Redemption Chapter 3A
Title: Redemption Chapter 3A
Author: jcrgirl and imogen_lily
Banner: imogen_lily
Pairing: J2, OMC/Jared
Rating: R (This Chapter NC-17 Overall)
Beta: glimmerella
Word Count: ~5300
Warnings: Overall: AU, dub-con, abuse, past MPREG,AU
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. Just playing with the pretty, pretty people.
Summary: Running from an abuive relatonship, Jared and his twin sons arrive in the small town of Wowakan, CO. Picking up the pieces, a complication comes in the form of Jared's ex-boyfriend, Jensen.
Redemption Masterpost
A/N & WARNING: Thanks to everyone for the kind encouragement. Y'al have been awesome. I hope I prove worthy of everyone's praise! Much love as always to my beautiful beta glimmerella and my partner in literary crime imogen_lily.
“So, Jared, huh?” Chris raised his beer at the bartender, showing two fingers with the other hand.
Jensen finished the last swallow in his bottle and set it down heavily on the bar. “Yep,” he answered, popping his lips on the last letter.
“Wow,” Chris was a little stunned. The last time he’d seen Jared was…”Six years. He look good?”
“Oh yeah,” Jensen chuckled the words, leaning against the bar on his crossed arms. “A little skinny, but…” he whistled to emphasize his point.
“What about Timothy? I thought they hooked up after you left?” Chris nodded his thanks to Joseph when two bottles appeared before them, the empties disappearing with practiced quickness.
“Said it didn’t work out,” Jensen shrugged. Lifting the new bottle, he paused just before the mouth touched his lips. “Never knew what Jared saw in that asshole to begin with.”
“Just because you hated the arrogant bastard doesn’t mean he didn’t have any redeeming qualities.”
Jensen snorted. “I wouldn’t put any money on that one.” Jensen had met Timothy Olyphant during his freshman year of college when they were pledging different fraternities. Animosity only grew as they competed fiercely over the next four years in everything from pick-up games of basketball to dates. Ironically enough, it was Jensen that first introduced Jared to Timothy.
“And he’s got a kid?” Chris pulled Jensen from memories of the past back to their present conversation.
“Who’s got a kid?” Steve emerged from the back room, a plastic crate filled with clean pilsner glasses in his hands. They rattled when he set them on the bar, jiggling precariously on their rims.
“Hmmm,” Chris hummed, mind preoccupied with the way Steve’s biceps were stretching the fabric of his t-shirt.
“Kid? Who’s got one?” Steve laughed knowingly, pulling the glasses from the crate and threading their bottoms on the hanging rack.
“Oh,” Chris startled and looked over at Jensen’s barely suppressed smirk. “Jared.”
“Jared?” Steve’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Jared?” Seeing Jensen’s raised eyebrows as he waited for him to catch on, it clicked. “Jared! Like, ex-boyfriend from Savannah, Jared?”
“Got it in one.” Jensen pointed at the bar owner with the neck of his bottle.
“Wasn’t he with some dick that you despised?” Steve waved at a regular who called out to him on the way to a table in the back.
“Not anymore. He apparently came to his senses and now lives here with his son,” Jensen drained the last of beer, shaking his head when Joseph motioned toward it, asking silently if he wanted another.
“You know, I don’t think I ever heard why you two split. I mean you’ve always said that it was amicable and all, but never what was the actual cause.” Steve set the crate on the floor and leaned his elbows against the bar.
Jensen picked at the foil label on his beer bottle, the corner of his mouth tugging up in a smirk. “Life, mainly. We were together about a year and a half and it was good, really good. The only thing we didn’t completely agree on, funny enough, was kids. Jared wanted to start a family after graduation and I wasn’t ready to settle down yet. When I got offered that job in Chicago,” his mouth twisted in a frown, “Jared still had a semester left in school and some big magazine was courtin’ him with basically the opportunity of a lifetime. Neither of us wanted to give up on our dream, but didn’t want the other to either,” he shrugged, “We talked about it and decided that our lives were headed down different paths.”
“So y’all just went your separate ways?” Joseph had drifted back over to the group, the other customers sufficiently watered and content.
“Pretty much,” Jensen stuffed the shredded label into the empty bottle, dragging his thumbnail through the tacky adhesive left behind.
“That’s kinda…” Joseph stared at a neon sign, trying to think of the right word.
“Stupid?” Steve offered.
“Pathetic?” Chris volunteered.
“Sad,” Joseph finally settled on.
