Catch Me When I Fall 1/1
Title: Catch Me When I Fall
Art Post: HERE
Beta: strgazr04
Artist: darklondonsky
Rating: PG
Pairing/Genre: Gen, Non-Au
A/N: This was written for the j2noauchallenge. I really wanted to write some Jared and Jensen friendship fic since the fandom seems so depleted of it. So you won't find any sexual romance here, sorry. But what you will find is some good old friendship schmoop. I tried to use the correct names for the crew and such, I have no prior knowledge of anything medical I'm just going off what I do know. I would like to thank aelia1980 for running the challenge and my artist, darklondonsky for making incredible art and always keeping me updated on her progress!
Summary: Jared gets hurt at work while doing a stunt but why is Jensen the one left feeling crappy?
Jared grunts as their stunt coordinator, Lou Bollo, tightens the straps on his harness effectively pinching his skin in the process. He knows that in order to do this stunt he needs to get strapped into a harness but he didn't know there would be pinching involved. Jared can just imagine all the red marks that will be on his stomach tomorrow morning.
He groans and lets his long hair flop in front of his face.
“We ready over there?” Their director, Phil, yells from across the old warehouse. They are currently shooting a scene where Sam and Dean are up against demons. Unfortunately for Jared, Sam gets flung into the air, thus the reason for the harness.
Jensen has yet to appear out of the dressing room and Jared smirks at thinking of his friend primping in the mirror. “Pretty ass.” Jared mumbles under his breath with no real heat to his words.
“Almost!” Lou yells back to Phil, checking the straps again.
“You sure you want to do this Jared?” Lou asks with a slight pinch in between his forehead.
Jared smirks. He loves doing his own stunts, he's not sure why everyone on set is always asking him about whether he wants to do them or not. Usually Jensen will tell him the stunt is too dangerous and to let his stunt double do it, and typically Jared will listen but at the moment his friend isn't here. This is his coverage after all. It's been awhile since he's done a stunt and he's been itching to do one again.”Yeah I'm sure.”
“Ok,” Lou mutters uncertainly but doesn't say anything else as he checks everything before yelling to Phil that he's ready.
Sweat drips down Jared’s forehead and into his eyes. He blinks it away and does his best not to grimace. He's not going to complain about a stunt that he wanted to do. He's not letting Jensen laugh at him afterwards and tell him 'I told you so' in his snarky little voice.
“Everyone ready on set!” Phil yells again.
He takes a deep breath and sees the actor finally come into place, with the contacts for the black eyes and all. Jensen is still nowhere to be found though which sort of makes Jared a little nervous. Even on his coverage Jensen always stood on the sidelines and watched him, always there when Jared was doing a serious stunt.
Jared shakes his head with a small laugh at how ridiculous he is acting. He is a grown man and fully capable of taking care of himself. He didn't need his best friend there just to do a simple stunt.
Though it would be nice Jared thinks wistfully to himself.
Jared feels his palms begin to sweat a little. Jared is a known sweater and his nerves are wrecking havoc on his body right now.
Hearing Phil call action, Jared braces himself for when the demon starts talking and flings its wrist so he can be flung into the air. He doesn't have any lines. They just need to get this action sequence filmed before moving on.
“You two are nothing but dirt underneath my shoe. I knew Crowley should have taken care of you two when he had the chance.” The demon sneers and Jared feels his heart beat faster. This is it.
Suddenly the harness is being jerked backwards and he goes right along with it. He feels the cords tighten which causes his whole body to lock up with tension. Unexpectedly he's meeting an abrupt end on the padding, but the ground feels so hard when he impacts. He lets out a groan and finds black spots dance across his vision.
People are yelling and running and all Jared can do is shake his head to try and clear his vision.
Wrong move, Jared thinks as bile rises up his oesophagus and he leans over to cough it out on the floor. He chokes and gags as the sickening bile keeps splattering out until he has nothing left to heave.
A hand settles on his back and it makes him flinch with a moan. His head is pounding worse now after throwing up and his whole body aches. He doesn't even know what happened, one minute he was doing a stunt and the next pain. All he knows is this wasn't what was planned. Not at all.
“Shit! What happened?”
He recognizes that voice as Phil. Jared swallows down more bile and closes his eyes. The room is beginning to spin and voices keep yelling and feet keep smacking concrete and he wants them to just stop.
He wants Jensen and if that isn't the most pathetic thing in the world he doesn't know what is.
“Jared, hey man you ok?” Lou, their stunt coordinator asks softly. At least he isn't screaming Jared thinks.
Jared swallows some before answering. “Yeah,” His voice husks out, sounding odd to his own ears.
“Wha' happened?”
Now that his vision is starting to focus he can clearly make out Lou's face above him, accompanied by Phil a couple of their lighting and sound crew and the guest actor who was with him.
No Jensen though.
“The cord in the harness was too strung tight and you slammed the ground when you landed. Even with the padding you took a hard hit there.” Lou explains guiltily.
Jared tries to process that information but his mind is starting to shut down. Everything is going fuzzy and the voices around him become slow, as if he's under water somehow. His eyes begin to close and his head continues pulsing with pain but he thinks about Jensen, wondering if he's done with makeup yet.
Jensen sighs impatiently as their hairdresser, Jeannie, expertly trims his hair. If he knew he needed a haircut then he would have gotten one at a barber shop. Jeannie is the best there is but she's so meticulous it can take up to an hour just to get a trim.
It's not like he has a scene yet but Jensen is anxious. Most of today was just Jared's coverage but Jensen always likes to be there and watch, it helps with working out his scenes and getting a feel for things and how the day is going to go.
He doesn't like sitting in the makeup trailer while Jared is out there. Jensen rubs at his eyes trying to be careful of the makeup there, the last thing he needs is to have his makeup redone.
“Are we done yet?” He whines softly.
Jeannie sticks her tongue out and swiftly cuts some hair off before her face straightens out into a smile. “Yeah we're done.” She brushes off the hair from around his neck before removing the towel that was making sure hair didn't fall onto his clothes.
Jensen sighs with relief and gives her a smile. “You're the best.”
“I know. Now go out there and knock them dead.” Jeannie says with a wave of her hand.
He wipes himself off before he walks out of the trailer. His legs were beginning to cramp from sitting in the same position for so long. Checking his watch, he wonders if Jared's stunt is over with but the crew is nowhere to be seen so he decides the set must still be busy.
Walking over to the set, he stealthily tries to enter the warehouse they are using without making the old doors squeak. He's about to see though that squeaking doors are the least of his worry.
As soon as he pushes the old doors open he immediately feels it. Tension. The set is usually free of such suffocating tension and Jensen knows something has to be wrong.
Focusing on the set and crew he notices that they were all huddled around something near the back of the building.
