Fic: Cold Inside (1/4)
Title: Cold Inside (1/4)
Author: hay1ock
Rating: NC17
Wordcount: 5400
Pairings: J2
Warnings: Dub-con between J2.
Summary: Jensen Ackles has escaped to the safety and silence of the cabin he used to visit with his grandfather years earlier. When he finds Jared, lost and alone in the snow, his carefully laid out life starts to crumble, cracks appearing in the mask he wears for the world. With Jared going nowhere anytime soon, Jensen is forced to face up to feelings he thought he'd buried.
Author's Notes: Originally planned as a Christmas fic, this kind of grew out of control from bbarclayspn's prompt of 'snowed in'.
The snow-covered hills rolled on for as far as the eye could see. The snow was ankle deep, crisp and glistening in the morning sun. Silver bark shot up from the hard ground as bare trees seemed to shudder beneath the snow and frost; the air was fresh and chilling. Suddenly, a shot rang out, disturbing a bird and sending it squawking into the sky, its feathers shivering nervously as it soared from its hiding place in search of safety.
Stepping out from amongst the trees and into the clearing, a man clad in a heavy coat trudged through the deep snow, a rabbit held by its ears in his gloved hand. The man stopped and hitched his rifle higher onto his shoulder as he looked up at the blue, cloudless sky. He smiled to himself from beneath his large fur-lined hood, enjoying the stillness of his morning surroundings. Clearing his throat, he continued to make his way back to the large cabin at the top of the hill, stopping briefly beside the snow-covered truck and drawing a smiley-face in the white layer.
As the hunter pushed open the door, he was hit by a wave of heat from inside the cabin and found large, eager paws pushing at his chest. Gently he pushed the dog away as he raised the rabbit from the dog’s reach. He waited for the animal to settle, and nudged his hood back from his face before crossing to the small kitchenette. Leaving the rabbit on the worktop, he shook off the rifle and then his coat, lowering them to the corner of the room. He crouched down and rubbed his hands over the chocolate-brown Labrador’s coat, listening to the sound of the engraved, metal tag as it bounced around. He smiled and read the name; Max, he’d named it after his grandfather.
Getting back to his feet, Jensen Ackles pulled off his gloves and made his way to the smouldering fireplace. Using the poker, he prodded at the ash before laying new logs over it. He watched, waiting as flames began to flicker, and he rubbed his hands together as the heat slowly increased. Turning his head, he held out his hand, giving a smile as the dog came over, and he gently wrapped his arm around its neck. Running his fingers through the dog’s soft coat, he pulled Max closer, glad to feel the warmth of his companion against him. With a smile, he patted Max’s stomach and decided it was time to eat.
Jensen stood on the porch and gave a shrill whistle. He watched as Max bounded about in the snow and frozen, white lumps started to cling to his ears. Jensen whistled again, trying to draw Max back to the cabin, only to stand surprised as he ran off towards the edge of the woods. He tried again, but found himself watching helplessly as the dog disappeared between the trees. Worried, he rushed indoors and grabbed his coat and boots. Though rare this high up, he had at times seen bear and wolf tracks in the snow.
Grabbing the rifle, Jensen headed outside, giving another whistle as he felt his skin prickling when he heard Max barking from somewhere between the trees. Hurrying, he pulled his coat more tightly around him and started out through the snow. Cautiously he followed Max’s prints as they wove around the trees and undergrowth. It was getting dark, and the temperature was beginning to drop; Jensen breathed harshly in the cold air.
Max continued to bark, the sound echoing through the dusky surroundings towards Jensen. Jensen cursed to himself as his foot fell through the snow and he found himself in a deep hole, snow coming up to his thigh as he grabbed hold of a tree branch. He listened to the sound of Max barking; the sound was closer. Jensen struggled to get back to his feet, then he continued through the woods, only slowing as Max came into sight. Whistling, he called Max to him and lowered his hand as he grabbed Max by the deep red collar the dog wore.
Jensen held Max steady and narrowed his eyes, unsure as to what he was seeing lying on the ground behind the dog. He held Max’s head in his hands and gently rubbed at the dog’s face, eyeing the dark mound curiously. Sighing, he dusted the snow from Max’s ears and stepped out into the small clearing. He kept his eyes on the figure lying in the dim light, stopping as he heard a low sound; it was a person. Slowly he walked forward and crouched down beside the warmly dressed man. He reached out and gently rolled the man over.
“I…” the man managed from between frost-bitten lips, his body shuddering as he tried to raise his head from the snowy ground.
