Beholder, Ch. 11, NC-17, RPS, AU, Jensen/Jared

[sandymg]

Jeff dropped them off in front of Jared’s building. Jared turned to his friend, his hands were still numb, feeling slowly returning. He knew enough to know that much longer and he would have been in serious trouble.

“Jeff, you gonna be okay driving home? I still can’t believe you drove to find us in this storm.”

“I’ll be fine. ‘S not far. Go on. Get yourself in a hot shower before your fingers fall off.” Jeff looked back at Jared a long moment before grumbling, “Moron” under his breath.

Jared replied, “Thank you.” He couldn’t let himself feel insulted. His actions had been stupid. But he’d do it again. Jeff merely nodded.

The snow still fell heavy, showing no sign of abating any time soon. It took all of Jared’s strength to force the car door open against the galing wind. He quickly helped Jensen out and held onto his shoulders. Together they forced themselves through nearly two feet of snow to the steps. Wading in it as ice seeped through his jeans into his veins took away the last of Jared’s strength. Standing was proving tough and Jared fumbled with the keys so long that Jensen took them from his trembling fingers and worked the lock open himself. He put his arm around Jared’s waist and pulled him inside. They stopped together leaning against the shut door to catch their breaths.

They didn’t speak as they worked their way up to Jared’s fifth floor apartment. Jensen waited patiently at each landing for Jared to pull himself together enough to move on. He gave Jensen his key at the door. He still couldn’t feel his fingers enough to open the lock.

Sadie pounced on them as soon as they were inside. Jensen kneeled down to pet her, losing his fingers in her fur. “Missed you,” he uttered into the top of her head. Jared stood leaning against the door. Sadie whined at him and Jensen looked up. “Jared?”

He needed to move. Take off the soaked clothing. Remove his shoes. But all he could do was shiver. The trembling took over and his body felt like it was filled by a million angry bees trying to fight their way out of his skin.

“Jared!” Jensen was pulling his coat off and Jared watched it fall to the floor in a wet plop. Jensen knelt back down. “Jared, step up.” Jensen was trying to wiggle his sodden boot off. It took a few minutes but finally his boots and socks were off. He was being pushed along toward his bedroom.

“Take off clothes,” Jensen said. Jared stood in the bedroom doorway, leaning on the frame. Jensen took one of the two blankets he must have had wrapped around himself and started wiping down the track of snow and water they’d made up to the bedroom. Jared just stood staring. Jensen returned to him quickly noticing that Jared was still not moving.

“Jared. Clothes wet.” Jensen squeezed his arms but Jared couldn’t do much more than hear his teeth clatter and stare.

He heard Jensen swear under his breath and disappear into Jared’s bedroom. He came out holding up a shirt and sweat pants. “Please put on.” Jensen lifted the bottom of Jared’s soaked shirt and pulled it up. Jensen was shorter than Jared and lifting the shirt over Jared’s head was impossible without Jared’s cooperation. Jared forced his arms up and bent at the waist slightly, letting Jensen pull the cold, wet cloth from his skin. He felt his jeans opening and strong fingers forcing them down his legs. They were wet and stuck against his legs like a cold second skin.

Roughened fingers rubbed his legs briskly before Jensen held the dry pants for Jared to step into. Jared held onto Jensen’s shoulders for balance. His bare torso was quickly covered by the shirt Jensen had brought him. A few minutes later his dripping hair was being towel-dried as Jensen ordered him to bend. A distant part of him thought he should be doing this. He should be taking care of Jensen who was also wet and cold and nearly frozen. Who didn’t even have a coat in that horrid storm. Who’d been out there for hours helping others find their way to warmth. Who was so good it was hard to believe he was even real.

A shaky laugh escaped his lips. He forced himself to focus on Jensen. The other man had put on dry clothes. Maybe when he’d gone to get Jared’s change of clothes. The shirt he wore was one of Jared’s old favorites. The sleeves were long and Jensen’s hands disappeared. He’d slipped into the pajama bottoms that Jared had left on the bed from that morning. Seeing them on Jensen warmed something deep inside Jared.

“Come,” Jensen ordered. Jared shuffled his bare feet along the wood floor following Jensen to his bed. Jensen pulled back the covers and ushered Jared into the bed. Curling in on his side, he felt the blankets being tucked around him. He shuddered into their warmth.

