Life on Mars (2/5)
Fic Title: Life on Mars
Author name: herminekurotowa
Artist name: thruterryseyes
Beta: jj1564
Alpha: junkerin
Genre: RPF, pre-relationship
Pairings: Jared/Jensen, Jared/OMCs, Jared/Jeffrey
Word count: 20,000
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: hurt!Jared, hurt!Jensen, institutionalised prostitution, underage prostitution, A/B/O dynamics, no knotting, mention of and implied non-con, non-consensual drugging, mention of mpreg. I can't think of more warnings, so just assume everything's implied somehow.
Summary: Jared would never have thought it was possible to find a soul mate in a state-owned brothel, but when he does, it will turn everyone's world upside down. But it's common knowledge that soul mates happen for a reason.
Chapter 2
Alpha created Males and Females as alphas and betas. But when Demon became jealous and whispered rebellion into their ears, it was the weaker alpha who listened to the suggestions. Alpha was sad and said, “You are not worthy of being an alpha thus you will not be an alpha any longer. Your fate is to serve your alpha and bear their children. You will be omega to their alpha. You will only find Redemption in finding your soul mate; they will make you whole in giving you the strength you are lacking.”
If Jensen only knew what had happened last night...
He searches for answers in his battered copy of the Book, but all he can see is Jared's name between the Alpha's Commandments.
Believe in Alpha, then Alpha will believe in you.
That is the problem - Jensen always believed he would mate a handsome, powerful alpha or maybe a strong beta, but he never thought he could be interested in an omega. Even if Jared's tall appearance is not typically omega, he would never be the type that draws Jensen's attention, being too thin and gangly.
He thinks about his father who is a senator in Washington, A.C.
William Ackles is tough as nails, a proud alpha descending from a long line of proud alphas. He would never have mated a beta born from an omega if it hadn't been for a soul mateship.
You can't deny your soul mate, Jensen's mom says whenever conversations get onto the subject of the unlikely union. She is the perfect balance for her austere and easily irritated mate, but it is not easy to see from the outside. Even Jensen only noticed in his teens that his mother was not being subdued by her mate, but was naturally reserved and subdued in company.
It was she who urged his father to let Jensen go on a tour of Europe for a whole year with the sole purpose of learning about the continent. It was she who knew better than Jensen that he needed to do it, and he still appreciates it.
He visited countries where sexes are equal and omegas are allowed to work after mating, and others where betas and omegas have to wear long dark robes in public.
When he came back home, his father had gone... softer. He played often with his first grandchild, a cute, chubby-faced baby boy who recognizably was an omega even only six months old. He's not an omega, he's a kid, Jensen's dad said and his mom smiled leniently and knowingly.
The little one makes Jensen uncomfortable. He loves him truly, but he is destined to mate and bear children, a sensitive human, easy to hurt. He won't have the same chances in life as alpha boys and the sad thing is that he will put up with his situation, being naturally submissive and contenting himself with little.
This is not what Jensen asks of his own life. He is not overly ambitious, but his path through life will lead to a senator's seat in the end. He wants to be important, to be able to change things for the better, and working for Senator Morgan at the young age of twenty-four... can there be a better stepping stone?
So is it possible that Jensen Ackles is attracted to an omega?
Even if he was, he would never act on it. Jared is a petty criminal. It doesn't matter if he only committed a minor offense; when he got sentenced to public service, it certainly was bad enough to deserve it. A relationship, even only a fling, with a convicted criminal would be poisonous for Jensen's career. Furthermore, Jared is a ward of the state; Jensen would never exploit his position, not in the way Pileggi did.
He still doesn't know exactly what his predecessor did, but he certainly had no serious relationship with the omega. Admittedly, he can acknowledge that Jared may be appealing to certain men, but he certainly isn't Jensen's type.
Why is it though that he can't get those long nimble fingers out of his mind?
If Jared only knew what had happened last night...
He is too distracted to pay much attention to his work in the kitchen today and already cut himself twice. Misha eyes him warily, obviously feeling there is something cooking - pun not intended.
Jared would tell him if he knew himself what is going on. He could use some profound advice and Osric probably couldn't give one, being an omega and this being a problem with an alpha.
But - is it a problem? It had been nice, stirring the sugar mixture and waiting for its consistency to change, and the director was stood next to him, emanating that sweet scent that made Jared associate Ackles with home.
Along with these strange feelings emerge thoughts about a family of his own, but he knows of course that these dreams are lies. He lived half his life in a public institution; what sane alpha would mate him? What beta would want an orphaned criminal?
And after the contraceptives stopped working, being a single dad isn't anything he wants for his child as long as they have to live in this world of oppression and bigotry.
Whenever he sits in the dark in solitary confinement and thinks about his parents and the little house with the garden, he has to bash his head against the wall to smother the appetence of belonging to someone. Then he mourns the loss of his family, past and future.
He is carving vegetables into little flowers instead of cutting them into cubes when a shadow darkens the light. Jared looks up.
“What did you tell the director?” the doctor hisses angrily in a low voice.
“I don't know...” Jared says confused, “anything, I didn't tell him anything.”
“Ackles ordered your medical record up. Why? What did you tell him to make him do this?”
