candygramme, posts by tag: jared - LiveJournal

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This was written for the 2023 J2RBB. I picked AomaSade's beautiful piece for my inspiration. Please visit her site to see all the rest of the amazing art she produced.

Artpost

This fic is a tribute to its artist and the beautiful panels she kept on sending to me. She and I communicated via Google Translate a lot of the time, and I can't believe how patient and helpful she was with the story as well as providing so much gorgeousness to enhance my prose. She also sent me her thoughts in both German and English. I can't thank her enough for everything she did..

My eternal gratitude goes to my betas, AomaSade and fledhyris, who pointed out all the non-sensible stuff and helped to make it into a cohesive story.

Thanks also go to Bluefire986, for running the challenge and for prodding me to make sure I actually picked an art prompt. Without her I would have forgotten the challenge completely.

About the fic:

Patron of the arts and multimillionaire Jared Padalecki has set up a foundation to promote art and grow young artists. Lead glass artist Jensen Ackles can't stand arrogant rich assholes and just knows that Jared is a player. For Jared, it's love at first sight, but Jensen blows him off. However, when Jensen is suddenly in trouble, he accepts Jared's offer of help to overcome his difficulties, just so long as he can pay him back, and Jared finally gets the chance to convince the stubborn artist of his qualities.

I've added a glossary at the end with notes and links to some of terms, people and places I've mentioned in the story. There are more illustrations there, too. I've marked items that are expanded on in the glossary with an asterisk so you'll know there is more info on the particular reference there.


Masterpost | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Artwork | AO3 | Glossary

Fic Title: AWAKENING EDEN
Author: candygramme
Fandom/Genre: SPN/RPS, Sci-Fi, Post Apocalypse
Pairing(s): J2
Rating: Explicit/NC17
Word Count: 17,027
Warnings: None
Summary: The Greatest War drove people into hiding and out of the cities. Constant winter helped repair the earth, but the few who still lived forgot...

Notes: I was lucky enough to pick the art called The Quest, by blondebitz, who has been incredibly supportive and generous as I struggled to get my words out of the box and in the right order. I owe her huge thanks. Go and give her love. She worked hard! Blondebitz art

I'd like to say thank you to the mods who organized this challenge and who have made it run so smoothly.

Finally, to my beta, spoonlessone, as ever, I owe a huge thank you. She went over the story many times and there wasn't a suggestion that wasn't right on the mark. I couldn't do this without her.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

I’ve got some lotion over on the table, and there’s oil in the sick bay too, if we need it. Hold on. Jared groped until he found the bottle he was seeking and held it out to Jensen for inspection. “I love you,” he mumbled. It must be possible, ‘cos those guys in the senso really liked it.

"Yes," Jensen said softly, squirting some of the lotion into Jared’s hand and then spreading himself wide as Jared began to feel between his legs again. Jared smeared it over his opening, apologizing when Jensen hissed as the cold lotion came into contact with his skin. Moving into position, Jared put the head of his cock to the entrance of Jensen's body and started to push.

“Oh, skies above,” murmured Jensen. It… it isn’t comfortable. It feels like you’re going to split me in two. He shivered, pushing back on Jared’s cock in an attempt to have it over and done with. I hope that it gets better. How does it feel for you?

Pulling back with a shake of his head, Jared whispered, "It doesn't feel all that good for me, either." He gave Jensen a gentle kiss, groaning softly as the slick heat of Jensen's tongue slid over his own. "I don't know what we're doing wrong," he murmured, mouth busying itself with kissing Jensen again as his hand slid down to touch him between the legs, once more. As he rubbed at the lotion, he started trying to push his finger against the small opening. How could anyone get a dick in there if I can't even get a finger in?

Maybe we start gently, with one finger, and work up? Jensen smiled as Jared seemed to grow a little frustrated. What do you think? He let Jared continue stroking and manipulating him, trying to decide whether the feelings were ones that he liked or not.

I'll try it, but if you don't like it, tell me and I'll stop, okay? Maybe I can find a book or something that’ll show me how to do it right. He reached for the bottle of lotion and poured some more out into his hand, making sure his finger was as slick as possible before trying to ease it inside Jensen. I'm not trying to be gross, he whispered, but shit is a lot bigger coming out than this finger is going in, so what am I doing wrong?

“Not know, Jared,” Jensen was trying his best to relax, but it wasn’t happening. I think that it’s working a little bit. See, your finger is going in a bit now. It could be that it’s something to do with me never doing it before.

"Maybe," Jared said. He pushed in a little more, and Jensen gasped a little, making Jared draw back. How does that feel? Does it hurt? I don't want to do this anymore if it's going to hurt you, Jen.

“I want us to do it,” Jensen said, trying not to pout although his erection had subsided completely by now. Don’t stop yet. I know it’s going to work if you just take a little bit of time. He snickered, pushing back against the invading finger, and suddenly gasped. Oh, sky above, Jared! There was something there. It felt… oh, there, yes.

Jared started, apparently not sure what he'd done exactly. He pushed his finger a little deeper and wriggled it around until Jensen gasped again. It's gotta be whatever I'm touching in here, Jen, he said with a smirk. He brushed his finger against the whatever it was again and kissed Jensen as he opened his mouth to react. "You like that, do you?" he whispered, starting to slowly slide his finger in and out, making sure to keep touching the spot that made his lover writhe beneath him.

“Yeah, I like,” croaked Jensen, his body starting to shudder at the repeated stimulation. Something there... I bet if you were to fuck me, and it kept on stroking that bit. I can’t imagine how good that would feel if you were pulling on my cock too. He kissed Jared again, hard, and spread his knees wide to let Jared in further, reaching down to fist his cock that had apparently sprung to life once more. “Hurry… do it.”

Jensen's reaction seemed to be exciting Jared even more than the thought of what he was about to do. Hastily smearing more lotion onto his own cock, Jared moved into position and held it to the now loosened opening.

"Okay, Jen," he said, voice trembling in anticipation, "I'm gonna try this.” If it hurts, tell me. With another gentle kiss, Jared started pushing forward.


Jensen’s breathy sighs and soft words were incredibly erotic. His ass stung as Jared forced his way into it, but he had felt how good it could be, and he was anxious to feel it all over again. He pushed back, willing Jared inside his body. His arms moved to wrap around Jared, and his breath became progressively more ragged as he felt the invasion happening.

Pressing up against Jared, Jensen did his very best to pull all of Jared inside, wanting to feel that tingle that had galvanized him when Jared had found it with his finger. He tightened around Jared, who moaned.

“Jen," Jared whispered shakily, breath puffing against Jensen's lips, You feel so good... I don't know how long... As Jensen smiled up at him, he licked his lips, braced himself and began driving in deeper, watching him carefully as he did so. Anxious to let Jared know he was fine; Jensen wrapped his legs around Jared’s waist and urged him on.

Jensen felt split, shredded, the burn of the unfamiliar organ inside him stretching him beyond bearing. As Jared began to move more forcefully inside him, he bit his lip in an attempt to hold back a whimper. There was a moment or two when he thought that he couldn’t bear it anymore, and then Jared seemed to find that magical part inside him again, and the pleasure that was generated from the contact suddenly made him gasp as a glow within him began to filter through to his cock.

He felt Jared grab his cock and angled his hips so that the slip and slide of his lover’s hand on him was doing what was needed. He could see that Jared was still not sure if he was getting it right, and murmured, “Yes, please,” into his ear. “I think it’s working.”

"Is that it?" Jared asked breathlessly, pressing in hard. "Is that what made you feel good before?" Jensen felt his cock twitch as if in response to the words, and Jared began a slow, careful rhythm.

“Oh, yeah, moaned Jensen, shivering with pleasure as his erection swelled. Jared’s teasing presence inside him was nudging against the part of him that sent tingles through him, and his hand clasping Jensen’s cock were both contributing to the intensity of this, his first experience of fucking. “More, Jared. More. I need...”


Eager to please, Jared did as he was asked, working to make the rhythm of his thrusts steady as he gradually increased the speed of them.

“This is...fucking incredible,” he breathed, harshly, whimpers and groans escaping his throat as the new sensations gripped his body. “I didn’t know it could feel this good.” He crushed his mouth to Jensen’s, kissing him with a desperate need as he sought to make his lover feel as good as he did. “You and me, Jen,” he groaned. “I love you.”

“Love,” whispered Jensen, who by now seemed almost crazy with the stimulation he was getting from Jared’s actions. Rather than his previous tight, frightened movements, he had transformed, becoming sinuous, writhing under Jared’s unskilled attentions. We love each other. Jared moaned as he felt Jensen sink his teeth into his shoulder and panted a couple of times in an attempt to slow down as the sensations inside him radiated out along his spine, threatening to overwhelm him completely. “I think it’s coming now, and I can’t stop it. Aahh!”

He could feel Jensen’s body tightening around him, squeezing his cock, pulsing and rippling around it as he came. Tickling sweetness spread through Jared’s limbs, heavy and delicious. He became aware of the tugging, sucking pressure dragging a response from his cock, a split second before his balls tensed and shot their accumulated load. He could only shiver as if a static charge of some kind was sparking him to a piercingly wonderful orgasm, one that bathed his limbs in sweat and made him think that he would never be able to breathe again.

Jared couldn’t move, could only gasp as he felt his essence spurt from him, chased by waves after wave of hot pleasure.

Clamping his mouth over Jensen's, Jared attempted to bury himself under Jensen’s skin. His fear was that their cries would wake everyone in the hospital if they became too much louder. That simple act stopped him from betraying the two of them, himself, as the orgasm wracked his body, brought on by the clenching and squeezing of Jensen's body around his cock. Jensen clutched at him, and his thrusts became frantic and awkward as he tried to control them, to keep going, to help Jensen get there with him, and he could feel Jensen shuddering as his own climax seemed too much for him to take. Soon, all he could do was hold Jensen tightly and kiss him until they were both breathless.

