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Fic: Reindeer Game Theory
Title: Reindeer Game Theory
Fandom: SPN RPF
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Rating: PG
Words: 3,300
Warnings: None
Summary: North Pole office politics.
Notes: For![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
strangeallure for the ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
spn_j2_xmas prompts Christmas theme/ Office!AU
AO3 | "Somebody asked your boyfriend out."
Jensen is so busy glaring at his inbox that miraculously filled up during his lunch break that for a few moments he ignores Aldis, but then the words filter in. "What?"
"Somebody-"
"No, I heard you. It just doesn't make sense," Jensen sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't have a boyfriend."
Aldis kind of grimaces. "I would say that guy you stare at creepily but that sounds a little more pathetic," he says and it's Jensen's turn to grimace, mortified. Aldis holds up a hand when Jensen opens his mouth to object and says, "Don't insult us both by pretending to not know who I'm talking about."
"Fine," Jensen grumbles. "Who asked him out?" If Aldis is going to be annoying, at least he can be useful at the same time.
"Milo."
"Oh my god, that guy?" Jensen groans. "I hate that guy."
"You hate everyone," Aldis points out. "Except maybe your boyfriend."
"Stop calling him that," Jensen hisses.
"Fine, that guy you stare at-"
"Not that either," Jensen snaps and watches Aldis fling his arms around in a dramatic fashion. "He has a name."
"Okay, whatever, Jared then," he finally relents and Danneel pops over Jensen's cubicle wall and grins at them both, reminding Jensen uncomfortably of a shark that's scented blood in the water.
"Are we talking about Jensen's boyfriend?" she asks.
"I hate everyone," Jensen agrees and digs into the giant stack his inbox has become.
*~*hohoho*~*
Jensen was someone other elves had respected once. He had been working in Reindeer Management and had been on his way up. He'd been the one to come up with the idea of having the Reindeers crap out frisbees, tennis balls and kites so that people wouldn't wake up on the morning after Christmas and wonder where the heaping piles of dung had come from on their roofs.
People just kind of expected random stuff up there.
Now he works in NAUGHTY and basically processes the children that aren't getting presents.
No one can blame him for being a little crabby.
Add to that, he has a pathetic crush on Jared Padalecki who works in NICE that apparently the whole office knows about it. There's an invisible line that the NAUGHTY and NICE workers don't cross so Jensen hasn't really done anything about it except, yes thank you Aldis, stare creepily.
Okay, so maybe he's a lot crabby.
It doesn't help that Jared seemingly missed the memo about the running feud between NAUGHTY and NICE and he's friendly to everyone. He's also apparently missed the memo about Jensen having a purely long-distance crush because he's at this very moment dropping into the chair opposite Jensen in the cafeteria.
Or, worse, he has received that bit of information and is here to let Jensen down gently.
"Oh hi, do you mind? I don't really want to eat by myself, it's a weird thing I have," Jared says, noticing that Jensen is staring at him in astonishment and dawning trepidation.
Jensen swallows hard and says, "No, I... sure, s'fine."
"Thanks," Jared says with a sunny smile and thunks a Thundercats lunchbox onto the table. Now Jensen is staring at the lunchbox and Jared notices and blushes. "Heh, yeah, it was a gift but it's the perfect size for everything."
"You're very unique," Jensen observes and Jared's blush gets deeper, starts to creep down his neck and Jensen does not get stuck thinking about whether it goes further down. There's an awkward silence for a few minutes and then Jared just starts talking.
He babbles about everything and nothing, a running commentary of his day and what kids need to do to be regarded as nice and also how frustrating it is that the stereotype of the Chrismas Elf is so far removed from what they really are. "I mean, why can't people thing we're like the elves in the Lord Of The Rings books?" Jared opines. "They were cool but instead people think we're all tiny and wear striped stockings."
"Are you making fun of our traditional costume?" Jensen asks, glad beyond the telling of it that the traditional elf garb went out of fashion hundreds of years ago. Only diehard purists still wear it.
"I don't think I could find a pair of green and red striped stockings that would fit me," Jared says with a chuckle.
"You gotta admit, there are some elves that look more like the ones from the stories," Jensen says. "Milo for example," he adds. Aldis had known that Milo had asked Jared out but not what Jared's answer had been and Jensen seizes the opportunity to drop Milo into casual conversation.
