New RPS fic - Jared/Jensen - Sticks and Stones (complete 3/3)

Part 1
Part 2



-Part 3-



The car was picking Jensen up at five AM so when Jared started shoving him at four-thirty, Jensen couldn’t even complain.

“God, this blows.” Jensen rubbed a hand over his face and scratched his stomach. He felt sticky and gross from the night before, and needed a shower badly.

“Dude, I don’t even have to be up yet so you can fucking bite me,” Jared mumbled.

Jensen rubbed a hand over his face and tried to grin. “Shut up.”

Jared just shoved Jensen’s shoulder until he was falling out of the bed. The floor was cold against his bare feet and he felt his toes curl. Freaking Vancouver mornings. “Go away, Jensen,” Jared whined. “Go be my sugar daddy and work for a living.”

Jerkoff. Jensen flipped him the bird, but he wound up getting out of bed and into the shower with no time to spare. He was throwing his clothes on when he glanced out the bedroom window and saw his car pulling up to the curb.

Jensen grabbed his sunglasses and keys and closed the bedroom door quietly behind him. Jared was already snoring, and he made a quick pit stop to the kitchen to fill up the dogs’ water bowls, scratch them on the heads while they were sleeping, and slip out the door into the crisp, morning air.

*

Being on set at five meant hanging around in hair and makeup until seven, and then talking to every writer, director, helper, tech and aide on set until nearly noon about Jared and the accident. After a few hours Jensen wished he’d thought of recording a standard response he could just replay every time someone new asked him how Jared was, or maybe holding a conference to talk to them all at once. By the time Jensen’s day was over, he’d shot three filler scenes and talked about Jared for seven hours straight.

Which wasn’t the best way to try and keep your best friend who you’d just had sex with the night before off your mind, Jensen was now realizing.

Not that he was trying to do that – keep Jared off his mind at all – because he wasn’t. He was completely fine with everything that had happened. Fuck. They were guys for Christ’s sake, and guys? Liked to get laid. This wasn’t news.

So him and Jared had fucked around a few times now. It didn’t mean anything. Didn’t change anything. Jensen being all twitchy and checking his watch every twenty minutes, trying to wait until it was late enough to call Jared was just because he was worried about Jared being by himself in the house all day, not for any other reason. Jared would be fine when Jensen called him. Acting perfectly normal. Like nothing strange or out of the ordinary had happened.

Jensen made it until one in the afternoon before taking his break and calling Jared from the couch in his trailer.

Jared answered on the third ring, sounding breathless and winded. “Hey.”

“Are you all right?” Jared sounded awful, like he was panting and having trouble catching his breath. Jensen was already fumbling around looking for his jacket. He knew it was a mistake to leave Jared by himself so soon. He had to tell Eric that he needed to get the hell out of here as soon as they were done for the day. Actually, fuck it. They were done now.

“Yeah, Jensen, calm down.” Jared took another deep breath, then blew it out slowly. “I was taking a piss. Left the phone in the bedroom.”

Jensen flopped back onto the couch and leaned his head back. He was worse than his mother. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Jared said, probably around one of his goofy smiles. “Oh.” He laughed quietly for a minute, and Jensen felt his face heat. God, he was a loser. “So hey, how’s work? What’s going on?”

Jensen smiled. At least Jared wasn’t giving him shit. He told him about the ninety million questions about how Jared was doing, how he was feeling, when he was coming back. “It’s pretty annoying, to be honest.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah, man. No one gives a crap about me at all. All they want to know about is your ugly mug.” Jensen laughed as he said it. Things were fine. They were talking easy, relaxed, nothing at all like Jensen had his dick in Jared’s mouth the night before.

“Blow me, bitch,” Jared teased, and it was like every easygoing thought and feeling that was between them came screeching to a stop.

Did Jensen laugh and say “Later,” to Jared, and then follow up on it? Did Jared want him to? Did Jensen say, “You wish” and have Jared take it to mean Jensen thought Jared was into him? Was Jared into him? And also, when the fuck did Jensen turn into a chick?

Instead, Jensen cleared his throat, and asked Jared what he wanted for dinner that night. Because he was just that smooth.

“Uhm, I don’t know. Steak maybe?” Jared asked. “Nothing takeout. I’m getting sick of that crap.”

