Sunday Ficcing
Title: Step Into The Light
Author: truelyesoteric
Rating: R
Pairings: Jared/Jensen
Warning: RPS AU with a touch of 'I Am Number Four'
Disclaimer: I’m just making all these things up, using external ideas.
Word Count: ~7000
Summary: Jensen’s powers are manifesting. He’s growing up. Things are a little crazy, moving to a new town isn’t making things easier
A/N: I saw ‘I Am Number Four’ and I really had to do this. You really don’t have to see the movie to understand this. Just a crazy alien with powers on earth falling for some boy type of story.
“Keep under the radar,” Jeff said, handing him money.
Jensen assumed that Jeff was giving him money for lunch and that he knew better than to be sure that Jensen wouldn’t attract attention.
This was his eleventh school in four years and Jensen was looking forward to high school being over. It was always the same. He tried to keep his head down, but it didn’t matter he was the kind of guy people noticed.
Everyone had noticed ever since he could remember.
He didn’t remember before, didn’t remember coming to this planet. Jeff told him that he was one of nine, one of the nine protectorates of their planet, a planet that didn’t exist any more. He was one of nine children of the high families. Jeff was one of nine guardians of those children. The eighteen of them were all that was left of their world, and Jeff told him that once he reached majority he was one of the nine who was left to fight.
Jensen had many opinions on this whole greater destiny.
He wondered how nine children, raised on the run their entire lives could fight against an enemy that had killed an entire planet. Jeff told of the nine armies of the nine houses trained in battle, each with their own powers. All of those armies had failed and yet nine kids were supposed to win, it seemed far-fetched.
He wondered how the hell he was supposed to stay under the radar. The nine children had been sent to this planet had been put in the image of the inhabitants. The people of his home planet had seen many movies and television. So Jensen was uncommonly pretty. It would be easier to stay down if his face didn’t attract attention. Jeff was old Hollywood roguishly handsome, Jensen was young and fresh. It was part of the reason it was hard to hide, they had faces that people wanted to remember.
So he was in San Antonio, Texas after his powers starting to manifest in Santa Barbra a week ago and created quite a scene.
He had been with Cindy Foster under the pier at the time. It was during the bonfire with all of the senior class a few yards away. She was just another in a long line of girls on his string.
That was also something that he wondered. Jensen couldn’t seem to form a connection to anyone. He had voiced this to Jeff. Jeff just shrugged, told him that for his people love wasn’t something about butterflies and hearts. For them love was a biological imperative for safety and competition.
He would fall in love with someone who would be something that he needed. Jensen thought this ridiculous, falling in love out of need, but he saw people falling for less.
But Jensen liked sex enough, even though he never felt a connection. So he did it just for recreational reasons.
Which is why he was screwing around with Cindy a few days after being with her best friend.
He had come alive while he was inside Cindy, he probably could have played off the sweat and the shaking on an amazing orgasm, if his hands hadn’t started glowing bright blue and everybody on the beach noticing.
Jeff packed them up, changed their names, and found a new place.
This time he gave himself the moniker ‘Jeffrey Dean Morgan’, he had given his charge the name ‘Jensen.’ As always Jensen was his ‘son.’
“Jesus,” Jensen had said as he looked at his new documents. “We’re now going with Danish last names. I almost miss being called Smith.”
“You were Smith when you were thirteen,” Jeff pointed out going to his computers. “You hated it, wanted something more original.”
Jensen smiled patronizingly. “In my old age I’m getting nostalgic for the old days.”
Jeff raised an eyebrow. “School. Be home in time for training, try not to make ‘friends’.”
“Yep,” Jensen said. “I miss the old days.”
“I miss the old days too,” Jeff sighed. “Days when you wouldn’t be fucking anyone who would look at you sideways and you actually listened and came home for training.”
“Oh the nostalgia,” Jensen said with a sigh.
“Get to school before I decide you would be better home schooled by yours truly,” Jeff informed him.
Jensen laughed. Their eighteen years together had formed quite a bond, they did not need to be spending more time together. They loved and hated each other more than anything else in the world. They were each other’s constant.
Going to school was easy enough, it was always the same, find the office, get the schedule. Usually some girl was more than willing to direct him to where he needed to be. It was his way. It was a distraction from the fear, from the constant vigilance of his life, from the powers that he wasn’t sure that he knew what to do with.
He did love the new powers, the thrill of running and leaping was a great relief, being able to use telekinesis to control things around him was a thrill of invincibility after a life of always worrying if he would be enough.
However it still weighed on him.
He was sitting in the office, waiting for his schedule when he heard the principal.
“Jared we’ve gone over this,” the principal said tiredly. “You cannot be taking pictures during your classes.”
“Mr. Kripke,” a guy’s voice said charmingly. “I am just recording my life. I don’t mean any harm.”
“Yes, yes,” the principal said submissively. “I’m sure one day you will make an excellent paparazzi, but here in high school let’s try keeping the camera at home.”
“Its not illegal,” the guy said off handedly.
Jensen wanted to laugh because this guy sounded sharp and determined, Jensen always respected people who held their own because so few people actually did these days. He wasn’t defiant, he wasn’t shrinking, and he was just speaking his mind.
“That is all well and good,” the principal said, even more tiredly now. “But if you could please try to follow the rules for the eight months we have left together I would be very grateful. I really don’t need Ms. O’Donnell complaining again. Please try. Let’s see if you can stay out of my remaining hairs for a week.”
“Will do Mr. K,” the guy said. There was a bit of movement and Jensen turned to the secretary who was coming back with his schedule.
Jensen really couldn’t pay attention to her because out came a tall kid with shaggy hair and a messenger back pack.
“Shelia,” he announced. “I am free, you are to give me back my camera.”
The woman at the desk looked at him and sighed. “Its Mrs. Frasier now.”
The guy looked over at Jensen and winked. “She used to baby sit me when she used to be Shelia Hart, now she wants me to learn another name, my life is so hard.”
Jensen smiled back. “I can imagine your struggle.”
The guy laughed, throwing his long column of throat back. “So you’re the new guy?”
Jensen was not used to guys around him being that tall, it just drew his attention. This guy was built and sturdy and at the same time seemed like a little puppy. Jensen just gravitated towards him. It was something very new and not at all unwelcomed.
Jensen nodded.
“Welcome to the most cliché high school in America,” Jared said. “Good luck finding your way through the jocks and geeks.”
“Let me guess,” Jensen teased. “Jock.”
“I’m wounded,” Jared said with faux aghast. “I’m a science nerd and an art student and I am good at sports.”
“So you’re pretty much superman,” Jensen said.
“Nah, they all pretty much hate me, which is why I’m going to do you a favor and not be seen with you,” Jared said, the light leaving his face. “I’m not meaning to be rude, but with that face you really don’t want to be seen with me.”
“What does that mean?” Jensen asked.
Jared grinned. “I give you till lunch to find out. It won’t take long.”
With that he left. Jensen was confused for the first time in his life. He was usually the off-putting one.
Shelia smiled at his retreating form.
“Don’t listen to him,” Shelia told him. “He’s a good kid, he just has it hard here, but he’s right, with that face you might want to steer clear in order to survive.
Jensen was beginning to think that this school was seriously screwed up.
**
There seemed to be a heavily divided caste system at this high school, Jensen had seen worse, but not much.
The pretty girls in short skirts looked at him appreciatively, the burly guys in letterman jackets immediately started glaring. Jensen sighed. This wasn’t going to be his favorite high school. The one in Santa Barbra was so good, it was hard to be in this odd place.
It took three periods before those letterman jacket guys came up to him with fake smiles.
“So, what Jensen assumed was the quarterback ring leader. “You play ball?”
Jensen smiled because he could wipe these guys on the floor in anything they wanted to play. Jeff was big on restraint though. Jensen had to learn benevolence and restraint in order to be a leader.
Even to fuck heads like this.
“Nope,” Jensen said.
The lead guy laughed. “Football, Soccer, Basketball?”
“Nope,” Jensen said again with a smile.
The leader got that smile and Jensen knew that he had just been pegged and he now had his social status.
“We’ve got another cocksucker,” the leader said.
“I saw him with Jared earlier,” one of the minions said.
They weren’t being quiet and Jensen looked around as everybody looked at him. He didn’t care much, being called gay just meant that the hot girls would love him more, at least in most schools.
“Have a good day faggot,” the quarterback said as he left with his entourage.
Jensen sighed, because this was quick. This school was something else, like everyone had to have their own little spot, diversity might not be this school’s specialty.
