Smoke & Lightning, Born To Be Wild [30/30]
MASTER POST
Title: Smoke And Lightning: Born To Be Wild (30/30)
Authors: bloody_adorable and eviltwin
Fandoms: Supernatural RPS
Pairing: Jensen Ackles / Jared Padalecki.
Rating: Adult.
Wordcount: 3,137
Summary: AU. Born to be wild? They're starting to settle down now, that much is true, but they will definitely both still have their moments.
Disclaimer: None of the following is true in any way, and no profit is made from this work of fiction.
CHAPTER THIRTY - THE FINAL CHAPTER
Jensen pounded on the bathroom door again. "Come on," he complained. "It's not like I haven't ever seen you naked before."
Walking past the bathroom, Jared paused and raised an eyebrow. "Please tell me that's not Jeff in there."
Jensen sighed and just looked at him.
"Stevie?"
Jensen rolled his eyes. "It's Chris, y'giant freak," he said. "I need to get in there to take a shower so I'm not horribly late."
He didn't look particularly sympathetic. "Probably should have thought of that before you put off getting cleaned up to have sex with me."
Snarling, Jensen glared at him. "That's your fault," he said. "I didn't start it."
Shirtless, Jared put his arms around Jensen's waist, his hands drifting down to the man's backside. "You certainly finished it, though, didn't you?"
Annoyed, Jensen shoved him away. "If you're not going to help, get out of here," he said.
Jared chuckled. Still, Jensen had a point. He needed to shower too, and he had promised Jensen in the guest bedroom that he wouldn't get too handsy in the shower with him. He pounded on the door with a closed fist, calling out to Chris. "Come on, man," he encouraged. "You got people standin' on one leg out here."
Finally, Chris whipped open the door. "What?" he asked, clearly annoyed. "What, what, what?" The door swung open wider, revealing that Chris wasn't alone. Through the steam clouding the room, they saw that Lynn was there, a thick towel wrapped around her. Her hair was dark, as usual, but had fluorescent pink streaks in it. She smiled at Jared and Jensen, giving them a little wave.
"Water out at your place?" Jared asked, not at all tactful at times.
Jensen elbowed him in the ribs.
Lynn giggled and pushed her way past Chris, in between Jared and Jensen. "No," she answered honestly. "But the company here is a hell of a lot more entertaining."
Jensen and Jared watched her go, moving back to Jeff and Stevie's bedroom, where Chris had crashed -- and apparently her as well -- the night before. Jeff and Stevie had stayed out with Donna, Rock, Mickey and his girlfriend, Claire. Mickey had gotten a penthouse in one of the more posh hotels in town. Jensen admitted that he hadn't known there were even penthouses to be had. Jared promised him that, one day, they'd get their own penthouse room and never leave it.
Once she was in the bedroom, she closed the door behind her, giving one last little wave before she was out of sight.
Jared and Jensen turned back to Chris. The man was standing in front of the mirror, clad in only a towel and a grin on his face. "What?" he asked, glancing over at them.
"Don't 'what' me," Jensen said, his own grin spreading across his face.
Jared stepped into the bathroom, fishing two clean towels out of the cupboard. "I take it she found the tattoo?"
Chris grinned, dabbing aftershave onto the palms of his hands. He had gotten the orange and red flame phoenix on his shoulder. It was completely healed now and looked fantastic, the hues complimenting his skin tone. "She did," he said, blue eyes sparkling. "And I found hers."
"Lynn has a tattoo?" Jensen asked, moving into the room and stripping off his shirt. "Where?"
"Nowhere you'll ever see," he returned.
Jensen made a face at him and mumbled a low "har-har" as he shed his jeans, the door to the room still half-open. "Close the door on your way out, Casanova."
"Keep an ear out for Hol, would ya?" Jared asked, pulling at his belt and the button of his jeans. "I put her down about twenty minutes ago, so she might be up soon."
"Got it," Chris nodded.
"And let the babysitter in when she gets here," he continued. "And get some goddamn clothes on. Don't scare the girl."
Chris chuckled. He stepped out of the bathroom, carrying his black travel toiletries case, winking once at them before he closed the door.
Jensen was the first into the shower, immediately wetting his hair down in the hot spray of water. Jared wasn't far behind. He threaded his fingers through Jensen's wet hair and leaned in for a kiss. Jensen returned the kiss, but afterwards gave Jared a warning look.
