Home Is Where the Heart Is (But What A Shame Everyone's Heart Doesn't Beat The Same) - Chapter 4
Jared woke early and made his way to the kitchen to take stock of what the ship had on hand he could work with to make meals. At the Oiran Academy he’d been tasked with cooking for his uncle, the Commandant, and the tutors. No matter what ingredients were available, Jared was expected to make something to appease their discerning tastes and he’d quickly learned to make the most with the least. He searched the cabinets and the cold storage, mouth twisting in thought as different possibilities came to mind. He figured the crew must make due with items that had the longest shelf life, deep space voyage making the storage and preservation of perishables difficult, which meant that some recipes would have to undergo creative alterations. He began to realize that a portion of Alona’s less than palatable offerings might have more to do with limited ingredients than her cooking skills. Milo said they would be stopping on Ariel soon and maybe he could suggest a few inexpensive things that would have the greatest impact on enhancing meals. He needed the crew to see his value so they would be inclined to let him and Milo stay. He couldn’t go back to Oiran, back to the darkness, the fear, the…. No, Jared shook his head, forcing a smile on his face like he’d been trained to do. No matter what you feel on the inside, always maintain your composure and smile. If the crew of the Persephone decided they had no use for him, maybe he could convince them to send him to Morgan. Marriage to Jeff was definitely the lesser of the two evils.
Jeff Morgan had always been kind to him, even when he was young. Father had never had time for him or Milo, his attention too focused on his eldest, the golden son, Nikolai, or on his youngest, the princess daughter, Giselle, but Jeff made an effort to spend time with him. Jared was almost relieved when his betrothed had been revealed to be his family’s old friend, the other possibilities so harrowing that it made Jared shiver still. He knew that if he wasn’t delivered on his wedding date that his parents stood to lose a sizeable sum of money, but their financial loss didn’t concern him. The Flynns had enough money that the piddly amount they were to receive for Jared wouldn’t affect their bottom line. It was the idea of hurting Jeff that almost made him regret his escape…almost. He rolled his shoulder as a twinge of pain shot through the muscles. Shaking off thoughts of Oiran and Jeff, he returned his attention to the pantry stores. The past and the future didn’t matter, only the present. A consort didn’t dwell on what once had been or what could be, only what he was needed for now. And right now, the captain needed him to make breakfast.
He quickly gathered a few things and found the cookware, mixing the ingredients in what he hoped would be an appetizing combination. Stirring the skillet, he sampled the contents, frowning for a minute before he retrieved a small bottle of dried herbs. Adding a dash, he tasted it again and shook his head. Better. Not great, but better.
The smell of food proved to be a lure for the crew, the complement trickling in as the savory scent wafted through the ship to reach the living quarters. Misha wandered in, gracing Jared with a warm smile as he poured himself a cup of the already prepared tea and offering his help. Jared politely declined, this was his task and he wouldn’t burden others with it. A blonde woman stumbled in next, her long hair tied haphazardly at the nape of her neck and a scowl on her face, followed by two burly men. Unlike the unassuming preacher, these three gave off an aura of authority and their presence was intimidating. Jared automatically bowed his head in respect, mind reaching out to gauge their moods so he could tailor his own.
The blonde exuded a sleep-heavy grumpiness that made Jared smile slightly, her qualm not with anything in particular, just the fact that she was vertical before she was truly ready. The men…Jared gave a little gasp and his eyes fluttered. The men had recently had sex, the sense of satiation arousing and calming Jared at the same time. It wasn’t the first time that Jared had been subjected to post-coital bliss, far from it, but it was the first time that he’d experienced a surge of wantneed from it. He blinked rapidly trying to rein in the feeling and control his body’s reaction to it.
“Jared?” Misha’s voice broke through his thoughts and his head snapped up to attention. “This is Annie,” the preacher motioned to the blonde woman, “she’s a tad cantankerous first thing in the morning.” The woman glared at him, but he ignored her in favor of introducing the men. “And here we have Steve, our ship’s pilot,” he gestured to the blonde man then the surly looking man next to him, “and his husband, Chris. I’m not sure what Chris’ actual title is, but let’s just say he takes care of the odd jobs and leave it at that.”
“I don’t like labels,” Chris grumbled, “I defy description.”
“Of course you do, dear,” Steve patted him consolingly, trying to contain his smirk at Annie’s exaggerated eye roll.