Jensen feels his heart freeze and his legs turn into jelly. Jared!
Rushing over to the big crowd he pushes his way through until he's bending down and reaching down at his still friend. “Jay?” Jensen asks softly, touching his cheek and then his pulse point. Something he picked up from his character Dean.
Jared doesn't respond just lays there lifelessly as breath puffs in and out of his mouth. Almost like he's sleeping. The bruises and blood covering his temple though completely throw that theory out the window.
“What happened?” Jensen asks gruffly. He didn't mean for it to come out so hostile but Jared's unconscious and he was fine not only an hour before when he left to go do his stunt. Something went wrong and Jensen’s about to find out.
Phil's face is pale and like the rest of the crew he has a shocked look on. Lou though looks guilty, almost like he might throw up.
“Th-the cords on the harness became too tight,” Lou visibly swallows before continuing. “An-and he slammed the mat harder than expected.”
“Do you think he needs a hospital?” Jensen asks suddenly but Jared begins to squirm after that, a low moan coming from his throat.
“No h'ptl.” Jared moans firmly. His eyes furrow until he opens them to be met with Jensen's face peering down at his own.
“Hey you ok?” Jensen asks. Jared notices the rest of the crew bends down to hear his answer.
“Yea..” Jared says in answer though he knows it's a lie. His head is still killing him and his back aches fiercely now. Before his whole body hurt but now his lower back is killing him.
“Hey, it's alright.” Jensen soothes at seeing tears leak out of Jared's eyes. He's seen Jared cry before, but never like this. He takes his hand and gently wipes away the tears leaking out as he feels tears of his own well up. “Maybe we should take him to the hospital.” Jensen asks quietly.
Suddenly though, Jared's hand is grasping hard at his wrist. “No hospital.” Jared firmly states. Jensen would take him seriously if he didn't look like he went three rounds with a brick wall.
“But-”
“Why don't we let the medic come check him out?” Phil offers softly. The only one of the crowd to actually speak up.
Jensen nibbles on his lower lip in worry, Jared's hand still latched onto his wrist. “Ok.” Jensen relents. “Alright get the medic in here but then let’s head home for today.”
Phil nods and walks off while talking on his headset. The crowd begins to disperse as they silently get back to what they were working on.
Everyone leaves but Lou who’s still peering down at Jared with a guilty expression.
“Lou, man it wasn't your fault.” Jensen offers kindly. Lou just shakes his head and walks off with his shoulders slumped.
Jensen sighs and kneads at his forehead. This was going to be a very taxing day, he could already see it.
“Jen...” Jared moans out. His eyes roll around in his head before focusing on Jensen's face.
Jensen seems different but he can't quite figure out why. It's probably because at the moment he's seeing two of Jensen but still. Something’s wrong and Jared can’t figure out what.
“Hey, hey it'll be ok. Look the medic is already here.” Jensen said with a smile, while doing his best to keep Jared awake.
The medic, Ed, bends down swiftly. “What happened?”
“Stunt went wrong. Hit his face pretty hard as well as his body. There was protective padding there but it seems to not have done a lick of good for him.”
Ed hums softly as he gently prods at Jared's head to discern of any visible lumps or bumps. When his hand glides over a sore sport Jared hisses instantly, his eyes closing in pain. “Sorry man.” Ed apologizes.
Checking the rest of his body Ed frowns.
“What?” Jensen asks nervously noticing the medics frown.
“Nothing, actually Jared seems to be ok. I'd say he has a mild concussion and his lower back took the brunt of the fall. He'll have some spectacular bruises come morning but otherwise he'll be ok. He just needs some rest.”
“No hospital then?”
Ed shakes his head. “No, he just needs to go home.”
Jensen sighs and shakily scrubs a hand over his face. “I'll take him home.”
Ed smiles and claps Jensen on the back. “You know my number, if you need to call me or need any help just let me know and I can be there within twenty minutes.”
“Thanks,” Jensen smiles and does his best not to let his nerves get the better of him.
Phil walks up just as Ed was standing up and peers curiously at them, obviously needing to know a verdict.
“Jared will be ok but he needs to rest for a few days.”
Phil sighs. “That's good, I already told Clif. He's waiting out back with the car to take you home. I'm going to give you both a week off, or more depending on how well Jared is. Alright Jensen?”
Jensen nods. “That sounds good, man. I'll keep you updated.”
Jared's eyes try and focus on all the bodies that seem to be moving at light speed but all it's doing is making him dizzy. He shuts his eyes briefly and listens to what he thinks is Jensen's voice.
Jensen's voice always had a way to make him calm down. He doesn't know what it is, whether it's because it reminds him of home or that Jensen just has that certain way with him but he feels his body beginning to relax.
“Hey.”
Suddenly someone is shaking him and he groans. “Wh't?” Jared's eyes open to see Jensen peering down at him and Lou and Phil behind him.
“We're going home now ok? Phil and Lou are going to help me get you out to the car.”
Jared swallows. Moving is the last thing he wants to do but he really does want to go home. “Ok.”
With Phil and Lou's help Jensen hefts up Jared's body to a virtual position. He has to hold onto his arm when he sways but after a few minutes regaining his balance, Jared begins to slowly walk off the set to where the car is.
“Almost there.” Jensen whispers softly at noticing how green around the gills Jared is.
Jared nods but doesn't really pay attention to Jensen, his sole focus is making it to the car so he could finally rest. His legs feel like jelly, his head is pounding at a mile a minute and his lower back is on fire. All he wants to do is go home and go to sleep.
Finally, after what seems like hours the car comes into site. Phil and Lou drop them off when Clif walks up to help. With part of Jared's help and a lot of manhandling he and Clif were able to get Jared buckled in the back seat.
Jensen bites on his lip when he sees Jared visibly collapse. His head falls to the side and rests against the window.
“You ready?” Clif asks, snapping Jensen out of his musing.
“Yeah,” Jensen stares at Jared for a few more minutes before getting into the passenger seat and going to his and Jared's shared home.
Despite not wanting to, Jensen manages to fall asleep on the way. He was dead tired as it was and all the worry was making his stress levels spike. He's usually good at being able to keep his stress low but that seems to fly out the window when Jared gets hurt.
Jensen can handle himself getting banged up or bruised during a stunt. He can't handle seeing Jared get hurt, especially since if he was there at the scene like he was supposed to be, Jared wouldn't have gotten hurt.
Guilt has been eating him alive, he's usually the sensible one, the man of reason. He almost always is there to tell Jared when something is a bad idea, but he was too busy getting a haircut. How stupid is that?
Jensen sighs and kneads at his forehead. He lifts his head from its perch on the window and automatically turns back to check on his friend. Jared is still out cold though, he could even hear some snoring.
He smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes.
He's grateful at seeing their house in the distance, he couldn't take much more of this stuffy car anyway.
When Clif pulls up to the driveway, he and Clif somehow manage to manhandle Jared out of the car and into the house without so much as a word from Jared.
Jared's bedroom is upstairs. But even with Clif, Jensen knows they'll never be able to lug his Sasquatch body upstairs, so he settles on his room instead.
Turning on the light, Jensen goes over to the bed and pulls down his covers so Clif can lay Jared’s body on the mattress.
“Geez, the kid needs to lay off all the candy.” Clif huffs softly as he wipes sweat from his brow.
Jensen snorts and begins pulling off Jared's clothes to where he's only in his boxers and under shirt. Tucking the blanket around Jared, Jensen frowns at seeing the vivid bruising along his friends forehead and temple. He wonders if it's as painful as it looks.
He's interrupted out of his thoughts when Clif lays a heavy hand on his shoulder.
“Do you want me to stay?” Clif asks honestly, his face set in sincere smile.
Jensen thinks about it for a few minutes, he could probably use an extra set of hands in dealing with Jared but then he figures that he can make do as is.
“No, I think I got it. You can have the day off, man. It'll just be me and Jared here for the rest of the week.” Jensen quietly whispers.
Clif smiles and says his goodbyes. Jensen waits until he hears the door softly click shut before he sags. He's been trying to hold up through the whole ordeal and he'd be lying if he said he was okay. The truth was he'd been rattled. Throughout his whole career he'd never really had any stunt accidents, since his stunt double did most of the dangerous stunts. Sure Jared had broken his wrist and hurt his hand in that bar fight but after a day or so he was ok, loopy from pain meds but relativity ok. Now, Jensen wasn't too sure.
He scrubs a hand over his tired face before deciding on finding some ice for Jared's swelled forehead.
He's putting ice in a small plastic baggy when Jared's hoarse voice yells for him, he stops what he's doing and hurries to the room.
“Jared?” Jensen questions in confusion, noticing the bed covers all askew and Jared nowhere to be found.
“In here.” Jared whispers from behind the bathroom door.
Jensen sighs in relief. “What are you doing up? You shouldn't be walking around you know.”
“Yes mother, but I had to take a piss.” Jared retorts, his voice shaky belaying his witty attitude.
Jensen rolls his eyes at the 'mom' dig and calms down marginally. It makes him feel better at hearing Jared's snippy attitude. He didn't realize how strung tight he's been.
Hearing the toilet flush and water running Jensen waits until Jared emerges and winces at the vivid bruising around his friends temple and head.
“I know I look like crap.” Jared remarks, noticing that Jensen was visually staring.
Shaking out of his staring Jensen gives Jared a smirk trying to hide his concern. “No worse than you usually do.”
“Ha, ha smartass. Picking on the injured I see.” Jared grumbles when Jensen takes a hold of his arm and leads him back to the bed. He doesn't want to be coddled but he has to admit his head does hurt and his body aches all over. He's not feeling as sick or dizzy as earlier but he does feel like absolute shit and he's glad he has his friend here to help him. He won't ever admit it but it makes him feel better.
“You know it.” Jensen whispers as he tucks in Jared. He can't help it, it's a habit he has when his friends are injured or sick. He got it from his Mother. What can he say?
Jared just rolls his eyes like he always does and snuggles deeper into his pillow like a teddy bear would. It's so characteristically Jared that it makes Jensen smile despite the situation and his guilt he's feeling.
“I'm going to get you an ice pack for your head. You need anything else while I'm in the kitchen?”
“Something to drink and something to eat.” Jared adds, rubbing his stomach with a smile.
Jensen rolls his eyes this time. “Yes, boss.”
“That's Mr. Padalecki to you!” Jared yells as Jensen walks out of the room.
Jensen laughs when he hears Jared curse and yell 'ow'. The poor sucker. Yelling certainly wasn't helping his headache any.
Picking up the bag, Jensen begins putting ice in it when his phone vibrates against his hip. Frowning Jensen sets the bag down and pulls his phone off of his belt and looks at the screen.
It's a text from Jared.
and aspirin? u cant see me but im givin u puppy dog eyes
Jensen smiles and walks over to the cabinet to pull some out. He's uncertain whether Jared should be taking anything but if the medic on set didn't think he needed to go to the hospital then giving him some Tylenol should be ok.
Bringing the ice pack, Jared's drink and some Tylenol he walks into the room and smiles at Jared, whose already watching tv.
“You're injured and watching television?”
Jared smiles, “Yep. I need to do something man.”
Rolling his eyes Jensen sets the drink on the nightstand and hands Jared the Tylenol. Jared swallows them with a thanks.
“Here's the ice pack, keep it on your head until the swelling goes down some.”
“It's cold.” Jared whines when he places it on his forehead.
“I'll get you a dish towel.” Jensen's so busy trying to run back and forth and get everything done he doesn't even notice that Jared is obviously watching him with a frown on his face.
Bringing the dish towel back, Jensen wraps the pack and sets it back on Jared's forehead.
“Jen?”
“Yeah,” Jensen replies absently.
“How'd we even get back from set? I don't remember much after I saw you.”
“Well you hit your head pretty hard, no wonder you can't remember much but Clif drove us back home. The medic looked at you and said you were ok to go home and rest.”
Jared nods a little and swallows. He knows that stunt was wrong to attempt but he couldn't help it. Whether that be the adrenaline junky in him or the guy wanting to do everything, he doesn't know what possessed him to do the stunt.
Now Jensen was forced to stay at home and take care of him and that wasn't very fun for Jensen.
Turning guilty eyes toward his friend he tries to smile it off. “I don't remember that. How'd you guys get me in the car?”
“Very carefully, now try resting ok? Maybe it will get rid of that headache. Does anything else hurt right now?”
“Just my back but not as much as earlier.”
Jensen nods, “You can text me again if you need me. I'll go make you a sandwich.”
With that Jensen leaves and Jared is left feeling even more guilty than before.
Jared wakes up when thunder booms loudly. It's dark outside and one brief glance at his alarm clock says it's 1:34 in the morning. His tongue is stuck to the roof of his mouth when he tries to swallow.
He can't remember when he fell asleep but it has to have been around 5 or 6. He remembered eating the dinner Jensen made but after that he can't remember anything else.
The ice pack is melted and dripping on his pillow and he groans. His hair is soaking wet and he knows he has to get up and fetch a towel but he's completely drained of energy. His headache is gone, thankfully but his body still hurts. He doesn't want to wake Jensen up to help him so he attempts to try it on his own.
He slowly but surely leans up in bed to where he can put both of his feet on the ground. The room spins a little and he feels pressure begin to start in his temple but he's okay.