Jensen cleared his throat and got up from the couch. He wanted this conversation over, now. “Steak. Perfect. I’ll do some errands after work and then head to the store. We’ll toss them on the grill later, all right?”

“Yeah, cool.” Jared sounded fine, his voice easy as anything again, but the whole thing was too close for Jensen’s comfort. He needed space, and he needed it soon.

Later, he’d talk to Jared about it. For now he had to finish work and pretend he was a normal human for the day. It was a good thing he was a pretty decent actor.

*

Jensen left work and decided to stop by his apartment to pick up a few things. The mail had piled up since the last time he’d been home, and he flipped through the circulars and sale catalogs for a few minutes before tossing them all into the trash.

Most of his everyday stuff was at Jared’s since he’d been staying there. All his hair stuff, shaving kit, most of his everyday clothes and sneakers and shoes. He’d brought over a bunch of CD’s and DVD’s in the first week Jared had been laid up, and in the two weeks following every time he stopped by the apartment Jensen would grab a few more things for them to watch or listen to. By now all that was left was half a closet of out of season clothes, his guitar, and his appliances.

It was crazy he hadn’t brought over the guitar yet. That was one of the things Jensen liked to do best to wind down at night; just sit on the bed and play some random cords, fuck around with the tunes and lyrics rolling around in his head. He grabbed the guitar case from the corner of the room and was halfway out the door when it hit him like a blow to the head.

All his stuff would be at Jared’s now. All of it. And this – none of this was permanent. Jensen had to remember that.

He walked back into the apartment and laid the guitar on the couch. Jared was getting better. In a few weeks he wouldn’t need Jensen there at all, and Jensen should be starting to move his crap out of Jared’s place, not in.

Jensen pulled the door closed and locked it behind him. He’d better keep reminding himself of that.

*

Jared was sitting on a deck chair, with his arms stretched out over his head, watching Jensen poke the ribeyes he’d picked up at the store. There was a salad chilling in the refrigerator, and two potatoes wrapped in foil cooking on the grill with the steaks. Jensen sipped his beer, chuckling softly as Jared frowned at him from his seat.

“Totally unfair, you standing here, drinking my beer, when I can’t have any.” Jensen cracked up. Jared was practically pouting.

Jensen waved the neck of the bottle toward Jared’s outstretched leg. “Broken leg? Bigass cast? Any of these things ringing a bell to you?”

“Whatever,” Jared snapped. “Fucking bullshit.”

Jensen finished his beer and tossed the bottle in the trash can. Harley and Sadie heard the clang of glass against metal, and stopped their running and jumping in the yard to come bounding up the steps and pant at Jensen’s feet. He covered the grill and bent down, scratching them both behind the ears.

“You wanna play? Come on. Go get me the ball. Go!” Jensen clapped his hands together and the dogs leapt in the air and raced down the steps, tripping over each other to go find the ball in the grass. Jensen was grinning happily until he looked up to find Jared shooting daggers at him with his eyes. “Shit, man. What’s your problem?”

“Nothing, just—“ Jared ran a hand through his hair and huffed. “I’m just sick of this – all this shit. Sitting around, not working, you having to cook and play with the dogs and they don’t even fucking care anymore that I’m—“

“Wait a minute. Are you jealous of me and your dogs?” Jensen shook his head. This was crazy, even for Jared. Nutcase. “Dude. They’re your dogs. You don’t have to worry about me—“ and when he said it like that, it hit Jensen again, all at once.

They were Jared’s dogs. Jared’s house. Jared’s life. And Jensen was his friend, sure, but soon this was going to be over – Jensen standing at the grill making them dinner and drinking Jared’s beer – and Jensen, man, he had to start remembering that.

Jensen cleared his throat. He could feel Jared watching him when he said, “You don’t have to worry about it, Jared. They still love you just fine.” As if on cue, Sadie came bouncing over to Jensen and dropped a slobbery ball at his feet. He picked it up and gently lobbed it in Jared’s direction for him to throw to the dogs instead.

Jared lifted a hand on instinct and plucked the ball from the air. “Jensen, what—“

“I’m gonna go put out the plates,” Jensen said, walking past Jared and heading straight for the house. He needed some space, some room, some time away from Jared and all the thoughts that were clogging his brain. “Food will be ready soon,” he told him, ignoring Jared’s confused expression and closing the house door behind him.

