FIC: "Shelf Ice Meander" (5/10)
Shelf Ice Meander
By Simarillion
Fandom: Supernatural RPS
Universe: Alternative Universe
Rating: R
Beta: asm_z
Pairing: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki, others
Warnings: slash, M/M
Word Count: 2,993 (15,240)
Summary: What doe it take to break you? (Of betrayals and broken trust)
Disclaimer: None of the herein presented happenings and events are true. Everything is 100% fiction and that includes the sexuality of the characters. I don’t claim to be in the know about their relations and private affairs, and I don’t make any money with the creation of this story.
Author’s Note: I changed the age of Jensen and Jared, they are the same age now. The plot wouldn’t really work otherwise.
This is part 4 of the Glaciology! ‘verse. Jensen is a scientist in the field of glaciology and he spends most of his time surrounded by ice, whereas Jared is a Hollywood movie star. Prequel to this story are Invisible Glaciers, Iceberg Anatomy, Avalanches Approaching and Crevasse Rescue.
[ Masterpost]
Part Five
On the second day of Chris’ stay with Jensen a letter arrives. It’s an expensive white envelope with fancy golden writing on it. At first Jensen doesn’t really know what to do. It has his name on it and it’s addressed to him, but he can’t possibly think of anyone sending him such a letter.
When he opens it, there’s an invitation inside. Sophia is getting married in May and she’s invited Jensen to come out to Lethbridge, Alberta, and celebrate with her. He’s just finished reading the card, when his phone rings. Absentmindedly he picks up.
“Talk about last minute.” Mike sounds somewhat miffed.
It shows how close their friendship is that they don’t even have to specify what they are talking about. They just know what the other is thinking. Besides, it stands to reason that the received the invitation on the same day.
“As far as I know her fiancé is a renowned press photographer, and he’s heading out to some war zone to take photos. Sophia said the last time I talked to her, that she wants marry him before he leaves.” His friend hadn’t said anything about it after that, and Jensen had just assumed that Sophia had changed her mind.
“Dude, the wedding is like two months away. She could at least have called and told us that we’re supposed to take the day off.” The wedding is on a Saturday.
“Don’t be such a douche bag about it.” Jensen is standing in front of the wall calendar in the kitchen and checking the date. There’s nothing noted for that day or the weeks before and after. “You’re just pissed because Tom will rag on you for not being half as excited about it as he is.”
“He’s going to be insufferable for weeks, and afterwards he’ll keep on talking about how awesome it was, and how much he liked the reception, and how great Sophie looked. It’s grating on my nerves and it hasn’t even started yet.” Jensen grins. Even though Tom always says that he won’t get married in this lifetime, he turns into a complete sap at each wedding he attends. At Kristen’s wedding, he even outcried the mother of the bride.
“But, from what I remember you telling me, even though I asked you not to, he gets very randy as well.” His comment has Mike grunt into the phone.
“Like every night is wedding night.” There’s an appreciative hmm. “Maybe this wedding thing is good for something after all.”
Jensen suddenly is presented with a completely different problem. The invitation has been issued plus one, and even though Sophia doesn’t know who Jensen’s plus one is, she knows that he exists. The big question though is if Jensen should even ask Jared. It’s not like he will agree to come. At times like these Jensen really hates to have to lie about who he’s having a relationship with.
They skirted the talk about Jared openly committing to Jensen, and that had been at the very beginning of their relationship. They had both agreed that it was best to keep the press, and everyone else out of everything, at least to begin with. But when would be the right time to at least include their families in their circle of trust?
His thoughts are brought to an abrupt end when there’s a loud bang on the other end of the line, followed by a more sedate ‘Oops.’
“Mike?”
“Shit, Tom’s gonna kill me.” His friend is muttering frantically. “Shit, shit, shit. Fuck.”
Jensen wants to ask once more what happened but then the line is dead and Mike’s gone. When Jensen tries to call back, the phone isn’t being picked up. He knows that Mike’s okay. He probably just banged something up, or crushed something ‘accidentally’. Jensen remembers the one time Mike backed up over Tom’s old b-b-q grill.
The thing had been ancient, and it had been horrible to work with. One day Mike had backed the car into the drive just as the grill had been standing there. His friend had sworn (and still does) that the incident had been an accident, but both Jensen and Tom had been rather doubtful about it. Especially since Mike had been talking about getting a new grill for some time before that.
