Broken Pieces, Break Into Me (4/?)
Title: Broken Pieces, Break Into Me
Pairing: Jensen/Jared
Rating: pg-13
Word Count: 3313
Warnings: Language, violence, and homophobia. High School AU. Jared and Jensen are both seniors.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Jared and Jensen belong to themselves. The fic's title belongs to Adam Lambert.
Summary: High School senior Jared Padalecki is public enemy number one in his school for one reason: he's gay. The only person he can trust is his little sister. But when the new kid, Jensen Ackles, wants to be his friend, Jared may finally find what he's been missing in his life.
Back To Chapter 3
The rest of the week after Jared’s freak out actually went by surprisingly well. Well, for the most part anyways.
The day after his freak out, Jared absolutely dreaded going into school, but Jensen stood by his side and actually smirked as they walked by Katie and the rest of the cheerleaders. They never physically hurt him -come on, he’s not that much of a wuss thank you very much- but most of them had an arm candy in the form of a football player, so Jared knew to stay away from them just as much as the others.
So when he saw Jensen’s mouth quirking up at them, he had to force himself to not hyperventilate and pass out right there in the middle of the hallway before the first bell even rang. He pulled Jensen into the bathroom up the hall and sent up a silent prayer of thanks that it was empty as he leaned against the wall and tried to catch his breath.
“Jare, what’s-”
“Are you insane!?”
Jared tilted his head back to rest against the wall behind him and looked over at Jensen with half-lidded eyes, confusion evident on the other boy’s face.
“Why in the hell were you smirking at Katie Cassidy? Katie of all people. That’s like begging for a death wish in this school, man.”
“I was just-”
“She’s Tom’s girlfriend, Jensen. She probably ran off to tell him the second we walked by!”
Jensen closed the gap between them and rested his hands on Jared’s shoulders, keeping eye contact at all times.
“Jared, I already told you, stop worrying. They aren’t going to do anything to me and they aren’t going to touch you.” Jensen told him, a twinge of anger and protectiveness lacing his words.
“But-”
“Dude, seriously, what can I do to make you realize that everything’s going to be okay? They won’t touch me. They’re too afraid to. I meant what I told them when I said I’d get them expelled; guess they never thought someone in this school would have enough balls to do it.” The smirk Jensen had given Katie was back in place, albeit kinder this time around, gentler.
Jared closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, slowly but surely calming down as he let Jensen’s words sink in. He was right; things were going to change now that he had Jensen with him.
He wasn’t alone anymore, therefore not as easy a target. Maybe he could even get Chad-no, he didn’t let his mind go there. Chad had ditched him at the first sign of trouble, even though they swore in the 6th grade they’d always be friends. He was just looking out for himself, Jared could understand that, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt him every time Chad looked away, as if he didn’t even exist at all.
But that was fine, whatever, he told himself.
Maybe one day, he’d actually believe it.
**
Turns out Jensen really was right.
Everyone left them alone and Jensen kept a steady stream of conversation going to distract him while they were walking from class to class, that way his entire focus was on Jensen and not on the eyes of the student body that were following their every move.
For the first in a long time, Jared was actually having a good day.
Jensen not only took him home but offered to stay and help him with his homework. Jared agreed instantly, not wanting his good mood to leave him anytime soon.
Not wanting Jensen to leave him.
That’s how Jared found himself sitting on the floor against his bed, Jensen so close to him that they were connected from shoulder to thigh, as they read over the textbook in front of them and did their work.
If someone had come up to Jared two weeks ago and told him that he would be sitting in his room doing his homework with his friend, his unbelievably funny, kind, gorgeous friend, he would have thought they were crazy. Because a) no one in their right mind would be caught dead talking to the social outcast and b) no one would have been his friend.
But sure enough, here he is.
And he secretly kind of loved it.
They were listening to a CD Jensen had with him while they worked, a mix tape of everything from Taylor Swift, Stevie Nicks and Katy Perry to AC/DC, Fall Out Boy and Placebo (the last one pleasantly surprised Jared, he was beginning to think that he was the only person in Texas that knew who they were.)
