Comment Fic

[raeschae]

So, I woke up at 5:30 this morning with an upset stomach and starting watching The World Series of Poker on ESPN, as you do, until it was time to get ready for work. It was there that I heard this quote (I have no idea who to credit for this as I know nothing about the pro Poker circuit. I know he was wearing a hat. And sunglasses.): "Lady Luck hangs out with the guys who practice hard." So, uh, let that inspire you? I don't know, I just liked it. I was also sick, so take it for what it's worth, I guess.

A giant THANK YOU to kiwiana for the Katie/Genevieve fic she wrote me in the spn_fs_exchange, Those Nights Belong to Us. If femslash is your thing, check it out!

So, I decided to pinch hit for the spn_fs_exchange and am currently putting the finishing touches on that fic, then I'm clear until j2_afterclass in January. Well, I have a hs_bingo card to play with but it's not due until May so I'm, ya know, procrastinating.

I ♥ you guys, but I suck at holiday cards and gifts. What I can do is comment fic. Here are the stipulations:

1.) Fic will be roughly 1000 words.
2.) No pairing is off-limits.
3.) You can request more than one prompt but I can only promise one fill per person, so make sure the fic you most want to see is prompted first.
4.) Prompts can be holiday-themed but they don't have to be, unless they come from the Disclaimer 'verse.

ETA: All prompts have been filled!



J2
J2: Emo boys being lonely and emo for batman_mcghee
J2: Both acting like Grinches for expectative
J2: Non-Au, de-Aged Jensen for dev_earl
J2: Poker players who meet before The World Series for blackpanther07
J2: Jared is a mall elf, Jensen is a pretzel twister for dephigravity
J2: Jensen plays the guitar while Jared signs along with him for naranga
J2: Schmoopy first Christmas together for lesson_in_love
J2: Trapped in the car during a snow storm for tinkabell007
J2: Reunion after three months apart for wendy

Femslash
girl!Jared/Katie: fake relationship turns real for earthquakedream
girl!Jensen/Adrianne: making Christmas plans for kiwiana

The Coffee Verse
Coffee Verse: Jared convinces Jensen to stay in bed all day for noxelementalist

Creative Control
Creative Control: Jensen freaks out over Christmas with Jared's family for live_laugh_love
Creative Control: Presents under the tree for mr_mrs_faxsea

Disclaimer
Disclaimer: Brayden, Adrianne, and Jensen picking a gift for Jared for kubis
Disclaimer: Jensen mistakes Jared for Santa for nickgregfan
Disclaimer: Chris/Danneel/Steve cooking together for kskitten
Disclaimer: The guys get snowed in for quiet000001
Disclaimer: Brayden is protective when Jordan gets hit on for Ashleigh
Disclaimer: The guys buy their first tree together for plasticine_star
Disclaimer: Jensen helps Tom surprise Mike for Hanukkah for without_me
Disclaimer: Chad, Sophia, and Emily (minor appearances by Jared and Brayden) for taintedlove

Comments

J2: poker players who meet before The World Series 1/2

[raeschae.livejournal.com]

After three years on the pro circuit, Jensen has learned where not to go in the days leading up to the World Series of Poker. The major hotel casinos will be packed, the bars and restaurants filled to capacity. He'd be lying if he said that getting to know the out-of-the-way places wasn't part of the reason he relocated to Las Vegas last year. He doesn't mind dropping in at the Wynn or the Palms, check out the competition and check in with old friends, but he's not going to belly up to a table around any of them.

Poker may be played with cards, but it's won or lost in the mind. Jensen didn't ascend the ranks by losing focus and giving away his secrets.

His favorite place to play is an underground game in the basement of an old restaurant about fifteen miles off the Strip. It's by invitation only, the same five guys playing simple seven-card stud twice a month. There's nothing fancy here, it's not high stakes Hold 'Em at the MGM, but the guys that Jensen plays with are solid, from all walks of life, and they're teaching him more than he ever learned on Bodog in college.

The night before his first round of competition, he greets Lucy, the hostess, with a nod and lets himself down the back stairs, an agitated spring in his step. He doesn't get nervous before a tournament, exactly, but there's still an adrenaline rush that keeps him on edge. It starts about twenty-four hours before go time and won't subside until the first hand is dealt.

Poker players who say they are not creatures of habit, ritual, and superstition are lying. Heading into his happy place to find a new player at the table is not something that causes Jensen's heart to jump for joy.

“Jensen,” Mark, a beat cop who's been here longer than Jensen, smiles as the door shuts with a soft thud.

Pulling the bill of his hat lower on his forehead, Jensen nods in greeting and slips into his seat, directly across the table from this new guy. “Who's this?” he asks in lieu of a greeting.

Slapping the newcomer on the back, the restaurant's owner, Kevin, says, “This is Jay. I graduated from high school with his brother.”

