Fic: A Little Bear and His Wolf
Part 1
Jensen Ackles got down from his dad's old pale green Toyota as the older man pulled up in front of a big building with lots of stairs. His new school. Again. Doubts filled him and they earned him a scowl.
"Come on, get out of the car. I don't have all day."
Jensen stiffened and fisted his hand, but he didn't say anything. He didn't look back, either. He was somewhat mesmerized by the look of the school building. Its elegant, Victorian style made it resemble more of a royal palace he’d only seen in pictures or the movies. Jensen's imagination wandered to handsome princes in their silk tunics and tight breeches. Princes, and not princesses. He couldn't stand those giggly girls in frills, no matter if they were beautiful or plain.
This place must have its princes though perhaps in jeans and not breeches. Jensen wouldn't mind if they were cute. He was rather cute himself although this stringy hair that always mated to his skull needed a bit of a makeover Jensen's soft, hairless chest and flat abs would make up for it.
Jensen smiled to himself and he swore he didn't see a leg in front of him until he tripped over it. He landed on all fours in a huff, jeers and catcalls raining down on him from above.
"Get up, you freak," one of them said.
Jensen complied. Not at the boy's command but more on his own voice scolding him inside his head. He got to his feet, hugging his small sling bag close to him. He never looked up at his bullies because, yeah, the bullied never got even on the spot. He'd wait for the right time to strike back.
Another boy grabbed Jensen's shoulders and pulled him close. Their eyes met. Jensen wasn't the one to look away first. The boy shoved him away and Jensen staggered on his feet.
"Get lost," the boy said. "We don't need sissy queers around here."
Queer, faggot, homo. Jensen didn't care about the names thrown at him. If they only knew it was the least of his problems.
But the latter boy was kind of cute and for a moment, Jensen thought he was different. That they connected just now. Well, they didn't, so off into the shit bin you both go, with the rest of you. I'll deal with you later.
Jensen's hope to meet sympathetic eyes crashed as he walked on. This wasn't a teen flick where a loser like him suddenly met a good looking hero who cared. This was real life.
In the classroom, Jensen picked a desk far at the back near the window. It would help when the sight outside suddenly became more interesting than a teacher's yip-yapping. He observed kids coming in. They all looked the same, brunette, blond, short, tall, skinny, plump, glasses, braces. No different from those at his old school. One more thing was similar about them--they didn't give a rat’s ass about him for he wasn't model or prom king material. No girls were intrigued by him, not that he cared. He didn't care about them, either.
"Jensen Ackles!"
Jensen jumped in his chair, hitting his knees on the underside of the desk. Ouch. He rubbed them and looked up.
"New students don't walk into my class unannounced. Come up here."
Jensen huffed. That was exactly why he'd sneaked in. No announcement was necessary for him. He got up with great reluctance and for once he swept his gaze around the class and found all eyes were on him. Yikes.
The teacher waved. "Come on."
Jensen sighed. Math wasn't his favorite and he'd rather be under everyone's radar, especially the teachers. This teacher was somewhat cute, though.
"Start with your name."
Jensen jumped at that. "But you know my name."
"I'd like you to introduce yourself to the class. You can start with your name."
Jensen cursed inwardly. "You're usually the one doing it."
"Who, me? No. Come on. Do it and we can get on with the lesson."
Jensen huffed again. There went the chance to get under the radar. At least not today. He started reluctantly. "Well, name’s Jensen Ackles, and I'm a transfer student." He gazed hopefully at the teacher.
"What, that's all?"
"Yeah. Other things are nobody's business."
The teacher regarded him for a long time and Jensen just realized that he had different eye colors, green and purplish blue. Jensen almost swooned. Eyes were always his weakness.
"All right."
"Huh?"
"I said you could sit down, Jensen."
Oh. Jensen felt his face warm up. Was he blushing? That was embarrassing. He heard giggles from the front row.
"How about you? What's your name?" Jensen almost slapped his own mouth. What was that? The giggles got louder. He braved himself to glance at the teacher, and regretted it at once. A small smile graced the man's sculpted face.
"You didn't check before getting in here?"
Jensen shook his head quietly.
"All right, fair enough. Jared Padalecki. It's Mr. Padalecki for you, Jensen."
"Totally, Mr. Padalecki," Jensen said mockingly. He thought he saw pain flashing in that face and Jensen suppressed another regret.
Fortunately the lesson passed uneventfully. Mr. Padalecki barely paid any attention to him and other students let him daydream while staring out to the back of the schoolyard. Then the bell rang and Jensen sighed, his heart heavy. Half the day had gone. He really wasn't looking forward to going home.
During the break he slipped out to the school's football stadium and took the farthest seat on the bleachers. His PB&J and a carton of milk were at the ready. He'd gotten no pocket money so having something from the cafeteria was out of the question. The sandwich was hardly enough, though. He often returned to the classroom with stomach still grumbling in dissatisfaction.
