Redemption Chapter 11
Jensen walked into the bedroom, nudging the door shut with his elbow, and smiled at the image Jared made on the bed, glorious tanned skin bare to the coolness of the room, legs tangled in the sheets, hair splayed across the pillow and features relaxed in sleep. He quietly padded to the nightstand and set the platter he was carrying down, gently scooting a picture of the twins to the back edge of the surface to make room. Pulling his cell phone from his pocket, he laid it next to the clock, thumbing the alarm off as his hand passed over it. Sliding onto the bed, he tugged the comforter over their bodies when he noticed the gooseflesh adorning Jared’s skin.
In the weak morning light he could just make out the scars on Jared’s back and he ghosted his fingers over the shiny skin, wanting nothing more than to take them away or take them on himself. He ran his hand down over Jared’s side, warming the cool skin with the contact, and splayed his fingers across his ribs, sighing when the he felt muscle under his touch instead of bone. Supporting his head in his other hand, he leant forward and pressed a soft kiss to the strong shoulder of the sleeping man.
Jared hummed contently, riding the blissful peacefulness of a slow waking, and Jensen nosed through the silky locks behind his ear, dropping another tender kiss to the skin there. Chuckling softly, he shifted away, making room, when Jared started to roll on his back. He smoothed his hand down the younger man’s chest, settling it low on Jared’s stomach, and smiled as hazel eyes slowly blinked open to greet him.
“Morning,” Jared murmured, smiling. He stretched his long body, moaning at the pull of muscle and pop of bone.
“Morning,” Jensen grinned in return, lazily dropping a kiss to Jared’s neck. He rubbed the tip of his nose in a nonsensical pattern over the bed-warmed skin.
“Time ‘sit?”
“Almost six-thirty.”
“Crap,” Jared groaned, “I gotta get ready for work.” Rubbing a hand over his face, his eyebrows shot up and he sat bolt upright. “Teddy!” he fumbled for the phone, “I need to call Amber and tell her I won’t be in today.” He closed his eyes and sighed, “She’s gonna kill me.” He flomped back on the mattress, cradling the phone receiver to his chest with one hand and slapping his forehead with the other.
Jensen reached over and plucked the handset from Jared’s grasp, tossing it on the bed.
“What are you doing, Deputy?”
“Relax,” Jensen stroked a soothing hand down Jared’s chest. “I checked on Teddy,” and, God, did it feel good to use that name, “a minute ago and he’s sleeping. He’s still a little warm, but nothing like he was yesterday. I’ve already called and got the day off so go to work. I got it covered.”
Jared sat up on his elbows, hand unconsciously pulling the sheet back up his chest when it slipped down. “You called out of work?”
“Well, yeah,” Jensen’s brows scrunched together in confusion.
“Wh-why would you do that?” Jared was staring hard, his expression unreadable, and Jensen squirmed uncomfortably under the odd gaze.
“Teddy can’t go to school sick, so somebody needed to stay home. I know the studio’s been crazy with people trying to get Christmas portraits done so it was just easier for me to call out.”
“I can’t let you do that. I’ll stay with…” Jared trailed off, pawing at the thick blanket trying to find where Jensen had tossed the phone.
“You didn’t let me do anything.” He loosely circled his hands around Jared’s wrists, stilling his questing hands, “Besides, Tommy Lee was grateful for a reason to get out of shopping with his wife. So see, I got the day off and the Sheriff owes me one. It’s all good. I promise.” He pushed back on Jared’s shoulder until the man lay down again.
“You’re really going to take the day off work and sit around here nursing a sick kid? One that isn’t even yours?” The words were more disbelieving than harsh, but they stung Jensen nevertheless.
“I told you the twins were mine now,” he said defensively, “And, yeah, I am. I’m new to this whole kid thing, but isn’t this just a part of being a parent - rearranging your day, your life, for the sake of your children, giving them priority over everything else? I love those boys and that won’t stop just because one, or both, of them is sick.”
