"as though nothing could fall" - Part One

[kellifer_fic]

Secret Identity Act - A superhero is required to create and maintain a separate persona and pseudonym to keep their true identity hidden. This is necessary to protect not only the superhero’s immediate family but also the surrounding populace. Excerpt from Superhero Laws And Practice -by Doctor William Tante.

Attachments are what make a hero weak. The Secret Identity Act was meant to keep a superhero from being compromised, from his or her family and loved ones being used against them.

- Excerpt from “Behind the Cape - Final Essay by J. Ackles”

Jared is looking at his graduation paperwork with confusion.

"Hey, Mr. Morgan!" Jared calls, spotting his Immortals History teacher amidst the mass of thronging graduates and their families. Jared threads his way through, careful who he brushes up against because you never know and manages to intercept Morgan's parallel progress through the milling crowd. Morgan halts and smiles, clapping Jared on the shoulder.

"Ah, Padalecki. Managed to scrape through did you?" Morgan asks but he's looking amused rather than scathing and Jared ducks his head.

"Yeah," Jared agrees and then remembers what he'd approached his teacher for when the papers in his hand crinkle. "Sir -"

"None of that now," Morgan says, smiling. "I stopped being Sir to you the minute you were handed that bit of paper."

"About this," Jared persists, waving said papers under Morgan's nose. "I think someone's trying to be funny."

Morgan frowns, eyebrows drawing down. "Did someone write your hero name in wrong? We had a spate of those last year because Mrs. Hanson's hours were cut back and she wasn't happy about it and took it out on the graduation paperwork."

"No, mine's fine," Jared says, unrolling his papers and tapping where Shifter is spelled out in sparkly blue pen. "It's this one," he adds, finger edging down the page.

"That's your Sidekick," Morgan says, looking confused. "You did know you were going to be allocated one?"

"Yeah, 'course," Jared says. "That's not the problem."

"Jared, you're going to have to spell it out for me," Morgan says, starting to sound exasperated.

"That's just it. I mean, surely that's a typo."

"What's a typo?"

"The name," Jared says, throwing his hands up and out and almost ripping the paper in the process. "Surely it's supposed to be ...something else?"

Morgan starts looking far too amused for Jared's liking. "No," he says and now he's actually biting his lip to stop from grinning, Jared can tell. "I can assure you that it's Jensen."

The emergence of the fictional superheroes, Superguy being the first in nineteen thirty eight, gave the public something to weigh the real superheroes against and find them lacking. These were stock characters that were idealised with a very simple narrative. They had a code of ethics and all had one thing in common, the desire to protect the public. Those who used their powers for personal gain were looked down upon, perhaps this very thing being used to illustrate a flaw in the character and always resulting in tragedy that was learned from and moved past. In the real world, the likes of Brainiac and Doctor September would in this fictional world have been punished for having the audacity to profit from their inherited talents instead of retiring to their own private islands away from the public eye.

- Excerpt from “Behind the Cape - Final Essay by J. Ackles”

"It's Jensen."

Jared is standing in front of a quite admittedly impeccably dressed individual who is looking at him as if he were something that had been found on the bottom of one of his expensive-looking leather shoes. "That's... not very Sidekick-y now is it?" Jared argues, wondering if he's the only sane person around. He looks down at himself and feels a bit disheveled in his faded t-shirt and jeans.

"Part of my final essay was on superhero names and how they are increasingly redundant in the modern age," Jensen sniffs, shifting a black briefcase he's holding from one hand to the other. "Isn't it bad enough that I have to be the personal assistant to a man who is unimaginative enough to call himself The Shifter-"

"Just Shifter," Jared corrects and when Jensen raises an eyebrow at him he adds, "No The."

"Of course," Jensen says, sounding downright snippy. "The is what makes it silly."

"Is this a joke? Did Milo put you up to this?" Jared asks suspiciously. "I don't even remember seeing you at school."

Jensen tilts his head sideways. "You don't remember me? That's not surprising," he snorts.

"How's that?"

"You were a Class 6," Jensen says as if that explains everything. "You were the first Freshman to pass the Innocent Bystander test. You were Prom King. I think I was a little beneath your notice."