Jensen rested a hand on the man’s shoulder, stopping him from moving. He looked the man up and down, and then scanned the surrounding area. There were no footprints, and the man was covered in a dusting of snow; it hadn’t snowed since early that morning.
“We… We…” the man tried to say as he reached out to Jensen.
Jensen felt the man’s hold weakening as he passed out, and his glassy, hazel eyes disappeared behind heavy eyelids. Jensen looked from the man to the surrounding trees. What if there were others? The guy had said ‘we’. Looking up at the darkening sky, Jensen made a decision. He would take the man back to the cabin first and then search the area in whatever light remained. Carefully he got to his feet and hooked his arms underneath the stranger’s, and after finding his footing, he began to drag the man in the direction of the cabin.
It was almost three hours before Jensen returned to the cabin. Shaking the fresh snow from his coat, he hung it on the hook behind the door and looked around the room. The cabin wasn’t large, just one room that held all he needed, with a separate bathroom off the back. He hesitated as he found the man lying where he’d left him on his bed. There had been no one else in the hills, or at least no one Jensen could find. With a heavy sigh, he pulled off his boots and gloves and walked to the kitchenette to run a glass of water.
In the years of coming out here, he’d never actually run into anyone else, not up here; the nearest cabin must have been almost twenty miles away, and the nearest town was at least the same. He always arrived prepared to be isolated for a good month. He’d never thought about getting in touch with anyone outside of his little world. Sipping at his water, Jensen turned around, surprised to meet a pair of curious hazel eyes across the room.
For a few moments, the two men simply stared at each other, unsure what to do about the other. Eventually it was the stranger who broke the silence. “Where am I?”
Jensen slowly lowered the glass he held to the worktop and looked around the cabin.
“I was in the hills,” the other man continued, his voice hoarse from the long exposure to the cold. He looked at Jensen, watching as he came closer, a fresh glass of water in his hand. “How long have I been here?”
Jensen stopped at the side of the bed, waited for the guy to sit up and then handed him the glass, encouraging him to drink.
“Thank you,” the man said and hesitantly sipped at the cold water. “It got dark so quickly. The snow covered my route and I got turned around. I felt like I was walking forever.” He took another drink and wiped a hand over his mouth. “Jared,” he suddenly said. “My name’s Jared.”
Jensen bit lightly on his lip, got to his feet and walked quickly to the other side of the cabin. He could feel Jared watching him, a confusion hanging around the other man as he looked at Jensen oddly. Returning to Jared’s side, Jensen sat down on the edge of the bed and held up a notepad and pen. He looked from Jared and then started to write on the paper.
“What are…?” Jared stopped and looked at the piece of paper held in front of him. “Your name’s Jensen.” He met Jensen’s green eyes curiously, waiting as Jensen wrote another line. Raising an eyebrow, he read Jensen’s scrawled words. “You don’t talk.”
Jensen shrugged, dismissed Jared’s questioning look and lowered the notepad to his lap.
“You found me, right?” Jared asked.
Jensen nodded and gave a short whistle, smiling as Max bounded across the room. He pulled the dog closer and grabbed his collar, showing Jared the name tag.
“Max,” Jared read and gently reached out to stroke the dog’s head.
Jensen returned to the notepad and began to write, before handing it back to Jared.
“Max found me. You brought me here. I’m heavy?” he said, bemused.
Jensen grinned, and suddenly remembered something. Is anyone else out there?
Jared shook his head. “I came out here with my wife and her folks. We had an argument and she left with them. I needed to clear my head and...”
Jensen slowly nodded and turned over the page on the notepad. It’s snowing.
“I don’t understand,” Jared said as he pulled the fur blanket closer to his chest, now fully aware that he was lying in the bed in his t-shirt and boxers.
Jensen sighed and wrote another line. It’s not safe outside. You’re stuck here.
Jared lowered his head and looked towards the shuttered window. “I have to get back. I have to…” He turned back to Jensen and swallowed uncomfortably. “It doesn’t matter. Where are my clothes?” He watched as Jensen got off the bed, Max following him to where his outdoor clothes hung over a drier at the side of the fire. “I need to get out of here.”
Shaking his head, Jensen began writing on the pad, surprised as Jared snatched it away from him.
“Stop scribbling on that thing,” Jared snapped as he looked at the start of Jensen’s warning about leaving at night. “You got out here, right? How?”
Jensen looked towards the cabin door and then back to Jared. The truck was no use. He’d come out here with the intention of not leaving until the snow began to thaw; it would be a couple of weeks before the trails were clear enough to get the truck back down the hill, returning him to civilisation.
