fic: this time is ours [love 'verse] - part one.
[back to master post.]
“Do you think it’s creepy that we still hang out here?”
“Hell no, man. It was our playground first.” The swinging bridge connecting the two towers of the jungle gym starts to shake, and Jared whips his head around. “Dude, Tyler, I told you. The bridge is me and Jensen’s turf.”
Jensen chuckles around the straw of his Starbucks cup as the six-year-old narrows his eyes at Jared, tiny hands on his hips.
“But Jared, how else are we supposed to get to the big slide? You guys are blocking it!”
“Not my problem, Tyler! You’re young, walk around.”
“Jared,” Jensen chuckles. “Maybe it’s time we passed the torch. Or at least share the bridge.”
“But the bridge is our turf.” Jensen laughs at Jared’s hangdog expression and pulls his legs up, smacking at Jared’s knees until he grumbles and does the same. Tyler gives Jensen a high-five as he and a group of children pass by, and he pushes his sunglasses up his nose as he looks back to Jared.
“Traitor,” Jared says. “Fort Padackles has been compromised because of your recklessness.”
“You’ll get over it, Jared.”
“Captain Padalecki.”
“I haven’t called you that since we were eight.” Jensen settles back against the chain-link railings of the bridge and looks over just as Jared opens his mouth. “And no, I’m not gonna start doing it again.”
Jared chuckles and pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, leaning in a bit closer to Jensen. He smiles as Jared’s thumb traces the line of his brow. Jensen squints when Jared pushes his sunglasses up into his hair.
“Your face healed nicely, dumbass.” Jared says it softly, like it’s not an insult, and Jensen closes his eyes as Jared’s finger traces the thin, nearly invisible line of the scar there, a result of the lacrosse accident he had earlier in the summer.
“I’m still pretty?” Jensen asks, making his eyes big and round. Jared chuckles and leans in to press a soft kiss to the scar.
“Eh, you’ll do.” Jensen chuckles against Jared’s jaw and presses a kiss there before pulling away. Jared slings an arm around his shoulders and they both take a deep breath as they look out over the park.
“Are you guys gonna kiss?” They look over to see Tyler sitting cross-legged at the edge of the bridge. “There’s no kissing allowed here.”
“You’re not allowed, Tyler!” Jared points a finger at him and Jensen flicks his head forward so his sunglasses fall back into place. “You’re not allowed!”
“You’re old, Jared! Get out of here!”
“Words hurt, Tyler.”
Jensen rolls his eyes and gets up, holding his hand out to steady himself as the bridge rocks. “C’mon, Jared.” He taps his fingers under Jared’s chin and wiggles his fingers. “Let’s go. We have better things to do with our time.”
“We do?” Jensen gives him a look, brow quirking amusedly as Jared’s eyes widen. “Oh, right. We definitely do.” He grabs Jensen’s hand and pulls himself up, playfully pushing past Tyler as they head for the slide. Jensen watches as Jared squeezes himself into it and slides down. Jensen is quick to follow, and they’re still holding hands when they leave the park. They head towards Jensen’s house since no one will be home.
“Growing up is bullshit,” Jared says suddenly, and Jensen snorts as he swings around to stand in front of him.
“It’s not all bad,” Jensen replies, and pulls Jared in for a long, deep kiss. Jared makes a soft noise against Jensen’s mouth, cupping his cheek as Jensen licks across his tongue quickly before pulling away with a smirk.
“Touché.”
It’s barely eleven when Josh wanders into his apartment, lopsided semi-permanent grin firmly in place. Jeff is lying lengthwise on the couch, taking every inch of it up with his oversized limbs. He barely glances away from the television as Josh hangs his keys on the hook.
“What the hell are you doing home so early?” Jeff asks. “Did your date with Sandy go horribly awry?”
“Nah,” Josh replies casually. “She and Sophia are doing something early in the morning, so she wanted to get to bed. I’ll tell you what, I’ll be fucking glad when school starts up again because driving an hour each way just to see my girlfriend is exhausting.”
“Whatever, like you wouldn’t walk across hot coals for that girl,” Jeff replies as he flips through the channels. Josh just shrugs, but it’s pretty much true. “Did you at least get to hit that?”
“Dude.” Josh levels him with a glare. “Personal.”
But then Josh walks by Jeff towards the kitchen and holds out his fist. Jeff snorts and gives it a pound as Josh passes. He snags two beers from the refrigerator and heads back out into the living room.
“Hey asshole,” Josh chides, kicking the side of the sofa. “Can you move your gigantic ass so I can possibly have a place to sit?”
“Dude, no. You might recall that we have two couches for just this reason.” Josh looks from Jeff to the couch sitting perpendicular to the one Jeff is occupying.
“But I can see the TV better from this one,” Josh whines, kicking at it again. “Sit up, dick.”
“First come, first serve, asshole.” Jeff settles himself deeper in the cushions. “Besides, you smell like sex and peach body spray. I don’t want you near me.”
“Fine!” Josh hands him his beer and retreats to the other sofa. As soon as he’s settled with his feet kicked up on the coffee table, Jeff sits up and stretches. Josh lets a harsh breath out through his nose and scowls. “I hate everything about you.”
“Cool. Oh hey, the gays are coming over for a few beers,” Jeff says before taking a swig from the bottle. Josh looks over at him and quirks a brow.
“Which gays?” Jeff rolls his eyes and chuckles.
“I find it sad we know so many gays that we have to elaborate,” Jeff replies. “James and Misha.”
Josh groans and tosses his head back against the cushions. “Shit. I’m pretty sure those two are taking fucking domesticity lessons from Jared and Jensen. They’re disgusting.”
“Like you and Sandy’s fucking fluffy baby bunny love isn’t sickening?” Jeff replies, and Josh smirks. “I have to watch all of you assholes making doe eyes at each other all the time, so man the hell up.”
“You’re just sad you haven’t found that special someone,” Josh teases, and Jeff glares at him.
“I do fine.”
“I figured as much when I walked in on the barista from the Starbucks downstairs slurping on your biscotti in the middle of the goddamn day. In our kitchen, no less.”
“She was making me an espresso!” Jeff says with a laugh. “With extra foam.”
“Yeah well, that’s where I eat my breakfast, you inconsiderate prick,” Josh says as he raises his beer back to his lips. “So thanks for that.”
“It was quite literally my pleasure,” Jeff says casually as he checks the time on his phone. “Do you even know where James and Misha are staying over the summer?”
“Uh, Misha’s mom’s place in Los Feliz, I believe,” Josh replies. Jeff looks over at him with a raised eyebrow.
“Seriously? How does she feel about that?”
“She smokes like, a lot of pot,” Josh replies with a shrug. “James swears she hasn’t even realized he’s fuckin’ living there yet.”
“That’s awesome,” Jeff laughs, perking up at the sudden obnoxious pounding on their door. “Speak of the devils.”
“What’s the password?” Josh calls out.
“Jeff Padalecki is afraid of vaginas!” James yells through the door, and Josh throws his head back with a laugh.
“That wasn’t fucking funny when you made it the password to our tree house when we were twelve, and it’s not funny now,” Jeff growls as he gets up to answer the door. He socks Josh hard in the shoulder and the sudden pain isn’t even enough to get him to stop chuckling.
Jeff opens the door a crack and peers through it. “What’s the real password?”
“Uh, we have beer?” Misha says, holding up a six pack of their preferred brand. Jeff immediately steps aside.
“That’ll work,” Jeff replies. “Come in and make yourselves at home, homos.”
Josh gets up and jumps onto the couch facing the television and Jeff rolls his eyes as he sits next to him. James sets the beer on the coffee table and sits on the abandoned couch, lifting his arm up for Misha to fit against his side.
“Uh-uh!” Josh calls out just as Misha is about to sit. “I want at least a bible’s width between you or I’m getting the fucking hose.” Misha rolls his eyes and flops down on James anyway. Josh sighs heavily and James grins. “No respect.”
“So, are the kids all snug in their beds back at their parents’ house?” James asks once they’ve all cracked open a new beer.
“Jared and Jensen?” Jeff asks, and he and Josh share a look. “I’m sure they’re snug in something.”
“Fuck, Jared, harder!”
Jared reaches forward to grab Jensen’s shoulder, angling him down so he has better leverage to thrust into his ass. He’s got Jensen on his knees and elbows in his childhood bed and Jensen grins as Jared pushes in hard, fills him up.
“Like that?” Jared growls, and Jensen lets out a hum as he reaches back to grip Jared’s thigh. “You feel so goddamn good.”
“Boys!” Jared’s dad’s voice is loud on the other side of the bedroom door, angry and tired from the hall, and a cold flush works its way through Jensen’s body as he whimpers and hunkers down on the bed like a startled animal. Gerry pounds against the wood and Jensen can actually feel Jared softening inside him. “You have to rest it every once in awhile or it’s gonna break the hell off! Keep it down!”
“Oh god.” Jensen squeaks and crawls forward, hissing as Jared slips out of him. “Oh god, oh god. Oh my god.”
“Aaaand now my dick is just for show,” Jared says as he flops over onto his back. He lets out an embarrassed chuckle and Jensen crawls right off the side of the bed, landing on the floor with a thump. “What are you doing?”
“Gonna go drown myself in the ocean.” Jensen grips the ledge of Jared’s open window and pulls himself up. “It was nice knowing you.”
“Oh, come on.” Jared rolls off of the bed and grabs Jensen by the waist. He tries to pull him away from the window, but his grip on the ledge stays firm. His feet leave the floor as Jared tugs on him, and Jensen scrambles forward. “For the love of - Jensen.”
“Let me die,” Jensen moans, and Jared lets out a huff as he drops him. Jensen lands on the floor in a pile and pulls himself into the fetal position. “Is your passport up to date? We need to flee the country.”
“Get over it, man,” Jared says as he kicks playfully at Jensen’s hip. “So he heard us, big deal. At least he didn’t see us. He can consider it payback for that time I found them in the hammock when I was thirteen.”
“Oh god, I blew you in that hammock two days ago,” Jensen moans, cheek pressed against Jared’s carpet. “My dick will never be hard again.”
“I sincerely doubt that,” Jared says as he leans down to scoop Jensen’s limp body off of the floor. He’s chuckling at him and Jensen just slumps boneless against him. “Come on, baby. We’ll get through this.”
“No, Jared,” Jensen replies listlessly, barely reacting as Jared tosses him on the bed. “Something like this changes a man.”
“Goddamnit, Jensen,” Jared says through a laugh. “Go to sleep.”
“Sleep, to dream no more.”
“Enough.”
When Jared wakes up the next morning, Jensen refuses to go downstairs with him due to intense emotional trauma.
“Jensen, you fucking drama queen,” Jared says with fond exasperation. “It’s no big deal. There are waffles downstairs.”
“I can’t look your father in the eye now that he knows what I let you do to me,” Jensen says somberly as he pulls on his clothes. “I just can’t.”
“Jensen, I’m really pretty sure that he already knew what you let me do to you,” Jared tells him. “I’m pretty sure everyone knows what you let me do to you.”
“It’s not the same,” Jensen laments as he pulls on his shoes and goes over to the window. “He changed my diapers, man.”
“So did Josh,” Jared points out, and Jensen shudders as he throws one leg over the windowsill. “Jensen, jesus christ.”
“I’m going home to wallow in shame. Come give me a kiss before I climb down this stupid tree.”
“No. If you want a kiss, you have to come have waffles,” Jared says resolutely, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I can’t believe you would deny me a kiss.” Jensen shakes his head somberly as he swings his other leg out the window. “Fine. Ass.”
“Bye, princess,” Jared calls out, and Jensen throws up his middle finger as he slips out the window. “Prissy little bitch.”
“I heard that!” Jensen calls from outside, and Jared rolls his eyes as he opens his bedroom door.
“I said it loud!” Jared calls back, and then slips out into the hall to head downstairs. His parents and Meg are seated at the breakfast nook and Jared heads over to join them. “Morning, family.”
“Hey.” His mother smirks up at him. “Where’s Jen?”
“He’s climbing down the tree because he’s too embarrassed by what happened last night to look any of you in the eye,” Jared says casually as he flops down into his chair and grabs a waffle.
“Oh, for the love of - “ Sherri gets up and walks out the back door, and Jared smirks as she passes the kitchen window.
“What happened last night?” Meg asks, and Gerry chuckles as Jared blushes.
“Mind your business,” Jared replies, and Meg pouts. Jared bites down on a laugh as he watches his mother drag Jensen past the window by his ear. His boyfriend looks utterly defeated and lets out a whine as he’s pushed through the door. “I can’t believe you thought you could get away that easily.”
“Why won’t you all just let me die?” Jensen mumbles. Sherri rolls her eyes and lightly smacks the back of his head.
“Sit down, you drama queen,” Sherri commands, and Jensen drops down next to Jared with a huff.
“Why won’t anyone tell me what happened last night?”
“Shut your mouth, Megan!” Jensen shrieks, and Jared nearly chokes on his orange juice. He squeezes Jensen’s shoulder and smirks at the blush on his cheeks.
“Have a waffle, boys,” Gerry says amicably. “I’m sure you worked up quite the appetite.”
