes places it in the bag. Once he reaches the number specified on his list he moves on. Repeating the process over again.

They’ve been together almost two years, and Jeff still can’t figure out Jensen’s standards. Jeff usually goes for what looks the best, but he’s seen Jensen reject produce Jeff would find fine or even accept what Jeff would reject. Really the only reason he even bothers coming along is because he still has this desire to figure out what makes Jensen tick. Jensen has expectations for everything. In his more insecure moments he wonders if one day he’ll do something that’ll cause Jensen to reject him like a bad apple.

“What’s wrong?” Jensen asks. He’s clearly annoyed, looking at Jeff with this baleful look of annoyance. “You’re bored aren’t you? You look bored.”

“I’m not bored.” Jeff can’t believe it’s actually true.

Jensen sets down the bag of apples in the cart, he walks up to Jeff, he’s doing something to the list. What the hell? Before he gets a word out Jensen tears the list in half, he holds out the list in front of him. Jeff stares at the list dubiously. What’s going on?

“Take it.” Jensen shakes the list at him. “It’s the non-produce section.”

“What do you expect me to do with it?” Jeff thinks Jensen wants him to shop for what’s on that list, but sometimes Jensen’s an enigma. Also, he wants to hear Jensen ask him. This is a sign that Jensen is starting to loosen up. He loves Jensen, but his mulish tendencies sometimes drive him up the wall.

That longsuffering look returns. “Go get the items on this list.”

“Any reason, your letting me help now?”

“Because you look bored. And ...” Jensen pauses and bites his lower lip, a sure sign that he’s about to say something important. Jeff feels a flutter of anticipation. “And we should do this together. We’re a couple.”

In typical Jensen fashion he doesn’t elaborate, leaving Jeff to draw his own conclusions. Jeff takes the list, and kisses Jensen. Jensen freezes, two years and he still doesn’t enjoy PDA. Jeff breaks off when Jensen relaxes and places his hand on his face. Jeff’s sorely tempted to continue, but they’re in public and he’s a public figure.

Jeff looks down at the first item on his list 1 dozen Grade A Brown Eggs. “So Eggs?”

“1 dozen ...”

“Grade A Brown Eggs,” Jeff finishes.

Jensen beams at him. Jeff kisses him again, it’s too hard to resist. “So meet at the meat aisle in 30 minutes?”

“Definitely.”

Jeff walks towards the dairy aisle with a goofy smile. Grocery shopping, always an experience.