Jensen snorted, “Not as sad as you pining over Penn for the last three years and never making a move.”
“I’m working up to it,” Joseph defended, grabbing Jensen’s bottle and tossing it in the trash. He really hoped that one day Penn would wake up and realize Joseph wanted more than friendship from him.
“Dude, sloths mate faster than this,” Chris laughed, tapping his empty bottle on the bar.
“Actually, sloth mating, from foreplay to finish, takes an average of five seconds,” Joseph informed them with a smug look on his face.
Jensen looked over at the young man, face blank with shock, “I,” his mouth opened and closed a few times as he grasped for something to say, “I don’t even want to know how you know that.”
“Animal Planet. I work nights and daytime TV sucks,” he tilted his head, acknowledging one of the barflies wanting a refill. Snatching a bottle of bourbon off the shelf, he made his way to the other end of the bar.
Watching him walk away, Chris shook his head, “Weird little dude.”
“Anyway, back to you and Jared. You gonna try to rekindle the old flame?” Steve asked, twisting off he cap to a fresh beer and exchanging it for Chris’ empty one.
“Not sure,” Jensen got up from the stool and, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket, threw a handful of bills on the bar. “We’ve both moved on. Sometimes it’s smartest to let the past stay in the past. I gotta go, it’s getting late.”
Chris slapped Jensen on the shoulder, squeezing the muscle in sympathy. “No one’s ever accused you of being smart, Jenny boy. Just see what happens.”
*****
Jensen sat in his car parked in front of the dilapidated farm house. Newly painted shutters were leaning up against the side of the house drying, the shiny black enamel paint glistening in the late day sun. He sighed and looked over at the stuffed plush riding shotgun regarding him with glass beetle black eyes.
God he hated it when Chris was right.
Before yesterday the last time Jensen saw Jared it had been bittersweet. They’d spent most of the day loading Jensen’s things into the back of a U-Haul truck, slowly emptying his one bedroom apartment. He turned his key in to his landlord, the plan for him to stay a Jared’s for the night. An awkward tension fell between them, something that hadn’t happened in almost eighteen months together. It was oppressive and suffocating and definitely not the way Jensen wanted to spend his last night with his soon to be ex-boyfriend. He’d looked over at the taller man and could see his own emotions reflected in Jared’s ever changing eyes.
“I love you, Jensen. My not going with you has nothing to do with that.”
“I love you too, Jared, and I know. Just like me going doesn’t either.”
“Can we have one last night? Something to remember?”
Jensen hadn’t even bothered to answer, just shoved Jared into the nearest wall. It was frantic and electric, the all-encompassing want that was always there bolstered by an aching need tinged in the desperation to not be forgotten. There were no good-byes, only remember me’s - mouths and fingers leaving evidence of them in purples and blacks on smooth skin. The pace was fast and punishing, foil crinkled, groans exchanged and climaxes screamed to the ceiling in unison, burning out the fear and loss.
Jensen had woken up in the waning hours of the night spooned behind Jared’s warm body. He’d risen up on his elbow, taking in the form before him, eyes memorizing the dips and curves his hands knew so well. The sheet was pooled low on Jared’s hips, muscles and skin glowing in the silver moonlight filtering through the Goodwill curtains Jared’d hung when he moved in. He kissed across Jared’s shoulders, small presses of lips to skin, and rubbed feather light circles on Jared’s stomach with his fingertips. Jared hummed at the caresses and rolled back into his lover, body tingling where he was being touched.
Jensen dragged his mouth up Jared’s neck to his ear, breath panting warm against the sensitive flesh. “I love you.” His hand ghosted over Jared’s hip, sliding down the back of his thigh to shift it up and forward, allowing his hardened member to ride the crease of Jared’s ass. Still open and slick from earlier, Jared willingly accepted Jensen, both groaning at the easy slide. They moved in a slow, sensual roll, fingers entwined and breaths gasped. There was no rush to completion, only the never-ending now. It was poignant and heartbreaking, the physical manifestation of the good-bye they’d refused to voice and an affirmation of the love they’d shared. When they reached their peaks, it was with gasps that sounded of their lover’s names. If the wildness of earlier burned out the feelings threatening to pull them under, this gentleness was the soothing salve. Jensen’d had numerous lovers, some talented and enthusiastic in bed, but nothing that came before or after that last time with Jared had ever compared.
Jensen cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, hand tugging on the fly of his jeans to adjust the constricting fabric over his half-hard interest. Snatching the plush toy from the seat, he blew out a long breath, adjusted his hat and shoved open the car door.