Breathing in deeply he counts to three before he shakily stands. At first he thinks he's ok but soon his knees begin to knock together as the room spins at a dizzying pace. Before he knows it his long frame is buckling and he's falling onto the plush carpet. Despite how nice the carpet is his body still jolts when he lands on the floor.
Jared groans and rolls around for awhile before he's too drained to even get back up. He curses his stupidity and blindly reaches for his bed side table to get his phone.
Nice job with letting Jensen sleep Jared thinks bitterly.
His hand brushes against the cool wood of the table and grasps onto it. He prays it won't tip over when he uses it to leverage himself up. His arm strains with the weight and he's sweating by the time he finally makes it topside but he finds what he's been looking for, his cell phone.
If you asked him what would be the most humiliating moment in his life, he would normally say the third grade when he spilled his chocolate milk all over Susie's Elwood's white dress. Or when he was in high school and he fell off the theatre stage on accident.
But this? Well this ranks high up there. Having to wake Jensen up to come and help him off the floor is embarrassing. It's even worse when Jensen comes in sprouting off words of concerns and numerous questions as to his predicament. He's just lucky Jensen didn't turn on the light so he could see how much Jared was blushing right now.
“Jesus Jay, you gave me a heart attack!” Jensen shakily says as he tucks in the corners of the blanket. His hands are shaking and his heart is beating so hard he's sure Jared can hear it.
Jared rolls his eyes and tries his best not to blush even further.
Jensen doesn't mind a few beers or two occasionally but his nerves have been rattled a little which requires something stronger than beer.
He takes a sip of the scotch in his glass and sighs. It's 2:34 in the morning and he's no close to being asleep as he was before Jared decided to fall out of bed.
For such a good actor Jared sure was a crappy liar. Jensen could see the underlying pain he was still in, and it only made him feel worse. If he would have been out there this whole thing could have been prevented. Logically he knows none of this is his fault but his brain forgoes logic when his friends or family members are hurt. His Mom always said he'd do really well in any profession that had to do with taking care of people. He always used to take care of his sister when she was sick, even his Mom once or twice.
He'd be lying to say he didn't enjoy it but acting soon stole his heart and physical therapy fell into the background until it faded away.
Point being despite giving up on that area he's still has it engrained in him to feel like he has to be the one who looks out for and care for everyone. Jared and crew always roll their eyes or Jared would promptly tell him to 'stop being my Mother' but damn it Jensen doesn't know how.
Jensen stares at the amber liquid in the glass and thinks about how ridiculous that sounds. It's probably the alcohol.
Did I just call myself a girl? Jensen thinks in confusion. When he doesn't come up with anything he shrugs and takes another sip.
It isn't until 3:00 that he's feeling well beyond buzzed. His legs have a mind of their own as he gets up out of the chair and stumbles along the hallway until he reaches his room.
The door is already wide open and Jensen can easily spot Jared's form lying on the bed. For some reason or another he finds Jared's huge form in his rather small bed amusing so he giggles. Actually fucking giggles.
His hands slide along the wall until he's almost tipping over. With all the noise he's making Jared stirs under the blankets until he's sleepily pawing at his eyes trying to see through the darkness.
“Jensen?”
Jensen just stares like a deer caught in the headlights. “Uh.....hi?”
Even in the darkness Jensen could see Jared's frown clearly.
“What's wrong?” Jared asks curiously. As if it's perfectly normal for his best friend to be drunk off his ass staring at him sleeping.
“I don't know.” Jensen admits quietly.
Jared frowns even more and makes a show of trying to get out of bed but even Jensen's inebriated mind realizes that Jared doesn't need to be moving around. “No!” Jensen stumbles until he's at the side of the bed, pushing Jared down until he's firmly sitting again.
Jared sags onto the mattress pliantly but that doesn't wipe the frown from his face. Jensen wonders if it's the pain or if he's the pain.
“Are you drunk?” Jared finally asks, his frown smoothing out into a look of confusion mixed with concern.
“No...I mean yes....I mean maybe?”
“Jen you almost never drink like this are you ok?”
Jensen sighs and kneads at his forehead. “I should have been there.”
“What?”
“I should have been there with you when you did that stunt. If I was, you might not have gotten hurt.” There he's said it. It's what has been eating him alive all this time.
“What? Jensen that's ridiculous.”
Jensen feels a sharp pain the back of his head almost like a harsh slap and he gasps. “Ow! What was that for?” Jensen glares at Jared's form as he rubs the back of his head. Jared's just giving him this look that's mixed with pity and annoyance.
“Because you're a dumbass. It was my fault for even doing the stupid stunt not yours.” Jared says exasperated.
Jensen has to admit that sounds logical. “But-”
“No buts. Accidents happen Jensen. You can't prevent every bad thing from happening.” Jared's voice is softer now and Jensen suddenly feels a hand slide against his shoulder and gently squeeze it.
“I'm drunk.” Jensen finally answers back.
Jared rolls his eyes and lays back down on the bed. He grabs the extra pillow and throws it on the floor. The carpet is nice and soft, plus he's not in the greatest condition in escorting anyone to their respective beds tonight. “Go to bed Jensen.”
Jensen silently gets off the bed and lays down on the floor without question. You see this is the sucky thing about getting drunk. If he was in his right mind, he would definitely not sleep on the part of the floor Sadie and Harley always occupy. In fact he probably wouldn't sleep on the floor period.
Come morning he's completely surrounded by dog, Jared is nowhere to be found and Sadie accidentally peed near him during the night.
Sighing Jensen gets up and grimaces at seeing the stain. It was going to take hours of cleaning to get that out. He yawns and checks the time on the clock and almost has a heart attack at seeing it read 12:16.
Walking out into the kitchen his heart slows down at seeing Jared sitting at the table flipping through a magazine. His face still looks like it went nine rounds with Mike Tyson but he appears to be doing better.
“I hope you saved some Tylenol for me.” Jensen grumbles as he gets a coffee mug.
Without looking up from the magazine Jared slowly pushes the aspirin bottle across the table. Jensen grumbles as he snatches it and dry swallows two pills. Fuck I'm never drinking scotch again.
“You know Sadie peed on the floor last night.”
Jared 'hmms' as he silently turns a page. Jensen's grumpiness intensives at being ignored.
“Wait a minute, did you call me a dumbass last night?” Jensen questions as his memory starts to return in slow patches. He remembers stumbling into the bedroom but he doesn't quite remember much else. What he knows for sure is Jared called him a dumbass for something.
“Nothing you didn't deserve, dumbass.”
Jensen glares at Jared's smiling face as he pours his coffee. “I hate you.”
“I love you too Jensen.”
Well ok Jared had him there. He still ain't cleaning up any piss though. No, he would save that for Jared. It was only fair of course.
