Love Like an Icelandic Volcano: Four
Title: Love Like an Icelandic Volcano
Genre: J2 RPS, AU
Pairing: Jensen/Jared
Rating: NC-17 lite
Warnings (overall): Language, Schmoop (My name is Q Blackheart, and I’m a schmoopoholic), Sex
Word Count: 21,000
Disclaimer: Fiction not fact. All these beautiful guys belong to themselves. Jensen and Jared belong to each other, we all know that :D Only the words are mine. No malice intended; all my fics are borne from love everlasting.
Summary:
Apparently, when volcanoes erupt in Iceland, they not only throw the world into chaos, but once the embers burn themselves out and the dust settles, love rises from the ashes.
Read my Author's Notes for a little more background on what inspired this story. This fic is complete and will be posted in four parts during the course of the week.
Comments = Love!
P.S. There may be more in this 'verse, because apparently the boys as they are here don't seem to be done with me yet. They're still talking in my head, so if you guys want more (a timestamp or two), let me know!
P.P.S. *Warning: Self-Pimpage* Watch for my entry in the j2_everafter Disney challenge posting February 17, 2011. It's a J2 take on The Mighty Ducks!
| Master Post |
When they arrived in London late the next day, Mike and Tom ended up spending the night at Jensen’s too. They immediately headed off for Heathrow early the next morning though, having been miraculously able to get seats on a flight back to Chicago in the afternoon. Jared, on the other hand, ended up having to kill another day waiting; he was due to fly out to Dallas-Fort Worth late in the afternoon the day after.
Which left him with another whole day in Jensen’s company.
Oh, the horror, he thought with a smirk, as Jensen walked into the kitchen while Jared was washing his coffee cup in the sink. The smile he turned on Jensen fell right off his face when he saw that the other man was back to wearing another of his pristine suits, jacket slung across his arm, his long, elegantly tapered fingers deftly working the tie around his neck into a classic Windsor knot.
“Morning,” Jensen finally looked at him, smiling distractedly. “Sorry, but I got called in to work for a few hours. One of the problems with having a personal assistant who knows every move I make before even I do. Are you all right on your own today? You’re probably sick of me already, I’d wager.”
Jared swallowed, tamping down on his disappointment and trying instead to focus on how downright edible Jensen looked in that dark charcoal suit with the jade green shirt that matched his eyes exactly. Talk about a tactical error, Jared cursed inwardly, as images of yanking Jensen flush against his body by that damnable green and navy striped silk tie and kissing him senseless flooded Jared’s mind.
“Jared?”
“Huh?”
Jensen stopped for a moment and blinked at him and Jared wondered if he looked as pouty as he felt. Probably. No, definitely. Jensen smiled at him. “Here’s an idea. How about you come with me and spend the day getting pampered at the hotel spa? Complimentary, of course. You can get a massage, spend some time in the sauna or the gym, just relax. I’ll come and get you when I’m done and we can go for a walk along the Thames, cross the Tower Bridge, have an early dinner somewhere.”
Jared’s mood improved with every word out of Jensen’s mouth. “Seriously?”
“Seriously,” Jensen smirked. “That sound better than doing your own thing?”
“Much,” Jared grinned excitedly, not caring if that made him look like a dorky kid again. He didn’t want to waste a moment that he could be spending in Jensen’s company. “Give me a moment to get changed.” He was about to walk right past Jensen when he faltered, quickly dipping his head to press a light kiss against Jensen’s temple before he went. “Thanks.”
“No,” he thought he heard Jensen whisper, sounding more than a little wistful, “thank you.”
It gave him food for thought as he spent the next few hours by himself.
The afternoon spent walking along the Thames with Jensen had gone brilliantly, right up until he was called into work again. Regretfully handing Jared his keys, Jensen left, promising to be home with dinner.
Jared rode the Tube back to Jensen’s flat, sighing a lot during the course of his journey and wondering, for the umpteenth time that day, just how the hell he was going to readjust to being back in Texas without Jensen, when he missed him so much already, in spite of still being in London.
He sighed again and slumped forward in his seat, feeling utterly dismal and alone.
“You all right there, love?” Jared lifted his head to find the older woman sitting across from him, eying him in concern. It took an effort of will to smile at her.
“M’fine, thanks,” he mumbled, sitting up a little straighter when she looked anything but convinced. He huffed out a breath. “This stupid volcano in Iceland messed up my life. I was doing fine, minding my own business and then it erupts and makes me yearn for things I didn’t even know I wanted...” And yeah, Jared belatedly realized, he was over-sharing. “Sorry.”
“Not at all,” she said kindly, her grey eyes sparkling merrily at him. “The volcano, eh? You know, sometimes a little chaos makes life that much more interesting. Reminds us that we’re alive and still kicking! You should take it for what it is: a sign, and live life to the fullest.” Jared blinked at her and she chuckled. “I’m nearly seventy years old, take my word for it. Don’t be afraid of change, lad, embrace it!”
“Chaos, huh?”
“I believe some very intelligent mathematician even proposed a theory about it,” she said, winking at him as she rose, ready to disembark at the next stop. “I rather prefer to think that the universe works in mysterious ways.”
Jared nodded his thanks at her as she left the train, smiling softly to himself. “Yeah,” he muttered under his breath, “the universe and Icelandic volcanoes.”
Jared was doing laps in the indoor pool of Jensen’s apartment complex by the time he returned later that evening. Tie askew, his usually perfectly coiffed hair ruffled into haphazard spikes, he undid the buttons of his jacket and crouched down onto his haunches by the side of the pool, waiting for Jared to swim to his side, his eyes tracking Jared’s every movement like a predator stalks its prey.