*****
Jared jauntily made his way down the stairs, hair wet from his shower dripping cold water down his back. He stopped at the bottom, peals of laughter drifting down from the twins’ shared room.
“Work on cleaning up, guys. I’m going to start dinner,” he called to his sons, slipping a t-shirt over his head. He’d just shoved an arm in the sleeve when there was a knock. Moving quickly to the wall beside the door, he froze, heart thundering in his chest and breaths coming in short, sharp bursts. Another knock freed his locked muscles and he leaned forward to peer out the glass window in the door. Sighing, he threaded his other arm into the shirt and, pulling the fabric down his body, opened the front door.
“Jensen?” Jared shifted nervously, trying to adjust the thin cotton shirt over his body.
“Uh, Jared,” Jensen’s eyes were drawn like a magnet to the brief glimpse of skin. He pulled them away, blinking quickly, and smiled up at Jared only to have it fall into a frown. In the natural light, Jensen could make out a faint yellowish, green tinge on Jared’s jaw that he’d missed in the fluorescent glare of the General Store - a bruise, somewhere between a week and ten days old from the looks of it. Squinting, he tilted his head slightly to the side and noticed a similar place on Jared’s opposite temple. Realizing his examination had created an awkward pause, Jensen rubbed a self-conscious hand over the back of his neck and forced his lips into a smile. “Hey.”
“Uh, hey,” Jared looked down at the toy dangling from Jensen’s hand, “you, um, just out taking your bear for a ride?”
“What?” Jensen followed Jared’s gaze to the stuffed bear, “Oh, no. I, um, brought it for Benji.”
“For Benji?” Jared’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “O-kay. Come on in.” He stepped back, opening the door wider, and motioned for Jensen to enter.
“Well, yeah. He was upset over losing the one yesterday in the store and I thought it might be good for him to have a spare.” Jensen grimaced at the lame excuse, but it was the only reason he could come up with to stop by. Plus, the kid had made an impression on him.
“Losing a bear?” Jared’s confused expression evened out as realization dawned on him, Benji upset over losing Teddy in the store. “How thoughtful,” his cheeks twitched as he suppressed a smile. “Benji,” he called up the stairs, “can you and Teddy come down here for a minute? You have a visitor.”
A loud squeal preceded the thundering sound of youth in motion. Hiding the bear behind his back, Jensen frowned when two sets of sneaker-clad feet came into view. His eyebrows rose gradually higher as Benji and another blonde haired boy descended the stairs, threatening to disappear into his hairline by the time they jumped the last few steps and ran to Jared’s side. Benji stood confidently in front of his father while the other child hid behind the safety of Jared’s legs.
“Benji, you remember Deputy Ackles from the store yesterday?” Benji nodded his head, glass green eyes curious and wide. “Deputy, I didn’t get a chance to introduce you to my other son, Benji’s twin brother,” Jared gently reached back and cupped TJ’s head, maneuvering his face out of the denim of Jared’s jeans and into the light, “This is TJ, but Benji and I call him Teddy,” he gave Jensen a pointed look, lips twitching again, “TJ, this is Deputy Ackles. He’s an old friend of mine.”
“Hey, TJ,” Jensen smiled at the little boy clutching Jared’s pant leg like a lifeline and groaned internally as Jared’s words sunk in. Benji had been looking for his brother yesterday. His fingers convulsed around the still hidden bear.
TJ ducked his head and gazed at him with slanted green eyes through his shaggy bangs, a shy smile on his face. “Hi,” came the reply in a soft, almost inaudible, voice.
“I think Deputy Ackles has a gift for you,” Jensen tensed up. He hadn’t known about TJ and had only brought the one bear. He couldn’t give one child a gift and not the other, “both,” Jared finished. Jensen let out a relieved breath and flashed Jared a grateful look.
“A gift?” Benji repeated, expression turning shrewd.
“Uh, yeah. Here,” he pulled the simple brown bear, tin sheriff star pinned to its chest, from behind his back and held it out to the small boy.
Benji’s eyes went cold and he side-stepped in front of his brother, blocking TJ from Jensen’s view. “What’s it for?”
Jensen startled, the flatness of the tone so alien in the childish voice. “For?” Jensen looked between Jared and Benji trying to understand what the boy meant.
“Benji,” Jared admonished, “Deputy Ackles just wanted to welcome y’all to the neighborhood.”