"Yeah, and Chad," Jared agrees, not giving Jensen anything. "Chad's a purist too, down to the bells on his shoes. It's pretty funny."
"Where does he even get that stuff anymore?" Jensen asks.
"Walmart," Jared says with a shrug.
*~*hohoho*~*
Reality comes crashing back down when Jensen gets back to his cubicle and finds Morgan sitting in his chair. If anyone is going to dispel the ideal of the small, happy elf then their Department Head, Morgan would be it. "Did you need something?" Jensen asks because he's the kind of guy that wants to rip the bandaid off in one go and not be tentative about it.
Morgan spins in the chair to face Jensen and stands. He's smiling which makes Jensen nervous as hell because the guy never smiles. So far as Jensen knew, he was born with a scowl. "Jensen, yes," he says and claps Jensen on the shoulder. Jensen swallows hard and hopes he isn't as pale as he feels. "There's been talk about you and someone from NICE," he continues.
Jensen feels the floor drop out from under him. He's always thought that it was an unwritten rule about not fraternizing with the other side but now he wonders if maybe it's not so unwritten, maybe it's actually just a rule. Before he can panic too much though, Morgan says, "It's a good thing, son, Jesus, breathe for me." Morgan guides Jensen into his own chair and waits while Jensen gets over his very tiny panic attack.
"As you probably know, we've had a long-running issue with inter-departmental relations," Morgan continues when Jensen's recovered enough not to be only hearing horror-induced white noise. "Talk about you and this Jared kid being on good terms has reached the Partners."
"The... Partners?" Jensen manages with a throat that feels like it's closing up. He loses a few minutes while he panics again and then Danneel, who he didn't even see arrive, is pushing a glass of water into his hands. She's smiling gently and Aldis is hovering by her shoulder, looking concerned.
"Hey, hi. Welcome back," she says when Jensen can focus on her. Jensen looks around and sees Morgan has disappeared.
He's screwed.
"Morgan said to make sure you get to the meeting you and Jared have with him in ten minutes," Danneel says. "I can just push you in there on your chair," she adds and a bit of the concern leaks out of her face and is replaced with mischievousness. Jensen snorts.
"Shut up, I'll be fine," he says and Danneel nods, obviously satisfied with Jensen having reset properly to a functional state. "I don't think I'm in trouble," he adds, a little wonderingly.
"Of course you aren't," Aldis says. "You get all your work and most of ours done. How could you get into trouble?"
"I didn't see it coming last time," Jensen points out and both Aldis and Danneel nod soberly.
"Hon, no one could have seen how popular Rudolf was going to be," she says, rubbing his shoulder. "Reindeer with a light bulb for a nose? Who knew?"
"The guy who replaced me," Jensen says morosely.
*~*hohoho*~*
Jensen bites back the smile that wants to break free when Jared spots him in the doorway of Morgan's office and looks just plain relieved. "Oh thank god, I thought I was in trouble for something but... I mean it can't be bad if you're here," he says.
Jensen sits in the other chair facing Morgan's desk but before he can say anything sufficiently reassuring, Morgan himself turns up with his arms full of files. He drops them on his desk and sits, eyeing Jensen and Jared over the pile. "The Partners want to put a stop to this petty rivalry between your two departments," Morgan says. "They want to foster inter-departmental relations and you two collaborating might just be the inspiration everyone needs to stop the squabbling."
Jared and Jensen nod in unison but Jensen's at a loss what to say and Jared seems to be too.
"These are the Fence Files."
"What are the Fence Files?" Jared asks, blessedly new.
"It's the files of kids that have been generally nice throughout the year but have done one or two pretty nasty things and the kids that have been generally naughty but have made a couple of spectacular redemptive acts," Jensen says and Morgan closes his mouth on his own explanation and nods. "The Partners review them."
"This year you're doing it," Morgan says. "I don't need to tell you that this is make or break for both of you guys. You could pretty much write your own tickets after this one."
"That's-" Jensen starts, but he seems to run out of words after that. NAUGHTY has the stigma attached to it that it's the department you get stuck in on the way in or on the way out. Jensen knows he's well and truly in the latter category, or he was.
