Fic: Missing Piece of the Puzzle, Jared/Jensen/Genevieve, NC-17 4/?
Title: Missing Piece of the Puzzle
Fandom: Supernatural RPF
Pairing: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki/Genevieve Cortese
Chapter: 4/?
Length 4327
Rating NC-17
Warnings/Kinks dub-con, mpreg, dystopia, sort of slave fic
Summary In a world where women can no longer have children, genetically engineered Omegas fill this function- if you can pay the price (and live with the consequences.) Jared and Gen are happily married, and buying Omega Jensen Ackles for the birth of their child seems like the perfect solution. The only downside is that Omegas can't survive the birth of a child- and that by design they degenerate after a certain age. Not that Omegas know this.
Notes Based on this prompt. With thanks to Tipsy Kitty for her time and edit!
Chapter 1, 2, 3
She nestled in a bit, then pulled away to look at him. "We can't solve this by ignoring it," she said. "If there's a problem with Jensen we have to get it fixed before this visit to the farm. He's got to come with us and have his own check up, remember, and the warranty works two ways. If there's a problem, they have the right to withdraw him and replace him with a different model. So, if we want to keep him, we'll have to sort this out."
"Yeah," he said, and broke apart to head for the sofa.
Gen stood where she was, looking at him. "You do want to keep him, don't you Jared?" she asked, striking right to the heart of what he was worried about.
"Of course I do!" he replied heatedly. "It's just complicated I guess. I didn't think we'd be having problems like this."
With a sigh, she moved closer and perched on the back of the sofa, hand falling onto his neck and stroking gently. "I think we should take him as he is," she said quietly, "we both like it, you know that. We can't freak out because he's different than we expected."
Jared gave a nod. "You're right. Do you want to smooth things over with him?"
"Sure," she said. "And I'm going to mention to him that he probably shouldn't say anything about this at the Farm. That'll be for the best."
//
Driving back to the Farm gave enough of a surreal flavour to the day itself- the last time they'd driven along this road, they'd been bringing Jensen home. Now they were on their way back for their final confirmation that he was theirs permanently, and the atmosphere was to say the least tense. They'd opted for all automation on this occasion, and Jared was desperately wishing he'd opted for driving as some distraction. Gen looked calm beside him, but her knee was jerking nervously and Jensen in the back was looking out the window rather than at either of them.
Once they'd stepped inside, they were separated off quite fast, Jared and Gen being taken to Franzie straight off by Robin, and Jensen being left in the reception area. It wasn't customary to let Omegas visit their old fellows, the need to keep those who had not yet been picked in isolation from the world was essential, and the other resident in-house counsellor was on lunch break it seemed like.
Inside, the room was the same neutral beige that it had been before, and Franzie was exactly the same as well. Not for the first time, Jared wondered why she hadn’t opted for the popular anti-aging shots that most of the rest of the population started sometime around their twenties or thirties. Not that they expanded your life span at all, but looking and feeling young, if not being young, was something most people wanted. Jared had decided not to start his own until thirty so he had another year yet, and Gen was still in the process of making her decision. Franzie however had clearly chosen to let her years show, and Jared found himself distracted by the sight as she caught up with them on how Jensen was working out for them. Gen gave him a nudge in the side, tired of carrying the conversation as best as she could alone.
“So everything has been going fine?” Franzie said, making a small note on her palm-piece, in addition to switching her mic on.
“Great,” Gen replied with a smile. “Jensen is everything we hoped for.”
Franzie switched her attention to Jared, and he sat up straighter under her unexpectedly penetrating gaze. “What about you Jared?” she asked. “Are you as happy with Jensen as you’d expected? I know you had expressed an initial preference for the Cynthia model.”
“Happier than I’d expected even,” he answered- an honest answer as far as it went. Part of him wanted to ask Franzie about all the anomalous bits of Jensen’s behaviour, but the rest of him remembered what Gen had said about the facility retaining the right to withdraw defective models, and an instinctive wariness kept him from mentioning any of it. Shifting under her gaze he found himself blurting out. “He’s lovely.”
That was clearly the right answer judging from the smile she gave him. “Excellent. He’s completely satisfactory then?”
Jared nodded, and Gen answered. “One hundred percent,” she said brightly. “We’re so lucky to have picked him.”
Franzie asked a few more innocuous questions and Jared was just beginning to relax, when the most pertinent one was asked. “Have you decided when you’re going to conceive?”
“No,” Jared said, and shifted on his chair uncomfortably, knowing how final that must’ve sounded. Franzie’s eyes narrowed and he elaborated a little more. “We’re interested in keeping him a little longer. It’s a very expensive investment after all, and it’s nice to get full usage from it.” As though he’d suddenly blanked out for a moment, he actually listened to what he was saying, and was overcome with a strange unrealness like it wasn’t actually him saying that. It felt wrong to talk about how expensive Jensen had been, as though he were boasting about a new chair or something. When he glanced sideways to see if Gen had spotted anything off, her face was turned away from him, and he could only see the fall of her hair, dark against her skin. “Yeah,” he finished, suddenly uncomfortable. “We’d like to take our time.”
