Jared Padalecki and the Faith of the Feathered Serpent (Chapter One)
Title: Jared Padalecki and the Faith of the Feathered Serpent
Author: hunters_retreat
Fandom: J2 (CWRPS)
Pairings: Jared Padalecki/Jensen Ackles
Summary: They were legend, the Egyptologist with a love of mysteries and the General with a love of adventure. Over the years they'd faced everything Egypt had to offer, never backing down and never giving in, until they'd tamed her secrets. What happens when they find themselves leaving their home for the wonders of the new world in search of a missing colleague? What happens when Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki are surrounded by jungles and ruins and find the faith of the fallen serpent?
The river was calm as he traversed its waters, the inhabitants sleeping gently beneath her surface and on her shores as he moved quietly past them. As beautiful as it was, he didn’t pause for more than a moment. It was best to leave sleeping alligators lie. After all, this was just part of the journey, not the destination.
The river gave way to jungle green and he walked the path with familiarity, untroubled by roots and stones that would have given him concern were he in the waking world. The trees gave way to a clearing and it was there he got the first sight of the structure awaiting him. Stone edifices and green jungle surrounded him and he was staggered by the beauty and danger that waited at every glance.
He let his fingers brush over stone; cool to the touch though he knew that it should be warm from the midday sun. Such things happened to him like this. He followed up the great stairs that had been built into the hillside, followed them to the highest point where the top of the buildings could be seen over the jungle canopy.
His vision flashed to night, to blood and pain, to fear and sacrifice, but only for a moment and he was standing still again under the warm sun. There was something else there though, a presence that disturbed him when he knew that he should be relaxed and welcomed in that place. The feeling grew as he walked among the carved stone lintels and friezes. He let his fingers trace over the logo syllabic language, a written system that used both symbols and pictures to form a cohesive whole, but he wasn’t there to translate the beautifully carved stone. Instead he continued on.
The feeling of being watched never went away. Something dark was drawing closer to him, searching for him. He opened his arms, embraced the warmth of the sun against the feeling of darkness, knowing that whatever was searching wouldn’t stop so long as it was alive, but he didn’t give in to the need to hide. He waited, sitting atop one of the greatest temples of the Mayan culture, for the darkness to find him.
“Jared?”
He opened his eyes, blinking a few times before he realized he was staring at the wood top of his desk. He sat up slowly, registering in a distant way that he was in his study at the manor house. He tried to hold onto the crisp clear images he’d seen in his vision, but it was already becoming faded and worn, like the manuscripts he attempted to decipher every day.
“Jared, are you awake?”
The voice pulled at him and he turned to look up at the man standing in the doorway; sturdy khaki pants and a dark black shirt, heavy leather encircled his wrists where the shirt sleeves were pulled up to the elbow, soft full lips and green eyes that looked at him with concern. Jared smiled at him, warm and inviting. Even though Jensen had lived there for the past five years, he still considered Jared’s office as some sort of sacred space and refused to walk in without an invitation. It was annoying and so overwhelmingly endearing he didn’t know how he lived with it most of the time.
“I am. I’m not sure I should be.”
“You shouldn’t be,” Jensen confirmed with a smile. “Come to bed.”
Jared closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his fingers tracing the edge of a photo he didn’t realize he’d been holding. He tried to get a stronger hold of the vision but it wasn’t working. Usually his visions were clear, but sometimes when his initial visions were based on something insubstantial, like the photo, they weren’t as focused upon waking.
“Jared? Was it a vision?”
He didn’t answer right away. It wasn’t exactly a trick question but it was always hard to gauge how Jensen would take his answer. Not that he blamed him, considering he’d had a vision of Jensen five years back that had changed both their lives. Most times, Jensen found it easy to remember the good. On rare occasions though, Jensen was pulled away from the world he now lived in, reminded of a life long past where people bled for him, where they died for him in a gesture that he never felt he deserved. During those times Jensen seemed to bleed away himself, leaving behind only the General he had once been.
Jared nodded slowly as he set the photo down. “Chris sent me this photo. I was just looking at it, refreshing my memory on the language when I must have fallen asleep.”
Jensen nodded, but held out his hand. “If you’re that tired, come to bed.”
Jared set the photo down gently on top of his reference books and walked to the doorway, letting Jensen lead him away from the study to their bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed and before he could move again Jensen was there, removing his shoes and socks, unbuttoning his vest and shirt and pushing it off his broad shoulders.
Jared watched him, knowing in moments like this that he was lucky he’d met Jensen all those years ago. Jensen was smart and funny and had a way of charming people that went beyond looks and smiles, but that came from a warm, loving heart. He cared almost too much at times but Jared couldn’t help but love the man for it. It helped, of course, that Jensen had the most infectious smile and eyes that could pierce your soul. The locals didn’t call him the Green-Eyed for nothing.
