puchuupoet (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
puchuupoet) wrote2010-11-09 01:52 pm
puchuupoet) wrote2010-11-09 01:52 pm
Entry tags:
fic: the flash of chrome 1/2
Title: the flash of chrome
Author: puchuupoet
Pairing: Jensen/Jared
Word Count: ~7,600
Rating: R
Heads-up: Mentions of homophobia, minor violence, sex, language
Disclaimer: Not mine, never happened, completely fictional.
Summary: Jensen's ready to do something that will break up the monotony of his life, and knows the best way to accomplish that is to hunt down his childhood dream: a 1967 Chevy Impala. What he doesn't realize is that classic cars require a special touch, and when he realizes he's in over his head, Jared Padalecki's the go-to mechanic.
Notes: Written for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lasvegas_lights gorgeous artwork and amazing prompt, which can be found here, as part of the ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
spn_reversebang. Beta'd by the awesome thunder_nari ♥ And so many thanks to playthefool for all of the feedback and flailing and advice ♥♥
Jensen receives the text during the afternoon meeting, a quick delivery confirmed that leaves him unnaturally grinning in front of everyone. He wraps it up quickly after that and as he ushers his staff out of the conference room, his secretary Sarah stops him with a cautious touch to his arm.
"Hey, are you feeling okay?" She shoots him a careful look, and Jensen just nods his head.
"Looks like something came up, need to take off early today." He smiles at her, hopefully reassuring. "Nothing to stress over, I promise."
Sarah waits a moment before nodding, stepping back towards her desk. "I'll let you know if anything important comes up."
"Thanks." Jensen smiles again before heading back towards his office. He's already set to go, briefcase packed and his coffee mug washed out. He glances at the small toy car serving as a paperweight by his monitor. "Soon baby," he whispers and this time doesn't feel stupid about it.
Jensen carefully guides his Lexus down the tree-lined street, doing his best to stick to the speed limit. The drive home had been clogged with a different sort of commuter traffic: school buses and soccer moms. Now it was bicyclists and large groups of kids spilling into the streets, unwilling to walk single file once the bells had released them.
His house comes into view, and Jensen's breath catches in his throat at the empty driveway. It's not until he's about to pull in that he realizes it's hidden by another car parked on the curb. The bright gleam of chrome catches his eye, and he doesn't realize his hand is shaking until he goes to turn his car off and can hear the keys jingle against each other.
"Hey, Jason?" Jensen calls out as he steps from his car, glad he left his jacket off. The guy in front of him is scruffed up, hand calloused when Jensen shakes it. "Thanks so much for doing this."
Jason smiles, pulling the keys from his front pocket. "Everything cleared, so here you go." His gaze drops down Jensen's body, taking in the slick black shoes and creased pants. "Give me a holler if anything comes up, okay?"
"Yeah, sounds great." Jensen's impatient, having waited twenty two years for this moment, and he's ready to finally cement it.
"Be in touch," Jason calls out, heading across the street to the idling truck, Classic Cherries stenciled along the sides. A quick honk and he's pulling away, the diesel engine fading off into the distance.
Jensen locks up the Lexus, checking his pockets for the essentials before walking around to his new car. It's gorgeous; sleek, shiny and sticks out in this neighborhood, everything he had been hoping for when he had first emailed Jason with his inquiry.
The neighborhood is great, thrown across the track of land like a quilt with all the matching lawns, pale painted houses and stable of silver and black cars. Jensen had fit in perfectly, finding a spot among the other businessmen and their families, even if he didn't have anyone to bring along to the potlucks and barbeques.
It was only more recently that Jensen had felt constricted by all the amenities and friendliness. The monthly barbeques showing up like clockwork were just a reminder of the monotony of his life rather than a welcome reprieve. Hence the email to Jason to try and find his childhood dream.
Jensen trails his fingers along the side of the car, the black paint hot from sitting in the sun. He unlocks the door, fumbling with the key in the lock, more used to the small faded rubber buttons on a fob.
The door's heavier than he's expecting, the car lower to the ground and he almost feels like he's falling before sliding in on the vinyl seat. The car's massive compared to the Lexus, and Jensen's tempted to explore, to acquaint himself with all the nooks and crannies the car holds.
He doesn't though, slides the key into the ignition and turns it, holding his breath. The car starts immediately, the engine reverberating down the street and Jensen has to choke back a giggle at the noise.
He shifts into drive and nudges down on the gas pedal. The car's response is quick and smooth, slowly rumbling forward until Jensen encourages it on with more pressure. It's nothing like his other car - his old car, he thinks with a grin - the sedan being sleek and silent no matter how hard he had pushed it on the freeway.
Jensen's phone rings once before jumping to his earpiece, and he glances at his cell before answering. "Chris, hey. Not much, cut out early to pick her up. Of course it's a her, they're supposed to be hers. Boats too, I think. Whatever."
Jensen pauses as his friend starts in about the show tonight, how it sounds like it’s going to be a bigger turnout than usual. He rolls to a stop at an intersection, deciding last minute to take a left and head towards town.
“It’s cause you’re playing at some dive bar, man. You’re a nice change from the jukebox, okay?” Jensen pauses for a moment, swears he can hear something that doesn’t sound completely right. "Hey, your truck's older, right? Are weird noises normal?"
Chris huffs out a laugh on the other end. "What counts as weird?
"A ticking, I guess? Hard to tell, I'm not used to all its quirks yet."
"I know a guy who could take a look at it for you. Really good with the older models and even has a sweet spot for Chevys. He's over by the Denny's, if you go down that side road over there. He's to the right."
"Yeah, thanks. I'll see you tonight then." Jensen hangs up, biting his lip as the noise seems to pick up when he accelerates. "Fuck."
Jensen finds the place with no problem, although it takes him a couple of minutes to get the car lined up enough to fit down the tight back street. The turning radius throws him off as well, combined with the lack of power steering and he can feel it in his forearms by the time he makes it to the shop.
He parks in front of the open bay, not seeing any other cars around. Jensen steps out, slams the door and calls out. "Anyone around?"
There's a few warning whines, but that's all before a pair of large dogs comes barreling out of the office, kicking up dust and yipping and snuffling at Jensen's pants and shoes. He moves back, leaning against the car as one dog noses higher, the other stepping back a few paces before starting to bark.