Oddly enough, Jensen appeared to be the first to recover, and he lay in Jared’s arms, running his hands over Jared as Jared felt his cock grow limp and finally slide out. There was a moment when he saw Jensen wrinkle his nose. A raised eyebrow made Jensen grab his hand and pull it down to feel the little trickle of wetness oozing from his ass. Feeling a little guilty, Jared groped for a cloth and mopped it up as best he could, then turned his attention to his lover’s belly, where there was evidence of sticky, wet residue. Jensen smiled, which made him press more kisses onto Jensen’s face and neck as he waited for their heartbeats to return to normal.

Sky above, Jared, Jensen pressed his lips against Jared’s ear, and squeezed him tightly before moving so that Jared wasn’t quite crushing the breath out of him.

Jared nodded and pulled Jensen back into his arms, as if he wasn't quite ready to be separated from him yet.

"I love you, Jen," he whispered. "Thank you so much."

“I… same.” Jensen said. He laughed softly. Now I feel that I’m yours.

" You are," Jared smiled, stroking Jensen's hair as he rubbed his nose against Jensen's, "and I'm yours now, too.”

I want to curl up against you, and fall asleep knowing that you love me. This is the best day of my life, Jared.

"Mine, too," Jared sighed, kissing him again. He let his hands trail down Jensen's back with another contented sigh. Jensen kissed Jared’s ear, and then rolled over.

“We sleep now, Jared. Tired.”

"Sounds like a plan," Jared said, pulling Jensen tight against him, spooning him as they drifted off to sleep once more.

It was a few hours later when Jared woke again, his bladder insisting on being emptied. Moving carefully so as not to wake Jensen, he got out of bed and quietly padded to the bathroom. He was on his way back to bed when he noticed that Jensen had somehow kicked his side of the covers off himself.

"I think you want to freeze," he whispered, tenderly covering him back up and then sliding into the bed with him again. He sighed as he nuzzled the back of Jensen’s neck, the smell and heat of him starting to arouse Jared again. Closing his eyes and trying to concentrate on going back to sleep, Jared moved a hand down to hold his own cock, ready to jerk off if he had to so he wouldn't wake Jensen.

Jared’s dreams had all been of Jensen. He’d chased them through the dark comfort of the night, and was beginning to feel himself harden, growing again as he looked at his sleeping lover. He gave a low groan which seemed to be translated into something sensual in Jensen’s dream state, because he rolled onto his back and began to undulate as he pressed his now awakening cock up towards the sheets. “Jared,” he mumbled, as he slept on.

Jared's heart started racing at the sight of the sheet tenting as Jensen's cock gradually came to life. His hand was busily working his own, but he had to touch the tempting outline. Moving carefully, still reluctant to wake Jensen, Jared placed his hand over the bulging sheet and squeezed it. The soft sound of satisfaction encouraged him, and he started to pull the covers down to expose Jensen’s pale body. He lowered his head and pressed a soft kiss to the firm stomach, licking at the skin just above his pubic hair.

Squirming against the tender caresses, Jensen mumbled something and began to buck his hips in an involuntary dance towards orgasm. He was still sleeping, but his hands moved to hold Jared’s hair and caress it, almost as if he knew that Jared was with him. His lips pursed as though seeking a kiss, and he moaned, “Jared?”

"Shh, baby," Jared whispered, mindful of making as little sound as possible. He moved to give Jensen a quick kiss on the mouth, hoping it would be enough to pacify him as he slept. Fingers trembling in anticipation, Jared slithered down along the sleeping man and took the solid heat of his lover's cock into his mouth.

The sigh that greeted Jared’s action was deep and heartfelt. Jensen mumbled, “Oh, skies above, Jared, yes!” and began to drive his cock deep into Jared’s mouth with the abandon and lack of inhibition that only the sleeping Jensen would have shown.

Jared sucked greedily, his hand stealing back down to his own cock, working it as he sucked his lover off. It wasn't long before he felt his orgasm building inside of him, and he sucked even harder. He felt Jensen tense beneath him and licked and sucked hungrily, wondering if it would be possible to get Jensen off without the other boy waking up. He felt the subtle tightening of Jensen’s cock that signaled his impending orgasm and sucked harder, rewarded at last by the flood of warm, bitter ejaculate on his tongue as his lover cried out and came.

Moaning as he swallowed, Jared stroked himself to completion and came himself. He was grateful that Jensen's cock was in his mouth so the sounds he made as his orgasm raced through him were soft enough that he didn’t wake anyone. Finally sated, Jared let Jensen's cock slip from his lips, pulled the covers over the both of them, and fell asleep.


The following morning Jensen woke to find that his new boots had finally arrived, and with them a warm jacket. He stumbled to the bathroom, feeling stiff and sore in places where he hadn't known he had places before and stood under the hot water, relishing the heat against his skin. He'd left Jared still attempting to wake up, but knew he'd be along very shortly and was hoping to be done before he arrived in the bathroom, knowing that they wouldn't be able to keep from touching and worried that there would be teasing from the others in the cave as a result. Everything felt new and tender to Jensen, and he wasn't at all sure he could handle any teasing that might result from the others observing them.

Stepping back out of the warm water, he toweled off and then sat down to pull on his new clothes, wriggling his toes with pleasure inside the new boots. He was pretty sure that he would never take them off again voluntarily.

He was about to make his way back to pull Jared out of bed when the man himself finally made his way into the room and turned on the shower with a groan. Grinning, Jensen shook his head and headed off to find food, but not before aiming a well-placed smack on Jared's firmly muscled bottom.

The cry of protest followed him as he made his way to the dining area to grab some breakfast.

It wasn't long before Jared joined him, hair still damp, looking more content than ever before. They were finishing their tea, when Tahmoh came over to them, bringing a tiny, elegant lady with him. "Hey, guys," he said as he reached them. "This is Ruth, the secretary of the Council. She’s come to take us over to the central cavern.”

Jensen nodded, smiled, and held out his hand to Ruth. He was beginning to understand the things that were said, even though he couldn't yet speak fluently. He ducked his head shyly as Ruth took his hand and told him, "Welcome."

"Grab your coats," she said. "They're waiting for us." The two young men hurried to get themselves dressed in their warm clothes before heading down to the doorway that led out of the cavern and down to the passageway that would lead them around the mountain.

Once more Jensen found himself outside, breathing the thin air and feeling the breeze ruffle his hair. The wind had subsided and there had been more snow overnight. Jensen was excited to tread in it and hear the crunch as he crushed it under his boots. A thought occurred, and he bent to scoop up a handful of snow, fashioning it into a ball and turning to throw it at Jared with a laugh.

"Oh, I'll get you..." Jared made as if to run at his love, and Ruth reached to hold him back, muttering admonishments even though she was laughing.

"We don't have time right now. They're waiting. Get him on the way back with my good will," she said. A large, metal gate appeared set into the side of the hill, and she ushered them through and up to a bronze door that was tucked into the rock.

It proved to open into another corridor that climbed steeply upwards. At last, they were outside a door that bore a snarling dragon head. Ruth knocked sharply, and it was opened by a gaunt man with an unsmiling face, who beckoned them through to a large room in which sat seven others. Looking around, Jensen gasped. The whole of one wall of the cavern was made of some transparent material such as he’d never seen before in such a large piece, and he could see out onto the mountain and down into the valley below. He almost believed that if he stared hard enough, he would be able to see his yurt, and the clan working on their daily tasks. Standing there, mouth open, he felt Jared step up to him and put his arm around him, bringing him back to the reality of the moment.

It was Tahmoh who began to tell the gathered council about the discovery, describing the find and stressing Jensen's importance in it. There were questions. Jensen answered via Jared, nodding his approval as Jared gave his responses for him. It seemed to go on for hours, but eventually it was done, and the council decided that they had best come and view Jensen's cave.

Elder Julian and Elder Sheppard were selected to do the first visit, chosen to represent their disciplines, Sheppard as head of science and Julian in charge of learning, with Elder Ruth along to record their thoughts. They were to return with the small group from the hospital and Jensen was to show them his discovery. His heart leapt at the thought that he was going to be able to see more of his cave after all. When Elder Julian asked him about his thoughts for the future, he responded himself, his voice halting. "I learn. Wish to read all books," he said, and Julian smiled a toothy smile, transforming his face from a somber, somehow frightening image to one that made Jensen want to smile in return.

The return journey was less rushed. It was snowing lightly, and Jensen kicked his way through the snow, relishing being back in the outside, in the cold. He was taken by surprise when he was suddenly hit by a barrage of snowballs from all sides, with even the dour Elder Sheppard joining in. It seemed that Jared had taken the opportunity to get them on his side and they were all aiming their missiles at him. He began to retaliate, and pretty soon it was a free for all with every man for himself.

The six of them were soon soaked through with snow in every crevice of their clothing, and it was Tahmoh who finally insisted that they go inside to change clothes and get warm. Red faced and laughing, the small company trooped into their home cavern and began warming up with hot cider and warm towels to dry off their hair and faces. Once they were all warm again, Tahmoh left them to return to hospital duty, and Jared went with him, despite protests, to help with any tasks that remained outstanding. It was left to Jensen to take the trio of Elders and show them his discovery.

Descending the shaft once more, he listened as the Elders talked about getting a stair put into place for ease of access, and Jensen shrugged. He was perfectly fine with climbing up and down the rope. A stair would make it easier for more people to come messing about in his cave, and he wasn't so sure he'd like that. However, when they were all finally down the rope, with much puffing and panting, the first cave drew some surprised gasps, and Elder Sheppard stood watching the timekeeper tick down for what seemed to Jensen to be an inordinately long time.

