FIC: Friends, Though Hope Is My Constant Companion

[yansadracan]

Title: Friends, Though Hope Is My Constant Companion
Author: YanzaDracan
Fandom: RPS
Pairing/Grouping: Chris/Steve/Jensen
Summary: Wrote this for a prompt ‘not a joke’ at Bite Sized Bits of Fic.
 

  

 

They had sorta become acquainted seeing each other around different studio lots, as their handsome faces padded their portfolios. Acting paid the bills, but their real passion was music. 

Everyone thought it a friendship of opposites. The boisterous, rough and tumble Christian Kane, and the soft spoken, reserved, Jensen Ackles. 

To celebrate his new series, Jensen enlisted the help of another friend, Steve Carlson, who was a musician and a chef, to help him. Jensen introduced Christian to Steve, and the rest as they say is history. 

The three men got on like a house afire, their love of music binding them together. They had jokingly discussed forming a band to play around LA for extra cash in the slow times. The planning started one night over beer, pizza and guitars. Steve and Chris wrote songs that spoke to the heart and tickled your fun. Then Steve and Jensen would turn out songs that curled your toes. Steve always seemed to be their center. 

They often played friends and friends of friends’ parties. That led to meeting some studio players that were looking for something steady. Kane became the brain child of Chris and Steve, and they slid into the LA club scene. 

Jensen’s career took off at the same time. Being a soap actor was not conducive to hanging with the band, so they lost touch for a time. Then came Dark Angel and moving to Vancouver, and he began feeling isolated. The more isolated he felt, the more he pulled into himself. 

Along the way, Christian Kane and Steve Carlson became ChrisandSteve, with only their inner circle being privy to the fact. Both men agreed that keeping Jensen in their life was important, and made an extra effort to keep the younger man from pulling away from them and his music. 

When they all ended up in LA, their camaraderie fell back in place like they’d never been apart. If there was sad longing in green eyes when he watched his friends, then he put it behind a smile and got another beer. 

European tours and Jensen in Vancouver for Smallville drew two closer and pulled three further apart. 

To keep his growing feelings for his oldest friends a secret, Jensen arranged to have work to keep busy during hiatus. If he went home, Kane always managed to get them booked into the clubs between Tulsa and Houston. Chris always swore it was so he could spend time with his family, but the pair would constantly drag him along. 

To distract himself, Jensen would have dating binges, and when he got Dean Winchester on Supernatural, it was a blessing. He hoped going to Vancouver would help cool his feelings. It wouldn’t have been so bad if he was just crushing on Chris or Steve by themselves, but he wanted both. It was like the two men had merged into one entity, at least to his lust addled mind. 

Then there’s his co-star, Jared Padalecki. The man was a steamroller, add two large dogs to the mix, and it was ‘Katie bar the door’. No one was safe. There was no such thing as personal space. 

For Jensen, personal space was part of his control, so it was all very disconcerting. Chris teased him unmercifully. He reminded him to invite them to play at the wedding, but Steve just watched, as had become his habit when ‘Christian’ was ‘on’. 

Jensen was a damn fine actor, and to see his real face you had to watch closely. Steve noticed he rarely let anyone close. Jared seemed to be an exception, but only because Jared refused to be held at arms' length and Jensen hadn’t found a way to slow him down.

Chris never let anyone stop him from what he wanted. Jensen’s eyes always flew to Steve, watching his reaction to Chris’ overly affectionate actions. 

When they got home, Steve was surprised when Chris mentioned Jen’s behavior. He shouldn’t have been surprised. Anyone who made the mistake of underestimating the good ‘ole boy Chris projected was often surprised at his astuteness. 

The next few times they got together, the couple made an effort to keep Jensen close, and watched him even closer. It kept Jensen unsettled, malleable. They were careful. They didn’t want the boy to bolt. Eventually the guitars would come out, and with cajoling, they got Jen to play with them. 

When the J’s had disappeared into the kitchen to grab another round of beer, Chris had followed them in to go to the bathroom. He was just outside the kitchen when he heard Jensen’s voice raised in anger. 

“Damn it, Jay! This is not a joke!” Jen hissed. “I can’t help how I feel. So DROP IT!” He slammed the bottles down and headed for the front door. 

Chris popped around the corner to see an embarrassed Jared. 

“’sup, man?” He drawled. 

“Nothing. Just Jen being Jen.” He started for the backyard. 

“You sure? I could go after him.” A calculating look crossed the rugged face. 

“No!... I mean…he just needs a minute to cool off…It’s no big deal, really.” Jared insisted. “Help me get these out back?” 

Steve eyes questioned Chris when they returned without Jensen. Chris gave a shrug. 

The front men for Kane started in on Jared, figuring if they plied him with enough alcohol he’d spill the problem with Jensen. 

They had almost succeeded when Sandy decided she’d had enough hangin’ with the boys and shoved Jared out the door. 

Frustrated, they speculated on the way home. 

“You think it’s a woman?” Chris gave him an obscene leer. 

“Or man trouble. I don’t think there’s ever been a group of people more sexually ambiguous than us.” Steve leaned his back against the door. 

“Sexually ambiguous.” Chris snickered. “Is that some kind of Cali hippie speak for saying bi?” 

“Don’t think it’s his health…do you?” The topic suddenly turned serious. 

“Think we ought to stop and check on him?” 

“We could kidnap him tomorrow keep him ‘til he breaks.” Chris got a sly look in his eyes. 

“You are a bad, bad man, Christian Kane.” Steve gave him a smirk. 

“That’s why you love me, sweetheart.” Kane crowed. 

After much grumbling and a half-hearted cussin’, Jensen joined the couple. As they headed to the Viper Room, they continued to gently pump their friend for what was happening in his life. 

During set-up, Jensen stood with arms akimbo. “When did you become such an agony aunt, Kane?” 

Steve looked up from tuning his guitar. “Since you’re in Canada most of the year, we’re just trying to catch up.” His voice low and soothing. 

“Don’t try to handle me, Carlson.” Jensen growled and headed for the bar. 

“This ain’t good, darlin’” Chris planted a kiss on the back of Steve’s head. “Think it’s something we did?” 

“Maybe something we didn’t do…” Steve watched the bowlegged strut move across the room. 

“Ya don’t think?” He set his chin on his lover’s shoulder. 

“It would explain a lot of things.” Steve’s voice was thoughtful. “Which one, I wonder?” 

“Why does it have to be one? Could be both.” Chris tugged a silver earring. 

“We’ve been friends a long time.” Steve trailed off as Jensen approached the stage with beer. 

“What’da think?” Chris asked before the start of the first set. 

“I say yes.” Steve ran through the first line of ‘Crazy In Love’. 

So began the courtship of Jensen Ackles.

 

Comments

[badfalcon.livejournal.com]

oooooooh!
(and, do we get to see more of this courtship?)

[yanzadracan.livejournal.com]

That bunny was sleeping quite soundly thank you. You just had to go pokin' it with that pointy stick...didn't ya? Thank you for the flowers.

[kavidawn.livejournal.com]

Oh! Yay! Sorry it took so long to find this. I'm so happy! I love this pairing! Thank you for writing it! I'm off to read part 2 now! *does happy dance*

[yanzadracan.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Love it when people get enjoyment from something I do. They're trying to make this an epic.