Chapter Text
From my tumblr inbox:
slightlyrebelliouswriter23 asked: 38 for jurdan pls? 😇🖤💫
Prompt 38: I have been in love with you, dumbass.
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Jude’s phone buzzed. Again. The thing had been doing that for the whole damn morning.
So she’d been ignoring it.
Well, not exactly.
More like, she hadn’t been able to answer. Everytime it ringed Jude felt like it was drilling her head.
So here she was, lying in bed for the second day in a row with fever and terrible headaches. Missing class again.
She was not used to miss any classes. In fact, she was feeling really upset about it. Jude was one of the best in her course, barely competing with other two people. As a future journalist, she needed to be one of the best since it was a very demanding career. Besides, she’ll have mid-term exams soon, and missing not one but two full lectures made her terribly anxious. Not to mention her very scholarship being in danger if she dared to drop her grades. Only by some miracle she’d been accepted in Insmire College, so she refused to let the opportunity slip away from her hands that easy.
But it turns out to be, her body had some other plans. And Jude didn’t know if she ate some spoiled food or what the hell was going on because two nights ago she’d woken up practically running to the toilet to throw up the contents of her stomach.
She didn’t even had the strength to go to the doctor nor any roommate who could take her there, so she figured she’d wait until it was out of her system and rest in the meantime.
Or die, if it was her destiny.
Maybe she wasn’t meant to finish her career. Maybe all of those years of effort and nights without sleeping were for nothing. Maybe-
A loud knock on her door woke her up from her thoughts.
Jude furrowed at the sound. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Probably just some street vendor, they were common in that zone. If she didn’t answer he would simply leave.
So she closed her eyes again and buried her face back in the pillow
But no. Whoever was out there kept banging at the door, louder this time. If they didn’t shut up they’d be so sorry as soon as she regained her balance.
Just ignore them, she sighed.
“Duarte, are you there?! Open up!” A loud bang again.
Jude’s eyes snapped back open and groaned. Oh no. No no no no. Not him.
“I can see the lamp light on, I know you’re in there, c’mon!” He knocked again.
Jude stood and stumbled to the door opening it furiously. The light outside blinded her for a moment, making her headache worse, but then there he was. Grinning like an idiot as always, with that annoying and perfect smile of his.
God she hated him. Most of the time at least.
Ever since that day, back in sophomore year, when she’d thought he was flirting with her but at the end he’d only stole her ideas for a final project. He was another one of the top three in her class, clever and cunning as the devil itself. All of the teachers were always praising him even when they’d just asked for the hour. It was ridiculous.
With the door wide open, Jude suddenly remembered she was wearing a really old and ragged dress she used for sleeping.
He whistled “Not your day huh? What happened, your alarm ran away?”
She glared at him. Now, in senior grade, Jude had been paired with him for a research project that to her misfortune, he was completely agreeable to do. And it would have been much easier if he’d kept his usual arrogant and smug attitude.
Instead, Cardan was being the perfect gentleman.
Whenever she asked for a meeting for the project, he attended. He was punctual, sometimes even more than her. Some other days he arrived with two coffees, or muffins, or whatever thing he found on his way, to share with her.
He focused on their chores, working hard when needed and relaxing and telling fun riddles when not. More than once Jude caught herself laughing as if they were best friends. Then remembered they weren’t, and went back to work silently.
Cardan was not her friend. He was her competition, a strong one if she was being honest to herself. He seemed to acknowledge that too sometimes. When they ran to each other in the hallways he barely noticed she was there, some other days he just winked at her and turn away.
When they were in class though, their battles for dominance were fierce and Jude hated to see him smirk everytime that happened. He could not be her friend.
And yet, he was now outside her shitty apartment clearly puzzled by the look of her. The gown, her messy hair, she was even bare feet. It was humiliating.
“What on earth are you doing here?” She sighed, rubbing her eyes.
His eyes roamed her figure once. He quirked an eyebrow. “Checking if you’re still alive to begin with. You’ve missed two days of college, I can’t tell if you’ve noticed. That cannot be good for your final grade, especially not with professor Noggle.”
He was unbelievable. Jude blinked. “You came here… to tell me I’m getting a bad grade?”
