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J2 CSI 'Verse [Part 2]: Evidence In Context
Evidence in Context
Pairing: Jared/Jensen [J2/CSI Crossover], unrequited Jensen/Nick Stokes
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 6,000
Disclaimer: Very much not mine.
Summary: Sequel to Corpus Delicti. Will most likely not make sense without having read that first.
He doesn't know why Jared avoids the subject but Jensen is terrified. It's his job to read into what people are really saying, can't stand the thought that Jared might lie to him and he'd know it.
The graveyard shift took some getting used to, but not as much as Jensen had figured.
A month after Grissom was gone, Jensen started to miss the sun. He saw sunrises and sunsets, but real daylight was beyond him. Everything was twilight and darkness. Beyond that there were only the false lights of Vegas, creating alien shadows.
He's not sure when sunshine became foreign to him, maybe a year after he accepted the promotion. Jensen didn't think about it then, hard to with everything that piled up on his team. Now, almost a year and a half after he took Gil's job, he can't help but notice.
It hits when he's got Jared laid out under him; his hands spread on Jared's thighs, Jared's cock in his mouth. He means to look up, to see what he's hearing. Jared's panting harshly, shaking in response to whatever Jensen does with his tongue and lips.
His eyes catch on his own hands. They're pale against Jared's legs, the contrast vivid and it throws him. No tan lines mark the younger man's skin, just a gradual shift in tones, but it's all darker than Jensen's. Cream on caramel, reminds Jensen of those fake sweet powders everyone adds to their coffee.
He didn't mean to stop, feels Jared's hips push up towards his mouth.
"Jensen, hey," he hears the strain in Jared's voice. "You okay?"
Pulling off, he nods against Jared's thigh, wonders how his face looks against that skin. Hands lift his face to meet Jared's eyes.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Jensen's voice is rough, no wonder. "Just had other plans, didn't want to take that too far."
And he does, suddenly wants to see them in the mirror. Jared heaves himself off the bed and follows Jensen across the room to the low dresser. It's more apparent now, watching Jared move behind him, fit against his back and work lubed fingers into him.
Jared is broader and taller, his chest darker than his thighs, outlining Jensen's form in the mirror.
"Mirrors, huh? Like to watch yourself, Jensen?"
"Needed to see...fuck, Jared, come on."
"Should have guessed," Jared's laugh is a breath against his neck. "Shoulda known you'd want to see everything."
Jared's already pushing into him, both their gazes locked in the mirror, watching each other. It's gorgeous this way, Jensen probably would never have noticed how pale his skin had gotten. He's close enough to the mirror, closer with every thrust from behind, he can see the freckles across his nose and shoulders. Remnants of a Texas childhood, they're more graphic now.
Jensen's not ashen or bloodless, he's seen too many corpses and it's something he absolutely doesn't want to visualize right now. That's not what he thinks when he fixes on the picture he and Jared make. It's beautiful and striking, the way Jared's hands look wrapped around his lower abdomen and grasping his shoulder. Just like that, he doesn't mind the paleness, doesn't want to blend with Jared and disappear.
He hears Jared gasp, feels his rhythm falter. One bronzed hand moves to grip Jensen's dick, bringing him over the edge alongside Jared. The other man is quiet apart from his ragged breathing and Jensen waits for Jared to relax before moving them both to the bed.
A few minutes later, Jensen's running his hands across Jared's chest. He's exhausted, his body nearly on the verge of sleep. Jared still doesn't say anything, he knows Jensen's not entirely coherent after work and fucking. Jensen imagines Jared will fall asleep soon after he does; he knows Jared stays awake at night while he's gone, trying to keep himself on the same schedule.
They haven't really talked about any of it yet, it's only been a week since Tom Haviland was indicted; everything still so fresh and sharp. Jensen wants to bring it up, but knows he won't. Not yet, not when Jared's hold on him feels too good.
And just like every morning for the past week, Jensen's sure he falls asleep first.
***
It's already one hell of a night, the team spread thin covering three calls. He'd sent Nick and Warrick out to the largest crime scene - double homicide. Great as they are in the lab, they both thrive in the field, enjoying the chance to play 'cops' as well as scientists. Catherine got her own murder scene, Jensen and Sara working forensics on an apparent child kidnapping, though at this point Sara's mostly on her own.
Jensen's buried in the ballistics lab; two guns from Cath's scene, another three to check that Nick brought in. There's a tech out sick and Jensen volunteered, knowing he can get through the work the quickest. He still likes this specialty, loses himself in grooves and patterns, half the night gone before he knows it. The next few hours see Sara and his kidnapping turn into homicide, apparent sexual abuse adding to the urgency that the entire lab can feel. Thanks to Jensen, Catherine's case is pretty much wrapped up, handed to the police, and she joins them.
He's listening to detectives interview one of their suspects, easier when he's not in the room with them. He knows their evidence, can pick apart this man just by what he's saying. It's Jensen's second specialty, the real one. A lot of criminalists are good with guns, but the linguistics were what got Gil to first notice him back in Texas. Jensen's spent years learning, honing, teaching these skills - forensic linguists aren't the easiest to come by, especially those focusing more on speech and pathology than handwriting.
Now he can listen to this scumbag try and deceive, read his intent and his background, matching everything against the pathology he and Catherine formulated. Afterward, scumbag thankfully in handcuffs, Jensen shuts himself in his office.
He knows whenever they deal with a child molester, people need to escape or work things out. They sicken everyone; it's a given. Allows Jensen a little time on his own - he's got a few hours left and plenty he could be doing, but no one's going to question if he disappears for a bit.
Closing his blinds and leaving lights off, Jensen sits on his couch trying to block everything else out. Shadows pass against the frosted glass windows, a silent panorama of lab life. His glasses feel heavy on his face and he sets them aside, the shadows in the hallway less crisp.
Jensen has to think about Jared, can't really get around it. Ten days since they first slept together and Jensen feels like he's barely come up for air. They sleep, have sex, and they do talk, sometimes. Jared can always ramble and Jensen sees and experiences enough that he has plenty to say. About them though, and whatever's started between them, there's mutual silence.
He wouldn't even know where to begin. Ten days wasn't a committment, couldn't be under their circumstances. Jensen realizes that nothing's been the quite the same since he met Jared, a subtle tint to all of his actions and emotions.
He doesn't know why Jared avoids the subject but Jensen is terrified. It's his job to read into what people are really saying, can't stand the thought that Jared might lie to him and he'd know it.
He's not an idiot, he knows it'll come up soon. Jared's been on an extended vacation - the entire business with Haviland and the hearing allowing him more time, but he can't stay away from Los Angeles much longer. Jensen has no idea what to feel. Terrified of talking to Jared, but equally as scared to ignore everything and let the younger man leave.
A knock on his door and Catherine sticks her head in the office.
"Hey, you all right?"
"Yeah," he quickly picks up his glasses. "Did you need something?"
"I started helping Warrick and Nick with their evidence, but we could use another set of eyes." She considers him for a moment. "Figured you might want to join in, after the night we've all had."
And God bless Catherine, at least she's been at this job long enough to know how it affects everyone.
"Sure, be right there."
He picks up his phone, texts Jared and tells him he might be home a little late.
***
"Man, I always hated having to wear all that blood."
Jared makes a face at the television, some nameless girl currently being sliced and diced by a masked man. It's not one of Jared's horror films, he refuses to let Jensen rent them.
"The real stuff is worse, believe me," Jensen takes a long swallow of his beer. It's weird to settle down and watch a scary movie in the daylight, but they're laid out on the couch, the remains of Jensen's cooked breakfast sitting uncleaned and ignored in the kitchen.
Onscreen, the girl's finally been stabbed enough, a shot of blood spraying on the wall.
"Shit, the least they can do is get the blood spatter patterns right," Jensen hears Jared laugh at him. "Television's always getting the details wrong, it's annoying."
