Your Strength

Jared and Jensen saw each other nearly every day for the next two weeks. Half the time, it was hanging with the group at the bar, or once, to Jared’s amazement, at Danny’s work: an art gallery, the special occasion being that she was the artist featured. The other half of the time, was because Jared and Jensen had actually made date-like plans. They went to the movies, dinner, brunch, museums—and had sex quite often. Jared spent a few nights at Jensen’s so far, and vice versa. Jared was astonished at the rate at which their relationship was progressing. He felt like he’d known Jensen far longer than just two weeks. Obviously, their dating was a little more serious than just casual, but Jared also felt secure that they weren’t going uncomfortably fast—they were just dating far more often than was completely normal. One night, over dinner at Jensen’s house, Jared grinned at his host.

“You know, this isn’t normal,” Jared commented, to which Jensen frowned.

“What do you mean?” Jensen asked. “My spaghetti isn’t good?"

“No, not your food, your food is impeccable, per usual. I mean, us—well, I mean we’ve pretty much seen each other every day since we started officially dating,” Jared said. “It makes sense because we have common friends and all that jazz, but nevertheless.”

Jensen raised his eyebrows at Jared. “Are you complaining?” Jensen asked, winking.

“No!” Jared immediately replied, laughing. “Am I complaining? Ha! No, I’m just saying it’s a little unusual. I have never dated anyone as profusely as I have you.”

“Yeah, me either,” Jensen replied. “I don’t know man, it doesn’t feel weird, does it?”

“No, no! I don’t think so, at least,” Jared said. “I like…dating you.”

“We’re so redundant,” Jensen chuckled. “We’ve already had this conversation.”

“I know, but I thought it worth reiterating,” Jared grinned. “I like you.”

“I like you too,” Jensen replied, blushing and staring at his pasta for a moment before looking up at Jared through his lashes. “You’re a really great guy.”

“You too, baby,” Jared replied, blowing him a kiss. Jensen laughed and rolled his eyes.

“Are you exciting for the meet-n-greet tomorrow?” Jensen asked, changing the subject.

Jared nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, it’ll be really fun. Then, after this, we can finally start the whole process of actual filming, which is where I come in. When does your project start?”

“Soon,” Jensen replied vaguely.

“We might not see each other much once I start filming,” Jared said, suddenly solemn.

“I’m sure we can make it work,” Jensen assured him confidently, which made Jared grin.

“I know we can,” Jared agreed, slurping up a long string of spaghetti loudly while talking, making Jensen grimace. “If there’s a will, there’s a way!”

“Yeah, the more you slurp your noodles, the more my will lessens,” Jensen grumbled and Jared let out a long, loud laugh, his mouth full of half chewed noodles. “Ew,” Jensen groaned. “Seriously, dude, it’s disgusting. Close your goddamn mouth!”

After dinner, both men adjourned to the kitchen where they set their plates in warm soapy water and leaned against the counter. Jensen leaned into Jared, and tilted his head up, waiting for Jared to meet his lips. Jared didn’t make him wait long, and Jared met his lips eagerly. They kissed for a while before, finally, Jared pulled away.

“You know, if we keep this up, I’ll have to take you into the bedroom,” Jared told Jensen, resting his forehead against Jensen’s.

“Damn, you’ve discovered my master plan: feed you dinner, and then make out with you until you have sex with me,” Jensen chuckled.

“Well, if we have sex, then I, without a doubt, will fall asleep here,” Jared continued. “And I have the meet’n’greet tomorrow, fairly early. So I can’t spend the night.”

“We could have sex, and then you could leave,” Jensen suggested hopefully.

“Oh, no, Mr. Ackles,” Jared grinned as he pulled back away from Jensen a little farther, which, he noted fondly, made Jensen frown. “I couldn’t even fathom, could not fathom in the least, having sex with you and simply leaving afterwards. Simply unfathomable.”