Elder Julian went into transports of delight over the library, exclaiming about some of the books he'd taken down to look at. After a while, he began telling Jensen about them and the fact that he'd rediscovered so many lost documents for them. When Jensen reiterated that he wanted to read them all someday, Julian found him a large book and told him it would help his studies. Murmuring thanks, he put it into his backpack to look at later and followed the other two Elders as they made their way through to what he thought of as the Machine Room.

The pillar in the center was still glowing, and Elder Sheppard went straight to it, exclaiming in such a rapid way that Jensen couldn't make head or tail of what he was saying, but that was fine. He didn't want to set anything else going and somehow bring the ceiling crashing down on them all. He heard Ruth and Sheppard discussing testing him for something, but wasn't sure what, so he sighed and made his way back to the first cave with his book, feeling a little tired and wishing he could go to find Jared. The book was amazing. It contained pictures that actually moved, demonstrating the meaning of the text. It contained a number of terms he didn’t know, but that was fine. He knew that he would find out what they were. He’d never seen the thing called a cat before, but he enjoyed the way it was pouncing on the ball in the book anyway. He resolved to find a cat when he could and see if it would pounce on things for him.

Yawning, he leaned back against the drawing that Elder Julian had told him was a compass and wished devoutly that he could go back to the sick bay instead of waiting to help boost Elder Sheppard back up the rope.

There was a faint buzzing and then a crackle of electricity, and all of a sudden there was a disorienting flash and Jensen found himself standing in the center of the sick bay, watching aghast as Jared and Tahmoh worked on a person lying on a stretcher.

Jensen’s expressions of bewilderment when he materialized at their side was mirrored on all three faces, and Jensen was temporarily reduced to silence while their poor patient, who appeared to have a broken leg, practically fell off the stretcher in shock at his sudden appearance. It was Tahmoh who finally managed to find words, although not particularly coherent words.

"Where...? How...?"

"I don't know." Jensen shook his head. "Am in cave, then boom! Here." He laughed a little hysterically. "Wanted Jared and then boom."

"Jared, go back with him. The Elders will be worried that he's gone." Tahmoh took Jensen's hand. You have to go back to the cave and tell them what happened. They'll be worried.

Nodding, the two men ran off to get back as fast as possible.

Down in Jensen's cave, Elder Sheppard was hopping up and down in excitement, while Elder Julian, more thoughtful, was studying the compass that was still glowing from when Jensen had leaned on it.

"Do you have any idea what you've discovered?" Sheppard was virtually bouncing in his excitement. "You don't, do you?" He shook his head, grinning. "This is the breakthrough we've been searching for. The weather, the toxins in the water, the airborne bacteria, it's all going to be under control. They set everything up for us, and we lost it. We knew there were contingencies and protocols in place to put in motion when it was time..."

"And then we lost it all in the last war." Julian hung his head. "The last battle. They knew where our shelter was and hit the mountain hard. I guess that's when this place was lost, and we've been living in the shelter ever since."

"My clan... we live in air." Jensen nodded. "Strong."

"You've developed a static charge that none of us who live in the shelters can match." Sheppard clapped him on the shoulder. "Only you could have started this all working again. Even if we'd found it, we didn't have the juice to set it going."

Nodding, Jensen smiled. He was special after all. He beamed all around himself. "I will read books," he announced. "All books."


6 months later

It was warmer now. The two young lovers had decided to go and visit Jensen's clan to invite them to come and share in the newly hopeful society. Jensen was happy, making his way across fresh grassland that seemed to be far lusher and more colorful than it ever had been back when he was out hunting to prove his worth.

Now, confident in his value to both the caves and the clan, he was returning in triumph to bring a healer and an invitation to his people, and he felt elated.

In the distance he could see a small herd of horses, the stallion a gleaming chestnut with his harem of three mares and a pair of high-spirited foals who were skipping around, kicking up their heels as the older horses grazed. Flowers of blue, yellow, and white dotted the plain, and as the two of them walked, the slight breeze ruffled the grass, while a bird Jensen had never seen before suddenly burst into song.

They would reach the yurt at some time in the afternoon of the following day, but they were in no hurry. They paused from time to time to examine something or just kiss. As the daylight began to fade, something new and strange occurred.

For the first time in many lifetimes, the clouds that had blocked out the sun for so many centuries peeled back, and over towards the west they could see an orange glow, which, as they watched, slowly faded through pink to purple until the stark black of the night swallowed the world.

Lying back in their warm bedding, the two of them snuggled and gazed at the unfamiliar blackness, watching as tiny points of light broke out over their heads.

“They are called stars,” Jared told Jensen. “I read about them once in a book. Funny thing is that I believed it to be fantasy. It never even occurred to me that they might really exist.” He wracked his brain for anything further he knew about them, to tell his lover, who was inclined to laugh at him.

"They are very pretty, but you are more beautiful to me," Jensen said quietly, and then stopped speaking to stare in awe as a huge, pale globe began to rise over the mountain to their east. "Is that your sun?" he asked, when he could finally speak.

"I think it's called a planet," said Jared. "It was in the same book. I believe it's like another world."

"I like it," muttered Jensen, turning on his side and closing his eyes with a yawn.


The cloud cover was still absent in the morning, and the two men were awakened by the unfamiliar sun's rays shining into their eyes. Jensen moaned despite his experience living out of doors, but Jared, who was used to the light waking him when morning came, back in the cavern, merely snickered and shook him until he woke properly.

The horses they had seen the evening before were very close, grazing on the fresh growth that was pushing through the rich, black soil. As the two of them ate their breakfast, the whole herd watched. At first, the horses were skittish and poised to run, but then as the stallion watched warily, the two colts approached to receive pets from the strangers, and as he relaxed they all went back to their meal.

"In the old days, men used to ride on them to get to places really fast," said Jared, openly admiring the creatures as they milled around them.

"They bite," said Jensen, tersely. "But they taste delicious."

"You eat them?" Jared sounded horrified.

"Delicious," reiterated Jensen as he packed away the remaining food. "I guarantee it."

They bade goodbye to the little herd and went on their way. The unfamiliar sun shone down on them, warming them in a way that they were just not used to, and making them want to get their clothes off. The sky was blue, and Jensen marveled at it. He had absolutely not believed that it was possible.

It was not long before they were challenged by a pair of clan members who had been concealed until they were almost upon them. Despite Jensen greeting them with the password he recalled from his last day with them, they said nothing and pointed spears at the two boys as they followed the pair onward into the clan.

Jensen's mother was spinning yarn from a fleece when she looked up to see him and Jared approaching. Rising to her feet, she took a couple of steps toward them and stood with her arms crossed over her chest as he sank to his knees before her.

"Mom, I have returned home, and I bring gifts, and my mate." he said. "Jared and I have many things to tell you."

"Welcome home." She studied him for long moments before laying her hand on his head in blessing, and for Jensen, his journey was over, for now, but his future held no bounds.



The End

Master Post | Part 1 | Part 3

In the beginning, the world was at war. Pollution had threatened the planet and caused the extinction of many species. Countries began fighting for the few resources that were still available, and eventually armies began to do battle, at first with traditional weaponry, then, as resentment and jealousy heated up, the biological and chemical weapons were employed. Finally, when it became apparent that biological weapons didn’t actually observe political boundaries, the nuclear warheads were employed, and the war was over.

Nobody won.

The result of using nuclear weapons became apparent as the remaining threads of society were forced to leave the shelter of their cities to escape the terrible diseases that had been spread there. Nuclear winter set in. The cold killed refugees as effectively as the toxins in the cities, and only the hardy few succeeded in making their way out to settle in the wilds.

Shelters were set up for the rich and powerful, and one particular shelter was built for a group of scientists who were fighting to combat the terrible effects of the war and clean up the ruined earth. This particular facility had been designated as a storage facility for housing the accumulated knowledge of the human race, as well as a laboratory for continuing research to ameliorate the effects of the war that ended with the death of society as we know it. However, we’ve been warned throughout our lives of the problems of putting all our eggs in one basket.

Time passed.

In the underground fastness of the mountain hideout, scientists labored to build the machinery that would save the earth. They felt secure in the knowledge that their refuge was secure and that they were hidden. No one knows what actually happened. Maybe someone gave the shelter away to the enemy, or maybe it was a lucky strike, but one last barrage of artillery caused a catastrophic event that collapsed much of the cavern complex, killing many and causing much of their work to be lost.

Time passed again, as it does, and a new, kinder civilization grew out of the old, based more on the mind and its abilities than force of arms. Much technology had been lost to them, but slowly they began to regroup.

Out in the countryside, winter continued and the few who survived outside the shelters grew hardy and strong, forming small societies of their own. Gradually, under the cover of winter, the earth began to heal.

Time passed.


The peculiar greenish tinge to the sky told Jensen that he’d need to seek shelter very soon or risk being caught in the rapidly worsening weather. Already the gusting winds were making his forward progress tricky, and he pulled his furs closer to his body as a brief flurry of rain bit into his exposed face. The needles of icy cold against his flesh promised misery if he couldn’t find somewhere to wait it out.

The wind was seriously slowing him down now, blasting against him as he stumbled upwards on the rocky trail, desperately seeking a crevice or hollow where he could ride out the storm, covered in his weatherproof blanket.


He’d been trailing a fat goat, preparing to bring it down and haul it home to his yurt. Winter would be with them again soon, as evidenced by this storm. While it was always cold these days, once the snows and the ice-storms began in earnest, there would be little hunting possible, and the clan would need to rely on what they had stored during the warmer season.



A particularly virulent gust of wind took him off his feet and sent him stumbling into one of the rocks that marked the upward trail. He clung to it, looking around to see if there was anything that would afford him shelter, then sighed and began to climb again.



