Fic: 'A Lake Inside My Ocean' (Jared/Jensen; NC-17) 4/5
Masterpost
Part Four
As the summer waxes on the park's open for longer hours, and work starts ending later and later in the day. A constant barrage of tasks keep Jared busy more than Jensen would like and since he isn't a full time trainer, he can only participate so much before he needs to back off.
Despite the fact that basically any animal within the park listens to Jensen's commands.
They also seem to be listening to some juicy gossip, judging by the whispers he hears in different areas, from the jokes in Alligator Alley to the gossip in Flamingo Cove, and that's not even counting the madness going on in the Coral Reef.
Chad plays innocent at first when Jensen asks about it.
"Well, I might have said something. It's for your own good, Jensen!"
Telling the other animals about this is something Jensen doesn't exactly want or need-they already know about his background, and yeah, they probably peg him as "the one with the crush on the Tall-human". But knowing someone has a crush is a far cry away from trying to do something about it, which is why he wishes he could crawl under a rock whenever they try to act on Jensen's behalf.
Like the construction of a heart-shaped statue out of shells and rocks in the sea otter habitat. Or the flamingo and peacock airstrike that left Jared and Jensen covered in feathers (an alternative to romantic rose petals, Jensen guesses). Or even the eels, sharks, and barracuda light show, which involved synchronized lights in tune with "Kiss the Girl" from The Little Mermaid.
They even get the land mammals involved, though how the Budweiser Clydesdales bringing Jared free cases of beer is supposed to help (other than get Jared immediately wasted), Jensen isn't sure.
It's the thought that counts, he reasons.
Jensen's in the middle of trying to tell Pete the Penguin that no, a musically coordinated boat ride with his band doing backup singing is a bad idea when Jared darts in, almost slip-sliding on the wet rock. It's messy and uncoordinated, two things Jared definitely isn't when it comes to his work-his single-mindedness extends to doing everything correctly, a near perfect example to others-so it's a hint that whatever reason he's here, it's serious.
Besides, seeing a six foot tall Jensen having an argument with a two foot tall Southern Rockhopper penguin, that will throw anyone.
"Hey!" Jared shouts, drumming his fingers on the doorway edge. With every rap of his fingertips, a new head pops out of one of the penguin nooks, until there are a few dozen sets of eyes, from a couple different species, all watching them.
'But Patrick composed a love song! It's awesome, man,' Pete says earnestly.
Jensen shoots him a dirty look. 'Like the time you tried to lead the Penguin Encounter members in a coup d'état?'
Pete puffs his chest up, squawking commandingly. 'I regret that I have but one egg to give for my country.'
'Oh, shut up,' Jensen replies dryly, straightening to stand as Pete hops back into his cave.
Jared watches them both with amused interest, mouth twitching like he's smothering down the urge to smile.
They leave the Encounter area shoulder to shoulder, before Jared hesitates, a step behind Jensen in the narrow walkway. "You make a habit of talking to penguins?"
"I have to talk to everyone," Jensen mutters. "It's my job."
"What are you, like some kind of dolphin ambassador?" Jared says with a laugh.
Jensen stands stock still, a lapse in thinking or judgment or whatever, keeping him in place and unable to come up with an answer. Ambassador. Jared knows, damn it, he knows.
Jared stops, putting a hand on Jensen's arm. His brow furrows with concern. "Hey, Jensen, it's a joke. Us humans tend to do that."
"Well, it's not funny," Jensen grumbles. He sticks out his lower lip, this indication that he's learned, he's pouting now, no longer worried or angry because Jared is already smiling. "I can't help it that I'm such an authority figure."
"Yeah, sure."
"They all look up to me."
"Uh huh. Hard to see past that big melon of yours." Jared scrunches his nose. "Am I going crazy or are the penguins making music back there?"
Jensen scoffs, but he makes sure to hustle out Jared all the same.
He's almost disappointed to find out that the reason why Jared came to get him was to have him observe the trainer for a day interaction program. For a fee, the park allows visitors to watch the trainers do their daily tasks: from food prep to training, cleaning to preparing for shows. Having expanded the program in recent years, visitors both young and old stand around shivering in wetsuits, water lapping at their waists as the dolphins swim up and past their waists.
He stands over on the dock as a group of people stand in half a circle around Jared, the tallest of them all. Jensen folds his arms as he listens to Jared give his spiel in-between squeals from the children, their hands darting out to rub against the smooth rubbery skin of the dolphins. It's strange and funny to watch, seeing the way they're all a little wary of the animals: they had shivered when the stingrays floated on by them earlier.
Jensen knows personally that the stingrays wouldn't hurt anyone unless threatened, and for that part, even the sharks would rather play than bite people, but you can't break old human habits.
You can just try to bend them, just a little.
Like the dolphin rides, for instance. After months and years of working with the dolphins, the trainers have formed close and trusting relationships with those in their care, enough so that they can 'ride' them if the dolphin is up for it. They won't do it unless the animal is agreeable-if the dolphin doesn't want to, then they won't. Changing up the game goes hand in hand with training. Breezing through the choppy waves at a dazzling speed while balancing on the heads of two dolphins below is a tricky and awesome art.
For the guest patrons though, the rides basically involve the dolphins pushing their beaks on the soles of people's feet, pushing them up and through the water. It's not quite riding the dolphin as it is riding the waves.
And it's nowhere near the joy Jensen can recall of pushing through the water at his own speed, in whatever direction he chooses.
The thought sends a pang of nostalgia through Jensen as he watches Jared ride two of the dolphins to the cheering delight of the crowd. He tries not to bristle too much when Jared 'kisses' the dolphins either, because, well, it's not like he owns Jared. It's just a display. With others that don't have nearly half the talent he has, but he can totally roll with it. To a point.
Because if there's a habit Jensen's going to break, it's Jared riding other dolphins.
What he doesn't expect are the buoys. Jensen is about to whistle a command (which is totally not the squeaking equivalent of "Jared is mine" and a couple of cetacean expletives) when the talk of the humans grows louder, as a dolphin nudges a white buoy in front of a confused Jared, interrupting his talk.
One of the special packages for the patrons, Jensen has learned, is a romantic message: on Valentine's Day, a honeymoon, or an anniversary, there's roses and a bottle of Dom Perignon, and the dolphins act as Cupid, delivering a buoy with a personalized message. It's one of the campiest things the park has to offer, and Jensen would have refused to participate (on the grounds of cheesiness, while Chad said it was him being a diva).
Except he doesn't expect Jared's face to turn a few shades of red before a nearby older woman asks, "What's it say?" in a loud voice.
"Uh." Jared clears his throat, jerking his head to push away the wet strands of hair in his eyes. "'To Jared, water you doing for the rest of your life? Love, Jensen.'"
Jensen can feel his stomach drop to somewhere between his knees. Even if he wishes for a tide pool to swallow him up, it won't take away the sight of Jared, embarrassed and looking at him curiously. Or how the group catches on, with Jared's gaze and Jensen's embarrassed expression, whooping it up with catcalls all around.
*
Preparation is a key word in Jared's vocabulary. It is one of the key words for any trainer that's sat through the so-called grueling sessions each apprentice trainer had to go through before they were ever allowed near the animals. Looking back on it, Jared never thought they were that bad. But then, Jared tends to have a higher tolerance for stray fish scales and cleaning endless amounts of feces more than the next person.
Preparation means collecting all resources necessary in order to participate. You never do it half-cocked; you do it with all the skills and training you can muster. It's how he survived the tests, the athletic physical, everything leading up to where he is now.
However, it all goes to hell when preparation has him staring all wide-eyed at Katie, because apparently there isn't any room left in his brain that isn't occupied with work and Jensen to register SeaWorld at Night.
It's the same thing they do every year: with the park open later, it gives way to nighttime shows and activities: like the Shamu Rocks show, for instance.
"But I'm off. I have the day off. It's in the schedule. It's in there!"
Katie, meanwhile, is snorting and covering her mouth, this backward step as she laughs at the seals. It's the set for the Cannery Row Caper show: a funny take on noir films starring sea lions, otters, and up until recently, Wally the Walrus.
"Yeah, yeah," Katie says, half paying attention. She feeds one of the female sea lions a fish, and then turns to Jared. "It's only a suggestion that you come to the park. Trainers promoting the park, getting discounts, and having fun. You know fun, right? Calm down! No need to flip out."
"Sorry," Jared says, and he sincerely means it. There's no reason to freak out over it: hell, most of the time his sick days go unused as it is, always trying to find some way back to do work. But he automatically feels like there's an edge to Katie's request. Like there's something that's going on, that he's not in on and it rubs him the wrong way.
"Anyway," Katie says nudging his arm, "what've you got planned?"
Beer and bad action movies rests on the tip of his tongue. His brother has a family barbeque for his wife and kids; his sister's abroad on vacation. And as for his parents, they decided to finally go on a cruise. It isn't like he doesn't visit them-he does, once in a while, when he isn't working-it's just that he didn't really plan on seeing them for the holiday anyway. Jared could always try calling his old buddies, or the other trainers, see if they were up for beer, but it'd feel weird to do it, since he's usually out of the loop on these things as it is.
"Wait, I forgot. What about Jensen?"
"Jensen?"
"Yeah. Does he have anything to do?"
The sea lion next to Katie, Sandy, barks and huffs at Jensen's name. Jared is willing to bet that whatever Sandy is saying isn't exactly P.C.
He smirks at Katie. "Are you trying to set me up?"
"Heavens, no," Katie says, mock offense in her voice. "Whatever makes you less of a tightass in my book is fine by me. You go have fun. And by fun I mean, you know-"
He rolls his eyes and leaves with a smile before Katie starts doing rude gestures in front of the poor, innocent sea lions.
Getting Jensen to agree to come along for the July 4th parties is relatively easy. With the festival and sights, it's Texas at its finest, with the best beer, barbecue, and music that a person can ask for. At least, that's what Jared tells Jensen when they're walking through the park after hours.
Jensen's amazed by the sights, walking in slow circles that seemed to loop backwards. It takes a few tugs by Jared and the promises of food before they fall in step with one another.
Jensen is on his second ice cream cone, running his tongue along the rainbow sprinkles and cold vanilla swirl. There's a high chance that whatever Jensen is doing to that ice cream cone is probably illegal in some states, as are the groans he's making. You'd think a month in a human body would have him acclimated to eating, but he still looks completely delighted when given food. It could be an innate dolphin trait. Maybe-
Maybe Jared should stick to looking at the dazzling lights of the fountains and the kids running around, screaming gleefully, than get his head buried in facts and numbers. Just for a night. It could be good for his well-being.
