J2 | And They Call It Puppy Love (1/2)
master post
Prologue
On a sunny morning in a green park in a pleasant corner of a modern metropolis, true love was found.
It wasn’t boy meets girl. Not even boy meets boy. It was a whirl of leashes and human limbs to set the stage for dog meets dog.
She raced between trees with her human following, coffee cup held tightly in the man’s hands and perched ever so perfectly at his mouth even as he ran at an even clip to keep up.
He tugged his human behind, a gummie worm tucked tight between thin lips pursed with worry as the dog led without pause.
When the dust settled after the melee of excitable dogs spinning this way and that, the humans lay akimbo and the dogs rubbed cheeks and he licked at her neck, happily accepting her playful nips at his ears.
The humans looked at each other as one held out a coffee cup. “I think this is yours.”
The other human licked his lips with a furrowed brow after he plucked candy from his chin. “Sour apple?”
“Yeah, that’s me,” he blushed, pink high upon his sharp cheekbones.
The dogs hardly noticed, now plopping down in the grass with their hips side by side, eyes both trained on the humans struggling to sit up.
“I’m Jared,” one said.
“Jensen,” the other returned. Both humans turned to find their dogs watching them intently. “Um, so, which one is yours?”
“You can’t tell?” Jared laughed. Then he stopped and considered them - two striking Dalmatians with pristinely white coats accented with a perfect smattering of polka dot swirls.
The two pups stood at attention, accentuating the sleek lines of their backs, the strong columns of their necks, soulful eyes, and perfectly drawn mouths.
They were so identical that the humans were perplexed, with mouths agape and minds reeling.
“Okay,” Jared said carefully. “Maybe I see your trouble.”
“Sasha,” Jensen called excitedly and his girl stepped forward. She immediately bowed her head to his hand, and he grinned and rubbed behind her ears just the way she loved. “There you are, baby,” he cooed.
Jared smiled with bright, crooked teeth on display. “Maxwell,” Jared growled happily. “C’mere boy”
The humans sat beside one another and stroked their dogs to panting, leg-shaking joy until the canines were bored with the attention and flitted off to chase one other around a nearby tree.
Jensen glanced around and smiled when he saw a tall, lanky man in a page-boy cap manning a coffee cart. “I could use a new cup.”
Jared followed Jensen’s view and nodded as he stood. He extended a large hand. “Then let’s go.”
Once Jensen slipped his hand into Jared’s and popped up as Jared tugged, they both chuckled and smiled at one another. They stood a bit too close and walked even closer. Hands brushed and shoulders nudged until they had a pleasant cup of joe a piece and hid smiles behind each sip.
So maybe love was discovered in pairs that day. And perhaps they became a family in a short number of months. But what happened after is the real tale.
Part One
Bright, morning sun streams through the only (yet large) window of their modest (tiny) bedroom, casting a warm spot along the foot of the bed. To avoid the heat, Jensen scoots towards the edge of his side of the queen bed that seems to barely fit him and Jared some nights. He tucks his legs up and tries to turn over, but he bumps into Sasha. She’s curled down and around herself, two legs tucked forward, two back, and her long white-dusty tail winding around her body.
Her head rises briefly, one eye sliding open in confusion - or ire, who’s to say these days? - then drops her head back down to rest down against her knees.
Jensen frowns, softly pats her side, and shuffles forward to bump into Jared. “This bed is not big enough for the four of us.”
Jared hrmphs and lifts his head, one eye sleepily blinking at him, then drops back to the pillow, face down.
Jensen frowns again, for an entirely different reason, and continues to move closer to Jared to avoid the sun still tickling his toes.
With a sigh, Jared flops onto his back and rips the comforter off so rough and fast that it drapes Maxwell entirely, but the dog hardly seems to care as he remains stretched out along Jared’s other side.
“It’s so hot,” Jared whines.
“You forgot to close to the shades.”
Jared lifts his head again, hair a flyaway mess and eyes still sleepily blinking open, to look at the wide window. He scowls and waves his hand in its direction. “Stupid sun.” He clenches his eyes shut as he burrows back against the mattress with his arm coming up to shield his face. “It’s too bright.”
“It’s morning,” Jensen points out.
“Close the shades.”
“I can’t.” Jensen frowns and glances over his shoulder again. “Sasha’s sleeping. You?”
Jared looks back and lets out a low whine. “Max is, too. At least I think he is?” He pulls up one corner of the comforter and winces, immediately letting the blanket drop. “Man, even his snores stink now.”
“Gotta get him back to the vet, too,” Jensen reminds Jared, because they’d discussed it more than enough this week. Regular visits to the veterinarian keep the dogs in good health, not to mention Jensen and Jared of sound mind. They’ve fallen behind lately, but no worries, Jensen is sure. Just need to reassert their schedule and the world will balance itself out. Sasha’s up going to the vet today and while there, they can plan for Max’s check-up.
“Maybe you can sneak around Sash?” Jared suggests.
Jensen frowns, for likely the millionth time this week. Another worry for today’s appointment is her recent weight gain and sudden change in behavior from a sweet, attentive girl into a lethargic pile of polka dots. “I don’t want to disrupt her.”
Jared stretches one leg down to the edge of the cool mattress and the frightful streak of hot light. He wiggles his toes at the border then slowly dips his foot further into the sunlight as he slinks down the mattress. Jensen watches between Jared’s silly dance off the bed and Sasha, who has now opened an eye to warily watch Jared as well. Once most of Jared has moved off the mattress, his torso quickly slides away with a tiny yelp followed by the thunk of him hitting the hardwood floor and bouncing against the wall that is far too close and borders in the tiny bedroom.
“Ow.”
Jensen smiles and reaches behind to pat Sasha’s head, fingers stroking over her ear. “What’re we going to do with your pops?”
Sasha snuffles and moves out of Jensen’s reach to sleep again.
“You okay, girl?” he asks, but doesn’t have the chance to look for an answer. Jared clamps his hands around Jensen’s ankles and tugs, yanking Jensen off the bed with an even more undignified yelp.
Jared easily swoops Jensen back up to his feet, arms rung around Jensen’s waist, and a wide, bright smile on his face. “That was easy.”
“As pie,” Jensen jokes, falling against Jared’s chest.
“Mmm, pie,” Jared just before kissing Jensen good morning. He runs his hands down Jensen’s hips and around to slide them in the back of Jensen’s boxers. “Know what else I have a taste for?”
Jensen rolls his eyes, but smiles at the idea. “Mmm, no. But why don’t you show me?”
“Gladly!” Jared whips Jensen’s underwear down with a flourish and gets to his knees, cramped against the wall. He strokes over Jensen’s thighs and licks the head of Jensen’s dick just as Jensen’s hands find their place within Jared’s bedhead, fussing up the strands worse than any night of fitful sleep.