"Hey! Get away now!" The voice booms out over the lot and both dogs immediately pull back, twisting around to nuzzle at the man who emerges from the garage. The sun hits Jensen at the wrong angle, forcing him to shade his eyes as the man walks towards him.
"Sorry about that. They're harmless once they get to know you." The guy grins, wide and beaming and Jensen's glad he's already leaning up against the car. The guy sticks his hand out. "I'm Jared, what can I do for you?"
"Jensen." He takes Jared's hand, the calluses rough on his skin. "A friend recommended you. I just got this car and it was making an odd noise when I was driving it around."
Jared's eyes flicker to the car, an almost predatory smile breaking over his face. "Nice Impala, what is it, a sixty... seven? And you managed to find a four-door even, how long did that take you?" He moves away from Jensen, hand stroking over the curves of the body. There's a natural grace there, the way he knows which dips to follow, how he pulls back to avoid leaving fingerprints on the chrome.
Jensen mentally shuffles through the paperwork Jason had emailed him with all the specs and requests. "Yeah, 1967. And uh, awhile?" Jensen doesn't know the exact amount of time off the top of his head. Just that he had found Jason and sent in his order.
Jared gives him an amused look before walking back around to the front of the car. "What do you have in here?" he asks, fiddling with the hood.
"A three-...." Jensen racks his brain, knows it's on page two but that's it.
"Three-fifty, nice," Jared finishes for him, ducking his head under the hood. "What'd you say the noise was?"
"Like a ticking sound. Seemed like it sped up when I did."
"Did it do it in reverse?"
"I didn't try that." Jensen folds his arms as he walks around to look at what Jared's doing. The engine is gorgeous, he can see and appreciate that aesthetically, but the mechanics of it all are a blur of numbers and letters on paper. He just remembers the shine of the paint on his toy Impala, the way the chrome glinted as he drove it down the concrete paths and how he could fit most of an army man in the trunk. He would pop the hood as well, but that was just a quickly painted mess of silvers and whites, nothing that grabbed his attention the way the rest of the car did.
Jared hums at him as his fingers fly over the various pipes and wires. Jensen can see it, know the basics of what's in front of him, even if it doesn't look anything like the Lexus. He mentally checks off the fan, the battery, the air filter. Jared's digging down even deeper though, looking for something, and Jensen wishes he knew what it was.
"So, uh, what d'you drive?" Jensen's not sure what else to talk about but needs to break the silence.
"The Goat over there." Jared gestures to the far side of the garage, where a couple of cars are parked. At Jensen's blank look Jared chuckles. "The burgundy GTO at the end," he clarifies. He pauses before meeting Jensen's eyes. "Haven't been to many car shows?"
"What? Oh, no. None at all, actually. She's, uh, she's my first. Is it that obvious?"
Jared smiles at him and motions him over to the engine. "From what I can tell without lifting it, it's either the transmission fluid or filter. Most likely the filter, and that'll take maybe an hour to change? It's something you can either do on your own or bring to me."
Jensen checks his watch, resisting the temptation to bite his lip. Chris's band isn't due on stage for awhile, but he had told them he would get there early to help out beforehand.
"Got plans?"
Jensen nods. "I think it'd be cutting it too close to try and get it done tonight." He looks at the car, and almost feels like he should be kicking the tire. "I shouldn't drive on it..." He trails off, letting Jared decide if it's a question or statement.
Jared shrugs. "I wouldn't recommend it, but it's not like your car's going to go up in flames if you stick it in reverse or something."
Jensen glances back at the way he came in. "It was a tight fit trying to get here in the first place."
"Hell, you fit this thing through there?" At Jensen's nod Jared shakes his head with a chuckle and waves back over towards his car. "The main entrance is over there. Man, did someone who hates you recommend me or something, cause not many people know about that alley."
"Seriously?" Jensen lets himself lean against the car. "Fucking Chris... He's the one who told me about you and the alley. Said you could take care of anything classic."
"Yup, grew up around it and was lucky enough to make it into something that supported me." Jared chuckles. "How does this sound? I take care of your car, you chill in the waiting room, it has magazines and everything you need. And then if I don't get you out of here on time, I'll take you where you need to go."
Jensen nods before he realizes he's doing so. It's not like he has anything else planned for the rest of the day, all of his excitement being so tightly focused on the car. "Sounds like a deal."
"Awesome."Jared's smile is infectious, and Jensen finds himself finally relaxing. "Let me snag the keys from you and I can get started on her."
Jensen passes over the keys, trying not to let his fingers drag against Jared's. But Jared smells like grease and gas and rubber, previously unappealing scents that slot together perfectly now and has Jensen leaning in towards Jared.
The sharp jangle of the keys hitting the work asphalt gets him to pull back though, and Jensen catches a glimpse of Jared's grin as he ducks down to pick them up.
Jared stays crouched down for a moment, his eyes raking appreciatively over the lines of the car. He glances up at Jensen from where he is, hair falling into his eyes and Jensen's glad he's already leaning against something.
"Well, wherever you got her from, you got one hell of a car here." Jared stands and jingles the keys a bit. "I promise I'll treat her right," he says, grinning at Jensen.
Jensen can feel the flush start to creep up the back of his neck, and he wonders if Chris is doing this to him on purpose.
"The waiting room's right through that open door in front, and you can just ignore the dogs. They'll lick you to death before anything else. And help yourself to anything in there." Jared pauses for a moment, slight smirk on his face, and it takes a second for Jensen to remember he's leaning up against the driver's door.
"Right, thanks." Jensen ducks his head as he walks towards the office and he swears he can hear a snort of laughter behind him.
He turns when he hears Jared start up the Impala, and even to his untrained ear he knows it sounds good. It fucking better, for what he paid for it. Though he's pleased to hear the ticking noise as Jared slowly guides it into the service bay; that it wasn't just something he had imagined.
When Jensen reaches the doorway he pauses, looking around the office. It's simple and neat, the only really impressive thing being the size of the two dogs sprawled out on the tiled floor. Their tails whack heavy against the ground as Jensen walks by them, headed towards the counter. There's a selection of magazines and catalogs piled at one end, a computer set up at the other. But Jensen looks past that, at the pictures hanging on the wall.