"Would you like some?" Jensen asks, offering the melting cone to Jared.
"No, no, I'm good," Jared says, holding up a hand. Truthfully, he'd rather see Jensen continue eating the cone, thoughts bordering on sinful.
Jensen looks a little put out after that, plump lower lip jutting out. He's in a t-shirt, jeans, and boots this time, the material looser on him than what Jared is used to seeing. And how weird is that, that seeing Jensen without the spandex number is unsettling, because here he is, no doubt trying to blend in and Jared doesn't-
Doesn't want to upset him. It's this tightrope he's trying to balance on, because even though Jensen can be weird at times, it's through no fault of his own. He's trying.
As the night starts winding down and Jensen finishes the last of his cone, Jared guides him along, a hand on his shoulder or the small of his back. He's trying to reassure him that everything's fine, and in no way shamelessly touching him for the benefit of feeling him up in a totally platonic way.
Jared kind of wishes he'd taken the ice cream. Just to shove it down his pants.
The only solution to this has to be the Shamu Rocks! show. Because if there were ever the most ridiculous, bombastic experience (outside of a Chuck Norris movie); it has to be this.
Jensen swallows down a clicking noise, this gurgle in his throat as Jared escorts him to the Whale Stadium. People fill the stands in streams of celebratory red, white, and blue, the smell of nachos, and beer in the air. It's a vivid snapshot of all things summer and insane, because that's when the rock music starts up, with loud, cheesy narration.
It's an orca show, sure, but with lasers, and the exclusive 'Ring of Fire' move. Jared knows it's taken these trainers months to do, to get two orcas to swim in a circle facing opposite each other-swim with trainers balancing on their heads, at least a dozen feet up above the water. It's beyond ridiculous, but Jared has to admit that it also looks pretty cool. The music soars with a wailing guitar solo courtesy of Chris Kane, the resident park band leader, playing his heart out high above on a platform near the deluxe flat screens as pyrotechnics go off.
Jared leans forward in his chair. "Dude. That's freakin' awesome."
"Yeah, whatever," Jensen sighs. "That's nowhere near as hard as a triple flip, if you ask me."
Jared snorts, looking back at Jensen. "Are you jealous?"
"What? No!" Jensen yelps. His stern glare is softened by the fact that he has a swipe of ice cream on the tip of his nose. "Oh, great, they're doing the Winchester 21 Watergun Salute. Big deal!"
Laughter rises up in Jared, because Jensen looks so annoyed at the whole thing, blatantly staring at the way the audience members cheer and scream, waving flags and stuffed animals. When it comes to behaviors, Jensen had always been the best student, willing to learn-but the amazement Jared had at teaching him is slightly worn off, knowing that in some respects, it could've been so easy to do it.
But then Jensen looks at him, brow furrowing. "There's the Texas Splashdown outside," he says loudly, trying to be heard over the music. "It looks like fun. All the humans keep screaming!"
"They're people, Jensen. What you and me are. Let's call them people for tonight."
"All right then," Jensen responds, last word muffled as a loud crack goes off in the air, making him jerk. The sky is streaked red and gold with light, as Jared shouts, "Fireworks!" over the booming sound. The remnants glitter down in circular spirals, zigzagging trails of light.
It's like getting another glimpse of a fascinating world, with the way the light flares blue and stray rays spiral out, resembling fish darting through the water.
But the best part is how Jensen stares wonderingly above, and he looks back down, suddenly understanding why people are cheering, screaming and hugging as the fireworks go off. It's this cheery moment, the kind of bonding that always happens with these displays. Jared can understand it, sure, but Jensen seems completely fascinated by the whole thing, eyes darting as he processes it all.
Jared nudges Jensen's thigh with his own. "You like it?"
"It's beautiful," he finally responds, turning to look at Jared.
"Yeah, it is," Jared says, and he leans back this time, his arm coming up and around Jensen's chair.
He realizes he's doing the arm move right in the middle of actually doing it, so he sort of cuffs Jensen on the top of his head with his upper arm, and then it's-okay, it's really bad fumble as Jared tries not to spill a Coke on Jensen's lap.
"Ah, uh, sorry! You've got-here, let me get that for you," Jared says, swallowing audibly. He gently wipes the tip of Jensen's nose with his thumb.
Jensen leans forward, his eyes shutting as Jared wipes. He opens his eyes, looking disappointed. "Is this a date, Jared? Because this feels like a date."
"What? This is not-no!" Jared says, and they've had this conversation before, only this time the qualifying and backpedaling sounds fake to his own ears.
It's hard to deny the pull of want in him, deep under all the worry. How very wrong this is and can be, but the thought of it all dies when there's only Jensen's touch and fingers against the curve of Jared's jawline.
Jensen's fingers curl in Jared's hair experimentally, flexing them, testing them out. Little puffs of his breath on Jared's mouth, and the searing line of his gaze, with too green eyes that shut before he's kissing Jared. He presses against his side, arm digging into Jared's ribs, but it doesn't matter, because it's Jensen kissing him, hungry and hot. Jared's lips part in response as Jensen's tongue pushes in eagerly, thumb rubbing a circle against his pulse.
They make out for a while; air of celebration around them before the crowd settles down and Jared keeps a hand on Jensen's thigh. When it's time to go, and they're at the parking lot, right near Jared's truck, Jensen kisses him on the lips, softly. It's quiet and not at all pushy, taking their time.
Jared braces a hand against the truck roof, one kiss, another, pulling the door open. He sucks on Jensen's bottom lip, feeling warmth pool in his belly at the flash of Jensen's shiny wet mouth in the dark, glittering lights of the park entrance behind them.
The gesture is understated, Jared leaving it open: come or don't come, it's up to you.
Jensen only kisses him again, looking curiously at the door. It takes a beat for Jared to realize Jensen might not get it, so he nods at the open truck door. "Do you want to come back to my place?"
The moment that follows is longer; as Jensen takes a step back, looking at the truck, then back to Jared. Processing it, he finally says, "Now? Is that all you want?"
"Shit. Shit." Jared curses, sharp under his breath as he fidgets in place. "That's not what I meant-I, no. Not-not just that."
It isn't all he wants, and fuck, it's coming out wrong. Jared tries to salvage the moment, saying, "I guess I'll see you at work. You need a ride back to Chad's?"
Jensen shakes his head, a wistful grin as he taps the side of the truck. "No, I can walk. See you tomorrow, Jared. Thank you."
It's an altogether odd moment, the space stretching endless between them as Jensen walks back to the park, but when he turns his head and gives the slightest curve of a smile, Jared grins back.
*
Finding his way back to the Jim's apartment in the dark is a pain in the ass, especially when Jensen's feeling like he's being pulled in all different directions.
He'd pretended to leave for Jared's sake, but doubled back to the park, managing to finally get to the secret door for access. Jim is likely asleep and Jensen took his warning not to bother him quite seriously. Chad isn't around, though Jensen is willing to venture a guess that Chad decided to go out and celebrate with his co-workers at a bar.
Being around a group of humans for an extended period of time-when work or his fellow animals aren't involved-is still unsettling to him. But it's something that Jensen knows he wants to rectify.
It's an idea that he clings to, even with the late night news talking about the continued rise of dolphin sightings off the coast.
*
Jared is in the water, waiting for that shock of cold to wake him up just a little bit more-into a world where he didn't just make out with Jensen and liked it, confirmed that this was right.
"Earth to Jared! Stop daydreaming! Cleaning time!"
Jared looks up, realizing he's been treading water for the past few minutes, without any particular reason. On the other side of the tank, by the orca habitat, Katie hefts a halibut on her shoulder and it's as big as her arm, the whole effect funny if she wasn't glaring at him.
Winchester slowly rolls and pushes towards Katie, waiting for his snack. After she lets him swallow the fish whole, his mouth opens again, letting her rub the soft pink tongue.
So Jared cleans. By mid-afternoon, if he never has to look at crap again in his life, he'd be that much better off. Despite the fact that it's a slow day and there are only a handful of people in the audience during the daily shows, Jared doesn't see Jensen at all. Jensen is always at the show without fail-Jared can often spot him standing to the side, arms folded and moody.
Maybe it's because Jared is doing behaviors with other dolphins or the dolphins are not nailing down the techniques as flawlessly as he did? Jared can't tell, the salute and smile Jared gives at the end is brief as the music dies down, the only sound is blood rushing in his ears and his own tired breathing.
After getting changed, Jared pops his head into the kitchen, ready to check the other offices and the backstage tanks next. But before he's out the door, he can see Jensen alone there, looking wet and rumpled, but only from the neck down. He's shrugging off his crisp, white over shirt and shaking his hair dry. When he sees Jared, he beams, grin wide. It makes Jared's stomach flip a little, nervousness tipping over into something else, just as dizzying.
"Busy day?" Jared asks lamely, unable to come up with something that doesn't amount to, I missed you, where were you?. Disappointment and worry eats away at him, like Jensen might not want to continue this, especially after the way things ended last night. Jared fidgets, drumming twitchy fingers on the metal countertop behind him.
Jensen rubs his wet hair as he comes closer. "I got roped into an impromptu information session with some kids at the touch pool. Stingrays have this annoying habit of whispering everything so I might have leaned in a little too far to hear what they were saying." Jensen shrugs sheepishly.
"How'd that go?" Jared asks.
"Turns out it was a knock-knock joke," Jensen chortles softly to himself. "They really love knock-knock jokes too."
Jared rolls his shoulders back, tension dissipating. "Give me an example."
"Um, knock-knock, hello it's the Interrupting Seahorse," Jensen says.
"I don't know if that's the way it-" Jared starts to say.
"And then I said I told you I'd interrupt! Or, um, it's a lot better when the stingrays tell it. Trust me."
Jared groans. "You're lucky you're hot."
"I know," Jensen says, quirking his head. His eyes scan Jared's face, twinkling with curiosity. "Did you miss me?"
"Kind of," Jared admits, before he huffs. "Yeah, I did. I thought you were pissed at me."
"Pissed?"
"Like you didn't want-"
"This? You?" Jensen interrupts, dropping all pretense of banter, because soon enough he's face to face with Jared, hands settling on Jared's waist. His face is inches away from Jared's, gaze flicking from Jared's eyes to his nose, to his mouth. It's like he's searching, this unsettling gaze that's trying to figure Jared out, fingers curling on Jared's shirt collar. "Do you still want to wait?"