He should have been more alert. He realized that later. He should’ve concentrated less on his cold, windy misery and listened harder for extraneous sounds. But the buffeting wind and the icy needles of rain that stung his cheeks and soaked his beard were the distraction that prevented him from realizing that he was about to be attacked until it was far too late.



A vivid streak of lightning forked across the rapidly darkening sky and revealed an assailant immediately in front of him. He had his surujin ready and poised to throw when a second, unseen enemy struck him from behind and he fell onto the rocky path.



He was kicked and beaten and heard one of the bandits say that they should slit his throat. But in the end, his attackers didn’t bother. He was stripped of his furs, his warm clothing, and his backpack and dragged along over the stony ground to finally end up flung down a cleft in the rocks that he’d missed earlier and left to die of exposure. From there he tumbled into what might well have been a mineshaft in the years before the world had ended.


He’d retained consciousness long enough to strike one side of the shaft, but as he felt his shoulder separate from contact with the rough wall, his awareness faded. By the time he landed at the bottom of the hole he was deeply unconscious.




Jared was checking the passageways for stray kids out playing when he came across the man, or to be precise, when the man fell out of the sky to land on the ground in front of him, accompanied by assorted gravel, stones and dirt. For a moment he stood, shocked by the stranger’s sudden appearance but soon realized that the person in front of him was hurt, possibly very badly hurt.



The storm had by now reached its fullest potential and raged above, sending further debris into the shaft to land on and around the unconscious being that lay before him. It was evident that the man needed help, but Jared's first need was to get him out of that passageway, because it was on the lowest level and that would soon be flooded. If they didn't get to him in time the chances of his survival would be nil.



Making up his mind, he turned and ran back to the stairway that had been cut into the rock so many years ago and up to the entrance of his creche, calling for Lisa, the head healer, as he went. By the time he found her, the alarm was sounding, indicating that lockdown was imminent, and he puffed and panted as he explained about the stranger he'd discovered. Instantly she left off bandaging the minor cut that she was treating on one of the kitchen staff and called to a couple of nearby students to leave what they were doing and follow her with a stretcher.



The corridor was already ankle deep in water by the time they got back to where the man lay, and the wind was howling above them so fiercely that they couldn't hear each other speak above the noise. They didn't have time to be careful. They loaded their patient up onto the stretcher and hurried back the way they'd come, hoping to make it with their burden before lockdown left them outside to fend for themselves until the storm was over.



They almost didn't make it. They were scrambling through the passageway, knee deep in water by the time they reached the stairs, and the klaxon sounded to announce the lockdown just as they stumbled up the stairs and back into the warmth of the sick bay.

The three young men made their burden as comfortable as possible in his present situation, grateful for the fact that he was still unconscious. Lisa settled herself into the lotus position and began the breathing and meditation she would need in order to scry within him and see exactly what damage had been caused, and what steps she would have to take in order to repair him.

The others had left after settling the man on a pallet in one of the alcoves cut into the rock, but Jared, who was training to become a healer himself, seated himself beside Lisa and did his best to emulate her posture and breathing.

For Jared, time seemed to slow down, the sound of the cooks clattering pots in the cafeteria faded, and he found himself in a state where he could focus completely on the young man who was lying so still. He could see the cuts and bruises that scattered across his torso glowing ugly and brown in his vision. The abrasions on his feet and legs were brighter, and as he looked deeper, categorizing the injuries, he shuddered. The separated shoulder made his vision swoop in and out, a throbbing orange which caused his inner sight to grey around the edges in sympathy for the pain the poor man must be feeling.

He was about to withdraw his sight after one last long look at the face, handsome under the grime and the bruises, even covered in hair as it currently was. But then, looking deeper he noticed the base of his skull. The depression fracture he could see now—the hurt to the man's head shining ugly and red. He caught his breath and wondered how he hadn't noticed it straight away. He crawled forward, still in his trance, was going to do what he could to heal the wound, but then he caught a wisp of a thought.

It was hazy, unfocused, but he knew that it was coming from his patient. He would have known that even without seeing it shimmer within his sleeping mind.

What...? Where...?

He leaned forward, laid a hand on the other's chest, and sent a soothing thought back to him. You're safe now. You're with me.

Who?

Jared. I'm Jared.

That appeared to be enough for the other, who seemed to sink back into deeper unconsciousness at that.

He would have done something more, although he had no idea what, but just at that moment Lisa opened her eyes and frowned at him. “What are you doing?”

It was enough to jolt him back into the present, although he could still see the injuries that defaced the other’s beauty.

“Lisa, I can see the hurts that he has. It worked for me. It’s the first time ever, but I can see them.” He felt as though he was gabbling, trying to make her understand that he wasn’t just meddling, that he actually had it in him to become a real healer.

“Oh, really?” Her expression changed, and she looked solemn once more, her eyes focused on the patient, who was stirring a little. “Tell me what you saw.”

“I can still see them,” he said. “Lots of superficial bruises and scrapes. The long cut on his right leg needs to be fixed, and his shoulder is dislocated.”

She nodded as he catalogued the injuries. “Anything else?”

“His head is the worst. He’s got a fracture at the back of his head that needs to be fixed first. If we don’t repair it, he'll die, I think." Jared stared at her face, trying to decide if he was right, and if she was pleased. Finally, after a long pause, she nodded.

"Good, Jared. Very good indeed. Yes, the depressed fracture has caused bleeding, and we'll work on that first. The rest don't need the same level of intervention." She took a deep breath and held out a hand to Jared. "Come on. You can help me heal it. This kind of injury is very draining for one person to heal. If you're as strong as I think you are, then we can do it together and both come out of the healing still able to work on his shoulder." She paused and looked at the mess of his left arm. "I imagine he'll be very happy about that," she said, dryly. "It looks incredibly painful."

Jared felt tears start and blinked hastily, not wanting to appear weak in front of his teacher. When she moved around to their patient’s other side and held out her hands, he took them in his own and sank back into his meditative state, preparing to give Lisa his strength in the difficult task she was about to undertake.

Slowly, the young man’s skull began to draw back into its proper shape, and he felt a rush of satisfaction as his strength began to ebb. He would have moved back but a sound from Lisa froze him. Hold still. The hard part is just beginning. We must stop the bleeding before it harms him irreparably.

Suitably chastened as he realized there was more work to do, he watched, entranced as the ruptured blood vessels drew together, knitting so that the slow seepage of blood was halted. The young man stirred as Lisa withdrew from his head, but other than a faint moan, he didn't show any real effects of their delicate surgery.

"Now we'll reduce that dislocated shoulder, and tidy it up a little," she announced, releasing Jared and moving to stand beside him once more. "Hold him for me."

There was a crunch and a pop as she manipulated the limb, straightening it and placing it alongside his body. "We'll take down some of the swelling, and he'll be much more comfortable," she said, and Jared, exhausted now, could only watch and admire as she repaired strained tendons and healed blood vessels.

When she finally stepped back and went to sit in her chair, she looked grey, her usual rich chocolate coloring stripped away by the effort she had expended. Jared was exhausted too, but he went over to her medicine cabinet and poured her a glass of the cordial she needed.

She nodded her thanks. "Go and rest," she told him. "He'll wake in a few hours, and he'll need you then."

"He spoke to me, before," said Jared.

"He did? When?"

"Before we healed him. He sent me thoughts, wanted to know who I was. I just told him I was Jared." She raised her eyebrows at that.

"That isn't usual. You should have told me sooner." She didn't say anything further and after a moment, Jared went to lie down, intending to rest for just a moment, but within seconds he was asleep.


Jared was woken at dawn to attend the change of duty ceremony. Lisa was going off duty for the next ten-day, and one of Jared's favorite people was coming in to take over. He felt exhausted and washed his face in cold water to alleviate the gummy eyed appearance, so that he would at least give the impression of being alert. He skidded into the main cave just in time to say goodbye to Lisa and wish her a happy ten-day, and then greet Samantha, the incoming medic.

Hugging Sam 'hello'—something he would never dare do to Lisa—he brought her up to speed about the single patient they had in the sick bay. She had already been briefed by Lisa, who had told her about the rescue and the repairs to the broken body of their patient.

"So, I hear you have graduated from just scrying to actually healing," said Sam with a smile.

"I helped," murmured Jared, suddenly feeling bashful. "He spoke to me, mind to mind. I had to make sure he was fine after that."

"He spoke to you?" Samantha gave him a sudden look as though she too could see inside his head, read his thoughts.

"Yeah. Not much. He was pretty out of it." Jared was blushing now and trying really hard to shut down this discussion. It was something he was hoping wouldn't come up again. Mindspeak was such an unusual occurrence, and in the past it had only been known in rare, mated pairs. As Sam explained that to him, he quickly tried to cover, blushing dark red. "It was mainly wanting to know where he was so it can’t be that. He lost consciousness before I could tell him. I think he was panicking."

"Well, we should probably go and take a look at him then, don't you think?" Sam flashed him a knowing smile and turned to lead the way back to the sick bay.

When they reached the man’s bedside, he was awake and huge, thickly fringed, green eyes fastened onto Jared and followed him as he approached.

"Jared, darling, you know he's an outsider, don't you?" Samantha gave Jared a smile. "He won't be easy to civilize."

Gazing down at him, Jared attempted to discern the man's features from within the bushy beard he was sporting. "I guess the first thing we need to do is get rid of the facial fungus. He'll look much better without it. He's healing well. We didn't have the energy last night to heal all the cuts and bruises. The head injury was really bad. It took us both to fix it." There was pride in his voice, and he almost missed her next words.

"I'll leave him with you, Jared. Your first patient as a real healer. Be careful," she said. "Outsiders are unpredictable." Indeed, their patient's eyes looked panicky as Jared began to take his vitals.

