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spn_springflingTitle: Planting a Seed
Pairing Jared/Jensen
Rating: R
Any warnings: Language
The tacky red-and-white polo stands out, but the customers at the Gas ‘N Go are more often taken by Jared’s Colgate smile and bright enthusiasm. So when Stephanie Lucas, a 35-year-old mother of three who are all on their way to Saturday tee-ball, enters the store, she shares Jared’s attitude with a beam even when her sons are playing with—and knocking over—half the candy stand.
“Hey, Lucases!” Jared cheers while scanning her choice of three Gatorades and cereal bars for the kids and a Red Bull for herself. “Sunny skies and fluffy clouds. Perfect for game day.”
She casually pulls her boys’ hands away from chocolate and sugar in practiced succession. “So very perfect. Now if only Scotty can manage to run in a straight line, it might be a good game.”
Jared laughs as he packs up her haul then swiftly punches cash register buttons to clear her total and debit card. “Hey, Steph, how about a dollar to the Fridley Forest Friend Fund?” he asks while tapping the top of a milk jug with a terribly drawn an owl taped around the front.
She quickly smiles and pulls some change out of her wallet, but Jared rolls his eyes when Chad groans from the register next to him.
He thanks her for the donation, offers Scotty, Tommy, and Ed high fives, and calls “Good games, buds!” after them. They each wave goodbye with a ding sounding through the store as they leave, and seconds later, it dings again with the entrance of Jared’s dreams and nightmares. This guy, this blond guy with the perfect face and the slim, dusty jeans that fit just right, comes by every other day for a coffee, donut, and a lottery ticket.
His absolutely flawless hair is swept a bit to the side, and a crisp, pale blue t-shirt hangs on his torso like a model. His tentative smile over the coffee stand to Jared is adorably awkward. When he sets his items on the counter, he quietly offers, “A Big Bingo ticket, please,” and fusses with a handful of bills to pay.
Jared efficiently handles the purchase and money, and when he hands over four singles and nearly half a dollar in change, he motions at the milk jug. “We’re accepting donations to the Fridley Forest Friends Fund.”
The guy glances up to Jared, the jug, Chad (who lazily smacks gum in his mouth), and back to Jared with that same strained smile he’s been slanting Jared’s way for two months.
This happens every time: Jared accepts the man’s money, gives cash back, asks for a small donation, and gets this strange smile and little head shake in reply. It happens often enough that Jared has about reached his breaking point and feels the need to enlighten the perfectly gorgeous guy on what he’s missing out on.
“The Fridley Forest is going to be torn up by the end of the year with Kripke-Gamble Development building condos and big box stores. If we raise enough money, we can build a new reserve and protect the wetlands. The spotted owls' and chipmunks’ homes will be preserved.”
The guy’s cheeks pink up while he licks his lips and stuffs all of his change into his pocket. “Thank you,” he says almost kindly, but Jared’s feeling his face heat up for an entirely different reason. As the guy leaves, Jared glares at the back of his head and huffs.
“Dude, chill out,” Chad grumbles.
“I can’t believe he’s that selfish,” Jared complains.
“Selfish about what? Saving Chip ‘n Dale?”
“Chipmunks are important.”
“And so adorable,” Chad wails with his hands clutched at his chest. When Jared glares at him, Chad tsks and straightens out the tray of lighters in front of his register so they’re lined up in a rainbow. “Lots of people don’t donate. Everyone’s selfish.”
Jared bends forward to lean on the counter. “I don’t know why that guy bugs me so much, but he does. Every time.”
“It’s pretty obvious why.” Jared glances at him, and Chad flicks his hand out with the ‘duh’ implied. “Because you’ve got a boner for him, duh.”
“Do not,” Jared argues, then glances down to confirm it.
“You’re pathetic.”
“Am not.”
Chad chuckles. “Are too.”
“You are.”
“Your comebacks are pathetic.”
Jared’s about to argue more, but Mr. Wong comes in for his weekly carton of Newports and case of Sprite, and Jared serves the sweet grandfather.
