October 20th, 1962
Somerset, Vermont
Jensen made his way through the woods, singing to Jenna who would chime in every once in a while with a couple of words she could remember. Jensen laughed along with her, humming and encouraging her to do the words; she stumbled over half of them, but to Jensen’s ears there wasn’t any better music out there.
When they reached the clearing, Jensen looked up to see that Jared was already sitting at the base of the oak, a large blanket spread out underneath him. As they got closer it looked like he’d snagged some maple candy from the kitchen before he set out for the oak. Jenna was going to love him for that.
He smiled when Jared looked up and met his eyes and was about to open his mouth to call out a greeting when Jenna beat him to it.
“Papa!” She cried out, her arms outstretched and fingers wiggling for Jared. Both of the men froze, Jared midway from pushing off of the ground, as Jenna squirmed harder in Jensen’s arms. “Papa! Daddy, it’s Papa!”
“That’s… Jared, Jenna,” Jensen corrected and slowly set Jenna on the ground. She stumbled once in the long grass before she bolted forward to where Jared was still frozen.
“No, Papa!” Jenna argued and giggled when Jared finally reached for her and lifted her up into a hug. His eyes were wide and he looked over the top of her head to Jensen, unsure of what to do. Though he had no idea where Jenna picked it up, he was shocked at the jolt it gave his heart.
“Ignore it?” he mouthed to Jared, giving him a small shrug. Although it may have been endearing to hear, it wasn’t fair to any of them involved. And if his grandparents or the Padaleckis heard Jenna call Jared that? Jared nodded once, eyes still wide as if he’d been caught red-handed, and Jensen turned his attention to his daughter.
The three-year-old was sitting between Jared’s legs, snacking on one of the maple candies she’d taken from the bag Jared had, and was recounting a tale about her morning in the kitchen with her Grandma and Aunt Sherri. Jensen bit his lower lip—maybe letting Jenna call Gerry and Sherri Aunt and Uncle had stemmed the ‘Papa’ name for Jared… Though, Jensen highly doubted Jenna truly understood the way a family tree worked.
They stayed in the comforting shade of the big oak tree, Jenna telling them a halting, fanciful story about a flying horse that picked up lost children and brought them to live at a magical farm, until it was time to head back to their afternoon chores. Jensen still had to round up the cows and get them fed and prepared for milking that evening, and Jared offered to help Jenna search for the perfect pumpkin to carve into a jack-o'-lantern.
“Jared would probably love to help you carry it if you choose a really, really big one.” Jensen smiled down at her, swinging her small hand in his as they walked. Jenna gave him a strange look but didn’t correct him on the name.
“Okay!” she agreed and beamed up at Jared, dropping her dad’s hand so that Jared would carry her instead.
“You’re almost getting too big for this…” Jared grumbled, but he was smiling, both dimples showing when he had her secured in his arms. Jenna laughed and immediately started playing with Jared’s hair, talking to him about how her daddy wouldn’t grow his longer, even though she’d asked him nicely and with a cherry-on-top.
Jensen shook his head and watched them continue down the path, separating from him when they reached the barn. Jared looked so carefree, so different than Jensen himself had felt at eighteen, as he walked with Jenna, bouncing her lightly in his arms, and it made something inside of Jensen ache so badly.
July 19th, 1963
Somerset, Vermont
“Jared, stop,” Jensen sighed against Jared’s lips and pushed at his chest. They were in the barn, in their loft, and what was supposed to be a quick kiss between their chores was quickly getting heated. It had been happening a lot more lately, Jared pushing the boundaries that Jensen had very clearly set when they started out on this journey. And really, Jensen didn’t
want to stop, he had never wanted anything less. But they were in the open, they could get caught…
“Make up your mind!” Jared suddenly hissed, ripping his hands away from Jensen when he reached for him again. His eyes flashed and Jensen felt fear and guilt swirl through his gut at the sudden reaction. It was rare for Jared to be anything less than happy and excited, but to see him angry… it sent a strange warmth pooling in Jensen’s stomach and he had to take a step back from him. Jared’s eyes followed him, still angry, still sharp, and Jensen closed his eyes, shaking his head.