At lunch Jensen found himself walking through throngs of people who seemed to know their place. Jared sat on the grass, looking at the screen on his camera.
“I found out your dirty little secret,” Jensen said coming to sit besides him. “I don’t play sports so apparently I’m gay, real open minded people we have here. They seem to think the same about you.”
Jared didn’t look up. “Well I am actually good at basketball and soccer, they kind of think that I’m gay because I like guys.”
“Dating must be a bitch at this school,” Jensen said and that made Jared look up at him, confused for the first time. “So what is with the pictures?”
Jared looked down again and thought for a moment. “I like to see what is really there, not what I perceive, the pictures help me with that.”
Jensen couldn’t stop looking at the fall of his hair or the way that he bit his lip in concentration.
Jared stood up quickly. “Look seriously, you can get over their first impression, you just need to stay away from me.”
Jared stalked away and Jensen just watched him. This guy was really good at diversion.
It was rather annoying.
**
Jensen came home and threw his bag on the table.
“Train me now,” he said. “I need to hit something.”
“School went that well,” Jeff said, standing up, walking to the back door.
“This school is judgmental as fuck and I hope this is not one of those that I have to stay at long,” Jensen grumbled following him.
“Wow that is a first,” Jeff said, throwing boxing gloves at him, picking up the sparring pads. “But unfortunately for you I’m afraid that we’re gong to have to.”
Jensen looked at him with malice in his eyes.
Jeff held up his hands. “Your powers are coming together. It is time Jensen, it is time for the nine of you to get together, but it is going to take a little bit for us to fix that up.”
Jensen froze because this was the moment, this is what his life had been waiting for.
And for a little bit he was stuck in this hell.
“I think I’m going to go take this out on the tree,” Jensen said through clenched teeth. “Then we can train.”
“Wrap your hands,” Jeff shrugged.
“Yes. Sir,” Jensen said taking off for the old oak on the side of the property.
**
The second day was not so great. Most of the kids ignored him. He got a few glances from girls, but this was a whole new low. Laying low was one thing that was his choice, now it was like everyone was well aware that he was there and ignoring him.
He hated that other people had control.
Jensen plopped down on the grass.
“You can run away if you want, but you really the only person I’ve met in this place who seems worth talking to,” Jensen said without any kind of warning. “So here is the deal. Let me worry about my own rep and talk to me, I’d love some conversation. Hell if you want I will make out with you. I’ve never been with a guy, but I’ll take that chance if it means that you will talk to me about something that doesn’t make my head hurt.”
Jared stopped chewing and nodded.
“Best offer I’ve gotten in a long time,” he said with his mouth full. “Pucker up big guy.”
Jensen laughed, he actually felt the laugh in his gut. “That is why nobody is offering. You are disgusting.”
Jared swallowed. “Welcome to Planet Gay. Population us. Even though you seem to be a forced prisoner. Be careful they like to beat up our kind. Well they won’t beat me up, but you seem to be a bit fragile.”
Jensen had slammed his fist into a 100-year-old oak yesterday until he felled it. That is what it had taken for him to calm down. He was fairly sure that a few high school students wouldn’t be a big deal. If by some chance they were, Jensen had telekinesis on his side.
“Why don’t you get beat up?” Jensen asked.
Jared took another bite of his sandwich and shook his head, “I got bigger than most of them in Junior High, they just kind of like to throw the verbal punches because they know I can and will beat them up. I used to play sports with most of them, can beat them at just about everything so they know better.”
“So are you saying if you weren’t gay you would be the douche bag quarterback?” Jensen asked.
“Ironic isn’t it,” Jared sighed. “So tell me about you. Where did you come from?”
Jensen swallowed. He hadn’t had many friends and pretty much none of those were guys. Lying to people meant that he usually didn’t close. Jared looked at him with those hazel eyes and Jensen didn’t want to lie to him.
“You know how you take pictures so you can see what is actually there?” Jensen said. “How about you see what is really here instead of what I construct for you.”
Jensen had no idea why his heart was beating so rapidly, but it was. This was the kind of honesty he had never afforded anyone.
Jared thought for a moment and then grinned. “You are a strange guy Jensen.”
Jensen resisted the urge to shudder at the sound of what was now his name. Names were so fluid, but this one, on Jared’s lips sounded right.
“So you’re willing to save me from having to gouge my eyes out at the cool kids table?” Jensen teased.
“Definitely,” Jared said. “I believe you have passed the test.”
**
Jeff was chewing on his cigar, he had a nasty looking paint gun in his hands.
Jensen bounced up and down on his feet. “You know this makes me feel like I should call someone about child abuse or something.”
Jeff smiled around his cigar. “Run piggy run.”
Jensen laughed as Jeff shot a paintball at him. The rules were simple, he had to stay in the yard and none of the paintballs could touch him. Bonus points came if he could keep all of the paintballs from busting.
Jensen had never succeeded. It took a bit of concentration and he was good, not that there was anyone really to compare him to, but he could get most of the paintballs floating in the air, surrounded by blue light around the yard like fireflies.
Jensen ran and bounced keeping an eye on the balls as Jeff shot at him. His mind was focused on the now, was focused on the thrumming inside of him. He didn’t know how long it went on for, but when he stopped it was getting dark, the yard was lit up and there wasn’t a paint spot anywhere. He was breathing hard, but something light and giddy had been welling up in him all day.
He clapped his hand and a hundred points of light on the yard started dancing. Jensen started humming ‘Thriller’ and the lights started dancing to his sound.
Jeff rolled his eyes. “What has gotten in you boy.”
Jensen grinned at him and gathered all the balls and placed them at Jeff’s feet.
“Wanna see something?” Jensen asked, his hands lighting up blue.
Jeff watched as Jensen generated power in his hands. Jensen reached up to the sky and let the fire works fly.
Jeff watched with wide eyes. “Well I’ll be, when did you learn to generate? And stop it, you are going to draw attention.”
Jensen grinned. “I don’t know. I just feel it welling up. Is this normal.”
Jeff raised an eyebrow. “It was for your father. He was one of the few who could generate.”
Jensen’s smile grew.
He began to thrash the trees to ‘Thriller.’
He didn’t notice Jeff’s small smile and raised eyebrow.
**
“That is by far and away the worst picture that I’ve ever seen,” Jared said, looking at the digital screen.
Jared looked up. “No seriously dude, I’ve never seen anyone with less of an eye for composition, it isn’t even just boring, it sucks.”
Jensen laughed. “I told you I wasn’t a photographer.”
They were in the fall sunlight again. Jensen was laughing on the ground. He hadn’t been happy many times in his life, the constant running and fear of death had a tendency to do things like that to a person.
He never forgot that he was one of nine alien beings that were the hope of a universe. Except for when Jared Padalecki made him laugh.
The weather was odd this fall, the air was humid, yet it didn’t rain, and there was lightning at night.
Jensen felt alive.
“Jennifer Andrews is looking at you again,” Jared replied objectively, not looking up.
Jensen shrugged. “I’ve been with a thousand girls like her.”
“So go,” Jared prodded. “Have more sex. One of us should be getting laid.”
Jensen felt a little thrill at the naming of ‘us.’ He was not going to think about this too much. He wasn’t going to think too much about it because he was inevitably leaving, and thinking about Jared’s smile, or hazel eyes, or amazing dimples, or those hands was a moot point.
He didn’t want to think about the fact that he wasn’t interested in short meaningless relationship with girls since the first time that he had figured out what the girls were for.
“You know how to play chess?” Jared asked.
Jensen squinted in the sunlight. “Please tell me that you don’t want to break out a chessboard in the middle of the quad, because I don’t think that your shred of reputation will ever be redeemable after that.”
“Thanks for thinking of me,” Jared said. “I’ll have you know that I’m wicked smart, I like chess.”
“How about we play at my house?” Jensen asked. He nearly choked when he realized that he said. He had never asked anybody home. Jeff was going to kill him.
But despite his internal kicking he kept talking. “Jeff loves chess and he will be psyched that someone is getting me to play.”
“I still find it weird that you call your father Jeff,” Jared said.
“I still find it weird that you didn’t stay in the closet until you were out of this place,” Jensen countered.
“Touché,” Jared said. “So tonight?”
“Look at the little butt buddies,” one of the jocks yelled.
Jared watched them pass and rolled his eyes. “They’re so idiotic. Like being near me I’m suddenly going to fall at their feet and try to suck their dicks. I’m no not interested in them. I never had been.”