They were currently listening to a country song, something that was obviously live and not produced in a studio; there was laughing and cheering going on in distantly in the background and if Jared closed his eyes he was sure he could picture himself there as singer strummed his guitar. He had never heard the song before, but when he glanced over at Jensen, he noticed that he was bobbing his head along to the beat and was mouthing the words to himself.
“I’ve never heard this song. Who’s the singer?” He asked as the song hit the chorus and Jensen’s eyes snapped over to his, obviously lost in the melody until Jared broke him out of it.
“Hmm? Oh...they’re um, not well known. Not known at all really...”
Jared cocked an eyebrow at him, waiting for further explanation. Jensen ran a hand through his hair and scratched the back of his neck as he looked away and stared at the stereo on the other end of the room where the music was pouring out of.
“They’re kind of, um...my friends? Back from my old town... they recorded it and they gave it to me.”
Jared felt his eyes widen and his mouth drop, “Wait...you know them? This song is really great.”
Jensen nodded in agreement. “The main singer, his name’s Christian, Chris, Kane. He’s a few years older than me, but we’ve always been friends. The other singer is his friend, Steve. The three of us were pretty close growing up.”
As the song got towards the end, Jared realized there were more than two voices singing and something clicked, “That’s really cool. You don’t sing too... do you?” he asked, watching Jensen’s face for any sign of an answer.
Jensen didn’t answer, but his entire face reddened as his eyes darted around the room, looking suddenly very embarrassed.
Jared laid his hand on Jensen’s neck gently and squeezed reassuringly. “It’s okay Jen, forget I brought it up I-” He was interrupted by his door opening.
“Jared sweetie, can you...oh! Um...”
His mom’s eyes widened as they landed on Jared’s hand still on Jensen’s neck and he pulled it away quickly as if he were burned, rising to his feet as his discarded notebook and pen fell off of his lap and onto a heap on the floor in front of him.
“Mom! This um...this is Jensen Ackles, he’s new in town. Jen...this is my mom.”
He really hoped his mom didn’t notice how shaky his voice was.
Jensen put his things on the ground and stood up, offering his hand to Sherri and smiling warmly.
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”
Sherri shook his hand but eyed him skeptically.
“You never told me you were going to have a friend over, Jared.” His mother directed towards him, heavy emphasis on the word.
“I...I it was last minute mom. We both had the same assignment, a-and since Meg stays after school today till later...we decided to just do it...together.” Jared was stumbling over his words and making an idiot out of himself and he knew it, but his nerves were getting the best of him and he was trying really hard to keep his cool and not freak out.
Jared knew exactly what was going through his mom’s mind, and he wished to God he knew what to stay to stop her from jumping to conclusions, but he couldn’t say anything at all. His mind was drawing a blank.
Thankfully, Jensen saved him. Again.
Like he said, Jensen had a ‘saving people’ thing, something Jared was immensely grateful for right now.
“I actually have to get going; I told my mom I’d finish unpacking all of my things...It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Padalecki.” Jensen told her kindly, offering his hand to her again and then picking up his things off the ground quickly.
“I’ll see you tomorrow Jare.”
It took Jared a few moments to get his brain to signal to his mouth to move and get words out. “Y-yeah, bye Jensen,” He said as he walked the other boy passed his mother and to the door.
“Calm down, Jay.” Jensen whispered quietly to him before closing the door behind him and leaving Jared alone in the house with his mom.
“So...he’s new here, you said.” She asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Yes, momma. His family just moved here from Dallas. His younger sister goes to school with Megan, they’ve become friends also.” He said, glancing behind her and towards the hallway to his room, to his escape.
“Well...I don’t see why you’ve invited him over, but Chad hasn’t been around in quite some time...”
Jared ignored the way his heart dropped to his stomach and resisted the urge to grind his teeth together.
“Momma, he’s just a friend. And Chad’s...he’s just busy. We don’t really have any classes together, a-and he’s got a girlfriend now, so-”
“That’s no excuse, Jared. You two have been friends for ages...it’s not nice to just abandon him after everything.”
