the sun in winter, part one
Title: The Sun in Winter, 1/?
Pairing: Jensen/Jared, Jensen/OMCs, Jared/OMCs
Rating: NC-17 (overall)
Notes&Warnings: Quasi-Fantasy AU, featuring slave!Jared (underage--he's 17) and haughty-lordling!Jensen. There might be dub-con, but no out and out non-con. Oh, and William is modeled after William Moseley.
Disclaimer: This is complete fiction and has no bearing on the actors who inspired it.
Jared came to slavery much older than most. His parents sold him when he was fourteen, chubby-cheeked but long-limbed, too old to work in most houses, as most masters preferred to train their servants from childhood.
But Jared... the merchant had bought Jared in a heartbeat. He'd gone on and on about Jared's skin (browned from working his dad's potato farm), his chestnut hair (streaked with gold from the sun), his big hands and his broad shoulders. The merchant had said he was nearly flawless, save for his moles. Jared remembered that his parents had been so surprised to find that his muteness was actually a key selling point.
In the long run--the very long run--selling Jared might have been the kindest thing his parents ever did.
"Jared! Attend me!"
William's deceptively sweet voice echoed down the corridor to hit Jared's ears like nails on a blackboard. Jared stood smoothly, ignoring the ache in his knees, dropped the rag into the dingy bucket, and strode to his master's rooms.
As he neared the ornate door, he overheard William.
"... think you've seen awkward, just wait till you see my man. He's got these great big hands and feet and he's about yea tall -- oh, but he's stick-thin, like he'd break if you looked at him wrong..." When William realized that Jared was standing behind him, he gestured at Jared with a flourish. "Do you see what I mean?"
Jared stared straight ahead and kept his face blank. He'd seen who William was with and it sent a jolt of fear through him -- Lord Jensen, Duke of Edrington, was notorious for his abuse of slaves. Jared had seen the man about the estate a few times, but hadn't realized that he was actually William's friend.
Jensen made a non-commital noise and stood, coming close to Jared. He smelled of spices, rich and exotic. Jared allowed the man to lift his hand and held off a shiver as Jensen pushed his smooth palm across Jared's, calloused and dry.
"Hmmm, I don't think that I can make a proper determination while he's clothed..." Jensen arched a brow at William, but William shook his head.
"Of course you can, just look!" William took Jared's other hand and pushed his sleeve up. He easily circled his fingers around Jared's wrist and laughed. "His wrists are so thin, so bony, but look at the size of his hand..." William splayed his fair hand on top of Jared's and the size differential was--almost--laughable.
"William, his hands are wonderful, but I'd like to know if he's proportional all over. Unless you already know... surely you already know." As Jensen spoke, he let his hands roam, up Jared's arm, across his back--until one hand made it under the hem of Jared's shirt, a cool touch on the vulnerable skin at the base of his spine.
"No, I don't --" William released Jared and stepped back. "I don't use him like that and I'd rather you not... um, handle him, either."
Jensen paused, but did not let Jared alone. "Why? Do you find him unattractive?"
"Erm. Well, I've had him since he was just a boy, you know, and--"
Jensen laughed.
"But we are all boys now! How old is he?" Jensen's hand slipped low, low enough to brush the crack of Jared's ass and he tensed up -- knew that he couldn't pull away.
William flushed and turned to look out the window, and Jared felt abandonded. "He's seventeen."
"And how long have you had him?"
"A little over three years." William's gaze was locked on the window, as though the winter-dark clouds outside could provide an escape. William wasn't the worst master, Jared imagined, but he'd be no help to Jared here; he was the lowly son baronet, he could deny a duke nothing.
"Oh yes, that's a lifetime! Nevermind all that. You actually have never had him service you? I cannot believe it." Jensen had moved behind Jared, resting his chin atop Jared's bony shoulder, while his wandering hand moved to Jared's belly. "I know that you favor men... Oh, is that it? He's not hairy enough for you?"
"Jensen, please--"
"I wonder if I'm hairy enough to please you." Jensen's voice changed, shot through with some new tension, and he tucked himself against Jared, rubbing his cock against Jared's ass. Jared clenched his fists and forced himself not to move.
"Milord." William turned back to them and he looked at Jensen with big, pleading eyes. "That is not the issue. May we speak in private, please?"
Jensen released Jared with a heavy sigh and William snapped, "Jared, tend to the horses before you help Cook with supper."
Jared nodded and bowed before striding away; he couldn't escape Lord Jensen's company quickly enough.
Jensen watched the delicious boy run away and then turned back to William, raising both brows expectantly.
"I'm sorry, but Jared's different. He's a mute." William gnawed on his plump lower lip and batted his eyelashes, but Jensen wasn't falling for it this time. He wanted that boy and he wanted to know why William refused him.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"It's just one more thing that sets him apart. He's amazing with animals and children. He's just... he's a very sweet boy and I don't--"
Realization struck and Jensen gaped, completely gobsmacked. "You're in love with him!"
"No, I just--"
"Don't deny it, I'm not a fool. This is supremely inappropriate, William, the situation must be corrected." Jensen paused and raised a hand to cup his chin thoughtfully. He sighed. "There's only one way I can think to help: I'm afraid I'm going to have to take him with me when I leave."
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