“Very commendable,” Franzie said briskly, but her eyes were cool as though she’d sensed some of his doubts. “Do bear in mind however that there is a time limit for a reason. The longer you wait to conceive, the closer Jensen will come to the end of his working life. It’s been almost six months, and as with all pregnancies the child will gestate for nine months. Which of the three year total that Jensen had left when he came to you, leaves you with just over one and a half years, and that’s if you cut it so fine that you’re right up against the wire, which we certainly do not recommend.” Jared nodded, unsure of what to reply.
“We understand,” Gen said, and her voice was definitely not as polite as usual. “But he is our Omega now, and I think it’s for the best if we decide when the most appropriate time is for our child to be born.” The room was silent for a bit, Gen not backing down at all in the face of Franzie’s clear irritation.
“We’re the experts,” Franzie said finally, when it became clear that Gen wasn’t going to soften that initial assessment. “It’s our job to give you all the facts and advise you at this exciting time of your life. Not to mention we’re the ones who will be ensuring that the pregnancy happens at all.”
“We know, and we’re grateful,” Jared cut in, before Gen could reply. He flashed his best smile at Franzie hoping she’d believe him. “It’s just, you know how it is. We’d like some time with him before everything comes to pass.” Franzie seemed to accept his words, and continued on with the session, mostly reiterating things they’d heard before.
Finishing up, she looked at them both. “Remember,” she said, “any problems we’re here to help. If you feel like you’re getting too attached you can always request additional sessions with me, or call if you have any questions.” She gave them both a professional smile, and Gen was up on her feet in an instant.
“Thanks,” she said. “We really should be going now though.”
Franzie’s eyes shot to the clock which still showed ten minutes left of the hour. “We’re not quite done yet,” she said, but Gen had her hand on the door and Jared was right behind her, leaving the counsellor gaping with disapproval.
Gen was halfway down the corridor when Jared caught up with her, put a hand on her arm to calm her down, and she twisted it away from him. “I really really don’t like her,” she said, and with a shock Jared saw she was close to tears. This time when he pulled her in there was no resistance at all, and he tucked her head under his chin for a long hug, unsure what to say. He never saw Gen like this- of the two of them she was generally the most calm and collected. Before he had to ask though she told him. “I just can’t stand her,” she said. “She makes me feel like we’re doing something faintly wrong. It’s all so clinical, but it’s like she’s slopped TCP over something disgusting.”
He hadn’t been able to articulate it until that moment, but Gen had described exactly how he felt after talking to Franzie, and he hugged her closer. “I totally get what you mean,” he said;- “C’mon, let’s go get Jensen and head off.” They made their way back to the reception area with ease, where Robin appeared in seconds with the second hard copies to sign. “Where’s Jensen?” Jared asked, scanning the room.
“His checkup isn’t quite done,” Robin said brightly. “You two were out a little earlier than expected. No worries, that gives us time to have a bit of a chat. How are you doing with Jensen?”
“We’re good,” Gen said cautiously, “he’s everything we’d expected.”
“Good, good,” Robin said with a smile, and turned to Jared with a raised eyebrow. “Everything you hoped he’d be, Jared?” he said, and just like that the thought flashed into Jared’s mind he’s pumping me for information. Everything about that thought was ridiculous, he knew, from the pre-war phrasing that sounded like something out of one of Jensen’s books, to the idea that Robin would want information from them. It wasn’t like Jensen was some sort of state secret after all. Still, it made him more cautious than he would’ve been otherwise, especially freed from the restraint of Franzie’s presence. Good cop, bad cop, he thought ridiculously, but couldn’t shake the image.
“Fantastic,” he said, brightly in return. “Couldn’t hope for more, and looking forward to the child.” Robin’s smile widened.
“That’s great news,” he said. “Can I offer you two a drink of some sort while you wait?” They both declined and he disappeared to whisk the papers away.
Jared called out after him. “Robin, could you do me a favour?”
Robin stopped to look back. “Of course,” he said with another smile.
“I know you gave us the short form contract duplication, but our lawyer wants a full copy of the contract,” Jared improvised. “Said he needed it for his records, and for the tax forms. Some legalese or the other.” He wasn’t entirely sure that Robin was buying it for a second.
“Sure,” Robin said with only a second’s hesitation. “Give me his ID number.”
Jared turned to Gen praying she wouldn’t question this, and would pick up the ball. He felt stupid for even thinking that though as she leaped in without even a little pause, and whipped out her palm point. “Oh,” she said after a second of staring at the screen, “that’s ridiculous,” and she looked quite genuinely annoyed. “Server is down,” she made a face at the palm, and an apologetic grimace at Robin. “Sorry,” she said, “can you slide it to mine, and I’ll slide it on to him when we get home to the fixed point?”
“No problem,” Robin said easily, and accessed the database on his own and then replicated the results and forwarded them to Gen. As he finished the door opened and Jensen came out and across to them. Jared and Gen stood up, and Robin waved a friendly goodbye as they left.
Once in the car, Gen glanced at Jared. “What was that all about?” she said keeping her voice low, even though Jensen was wearing headphones.
He shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said honestly, “I just want to have a look at it. What was with you and Franzie?”
“I really don’t like her,” Gen said fiercely. “Not in the least. Seriously, if I’ve never got to see her again it’ll be too soon. Jensen might not be-be like us, but she refers to him like he’s this tiny footnote and it just pisses me off okay?” She hunched her shoulders a little, and looked out of the window.
