Chapter Text
Jensen has never in his life ate at the Golden Goose It's not for a lack of desire, but because the waiting list takes ages to cycle through even with the right name drops. When he graduated the second time with his Masters, his parents had made calls in attempt to celebrate Jensen's prolonged success in style. It hadn't worked and the soonest their reservation could have been place was five months after graduation - and that was after Alan had nudged elbows with men he hated.
Actually entering the establishment was nerve wracking. Feeling out of place in his khaki pants and comfortable scrubs top, Jensen stepped aside to let another well-dressed business man through before starting towards the Maître d' station where a slick Alpha stood over a narrow book with the company phone to his ear, apologizing profusely to the governor. The sandwich he was forced to abandon at work was sounding better by the second.
Only Jared had requested Jensen join him for lunch. A glance into Jeff's office identified that the boss was business with a lengthy meeting amongst the Board of Directors meaning it would just be Jared and Jensen. The blonde had broken into a sweat at the thought. It's in public, get your act together.
Although these days it wasn't hard to imagine Jared being interested in a public tryst. The omega was full of surprises.
"I have a reservation," The physical therapist approached the desk, nervously pulling on the hem of his shirt.
"Under what name?" The other alpha's nostrils flared in distrust. Jensen saw his grip tighten on the base of the phone.
Jared hadn't exactly said. Two o'clock, Golden Goose. The message hadn't been filled with details save for the funky emoticon that Jensen assumed was supposed to be a heart. "Um, Padalecki?"
The man's eyes narrowed. "A likely story." He tapped his pen on the counter before nosing through the book. When his brow rose in surprise, Jensen felt his heart beat faster. This was good, it meant he wasn't going to be in the middle of a scene amongst influential members of society. It still wasn't his restaurant of choice. "Padalecki, table for two," he read sluggishly. "You hardly look like Jared Padalecki's Alpha. Go away before I have you thrown out." He shrugged the mic back on his ear, apparently having been on hold with the governor's office.
Jensen swallowed, nervously rolling his thumb over his cell phone screen in his pocket. "No," He put his hand on the base to the company phone, disconnecting his call, "I'm not Jeff, but Jared Padalecki sent me a message telling me to come here on my lunch break." He's cold stared met with the Maître D's in a battle of wits. It would be so embarrassing to be thrown out of this establishment, but Jensen had the lay it out. He was an Alpha damn it. He did not need an omega to come rescue him from embarrassing situations. This was no time for Jared to come out and-
"Jensen?"
From inside the restaurant, Jared stood with his weight on one leg and his arms crossed across his chest. He was dressed in white, his hair loose. On his breast pocket, in a swirl of yellow was the script for "Golden Goose." That's right, Jared works here. Jensen's smile was sincere.. He had forgotten their first dinner when Jared had complained about the aides placed in his kitchen. "Hey, Jay. I, uh, came?" He tucked his hands in his pocket.
Jared's eyes twinkled. "I can see that, come in. Mark, cross off my name from the reservation please." He took Jensen's hand, leading the Alpha through the restaurant. "I know it was a bit sudden - I do a lot of things last second. Bad habit, I know. If Jeff wasn't around, I'd be sitting in a dark house wondering why the power company cut me off."
Their table was a sleek velvet color in the back of the restaurant around a picture depicting Little Red Riding Hood. It was cozy, nice. Jensen had to stop himself from stuttering as Jared called over his server friend, Chad, to get their orders out. "I'm sorry I ordered for you, I only get a thirty and I really wanted to talk to you while we had some time." He folded his hands in front of them as their glasses were filled with rich wine. "You're still uncomfortable around me, Jen."
"Me? Uncomfortable? I'm as cool as Frosty in Hell." Jensen bit back a chuckle. The wrongness of it all was boiling back to the surface. 'You hardly look like Jared Padalecki's Alpha' he said. "You really don't see why I might be a little uncomfortable about all this?"
Jared chewed on his bottom lip.
"I don't know if I'm helping you cheat or if I'm a third wheel or if this is love. Is Jeff really okay with this?" He thanked the server who brought forward over the restaurant's signature salad. Jensen silently thanked Jared for covering the ordering and the bill, the figures going across his head were alarming.
"Three years ago he came home from work in a mood." Jared sliced a piece of egg from his house salad and nibbled at it. "He stretched me out on his work desk and fucked me so hard it actually hurt. He apologized, of course - Jeff's a gentleman, like so many older Alphas are - but I knew something was wrong and guilted him into telling me. Danneel had hired a new guy, fresh from school that was skewing his outlook on life. Guy was another Alpha and a kid and Jeff was in a solid mateship. Wouldn't work." He waved his fork absently. "Jeff was wild in his youth - alphas, betas adults, omegas, drugs and booze. He didn't want to spiral back down that path and step away from his solid union with me for some Alpha at work."