"Awesome!" Jared finishes enthusiastically for the both of them. Morgan nods again, shuffles the files into two piles and rounds his desk to drop one each into Jared and Jensen's laps.
"We've set aside the Jingle Meeting Room for the week. We want these divided and done by Friday."
"No problem," Jensen manages to get out and then he's up and scurrying, needing to escape before he does something embarrassing like hyperventilate again.
"Oh my god, this is fantastic," Jared babbles and without seeming to take a breath continues with, "Did you ever notice Morgan twitches whenever he has to say something especially Christmas-y like Jingle."
"We need to take this seriously," Jensen insists. A tiny bit of Jared's exhilaration leaks out of his face.
"Yeah, I know that."
"We can't just shuffle everyone into NICE because you feel sorry for them or something," he continues and he knows, he knows he's starting to sound like a real asshole but he doesn't seem to have the power to stop himself.
"I know that too," Jared says slowly as the rest of his smile shuts down.
"Because I know you guys in NICE-" Jensen insists and Jared holds up a hand, nearly losing his grip on his stack of files and juggling them awkwardly. When he looks at Jensen again, his cheeks are painted with hectic, angry color.
"We're not all marshmallows," he snaps.
"I'm not saying that," Jensen says.
"I think that's exactly what you're saying," Jared says.
"We can't make all our decisions based on emotion."
"If I made all my decisions based on emotion," Jared grits between clenched teeth. "I would have smacked you by now."
"I-"
"How about I don't let you say anything else to me and we can try to still salvage a working relationship," Jared interrupts. "I'll see you in Jingle first thing in the morning."
Jensen watches Jared stalk away, startling when Aldis appears like magic at his elbow. "Aw, did you guys have your first fight?"
"Shut up."
*~*hohoho*~*
Jared's smile is muted but hanging in there when they meet the next morning. The Jingle Room is pretty plain despite the name, just a long table and a few chairs stacked in a corner with a whiteboard on one end.
Jensen's already gone through most of his half of the files the night before and he sets about dividing them now into the piles he's worked out, colorful sticky notes adorning corners with tiny writing.
Jared looks downright dismayed. "You started already?"
Jensen glances up at Jared, then back at his work. "Um, yes?"
"I thought Morgan maybe gave us half each to make carrying them easier. I didn't realize we were going to... have half each."
Jensen had figured he was going to end up with the lion's share of the work, it was just the way it went. He'd made a head start with that in mind, figuring most of Jared's pile would end up in front of him. Jensen's not prepared for the way Jared looks... disappointed."What's-"
"I mean, it's fine," Jared rushes to say, setting his own files down carefully and frowning at them like it's their fault they haven't done anything about themselves. "I thought maybe we'd be, you know, collaborating but I get it, I do."
"Get what?" Jensen asks. He'd been digging pens and highlighters out of his satchel but now he pauses, really looks at Jared, at how flustered he is.
"I mean... you're Jensen. I'm just honored to be in the same room with you," Jared blurts, then bites his lip, looking horrified.
Jensen feels a prickle of cold settle over him. This happens sometimes, other elves remembering what he once was, how important he'd been. He's fallen far from grace and it's not a pleasant reminder when someone points that out by being awestruck about his former glory.
"Let's get to work," Jensen snaps, sees Jared startle and then blink big sad eyes at him before nodding.
"Sure, yes, I'm behind right?" Jared tries to smile but it's watery and Jensen resists the urge to apologize because it's better this way, Jared doesn't need to be fawning over him because of his former status.
It's better he understands what Jensen is now, an asshole with no prospects.
*~*hohoho*~*
Jared's quiet for a whole hour before he rallies, starts prattling away about inconsequential things. Jensen doesn't discourage it even though he generally likes quiet when he works because he finds Jared's warm rumble soothing. Jared talks, flits about the room, stretches, cracks his knuckles, all the things that would normally drive Jensen insane and he finds now he's remarkably unaffected by it all.
Jared's enthusiastic, the mark of someone just starting out. Jensen dimly remembers being so keen about things, it had aided his meteoric rise and he thinks maybe he lost it all when he lost the enthusiasm, when it all just became work. Jensen knows Jared won't be in NICE much longer, will be moved on to something more glitzy like Cane Sector and he's dreading it.
Jared's been a pleasant distraction.
