Requests and Challenges - Hollowed: Part One

[girlgotagun]

Master Post // Writing Schedule // Announcements

Title: Hollowed
Author: girlgotagun
Pairing: Jensen/Jared - J2

Prompter: liverpool46
Community: None ( original source: spnkink-meme)
Prompt: LINK
Rating: NC-17

Kinks: a/b/o, heat, knotting, rough sex, angst, dehumanization/degradation, humiliation, hurt w/o comfort, torture, non-con/dub-con (not main pairing), abuse, mpreg, mating w/o claiming, abandonment

Warning: Character death, sexual abuse of both adults and minors (minors referenced; non-explicit), physical and mental abuse of both adults and minors, starvation, extreme suffering by both adults and minors... Guys I am so serious when I say this: I am going to rip your heart out with this one, and I'm going to do it with a smile on my face. Proceed with caution.

Summary: Omegas are second-class citizens, a fact that Jared is used to. But he has a good family, and generally his life isn’t too bad. Until his favorite actor, Jensen Ackles, comes to town. Jared is precariously close to his heat, but he’s got a few days and he’ll be damned if he’s going to pass up the chance to meet his idol. When his heat hits early, the two spend a heated few days together. Jared is heartbroken when he never hears from the Alpha again, and to make matters worse, he’s pregnant. His family disowns him and drops him in an omega work camp. Six years later, Jensen is filming a documentary. He spots a starved omega and child and coaxes/bribes him to tell his story.