Jared’s eyes had gone wide, his face shocked. “But, your job is important and…”
“Not as important as you and the twins,” Jensen interrupted, not understanding why Jared was having such a hard time with this, “Jared, I’m not the first person to have a family at home and everybody at the station understands that sometimes you need to put them first. If they can, why can’t you?”
“Jared, you need to get up now!” There was a hard kick to the mattress, shifting it up off the boxspring only to fall back down with a hard bounce.
Jared groaned at the jostling, his whole body ached and he was freezing. His eyelids scratched roughly over his hot eyes and he blinked awake to see Timothy, bedecked in khakis and a polo shirt, standing next to the bed. “Don’t feel good,” he rasped, a wet cough erupting at the end of the sentence.
“That’s not my problem,” Timothy sneered. “The boys are crying and I’m supposed to tee off in an hour.” He grabbed the baby monitor and turned the volume up, having put it on the lowest setting while getting dressed when the continued sobs didn’t stop.
Jared’s heart thudded at the chorus of sadness coming from the small speaker, his sons’ cries cutting him to the core like they always did. He rose up on his elbow, closing his eyes when a wave of dizziness washed over him. “They okay? What’s wrong?” He tried to clear his throat, make his voice stronger, and winced at the flash of pain.
“What am I, the Baby Whisperer? I don’t deal with screaming infants. That’s your department. ” He moved to the dresser and picked up his watch. “You brought this on yourself, you know,” He scolded, sliding the gold Rolex over his hand and affixing the clasp.” I told you not to take the kids to that Mommy and Me class, but you wouldn’t listen. All those snot-nosed germ factories running around, touching everything, spreading bacteria and viruses everywhere.” His lip curled in disgust.
“The twins like it,” Jared coughed again, whimpering when the action made his chest ache and the pain in his throat worsen.
”Yeah, well now you have to pay the price. I have to go, so you need to get your lazy, fat ass up. I’m playing golf with that gallery owner from Jacksonville. He’s interested in selling some of your stuff and actually likes the shit you’ve been taking lately. This could be our chance to get rid of those monstrosities and maybe even make a little money. I swear, Jared, if you don’t get your act together and start producing some quality prints, you might as well hang up your camera. Your work was passable before, but this new stuff? Fuck, I’d try to sell it on a street corner if I wasn’t worried we’d be made fun of by the guy schlepping velvet Elvis throws.”
Jared hung his throbbing head. He knew his new work was different - solemn and darker - but it was a reflection of how he felt. He tried to explain to Timothy that photography was his form of expression and his subjects changed with his mood, but the man couldn’t understand.
The cries reached a new pitch, the red arch on the monitor expanding to fill the whole display, and Timothy covered his ears. “Jesus, Jared, are you going to get up and do something about that or do I need to drag you out of bed by your hair?”
“Sorry,” Jared mumbled, trying not to aggravate his sore throat. He carefully swung his legs to the floor and sat up, muscles protesting and head pounding. “I’ve got them.”
“I’m going to have lunch with this guy at the country club then we’re supposed to meet Matt at Donlan’s for dinner to discuss the contracts so don’t wait up.” Timothy grabbed his suit bag from the closet with what Jared assumed was clothes to change into after golf. Donlan & Greenbaum’s was one of Atlanta’s most exclusive steakhouses and he couldn’t see them allowing their patrons to dine in Dockers and a polo. Not that Jared would know, having never actually been there.
“ ‘kay.”With supreme effort, Jared pushed to his feet, placing a steadying hand on the nightstand when he felt himself list.
“Oh, and Jared?”
Jared opened his eyes, unsure when he’d closed them. “Yes?”
“Make sure to strip the bed and remake it before I get home. You can sleep in the guest room tonight. I don’t want to catch whatever the hell you’ve got. You look like shit.” With that, Timothy left, his garment bag swaying behind him.
“Hey,” Jensen’s fingers were warm on his cheek, gently angling Jared’s face to meet his gaze. “You with me?”
“You sure?” Jared shot him a skeptical look.
