HOUSE OF BROKEN SOULS. Part 8
Warnings: This Chapter: Sexually explicit content, violence. Overall: Slash, sexually explicit content, graphic violence
The fiction includes a mental illness storyline. I am not qualified in mental health, everything I know about it is googled. It's fantasy folks, please don't shoot me though helpful criticism is always welcomed.
*Not real. The folks aren't mine. No damage intended.
Bad FeelingsSaturday Evening
As the afternoon air started to chill Jared and Caitlin sat with their backs to a tree that was dropping burnished red leaves. Harley and Sadie panted at their feet. The dogs had played for several hours.
Caitlin was looking into the distance, to the buildings at the edge of the park. “Jared” she said pointing at the squat 1950’s office block, surrounded by hoarding, “That’s one of your projects isn’t it?”
Jared turned to look thoughtfully at her “Yeah. How did you know?”
“It was one of the proposals you gave me to check. I like it. What you’re doing I mean. I know lots would say you should renovate it in its original style, but I like that you’re keeping the redeemable features and replacing the crumbling areas with something new and a bit quirky. It’s going to have loads of character.”
“You understood all that stuff?”
“What’s not to understand? Why else give it me to check?”
“Yeah” Jared laughed “I’m glad you like it. It can be a great building. I want it to be friendly to work in y’know.”
Caitlin nodded, gazing intently at Jared and he thought that maybe she did know.
“Oh hell, I forgot.” Caitlin jumped to her feet and tugged at Jared’s hand. “I told JD I’d help out with the snacks for his party. We gotta go.”
The tall man’s eyes widened with disbelief as he rose to his feet to join her.
“Close your mouth Jay. It’s unbecoming.” Caitlin teased.
“You talk to JD?”
“Well he goes to work every day, at the same time and I’m in the lobby. After 3 weeks of him saying good morning I guess I felt a little rude ignoring him.”
“You’ve been talking to him all this time and you never thought to mention it?”
“I just.. Oh I don’t know. It’s not much. We say something about the weather or the news. Just lately he said a little about his ex wife. I think he’s lonely. He told me about his party and it’s just us, you know. All the people I know in this building. I really want to try Jay, try to get better.”
She nudged him with her elbow “Pleased with me?” she asked smugly. “I can stay in the kitchen if I like. JD said he’d understand if I did that.”
“Does he know about you?” Jared asked softly.
“He knows I’m batshit crazy. I told him I have Multiple Personality Disorder. I think he went away and looked it up on the internet. He hasn’t run away from me.” She grinned giving a little shrug.
Jared gave a lopsided smile from under his bangs. They both knew she hadn’t answered the question he was really asking. They walked the dogs back home in silence with the tall man trying to work out just what he was going to say to his newest tenant, to Jensen. He had no real idea what it was Jensen thought he had done but he was fairly sure it had to do with the unfortunate ending to their encounter in Harvelle’s. It was going to be a very awkward conversation.
***
Jensen spent time cleaning, worked a few chapters on the book he was editing, then took out his frustrations on his physio exercises until pain made his eyes water. The pain let him know he had survived, reminded and punished him for his mistakes.
He rang his mother to make the appropriate noises at her news and sympathise over the hard social decisions she had to make. He snorted with laughter as she described her encounter with the stuck-up new vicar and his bigoted views. “Jensen love, his face when I told him I was hoping my son and his boyfriend would get married in his church....I’m going to make strong remonstrations with his superiors. I’ve told him, from now on I am going to sing and dance in the Baptist Church over on Hyacinth Way whilst his stuffed shirt congregation listen to his depressing sermons..... You are at least looking at other men aren’t you Jen? You have to get back on the horse sometime you know.”
Jensen practically choked at the riding reference his mother had made, especially since a face had come unbidden into his mind and he had felt a familiar heat in his groin as she said it. Bloody Jared! How could he even think fleetingly about the guy in such a way, knowing what he was?
“Mum. You know, on that subject I’ve an invite to a party tonight. I really have to get changed and go get a bottle of wine or something. Yeah. Love you too.”
Jensen, showered, picked out a pair of well fitted casual black jeans and teamed it with a soft green jersey button-down that complimented his eyes. He put on boots, grabbed his stick and set out for the local shop to choose a good wine and some chocolate for JD. At least one neighbor seemed normal and he had yet to meet the people in Apartments 1 and 5.
Jensen had already gone out when Jared called at his door and the ‘awkward’ conversation was postponed once more.
Jared called at Apartment 2 one more time before making his way up to the 3rd floor but there was no reply and no lights were visible. Jensen hadn’t returned from wherever it was he had gone.
