Smoke & Lightning: Born To Be Wild (24/?)
MASTER POST
Title: Smoke And Lightning: Born To Be Wild (24/?)
Authors: bloody_adorable and eviltwin
Fandoms: Supernatural RPS
Pairing: Jensen Ackles / Jared Padalecki.
Rating: Adult.
Wordcount: 4,380
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 TWENTY-FOUR
Jared smiled, reclining back against the bed, no pillows behind his head. He felt Jensen's fingers curl around his wrists. His arms were gently forced up over his head, pressed against the mattress, fingers interlocking with Jensen's. They didn't speak, not with words. Instead, they relied on their actions, their bodies. Jared watched Jensen lean down, kissing him softly, gently. Rain pounding on the windows outside, the ferocity of the storm was a clear contrast to how gentle they were being with each other. Jared carefully, slowly slid his tongue against Jensen's, their kiss sounding wet, easy, comfortable. Backing away, Jensen moved to press tender kisses to Jared's injured arm, the healing skin feeling rough underneath his soft lips. Jared's eyes closed as he concentrated on the feel of Jensen, the smell of him, as he made love to him. He kept his eyes closed through kisses to his ears, neck and chest. Jensen's fingers grazed across his skin, lightly, playfully. Usually, Jared would have stopped him, almost scolding him for teasing. He would have reached up and threaded his fingers through Jensen's hair to pull him into a rough, brutal kiss, rolling on top of him. This night, however, the storm was the only fierce thing there. Lightning flashed and rain sluiced down the bedroom windows, thunder crashing and rumbling overhead. This night, Jensen had asked him to let him do what he wanted.
"What do you want?" Jared had asked with a smile.
"I want you," Jensen had answered. "I want to push you back and kiss you. I want to kiss every inch of you."
"I like the sound of all that."
"I want to make love to you."
Jared had nodded at him. "Okay."
"I mean it, Jay," Jensen had told him, almost sternly. "I don't just want to have sex. I want it to be slow and easy. I want you to make love to me. I want it to take all night."
"You got the stamina for that?" He teased, but in reality, Jared had been excited by Jensen's words. It wasn't often that the young man spoke like that. Hell, it had taken what seemed like forever to get him to even come close to speaking those words. He had grown exponentially.
Now, Jensen climbed down his body, pausing every few seconds to plan kisses on Jared's soft skin, lined with muscles and ink. Jared smiled, eyes closed as he kept his hands above his head. His grin quickly faded when he felt the heat of Jensen's mouth close around him, now moving torturously slow. His tongue, soft as velvet, wet Jared's skin, coaxed him deep into his mouth where he sucked at his cock just enough to make Jared groan in pleasure.
Jared raised his head and looked down at him. Jensen was going to make sure this lasted all night. And he had to say, he didn't mind at all.
* * *
The rain had outlasted them. It still came down, pelting the window with fierce determination. The thunder and lightning had gone for now, but new rumbles and fresh crackles of lightning were brewing in the distance.
The sweat on their skin was just starting to fade, to dry. Their breathing was finally back to normal as they lay in bed, covered with only a sheet. Jensen comfortably lay propped up against Jared's chest, facing away from him. The room was dark, and with all the energy they'd expended, he should have been tired. But he was worried.
"Jay?"
Almost asleep, Jared took a deep breath and opened his eyes. "Yeah."
"Are you scared?"
He rubbed at his eyes, trying to wake up enough to have a conversation. Jensen had drained every ounce of his energy, but he didn't regret it in the least. "About what?"
Jensen shrugged, trying to make it out that he wasn't obsessing, worrying. "About the trial?"
Jared cleared his throat and coughed loudly. "No," he finally answered. "Why would I be?"
"I don't know," he returned. "Coulter's pretty intimidating. And he did threaten your family and friends."
"Yeah, he did," he nodded. "But we're all okay."
He turned to him just slightly, speaking over his shoulder that was nestled against Jared's chest. "You don't think any of his crew will come after us for revenge?"
With his arm around Jensen, Jared shrugged as best he could. "If they do, we'll deal with it," he said. "But I honestly don't think we're worth the trouble."
"They thought Chris was."
"I know." He wiggled his arm out from underneath Jensen and propped himself up on one elbow. "Word is, the clan's already left town. If Coulter goes to jail, someone will come to get him when his time's up, and they'll go back to running guns in some other state. Far away from us."
Jensen looked up at him, worry lining his greenish eyes. "What if he doesn't go to jail?"