Jensen’s head hits the table with a resounding thunk.
“James! Hey sweetie!”
“Shit,” Misha mumbles, rolling to face his open bedroom door. What’s his mother even doing awake at this hour? “Busted.”
“Yo, Poppy.” Misha chuckles at the sound of his boyfriend’s voice. It’s disgusting how well James and his mother get along. “Did I wake you up?”
“No, no. I was up anyway,” she says. “Were you on your way out?”
“Uh, no.” Misha bites his lip and wonders if he should get up and diffuse the situation, but James seems to have it covered. “It’s really late so Misha asked me to crash here. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course, James. Give Misha a kiss for me, alright?”
“Sure. I mean, that’s pretty creepy, but sure. I can do that, freak.”
“You’re a shit,” she says, and Misha can just picture James’s smarmy grin.
“Night, Poppy. I’m gonna hit you up tomorrow, okay?” James appears in the doorway, fingers curled around the frame as he shouts down the hall. “I want that special boyfriend discount.”
James swings into the room and shuts the door before coming over to the bed. He leans down over Misha and kisses him, tongue sweeping into his mouth. Misha moans before he can stop himself, and James bites at his bottom lip as he pulls away.
“That’s from your mom.” He grins and nips at the tip of Misha’s nose as he shoves him away.
“You’re disgusting.” James just smiles and sits down at Misha’s desk. He watches as he settles in, breathing easily as James logs into his laptop. He knows Misha’s password, and for some reason that makes Misha happy. He likes that James knows all these little things about him.
“Come back to bed, sweets.”
Misha sits up and runs his fingers through his unruly hair, frowning at James’s back as he sits at the computer. James tosses him a nod over his shoulder and leans in closer to the screen.
“Just a minute, you insatiable whore,” James mumbles, and Misha rolls his eyes as he drops back down onto the mattress.
“You always say the sweetest things.”
They lapse into a comfortable silence after that, and Misha puts his hands behind his head, eyes slipping shut as he settles down into the blankets. James lets out a soft, confused-sounding scoff, and Misha cracks his eyes open.
“Oh goddamnit,” James breathes, and Misha furrows his brow as he rolls out of bed. He comes up behind James and leans in to wrap his arms around his shoulders, chin resting on top of his head.
“What is it?” Misha asks, curling his fingers around his boyfriend’s shoulder. “You accidentally delete your porn again?”
“Never. I’ve got back-ups of my back-ups now.” James turns his head to absently kiss Misha’s jaw before looking back at the screen. “No, remember last month when I donated that money to that youth center project?”
“Mm,” Misha sighs as he kisses the spot behind James’s ear. “I believe that I rewarded you for your generosity. Twice.”
“That was such a bendy night.” James sighs dreamily and Misha chuckles in his ear. “But no, I just got an email from the organization. Apparently they’re having a fancy fundraising dinner and they’re holding a table for me and nine guests.”
“Well that sounds stuffy and boring,” Misha mumbles, nosing happily at the soft skin behind James’s ear. “Just don’t go.”
“Apparently I’m a sponsor,” James says as he squints at the email. “I need to go.”
“A sponsor?” Misha leans in to read the email. “How much money did you donate?”
“It’s a really good cause,” James mumbles, and Misha’s heart does a little flip-flop as his cheeks turn pink. “So, looks like we need to gather the gang and make sure everyone has tuxedos.”
“Tuxedos?” Misha asks incredulously. “I’m not wearing a tuxedo.”
“It’s black tie,” James replies as he spins the chair around to face Misha, hands going to his slim hips. “Besides, I’d like to see you all cleaned up and pretty.”
“I’m pretty all the time, fucker,” Misha retorts, and James grins up at him. He leans in to kiss the soft skin just above his waistband. He looks up at Misha with these big, liquid eyes and Misha’s lips flatten into a thin line. “Now, that’s just playing dirty.”
James grins and surges forward, knocking Misha back onto the bed and climbing on top of him. Misha sighs happily and wraps his arms around James’s neck.
“I can’t believe that you’re sitting on this fortune and you never spend any of it,” Misha says as James rolls off to the side, propping himself up between Misha and the wall.
“I like to hoard my money,” James says easily. “You never know when it might come in handy.”
“All the benjamins in the world won’t save you in the zombie apocalypse,” Misha says sagely, biting down on his lip to keep the serious expression on his face when James just rolls his eyes.
“That’s why I have you,” James replies. “I’ll toss you to the zombies and make a break for it while they’re distracted by your succulent flesh.”
“Bullshit.” Misha scoots a bit closer to him, leaning in to nip at his jaw. “You’d take on a whole horde of zombies to save me.”
“You’re probably right.” James sighs like it’s a burden and sinks his teeth gently into Misha’s bottom lip. “I would fight my way through all the zombies in the world to get to you.”
“That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me,” Misha says with a grin, and James chuckles against the corner of his mouth.
“You’re so fucked up,” James says as he drags his lips across Misha’s jaw. “Never a dull moment.”
“Mm, but really,” Misha continues as James kisses his neck. “You could have gotten an apartment for the summer or something.”
“I like being here,” James says with a shrug, tipping Misha’s head to the side to kiss his lips. He pulls away and raises an eyebrow, thumbing at Misha’s jaw. “Have I overstayed my welcome?”
“No,” Misha replies automatically, turning to the side to wrap an arm around James’s waist. “Just wondering why you’d rather be here.”
“I’d rather be with you,” James corrects. “And it’s not like you would have moved in with me, so it’s just as well that I save my money and sleep on top of you.”
“Why do you say that?” Misha asks carefully, furrowing his brow. “If you hadn’t noticed, we’re kind of living together now.”
“You letting me squat in your bedroom at your mother’s house is not the same as putting your name next to mine on a lease.” Misha blinks and opens his mouth, but James stretches languidly and cuts him off. “Besides, I’m too invested in my game.”
“What game?”
“The one where I try to see how long it will take for your mother to realize I’m living here,” James says with a grin. “If I make it the whole summer, I’ll feel like a true champion.”
“Good luck to you.” Misha chuckles, and James slides his fingertips down the side of Misha’s face before leaning in for a kiss.
Misha returns it, pulling James’s bottom lip into his mouth to nibble on it. He knows why James would think that he would be opposed to the idea of moving in together.
The scary thing is, Misha hadn’t been opposed to it until he was reminded that he normally would have been, which is weird all on its own.
He stops thinking about it, and rolls their bodies to pin James to the mattress.
Josh is in for the night, lounging on the sofa in shorts and a tee-shirt with a video game controller firmly in hand when Jeff wanders into the living room with two beers.
“Thanks, man,” Josh says as he reaches out to take one. He gestures towards Jeff with the bottle and does a bit of a double take when he sees the expression on his face. “Whoa, dude. Why do you look like someone just poked holes in all your condoms?”
“We need to talk,” Jeff says, strangely somber, and Josh furrows his brow as he sits up and tosses the controller on the table. His eyes widen and he looks up at Jeff again.
“Oh god,” Josh says hesitantly. “Did you knock someone up? Am I going to be an uncle? Did I just make a horribly timed joke about faulty protection?”
“No one’s knocked up,” Jeff says with a rough chuckle. “Well, Jensen might be.”
“Fuck you,” Josh says fondly, but the look in Jeff’s eyes makes him feel uneasy. “Are you breaking up with me?”
“Josh.”
“Oh god, do you have ball cancer or something?”
“Josh.”
“Okay, okay, sorry,” Josh says, scooting over as Jeff moves to sit next to him. “Fucking out with it, man. You’re freaking me out.”
“Well, it’s just,” Jeff starts. He takes a sip of his beer and runs his fingers through his hair before picking at the label. “I got a call today. I’m off the waitlist for med school. I got accepted.”
“The one here?” Josh asks, and Jeff nods. “Uh, dude. Last I checked, being accepted into the medical school of your choice is a good thing.”
“No, it is,” Jeff says quickly. “But uh, you know. The campus is an hour from here. So, I figured it would probably be best if I like, lived there.”
Josh stares at him for a long time, and Jeff huffs as he rips the label from his beer.
“As in move out of here,” Jeff says quietly. “And move into the student housing there.”
“Move out?” Josh asks dazedly. He swallows hard and stares down at his beer, brows knitted together. He knew that Jeff was most likely going to end up at the med school a little over an hour away while he went to grad school here, but it never occurred to him that Jeff would have to move out to do it.
It makes sense, of course. He just… never thought about it.
“Yeah,” Jeff says carefully. “I mean, one thing’s for certain. Med school is going to kick my fucking ass, and I just think it would be better for me to be there, you know? Commuting would be too hard.”
“Yeah,” Josh says quietly. He swallows hard and then clears his throat, straightening up a bit. “I mean, yeah. Of course. You’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do, man. Congrats. For getting in, I mean.”
“Thanks,” Jeff replies, taking another sip of beer. The silence grows awkward and loud, and Josh can’t remember the last time that happened with them. “You shouldn’t have any problem finding another roommate. Maybe James? I know he graduated but I doubt he’s gonna want to stray far from Misha.”
“Maybe,” Josh replies noncommittally. “So uh, when do you have to be moved into the dorms by?”
“Month from yesterday.” Josh nods slowly, pulling his lower lip into his mouth. “Hey man, I’ll still be around all the time, you know? Weekends and shit. It’s not like we’re breaking up the band.”
“Fuck off, I know,” Josh says, reaching over to push Jeff’s shoulder with his fist. “It’ll be great. No more of your big ass, smelly underwear all over the place or walking in on you fucking co-eds on every available surface.”
“You’ll miss it,” Jeff says with a chuckle, and Josh hears it for what it is. You’ll miss me. It’s stupid; he knew that they couldn’t live together forever. But still, he never really thought about that time coming. It always seemed so far away, and Josh doesn’t really know how to feel now that it’s here. He’s more upset than he thought he would be, and that makes him feel foolish.
“So, a month, huh?” Josh asks, and Jeff nods once. “So this is like, the beginning of the end of an era.”
“I guess so.” Jeff shrugs, and they both knock back the rest of their beers.
“Well then,” Josh says as he gets up, grabbing Jeff’s bottle from his hand. “This calls for a celebration. You’re going to med school, I’m going to grad school. Look at us, fuckin’ responsible adults.”
“Miracles do happen,” Jeff says with a grin, and Josh salutes him with an empty beer bottle before heading into the kitchen. He drops the bottles into the trash and grips the edge of the counter. He lets his head hang between his shoulders, taking in a deep breath.
His stomach is in knots. Everyone always makes jokes about them being codependent, and they always laughed them off. But it’s true. They’ve never been apart, not since they were babies.
Even though logically he knew it was coming, Josh doesn’t think he’ll ever be prepared to say goodbye to his best friend and their idyllic little life.
Jensen has been known to get a bit sappy in the mornings, in that time when it isn’t really dark anymore but it isn’t exactly light either. It’s a quiet time, one meant for whispers and confessions, where all darkness will soon be absolved by the fresh morning light.
Jensen has never really been that good at expressing himself. He’ll break things when he wants to cry, laugh when he wants to run away, and run away when he wants to confess his secrets. He still has a lot to learn about relationships, but when he lets his eyes flutter open and presses back against the warm presence of Jared curled up against him, he knows that he has time.
He likes to make love to Jared when the sky is lightening like this. It’s always ‘make love’ at the crisp break of dawn, because it’s too special to be called anything else.
Jensen rolls over under the blankets, careful not to dislodge them so that pockets of cool air can sneak into the places where their skin is so warm. They’re naked, flushed and slightly damp from all of that body heat. Jensen will wake up with sweat at his temples, skin overheated and glistening ever since he started sleeping next to Jared, but he really doesn’t mind.
Jensen looks at Jared’s face, peaceful and relaxed with sleep. Jensen wonders what his dreams are about and then smiles because if he asked Jared when he awoke, Jared would tell him without the slightest hesitation.
Jensen leans in and presses a kiss to that soft pink mouth, reaches up to place his hand gently on the side of Jared’s face. Jared lets out a soft exhale and sometimes Jensen still marvels over the fact that Jared is his, that he has every right to kiss Jared until he awakes just because he misses him even though he’s lying right there, and how pathetic is that?
Jensen slides his lips along the sharp edge of Jared’s jaw, tongue flicking out to taste the groove under his ear. His fingers travel up Jared’s flank to his shoulder, curling around it as he places a suckling kiss at the juncture at the base of his neck. Jared stirs at that, muscles shifting under tan skin as he slides his large, warm hand up the center of Jensen’s bare back in a touch that’s so intimate and sensual that Jensen shivers with it.
Jared lets out a sigh; a soft, sleepy little sound as he reaches up with his other hand to curl his fingers under Jensen’s chin. Jensen leans into the kiss willingly, lips pursing lazily against Jared’s before his tongue flicks out just enough to wet Jared’s lips.
He doesn’t need to say anything, not a single word, as Jared looks into his eyes and smiles almost imperceptibly. He kisses Jensen again, this time with a bit more intent.
Jensen lets out a breath as Jared rolls them, tucking Jensen’s smaller body safely under his own, blanketing him with all of his mass, settling down on top of him and kissing him again.