His first ever solo patient! Lisa would never have given him that kind of responsibility! Jared smiled at his patient, belly fluttering with the heady sense of accomplishment. "Hey, good morning. How are you feeling?"

When the man just looked up at him, his brow furrowed, Jared bit his lip and frowned, trying to think what to do. Finally, he patted his own chest and announced “Jared,” and then pointed to the man in the bed. It didn’t take long for him to get the message, and eventually the other man murmured “Jensen,” in a deep, pleasant voice.

“Hi, Jensen.” Jared held out his hand and waited. With a lopsided smile Jensen took hold of it, but then paused, unsure what to do next. It had worked the previous night, so Jared tried once again.

You’re safe now. How do you feel?

For a moment, Jensen looked around, trying to see who was talking to him, but seemed after a minute to realize that it was Jared. Where am I? Where is this place?

This is one of the caverns of The People. That would have to do, thought Jared. He wasn’t really sure how to explain things any better. Maybe Sam would be able to give him some pointers. Right now, he was just going to try and get the guy up and functioning. Are you hungry? Come on, we'll show you the bathroom, and I'll find you some clothes.

Jensen got out of bed somewhat shakily and followed Jared to where Sam was tending to one of the children, who seemed to have a runny nose. "We're going to go find Jensen some clothes and then we'll both have breakfast."

"Excellent," she said. "Little Jack here has apparently stuffed seven pieces of macaroni up one nostril. I've managed to retrieve four of them, but I'm afraid that I'm going to have to use my energy to remove the others. I may be in trance for a while, so when you come back can you see if anyone is waiting for assistance? Oh, and send Ty to me if you see him, please.” She turned back to her small patient and then turned back to him again. “I almost forgot; I got this out of the locker for you."

She held out the depilatory lotion as she was speaking, and Jared thanked her profusely before moving on with his companion. Jensen followed quietly, eyes darting from side to side as he checked for signs of danger.

As they made their way to the bathing area, Jared gathered together towels and underwear for his charge, then requested one of the housekeepers to find some jeans and a shirt for Jensen.

The newcomer was delighted by the bathroom. There was no other way to describe his reaction. He had a little trouble understanding the flushing toilet, but soon caught on and flushed it several times just to watch the water run away. He embraced the idea of a warm shower with gusto and although his first instinct led him to taste the soap, Jared was soon able to demonstrate its use. It was with difficulty that he was persuaded to come out from under the hot water once he seemed to be sufficiently clean.

He allowed Jared to apply the depilatory lotion to his face, unsure but trusting, and when his beard shriveled away in handfuls, he was at first horrified and ran to crouch behind one of the towel racks. However, by that time it was too late and the beard was gone, leaving a smooth, handsome face with the most ferocious scowl Jared had ever seen. He didn't know whether to fall in love or run for his life. In the end he kept a wary distance from him while lusting after the beautiful man he'd helped uncover.

Jensen seemed to know what a toothbrush was all about, and truthfully his teeth were as white and perfect as the rest of him. The toothpaste was evidently unfamiliar to him, but he took to cleaning his teeth happily, and when he found that the toothpaste frothed up and foamed all over his face, he actually cracked a smile for the first time since the loss of his beard.

By the time they were washed and dressed and on their way into breakfast, Jensen seemed to have forgiven Jared, at least for the time being, although he did keep rubbing his face with his hand.

Breakfast was interesting. It was apparent that Jensen had never seen sausages or bacon before, although he recognized the eggs. They ate in companionable silence after Jensen had been assured that everyone was eating the same stuff as was on his plate. He was definitely a fan of bacon by the end of the meal and wanted to know what animal it came from. Jared, of course, didn't know, because the meat that The People ate was all synthetically produced in the laboratories. He resolved to take Jensen there later and let him decide.

The storm was still raging outside, and despite the vastness of the mountain above them, it could still be heard howling down the air shafts. To Jared it was nothing new, but Jensen was visibly shaken and demanded to know if it was his presence that had annoyed the gods. Samantha, who had come to check him over and make sure he was healing properly was reassuring.

"One day the people will be freed to go back out into the sunshine. The sky will be blue once more and there will be peace from the storms," she murmured.

As Jared translated for her, Jensen became agitated. The sky has never been blue, he thought vehemently. Sometimes it's grey. Sometimes it's black. It's just the way it is.

"Once, a long time ago, when The People still lived above ground in the cities, and the sun still shone, the sky was blue." Samantha smiled at the two young men. "Our legends say that we'll be free when that time comes again, but that first there are tasks that must be completed."

Jensen shook his head, apparently angry at her words. I have lived up there. There's no such thing as blue sky. There is no 'sun'.

Jared put his hand on Jensen's shoulder. It's okay. It's all legends. You're safe down here.

It seemed that Jensen was about to protest, but then he gave a sigh and subsided. Jared was about to say something about living on the surface, but there was a sudden crash and the whole ground shook. There were several further crashes, and people screaming. Jensen and Jared clung to each other as they were thrown off their feet, and then the lights went out.


It was completely and utterly black when Jared opened his eyes. He could hear faint moaning from somewhere in the distance, and closer to him he could hear Jensen's voice saying something incomprehensible that sounded more angry than afraid. He fumbled in his pocket for a light-rod and felt a flood of relief that it hadn't broken in the quake.

The flare when he activated it made his eyes water, but as the light settled and became steadier, he could finally see the extent of the catastrophe. Part of the back wall of the cave had fallen away, demolishing much of the serving area of the kitchen, and there were huge boulders and debris all over the creche, extending into the hospital area. Sam lay silent, blood oozing from her scalp to coat her golden hair, and his heart was in his mouth as he crawled over to lay a hand on her.

Jensen followed him.

Is she dead?

Not yet, but she's in critical condition. I'm going to need to try and help her or she will be. He fumbled for a second light-rod and held it out to Jensen, showing him how it activated and how to turn it off when he wasn't using it. Nodding, Jensen took it and after a moment or so made his way over to where the huge pile of rubble might conceal people who needed assistance.


Still utterly confused about where he was or who these people were, Jensen was determined to do everything he could to help. Clearly, they had some magic healing power that he didn’t have time to wrap his head around, and he didn’t want to think about how the strangely compelling young healer was able to communicate with him inside his mind. He had no idea how to help with the female healer, but he could see many other ways that he could contribute. He set to work.

Already several others were attacking the rocks, slowly clearing the space. One man had found a body and was gently tending to it, rolling the person—a young woman—onto a stretcher for removal to the hospital. Unable to do more than gesture, he indicated that he would assist in the cleanup.

The work was back breaking, and several more people had already been found in the rubble when Jensen paused to go looking for water and possibly something to eat. Armed with a jug of water and a couple of sandwiches he went to find Jared.

As he made his way into the sick bay, he could see that Jared was busy, his hands on a youngster who had been brought to him. Jared’s eyes were closed, and his face was grey with effort. Samantha herself was sitting up, drinking from a steaming mug. She didn't look much more lively.

Making his way into the room, he called Jared, and when his friend finally opened his eyes, offered him the refreshments he'd brought.

You should probably take a break, he thought, and Jared smiled at him gratefully. He still didn’t understand this mind-speaking thing, but it was certainly convenient. He wondered how it worked, since he’d never been able to do it before, but he would take it. It was giving him an opportunity to settle into this strange place when without it he’d be helpless.

Once this is all done I'll need to sleep for a week, was Jared’s response as he tore into the sandwich as if he was starving. They're going to get the lights going shortly, but apparently a rock hit one of the power coils, and they have to clear out the rubble before it becomes operational again. They'll send our other healer, Tahmoh, over just as soon as he can get through to us, but for now it's just me and Sam. Jake was helping but he's tapped out now. Jared indicated the young man who was lying, snoring, beside Sam.

There seemed to be nothing further he could do to help in the sick bay, so Jensen took himself off back to where the others were still clearing away rocks and stones. Setting to work at a point along the cave from where the others were working, he began to make his way through the mess once more. It was backbreaking, and he was glad that he was fit and strong enough to help, although in a way he wished he was back out in the cold and stormy outside world. He was amazed at himself that he wasn't having a panic attack over the quake and subsequent destruction. He thought that he might well have the attack once the work was finished and he had a minute to think about things rather than merely reacting.

As he labored, he became aware of a dim light coming from somewhere beyond the pile of rubble he was clearing. He redoubled his efforts and soon had made a space large enough for him to get through if he crouched. Shoving his torso and his light-rod through, he could see that beyond where he was working a wall had collapsed, revealing a passageway leading downwards, and that there was a light source somewhere within.

Looking around himself, he discovered that most of the workers who had been clearing away the debris had given up and gone to find refreshments. It seemed that there were no further casualties. Nodding to himself, he decided that he wouldn't be missed. Armed with his shovel and the rope he'd been using to haul away the larger rocks, he climbed through the opening he'd made and set about exploring what was beyond.

The ground was rocky, uneven, and covered in pebbles and stones that hurt his bare feet. Never had he longed more for the sturdy boots his mother had crafted for him when he first began scouting for the clan. If he actually decided to come this way again, he'd be bringing a broom and hopefully have foot coverings. Jared had ordered shoes for him, but since they were coming from one of the other caves in the complex, he wasn't even sure if they were on their way since everyone was still locked down, and the storm could still be heard screaming overhead. Who knew what had befallen the other caves because of the ‘quake?

The light was growing stronger and led him eventually to a shaft from which the lambent rays were pulsing. The rock walls prevented him from going any further, so after a few minutes pondering, he decided that down was definitely the next step to take. He looked around for something to tie his rope to, in order to belay himself down to find where the light was coming from, but nothing seemed to be safe, and regretfully he decided to go back and find Jared.