"Oh, God no," Jared says, letting a grunt escape as Jensen tugs on Jared's shirt.
His lips finally press against Jared's neck, licking a line up and over his jaw line, tongue against the scrape of stubble. Jensen's touches are both soft and hard-each kiss along Jared's face, lingering, trying to capture something, a taste. Jensen's fingers press insistently against Jared's waistline, thumb pulling on the belt loops of his slacks.
Jensen clicks his tongue, a disapproving noise, vibrations against Jared's mouth. "Here? Is that what you want?"
The cold room becomes that much hotter when Jensen is pressing up against Jared's chest, warmth and wetness seeping through Jared's shirt. Jensen drops to his knees quickly, unbuttoning and pulling down Jared's zipper, tugging his jeans and boxers down just far enough.
And Jared wants to talk, this erratic question in his mind, are you okay with this?, but all that's coming out is "Oh!" because Jensen is insistent, pressing his face against Jared's leg, breathing in. The breath of air is a warm surprise, one that gives Jared goose bumps, making the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
The urge to tug Jensen's hair is strong, all tousled and wet, but the thing is, Jared is almost afraid it'll stop him. But there is no way he's letting it stop, not now, after denying himself this for so long. After denying himself Jensen, for so long. So he strokes the temples of Jensen's head instead, bracing against the counter for balance.
But there's a challenge in trying to keep himself upright, with the way Jensen's mouth closes over the head of Jared's cock, sloppy and messy, his fingers gripping Jared's hips.
Nosing Jared's belly as he pushes forward, Jared feeling his cock slide into the warm, wet heat of Jensen's mouth. He can feel Jensen relaxing his throat and for a sweet, amazing moment there is nothing but the edge of anticipation, Jared praying for Jensen to move and biting back the shout when Jensen finally does.
The back and forth has Jared on a sharp edge, barely able to keep from coming, groaning when he feels Jensen's hand slide rough and down Jared's flat stomach, a quick stroke down his cock, tongue swirling around the head before Jensen's massaging Jared's balls.
Jared nearly bites through his bottom lip.
Jared feels his breath hitch and his voice stutter, this urge not only to keep quiet as it is to keep it private, because this is all something new and different, but most importantly, it's theirs. No one else's.
Being quiet or discrete is impossible in this room, an echo following the satisfied hum Jensen makes as he licks enthusiastically at Jared's cock. Jared's hips roll up, and his shoes skid on the tiled floor, rubber soles straining to get a grip when he feels ready to tip off the edge.
Jensen's moaning as he pulls off, hand still working at Jared's balls and his other hand running slick up his cock, He mutters some muffled word, tonguing the tip of him, and just like that, Jared is fucking done. He comes, spurting into Jensen's mouth, his cheek, cock giving an interested twitch at the sight of Jensen licking it up, the way his whole face lights up at the taste, at this new use of his mouth, this experience.
Jared leans back, jerking his hips, up, come up, with Jensen complying. There are brief kisses against Jared's belly and chest, before Jensen is smiling against his mouth, lips still smeared and wet.
"Let's-" Jared sighs against the swipe of Jensen's tongue, a taste of brine and come. He tries to talk again, his voice cracking a little. "Let's go to my place? Make it easier."
"Yes," Jensen says, though his hands tell a different story, pulls of Jared's cock still, trying to keep up his interest. The aftershocks are too much and Jared bats Jensen's hands away from his crotch. If they keep up at this rate, he's not going to make it to his truck. And he really needs to make it to his truck, and his home, and his bed, and Jensen needs to keep on.
*
Jensen thinks he was pretty well-behaved in the car ride, despite Jared laughing into his mouth as they make it to the doorway and joking: "So that's probably the first time I'd ever been molested while driving."
Some fumbling steps into the bedroom later, Jared breaks away, a nervous laugh as he looks to the ceiling, saying, a little embarrassed, "Um, do you know?"
"I got it," Jensen starts, as he tugs Jared's pants and boxers all the way down this time. "I can do it."
He's interrupted by Jared's smiling mouth, as he's pushed back onto the bed. It should send a little thrill through Jensen, this reward of a bedroom to do this in, but right now his eyes are only trained on Jared. And how Jared's wrist flexes, his hand spanning over one hip, this careless tug to try and get Jensen's jeans off.
Jared groans against Jensen's mouth, this unintelligible mumble before he pulls back. "How?"
"Does it matter?" Jensen says gruffly, keeping in enough edge in his voice to see Jared roll his hips up, kneeling and scrambling back for the nightstand. Lube and condoms, things he's learned about. The last thing Jensen needs is to spell it out for Jared, how he's had plenty of time and is friends with Chad, so he's figured out some of the logistics that come with this kind of body.
Plus, he has had sex before and there's one common denominator: whatever feels good, is good.
But for the first time it's completely different for Jensen. So he takes his time, vaguely remembering some expression about how slow and steady wins the race, savoring the bursts of energy between them as Jensen learns Jared's limits and his limbs.
Examining his own body is one thing, but to have Jared's body under his is a whole other story, something new and captivating that he needs to explore. Jared falls back on the bed, stretching out, all golden skin that sends a twitch of interest straight to Jensen's cock, hardwired lust that has him breathing Jared in.
Licking and sucking a path down, Jensen can feel Jared's heartbeat underneath his palm, a fierce beat, completely wild.
He dips down, an irregular path with his tongue, trying to trace the skin with his teeth, grinning when he finds a spot that makes Jared laugh a little. His hands slide over the slim cut of Jared's hips, nosing the coarse hair at the base of his dick. He presses a hand there, trying to stave him off, relishing the moan that comes when Jensen rubs his face on the inside of Jared's thigh.
It's all about sensory touch right now, the little noises in the back of Jared's throat, something that can only mean more. He tries to suck on the round of Jared's hip, but it only has him bucking up, impatient jutting of his torso.
"Come on, you're killing me. Hurry up," Jared grunts, leaning up to press a kiss against Jensen's mouth, getting his aim wrong. He catches the edge of Jensen's chin as he falls back. The movement has Jensen ending up eye level with Jared's dick, which works out pretty well for his tastes, licking a stripe along the underside of Jared's dick.
His mouth closes over the head, tongue swirling, the "ah, ah" of Jared's voice a welcomed accompaniment to the rhythm Jensen sets. Long and slow, trying to get every inch, feeling the tip of Jared's cock pressing against the back of his throat before he pulls off, a wet and messy smacking noise. Jensen wraps fingers around him, reveling in the ruddy dark color, amazed at the flush on Jared's face, his eyes closed shut.
Jensen quirks his mouth at that, knowing that Jared is holding back on him. And that won't work, not at all. It's easier to jerk him off with the benefit of spit and pre-come, these quick tugs of his dick that have Jared flexing, rolling his hips, cursing up a storm.
"Impressive," Jensen says because if he doesn't speak he might do something stupid like put Jared's cock back in his mouth and end this before he's even begun.
"Jesus, you're trying to kill me. This isn't fair."
"Now you asked for it," he answers, bending down and licking the underside of Jared's cock.
Jared's dick curves up, spurting messily against his stomach, wetness that Jensen has to rub in and taste, if only to hear Jared groan deep in his throat, his breath hitching.
His stomach muscles jerk under Jensen's tongue, a laugh tearing out of him before Jared bends forward, lifting Jensen's chin to lick the come off his mouth "Can we?" he says, this wondering tone while Jensen kneels forward, thighs brushing Jared's own.
Jensen kisses him thoroughly, locking arms around Jared's shoulders so when he least expects it, he can make his move. Pulling Jared with him to the other side of the bed, Jared's narrow hips fit snug between Jensen's legs.
Jared laughs into Jensen's mouth. "You've been practicing that move?"
"The most amazing thing people ever invented after TV was the internet," Jensen admits, shamelessly rubbing up against Jared, his cock stiff and slick, the pre-come beading down.
"You said people. Not humans," Jared says, his hand closing over Jensen's dick. Anything Jensen might want to say in response is gone with Jared doing that to him.
Jensen never wants to forget the smile spreading on Jared's face: the way his hair falls into his eyes and how his nose scrunches up a little. He can't help but reach up, nuzzling nose against nose. He's happy to let Jared change it up, biting Jensen's bottom lip before sinking his mouth to his in a lazy, careless kiss.
He pauses and looks at Jared's face; something he feels should be said as he pushes back Jared's hair, sucking a kiss below his jaw. "Condoms?"
"Yeah. I'll-I'll get it. Um. Do you need any pointers or…"
"Be noisy and I'll figure it out," Jensen murmurs, playfully smacking Jared on the ass. He really doesn't want to explain to Jared all the research he actually has done. Telling someone you're about to-what? Fuck? That seems too simple a word for it and Jensen's never really thought about sex as something more than that. Jensen has done everything save for this giant leap for transformed-into-a-human-dolphin-kind and he is going to damn well take his time. He tells Jared that, at least, pushing Jared on his stomach, murmuring promises of how he'll make it good, so good. "Tell me what you want."
The choked out "you" as Jensen teases at Jared's entrance with a lubed-up finger makes him pause, unsure if now, now is the time that he has to tell him the truth. All or nothing.
He recovers, quickly, his free hand gliding down Jared's back. Admiring where his skin fades, the summer tan uneven, Jensen bends down to breathe in the scent of summer off Jared's back. Slowly working in a second finger, Jensen gently strokes that spot, right there, working at the prostrate until Jared's voice is a harsh whisper, encouraging him to keep going.
"No," Jensen decides, backing off to begin rolling down the condom on his dick. He hates that he has a fleeting thought of Chad, sitting on Jim's couch, showing Jensen how to roll down a condom over a banana. Fortunately Jared's glorious naked body makes Jensen think much more welcome thoughts.
"No?" Jared cranes his neck to look at Jensen, staring confusedly. "Oh. Do you have, uh, second thoughts? We don't have to, I mean, it's…"
"I want-"
"To wait," Jared says, a sudden whirl of motion, turning around and sitting up to face Jensen. He glumly nods his head. "I get it. I don't, but I really want you-"
Jensen shuts him up with the best way he's figured out how. He can't wait to learn what other things Jared can do with his tongue.
"I want you too. But, can we do it-?" Jensen clears his throat, tries not to say belly to belly because that's not how it's said. Correcting himself, Jensen says, "Face to face? I want to see you."
"You've got to stop teasing me," Jared says, pulling him along as they fall back on the bed.
Jared hitches his legs up, helping to spread lube messily on Jensen's cock.
