Your Strength

“Oh, look who it is!” Chris cried out across the bar from right in front of Jensen. Jensen cringed at the volume, but Chris didn’t seem to notice as he continued to yell, “I was beginning to think we’d scared you off at the Halloween party.”

Jensen perked up, turning just as Jared plopped down onto the bar stool next to him, Chad at his side.

“Hey,” he grinned at Jensen, which made Jensen smile hugely too.

“Yeah, hi to you too, giant,” Danny called from around Jensen who rolled his eyes at Jared, which made him laugh.

“Oh, my bad, Danny. Hello!” he greeted over Jensen’s head.

“Okay, calm down, Jensen,” Chad said from around Jared. “I can feel your yearning gaze from here. I think we need to cool it, the others will get jealous.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Jensen told him. “I don’t know how you expect to keep up the pretense that you’re straight.”

“Why must we always bring up my sexuality? Can’t I just be gay for you, darling?” Chad winked at him.

“Of course, pumpkin,” Jensen rolled his eyes at him. “Just for me. Whatever you say…”

“Oh, look at Jensen, with the cute season-themed endearments,” Chris cooed and Jensen laughed.

“Jesus Christ, how have we not moved on to a new subject by now?” Jensen asked. “Jared, how do you like L.A.?”

“Oh, I get it,” Danny piped up before Jared could answer. “Redirect to the second prettiest dude among us.”

“Second?” Jensen said at the same time that Chris and Chad made disgruntled noises of offense.

“See, that’s it! Stand up for your one and only, baby!” Chad exclaimed and Jensen flipped him off.

“A) If I was arguing for either of you, it would definitely be Chris,” Jensen started, grinning at Chris, and graciously accepting his high five. “And B) I’m not arguing for either. I’m definitely second.”

“Oh, so you’re saying Jared’s hotter than you?” Danny asked and Jensen nodded.

“Obviously,” he said without embarrassment. “I mean, I’m not even biased, I promise. It’s a matter of his extreme adherence to the Golden Ratio, which humans are instinctually attracted to. I’m sure if we measured him, it would prove my point. In fact, stand up, would you, Jared?”

Jared, looking both amused and flattered, did as he was told.

“Okay, obviously this is a crude measurement, but his chest is—“ Jensen stood on his tip toes just slightly and put his arm across Jared’s chest and shoulders. “—wow, almost my entire arm. You have some broad shoulders, dude. Now, if he fit perfectly within the Golden Ratio as I suspect he will, his waist will be about to my elbow.” Jensen rested his forearm across Jared’s waist. “See? Almost perfect, and this is a crude measurement, remember. I’m sure you fit perfectly within it if we did it with a tape measure.” Jensen stood and winked at Jared before taking his seat again.

“God, sometimes I forget what I nerd you are,” Danny said fondly with a big smile.

“Can we measure you?” Jared asked. “I’m sure you’d fit pretty well within the guidelines too.”

“Oh, no,” Jensen shook his head, offering Jared a smile. “Just take the crown of prettiest boy.”

Jared laughed. “I don’t know if I’m comfortable taking the crown you’ve held for so long.”

“I love that Chad and I aren’t even in the running for this,” Chris grumbled and Chad laughed.

“Don’t feel bad about being unattractive next to a god,” Chad said. “We’re both seriously handsome men when we’re not standing next to these beauties.”

“Can we all agree that we’re all gorgeous?” Danny sighed. “This topic grows old.”

“What would you rather talk about, princess?” Chad inquired and Danny ignored the princess comment instead to squeal.

“Jensen!” she turned to him suddenly and enthusiastically. “Karaoke! They still have the karaoke set up!”

“No,” Jensen said. “Danny, no!”

“Aw, Jensen, c’mon! Please, there’s hardly anyone here but us!” she pleaded. Jensen glanced around and saw that, in fact, there were only two other people.

“Chris, can we?” Danny turned to Chris, who smiled.

“You know your wish is my command,” Chris bowed to her and then walked off to get everything prepped.

“Jensen, remember that bar we went to in Santa Cruz?” she asked him and a smiled flitted across Jensen’s face. “You sung Sweet Home, Alabama and that cowboy got all choked up?”

“You choked up a cowboy?” Jared inquired, laughing.

“Wow, that phrasing sounded extremely dirty,” Jensen said, not answering Jared’s question, but making him laugh.

“Chris is always telling me that we should try and convince you to sing with us on a gig sometime,” Chad told Jensen, which made Jensen roll his eyes. “I’d love to hear if Chris is just bullshitting me.”

