Can't you see we're meant to be: Frankie the Turtle strikes again 4/7
"No, I already ordered for us," Jensen says, half smug, half uncertain. He's mostly sure that Jared will be appreciative, but there's always a chance…
Luckily, Jared seems fine with Jensen's choice. "Ooh, I get all tingly when you take control like that," he teases, and Jensen blushes.
"I think you'll like it," he says sincerely, and relaxes when Jared smiles at him fondly.
"Of course I will. You picked it out, after all."
As they wait for their meal, Jensen can’t help staring at the amazing man across from him, so different from the man he thought he knew. Jared squirms a little uneasily under his gaze.
“Do I really look that different?” he asks softly. “You’re not disappointed, are you? I just...I wanted tonight to be special.”
“You look gorgeous,” Jensen says honestly. “That suit…”
Jared waves the words away dismissively. “Left over from my brother’s wedding a few years back. It had to be custom made, so I just kept it.” He smiles at Jensen and takes his hand. “But this isn’t who I want to be. I love my life just the way it is. I just wanted to impress you tonight.”
“Well, that is definitely mission accomplished,” Jensen assures him, privately thinking to himself that Jared is the perfect example of get you a man who can do both. “I like both sides of you,” he tells Jared, blushing a little, and Jared’s fingers tighten around his. “No matter what you’re wearing, you’re always you.”
“I feel the same way about you, Jack,” Jared says softly. He lets go of Jensen’s hand to rub his fingers over the soft fuzz of Jensen’s sweater, practically purring with pleasure. “This is so soft. Where did you get it?”
Jensen pinches his sweater, snorting. "This? I got this at Old Navy!"
The both share a genuine laugh with each other, and it makes Jensen feel more at ease than before. Jared might be showing him a different side, but he’s still the same kind, humble, and open man that Jensen has been slowly falling in love with. The polar opposite of every single man Jensen has ever been involved with, and Jensen couldn’t be happier.
Finally the waiter returns, bearing a double order of peppercorn foie gras with petit toast points and two glasses of deep amber liquid. Jared eyes the glasses curiously before taking a sip, eyes widening appreciatively.
"Balcones," Jensen tells him, savoring a sip of his own drink. Warmth spreads through him and he takes another sip, enjoying the rich smoky finishing notes. "They're a local distillery that opened a few years ago--they're making quite a name for themselves locally."
"Well deserved, I'd say." Jared's eyes gleam in the low lighting, breathtaking, making Jensen reckless and brave.
"We should go visit sometime," he offers. "They do tours, and it's a fascinating process."
"I'd love to," Jared says enthusiastically, and seems about to continue when they're interrupted by the arrival of their dinner.
“Ah, we’re going carnivore,” Jared says happily, and Jensen laughs.
“Well, we’re Texans, after all,” he points out, and Jared concedes the point as the waiter opens the wine and pours a small amount into Jared’s glass for his approval. Jensen watches, fascinated, as Jared swirls the wine gently and takes a small sip.
“Perfect,” he assures the waiter, and gestures for him to fill Jensen’s glass. “Please leave the bottle.”
“Of course, sir,” the waiter says graciously, and returns the bottle to the stand he’d brought with him.
Jared raises his glass to tap the rim of Jensen’s.
"To carnivores,” Jensen says. “And Texans.”
Jared beams, putting his glass against Jensen's. "To carnivores and Texans."
Jensen brings the glass to his lips and takes a small sip of the deep red wine. The flavor is rich and complex, dark cherry and cocoa with hints of leather and plum--easily the best wine Jensen has ever tasted, and definitely the right choice for their steaks. He's only had it once before, and he's glad that it's every bit as delicious as he remembers.
"Amazing," he says, resisting the urge to finish the glass and pour another immediately. “Where did you learn about wine?”
Jared shrugs. "My mom is a connoisseur. She loves rich merlots, and the market for them has fallen recently so she’s been able to pick up some prime vintages. 2016 was a terrific year for merlots, by the way."
"Who the hell are you?"
"Nobody,” Jared says uncomfortably. “I'm just...Jared. Just Jared."
"You're so much more than that," Jensen says sincerely. "You're an amazing person with a heart of gold and impeccable taste in wine that matches mine.” Jensen gives in to the urge to finish his glass, savoring the rich taste.
"This is an amazing year," Jared agrees. "My mom has mentioned how difficult it is to find."
"Well worth the effort, though," Jensen says, then adds "You are well worth the effort."