After a few hours, Jensen sits back and rubs at his neck. He's made some solid progress and even though Jared's a whirlwind of hyperactivity, it looks like he's done the same.
"-to make partner one day," Jared is saying, tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he works and a sticky note stuck to his elbow where he'd leant on it.
"Sorry, what?" Jensen asks, realizing he's missed what Jared was saying.
"I know it's a big dream, but you gotta dream big," Jared enthuses. He's got a smear of glitter across one cheek bone and Jensen's at a loss as to where that came from. "Making partner would be-"
"Completely impossible," Jensen interrupts with a snort. Jared flicks his gaze up to him.
"Nothing's impossible," he says with the surety of the very young. Jensen figures Jared can't be much more than five hundred years old, a kid.
"There are five partners," Jensen says slowly. "Santos, Allan, Neimar, Tate and Andrews." When Jared just continues to stare at him, Jensen rolls his eyes. "Santa."
"So?"
"So Santap doesn't have quite the same ring to it."
"I'd be a silent partner," Jared says. Grins at Jensen and says, "A silent P."
"I don't think you could ever be silent," Jensen says and he means it to be fond but the way Jared's face falls, it obviously doesn't come out that way.
"Look, I know I'm not on your level but you could at least try to be nice to me," Jared says.
"What do you mean on my level?" Jensen demands, feeling frustrated.
"You're a legend," Jared says, shrugging.
"Look, just because I used to be in Reindeer Management, doesn't mean I think I'm better than everyone. I'm very aware of my current situation."
"What are you talking about?" Jared asks, looking mystified. "Who said anything about Reindeers?"
"You keep going on about how good I used to be. I know, alright? I was there."
"I'm talking about your redemption rate," Jared says, throwing his hands up. "Every time you revert a naughty case to a nice case your justification is airtight. It drives my Supervisor insane because she can never refute your files."
"I... what?" Jensen is at a loss.
"Why do you think everyone else sneaks their files into your pile?"
"Because they're lazy and they know I'll do them," Jensen says and Jared just shakes his head.
"Everyone knows that if there's a kid who's got a genuine shot, maybe not as clear cut as to make it into the Fence Files, then they should pass the file to you."
"I don't revert every case I get," Jensen says, defensive, starting to wonder if maybe Jared thinks he's the marshmallow.
"Of course you don't. If you did it would be easy to reject the cases. You have an eye for it though, it's amazing." Jared's eyes are large and round, his smile sincere. "Do you really not know this?"
"I just thought... I mean some of them just jump out at me. It's not really a skill."
"It is," Jared presses. "It took me months to work up the nerve to talk to you and I just wanted... I mean I needed to..." Jared runs out of words then, flushes and looks away. "Look, I know the crush is embarrassing and-"
"Oh god, you do know about that," Jensen says, horrified. He buries his face in his hands and wishes there were a convenient hole to swallow him up. When one doesn't oblige him, he finally looks up into Jared's confused face.
"Of course I do," he says slowly. "It's my crush."
"On who?" Jensen asks blankly and Jared frowns, something like worry edging into his expression.
"On you," he says.
"You're kidding," Jensen says, mouth unhinging.
"I was asking Milo if I had a shot the other day and he just laughed, said you hated everyone and especially me-"
"I don't hate you," Jensen interrupts, holding up a hand.
"Um, you're always glaring at me."
"That's not glaring," Jensen says, feeling his cheeks burn. "According to Aldis it's staring creepily."
"Why would you stare creepily at me?"
"Because I have a huge and pathetic crush on you," Jensen says, watching Jared flip through a number of emotions on his face before his expression settles into one of dawning hope.
"You have a crush on me?"
"Yes."
"On me?"
"Yes."
"Me?"
"Yes!" Jensen says, pushing his chair back and rising to his feet. "Do I need to kick you to stop you doing that?"
"Not kick but-" Jensen doesn't hear the rest of what Jared was going to say because he's reached across the conference table, snagged the front of Jared's shirt in his fist and practically dragged Jared across the surface to kiss him.
It's messy, they bump teeth and then chins quite painfully and the table is digging into his thighs, but it's the best kiss Jensen can ever remember. When he lets go, Jared drops back onto his side of the table, blinking owlishly and touching at his lips with shaky fingers.
"You have a crush on me," Jared says and this time he's grinning and it's not a question.