****
Jared gathered his books and the students' assignments and results of today's test, and grouped them in different piles on his desk. He still had a couple of hours before he had to go home, though it wouldn't matter whether he brought his work home or stayed late at school and finished them all here. He'd be alone at either place. No one was waiting for him anymore.
Jared sat and instead of starting to tackle his job, he picked out his cell phone from his bag and stared at the wallpaper. He supposed he had to change it but he kept telling himself he'd do it later. Later, when he finally could accept that Trent Oliver, his ex-boyfriend, had really gone and was never coming back.
They were in bed that night when Trent told him about his new position in London and asked him to come with him.
"London? I can't go there." Jared had said.
"Why not?" Trent smiled down at him as if he weren't serious and Jared would just go in the end.
"Trent, I have a job here. My responsibilities, my house, my whole life."
"You can have them all in our new place."
"No, I don't think so."
Trent frowned at that.
"I'm a teacher here and on my way to get promoted, too. If I walked away now, I'd never get it back. What am I going to do in England? You can't expect me to stay home, just waiting for you to return from work. I'm your bitch but you can't make me do that."
"Wait. Like you said, you're my bitch. You are, and you will listen to me. As for your job, I told you, you can have your life there exactly the same, including your job."
"You don't know that."
"You don't believe me?" Suddenly Trent seemed to loom over him. Jared's heart began to pound. What was going on here? Why the sudden argument?
"How long does your job require you to stay?" he asked carefully.
"Six to twelve months." Trent looked calmed down a bit and Jared's panic subsided.
"One year at the most? I'll stay here while you're there, okay? It's not that long and I can keep my house."
"You mean I go alone? You're not serious." There was a flicker in Trent's eyes. Jared didn't know what it meant or what was on his lover's mind, but he knew that he didn't like it.
"I couldn't go without my mate. You're mine. You do as I say."
"No. When you went across the ocean, it wouldn't matter if I weren't with you as our bond would be severed."
Loud smack rang in Jared's ear as Trent suddenly slapped him hard.
"How dare you say that to your Alpha. As long as I'm here, there's nothing you can say."
Jared was on his feet, a hand clamping over his fiery cheek.
"You're not my Alpha. Not anymore," he shouted. "He loves me. You're nothing like him." He ran out of the room, still buck naked after their love making earlier.
Love making, he thought bitterly as he dashed out of the house barefooted all the way across the street to the dark woods down the hilly terrain. He didn't hear if Trent followed him or not--he didn't care.
Tonight was barely full moon, but as darkness descended on his heart, Jared couldn't stop himself. He felt fur begin to grow on his back and limbs, and his hands turn to claws. Thick, sharp nails pushed out from the tips of his fingers, and teeth and fangs thrust out in his mouth. Jared yanked his head back and howled as pain was tearing out his heart.
Suddenly there were rustling sounds behind him and before he got the chance to look back, another wolf jumped him, sending him sprawling on his belly and holding him down. Jared growled and groaned as he twisted to get free but the other wolf was a lot bigger and stronger. Trent, he knew it was him and Jared bucked and pushed himself up to throw Trent off or at least try to get away from him, but Trent pressed him by his shoulders with his strong paws and rendered him immobile. Jared wouldn't give up, though. He thrashed about under Trent. When Trent lifted one hand, Jared sensed a chance and shoved up with all his strength, only to get stunned when suddenly a set of sharp nails tore the skin of his shoulder blade open, taking some chunks of his meat along with them. Red hot pain blinded him and it took a long second before it registered and he let out a howl that echoed through the entire forest. He screamed until his voice went hoarse. Jared felt himself switch back into a human but he had no energy left to fight Trent. Darkness crept in from the edges of his eyes and with a whimper, he succumbed to it.
****
Jared moaned as a stinging pain bit into his shoulder blade. The smell of antiseptic pushed into his nostrils and he found he was lying on his belly with a pillow underneath his head. He struggled to open his eyes but they felt sticky and the more he moved, the more he felt the discomfort.
"Stay still, will you?" Trent scolded him from behind.
Everything was hazy in Jared's mind but he remembered one thing--he didn't like Trent's presence near him. He flailed backward.
"Get away from me. Leave me alone."
"Quit it, will you? I'm almost done."
"W-what happened?"
It took a while before Trent replied, and Jared felt his reluctance. "You were attacked, Jared."
"Really? How--who?" Jared groaned and buried his face into the pillow when Trent touched an open wound.
"Just--some wolf."
Gradually fog vanished from his mind and everything came back to him. Jared yelped when Trent caught a particularly sore spot and he jumped.
"Hey, watch out," Trent yelled.
Jared grabbed the cover as he swirled around to face Trent. He pointed his finger.
"You. Get out of my house."
"Jared."
Jared heard the warning tone at Trent's voice but he didn't care.
"No. I don't want to see your face again. Go to London, the South Pole, anywhere. I don't give a damn. Our bond broke when you drew blood from me."