Jared dipped his head, eyes averted to the floor. “Good morning. It’s very nice to meet you,” he greeted softly, quickly turning back to the skillet to prevent breakfast from burning. He heard half-hearted welcomes from behind him, but chose to concentrate on finishing the meal.
A few minutes later there was a quiet presence at his side and the smell of something sweet he vaguely remembered from his childhood drifted to him under the scent of his cooking. He looked over to see a beautiful, well-dressed woman standing beside him with an inviting smile on her face. “Good morning, Jared. My name is Sophia.”
There was an ornate bracelet encircling her wrist, a black onyx stone etched with a stylized peacock set in the polished silver - the symbol of the Companion House on Demeter. He’d seen it once before on the headmistress when she’d attended a dinner party at Oiran, one where he’d been asked to…serve at. His manners, ingrained from years of training, were forgotten and his mouth blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “You’re a Companion?” He flicked a glance to Misha, wondering how a man of God felt about sharing the same space as a hired pleasurer. It had been years since he’d been instructed on Scripture, his life on Osiris before his appointment to Oiran a distant memory, but he was certain that somewhere within the black and red words there was condemnation of that time-honored profession. The preacher was watching them; however, his face was fond and his thoughts affectionate. Nowhere did he sense the denunciation or censure he expected.
“Yes, I am,” Sophia answered simply, not a hint of offense at Jared’s bluntness. “Can I help you?” Her eyes slowly took in his face and he felt the need to squirm under her intense scrutiny. Her emotions were subdued, guarded, and trying to latch onto them was like grabbing smoke. There was a tickling at the base of his neck, the same feeling he got from Milo right before his brother had an epiphany. It made him uneasy and he shook his head, “No, thank you.” He moved to the cabinets at the end of the galley style kitchen to gather the plates.
He carried them to the table and began to arrange the place settings, maneuvering around those already gathered there. Their friendly banter was soothing to his nerves, a few of their quick witted jabs causing the corners of his lips to twitch upward behind the curtain of his bangs. They asked him questions and he replied without embellishment, knowing from experience that most people would rather not hear ten words when one would suffice. He felt Milo before he saw him, his brother’s emotions an odd chaos of his default worry mixed with exasperation and annoyance. Jared turned toward the doorway when he knew Milo would appear and smiled as the reason for his brother’s irritation followed him through it.
Alona was bright-eyed and cheerful, two things that Milo definitely was not upon waking. She was chatting non-stop, gesturing wildly to illustrate her point, about Persephone - a comfort topic, Jared realized, when she was nervous - more than making up for Milo’s lack of participation in the conversation. Even though his brother was doing his best to distance himself from the perky blonde, citing his responsibility to Jared as his sole focus, Jared knew that his brother was taken with the young woman. His heart warmed at the thought that Alona might be a perfect match for his surly sibling.
“Good morning everyone!” Alona took a seat at the table, grinning at the greeting she received in response.
Milo crossed to the kitchen and placed a hand on Jared’s shoulder. “You okay?”
Jared nodded, reaching up to pat Milo’s hand in reassurance. The crew seemed nice, but he was a tad overwhelmed at the cacophony of emotions they projected - from Sophia’s demure repression to Chris’s bold crudeness. Most carried a low level of aggression with them that frightened Jared, knowing how easily those emotions could rise to the surface, but he could sense their compassion too and that calmed his nerves. Refusing to add to the weight of worry in his brother’s eyes, he kept his thoughts light-hearted.
Stirring the meal one last time and deeming it ready, Jared cleared his throat tentatively. “D-does…” the moment he spoke the word, the attention of the entire room focused on him and he felt exposed in the sudden silence. Milo’s hand rested warm and comforting on the small of his back and he swallowed. “D-does the captain usually take his meals with you?”
“Yes, he does.” Jensen’s voice filled the quiet as he descended the stairs and took his place at the head of the table. “Sorry, I’m late. Had to send a message off about a delivery.” At Annie’s frown of concern he shook his head.
Jared shooed Milo toward his seat and carried a pot in each hand to the table, setting them on pads he’d placed there earlier. There were appreciative groans at the scent and at least one stomach grumbled happily. Jared took Jensen’s plate and began to dish a portion, only to be stopped by Jensen’s hand on his forearm. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through him and he had the overwhelming urge to crawl in the captain’s lap and rub and writhe until they were both sweaty and satiated. He scrunched his brows wondering where that thought had come from.