He wanted to tell Jared that he knew, that he understood how hard this was, that he wanted this just as badly. But it was dangerous… what they were doing was so very, very dangerous. He met Jared’s eyes, pleading with his own, trying to get him to see. Jared laughed, the sound cold and harsh as tears filled his eyes. “Sometimes I wish I’d never met you at all, Jensen.”
“Jared, please …don’t say that,” Jensen felt his heart clench, as if it was preparing itself against being ripped from his chest, digging in its roots. He felt instantly cold, a chill going down his spine as he started back at Jared whose impassive expression made Jensen want to vomit.
“No, I’m serious. You can hide all you want, I’m not ashamed of who I am, Jensen. I can’t do this anymore… the sneaking around and hiding. It’s been two years, Jensen. The people who truly matter? They won’t care…” Jared shook his head, swallowing hard before he spat, “I’ll tell everyone! I’ll scream it to the goddamn world, and you’ll be the one who’s still alone.” Jensen gasped sharply, the sound so raw and desperate it made them both flinch.
Jensen didn’t know what to say to that. Jared was
wrong. People would care, their entire lives would change and nothing would ever be the same. This farm, everything that their families had built over the years could be gone in the blink of an eye.
Jenna… Jenna could be taken from him and there would be nothing in the world he could do. His stomach flipped at the very thought of it and he felt himself begin to tremble.
Jared laughed once more and then started down the ladder of the loft, shaking his head as he went. He glanced up at Jensen when he was at the bottom and opened his mouth like he was going to add something. Jensen wanted him to, desperately. He wanted Jared to realize how foolish he was being, wanted Jared to climb back up the ladder and come back into his arms. Instead, Jared stalked away shaking his head ruefully, before he ripped the barn door open and fled into the night, leaving Jensen alone.
Jensen waited there in the loft for what felt like hours—and maybe it was. By the time he went back inside, his grandparents were all ready for bed; Martha had curlers in her hair, Albert was in his bathrobe, and they were sitting around the kitchen table with their mugs of warm milk listening to the radio. It had been turned down low so all Jensen could hear was the soft murmuring.
“Jensen?” Martha looked up and gave her grandson a small smile. “Jared get home okay?”
Jensen sighed. He sank down into a free chair and laid his arms across the table. “I… don’t know,” he shrugged after a moment. “We were… arguing about… some of the work I asked him to do today. He was pretty mad. I don’t know where he would go if he didn’t go home, though.”
Martha and Albert exchanged looks across the table and Albert nodded once before pushing out of his chair.
“I’ll be right back,” he said and left the kitchen. Jensen heard the creak of the screen door opening and he looked at his grandmother in confusion.
“Where is he going?” Martha shrugged and looked down at her hands, obviously wanting to wait for Albert to return before explaining. Jensen’s heart skipped a beat when he thought of what his grandfather was doing. Did he think Jensen couldn’t handle a simple argument? Although he appreciated and respected his grandparents’ opinions… if Albert was going to get Jared? He shuddered at the thought of what might come out of Jared’s angry mouth.
When Albert came back he looked pale. Jensen shot up straighter in his seat, suddenly worried at the expression on his grandfather’s face.
“He’s not home,” Albert said, his attention focused completed on his wife. “Sherri said she hadn’t heard him come in, checked his room and he’s not there…”
“Oh, Albert… do you think….” Martha’s voice was strained and Jensen looked between them completely confused at why they were so worried that he and Jared had had an argument.
“He’s probably just blowing off steam. He’ll be where he needs to be in the morning, why are you so worried?” Albert shook his head but it was Martha, her eyes swimming with unshed tears that had Jensen feeling like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head. “What?” he whispered. “What am I missing?”
“Jensen… There was an attack in town…” Albert started and Martha tore her eyes away and looked down at her hands which were now clenched into a tight knot on the tabletop.
“Okay…” Jensen said slowly. “What kind of attack?”
“A... homosexual man was… attacked.”
Jensen’s eyes widened and his heart stopped completely. He felt the knot forming in his throat and his eyes darted back and forth between his grandparents.
“But, Jared—” He started, not knowing what he could possibly say to that. His mind was going a million miles per hour. Had Jared really gone to town and screamed of his sexuality? Jared wouldn’t be that stupid… But if he had… Jensen swallowed hard, focusing on his grandfather’s face.