Jared shakes his head. “I didn't tell him anything, I don't know what you mean.”
“I'm trying to save your life, Jared!” Sheppard says urgently. “What do you think, how long will you survive if Ackles keeps on looking into your case? You're a small, insignificant omega; no one will shed a tear over you. You know that, don't you?”
“Yes, sir,” Jared replies, lowering his eyes.
With a last meaningful look Sheppard leaves Jared to do his chores that he is not able to get done.
Jared is shaking; what did he do?
What did Sheppard want? Was it a warning, a threat? The doctor never did a thing to hurt Jared, always looking out for him in the tough way that is the doctor's.
Suddenly, Misha is crowding him, putting a hand on Jared's shoulder.
“You okay?” he asks worried.
“Yeah, I...” Jared wipes the back of his hand over his mouth. “I'm fine. I just need a minute.”
“Go and wash yourself up,” Misha suggests with an encouraging pat on the back.
“Yes... thank you.” Jared is glad that his boss is sympathetic, not like the usual clientele he has to serve.
The hosts' washrooms are downstairs. Once again it is a good thing that there are secret stairwells where Jared can move without further contact with the patrons. Sure, it is still early, but there are always a few remaining from the night's activities.
Thankfully, the washroom is empty. Jared splashes some water in his face, then looks up right in the mirror.
Just when his mind starts to wander towards Jensen, Osric barges into the room.
“Hey brother,” he slurs, leaning heavily against the wall next to the door, “you good?”
“Hey Os,” Jared replies, supports himself against the sink. “Do you know why I'm here?”
“Eh... nope.” Osric waves his hand about. “I think you should ask a cleric; they know absolutely everything.”
“No, that's not... I mean I don't know why I'm here. I came to the institute when I was ten, but no one told me why. The then director said it's usually where orphans live, but that's a blatant lie.”
In the mirror, Jared sees his friend sliding down the wall, and when he turns around, Osric is lying on the tiles, a picture of misery.
“What happened?” Jared asks horrified, speeding to his side. “Did you work until now?”
Osric answers with waving hands and arms. “Yes! It was great! They booked the hot tub! It was great!”
Cupping his friend's face with both hands, Jared makes him hold still. The skin beneath his fingers is cold and clammy;
Osric's eyes are bloodshot, the pupils blown.
“Os! How many patrons did you serve? What did they book?”
Wiggling his fingers, Osric counts. “... five. There were five of them. And... What's the second question?”
“You're drugged.”
“That's not the second question. Jared, I feel a bit queasy.”
Jared snorts. “I take your word for it. You need to go see the doc, Os.”
Jared puts one of Osric's arms around his neck and hauls the shorter man to his unsteady feet.
Nurse Huffman took pity on Jared who lurke about the infirmary the whole day, but after she told him about the extent of Osric's injuries, he wished she didn't have.
It is only because of omegas' natural self-lubrication that Os survived the severe injuries due to rectal insertion of too big objects.
Jared is livid.
Storming into Curator Rhodes office, he demands prosecution of the alphas, which only gets him solitary confinement.
It is not so bad. Jared has a rest from disgusting patrons and he even gets some food this time. He has his spoon keeping him company, tapping it onto the walls and floor in the darkness and finding new rhythms.
The only thing he is missing is working in the kitchen - and occasionally getting a whiff of some cinnamon. He doesn't hunt the scent, but he very accidentally is always around the person using it.
Sitting alone in the dark, keeping himself sane with the help of a spoon, the reminiscence of a certain spice keeps him alive. It makes him daydream of green eyes and freckled skin; he even gets hard when he pretty much never does, when he gets rid of an occasional erection quickly and in secret. It is the nature of his work that made him doubt love in all its manifestations.
After three days he is brought into the washrooms to take a shower and then to Curator Rhodes office.
“We have a new patron, Jared,” she says.
Jared focuses on her short dark hair: Rhodes doesn't like the hosts looking straight at her, she made that quite clear in her first week.
“He asked specifically for you and booked restraints and castigation.”
Jared's heart skips a beat.
This is bad. A new patron is always a dark horse, all the more when they book castigation: you don't know when they think it is enough.
The curator pushes a little white thing over the desk towards Jared and says, “This is yours.”
Oh crap, it is a painkiller.
Jared's hands are shaking so much that he is almost not able to take it out of the blister. He swallows it dry and then thanks the curator as is right and proper.
“It's the lily room; Matt will bring you.”
So she thinks he may bolt. That is not as far-fetched as it may seem, it happens occasionally. If it wasn't for the other omega, Jared thinks he may actually chicken out.
Matt is a nice guy, but his survival instinct makes him do some serious shit sometimes. He'd never let someone slip through if it meant he was punished.
The lily room is decorated in some old English or French country style. Jared doesn't have any idea what it is called, but there are roses and lilies everywhere, even the retaining jigs at the walls correspond to the design.
Shedding his linen tunic and pants, Jared stands naked and waits for the patron.
Fear is making him shiver, but it doesn't account for the faintness crawling up his bones. He has troubles standing and keeping his eyes open.