Rocking on his feet, Jensen groans and combs through Jared’s hair all while Jared swallows him down and sucks his way back up to the tip. Jared moans around Jensen’s dick, the noise and motion of his tongue rumbling through Jensen’s skin. Jensen’s nerves quickly pay attention to every subtle shift and grip of Jared’s hands around his legs, and each audible suck of Jared’s enthusiastic mouth. Excitement swirls just beneath the surface and Jensen shallowly rolls his hips forward and back, meeting Jared’s easy rhythm that is perfect for a hazy, warm morning like this.
Jared pops off with a loud smack and Jensen groans dark and deep in his throat. Maxwell howls from beneath the comforter and Jensen flinches, but Jared isn’t disrupted in the least. He sucks his way down, up, and all the way down again to the base. Jensen is overly consumed with so much heat, it’s dying to get out, tearing through his skin.
Soon enough, Jensen feels the rush coming upon him and he tugs Jared’s hair with a soft God, now. Jared pulls back but continues mouthing at the head of Jensen’ dick, milking Jensen’s orgasm, and swallowing. He leans back with a satisfied smirk and not-so-subtle lick of his lips.
Jared isn’t exactly a proud man; he has engaged in dirty deeds for a low payoff like cheating at strip poker just to get Jensen down to his bare essentials (even when it’s just the two of them and Jensen insists they play something more appropriate for two players). Jared also lacks any thread of vanity, evidenced by the collection of paisley shirts in their closet. But right now, Jared’s ego is bursting at the seams and Jensen can’t deny the splendid way Jared’s gratification colors his cheeks and brings a particularly fetching shine to his eyes.
They’ve both broken into a bit of a sweat, with the sun slowly shifting closer to them during their activity and so Jensen twists his hand into the arm of Jared’s thin cotton tee and pulls, hauling Jared to his feet. “Top o’ the morning to me,” Jensen whispers before kissing Jared soundly. “I think we’re due for a shower now, what do you say?”
Jared smiles and leans down to bop their noses together. “I say that you have beautiful ideas.”
There is no world in which Jensen cannot return a happy grin to Jared’s pleased face. “Go get it started. I’ll be there in a second.”
With a wink and a pat to Jensen’s ass, Jared turns and hustles to the adjoining bathroom. Jensen chuckles, shakes his head, and steps out of his boxers. He shucks them towards the overflowing hamper in the opposite corner and pulls his shirt off, tossing it to join the rest of the mess of dirty laundry.
Just then, something wide and firm pokes at his bare backside. For the third time this morning, an unbecoming yelp is released in the tiny bedroom. Jensen whirls around to see Max sitting at attention, right there at the very sun-lit edge of the bed, and still completely covered by their cream-and-brown checkered blanket.
“Just like your father,” Jensen gripes, playfully swatting Max’s side.
Max lets out a short bark and his tail wags, flicking up an edge of the comforter.
“We’ll go for a walk after breakfast, how’s that?”
Max barks twice, surely once for the exercise and more heartily for the prospect of food. Jensen gives him a pat to his side and heads towards the bathroom. He stops when his eyes fall upon the still-sluggish Sasha. She remains in place where he’d found her upon waking. Only now, her wide, dark eyes are staring up at him while she still has her chin tucked down to her paws.
“Oh, baby,” Jensen coos. He steps closer and softly rubs over her jaw and ear. Each side gets a turn just like she’s loved since she was a tiny little pup. “We’ll find out what’s wrong with you soon enough.”
Sasha lets out a pitiful whine.
Following a round of breakfast (or two in Jared’s case; Jensen winked and pretended to ignore it, even when it meant Jared finishing the last of the oatmeal) and a quick trot through their neighborhood (well, not so quick in poor Sasha’s instance), Jensen fills the dogs’ water and food bowls and tidies up what’s left of the mess of breakfast.
He washes his hands and pats the excess water over his pants as he walks to the snug living room, but stops in the hallway to Sasha curled up in the lone piece of seated furniture in the room - a worn-down loveseat Jared had found at an estate sale - with Max squeezed into the little bit of space left. Max’s head rests of Sasha’s hip, and he lets out a low growl when Jensen steps closer.
Jensen frowns at them both, especially Sasha, who just blinks in return.
“Is our lovely patient ready?” Jared asks as he enters the room.
Jensen motions at the dogs. “I think Max is being a bit protective here.”
Jared moves forward with an easy, “Ahh, no, the big boy’s just -”
Max growls, lifting his head and baring the edges of his canines.
“Okay,” Jared says firmly. “I think this calls for a sneaky treat.”
Jensen nods and sets his hand out in a fist as he and Jared count to three for rock, paper, scissors. He slips paper and Jared expertly scissors Jensen’s hand with a proud smile. “Yeah, yeah,” Jensen mumbles, waving Jared off to the kitchen.
In seconds, there’s the well-known shake of Wishbones in their box and Max scoots up to sit on his haunches, eyes and ears alert to the sound. Another handful of shakes and Max dashes off the couch, skitters across the wooden floor, and slides into the kitchen where Jared and a crunchy treat awaits him.
Jensen gives Sasha a sad smile and crouches down to her. “Okay, sweetheart, we’ll go nice and easy.”
When he scoops her up, heaving her weight into his arms, she hardly puts up a fight. Which is both a thankful thing and a sad surprise.
“And you haven’t changed her diet at all?” Sasha’s vet, the lovely Dr. Palicki, asks as she soothes her palms over Sasha’s head and back. Sasha seems relaxed under the doctor’s touches as she’s stretched out on the examination table.
“No, we haven’t,” Jared answers when Jensen remains focused on rubbing his fingers beneath Sasha’s jaw.
“No injuries? Vomiting? Changes in bowels?”
“No, nothing we’ve noticed.”
Jensen sighs at the idea that something could have been happening for all this time, and neither he nor Jared noticed. True, they’ve both been particularly busy between Jensen holing himself up in the second bedroom-turned-home-studio to crank out a long list of jingles good and bad - all gone unpurchased - and Jared’s added hours at the bakery to bring in some extra dough (both of the bread and dollar variety).
Dr. Paclicki brings her stethoscope into place around her neck and eyes Jensen and Jared each. “Nothing at all?”
“We’ve both been very busy,” Jensen admits.
She smiles nonetheless, comforting them with her soft and easy voice. “No worries. I just need to ask. We’ll get Sasha up to snuff in no time.” Dr. Palicki sets the stethoscope to Sasha’s neck, moving it down along her side, her chest, and finally to her belly. She makes a thoughtful noise and listens longer then removes her stethoscope and rings it around her neck.
“What is it?” Jensen asks.
Dr. Palicki hums with a strange face and presses fingers against Sasha’s belly, moving them in different directions and places until Sasha grumbles. She strokes Sasha’s belly with a soft hush. She gives Jared and Jensen an odd smile when she suggests, “I think we should run some tests on her.”
“Don’t look so excited,” Jensen mumbles.
“It’s very exciting.” Dr. Palicki grins and Jensen’s not feeling the same as his stomach turns with a tingle of worry. “You’re going to be granddaddies!”