"I know," Jared grinned. "We don't have time. Doesn't mean I can't steal a kiss now and then."
Jensen smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm just really looking forward to this. You haven't let me see anything regarding the bar. Everyone else has seen the finished product, except me."
"I wanted it to be a surprise."
He slipped his arms around Jared's bare midriff. "I'm really proud of you, you know."
"Yeah?" he returned. "For what?"
"For how hard you worked on the bar," he told him.
"Well, I kind of had to," Jared said with a smirk. "I burned down the other one."
Jensen could laugh about it now, but at the time he had never been so scared in all of his life. He skated one hand up Jared's healed arm, tracing the lines of the burn scars with the pads of his fingers. "I'm also really proud of you for... For everything."
Jared knew what Jensen meant, because he felt the same way. He smiled and leaned down to him, gently bumping his forehead against Jensen's. "You're just saying that to get into my pants."
Jensen's laughter echoed off the tile shower walls. "You're not wearing any."
"Well, easy work for you then, hm?"
* * *
The crowds were staggering. Jensen had never seen so many people at Mickey's. He momentarily felt his old phobia kick in, making his throat close up for a moment, his limbs go weak. "Wait," he said, setting a hand to Jared's chest.
Jared, Chris, and Lynn halted out in the parking lot. "What's wrong?" Jared asked.
Jensen squeezed his eyes shut and then looked back up at the bar. "Are we going to be able to get in?"
He was trying to cover up his anxiety. Jared could tell. He smiled and draped an arm over his shoulders. "I'm pretty sure they'll have room for us," he nodded. "Come on. There's a lot of people, but the place is really roomy. Trust me."
Jared kept his arm around Jensen, while Chris did the same for Lynn, keeping her close to his side. As they walked up to the place, Jensen craned his neck back to look at the brand new building.
It was the same height as the old Mickey's, three floors with high ceilings. The brick on the outside was new, the wood all covered with vinyl siding so there would be minimal upkeep. The neon that lit the name "Mickey's" was bigger than the previous sign, brighter and with more modern lettering. The front doors were probably one of the most expensive things they'd bought for the whole place. They were heavy, thick, made of solid hardwood, and engraved with a fancy scrollwork "M" on the front.
Inside, the place was a palace. The bar, dark and shiny, looked to be a thousand yards long. The new beer signs were bright and cheerful, casting a rainbow of light down onto the masses of people inside. The walls were painted black, puncuated by red and yellow flames, much like what Jared had painted in Jensen's room so long ago. Kenzie had taken over that room since then, and Jensen was sure she would love the decor here too.
There was a stage, too. No band was set up at the moment; music piped through the place from a stereo hidden somewhere in the back room, behind the bar. Christmas twinkle lights were strung everywhere - underneath the bar top, along the high ceiling, cascading down to the center of the room, making a chandelier out of the tiny white lights.
"Holy crap," Jensen said, his eyes wide as he gazed around the place. "It's gorgeous."
"Isn't it?" Jared grinned. He looked around the place, too, as if taking it all in for the first time. His gaze landed to the stage where, later on, a band would be playing. Instead of the equipment he expected to see, something else rested there.
Jensen followed Jared's incredulous gaze. He smiled when he saw what had caught Jared's attention. He glanced back at Chris, their eyes meeting for a moment. Within that moment, however, there was an entire conversation.
The bike that was displayed on the stage was flame-red, with black accents. There was a helmet sitting atop it, black and red tribal tattoo designs imprinted on the sleek, shiny surface. The bike had HONDA scribed on the bottom panel, and was clearly a racing bike if he'd ever seen one. As a matter of fact, he had seen the bike before -- it was the same one that had been raffled off at the bike rally.
"That bastard won the bike," Jared said, half-envious, and half-awed.
"Who?" Jensen asked.
"Mickey," he answered. "Fucking lucky bastard."
Jensen scrunched up his nose as he shook his head. "I don't think he won it."
Jared looked over at him. "What are you talking about?" he said. "That's why it's here. He wants to show it off."
"No," Jensen said slowly, drawing the word out. He, Chris and Lynn stepped aside and looked into the crowd.
Jared's eyes wandered for a second before he saw Jeffrey standing there, a smile upon his face. Stevie was beside him, smiling just as brightly.
"Oh, you gotta be kidding me," Jared said, his voice breathy. He watched Jeffrey chuckle at him and step closer. "You won it?"