Jensen reached for the waist of his pants and Jared slapped his hands away. “Do you think I’m so easy?”
Jensen smiled as he leaned over him, forcing him to lie back on the bed. “As a matter of fact, Mr. Padalecki, I do.”
He pulled Jared’s pants off and Jared laughed lightly. Jensen pulled the sheets back and tucked him firmly in, and Jared could only smile at his affectionate manner. When Jensen joined him a second later, Jared slid into his arms, resting his head on his lover’s shoulder.
“One of these days the staff is going to walk in and realize you don’t actually use your own rooms,” he said with a yawn.
“If they haven’t figured that already Jared you should probably fire them for being imbeciles.” Jensen’s lips grazed his temple. “Was it bad?”
He shook his head, knowing that Jensen was asking about his vision. “No, I don’t remember much of it either. Maybe if I had an actual piece from the dig, but all Chris sent was that photograph.”
“Is there a reason he’s sending you pictures from a Mayan temple?”
“I can read it.”
Jensen huffed. “Of course you can. All Egyptologists can.”
Jared laughed again at the fond exasperation in Jensen’s voice. “I’m a linguist as well, though you seem to love to forget that. I had a fascination with hieroglyphics in my younger days.”
“Is Chris in trouble?” Jensen asked, returning their conversation to the matter at hand. His lover was well aware of Jared’s need to explore and learn new languages and seemed to have a great degree of pride whenever Jared proved his skill in another one, but he was also very good at helping Jared to focus on what he needed to be focused on.
“I don’t think so. I’ll have to try to get through to him tomorrow though. I know where he was headed, but it might take a few days to get a wire through to him.”
“It wouldn’t hurt, just in case.”
“No it wouldn’t,” Jared said with a sigh. Jensen’s hand to his cheek brought his eyes back up to his lover and he smiled then, letting out a deep breath with all the tension he’d held in his body upon waking from the vision.
“Sleep Jared,” Jensen said, softly. “We’ll figure it out in the morning.”
“And if we don’t?”
“Then I suppose it’s time for another adventure, isn’t it?”
Jared closed his eyes and wrapped an arm around Jensen’s waist, pulling them closer together as he entwined their legs. His mind rolled back to the vision, to the picture and what it might entail. He was pulled away from the thought by Jensen’s laughter.
“Go to sleep Jared.”
He smiled into Jensen’s skin, and then pressed a kiss to it. “Alright. Good night Green-Eyed.”
“Sleep well my Quick-Tongue,” was the last he heard before true sleep took him.
Author: hunters_retreat
Fandom: J2 (CWRPS)
Pairings: Jared Padalecki/Jensen Ackles
Summary: They were legend, the Egyptologist with a love of mysteries and the General with a love of adventure. Over the years they'd faced everything Egypt had to offer, never backing down and never giving in, until they'd tamed her secrets. What happens when they find themselves leaving their home for the wonders of the new world in search of a missing colleague? What happens when Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki are surrounded by jungles and ruins and find the faith of the fallen serpent?
The river was calm as he traversed its waters, the inhabitants sleeping gently beneath her surface and on her shores as he moved quietly past them. As beautiful as it was, he didn’t pause for more than a moment. It was best to leave sleeping alligators lie. After all, this was just part of the journey, not the destination.
The river gave way to jungle green and he walked the path with familiarity, untroubled by roots and stones that would have given him concern were he in the waking world. The trees gave way to a clearing and it was there he got the first sight of the structure awaiting him. Stone edifices and green jungle surrounded him and he was staggered by the beauty and danger that waited at every glance.
He let his fingers brush over stone; cool to the touch though he knew that it should be warm from the midday sun. Such things happened to him like this. He followed up the great stairs that had been built into the hillside, followed them to the highest point where the top of the buildings could be seen over the jungle canopy.
His vision flashed to night, to blood and pain, to fear and sacrifice, but only for a moment and he was standing still again under the warm sun. There was something else there though, a presence that disturbed him when he knew that he should be relaxed and welcomed in that place. The feeling grew as he walked among the carved stone lintels and friezes. He let his fingers trace over the logo syllabic language, a written system that used both symbols and pictures to form a cohesive whole, but he wasn’t there to translate the beautifully carved stone. Instead he continued on.
The feeling of being watched never went away. Something dark was drawing closer to him, searching for him. He opened his arms, embraced the warmth of the sun against the feeling of darkness, knowing that whatever was searching wouldn’t stop so long as it was alive, but he didn’t give in to the need to hide. He waited, sitting atop one of the greatest temples of the Mayan culture, for the darkness to find him.
“Jared?”
He opened his eyes, blinking a few times before he realized he was staring at the wood top of his desk. He sat up slowly, registering in a distant way that he was in his study at the manor house. He tried to hold onto the crisp clear images he’d seen in his vision, but it was already becoming faded and worn, like the manuscripts he attempted to decipher every day.