“Say fathom one more time. And okay, look, it’s not a one-night stand if you’re actually dating the person you have sex with,” Jensen replied, rolling his eyes. “But, whatever, Padalecki. I’d hate to insult your delicate sensibilities.”

“I’m sorry, handsome,” Jared replied, leaning in to peck a few kisses on Jensen’s lips.

“I’m only kidding, Jared,” Jensen laughed. “It’s totally okay, I understand. I hope you enjoy your meeting tomorrow. I know you’re excited.”

“I am!” Jared agreed. “It’ll be great to meet everyone. Steve has been particularly annoying about keeping anything he knows on the down low, even from me. Apparently, the director thinks that the first impressions of everyone will be very telling of the tone she wants to set for the rest of the film, or some such artsy-ness.”

Jensen chuckled again. “You’ll have a ball, and definitely impress everyone, I’m sure.”

“You’re so sweet,” Jared grinned at him fondly. “Alright…well…I better go…”

Jensen smiled at him, kissing him for a long moment before pulling away and nodding. “Okay, I’ll walk you to your car.”

They stopped again at the entryway where Jared grabbed his jacket, and kissed for a few long moments again. Jensen walked Jared out to his car, where they stopped to kiss for awhile for the final time that night.

When they eventually pulled apart, Jared grinned at Jensen. “Alright, I’ll call you tomorrow evening, and I can cook for you this time.”

“Sounds like a date,” Jensen smiled at him.

“Alright, goodbye then, man I’m dating and quite like,” Jared said, making Jensen laugh.

“You know…if, I mean, if you want…you could, I don’t know, call me something other than the man you’re dating and quite like,” Jensen suggested shyly, looking down at his and Jared’s entwined hands.

“Man, if only they had a specific title that fit that description,” Jared joked, pulling Jensen into a quick kiss before continuing. “Is this the terminology talk we’re having right now?”

“No…I mean…I don’t know…not if you don’t want to have that talk right now,” Jensen murmured, blushing deeply.

“Ah, baby, you’re so cute when you’re all nervous,” Jared laughed. “I would be pleased and honored to call you my boyfriend, if you want me to.”

Jensen ventured a glance up at Jared’s face through his lashes before he glanced down again at their hands. “I mean…if you want to.”

“Do you want to, is the real question,” Jared asked slowly, falling into seriousness. He put a hand on Jensen’s cheek so Jensen would look up at him. It took a long moment, but finally, Jensen did, slowly making eye contact and seeing Jared’s wide grin.

“Yes,” he finally replied, leaning in to kiss Jared softly, and pulling back again, to whisper, “Boyfriend.”

“Now who’s the juvenile one, getting all nervous about calling each other boyfriend,” Jared joked, and Jensen rolled his eyes.

“You got excited about holding hands, dude,” Jensen defended. “This was a serious, nerve-wracking, adult conversation we just had. I just…I wanted to make sure we were on the same page, is all.”
“Alright, boyfriend, whatever you say,” Jared laughed, pecking him on the lips one more time before opening his car door. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Jensen agreed, smiling and closing Jared’s door for him with a wide, fond smile.

The next morning, Jared was running out of his apartment door like a bat out of Hell when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller I.D. before he answered with a grand sigh.

“Steve, I’m leaving right now,” he greeted without prelude.

“Wow, at this rate, you’ll be only twenty minutes early, what gives?” Steve replied easily.

“I lost my shoe,” Jared admitted.

“Which one?” Steve asked.

“The black kinda casual, kinda dressy ones,” Jared replied. “With the thingies on the tongue.”

“It was under the left side of the couch, wasn’t it?” Steve asked.

Jared frowned into his phone. “Dude, that’s actually really scary, how did you know?”

“It’s my job to know,” Steve replied simply. “You have your phone on vibrate?”

“Yeah, Steve, duh,” Jared retorted with an eye roll as he impatiently stood in the elevator down to the garage.