The rest of the journey was conducted mostly in silence, and when Jared glanced behind him, Jensen’s eyes were fixed on them both thoughtfully. It was an odd look, and Jared had had most of the oddness that he could stand for one day at least, and turned away to ignore it. When they got out of the car, he stayed behind to grab the additional box of food that they’d been given for Jensen, and to hang up the headphones that Jensen had left on the seat absentmindedly. As he went to tuck them back in though (wasn’t like they’d ever got used much- both he and Gen had the standard ear mods) he noticed something odd. There was nothing on the playlist that flickered in the inset panel. Jensen had been listening to dead air.
Or, and the thought struck him like walking into the cold night air. To Jared and Gen talk. He dismissed it impatiently. They hadn’t been talking about anything important. But you could have been a small voice said inside him. It was just luck they hadn’t been more explicit about their worries. He brushed the thought aside, he was getting paranoid and seeing plots anywhere. Why would Jensen want to eavesdrop on them anyway?
Carrying the box inside, he found Jensen setting the table for two in the kitchen, humming to himself quietly, as he straightened out the cloth. Fancy, Jared thought with surprise. They usually ate casually. Gen bustled up behind him and gave him a peck on his chin. “Sorry for being such a grump earlier,” she said with a smile. “Let’s just have a quiet night in hm?” He acquiesced easily, and brushed a kiss on her head in return. “I’m going to make dinner,” she said, a certain grim look in her eye.
“I’ll do it,” Jared said. Gen was talented in a lot of things, but electrical appliances had a difficult time around her, and she gave him a grin.
“Deal. I’ll open the wine.” She was hunting for the old wine opener, when Jensen headed for the cabinet where they kept the glasses. When he stretched out for them, his sleeve rolled back, showing a small square of white attached to his arm on the curve of the elbow.
“What’s that?” Jared asked, nodding at it, and Jensen pulled his sleeve down.
“Sorry,” he said contritely. Small wounds and injuries were pretty disgusting and not something you’d expect to see much of- if they happened you kept them private and hidden until they were healed. Something to do with the general distaste for medical procedures and illness in general. “I had my check up today to make sure I’m healthy, and they gave me a couple of injections.”
“What for?” Jared asked.
Jensen shrugged his shoulders. “No idea,” he said. “I asked but the answer was something about vitamin deficiency.” Jared felt slightly stupid for assuming that they’d tell Jensen anything. Jensen set the glasses out, and picked up the small silvery packet of his own food, and emptied it into a bowl placing it on the side until it was time to mix it with water, and Jared felt his eyebrows raise.
“Is everything okay?” he asked. “I thought that stuff was meant to give you everything you needed. Vitamins and that sort of thing. Do you need some more supplements or something?”
Jensen gave him a slightly bemused look. “I’m sure everything is fine,” he said but there was something about him that sounded unconvincing. “Seriously,” he said, “they’d let you know if something was wrong,” and the unspoken ‘not me, so why are you asking’ hovered in the air, though Jensen was far too polite to say anything of the sort.
“You’re right,” Jared said, and got back to the food, catching Gen’s eye for a brief second- she’s heard everything that’s been said. Conversation between them over dinner was still stilted and awkward, both of them uncomfortably aware of Jensen sitting in the next room eating his own dinner, and Jared didn’t know how to articulate everything that he was feeling without sounding like he was paranoid as hell. He had nothing to go on, nothing but a vague sense of unease, and he didn’t even have a clue whether there’s anything to be wary about or- if there is- what on earth it could be.
The mood was still subdued when they shifted into the front room, and Jensen sunk down to the floor in front of the sofa so easily, staring with fascination at the entertainment unit that covers most of one wall. They’re not a very media oriented household- Jared lives in fear that they’ll end up watching one of the terrible thrillers that he’s scripted in his time- but tonight he welcomed it, anything to break up the awkwardness between the three of them, that shouldn’t even be there. There’s no time to think about that though; Gen chose to randomise the selection, and luckily the first thing that popped up was some generic action vid that Jared had never seen let alone written. He fell asleep easily to the sounds of non-harmful gunfire, the shouts and calls of the actors on the screen, and woke up to the action hero rescuing the heavily pregnant Omega from the rampant criminals who were trying to hold it hostage, Jensen was watching in fascination still, Gen’s sleeping hand curled into his hair. Still half asleep he watched the end sequence, the loving couple happy to have their baby back, the passionate kisses they exchanged, the degeneration into the standard soft porn sequence, and couldn’t help in his sleep honest state wondering why they’re so grateful.
They got their Omega back, but at that sort of stage of pregnancy it’s not exactly going to be for long. So the joy and relief at his safe return is for the baby, not for the Omega, and something about that hit Jared coldly and deeply in the heart for reasons he couldn’t even explain. Soon, he knew, soon Jensen will be gone and they’d have a baby of their own, and he couldn’t explain why that thought hurt so much. So he shoved it aside, and shook Gen awake gently- he’d carry her up the stairs but she’d probably wake up and panic half-way up, and she sighed into his arm before stretching. Jensen tucked right down into the bottom of the bed like he usually does, and though Jared hadn’t pushed the issue since Gen got back from her trip, tonight he really felt like he needed Jensen to be close to them both.