"Jared, please. I love you. I'm so sorry. I was so angry because I didn't want to lose you."
"Well, that's your fault." He winced at the pain.
"Please. At least, let me take care of you."
"For the wound you caused yourself? No thank you." Suddenly the world tilted for him and he swayed. Jared clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Jared?"
"I think I'm going to be sick," he mumbled and dashed to the bathroom. He remembered to lock the door amidst his nausea. Jared gripped the porcelain bowl and heaved into it. The mixed smell of vomit, antiseptic, and blood made his head spin. He spat and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His legs wobbled as he walked up to the sink. He washed his mouth several times, panting and gasping, unable to stop tears that began to run down his face. He splashed water to his face, which was flushed red as he saw in the mirror.
"Jared, you okay in there?" Trent rapped at the door. He'd tried the handle several times but failed. Jared didn't plan to get come out soon, not when Trent was still out there.
"Go away, Trent." Jared gulped his tears and shouted back. His voice shook.
"Look, I'm sorry, okay? Please come out of there. We'll talk--"
"No, I'm not coming out as long as you're still there. And I don't want to talk." Jared pressed his head against the door. "Don't you get it? We're over. I don't want to see you again. Good bye, Trent."
"You can't break up with me. I'm your Alpha and I'm the one..."
Jared couldn't believe what he heard. Trent was too much. Jared didn't care anymore about him. So he was his bitch, so what? It wasn't like he'd die without his master. Jared slid down to sit on the bathroom tiles. They felt freezing on his naked ass but he couldn't care less. He blocked his ears, didn't want to hear Trent's voice anymore, and folded his legs up to his chest. It was awkward to try to do two things at once, covering his ears and hugging his legs close, but he managed. He rocked silently for how long he didn't realize. All his body felt numb when Jared finally fell asleep.
****
Jared shook himself out of the memories and got down to work on the papers.
Two weeks after Trent left for England, Jared decided to change the wallpaper of his cell phone. It showed one default picture of a tropical beach now, no emotion or memory attached. Jared felt a large void inside, all thanks to Trent's selfishness. Yet, he wondered if that was really Trent's mistake. It was, wasn't it? Or was it he who'd been selfish not wanting to sacrifice his own life? Still he had to remember one thing. It took a while for the wound Trent gave him to heal.
Jared wiped his mouth with a napkin. After more than two years he lived with Trent, Jared found it hard to do everything alone, eating, cooking, watching TV. Sleeping. He half tossed his plate into the sink, along with chunks of bacon and scrambled eggs he just couldn't stomach. Trent was the cook between them and Jared missed the time when he spoiled Jared with a breakfast in bed. Jared thought he'd probably made the biggest mistake in his life. Should he call Trent? He slid his cell phone into the pocket of his pants and finished his orange juice. Maybe he'd call later, or not, he didn't know. Now he had to go to school. He was late already.
****
Jared always hated the last session of the day. After lunch break and the kids got restless waiting for the bell calling it a day. But the show must go on.
"All right. Who wants to help me solve this algebra problem?" Jared looked around the class and stopped on a boy who was busy looking at something through the window. Jensen. Jared recalled the boy's first day in his class. He'd not paid too much attention to him lately. Jensen mostly only sat quietly in the corner. Whether he purposefully tried not to attract any attention or was simply lazy, Jared wasn't sure. As long as he didn't invite any trouble in class, everything was fine by Jared. But something tickled him today.
"Jensen Ackles, hats off inside the classroom."
The boy visibly leaped off his chair. He turned to Jared, his cap low covering his eyes, but he didn't do as he was told.
"Jensen," Jared called him once more as he walked to Jensen's desk. The boy sighed and pulled his cap off. He looked down to his book but not before Jared caught the sight of his eyes. They were black and blue. Jared's heart skipped a beat.
"Jensen, look at me."
"Aw, come on, Mr. Padalecki," he murmured, head still down, but Jared heard him. He stared at the blondish locks on top of Jensen's head.
"Look at me." His voice brooked no argument.
Jensen sighed again but he lifted up his head this time. Jared gaped. It wasn't just around the eyes. There was a dark bruise on the right of Jensen's temple. Jared heard murmurs behind and around him.
"That's enough." He returned to his own table in the front of the class. "Ackles, the principal's office, now. I'll see you after class. Wait for me there."
Jensen's jaw went slack before a string of protests came out of his mouth.
"Mr. Padalecki, you can't do that. I didn't do anything."
"Come on, sir. I can't go there."
Jared ignored him, picked up a marker, and began to elaborate on the day's lesson. The class was quiet and tense save for his voice. No one else dared open their mouth.
"Mr. Padalecki, please." Jensen's voice cracked and he sounded close to tears. Jared stopped talking and writing. "I fell from the stairs. Please don't make me stay after class."
Jared squinted at him. "No one asked you anything, Jensen, at least not right now."