“Positive. It’s what you do for the people you love. You take care of them. ”
Jensen said the words like they were the most natural thing in the world, like it was just a given. One plus one equals two, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and you take care of the ones you love. Jared dropped his gaze to where his fingers were running along the edge of the comforter. “Timothy never…He didn’t,” taking a calming breath, he looked in Jensen’s open eyes, “The twins were my responsibility.” He shrugged, eyes drifting away from Jensen’s and focusing on the ceiling fan.
Jensen leaned further over Jared, moving into his line of sight. “I think we’ve established that I’m not Timothy.”
“Understatement,” Jared snorted, “You…you’re amazing,” he muttered in an awed voice, shaking his head. “I don’t know how long Teddy would have sat there yesterday if you hadn’t gone and got him. I like my job, but I hate that it’s so far away and I always miss the kids’ school stuff. They’re at aftercare every day and I have so little time with them,” he shot Jensen a self-conscious smile. “Sorry, I sound like a whiner. It’s just been an adjustment from being home with them all the time to working again. I just wish…I don’t even know.”
Jensen suppressed a smirk at the smooth change in topic. Jared was a master at it, able to redirect a conversation with an easy grace that left the person he was talking to completely unaware it had even happened. Jensen figured it was a skill Jared had learned to hide questions about his abuse. Letting it slide, he traced his fingers down Jared’s cheek. “Jared, it’s okay. I was here. It’s hard after having them so much, I’m sure, but it’ll be okay. I promise,” Jensen wrapped his arms around Jared’s shoulders and hugged him. He had the beginnings of an idea, but needed to talk to a few people first.
“This what you really want? Me, the twins, the…domesticity?” He waved his hand around the room.
“Absolutely,” Jensen answered without hesitation. Shifting, he rose up to get a better look at his lover. “You’re right, Jared, last night was fantastic and I want so many more just like it, but I also want this. Waking up with you here beside me, falling asleep with you in my arms, little league games and the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus. I want runny noses and broken bones and broken hearts. I want you and Teddy and Benji, for as long as y’all will have me. I meant it last night when I said I wanted to give you the best future I can.”
Jensen could see the telling glisten of tears in the corners of Jared’s eyes as the younger man nodded. “What do we tell the boys? About us, I mean. We should probably try to ease them into it. They’ve gone through so many changes in the last few months. What do I…we do when they start asking questions about Timothy?” Panic was adding a frantic edge to Jared’s words, his fingers twisting into the blankets.
“Jared, it’s all right,” Jensen soothed, tugging the fabric from Jared’s wringing hands and smoothing out the wrinkles. “I think the kids are okay with you and me. We’ve been dating for two months and nothing has come up. Plus, Papa Jensen, remember?” He tapped his chest with pride. “As for Timothy questions, be honest and answer them the best you can. That’s all we can do. If there are any problems, we’ll handle them…together.”
“Okay,” Jared nodded, taking a composing breath. “I guess I should go down and get some breakfast before I get dressed.”
“Nope,” Jensen grinned again, “Breakfast came up to you.” He reached behind him and carefully pulled the tray onto the bed, settling it between them. “Nothing heavy, just light fruit and a glass of juice.” He’d cut up some melon and pineapple, mixing in the grapes he found in the crisper, and paired it with yogurt topped with fresh blueberries and strawberries and a large glass of orange juice.
“You remembered,” Jared breathed, looking over the colorful bounty on the tray.
“Of course, I did,” Jensen acted affronted and stabbed a piece of pineapple from his improvised fruit salad. He held it at Jared’s lips and waited for the man to open them.
“Where’s yours?” Jared asked, biting into the juicy piece. He knew that Jensen wasn’t a fruit person. His breakfasts usually consisted of something a little meatier and a lot starchier.
Jensen stared transfixed for a moment as the chunk of pineapple bulged Jared’s cheek obscenely. “I’ll, uh,” he shook his head to clear it, “I’ll eat with the kids when they wake up. I was thinking pancakes and sausage, maybe even do my famous snowman shapes.” He winked, shifting through the bowl until he uncovered a particularly succulent looking piece of cantaloupe. Spearing it, he moved the fork in a zig-zag pattern toward Jared.
