[Slash] Falling Away With You - Jared/Jensen - 1/1
Title: Falling Away With You
Author anyothergirl415
Pairing: Jared/Jensen, Jared/OMC mentioned, Chris/Chad mentioned
Words: ~8,700
Rating/Warnings: NC-17, mentioned drug use, language, boy sex, copious amounts of schmoop, semi-public sex.
Disclaimer: Wouldn’t it be weird if this were true? Well, we’ll never know cause it’s not!
Summary: It’s always been Jared’s dream to rent his own apartment. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep the place, and yes, that does mean stealing Chad’s car.
Notes: I have never hotwired a car, and I’m positive it couldn’t be done the way it is in this fic, so, there’s that. Thanks for surevesta for looking this over for me and making a banner for it! And thanks to cha for giving me the encouragement to post it.
Now in PDF form
When Jared Padalecki was just a boy, hardly a day past four, he went with his mama to his newly married older cousin’s apartment. It was pretty small, but to his little boy eyes it seemed enormous and Jared trailed his fingers along the yellowed plaster walls as he walked slowly down the hall. The pale green carpet clashed horribly, the bedroom was hardly big enough for a bed and dresser, the couch and chair in the living room didn’t match, there was a TV that only got four channels and his cousin kept complaining about the broken air conditioner.
Jared thought it was amazing. This was how the fantasy began.
For years, while it was still okay to play make believe, Jared imagined he had his own apartment. He would section off his bedroom into squares and meander around in Spiderman briefs because Jeff said that’s what people did when they lived alone - they walked around in just their underwear. Sometimes he even convinced his mama to let him eat his sandwich on the chair by his desk and Jared would kick the side of the cardboard box he’d cut a hole in, curse the fake TV for not getting better reception.
People said he was weird.
While most kids his age dreamed about being fireman or super heroes all Jared wanted was an apartment to call his own. And that never went away. Though by third grade he learned that it was no longer an acceptable answer on papers when instructed to write about what you wanted to be when you grew up. Jared didn’t really get why apartment owner didn’t qualify - it was better than rock star or movie star he figured, at least it was practical - but he kept his mouth shut and said vet ‘cause he liked animals.
And, as it happens, time passed, Jared grew up. He laughed and blushed when his family would tease him about his childhood aspirations of apartment owning. He never told them that nothing had changed, or that still, more than anything, he wanted that apartment with the pasty yellow walls and the pale green carpet, with the broken air conditioner and mismatched furniture. Jared understood then, wizened by years, that it was only a matter of time.
Soon.
That time finally came not long after his high school graduation. During junior year he’d gotten a job at Burger King and he scrimped and saved and stored and planned. Naturally, his parents expected him to go to college, but Jared wasn’t ready for that yet. He wanted to live a little. So they’d reached a compromise. Jared would wait until he had enough money to cover half a year’s rent and utilities and then he would move out.
Two weeks after graduation Jared met Alexander, Alex, oh so suave Prince who’d flirted so shamelessly with Jared over the counter - even though he was wearing his ridiculous uniform - that it couldn’t be ignored. The guy was basically, to put it simply, amazing. More so than anyone he’d ever known before; and Jared fell head over heels, hard.
Less than three months later they were moving into a fairly small apartment downtown. Alex complained about the cramped space - the bedroom only just big enough for the king sized bed required for Jared’s large frame - and about the way their kitchen chairs didn’t match and how their only view was the large line of skyscrapers across the street.
Jared though, he was in love. With the apartment, and Alex, but possibly the apartment more. It was painfully small and two people couldn’t stand in the front hallway at the same time without smooshing together, the cold water came out of the hot spout, and the hot water came out the cold but was really only lukewarm at best. And there was a stain in the far corner of the living room that no amount of Oxi Fresh could get rid of.
But god it was his. Jared hadn’t stopped grinning the entire time he signed the lease, and slipped the key on the ring, and every time he stepped in the building he couldn’t resist touching the little slip by the call button that read J. Padalecki.
If Jared hadn’t been so stupidly happy about the whole thing he might have realized that Alex declining to sign the lease was something to be concerned about. Or at least suspicious. It was easier for him to live in a happy little denial for awhile.
Because their apartment was downtown, prime reality, rent was eight hundred a month. With utilities, thankfully, but it was steep; even getting made assistant manager at Burger King didn’t help issues much. Especially when Alex insisted on getting cable and internet and a home line, another one fifty total, add food in and Jared ended up walking to work most days because there was no way to afford gas on top of everything. Alex worked part time at Banana Republic in the mall, minimum wage, but it helped. Most of the time.
Until everything fell apart and - at the end of a brutal conversation that involved more swear words than an Eminem song and several slammed doors - Jared found himself suddenly alone. It wasn’t really that big of a deal, they’d only been together half a year and Jared found him a bit annoying if he was honest.
Only Jared had allowed himself to be talked into signing up for all these extra things and, if he didn’t want to damage his credit or face a shit load of cancelation fees, Jared was going to need to come up with nearly a thousand dollars a month. If he didn’t want to eat.
Truthfully? Jared was kind of fond of eating.
At his salary, and the hours offered, things weren’t looking good. Basically, Jared was fucked. Either that or he’d have to go to his parents and admit, yeah, he should have waited longer and he shouldn’t have moved in with Alex, and he needed money.
The idea alone made Jared shuddered.