Irony, gotta fucking love it.
“Look mom, I gotta go, Megan will be out of school soon...so...be back later.” He turned and went out the door before his mother could protest and quickly walked down the street, not slowing down until he turned the corner.
It was times like these that he just wanted to blurt out the truth about everything, just let his parents know what the fuck has been going on...but he couldn’t.
Meg was the only one in the family that even accepted what...who he was.
He couldn’t just go springing this onto his parents as well. ‘Oh hey, mom, dad; not only am I gay, but I’m the most hated kid in school get the crap beaten out of me on a weekly basis. Just thought you oughta know .’
Yeah, that would go by swimmingly.
**
Ever since Sherri had found the boys in Jared’s room, they had started going over to Jensen’s house after school instead and Megan started walking over with Mackenzie.
When Jared first met Donna Ackles, saying he was nervous would be an understatement. He for sure thought she would act the same way as his own mother, and they would have to resort to only seeing each other during school.
Jared didn’t know if he could handle that; he had grown accustomed to always having Jensen beside him for most of the day.
But to his surprise, Donna not only greeted him warmly, but she even hugged him.
It had been a long time since someone other than his family hugged him.
Just one look at her and Jared could see where Jensen got his looks from. His mother had wavy blonde hair that just about reached her forearms and a dusting of freckles just like Jensen’s. She had the same green eyes as Jensen did, only where his were a deep moss, hers were a lighter green, almost yellow.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you, Jared. Jensen here can’t stop talking about you, we’re so glad that he made a good friend so quickly here.”
Jared blushed and subconsciously shook his head, his hair falling in front of his eyes as his own personal shield against the world.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Mrs. Ackles.”
“Oh, please, call me Donna.”
Jared nodded, but didn’t reply.
“Now then, will you be staying for dinner, Jared?”
His eyes widened almost comically at her question. He couldn’t believe how ridiculously nice she was being towards him, the outcast.
“Um...my sister should be by soon, and I really don’t want to impose-”
“Nonsense, you’re both welcome. Any friends of my kids are always welcome here.”
“But, my mom-”
“You can call her from the house phone; I’ll even talk to her if you want...would you like me to give you a minute to come up with any other excuses?” Jared also now knew where Jensen got his sarcasm and sense of humor from.
Just as he was about to answer her, the front door opened and the two loud teenage girls walked in, arms linked and laughing as they kept their heads close together to share the ear buds connected to an iPod in Mackenzie’s hand.
“So...guess I’m cooking for six tonight.” Donna said smiling before retreating to the kitchen.
Jared couldn’t believe a family as amazing as them was becoming a part of his life.
**
Three weeks had passed since Jared and Megan stayed over to eat dinner with the Ackles’. Ever since then, they began a routine.
Every day after school, the boys would go to Jensen’s house to do their homework and just hang out until the girls got home. The four of them would then drive the nine blocks to the Padalecki house in Jensen’s truck. Jared and Megan stayed over for dinner every few days and they would sometimes hang out over the weekends.
To say that Jared’s life had done a complete 180 would be just about right.
People in school still treated him like a pariah, and would occasionally tape things to his lockers and whisper about him in the halls, but they all started keeping their distance.
He wasn’t stupid though. He was still wary of everyone around him, and would only minutely relax when he and Jensen would take their seats at the back of a class, but still.
For the first time in a long time, Jared wasn’t living in constant fear at school.
For the first time in a long time, Jared didn’t hate his life.
“He’s good for you, Jay.” Megan said to him one morning while sitting on his bed.
Jared rolled his eyes as he pulled on a hoodie from his closet.
“Whatever, squirt.”
“I’m serious...I haven’t even had to pull out the makeup bag in almost a month. He’s totally changed your life for the better and you know it.”
“We’re just friends, Meg.”
“Yeah well...you’re different now, happier. And you can deny it all you want, but it’s completely because of Jensen.”
Jared let her words sink in as he sat beside on the bed.