“Jensen, we’ve known for a while now about Jared.”
“And about you…,” Martha added softly, one gnarled hand reaching towards him to squeeze his arm gently.
“Why do you… why do you think it’s Jared?” Jensen whispered, pushing back the rise of bile in his throat and fighting back the urge to flee.
They knew, they knew about him and Jared. How did they know? What did they know? “They described the man on the radio, and from what they described…” Albert replied slowly and Jensen was on his feet.
“Okay… okay, well then… I’ll have to go to the hospital… I have to get him.”
“Jensen... No…” Martha whispered and a tear streaked down her cheek. Jensen watched as it rolled down her face, paused at a wrinkle on her cheek before dropping down onto the hardwood table.
“Son… the poor man… the man was beaten to death.”
“Jensen?” His grandmother was at his side, touching his face, her eyes wide and alarmed. Vaguely, Jensen realized the chair he’d just vacated was now on the floor, but he hadn’t heard the crash, hadn’t remembered causing it to fall. “Jensen!”
He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t speak, he couldn’t move. He felt as if he had swallowed a rock and was going to choke to death on it…or maybe it was his heart…
Now, all he could picture was Jared lying bloodied in a ditch, dirt and blood marring his beautiful face. Jared, choking on his own blood, gasping for breath as pain wracked his body. Jared left to die. He heard a sob, felt something rip out of his throat, but couldn’t register the two as being one in the same. His grandmother slapped him and he gasped, sucking in a deep breath, tears streaming down his face.
“Where …was it?” he demanded, eyes widening as he took in his grandfather’s expression… pity and a strange sort of understanding. But he couldn’t know, he couldn’t know what Jensen was feeling. “Where is he?”
“I… I don’t know,” came the reply and Jensen tore out of his grandmother’s arms and burst from the house, the cool night air sending a chill up his spine. Nausea rolled through his stomach. He tore past Jared’s house, eyes darting up to Jared’s bedroom window where, normally, his light would still be on and he would be reading until the early hours of the morning.
The room was dark, just like the rest of the house, and Jensen cried out in frustration. He ran through the barn, calling Jared’s name, not caring if he woke up the Padaleckis in his frantic search. He was met with an odd silence, not even the crickets out in the fields were singing their songs.
“The tree…” Jensen whispered to himself and spun in the yard. He raced down the driveway, flinging himself through the front gate and across the road to where the path through the woods was. He tore through it, tripping over the underbrush in the darkness. When he reached the tree, he felt like his heart had officially been ripped from his chest.
He fell to his knees, heaving as giant sobs ripped through his chest. It couldn’t be true. Jared couldn’t be dead. He screamed in frustration, punching his fist into the tree. He punched it again, and again, welcoming the sharp sting of pain in his fingers.
He should have told Jared. He should have told him that he loved him too. God forgive him, he was in love with Jared. And Jared would never know; Jared was killed because of it. Jensen leaned forward, gripping the gnarled root of the tree beneath his knees.
Jensen should have pushed Jared away sooner. He should have made Jared go to school, refused to keep him on as hired help or something, anything to get him to leave. Jensen felt empty, cold, and everything hurt. It was his fault.
He killed Jared, he killed him by loving him, by not loving him enough to make him go…
Because then Jared would still be alive. Beautiful, strong and smart Jared… everything Jensen could only ever hope to be. Jared had been near perfect, so full of life, always smiling and ready to lend a helping hand – no matter who you were. He had a positive spin to add to everything, always lifted Jensen’s spirits when he was down. He had a fire that burned within him that helped ignite something inside of Jensen and he knew that in the short time they’d been close, Jared had already made him a better person.
And Jenna... What was he supposed to tell Jenna? She thought the world of Jared. Already, Jensen saw so much of Jared reflected in his daughter, more than just their similar looks. Although they’d since discouraged her calling Jared ‘Papa’, Jensen couldn’t deny that it was probably the most accurate name she could have given him. Jared cared as much for Jenna as Jensen himself did. The thought of telling Jenna that Jared would never be coming back had vomit rising to his throat.