Suddenly, a figure emerges from the haze surrounding him. He shrinks back from the hand reaching out for his face.
“You really are a treat, Jay,” a deep voice says.
Jay, who's Jay? He needs to tell the patron that he is in the wrong room. No wait, he is Jay.
Hands are stroking his chest and back, keeping him upright when he sways too much. They cup his flaccid dick, and Jay moans.
The patron ushers him to the bed and a familiar crinkle tells him that below the linen sheets, there is a plastic one to prevent messing up the mattress. That is good because he dissolves right into the linen.
He feels molten, liquid, as if his limbs were jello. When the patron guides his arms over his head and fetters them with shackles that are inset in the headboard, he wonders why his wrists are enclosed in the metal.
“... no painkiller,” he says with the gelatinous mass that is his tongue.
“Of course it isn't,” the patron says, “I want it to be delightful for me.”
A joyful smirk is audible in his voice that unsettles Jay. It is soon forgotten when his knees are pushed against his chest and a dry finger prods against his hole.
“Ah, nice and tight,” the finger's owner states, elated.
“You're wonnoff Os' padrons”, Jay slurs.
“Is that the little one? He was quite cute. But my friends raved about you half the night, I just had to come back and try you.”
Jay remembers what the nurses told about Os' injuries and stops being Jay.
He is Jared, and Jared is scared to death.
Jensen only has a few candies left; whether he likes it or not, he'll need to tell Jared to make new ones.
It was easy to avoid the omega for the last couple of days, though he thought more often about him than he liked.
At the moment, he is too busy to spend much time on thinking about anybody though. His secretary is sick and, according to the red-headed nurse, won't be able to work for another week. That's bad since Osric is a great help. He may not be as educated as an alpha or even a beta secretary, but he is intelligent and quick witted, and knows the Institute from inside.
He told Jensen about the thirty years old heating system that doesn't work in the basements where the servers' dormitories and utility rooms are placed.
Yesterday, Jensen walked through the tunnel-like hallways to have a closer look at the system. As it seems, a replacement is badly needed; there were some very disturbing noises echoing through the corridors. They almost sounded like someone hitting the walls and steam pipes.
It will need to wait until his secretary's back though; Jensen just doesn't have the time to hunt for a contractor to replace the heating. And he thinks that an omega living there is more interested in a working heating than an alpha warden who goes home after his shift ends.
There is another urgent matter he needs to check.
“Hey Ruthie, it's me,” he says smiling into the phone.
“Jensen!” she squeals happily. The amount of enthusiasm Ruth Connell is able to muster is simply amazing. “How are you, you stupid bastard? You're a senator yet?”
“Not yet. I'm director of the Jubilation Institute; it's only an interim position though.”
“The Jubilee? That's a renowned one, congrats!”
“Yeah, thanks.” Jensen is wandering around his office, rubbing his neck. “Ruthie, I need your help. The Institute's in a sorry state; I think the last director's been more than negligent of his duties. I think they doctored with the medical records.”
He draws a deep breath. “Ruthie, I need an independent investigator.”
“You want me to check the records?”
“Yes.”
“Hm,” she says, “you know it's only an interim post?”
“I do know. But I can't leave in a few weeks or months and leave this mess behind I just found. This may be a public omega institute, but they're humans. They don't deserve to be treated like animals, even if they're criminals.”
“Aw honey, you've always been a friend of humankind, even if some of your views are conservative and antiquated.”
“Ruthie, please.”
“Well, since I'm overqualified for this menial job, I want accommodations. And desserts.” There is a laugh in her voice. “You're lucky I need a break from my studies.”
Ruth's promise takes a load off Jensen's mind. Heaving a sigh of relief, he says, “Thank you so much! I'll email you the details.”
“Oh Jensen? I think it's best we don't tell Jubilee's good doctor that I'm a professor. I'm pretty sure he won't like it.”
He reassures her that he'll tell no one about her and makes small talk for a few minutes more.
It certainly is a good call to keep Sheppard in ignorance of Ruth's professorate at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Most doctors disqualify her from an executive position in medical science just because she's a beta.
It will take more time - decades probably - until the alphakind will accept betas as equals. And seeing the first successes the advocates for beta rights achieved, the omega rights activists jump merrily on the bandwagon.
Still, there are natural differences between betas and omegas that argue against gender equality.
Jensen works on the email he wants to send to Ruth. He includes some of the information he found, some details blackened out.
Curator Rhodes brings a cup of coffee and the mail. She is pissed that she has to do the dirty work an omega took over from her. Before, she was pissed when Jensen reduced her workload and now she is insulted she has to do it again, even only for a few days.
Thank Alpha she stopped courting Jensen. He felt pretty embarrassed by her fawning, the more so because he didn't feel attracted by her in any way. Now she gets her job done efficiently but sulking, and Jensen is pretty okay with that.
When the email is sent, he thinks about taking a break. He is feeling weird, kind of dizzy, like he caught a head cold. His back hurts and his ass feels kind of numb from sitting too long. Hopefully he won't get sick; that would be absolutely inconvenient.
Then he thinks about seeking Jared for more sweets, but the phone rings.
“Hey Jensen, how's it going?” a deep male voice says.