The End
Art Post: HERE
Beta: strgazr04
Artist: darklondonsky
Rating: PG
Pairing/Genre: Gen, Non-Au
A/N: This was written for the j2noauchallenge. I really wanted to write some Jared and Jensen friendship fic since the fandom seems so depleted of it. So you won't find any sexual romance here, sorry. But what you will find is some good old friendship schmoop. I tried to use the correct names for the crew and such, I have no prior knowledge of anything medical I'm just going off what I do know. I would like to thank aelia1980 for running the challenge and my artist, darklondonsky for making incredible art and always keeping me updated on her progress!
Summary: Jared gets hurt at work while doing a stunt but why is Jensen the one left feeling crappy?
Jared grunts as their stunt coordinator, Lou Bollo, tightens the straps on his harness effectively pinching his skin in the process. He knows that in order to do this stunt he needs to get strapped into a harness but he didn't know there would be pinching involved. Jared can just imagine all the red marks that will be on his stomach tomorrow morning.
He groans and lets his long hair flop in front of his face.
“We ready over there?” Their director, Phil, yells from across the old warehouse. They are currently shooting a scene where Sam and Dean are up against demons. Unfortunately for Jared, Sam gets flung into the air, thus the reason for the harness.
Jensen has yet to appear out of the dressing room and Jared smirks at thinking of his friend primping in the mirror. “Pretty ass.” Jared mumbles under his breath with no real heat to his words.
“Almost!” Lou yells back to Phil, checking the straps again.
“You sure you want to do this Jared?” Lou asks with a slight pinch in between his forehead.
Jared smirks. He loves doing his own stunts, he's not sure why everyone on set is always asking him about whether he wants to do them or not. Usually Jensen will tell him the stunt is too dangerous and to let his stunt double do it, and typically Jared will listen but at the moment his friend isn't here. This is his coverage after all. It's been awhile since he's done a stunt and he's been itching to do one again.”Yeah I'm sure.”
“Ok,” Lou mutters uncertainly but doesn't say anything else as he checks everything before yelling to Phil that he's ready.
Sweat drips down Jared’s forehead and into his eyes. He blinks it away and does his best not to grimace. He's not going to complain about a stunt that he wanted to do. He's not letting Jensen laugh at him afterwards and tell him 'I told you so' in his snarky little voice.
“Everyone ready on set!” Phil yells again.
He takes a deep breath and sees the actor finally come into place, with the contacts for the black eyes and all. Jensen is still nowhere to be found though which sort of makes Jared a little nervous. Even on his coverage Jensen always stood on the sidelines and watched him, always there when Jared was doing a serious stunt.
Jared shakes his head with a small laugh at how ridiculous he is acting. He is a grown man and fully capable of taking care of himself. He didn't need his best friend there just to do a simple stunt.
Though it would be nice Jared thinks wistfully to himself.
Jared feels his palms begin to sweat a little. Jared is a known sweater and his nerves are wrecking havoc on his body right now.
Hearing Phil call action, Jared braces himself for when the demon starts talking and flings its wrist so he can be flung into the air. He doesn't have any lines. They just need to get this action sequence filmed before moving on.
“You two are nothing but dirt underneath my shoe. I knew Crowley should have taken care of you two when he had the chance.” The demon sneers and Jared feels his heart beat faster. This is it.
Suddenly the harness is being jerked backwards and he goes right along with it. He feels the cords tighten which causes his whole body to lock up with tension. Unexpectedly he's meeting an abrupt end on the padding, but the ground feels so hard when he impacts. He lets out a groan and finds black spots dance across his vision.
People are yelling and running and all Jared can do is shake his head to try and clear his vision.
Wrong move, Jared thinks as bile rises up his oesophagus and he leans over to cough it out on the floor. He chokes and gags as the sickening bile keeps splattering out until he has nothing left to heave.
A hand settles on his back and it makes him flinch with a moan. His head is pounding worse now after throwing up and his whole body aches. He doesn't even know what happened, one minute he was doing a stunt and the next pain. All he knows is this wasn't what was planned. Not at all.
“Shit! What happened?”
He recognizes that voice as Phil. Jared swallows down more bile and closes his eyes. The room is beginning to spin and voices keep yelling and feet keep smacking concrete and he wants them to just stop.
He wants Jensen and if that isn't the most pathetic thing in the world he doesn't know what is.
“Jared, hey man you ok?” Lou, their stunt coordinator asks softly. At least he isn't screaming Jared thinks.
Jared swallows some before answering. “Yeah,” His voice husks out, sounding odd to his own ears.
“Wha' happened?”
Now that his vision is starting to focus he can clearly make out Lou's face above him, accompanied by Phil a couple of their lighting and sound crew and the guest actor who was with him.
No Jensen though.
“The cord in the harness was too strung tight and you slammed the ground when you landed. Even with the padding you took a hard hit there.” Lou explains guiltily.
Jared tries to process that information but his mind is starting to shut down. Everything is going fuzzy and the voices around him become slow, as if he's under water somehow. His eyes begin to close and his head continues pulsing with pain but he thinks about Jensen, wondering if he's done with makeup yet.
Jensen sighs impatiently as their hairdresser, Jeannie, expertly trims his hair. If he knew he needed a haircut then he would have gotten one at a barber shop. Jeannie is the best there is but she's so meticulous it can take up to an hour just to get a trim.
It's not like he has a scene yet but Jensen is anxious. Most of today was just Jared's coverage but Jensen always likes to be there and watch, it helps with working out his scenes and getting a feel for things and how the day is going to go.
He doesn't like sitting in the makeup trailer while Jared is out there. Jensen rubs at his eyes trying to be careful of the makeup there, the last thing he needs is to have his makeup redone.
“Are we done yet?” He whines softly.
Jeannie sticks her tongue out and swiftly cuts some hair off before her face straightens out into a smile. “Yeah we're done.” She brushes off the hair from around his neck before removing the towel that was making sure hair didn't fall onto his clothes.
Jensen sighs with relief and gives her a smile. “You're the best.”
“I know. Now go out there and knock them dead.” Jeannie says with a wave of her hand.
He wipes himself off before he walks out of the trailer. His legs were beginning to cramp from sitting in the same position for so long. Checking his watch, he wonders if Jared's stunt is over with but the crew is nowhere to be seen so he decides the set must still be busy.
Walking over to the set, he stealthily tries to enter the warehouse they are using without making the old doors squeak. He's about to see though that squeaking doors are the least of his worry.
As soon as he pushes the old doors open he immediately feels it. Tension. The set is usually free of such suffocating tension and Jensen knows something has to be wrong.
Focusing on the set and crew he notices that they were all huddled around something near the back of the building.