Once again he glances at the invitation and asks himself if he should ask Jared or not. He’s still undecided about it when he finally calls Jared. The phone rings a couple of times and then the mailbox starts. It’s most likely that Jared’s still at work.
Deciding against leaving a message, Jensen sets the phone aside and walks to the magnetic board in the kitchen. He usually posts everything important on it, to know where to look if he needs any details he forgot. The invitation is added to the collage of receipts, invoices, grocery lists and calling cards.
Then Jensen returns to his office upstairs to grade the first batch of midterm exams. Yesterday had been the test date for the Advanced Glaciotectonics course, and together with the sheets of Arctic Ecology he has quite a stack of exams to take care of. Jensen had structured the questionnaire into multiple choice questions (7 pages) and two open questions, where the students had been asked to write essays about a certain topic, and give their opinion on it.
Theoretically this is a good way of ensuring that the students can do both, separate true from false, and find arguments in their own words, but it also means that Jensen has more work, than other teachers who just use the multiple choice questionnaires.
Jensen sits down at the desk and returns to his grading. Dean is sleeping under the desk, and he hadn’t moved a muscle when Jensen had gotten up to get the mail from the mailbox. The husky is even lazier than usually today. Yesterday Chris had chased Dean around the garden for a long time and in the evening Jensen had run the long route with him. The dog’s exhaustion shows that he’s not a young pup anymore.
From time to time Jensen reaches down and scratches behind Dean’s ears, just letting the dog know that Jensen’s not willfully ignoring him, and then he continues reading, correcting, and grading.
He’s just finished with the stack of Glaciotectonic exams, when he can hear the front door being unlocked and the sound of toenails scratching in a frantic squabble on the floor. The noise has Dean lift his head and then he’s on his feet and out the door. Jensen follows at a more sedate pace, his heart already beating hard at the knowledge of who will be waiting for him.
Downstairs he finds Jared in the hallway, two large duffle bags next to him, with Harley and Sadie dancing around Dean. Jared looks up from the happy dogs and smiles brightly at Jensen. Suddenly it feels like the sun has risen. Like all these days Jensen had been standing in the shadows, and with just one smile of Jared’s, the sun is shining again.
He smiles back, and carefully maneuvers through the canine welcome ritual. Once he’s reached Jared, he just pulls him close and kisses him deeply. This right here is what he’s been missing. The contentment he feels when they’re together.
Their kiss turns more heated as Jared’s hands wander south and grab Jensen’s ass, hauling him even closer to his body. Jensen feels like he’s being plastered to Jared, and the way the other makes sure that they can’t be parted has him wrap his arms around Jared’s neck and bury his fingers in his hair.
In the end they have to part for air. This doesn’t mean that they have to part, though. They stay pressed against each other, their breaths puffing against their lips.
“I got so angry when they called about the re-shoots. Even though they said it would only take one or two days, I didn’t want to call you and tell you, and just to have to cancel again.” Jensen doesn’t care about Jared not calling. All that matters is that Jared did show up, and that from the look of the bags, he’s going to stay for a bit.
To let Jared know what he thinks about it, Jensen once more dives in for a kiss, but this time Jared starts to navigate Jensen through the hall to the stairs. Slowly they make their way upstairs. More than once they have to stop, with Jensen pressed against the wall, and Jared ravaging him, before their ascension continues.
Jared is relentless, and he manhandles Jensen out of his shirt and pants before they’re even inside the bedroom. Sheer luck has Jensen undress Jared, because Jensen is too distracted from the kisses and the touches to actually plan on stripping Jared.
With an ‘uff’ he’s thrown onto the bed, and just as quickly Jared lands on top of him. Their hands get more frisky, and with more skin to touch, the strokes get more arousing. Jensen can’t help himself, and he slips his hands underneath Jared’s boxer briefs, kneading the firm cheeks.
“Careful, or this is over much faster than planned.” Jared growls against Jensen’s lips. The vibrations of Jared’s chest resting on top of his send a shiver down Jensen’s spine. He takes a shaky breath and locks his eyes with Jared’s.
“Someone’s got problems with their stamina.” Jensen’s teasing words have Jared actually growl at him, and he’ pushed even harder into the mattress.
The way Jared’s dominating him gets Jensen all hot and bothered. He likes it when Jared takes what he wants from him. Maybe that makes them all cave man, but Jensen doesn’t care. It’s just too awesome, not to mention hot, to give it too much thought.