Itching to explore further, he made his way back to the main cave and went to find his friend.


He found Jared just waking up from a snooze that seemed to have put a little more color in his cheeks. The injured were all sleeping on pallets, save for one ominously shrouded presence in the corner beside the door. A very stern looking man came over to check on Jared as Jensen watched, and Jared yawned, stretched, and evidently told him that he felt fine. As the man eyed Jensen a little dubiously, Jared caught his hand and told the man—apparently this was the healer Tahmoh that he’d mentioned earlier—what had happened to Jensen. Tahmoh smiled, and Jensen blinked at the way the smile illuminated Tahmoh's face. He found himself smiling back, feeling suddenly validated.

As Jared got the go ahead to take a break, he towed Jensen with him, explaining how Tahmoh had come to help by breaking the lockdown protocol, and that he was in fact the head of the healers. They were in the kitchen before Jensen could respond, and Jared was loading a plate with huge amounts of food, much to Jensen's amusement. He helped himself to a much more modest selection and made his way after Jared to sit at a table not far from the rubble that still littered the cave.

The main lights had come back on, much to Jensen's relief, and Jared reminded him that he needed to shut off the light-rod, explaining how to charge it up against future emergencies. They both dug into their meals then, and it was a while before Jensen was able to start telling him about the tunnel and the shaft that he'd found.

Their meal finished, Jensen began to tell Jared about his discovery, hopeful that he'd be a willing partner in exploring what might be down the hole. He was excited to prove to this strange community that he was a good hunter, and that he could help keep them safe even though he couldn’t yet actually communicate with most of them. He would protect Jared of course. Jared had been the one to help him when he was injured. At first, Jared seemed to want to bring Tahmoh into the discovery, but Jensen was vehement that he wanted to go right then, and Tahmoh was too busy with the injured. It wasn't such a hard sell. Jared was increasingly becoming excited about Jensen's discovery, and finally Jensen's enthusiasm won out and Jared agreed to at least go and check out the shaft before going to tell the authorities of its existence.

Priding himself on being able to keep Tahmoh away from his initial exploration, Jensen mentally congratulated himself. He would be able to regain the face that he’d lost by allowing himself to be so terribly wounded and at the same time he could get to know Jared better. There was something about Jared. Jensen couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Now that the main lights were back on, the faint light from behind the wall of rocks was almost imperceptible, and it would likely be a while before more was cleared, since all the casualties were now accounted for, and the rescue squad were by and large taking it easy and resting their weary muscles. The two of them collected a few items that Jensen thought might prove useful, including a broom to sweep away the rubble and protect his feet and then after checking to ensure nobody was watching them, they squeezed through the opening and made their way back towards the light.

It didn't take more than a couple of minutes for them to reach the hole, and both of them knelt to check if they could see anything that might be dangerous.

I'm gonna go down there and see if I can find anything. If a dragon gets me, don't hang around. Rush back and fill up that hole, okay? Jensen had tied the rope around his chest ready and now climbed to sit with his legs dangling over the edge of the shaft. Jared laughed.

If it eats you, it'll probably eat me too. You don't think you're the only one that gets to explore, do you? I wanna see what's down there, too. He lowered Jensen down the hole, and Jensen left him looking around for a solid piece of rock to drive a spike into. He smiled to himself. Jared may be a cave dweller, but he appeared to be as brave as any of Jensen’s contemporaries were when facing the unknown.


As Jensen reached the bottom of the shaft, the light was much stronger, and beneath his feet he could feel a faint throbbing. There was a tunnel that continued for a few more feet, curving around just enough to obscure his view. He began to hurry along the passageway, which seemed to be much smoother than the downward shaft, almost like molten glass in some parts. At last, he rounded the bend and stopped short, gaping in wonder at the sight before him.

The light seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. The glow was warm and somehow made him feel good, almost like the way he felt after an exercise session to develop his arms and shoulders. He stepped forward and stood entranced at the walls around him. The opening through which he'd come was ragged at the edges, as though something had broken through in times gone by. There were no pieces of shattered masonry to indicate that's what had happened, but the cave itself was smooth, again almost as if made of glass, and on its shiny surface he could see pictures, as though some artist had begun to paint a story that continued on not only the walls but also the ceiling for the length of the room.

There were trees and scenes of the world topside, and what looked like animals, although he'd never seen anything like them before. There was what looked like a geographic orientation device. He'd seen one of those before, once, when old Jim from the clan had shown him how it worked. It didn't matter how you twisted and turned, the needle in it always pointed in the same direction.

He'd have loved to have such a tool. It would be so helpful in finding his way back to the clan, but alas he didn't think that returning was even a possibility anymore.

His eyes were drawn to a machine somewhat like the orientation meter. He stood staring at it for some time, and he could swear that it was moving, slowly, very slowly. There were pointers, and one of them seemed to creep around to rest in a different spot whenever he looked away. It was a powerful magic, he thought, and wondered just what it was and what it would do.

He could see other, similar images, but for whatever reason this was the one that held his attention. He was staring at it, focusing all his attention on it in an effort to catch the pointer moving around the face of the object, and so he didn't notice when Jared arrived and suddenly laid his hand on Jensen's shoulder.

He thought that he might have jumped as high as one of the mountain goats that were his principal food source when he was out hunting.

Skies above! Jensen’s thought was filled with awe. Watch. He pointed to the drawing while trying not to take his eyes off it. I'm pretty sure that the needles on this thing are slowly sweeping around in a circle. Jared shook his head.

I don't see how they possibly can be, was his thought. It's just a painting, isn't it? He stroked his fingers over the image, which felt a little as if it were vibrating under his touch.

I have no idea what it is. Jensen reached to touch the item in turn, his hand reaching to touch the center of the dial but withdrew it very quickly when a vaguely unpleasant tingle shot through his finger, accompanied by a crackling spark I was kind of hoping you'd know and be able to tell me.

Jared yelped as Jensen was flung back a little by the flash. I know what it looks like, he thought, frowning. It's an old-fashioned timepiece from before. I've seen one in Elder Sheppard's laboratory. He gave an airy wave of his hand towards the structure. You see, the needles going round somehow tell what time of the day it is. I'm not sure how it works, but we could go and see Elder Sheppard...

Not now! Jensen was impatient. I found it. I want to study it before we let other people in on the secret. Look at this. He indicated another circular image. I've seen one of these before. It shows you how to find your way. We called it an orientation device. I'd love to have one.

Oh, yeah. Jared nodded, sagely. I've used one of those before. It's called a compass, and it always points to the old city of Nyark, I believe.

Have you been there? To Nyark? Jensen was excited, although a little worried about Jared, since he’d been taught from childhood that the cities were places to avoid or you would fall sick with the flux. Is it a very long way from here?

No, I haven't. It's much too far to travel. I have to stay here and heal people. Once I pass my tests, and I'm a fully fledged healer, then I can go on my first journey, although I don't know that I would like to be topside for any length of time. Too many terrible things outside.

I'm not scared. I lived on the outside all of my life ‘til now. Jensen's attention had apparently wandered to a chart showing a number of different locations, but he suddenly turned to the clock again. See there! It moved. It did. That needle was pointing to the way in before and now it's up in the air!

Jensen watched as Jared gave the thing careful scrutiny, and smiled as he saw him nod. He knew that the sneaky thing had moved. He could certainly tell that the needle had swung around 45 degrees. He shook his head. It couldn’t fool him.

We need to think about this, Jared suddenly announced. There's a power here that I don't really understand. It's the same power that produces the lights and warmth for the complex, but I don't know how it's made or where it comes from. All I know is that it can be dangerous, and it needs to be handled very carefully. It can kill without the respect it deserves. We should go and find out what we need to stay safe Jared paused, gave Jensen a look that made him shiver. I don't want anything awful to happen to you when I've only just found you.

At first, Jensen was reluctant to leave, but Jared's words, the emotion pouring off him, ignited a warmth deep in his belly, and he thought for a moment, then nodded. You're right. We should find ways to protect ourselves from this power. I don't want anything bad to happen to you either.

Making their way out of the cave felt strange to Jensen, and there was a pull almost as though the cave itself didn't want him to leave. Jared didn't seem to be affected by it, but it was with a great effort that Jensen reluctantly climbed back up the rope that Jared had anchored to the rocky floor above.

Back up on the lip of the hole from which they'd just emerged, Jensen stood staring at Jared, one eyebrow raised as he appraised him.

He felt odd, loose limbed and dry mouthed as he stood gazing at Jared. The hairs on his back and arms prickled as though they were being stroked with the same ghostly energy he'd experienced from the clock, and he felt a fluttering low in his belly, as if there were snakes coiling and twisting inside him.

Jared was gazing at him, too, intense as he lifted a hand to run over his chest. Jensen spoke, his voice harsh as he met that gaze.

“Jared,” he whispered, and his voice was low, almost as though he was afraid to be heard. He didn’t say anything else, merely standing wide-eyed and shaking as Jared’s fingers slid over the taut cotton of his shirt. His eyes were fixed on Jared, and all of a sudden, he moaned and reached to press Jared's hand against him, feeling himself grow, his hand trembling.

Jared seemed a little confused as well, and as Jensen watched him, still frozen, he appeared to give himself a shake. He pulled away, flapped his hands uselessly and reached to coil the rope they'd been using, dropping it onto the rocky ground beside the spike that anchored it.

We should go back, Jared announced. Sleep now, then in the morning go and visit the scientists if we can.

Jensen nodded and turned, still feeling shocky but aware of Jared's gaze on his back as if it were burning through his clothes to brand him.