“Jared,” Jensen smiled, “You cooked and no one expects you to wait on them hand and foot.”
“You - you don’t wish for me to serve you?” He shivered as his mind flashed images of other ways he could serve the captain.
“No,” Jensen answered honestly.
Jared nodded. Guardedly he slipped his arm out from under Jensen’s too warm hand and set the half-full plate on the table. He quietly stepped back from the table and walked to the kitchen, steps silent so he wouldn’t disturb those eating. He lifted the dirty pan from the stove and carried it to the sink, slipping it into the metal basin.
“Jared.” Jensen’s voice was laced in exasperation and Jared looked up to see everyone watching him. His heart raced wondering what he’d done, mind cataloguing every word he’d spoken and move he’d made trying to discover his offense. “Please sit down,” Jensen motioned to the chair next to Milo at the other end of the table.
“You want me to sit?” Jared brows furrowed again. He didn’t understand. Consorts didn’t eat until those they served had eaten their fill and they never sat at the table. Jared bit his bottom lip, unsure if this was a test. Consorts were meant to serve in whatever fashion they were needed, but the captain’s face, when he dared a glance, was open and honest. He slowly made his way to the empty seat, all the while prepared for chastisement or punishment for forgetting his place.
Jensen picked up the bowl and finished filling it before he passed the dish to Annie, grabbing the other pot and doing the same. Head downcast, Jared held his breath waiting for the captain to take his first bite. Jensen’s eyes shot open wide as he rolled the first forkful around his mouth and Jared trembled over what the expression meant. Those same green eyes fluttered shut and Jensen’s mouth lifted in a pleased smile as he chewed, head nodding.
“So good, Jared,” Jensen mumbled around another mouthful.
Jared’s breath left him in a rush and he took a relieved sigh. He returned Sophia’s smile when she passed him the bowl. “Thank you,” he whispered, dishing half of what he would normally eat onto his plate before handing the bowl to his brother. He didn’t want Jensen to rethink how much of a burden he and Milo would be by taking too much.
Milo frowned and quirked an eyebrow, his displeasure clearly evident without the need of Jared’s ability. He added two more spoonfuls to Jared’s plate before fixing his own and passing the dish to Alona.
Jensen watched the interaction. He’d known that the portion Jared had taken wasn’t enough to fill him, would hardly be enough to fill Alona or Sophia, and was making a move to stand and rectify it when Milo had added more. It was fascinating watching the two of them. Twins were a rarity, especially on the Rim Worlds where the birth of one child was miraculous, but a multiple was unheard of. He saw Jared place two fingers on Milo’s hand and Milo respond in kind with a flick of his thumb. There was a connection there, more deep-seeded than any sibling bond he’d ever seen, and if Jensen was being honest with himself he was slightly jealous.
The moment passed and once all the plates were filled, everyone dug into their meal. Eyes popped wide and groans echoed over the scraping of forks on ceramic as all traces of the food disappeared. Jared blushed over each compliment and nodded his head meekly when Alona exclaimed loudly that he had to show her how he made it taste so good. The bowls made another round, seconds heaped on each plate, and Jared made a mental note to make a larger quantity the following day.
“Jared,” Misha began, picking up his fork, “from what Milo tells us, you are very blessed to have such a kind, caring brother to watch over you. We should all be so lucky.”
Jared looked over at Milo who nodded reassuringly. “I agree,” he said softly.
“Not sure I do,” Chris mumbled.
“What makes you say that?” Annie asked suspiciously before she could think better of it. She could see that Jared was unsure and uneasy around them and she hoped that she hadn’t provided Chris the opportunity to promote his incestuous belief.
"If he’s such a good, caring brother, then why’d he lock Jared in a crate…naked? You gotta admit that's not natural for brotherly love" Chris prodded, a scowl on his face.
"What are you implying, exactly?" Milo asked, his voice dangerously low.
The man folded his arms, tipping back in his chair to balance on the back legs. "You tell me."
"I love Jared, he's my brother…my everything. He's my world," Milo finished up. His voice was flat but the soothing way he ran his hands up and down Jared’s back spoke volumes.
"I knew it!" Chris crowed, the chair thudding down on all four legs. "Holy shit! You're rutting brothers who are lovers."
