Grow Up (prompt 29, table 04)
Aug. 8th, 2010 12:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
raeschaeTitle: Grow Up
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
raeschae
Character(s)/Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Theme: Theme 04: Lover's Rock
Prompt(s): #29 - Future
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: When Jensen showed up, Jared kind of forgot that this job of his was never supposed to be permanent. Luckily, Tom is around to remind him.
The coffee shop doesn't open until noon on Sundays, but sometimes Jared likes to come in while it's quiet, before the customers start showing up. Jensen is working, trying to finish a collection for a potential buyer who's flying in from San Francisco at the end of the week, so Jared figures he has to find something to do to keep him occupied for awhile. They're supposed to meet his parents for lunch, but they won't be out of church for another couple of hours.
He nearly spills his coffee all over himself when someone knocks on the window behind him, but it's hard to be mad at Tom when he's smiling like that on the other side of the glass. Hurrying to the door, he opens it and shakes his head when Tom steps over the threshold. “Scared the shit outta me.” Jared says as he slides the lock back into place. “You want coffee?”
Tom just rests his hands on his hips and takes a second to look Jared over, ignoring the question completely. “You look good, man,” he compliments, and Jared smiles in response. “Seem happy.”
The statement makes him feel a little more awkward than it probably should, so he glosses over it. “So what brings you around so early on a weekend?”
Sliding into the chair across the table from Jared, Tom crosses his arms over his chest. “Do you remember how I told you that I was working with that company in DC that's doing all that new space research?”
Jared vaguely remembers the conversation . “I think so.”
“Well, I was talking to one of the guys the other day, and he asked me if I knew you.” Jared's pretty sure he's never spoken to anyone from this company – hell, he barely remembers talking about this company – so he doesn't know why his name would come up in conversation. “It's a small town, Jay. Your address was on your resume.”
“I sent them a resume?” It's entirely possible – he's sent so many now that he doesn't remember half of them anymore – but Jared's been too busy with other distractions to worry much about the responses he hasn't gotten back from anyone.
Tom rolls his eyes. “Anyway, Bill said that he sent you an e-mail, but you hadn't replied and he was really hoping to get a chance to talk to you.” His smile might swallow his whole face, and Jared kind of feels bad that he's not more excited about the opportunity. “I told him I'd have you call.” With a simple flick of his wrist, Tom thrusts a business card onto the table.
“I don't know, man,” Jared says, looking at the card for a brief moment without picking it up. “I'm not really lookin' to relocate. At least, not all the way to DC.”
For the first time since he entered the shop, Tom's smile fades a little. “Man, Jared, come on. You can't pass on an opportunity like this. Especially not because of some guy.”
“It's not because of Jensen,” Jared answers, too immediate to sound anything but defensive. With a sigh, he rests his elbow on the table and cards his fingers through his hair. “Dude, you can't just spring this on me and expect me to hop on board.”
“Why not?” Tom seems genuinely confused because that's the kind of guy Tom is. He loves the corporate lifestyle, the nine-to-five routine, the 401K and the benefits package.
The problem is that Jared doesn't care about any of that and he never really has. Sure, health insurance and retirement security would be nice, but he's not interested in the other stuff. If he could make the same money here that he would make as an engineer, he would gladly be a barista for the rest of his natural life.
“Jared,” Tom starts, when it becomes clear that Jared's not going to answer his question out loud, “how long do you think Jensen is going to hang around this one-horse town, huh? Guy's talented, and this isn't exactly the heart of the art world, ya know? If you ask me, this is just a layover on the way to somewhere like New York for him. Can you honestly tell me that he would give up everything he's been working for to stay here with you?” Pushing his chair back, Tom stands and points toward the business card Jared has yet to pick up. “Make the phone call, Jay. Can't hurt to hear what they have to say.”
Jared barely notices when Tom leaves, his eyes fixed on the top of the table in front of him. He hasn't thought about Jensen leaving for greener pastures, but what Tom says makes sense.
He angles his chair toward the window and catches sight of Jensen, decked out in a welder's mask and gloves as he takes a blow torch to a piece of sheet metal up in his studio. Since Jeff gave him a permanent exhibit space in the gallery a couple of months ago, interest in Jensen's work has been picking up a little. It's probably only a matter of time until someone makes him an offer, until Jensen packs up and moves on to the career he's always dreamed of having.
Jared loves his life now, but he can't keep living in this bubble forever. Serving coffee and hanging out with his friends was alright when he was in college, but he's not anymore. Maybe it's time to start acting like the adult that he is instead of the kid he wishes he still was.
Turning his back to the window, Jared grabs the business card and digs his cell phone out of his pocket.