“Yeah.” Cardan shrugged. “Well, also to ask why the fuck you didn’t arrive to our meeting this morning, but I guess I have my answer now. As comfy as your bed might be that research is not doing it on its own…”
From one moment to another she felt her balance falter. He kept talking but Jude just only saw his mouth move. A prickling sensation ran up her fingers. Her eyes unfocused and the world around her seemed to start swaying. At some point Cardan ceased his ranting and said her name, it sounded as if he was underwater. Jude tried to answer something but her voice failed while the floor changed below her.
She was about to reach the floor when two strong arms gripped her, slowing her fall. Jude heard him bark a curse as he pulled her up and carried her inside. Somehow he closed the door with his foot and settled her in the couch. His hands cupped her face prompting her to open her eyes. His fingers were cool against her boiling skin.
“Fuck, you’re burning… Jude.” Cardan insisted. “Jude look at me.”
Her eyes took a while before managing to focus on his, dark as the night sky. How many times she’d lost herself looking at those eyes?
“Can you hear me?” He continued, gently pulling strands of hair away from her face. “I need a cloth, can you tell me where is it? You’re ok, I’m here.”
A spark of consciousness shone on Jude’s brain and weakly pointed at the kitchen drawers.
Cardan stood and in the meantime she tried to focus on her breathing. The sensation of fainting started leaving little by little.
Cold touched her forehead out of nowhere and she groaned. Cardan made soothing noises as he caressed the wet cloth over her.
“What the hell Duarte?” he whispered.
“I’m sorry.” She mumbled, not sure if her words came out the right way. “I’ve been feeling a little ill…”
“A little ill? You’re burning up in fever!” Oh now he was angry. Great. “How much have you been like this?”
Jude shrugged, closing her eyes again. “A couple of days, I figured out it would leave later but-”
“But nothing, you cannot feel like this and not calling anyone Jude!” Cardan paused and took a deep breath. “This is what we are going to do. As soon as you can, you are going to get your ass into that bathroom there and have a cold shower. I’ll make you some soup.”
“Soup.” She repeated, chuckling under her breath. “So apart from everything you also cook. Damn, that’s why everyone loves you.”
Jude looked back at him and found a cold, decided stare. “If you don’t get that shower in the next 5 minutes I’m going to give it to you myself, understood?”
She gulped, feeling her heart skip a beat.
Ten minutes later, Jude came out the bathroom and sat back in the couch rubbing her damp hair with a towel. She was feeling better but still a little weak. She’d put on an oversized t-shirt and a pair of shorts that belonged to another pijamas.
“Here.” Cardan’s voice pulled her gaze up. He placed a bowl in her hands and took a step back. “Eat.”
Jude’s stomach growled with hunger at the sight of the soup. When was the last time she’d eaten something? She took a spoonful into her mouth and almost moaned in relief. It was absolutely delicious. Damn him.
She glanced up and found him also looking back at her. His eyes hard and his jaw shut tight.
“Don’t just stay in there, creep. Sit down.” Jude motioned to the place next to her. He obliged.
Jude ate in silence, and at some point Cardan just started telling her what had happened those days she’d missed. She smirked when he told her how boring was to debate with Noggle alone, since she hadn’t been there.
When she finished, she left the bowl on the little table next to the sofa. Then grabbed her pillow.
“I see you’re feeling better now…” He started. “But either way I’m taking you to a doctor, and that’s not a question.”
“Yeah, I know.” Jude said. She placed her pillow over Cardan’s legs and he stiffened when she laid her head over it. “The least you can do is let this poor woman sleep a little before taking her out to the cruel world.”
“Are you feverish again?” His voice came out a little strained.
“Mm no, I’m just tired.” Her words were more a whisper than anything. “Give me half an hour, I’ll be ready to go after that. Please?”
~
Cardan nodded nervously and leaned his back to the couch, hesitating before lifting a hand and softly caress Jude’s hair between his fingers.
She sighed happily, already more asleep than awake. “Careful, with all these attentions one would think you actually like me.”
He snorted. “Don’t make me laugh Duarte.”
She made a noise but didn’t talk again. Cardan peered down and watched her sleep, looking peaceful as she wasn’t usually seen. He allowed himself to smile.
“Like you...” He repeated. “I’ve been in love with you for months now, you dumbass.”
He sighed and rested his head back, closing his eyes. At least for now, he could let himself daydream about this being a regular day with her. Even if it was only for half an hour.