Jensen curls his fingers around Jared’s hips as he opens his legs wide enough to let him slip between them. He gasps at all that skin to skin contact like it’s still brand new, like he still can’t quite believe it. Jensen’s thumbs dig into the grooves of Jared’s hipbones as they kiss, tongues tangling lazily.
Jared groans into Jensen’s mouth as he rocks his hips up. Usually when it’s this early they just rut against each other, slow rolls of their hips until the pressure builds to release, but this time Jensen wants more. He wants to be filled up, wants Jared inside of him and holding him down.
Jared is busy rolling his hips, growing hot and hard against Jensen’s thigh as he fixes his mouth to Jensen’s collarbone to suck and bite. Jensen reaches over and takes their lube from the nightstand, getting his fingers wet with it and pushing Jared back just enough to reach between them.
Jared gets with the program quick enough, rolling away and hooking his hand under one of Jensen’s knees to lift and spread, watching as Jensen’s finger sinks into his own ass. Jared groans at that, his hand sliding up Jensen’s thigh until he can slide a finger in alongside Jensen’s. He bites his lip at the feeling, hips twitching as they finger him open together.
It’s wet and it’s messy, and Jensen tangles his fingers into Jared’s shaggy hair to pull their mouths together as his breath starts to come in quick little pants. Jared pulls Jensen’s own fingers out and takes over, sliding three of his own in to the knuckle. Jensen tugs on Jared’s hair in lieu of moaning, and Jared kisses him again before withdrawing his fingers and nudging at his shoulder.
Jensen rolls over, hips snug against the mattress as he cants his ass up and spreads his legs, an open invitation. He’d like to look Jared in the eye but they can get closer this way, and close is what Jensen really wants.
Jared presses in, slow and steady, not stopping until he’s buried completely inside Jensen and he can feel the coarse hair at the base of Jared’s dick against the sensitive skin of his ass. It’s intimate and wonderful, and Jensen lets out a soft, needy moan.
Jared settles himself on top of Jensen, hands sliding under Jensen’s arms and seeking out his fingers, tangling them together on either side of the pillow. Jensen couldn’t move even if he wanted to, kept in place by Jared’s loving embrace. It feels so safe there, in that warm space underneath Jared’s body.
Jared starts to roll his hips, slow and languid, barely pulling out before he’s pushing in again. It’s an easy, almost maddening pace and Jensen relishes in it. He squeezes Jared’s hands and pushes back, hips tilting up when Jared pushes in to the hilt.
“Jared,” Jensen whispers, breaking the silence that has carried them this far, but he wants to say his name and feel it in the air around them. It hangs there, heavy and important, until Jared surges forward and whispers words of love and adoration against the whorl of Jensen’s ear. Jensen very nearly weeps from it all, Jared’s voice and Jared’s body, all working to make Jensen happy.
He turns his head and they kiss, wet and messy. It causes Jared to surge forward, burying himself inside Jensen as deep as he possibly can, grinding down against that spot inside of him that makes him want to burst.
“Love you,” Jensen whispers, clutching Jared’s hands and rolling his lips, trying to increase the friction against his dick. It’s hard and aching against the mattress, leaking freely onto the sheets.
“Need my hands, baby?” Jared asks in a whisper. Jensen shakes his head and squeezes Jared’s hands tighter, unwilling to let them go.
“Gonna come like this,” Jensen replies in a voice that’s so strung out and raw. “On just your dick.”
Jared shudders at that, teeth biting down gently at the base of Jensen’s neck. Jared pulls out almost all the way and then angles his hips, driving in again right against that perfect spot, and Jensen very nearly sees stars. And then Jared keeps doing it, unrelenting pressure, not even giving Jensen a chance to breathe.
“Let me feel it,” Jared whispers into the sweaty hair behind Jensen’s ear, voice all shot to hell, and that’s really all Jensen needs. One more thrust from Jared and he’s coming, making a mess of the sheets as he whimpers and trembles, twitching in Jared’s tight grasp. “Shh, that’s it.”
Jared keeps on thrusting right through it, even though Jensen is too out of it to really help in any way except to turn his head to look over his shoulder. He can feel his ass still clenching from the force of his orgasm, muscles fluttering around Jared’s dick, and then Jared is kissing him and coming at the same time. He can feel Jared’s release inside of him, hot and intimate, and Jensen moans as Jared breathes hotly against his mouth.
Jared pulls out after a moment and rolls Jensen over, pulling their bodies together and kissing him soundly as he slides two fingers into Jensen’s open, messy hole. Jensen whimpers at that, so sensitive, but he trusts Jared. He loves this, wants Jared to break him apart, give him pleasure even when he thinks it’s too much, when he thinks that he might just burst from it all.
“Jared,” Jensen whispers. His dick twitches weakly as Jared fingers him, first two and then three, slipping in and out slowly as they kiss. Jared suddenly shoves them in, pressing hard and insistent against Jensen’s prostate and he sucks in a sharp breath, clutching at Jared and whimpering into his mouth. His muscles are tense, legs trembling and Jared just won’t let up, fingers pressing right there until he can’t breathe, and then suddenly it’s over. Jared pulls his fingers out and wipes them on the sheets before gathering Jensen’s trembling body in his arms.
“Good morning,” Jared says in a sex-rough rumble as he lifts Jensen’s chin to look into his bright eyes. Jensen smiles, his hand sliding down Jared’s chest until it rests over his heart.
“I’ll say,” Jensen mumbles, and Jared looks so happy when he leans in to kiss him again.
Jared rolls them until he’s on his back and Jensen is on his side, both of them sharing the wet spot. Their breathing returns to normal and Jensen traces patterns on the soft skin of Jared’s chest, tacky with drying sweat.
“Mm, glad this is mine,” Jensen says quietly, pressing his palm down against Jared’s chest, right over his beating heart.
“All yours.” Jared sounds sleepy, but the grin in his voice is unmistakable. Jensen looks over at the nightstand and gets an idea, grinning to himself at how sappy it is. But hey, it’s early morning. It’s his sappiest time of day.
“Let’s make it official,” Jensen says as he straddles Jared’s naked hips. Jared quirks a brow and reaches up to put his hands on Jensen’s thighs. Jensen grins as he leans over to grab a Sharpie from the night stand, pulling the cap off with his teeth and spinning the marker around in his hand.
“What are you doing?” Jared laughs, lips pink and swollen as they curve up into a smile.
“This heart is mine,” Jensen says as he leans down and presses the tip of the marker to Jared’s skin. He signs his name right across Jared’s heart, grinning at the stark contrast of black ink against tan skin. “There. Signed on the dotted line. That means I own it.”
“You’re such a nerd,” Jared says, but his eyes are fond. He takes the marker from Jensen and leans up, chuckling to himself as he signs his own name on Jensen’s skin, right over his heart. He dots the i and Jensen hisses, looking down to admire the ink on his skin. “Hm. I like that.”
“Me too.” Jensen sighs happily. “I kind of like you, too.”
“Well, isn’t that sweet,” Jared says, and pulls Jensen down for a long, long kiss.
“Black tie?” Jared asks as Jensen leans in to steal the noodle from the end of his chopsticks. “Fucker. As in tuxedos?”
“With like… bowties?” Chad asks, wrinkling his nose.
“Okay, seriously.” James sets his bowl down on the coffee table and spreads his arms wide. “Does tuxedo mean something different on your planet? My lips are saying ‘nice clothes’ but your eyes are saying ‘genital mutilation device’.”
“Tomato, tomahto,” Josh says airily as he takes a drink from his beer. Sandy laughs and curls in closer to his side. They’re wrapped up on one end of the sofa with Jared and Jensen on the other and James and Misha on floor. Jeff is at one end of the other couch with Chad and Sophia next to him. It’s a full house at the Ackles-Padalecki bachelor pad.
“Whatever, I’m in.” Jensen shrugs and snags a piece of broccoli from the end of his chopsticks. “I like dressing up.”
“Yeah, you and the rest of the women,” Misha mutters against the rim of his beer bottle. Jared kicks his shoulder from his place on the sofa and Sandy slaps his arm. “Ow.”
“Haha, I have a posse, bitch.” Jensen leans in to kiss Jared’s jaw, careful not to leave any sauce behind. “Don’t be jealous because I’ll look like James Bond and you’ll look like a member of a hobo rehabilitation program.”
“So what, are we talking rentals?” Josh asks around a bite of food. “Do they charge by square foot? If so, I think Jared and Jeff might have to take out a loan.”
Josh looks over at Jeff with a grin, and Jeff just smiles dimly back. Josh’s smile falters and Jensen furrows a brow, exchanging a look with Sandy. She looks just as perplexed as him, and Jensen pulls his bottom lip into his mouth as Josh stabs at his food with his chopsticks.
“Rentals,” James confirms. He either doesn’t notice the sudden tension in the room, or he’s resolutely ignoring it. Josh and Jeff both let out little sighs and when Jeff gets up to get another round of beers, he punches Josh hard in the shoulder and everything seems to go back to normal. “The ladies can go pick out new dresses, of course.”
“Hell yes, an excuse to shop.” Sophia leans over to share a high-five with Sandy.
“You wanna come, Jen?” She asks, and Jensen shrugs as he picks at his food.
“Sure thing.” Jensen burrows further against Jared and reaches up to flick his fingers underneath his chin. “Jared will come for moral support.”
“Haha!” Josh calls out, laughing hard as he points at Jared. Jensen raises a brow and tips his head back, and Jared just kisses his forehead amiably.
“Josh will come too, of course,” Sandy says sternly, and Josh’s laughter dies abruptly.
“Aw, man.” Josh pouts, and Chad looks pleadingly at Sophia, who just shakes her head.
“Son of bitch,” Chad groans. “James, you fucker.”
“Did I ever tell you how glad I was that there’s no extra estrogen in our relationship, sweets?” James leans over to give Misha a quick peck. “Sorry, Jared.”
Jensen pushes James’s face away from Misha’s with his socked foot and James laughs, tipping his head back to rest his head on Jensen’s knee. “You know I love you, right princess?”
“The difference between Jared and Josh,” Jensen starts, “is that Jared and I can leave any time we want for cinnamon rolls and blowjobs. Sweet Josh, however, must stand outside of that dressing room and hold his girlfriend’s purse for all of eternity.”
“Preach,” Jared says tipsily, reaching out to squeeze the end of James’s nose. “I don’t have to hold shit.”
“Can I have cinnamon rolls and blowjobs?” Josh pouts at Sandy, who wrinkles her nose and shakes her head. “Pfft. Gays get to have all the fun.”
“Thinking of converting?” Jeff asks as he walks back into the room with a six pack in one hand and two beers in the other. He knocks the bottles into the side of Josh’s head and then drops them into his lap. “Whoops, there ya go.”
“Thanks, dicklick.” Josh takes a beer and hands it to Sandy as Jeff passes out the rest. Josh and Jeff share a look, a meaningful one that makes Jared and Jensen pull back to look at each other. Jensen knows that look. That’s the Padalecki-Ackles BFF mind meld look.
“So hey, uh, I have some news.” Jeff drops onto the sofa and runs his fingers through his shaggy hair.
“Oh god, this is it,” Misha says as he turns to give Jeff his full attention. “You finally knocked someone up.”
“I didn’t - why is that everyone’s first reaction to me saying I have news?”
“Because you’re a whore,” James says simply, reaching up to clink his beer bottle against the one dangling between Jeff’s fingers.
“I’m not - well, okay, fine. I’m a whore. But whatever, this is something else.” Jeff takes a breath and Jensen’s eyes flick first to Josh, noting his glazed over expression, and then to the drunken concern on Jared’s face, before looking back to Jeff. “I got taken off the waitlist. I’m going to med school.”
“Uh, dude? That’s good news,” Jensen says, sighing in relief. “I thought you were going to say you had ball cancer or something.”
Jeff looks hard at Jensen, and then Josh, and then back again before shaking his head.
“I’m moving away, assholes,” Jeff gets out, and the room falls quiet. “Next month.”
“Isn’t it like an hour drive?” Jared asks, curling his arm tighter around Jensen’s shoulders. “You’re not moving away away, right? Big bro, don’t go!”
“Yes. It’s two hours from home and an hour from here,” Jeff clarifies. “I guess it’s not a big deal. But yeah, I’m moving out.”
Jeff sits down on the couch, nodding and smiling at everyone’s congratulatory words, and Jared extricates himself from underneath Jensen to go and give his brother a hug. Jensen looks over at his own brother, at his weak smile, and shares a concerned look with Sandy.
“Are you okay?” Sandy puts her hand on her boyfriend’s face and Josh turns to smile at her. They kiss briefly and he pulls her in for a hug, meeting Jensen’s eyes over her shoulder.
“I’m fine.”
Jensen must still look concerned because Josh rolls his eyes and throws a fortune cookie at his face. It connects with his temple with a satisfying crunch, and Jensen punches Josh in the forehead.
“Boys,” Sandy admonishes with a tipsy giggle. “Be nice.”
Sometimes the shift between boyfriend and best friend mode is easy.