He looked alternately dangerous and delectable, adorably rumpled and stunningly sexy all at once, so much that Jared’s temperature spiked despite the coolness of the pool. He stroked through the water slowly as he reached the shallower end, walking along the bottom of the pool instead of swimming, quite unable to tear his gaze from the man in front of him.
Suddenly, more than ever, Jared wanted him. Wanted everything about him. Wanted his smiles, his laughter, his frowns, his snark. Wanted his kisses, his sighs, his moans. He wanted everything Jensen had to give.
It was physically impossible not to reach out and tug on that damnably enticing tie around Jensen’s neck. Only Jared had just meant to pull him a little closer, so he could kiss that tempting mouth. Jensen’s precarious balance, however, ended up tipping him into the pool at Jared’s hand. His jaw dropped in shock when Jensen sputtered to the surface next to him, spewing water out of his mouth and looking a little murderous, and a lot luscious. All just because he was dripping wet. It was a goddamn good look on him.
Jared did what any sane, red-blooded person would have in his place. He cut off Jensen’s impending tirade with a kiss, his wide mouth closing over Jensen’s, possessive and demanding and a little apologetic as he swiped his tongue over Jensen’s wet lips, silently asking for entrance as he tasted water and chlorine and Jensen underneath it all. Jensen complied and Jared all but melted as Jensen’s agile tongue stroked deep into his mouth, curling around his tongue, inciting him to give as good as he was getting. If the soft mewling sounds Jensen was making were anything to go by, Jared was doing a bloody bang up job of it.
He reluctantly pulled away a few seconds later. “I didn’t mean to pull you in,” he said before Jensen could berate him. “I’ll buy you a new suit. I’ll buy you two! Just don’t be mad at me.”
Jensen threaded his fingers through Jared’s wet hair, sending shivers down his spine and goosebumps peppering along his body. “Two new suits and at least three more kisses,” he bargained.
“It that supposed to sweeten the deal for me or you?”
“God Jay, just shut up and kiss me,” Jensen moaned. Jared grinned and gladly did his bidding, their mouths coming together again in a collision of lips and teeth and tongue, the kiss going from heady to erotic in a heartbeat.
Jared was getting impossibly hard in his trunks, and he couldn’t help but manhandle Jensen, pushing him roughly up against the side of the pool, pinning him in place as he devoured his mouth. His head spinning, his pulse skittering all over the place, Jared rubbed up against Jensen’s erection, his hands slipping behind Jensen in the water, spanning his ass and squeezing hard, mercilessly grinding him into Jared’s body as he chased that delicious friction against his aching cock.
Jensen’s own hands were roaming over Jared’s shoulders, his fingers tightening painfully in the muscles there, and on his biceps as they moved down his arms. Jared felt his touch, his heat, everywhere, and so when Jensen wrenched himself out of Jared’s grasp, it was like the ground falling away beneath his feet.
“Wha…?”
“Not here,” Jensen panted. “God, let’s go to my place.”
Jared was out of the pool in the blink of an eye, his erection tenting his trunks so noticeably that Jensen’s gaze was riveted to it; and that ravenous look on Jensen’s face was enough to send him hurrying to grab his towel as Jensen hauled ass out of the pool, bracing his hands on the edge of the pool and lifting himself out of the water in one smooth, sleek motion. Watching as Jensen walked close, his stride limber and sensual, even fully clothed and sopping wet, it was all Jared could do to keep from drooling at the sight.
“Fuck me,” he whispered in awe, swallowing to moisten his suddenly dry as the desert throat.
Jensen smirked, smug and positively feral as he pressed into Jared’s body, his hand sliding south to cup his erection while he brought that luscious mouth of his close to Jared’s ear “Oh, I intend to, Jared. I intend to.”
They tumbled into bed just a few minutes later, both divested of their clothes and the sickly sweet scent and taste of the chlorinated water after a quick shower with wandering hands and heated breaths that threatened to fog up the bathroom mirrors faster than the steam from the shower.
Jensen trailed his lips all over Jared’s body, setting every nerve ending afire and sucking little bruises into his neck, along his chest and at the divot of his hip. He teased Jared’s nipples, his mouth and his cock with ferocious intensity, until finally, Jared keened, spilling into Jensen’s mouth, blissful but nowhere near sated. Still desperate, Jared arched off the bed when he felt Jensen’s fingers at his ass, slipping along the crease, rubbing against his hole before pushing inside. Jared bit his lip so hard, he was sure he tasted blood, but Jensen was relentless, a man on a mission and apparently that mission was to drive Jared out of his mind.
He vaguely registered the snick of the bottle of lube opening, the crackle of the condom wrapper and the slick sounds of plastic stretching over skin, but he was too busy touching Jensen to help. Everywhere he touched seemed to rip another new sound from Jensen’s throat and every one of them, Jared wanted to treasure as he mapped out the freckles on Jensen’s flawless skin with his hands and mouth.
His cock filled again, getting harder from Jensen’s fingers opening him up, their clever ministrations unerringly finding his prostrate and rubbing it without mercy, causing stars to explode behind Jared’s eyelids as he squeezed his eyes shut.
“Now,” Jared breathed. “Jensen, I need you. Please.”
“I got you,” Jensen growled, right in his ear as if all he had been waiting for was the word from Jared. In a flurry of heated activity, Jared’s legs were raised and spread, knees to chest, his hole obscenely exposed to Jensen’s lascivious gaze as Jensen hooked his arms under Jared’s legs, bracing him open as his steely hot erection pushed into him. Jared could actually hear Jensen’s teeth grinding as the muscles in his neck pulled taut.
“I don’t need you to go slow,” Jared panted, “just let go and fuck me hard.”
Jensen’s mouth crashed into his just as his cock slammed home. “I’ll make it good for you, I swear…” Jensen grunted, rutting into him with almost brutal force.