*

Jensen was lying on the bed in the guest room flipping through a few scripts he had lying around, when Jared knocked quietly on the door. He lifted his head to find Jared standing in the doorway awkwardly, leaning against the frame. Jensen sat up straighter and cleared his throat. Whatever this was about, it didn’t look good.

“What’s up?” he asked, trying to sound as cool as he could. Jared had his hands curled into fists, and when he started coming further into the room, Jensen jumped up and took his arm, helping him over to sit on the corner of the bed. Jared was getting around a lot better in the weeks since the accident, but he was still unsteady when he tried to walk on his own without crutches.

He smiled at Jensen when they were both sitting and ran a hand through his hair. “Thanks.”

Jensen shrugged. That was what he was here for. He was about to tell Jared that, when Jared asked, “Jen, is everything all right?”

“What? Yeah. Sure,” Jensen said quickly. “Fine.”

“’Cause I want to be sure. I mean, if you have something you need to be doing or—“

“I’m cool, Jared. I can stay until you’re better, no problem.”

Jared was watching him with cool eyes. Jensen wished he could tell what Jared was thinking, read something from him, but when Jared wanted to keep his guard up and a blank face on, he was as good at it as Jensen was. Hell. Jensen wasn’t the only actor in this friendship.

For a split-second, Jensen thought Jared was going to push it. He opened his mouth and went to talk, but then snapped it shut just as quickly and dropped his head. He didn’t say anything again until he was grunting and trying to push himself off the bed and he needed to thank Jensen for his help over to his own bedroom.

“Thanks,” Jared said, and before Jensen could say anything at all, he added, “For everything.”

Jensen didn’t know what the hell Jared meant. Thanks for all the help, but he didn’t need him anymore? Thanks for all the help, plus the sex? It was enough to keep a dull pounding in Jensen’s head every waking minute of the day. Jared had a follow-up doctor’s appointment in a few days, and that was it. Jensen would see what he said, and then he was done. He couldn’t do this anymore.

“No problem,” Jensen said, as he rapped his knuckles quietly on the door and backed out into the hall. He pinched the bridge of his nose and told himself that sleep would help, and maybe, in a few days, this would all be over.

*

Jensen had been back at work for a week when Jared insisted on coming in with him in the morning.

“Dude,” Jensen said at ass o’clock thirty on a rainy Tuesday morning. “You’re supposed to be home resting.”

“I have been resting, Jensen. For a goddamn month. If I don’t get up and go out soon I swear to god I’m going to put a gun in my mouth.” He was trying to put on a light blue pullover and struggling the whole time. Jensen let him suffer for a minute before walking over and yanking it over his head, making his hair stand up in ten different directions. “I’m going crazy here all day by myself. When you were around it wasn’t so bad—“

“Wow, Jared, you say the sweetest things.”

“But now, man,” Jared narrowed his eyes and kept talking like Jensen hadn’t spoken. “I’m bored. If I watch one more crappy TV show my brains are gonna ooze out of my ears.”

“It won’t make that much of a mess,” Jensen mumbled. He was grabbing his jacket off the dresser and shrugging into the sleeves.

Jared was sitting on the edge of the bed, practically vibrating with energy. “I have to get out of here, dude. I’m losing my fucking mind.” And when he looked at Jensen with those wide, sad eyes, Jensen knew he was screwed.

He rubbed a hand over his face and blew out a breath. “Fine,” he said, and heard Jared smack a hand against his thigh in the background. “I’ll call Eric and tell him you’re coming in.”

*

They got nothing done on the set that day. Every person that was working there now, had worked there in the past, or ever spoke more than two words to Jared in his life, were all sitting around, waiting for them to pull up. Jensen stuck by Jared’s side the whole day, making sure he had someone to lean on, a place to sit, a bottle of water and some bagels and muffins when the food tent opened up.

By one in the afternoon, Eric threw his hands in the air, told Kim they’d shoot second unit instead, and piled Jared and Jensen into his van to take them to lunch. Jared was smiling wider than Jensen had seen in days, and if all it took to get him to be so happy again was getting him out of the house, Jensen would make sure to do that as much as Jared wanted.

