Life For Rent

Chapter 14 : Nurture

Author's Notes :
- I hope everyone had a great Holiday and a wonderful New Year's.

"You're making something for your own Christmas party?" Callen asked, dipping his finger into the whipped cream mixture that Jared was working on for his holiday party tomorrow night.

"It's a potluck."

"Your work is too cheap to order out?"

Jared laughed, "We're a bunch of chefs and sous-chefs, I think we can manage to whip up something just as tasty."

"What about the waiters and stuff, are they cooking?"

Jared offered a spoonful of the mixture to Callen when it became obvious that the older man was going to reach for some more. "Last year it was pretty funny actually. All the cooking staff brought store bought stuff while the servers and management brought homemade stuff."

"What? Really?" Callen took a long lick from the spoon. It was good. He wasn't sure what it was, whipped cream with… white chocolate? Maybe?

The younger man nodded as he continued to whip. "I guess we just wanted a break from cooking."

"What are you bringing?"

"I have some puff pastry with ham and cheese, and some with just cheese, and I'm bringing this white chocolate mousse pie."

"S'good," Callen offered, licking more.

"Thanks."

"So what happens at these things?"

"Well, I've only been to last years, and I was still the new guy then, but mostly we all got really drunk on Marty's special egg-nog--special because it has four different liquors in it--we stood around talking, trying not to act like we'd probably rather be somewhere else, and then some fake Santa came and gave us all presents."

"What did you get?"

Jared gestured to the corner, "A whisk."

"Kitchen stuff, of course," Callen concluded. He licked the last of the whipped cream off of the spoon and set it down.

"What do you do at yours?"

Callen shrugged, "Haven't been to one."

"At NCIS?" Jared asked curiously.

"Ever," Callen corrected.

"But you're going this year, right?"

"Wasn't really planning on it."

"Hmm," Jared answered, speculatively. He reached into a drawer and pulled out another spoon, dipping it into the dessert and handing it off to Callen.

"Thanks," Callen licked the underside of the spoon and looked up to see Jared eyeing him. "Yeah?"

"I'm not sure how to ask you this," The younger man admitted, setting his whisk down.

Callen shifted uncomfortably, "Ask me what?"

"What are your plans for next Friday?"

"Next Friday?" Callen asked, furrowing his brow. "As in not the one in three days, but the one in ten?"

"Yeah."

Callen thought about it, "Nothing, I suppose. Maybe work."

"G," Jared said softly. "That's Christmas."

Callen blinked, "Oh."

"I usually spend the day with Lindsey and her parents…" Jared bit his lip nervously.

The older man swallowed thickly, "Oh, okay. That's not a problem." Callen looked away. He wasn't about to tell Jared that his usual plans included booking a hotel outside of LA and attempting to sleep away the day. Last year Callen had seen an ad on TV for a Christmas meal and had gone out on Christmas Eve to Boston Market, ordering dinner for one to be heated up on Christmas. When he'd eaten it the next day he'd briefly imagined himself sitting at a full table with people all around, laughing and eating with a fireplace in the background. Afterwards he'd felt so stupid and ridiculous and angry that after all these years, that would still matter to him.

"G," Jared said softly, swiping a thumb over Callen's bottom lip. And when had Jared left his side of the counter to come stand next to him? "I screwed this all up. I wanted to ask if you would come with me."

"I can't just intrude--"

"You wouldn't be. They know all about you. They're like parents to me and they asked me if you wanted to come, before I ever had a chance to ask them."

"I don't want to take your time away from them."

"And you wouldn't be, not if you came. Because my other alternative is staying here with you, or really, just being wherever you are."

"I don't really celebrate Christmas," Callen said, turning away from the younger man.

Warm arms settled around Callen's waist, hands resting on his stomach. "Not yet you don't," Jared whispered in his ear. "Don't be alone, G, not this year. Not when you have me."

Callen nodded slowly, "Alright, but you have to help me choose a present for them."

Jared chuckled, "I think I can manage that."

Callen's phone rang and he reached for it, stopping Kensi mid sentence, "Callen."

"Hey, we still on for tonight?" Jared asked.

"Yeah."

"Are you coming over to my place first?"

"Yeah, what time?"

"The thing starts at six… so maybe 5ish? I can feed you real food before we head over if you want."

Callen shook his head even though Jared couldn't see him, "Nah, I'll just munch on whatever's there."

"Could be dangerous," Jared said with a laugh. "You never know what you're going to get."

"I'm not picky."

"Oh, I know," Callen could hear his boyfriend smile over the phone. "See you then?"

"I'll call if something comes up."

"Later, G."

"Later," Callen turned off his phone to meet Kensi's questioning stare.

"Plans, Callen?" She asked with a quirked eyebrow and a teasing smile.

"As a matter of fact, yes."

