Smoke & Lightning: Born To Be Wild (14/?)
MASTER POST
Title: Smoke And Lightning: Born To Be Wild (14/?)
Authors: bloody_adorable and eviltwin
Fandoms: Supernatural RPS
Pairing: Jensen Ackles / Jared Padalecki
Rating: Adult.
Wordcount: 2,844
Summary: AU. They're born to be wild. At least, Jared is. Jensen's learning, though, and this road-trip that they're on will teach him plenty of lessons. It's a good thing, too, because he'll need what he's learnt when they return and venture onto an altogether more serious step in their relationship. Trust is a major aspect for the both of them and Jensen's will be tested to breaking point as the boys learn how they'll cope together on the road...and off it.
Disclaimer: None of the following is true in any way, and no profit is made from this work of fiction.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The baby was so small.
Jeffrey had never seen a human being quite that small before. When he held her, he was afraid he was going to squish her, break her. Stevie, who was now more herself than she was during the delivery, would smile at him and tell him that she came from good stock. Their daughter was tough.
"Thank the friggin' Lord she looks like you," Jeffrey told her, sitting in the hospital bed with his wife.
"Hey, now," Stevie had warned. "I think you're pretty darn handsome."
Holding the baby in his arms, Jeffrey peered at her. "Yeah, I've always thought you were a little wacky for that one."
She laughed at him, smacking his shoulder playfully. "And you know you're going to have to be careful with that language."
Jeffrey turned to look her directly in the eyes. "You do know Jared is my son," he returned. "There ain't no gettin' away from it."
Stevie frowned slightly. "Hm, true," she said. "Oh, well. As long as her first word isn't 'fuck'."
"Fuck." As if on cue, Jared swore, hitting his hand on the door casing as he walked into the room. He tried to shake off the momentary pain, bringing his bruised fingers up to his mouth.
Stevie and Jeffrey only looked at each other for a moment before they turned their attention to the two men entering the room. "Hey, guys."
"Yo," Jared greeted.
"Hey," Jensen smiled.
"Where's Chris?" Jeffrey asked.
Jared threw a thumb back towards the door. "He had to head home," he said. "He called Dani and she threw a fit because he was here without her. He went back to get her. Said he'd be in later."
Jared and Jensen both gave Stevie a quick kiss, then crowded around the tiny baby in Jeffrey's arms. Jared reached out and took her ridiculously small hand between his forefinger and thumb. "Hey, kiddo," he said softly. He looked at Jeffrey. "Come on," he said. "Let me hold her."
"Hell no," Jeffrey refused, pulling Holly away from him. "You just bounced yourself off the doorway, and you want me to hand you my newborn daughter?"
"That was Jen's fault."
"Hey," Jensen scowled.
"Forget it," Jeffrey smiled. "When you're older."
"Ugh," Jared complained, rolling his eyes. "Fine."
Instead of handing the baby over to Jared, Jeffrey turned and gave Holly to her mother.
"How come she gets to hold her?" Jared whined.
Standing from the bed, Jeffrey stared at him for a moment. "I'm not even going to acknowledge that question," he said. "Come on, I'll walk you guys out."
"We weren't leaving."
"Yes, you were."
Grumbling slightly, Jared followed Jeffrey out of the room. Jensen said a quick goodbye to Stevie, and then caught up with the two men.
"Listen," Jeffrey began as they walked through the corridors. "I want you guys to do something for me."
"What's that, Daddy-o?" Jared grinned.
"Stay at the house tonight? Stevie's going to be staying the night here with the baby since Holly was born a little early. She's fine, but the doctor she has is really a worrywart." He stopped walking, turning to his adoptive son. "I want you guys to stay at the house to let Shelby out for me. Feed her, play with her. That kind of thing. We'll be back tomorrow."
Jared nodded. "Sure," he agreed. "We'll let her out in the morning, and then Jen and I have something to do after that."
