raeschae | The Final Countdown (prompt 23, table 04)

Title: The Final Countdown
Author:

raeschae
Character(s)/Pairing: Jared/Jensen (mentioned)
Theme: Theme 04: Lover's Rock
Prompt(s): #23 - Comfort
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: Jensen is leaving in less than twelve hours and Jared isn't doing such a great job of coping.

“Here.”

Barely glancing up from the book he’s been pretending to read for the last two hours, Jared shoots Sandy a look that hopefully conveys how he just wants to be left alone.

Sandy, however, is not easily deterred. “But it’s got whipped cream. And sprinkles. And chocolate sauce.” She’s playing dirty, making Jared’s favorite drink, but she’s never been good at subtlety. “Just take it, please? You’ve got 'kicked puppy' face and it’s killin’ me.”

Pushing himself off the counter with a growl, Jared takes the steaming hot chocolate and reaches into his pocket to grab his phone as vibrating against his hip. He checks it, stuffs it back into his pocket, and then drinks from the mostly-sugar concoction Sandy makes better than anyone else. “Hand me a cup,” he motions over her head and grabs a syrup bottle.

Sandy finds one of the biggest cups, sets it next to Jared, and starts preparing the coffee for the base of his drink. “Done with his friends, huh?”

Katie insisted that Jensen spend his last night in town with his friends since Jared had to work. Jared wanted to argue but, being as he’s monopolized most of Jensen’s time this week - and also doesn’t want him to spend the whole night bored out of his mind in the coffee shop when he could be out partying with his friends - he decided to spend the night moping instead..

Jared watches Sandy dump four espresso shots into the bottom of the cup while he’s steaming the milk to pour over them. “What time is it?” Jared asks, though he could just as easily look at the clock on the opposite wall. That seems like too much effort tonight.

“Almost eleven.” She hip-checks him and steps out of the way to let Jared finish the drink. “Hey, do you want me to switch shifts with you tomorrow? That way you don’t have to be here so early.” She's pretty transparent in her attempts to comfort him, but he appreciates it anyway.

He starts to answer when the bell over the door chimes. Jared can’t help wondering if there will ever be a time that just the sight of Jensen, standing there in jeans that hang low on hips and hug the curve of his ass just right, won’t make him light up. Right now, he feels less like smiling than he ever has, but he can’t seem to help it. Not when Jensen runs his hand over his hair, shaking some of the glitter from the club free with a laugh.

“Jensen, hey,” Sandy smiles, rounding the corner to hug him quickly. “Jared was just tellin’ me that he needed to take off a little early tonight.” Jared shoots her a confused look, but she just rolls her eyes and takes her place behind the counter again. “Go.”

Without waiting around to be told twice, Jared hands Jensen his coffee and leads the way to the stairs. God, there are too many things to do and less than twelve hours to do them all. It’s not like they’re never going to see each other again, but it’s not going to be the same now.

“Bedroom?” It seems stupid to ask, but he feels awkward and lost in the moment.

Jensen just sets his coffee down and reaches for the back of Jared's neck. He looks so good – touchable, lickable, fuckable – and then he smiles.

It's not one of those smiles he gives the guys who watch when they’re at a club. It’s not even one of those full-bodied, head-thrown-back laughs that he gives when Katie or Misha says something that cracks him up. Jared doesn’t know how to describe this one; he only knows that it’s all for him. It’s soft and endearing, starting at his mouth and reaching all the way to his eyes.

“Relax, okay?” Jensen whispers against his mouth before he sucks Jared's bottom lip between his.

The kiss is agonizingly slow, with just enough pressure for Jared to feel it all the way to his toes. If Jensen wants sex, Jared isn't going to object, but he wouldn't mind doing this all night, either.

Jensen pulls away first, his forehead pressed against Jared's while his thumb strokes softly along Jared's jaw. “I love you, Jay,” he says, his voice ragged and stretched.

“Don't,” Jared shakes his head and pulls away completely, feeling like his chest is about to break open. “Jensen, I can't. Kiss me, or fuck me, or let's go get pizza. I don't care, but I can't do this. I can't sit around all night, staring at you with this fucking countdown clock inside my head.”

“I want you to come with me.” When Jared stares, mouth gaping, Jensen chuckles a little and shakes his head, hand on the back of his neck as he throws the arm out to his side. “I keep tellin' myself not to say it, that it's selfish and I shouldn't. But dammit, man, I want you to come to California with me.”

Unsure of whether he should laugh and hug Jensen or scream and punch him, Jared stares at the floor. “I can't. I just.” He doesn't bother looking up to see Jensen's reaction. “Man, you're leaving in the morning.”

“Yeah,” Jensen agrees, like he knows it's ridiculous.

But Jared can't fight the smile when he finally raises his eyes and says, “If I give Sam my notice tomorrow, I can meet you in a couple weeks, though.”

Eyebrow shooting up, Jensen's smile fades instantly. “You're serious?”

“What's keepin' me here?”

Sure, he has friends and family here, but he also has a hundred resumes floating around out there with no real leads. In San Francisco, he'll have Jensen and a new world of possibilities. The choice seems pretty simple.

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