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“Daddy?” six-year-old Kelsey said as she sat between her Dad’s legs as he brushed her long curly brown hair into a ponytail.
“What baby?” Jared asked.
“Can Mr. Ackles come with us to the zoo today?”
Jared chuckled. He was pleased at how much his daughter liked her new teacher. Jensen Ackles had come in to the school year four weeks into classes when old Mrs. Peterson decided that she needed to retire. Kelsey talked nonstop about her new teacher. He loved to read to them, he’d bring a guitar to class and sing sometimes, and he was a terrible painter she thought, but at least he tried.
“Well baby, I don’t think that it would be appropriate for me to call your teacher and ask him to accompany us to the zoo.”
“Why not?”
“Well, because I don’t know him.”
“Well, how else will you meet him if you don’t ask?”
“Alright kiddo, your hair is done, go get dressed. We’ll be leaving in about ten minutes. Ok?”
“Allllll-right,” she moped out of his bedroom.
Jared snorted at his daughter’s persistence. They’d gone to the movies last weekend, and she asked if she could invite her teacher. Three weeks prior, they were attending a barbeque at his parent's house, she had asked to invite him to that, as well. If Jared didn’t’ know any better, he’d swear that she was trying to set Jared up on a date. But she was only six, that’d be way too young for matchmaking.
~*~
Jared parked the huge SUV and hauled his daughter out of her booster in the back and put her to the ground. “Stay there, don’t wander off.”
“Daddy, I’m not stupid!” she said, folding her arms in front of her chest.
“Attitude. Do you want to get back in the car and go home?”
“No,” she said quietly.
“Alright then, don’t be a smart-alec.”
Jared pulled the backpack out that had water and snacks in it, and took his daughter's hand and headed toward the gates of the zoo. It was a gorgeous day. The sky was blue and the breeze comfortable and steady.
“Oh Daddy!” Kelsey screeched, running up to the edge of the tiger’s cage. “Look at him, isn’t he pretty?”
“Yeah he sure is. You know that tigers are my favorite animal at the zoo, too.”
“Really?” she asked wide-eyed.
”Yeah, really,” Jared smiled as he swiped his finger along her cheek. Kelsey suddenly shrieked and ran from Jared, shouting something that Jared couldn’t quite make out.
“KELSEY ANN!” he shouted, giving chase.
When Jared caught up with her, he saw his daughter hanging off of the leg of the most gorgeous man that he’d ever laid eyes on.
“What are you doing here, Mr. Ackles?” she asked delightedly.
“Hi Kelsey, it’s good to see you, too,” he said, pulling the girl off of his leg when he saw a huge, pissed-off man stomping his way toward them.
“Kelsey!” Jared said sternly, squatting down to her level. “What have I told you about running away from me, huh?”
Kelsey’s chest started to heave slightly, fat tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m sor-sorry, Daddy. I saw Mr. – Mr. Ackles and got excited,” she said, wrapping her arms around her father’s neck. Jared scooped her up and hugged her tight.
“I’m sorry I yelled, it just scared me. You could get lost, and Daddy doesn’t know what he’d do without you. I love you more than anything in the whole wide world, ok?”
“Uh-huh,” she snuffled into his neck.
“Hi, I’m Jared Padalecki, Kelsey’s father. You must be the perfect Mr. Ackles that I hear about nonstop,” Jared smiled.
Jensen snorted and turned bright red. “I don’t know about perfect, but the Mr. Ackles is right. Please, call me Jensen,” he said, sticking out his hand.
Jared took his hand and shook, nice firm handshake, perhaps too firm…yeah, gay, and sooo in the closet, Jared thought.
“You here alone?” Jared asked.
“I'm here with my sister and my nephew, but her boyfriend showed up, and well, I don’t like him much, so I wandered off,” he answered without looking directly at Jared.
“Daddy, can Mr. Ackles walk with us?” she sniffled.
“Kelsey, I’m sure that Mr. Ackles does not want to hang around us all day long…unless you’d like to?” Jared said, the hopefulness in his voice was evident.
Jensen came close to saying no, but when he saw the look in Kelsey’s eyes, he couldn’t do it. “Sure, I’d love to.”