"You're so impatient," Jensen says, willing every bit of control to not fuck him right then and there. It's hard to do so when he sees Jared so close and open like this, the hitch of his breath, the way his body feels restless and warm under Jensen's touch. He presses inside of Jared with his fingers, getting in three this time, able to better understand how good it feels when he can see the raw and naked expression on Jared's face.
"Horny," Jared agrees, fucking himself on Jensen's fingers. Then he says, darkly, "You keep on teasing me and just think what it'll be like when I get to fuck you."
That comment earns Jared his reward, Jensen removing his fingers and pressing his cock right at the entrance. He's so thick and fucking ready that it's amazing he hasn't come against Jared's leg already.
Hooking his leg around Jensen's waist, Jared nods, pulls Jensen into him. It's a slow, luxurious glide, before Jensen moves, thrusting into Jared as he steadies himself on elbows.
This can't last. It's too right, having Jared spread beneath him, completely trusting and pushing back. Jared is also pretty bendy, his hips rolling up as Jensen gets a better angle, sliding deeper inside.
"Fuck," Jared hisses.
"I'm glad you approve." Jensen wishes his voice hadn't come out in such a ragged whisper, betraying the fact that he's about to come. He can feel his balls tighten as he fucks Jared harder, grabbing his hips, quickening the pace. "Jared, I-"
But he can't say anything else as the world slips away as he comes, stilling against Jared, mouth pressed against Jared's chest.
He lies there for a while, feeling the vibrations of Jared's chest against his lips as Jared starts to laugh shakily.
"You okay?" Jared asks.
"That was…" Jensen searches for a word, in English or in Dolphin that could describe what he's feeling.
"Yeah. I know." Jared groans a little when Jensen pulls out, reassuring him, "No, it feels weird, after. Uh, you'll find that out. If-"
"Yes," Jensen says, simply. Pulling off the condom and throwing it out, he wobbly makes his way back onto the bed. "Does it always feel like this?"
"One way to find out," Jared says. "Can you stay tonight?"
"Of course," Jensen says. "There's nowhere else I'd want to be."
For the first time, sleep comes to him easily, Jared's presence a promise of tomorrow as he drifts off.
*
The next morning, things take an interesting turn when Jared asks, of all things, how to speak dolphin. And Jensen tries to teach him the alphabet for a start.
Practice should make perfect but Jared winces at his practice run of squeals, clicks and other guttural and high-pitched noises. It's bad. Really bad.
"Your vowels are strange," Jensen tells him, this commanding pose that would work better if he wasn't completely naked, standing by the large corner windows. Thankfully, the glass starts waist up.
He's already called in sick, the almost impossible to hide satisfied feeling not quite backing up his claim of being under the weather; as he chirped to Katie over the phone, trying to fake a cough for emphasis.
Jared shifts in bed as the sheets wrap around his legs, trying not to think about how they'll be going through another set of sheets later. Covering his face with a pillow, Jared groans. "That's because my larynx isn't made that way."
Jensen shrugs. "I can still do it."
"You also learned to walk on two legs and speak within your first hour of being human," Jared points out. "I'm thinking you're just a fast learner."
"That makes sense," Jensen says, lips quirking into a smile. When he slides under the covers, he's all over Jared, dragging fingers up his calves, hip rutting against his thigh, mouth on his neck. It's as though every part needs to be touched and tested out. Rubbing and pawing at each other like a bunch of horny teenagers until Jensen buries his nose in Jared's neck and smells him, licking and biting at the soft skin.
"So, is that how you learned English, from listening to me?" Jared asks when he gets on his back, looking up at the way Jensen's Adam's apple bobs. He arches up and licks the dip of Jensen's collarbone, realizing he's become a lot touchier than he'd ever been with anyone before. Because nothing before has ever been like this-snuggling, sure, but keeping out of the wet spot has always been a higher priority than sticky, sweaty limbs rubbing up against each other.
"No," Jensen says lazily, waving a hand. "The royal tutors-"
"The who?" Jared interrupts.
Jensen shifts his weight, resting on his elbow. "It's a joke, I'm joking!" Jensen laughs nervously. "I did learn English from you, Jared."
He quirks his mouth as Jared slides against him, feeling the rough and smooth stickiness of Jensen's legs wrapped around his own. A shower, he decides, would be a fantastic idea. "I think we should-"
"Can we stay here?" Jensen asks, suddenly looking apprehensive. "And fuck each other?"
Jared will never get used to the way his voice rumbles, mouth against Jared's pulse and hand slowly teasing him, thumb rubbing the head of his dick.
"Yeah. We could-can do that in the shower," Jared suggests, trying to keep out the lick of sarcasm that threatens to creep into his voice. "Whenever you want. We have time."
Pulling back, Jensen looks down at Jared, wrinkle of worry between his brows. "Oh, right. We have time."
"Hey," Jared shudders, the back and forth of Jensen's thumb sliding over the head of his dick teasingly, slowly. Reaching a hand up, he touches Jensen's temple, stretching to kiss him lightly on the mouth. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."
Jared slaps Jensen's thigh, smirking as he feels him jerk, gasp a little against him. "C'mon, let's hop in the shower and I'll make you breakfast. I'll teach you how to make pancakes."
*
He does a lot more than teach Jensen how to make pancakes.
Jensen can hear Chad in the far-off distance making a lewd joke about that. And yes, there was plenty of that but once the sex got out of the way, it made talking about things a lot easier.
Except for the whole truth, which Jensen promises to himself he will share, just as soon as it's the right time. Whenever that is.
The dolphin and human culture exchanges become more interactive after that: Jensen telling Jared about dolphin sleeping habits, or tools used to stun fish in hunting.
And he relished learning the bits and pieces of human culture Jared showed him, like Wii Golf, or bike riding, or best of all, a trip to the movies-a real movie theater, with popcorn and sticky floors, the projector light rays resembling sunlight underwater.
It's a give and take that's never strictly academic, because when they're in the mood-and away from prying eyes-it'll dissolve into blow jobs, hand jobs, and many new sex positions. The kind that excite him as much as they wear Jensen out.
Having sex face to face is one thing, but having sex from behind is another, and god, for what he thought was a clumsy body when he'd first woken up human, it's fantastically flexible.
When it comes down to it, both of them share an equal love of blowjobs.
For Jensen, there's nothing better than to wake up early in the morning and feel the press of Jared's lips and tongue against him, before he's nosing against Jensen's crotch. Watching the length of his cock get swallowed up by Jared's mouth, cheeks hollowing as he takes Jensen in more, all of him, that's a sight Jensen will not forget, one that he wishes to recreate whenever possible.
They'll have sex at Jared's place and sometimes at the park, away from security cameras, knowing just the right spots in which they fit without being seen or interrupted. All they need is the right amount of space for Jensen to drop to his knees when Jared peels off the top half of his wetsuit. Jensen will tug on the empty sleeves to pull it off as much as necessary, grabbing the cheeks of Jared's ass to shove him forward into Jensen's waiting mouth.
"You're in my sunlight," Chad says, pushing his sunglasses down to toss Jensen a reproachful glare. "And for the love of Triton, stop grossing me out."
"You wanted to know," Jensen shoots back, flopping down beside Chad on a nearby beach chair. Instead of a pool deck, it's up on the roof of one of the office buildings, a far cry from the wide and deep space of the park pools. The dirt streaked surface and rooftop antennae would never be Jensen's first choice for sunbathing, but given Chad's transformation problem, it seems best to stay clear of any public setting that involves water, beaches or pools included.
Thankfully they found out that Chad could use a standing shower without turning back into his natural state. Although going without a shower long enough certainly brought back his natural musk.
Jensen nudges Chad's bare leg. Watching his friend sunbathe sends a pang of weird nostalgia through Jensen, reminded of all the times Chad would spend above water, his love of the sun beaming down as great as Jensen's love of swimming. Or it could've been Chad's love of all the other walruses in the colony and the promise of easy sex. It's hard to say.
"Yeah I wanted to know but in a customary, 'I care for your well-being as personal assistant to the royal heir'-blah blah," Chad says. "You don't need to tell me any more details."
"Fine, no more details. How should I tell Jared about how I really am?"
"Well, maybe you should just tell him," Chad suggests, rolling his eyes. He holds up his empty glass. "You mind getting me a refill, your Majesty?"
"You're the best royal attendant ever," Jensen says, snatching the empty glass. Shading his eyes, Jensen watches Jim appear from the rooftop entrance, thick sunblock slathered on his nose and novelty shades on his eyes, arms full with a cooler and radio.
Despite the fact that more often than not, Jim looks like he wants to reprimand or smack both Jensen and Chad, it's becoming comfortable to have him around. Someone else that's in on the whole deal gives a feeling of relief, where it might be terror in others: other people wouldn't understand, but Jim does.
Today is almost like a regular day at the beach, minus the sand, the waves, and… well, basically anything that resembles Jensen's former life. Heat sizzles off the roof in waves, hot to the touch whenever he forgets to put on flip flops.
Jim passes by Jensen, ignoring the offered glass. "Don't look at me, kid, you gotta get used to doing things for yourself."
Jensen snorts, feeling his shoulders tense. Doing things on his own is the whole point of being at the park and in this body. "I can do things for myself! Jared's been teaching me a lot of things."
"Yeah?" Jim asks, sliding right into the deck chair. He wipes his sweaty brow with a SeaWorld cap, peering up at Jensen. "He teach you how to cook and clean? Give you any driving lessons yet?"
Jensen swallows. "He's tried-"
Chad sits up, suddenly taking interest. "Yeah, you're not gonna have servants or trainers taking care of you anymore, dude."
Like a riptide, the knowledge comes and almost knocks him off-kilter, because they're right-little details he hadn't thought about, just sitting out of focus outside of his vision.
Learning to live as a human takes time, but Jensen, he's trying his hardest. Only the thing is, from his friends, to his family, and his kingdom; he's going to have to give up everything in order to stay with Jared.
If Jared still wants to be with him forever, that is. He needs only to look at Jim to see how that can work out in the end-being alone, in a world that he wasn't born into and had no reason to celebrate in his life.
Behold, the human dolphin prince. He would be ridiculed or deemed clinically insane.
But what if it all falls apart after a few years, or maybe only months, with Jared, then what? He couldn't go back.
He'd never again have the option of regaining those things he took for granted.
Because of Jared. Because Jensen loves something greater than himself.
Jim starts to fiddle with the radio, grinning in approval when it settles on an old rock station.
"I don't know," Jensen says, honestly.
"It's something you gotta think about, Jensen. Because pretty soon, that option to go home isn't gonna be there. Make sure you're making the right choice."
