raeschae | Years in the Making (prompt 15, table 04)

Title: Years in the Making
Author:

raeschae
Character(s)/Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Theme: Theme 04: Lover's Rock
Prompt(s): #15 - Laughter
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: A blast from Jensen's past allows him the chance to settle an old score.

Warnings/Author Notes: There's some mild violence in this one, and it's probably going to leave you a little confused. I promise it will become clear in the next installment.

Jensen is not still in high school. There is no reason that he should be standing in an alley behind a bar, waiting to get punched in the head. When the alternative is standing in the bar, getting punched while of his friends and boyfriend look on, he figures this is the lesser of two evils.

“Ya know, you never were a very graceful drunk,” Jensen prods.

Hovering near the back entrance, Chris Kane rakes his fingers through his hair and laughs, almost like this is fun for him. In a lot of ways, Jensen figures it probably is. He's been waiting for this chance for a long damn time now. “You wanna get this shit over with?”

Scrubbing his hands over his face, Jensen rolls his shoulders a few times and nods. “Better late than never, huh?”

It's almost like an old Western, and if Chris is anything like he was back in high school, he planned it this way. Cracking his knuckles, he shakes his head and laughs again. “Well, alright then. Let's end this thing.”

Two hours ago, he and Jared walked into the bar where Genevieve works. It was an interview of sorts, though Jared wouldn't admit it. Jensen was nervous, but he held it together okay and Genevieve wasn't overtly hostile or anything. It's pretty obvious that Jensen's going to have to earn her trust, but he's okay with that. As long as Jared's willing to give him the time, then Jensen's going to figure out a way to make it work.

Misha showed up with Ian and Katie about an hour in, congregating around the bar so Genevieve could get in on the dirt-dishing. Jensen still doesn't know if his friends or Jared's managed to share more embarrassing stories, but it was fun. They were having a good time.

Jensen was leaned back in his chair, fingers idly playing with the hair at the base of Jared's neck, and Jared kept shooting him these looks that made him want to ditch this place and just drag him home. Before he could, things took a decidedly disconcerting turn.

It's been years since Jensen saw Chris, let alone talked to him, but Jensen had no trouble discerning his raucous laughter before his shadow ever fell over the table. Ian, Misha, and Katie tensed, Jared looked really confused, and Genevieve seemed poised to kick them all out of the bar at the first sign of trouble.

For a long time, Chris just looked at him – from his face, to his hand on Jared's neck and back again – expression wary, like he was seeing a ghost or something. “Long time, no see, Jensen.”

That's all he had said, but Jensen knew what it meant. “Too long,” had been his response. It meant a hell of a lot more than anyone at that table knew.

Without another word, Jensen pushed his chair out and lead the way out of the bar.

Now that he thinks about it, that was probably a stupid thing to do. Jared has a lot of muscles; it would probably be good to have him here right now. Even though he knows Jared can't be a part of this, it doesn't stop him from wishing that he could.

Spreading his arms, Jensen invites the beat down he knows he deserves. In a way, he kind of wants it. It feels like closure, maybe a little like absolution.

That's not to say it's an enjoyable experience, getting punched in the jaw so hard that he thinks something might have cracked. The blood from his split lip doesn't taste so great, either. The way his head bounces off the concrete wall isn't the most awesome feeling he's ever had and he knows he's going to be feeling this one for a few days.

Still, when he blinks against the pain and manages to bring his vision back into focus, the first thing he sees is Chris's face looming close, smile stretched from ear to ear.

Jensen accepts the hand Chris is offering and spits a mouthful of blood to the ground. “We good?”

With another booming laugh, Chris wraps his arm around Jensen's shoulder and pulls him into a long hug that probably wouldn't have hurt so bad before he tried to knock Jensen's teeth down his throat. “Missed you, man,” he chuckles against the side of Jensen's head before releasing him to get a good look.

That's about the time Jared comes crashing out the back door, calling Jensen's name. “Man, you out,” he stops short, mouth gaping a little as he takes in the scene. “What the hell is goin' on?”

His hands are balled into fists at his sides, so Jensen shakes his head. “It's fine, Jay,” he assures, but when he tries to smile, it feels like his face is on fire.

“You should probably take him home and clean him up a little, alright?” He pats Jared's shoulder as he walks by, and he doesn't turn around when he adds, “You better fuckin' call me, Ackles.”

When he's gone, Jared looks at Jensen with a mixture of concern and indignation. “What the fuck was that?” he demands.

Well aware that he looks completely insane, Jensen leans back against the wall and touches his finger to the open wound on his lip with a wince. “Resolution,” he answers, feeling lighter than he has in years.

18 and Life