The photos are mostly new, shiny and vibrant of a variety of cars, classic and modern. The one thing tying them all together is that Jensen can easily spot Jared in each one, looming over the other figures, a wide grin on his face. There's a few older pictures scattered throughout, faded colors and dated wardrobes. But Jensen can still recognize Jared's smile, a small child perched on old cars with whom Jensen assumes is his dad beside him.
There's a loud clatter from the garage that startles Jensen, causing him to jump back from the photos. He looks around and notices that the dogs haven't even moved, just sighed and twitched their toes at the noise. There's a door to the side, wedged in between the counter and the two waiting room chairs, and Jensen heads towards it. A quick glance through the wire reinforced window shows that it leads to the garage, and Jensen takes a deep breath before testing the door knob, well aware that he's about to enter a world completely foreign to him.
The door gives easily, and Jensen's surprised to see his car hanging high in the air. Jared's standing underneath it, squinting up at the undercarriage. He doesn't notice Jensen as he reaches for a trouble light, grasping the wire frame and tugging it towards him. When the extension cord snags Jared turns to untangle it.
"Hey," Jensen says, and does his best not to smile when Jared starts at his voice. "I heard a crash..."
Jared huffs out a breath and shakes his head. "Fuckin' scared me, man. Not used to people sneaking around the garage like that," he teases, finally getting the extension cord to extend properly. "Wrench slipped out of my fingers, that's all."
Jensen nods, coming closer but not to where he's under the car. His arms ache from driving the car over here, unused to the lack of power steering. But he's aware of how heavy it is, and his eyes keep flickering to the posts keeping the car in the air.
"It's not going to fall on you, you know." Jensen glares at Jared's words but takes a few steps closer, looking up to watch Jared fiddle with something underneath the engine. "Can you tilt the light for me a little more?"
Jensen looks at where Jared's pointing and he takes the light from him, angling it up into the car's underside.
"Perfect." Jared murmurs, focusing in on an area and tightening a bolt. "I think that's about it."
"Really?" Jensen checks his watch, surprised.
"Yeah, it wasn't as bad as I was thinking, thankfully." Jared pauses, watching Jensen's face. "You're gonna make it in time then?"
"Uh, yeah, it'll be no problem." Jensen hands the light back to Jared. "Thanks for doing it so quickly. Uhh, what do I owe you?"
Jared smiles at Jensen as he nods for him to back up. "Like I would turn you or your car away." He reaches towards one of the posts, pressing the button that starts to slowly lower the car back down. "And don't worry about it, it's on me."
Jensen's mind is racing, caught up in Jared's dimples and the thought of having to drive away soon. "I'll buy you a beer. Or two. Tonight? Unless you already have plans?"
Jared watches as the car reaches the ground with a gentle bump. He turns the lift off before turning towards Jensen. "You're really inviting your mechanic out for drinks?"
Jensen can't tell if it's incredulousness or disdain he's hearing in Jared's voice, or maybe he's just imagining things, but he presses on. "You know Chris, right? With the pickup and the long hair?" Jared snorts at the description, so Jensen takes that as a yes. "His band's playing tonight, it's going to be a lot of fun." He cringes a little at his choice of words but Jared doesn't seem to notice his discomfort.
"How about you tell me where it is, and I'll meet you there?" Jared leans against one of the lift posts, facing Jensen.
Jensen narrows his eyes. "You're not trying to get out of it are you? I mean, no pressure or anything, I just thought, you know..."
"I'm not, I promise. But it'd be nice to clean up before heading out."
Jensen grins and gestures at his own forehead. "Speaking of, you got a smudge..."
"And here you wanted me to go out as is." Jared sticks his tongue out at Jensen as he tugs at the hem of his t-shirt. He pulls it up, ducking his head down to rub at his forehead with the fabric.
Jensen does his best not to stare, but fuck, Chris had to point him to the mechanic with the tan and the washboard abs. The garage gets too silent though, and Jensen's eyes flicker up to find Jared watching him.
Jensen can feel the flush on his face this time, is reassured of it by the way Jared chuckles and tugs his shirt back down.
"So, which bar am I heading to?"
"Uhh, the one on the corner of Stimson and 7th? Sort of beat up looking? I think there's a buffalo head near the sign above the awning." Jensen can't remember the last time someone made him this flustered and it's unnerving. He focuses on one of the old oil signs tacked to the wall, behind Jared's head.
"Hey," Jared sounds amused, and he reaches out to lightly grasp Jensen's chin, the touch feather light as he makes Jensen look him in the eye. "Calm down? And I know the place you're talking about. When's the band going on?"
Jensen has to think about it longer than usual with the way Jared's intently watching him. "Uhh, 7:30?"
"I'll be there." Jared pulls his hand away, reaching into his pocket to pull out the car keys. "Let's get you on your way first."
The bar's already loud by the time Jensen gets there, but according to his watch he's still on time. He can see Chris and the rest of the band crowded around the stage in the corner, and he makes his way through the maze of tables towards them.
Jensen bumps up against Chris, who turns around with a wide grin. "Hey, you made it! Car didn't crap out on you then?"
Jensen shakes his head. "Took it to the guy you recommended and he took care of it." The more Jensen glances around the room the more overdressed he feels, even though he had swung home to change out of his work clothes.
"Oh yeah, Jared? What'd you think of him?" Chris glances away when one of his band mates calls out to him. Jensen's pretty sure it's Steve, but he's not that familiar with most of the guys.
"Oh, he's great. Really knowledgeable..." Jensen takes a deep breath. "He's actually coming to the show tonight."
Chris pauses at Jensen's words, a smile breaking out over his face and Jensen swears it's the biggest shit-eating grin he's ever seen on his friend's face. "So, got along that well with him?" He elbows Jensen in the side.
"It's not even like that," Jensen protests but he knows his words are weak. "You're the one who told me to go there. Down that fucking alleyway even, dick." Jensen elbows Chris back, grinning when he hears a surprised grunt.
"Exactly," Chris says. "Now you can't say I've never done anything for you. Don't blow it now, it'd suck to lose him as a mechanic."