Jensen’s vision narrows down to Sasha’s face and he swears he can read guilt coming over her, but he’s likely just imagining things. Just like he’s imagining that the world is now spinning and he’s meeting the floor much sooner than he would expect his failing legs to allow.
Back at the apartment, Jared plops down to the loveseat and squeezes in beside Jensen. “Come here, you big baby.”
Jensen scowls with a low, “You’re a big baby.” He allows Jared to pull him close, still flinching when Jared sets a towel-wrapped clump of ice to his forehead. He’s not about to admit it, but the ice immediately lessens the Jensen’s headache.
“Actually,” Jared says, adjusting the ice pack to cover the bump on Jensen’s head, “I’m an excited grandpappy.”
“I’m not going by that name.”
“Why are you so against this? It’s the circle of life. Our beautiful pups are having pups of their own.”
“Exactly,” Jensen argues. “Don’t you think they’re a little too young for this?” It’s mostly meant as a joke, but Jensen feels it hit closer to home. “We’re a little too young for this.”
Jared slips his arm over Jensen’s shoulders to tuck him in even closer. “You’ll be the most handsome grandpa at the dog park.”
Jensen smiles briefly, immediately filled with the real grief of the situation. “Jared, how can we really do this? We barely have room for us four in this place. And I know you’re working yourself too hard to keep us above water.”
“We’ll get a new place, in a new neighborhood that we can afford and -”
“And you’ll be too far from the bakery, making everything harder on us. I barely see you as it is.”
Jared kisses Jensen’s cheek. “I miss you, too. But we’ll find a way.”
“In a month?” Jensen asks, semi-hopeful yet still concerned. To add to their trouble, Dr. Palicki had reported that Sasha was approximately halfway through her pregnancy and she spotted six pups from her physical exam and the x-ray.
“You don’t worry about that,” Jared says with a quick nudge. “I’m a problem solver. I solve problems.”
Jensen sighs, not comforted in the slightest. He drops his head back to the loveseat and whimpers with a fresh wave of pain.
Part Two
“Look, I don’t like doing this any more than you like it,” Jensen explains carefully. “I’m not comfortable, you’re not comfortable, so let’s just acknowledge that it’s a medical issue that must be done, okay?”
Sasha stares at him and Jensen attempts an easy smile and shrug. He doubts she buys it. She does eventually lie down on the bed and barely fusses as Jensen moves forward to take her temperature.
“Oh, my God! What’re you doing to her?” Jared harps when he enters the bedroom.
“I have to take her temperature,” Jensen replies, wincing as he tries to insert the thermometer - rectally.
Jared sits next to Sasha, pets her back, and pointedly does not look at what Jensen is doing. “That’s just wrong.”
“So is your dog knocking her up, but you don’t see me complaining.”
Max growls from the corner where he’s been watching. Jensen isn’t sure if the dog is upset with Jensen’s comment or in how this thermometer works.
“Keeping Max off the bed while Sasha gets the queen treatment isn’t you complaining?” Jared asks with attitude.
Jensen ignores Jared and focuses on the temperature ritual. He’s thankful when Jared leans in close to Sasha, nuzzling her jaw with pets and kisses. It’s a great sight when Sasha licks him back and happily pants at his attention. Jensen’s been waiting to see his beautiful, lively, loving girl return to form.
“Okay, we’re done,” he announces as he checks the thermometer then goes quiet. “Ninety-nine. Her temperature dropped below a hundred. Dr. Palicki said when it drops-”
“Finally!” Jared crows and joyfully gives Sasha more love and attention. “Our baby’s gonna have some babies!”
Jensen looks up to Jared with a small smile; Jared’s excitement is contagious, and Jensen’s finally elated at the whole idea. Twenty-four hours from now, they’re going to have a full litter of beautiful white-polka-dotted puppies to lavish with attention.
Max barks as he stands and Sasha shifts up to sit and watch him. She barks, and he does again, too. He pants heavily until he charges the bed, runs across Jensen’s back, and settles down next to Sasha, licking over her neck and jaw.
“Hey, Maxy,” Jared murmurs, “You’re gonna be a daddy.”
Max barks excitedly, three times in a row, and returns his attention on Sasha, as if Jensen and Jared aren’t even there anymore.
“Maybe we should give them some alone time?” Jensen suggests.
Jared nods in agreement. “Maybe we could use some, too.”
They go to the living room and sit in the loveseat pressed up against each other, Jensen’s head on Jared’s shoulder, Jared’s hand resting on Jensen’s knee. In the easy silence, their breathing can be heard, followed by the deep, raspy snoring of Max in the next room. Jensen has spent the last two years trying to be patient with the boy’s snoring; right now, it’s a sweet notion that Maxwell is staying with Sasha for her last few hours before delivery.
“There was a guy at the bakery the other day,” Jared says quietly, almost awkward. “He’d overheard me telling Sandy about Sasha and the babies. He was interested in adopting them.”
Jensen looks to Jared and smiles. “Jared, that’s amazing news. Why didn’t you mention it before?”
Jared shrugs and glances around the room. “I don’t know. I wasn’t sure if we were that serious about that.”
“We agreed it would be the most logical thing.”
“Maybe I wasn’t that serious about it.” Jared shrugs again, now with a mixture of guilt and sadness. “I’m not sure it’s that great of a thing to take the puppies away from their mommy and daddy.”
“Oh. Yeah.” Jensen is immediately injected with shame. Still, he tries, “If this guy wants to take them all, at least they’ll be together?”
With a nod, Jared admits, “It would be better than splitting them up. It’s been hard to find six different families to take them.”
“It can’t hurt to meet him. See if he’ll be good for them and them for him?”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Jared says with more confidence.
Jensen smiles at Jared’s uplifted spirit. “Of course I am. I’m always right.”
Jared nudges his nose to Jensen’s cheek and kisses him.
If Jensen thought taking Sasha’s temperate was a questionable action, watching her birth her first pup is definitely wrong, wrong, wrong.
“My poor girl,” he whimpers.
He’s wracked with guilt. Even with Max at her side, Jensen can’t bear to witness Sasha in this position. Literally.
Jared had said they should be prepared for the event and cued up a 20-part YouTube series of a Boxer giving birth to a whole litter, and Jensen still hasn’t recovered.
Jensen is aware that Sasha stretches on her side, prepared to birth, and there is shuffling of her feet on the blanket laid out on the living room floor, but he has to keep his eyes clenched tight while he hums his latest jingle to drown out the noise.
“How’s she doing?” Jared asks from Jensen’s side.
“Good, good, she’s great,” Jensen asks, turning away from Sasha to look at Jared.
“And how are you doing?”
“Freaking terrified.”
Jared grins and Jensen resists punching him for enjoying this pain. “Just like I knew you would be,” he says with a rub to Jensen’s back. “Oh, look, the first one’s coming!”
Jensen closes his eyes, turns his head, and hums another jingle, one for the local pizza place that boasts the thickest deep dish one could ever dream of.