*
As Jared walks enters the south end of Fridley Forest, he feels enthusiasm vibrate through him. He’s only been part of the Forest Friends group for a few months, but he’s always excited to be among people who care about the environment as strongly as he does. There’s a sense of accomplishment to fighting Kripke-Gamble in the name of nature. And more so since his milk jug is stuffed with bills of all kinds and enough coins to weigh it down in his hand.
He hugs a handful of folks as he makes his way to the volunteer tent, where he happily plops the milk jug down on the check-in table with a wide smile.
Kristen, the tiny blond he friended at his first meeting, stands up to cheer with gleeful clapping at the sight of his collection. “Oh, Jared! This is so awesome.” She leans over the table to hug him and claps again.
“People are awesome,” he replies excitedly. “It’s all from my customers.”
“And your amazing smile, I bet,” she jokes as she tries to reach up to pinch his cheek. She barely makes it, but Jared leans down to let her do it anyway. Kristen hands his jug off to another volunteer to count and turns back to Jared with her hands on her hips, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “So, Jared, once we get you checked in, we’ll pair you up with one of our volunteer leaders to get you some gear to plant at the rain gardens. Sound good?”
“Sounds excellent.”
“Awesome,” she grins. “We’re so excited you’re here. And majorly excited for your big haul. You must have come really great customers.”
“Yeah, I do.” He nods quickly then scowls as he thinks about the idiot who comes in every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, but never gives a penny. “Except for this one moron that is totally cheap and selfish and never donates, no matter how many times I ask him.” Quickly, Jared gets fired up and keeps complaining. “I mean, how much would it hurt to chip in a dime? What’s he got going on that his money’s too good for charity? He can dole out $4.53 every other day for gas station coffee and donuts, but save a forest? No way, man.”
“Oh,” Kristen says quietly, obviously surprised by Jared’s annoyance.
Jared takes a deep breath to calm himself and avoid further embarrassment. Except his mouth is a few steps ahead of his control and he blurts out, “It sucks, too, because he’s really, really hot. Like, unthinkably hot. Too bad I don’t know if he’s gay, because, yeah, he’s an asshole, but he’s also like, GQ cover model hot.”
Just then, a guy standing behind Kristen turns to their conversation and looks right at Jared with impossibly green and incredibly wide green eyes, and Jared wants to eat his own tongue because it’s the same idiot he’s been ranting and raving about.
“And right here,” Jared mutters.
Kristen looks between them then quickly rubs her hands together with a broad smile. “Oh, goodie! You’re here.”
“Yes, I am,” the guy replies looking only at Jared.
Jared pathetically waves then bites his lower lip. “Uh, hi.”
“Uh, hi, back,” he says evenly, hiding any sense of being insulted, or uncomfortable, with Jared’s outburst.
“Oh, goodie!” Kristen says again. “You two know each other.”
“Uh, not really,” the guy says while rubbing his palms on the outside of his worn-out jeans. The same ones he wears when he comes into the Gas ‘N Go. Which means he’s utterly committed to the Forest Friends.
“Well, then,” Kristen says quickly, “This is Jensen, our Volunteer Coordinator. He’s been with us from the start and is the one who’s behind this whole day.”
Jensen chuckles with a shy smile and ducks his head. “C’mon, Kristen.”
“You are!” She turns to Jared to brag more. “Jensen arranged all the plant and flower donations. Ran around town and got all the hardware stores to donate tools and soil, and then hit up Harris’ Horticulture to get all the plants at an amazing deal.”
“Of course, he did,” Jared mumbles then sighs.
“And Jensen, this is Jared,” Kristin introduces. “He’s one of our newer people, pulled in from the community college’s—”
Just then, Kristen is pulled away by another volunteer for more sign-in lists, so she waves them off and ensures Jared he’s in good hands. Which makes Jared focus on Jensen’s slim fingers with dirt caked under fingernails and at his cuticles. Somehow Jared finds that hot, to imagine Jensen digging into the earth with hard labor, especially for a good cause.
Jared lightly coughs and glances around. “So, where do we start?”
“Out by the garden,” Jensen replies evenly and leads the way with them both awkwardly quiet.
