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Jared is manically stapling streamers to the cabin of his fishing boat. There is already a flag flying from the mast and shiny red, white and blue bows are tied to the railing that runs along the top. The bows are plastic and are crinkling in the summer wind that is making its way into the cove.
Sadie and Harley have absolutely ridiculous American flag bandanas tied around their necks, and Jared insisted on buying Jensen a new blue polo shirt for the holiday, so Jensen himself is a decoration on the boat. Jared had tried to make Jensen get a pair of American flag shorts as well, but Jensen had refused.
At first he has thought of telling Jared that the shorts were very tacky, but as Jared was planning on wearing his outdated, faded, but still similar shorts, Jensen thought that discretion was the better part of valor. Instead he pointed out that despite what his faked background papers might say, Jensen isn’t actually an American citizen. Even if he had been birthed in American waters, he’s still certain that mermen are not a recognized part of the citizenry of any country.
Jared had taken that information and nodded, and that was the end of the hideous shorts.
Of course, not being an official citizen doesn’t mean that Jensen is missing out on the festivities. He still helped Jared cook and pack the cooler for their holiday afternoon boat ride. He still helped Jared decorate and hang flags and listen to marches and patriotic music.
He understands the concept of the holiday and how it is celebrated. What he doesn’t understand is what Jared is doing with all the fishing poles that he has up on deck.
When Jared is doing business fishing, he has a net. While his boat has slots where he can put a pole, they are rarely used. In fact, Jensen will bet money that Jared didn’t even own all of the poles he’s got out until recently.
At the end of each pole is an array of spinners in every color of the rainbow – heavy on the red, but still every damned color is there. The only thing that Jared is going to catch with them is weeds.
“Jared?”
“Yeah?”
“What’s up with the fishing lure display?”
Jared turns around from where he’s carefully stapling his last streamer into place. “You noticed, huh?”
“Obviously. I’d kind of have to blind to not notice.”
Jared grins and ambles over. “So, you’re not n American, right? But you had your own sort of independence. But fireworks and streamers and balloons and grills – those are all land people things. You had to fight your own personal war to come be with me, and you had to do it because of the prejudice of your own people.”
Jared pauses and a blush creeps up his cheeks. “Rainbows are used for gay pride, and your tail is red, so I figured that I should double up on that for you. Flags don’t fly in the water, but spinners do. So I figured that you could celebrate with me this year by having your own show in the water.”
Jensen doesn’t know what to say to that. He knows that Jared is one of a kind in either world that Jensen has lived in, but sometimes he outdoes himself.
Jensen pulls his lover in for a kiss and tries to subtly wipe away the tears in his eyes when he lets Jared go.