Real Person Fic - CW: Rattling Your Locks [Part 4/5]

[cherie_morte]

Back to Masterpost Ω Back to Part One Ω Back to Part Two Ω Back to Part Three

PART FOUR

Jared can hear laughter from down the hall. He sits up, putting the book he's been trying to keep busy with aside, and feels an unwelcome smile creep over his face as the handle on the door turns. It's Friday night-Jensen usually gets home early on Fridays, so Jared's been expecting him for hours.

It's nearly midnight now, but judging from the conversation he can hear, Jensen must not have been working late. He sounds happy as he says something to, Jared assumes, Genevieve or Misha, because they're the only people Jensen ever enjoys talking to. Other than Jared.

The person who breaks in through the door, still laughing heartily, is not Misha or Genevieve. It's a guy-some guy Jared's never seen before in his life. Some really fucking hot guy, with black hair that Jared instantly recognizes as mussed from too much kissing.

Jensen follows him in a second later, attaching his mouth to the guy's neck without even looking up to see Jared. It's the stranger who spots him first, his eyes pausing where Jared is sitting in bed.

"Well, damn," he says, smirking slowly as his gaze sweeps over Jared. Jared gets the urge to pull the blankets up and cover himself, but he resists. "Is he staying?" He laughs and turns his head enough for Jensen to kiss it. "Because he can stay."

Jensen doesn't take the bait, lets go of the man instead of kissing him and moves away, taking his jacket off and draping it over a chair. Jared secretly allows himself to feel smug for a few seconds.

"Don't even look at him," Jensen says, voice nice and cold like Jared used to hate hearing. He turns to look at Jared, and Jared can tell from his expression that he's not entirely happy with the situation. He walks across the room to the bathroom, pausing in the doorway and cocking his head. "Jay, come here."

Jared rises to his feet, though slowly. He can't stop watching the stranger as he starts stripping his clothes off and dropping them around Jensen's room like he has every right in the world to be here. He has no goddamn right.

"Don't have all the fun in there without me," the guy calls out.

Jensen smiles tightly and tosses him a condom from the bathroom. "You just get comfortable. Be ready to fuck me when I get out."

The man grins at that, and Jared takes a step back into the room, Alpha spike of jealousy telling him to run to the bed and rip this stranger's throat out if he even thinks of it. Jensen puts a hand on his chest and tugs Jared into the bathroom, closing the door quickly. Which is probably for the better.

"Hey," he says. Like things are perfectly normal and some douchebag isn't one door over waiting to do what Jensen still hasn't trusted Jared to do. "I didn't know you'd be here."

Jared lets out a bitter laugh. There are many other places he's allowed to be. "I was trying to save you the effort of calling for me when you got home."

"Oh," Jensen says.

"Who is that?" Jared asks, damn near growling.

Jensen laughs dismissively. "Just a guy," he says, and then he steps forward, pushing his hand over Jared's cheek and into his hair. Trying to calm him. As if touching is going to fucking help when Jared's hormones are pounding at his skin trying to break free.

"What guy?" he demands.

"His name's Matt Cohen," Jensen explains. "He's in one of my movies. He's no one, Jared. We went on a date, it's not a big deal."

"I've never heard of him," Jared says, trying not to sound as petty as he's being. "Must not be very good."

"Are you serious right now, Jared?"

"You're gonna let him fuck you."

Jensen swallows hard, nodding. "Not that it's any of your business, but yeah."

Not Jared's business. Technically, he's right. Jared's way off base acting this way. Technically. But Jensen hasn't treated him the way he's technically supposed to in months. They've been fucking like it's just for fun. Jared's…he's been enjoying it. He's been getting too damn comfortable. He thought maybe just this one part of Jensen was his. Stupid, stupid Jared actually thought he owned something.

"I'll kill him," Jared says. And it's a stupid, empty threat, but his hands are still bunching into fists and Jensen grabs one, trying to smooth it out.

"Please don't start acting like a…" Jensen stops and looks away.

"Like a what, Jensen? Like an Alpha? It's not a dirty word. I am one, and if you don't want me acting like one-which you apparently don't-you never should have let me catch your scent."

"Enough," Jensen snaps. "We are not having this fight, and we're certainly not having it now."

Jared takes a deep breath, trying to remind himself who and what he is and just how suicidally stupid it is to actually be having this reaction. But he can't think through the red, certainly not when that inhale chokes him on Jensen's scent. All he can do is smell Jensen and feel how much he's needed to knot him for months. He grabs Jensen's hips and pushes him back against the wall, because Jensen is his to fuck, and Jared is going to tie him up until he damn well remembers that.

Jensen groans, going easily where Jared leads him. It would be so easy. He knows Jensen would let him. He could do it right now. Right here. Fuck Jensen like they both want. Jensen wouldn't be able to stop him, and neither would the Beta in the next room.

"Jared," Jensen gasps. His hips move forward, grind against Jared, but his voice isn't begging for it like Jared wants him to. He sounds small. "Jared, stop it. You're scaring me."

Jared lets go of him and takes one big step back. He shakes his head, hoping desperately to clear his mind a little. "I'm sorry," he says. "I'm sorry. I just. I can't think straight."

"I know," Jensen says, still sounding scared but recovering quickly. "I know, Jay. It's…not your fault."

"You don't need him," Jared pleads. "Make him leave."

"I thought you'd be happy." Jensen lets out a shaky laugh. "You get the night off."

"I don't want the night off." Jensen snickers, and Jared can't blame him. He sounds like a giant, whiny, spoiled child, but then he never got to be that before without getting hit. "Not if it means someone else gets to touch you."

Jensen stands back for a few seconds, a thoughtful expression on his face, until finally he says, "You can do it too." He licks his lips, hesitating as if the words are caught in his throat, and then continues, "If you meet someone you want. And they want you too. You can be with them. As long as you're safe and you come back to me. I won't stop you if it'll make you happier."

A couple of months ago, Jared would have really appreciated hearing that from a master. Now it just feels like a cheap consolation prize.

"But I don't want someone else. I want you. And you-he's not going to give you what you really want," Jared tells him. God knows, Jared definitely knows, that reminding Jensen what he wants is the furthest thing from a good idea. But he also knows what this is about, and Matt Cohen, whoever the fuck he is, is not going to satisfy Jensen. "I can give you what you want."

Jensen takes a step forward, wraps his arms around Jared's middle, and presses his face to the skin on Jared's back. "I know," he says, voice soft. "Trust me, Jared, I know."