"You pay attention that closely?" Jared leans towards him, his own beer finished and discarded.
"No, but when you see it as much as we do, it's hard to miss."
Jared doesn't say anything, his gaze isn't quite focused on the screen. Jensen elbows him after a minute.
"Do you hate it?" Hazel eyes find and hold his. "Seeing this stuff everywhere?"
It's not quite the question he hates hearing, has to think so as not to give a programmed answer.
"I can't hate it. If I hated it all, I'd quit," which is true, Jensen knows. He's been worn thin and frustrated but he'd stop in a heartbeat if it started to break him. "Some people can turn it off, not think about it. If it bothered other people, maybe I'd never bring it up, but I don't really hang out with anyone else..."
"Doesn't bother me," Jared interjects quickly.
"Figured."
"Just never been a science person, you know," the younger man doesn't need to explain but Jensen never minds Jared opening up. Thinks Jared feels the same about him. "It's fascinating, hearing about it from you."
"Only because I leave out the really boring parts."
"Every job has boring parts."
"Acting, too?"
"Like you wouldn't believe." Jared's smile is wide, Texas strong in the words and it warms Jensen.
"You love it, though."
"Yeah, I do," he looks a little bashful, like he doesn't expect Jensen to understand. "Can't really picture myself doing anything else, even though I'll hardly be famous."
He can't respond to that, probably no need to. If Jared were famous, he'd never sit on Jensen's couch like this, comfortable and friendly. He only knows Hollywood from movies, knows better than to assume that's real. They can't get blood spatter right. Why should glamorous, Los Angeles life be any different? Tom Haviland was famous. Jensen never wants that for Jared.
Jensen settles closer, Jared moving to make room, fit them together. He's saying something about the screaming onscreen, how annoying it is to hear take after take.
Never really having normal before, Jensen's a little struck by the picture they're making. He's known Jared for less than two weeks, but they're watching movies, eating together, sleeping together - hell, living together. Jared never ditched his hotel room, but he's here whenever Jensen's home. It doesn't feel weird that Jared's moved in, but Jensen's dazed suddenly by the fact that he hasn't questioned it - not once.
It can't last forever. He knows the feeling from the few vacations he's taken, sense of the inevitable trip back home, to reality. Jensen can talk to Jared about his job at length, something he's unused to. But he can't venture further.
Fingers snap in front of his face, Jared blocking the flatscreen.
"Still with me, or too tired?"
"Nah, just a little caught up in my head," he yawns, stretching his arms and slouching into the cushions, pushing his glasses back on his nose. "It's a scary place."
"Already know that," Jared sounds confident, but Jensen thinks the other man is far from reading his thoughts. If he could, Jensen imagines his expression wouldn't be that mischievous smirk.
There's little warning before Jared's on top of him, presses him into the corner of the sectional. He's learned it's the fastest way to get Jensen going - covering him, pressing down with his large frame and shielding them both.
Jensen used to think he was a good kisser, but nothing in his experience matches what his mouth and Jared's can do together. Jared kisses like he's trying to take Jensen into himself, bearing down and pushing his tongue past Jensen's lips. He's never been with anyone who kisses with their entire body; Jared's a savant. His hands are never still, pulling at Jensen's neck and guiding his jaw, removing Jensen's wire frames which are soon lost in the couch.
"Sick of the movie?" he quips when Jared lets him breathe, though his mouth is still fixed under Jensen's chin.
"Could say that." Back to Jensen's lips, licking long patterns along each one before reclaiming Jensen's mouth, hands soft behind his ears.
"Bedroom?" Jensen manages.
"I'm good here," Jared groans when Jensen's body starts playing, bending up and meeting the hard muscles above. "Nowhere near tired yet, think your schedule's starting to mess with me."
It's a subtle reminder of everything Jensen wants to get out, wants to say, but he lets the moment pass, concentrates instead on Jared grinding down onto him. They fall into sex more than anything Jensen's known, but it's an unavoidable piece of their connection.
Jared pulls him flat on the couch, lays above him and holds the back of Jensen's head with one large palm. They're touching, tongues to ankles, both in t-shirts and jeans, and Jensen can feel his day-old stubble scratching Jared's face. It's a wet kiss, deep as Jared can make it, and Jensen feels it all the way to his toes.
He bends and lifts one leg from under Jared, aligns their cocks better, pulling a groan from both men. His bare foot runs along Jared's, toes skimming across fine ankle bones and under the hem of Jared's pants. Knows Jared feels it, the only other place they're skin to skin. He wraps his other leg around Jared's hip, holding them both in place.
Their kisses speed and slow inversely to the motion of their hips. When Jensen thrusts up against Jared's groin, legs pulling them together faster and faster, Jared's mouth separates from his. They're just sharing breath, a flick of tongue here and there, the press of Jared's nose against his cheek, lips making contact briefly. Jensen can feel when Jared gets overwhelmed, uses his weight to stop Jensen's motions, the kisses restarting and mouths sealed tight against each other.
Jensen's out of his mind before long. Shirts are gone, pants pushed down just enough. They're rocking into each other - Jensen pulling, Jared pushing - and he can't hold back. Forces his dick through the groove in Jared's hip and comes, fingers digging future bruises into Jared's back. The younger man grabs his shoulders, holding Jensen down and straining, his cock riding slickly across Jensen's abdomen.
When Jared comes, Jensen flips them on their sides, Jared held back between Jensen and the couch. He keeps them there, feels them both shaking and panting. He kisses down Jared's throat, tastes their mixed sweat.
"Bedroom now?" he finally breathes, watching as Jared opens his eyes and grins languidly.
"Pretty comfortable right here," and Jared wraps long limbs around him, slightly sticky and very warm. "Don't want to move, especially if I can get a repeat performance of that."
Jensen untangles himself, pulls up his jeans, smiles softly as he leaves Jared on the couch.
"Suit yourself, but my back won't forgive me if I stay there."
Jensen's washing up a bit, just going through routine. When he emerges from the bathroom a few minutes later, Jared's already between his sheets, waiting.
***
They're having a good night for a change. Together at what's likely to be their last scene of the shift, Catherine's nearly giddy, mirth spilling over to Warrick, both chuckling at their "victim's" unfortunate circumstances.
Nick and Jensen watch the two of them trying not to laugh too hard, smiles on their own faces. Sara calls them from the building's second story and they leave Warrick and Cath to calm down.
The three of them are bent over glass shards and debris, easy going, eager to finish up and hand the evidence over to the day shift. Nick's texting back and forth to Greg, results from earlier scenes among other things. Sara rolls her eyes, picks up a shredded piece of fabric.
"Looks like someone wasn't thrilled with their decorator." She's smirking, but Nick hardly looks amused.
"Yeah well I'm betting our design-star downstairs grabbed everything breakable and wailed it at Murray's head."
"Wow, Nick," Jensen drawls, "nice work. My boyfriend could have figured that out."
Now Sara's laughing and Nick's sort of gaping, phone beeping forgotten in his hand. Jensen doesn't realize what he's said until Sara stops.
"Nice, Ackles."
He almost freaks out but Sara's still grinning. Nick shakes his head, Catherine's giddiness apparently spread to the entire team.
"Aw, come on, you guys...thanks, Jensen."
"I call it as I see it, Stokes," Jensen decides to just roll with it, his revelation accepted and passed over like all their other digs tonight. "Now maybe you can stop messaging your BFF and help us all get out of here."
He glances over at Sara who can't keep a straight face as she photographs, hears Nick's "ha-ha", and focuses on the wreckage below.
***
When he makes it home, Jensen's on Jared before he can speak, falling onto the couch and straddling the younger man.