“It’s already amazing, Jensen,” Jared huffed out a little laugh, his voice catching and breaking with every stroke Jensen made into his body. “Any better and you might actually kill me.” Jensen laughed, the sound dark and wanton, apparently rising to the challenge because suddenly his movements slowed, became more deliberate and infinitely more devastating, and Jared’s prostate was rubbed at an almost punishing pace as his orgasm coiled in that tense spot at the base of his spine, burgeoning inside him until he couldn’t breathe for wanting to come.
He keened, loud and impossibly long, his vision whiting out as his orgasm blindsided him, and he felt himself clench around Jensen’s cock, practically milking him, wrenching his climax from him as Jensen plunged deep into Jared one last time. Finally, breathless, boneless and thoroughly fucked out, Jensen collapsed against him, his now limp cock slipping out of Jared with a squelch; it should have sounded disgusting but no, even that was stupidly hot to Jared’s ears.
Jared closed his eyes as Jensen fell back against the sheets next to him, still dazed into silence. Jared couldn’t help but chuckle, and taking pity on Jensen, he carefully divested him of the condom, rolling it up and lobbing it into the nearest trashcan.
“Fuck, I think I may have lost my brains out my cock there,” Jensen muttered as Jared snuggled into his side.
“It’s okay,” Jared reassured him, tongue firmly in cheek. “You’re very pretty, no one will notice.”
Jensen elbowed him hard for that, laughing and still breathing hard. “That was incredible, right?”
“You sure blew my mind.”
“Think it was a fluke?”
Jared grinned, rolling over to straddle and pin Jensen’s heavenly body to the bed. “Only one way to find out.”
When he finally stirred to consciousness the next morning, it was to find himself alone in Jensen’s big bed. He wasn’t worried though. Jensen was probably fixing breakfast.
He showered leisurely, allowing the hot water to soothe his sore muscles, pleasurably reliving the memories of the night before as he lazily stroked himself, just for the pleasure of it, not for the release; that was Jensen’s job. It was a good half hour later when he walked into the empty kitchen. He didn’t worry though. Jensen was probably at work.
Three hours and a goddamn epiphany later (because hell yes, the universe and Fate and their friends and volcanoes in Iceland had all been in on this plan to bring him and Jensen together), Jared had cancelled his flight, tucked away his suitcase into the guest closet, and even made the bed in Jensen’s room. He then sat on the sofa in the living room, getting hungrier by the minute - last night had depleted the entirety his energy reserves, after all - and stared at the still silent telephone.
So maybe he was a little worried now.
For some reason, one of their conversations kept playing back in his head, Jensen’s voice crystal clear as he said: …that’s me. Fuck ‘em and leave ‘em.
No, Jared chided himself. It hadn’t been like that last night. They had been on the same page, both of them blown away by the heat of their connection, not only physical, but also… Jesus, it had been a practically spiritual experience. Jared knew he wasn’t wrong about that. And he wasn’t about to leave London without finding out.
So where was Jensen, then? What if he had deserted Jared after all? For all Jensen knew, his flight was due to leave Heathrow in another five hours, which meant he had to be at the airport in about two hours; surely Jensen would return before then?
Luckily Jared was distracted from his disquieting thoughts by his stomach rumbling, loud and pointed and hungry. There was nothing for it; he didn’t have a key, so he would have to lock himself out of the apartment and hope Jensen got home soon. It took him five minutes to change his shirt, grab a jacket and leave.
It was a good four hours later, the past almost three of which Jared had spent sitting on the front stoop of the entrance to Jensen’s flat, allowing his anger to simmer righteously, that Jared recognised the bedraggled, solitary figure walking towards him. Gone was the swaggering stride, the head held high. The suit was still there, but it no longer looked impeccable; in fact, Jensen’s shirt collar looked torn and his tie was ripped in half. He also looked dejected and utterly defeated, like someone had gone and sucked his soul right out of him.
Jensen only saw him when he almost tripped over him on the steps, his jaw dropping in shock as he blinked at Jared, disbelief in every line of his face.
“You were expecting someone else perhaps?” Jared asked caustically, the anger at his desertion bubbling to the surface.
“You weren’t here,” Jensen choked out, looking absolutely wrecked and sounding a little hysterical. And there went Jared’s fury, evaporating in the instant those gorgeous green eyes locked onto his. “I came by a few hours ago, Jay… I came back, but you were gone!”
Jared sighed. Yeah, of course he would have returned when Jared hadn’t been there. “I was hungry. Also, I forgot my wallet in my other jacket. The Singhs took pity on me and fed me. You owe them thirty quid.”
Jensen blinked at him, clearly not knowing what to believe anymore. “I went… thirty?”
“I was hungry. And you weren’t here. And I was anxious. I eat when I'm anxious, Jen. Also, I had a couple of pints and I’m a big tipper.” Jared shrugged, feigning nonchalance and stifling his smile as Jensen just nodded dazedly before finding his voice again.
“I went to Heathrow to find you.”
“You did?”
“I was going to do that whole clichéd movie bit where I run through the airport and dodge security...”
Jared smothered his laugh with his hand, shaking his head and yanking Jensen down onto his knees on the step in front of him, keeping him close with his hands fisted in the lapels of his suit jacket. “Idiot. You can’t get away with that anymore.”
“I know,” Jensen lamented, pouting like a little boy. “They tackled me and ripped my tie and I have to pay a fine for raising my voice to an airport employee. Airport security these days seriously cramps my style.”
Jared snickered, smoothing his hands over Jensen’s dishevelled hair. “Did you ride the Tube like this?” Jensen nodded, sniffing slightly, his beautiful bottom lip jutting out a little further so Jared soothed his thumb over it. “If this was a movie, I might've been halfway across the Atlantic right now…”
“…and then I’d have to pay an obscene amount of money to follow you back to Texas… ”
“You would have done that?”