Which was how he found himself here, crossing the parking lot with a hat pulled low over his head, a hood on top of that, shoulders hunched. It wasn’t what it sounded like, really. Only it kind of was worse.
Word had spread around the restaurant that Jared was looking for more hours, more money, anything, and Chad Michael Murray came up with a plan. Yeah, the warning bells definitely flared in his mind - Chad didn’t exactly scream trust me - but he had to at least hear the guy out, just in case, because Jared really was desperate. This was his dream, this apartment, and he wasn’t ready to give it up yet.
“It’ll be easy,” Chad had insisted, grinning at him over his whooper and fries.
Jared looked down at his own burger and thought how nice it would be to not have to eat fast food for awhile. “Man, I don’t know Chad… I. It’s just. You know, it’s a lot. And what if I get caught? I could get arrest- “ Jared cut off sharply when a woman tugging on her daughter’s hand passed. Speaking lower, he continued. “I could get arrested. Then I’d have issues a thousand times bigger than my lack of money.”
Chad lacked tact, so he laughed loudly and shook his head. “Dude, you’re so not gonna get arrested. Just do what I said, make sure you’re disguised, they’ll catch you on tape stealing-“
“Can we not say it out loud here.” Jared hissed and looked wildly around for their boss. The man could be seen pacing in his office, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
Still laughing, Chad stuffed some fries in his mouth and shrugged. “Whatever. Look, it’s tonight or never. You do this Jared, and I promise you’ll be set for the next year at least, than you’ll have plenty of time to save up money, find a better job, and you won’t be stuck in this place again.”
And what choice did he have really? Not many. All equaled failure, but well, this one at least had some real potential.
It was fairly cut and dry.
Chad had this SUV, and it was pretty nice, and insured under his parents plan for just about everything that could happen. He loved his car, a whole shit load, but he loved getting high a little more. Which was not so good when he made stupid mistakes like taking a credit with a local dealer. Now Chad needed some money, real fast, just like Jared.
They’d gone over things in circles for a couple of weeks, lined up all the details, and if Jared could keep from throwing up, he’d be good.
Practicing breaking into Chad’s car didn’t stop his hands from shaking when he was actually performing the task. The parking lot was only half full and the security guard would be driving around for a check in within ten minutes. That didn’t give him a whole lot of time and Jared fumbled with the lock pick, dropping it once before stooping down and hurriedly jamming it in.
The seat was too far forward, Jared crammed uncomfortable in before figuring out how to slide the seat back. Getting the car to start was ten times harder than getting the door open and, when he finally managed it; his eardrums were assaulted with bad rap blaring over the speakers.
Hastily turning the volume down, Jared inhaled sharply, scrunched his nose up at the lingering sent of pot in the air, and flicked the lights on.
It wasn’t until he’d safely escaped the parking lot and turned out onto the main road that he managed to breathe without feeling like he might lose his chicken sandwich. Still, the paranoia washed over him in waves as he drove out of town, repeating the plan over and over in his mind to reassure himself.
There was a chop shop five hundred miles from here that Chad knew about from a friend of a friend of a friend. Or something ridiculous like that. Jared was going to drive the SUV there, sell it, and his only worry would be getting home. Well, that and not getting caught in the future.
And the next day Chad would report his car stolen. After a little research the insurance company would verify the story, pay Chad a shit load of money in compensations, and Jared would get half. Chad insisted his dad would have bought him a new car by then and wouldn’t need the money to be paid back. Apparently Chad was one of those rich kids would had most things handed to him, he only worked at Burger King for the free food and because he liked something to do during the day.
He’d once said there was nothing more amusing than working behind the register when he was stoned. Jared declined the offer to try it out. As amusing as he was sure customers would be, Jared really didn’t need a costly addiction in his life. Even if people said you couldn’t get addicted to weed, he’d never been sure whether to believe them or not.
It wasn’t until he was a good thirty miles outside the city limits that Jared allowed himself to relax enough to push the hood off his head and tug his hat off. He didn’t turn on music, didn’t want to fool himself into thinking this was just some carefree road trip.
An hour into his journey, Jared was passing the time by thinking about meals that were bought from the grocery store, cooked instead of premade. And the large throw rug that he saw in a shop window not far from his place. It would look great in his living room. He was just considering buying a fish or something, maybe a dog, just to have some company when someone groaned.
It made Jared nearly jump out of his skin and he swerved the SUV dangerously into the next lane, barely recovering before a semi could flatten him. His head snapped back and he caught sight of a man sprawled out along the backseat, slowly turning against the leather. Jared pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road so hard it sent graving spraying out in its wake.
“What the fuck?” He snapped, jamming the gears into park and spinning around to stare at the man. “Who the hell are you?”
One eyelid slowly peeled open, shiny, bright-liquid green peering at Jared. “Uh, Jensen. Who are you?”
Because the color of the man’s eye was so startlingly clear, Jared found his gaze shifting down a long torso, tanned skin exposed in a strip between rumbled black t-shirt and dark denim jeans. “Jared,” he answered only because his brain was now a bit all over the place. Shaking his head to collect himself, Jared wet his lips and shot his gaze back up to the man’s. Both his eyes were open now and it was even more disconcerting. “Why the fuck are you in Chad’s car?”
“Chad?” The man named Jensen repeated slowly and rubbed at his forehead. “Oh um, uh, I think I drank too much. I remember being at Chris’ place. Chad is the blond right? The one Chris is fucking? Is this his car? How did I get in here?”
