fic: illuminated
Title: illuminated
Author: puchuupoet
Word Count: ~1370
Characters: Jared/Jensen
Rating: pg-13 (language)
Heads up: Schmoop, some angst
Disclaimer: Not mine, never happened, completely fictional.
Notes: Written for nevaeh86 for the prompts she left in her journal: Something quiet, something a little bit melancholy maybe but at the same time warms your heart at the end and the Coldplay song "Christmas Lights".
The house is dark when Jensen gets dropped off, and he glances at his watch. Jared should be home by now, having arrived in Vancouver the previous day. He tips the driver before heading up the walkway, curious at the lack of lighting inside. It's freezing outside, but there's an unusual absence of snow that adds to Jensen's worry. He knew about it on the flight in, but to be in Vancouver and actually see it is another story.
"Hello?" Jensen's voice echos in the hallway, but after a moment he can hear the soft scratch of nails on the hardwood floor. Sadie noses into his hand as he reaches for the hallway light, and Jensen gives up on that quest, instead focusing on scratching behind her ears. He kicks his shoes off, appreciating the freedom after the long flight.
"Anyone else home with you, sweetie?" he asks, crouching down next to her. With a low whine, she headbutts against him. When Jensen stands, Sadie whines again, drawing it out into a low growl before turning around. He follows her down the hall, past the kitchen, and almost trips on her when she stops suddenly in a doorway.
The tree seems to be the only thing lit up in the house, but based on its size it should be enough. It billows out of the corner, full and lush and dripping with the multicolored lights that Jared loves. Jensen can smell it from where he stands, leaning against the doorjamb, Sadie heavy against his leg.
Sadie tenses suddenly, huffing out a sigh before getting up and walking to the couch. Jensen can't tell what riled her up, but he follows anyways, the idea of collapsing on the couch a favorable on to his legs.
A soft groan catches him off-guard, and when he peers down at Sadie she just returns the wide-eyed look before turning back to stare at the lump on the couch.
"Jared?" Jensen ventures, and the lump stirs again, hugging the blanket tighter around itself. Jensen takes that as a yes before carefully sitting on the edge of the couch. "Missed you."
It's quiet for a moment, and Jensen finds himself getting sleepy as he looks at the tree. There's some ornaments hanging from the tree, the rest of them still in boxes over to the side. It's a few days until Christmas and Jensen's not sure if they'll all end up on the tree before that.
Jared's fingers wrap around his wrist, warm from being tucked under the blanket, and Jensen gently eases back against him.
"Doesn't feel real."
"Christmas? Or something else?"
"All of it. Everything."
"Move over." Jensen waits until Jared pulls his legs up before scooting back to lean against the back of the couch. Jared twists around under the blanket until he's flipped himself around, his head resting on Jensen's thigh. It reminds Jensen of how long it's been since they've had time alone to themselves, with no worry of work interruptions for the next few weeks. It's the first time Jensen feels like he's really had a chance to catch his breath, which he's reminded of when Jared starts kneading at his calf.
"Sucks it's not snowing. It almost feels like home outside," Jensen comments, which earns him a soft huff from Jared. He threads his fingers through Jared's hair, and Jensen realizes how much he's been looking forward to Jared growing it long again over the break.
"'s not though," Jared murmurs, and Jensen finds himself halfheartedly agreeing.
"It's been a rough year," which feels like such a goddamn understatement. Too much shifting around, and even though they're both used to it, Jensen knows it caught them both off-guard.
He lets himself sink back into the cushions, his eyes glazing over as he tries not to focus on any particular area of the tree. It turns into a mesmerizing blur, Jared's grip on him tensing to the rhythm of his breathing. Jensen starts to slump over against Jared, so close to sleep after a long day of travel.
A low whine has his body ready before his mind is, and Jared grunts out in surprise when Sadie jumps up on the couch. She lands on Jared's legs, scrabbling for purchase as she makes her way up his body. She wedges herself between the couch and Jared's back, resting her chin on Jensen's arm.
"Hey girl," Jensen scratches her on the long line of her nose. "Feeling left out?"
Sadie whines again, wriggling a bit closer before butting her jaw up against Jensen again. Jared wriggles in response, making an almost equally sad noise that makes Jensen's stomach twist.
"You guys wanna go check out the lights tomorrow? Go on a long car ride, thermos of hot chocolate and all that?"
Sadie's tail thumps hard against the back of the couch at the mention of the car, and Jared tilts his head to look up at Jensen. His eyes look red and swollen in the light, and Jensen wishes he could chalk it up to the light and shadows being cast by the tree. He leans down to press a kiss to Jared's forehead.
"She's gonna git you," Jared sleepily drawls out, but the warning comes too late, the dog's tongue landing deep in Jensen's ear.