At the tool tent, Jensen loads up Jared’s arms with gardening shovels and hoes plus a tray of plants, loads his own hands with the same, and heads off to the edge of the garden where other volunteers are at work.
After too much quiet and a handful of plantings, Jared clears his throat. “So, uh, I didn’t know you were into this stuff.”
“Because I never donated?” Jensen asks, remaining focused on the hole he’s digging.
“Yeah, I guess,” he admits softly. “Which is a crappy assumption, I now realize.”
“Yeah, kind of is.” Following more silence and one empty tray, Jensen glances over long enough to grab Jared’s attention, then gets back to work. “So, Kristen was saying you came from the community college.”
Jared takes the offer to chat and smiles. “Yeah, I’m a teaching assistant.”
“Really?”
“Earth Science and Geology.”
Jensen looks up in surprise.
“What?” Jared chuckles. “You thought I was a full-time gas station attendant?”
“You are there a lot.”
“As are you,” Jared jokes.
Jensen scratches the side of his face and dirt streaks his cheek. Jared immediately goes to wipe it off, but Jensen flinches away.
“Sorry, you just had some …” he drifts off as he points towards the dirt.
Jensen rubs it off with the back of his hand and offers Jared a small smile. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
A slightly uncomfortable quiet comes between them again, but Jared doesn’t miss how Jensen glances at him as often as Jared’s looking over.
“So, you thought I was an asshole?” Jensen asks with a surprising smirk.
“Uh, just a little. But not really anymore. Not now that I know that you’re so into this.”
Jensen nods, sits back on his haunches, and squints up at the sun in the sky. “I guess I am one sometimes.”
“We all have our moments,” Jared excuses away.
“And gay.”
“Well, you know,” he replies until he actually registers what’s been said. “Wait, what?”
“I’m an asshole sometimes, but I’m gay all the time.”
Jared slowly drops his mouth open, willing himself to say something or at least close his mouth to avoid looking like a bigger idiot than he’s already managed to be.
“You said you didn’t know. So now you do.”
“Good to know,” Jared says with a quick rush of air.
Now Jensen smiles at him, a real smile that opens his beautifully pink lips to a line of shiny teeth. Jared may melt a little, and perhaps squeaks at the sight of such an open and gorgeous smile. “We’re gonna be working here for a few hours … if there’s anything else you’d like to know?”
“Will you go out with me?” Jared blurts out, then slaps his hand over his mouth, which is now covered in soil.
Jensen looks up at the sun, blinking a few times before turning to Jared. “Seems a little early in the day for those kinds of questions.”
“I’m sorry,” he mumbles through closed lips and his palm. “Pretend I never asked.”
“That wasn’t a no, just an observation.”
“So it’s a yes?” Jared quickly asks, nearly begs if he really thinks about it.
Jensen’s cheeks go pink, just like every time he’s faced Jared at the Gas ‘N Go, and Jared reevaluates each run-in they’ve had. “Yeah, I think is.”
Jared feels heat run up his cheeks and to his hairline, so he drops his head down to dig another hole. He clears his throat and lowers his voice to reply, “That’s cool. Totally cool.”
“Definitely is,” Jensen says as he scoots a little closer to Jared and sticks a plant into the hole Jared’s made.
Once they’ve patted soil into place over the roots, Jared eyes Jensen. “Does this mean I have to stop asking you to donate to the Fridley Forest Friends Fund?”
Jensen laughs and now Jared spots perfect little crinkles at the corners of his eyes. Jared blames the sun when he feels mildly dizzy and the back of his neck heats up. “I don’t know. It was always the highlight of my day.”
“Really?”
“Listening to you stumble through that name was terribly amusing.”
Jared elbows Jensen and grumbles, “Oh, shut up now.”
“Just now, or all day? It could kind of ruin the date.”
“How about for five minutes? Then we can get back to knowing each other.”
Jensen smiles warmly, and Jared is pretty grateful that they had their silly run in at the sign-in tent, that Jensen always refused to donate, and that they’re sitting here now. “Sounds great.”
Jared is even more pleased that there’s a date tonight. And he doesn’t even care if Jensen bothers to change, because a little dirt looks good on those jeans. Especially when Jensen bends over to dig another hole.