"At least let me try before you replac-"

"He's not replacing you. He's not supposed to." Jensen reaches up and turns Jared around until their eyes meet. "I know you don't understand right now. But I can't have what I want. I have to settle."

"Well, at least you're settling for a person now," Jared replies. He's being petty again, but at least he's not being violent. "Not a slave. Big step up, huh?"

Jensen makes a wounded face, and Jared almost wishes he could take it back. "You're not settling. He is settling." Jensen scrubs his hand over his face. "Look, come on. You aren't really threatened by him, you can't be."

"But you're mine," Jared whispers. It's a stupid thing to say, and not true besides, but his body is screaming it. Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine and all Jared wants to do is bend Jensen over the sink and claim every inch of him.

Jensen nods, rises to his toes and kisses Jared hard. He looks scared when he pulls back, scared the way he's only let Jared see him once before, and it's enough to make Jared, even in his hormone-driven jealous fit, relent. "I think I might be."

Jared frowns. "Why don't you want my knot?"

"Want it so bad it's going to kill me," Jensen murmurs, crowding into Jared's space and kissing the underside of his chin. "Want you inside of me, want you to fill me up. Jared, I want you to tie me up so tight I can't move without taking you with me."

"I can," he says eagerly, letting Jensen kiss him and sniff him and grind his dick on Jared's leg. "I'll be good, I promise I'll be good."

"I know you will." Jensen pulls back a little. "But not tonight, okay?"

Grudgingly, Jared nods. "What do you want?" he asks. "Should I just leave?"

"No," Jensen tells him. "Open me up first. Want to smell you. Want you to get me wet. I wanna still be drunk on your scent when I go to him."

Jared slips three fingers deep into Jensen without the slightest trace of resistance. He comes with Jensen writhing on him, his knot pushing between their bodies, and Jensen gasps as he smells it.

Then Jensen goes back to his date and Jared returns to his room, miserable and horny and terrified by the force of the jealousy he just felt for a man he isn't supposed to really want. A man he hasn't even knotted yet but who still has Jared tangled around him whether he can smell Jensen or not.



"This is your fault, isn't it?"

Jared turns over in bed, feeling for Jensen and pouting at the empty mattress he finds instead. "What's my fault?" he asks Genevieve, rubbing his palms into his eyes.

"Jensen is taking the day off," she says. Jared's eyes open in shock, and she laughs at the response. "I know, right? I've never seen that man take a day off in his life."

"Not my fault," Jared replies. He just woke up. He hardly knows who he is, let alone anything substantive. "I didn't tell him to do it."

"Totally your fault," Jensen replies from the door.

Genevieve turns to face him and Jared looks up. Jensen is smiling, wide and bright and a little blinding at whatever-the-fuck o'clock in the morning.

"I'm just here for sex," Jared reminds everyone. "Completely innocent and ignorant of the world in all other matters."

"Yeah, okay, that's good. I can tell that to everyone at the meeting this morning. 'I apologize for Mr. Ackles's absence today. He's at home fucking his pleasure slave through the floor.'"

"Mmm, don't say that," Jensen tells her. "We don't want them to start liking me."

"I suppose we don't," she says, rolling her eyes. "What do I tell them?"

"Tell them I have dysentery, for all I care," Jensen replies. "It's Jared's birthday."

Genevieve's eyes widen for only half a second before she recovers her poise. "I'll think of something."

"I figured you would," he says. "See why you're my favorite?"

"I thought I was your favorite," Jared mumbles into his pillow.

Jensen grins and comes into the room, holding a mug out in front of him. "I have lots of favorites."

"Can I go before this gets really gross?" Genevieve asks.

Jensen laughs. "Yes, please. Get out of my sight." She turns and Jensen stops her. "Oh, but Genevieve?"

"What, what, what? I'm very busy and important now that I have to do your job and mine."

"Let Jeff know that we'll be needing him today." Jensen hands Jared the mug of coffee and leans down, kissing Jared quickly on the nose. "We've got big plans."

She leaves and Jared takes a long, savoring sip. "We've got plans?" he asks. Then, "It's my birthday?"

"See how much you've learned already this morning?" Jensen teases, pushing hair out of Jared's eyes. "Yeah, Jay. It's your birthday."

"Huh," Jared replies. He still doesn't get it. So many years have turned over for him unmarked that he doesn't see what the point of getting excited is. It doesn't feel any different from other days except that he got a huge mug of coffee without having to work for it and his master is sitting on the bed next to him, practically trampling over him like an excited puppy.

"Don't you want to know what we're doing?"

Jared shrugs. "Sure. What are we doing?"

"I can't tell you," Jensen replies. "It's a surprise!"

"Well, in that case, I feel like you just wasted my time by having me ask."

Jensen laughs, kisses Jared again, and then runs downstairs to get Jared's breakfast for him.

Once they finally get out of bed, they go see a movie-some piece of shit Jensen's company produced. Jared only picks it because it's the one Jensen wants to see least, and he gets to win the fight this one day. He doesn't pay much attention or care about the movie, not really. They hold hands and throw popcorn at each other and when Jensen puts his head on Jared's shoulder as they sit and watch, Jared can't think of a single thing he'd rather have on his birthday. His master took him out in public, without marking him as a slave, and treated him like a person for anyone to see.

It's not until they get home, when he's drifting off with his body wrapped around Jensen that he remembers freedom-he's supposed to want that more. He shrugs off the thought and falls asleep wondering if what he's feeling is what people call happy.

Birthdays are pretty okay in Jared's book.



Jared hasn't seen Jensen in over a week. At first he figures his master must just be busy with work, though Jared is usually what Jensen depends on to unwind when his job has him stressed. It doesn't actually start to bother him until around day three, but by now it must be day eight or nine.

He can hardly even hide his smile when Misha comes by and tells him Jensen finally wants to see him. Jared doesn't waste any time.

"Got tired of me, did you?" Jared asks as he lets himself into Jensen's room. "Be honest, is it because I'm getting old? Knew I shouldn't have let you celebrate my birthday."

Jensen doesn't laugh or get out of bed to greet Jared, but there is a tiny smile tucked into the corners of his lips. It's one of Jared's favorites, and he decides he's going to march right over there and swallow it.

"Stop," Jensen tells him as he approaches. "Stop, don't get any closer. I need to talk to you first."

Jared frowns and tries not to ask if he hit closer to the truth than he'd meant to. Maybe Jensen really is done with him. "What's up?"

"I'm in heat," Jensen says.

That would explain why the entire room is soaked in sweet Omega scent. Jared thought he was imagining it, had missed it so much just seeing Jensen triggered his hormones. "Shit," Jared replies. "What happened? Your meds didn't work?"