Jensen sent him a fiery glare. Jared couldn't help but shiver. Jensen's sharp green eyes looked cold in his heated anger. Then the kid started gathering his things and tossing them into his backpack. He dashed to the door and slammed it shut before Jared or anyone could say anything. Jared took a deep breath. He wasn't looking forward to talking to the boy after this.
****
Instead of turning right at the end of the hall and heading to the principal's office, Jensen skidded to the left and practically threw his body at the double-paneled door, breaking it open. He only slowed down when he was outside, his chest tight and heavy after running like that.
Jensen knew running away from a teacher's order would get him into trouble, but he didn't care. If he'd gone to the principal's office and talked to him and Mr. Padalecki after class, he wouldn't know what time he'd go home. Because of that, he'd be late getting home. Jensen hated to think what would his dad say or do about that. The principal and his teacher could punish him however they wanted. It would still feel like a breeze compared to what his dad would give him.
Jensen walked slowly across the parking lot toward the gate, head down. He didn't want to look as if he'd waited long when his father picked him up later. That would raise a question and result sourly for him as well. Jensen thought of waiting on one of the upper benches at the school stadium but he might be late getting out of the building and make his father wait. Jensen didn't want to make the man wait.
"Damn it," he cursed and brusquely wiped his eyes as they suddenly went damp. He was so confused. Everything he did was wrong. He hated to cry but he just didn't know what else to do. This moving to another school, another town didn't help matters. Jensen wished he could just run away but he knew he couldn't. His dad--well, step dad, actually--wouldn't let him slip away from his hands just like that. And Jensen had learned that lesson. Several times.
A horn from a car jerked him from his deep thoughts. He'd stood outside the school complex without him realizing it and his stepfather's car was there waiting across the street. Jensen's heart pounded. What was he doing there? Did his father wait for him there all day? To be honest, Jensen didn't know what his dad did for a living and neither did he plan to ask. His dad always made a point that Jensen should be grateful for the food on the table, while he swung his belt down on Jensen's rump over and over. Jensen wouldn't think of opening his mouth further but to scream while squeezing his eyes shut tight, trying in vain to imprison the tears from soaking his face.
His dad tooted another time as he drove over to Jensen, and leaned over to the open door on the passenger's side.
"Get in," he said, sharp and short.
"Dad, I can explain--"
"Get inside the car."
His father must have seen that the parking lot and the street were still empty of kids. He'd know at once that Jensen must have done something wrong. Jensen's face throbbed. The result from last night's beating that left his eyes black and blue had yet to recede.
"Dad," he started but his father raised a hand and Jensen was silenced. The older man swerved sharply as he turned the direction of the car once Jensen shut the door, throwing him sideways and connecting the side of his head with the window glass. Jensen winced in pain but he said nothing, not even attempting to rub it.
No words were exchanged during the ride, only the much hated country songs from a local radio station filled the chilled air inside the car. Jensen bit his lower lip as he stifled a shiver. He knew what this all meant. The quieter his dad was, the worse he was going to explode later.
"Go change and wait in your room," his step dad said as he slid along the driveway of a small brick-walled house. They just moved in here not more than two weeks ago and sometimes Jensen still forgot how it looked. One thing was for sure. He wouldn't call it home no matter what or when.
Jensen tried not to think what his dad had in store for him this time. He didn't deny him, either. It would only make matters worse. He just nodded and went inside.
Several minutes and nothing happened. Jensen sat on his bed in his t-shirt and short pants, wringing his hands together on his lap, his heart pounding like crazy. Where was that man? Jensen just wanted it to get over and done with. There was no point in delaying when at the end he'd suffer anyway. There was no point for that man to pretend to be kind just to inflict harsher torture on him. Jensen could almost feel the lick of the whip or the splat of the belt on his back. Jensen gripped the bed linen in his fists and squeezed his eyes, his nostrils trembling as he breathed through them. He thought he was close to hyperventilating. Jensen wiped his damp brow with the back of his hand. His dad still hadn't come and he couldn't take it anymore.
Jensen leaped off the bed and catapulted himself toward the door, which went open right at that moment. He froze in place and looked up.
His dad's face showed no emotion. Jensen flicked his eyes down at the man's bare hands, and he swallowed. What was the meaning of this? It would've been so much better if his dad had with him his favorite torture device because then Jensen knew what to expect.
His dad walked past him, never glanced at him, and sat on the bed. He turned to Jensen.
"Spill."
"W-what?"
"You left earlier than the bell. Your teacher might've let you go home because you did well in class, but somehow I find that hard to believe. So, did you escape the last hour? What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything," Jensen said, indignant. "I just..." He choked at that.
"Just what? Act cocky again? I told you never attract their attention. You know what you'll get for that."
Well, he only removed his hat and people saw what his dad gave him last night. The teacher was concerned, he sent him to the principal's office, and Jensen thought running away would be for the best. He was totally wrong.
"Jensen?"
"I didn't act cocky, Dad." He hated the pleading note in his voice. "I didn't say anything at all, just sat quietly in the corner."