So he tugged him up, and thanked thin air that they had a bed easily big enough for the three of them. Jensen made no protest, just snuggles down in between them, turned his face into Gen’s hair and fell asleep instantly. Jared took longer to fall asleep, surprising given how tired he was, just stared into the dark space of the room, and stroked his fingers down Jensen’s arm, stopped each time he comes to the small plaster, ran his fingers over and around it, weirdly repulsed and fascinated by it at the same time. Underneath that small square, blood circles as Jensen’s heart beat and pumped it around his body, Jared knew that much. They’d stopped teaching biology in school, long before he went, but he’d picked up basic general knowledge and he can apply that to Jensen’s body, to Gen’s and to his own. Blood pumps through them, takes oxygen to their cells. Underneath they’re all the same, the rich red you never see if you can help it. He fell asleep, fingers still circling Jensen’s arm.
When he woke up the bed was empty, but still a little warm, and he rolled over to spread himself out fully and enjoyed being able to stretch after a night spent curled around two other people. He wasn’t given long to enjoy the space though, or the quiet either as Jensen appeared, carefully bearing a cup of coffee in his hands and watching with a smile as Jared drained half the cup with a long groan. When Jared was done (in about three swallows- the heat really doesn’t bother him), Jensen plucked the cup from his hands and kissed him, deep and hard and long until Jared was gasping and turned on, and really not sure why that suddenly came up. Jensen seemed to read his thoughts, let his mouth curl in a secret smile.
“Gen said to say good morning in an appropriate fashion,” he said, following it up with another kiss that had Jared tugging him down onto the bed and rolling over on top of him in an effort to keep him there, all the awkwardness and strangeness of the previous day forgotten in the living breathing reality of Jensen there beside him, smiling at him fit to break a heart.
“What’ve you been up to?” he asked, not really caring as he kisses his way down Jensen’s neck, couldn’t resist running his fingers down the warm strength of Jensen’s body, at least not until he saw the look Jensen was giving him, the rather smug smile and he hadn’t even known an Omega’s face could show that particular emotion, and he got it finally. “You and Gen,” he said rather stupidly, overwhelmed with how hot that particular idea is, and Jensen grinned at him wider.
“She said you’d like it,” he said, rocked slightly against Jared, dick already hard after whatever he’d been doing with Gen, and Jared almost didn’t dare ask, afraid that in his already aroused state he was going to embarrass himself by coming just at the description. Gen had guessed right that this would be up his street, the mental images flooding across his mind are almost paralysing him with the subsequent hotness. They were grinding against each other now and if Jared had had a little more self control they could be doing more, but he really didn’t care at this moment in time, all he could think about is getting off exactly like this as fast as he can.
He couldn’t even tell what time it is, the soft grey light flooding in through the window gave him no clue either, but it feels perfect just like this, in the coolness of the room and the warmth and the bed- the heat of Jensen against him, rocking upwards lazily, and when he managed to get a hand in between them it was almost a shock to feel them together against each other. It felt fantastic, but it’s not until he got a good look at Jensen up this close, light laugh lines creased around his eyes as he smiled that he came.
He doesn’t really want to get up after that- it’s only the second time it’s happened but it already feels a little bit like a habit, but Jensen is possessed of obscene amounts of energy, even after what is presumably his second orgasm of the morning. He’s up like a shot, collecting the mug and picking up the clothes from the floor to drape on the bed. Now that he’s pulled his pants back up, he looks almost decent if it wasn’t for the rustled mess of his hair and his flushed face as he heads back downstairs. Jared wishes he had a tenth of the same energy, and wonders how tired he’d be right now, if he hadn’t drunk the coffee. Smart idea of Gen’s that one. Eventually he managed to get up and have a quick shower before he headed downstairs. Gen was in the study working, and Jensen was sitting crosslegged on the sofa in the same room, head bent over a book. Since Jared had found him crying he’s been less likely to sneak off and read his books, and the small pile that had been under his bed had disappeared, though they haven’t yet appeared back on the shelves.
As he passes, Jared sneaks a peek over his shoulder to try and catch the title, and Jensen hunches a little more over it instinctively, then consciously relaxes and lets Jared see. It’s a hardback version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, again not one which Jared has read, but he knows the basic story and can’t see anything wrong with it. With a soothing pat to the back of Jensen’s neck, he goes to kiss Gen good morning properly.
“Thought you might like to sleep in a bit,” she says, returning the kiss with interest, referring obliquely to the shitty day they’d both had yesterday. Jared liked to sleep in after days like that, Gen liked to bury herself in work to try and forget. From the darkness under her eyes, he wasn’t sure how successful that had been, but decided not to press the point, just brought up his own work to start on. If he got enough done in the morning, he’d take the afternoon off and he already had plans for that time.
The first thing that popped up though was the contract that Gen had slid from her palm point to his at some point, and hesitant he looked at Jensen and Gen. Seeing that they were pretty absorbed in their respective occupations, he headed for the front room ostensibly to write in privacy; in reality to read the contract. He wasn’t sure why he was doing this- it was bringing nothing good to their lives, he knew that much, but curiosity really was his besetting sin, and for once he was giving into it.
