ladyjanelly: (Ben)
ladyjanelly ([personal profile] ladyjanelly) wrote2007-08-22 10:37 pm
Entry tags:

Fic: Rollerball (J2, NC-17, 6/6)

Title:Rollerball
Author:Ladyjanelly
Movie Adapted: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246894/
Genre: CW RPS
Characters/Pairings:Jared/Jensen
Rating:NC-17
Word Count: 10,202
Warnings: violence
Notes/Credits: Thanks to Jellicle for looking over this for me and giving me hand-holding and feed-back.

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended; fair use only. Not created for profit.




Ackles plays the game. He scores points. He fights hard and he doesn’t quit.

His face is bloody and his arm hangs limp.

Jared’s heart bleeds for him.

If he wasn’t waiting, if he didn’t have hope, he’d put up the fight now, make Brotski shoot him in the head, make Brotski kill him before Jensen tortures himself to death on the track instead of after.

There’s a disruption at the door; a shotgun goes off in the small space, deafening Jared for a second. The guard falls back, shirt and flesh in tatters. In Brotski’s moment of confusion, Jared twists the gun away from him and snaps his elbow the wrong way in one sharp motion.

Brotski’s screaming and holding his arm to himself, and Jared thinks of Jensen, walking around with a fucking broken collar bone for two weeks. The gun’s a good weight in Jared’s hand and he hits Brotski in the face with it, hits him until he’s not moving anymore.

Jared stares down at what he’s done for long moments. Then he looks to the door and god-damn if there’s anything better than a familiar face.

“C’mon,” he says, “We gotta get down there. They’re killin’ him.”

------

Jensen plays the game. He scores points. He fights hard and he doesn’t quit. He’s not sure where his helmet has gone. He hopes they find it to bury him in.

Every punch he takes, every fall to the unforgiving floor of the track is another breath for Jared, another moment of life. When he can, when he’s not busy getting the shit kicked out of him, Jensen looks up at the owner’s box and sees Jared there with the gun pointed at him.

On the next pass, Jared’s gone. Brotski’s gone. There’s nothing but a dull chant of the crowd, “Tejas! Tejas!” Spanish for Texas, and he’s not sure why that’s the cry the crowd has picked up, and he really needs to find Jared, but the gap the players came in through was filled by a piece of wall at the beginning of the match, bolted into place to provide a smooth surface to skate against.

Jared’s disappearance gives him a second wind--more like a fourth or fifth if he’s being honest with himself, but who’s counting? He slides between opponent and friend alike. Nobody swings at him. Around the back pass, there’s a shape at the top of the plexi-glass wall, a hand reaching down for him. He stumbles and almost falls. Jared. Jesus, Jared’s out, Jared’s there.

He’s too far past by the time he gathers his senses, and he makes a second loop around. Nobody stops him, nobody reaches for him.

There’s silence, like the entire crowd took a collective breath, and then his hand catches around Jared’s wrist, and Jared’s fingers close around his and the crowd roars its approval.

For one sickening moment, it feels like Jared’s tilting into the ring, but then he catches his balance and Jensen's being lifted up, out of the track, over the wall. A spike of fear stabs through his heart at the thought. The crowd is like an angry sea, eager to crush him, drown him, tear him against the reef.

“Tejas! Tejas!” they chant.

“I’ve got you,” Jared promises.

“Go and be safe,” Costas urges. The big guy bends down, grabs Jensen around the knees and lifts him up to Jared.

The fight’s gone out of him and Jensen lets himself be lifted. He can’t struggle as he’s handed down on the other side. Jared and another tall guy cradle him between them and the crowd parts just enough to let them past. The noise has fallen to a breeze-like murmur. The fingertips of hundreds of strangers trail over his body as he’s carried out the door to a waiting pickup truck.

--------


The world moves under Jensen, an unsteady bump and rattle that makes him think again of the ocean, of being carried away, churned under. Fear of the mob makes him open his eyes, and he sees a canvas stretched a few feet over his face. A filthy mattress is under him, and the walls of a pickup truck bed to either side. Looking down by his feet, he can see the lights of the city growing smaller in the distance.