"And they dismissed you earlier? I can't believe it. Jensen, you know what I should've done to you when your mother died?" His voice hardened and Jensen shuddered. He stepped back without thinking but his father was like a lightning. He jumped and grabbed Jensen's wrist. Jensen winced in pain. His dad's clutches reminded him of a snake.
"Let me go." He whimpered.
"That I should. In the past. Right now I won't even think about it. You're mine, Jensen. You're too pretty. I won't let you out of my clutches. Just wait until you're legal. It's in a couple of months, right?"
"What are you talking about? Dad, you hurt me. Let me go." Jensen yanked back but his father was way too strong. He dragged Jensen back to bed and threw him face first on the lap as his dad sat down.
Jensen grunted and squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to see his dad's thighs so close to his face, or feel his obvious hard-on. Jensen didn't want to think what it meant.
When his father rained down the first smack on his back, Jensen promptly blocked his mind.
****
Jared couldn't believe Jensen had the guts to not show up at the principal's office. What was worse, the kid left the school before the time was up. Mr. Randolph, the principal, studied him from across his desk.
"So this student, Jensen Ackles, was supposed to see you after school?"
"Yes, sir." Jared sat, slumped on his chair.
"If I'm not mistaken, he's new, right?"
"That's right."
"And you sent him here already. Hmm." He looked contemplative. "What did he do?"
Jared leaned forward. "He didn't do anything, to be honest. But I saw bruises--"
"Bruises?"
"Yes, and his eyes are black. I'm afraid he'd been beaten up."
Frowns started on Mr. Randolph's brow. "Do you think so? You heard anything that might've happened at school?"
Jared shook his head. "I don't think so. Not that I know of. What if it happened at home?"
"A moment." The principal turned his chair and rose. He went to the filing cabinet next to the window and searched something. He returned to the desk with a thin folder.
"There's not much we have here," he said as he flipped over the paper in that folder and read the notes there. "I see here that Jensen lives with his stepfather."
"His stepfather, huh?" A bell rang in Jared's head. He squirmed in his chair. "Do we have their address?"
Mr. Randolph read him some address and Jared recited it silently. It wasn't very far and he was certain he'd find it quite easily.
"What are you going to do?"
"I just want to talk, especially to Jensen. He owes me an explanation."
"Be careful. Don't go around accusing people."
"I won't. Trust me."
“Yeah, right. Remind me again how it went with Nathan’s case?”
Jared groaned. He didn’t want to be reminded of what happened that night with him, Trent, and the supposed drug dealer who turned out to be his tenth-grade student, Nathan’s counselor.
“That’s not my fault. How was I supposed to know he had a counselor for his drug problem? The school should’ve known about that.”
His boss raised his hand and Jared shut up. “All right. It’s over. Let’s not talk about it again.”
Jared shrugged. He wasn’t the one who started it. He got to his feet.
“May I?”
Mr. Randolph just waved his hand, dismissing him. The man shook his head, looking resigned.
Closing the door behind him, Jared grinned to himself. Mr. Randolph had failed to make him promise he wouldn’t do anything recklessly. Well, he’d made a mistake once, but what if something was really wrong this time? Jared didn’t want to take any chances. He was alone right now, though. No Trent to watch his back. For the second-or was it third?-time, Jared felt sorry they broke up. Yet, finding one of his students might be in grave danger, Jared was glad he’d decided to stay.
Jared walked across the school’s parking lot that was almost bare save for some teachers’ cars, including his truck. He recalled Jensen’s address given by his principal as he unlocked the door and climbed into the vehicle. He just wanted to talk to the kid, Jared thought to himself. Just wanted to make sure he was all right.
****
Jensen didn’t know how many times his dad’s hand had connected to his back side. At first he’d set his heart never to make any sound as he didn’t want to satisfy the man. His dad might be tired soon anyway.
Well, he was wrong. His stepfather didn’t know the word tired. He kept hitting Jensen and soon Jensen began to scream and plead. Stop and please choked out of his mouth until his voice went hoarse, and Jensen’s world was nothing but the pain. Tears mixed with snot and saliva soaked his dad’s pants.
“Dad, please. No more. Ack! Please!” Jensen shook hard. Nothing else existed but the white-hot pain on his back that felt as if it’d turned into pulp. No matter what he did to try to get away, his dad just made it worse for him.
“You ungrateful little shit,” his dad said amidst his beatings. “Your ma brought you along after even your dad spat you away.”
Slap
Slap
“Now she’s dead and I have to live with you.”
Slap
“Let me go. Ah. Stop, please.”
"Never."
Slap
"You ruined my life and now you have to pay."
"I didn't--ah--ruin your life. You did it to yourself." He knew about his dad's drinking problem and that must be why he kept getting kicked out of his jobs. "Just--let me go. I won't bother your life again."
"No. You're like the sweetest honey. I've had you all my life and when time comes to taste you, I let you go? No. Way."