Master Post | Part 2 | Part 3

Back in the sick bay, Tahmoh gave them a wave but then frowned and came over to study their faces, smirking as he did so. "I see," he said, studying them both as they stood. "I figured you would be mated sooner or later, but this is definitely sooner. Better take the room at the back with the door that closes. Don't want to wake up our patients now, do we?"

The language, which wasn't that different from the one used by his people, was beginning to make sense to Jensen as he listened to them speaking. He could follow short sentences now, but Tahmoh's words confused him utterly, and he reached for Jared's hand, hoping to know just what Tahmoh was talking about. Unfortunately, Jared wasn't quite sure either, but was deciding that they should do as he said anyway, since as yet Jensen didn't have assigned sleeping quarters.

Nodding his acceptance, Jared towed Jensen into the room Tahmoh had indicated and closed the door. Jensen stood, staring at him, still feeling that undercurrent of excitement, and wanting... something without quite knowing what.

Come on. We should get some sleep. As Jensen watched, Jared moved over to the bed and tugged back the covers. His broad back had a damp patch down between his shoulders that was a testament to his earlier efforts climbing up and down the shaft. His legs were long and lean, and his ass was perfect. It didn’t seem right to feel this for a man, but at the same time he knew that Jared was his. Jensen adjusted his jeans a little, easing the sudden swelling at his groin and shook his head, attempting to shake off the sudden stab of arousal he was feeling. As Jared straightened up, he made a decision. Jared was the cause of his arousal. So be it. Stepping forward he reached for Jared and lifted his head to kiss the surprised mouth. It was their first kiss, and it tasted sweet and perfect even though it was somewhat off center.

We should try that again. Jared, far from being shocked, seemed eager, and his arms slid around Jensen's waist, pulling him close, so that the length of him was pressed against Jared's body. For a moment they froze, and then their mouths met again as their bodies pressed closer. Jensen could feel Jared was experiencing the same sensations that he was. He could feel Jared's length pressing in against his stomach, iron hard in response to the friction. And friction seemed to be imperative. He began to writhe against Jared, feeling the sweet, prickling tingles flare up in his groin as he did so.

There were no coherent words between them as they surged against each other. Jensen thought that his belly was melting as his passion rose. His mouth was wet against Jared's skin, no longer able to sustain a kiss as they gasped in air. The tingling that throbbed through his body suddenly focused to a single point somewhere down at the base of his cock, and he knew that he would come a mere second before the flood of feeling locked his limbs and he exploded. The sparkling tide of release was so strong that he could feel his knees buckle, and only Jared's arms around him kept him from falling. A second or two later, Jared followed him, gasping out words that he could almost understand, words that he happily committed to memory. One more kiss, and they were separate beings again, and Jensen wished that they could always stay so close. He felt Jared underscore his thought as he stumbled back and began to take off his clothes.

The come was cooling in Jensen's pants now, and he peeled them off himself, nose wrinkling against the slimy feel. Looking over he saw that Jared was now naked, and he felt the now familiar tug at his groin again. He tossed the clothes he'd been wearing to lie in a pile with Jared's and went to climb into bed where Jared's welcoming arms surrounded him.


Sometime later, Jensen woke up to see Jared being led out of the room by two others he hadn't seen before. He wanted to get up and follow, but at that moment, Tahmoh came into the room to sit on the edge of the bed and touch his shoulder as he told Jensen to be easy.

Where is he going? Why are they taking him away? Jensen struggled a little, wanting to follow but not knowing what was happening.

He's been taken for testing. It's okay. Tahmoh's thought seemed calm enough, but 'testing' sounded worrisome. Jared has proven worthy of promotion from apprentice to fully fledged healer, for his work with you and later with Sam. And there's more, you and he mindspeak to one another. Only one in a thousand can speak mind to mind, and that will put Jared in high demand. Once the board has examined him, he will be brought back to us here. It's very rare that we promote a new healer.

Jensen felt himself relax at Tahmoh's explanation. Jared would be back. He would wait. A thought occurred to him. Am I capable of mindspeak too? he asked.

Well, yes. You’re doing it now, and I’ve never been able to use it before, so it’s obviously coming from you. We should test it further and find out what we can about it. You will prove exceptionally valuable to the cave even above the information you can give us about the world outside. Tahmoh left the room, and Jensen hopped out of bed and was wondering what he could wear that wasn't caked with the previous night's disgusting mess when the healer returned bearing a bundle of clothing for him. They tell me that boots will be here for you later today. In the meantime go and eat, bathe and whatever else you need to do before we test your ability to speak mind to mind with others besides healers.

Gratefully, Jensen dressed himself and then went to find a shower and breakfast.


Jensen was bored. People were going about their assigned tasks, and he felt like a fish out of water with nothing to do but await Jared's return. He ate and then sat in the dining area, wondering just how to kill the time. Immediately his mind went to the cavern he'd found and the weird markings and inscriptions that were there. Finally making up his mind, he headed back to the opening he had made to the corridor that led to the shaft. He knew that it wouldn't be long now before the way was cleared, and other people would find it. He was determined to explore it fully while he still could.

Making his way back down to the shaft, he let the rope snake into the hole and clambered down until his feet touched the ground so many feet below. As he entered the cave itself, he could once again feel that steady thrumm of some strange power vibrating against his feet. Once again he experienced that feeling of well-being he’d known before. He felt a tingle of excitement at being the only one who knew if its existence. Well, okay, Jared knew too, but Jared was a part of him now. He'd decided that the night before, and he would tell Jared just as soon as he came back. Right now, he had a cave to explore.

He stopped in the entryway, pondering the design on the wall immediately above the timekeeper he'd been so entranced by. It appeared to be a chart of some kind, showing the mountain he'd been climbing when he'd been attacked. Even more, it showed the caves and passages that honeycombed it, including the space that he was currently in. Not only that, but the orientation device that was at the edge of it, seemed to be indicating something, if only he could understand exactly what that might be.

He could tell that the needles on the timekeeper had moved yet again and were now almost diametrically opposed, the longest one nearly pointing to the very top, while the shorter one was indicating the floor.

He was about to turn away and go deeper into the cave when there was a click and the needle he'd noticed moved to point to the very top of the dial. There was a whirring sound as if long dead machinery had suddenly awoken and then a chiming sound that repeated six times.

He was excited. The dial itself seemed to stand out even further from the wall than before, and without thinking he reached to touch the center of it once again.

This time there was no threatening spark, no sudden shock. Instead, he heard a low rumbling sound. He was backing away, afraid that something was going to collapse and crush him, and that he'd never see Jared again. Then he saw that the pointer on the orientation device was moving. It looked as if the wall itself was sliding to one side leaving a large hole where it had been.

Of course, he was going to go and see what was there. Fumbling for the light-rod that Jared had given him, he made his way over to peer into the blackness beyond the opening. As he did so, a light flickered on, and illuminated the passageway beyond. Once again, the light came from nowhere in particular and everywhere at once, and he dropped the rod in his hand without activating it, then took a deep breath and set foot into the space that had opened up.

Once inside, he could see that it was a huge room he'd uncovered.

There were shelves upon shelves stretching back as far as he could see, and each one was crammed with books. Jensen knew books. He'd seen one back at the yurt, had even held one in his hands while the wise woman of the clan had said a blessing over him before sending him out to hunt. Looking around, he wished he could read them all. The blessings that they might contain, the information they might convey to him would make him as important as Jared. He wondered if his discovery would make him important enough to claim Jared anyway and vowed that he would learn to read all of these books if it was possible.

He moved through the space, counting footsteps as he went, determining that it was more than 100 paces from end to end. At the center, or what he assessed as the center, there was a space leading to a further room. He decided to wait for Jared before exploring further and after a brief argument with himself he returned to the cave with the timepiece.

The hands had moved on and were now stretched wide, but the new opening hadn't closed, and he felt it was safe to leave and go back to the cave where he hoped Jared would have returned.


Jared had, in fact, just come back as Jensen crept through into the main cave and made his way to the sick bay area. He was bursting with excitement, and when he saw that Jared was there his heart leapt. He hurried back to where the young medic was sitting, talking to Tahmoh, his hands moving a mile a minute as he related what had happened.

"And they want to check Jensen out, too. He was the one that spoke to me first. They..." his voice trailed away as he looked up to where Jensen was and gave him a brilliant smile. "Hey, love!" he called, reaching out his hand.

Jensen felt a little flip low in his belly as he gazed at Jared. He frowned, trying to think if he dared vocalize his greeting, not wanting either Jared or Tahmoh to laugh. Taking his courage in both hands he drew in his breath and began to talk.

"Jared, I need. Found, you see with me. You come look. Tahmoh come."

For a moment both Jared and Tahmoh stared at him, but then Jared gave a huge whoop and ran to throw his arms around him, while Tahmoh looked on, smiling. "You can talk!"

"I not well. Talk not easy yet." Your language and mine are not very different. But you need to get Tahmoh to come and see what I found.

"Gotcha!" Jared couldn't resist giving Jensen a smacking kiss. "Is it still a secret, or can I tell him what you found?"

"No. You come. See. New thing." Jensen pulled at Jared's hand and then stopped, finally noticing that instead of the beige jacket Jared had been wearing, he now had a pristine white one like Tahmoh's. He sought for words and finally sent, You passed your examination?

"I did!" Jared's beaming smile wreathed his face once again. "You're looking at a fully fledged healer now." He turned to Tahmoh. "Jensen needs us to go with him. He's found something he needs you to see."

Nodding, Tahmoh beckoned Jake to come and take over his current task of counting rolls of bandage. "Okay," he said. “Where are we going? If it's topside, I don't have any weatherproof clothing, and the storm seems less, but it's still blowing a gale."

"No." Jensen shook his head, clearly following what had been said. "You come this way."

