because Dean leaned closer to him.
“She’s happy,” he murmured quietly, the whisper unnecessary but probably a force of habit for the boy since Jensen knew she couldn’t have heard him anyway.
“Then why is she crying?” Jensen questioned back, his eyes meeting with Drew’s.
If her brother answered him, there was no way he heard him. He got lost in her gaze, the intensity of emotion behind her beautiful honey eyes causing him to rub at the tightening in his chest. A thousand things passed between them: confusion, fear, depression, along with compassion, surprise, hope. Everything and more was laid bare between them. Warmth filled him as he detected a hint of … longing? Definitely longing.
You’re a despicable piece of shit, Marks. She’s seventeen, bruised and battered, and you’re getting hot and bothered for her. It wasn’t like that, though he couldn’t quite explain the differences from his heart to his head.
“Dude, did you hear anything I’ve said?” Dean asked, nudging him with an elbow and breaking the spell between him and Drew.
“Nope.”
Refusing to meet her brother’s glance, slightly afraid of the accusations that would be written on his face, Jensen turned his attention to the floor. Accusations you deserve, my friend, accusations you deserve. After a moment of studying the white petals beneath his feet, Drew spoke.
“What is this?” she asked, snapping his gaze back to hers once more.
“Happy birthday, Drew,” Jensen said softly, catching Dean’s hands moving beside him, translating his words to sign language. Drew cocked her head to the side, confusion coloring her face.
“Why?”
First and last time you’ll ever hear a woman ask that in response to a birthday wish, he thought to himself. A smirk lifted the side of his lips as he internally examined her question. She’d echoed a constant thought he’d had the entire day. Why? Why had he taken the time to celebrate a birthday for a girl he didn’t know? Why? Why was she asking why for a birthday present? Anger returned to him as he wished he could play hockey with her father’s fucking head.
“Because it’s your birthday. And your birthday is something to be celebrated,” he told her simply, slowly, so she’d focus on his lips instead of her brother’s hands. Taking a step toward her, he pulled a small box from his pocket and set it on the bed beside her. “Just a little something.”
Jensen watched as she picked the small wrapped gift he’d gotten for her earlier in the day. He wished it held something great, something earthshattering and mind blowing, but it didn’t. When he’d gone out looking for a gift, honestly, he hadn’t had the slightest idea what to get. It wasn’t like he could ask for guidance from a store clerk either – he wouldn’t have been able to answer any questions about what she did or didn’t like. That’s because you don’t know her. You’re such a creep, dude, for real.
Shaking his head, he kept his attention on Drew as she delicately unwrapped the paper. The fact that her fingers moved slowly, pain lines creasing her forehead, wasn’t lost to him. Instantly he regretted having the damn thing gift wrapped – he should’ve put it in a small bag or something, make it easier on her. But then, you would’ve had to use your brain … which you haven’t … all day.
The sun-bright smile of hers returned as she pulled the trinket from the box. The braided pink bracelet he’d purchased for her looked large in her hands, the circular pale-pink gem entwined to be the focal point of it as big as her wrist. Maybe he should have measured her wrist before purchasing it? Creep. You are a fucking creep, his brain screamed and he wished he could scowl at himself. So you’ve already told me, he settled for saying, trying to ignore it and focus on her. I’ll keep saying it till you admit it.
“It’s … it’s,” Drew stammered, tears filling her eyes once more as she held the gift
“She’s happy,” he murmured quietly, the whisper unnecessary but probably a force of habit for the boy since Jensen knew she couldn’t have heard him anyway.
“Then why is she crying?” Jensen questioned back, his eyes meeting with Drew’s.
If her brother answered him, there was no way he heard him. He got lost in her gaze, the intensity of emotion behind her beautiful honey eyes causing him to rub at the tightening in his chest. A thousand things passed between them: confusion, fear, depression, along with compassion, surprise, hope. Everything and more was laid bare between them. Warmth filled him as he detected a hint of … longing? Definitely longing.
You’re a despicable piece of shit, Marks. She’s seventeen, bruised and battered, and you’re getting hot and bothered for her. It wasn’t like that, though he couldn’t quite explain the differences from his heart to his head.
“Dude, did you hear anything I’ve said?” Dean asked, nudging him with an elbow and breaking the spell between him and Drew.
“Nope.”
Refusing to meet her brother’s glance, slightly afraid of the accusations that would be written on his face, Jensen turned his attention to the floor. Accusations you deserve, my friend, accusations you deserve. After a moment of studying the white petals beneath his feet, Drew spoke.
“What is this?” she asked, snapping his gaze back to hers once more.
“Happy birthday, Drew,” Jensen said softly, catching Dean’s hands moving beside him, translating his words to sign language. Drew cocked her head to the side, confusion coloring her face.
“Why?”
First and last time you’ll ever hear a woman ask that in response to a birthday wish, he thought to himself. A smirk lifted the side of his lips as he internally examined her question. She’d echoed a constant thought he’d had the entire day. Why? Why had he taken the time to celebrate a birthday for a girl he didn’t know? Why? Why was she asking why for a birthday present? Anger returned to him as he wished he could play hockey with her father’s fucking head.
“Because it’s your birthday. And your birthday is something to be celebrated,” he told her simply, slowly, so she’d focus on his lips instead of her brother’s hands. Taking a step toward her, he pulled a small box from his pocket and set it on the bed beside her. “Just a little something.”
Jensen watched as she picked the small wrapped gift he’d gotten for her earlier in the day. He wished it held something great, something earthshattering and mind blowing, but it didn’t. When he’d gone out looking for a gift, honestly, he hadn’t had the slightest idea what to get. It wasn’t like he could ask for guidance from a store clerk either – he wouldn’t have been able to answer any questions about what she did or didn’t like. That’s because you don’t know her. You’re such a creep, dude, for real.
Shaking his head, he kept his attention on Drew as she delicately unwrapped the paper. The fact that her fingers moved slowly, pain lines creasing her forehead, wasn’t lost to him. Instantly he regretted having the damn thing gift wrapped – he should’ve put it in a small bag or something, make it easier on her. But then, you would’ve had to use your brain … which you haven’t … all day.
The sun-bright smile of hers returned as she pulled the trinket from the box. The braided pink bracelet he’d purchased for her looked large in her hands, the circular pale-pink gem entwined to be the focal point of it as big as her wrist. Maybe he should have measured her wrist before purchasing it? Creep. You are a fucking creep, his brain screamed and he wished he could scowl at himself. So you’ve already told me, he settled for saying, trying to ignore it and focus on her. I’ll keep saying it till you admit it.
“It’s … it’s,” Drew stammered, tears filling her eyes once more as she held the gift
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