Jensen grabbed his glass of water.
"I told him that I wasn't worried because I knew he loved me at the end of the day because if he didn't, he wouldn't have felt so much remorse. We worked with it for two years and then I saw this really cute Alpha at the Christmas Party and, you know, wow. I loved my mate, but I'd tap that." He scrapped some dressing onto a grape. A second later the server apologized for interrupting as he brought out their dinners, mentioning to Jared that he was expected to come back on the clock eventually. Jared waved him off absently. "Jeff and I, um," Jared fumbled around absently, "made an agreement to have our one shot outside of the mateship. Surprisingly both of ours were that pretty new guy. You, Jensen."
"Yeah, figured." Jensen cut a piece of sirloin. The flavors melted on his tongue. "So what, you're both just okay adding a third person in your steady relationship."
Jared shrugs his broad shoulders. "I don't really mind, I can love Jeff and love you equally, but separately. Jeff," Jared leans forward on his elbows, chewing absently. "Well... maybe you should ask him about his family. This isn't a bad set up, but it doesn't feel whole yet." Another bite is taken, this time from Jensen's plate. "When are you going to stay the night?"
"I stayed the night Monday.." Jensen blushed. It had been a very good Monday. It had started in the living room with Jared's legs on his shoulder as he ate out the little omega hole and ended in the bedroom with Jared sucking Jensen down while Jeff drove his cock deep in his little hole.
"No, you slept over Monday night and when the rooster crowed you were gone." A plump bottom lip extended out in a pout as Jared nudged his fifty dollar steak around on his plate. "You have yet to leave your toothbrush, so to speak. Enjoy my pancakes. I make a killer brunch."
Jensen frowned. True; after the good night he had, he was up before the sunlight entered the bedroom. His days were beginning to start earlier and earlier as he broke the atmosphere of the night, returning to his apartment where things were less complicated. "I don't want to intrude," He admitted. "I'm grateful to be a part of this, but I don't yet feel like I belong when the orgasms are finished."
"Is it something we did?" Jared folded his hands, the fork brushing along cloth.
Jensen shook his head rapidly. "No, it's just - I've never been in a relationship quite like this." He couldn't meet Jared' stare. "It doesn't feel right to ruin your relationship. You and Jeff are happy."
"Then let us decide that." Jared smiled. "We are still very happy and we want you to be happy with us." Behind him a clatter sounds in the far end of the kitchen which catches the patron's attention. Jared grunted low in his throat, whispering a name like a curse. When none of the staff came looking for him, he continued, "Take a step back and just get to know us."
"All right." Jensen pushed his steak into the house sauce. "So, Jared Padalecki, I know you work here, but why here."
That made the omega laugh loudly, drawing attention from the other patrons toward them. "My dad owns this swamp bucket," He finally explained after some time, "Created it when me and my siblings were little-little but it took a life of its own and moved from being a place for families into a five-star dining experience. Says that's what things you love do, they grow up and become adults. When I was little I would spend my afternoons in the kitchens following my omega-mother through the motions of cooking. It was the only thing in my Omega Courses I was good at and enjoyed." Jared shook the strands of hair from his face, seemingly pleased with this feat. "Taking cock and cooking, the only things I'm good at."
"I'm sure you're good at lots of things."
"Ah, sweet of you to say if only I wasn't telling the truth. Take a few months, you'll learn." Jared leaned back in his chair. "Now you, why physical therapy?"
Jensen sucked on the tip of his fork. "There weren't any job openings for coach with the Dallas Cowboys?"
He deserved the kick under the table.
Chuckling, Jensen closed his eyes. "Ever since I was thirteen and twisted my knee while playing baseball I wanted to be a physical therapist. I went through the motions trying to decide where to specialize. Orthopedic, geriatric, neurological, cardiopulmonary, pediatric."
"And you choose pediatric because?"
"I had a general residency at a hospital that touched all of those categories my undergraduate years and I found preference there. I still touch base in the other specialties, but my license is in Pediatric." He nudged the plate back towards Jared. The two fell into a reasonable back-and-forth banter, discussing who they were. Jared's dislikes were outlined, from how he was couldn't stand particular sport teams to his dislike of floral print shirts.
Time seemed to pass them by and before Jensen knew it, Chad intervening long enough to remind Jared that his break was over three minutes before. Tiding their things, Jared flashed Jensen a toothy smile before taking his leave. He would have given Gordon Ramsey a run for his money as he entered the kitchen with a hiss, "What the hell are you Fuckers doing to my kitchen!"
Jensen pretended not to notice Chad's gaze following him out of the restaurant.