Milo froze and Jared’s head lifted up of its own accord to stare. Why does he think we’re lovers? He looked at Milo.
The brunette man stared, head cocked to the side as he considered the brothers. "You know... that's gorram (goddamn) kinky even for me, and I like my kink! You can ask Steve here. We get up to all sorts…never had siblings involved though,” he muttered, brows drawn together in thought. His face cleared and his eyes turned hopeful. “Can I watch if I'm real quiet?"
Steve groaned and Sophia rolled her eyes. The lust Jared felt from the man made a shiver run down his spine. It was followed quickly by a shudder, the thought of Milo, of all people, doing that to him was almost more than he could bear.
"Excuse me?” Milo said, eyes flashing.
"You're hot and you're related," Chris shrugged. "I wanna watch. Betcha even the preacher there wouldn’t mind a peek.” He ignored Misha choking on his drink at the words and continued, “I'll be real quiet, I swear, I won't even touch him or nothing, less you're open to that too, cause this brother of yours is mighty fine, so I get it, if he were my brother I'd jump him too."
"Christian, don't be so crude!" Sophia scolded. "Nobody does that!"
"Is this what you’re wanting to see?” Milo asked. Chucking a finger under Jared’s chin, he forced it up and leaned in close to Jared until their lips were mere centimeters apart.
Jared stared at him in disbelief, fear rocketing through his chest. Not Milo. Please, not him too. What are you doing?! Milo playfully winked at him like he used to when they were younger and played a prank on Nikolai or Giselle. Jared tried to relax, but a niggling doubt kept him on guard.
Chris nodded at the elegant woman. "See? And loads of people do it, they just don't talk about it is all. Besides what about them brothers we had on the ship a few months back? That older one was banging the younger one non-stop. You could hear 'em though the walls going at it for hours, and they were full blood brothers and everything!"
"So there was one exception," Jensen reluctantly agreed. "But they were heroes on their planet. I think that makes up for it, right, preacher?" He turned to Misha, smirking as the preacher man almost rolled his eyes at the question.
“I believe it is between God and his angels who he saves from perdition,” Misha answered, taking another bite of his dinner.
"So," Chris eyed them thoughtfully. "Who tops?"
Jared jerked back from his too-close brother and felt all the blood drain from his face. Even Milo looked startled.
"I'm just curious! The pretty ones are always wild in bed, but if I was being fucked by my brother he'd be older... so which one of you is older? I'm guessing it's psycho boy here. Can't quite see your pretty boy brother topping, looks like he'd snap like a twig. Bet you hafta be gentle with him," Chris leered; gaze distant as if he was picturing it in his mind’s eye.
Milo just stared at the mercenary, unable to process what was coming out of his mouth. Steve looked bright red and was trying to hide his eyes while Jensen sighed as if he'd dealt with this far too often and needed to bang his head against something. Misha, Annie, Sophia and Alona shoved their food around on their plates as if the answers to the big questions of the Verse were hidden under the remnants.
"How did your brain even learn human speech?” Milo gawked at Chris. “I'm just curious."
They were spared from having to hear his answer by a beep on the comm panel. Alona stood, glad to be away from the strange conversation, and checked the screen. “Message from Mark Sheppard, captain.”
“That’s us.” Jensen rose, kicking the leg of Annie’s chair. “Wonder what that ole badger wants.”
“Nothing good for us, I’m sure, sir.” Annie wiped her mouth on her napkin.
Jensen stood. “Breakfast was great, Jared. Thank you. Chris, you can do the dishes as a reminder to watch that foot-in-mouth disease of yours. I expect this to be the last conversation we have regarding incestuous relationships. My patience with that topic and your obsession with it are drawing to a close.” He leveled a hard glare at Chris before heading toward the bridge, Annie in tow.
*****
“This is bad.” Jensen slumped in his seat, head lolled back. He stared at the ceiling, eyes following the seams between tiles and dancing over the rivets, and thought over their new predicament. He’d just barely resolved their last situation.
“If Sheppard’s right, then we’ve shot right past bad into full on rutted.” Annie leaned back against the console and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Man’s got a penchant for lying especially when the truth don’t benefit him much,” Jensen quirked a hopeful eyebrow at her.