Jensen shakes his head and smiles. "What do you want me to help out with?"
"Nothing, really. Rest of the guys got it, and we're due to go on in a couple minutes. Besides, Jared's heading this way." Chris smirks before pulling back to check on some wiring, leaving Jensen to twist around, breath catching in his throat.
Jared's heading over from the bar with a beer in each hand, expertly making his way through the crowd. He smiles when he catches Jensen's eye, not dropping his gaze til he's right next to him. Jensen's just glad the lighting's already low. Jared's in a clean pair of well-fitted jeans, a button up shirt tossed over a wife beater and Jensen's finding it hard not to stare.
"Hey," Jared says, handing Jensen one of the bottles. He runs his hand through his hair, letting out a breathless laugh. "Looks like I made it in time."
"Uh, yeah, they're getting ready to start up soon." Jensen's aware of how close Jared is to him, and underneath the Irish Spring he can still catch oil and rubber. "There's a table over here..."
"That sounds great. Been on my feet all day." They sit at adjoining sides, both facing the stage and Jensen stretches his legs out without thinking. His boots hit something heavy, and he doesn't realize it's Jared until Jared kicks back.
"Crap, sorry about that." Jensen takes a pull from his beer as he starts to pull his legs back.
"What're you apologizing for?" Jared asks, and Jensen doesn't know what he's talking about until he feels pressure on his legs, dragging them back out til they're extended underneath the table. Jared smirks as he pins Jensen's ankles between his legs, locking eyes again as he takes a sip from his own beer.
Jensen's mouth is dry, heart racing and he can't remember the last time he had tangled with a force like Jared. If he ever had before, and he flexes an ankle. Jared's legs tighten immediately, his lips curling up in a grin as he glances over at Jensen's face.
Jensen's thankful that the lights dim then, the stage lights lighting up Chris and the rest of the band. It's been awhile since the last time he had seen them play, and they start off with something new. Jensen can tell when Chris catches sight of them, the way he smiles and how his tongue seems to curl around the lyrics with more force. It's easy to let himself fall into the music, even though in the back of Jensen's mind he's praying that Chris doesn't decide to dedicate a song to them tonight.
The crowd's on its feet when the band wraps up its final song, and Jensen's calves feel cold without Jared's legs tangled around them. Jensen whistles at Chris, pleased at the how happy they all look up there.
There's movement behind him, bodies shuffling around and Jensen feels a sharp pain as someone elbows him in the back. He turns slightly, but there's no one behind him when he looks around. Jared raises an eyebrow, but Jensen shakes his head.
"I'm buying the next round." Jensen has to lean in close to Jared to be heard over the din. "I'll be right back."
There's some more jostling on the way to the bar, but Jensen's used to the push and pull of bar crowds and ignores it. The wait at the bar isn't too long, and he takes a beer in each hand before turning around to head back.
"Haven't been paying much attention, have you?" The voice is low and gravelly, and Jensen glances around before realizing the man in front of him is talking to him. "You should take off now, head on out of here."
Jensen frowns. "Listen, I don't know what's wrong, but I'm just heading back to my friends."
"You don't belong here." The man's glare drags down Jensen's body, cruel disdain obvious in his eyes and the gesture reminds Jensen of high school. The crowd undulates, pushing the man closer, and Jensen glances around, trying to find Chris or the rest of the band in the sea of faces. His breathing picks up when the only thing he sees are the same surly glares from the surrounding people.
"Right, I'm going." Jensen raises his arms a little, hands still grasping the beer. "Just let me drop these off..."
"Fuck that," the man mutters, cutting Jensen off and stepping in. Jensen tries to twist away, ducking his head down. The man still connects, and Jensen hears the crunch of his cheek underneath the man's fist before blacking out.
Jensen slowly comes to, trying to blink back the pain. He hasn't been out long, he realizes when he hears Jared's voice, loud and angry above the rest of the din. He struggles to sit up, leaning up against one of the bar stools until his head stops swimming.
"You cowardly fucker," Jared's yelling, and when Jensen blinks again it's either Chris or Steve that's grabbing Jared's shoulder, pulling him back away from the jeering man.
One of the other guys in the band helps Jensen stand - the drummer, he thinks - and Jensen flushes when he sees the number of people staring, pointing and cheering on.
Jensen stumbles forward, reaching out to grab on to Jared's arm. "Jared, hey, come on," Jensen manages to get out, the words making his jaw ache. "Please."
The gesture has the crowd surging forward again, and Jensen clings to Jared's shirt as they make their way out through the front door. Chris keeps them moving, down the side alley until they reach the band's van.
Jensen slumps against the side of the van, not realizing he's still clutching at Jared until he opens his eyes to find Jared right there next to him. There's concern in Jared's eyes that barely hides the flash of anger as he looks over Jensen's face.
"How are you doing?" His voice is soft and Jensen wishes it was easy enough to just pull Jared closer. He tries shaking his head instead, wanting to wake up but all it does is make him dizzier.
"What happened?"
Jared shrugs before looking away. "I don't know how it started, but it ended with me punching a drunk asshole, which isn't nearly enough."
Jensen just hmms in response, letting go of Jared's shirt. His stomach's still churning and he knows how red he must look right now. He's at least thankful he can't feel the side of his face right now and hopes he's just imagining the phantom tickle of blood on his neck.
"How'd all that start, Jen?"
Jensen shakes his head, not wanting to admit that maybe he let himself dream too big and just ended up in over his head. The car, the bar, Jared. A world that's supposed to be viewed at from a distance. He can't even change a fucking air filter or coyly tell Jared exactly how big his engine is.
The last thought has Jensen snorting out a cough, a sobbing choking noise and Jared looks at him in alarm. "Jensen?"
"I gotta go," he whispers, the first words that reach his mouth. He pushes off of the van, away from Jared and heads towards his car. He's fucking thankful that he had the mind to back in to his parking spot; he's not sure what he would have done if they had all stood there staring as he maneuvered his ass around in a 17-point turn. Probably would have given up and walked.
"Jensen!" Chris' voice echoes in the back lot, and Jensen instinctively turns to look, to force himself to meet Chris' eyes. He ends up just shaking his head as he fumbles with his keys in the door, forcing himself to focus on home, on whiskey, on everything he does have, instead of what he doesn't.