“Jared, are you awake?”
The voice pulled at him and he turned to look up at the man standing in the doorway; sturdy khaki pants and a dark black shirt, heavy leather encircled his wrists where the shirt sleeves were pulled up to the elbow, soft full lips and green eyes that looked at him with concern. Jared smiled at him, warm and inviting. Even though Jensen had lived there for the past five years, he still considered Jared’s office as some sort of sacred space and refused to walk in without an invitation. It was annoying and so overwhelmingly endearing he didn’t know how he lived with it most of the time.
“I am. I’m not sure I should be.”
“You shouldn’t be,” Jensen confirmed with a smile. “Come to bed.”
Jared closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his fingers tracing the edge of a photo he didn’t realize he’d been holding. He tried to get a stronger hold of the vision but it wasn’t working. Usually his visions were clear, but sometimes when his initial visions were based on something insubstantial, like the photo, they weren’t as focused upon waking.
“Jared? Was it a vision?”
He didn’t answer right away. It wasn’t exactly a trick question but it was always hard to gauge how Jensen would take his answer. Not that he blamed him, considering he’d had a vision of Jensen five years back that had changed both their lives. Most times, Jensen found it easy to remember the good. On rare occasions though, Jensen was pulled away from the world he now lived in, reminded of a life long past where people bled for him, where they died for him in a gesture that he never felt he deserved. During those times Jensen seemed to bleed away himself, leaving behind only the General he had once been.
Jared nodded slowly as he set the photo down. “Chris sent me this photo. I was just looking at it, refreshing my memory on the language when I must have fallen asleep.”
Jensen nodded, but held out his hand. “If you’re that tired, come to bed.”
Jared set the photo down gently on top of his reference books and walked to the doorway, letting Jensen lead him away from the study to their bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed and before he could move again Jensen was there, removing his shoes and socks, unbuttoning his vest and shirt and pushing it off his broad shoulders.
Jared watched him, knowing in moments like this that he was lucky he’d met Jensen all those years ago. Jensen was smart and funny and had a way of charming people that went beyond looks and smiles, but that came from a warm, loving heart. He cared almost too much at times but Jared couldn’t help but love the man for it. It helped, of course, that Jensen had the most infectious smile and eyes that could pierce your soul. The locals didn’t call him the Green-Eyed for nothing.
Jensen reached for the waist of his pants and Jared slapped his hands away. “Do you think I’m so easy?”
Jensen smiled as he leaned over him, forcing him to lie back on the bed. “As a matter of fact, Mr. Padalecki, I do.”
He pulled Jared’s pants off and Jared laughed lightly. Jensen pulled the sheets back and tucked him firmly in, and Jared could only smile at his affectionate manner. When Jensen joined him a second later, Jared slid into his arms, resting his head on his lover’s shoulder.
“One of these days the staff is going to walk in and realize you don’t actually use your own rooms,” he said with a yawn.
“If they haven’t figured that already Jared you should probably fire them for being imbeciles.” Jensen’s lips grazed his temple. “Was it bad?”
He shook his head, knowing that Jensen was asking about his vision. “No, I don’t remember much of it either. Maybe if I had an actual piece from the dig, but all Chris sent was that photograph.”
“Is there a reason he’s sending you pictures from a Mayan temple?”
“I can read it.”
Jensen huffed. “Of course you can. All Egyptologists can.”
Jared laughed again at the fond exasperation in Jensen’s voice. “I’m a linguist as well, though you seem to love to forget that. I had a fascination with hieroglyphics in my younger days.”
“Is Chris in trouble?” Jensen asked, returning their conversation to the matter at hand. His lover was well aware of Jared’s need to explore and learn new languages and seemed to have a great degree of pride whenever Jared proved his skill in another one, but he was also very good at helping Jared to focus on what he needed to be focused on.
“I don’t think so. I’ll have to try to get through to him tomorrow though. I know where he was headed, but it might take a few days to get a wire through to him.”
“It wouldn’t hurt, just in case.”
“No it wouldn’t,” Jared said with a sigh. Jensen’s hand to his cheek brought his eyes back up to his lover and he smiled then, letting out a deep breath with all the tension he’d held in his body upon waking from the vision.
“Sleep Jared,” Jensen said, softly. “We’ll figure it out in the morning.”
“And if we don’t?”
“Then I suppose it’s time for another adventure, isn’t it?”
Jared closed his eyes and wrapped an arm around Jensen’s waist, pulling them closer together as he entwined their legs. His mind rolled back to the vision, to the picture and what it might entail. He was pulled away from the thought by Jensen’s laughter.
“Go to sleep Jared.”
He smiled into Jensen’s skin, and then pressed a kiss to it. “Alright. Good night Green-Eyed.”
“Sleep well my Quick-Tongue,” was the last he heard before true sleep took him.