Talk about too much information to process at once. For one, Jared had no idea who Chris was. And two, Jared had no idea Chad was gay. Annoyance flashed through him; of course his friend would leave out something like that, even though he knew Jared was definitely gay. “Uh, maybe Chad offered to give you a ride home?”
“Hmm,” Jensen slowly pushed himself up and scrubbed the heel of his palm into his eye. “And so now you’re driving? What happened to him and why am I not at home?”
Damnit, of all the nights for Chad to likely get stoned and drunk and forget about taking a friend home from a party. Not even a real friend since it didn’t even seem like Jensen knew who Chad was, not really. “Fuck,” Jared groaned and dropped his head back onto his seat.
Apparently Jensen finally looked out the window and his next words were understandably confused. “Where are we? Where’s the city?”
“About an hour and a half behind us.” Jared informed him through clenched teeth, eyes drifting to the console. It was after two am. Even if he called Chad the man wouldn’t answer. Fuck didn’t even cover it anymore. “Shit. Shit. Shit you weren’t supposed to be here.”
Obviously this perked Jensen’s curiosity because he leaned forward slightly, staring at Jared. “Why? Where are we going?” He leaned on the seat, hooking his arm around the passenger seat headrest.
“We? There’s no we here. I’m just going to… um… find the nearest town and drop you off. Sorry, it sucks, you can send Chad the bill for you trip home.” Jared looked over at him and tried not to stare into his bright green eyes too long. At least this unexpected turn of events was attractive. Jared tried to find the pro in most situations.
This only seemed to make Jensen more curious and he slowly grinned. Which was about as breath taking as his eyes. “Dude! You can’t just drop me off in some hick town. I could be killed or something. Where’s the harm in letting me tag along?”
Jared couldn’t even begin to imagine how he would explain this situation to Jensen. Man, he really hated Chad. Like a whole shit load. “Stupid fucking Chad,” Jared grumbled and shifted the car into drive. They couldn’t just continue to sit on the side of the road here in the middle of nowhere. Eventually a cop would come along and be suspicious and there was no way Jared could handle lying to a cop.
“Sweet.” Jensen nodded as the car moved along pavement again. It seemed to take some effort but the man managed to clamber forward and drop down into the driver’s side seat, eyes scanning the horizon visible from the headlights. “So. What’s the plan?”
“The next place I see that looks big enough to not horde serial killers or zombies, you’re getting out.” Jared mumbled, curling his fingers tight around the steering wheel.
A smirk danced across Jensen’s lips. “You’re really rocking the mysterious man with weird words huh? I like it.”
“Uh. Thanks?” Jared didn’t look Jensen’s way because, frankly, the guy was kind of sprawled in the seat in a way that should be illegal. “So you really don’t know why you were passed out in Chad’s car?”
“Really don’t. See that’s what happens when I let Steve make my drinks. Knowing them they probably threw me in there because they’ve seen the Hangover one too many times and thought it would be a riot for me in the morning.” Jensen laughed and the noise was pleasant enough to make Jared smile and relax slightly back in his seat. “As it turns out? They weren’t very wrong. So Jared, is this going to be hilarious movie worthy? Our little journey?”
Chuckling despite the part of him that still was freaking out - a whole bunch - about Jensen’s presence, Jared shrugged. “You know what? It totally might be. Only there’s only two of us and we’re not on an epic quest for a lost groom.” Jared was really glad he’d let Jeff talk him into watching that movie last time he was over, otherwise Jensen and he wouldn’t be connecting over it.
Not that he was looking for connections or anything.
Jensen grinned, still laughing quietly under his breath. “So what are we on an epic quest for?”
“You’re not that sneaky. Nice try though.” Jared smiled over at him, head shaking. No matter how cool Jensen might appear to be, Jared couldn’t ignore the fact that he was committing oh-so-illegal things and it wasn’t really fair to drag Jensen into that.
“May I make an observation?” Jensen asked in such a way that Jared felt he was going to hear the comment whether he wanted too or not. So he didn’t feel too guilty that he actually did want to hear it. “Well, seeing as how you’ve been Mr. McTwitchy since the moment we made acquaintance, I’m taking a hunch whatever we’re doing isn’t exactly kosher.”
Scratching his nose, Jared rolled his shoulders. “I um, what? No I-“
“I’m gonna stop you there spark plug,” Jensen cut him off with a raised hand and grinned. “Wanna know how I’m totally right you’re up to foul business?”
Because you are? That was an internal thought though, Jared wasn’t really sure he could get himself not to squeak if he tried to actually speak. So he just nodded instead.
The smirk playing on Jensen’s lips was so big it made his whole face contort with amusement. Jared felt oddly like the kid busted with his hand in the cookie jar. “There’s no key in the ignition.”
Busted.
Most definitely busted. Jensen was clearly super sleuth along with ultra gorgeous. Kind of a lethal combination, actually. “Oh um. I-“
“Yeah. Let’s hear it.” Jensen was so clearly amused by Jared being trapped in a confession that he momentarily felt tempted to smack him across the chest. Touching sounded nice period though so that could have been part of the urge.
“I uh, am stealing Chad s car.” The declaration hung between them for a handful of breaths until Jared coughed loudly. “Could you stop looking at me like I just said I like to eat babies?”
“Do you?”
“What?”
“Like to eat babies.”
It wasn’t until then that Jared realized Jensen was actually saying all of this while clearly amused and he was just teasing him. The little fucker. Clearly that should be added to Jensen’s list of qualities that seemed to have just as made negatives as positives. “You’re just hilarious. Bravo Chevy Chase, seriously, keep it up.”