"Yes," Jensen confirms again. "The good thing is, I've heard a rumor that it's mutual."
Fandom: SPN RPF
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Rating: PG
Words: 3,300
Warnings: None
Summary: North Pole office politics.
Notes: For
strangeallure for the spn_j2_xmas prompts Christmas theme/ Office!AUAO3 | "Somebody asked your boyfriend out."
Jensen is so busy glaring at his inbox that miraculously filled up during his lunch break that for a few moments he ignores Aldis, but then the words filter in. "What?"
"Somebody-"
"No, I heard you. It just doesn't make sense," Jensen sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't have a boyfriend."
Aldis kind of grimaces. "I would say that guy you stare at creepily but that sounds a little more pathetic," he says and it's Jensen's turn to grimace, mortified. Aldis holds up a hand when Jensen opens his mouth to object and says, "Don't insult us both by pretending to not know who I'm talking about."
"Fine," Jensen grumbles. "Who asked him out?" If Aldis is going to be annoying, at least he can be useful at the same time.
"Milo."
"Oh my god, that guy?" Jensen groans. "I hate that guy."
"You hate everyone," Aldis points out. "Except maybe your boyfriend."
"Stop calling him that," Jensen hisses.
"Fine, that guy you stare at-"
"Not that either," Jensen snaps and watches Aldis fling his arms around in a dramatic fashion. "He has a name."
"Okay, whatever, Jared then," he finally relents and Danneel pops over Jensen's cubicle wall and grins at them both, reminding Jensen uncomfortably of a shark that's scented blood in the water.
"Are we talking about Jensen's boyfriend?" she asks.
"I hate everyone," Jensen agrees and digs into the giant stack his inbox has become.
Jensen was someone other elves had respected once. He had been working in Reindeer Management and had been on his way up. He'd been the one to come up with the idea of having the Reindeers crap out frisbees, tennis balls and kites so that people wouldn't wake up on the morning after Christmas and wonder where the heaping piles of dung had come from on their roofs.
People just kind of expected random stuff up there.
Now he works in NAUGHTY and basically processes the children that aren't getting presents.
No one can blame him for being a little crabby.
Add to that, he has a pathetic crush on Jared Padalecki who works in NICE that apparently the whole office knows about it. There's an invisible line that the NAUGHTY and NICE workers don't cross so Jensen hasn't really done anything about it except, yes thank you Aldis, stare creepily.
Okay, so maybe he's a lot crabby.
It doesn't help that Jared seemingly missed the memo about the running feud between NAUGHTY and NICE and he's friendly to everyone. He's also apparently missed the memo about Jensen having a purely long-distance crush because he's at this very moment dropping into the chair opposite Jensen in the cafeteria.
Or, worse, he has received that bit of information and is here to let Jensen down gently.
"Oh hi, do you mind? I don't really want to eat by myself, it's a weird thing I have," Jared says, noticing that Jensen is staring at him in astonishment and dawning trepidation.
Jensen swallows hard and says, "No, I... sure, s'fine."
"Thanks," Jared says with a sunny smile and thunks a Thundercats lunchbox onto the table. Now Jensen is staring at the lunchbox and Jared notices and blushes. "Heh, yeah, it was a gift but it's the perfect size for everything."
"You're very unique," Jensen observes and Jared's blush gets deeper, starts to creep down his neck and Jensen does not get stuck thinking about whether it goes further down. There's an awkward silence for a few minutes and then Jared just starts talking.
He babbles about everything and nothing, a running commentary of his day and what kids need to do to be regarded as nice and also how frustrating it is that the stereotype of the Chrismas Elf is so far removed from what they really are. "I mean, why can't people thing we're like the elves in the Lord Of The Rings books?" Jared opines. "They were cool but instead people think we're all tiny and wear striped stockings."
"Are you making fun of our traditional costume?" Jensen asks, glad beyond the telling of it that the traditional elf garb went out of fashion hundreds of years ago. Only diehard purists still wear it.
"I don't think I could find a pair of green and red striped stockings that would fit me," Jared says with a chuckle.
"You gotta admit, there are some elves that look more like the ones from the stories," Jensen says. "Milo for example," he adds. Aldis had known that Milo had asked Jared out but not what Jared's answer had been and Jensen seizes the opportunity to drop Milo into casual conversation.
