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The second time they go out for dinner and a movie, Jensen brings a plant in a kind of ceramic pot. It's got spiky leaves and what Jared would call an architectural kind of stalk on it. He figures it's probably a kind of a late house-warming kind of a gift. Or early new year. It's ages since Jared's birthday, but... Jensen's kind of like that. He's the best friend Jared's had in his life, partly because he's warm and funny and generous, but also because he's got this ascerbic wit on him that cracks Jared up. By the fourth time they go for dinner, the plant's losing its leaves like mad, and it's not because Jared doesn't water it. He does. Sometimes twice or three times a day. All Jensen says is "just as well it wasn't a goldfish." When he smiles like that, his eyes look even greener. Jared laughs.
They're at this place that they like, great steaks and kind of quiet, with a pool table out the back. It gives them a chance to kick back after work, let off some steam, have conversation, the kind that goes beyond how to read a line or hit a cue. Jared knows about Jensen's first dog and how he cried for two days straight when it died of old age when Jensen was 13. He knows that Jensen still thinks he'll settle in Texas at some point - Jared thinks he will too. He knows that Jensen really really wants to direct a feature length film. He thinks Jensen might ask him to be in it. He hopes so, he'd definitely say yes. Jensen's good at everything he does. Besides, they're best friends.
It's the sixth time before Jared beats Jensen at pool. He does a kind of victory dance around the table and Jensen raises an eyebrow and gives that half-smile that Jared's coming to think of as his. That's the smile that Jensen only uses for him. They drink tequila shots to celebrate, and then some more. Lots more. Jared does that thing with the lime off the curve of Jensen's wrist. It tastes salty, and sour, and good. Jensen's eyes are almost black. They're both really drunk. It's awesome.
The next day, there's a knock at the door. There's a delivery boy with orange juice, aspirin and croissants. Jensen is the best friend that ever lived. Jared takes the aspirin, and eats a croissant, and drinks the whole bottle of juice. It still doesn't quite take away the memory of that quick taste of Jensen's skin.
The tenth time they hang out together, they give the plant a ritual funeral, tossing it out in the back yard. Sadie and Harley think it's a game - Harley keeps bringing the architectural stalk back into the house every time Jensen throws it. Jensen's pretty patient. He keeps throwing the stalk, saying "thank you" when Harley brings it back and drops mud all over Jensen's new green jumper, and throwing it again. It's hilarious how Harley just doesn't get it. The least Jared can do is throw the jumper in the wash. When he gets back, Jensen's standing in Jared's kitchen in just his jeans and bare feet, and making coffee. Jared goes up behind him, and gives him a stealth hug. Jensen gives a startled little yelp, and Jared holds on harder. Jensen smells like some kind of cologne. It's the kind he always wears when they go out. It's familiar and intriguing at the same time. Jared imagines licking Jensen's neck, just to see if it tastes the way his wrist did, that time with the tequila. He doesn't, though. Jensen's pretty understanding, but he'd take it the wrong way. "I love coffee," he says instead, and watches Jensen's little half-smile.
**
Jared keeps thinking about it, though. It's like one of those tunes that gets in your head, and you can't help humming it. Although, usually you don't like the tune, usually it's annoying as hell. Jensen's not annoying. Not at all. They spend a lot of time together. And Jensen's pretty awesome. The more Jared knows him, the more he likes him. He even likes the things he doesn't like about him, how he's monosyllabic in the morning when they're driving in, or how he'll say "just one more take" when everyone knows the last one was just fine. Sometimes they argue about whose going to pick up the bill when they eat, as well. Jared's pretty sure Jensen takes care of it more often, although it probably evens out in the end.
At some point, Jared loses count. They've gone to basically every movie together in months, they've gone to games together, and Jensen's taken him some places he wouldn't have even thought of on his own, like the Aerospace museum, and horse-trekking in the mountains, and that play they went to with the dead goat that they both hated. Jensen's the song in Jared's head, that's all there is to it. His hands. That line of his jaw. His mouth. The way he looks goofy when he laughs. The way he thinks about things before he talks. The way his legs look in jeans, somewhere between comical and something Jared can't quite get his head around.
There's nothing special about today. Jensen's wearing that green jumper again, the one which still has a faint pawmark on the sleeve after countless washings. They're out with the dogs in the park, and Jensen's throwing the ball, again and again, and Jared has what he thinks people call a "moment of clarity". The sun's setting, and Jensen says "thank you" politely to the dogs as they return the ball, and he's just beautiful, in the orange light, and that's besides the point, they've both worked in the industry long enough that that means nothing, absolutely nothing, but Jensen's beautiful. He's so damn beautiful. He's the best friend Jared's ever had, and Jared loves him, not least because he's waited patiently all this time for Jared to get it, to come to his own conclusions in his own time.
"We're dating," Jared says, and it's not a question. Jensen, for once, looks completely taken by surprise, and Jared knows that he's right.
They kiss for the first time in the park, and Jensen tastes nothing like tequila. He's warm and limber and kisses back with more intensity than Jared's imagined, and the cashmere of his jumper is soft under Jared's hands, a contrast to the hard body beneath. Jared takes it deeper, and Jensen's there, and Jared strokes a hand down his back and pulls him in even closer, and kisses him on and on, until they're both out-of-breath, with the dogs dancing and yipping excitedly around their knees.
"We're in love," Jared whispers against Jensen's mouth, and it's not a question, either.
"We'll see," Jensen answers with a smile that Jared knows means yes. "We wouldn't want to rush anything."
***END***