Jensen traces his way down Jared’s back and then to the front. One hand stays on his hips, holding tight, while the other finds its way to Jared’s cock, stroking its length up, and then down again. The movement has Jared buck into his touch, and he breaks their kiss to bite Jensen’s neck.
The sudden pain makes Jensen moan. He unintentionally squeezes Jared’s erection, and spreads his thighs wider.
“Yo! The two of you better not be fucking when I’m around.” Chris voice hollering up the stairs is like a cold shower.
The two of them are frozen, staring slightly shocked at the door, fearing that it will open and Chris will come barging in. Someone walking in on them is something they can very well do without. When the door stays closed, Jensen pushes against Jared’s shoulders, and his him climb off the bed. Jensen rolls out himself.
Jared raises an eyebrow at him, asking without words what Chris is doing in Jensen’s house.
“He’s got work in San Francisco, and is staying at my place for the duration.” To reassure that the other’s presence won’t be a problem he adds, “I put him into the bedroom downstairs.”
Jensen quickly gets a shirt and pants, throwing a shirt at Jared who’s tugging on his jeans. The sight of Jared fighting with trying to make his hard-on a little less conspicuous, has Jensen chuckle amused and Jared looks over to him. He rolls his eyes at Jensen and finally manages to zip the jeans closed. Once they’re as presentable as they’ll get Jensen and Jared head downstairs.
Chris is in the living room playing with the dogs. Sadie and Harley seem to be a bit unsure about the trustworthiness of the strange human, but Dean’s enthusiasm makes it impossible for them not to join in.
When Jensen and Jared enter, Chris looks up from the dogs and grins mischievously at them. His eyes go to the red bite mark on Jensen’s neck, and he almost looks gleeful when he glances at Jensen.
“Sorry. Hope I didn’t interrupt anything.” Jensen thinks that his friend doesn’t look repentant at all. More like he’s smug about something. He glares at Chris, but the other just grins even wider.
“Hey.” Jared either doesn’t notice the undertone to Chris words, or he’s above commenting on it. He just smiles friendly at Chris and pets Sadie who excitedly greets her human, as if Jared had been gone for days, and not just minutes.
“How’s Hollywood?” For anyone else, the question might sound like a genuine inquiry about Jared’s life, but Jensen is very well aware that it’s a subtle attack. Chris has been silently fuming about Jared canceling with Jensen on Monday, and no matter how often Jensen had tried to talk some sense into his friend, Chris had insisted in carrying this particular grudge.
“Stressful but great. Thanks.” Jensen is of the opinion that Jared deserves an Academy Award just for the performance he’s giving in Jensen’s living room.
Desperately trying to restore some kind of peace, Jensen clears his throat. He makes sure that both of them, Chris and Jared, are paying attention to him before he asks them if they are interested in something to drink. He has Chris check the pantry for more juice, and delegates Jared to fill the dog’s bowls with fresh water.
While the others are occupied, Jensen opens the fridge to get the sandwich stuff out. Some food and drinks should lighten the moods, or at least make them too stuffed to want to fight. He’s taking the lettuce and the tomatoes and putting them on the counter. There’re cold cuts and cheese, and Jensen adds the pickles to the ingredients he’s already got gathered.
Jensen contemplates the merits of getting some peanut butter and jelly as well, when two arms wrap around his waist, and a hard chest is pressed against his back. He can smell Jared and leans back, enjoying the contact between them.
“Does this mean that I don’t get any sex during my stay here?” The question is asked with a teasing voice, and Jensen chuckles amused.
“I knew it. You only want me for my body.” His fake shock is accented by the falsetto he’s talking in. It has both of them laugh, and Jared’s hands start roaming his body. One hand comes to rest on his chest, the other slips under Jensen’s shirt and traces a pattern over his stomach.
“What else should I want you for?” Jensen sets the jar of peanut butter down and turns around in the hold Jared has him in. He reaches up and cards his hands through the shaggy hair that keeps falling into Jared’s face.
He likes the closeness, and he knows that he’s lucky to find himself where he is now. Maybe that’s the reason why he forgives Jared so readily for tiny missteps or the long absences. Jensen just doesn’t want to be a drag, and most of all he doesn’t want to lose Jared over some stupid fight about him doing his work.
Smiling content up at Jared, Jensen pulls Jared down for a quick kiss. He licks his lips afterwards and grins at the heavy swallow Jared does at that.