Part One

~~~

January 28, 2015

The camera shook, the image on the monitor jumping as the lens came around to rest on a small boy. His eyes were dark, appearing way too large as they peered out of sunken sockets. The pup’s face was gaunt, all sharp angles; much too sharp for his age, when growing bones should be hidden by a soft layer of fat. His hair was brittle, the color of rust-scurvy, the cameraman had whispered to Jensen. The same effect of starvation and malnutrition was the reason for his receding, bright red gums, pulling away from rotting baby teeth. The paper-like skin and jaundiced sclera were likewise signs of the reaper hovering over his shoulder.

The boy was curled in on himself in his chair, thin arms wrapped around legs that looked like they couldn't possibly support his weight.

Jensen’s voice floated through the speakers attached to the monitor. “Can you tell us your name and age?”

The boy sat up just a little, lifting his head off of his knees. When he spoke his voice was surprisingly clear, the youth-high voice melodic. It reminded him of his own daughter, and watching it now stabbed through his heart.

“My name is Andrew.” The pup held his right hand up, fingers like spider’s legs extended. “I'm five years old.”

The footage cut with a hiss of feedback. Now, instead of the pup, an omega in his mid-twenties was sitting in the chair. His eyes were hard, distrusting, and his gaze kept darting off-screen to where Jensen knew Andrew was playing with Eric. Jensen knew the omega was tall-alarmingly so, for his status-at six-foot-four, but he probably weighed a buck twenty soaking wet.

Those hate-filled hazel eyes flitted back to the camera as Jensen’s voice filtered through from off-camera. “How did you end up here?”

The omega scowled. “How did I end up here?” His lips twisted into a sneer. “Everyone knows you're not supposed to breed the bitch.”

Feedback and then the image was crisp, clear. A smiling anchorwoman read off the day’s news-not that day’s. The footage was a recording from 1995. Jensen had been ten years old when it first aired. He didn't remember it; it didn't apply to him.

“The proposed Omega Suppression Act was officially signed into law today amidst widespread debate. The law states that omegas are no longer permitted to carry young. If an omega is found to be pregnant, they will be removed from their pack and remanded into the custody of the government for their safety and the safety of their pups. This follows close on the heels of the Alpha Custodial Act last week which grants exclusive parental rights to an Alpha in the case of breeding an omega. For more on the new legislature, we go to Councilman Heyerdahl.”

The screen flashed and a thin, middle-aged beta began to speak. “The omega threat has weakened our society, rotted it from the inside out for far too long. Only omegas produce offspring who present as omegas; an Alpha and a beta or exclusively beta couples do not carry the omega gene. By limiting reproduction we will eventually eliminate the threat that omegas pose to our society.”

“Councilman, what do you have to say to those who would critique this change in policy by calling it alarmingly reminiscent of historical incidents of genocide?”

The Councilman smiled, thin lips twisting up and eyes sparkling charmingly. “I would encourage such pack to refrain from fear mongering. We are not shipping omegas off to death camps or handing down executions. Presented omegas and their offspring will still enjoy the same rights any other pack status. We are simply reducing the drain of weaker statuses on our country’s socioeconomic infrastructure. If the law is followed, as we as pack expect from any other status in regards to any other law, there is nothing to fear.”

The screen jumped. Feedback hissed. The omega was on the screen once more, wasted body silhouetted against the high afternoon sun. The camera zoomed in on his face; sharp bones and cracked lips and the anger in his eyes the only sign of life the walking corpse had to offer.

“They're killing us.” He swallowed. “We're dead.”

Chad stopped the video. "So that's the rough opening." He let out a low sigh. "Breaks your heart, right?"

Jensen shrugged. "I feel for the pup."

Chad frowned. “Why did they pick you for this again?” The beta made it no secret that he thought Jensen was ill-suited for the job.

“Marketability.” Jensen smiled at him. Once upon a time, Jensen had been a pretty widely-known actor. He had been the lead on a show called Supernatural, but when the show went belly-up, so did his career.

“Then just stand there and look pretty and keep your mouth shut.”

Jensen could smell the aggression rolling off of the beta and he raised his hands in a sort of surrender. Besides, he could get why Chad was irritated. Jensen wasn’t exactly sympathetic to the project, and Chad had put his entire career-and probably his life-on the line for it. He had applied for permits to film in the camp under the guise of a propaganda film in which omegas talked about their various misdeeds as a warning to all still-liberated omegas to stay in line. But he was actually making a documentary on the horrors of the camps, the inhumane conditions and unbelievable abuse that went on there.

Privately, Jensen thought that the first one was more appropriate.

“Whatever, man, I’ve gotta get the dummy footage pieced before inspection tomorrow.” Chad sounded frustrated. He was effectively having to make two documentaries while they were there; the real one, and one that he would show to their handlers if asked, one that matched the purpose on the permits.

Jensen’s eyes lingered on the frozen image of the omega for a moment before he turned his back and walked away. He didn’t feel much sympathy. The omega could be pissed, sure, but he was right. Everyone knew that bitches weren’t supposed to breed. His own actions had gotten him put there.

He wondered about the Alpha, though. Why hadn’t the omega told his Alpha about the pup? By law, Alphas had default guardianship of any pups they father, so his Alpha could have saved the pup from the horrors of the camp.

He exhaled hard, disgust trying to tease a growl from his throat. The bitch probably didn’t even know who his pup’s Alpha was.

~~~

January 15, 2015

It was late at night, and Jared curled his body closer around Andrew’s, offering what little protection he could from the chill of the night air as he drew the blanket they shared up to his chin, completely covering the pup. The blanket was scratchy wool; it had probably been warm at some point. Now it was thin, threadbare, existing mainly to provide the illusion of warmth rather than actual warmth. The barracks weren't heated, and the overcrowded room was stuffy despite the lack of heat. The rank smell of unwashed bodies hung thick in the air, but opening the windows was to risk hypothermia, particularly in the pups.

There weren’t many pups in the camp. The law stated that an Alpha who bred an omega could claim custody of the pup. Many of the omegas who came in each day were carrying, and Jared had heard many of them on the phone, closely monitored by a guard, begging their Alpha to please, please claim the pup. It wrenched his heart. He had been like them once, but he had been pleading with voicemail, leaving messages that would never be answered.

Andrew had turned five two months ago. Five long years stuck in the camp. Five years that were both a miracle and a punishment. Most pups didn’t make it to five. Hell, most pups didn’t make it to three. Jared had fought tooth and nail to keep Andrew alive, but sometimes he wondered if that wasn’t more cruel.