~
It was the best day of Jared’s life. Sure, on several occasions, he had to practically drag words out of Jensen, but for the most part, there was good conversation. He and Jensen had so much in common. Similar tastes in music - well except for Jensen’s love of country. They both were from Texas and ended up in Ohio. Jared had followed his last lover two years prior to deciding to have a child, and Jensen had moved there because his Grandfather had been in ill health last year. When his Grandfather had passed away, Jensen had decided to stay and the position at Kelsey’s school just fell in his lap.
~
Kelsey was fast asleep in Jared’s arms as he and Jensen walked to the gates. “She’s dead to the world, I better get her home,” Jared said, looking over at Jensen. He sooo wanted to pull him close and press his mouth to those full, bee-stung lips. Taste him.
Jensen only nodded at Jared’s words and shifted on his feet.
“Is your sister still around? I don’t want to leave you stranded.”
“Yeah, she wouldn’t leave me. I’m good.”
“Ok, well, see ya then,” Jared said, and turned and headed to the gate. He wanted to turn around and see if Jensen was watching him leave, but didn’t have the courage.
~*~
Kelsey walked down the almost empty hall heading to Mr. Ackles' room. She’d forgotten her book bag. She stopped just outside of the door when she heard Jensen and Miss Kat talking.
“I told you, Kat, I don’t need you to set me up on a freaking blind date. I can get my own dates,” Jensen growled, slamming two books on his desk.
“You can, but you won’t.”
“You know, I don’t think that an openly gay teacher would go over well here. Yeah, this is a small town, but do you realize that if I come out, start dating and get me a boyfriend how many parents are going to pull their kids out of this school? Besides, I don’t do well on dates.”
“Jensen, this community isn’t like that. Mr. Phillips is gay, and nobody has a problem with that. And another thing – you and this shy nature of yours, how in the hell are you ever going to get into a relationship that actually makes you happy? How are you going to be in a relationship with a man unless you crawl out of that closet?” Kat, Jensen’s teaching assistant, asked him.
“Mr. Phillips is the drama teacher at the local college. Of course he’s gay! And don’t worry about my dating habits or lack there of. I’m fine. I’m….happy,” he lied.
"Sure you are. A gay man that's never been out with another man. Always going out with women so you're family don't find out, sure you're happy."
"Kat, please. Drop it," Jensen asked.
Kat sighed. “So, what are you doing tonight? Gonna go to that stupid restaurant again for your usual 7:00 table in the back, down three bottles of wine and take a cab home, then watch porn all night?”
“Yeah, probably. And don’t knock Maritzo’s, they have the best Italian food I’ve ever eaten.”
Kelsey turned on her heel and ran. She decided that she’d get her book bag tomorrow.
~
“Daddy, I wanna go out to eat tonight.”
“But I’m making your favorite, hot dogs and macaroni and cheese.”
Kelsey shook her head. “I don’t want that Daddy, can’t we go out? Pleeeeeeeeeeease?” she pleaded, flashing her huge brown-green eyes.
“Ok, but no Chuck E. Cheese!” Jared smiled down at his daughter.
“I don’t want Chuck E Cheese Daddy, I wanna go to Maritzo’s.”
Jared raised his eyebrows at that; eating out to a six year old usually meant the ever-aggravating Chuck E Cheese, McDonalds or Taco Bell.
“Maritzo’s? What made you choose that place?”
Kelsey only shrugged. “Can we go Daddy?”
“Yeah, we’ll go in a few minutes, ok?”
“I’m not gonna be hungry till 7:00.”
Jared snorted back a laugh. “How do you know that you won’t be hungry until exactly seven o’clock?”
“Cause I’m not hungry now,” she said, holding her hands up, “honest, Daddy.”
~
Jared and Kelsey walked into the restaurant, the smell of spectacular Italian food filling Jared’s nostrils. “Mmmm, it smells good, huh baby?”
The door opened right behind them and in walked Jensen. He stood there slightly dumbfounded a moment until Kelsey squealed out his name. Jared turned around.
“Wow, Jensen – small world, huh?”
“Yeah, it is. Not too many people know about this place,” he smiled, red color creeping into his cheeks.