“Senator Morgan,” Jensen replies surprised and involuntarily sits straighter.
“I just wanted to check in with you. You already bored out of your mind?”
“No, sir. Unfortunately, there's more to do than I thought. Director Pileggi left quite a mess after his death.”
“A mess? What do you mean?”
“Um,” Jensen isn't sure how much to tell his boss; he is still researching into the problems and doesn't want to speak ill of the dead. “Apparently, a few years ago there was a renovation scheduled that was performed only partially, leaving the living quarters in poor condition. They hired contractors nepotistically and I think some of the wardens are also ill-prepared for their challenging task.”
He takes a deep breath; here it comes. Pay attention to the wording.
“As it seems, they made up some of the medical records. I don't know yet if the doctor is just bad at keeping records or if it happened on someone's command. In any case, it's reflecting badly on the management.”
There is a short beat. Then Morgan says, “Are you sure about the records? Do you have any proof?”
Jensen clears his throat. “I entertain some more than vague suspicion, but I don't have hard evidence yet.”
“Alright. I'll send someone to look into it, Jensen.”
“Uh, thank you, sir, but no thanks. This is something I need to take care of myself. I'll keep you informed though, of course.”
“You sure?”
“Yes, sir. It's a matter of honor; I just can't bear the thought of leaving this mess as my legacy, even if my position here is only temporarily.”
After another short beat, Morgan relents. “Very well. If you wish to do it your way... go ahead, but keep me informed.”
“Of course, sir. Thank you, sir, I won't fail you.”
“I know. Have a nice day, Jensen.”
That was weird. Jensen never would have thought that the senator would take a liking to him, but apparently, he did. It could be the open door to his career in Washington A.C.
He should go see Collins, the cook, who issued a formal complaint about one of his assistants being in solitary confinement. It was only by accident that he found the paper buried under a pile of other papers. The date stamp is already two days old which indicates how overworked Rhodes must be.
Also, it would offer an occasion to talk to Jared about more sweets, maybe see long fingers work. See a little smile curve pink lips and light up hazel-ish eyes. The thought makes a strange feeling - anticipation? - loom in his guts.
So he walks down the back stairs to the first basement and catches himself humming. There is no time though to marvel at this realization, because a body crashes into him, almost falling down the stairs. At the last moment, he can prevent both of them tumbling.
“Jared?” he asks incredulously, lowering the young omega onto the step.
Jared looks up and blinks unfocused eyes.
“Director, um, Jensen,” he slurs, “'m sorry, 'm a bit wobbly on my legs... I think.”
He looks crinkled, roughed up; maybe even...
“Jared, are you drugged?”
Jared shakes his head fiercely. “Naaw, it's never drugs, it's always painkillers.” With a big wave of his arm, he continues, “I just wanna see the stars. Maybe there's life on Mars, you know, a better life.”
“But you're on the way downstairs.”
“Oh. I just wanna lay down a bit. He finished early, so I've a bit time until...”
Jared closes his eyes and goes slack. Jensen needs to shake him to make him stay awake.
“Come on,” he says, “you need to go see the doctor.”
Jared sniffs. “He doesn't like me, the doctor. He used to play with me when I was little, but now I'm too old and too tall and too ugly, and he stopped liking me.”
“What do you mean, when you were little? How long have you been here?”
“Um, since I was ten. When my... my parents died and I was all alone and no one wanted me. They said this was the only place for me, but no one likes me. Well, maybe except for Osric and Miss Samantha, but she's long gone and Miss Rhodes is curator now and she doesn't like me and gives me painkillers that are not...”
Jensen's head is reeling.
No omega can be sentenced to public service before the age of consent which is fifteen. And there are omega orphanages, there is no need to foster an omega boy in a public institute. What is going on?
And what did he say about Curator Rhodes?
“Wait a sec. You mean the curator gives you drugs? Roofies even?”
“Well, yeah... I mean since they're not painkillers.”
Giving him a leg-up, Jensen notes that Jared may be thin and lanky, yet he is quite heavy. Muscles, there are firm muscles under hot skin.
Jared is unrecognizable, being chatty and lively. Jensen wishes it wasn't because of the drugs; he'd like to know a spirited Jared, see a spark in these beautiful hazel-ish eyes.
“How often does she do this?” he asks and ignores the warmth and movement under his hands on Jared's back. The blood on his tunic and pants he can't ignore though.
“It was my second time... or third? Some patrons are pretty screwed up. The last one was really kinky, I can tell you. But he didn't last.” Jared snickers. “Stupid dick finished early, and Matt wasn't there to pick me up so I decided to go to the infirmary. The doc doesn't like me though.”
“So are you in pain?”
“What? Noooo, I'm feeling great!” He emphasizes his statement with sweeping gestures, stumbling down the corridor, and Jensen notices that Jared's limping is worse than the last time he saw him.
“What's with your leg?” he inquires. “Did you hurt it?”
Confused, Jared looks at his foot, then he beams at Jensen. “Not my leg - it's my hip. I got it dislocated at work, and it's still healing.”
How for all the world do you dislocate a hip at work? Oh, let's face it, Jared's work consists of being fucked, but still - how do you dislocate a hip?