Maybe he should’ve let Jenna and Jared have that—now Jared would never have kids, would never make it out of his teenage years. Jared would never be able to live up to all the potential Jensen knew he possessed. And because of what? Because someone disapproved of whom Jared loved? It made Jensen sick, that someone with such a beautiful soul could be treated as such. Jensen knew in his heart there was no way someone like Jared would ever be damned, no matter whom or what he decided to love. God could never be that cruel.
“Jensen?”
Jensen choked on a sob, his head flying up as he watched a tall figure approaching him. Jensen stared dumbly until all of Jared’s features were illuminated by the moonlight.
“Jensen, what-"
“Jared!” Jensen threw himself forward then, pushing off the ground and into Jared’s arms in one swift movement. Jared’s body was hard, firm and warm. “You’re alive! Oh God, you’re alive,” he was sobbing against Jared’s chest, clinging to his body as if Jared were the only thing keeping him grounded here on Earth. And maybe he was.
In response, Jared wrapped his arms around him, rocking their bodies together. He shushed him softly, the same way he soothed Jenna when she scraped her knee or became frightened. At first, it only made Jensen cry harder. Jared kissed the side of Jensen’s face, his hands rubbing soothing circles down Jensen’s back until the older man finally calmed down.
Jensen collapsed back onto the ground, sucking in a shaky breath as he pulled Jared down beside him. Jared leaned back against the tree, watching Jensen carefully. Slowly, Jared reached up and wiped the remaining tears from Jensen’s face.
“Are you okay?” he whispered, and Jensen shook his head, leaning into his touch. Instead of answering, Jensen turned and sealed their lips together. Jared made a surprised sound in his throat but quickly regained his composure and kissed Jensen back, just as deeply.
Part of Jensen briefly wondered if Jared was still mad from their fight. The rest of him decided it didn’t matter; none of it mattered because Jared was here, Jared was
alive. He pushed against Jared and Jared allowed himself to be pushed back until he was lying flat on the ground. Jared shifted once, adjusting his body so that whatever was digging into him –rocks, roots, twisted up grass—wasn’t digging in so painfully and then Jensen was on him.
Jensen found Jared’s lips again. He licked Jared’s lower lip, sucking it into his mouth gently and Jared responded with a soft moan that sent a shock through Jensen’s body. He slotted their legs together; ground his hips down against Jared’s thigh. He let his hands trail up between their bodies, pushing Jared’s shirt up and out of the way. His hands were cold and Jared shivered under his touch.
Jensen kissed him harder, fingers digging into Jared’s skin as he mapped out every inch of him he could reach. As his hands trailed back down, fingers dancing across the hemline of Jared’s jeans, Jared moaned into Jensen’s mouth again. There was nothing else in the world like that sound and Jensen would do everything in his power to hear it again. He flicked the top button of Jared’s jeans, slipped his hand beneath the fabric, and then his fingers were brushing against Jared’s length. Jared’s eyes widened in shock and Jensen realized how in his desperate need to be against Jared, they’d never actually gone this far.
Although Jared had tried, more than once, Jensen had always pushed him away, drawn back before things advanced too far, before things could get to the point where there would be no turning back. Jensen looked up and met Jared’s wide eyes, full of fear, anticipation, and so full of that beautiful hope that Jared never seemed to lack. Jensen pulled back, ignoring the look of disappointment on Jared’s face, and cupped his cheeks with both of his hands.
“I thought you were dead,” he whispered and Jared’s disappointment was replaced with confusion. He opened his mouth to ask, but Jensen pressed a finger against his lips. “I was so afraid I had lost you, before I ever had the chance to tell you. And it may be wrong… hell, Jared, it is wrong. But so help me, I love you, Jared Padalecki. I love you more than anything.” Jared made a strangled sound in his throat and Jensen leaned forward, crushing their lips together.
“I should’ve told you,” he whispered, kissing Jared softly. “I’m scared, I’m absolutely terrified of this, but what scares me more is losing you.”
“Jensen,” Jared whispered, tears shining in his eyes. "I don’t understand...” he stopped and shook his head, pressing his head up into the crook of Jensen’s neck. He laughed softly, his breath warm against Jensen’s skin. “I love you, too.”