Three Little Words
Author:
raeschaeCharacter(s)/Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Theme: Theme 04: Lover's Rock
Prompt(s): #29 - Future
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: When Jensen showed up, Jared kind of forgot that this job of his was never supposed to be permanent. Luckily, Tom is around to remind him.
The coffee shop doesn't open until noon on Sundays, but sometimes Jared likes to come in while it's quiet, before the customers start showing up. Jensen is working, trying to finish a collection for a potential buyer who's flying in from San Francisco at the end of the week, so Jared figures he has to find something to do to keep him occupied for awhile. They're supposed to meet his parents for lunch, but they won't be out of church for another couple of hours.
He nearly spills his coffee all over himself when someone knocks on the window behind him, but it's hard to be mad at Tom when he's smiling like that on the other side of the glass. Hurrying to the door, he opens it and shakes his head when Tom steps over the threshold. “Scared the shit outta me.” Jared says as he slides the lock back into place. “You want coffee?”
Tom just rests his hands on his hips and takes a second to look Jared over, ignoring the question completely. “You look good, man,” he compliments, and Jared smiles in response. “Seem happy.”
The statement makes him feel a little more awkward than it probably should, so he glosses over it. “So what brings you around so early on a weekend?”
Sliding into the chair across the table from Jared, Tom crosses his arms over his chest. “Do you remember how I told you that I was working with that company in DC that's doing all that new space research?”
Jared vaguely remembers the conversation . “I think so.”
“Well, I was talking to one of the guys the other day, and he asked me if I knew you.” Jared's pretty sure he's never spoken to anyone from this company – hell, he barely remembers talking about this company – so he doesn't know why his name would come up in conversation. “It's a small town, Jay. Your address was on your resume.”
“I sent them a resume?” It's entirely possible – he's sent so many now that he doesn't remember half of them anymore – but Jared's been too busy with other distractions to worry much about the responses he hasn't gotten back from anyone.
Tom rolls his eyes. “Anyway, Bill said that he sent you an e-mail, but you hadn't replied and he was really hoping to get a chance to talk to you.” His smile might swallow his whole face, and Jared kind of feels bad that he's not more excited about the opportunity. “I told him I'd have you call.” With a simple flick of his wrist, Tom thrusts a business card onto the table.
“I don't know, man,” Jared says, looking at the card for a brief moment without picking it up. “I'm not really lookin' to relocate. At least, not all the way to DC.”
For the first time since he entered the shop, Tom's smile fades a little. “Man, Jared, come on. You can't pass on an opportunity like this. Especially not because of some guy.”
“It's not because of Jensen,” Jared answers, too immediate to sound anything but defensive. With a sigh, he rests his elbow on the table and cards his fingers through his hair. “Dude, you can't just spring this on me and expect me to hop on board.”
“Why not?” Tom seems genuinely confused because that's the kind of guy Tom is. He loves the corporate lifestyle, the nine-to-five routine, the 401K and the benefits package.
The problem is that Jared doesn't care about any of that and he never really has. Sure, health insurance and retirement security would be nice, but he's not interested in the other stuff. If he could make the same money here that he would make as an engineer, he would gladly be a barista for the rest of his natural life.
“Jared,” Tom starts, when it becomes clear that Jared's not going to answer his question out loud, “how long do you think Jensen is going to hang around this one-horse town, huh? Guy's talented, and this isn't exactly the heart of the art world, ya know? If you ask me, this is just a layover on the way to somewhere like New York for him. Can you honestly tell me that he would give up everything he's been working for to stay here with you?” Pushing his chair back, Tom stands and points toward the business card Jared has yet to pick up. “Make the phone call, Jay. Can't hurt to hear what they have to say.”
Jared barely notices when Tom leaves, his eyes fixed on the top of the table in front of him. He hasn't thought about Jensen leaving for greener pastures, but what Tom says makes sense.
He angles his chair toward the window and catches sight of Jensen, decked out in a welder's mask and gloves as he takes a blow torch to a piece of sheet metal up in his studio. Since Jeff gave him a permanent exhibit space in the gallery a couple of months ago, interest in Jensen's work has been picking up a little. It's probably only a matter of time until someone makes him an offer, until Jensen packs up and moves on to the career he's always dreamed of having.
Jared loves his life now, but he can't keep living in this bubble forever. Serving coffee and hanging out with his friends was alright when he was in college, but he's not anymore. Maybe it's time to start acting like the adult that he is instead of the kid he wishes he still was.
Turning his back to the window, Jared grabs the business card and digs his cell phone out of his pocket.
Three Little Words