It’s at times like these, with both of them jogging through the park, sweaty-damp shirts removed and stuffed into the waistbands of their shorts as they pound the pavement. This is one thing that hasn’t changed since they became a couple. Jensen still takes Jared running whenever he can. That’s the best way to describe it, because Jensen is controlled and focused in his steps, and Jared gets easily distracted by flowers and grass and puppies. Sometimes Jensen considers getting him a leash, just to make it all that much easier to tug him along.
It’s easier to fall into a routine in the summer, even if they never usually make it out of the house until after noon when the California sun is hanging hot and molten in the summer sky.
Jensen runs faster that Jared, despite the other boy’s ridiculously long legs. He can hear Jared’s giant feet slapping the pavement behind him, and Jensen reaches up to push his sunglasses up the sweaty bridge of his nose. It’s simply too bright to be outside without them, despite how much of a hassle they are to keep on.
“They should make tinted contacts,” Jensen tosses out in staccato breaths over his shoulder. “Because this shit is ridiculous.”
“That idea is ridiculous,” Jared pants as he catches up to fall in step with Jensen. “Are you dehydrated or something?”
“I think I’m done, dude.” Jensen angles back towards their neighborhood and Jared follows. “That’s five miles and it’s fucking hot as balls out here.”
They lapse back into comfortable silence as they jog through their neighborhood. They come across a small group of girls walking in the other direction who giggle and wave as they pass. Jared turns his head to grin at them and Jensen rolls his eyes as he reaches over to smack him.
They pass Jared’s driveway and Jensen gives him a nod, intending to continue on to his own house for a shower. He’s surprised when Jared reaches out to tuck his fingers into the waistband of Jensen’s shorts and pull him backwards, bare back connecting to Jared’s chest with a slick smack.
“Aren’t you gonna lift?” Jensen asks, biting his lip when Jared’s hand slides across his damp stomach.
After their runs, Jared usually lifts weights. At school, he’ll leave Jensen at the dorm to head to the gym, and at home he uses his dad’s old set in the garage. Jensen is a runner, a lacrosse player, and a swimmer. He prefers working out with his entire body and therefore skips the weights.
“Keep me company.” Jared grabs Jensen’s wrist and pulls him up the driveway. The sun beats down on them and Jensen feels a bead of sweat slip down his spine. “It won’t kill you to lift some weights.”
“Whoa, whoa.” Jensen rips his wrist from Jared’s grip as they enter the garage. It smells vaguely of old sweat and motor oil, and Jensen wrinkles his nose at the stuffy heat until Jared turns on a giant fan and rolls the door down until it’s almost closed, propping it open with an old blue milk crate. “Are you implying that there’s something wrong with my body?”
Jared spins around to face him and Jensen stretches to his full height, flexing his arms and stomach as Jared looks him up and down. Jensen may be lean and lithe, but his muscles are still defined, flexing gracefully beneath his skin. Jared’s eyes flash and he licks his lips.
“Definitely not,” Jared says thickly, biting his lip before plopping down onto the bench press. “Just hang out with me while I do this and then I’ll take you upstairs and show your perfect little body the attention it deserves.”
“Little? You’re such an ass.” Jared just grins, tongue pressed firmly between his teeth.
“Come on, you know you want to watch me flex my sweaty, manly muscles.” Jared stretches a little and Jensen tracks the movements with hungry eyes.
“Yes, which is something that could also be accomplished by you fucking me,” Jensen reasons, and Jared just looks up at him through the sweaty fringe of his bangs to grin at him. Jensen’s dick stirs slightly in his shorts and he bites his lip.
“Patience.” Jared gestures towards a large barbell near Jensen’s feet. “Can you hand me that?”
Jensen leans down to grip the bar with both hands, groaning loudly as he lifts it. “Holy shit, this is stupid heavy.” He shuffles over towards the bench press and groans again as he lifts it onto the brackets. “I’ll never need to lift anything that heavy again. Ever.”
“Of course not, my delicate flower.” Jared chuckles as he lies down on the bench and claps his hands together as he looks up at Jensen. “Because you’ll always have me around to do it for you.”
“I would rise to that obvious challenge and prove my masculinity if I didn’t think I’d get a hernia,” Jensen muses. He looks down at Jared’s face and raises a brow. “Why is it we’ve never utilized this bench before? It’s sort of the perfect height for me to fuck the shit out of your mouth and prove how manly I am.”
He bends his knees and pushes his crotch into Jared’s face, pressing the soft swell of his dick and balls against his boyfriend’s cheek. Jared snorts and slaps his hip before pushing him away.
“Maybe later when your junk doesn’t smell like the inside of my gym bag,” Jared tells him, and Jensen steps back as he reaches up to grip the bar.
“You’ve obviously never actually smelled the inside of your gym bag, or you’d know that was totally false and uncalled for,” Jensen replies, and Jared grins at him again.
“Hey, come here and spot me,” Jared tells him, and Jensen raises a brow.
“Jared, the only thing me “spotting you” would accomplish would be me getting a better view of your gruesome death when you drop that dumbbell on your dumbass face. So why don’t you spare us both the agony and just be the fuck careful.”
“Yes dear,” Jared teases, and takes a deep breath before lifting the weights off of the brackets. Jensen slowly circles him, one brow arched appraisingly as he goes through his routine. He has to admit that it’s pretty hot to watch his muscles bunch under tan, glistening skin, and by the time Jensen straddles the end of the bench and sits down, he’s pretty turned on.
“You’re really sexy,” Jensen breathes, eyes traveling up the lines of Jared’s splayed thighs, the pulled-tight vee at the crotch of his black basketball shorts. Jared counts off his last set under his breath, and Jensen lets his fingers skate up Jared’s inner thighs as he sets the barbell down. “You done?”
Jared nods, chest heaving as he pants, and Jensen smirks as he palms Jared’s cock through his thin shorts. He hisses and Jensen licks his lips as he pulls the waistband down enough to tuck it under Jared’s balls. Jensen’s eyes light up as Jared’s dick swells, and he wraps his hand around the thick line of it.
“Shit, Jensen.” Jared hisses again and Jensen leans down to lick the sweat from the groove of Jared’s hip, to bite down on the hard cut of muscle. It tastes salty and warm, bitter, and Jensen licks his lips before taking the head of Jared’s dick into his mouth. “Oh, fuck me.”
“Rather suck you,” Jensen mumbles around the silky flesh, moaning softly when a burst of precome leaks from the slit. He skips teasing altogether, tonguing at the slit before pulling him down his throat. Jared bucks up and Jensen grips his sweaty hips to hold him down, flicking his gaze upwards to watch Jared’s face. He’s shining with sweat, so glistening and perfect, and Jensen moans as he swallows around Jared’s dick, muscles fluttering as Jensen holds him there. He bobs up and down a few more times and then pulls off completely.
“Mm, you’re already all sweaty and dirty.” Jensen’s voice is all fucked out and raw, and Jared whimpers as Jensen takes his dick in hand and starts to stroke. “What’s a little more mess? I’m gonna make you come all over yourself, all over those pretty muscles.”
“Fuck, you’re evil,” Jared rasps out, and Jensen grins as he tightens his grip. Jared arches up and Jensen strokes a little quicker, spreading his fingers and then closing them again, thumbing at the slit before rubbing insistently at the bundle of nerves underneath.
“Shit, Jen, gonna - “ Jared bites down on a shout as he tenses up and shoots, splattering his own chest and stomach with thick ropes of come. Jensen’s hips twitch at the sight and he slows his strokes, coaxing the last of Jared’s orgasm from his spent cock.
“Mm, almost dirty enough,” Jensen says, and Jared looks up at him with dark eyes as Jensen slides up, straddling Jared’s hips before pulling his own hard cock out of his shorts. He jerks himself off quick and rough, shuddering under the heavy weight of Jared’s lustful stare.
“Gonna come on me, Jen?” Jared says darkly, gripping Jensen’s hips and squeezing. “Come on, hurry. I wanna feel it, all hot and sticky.” Jared scoops a bit of his own come from his chest and sucks his finger into his mouth, moaning around it, and that’s all Jensen really needs. He grits his teeth as his hips jerk and he shoots all over Jared’s chest, thick ropes of it landing on his neck. Jared moans and Jensen slumps backwards, ass landing on the weight bench between Jared’s splayed thighs.
“Fuck, that’s hot,” Jensen murmurs once he gets his breath back. Jared is still panting, chest heaving up and down as sweat and come dry tacky on his sharply defined stomach. Jensen reaches out to touch, to smear their mixed fluids across all that skin, rubbing it in until Jared’s muscles gleam.
“Well now I definitely need a shower.” Jared chuckles and Jensen grins at him, leaning down to press their mouths together. Jared hums appreciatively and nips at Jensen’s lower lip. “Mm, we’ve got the house to ourselves. Let’s go upstairs and we’ll take one together.”
Jensen nods, kissing Jared again before slipping off of him to stand. He fixes his shorts and then Jared does the same, slapping Jensen’s ass before slinging an arm around him to pull their bodies together. His back presses into the sticky mess on Jared’s chest, smearing it even further as they make their way into the house.
Jared keeps his grip tight as they climb the stairs, distracting Jensen with his tongue on the back of his neck. He momentarily forgets what they’re doing, where they are, and twists in Jared’s arms for a kiss. They both go stumbling and land on the stairs, laughing loudly as they slide down a few steps.
“Come on.” Jared gets up and holds out a hand for Jensen to take. “Let’s get into the shower before we end up maiming each other.”
He pulls Jensen up and presses him up against the banister for a sweet little kiss before dragging him the rest of the way to the bathroom.
“Well now I need a nap.”
Jared chuckles as Jensen stumbles out of the shower on shaky post-orgasm legs. The water is nearly cold as Jared turns it off, and he grabs a towel to toss at Jensen’s head.
“Busy day,” Jared replies, smirking happily at the bruise blossoming at the nape of Jensen’s neck. Jared learned pretty early on in their relationship that he really loved seeing his marks on Jensen’s body, whether it be hickeys, bruises in the shape of his fingers, or the tattoo on his hip.
He scrubs at his hair as Jensen steps up to the mirror, leaning in to inspect his face. Jared catches sight of his signature across Jensen’s heart reflected in the mirror. The black ink has nearly faded to nothing and Jared frowns. He looks down at his own to find that it’s been completely washed away.
“My name is almost gone,” Jared says as he steps up next to Jensen at the counter. He raises a brow and looks down at his chest, frowning as he thumbs at the faded ink.
“Huh, that’s sort of sad,” Jensen says, and Jared bites his lip as he reaches out to run his fingertips across the star inked into his hip. “What’s up, babe?”
“I sort of liked it. Seeing my name there,” Jared clarifies. “Having yours on me. Maybe we could, uh, make it permanent?” Jared can feel the blood rushing to his cheeks and he ducks his head a little.
“Where was I when you developed this massive tattoo kink?” Jensen sounds amused, not entirely opposed to the idea. Jared shrugs and grips Jensen’s hips, sliding his thumb across the line of stars.
“I don’t know,” Jared replies, looking up at Jensen’s happy face. “I just like what it means, us having a permanent mark meant for the other.”
“You’re a possessive bastard, that’s what it means.” Jensen smirks fondly as he reaches up to wrap his hand around the back of Jared’s neck. He touches Jared’s tattoo with his other hand and Jared shivers as he gently scrapes his thumbnail across the ink. “Good thing I feel the same way.”
“So you’ll think about it?” Jared’s voice is pitched low, and Jensen’s fingers tighten around the back of his neck. Jensen smiles and slides his fingertip across Jared’s chest, right where the tattoo would go, and then leans in and sinks his teeth into the spot. Jared hisses even as his hips twitch, and looks down as Jensen licks across the sting. He pulls away to reveal the indent of Jensen’s perfect teeth in his flesh.
“No need to think about it,” Jensen says against Jared’s jaw before pressing a soft kiss there. “I like it. We can do it for your birthday. A new set of ink exactly one year after the first.”
“I love you.” Jared grins and Jensen smiles up at him, tangling his fingers in his wet hair. “Like, a whole lot.”
“Love you more,” Jensen replies, kissing Jared’s chin before rolling out of his arms. He pats his chest before heading out into the hallway. “But I wasn’t kidding about that nap. You coming?”
“Again?” Jared winks and Jensen rolls his eyes fondly. “I’m fucking starving, Jen. Let me hit the kitchen and then I’ll nap. You want anything?”
“Water,” Jensen says through a yawn, and Jared smiles warmly as Jensen heads down the hallway. Jared runs downstairs in just his towel, slipping into a pair of boxers in the laundry room before raiding the fridge. He wolfs down a slice of cold pizza and grabs two water bottles before heading back upstairs.
When he enters his bedroom, Jensen is sprawled across his bed in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs, wet hair dripping onto the sheets. He’s already asleep, plush mouth relaxed and eyelashes fanned across his cheeks. Jared takes a moment to admire him, to marvel over how lucky he is, before setting the bottles down and crawling into bed.
He rolls Jensen onto his side, wrapping his arms around him and pressing his forehead to the back of Jensen’s neck. He lets out a soft, happy sound and it’s not long before he’s asleep as well, dragged under by Jensen’s calmness and the syrupy summer heat.