It's fast and heated, Jared catching on quickly to Jensen's mood. He sets Jensen's glasses safely on the table before he rips Jensen's shirt and throws it aside, his own following. Jensen's only off Jared's lap long enough to take off his pants and underwear. Jared's hands cover his lower back, clutching him close as he writhes and moves against Jared's groin.
Jensen's tongue is deep in Jared's mouth when his hands go for the belt and buttons, only interested in opening the pants enough to pull Jared's dick out, works it in his hands, breaks from Jared's lips to cover the rest of his face and neck with wet kisses. The scruff on Jared's chin and cheeks tickles his lips. Jensen likes the feel of the younger man's short goatee - it's a good look for Jared. He looks older, edgier - less like the overwhelmed man he'd met at the Palms.
He pauses at Jared's ear, runs his tongue along the edge, sucking on the flesh and feeling Jared groan.
He's swiftly bent backwards, Jared reaching for the lube and condoms that found a home on the coffee table. Everything's close and intimate once Jared moves inside him. Jensen's forehead rests against Jared's. He lets the younger man guide his hips, rolls and pushes and he can only stare into Jared's eyes as they move.
When Jared starts to finally falter, Jensen leans back and just rides, Jared's head is thrown back but his eyes are open, focused on where Jensen's jacking himself. Jensen comes first, shivering to a climax, working Jared's cock exactly how he needs it, spills onto his own hand and stomach, his throat hoarse from gasping.
Jared pulls him forward, thrusts up twice and falls apart. Jensen folds, held up by Jared's arms even as he feels the tremors throughout his muscles.
Once he's breathing more steadily, he moves enough to let Jared take off the condom, doesn't care when it's tied off and thrown on the floor.
"Hey."
He's comfortable on Jared's lap, the hysteria of moments ago worked out of him, and it's the first time either one of them has spoken since he got home.
"Good shift?" Jared nudges Jensen's smooth cheek with his nose, tries to get Jensen to meet his eyes.
"Mmm." His hands drift through Jared's shaggy hair as he mutters noncommittally, gentled in turn by the fingers ghosting over his spine and flank. "Nothing special." He'd be happy to stay like this for a while, mind blissfully blank.
"I get mauled as soon as you walk in, and it was nothing special?" It's a friendly question, Jared's mood as light as his own. He doesn't want to ruin it.
"Called you my boyfriend tonight," Jensen shifts so he can look fully at Jared, tries to discern his thoughts through his eyes, and sees the smile forming.
"And?"
"I thought..." he's never been good with this, never needed to be. Nothing's ever come this far. "Never mind."
"You thought I'd mind? Freak out?"
"Jared," he huffs, tries to move away. He's naked still, cannot do this completely bared. "Let me get up."
Jared does, watches as Jensen grabs his torn shirt and boxers. The other man's expression doesn't waver, still a goofy smile, but he rezips his jeans quietly as Jensen sits back down.
"Seriously, Jensen, did you think I'd mind?"
"Do we have to do this now?"
"Do what, talk?" Jared sounds too amused. "Pretty sure we do."
"I haven't even eaten."
"You'll survive, Jensen." He pauses, really stares at the older man. "So you called me your boyfriend, did someone react badly?"
"No, it's not that." He imagines Jared is waiting for him to explain, isn't sure where he could start. "I don't think I've ever had this conversation before."
"Neither have I."
"I'm serious."
"Me too."
"Jared..."
They could go back and forth like this for hours. As much as Jensen doesn't want to talk, he thinks the avoidance might actually make him feel worse, might hurt them both.
"You're okay with being my boyfriend?"
"More than." Jared sounds so honest, looks so happy. He gets the horrible feeling that this wasn't the way Jared expected the conversation to go, afraid of what that says about how Jensen's been acting.
"You thought I'd be the one freaking out, didn't you?" Jensen asks, figures he knows the answer.
Jared sighs deeply. "Wasn't doing much thinking after you walked in, but I guessed you might be trying to battle something out. You seemed rattled, figured maybe you'd come to your senses about this whole thing."
Jensen runs his hand along Jared's thigh. "I don't think sense comes anywhere near this," he gestures. "It's a puzzle I can't really figure out. The way we met, it makes no sense. It was totally unplanned and unexpected."
"And perfect."
"Yeah." Jensen takes a deep breath, relieved for the moment. His stomach growls, causing Jared to snicker.
"I was wrong, maybe you won't survive unless you eat."
Half an hour later Jared's cleaning up the remains of their sandwiches and chips. Jensen added a bowl of cereal to his own meal after Jared claimed most of the chips. Jared hasn't said much, Jensen following his lead, but he looks calm and content.
They return to the couch, flipping through horrible daytime television. Jensen's about to suggest that they actually venture outside of the house when Jared speaks up.
"I thought you needed me." His voice is quieter, like he's thinking out loud instead of talking.
"What?"
"More than I needed you, I mean." Jensen's confused again, thinks he was right when he called them a puzzle.
"You lost me," he says, thought they already covered this. "Jared, I do need you. I want you here."
"Needing and wanting are two different things, Jensen," Jared considers him for a second. "We were both going through some shit when Tom -"
"When your friend was arrested," he tries to help.
"Yeah," Jared nods quickly. "I met you and I needed your help to work through those days. I remember everything you told me a couple weeks ago and I know you needed me just as badly."
"But?"
"But I was afraid that once you got over whatever was leaving you feeling so unsatisfied, so unhappy, you wouldn't need me around anymore. Like I was the band-aid and once the wound healed, you could just rip me off."
Jensen gets it, he thinks.
"You thought that's what earlier was about, like a farewell fuck?"
"I think so," and now Jared looks tired. "Realized I stopped needing you as a balm a few days ago, wanted to see where this could go and was happy to just be here."
"Maybe I still need you a little bit, Jared." Jensen starts, and the younger man nods in understanding. "I've spent five years letting this city get the better of me, and when I met you I was exhausted. It hasn't gone away, not entirely, but it's getting easier."
He stops to look straight at Jared.
"You made it easier. I wanted to tell you, but couldn't figure out how. I might have been able to listen if you'd tried to explain it to me, but bringing it up on my own?"
"I know," Jared interrupts.
"Do you?"
"You're not the only one who can figure out how to read a person. It's been two weeks, Jensen. You're only a little mysterious now, sorry to say."
The grin Jared flashes him is just as sensational as the first.
"I do want you, Jared." Simple as that, Jensen thinks.
"Right now? I'm a little tired..."
It's Jensen's turn to laugh and Jared joins in, tension starting to dissipate.
"Too tired to leave the house?"
"Not on your life."
***
Nick has a large, Texas belt buckle. He used to wear it frequently when Jensen started working in the lab. They'd gotten along well at first, Jensen on the day shift seeing Nick in passing. The belt buckle was a conversation starter, two Texas boys reminiscing and sharing. After a few months, Nick started trying to coax Jensen out of the lab, find excuses to work during the day every now and then.
Jensen resisted, knew what a relationship in the lab could lead to and had no idea whether he'd even stay in Las Vegas long enough. Eventually, the interactions between them cooled to occasional flirting, even when Jensen replaced Grissom and found Nick constantly in his sights. He'd still worn the buckle, reminding Jensen, they were the same, what's the harm? What Jensen loves most about the belt is hearing Greg make fun of it, and the lab tech never misses an opportunity to mess with Texas.
He's wearing it now, standing in Jensen's office as he's trying to make headway with some paperwork. It's awkward, waiting for Nick to speak first, sighs when he doesn't.
"Something on your mind, Stokes?"
"Nah, just stopping by, see if there's anything I can do." It's silly, both of them know that on a slow night like this, there's still plenty to do.
"If all your filing's done, I'm pretty sure one of the others would appreciate help," he bullshits.
"Right, imagine they would," and Jensen thinks he might just leave without saying anything else, watches Nick walk to the open door, but he stops. "Hey Jensen, I didn't know you had a boyfriend."