“But, Daddy,” Benji started, mouth shutting when TJ unwound his arms from Jared’s leg and timidly moved around his brother. He walked slowly, eyes watching Jensen carefully, and took the bear from Jensen’s grasp.
“Thank you,” TJ breathed, hand smoothing over the bear’s furry face. He turned back to Benji and held out the toy to show his brother.
Benji’s stare had thawed at his father’s chastisement, but Jensen could see the suspicion that still lingered there. He ran his fingers over the thin metal badge, tentatively tracing the edges. He muttered a quiet ‘thank you’ when Jared’s fingers landed lightly on the base of his neck.
“Why don’t you boys take Sheriff Bear there upstairs and introduce him to your other friends?”
“Come on Teddy,” Benji excitedly tugged on TJ’s hand, dragging him up the stairs.
Jared chuckled watching his children then turned his attention back to Jensen. “Sorry about that. They aren’t used to getting gifts unless it’s a birthday or holiday.”
“Little man seemed to think there was an ulterior motive,” Jensen watched Jared’s expression closely.
Jared shrugged then changed the subject. “I was going to make dinner. You, uh, want to stay?”
“I don’t want to impose,” Jensen’s hand went to his stomach when it growled.
“No trouble, really. Fajitas okay?” Jared checked the lock on the front door, peering out through the glass, and motioned for Jensen to follow.
“As long as you’re sure,” dropping his hat on the table just inside the door, Jensen trailed behind the taller man into the kitchen, “Fajitas would be great.” He plopped down at the table and watched as Jared pulled a large skillet from the cabinet next to the stove.
When Jared stood, the light highlighted the healing bruises again and Jensen bit his lip. “Hey Jared. What, uh, happened to your face?” He motioned toward his own jaw to illustrate what he was talking about.
“Oh, this?” Jared gently ran his fingertips over the darkened skin, “I was pulling a box down from the top shelf of my closet and lost my grip. The edge of it caught me across the jaw then I stumbled back and knocked the other side of my head on the door jamb.” He rolled his eyes and smiled sheepishly. “I never was a graceful gazelle.”
Jensen laughed, having been on the receiving end of several of Jared’s clumsier accidents.
Laughing along, Jared stuck his head in the refrigerator to pull the ingredients he need out. “Okay so I’ve got steak and chick - oh no!”
“What is it?” Jensen stood, crossing to where Jared was obscured by the open door.
“Freaking refrigerator quit!” Jared stood, a warm package of chicken in one hand and an equally tepid package of steak in the other. Blood dripped from the edges of the cellophane wrapping. “Everything in here will have to be thrown out.” Eyes widening, he transferred the steak to the other hand - stacking it on top of the chicken - and wrenched open the freezer door. He groaned at the rainbow puddle in the bottom where a box of popsicles had melted. Shutting the door, he banged his head on the front and groaned. “I told Chad the kitchen appliances needed to be replaced, but did he listen? No!” Jared mumbled under his breath to himself, forehead against the steel and eyes closed. “Dude, everything’s five by five,” Jared imitated his friend perfectly, “What the hell does that even mean? Five by five!?”
“It means he’s been watching Buffy too much and jerking off to Eliza Dushku,” Jensen joked. “Its old radio terminology…” he trailed off when Jared rolled his head to the side to look at him, “that you care nothing about. O-kay. So, where’s the garbage can?”
“Deputy, I know I invited you to dinner, but I gotta clean this up and still figure out something for us to eat,” he waved the meat, drops of blood falling to the tiled floor.
“Exactly,” Jensen interrupted, rubbing his hands together, “So let’s get a garbage can and get busy. Then I’ll take you and the boys out for dinner.”
“I can’t let you do that. I’ll come up with something,” Jared crossed to the sink and pulled the garbage can from the cabinet below. He dumped the two packages of meat into it and carried it back to the refrigerator.
“You’re not letting me do anything. I want to. Consider it a welcome to the community. Now, come on. The sooner we start, the sooner we can get something to eat.”
They worked together tossing out the food from the refrigerator and freezer and wiping out the dribbled, melted messes in the base of both compartments. They talked about Chad and how he was doing, Jensen surprised that the odd couple friends had remained in touch. Soon, Jared was calling up the stairs for the twins to get their shoes on while digging through the hall closet for his own. After a small debate, Jensen convinced Jared to let him drive since Jared’s house was on his way home and gas was expensive. He couldn’t hide his proud smirk when he heard Benji lean over to TJ in the backseat and whisper about ‘Deputy Ackles’ sweet ride’.