Chapter 3
Author name: herminekurotowa
Artist name: thruterryseyes
Beta: jj1564
Alpha: junkerin
Genre: RPF, pre-relationship
Pairings: Jared/Jensen, Jared/OMCs, Jared/Jeffrey
Word count: 20,000
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: hurt!Jared, hurt!Jensen, institutionalised prostitution, underage prostitution, A/B/O dynamics, no knotting, mention of and implied non-con, non-consensual drugging, mention of mpreg. I can't think of more warnings, so just assume everything's implied somehow.
Summary: Jared would never have thought it was possible to find a soul mate in a state-owned brothel, but when he does, it will turn everyone's world upside down. But it's common knowledge that soul mates happen for a reason.
Chapter 2
Alpha created Males and Females as alphas and betas. But when Demon became jealous and whispered rebellion into their ears, it was the weaker alpha who listened to the suggestions. Alpha was sad and said, “You are not worthy of being an alpha thus you will not be an alpha any longer. Your fate is to serve your alpha and bear their children. You will be omega to their alpha. You will only find Redemption in finding your soul mate; they will make you whole in giving you the strength you are lacking.”
If Jensen only knew what had happened last night...
He searches for answers in his battered copy of the Book, but all he can see is Jared's name between the Alpha's Commandments.
Believe in Alpha, then Alpha will believe in you.
That is the problem - Jensen always believed he would mate a handsome, powerful alpha or maybe a strong beta, but he never thought he could be interested in an omega. Even if Jared's tall appearance is not typically omega, he would never be the type that draws Jensen's attention, being too thin and gangly.
He thinks about his father who is a senator in Washington, A.C.
William Ackles is tough as nails, a proud alpha descending from a long line of proud alphas. He would never have mated a beta born from an omega if it hadn't been for a soul mateship.
You can't deny your soul mate, Jensen's mom says whenever conversations get onto the subject of the unlikely union. She is the perfect balance for her austere and easily irritated mate, but it is not easy to see from the outside. Even Jensen only noticed in his teens that his mother was not being subdued by her mate, but was naturally reserved and subdued in company.
It was she who urged his father to let Jensen go on a tour of Europe for a whole year with the sole purpose of learning about the continent. It was she who knew better than Jensen that he needed to do it, and he still appreciates it.
He visited countries where sexes are equal and omegas are allowed to work after mating, and others where betas and omegas have to wear long dark robes in public.
When he came back home, his father had gone... softer. He played often with his first grandchild, a cute, chubby-faced baby boy who recognizably was an omega even only six months old. He's not an omega, he's a kid, Jensen's dad said and his mom smiled leniently and knowingly.
The little one makes Jensen uncomfortable. He loves him truly, but he is destined to mate and bear children, a sensitive human, easy to hurt. He won't have the same chances in life as alpha boys and the sad thing is that he will put up with his situation, being naturally submissive and contenting himself with little.
This is not what Jensen asks of his own life. He is not overly ambitious, but his path through life will lead to a senator's seat in the end. He wants to be important, to be able to change things for the better, and working for Senator Morgan at the young age of twenty-four... can there be a better stepping stone?
So is it possible that Jensen Ackles is attracted to an omega?
Even if he was, he would never act on it. Jared is a petty criminal. It doesn't matter if he only committed a minor offense; when he got sentenced to public service, it certainly was bad enough to deserve it. A relationship, even only a fling, with a convicted criminal would be poisonous for Jensen's career. Furthermore, Jared is a ward of the state; Jensen would never exploit his position, not in the way Pileggi did.
He still doesn't know exactly what his predecessor did, but he certainly had no serious relationship with the omega. Admittedly, he can acknowledge that Jared may be appealing to certain men, but he certainly isn't Jensen's type.
Why is it though that he can't get those long nimble fingers out of his mind?
If Jared only knew what had happened last night...
He is too distracted to pay much attention to his work in the kitchen today and already cut himself twice. Misha eyes him warily, obviously feeling there is something cooking - pun not intended.
Jared would tell him if he knew himself what is going on. He could use some profound advice and Osric probably couldn't give one, being an omega and this being a problem with an alpha.
But - is it a problem? It had been nice, stirring the sugar mixture and waiting for its consistency to change, and the director was stood next to him, emanating that sweet scent that made Jared associate Ackles with home.
Along with these strange feelings emerge thoughts about a family of his own, but he knows of course that these dreams are lies. He lived half his life in a public institution; what sane alpha would mate him? What beta would want an orphaned criminal?
And after the contraceptives stopped working, being a single dad isn't anything he wants for his child as long as they have to live in this world of oppression and bigotry.
Whenever he sits in the dark in solitary confinement and thinks about his parents and the little house with the garden, he has to bash his head against the wall to smother the appetence of belonging to someone. Then he mourns the loss of his family, past and future.
He is carving vegetables into little flowers instead of cutting them into cubes when a shadow darkens the light. Jared looks up.
“What did you tell the director?” the doctor hisses angrily in a low voice.
“I don't know...” Jared says confused, “anything, I didn't tell him anything.”
“Ackles ordered your medical record up. Why? What did you tell him to make him do this?”
