Lunch Break by troll_la_la for petite_madame

[springflingmod.livejournal.com]

Title: Lunch Break
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Original Superhero! AU, bad language, H/C & fluff

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”Dammit Jared! You just had to get a sandwich.”

Jared winced from more than just the pain as Jensen slapped a pressure bandage on his leg with more force than absolutely necessary. He knew that his lover was more worried than truly angry but the comment still hit too close to home. After all, sandwiches were in truth the root of all of their problems up to and including their current predicament. Said current predicament involved hiding naked in the rubble of an obliterated deli trying to avoid the police, onlookers and the press, not to mention the villain and henchmen that had ambushed them.

”I’m sorry, alright? But you know what happens when my blood sugar gets too low.”

Jensen grunted in reluctant agreement .Neither of them knew the reasons why Jared had to eat regularly or his powers were affected; Jensen’s own superpowers were impervious to skipped meals. Once when Jared had been held up at work and lost track of time, he had unintentionally caused a local blackout before his pizza delivery had arrived. After that costly lesson Jensen normally made sure there was some kind of snack on hand for his partner. Jared was too often focused on others and Jensen knew he could be negligent when it came to his own well-being. Today when Jared had said he needed to eat, Jensen hadn’t found any of the emergency snacks he usually kept in his car. At the time he had assumed that Jared had eaten them all and forgotten to tell him. The events since gave Jensen the feeling there was a more sinister possibility.

Jensen risked peeking out over the fallen meat slicer that was providing refuge from prying eyes. The sprinkler system had washed away all of the white glop that had coated them and taken their powers. Removing their tainted clothes had also been necessary; if they had been in costume the latex would have offered some protection, but their suits had just become stained and dangerous for them to touch. Jensen still worried it was going to take too long for their abilities to kick in so they could make their escape. Right now they were both hurt and extremely vulnerable, not to mention soaking wet and naked. With his back to his partner, Jensen checked his own injuries for the first time. He wasn’t bleeding but the ringing in his ears screamed concussion and the feeling like he was breathing shards of glass suggested at least a cracked rib if not a broken one. He took a shallow breath and scowled back at Jared, his expression softening when he took in the younger man’s pallor and tearful eyes. Jared was clearly in a lot of pain but he had barely complained as Jensen had worked frantically to stop him from bleeding. Jensen as always was impressed by his lover’s resilience.

”We’re good here but I’m not sure for how long,” he confirmed as he turned back towards his lover.

”The way our luck is going?” Jared grimaced ruefully, shaking his head. “I can’t believe this is happening. Why would the Tormentor set a trap for us at my favorite deli?”

”I think that’s obvious,” Jensen snorted. When the younger man just frowned in confusion, Jensen gritted out impatiently, “Seriously? Come on, Jay, I know we’ve lost our powers but your brain should still work!”

”No need to hit me with your ‘snark ray,’” was the quiet reply. Jensen winced at hurt in his lover’s eyes. He knew his unkind words had been more the concussion talking, but if he explained that to Jared, the younger man would be even more upset.

“I guess right now it’s the only one of my powers still working,” Jensen responded quietly before returning to his original train of thought. “I wish you wouldn’t even eat sandwiches. It’s too risky, Jared.”

”Morty knows about my…allergy, he’s got my back. Or he did.” Jared breathed shakily, worried for his old friend.

“The cops got him out while you were fighting the Tormentor’s henchmen, Jay, I think he’ll be okay.”

“I hope so. He’s a good guy, and he really does make the best-” Jared gasped as Jensen suddenly slumped forward. Hissing at the pull on his own wounds the younger man moved to grab onto Jensen’s shoulders. Of course his lover had taken care of Jared’s injuries and ignored his own. Jared cursed himself for prattling on when he should have been looking after his partner and making sure he was okay.

”M’okay, just a little woozy,” Jensen murmured, relaxing almost against his will into Jared’s arms. “M’okay. Be careful, you could start bleeding again.”