Jared brushed the backs of his fingers over Jensen's cheek. "We'll deal with that when we get there," he said, smiling gently. "Now stop worrying."
Jensen tried to put his fears aside and smiled up at Jared. "Yes, sir."
"Ooh, sir," he said, curling one leg around Jensen's and pulling him a little closer. "I like the sound of that."
* * *
School was what he needed. As much as he hated dragging himself out of bed, away from Jared every day, he needed the distraction of his studies. With them, he felt like something wonderful was happening. He was learning new things daily, and it left him feeling happy and accomplished.
Doctor Ballantine was the perfect match for Jensen. He learned more in one day at the hospital, than he did all week in any of his classes. When he wasn't at the hospital, he was pining for it, counting down the days until he could spend his allotted time there.
Breaks were far and few between. A hospital is constantly moving. It never sleeps, and always has its workers running to complete tasks as quickly as they can, regardless of how patients complain. There is no room for sloth in the medical field. Jensen had found that out already, having dropped a good ten or fifteen pounds just from his rounds with Doctor Ballantine. Jared had noted the change, but Jensen assured him it would be alright.
There had been an emergency for Doctor Ballantine. When Jensen was introduced, the family opted out of having him sit in on the call. Not at all offended, Jensen backed out of the room, listening to Ballantine. "Go take a break," the old man said. "Have yourself some lunch and then head to the Peds ward. Doctor Lang offered to help you out as well, and I think you and him would get along superbly."
Jensen nodded. He remembered Ballantine telling him about Lang, another gay doctor in the building. "Yes, sir," he agreed. "When do you want me back?"
"Come back in a couple of hours. That will have given me enough time to fix this, and wrap everything up."
Nodding again, Jensen headed down to the cafeteria, on the ground floor. He needed a very big bottle of water, and a sandwich or something. His stomach was growling fiercely. He chose a big bottle of Polar Springs water, and a roast beef sandwich. He grabbed a side of cottage cheese and a granola bar for later. After paying for the meal, he found an empty table and sat down. He put a book on the table, one that Doctor Ballantine had given him to use while he was in school, and a quick-reference guide next to it. He effectively took up a good portion of the booth on his own. Quickly, he became engrossed in reading scenarios and diagnoses of patients. He didn't pay attention to the people passing him.
"Jensen?"
Surprised, Jensen looked up from the table, finding an unfamiliar man standing there, wearing a white lab coat over his bright blue scrubs. On the man's lab coat collar was clipped a name tag that read JOHN LANG, MD -- PEDIATRICS WARD. Jensen looked up into the man's eyes. "Yes, sir," he nodded.
"Hi, I'm Doctor Lang," the man grinned, holding out his hand. "John. May I?"
Jensen silently scolded himself for forgetting his manners. "Oh, yes, I'm sorry," he apologized, motioning to the other side of the booth.
"Doctor Ballantine gave me a quick call and said that you might want to come up to the Peds ward and work with me for a little while," he said, still smiling.
Jensen liked John's kind, blue eyes. He had an air about him that instantly relaxed him. He nodded at the man's comment and closed the books on the table. "Yes," he agreed. "I'd like that experience."
"Working with kids is a challenge," Lang warned. "Are you up for it?"
Jensen laughed. "I have a little sister of my own," he nodded. "And there's a new baby in the family, so I have a little experience."
"Good," Lang nodded. He reached over to Jensen and tugged at his sleeve.
Even though he wanted Alan to be as far from this experience as possible, Jensen still thought of his father almost every time he went to shadow the doctors in the hospital. He remembered how Alan always ridiculed him about the tattoos that covered his arms, how no respectable doctor would look like that. Because of those taunts, Jensen always wore a long sleeved, skin-tight shirt underneath his scrubs. It made for hot days, sometimes, but it was worth it, to cover up the ink.
Still, Doctor Lang seemed to already know about the tattoos. He pulled the sleeve of Jensen's shirt up enough to expose some of the tattoos there. Nervously, Jensen awaited his response.
John smiled at Jensen, his eyes sparkling in the fluorescent light of the cafeteria. "The kids are going to love you."
* * *
John leaned in closer, his head almost touching Jensen's. "Yeah, I'd have to agree," he said, after hearing Jensen's diagnosis. "What would you suggest?"
Jensen thought for a moment, wondering if the obvious answer was too obvious. "A round of antibiotics?" he asked. "Maybe Augmentin?"