“Yes,” Jensen breathed, no hesitation whatsoever in those jade eyes. “It would have been a bloody pain in the arse but yes. Absolutely. Wherever you went, wherever you want to go, I’ll follow you,” he vowed, and then looked momentarily despondent. “Umm… if you’ll have me, that is.”
Jared swallowed past the lump in his throat. “I’ll have you.”
“Good.” He still didn’t look good though, and his hands tightened their grip on Jared’s wrists. If Jensen needed more reassurance, Jared was more than happy to give it to him. He leaned in for a series of soft, sweet kisses: Jensen’s mouth, then his forehead, both his cheeks and the freckled bridge of his nose.
“I want to keep you.”
Jensen, finally looking more like himself, pretended to mull that over as his hands fisted in Jared’s shirt. “For how long?”
“For as long as you’ll have me.” And yeah, he meant that; suddenly, and with every fibre of his being.
Jensen fucking beamed at him. It was blinding. “That could be a good, long while. Years, even.”
“Good.” Jared grinned back as Jensen leaned in, his mouth pressing soft kisses against Jared’s cheek. “I thought you left.”
“Huh?” he asked, pulling back to look at Jared.
“This morning, I thought you left. Fuck ‘em and leave ‘em, and I thought you left.”
“I went to get breakfast…”
“For over three hours?”
“No! There was this stupid issue with a celebrity staying at the hotel and they needed me to smooth over some ruffled feathers and it took longer than I expected. But I left you a note.”
“What note?”
“I left it on my pillow. I found it later, on the floor by the bed.”
“I didn’t even see it!”
“Oh…”
“I wanted to leave, go to the airport, fly out, but…”
“But the airport’s been closed again, I know. I was there, remember? The universe and Icelandic volcanoes are rightfully conspiring to keep you here with me, exactly where you belong.”
Jared smiled, the words warming his heart and twisting up his insides into knots that only Jensen had a hope of unravelling. “No. It wasn’t the universe or Icelandic volcanoes. Well, it was but… I decided to stay. I decided I wasn’t going to let you leave me. So there.”
“I don’t want to leave you,” Jensen whispered against his mouth, pressing another kiss there when he was done talking.
“What did the note say?” Jared asked when he could speak again.
“Gone to get breakfast. Stay in bed, I’m not done with you yet.” Jared smiled at that, his pulse racing at the look in Jensen’s eyes. Then Jensen drew in a deep breath, as if bracing himself. “You… you can write anywhere, right? You don’t need to be in the U.S. all the time, do you?”
“No,” Jared said, and clarified when Jensen’s brow furrowed. “I mean, yes, I can write wherever. Where do you think I should write?”
Jensen bit his lip. “Here in London. And if that doesn’t do anything for your muse, we can go to Skye.”
“We, huh?” Jensen nodded, looking a little frantic. Jared stood, dragging Jensen up as he pressed their bodies flush, one hand coming up to cup his face, while the other wound around his waist. Jensen pressed his cheek deeper into Jared’s touch, his eyes fluttering closed, those long lashes of his tickling Jared’s palm. “You are my muse, remember?”
“Oh,” Jensen blinked up at him, his cheeks flushing. “Right.”
“On one condition, though…”
“Anything you want.”
“We’re going to have to re-do the shower in your cottage. Damn thing’s too short - I kept hitting my head.”
Jensen looked positively ecstatic at that, even though he appeared to be downplaying his reaction. Jared wondered at that for a second: either Jensen was excited at the prospect of sharing his home with Jared or bathroom renovations really turned him on, kinky bastard. Jared smiled at him, affectionate and warm and tumbling head over heels into love.
And the best part? Jensen was looking back at him in exactly the same way.
“I can do that. We can do… anything. We can change everything and make it all giant-friendly,” Jensen teased, his mouth tipping up at the corners.
And suddenly, something about that small, heartfelt smile clicked the big picture into place in Jared’s head.
“Jensen?” Jensen stared up at him, his eyes alight with happiness. Jared inhaled deeply, bracing himself. “What I was doing with Genevieve; were you… were you doing that with me?” Jensen’s head dipped down and Jared had to tip his chin up with his hand. “Jensen, were you waiting for me?”
“No.” Jensen gulped and briefly squeezed his eyes shut. “Yes.”
“What happened to fuck ‘em and leave ‘em?”
“Doesn’t apply to you.”
Hope stirred in his chest, effervescent and threatening to burst like fireworks, and Jared felt weak in the knees with the force of it. “So love ‘em and leave ‘em?”
“Love 'em,” Jensen whispered, staring at Jared’s face as if there was no better sight in the world.
“And?”
“No ‘and’. Just…,” his voice trailed off as Jared’s head lowered, his hands tilting Jensen’s head up, bringing their mouths tantalizingly closer as Jensen’s breath puffed out against Jared’s lips as he whispered, “love you.”
Jared smiled, as every cliché he swore he would never write sped through his conscience: his heart skipped a beat before jack-hammering back to life again, a swarm of butterflies took flight in his stomach, and he could have sworn that even the earth stopped on its axis in that singular moment.
Jensen Ackles loved him. God, he was an idiot and Jensen was his happily ever after.
“Love you too, Jensen.” He pressed their foreheads together and Jensen nuzzled his nose affectionately, and that helpless, hopeful feeling in his chest burst into a flourish of sparks and flame as they kissed. “I love you, too.”
Somewhere in Iceland, the mighty Eyjafjallajökull heaved a final sigh, one that sounded suspiciously like contentment, and fired one last fanfare of fire and ash up into the sky before settling down once more for a few more years of silent slumber.