And suddenly the conversation's going exactly where Jensen thought it might.
"That an issue, Nick?"
"Naw, just a surprise. I won't say anything to the others if you want to keep it quiet."
"I already told you and Sara," he counters. "Not exactly a secret."
"Yeah, well, you probably don't want it becoming gossip," Nick tries to joke. "You know how chatty the day shift is."
"You already told Greg," Jensen interrupts matter-of-factly.
"Heck, he takes one look at us and knows we're hiding things. He's a better interrogator than Sofia."
"Means he's probably told Catherine and Warrick by now." Nick looks a little taken aback, no one can say Jensen doesn't know his team backwards and inside out. Hell, it's the most important part of his job. "It's not a big deal, Nick. Was there something else?"
"Not really, guess I'd better head back to all those reports waiting on me." Nick goes to make his escape, momentarily awkward, unusual for him. Jensen can sympathize.
"Hey, Nick," he picks up the slip of paper on his desk, moves to meet Nick at the door. "Give the paperwork a rest for a bit. Call on a four-fifty-nine just off the strip came just before you walked in here."
Nick grabs the incident slip and smiles at Jensen.
"Grab someone else, give them a get out of jail free card, and head over there."
"Thanks, Jensen."
Jensen knows he's not just being thanked for the chance to escape the desk work, and he grins back.
"Don't mention it."
***
Saturday afternoon, Jensen's sitting in the small restaurant waiting on their lunch. He can see Jared outside on his cell phone, pacing back and forth in front of his rental car. The phone had been vibrating on their table for a few minutes when Jared gave in, muttering two words before rushing outside.
"My agent."
He wishes he could hear what's being said. Jared doesn't look hassled or frustrated, probably realizes that Jensen would pick up far too much of the conversation if he'd stayed inside.
Jensen's picking at Jared's french fries and sipping his second cup of decaf when Jared comes back to the table. His hand gets smacked away from Jared's plate, the phone's tossed back on the Formica.
"He's got a pilot for me."
Jensen's glad he just comes out and says it, no wrangling. Jared's honest, and Jensen gets enough flim flam and beating around the bush at work.
"What's it about?"
"Far as I can tell, it's a horror serial," he takes a few fries and tosses them on Jensen's plate. "Urban myths, demonology, that sort of thing."
"Been interested in it for a while?"
"Actually, it's the first I've heard of it." A strange expression flits across Jared's face - Jensen can't tell if he's smirking or grimacing. "Seems like the producers heard my name associated with Tom's trial, saw me when the press and paparazzi were having a field day here. They pulled a few of my old audition tapes and were willing to offer me the part based on all that."
He concentrates on eating for a moment, stops when he notices Jensen just watching him.
"Gonna take it?" Jensen asks.
"Christ, Jensen, I don't know!" Jared's frustrated, but Jensen can tell it's not directed at him, thankfully. "I never wanted to get work based on Tom's infamy. Things...I just can't seem to get work on my own right now. I need to work, Jensen."
"I know," he tries to turn the conversation. "When would you need to start filming?"
"Two weeks," Jared sighs. "Filming's in L.A., but I don't think I can take it. Benefiting from the publicity around Tom's case? I can't do that."
"Jared..."
"Maybe I can find something here, I'm sure there's plenty to do for an actor in Vegas." Jared's just rambling, picking at his lunch.
"Hey," Jensen needs to derail him. "Jared, I can tell you that working in Vegas sucks. Its not what you want."
"You do just fine," Jared snaps.
"You know that's not true," Jensen sees the younger man's face relax a little, looks contrite. "Filming takes what, a couple weeks? Maybe you should do it, see where it goes?"
"Trying to get me out of Las Vegas?"
"If only," Jensen jokes, Jared smiles and waits for him to continue. "Acting's your job, I think you've got to do it."
"When filming's done, there's weeks of waiting to see if the pilot gets picked up. I could come back here if I'm not needed in L.A...." he trails off, seems uncertain but Jensen knows he doesn't need to be.
"You know you can."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Beaming, Jared splits the rest of his fries and gives them to Jensen.
***
"Man, I miss the days when we only had a few homicides a week."
Jensen hears Warrick as he and Sara get back to the lab with all their evidence. He follows them, glances over everything they're laying out.
"Hey, Jensen," Sara greets him. "Feel like joining us?"
"Tempting," he bluffs, seeing the myriad of evidence bags. "I want to sit in on an interview Sofia's bringing in, then I'm out of here."
"Oh, hot date at nine in the morning? Quite the social life, Ackles."
"Funny, Warrick. You guys need help? Grab Greg if he's not back logged."
"Will do," Sara responds, already busy uploading photos.
An hour later Jensen ducks out of the building a little before the shift's done. Jared's flying back to Los Angeles in an hour or so. He's hurrying back to his house so he can see Jared before he's gone.
Never figured the last couple of weeks would go so fast; Jared's been studying his script, even coaxing Jensen to read with him, sharing his own tips on diction and liguistics based on Jared's character's background.
It's only for a few weeks, knows Jared's coming back when he's done. He's excited for his boyfriend, can tell that Jared's thrilled and jumpy, too.
"Find all your stuff?" Jensen asks when he walks in. "I swear, I don't think I could find it all, and it's my job."
Jared laughs and zips up his bags. After Jared found out about the pilot, he'd abandoned the hotel room, shuttling the remainder of his things to Jensen's.
It's been comfortable, Jensen's gotten used to Jared's barking laugh, the way his flip flops sound on the tiled floors, how his hair can stick up in a hundred directions before he showers. The sex, the feeling of having someone else around even when they don't need to talk, all of the changes and emotions Jared has brought into his house and lifestyle.
"Think I've got it all, but it's no big deal. I'll be back."
"Yeah, when you're on your way to becoming a TV star."
"Crossing my fingers, dude," Jared declares, moving closer to Jensen, dropping his bags by the front door.
"You good?" Jensen whispers, Jared's fully in his space, sees him nod before he feels lips on his.
Jensen's going to miss this, Jared's mouth fitting over his, tongues meeting in the space between them. It doesn't feel like a goodbye kiss, being drawn against Jared's chest, his own hands gripping the younger man's arms, an enthusiastic tongue mapping his mouth. Jared pulls away after a few minutes, a parting kiss delivered to Jensen's cheek.
"Think I'm ready to go now."
When Jared's in his rental car, Jensen leans on the door frame before he pulls away.
"Enjoy the rest of your day off, man."
"Oh I've got big plans," he chuckles.
"Breakfast and bed? Big day right there."
"Something like that."
He starts the car. "I'll call you when I get to my place."
Sharing a long look, neither one adds anything else. Jensen thinks everything's already been said. After all, his boyfriend isn't walking away, just taking a business trip.
"Catch you later, Jared."
He claps a hand on the car door, watches Jared drive away. Jensen's got a few weeks to himself, just the way his life used to be.
Yet completely different.
Jensen smiles and walks back to the house. As soon as he gets some sleep, he's got a few DVDs to rent.
Jared can't get mad at him from hundreds of miles away now, can he?
FIN
J2/CSI 'Verse continues in Cross The Line; Go The Distance.
Unbetaed, all mistakes are my own. Feedback welcomed! And as a side note, I don't normally use a beta for fics like this, but I'd love to have someone to read through them, a beta more focused on storylines than grammar.
Coincidentally, it's also my best friend in the world's birthday today! As such, this story, and all the inspiration that came with it, is for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
iwontbedenied.
Pairing: Jared/Jensen [J2/CSI Crossover], unrequited Jensen/Nick Stokes
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 6,000
Disclaimer: Very much not mine.
Summary: Sequel to Corpus Delicti. Will most likely not make sense without having read that first.
He doesn't know why Jared avoids the subject but Jensen is terrified. It's his job to read into what people are really saying, can't stand the thought that Jared might lie to him and he'd know it.