“You care to join us?” Jared asked. “Unless you’re expecting someone.”
“No, I’m alone. But, uh – I’m good, thanks,” Jensen said, looking away.
“Mr. Ackles – please?” Kelsey pouted. Jared would, under normal circumstances, tell her not to nag an adult and teasingly pull on her bottom lip for pouting, but he really wanted Jensen to join them.
“Uh – ok, sure thing kiddo,” Jensen said, pulling on her curly locks gently.
~
The waitress took their drink orders and left menus for them to look over.
“What do you want to eat, princess?” Jared asked her.
“Skabetti and meatballs.”
“You sure? They have three cheese ravioli.”
“Yeah, I’m sure!”
They made their orders and Kelsey busied herself coloring on the placemat with the provided crayons.
“What made you decide to become a teacher?” Jared asked as he sipped his coke.
“I love children. As far back as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I tried teaching middle school for a while, but most of the kids don’t care, they half-as…uh, half way pay attention, they don’t care that they are being provided an education. So I decided to move to younger children. Maybe get them interested in learning, so I chose kindergarten.”
“Yeah, that makes sense. It’s a hard job though, my friend.”
“What do you do?” Jensen asked, picking up his wine glass and taking a sip.
“I’m a vet.”
“Really? What made you decide to become a vet, you just love animals?”
“If it gets cold enough…” Jared joked.
Jensen choked on his wine and turned bright red…again.
“Sorry,” Jared laughed as he patted him on the back. "I’m kidding of course.”
“I’m…” Jensen sputtered, “good. Thanks,” he continued to cough, but motioned for Jared to stop pounding on his back.
“Can I ask you something?” Jared asked.
“Yeah, sure.”
“How did someone as shy as you become a teacher? I mean, getting up and talking in front of a group of people…how do you do it?”
Jensen snorted. “Ahhh,” he laughed out. “I’m not nervous in front of my students,” he answered. “Just…” Jensen stopped talking and shrugged his shoulders.
“Just??”
“Around you,” Jensen said as he brought his wine glass to his lips.
Jared grinned his beautiful smile. “Does that mean you like me?”
Jensen looked like he was about to faint. “You’re not making this very easy…” he whispered.
“Ok, sorry. Just glad to know that the feelings are mutual,” Jared said, reaching over and squeezing the top of Jensen’s hand.
~
After dinner, they walked out to Jared’s car. He buckled Kelsey into her booster and closed the door. “I’d like to see you again,” Jared told him.
“Ok,” Jensen answered.
“Ok as in – ok you’ll go because I want you to, or ok as in – ok you want to see me, too?”
“I want to see you again, too,” Jensen smiled.
Jared stepped closer and cupped the side of Jensen’s face, tilting his head slightly and kissed him. Their lips slid gently across each other's, Jared’s tongue lightly probing against his lips. Jensen parted them and allowed Jared to completely take control of the kiss, his tongue sweeping inside, licking and tasting his mouth.
They broke apart because of the giggle emanating from the car. Jared chuckled.
“I’ll call you tomorrow. Maybe we can get together and go do something after I get off work.”
Jensen nodded and gave a half smile. Inside, he was doing the mambo.
~*~
The next evening, they made plans to go on an actual date, Jared leaving Kelsey with a sitter.
Jared picked Jensen up at seven and drove to the reservoir. He parked the car and turned in the seat. “I thought we could have a picnic, get to know each other with out a lot of noise around us,” Jared smiled at him. “This ok?”
“Yeah,” Jensen nodded. Jared reached over and turned his head and leaned over and kissed him slow and sweet.
“You sure?”
“Yeah Jared, it’s fine, really.”
“Ok, lets go,” Jared answered opening his door and getting out.
He pulled a picnic basket and a thick blanket out of the back, and came around to Jensen’s side of the car. “Lets go closer to the water, there are some really nice spots that are sorta secluded down there,” he pointed.
Jared spread out the blanket, they got comfortable and he opened the basket. “It’s not your traditional dinner. I figured if we’re starving when we leave here, we can run to my place and I’ll cook for you.”
Jensen flushed at the idea of going back to Jared’s. Not that it wasn’t a good idea…just –
“I have wine, some cheeses and fruit and some other things in here…” he said as he pulled everything out.