Genre: J2 RPS, AU
Pairing: Jensen/Jared
Rating: NC-17 lite
Warnings (overall): Language, Schmoop (My name is Q Blackheart, and I’m a schmoopoholic), Sex
Word Count: 21,000
Disclaimer: Fiction not fact. All these beautiful guys belong to themselves. Jensen and Jared belong to each other, we all know that :D Only the words are mine. No malice intended; all my fics are borne from love everlasting.
Summary:
Apparently, when volcanoes erupt in Iceland, they not only throw the world into chaos, but once the embers burn themselves out and the dust settles, love rises from the ashes.
Read my Author's Notes for a little more background on what inspired this story. This fic is complete and will be posted in four parts during the course of the week.
Comments = Love!
P.S. There may be more in this 'verse, because apparently the boys as they are here don't seem to be done with me yet. They're still talking in my head, so if you guys want more (a timestamp or two), let me know!
P.P.S. *Warning: Self-Pimpage* Watch for my entry in the j2_everafter Disney challenge posting February 17, 2011. It's a J2 take on The Mighty Ducks!
| Master Post |
When they arrived in London late the next day, Mike and Tom ended up spending the night at Jensen’s too. They immediately headed off for Heathrow early the next morning though, having been miraculously able to get seats on a flight back to Chicago in the afternoon. Jared, on the other hand, ended up having to kill another day waiting; he was due to fly out to Dallas-Fort Worth late in the afternoon the day after.
Which left him with another whole day in Jensen’s company.
Oh, the horror, he thought with a smirk, as Jensen walked into the kitchen while Jared was washing his coffee cup in the sink. The smile he turned on Jensen fell right off his face when he saw that the other man was back to wearing another of his pristine suits, jacket slung across his arm, his long, elegantly tapered fingers deftly working the tie around his neck into a classic Windsor knot.
“Morning,” Jensen finally looked at him, smiling distractedly. “Sorry, but I got called in to work for a few hours. One of the problems with having a personal assistant who knows every move I make before even I do. Are you all right on your own today? You’re probably sick of me already, I’d wager.”
Jared swallowed, tamping down on his disappointment and trying instead to focus on how downright edible Jensen looked in that dark charcoal suit with the jade green shirt that matched his eyes exactly. Talk about a tactical error, Jared cursed inwardly, as images of yanking Jensen flush against his body by that damnable green and navy striped silk tie and kissing him senseless flooded Jared’s mind.
“Jared?”
“Huh?”
Jensen stopped for a moment and blinked at him and Jared wondered if he looked as pouty as he felt. Probably. No, definitely. Jensen smiled at him. “Here’s an idea. How about you come with me and spend the day getting pampered at the hotel spa? Complimentary, of course. You can get a massage, spend some time in the sauna or the gym, just relax. I’ll come and get you when I’m done and we can go for a walk along the Thames, cross the Tower Bridge, have an early dinner somewhere.”
Jared’s mood improved with every word out of Jensen’s mouth. “Seriously?”
“Seriously,” Jensen smirked. “That sound better than doing your own thing?”
“Much,” Jared grinned excitedly, not caring if that made him look like a dorky kid again. He didn’t want to waste a moment that he could be spending in Jensen’s company. “Give me a moment to get changed.” He was about to walk right past Jensen when he faltered, quickly dipping his head to press a light kiss against Jensen’s temple before he went. “Thanks.”
“No,” he thought he heard Jensen whisper, sounding more than a little wistful, “thank you.”
It gave him food for thought as he spent the next few hours by himself.
The afternoon spent walking along the Thames with Jensen had gone brilliantly, right up until he was called into work again. Regretfully handing Jared his keys, Jensen left, promising to be home with dinner.
Jared rode the Tube back to Jensen’s flat, sighing a lot during the course of his journey and wondering, for the umpteenth time that day, just how the hell he was going to readjust to being back in Texas without Jensen, when he missed him so much already, in spite of still being in London.
He sighed again and slumped forward in his seat, feeling utterly dismal and alone.
“You all right there, love?” Jared lifted his head to find the older woman sitting across from him, eying him in concern. It took an effort of will to smile at her.
“M’fine, thanks,” he mumbled, sitting up a little straighter when she looked anything but convinced. He huffed out a breath. “This stupid volcano in Iceland messed up my life. I was doing fine, minding my own business and then it erupts and makes me yearn for things I didn’t even know I wanted...” And yeah, Jared belatedly realized, he was over-sharing. “Sorry.”
“Not at all,” she said kindly, her grey eyes sparkling merrily at him. “The volcano, eh? You know, sometimes a little chaos makes life that much more interesting. Reminds us that we’re alive and still kicking! You should take it for what it is: a sign, and live life to the fullest.” Jared blinked at her and she chuckled. “I’m nearly seventy years old, take my word for it. Don’t be afraid of change, lad, embrace it!”
“Chaos, huh?”
“I believe some very intelligent mathematician even proposed a theory about it,” she said, winking at him as she rose, ready to disembark at the next stop. “I rather prefer to think that the universe works in mysterious ways.”
Jared nodded his thanks at her as she left the train, smiling softly to himself. “Yeah,” he muttered under his breath, “the universe and Icelandic volcanoes.”
Jared was doing laps in the indoor pool of Jensen’s apartment complex by the time he returned later that evening. Tie askew, his usually perfectly coiffed hair ruffled into haphazard spikes, he undid the buttons of his jacket and crouched down onto his haunches by the side of the pool, waiting for Jared to swim to his side, his eyes tracking Jared’s every movement like a predator stalks its prey.