Jared grimaces because that was probably true. There were dozens of kids in his graduating class that he'd watched mount the stage to accept their papers and he would've sworn he'd never seen them before in his life. The lower classes kept to themselves mostly because they were popular targets for those in the classes above four that didn’t hesitate using their powers to make life a living hell for anyone they regarded as lesser. Jared had never actively participated in any bullying but it didn't mean his total disregard for their existence was any better. Jared wanted to maintain the upper, indignant hand because the way Jensen was looking at him made him feel downright small and he wasn't used to that. He certainly didn't like it.

"I was accelerated," Jared says. "The Innocent Bystander test wasn't exactly what you would call challenging." Jensen is still looking at him with dark, impatient eyes and Jared puts a hand out. "Um, okay. Well, I guess we'll be working together for the foreseeable future," Jared says.

Jensen just looks at Jared's offered hand, rolls his eyes and says, "Yes," in a way that sounds like both a curse and a condemnation.

which is why it is dangerous to give names such power. They inspire fear, awe and a belief in attributes that might not even be there. Doctor Terror was certainly someone who inspired a feeling that was not earned but rather given credence just because of his name. The worst crime Doctor Terror ever perpetrated was to hold up a Wendy’s. There was an intrinsic dread about what he could achieve that was baseless but he was able to hold up a brightly lit store in the middle of a business day without so much as a weapon being seen on the power of his name alone.

- Excerpt from “Behind the Cape - Final Essay by J. Ackles”

"So, this essay," Jared says and Jensen makes an indignant noise when he snatches his opened briefcase from Jared's grip. Jared still has a hold of a neatly bound stack of pages and he curls them into himself when Jensen makes a grab for those too. “Behind The Cape. Catchy title. What’s your problem with hero names anyway?"

"They might have meant something once but now they're redundant. They aren't as descriptive as they used to be, or they go completely the opposite way and are far too literal. Plus, anyone that can grow or has an extra finger thinks they're a superhero these days."

"Grow?" Jared prompts with a raised eyebrow.

"Not me," Jensen says with a put-upon sigh. "Kid in my class. Could grow an extra foot in height on command. Considering he was usually only five foot two, it wasn't really as impressive as it could have been."

Jared huffs. One of the things he hasn't been able to find out as yet is what Jensen's power is. First day of school, everyone went through Categorization. It was the way they decided what class you were which pretty much defined your entire academic track and future career. Apparently Jensen had refused to be categorized in such a manner and Jared assumes he would have been booted into Class One as a consequence.

Jared was learning there was a lot about Jensen that defied conventional categorization.

"Okay, what about the far too literal part? I thought that would make it easier."

"Not so," Jensen says, still eying the essay in Jared's grip, probably plotting the best way to retrieve it. "How about Night Mare?"

"Nightmare?" Jared asks, tapping his top lip with Jensen's now rolled up essay. "Haven't heard of him. Sounds terrifying but Nightmare isn't exactly too descriptive."

"Not Nightmare. Night Mare," Jensen explains. "Two words. It's a guy who can only turn into a horse after the sun goes down." When Jared huffs a laugh Jensen rolls his eyes. "See what I mean? Now can I have that back?"

"No way," Jared says, shaking his head. "Every man needs a little light reading when he’s in the bathroom."

Jensen's mouth thins down into a pissed off little line and he turns on his heel, stalking away. Jared isn't quite sure why he feels compelled to pester Jensen so much but it's more fun than he’d been expecting.

that they have to expend so much time and effort on saving the world that they cannot form a proper family unit. In fiction, a hero must wait till the danger is past, defeating an arch nemesis, before they embark on creating a family. In the real world, the danger is never past, an arch nemesis is never easily disposed of. There is not one perfect villain for each hero that can be defeated and moved beyond.

- Excerpt from “Behind the Cape - Final Essay by J. Ackles”

"I've found us a... I wish you wouldn't do that," Jensen grumbles behind him. Jared is standing in front of a full-length mirror in their temporary hideout, better known as a motel room, and he's currently Jensen, right down to his Italian shoes.