“Look, we can do karaoke, but I will not guarantee I will sing,” Jensen told them. “Knock yourself out, Danny, my love.”

Danny rolled her eyes. “Fine, I know what we’ll do. We’ll get you drunk, then you’ll be so much more willing.”

“Does he even get drunk anymore?” Chad asked and Jensen flipped him off.

“Maybe I should have a few shots of that Absinthe,” Jensen goaded. “But then again, I might be able to actually handle it.”

“Shut up, Ackles,” Chad flipped him off this time. “But yes, we should get a couple shots of Absinthe into you, that might be fun.”

Jensen rolled his eyes and when Chris came back, Jensen smirked up at him.

“Got any Absinthe left?” he asked and Chris raised his eyebrows.

“You gonna sing?” Chris asked, grinning, and pulling the bottle out and pouring Jensen a shot.

“Probably not,” Jensen grinned.

“Oh, we have a probably in there!” Danny cried out in joy. “A smidgen of hope. As always, I’ll get the ball rolling. Everything ready Chris?”

“Yeah, just type in the song you want to sing into the laptop,” Chris instructed and Danny jumped up with vigor. In a matter of minutes, she was up there wailing Bowie’s Major Tom into the microphone with no shame. Not all of it was bad, but there were parts where Jensen couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm. The song ended and they all clapped, along with the few other patrons.

Danny sashayed over and pointed at Chris. “You’re turn, Mr. Singer Man.”

Chris smiled. “Sure thing, sweetie. I think I’ll try my hand at Sweet Home, Alabama.”

“He knows about the cowboy too?” Chad asked and Danny nodded.

“He was there with us,” Danny replied.

“This one goes out to wherever that emotional cowboy is these days,” Chris spoke into the microphone, and launched into Sweet Home, Alabama. Once he had finished, he walked over and Danny shook her head.

“Sorry, love. It just wasn’t as good,” she told him and he nodded.

“I know, I heard it too,” Chris agreed, slapping Jensen on the back. “This one can sing, let me tell you,” he informed Jared and Chad.

Chris poured another shot for Jensen, which merited an inquiring look from Jensen. “What? I think they should be blessed with the sound of your voice. If this is what gets you there…”

“Wow, Chris, dirty methods,” Jensen laughed, taking the shot. “Don’t know if it will help you. Man, that stuff stings.”

“Try doing seven consecutive shots and then talk to me about sting,” Danny muttered, warranting a round of laughter.

“Oh, we should make Jared go, that’ll make anyone look good,” Chad inserted and Danny gasped.

“Rude!” she chastised and Jared laughed.

“Rude, but very true. I don’t sing,” he admitted.

“I’m sure you’re very good, and Chad is just a dick,” Danny told him.

“Chad is a dick, yes, but I also can’t sing,” Jared allowed.

“C’mon, try!” she encouraged.

“Do a shot of Absinthe, I hear it helps,” Jensen suggested.

“Okay,” Jared agreed.

“Wow, I didn’t know this would shape up to be this kind of night,” Chris admitted, pouring Jared the shot. He threw it back like a pro and then blinked.

“Dang, that has a kick,” Jared commented and Jensen laughed.

“Yeah it does,” he grinned. “Now go sing!”

“I will if you will,” Jared grinned at him. “Please?”

Jensen stared at him for a long moment and then groaned. “Okay, fine! But you have to go first!”

Danny squealed. “Yay! Go Jared!”

Jared sighed dramatically, then walked up to the laptop. He bit his lip as he thought, something Jensen found very intriguing, then Jared grinned wickedly as he typed it in.

“Alright, today I was told that I have a perfect body, so this one’s for you Jensen,” Jared grinned and Too Sexy for My Shirt started up. The entire group fell into fits of laughter as Jared danced along and sung along. Once finished he sauntered over to the group and bowed.

“You’re welcome, you’re very welcome,” he grinned. “That’s gonna be a hard act to follow, Ackles.”

“You’re right, might as well not,” Jensen replied, smiling.

“Oh, no! No you don’t!” Jared cried. “Deal's a deal. Your turn!”

Jensen sighed. “Fine.” He looked at Chris. “One more shot.”

Chris obliged and after Jensen had tossed it back, he walked over to the laptop, thinking for a moment and then deciding. He walked over to the mic and looked extremely uncomfortable.

“Keep in mind that I’m rusty and I’m not taking this seriously,” he said before starting in on Eye of the Tiger. Jensen felt horribly self conscious, but the moment he started reading the words on the small screen of the laptop, he allowed a little bit of himself to seep into his voice.