“So, I’ve got a question I want to ask you.” He leans back against the counter, Jared taking a step closer to him to keep them together. Jared’s hands are resting on the small of his back, under the shirt that is bunched up.
“Ask away.” Jared shuffles another half a step closer and suddenly Jensen almost finds himself bend backwards over the counter. The position has his back protest, and he clings to Jared’s shirt to pull himself closer to Jared, trying to straighten his back.
“Sophia, you know, my friend from college, is having her wedding on the 17th of May, and I was wondering if you would be interested in going there with me.” The question has Jared let go of Jensen and take a couple of steps back.
Different emotions flicker over Jared’s face, none staying there long enough for Jensen to read them. In the end Jared just heaves a heavy breath, and runs his hands through his dishevelled hair. The actions have Jensen feel uneasy, and he wonders if he’s pushing Jared too hard too fast.
“We talked about that, and we both agreed that it’s better to keep quiet about us.” Jared doesn’t sound angry, but he sounds exhausted, and that’s even worse. Jensen fears that sneaking around, not being able to see each other all that often, and having too lie all the time to everyone, is wearing Jared out. So, what if he decides that it’s too much of a bother to stay with Jensen?
“Okay. I just thought I should ask.” Jensen tries to hide the rejection he feels at Jared’s words and actions, but he’s not so sure if he’s successful at it.
“Besides, I’m not in the States at that time. I have to be at Cannes. One of my movies is being shown, and there’ll also be the first public viewing of the trailer for The Worst Journey.” Jensen just nods at that. He knew that Jared is going to Cannes, but he hadn’t known when exactly and for how long.
“Wow, so the Polar movie is finally getting promoted.” He tries to lighten the mood by talking about Jared’s work, and the movie that brought them together in the first place.
Jared just nods at that. He still keeps his distance from Jensen, almost as if he’s reluctant to get too close to him. Jensen just turns back to the counter and continues getting everything ready for dinner.
He’s slicing the bread, when Chris returns with the juice. He takes a look at them, and decides he doesn’t like what he sees. Sending the other a glare, he keeps between Jensen and Jared, making sure that they can’t get to each other.
Jensen can’t help but sigh. This is already shaping up to be a disaster.
continue: Part Six
By Simarillion
Fandom: Supernatural RPS
Universe: Alternative Universe
Rating: R
Beta: asm_z
Pairing: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki, others
Warnings: slash, M/M
Word Count: 2,993 (15,240)
Summary: What doe it take to break you? (Of betrayals and broken trust)
Disclaimer: None of the herein presented happenings and events are true. Everything is 100% fiction and that includes the sexuality of the characters. I don’t claim to be in the know about their relations and private affairs, and I don’t make any money with the creation of this story.
Author’s Note: I changed the age of Jensen and Jared, they are the same age now. The plot wouldn’t really work otherwise.
This is part 4 of the Glaciology! ‘verse. Jensen is a scientist in the field of glaciology and he spends most of his time surrounded by ice, whereas Jared is a Hollywood movie star. Prequel to this story are Invisible Glaciers, Iceberg Anatomy, Avalanches Approaching and Crevasse Rescue.
[ Masterpost]
Part Five
On the second day of Chris’ stay with Jensen a letter arrives. It’s an expensive white envelope with fancy golden writing on it. At first Jensen doesn’t really know what to do. It has his name on it and it’s addressed to him, but he can’t possibly think of anyone sending him such a letter.
When he opens it, there’s an invitation inside. Sophia is getting married in May and she’s invited Jensen to come out to Lethbridge, Alberta, and celebrate with her. He’s just finished reading the card, when his phone rings. Absentmindedly he picks up.
“Talk about last minute.” Mike sounds somewhat miffed.
It shows how close their friendship is that they don’t even have to specify what they are talking about. They just know what the other is thinking. Besides, it stands to reason that the received the invitation on the same day.
“As far as I know her fiancé is a renowned press photographer, and he’s heading out to some war zone to take photos. Sophia said the last time I talked to her, that she wants marry him before he leaves.” His friend hadn’t said anything about it after that, and Jensen had just assumed that Sophia had changed her mind.
“Dude, the wedding is like two months away. She could at least have called and told us that we’re supposed to take the day off.” The wedding is on a Saturday.