The graveyard shift took some getting used to, but not as much as Jensen had figured.
A month after Grissom was gone, Jensen started to miss the sun. He saw sunrises and sunsets, but real daylight was beyond him. Everything was twilight and darkness. Beyond that there were only the false lights of Vegas, creating alien shadows.
He's not sure when sunshine became foreign to him, maybe a year after he accepted the promotion. Jensen didn't think about it then, hard to with everything that piled up on his team. Now, almost a year and a half after he took Gil's job, he can't help but notice.
It hits when he's got Jared laid out under him; his hands spread on Jared's thighs, Jared's cock in his mouth. He means to look up, to see what he's hearing. Jared's panting harshly, shaking in response to whatever Jensen does with his tongue and lips.
His eyes catch on his own hands. They're pale against Jared's legs, the contrast vivid and it throws him. No tan lines mark the younger man's skin, just a gradual shift in tones, but it's all darker than Jensen's. Cream on caramel, reminds Jensen of those fake sweet powders everyone adds to their coffee.
He didn't mean to stop, feels Jared's hips push up towards his mouth.
"Jensen, hey," he hears the strain in Jared's voice. "You okay?"
Pulling off, he nods against Jared's thigh, wonders how his face looks against that skin. Hands lift his face to meet Jared's eyes.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Jensen's voice is rough, no wonder. "Just had other plans, didn't want to take that too far."
And he does, suddenly wants to see them in the mirror. Jared heaves himself off the bed and follows Jensen across the room to the low dresser. It's more apparent now, watching Jared move behind him, fit against his back and work lubed fingers into him.
Jared is broader and taller, his chest darker than his thighs, outlining Jensen's form in the mirror.
"Mirrors, huh? Like to watch yourself, Jensen?"
"Needed to see...fuck, Jared, come on."
"Should have guessed," Jared's laugh is a breath against his neck. "Shoulda known you'd want to see everything."
Jared's already pushing into him, both their gazes locked in the mirror, watching each other. It's gorgeous this way, Jensen probably would never have noticed how pale his skin had gotten. He's close enough to the mirror, closer with every thrust from behind, he can see the freckles across his nose and shoulders. Remnants of a Texas childhood, they're more graphic now.
Jensen's not ashen or bloodless, he's seen too many corpses and it's something he absolutely doesn't want to visualize right now. That's not what he thinks when he fixes on the picture he and Jared make. It's beautiful and striking, the way Jared's hands look wrapped around his lower abdomen and grasping his shoulder. Just like that, he doesn't mind the paleness, doesn't want to blend with Jared and disappear.
He hears Jared gasp, feels his rhythm falter. One bronzed hand moves to grip Jensen's dick, bringing him over the edge alongside Jared. The other man is quiet apart from his ragged breathing and Jensen waits for Jared to relax before moving them both to the bed.
A few minutes later, Jensen's running his hands across Jared's chest. He's exhausted, his body nearly on the verge of sleep. Jared still doesn't say anything, he knows Jensen's not entirely coherent after work and fucking. Jensen imagines Jared will fall asleep soon after he does; he knows Jared stays awake at night while he's gone, trying to keep himself on the same schedule.
They haven't really talked about any of it yet, it's only been a week since Tom Haviland was indicted; everything still so fresh and sharp. Jensen wants to bring it up, but knows he won't. Not yet, not when Jared's hold on him feels too good.
And just like every morning for the past week, Jensen's sure he falls asleep first.
It's already one hell of a night, the team spread thin covering three calls. He'd sent Nick and Warrick out to the largest crime scene - double homicide. Great as they are in the lab, they both thrive in the field, enjoying the chance to play 'cops' as well as scientists. Catherine got her own murder scene, Jensen and Sara working forensics on an apparent child kidnapping, though at this point Sara's mostly on her own.
Jensen's buried in the ballistics lab; two guns from Cath's scene, another three to check that Nick brought in. There's a tech out sick and Jensen volunteered, knowing he can get through the work the quickest. He still likes this specialty, loses himself in grooves and patterns, half the night gone before he knows it. The next few hours see Sara and his kidnapping turn into homicide, apparent sexual abuse adding to the urgency that the entire lab can feel. Thanks to Jensen, Catherine's case is pretty much wrapped up, handed to the police, and she joins them.
He's listening to detectives interview one of their suspects, easier when he's not in the room with them. He knows their evidence, can pick apart this man just by what he's saying. It's Jensen's second specialty, the real one. A lot of criminalists are good with guns, but the linguistics were what got Gil to first notice him back in Texas. Jensen's spent years learning, honing, teaching these skills - forensic linguists aren't the easiest to come by, especially those focusing more on speech and pathology than handwriting.
Now he can listen to this scumbag try and deceive, read his intent and his background, matching everything against the pathology he and Catherine formulated. Afterward, scumbag thankfully in handcuffs, Jensen shuts himself in his office.
He knows whenever they deal with a child molester, people need to escape or work things out. They sicken everyone; it's a given. Allows Jensen a little time on his own - he's got a few hours left and plenty he could be doing, but no one's going to question if he disappears for a bit.
Closing his blinds and leaving lights off, Jensen sits on his couch trying to block everything else out. Shadows pass against the frosted glass windows, a silent panorama of lab life. His glasses feel heavy on his face and he sets them aside, the shadows in the hallway less crisp.
Jensen has to think about Jared, can't really get around it. Ten days since they first slept together and Jensen feels like he's barely come up for air. They sleep, have sex, and they do talk, sometimes. Jared can always ramble and Jensen sees and experiences enough that he has plenty to say. About them though, and whatever's started between them, there's mutual silence.
He wouldn't even know where to begin. Ten days wasn't a committment, couldn't be under their circumstances. Jensen realizes that nothing's been the quite the same since he met Jared, a subtle tint to all of his actions and emotions.
He doesn't know why Jared avoids the subject but Jensen is terrified. It's his job to read into what people are really saying, can't stand the thought that Jared might lie to him and he'd know it.
He's not an idiot, he knows it'll come up soon. Jared's been on an extended vacation - the entire business with Haviland and the hearing allowing him more time, but he can't stay away from Los Angeles much longer. Jensen has no idea what to feel. Terrified of talking to Jared, but equally as scared to ignore everything and let the younger man leave.
A knock on his door and Catherine sticks her head in the office.
"Hey, you all right?"
"Yeah," he quickly picks up his glasses. "Did you need something?"
"I started helping Warrick and Nick with their evidence, but we could use another set of eyes." She considers him for a moment. "Figured you might want to join in, after the night we've all had."
And God bless Catherine, at least she's been at this job long enough to know how it affects everyone.
"Sure, be right there."
He picks up his phone, texts Jared and tells him he might be home a little late.
"Man, I always hated having to wear all that blood."
Jared makes a face at the television, some nameless girl currently being sliced and diced by a masked man. It's not one of Jared's horror films, he refuses to let Jensen rent them.
"The real stuff is worse, believe me," Jensen takes a long swallow of his beer. It's weird to settle down and watch a scary movie in the daylight, but they're laid out on the couch, the remains of Jensen's cooked breakfast sitting uncleaned and ignored in the kitchen.
Onscreen, the girl's finally been stabbed enough, a shot of blood spraying on the wall.
"Shit, the least they can do is get the blood spatter patterns right," Jensen hears Jared laugh at him. "Television's always getting the details wrong, it's annoying."
"You pay attention that closely?" Jared leans towards him, his own beer finished and discarded.
"No, but when you see it as much as we do, it's hard to miss."
Jared doesn't say anything, his gaze isn't quite focused on the screen. Jensen elbows him after a minute.
"Do you hate it?" Hazel eyes find and hold his. "Seeing this stuff everywhere?"
It's not quite the question he hates hearing, has to think so as not to give a programmed answer.