Chapter 5 here
Fandom: Supernatural RPF
Pairing: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki/Genevieve Cortese
Chapter: 4/?
Length 4327
Rating NC-17
Warnings/Kinks dub-con, mpreg, dystopia, sort of slave fic
Summary In a world where women can no longer have children, genetically engineered Omegas fill this function- if you can pay the price (and live with the consequences.) Jared and Gen are happily married, and buying Omega Jensen Ackles for the birth of their child seems like the perfect solution. The only downside is that Omegas can't survive the birth of a child- and that by design they degenerate after a certain age. Not that Omegas know this.
Notes Based on this prompt. With thanks to Tipsy Kitty for her time and edit!
Chapter 1, 2, 3
She nestled in a bit, then pulled away to look at him. "We can't solve this by ignoring it," she said. "If there's a problem with Jensen we have to get it fixed before this visit to the farm. He's got to come with us and have his own check up, remember, and the warranty works two ways. If there's a problem, they have the right to withdraw him and replace him with a different model. So, if we want to keep him, we'll have to sort this out."
"Yeah," he said, and broke apart to head for the sofa.
Gen stood where she was, looking at him. "You do want to keep him, don't you Jared?" she asked, striking right to the heart of what he was worried about.
"Of course I do!" he replied heatedly. "It's just complicated I guess. I didn't think we'd be having problems like this."
With a sigh, she moved closer and perched on the back of the sofa, hand falling onto his neck and stroking gently. "I think we should take him as he is," she said quietly, "we both like it, you know that. We can't freak out because he's different than we expected."
Jared gave a nod. "You're right. Do you want to smooth things over with him?"
"Sure," she said. "And I'm going to mention to him that he probably shouldn't say anything about this at the Farm. That'll be for the best."
//
Driving back to the Farm gave enough of a surreal flavour to the day itself- the last time they'd driven along this road, they'd been bringing Jensen home. Now they were on their way back for their final confirmation that he was theirs permanently, and the atmosphere was to say the least tense. They'd opted for all automation on this occasion, and Jared was desperately wishing he'd opted for driving as some distraction. Gen looked calm beside him, but her knee was jerking nervously and Jensen in the back was looking out the window rather than at either of them.
Once they'd stepped inside, they were separated off quite fast, Jared and Gen being taken to Franzie straight off by Robin, and Jensen being left in the reception area. It wasn't customary to let Omegas visit their old fellows, the need to keep those who had not yet been picked in isolation from the world was essential, and the other resident in-house counsellor was on lunch break it seemed like.
Inside, the room was the same neutral beige that it had been before, and Franzie was exactly the same as well. Not for the first time, Jared wondered why she hadn’t opted for the popular anti-aging shots that most of the rest of the population started sometime around their twenties or thirties. Not that they expanded your life span at all, but looking and feeling young, if not being young, was something most people wanted. Jared had decided not to start his own until thirty so he had another year yet, and Gen was still in the process of making her decision. Franzie however had clearly chosen to let her years show, and Jared found himself distracted by the sight as she caught up with them on how Jensen was working out for them. Gen gave him a nudge in the side, tired of carrying the conversation as best as she could alone.
“So everything has been going fine?” Franzie said, making a small note on her palm-piece, in addition to switching her mic on.
“Great,” Gen replied with a smile. “Jensen is everything we hoped for.”
Franzie switched her attention to Jared, and he sat up straighter under her unexpectedly penetrating gaze. “What about you Jared?” she asked. “Are you as happy with Jensen as you’d expected? I know you had expressed an initial preference for the Cynthia model.”
“Happier than I’d expected even,” he answered- an honest answer as far as it went. Part of him wanted to ask Franzie about all the anomalous bits of Jensen’s behaviour, but the rest of him remembered what Gen had said about the facility retaining the right to withdraw defective models, and an instinctive wariness kept him from mentioning any of it. Shifting under her gaze he found himself blurting out. “He’s lovely.”
That was clearly the right answer judging from the smile she gave him. “Excellent. He’s completely satisfactory then?”
Jared nodded, and Gen answered. “One hundred percent,” she said brightly. “We’re so lucky to have picked him.”
Franzie asked a few more innocuous questions and Jared was just beginning to relax, when the most pertinent one was asked. “Have you decided when you’re going to conceive?”
“No,” Jared said, and shifted on his chair uncomfortably, knowing how final that must’ve sounded. Franzie’s eyes narrowed and he elaborated a little more. “We’re interested in keeping him a little longer. It’s a very expensive investment after all, and it’s nice to get full usage from it.” As though he’d suddenly blanked out for a moment, he actually listened to what he was saying, and was overcome with a strange unrealness like it wasn’t actually him saying that. It felt wrong to talk about how expensive Jensen had been, as though he were boasting about a new chair or something. When he glanced sideways to see if Gen had spotted anything off, her face was turned away from him, and he could only see the fall of her hair, dark against her skin. “Yeah,” he finished, suddenly uncomfortable. “We’d like to take our time.”