“You know what? I don’t want to wait for dessert.” Jared brings out the small bag he’d brought in with them, pushing it across the table toward Jensen.
There’s a box inside, Jensen soon discovers, and he pulls it out. It looks like a jewelry box, small and black and hinged, the sort of thing that nearly always contains an engagement ring in movies and TV shows. Jensen’s heart gives a stuttery thump in his chest, and he looks up at Jared, confused.
“Go on,” Jared urges excitedly. “Open it!”
His interest piqued by Jared’s enthusiasm, Jensen carefully pulls back the domed lid.
“What--?” Jensen has no idea, really, what he’s looking at. It’s a turtle, he can tell that much, gold and silver inlay with tiny red jewels for eyes.
“Turn it over!” Jared orders, hands clasped before him. He’s practically vibrating with excitement, and Jensen does as he’s told, bemused.
Thank you, Frankie. 3/5/19
"Thanks to that spunky little guy," Jared says as solemnly as he’s able. "I was introduced to another spunky little guy. He's the reason we're right here sitting across from each other. It's fate, Jack. Fate. I don't know where he is now, but I'm as grateful to him as I am to you for all you've done."
Jensen closes his eyes, swallowing down all the overflowing emotions that threaten to spill out. "Jared...this is wonderful. Thank you. But it’s too much--”
"It’s not. Listen, you've done so much for me and for the animal shelter,” Jared says passionately. “Your company sponsors us, but not one of your employees has ever come down to personally check on the state of things or see what we need unless it benefits them.” He smiles at Jensen fondly. “But you're different. You don't care about what's in it for you. You’re one of the best people I’ve ever met, and I'll never stop showing how much I appreciate you. I never wanna lose you now that I’ve found you, okay? There could be a hundred men just like you in suits, but not one of them could be anything like you. You're the best thing that's happened to me. Can you make me a promise?"
"Anything.” Jensen knows that’s probably not a promise he can keep, but tonight anything seems possible.
"Please don't leave. Seems like most people I care about end up leaving me sooner or later."
The pensive look on Jared’s face makes Jensen’s heart ache. "I'm not going anywhere, Jared. I promise."
Jared smiles, pulling himself together, taking a deep breath as Jensen further inspects the tiny Frankie. His engraved underside appears to be steel, and Jensen’s slightly embarrassed when he realizes that he still doesn’t know exactly what the tiny turtle is.
“Here, let me,” Jared says, his dimples peeking out as he realizes Jensen’s dilemma. “It figures that you’re not wearing a tie tonight…” To Jensen’s surprise Jared upends the box and a second piece falls out into his hand. “It’s magnetic,” Jared explains. “So you don’t have to puncture your shirt or your tie to wear it.”
Jensen’s breath catches in his throat as Jared’s fingers slide beneath the collar of his sweater, brushing the sensitive skin as he brings Frankie and his magnet together through the soft material. “Jay--”
Jared just smiles at him a bit smugly, clearly pleased with the effect even that small touch had on Jensen. But before he can tease Jensen, the waiter returns to inquire about their meal.
“Everything is fine,” Jared assures him, and allows their glasses to be refilled as they dig in. The sound he makes as he savors the first bite of his perfectly cooked and seasoned steak is practically pornographic. “Oh my God. I think this might be better than sex.”
Jensen chokes slightly on his mouthful of wine. “Then I think you’ve been doing it wrong,” he says, deadpan, and smirks when Jared turns bright pink at his innuendo. But when he takes a bite of his own he’s forced to agree--privately.
As they enjoy their dinner, Jared tells Jensen about how the jeweler mistakenly thought he was buying the gift for his wife, assuming her name was Frankie. Jared told the story of Frankie to the jeweler, which made his night much better.
The story has Jensen thinking about marriage with Jared. What would it be like, he wonders. How does Jared shower? What time does he wake up in the morning? What time does he go to sleep? Does he wash his hair first, then his body? So many questions roam through Jensen's mind, but as they talk about everything and nothing, he keeps coming back to one question: how does Jared like to kiss?
He tries to focus on Jared’s enthusiastic description of an adorable new pup named Icarus who had recently come to the shelter, but Jared has a smudge of chocolate at the corner of his mouth from their dessert and all Jensen can think about is how much he wants to be the one who licks it away.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re not really all that interested in Icarus right now?” Jared asks, teasing. “I’m telling you, a dog would be good for you!”