Part B
Author: jcrgirl and imogen_lily
Banner: imogen_lily
Pairing: J2, OMC/Jared
Rating: R (This Chapter NC-17 Overall)
Beta: glimmerella
Word Count: ~5300
Warnings: Overall: AU, dub-con, abuse, past MPREG,AU
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. Just playing with the pretty, pretty people.
Summary: Running from an abuive relatonship, Jared and his twin sons arrive in the small town of Wowakan, CO. Picking up the pieces, a complication comes in the form of Jared's ex-boyfriend, Jensen.
Redemption Masterpost
A/N & WARNING: Thanks to everyone for the kind encouragement. Y'al have been awesome. I hope I prove worthy of everyone's praise! Much love as always to my beautiful beta glimmerella and my partner in literary crime imogen_lily.
“So, Jared, huh?” Chris raised his beer at the bartender, showing two fingers with the other hand.
Jensen finished the last swallow in his bottle and set it down heavily on the bar. “Yep,” he answered, popping his lips on the last letter.
“Wow,” Chris was a little stunned. The last time he’d seen Jared was…”Six years. He look good?”
“Oh yeah,” Jensen chuckled the words, leaning against the bar on his crossed arms. “A little skinny, but…” he whistled to emphasize his point.
“What about Timothy? I thought they hooked up after you left?” Chris nodded his thanks to Joseph when two bottles appeared before them, the empties disappearing with practiced quickness.
“Said it didn’t work out,” Jensen shrugged. Lifting the new bottle, he paused just before the mouth touched his lips. “Never knew what Jared saw in that asshole to begin with.”
“Just because you hated the arrogant bastard doesn’t mean he didn’t have any redeeming qualities.”
Jensen snorted. “I wouldn’t put any money on that one.” Jensen had met Timothy Olyphant during his freshman year of college when they were pledging different fraternities. Animosity only grew as they competed fiercely over the next four years in everything from pick-up games of basketball to dates. Ironically enough, it was Jensen that first introduced Jared to Timothy.
“And he’s got a kid?” Chris pulled Jensen from memories of the past back to their present conversation.
“Who’s got a kid?” Steve emerged from the back room, a plastic crate filled with clean pilsner glasses in his hands. They rattled when he set them on the bar, jiggling precariously on their rims.
“Hmmm,” Chris hummed, mind preoccupied with the way Steve’s biceps were stretching the fabric of his t-shirt.
“Kid? Who’s got one?” Steve laughed knowingly, pulling the glasses from the crate and threading their bottoms on the hanging rack.
“Oh,” Chris startled and looked over at Jensen’s barely suppressed smirk. “Jared.”
“Jared?” Steve’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Jared?” Seeing Jensen’s raised eyebrows as he waited for him to catch on, it clicked. “Jared! Like, ex-boyfriend from Savannah, Jared?”
“Got it in one.” Jensen pointed at the bar owner with the neck of his bottle.
“Wasn’t he with some dick that you despised?” Steve waved at a regular who called out to him on the way to a table in the back.
“Not anymore. He apparently came to his senses and now lives here with his son,” Jensen drained the last of beer, shaking his head when Joseph motioned toward it, asking silently if he wanted another.
“You know, I don’t think I ever heard why you two split. I mean you’ve always said that it was amicable and all, but never what was the actual cause.” Steve set the crate on the floor and leaned his elbows against the bar.
Jensen picked at the foil label on his beer bottle, the corner of his mouth tugging up in a smirk. “Life, mainly. We were together about a year and a half and it was good, really good. The only thing we didn’t completely agree on, funny enough, was kids. Jared wanted to start a family after graduation and I wasn’t ready to settle down yet. When I got offered that job in Chicago,” his mouth twisted in a frown, “Jared still had a semester left in school and some big magazine was courtin’ him with basically the opportunity of a lifetime. Neither of us wanted to give up on our dream, but didn’t want the other to either,” he shrugged, “We talked about it and decided that our lives were headed down different paths.”
“So y’all just went your separate ways?” Joseph had drifted back over to the group, the other customers sufficiently watered and content.
“Pretty much,” Jensen stuffed the shredded label into the empty bottle, dragging his thumbnail through the tacky adhesive left behind.
“That’s kinda…” Joseph stared at a neon sign, trying to think of the right word.
“Stupid?” Steve offered.
“Pathetic?” Chris volunteered.
“Sad,” Joseph finally settled on.