Jensen feels his heart freeze and his legs turn into jelly. Jared!
Rushing over to the big crowd he pushes his way through until he's bending down and reaching down at his still friend. “Jay?” Jensen asks softly, touching his cheek and then his pulse point. Something he picked up from his character Dean.
Jared doesn't respond just lays there lifelessly as breath puffs in and out of his mouth. Almost like he's sleeping. The bruises and blood covering his temple though completely throw that theory out the window.
“What happened?” Jensen asks gruffly. He didn't mean for it to come out so hostile but Jared's unconscious and he was fine not only an hour before when he left to go do his stunt. Something went wrong and Jensen’s about to find out.
Phil's face is pale and like the rest of the crew he has a shocked look on. Lou though looks guilty, almost like he might throw up.
“Th-the cords on the harness became too tight,” Lou visibly swallows before continuing. “An-and he slammed the mat harder than expected.”
“Do you think he needs a hospital?” Jensen asks suddenly but Jared begins to squirm after that, a low moan coming from his throat.
“No h'ptl.” Jared moans firmly. His eyes furrow until he opens them to be met with Jensen's face peering down at his own.
“Hey you ok?” Jensen asks. Jared notices the rest of the crew bends down to hear his answer.
“Yea..” Jared says in answer though he knows it's a lie. His head is still killing him and his back aches fiercely now. Before his whole body hurt but now his lower back is killing him.
“Hey, it's alright.” Jensen soothes at seeing tears leak out of Jared's eyes. He's seen Jared cry before, but never like this. He takes his hand and gently wipes away the tears leaking out as he feels tears of his own well up. “Maybe we should take him to the hospital.” Jensen asks quietly.
Suddenly though, Jared's hand is grasping hard at his wrist. “No hospital.” Jared firmly states. Jensen would take him seriously if he didn't look like he went three rounds with a brick wall.
“But-”
“Why don't we let the medic come check him out?” Phil offers softly. The only one of the crowd to actually speak up.
Jensen nibbles on his lower lip in worry, Jared's hand still latched onto his wrist. “Ok.” Jensen relents. “Alright get the medic in here but then let’s head home for today.”
Phil nods and walks off while talking on his headset. The crowd begins to disperse as they silently get back to what they were working on.
Everyone leaves but Lou who’s still peering down at Jared with a guilty expression.
“Lou, man it wasn't your fault.” Jensen offers kindly. Lou just shakes his head and walks off with his shoulders slumped.
Jensen sighs and kneads at his forehead. This was going to be a very taxing day, he could already see it.
“Jen...” Jared moans out. His eyes roll around in his head before focusing on Jensen's face.
Jensen seems different but he can't quite figure out why. It's probably because at the moment he's seeing two of Jensen but still. Something’s wrong and Jared can’t figure out what.
“Hey, hey it'll be ok. Look the medic is already here.” Jensen said with a smile, while doing his best to keep Jared awake.
The medic, Ed, bends down swiftly. “What happened?”
“Stunt went wrong. Hit his face pretty hard as well as his body. There was protective padding there but it seems to not have done a lick of good for him.”
Ed hums softly as he gently prods at Jared's head to discern of any visible lumps or bumps. When his hand glides over a sore sport Jared hisses instantly, his eyes closing in pain. “Sorry man.” Ed apologizes.
Checking the rest of his body Ed frowns.
“What?” Jensen asks nervously noticing the medics frown.
“Nothing, actually Jared seems to be ok. I'd say he has a mild concussion and his lower back took the brunt of the fall. He'll have some spectacular bruises come morning but otherwise he'll be ok. He just needs some rest.”
“No hospital then?”
Ed shakes his head. “No, he just needs to go home.”
Jensen sighs and shakily scrubs a hand over his face. “I'll take him home.”
Ed smiles and claps Jensen on the back. “You know my number, if you need to call me or need any help just let me know and I can be there within twenty minutes.”
“Thanks,” Jensen smiles and does his best not to let his nerves get the better of him.
Phil walks up just as Ed was standing up and peers curiously at them, obviously needing to know a verdict.
“Jared will be ok but he needs to rest for a few days.”
Phil sighs. “That's good, I already told Clif. He's waiting out back with the car to take you home. I'm going to give you both a week off, or more depending on how well Jared is. Alright Jensen?”
Jensen nods. “That sounds good, man. I'll keep you updated.”
Jared's eyes try and focus on all the bodies that seem to be moving at light speed but all it's doing is making him dizzy. He shuts his eyes briefly and listens to what he thinks is Jensen's voice.
Jensen's voice always had a way to make him calm down. He doesn't know what it is, whether it's because it reminds him of home or that Jensen just has that certain way with him but he feels his body beginning to relax.
“Hey.”
Suddenly someone is shaking him and he groans. “Wh't?” Jared's eyes open to see Jensen peering down at him and Lou and Phil behind him.
“We're going home now ok? Phil and Lou are going to help me get you out to the car.”
Jared swallows. Moving is the last thing he wants to do but he really does want to go home. “Ok.”
With Phil and Lou's help Jensen hefts up Jared's body to a virtual position. He has to hold onto his arm when he sways but after a few minutes regaining his balance, Jared begins to slowly walk off the set to where the car is.
“Almost there.” Jensen whispers softly at noticing how green around the gills Jared is.
Jared nods but doesn't really pay attention to Jensen, his sole focus is making it to the car so he could finally rest. His legs feel like jelly, his head is pounding at a mile a minute and his lower back is on fire. All he wants to do is go home and go to sleep.
Finally, after what seems like hours the car comes into site. Phil and Lou drop them off when Clif walks up to help. With part of Jared's help and a lot of manhandling he and Clif were able to get Jared buckled in the back seat.
Jensen bites on his lip when he sees Jared visibly collapse. His head falls to the side and rests against the window.
“You ready?” Clif asks, snapping Jensen out of his musing.
“Yeah,” Jensen stares at Jared for a few more minutes before getting into the passenger seat and going to his and Jared's shared home.
Despite not wanting to, Jensen manages to fall asleep on the way. He was dead tired as it was and all the worry was making his stress levels spike. He's usually good at being able to keep his stress low but that seems to fly out the window when Jared gets hurt.
Jensen can handle himself getting banged up or bruised during a stunt. He can't handle seeing Jared get hurt, especially since if he was there at the scene like he was supposed to be, Jared wouldn't have gotten hurt.
Guilt has been eating him alive, he's usually the sensible one, the man of reason. He almost always is there to tell Jared when something is a bad idea, but he was too busy getting a haircut. How stupid is that?
Jensen sighs and kneads at his forehead. He lifts his head from its perch on the window and automatically turns back to check on his friend. Jared is still out cold though, he could even hear some snoring.
He smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes.