Annie shook her head. “He’s usually got an ear to the ground, though. Ain’t nobody in the verse that knows more about smuggling deals than him. He’s smart and savvy. He wouldn’t have contacted us unless he was pretty confident of his information.”
“I’m smart and savvy,” Jensen protested.
“Wouldn’t go that far. I’d say you’re more pretty and sexy with a healthy side helping of lucky,” Annie smirked.
“We gotta figure a way to get some gold fast,” Jensen huffed out a breath. “Alona’s milking every drop of fuel for what it’s worth, but the well’s gonna run dry soon. Round up Chris and Steve. They might know someone who’d be able to help us out with a quick job.”
Annie pushed herself up from her lean. “Yes sir.”
Part B here
http://jcrgirl.livejournal.com/48768.html
Jeff Morgan had always been kind to him, even when he was young. Father had never had time for him or Milo, his attention too focused on his eldest, the golden son, Nikolai, or on his youngest, the princess daughter, Giselle, but Jeff made an effort to spend time with him. Jared was almost relieved when his betrothed had been revealed to be his family’s old friend, the other possibilities so harrowing that it made Jared shiver still. He knew that if he wasn’t delivered on his wedding date that his parents stood to lose a sizeable sum of money, but their financial loss didn’t concern him. The Flynns had enough money that the piddly amount they were to receive for Jared wouldn’t affect their bottom line. It was the idea of hurting Jeff that almost made him regret his escape…almost. He rolled his shoulder as a twinge of pain shot through the muscles. Shaking off thoughts of Oiran and Jeff, he returned his attention to the pantry stores. The past and the future didn’t matter, only the present. A consort didn’t dwell on what once had been or what could be, only what he was needed for now. And right now, the captain needed him to make breakfast.
He quickly gathered a few things and found the cookware, mixing the ingredients in what he hoped would be an appetizing combination. Stirring the skillet, he sampled the contents, frowning for a minute before he retrieved a small bottle of dried herbs. Adding a dash, he tasted it again and shook his head. Better. Not great, but better.
The smell of food proved to be a lure for the crew, the complement trickling in as the savory scent wafted through the ship to reach the living quarters. Misha wandered in, gracing Jared with a warm smile as he poured himself a cup of the already prepared tea and offering his help. Jared politely declined, this was his task and he wouldn’t burden others with it. A blonde woman stumbled in next, her long hair tied haphazardly at the nape of her neck and a scowl on her face, followed by two burly men. Unlike the unassuming preacher, these three gave off an aura of authority and their presence was intimidating. Jared automatically bowed his head in respect, mind reaching out to gauge their moods so he could tailor his own.
The blonde exuded a sleep-heavy grumpiness that made Jared smile slightly, her qualm not with anything in particular, just the fact that she was vertical before she was truly ready. The men…Jared gave a little gasp and his eyes fluttered. The men had recently had sex, the sense of satiation arousing and calming Jared at the same time. It wasn’t the first time that Jared had been subjected to post-coital bliss, far from it, but it was the first time that he’d experienced a surge of wantneed from it. He blinked rapidly trying to rein in the feeling and control his body’s reaction to it.
“Jared?” Misha’s voice broke through his thoughts and his head snapped up to attention. “This is Annie,” the preacher motioned to the blonde woman, “she’s a tad cantankerous first thing in the morning.” The woman glared at him, but he ignored her in favor of introducing the men. “And here we have Steve, our ship’s pilot,” he gestured to the blonde man then the surly looking man next to him, “and his husband, Chris. I’m not sure what Chris’ actual title is, but let’s just say he takes care of the odd jobs and leave it at that.”
“I don’t like labels,” Chris grumbled, “I defy description.”
“Of course you do, dear,” Steve patted him consolingly, trying to contain his smirk at Annie’s exaggerated eye roll.
Jared dipped his head, eyes averted to the floor. “Good morning. It’s very nice to meet you,” he greeted softly, quickly turning back to the skillet to prevent breakfast from burning. He heard half-hearted welcomes from behind him, but chose to concentrate on finishing the meal.
A few minutes later there was a quiet presence at his side and the smell of something sweet he vaguely remembered from his childhood drifted to him under the scent of his cooking. He looked over to see a beautiful, well-dressed woman standing beside him with an inviting smile on her face. “Good morning, Jared. My name is Sophia.”