Arching an eyebrow, Jensen looked nothing short of smug. “You know Chevy Chase is like, old right? Can’t it be Dane Cook or something?”
“Dane Cook? He’s not even really funny at all.” Pursing his lips, Jared thought about that and barked out a laugh. “So with that in mind, it should be Dane Cooke. You I mean.”
“I think Dane Cook is hilarious,” Jensen countered.
“Yeah well, he’s not so-“ Jared’s eyes shot over to Jensen when it occurred to him that, even though he’d just confessed to stealing a car, they were discussing comedians. “I need the money.”
“Uh huh, so, explain your logic Sherlock.” Waving a hand, Jensen slid back against his seat, smiling in clear amusement. Apparently that look wasn’t going away.
Well, Jensen asked so Jared decided to tell. He started at the beginning, the very beginning, with his very first daydream about renting his own apartment. It wasn’t often Jared got to tell the story so he lavished it with details and didn’t even mind how embarrassing it sounded. Jensen seemed only amused so Jared spared no detail.
The story took almost an hour and Jared found himself finally relaxing, driving casually and probably better for their safety. When he finally finished explaining Chad’s crazy plain to make enough money for them both, Jared blew out a long breath and lamented his lack of liquid. They might have to make a stop soon.
“Wow. So. That’s about your life story huh?” Jensen teased shamelessly, or flirted shamelessly - Jared couldn’t tell. He was hoping though. “It’s cool though. I see why this is so important. So you’re going to let me tag along eh? I could be your wingman.”
It was pretty obvious that Jensen was excited at the prospect and Jared wondered if being excited about committing illegal acts was a sign of psychotic behavior or something. He told himself Jensen was too cute to be any more insane than he was and shrugged. “Well, I guess it wouldn’t be so bad to have someone to keep me awake and stuff.”
Laughing, crystal clear and tinkling pleasantly down Jared’s spine, Jensen pushed up in his seat. “And I could be your alibi! If like, cops come and question you, you could say we were out on a date and I would so cover your ass. Like, literally.”
It was far too easy for Jared to create a mental picture of Jensen’s suggestions and he had to swallow and peer out the windshield to keep from gaping at the man. “Uh, alright... So you’d date me?”
“In a heartbeat.” Jensen said without hesitation as he stared out the windshield. Jared could see him from his peripheral vision and his profile was just as amazing as the rest of him, of course. Jared couldn’t help sighing wistfully. “I’m single you know.” Jensen added a few minutes later then pointed. “Gas station! I totally have to pee and need some Advil. Can we stop?”
They needed gas anyway - which Jared found ironic - and he nodded. Jared didn’t know about the security camera issue so he pulled his hat back on and hoped on the off chance anyone checked, they’d be thrown off by two people instead of one like before. Chad had given him sixty dollars that he insisted would cover the trip. So they pulled off the small highway and into the bright lights of the gas station. It was deserted and Jared was almost as nervous as he had been when first stealing the car, but it was a necessary evil.
“Want me to get you coffee?” Jensen suggested, kicking the door open and climbing out.
Jared was momentarily distracted by the way Jensen’s body bent while he stretched, exposing his stomach as he lifted his arms. The flash of hipbones and abs made Jared want to crawl across the seat, drop to his knees on gas stained cement, and lick. “Shit,” he breathed and turned away before Jensen could give him a curious look. “Uh, I gotta go in anyway. So, it’s okay.”
“Alright,” Jensen nodded and bounced off toward the building. Like, literally, bounced. He looked far too alive for someone with an apparently debilitating hangover should be.
Pulling the wires apart he successfully turned off the vehicle and Jared was careful not to touch them as he climbed out of the car and headed inside. It only took a few minutes to fill up a large cup of coffee for himself and snag a pack of mini-cookies before heading to the register.
All in all, things were turning out a fair bit differently than Jared had expected. Honestly, by this point he imagined he would have freaked himself out so much it would have driven him slightly insane. Instead he had this crazy sexy guy riding shot gun and saying things that sent Jared’s mind to naughty places. Not that he minded the naughty places but-
“Are you going to pay the guy or spend the next few hours day dreaming?” Jensen appeared at his side with a large energy drink and three different packages of junk food.
Jared hadn’t even realized he was standing there, clutching his wallet and staring into space. He flushed and quickly paid for his and Jensen’s items, adding on forty dollars for the gas. He hoped it would be enough to get them to their destination; otherwise he may be borrowing money from Jensen. Which would be so super lame.
“So, you doeat babies don’t you?” Jensen said after they’d returned to the SUV and began pumping fuel into the tank.
Jared’s eyebrows rose as he stared at Jensen. “Pardon?”
“Pardon?” Jensen repeated and laughed, head tipping back until it bumped into the back window. “That’s so very gay of you to say. Anyway. You’re freakishly tall and therefore must have gotten that way by eating babies.”
“Wow, terrifying logic.” Jared laughed and dragged a hand up through his hair. “Uh, my mom made me eat a lot of green vegetables.”
Smirking, Jensen pushed off the SUV and crossed his arms over his chest. “No babies then?”
“No babies.” Smiling softly, Jared’s head dipped down and he pushed the toe of his sneaker along the ground. “You’re pretty tall too you know. Did you eat babies.”
“Small dogs.” Jensen shrugged and walked around the SUV to the driver’s side, climbing in and shutting the door hard behind him.