Jensen wrapped his arms around Jared’s shoulders, holding them together. Jared smiled against Jensen’s skin and pressed a soft kiss just beneath his ear. Jared’s hands were tentative as they traveled up Jensen’s back, and Jensen realized that Jared was giving him this, giving him all of the control. Jensen felt his heart surge, and he returned his attention to showering Jared with as many kisses as possible.
Jared hummed under his hands, his skin shivering and heating with every touch. Jensen had never felt so alive as he did right then. He leaned down, pressing his lips against the pulse point in Jared’s neck, kissing the spot, feeling the soft flutter against his lips. Jensen couldn’t feel where he ended and Jared began, their bodies morphing into one.
Slowly, they undressed one another; shirts and t-shirts becoming the blanket beneath them. Jensen’s stomach was in knots the entire time, but it was something so completely different than the way he’d felt with Rosemary. He was nervous, afraid he would do something wrong and end up hurting Jared, but even with the anticipation fluttering in his stomach, this felt right.
Jensen wasn’t sure what to think about that; he’d analyze it later if he truly had to. Right then, he was surrounded by everything Jared. His heat, his mouth, his body and soul, and as Jared pushed on Jensen’s shoulders, rolling them over, Jensen had never wanted anything more.
They kissed slowly, hands exploring every inch of one another. Now with Jared finally pressed against him, both of them naked as they day they were born, Jensen felt his himself freeze. Jared pulled back slightly and met his eyes, matching Jensen’s nervous smile.
“I... I don’t know what to do now,” Jensen said with a soft laugh, feeling his cheeks flush a deep red. Jared nodded once and kissed Jensen softly.
“We don’t have to do anything,” he whispered back. “I’m just happy to be with you. Just to feel you…”
Jensen swallowed hard, the next words escaping his lips surprising them both. “I want you to, Jared... I want you to make love to me.” He felt Jared’s body roll against him, knew that Jared was on board with the idea.
“Okay,” Jared whispered, his voice strained. Jensen smiled at him, pushing back the knot of nerves forming in his stomach, and leaned up to kiss Jared again.
“I don’t know...” Jensen felt himself blush again and he looked down. He’d only been with one woman before and he was sure Jared had never been with anyone. When his dreams had traveled this far, things were always ready, easy, and Jensen knew that reality was way more complicated. “I’ve never... I mean...”
“I’ve... practiced before,” Jared cleared his throat and bit his lower lip. “On myself... a few times...” Jensen stared at him, surprised at the warmth that spread through his body at the thought of Jared touching himself. Slowly, Jared reached into his pocket for a small glass jar.
“I… always kind of hoped…” Jared’s voice was shaking, his cheeks flushed bright red. He cleared his throat once and shrugged. “The vet left this behind the last time he was here for the cows… I’ve seen them use it a few times when they help with the births…” If possible, Jared blushed harder and he shook his head quickly. “I’ve used it before too, on myself I mean.” Jensen nodded again, stomach twisting when he realized what the jar Jared held was going to be used for.
“Okay,” Jensen whispered after a moment, and Jared glanced back up, meeting his eyes. “I trust you.” Jared gave him a small smile and Jensen ran his hands up his arms, the muscles in Jared’s arms and shoulders contracting under his touch. The next kiss he gave Jared was soft, unhurried, and Jared seemed to melt against him.
Slowly, almost too slowly, Jared trailed his hands down Jensen’s chest, freezing when they got to Jensen’s hips. They locked eyes and Jensen nodded once, letting his legs fall open and inviting Jared in. Using just the tips of his fingers, Jared slid across Jensen’s lower stomach and through the soft curls of hair. When Jared’s fingers finally came into contact with the Jensen’s swollen length, he gasped and couldn’t stop his hips from arching into Jared’s touch.
Encouraged, Jared wrapped his long fingers around Jensen, squeezing him gently. Unlike Rosemary, whose hands were soft, cool and small, Jared’s hands were rough, warm, and were able to cover almost all of Jensen’s length completely. He gasped and Jared leaned forward, capturing the sound with his mouth.