He looked alternately dangerous and delectable, adorably rumpled and stunningly sexy all at once, so much that Jared’s temperature spiked despite the coolness of the pool. He stroked through the water slowly as he reached the shallower end, walking along the bottom of the pool instead of swimming, quite unable to tear his gaze from the man in front of him.
Suddenly, more than ever, Jared wanted him. Wanted everything about him. Wanted his smiles, his laughter, his frowns, his snark. Wanted his kisses, his sighs, his moans. He wanted everything Jensen had to give.
It was physically impossible not to reach out and tug on that damnably enticing tie around Jensen’s neck. Only Jared had just meant to pull him a little closer, so he could kiss that tempting mouth. Jensen’s precarious balance, however, ended up tipping him into the pool at Jared’s hand. His jaw dropped in shock when Jensen sputtered to the surface next to him, spewing water out of his mouth and looking a little murderous, and a lot luscious. All just because he was dripping wet. It was a goddamn good look on him.
Jared did what any sane, red-blooded person would have in his place. He cut off Jensen’s impending tirade with a kiss, his wide mouth closing over Jensen’s, possessive and demanding and a little apologetic as he swiped his tongue over Jensen’s wet lips, silently asking for entrance as he tasted water and chlorine and Jensen underneath it all. Jensen complied and Jared all but melted as Jensen’s agile tongue stroked deep into his mouth, curling around his tongue, inciting him to give as good as he was getting. If the soft mewling sounds Jensen was making were anything to go by, Jared was doing a bloody bang up job of it.
He reluctantly pulled away a few seconds later. “I didn’t mean to pull you in,” he said before Jensen could berate him. “I’ll buy you a new suit. I’ll buy you two! Just don’t be mad at me.”
Jensen threaded his fingers through Jared’s wet hair, sending shivers down his spine and goosebumps peppering along his body. “Two new suits and at least three more kisses,” he bargained.
“It that supposed to sweeten the deal for me or you?”
“God Jay, just shut up and kiss me,” Jensen moaned. Jared grinned and gladly did his bidding, their mouths coming together again in a collision of lips and teeth and tongue, the kiss going from heady to erotic in a heartbeat.
Jared was getting impossibly hard in his trunks, and he couldn’t help but manhandle Jensen, pushing him roughly up against the side of the pool, pinning him in place as he devoured his mouth. His head spinning, his pulse skittering all over the place, Jared rubbed up against Jensen’s erection, his hands slipping behind Jensen in the water, spanning his ass and squeezing hard, mercilessly grinding him into Jared’s body as he chased that delicious friction against his aching cock.
Jensen’s own hands were roaming over Jared’s shoulders, his fingers tightening painfully in the muscles there, and on his biceps as they moved down his arms. Jared felt his touch, his heat, everywhere, and so when Jensen wrenched himself out of Jared’s grasp, it was like the ground falling away beneath his feet.
“Wha…?”
“Not here,” Jensen panted. “God, let’s go to my place.”
Jared was out of the pool in the blink of an eye, his erection tenting his trunks so noticeably that Jensen’s gaze was riveted to it; and that ravenous look on Jensen’s face was enough to send him hurrying to grab his towel as Jensen hauled ass out of the pool, bracing his hands on the edge of the pool and lifting himself out of the water in one smooth, sleek motion. Watching as Jensen walked close, his stride limber and sensual, even fully clothed and sopping wet, it was all Jared could do to keep from drooling at the sight.
“Fuck me,” he whispered in awe, swallowing to moisten his suddenly dry as the desert throat.
Jensen smirked, smug and positively feral as he pressed into Jared’s body, his hand sliding south to cup his erection while he brought that luscious mouth of his close to Jared’s ear “Oh, I intend to, Jared. I intend to.”
They tumbled into bed just a few minutes later, both divested of their clothes and the sickly sweet scent and taste of the chlorinated water after a quick shower with wandering hands and heated breaths that threatened to fog up the bathroom mirrors faster than the steam from the shower.
Jensen trailed his lips all over Jared’s body, setting every nerve ending afire and sucking little bruises into his neck, along his chest and at the divot of his hip. He teased Jared’s nipples, his mouth and his cock with ferocious intensity, until finally, Jared keened, spilling into Jensen’s mouth, blissful but nowhere near sated. Still desperate, Jared arched off the bed when he felt Jensen’s fingers at his ass, slipping along the crease, rubbing against his hole before pushing inside. Jared bit his lip so hard, he was sure he tasted blood, but Jensen was relentless, a man on a mission and apparently that mission was to drive Jared out of his mind.
He vaguely registered the snick of the bottle of lube opening, the crackle of the condom wrapper and the slick sounds of plastic stretching over skin, but he was too busy touching Jensen to help. Everywhere he touched seemed to rip another new sound from Jensen’s throat and every one of them, Jared wanted to treasure as he mapped out the freckles on Jensen’s flawless skin with his hands and mouth.
His cock filled again, getting harder from Jensen’s fingers opening him up, their clever ministrations unerringly finding his prostrate and rubbing it without mercy, causing stars to explode behind Jared’s eyelids as he squeezed his eyes shut.
“Now,” Jared breathed. “Jensen, I need you. Please.”
“I got you,” Jensen growled, right in his ear as if all he had been waiting for was the word from Jared. In a flurry of heated activity, Jared’s legs were raised and spread, knees to chest, his hole obscenely exposed to Jensen’s lascivious gaze as Jensen hooked his arms under Jared’s legs, bracing him open as his steely hot erection pushed into him. Jared could actually hear Jensen’s teeth grinding as the muscles in his neck pulled taut.
“I don’t need you to go slow,” Jared panted, “just let go and fuck me hard.”
Jensen’s mouth crashed into his just as his cock slammed home. “I’ll make it good for you, I swear…” Jensen grunted, rutting into him with almost brutal force.