Jensen shakes his head, trying to get away, but Sadie's persistent and Jared's heavy on his lap. She snuffles one last time against Jensen's cheek before settling back down, and he tries to ignore the feeling of dog drool drying on his face.
"Can we spike it?" Jared asks, and it takes a moment for Jensen to remember the conversation.
"Once we're home."
"And carols?"
"Definitely."
"Mmmm."
Jensen doesn't push him for an answer, just wriggles down at an angle until he knows his back will ache in the morning. But it moves Jared farther up his chest, until Jensen can brush his thumb against Jared's cheek and watch his eyelashes flutter open at the touch.
"I'm in." Jared disentangles his arm from under the blanket, reaching up to awkwardly pat at Jensen's head. "And thanks."
"Anything," Jensen tells him. "You ready to move up to bed?"
Jared shakes his head, hair scattering across his face. "Not yet. But I'm gonna grab something to drink. You want something?"
"Let me." As hard as it is for Jensen to stand from his current position, it's still light years easier than trying to get Sadie to move from her perch on Jared's back. Jensen scritches her ears as he walks past her on the way to the kitchen.
The neighbors have started to turn their Christmas lights on, and Jensen pauses by the window to glance outside at them. He can start to see the logic in leaving them up year-round, avoiding these last minute scrambles, but maybe that rush of panic is what makes the holidays what they are. Jensen ducks in closer to the glass, surprised at what he thinks he sees.
"Jared!" he calls out, skidding down the hallway in his socks. Jensen cautiously opens the front door to a cold breeze, and he inhales a deep breath of it. He can hear a thud from the living room, followed by Sadie's nails clicking quickly towards him. She pushes past him, bounding out the door and down the stairs to the front lawn.
"What is it?" Jared hooks his chin over Jensen's shoulder, arms wrapping around him. "What the...?"
"It's fucking snowing."
"Finally." Jared presses a warm kiss to Jensen's neck. They both stay still, watching Sadie run in circles on the lawn, her claws kicking up sod when she made a tight turn.
A cold gust reminds them of the hour, and Jensen straightens up, his back cracking. Jared lets loose a low whistle and Sadie dashes towards him, shaking off the light snow that had collected on her back. They follow her into the house, and Jensen pauses to lock up the front door.
"Think I'm ready for bed now," Jared tells him when he turns back around, reaching out to clumsily tangle their cold fingers together. Jensen nods and lets Jared lead him upstairs, Sadie leading the way.
Author: puchuupoet
Word Count: ~1370
Characters: Jared/Jensen
Rating: pg-13 (language)
Heads up: Schmoop, some angst
Disclaimer: Not mine, never happened, completely fictional.
Notes: Written for nevaeh86 for the prompts she left in her journal: Something quiet, something a little bit melancholy maybe but at the same time warms your heart at the end and the Coldplay song "Christmas Lights".
The house is dark when Jensen gets dropped off, and he glances at his watch. Jared should be home by now, having arrived in Vancouver the previous day. He tips the driver before heading up the walkway, curious at the lack of lighting inside. It's freezing outside, but there's an unusual absence of snow that adds to Jensen's worry. He knew about it on the flight in, but to be in Vancouver and actually see it is another story.
"Hello?" Jensen's voice echos in the hallway, but after a moment he can hear the soft scratch of nails on the hardwood floor. Sadie noses into his hand as he reaches for the hallway light, and Jensen gives up on that quest, instead focusing on scratching behind her ears. He kicks his shoes off, appreciating the freedom after the long flight.
"Anyone else home with you, sweetie?" he asks, crouching down next to her. With a low whine, she headbutts against him. When Jensen stands, Sadie whines again, drawing it out into a low growl before turning around. He follows her down the hall, past the kitchen, and almost trips on her when she stops suddenly in a doorway.
The tree seems to be the only thing lit up in the house, but based on its size it should be enough. It billows out of the corner, full and lush and dripping with the multicolored lights that Jared loves. Jensen can smell it from where he stands, leaning against the doorjamb, Sadie heavy against his leg.
Sadie tenses suddenly, huffing out a sigh before getting up and walking to the couch. Jensen can't tell what riled her up, but he follows anyways, the idea of collapsing on the couch a favorable on to his legs.
A soft groan catches him off-guard, and when he peers down at Sadie she just returns the wide-eyed look before turning back to stare at the lump on the couch.
"Jared?" Jensen ventures, and the lump stirs again, hugging the blanket tighter around itself. Jensen takes that as a yes before carefully sitting on the edge of the couch. "Missed you."
It's quiet for a moment, and Jensen finds himself getting sleepy as he looks at the tree. There's some ornaments hanging from the tree, the rest of them still in boxes over to the side. It's a few days until Christmas and Jensen's not sure if they'll all end up on the tree before that.