Even in the shadow of the tarp and the breeze from their travel, the dry heat swirls around him, feeling like home.

Jared is beside him, stretched out asleep. His face has been cleaned up but the cut over his eye is crusted black with dried blood. He looks to be at peace. His broad hand is splayed out on Jensen's stomach, holding him down, keeping him safe.

It’s enough. Jensen lets himself fade out again, the trails of his thoughts dissipating like smoke.

The next time Jensen is really aware, he’s waking up in a hotel room. He has vague recollections of the time between the truck and now--switching vehicles, taking pills, Jared holding him down while somebody else does something really shitty to Jensen's bad shoulder.

He remembers tears, and he opens his eyes, searching for Jared.

“Hey,” Jared murmurs, low and calming. A strong hand rests on Jensen's chest. “Don’t move if you don’t have to. It’s okay. We’re safe now.”

Jensen blinks up, catching sight of three other men in the room.

“Who--” he asks, his voice dry and gritty. “How--”

Jared grins, this big beaming smile that Jensen's never seen on him before. “This is my brother Jeff, and his friends Alan and Frank.” The guys nod their greetings. Jared shrugs, sheepish. “I thought we needed a plan B.”

“Yeah,” says Jensen, because obviously his plan sucked. “You got caught.” He wishes he was making more sense, but his thoughts won’t organize themselves into anything like logic.

Jared gets up and brings him a small cup of water before he answers. “Misha. She told Brotski about the drugs, about the cash.”

And probably caused the wreck on the track on purpose.

Jensen closes his eyes, processing that. He knows he should be angry but he doesn’t have the energy for it.

“Where are we?” He’s already starting to plan the next steps. “Brotski--”

“Brotski’s dead,” Jared says, and he doesn’t sound sorry at all. “We’re halfway to San Antonio. Figured we’d stay here a day and let you get some strength back. Alan set your shoulder, but it’s not gonna be a fun drive.”

“Okay,” says Jensen, because Jared seems to be waiting for some sort of answer.

“I gave them the money,” Jared confesses. “Instead of buying a car or something.”

Jensen's amazed that even now, Jared’s worried about seeming like he ripped Jensen off. “It’s okay,” he says again, and covers Jared’s hand with his good one.

Jared lays his long body out beside Jensen, and it seems so strange to be resting like this in front of Jared’s brother and his friends, but unless somebody’s throwing punches Jensen can’t bring himself to care.

-------

San Antonio

Jared’s glad to see his family welcome Jensen in with open arms. He’s the guy who brought their son home, the hero. Jared laughs at that and says he did at least half the rescuing but he knows they couldn’t have done it without each other.

Nobody says anything when they share a room, share a bed. Not even Jensen, thank god. Jared never planned on having anything to do with the guy when it was all over, but those last two weeks had changed him, changed them.

Jensen “Not-The-Hawk” Ackles is a different man, quiet, introspective, polite. Jared takes the weeks of Jensen's recuperation to get to know him, to talk about life in Texas and growing up and who they are. Jensen tells him the story of how the skate-punk he’d been was seduced by the bright lights and big paychecks, how he’d loved it until he realized he couldn’t leave the game alive. Jared tells Jensen how he got stuck in Europe in the crash, the things he did to keep off the streets.

Jensen doesn’t ask for much, for anything really, so when he wants a ride to the bank, Jared borrows a car and drives him himself. Jensen's inside for a long time, and when he comes out, he presses an envelope into Jared’s hand.

“This is for you,” he says, his eyes staring out the passenger side window.

Jared opens the flap with numb fingers. Inside, in Euros, is enough cash to pay for that college education he would have been getting if everything hadn’t gone wrong with the world.

It feels like goodbye.

“Jensen, man--I can’t take this,” he says, even as he knows what it can do for him, for his family.