"I can't hate it. If I hated it all, I'd quit," which is true, Jensen knows. He's been worn thin and frustrated but he'd stop in a heartbeat if it started to break him. "Some people can turn it off, not think about it. If it bothered other people, maybe I'd never bring it up, but I don't really hang out with anyone else..."
"Doesn't bother me," Jared interjects quickly.
"Figured."
"Just never been a science person, you know," the younger man doesn't need to explain but Jensen never minds Jared opening up. Thinks Jared feels the same about him. "It's fascinating, hearing about it from you."
"Only because I leave out the really boring parts."
"Every job has boring parts."
"Acting, too?"
"Like you wouldn't believe." Jared's smile is wide, Texas strong in the words and it warms Jensen.
"You love it, though."
"Yeah, I do," he looks a little bashful, like he doesn't expect Jensen to understand. "Can't really picture myself doing anything else, even though I'll hardly be famous."
He can't respond to that, probably no need to. If Jared were famous, he'd never sit on Jensen's couch like this, comfortable and friendly. He only knows Hollywood from movies, knows better than to assume that's real. They can't get blood spatter right. Why should glamorous, Los Angeles life be any different? Tom Haviland was famous. Jensen never wants that for Jared.
Jensen settles closer, Jared moving to make room, fit them together. He's saying something about the screaming onscreen, how annoying it is to hear take after take.
Never really having normal before, Jensen's a little struck by the picture they're making. He's known Jared for less than two weeks, but they're watching movies, eating together, sleeping together - hell, living together. Jared never ditched his hotel room, but he's here whenever Jensen's home. It doesn't feel weird that Jared's moved in, but Jensen's dazed suddenly by the fact that he hasn't questioned it - not once.
It can't last forever. He knows the feeling from the few vacations he's taken, sense of the inevitable trip back home, to reality. Jensen can talk to Jared about his job at length, something he's unused to. But he can't venture further.
Fingers snap in front of his face, Jared blocking the flatscreen.
"Still with me, or too tired?"
"Nah, just a little caught up in my head," he yawns, stretching his arms and slouching into the cushions, pushing his glasses back on his nose. "It's a scary place."
"Already know that," Jared sounds confident, but Jensen thinks the other man is far from reading his thoughts. If he could, Jensen imagines his expression wouldn't be that mischievous smirk.
There's little warning before Jared's on top of him, presses him into the corner of the sectional. He's learned it's the fastest way to get Jensen going - covering him, pressing down with his large frame and shielding them both.
Jensen used to think he was a good kisser, but nothing in his experience matches what his mouth and Jared's can do together. Jared kisses like he's trying to take Jensen into himself, bearing down and pushing his tongue past Jensen's lips. He's never been with anyone who kisses with their entire body; Jared's a savant. His hands are never still, pulling at Jensen's neck and guiding his jaw, removing Jensen's wire frames which are soon lost in the couch.
"Sick of the movie?" he quips when Jared lets him breathe, though his mouth is still fixed under Jensen's chin.
"Could say that." Back to Jensen's lips, licking long patterns along each one before reclaiming Jensen's mouth, hands soft behind his ears.
"Bedroom?" Jensen manages.
"I'm good here," Jared groans when Jensen's body starts playing, bending up and meeting the hard muscles above. "Nowhere near tired yet, think your schedule's starting to mess with me."
It's a subtle reminder of everything Jensen wants to get out, wants to say, but he lets the moment pass, concentrates instead on Jared grinding down onto him. They fall into sex more than anything Jensen's known, but it's an unavoidable piece of their connection.
Jared pulls him flat on the couch, lays above him and holds the back of Jensen's head with one large palm. They're touching, tongues to ankles, both in t-shirts and jeans, and Jensen can feel his day-old stubble scratching Jared's face. It's a wet kiss, deep as Jared can make it, and Jensen feels it all the way to his toes.
He bends and lifts one leg from under Jared, aligns their cocks better, pulling a groan from both men. His bare foot runs along Jared's, toes skimming across fine ankle bones and under the hem of Jared's pants. Knows Jared feels it, the only other place they're skin to skin. He wraps his other leg around Jared's hip, holding them both in place.
Their kisses speed and slow inversely to the motion of their hips. When Jensen thrusts up against Jared's groin, legs pulling them together faster and faster, Jared's mouth separates from his. They're just sharing breath, a flick of tongue here and there, the press of Jared's nose against his cheek, lips making contact briefly. Jensen can feel when Jared gets overwhelmed, uses his weight to stop Jensen's motions, the kisses restarting and mouths sealed tight against each other.
Jensen's out of his mind before long. Shirts are gone, pants pushed down just enough. They're rocking into each other - Jensen pulling, Jared pushing - and he can't hold back. Forces his dick through the groove in Jared's hip and comes, fingers digging future bruises into Jared's back. The younger man grabs his shoulders, holding Jensen down and straining, his cock riding slickly across Jensen's abdomen.
When Jared comes, Jensen flips them on their sides, Jared held back between Jensen and the couch. He keeps them there, feels them both shaking and panting. He kisses down Jared's throat, tastes their mixed sweat.
"Bedroom now?" he finally breathes, watching as Jared opens his eyes and grins languidly.
"Pretty comfortable right here," and Jared wraps long limbs around him, slightly sticky and very warm. "Don't want to move, especially if I can get a repeat performance of that."
Jensen untangles himself, pulls up his jeans, smiles softly as he leaves Jared on the couch.
"Suit yourself, but my back won't forgive me if I stay there."
Jensen's washing up a bit, just going through routine. When he emerges from the bathroom a few minutes later, Jared's already between his sheets, waiting.
They're having a good night for a change. Together at what's likely to be their last scene of the shift, Catherine's nearly giddy, mirth spilling over to Warrick, both chuckling at their "victim's" unfortunate circumstances.
Nick and Jensen watch the two of them trying not to laugh too hard, smiles on their own faces. Sara calls them from the building's second story and they leave Warrick and Cath to calm down.
The three of them are bent over glass shards and debris, easy going, eager to finish up and hand the evidence over to the day shift. Nick's texting back and forth to Greg, results from earlier scenes among other things. Sara rolls her eyes, picks up a shredded piece of fabric.
"Looks like someone wasn't thrilled with their decorator." She's smirking, but Nick hardly looks amused.
"Yeah well I'm betting our design-star downstairs grabbed everything breakable and wailed it at Murray's head."
"Wow, Nick," Jensen drawls, "nice work. My boyfriend could have figured that out."
Now Sara's laughing and Nick's sort of gaping, phone beeping forgotten in his hand. Jensen doesn't realize what he's said until Sara stops.
"Nice, Ackles."
He almost freaks out but Sara's still grinning. Nick shakes his head, Catherine's giddiness apparently spread to the entire team.
"Aw, come on, you guys...thanks, Jensen."
"I call it as I see it, Stokes," Jensen decides to just roll with it, his revelation accepted and passed over like all their other digs tonight. "Now maybe you can stop messaging your BFF and help us all get out of here."
He glances over at Sara who can't keep a straight face as she photographs, hears Nick's "ha-ha", and focuses on the wreckage below.
When he makes it home, Jensen's on Jared before he can speak, falling onto the couch and straddling the younger man.
It's fast and heated, Jared catching on quickly to Jensen's mood. He sets Jensen's glasses safely on the table before he rips Jensen's shirt and throws it aside, his own following. Jensen's only off Jared's lap long enough to take off his pants and underwear. Jared's hands cover his lower back, clutching him close as he writhes and moves against Jared's groin.
Jensen's tongue is deep in Jared's mouth when his hands go for the belt and buttons, only interested in opening the pants enough to pull Jared's dick out, works it in his hands, breaks from Jared's lips to cover the rest of his face and neck with wet kisses. The scruff on Jared's chin and cheeks tickles his lips. Jensen likes the feel of the younger man's short goatee - it's a good look for Jared. He looks older, edgier - less like the overwhelmed man he'd met at the Palms.