“Very commendable,” Franzie said briskly, but her eyes were cool as though she’d sensed some of his doubts. “Do bear in mind however that there is a time limit for a reason. The longer you wait to conceive, the closer Jensen will come to the end of his working life. It’s been almost six months, and as with all pregnancies the child will gestate for nine months. Which of the three year total that Jensen had left when he came to you, leaves you with just over one and a half years, and that’s if you cut it so fine that you’re right up against the wire, which we certainly do not recommend.” Jared nodded, unsure of what to reply.
“We understand,” Gen said, and her voice was definitely not as polite as usual. “But he is our Omega now, and I think it’s for the best if we decide when the most appropriate time is for our child to be born.” The room was silent for a bit, Gen not backing down at all in the face of Franzie’s clear irritation.
“We’re the experts,” Franzie said finally, when it became clear that Gen wasn’t going to soften that initial assessment. “It’s our job to give you all the facts and advise you at this exciting time of your life. Not to mention we’re the ones who will be ensuring that the pregnancy happens at all.”
“We know, and we’re grateful,” Jared cut in, before Gen could reply. He flashed his best smile at Franzie hoping she’d believe him. “It’s just, you know how it is. We’d like some time with him before everything comes to pass.” Franzie seemed to accept his words, and continued on with the session, mostly reiterating things they’d heard before.
Finishing up, she looked at them both. “Remember,” she said, “any problems we’re here to help. If you feel like you’re getting too attached you can always request additional sessions with me, or call if you have any questions.” She gave them both a professional smile, and Gen was up on her feet in an instant.
“Thanks,” she said. “We really should be going now though.”
Franzie’s eyes shot to the clock which still showed ten minutes left of the hour. “We’re not quite done yet,” she said, but Gen had her hand on the door and Jared was right behind her, leaving the counsellor gaping with disapproval.
Gen was halfway down the corridor when Jared caught up with her, put a hand on her arm to calm her down, and she twisted it away from him. “I really really don’t like her,” she said, and with a shock Jared saw she was close to tears. This time when he pulled her in there was no resistance at all, and he tucked her head under his chin for a long hug, unsure what to say. He never saw Gen like this- of the two of them she was generally the most calm and collected. Before he had to ask though she told him. “I just can’t stand her,” she said. “She makes me feel like we’re doing something faintly wrong. It’s all so clinical, but it’s like she’s slopped TCP over something disgusting.”
He hadn’t been able to articulate it until that moment, but Gen had described exactly how he felt after talking to Franzie, and he hugged her closer. “I totally get what you mean,” he said;- “C’mon, let’s go get Jensen and head off.” They made their way back to the reception area with ease, where Robin appeared in seconds with the second hard copies to sign. “Where’s Jensen?” Jared asked, scanning the room.
“His checkup isn’t quite done,” Robin said brightly. “You two were out a little earlier than expected. No worries, that gives us time to have a bit of a chat. How are you doing with Jensen?”
“We’re good,” Gen said cautiously, “he’s everything we’d expected.”
“Good, good,” Robin said with a smile, and turned to Jared with a raised eyebrow. “Everything you hoped he’d be, Jared?” he said, and just like that the thought flashed into Jared’s mind he’s pumping me for information. Everything about that thought was ridiculous, he knew, from the pre-war phrasing that sounded like something out of one of Jensen’s books, to the idea that Robin would want information from them. It wasn’t like Jensen was some sort of state secret after all. Still, it made him more cautious than he would’ve been otherwise, especially freed from the restraint of Franzie’s presence. Good cop, bad cop, he thought ridiculously, but couldn’t shake the image.
“Fantastic,” he said, brightly in return. “Couldn’t hope for more, and looking forward to the child.” Robin’s smile widened.
“That’s great news,” he said. “Can I offer you two a drink of some sort while you wait?” They both declined and he disappeared to whisk the papers away.
Jared called out after him. “Robin, could you do me a favour?”
Robin stopped to look back. “Of course,” he said with another smile.
“I know you gave us the short form contract duplication, but our lawyer wants a full copy of the contract,” Jared improvised. “Said he needed it for his records, and for the tax forms. Some legalese or the other.” He wasn’t entirely sure that Robin was buying it for a second.
“Sure,” Robin said with only a second’s hesitation. “Give me his ID number.”
Jared turned to Gen praying she wouldn’t question this, and would pick up the ball. He felt stupid for even thinking that though as she leaped in without even a little pause, and whipped out her palm point. “Oh,” she said after a second of staring at the screen, “that’s ridiculous,” and she looked quite genuinely annoyed. “Server is down,” she made a face at the palm, and an apologetic grimace at Robin. “Sorry,” she said, “can you slide it to mine, and I’ll slide it on to him when we get home to the fixed point?”
“No problem,” Robin said easily, and accessed the database on his own and then replicated the results and forwarded them to Gen. As he finished the door opened and Jensen came out and across to them. Jared and Gen stood up, and Robin waved a friendly goodbye as they left.
Once in the car, Gen glanced at Jared. “What was that all about?” she said keeping her voice low, even though Jensen was wearing headphones.
He shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said honestly, “I just want to have a look at it. What was with you and Franzie?”
“I really don’t like her,” Gen said fiercely. “Not in the least. Seriously, if I’ve never got to see her again it’ll be too soon. Jensen might not be-be like us, but she refers to him like he’s this tiny footnote and it just pisses me off okay?” She hunched her shoulders a little, and looked out of the window.