Jensen snorted, “Not as sad as you pining over Penn for the last three years and never making a move.”
“I’m working up to it,” Joseph defended, grabbing Jensen’s bottle and tossing it in the trash. He really hoped that one day Penn would wake up and realize Joseph wanted more than friendship from him.
“Dude, sloths mate faster than this,” Chris laughed, tapping his empty bottle on the bar.
“Actually, sloth mating, from foreplay to finish, takes an average of five seconds,” Joseph informed them with a smug look on his face.
Jensen looked over at the young man, face blank with shock, “I,” his mouth opened and closed a few times as he grasped for something to say, “I don’t even want to know how you know that.”
“Animal Planet. I work nights and daytime TV sucks,” he tilted his head, acknowledging one of the barflies wanting a refill. Snatching a bottle of bourbon off the shelf, he made his way to the other end of the bar.
Watching him walk away, Chris shook his head, “Weird little dude.”
“Anyway, back to you and Jared. You gonna try to rekindle the old flame?” Steve asked, twisting off he cap to a fresh beer and exchanging it for Chris’ empty one.
“Not sure,” Jensen got up from the stool and, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket, threw a handful of bills on the bar. “We’ve both moved on. Sometimes it’s smartest to let the past stay in the past. I gotta go, it’s getting late.”
Chris slapped Jensen on the shoulder, squeezing the muscle in sympathy. “No one’s ever accused you of being smart, Jenny boy. Just see what happens.”
*****
Jensen sat in his car parked in front of the dilapidated farm house. Newly painted shutters were leaning up against the side of the house drying, the shiny black enamel paint glistening in the late day sun. He sighed and looked over at the stuffed plush riding shotgun regarding him with glass beetle black eyes.
God he hated it when Chris was right.
Before yesterday the last time Jensen saw Jared it had been bittersweet. They’d spent most of the day loading Jensen’s things into the back of a U-Haul truck, slowly emptying his one bedroom apartment. He turned his key in to his landlord, the plan for him to stay a Jared’s for the night. An awkward tension fell between them, something that hadn’t happened in almost eighteen months together. It was oppressive and suffocating and definitely not the way Jensen wanted to spend his last night with his soon to be ex-boyfriend. He’d looked over at the taller man and could see his own emotions reflected in Jared’s ever changing eyes.
“I love you, Jensen. My not going with you has nothing to do with that.”
“I love you too, Jared, and I know. Just like me going doesn’t either.”
“Can we have one last night? Something to remember?”
Jensen hadn’t even bothered to answer, just shoved Jared into the nearest wall. It was frantic and electric, the all-encompassing want that was always there bolstered by an aching need tinged in the desperation to not be forgotten. There were no good-byes, only remember me’s - mouths and fingers leaving evidence of them in purples and blacks on smooth skin. The pace was fast and punishing, foil crinkled, groans exchanged and climaxes screamed to the ceiling in unison, burning out the fear and loss.
Jensen had woken up in the waning hours of the night spooned behind Jared’s warm body. He’d risen up on his elbow, taking in the form before him, eyes memorizing the dips and curves his hands knew so well. The sheet was pooled low on Jared’s hips, muscles and skin glowing in the silver moonlight filtering through the Goodwill curtains Jared’d hung when he moved in. He kissed across Jared’s shoulders, small presses of lips to skin, and rubbed feather light circles on Jared’s stomach with his fingertips. Jared hummed at the caresses and rolled back into his lover, body tingling where he was being touched.
Jensen dragged his mouth up Jared’s neck to his ear, breath panting warm against the sensitive flesh. “I love you.” His hand ghosted over Jared’s hip, sliding down the back of his thigh to shift it up and forward, allowing his hardened member to ride the crease of Jared’s ass. Still open and slick from earlier, Jared willingly accepted Jensen, both groaning at the easy slide. They moved in a slow, sensual roll, fingers entwined and breaths gasped. There was no rush to completion, only the never-ending now. It was poignant and heartbreaking, the physical manifestation of the good-bye they’d refused to voice and an affirmation of the love they’d shared. When they reached their peaks, it was with gasps that sounded of their lover’s names. If the wildness of earlier burned out the feelings threatening to pull them under, this gentleness was the soothing salve. Jensen’d had numerous lovers, some talented and enthusiastic in bed, but nothing that came before or after that last time with Jared had ever compared.
Jensen cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, hand tugging on the fly of his jeans to adjust the constricting fabric over his half-hard interest. Snatching the plush toy from the seat, he blew out a long breath, adjusted his hat and shoved open the car door.