He pauses at Jared's ear, runs his tongue along the edge, sucking on the flesh and feeling Jared groan.
He's swiftly bent backwards, Jared reaching for the lube and condoms that found a home on the coffee table. Everything's close and intimate once Jared moves inside him. Jensen's forehead rests against Jared's. He lets the younger man guide his hips, rolls and pushes and he can only stare into Jared's eyes as they move.
When Jared starts to finally falter, Jensen leans back and just rides, Jared's head is thrown back but his eyes are open, focused on where Jensen's jacking himself. Jensen comes first, shivering to a climax, working Jared's cock exactly how he needs it, spills onto his own hand and stomach, his throat hoarse from gasping.
Jared pulls him forward, thrusts up twice and falls apart. Jensen folds, held up by Jared's arms even as he feels the tremors throughout his muscles.
Once he's breathing more steadily, he moves enough to let Jared take off the condom, doesn't care when it's tied off and thrown on the floor.
"Hey."
He's comfortable on Jared's lap, the hysteria of moments ago worked out of him, and it's the first time either one of them has spoken since he got home.
"Good shift?" Jared nudges Jensen's smooth cheek with his nose, tries to get Jensen to meet his eyes.
"Mmm." His hands drift through Jared's shaggy hair as he mutters noncommittally, gentled in turn by the fingers ghosting over his spine and flank. "Nothing special." He'd be happy to stay like this for a while, mind blissfully blank.
"I get mauled as soon as you walk in, and it was nothing special?" It's a friendly question, Jared's mood as light as his own. He doesn't want to ruin it.
"Called you my boyfriend tonight," Jensen shifts so he can look fully at Jared, tries to discern his thoughts through his eyes, and sees the smile forming.
"And?"
"I thought..." he's never been good with this, never needed to be. Nothing's ever come this far. "Never mind."
"You thought I'd mind? Freak out?"
"Jared," he huffs, tries to move away. He's naked still, cannot do this completely bared. "Let me get up."
Jared does, watches as Jensen grabs his torn shirt and boxers. The other man's expression doesn't waver, still a goofy smile, but he rezips his jeans quietly as Jensen sits back down.
"Seriously, Jensen, did you think I'd mind?"
"Do we have to do this now?"
"Do what, talk?" Jared sounds too amused. "Pretty sure we do."
"I haven't even eaten."
"You'll survive, Jensen." He pauses, really stares at the older man. "So you called me your boyfriend, did someone react badly?"
"No, it's not that." He imagines Jared is waiting for him to explain, isn't sure where he could start. "I don't think I've ever had this conversation before."
"Neither have I."
"I'm serious."
"Me too."
"Jared..."
They could go back and forth like this for hours. As much as Jensen doesn't want to talk, he thinks the avoidance might actually make him feel worse, might hurt them both.
"You're okay with being my boyfriend?"
"More than." Jared sounds so honest, looks so happy. He gets the horrible feeling that this wasn't the way Jared expected the conversation to go, afraid of what that says about how Jensen's been acting.
"You thought I'd be the one freaking out, didn't you?" Jensen asks, figures he knows the answer.
Jared sighs deeply. "Wasn't doing much thinking after you walked in, but I guessed you might be trying to battle something out. You seemed rattled, figured maybe you'd come to your senses about this whole thing."
Jensen runs his hand along Jared's thigh. "I don't think sense comes anywhere near this," he gestures. "It's a puzzle I can't really figure out. The way we met, it makes no sense. It was totally unplanned and unexpected."
"And perfect."
"Yeah." Jensen takes a deep breath, relieved for the moment. His stomach growls, causing Jared to snicker.
"I was wrong, maybe you won't survive unless you eat."
Half an hour later Jared's cleaning up the remains of their sandwiches and chips. Jensen added a bowl of cereal to his own meal after Jared claimed most of the chips. Jared hasn't said much, Jensen following his lead, but he looks calm and content.
They return to the couch, flipping through horrible daytime television. Jensen's about to suggest that they actually venture outside of the house when Jared speaks up.
"I thought you needed me." His voice is quieter, like he's thinking out loud instead of talking.
"What?"
"More than I needed you, I mean." Jensen's confused again, thinks he was right when he called them a puzzle.
"You lost me," he says, thought they already covered this. "Jared, I do need you. I want you here."
"Needing and wanting are two different things, Jensen," Jared considers him for a second. "We were both going through some shit when Tom -"
"When your friend was arrested," he tries to help.
"Yeah," Jared nods quickly. "I met you and I needed your help to work through those days. I remember everything you told me a couple weeks ago and I know you needed me just as badly."
"But?"
"But I was afraid that once you got over whatever was leaving you feeling so unsatisfied, so unhappy, you wouldn't need me around anymore. Like I was the band-aid and once the wound healed, you could just rip me off."
Jensen gets it, he thinks.
"You thought that's what earlier was about, like a farewell fuck?"
"I think so," and now Jared looks tired. "Realized I stopped needing you as a balm a few days ago, wanted to see where this could go and was happy to just be here."
"Maybe I still need you a little bit, Jared." Jensen starts, and the younger man nods in understanding. "I've spent five years letting this city get the better of me, and when I met you I was exhausted. It hasn't gone away, not entirely, but it's getting easier."
He stops to look straight at Jared.
"You made it easier. I wanted to tell you, but couldn't figure out how. I might have been able to listen if you'd tried to explain it to me, but bringing it up on my own?"
"I know," Jared interrupts.
"Do you?"
"You're not the only one who can figure out how to read a person. It's been two weeks, Jensen. You're only a little mysterious now, sorry to say."
The grin Jared flashes him is just as sensational as the first.
"I do want you, Jared." Simple as that, Jensen thinks.
"Right now? I'm a little tired..."
It's Jensen's turn to laugh and Jared joins in, tension starting to dissipate.
"Too tired to leave the house?"
"Not on your life."
Nick has a large, Texas belt buckle. He used to wear it frequently when Jensen started working in the lab. They'd gotten along well at first, Jensen on the day shift seeing Nick in passing. The belt buckle was a conversation starter, two Texas boys reminiscing and sharing. After a few months, Nick started trying to coax Jensen out of the lab, find excuses to work during the day every now and then.
Jensen resisted, knew what a relationship in the lab could lead to and had no idea whether he'd even stay in Las Vegas long enough. Eventually, the interactions between them cooled to occasional flirting, even when Jensen replaced Grissom and found Nick constantly in his sights. He'd still worn the buckle, reminding Jensen, they were the same, what's the harm? What Jensen loves most about the belt is hearing Greg make fun of it, and the lab tech never misses an opportunity to mess with Texas.
He's wearing it now, standing in Jensen's office as he's trying to make headway with some paperwork. It's awkward, waiting for Nick to speak first, sighs when he doesn't.
"Something on your mind, Stokes?"
"Nah, just stopping by, see if there's anything I can do." It's silly, both of them know that on a slow night like this, there's still plenty to do.
"If all your filing's done, I'm pretty sure one of the others would appreciate help," he bullshits.
"Right, imagine they would," and Jensen thinks he might just leave without saying anything else, watches Nick walk to the open door, but he stops. "Hey Jensen, I didn't know you had a boyfriend."
And suddenly the conversation's going exactly where Jensen thought it might.
"That an issue, Nick?"
"Naw, just a surprise. I won't say anything to the others if you want to keep it quiet."
"I already told you and Sara," he counters. "Not exactly a secret."
"Yeah, well, you probably don't want it becoming gossip," Nick tries to joke. "You know how chatty the day shift is."
"You already told Greg," Jensen interrupts matter-of-factly.
"Heck, he takes one look at us and knows we're hiding things. He's a better interrogator than Sofia."