“And you have the script?” Steve furthered.

“Yes, of course, Mom,” Jared laughed nervously.

“Jared, it’s just a meet’n’greet,” Steve told him calmly, reassuringly. “You’ve already read for the part, you’ve already appropriately impressed all the right people. Today is just about meeting the big-wigs, and your fellow actors. Contracts are signed, Jared. Don’t be nervous.”

“I know the logical side of it, Steve,” Jared said roughly. “Just try convincing my anxiety of this.”

“I’ve tried, and failed,” Steve sighed. “You’re going to do amazingly. I just know it.”

“You’re so gushy today, Steve,” Jared noticed. “What gives?”

“I’m just…alright, I’ll say it,” Steve sighed. “I’m proud of you, kid. Seriously. Good job, this will revamp your entire career.”

“Look…I mean, I want to avoid all the corny stuff because it somehow makes me even more nervous, but look…Thanks, Steve,” Jared replied, his voice surprisingly choked up. “I mean, really. For everything. You’re an amazing agent, and a great friend.”

“Aw, we’re so cute, your boyfriend will be jealous,” Steve joked, and Jared snorted.

“That’s funny that you say boyfriend, we just had that talk last night,” Jared confided. “Any damage control to be done on that front?”

“You know, I was thinking about it from the moment you told me you had that first date,” Steve replied. “And I think I’ve got it under control for now. We’ll see how this whole thing pans out. I have a few back up plans in place if anything goes awry.”

“You’ve always been thorough,” Jared said, slightly distracted as a beep in his ear alerted him to a call waiting. “Hey, Steve, I’ve got another call. I’m ready for today…and thanks, again.”

“Sure thing, kiddo,” Steve replied, and Jared was almost sure that he heard the smile in Steve’s voice. He heard the disconnect of Steve’s line, and swiped over to the new call, which he saw was Jensen.

“Morning, boyfriend,” Jensen greeted. “I know you’re probably running to your car right now, I just wanted to say you’re going to do freaking amazing! Everyone will love you.”

“You know, your voice is exactly what I need to hear right now,” Jared confided, and Jensen laughed.

“I’m glad to hear that,” he replied. “Anyway, I gotta run, but I just wanted to wish you luck and all that!”

“You’re the best boyfriend a guy could want,” Jared told Jensen honestly, and Jensen snorted.

“Ditto,” he replied simply before disconnecting.

Jared grinned as he got into the car, a little less anxious for just a moment. However, it wore off as he approached the set where the movie was to be filmed, and where their little morning meeting would be held. He rolled up the script and shoved it into his back pocket. He wore well-fitted dark jeans, and a nice button-up, and as he made his way through the maze of halls to the giant, grand belly of the building, he felt both under and over dressed.

However, that thought turned to worry about being simply overdressed as he entered the huge main set, where he was informed the meeting would be held and saw many pillows thrown on the floor, a few people already sitting on them lazily. He walked up slowly, recognizing at once the director, who sat with her head craned down towards the script in her palms, conferring with an adorable man with piercing blue eyes. She was a petite woman with a fierce personality to match her amazing red hair. Her name was Felicia Day, and she was both hilarious and incredibly inspiring, somehow. Jared had met her to do the read through, and they had hit it off immediately.

“Jared!” Felicia squealed, looking up from her conversation as she heard the door behind Jared close. She jumped up, scurried over to him, and threw her arms around his waist in a quick hug. “You’re the first of the actors to arrive. I do love a man who is punctual.”

Jared laughed. “Oh, and how do you like your women?”

“You should be asking me that,” replied a voice from behind Felicia. Jared saw a very pretty woman standing with her shoulders back confidently. He recognized her vaguely somehow, but couldn’t place from where.

“Jared,” Felicia grinned, grabbing the woman’s hand. “This is my wife, Genevieve Cortese. She’s quite a famous makeup artist.”