“Are you - Are you singing about sausage?” Jared asks.
“I can’t look, Jared,” Jensen whines. “I just can’t. There are some things a man should never see about his baby.”
“Jensen, I told you,” Jared says calmly. “It’s the circle of life and she is - oh my God it’s coming out of her!” he squeals. “Can you believe this?”
“It’s beautiful, Jared,” he replies, eyes again closed. “Now what?”
“She’s cleaning up the sac and-”
Jensen’s stomach clenches. “Not - that’s not - no!”
“And another one is coming! His head is pushing through her-”
“Jared!” Jensen shouts. “Stop describing it. Just, what do we do now?”
“Oh, right, I’ll get more towels,” and a moment later, Jensen is left alone with the birthing noises.
In Jared’s absence, the sounds turn into something softer, a light hum, a tiny snarl, and Jensen chances a look at Sasha as she finishes cleaning the second pup up. At this point, the teeny puppies are just masses of white fur, not a spot to be seen. Jensen’s heart immediately melts, watching Sasha bathe her babies. Once she shifts to birth another, Jensen reaches for the first two and cradles them, one in each arm.
“Jared! They’re here!” he shouts and hears a muffled yelp and things crashing from the bedroom closet.
“One minute,” Jared moans from the other side of the wall.
From there on, the pups pop out like a Blackjack dealer in Vegas, an efficiency that Jensen can’t keep up with. His arms are easily filled with half a dozen and Sasha is still going, so Jensen lowers himself beside her, murmuring encouragement as he lavishes the new pups with attention.
Soon enough, his lap is full with soft, warm puppies that nuzzle the bare skin of his arms and legs, one snuffles its way up the inside of Jensen’s shorts, nibbling at his thigh.
“No! Bad dog!” he admonishes then quickly changes tactics, feeling awful for yelling so soon after birth. He adjusts a few of the puppies in his arm so he can shift to the side so his lap is more comfortably fit with one, two, three, four … oh, dear, he thinks. There are seven pups seated between his legs while another four squirm in his arms.
“Jared!” he yells and Max howls as well. “Where are the towels?”
“Coming!” Jared pants as he rushes into the room to dump the terry cloth at Jensen’s feet. He stares at Jensen, at Jensen’s arms then his legs, at Sasha still going, and then back to Jensen. “We need more towels,” he says firmly then races out of the room.
Before Jared can return, Jensen counts another four births, then together they witness another five births.
With confusion, wonder, and maybe even fright in his voice, Jared begins to count. “Two, four, six, eight-”
“Twenty.” Jensen looks up at Jared, arms and lap still packed with little dalmatians. “Jared, we have twenty puppies.”
“Plus two,” he says flatly. “We have twenty to dogs to feed.”
“That’s a lot of mouths.”
Jared opens his mouth to reply. but promptly goes slack and falls to the ground as he passes out.
Jensen frowns at Jared and thinks of moving to help him, but he’s sure Jared will wake in a matter of seconds; it’s how Jensen was when he first found out Sasha would have just six pups.
Looking down at the puckered face tucked close to his left elbow, eyes and mouth closed even while releasing tiny whimpers, Jensen smiles fondly. “Your grandpappy is so dramatic.”
For the first morning in a long run of mornings together, Jensen is up with Jared as the sun rises. Based on the scruff filling in his cheeks and the fuss of his hair, Jared is likely just as tired as Jensen feels.
Jared is used to pre-dawn wake-ups to open the bakery. Jensen, however, is not, and needs to wake up soon if he plans to drive himself across town for a job interview with a regular, ole talk-around-the-water-cooler office. Jared is putting in more than his fair share at the bakery, but twenty new mouths to feed is at least nineteen too many, and they need to increase their income to afford all the pounds of puppy chow that should be lining their pantry.
Jensen also needs coffee, stat, but he figures he’ll grab it on the road.
By routine, Jensen flings his tie into place and ties the knot at his throat. Jared lazily smacks his lips, as if fighting the notion of being awake, even if he still smiles at Jensen.
“You look so handsome, darlin’,” Jared drawls.
Jensen takes a deep breath and stands tall, blinking sleep away. “Would you hire me?”
“Definitely.” Jared leans in for a kiss then pats Jensen’s back as he turns to walk out of the room. “But that’s ‘cause I like my men half-clothed.”
It dawns on Jensen that he hasn’t bothered to put a shirt on, despite the perfectly knotted tie. “Dangit!” he shouts and rushes into the closet. He pulls hangers this way and that until he finds a white collared shirt and tugs it off the hanger. It’s heavier than he’d expected as one sleeve sags close to the ground. Jensen peeks inside the collar then notices a few spots moving inside the sleeve. He sighs, reaches inside, and grabs a pup by the scruff to pull it out of the shirt.
“Oh, come on,” Jensen whines.
“What now?” Jared asks from the kitchen.
“I found,” and Jensen counts the spots on the pup’s stomach before hugging it to his chest and joining Jared by the fridge. “Lazy Eight hiding out in my shirt.”
“He’s not lazy,” Jared admonishes.
“I know he’s not,” Jensen says. He holds the boy at an angle for Jared to see the stomach. “But his eighth belly spot is.”
Jared taps a finger to seven solid spots then rubs at the eighth, which is barely a shade of grey. “Well, ain’t that something. Lazy Eight it is.”
“It’s better than Crazy Eight.” Jensen hands the puppy over to Jared and heads back to the bedroom for his shirt, which is now a sleeping mat for Harry and Tom. Dick is currently licking Jensen’s dress shoe, which could be mostly okay so long as he doesn’t start using teeth.
Jensen shuffles the two boys off his shirt and nudges Dick away from his shoes on his way out of the room.
Jared reaches for a cabinet when Jensen rejoins him, asking, “Do you have time for coffee?”
The answer is delayed when Jared pulls the cabinet door open to reveal two pups hiding out among the cereal boxes. The puffed pops box is crumbled at the bottom corner and the pups are caught red-handed eating Jared’s favorite frosted meal.
Jared turns to Jensen. “We need a bigger place.”
“I’m trying,” Jensen replies tiredly as he buttons his shirt up.
“I know you are.” Jared frowns and kisses Jensen’s nose. “I’m not saying you’re not.”
“You don’t have to say it. I know what it looks like, with you gone all day and me sitting here watching two dozen dogs.”
“Jensen, I don’t like leaving you here to do that.”
Jensen heaves a breath for about the tenth time this morning and pastes on a smile, even when he’s certain it’s pathetic and weak. “I don’t like you working so much at the bakery either. I want to see you once in a while.”
“We’ll get there,” Jared insists. He rubs his palms over Jensen’s shoulders, down his arms, and squeezes Jensen’s hands. “Starting with today. You’re gonna ace that interview.”
Laughing nervously, Jensen bumps his forehead to Jared’s. “Right. Jingleman to data entry.”