*****
Jared jauntily made his way down the stairs, hair wet from his shower dripping cold water down his back. He stopped at the bottom, peals of laughter drifting down from the twins’ shared room.
“Work on cleaning up, guys. I’m going to start dinner,” he called to his sons, slipping a t-shirt over his head. He’d just shoved an arm in the sleeve when there was a knock. Moving quickly to the wall beside the door, he froze, heart thundering in his chest and breaths coming in short, sharp bursts. Another knock freed his locked muscles and he leaned forward to peer out the glass window in the door. Sighing, he threaded his other arm into the shirt and, pulling the fabric down his body, opened the front door.
“Jensen?” Jared shifted nervously, trying to adjust the thin cotton shirt over his body.
“Uh, Jared,” Jensen’s eyes were drawn like a magnet to the brief glimpse of skin. He pulled them away, blinking quickly, and smiled up at Jared only to have it fall into a frown. In the natural light, Jensen could make out a faint yellowish, green tinge on Jared’s jaw that he’d missed in the fluorescent glare of the General Store - a bruise, somewhere between a week and ten days old from the looks of it. Squinting, he tilted his head slightly to the side and noticed a similar place on Jared’s opposite temple. Realizing his examination had created an awkward pause, Jensen rubbed a self-conscious hand over the back of his neck and forced his lips into a smile. “Hey.”
“Uh, hey,” Jared looked down at the toy dangling from Jensen’s hand, “you, um, just out taking your bear for a ride?”
“What?” Jensen followed Jared’s gaze to the stuffed bear, “Oh, no. I, um, brought it for Benji.”
“For Benji?” Jared’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “O-kay. Come on in.” He stepped back, opening the door wider, and motioned for Jensen to enter.
“Well, yeah. He was upset over losing the one yesterday in the store and I thought it might be good for him to have a spare.” Jensen grimaced at the lame excuse, but it was the only reason he could come up with to stop by. Plus, the kid had made an impression on him.
“Losing a bear?” Jared’s confused expression evened out as realization dawned on him, Benji upset over losing Teddy in the store. “How thoughtful,” his cheeks twitched as he suppressed a smile. “Benji,” he called up the stairs, “can you and Teddy come down here for a minute? You have a visitor.”
A loud squeal preceded the thundering sound of youth in motion. Hiding the bear behind his back, Jensen frowned when two sets of sneaker-clad feet came into view. His eyebrows rose gradually higher as Benji and another blonde haired boy descended the stairs, threatening to disappear into his hairline by the time they jumped the last few steps and ran to Jared’s side. Benji stood confidently in front of his father while the other child hid behind the safety of Jared’s legs.
“Benji, you remember Deputy Ackles from the store yesterday?” Benji nodded his head, glass green eyes curious and wide. “Deputy, I didn’t get a chance to introduce you to my other son, Benji’s twin brother,” Jared gently reached back and cupped TJ’s head, maneuvering his face out of the denim of Jared’s jeans and into the light, “This is TJ, but Benji and I call him Teddy,” he gave Jensen a pointed look, lips twitching again, “TJ, this is Deputy Ackles. He’s an old friend of mine.”
“Hey, TJ,” Jensen smiled at the little boy clutching Jared’s pant leg like a lifeline and groaned internally as Jared’s words sunk in. Benji had been looking for his brother yesterday. His fingers convulsed around the still hidden bear.
TJ ducked his head and gazed at him with slanted green eyes through his shaggy bangs, a shy smile on his face. “Hi,” came the reply in a soft, almost inaudible, voice.
“I think Deputy Ackles has a gift for you,” Jensen tensed up. He hadn’t known about TJ and had only brought the one bear. He couldn’t give one child a gift and not the other, “both,” Jared finished. Jensen let out a relieved breath and flashed Jared a grateful look.
“A gift?” Benji repeated, expression turning shrewd.
“Uh, yeah. Here,” he pulled the simple brown bear, tin sheriff star pinned to its chest, from behind his back and held it out to the small boy.
Benji’s eyes went cold and he side-stepped in front of his brother, blocking TJ from Jensen’s view. “What’s it for?”
Jensen startled, the flatness of the tone so alien in the childish voice. “For?” Jensen looked between Jared and Benji trying to understand what the boy meant.
“Benji,” Jared admonished, “Deputy Ackles just wanted to welcome y’all to the neighborhood.”