Part 2
Author: puchuupoet
Pairing: Jensen/Jared
Word Count: ~7,600
Rating: R
Heads-up: Mentions of homophobia, minor violence, sex, language
Disclaimer: Not mine, never happened, completely fictional.
Summary: Jensen's ready to do something that will break up the monotony of his life, and knows the best way to accomplish that is to hunt down his childhood dream: a 1967 Chevy Impala. What he doesn't realize is that classic cars require a special touch, and when he realizes he's in over his head, Jared Padalecki's the go-to mechanic.
Notes: Written for
lasvegas_lights gorgeous artwork and amazing prompt, which can be found here, as part of the spn_reversebang. Beta'd by the awesome thunder_nari ♥ And so many thanks to playthefool for all of the feedback and flailing and advice ♥♥Jensen receives the text during the afternoon meeting, a quick delivery confirmed that leaves him unnaturally grinning in front of everyone. He wraps it up quickly after that and as he ushers his staff out of the conference room, his secretary Sarah stops him with a cautious touch to his arm.
"Hey, are you feeling okay?" She shoots him a careful look, and Jensen just nods his head.
"Looks like something came up, need to take off early today." He smiles at her, hopefully reassuring. "Nothing to stress over, I promise."
Sarah waits a moment before nodding, stepping back towards her desk. "I'll let you know if anything important comes up."
"Thanks." Jensen smiles again before heading back towards his office. He's already set to go, briefcase packed and his coffee mug washed out. He glances at the small toy car serving as a paperweight by his monitor. "Soon baby," he whispers and this time doesn't feel stupid about it.
Jensen carefully guides his Lexus down the tree-lined street, doing his best to stick to the speed limit. The drive home had been clogged with a different sort of commuter traffic: school buses and soccer moms. Now it was bicyclists and large groups of kids spilling into the streets, unwilling to walk single file once the bells had released them.
His house comes into view, and Jensen's breath catches in his throat at the empty driveway. It's not until he's about to pull in that he realizes it's hidden by another car parked on the curb. The bright gleam of chrome catches his eye, and he doesn't realize his hand is shaking until he goes to turn his car off and can hear the keys jingle against each other.
"Hey, Jason?" Jensen calls out as he steps from his car, glad he left his jacket off. The guy in front of him is scruffed up, hand calloused when Jensen shakes it. "Thanks so much for doing this."
Jason smiles, pulling the keys from his front pocket. "Everything cleared, so here you go." His gaze drops down Jensen's body, taking in the slick black shoes and creased pants. "Give me a holler if anything comes up, okay?"
"Yeah, sounds great." Jensen's impatient, having waited twenty two years for this moment, and he's ready to finally cement it.
"Be in touch," Jason calls out, heading across the street to the idling truck, Classic Cherries stenciled along the sides. A quick honk and he's pulling away, the diesel engine fading off into the distance.
Jensen locks up the Lexus, checking his pockets for the essentials before walking around to his new car. It's gorgeous; sleek, shiny and sticks out in this neighborhood, everything he had been hoping for when he had first emailed Jason with his inquiry.
The neighborhood is great, thrown across the track of land like a quilt with all the matching lawns, pale painted houses and stable of silver and black cars. Jensen had fit in perfectly, finding a spot among the other businessmen and their families, even if he didn't have anyone to bring along to the potlucks and barbeques.
It was only more recently that Jensen had felt constricted by all the amenities and friendliness. The monthly barbeques showing up like clockwork were just a reminder of the monotony of his life rather than a welcome reprieve. Hence the email to Jason to try and find his childhood dream.
Jensen trails his fingers along the side of the car, the black paint hot from sitting in the sun. He unlocks the door, fumbling with the key in the lock, more used to the small faded rubber buttons on a fob.
The door's heavier than he's expecting, the car lower to the ground and he almost feels like he's falling before sliding in on the vinyl seat. The car's massive compared to the Lexus, and Jensen's tempted to explore, to acquaint himself with all the nooks and crannies the car holds.
He doesn't though, slides the key into the ignition and turns it, holding his breath. The car starts immediately, the engine reverberating down the street and Jensen has to choke back a giggle at the noise.
He shifts into drive and nudges down on the gas pedal. The car's response is quick and smooth, slowly rumbling forward until Jensen encourages it on with more pressure. It's nothing like his other car - his old car, he thinks with a grin - the sedan being sleek and silent no matter how hard he had pushed it on the freeway.
Jensen's phone rings once before jumping to his earpiece, and he glances at his cell before answering. "Chris, hey. Not much, cut out early to pick her up. Of course it's a her, they're supposed to be hers. Boats too, I think. Whatever."
Jensen pauses as his friend starts in about the show tonight, how it sounds like it’s going to be a bigger turnout than usual. He rolls to a stop at an intersection, deciding last minute to take a left and head towards town.
“It’s cause you’re playing at some dive bar, man. You’re a nice change from the jukebox, okay?” Jensen pauses for a moment, swears he can hear something that doesn’t sound completely right. "Hey, your truck's older, right? Are weird noises normal?"
Chris huffs out a laugh on the other end. "What counts as weird?
"A ticking, I guess? Hard to tell, I'm not used to all its quirks yet."
"I know a guy who could take a look at it for you. Really good with the older models and even has a sweet spot for Chevys. He's over by the Denny's, if you go down that side road over there. He's to the right."
"Yeah, thanks. I'll see you tonight then." Jensen hangs up, biting his lip as the noise seems to pick up when he accelerates. "Fuck."
Jensen finds the place with no problem, although it takes him a couple of minutes to get the car lined up enough to fit down the tight back street. The turning radius throws him off as well, combined with the lack of power steering and he can feel it in his forearms by the time he makes it to the shop.
He parks in front of the open bay, not seeing any other cars around. Jensen steps out, slams the door and calls out. "Anyone around?"
There's a few warning whines, but that's all before a pair of large dogs comes barreling out of the office, kicking up dust and yipping and snuffling at Jensen's pants and shoes. He moves back, leaning against the car as one dog noses higher, the other stepping back a few paces before starting to bark.
