ext_52912 ([identity profile] talullahred.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] tamingthemuse2008-11-01 08:10 am

Prompt #119 – Hide and Seek – Communication Breakdown – Talullah Red – RPF (Supernatural)

Title: Communication Breakdown
Fandom: RPF (Supernatural)
Prompt: 119 – Hide and Seek
Rating: PG
Summary: Suddenly communication breaks down between Jensen and Jared.
Notes: Unbetaed!




Jensen knows that Jared's keeping a secret but after a few tries, he lets it die. After all, they're not married or anything, though the fangirls would die if they were. 'Freaks,' he thinks affectionately.

He eyes Jared as he wanders to the back of the set and then further, to the trailers, speaking in low voice in his cell. Probably a new girl, though that would surprise Jensen. Mm, yeah, the guy has been whining about how lonely he is, and making the off-color joke about self-provided hand jobs, but a new girl... it just feels a little too soon, after all the whining when Sandy left him. It's been like, three or four months?

Anyway, that's not that much of a good reason, Jensen figures. True, Jared made a fuss, lost weight, whined a lot, but he and Sandy were old history long before she gave the final blow. Jared was the only one who wouldn't see that their flame had died out.

Still, if it were a new girl, surely Jensen would have seen her coming in and out... One of the perks of sharing a house with your best friend is that there's no privacy left whatsoever.

Jared looks back and raises two fingers in a silent 'hello' before going back to his phone conversation. Jensen smiles but it feels kinda of cold. He goes after some coffee. He should probably take a leak before they're called to the next scene.




Jensen's been kinda odd. Jared flips the phone off and leans back against the trail, taking a moment for himself. Maybe it's the house sharing with car pooling. They spend more time together than most couples do, ferchristsake, and that's probably freaking out Jensen a little bit. Megan told him it was a bad idea from the start but he didn't listen. The first few weeks went perfectly. Jared can't remember the last time he's had so much fun with somebody. The dogs love Jensen, the car pooling works well, and the house has separate entrances, separate floors, and all so they aren't actually breathing on each other's necks all the time.

Jared flips the phone open again, searches for Mac's number and then flips it off before making the call. Sure, he needs a sympathetic ear but it's too soon to willingly submit himself to an 'I told you so.' And besides, they are calling people to the set. He'll figure something out later. Now it's time to channel Sam Winchester.




On the way home, Jensen yawns. He can't help it; it's been a friggin' long day, and the shooting has been turbulent. He's glad it's Jared's turn to drive.

"Tired," Jared asks giving him a side glance.

"Yeah." He knows he should add something else. Jared is trying to make some conversation and he's tired too. And Jensen knows that their silences have been more companionable, so this is an opportunity as good as any to, like, bond or something. But he's really tired and kind of annoyed.

Jared side glances him again and Jensen is expecting some surly frown. What he gets is a raised eyebrow.

"Hey, man, we're good, right?" Jared asks with what sounds like genuine concern, which feels wrong because Jared is more the wisecracking smartass type than Dr. Freud.

"Sure." Jensen replies out of instinct. He realized he actually sounds ironic when Jared huffs something that's not quite a laugh.

"Sure. I just wanted to say that if you're feeling, mmm, cramped or anything, feel free to find a place of your own."

Jensen understands where Jared's coming from and what he means. He lifts his eyebrows, mocking Jared's expression. "You trying to get rid of me?" he asks. Maybe it's the tension or the fatigue, but it comes out all wrong, kind of belligerent and needy and just wrong. But there, it's out and it's kind of awkward to add, "Oh, that was meant to be a joke."

Fortunately, Jared knows him too well, for too long. He just sighs and looks at the road again. "He should talk some other time."

Jensen nods briefly, glad that Jared's let him off the hook for now. Jared parks in the drive way and each goes for their door.

"Later," both say with little enthusiasm.




"Hey," Jared greets as he waits for Jensen to unlock the car.

"Hey." Jensen looks up, smiles and gets into the car. Jared follows, glad that Jensen is at least smiling. He's been feeling kind of silly with this whole thing. There was some misunderstanding somewhere and then in a matter of two or three days everything seemed to change and it's just not working for him.

"Hey, asshole," he says, punching Jensen's arm, before his brain has the time to jog up to his mouth. "What's been up your ass lately?"