Watching the flying fruit, Jared quirked an eyebrow. “You know, I’m fully capable of feeding myself. I’m a grown man, after all. I can even tie my own shoes and everything,” he quipped, even as he dutifully opened his mouth for the bite.
“I am well aware you’re a grown man,” Jensen smirked. “Doesn’t mean I can’t baby you a little. Anyway, eating is way sexier like this. Think about Nine and A Half Weeks and tell me that wasn’t hot.” He set the fork down and dipped the spoon in the yogurt, mixing the berries into the thick, creamy substance.
“I think this has more to do with you making me eat than any food kink you’ve developed.”
“Maybe,” Jensen hummed noncommittally and hovered a spoonful of yogurt close to Jared’s mouth. “Still doesn’t mean I didn’t want to do something nice for you. Two birds, one stone. Now, have some yogurt, it’s good for you. Pro-biotics or something.“
“Bossy Deputy,” Jared complained, playfully, wrapping his lips around the spoon and sucking the yogurt off.
Heat flashed through Jensen’s body at the comment, his dick twitching, and he shifted slightly on the mattress. Clearing his throat, he dug the spoon in the yogurt and scooped up another bite.
Swallowing, Jared placed his hand on Jensen’s wrist, lowering the spoon. “You really did all this for me? Just because you wanted to pamper me?”
“Well, yeah,” Jensen replied, eyes dropping in embarrassment, “that’s okay, right?”
“Wow,” Jared murmured in awe and Jensen took advantage of his stun-parted lips to slide the spoon inside. Blinking, Jared bit into the ripe berries, tongue peeking out to try and lick away a smear of yogurt on his lip. Jensen dived in and licked the sticky-sweet smudge away, delving his tongue inside to get a better taste.
Jared returned the kiss hungrily, swallowing carefully. “God, I love you.” His hands cupped Jensen’s face and he pushed into his form, jostling the tray and spilling the juice. “Move this!”
Jensen tried to move the tray without breaking the kiss, but eventually conceded defeat and they separated for just moments while he placed it on the nightstand. Turning back, he was enveloped in another searing kiss as Jared pushed him back into the mattress and blanketed his body, legs bracketing his waist.
Jensen’s hand smoothed down the planes of his back, over the rounded firmness of his ass, until his pads teased the slightly swollen entrance. Rubbing his finger over the furled muscles, he groaned when it relaxed and contracted against his touch.
“Jen, Jen,” Jared panted, hips rocking back into the not-enough pressure, seeking more. “Can’t,” he moaned loudly, pressing his face to Jensen’s neck and biting down to keep from crying out.
“Aaah,” Jensen gasped, “Can.” He delved the tip of his index finger inside, bucking up when Jared greedily accepted it. He leaned forward and took the coppery nipple hovering above his face into his mouth, sucking and licking until the nub hardened.
Jared’s back arched and he hissed, “D-d-drug sssssstore.”
Mouthing his way up to Jared’s neck, he licked over his pulse point to feel the younger man squirm. “Don’t need a,” he sucked hard on the pulsating flesh, “condom to make you come.” He pulled his finger back, flailing his arm around on the nightstand for the lube they’d used last night as he continued to lavish attention to Jared’s sensitive throat. Up-ending the fruit salad and knocking over the yogurt, he nearly crowed when his questing hand encircled the bottle.
Touching a slickened finger to Jared’s waiting entrance, he took the man’s mouth again as he thrust it into the gripping heat of Jared’s body. Above him, Jared writhed like a live current was moving through him, body jerking and convulsing when Jensen scraped his nail over his prostate.
“Daddy?” A sleepy voice was barely audible over their heaving breaths.
“Papa Jensen?” was the timid echo.
“Oh God,” Jensen broke the kiss. He and Jared pivoted their heads in unison to see Teddy and Benji framed in the doorway, Deputy Bear dangling from Benji’s grasp and Teddy’s well-loved bear clenched in his fist, staring at the two men with wide eyed expressions. Gently removing the finger he had knuckle deep in Jared, Jensen was pretty fucking grateful he’d pulled the covers over them earlier.