"I, unlike my fellow shapeshifters, like to practice. It's not enough I can look like anybody, I want to get down mannerisms, speech patterns, the lot. I'm a perfectionist," Jared says, watching Jensen look increasingly thunderous over his reflected shoulder as Jared fusses with his waistcoat and pats at the temporarily short hair at his nape. He smiles at his reflection but it looks wrong. Once he frowns disapprovingly he looks more like Jensen.

"Please just... be you," Jensen snaps and Jared obliges, his reflection blurring for a second and then it's the same face he's been using for years. "Thank you," Jensen says through gritted teeth and Jared smirks and sketches a little salute.

"I live to please," he says.

"As I was saying," Jensen continues. "I've found us a base of operations. It's an abandoned warehouse on Fifth. The rent's cheap because the whole place smells like cat piss but I'm sure with a good airing and a judicious use of carefully positioned air fresheners we can overcome that problem."

"So, you've found us a secret lair," Jared says, waggling his eyebrows and Jensen rolls his eyes.

"A Head Office."

"Does it have a Bat Pole?"

"A what?" Jensen asks. He has a manila folder in hand, probably the lease agreement in triplicate knowing Jensen, and he snaps it closed.

"Apart from the one up your ass of course," Jared amends.

Jensen opens his mouth like he's going to say something back, but snaps it shut, mouth thinning into a displeased slash on the bottom half of his face. He looks up at the ceiling for a few moments, takes a breath and then says, "Did you need help packing?"

"Did you just count to ten?" Jared asks slowly.

"Yes," Jensen says. "It's a technique."

"For what?"

"For dealing with you."

"What's your power?"

"Why would I tell you that now?"

"Didn't think you would," Jared says, smirking. "Just hoped I could surprise it out of you when you were obviously completely distracted about how impossible I was being."

Jensen opens his mouth, closes it again and this time Jared counts with him. He gets to twenty before Jensen speaks so he must have been really pissed. "So, packing, or would you rather I just throw all your... belongings in trash bags."

"Don't put yourself out on my account."



Three months after they graduate, there's a get together that Jensen tells him about and puts in his calendar and reminds him of again and yet Jared still has no idea what Jensen is talking about when he says, "You can't go like that!"

"I have a calendar?" Jared asks, astonished and never one to not get stuck on the unimportant things.

"It's attached to your... never mind that," Jensen huffs. "What on earth are you wearing?"

Jared shrugs. "Red Lamp shirt. Can’t argue with the classics," he says and Jensen throws up his hands. Jensen is looking crisp in dark blue and white, hair perfect as always. Jared feels an irrational urge to run his fingers through it, muss it all up and make Jensen messy. Jared has to physically shake himself from those kinds of thoughts because Jensen is snapping his fingers in front of his nose.

"You should go, they're your friends."

Jared shrugs. "Why is this so important to you?"

"It's important because at these kinds of gatherings you make lasting contacts, maybe even form a group. You're not exactly..." Jensen flails his arms for a moment, indicating the entirety of Jared's being.

"What?" Jared asks, raising an eyebrow and feeling irritation stir in his gut. "What am I not exactly?" he presses even though he knows the answer. He’d been a popular student at school, part of Class Six which would make most people think he was living on easy street but there were prejudices even amongst the most blessed.

"You've got to admit that you'd be better off part of a team. You're not impervious or strong or-"

"Yeah, I get it, thanks," Jared interrupts, scowling. He's heard it before. His power is impressive and he made it into Class Six easily, but he was also aware that he doesn't exactly fit into the traditional superhero archetype. He had started thinking himself that he would be better off part of an ensemble, probably the only way he would stop being only partially useful. He was starting to feel like he would pretty much be stuck retrieving cats out of trees. Jensen was making a lot of sense but it didn't mean that Jared didn't resent the hell out of it, being told he was less than by someone who had been in the same class as a boy who was a glorified flashlight. "What would you know about it, hmm? Do you even have any powers?"

Jared spits it out like an insult and he regrets it immediately but Jensen nods stiffly, about-faces and retreats to the little corner of the warehouse he's claimed as his office before Jared can apologize.

"Shit," Jared breathes belatedly.



He goes to the gathering partly as an apology and partly because he can't stand being in the warehouse when Jensen is pointedly not talking to him. Jared is expecting a large group of his fellow ex-classmates so is surprised to find only four other people at the cafe that's scribbled on a piece of paper clutched in his hand.