“I can see why,” Jensen said. “I wouldn’t fuck them with your dick.”
“My dick would be useless in that situation,” Jared informed him.
“I would totally lose respect for you,” Jensen said. “So what is your type?”
Jared looked at him and Jensen was mesmerized by those eyes.
“Jensen,” Jared said, low and serious. “You need to try to get in some girl’s pants.”
Jensen swallowed.
**
“Jeff,” Jensen said rushing into the house. “You have to clean up. Jared is coming over to play chess.”
Jeff looked around the meager area, which was as neat as possible, he raised an eyebrow.
“You hate chess,” Jeff said. “In fact I think that you hate anything that has to do with strategy.”
“Jeff,” Jensen growled. “Focus.”
Jeff raised an eyebrow. “Do we own a chess board?”
“Yes,” Jensen said grinding his teeth and being sheepish. “I saw it when we moved in, I hid it so you won’t make me play.”
“But with Jared it is fun?” Jeff noted. “I am wounded.”
“How about I go do some pull-ups and push ups and we don’t talk about this,” Jensen told him.
Jeff snickered and on his face was that look that he knew more than Jensen, which Jensen knew he did. Jensen glared and went to the back yard to do some reps.
Jeff closed his eyes, felt the heaviness in the air. It wasn’t an impossible natural incident, but it was telling enough. Jeff hadn’t felt anything like this since he was a kid, the power, the air was literally heavy with possibility.
The last time he had felt this was Jensen’s father, back when they were young, back when possibility was something that Jeff still looked on as hopeful.
**
“The horsy goes in an ‘L’ shape,” Jeff said coming to Jensen’s bedroom. “Your hair looks amazingly like you didn’t spend a second on it and only took an hour.”
Jensen gave him a look of death.
“Now that look is purely your father,” Jeff said. “Your boy is here.”
Jensen was distracted enough not to ask about his father when Jeff, as he usually did when Jeff would talk about him.
Jensen’s hands began to glow.
“Kid, calm it down,” Jeff growled.
Jensen took a breath.
He walked down the stairs, Jared stood there with a smile.
“Ready to lose?” Jared asked.
Every light in the house flickered.
“Damn old lighting,” Jeff said. “Want a beer kid?”
Jared looked a little startled.
Jeff shrugged. “Figured getting you drunk was the only way that Jensen stands a chance.”
Jared cackled and turned towards Jensen, Jensen was blushing a little under his freckles. His hand went to the back of his neck.
“Whatever you two,” Jensen mumbled. “Let’s play.”
**
“Sucka,” Jared sang. “Also check.”
“Move your bishop,” Jeff said from his place behind the monitors.
After the first two losses, Jared had stopped complaining about Jeff’s help. Jensen was low in his chair, staring at the board, focused on the board. Jeff was the best he knew, Jensen was the luckiest person on the face of the planet. Jared seemed to be beating both of them with ease.
Jared moved and Jeff finally stood up and looked over Jensen’s shoulder. “Seriously, I’ve never…”
At that moment Jensen fell off his chair.
“Dude,” Jared said. “You are taking this really hard.”
Jeff was at his side.
“Jensen kill the lights,” Jeff whispered.
“They’re coming Jeff,” Jensen whispered, lifting a hand the middle of his hand glowing blue, then he closed his hand and every light in the house went out.
“I’m okay,” Jensen said, sitting up. “But they’re coming.”
Jared came and bent down to where they were on the floor. His eyes were wide and he looked at Jensen.
“What is going on?” Jared asked.
Jensen looked up at him, eyes wide and regretful. “I’m not who you think I am.”
Jared looked at him.
“We have to get out of here,” Jeff growled. “We have to get the tools upstairs, we have to get the car, and we have about a minute until the Guides come, four more until we get the first wave.”
“You have a plan that needs three people,” Jared said and both of their heads turned to look at him. Jensen had never seen him look so young, and Jared didn’t look up from Jensen’s glowing hands.
“I’ll get the car if you give me the keys, Jeff is the only one who knows the ‘stuff’ that you all will need, I’m going to assume that Jensen can hold off the Guides until I get back with the car,” Jared said quietly.
“I don’t…” Jensen began.
“No,” Jeff said. “The kid outlined a good plan, maybe even the only plan that will get us out of here ahead of them. We need to run and he’s right, we need three people. We will figure out everything we need to figure out once we’re out of here. Trust me, I promise, trust me.”
Jensen looked at him defiantly.
“You won’t let anything hurt him,” Jeff said quietly. “He’s safe if he’s with us and this is how we all can be safest.
Jared looked terrified, but he nodded.
That look on his face was Jensen’s entire world.
“Holy fuck,” Jensen said and he reached up and cupped Jared’s head with both his hands. “You’re an idiot. If you die I will end the world and you better believe that I could do it.”
Jensen’s hands were shaking and glowing bright cobalt. Jared’s face was lit up and he looked at Jensen.
“Fuck it,” Jared said and leaned forward grabbing Jensen’s mouth with his, tongue licking in, he kissed needy and fast.
He pulled away. “You should have hit on some girl.”
His voice was horse and Jensen was stunned.
Jeff hauled the two of them up.
“Go,” Jeff growled. “We have three minutes.”
He thrust keys into Jared’s palm. Jensen stood up and stretched. The air around him vibrated. Jared took a look at him and for a second their gazes held. Then Jared got up and went out the back door.
“Trust me,” Jeff said and sprinted up the stairs.
Jensen closed his eyes and went out to the front porch. He could feel them coming. He waited, calm and cold. He heard the rattling in the garage.
Then he saw them coming, first as nothing more than what could be wind.
Jensen felt them in the back of his throat, knowing nothing more than there were two things in this house that he would protect with his life. He had never felt this calm, he had never felt this need, he had never felt this power.
He saw them come and they came at him fast. With a flick of the wrist he lifted them, feeling the connection, feeling the struggle. He contained the being as it struggled, and shot at him. It was coming at him in a million different directions. He focused on it focused on finding what should be its neck he was going to snap it.
Out of the corner of his consciousness came their black jeep. It slammed into the creature. Jensen reached out while it was stunned and snapped his neck.
It was the first time he had killed. He could feel it. It felt wrong and gross and part of him, then Jared opened the door and looked at him wild eyed.
Jeff came out the door at a full run dragging Jensen with him.
“Get in,” Jeff growled.
Jensen had learned to automatically obey that voice immediately.
Jared grit his teeth and pressed down the accelerator as soon as they were in. The doors weren’t even closed.
They drove for less than a mile when the red fire started coming at them. Jared’s knuckles turned white as he tried to evade the worst of it, letting Jensen deflect the shots.
Jared drove at full throttle down the sleepy highway as those things came straight at them. Jensen looked at their car bearing down on them.
“Gas?” Jared grit out.
“Gas,” Jeff said.
Jensen’s eyes were glowing blue, sweating with the effort.
Suddenly the thing exploded, the car going off the road. Jared didn’t look at it at all, he kept driving as if hell was on their heels.
Jensen passed out.
Jeff looked at him, checked his vitals. When he was assured that Jensen was still alive he looked to Jared.
“Good driving,” Jeff barked. “Where you heading.”
“Away,” Jared said. “My uncle has a cabin on the Gulf Coast. I thought we could regroup there.”
Jeff sat back and nodded.
“He okay,” Jared said, sounding once again like a eighteen-year-old boy.
“He’s fine,” Jeff said gruffly. “He’ll be fine. I didn’t know he could do that yet, his father could, but I doubt even he knew that he could do that.”
“What are you?” Jared asked after a second.
“We’re not from around here,” Jeff said lightly.
Jared swallowed. “Oh. Staying long?”
Jeff laughed. “There is no home to go back to.”
“That is-“
“Don’t worry about it boy,” Jeff said, that know it all humorous tone entering his voice again. “So you like him?”
“He’s probably the best friend that I’ve had in years,” Jared admitted, trying to be as diplomatic as possible.
“Kiss many of your friends?” Jeff asked.
Jared nearly drove off the road.
“Never,” Jared admitted, looking straight ahead, grinding his teeth. “You gonna make me stop and get out. Are two boys together a sin on your planet too?”
“No,” Jeff said, laded with meaning that Jared wasn’t even going to start to try to understand. “Keep driving.”
**
Jensen woke up to sunlight and birds.
Jeff was on the end of his bed.
“Bout time kid,” Jeff said rubbing a hand over his face.
Jensen swallowed. He was thirsty.
“I know it takes a lot out of you,” Jeff said, holding up water.