“Hey, guys,” Jared panted, rolling off of Jensen and tugging the sheet tighter around their bodies.
“Daddy, what were you doing to Papa Jensen?” Teddy eyed them both suspiciously.
“You were wrestling,” Benji accused, “You get mad at us when we wrestle on the bed.”
“I know, right,” Jensen said, emphatically, “I kept telling him we weren’t allowed to do that on the bed, but would your Daddy listen….no-o-o.”
Jared whipped his head around and glared at the older man, narrowing his eyes when Jensen gave him a look of feigned innocence. Schooling his features into a more apologetic expression, he turned back to his sons and he dipped his head. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right, Daddy. We all forget sometimes,” Teddy consoled. His brows drew together in confusion as his gaze danced from his father to Jensen. “Did you and Papa Jensen have a sleepover?”
“Uh, yeah,” Jared stammered, brain trying to push past the last vestiges of his arousal to think of a suitable explanation. He should have thought to talk to the boys about Jensen maybe staying the night.
“Yeah,” Jensen mimicked, smiling fondly. “I was so worried about you last night that I wanted to stay and make sure you were okay and since there aren’t any other beds and the couch is too small, your Daddy was nice enough to share with me.”
“Speaking of which,” Jared motioned the two closer, “how are you feeling this morning?” He scooted back on the bed, adjusting the blanket to gather over his crotch, and patted the empty spot in front of him. The twins happily took the invitation and scrambled to the bed Teddy climbing into the space by Jared while Benji crawled up from the end to sit between the two men. Jensen followed Jared’s example and bunched the comforter over his flagging arousal, angling his hips away from the small boy for good measure. He rubbed along Benji’s back and peered over Jared to hear Teddy’s response.
“Achy,” Teddy leaned on Jared, head pillowed on his stomach.
“I know, bud,” Jared cooed, palming his son’s forehead, “It got you good, huh?”
Teddy nodded solemnly, sick-clouded eyes blinking, lazily.
Jensen looked over at Benji and noticed his brow creased in thought, his gaze intensely focused on Teddy lying on Jared. “What’s with the thinking face?” He rubbed his thumb over the little boy’s forehead to smooth out the lines there.
Pursing his lips, Benji poked an exposed section of Jared’s stomach. “When is it going to get bigger?”
Jared’s abs contracted at the sensation. “When’s what going to get bigger? My stomach?” He exchanged a glance with Jensen who simply shrugged. He didn’t realize the twins were aware of Jensen’s obsession with him gaining weight.
“Yeah,” Benji answered, still studying Jared’s abdomen. “For the baby. Your tummy has to get bigger or it won’t fit.”
Jared and Jensen both sat up in surprise, Jared’s hand cupping Teddy’s head to keep from uprooting him. “Baby?” The said in unison, staring at each other dumbstruck before turning their shocked gazes to the blonde boy.
Jensen recovered first. “Benji, what makes you think that your Daddy is going to have a baby?”
Benji traded a confused look with Teddy. “You were wrestling.”
“I don’t understand,” Jared looked from one son to the other, hoping for a little elaboration.
“That’s where babies come from,” Teddy said nonplussed, adjusting his head to a more comfortable position.
“Where on Earth did you hear that?” Jared felt Jensen’s hand on his arm, realizing that his breathing had sped up.
“Rosie said,” Benji began, head dipping and voice sounding as if he was now questioning the reliability of Rosie, “She said she saw her Mommy and Daddy wrestling one night and now she’s gonna have a little sister.”
Teddy’s head snapped up, his eyes wide. “We’re not gonna have a little sister, right? Girls are yucky, Daddy.” He turned pleading eyes to Jensen, holding in a cough. “Please, Papa Jensen, not a sister.”