"Hey! Get away now!" The voice booms out over the lot and both dogs immediately pull back, twisting around to nuzzle at the man who emerges from the garage. The sun hits Jensen at the wrong angle, forcing him to shade his eyes as the man walks towards him.
"Sorry about that. They're harmless once they get to know you." The guy grins, wide and beaming and Jensen's glad he's already leaning up against the car. The guy sticks his hand out. "I'm Jared, what can I do for you?"
"Jensen." He takes Jared's hand, the calluses rough on his skin. "A friend recommended you. I just got this car and it was making an odd noise when I was driving it around."
Jared's eyes flicker to the car, an almost predatory smile breaking over his face. "Nice Impala, what is it, a sixty... seven? And you managed to find a four-door even, how long did that take you?" He moves away from Jensen, hand stroking over the curves of the body. There's a natural grace there, the way he knows which dips to follow, how he pulls back to avoid leaving fingerprints on the chrome.
Jensen mentally shuffles through the paperwork Jason had emailed him with all the specs and requests. "Yeah, 1967. And uh, awhile?" Jensen doesn't know the exact amount of time off the top of his head. Just that he had found Jason and sent in his order.
Jared gives him an amused look before walking back around to the front of the car. "What do you have in here?" he asks, fiddling with the hood.
"A three-...." Jensen racks his brain, knows it's on page two but that's it.
"Three-fifty, nice," Jared finishes for him, ducking his head under the hood. "What'd you say the noise was?"
"Like a ticking sound. Seemed like it sped up when I did."
"Did it do it in reverse?"
"I didn't try that." Jensen folds his arms as he walks around to look at what Jared's doing. The engine is gorgeous, he can see and appreciate that aesthetically, but the mechanics of it all are a blur of numbers and letters on paper. He just remembers the shine of the paint on his toy Impala, the way the chrome glinted as he drove it down the concrete paths and how he could fit most of an army man in the trunk. He would pop the hood as well, but that was just a quickly painted mess of silvers and whites, nothing that grabbed his attention the way the rest of the car did.
Jared hums at him as his fingers fly over the various pipes and wires. Jensen can see it, know the basics of what's in front of him, even if it doesn't look anything like the Lexus. He mentally checks off the fan, the battery, the air filter. Jared's digging down even deeper though, looking for something, and Jensen wishes he knew what it was.
"So, uh, what d'you drive?" Jensen's not sure what else to talk about but needs to break the silence.
"The Goat over there." Jared gestures to the far side of the garage, where a couple of cars are parked. At Jensen's blank look Jared chuckles. "The burgundy GTO at the end," he clarifies. He pauses before meeting Jensen's eyes. "Haven't been to many car shows?"
"What? Oh, no. None at all, actually. She's, uh, she's my first. Is it that obvious?"
Jared smiles at him and motions him over to the engine. "From what I can tell without lifting it, it's either the transmission fluid or filter. Most likely the filter, and that'll take maybe an hour to change? It's something you can either do on your own or bring to me."
Jensen checks his watch, resisting the temptation to bite his lip. Chris's band isn't due on stage for awhile, but he had told them he would get there early to help out beforehand.
"Got plans?"
Jensen nods. "I think it'd be cutting it too close to try and get it done tonight." He looks at the car, and almost feels like he should be kicking the tire. "I shouldn't drive on it..." He trails off, letting Jared decide if it's a question or statement.
Jared shrugs. "I wouldn't recommend it, but it's not like your car's going to go up in flames if you stick it in reverse or something."
Jensen glances back at the way he came in. "It was a tight fit trying to get here in the first place."
"Hell, you fit this thing through there?" At Jensen's nod Jared shakes his head with a chuckle and waves back over towards his car. "The main entrance is over there. Man, did someone who hates you recommend me or something, cause not many people know about that alley."
"Seriously?" Jensen lets himself lean against the car. "Fucking Chris... He's the one who told me about you and the alley. Said you could take care of anything classic."
"Yup, grew up around it and was lucky enough to make it into something that supported me." Jared chuckles. "How does this sound? I take care of your car, you chill in the waiting room, it has magazines and everything you need. And then if I don't get you out of here on time, I'll take you where you need to go."
Jensen nods before he realizes he's doing so. It's not like he has anything else planned for the rest of the day, all of his excitement being so tightly focused on the car. "Sounds like a deal."
"Awesome."Jared's smile is infectious, and Jensen finds himself finally relaxing. "Let me snag the keys from you and I can get started on her."
Jensen passes over the keys, trying not to let his fingers drag against Jared's. But Jared smells like grease and gas and rubber, previously unappealing scents that slot together perfectly now and has Jensen leaning in towards Jared.
The sharp jangle of the keys hitting the work asphalt gets him to pull back though, and Jensen catches a glimpse of Jared's grin as he ducks down to pick them up.
Jared stays crouched down for a moment, his eyes raking appreciatively over the lines of the car. He glances up at Jensen from where he is, hair falling into his eyes and Jensen's glad he's already leaning against something.
"Well, wherever you got her from, you got one hell of a car here." Jared stands and jingles the keys a bit. "I promise I'll treat her right," he says, grinning at Jensen.
Jensen can feel the flush start to creep up the back of his neck, and he wonders if Chris is doing this to him on purpose.
"The waiting room's right through that open door in front, and you can just ignore the dogs. They'll lick you to death before anything else. And help yourself to anything in there." Jared pauses for a moment, slight smirk on his face, and it takes a second for Jensen to remember he's leaning up against the driver's door.
"Right, thanks." Jensen ducks his head as he walks towards the office and he swears he can hear a snort of laughter behind him.
He turns when he hears Jared start up the Impala, and even to his untrained ear he knows it sounds good. It fucking better, for what he paid for it. Though he's pleased to hear the ticking noise as Jared slowly guides it into the service bay; that it wasn't just something he had imagined.
When Jensen reaches the doorway he pauses, looking around the office. It's simple and neat, the only really impressive thing being the size of the two dogs sprawled out on the tiled floor. Their tails whack heavy against the ground as Jensen walks by them, headed towards the counter. There's a selection of magazines and catalogs piled at one end, a computer set up at the other. But Jensen looks past that, at the pictures hanging on the wall.