She was right, about everything.
Jensen was pretty much single handedly changing his life.
For the first time in a long time, Jared prayed that he could finally keep the happiness he had been given.
Prayed he could keep Jensen.
**
After school that day, they were both sitting on Jensen’s bed doing their calculus homework.
Or at least they were trying to.
“Ugh, I give! I highly doubt I’m ever going to use this crap in real life, I don’t see a point in frying my brain any further.” Jared groaned out as he threw himself backwards to lie out in the bed, covering his face with his arm.
“Come on Jare, it’s not that bad. Here, I’ll help you.”
“You can’t possibly be done already,” Jared said with disbelief coloring his words as he sat up and moved closer to look over Jensen’s shoulder to see that yup, Jensen had completed all 15 math problems in the time it took him to do 6.
“It’s really not that hard, just-” Jensen turned his head to look over his should at Jared and came within inches of the other boy’s face.
Their eyes stayed completely locked onto each other as time seemed to freeze and everything around them fell away until it was just them. They were so close that Jared could feel every warm puff from Jensen’s exhale.
“Jared...”
That was the only word spoken because the next thing either of them knew, the small distance between them was closed and they were kissing.
It was just a simple press of lips, but it was enough for Jared to become completely addicted to.
They pulled apart as their breaths mingled, foreheads pressed together as they stared into each other’s eyes, hundreds of emotions flitting through their gazes.
Jared opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Jensen’s mouth crashing into his, slotting their lips together as they both tumbled back onto the bed.
Jared’s arms instantly went around Jensen’s waist to keep him in place, wantneedmore totally overpowering his senses as his brain chanted a litany of yes and god and Jensen.
His brain completely short circuited when one of Jensen’s hands wove their way into his hair and tugged gently, just this side of pain, making him groan into the kiss and dig his fingertips into Jensen’s side, fingers edging along the sliver of skin between Jensen’s jeans and t-shirt.
Jensen seemed to like that response because he moaned brokenly into the kiss, tugging Jared’s bottom lip in between his teeth and pulling gently, licking away the sting.
Jared flipped them over and immediately returned his lips to Jensen’s, licking at the seam, asking for entrance that Jensen instantly gave.
Jensen’s mouth was something else entirely and Jared moaned at the taste alone.
Jensen was a drug, as simple as that.
And Jared was becoming hopelessly addicted.
There was a part of him that couldn’t believe this was happening, that he was really, truly, honest to god kissing Jensen.
It’s a fucking miracle is what it was.
They were interrupted by the shrill ringing of Jared’s cell phone. Jensen mumbled against his lips to just let it ring, but he pulled away anyways, trying to ignore the feeling of loss as he sat up and pulled his phone out.
His stomach dropped when he saw Mom on the screen.
That’s when his mind decided to bitch smack him back into reality.
He couldn’t do this. He just...couldn’t.
Things were slowly but finally changing at school. If they did this, it would just give Tom and his gang more fodder and then they’d never let up.
Then both he and Jensen would definitely be on their hit list.
Not to mention his parents.
They were dead set on the notion that Jared was just going through a phase, an act of teenage rebellion. That once he gets it out of his system, he’ll find a nice girl, settle down, and have the 2.5 kids complete with the white picket fence and a dog.
So they couldn’t...not only was he protecting himself, but he was protecting Jensen.
Above all else, he had to protect Jensen the way Jensen was trying to protect him.
“I...I gotta go.”
“Jared...wha-” He glanced over to see that Jensen was still laying on the bed, propped up by his elbows. His hair was completely mussed and his lips were wet and swollen. His eyes were dark, pupils blown wide with a circle of emerald green around them.
He was the textbook definition of sin and Jared wanted nothing more than to just continue what they were doing.
But instead he grabbed his backpack off the ground, picked up his calculus notebook (he really didn’t want to think about how that ended up on the floor) and walked to the door.
“I...we can’t do this, Jen.”
“Jay...”
“Bye, Jensen.”
And without another word he opened the door and left, clenching his jaw and willing the tears not to fall.