They hadn’t celebrated his birthday. What was there to celebrate? Another year of suffering, of starvation, of cruelty and humiliation. A year of pain and agony and the acrid smell of rot and decay. No, they didn’t celebrate birthdays in the camp.

A lot of other anniversaries had come and gone in the five and a half years since Jared had arrived at the camp. One was coming up, in fact. He did the math in his head. Nineteen days until the anniversary of the day that he had met the Alpha who bred him. Twenty-one until the date that marked the Alpha blowing him off. Twenty-two until the date that he took the after-knot pill and moved on. Seventy-two until the date that he realized he was carrying. One hundred and forty-eight until his twenty-sixth birthday. One hundred and forty-nine until his own anniversary at the camp. Three hundred and five until Andrew’s next birthday.

If Jared had his way, he would never see another one of those dates. But he had Andrew. And as long as the pup drew breath, Jared would fight like hell to stay with him.

The pup drew a shaky breath, let out a low cry. Jared shushed him and tried to pull him tighter in, tried to will his body to give off just a little more heat.

His mind turned to the next anniversary.

~~~

February 3, 2009

It was nine o’clock on a Tuesday, and Jared was running late for his first class. Tuesdays and Thursdays were his heavy-scheduled days, with lectures from ten all the way to five. But he was lucky, he knew. Not many omegas got to go to college. So he would work his ass off if that was what it took to get to go.

His phone started ringing as he yanked his shirt over his head and he stumbled, nearly falling over in his attempt to answer it before his arms were fully through the sleeves. “Hello.”

“Hey man, so listen, I was walking down the street minding my own, you know, and I saw this bus-”

“Milo.” Jared sighed. He loved his friend, he really did, but the other omega would talk forever and a day if left to his own devices, and Jared was running late as it was.

“The one and only.” Milo didn’t wait for Jared to speak again before he continued. “So as I was saying, headed to stats, minding my own, and I saw this bus. And so I thought to myself, I thought Milo, it seems like there might be an interesting story to go with that bus.”

“Did you?” Jared’s voice was flat, resigned to his friend finishing the story as he hit the speaker button and set the phone down, gathering his stuff.

“I did. So I watched this bus; not enough interest to actually try to follow it or anything, but it turned into the gas station on Bleaker. And who do you think got out of it?”

Jared rolled his eyes. “I don’t know, Milo. Look, I’ve gotta-”

“That one guy you’re oh so in love with. The Alpha with the dreamy eyes and the pouty lips and the oh-so-sexy bowlegs.” Milo’s voice was teasing. “The one from that god-awful show you love.”

Jared’s heart stopped, his eyes going wide as he stared at the phone. “Milo…” He worked to keep his voice calm. “Milo, are you talking about Jensen Ackles?”

“Man, I don’t know.”

“Dean from Supernatural?”

“Well I don’t know Dean from Sam but the whole motley crew was present and accounted for so-”

Jared had already hung up. His head was spinning. He felt like he was going to scream. Jensen Ackles was in his hometown. Jensen Ackles, who he had been completely in love with since he had even a vague concept of what the word meant. Jensen Ackles, the Alpha who fueled ever heat-fevered fantasy he had ever had.

He was going to die. He was going to hyperventilate. He was going to stop breathing altogether.

He had to meet him. He had to find him and… And what? What would he even say to a man like that? “Hi, I’m Jared Padalecki and I know that basically means nothing and I’m just an omega and it’s laughable that I’d even dare to talk to you but I’m basically in love with you”? No. Not in a million years.

But…he couldn’t just not try to meet him either.

He went to his computer, pulled up the fansite that he frequented. The site listed all of the filming location information, and if he was going to try to figure out how to catch up to the bus, he’d need to know where they were going. No way they’d still be on Bleaker by the time he got there.

He found it, and he had no idea how he could’ve missed it. The town that they were filming in for the next week was only forty minutes away. He ran through it in his head as he gathered up his school bag and his phone and car keys before thundering down the stairs.

He skidded to a halt in the kitchen, tried to look calm as he spotted his mother by the sink. “Hey Mom. Just wanted to let you know that Milo and I have a project due this week so I’m probably just gonna stay over at his place between classes until we get it done.” The words came out too fast, and he was sure his mom would see right through them.

She was distracted though, scrubbing hard at an especially stubborn spot on a pan. “Okay, honey. Be careful.”

Jared had almost made it out of the door when he heard her running after him.

“Jared!” Her voice was panicked. “I almost forgot. Your heat’s about to hit, maybe you should...”

The reminder hit Jared hard in the gut. His heat. His freakin’ heat was due to start that day. It was, he knew, the absolute worst time to travel or do anything that may throw his hormones out of whack.

But…there were still a few days before it hit completely, and he may never have another chance to meet his favorite actor. And if his heat hit, he could come back, ride it out. It took a day or two before it got too intense, and he was only going to be forty minutes away.

It would be okay.

He hugged his mom and assured her he’d be back before his heat was due. Then he was out the door and hurrying to his car, his mind running through the directions in his memory to the filming location.

