raeschae | A Tangled Web (prompt 22, table 04)

Title: A Tangled Web
Author:

raeschae
Character(s)/Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Theme: Theme 04: Lover's Rock
Prompt(s): #22 - Tangle
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: When Jared asks Jensen about his past, Jensen has to decide if the coming clean is worth the risk of losing Jared.

Aside from loving art, setting his own schedule is probably Jensen's favorite thing about his career. There's a freedom in being able to work when he's inspired, play when he feels like it, and sleep for as long as he needs to that he really loves.

He didn't realize how much he appreciated the sleep part until he started dating Jared. Six weeks ago, if you'd told him he'd be getting out of bed at four thirty in the morning to shower with the same guy he's been sleeping with for six weeks, he would have laughed for many reasons. 'Getting up before the sun' would have been pretty high on that list of reasons.

When he lifts his head from the pillow, it's five fifteen and he can hear Jared moving around in the kitchen. It's weird, but he's a little disappointed that Jared didn't wake him up this morning. It's the first time since they started spending nights together that Jared has let him sleep in, but he tells himself that it doesn't mean anything. It has nothing to do with the way Jared kept looking at him like he was trying to say something last night and just couldn't find the words.

He rolls toward the center of the bed, fully intent on finding a little more sleep, when he hears Jared's phone ring in the other room. The side of the conversation Jensen can hear doesn't give much away, but Jared is smiling when he walks back into the bedroom and kicks his shoes off in the doorway.

“So, Sandy has to take her dog to the vet this afternoon,” he announces.

As far as random statements Jensen never expected to hear go, that one might top the list. “Good morning to you, too,” he grumbles and turns over to blink against the overhead light.

Jared huffs a laugh as he strips his shirt over his head and climbs back onto the bed. “We're switching shifts. I don't have to go in until two now.”

Jensen is not, under any circumstances he can remember, a cuddler. In fact, he's perfectly fine with not being touched while he's sleeping. It's a little chilly this morning, though, and Jared is radiating heat just a few inches away. Also, he smells shower-fresh and Jensen is still half-asleep, so maybe they can just overlook the way he twists around and burrows his forehead against Jared's arm. If his arm falls over Jared's chest and their legs end up all tangled together, they can ignore that, too.

Rolling toward him, Jared sighs against Jensen's head. “I know it's early and everything,” he says, voice a little more tentative than Jensen is used to hearing from him. “I kinda wanted to, uh, ask you about somethin', though.”

“We're not getting married,” Jensen mumbles into Jared's chest, too distracted with wondering why they don't do this more often to worry about what Jared has to say.

He can feel Jared relax a little bit, wrapping an arm around his side as he settles a little bit further into the sheets. “Nah, I just, um, I don't know if you're gonna wanna answer. It's totally okay if you don't or whatever.”

Blinking, Jensen pulls back just enough to see Jared's face. “Just ask me, man.”

Jared releases a deep breath. His smile is too tight and it scares Jensen just a little. “Okay. So there's this guy, Dave, and I guess he graduated from your high school or whatever.”

Jensen's stomach sinks to his toes, but he tries to play it off. No question about someone he went to high school with can end well. “Okay.” He tries to extricate himself from their mess of limbs, but Jared just bends his knee and locks Jensen in close.

It makes him feel a little bit better when Jared forces a laugh. “Yeah, and I guess he told Genevieve that he knew you, so now she's all nervous that you're gonna con me out of my life savings or something.” He rolls his eyes like it's ridiculous, but Jensen can tell that he's more nervous about the possibility than he wants to admit.

“Well, you're not a little old lady,” he forces a smile and stretches his body as much as he can against Jared's. “I think your money is safe.”

“Funny.” He sounds the furthest thing from amused.

Jensen's pretty honest about who he is now, but he'd be fine with never revisiting who he used to be. He rolls onto his back – Jared follows, draped over his side – and blinks at the ceiling. “Look, man, I've fucked some people over in my time. I'm not proud of it or anything, but my ego used to kind of run away from me sometimes. I wasn't.” He needs to look at Jared, but can't bring himself to turn his face. “I don't do that shit anymore.”

Jared has every right to ask him to elaborate. Instead, he squeezes Jensen's hip and Jensen can feel Jared's tension melt. “That's all I need to know, man.”

It's not. “I've run from this shit for a long time, but I'll tell you whatever you wanna know.”

Disentangling himself, Jared sits up on the bed and shovels his hair away from his face. “Why? If it's not who you are now, then it doesn't really matter to me, Jensen.”

Katie's right when she says Jared is the best thing that's ever happened to him. If Jensen fucks it up, he only has himself to blame; he blames himself for enough already. “Your best friend's dating a guy who obviously thinks he knows me. Guess I'd rather you hear it from me than some guy I haven't talked to in seven years.”

“Alright,” Jared nods, easing off the end of the bed. “I'll make the coffee.”

One of the Bad Guys

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Fuckin tease.

From:

A Tangled Web (prompt 22, table 04)

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