“It’s all about the keys, baby.”
Part Two
Prologue
On a sunny morning in a green park in a pleasant corner of a modern metropolis, true love was found.
It wasn’t boy meets girl. Not even boy meets boy. It was a whirl of leashes and human limbs to set the stage for dog meets dog.
She raced between trees with her human following, coffee cup held tightly in the man’s hands and perched ever so perfectly at his mouth even as he ran at an even clip to keep up.
He tugged his human behind, a gummie worm tucked tight between thin lips pursed with worry as the dog led without pause.
When the dust settled after the melee of excitable dogs spinning this way and that, the humans lay akimbo and the dogs rubbed cheeks and he licked at her neck, happily accepting her playful nips at his ears.
The humans looked at each other as one held out a coffee cup. “I think this is yours.”
The other human licked his lips with a furrowed brow after he plucked candy from his chin. “Sour apple?”
“Yeah, that’s me,” he blushed, pink high upon his sharp cheekbones.
The dogs hardly noticed, now plopping down in the grass with their hips side by side, eyes both trained on the humans struggling to sit up.
“I’m Jared,” one said.
“Jensen,” the other returned. Both humans turned to find their dogs watching them intently. “Um, so, which one is yours?”
“You can’t tell?” Jared laughed. Then he stopped and considered them - two striking Dalmatians with pristinely white coats accented with a perfect smattering of polka dot swirls.
The two pups stood at attention, accentuating the sleek lines of their backs, the strong columns of their necks, soulful eyes, and perfectly drawn mouths.
They were so identical that the humans were perplexed, with mouths agape and minds reeling.
“Okay,” Jared said carefully. “Maybe I see your trouble.”
“Sasha,” Jensen called excitedly and his girl stepped forward. She immediately bowed her head to his hand, and he grinned and rubbed behind her ears just the way she loved. “There you are, baby,” he cooed.
Jared smiled with bright, crooked teeth on display. “Maxwell,” Jared growled happily. “C’mere boy”
The humans sat beside one another and stroked their dogs to panting, leg-shaking joy until the canines were bored with the attention and flitted off to chase one other around a nearby tree.
Jensen glanced around and smiled when he saw a tall, lanky man in a page-boy cap manning a coffee cart. “I could use a new cup.”
Jared followed Jensen’s view and nodded as he stood. He extended a large hand. “Then let’s go.”
Once Jensen slipped his hand into Jared’s and popped up as Jared tugged, they both chuckled and smiled at one another. They stood a bit too close and walked even closer. Hands brushed and shoulders nudged until they had a pleasant cup of joe a piece and hid smiles behind each sip.
So maybe love was discovered in pairs that day. And perhaps they became a family in a short number of months. But what happened after is the real tale.
Part One
Bright, morning sun streams through the only (yet large) window of their modest (tiny) bedroom, casting a warm spot along the foot of the bed. To avoid the heat, Jensen scoots towards the edge of his side of the queen bed that seems to barely fit him and Jared some nights. He tucks his legs up and tries to turn over, but he bumps into Sasha. She’s curled down and around herself, two legs tucked forward, two back, and her long white-dusty tail winding around her body.
Her head rises briefly, one eye sliding open in confusion - or ire, who’s to say these days? - then drops her head back down to rest down against her knees.
Jensen frowns, softly pats her side, and shuffles forward to bump into Jared. “This bed is not big enough for the four of us.”
Jared hrmphs and lifts his head, one eye sleepily blinking at him, then drops back to the pillow, face down.
Jensen frowns again, for an entirely different reason, and continues to move closer to Jared to avoid the sun still tickling his toes.
With a sigh, Jared flops onto his back and rips the comforter off so rough and fast that it drapes Maxwell entirely, but the dog hardly seems to care as he remains stretched out along Jared’s other side.
“It’s so hot,” Jared whines.
“You forgot to close to the shades.”
Jared lifts his head again, hair a flyaway mess and eyes still sleepily blinking open, to look at the wide window. He scowls and waves his hand in its direction. “Stupid sun.” He clenches his eyes shut as he burrows back against the mattress with his arm coming up to shield his face. “It’s too bright.”
“It’s morning,” Jensen points out.
“Close the shades.”
“I can’t.” Jensen frowns and glances over his shoulder again. “Sasha’s sleeping. You?”
Jared looks back and lets out a low whine. “Max is, too. At least I think he is?” He pulls up one corner of the comforter and winces, immediately letting the blanket drop. “Man, even his snores stink now.”
“Gotta get him back to the vet, too,” Jensen reminds Jared, because they’d discussed it more than enough this week. Regular visits to the veterinarian keep the dogs in good health, not to mention Jensen and Jared of sound mind. They’ve fallen behind lately, but no worries, Jensen is sure. Just need to reassert their schedule and the world will balance itself out. Sasha’s up going to the vet today and while there, they can plan for Max’s check-up.
“Maybe you can sneak around Sash?” Jared suggests.
Jensen frowns, for likely the millionth time this week. Another worry for today’s appointment is her recent weight gain and sudden change in behavior from a sweet, attentive girl into a lethargic pile of polka dots. “I don’t want to disrupt her.”
Jared stretches one leg down to the edge of the cool mattress and the frightful streak of hot light. He wiggles his toes at the border then slowly dips his foot further into the sunlight as he slinks down the mattress. Jensen watches between Jared’s silly dance off the bed and Sasha, who has now opened an eye to warily watch Jared as well. Once most of Jared has moved off the mattress, his torso quickly slides away with a tiny yelp followed by the thunk of him hitting the hardwood floor and bouncing against the wall that is far too close and borders in the tiny bedroom.
“Ow.”
Jensen smiles and reaches behind to pat Sasha’s head, fingers stroking over her ear. “What’re we going to do with your pops?”
Sasha snuffles and moves out of Jensen’s reach to sleep again.
“You okay, girl?” he asks, but doesn’t have the chance to look for an answer. Jared clamps his hands around Jensen’s ankles and tugs, yanking Jensen off the bed with an even more undignified yelp.
Jared easily swoops Jensen back up to his feet, arms rung around Jensen’s waist, and a wide, bright smile on his face. “That was easy.”
“As pie,” Jensen jokes, falling against Jared’s chest.
“Mmm, pie,” Jared just before kissing Jensen good morning. He runs his hands down Jensen’s hips and around to slide them in the back of Jensen’s boxers. “Know what else I have a taste for?”
Jensen rolls his eyes, but smiles at the idea. “Mmm, no. But why don’t you show me?”
“Gladly!” Jared whips Jensen’s underwear down with a flourish and gets to his knees, cramped against the wall. He strokes over Jensen’s thighs and licks the head of Jensen’s dick just as Jensen’s hands find their place within Jared’s bedhead, fussing up the strands worse than any night of fitful sleep.
