"I've been trying to get Jensen to come around for months. He helped me with some of the details of this place," Jeff tells Jared. "He's got a great eye for interior design even if he has zero interest in that as a career. I felt like I owed him for all of his help, so when he called--"

"When I called asking for reservations," Jensen cuts in, "Jeff answered and we got to talking again. I think that's the only reason we got a table."

"Anything for you, Jensen. Call anytime and I'll have my hostess fit you in."

Jeff sounds so sincere, happy to have Jensen in his restaurant. The tumbling in Jared's stomach feels a little like jealousy, but more like disappointment in himself. There's a lot he has yet to learn about Jensen beyond his favorite sexual positions and what his face looks like when he comes. Sure, the sex is amazing, but they've been having a lot of it. Doesn't leave a hell of a lot of time for conversation. He envies that warmth in Jeff's voice when he talks about Jensen, the things he knows that Jared hasn't discovered yet. He resolves to make more of an effort.

"Jared?"

Jensen's looking at him, tight expression on his face.

"Sorry, I was just thinking for a second."

Jeff clears his throat. "I should let you two get back to your dinner. I like stopping by every table, but you are both my special guests tonight. If you need anything, just ask and it's yours."

After Jeff walks away, Jared's stuck in a fog until Jensen squeezes his thigh under the table.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just didn't realize that you and Jeff--that we'd be eating at your former client's place."

"I may have used that fact to my advantage to get us in here," Jensen says. "Are you mad?"

"No." Jared tells himself he means it, repeating it all the way through the rest of the meal.

###

Jared is surprised when their check never comes. He asks their waiter but he just smiles and says, "Compliments of Mr. Morgan."

Next to him, Jensen's smiling.

"You knew he was picking up our tab?"

Jensen shrugs. "Like he said, he's been begging me to come in. I didn't ask for any consulting fees when I helped design this place, so when he told me dinner would be on him, I wasn't gonna argue."

"So," Jared levels his voice, "your got one of your exes--"

"Ex-client."

"Whatever, you got Jeff to buy your dinner on your birthday..."

"He doesn't know it's my birthday."

"What?"

"He doesn't know," Jensen repeats. "I never mentioned it. Look," he sighs, "if I just wanted to see Jeff or try his food, I could have come here anytime. But, since I had the chance, I wanted you here, spending my birthday with me and some seriously amazing food."

"So Jeff buying dinner--"

"Is just a nice gesture from a friend," Jensen says. "That's all. Icing on the cake, as far as I'm concerned."

"Icing's the best part of the cake," Jared teases, breathing a little easier.

"Not for me. I like the cake, every flavor of it."

They both laugh, turning heads across the restaurant. Neither sees, but Jeff smiles fondly in their direction from behind the bar.

"Now," Jensen says, pulling out his wallet and leaving two twenties under his wine glass for their waiter, "all this food and talk of cake has got me all hot and bothered, and there's only one former client I want taking me home tonight."

"Yeah? Who's that?"

"Some lawyer who's too dense to figure out that I'm starting to love him, little jealous moments and all."

Jared grins, finding Jensen's hand under the table and folding their fingers together.

"I promise he's beginning to figure that out."