His dad punctuated his words with two loud smacks. Jensen couldn't say a word, only pained cries coming out of his mouth.
Jensen's head throbbed. He'd cried and screamed too long. His nose blocked with too much mucus made it difficult to breathe. His throat felt as if it had been scrubbed with sandpaper. Finally he just lay there, draped over his tormentor's lap, taking harder and harder slaps.
Until at one point he heard a car outside, followed by the doorbell. Jensen sobbed quietly. Even his imagination had decided to torture him by giving him some hope.
Then the bell rang again and his dad halted. Jensen tensed. Was it real? Was someone here who might help him? Jensen willed himself to jump off his dad's lap and dash to the front door.
But he was kidding himself. He couldn't move an inch. He was sore all over and his back felt like it was on fire. He couldn't lift his head from his father's thigh or even close his slack mouth. Jensen whimpered.
"Who the fuck is that?" his dad cursed. "Okay. You stay put and don't make any sound. I swear I'll kill you if you try to do anything."
Perhaps death would be better after all, Jensen thought, if it wasn't help that waited at the door. He yelped when his dad suddenly dropped him unceremoniously to the floor like an unwanted rag doll. Jensen groaned and curled up there, unable to move even if he wanted to. His dad could save his breath with his warnings. Jensen's eyes began to feel heavy. He was grateful with this respite. He wasn't even aware of it when his dad left the room.
****
The house wasn't what Jared would call a hole in the wall. It was pretty decent though the brick red color of the wall was kind of washed down. With a little rubbing, it would look like new. The house was silent. Jared couldn't place a single sound from the inside or around it. It was a bit isolated from other houses, nothing but an open field of dry grass surrounding it leading to hilly land with small woods there at the back.
Jared pressed the bell again after he got no answer the first time he rang it. He was about to reach for the button again when the key clicked softly open from inside.
"Hi. Mr. Summer?" Jared asked the man who showed up at the door. He was a big and sturdy guy though not much taller than Jared, perhaps just an inch or two. The man looked sour and, Jared could be being prejudice, but he didn't like that man at all.
"Who are you?"
Frowning, Jared noticed that the man didn't answer him. "I'm Jared. Jared Padalecki, Jensen's teacher. He lives here, right?"
"Maybe."
"Are you his stepfather, Ted Summer?"
Summer's eyes turned into slits. "What do you want?"
Guh. This was like pulling teeth.
"Well, I'd like to talk to Jensen. He was supposed to meet me after school but he didn't show up."
"Is he in trouble?"
"No. Not that I know of. I just wanted to discuss something. Is he?"
Summer gaped and looked startled when the table was turned, but the next moment, he stretched forward, easily looming over Jared. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Jared winced and he had to angle his head up a bit. "Nothing. I just want to make sure he's all right. He left just like that. I'm worried if he's sick or something."
"Oh yes. He's pretty sick. Good thing I got to school on time to pick him up."
"Really?" Jensen didn't look sick just now at school. Well apart from the black eye and bruises. A warning bell rang in Jared's head. "Can I see him? I just--I want to tell him the class assignment I assigned the kids in class today. Okay? May I come in?"
"No," Summer snapped. His body filled the entire doorway. "He's asleep now. Tell me the homework and I'll pass it to him when he wakes up."
"Uh." Jared glanced back at his car parked on the road. "I left my book at school. But Jensen has his notebook. I can show him the homework there."
"You can't."
Jared almost jumped at Summer's yell and it seemed that the man was surprised himself.
"I mean, I don't want to disturb him. He looked so--ah, bad, just now. He needs his rest."
Jared's mind whirled as he tried to find a way so he could at least see the boy. His suspicion peaked at the stepdad's insistence. But Jared had nothing. He sighed inwardly.
"All right. I hope he'll get better soon and I expect to see him at school tomorrow. If he doesn't show up, I'll stop by tomorrow."
"Absolutely." Summer's eyes never wavered as he stared at Jared.
Jared hesitated a second before he nodded a little. "All right." He turned to go but looked over his shoulder as he dragged his steps away. "Tell Jensen I'll see him tomorrow."
"Will do, sir." Summer saluted mockingly.
Jared gritted his teeth, feeling like punching the man. His innocent car door got the brunch of it as he slammed it close.
****
Jensen stirred and shifted. He wanted to open his eyes but they felt heavy as if they were swollen. His head pounded, his face felt watery, and his body was sore all over. He wondered why his mattress was cold and hard. Jensen stretched out, all his bones stiff from being curled up too long. He finally could open his eyes. The room was dark but he realized he'd been lying on the floor.
Jensen groaned and pushed himself up. The throbbing pain in his lower backside reminded him cruelly of his dad's nasty treatment. No, he should stop thinking that he was related to the brute. Ted wasn't even a stepdad after the death of Jensen's mother. He was nothing but Jensen's tormentor. And Jensen had been so dimwitted to want to stay with all this time. He should've just gotten away from him. Jensen had been afraid he wouldn't have food and a place to stay, but right now, anywhere far from Ted would feel like heaven.