Rocking on his feet, Jensen groans and combs through Jared’s hair all while Jared swallows him down and sucks his way back up to the tip. Jared moans around Jensen’s dick, the noise and motion of his tongue rumbling through Jensen’s skin. Jensen’s nerves quickly pay attention to every subtle shift and grip of Jared’s hands around his legs, and each audible suck of Jared’s enthusiastic mouth. Excitement swirls just beneath the surface and Jensen shallowly rolls his hips forward and back, meeting Jared’s easy rhythm that is perfect for a hazy, warm morning like this.
Jared pops off with a loud smack and Jensen groans dark and deep in his throat. Maxwell howls from beneath the comforter and Jensen flinches, but Jared isn’t disrupted in the least. He sucks his way down, up, and all the way down again to the base. Jensen is overly consumed with so much heat, it’s dying to get out, tearing through his skin.
Soon enough, Jensen feels the rush coming upon him and he tugs Jared’s hair with a soft God, now. Jared pulls back but continues mouthing at the head of Jensen’ dick, milking Jensen’s orgasm, and swallowing. He leans back with a satisfied smirk and not-so-subtle lick of his lips.
Jared isn’t exactly a proud man; he has engaged in dirty deeds for a low payoff like cheating at strip poker just to get Jensen down to his bare essentials (even when it’s just the two of them and Jensen insists they play something more appropriate for two players). Jared also lacks any thread of vanity, evidenced by the collection of paisley shirts in their closet. But right now, Jared’s ego is bursting at the seams and Jensen can’t deny the splendid way Jared’s gratification colors his cheeks and brings a particularly fetching shine to his eyes.
They’ve both broken into a bit of a sweat, with the sun slowly shifting closer to them during their activity and so Jensen twists his hand into the arm of Jared’s thin cotton tee and pulls, hauling Jared to his feet. “Top o’ the morning to me,” Jensen whispers before kissing Jared soundly. “I think we’re due for a shower now, what do you say?”
Jared smiles and leans down to bop their noses together. “I say that you have beautiful ideas.”
There is no world in which Jensen cannot return a happy grin to Jared’s pleased face. “Go get it started. I’ll be there in a second.”
With a wink and a pat to Jensen’s ass, Jared turns and hustles to the adjoining bathroom. Jensen chuckles, shakes his head, and steps out of his boxers. He shucks them towards the overflowing hamper in the opposite corner and pulls his shirt off, tossing it to join the rest of the mess of dirty laundry.
Just then, something wide and firm pokes at his bare backside. For the third time this morning, an unbecoming yelp is released in the tiny bedroom. Jensen whirls around to see Max sitting at attention, right there at the very sun-lit edge of the bed, and still completely covered by their cream-and-brown checkered blanket.
“Just like your father,” Jensen gripes, playfully swatting Max’s side.
Max lets out a short bark and his tail wags, flicking up an edge of the comforter.
“We’ll go for a walk after breakfast, how’s that?”
Max barks twice, surely once for the exercise and more heartily for the prospect of food. Jensen gives him a pat to his side and heads towards the bathroom. He stops when his eyes fall upon the still-sluggish Sasha. She remains in place where he’d found her upon waking. Only now, her wide, dark eyes are staring up at him while she still has her chin tucked down to her paws.
“Oh, baby,” Jensen coos. He steps closer and softly rubs over her jaw and ear. Each side gets a turn just like she’s loved since she was a tiny little pup. “We’ll find out what’s wrong with you soon enough.”
Sasha lets out a pitiful whine.
Following a round of breakfast (or two in Jared’s case; Jensen winked and pretended to ignore it, even when it meant Jared finishing the last of the oatmeal) and a quick trot through their neighborhood (well, not so quick in poor Sasha’s instance), Jensen fills the dogs’ water and food bowls and tidies up what’s left of the mess of breakfast.
He washes his hands and pats the excess water over his pants as he walks to the snug living room, but stops in the hallway to Sasha curled up in the lone piece of seated furniture in the room - a worn-down loveseat Jared had found at an estate sale - with Max squeezed into the little bit of space left. Max’s head rests of Sasha’s hip, and he lets out a low growl when Jensen steps closer.
Jensen frowns at them both, especially Sasha, who just blinks in return.
“Is our lovely patient ready?” Jared asks as he enters the room.
Jensen motions at the dogs. “I think Max is being a bit protective here.”
Jared moves forward with an easy, “Ahh, no, the big boy’s just -”
Max growls, lifting his head and baring the edges of his canines.
“Okay,” Jared says firmly. “I think this calls for a sneaky treat.”
Jensen nods and sets his hand out in a fist as he and Jared count to three for rock, paper, scissors. He slips paper and Jared expertly scissors Jensen’s hand with a proud smile. “Yeah, yeah,” Jensen mumbles, waving Jared off to the kitchen.
In seconds, there’s the well-known shake of Wishbones in their box and Max scoots up to sit on his haunches, eyes and ears alert to the sound. Another handful of shakes and Max dashes off the couch, skitters across the wooden floor, and slides into the kitchen where Jared and a crunchy treat awaits him.
Jensen gives Sasha a sad smile and crouches down to her. “Okay, sweetheart, we’ll go nice and easy.”
When he scoops her up, heaving her weight into his arms, she hardly puts up a fight. Which is both a thankful thing and a sad surprise.
“And you haven’t changed her diet at all?” Sasha’s vet, the lovely Dr. Palicki, asks as she soothes her palms over Sasha’s head and back. Sasha seems relaxed under the doctor’s touches as she’s stretched out on the examination table.
“No, we haven’t,” Jared answers when Jensen remains focused on rubbing his fingers beneath Sasha’s jaw.
“No injuries? Vomiting? Changes in bowels?”
“No, nothing we’ve noticed.”
Jensen sighs at the idea that something could have been happening for all this time, and neither he nor Jared noticed. True, they’ve both been particularly busy between Jensen holing himself up in the second bedroom-turned-home-studio to crank out a long list of jingles good and bad - all gone unpurchased - and Jared’s added hours at the bakery to bring in some extra dough (both of the bread and dollar variety).
Dr. Paclicki brings her stethoscope into place around her neck and eyes Jensen and Jared each. “Nothing at all?”
“We’ve both been very busy,” Jensen admits.
She smiles nonetheless, comforting them with her soft and easy voice. “No worries. I just need to ask. We’ll get Sasha up to snuff in no time.” Dr. Palicki sets the stethoscope to Sasha’s neck, moving it down along her side, her chest, and finally to her belly. She makes a thoughtful noise and listens longer then removes her stethoscope and rings it around her neck.
“What is it?” Jensen asks.
Dr. Palicki hums with a strange face and presses fingers against Sasha’s belly, moving them in different directions and places until Sasha grumbles. She strokes Sasha’s belly with a soft hush. She gives Jared and Jensen an odd smile when she suggests, “I think we should run some tests on her.”
“Don’t look so excited,” Jensen mumbles.
“It’s very exciting.” Dr. Palicki grins and Jensen’s not feeling the same as his stomach turns with a tingle of worry. “You’re going to be granddaddies!”