"As a matter of fact--what, G?" Sam asked, coming up behind him. The large man slung an arm around Callen's shoulder.

"Callen has plans," Kensi informed him easily.

Callen shot her a look while Sam laughed, "Is that party tonight, G?"

"Yeah."

"What party?" Kensi asked, clearly interested. "You got a hot date, Callen?"

"He sure does," Sam grinned.

"Oh really?" Kensi waggled her eyebrows. "Anyone I know?"

"No," Callen said shortly. He shrugged Sam's arm off of his shoulders. "No one you would know."

"Are you sure?" She asked gamely.

"Very sure."

"What are you wearing tonight, G?" Sam asked.

Callen faced his friend with an expression of humorous disbelief. "You want to know what I'm wearing tonight?"

"Yeah. I need to make sure you look acceptable, G."

"When don't I looked acceptable?"

A throat cleared behind them, "Quite often, Mr. Callen."

Callen turned to face the newcomer, "I'm hurt, Hetty. I think I look great."

Hetty eyed him before glancing up and down his chosen outfit for the days: jeans and a button up blue shirt. "I'm sure you do, Mr. Callen. And what, may I ask, is the dress code for your… thing tonight?"

Callen shrugged, "I don't know. It's just a holiday party, Hetty."

"And I suppose you were just planning to wear what you have on now?" She asked, disdain in her voice.

"Um…" Callen flushed a little. "Yes, what's wrong with that?" He looked down at his clothes.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," She commented. Hetty flashed him an unreadable look and walked away.

Callen scratched the top of his head as he watched her go.

"Wow, G, you look good," Jared told the older man when G arrived. It was true. G had on a nice fitting deep blue button-up shirt, the color of his eyes. He was wearing black slacks instead of jeans and Jared grinned when he noticed the Chuck Taylors that adorned his feet, "Really good."

G blushed lightly and looked away. "Thanks, so do you."

Jared laughed, "Not half as good as you." He picked up the pie and the puff pastry dishes.

G rolled his eyes and tugged on Jared's sleeve, "Let's go." He pulled the younger man out the door and Jared let himself be pulled along, stopping briefly to lock the door.

"Who's driving?"

"You can," G answered.

Jared nodded, "Okay." He looked over his boyfriend's body again. "Did I mention how nice you look?"

"You just want to get laid," G said matter-of-factly.

"Well, that's a distinct possibility, but I was pretty sure that was going to happen tonight regardless of my earnest compliments on your appearance." Jared opened his trunk to put down the containers of food, making sure they were secure so they wouldn't roll around. He slammed the trunk shut, "I am getting laid tonight, right?"

"Depends on how good your pie turned out," G answered before climbing into the car and shutting the door.

Jared grinned and moved into the driver's seat, pulling the door closed behind him, "It's really good."

G turned and grinned at him, "Then there's a pretty good chance."

"How good?" Jared teased as he started the car. "Seventy percent? Eighty?"

"Hm," G answered appearing to think about it. "Well, providing we're both not drunk off our asses," Jared had already made a mental note to never be drunk in front of G again--the older man really didn't like it--,"and the pie blows my mind… I'd say very good."

"What, like ninety percent?" Jared asked, pulling onto the street.

"Probably more."

"Ninety-five?"

"If you save me from all of your co-workers, I'd say it was in the basket."

Jared grinned at G before reaching over and taking his hand, "I think I can do that."

G squeezed Jared's hand lightly, "Good."

"You are out to your coworkers, right?" Callen asked, clutching his plate of food close.

Jared, who was standing more-than-friend close, nodded, "Definitely. Couldn't be any more out if I tried." He wrapped an arm around Callen's waist and pulled the older man closer to him. "So how are you enjoying your first holiday party so far?" Jared asked softly into Callen's ear.

"It's pretty uneventful," Callen commented. He pointed with his pinky towards a man in the corner, "That guy over there is seeing that girl," He moved his hand to the left a little towards a girl talking to two other guys, "over there."

Jared's eyes bugged out, "What? No way."

"Positive," Callen told him. "And that guy," He subtly pointed to a man in a suit taking a drink of the special eggnog, "Is seeing that guy over there." He moved his hand again towards one of the guys that the previous girl was chatting with.

"I don't think so," Jared said skeptically. "He seems pretty straight to me."

"Which guy?"

"Both guys, but especially the first one."

Callen shook his head, "Trust me, they're together." He scooped up a piece of chicken and took a bite.

"How can you tell?"

"It's part of my job to read people," Callen said, swallowing. "See the first couple? The girl and the guy? She keeps glancing at him and her whole body is turned towards him. He's been looking at her out of the corner of his eye all night and not once has he left her range of sight."

Jared raised an eyebrow, "And the supposedly gay couple?"

"The guy with the eggnog next to the wall has been giving nervous glances to guy number two the whole night, as if he's afraid that someone's on to them. Guy number two, for his part, has been casually flirting with the two people he's talking with and after he makes some kind of move he glances over at the other guy."