"Yeah, and Chad," Jared agrees, not giving Jensen anything. "Chad's a purist too, down to the bells on his shoes. It's pretty funny."
"Where does he even get that stuff anymore?" Jensen asks.
"Walmart," Jared says with a shrug.
Reality comes crashing back down when Jensen gets back to his cubicle and finds Morgan sitting in his chair. If anyone is going to dispel the ideal of the small, happy elf then their Department Head, Morgan would be it. "Did you need something?" Jensen asks because he's the kind of guy that wants to rip the bandaid off in one go and not be tentative about it.
Morgan spins in the chair to face Jensen and stands. He's smiling which makes Jensen nervous as hell because the guy never smiles. So far as Jensen knew, he was born with a scowl. "Jensen, yes," he says and claps Jensen on the shoulder. Jensen swallows hard and hopes he isn't as pale as he feels. "There's been talk about you and someone from NICE," he continues.
Jensen feels the floor drop out from under him. He's always thought that it was an unwritten rule about not fraternizing with the other side but now he wonders if maybe it's not so unwritten, maybe it's actually just a rule. Before he can panic too much though, Morgan says, "It's a good thing, son, Jesus, breathe for me." Morgan guides Jensen into his own chair and waits while Jensen gets over his very tiny panic attack.
"As you probably know, we've had a long-running issue with inter-departmental relations," Morgan continues when Jensen's recovered enough not to be only hearing horror-induced white noise. "Talk about you and this Jared kid being on good terms has reached the Partners."
"The... Partners?" Jensen manages with a throat that feels like it's closing up. He loses a few minutes while he panics again and then Danneel, who he didn't even see arrive, is pushing a glass of water into his hands. She's smiling gently and Aldis is hovering by her shoulder, looking concerned.
"Hey, hi. Welcome back," she says when Jensen can focus on her. Jensen looks around and sees Morgan has disappeared.
He's screwed.
"Morgan said to make sure you get to the meeting you and Jared have with him in ten minutes," Danneel says. "I can just push you in there on your chair," she adds and a bit of the concern leaks out of her face and is replaced with mischievousness. Jensen snorts.
"Shut up, I'll be fine," he says and Danneel nods, obviously satisfied with Jensen having reset properly to a functional state. "I don't think I'm in trouble," he adds, a little wonderingly.
"Of course you aren't," Aldis says. "You get all your work and most of ours done. How could you get into trouble?"
"I didn't see it coming last time," Jensen points out and both Aldis and Danneel nod soberly.
"Hon, no one could have seen how popular Rudolf was going to be," she says, rubbing his shoulder. "Reindeer with a light bulb for a nose? Who knew?"
"The guy who replaced me," Jensen says morosely.
Jensen bites back the smile that wants to break free when Jared spots him in the doorway of Morgan's office and looks just plain relieved. "Oh thank god, I thought I was in trouble for something but... I mean it can't be bad if you're here," he says.
Jensen sits in the other chair facing Morgan's desk but before he can say anything sufficiently reassuring, Morgan himself turns up with his arms full of files. He drops them on his desk and sits, eyeing Jensen and Jared over the pile. "The Partners want to put a stop to this petty rivalry between your two departments," Morgan says. "They want to foster inter-departmental relations and you two collaborating might just be the inspiration everyone needs to stop the squabbling."
Jared and Jensen nod in unison but Jensen's at a loss what to say and Jared seems to be too.
"These are the Fence Files."
"What are the Fence Files?" Jared asks, blessedly new.
"It's the files of kids that have been generally nice throughout the year but have done one or two pretty nasty things and the kids that have been generally naughty but have made a couple of spectacular redemptive acts," Jensen says and Morgan closes his mouth on his own explanation and nods. "The Partners review them."
"This year you're doing it," Morgan says. "I don't need to tell you that this is make or break for both of you guys. You could pretty much write your own tickets after this one."
"That's-" Jensen starts, but he seems to run out of words after that. NAUGHTY has the stigma attached to it that it's the department you get stuck in on the way in or on the way out. Jensen knows he's well and truly in the latter category, or he was.
"Awesome!" Jared finishes enthusiastically for the both of them. Morgan nods again, shuffles the files into two piles and rounds his desk to drop one each into Jared and Jensen's laps.