The guys have finally broken Jensen of wearing his sunglasses to this table but he desperately wishes he had them right now. The idea of someone reading him, studying and figuring him out, is stifling. This is supposed to be for fun – that's how Mark convinced him to take them off in the first place – but Jensen's instincts kick in around new people.

“Heard a lot about you, Jensen,” Jay says, sprawled in his chair like Jensen is the new guy.

Jay is tall, Jensen can tell, with long arms and gigantic hands. His dark hair is an unruly mop that he shakes out of his face when he laughs, smile too big and bright in the dank, cramped basement. He's exactly the kind of guy Jensen doesn't pony up with, the kind of guy he would approach in a bar and try to take home at the end of the night. Jay is the kind of guy who could fuck his concentration all to hell and back.

Finally, when he realizes he's supposed to say something in response, Jensen just shifts and taps the table when he speaks. “Kevin's never mentioned you.”

“Not true,” Kevin insists, shaking his head in protest. “Jensen just gets so lost in his own head when we're playin' that he doesn't pay attention to anyone else.”

With a dismissive tilt of his chin, Jay says, “I can understand that.”

Re: J2: poker players who meet before The World Series 2/2

[raeschae.livejournal.com]

The conversation abruptly brought to an end, Tony breaks open a new deck at Jensen's right and shuffles before dealing. Jay is forgotten by the time Jensen looks at his first hand; no one is allowed inside his zone.

He's won three hundred buck, lost a hundred and twelve, when he feels something on the inside of his ankle. Fighting to raise his eyes without flinching, Jensen finds Jay staring back at him, that huge smile beaming.

“Anybody ever told you you're kind of intense?” he teases.

Jensen feels it again, Jay's foot against his, slight pressure of one shoe on another, but he doesn't bother to move away. “Only 'bout poker,” he answers.

Jay tilts his head as though he's trying to read everything Jensen isn't saying. Dirty grin spreading even wider on his lips, he chuckles and says, “That's a shame,” before raising the bet on the table.

Most people would be impressed at how calm he appears, hands steady and breath even, if they could see the rush Jay's words send crashing through Jensen's senses. He's trained to exhibit the smoothest grace under pressure but this kid is getting to him. He's not even really doing anything but Jensen can feel his resolve starting to needle around the edges.

By the end of the night, he breaks pretty close to even. Jay watches him stand, eyes knowing as they watch him leave.

Jensen stops outside the restaurant to breathe hard of the fresh air before he makes his way to his car. Something happened back there. He doesn't know what it was but if Jay ever comes back to visit Kevin, if Jensen ever crosses his path again, he has a feeling he's not going to be able to walk away with a simple wave.

*

Twelve hours later, Jensen has pulled himself together and gone through every tradition and ritual he has. Hat pulled low and sunglasses firmly in place, he follows his agent and his sponsor onto the casino floor, slips into his seat and pointedly ignores the ESPN cameraman circling the table.

Adrenaline pounding, he stacks and re-stacks his chips, biding his time until everyone is in place. He sings Johnny Cash songs in his head while he waits.

“Well, isn't this a coincidence?”

Everything in Jensen's chest wants to jerk and spin, but he manages to hold himself together and barely turn his head when Jay slips into the chair beside him and extends his hand.

“You guys know each other?” one of the other nameless faces at the end of the table chimes in.

Jensen opens his mouth but Jay's quicker, explaining, “Jensen and I go way back.” He leans over to shake the other guy's hand and introduces himself. “Jared Padalecki.”

It's not the kind of name you forget so Jensen knows he's never heard of Jared before, last night notwithstanding. He's obviously not one of the bigger names on the tour – Jensen would know him if he was – and he hasn't been mentioned as an up-and-comer. Smart money says that Jensen has nothing to worry about, that Jared is new enough to be unknown and that he doesn't pose a threat.

Jensen worries anyway.

Before he has a chance to collect himself, the dealer steps to the table and shuffles the deck. From the corner of his eye, he catches the wink Jared throws his way and all he has time to think is, I am so screwed.

Re: J2: poker players who meet before The World Series 2/2

[without-me.livejournal.com]

Oh, yum. How do you make me so crazy about these boys, so quickly? I wouldn't mind at all if you decided to write another 25k of this.

Re: J2: poker players who meet before The World Series 2/2

[raeschae.livejournal.com]

I was thinking, while writing, that this one could easily turn into a bigger story. (Except for the part where you could count on one hand the number of things I know about poker.)

I'm glad you liked it!

Re: J2: poker players who meet before The World Series 2/2

[kskitten.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, this was great. And these two seem like they have a very intersting story up their sleeves!!!! Moremoremore, pretty please? ;)

Re: J2: poker players who meet before The World Series 2/2

[raeschae.livejournal.com]

While I'm not really planning on expanding this story right now, there's definitely more to tell. You never know when you might see it in the future. :D

Re: J2: poker players who meet before The World Series 2/2

[batman-mcghee.livejournal.com]

jared can read jensen's poker face. lady gaga does not approve jensen. you fail.

i second the idea of MORE of this. please? *sweet smile*