"No, I…" Jensen laughs and looks down at where his hands are fussing with the blanket. "I didn't take them."

"That'll do it." Jared waits a beat. "Um, why didn't you take them? If you don't mind me asking."

He tries not to look too hopeful. Maybe Jensen found a better way to quell the heat, by which Jared means maybe he's finally going to get to take care of Jensen the way he was born to do.

"An experiment," Jensen tells him.

Jared raises an eyebrow. "I see that you got the obvious result."

"That's not what I was trying to figure out." Jensen rolls his eyes. "I missed you, smartass."

"Is this why you haven't wanted to see me?" Jared asks, letting out a shaky laugh. "I really did think you were tired of me."

"I'd be worried about the opposite if I were you," Jensen tells him. He waits a few seconds, then nods. "Yeah, this is why. I've had a lot to think about the last few days."

"Like whether to be an idiot or not?" Jared narrows his eyes. "You've been going to work like this? Anything could have happened."

Jensen shakes his head. "Timed it so the meds wouldn't wear off until the weekend. Just didn't want to see you until I was sure."

"Sure?" Jared asks.

He nods. "I have to ask you for something, Jay. While you're still in control of your senses."

"Mmm," Jared replies, smiling flirtatiously. "Ask fast."

"I want you to stay with me tonight."

Jared swallows. God, he's been waiting for this. "And-knot you?"

"No," Jensen replies.

Jared tilts his head to the side. "I don't get it."

"I want you to stay here tonight with me, and I want you to promise you won't knot me. Not even when I change my mind and ask you for it."

"I can't do it," Jared says, taking a step back. "Jen, I'm sorry. I can't."

Jensen doesn't look surprised, but his voice sounds disappointed nonetheless. "That's okay," he says. "That's okay, that's what I expected. I know it's a lot to ask."

"It's too much to ask," Jared replies. "I would do it if I thought I could. You know I would."

"I know." Jensen shrugs, still looking at his hands instead of at Jared. "You can go."

Jared doesn't want to go. He wants Jensen. He wants every part of Jensen, and the one part he hasn’t gotten is sitting so close.

"You sure you don't want-?"

Jensen licks his lips and finally looks at Jared. "I'm still scared of you, Jared. I know that's stupid, and I do trust you. I just don't…I don't know what you'll be like if we knot. Once you're in control of me."

"And this is how you want to test it?" Jared asks. Dangling himself like a goddamn steak. And if Jared fails, then what? It's a pretty fucking sick test.

"You don't have to. I already told you that. Just leave."

Jared hesitates. It would be torture, even if he could get through it, which he's got no way of knowing he can. Torture-no worse than he's used to, but he thought Jensen was the only person who didn’t want to hurt him.

But he can tell from the way Jensen's body has folded in on itself how much more disappointed he is than his face is showing. Instinctively, Jared realizes that his master will never let him close enough to knot him if he doesn't do this, and he knows Jensen is much more desperate for an Alpha than he ever lets on. Jared wants to give that to him.

"What if I try and I can't, Jen?" asks Jared. "I don't want to hurt you."

"If it's worth anything at all," Jensen says, "I wouldn't be asking if I thought you couldn't do it."

Jared shakes his head. "I'm not that strong. No one is that strong."

"We can do it together," Jensen says, his voice softer than Jared's ever heard it. "Please?"

Jared knows it won't hurt Jensen as much. This is one of those rare cases where the Omega has the biological advantage. But Jensen just said please. As if Jared has a choice, can say no, isn't some piece of property that can be sent back if defective.

No one's ever said that to Jared before.

He takes a step closer and the scent begins to smother him, even from halfway across the room. "I'll do it."

"If you can't, just don't try," Jensen says.

"I can do it," Jared promises, crossing the rest of the room and lying down next to Jensen. "I'm going to do it."

Jensen almost smiles. At least until Jared is next to him and they both catch each other's scent. Jensen gasps and Jared groans, and he's halfway to pinning the Omega down before he manages to stop himself.

"If I live through this," Jared grits out, "you owe me so many blowjobs."

Jensen laughs and tries to pull away a little more. Jared's blood is already beginning to pump too quickly, his whole body heating up. It's bearable, but it won't be for more than a few minutes. The longer his knot goes ignored, the more the hormones beating through his veins will sting him. It's like lava already.

He can't do this all night. There's no way. It's not about wanting to fuck Jensen, it's about pain so hot he can’t think straight, and Jared has been spoiled for months, he can't ignore this kind of hurt anymore.

"Make it stop," he says, his stupid mouth running away, almost without his even realizing. "Please, make it stop."

Jensen is next to him, breathing hard and writhing, and when Jared speaks he nods. "Do it."

Fuck. Goddamn Omega. He's no help at all.

"Fuck me, Jared. Want you so bad. Want you to fuck me."

Jared turns over to look at him, wishing he were just a little less gorgeous, lying there with his green eyes blown wide and his mouth the slightest bit open. Jensen's cock is straining up so that Jared can easily see it through the covers, and behind that, he knows, Jensen is dripping wet for him, ready to take him like a fucking vice and hold on until Jared's so satisfied his knot can't tie them anymore.

"Gimme your cock, Jared. Please, please. Want all that come. Want it so deep in me I taste it."

"Shut. Up," Jared replies, grinding his hips into his fist. It's only making things hurt more. There are tears prickling at his eyes from the pain, and Jensen starts whimpering, begging more and more for some relief.

Jared was bought to take all that lust out of him. Sitting here ignoring the pleas is exactly the opposite of what he's supposed to be doing.

"Please," Jensen whispers. "Please, please, please."

Jared wipes a hand over his face and tries to collect his shattered brain. He's a second away from rolling on top of Jensen just to shut the Omega up.

"Let me," Jensen begs, moving closer to Jared on the bed. His whole body is lined up next to Jared so close that they'll touch if Jared so much as twitches. And if his skin touches Jensen's, that's it. That's game over. "I'll do anything you want."

"Shut up," Jared commands, wiping away sweat. "And get away from me."

Jensen whines but obeys the order, moving to the opposite side of the bed. "Please. Please."

"Go to sleep," Jared tells him. It won’t make things much easier, what with the pounding pain shooting through him, but at least he won't have to see Jensen or hear how good he'll be. Just the smell-the smell is more than enough.

"Can't sleep like this," Jensen complains. "Need you to take care of me."

Jared sits up on one side and stares at Jensen's back. Jensen doesn't usually sleep turned away from him, and he decides he doesn’t really like it very much.