Jensen drank greedily.
“Hydrate slowly,” Jeff advised.
When Jensen stopped he only had one word. “Jared?”
“Sleeping,” Jeff said.
Jensen looked obviously relieved.
“There is something that I didn’t tell you,” Jeff began. “Something that I didn’t know if you would have to know. I mean the way that you go after girls, I thought that maybe it wouldn’t translate here, but you’ve gotta be real with me. That kiss, maybe it was on both your sides?”
Jensen looked at Jeff for a long moment. They weren’t really ones to have long heart to hearts. It made them both feel very uncomfortable. Jensen knew this and decided that maybe he’d would love to heckle Jeff a little bit because obviously he was keeping secrets.
“When he kissed me I wanted to crawl inside of him and never leave,” Jensen said. I couldn’t control anything, if I didn’t have people chasing me and crawling around in my head I don’t know how I would have stopped it. I didn’t want to even stop my power at that point. I wanted to envelop him in it.”
Jeff looked a little green. “Well fuck kid.”
“So this attraction isn’t weird?” Jensen challenged, leaning back.
Jeff sighed. “On our home planet love and procreation are different. The nine families intermarried for alliance, to create stronger progeny.”
“I’m a progeny alliance?” Jensen asked.
Jeff nodded. “It is the way things are, you are putting this through a human filter, its not weird for me. We fall for people who have what we need, who offer us something that makes us better. What I saw tonight, that is what happens. You envelop somebody with your powers, you drew him in you and it is going to get worse, for however long you two are complimentary that is how long you will be together, in this together. It won’t go away and if he isn’t here you are weaker. He compliments you, he makes you stronger.”
Jensen was listening with wide eyes.
“It will last until you two don’t compliment each other very well,” Jeff continued, looking off in the distance at something that wasn’t in the room, wasn’t on the planet. “But if you end it before it is over you will always feel the gaping hole.”
“Sounds not so great,” Jensen said quietly.
“It isn’t as bad and as cold as it sounds,” Jeff said tiredly. “We all grow up knowing that this is how it is. It is never one sided, rarely is someone in love unrequitedly. I remember when they started invading, it changed. Love was something temporary, I was just a kid, but I remember that nobody took it seriously. Breeding couples would do their thing and people would go in and out of relationships. After the invasion, it was different. The nine needed people they could trust, people who were strong. Each of the families after the invasion recouped, these couplings, and well the couplings lasted until the world ended. Every one of them. The sex of the couple never mattered. What was between two people was just between two people.”
Jensen looked at him, seeing his eyes well up.
“You talk like you know,” Jensen said softly. “Like you left somebody up there.”
Jeff swallowed and looked at him directly. “Yes. Guy I went to school with. He was above and beyond. We barely noticed each other. I wasn’t that into guys. I worked hard and caroused. I was good at what I did, the best, not really one to do the whole breeding thing. When the invasion came he was head of a house, his wife had just had the second boy, it was six years before the little girl. I met him in the middle of everything and everything has been a pale comparison ever since.”
Jeff looked up and spoke directly to Jensen. “We were forged under dramatic circumstances, under life and death. I wouldn’t call what I had with him love, it was more, so much more. So no, if Jared is something to you then you should take it, because this fight we have isn’t easy. If you find a few moments of comfort and happiness with him then take it.”
Jeff got up and was half way through the door when Jensen spoke.
“Do I remind you of him,” Jensen asked.
Jeff stilled but didn’t turn around. “Not really. You are more like your mother, she was a good woman, from a strong line, driest most hilarious sense of humor that I ever saw. But there are times, mostly when you’re being stubborn, those are the moments when I see him.”
Jeff looked up. "There were a lot of people in my relationship and I think I'm the last one who we'd expect to raise a kid, but I got you, I'm damned proud. You're a good boy."
Jeff walked out.
**
Jensen sat on his bed.
He had known his entire life what he would be this big thing, for his family, for his people.
Never had it been about forging any kind of bond. He felt alone for so much of his life. Jeff could only be so much of a connection.
But today brought Jared.
Tomorrow brought the other eight.
But today was Jared.
And that was something even more freaky. He didn’t know quite what he was going to do with this whole thing.
But he was humming.
He knew exactly where Jared was. Something had happened last night.
Jensen got up and walked to the room that Jared was in.
He just stood at the door, watching Jared sleep. There were long limbs in the mass of comforter.
Jensen just stared. It was sexy and innocent and almost normal. He could feel his body thrumming towards Jared. He just wanted to crawl into the bed with him.
“I’ve had dreams like this,” Jared said, his eyes open, his head still on the pillow.
“With you being in an intergalactic battle and then kidnapped by aliens?” Jensen said, staying at the door.
“With you watching me when I wake up,” Jared said hesitantly. “Although I feel like there is an anal probe joke that should fit in here, but I’m too tired to figure it out.”
“Probably tacky anyway,” Jensen said, watching.
They looked at each other from their sides of the room.
“So I guess we’ve both been keeping a pretty big secret,” Jared tried, lifting his head a little.
“Yeah,” Jensen said sullenly. “I’m actually pretty much a jock.”
“Can I see?” Jared asked sitting up.
Jensen hesitated and then walked across the room. He sat on the bed and opened his hand, Jared looked, it was just a normal hand, with lines that fortunetellers would say could tell Jensen’s future.
Slowly the blue light began to emanate from the palm.
Jared traced it with his finger. They both felt the sparks, the complete body reaction to the very small amount of square inches that they were touching.
Jensen pulled his hand away and swallowed.
Jared looked up. “Do you feel it too? Please tell me you feel it.”
Jensen nodded.
“What can you do with it?” Jared asked.
Jensen tried to talk but the first two attempts came out dry and hoarse. “I don’t know, it is growing, I’ve only known about it for a few months.”
Jared nodded.
“You can go home,” Jensen said. “This is the moment that you can choose. You can go back to your home or you can go back to your life. This is an impossible choice for a eighteen year old to make, but you can make it.”
“At eighteen kids are asked to choose what college and major for their entire lives,” Jared replied. “What is my choice? Lay it out exactly how it is.”
“You can go home and forget that you know anything,” Jensen said.
“And hope that they don’t know who I am,” Jared said quietly.
Jensen continued. “Or you can come with us. You can’t contact your family, you have to drop all ties. You will constantly be on the run until one day we start battling and then you will constantly be at the potential end of your life. “
Jared nodded. “And you?”
“It shouldn’t depend on me,” Jensen said, killing himself a little, this whole conversation was killing him. “I won’t dangle sex.”
Jared scooted closer and then looked at Jensen’s lips before looking up into his eyes.
“No,” Jared said quietly. “I want to stay, I want to get out of my life, but I have wanted you since the moment that I saw you. I can’t be with you every day running for my life and want you so badly, I won’t do that.”
Jensen’s hands glowed blue and he was shaking.
Jared looked up at him, aching. Jensen reached up and grabbed him by the face, Jared moaned heavenly into Jensen mouth. Jensen’s hand ghosted over Jared’s body and he wiggled to move closer to Jensen, fused at the mouth.
It was a time Jensen pulled away and rested his forehead against Jared’s.
“Yes,” Jensen said. “You will be with me, if you stay.”
Jared’s hands snuck under Jensen’s shirt. “If it makes you feel better and that kiss is any indication, you just might kill be before anything else can.”
Jensen dug his fingertips into Jared’s back and Jared shuddered. At that very moment Jensen knew that hew as damned.
“It is stupid and illogical, but stay Jared, stay with me,” Jensen said, wanting so much for the first time in his life.
“I’m staying with you,” Jared swore.
Jensen was glowing again.
“We have a lot of talking to do,” Jensen tried as Jared’s mouth found his neck.
“Jensen we’re eighteen year old boys,” Jared reminded him. “I don’t see conversation happening coherently right now.”
“You win,” Jensen said, body already very into this whole guy on guy thing.
Jared laughed and shucked Jensen of his shirt.
**
Jared and Jensen were smiling and pushing each other out there door.
“Jesus boys,” Jeff said. “Stop horsing around. We have a lead on one of the other kids. We have to get on the road.”
They looked at the car.
“Uh Jeff,” Jensen said curiously. “We have driven Jeeps for years, why this car?”
Jeff looked at the ’67 Chevy Impala with pride.
“Well if Jared is going to keep on trying to smash into things I wanted to get a car that would stand up to it,” Jeff told them. “Get in the car.”
“Yes sir,” they both said. They looked at each other and grinned.