Jeffrey nodded his head. "I did," he said. "What do you think? Your old man will look pretty hot on that, huh?"
Jared smiled, but inwardly admitted that he was a little jealous of the man. "You and 'hot' don't mix in my head," he returned honestly.
Not at all offended, Jeffrey laughed harder. "Well, maybe it'll look better on you." He reached into his pocket and fished out the keys, tossing them to his son.
Jared caught the keys, a little stunned, and turned his wide eyes to Jeffrey again. He searched the man's face, wondering if he was being toyed with. It wouldn't be the first time. "Are you serious?"
Grinning, Jeffrey nodded. "As serious as I've ever been."
Clutching the keys in his hand, Jared's disbelieving expression turned into one of gratitude and adoration. True, he didn't need a gift in order to love his adoptive father, but the fact that the man would give him the bike, rather than sell it and get something useful out of it -- that was enough to make him cloud up a little. He'd gotten soft these past few years.
Jeffrey was nearly knocked off his feet when Jared hugged him, a strong, powerful embrace. "Whoa," he said softly, taking a moment to wrap his arms around the boy. He held him tightly, his hand rested at the back of Jared's head. He didn't whisper to him, to tell him how much he loved him. Instead, the moment was filled with heavy metal music. Jensen, Chris, Lynn and Stevie watched with knowing, loving eyes.
Jared suddenly cackled and nearly jumped up and down, still in Jeffrey's arms. "Holy fucking shit," he laughed, finally pulling out of the embrace. "You're, like, the best fucking father ever."
Jeffrey chuckled at him, slapping a hand on Jared's shoulder. "You can't take it out now," he advised. "Too many people in here. Mickey'll have you move it so the band can set up, but just roll it into the back. We'll get it after the holidays."
"You're assuming he can be parted from it that long," Jensen teased. "He'll have it in bed with us."
"That's something you'll have to work out," Jeffrey said, pointing at Jensen. "Right now, we have a bar to christen."
The band was brilliant. The female lead singer bounced all over the stage, totally in her element up there in front of everyone. Jared, Jensen, Chris and Lynn danced until they were dripping with sweat. Donna and Rock showed up, two hours late and with Phin in tow, but Donna was all smiles. Jared saw Jensen watching his mother and grinned. He leaned in closer and whispered something about how Donna was smiling because Rock was probably as hard as his nickname hinted at.
Jensen just made a disgusted face and shoved him away.
While Rock moved behind the bar, they danced for awhile longer, until the band declared that they needed a break. Music from the back was turned on again, while the band members filed over to the bar to get a drink and relax.
Jared stepped closer to Phin, reaching out to give him a manly embrace. "Who's the pink-haired hottie with Chris?" Phin asked.
"That's Lynn," Jared told him. "Don't even try it. She's sold on Kane."
"Fuckin' shame." He nodded to Jensen, reaching out for him. "Jen."
"Hey, Phin," Jensen said. He accepted the quick embrace, clapping his hand on Phin's back. "Good to see you here."
"Can't very well miss the old man opening up the new place," he smiled. "Besides, I get to boss him around and make him get me drinks."
"Why were you guys late?"
Phin eyed him for a moment, eyebrows arched. "You do not want to know," he said. "Luckily, me and your sister found a loud video game to play to drown out most of it."
"Ugh, with Kenzie in the house?"
"Don't let her fool you, Jen," Phin winked. "She's a lot more grown up than you give her credit for."
Jensen thought of Kenzie, now at her friend's house for the night, telling them all about what she heard, about her tattooed, gay brother, and what she'd seen with them. She was too young to talk about that stuff, right? He felt his stomach go slightly sour.
Donna interrupted his thoughts. She touched his shoulder and turned her son towards her. He returned her smile and put his arms around her, holding her close.
"Your brother and Cathy will be here later," she told him. "They want to talk about their wedding with you."
"Wedding?" Jensen repeated excitedly. "They're finally setting a date?"
She nodded. "They are."
Jensen let his knees go weak for a moment, then looked up to the ceiling, as if speaking silently to the great Creator. "Thank God," he said. "When?"
"They're not sure yet," she said. "But he'd like you to be there."
"I will be," he nodded. "You know it."
Just then, Stevie neared the group, bringing three empty bottles of beer to the bar. "I need three more, Rock," she said. "When you can manage it, no rush, sweetie."
He nodded to her and worked on finishing the order he was already in the middle of.