"I'll take care of you," Jared promises. "Sleep."

He doesn't know how long it takes for Jensen to actually drift off. Jared loses focus, spends hours staring off into space and burning. Burning. He's sweating so much the bed is soaked in him, and every time he comes into his fist, Jensen makes broken sound in his sleep and inches closer.

He doesn't know how long it goes on before he passes out from the pain, but he wakes up shoved all the way to the edge of the bed with Jensen wrapped around him.

The pain is gone. Thank fucking god, it's actually over.

"Morning," Jensen says. His voice is scratchy, probably from begging all night. He kisses Jared slow and tender.

Jared pushes him away. "Don't touch me."

Jensen frowns. "That good, huh?"

"You hurt me, Jensen," Jared tells him. "I thought you wouldn’t, and then you did. For no reason. Just to test-"

"You did it," Jensen says, bending down to kiss Jared again. "I knew you could."

It's the first time in months Jensen kisses him and Jared only lets him get away with it because he has to, not because he wants to feel his master's lips against him.

"Please don't touch me."

Jensen pulls away, looking hurt, but Jared's not sorry. He hates Jensen, all the more because for a little while there he thought he didn't.

"I'm sorry I made you do it, Jay." Jensen frowns. "Please don't be mad at me."

"Fuck you."

"You chose it," says Jensen. "I didn't say you had to."

"I always have to!" Jared reminds him. "Maybe you lose sight of that but I promise I don't."

"You didn't last night," Jensen whispers. "You owned me, and you still-"

"Fuck you," Jared mutters. "Fuck you, fuck you. I won't be doing it again, so don't even think about testing me anymore."

Jensen shakes his head. "No, you won't. The next time I'm in heat, you're gonna fuck it right out of me."

Like that's really going to make anything better now. "Don't want it anymore," Jared replies. "Let me go. Please just let me go. I don't want to belong to you."

"Jared, if you understood."

"I don't need to understand. I just want to leave." He licks his lips. "I thought you were different, and you're not. You're all the same. I don't want any of you."

"What can I do to make you forgive me? I'll do anything."

"Tell me why," he pleads. "Tell me you didn't do that to me for no reason."

Jensen's eyes lose all their light, but he nods, sitting back so he's not close enough for Jared to see him. "I'll tell you about my first Alpha," he says, voice shaky. "If you'll forgive me. I'll tell you."

Jared doesn't say anything; he won't push, he knows too well how awful it is to be pushed. But he nods his head, just once, so Jensen can see that he's interested and listening.

"He was my father's business partner," Jensen tells him. "Mark Pellegrino. That's where the Mark in my company's name comes from. He thought it was very clever."

"Did you love him?" Jared asks, thinking maybe losing his Alpha is what made Jensen close off so much.

Jensen laughs harshly and looks up at Jared. "I hated him every moment I couldn't smell him."

"Oh," Jared says, starting to get it.

"I never wanted him to touch me. But he never listened when I said no, and by the time he was close enough for me to fight back, I was bending over for him." Jensen looks away. "He'd make me beg, and I would. Pathetic. I'd beg and beg for it for hours if he made me. I'd do anything for his knot."

"But you're highborn. He wouldn't have gotten away with it if you-"

"If I what, if I told someone?" Jared nods, and Jensen lets out another one of those bitter laughs. "I told my parents. I told them lots of times. That I didn't want to be near him. That he scared me. That he hurt me. How he hurt me."

"They didn't care?" Jared asks, disbelieving. There are laws against that kind of thing-someone of Jensen's status was born to be protected by them. Never in his life had it occurred to Jared that people like Jensen could suffer through the same kinds of things slaves do.

"Oh, they cared." Jared can see Jensen, seeming to shrink as he pulls into himself. "They were thrilled. Dad said it was a miracle. I was finally good for something. He wasn't really proud about having a bitch for a son, you know? But I guess it wasn't so bad if it kept his partner happy." Jensen wipes a hand over his mouth. "Mom thought it was a great match. She was sure he was going to do the right thing by me once I was old enough. She'd always gush to me about how rich and handsome he was, how lucky I was to have hooked him. I don't think he would have done it, but I still woke up every damn day thinking I'd rather die than get old enough to marry him. I got close to ending it so many times I stopped counting."

"But they were your parents," Jared says. He doesn't realize how stupid it'll sound until he's said it. This is not what parents are supposed to be like, not that Jared has experience, but he's seen his masters and their children-even the worst of them would have torn anyone who tried something like this to pieces.

"My father's the one who taught me how to pretend to be an Alpha. Had me study Mark and imitate him and everything." Jensen shivers. "I didn't want to be anything like him, Jared. But they said that's what I was going to have to do if I ever wanted anyone to respect me, and what do you know? They were right."

"No," Jared says, reaching out to touch Jensen's shoulder. "Jen, they weren't right about anything."

"No, they were. Look at how successful I've been. You think I'd have anything if people like Sebastian Roché knew what I am?"

"I don't know," Jared admits. "I don't care. They were wrong."

"Well, it doesn't matter much now, does it?"

"Yes," Jared insists. "Of course it matters."

"He's dead. He's been dead a long time. And I know what those magazines you like so much said about me. I didn't orchestrate that plane crash just to take my dad's company." Jensen looks away, ashamed. "But when I heard Mark was dead, I was relieved. It was the happiest day of my life. Not because of the money."

Jared nearly shivers, but he manages to keep it hidden. Jensen's own father died on that plane, Jared should probably think he's a monster for admitting he was happy about it. But after what Jensen just told him, Jared almost can't blame him.

"What happened to your mother after the crash?" Jared asks.

Jensen laughs. "I bought her an island."

Less exciting than the conspiracy theories Jared's read about the fate of Donna Ackles after her son's rise to power. "That was nice of you."

"Not really. I bought her an island and gave her a big chunk of the fortune and told her she could keep them both as long as I never saw her again."

"She went for that?"

Jensen grins. "She looked like it was Christmas when I offered her that deal."

"At least…" Jared's voice falters, and he wonders if maybe he shouldn't be commenting on any of this. "At least it happened quickly. I mean, they died like ten years ago, right? You were what, 19? It couldn't have been going on that long."

Jensen looks Jared straight in the eye. "He smelled me the first time I went into heat."

Jared's stomach turns at that. He got his first knot when he was 12. He knows it happens later for some people, but he also knows it happens much earlier. He doesn't want to know which it was for Jensen. Jared can't help remembering the way Jensen looks sometimes when he's scared, when Jared first arrived and would ask if he wanted to be knotted. Like a scared little boy. "Christ, you were-"

"A kid," Jensen says. "But he was an Alpha. So that was that."