[onto part two.]
“Do you think it’s creepy that we still hang out here?”
“Hell no, man. It was our playground first.” The swinging bridge connecting the two towers of the jungle gym starts to shake, and Jared whips his head around. “Dude, Tyler, I told you. The bridge is me and Jensen’s turf.”
Jensen chuckles around the straw of his Starbucks cup as the six-year-old narrows his eyes at Jared, tiny hands on his hips.
“But Jared, how else are we supposed to get to the big slide? You guys are blocking it!”
“Not my problem, Tyler! You’re young, walk around.”
“Jared,” Jensen chuckles. “Maybe it’s time we passed the torch. Or at least share the bridge.”
“But the bridge is our turf.” Jensen laughs at Jared’s hangdog expression and pulls his legs up, smacking at Jared’s knees until he grumbles and does the same. Tyler gives Jensen a high-five as he and a group of children pass by, and he pushes his sunglasses up his nose as he looks back to Jared.
“Traitor,” Jared says. “Fort Padackles has been compromised because of your recklessness.”
“You’ll get over it, Jared.”
“Captain Padalecki.”
“I haven’t called you that since we were eight.” Jensen settles back against the chain-link railings of the bridge and looks over just as Jared opens his mouth. “And no, I’m not gonna start doing it again.”
Jared chuckles and pulls his bottom lip between his teeth, leaning in a bit closer to Jensen. He smiles as Jared’s thumb traces the line of his brow. Jensen squints when Jared pushes his sunglasses up into his hair.
“Your face healed nicely, dumbass.” Jared says it softly, like it’s not an insult, and Jensen closes his eyes as Jared’s finger traces the thin, nearly invisible line of the scar there, a result of the lacrosse accident he had earlier in the summer.
“I’m still pretty?” Jensen asks, making his eyes big and round. Jared chuckles and leans in to press a soft kiss to the scar.
“Eh, you’ll do.” Jensen chuckles against Jared’s jaw and presses a kiss there before pulling away. Jared slings an arm around his shoulders and they both take a deep breath as they look out over the park.
“Are you guys gonna kiss?” They look over to see Tyler sitting cross-legged at the edge of the bridge. “There’s no kissing allowed here.”
“You’re not allowed, Tyler!” Jared points a finger at him and Jensen flicks his head forward so his sunglasses fall back into place. “You’re not allowed!”
“You’re old, Jared! Get out of here!”
“Words hurt, Tyler.”
Jensen rolls his eyes and gets up, holding his hand out to steady himself as the bridge rocks. “C’mon, Jared.” He taps his fingers under Jared’s chin and wiggles his fingers. “Let’s go. We have better things to do with our time.”
“We do?” Jensen gives him a look, brow quirking amusedly as Jared’s eyes widen. “Oh, right. We definitely do.” He grabs Jensen’s hand and pulls himself up, playfully pushing past Tyler as they head for the slide. Jensen watches as Jared squeezes himself into it and slides down. Jensen is quick to follow, and they’re still holding hands when they leave the park. They head towards Jensen’s house since no one will be home.
“Growing up is bullshit,” Jared says suddenly, and Jensen snorts as he swings around to stand in front of him.
“It’s not all bad,” Jensen replies, and pulls Jared in for a long, deep kiss. Jared makes a soft noise against Jensen’s mouth, cupping his cheek as Jensen licks across his tongue quickly before pulling away with a smirk.
“Touché.”
It’s barely eleven when Josh wanders into his apartment, lopsided semi-permanent grin firmly in place. Jeff is lying lengthwise on the couch, taking every inch of it up with his oversized limbs. He barely glances away from the television as Josh hangs his keys on the hook.
“What the hell are you doing home so early?” Jeff asks. “Did your date with Sandy go horribly awry?”
“Nah,” Josh replies casually. “She and Sophia are doing something early in the morning, so she wanted to get to bed. I’ll tell you what, I’ll be fucking glad when school starts up again because driving an hour each way just to see my girlfriend is exhausting.”
“Whatever, like you wouldn’t walk across hot coals for that girl,” Jeff replies as he flips through the channels. Josh just shrugs, but it’s pretty much true. “Did you at least get to hit that?”
“Dude.” Josh levels him with a glare. “Personal.”
But then Josh walks by Jeff towards the kitchen and holds out his fist. Jeff snorts and gives it a pound as Josh passes. He snags two beers from the refrigerator and heads back out into the living room.
“Hey asshole,” Josh chides, kicking the side of the sofa. “Can you move your gigantic ass so I can possibly have a place to sit?”
“Dude, no. You might recall that we have two couches for just this reason.” Josh looks from Jeff to the couch sitting perpendicular to the one Jeff is occupying.
“But I can see the TV better from this one,” Josh whines, kicking at it again. “Sit up, dick.”
“First come, first serve, asshole.” Jeff settles himself deeper in the cushions. “Besides, you smell like sex and peach body spray. I don’t want you near me.”
“Fine!” Josh hands him his beer and retreats to the other sofa. As soon as he’s settled with his feet kicked up on the coffee table, Jeff sits up and stretches. Josh lets a harsh breath out through his nose and scowls. “I hate everything about you.”
“Cool. Oh hey, the gays are coming over for a few beers,” Jeff says before taking a swig from the bottle. Josh looks over at him and quirks a brow.
“Which gays?” Jeff rolls his eyes and chuckles.
“I find it sad we know so many gays that we have to elaborate,” Jeff replies. “James and Misha.”
Josh groans and tosses his head back against the cushions. “Shit. I’m pretty sure those two are taking fucking domesticity lessons from Jared and Jensen. They’re disgusting.”
“Like you and Sandy’s fucking fluffy baby bunny love isn’t sickening?” Jeff replies, and Josh smirks. “I have to watch all of you assholes making doe eyes at each other all the time, so man the hell up.”
“You’re just sad you haven’t found that special someone,” Josh teases, and Jeff glares at him.
“I do fine.”
“I figured as much when I walked in on the barista from the Starbucks downstairs slurping on your biscotti in the middle of the goddamn day. In our kitchen, no less.”
“She was making me an espresso!” Jeff says with a laugh. “With extra foam.”
“Yeah well, that’s where I eat my breakfast, you inconsiderate prick,” Josh says as he raises his beer back to his lips. “So thanks for that.”
“It was quite literally my pleasure,” Jeff says casually as he checks the time on his phone. “Do you even know where James and Misha are staying over the summer?”
“Uh, Misha’s mom’s place in Los Feliz, I believe,” Josh replies. Jeff looks over at him with a raised eyebrow.
“Seriously? How does she feel about that?”
“She smokes like, a lot of pot,” Josh replies with a shrug. “James swears she hasn’t even realized he’s fuckin’ living there yet.”
“That’s awesome,” Jeff laughs, perking up at the sudden obnoxious pounding on their door. “Speak of the devils.”
“What’s the password?” Josh calls out.
“Jeff Padalecki is afraid of vaginas!” James yells through the door, and Josh throws his head back with a laugh.
“That wasn’t fucking funny when you made it the password to our tree house when we were twelve, and it’s not funny now,” Jeff growls as he gets up to answer the door. He socks Josh hard in the shoulder and the sudden pain isn’t even enough to get him to stop chuckling.
Jeff opens the door a crack and peers through it. “What’s the real password?”
“Uh, we have beer?” Misha says, holding up a six pack of their preferred brand. Jeff immediately steps aside.
“That’ll work,” Jeff replies. “Come in and make yourselves at home, homos.”
Josh gets up and jumps onto the couch facing the television and Jeff rolls his eyes as he sits next to him. James sets the beer on the coffee table and sits on the abandoned couch, lifting his arm up for Misha to fit against his side.
“Uh-uh!” Josh calls out just as Misha is about to sit. “I want at least a bible’s width between you or I’m getting the fucking hose.” Misha rolls his eyes and flops down on James anyway. Josh sighs heavily and James grins. “No respect.”
“So, are the kids all snug in their beds back at their parents’ house?” James asks once they’ve all cracked open a new beer.
“Jared and Jensen?” Jeff asks, and he and Josh share a look. “I’m sure they’re snug in something.”
“Fuck, Jared, harder!”
Jared reaches forward to grab Jensen’s shoulder, angling him down so he has better leverage to thrust into his ass. He’s got Jensen on his knees and elbows in his childhood bed and Jensen grins as Jared pushes in hard, fills him up.
“Like that?” Jared growls, and Jensen lets out a hum as he reaches back to grip Jared’s thigh. “You feel so goddamn good.”
“Boys!” Jared’s dad’s voice is loud on the other side of the bedroom door, angry and tired from the hall, and a cold flush works its way through Jensen’s body as he whimpers and hunkers down on the bed like a startled animal. Gerry pounds against the wood and Jensen can actually feel Jared softening inside him. “You have to rest it every once in awhile or it’s gonna break the hell off! Keep it down!”
“Oh god.” Jensen squeaks and crawls forward, hissing as Jared slips out of him. “Oh god, oh god. Oh my god.”
“Aaaand now my dick is just for show,” Jared says as he flops over onto his back. He lets out an embarrassed chuckle and Jensen crawls right off the side of the bed, landing on the floor with a thump. “What are you doing?”
“Gonna go drown myself in the ocean.” Jensen grips the ledge of Jared’s open window and pulls himself up. “It was nice knowing you.”
“Oh, come on.” Jared rolls off of the bed and grabs Jensen by the waist. He tries to pull him away from the window, but his grip on the ledge stays firm. His feet leave the floor as Jared tugs on him, and Jensen scrambles forward. “For the love of - Jensen.”
“Let me die,” Jensen moans, and Jared lets out a huff as he drops him. Jensen lands on the floor in a pile and pulls himself into the fetal position. “Is your passport up to date? We need to flee the country.”
“Get over it, man,” Jared says as he kicks playfully at Jensen’s hip. “So he heard us, big deal. At least he didn’t see us. He can consider it payback for that time I found them in the hammock when I was thirteen.”
“Oh god, I blew you in that hammock two days ago,” Jensen moans, cheek pressed against Jared’s carpet. “My dick will never be hard again.”
“I sincerely doubt that,” Jared says as he leans down to scoop Jensen’s limp body off of the floor. He’s chuckling at him and Jensen just slumps boneless against him. “Come on, baby. We’ll get through this.”
“No, Jared,” Jensen replies listlessly, barely reacting as Jared tosses him on the bed. “Something like this changes a man.”
“Goddamnit, Jensen,” Jared says through a laugh. “Go to sleep.”
“Sleep, to dream no more.”
“Enough.”
When Jared wakes up the next morning, Jensen refuses to go downstairs with him due to intense emotional trauma.
“Jensen, you fucking drama queen,” Jared says with fond exasperation. “It’s no big deal. There are waffles downstairs.”
“I can’t look your father in the eye now that he knows what I let you do to me,” Jensen says somberly as he pulls on his clothes. “I just can’t.”
“Jensen, I’m really pretty sure that he already knew what you let me do to you,” Jared tells him. “I’m pretty sure everyone knows what you let me do to you.”
“It’s not the same,” Jensen laments as he pulls on his shoes and goes over to the window. “He changed my diapers, man.”
“So did Josh,” Jared points out, and Jensen shudders as he throws one leg over the windowsill. “Jensen, jesus christ.”
“I’m going home to wallow in shame. Come give me a kiss before I climb down this stupid tree.”
“No. If you want a kiss, you have to come have waffles,” Jared says resolutely, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I can’t believe you would deny me a kiss.” Jensen shakes his head somberly as he swings his other leg out the window. “Fine. Ass.”
“Bye, princess,” Jared calls out, and Jensen throws up his middle finger as he slips out the window. “Prissy little bitch.”
“I heard that!” Jensen calls from outside, and Jared rolls his eyes as he opens his bedroom door.
“I said it loud!” Jared calls back, and then slips out into the hall to head downstairs. His parents and Meg are seated at the breakfast nook and Jared heads over to join them. “Morning, family.”
“Hey.” His mother smirks up at him. “Where’s Jen?”
“He’s climbing down the tree because he’s too embarrassed by what happened last night to look any of you in the eye,” Jared says casually as he flops down into his chair and grabs a waffle.
“Oh, for the love of - “ Sherri gets up and walks out the back door, and Jared smirks as she passes the kitchen window.
“What happened last night?” Meg asks, and Gerry chuckles as Jared blushes.
“Mind your business,” Jared replies, and Meg pouts. Jared bites down on a laugh as he watches his mother drag Jensen past the window by his ear. His boyfriend looks utterly defeated and lets out a whine as he’s pushed through the door. “I can’t believe you thought you could get away that easily.”
“Why won’t you all just let me die?” Jensen mumbles. Sherri rolls her eyes and lightly smacks the back of his head.
“Sit down, you drama queen,” Sherri commands, and Jensen drops down next to Jared with a huff.
“Why won’t anyone tell me what happened last night?”
“Shut your mouth, Megan!” Jensen shrieks, and Jared nearly chokes on his orange juice. He squeezes Jensen’s shoulder and smirks at the blush on his cheeks.
“Have a waffle, boys,” Gerry says amicably. “I’m sure you worked up quite the appetite.”