Jared’s stomach knotted uncomfortably remembering how badly he had behaved to the man, leading him on, then just dropping him and running out like he had. At the time Jensen had been a random stranger to him, Jared hadn’t even known his name. How the hell could he have known that the green-eyed, freckle-featured man was Jensen Ackles, latest resident at Madison House Mansions?
**
Jared knocked at JD’s door then let himself in. Jo and Ellen were already in the divorcee’s living room. There were some beers open on the coffee table and the two ladies were giggling over JD’s computer. They motioned ‘Ssshh’ at Jared and waved him into the kitchen. “Go distract the free man while we set this up Jay.” Jo hissed
. The tall man raised an eyebrow “I don’t want to know do I?”
“No. Now go be a good distraction.” Ellen stage-whispered.
“Jay-man! Thank God you’re here. I’m out-numbered and I think I just agreed to something I am going to regret.” JD rolled his eyes and pointed in the direction of the Harvelles. “They got me a present” he said uncomfortably.
“Oh hey, show me dude.” Jared said enthusiastically.
“It’s a membership.” JD looked away and fiddled with his cuff-link.
Caitlin chuckled revealing her hidden position, at the work surface, behind the kitchen door. “It’s for an internet dating agency.” Her face shone with amusement and Jared smiled back. “Ooh. Those little pastries look amazing.” He stuck out his hand and snatched one from the plate. Jared wiped the crumbs from the side of his mouth as he chewed. “Taste good too. Oh man. I think we should discipline those girls. We should ban ‘em from eating the food. More for us.”
JD gave Jared a friendly slap on his back. “You can tell ‘em Jay. They scare me.”
Caitlin looked over to the two men “I’m OK here. You two go get a beer.”
The two men settled onto the couch, letting Ellen and Jo complete the dirty deed on the divorcee’s computer. “They’re probably describing me as a midget clown with buck-teeth.” JD commented, then looked at Jared and frowned a little.” So is this the moment when you warn me off your girl in there?” JD indicated toward the kitchen.
“Do I need to? I mean, do you have any ungentlemanly intentions?”
“No. She’s just easy. You know. To talk to. There’s no complicated rush of chatter back from her. Weather and how the building is holding up. It’s good to me. I thought my ears would never recover from that wife of mine!”
“Wow, just wow.” Jared breathed out. “I’ve never heard Caitie described as easy to talk to.” He fidgeted a little knowing that he was obliged to broach the next subject. “So what’s Caitlin told you about herself.”
“She’s told me that you rescued her from the nut-house. You’re her knight in shining armor, except, you know, a very gay one.” JD grinned, “She doesn’t remember anything before this year. She suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder which her doctor thinks is probably due to a traumatic stress event sometime before April combined with childhood issues. How am I doing so far?”
Jared nodded grimly, “Anything else?”
JD continued “Oh and she was working as a prostitute when she was arrested for stabbing her pimp. He was badly injured. She attacked a cop during her arrest, giving him a wound that required stitches. She was examined by the police shrink, declared mentally unfit for questioning and committed to Glenview for psych assessment, which is where you found her. ”
“Didn’t really stab him, her pimp” the tall man fixed hazel eyes on the ex-marine. “It was more carved really.”
JD blinked but didn’t seem overly disturbed by the news. “Figures. The guilt when she told me about it. It seemed to overwhelm her.”
“What did you say?” Jared asked
“I said that I’m an ex marine and if any one of her tried to stab me I’d kick their ass. She seemed to like that answer so we left it there.”
The harsh noise of the door buzzer interrupted their conversation and JD excused himself to answer it. Jo and Ellen looked up from the screen they had been focused on and Jo clapped her hands excitedly. “Oh. JD said the new guy is hot.”
Jared glanced at Jo, realising that the blonde didn’t know she had already met Jensen. He wondered what sort of conversation had taken place between Jensen and Jo after he had run out on them at Harvelle’s. It clearly hadn’t included introducing themselves to each other.
The older man showed Jensen into the spacious living room with a sweep of his arm. He spoke affably “This is Jensen Ackles. Meet the gang Jensen.”
JD was at a loss to understand the sudden deep silence that enveloped his guests. Jensen flicked his eyes up first at Ellen and Jo, then to Jared. The light seemed to dim and the atmosphere became thick and somehow colder. Jensen, Jo and Jared broke the silence at once, Jensen in a broken squeak “You have to be kidding me.” Jared apologetically “Jensen, um I think we got off to a bad start.” Jo’s voice was the most strident and cut across all other conversation “You invited that dick?”
Jensen shoved the wine and chocolates at JD and walked back down the hall to the main door. “M’Sorry. My mistake” he mumbled as he left.
