The Gloaming

Part 4: The Chemistry Test

Same day... 52 Days to the Fade

Jensen sat in his hospital bed, his upper body elevated up as far as the bed would go. He nervously smoothed the blankets covering his lower body. He felt like such an idiot for bashing his own head in just when Jared finally shows up.

He hadn't let anyone know, well, maybe Chris suspected, but Jensen had been waiting and hoping that Jared would find and come for him. After throwing down the challenge like he did, Jensen was determined to let Jared be the one to come looking. But as the days went by with no sign of the big man that had not only changed his life, but even his dreams. Four days in a row now, he'd had hot, steamy dreams about Jared, his morning wood so painful when he got up he had to take care of it in the shower.

It baffled him that he found himself so attracted to a complete stranger, someone he'd never even had a real conversation with. Jensen suspected it was all the gloaming's fault. But maybe it was also because it had been three years since he'd had any kind of intimacy with anyone, other than two one-night stands that had ended badly, and Jensen had to admit, at least to himself, that he was lonely.

With the local anesthetic they'd used before cleaning and stitching up his head, Jensen wasn't feeling too bad at the moment. His head felt a little wobbly, but he thought it had more to do with what felt like a mile of bandaging wrapped around the top half of his head, than anything to do with his injury.

He was warned that the local would start to wear off soon, and that he'd probably be needing a stronger hit of pain meds soon, which will knock him out fast. He'd then asked the doctor to send Jared in, first. He knew that if he didn't get this over with now, that he'd probably lose the nerve to do it later.

He was staring at his hands resting in his lap, trying to calm his nerves when Jared knocked lightly against the open door.

Looking up and spotting the tall man who was supposed to be his perfect match in every way, and all he could see was a young, well-to-do and handsome stranger that had everything ahead of him in life. Jensen swallowed nervously, but gestured for Jared to enter the room and take the chair next to his bed. Grabbing up the remote for the telescreen which had been muted but left on for him by the nurses. Jensen turned it off and watched it retract into the ceiling.

"Jensen, I'm really sorry about what happened at your shop, if I had stopped to think instead of just walking up on you like that, you never..."

"Jared, stop... it's not your fault. It was an accident, plain and simple. The doc said I'll be just fine in a week or two. The concussion isn't that severe, and the stitches will be out by next week."

"Are you in pain?"

"No, not right now." Jensen replied, ignoring the slowly building throb right behind his eyes.

He gazed at Jared for a couple seconds, finally noticing the sweat dripping down the sides of his face. Jensen watched in fascination as beads of sweat traveled down the other man's long neck until it pooled in the hollow at the base of his throat. Jensen felt his mouth go dry, and he unconsciously licked his lips. His eyes shot upward as he heard Jared catching his breath, the sound quite audible in the quiet room.

Clear green eyes met a blue-green gaze, that Jensen could swear was darkening with lust even as he watched. He felt his pulse picking up and suddenly Jensen felt like he wasn't getting enough air, as he began breathing heavier.

Objectives... Ackles... stick to the plan! he told himself. Stop lusting after your soulmate and say what you've been wanting to say!

"I've-been-with-only-one-man-before-so-I-have-experience-but-it's-been-so-long-since-I've-been-in-a-relationship-and-I'm-afraid-of-fucking-this-up!." He suddenly found himself just spitting out what's been bothering him; just not in such an abrupt manner. He grinned ruefully, and looked away from Jared. "Shit, didn't mean to just throw that out there. Was gonna work up to it."