Jensen’s head hits the table with a resounding thunk.
“James! Hey sweetie!”
“Shit,” Misha mumbles, rolling to face his open bedroom door. What’s his mother even doing awake at this hour? “Busted.”
“Yo, Poppy.” Misha chuckles at the sound of his boyfriend’s voice. It’s disgusting how well James and his mother get along. “Did I wake you up?”
“No, no. I was up anyway,” she says. “Were you on your way out?”
“Uh, no.” Misha bites his lip and wonders if he should get up and diffuse the situation, but James seems to have it covered. “It’s really late so Misha asked me to crash here. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course, James. Give Misha a kiss for me, alright?”
“Sure. I mean, that’s pretty creepy, but sure. I can do that, freak.”
“You’re a shit,” she says, and Misha can just picture James’s smarmy grin.
“Night, Poppy. I’m gonna hit you up tomorrow, okay?” James appears in the doorway, fingers curled around the frame as he shouts down the hall. “I want that special boyfriend discount.”
James swings into the room and shuts the door before coming over to the bed. He leans down over Misha and kisses him, tongue sweeping into his mouth. Misha moans before he can stop himself, and James bites at his bottom lip as he pulls away.
“That’s from your mom.” He grins and nips at the tip of Misha’s nose as he shoves him away.
“You’re disgusting.” James just smiles and sits down at Misha’s desk. He watches as he settles in, breathing easily as James logs into his laptop. He knows Misha’s password, and for some reason that makes Misha happy. He likes that James knows all these little things about him.
“Come back to bed, sweets.”
Misha sits up and runs his fingers through his unruly hair, frowning at James’s back as he sits at the computer. James tosses him a nod over his shoulder and leans in closer to the screen.
“Just a minute, you insatiable whore,” James mumbles, and Misha rolls his eyes as he drops back down onto the mattress.
“You always say the sweetest things.”
They lapse into a comfortable silence after that, and Misha puts his hands behind his head, eyes slipping shut as he settles down into the blankets. James lets out a soft, confused-sounding scoff, and Misha cracks his eyes open.
“Oh goddamnit,” James breathes, and Misha furrows his brow as he rolls out of bed. He comes up behind James and leans in to wrap his arms around his shoulders, chin resting on top of his head.
“What is it?” Misha asks, curling his fingers around his boyfriend’s shoulder. “You accidentally delete your porn again?”
“Never. I’ve got back-ups of my back-ups now.” James turns his head to absently kiss Misha’s jaw before looking back at the screen. “No, remember last month when I donated that money to that youth center project?”
“Mm,” Misha sighs as he kisses the spot behind James’s ear. “I believe that I rewarded you for your generosity. Twice.”
“That was such a bendy night.” James sighs dreamily and Misha chuckles in his ear. “But no, I just got an email from the organization. Apparently they’re having a fancy fundraising dinner and they’re holding a table for me and nine guests.”
“Well that sounds stuffy and boring,” Misha mumbles, nosing happily at the soft skin behind James’s ear. “Just don’t go.”
“Apparently I’m a sponsor,” James says as he squints at the email. “I need to go.”
“A sponsor?” Misha leans in to read the email. “How much money did you donate?”
“It’s a really good cause,” James mumbles, and Misha’s heart does a little flip-flop as his cheeks turn pink. “So, looks like we need to gather the gang and make sure everyone has tuxedos.”
“Tuxedos?” Misha asks incredulously. “I’m not wearing a tuxedo.”
“It’s black tie,” James replies as he spins the chair around to face Misha, hands going to his slim hips. “Besides, I’d like to see you all cleaned up and pretty.”
“I’m pretty all the time, fucker,” Misha retorts, and James grins up at him. He leans in to kiss the soft skin just above his waistband. He looks up at Misha with these big, liquid eyes and Misha’s lips flatten into a thin line. “Now, that’s just playing dirty.”
James grins and surges forward, knocking Misha back onto the bed and climbing on top of him. Misha sighs happily and wraps his arms around James’s neck.
“I can’t believe that you’re sitting on this fortune and you never spend any of it,” Misha says as James rolls off to the side, propping himself up between Misha and the wall.
“I like to hoard my money,” James says easily. “You never know when it might come in handy.”
“All the benjamins in the world won’t save you in the zombie apocalypse,” Misha says sagely, biting down on his lip to keep the serious expression on his face when James just rolls his eyes.
“That’s why I have you,” James replies. “I’ll toss you to the zombies and make a break for it while they’re distracted by your succulent flesh.”
“Bullshit.” Misha scoots a bit closer to him, leaning in to nip at his jaw. “You’d take on a whole horde of zombies to save me.”
“You’re probably right.” James sighs like it’s a burden and sinks his teeth gently into Misha’s bottom lip. “I would fight my way through all the zombies in the world to get to you.”
“That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me,” Misha says with a grin, and James chuckles against the corner of his mouth.
“You’re so fucked up,” James says as he drags his lips across Misha’s jaw. “Never a dull moment.”
“Mm, but really,” Misha continues as James kisses his neck. “You could have gotten an apartment for the summer or something.”
“I like being here,” James says with a shrug, tipping Misha’s head to the side to kiss his lips. He pulls away and raises an eyebrow, thumbing at Misha’s jaw. “Have I overstayed my welcome?”
“No,” Misha replies automatically, turning to the side to wrap an arm around James’s waist. “Just wondering why you’d rather be here.”
“I’d rather be with you,” James corrects. “And it’s not like you would have moved in with me, so it’s just as well that I save my money and sleep on top of you.”
“Why do you say that?” Misha asks carefully, furrowing his brow. “If you hadn’t noticed, we’re kind of living together now.”
“You letting me squat in your bedroom at your mother’s house is not the same as putting your name next to mine on a lease.” Misha blinks and opens his mouth, but James stretches languidly and cuts him off. “Besides, I’m too invested in my game.”
“What game?”
“The one where I try to see how long it will take for your mother to realize I’m living here,” James says with a grin. “If I make it the whole summer, I’ll feel like a true champion.”
“Good luck to you.” Misha chuckles, and James slides his fingertips down the side of Misha’s face before leaning in for a kiss.
Misha returns it, pulling James’s bottom lip into his mouth to nibble on it. He knows why James would think that he would be opposed to the idea of moving in together.
The scary thing is, Misha hadn’t been opposed to it until he was reminded that he normally would have been, which is weird all on its own.
He stops thinking about it, and rolls their bodies to pin James to the mattress.
Josh is in for the night, lounging on the sofa in shorts and a tee-shirt with a video game controller firmly in hand when Jeff wanders into the living room with two beers.
“Thanks, man,” Josh says as he reaches out to take one. He gestures towards Jeff with the bottle and does a bit of a double take when he sees the expression on his face. “Whoa, dude. Why do you look like someone just poked holes in all your condoms?”
“We need to talk,” Jeff says, strangely somber, and Josh furrows his brow as he sits up and tosses the controller on the table. His eyes widen and he looks up at Jeff again.
“Oh god,” Josh says hesitantly. “Did you knock someone up? Am I going to be an uncle? Did I just make a horribly timed joke about faulty protection?”
“No one’s knocked up,” Jeff says with a rough chuckle. “Well, Jensen might be.”
“Fuck you,” Josh says fondly, but the look in Jeff’s eyes makes him feel uneasy. “Are you breaking up with me?”
“Josh.”
“Oh god, do you have ball cancer or something?”
“Josh.”
“Okay, okay, sorry,” Josh says, scooting over as Jeff moves to sit next to him. “Fucking out with it, man. You’re freaking me out.”
“Well, it’s just,” Jeff starts. He takes a sip of his beer and runs his fingers through his hair before picking at the label. “I got a call today. I’m off the waitlist for med school. I got accepted.”
“The one here?” Josh asks, and Jeff nods. “Uh, dude. Last I checked, being accepted into the medical school of your choice is a good thing.”
“No, it is,” Jeff says quickly. “But uh, you know. The campus is an hour from here. So, I figured it would probably be best if I like, lived there.”
Josh stares at him for a long time, and Jeff huffs as he rips the label from his beer.
“As in move out of here,” Jeff says quietly. “And move into the student housing there.”
“Move out?” Josh asks dazedly. He swallows hard and stares down at his beer, brows knitted together. He knew that Jeff was most likely going to end up at the med school a little over an hour away while he went to grad school here, but it never occurred to him that Jeff would have to move out to do it.
It makes sense, of course. He just… never thought about it.
“Yeah,” Jeff says carefully. “I mean, one thing’s for certain. Med school is going to kick my fucking ass, and I just think it would be better for me to be there, you know? Commuting would be too hard.”
“Yeah,” Josh says quietly. He swallows hard and then clears his throat, straightening up a bit. “I mean, yeah. Of course. You’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do, man. Congrats. For getting in, I mean.”
“Thanks,” Jeff replies, taking another sip of beer. The silence grows awkward and loud, and Josh can’t remember the last time that happened with them. “You shouldn’t have any problem finding another roommate. Maybe James? I know he graduated but I doubt he’s gonna want to stray far from Misha.”
“Maybe,” Josh replies noncommittally. “So uh, when do you have to be moved into the dorms by?”
“Month from yesterday.” Josh nods slowly, pulling his lower lip into his mouth. “Hey man, I’ll still be around all the time, you know? Weekends and shit. It’s not like we’re breaking up the band.”
“Fuck off, I know,” Josh says, reaching over to push Jeff’s shoulder with his fist. “It’ll be great. No more of your big ass, smelly underwear all over the place or walking in on you fucking co-eds on every available surface.”
“You’ll miss it,” Jeff says with a chuckle, and Josh hears it for what it is. You’ll miss me. It’s stupid; he knew that they couldn’t live together forever. But still, he never really thought about that time coming. It always seemed so far away, and Josh doesn’t really know how to feel now that it’s here. He’s more upset than he thought he would be, and that makes him feel foolish.
“So, a month, huh?” Josh asks, and Jeff nods once. “So this is like, the beginning of the end of an era.”
“I guess so.” Jeff shrugs, and they both knock back the rest of their beers.
“Well then,” Josh says as he gets up, grabbing Jeff’s bottle from his hand. “This calls for a celebration. You’re going to med school, I’m going to grad school. Look at us, fuckin’ responsible adults.”
“Miracles do happen,” Jeff says with a grin, and Josh salutes him with an empty beer bottle before heading into the kitchen. He drops the bottles into the trash and grips the edge of the counter. He lets his head hang between his shoulders, taking in a deep breath.
His stomach is in knots. Everyone always makes jokes about them being codependent, and they always laughed them off. But it’s true. They’ve never been apart, not since they were babies.
Even though logically he knew it was coming, Josh doesn’t think he’ll ever be prepared to say goodbye to his best friend and their idyllic little life.
Jensen has been known to get a bit sappy in the mornings, in that time when it isn’t really dark anymore but it isn’t exactly light either. It’s a quiet time, one meant for whispers and confessions, where all darkness will soon be absolved by the fresh morning light.
Jensen has never really been that good at expressing himself. He’ll break things when he wants to cry, laugh when he wants to run away, and run away when he wants to confess his secrets. He still has a lot to learn about relationships, but when he lets his eyes flutter open and presses back against the warm presence of Jared curled up against him, he knows that he has time.
He likes to make love to Jared when the sky is lightening like this. It’s always ‘make love’ at the crisp break of dawn, because it’s too special to be called anything else.
Jensen rolls over under the blankets, careful not to dislodge them so that pockets of cool air can sneak into the places where their skin is so warm. They’re naked, flushed and slightly damp from all of that body heat. Jensen will wake up with sweat at his temples, skin overheated and glistening ever since he started sleeping next to Jared, but he really doesn’t mind.
Jensen looks at Jared’s face, peaceful and relaxed with sleep. Jensen wonders what his dreams are about and then smiles because if he asked Jared when he awoke, Jared would tell him without the slightest hesitation.
Jensen leans in and presses a kiss to that soft pink mouth, reaches up to place his hand gently on the side of Jared’s face. Jared lets out a soft exhale and sometimes Jensen still marvels over the fact that Jared is his, that he has every right to kiss Jared until he awakes just because he misses him even though he’s lying right there, and how pathetic is that?
Jensen slides his lips along the sharp edge of Jared’s jaw, tongue flicking out to taste the groove under his ear. His fingers travel up Jared’s flank to his shoulder, curling around it as he places a suckling kiss at the juncture at the base of his neck. Jared stirs at that, muscles shifting under tan skin as he slides his large, warm hand up the center of Jensen’s bare back in a touch that’s so intimate and sensual that Jensen shivers with it.
Jared lets out a sigh; a soft, sleepy little sound as he reaches up with his other hand to curl his fingers under Jensen’s chin. Jensen leans into the kiss willingly, lips pursing lazily against Jared’s before his tongue flicks out just enough to wet Jared’s lips.
He doesn’t need to say anything, not a single word, as Jared looks into his eyes and smiles almost imperceptibly. He kisses Jensen again, this time with a bit more intent.
Jensen lets out a breath as Jared rolls them, tucking Jensen’s smaller body safely under his own, blanketing him with all of his mass, settling down on top of him and kissing him again.
