Chapter Text
You would have thought that Connor had just committed some kind of disastrous crime the way he paced nervously back and forth in his bedroom, waiting for Jude to get home from his 3rd date that week. Connor and Jude had just started college at UCLA that year. It was the week before spring break and Jude had not slowed down in the dating game. He would end up on several dates with numerous guys over the course of a week; no one every piquing his interest enough for a second date. While Jude was out living it up most nights of the week, Connor kept himself cooped up in the comfort of his and Jude’s small 2 bedroom apartment. This had become their routine, Jude would go out, and Connor would stay home moping around, kicking himself for not getting his shit together enough to ask Jude out. They had been best friends since the 7th grade doing everything under the sun together. They had each other’s backs, feeling each other’s pain. When Jude decided to come out at school in the 8th grade, Connor was there standing behind him supporting him 100% through all the bullying and struggle for acceptance. When Jude got his first serious boyfriend, Tyler, the summer before their 10th grade year, Connor was there again helping Jude navigate the slippery slopes of relationships. After all, Jude was Connor’s best friend; it was the least he could do. However, somewhere along the way Connor’s platonic feelings for the lanky brunette began to morph and shapeshift. He began feeling a difference around the same time Jude began dating. His stomach would twist and knot at the thought Jude would be spending time with someone else other than him. But scared of rejection from his best friend, he buried those feelings deep down. They stayed dormant for years until the night Jude called him crying at 1:23 am. It was their junior year and the week before Christmas. Jude had gone to surprise Tyler at work at the end of his shift at the movie theater. What he found was Tyler sucking face with another guy from the movie theater. Needless to say, Jude lost it, calling both of them a series of profanities before stomping off in the direction of the beach bawling his eyes out. Jude had sat cross legged in the sand, tears wrecking his body for 3 hours until he decided to call Connor. He needed Connor; he was his lifeline, one of the few constants in his life. It was 1:23 am and Connor sat up in his bed slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He had been awoken from his peaceful slumber by the soft steady hum of his phone vibrating on his night stand. Worry instantly creeped into his mind when he saw it was Jude calling him. “Hello?” Jude’s voice was barely audible when Connor answered the phone, but he could tell his best friend was crying.
“Jude, where are you? I’ll come for you.” Connor whispered into the phone as he dashed around his room throwing on clothes. Within 10 minutes Connor pulled up to the beach near the pier. Even in the moonlight, Connor could distinctly tell the figure sitting cross legged near the water’s edge was his brown headed best friend. He approached slowly to not scare the living shit out of Jude. Jude didn’t have to say anything, Connor already had a hunch. They sat tangled up in each other till the next morning, just holding on to one another for dear life. When the sun began to peak above the waves with a marriage of beautiful reds and golds, it was like heaven’s doors opening for Connor. Realization striking him like a freight train. There sat the most beautiful boy in his arms, completely and utterly destroyed, and Connor was the one that was going put him back together. No more, denying his buried feelings. He loved Jude Adams-Foster, more than life itself. He just knew that it wasn’t the right time to bring the brunette into the picture, considering the turn of events transpiring over the last 12 hours. Soon though, Connor thought, he would tell Jude how he felt.
~.~.~.~
Soon never happened for Connor, once again overtaken by crushing anxiety. The fear of rejection all too real. Flash forward to today. There Connor was, pacing his room like a crazy person waiting for Jude to grace him with his presence after his date with Sean. The thought of Sean gagged Connor. Not because the poor sap was hideous, on the contrary, he looked like he had been plucked from pages of a male swimsuit catalog. The thought of Sean gagged Connor because Jude was so sure “this one will work out!” That, unfortunately, was what Jude said about everyone he went out with. And that was starting to wear thin on Connor. A new guy most nights of the week, not knowing shit about what Jude liked or didn’t like. The dates either being lackluster or the guys being outright creeps. Here Connor was cooped up on a Thursday night and Jude was out probably suffering on another “terrible” date. If anybody knew Jude, it was Connor. He should be out with Jude, not some meathead who could barely manage a “D” level average in most of their classes.