“Call me Gen, please. And I’m only known around a few places,” Gen replied modestly, grinning.

“Yeah, all the best places,” Felicia replied, bragging. “Anyway, she’ll be the main makeup artist. She’s doing it as a favor to me, her doting wife. After all, there won’t be much makeup to be done, it’s not that kind of movie—just the normal amount of stage makeup. I’m afraid she’ll be quite bored.”

“Oh, it’ll be a nice break,” Gen replied. “I mean, you wanted me to relax, anyway, right?”

Felicia grinned. “Gen’s pregnant,” she confided to Jared.

“Oh, God, congrats, guys!” Jared cried out, hugging Felicia again, and dragging Gen into the mix as well. “That’s freaking awesome!”

“Thanks, we’re pretty happy about it,” Gen said again, laughing at his enthusiasm. “Anyway, I don’t know if you knew this or not, but we actually met very briefly.”

“Oh?” Jared asked, thinking back. She did look familiar, but he just couldn’t place her face. He’d met so many new people since moving to L.A., sometimes he had trouble placing them all.

“Yes, I’m good friends with Danny,” Gen replied, surprising Jared. “I was at her art show last week. She introduced me, but you came up to the group after, so we were never formerly introduced.”

It clicked in Jared’s head. “Right! Danny’s art show! You were there, I remember. I remember specifically because Jensen—that’s my boyfriend—noticed your eyes of all things. That sounds vaguely creepy, but it makes sense if you knew him.”

Felicia and Gen exchanged an odd look, like they were sharing a private joke, and Jared grinned still.

“I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you!” he apologized.

“No worries at all,” Gen waved away his apology. “Like I said, we weren’t formerly introduced.”

“Well, I think everyone’s just about here,” Felicia inserted just then. “So, we should go take our seats—that is, our pillows.”

Jared noticed that, in fact, most of the pillows had been filled. He noticed then that most of the pillows were facing four bigger pillows in the front, like a weird, alternative classroom.

He took a seat towards the front, but moved his pillow a little off to the side, so his height wouldn’t block anyone’s view. Felicia plopped down on her pillow next to the man with the blue eyes and grinned at everyone.

“Hey, guys!” she greeted. “I’m your new hard ass boss for this project. Now, I don’t know if you noticed this, but I have kind of an artsy flair. I don’t want to be one of those annoying directors that get weird, irrational ideas into their heads ‘in the name of art’ or whatever, but I probably am and just don’t know it. So sorry if that bothers you, but as this is my production, unless you want a pretty little paycheck at the end of this that proves you worked successfully on this film, than I’d say you better make your peace with me.” She ended her short speech with a grin, and Jared smiled at her when they made eye contact. “Great!” she continued. “Now that we’ve got me out of the way, I’d like to introduce a few people. First, to my left—this beautiful specimen of a man with the striking eyes, as most of you have undoubtedly noticed, is Misha Collins, my assistant director. Now, his word is law just as much as mine is, unless it contradicts mine, in which case—off with his head.”

“Wow, noted,” Misha grinned, and then pretended to grimace, making most everyone laugh.

“You knew that when you signed on to be my assistant,” Felicia grinned at him fondly. “Now, everyone, he is not a gopher, so please do not ask him to go grab you coffee or a scone or anything. That’s just demeaning to everyone involved. Now, onto my next dramatics. I want everyone to get acquainted with both the producer of this film, and the screenwriter, who came up with this brilliant script. So, first: our producer. Mark!” Felicia hollered the name loudly, and a door opened, where a stout man with a receding hairline and thin beard to surround an amiable grin strolled out.

“Hello, darlings,” he greeted, with a Scottish accent. “I’m Mark Sheppard, and I’m paying for all you lovelies.”

“Yes, this is Mark Sheppard, our kind benefactor,” Felicia agreed, motioning for him to take a seat beside her. “Now, he insists all of you call him Mark, but if you want to get on my good side, you’ll call him Mr. Sheppard because it makes him feel old, which makes me laugh.”