Movement ceased and he heard the creak of someone walking across the room. “No,” he said as loudly as his hoarse throat would allow. “Pl…ease. Stay.”

Hesitation. Then slowly the bed dipped and Jensen slipped under the blanket behind him. A strong arm came around his stomach and Jared grabbed onto it with an iron grip. A shiver ran through him causing Jensen to ease even closer, putting his knee between Jared’s thighs. He felt warm lips against the nape of his neck.

“I couldn’t … I couldn’t find you.” Jared let the words slip like air through his chapped lips.

“Hush. It is okay. You are okay. Warm now.”

Jared shifted, needed to see. Bright green eyes peered back at him. “I couldn’t find you,” he repeated. His brain was stuck, like an old record that kept stuttering the same note.

Hands skimmed the hair back from his eyes. “Dangerous to look for me. Jared should not.”

“She had your coat.” Jared suspected he was making minimal sense but the cold seemed to have zapped half his brain cells. What were left were still thawing.

Jensen seemed to understand. “Janet is Sharon sister. They live together before lose apartment. Janet not see well.“

“It was cold, Jensen.”

“Yes.”

Jared leaned in and buried his face beneath Jensen’s chin. “You didn’t have a coat.” Jared didn’t know how to stop stating the obvious. Didn’t know what he expected Jensen to say about this. It’s not like he thought Jensen would apologize for giving away his coat. Jensen would just freeze and think it was all he deserved. “Dammit, why can’t you get it.”

Jared had mumbled this and so was surprised that Jensen had heard him. “Janet small. Frail. So cold.” Jensen lifted up on his elbow and tilted Jared’s chin toward him. Their eyes met in the white glow coming in from the window. I have jacket, blankets. Two pair pants - you give me. Warm socks and new boots. She have less. I be fine.” He paused and touched Jared’s face. “You too cold. Dangerous. Not used to it like Beast … like I am. Scared for you.” He sucked in a deep breath and Jared could feel the concern wavering off his body. “Jay, you have to stop.”

Jared was too tired to argue. He couldn’t stop. And he didn’t know how to explain it to himself let alone to Jensen. A yawn escaped. Jensen’s lips twitched into a small grin. He placed a kiss to Jared’s forehead. Jared felt the heat of it like a brand. “Safe now,” Jensen said softly. “Sleep.”

“Don’t leave.”

“Shh. Sleep now.”

Jared pulled Jensen in closer against him, their legs entwined beneath the blanket. The wind whipped the window in a persistent rattle. He pictured Sharon and her frail sister sustained by one small heater in a dwelling barely fit for a rat. His heart beat loud in his chest as a final wave of emotion flooded his system. “Swear, dammit. Swear you won’t leave.”

It felt like a long time before Jared felt Jensen’s nod and softly spoken, “I promise. I will be here in the morning.”

Exhaling Jared let himself rest.



The sun was blindingly bright as it streamed in the following morning, reflecting off the snow like a spot light. Jared stretched lazily and put an arm out. He pushed into soft blankets and a pillow and sat up with a start. Jensen. No. He couldn’t have left already. He’d promised.

Jumping up Jared raced into his main living space. Empty. His heart sank further until the soft sound of a tap running from the bathroom kick-started it again. He swung the door open disregarding any notion of privacy. “Jensen.”

Jensen stood at the sink, toothbrush in his mouth scrubbing away. He turned to Jared mouth slightly blue from the toothpaste gel, eyebrows starting to rise at the unexpected intrusion. Jared laughed, loud and bursting in the small space. Jensen’s brows drew together in a faint frown and he spit the toothpaste out, rinsing out the brush.

Jensen reached down and picked up the discarded cardboard packaging that had held the new toothbrush. “I found this,” he told Jared. Jared nodded. “Would not take but says ‘Jensen’.” Jared nodded again. He’d bought the spare toothbrush when he’d first moved in and had written Jensen on the packaging with a black Sharpie.

Jensen studied Jared’s face curiously, like he was trying to figure out what planet he came from. Jared ignored the stare and asked instead, “Jen. How do you take care of your teeth so well? I mean, they look like they’re in good shape.”

Jared gently shoved Jensen over and started brushing his own teeth. He looked into the mirror but Jensen refused to look that way, kept his eyes on Jared instead, avoiding the mirror. Jared spit quickly and turned back to Jensen expectantly.