The photos are mostly new, shiny and vibrant of a variety of cars, classic and modern. The one thing tying them all together is that Jensen can easily spot Jared in each one, looming over the other figures, a wide grin on his face. There's a few older pictures scattered throughout, faded colors and dated wardrobes. But Jensen can still recognize Jared's smile, a small child perched on old cars with whom Jensen assumes is his dad beside him.
There's a loud clatter from the garage that startles Jensen, causing him to jump back from the photos. He looks around and notices that the dogs haven't even moved, just sighed and twitched their toes at the noise. There's a door to the side, wedged in between the counter and the two waiting room chairs, and Jensen heads towards it. A quick glance through the wire reinforced window shows that it leads to the garage, and Jensen takes a deep breath before testing the door knob, well aware that he's about to enter a world completely foreign to him.
The door gives easily, and Jensen's surprised to see his car hanging high in the air. Jared's standing underneath it, squinting up at the undercarriage. He doesn't notice Jensen as he reaches for a trouble light, grasping the wire frame and tugging it towards him. When the extension cord snags Jared turns to untangle it.
"Hey," Jensen says, and does his best not to smile when Jared starts at his voice. "I heard a crash..."
Jared huffs out a breath and shakes his head. "Fuckin' scared me, man. Not used to people sneaking around the garage like that," he teases, finally getting the extension cord to extend properly. "Wrench slipped out of my fingers, that's all."
Jensen nods, coming closer but not to where he's under the car. His arms ache from driving the car over here, unused to the lack of power steering. But he's aware of how heavy it is, and his eyes keep flickering to the posts keeping the car in the air.
"It's not going to fall on you, you know." Jensen glares at Jared's words but takes a few steps closer, looking up to watch Jared fiddle with something underneath the engine. "Can you tilt the light for me a little more?"
Jensen looks at where Jared's pointing and he takes the light from him, angling it up into the car's underside.
"Perfect." Jared murmurs, focusing in on an area and tightening a bolt. "I think that's about it."
"Really?" Jensen checks his watch, surprised.
"Yeah, it wasn't as bad as I was thinking, thankfully." Jared pauses, watching Jensen's face. "You're gonna make it in time then?"
"Uh, yeah, it'll be no problem." Jensen hands the light back to Jared. "Thanks for doing it so quickly. Uhh, what do I owe you?"
Jared smiles at Jensen as he nods for him to back up. "Like I would turn you or your car away." He reaches towards one of the posts, pressing the button that starts to slowly lower the car back down. "And don't worry about it, it's on me."
Jensen's mind is racing, caught up in Jared's dimples and the thought of having to drive away soon. "I'll buy you a beer. Or two. Tonight? Unless you already have plans?"
Jared watches as the car reaches the ground with a gentle bump. He turns the lift off before turning towards Jensen. "You're really inviting your mechanic out for drinks?"
Jensen can't tell if it's incredulousness or disdain he's hearing in Jared's voice, or maybe he's just imagining things, but he presses on. "You know Chris, right? With the pickup and the long hair?" Jared snorts at the description, so Jensen takes that as a yes. "His band's playing tonight, it's going to be a lot of fun." He cringes a little at his choice of words but Jared doesn't seem to notice his discomfort.
"How about you tell me where it is, and I'll meet you there?" Jared leans against one of the lift posts, facing Jensen.
Jensen narrows his eyes. "You're not trying to get out of it are you? I mean, no pressure or anything, I just thought, you know..."
"I'm not, I promise. But it'd be nice to clean up before heading out."
Jensen grins and gestures at his own forehead. "Speaking of, you got a smudge..."
"And here you wanted me to go out as is." Jared sticks his tongue out at Jensen as he tugs at the hem of his t-shirt. He pulls it up, ducking his head down to rub at his forehead with the fabric.
Jensen does his best not to stare, but fuck, Chris had to point him to the mechanic with the tan and the washboard abs. The garage gets too silent though, and Jensen's eyes flicker up to find Jared watching him.
Jensen can feel the flush on his face this time, is reassured of it by the way Jared chuckles and tugs his shirt back down.
"So, which bar am I heading to?"
"Uhh, the one on the corner of Stimson and 7th? Sort of beat up looking? I think there's a buffalo head near the sign above the awning." Jensen can't remember the last time someone made him this flustered and it's unnerving. He focuses on one of the old oil signs tacked to the wall, behind Jared's head.
"Hey," Jared sounds amused, and he reaches out to lightly grasp Jensen's chin, the touch feather light as he makes Jensen look him in the eye. "Calm down? And I know the place you're talking about. When's the band going on?"
Jensen has to think about it longer than usual with the way Jared's intently watching him. "Uhh, 7:30?"
"I'll be there." Jared pulls his hand away, reaching into his pocket to pull out the car keys. "Let's get you on your way first."
The bar's already loud by the time Jensen gets there, but according to his watch he's still on time. He can see Chris and the rest of the band crowded around the stage in the corner, and he makes his way through the maze of tables towards them.
Jensen bumps up against Chris, who turns around with a wide grin. "Hey, you made it! Car didn't crap out on you then?"
Jensen shakes his head. "Took it to the guy you recommended and he took care of it." The more Jensen glances around the room the more overdressed he feels, even though he had swung home to change out of his work clothes.
"Oh yeah, Jared? What'd you think of him?" Chris glances away when one of his band mates calls out to him. Jensen's pretty sure it's Steve, but he's not that familiar with most of the guys.
"Oh, he's great. Really knowledgeable..." Jensen takes a deep breath. "He's actually coming to the show tonight."
Chris pauses at Jensen's words, a smile breaking out over his face and Jensen swears it's the biggest shit-eating grin he's ever seen on his friend's face. "So, got along that well with him?" He elbows Jensen in the side.
"It's not even like that," Jensen protests but he knows his words are weak. "You're the one who told me to go there. Down that fucking alleyway even, dick." Jensen elbows Chris back, grinning when he hears a surprised grunt.
"Exactly," Chris says. "Now you can't say I've never done anything for you. Don't blow it now, it'd suck to lose him as a mechanic."
Jensen shakes his head and smiles. "What do you want me to help out with?"