Lang eyed the child's chart for only a moment or two more and then wheeled over closer to the girl. He set a hand on her knee and smiled gently. "Alright, Melissa," he said to her. "We're going to put you on some antibiotics to get that nasty old nasal infection outta here, okay?"
The child nodded her head, sniffling through her nose.
John looked at the girl's mother and explained that he would write the prescription and send it out to the nurse's station. "If she's not better by Monday next week, definitely come back in, alright?"
"Thank you, doctor," she smiled, nodding her head. She looked over at Jensen, giving him a nod too. "Thank you too, doctor."
It was the first time someone had called him doctor. A rush of adrenaline saturated his blood and made his heart race. He smiled and returned the nod.
Standing from his place, John gazed at Jensen as the young man watched the mother and daughter leave the examination room. He chuckled and clapped a hand on Jensen's shoulder. "Feels good, doesn't it?" he asked.
Still sitting on his own wheeled stool, Jensen looked up at Lang. "What's that?"
"Being called doctor."
Jensen, continuing to smile, nodded his head. "Unbelievable."
John laughed and set a hand on Jensen's shoulder. "You've still got a few years left," he said. "But I'll let you bask in the doctor glory for now."
"Thanks," he chuckled.
"Come on," Lang encouraged. "I'm going to write out that prescription while you're looking over the files for the patient in exam two."
Jensen got up from the chair and wheeled it back to its previous place. He picked up his belongings and stepped around John, who held the door open for him. He never felt John's hand at the small of his back, guiding him as a lover would.
* * *
Jensen had no idea how Chris was going to be able to do this. He had left him back-stage on crutches and joined the audience for the show, but he was honestly nervous for his best friend.
By the time they got there, the opening band was nearly done with their set. Jensen had arrived to the student union on the bike with Jared. Not too far behind them, Brian, Lynn and Scott had arrived. They greeted Jensen and Jared and sat down at their table, ordering another pitcher of Pepsi to go along with the one Jared had ordered.
The group of friends talk, Lynn pressing Jensen good-naturedly for details about Chris. Had he asked about her? What had Jensen told Chris about her? He told her all he could, all that he thought Chris would want him to say.
After awhile, Adam showed up with Katie on his arm. They looked very happy. Jensen was glad to see that. They pulled two chairs over to the table and sat down with the group, Adam pouring both of them a couple of drinks.
"What are you so nervous about?"
Jensen turned, seeing Jared leaning in close to him. "What?"
"You can't sit still, so either you have a raging hard-on you're trying to hide, which I wouldn't blame you if you did. I am sitting right next to you. Or, you're nervous about something. What's going on in that pretty head of yours?"
Jensen rolled his eyes and smiled softly. "Nothing, I'm fine."
"Chris will be alright, you know."
Jensen nodded. "I know."
As if on cue, the cover band ended their gig. The coordinator for the union's extra curricular activities hopped up on stage and thanked them. He introduced Chris's band and the crowd went wild. Jensen looked around, impressed. Clearly the band's repuation for a good time preceeded them.
Chris was the last one out on stage, hobbling along on his crutches. Steve brought him a high bar stool and set it in front of the mic, but Chris only thanked him, didn't use it right away. He planned on standing for as long as he could.
Jensen was glad to hear Jared whoop happily for Chris. He smiled and joined in, whistling and cheering for his best friend.
"Hey, alright," Chris said into the mic. He adjusted it as he stood there, making it a little taller for himself. "Wow, look at the crowd we got. You guys are awesome."
Everyone cheered again, whistles mingling with whoops of joy.
"Let's start right in, what do you say?"
They didn't need a confirmation. The music pounded to life with a drumbeat and Chris smiled down at Jensen just before he started singing. They didn't have a big enough budget for any fancy light shows, or other special effects, but the lights in the place swirled around, and camera flashes illuminated the entire hall for a split second. Jensen was reminded of the storm the previous night, how he and Jared had stayed up for most of it, their attention not on the thunder and lightning, but instead on each other.
Chris's accident hadn't hurt his voice in the least. It was deep and rich, scratchy when it had to be. Jensen never tired of hearing him sing.
After three songs, Jensen felt a nudge to his shoulder. Smiling, he turned towards Jared, expecting to have to lean in closer to his boyfriend, the opportunity to snuggle for a minute while something was spoken into his ear. Instead, he saw Phin there in all his tattooed and pierced glory. Jared smiled up at him, shouting a hello and embraced Phin.