"Stevie," Jared said, putting his arm around her. "You're really knockin' them back, baby."
"Not me," she said. "It's your father."
"Well, get some into you," he chuckled, taking a swig of his own beer. "We got some partying to do."
"I can't," she told him. She realized she'd said something that would be questioned, so she looked up at Jared and smiled, wincing slightly. She wasn't sure how he was going to take the news. "Ready for another little brother or sister?"
Shocked, Jared and Jensen looked at each other, their wide-eyed gazes turning to Stevie. "Are you fucking kidding me?"
"I wish I was," she sighed. "Don't get me wrong, I'll love another baby, but I just started work at the elementary school. Now I'll have to take my maternity leave when the baby gets here."
Tightening his arm around Stevie's shoulder, Jared chuckled. He planted a kiss to the side of her head. "Don't worry about it," he said. "They'd be fucking nuts to let a good teacher like you go. Congratulations to you and the old man." He turned just enough to spy Jeffrey at a table with Mickey and Claire. The place was pretty much standing room only, but they had gotten the VIP table. He raised his bottle to him, nodding. Jeffrey returned the gesture, his smile bright.
Donna watched Rock set three fresh beers on the bar, winking at her as he did. "Speaking of good news," she said, her eyes lingering on Rock's form as he moved away to fill another order. "The divorce was finalized yesterday."
"Get outta town!" Stevie said happily. The bottles clanked in her hands, cold and wet with condensation.
Donna opened her arms. "I'm officially a free woman," she announced.
Words of congratulations were given all around, to both Stevie and Donna. The latter looked back at the man tending bar and sighed, contentment in her eyes.
"What's wrong?"
Donna looked over at Stevie. "I have to admit," she explained. "I wouldn't mind it if I wasn't free."
"You're not, totally," she told her. "Rock's pretty sold on you."
"The feeling's mutual."
The night was a fantastic one. The figure raised for charity was impressive and Jensen was glad they'd moved the location of the gathering to Mickey's, knowing how cold it was outside. Jared reluctantly left his new bike at Mickey's, stowed away in the back, a dropcloth covering it. He got on the computer and checked the weather for Christmas morning, wondering if he would be able to take it out, but the weather promised further cold temperatures and possible slick roads. Slightly disappointed, he went to bed and told Jensen the bad news.
Instead, they stayed up a little later to distract each other with their bodies.
Breathing hard, Jensen collapsed to the mattress, quickly followed by Jared. They rolled onto their backs, chests heaving. Jensen reached up and swiped a hand over his sweaty brow, his eyes drifting closed. "What time are we supposed to be over to Jeff and Stevie's?"
Jared raised his head enough to look at the clock. "In three hours," he said, flopping his head back down on his pillow. "Sleep fast."
Smiling, Jensen chuckled softly, still trying to catch his breath. Eventually, in the silence, their chests stopped heaving quite so much, and their breathing returned to normal.
"Jay?"
He had almost been asleep. Grunting, Jared opened his eyes. "What?"
"Do you think this is it?"
"What, it?"
"It," Jensen repeated. "Forever."
Jared managed to shrug one shoulder. "I don't know," he answered. "It might be."
"Promise me we'll always be together?"
Jared wanted to tease Jensen, to tell him that he was such a giant girl at times. But he didn't. "I can't promise, Jen," he said.
"Why not?" He sounded wounded.
"Because," Jared clarified. "You never know what the future holds."
THE END
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Adorable and I would like to thank EVERYONE who has read this story and commented on it, and even been inspired by it. A few of you have sent us some gorgeous fanart and that's seriously one of the best compliments ever. I know it says 'the end' up there, but do keep an eye on us! We have one more 'regular' Sunday post for you this Sunday and we will definitely be revisiting the boys with ficlets and possibly manips. We'll try and get to everything that we wanted to do, so if you're watching the community then keep on!
We have also been working on a brand new project together over the last few months - planning and writing little bits here and there. It will be J2, it will be AU, and it will be quite different from Smoke & Lightning! Adorable has already made some trailers and we will most likely post them here before anywhere else. Expect that one sometime in late Summer. Adorable is flying to the UK at the end of June to stay with me for two weeks (we've never met outside LJ and chat, so this is EXCITING!!) and we should get a bit of work done on it then.
So come back Sunday and we'll have one final chapter before we head off for a break.
Again, we're so grateful to all of you!
Much love,
Adorable & Evil
xxxxx xxxxx