“You have a vehicle of some sort?”
Jensen nodded reluctantly as Jared threw back the blankets and got to his feet. He stood and watched as Jared tried to gain his balance. Part of him wanted to help, but yet a greater part was happy standing there thinking ‘screw you’. Folding his arms, he watched as Jared’s knees gave out and he slid to the floor beside the bed. He smirked to himself as Max ran toward the fallen man and started fussing in circles. He met Jared’s eyes and waited.
“Fine,” Jared huffed. “You gonna help me, or what?”
Jensen pursed his lips and considered the scene thoughtfully. Sighing, he eventually gave in and helped Jared back to his feet, and then into bed. Taking his notepad back from Jared, he wrote a message in capital letters. DON’T BE A DICK.
Jared looked at the paper and glared, saying, “You have no idea.”
The morning sun hit the snow, creating a bright light as Jared stood on the porch of the cabin. He pulled the fur blanket closer to himself and looked out at the never-ending whiteness. He had admitted defeat last night and allowed himself to be looked after by Jensen, but now he was itching for his freedom. He’d been up for the last fifty minutes, after dressing quietly in his pants and sweater and heading outside. What he’d found was not comforting. Jensen’s truck was buried in snow; it had continued to fall heavily through the night, and the bitterly cold air didn’t help him entertain the idea of heading out on foot. Lowering his head, he listened as the door to the cabin creaked open and a shot of brown darted past him and playfully out into the snow.
Jared watched the dog for a while before daring to turn around to meet Jensen’s bright eyes. “Morning,” he managed, and pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders. He looked Jensen up and down. He looked like he was in his late twenties, sandy coloured hair with blonde dyed tips, green eyes and full lips, and was dressed in flannel pyjamas. He waited, Jensen eventually nodding back towards the cabin and inside. Reluctantly he followed and shook the blanket from his shoulders. “I really need to get back,” he tried, watching as Jensen set the table for breakfast. “How can I get back?”
Jensen stopped what he was doing and met Jared’s eyes. He shook his head, implying there was no safe way to leave.
“What if you needed help? There must be something?”
Jensen pushed his lips together, his expression thoughtful as he slowly shook his head again, and then continued to lay out the cutlery.
“So you’ve never needed help?” Frustrated, Jared grabbed the notepad from the kitchen worktop and held it out to Jensen. “Look, I’ll pay you.”
Raising his head, Jensen rolled his eyes and took the notepad from Jared. Sighing, he started to write. Money or not, we’re miles from anyone. You should rest.
“I don’t want to rest. I feel fine,” Jared insisted. “They’ll be looking for me.”
Then let them look.
“Seriously?”
Jensen sighed and continued to write. Better they find us here than buried in 10 feet of snow and half-eaten by a bear.
Jared read the words and slowly chewed at the inside of his mouth. “I walked for… I don’t know. It was more than a day. It must have been.” He met Jensen’s eyes as he calmed down. “I guess you finding me was lucky then?”
Jensen nodded and wrote one more line. He handed the paper to Jared and busied himself at the stove.
Jared looked from the note and then to Jensen. He could almost see the guy’s grin through the back of his head. With a sigh, he placed the notepad on the edge of the table and sat down. He gave a muffled ‘thanks’ as he pushed the pad away from him, rereading the comment one more time.
Just say thank you and come eat.
Jensen curled himself up against the arm of the small couch and looked to where Jared was sleeping on the bed. It was strange to have company here at the cabin, other than Max. Smiling, he leaned forward and looked at where Max was curled up at the base of the seat. He’d got the dog just before he’d started coming out here again, the year his grandfather had died, and he’d found himself without his link to the world he’d resided in for twenty-seven years. Everything was just so noisy and fast-paced in the city, and without his grandfather, it just seemed so much worse than it used to.
Silently, he returned to watch the sleeping man on his bed. Dark bangs fell over Jared’s face, and there was a hint of red to them from the glow of the fire. He was tall, over six feet, and had a muscular build; Jensen had struggled to get him back to the cabin. He seemed so tense and was constantly fidgeting, a sensation that Jensen had never felt out here. He enjoyed the slowness, the calm and the quiet; he came here so the world would stop.
With a heavy sigh, he shifted in his seat, realising Jared was awake. He smiled and raised a hand in acknowledgement before leaning back against the worn cushion of the couch. He kept his eyes open and looked at Jared, a strange feeling prickling his skin as Jared returned his stare. Swallowing uncomfortably, he averted his gaze, and instead looked towards the fireplace.