“It’s already amazing, Jensen,” Jared huffed out a little laugh, his voice catching and breaking with every stroke Jensen made into his body. “Any better and you might actually kill me.” Jensen laughed, the sound dark and wanton, apparently rising to the challenge because suddenly his movements slowed, became more deliberate and infinitely more devastating, and Jared’s prostate was rubbed at an almost punishing pace as his orgasm coiled in that tense spot at the base of his spine, burgeoning inside him until he couldn’t breathe for wanting to come.
He keened, loud and impossibly long, his vision whiting out as his orgasm blindsided him, and he felt himself clench around Jensen’s cock, practically milking him, wrenching his climax from him as Jensen plunged deep into Jared one last time. Finally, breathless, boneless and thoroughly fucked out, Jensen collapsed against him, his now limp cock slipping out of Jared with a squelch; it should have sounded disgusting but no, even that was stupidly hot to Jared’s ears.
Jared closed his eyes as Jensen fell back against the sheets next to him, still dazed into silence. Jared couldn’t help but chuckle, and taking pity on Jensen, he carefully divested him of the condom, rolling it up and lobbing it into the nearest trashcan.
“Fuck, I think I may have lost my brains out my cock there,” Jensen muttered as Jared snuggled into his side.
“It’s okay,” Jared reassured him, tongue firmly in cheek. “You’re very pretty, no one will notice.”
Jensen elbowed him hard for that, laughing and still breathing hard. “That was incredible, right?”
“You sure blew my mind.”
“Think it was a fluke?”
Jared grinned, rolling over to straddle and pin Jensen’s heavenly body to the bed. “Only one way to find out.”
When he finally stirred to consciousness the next morning, it was to find himself alone in Jensen’s big bed. He wasn’t worried though. Jensen was probably fixing breakfast.
He showered leisurely, allowing the hot water to soothe his sore muscles, pleasurably reliving the memories of the night before as he lazily stroked himself, just for the pleasure of it, not for the release; that was Jensen’s job. It was a good half hour later when he walked into the empty kitchen. He didn’t worry though. Jensen was probably at work.
Three hours and a goddamn epiphany later (because hell yes, the universe and Fate and their friends and volcanoes in Iceland had all been in on this plan to bring him and Jensen together), Jared had cancelled his flight, tucked away his suitcase into the guest closet, and even made the bed in Jensen’s room. He then sat on the sofa in the living room, getting hungrier by the minute - last night had depleted the entirety his energy reserves, after all - and stared at the still silent telephone.
So maybe he was a little worried now.
For some reason, one of their conversations kept playing back in his head, Jensen’s voice crystal clear as he said: …that’s me. Fuck ‘em and leave ‘em.
No, Jared chided himself. It hadn’t been like that last night. They had been on the same page, both of them blown away by the heat of their connection, not only physical, but also… Jesus, it had been a practically spiritual experience. Jared knew he wasn’t wrong about that. And he wasn’t about to leave London without finding out.
So where was Jensen, then? What if he had deserted Jared after all? For all Jensen knew, his flight was due to leave Heathrow in another five hours, which meant he had to be at the airport in about two hours; surely Jensen would return before then?
Luckily Jared was distracted from his disquieting thoughts by his stomach rumbling, loud and pointed and hungry. There was nothing for it; he didn’t have a key, so he would have to lock himself out of the apartment and hope Jensen got home soon. It took him five minutes to change his shirt, grab a jacket and leave.
It was a good four hours later, the past almost three of which Jared had spent sitting on the front stoop of the entrance to Jensen’s flat, allowing his anger to simmer righteously, that Jared recognised the bedraggled, solitary figure walking towards him. Gone was the swaggering stride, the head held high. The suit was still there, but it no longer looked impeccable; in fact, Jensen’s shirt collar looked torn and his tie was ripped in half. He also looked dejected and utterly defeated, like someone had gone and sucked his soul right out of him.
Jensen only saw him when he almost tripped over him on the steps, his jaw dropping in shock as he blinked at Jared, disbelief in every line of his face.
“You were expecting someone else perhaps?” Jared asked caustically, the anger at his desertion bubbling to the surface.
“You weren’t here,” Jensen choked out, looking absolutely wrecked and sounding a little hysterical. And there went Jared’s fury, evaporating in the instant those gorgeous green eyes locked onto his. “I came by a few hours ago, Jay… I came back, but you were gone!”
Jared sighed. Yeah, of course he would have returned when Jared hadn’t been there. “I was hungry. Also, I forgot my wallet in my other jacket. The Singhs took pity on me and fed me. You owe them thirty quid.”
Jensen blinked at him, clearly not knowing what to believe anymore. “I went… thirty?”
“I was hungry. And you weren’t here. And I was anxious. I eat when I'm anxious, Jen. Also, I had a couple of pints and I’m a big tipper.” Jared shrugged, feigning nonchalance and stifling his smile as Jensen just nodded dazedly before finding his voice again.
“I went to Heathrow to find you.”
“You did?”
“I was going to do that whole clichéd movie bit where I run through the airport and dodge security...”
Jared smothered his laugh with his hand, shaking his head and yanking Jensen down onto his knees on the step in front of him, keeping him close with his hands fisted in the lapels of his suit jacket. “Idiot. You can’t get away with that anymore.”
“I know,” Jensen lamented, pouting like a little boy. “They tackled me and ripped my tie and I have to pay a fine for raising my voice to an airport employee. Airport security these days seriously cramps my style.”
Jared snickered, smoothing his hands over Jensen’s dishevelled hair. “Did you ride the Tube like this?” Jensen nodded, sniffing slightly, his beautiful bottom lip jutting out a little further so Jared soothed his thumb over it. “If this was a movie, I might've been halfway across the Atlantic right now…”
“…and then I’d have to pay an obscene amount of money to follow you back to Texas… ”
“You would have done that?”