“You’re insufferable,” Mark commented, throwing her a fond smile and a roll of the eyes. “Do call me Mark, everyone. Miss Felicia here will probably love you all no matter what you call me, given you perform well. So let’s not make me feel old.”

“He’s a sweetheart,” Misha commented. “Seriously, he won’t fire any of you…probably.”

They all shared a wicked grin, and Jared was one of the few that chuckled.

“Now, finally, the man who wrote the wonderful script,” Felicia called, giving Jared a huge grin. Jared smiled back, a little confused at the targeted attention before he looked over as the same door Mark had come out of opened—and out walked Jensen.

Jared had to stop himself from yelling out his name in astonishment. Jensen grinned as he walked over, surpassing the pillow to bend down briefly by Jared, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and whispering in his ear, “Surprise.” Then he walked over to the last of the four pillows and sat next to Mark.

“I hate your dramatics,” Jensen murmured to Felicia, just loud enough for the people in the front, including Jared, to hear. Felicia flashed Jensen and Jared individual grins before turning to the group again.

“Alright, this is the brilliant and obviously extremely handsome Jensen Ackles, our screenwriter,” Felicia introduced. “Now, he’s clearly fond of the giant in the front row, who is a Mr. Jared Padalecki, our male lead. I’d like everything out in the open now, just to clear the air. There is no nepotism between Jared and Jensen, I promise. Jensen had no say in my hiring of Jared as our lead, just in everybody else’s. In fact, funnily enough, it wasn’t until I was showing Jensen the actors to play his characters a couple weeks ago that he even realized that he’d been dating Jared here. The only real nepotism here is my hiring of my own wife, the wonderful, beautiful, and very pregnant Genevieve Cortese.”

Felicia motioned to her wife, sitting in the very back, who rolled her eyes and grimaced.

“There should be no doubt that I hired her because she is my wife, and also because she is pregnant,” Felicia warned. “So don’t be mean to her, one of us will bite your head off.

“Now, before we go around and actually introduce everyone, I have coffee and donuts for you guys, because I really want you to like me and work well with me,” Felicia continued, jumping up enthusiastically. We’ll adjourn to the other room, momentarily, for refreshments.”

Everyone stood, and Jensen immediately made a beeline for Jared. Jared was both surprised and annoyed—at himself, for not realizing this sooner.

“Do I need to apologize, or are you delightfully surprised?” Jensen asked nervously.

Jared thought for a long moment before settling on a smile. “No, I’m not mad. I was just caught off-guard. Although, really, I probably should’ve put it together myself.”

“You know, I’m actually extremely surprised that you didn’t catch on,” Jensen agreed. “I mean, I thought it was kind of obvious, myself.”

Jared laughed. “Of all the current projects in the entirety of L.A., it makes sense that I didn’t think we’d somehow be working on the same one.”

“I know, I know,” Jensen laughed. “Well, I’ve talked to Felicia and she told me that if this is in any way awkward for you, I can always play a lesser role, only come on the days that Felicia really wants me to.”

“No, no, stay!” Jared said immediately. “This isn’t weird! In fact, if I’m being honest, this is kind of perfect. I mean, I was sort of worried about not being able to see you as often as I’ve sort of grown accustomed to over the past couple of weeks.”

Jensen chuckled, but also blushed. “That’s…sweet,” he said, trying to hide a grin. “I’m glad you see it that way. But this may not be for the best—maybe you’ll see far too much of me and then decide that I’m annoying and break up with me.”

Jared laughed for a few long moments, before telling Jensen, “Yeah, like that’s going to happen.”

Jensen rolled his eyes, but was still smiling.

“You boys missed the coffee,” a Scottish accented voice alerted them suddenly, and Jared saw that they had, in fact, talked through the coffee and donuts break. All the actors, plus Felicia and her crew were walking out carrying Styrofoam cups of coffee and glazed donuts.