The three of them got in the car, leaving on the dust behind.
Author: truelyesoteric
Rating: R
Pairings: Jared/Jensen
Warning: RPS AU with a touch of 'I Am Number Four'
Disclaimer: I’m just making all these things up, using external ideas.
Word Count: ~7000
Summary: Jensen’s powers are manifesting. He’s growing up. Things are a little crazy, moving to a new town isn’t making things easier
A/N: I saw ‘I Am Number Four’ and I really had to do this. You really don’t have to see the movie to understand this. Just a crazy alien with powers on earth falling for some boy type of story.
“Keep under the radar,” Jeff said, handing him money.
Jensen assumed that Jeff was giving him money for lunch and that he knew better than to be sure that Jensen wouldn’t attract attention.
This was his eleventh school in four years and Jensen was looking forward to high school being over. It was always the same. He tried to keep his head down, but it didn’t matter he was the kind of guy people noticed.
Everyone had noticed ever since he could remember.
He didn’t remember before, didn’t remember coming to this planet. Jeff told him that he was one of nine, one of the nine protectorates of their planet, a planet that didn’t exist any more. He was one of nine children of the high families. Jeff was one of nine guardians of those children. The eighteen of them were all that was left of their world, and Jeff told him that once he reached majority he was one of the nine who was left to fight.
Jensen had many opinions on this whole greater destiny.
He wondered how nine children, raised on the run their entire lives could fight against an enemy that had killed an entire planet. Jeff told of the nine armies of the nine houses trained in battle, each with their own powers. All of those armies had failed and yet nine kids were supposed to win, it seemed far-fetched.
He wondered how the hell he was supposed to stay under the radar. The nine children had been sent to this planet had been put in the image of the inhabitants. The people of his home planet had seen many movies and television. So Jensen was uncommonly pretty. It would be easier to stay down if his face didn’t attract attention. Jeff was old Hollywood roguishly handsome, Jensen was young and fresh. It was part of the reason it was hard to hide, they had faces that people wanted to remember.
So he was in San Antonio, Texas after his powers starting to manifest in Santa Barbra a week ago and created quite a scene.
He had been with Cindy Foster under the pier at the time. It was during the bonfire with all of the senior class a few yards away. She was just another in a long line of girls on his string.
That was also something that he wondered. Jensen couldn’t seem to form a connection to anyone. He had voiced this to Jeff. Jeff just shrugged, told him that for his people love wasn’t something about butterflies and hearts. For them love was a biological imperative for safety and competition.
He would fall in love with someone who would be something that he needed. Jensen thought this ridiculous, falling in love out of need, but he saw people falling for less.
But Jensen liked sex enough, even though he never felt a connection. So he did it just for recreational reasons.
Which is why he was screwing around with Cindy a few days after being with her best friend.
He had come alive while he was inside Cindy, he probably could have played off the sweat and the shaking on an amazing orgasm, if his hands hadn’t started glowing bright blue and everybody on the beach noticing.
Jeff packed them up, changed their names, and found a new place.
This time he gave himself the moniker ‘Jeffrey Dean Morgan’, he had given his charge the name ‘Jensen.’ As always Jensen was his ‘son.’
“Jesus,” Jensen had said as he looked at his new documents. “We’re now going with Danish last names. I almost miss being called Smith.”
“You were Smith when you were thirteen,” Jeff pointed out going to his computers. “You hated it, wanted something more original.”
Jensen smiled patronizingly. “In my old age I’m getting nostalgic for the old days.”
Jeff raised an eyebrow. “School. Be home in time for training, try not to make ‘friends’.”
“Yep,” Jensen said. “I miss the old days.”
“I miss the old days too,” Jeff sighed. “Days when you wouldn’t be fucking anyone who would look at you sideways and you actually listened and came home for training.”
“Oh the nostalgia,” Jensen said with a sigh.
“Get to school before I decide you would be better home schooled by yours truly,” Jeff informed him.
Jensen laughed. Their eighteen years together had formed quite a bond, they did not need to be spending more time together. They loved and hated each other more than anything else in the world. They were each other’s constant.
Going to school was easy enough, it was always the same, find the office, get the schedule. Usually some girl was more than willing to direct him to where he needed to be. It was his way. It was a distraction from the fear, from the constant vigilance of his life, from the powers that he wasn’t sure that he knew what to do with.
He did love the new powers, the thrill of running and leaping was a great relief, being able to use telekinesis to control things around him was a thrill of invincibility after a life of always worrying if he would be enough.
However it still weighed on him.
He was sitting in the office, waiting for his schedule when he heard the principal.
“Jared we’ve gone over this,” the principal said tiredly. “You cannot be taking pictures during your classes.”
“Mr. Kripke,” a guy’s voice said charmingly. “I am just recording my life. I don’t mean any harm.”
“Yes, yes,” the principal said submissively. “I’m sure one day you will make an excellent paparazzi, but here in high school let’s try keeping the camera at home.”
“Its not illegal,” the guy said off handedly.
Jensen wanted to laugh because this guy sounded sharp and determined, Jensen always respected people who held their own because so few people actually did these days. He wasn’t defiant, he wasn’t shrinking, and he was just speaking his mind.
“That is all well and good,” the principal said, even more tiredly now. “But if you could please try to follow the rules for the eight months we have left together I would be very grateful. I really don’t need Ms. O’Donnell complaining again. Please try. Let’s see if you can stay out of my remaining hairs for a week.”
“Will do Mr. K,” the guy said. There was a bit of movement and Jensen turned to the secretary who was coming back with his schedule.
Jensen really couldn’t pay attention to her because out came a tall kid with shaggy hair and a messenger back pack.
“Shelia,” he announced. “I am free, you are to give me back my camera.”
The woman at the desk looked at him and sighed. “Its Mrs. Frasier now.”
The guy looked over at Jensen and winked. “She used to baby sit me when she used to be Shelia Hart, now she wants me to learn another name, my life is so hard.”
Jensen smiled back. “I can imagine your struggle.”
The guy laughed, throwing his long column of throat back. “So you’re the new guy?”
Jensen was not used to guys around him being that tall, it just drew his attention. This guy was built and sturdy and at the same time seemed like a little puppy. Jensen just gravitated towards him. It was something very new and not at all unwelcomed.
Jensen nodded.
“Welcome to the most cliché high school in America,” Jared said. “Good luck finding your way through the jocks and geeks.”
“Let me guess,” Jensen teased. “Jock.”
“I’m wounded,” Jared said with faux aghast. “I’m a science nerd and an art student and I am good at sports.”
“So you’re pretty much superman,” Jensen said.
“Nah, they all pretty much hate me, which is why I’m going to do you a favor and not be seen with you,” Jared said, the light leaving his face. “I’m not meaning to be rude, but with that face you really don’t want to be seen with me.”
“What does that mean?” Jensen asked.
Jared grinned. “I give you till lunch to find out. It won’t take long.”
With that he left. Jensen was confused for the first time in his life. He was usually the off-putting one.
Shelia smiled at his retreating form.
“Don’t listen to him,” Shelia told him. “He’s a good kid, he just has it hard here, but he’s right, with that face you might want to steer clear in order to survive.
Jensen was beginning to think that this school was seriously screwed up.
**
There seemed to be a heavily divided caste system at this high school, Jensen had seen worse, but not much.
The pretty girls in short skirts looked at him appreciatively, the burly guys in letterman jackets immediately started glaring. Jensen sighed. This wasn’t going to be his favorite high school. The one in Santa Barbra was so good, it was hard to be in this odd place.
It took three periods before those letterman jacket guys came up to him with fake smiles.
“So, what Jensen assumed was the quarterback ring leader. “You play ball?”
Jensen smiled because he could wipe these guys on the floor in anything they wanted to play. Jeff was big on restraint though. Jensen had to learn benevolence and restraint in order to be a leader.
Even to fuck heads like this.
“Nope,” Jensen said.
The lead guy laughed. “Football, Soccer, Basketball?”
“Nope,” Jensen said again with a smile.
The leader got that smile and Jensen knew that he had just been pegged and he now had his social status.
“We’ve got another cocksucker,” the leader said.
“I saw him with Jared earlier,” one of the minions said.
They weren’t being quiet and Jensen looked around as everybody looked at him. He didn’t care much, being called gay just meant that the hot girls would love him more, at least in most schools.
“Have a good day faggot,” the quarterback said as he left with his entourage.
Jensen sighed, because this was quick. This school was something else, like everyone had to have their own little spot, diversity might not be this school’s specialty.