Jensen shrugs and looks down at his hands. “You deserve it. You kept me sane when I would have lost my mind. You gave me something to live for. You don’t--you don’t have to pretend anymore.”

Jared blinks. “Pretend? What the hell?” He restrains himself from shaking Jensen by his shoulders. He wants to smack him, but Jensen looks too beaten already, so he gently turns the other man’s face to look at him.

“I love you, you asshole. Jesus.” He leans in and brushes their lips together. Jensen's breath hitches and he shivers. Then he’s kissing Jared back and it’s more than Jared ever thought it would be.

[identity profile] ladyjanelly.livejournal.com 2007-08-28 09:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you. I think it's one of my best pieces, and I really appreciate the compliment.

[identity profile] son-heir.livejournal.com 2007-09-01 12:27 am (UTC)(link)
Just read this in one go.
Wow I really need to watch the film now the universe sounds so cool!And the storied is great.
I love the way the boys grew to love each other. Really good work.
Have a cookie, or chocolate cake I have both.

[identity profile] jacey26.livejournal.com 2007-09-01 07:17 am (UTC)(link)
Wow! OMG, I loved this. Everything was fantastic, but then it ended. I could have just kept reading, like maybe another 14 chapters. Seriously, this was an incredible read.

[identity profile] ladyjanelly.livejournal.com 2007-09-02 06:22 pm (UTC)(link)
So glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the comment. Mmmm, cake.

Rollerball had such potential, yet somehow, as a movie,it missed the mark and was not good.

[identity profile] ladyjanelly.livejournal.com 2007-09-02 06:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Cool. Glad you liked it that much. I've been playing around with less rollerball-ish sequel ideas...

[identity profile] trueshellz.livejournal.com 2007-09-05 10:59 pm (UTC)(link)
omg
ive had this under 'to read' for ages
and ZOMG
this was total awesome
i loved it like woah!
*snuggles you*

[identity profile] ladyjanelly.livejournal.com 2007-09-06 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much. This was such a departure for me, plot and event-driven. I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it. I actually think the pressure of the deadline helped me keep it clean and tight.

I appreciate the comment. Thanks so much for reading a fic labeled "Rollerball." :)

[identity profile] eviltish.livejournal.com 2007-09-06 10:04 pm (UTC)(link)
I really, really loved this.

Bravo, my dear. Fantastic job.

Bella x

[identity profile] lamis-p.livejournal.com 2007-09-16 12:35 pm (UTC)(link)
This was a great read. Thank you.

[identity profile] kendas.livejournal.com 2007-09-22 08:50 am (UTC)(link)
It's been so long since I saw this film that I barely remember it and I almost never bother with remakes. So, I have no idea how close you stayed or not, but I still I really enjoyed this.

It's completely different to the other two stoies of yours that I've read, but good all the same. Just as easy to read too which I was surprised about because I always remember finding Rollerball quite a hard film to watch.

I love the end, my heart ached for a moment when Jared mentioned that it felt like a goodbye, but then you made it all better.

[identity profile] ladyjanelly.livejournal.com 2007-09-22 07:04 pm (UTC)(link)
It was very different for me, but so satisfying to write.
It had not-so-much to do with the movie (which was a not-good movie anyways).

I'm actually working on a sequel to this. It becomes even more of an original fic-feeling piece after that, so I'm not sure where it's going or how it all works out.

So glad you enjoyed it.
-J.

[identity profile] quarterwhore.livejournal.com 2007-10-11 03:34 am (UTC)(link)
*FLAILFLAIL* Poor Jensen. I really admire how tough he is, even though it breaks my heart. :(

JARED KICKED ASS IN THIS CHAPTER. And that ending! When Jensen said that Jared could stop pretending now, it made me wibble. But it was a happy ending, and I'm smiling so hard. :D

Great work, darl.

[identity profile] ladyjanelly.livejournal.com 2007-10-11 08:35 pm (UTC)(link)
I've got all these little threads for a sequel, I just have to get them to work together. I really think these boys need a second-first-time.