The rest of the journey was conducted mostly in silence, and when Jared glanced behind him, Jensen’s eyes were fixed on them both thoughtfully. It was an odd look, and Jared had had most of the oddness that he could stand for one day at least, and turned away to ignore it. When they got out of the car, he stayed behind to grab the additional box of food that they’d been given for Jensen, and to hang up the headphones that Jensen had left on the seat absentmindedly. As he went to tuck them back in though (wasn’t like they’d ever got used much- both he and Gen had the standard ear mods) he noticed something odd. There was nothing on the playlist that flickered in the inset panel. Jensen had been listening to dead air.
Or, and the thought struck him like walking into the cold night air. To Jared and Gen talk. He dismissed it impatiently. They hadn’t been talking about anything important. But you could have been a small voice said inside him. It was just luck they hadn’t been more explicit about their worries. He brushed the thought aside, he was getting paranoid and seeing plots anywhere. Why would Jensen want to eavesdrop on them anyway?
Carrying the box inside, he found Jensen setting the table for two in the kitchen, humming to himself quietly, as he straightened out the cloth. Fancy, Jared thought with surprise. They usually ate casually. Gen bustled up behind him and gave him a peck on his chin. “Sorry for being such a grump earlier,” she said with a smile. “Let’s just have a quiet night in hm?” He acquiesced easily, and brushed a kiss on her head in return. “I’m going to make dinner,” she said, a certain grim look in her eye.
“I’ll do it,” Jared said. Gen was talented in a lot of things, but electrical appliances had a difficult time around her, and she gave him a grin.
“Deal. I’ll open the wine.” She was hunting for the old wine opener, when Jensen headed for the cabinet where they kept the glasses. When he stretched out for them, his sleeve rolled back, showing a small square of white attached to his arm on the curve of the elbow.
“What’s that?” Jared asked, nodding at it, and Jensen pulled his sleeve down.
“Sorry,” he said contritely. Small wounds and injuries were pretty disgusting and not something you’d expect to see much of- if they happened you kept them private and hidden until they were healed. Something to do with the general distaste for medical procedures and illness in general. “I had my check up today to make sure I’m healthy, and they gave me a couple of injections.”
“What for?” Jared asked.
Jensen shrugged his shoulders. “No idea,” he said. “I asked but the answer was something about vitamin deficiency.” Jared felt slightly stupid for assuming that they’d tell Jensen anything. Jensen set the glasses out, and picked up the small silvery packet of his own food, and emptied it into a bowl placing it on the side until it was time to mix it with water, and Jared felt his eyebrows raise.
“Is everything okay?” he asked. “I thought that stuff was meant to give you everything you needed. Vitamins and that sort of thing. Do you need some more supplements or something?”
Jensen gave him a slightly bemused look. “I’m sure everything is fine,” he said but there was something about him that sounded unconvincing. “Seriously,” he said, “they’d let you know if something was wrong,” and the unspoken ‘not me, so why are you asking’ hovered in the air, though Jensen was far too polite to say anything of the sort.
“You’re right,” Jared said, and got back to the food, catching Gen’s eye for a brief second- she’s heard everything that’s been said. Conversation between them over dinner was still stilted and awkward, both of them uncomfortably aware of Jensen sitting in the next room eating his own dinner, and Jared didn’t know how to articulate everything that he was feeling without sounding like he was paranoid as hell. He had nothing to go on, nothing but a vague sense of unease, and he didn’t even have a clue whether there’s anything to be wary about or- if there is- what on earth it could be.
The mood was still subdued when they shifted into the front room, and Jensen sunk down to the floor in front of the sofa so easily, staring with fascination at the entertainment unit that covers most of one wall. They’re not a very media oriented household- Jared lives in fear that they’ll end up watching one of the terrible thrillers that he’s scripted in his time- but tonight he welcomed it, anything to break up the awkwardness between the three of them, that shouldn’t even be there. There’s no time to think about that though; Gen chose to randomise the selection, and luckily the first thing that popped up was some generic action vid that Jared had never seen let alone written. He fell asleep easily to the sounds of non-harmful gunfire, the shouts and calls of the actors on the screen, and woke up to the action hero rescuing the heavily pregnant Omega from the rampant criminals who were trying to hold it hostage, Jensen was watching in fascination still, Gen’s sleeping hand curled into his hair. Still half asleep he watched the end sequence, the loving couple happy to have their baby back, the passionate kisses they exchanged, the degeneration into the standard soft porn sequence, and couldn’t help in his sleep honest state wondering why they’re so grateful.
They got their Omega back, but at that sort of stage of pregnancy it’s not exactly going to be for long. So the joy and relief at his safe return is for the baby, not for the Omega, and something about that hit Jared coldly and deeply in the heart for reasons he couldn’t even explain. Soon, he knew, soon Jensen will be gone and they’d have a baby of their own, and he couldn’t explain why that thought hurt so much. So he shoved it aside, and shook Gen awake gently- he’d carry her up the stairs but she’d probably wake up and panic half-way up, and she sighed into his arm before stretching. Jensen tucked right down into the bottom of the bed like he usually does, and though Jared hadn’t pushed the issue since Gen got back from her trip, tonight he really felt like he needed Jensen to be close to them both.