After ordering coffee and cake and chatting for almost an hour, Jared finds that Jensen has probably put the perfect group together for him. He's impressed and he wishes Jensen were present so he could tell him.

In attendance is Morgan who was certainly a surprise. Morgan can lift thoughts from a person’s head and on the very rare occasion if he concentrates very hard and there's no loud noises or other distractions, actually put other ones in. Sam who is Morgan's wife and extremely fast is also there and Jared finds her down to earth but charming. The other two to round out the group of five that Jared is starting to think has real possibilities is Danneel and strangely enough, Milo.

Danneel he does vaguely recognize from school but she'd been a Class Three, not entirely useless but kind of on the edge of it. She was an illusionist and could make you believe you were anywhere in the world. Milo, unfortunately named Ladies Man, was in Jared’s class but only because he could put people to sleep with a touch, had done it to the teacher running Categorization his year and then had told the teacher that he'd been slotted into Class Six right before he had his unfortunate "fainting spell".

Milo and Jared had bonded immediately given their lack of any real offensive abilities and because Milo could burp the alphabet.

None of them are particularly flashy, and none of them would be able to stop something exciting like a bank heist but they could definitely work together, perhaps finding justice for the little guy or dabbling in corporate espionage. What's even more surprising is Jared genuinely finds himself liking these people and gets numbers and promises to meet up and work out a plan of action from each of them.

As they're leaving, Sam takes his elbow and pulls him aside. "Morgan says you still have your Sidekick."

"He prefers the term Personal Assistant actually," Jared says and feels a strange rush of affection at the thought. When Sam gives him a contemplative look he says, "What?"

"No one keeps their Sidekicks anymore, it's an idea from an age that's well passed," Sam says. "Danneel says her assigned superhero didn't even bother waiting until after graduation to dump her, most of them are the same. You're not exactly..." Sam makes a gesture that indicates the entirety of Jared's being and he's really getting sick of people doing that. "You were assigned Jensen, right?"

"Jensen?" Danneel interjects. She's got a giant scarf wrapped around her neck and most of her face so her voice is muffled. "That's weird."

"Why’s that weird?" Jared asks, feeling a protective... something thrill through him.

"We all thought he'd go the villain route. He's the type."

"How?" Jared asks again, still feeling protective but also curious. He's not sure how efficient, well-dressed and haughty equals villain.

"Oh, you know," Danneel says and Jared thinks she might shrug but it's hard to tell with that much scarf. She’s a beautiful woman but she seems to want to downplay it by swamping herself in layers and giant glasses. "Mysterious origin, no one knows his power, keeps to himself." Danneel ticks her points off on her fingers.

"Yeah, well, maybe he’s just shy," Jared says and beats a hasty retreat.



Jared is wearing a black dress shirt and gray slacks when Jensen finally emerges from his office. Jensen just blinks at him and then turns away, but Jared could swear he saw a flash of a grin right before Jensen averted his gaze. "Is this you apologizing?" Jensen asks.

"I thought maybe not wearing something with holes in it for a day would be a good start," Jared says.

Jensen hmms and then there's a stiff little nod. "You look nice."

Jared smiles at the back of Jensen's head. "Thanks."

It could be argued that in a world without superheroes, there would be no supervillains. The supervillain exists as a polar opposite, often rising out of the ashes of adversity or tragedy, much the same way as the hero. What’s surprising is that more heroes do not end up as villains. They are encouraged to work outside the law, take matters into their own hands.

- Excerpt from “Behind the Cape - Final Essay by J. Ackles”

"This is exactly what I've been saying," Jensen complains. They're both watching the news on the television Jensen has sourced from God knew where and they're eating takeout straight from the plastic containers. Jared has been having trouble following what's on because Jensen has removed his jacket and tie and rolled up his sleeves. The informality of it is making Jared a little lightheaded. Jensen always looks so put-together and seeing him like this, Jared’s mind starts to stray towards what Jensen would look like with some more layers removed.

He gets a funny look when Jensen notices his attention is not on the screen, green eyes narrowed and then widening slightly but Jensen seems to remember himself quickly and he gestures, reaching out a chopstick to nudge Jared' gaze forward. "The Fisher," Jensen says like a curse word. "The name doesn't exactly tell you how bad he is."