Part 5
Part Four
As the summer waxes on the park's open for longer hours, and work starts ending later and later in the day. A constant barrage of tasks keep Jared busy more than Jensen would like and since he isn't a full time trainer, he can only participate so much before he needs to back off.
Despite the fact that basically any animal within the park listens to Jensen's commands.
They also seem to be listening to some juicy gossip, judging by the whispers he hears in different areas, from the jokes in Alligator Alley to the gossip in Flamingo Cove, and that's not even counting the madness going on in the Coral Reef.
Chad plays innocent at first when Jensen asks about it.
"Well, I might have said something. It's for your own good, Jensen!"
Telling the other animals about this is something Jensen doesn't exactly want or need-they already know about his background, and yeah, they probably peg him as "the one with the crush on the Tall-human". But knowing someone has a crush is a far cry away from trying to do something about it, which is why he wishes he could crawl under a rock whenever they try to act on Jensen's behalf.
Like the construction of a heart-shaped statue out of shells and rocks in the sea otter habitat. Or the flamingo and peacock airstrike that left Jared and Jensen covered in feathers (an alternative to romantic rose petals, Jensen guesses). Or even the eels, sharks, and barracuda light show, which involved synchronized lights in tune with "Kiss the Girl" from The Little Mermaid.
They even get the land mammals involved, though how the Budweiser Clydesdales bringing Jared free cases of beer is supposed to help (other than get Jared immediately wasted), Jensen isn't sure.
It's the thought that counts, he reasons.
Jensen's in the middle of trying to tell Pete the Penguin that no, a musically coordinated boat ride with his band doing backup singing is a bad idea when Jared darts in, almost slip-sliding on the wet rock. It's messy and uncoordinated, two things Jared definitely isn't when it comes to his work-his single-mindedness extends to doing everything correctly, a near perfect example to others-so it's a hint that whatever reason he's here, it's serious.
Besides, seeing a six foot tall Jensen having an argument with a two foot tall Southern Rockhopper penguin, that will throw anyone.
"Hey!" Jared shouts, drumming his fingers on the doorway edge. With every rap of his fingertips, a new head pops out of one of the penguin nooks, until there are a few dozen sets of eyes, from a couple different species, all watching them.
'But Patrick composed a love song! It's awesome, man,' Pete says earnestly.
Jensen shoots him a dirty look. 'Like the time you tried to lead the Penguin Encounter members in a coup d'état?'
Pete puffs his chest up, squawking commandingly. 'I regret that I have but one egg to give for my country.'
'Oh, shut up,' Jensen replies dryly, straightening to stand as Pete hops back into his cave.
Jared watches them both with amused interest, mouth twitching like he's smothering down the urge to smile.
They leave the Encounter area shoulder to shoulder, before Jared hesitates, a step behind Jensen in the narrow walkway. "You make a habit of talking to penguins?"
"I have to talk to everyone," Jensen mutters. "It's my job."
"What are you, like some kind of dolphin ambassador?" Jared says with a laugh.
Jensen stands stock still, a lapse in thinking or judgment or whatever, keeping him in place and unable to come up with an answer. Ambassador. Jared knows, damn it, he knows.
Jared stops, putting a hand on Jensen's arm. His brow furrows with concern. "Hey, Jensen, it's a joke. Us humans tend to do that."
"Well, it's not funny," Jensen grumbles. He sticks out his lower lip, this indication that he's learned, he's pouting now, no longer worried or angry because Jared is already smiling. "I can't help it that I'm such an authority figure."
"Yeah, sure."
"They all look up to me."
"Uh huh. Hard to see past that big melon of yours." Jared scrunches his nose. "Am I going crazy or are the penguins making music back there?"
Jensen scoffs, but he makes sure to hustle out Jared all the same.
He's almost disappointed to find out that the reason why Jared came to get him was to have him observe the trainer for a day interaction program. For a fee, the park allows visitors to watch the trainers do their daily tasks: from food prep to training, cleaning to preparing for shows. Having expanded the program in recent years, visitors both young and old stand around shivering in wetsuits, water lapping at their waists as the dolphins swim up and past their waists.
He stands over on the dock as a group of people stand in half a circle around Jared, the tallest of them all. Jensen folds his arms as he listens to Jared give his spiel in-between squeals from the children, their hands darting out to rub against the smooth rubbery skin of the dolphins. It's strange and funny to watch, seeing the way they're all a little wary of the animals: they had shivered when the stingrays floated on by them earlier.
Jensen knows personally that the stingrays wouldn't hurt anyone unless threatened, and for that part, even the sharks would rather play than bite people, but you can't break old human habits.
You can just try to bend them, just a little.
Like the dolphin rides, for instance. After months and years of working with the dolphins, the trainers have formed close and trusting relationships with those in their care, enough so that they can 'ride' them if the dolphin is up for it. They won't do it unless the animal is agreeable-if the dolphin doesn't want to, then they won't. Changing up the game goes hand in hand with training. Breezing through the choppy waves at a dazzling speed while balancing on the heads of two dolphins below is a tricky and awesome art.
For the guest patrons though, the rides basically involve the dolphins pushing their beaks on the soles of people's feet, pushing them up and through the water. It's not quite riding the dolphin as it is riding the waves.
And it's nowhere near the joy Jensen can recall of pushing through the water at his own speed, in whatever direction he chooses.
The thought sends a pang of nostalgia through Jensen as he watches Jared ride two of the dolphins to the cheering delight of the crowd. He tries not to bristle too much when Jared 'kisses' the dolphins either, because, well, it's not like he owns Jared. It's just a display. With others that don't have nearly half the talent he has, but he can totally roll with it. To a point.
Because if there's a habit Jensen's going to break, it's Jared riding other dolphins.
What he doesn't expect are the buoys. Jensen is about to whistle a command (which is totally not the squeaking equivalent of "Jared is mine" and a couple of cetacean expletives) when the talk of the humans grows louder, as a dolphin nudges a white buoy in front of a confused Jared, interrupting his talk.
One of the special packages for the patrons, Jensen has learned, is a romantic message: on Valentine's Day, a honeymoon, or an anniversary, there's roses and a bottle of Dom Perignon, and the dolphins act as Cupid, delivering a buoy with a personalized message. It's one of the campiest things the park has to offer, and Jensen would have refused to participate (on the grounds of cheesiness, while Chad said it was him being a diva).
Except he doesn't expect Jared's face to turn a few shades of red before a nearby older woman asks, "What's it say?" in a loud voice.
"Uh." Jared clears his throat, jerking his head to push away the wet strands of hair in his eyes. "'To Jared, water you doing for the rest of your life? Love, Jensen.'"
Jensen can feel his stomach drop to somewhere between his knees. Even if he wishes for a tide pool to swallow him up, it won't take away the sight of Jared, embarrassed and looking at him curiously. Or how the group catches on, with Jared's gaze and Jensen's embarrassed expression, whooping it up with catcalls all around.
*
Preparation is a key word in Jared's vocabulary. It is one of the key words for any trainer that's sat through the so-called grueling sessions each apprentice trainer had to go through before they were ever allowed near the animals. Looking back on it, Jared never thought they were that bad. But then, Jared tends to have a higher tolerance for stray fish scales and cleaning endless amounts of feces more than the next person.
Preparation means collecting all resources necessary in order to participate. You never do it half-cocked; you do it with all the skills and training you can muster. It's how he survived the tests, the athletic physical, everything leading up to where he is now.
However, it all goes to hell when preparation has him staring all wide-eyed at Katie, because apparently there isn't any room left in his brain that isn't occupied with work and Jensen to register SeaWorld at Night.
It's the same thing they do every year: with the park open later, it gives way to nighttime shows and activities: like the Shamu Rocks show, for instance.
"But I'm off. I have the day off. It's in the schedule. It's in there!"
Katie, meanwhile, is snorting and covering her mouth, this backward step as she laughs at the seals. It's the set for the Cannery Row Caper show: a funny take on noir films starring sea lions, otters, and up until recently, Wally the Walrus.
"Yeah, yeah," Katie says, half paying attention. She feeds one of the female sea lions a fish, and then turns to Jared. "It's only a suggestion that you come to the park. Trainers promoting the park, getting discounts, and having fun. You know fun, right? Calm down! No need to flip out."
"Sorry," Jared says, and he sincerely means it. There's no reason to freak out over it: hell, most of the time his sick days go unused as it is, always trying to find some way back to do work. But he automatically feels like there's an edge to Katie's request. Like there's something that's going on, that he's not in on and it rubs him the wrong way.
"Anyway," Katie says nudging his arm, "what've you got planned?"
Beer and bad action movies rests on the tip of his tongue. His brother has a family barbeque for his wife and kids; his sister's abroad on vacation. And as for his parents, they decided to finally go on a cruise. It isn't like he doesn't visit them-he does, once in a while, when he isn't working-it's just that he didn't really plan on seeing them for the holiday anyway. Jared could always try calling his old buddies, or the other trainers, see if they were up for beer, but it'd feel weird to do it, since he's usually out of the loop on these things as it is.
"Wait, I forgot. What about Jensen?"
"Jensen?"
"Yeah. Does he have anything to do?"
The sea lion next to Katie, Sandy, barks and huffs at Jensen's name. Jared is willing to bet that whatever Sandy is saying isn't exactly P.C.
He smirks at Katie. "Are you trying to set me up?"
"Heavens, no," Katie says, mock offense in her voice. "Whatever makes you less of a tightass in my book is fine by me. You go have fun. And by fun I mean, you know-"
He rolls his eyes and leaves with a smile before Katie starts doing rude gestures in front of the poor, innocent sea lions.
Getting Jensen to agree to come along for the July 4th parties is relatively easy. With the festival and sights, it's Texas at its finest, with the best beer, barbecue, and music that a person can ask for. At least, that's what Jared tells Jensen when they're walking through the park after hours.
Jensen's amazed by the sights, walking in slow circles that seemed to loop backwards. It takes a few tugs by Jared and the promises of food before they fall in step with one another.
Jensen is on his second ice cream cone, running his tongue along the rainbow sprinkles and cold vanilla swirl. There's a high chance that whatever Jensen is doing to that ice cream cone is probably illegal in some states, as are the groans he's making. You'd think a month in a human body would have him acclimated to eating, but he still looks completely delighted when given food. It could be an innate dolphin trait. Maybe-
Maybe Jared should stick to looking at the dazzling lights of the fountains and the kids running around, screaming gleefully, than get his head buried in facts and numbers. Just for a night. It could be good for his well-being.