Jensen crawled up to bed and grunted as he sprawled on the soft mattress with the smoothest linen he'd ever felt. It wasn't different from yesterday, really, but with his body stiff like this, his bed felt a lot different. Jensen pulled the cover from the bottom part of the bed with his foot and draped it over his quivering self, feeling slightly feverish now. He thought he might feel a lot better if he washed his face first, but the idea of dragging himself up to go to the bathroom made his head pound already, let alone his plan to run away from this place. Tomorrow, he promised himself. Tomorrow after school, he wouldn't return... Jensen began to snore already.
****
I'm dreaming, Jensen thought, as gentle hands caressed and rubbed his still stinging lower back. But he tensed when those hands began to relieve him of his short pants and then his underwear. Jensen had never been naked when he was with someone else.
"No. Please." He whimpered.
But the owner of the hands soothed him and whispered comforting words in his ear.
"Hush, that's okay. You're safe now. I'm going to take care of you." He sounded a lot like Jared, or Mr. Padalecki, which was what he told Jensen to call him although Jensen wished he could just call him Jared.
It should be strange that his teacher was suddenly in his bedroom, and Jensen supposed he should be ashamed of what happened. He wasn't a little boy anymore but he still couldn't defend himself.
Yet right now Jensen couldn't bring himself to care. He was in pain and Jared's voice, low but not too heavy, though sometimes demanding and commanding when in the classroom, sounded like heaven to him. Jensen sighed in bliss when Jared wiped a cold compress on his backside. It felt so good on his hot ass. And when he was finished with the wet cloth, Jared dried him and applied some cooling balm or ointment, Jensen wasn't sure.
"You're going to get well soon. No welts, no swelling. Just sleep now, little bear. Rest well. You'll feel a lot better when you wake up tomorrow."
Something in the words pricked Jensen's mind but he couldn't point out what it was exactly. When Jared didn't dress him back and just covered him with the blanket instead, Jensen simply took it. He pulled the cover up to his neck and snuggled back when Jared held him from behind. Jared kissed the back of his neck and told him how intoxicating his smell was. Jensen smirked to himself, thinking how hot it was, and with a sigh, he slipped into slumber.
****
Jensen was delirious. He twisted and turned, feeling cold and hot at the same time. His t-shirt was soaked wet with sweat and Jensen felt like pulling it off.
"Uh." He groaned as someone wiped his face with a wet cloth. Just like last night, Jensen thought. He pushed his heavy lids open. "Jared-Jared?"
A face formed before his hazy sight and to Jensen's dismay, it wasn't his teacher's. He yelped as he sprang up and pushed backward.
"You. Stay away from me." But cold drafts came from the lower part of his body and Jensen gasped. He just realized he wasn't wearing any pants. "That-that was you?" He grabbed the blanket to cover himself.
His stepdad leered. "Not what you were expecting, huh? Were you dreaming about your teacher? Aw, that's so sweet. My little cub has a crush on his hot teacher."
Two things came to Jensen's mind at the same time. First, it was the little cub-it wasn't Jared who called him a little bear in his dream. It had been this man all that time, stripping him off, touching him. Jensen shuddered and tightened the cover around his waist.
His dad chuckled. "Now you're disgusted by me? That's not how it was last night, son. In fact, you rather ... enjoyed it."
"You bastard." Jensen shrank backward, pressing his back against the headboard, as his dad's face hardened.
"That’ll earn you a slap, you little shit. You're just lucky you're sitting too far right now. Next time you’ll get it, you insolent boy."
Jensen swallowed but he raised his chin defiantly.
"How do you know Mr. Padalecki?"
"Your teacher slash boyfriend? He was the one interrupting our session. He needs someone to teach him a lesson. Doing something like shouldn't go unpunished."
Jensen winced. "He's not my boyfriend," he muttered. But he felt thankful. He wasn't sure he could take any more of the cruel punishment.
"Whatever. Padalecki told me to make sure that you go to school today, but I don't think so. You're not strong enough just to leave your bed."
"What? I'm fine. I can go to school now." Jensen leaned forward and a shot of pain stabbed his ass. He cried out a little and slowly sat back. His dad simply stared.
"I hate to say this but I told you, see? Just stay at home. Besides, I don't feel like letting you screw around out there." His dad rose and headed to the door. "In fact, I think I'd rather you stay in the room."
"Noo." His gut feeling telling him something bad was about to happen, Jensen pushed himself up. Sharp pain be damned. "You can't lock me up here." He crawled on the bed and jumped down, yelping and grunting at the sting, and bolted to the door.
But his stepdad was faster. With a derisive laughter, he darted out of the room and slammed the door shut with a bang. The click of the key sounded final to Jensen and he hit the door over and over, mindless of the pain lacing down his arms.
"Open the door!" he shouted. "Open the goddamned door!"
But only silence answered him from the other side.