Chapter 5
Pairing: Jensen/Jared
Rating: pg-13
Word Count: 3313
Warnings: Language, violence, and homophobia. High School AU. Jared and Jensen are both seniors.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Jared and Jensen belong to themselves. The fic's title belongs to Adam Lambert.
Summary: High School senior Jared Padalecki is public enemy number one in his school for one reason: he's gay. The only person he can trust is his little sister. But when the new kid, Jensen Ackles, wants to be his friend, Jared may finally find what he's been missing in his life.
Back To Chapter 3
The rest of the week after Jared’s freak out actually went by surprisingly well. Well, for the most part anyways.
The day after his freak out, Jared absolutely dreaded going into school, but Jensen stood by his side and actually smirked as they walked by Katie and the rest of the cheerleaders. They never physically hurt him -come on, he’s not that much of a wuss thank you very much- but most of them had an arm candy in the form of a football player, so Jared knew to stay away from them just as much as the others.
So when he saw Jensen’s mouth quirking up at them, he had to force himself to not hyperventilate and pass out right there in the middle of the hallway before the first bell even rang. He pulled Jensen into the bathroom up the hall and sent up a silent prayer of thanks that it was empty as he leaned against the wall and tried to catch his breath.
“Jare, what’s-”
“Are you insane!?”
Jared tilted his head back to rest against the wall behind him and looked over at Jensen with half-lidded eyes, confusion evident on the other boy’s face.
“Why in the hell were you smirking at Katie Cassidy? Katie of all people. That’s like begging for a death wish in this school, man.”
“I was just-”
“She’s Tom’s girlfriend, Jensen. She probably ran off to tell him the second we walked by!”
Jensen closed the gap between them and rested his hands on Jared’s shoulders, keeping eye contact at all times.
“Jared, I already told you, stop worrying. They aren’t going to do anything to me and they aren’t going to touch you.” Jensen told him, a twinge of anger and protectiveness lacing his words.
“But-”
“Dude, seriously, what can I do to make you realize that everything’s going to be okay? They won’t touch me. They’re too afraid to. I meant what I told them when I said I’d get them expelled; guess they never thought someone in this school would have enough balls to do it.” The smirk Jensen had given Katie was back in place, albeit kinder this time around, gentler.
Jared closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, slowly but surely calming down as he let Jensen’s words sink in. He was right; things were going to change now that he had Jensen with him.
He wasn’t alone anymore, therefore not as easy a target. Maybe he could even get Chad-no, he didn’t let his mind go there. Chad had ditched him at the first sign of trouble, even though they swore in the 6th grade they’d always be friends. He was just looking out for himself, Jared could understand that, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt him every time Chad looked away, as if he didn’t even exist at all.
But that was fine, whatever, he told himself.
Maybe one day, he’d actually believe it.
**
Turns out Jensen really was right.
Everyone left them alone and Jensen kept a steady stream of conversation going to distract him while they were walking from class to class, that way his entire focus was on Jensen and not on the eyes of the student body that were following their every move.
For the first in a long time, Jared was actually having a good day.
Jensen not only took him home but offered to stay and help him with his homework. Jared agreed instantly, not wanting his good mood to leave him anytime soon.
Not wanting Jensen to leave him.
That’s how Jared found himself sitting on the floor against his bed, Jensen so close to him that they were connected from shoulder to thigh, as they read over the textbook in front of them and did their work.
If someone had come up to Jared two weeks ago and told him that he would be sitting in his room doing his homework with his friend, his unbelievably funny, kind, gorgeous friend, he would have thought they were crazy. Because a) no one in their right mind would be caught dead talking to the social outcast and b) no one would have been his friend.
But sure enough, here he is.
And he secretly kind of loved it.
They were listening to a CD Jensen had with him while they worked, a mix tape of everything from Taylor Swift, Stevie Nicks and Katy Perry to AC/DC, Fall Out Boy and Placebo (the last one pleasantly surprised Jared, he was beginning to think that he was the only person in Texas that knew who they were.)