“Why write Jensen on toothbrush?” Jensen asked, ignoring Jared’s question.

“Because it’s yours,” Jared answered simply. He smiled, licked his tongue over his own now clean teeth. “Had your name on it, right?”

Jensen shook his head in a way that Jared had come to realize he was indulging Jared. He left the bathroom to Jared.

Jared took a quick shower. He’d realized Jensen had already showered because his hair had been wet. The tub and tiles were gleaming. He tried to recall if they’d looked this good on the day he’d moved in when the landlord had made this huge point of letting Jared know that he’d had a cleaning crew in to get the place all ready for the new tenant. Nope. It had never looked this clean. Jared smiled.

He exited the bathroom quickly, towel wrapped around his waist, not wanting to give Jensen the opportunity to sneak out before they had a chance to talk. He smelled coffee and looked toward the kitchen where Jensen stood holding a steaming mug. He turned at the sound of Jared’s footsteps and the mug shook slightly in Jensen’s hand. Jared flushed as Jensen’s eyes widened and then slowly moved down the long length of his towel-clad body. It’s not like he’d never been appreciated physically before but the sheer desire shining in Jensen’s eyes made him feel suddenly very naked, very wanted, and very, very aroused.

Jensen licked his lips in a way that immediately turned Jared even harder. Jensen put down the mug and approached Jared slowly, feet barely lifting in an odd floating shuffle. Jensen stopped in front of Jared and put one hand tentatively on Jared’s bare chest, splaying his calloused hand over Jared’s heart. Looking up, he tucked a stray wet strand of hair behind Jared’s ear. Such a small movement, yet incredibly intimate, and the air between them buzzed with invisible charges.

Jared put one hand to the side of Jensen’s cheek. Smooth. He had shaved. Jared leaned in with no thought other than the need to feel those lips press his again. It was leisurely and petal soft. Jared inhaled coffee and toothpaste and that unique taste that was pure Jensen. Familiar. Right. Home. Jensen sighed into the kiss and brought both arms up to pull Jared down closer while his lips slowly parted. The kiss deepened and Jared groaned into Jensen, his erection full and insistent, making his hips move of their own accord.

Jensen started kissing down Jared’s jaw and onto his neck, his teeth nipping and his tongue immediately soothing. Jared could only stand and moan. Jensen licked down Jared’s chest, stopped with his tongue pressed flat against a nipple, before bringing his lips back together to pluck at the hardening bud and then tonguing it full out again. Damn. Jared hadn’t even realized how sensitive he was there but the reaction to Jensen’s deliberations spoke for itself. He pulled Jensen’s tee-shirt to strip it off his body, and let himself also touch. Jensen’s mouth was lower now on Jared’s chest, working his tongue down his abdomen with quick swirly licks and Jared was afraid he would fall. Then the towel disappeared and full, plush lips surrounded his cock and Jared’s legs did stumble. He heard a little chuckle below him and Jensen pulled away just long enough to guide Jared to the sofa.

He landed with a soft plot and then Jensen was between his legs once more and all rational thought fled. He looked and watched his cock disappear between Jensen’s sinful lips. Green eyes turned black with lust met his with undisguised need before gently shutting as he descended down Jared’s shaft, swallowing him deep inside. The motions continued, slow and steady. Long deep sucks followed by Jensen hollowing out his cheeks and drawing back up only to come down again and again. “Fuck … oh god … Jen … “ Jared knew he was muttering incomprehensibly but the feeling was so good, so unbearably hot that he felt the familiar tell-tale signal low on his spine that he couldn’t hold it back any longer. “Jen … Imma gonna … “

He thrust hard into Jensen’s welcoming mouth as the flush of his orgasm washed over him in rolling, exquisite waves. Jensen sucked and swallowed through Jared’s shudders until he reluctantly let Jared slip out of his mouth with one last long lick. Jared’s head was against the back of the sofa, panting softly, body as floppy as a noodle. Jensen climbed up next to him, eyes dancing brightly. “Good morning,” he whispered directly into Jared’s ear.