"Would you like some?" Jensen asks, offering the melting cone to Jared.
"No, no, I'm good," Jared says, holding up a hand. Truthfully, he'd rather see Jensen continue eating the cone, thoughts bordering on sinful.
Jensen looks a little put out after that, plump lower lip jutting out. He's in a t-shirt, jeans, and boots this time, the material looser on him than what Jared is used to seeing. And how weird is that, that seeing Jensen without the spandex number is unsettling, because here he is, no doubt trying to blend in and Jared doesn't-
Doesn't want to upset him. It's this tightrope he's trying to balance on, because even though Jensen can be weird at times, it's through no fault of his own. He's trying.
As the night starts winding down and Jensen finishes the last of his cone, Jared guides him along, a hand on his shoulder or the small of his back. He's trying to reassure him that everything's fine, and in no way shamelessly touching him for the benefit of feeling him up in a totally platonic way.
Jared kind of wishes he'd taken the ice cream. Just to shove it down his pants.
The only solution to this has to be the Shamu Rocks! show. Because if there were ever the most ridiculous, bombastic experience (outside of a Chuck Norris movie); it has to be this.
Jensen swallows down a clicking noise, this gurgle in his throat as Jared escorts him to the Whale Stadium. People fill the stands in streams of celebratory red, white, and blue, the smell of nachos, and beer in the air. It's a vivid snapshot of all things summer and insane, because that's when the rock music starts up, with loud, cheesy narration.
It's an orca show, sure, but with lasers, and the exclusive 'Ring of Fire' move. Jared knows it's taken these trainers months to do, to get two orcas to swim in a circle facing opposite each other-swim with trainers balancing on their heads, at least a dozen feet up above the water. It's beyond ridiculous, but Jared has to admit that it also looks pretty cool. The music soars with a wailing guitar solo courtesy of Chris Kane, the resident park band leader, playing his heart out high above on a platform near the deluxe flat screens as pyrotechnics go off.
Jared leans forward in his chair. "Dude. That's freakin' awesome."
"Yeah, whatever," Jensen sighs. "That's nowhere near as hard as a triple flip, if you ask me."
Jared snorts, looking back at Jensen. "Are you jealous?"
"What? No!" Jensen yelps. His stern glare is softened by the fact that he has a swipe of ice cream on the tip of his nose. "Oh, great, they're doing the Winchester 21 Watergun Salute. Big deal!"
Laughter rises up in Jared, because Jensen looks so annoyed at the whole thing, blatantly staring at the way the audience members cheer and scream, waving flags and stuffed animals. When it comes to behaviors, Jensen had always been the best student, willing to learn-but the amazement Jared had at teaching him is slightly worn off, knowing that in some respects, it could've been so easy to do it.
But then Jensen looks at him, brow furrowing. "There's the Texas Splashdown outside," he says loudly, trying to be heard over the music. "It looks like fun. All the humans keep screaming!"
"They're people, Jensen. What you and me are. Let's call them people for tonight."
"All right then," Jensen responds, last word muffled as a loud crack goes off in the air, making him jerk. The sky is streaked red and gold with light, as Jared shouts, "Fireworks!" over the booming sound. The remnants glitter down in circular spirals, zigzagging trails of light.
It's like getting another glimpse of a fascinating world, with the way the light flares blue and stray rays spiral out, resembling fish darting through the water.
But the best part is how Jensen stares wonderingly above, and he looks back down, suddenly understanding why people are cheering, screaming and hugging as the fireworks go off. It's this cheery moment, the kind of bonding that always happens with these displays. Jared can understand it, sure, but Jensen seems completely fascinated by the whole thing, eyes darting as he processes it all.
Jared nudges Jensen's thigh with his own. "You like it?"
"It's beautiful," he finally responds, turning to look at Jared.
"Yeah, it is," Jared says, and he leans back this time, his arm coming up and around Jensen's chair.
He realizes he's doing the arm move right in the middle of actually doing it, so he sort of cuffs Jensen on the top of his head with his upper arm, and then it's-okay, it's really bad fumble as Jared tries not to spill a Coke on Jensen's lap.
"Ah, uh, sorry! You've got-here, let me get that for you," Jared says, swallowing audibly. He gently wipes the tip of Jensen's nose with his thumb.
Jensen leans forward, his eyes shutting as Jared wipes. He opens his eyes, looking disappointed. "Is this a date, Jared? Because this feels like a date."
"What? This is not-no!" Jared says, and they've had this conversation before, only this time the qualifying and backpedaling sounds fake to his own ears.
It's hard to deny the pull of want in him, deep under all the worry. How very wrong this is and can be, but the thought of it all dies when there's only Jensen's touch and fingers against the curve of Jared's jawline.
Jensen's fingers curl in Jared's hair experimentally, flexing them, testing them out. Little puffs of his breath on Jared's mouth, and the searing line of his gaze, with too green eyes that shut before he's kissing Jared. He presses against his side, arm digging into Jared's ribs, but it doesn't matter, because it's Jensen kissing him, hungry and hot. Jared's lips part in response as Jensen's tongue pushes in eagerly, thumb rubbing a circle against his pulse.
They make out for a while; air of celebration around them before the crowd settles down and Jared keeps a hand on Jensen's thigh. When it's time to go, and they're at the parking lot, right near Jared's truck, Jensen kisses him on the lips, softly. It's quiet and not at all pushy, taking their time.
Jared braces a hand against the truck roof, one kiss, another, pulling the door open. He sucks on Jensen's bottom lip, feeling warmth pool in his belly at the flash of Jensen's shiny wet mouth in the dark, glittering lights of the park entrance behind them.
The gesture is understated, Jared leaving it open: come or don't come, it's up to you.
Jensen only kisses him again, looking curiously at the door. It takes a beat for Jared to realize Jensen might not get it, so he nods at the open truck door. "Do you want to come back to my place?"
The moment that follows is longer; as Jensen takes a step back, looking at the truck, then back to Jared. Processing it, he finally says, "Now? Is that all you want?"
"Shit. Shit." Jared curses, sharp under his breath as he fidgets in place. "That's not what I meant-I, no. Not-not just that."
It isn't all he wants, and fuck, it's coming out wrong. Jared tries to salvage the moment, saying, "I guess I'll see you at work. You need a ride back to Chad's?"
Jensen shakes his head, a wistful grin as he taps the side of the truck. "No, I can walk. See you tomorrow, Jared. Thank you."
It's an altogether odd moment, the space stretching endless between them as Jensen walks back to the park, but when he turns his head and gives the slightest curve of a smile, Jared grins back.
*
Finding his way back to the Jim's apartment in the dark is a pain in the ass, especially when Jensen's feeling like he's being pulled in all different directions.
He'd pretended to leave for Jared's sake, but doubled back to the park, managing to finally get to the secret door for access. Jim is likely asleep and Jensen took his warning not to bother him quite seriously. Chad isn't around, though Jensen is willing to venture a guess that Chad decided to go out and celebrate with his co-workers at a bar.
Being around a group of humans for an extended period of time-when work or his fellow animals aren't involved-is still unsettling to him. But it's something that Jensen knows he wants to rectify.
It's an idea that he clings to, even with the late night news talking about the continued rise of dolphin sightings off the coast.
*
Jared is in the water, waiting for that shock of cold to wake him up just a little bit more-into a world where he didn't just make out with Jensen and liked it, confirmed that this was right.
"Earth to Jared! Stop daydreaming! Cleaning time!"
Jared looks up, realizing he's been treading water for the past few minutes, without any particular reason. On the other side of the tank, by the orca habitat, Katie hefts a halibut on her shoulder and it's as big as her arm, the whole effect funny if she wasn't glaring at him.
Winchester slowly rolls and pushes towards Katie, waiting for his snack. After she lets him swallow the fish whole, his mouth opens again, letting her rub the soft pink tongue.
So Jared cleans. By mid-afternoon, if he never has to look at crap again in his life, he'd be that much better off. Despite the fact that it's a slow day and there are only a handful of people in the audience during the daily shows, Jared doesn't see Jensen at all. Jensen is always at the show without fail-Jared can often spot him standing to the side, arms folded and moody.
Maybe it's because Jared is doing behaviors with other dolphins or the dolphins are not nailing down the techniques as flawlessly as he did? Jared can't tell, the salute and smile Jared gives at the end is brief as the music dies down, the only sound is blood rushing in his ears and his own tired breathing.
After getting changed, Jared pops his head into the kitchen, ready to check the other offices and the backstage tanks next. But before he's out the door, he can see Jensen alone there, looking wet and rumpled, but only from the neck down. He's shrugging off his crisp, white over shirt and shaking his hair dry. When he sees Jared, he beams, grin wide. It makes Jared's stomach flip a little, nervousness tipping over into something else, just as dizzying.
"Busy day?" Jared asks lamely, unable to come up with something that doesn't amount to, I missed you, where were you?. Disappointment and worry eats away at him, like Jensen might not want to continue this, especially after the way things ended last night. Jared fidgets, drumming twitchy fingers on the metal countertop behind him.
Jensen rubs his wet hair as he comes closer. "I got roped into an impromptu information session with some kids at the touch pool. Stingrays have this annoying habit of whispering everything so I might have leaned in a little too far to hear what they were saying." Jensen shrugs sheepishly.
"How'd that go?" Jared asks.
"Turns out it was a knock-knock joke," Jensen chortles softly to himself. "They really love knock-knock jokes too."
Jared rolls his shoulders back, tension dissipating. "Give me an example."
"Um, knock-knock, hello it's the Interrupting Seahorse," Jensen says.
"I don't know if that's the way it-" Jared starts to say.
"And then I said I told you I'd interrupt! Or, um, it's a lot better when the stingrays tell it. Trust me."
Jared groans. "You're lucky you're hot."
"I know," Jensen says, quirking his head. His eyes scan Jared's face, twinkling with curiosity. "Did you miss me?"
"Kind of," Jared admits, before he huffs. "Yeah, I did. I thought you were pissed at me."
"Pissed?"
"Like you didn't want-"
"This? You?" Jensen interrupts, dropping all pretense of banter, because soon enough he's face to face with Jared, hands settling on Jared's waist. His face is inches away from Jared's, gaze flicking from Jared's eyes to his nose, to his mouth. It's like he's searching, this unsettling gaze that's trying to figure Jared out, fingers curling on Jared's shirt collar. "Do you still want to wait?"
"Oh, God no," Jared says, letting a grunt escape as Jensen tugs on Jared's shirt.