There was an ornate bracelet encircling her wrist, a black onyx stone etched with a stylized peacock set in the polished silver - the symbol of the Companion House on Demeter. He’d seen it once before on the headmistress when she’d attended a dinner party at Oiran, one where he’d been asked to…serve at. His manners, ingrained from years of training, were forgotten and his mouth blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “You’re a Companion?” He flicked a glance to Misha, wondering how a man of God felt about sharing the same space as a hired pleasurer. It had been years since he’d been instructed on Scripture, his life on Osiris before his appointment to Oiran a distant memory, but he was certain that somewhere within the black and red words there was condemnation of that time-honored profession. The preacher was watching them; however, his face was fond and his thoughts affectionate. Nowhere did he sense the denunciation or censure he expected.
“Yes, I am,” Sophia answered simply, not a hint of offense at Jared’s bluntness. “Can I help you?” Her eyes slowly took in his face and he felt the need to squirm under her intense scrutiny. Her emotions were subdued, guarded, and trying to latch onto them was like grabbing smoke. There was a tickling at the base of his neck, the same feeling he got from Milo right before his brother had an epiphany. It made him uneasy and he shook his head, “No, thank you.” He moved to the cabinets at the end of the galley style kitchen to gather the plates.
He carried them to the table and began to arrange the place settings, maneuvering around those already gathered there. Their friendly banter was soothing to his nerves, a few of their quick witted jabs causing the corners of his lips to twitch upward behind the curtain of his bangs. They asked him questions and he replied without embellishment, knowing from experience that most people would rather not hear ten words when one would suffice. He felt Milo before he saw him, his brother’s emotions an odd chaos of his default worry mixed with exasperation and annoyance. Jared turned toward the doorway when he knew Milo would appear and smiled as the reason for his brother’s irritation followed him through it.
Alona was bright-eyed and cheerful, two things that Milo definitely was not upon waking. She was chatting non-stop, gesturing wildly to illustrate her point, about Persephone - a comfort topic, Jared realized, when she was nervous - more than making up for Milo’s lack of participation in the conversation. Even though his brother was doing his best to distance himself from the perky blonde, citing his responsibility to Jared as his sole focus, Jared knew that his brother was taken with the young woman. His heart warmed at the thought that Alona might be a perfect match for his surly sibling.
“Good morning everyone!” Alona took a seat at the table, grinning at the greeting she received in response.
Milo crossed to the kitchen and placed a hand on Jared’s shoulder. “You okay?”
Jared nodded, reaching up to pat Milo’s hand in reassurance. The crew seemed nice, but he was a tad overwhelmed at the cacophony of emotions they projected - from Sophia’s demure repression to Chris’s bold crudeness. Most carried a low level of aggression with them that frightened Jared, knowing how easily those emotions could rise to the surface, but he could sense their compassion too and that calmed his nerves. Refusing to add to the weight of worry in his brother’s eyes, he kept his thoughts light-hearted.
Stirring the meal one last time and deeming it ready, Jared cleared his throat tentatively. “D-does…” the moment he spoke the word, the attention of the entire room focused on him and he felt exposed in the sudden silence. Milo’s hand rested warm and comforting on the small of his back and he swallowed. “D-does the captain usually take his meals with you?”
“Yes, he does.” Jensen’s voice filled the quiet as he descended the stairs and took his place at the head of the table. “Sorry, I’m late. Had to send a message off about a delivery.” At Annie’s frown of concern he shook his head.
Jared shooed Milo toward his seat and carried a pot in each hand to the table, setting them on pads he’d placed there earlier. There were appreciative groans at the scent and at least one stomach grumbled happily. Jared took Jensen’s plate and began to dish a portion, only to be stopped by Jensen’s hand on his forearm. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through him and he had the overwhelming urge to crawl in the captain’s lap and rub and writhe until they were both sweaty and satiated. He scrunched his brows wondering where that thought had come from.
“Jared,” Jensen smiled, “You cooked and no one expects you to wait on them hand and foot.”
“You - you don’t wish for me to serve you?” He shivered as his mind flashed images of other ways he could serve the captain.
“No,” Jensen answered honestly.
Jared nodded. Guardedly he slipped his arm out from under Jensen’s too warm hand and set the half-full plate on the table. He quietly stepped back from the table and walked to the kitchen, steps silent so he wouldn’t disturb those eating. He lifted the dirty pan from the stove and carried it to the sink, slipping it into the metal basin.