~~~

Jensen was stressed beyond belief by the time Steve called it a wrap for the day. Supernatural wasn’t doing well, and after five years they were shooting the series finale. Jensen had loved the show, loved the cast. Well, most of the cast. Because the kid who played his little brother was…well, he and Jensen had never gotten along. And apparently that had translated to film, because the lack of audience reception to their dynamic and especially to the kid in particular was cited as one of the biggest reasons for pulling the plug.

They should’ve cast someone else.

Jensen was beginning to hate the kid. He sort of wished the whole storyline was real and that he could hurtle him down into the cage himself. His co-star was an omega, and in Jensen’s mind that should’ve been a huge red flag from the beginning that he was going to be a problem. But no, it had been decided in casting that an omega playing the little brother role would play nicely to the dynamic between Sam and Dean, what with Jensen being an Alpha. Instead, the kid was single-handedly destroying Jensen’s career. It was hard to bounce back from a flop like this as an actor. A failed show was a huge hit to his resume.

He headed for his trailer, dodging any attempts by the rest of the cast to talk to him, to get him to go out with them for drinks. He rounded the corner of his trailer, his mind still on the mess of his career and the show, and nearly ran smack into someone. He opened his mouth to speak, to bite off a cutting remark at whoever had the misfortune to cross his path, but as he drew in a breath to fuel the words he smelled something that was unlike anything he had ever encountered in his life. Sweet and earthy and warm. It kicked up something in the back of his mind that immediately started screaming at him to touch, to take, to claim.

He looked at the man, at the symbol on the shoulder of his tee shirt. He was an omega.

Jensen breathed in deeply again, scenting him as he stepped closer.

“I’m sorry, Jen-Mr. Ackles. I’m a huge fan and when I heard you were filming so nearby I just had to meet you.” The omega blushed, the blood rush making his scent peak.

Jensen gritted his teeth as his own body started to respond the unfamiliar scent and he realized what it was. The omega was in heat. He had heard about the appeal of the sickly-sweet scent from other Alphas and thought that they must be exaggerating, but if anything they had been way underselling it. But he probably should’ve figured as much. After all, omegas had to be good for something.

He realized that he hadn’t said anything, and the omega was starting to fidget nervously. He tried to clear his head. Instinct or no, he couldn’t just go all feral on a fan.

“Jared, you said?” It was hard to force the words out in his normal voice, hard not to growl them. “Good to meet you kid, but you really shouldn’t be back here.” He was using every last trick he knew as an actor to appear unaffected, but he was losing that battle. He could feel his heart thundering ahead of him, his breathing getting faster, more shallow, and his scent growing heavier.

The omega noticed all of this, too. A small smile appeared as he took another step closer. “Do you want me to go?” There was a worshipful look in his eyes that Jensen didn’t think had anything to do with the heat. He had seen it before in the eyes of other fans; fans who sought him out hoping for one thing and one thing only.

Jensen reached behind him and opened the door to his trailer, jerking his head at the omega. “Get inside.” The command was a low, smooth growl.

Continue to Part Two