Jared turned at this, capturing Jensen’s mouth slowly and licking inside to tease his own taste out of the other man’s mouth. Dirty and delicious and so erotic he thought he could get aroused again. Well, almost. He fought an inner chuckle and brought his hand down to Jensen’s crotch to reciprocate. Jensen covered his hand with his own over the soft fabric of his sweats. “No need,” he said on a breath. “I … me, too.”

He met the other man’s shy duck and lifted his chin up with one finger. “You came while you … were doing me?”

Jensen nodded, cheeks starting to color adorably. Jared smiled broadly. “Fuck … that’s hot.”

Jensen smiled back leaning in for another quick kiss before rising. “Must clean up.” He disappeared back into the bedroom to grab yet another pair of pants and then dashed back into the bathroom.

Jared took the time to get dressed, his body still warm and pliant from what had just happened. It was getting impossible to resist the sensual pull Jensen had on him. A small part of him still worried that he was taking advantage, that it wasn’t right. He knew they needed to talk about this. About the attraction. About them. But there was so much else that also needed to be discussed. He knew he had to table his personal needs for now.

They met back in the kitchen where Jared reheated Jensen’s discarded coffee. Jensen took the hot mug gratefully.

“Jen?” Jared began carefully as he poured them both cereal for breakfast.

Jensen stared at him expectantly.

“I remembered you.”

“Wh-at?”

“I was a kid when it happened. Not yet thirteen. But it was all over the news … the accident that killed your parents.”

“Jared-“ Jensen started interrupting.

“No. Let me finish, please. After Jeff told me who he thought you were I did some research online. Found old newspaper reports and that’s when I remembered. Remembered the story about you. There was a photo in the newspaper of the funeral. There were hundreds of people there by the graveside. But you … you stood alone. I remembered that picture, Jen. You wore sunglasses and stood so straight. It was morning and my dad had left the paper on the table and I stared at that photo while my mom fixed me breakfast. And then Momma came in and put my eggs down in front of me and looked over my shoulder at what I was looking at. She said, ‘Shame about that boy. Lonely little prince.’ I … never forgot that. Never forgot her saying it or the photo of that boy standing so alone.” Jared stopped, voice getting slightly hoarse.

He met Jensen’s wide gaze. It was locked between disbelief and wonder. “That boy … was you, Jensen,” Jared finished softly. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper, opening it slowly. He’d printed the old newspaper article with the photo. The resolution was crappy and the photo not all that clear but it still made his heart pump and handing it to Jensen felt momentous. Like it was the second everything would change.

Jensen unfolded the paper with slightly shaky hands. His fingers clutched it tight and Jared could tell he was slowly reading the words. The article detailed the tragic accident that had taken the lives of Alan Ackles and his wife Donna. Ackles was CEO of Ackles, Inc., multi-billion dollar worldwide company. Jensen Ackles, seventeen, was their only son and heir. Jensen touched the photos of Alan and Donna with his index finger. Then he grazed over the boy’s face with his thumb.

He looked up at Jared. “Cannot be me.”

“I think it is.” Jared held out his hand and drew Jensen with him to his den. He turned on his laptop and quickly clicked to the pages he’d saved. Another article came up from a local Dallas magazine. This one showed various photos of a young man, tall, poised, with dirty blonde hair that fell in swoops over the sides of his temples.

“This is from before the accident. Jensen, c’mon … that’s you.”

“How can be me? Not me. That boy pretty.”

Jared chuckled. “You sure were.” He met Jensen’s bewildered stare. “Still are.”

“Do not remember before curse.” Jensen frowned as he studied the pictures. When he straightened up there was the oddest look on his face.

Jared could barely hear the whisper. “May-be.”

Wow. That was the closest to acceptance that Jensen had ever gotten. Jared felt hopeful. “We can prove it, Jensen. We can take a DNA swab. Then it would be compared with something of Jensen Ackles - something of yours from before. It will match. According to Jeff, then you’d be able to petition the courts to reestablish your status - to be you again.”



Samantha Ferris did not like surprises. So when the photographs Legal forwarded came to view on her e-mail, showing Jensen Ackles - alive - she felt a staggered moment of disorientation. After ten years how could this be? They’d looked everywhere. Followed the trail from the accident until it disappeared into nothingness. It’s not like nobody had tried. The police, private investigators. Hell, they had that public hotline set up and thousands of people had claimed to see Jensen. Except it was never him. Just desperate people trying to cash in on the billions he was worth.