"That doesn't mean they're together," Jared protested.

"They're definitely together," Callen stole Jared's drink and took a sip. He handed the soda back to the younger man, "Well, there's all that and then there's the fact that I heard them going at it in the men's room about ten minutes ago."

"I was wondering why you came back all flushed."

"I was so not flushed," Callen protested.

Jared kissed him on the cheek, "Sorry, G, you definitely were."

"I've seen worse," Callen muttered, "Hell, I've done worse."

"Mmm-hmm," Jared murmured with a smile.

"Jared! Good to see you!" A tall white male, absurdly skinny and gangly, maybe even younger than Jared, was approaching them. Jared handed Callen his drink and held out a hand that the other man took. "And who's this?" The stranger asked, looking over at Callen.

Jared took his drink back and patted Callen's arm, "This is my boyfriend, G." Callen held out his free hand. "G, this is the manager, Robert Natkins." Robert accepted his hand and squeezed it as they shook.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Natkins."

"None of that," The other man said with a wave and a smile, pulling his hand back. "My friends all call me Bert."

Callen inwardly winced. Of all the nicknames for Robert, and this guy chose Bert? "Nice to meet you, Bert."

"Nice to meet you too, G. Is it just G? Does that stand for something?"

Callen forced a smile and shook his head. "It's just G."

"Got it," Bert said with a grin. "How are you enjoying the party?" He asked looking at both of them.

"It's great, Bert," Jared offered. "Better than last year's."

"By far, Jared my boy, by far." Bert looked behind them at something and then back towards them both. "Well, I won't keep you. Stephen is over there waving frantically at me. That boy," he said, shaking his head. "I swear he'd lose his head if it wasn't attached. Well, it was nice to meet you, G. Enjoy the party, excuse me." He was mumbling to himself as he walked away from both of them.

"That's the manager?" Callen asked.

"Yeah."

"Seems young."

"He'd older than you," Jared said, answering Callen's unspoken question.

"Really?"

"Yeah, early forties, I think."

"Wow."

"G," Jared said softly. Callen turned his head to face the younger man. "I'm sorry about his questions earlier."

"It's okay," Callen said, looking down at his plate. Jared had never asked about his name beyond his question during their initial meeting.

"I'm Jared," He held out his hand.

"G." Callen said, reaching out and shaking the hand.

"Just G?" Jared asked.

"Just G."

"Still," Jared insisted.

"I'm used to it," Callen said. "It's a weird name."

Jared studied him for a moment but let it drop. "Want some eggnog?"

"I think I'll pass," Callen said, offering a pointed look at the half drunk people around them.

Jared grinned, "Wait until the dancing starts."

"Jared!" Callen turned his head towards the sound and saw a guy about his age walking rapidly towards them, a huge grin on his face. The man came to an abrupt stop in front of them and blatantly looked Callen over. "Is this him?"

Callen raised an eyebrow at his boyfriend who was actually blushing as he nodded towards the interloper. "This is him. G meet Brandon, Brandon, this is G."

Brandon stuck his hand out. "Pleasure to finally meet you," he said as G accepted his hand. "Jay-Jay over here won't shut up about you."

"Jay-Jay?" Callen teased, pulling his hand back. He wrapped his arm around Jared's waist, hooking his fingers into the belt loops of Jared's pants.

Jared ducked his head, "I've tried to get him to stop calling me that."

Brandon grinned, "But I'm a persistent mother-fucker."

Jared laughed, "That you are."

Callen looked back and forth between them. "Brandon is one of your sous-chefs?"

"Yup," Jared grinned. "He makes a mean lobster ravioli."

"I'll have to try it one of these days," Callen said with a smile.

"Anytime you come by, just ask for me and I'll make it just for you," Brandon offered.

"If G comes by, he's asking for me," Jared declared with a teasing glint in his eye. He nuzzled G's neck, "Forget lobster ravioli, babe, come by and I'll make you a pork roast."

"No fair," Brandon pouted, setting off G's gaydar. This guy was definitely pinging it. "You know all his favorite foods already."

"I'd hardly say that," Jared said. "G's definitely not picky and will eat just about anything, it's hard to tell if there's something he likes over something else."

"I don't like parsley," Callen cut in.

Jared laughed, "That's definitely true, but I've still seen you eat it."

Callen shrugged, "Waste not, want not."

"So true," Brandon sighed.

"So why are you flying solo tonight, Bran? No one catch your fancy?"

"I'm sick of dating," The other man said dramatically. "It's so tiring after a while."

"I don't know," Jared said, pressing a kiss the side of Callen's head. "I think it might be worth it."