Soon they were snacking and drinking the delicious red wine that Jared had chosen.
“Jared, can I ask you something personal?”
“Yeah, I’m an open book,” he smiled.
“Is Kelsey’s Mom not in the picture?”
Jared shook his head. “Kelsey doesn’t have a Mother. I had come out of a relationship, a pretty bad break up. I spent the next eighteen months feeling sorry for myself. Then one day I got out of bed and decided to get my life back on track. I was tired of waiting to start a family. So I went to a fertility specialist and talked about wanting a child of my own. I found out what my options were as far as a biological child was concerned. My sister-in-law and brother agreed that she’d carry the baby for me, so six months later, the donor egg was fertilized with my sperm and implanted into Julie, and believe it or not, eight months and two weeks later, Kelsey was born.”
“Wow, your sister-in-law had her for you? That’s awesome.”
“Yeah, they’re fantastic people. I still look at my daughter sometimes and am so overwhelmed with what they did for me that I call them just bawling,” Jared laughed.
“You’re pretty amazing, Jared.”
Jared looked over at him and moved closer, “I think you’re pretty amazing, too,” then leaned in and took Jensen's mouth in a deep, long kiss.
Their bodies fell back against the blanket, Jared moving on top of Jensen, stretching out – his lips gliding across Jensen’s, then down the side of his face, neck and back to the small spot just behind his ear. Jensen moaned, turning his head for Jared to gain better access, his hands sliding into Jared’s silky locks.
Jared slid a hand down Jensen’s side, along his hip and down his leg, where he slid it behind the bend in his leg, pulling it up over his own waist.
Their cocks pressed against each other's through their denim prisons. Jensen moaned into the feeling, his other leg falling open.
Jared thrust against him as his tongue delved deeper and deeper inside Jensen’s mouth. “God…” Jared gasped as he rutted against him over and over. “Jen…come home with me,” he said, looking down into his beautiful green eyes. “I want to be inside you…God I’ve wanted you since the first time I saw you…please?”
Jensen pushed at his chest and got to his feet. “I’d like to go home if that’s ok.”
Jared frowned. “I’m sorry – I didn’t meant to…push. I’ll stop, I just. I really like you Jensen – “ Jared stopped talking when he saw the look on Jensen’s face. “I’m sorry…I’ll take you home,” he sighed as he started to stuff the left over food back into the basket.
They walked quietly to the car, and were surrounded by an even more intense quiet on the ride back to Jensen’s.
Jared pulled up into his driveway, Jensen opening the door and getting out, not even saying goodbye. Jared rolled down the window.
“Jen?”
Jensen turned around and looked at him.
“I’m sorry Jensen, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
~*~
Three days later
“Daddy? Why hasn’t Mr. Ackles been to school or to see us?” Kelsey asked him while he supervised her bath.
“I don’t know, baby,” Jared answered truthfully. He’d called Jensen three times a day, and had yet to received a return call.
“I miss him,” she said, pouring a cup of water over her head.
“Yeah, I do, too.”
~
After Kelsey was tucked into bed, Jared picked up his cell to call Jensen one more time when the phone started to vibrate in his hand. “Fucking hell! he gasped as he looked at the caller ID. Jensen.
“You scared the shit outta me,” he said into the phone. “I had just picked up my phone to call you, what’s up?”
“I don’t mean to come off as a stalker…but I waited until you put Kelsey to bed. Can I come in?” Jensen asked.
“You’re outside my house?”
“Yeah, sorry.”
“No, don’t be sorry,” Jared said, walking the front door and opening it. “Come on in.”
~
Jared sat down beside him on the couch and handed him a beer.
“You ok?” Jared asked as his dogs lay curled by his and Jensen's feet.
Jensen shook his head.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m scared.”
“Of what?”
“Me. You. Everything.”
Jared took a drink of his beer and set it down. “Why are you afraid of me.”