They were currently listening to a country song, something that was obviously live and not produced in a studio; there was laughing and cheering going on in distantly in the background and if Jared closed his eyes he was sure he could picture himself there as singer strummed his guitar. He had never heard the song before, but when he glanced over at Jensen, he noticed that he was bobbing his head along to the beat and was mouthing the words to himself.
“I’ve never heard this song. Who’s the singer?” He asked as the song hit the chorus and Jensen’s eyes snapped over to his, obviously lost in the melody until Jared broke him out of it.
“Hmm? Oh...they’re um, not well known. Not known at all really...”
Jared cocked an eyebrow at him, waiting for further explanation. Jensen ran a hand through his hair and scratched the back of his neck as he looked away and stared at the stereo on the other end of the room where the music was pouring out of.
“They’re kind of, um...my friends? Back from my old town... they recorded it and they gave it to me.”
Jared felt his eyes widen and his mouth drop, “Wait...you know them? This song is really great.”
Jensen nodded in agreement. “The main singer, his name’s Christian, Chris, Kane. He’s a few years older than me, but we’ve always been friends. The other singer is his friend, Steve. The three of us were pretty close growing up.”
As the song got towards the end, Jared realized there were more than two voices singing and something clicked, “That’s really cool. You don’t sing too... do you?” he asked, watching Jensen’s face for any sign of an answer.
Jensen didn’t answer, but his entire face reddened as his eyes darted around the room, looking suddenly very embarrassed.
Jared laid his hand on Jensen’s neck gently and squeezed reassuringly. “It’s okay Jen, forget I brought it up I-” He was interrupted by his door opening.
“Jared sweetie, can you...oh! Um...”
His mom’s eyes widened as they landed on Jared’s hand still on Jensen’s neck and he pulled it away quickly as if he were burned, rising to his feet as his discarded notebook and pen fell off of his lap and onto a heap on the floor in front of him.
“Mom! This um...this is Jensen Ackles, he’s new in town. Jen...this is my mom.”
He really hoped his mom didn’t notice how shaky his voice was.
Jensen put his things on the ground and stood up, offering his hand to Sherri and smiling warmly.
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”
Sherri shook his hand but eyed him skeptically.
“You never told me you were going to have a friend over, Jared.” His mother directed towards him, heavy emphasis on the word.
“I...I it was last minute mom. We both had the same assignment, a-and since Meg stays after school today till later...we decided to just do it...together.” Jared was stumbling over his words and making an idiot out of himself and he knew it, but his nerves were getting the best of him and he was trying really hard to keep his cool and not freak out.
Jared knew exactly what was going through his mom’s mind, and he wished to God he knew what to stay to stop her from jumping to conclusions, but he couldn’t say anything at all. His mind was drawing a blank.
Thankfully, Jensen saved him. Again.
Like he said, Jensen had a ‘saving people’ thing, something Jared was immensely grateful for right now.
“I actually have to get going; I told my mom I’d finish unpacking all of my things...It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Padalecki.” Jensen told her kindly, offering his hand to her again and then picking up his things off the ground quickly.
“I’ll see you tomorrow Jare.”
It took Jared a few moments to get his brain to signal to his mouth to move and get words out. “Y-yeah, bye Jensen,” He said as he walked the other boy passed his mother and to the door.
“Calm down, Jay.” Jensen whispered quietly to him before closing the door behind him and leaving Jared alone in the house with his mom.
“So...he’s new here, you said.” She asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Yes, momma. His family just moved here from Dallas. His younger sister goes to school with Megan, they’ve become friends also.” He said, glancing behind her and towards the hallway to his room, to his escape.
“Well...I don’t see why you’ve invited him over, but Chad hasn’t been around in quite some time...”
Jared ignored the way his heart dropped to his stomach and resisted the urge to grind his teeth together.
“Momma, he’s just a friend. And Chad’s...he’s just busy. We don’t really have any classes together, a-and he’s got a girlfriend now, so-”
“That’s no excuse, Jared. You two have been friends for ages...it’s not nice to just abandon him after everything.”