Jensen looked up, glancing from Jeffrey to Jared. "We do?"
"Yep."
"That's fine," Jeffrey nodded. "If anything changes, I'll call and let you know."
They parted, Jeffrey going back to the hospital room, and Jared and Jensen taking their leave. Before they got very far, Jared stopped. He turned and called out to his father. "Hey, Jeff?"
Jeffrey faced him. "Yeah?"
"Congratulations."
Jeffrey smiled and nodded his head. "Thanks, kiddo." He pointed at Jared, a father's warning in his eyes. "Touch anything in the garage, and you're dead."
"As if you could take me, old man."
* * *
Inside the front door, Jared threw his keys down on the landing station, quickly followed by the mail that had been in the box outside. "Bills, bills, bills," he complained. "When will they learn that they're never getting a cent from us?"
Jensen didn't bother to point out that they were Jeff's bills. He was too busy concentrating on the form of Jared's body as the man flopped down on the sofa.
Shelby bounded into the room, happy to see her "big brothers," and begged Jared for some attention. It wasn't time for her to go out, so Jared threw a ball through the house for her for a few minutes. When she found that he wasn't going to play with her anymore, she went and got a chew toy.
Jensen sat down next to Jared, imitating his posture, rested his head on the back of the sofa and turned to look at him. "Thank you."
Chuckling softly at the dog, Jared turned and looked at Jensen, distracted. "What?"
"Thank you," he repeated.
Jared's brow furrowed for a moment as he studied the young man. "For what?"
"For everything," he said. "For what happened with Chris."
Jared laughed gently, setting a hand on Jensen's knee and squeezing carefully. "It was fun," he nodded.
"It was hot."
"That too," he agreed.
"We have some time to kill before we order something to eat," Jensen noted.
"Yeah?"
"Last one to the bedroom gets bottoms."
Jensen jumped up from the sofa and sprinted past Jared. Or, so he thought. He wasn't quite fast enough. Jared grabbed hold of Jensen's belt and hauled him backwards, shoving him back and letting him fall to the sofa again. He reached the bedroom first, halted in the door way and turned to face Jensen.
"Always bringin' up the rear," he teased.
Jensen laughed and shoved at Jared's shoulder. "And you're always cheating."
Jared quickly regained his footing from the push and grabbed hold of Jensen, looping his fingers through the young man's belt. He pulled Jensen closer, their bodies flush with one another's. He still couldn't get enough of the feel of the young man's body against his. "I'll make it up to you," he grinned, flashing his dimpled smile at Jensen.
"Yeah, yeah," he returned. "Get in there."
* * *
"Mister Ackles."
He looked around the lecture hall. It was bright in the room -- too bright. The lights hurt his eyes and it took a moment or two for his eyes to adjust.
"Mister Ackles," the voice said again.
He turned and looked at the woman standing before him. She must've been the professor, but he didn't recall seeing her before. She had a beaded necklace around her neck, and from it hung her school identification. "Yes," he said to her.
"Do you think this is humorous?"
He tried to think, but his mind seemed fuzzy. He didn't remember laughing, though. "Do I think what is humorous?"
"Just look at yourself," she snarled. "This is scandalous!"
Jensen could hear the snickers of his college mates around him. He glanced at a few of them, the lighting in the room still hurting his eyes. He knew without looking that his eyes were red and teary. He didn't understand why they were laughing, gesturing rude things at him.
Something made him look down. He wondered what on earth he was wearing that could make them snicker and point so meanly. Was it some ridiculous clown suit? Did he somehow mistake his dress pants and pressed shirt for scuba gear or a matador's suit?
None of his ideas were true. He was wearing nothing at all.
Fear coursed through Jensen's system, making his heart leap and sweat suddenly break out upon his brow. His eyes followed his bare chest, down to his clearly naked nether regions. He quickly threw his hands up over his crotch and tried to swallow against a throat that had completely closed up.