"We've set aside the Jingle Meeting Room for the week. We want these divided and done by Friday."
"No problem," Jensen manages to get out and then he's up and scurrying, needing to escape before he does something embarrassing like hyperventilate again.
"Oh my god, this is fantastic," Jared babbles and without seeming to take a breath continues with, "Did you ever notice Morgan twitches whenever he has to say something especially Christmas-y like Jingle."
"We need to take this seriously," Jensen insists. A tiny bit of Jared's exhilaration leaks out of his face.
"Yeah, I know that."
"We can't just shuffle everyone into NICE because you feel sorry for them or something," he continues and he knows, he knows he's starting to sound like a real asshole but he doesn't seem to have the power to stop himself.
"I know that too," Jared says slowly as the rest of his smile shuts down.
"Because I know you guys in NICE-" Jensen insists and Jared holds up a hand, nearly losing his grip on his stack of files and juggling them awkwardly. When he looks at Jensen again, his cheeks are painted with hectic, angry color.
"We're not all marshmallows," he snaps.
"I'm not saying that," Jensen says.
"I think that's exactly what you're saying," Jared says.
"We can't make all our decisions based on emotion."
"If I made all my decisions based on emotion," Jared grits between clenched teeth. "I would have smacked you by now."
"I-"
"How about I don't let you say anything else to me and we can try to still salvage a working relationship," Jared interrupts. "I'll see you in Jingle first thing in the morning."
Jensen watches Jared stalk away, startling when Aldis appears like magic at his elbow. "Aw, did you guys have your first fight?"
"Shut up."
Jared's smile is muted but hanging in there when they meet the next morning. The Jingle Room is pretty plain despite the name, just a long table and a few chairs stacked in a corner with a whiteboard on one end.
Jensen's already gone through most of his half of the files the night before and he sets about dividing them now into the piles he's worked out, colorful sticky notes adorning corners with tiny writing.
Jared looks downright dismayed. "You started already?"
Jensen glances up at Jared, then back at his work. "Um, yes?"
"I thought Morgan maybe gave us half each to make carrying them easier. I didn't realize we were going to... have half each."
Jensen had figured he was going to end up with the lion's share of the work, it was just the way it went. He'd made a head start with that in mind, figuring most of Jared's pile would end up in front of him. Jensen's not prepared for the way Jared looks... disappointed."What's-"
"I mean, it's fine," Jared rushes to say, setting his own files down carefully and frowning at them like it's their fault they haven't done anything about themselves. "I thought maybe we'd be, you know, collaborating but I get it, I do."
"Get what?" Jensen asks. He'd been digging pens and highlighters out of his satchel but now he pauses, really looks at Jared, at how flustered he is.
"I mean... you're Jensen. I'm just honored to be in the same room with you," Jared blurts, then bites his lip, looking horrified.
Jensen feels a prickle of cold settle over him. This happens sometimes, other elves remembering what he once was, how important he'd been. He's fallen far from grace and it's not a pleasant reminder when someone points that out by being awestruck about his former glory.
"Let's get to work," Jensen snaps, sees Jared startle and then blink big sad eyes at him before nodding.
"Sure, yes, I'm behind right?" Jared tries to smile but it's watery and Jensen resists the urge to apologize because it's better this way, Jared doesn't need to be fawning over him because of his former status.
It's better he understands what Jensen is now, an asshole with no prospects.
Jared's quiet for a whole hour before he rallies, starts prattling away about inconsequential things. Jensen doesn't discourage it even though he generally likes quiet when he works because he finds Jared's warm rumble soothing. Jared talks, flits about the room, stretches, cracks his knuckles, all the things that would normally drive Jensen insane and he finds now he's remarkably unaffected by it all.
Jared's enthusiastic, the mark of someone just starting out. Jensen dimly remembers being so keen about things, it had aided his meteoric rise and he thinks maybe he lost it all when he lost the enthusiasm, when it all just became work. Jensen knows Jared won't be in NICE much longer, will be moved on to something more glitzy like Cane Sector and he's dreading it.
Jared's been a pleasant distraction.
After a few hours, Jensen sits back and rubs at his neck. He's made some solid progress and even though Jared's a whirlwind of hyperactivity, it looks like he's done the same.