"I'm sorry, Jensen. God, I'm so, so sorry."

Jensen's eyes go soft and sad as he watches Jared, but he shakes his head. "I've got no right to complain to you. I know you had it worse. I probably sound ridiculous."

Jared reaches out, slips his hand under Jensen's chin and holds him there. "The first time my master touched me, I was 17. It wasn't my first fuck by a long shot, and it wasn't completely unpleasant."

"Yeah, but after, when he sold you-"

"I'm not going to pretend it wasn't terrible, Jen. It was a different kind of suffering, but I don't know which of us had it worse. It doesn't matter anyway. He was a monster for doing that to you."

Jensen almost looks like he wants to cry, and Jared thinks he's probably never heard anyone agree that what was done to him was wrong. He never told a soul except for his parents, not even Genevieve.

"I was so scared of him," Jensen admits. "He's been dead almost ten years, and up until a few months ago I'd still wake up every morning terrified. I'd expect him to walk into a room. And even after all of that, I still wanted his knot. I liked it."

"You were just a kid," Jared says. "You couldn't help it."

"No, I couldn't," Jensen agrees. "Alphas are cruel, but at least you're not weak. Omegas are insects."

"Am I cruel?"

Jensen huffs out a laugh. "You're exceptional in more ways than one."

"You're not weak, Jensen. You're strong. You got through this and you still made something of yourself."

"And I still needed an Alpha so bad it hurt. Hurts." He closes his eyes so he doesn't have to look at Jared. "So bad I told myself it would be okay to own one. Because I couldn't trust one I didn't at least have some power over."

Jared nods. "I understand."

"No, you don't. You wouldn't be looking at me like that if you understood." Jensen swallows hard. "I wanted revenge. He's dead, I couldn't get him, so I told myself you were all the same. That it didn't count if my slave was an Alpha, because Alphas need to be restrained. Deserve to suffer. Aren't human." His voice rises, tears finally spilling over. "Jared. Jared, I did the same thing to you that he did to me."

Jared pulls Jensen in, letting his master cry against his chest and almost wanting to cry right along with him. "No, you didn't. Not even close."

"I did," he insists, voice muffled against Jared. "I did and I wanted you to hate me for it. I wanted you to be every awful thing he was. You didn't want me and I forced you and I was cruel to you. I tried to scare you. I wanted you to prove me right, and you did everything wrong, and now I want to die again."

Jared kisses the top of Jensen's head, stroking his hair. "It's not right, what you did," Jared tells him. "But I understand. I understand, Jensen. Look at me."

Slowly, Jensen pulls away from Jared's embrace and looks up, his green eyes laced with red and water. He sniffles, and Jared bends down to kiss him. "I don't hate you. I will never hate you." Jensen doesn't look like he believes him, so Jared forces a smile and a playful tone. "I might hate all people named Mark, though."

Jensen sobs out a laugh and kisses Jared's chest, pressing his face against him and closing his eyes. Jared waits until an hour later, when Jensen has fallen asleep, exhausted from the emotional effort, and Jared is lying awake, too disturbed to stop thinking about everything Jensen just told him. He pulls Jensen up just a bit, checking to make sure he's really sleeping. Then he puts his mouth to his master's ear and whispers, "I forgive you."



"How would you like to go on vacation?"

Jared laughs, pausing the movie he's watching and turning his head to the door. "Welcome home."

Jensen ignores the greeting and plops onto the couch next to Jared. "Vacation."

"I don't really work much, to be honest," Jared replies.

"There would be a cruise. And a swanky hotel. And it will be a working vacation for me, but I won't make you come to any boring dinners. Cross my heart."

"Will there be pina coladas to sip out of coconuts?" Jared asks seriously.

"A man of discerning taste," Jensen says. "There will be more pina coladas and coconuts than you will know what to do with, mon frère."

"You know I can't say no," Jared replies, and Jensen gives him a stern look until Jared smirks and adds, "to coconuts."

"Fantastic!" Jensen responds, standing up excitedly. "I'm going to go convince Genevieve to stop being on maternity leave long enough to book you a ticket. You stay here and bask in the anticipation of coconuts."

"Can do," Jared replies, playing his movie and turning his attention back to the screen.

They leave four days later, all ready to set sail for some tropical island Jared's never heard of in his life.

"What do you even do on a tropical island while your master is in business meetings?" Jared asks, helping Jeff unload his and Jensen's luggage.

"There's a pool," Jensen says. He pauses, making an awkward face, then asks, "Do you like swimming, Jared?"

He's really asking if Jared knows how, but Jared's more than happy to save a little face. "Nope."

"Ah," Jensen replies, clucking his tongue. "Do you want to like swimming? Because I could teach you if you did." He smiles musingly. "I bet you'd look damn good all soaking wet and dripping for me."

Jared thinks about it. Swimming sounds like nothing but being trapped under too much water. He's had his fair share of being trapped for this lifetime. "Not sure it's for me, Jen."

"Hmm." Jensen looks wistful, then grins. "We'll just have to make use of that big shower of mine when we get home. No way I'm relinquishing that dripping wet mental image now that it's in my head."

"I thought you liked me for my personality," Jared complains.

"No, honey," Jensen says, leaning in for a kiss. "Just your tits."

Jared laughs and doesn't even realize they've reached the ship's entrance until a guard reaches out to block his passage. "Passports."

Jensen takes out his passport and another document and hands them both over, along with their tickets. The man looks at them, nods and rips one ticket, handing the sheets back to Jensen. "Where's your second party?"

Jensen raises an eyebrow. "Right here," he says, pointing to Jared. "Guy's not exactly hard to see."

"The paper says he's a slave."

"Papers say a lot of shit," Jensen replies bitchily. "What of it?"

"I'm sorry, sir. I'm afraid we don't allow slaves to stay in first or second class lodgings. I can have yours escorted to the slave entrance."

Jensen shakes his head. "That won't be necessary. He's staying with me."

"We provide all the attendants you'll need during the cruise. I assure you, you needn't contaminate your rooms with-"

"He's my bed slave," Jensen explains, his voice cutting. "He's not much good to me if he's not in my bed, now is he?"

The man pulls back a little, and Jared frowns, trying to remember that Jensen is just saying what he needs to say. He doesn't really feel that way. "I'm very sorry, sir, but I'm afraid there are no exceptions. We have to do everything possible to ensure future customers that their suites are clean and free of-"

"This is fucking bullshit," Jensen interrupts. "I paid for his ticket, what does it matter to you if-?"