"Only 'cause you already have the perfect man," Brandon answered. He winked at Callen, "Oh, Brandon, you should see him," he said, imitating Jared's voice perfectly. "He's soooo pretty and wonderful and smart and caring and I think last Thursday he hung the moon."

Callen burst out laughing and Jared blushed, "I do not sound like that!" The chef protested.

"You totally do," Brandon countered. He leaned in close to Callen, "And on days when he doesn't get to see you all he does is pout."

"I do not pout!"

"Sorry, Jay-Jay," Callen stressed with a grin. "You definitely pout."

"I knew I should never have let you two meet," Jared groaned.

"Like you could have stopped it. G here was bound to stop by sooner or later and when he did… you know that half the kitchen staff would be out here trying to catch a peek." He winked at Callen.

"I'll try to stop by," Callen offered with a twinkle in his eye. "My job keeps me busy, though."

"Don't encourage him," Jared begged.

"I'll try not to."

Jared slipped a hand into Callen's back pocket, "Good."

"What am I going to do with a garlic press?" G wondered.

"You're thinking about that now?" Jared asked from underneath him. "I mean, seriously, your dick is in my ass and we're in the middle of having hot, sweaty sex and you're wondering what you're going to do with a garlic press?"

G blinked down at the body beneath him. "Well, I've been wondering for a while."

Jared rolled his eyes, "Shut up and fuck me."

The older man grinned, "Sorry." He leaned down and pressed a hard kiss against Jared's mouth, resuming their previous activities.

Two hours later they were both showered and back in bed, naked. G's head was pillowed on Jared's shoulder and the younger man was casually fondling G's dick and balls, keeping the older man half hard while they talked.

"I had no idea you could dance so well," Jared said, using his free hand to run his fingers over G's hair.

"All part of the job."

"Hmm," Jared mumbled. "I imagine you've done just about everything undercover."

"Almost," G agreed.

"Tell me some of it."

"Well once I had to pretend I was a dog trainer… that was pretty hard…" Jared let G's words wash over him, the older man's voice was lulling him into safety. "… and for a week the guys would play 'Who Let the Dogs Out' every time I walked into a room. I swear it wasn't my fault they all escaped!"

Jared laughed, "I'm sure."

They laid there in silence for a few moments, G shifting around a bit. "Did you sleep with him?"

Jared didn't even pretend not to know who G was talking about, "Yeah."

"When?"

"About six months before I met you."

"Oh."

Jared contemplated asking his next question but decided to anyways, "Does it bother you?"

G exhaled and Jared felt the other man's breath tickle his skin, "Yes."

"I'm sorry," Jared said quietly.

G shook his head, "Nothing to be sorry for. I didn't even know you then."

"Still," Jared insisted. "I'm sorry that it bothers you."

"He seems nice," G commented.

"He is," The younger man agreed. "He and Lindsey get along really well."

"They hang out?"

Jared wondered if that was jealousy or hurt he could hear in his boyfriend's voice. Or maybe even both. "Yeah. They like to go to gay clubs together. That's not really my scene, so it's nice to have someone else to pawn her off on. She likes going knowing that she can dance and not have to worry about some guy feeling her up and stuff."

"And lesbians don't feel her up?"

Jared laughed lightly, "Nah, you can tell she's straight from a mile away." He ran a finger up and down G's length. "So how did you like your first holiday party?"

"I think I possibly had just cause for avoiding them," G joked.

"It wasn't all that bad was it?"

"Well, it was a bit embarrassing when everyone whistled when we kissed under the mistletoe."

Jared laughed, "They're like that; a pretty friendly bunch."

"And I think that Santa was trying to feel me up."

"Santa wasn't try--" Jared cut him self off and sighed, "Okay, yes, fine, he did look like he was trying to cop a feel a couple times."

G laughed, "And this brings me back to… what am I supposed to do with a garlic press?"

"You can leave it here. And, really, G? Did you have to bring that up while we're fucking?"

"It was on my mind."

"When isn't something on your mind?"

"Good point," G conceded.

"Thank you." Jared pressed another kiss to G's head. "So have you given anymore thought to your own Christmas party?"

"Not really."

"Why not?" Jared asked, rubbing his thumb over the tip of G's half hard erection. "Sam will be there… the rest of your team will be there."

"If I went I'd want to bring you," G said. "I'm not sure if I can."

"Why don't you ask someone? I'm sure they'll let you bring someone."

"Jared," G said gently. "It has less to do with bringing a person than it has to do with bringing a guy to a party paid for by the United States government."

"Oh," Jared said, swallowing thickly.

"Hey." A hand reached out and cupped his cheek, forcing Jared to look into G's eyes. "I'm not ashamed of you or of what we do, I'm just trying to protect you. I'll talk to Hetty about it tomorrow, I promise, okay?"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Thank you."

"No problem," G answered. "Now… how tired are you?"

Jared grinned and rolled on top of the older man, "Not that tired."

"Good."