Jared blinked a few times and told himself it wasn’t true because, yeah, Jensen was totally too cute to be that crazy, really, he was sticking to that.
“You don’t kill people in your spare time do you?” Jared asked when he slid into the SUV, looking toward the wry smirk on Jensen’s face. “Oh yeah, that look screams all sorts of comfortable feelings.”
“I’ve never killed a single thing. Maybe some bugs.” Jensen shrugged and settled back in his seat, tugging open a bag of Combos. “Should I remind you that you’re the one stealing a car?”
Jared huffed and bent down to connect the wires, starting the SUV and pressing his foot on the gas to rev the engine. “Yeah well, you’re the one all stupid excited about joining in on the craziness.”
Jensen laughed around the pretzel and cheese in his mouth and shook his head. “It’s ‘cause I live such a tame life. Need some thrill.”
“Isn’t that what sex is for?” Jared asked as they left the gas station, heading back onto the highway.
With a growing smirk Jensen nodded. “I think so. Only my sex life has been void of any action for the past six months.”
Honestly, Jared couldn’t imagine Jensen having any problem finding people to sleep with, so it must have been a choice he made. “Forced celibacy?”
“I’m waiting for Mr. Right.” Jensen grinned and sipped from his energy drink, face scrunching up. “Yuck, not the best taste combination. I should have gotten some water.”
“Poor baby,” Jared sympathized with mock seriousness, sighing dramatically and doing a silent dance of joy that Jensen had just confirmed the gay issue. Maybe he did stand a chance then. This could be one very interesting ‘how we met’ story.
Jensen reached out and punched his arm. “No Oscar for you. That acting is terrible.”
Rubbing at the spot Jensen’s fist connected, Jared shrugged. “I’ve got skills in other places, don’t need the acting ones.”
“Oh yeah? And what are these super secret skills?” Jensen’s eyebrows arched, lips in a continuous upward pull. “Are you a ninja?”
Either Jensen was one of those people who were perpetually happy, or he was kind of into Jared. In the end Jared decided it may have been a bit of both, but hopefully more of him being into Jared because that made something pleasant stir in his chest. “Only on my off days. My other skills include reaching things on high shelves and I can talk to animals.”
“Like Dr. Dolittle?”
It made Jared smile, how easily Jensen played into this wacky little conversation. “Make that Dr. Padalecki and you’re right.”
“Whoa, Padalecki? That’s epic.” Jensen informed but didn’t explain further. “My last name is Ackles. Which isn’t nearly as cool but it’s better than Jones.”
“Jones is perfectly respectable, and easier to spell.” Jared defended for no real reason, but he liked the way Jensen laughed in response. “How old are you?”
“Twenty three.” The answer came muffled around more pretzels and cheese, making Jared grin. “You?”
“Nineteen. I’ll be twenty in July.” It was kind of amazing how Jensen made him feel all warm and giddy, like crushes he’d had in the past on celebrities that could never become anything. Only it was more because this actually could be something. “So. We’ve established you’re single and looking, twenty three with a tendency to drink too much. You work?”
“Sizing up my prospect?” Jensen teased and laughed, spraying bits of pretzel on the dash. “Yeah I work. I’m a pole dancer.”
“Shut up.” Jared’s eyes widened, shooting from the road to Jensen and back again.
With a sly grin Jensen shrugged. “Maybe I am. I have the ass for it.”
Jared had caught a look at that particular body item at the gas station and he had to agree - silently of course. “Do asses really matter in pole dancing?”
“I think it’s more of a tits thing.” Jensen conceded and shrugged. “I work in a call center. Customer service for Verizon. Nothing awesome but it pays the bills.”
“Do you have your own apartment?” Jared asked, eyes brightening with clear enjoyment at the prospect.
Jensen laughed and sipped long from his energy drink once more. “I sure do. Does that make me ultra cool in your book?”
“I think you were ultra cool already.” A faint blush grew along Jared’s cheeks but the darkness of the car covered it and he smiled, looking out his window then back at the road. They fell into a comfortable silence that maybe shouldn’t have been so comfortable considering they’d only known each other over an hour. Jared chalked it up to extenuating circumstances, bonding over this crazy ass plan of Chad’s that would keep him on his feet.
A loud yawn from Jensen’s part of the car caught Jared’s attention and he grinned, reaching out to ruffle his hair. “You could take a nap if you wanted.” His fingers dropped down to slide along Jensen’s jaw line before hastily retreating as Jared realized he was basically caressing the man. Petting him. Ugh, embarrassing.
Jensen leaned against the seat, twisting toward Jared and granting him a sleepy smile. “I’m gonna try not to. I’m supposed to keep you company after all. But, I may be a little hung over still.”
“You have very easy hangovers apparently.” Jared was a bit envious at that. The last time he’d gotten drunk enough to give him a hangover the next morning, he’d been sick for the entire day and hadn’t been able to keep down something as simple as water. “I’ve got my coffee.” He added, holding up the cup and taking a sip.
“I’m not stimulating enough for you?” Jensen prompted and tried to look hurt. Considering he was still smiling, it didn’t really work.
Teasing came pretty naturally too and Jared nearly bounced in his seat. “Did I damage your ego Princess?”
“Oh you’re a cocky S.O.B.” Jensen huffed, smirked, and closed his eyes. “Fine. I’ll sleep. Wake me if we have to start running from the cops or something. I wanna see that.”