"Our company apologizes for the misunderstanding and will be happy to refund your extra ticket, Mr. Ackles."

Jared puts a hand on his master's elbow and pulls him aside, whispering, "It's okay. I can just go to the slave quarters. It's only a couple of days."

"No," he replies. "They can't just treat you like-"

Jared gives him a flat look. "It's nothing I'm not used to. I'll be fine."

"I don't like it."

"You'll get over it," Jared replies, sticking his tongue out.

Jensen frowns. "I'm so sorry, Jay. I should have realized they would do this. I should have at least thought to ask. I wouldn't have brought you."

Jared shakes his head. "Seriously. It's not a big deal."

"It's offensive." Jensen drops his hands to his sides. "I keep trying to stop offending you, and I suck at it."

"And later you can suck on me, too."

"Har har, asshole."

Jared grins, kisses his master briefly. "I'll miss you, now get on."

Jensen sighs and after a few more seconds of hesitation consents to having Jared led out of line and down to the cells where the slaves are kept. It's dark and dank and, after months of living in a freeman's room and enjoying all the luxuries Jensen's home offers, more than a little repulsive to Jared. It's funny; not long ago this wouldn't have been out of the ordinary in Jared's book, but now it's just degrading.

He sits in the cell assigned to him and stares forward quietly as the rest of the slaves are hoarded on board, packed into the room, and shut in. The ship starts rocking not long after the door closes, and Jared knows from the sick wobbling around him that they've set sail.

It's mostly pleasure slaves along for the trip, brought to guarantee their masters the best possible experience once they arrive. Common occupation always helps slaves bond faster in Jared's experience, so within a few hours, the slaves are all joking and laughing together. The gaiety dies away when they're served what passes for dinner and they all sit quietly, munching on hard, moldy bread. One of them starts up talking about his master, and the rest all join in. They go from cell to cell, sharing horror stories and mocking the men they serve. Jared used to enjoy this.

"How about you?" says the guy to Jared's right.

Jared jolts when he realizes the slave was talking to him, and now everyone is looking at him expectantly.

"Yeah," another slave, this time a girl, presses. "What's Jensen Ackles like? I hear my masters talking about him sometimes. Even they're scared of him."

Jared nearly laughs at that, thinking of how kind and gentle his master is. But he knows some of these slaves will tell their masters what other slaves have said if they think it will gain them favor. Jared feels a sharp pricking of loyalty for his master, not something he ever expected to feel, and knows how much trouble it could cause for Jensen's business if he's honest. As much as he hates Jensen's Alpha charade, he won't ruin it.

Jared has been the slave who's too afraid to talk about his master before; it's not hard to avert his eyes and make a quiet, scared sound. The other slaves in his cell pass a few moments of quiet sympathy before one of them pats him on the back and changes the subject.



By the time Jared is taken to Jensen's hotel room, the luggage has already arrived, as has Jensen. He's sitting on the bed hanging up the hotel phone, and he looks to the door when Jared walks in, smiling brightly.

He stands, crossing the room in a few quick strikes, and grabs Jared's face, giving him a big, smacking kiss on the mouth.

"Well, hello you," Jared says. "What's with the creepy grinning?"

"I'm a godfather!"

Jared feels his own grin mirror Jensen's. "Holy shit! Already?"

"Apparently the little guy didn't take long to get out of there. Can't say I blame him, I'm sure Genevieve's been a pain in his ass since day one."

Jared nearly snorts. "What're they calling him?"

"Dmitri," Jensen answers. "Just like his daddy. And he is a beautiful, healthy baby."

"That's so great."

"Yup. My boy is going to-"

"Your boy?" Jared asks, quirking his eyebrow.

"All mine!" Jensen insists.

He crosses his arms over his chest. "Have you told Misha and Genevieve this?"

"Oh, you know," Jensen says, waving his hand dismissively. "I like to let them think they're important."

"Uh huh."

"He's going to be so happy, Jared," Jensen says, face glowing. "No one is ever going to hurt him. No one. I'm gonna spoil him rotten. And his brothers and sisters if he has any. They'll be insufferable, but they'll be happy."

Jared smiles, reaching out to squeeze Jensen's hand. "Maybe I'll have to keep you in check. Make sure you don't spoil them too much."

Jensen grins. "That's okay. I'll be their favorite. I'll be cool Uncle Jensen and you'll be mean Uncle Jared."

"Uncle Jared," Jared echoes, nearly losing his voice. He clears his throat and tries to keep his emotions under control. "You really think I'll be around that long?"

Jensen's brow furrows and he shoves Jared's shoulder lightly. "Stop trying to kill my high," he says. "And don't ask stupid questions."

Jensen starts to sway a little, and it's a few long seconds before Jared realizes they're dancing.

"We're going to teach him to play ball, okay? Because I love Misha to death, but that guy can't do anything athletic to save his life. Yoga doesn't count."

"Ball throwing. Got it."

Jensen props his chin on Jared's shoulder. Jared can feel Jensen's breath ghosting through his hair as he continues to ramble on, all his plans for the family. The family that Jared is apparently a part of.

"And when I die," he finishes grandly, "I'm going to leave it all to them. They're gonna be filthy stinking rich."

Jared shakes his head, just trying to imagine it. Sons and daughters of a slave, inheriting all that money. It's unheard of. Jensen really is a strange creature.

"Hey, Jen?"

"Uncle Jen, if you don't mind."

Jared rolls his eyes. "Oh, come off it."

"What do you want from me?"

"What are we dancing to?"

Jensen pauses, making a face like Jared just caught him with his hand in the cookie jar. "See, this is why you're no fun." He looks around the room, then grins and holds a finger up to Jared. "One second, I've got it."

He walks over to the giant piano Jared had only briefly realized was in the room. He'd taken it for an idle decoration, but Jensen starts pressing the keys and, lo and behold, out comes the score from a movie Jared knows they've watched. He can't place it, but it's still a pretty spectacular party trick.

Jensen plays about half the song before his fingers falter. He turns and holds his hand out to Jared instead. "Now dance with me."

Jared steps closer, taking the hand Jensen's offering and letting Jensen put an arm around his waist. "You can't play and dance at the same time."

"For god's sake, man. Have some imagination."

Jared smiles weakly, going along with Jensen the best he can. "I can't dance," he says. "I don't know how."