“Jensen, you can go grab some coffee and a donut, but I need Jared right now,” Felicia told him. “I hope everything is good?”

“Everything’s fine,” Jensen smiled at her. Jared pouted at Jensen as he turned back to him, making Jensen roll his eyes. “Do you want me to grab you coffee and donuts?”

Jared broke into a grin and nodded enthusiastically. Jensen nodded and strode off into the room where everyone had disappeared into. Jared sat back on his pillow along with everyone else.

“Alright, everyone,” Felicia began. “Now that you know us here up front, I thought we’d do a quick read-through. If you don’t have a script, I have a few extra printed off in another room. We’re not going to read the entire film, obviously, just the first couple of scenes. I just want to get a better feel of how everyone will be working together. I know that this is not normal procedure, but tough.”

Jensen appeared again, two coffees balanced in one hand, and two donuts in the other. He deposited one cup of coffee, and both donuts to Jared before taking his seat on the final front pillow. They began to read, and the entire experience was over with quickly enough. A date to start the shoot was set for the following Monday, and everyone was excused. Jared, Jensen, Felicia, and Gen ended up walking out to the parking lot together.

“You know, if you’re not too busy, our friends’ band is playing at this bar tomorrow night,” Jared suggested, smiling at Gen and Felicia. “Danny will be there.”

“Oh, yes, it’s so fun for pregnant women to go to bars,” Gen grumbled, but smiled.

“The bartender makes killer virgin drinks,” Jensen told her, grinning.

“Is this band any good?” Felicia asked.

“Well, I’m biased, but I think they’re pretty good,” Jensen replied. “It’s actually the bar that inspired the one in the film.”

It was as if Jensen had flicked a switch inside Felicia. She immediately began asking a million questions, and Jensen looked startled for a moment, his mouth opening and closing, trying to answer, as she tacked on more and more. He began to look a little overwhelmed, when Jared decided to step in.

“See? Now you have to come,” he declared, and then pointed a finger at Gen. “And you too, otherwise your wife might question my boyfriend to death.”

Jensen laughed, and Felicia looked excited. “We’ll definitely be there,” she promised, to which Gen sighed.

“Great, another amazing night as the designated driver. I’m only two months pregnant, and I’ve already been designated driver far too much,” she complained, giving a pouting look to her wife.
\“When this baby is out of me, you’re the designated driver for the rest of our lives.”

“I feel like that’s a bit unfair,” Felicia protested, but immediately stopped at the look Gen gave her. “Of course, darling, I will be,” she promised instead.

With grins, Jared and Jensen watched as the women bickered as they all reached their cars. “Okay, well, we’ll see you guys tomorrow then! I’ll text you the address. They start at seven,” Jensen laughed as Felicia and Gen walked over to their car, waving and offering farewells.

Jared looked at Jensen. “Your place or mine?” he joked and Jensen laughed.

“I believed we decided your place,” Jensen replied.

“Great,” Jared agreed. “And it’s still pretty early, which means we have all evening, so even better.”

Jensen looked fondly at Jared. “You know…I’m far too lucky to be dating you.”

“No, don’t get all sappy on me now, Ackles,” Jared laughed.

Jensen laughed, but blushed a little. “I’m not getting sappy. Just commenting.”

“Yeah, commenting sappily,” Jared said. “And if we’re going for sappy, it’s obvious that I am in the lucky one in this situation.”

Jensen laughed. “You’re right, let’s avoid sap.”

“Too sticky,” Jared agreed. “So, follow me to my place?”

“Yeah, definitely,” Jensen agreed. “But if Chad comes in and ruins our movie night like the other day, I’m going to have to murder him.”

“He would have had it coming,” Jared nodded, and Jensen laughed.

“Let’s go, then, boyfriend,” Jensen replied.