He's grateful at seeing their house in the distance, he couldn't take much more of this stuffy car anyway.
When Clif pulls up to the driveway, he and Clif somehow manage to manhandle Jared out of the car and into the house without so much as a word from Jared.
Jared's bedroom is upstairs. But even with Clif, Jensen knows they'll never be able to lug his Sasquatch body upstairs, so he settles on his room instead.
Turning on the light, Jensen goes over to the bed and pulls down his covers so Clif can lay Jared’s body on the mattress.
“Geez, the kid needs to lay off all the candy.” Clif huffs softly as he wipes sweat from his brow.
Jensen snorts and begins pulling off Jared's clothes to where he's only in his boxers and under shirt. Tucking the blanket around Jared, Jensen frowns at seeing the vivid bruising along his friends forehead and temple. He wonders if it's as painful as it looks.
He's interrupted out of his thoughts when Clif lays a heavy hand on his shoulder.
“Do you want me to stay?” Clif asks honestly, his face set in sincere smile.
Jensen thinks about it for a few minutes, he could probably use an extra set of hands in dealing with Jared but then he figures that he can make do as is.
“No, I think I got it. You can have the day off, man. It'll just be me and Jared here for the rest of the week.” Jensen quietly whispers.
Clif smiles and says his goodbyes. Jensen waits until he hears the door softly click shut before he sags. He's been trying to hold up through the whole ordeal and he'd be lying if he said he was okay. The truth was he'd been rattled. Throughout his whole career he'd never really had any stunt accidents, since his stunt double did most of the dangerous stunts. Sure Jared had broken his wrist and hurt his hand in that bar fight but after a day or so he was ok, loopy from pain meds but relativity ok. Now, Jensen wasn't too sure.
He scrubs a hand over his tired face before deciding on finding some ice for Jared's swelled forehead.
He's putting ice in a small plastic baggy when Jared's hoarse voice yells for him, he stops what he's doing and hurries to the room.
“Jared?” Jensen questions in confusion, noticing the bed covers all askew and Jared nowhere to be found.
“In here.” Jared whispers from behind the bathroom door.
Jensen sighs in relief. “What are you doing up? You shouldn't be walking around you know.”
“Yes mother, but I had to take a piss.” Jared retorts, his voice shaky belaying his witty attitude.
Jensen rolls his eyes at the 'mom' dig and calms down marginally. It makes him feel better at hearing Jared's snippy attitude. He didn't realize how strung tight he's been.
Hearing the toilet flush and water running Jensen waits until Jared emerges and winces at the vivid bruising around his friends temple and head.
“I know I look like crap.” Jared remarks, noticing that Jensen was visually staring.
Shaking out of his staring Jensen gives Jared a smirk trying to hide his concern. “No worse than you usually do.”
“Ha, ha smartass. Picking on the injured I see.” Jared grumbles when Jensen takes a hold of his arm and leads him back to the bed. He doesn't want to be coddled but he has to admit his head does hurt and his body aches all over. He's not feeling as sick or dizzy as earlier but he does feel like absolute shit and he's glad he has his friend here to help him. He won't ever admit it but it makes him feel better.
“You know it.” Jensen whispers as he tucks in Jared. He can't help it, it's a habit he has when his friends are injured or sick. He got it from his Mother. What can he say?
Jared just rolls his eyes like he always does and snuggles deeper into his pillow like a teddy bear would. It's so characteristically Jared that it makes Jensen smile despite the situation and his guilt he's feeling.
“I'm going to get you an ice pack for your head. You need anything else while I'm in the kitchen?”
“Something to drink and something to eat.” Jared adds, rubbing his stomach with a smile.
Jensen rolls his eyes this time. “Yes, boss.”
“That's Mr. Padalecki to you!” Jared yells as Jensen walks out of the room.
Jensen laughs when he hears Jared curse and yell 'ow'. The poor sucker. Yelling certainly wasn't helping his headache any.
Picking up the bag, Jensen begins putting ice in it when his phone vibrates against his hip. Frowning Jensen sets the bag down and pulls his phone off of his belt and looks at the screen.
It's a text from Jared.
and aspirin? u cant see me but im givin u puppy dog eyes
Jensen smiles and walks over to the cabinet to pull some out. He's uncertain whether Jared should be taking anything but if the medic on set didn't think he needed to go to the hospital then giving him some Tylenol should be ok.
Bringing the ice pack, Jared's drink and some Tylenol he walks into the room and smiles at Jared, whose already watching tv.
“You're injured and watching television?”
Jared smiles, “Yep. I need to do something man.”
Rolling his eyes Jensen sets the drink on the nightstand and hands Jared the Tylenol. Jared swallows them with a thanks.
“Here's the ice pack, keep it on your head until the swelling goes down some.”
“It's cold.” Jared whines when he places it on his forehead.
“I'll get you a dish towel.” Jensen's so busy trying to run back and forth and get everything done he doesn't even notice that Jared is obviously watching him with a frown on his face.
Bringing the dish towel back, Jensen wraps the pack and sets it back on Jared's forehead.
“Jen?”
“Yeah,” Jensen replies absently.
“How'd we even get back from set? I don't remember much after I saw you.”
“Well you hit your head pretty hard, no wonder you can't remember much but Clif drove us back home. The medic looked at you and said you were ok to go home and rest.”
Jared nods a little and swallows. He knows that stunt was wrong to attempt but he couldn't help it. Whether that be the adrenaline junky in him or the guy wanting to do everything, he doesn't know what possessed him to do the stunt.
Now Jensen was forced to stay at home and take care of him and that wasn't very fun for Jensen.
Turning guilty eyes toward his friend he tries to smile it off. “I don't remember that. How'd you guys get me in the car?”
“Very carefully, now try resting ok? Maybe it will get rid of that headache. Does anything else hurt right now?”
“Just my back but not as much as earlier.”
Jensen nods, “You can text me again if you need me. I'll go make you a sandwich.”
With that Jensen leaves and Jared is left feeling even more guilty than before.
Jared wakes up when thunder booms loudly. It's dark outside and one brief glance at his alarm clock says it's 1:34 in the morning. His tongue is stuck to the roof of his mouth when he tries to swallow.
He can't remember when he fell asleep but it has to have been around 5 or 6. He remembered eating the dinner Jensen made but after that he can't remember anything else.
The ice pack is melted and dripping on his pillow and he groans. His hair is soaking wet and he knows he has to get up and fetch a towel but he's completely drained of energy. His headache is gone, thankfully but his body still hurts. He doesn't want to wake Jensen up to help him so he attempts to try it on his own.
He slowly but surely leans up in bed to where he can put both of his feet on the ground. The room spins a little and he feels pressure begin to start in his temple but he's okay.