So he tugged him up, and thanked thin air that they had a bed easily big enough for the three of them. Jensen made no protest, just snuggles down in between them, turned his face into Gen’s hair and fell asleep instantly. Jared took longer to fall asleep, surprising given how tired he was, just stared into the dark space of the room, and stroked his fingers down Jensen’s arm, stopped each time he comes to the small plaster, ran his fingers over and around it, weirdly repulsed and fascinated by it at the same time. Underneath that small square, blood circles as Jensen’s heart beat and pumped it around his body, Jared knew that much. They’d stopped teaching biology in school, long before he went, but he’d picked up basic general knowledge and he can apply that to Jensen’s body, to Gen’s and to his own. Blood pumps through them, takes oxygen to their cells. Underneath they’re all the same, the rich red you never see if you can help it. He fell asleep, fingers still circling Jensen’s arm.
When he woke up the bed was empty, but still a little warm, and he rolled over to spread himself out fully and enjoyed being able to stretch after a night spent curled around two other people. He wasn’t given long to enjoy the space though, or the quiet either as Jensen appeared, carefully bearing a cup of coffee in his hands and watching with a smile as Jared drained half the cup with a long groan. When Jared was done (in about three swallows- the heat really doesn’t bother him), Jensen plucked the cup from his hands and kissed him, deep and hard and long until Jared was gasping and turned on, and really not sure why that suddenly came up. Jensen seemed to read his thoughts, let his mouth curl in a secret smile.
“Gen said to say good morning in an appropriate fashion,” he said, following it up with another kiss that had Jared tugging him down onto the bed and rolling over on top of him in an effort to keep him there, all the awkwardness and strangeness of the previous day forgotten in the living breathing reality of Jensen there beside him, smiling at him fit to break a heart.
“What’ve you been up to?” he asked, not really caring as he kisses his way down Jensen’s neck, couldn’t resist running his fingers down the warm strength of Jensen’s body, at least not until he saw the look Jensen was giving him, the rather smug smile and he hadn’t even known an Omega’s face could show that particular emotion, and he got it finally. “You and Gen,” he said rather stupidly, overwhelmed with how hot that particular idea is, and Jensen grinned at him wider.
“She said you’d like it,” he said, rocked slightly against Jared, dick already hard after whatever he’d been doing with Gen, and Jared almost didn’t dare ask, afraid that in his already aroused state he was going to embarrass himself by coming just at the description. Gen had guessed right that this would be up his street, the mental images flooding across his mind are almost paralysing him with the subsequent hotness. They were grinding against each other now and if Jared had had a little more self control they could be doing more, but he really didn’t care at this moment in time, all he could think about is getting off exactly like this as fast as he can.
He couldn’t even tell what time it is, the soft grey light flooding in through the window gave him no clue either, but it feels perfect just like this, in the coolness of the room and the warmth and the bed- the heat of Jensen against him, rocking upwards lazily, and when he managed to get a hand in between them it was almost a shock to feel them together against each other. It felt fantastic, but it’s not until he got a good look at Jensen up this close, light laugh lines creased around his eyes as he smiled that he came.
He doesn’t really want to get up after that- it’s only the second time it’s happened but it already feels a little bit like a habit, but Jensen is possessed of obscene amounts of energy, even after what is presumably his second orgasm of the morning. He’s up like a shot, collecting the mug and picking up the clothes from the floor to drape on the bed. Now that he’s pulled his pants back up, he looks almost decent if it wasn’t for the rustled mess of his hair and his flushed face as he heads back downstairs. Jared wishes he had a tenth of the same energy, and wonders how tired he’d be right now, if he hadn’t drunk the coffee. Smart idea of Gen’s that one. Eventually he managed to get up and have a quick shower before he headed downstairs. Gen was in the study working, and Jensen was sitting crosslegged on the sofa in the same room, head bent over a book. Since Jared had found him crying he’s been less likely to sneak off and read his books, and the small pile that had been under his bed had disappeared, though they haven’t yet appeared back on the shelves.
As he passes, Jared sneaks a peek over his shoulder to try and catch the title, and Jensen hunches a little more over it instinctively, then consciously relaxes and lets Jared see. It’s a hardback version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, again not one which Jared has read, but he knows the basic story and can’t see anything wrong with it. With a soothing pat to the back of Jensen’s neck, he goes to kiss Gen good morning properly.
“Thought you might like to sleep in a bit,” she says, returning the kiss with interest, referring obliquely to the shitty day they’d both had yesterday. Jared liked to sleep in after days like that, Gen liked to bury herself in work to try and forget. From the darkness under her eyes, he wasn’t sure how successful that had been, but decided not to press the point, just brought up his own work to start on. If he got enough done in the morning, he’d take the afternoon off and he already had plans for that time.
The first thing that popped up though was the contract that Gen had slid from her palm point to his at some point, and hesitant he looked at Jensen and Gen. Seeing that they were pretty absorbed in their respective occupations, he headed for the front room ostensibly to write in privacy; in reality to read the contract. He wasn’t sure why he was doing this- it was bringing nothing good to their lives, he knew that much, but curiosity really was his besetting sin, and for once he was giving into it.
Chapter 5 here