Jared now watches as shaky images of downtown flash by. There's smoke and people running and general mayhem. "General Mayhem would be an excellent supervillain name," Jared says and grimaces because one thing he was told in school was that he shouldn’t always verbalize whatever occurs to him. Jensen smiles for a moment but then his attention is drawn back to the screen and Jared finally sees what’s happening. There is a bus tipped over on its side on fire and a smoking hole where Jared is pretty sure a bridge should have been. Jared sees a cluster of brightly clad individuals in the corner of the screen, behind the reporter’s shoulder. The reporter explains that despite only minor injuries, The Fisher’s latest escapade cost more than the city was quite comfortable with.

A graph appears, outlining current superheroes’ response times and the reporter is complaining how while a group of heroes did eventually respond, they responded too late. “The Bullet’s in Hawaii on vacation. No one else can get there fast enough to bring the average up,” Jared says, flinging a dismissive hand at the response time graph.

"I don't know why I bother talking to you at all," Jensen snaps and Jared frowns at him. Even when he agrees with Jensen he seems to do it wrong.

"Captain Socks was rampaging last week and I don't remember you being this offended," Jared says, getting back to Jensen’s original point and also reaching over and snagging some of Jensen's lemon chicken. It shows just how distracted Jensen is that he doesn't immediately scream about germs being shared by Jared sticking his eating utensils anywhere near Jensen or his food. "C'mon. Captain Socks."

"The Fisher's different," Jensen growls and drops his current container next to his chair on the floor which again, pretty shocking.

"How so?" Jared asks because usually Jensen is so button-down about his emotions. He's not cold exactly, Jared has seen him be casually affectionate and jovial more than once, even in his general direction which he is starting to enjoy probably more than he should but Jensen doesn't usually get so... riled. Seeing him mad is a new and particularly thrilling experience.

Jensen opens his mouth like he's going to tell Jared just exactly how so but then the fight seems to drain out of him, leaving Jensen looking immensely drawn and tired. Jared starts to rise, concerned but Jensen waves him off. "Doesn't matter," he mutters and disappears into his corner.



The first meeting of The Group, better name pending, goes exceedingly well and Jared is in a tremendous mood. Jensen's already gathered together potential work for them and Jared has gotten very good at ignoring the strange and pointed looks Sam and Danneel pass at Jensen's presence at the meeting. Jensen even sits down with them for a post-meeting drink and manages to get Sam and Danneel laughing so hard that the looks stop.

"So I heard Green Bird and Nasty Pete are getting married," Danneel says as they're winding down and everyone's making suppose I should go movements like putting on coats and picking up bags. Jared rolls his eyes, knowing that they've reached the idle gossip section of the evening. He shoots an amused glance at Jensen because Nasty Pete is a hero name that he assumes Jensen will definitely have referenced in his essay but frowns when he sees Jensen has tensed.

"That's not the best idea," Jensen says slowly and everyone looks at him.

"I mean, probably," Danneel tries, sensing the mood in the room dip and trying to salvage it. She gets a dreamy look on her face when she says, "Green Bird could do a lot better."

"That's not what I meant," Jensen says. "Relationships compromise a hero. That's what the Secret Identity Act was all about. Heroes are supposed to only marry Normals because then they can live a separate life."

"Nasty Pete's pretty powerful. I'm sure they can-" Sam starts to say but Jensen just steamrolls on.

"Especially if it's so public. All a Villain would have to do is hurt one and they get the other one. Or worse."

"What's worse than that?" Danneel asks, looking bewildered.

"Bay City," Jensen says and everyone gasps because Bay City is something that no one Talks About, as superstitious to those in the super community as actors are about a certain Shakespearean play.

"Bay City won't happen again," Morgan says slowly, but his eyes dart in Sam's direction and the color is gone from his face.

"Oh really?" Jensen snarls. "Because you and Sam of all people should think about it if you're going Active."

"Jensen!" Jared says, starting to stand.

"No," Jensen says, putting a hand out in Jared's direction. "They need to face facts. You all might not be high profile but that doesn't mean you can't be used, the wrong kind of people can't think up uses for you given there's leverage available."