JD and Jared hardly noticed Jensen leave. Both leapt to Jo’s side. “Jo. What did he do to you?” JD was concerned, remembering the gun that Jensen had been clutching when he first met him.
“Jo, What was it?” Jared asked, reaching out to gently squeeze her shoulder.
Ellen answered for her daughter “Jay, it’s more about what he did to you.”
“Why? What did he do to me?” Jared’s forehead wrinkled and eyebrows knitted in confusion.
“We couldn’t help but notice how upset you were sweetie” Ellen spoke sympathetically. “You left so suddenly.”
“and he had the bloody cheek to call Harvelle’s a whorehouse. Where does the guy get his nerve” interjected Jo speaking angrily.
Jared groaned and sat heavily on the sofa “No. No. No. You don’t get it. Oh God! He’s a nice guy. It was me. It was....Caitlin ..there was.. .” He huffed, put his head in his hands and tried to concentrate on breathing.
“Jay you’re making no sense.” Ellen said firmly, sitting herself down beside her big friend.
“Jensen’s done nothing wrong. It was me. It was a situation.” He lowered his voice knowing that Caitlin was still in the kitchen, “A situation with Caitie. I handled it badly. It’s all got so very, so terribly out of control” Jared was gesturing the hopelessness with big movements of his arms in a heavenwards motion. “I have to go find him, explain it all.”
“Jay, I don’t even want to consider what sort of situation creates the reaction we got from Ackles. I guess this means we ought to unban him and apologize with free coffee for a lifetime” Ellen groaned, glaring pointedly at Jo.
Jared got to his feet. “I have to go talk to him, now, before this gets any worse.”
JD put his arm out into Jared’s chest gently halting him. “Whoa. Jay before you go rushing in there I want you to be careful. It’s probably nothing but you should know that when I called on Jensen the other day he had a gun. I’m pretty sure it was loaded, it was certainly real and he answered the door carrying it.”
This new information elicited a screech from Jo “What is it with you Jay? Have you reserved the second floor exclusively for freaks?”
The friends all heard the soft gasp from the kitchen. Caitlin turned and ran swiftly out of the door that Jensen had left open.
Jared took a few moments to react, then made after her, careful not to run too fast, he didn’t want her to feel she was being threatened or chased. He was surprised to see JD accompanying him down the stairs.
“Jay, let me see to Caitie. I know what she needs to hear. I have no idea what needs fixed between you and Jensen so you go do that. I can do this Jared.” JD’s voice was reassuring and in control.
Jared came to a decision quickly, reached into his pocket and gave his friend a set of keys. If you need it, only if you need it, there’s a locked medicine cabinet outside the safe-room, you’ll know it when you see it. There’s two loaded syringes. Just need the one, it’s a sedative.”
They reached the first floor together and headed for an apartment each.
Jared buzzed Jensen’s door, then banged heavily with his fist. “Mr. Ackles. We really need to talk.”
He rested his head against the cool smoothness of the painted door and listened. He heard no sounds of movement and there was no light but he spoke anyway, hoping for a response.
“Jensen. Please speak to me. I know how it looked the other day. I’m sorry I acted like an idiot. I’m sorry about letting Jo and Ellen think you were in the wrong. They’re sorry about what they said. I know how it looks at the moment but it isn’t like that. Mr Ackles, please open the door.”
There was no reply, no indication that Jensen was home. Jared gave up and strode to the end of the corridor to call the elevator. It came upwards from the lobby. “Shit. Shit. Shit.” Jared rode to the ground floor and ran out to the lobby steps. He squinted out at the dimly lit street but couldn’t see Jensen. All he could do was await his tenant’s return and hope for a chance to explain himself.
****
Jensen took a booth in the darkest recess of the bar. He asked for a shot glass and gave the waitress an icy glare when she questioned the wisdom of his order for a full bottle of Jack. The barman looked in his direction with raised eyebrows but nothing more was said.
He was on his third glass when the tall man with the shaggy brown hair casually propped his hip against the bar and surveyed the room for business, licking his lips to a shine, running his fingers provocatively up his thigh before dipping into his pocket to pay for his beer.
Jensen continued his assault on the bottle of Jack whilst watching the man through half lidded eyes that were becoming progressively more glazed. He thought shaggy-haired man had a sexy-cute smile. Not a light-up the room with sunshine sort of smile that Jared had but nice all the same. He wasn’t as well built as Jared but he was tall and athletic and his mouth was wide and shiny and Jensen could imagine it parted and wet around his cock.