Pairing Jared/Jensen
Rating: R
Any warnings: Language
The tacky red-and-white polo stands out, but the customers at the Gas ‘N Go are more often taken by Jared’s Colgate smile and bright enthusiasm. So when Stephanie Lucas, a 35-year-old mother of three who are all on their way to Saturday tee-ball, enters the store, she shares Jared’s attitude with a beam even when her sons are playing with—and knocking over—half the candy stand.
“Hey, Lucases!” Jared cheers while scanning her choice of three Gatorades and cereal bars for the kids and a Red Bull for herself. “Sunny skies and fluffy clouds. Perfect for game day.”
She casually pulls her boys’ hands away from chocolate and sugar in practiced succession. “So very perfect. Now if only Scotty can manage to run in a straight line, it might be a good game.”
Jared laughs as he packs up her haul then swiftly punches cash register buttons to clear her total and debit card. “Hey, Steph, how about a dollar to the Fridley Forest Friend Fund?” he asks while tapping the top of a milk jug with a terribly drawn an owl taped around the front.
She quickly smiles and pulls some change out of her wallet, but Jared rolls his eyes when Chad groans from the register next to him.
He thanks her for the donation, offers Scotty, Tommy, and Ed high fives, and calls “Good games, buds!” after them. They each wave goodbye with a ding sounding through the store as they leave, and seconds later, it dings again with the entrance of Jared’s dreams and nightmares. This guy, this blond guy with the perfect face and the slim, dusty jeans that fit just right, comes by every other day for a coffee, donut, and a lottery ticket.
His absolutely flawless hair is swept a bit to the side, and a crisp, pale blue t-shirt hangs on his torso like a model. His tentative smile over the coffee stand to Jared is adorably awkward. When he sets his items on the counter, he quietly offers, “A Big Bingo ticket, please,” and fusses with a handful of bills to pay.
Jared efficiently handles the purchase and money, and when he hands over four singles and nearly half a dollar in change, he motions at the milk jug. “We’re accepting donations to the Fridley Forest Friends Fund.”
The guy glances up to Jared, the jug, Chad (who lazily smacks gum in his mouth), and back to Jared with that same strained smile he’s been slanting Jared’s way for two months.
This happens every time: Jared accepts the man’s money, gives cash back, asks for a small donation, and gets this strange smile and little head shake in reply. It happens often enough that Jared has about reached his breaking point and feels the need to enlighten the perfectly gorgeous guy on what he’s missing out on.
“The Fridley Forest is going to be torn up by the end of the year with Kripke-Gamble Development building condos and big box stores. If we raise enough money, we can build a new reserve and protect the wetlands. The spotted owls' and chipmunks’ homes will be preserved.”
The guy’s cheeks pink up while he licks his lips and stuffs all of his change into his pocket. “Thank you,” he says almost kindly, but Jared’s feeling his face heat up for an entirely different reason. As the guy leaves, Jared glares at the back of his head and huffs.
“Dude, chill out,” Chad grumbles.
“I can’t believe he’s that selfish,” Jared complains.
“Selfish about what? Saving Chip ‘n Dale?”
“Chipmunks are important.”
“And so adorable,” Chad wails with his hands clutched at his chest. When Jared glares at him, Chad tsks and straightens out the tray of lighters in front of his register so they’re lined up in a rainbow. “Lots of people don’t donate. Everyone’s selfish.”
Jared bends forward to lean on the counter. “I don’t know why that guy bugs me so much, but he does. Every time.”
“It’s pretty obvious why.” Jared glances at him, and Chad flicks his hand out with the ‘duh’ implied. “Because you’ve got a boner for him, duh.”
“Do not,” Jared argues, then glances down to confirm it.
“You’re pathetic.”
“Am not.”
Chad chuckles. “Are too.”
“You are.”
“Your comebacks are pathetic.”
Jared’s about to argue more, but Mr. Wong comes in for his weekly carton of Newports and case of Sprite, and Jared serves the sweet grandfather.