“You got the doctor soon again, right Jared?” Eric asked around a mouthful of fries. “Find out when you can be on your own again without Jensen around to babysit you every day?”

Jensen was glad he was drinking at the time. It gave him something to do with his mouth other than talk, which might be a bad thing. Let Jared handle this one.

“Tomorrow, yeah,” Jared said. His voice was quiet, and as much as Jensen wanted to turn his head and look at him, he focused on his burger and fries. Tomorrow was Jared’s doctor’s appointment and Jensen had no idea what the hell was going to happen then.

*

Jared was falling asleep on the couch at ten that night. Waking up early for the first time in weeks, added to a full day socializing with everyone on the set, then lunch out and errands for the rest of the day had him sprawled out and snoring on the cushions before the news was even on.

Jensen put his hand on Jared’s good knee and shook him a little. “Jared, hey,” he said quietly. Harley lifted his head from where he was sleeping on the floor in front of the couch and gave a little whine. “Not you, ssh,” Jensen told him. Harley whimpered and put his head back down.

This was it. The last night. Jensen knew, deep down, that after tomorrow he was going to leave. Jared was doing a thousand times better now than he had been. Hell, Jensen could have left weeks ago if he was being honest with himself. All he was doing now was hanging around Jared’s for the company – because it was Jared – and not because Jared really needed him anymore. Jensen could stop over a few times during the day if he wanted to, but the whole sleeping there every night, waking up in the same house every morning thing was pushing it.

Jared stretched his arms out and blinked sleepily at him. His eyes were soft and unfocused, and he smiled gently at Jensen and reached out to grab Jensen’s arm. “Hey, c’mere—“

Jensen stood up. He wasn’t doing this again. Once was a mistake, twice was starting a pattern, and if there was one thing in the world Jensen didn’t want to make a habit out of, it was having random sex with Jared whenever the itch struck one of them. Jensen couldn’t do it. He wasn’t going to do it.

“Come on, dude,” he said quietly. He took Jared’s hand and pulled until he was sitting up, watching Jensen with curious eyes. “Your appointment’s early tomorrow. Let’s get to sleep.”

Jared licked his lips and Jensen had to look away. He could see how much Jared wanted this – maybe as much as Jensen did himself – but he was done. They couldn’t keep on like this, especially if Jensen was leaving tomorrow.

“Jen,” Jared said. It sounded like a question, and Jensen just shook his head.

“Bed.” Jensen helped Jared to his feet, then walked to the guest room alone.

*

Jensen should have known Jared wouldn’t leave it there. It was less than a few minutes – not even long enough for Jensen to fall asleep if he’d been trying (which he hadn’t) – and then Jared’s shadow was filtering in through Jensen’s open doorway, his breathing shallow and loud in the silent room.

He didn’t say anything, not a single word, and then he was crossing the room and climbing into Jensen’s bed, kissing Jensen like he was underwater and desperate for air. Jared’s hands were frantic, pushing Jensen over, shoving their shirts up and their pants down, tossing clothes to every corner of the room, and all Jensen could do was kiss him back and try to hold on.

“Jared – what—“

“Don’t tell me no.” Jared’s voice was ragged. “Just don’t – don’t tell me no.”

Jensen couldn’t stop him. He didn’t want to stop him, and when everything would be said and done, at least Jensen knew he’d have this one last night. Tomorrow was going to end all of this for them, it had to, but for now, Jensen wanted. He wanted Jared and Jared was letting him have, take.

He forced his eyes open, made himself watch the changes and angles of Jared’s face. The way he squeezed his eyes shut when Jensen brushed his hands over Jared’s chest, trailing his nails up and down his skin. Jared breathing with his mouth parted and open, his lips wet, cheeks flushed. His eyes fluttered open and closed, and every time he looked at Jensen, Jensen could see, he could tell how much Jared wanted this.

Jared’s hand was huge and warm curled around his dick, calloused on the ridge of his thumb, and Jensen couldn’t stop bucking up into his touch. He twisted his hands on Jared’s waist, dragging him closer, and breathed wetly against Jared’s ear. “Come on, do it. God, I want—“

“I want to fuck you,” Jared said, and heat ripped through Jensen’s blood. “But my fucking leg is all—“

“I know, just—“ Jensen squeezed his eyes shut, and wrapped his fingers around Jared’s wrist, pulling his hand down, over his balls.