****
Jared glanced at the empty chair near the window, Jensen's, and he sighed. He'd not been able to sleep thinking of the worst the night before, dreading the morning, and his heart sank to see that what he was afraid of might have happened after all. His mind went to that time again when he found Nathan sprawled unconscious on the floor of the boys' room. He was the one who carried the kid to the school's clinic, called 911, and went with Nathan in the ambulance to the hospital. That was why he practically exploded when he was told that Nathan was no longer there the following day. He kept thinking that Nathan had been abducted and the house where he'd been kept was his dealer's house. He'd dragged Trent along and like a wounded mama cub, they had charged into the grand mansion only to find that it was Nathan's counselor's house.
"Mr. Padalecki?"
"Huh?" Jared felt like surfacing back from the water. He was met with his students' faces gaping at him. "What's wrong?"
One of them pointed at the door. He swirled quickly.
"Jesus Christ," Jared swore softly. There stood the school principal, Mr. Randolph. Jared rubbed his face and jogged toward the door. He had no idea how long his boss had been standing there and watched how he'd zoned out in the middle of the class. Mr. Randolph tapped his shoulder gently and winked to the kids.
"Borrowing your teacher for a second, all right, guys?"
Jared lifted an eyebrow but he shrugged and followed the old man to his office.
"You haven't told me how Jensen was." Mr. Randolph closed the door and motioned Jared to sit down.
Jared sat down. "That's the problem. I didn't see him at all. His stepfather said he was sick."
"Sick?"
"Yes, but he didn't let me see him. Not even when I told him I had to tell Jensen about the assignment."
The principal looked pensive. "You think something bad happened to him?"
Jared leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees. "I really don't know, but I have a bad feeling about this. Remember, his eye was all black and blue yesterday. And today, he didn't show up."
"If the stepfather, what's the name, Summer?" Jared nodded. "Well, if this man won't let us in, we'll take the hard way. We'll call the cops."
Jared shook with suppressed emotions. "You'll do that?"
"Of course."
"What if it's an unproven suspicion?"
Mr. Randolph gave him a sharp stare.
"You might've made a mistake once, Padalecki, but I don't care. This is not something you ignore. I'd prefer to be wrong in this case."
Jared rose. He felt like hugging the man but that would be totally awkward. Finally he just shook Randolph's hand. Mr. Randolph eyed his proffered hand.
"Seriously, Padalecki? Why should we shake hands?" But he chuckled and grabbed Jared's shoulder, instead, squeezing him in a half hug. Mr. Randolph was shorter than him so Jared lowered himself a little. He hoped his boss was right and they were wrong about Jensen.
****
Jensen stared at the dark wooden panel before his eyes that stared back silently as if challenging him to keep pounding and yelling at it. Jensen hurt his arm and throat doing all that, and he got nothing. Perhaps he should just give up.
Jensen turned, pressing back against the door, and looked around and down. He was naked, at least the lower half of him, and he barely realized it.
"Damn it." He sniffed and pulled the hem of his t-shirt, uselessly trying to cover himself. But it didn't do much for his shredded dignity. The worst thing of it was that his stepdad had seen him. Maybe had even touched him.
Jensen's head spun as he dragged himself to the shower, groping around on the wall to keep him from falling over. He turned on the water and set it to almost the hottest temperature. Jensen pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it to the sink before he stood under the water and let the scalding heat wash over the filth enclosing his body, suffocating him. His back was still tender when the hot water stabbed at it like sharp little pricks. Jensen's breath stuttered and he pushed hard at the wall in front of him, closing his eyes and trying to block any other senses but the heat surrounding him. It was cleansing and purifying, he said to himself over and over. His stepdad could do anything to him but he couldn't pass his dirt on to Jensen because he was clean and immaculate.
Jensen stood in the shower a tad longer than he usually did until the water turned cold. He dried his body and wrapped his towel around his waist before he returned to his room. He didn't know what to do being locked up like this. His father had done some unthinkable things to punish him but never shut him in like this. There was a window looking out at the woods, but it was too small for Jensen to sneak out. Finally he just sat there on his bed, still only in towel, staring blankly at the closed door, imagining that it suddenly opened and behind it was a dark passage leading to his teacher's house. Jensen shook his head as despair filled his heart like sticky black goo. He had to get out of here, away from his dad, before he lost his sanity.
****
Jared jogged a little. The nails in his four paws made small tick, tick sounds as they clicked against the gravel on the path in the small forest. He just found one that brought him to Jensen's house after going around and around for the past few days, including driving in his truck when he was in his human form. To his dismay, though, he hadn't caught even a glance of the kid and he was completely beside himself. Keening softly, he went back and forth while keeping his gaze on the house. He knew Jensen was still there. Jared could sniff his smell. But he didn't know if the boy was all right.
After some time, Jared puffed out a breath. It was past midnight and he really had to go. He failed again tonight but he'd come back tomorrow. He wouldn't give up until he saw Jensen and snatched him away from his dad.
****
Part 2