His lips finally press against Jared's neck, licking a line up and over his jaw line, tongue against the scrape of stubble. Jensen's touches are both soft and hard-each kiss along Jared's face, lingering, trying to capture something, a taste. Jensen's fingers press insistently against Jared's waistline, thumb pulling on the belt loops of his slacks.
Jensen clicks his tongue, a disapproving noise, vibrations against Jared's mouth. "Here? Is that what you want?"
The cold room becomes that much hotter when Jensen is pressing up against Jared's chest, warmth and wetness seeping through Jared's shirt. Jensen drops to his knees quickly, unbuttoning and pulling down Jared's zipper, tugging his jeans and boxers down just far enough.
And Jared wants to talk, this erratic question in his mind, are you okay with this?, but all that's coming out is "Oh!" because Jensen is insistent, pressing his face against Jared's leg, breathing in. The breath of air is a warm surprise, one that gives Jared goose bumps, making the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
The urge to tug Jensen's hair is strong, all tousled and wet, but the thing is, Jared is almost afraid it'll stop him. But there is no way he's letting it stop, not now, after denying himself this for so long. After denying himself Jensen, for so long. So he strokes the temples of Jensen's head instead, bracing against the counter for balance.
But there's a challenge in trying to keep himself upright, with the way Jensen's mouth closes over the head of Jared's cock, sloppy and messy, his fingers gripping Jared's hips.
Nosing Jared's belly as he pushes forward, Jared feeling his cock slide into the warm, wet heat of Jensen's mouth. He can feel Jensen relaxing his throat and for a sweet, amazing moment there is nothing but the edge of anticipation, Jared praying for Jensen to move and biting back the shout when Jensen finally does.
The back and forth has Jared on a sharp edge, barely able to keep from coming, groaning when he feels Jensen's hand slide rough and down Jared's flat stomach, a quick stroke down his cock, tongue swirling around the head before Jensen's massaging Jared's balls.
Jared nearly bites through his bottom lip.
Jared feels his breath hitch and his voice stutter, this urge not only to keep quiet as it is to keep it private, because this is all something new and different, but most importantly, it's theirs. No one else's.
Being quiet or discrete is impossible in this room, an echo following the satisfied hum Jensen makes as he licks enthusiastically at Jared's cock. Jared's hips roll up, and his shoes skid on the tiled floor, rubber soles straining to get a grip when he feels ready to tip off the edge.
Jensen's moaning as he pulls off, hand still working at Jared's balls and his other hand running slick up his cock, He mutters some muffled word, tonguing the tip of him, and just like that, Jared is fucking done. He comes, spurting into Jensen's mouth, his cheek, cock giving an interested twitch at the sight of Jensen licking it up, the way his whole face lights up at the taste, at this new use of his mouth, this experience.
Jared leans back, jerking his hips, up, come up, with Jensen complying. There are brief kisses against Jared's belly and chest, before Jensen is smiling against his mouth, lips still smeared and wet.
"Let's-" Jared sighs against the swipe of Jensen's tongue, a taste of brine and come. He tries to talk again, his voice cracking a little. "Let's go to my place? Make it easier."
"Yes," Jensen says, though his hands tell a different story, pulls of Jared's cock still, trying to keep up his interest. The aftershocks are too much and Jared bats Jensen's hands away from his crotch. If they keep up at this rate, he's not going to make it to his truck. And he really needs to make it to his truck, and his home, and his bed, and Jensen needs to keep on.
*
Jensen thinks he was pretty well-behaved in the car ride, despite Jared laughing into his mouth as they make it to the doorway and joking: "So that's probably the first time I'd ever been molested while driving."
Some fumbling steps into the bedroom later, Jared breaks away, a nervous laugh as he looks to the ceiling, saying, a little embarrassed, "Um, do you know?"
"I got it," Jensen starts, as he tugs Jared's pants and boxers all the way down this time. "I can do it."
He's interrupted by Jared's smiling mouth, as he's pushed back onto the bed. It should send a little thrill through Jensen, this reward of a bedroom to do this in, but right now his eyes are only trained on Jared. And how Jared's wrist flexes, his hand spanning over one hip, this careless tug to try and get Jensen's jeans off.
Jared groans against Jensen's mouth, this unintelligible mumble before he pulls back. "How?"
"Does it matter?" Jensen says gruffly, keeping in enough edge in his voice to see Jared roll his hips up, kneeling and scrambling back for the nightstand. Lube and condoms, things he's learned about. The last thing Jensen needs is to spell it out for Jared, how he's had plenty of time and is friends with Chad, so he's figured out some of the logistics that come with this kind of body.
Plus, he has had sex before and there's one common denominator: whatever feels good, is good.
But for the first time it's completely different for Jensen. So he takes his time, vaguely remembering some expression about how slow and steady wins the race, savoring the bursts of energy between them as Jensen learns Jared's limits and his limbs.
Examining his own body is one thing, but to have Jared's body under his is a whole other story, something new and captivating that he needs to explore. Jared falls back on the bed, stretching out, all golden skin that sends a twitch of interest straight to Jensen's cock, hardwired lust that has him breathing Jared in.
Licking and sucking a path down, Jensen can feel Jared's heartbeat underneath his palm, a fierce beat, completely wild.
He dips down, an irregular path with his tongue, trying to trace the skin with his teeth, grinning when he finds a spot that makes Jared laugh a little. His hands slide over the slim cut of Jared's hips, nosing the coarse hair at the base of his dick. He presses a hand there, trying to stave him off, relishing the moan that comes when Jensen rubs his face on the inside of Jared's thigh.
It's all about sensory touch right now, the little noises in the back of Jared's throat, something that can only mean more. He tries to suck on the round of Jared's hip, but it only has him bucking up, impatient jutting of his torso.
"Come on, you're killing me. Hurry up," Jared grunts, leaning up to press a kiss against Jensen's mouth, getting his aim wrong. He catches the edge of Jensen's chin as he falls back. The movement has Jensen ending up eye level with Jared's dick, which works out pretty well for his tastes, licking a stripe along the underside of Jared's dick.
His mouth closes over the head, tongue swirling, the "ah, ah" of Jared's voice a welcomed accompaniment to the rhythm Jensen sets. Long and slow, trying to get every inch, feeling the tip of Jared's cock pressing against the back of his throat before he pulls off, a wet and messy smacking noise. Jensen wraps fingers around him, reveling in the ruddy dark color, amazed at the flush on Jared's face, his eyes closed shut.
Jensen quirks his mouth at that, knowing that Jared is holding back on him. And that won't work, not at all. It's easier to jerk him off with the benefit of spit and pre-come, these quick tugs of his dick that have Jared flexing, rolling his hips, cursing up a storm.
"Impressive," Jensen says because if he doesn't speak he might do something stupid like put Jared's cock back in his mouth and end this before he's even begun.
"Jesus, you're trying to kill me. This isn't fair."
"Now you asked for it," he answers, bending down and licking the underside of Jared's cock.
Jared's dick curves up, spurting messily against his stomach, wetness that Jensen has to rub in and taste, if only to hear Jared groan deep in his throat, his breath hitching.
His stomach muscles jerk under Jensen's tongue, a laugh tearing out of him before Jared bends forward, lifting Jensen's chin to lick the come off his mouth "Can we?" he says, this wondering tone while Jensen kneels forward, thighs brushing Jared's own.
Jensen kisses him thoroughly, locking arms around Jared's shoulders so when he least expects it, he can make his move. Pulling Jared with him to the other side of the bed, Jared's narrow hips fit snug between Jensen's legs.
Jared laughs into Jensen's mouth. "You've been practicing that move?"
"The most amazing thing people ever invented after TV was the internet," Jensen admits, shamelessly rubbing up against Jared, his cock stiff and slick, the pre-come beading down.
"You said people. Not humans," Jared says, his hand closing over Jensen's dick. Anything Jensen might want to say in response is gone with Jared doing that to him.
Jensen never wants to forget the smile spreading on Jared's face: the way his hair falls into his eyes and how his nose scrunches up a little. He can't help but reach up, nuzzling nose against nose. He's happy to let Jared change it up, biting Jensen's bottom lip before sinking his mouth to his in a lazy, careless kiss.
He pauses and looks at Jared's face; something he feels should be said as he pushes back Jared's hair, sucking a kiss below his jaw. "Condoms?"
"Yeah. I'll-I'll get it. Um. Do you need any pointers or…"
"Be noisy and I'll figure it out," Jensen murmurs, playfully smacking Jared on the ass. He really doesn't want to explain to Jared all the research he actually has done. Telling someone you're about to-what? Fuck? That seems too simple a word for it and Jensen's never really thought about sex as something more than that. Jensen has done everything save for this giant leap for transformed-into-a-human-dolphin-kind and he is going to damn well take his time. He tells Jared that, at least, pushing Jared on his stomach, murmuring promises of how he'll make it good, so good. "Tell me what you want."
The choked out "you" as Jensen teases at Jared's entrance with a lubed-up finger makes him pause, unsure if now, now is the time that he has to tell him the truth. All or nothing.
He recovers, quickly, his free hand gliding down Jared's back. Admiring where his skin fades, the summer tan uneven, Jensen bends down to breathe in the scent of summer off Jared's back. Slowly working in a second finger, Jensen gently strokes that spot, right there, working at the prostrate until Jared's voice is a harsh whisper, encouraging him to keep going.
"No," Jensen decides, backing off to begin rolling down the condom on his dick. He hates that he has a fleeting thought of Chad, sitting on Jim's couch, showing Jensen how to roll down a condom over a banana. Fortunately Jared's glorious naked body makes Jensen think much more welcome thoughts.
"No?" Jared cranes his neck to look at Jensen, staring confusedly. "Oh. Do you have, uh, second thoughts? We don't have to, I mean, it's…"
"I want-"
"To wait," Jared says, a sudden whirl of motion, turning around and sitting up to face Jensen. He glumly nods his head. "I get it. I don't, but I really want you-"
Jensen shuts him up with the best way he's figured out how. He can't wait to learn what other things Jared can do with his tongue.
"I want you too. But, can we do it-?" Jensen clears his throat, tries not to say belly to belly because that's not how it's said. Correcting himself, Jensen says, "Face to face? I want to see you."
"You've got to stop teasing me," Jared says, pulling him along as they fall back on the bed.
Jared hitches his legs up, helping to spread lube messily on Jensen's cock.