Jared caressed Jensen slowly, his tongue tangling with Jensen’s own, sliding at the same pace of his hand. Jared shifted to his side, most of his weight on his knees, and with his free hand he pressed the jar against his knee, twisting the cap off before dipping his fingers into the lubricant. Jensen eyed it carefully, watching as Jared slid down between his thighs. Jensen stiffened slightly, and Jared paused, giving Jensen a small smile.
“Relax, Jensen,” he whispered, kissing his cheek softly. “I’ll stop if you want me too.”
“No.” Jensen shook his head and exhaled slowly. “No, don’t stop.”
Jared nodded once against his neck, kissing him softly, his fingers slipping between Jensen’s cheeks, pressing softly against his entrance. He forced himself to relax, to focus on Jared’s other hand working at his erection, his lips pressing and whispering against his ear. When Jared finally pushed a slick fingertip in, Jensen winced and felt his entire body jolt.
“You have to relax, Jense…” Jared’s voice was soft. His hands stilled, and he kissed every inch of Jensen’s face until, slowly, Jensen felt himself relax again. His heart was pounding in his chest, his body fighting against the intrusion; he almost told Jared to stop, that
this was the reason this was wrong. When he opened his eyes, Jared was staring down at him with so much love and concern that the words became stuck in his throat. Slowly, Jensen nodded.
Jared gave him a smile and resumed kissing down the side of Jensen’s neck. This time, his hands were still and he continued moving down Jensen’s body, kissing and biting, licking across Jensen’s chest. He shivered and felt himself hardening again against Jared’s chest.
Just as Jared’s slick finger started pressing against his entrance again and Jensen started to tense, Jared slipped down completely and suddenly his mouth was surrounding the head of Jensen’s dick. It was hot and wet and Jensen completely forgot about anything other than the sensation of Jared’s tongue against his swollen flesh.
Jensen closed his eyes and focused on Jared, the way he was making his entire body thrum to life. Jensen’s heart was beating, his breath was coming in short gasps, his lower body was full and floating and on fire, all at the same time. He gasped as Jared twisted two fingers slowly inside of him, the feeling just barely on the side of uncomfortable, until he did something that sent a shock through him. Jared froze, eyes wide as he stared down at Jensen. Jensen’s entire body felt strung like a coil, and it took him a moment before he nodded and Jared returned to the task at hand.
Jared hummed around him, the sound sending vibrations through Jensen’s stomach, and he heard himself gasp out loud. When Jared withdrew his fingers, Jensen was surprised at the feeling of loss he felt, and he looked down to see Jared slipping two of his fingers back into the jar, coating them once more before he was back and slipping them inside of Jensen.
Jensen wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be feeling. He’d never actually imagined he would get to this point, with anyone, never mind with Jared. He was drowning in Jared, filled completely to the brim with the love he felt for the younger man. He reached for Jared then, grabbing his arms to pull him up to seal their lips together again. He pushed everything he was feeling through the kiss, hoping that Jared understood.
Jared moaned against his lips and dragged his hands up Jensen’s body, fingers digging into the muscles of his stomach. “You can still tell me to—"
“Please,” Jensen responded, cutting Jared off with a soft bite to his lower lip. Jared nodded and Jensen allowed him to guide his legs around Jared’s hips, angling his own up to give Jared access. Jared’s hazel eyes never left Jensen’s, kept complete contact as he scooped out a good amount of the lubricant and reached down to stroke himself. Jensen nodded once and Jared slid his hand down the back of Jensen’s thigh, pulling his legs open wider, and suddenly he was there, pushing in, filling Jensen completely.
Jensen groaned, forcing himself to keep his eyes open and joined with Jared’s. It was a slow, dragging pain as Jared pushed deep inside, and yet Jensen didn’t… hate it. The fact that it was uncomfortable made him think back to his first time with Rosemary and her initial discomfort; it was almost comical that he was comparing himself to a girl, knowing how much Alan would get a kick out of it were he privy to the inside of Jensen’s mind.
Jared exhaled, his entire body shaking on his arms which were bracketed on either side of Jensen’s head. His eyes fluttered closed and he cursed, and Jensen felt him twitch deep inside of him. The feeling was different than anything Jensen had ever felt, but it brought him closer to Jared. Jared was inside of him, connected with him in the most intimate way, and for the life of him Jensen couldn’t understand why that was so wrong.