Jared smirked and shook his head. If that happened, Jared would probably pull over within the first five minutes and give himself up as a lost cause. But maybe Jensen could drive. They’d probably get away with him at the wheel.
-=-=-=-
“Are you a top or a bottom?”
The question came unexpectedly several hours later. The sun was just rising on the horizon and Jared had been leaning in to the steering wheel in attempt to shake the wave of sleepiness threatening to consume him. “P-pardon?” Jared sputtered, gaze shooting toward the man.
“Aw, that was super cute. That stutter.” Jensen stretched as much as possible in the confines of the SUV. “So? Which do you prefer? Taking or giving? Or do you like both?”
“Uh…” Jared was pretty sure normal conversations didn’t involve discussing whether you preferred to top or bottom. Generally that was a just about to fuck discussion. Or something. Well, sometime that wasn’t sitting in the front of a stolen SUV at like, five in the morning. “I uh, I like to, I um. Well I haven’t really. Not all the way. Just blow jobs and, you know. Stuff. But I think, bottoming. I’d like that. I’ve touched, there.”
Even though he couldn’t bring himself to look over to the side, he was sure Jensen had to be smirking at him. Or at least at the bright tomato color of his face. Jared would give anything for an ounce of the cool suave attitude Jensen seemed to be having going.
“Yeah? That’s… good.” Jensen murmured.
It was quiet enough to draw Jared’s attention and he turned to him, curious despite his embarrassed flush lingering on his cheeks. Jensen’s cheeks were flushed as well and he stared down at his hands with slightly wide eyes, as if he was surprised. “What are you thinking?”
“That Chad’s backseat is probably big enough and I’d really like to fuck you.”
And just like that Jensen went from looking slightly shy and coy to flashing bright green eyes at Jared that shown with something definitely qualifying as lust. Jesus. “Uh. Like. Like now?” Jared squeaked, blinking rapidly and forcing his gaze back to the morning sunrise before he killed them in an epic crash with a cactus or something.
Weirder things had happened he was sure.
“Yeah, like right now. I saw some condoms and a bottle of lube back there.” Jensen jerked his thumb over his shoulder and smirked. “I’d rather not think about why they’re there, but you know, we’re given the car up anyway right? Might as well make good use of them.”
Yeah, Jared definitely didn’t want to think about what they were doing back there - the condoms and lube - but Jensen made a valid point. They would just be thrown out. So his eyes swept the road ahead of them and less than ten minutes later they were pulling off one of those street exits that seemed to lead to nowhere.
Jared drove along the road for five miles until it turned to dirt and he could swerve around a bend, no longer able to see the highway. He bent forward and fumbled with the wires, the car’s engine stalled and died and suddenly they were sitting in silence, both staring out the windshield at pink colored sand in the sunrise.
“So uh-“ Jared began uncertainly. He’d never done anything like this but that seemed to be the summary for this night as a whole.
“Let’s get in back.” Jensen suggested and kicked his door open, leaving Jared to fumble quickly with his own.
A minute of shuffled and they were situated on the backseat. It was quite spacious, but Jared was freakishly tall and he wasn’t too sure this sex thing would work. His mind was still turning over different position in which to make it happen when he suddenly found himself with a lapful of Jensen and lips burning along his neck. He was suddenly intensely glad he’d rid himself of his sweatshirt an hundred or so miles back.
Jensen’s lips were like fire on his skin and Jared’s head fell back, lungs shaking with an inhaled breath. Obviously Jensen had a whole shitload more experience with sex than he did so Jared prepared himself to just go along for the ride.
It didn’t seem to take long for Jensen to get him out of his clothing. They slid easily out of their shirts and lost them somewhere on the floor. Pants were a bit more challenging, this involved a fair bit of squirming while Jensen attempted to keep his lips in place on Jared’s skin and Jared tried not to ram his head into the ceiling. But then they were sprawled along the backseat and Jensen’s body was sinking over his until their lips finally met.
As it turned out, kissing Jensen was mind blowing. Their lips met and collided as if they were meant to be, parting and gliding as one, tongues meeting in the middle. Jensen moaned shamelessly loud into the kiss and Jared half grunted, too turned on for coherency. It felt like they kissed for hours and all Jared could do was let himself be ravished, and rock his hips up to meet the downward spiral of Jensen’s as their cocks pressed together.
Before Jared had never realized that a spark was missing between him and Alex. Now it was as clear as day. This thing sizzling in the air between Jensen and himself was tangible and thick and Jared sucked in sharp breaths through his nose to keep from passing out. Yeah, it was that good.
Good to the point where Jared fucking whimpered when Jensen broke the kiss and pushed back, slow smirk curving kiss swollen lips up. “Don’t worry, it’s about to get a thousand times better.”
There was more rearranging, bodies shaping and molding into cool leather as Jensen snatched up the bottle of lube and slathered his fingers. Jared had just a moment to be ultra nervous before the blunt tip of a finger was rubbing along his entrance, rubbing in a small circle and teasingly pressing an inch forward. One leg was hooked up over the seat, the other spread as wide as possible on the ground and Jared felt the first digit slide all the way in and settle there.
Almost instantly he was gasping for more, rocking back into the gentle stretch, neck pinching from the way it was folded with his head crammed against the door. Two fingers sent pleasure ricocheted up his spine and Jared forgot about the discomfort, too lost in the scissoring affect stretching him wider.