“How come you don’t talk?”
Jensen turned back to Jared as he heard the question. He sighed and raised his hands to his head. Gently he touched his forehead and then covered his mouth, noting how Jared watched him curiously. He rolled his head to one side and stared at the notepad over on the table.
“Something in your head?” Jared suddenly said.
Jensen met Jared’s eyes and nodded. He raised his hand again and drew circles in the air in front of his head.
“It’s screwy?”
Laughing, Jensen gave a shrug as he agreed.
“Do you write everything down?”
Shaking his head, Jensen raised his hands and signed a sentence, aware that Jared wouldn’t understand.
“How long?”
Jensen looked up at the ceiling as if counting the time. Eventually he looked back at Jared and raised his hands, all his fingers spread wide and then folding over to leave just one finger in the air.
“Eleven? Years?”
Nodding, Jensen reached down and gently scratched behind Max’s ear as the dog shifted its position.
“You were a teenager then? An accident?”
Jensen looked at Jared and raised a finger to his nose, tapping the side of it.
“I’m being nosey,” Jared said with a sigh and rolled onto his side on the bed. “Just trying to make conversation.” He stopped and looked at Jensen, who looked back at him blankly. “Sorry.”
Jensen shrugged and pointed at Jared, before drawing the outline of a house in the air.
“Where do I live?”
Jensen shook his head, tapping his wristwatch and then pointing back at Jared, before redrawing the house.
“Time. Me. House.” Jared took a moment and considered the three words. “When am I going home?”
Jensen frowned and uncurled his legs, getting off the couch and heading to get the notepad from the table. He stood for a moment, wrote a couple of lines, and then came to sit beside Jared on the bed.
Jared stared at the paper, then seemed to realise what Jensen had been trying to get at. “I don’t know if they will. The cabin was paid up for three weeks. There’s no phone, and no way for her to check on me without coming back.” He sighed as he held the notepad in his hands. “I doubt she will.”
Jensen raised an eyebrow and took the paper from Jared. What did you fight about?
The cabin suddenly felt a lot smaller. “She wants a divorce. I thought we’d come out here to fix things. I thought she was happy with her marriage of convenience.” He looked at Jensen and sighed. “My world is a lot different from yours. Appearances are everything.”
Why out here?
“I thought if it was just us… But then she brought her parents, her personal lawyers.” Jared sniffed a laugh. “They’d see me end up with nothing. Not that I blame them. They just want the best for their little girl.”
There was nothing more to say and Jensen went to leave the bed, surprised as Jared wrapped a hand around his wrist.
“What’s your story, Jensen?” Jared asked flatly as he twisted his fingers tightly around Jensen’s arm. “Out here all alone like this. Is there no one to miss you?”
Unsure what Jared wanted to know, Jensen pulled his arm from Jared’s grip. He met his hazel eyes, noting the sudden coldness behind them. The notepad was quickly in his hand as he scrawled Jared an answer. This is who I am. Sorry if I don’t meet your high standards.
“You have no idea,” Jared said with a grin.
Jensen angrily wrote on the notepad and threw it in Jared’s lap, before storming off to the bathroom.
Screw you.
A whole day passed with little more than a nod of acknowledgement of Jared’s existence in Jensen’s world, and for some reason Jared found himself caring. He watched as Jensen cut into the newly-skinned rabbit and started to gut what he assumed would be their supper. It was strange how loud the silence actually felt; the lack of sound seemed to pound at the inside of his head. Resting his hands in his lap, Jared sat cross-legged on the bed and continued to watch Jensen work on the animal. He didn’t understand how Jensen could be out here alone, with only that dumb dog for company. His own life was so busy with meetings, dinner parties, and screwing the waiters, or screwing over the party’s host in a business deal. He missed his life. He missed being the one in control.
The cabin suddenly fell quiet, and Jared found himself meeting curious green eyes. He cleared his throat, watching as Jensen washed and dried his hands. “What?” he asked, aware that Jensen was eyeing him suspiciously.
Jensen simply shook his head and hooked the towel over the unit door.
Jared continued to watch as Jensen moved around the cabin. The silence was getting to him. “You gonna come entertain me?” he said finally as he patted the bed.
There was a heavy sigh as Jensen turned around and looked at Jared. He looked Jared up and down, no doubt noticing how twitchy he looked. Taking a couple of steps forward, he picked up the notepad from the table. He pursed his lips as he looked at his message last of, Screw you. Holding the pen he started to write. What do you want?