*
As Jared walks enters the south end of Fridley Forest, he feels enthusiasm vibrate through him. He’s only been part of the Forest Friends group for a few months, but he’s always excited to be among people who care about the environment as strongly as he does. There’s a sense of accomplishment to fighting Kripke-Gamble in the name of nature. And more so since his milk jug is stuffed with bills of all kinds and enough coins to weigh it down in his hand.
He hugs a handful of folks as he makes his way to the volunteer tent, where he happily plops the milk jug down on the check-in table with a wide smile.
Kristen, the tiny blond he friended at his first meeting, stands up to cheer with gleeful clapping at the sight of his collection. “Oh, Jared! This is so awesome.” She leans over the table to hug him and claps again.
“People are awesome,” he replies excitedly. “It’s all from my customers.”
“And your amazing smile, I bet,” she jokes as she tries to reach up to pinch his cheek. She barely makes it, but Jared leans down to let her do it anyway. Kristen hands his jug off to another volunteer to count and turns back to Jared with her hands on her hips, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “So, Jared, once we get you checked in, we’ll pair you up with one of our volunteer leaders to get you some gear to plant at the rain gardens. Sound good?”
“Sounds excellent.”
“Awesome,” she grins. “We’re so excited you’re here. And majorly excited for your big haul. You must have come really great customers.”
“Yeah, I do.” He nods quickly then scowls as he thinks about the idiot who comes in every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, but never gives a penny. “Except for this one moron that is totally cheap and selfish and never donates, no matter how many times I ask him.” Quickly, Jared gets fired up and keeps complaining. “I mean, how much would it hurt to chip in a dime? What’s he got going on that his money’s too good for charity? He can dole out $4.53 every other day for gas station coffee and donuts, but save a forest? No way, man.”
“Oh,” Kristen says quietly, obviously surprised by Jared’s annoyance.
Jared takes a deep breath to calm himself and avoid further embarrassment. Except his mouth is a few steps ahead of his control and he blurts out, “It sucks, too, because he’s really, really hot. Like, unthinkably hot. Too bad I don’t know if he’s gay, because, yeah, he’s an asshole, but he’s also like, GQ cover model hot.”
Just then, a guy standing behind Kristen turns to their conversation and looks right at Jared with impossibly green and incredibly wide green eyes, and Jared wants to eat his own tongue because it’s the same idiot he’s been ranting and raving about.
“And right here,” Jared mutters.
Kristen looks between them then quickly rubs her hands together with a broad smile. “Oh, goodie! You’re here.”
“Yes, I am,” the guy replies looking only at Jared.
Jared pathetically waves then bites his lower lip. “Uh, hi.”
“Uh, hi, back,” he says evenly, hiding any sense of being insulted, or uncomfortable, with Jared’s outburst.
“Oh, goodie!” Kristen says again. “You two know each other.”
“Uh, not really,” the guy says while rubbing his palms on the outside of his worn-out jeans. The same ones he wears when he comes into the Gas ‘N Go. Which means he’s utterly committed to the Forest Friends.
“Well, then,” Kristen says quickly, “This is Jensen, our Volunteer Coordinator. He’s been with us from the start and is the one who’s behind this whole day.”
Jensen chuckles with a shy smile and ducks his head. “C’mon, Kristen.”
“You are!” She turns to Jared to brag more. “Jensen arranged all the plant and flower donations. Ran around town and got all the hardware stores to donate tools and soil, and then hit up Harris’ Horticulture to get all the plants at an amazing deal.”
“Of course, he did,” Jared mumbles then sighs.
“And Jensen, this is Jared,” Kristin introduces. “He’s one of our newer people, pulled in from the community college’s—”
Just then, Kristen is pulled away by another volunteer for more sign-in lists, so she waves them off and ensures Jared he’s in good hands. Which makes Jared focus on Jensen’s slim fingers with dirt caked under fingernails and at his cuticles. Somehow Jared finds that hot, to imagine Jensen digging into the earth with hard labor, especially for a good cause.
Jared lightly coughs and glances around. “So, where do we start?”
“Out by the garden,” Jensen replies evenly and leads the way with them both awkwardly quiet.
At the tool tent, Jensen loads up Jared’s arms with gardening shovels and hoes plus a tray of plants, loads his own hands with the same, and heads off to the edge of the garden where other volunteers are at work.