A beer bottle slammed onto the table by the ex-detective’s glass. “You enjoy the view? Shaggy haired man licked his lips and leaned in toward Jensen “If you wanted more than the view you can take me out back. It’s been said that I am very, very good at making a man forget his troubles.” He breathed, hot, thick and dirty on Jensen’s ear.
“Take you in what way?” breathed Jensen.
“Any way you want sweetheart. You name your kink, I name my price.”
“I don’t pay.” mumbled Jensen. Shaggy haired guy squatted slightly beside the green eyed man, ran a large hand delicately up Jensen’s thigh and settled his palm against the stretched denim that covered Jensen’s rapidly swelling member. Smouldering brown eyes fixed on that freckled face. “Darlin’ You drink your money away trying to forget the bastard but you know, it’s gonna feel a whole lot worse in the morning than spending your money on me. I’m quite mind-blowingly awesome you know”
“Is it just minds that you blow?” smiled Jensen, warming to the man-whore a little. “Sit.” Jensen motioned to the empty seat opposite him and shaggy-haired guy sat, rubbing a warm leg against Jensen’s firm calves.
Brown eyes fixed on him as the guy lifted the beer bottle to his lips and extended his tongue to swipe it slowly around the rim before sucking the beer down through a rounded mouth. He let a slight trickle of golden liquid spill over his lips and down his chin. Jensen groaned, imagining the shining droplet on Jared’s neck, running down toward Jared’s firm chest. Pulling the whore’s hand down to rest the bottle on the table Jensen leaned in and licked the droplet gently from his chin.
“Why do you do this to yourself?” whispered Jensen.
“Nights like this, trade like you, because I enjoy it. Other times because I need the money, because it’s what I’m good at. It’s not forever. I’m saving for school, I'm going to be a writer.” Shaggy haired guy shrugged “It’s not you taking advantage of me. No-one takes advantage of me. I want this as much as I think you want this.”
"What do you write?" Jensen tried to be conversational.
"I write, very, good....porn." his voice was thick with sin.
The hand was back on Jensen’s bulging groin, a thumb lightly sweeping back and forth over the stretched material. Jensen felt his resolve shattering “You should probably take me somewhere now..I’m mmm good for it. Oh God. ” Jensen’s voice was cracked.
The motel room was cheap but clean. Jensen sat on the edge of the bed, back arched, hands fisting through the thick brunette locks, pulling the wet, kiss-plump lips down onto his swollen shaft. “Mm God, oh yeah, there.” As shaggy haired guy swallowed him down, slick tongue teasing him, Jensen let himself relax into the rhythm, picturing Jared’s hazel eyes, Jared’s silky long bangs, Jared’s dimples. He came, eyes closed, spilling down the warm, willing throat with Jared’s name on his lips.
The man-whore slowly released his shaft with a soft plop and kissed the tip. He cleaned Jensen with small feathery light licks, sighing slightly. Jensen opened his eyes to deep brown eyes that most definitely did not belong to Jared. Jensen reached his hand behind the man’s neck, curling his fingers into the mussed hair and pulling the whore’s lips up to his own in a messy salty kiss.
As he pulled away sated and drowsy, Jensen spoke quietly “I’m sorry that was rude. You’re worth ten of him you know. Worth more than this.”
“It’s OK. I get called all sorts. Occupational hazard. I never object to a tip though” grinned shaggy haired guy. “You want a shower?”
"I want you to read to me again."
"Mm, now that's a kink I can do. You like my porn?"
Jensen smiled languidly up at him. Now he looked properly, he was more of a boy than a man. Old enough though. "It sells for more if you call it erotic literature and so you know, English is definitely the right major for you." He settled back to listen.
Jensen fucked him a few pages later. It wasn't loving but it wasn't unkind either. It was hot, wet, fast and effective and when he came he bit down on his tongue and didn't call any name. He brought the whore off too, jacking him hard and fast through his own orgasm.
He didn't let himself lie back, drowsy and fulfilled. He forced his eyes open and rose from the bed.
“I’ll just get washed up. Do you, should you erm keep the room?” Jensen was awkward now, unsure of what came next in this unfamiliar situation.
“Man you’re such a virgin. This really is the first time you ever paid isn't it?” It was said with kind amusement and Jensen was grateful for that. “It’ll be nice to keep the room. Thanks. You should probably get a cab, I can call one for you.”
As the taxi pulled up Jensen looked hesitantly at the man he had paid to be with. “I don’t even know your name. I’m Jensen.”
“I thought you’d never ask.” The brunette grinned and palmed a card into the ex-detective’s hand. “I’m Mark. Call me.”
Continued in part 9 here: anniespinkhouse.livejournal.com/3730.html