“I…I don’t do relationships very well. But then again, I’ve never been in a relationship that mattered, either. They were always ones of convenience. Cover ups to make my mother happy that I’m not alone. I saw you that day at the zoo and thought 'You know what? Just do it. Fuck him and get it over with'. I mean, I deserve to have an orgasm with someone else in the room, right?” Jensen babbled. “I haven’t had a date in over a year because I won’t tell people about myself…and going out with women – and sleeping with women…I just. Jared, this is just so fucked up – and then you come along and fuck it up even worse because you’re so wonderful, and I love your daughter. She’s just perfect…but life isn’t perfect – and I…I just don’t know what to do, Jared! I don’t kno ---mfpthhh….”
Jensen’s speech was hindered by six foot four inches of Padalecki pushing him down on the couch. His mouth plundering inside Jensen’s, their tongues touching, mouths sucking on lips, teeth clashing, bodies grinding.
“Jared…” Jensen gasped, pulling his mouth away as he grasped Jared’s t-shirt and pulled it over his head. “God…I want you – “ he whispered.
They got up and continued to kiss, Jared walking Jensen backward to his bedroom. “What about – “ Jensen started, “what about Kelsey?”
“Door’s lock,” Jared groaned as he pulled Jensen’s shirt off and slung it over his shoulder. He pushed Jensen up against the wall and slid down to his knees and pulled his jeans open.
“Nononononononono…” Jensen said, trying to stop him. “She could come out of her room.”
“She won’t, trust me,” Jared said as he finally managed to get his hand on Jensen’s cock and pull it through the small opening of his jeans. Jared sucked on the head of his dick, causing Jensen to groan and smack his head against the wall.
“Fuuuuck – “ he moaned, pushing his pants further down his hips. Jared grabbed them and pulled them to his knees, sucking his cock to the base.
“Oh God…” Jensen whimpered, his hands threading into Jared’s hair. “Oh God…”
Jared pulled off him with a lewd pop and slipped two of his fingers into his mouth, wetting them thoroughly, and with his other hand pulled on his erection.
“Gonna make it good for you, Jen,” he said, sticking his tongue out and flicking it across the slit.
“Jar----uh, oh shit! Jared…bedroom. Please,” Jensen said, trying to pull Jared to his feet and off of his dick.
“Ok, yeah – “ he whispered, standing and pulling Jensen down the hall.
They made it through the door and locked it, both pulling frantically at their clothing. Jared pushed him against the door and took his mouth in a heated kiss and wrapped his hand around his stiff meat, jacking his cock slowly.
“You want to fuck me Jen? Or do you want me inside of you?” he asked, tonguing his ear.
“You…in…me…” Jensen panted.
Jared slowly pulled him to the bed and pushed him down on the mattress with his own body.
He reached over and pulled open the bedside table and pulled out a bottle of lube and poured a lot into his hand, coating his fingers. He started kissing Jensen slowly as he slid his hand between his legs, teasing soft pets across his asshole, coating it with the slippery gel.
Jared pressed his finger inside him slowly, knowing right where to push and grinning when Jensen literally came up off of the bed as his finger ghosted across his prostate. Jared toyed with the area as he started sliding his finger in and out of Jensen’s ass, occasionally sucking on the head of his cock when his stiff dick began to deflate, especially when he added two fingers. He scissored them as he sucked his cock down his throat and swallowed. Jensen yelped, and thrust up into Jared’s mouth, coating his throat with salty cream.
He continued his suck-swallow motion on Jensen’s cock as he pushed in three fingers, stretching his virgin hole wide for his throbbing, leaking dick.
“Gonna fill you up, Jensen. You ready for me?” Jared asked him.
“God yeah…”
Jared hurried through putting on a condom; more lube and quickly pushed into Jensen’s stretched hole.
He stopped when Jensen pushed his head into the pillow and bit his bottom lip. “Relax,” Jared soothed, gently tracing his finger across his jaw line. “Don’t resist me, that just makes it hurt more. Relax for me,” he said again as he inched in a little. Jared hooked his arm under one of Jensen’s legs and pulled it up closer to his chest, opening his body more. “That’s it Jen, let me inside…” he said as he felt Jensen relax.
He slid fully inside Jensen and held steady, kissing him as his body adjusted to the intrusion. “Gonna move now, Jen,” Jared said, pulling out a few inches and pushing back inside him. “Nice and slow. Relax,” he reminded.