Jensen’s vision narrows down to Sasha’s face and he swears he can read guilt coming over her, but he’s likely just imagining things. Just like he’s imagining that the world is now spinning and he’s meeting the floor much sooner than he would expect his failing legs to allow.
Back at the apartment, Jared plops down to the loveseat and squeezes in beside Jensen. “Come here, you big baby.”
Jensen scowls with a low, “You’re a big baby.” He allows Jared to pull him close, still flinching when Jared sets a towel-wrapped clump of ice to his forehead. He’s not about to admit it, but the ice immediately lessens the Jensen’s headache.
“Actually,” Jared says, adjusting the ice pack to cover the bump on Jensen’s head, “I’m an excited grandpappy.”
“I’m not going by that name.”
“Why are you so against this? It’s the circle of life. Our beautiful pups are having pups of their own.”
“Exactly,” Jensen argues. “Don’t you think they’re a little too young for this?” It’s mostly meant as a joke, but Jensen feels it hit closer to home. “We’re a little too young for this.”
Jared slips his arm over Jensen’s shoulders to tuck him in even closer. “You’ll be the most handsome grandpa at the dog park.”
Jensen smiles briefly, immediately filled with the real grief of the situation. “Jared, how can we really do this? We barely have room for us four in this place. And I know you’re working yourself too hard to keep us above water.”
“We’ll get a new place, in a new neighborhood that we can afford and -”
“And you’ll be too far from the bakery, making everything harder on us. I barely see you as it is.”
Jared kisses Jensen’s cheek. “I miss you, too. But we’ll find a way.”
“In a month?” Jensen asks, semi-hopeful yet still concerned. To add to their trouble, Dr. Palicki had reported that Sasha was approximately halfway through her pregnancy and she spotted six pups from her physical exam and the x-ray.
“You don’t worry about that,” Jared says with a quick nudge. “I’m a problem solver. I solve problems.”
Jensen sighs, not comforted in the slightest. He drops his head back to the loveseat and whimpers with a fresh wave of pain.
Part Two
“Look, I don’t like doing this any more than you like it,” Jensen explains carefully. “I’m not comfortable, you’re not comfortable, so let’s just acknowledge that it’s a medical issue that must be done, okay?”
Sasha stares at him and Jensen attempts an easy smile and shrug. He doubts she buys it. She does eventually lie down on the bed and barely fusses as Jensen moves forward to take her temperature.
“Oh, my God! What’re you doing to her?” Jared harps when he enters the bedroom.
“I have to take her temperature,” Jensen replies, wincing as he tries to insert the thermometer - rectally.
Jared sits next to Sasha, pets her back, and pointedly does not look at what Jensen is doing. “That’s just wrong.”
“So is your dog knocking her up, but you don’t see me complaining.”
Max growls from the corner where he’s been watching. Jensen isn’t sure if the dog is upset with Jensen’s comment or in how this thermometer works.
“Keeping Max off the bed while Sasha gets the queen treatment isn’t you complaining?” Jared asks with attitude.
Jensen ignores Jared and focuses on the temperature ritual. He’s thankful when Jared leans in close to Sasha, nuzzling her jaw with pets and kisses. It’s a great sight when Sasha licks him back and happily pants at his attention. Jensen’s been waiting to see his beautiful, lively, loving girl return to form.
“Okay, we’re done,” he announces as he checks the thermometer then goes quiet. “Ninety-nine. Her temperature dropped below a hundred. Dr. Palicki said when it drops-”
“Finally!” Jared crows and joyfully gives Sasha more love and attention. “Our baby’s gonna have some babies!”
Jensen looks up to Jared with a small smile; Jared’s excitement is contagious, and Jensen’s finally elated at the whole idea. Twenty-four hours from now, they’re going to have a full litter of beautiful white-polka-dotted puppies to lavish with attention.
Max barks as he stands and Sasha shifts up to sit and watch him. She barks, and he does again, too. He pants heavily until he charges the bed, runs across Jensen’s back, and settles down next to Sasha, licking over her neck and jaw.
“Hey, Maxy,” Jared murmurs, “You’re gonna be a daddy.”
Max barks excitedly, three times in a row, and returns his attention on Sasha, as if Jensen and Jared aren’t even there anymore.
“Maybe we should give them some alone time?” Jensen suggests.
Jared nods in agreement. “Maybe we could use some, too.”
They go to the living room and sit in the loveseat pressed up against each other, Jensen’s head on Jared’s shoulder, Jared’s hand resting on Jensen’s knee. In the easy silence, their breathing can be heard, followed by the deep, raspy snoring of Max in the next room. Jensen has spent the last two years trying to be patient with the boy’s snoring; right now, it’s a sweet notion that Maxwell is staying with Sasha for her last few hours before delivery.
“There was a guy at the bakery the other day,” Jared says quietly, almost awkward. “He’d overheard me telling Sandy about Sasha and the babies. He was interested in adopting them.”
Jensen looks to Jared and smiles. “Jared, that’s amazing news. Why didn’t you mention it before?”
Jared shrugs and glances around the room. “I don’t know. I wasn’t sure if we were that serious about that.”
“We agreed it would be the most logical thing.”
“Maybe I wasn’t that serious about it.” Jared shrugs again, now with a mixture of guilt and sadness. “I’m not sure it’s that great of a thing to take the puppies away from their mommy and daddy.”
“Oh. Yeah.” Jensen is immediately injected with shame. Still, he tries, “If this guy wants to take them all, at least they’ll be together?”
With a nod, Jared admits, “It would be better than splitting them up. It’s been hard to find six different families to take them.”
“It can’t hurt to meet him. See if he’ll be good for them and them for him?”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Jared says with more confidence.
Jensen smiles at Jared’s uplifted spirit. “Of course I am. I’m always right.”
Jared nudges his nose to Jensen’s cheek and kisses him.
If Jensen thought taking Sasha’s temperate was a questionable action, watching her birth her first pup is definitely wrong, wrong, wrong.
“My poor girl,” he whimpers.
He’s wracked with guilt. Even with Max at her side, Jensen can’t bear to witness Sasha in this position. Literally.
Jared had said they should be prepared for the event and cued up a 20-part YouTube series of a Boxer giving birth to a whole litter, and Jensen still hasn’t recovered.
Jensen is aware that Sasha stretches on her side, prepared to birth, and there is shuffling of her feet on the blanket laid out on the living room floor, but he has to keep his eyes clenched tight while he hums his latest jingle to drown out the noise.
“How’s she doing?” Jared asks from Jensen’s side.
“Good, good, she’s great,” Jensen asks, turning away from Sasha to look at Jared.
“And how are you doing?”
“Freaking terrified.”
Jared grins and Jensen resists punching him for enjoying this pain. “Just like I knew you would be,” he says with a rub to Jensen’s back. “Oh, look, the first one’s coming!”
Jensen closes his eyes, turns his head, and hums another jingle, one for the local pizza place that boasts the thickest deep dish one could ever dream of.