“Whoa there, sport. Wait a minute,” Jensen chuckled. “There’s no little sister,” seeing Benji’s eyes light up with excitement, he quickly added, “and no little brother, either. You don’t get a baby by wrestling. Your friend is just a little confused.” He looked over at Jared, hoping he wasn’t screwing this up. The expression on his lover’s face told him that Jared was just as lost on how to handle it as he was, the smirk dancing across his lips telegraphing his joy that Jensen fielded the situation.
“Oh, okay,” Teddy mumbled, setting his head back on Jared’s stomach.
Benji bit his lip as he thought Jensen’s words over. His head tilted as a new question came to mind and Jensen knew this was about to get dicier. “Then where do babies come from?”
“Um, the stork brings them?” Jensen groaned inwardly. It probably wasn’t the best answer, but it was the first thing that came to his mind.
“Jensen,” Jared chided and Jensen shrugged, mouthing What? They’re six! in defense.
Teddy lifted his head and Jensen cringed at the questions he could see swirling in the child’s eyes. “The stork brings them? Then why does your tummy get…” He was cut off by a series of hacking coughs that wracked his small frame.
Even as his chest ached in sympathy, Jensen was relieved for the end of the Twinish Inquisition. He rubbed a hand over the boy’s head when the coughs subsided and Teddy dropped down to Jared’s chest panting.
“Definitely no school for you today,” Jared smoothed a hand over the ill boy’s cheek and Jensen immediately took back anything bad he’d ever thought about Jared’s ability to change the subject. “Papa Jensen has offered to stay home with you. Would you like that?”
“Yeah. What do you say, Teddy Bear, want to stay home with me today? Veg out on the couch and watch movies?” Jensen kissed the top of Teddy’s head, slightly holding his breath waiting for an answer.
Teddy gazed at him with trusting, dull eyes and nodded. Benji huffed, crossing his arms and affecting a pout that could rival some of Jared’s all-time bests. “I want to stay home with Papa Jensen, too.”
“No,” Jared answered on reflex just as Jensen said, “Sure.”
They blinked at each other for a moment before Jensen chuckled softly. “Come on, Daddy. It’s the last day before Christmas break and we both know that the only thing Gen has planned today is a party. Plus, if these two are anything like Austin’s boys, you’ll probably get a call mid-morning that Benji’s now sick too. Please, Daddy!” Jensen batted his long lashes, topping off the most syrupy sweet look that Jared had ever seen him make.
A nudge to Benji’s side and the boy was copying the look perfectly. “Please, Daddy!” he repeated.
Jared’s breath caught in his throat at the identical looks. Shaking his head slightly, he sighed. “All right,” he conceded, rubbing a hand up Teddy’s back, “just remember that Teddy needs to rest today so no running around acting crazy.”
“Yes!” Benji pumped his fist in the air and a small smile curled his twin’s lips.
“You need some more medicine,” Jared said, noting the fevered flush growing on Teddy’s cheeks. “Why don’t you two go downstairs and claim your spots on the couch and Papa Jensen and I will be down in a minute?”
Benji nodded enthusiastically and bounded off the bed. He came around to where Teddy was still laying against their father and held his hand out. Hands firmly clasped, he gently pulled the sick boy from the room, promising him full control of the remote, and closed the door behind them.
Jensen blew out a relieved breath and dropped back on the mattress, forearm coming up to cover his eyes. “Oh God. That was mortifying.”
“Them walking in on us or the part about where babies come from?” Jared chuckled.
“Both. I had flashbacks to walking in on my folks when I was a kid.” He shuddered at the thought. Sliding his arm up to rest on his forehead, he looked at Jared. “You don’t think we scarred them for life, do you?”
Jared stretched out beside him, head propped on his hand, and looked down at his lover. “No, Jensen. I don’t think we scarred them for life. I’m fairly certain they had no idea what we were doing. Though I think a call to Rosie’s parents is in order,” he murmured.
“Still, that could quite possibly be the single most embarrassing moment of my life, including the time my mom caught us fooling around in the shower.”
“That’s kids,” Jared wrinkled his nose, “Every day is a new opportunity for them to keep you humble.” Patting Jensen consolingly on the chest, he kissed him. “Welcome to parenthood, Papa Jensen.”