At lunch Jensen found himself walking through throngs of people who seemed to know their place. Jared sat on the grass, looking at the screen on his camera.
“I found out your dirty little secret,” Jensen said coming to sit besides him. “I don’t play sports so apparently I’m gay, real open minded people we have here. They seem to think the same about you.”
Jared didn’t look up. “Well I am actually good at basketball and soccer, they kind of think that I’m gay because I like guys.”
“Dating must be a bitch at this school,” Jensen said and that made Jared look up at him, confused for the first time. “So what is with the pictures?”
Jared looked down again and thought for a moment. “I like to see what is really there, not what I perceive, the pictures help me with that.”
Jensen couldn’t stop looking at the fall of his hair or the way that he bit his lip in concentration.
Jared stood up quickly. “Look seriously, you can get over their first impression, you just need to stay away from me.”
Jared stalked away and Jensen just watched him. This guy was really good at diversion.
It was rather annoying.
**
Jensen came home and threw his bag on the table.
“Train me now,” he said. “I need to hit something.”
“School went that well,” Jeff said, standing up, walking to the back door.
“This school is judgmental as fuck and I hope this is not one of those that I have to stay at long,” Jensen grumbled following him.
“Wow that is a first,” Jeff said, throwing boxing gloves at him, picking up the sparring pads. “But unfortunately for you I’m afraid that we’re gong to have to.”
Jensen looked at him with malice in his eyes.
Jeff held up his hands. “Your powers are coming together. It is time Jensen, it is time for the nine of you to get together, but it is going to take a little bit for us to fix that up.”
Jensen froze because this was the moment, this is what his life had been waiting for.
And for a little bit he was stuck in this hell.
“I think I’m going to go take this out on the tree,” Jensen said through clenched teeth. “Then we can train.”
“Wrap your hands,” Jeff shrugged.
“Yes. Sir,” Jensen said taking off for the old oak on the side of the property.
**
The second day was not so great. Most of the kids ignored him. He got a few glances from girls, but this was a whole new low. Laying low was one thing that was his choice, now it was like everyone was well aware that he was there and ignoring him.
He hated that other people had control.
Jensen plopped down on the grass.
“You can run away if you want, but you really the only person I’ve met in this place who seems worth talking to,” Jensen said without any kind of warning. “So here is the deal. Let me worry about my own rep and talk to me, I’d love some conversation. Hell if you want I will make out with you. I’ve never been with a guy, but I’ll take that chance if it means that you will talk to me about something that doesn’t make my head hurt.”
Jared stopped chewing and nodded.
“Best offer I’ve gotten in a long time,” he said with his mouth full. “Pucker up big guy.”
Jensen laughed, he actually felt the laugh in his gut. “That is why nobody is offering. You are disgusting.”
Jared swallowed. “Welcome to Planet Gay. Population us. Even though you seem to be a forced prisoner. Be careful they like to beat up our kind. Well they won’t beat me up, but you seem to be a bit fragile.”
Jensen had slammed his fist into a 100-year-old oak yesterday until he felled it. That is what it had taken for him to calm down. He was fairly sure that a few high school students wouldn’t be a big deal. If by some chance they were, Jensen had telekinesis on his side.
“Why don’t you get beat up?” Jensen asked.
Jared took another bite of his sandwich and shook his head, “I got bigger than most of them in Junior High, they just kind of like to throw the verbal punches because they know I can and will beat them up. I used to play sports with most of them, can beat them at just about everything so they know better.”
“So are you saying if you weren’t gay you would be the douche bag quarterback?” Jensen asked.
“Ironic isn’t it,” Jared sighed. “So tell me about you. Where did you come from?”
Jensen swallowed. He hadn’t had many friends and pretty much none of those were guys. Lying to people meant that he usually didn’t close. Jared looked at him with those hazel eyes and Jensen didn’t want to lie to him.
“You know how you take pictures so you can see what is actually there?” Jensen said. “How about you see what is really here instead of what I construct for you.”
Jensen had no idea why his heart was beating so rapidly, but it was. This was the kind of honesty he had never afforded anyone.
Jared thought for a moment and then grinned. “You are a strange guy Jensen.”
Jensen resisted the urge to shudder at the sound of what was now his name. Names were so fluid, but this one, on Jared’s lips sounded right.
“So you’re willing to save me from having to gouge my eyes out at the cool kids table?” Jensen teased.
“Definitely,” Jared said. “I believe you have passed the test.”
**
Jeff was chewing on his cigar, he had a nasty looking paint gun in his hands.
Jensen bounced up and down on his feet. “You know this makes me feel like I should call someone about child abuse or something.”
Jeff smiled around his cigar. “Run piggy run.”
Jensen laughed as Jeff shot a paintball at him. The rules were simple, he had to stay in the yard and none of the paintballs could touch him. Bonus points came if he could keep all of the paintballs from busting.
Jensen had never succeeded. It took a bit of concentration and he was good, not that there was anyone really to compare him to, but he could get most of the paintballs floating in the air, surrounded by blue light around the yard like fireflies.
Jensen ran and bounced keeping an eye on the balls as Jeff shot at him. His mind was focused on the now, was focused on the thrumming inside of him. He didn’t know how long it went on for, but when he stopped it was getting dark, the yard was lit up and there wasn’t a paint spot anywhere. He was breathing hard, but something light and giddy had been welling up in him all day.
He clapped his hand and a hundred points of light on the yard started dancing. Jensen started humming ‘Thriller’ and the lights started dancing to his sound.
Jeff rolled his eyes. “What has gotten in you boy.”
Jensen grinned at him and gathered all the balls and placed them at Jeff’s feet.
“Wanna see something?” Jensen asked, his hands lighting up blue.
Jeff watched as Jensen generated power in his hands. Jensen reached up to the sky and let the fire works fly.
Jeff watched with wide eyes. “Well I’ll be, when did you learn to generate? And stop it, you are going to draw attention.”
Jensen grinned. “I don’t know. I just feel it welling up. Is this normal.”
Jeff raised an eyebrow. “It was for your father. He was one of the few who could generate.”
Jensen’s smile grew.
He began to thrash the trees to ‘Thriller.’
He didn’t notice Jeff’s small smile and raised eyebrow.
**
“That is by far and away the worst picture that I’ve ever seen,” Jared said, looking at the digital screen.
Jared looked up. “No seriously dude, I’ve never seen anyone with less of an eye for composition, it isn’t even just boring, it sucks.”
Jensen laughed. “I told you I wasn’t a photographer.”
They were in the fall sunlight again. Jensen was laughing on the ground. He hadn’t been happy many times in his life, the constant running and fear of death had a tendency to do things like that to a person.
He never forgot that he was one of nine alien beings that were the hope of a universe. Except for when Jared Padalecki made him laugh.
The weather was odd this fall, the air was humid, yet it didn’t rain, and there was lightning at night.
Jensen felt alive.
“Jennifer Andrews is looking at you again,” Jared replied objectively, not looking up.
Jensen shrugged. “I’ve been with a thousand girls like her.”
“So go,” Jared prodded. “Have more sex. One of us should be getting laid.”
Jensen felt a little thrill at the naming of ‘us.’ He was not going to think about this too much. He wasn’t going to think too much about it because he was inevitably leaving, and thinking about Jared’s smile, or hazel eyes, or amazing dimples, or those hands was a moot point.
He didn’t want to think about the fact that he wasn’t interested in short meaningless relationship with girls since the first time that he had figured out what the girls were for.
“You know how to play chess?” Jared asked.
Jensen squinted in the sunlight. “Please tell me that you don’t want to break out a chessboard in the middle of the quad, because I don’t think that your shred of reputation will ever be redeemable after that.”
“Thanks for thinking of me,” Jared said. “I’ll have you know that I’m wicked smart, I like chess.”
“How about we play at my house?” Jensen asked. He nearly choked when he realized that he said. He had never asked anybody home. Jeff was going to kill him.
But despite his internal kicking he kept talking. “Jeff loves chess and he will be psyched that someone is getting me to play.”
“I still find it weird that you call your father Jeff,” Jared said.
“I still find it weird that you didn’t stay in the closet until you were out of this place,” Jensen countered.
“Touché,” Jared said. “So tonight?”
“Look at the little butt buddies,” one of the jocks yelled.
Jared watched them pass and rolled his eyes. “They’re so idiotic. Like being near me I’m suddenly going to fall at their feet and try to suck their dicks. I’m no not interested in them. I never had been.”
“I can see why,” Jensen said. “I wouldn’t fuck them with your dick.”