Jared made a sound like he was choking or crying, and then his cock trailed hot and wet against Jensen’s hip, pulsing as he came. He pulled his hand back only long enough to slick his fingers up, and then his hand was back, pushing up and around, the tip of one big finger pressing wetly against Jensen while he bucked and moaned.

“You want me to do this to you?” Jared whispered, dark and dirty against his skin. His lips were hot on Jensen’s neck, and when he bit down Jensen whispered a curse. “You’d let me do this, Jensen? Fuck you just like this, with my hand first,” Jared’s finger twisted and pushed and Jensen saw stars behind his eyes. “Fuck you hard and deep, yeah. I want to put my mouth on you, Jen, fuck you open with my tongue, make you beg me for it.”

With every word, Jared twisted his hand more, his fingers spread wide. Jensen felt like he was being fucked open, every inch of his skin, every part of his body, everything he was belonged to Jared, right here. He curled into him closer, his cock throbbing and hard pressed against Jared’s belly, his skin stretched too thin and tight and every part of his body, from his feet to his eyelashes, wanted to come so badly it hurt.

“Come on,” Jared murmured. He opened his fingers again, and brushed against something that had Jensen’s eyes rolling unfocused in his head.

“Do that again,” he panted, shivering when Jared did. Again and again and again, and that was it, Jensen couldn’t take any more. He needed more pressure against his dick, and he fisted his cock and jerked himself hard and rough. “Fuck, Jared, do it harder,” and Jared did. Pressed into him deeper, moaning against Jensen’s skin as Jensen bit his lip and came with a cry all over his fingers and Jared’s belly.

Jensen’s heart wouldn’t stop pounding. He thought he was having a stroke. When he rolled over and onto his back, he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to walk for at least a week, if the way his bones felt gave any indication.

Jared’s forehead was sweaty where it pressed against Jensen’s shoulder. He felt Jared kiss him softly, and in a split-second everything changed.

Jensen remembered everything. This was it. That was the last time.

“’M’just gonna sleep here tonight, ‘k?” Jared mumbled. “You can wake me up to go to the doctor in the morning.”

Jensen curled his arm around Jared’s shoulder and moved them so he was lying against Jensen’s chest more. He dropped a kiss on Jared’s head, smiling sadly when he realized Jared was already snoring softly.

“Yeah, okay, Jared,” Jensen whispered. “I’ll wake you in the morning.”

*

Jensen was a horrible friend. There was no denying it.

He was the worst. A bastard. A nasty son of a bitch. Someone who deserved every shitty thing that had ever happened to him, and double for the shitty things about to come.

Jared was fine, healing perfectly, and Jensen was so aggravated about that he wanted to kill himself.

He should be happy his best friend was getting better. That his leg was healing, his arm was fine. That after a few months of exercises and therapy he’d be good as new as if the accident never happened. That was good news.

So why, did hearing it, make Jensen want to do something irrational like kick a puppy in the head?

Jared was in the passenger seat, dead silent, tapping out a weird rhythm against his thigh. He’d been staring out the window since they pulled out of the doctor’s office parking lot. Jensen hadn’t seen this side of his jaw so much in the past six weeks.

“That’s great about your leg,” Jensen said. His throat was clogged. He sounded like he was dying. “I mean, cast coming off soon and everything.”

Jared nodded and tapped his fingers against the window.

“You must be really happy about—“

“I’m actually kind of tired, Jensen,” Jared said, cutting him off. He flicked Jensen a look from the corner of his eye. Jensen swallowed and turned back to look at the road in front of him.

If Jared didn’t want to talk that was fine with him. God knew what it took, but after six weeks the guy was finally shutting up.

“Yeah,” Jensen said, tiredly. “Yeah, okay.”

Not talking was good. It was fine. It’d just make it that much easier for Jensen to leave.

*

Jared went straight from the front door to the kitchen to feed the dogs. Jensen could hear them barking and jumping around on the tile floor. They didn’t even know he was there, probably, and that was fine with Jensen. He’d just get his shit together and slip out the back door. The last thing he needed was a sloppy goodbye with two over-active mutts.