Irony, gotta fucking love it.
“Look mom, I gotta go, Megan will be out of school soon...so...be back later.” He turned and went out the door before his mother could protest and quickly walked down the street, not slowing down until he turned the corner.
It was times like these that he just wanted to blurt out the truth about everything, just let his parents know what the fuck has been going on...but he couldn’t.
Meg was the only one in the family that even accepted what...who he was.
He couldn’t just go springing this onto his parents as well. ‘Oh hey, mom, dad; not only am I gay, but I’m the most hated kid in school get the crap beaten out of me on a weekly basis. Just thought you oughta know .’
Yeah, that would go by swimmingly.
**
Ever since Sherri had found the boys in Jared’s room, they had started going over to Jensen’s house after school instead and Megan started walking over with Mackenzie.
When Jared first met Donna Ackles, saying he was nervous would be an understatement. He for sure thought she would act the same way as his own mother, and they would have to resort to only seeing each other during school.
Jared didn’t know if he could handle that; he had grown accustomed to always having Jensen beside him for most of the day.
But to his surprise, Donna not only greeted him warmly, but she even hugged him.
It had been a long time since someone other than his family hugged him.
Just one look at her and Jared could see where Jensen got his looks from. His mother had wavy blonde hair that just about reached her forearms and a dusting of freckles just like Jensen’s. She had the same green eyes as Jensen did, only where his were a deep moss, hers were a lighter green, almost yellow.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you, Jared. Jensen here can’t stop talking about you, we’re so glad that he made a good friend so quickly here.”
Jared blushed and subconsciously shook his head, his hair falling in front of his eyes as his own personal shield against the world.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Mrs. Ackles.”
“Oh, please, call me Donna.”
Jared nodded, but didn’t reply.
“Now then, will you be staying for dinner, Jared?”
His eyes widened almost comically at her question. He couldn’t believe how ridiculously nice she was being towards him, the outcast.
“Um...my sister should be by soon, and I really don’t want to impose-”
“Nonsense, you’re both welcome. Any friends of my kids are always welcome here.”
“But, my mom-”
“You can call her from the house phone; I’ll even talk to her if you want...would you like me to give you a minute to come up with any other excuses?” Jared also now knew where Jensen got his sarcasm and sense of humor from.
Just as he was about to answer her, the front door opened and the two loud teenage girls walked in, arms linked and laughing as they kept their heads close together to share the ear buds connected to an iPod in Mackenzie’s hand.
“So...guess I’m cooking for six tonight.” Donna said smiling before retreating to the kitchen.
Jared couldn’t believe a family as amazing as them was becoming a part of his life.
**
Three weeks had passed since Jared and Megan stayed over to eat dinner with the Ackles’. Ever since then, they began a routine.
Every day after school, the boys would go to Jensen’s house to do their homework and just hang out until the girls got home. The four of them would then drive the nine blocks to the Padalecki house in Jensen’s truck. Jared and Megan stayed over for dinner every few days and they would sometimes hang out over the weekends.
To say that Jared’s life had done a complete 180 would be just about right.
People in school still treated him like a pariah, and would occasionally tape things to his lockers and whisper about him in the halls, but they all started keeping their distance.
He wasn’t stupid though. He was still wary of everyone around him, and would only minutely relax when he and Jensen would take their seats at the back of a class, but still.
For the first time in a long time, Jared wasn’t living in constant fear at school.
For the first time in a long time, Jared didn’t hate his life.
“He’s good for you, Jay.” Megan said to him one morning while sitting on his bed.
Jared rolled his eyes as he pulled on a hoodie from his closet.
“Whatever, squirt.”
“I’m serious...I haven’t even had to pull out the makeup bag in almost a month. He’s totally changed your life for the better and you know it.”
“We’re just friends, Meg.”
“Yeah well...you’re different now, happier. And you can deny it all you want, but it’s completely because of Jensen.”
Jared let her words sink in as he sat beside on the bed.
She was right, about everything.