"Nothing, Jensen says as he leaves the driveway. "What’s been up yours?"

"Nothing."

Jared adjusts in the seat and fiddles with the radio until Jensen slaps his hand away.

"Dude, don't put on your emo stuff, all right?" he protests.

Jared starts laughing. "Do you even realize how 'Dean' that just sounded?"

Jensen rolls his eyes. "Only that Dean listens to Metallica, not the news."

"True, but still, damn, you've been sounding like a lot, lately, all surly and mysterious."

"Dude!" Jensen casts him an annoyed frown. "Dean is not surly. Sam is."

Jared giggles. "Well, sometimes, granted."

"And you're the one who's been all mysterious lately, with all the long phone calls..."

Jared snorts and shakes his head. So that was it. Jensen is so predictable... the dude is like thirty, he should know better.

"You could have just asked."

"I don't like intruding."

"Sure you don't. But anyway, it's just Jeff who's thinking of proposing and has been nagging me about the ring and the details, like, forever."

"He's proposing?" Jensen asks.

"Yeah, that's the plan, if he manages to get his head out of his ass."

Jensen laughs. "That bad, eh?"

They spend the rest of the ride chatting about Jeff's insecurities, laugh a bit and everything is normal again. Jared hops off the car grinning silly, ready for another day.




Jensen feels something prickling inside his head, something that he tries not to think about as he goes through the routine of bantering, pranking, acting, getting back home. When he's at last alone in his couch, he closes his eyes and leans back for a well-deserved nap. Only that he doesn't nap. He hears Jared leaving for a walk with the dogs and the thing – almost like a weight in his conscience – prickles again.

There's frozen pizza and beer or maybe he could order out, or maybe he can arse himself to cook. Jensen's restless and opens his eyes. He knows that he's thinking about dinner to avoid thinking about Jared. So what is it that's bothering him? They've been friends for three years, work together, know each other pretty well, damn even know each other's families, and nothing unpleasant has really happened... so what? Why is he being an ass about Jared's calls, as if it is any of his business, as if Jared doesn't have a life of his own?

Jensen sits up straight. No. Not that. He covers his face with his hands and gets up. Right, frozen pizza, take out or go out. Go out. Definitely. Even though it's getting late, Jensen walks to the bathroom to take a shower. The mirror is crap, the tiny stains adding to his freckles but Jensen stands staring before he starts to slowly strip. It's kind of harder lying to himself and thinking about dinner when he's there, looking at his own eyes like that. It is true: he's been making a storm in a teacup because he is fucking jealous of Jared.

Josh warned him about sharing a house with the same person he spent all day with. His brother was worried that it would be smothering for him. Yet, he is the one behaving like an ass.

"Oh Lord," Jensen says to the mirror, as if it can help him. He's always been kind of jealous, he knows that. He would rather die than let it rule him, though. Well, at least he knows what is going on and why. He really likes Jared and all this proximity has been a little too much. He should probably find a place of his own to gain some distance... but after that conversation in the car, he knows that moving out all of a sudden will hurt Jared's feelings. And besides, he likes this house, shitty mirror and all.

Okay. So what he has to do is to be more in touch with their other friends. Shit. Their friends, Jensen realizes. They really are like a fucking couple, sharing everything. Even his mom has more autonomy from his father than him from Jared. At least she has her own friends. Jensen softly touches the mirror with his forehead. It's cool and soothing. He takes a deep breath. Right. He's making too much of this all. Time for a shower.




When Jared comes home, he notices that Jensen's car is not in. It's not like Jensen has to invite him everywhere but he feels a little put off. He simply doesn't get why Jensen's being this way, one moment fine, the other moment sulky. Okay, seriously, Jared, he thinks to himself. Get a grip. The dude's entitled to go out for dinner. You're not his mom – he doesn't have to tell you everything.

Jared lets Sadie and Harley in and gets himself a beer. Well, he was going to invite Jensen up for frozen pizza but now... Jared smiles and clicks his tongue at himself. He's doing it again. No wonder Jensen's been odd, he realizes. He has been all over him, like, all the time.

Jared promises himself that he will tone it down and start being normal again, like when they lived apart. He wants things to be fun and free, not this stupid hide and seek game. Sadie whines, looking up with her liquid eyes, and he remembers that there's more in his world than Jensen.


To be continued… eventually