It seemed like an eternity while the paper was handed over and Jared read the question. “You got a deck of cards?” he answered with a grin.
Jensen sighed and sat down beside Jared, taking the paper back. Another week, and I’m willing to try the truck.
“A week!”
Jensen nodded encouragingly and continued to write. The weather is turning milder.
“I’ve been here, like, three days. There are things I need to do. Things I…” He tilted his head and looked at Jensen. “Things to do,” he repeated.
I understand that.
“Do you? Because I’m not sure you do. We don’t all vanish up a hill for over a month every year and expect no one to notice.”
You have no right to criticise my life.
“I’m not. I’m just saying I have places to be, deals to sort and people to,” he paused, “do,” he added with a smirk.
Jensen shook his head. Jared’s world seemed to surprise him. And that makes you happy?
Jared reached out for the notepad and let his fingers brush against Jensen’s. “People are always looking to screw each other one way or another. I’d rather be the one on top.”
Jensen snatched his hand away in obvious disgust. Cautiously, he picked up the pad and seemed to be considering what to write.
“What? No witty comeback?” Jared leaned forward. “Or do you like the idea of me being on top?”
Jensen turned to look at Jared, frowning in disapproval. Flicking through the pad, he found the page he needed and threw it down on the bed as he got to his feet.
Screw you.
“Very nice,” mumbled Jared, as he picked up the pad and turned it over in his hands, Jensen turning the lights down to a faint glow for the evening. Dropping the pad on the bed, he swung his legs over the edge and got to his feet. He watched Jensen busy himself around the cabin, clothes being folded away and dirty dishes stacked in the sink. “I want you to take me out of these hills,” he said firmly as he stood behind Jensen. “I’m an important man. I have a company to run, and a soon-to-be ex-wife to deal with.” He continued to watch the back of Jensen’s head. “But you don’t care about that. You have rabbits to hunt.”
Jensen suddenly turned around and looked up into Jared’s frustrated eyes. Without his notepad, he did his best to convey to Jared what he was thinking. Jared got the idea that Jensen was annoyed. Jensen shook his head adamantly; he was refusing to take Jared anywhere.
“I’ll go myself.”
Jensen raised his hands and shrugged. He didn’t really look like he cared.
“You’d let me go out there alone?” He looked at Jensen through narrowed eyes. “Here,” he hissed, and reached into the back pocket of his pants, harshly pressing his wallet against Jensen’s chest. “There’s three hundred dollars in there.”
Jensen looked at Jared’s wallet and then pushed it away from his chest. Sliding from between Jared and the kitchen unit, he strode over to where the notepad lay. Grabbing it from the bed, he unclipped the pen and started writing angrily. Eventually he held it out to Jared. I am not taking you anywhere! The truck’s snowed in, and the weather’s too bad to risk hiking out of here. I said a week!
Jared snatched the paper and pen away from Jensen, sending them flying across the room. The guy wasn’t getting it. “I can not stay here with you.” He stalked forward, forcing Jensen back against the cabin wall as he leaned a hand either side of Jensen’s head. “I feel like I’m trapped. It’s driving me insane. You’re driving me insane!”
Jensen suddenly looked like the proverbial rabbit as Jared leaned closer to him. He turned his head, feeling Jared’s warm breath against his cheek, as Max barked from his place by the fire at Jared’s raised voice.
“I must be insane,” Jared whispered against Jensen’s skin and leaned forward, brushing his lips over the side of Jensen’s face. “You know why she wants a divorce? Because of guys like you.” He nudged his hand against Jensen’s cheek, guiding him until their eyes met. Gently he ran the back of his fingers over Jensen’s face, his eyes firmly fixed on Jensen’s as he noted the anxiety lurking behind them. “Guess she’s had enough. Wants a husband.”
Shaking his head, Jensen pushed Jared’s hand away and looked angrily at him. He obviously didn’t like the way Jared was looking at him. Taking a steadying breath, he pushed at Jared’s chest, and slid from the space between Jared and the wall. He quickly crossed the room, grabbing his coat on the way towards the door.
“Where are you going?” Jared asked, watching as Jensen pulled on his boots. “I thought we didn’t go out at night?” he said dryly.
Jensen stopped and met Jared’s eyes, raised his hand and flipped Jared off. With a huffed breath, he grabbed the rifle from beside the door and disappeared outside.
Standing on the porch, Jensen waited for the door to swing shut before pulling the hood of his coat up and around his face. Jared needed some time to himself, even though it appeared isolation was not doing him much good. Crossing the porch, Jensen looked at the snow-covered truck trying to figure out if there was any way to dig the damn thing out.