“Don’t be such a douche bag about it.” Jensen is standing in front of the wall calendar in the kitchen and checking the date. There’s nothing noted for that day or the weeks before and after. “You’re just pissed because Tom will rag on you for not being half as excited about it as he is.”
“He’s going to be insufferable for weeks, and afterwards he’ll keep on talking about how awesome it was, and how much he liked the reception, and how great Sophie looked. It’s grating on my nerves and it hasn’t even started yet.” Jensen grins. Even though Tom always says that he won’t get married in this lifetime, he turns into a complete sap at each wedding he attends. At Kristen’s wedding, he even outcried the mother of the bride.
“But, from what I remember you telling me, even though I asked you not to, he gets very randy as well.” His comment has Mike grunt into the phone.
“Like every night is wedding night.” There’s an appreciative hmm. “Maybe this wedding thing is good for something after all.”
Jensen suddenly is presented with a completely different problem. The invitation has been issued plus one, and even though Sophia doesn’t know who Jensen’s plus one is, she knows that he exists. The big question though is if Jensen should even ask Jared. It’s not like he will agree to come. At times like these Jensen really hates to have to lie about who he’s having a relationship with.
They skirted the talk about Jared openly committing to Jensen, and that had been at the very beginning of their relationship. They had both agreed that it was best to keep the press, and everyone else out of everything, at least to begin with. But when would be the right time to at least include their families in their circle of trust?
His thoughts are brought to an abrupt end when there’s a loud bang on the other end of the line, followed by a more sedate ‘Oops.’
“Mike?”
“Shit, Tom’s gonna kill me.” His friend is muttering frantically. “Shit, shit, shit. Fuck.”
Jensen wants to ask once more what happened but then the line is dead and Mike’s gone. When Jensen tries to call back, the phone isn’t being picked up. He knows that Mike’s okay. He probably just banged something up, or crushed something ‘accidentally’. Jensen remembers the one time Mike backed up over Tom’s old b-b-q grill.
The thing had been ancient, and it had been horrible to work with. One day Mike had backed the car into the drive just as the grill had been standing there. His friend had sworn (and still does) that the incident had been an accident, but both Jensen and Tom had been rather doubtful about it. Especially since Mike had been talking about getting a new grill for some time before that.
Once again he glances at the invitation and asks himself if he should ask Jared or not. He’s still undecided about it when he finally calls Jared. The phone rings a couple of times and then the mailbox starts. It’s most likely that Jared’s still at work.
Deciding against leaving a message, Jensen sets the phone aside and walks to the magnetic board in the kitchen. He usually posts everything important on it, to know where to look if he needs any details he forgot. The invitation is added to the collage of receipts, invoices, grocery lists and calling cards.
Then Jensen returns to his office upstairs to grade the first batch of midterm exams. Yesterday had been the test date for the Advanced Glaciotectonics course, and together with the sheets of Arctic Ecology he has quite a stack of exams to take care of. Jensen had structured the questionnaire into multiple choice questions (7 pages) and two open questions, where the students had been asked to write essays about a certain topic, and give their opinion on it.
Theoretically this is a good way of ensuring that the students can do both, separate true from false, and find arguments in their own words, but it also means that Jensen has more work, than other teachers who just use the multiple choice questionnaires.
Jensen sits down at the desk and returns to his grading. Dean is sleeping under the desk, and he hadn’t moved a muscle when Jensen had gotten up to get the mail from the mailbox. The husky is even lazier than usually today. Yesterday Chris had chased Dean around the garden for a long time and in the evening Jensen had run the long route with him. The dog’s exhaustion shows that he’s not a young pup anymore.
From time to time Jensen reaches down and scratches behind Dean’s ears, just letting the dog know that Jensen’s not willfully ignoring him, and then he continues reading, correcting, and grading.
He’s just finished with the stack of Glaciotectonic exams, when he can hear the front door being unlocked and the sound of toenails scratching in a frantic squabble on the floor. The noise has Dean lift his head and then he’s on his feet and out the door. Jensen follows at a more sedate pace, his heart already beating hard at the knowledge of who will be waiting for him.
Downstairs he finds Jared in the hallway, two large duffle bags next to him, with Harley and Sadie dancing around Dean. Jared looks up from the happy dogs and smiles brightly at Jensen. Suddenly it feels like the sun has risen. Like all these days Jensen had been standing in the shadows, and with just one smile of Jared’s, the sun is shining again.