Shrugging, Tahmoh fell in behind Jensen and Jared as they made their way through the cavern to the rubble which was slowly and gradually being cleared away. The far end of it, where Jensen had pushed his way through, was still just as much of a mess. Closer to the kitchen, the debris had been removed completely, and everywhere was clean and pristine once more. Making sure nobody observed them, Jensen urged Jared and Tahmoh through the gap and then followed them as they made their way down through the passage to where the shaft lay, the rope still as Jensen had left it.

Jensen didn't hang around to explain anything, merely grabbed the rope and began to clamber down. It was evident that Tahmoh really wanted to ask a bunch of questions before he proceeded, but as Jared merely shook his head and indicated that he should follow Jensen, he just watched Jensen's head disappear down into the shaft and then prepared himself for the climb, muttering to himself about kids and their impatience.

By the time Tahmoh and Jared had reached the bottom of the shaft, Jensen was waiting for them, hopping up and down with impatience. The two of them followed him into the cave, and Tahmoh stopped, breathless as he stared at the walls and their markings. It was a few minutes before he noticed the timekeeper, where the hands were now apparently still working, currently almost showing that the pointers had moved around a quarter of the circle. He stood in front of it for a long time, frowning.

Tahmoh drew in a breath. He was about to start telling them about its function, but Jensen was in no mind to wait. He grabbed both the others by the hand and pulled them along with him to where the door that he'd opened earlier still stood wide.

There's more. We can talk in a while. Come see the rest.

The library stood waiting, and both Jared and Tahmoh stood slack-jawed as they took in the sight. Jensen reached for a book at random and thrust it at Jared.

I need to learn. Teach me?

Both Tahmoh and Jared nodded, their eyes wide with excitement as they gazed at the wealth of knowledge all around them. Smiling, Tahmoh took the book from Jensen and paged through it.

"Maybe not this book to begin with," he said. "But we'll teach you to read all of these if we can. Something tells me you're going to be a fast learner."

Once more, Jensen led the way, this time to the aisle in the center of the room, turning as they reached the crosswalk. Moving with him, they traversed the floor and went through the doorway that led to the next room. This one was filled with machinery, gadgets that resembled the timekeeper, dials of an unknown kind, and plaques that contained drawings of yet other machinery. In the center of the room, there stood a single pillar and Jensen made for it, reaching to trace the markings that covered it inquisitively, wishing he knew what they said.

For a moment, nothing happened, and they were about to go back to the library and look for a book that they could use to start teaching Jensen, when there was a deep, grinding noise, one that they almost felt through the soles of their feet rather than hearing, and the column began to glow, slowly brightening until it was suffused in a rosy pink glow that enabled the symbols etched into it to stand out in brilliant contrast.

As it did so, many dials and gauges appeared to spring to life, and all three men paused in their exploration to stand still, afraid, wondering just what had been set in motion.

Finally they looked at each other and Jared shrugged. It doesn’t seem to be a bomb he mused at Jensen. But something seems to have started up, and I think it likes you.

We need to bring this to the Council of Elders, Tahmoh was adamant and hustled the two younger men out through the library and the cave to the shaft, bidding them to go up with all speed. Once he arrived at the top of the shaft, he purposefully unfastened the rope and insisted that they precede him out through the rubble wall. Once there, he summoned one of the larger guys in their cleanup team to come and stand guard.

"Nobody goes through this hole tonight, Jeff," he said. "I am relying on you and Ty, when I can find him, to keep everyone safe. There's grave danger on the other side of this wall, understand?"

After exacting a promise from Jeff that nobody would pass, Tahmoh nodded his thanks and the three of them went to find Ty.

Once that had been accomplished, Tahmoh pulled the two of them together and called up the Central cave via the communicator that was set into the wall of the sick bay. At first it didn't seem that the powers that be were at all receptive to the urgency in Tahmoh's voice, and since Jensen didn't follow three quarters of what was being said, he zoned out, thinking about Jared and what his feelings toward the young medic might mean in the long run.

Jared had pretty much told him that he didn't want to brave outside for any length of time, which seemed to him to mean that he was condemned to become a cave dweller and rarely see the daylight again. He wasn't sure if this was something he could deal with despite the feeling that he got when he thought about never seeing Jared again. He hoped that the Council of Elders, whoever they were, could present a solution he could live with, because he was rapidly beginning to understand what Tahmoh had meant. Jared was the mate he'd been seeking when he left the clan to go out and explore the world.

When Tahmoh suddenly said something that sounded very much like a curse, Jensen jumped and tried to look as if he hadn't really been daydreaming.

"The Council will see us, but not ‘til tomorrow. You should go and eat and then rest. Sam will be well enough to stand duty tomorrow, thanks to your work on her injuries, so I will be able to go with you," said Tahmoh, grinning at the cranky face Jensen was making even as Jared smacked the back of his boyfriend's head.

Don't be a jerk. It's important that he goes with us. So are you interested in food? He just told us to go find some food.

"Food?" Jensen perked up. "Yes. We go eat food."


Neither of them spoke much as they went to eat. Jared seemed to be deep in thought, and Jensen was a little peeved that he was having his wonderful find taken over by others before he'd had a chance to thoroughly explore it. After all, he was the one who had made everything work, and now there was a guard on his discovery, and he was prevented from any further exploration.

After a while, Jared apparently sensed his mood and reached to take his hand. Do you want to talk about it?

At first, Jensen shook his head, but then decided that it wasn’t really Jared’s fault that the cave had been banned to him. “I find... I need to see more.” He made a grumbling sound and switched to mindspeak. I wanted to explore. I feel annoyed that it’s suddenly taken out of my hands.

I get it, Jen, I do, but you have to realize that we live inside a mountain, and there’s so much danger. You saw what happened when the storm caused that quake. I think Tahmoh’s just being cautious, because weird rumbling sounds when you’re underground can’t be anything good. Jared squeezed Jensen’s hand, and Jensen flushed.

I guess. I mean, I know why it's been closed off. It's just me, wanting to go and play. He rose to his feet. I'm just nervous. Who are these Elders, anyway?

They run the whole of our society. I suppose you should think of them as the ones in charge of making sure we all do okay. It'll be fine. I'm excited to see their reaction when they see what you found for us.

Nodding, Jensen reached for Jared's hand again and pulled him up out of his seat. If I wanted to go outside and see the sky, how could I do that?

The storm seems to have stopped. Come on. Looking happy to be able to coax Jensen out of his mood, Jared led him through the cave to a set of stone stairs that led upwards. Making their way up was tiring, and the air grew colder as they advanced. Finally, Jared pushed open a metal door to reveal the outside world to Jensen's eyes.

It was bitterly cold when Jensen ventured out of the shelter. Wind whipped his hair and stung his cheeks, but despite the knowledge that it would soon be dark, he remained drinking in the view and inhaling the fresh air. The storm had finally passed, and there was a light dusting of snow all around them. They were apparently above the tree line, and down below he could see the dark foliage of the pines topped with ice crystals.

It was a few minutes before he turned to go back inside where Jared was waiting for him. Once out of the wind he gave a shiver and whispered, "Cold," making Jared burst out laughing.

"Come on, Jen," he said. "We need those boots and a warm coat before you go out again."

Jensen could only agree as he followed Jared back down to the warmth of the cave.

The evening passed with Jared beginning to teach Jensen how to read. He got the idea of the symbols representing sounds relatively quickly, and although the book was borrowed from the creche, and geared for children of 5 or 6, Jensen was rapidly picking up the skill, frowning fiercely as he tried to make sense of the words and rolling his eyes at the content of the text. I have a ball? he thought, smirking. I would rather have a knife! Much more useful.

When Tahmoh finally sent them off to bed, he was exhausted as was Jared. Jared was asleep almost before Jensen put out the light. Smiling at the man he was rapidly beginning to love, Jensen dropped a kiss on his head and snuggled up against him, following him down into slumber without effort.

It was completely quiet in their room, and out in the sick bay too, when Jensen awoke. He smiled when he realized the soft whisper of heat against his cheek was Jared's slow, steady breathing, and kissed the slightly parted lips.

Jensen moaned softly as Jared slowly came awake, feeling the warmth of the kiss, and seemed for a moment unaware of his surroundings. When at last he realized what was happening, he stretched out against Jensen, returning the kiss wholeheartedly, arms wrapped around Jensen’s neck as he sucked the man’s tongue into his mouth.

Jared pulled Jensen against him, his cock already hard enough that Jensen could feel it pushing into him. He began pressing lingering kisses to Jensen's mouth, his hands roaming restlessly over Jensen’s back and flanks. "I really, really want you, Jen."

Jensen clung to him, wrapping his legs around him as well as his arms, and holding him tightly. “I’ve never…I want you to do it, Jared.” He wriggled his body against Jared’s hardness, and his own cock began to swell. “Need… something.”

"Jeez, Jen, I only know what to do from books," Jared said, a little embarrassed to be making such a statement. "What if I hurt you? What if I—" He was cut off by a bruising kiss and laughed softly. "I want to do this right, Jen."

You will, Jared, because you love me. He laid his hands against Jared’s face and kissed him tenderly, his mind racing as he thought about the cattle and goats he’d seen mating. How do you want me to be? You think I should lie on my belly, or what? He squirmed a little more, feeling the satisfying thrill as his cock rubbed against Jared’s. What do you have to do? I don’t know. I’m not a girl.

"I don't either," Jared admitted. "In the books and sensos I’ve seen, the guy just sticks his dick in the other guy's butt, and they go for it. It can't be that easy, can it?" He reached down between Jensen's legs and sought out the small, puckered opening. Pushing against it experimentally, he knew there was no way he could just start fucking Jensen. It's too small, Jen. Maybe it needs to be slippery or something. Maybe if your hole is slippery, I can stick my dick in there."

Master Post | Part 1 | Part 3