Somewhere - maybe Jensen was super flexible from yoga or something - lips met his once more and Jared greedily kissed back, sucking Jensen’s tongue hungrily. This time when they broke apart Jensen pulled his fingers back and Jared groaned at the loss, frowning up at him until Jensen instructed him to move.
After a bit more negotiating, Jared found himself half slumped over the seat, chest pressing down into cool leather as Jensen slid in behind him. Warm lips brushed along his shoulder blades as three fingers prodded at his opening, teasing forward before shoving in. There wasn’t much in the way of discomfort by this point, Jensen clearly knew how to properly prep someone, and Jared clung to the seat edge as a desperate life line.
An embarrassingly needy noise fell from his lips with each twist of Jensen’s wrists, fingers spreading wide to pull him apart further. Another groan as the fingers disappeared and Jared only vaguely noted the tearing of foil in the background. He was too busy trying not to rub his cock against the seat just to get some friction.
Jensen’s hand on his shoulder twisted him back down along the seat and Jared almost laughed deliriously at the way his ass stuck up, body bend down into the leather. If it wasn’t so hot it might have been a bit degrading. Then all thought was wiped from his mind as the rounded head of Jensen’s cock pressed against his stretched entrance and slid forward.
Jared didn’t breathe until the man was completely buried in him, until he could feel him along every inch of his body. It was too intense, too much, and it burned even with the preparation. But Jensen was soothing him with soft, whispered words and a hand stroking slowly down his spine until Jared could wiggle his hips without the fear of discomfort.
Then Jensen was moving, short little thrusts in and out and Jared forgot there had been anything uncomfortable about this in the first place. Now it was his turn to moan ridiculously loud with each slam forward, Jensen increasing speed at a pace that left them both winded. His muscles were cramping from the unusual position, but his body was screaming for more and he pleaded with Jensen to fuck him.
The first touch of fingers around Jared’s cock sent his mind into overdrive. Each stroke met the downward slide of Jensen into him and half a dozen thrusts later the man hit his prostate. Jared lurched forward, head slamming into the car door, Jensen’s name echoing as a moan in the heated air around them.
“Fuck yeah, Jared,” Jensen grunted, his first words in a while but the way he said Jared’s name had him coming just like that.
It was certifiably the most intense orgasm Jared had ever had and Jensen’s hand on him milked him through it. He only registered Jensen hitting his own peak with the stutter-stop of the thrusts into him and Jared clenched around him, pulled the rest of the man in the only way he could.
The moment Jensen pulled free Jared felt the loss and he nearly slumped down into a puddle of his own come before Jensen pulled him back onto the seat and climbed up onto his lap. They kissed again, this time more slow and languid, lips parting and moving as one with an almost sense of familiarity.
“Damn,” Jensen breathed after awhile, forehead resting against Jared’s.
“You’re telling me.” Jared mumbled in return, fleetingly wishing they were in a bed together so he could curl up against Jensen and hold him tight.
This led to him wondering if he’d ever see Jensen again after their illegal excursion and the thought of not seeing him was too sad for Jared to dwell on. Eventually they’d have to cross that bridge but Jared was just going to cling to the time they had before that happened.
-=-=-=-
“So that’s the place.” Jared informed, stopping two blocks from the shady looking garage and staring with narrowed eyes. “We’re supposed to ask for Tony.”
“How stereotypical,” Jensen mused, staring at the building with equaling distrust. “Think it’ll take long?”
“No, hopefully not.” A part of Jared want to ask Jensen if he had some plans or something for the day but he was still sticking with the not thinking about it business. “You’re gonna go in with me right?” Jared may have been tall, and therefore a presence to behold, but these guys had street skills that he lacked immensely.
Jensen grinned and patted his arm. “Duh. I’m your wingman remember?”
With that in mind, Jared pulled the SUV the rest of the way to the garage, heart picking up speed in anticipation.
-=-=-=-
“Hey Tony, these boys are asking for you.” Rick, the man who had greeted them at the front gate, called over his shoulder and walked away before Tony could join them.
Jared shared an apprehensive look with Jensen before glancing back into the shop. He just barely bit back the laugh in time - Jensen wasn’t so fortunate and had to look away and cover his mouth to stop the rising chuckle. As it turned out, Tony was a scrawny, pale, white guy with wild crazy blue hair. He couldn’t ever look menacing, even with the narrowed eyes and grim press of lips he wore.
“Yeah? Whaddya want?” He asked, voice far too high to be taken seriously.
“I um, Marcus sent me.” Jared stumbled over the words, still fighting back laughter and forcing his eyes from drifting to Jensen. He’d totally lose it then.
Tony’s expression changed to something more cheerful and he nodded. “Yeah, you’re Jared right? He mentioned you’d be bringing me something.”
“Uh, yeah, it’s out here.” Jared was glad Chad’s connections had carried through, no matter how uncertain they had sounded.
They walked out to the SUV, Jared leading the way with Tony following, Jensen trailing along. Jared suspected he was still trying not to be obviously amused at the kid.
Tony whistled low in appreciation of the vehicle before looking back at Jared. “Mind if I take a look?”
“Go ahead,” Jared waved toward the vehicle and stepped back to Jensen’s side as the man moved forward. “Shut up,” he hissed out of the corner of his mouth, hip checking Jensen to try and get him under control.
“Dude, his hair is blue.” Jensen half giggled and Jared was forced to look away and cover his own mouth to hide a burst of laughter.
-=-=-=-
“Damn.”