Jared's fingers wrap around his wrist, warm from being tucked under the blanket, and Jensen gently eases back against him.
"Doesn't feel real."
"Christmas? Or something else?"
"All of it. Everything."
"Move over." Jensen waits until Jared pulls his legs up before scooting back to lean against the back of the couch. Jared twists around under the blanket until he's flipped himself around, his head resting on Jensen's thigh. It reminds Jensen of how long it's been since they've had time alone to themselves, with no worry of work interruptions for the next few weeks. It's the first time Jensen feels like he's really had a chance to catch his breath, which he's reminded of when Jared starts kneading at his calf.
"Sucks it's not snowing. It almost feels like home outside," Jensen comments, which earns him a soft huff from Jared. He threads his fingers through Jared's hair, and Jensen realizes how much he's been looking forward to Jared growing it long again over the break.
"'s not though," Jared murmurs, and Jensen finds himself halfheartedly agreeing.
"It's been a rough year," which feels like such a goddamn understatement. Too much shifting around, and even though they're both used to it, Jensen knows it caught them both off-guard.
He lets himself sink back into the cushions, his eyes glazing over as he tries not to focus on any particular area of the tree. It turns into a mesmerizing blur, Jared's grip on him tensing to the rhythm of his breathing. Jensen starts to slump over against Jared, so close to sleep after a long day of travel.
A low whine has his body ready before his mind is, and Jared grunts out in surprise when Sadie jumps up on the couch. She lands on Jared's legs, scrabbling for purchase as she makes her way up his body. She wedges herself between the couch and Jared's back, resting her chin on Jensen's arm.
"Hey girl," Jensen scratches her on the long line of her nose. "Feeling left out?"
Sadie whines again, wriggling a bit closer before butting her jaw up against Jensen again. Jared wriggles in response, making an almost equally sad noise that makes Jensen's stomach twist.
"You guys wanna go check out the lights tomorrow? Go on a long car ride, thermos of hot chocolate and all that?"
Sadie's tail thumps hard against the back of the couch at the mention of the car, and Jared tilts his head to look up at Jensen. His eyes look red and swollen in the light, and Jensen wishes he could chalk it up to the light and shadows being cast by the tree. He leans down to press a kiss to Jared's forehead.
"She's gonna git you," Jared sleepily drawls out, but the warning comes too late, the dog's tongue landing deep in Jensen's ear.
Jensen shakes his head, trying to get away, but Sadie's persistent and Jared's heavy on his lap. She snuffles one last time against Jensen's cheek before settling back down, and he tries to ignore the feeling of dog drool drying on his face.
"Can we spike it?" Jared asks, and it takes a moment for Jensen to remember the conversation.
"Once we're home."
"And carols?"
"Definitely."
"Mmmm."
Jensen doesn't push him for an answer, just wriggles down at an angle until he knows his back will ache in the morning. But it moves Jared farther up his chest, until Jensen can brush his thumb against Jared's cheek and watch his eyelashes flutter open at the touch.
"I'm in." Jared disentangles his arm from under the blanket, reaching up to awkwardly pat at Jensen's head. "And thanks."
"Anything," Jensen tells him. "You ready to move up to bed?"
Jared shakes his head, hair scattering across his face. "Not yet. But I'm gonna grab something to drink. You want something?"
"Let me." As hard as it is for Jensen to stand from his current position, it's still light years easier than trying to get Sadie to move from her perch on Jared's back. Jensen scritches her ears as he walks past her on the way to the kitchen.
The neighbors have started to turn their Christmas lights on, and Jensen pauses by the window to glance outside at them. He can start to see the logic in leaving them up year-round, avoiding these last minute scrambles, but maybe that rush of panic is what makes the holidays what they are. Jensen ducks in closer to the glass, surprised at what he thinks he sees.
"Jared!" he calls out, skidding down the hallway in his socks. Jensen cautiously opens the front door to a cold breeze, and he inhales a deep breath of it. He can hear a thud from the living room, followed by Sadie's nails clicking quickly towards him. She pushes past him, bounding out the door and down the stairs to the front lawn.
"What is it?" Jared hooks his chin over Jensen's shoulder, arms wrapping around him. "What the...?"
"It's fucking snowing."
"Finally." Jared presses a warm kiss to Jensen's neck. They both stay still, watching Sadie run in circles on the lawn, her claws kicking up sod when she made a tight turn.
A cold gust reminds them of the hour, and Jensen straightens up, his back cracking. Jared lets loose a low whistle and Sadie dashes towards him, shaking off the light snow that had collected on her back. They follow her into the house, and Jensen pauses to lock up the front door.
"Think I'm ready for bed now," Jared tells him when he turns back around, reaching out to clumsily tangle their cold fingers together. Jensen nods and lets Jared lead him upstairs, Sadie leading the way.