“Jensen,” Jared whispered his name, swallowing hard as shifted his hips and followed with him, tightening his legs around Jared’s back. “I love you, so much.”
Jensen reached for him, running his hand through Jared’s long hair and pulling him down, kissing him deeply. Jared made a strangled sound against his lips and then started to move… he rolled his hips slowly, the burning between Jensen’s legs slowly morphing into something that was edging near pleasant.
When Jared’s kisses became sloppier and he was panting into Jensen’s mouth, he knew Jared was close to his climax. Jensen shifted his hips up, and when Jared gasped, Jensen knew he’d gotten the angle of his hips right. Jared suddenly froze above him, a strangled gasp leaving his lips, and Jensen rocked up against him, wrapping his arms around Jared’s back as he spilled his release.
Jared collapsed against him and Jensen immediately found his lips, kissing him softly. Jared lay half on top of him, his breathing coming in heavy pants. When Jared had caught his breath, he brought Jensen to completion with a few quick strokes.
They lay there underneath the oak tree until they couldn’t ignore the chill of the night air anymore.
“Jensen?” Jared asked as he pushed himself into a sitting position, pulling Jensen up with him. “Why… why were you out here?”
“Jared… I thought…” Jensen exhaled slowly, his entire body shaking as he remembered the way he’d torn from the house, believing that Jared was gone. “A man was killed tonight… in town… for being gay… and my grandparents, they thought…” Jensen’s eyes widened. “They think you’re dead. What if they’re telling your parents? Oh my God! Get dressed. Jared, we have to go!”
“But—” Jared allowed himself to be yanked to his feet, and Jensen quickly picked up their clothes, throwing his own on and giving Jared just enough time to get his back on before he was yanking him back down the path.
When they reached the farmhouse, Jared’s parents were sitting on the porch with Jensen’s grandparents and all four of them looked up as they heard the two sets of quick boot steps approaching. Sherri let out a scream and she flew off of the porch, immediately wrapping herself around Jared and pulling him tightly against her chest. Somehow, even though she stood almost a foot shorter than her nineteen year old son, Jared seemed dwarfed as he let himself sink into her embrace.
“I’m okay, Mama,” Jared mumbled against her hair, and then all that could be heard was the soft sound of the crickets and Sherri’s soft sobbing. Jensen looked up and saw his grandparents smiling, relief easily seen on their faces.
“Where was he?” Albert asked when Jensen joined them on the porch, switching spots with Gerry who now had his arms around his family.
“He found me,” Jensen replied with a shrug, smiling softly as he looked over at Jared with his parents.
“We’re so glad he’s okay,” Martha whispered back, patting Jensen’s cheek softly. “I’ll be making a special breakfast in the morning.”
“Thank you, guys,” Jensen murmured softly, feeling his cheeks flush and he forced himself to look down at the wooden planks beneath his feet.
Albert shifted once beside him, just as uncomfortable as Jensen before he cleared his throat. “I’m not going to pretend that I understand it, because I don’t. But… I understand you, Jensen, the person you are and the person you’re becoming. And I’ll stand beside you no matter what you choose, or who you choose.”
Jensen looked up quickly and saw his grandfather had wrapped his arm around his grandmother’s shoulders and she was leaning against him, looking up at him with an expression Jensen himself had seen on Jared’s face. He nodded once, giving them a small smile, and then they turned around and slipped quietly back into the house.
“Well, I think it’s about time we all get some sleep,” Gerry said once they broke away from Jared. Jensen nodded once, eyes catching Jared’s and the two of them stood frozen. Gerry glanced between them, clearing his throat once before he took Sherri’s arm. “I’ll see you boys for breakfast.”
“Yes, Sir,” they both replied in unison and Sherri glanced at them, a strange expression on her face. Jared looked down and waited until they were across the yard and out of sight before he approached Jensen again.
“Stay with me?” Jensen asked, swallowing hard, his stomach fluttering as he waited for Jared’s reply.
Jared hesitated for a moment, studying Jensen’s face before he nodded and smiled. “Always, Jensen.”
Master Post ||
Chapter Seven ||
Chapter Nine![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
smpc. Beta'd by Mari (WinchestersRaven) 
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