"Means he's probably told Catherine and Warrick by now." Nick looks a little taken aback, no one can say Jensen doesn't know his team backwards and inside out. Hell, it's the most important part of his job. "It's not a big deal, Nick. Was there something else?"
"Not really, guess I'd better head back to all those reports waiting on me." Nick goes to make his escape, momentarily awkward, unusual for him. Jensen can sympathize.
"Hey, Nick," he picks up the slip of paper on his desk, moves to meet Nick at the door. "Give the paperwork a rest for a bit. Call on a four-fifty-nine just off the strip came just before you walked in here."
Nick grabs the incident slip and smiles at Jensen.
"Grab someone else, give them a get out of jail free card, and head over there."
"Thanks, Jensen."
Jensen knows he's not just being thanked for the chance to escape the desk work, and he grins back.
"Don't mention it."
Saturday afternoon, Jensen's sitting in the small restaurant waiting on their lunch. He can see Jared outside on his cell phone, pacing back and forth in front of his rental car. The phone had been vibrating on their table for a few minutes when Jared gave in, muttering two words before rushing outside.
"My agent."
He wishes he could hear what's being said. Jared doesn't look hassled or frustrated, probably realizes that Jensen would pick up far too much of the conversation if he'd stayed inside.
Jensen's picking at Jared's french fries and sipping his second cup of decaf when Jared comes back to the table. His hand gets smacked away from Jared's plate, the phone's tossed back on the Formica.
"He's got a pilot for me."
Jensen's glad he just comes out and says it, no wrangling. Jared's honest, and Jensen gets enough flim flam and beating around the bush at work.
"What's it about?"
"Far as I can tell, it's a horror serial," he takes a few fries and tosses them on Jensen's plate. "Urban myths, demonology, that sort of thing."
"Been interested in it for a while?"
"Actually, it's the first I've heard of it." A strange expression flits across Jared's face - Jensen can't tell if he's smirking or grimacing. "Seems like the producers heard my name associated with Tom's trial, saw me when the press and paparazzi were having a field day here. They pulled a few of my old audition tapes and were willing to offer me the part based on all that."
He concentrates on eating for a moment, stops when he notices Jensen just watching him.
"Gonna take it?" Jensen asks.
"Christ, Jensen, I don't know!" Jared's frustrated, but Jensen can tell it's not directed at him, thankfully. "I never wanted to get work based on Tom's infamy. Things...I just can't seem to get work on my own right now. I need to work, Jensen."
"I know," he tries to turn the conversation. "When would you need to start filming?"
"Two weeks," Jared sighs. "Filming's in L.A., but I don't think I can take it. Benefiting from the publicity around Tom's case? I can't do that."
"Jared..."
"Maybe I can find something here, I'm sure there's plenty to do for an actor in Vegas." Jared's just rambling, picking at his lunch.
"Hey," Jensen needs to derail him. "Jared, I can tell you that working in Vegas sucks. Its not what you want."
"You do just fine," Jared snaps.
"You know that's not true," Jensen sees the younger man's face relax a little, looks contrite. "Filming takes what, a couple weeks? Maybe you should do it, see where it goes?"
"Trying to get me out of Las Vegas?"
"If only," Jensen jokes, Jared smiles and waits for him to continue. "Acting's your job, I think you've got to do it."
"When filming's done, there's weeks of waiting to see if the pilot gets picked up. I could come back here if I'm not needed in L.A...." he trails off, seems uncertain but Jensen knows he doesn't need to be.
"You know you can."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Beaming, Jared splits the rest of his fries and gives them to Jensen.
"Man, I miss the days when we only had a few homicides a week."
Jensen hears Warrick as he and Sara get back to the lab with all their evidence. He follows them, glances over everything they're laying out.
"Hey, Jensen," Sara greets him. "Feel like joining us?"
"Tempting," he bluffs, seeing the myriad of evidence bags. "I want to sit in on an interview Sofia's bringing in, then I'm out of here."
"Oh, hot date at nine in the morning? Quite the social life, Ackles."
"Funny, Warrick. You guys need help? Grab Greg if he's not back logged."
"Will do," Sara responds, already busy uploading photos.
An hour later Jensen ducks out of the building a little before the shift's done. Jared's flying back to Los Angeles in an hour or so. He's hurrying back to his house so he can see Jared before he's gone.
Never figured the last couple of weeks would go so fast; Jared's been studying his script, even coaxing Jensen to read with him, sharing his own tips on diction and liguistics based on Jared's character's background.
It's only for a few weeks, knows Jared's coming back when he's done. He's excited for his boyfriend, can tell that Jared's thrilled and jumpy, too.
"Find all your stuff?" Jensen asks when he walks in. "I swear, I don't think I could find it all, and it's my job."
Jared laughs and zips up his bags. After Jared found out about the pilot, he'd abandoned the hotel room, shuttling the remainder of his things to Jensen's.
It's been comfortable, Jensen's gotten used to Jared's barking laugh, the way his flip flops sound on the tiled floors, how his hair can stick up in a hundred directions before he showers. The sex, the feeling of having someone else around even when they don't need to talk, all of the changes and emotions Jared has brought into his house and lifestyle.
"Think I've got it all, but it's no big deal. I'll be back."
"Yeah, when you're on your way to becoming a TV star."
"Crossing my fingers, dude," Jared declares, moving closer to Jensen, dropping his bags by the front door.
"You good?" Jensen whispers, Jared's fully in his space, sees him nod before he feels lips on his.
Jensen's going to miss this, Jared's mouth fitting over his, tongues meeting in the space between them. It doesn't feel like a goodbye kiss, being drawn against Jared's chest, his own hands gripping the younger man's arms, an enthusiastic tongue mapping his mouth. Jared pulls away after a few minutes, a parting kiss delivered to Jensen's cheek.
"Think I'm ready to go now."
When Jared's in his rental car, Jensen leans on the door frame before he pulls away.
"Enjoy the rest of your day off, man."
"Oh I've got big plans," he chuckles.
"Breakfast and bed? Big day right there."
"Something like that."
He starts the car. "I'll call you when I get to my place."
Sharing a long look, neither one adds anything else. Jensen thinks everything's already been said. After all, his boyfriend isn't walking away, just taking a business trip.
"Catch you later, Jared."
He claps a hand on the car door, watches Jared drive away. Jensen's got a few weeks to himself, just the way his life used to be.
Yet completely different.
Jensen smiles and walks back to the house. As soon as he gets some sleep, he's got a few DVDs to rent.
Jared can't get mad at him from hundreds of miles away now, can he?
FIN
J2/CSI 'Verse continues in Cross The Line; Go The Distance.
Unbetaed, all mistakes are my own. Feedback welcomed! And as a side note, I don't normally use a beta for fics like this, but I'd love to have someone to read through them, a beta more focused on storylines than grammar.
Coincidentally, it's also my best friend in the world's birthday today! As such, this story, and all the inspiration that came with it, is for
iwontbedenied.
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Hugs,
Arlad
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Oh and on a side note, if you still need someone to beta, you can always give me a shout.
Awesome job!!!
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And I'm really glad you're enjoying the stories =)
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I had never read the first part before either, so I read them both just now. I absolutely love it. It's so sweet and I love the lack of drama for once. It's a great story and your style makes it flow so easily. And then there's the characterizations~ ooh... no words. :D
♥
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I love the way you've combined their two worlds - just can't wait to see how you make their long distance relationship work.
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Thanks for reading!
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But Supernatural without Jensen? It's inconceivable.
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Thanks hun!
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i love the previous and this too!!!yay.hope there will be more
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Another sequel is already in the works, lots more to it!
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(I am friending you to
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Cat
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I'm a big CSI fan & of course, love Supernatural, as well. :)
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And you're welcome.
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EVIL
I love it.