After too much quiet and a handful of plantings, Jared clears his throat. “So, uh, I didn’t know you were into this stuff.”
“Because I never donated?” Jensen asks, remaining focused on the hole he’s digging.
“Yeah, I guess,” he admits softly. “Which is a crappy assumption, I now realize.”
“Yeah, kind of is.” Following more silence and one empty tray, Jensen glances over long enough to grab Jared’s attention, then gets back to work. “So, Kristen was saying you came from the community college.”
Jared takes the offer to chat and smiles. “Yeah, I’m a teaching assistant.”
“Really?”
“Earth Science and Geology.”
Jensen looks up in surprise.
“What?” Jared chuckles. “You thought I was a full-time gas station attendant?”
“You are there a lot.”
“As are you,” Jared jokes.
Jensen scratches the side of his face and dirt streaks his cheek. Jared immediately goes to wipe it off, but Jensen flinches away.
“Sorry, you just had some …” he drifts off as he points towards the dirt.
Jensen rubs it off with the back of his hand and offers Jared a small smile. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
A slightly uncomfortable quiet comes between them again, but Jared doesn’t miss how Jensen glances at him as often as Jared’s looking over.
“So, you thought I was an asshole?” Jensen asks with a surprising smirk.
“Uh, just a little. But not really anymore. Not now that I know that you’re so into this.”
Jensen nods, sits back on his haunches, and squints up at the sun in the sky. “I guess I am one sometimes.”
“We all have our moments,” Jared excuses away.
“And gay.”
“Well, you know,” he replies until he actually registers what’s been said. “Wait, what?”
“I’m an asshole sometimes, but I’m gay all the time.”
Jared slowly drops his mouth open, willing himself to say something or at least close his mouth to avoid looking like a bigger idiot than he’s already managed to be.
“You said you didn’t know. So now you do.”
“Good to know,” Jared says with a quick rush of air.
Now Jensen smiles at him, a real smile that opens his beautifully pink lips to a line of shiny teeth. Jared may melt a little, and perhaps squeaks at the sight of such an open and gorgeous smile. “We’re gonna be working here for a few hours … if there’s anything else you’d like to know?”
“Will you go out with me?” Jared blurts out, then slaps his hand over his mouth, which is now covered in soil.
Jensen looks up at the sun, blinking a few times before turning to Jared. “Seems a little early in the day for those kinds of questions.”
“I’m sorry,” he mumbles through closed lips and his palm. “Pretend I never asked.”
“That wasn’t a no, just an observation.”
“So it’s a yes?” Jared quickly asks, nearly begs if he really thinks about it.
Jensen’s cheeks go pink, just like every time he’s faced Jared at the Gas ‘N Go, and Jared reevaluates each run-in they’ve had. “Yeah, I think is.”
Jared feels heat run up his cheeks and to his hairline, so he drops his head down to dig another hole. He clears his throat and lowers his voice to reply, “That’s cool. Totally cool.”
“Definitely is,” Jensen says as he scoots a little closer to Jared and sticks a plant into the hole Jared’s made.
Once they’ve patted soil into place over the roots, Jared eyes Jensen. “Does this mean I have to stop asking you to donate to the Fridley Forest Friends Fund?”
Jensen laughs and now Jared spots perfect little crinkles at the corners of his eyes. Jared blames the sun when he feels mildly dizzy and the back of his neck heats up. “I don’t know. It was always the highlight of my day.”
“Really?”
“Listening to you stumble through that name was terribly amusing.”
Jared elbows Jensen and grumbles, “Oh, shut up now.”
“Just now, or all day? It could kind of ruin the date.”
“How about for five minutes? Then we can get back to knowing each other.”
Jensen smiles warmly, and Jared is pretty grateful that they had their silly run in at the sign-in tent, that Jensen always refused to donate, and that they’re sitting here now. “Sounds great.”
Jared is even more pleased that there’s a date tonight. And he doesn’t even care if Jensen bothers to change, because a little dirt looks good on those jeans. Especially when Jensen bends over to dig another hole.
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Date: 2014-04-25 06:44 pm (UTC)