“Seriously.”
“No. Like. That’s a lot of money.”
“I know.”
“Did Chad say it would be so much?”
“No, he said half. But I get to keep all of this. For my troubles.”
“Damn.”
“Seriously.”
-=-=-=-
The backpack on Jared’s shoulder felt absurdly heavy as he carried it up the steps of the Greyhound bus. He couldn’t meet anyone’s eyes, like they would just know he had almost ten grand in cash stashed in his carry on. Jared was even more nervous now, sitting amongst all these people with more money he’d ever seen in his life.
When Tony had taken them into the back office he’d been expecting an offer of a couple thousand, at the most. But apparently the SUV was only two years old and all her parts were in prime condition. Tony said he’d been looking for something like that for ages and couldn’t feel right if he didn’t pay Jared the ridiculously large sum.
At this rate, Jared hardly needed half of Chad’s insurance pay out. Not that he was going to say no to it. Chad didn’t really need the money, and Jared really did. He wanted to be excited, thrilled at the prospect of his money problems being over, but he couldn’t be until he was home safe and this whole thing was just done.
“So, do you think you’ll get a bigger place then?” Jensen asked curiously, plopping down into the seat beside him and shifting to get comfortable.
“No, not for awhile... It would raise a lot of questions and I still have six months on my lease.” Jared would find a way to invest it though, even if he had to put little amounts at a time into his bank. Depositing it all at once seemed pretty stupid. “Plus I love my place. Its downtown you know? Right in walk distance of everything and well, it’s mine.”
Jensen smiled over at him and lifted Jared’s arm, tucking into his side and settling the arm over his shoulder. “You’re pretty cute.”
“Cute?” Jared tried to sound indignant as he huffed but he was too pleased at the comment to pull it off.
“Well, sexy too. And a bunch of things. Put my brain is fried and sleep sounds oh so lovely now.” Jensen grinned even as his eyes closed.
Jared thought he might be too pumped on adrenaline to sleep at this point, but less than ten miles out of town the warmth of Jensen against his side and the secure knowledge that he wasn’t about to lose his apartment and whole life lulled him into sleep.
-=-=-=-
“So, uh, thanks. For being my wingman and, you know, being generally awesome and all.” Jared murmured softly, shuffling the strap of his backpack on his shoulder as they stepped out of the Greyhound station.
Jensen beamed up at him and nodded. “My pleasure. Thanks for letting me tag along.”
“Yeah, no problem.” Jared bobbed his head slowly, lingering there, uncertain what to do next.
For a few moments he dwelled on this being the end. Jensen would walk out of his life and maybe if he started hanging around Chad more often he might bump into the guy sometime, but that would probably be awkward or something and Jared wasn’t sure he wanted to face that. He just hoped Jensen wouldn’t go telling everyone about their random fuck because that might make him sound cheap and Jared really didn’t want to face down Chad teasing him about it.
“Jared?” Jensen prompted, touching his hip to get his attention.
Looking up, Jared blushed and shrugged. “Sorry. Apparently I still need sleep.”
“Me too.” Jensen agreed and smiled. “That’s why I asked if it would be okay if I maybe came to your place for a little while. You know, to sleep.”
That empty little weight in Jared’s heart dissipated with the spark in crystal green eyes and Jared’s lips curled into a slow grin. “Yeah. Sleep. That would be, um, yeah. You should. Come on.”
“Can we take a cab? I really don’t feel like walking and I know you can afford it.” Jensen teased and took his hand, lacing their fingers together.
At this point Jared probably would have agreed to buying Jensen a solid gold Rolex if that was what the man wanted. Man, this had gone so much better than he thought.
-=-=-=-
“We’re in the clear.” Chad said as a greeting when Jared pulled the door open, squeezing past in the tiny hallway and heading for the bright green chair in the living room. “Just got the pay out for my insurance. They have no idea who did or where the car could be.”
It had been a few months since everything happened and Jared felt the final wave of nerves wash off his body, mouth parting around a small sigh of relief. “Thank god. I knew it was going to be okay though.”
Jensen entered the room with a laugh, dropping onto Jared’s lap when the man took up a seat on the black sheet covered couch. “Sure you did precious, cause we haven’t discussed how freaked out you’ve been at all. Chad did I tell you how he nearly ran when two cops entered the animal shelter the other day? It was epic.”
Scowling up at his boyfriend, Jared whacked him on the back of the head - playfully of course - and refused to address the issue, even when Chad laughed. “Can we please just get on with things?”
Chad grinned and tossed a thick envelope on the empty seat beside them. “There you go. It’s all yours. Thanks man, seriously. I owe you one.”
“I think you’ve paid me back.” Jared mumbled and resisted the urge to reach out and snag the money.
Jensen didn’t, however, and he even pulled the envelope open and thumbed through the contents. “Now can we move? This place is tiny and there’s never any hot water.”
A fond smile danced across Jared’s lips and he looked around the small apartment. The walls were a weird shade of baby blue and the carpet was rusty brown, the window along the wall wouldn’t open no matter how hard you tugged and the stain in the carpet was still obvious in the corner. But it was his, his home with his boyfriend, and Jared couldn’t bring himself to despise it. Even with the lack of hot water.
Still, he’d do anything to please Jensen so he shrugged and nodded. “Yeah alright, when the lease is up. But I still want it to be an apartment downtown. And we’re keeping the furniture.”
Jensen grinned and pulled him in for a brief kiss. “Deal.”