At the time she’d not been too involved. Even though Samantha was a second cousin of Alan Ackles, she barely knew Alan or Donna and had met Jensen only once as a young boy. Her father had worked for the firm for years and had gotten her a job after she graduated college. Jensen was a stranger, as their paths almost never crossed. Truth was, she hadn’t thought much of the kid one way or another. Spoiled rich boy. Sure, right after the tragic car crash that killed his parents she’d felt sorry for the teenager. It was sad to be left an orphan, no matter how much money you had. She’d tried to approach him at the funeral, being pretty much the only family he had, but he’d stood ramrod straight and had ignored her. She’d walked away from that and hadn’t attempted any further contact.

At least the kid hadn’t made any management changes at Ackles, Inc. He didn’t pretend to have a clue about the business. He moved from the Dallas ranch to the Los Angeles estate and apparently did nothing but party and spend money.

But that was okay because it wasn’t company money after all, and as long as he didn’t interfere she didn’t care much. Sure it was embarrassing the few times he’d gotten caught on film doing idiotic things and it made the firm look bad by association since it was still his name on the masthead. But Samantha had essentially ignored the boy. He made no difference. She’d worked hard and concentrated on her career and kept rising. Three years after Alan Ackles’ death her own father, now retired, died. That same year she was named Vice President of U.S. operations and Sam felt like she was holding onto a rocket that could never stop.

When, a few weeks shy of his twentieth birthday, the Ackles’ heir vanished, the press enjoyed it and the tabloids nursed the story for months. Shareholders were less pleased given his controlling interest, and the atmosphere at the company was depressed and panicked. Samantha rose to her full potential in the void. In the first three years following Jensen’s disappearance she determinedly worked her way up the ladder. The courts declared Jensen dead seven years after he vanished. This didn’t particularly surprise Samantha. What did shock her was that because Jensen didn’t have a proper will, his estates and controlling shares of Ackles, Inc. went to her as next of kin.

That same year Samantha was named CEO.

She stared at the photo on her monitor long and hard. Damn. It looked like it could be him. What did this mean? What the hell had happened to him? And why was he back now?



Jensen spent hours reading about himself. He emerged from the office with a small frown. “He was not very nice.”

Jared clicked the TV set off and patted the sofa indicating Jensen should sit. He turned and tucked one foot beneath his thigh before continuing. “Jen, you were a kid. You just lost both your parents at once. There was no other family to speak of. C’mon, man, give yourself a break.”

It was Saturday and even though Jared had taken to going into the shelter every weekend since splitting with Sandy, he’d called Misha and said that he was taking the day off. The crazy weather had slowed down the city, but the plows had done their jobs and the streets were negotiable again. The two of them hadn’t left the warmth of Jared’s apartment yet, and for this Jared was grateful. He knew that once Jensen left he might not come back.

“Jay, possible is it?” Jensen shook his head in that way that Jared knew he was working out words in his mind. “I mean. Is it possible?”

“Is what possible?”

“Can I really be that boy?”

Jared smiled at him. “Yes. Only you aren’t a boy any longer. You are that man.”

Jensen stared at him before shutting his eyes a moment. When they opened again they met Jared’s and filled with resolve. “Okay.”

“Okay what?”

“I will do what you ask. We will find out. If he is me I must know.” He paused and looked away a moment before returning his gaze to Jared. “But Jared … who was the witch?”

“I don’t know. But we found you. We can find her, too.”

Jared phoned Jeff right away, afraid that Jensen would change his mind. He spoke briefly to Jeff before asking the other man to hold.

“Jensen. Jeff asked us to come over to his place. He can take the DNA swab there. Would that be okay?”

“Not police station?”

“No. Not the police station. Just to his apartment. It’s safe. I promise.”

They knocked on Jeff’s door less than an hour later. Joel answered and Jensen retreated behind Jared, breath coming out in harsh little bursts. “Jen, it’s okay. This is Joel, Jeff’s brother. He’s a friend.”

They entered the apartment slowly. Jensen had on another used coat he’d let Jared buy him after much cajoling and his hoodie jacket underneath, hood up. In this cold weather nobody looked twice at someone hiding in a hood outside. But although Jensen removed his overcoat he kept the hoodie on despite the apartment’s warmth. Jared stripped down to his shirt and looked sadly at Jensen but didn’t say anything.