Jared shakes his head. “I didn't tell him anything, I don't know what you mean.”
“I'm trying to save your life, Jared!” Sheppard says urgently. “What do you think, how long will you survive if Ackles keeps on looking into your case? You're a small, insignificant omega; no one will shed a tear over you. You know that, don't you?”
“Yes, sir,” Jared replies, lowering his eyes.
With a last meaningful look Sheppard leaves Jared to do his chores that he is not able to get done.
Jared is shaking; what did he do?
What did Sheppard want? Was it a warning, a threat? The doctor never did a thing to hurt Jared, always looking out for him in the tough way that is the doctor's.
Suddenly, Misha is crowding him, putting a hand on Jared's shoulder.
“You okay?” he asks worried.
“Yeah, I...” Jared wipes the back of his hand over his mouth. “I'm fine. I just need a minute.”
“Go and wash yourself up,” Misha suggests with an encouraging pat on the back.
“Yes... thank you.” Jared is glad that his boss is sympathetic, not like the usual clientele he has to serve.
The hosts' washrooms are downstairs. Once again it is a good thing that there are secret stairwells where Jared can move without further contact with the patrons. Sure, it is still early, but there are always a few remaining from the night's activities.
Thankfully, the washroom is empty. Jared splashes some water in his face, then looks up right in the mirror.
Just when his mind starts to wander towards Jensen, Osric barges into the room.
“Hey brother,” he slurs, leaning heavily against the wall next to the door, “you good?”
“Hey Os,” Jared replies, supports himself against the sink. “Do you know why I'm here?”
“Eh... nope.” Osric waves his hand about. “I think you should ask a cleric; they know absolutely everything.”
“No, that's not... I mean I don't know why I'm here. I came to the institute when I was ten, but no one told me why. The then director said it's usually where orphans live, but that's a blatant lie.”
In the mirror, Jared sees his friend sliding down the wall, and when he turns around, Osric is lying on the tiles, a picture of misery.
“What happened?” Jared asks horrified, speeding to his side. “Did you work until now?”
Osric answers with waving hands and arms. “Yes! It was great! They booked the hot tub! It was great!”
Cupping his friend's face with both hands, Jared makes him hold still. The skin beneath his fingers is cold and clammy;
Osric's eyes are bloodshot, the pupils blown.
“Os! How many patrons did you serve? What did they book?”
Wiggling his fingers, Osric counts. “... five. There were five of them. And... What's the second question?”
“You're drugged.”
“That's not the second question. Jared, I feel a bit queasy.”
Jared snorts. “I take your word for it. You need to go see the doc, Os.”
Jared puts one of Osric's arms around his neck and hauls the shorter man to his unsteady feet.
Nurse Huffman took pity on Jared who lurke about the infirmary the whole day, but after she told him about the extent of Osric's injuries, he wished she didn't have.
It is only because of omegas' natural self-lubrication that Os survived the severe injuries due to rectal insertion of too big objects.
Jared is livid.
Storming into Curator Rhodes office, he demands prosecution of the alphas, which only gets him solitary confinement.
It is not so bad. Jared has a rest from disgusting patrons and he even gets some food this time. He has his spoon keeping him company, tapping it onto the walls and floor in the darkness and finding new rhythms.
The only thing he is missing is working in the kitchen - and occasionally getting a whiff of some cinnamon. He doesn't hunt the scent, but he very accidentally is always around the person using it.
Sitting alone in the dark, keeping himself sane with the help of a spoon, the reminiscence of a certain spice keeps him alive. It makes him daydream of green eyes and freckled skin; he even gets hard when he pretty much never does, when he gets rid of an occasional erection quickly and in secret. It is the nature of his work that made him doubt love in all its manifestations.
After three days he is brought into the washrooms to take a shower and then to Curator Rhodes office.
“We have a new patron, Jared,” she says.
Jared focuses on her short dark hair: Rhodes doesn't like the hosts looking straight at her, she made that quite clear in her first week.
“He asked specifically for you and booked restraints and castigation.”
Jared's heart skips a beat.
This is bad. A new patron is always a dark horse, all the more when they book castigation: you don't know when they think it is enough.
The curator pushes a little white thing over the desk towards Jared and says, “This is yours.”
Oh crap, it is a painkiller.
Jared's hands are shaking so much that he is almost not able to take it out of the blister. He swallows it dry and then thanks the curator as is right and proper.
“It's the lily room; Matt will bring you.”
So she thinks he may bolt. That is not as far-fetched as it may seem, it happens occasionally. If it wasn't for the other omega, Jared thinks he may actually chicken out.
Matt is a nice guy, but his survival instinct makes him do some serious shit sometimes. He'd never let someone slip through if it meant he was punished.
The lily room is decorated in some old English or French country style. Jared doesn't have any idea what it is called, but there are roses and lilies everywhere, even the retaining jigs at the walls correspond to the design.
Shedding his linen tunic and pants, Jared stands naked and waits for the patron.
Fear is making him shiver, but it doesn't account for the faintness crawling up his bones. He has troubles standing and keeping his eyes open.
Suddenly, a figure emerges from the haze surrounding him. He shrinks back from the hand reaching out for his face.