“My dick would be useless in that situation,” Jared informed him.
“I would totally lose respect for you,” Jensen said. “So what is your type?”
Jared looked at him and Jensen was mesmerized by those eyes.
“Jensen,” Jared said, low and serious. “You need to try to get in some girl’s pants.”
Jensen swallowed.
**
“Jeff,” Jensen said rushing into the house. “You have to clean up. Jared is coming over to play chess.”
Jeff looked around the meager area, which was as neat as possible, he raised an eyebrow.
“You hate chess,” Jeff said. “In fact I think that you hate anything that has to do with strategy.”
“Jeff,” Jensen growled. “Focus.”
Jeff raised an eyebrow. “Do we own a chess board?”
“Yes,” Jensen said grinding his teeth and being sheepish. “I saw it when we moved in, I hid it so you won’t make me play.”
“But with Jared it is fun?” Jeff noted. “I am wounded.”
“How about I go do some pull-ups and push ups and we don’t talk about this,” Jensen told him.
Jeff snickered and on his face was that look that he knew more than Jensen, which Jensen knew he did. Jensen glared and went to the back yard to do some reps.
Jeff closed his eyes, felt the heaviness in the air. It wasn’t an impossible natural incident, but it was telling enough. Jeff hadn’t felt anything like this since he was a kid, the power, the air was literally heavy with possibility.
The last time he had felt this was Jensen’s father, back when they were young, back when possibility was something that Jeff still looked on as hopeful.
**
“The horsy goes in an ‘L’ shape,” Jeff said coming to Jensen’s bedroom. “Your hair looks amazingly like you didn’t spend a second on it and only took an hour.”
Jensen gave him a look of death.
“Now that look is purely your father,” Jeff said. “Your boy is here.”
Jensen was distracted enough not to ask about his father when Jeff, as he usually did when Jeff would talk about him.
Jensen’s hands began to glow.
“Kid, calm it down,” Jeff growled.
Jensen took a breath.
He walked down the stairs, Jared stood there with a smile.
“Ready to lose?” Jared asked.
Every light in the house flickered.
“Damn old lighting,” Jeff said. “Want a beer kid?”
Jared looked a little startled.
Jeff shrugged. “Figured getting you drunk was the only way that Jensen stands a chance.”
Jared cackled and turned towards Jensen, Jensen was blushing a little under his freckles. His hand went to the back of his neck.
“Whatever you two,” Jensen mumbled. “Let’s play.”
**
“Sucka,” Jared sang. “Also check.”
“Move your bishop,” Jeff said from his place behind the monitors.
After the first two losses, Jared had stopped complaining about Jeff’s help. Jensen was low in his chair, staring at the board, focused on the board. Jeff was the best he knew, Jensen was the luckiest person on the face of the planet. Jared seemed to be beating both of them with ease.
Jared moved and Jeff finally stood up and looked over Jensen’s shoulder. “Seriously, I’ve never…”
At that moment Jensen fell off his chair.
“Dude,” Jared said. “You are taking this really hard.”
Jeff was at his side.
“Jensen kill the lights,” Jeff whispered.
“They’re coming Jeff,” Jensen whispered, lifting a hand the middle of his hand glowing blue, then he closed his hand and every light in the house went out.
“I’m okay,” Jensen said, sitting up. “But they’re coming.”
Jared came and bent down to where they were on the floor. His eyes were wide and he looked at Jensen.
“What is going on?” Jared asked.
Jensen looked up at him, eyes wide and regretful. “I’m not who you think I am.”
Jared looked at him.
“We have to get out of here,” Jeff growled. “We have to get the tools upstairs, we have to get the car, and we have about a minute until the Guides come, four more until we get the first wave.”
“You have a plan that needs three people,” Jared said and both of their heads turned to look at him. Jensen had never seen him look so young, and Jared didn’t look up from Jensen’s glowing hands.
“I’ll get the car if you give me the keys, Jeff is the only one who knows the ‘stuff’ that you all will need, I’m going to assume that Jensen can hold off the Guides until I get back with the car,” Jared said quietly.
“I don’t…” Jensen began.
“No,” Jeff said. “The kid outlined a good plan, maybe even the only plan that will get us out of here ahead of them. We need to run and he’s right, we need three people. We will figure out everything we need to figure out once we’re out of here. Trust me, I promise, trust me.”
Jensen looked at him defiantly.
“You won’t let anything hurt him,” Jeff said quietly. “He’s safe if he’s with us and this is how we all can be safest.
Jared looked terrified, but he nodded.
That look on his face was Jensen’s entire world.
“Holy fuck,” Jensen said and he reached up and cupped Jared’s head with both his hands. “You’re an idiot. If you die I will end the world and you better believe that I could do it.”
Jensen’s hands were shaking and glowing bright cobalt. Jared’s face was lit up and he looked at Jensen.
“Fuck it,” Jared said and leaned forward grabbing Jensen’s mouth with his, tongue licking in, he kissed needy and fast.
He pulled away. “You should have hit on some girl.”
His voice was horse and Jensen was stunned.
Jeff hauled the two of them up.
“Go,” Jeff growled. “We have three minutes.”
He thrust keys into Jared’s palm. Jensen stood up and stretched. The air around him vibrated. Jared took a look at him and for a second their gazes held. Then Jared got up and went out the back door.
“Trust me,” Jeff said and sprinted up the stairs.
Jensen closed his eyes and went out to the front porch. He could feel them coming. He waited, calm and cold. He heard the rattling in the garage.
Then he saw them coming, first as nothing more than what could be wind.
Jensen felt them in the back of his throat, knowing nothing more than there were two things in this house that he would protect with his life. He had never felt this calm, he had never felt this need, he had never felt this power.
He saw them come and they came at him fast. With a flick of the wrist he lifted them, feeling the connection, feeling the struggle. He contained the being as it struggled, and shot at him. It was coming at him in a million different directions. He focused on it focused on finding what should be its neck he was going to snap it.
Out of the corner of his consciousness came their black jeep. It slammed into the creature. Jensen reached out while it was stunned and snapped his neck.
It was the first time he had killed. He could feel it. It felt wrong and gross and part of him, then Jared opened the door and looked at him wild eyed.
Jeff came out the door at a full run dragging Jensen with him.
“Get in,” Jeff growled.
Jensen had learned to automatically obey that voice immediately.
Jared grit his teeth and pressed down the accelerator as soon as they were in. The doors weren’t even closed.
They drove for less than a mile when the red fire started coming at them. Jared’s knuckles turned white as he tried to evade the worst of it, letting Jensen deflect the shots.
Jared drove at full throttle down the sleepy highway as those things came straight at them. Jensen looked at their car bearing down on them.
“Gas?” Jared grit out.
“Gas,” Jeff said.
Jensen’s eyes were glowing blue, sweating with the effort.
Suddenly the thing exploded, the car going off the road. Jared didn’t look at it at all, he kept driving as if hell was on their heels.
Jensen passed out.
Jeff looked at him, checked his vitals. When he was assured that Jensen was still alive he looked to Jared.
“Good driving,” Jeff barked. “Where you heading.”
“Away,” Jared said. “My uncle has a cabin on the Gulf Coast. I thought we could regroup there.”
Jeff sat back and nodded.
“He okay,” Jared said, sounding once again like a eighteen-year-old boy.
“He’s fine,” Jeff said gruffly. “He’ll be fine. I didn’t know he could do that yet, his father could, but I doubt even he knew that he could do that.”
“What are you?” Jared asked after a second.
“We’re not from around here,” Jeff said lightly.
Jared swallowed. “Oh. Staying long?”
Jeff laughed. “There is no home to go back to.”
“That is-“
“Don’t worry about it boy,” Jeff said, that know it all humorous tone entering his voice again. “So you like him?”
“He’s probably the best friend that I’ve had in years,” Jared admitted, trying to be as diplomatic as possible.
“Kiss many of your friends?” Jeff asked.
Jared nearly drove off the road.
“Never,” Jared admitted, looking straight ahead, grinding his teeth. “You gonna make me stop and get out. Are two boys together a sin on your planet too?”
“No,” Jeff said, laded with meaning that Jared wasn’t even going to start to try to understand. “Keep driving.”
**
Jensen woke up to sunlight and birds.
Jeff was on the end of his bed.
“Bout time kid,” Jeff said rubbing a hand over his face.
Jensen swallowed. He was thirsty.
“I know it takes a lot out of you,” Jeff said, holding up water.
Jensen drank greedily.