"Call my wife leverage again," Morgan growls, standing as well. "Just see what happens."

Jensen blinks, looks around the room, opens and closes his mouth and then visibly pales. "I'm... sorry. I'm so sorry, I don't know what..."

"Jensen," Jared says, reaches out a hand towards him but Jensen flees, everyone watching as he slams out of the warehouse door.

"He's certainly interesting," Milo pipes up.



Jared meets Morgan for lunch the next day when Jensen hasn't returned. It was that or stare at the warehouse door and his cell phone in alternating states of panic. Jensen has his number but Jared is completely chagrined to realize that he doesn't have Jensen's, nor does he even have the foggiest idea of where he lives. He starts to wonder, while waiting for Morgan to show up, if Jensen isn't so much mysterious as Jared just continually fails to ask him any specifics about his life.

It has something turn over in an uncomfortable way in the bottom of his stomach to think that if Jensen wanted to, he could just disappear from Jared's life completely.

Morgan appears, looking harried and disheveled which seems to be his default setting. He smiles when he sees Jared but it's in a distracted way. Jared half rises when Morgan gets close enough, asks, "Everything alright?"

Morgan waves him back down and flags a passing waitress for coffee before he gives Jared a weighty look. "What do you know about Jensen?" he asks without any preamble and Jared blinks at him.

"Why do I get the feeling that's more a prelude to you telling me about what you know than an actual question?" Jared says slowly, watching the way Morgan yanks a hand through his hair.

"I don't know anything at all," Morgan says and frowns. "That was my concern really."

"He went to our school though," Jared says, feeling confused. "Wasn't he in any of your classes? Didn't he have records as a Prof you could snoop into without any repercussions?"

"He was mostly privately tutored," Morgan says.

"Come again?"

"When he was booted into Class One he was enrolled in all the normal classes but he never showed and anyone that asked was told he had special needs and he was being taken care of outside of the normal syllabus."

"You're only bringing this up now?" Jared asks incredulously. "You sent me off with him as a Sidekick."

"It never affected me or Sam before," Morgan says and when he just looks at Jared steadily when Jared snorts at that, his humor dissipates.

"Right so, you have concerns?"

"I didn't really," Morgan admits. He's toying with his wedding ring, rotating it on his finger. "We've had a couple of students that had special needs before." Morgan doesn't make air quotes with his fingers, he's a bit too mature for that Jared figures, but Jared can hear them in what Morgan is saying regardless. "Mostly they were kids of high profile heroes that never developed powers. To avoid embarrassment they were still admitted to the school but they weren't mixed in with the general populace so that it was kept secret."

"Like who?" Jared asks automatically and Morgan opens his mouth but closes it again and narrows his eyes.

"Remember I can make anything disappear from your brain that I don’t want you to remember,” Morgan warns and Jared puts his hands up, palms forward with a sheepish grin. “That doesn't matter. I just thought that was probably Jensen's deal. He always seemed so... resentful of the super community."

"He has some strong opinions but I don't think he's that bad," Jared says, feeling that strange urge yet again to defend Jensen. He thinks uncomfortably of Danneel’s words, the way she’d said villain so flippantly. "Anyway, you don't anymore?"

"Not with how quickly Kane clammed up when I asked about Jensen, no," Morgan says and Jared raises his eyebrows.

"You went to Principal Kane to ask about him?" Jared says and he's starting to now feel angry and defensive. He's not sure where Morgan is going with this but he's beginning to really not like it.

"I thought maybe if I was right about my first assumption then it would explain why he's like he is and I didn't have to worry about him. Instead it made me more worried."

"Look, maybe you didn't like what he said but it doesn't mean it was wrong," Jared snaps. "He actually makes a lot of sense."

"Don't you start," Morgan warns.

"We bury our heads in the sand, we think we're so untouchable and that's exactly how something like Bay City happens," Jared continues, relentless.

"Now you're throwing Bay City in my face?" Morgan snaps, looking unnerved. Jared knows it’s the worst kind of low to bring up Bay City around a married hero.

"We pretend it never happened." Jared slaps a flat palm down on the table. "But you know that old saying about being doomed to repeat history, right?"