“You really are a treat, Jay,” a deep voice says.
Jay, who's Jay? He needs to tell the patron that he is in the wrong room. No wait, he is Jay.
Hands are stroking his chest and back, keeping him upright when he sways too much. They cup his flaccid dick, and Jay moans.
The patron ushers him to the bed and a familiar crinkle tells him that below the linen sheets, there is a plastic one to prevent messing up the mattress. That is good because he dissolves right into the linen.
He feels molten, liquid, as if his limbs were jello. When the patron guides his arms over his head and fetters them with shackles that are inset in the headboard, he wonders why his wrists are enclosed in the metal.
“... no painkiller,” he says with the gelatinous mass that is his tongue.
“Of course it isn't,” the patron says, “I want it to be delightful for me.”
A joyful smirk is audible in his voice that unsettles Jay. It is soon forgotten when his knees are pushed against his chest and a dry finger prods against his hole.
“Ah, nice and tight,” the finger's owner states, elated.
“You're wonnoff Os' padrons”, Jay slurs.
“Is that the little one? He was quite cute. But my friends raved about you half the night, I just had to come back and try you.”
Jay remembers what the nurses told about Os' injuries and stops being Jay.
He is Jared, and Jared is scared to death.
Jensen only has a few candies left; whether he likes it or not, he'll need to tell Jared to make new ones.
It was easy to avoid the omega for the last couple of days, though he thought more often about him than he liked.
At the moment, he is too busy to spend much time on thinking about anybody though. His secretary is sick and, according to the red-headed nurse, won't be able to work for another week. That's bad since Osric is a great help. He may not be as educated as an alpha or even a beta secretary, but he is intelligent and quick witted, and knows the Institute from inside.
He told Jensen about the thirty years old heating system that doesn't work in the basements where the servers' dormitories and utility rooms are placed.
Yesterday, Jensen walked through the tunnel-like hallways to have a closer look at the system. As it seems, a replacement is badly needed; there were some very disturbing noises echoing through the corridors. They almost sounded like someone hitting the walls and steam pipes.
It will need to wait until his secretary's back though; Jensen just doesn't have the time to hunt for a contractor to replace the heating. And he thinks that an omega living there is more interested in a working heating than an alpha warden who goes home after his shift ends.
There is another urgent matter he needs to check.
“Hey Ruthie, it's me,” he says smiling into the phone.
“Jensen!” she squeals happily. The amount of enthusiasm Ruth Connell is able to muster is simply amazing. “How are you, you stupid bastard? You're a senator yet?”
“Not yet. I'm director of the Jubilation Institute; it's only an interim position though.”
“The Jubilee? That's a renowned one, congrats!”
“Yeah, thanks.” Jensen is wandering around his office, rubbing his neck. “Ruthie, I need your help. The Institute's in a sorry state; I think the last director's been more than negligent of his duties. I think they doctored with the medical records.”
He draws a deep breath. “Ruthie, I need an independent investigator.”
“You want me to check the records?”
“Yes.”
“Hm,” she says, “you know it's only an interim post?”
“I do know. But I can't leave in a few weeks or months and leave this mess behind I just found. This may be a public omega institute, but they're humans. They don't deserve to be treated like animals, even if they're criminals.”
“Aw honey, you've always been a friend of humankind, even if some of your views are conservative and antiquated.”
“Ruthie, please.”
“Well, since I'm overqualified for this menial job, I want accommodations. And desserts.” There is a laugh in her voice. “You're lucky I need a break from my studies.”
Ruth's promise takes a load off Jensen's mind. Heaving a sigh of relief, he says, “Thank you so much! I'll email you the details.”
“Oh Jensen? I think it's best we don't tell Jubilee's good doctor that I'm a professor. I'm pretty sure he won't like it.”
He reassures her that he'll tell no one about her and makes small talk for a few minutes more.
It certainly is a good call to keep Sheppard in ignorance of Ruth's professorate at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Most doctors disqualify her from an executive position in medical science just because she's a beta.
It will take more time - decades probably - until the alphakind will accept betas as equals. And seeing the first successes the advocates for beta rights achieved, the omega rights activists jump merrily on the bandwagon.
Still, there are natural differences between betas and omegas that argue against gender equality.
Jensen works on the email he wants to send to Ruth. He includes some of the information he found, some details blackened out.
Curator Rhodes brings a cup of coffee and the mail. She is pissed that she has to do the dirty work an omega took over from her. Before, she was pissed when Jensen reduced her workload and now she is insulted she has to do it again, even only for a few days.
Thank Alpha she stopped courting Jensen. He felt pretty embarrassed by her fawning, the more so because he didn't feel attracted by her in any way. Now she gets her job done efficiently but sulking, and Jensen is pretty okay with that.
When the email is sent, he thinks about taking a break. He is feeling weird, kind of dizzy, like he caught a head cold. His back hurts and his ass feels kind of numb from sitting too long. Hopefully he won't get sick; that would be absolutely inconvenient.
Then he thinks about seeking Jared for more sweets, but the phone rings.
“Hey Jensen, how's it going?” a deep male voice says.