Jensen curls his fingers around Jared’s hips as he opens his legs wide enough to let him slip between them. He gasps at all that skin to skin contact like it’s still brand new, like he still can’t quite believe it. Jensen’s thumbs dig into the grooves of Jared’s hipbones as they kiss, tongues tangling lazily.
Jared groans into Jensen’s mouth as he rocks his hips up. Usually when it’s this early they just rut against each other, slow rolls of their hips until the pressure builds to release, but this time Jensen wants more. He wants to be filled up, wants Jared inside of him and holding him down.
Jared is busy rolling his hips, growing hot and hard against Jensen’s thigh as he fixes his mouth to Jensen’s collarbone to suck and bite. Jensen reaches over and takes their lube from the nightstand, getting his fingers wet with it and pushing Jared back just enough to reach between them.
Jared gets with the program quick enough, rolling away and hooking his hand under one of Jensen’s knees to lift and spread, watching as Jensen’s finger sinks into his own ass. Jared groans at that, his hand sliding up Jensen’s thigh until he can slide a finger in alongside Jensen’s. He bites his lip at the feeling, hips twitching as they finger him open together.
It’s wet and it’s messy, and Jensen tangles his fingers into Jared’s shaggy hair to pull their mouths together as his breath starts to come in quick little pants. Jared pulls Jensen’s own fingers out and takes over, sliding three of his own in to the knuckle. Jensen tugs on Jared’s hair in lieu of moaning, and Jared kisses him again before withdrawing his fingers and nudging at his shoulder.
Jensen rolls over, hips snug against the mattress as he cants his ass up and spreads his legs, an open invitation. He’d like to look Jared in the eye but they can get closer this way, and close is what Jensen really wants.
Jared presses in, slow and steady, not stopping until he’s buried completely inside Jensen and he can feel the coarse hair at the base of Jared’s dick against the sensitive skin of his ass. It’s intimate and wonderful, and Jensen lets out a soft, needy moan.
Jared settles himself on top of Jensen, hands sliding under Jensen’s arms and seeking out his fingers, tangling them together on either side of the pillow. Jensen couldn’t move even if he wanted to, kept in place by Jared’s loving embrace. It feels so safe there, in that warm space underneath Jared’s body.
Jared starts to roll his hips, slow and languid, barely pulling out before he’s pushing in again. It’s an easy, almost maddening pace and Jensen relishes in it. He squeezes Jared’s hands and pushes back, hips tilting up when Jared pushes in to the hilt.
“Jared,” Jensen whispers, breaking the silence that has carried them this far, but he wants to say his name and feel it in the air around them. It hangs there, heavy and important, until Jared surges forward and whispers words of love and adoration against the whorl of Jensen’s ear. Jensen very nearly weeps from it all, Jared’s voice and Jared’s body, all working to make Jensen happy.
He turns his head and they kiss, wet and messy. It causes Jared to surge forward, burying himself inside Jensen as deep as he possibly can, grinding down against that spot inside of him that makes him want to burst.
“Love you,” Jensen whispers, clutching Jared’s hands and rolling his lips, trying to increase the friction against his dick. It’s hard and aching against the mattress, leaking freely onto the sheets.
“Need my hands, baby?” Jared asks in a whisper. Jensen shakes his head and squeezes Jared’s hands tighter, unwilling to let them go.
“Gonna come like this,” Jensen replies in a voice that’s so strung out and raw. “On just your dick.”
Jared shudders at that, teeth biting down gently at the base of Jensen’s neck. Jared pulls out almost all the way and then angles his hips, driving in again right against that perfect spot, and Jensen very nearly sees stars. And then Jared keeps doing it, unrelenting pressure, not even giving Jensen a chance to breathe.
“Let me feel it,” Jared whispers into the sweaty hair behind Jensen’s ear, voice all shot to hell, and that’s really all Jensen needs. One more thrust from Jared and he’s coming, making a mess of the sheets as he whimpers and trembles, twitching in Jared’s tight grasp. “Shh, that’s it.”
Jared keeps on thrusting right through it, even though Jensen is too out of it to really help in any way except to turn his head to look over his shoulder. He can feel his ass still clenching from the force of his orgasm, muscles fluttering around Jared’s dick, and then Jared is kissing him and coming at the same time. He can feel Jared’s release inside of him, hot and intimate, and Jensen moans as Jared breathes hotly against his mouth.
Jared pulls out after a moment and rolls Jensen over, pulling their bodies together and kissing him soundly as he slides two fingers into Jensen’s open, messy hole. Jensen whimpers at that, so sensitive, but he trusts Jared. He loves this, wants Jared to break him apart, give him pleasure even when he thinks it’s too much, when he thinks that he might just burst from it all.
“Jared,” Jensen whispers. His dick twitches weakly as Jared fingers him, first two and then three, slipping in and out slowly as they kiss. Jared suddenly shoves them in, pressing hard and insistent against Jensen’s prostate and he sucks in a sharp breath, clutching at Jared and whimpering into his mouth. His muscles are tense, legs trembling and Jared just won’t let up, fingers pressing right there until he can’t breathe, and then suddenly it’s over. Jared pulls his fingers out and wipes them on the sheets before gathering Jensen’s trembling body in his arms.
“Good morning,” Jared says in a sex-rough rumble as he lifts Jensen’s chin to look into his bright eyes. Jensen smiles, his hand sliding down Jared’s chest until it rests over his heart.
“I’ll say,” Jensen mumbles, and Jared looks so happy when he leans in to kiss him again.
Jared rolls them until he’s on his back and Jensen is on his side, both of them sharing the wet spot. Their breathing returns to normal and Jensen traces patterns on the soft skin of Jared’s chest, tacky with drying sweat.
“Mm, glad this is mine,” Jensen says quietly, pressing his palm down against Jared’s chest, right over his beating heart.
“All yours.” Jared sounds sleepy, but the grin in his voice is unmistakable. Jensen looks over at the nightstand and gets an idea, grinning to himself at how sappy it is. But hey, it’s early morning. It’s his sappiest time of day.
“Let’s make it official,” Jensen says as he straddles Jared’s naked hips. Jared quirks a brow and reaches up to put his hands on Jensen’s thighs. Jensen grins as he leans over to grab a Sharpie from the night stand, pulling the cap off with his teeth and spinning the marker around in his hand.
“What are you doing?” Jared laughs, lips pink and swollen as they curve up into a smile.
“This heart is mine,” Jensen says as he leans down and presses the tip of the marker to Jared’s skin. He signs his name right across Jared’s heart, grinning at the stark contrast of black ink against tan skin. “There. Signed on the dotted line. That means I own it.”
“You’re such a nerd,” Jared says, but his eyes are fond. He takes the marker from Jensen and leans up, chuckling to himself as he signs his own name on Jensen’s skin, right over his heart. He dots the i and Jensen hisses, looking down to admire the ink on his skin. “Hm. I like that.”
“Me too.” Jensen sighs happily. “I kind of like you, too.”
“Well, isn’t that sweet,” Jared says, and pulls Jensen down for a long, long kiss.
“Black tie?” Jared asks as Jensen leans in to steal the noodle from the end of his chopsticks. “Fucker. As in tuxedos?”
“With like… bowties?” Chad asks, wrinkling his nose.
“Okay, seriously.” James sets his bowl down on the coffee table and spreads his arms wide. “Does tuxedo mean something different on your planet? My lips are saying ‘nice clothes’ but your eyes are saying ‘genital mutilation device’.”
“Tomato, tomahto,” Josh says airily as he takes a drink from his beer. Sandy laughs and curls in closer to his side. They’re wrapped up on one end of the sofa with Jared and Jensen on the other and James and Misha on floor. Jeff is at one end of the other couch with Chad and Sophia next to him. It’s a full house at the Ackles-Padalecki bachelor pad.
“Whatever, I’m in.” Jensen shrugs and snags a piece of broccoli from the end of his chopsticks. “I like dressing up.”
“Yeah, you and the rest of the women,” Misha mutters against the rim of his beer bottle. Jared kicks his shoulder from his place on the sofa and Sandy slaps his arm. “Ow.”
“Haha, I have a posse, bitch.” Jensen leans in to kiss Jared’s jaw, careful not to leave any sauce behind. “Don’t be jealous because I’ll look like James Bond and you’ll look like a member of a hobo rehabilitation program.”
“So what, are we talking rentals?” Josh asks around a bite of food. “Do they charge by square foot? If so, I think Jared and Jeff might have to take out a loan.”
Josh looks over at Jeff with a grin, and Jeff just smiles dimly back. Josh’s smile falters and Jensen furrows a brow, exchanging a look with Sandy. She looks just as perplexed as him, and Jensen pulls his bottom lip into his mouth as Josh stabs at his food with his chopsticks.
“Rentals,” James confirms. He either doesn’t notice the sudden tension in the room, or he’s resolutely ignoring it. Josh and Jeff both let out little sighs and when Jeff gets up to get another round of beers, he punches Josh hard in the shoulder and everything seems to go back to normal. “The ladies can go pick out new dresses, of course.”
“Hell yes, an excuse to shop.” Sophia leans over to share a high-five with Sandy.
“You wanna come, Jen?” She asks, and Jensen shrugs as he picks at his food.
“Sure thing.” Jensen burrows further against Jared and reaches up to flick his fingers underneath his chin. “Jared will come for moral support.”
“Haha!” Josh calls out, laughing hard as he points at Jared. Jensen raises a brow and tips his head back, and Jared just kisses his forehead amiably.
“Josh will come too, of course,” Sandy says sternly, and Josh’s laughter dies abruptly.
“Aw, man.” Josh pouts, and Chad looks pleadingly at Sophia, who just shakes her head.
“Son of bitch,” Chad groans. “James, you fucker.”
“Did I ever tell you how glad I was that there’s no extra estrogen in our relationship, sweets?” James leans over to give Misha a quick peck. “Sorry, Jared.”
Jensen pushes James’s face away from Misha’s with his socked foot and James laughs, tipping his head back to rest his head on Jensen’s knee. “You know I love you, right princess?”
“The difference between Jared and Josh,” Jensen starts, “is that Jared and I can leave any time we want for cinnamon rolls and blowjobs. Sweet Josh, however, must stand outside of that dressing room and hold his girlfriend’s purse for all of eternity.”
“Preach,” Jared says tipsily, reaching out to squeeze the end of James’s nose. “I don’t have to hold shit.”
“Can I have cinnamon rolls and blowjobs?” Josh pouts at Sandy, who wrinkles her nose and shakes her head. “Pfft. Gays get to have all the fun.”
“Thinking of converting?” Jeff asks as he walks back into the room with a six pack in one hand and two beers in the other. He knocks the bottles into the side of Josh’s head and then drops them into his lap. “Whoops, there ya go.”
“Thanks, dicklick.” Josh takes a beer and hands it to Sandy as Jeff passes out the rest. Josh and Jeff share a look, a meaningful one that makes Jared and Jensen pull back to look at each other. Jensen knows that look. That’s the Padalecki-Ackles BFF mind meld look.
“So hey, uh, I have some news.” Jeff drops onto the sofa and runs his fingers through his shaggy hair.
“Oh god, this is it,” Misha says as he turns to give Jeff his full attention. “You finally knocked someone up.”
“I didn’t - why is that everyone’s first reaction to me saying I have news?”
“Because you’re a whore,” James says simply, reaching up to clink his beer bottle against the one dangling between Jeff’s fingers.
“I’m not - well, okay, fine. I’m a whore. But whatever, this is something else.” Jeff takes a breath and Jensen’s eyes flick first to Josh, noting his glazed over expression, and then to the drunken concern on Jared’s face, before looking back to Jeff. “I got taken off the waitlist. I’m going to med school.”
“Uh, dude? That’s good news,” Jensen says, sighing in relief. “I thought you were going to say you had ball cancer or something.”
Jeff looks hard at Jensen, and then Josh, and then back again before shaking his head.
“I’m moving away, assholes,” Jeff gets out, and the room falls quiet. “Next month.”
“Isn’t it like an hour drive?” Jared asks, curling his arm tighter around Jensen’s shoulders. “You’re not moving away away, right? Big bro, don’t go!”
“Yes. It’s two hours from home and an hour from here,” Jeff clarifies. “I guess it’s not a big deal. But yeah, I’m moving out.”
Jeff sits down on the couch, nodding and smiling at everyone’s congratulatory words, and Jared extricates himself from underneath Jensen to go and give his brother a hug. Jensen looks over at his own brother, at his weak smile, and shares a concerned look with Sandy.
“Are you okay?” Sandy puts her hand on her boyfriend’s face and Josh turns to smile at her. They kiss briefly and he pulls her in for a hug, meeting Jensen’s eyes over her shoulder.
“I’m fine.”
Jensen must still look concerned because Josh rolls his eyes and throws a fortune cookie at his face. It connects with his temple with a satisfying crunch, and Jensen punches Josh in the forehead.
“Boys,” Sandy admonishes with a tipsy giggle. “Be nice.”
Sometimes the shift between boyfriend and best friend mode is easy.