“…now I’m back on my feet, just a man with his will to survive...”

Once he finished, he was met with a standing ovation which he rolled his eyes at. He walked back over to the group and was forced to roll his eyes again at Danny’s enthusiastic hug.
“That was amazing,” she commended and he sighed.

“It’s not the first time you’ve heard me sing, Danny,” he told her. “No one even cried this time.”

“I can cry,” Chad offered. “Shall I cry?”

“Please refrain,” Jensen replied. He sat back down next to Jared who smiled at him.

“That was very good,” he told Jensen, softer than the others.

“I liked yours better,” Jensen grinned.

“Oh, well, naturally,” Jared agreed. “But yours was a close second.”

Jensen laughed for a long moment and then grinned at Jared. “What a touching compliment. But don’t let Danny hear you, she might take it personally.”

“Already did,” Danny piped in with a grin. “We’re arch enemies now,” she told Jared.

“I didn’t know people had arch enemies in real life,” Jared laughed.

“Well, you’re now one of the lucky few, Padalecki,” Danny said, trying her hardest to not smile.

“I’ll consider myself honored, then,” he replied.

“As you should,” Danny agreed.

Chris, Chad, Danny, and even Jared sang a few more songs until it was only their group left in the bar. It was late and they were all getting tired, so Danny turned to Jensen.

“Sing the last song, send us out on a good note,” Danny pleaded and Jensen frowned at her.

“No, I think we’re on a good note,” Jensen evaded.

“C’mon, Jensen,” Chris tried as well. “Sing American Pie. Remember how much you loved that song when you were a kid? You still like it, don’t ya?”

“I love that song,” Jared told him and Jensen gave him a fond smile before finally throwing up his hands.

“Fine…but don’t look at me or something,” Jensen grimaced and they all laughed.

“Yeah, sure, we won’t look at you,” Danny agreed with an eye roll. Jensen walked over, typed in the song, and sang the full seven plus minutes. When he was finished, he slowly strolled over where they all sat staring at him.

“That bad, huh?” he joked and they all grinned at him.

“That was amazing!” Jared said. “And—this may be a little blasphemous—I may like your version more than McClain’s.”

Jensen pretended to look shocked. “The irreverence!” he exclaimed.

Jared laughed and nodded. “I know, I felt horrible saying it, but it’s not untrue.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but I can’t agree with you,” Jensen said, smiling.

“You could be a rock star if you wanted to,” Jared told him and Jensen laughed.

“If you think my speech at the Oscars was bad, picture me trying to sing in front of thousands more people all screaming at me,” Jensen pretended to shudder. “I would not be able to handle being a rock star.”

“You’d sing Jack Daniels a ballad,” Chad commented, laughing. “Oh, wait. Never mind, there are already songs like that.”

“Okay, thank you all, your appreciation is much appreciated,” Jensen smiled a little shyly at his friends.

“Yes, very good, Jensen,” Chris said. “And now that we’ve ended on a good song by a great singer, y’all need to get out. Like, I love you, but we were closed an hour ago.”

Chad laughed. “Sorry, Chris. Can we help?”

“Help with what? All I need is to get you out on the street so I can lock the door,” Chris laughed. “C’mon, I’m tired!”

They all vacated to the street and waited for Chris. Once he had locked the door, he joined them.

“We all need cabs,” he commented. Danny put up her hand on the still busy L.A. street and three cabs stopped.

“C’mon, Chris, you’re close to me. We’ll split one,” Danny commanded. Chris and Danny entered one, waving as it drove off.

“Okay, Padalecki, you live right next door to me, so you’re coming with me,” Chad commanded and Jared laughed.

“You’re so bossy,” he commented and Chad grinned, winking.

“You know you like it,” he said, walking off.

Jared took a step but then stepped back up to Jensen, so close Jensen almost looked crowded.

“You know, if there hadn’t been so many prying eyes, I probably would’ve kissed you after American Pie,” Jared told him bluntly. “It took a stupid amount of concentration to stop myself.”

Jensen’s smile slowly spread into a wide grin and he leaned even closer so they were only inches away from kissing. “Well, guess we’ll have to rain check for a time with less prying eyes.”

Jared let out a huff of laughter and Jensen smiled back, taking a step back and holding his hand out for another cab, which stopped pretty quickly. He got in, leaving Jared standing there and Chad waiting impatiently. Jensen winked from the back seat as the cab pulled off. Jared grinned after him for a long moment before he finally walked over to the cab.