Jensen tried to smile when Phin nodded at him. He didn't recall mentioning the gig to Jared's former best friend. He felt somewhat wounded when he realized that Jared must have told him about it. He knew he shouldn't feel that way, because the gig was open to the public, but Phin wasn't the public. He was intrusive.
Phin had a chair with him, and he wedge himself in the small space between Jared and Jensen. Annoyed, Jensen sighed and shifted his chair to the side a little more. Immediately, his good time was ruined, even though he tried to concentrate on Chris instead of the intruder beside him.
He was successful for the most part. Before too much longer, the chairs had been discarded and everyone was on their feet. Hands clapped, whistles and screams filled the student union. Everyone was having a good time. Until Jensen turned to get his drink from the table. He saw Jared's arm around Phin's waist, and Phin returning the gesture, his hand stuffed in Jared's back jean pocket.
He tried not to be jealous, but he couldn't help it. Hell, Jared had even told him that Phin wasn't like that, but he couldn't stop the wave of jealousy crashing over him.
Just then, Phin leaned into Jared, speaking something into the other man's ears. Jensen watched, noticing how Jared didn't move away when he met Phin's eyes and laughed. He picked up his drink and downed the rest of the soda pop, wishing it was a belt of good, strong liquor. His stomach was beginning to sour and he wanted to go home.
The show wasn't as long as it would have been normally. But no one really noticed, except Chris, who felt the need to apologize. They had gotten a good number of songs sung before they headed off stage, returning only once for an encore.
Chris was beat. Steve took him home, and Jared said goodnight to Phin, giving him a quick hug. Jensen, on the back of the bike already, tried not to notice. Tried to pretend that the green streak of jealousy wasn't visible to everyone in a fifty-mile radius.
Back at the apartment, Jared eyed Jensen as he threw his keys down on the kitchen counter. "So what's wrong with you?"
Jensen didn't look at him. He just got a bottle of water from the fridge and closed the door. "I'm fine."
Jared snorted out a laugh. "Yeah, like I believe that." As Jensen moved past him, he reached out and took hold of the young man's arm, pulling him back. Jensen moved as directed, but still didn't look at Jared. "What are you mad at me about?"
"Who says I'm mad?"
"Because you won't even fucking look at me."
Out of defiance, Jensen raised his eyes, looking at Jared. "Happy?"
"No, I'm not," he snapped. "I want to know what's wrong with you?"
Jensen smiled sarcastically. "Well, maybe you can ask Phin." He ripped his arm out of Jared's grasp and left the kitchen, cracking open the water bottle as he went.
"Oh, come on," Jared whined. "You're mad that he came to the gig?"
Swallowing his mouthful of water, Jensen turned to Jared, watching him step closer. "No, I'm not mad that he came to the gig," he returned.
"So, what, you're jealous?"
He nodded. "A little, yeah," he said. "It seems like there's not much we can do these days without him."
"He's one of my oldest friends, Jen," Jared reminded him.
"I don't care about that, Jay," he said. He capped his water bottle and set it onto the bar that separated the living room and kitchen. "I wouldn't have cared if you'd had twenty old friends there. But I do care that the second Phin sees me, his back goes up. He acts like I'm doing my best to keep you away from him."
"You kind of are."
"No, I'm not," he argued. "I'm really not trying to. But there's a fine line here, and it's being crossed."
"Oh, and it wasn't crossed with Chris?"
Jensen was stunned for a moment. "Oh, don't even go there," he said. "You're the one that started that one."
"Oh, fuck you, I am," Jared snapped. "You called and asked me."
"You pushed me to do it."
"You wanted in his pants from day fucking one, Jensen, don't pretend that you didn't."
Furious, Jensen pulled his arm back and punched Jared, his fist connecting with Jared's lip, snapping his head to the side. It was Jared's turn to be stunned. He turned to face Jensen again, dabbing at his cut lip with the back of his hand. He found blood there when he looked, and dragged his tongue across the wound. It was silent in the apartment for a few seconds, only the sound of their breathing, erratic from the fight, filling the stillness.
Swallowing, Jared met Jensen's furious eyes. "I'm sorry," he said.
Jensen was torn, partially upset for having resorted to violence, partially happy that Jared had finally gotten what he'd meant. It took awhile for it to dawn on him that Jared may have felt the same way about him and Chris when they had first started going out. When the thought hit him, he swallowed nervously. "Jay..."