“Yes,” Jensen breathed, no hesitation whatsoever in those jade eyes. “It would have been a bloody pain in the arse but yes. Absolutely. Wherever you went, wherever you want to go, I’ll follow you,” he vowed, and then looked momentarily despondent. “Umm… if you’ll have me, that is.”
Jared swallowed past the lump in his throat. “I’ll have you.”
“Good.” He still didn’t look good though, and his hands tightened their grip on Jared’s wrists. If Jensen needed more reassurance, Jared was more than happy to give it to him. He leaned in for a series of soft, sweet kisses: Jensen’s mouth, then his forehead, both his cheeks and the freckled bridge of his nose.
“I want to keep you.”
Jensen, finally looking more like himself, pretended to mull that over as his hands fisted in Jared’s shirt. “For how long?”
“For as long as you’ll have me.” And yeah, he meant that; suddenly, and with every fibre of his being.
Jensen fucking beamed at him. It was blinding. “That could be a good, long while. Years, even.”
“Good.” Jared grinned back as Jensen leaned in, his mouth pressing soft kisses against Jared’s cheek. “I thought you left.”
“Huh?” he asked, pulling back to look at Jared.
“This morning, I thought you left. Fuck ‘em and leave ‘em, and I thought you left.”
“I went to get breakfast…”
“For over three hours?”
“No! There was this stupid issue with a celebrity staying at the hotel and they needed me to smooth over some ruffled feathers and it took longer than I expected. But I left you a note.”
“What note?”
“I left it on my pillow. I found it later, on the floor by the bed.”
“I didn’t even see it!”
“Oh…”
“I wanted to leave, go to the airport, fly out, but…”
“But the airport’s been closed again, I know. I was there, remember? The universe and Icelandic volcanoes are rightfully conspiring to keep you here with me, exactly where you belong.”
Jared smiled, the words warming his heart and twisting up his insides into knots that only Jensen had a hope of unravelling. “No. It wasn’t the universe or Icelandic volcanoes. Well, it was but… I decided to stay. I decided I wasn’t going to let you leave me. So there.”
“I don’t want to leave you,” Jensen whispered against his mouth, pressing another kiss there when he was done talking.
“What did the note say?” Jared asked when he could speak again.
“Gone to get breakfast. Stay in bed, I’m not done with you yet.” Jared smiled at that, his pulse racing at the look in Jensen’s eyes. Then Jensen drew in a deep breath, as if bracing himself. “You… you can write anywhere, right? You don’t need to be in the U.S. all the time, do you?”
“No,” Jared said, and clarified when Jensen’s brow furrowed. “I mean, yes, I can write wherever. Where do you think I should write?”
Jensen bit his lip. “Here in London. And if that doesn’t do anything for your muse, we can go to Skye.”
“We, huh?” Jensen nodded, looking a little frantic. Jared stood, dragging Jensen up as he pressed their bodies flush, one hand coming up to cup his face, while the other wound around his waist. Jensen pressed his cheek deeper into Jared’s touch, his eyes fluttering closed, those long lashes of his tickling Jared’s palm. “You are my muse, remember?”
“Oh,” Jensen blinked up at him, his cheeks flushing. “Right.”
“On one condition, though…”
“Anything you want.”
“We’re going to have to re-do the shower in your cottage. Damn thing’s too short - I kept hitting my head.”
Jensen looked positively ecstatic at that, even though he appeared to be downplaying his reaction. Jared wondered at that for a second: either Jensen was excited at the prospect of sharing his home with Jared or bathroom renovations really turned him on, kinky bastard. Jared smiled at him, affectionate and warm and tumbling head over heels into love.
And the best part? Jensen was looking back at him in exactly the same way.
“I can do that. We can do… anything. We can change everything and make it all giant-friendly,” Jensen teased, his mouth tipping up at the corners.
And suddenly, something about that small, heartfelt smile clicked the big picture into place in Jared’s head.
“Jensen?” Jensen stared up at him, his eyes alight with happiness. Jared inhaled deeply, bracing himself. “What I was doing with Genevieve; were you… were you doing that with me?” Jensen’s head dipped down and Jared had to tip his chin up with his hand. “Jensen, were you waiting for me?”
“No.” Jensen gulped and briefly squeezed his eyes shut. “Yes.”
“What happened to fuck ‘em and leave ‘em?”
“Doesn’t apply to you.”
Hope stirred in his chest, effervescent and threatening to burst like fireworks, and Jared felt weak in the knees with the force of it. “So love ‘em and leave ‘em?”
“Love 'em,” Jensen whispered, staring at Jared’s face as if there was no better sight in the world.
“And?”
“No ‘and’. Just…,” his voice trailed off as Jared’s head lowered, his hands tilting Jensen’s head up, bringing their mouths tantalizingly closer as Jensen’s breath puffed out against Jared’s lips as he whispered, “love you.”
Jared smiled, as every cliché he swore he would never write sped through his conscience: his heart skipped a beat before jack-hammering back to life again, a swarm of butterflies took flight in his stomach, and he could have sworn that even the earth stopped on its axis in that singular moment.
Jensen Ackles loved him. God, he was an idiot and Jensen was his happily ever after.
“Love you too, Jensen.” He pressed their foreheads together and Jensen nuzzled his nose affectionately, and that helpless, hopeful feeling in his chest burst into a flourish of sparks and flame as they kissed. “I love you, too.”
Somewhere in Iceland, the mighty Eyjafjallajökull heaved a final sigh, one that sounded suspiciously like contentment, and fired one last fanfare of fire and ash up into the sky before settling down once more for a few more years of silent slumber.