He smiles back, and carefully maneuvers through the canine welcome ritual. Once he’s reached Jared, he just pulls him close and kisses him deeply. This right here is what he’s been missing. The contentment he feels when they’re together.
Their kiss turns more heated as Jared’s hands wander south and grab Jensen’s ass, hauling him even closer to his body. Jensen feels like he’s being plastered to Jared, and the way the other makes sure that they can’t be parted has him wrap his arms around Jared’s neck and bury his fingers in his hair.
In the end they have to part for air. This doesn’t mean that they have to part, though. They stay pressed against each other, their breaths puffing against their lips.
“I got so angry when they called about the re-shoots. Even though they said it would only take one or two days, I didn’t want to call you and tell you, and just to have to cancel again.” Jensen doesn’t care about Jared not calling. All that matters is that Jared did show up, and that from the look of the bags, he’s going to stay for a bit.
To let Jared know what he thinks about it, Jensen once more dives in for a kiss, but this time Jared starts to navigate Jensen through the hall to the stairs. Slowly they make their way upstairs. More than once they have to stop, with Jensen pressed against the wall, and Jared ravaging him, before their ascension continues.
Jared is relentless, and he manhandles Jensen out of his shirt and pants before they’re even inside the bedroom. Sheer luck has Jensen undress Jared, because Jensen is too distracted from the kisses and the touches to actually plan on stripping Jared.
With an ‘uff’ he’s thrown onto the bed, and just as quickly Jared lands on top of him. Their hands get more frisky, and with more skin to touch, the strokes get more arousing. Jensen can’t help himself, and he slips his hands underneath Jared’s boxer briefs, kneading the firm cheeks.
“Careful, or this is over much faster than planned.” Jared growls against Jensen’s lips. The vibrations of Jared’s chest resting on top of his send a shiver down Jensen’s spine. He takes a shaky breath and locks his eyes with Jared’s.
“Someone’s got problems with their stamina.” Jensen’s teasing words have Jared actually growl at him, and he’ pushed even harder into the mattress.
The way Jared’s dominating him gets Jensen all hot and bothered. He likes it when Jared takes what he wants from him. Maybe that makes them all cave man, but Jensen doesn’t care. It’s just too awesome, not to mention hot, to give it too much thought.
Jensen traces his way down Jared’s back and then to the front. One hand stays on his hips, holding tight, while the other finds its way to Jared’s cock, stroking its length up, and then down again. The movement has Jared buck into his touch, and he breaks their kiss to bite Jensen’s neck.
The sudden pain makes Jensen moan. He unintentionally squeezes Jared’s erection, and spreads his thighs wider.
“Yo! The two of you better not be fucking when I’m around.” Chris voice hollering up the stairs is like a cold shower.
The two of them are frozen, staring slightly shocked at the door, fearing that it will open and Chris will come barging in. Someone walking in on them is something they can very well do without. When the door stays closed, Jensen pushes against Jared’s shoulders, and his him climb off the bed. Jensen rolls out himself.
Jared raises an eyebrow at him, asking without words what Chris is doing in Jensen’s house.
“He’s got work in San Francisco, and is staying at my place for the duration.” To reassure that the other’s presence won’t be a problem he adds, “I put him into the bedroom downstairs.”
Jensen quickly gets a shirt and pants, throwing a shirt at Jared who’s tugging on his jeans. The sight of Jared fighting with trying to make his hard-on a little less conspicuous, has Jensen chuckle amused and Jared looks over to him. He rolls his eyes at Jensen and finally manages to zip the jeans closed. Once they’re as presentable as they’ll get Jensen and Jared head downstairs.
Chris is in the living room playing with the dogs. Sadie and Harley seem to be a bit unsure about the trustworthiness of the strange human, but Dean’s enthusiasm makes it impossible for them not to join in.
When Jensen and Jared enter, Chris looks up from the dogs and grins mischievously at them. His eyes go to the red bite mark on Jensen’s neck, and he almost looks gleeful when he glances at Jensen.
“Sorry. Hope I didn’t interrupt anything.” Jensen thinks that his friend doesn’t look repentant at all. More like he’s smug about something. He glares at Chris, but the other just grins even wider.
“Hey.” Jared either doesn’t notice the undertone to Chris words, or he’s above commenting on it. He just smiles friendly at Chris and pets Sadie who excitedly greets her human, as if Jared had been gone for days, and not just minutes.