"I'll teach you," Jensen says, brushing the hair away from Jared's ear and kissing the skin. He draws so close there's no space left between them and puts one hand on the small of Jared's back. He begins counting, moving slowly so Jared has enough time to figure out what to do with his feet.

"Why do I get the feeling you're teaching me the girl's part?"

Jensen smiles, stopping his instruction just long enough to kiss Jared. "When you teach me how to dance, you can lead."

"Tyrant," Jared mumbles, relaxing into the rhythm. They go on for a long time before Jared turns his face into Jensen's neck. "I'm glad you're happy."

"I'm happy," Jensen confirms. He pulls back enough to look up at Jared. "Are you…? Never mind. Probably don't want to know."

Jared wants to tell him: he's never been so happy, never thought he could be. He doesn't find the words in time.

"Jared," Jensen whispers. "Will you knot me?"

"You really mean it this time?"

Jensen huffs a laugh. "I really do."

"Can I get that in writing?"

"Shut up and fuck me."

Jared's got a witty reply right on the tip of his tongue, but then he's got Jensen on the tip of his tongue, and that feels more important. He licks a stripe up Jensen's neck before kissing him hard. They've already started walking backward, Jensen hitting the bed first and Jared happy to fall on top of him.

There's a surprising lack of urgency in their kiss as Jared begins to writhe over Jensen, feeling his knot thicken. Jensen smiles into his mouth. "Feel so good," he murmurs. "Gonna feel so good."

Jared nods, working Jensen's shirt off slowly, hands taking the time to map out skin he already knows so well. Jensen melts under his fingers, every scrape of Jared's nails making him twitch with the electricity between them.

Jensen does Jared the favor of freeing him from pants and underwear that are much, much too tight on his knot, and Jared does the same, stopping to slide three knuckles into Jensen right off, and feeling Jensen's hot, wet body mold around him.

Jensen lets out a long 'ohh' sound and his eyes close halfway, eyelashes hanging heavy and lusty as he breathes slow and watches Jared.

"Jesus Christ, you're soaked."

"Don't know how much I want you, Jared. You don't know."

Jared's pretty sure he's just as needy at this point, Omega and Alpha be damned.

"That's good," Jensen assures him, his body working forward on Jared's fingers. "But I'm ready for you now. I'm ready. Want that big cock so bad."

Someday, when they've done this a few thousand times, Jared will have the patience to make Jensen beg. But that's not what Jensen needs right now, and it's not what Jared wants, either.

"How do you want me, baby?"

Jensen crawls up the bed, his head lying on one of the huge hotel pillows. He looks up at Jared shyly. "Need to see you," he says. "I just…need to be sure it's you."

"It's me," Jared tells him, crawling onto him and showering Jensen in kisses.

"Jared," Jensen says, his voice sounding frail. "My Jared."

Jared just nods, running his hand down the long side of Jensen's body and stopping on his hip, holding him still. He looks at Jensen one last time to make sure he's here with Jared, not somewhere far away, and when he finds Jensen's gaze set intently on his own, he falls in.

The cry Jensen lets out will haunt Jared for the rest of his life. It's loud and so hot and it turns into Jared's name. He can feel Jensen's body shifting around him, muscles gripping tight to Jared's knot and a sweet, careful slide as he begins to pivot his hips. Jensen takes him and takes him, so deep Jared thinks he'll drown.

Jensen isn't fragile; he grabs onto Jared's shoulder and works his body up, pulling down and tugging Jared with him. They're stuck now, just one incredibly fucked up animal, and Jared knows he will never feel this whole again. After he's filled Jensen up, really made Jensen his and washed him clean of anyone else's taint. Just his-Jensen will never be anyone else's again. Jared won't allow it.

Under him, Jensen turns his head away, and Jared ducks his face down, first to smell the faint layer of sweat there, all that satisfied Omega scent. Then he nuzzles his face into Jensen, making sure his thoughts don't wander. Distracting him, but keeping him focused too. No other memories, just them. Jensen meets his eyes, smiling thankfully, and Jared sees a moment's fear fading out of Jensen's expression. "It's you," he says. "Jared. Jared. Jared."

Jensen's dick stays trapped between them, hot like a brand when it touches Jared's skin. He can't decide-doesn't know if he wants to make Jensen come now and then again while they're still tangled like this, or if he wants to make Jensen ride it out, get Jensen so worked up for his cock he can't think straight again for a year.

His own pleasure is building, and he knows he'll start coming soon.

"You want my come now?" he asks. "All ready to take me?"

"Fuck," Jensen breathes. "Fuck, fuck, fuck. Yes, Jared. Please. Please let me have it. Want it, let me have it."

Jared takes Jensen's cock in his palm and begins to stroke him. It doesn't take long before Jensen's head falls back, a string of curses so vivid that even now Jared wants to blush. He brings his hand up, bathed in Jensen's orgasm and licks right through the white string draping between his fingers. Jensen grins watching it, makes sure to tug Jared down and seal their tongues together, just as tight as they’ve sealed their bodies.

Jared feels himself losing control then, and he brackets Jensen's head with his hands as he bears down on him, harder and harder until he's surprised Jensen can even take him. His orgasm starts slow, a steady stream into Jensen that makes their thrusts looser, easier to rock farther and faster, but he's nowhere near done and they'll still be stuck for a while yet. Jared's okay with that.

Jensen is hard again before Jared's knot starts to loosen up, and when Jared can finally pull out, he dips his fingers into Jensen's raw hole, his whole hand getting slick. Then he takes Jensen's dick and coats it over, covering Jensen in himself, wet, wet jerks as he listens to the sound of his palm on Jensen's dick. Jensen comes again, this time Jared is collected enough to watch him, see the way his mouth trembles and his eyes shut too tight, causing the skin to wrinkle up.

It's the single most beautiful goddamn thing Jared has ever seen in his life.



Jared wakes up the next morning in a messy bed, surprised he even had the presence of mind to pull out of Jensen before passing out. He smiles when he sees Jensen is already awake, shaking him.

"Good morning," Jared says, reaching out for a kiss.

"I have a meeting in about an hour," Jensen says, putting on a pout.

"You suck," Jared tells him.

Jensen grins. "Sometimes, but for now let's stick to this."

He feeds Jared a couple of fingers, and Jared licks them happily, tasting Jensen. He knows this means Jensen's been opening himself up, and he's perfectly content to sit back and let Jensen have his way as he climbs on top of Jared and rides him, nice and slow and tight.

After, he leaves Jared a content puddle in bed. It takes a lot of willpower to finally convince himself to crawl out of the perfect, warm blankets in order to go seek out breakfast, but he finally rises and begins to sift through luggage for something that's his. He slides on the first boxers he finds, fairly certain that they're Jensen's, and then starts to dig for a shirt.