"I'll sleep out here tonight."
Jensen watched him go, his jaw flexing as he ground his teeth, a mix of anger and remorse swirling all around him like a thick fog. Tears stung his eyes. He didn't want Jared to sleep on the sofa, but he was too angry to lay next to him in bed. He should have said he was sorry. He should have wrapped his arms around Jared, by force if necessary, and held onto him, telling him how awful he felt. But pride made him remain where he was.
He let Jared collect a pillow and blanket before he stepped into the bedroom and closed the door behind him.
* * *
To say the night was a long one, wouldn't give it nearly the credit it deserved. Jensen didn't sleep one wink. He constantly second guessed himself on every point his subconscious brought up. Come morning, he was exhausted, but he wouldn't sleep. Not until he talked to Jared.
The apartment was quiet, save for the soft sound of Jared snoring over on the sofa. Jensen hated that he had slept out there. Then again, it had given him good reflection time. If Jared had been in bed with him, he would have just gotten annoyed at every breath, every move Jared made.
In the living room, Jensen paused by the sofa, staring down at Jared. The man was sleeping on his side, one leg hanging off of the cusions, foot dangling in mid-air. The comfortor he had taken off the bed was in a jumble, tangled from a night in a confined space. Jensen debated on waking him or letting him awaken on his own, but he was tired, and he really wanted to talk.
Sitting down on the edge of the sofa, Jensen tenderly grazed his hand up Jared's bare back, waking him with a gentle hand.
Breath hitching in his throat, Jared's eyes fluttered for a moment, then opened. He looked up at Jensen then closed his eyes again. He tried to fall back asleep, but Jensen's hand rubbing over his back roused him once more. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned onto his back, stretching his long limbs and sighing. Opening his eyes, he looked up at Jensen, his hand coming to rest on the young man's thigh. "Hey," he said, his voice heavy with sleep.
"Hey."
"You look like crap."
Jensen chuckled softly. "Thanks."
Jared's mouth hung open wide as he yawned, exhaling loudly. Jensen couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt when he saw the man's cut lip. It looked a little bruised and even more sore.
Jensen shook his head at him, a slight smile upon his face. "I hate that you can sleep any time," he told him.
Jared chuckled a little. "And you didn't sleep at all, did you?"
Jensen collapsed. He bent down to rest his head at Jared's bare chest. In turn, Jared wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. "I'm sorry," Jensen said, his face pressed against Jared's warm skin.
"I know," Jared said. "I'm sorry, too."
"I hadn't even thought about how you felt about me and Chris," he told him. "I love him, I do, but it's a different love than what I have for you. I guess that's what you have for Phin, isn't it?"
Jared nodded. "Yeah," he said softly into Jensen's hair. "And the reason I didn't act so jealous about you and Chris, is I knew all that. I knew you loved him, and I knew you loved me."
Jensen closed his eyes, thankful for the good communication they had, even if it was a little late in coming.
"And I'm sorry for throwing Chris in your face," Jared said. "I shouldn't have done that. I love the bastard, too."
"No, you're right."
"Jen?" Jared smirked. "Shut up. I'm glad that we're apologizing and all, but you're taking it overboard. You're not taking the blame for everything."
"Sorry."
It was quiet for a minute. Jared traced imaginary patterns across the bare skin of Jensen's arm and shoulders, enjoying the stillness. "So, tell me," he began, interruping the silence. "What bugs you so much about Phin?"
Jensen shrugged, still leant against Jared. "He doesn't like me."
"What makes you say that?"
"Well..." He thought for a moment, frowning. "Last night, he didn't even say hi to me. He just budged his chair in between us and took up all your attention."
"He tends to do that," Jared nodded. "Did he nod to you?"
"Well, yeah."
"Yeah, that's his way of saying hi," he smiled. "He figures that's all he should have to do, that you just get that if he's acknowledged you, he likes you."
Jensen scoffed. "Could've fooled me."
"I know," Jared laughed. "And I'm sorry for him commanding all my attention. I do lose track of time with him, I know. Once he's been around for a little longer, the newness of it all will wear off. It'll go back to normal soon."
"Promise?"
Jared tightened his arms around Jensen's shoulders. "Promise," he whispered into his hair.
***
--TBC--
We are taking a hiatus. The next chapter will be posted NEXT Sunday, 10th May. This is due to real life leaving me with barely any time to do much this week. Sorry to everyone who loves the regular updates, but I promise it will go back to normal after this short break!