”Shut up. No, I won’t. And no, you’re not,” Jared argued softly as he gently probed his lover’s back and sides for other hidden damage. Now that he wasn’t focusing so much on his own hurts he could see the glassiness in his partner’s eyes and livid bruising on his chest. “It’s just your head and your ribs?” He took Jensen’s grunt as affirmative and sighed. His own bleeding had nearly stopped and the throbbing pain had ebbed, and he could feel a faint hum through his body that he knew from experience was his powers slowly starting up again. He also felt a spark of arousal at having his lover naked and in his arms and safe, but determinedly dampened it. This was definitely not the time or place for that.

”Feeling better already with your hands all over me,” Jensen whispered, proving that as usual they were on the same wavelength. Rather than get caught up in his lust (and then just get caught) Jared released his hold on the other man, ignoring Jensen’s disappointed moan.

”You were right, it’s obvious there’s only one way that the Tormentor would have known to set a trap for us here.”

“Yeah, he knows we’re Smith and Wesson,” Jensen groaned, pushing himself reluctantly away from Jared’s tempting form. He rubbed his face as if he could wipe away both that truth and his headache.

“Not even our moms know that, Jen. The only people who know we’re Smith and Wesson are you, me, and-“

“Professor Fluffernutter,” Jensen finished flatly. The mad scientist was their arch-nemesis, their creator and chimera. In between the elaborate criminal plots that Smith and Wesson had thwarted over twenty years, the insane genius had taunted them, toyed with them, tested them. Jared and Jensen had been in high school when it all began. They were best friends and lovers, well-liked, academically and athletically gifted but basically normal. They still did not know why Professor Fluffernutter had changed their lives that fateful day their junior year, but he had only brought them closer together. By unspoken agreement they rarely discussed what had happened; Jared because of his sense of guilt and Jensen because he believed what was done was done and they could only move forward.

“I just don’t understand why he’s doing this to us. Why give us these powers and t-taunt us and trap us and hurt us? And I fall for it every time.” Jared closed his eyes against a flood of frustrated tears and Jensen’s heart broke to see his lover so crestfallen.

”Hey, no, c’mon, Jay, this is not your fault. None of it was ever your fault.”

”Bullshit!” Jared cried. “You said it yourself, I had to get a sandwich. Just like twenty years ago. What kind of idiot buys sandwiches from a mad scientist guy with a sketchy looking cart outside a high school anyway?”

”The kind that knows that those are his boyfriend’s favorite sandwiches and who wants to make him happy. The kind that when he realizes he’s eaten a sandwich that gave him superpowers immediately wants to use them to help people. That was all you, Jay, remember? I wanted to rob banks.” Jensen often wondered if that had been the evil plan, to turn them into unstoppable minions. If so, the Professor had certainly been thwarted, undone both by Jared’s caring heart and Jensen’s fierce love.

“You did not,” Jared scoffed, but the corner of his mouth was slightly turned up. It wasn’t a full Jared sunshine smile but Jensen would take the win. He put his hands on his lover’s cheeks, forcing him to maintain eye contact as he brought their heads closer together. He could feel Jared’s minute trembling, with emotion and the cold.

“Listen to me, Jay. I promise you, we will find the Professor and we will put a stop to him once and for all. We will get all the answers we need. But right now how about you just try not bleeding or freezing to death before our super healing finally kicks in. Speaking of which, maybe we should, you know, share body heat?”

”I can do that,” Jared breathed as he swiftly moved in for a kiss, which Jensen happily obliged, although they broke apart before they could completely forget themselves. “My powers are almost back, I can feel it.

”Are you sure that’s what you’re feeling?” Jensen teased against his lips. “I mean, it might be too soon for that, what with the shit-ton of mayonnaise those assholes dumped on us.”

”I know, right? Talk about overkill.”

”I know it’s in my head but I still feel all greasy. Another reason we’re gonna take them all down.”

”I can give you at least one more reason,” Jared offered, looking down sheepishly. At Jensen’s quizzical look, he confessed, “I’m still hungry.”

”Jared! Seriously?”

”It’s not my fault I didn’t get to finish my sandwich!”