“How’s Hollywood?” For anyone else, the question might sound like a genuine inquiry about Jared’s life, but Jensen is very well aware that it’s a subtle attack. Chris has been silently fuming about Jared canceling with Jensen on Monday, and no matter how often Jensen had tried to talk some sense into his friend, Chris had insisted in carrying this particular grudge.
“Stressful but great. Thanks.” Jensen is of the opinion that Jared deserves an Academy Award just for the performance he’s giving in Jensen’s living room.
Desperately trying to restore some kind of peace, Jensen clears his throat. He makes sure that both of them, Chris and Jared, are paying attention to him before he asks them if they are interested in something to drink. He has Chris check the pantry for more juice, and delegates Jared to fill the dog’s bowls with fresh water.
While the others are occupied, Jensen opens the fridge to get the sandwich stuff out. Some food and drinks should lighten the moods, or at least make them too stuffed to want to fight. He’s taking the lettuce and the tomatoes and putting them on the counter. There’re cold cuts and cheese, and Jensen adds the pickles to the ingredients he’s already got gathered.
Jensen contemplates the merits of getting some peanut butter and jelly as well, when two arms wrap around his waist, and a hard chest is pressed against his back. He can smell Jared and leans back, enjoying the contact between them.
“Does this mean that I don’t get any sex during my stay here?” The question is asked with a teasing voice, and Jensen chuckles amused.
“I knew it. You only want me for my body.” His fake shock is accented by the falsetto he’s talking in. It has both of them laugh, and Jared’s hands start roaming his body. One hand comes to rest on his chest, the other slips under Jensen’s shirt and traces a pattern over his stomach.
“What else should I want you for?” Jensen sets the jar of peanut butter down and turns around in the hold Jared has him in. He reaches up and cards his hands through the shaggy hair that keeps falling into Jared’s face.
He likes the closeness, and he knows that he’s lucky to find himself where he is now. Maybe that’s the reason why he forgives Jared so readily for tiny missteps or the long absences. Jensen just doesn’t want to be a drag, and most of all he doesn’t want to lose Jared over some stupid fight about him doing his work.
Smiling content up at Jared, Jensen pulls Jared down for a quick kiss. He licks his lips afterwards and grins at the heavy swallow Jared does at that.
“So, I’ve got a question I want to ask you.” He leans back against the counter, Jared taking a step closer to him to keep them together. Jared’s hands are resting on the small of his back, under the shirt that is bunched up.
“Ask away.” Jared shuffles another half a step closer and suddenly Jensen almost finds himself bend backwards over the counter. The position has his back protest, and he clings to Jared’s shirt to pull himself closer to Jared, trying to straighten his back.
“Sophia, you know, my friend from college, is having her wedding on the 17th of May, and I was wondering if you would be interested in going there with me.” The question has Jared let go of Jensen and take a couple of steps back.
Different emotions flicker over Jared’s face, none staying there long enough for Jensen to read them. In the end Jared just heaves a heavy breath, and runs his hands through his dishevelled hair. The actions have Jensen feel uneasy, and he wonders if he’s pushing Jared too hard too fast.
“We talked about that, and we both agreed that it’s better to keep quiet about us.” Jared doesn’t sound angry, but he sounds exhausted, and that’s even worse. Jensen fears that sneaking around, not being able to see each other all that often, and having too lie all the time to everyone, is wearing Jared out. So, what if he decides that it’s too much of a bother to stay with Jensen?
“Okay. I just thought I should ask.” Jensen tries to hide the rejection he feels at Jared’s words and actions, but he’s not so sure if he’s successful at it.
“Besides, I’m not in the States at that time. I have to be at Cannes. One of my movies is being shown, and there’ll also be the first public viewing of the trailer for The Worst Journey.” Jensen just nods at that. He knew that Jared is going to Cannes, but he hadn’t known when exactly and for how long.
“Wow, so the Polar movie is finally getting promoted.” He tries to lighten the mood by talking about Jared’s work, and the movie that brought them together in the first place.
Jared just nods at that. He still keeps his distance from Jensen, almost as if he’s reluctant to get too close to him. Jensen just turns back to the counter and continues getting everything ready for dinner.
He’s slicing the bread, when Chris returns with the juice. He takes a look at them, and decides he doesn’t like what he sees. Sending the other a glare, he keeps between Jensen and Jared, making sure that they can’t get to each other.
Jensen can’t help but sigh. This is already shaping up to be a disaster.
continue: Part Six