"Well, now I see why he keeps you around. An Alpha. I always suspected Ackles was a bitch, but I have to say, you two put on quite a charade."

Jared turns toward the voice, surprised to be interrupted here. He had assumed everyone who mattered would be going to the same meeting as Jensen. Of all the people to stay back and now be standing at the door to Jensen's room, Sebastian Roché is the last one Jared would have liked to see.

He reaches out for a shirt and slips it on over his head, then looks to the ground, pretending respect.

"Oh, don't be modest. You don't have to get dressed for little ol' me."

Sebastian invites himself into the room, and Jared instinctively takes a step back, trying to maintain the distance between them.

"Come come now," says Sebastian. "I think we both know what kind of slave you are. I just want to borrow you."

"I'm Jensen's," Jared says defensively. "He's the only one who gets to-"

"Do be quiet. Your master is not here, which means you obey the free men around you. In this case, me." He smiles slowly. "Oh, I promise, you'll have as much fun as I will. I've never had an Alpha, I just want to try it out."

Jared stands still, on guard, not wanting to risk responding before he's sure the threats are in earnest. But Sebastian grabs him by the hips, pulling him close, and Jared can't help the revulsion that makes him push the man away.

Sebastian tries to seize forward again and Jared blocks him, catching his wrist and turning it.

"Don't fucking touch me," he warns, and then he lets go of Sebastian with a rough shove. Not too rough, but enough to send the message.

A message that Sebastian apparently does not get. He laughs and starts approaching again. “Alright, I see that you’re a feisty one. Enough foreplay now, darling.”

He catches Jared off guard, strikes him and tries to draw him in for a kiss while he’s still recovering from the hit. It’s not Jared’s fault what he does after that. He’s not thinking; he’s an Alpha and he’s in danger and he’s forgotten how to be a slave. So he throws the punch right back-at a goddamn noble, when he should be on all fours if he knows what’s good for him.

Sebastian stumbles, hitting the dresser and tripping onto the floor. Jared takes a step forward, his every instinct to kick and keep kicking until the bastard is dead. “I told you not to touch me.”

“You’re going to hang for this,” Sebastian tells him. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Jared knows it’s true as soon as he hears it, and the words sober him immediately. He stops his fighting, backing away, horrified now that he’s realized what he’s done.

He falls to his knees by Sebastian. “No,” he begs. “Please. Please don’t tell anyone I hit you. I’ll do anything you want.”

Sebastian laughs bitterly, holding a hand up to his face. When he lowers it, Jared sees blood. He made a free man, a rich free man, bleed. Sebastian looks down at his hand, then back up at Jared, with a sick expression of glee. “You’re really in for it now.”

“Is there a problem?”

Jared and Sebastian both look up at the same time. Jared feels a wave of overwhelming relief when he sees his real master. Jensen will save him, he must know a way.

“Yes, there’s a problem,” Sebastian replies, pointing at Jared. “Your rabid dog attacked me.”

Jensen seems completely unfazed by the accusation. He looks over at Jared as if he’s a stranger. “Is that true, Jared? Did you hit him?”

Jared knows how much Jensen hides under his skin, but knowing isn’t enough to make the blank gaze in Jensen's eyes less terrifying.

“Yes, master,” he admits, lowering his gaze.

“Did you have a reason?” Jensen asks sternly.

“No!” Sebastian replies. “I was just trying to put him to use for a little while.”

It’s nearly imperceptible, but Jared catches the flash of anger in Jensen’s eyes. His voice is still indifferent when he says, “Ah, that was my mistake then. I should have told you not to touch him. I told him not to let anyone. So he was just obeying my order. No harm done.”

That couldn’t be farther from the truth, but Jared’s sure not about to point it out. Having Jensen’s word means it’s balanced-free man against free man-and Jensen has the right to decide who his slave does or does not fuck. Sebastian can’t touch him.

“No harm done? I’m bleeding! I want him dead.”

“He was very expensive,” Jensen says, nonplussed. “I’m not eager to throw him away for doing as I asked.”

Sebastian rises to his feet, looking like a child throwing a tantrum. “But he hit me! A slave!”

Jensen’s smirk is subtle, but it’s clear enough that even Sebastian can see it. He helps Jared up, then scolds, “Jared, be careful next time. Mr. Roché here is made of gentler stuff than you’re used to.”

Jared bows with exaggerated servility. “As you say, Master. I’m sorry to have displeased you.”

Jensen pets him and looks at Sebastian. “Was there anything else you needed?”

He stares from Jensen to Jared and back to Jensen again, the look of outrage and shock subsiding into something Jared doesn’t like at all. “You’re very attached to that thing, aren’t you?”

“Not at the moment,” Jensen replies. “But I plan to be in just a short while.”

Sebastian gives him a bitchy smile. “You enjoy that while you can, Ackles.”

He leaves on that note, and Jensen watches him, turning back to Jared with a mocking expression on his face. He’s not scared, maybe Jensen’s never seen the way Sebastian hates him when his back is turned.

“Are you okay?” Jensen asks running a hand over Jared.

Jared takes his hand to still it. “Still in one piece, at least.”

“Don’t look so spooked,” Jensen tells him. “I’m not going to let him hurt you.”

“It’s not me I’m worried for,” Jared replies.

Jensen shakes his head, rising enough to meet Jared’s lips. “This trip was kind of a failure, huh?”

“Last night was pretty good.” Jared grins. “And this morning.”

Jensen nods. “Yeah. That was pretty good. We can do that at home, though.”

“All the time?”

“Every minute of every day,” Jensen promises.

Jared laughs, and Jensen shakes his head. “I’m going to get us a helicopter. I don’t want him anywhere near you.”

“No ship?”

Jensen frowns. “You’re riding first class.”

“Actually, this morning, first class was riding me.”

Jensen throws his head back on a laugh. “That is vile, Jared. Now pack your shit.”

He hesitates. “Jen, what about your business?”

“Screw it,” Jensen says. “It’s not more important than your safety. I’ll have someone else represent me.”

Jared nods and gets to work, and Jensen sits on the edge of the bed watching him for a long time before finally he says, “I’m sorry I brought you, Jay. I swear I meant well.”

Jared doesn’t answer him, but he does toss the clothes he’s packing aside and knot Jensen one last time before they check out of the hotel. Jared just feels bad for whoever has to clean up after them.

ON TO PART FIVE
or
BACK TO MASTERPOST