Breathing in deeply he counts to three before he shakily stands. At first he thinks he's ok but soon his knees begin to knock together as the room spins at a dizzying pace. Before he knows it his long frame is buckling and he's falling onto the plush carpet. Despite how nice the carpet is his body still jolts when he lands on the floor.
Jared groans and rolls around for awhile before he's too drained to even get back up. He curses his stupidity and blindly reaches for his bed side table to get his phone.
Nice job with letting Jensen sleep Jared thinks bitterly.
His hand brushes against the cool wood of the table and grasps onto it. He prays it won't tip over when he uses it to leverage himself up. His arm strains with the weight and he's sweating by the time he finally makes it topside but he finds what he's been looking for, his cell phone.
If you asked him what would be the most humiliating moment in his life, he would normally say the third grade when he spilled his chocolate milk all over Susie's Elwood's white dress. Or when he was in high school and he fell off the theatre stage on accident.
But this? Well this ranks high up there. Having to wake Jensen up to come and help him off the floor is embarrassing. It's even worse when Jensen comes in sprouting off words of concerns and numerous questions as to his predicament. He's just lucky Jensen didn't turn on the light so he could see how much Jared was blushing right now.
“Jesus Jay, you gave me a heart attack!” Jensen shakily says as he tucks in the corners of the blanket. His hands are shaking and his heart is beating so hard he's sure Jared can hear it.
Jared rolls his eyes and tries his best not to blush even further.
Jensen doesn't mind a few beers or two occasionally but his nerves have been rattled a little which requires something stronger than beer.
He takes a sip of the scotch in his glass and sighs. It's 2:34 in the morning and he's no close to being asleep as he was before Jared decided to fall out of bed.
For such a good actor Jared sure was a crappy liar. Jensen could see the underlying pain he was still in, and it only made him feel worse. If he would have been out there this whole thing could have been prevented. Logically he knows none of this is his fault but his brain forgoes logic when his friends or family members are hurt. His Mom always said he'd do really well in any profession that had to do with taking care of people. He always used to take care of his sister when she was sick, even his Mom once or twice.
He'd be lying to say he didn't enjoy it but acting soon stole his heart and physical therapy fell into the background until it faded away.
Point being despite giving up on that area he's still has it engrained in him to feel like he has to be the one who looks out for and care for everyone. Jared and crew always roll their eyes or Jared would promptly tell him to 'stop being my Mother' but damn it Jensen doesn't know how.
Jensen stares at the amber liquid in the glass and thinks about how ridiculous that sounds. It's probably the alcohol.
Did I just call myself a girl? Jensen thinks in confusion. When he doesn't come up with anything he shrugs and takes another sip.
It isn't until 3:00 that he's feeling well beyond buzzed. His legs have a mind of their own as he gets up out of the chair and stumbles along the hallway until he reaches his room.
The door is already wide open and Jensen can easily spot Jared's form lying on the bed. For some reason or another he finds Jared's huge form in his rather small bed amusing so he giggles. Actually fucking giggles.
His hands slide along the wall until he's almost tipping over. With all the noise he's making Jared stirs under the blankets until he's sleepily pawing at his eyes trying to see through the darkness.
“Jensen?”
Jensen just stares like a deer caught in the headlights. “Uh.....hi?”
Even in the darkness Jensen could see Jared's frown clearly.
“What's wrong?” Jared asks curiously. As if it's perfectly normal for his best friend to be drunk off his ass staring at him sleeping.
“I don't know.” Jensen admits quietly.
Jared frowns even more and makes a show of trying to get out of bed but even Jensen's inebriated mind realizes that Jared doesn't need to be moving around. “No!” Jensen stumbles until he's at the side of the bed, pushing Jared down until he's firmly sitting again.
Jared sags onto the mattress pliantly but that doesn't wipe the frown from his face. Jensen wonders if it's the pain or if he's the pain.
“Are you drunk?” Jared finally asks, his frown smoothing out into a look of confusion mixed with concern.
“No...I mean yes....I mean maybe?”
“Jen you almost never drink like this are you ok?”
Jensen sighs and kneads at his forehead. “I should have been there.”
“What?”
“I should have been there with you when you did that stunt. If I was, you might not have gotten hurt.” There he's said it. It's what has been eating him alive all this time.
“What? Jensen that's ridiculous.”
Jensen feels a sharp pain the back of his head almost like a harsh slap and he gasps. “Ow! What was that for?” Jensen glares at Jared's form as he rubs the back of his head. Jared's just giving him this look that's mixed with pity and annoyance.
“Because you're a dumbass. It was my fault for even doing the stupid stunt not yours.” Jared says exasperated.
Jensen has to admit that sounds logical. “But-”
“No buts. Accidents happen Jensen. You can't prevent every bad thing from happening.” Jared's voice is softer now and Jensen suddenly feels a hand slide against his shoulder and gently squeeze it.
“I'm drunk.” Jensen finally answers back.
Jared rolls his eyes and lays back down on the bed. He grabs the extra pillow and throws it on the floor. The carpet is nice and soft, plus he's not in the greatest condition in escorting anyone to their respective beds tonight. “Go to bed Jensen.”
Jensen silently gets off the bed and lays down on the floor without question. You see this is the sucky thing about getting drunk. If he was in his right mind, he would definitely not sleep on the part of the floor Sadie and Harley always occupy. In fact he probably wouldn't sleep on the floor period.
Come morning he's completely surrounded by dog, Jared is nowhere to be found and Sadie accidentally peed near him during the night.
Sighing Jensen gets up and grimaces at seeing the stain. It was going to take hours of cleaning to get that out. He yawns and checks the time on the clock and almost has a heart attack at seeing it read 12:16.
Walking out into the kitchen his heart slows down at seeing Jared sitting at the table flipping through a magazine. His face still looks like it went nine rounds with Mike Tyson but he appears to be doing better.
“I hope you saved some Tylenol for me.” Jensen grumbles as he gets a coffee mug.
Without looking up from the magazine Jared slowly pushes the aspirin bottle across the table. Jensen grumbles as he snatches it and dry swallows two pills. Fuck I'm never drinking scotch again.
“You know Sadie peed on the floor last night.”
Jared 'hmms' as he silently turns a page. Jensen's grumpiness intensives at being ignored.
“Wait a minute, did you call me a dumbass last night?” Jensen questions as his memory starts to return in slow patches. He remembers stumbling into the bedroom but he doesn't quite remember much else. What he knows for sure is Jared called him a dumbass for something.
“Nothing you didn't deserve, dumbass.”
Jensen glares at Jared's smiling face as he pours his coffee. “I hate you.”
“I love you too Jensen.”
Well ok Jared had him there. He still ain't cleaning up any piss though. No, he would save that for Jared. It was only fair of course.
The End