Jensen was pretty much single handedly changing his life.
For the first time in a long time, Jared prayed that he could finally keep the happiness he had been given.
Prayed he could keep Jensen.
**
After school that day, they were both sitting on Jensen’s bed doing their calculus homework.
Or at least they were trying to.
“Ugh, I give! I highly doubt I’m ever going to use this crap in real life, I don’t see a point in frying my brain any further.” Jared groaned out as he threw himself backwards to lie out in the bed, covering his face with his arm.
“Come on Jare, it’s not that bad. Here, I’ll help you.”
“You can’t possibly be done already,” Jared said with disbelief coloring his words as he sat up and moved closer to look over Jensen’s shoulder to see that yup, Jensen had completed all 15 math problems in the time it took him to do 6.
“It’s really not that hard, just-” Jensen turned his head to look over his should at Jared and came within inches of the other boy’s face.
Their eyes stayed completely locked onto each other as time seemed to freeze and everything around them fell away until it was just them. They were so close that Jared could feel every warm puff from Jensen’s exhale.
“Jared...”
That was the only word spoken because the next thing either of them knew, the small distance between them was closed and they were kissing.
It was just a simple press of lips, but it was enough for Jared to become completely addicted to.
They pulled apart as their breaths mingled, foreheads pressed together as they stared into each other’s eyes, hundreds of emotions flitting through their gazes.
Jared opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Jensen’s mouth crashing into his, slotting their lips together as they both tumbled back onto the bed.
Jared’s arms instantly went around Jensen’s waist to keep him in place, wantneedmore totally overpowering his senses as his brain chanted a litany of yes and god and Jensen.
His brain completely short circuited when one of Jensen’s hands wove their way into his hair and tugged gently, just this side of pain, making him groan into the kiss and dig his fingertips into Jensen’s side, fingers edging along the sliver of skin between Jensen’s jeans and t-shirt.
Jensen seemed to like that response because he moaned brokenly into the kiss, tugging Jared’s bottom lip in between his teeth and pulling gently, licking away the sting.
Jared flipped them over and immediately returned his lips to Jensen’s, licking at the seam, asking for entrance that Jensen instantly gave.
Jensen’s mouth was something else entirely and Jared moaned at the taste alone.
Jensen was a drug, as simple as that.
And Jared was becoming hopelessly addicted.
There was a part of him that couldn’t believe this was happening, that he was really, truly, honest to god kissing Jensen.
It’s a fucking miracle is what it was.
They were interrupted by the shrill ringing of Jared’s cell phone. Jensen mumbled against his lips to just let it ring, but he pulled away anyways, trying to ignore the feeling of loss as he sat up and pulled his phone out.
His stomach dropped when he saw Mom on the screen.
That’s when his mind decided to bitch smack him back into reality.
He couldn’t do this. He just...couldn’t.
Things were slowly but finally changing at school. If they did this, it would just give Tom and his gang more fodder and then they’d never let up.
Then both he and Jensen would definitely be on their hit list.
Not to mention his parents.
They were dead set on the notion that Jared was just going through a phase, an act of teenage rebellion. That once he gets it out of his system, he’ll find a nice girl, settle down, and have the 2.5 kids complete with the white picket fence and a dog.
So they couldn’t...not only was he protecting himself, but he was protecting Jensen.
Above all else, he had to protect Jensen the way Jensen was trying to protect him.
“I...I gotta go.”
“Jared...wha-” He glanced over to see that Jensen was still laying on the bed, propped up by his elbows. His hair was completely mussed and his lips were wet and swollen. His eyes were dark, pupils blown wide with a circle of emerald green around them.
He was the textbook definition of sin and Jared wanted nothing more than to just continue what they were doing.
But instead he grabbed his backpack off the ground, picked up his calculus notebook (he really didn’t want to think about how that ended up on the floor) and walked to the door.
“I...we can’t do this, Jen.”
“Jay...”
“Bye, Jensen.”
And without another word he opened the door and left, clenching his jaw and willing the tears not to fall.
Chapter 5