“Senator Morgan,” Jensen replies surprised and involuntarily sits straighter.
“I just wanted to check in with you. You already bored out of your mind?”
“No, sir. Unfortunately, there's more to do than I thought. Director Pileggi left quite a mess after his death.”
“A mess? What do you mean?”
“Um,” Jensen isn't sure how much to tell his boss; he is still researching into the problems and doesn't want to speak ill of the dead. “Apparently, a few years ago there was a renovation scheduled that was performed only partially, leaving the living quarters in poor condition. They hired contractors nepotistically and I think some of the wardens are also ill-prepared for their challenging task.”
He takes a deep breath; here it comes. Pay attention to the wording.
“As it seems, they made up some of the medical records. I don't know yet if the doctor is just bad at keeping records or if it happened on someone's command. In any case, it's reflecting badly on the management.”
There is a short beat. Then Morgan says, “Are you sure about the records? Do you have any proof?”
Jensen clears his throat. “I entertain some more than vague suspicion, but I don't have hard evidence yet.”
“Alright. I'll send someone to look into it, Jensen.”
“Uh, thank you, sir, but no thanks. This is something I need to take care of myself. I'll keep you informed though, of course.”
“You sure?”
“Yes, sir. It's a matter of honor; I just can't bear the thought of leaving this mess as my legacy, even if my position here is only temporarily.”
After another short beat, Morgan relents. “Very well. If you wish to do it your way... go ahead, but keep me informed.”
“Of course, sir. Thank you, sir, I won't fail you.”
“I know. Have a nice day, Jensen.”
That was weird. Jensen never would have thought that the senator would take a liking to him, but apparently, he did. It could be the open door to his career in Washington A.C.
He should go see Collins, the cook, who issued a formal complaint about one of his assistants being in solitary confinement. It was only by accident that he found the paper buried under a pile of other papers. The date stamp is already two days old which indicates how overworked Rhodes must be.
Also, it would offer an occasion to talk to Jared about more sweets, maybe see long fingers work. See a little smile curve pink lips and light up hazel-ish eyes. The thought makes a strange feeling - anticipation? - loom in his guts.
So he walks down the back stairs to the first basement and catches himself humming. There is no time though to marvel at this realization, because a body crashes into him, almost falling down the stairs. At the last moment, he can prevent both of them tumbling.
“Jared?” he asks incredulously, lowering the young omega onto the step.
Jared looks up and blinks unfocused eyes.
“Director, um, Jensen,” he slurs, “'m sorry, 'm a bit wobbly on my legs... I think.”
He looks crinkled, roughed up; maybe even...
“Jared, are you drugged?”
Jared shakes his head fiercely. “Naaw, it's never drugs, it's always painkillers.” With a big wave of his arm, he continues, “I just wanna see the stars. Maybe there's life on Mars, you know, a better life.”
“But you're on the way downstairs.”
“Oh. I just wanna lay down a bit. He finished early, so I've a bit time until...”
Jared closes his eyes and goes slack. Jensen needs to shake him to make him stay awake.
“Come on,” he says, “you need to go see the doctor.”
Jared sniffs. “He doesn't like me, the doctor. He used to play with me when I was little, but now I'm too old and too tall and too ugly, and he stopped liking me.”
“What do you mean, when you were little? How long have you been here?”
“Um, since I was ten. When my... my parents died and I was all alone and no one wanted me. They said this was the only place for me, but no one likes me. Well, maybe except for Osric and Miss Samantha, but she's long gone and Miss Rhodes is curator now and she doesn't like me and gives me painkillers that are not...”
Jensen's head is reeling.
No omega can be sentenced to public service before the age of consent which is fifteen. And there are omega orphanages, there is no need to foster an omega boy in a public institute. What is going on?
And what did he say about Curator Rhodes?
“Wait a sec. You mean the curator gives you drugs? Roofies even?”
“Well, yeah... I mean since they're not painkillers.”
Giving him a leg-up, Jensen notes that Jared may be thin and lanky, yet he is quite heavy. Muscles, there are firm muscles under hot skin.
Jared is unrecognizable, being chatty and lively. Jensen wishes it wasn't because of the drugs; he'd like to know a spirited Jared, see a spark in these beautiful hazel-ish eyes.
“How often does she do this?” he asks and ignores the warmth and movement under his hands on Jared's back. The blood on his tunic and pants he can't ignore though.
“It was my second time... or third? Some patrons are pretty screwed up. The last one was really kinky, I can tell you. But he didn't last.” Jared snickers. “Stupid dick finished early, and Matt wasn't there to pick me up so I decided to go to the infirmary. The doc doesn't like me though.”
“So are you in pain?”
“What? Noooo, I'm feeling great!” He emphasizes his statement with sweeping gestures, stumbling down the corridor, and Jensen notices that Jared's limping is worse than the last time he saw him.
“What's with your leg?” he inquires. “Did you hurt it?”
Confused, Jared looks at his foot, then he beams at Jensen. “Not my leg - it's my hip. I got it dislocated at work, and it's still healing.”
How for all the world do you dislocate a hip at work? Oh, let's face it, Jared's work consists of being fucked, but still - how do you dislocate a hip?
Chapter 3