"Neither Sam nor I have the power to flatten a can, let alone a whole city," Morgan protests and Jared rolls his eyes.

"That's not the point and you know it." Jared isn't sure why he's so passionate about this subject, he's never really been passionate about anything. Jared's usual style in life is to coast but he's finding all kinds of... motivation and passion lately and he's pretty sure he knows who's at fault for that. He wonders how any of his teachers would have reacted if they’d found out that all it took was green eyes and freckles for Jared to become inspired. "Anyone of us can be a weapon given the right mind put to the task."

"I just... I like our team, I think we can do some real good and I thought those days were over for me. Maybe... does Jensen have to be involved?"

"We're a package deal," Jared says, surprising himself but knowing to the bottom of his shoes, for better or worse, that's become more true than he knows what to do with.

"Okay, fine. I just want it noted that he makes me nervous as hell."

"You get to say I told you so when he turns out to be some kind of evil genius bent on taking over the world with the help of a bunch of heroes that wouldn’t be able to stop so much as a mugging," Jared offers, still feeling a small measure of grumpiness but willing to let it go. He's beginning to know what it's like to feel protective of someone so he can forgive Morgan being overly cautious.

"Don't even tempt fate by saying that," Morgan says with a shudder.



He doesn't know where Jensen lives but obviously the reverse isn't true because he opens his door to Jensen at his threshold that same night. "Oh, hi," Jared says, trying for not bothered but probably veering dangerously close to ridiculously relieved. He doesn't want Jensen to get the very probably correct impression that he cares too much.

"Hi," Jensen returns and he's looking down at his shoes, shuffling his feet. Jared could scream with how adorable it is.

"You finished your tantrum then?" Jared asks because he can't stand Jensen looking so chagrined for much longer. He gets what he expects, Jensen's head snapping up and a scowl settling into place on his face.

"I wasn't-"

"Running away is not how we resolve conflict, Jensen," Jared continues in his best impression of Morgan’s teacher voice to needle and watches, satisfied as Jensen bristles back to his usual self.

Curt and lovely.

"Maybe I just had better things to do," Jensen snaps and even though he sounds pissed, he still shoulders by Jared into his apartment. "By all means," Jared throws out at Jensen's back as he disappears down the entry hall and then he hears Jensen grunt in disgust and there's the sounds of cardboard being kicked about.

"Oh yes, that's much more mature," Jared remarks when he reaches his living room and sees Jensen seems to be relieving his frustration by kicking pizza boxes into submission.

"Could you not be infuriating for twelve seconds?" Jensen asks and he actually sounds baffled.

"Most people find me completely charming," Jared says. "It seems to only be you that finds me annoying instead."

"Just -" Jensen wrenches hands through his hair and then steps across the room, over Jared's coffee table and the scattered remains of the last three night's dinner, grabs Jared by the wide flannel collar of his robe and kisses him.

"Ah, well, yes, there is that," Jared manages to get out when Jensen finally releases him and steps away, panting shallowly. "I would've... if you'd...I mean that's... coffee?" Jared finally says, at a loss.

"Yeah, thanks," Jensen nods, looking very pointedly at his shoes again and not at Jared who is glad for that because he pretty much trips over his slippers on the way to the kitchen, not the most suave exit he's ever made.

Probably the fact that his slippers are big fuzzy monster feet instantly cancels out any suaveness anyway.

When Jared is in the kitchen he plants two hands on the counter after flipping on the water to boil and tries very hard to pull himself together. He's known deep down for a while now that he's been harboring a definite crush but he hadn't ever expected it to go anywhere. For Jensen's ire to have been somewhat motivated by attraction has him smiling to himself and happy that Jensen hasn't followed him to the kitchen because he's pretty sure the expression could be classed as goofy. He hums as he pours and dumps two sugars and a dash of milk into both coffee mugs because he's pretty sure that Jensen takes it black.

When he gets back to the living room, mugs in hand, Jensen is sitting on the edge of Jared's overstuffed couch with Ginger, Mrs Little's cat from next door who manages to squeeze through Jared's bedroom window despite being three times the size of the gap left when Jared locks it open, sitting next to him. Jensen has one hand on top of the cat's head completely frozen like he'd gone to pat it as an automatic action and then forgot what he was doing.