“Jared.” Jensen’s voice was laced in exasperation and Jared looked up to see everyone watching him. His heart raced wondering what he’d done, mind cataloguing every word he’d spoken and move he’d made trying to discover his offense. “Please sit down,” Jensen motioned to the chair next to Milo at the other end of the table.
“You want me to sit?” Jared brows furrowed again. He didn’t understand. Consorts didn’t eat until those they served had eaten their fill and they never sat at the table. Jared bit his bottom lip, unsure if this was a test. Consorts were meant to serve in whatever fashion they were needed, but the captain’s face, when he dared a glance, was open and honest. He slowly made his way to the empty seat, all the while prepared for chastisement or punishment for forgetting his place.
Jensen picked up the bowl and finished filling it before he passed the dish to Annie, grabbing the other pot and doing the same. Head downcast, Jared held his breath waiting for the captain to take his first bite. Jensen’s eyes shot open wide as he rolled the first forkful around his mouth and Jared trembled over what the expression meant. Those same green eyes fluttered shut and Jensen’s mouth lifted in a pleased smile as he chewed, head nodding.
“So good, Jared,” Jensen mumbled around another mouthful.
Jared’s breath left him in a rush and he took a relieved sigh. He returned Sophia’s smile when she passed him the bowl. “Thank you,” he whispered, dishing half of what he would normally eat onto his plate before handing the bowl to his brother. He didn’t want Jensen to rethink how much of a burden he and Milo would be by taking too much.
Milo frowned and quirked an eyebrow, his displeasure clearly evident without the need of Jared’s ability. He added two more spoonfuls to Jared’s plate before fixing his own and passing the dish to Alona.
Jensen watched the interaction. He’d known that the portion Jared had taken wasn’t enough to fill him, would hardly be enough to fill Alona or Sophia, and was making a move to stand and rectify it when Milo had added more. It was fascinating watching the two of them. Twins were a rarity, especially on the Rim Worlds where the birth of one child was miraculous, but a multiple was unheard of. He saw Jared place two fingers on Milo’s hand and Milo respond in kind with a flick of his thumb. There was a connection there, more deep-seeded than any sibling bond he’d ever seen, and if Jensen was being honest with himself he was slightly jealous.
The moment passed and once all the plates were filled, everyone dug into their meal. Eyes popped wide and groans echoed over the scraping of forks on ceramic as all traces of the food disappeared. Jared blushed over each compliment and nodded his head meekly when Alona exclaimed loudly that he had to show her how he made it taste so good. The bowls made another round, seconds heaped on each plate, and Jared made a mental note to make a larger quantity the following day.
“Jared,” Misha began, picking up his fork, “from what Milo tells us, you are very blessed to have such a kind, caring brother to watch over you. We should all be so lucky.”
Jared looked over at Milo who nodded reassuringly. “I agree,” he said softly.
“Not sure I do,” Chris mumbled.
“What makes you say that?” Annie asked suspiciously before she could think better of it. She could see that Jared was unsure and uneasy around them and she hoped that she hadn’t provided Chris the opportunity to promote his incestuous belief.
"If he’s such a good, caring brother, then why’d he lock Jared in a crate…naked? You gotta admit that's not natural for brotherly love" Chris prodded, a scowl on his face.
"What are you implying, exactly?" Milo asked, his voice dangerously low.
The man folded his arms, tipping back in his chair to balance on the back legs. "You tell me."
"I love Jared, he's my brother…my everything. He's my world," Milo finished up. His voice was flat but the soothing way he ran his hands up and down Jared’s back spoke volumes.
"I knew it!" Chris crowed, the chair thudding down on all four legs. "Holy shit! You're rutting brothers who are lovers."
Milo froze and Jared’s head lifted up of its own accord to stare. Why does he think we’re lovers? He looked at Milo.
The brunette man stared, head cocked to the side as he considered the brothers. "You know... that's gorram (goddamn) kinky even for me, and I like my kink! You can ask Steve here. We get up to all sorts…never had siblings involved though,” he muttered, brows drawn together in thought. His face cleared and his eyes turned hopeful. “Can I watch if I'm real quiet?"
Steve groaned and Sophia rolled her eyes. The lust Jared felt from the man made a shiver run down his spine. It was followed quickly by a shudder, the thought of Milo, of all people, doing that to him was almost more than he could bear.