"You're so impatient," Jensen says, willing every bit of control to not fuck him right then and there. It's hard to do so when he sees Jared so close and open like this, the hitch of his breath, the way his body feels restless and warm under Jensen's touch. He presses inside of Jared with his fingers, getting in three this time, able to better understand how good it feels when he can see the raw and naked expression on Jared's face.
"Horny," Jared agrees, fucking himself on Jensen's fingers. Then he says, darkly, "You keep on teasing me and just think what it'll be like when I get to fuck you."
That comment earns Jared his reward, Jensen removing his fingers and pressing his cock right at the entrance. He's so thick and fucking ready that it's amazing he hasn't come against Jared's leg already.
Hooking his leg around Jensen's waist, Jared nods, pulls Jensen into him. It's a slow, luxurious glide, before Jensen moves, thrusting into Jared as he steadies himself on elbows.
This can't last. It's too right, having Jared spread beneath him, completely trusting and pushing back. Jared is also pretty bendy, his hips rolling up as Jensen gets a better angle, sliding deeper inside.
"Fuck," Jared hisses.
"I'm glad you approve." Jensen wishes his voice hadn't come out in such a ragged whisper, betraying the fact that he's about to come. He can feel his balls tighten as he fucks Jared harder, grabbing his hips, quickening the pace. "Jared, I-"
But he can't say anything else as the world slips away as he comes, stilling against Jared, mouth pressed against Jared's chest.
He lies there for a while, feeling the vibrations of Jared's chest against his lips as Jared starts to laugh shakily.
"You okay?" Jared asks.
"That was…" Jensen searches for a word, in English or in Dolphin that could describe what he's feeling.
"Yeah. I know." Jared groans a little when Jensen pulls out, reassuring him, "No, it feels weird, after. Uh, you'll find that out. If-"
"Yes," Jensen says, simply. Pulling off the condom and throwing it out, he wobbly makes his way back onto the bed. "Does it always feel like this?"
"One way to find out," Jared says. "Can you stay tonight?"
"Of course," Jensen says. "There's nowhere else I'd want to be."
For the first time, sleep comes to him easily, Jared's presence a promise of tomorrow as he drifts off.
*
The next morning, things take an interesting turn when Jared asks, of all things, how to speak dolphin. And Jensen tries to teach him the alphabet for a start.
Practice should make perfect but Jared winces at his practice run of squeals, clicks and other guttural and high-pitched noises. It's bad. Really bad.
"Your vowels are strange," Jensen tells him, this commanding pose that would work better if he wasn't completely naked, standing by the large corner windows. Thankfully, the glass starts waist up.
He's already called in sick, the almost impossible to hide satisfied feeling not quite backing up his claim of being under the weather; as he chirped to Katie over the phone, trying to fake a cough for emphasis.
Jared shifts in bed as the sheets wrap around his legs, trying not to think about how they'll be going through another set of sheets later. Covering his face with a pillow, Jared groans. "That's because my larynx isn't made that way."
Jensen shrugs. "I can still do it."
"You also learned to walk on two legs and speak within your first hour of being human," Jared points out. "I'm thinking you're just a fast learner."
"That makes sense," Jensen says, lips quirking into a smile. When he slides under the covers, he's all over Jared, dragging fingers up his calves, hip rutting against his thigh, mouth on his neck. It's as though every part needs to be touched and tested out. Rubbing and pawing at each other like a bunch of horny teenagers until Jensen buries his nose in Jared's neck and smells him, licking and biting at the soft skin.
"So, is that how you learned English, from listening to me?" Jared asks when he gets on his back, looking up at the way Jensen's Adam's apple bobs. He arches up and licks the dip of Jensen's collarbone, realizing he's become a lot touchier than he'd ever been with anyone before. Because nothing before has ever been like this-snuggling, sure, but keeping out of the wet spot has always been a higher priority than sticky, sweaty limbs rubbing up against each other.
"No," Jensen says lazily, waving a hand. "The royal tutors-"
"The who?" Jared interrupts.
Jensen shifts his weight, resting on his elbow. "It's a joke, I'm joking!" Jensen laughs nervously. "I did learn English from you, Jared."
He quirks his mouth as Jared slides against him, feeling the rough and smooth stickiness of Jensen's legs wrapped around his own. A shower, he decides, would be a fantastic idea. "I think we should-"
"Can we stay here?" Jensen asks, suddenly looking apprehensive. "And fuck each other?"
Jared will never get used to the way his voice rumbles, mouth against Jared's pulse and hand slowly teasing him, thumb rubbing the head of his dick.
"Yeah. We could-can do that in the shower," Jared suggests, trying to keep out the lick of sarcasm that threatens to creep into his voice. "Whenever you want. We have time."
Pulling back, Jensen looks down at Jared, wrinkle of worry between his brows. "Oh, right. We have time."
"Hey," Jared shudders, the back and forth of Jensen's thumb sliding over the head of his dick teasingly, slowly. Reaching a hand up, he touches Jensen's temple, stretching to kiss him lightly on the mouth. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."
Jared slaps Jensen's thigh, smirking as he feels him jerk, gasp a little against him. "C'mon, let's hop in the shower and I'll make you breakfast. I'll teach you how to make pancakes."
*
He does a lot more than teach Jensen how to make pancakes.
Jensen can hear Chad in the far-off distance making a lewd joke about that. And yes, there was plenty of that but once the sex got out of the way, it made talking about things a lot easier.
Except for the whole truth, which Jensen promises to himself he will share, just as soon as it's the right time. Whenever that is.
The dolphin and human culture exchanges become more interactive after that: Jensen telling Jared about dolphin sleeping habits, or tools used to stun fish in hunting.
And he relished learning the bits and pieces of human culture Jared showed him, like Wii Golf, or bike riding, or best of all, a trip to the movies-a real movie theater, with popcorn and sticky floors, the projector light rays resembling sunlight underwater.
It's a give and take that's never strictly academic, because when they're in the mood-and away from prying eyes-it'll dissolve into blow jobs, hand jobs, and many new sex positions. The kind that excite him as much as they wear Jensen out.
Having sex face to face is one thing, but having sex from behind is another, and god, for what he thought was a clumsy body when he'd first woken up human, it's fantastically flexible.
When it comes down to it, both of them share an equal love of blowjobs.
For Jensen, there's nothing better than to wake up early in the morning and feel the press of Jared's lips and tongue against him, before he's nosing against Jensen's crotch. Watching the length of his cock get swallowed up by Jared's mouth, cheeks hollowing as he takes Jensen in more, all of him, that's a sight Jensen will not forget, one that he wishes to recreate whenever possible.
They'll have sex at Jared's place and sometimes at the park, away from security cameras, knowing just the right spots in which they fit without being seen or interrupted. All they need is the right amount of space for Jensen to drop to his knees when Jared peels off the top half of his wetsuit. Jensen will tug on the empty sleeves to pull it off as much as necessary, grabbing the cheeks of Jared's ass to shove him forward into Jensen's waiting mouth.
"You're in my sunlight," Chad says, pushing his sunglasses down to toss Jensen a reproachful glare. "And for the love of Triton, stop grossing me out."
"You wanted to know," Jensen shoots back, flopping down beside Chad on a nearby beach chair. Instead of a pool deck, it's up on the roof of one of the office buildings, a far cry from the wide and deep space of the park pools. The dirt streaked surface and rooftop antennae would never be Jensen's first choice for sunbathing, but given Chad's transformation problem, it seems best to stay clear of any public setting that involves water, beaches or pools included.
Thankfully they found out that Chad could use a standing shower without turning back into his natural state. Although going without a shower long enough certainly brought back his natural musk.
Jensen nudges Chad's bare leg. Watching his friend sunbathe sends a pang of weird nostalgia through Jensen, reminded of all the times Chad would spend above water, his love of the sun beaming down as great as Jensen's love of swimming. Or it could've been Chad's love of all the other walruses in the colony and the promise of easy sex. It's hard to say.
"Yeah I wanted to know but in a customary, 'I care for your well-being as personal assistant to the royal heir'-blah blah," Chad says. "You don't need to tell me any more details."
"Fine, no more details. How should I tell Jared about how I really am?"
"Well, maybe you should just tell him," Chad suggests, rolling his eyes. He holds up his empty glass. "You mind getting me a refill, your Majesty?"
"You're the best royal attendant ever," Jensen says, snatching the empty glass. Shading his eyes, Jensen watches Jim appear from the rooftop entrance, thick sunblock slathered on his nose and novelty shades on his eyes, arms full with a cooler and radio.
Despite the fact that more often than not, Jim looks like he wants to reprimand or smack both Jensen and Chad, it's becoming comfortable to have him around. Someone else that's in on the whole deal gives a feeling of relief, where it might be terror in others: other people wouldn't understand, but Jim does.
Today is almost like a regular day at the beach, minus the sand, the waves, and… well, basically anything that resembles Jensen's former life. Heat sizzles off the roof in waves, hot to the touch whenever he forgets to put on flip flops.
Jim passes by Jensen, ignoring the offered glass. "Don't look at me, kid, you gotta get used to doing things for yourself."
Jensen snorts, feeling his shoulders tense. Doing things on his own is the whole point of being at the park and in this body. "I can do things for myself! Jared's been teaching me a lot of things."
"Yeah?" Jim asks, sliding right into the deck chair. He wipes his sweaty brow with a SeaWorld cap, peering up at Jensen. "He teach you how to cook and clean? Give you any driving lessons yet?"
Jensen swallows. "He's tried-"
Chad sits up, suddenly taking interest. "Yeah, you're not gonna have servants or trainers taking care of you anymore, dude."
Like a riptide, the knowledge comes and almost knocks him off-kilter, because they're right-little details he hadn't thought about, just sitting out of focus outside of his vision.
Learning to live as a human takes time, but Jensen, he's trying his hardest. Only the thing is, from his friends, to his family, and his kingdom; he's going to have to give up everything in order to stay with Jared.
If Jared still wants to be with him forever, that is. He needs only to look at Jim to see how that can work out in the end-being alone, in a world that he wasn't born into and had no reason to celebrate in his life.
Behold, the human dolphin prince. He would be ridiculed or deemed clinically insane.
But what if it all falls apart after a few years, or maybe only months, with Jared, then what? He couldn't go back.
He'd never again have the option of regaining those things he took for granted.
Because of Jared. Because Jensen loves something greater than himself.
Jim starts to fiddle with the radio, grinning in approval when it settles on an old rock station.
"I don't know," Jensen says, honestly.
"It's something you gotta think about, Jensen. Because pretty soon, that option to go home isn't gonna be there. Make sure you're making the right choice."
Part 5