Chapter Text
He's trying really hard not to stare, because he knows it will be misinterpreted. Jared knows that if the Adonis in the corner catches him staring, he'll assume that it's because of his wheelchair and then there's not a chance in hell that he'll give Jared the time of day-- might even tell him off for being rude. But Jared can't help it; the guy is that gorgeous.
Jared's been watching him for twenty minutes now. He looks at the door, looks at his watch, sighs, takes a sip of iced tea, and taps a finger on the arm of his chair every three minutes like clockwork. Another thirty seconds and he's due to start the routine over again. He's wearing a clingy black sweater that does nothing to hide the thick swell of muscle in his upper arms. As a postal clerk, Jared lifts heavy things eight hours a day, five days a week, and he'll bet this guy could probably bench at least twenty pounds more than Jared's record of 215.
Jared waits for the guy to complete his seventh time-checking routine and decides to take his chance. He stands up, grabs his half-empty beer, and takes a deep breath. Here goes nothing.
Jared walks to the corner table. "Um, excuse me," he says, forcing confidence into his voice that he doesn't feel. "Is this seat taken? It's getting a little crowded at the bar."
The guy glances at the door one more time. "I guess not." He waves a hand. "Have a seat."
Jared grins and sits down. "Thanks. I'm Jared, by the way."
"Jensen," the guy responds, his face relaxing into a slightly less hostile expression. "I haven't seen you around here before."
"You come here a lot?"
Jensen nods, lips inching ever closer to a genuine smile. "I like it here. Food's good, service is better."
As if on cue, a waitress steps up to the table. "Oh, you're finally here!" she says to Jared with a bright smile.
Jared grimaces, but Jensen makes the save. "Change of plans, actually. This is Jared."
"Well then, Jared, what can I get you?"
He hasn't even looked at the menu yet. "What's good here?"
"You like seafood? Our specialty is crab cakes."
"Sounds good."
She turns to Jensen. "I like this one," she stage-whispers. "So, the usual?"
"You know it," he replies, handing back the unused menu. She collects Jared's menu as well and heads off to the kitchen.
"I see what you mean about the service," says Jared.
Finally, Jensen smiles. "Oh, she and I go way back."
Jared frowns. Has he misjudged Jensen completely? "Your girlfriend?"
"Hardly," Jensen replies with a chuckle. "We went to college together. She was my roommate's girl, actually, and then she just wouldn't go away." There's a fondness in his eyes that makes Jared's throat tighten with jealousy.
"What did you study in college?" asks Jared.
"Social work." Jensen takes a sip of his iced tea. "I work at the children's hospital, mostly with long-term patients--kids who are in and out of the hospital a lot." He glances down at the table with a shy smile. "I wanted to give something back, you know? And the kids know I understand what they're going through, so most of them don't give me a hard time."
"That's really awesome," says Jared, then he realizes how Jensen could take that. "No! I mean, not that you're--that it's--"
"I know what you meant," says Jensen, and the eyes that meet Jared's are shining with warmth. "I love what I do. It's not all fun and games, but I have a lot more good days than bad. What more could I ask for, right?" He grins. "So what do you do?"
Jared rubs the back of his neck. "Nothing like that," he admits sheepishly. "I work at the post office. Processing and shipping--I'm not a letter carrier. I load and unload trucks, mostly."
"No wonder you're so huge," says Jensen, a sly twinkle in his eye. "You lift heavy boxes all day."
"I don't know, you don't look too bad yourself," Jared replies, nodding at Jensen.
"Well, I race and I swim." Jensen huffs a voiceless chuckle. "Better than sitting at home alone every Saturday night. This is the first date I've been on in...God, about five years."
Jared's eyebrows climb up to his hairline. "But you're--" Gorgeous, he wants to say, but thinks better of it. Then it hits him. "We're on a date?"
Jensen frowns. "You mean, you're not--"
"No!" Jared shouts, then blushes when the surrounding patrons glare at him. "I am, I just--I mean, I hoped, but--"
Jensen laughs, revealing perfect white teeth and the most adorable crinkles at the corners of his eyes. "Okay, so we're both dorks. But I like you, and I think you like me, and there's dinner involved, so I'd say this is a date."
Jared grins so wide his cheeks hurt and picks up his nearly-empty beer. "I'll drink to that."
Jensen clinks his own half-full glass against Jared's. "Me too."