"-to make partner one day," Jared is saying, tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he works and a sticky note stuck to his elbow where he'd leant on it.
"Sorry, what?" Jensen asks, realizing he's missed what Jared was saying.
"I know it's a big dream, but you gotta dream big," Jared enthuses. He's got a smear of glitter across one cheek bone and Jensen's at a loss as to where that came from. "Making partner would be-"
"Completely impossible," Jensen interrupts with a snort. Jared flicks his gaze up to him.
"Nothing's impossible," he says with the surety of the very young. Jensen figures Jared can't be much more than five hundred years old, a kid.
"There are five partners," Jensen says slowly. "Santos, Allan, Neimar, Tate and Andrews." When Jared just continues to stare at him, Jensen rolls his eyes. "Santa."
"So?"
"So Santap doesn't have quite the same ring to it."
"I'd be a silent partner," Jared says. Grins at Jensen and says, "A silent P."
"I don't think you could ever be silent," Jensen says and he means it to be fond but the way Jared's face falls, it obviously doesn't come out that way.
"Look, I know I'm not on your level but you could at least try to be nice to me," Jared says.
"What do you mean on my level?" Jensen demands, feeling frustrated.
"You're a legend," Jared says, shrugging.
"Look, just because I used to be in Reindeer Management, doesn't mean I think I'm better than everyone. I'm very aware of my current situation."
"What are you talking about?" Jared asks, looking mystified. "Who said anything about Reindeers?"
"You keep going on about how good I used to be. I know, alright? I was there."
"I'm talking about your redemption rate," Jared says, throwing his hands up. "Every time you revert a naughty case to a nice case your justification is airtight. It drives my Supervisor insane because she can never refute your files."
"I... what?" Jensen is at a loss.
"Why do you think everyone else sneaks their files into your pile?"
"Because they're lazy and they know I'll do them," Jensen says and Jared just shakes his head.
"Everyone knows that if there's a kid who's got a genuine shot, maybe not as clear cut as to make it into the Fence Files, then they should pass the file to you."
"I don't revert every case I get," Jensen says, defensive, starting to wonder if maybe Jared thinks he's the marshmallow.
"Of course you don't. If you did it would be easy to reject the cases. You have an eye for it though, it's amazing." Jared's eyes are large and round, his smile sincere. "Do you really not know this?"
"I just thought... I mean some of them just jump out at me. It's not really a skill."
"It is," Jared presses. "It took me months to work up the nerve to talk to you and I just wanted... I mean I needed to..." Jared runs out of words then, flushes and looks away. "Look, I know the crush is embarrassing and-"
"Oh god, you do know about that," Jensen says, horrified. He buries his face in his hands and wishes there were a convenient hole to swallow him up. When one doesn't oblige him, he finally looks up into Jared's confused face.
"Of course I do," he says slowly. "It's my crush."
"On who?" Jensen asks blankly and Jared frowns, something like worry edging into his expression.
"On you," he says.
"You're kidding," Jensen says, mouth unhinging.
"I was asking Milo if I had a shot the other day and he just laughed, said you hated everyone and especially me-"
"I don't hate you," Jensen interrupts, holding up a hand.
"Um, you're always glaring at me."
"That's not glaring," Jensen says, feeling his cheeks burn. "According to Aldis it's staring creepily."
"Why would you stare creepily at me?"
"Because I have a huge and pathetic crush on you," Jensen says, watching Jared flip through a number of emotions on his face before his expression settles into one of dawning hope.
"You have a crush on me?"
"Yes."
"On me?"
"Yes."
"Me?"
"Yes!" Jensen says, pushing his chair back and rising to his feet. "Do I need to kick you to stop you doing that?"
"Not kick but-" Jensen doesn't hear the rest of what Jared was going to say because he's reached across the conference table, snagged the front of Jared's shirt in his fist and practically dragged Jared across the surface to kiss him.
It's messy, they bump teeth and then chins quite painfully and the table is digging into his thighs, but it's the best kiss Jensen can ever remember. When he lets go, Jared drops back onto his side of the table, blinking owlishly and touching at his lips with shaky fingers.
"You have a crush on me," Jared says and this time he's grinning and it's not a question.
"Yes," Jensen confirms again. "The good thing is, I've heard a rumor that it's mutual."