“Hydrate slowly,” Jeff advised.
When Jensen stopped he only had one word. “Jared?”
“Sleeping,” Jeff said.
Jensen looked obviously relieved.
“There is something that I didn’t tell you,” Jeff began. “Something that I didn’t know if you would have to know. I mean the way that you go after girls, I thought that maybe it wouldn’t translate here, but you’ve gotta be real with me. That kiss, maybe it was on both your sides?”
Jensen looked at Jeff for a long moment. They weren’t really ones to have long heart to hearts. It made them both feel very uncomfortable. Jensen knew this and decided that maybe he’d would love to heckle Jeff a little bit because obviously he was keeping secrets.
“When he kissed me I wanted to crawl inside of him and never leave,” Jensen said. I couldn’t control anything, if I didn’t have people chasing me and crawling around in my head I don’t know how I would have stopped it. I didn’t want to even stop my power at that point. I wanted to envelop him in it.”
Jeff looked a little green. “Well fuck kid.”
“So this attraction isn’t weird?” Jensen challenged, leaning back.
Jeff sighed. “On our home planet love and procreation are different. The nine families intermarried for alliance, to create stronger progeny.”
“I’m a progeny alliance?” Jensen asked.
Jeff nodded. “It is the way things are, you are putting this through a human filter, its not weird for me. We fall for people who have what we need, who offer us something that makes us better. What I saw tonight, that is what happens. You envelop somebody with your powers, you drew him in you and it is going to get worse, for however long you two are complimentary that is how long you will be together, in this together. It won’t go away and if he isn’t here you are weaker. He compliments you, he makes you stronger.”
Jensen was listening with wide eyes.
“It will last until you two don’t compliment each other very well,” Jeff continued, looking off in the distance at something that wasn’t in the room, wasn’t on the planet. “But if you end it before it is over you will always feel the gaping hole.”
“Sounds not so great,” Jensen said quietly.
“It isn’t as bad and as cold as it sounds,” Jeff said tiredly. “We all grow up knowing that this is how it is. It is never one sided, rarely is someone in love unrequitedly. I remember when they started invading, it changed. Love was something temporary, I was just a kid, but I remember that nobody took it seriously. Breeding couples would do their thing and people would go in and out of relationships. After the invasion, it was different. The nine needed people they could trust, people who were strong. Each of the families after the invasion recouped, these couplings, and well the couplings lasted until the world ended. Every one of them. The sex of the couple never mattered. What was between two people was just between two people.”
Jensen looked at him, seeing his eyes well up.
“You talk like you know,” Jensen said softly. “Like you left somebody up there.”
Jeff swallowed and looked at him directly. “Yes. Guy I went to school with. He was above and beyond. We barely noticed each other. I wasn’t that into guys. I worked hard and caroused. I was good at what I did, the best, not really one to do the whole breeding thing. When the invasion came he was head of a house, his wife had just had the second boy, it was six years before the little girl. I met him in the middle of everything and everything has been a pale comparison ever since.”
Jeff looked up and spoke directly to Jensen. “We were forged under dramatic circumstances, under life and death. I wouldn’t call what I had with him love, it was more, so much more. So no, if Jared is something to you then you should take it, because this fight we have isn’t easy. If you find a few moments of comfort and happiness with him then take it.”
Jeff got up and was half way through the door when Jensen spoke.
“Do I remind you of him,” Jensen asked.
Jeff stilled but didn’t turn around. “Not really. You are more like your mother, she was a good woman, from a strong line, driest most hilarious sense of humor that I ever saw. But there are times, mostly when you’re being stubborn, those are the moments when I see him.”
Jeff looked up. "There were a lot of people in my relationship and I think I'm the last one who we'd expect to raise a kid, but I got you, I'm damned proud. You're a good boy."
Jeff walked out.
**
Jensen sat on his bed.
He had known his entire life what he would be this big thing, for his family, for his people.
Never had it been about forging any kind of bond. He felt alone for so much of his life. Jeff could only be so much of a connection.
But today brought Jared.
Tomorrow brought the other eight.
But today was Jared.
And that was something even more freaky. He didn’t know quite what he was going to do with this whole thing.
But he was humming.
He knew exactly where Jared was. Something had happened last night.
Jensen got up and walked to the room that Jared was in.
He just stood at the door, watching Jared sleep. There were long limbs in the mass of comforter.
Jensen just stared. It was sexy and innocent and almost normal. He could feel his body thrumming towards Jared. He just wanted to crawl into the bed with him.
“I’ve had dreams like this,” Jared said, his eyes open, his head still on the pillow.
“With you being in an intergalactic battle and then kidnapped by aliens?” Jensen said, staying at the door.
“With you watching me when I wake up,” Jared said hesitantly. “Although I feel like there is an anal probe joke that should fit in here, but I’m too tired to figure it out.”
“Probably tacky anyway,” Jensen said, watching.
They looked at each other from their sides of the room.
“So I guess we’ve both been keeping a pretty big secret,” Jared tried, lifting his head a little.
“Yeah,” Jensen said sullenly. “I’m actually pretty much a jock.”
“Can I see?” Jared asked sitting up.
Jensen hesitated and then walked across the room. He sat on the bed and opened his hand, Jared looked, it was just a normal hand, with lines that fortunetellers would say could tell Jensen’s future.
Slowly the blue light began to emanate from the palm.
Jared traced it with his finger. They both felt the sparks, the complete body reaction to the very small amount of square inches that they were touching.
Jensen pulled his hand away and swallowed.
Jared looked up. “Do you feel it too? Please tell me you feel it.”
Jensen nodded.
“What can you do with it?” Jared asked.
Jensen tried to talk but the first two attempts came out dry and hoarse. “I don’t know, it is growing, I’ve only known about it for a few months.”
Jared nodded.
“You can go home,” Jensen said. “This is the moment that you can choose. You can go back to your home or you can go back to your life. This is an impossible choice for a eighteen year old to make, but you can make it.”
“At eighteen kids are asked to choose what college and major for their entire lives,” Jared replied. “What is my choice? Lay it out exactly how it is.”
“You can go home and forget that you know anything,” Jensen said.
“And hope that they don’t know who I am,” Jared said quietly.
Jensen continued. “Or you can come with us. You can’t contact your family, you have to drop all ties. You will constantly be on the run until one day we start battling and then you will constantly be at the potential end of your life. “
Jared nodded. “And you?”
“It shouldn’t depend on me,” Jensen said, killing himself a little, this whole conversation was killing him. “I won’t dangle sex.”
Jared scooted closer and then looked at Jensen’s lips before looking up into his eyes.
“No,” Jared said quietly. “I want to stay, I want to get out of my life, but I have wanted you since the moment that I saw you. I can’t be with you every day running for my life and want you so badly, I won’t do that.”
Jensen’s hands glowed blue and he was shaking.
Jared looked up at him, aching. Jensen reached up and grabbed him by the face, Jared moaned heavenly into Jensen mouth. Jensen’s hand ghosted over Jared’s body and he wiggled to move closer to Jensen, fused at the mouth.
It was a time Jensen pulled away and rested his forehead against Jared’s.
“Yes,” Jensen said. “You will be with me, if you stay.”
Jared’s hands snuck under Jensen’s shirt. “If it makes you feel better and that kiss is any indication, you just might kill be before anything else can.”
Jensen dug his fingertips into Jared’s back and Jared shuddered. At that very moment Jensen knew that hew as damned.
“It is stupid and illogical, but stay Jared, stay with me,” Jensen said, wanting so much for the first time in his life.
“I’m staying with you,” Jared swore.
Jensen was glowing again.
“We have a lot of talking to do,” Jensen tried as Jared’s mouth found his neck.
“Jensen we’re eighteen year old boys,” Jared reminded him. “I don’t see conversation happening coherently right now.”
“You win,” Jensen said, body already very into this whole guy on guy thing.
Jared laughed and shucked Jensen of his shirt.
**
Jared and Jensen were smiling and pushing each other out there door.
“Jesus boys,” Jeff said. “Stop horsing around. We have a lead on one of the other kids. We have to get on the road.”
They looked at the car.
“Uh Jeff,” Jensen said curiously. “We have driven Jeeps for years, why this car?”
Jeff looked at the ’67 Chevy Impala with pride.
“Well if Jared is going to keep on trying to smash into things I wanted to get a car that would stand up to it,” Jeff told them. “Get in the car.”
“Yes sir,” they both said. They looked at each other and grinned.
The three of them got in the car, leaving on the dust behind.