Jensen stood in the middle of the guest room and looked at all his stuff filling the closet and dresser drawers. There were stacks of his CDs on the night table. His car keys in a small, green dish on the computer desk. His old leather jacket hanging off the back of the computer chair.

All of Jensen’s stuff in Jared’s house. Almost everything that Jensen owned, right here in this twenty-by-twenty guest room. God knew how it happened, but Jesus Christ, Jensen lived here now.

His stomach did a slow roll, then clenched up somewhere behind his rib cage. How the fuck did that even happen?

“So, what. You’re good to go now?” Jensen turned around and found Jared leaning in the doorway, a bored expression on his face. The skin over his cheekbones was flushed hot, matching his dark red t-shirt. He was standing like normal, like the cast on his leg wasn’t even there. Jensen watched him for a second before looking away.

“Yep. Looks like.”

“Right.” Jensen could hear Jared’s footsteps behind him, walking halfway into the room and stopping. “That’s what last night was then, huh? Last fuck before you pick up and go?”

They weren’t talking about this. Jensen wasn’t going to have this discussion. He grabbed an empty duffel bag from the floor beside his bed and started shoving random shirts and pants into it, whatever he could pick up first, crumpled and haphazard.

“That’s cool. No problem,” Jared’s voice was low and teasing. “It didn’t mean anything anyway.”

Jensen froze for a split-second. When he went to zip the bag his hand twitched. He knew it. He never should have let any of this happen.

When he turned around, Jensen was impressed with how steady his voice sounded. “Right,” he said. He even managed to smile.

“It was just sex. Just fucking around. We can forget it ever happened.”

Jensen smirked. Inside, he felt like he was dying. “Never happened at all.”

“We’re friends,” Jared said, moving closer. Jensen could see his eyes flash in anger. “That’s it.”

“Right.” Jensen swallowed hard. Jared had to stop. Had to move away because Jensen couldn’t do this much longer.

“I don’t give a shit about you at all, Jensen,” Jared finished with. His voice was soft as a secret.

Jensen opened his mouth to tell Jared yeah, that’s what he was saying. He didn’t give a shit about Jared either and he never would. He went to speak, but his voice was clogged, a solid lump in his throat. When Jared grabbed his arm Jensen was expecting a punch or a shove, so when Jared pulled him closer Jensen stumbled and almost fell against Jared’s chest.

“Jared, what the fuck—“

“You’re such a fucking liar,” Jared whispered against his hair. “Such a fucking—“

Jensen put his hands flat on Jared’s chest and pushed. When he lifted his head, Jared was full out smiling at him, his eyes sparkling and bright.

“What?” Jensen felt drunk. He had no idea what was going on.

Jared was touching his then; big hands on Jensen’s waist, up his back. His mouth was warm and soft on Jensen’s throat, slippery tongue sliding out to taste his skin. “I want you, Jensen.” Jared’s voice was low and round. “I want this.” He lifted his head and waited until Jensen was looking at him again to say, “I don’t want you to leave.”

Jensen laughed, high-pitched and slightly hysterical. “Right. You’re fucking crazy.” He tried to step back but Jared wouldn’t let him. Just held his waist tighter and yanked Jensen closer.

“I want you to stay,” Jared said against his ear. He set his teeth in Jensen’s skin, making him shiver and clutch at the back of Jared’s shirt. Jesus. “I want to fuck you right now on your bed, and then I want you to come to my room and fuck me right back.”

“Jared—“

“I want you to move in, and then I want to spend every night fucking you in every square inch of this place. The living room, the kitchen, on the grass in the backyard in the middle of the afternoon.” Jensen was shaking. He was so hard he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. His heart was tripping in his chest, and through it all, all he could think was, Jared wants this too.

Jared dragged his lips up the side of Jensen’s face, before softly kissing his temple and pulling back to smile at him. “And anyway,” he added with a smirk. “The dogs are kind of used to you by now. They might miss you.”

Jensen laughed. He couldn’t help himself. “I’m supposed to move in here because of the dogs?” He punched Jared’s chest, then moaned deep in his throat when Jared kissed him, hard and deep and perfect.

“Come on, man,” Jared said. His lips were curved in a sweet smile and that was it. Jensen was done. “Say okay.”