Ginger doesn't seem fazed, rubbing his furry face up and down Jensen's hand because he seems to be quite content patting himself.

"That's not mine," Jared says, pointing one of the mugs at the cat and Jensen blinks at Ginger like he didn't even know the cat was there.

"Oh right, no," Jensen says slowly. "You don't seem like a cat person."

"I had a parrot once but I got distracted and it would've starved to death if it hadn't been the bird equivalent of Houdini."

"You sure it's not still here?" Jensen asks, forehead crinkling. "There's a mysterious and not at all pleasant smell coming from somewhere."

"I know where everything is," Jared says, shrugging, not one of those people who has ever felt the need to defend his slobbish tendencies. He nudges Ginger aside with a foot and drops carefully onto the couch next to Jensen. He hands one of the mugs over to Jensen.

“I would know where everything of mine was too if the answer was the floor,” Jensen points out and then makes a face as he soon as he takes a sip out of his mug. "You shouldn't dilute coffee, that's just criminal," he remarks, but he also relaxes somewhat, leaning back from his rigid position until his back actually touches couch cushion. He sighs and balances his mug on one knee. "You haven't kicked me out."

"Why would I?" Jared asks, raising an eyebrow.

"I just wanted to get that over with, deal with the repercussions."

"It sounds like you're expecting me to ground you or something," Jared laughs and Jensen looks at him, pained.

"Considering our professional relationship, I know I shouldn't have done it. Besides, you probably don't even -"

"Jensen, I do," Jared interrupts, setting his mug aside and also liberating Jensen of his own. "Whatever it is, I definitely do.”

Jensen rumbles, a good sound that Jared could get very used to as Jared pushes a hand up under Jensen’s shirt. “Wait,” Jared says, pausing and Jensen looks concerned until Jared says, “You’re not some kind of evil twin are you?” while he tugs on the admittedly pristine white t-shirt Jensen is wearing. He’s still in suit pants but he might as well be wearing an undershirt and boxers given Jensen’s usual dress.

“I was upset,” Jensen says. “I can’t really coordinate when I’m upset. This seemed safer.”

“Heaven forbid your dress shirt doesn’t match your socks,” Jared laughs, the sound getting lost halfway when Jensen tugs his robe open and grins to see that Jared isn’t wearing anything underneath.

“Tell me that’s real and you aren’t just embellishing,” Jensen says, reaching a hand under the material of Jared’s robe and putting a confident hand on his cock. Jared scoots down, parting his legs but then he frowns and smacks Jensen in the forehead while he still has the wits to do so.

“I don’t need to improve on perfection,” Jared says. “Everything’s me.”

“Good to know,” Jensen says and slides down, dislodging Ginger who murrs in an annoyed way. His knees hit the floor and he winces, Jared fighting not to laugh.

“Smooth,” he says and Jensen silences him by throwing the sides of his robe open and going down, sucking the head of Jared’s dick into his mouth. He comes off with a dirty pop after a few seconds and grins up at Jared who’s been reduced to panting and staring.

“Anything else to say?” he asks with a raised eyebrow and Jared shakes his head quickly, zipping fingers across his mouth, twisting them at the end and then throwing away the imaginary key. Jensen laughs and Jared’s pretty sure it’s the first time he’s heard it, so open and honest which makes his cock fill quicker than he’s used to. Jensen rolls his eyes and says, “You’re such a dork,” but Jared’s pretty sure there’s real affection in his tone along with the exasperation and at this point he’ll take what he can get.

He loses time after that, so involved with the feeling of Jensen sucking his brains out through his cock, free hand massaging his thigh and then scratching along his ribs and up to his nipple. Right before he comes, Jensen pulls off again and Jared fights the urge to grab Jensen’s head and force it back down, whining instead.

“I just had a thought,” Jensen says and there’s something in his tone that makes Jared pick his head up enough to be able to see the naughty glint in his eye. “A shapeshifter must be really good at bedroom roleplay. No costumes needed, right?”

Jensen wraps a hand around Jared and yanks. Jared arches with it, almost screaming because the sensation it too much and he explodes, coating his own chest and Jensen’s hand. Jensen sits back on his haunches, breathing hard and smiling.

| Part Two |