[identity profile] quarterwhore.livejournal.com 2007-10-11 08:37 pm (UTC)(link)
A sequel? HELL YES. YESYESYESYESYES. Please write one, I need more of these boys!!
ext_16687: (Steve Carlson - Adorable Smiling)

[identity profile] chaotic4life.livejournal.com 2007-11-02 09:44 pm (UTC)(link)
That was awesome. Loved the whole characterization. The ending was perfect :)

[identity profile] absrip.livejournal.com 2007-11-05 06:26 pm (UTC)(link)
I absolutely love this! Your plot was new and different from so many others. Jared as a bodyguard/prostitute and Jensen going all dominant when he meets Jared for the first time, perfect!*grins* Thank you so much for writing this and for telling me about it;)

[identity profile] ladyjanelly.livejournal.com 2007-11-05 07:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Glad you liked it. So tricky, to show that slow progression towards friendship/more in 6 chapters.

[identity profile] ladyjanelly.livejournal.com 2007-11-05 07:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Heh. I felt a little funny self-reccing since you didn't say that was okay, but I know I hate it when I put a request up and nobody at all replies.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was fun to play with the opinions of the reader and the opinions of the characters at the same time.

[identity profile] absrip.livejournal.com 2007-11-05 07:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Self-recs are perfectly fine, I like it when people "dare" to do that, its okay to be proud of something you have created;) And thank you for responding I've gotten a couple more recs which have all been pretty good.

[identity profile] vesuvianite.livejournal.com 2008-01-12 10:34 pm (UTC)(link)
This was terrific. I really liked the tension and suspense you generated with our not knowing whether/how Jensen was going to be able to get them both back to the States, and then when things went to hell in a handbasket, how they were going to get out of it.

Great job.
ext_21638: (Default)

[identity profile] spae.livejournal.com 2008-02-02 11:04 pm (UTC)(link)
oh see ... stalking your back journal is such a good time. This was wonderful - though you know, it did finish rather abruptly when I could have read juicy details about them growing old together and cleaning out each other's bellybuttons ...

Actually, it was prolly a good idea you finished when you did ;)

[identity profile] ladyjanelly.livejournal.com 2008-02-03 03:17 am (UTC)(link)
Sorry this got lost in the shuffle and I'm not replying until now.

Thanks for commenting on an older fic. It's cool that people are still reading and enjoying this.

I really wanted the boys to be equals by the end of the fic, so Jensen's plan had to fail.

Thanks for the feedback.

[identity profile] kinkynicky.livejournal.com 2008-03-27 04:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Amazing.

I loved the opening, the introduction to Jared and then his introduction to Jensen's world. I liked that Jensen wasn't weak enough to trust Jared right out despite the honest eyes we all know that guy has.

The action in the games balanced out the tension between Jared and Jensen prefectly and you really kept me on my toes as to what their intentions were.

Honestly, I don't know how its taken me so long to come across this fic, but I'm actually really glad I didn't find this until now - just when I was starting to think that I wouldn't come across an original J2 story for a while. I loved it. Thank you.

[identity profile] ladyjanelly.livejournal.com 2008-03-27 04:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Awww. thanks so much for reviewing this one. I feel like it's my funny-looking child that nobody likes but me. :)

I really wanted it to be bleak at the beginning. Both of them trapped into being someone other than who they wanted to be.

I'm so glad it was tense and uncertain. Jared really could have screwed over the small chance he had of getting out with Jensne for a surer chance of betraying him for the boss' promise.

So glad you enjoyed it.

[identity profile] kinkynicky.livejournal.com 2008-03-27 07:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Haha, funny-looking child. I feel the same about one of my own (stories, not children...I don't have those yet) and it's always so nice when somebody comments.

I really did love this, there were times when I didn't know where it was gonna go, and lets face it, J2 can often be predictable, so it was lovely that this wasn't.

I imagine I'll be reading this one again at some point. :)

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