The lecture hall was gone, and he was in one of his old classrooms in high school, sitting in a front row desk.
The professor raised her arm. "Scandalous!" she screeched again. She brought her arm down and slapped a pointer stick across his desk. It snapped in half, scaring him again, and making him jump.
Waking up from the nightmare, Jensen gasped and sat up in bed. The sun was out, pouring through the curtains and half-drawn shades in the windows. The light was jarring at first, washing everything out and making Jensen cover his eyes with his hand. He looked around, finding himself in Jeffrey and Stevie's bedroom. Jared was sound asleep beside him, turned onto his stomach and clutching at his pillow. Shelby was draped across the foot of the bed, her head resting on Jared's calf. She was snoring just as much as Jared, not at all disturbed by Jensen's freakish nightmare.
Of all the things to have a nightmare about, he grumbled inwardly. He was nervous about going back to school for some reason. Maybe worried about being an outsider once again.
Scrubbing at his face for a moment, Jensen got up from bed and left Jared and Shelby sleeping soundly, heading to the bathroom for a quick shower. The hot water was amazingly therapeutic, and when he was done, he poked Jared awake.
"Jay," he said. "Come on, you said we had something to do today."
"What time is it?"
"It's almost nine."
"Jesus Christ," he complained. "Why the hell are you waking me up so early?"
Jensen chuckled, not at all offended. "Come on," he encouraged. "Up. I'll make breakfast and let Shel out while you shower."
Jared grinned. "What are you trying to say?"
"I'm not trying to say anything. You stink. Go take a shower."
Sitting up, Jared swung his legs over the side of the bed. "You say such sweet things to me."
Jensen laughed again and shook his head. "Come on, Shelby," he said, patting the mutt's head. "Time to go out."
By the time Shelby was back in the house and fed, Jared was at least in the shower. Jensen could hear it running from the kitchen. He started coffee and, while that brewed, he made scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. It wasn't gourmet, but it would get them started.
Jared arrived just in time, finding Jensen in the kitchen dishing out the meal. He was barefoot and carrying a pair of socks as he neared the bar where the food was set. He snagged a buttered toast from one of the plates and took a bite. Shelby asked for her share of the toast and sat nearby while the boys ate, just in case they couldn't possibly finish what they had on their plates.
Jensen gave Shelby the last two bites of his bacon and then set both his and Jared's plates in the sink. "Where are we going?"
Putting on his white socks, Jared smiled. "Man, you can't wait to find out what's going on," he noted.
"You always have so many secrets," Jensen told him. "I want in."
Jared wanted to make a really raunchy joke out of that, but instead just smiled devilishly. "Alright," he agreed. "Go get your stuff. We'll head out now."
* * *
"Are you serious?"
Jared looked at him, smiling. "What?" he asked. "You can't expect much for our budget. Not to mention it is between a food joint and a sex shop."
"Yeah, just what we want to expose your sister to," he frowned. "Cocks and roaches."
"Ha, ha," Jared returned. "Drama queen." He moved to the center of the large living room. "Come on. This'll be great. And it'll be ours."
"How are we paying the rent?" Jensen looked around the place, looking like he wasn't sure he really wanted to touch anything.
"I told you," he said, letting his arms fall. "I have a job."
"Oh, yeah, the bar."
"Hey, I bring home a shitload of tips, and you know it."
Jensen nodded. "Just make sure that's all you bring home."
Jared's happy demeanor diminished. "Jen," he said sternly. "That's low."
Jensen frowned again, remorse tugging at his heart. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean that. I just... I was expecting something... I don't know. More?"
"It's just you and me," Jared reminded him. "It ain't the Ritz, no, but it's you and me. Come on, try to be a little happy?"
Jensen's shoulders slumped as he stepped closer, feet shuffling on the old hardwood floors. "I'm happy," he assured him. "I am. I'm just over-thinking things. It'll be great, I know."
"Do you want to do this?"