"Excuse me?” Milo said, eyes flashing.
"You're hot and you're related," Chris shrugged. "I wanna watch. Betcha even the preacher there wouldn’t mind a peek.” He ignored Misha choking on his drink at the words and continued, “I'll be real quiet, I swear, I won't even touch him or nothing, less you're open to that too, cause this brother of yours is mighty fine, so I get it, if he were my brother I'd jump him too."
"Christian, don't be so crude!" Sophia scolded. "Nobody does that!"
"Is this what you’re wanting to see?” Milo asked. Chucking a finger under Jared’s chin, he forced it up and leaned in close to Jared until their lips were mere centimeters apart.
Jared stared at him in disbelief, fear rocketing through his chest. Not Milo. Please, not him too. What are you doing?! Milo playfully winked at him like he used to when they were younger and played a prank on Nikolai or Giselle. Jared tried to relax, but a niggling doubt kept him on guard.
Chris nodded at the elegant woman. "See? And loads of people do it, they just don't talk about it is all. Besides what about them brothers we had on the ship a few months back? That older one was banging the younger one non-stop. You could hear 'em though the walls going at it for hours, and they were full blood brothers and everything!"
"So there was one exception," Jensen reluctantly agreed. "But they were heroes on their planet. I think that makes up for it, right, preacher?" He turned to Misha, smirking as the preacher man almost rolled his eyes at the question.
“I believe it is between God and his angels who he saves from perdition,” Misha answered, taking another bite of his dinner.
"So," Chris eyed them thoughtfully. "Who tops?"
Jared jerked back from his too-close brother and felt all the blood drain from his face. Even Milo looked startled.
"I'm just curious! The pretty ones are always wild in bed, but if I was being fucked by my brother he'd be older... so which one of you is older? I'm guessing it's psycho boy here. Can't quite see your pretty boy brother topping, looks like he'd snap like a twig. Bet you hafta be gentle with him," Chris leered; gaze distant as if he was picturing it in his mind’s eye.
Milo just stared at the mercenary, unable to process what was coming out of his mouth. Steve looked bright red and was trying to hide his eyes while Jensen sighed as if he'd dealt with this far too often and needed to bang his head against something. Misha, Annie, Sophia and Alona shoved their food around on their plates as if the answers to the big questions of the Verse were hidden under the remnants.
"How did your brain even learn human speech?” Milo gawked at Chris. “I'm just curious."
They were spared from having to hear his answer by a beep on the comm panel. Alona stood, glad to be away from the strange conversation, and checked the screen. “Message from Mark Sheppard, captain.”
“That’s us.” Jensen rose, kicking the leg of Annie’s chair. “Wonder what that ole badger wants.”
“Nothing good for us, I’m sure, sir.” Annie wiped her mouth on her napkin.
Jensen stood. “Breakfast was great, Jared. Thank you. Chris, you can do the dishes as a reminder to watch that foot-in-mouth disease of yours. I expect this to be the last conversation we have regarding incestuous relationships. My patience with that topic and your obsession with it are drawing to a close.” He leveled a hard glare at Chris before heading toward the bridge, Annie in tow.
*****
“This is bad.” Jensen slumped in his seat, head lolled back. He stared at the ceiling, eyes following the seams between tiles and dancing over the rivets, and thought over their new predicament. He’d just barely resolved their last situation.
“If Sheppard’s right, then we’ve shot right past bad into full on rutted.” Annie leaned back against the console and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Man’s got a penchant for lying especially when the truth don’t benefit him much,” Jensen quirked a hopeful eyebrow at her.
Annie shook her head. “He’s usually got an ear to the ground, though. Ain’t nobody in the verse that knows more about smuggling deals than him. He’s smart and savvy. He wouldn’t have contacted us unless he was pretty confident of his information.”
“I’m smart and savvy,” Jensen protested.
“Wouldn’t go that far. I’d say you’re more pretty and sexy with a healthy side helping of lucky,” Annie smirked.
“We gotta figure a way to get some gold fast,” Jensen huffed out a breath. “Alona’s milking every drop of fuel for what it’s worth, but the well’s gonna run dry soon. Round up Chris and Steve. They might know someone who’d be able to help us out with a quick job.”
Annie pushed herself up from her lean. “Yes sir.”
Part B here
http://jcrgirl.livejournal.com/48768.html