"Nothing, really. Rest of the guys got it, and we're due to go on in a couple minutes. Besides, Jared's heading this way." Chris smirks before pulling back to check on some wiring, leaving Jensen to twist around, breath catching in his throat.
Jared's heading over from the bar with a beer in each hand, expertly making his way through the crowd. He smiles when he catches Jensen's eye, not dropping his gaze til he's right next to him. Jensen's just glad the lighting's already low. Jared's in a clean pair of well-fitted jeans, a button up shirt tossed over a wife beater and Jensen's finding it hard not to stare.
"Hey," Jared says, handing Jensen one of the bottles. He runs his hand through his hair, letting out a breathless laugh. "Looks like I made it in time."
"Uh, yeah, they're getting ready to start up soon." Jensen's aware of how close Jared is to him, and underneath the Irish Spring he can still catch oil and rubber. "There's a table over here..."
"That sounds great. Been on my feet all day." They sit at adjoining sides, both facing the stage and Jensen stretches his legs out without thinking. His boots hit something heavy, and he doesn't realize it's Jared until Jared kicks back.
"Crap, sorry about that." Jensen takes a pull from his beer as he starts to pull his legs back.
"What're you apologizing for?" Jared asks, and Jensen doesn't know what he's talking about until he feels pressure on his legs, dragging them back out til they're extended underneath the table. Jared smirks as he pins Jensen's ankles between his legs, locking eyes again as he takes a sip from his own beer.
Jensen's mouth is dry, heart racing and he can't remember the last time he had tangled with a force like Jared. If he ever had before, and he flexes an ankle. Jared's legs tighten immediately, his lips curling up in a grin as he glances over at Jensen's face.
Jensen's thankful that the lights dim then, the stage lights lighting up Chris and the rest of the band. It's been awhile since the last time he had seen them play, and they start off with something new. Jensen can tell when Chris catches sight of them, the way he smiles and how his tongue seems to curl around the lyrics with more force. It's easy to let himself fall into the music, even though in the back of Jensen's mind he's praying that Chris doesn't decide to dedicate a song to them tonight.
The crowd's on its feet when the band wraps up its final song, and Jensen's calves feel cold without Jared's legs tangled around them. Jensen whistles at Chris, pleased at the how happy they all look up there.
There's movement behind him, bodies shuffling around and Jensen feels a sharp pain as someone elbows him in the back. He turns slightly, but there's no one behind him when he looks around. Jared raises an eyebrow, but Jensen shakes his head.
"I'm buying the next round." Jensen has to lean in close to Jared to be heard over the din. "I'll be right back."
There's some more jostling on the way to the bar, but Jensen's used to the push and pull of bar crowds and ignores it. The wait at the bar isn't too long, and he takes a beer in each hand before turning around to head back.
"Haven't been paying much attention, have you?" The voice is low and gravelly, and Jensen glances around before realizing the man in front of him is talking to him. "You should take off now, head on out of here."
Jensen frowns. "Listen, I don't know what's wrong, but I'm just heading back to my friends."
"You don't belong here." The man's glare drags down Jensen's body, cruel disdain obvious in his eyes and the gesture reminds Jensen of high school. The crowd undulates, pushing the man closer, and Jensen glances around, trying to find Chris or the rest of the band in the sea of faces. His breathing picks up when the only thing he sees are the same surly glares from the surrounding people.
"Right, I'm going." Jensen raises his arms a little, hands still grasping the beer. "Just let me drop these off..."
"Fuck that," the man mutters, cutting Jensen off and stepping in. Jensen tries to twist away, ducking his head down. The man still connects, and Jensen hears the crunch of his cheek underneath the man's fist before blacking out.
Jensen slowly comes to, trying to blink back the pain. He hasn't been out long, he realizes when he hears Jared's voice, loud and angry above the rest of the din. He struggles to sit up, leaning up against one of the bar stools until his head stops swimming.
"You cowardly fucker," Jared's yelling, and when Jensen blinks again it's either Chris or Steve that's grabbing Jared's shoulder, pulling him back away from the jeering man.
One of the other guys in the band helps Jensen stand - the drummer, he thinks - and Jensen flushes when he sees the number of people staring, pointing and cheering on.
Jensen stumbles forward, reaching out to grab on to Jared's arm. "Jared, hey, come on," Jensen manages to get out, the words making his jaw ache. "Please."
The gesture has the crowd surging forward again, and Jensen clings to Jared's shirt as they make their way out through the front door. Chris keeps them moving, down the side alley until they reach the band's van.
Jensen slumps against the side of the van, not realizing he's still clutching at Jared until he opens his eyes to find Jared right there next to him. There's concern in Jared's eyes that barely hides the flash of anger as he looks over Jensen's face.
"How are you doing?" His voice is soft and Jensen wishes it was easy enough to just pull Jared closer. He tries shaking his head instead, wanting to wake up but all it does is make him dizzier.
"What happened?"
Jared shrugs before looking away. "I don't know how it started, but it ended with me punching a drunk asshole, which isn't nearly enough."
Jensen just hmms in response, letting go of Jared's shirt. His stomach's still churning and he knows how red he must look right now. He's at least thankful he can't feel the side of his face right now and hopes he's just imagining the phantom tickle of blood on his neck.
"How'd all that start, Jen?"
Jensen shakes his head, not wanting to admit that maybe he let himself dream too big and just ended up in over his head. The car, the bar, Jared. A world that's supposed to be viewed at from a distance. He can't even change a fucking air filter or coyly tell Jared exactly how big his engine is.
The last thought has Jensen snorting out a cough, a sobbing choking noise and Jared looks at him in alarm. "Jensen?"
"I gotta go," he whispers, the first words that reach his mouth. He pushes off of the van, away from Jared and heads towards his car. He's fucking thankful that he had the mind to back in to his parking spot; he's not sure what he would have done if they had all stood there staring as he maneuvered his ass around in a 17-point turn. Probably would have given up and walked.
"Jensen!" Chris' voice echoes in the back lot, and Jensen instinctively turns to look, to force himself to meet Chris' eyes. He ends up just shaking his head as he fumbles with his keys in the door, forcing himself to focus on home, on whiskey, on everything he does have, instead of what he doesn't.
Part 2