It’s at times like these, with both of them jogging through the park, sweaty-damp shirts removed and stuffed into the waistbands of their shorts as they pound the pavement. This is one thing that hasn’t changed since they became a couple. Jensen still takes Jared running whenever he can. That’s the best way to describe it, because Jensen is controlled and focused in his steps, and Jared gets easily distracted by flowers and grass and puppies. Sometimes Jensen considers getting him a leash, just to make it all that much easier to tug him along.
It’s easier to fall into a routine in the summer, even if they never usually make it out of the house until after noon when the California sun is hanging hot and molten in the summer sky.
Jensen runs faster that Jared, despite the other boy’s ridiculously long legs. He can hear Jared’s giant feet slapping the pavement behind him, and Jensen reaches up to push his sunglasses up the sweaty bridge of his nose. It’s simply too bright to be outside without them, despite how much of a hassle they are to keep on.
“They should make tinted contacts,” Jensen tosses out in staccato breaths over his shoulder. “Because this shit is ridiculous.”
“That idea is ridiculous,” Jared pants as he catches up to fall in step with Jensen. “Are you dehydrated or something?”
“I think I’m done, dude.” Jensen angles back towards their neighborhood and Jared follows. “That’s five miles and it’s fucking hot as balls out here.”
They lapse back into comfortable silence as they jog through their neighborhood. They come across a small group of girls walking in the other direction who giggle and wave as they pass. Jared turns his head to grin at them and Jensen rolls his eyes as he reaches over to smack him.
They pass Jared’s driveway and Jensen gives him a nod, intending to continue on to his own house for a shower. He’s surprised when Jared reaches out to tuck his fingers into the waistband of Jensen’s shorts and pull him backwards, bare back connecting to Jared’s chest with a slick smack.
“Aren’t you gonna lift?” Jensen asks, biting his lip when Jared’s hand slides across his damp stomach.
After their runs, Jared usually lifts weights. At school, he’ll leave Jensen at the dorm to head to the gym, and at home he uses his dad’s old set in the garage. Jensen is a runner, a lacrosse player, and a swimmer. He prefers working out with his entire body and therefore skips the weights.
“Keep me company.” Jared grabs Jensen’s wrist and pulls him up the driveway. The sun beats down on them and Jensen feels a bead of sweat slip down his spine. “It won’t kill you to lift some weights.”
“Whoa, whoa.” Jensen rips his wrist from Jared’s grip as they enter the garage. It smells vaguely of old sweat and motor oil, and Jensen wrinkles his nose at the stuffy heat until Jared turns on a giant fan and rolls the door down until it’s almost closed, propping it open with an old blue milk crate. “Are you implying that there’s something wrong with my body?”
Jared spins around to face him and Jensen stretches to his full height, flexing his arms and stomach as Jared looks him up and down. Jensen may be lean and lithe, but his muscles are still defined, flexing gracefully beneath his skin. Jared’s eyes flash and he licks his lips.
“Definitely not,” Jared says thickly, biting his lip before plopping down onto the bench press. “Just hang out with me while I do this and then I’ll take you upstairs and show your perfect little body the attention it deserves.”
“Little? You’re such an ass.” Jared just grins, tongue pressed firmly between his teeth.
“Come on, you know you want to watch me flex my sweaty, manly muscles.” Jared stretches a little and Jensen tracks the movements with hungry eyes.
“Yes, which is something that could also be accomplished by you fucking me,” Jensen reasons, and Jared just looks up at him through the sweaty fringe of his bangs to grin at him. Jensen’s dick stirs slightly in his shorts and he bites his lip.
“Patience.” Jared gestures towards a large barbell near Jensen’s feet. “Can you hand me that?”
Jensen leans down to grip the bar with both hands, groaning loudly as he lifts it. “Holy shit, this is stupid heavy.” He shuffles over towards the bench press and groans again as he lifts it onto the brackets. “I’ll never need to lift anything that heavy again. Ever.”
“Of course not, my delicate flower.” Jared chuckles as he lies down on the bench and claps his hands together as he looks up at Jensen. “Because you’ll always have me around to do it for you.”
“I would rise to that obvious challenge and prove my masculinity if I didn’t think I’d get a hernia,” Jensen muses. He looks down at Jared’s face and raises a brow. “Why is it we’ve never utilized this bench before? It’s sort of the perfect height for me to fuck the shit out of your mouth and prove how manly I am.”
He bends his knees and pushes his crotch into Jared’s face, pressing the soft swell of his dick and balls against his boyfriend’s cheek. Jared snorts and slaps his hip before pushing him away.
“Maybe later when your junk doesn’t smell like the inside of my gym bag,” Jared tells him, and Jensen steps back as he reaches up to grip the bar.
“You’ve obviously never actually smelled the inside of your gym bag, or you’d know that was totally false and uncalled for,” Jensen replies, and Jared grins at him again.
“Hey, come here and spot me,” Jared tells him, and Jensen raises a brow.
“Jared, the only thing me “spotting you” would accomplish would be me getting a better view of your gruesome death when you drop that dumbbell on your dumbass face. So why don’t you spare us both the agony and just be the fuck careful.”
“Yes dear,” Jared teases, and takes a deep breath before lifting the weights off of the brackets. Jensen slowly circles him, one brow arched appraisingly as he goes through his routine. He has to admit that it’s pretty hot to watch his muscles bunch under tan, glistening skin, and by the time Jensen straddles the end of the bench and sits down, he’s pretty turned on.
“You’re really sexy,” Jensen breathes, eyes traveling up the lines of Jared’s splayed thighs, the pulled-tight vee at the crotch of his black basketball shorts. Jared counts off his last set under his breath, and Jensen lets his fingers skate up Jared’s inner thighs as he sets the barbell down. “You done?”
Jared nods, chest heaving as he pants, and Jensen smirks as he palms Jared’s cock through his thin shorts. He hisses and Jensen licks his lips as he pulls the waistband down enough to tuck it under Jared’s balls. Jensen’s eyes light up as Jared’s dick swells, and he wraps his hand around the thick line of it.
“Shit, Jensen.” Jared hisses again and Jensen leans down to lick the sweat from the groove of Jared’s hip, to bite down on the hard cut of muscle. It tastes salty and warm, bitter, and Jensen licks his lips before taking the head of Jared’s dick into his mouth. “Oh, fuck me.”
“Rather suck you,” Jensen mumbles around the silky flesh, moaning softly when a burst of precome leaks from the slit. He skips teasing altogether, tonguing at the slit before pulling him down his throat. Jared bucks up and Jensen grips his sweaty hips to hold him down, flicking his gaze upwards to watch Jared’s face. He’s shining with sweat, so glistening and perfect, and Jensen moans as he swallows around Jared’s dick, muscles fluttering as Jensen holds him there. He bobs up and down a few more times and then pulls off completely.
“Mm, you’re already all sweaty and dirty.” Jensen’s voice is all fucked out and raw, and Jared whimpers as Jensen takes his dick in hand and starts to stroke. “What’s a little more mess? I’m gonna make you come all over yourself, all over those pretty muscles.”
“Fuck, you’re evil,” Jared rasps out, and Jensen grins as he tightens his grip. Jared arches up and Jensen strokes a little quicker, spreading his fingers and then closing them again, thumbing at the slit before rubbing insistently at the bundle of nerves underneath.
“Shit, Jen, gonna - “ Jared bites down on a shout as he tenses up and shoots, splattering his own chest and stomach with thick ropes of come. Jensen’s hips twitch at the sight and he slows his strokes, coaxing the last of Jared’s orgasm from his spent cock.
“Mm, almost dirty enough,” Jensen says, and Jared looks up at him with dark eyes as Jensen slides up, straddling Jared’s hips before pulling his own hard cock out of his shorts. He jerks himself off quick and rough, shuddering under the heavy weight of Jared’s lustful stare.
“Gonna come on me, Jen?” Jared says darkly, gripping Jensen’s hips and squeezing. “Come on, hurry. I wanna feel it, all hot and sticky.” Jared scoops a bit of his own come from his chest and sucks his finger into his mouth, moaning around it, and that’s all Jensen really needs. He grits his teeth as his hips jerk and he shoots all over Jared’s chest, thick ropes of it landing on his neck. Jared moans and Jensen slumps backwards, ass landing on the weight bench between Jared’s splayed thighs.
“Fuck, that’s hot,” Jensen murmurs once he gets his breath back. Jared is still panting, chest heaving up and down as sweat and come dry tacky on his sharply defined stomach. Jensen reaches out to touch, to smear their mixed fluids across all that skin, rubbing it in until Jared’s muscles gleam.
“Well now I definitely need a shower.” Jared chuckles and Jensen grins at him, leaning down to press their mouths together. Jared hums appreciatively and nips at Jensen’s lower lip. “Mm, we’ve got the house to ourselves. Let’s go upstairs and we’ll take one together.”
Jensen nods, kissing Jared again before slipping off of him to stand. He fixes his shorts and then Jared does the same, slapping Jensen’s ass before slinging an arm around him to pull their bodies together. His back presses into the sticky mess on Jared’s chest, smearing it even further as they make their way into the house.
Jared keeps his grip tight as they climb the stairs, distracting Jensen with his tongue on the back of his neck. He momentarily forgets what they’re doing, where they are, and twists in Jared’s arms for a kiss. They both go stumbling and land on the stairs, laughing loudly as they slide down a few steps.
“Come on.” Jared gets up and holds out a hand for Jensen to take. “Let’s get into the shower before we end up maiming each other.”
He pulls Jensen up and presses him up against the banister for a sweet little kiss before dragging him the rest of the way to the bathroom.
“Well now I need a nap.”
Jared chuckles as Jensen stumbles out of the shower on shaky post-orgasm legs. The water is nearly cold as Jared turns it off, and he grabs a towel to toss at Jensen’s head.
“Busy day,” Jared replies, smirking happily at the bruise blossoming at the nape of Jensen’s neck. Jared learned pretty early on in their relationship that he really loved seeing his marks on Jensen’s body, whether it be hickeys, bruises in the shape of his fingers, or the tattoo on his hip.
He scrubs at his hair as Jensen steps up to the mirror, leaning in to inspect his face. Jared catches sight of his signature across Jensen’s heart reflected in the mirror. The black ink has nearly faded to nothing and Jared frowns. He looks down at his own to find that it’s been completely washed away.
“My name is almost gone,” Jared says as he steps up next to Jensen at the counter. He raises a brow and looks down at his chest, frowning as he thumbs at the faded ink.
“Huh, that’s sort of sad,” Jensen says, and Jared bites his lip as he reaches out to run his fingertips across the star inked into his hip. “What’s up, babe?”
“I sort of liked it. Seeing my name there,” Jared clarifies. “Having yours on me. Maybe we could, uh, make it permanent?” Jared can feel the blood rushing to his cheeks and he ducks his head a little.
“Where was I when you developed this massive tattoo kink?” Jensen sounds amused, not entirely opposed to the idea. Jared shrugs and grips Jensen’s hips, sliding his thumb across the line of stars.
“I don’t know,” Jared replies, looking up at Jensen’s happy face. “I just like what it means, us having a permanent mark meant for the other.”
“You’re a possessive bastard, that’s what it means.” Jensen smirks fondly as he reaches up to wrap his hand around the back of Jared’s neck. He touches Jared’s tattoo with his other hand and Jared shivers as he gently scrapes his thumbnail across the ink. “Good thing I feel the same way.”
“So you’ll think about it?” Jared’s voice is pitched low, and Jensen’s fingers tighten around the back of his neck. Jensen smiles and slides his fingertip across Jared’s chest, right where the tattoo would go, and then leans in and sinks his teeth into the spot. Jared hisses even as his hips twitch, and looks down as Jensen licks across the sting. He pulls away to reveal the indent of Jensen’s perfect teeth in his flesh.
“No need to think about it,” Jensen says against Jared’s jaw before pressing a soft kiss there. “I like it. We can do it for your birthday. A new set of ink exactly one year after the first.”
“I love you.” Jared grins and Jensen smiles up at him, tangling his fingers in his wet hair. “Like, a whole lot.”
“Love you more,” Jensen replies, kissing Jared’s chin before rolling out of his arms. He pats his chest before heading out into the hallway. “But I wasn’t kidding about that nap. You coming?”
“Again?” Jared winks and Jensen rolls his eyes fondly. “I’m fucking starving, Jen. Let me hit the kitchen and then I’ll nap. You want anything?”
“Water,” Jensen says through a yawn, and Jared smiles warmly as Jensen heads down the hallway. Jared runs downstairs in just his towel, slipping into a pair of boxers in the laundry room before raiding the fridge. He wolfs down a slice of cold pizza and grabs two water bottles before heading back upstairs.
When he enters his bedroom, Jensen is sprawled across his bed in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs, wet hair dripping onto the sheets. He’s already asleep, plush mouth relaxed and eyelashes fanned across his cheeks. Jared takes a moment to admire him, to marvel over how lucky he is, before setting the bottles down and crawling into bed.
He rolls Jensen onto his side, wrapping his arms around him and pressing his forehead to the back of Jensen’s neck. He lets out a soft, happy sound and it’s not long before he’s asleep as well, dragged under by Jensen’s calmness and the syrupy summer heat.
[onto part two.]