Swapping the rifle for a shovel that lay on the porch, Jensen stepped down into the snow, frowning as he found himself up to his knees. Though he knew the task would be fruitless, he needed something to distract him, and trying to dig out the truck seemed as good a distraction as any. Struggling forward, he rested the shovel on the hood of the truck, dragging it carefully across the metal framework as he started to clear the snow. This was how he liked things to be. Just him.
An hour later and Jensen returned, hesitantly lingering beside the door as he looked to where Jared was now sleeping uncomfortably on the small two-seater couch that Jensen had slept on the previous nights. He sighed as he looked at the tall man twisted amongst the cushions, but also welcomed the idea of sleeping in his own bed tonight. Quietly, he slid out of his frozen clothing and walked to stand in front of the dying fire. The truck was no longer covered in snow, though he doubted it’d get more than the ten feet he’d cleared before getting stuck. Checking over his shoulder, he made sure Jared was asleep before he slipped out of the rest of his clothes and undressed down to his boxers.
He was freezing. The temperature had dropped steadily until he hadn’t been able take it anymore, and he’d happily retreated to the warmth of the cabin. His clothes were damp and he was in desperate need of a wash. Wrapping his arms around him, he rubbed at his chilled skin. He would heat some water and have a strip-wash, and then settle for the night. Turning, he found himself almost jumping out of his skin. Jared was on his feet and standing behind him. Silently, he raised a hand to his chest as he took a steadying breath, and looked up into Jared’s lazy stare.
“You’re back,” Jared said and looked Jensen up and down. “Cold?”
Jensen made a noise as he cleared the lump that had caught in his throat and grabbed one of the blankets off the bed, wrapping it around him.
“About before…” Jared started as he rubbed at his eyes tiredly.
Jensen shook his head and waved a hand in the air. He didn’t want to hear Jared’s apologies.
“I miss my life.”
Jensen stopped and looked up at Jared sympathetically. Cautiously he touched Jared’s arm in way of comfort. He’d get him back there as soon as he could. Sighing, he nodded towards the bathroom and stepped around Jared.
Jared drew his lower lip between his teeth as he licked at it thoughtfully. “Goodnight, Jensen,” he said solemnly, and watched as Jensen walked away from him.
Jensen self consciously pulled the blanket tighter to himself. Jared unnerved him, and yet the way he’d looked at him with those hazel eyes, it was like… Jensen rubbed tiredly at his forehead as he walked to the bathroom. It didn’t matter what it was like, or how it made him feel. He’d just wanted to help, that’s all. He didn’t need all the shit that came with it.
Jensen woke slowly and sighed as he wiped at his face and rolled over. He smiled as his hand felt out Max on the bed beside him, and warm fur brushed between his fingers. Gently he ran his hand back and forth over the chocolate coloured fur as he settled back down to sleep. The cabin was illuminated by the faint silver glow of the moon through the open shutters, and Jensen found his attention drawn to the couch. Silently he watched the outline of the man lying opposite him, and listened to soft sounds of movement. Cautiously he shifted his position and continued to watch, his hand resting on Max as he stared through the darkness.
It didn’t take long before Jensen could feel a heat rising in his cheeks. He felt embarrassed, but not for himself. He closed his eyes tightly and listened to the sounds Jared was making - the rhythmic sound of skin on skin, the brush of knuckles against the material of the blanket, and then the small throaty sounds catching in Jared’s throat. Jensen tried to distract himself by focusing on the sound of Max’s breathing, but all he could see in his head was the image of Jared looking at him from beneath lust-heavy eyelids.
Jensen closed his eyes and shifted uncomfortably. A soft groan rumbled from Jared’s throat, sending sparks straight to the head of his dick. Palming at the front of his pyjamas, Jensen rolled over and stared up at the ceiling of the cabin. He bit at his lip as he continued to listen, Jared’s rhythm increasing until... He drew his lip between his teeth as he listened to Jared’s stilted cry. Closing his eyes, he listened to the foreign sounds of someone else in his cabin. He imagined Jared as he moved around the cabin, into the bathroom, and then settled back down on the couch, the springs creaking beneath his weight. With a soft sigh, Jensen rolled back onto his side and tried to ignore the pressure in his pants. Staring through the dim room, he waited for Jared to fall back to sleep before allowing himself to give into the feeling, and his fingers slid beneath the waistband of his pyjama bottoms.
Chapter 2