*

Epilogue

*

Jensen dropped the bag of Italian takeout on the counter while Jared set up the DVD in the living room. The dogs jumped and barked at Jensen’s feet, and he bent down to scratch them behind the ears. Sadie nosed against his waist as he flipped through the mail stacked on the counter.

Satellite TV bill. Electric bill. A vet reminder to Jared for the dogs shots. A card for Jensen from his mom.

Jensen smiled dropped everything back down in a pile. Jared came into the kitchen and kissed the side of Jensen’s neck, then opened the back door to let the dogs out. They barked and jumped down the steps into the cool night air.

The answering machine was blinking, so Jensen pressed it, hearing it beep then fill the room with Chad’s voice, scratchy and pissed off.

Jared, what the fuck, man? You haven’t called me back in weeks. You don’t give me a call soon and I’m gonna start thinking Jensen went all Misery on your ass and chopped you up into pieces to hide under the floor boards. When I was there I didn’t notice your fucking fingers were broken, dude, so there better be some pretty good fucking explanation why--

Jared reached around Jensen to hit the erase button. Jensen grinned and leaned back against Jared’s chest. “You’re gonna have to call back him sooner or later, dude.”

“Later then,” Jared said, kicking off his sneakers and turning Jensen around to bite at his jaw. He pushed Jensen back and braced his arms on either side of Jensen’s body. Jared was smiling, head dipped down, hair falling loose across his forehead. “After we add kitchen counter to the list.”

“The list’s getting pretty full,” Jensen said around a smile.

Jared pulled the shirt from Jensen’s jeans and smoothed his thumbs over his belly. He smiled wider when Jensen shivered and moaned under his hands, and Jensen was pretty sure he’d never stop being amazed that he had this, that this was them now. Him and Jared, the house, the dogs. All it had taken was one last stop back to the apartment he didn’t really live in anymore for his guitar and it was a done deal. It had been from the second Jared had asked.

“Come on, man.” Jared gave Jensen a small shove, back against the counter, yanking his shirt off over his head.

Jensen’s head banged hard into the cabinets. His side was numb from pressing against the refrigerator. Across the room their dinner was getting cold. The movie was already starting. And any minute from now the dogs would be barking and scratching at the door to be let back in.

But Jared leaned in and kissed him then, big hands warm on Jensen’s waist, his mouth familiar now, smiling and wide.

Jensen had never been happier.


-END-




Last year, in February of 2006, maygra emailed me and said, “Do you have any interest at all in writing a J2 fic where Jared gets hurt somehow and Jensen has to kind of move into his house and take care of his dogs and then they fall madly in love with each other?” And I said, uhm, YEAH, and started writing it. It was supposed to be for Maygra’s birthday last April, 2006.

I think I made it four paragraphs or so, and then realized, Fuck, this is going to be LONG, and decided ok, maybe not for the birthday, but, uhm, I’ll save it! And do it for Nano! Which I kind of did!

And then…never edited it.

*facepalm*

I then emailed Maygra this year and said, hey, do you maybe still want this for your birthday in 2007? And she said, yes! And I said, ok! And then it STILL took me close to two months to get it betaed, fixed, posted, etc.

Clearly, I lose at long fics.

Maygra, baby, I love you always. Happy belated birthday by about a year and a few months *g*

My thanks as always to strippedpink for the awesome eyes as I was writing this and the final beta after it was done. All of you who think you’ve got the best girl out there, you can’t POSSIBLY, because she’s all mine ♥ Thank you again, baby.

Also thanks to agt_spooky who got a panicked email from me after she posted her *awesome* fic Touched By Darkness, which is kind of similar to this (same two guys, different J with an ailment *g*) and assured me that no, it was fine, and they were totally different and she didn’t think I was copying her. At that time this fic was finished but just collecting dust in my Word file.

One of my main issues with this was that after I wrote it all, THEN the article came out where Jared and Jensen say they live in hotels, and I couldn’t deal with the inaccuracies that were now in the story and thought about rewriting the whole thing.

As you can see, I decided against that, but the whole hotel thing still irks me. Why they’re not living together in a tiny bungalow in the middle of nowhere, playing with Jared’s dogs and watching bad movies together every night is beyond me.

Until then, though, we can always pretend *g*