“But, Daddy,” Benji started, mouth shutting when TJ unwound his arms from Jared’s leg and timidly moved around his brother. He walked slowly, eyes watching Jensen carefully, and took the bear from Jensen’s grasp.
“Thank you,” TJ breathed, hand smoothing over the bear’s furry face. He turned back to Benji and held out the toy to show his brother.
Benji’s stare had thawed at his father’s chastisement, but Jensen could see the suspicion that still lingered there. He ran his fingers over the thin metal badge, tentatively tracing the edges. He muttered a quiet ‘thank you’ when Jared’s fingers landed lightly on the base of his neck.
“Why don’t you boys take Sheriff Bear there upstairs and introduce him to your other friends?”
“Come on Teddy,” Benji excitedly tugged on TJ’s hand, dragging him up the stairs.
Jared chuckled watching his children then turned his attention back to Jensen. “Sorry about that. They aren’t used to getting gifts unless it’s a birthday or holiday.”
“Little man seemed to think there was an ulterior motive,” Jensen watched Jared’s expression closely.
Jared shrugged then changed the subject. “I was going to make dinner. You, uh, want to stay?”
“I don’t want to impose,” Jensen’s hand went to his stomach when it growled.
“No trouble, really. Fajitas okay?” Jared checked the lock on the front door, peering out through the glass, and motioned for Jensen to follow.
“As long as you’re sure,” dropping his hat on the table just inside the door, Jensen trailed behind the taller man into the kitchen, “Fajitas would be great.” He plopped down at the table and watched as Jared pulled a large skillet from the cabinet next to the stove.
When Jared stood, the light highlighted the healing bruises again and Jensen bit his lip. “Hey Jared. What, uh, happened to your face?” He motioned toward his own jaw to illustrate what he was talking about.
“Oh, this?” Jared gently ran his fingertips over the darkened skin, “I was pulling a box down from the top shelf of my closet and lost my grip. The edge of it caught me across the jaw then I stumbled back and knocked the other side of my head on the door jamb.” He rolled his eyes and smiled sheepishly. “I never was a graceful gazelle.”
Jensen laughed, having been on the receiving end of several of Jared’s clumsier accidents.
Laughing along, Jared stuck his head in the refrigerator to pull the ingredients he need out. “Okay so I’ve got steak and chick - oh no!”
“What is it?” Jensen stood, crossing to where Jared was obscured by the open door.
“Freaking refrigerator quit!” Jared stood, a warm package of chicken in one hand and an equally tepid package of steak in the other. Blood dripped from the edges of the cellophane wrapping. “Everything in here will have to be thrown out.” Eyes widening, he transferred the steak to the other hand - stacking it on top of the chicken - and wrenched open the freezer door. He groaned at the rainbow puddle in the bottom where a box of popsicles had melted. Shutting the door, he banged his head on the front and groaned. “I told Chad the kitchen appliances needed to be replaced, but did he listen? No!” Jared mumbled under his breath to himself, forehead against the steel and eyes closed. “Dude, everything’s five by five,” Jared imitated his friend perfectly, “What the hell does that even mean? Five by five!?”
“It means he’s been watching Buffy too much and jerking off to Eliza Dushku,” Jensen joked. “Its old radio terminology…” he trailed off when Jared rolled his head to the side to look at him, “that you care nothing about. O-kay. So, where’s the garbage can?”
“Deputy, I know I invited you to dinner, but I gotta clean this up and still figure out something for us to eat,” he waved the meat, drops of blood falling to the tiled floor.
“Exactly,” Jensen interrupted, rubbing his hands together, “So let’s get a garbage can and get busy. Then I’ll take you and the boys out for dinner.”
“I can’t let you do that. I’ll come up with something,” Jared crossed to the sink and pulled the garbage can from the cabinet below. He dumped the two packages of meat into it and carried it back to the refrigerator.
“You’re not letting me do anything. I want to. Consider it a welcome to the community. Now, come on. The sooner we start, the sooner we can get something to eat.”
They worked together tossing out the food from the refrigerator and freezer and wiping out the dribbled, melted messes in the base of both compartments. They talked about Chad and how he was doing, Jensen surprised that the odd couple friends had remained in touch. Soon, Jared was calling up the stairs for the twins to get their shoes on while digging through the hall closet for his own. After a small debate, Jensen convinced Jared to let him drive since Jared’s house was on his way home and gas was expensive. He couldn’t hide his proud smirk when he heard Benji lean over to TJ in the backseat and whisper about ‘Deputy Ackles’ sweet ride’.
Part B