Jensen made a noise that was so between pleasure and pain, that Jared wasn’t sure if he should keep going. “Ok?” he asked stilling his movements.
“Nuhhhhhhh…” Jensen managed to moan out, his legs wrapping around Jared’s waist. Jared started to move inside him again, angling his hips so that his cock slid along his pleasure spot on nearly every pass. “More…” Jensen begged.
Jared sped his movements, thrusting harder and harder – the sound of his balls smacking against Jensen’s ass reverberating off of the walls, and their pants and breaths became erratic and loud.
Jensen slid his leg up to the bottom of Jared’s back, his foot sliding along the wet skin. Jared, in one quick movement, had Jensen on his side, Jared was on his knees straddling Jensen’s thigh, Jensen’s other leg being held practically straight up by Jared’s hands.
Jared started to fuck into him, bending his leg and pushing it completely against Jensen’s chest. This new position proved to be the perfect angle for Jared to smash the head of his cock into Jensen’s prostate over and over, Jensen’s dick standing to full attention and leaking across his stomach.
“Jarrrrr… oh God… nuuhhh…my – can’t…” Jensen babbled incoherently.
Jared felt the pull on his balls, knowing that his orgasm was close. He managed to get Jensen back onto his back and one of his legs over his shoulder and stretched out on top of him. He slammed into his body frantically, Jensen’s cock slick and wet between their sweat drenched bodies.
Jared pushed fully into him and rotated his hips, Jensen shouting out his name and coming heavily between them. Two more deep thrusts had Jared filling the condom full, his own orgasm taking hold and spiraling him into sated bliss.
~
Jared woke the next morning to an empty bed. He frowned when he sat up, thinking that he couldn’t believe that Jensen would have left after their mind-blowing sex…but apparently he did.
He sighed heavily and cringed at his sore muscles and made his way into his bathroom to take a quick shower. He knew that Kelsey would be up soon and would be hungry, so he wanted to make sure that they had their Saturday morning ritual of pancakes and bacon.
He came out of his bedroom and the smell of coffee hit his nostrils.
As he neared the kitchen, he heard two distinct voices: Jensen’s and Kelsey’s.
He walked into the kitchen and what he saw made his heart melt. Kelsey was standing on a chair in front of the stove, spatula in her hand, making the pancakes; Jensen was tending to the bacon. Both looked up when Jared entered.
“Morning,” he smiled at the duo.
“Hi Daddy!” Kelsey smiled. “Guess what? Jensen is helping me cook. He said that I can call him Jensen as long as we’re not at school, so it’s ok, right Daddy?”
“Yeah pumpkin,” Jared said, kissing her on the top of her head, “it’s alright.”
Jared looked over at Jensen, who was dressed in one of Jared’s t-shirts and a pair of his sweats. “Morning,” he smiled and leaned in and kissed him.
Kelsey giggled and blushed red. “Daaaaaddy!!!”
~*~
One year later
Jensen had agreed to move in with Jared and Kelsey. It had taken a good six months before Jensen was ready to "come out" to more than his boyfriend and teaching assistant. But when he did, the community's reaction was, for the most part, supportive.
He'd even called his parents and taken Jared and Kelsey to meet them during Christmas.
When Jared asked him to move in, Jensen was more than ready to take that final leap into life, even going as far as suggesting they have a ceremony as lifetime partners. Jared smiled and pulled Jensen into the bedroom showing him the rings that he'd already bought and proceeded to make love to him all night.
It didn't take Jensen long to put his house on the market and pack it up - only three days after Jared asked him to move in.
"Daddy!!" Kelsey scolded, "come on! You're not helping much!" she said, coming into the living room with a large box.
Jared had unloaded several boxes himself, but had spent the whole day on his feet working only to come straight to Jenesen's and pack the moving van. He was taking a much needed break.
He only laughed and thumped his daughter with his foot on her butt. "I'll be out in a few minutes, baby," he promised, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.
"Hey babe?" Jensen said, walking into the room. "Are you gonna actually help us today, or sit there watching your family do all the work?" he grinned.
Jared looked up from the couch and smiled. His family. Those words made his heart flutter.
"I'm gonna watch my family..."
~the end