“It’s the Beast,” said Joel in a soft voice.

Jared frowned. “This is Jensen. He’s not a-“ But Jensen interrupted by putting his arm out to silence Jared and took a step closer to Joel.

Jeff appeared out of a room in the back. “Hi guys. Joel did you introduce yourself?”

Joel nodded absently as if he had although he technically hadn’t. The odd staring between Joel and Jensen continued and Jeff looked at Jared questioningly. Jared’s shoulders rose in equal question.

“I know you,” Joel said into the silence. “You gave me bread.”

Jensen tilted his head in a familiar way. Jared met Jeff’s eyes again and they watched the two men facing off. A long, silent moment passed. Finally, Jensen took a step back, to partially hide behind Jared and moved his hands to the side of his hood. Jared held his breath as he watched the hood slide slowly down to settle onto Jensen’s upper back. Jared quickly took Jensen’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Jensen held on a minute before letting go and taking a tenuous step forward. “I am Jensen,” he said, putting his hand out.

“Joel Morgan,” the other man replied shaking Jensen’s hand. Joel smiled blindingly bright and looked back at Jeff. “He has the brightest colors. Like Seth only deeper. It’s glorious. Except … it’s being held back. Cloaked.” He turned back to Jensen, eyes narrowed. “Oh. I am sorry.”

Jared didn’t know what to say to this and avoided Jeff’s eyes. He looked back at Jensen wondering what he’d make of Joel’s odd comment. Jensen’s eyes seemed transfixed by the older man. “I am cursed.”

Joel nodded as if this was the most obvious statement in the world. “Yes. I see that now. It’s strong. Will be hard.”

Jensen moved forward and Jared felt forgotten as these odd two men conversed in a foreign language. “Can it be broken?”

Joel looked at him intently. Jeff came over and tried to interrupt. “Joel, this isn’t-“

“Maybe,” Joel answered loudly cutting his brother’s complaint off. He studied Jensen and looked quickly to Jared. “Ahh. I see. We are partway there, my Beast. But you know that is not enough?”

Jensen didn’t reply and Jared’s eyebrows rose in confusion. What the heck were they talking about? “Jensen,” Jared said breaking the odd staring match between the two men. “We’re here to talk about your past. Your identity. I think … that’s the way to break your curse.”

Joel gave him an odd look but Jeff motioned that they should all move forward and take a seat in their living room. Jeff pulled Jared aside. “I’m sorry, kid. My brother’s on a new medication and … it’s letting some of his more fanciful side out. It’s been good to see him alive like this but … I don’t want him upsetting Jensen.”

“No … it’s okay. It’s like they’re speaking the same language only … I don’t understand a word.”

“Neither do I. Haven’t for years. But sometimes that … doesn’t matter, you know?”

Jeff turned back to Jensen and handed him a long cotton-tipped swab. In his hand was a plastic bag. “Rub this inside your cheek.”

Jensen did so, and Jeff placed the swab inside the bag and then into an envelope. “Okay, that’s it. I spoke to my friend Jim. James Beaver, he’s an attorney. He said he got in touch with Ackles, Inc. and spoke to their Legal department. He e-mailed them the photos of Jensen you took.” Jensen scowled slightly at this but didn’t say anything.

“It’s okay, Jen. I promise,” Jared assured.

“I’m going to send this to Jim and he’s going to work with their attorney and get it analyzed and compared. In a couple of weeks we’ll have our answer. But I know what it’s going to be. You are Jensen Ackles, anyone with eyes can see that.”

Jensen shuddered slightly next to Jared on the sofa and Jared quickly put his arm around his shoulder and drew him closer. “Then what happens?”

“Jim will petition the courts on your behalf. He’s got a colleague in California he can work with since he’s not licensed to practice in that state. This woman’s supposed to be good. Her name’s Katherine Cassidy. But it’s not like this is all that complicated anyway. There’s not much to contest once the DNA evidence is in - that’s iron- clad.”

“The Queen will want to hold onto her throne,” Joel said, voice low and serious.

Jensen’s eyes opened big. Jared fought back his immediate annoyance. “Jensen … it’ll be fine. Nobody will fight this. You are you. Nobody can take that away.”

Jensen said nothing but kept looking at Joel and Jared couldn’t help but wonder at the silent communication passing between them.

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