“Are you - Are you singing about sausage?” Jared asks.
“I can’t look, Jared,” Jensen whines. “I just can’t. There are some things a man should never see about his baby.”
“Jensen, I told you,” Jared says calmly. “It’s the circle of life and she is - oh my God it’s coming out of her!” he squeals. “Can you believe this?”
“It’s beautiful, Jared,” he replies, eyes again closed. “Now what?”
“She’s cleaning up the sac and-”
Jensen’s stomach clenches. “Not - that’s not - no!”
“And another one is coming! His head is pushing through her-”
“Jared!” Jensen shouts. “Stop describing it. Just, what do we do now?”
“Oh, right, I’ll get more towels,” and a moment later, Jensen is left alone with the birthing noises.
In Jared’s absence, the sounds turn into something softer, a light hum, a tiny snarl, and Jensen chances a look at Sasha as she finishes cleaning the second pup up. At this point, the teeny puppies are just masses of white fur, not a spot to be seen. Jensen’s heart immediately melts, watching Sasha bathe her babies. Once she shifts to birth another, Jensen reaches for the first two and cradles them, one in each arm.
“Jared! They’re here!” he shouts and hears a muffled yelp and things crashing from the bedroom closet.
“One minute,” Jared moans from the other side of the wall.
From there on, the pups pop out like a Blackjack dealer in Vegas, an efficiency that Jensen can’t keep up with. His arms are easily filled with half a dozen and Sasha is still going, so Jensen lowers himself beside her, murmuring encouragement as he lavishes the new pups with attention.
Soon enough, his lap is full with soft, warm puppies that nuzzle the bare skin of his arms and legs, one snuffles its way up the inside of Jensen’s shorts, nibbling at his thigh.
“No! Bad dog!” he admonishes then quickly changes tactics, feeling awful for yelling so soon after birth. He adjusts a few of the puppies in his arm so he can shift to the side so his lap is more comfortably fit with one, two, three, four … oh, dear, he thinks. There are seven pups seated between his legs while another four squirm in his arms.
“Jared!” he yells and Max howls as well. “Where are the towels?”
“Coming!” Jared pants as he rushes into the room to dump the terry cloth at Jensen’s feet. He stares at Jensen, at Jensen’s arms then his legs, at Sasha still going, and then back to Jensen. “We need more towels,” he says firmly then races out of the room.
Before Jared can return, Jensen counts another four births, then together they witness another five births.
With confusion, wonder, and maybe even fright in his voice, Jared begins to count. “Two, four, six, eight-”
“Twenty.” Jensen looks up at Jared, arms and lap still packed with little dalmatians. “Jared, we have twenty puppies.”
“Plus two,” he says flatly. “We have twenty to dogs to feed.”
“That’s a lot of mouths.”
Jared opens his mouth to reply. but promptly goes slack and falls to the ground as he passes out.
Jensen frowns at Jared and thinks of moving to help him, but he’s sure Jared will wake in a matter of seconds; it’s how Jensen was when he first found out Sasha would have just six pups.
Looking down at the puckered face tucked close to his left elbow, eyes and mouth closed even while releasing tiny whimpers, Jensen smiles fondly. “Your grandpappy is so dramatic.”
For the first morning in a long run of mornings together, Jensen is up with Jared as the sun rises. Based on the scruff filling in his cheeks and the fuss of his hair, Jared is likely just as tired as Jensen feels.
Jared is used to pre-dawn wake-ups to open the bakery. Jensen, however, is not, and needs to wake up soon if he plans to drive himself across town for a job interview with a regular, ole talk-around-the-water-cooler office. Jared is putting in more than his fair share at the bakery, but twenty new mouths to feed is at least nineteen too many, and they need to increase their income to afford all the pounds of puppy chow that should be lining their pantry.
Jensen also needs coffee, stat, but he figures he’ll grab it on the road.
By routine, Jensen flings his tie into place and ties the knot at his throat. Jared lazily smacks his lips, as if fighting the notion of being awake, even if he still smiles at Jensen.
“You look so handsome, darlin’,” Jared drawls.
Jensen takes a deep breath and stands tall, blinking sleep away. “Would you hire me?”
“Definitely.” Jared leans in for a kiss then pats Jensen’s back as he turns to walk out of the room. “But that’s ‘cause I like my men half-clothed.”
It dawns on Jensen that he hasn’t bothered to put a shirt on, despite the perfectly knotted tie. “Dangit!” he shouts and rushes into the closet. He pulls hangers this way and that until he finds a white collared shirt and tugs it off the hanger. It’s heavier than he’d expected as one sleeve sags close to the ground. Jensen peeks inside the collar then notices a few spots moving inside the sleeve. He sighs, reaches inside, and grabs a pup by the scruff to pull it out of the shirt.
“Oh, come on,” Jensen whines.
“What now?” Jared asks from the kitchen.
“I found,” and Jensen counts the spots on the pup’s stomach before hugging it to his chest and joining Jared by the fridge. “Lazy Eight hiding out in my shirt.”
“He’s not lazy,” Jared admonishes.
“I know he’s not,” Jensen says. He holds the boy at an angle for Jared to see the stomach. “But his eighth belly spot is.”
Jared taps a finger to seven solid spots then rubs at the eighth, which is barely a shade of grey. “Well, ain’t that something. Lazy Eight it is.”
“It’s better than Crazy Eight.” Jensen hands the puppy over to Jared and heads back to the bedroom for his shirt, which is now a sleeping mat for Harry and Tom. Dick is currently licking Jensen’s dress shoe, which could be mostly okay so long as he doesn’t start using teeth.
Jensen shuffles the two boys off his shirt and nudges Dick away from his shoes on his way out of the room.
Jared reaches for a cabinet when Jensen rejoins him, asking, “Do you have time for coffee?”
The answer is delayed when Jared pulls the cabinet door open to reveal two pups hiding out among the cereal boxes. The puffed pops box is crumbled at the bottom corner and the pups are caught red-handed eating Jared’s favorite frosted meal.
Jared turns to Jensen. “We need a bigger place.”
“I’m trying,” Jensen replies tiredly as he buttons his shirt up.
“I know you are.” Jared frowns and kisses Jensen’s nose. “I’m not saying you’re not.”
“You don’t have to say it. I know what it looks like, with you gone all day and me sitting here watching two dozen dogs.”
“Jensen, I don’t like leaving you here to do that.”
Jensen heaves a breath for about the tenth time this morning and pastes on a smile, even when he’s certain it’s pathetic and weak. “I don’t like you working so much at the bakery either. I want to see you once in a while.”
“We’ll get there,” Jared insists. He rubs his palms over Jensen’s shoulders, down his arms, and squeezes Jensen’s hands. “Starting with today. You’re gonna ace that interview.”
Laughing nervously, Jensen bumps his forehead to Jared’s. “Right. Jingleman to data entry.”
“It’s all about the keys, baby.”
Part Two