"Yes," he nodded. "I swear I do. I really, really, really do."
"Okay."
"I'm just..."
"Being a drama queen?"
He smiled and scrunched up his nose as he nodded. "A little," he agreed. "It'll be great though. We'll make it our own."
"Bet your pretty ass we will."
* * *
Donna was torn. She was happy that Jensen was going to be on his own again, but her mothering instinct was still in high gear. She didn't want either him or Jared to go. She knew they had to, though.
Kenzie frumped the whole day that Jared and Jensen packed up their stuff. She refused to help, telling Jensen that he was a big jerk and she hated him.
"Kenz..." he called out to her. But she walked away, slamming her bedroom door behind her.
Jensen felt a reassuring hand upon his shoulder, squeezing gently. "Let her be mad," Jared told him. "She'll be alright."
Sighing, Jensen turned away from Kenzie's room, returning to the packing that he'd started. They didn't have many things there, really, and it took only a couple of trips with Chris's truck to get them moved in. Instead of a sofa, Jared had set out two beanbag chairs. Rock had found an old TV in his garage, and Jared set it up on old, empty milk crates.
Donna stocked the refrigerator and cupboards with what she called "guy food." It consisted of frozen waffles, bagels, cereal, Ramen noodles, hamburger helper, and a bunch of other things. Jared thanked her and gave her a noisy kiss on the cheek. Jensen was a little more toned-down, giving his Mom a strong hug.
Kenzie stood near the doorway, having helped her mother with the groceries. She eyed Jensen sadly, her head low. Jensen didn't say anything to her, but he met her eyes, frowning again.
She shrugged. "So, it's a cool place," she finally mumbled.
He smiled and neared her, draping one tattooed arm over her shoulders. "Are you more upset about losing me, or Jay?"
"You, you big doofus," she said, poking him hard in the ribs.
"Aw, come on, Kenzie," Chris grinned, leaning into her. "You know Jared stole your heart the second you saw him."
"And she can't have it back," Jared said, winking at her. "She's all mine."
"Alright," Donna interrupted. "Say goodbye, Kenzie. We still have to get home and make dinner."
"Goodbye, Kenzie," she said, shoving at her big brother once again. "Doofus."
"Creep," Jensen grinned. He gave her a hug, then his mother, and watched as Jared hauled Kenzie up in a fireman's carry. "Put her down, you big freak."
"You know it," he chuckled, leaning into Jensen for a kiss.
The momentary bedlam died down some and Kenzie was set back down upon her feet. She and Donna left, and Chris, Jared and Jensen broke out one beer each from the refrigerator.
"Where'd these come from?" Jensen asked, twisting off the cap of his own drink.
"Courtesy of your friendly neighbourhood beer man," Chris said, taking a bow.
"Well, thank you muchly," Jensen nodded. They drank in silence for a while, standing in the middle of the living room and gazing over the mess of boxes, bags, loose clothing, and empty space. "This is weird."
Jared chuckled. "It is," he agreed. "But we can do this."
"We don't have a couch," Jensen noted.
"To tell you the truth," Chris interjected. "I'm kind of jealous."
"You're jealous that we don't have a couch?"
"No," he laughed. "I'm jealous that you're doing this."
"You already live in an apartment."
"Yeah, but not with the girl I love."
Jared grinned and wrapped one arm around Jensen, pulling him closer. "Thankfully, I have my girl with me."
"Shut up," Jensen returned, wriggling out of Jared's hold. He took a deep breath and looked around the place. "I'm starting to like it."
Jared grinned. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," he nodded.
"Want to make out on our non-existant couch?"
Chris raised his hands up in the air. "I'm out of here," he smiled. "See you guys later." He let himself out, setting his half-drank beer bottle in the kitchen sink before he closed the door quietly behind him.
Jared looked at Jensen and wriggled his eyebrows. "Bean bag sex?"
Jensen chuckled. "Bean bag sex."
--TBC--
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