Connor looked at his phone checking the time, 10:35 pm. It was just about time for Jude to be arrive back home, he thought. As Connor began making his 200th pass in his room, he heard the front door open and close. Right on time. Connor walked out to living room to find his roommate sprawled out on the sofa face down, sighing deeply. A small chuckle escaped from Connor’s mouth, and Jude picked up on it quickly, turning his upper body slightly on the sofa to face the other boy. A heftier laughter soon filled the small apartment as Connor was staring down Jude giving him his patented bitch face. To anyone else, they would have cowered in fear blubbering for their mommy; however, after being friends with Jude for so long, Connor had grown immune to it. Still standing laughing at Jude, Connor’s eyes caught a glimpse of pastiness peeking out from under Jude’s shirt. Jude’s abs prominently showing, where his shirt has pulled up slightly. The laugh soon faded from the blonde, a deep crimson blush creeping onto his face. You see, when Jude hit his growth spurt the spring of his junior year of high school, he didn’t just grow, he sprouted like the fucking beanstalk from “Jack and the beanstalk”. He grew a foot and-a-half in a mere matter of 8 months, waking up almost nightly his joints and bones causing him so much pain. Standing at a whopping 6’ 3” at the start of senior year, he felt abnormally disproportioned. He had always been thin and lanky, but now he felt his arms and legs were just too much for him to handle. Determined to alleviate the awkwardness of his new found body, he spent the remainder of his senior year running and hitting the gym to fill out his thin frame. The day Jude and Connor walked on campus for their first day of college, Jude was filled out solid with muscle. Gone was the awkward lanky brunette, replaced with a fair skinned Adonis, as Connor would think to himself. All the working out and running paid big dividends as guy after guy began lining up at a chance with the now muscular brunette.
Picking up on the blush from Connor’s face, Jude traced the imaginary line from Connor’s eyes to his bare exposed stomach. Oh this is gonna be good, Jude thought. A devilish smirk played out on his face as he turned onto his back make damn sure his stomach stay exposed, propping himself up on his elbows tightening his abs to give the full effect. As quickly as the grin came, it was gone; Connor turning around nervously shuffling to the kitchen calling out over his shoulder something about getting something to eat. Exasperated, Jude sighed; plopping down flat on his back running his fingers through his hair. At what point would Connor get the hint? Seriously after all the years they had been friends, Jude knew full well that Connor has liked him, but for the life of him would not get the nerve to ask him out. Not once. And it didn’t help that Connor was as oblivious as a brick wall. Jude only ended up going out with Tyler, in hopes of quashing the feelings he held for his best friend. To Jude’s surprise, Tyler wasn’t a bad guy to start and eventually he fell for him; only to end up broken and blubbering on the beach in the early morning. But when Connor arrived that night to help Jude get through all the B.S., Jude knew. In that moment, he knew he would love no other person as deeply as he loved Connor. When Jude began his active lifestyle, he would ask Connor to accompany him to the gym, unnecessarily asking Connor to spot him or “show him” proper form. Connor, again, happily obliged never having any sort of inkling or clue that Jude had been flirting with him. Entering college, Jude thrust himself headfirst into the dating game hoping, by some miracle Connor would get jealous enough to actually ask him out. 8 months in, 72 dates and counting, Connor was still on the pot. This, well shit for lack of better words, was enough for Jude. Forcing himself off the couch he wandered into the kitchen to find Connor munching on a sandwich, of course avoiding eye contact.
“Seriously dude,” Jude started, “shit or get off the pot.” Jude watched as his best friend proceeded to spit out the food he had in his mouth, choking on what slipped into his throat. After regaining his composure, Connor’s eyes made their way to Jude’s, finally speaking directly to him for the first time since Jude had gotten home.
“W-what d-do y-you m-mean? Shit or get off the pot?”
Jude’s hand found is way to his forehead immediately. He really was dense and oblivious. Connor Stevens everybody.
“Seriously, you’ve been ‘shitting’ for the better half of our friendship. It’s time you either shit or get off the pot.” Jude deadpanned. A small snicker escaped Connor’s lips as he couldn’t help but find Jude’s metaphors too much right now. But much to his amusement, Jude stayed impassive. Connor’s resolve broke, knowing he had been caught. He slumped over the counter placing his hands on the top of his head, rubbing nervously. Jude remained standing in the same spot, taking it all in.
“So, umm... How long have you known?” a sullen Connor asked.
“I’ve had a hunch since the 9th grade, but I knew for sure the night you met me at the beach. I could see it in your eye.” As Jude spoke, Connor could see the longing for him in Jude’s eyes, just below the surface. Before anymore words could be spoken, Connor smashed his lips together with Jude’s. Euphoria crashing through every nerve ending in their bodies. Grabbing Connors waist, Jude pulled the blonde in closer deepening the kiss. After what felt like an eternity, Jude broke the kiss inhaling as much oxygen as his body would allow. As cliché as Jude did not want to be, that kiss had him seeing fireworks. Resting his forehead against Connor’s, he shakily breathed out a ‘whoa’ only to be met with a ‘you’re damn right’ from Connor. The heaviness of the moment cut short with uncontrollable laughter as both Jude and Connor collapsed to the floor side by side enjoying what just transpired between them. As the laughter slowly died out, they sat in comfortable silence until it was Connor who broke the void.
“So? What does this mean?” A hopeful look plastered on his face.
Once again, Jude thought back to the night at the beach remembering his unwavering feelings for his best friend then. Slowly he reached out, cupping the blonde boy’s face with his hands, bringing his lips to Connor’s kissing slow and with purpose. Breaking the kiss for a second time that night, Jude looked directly into Connor’s eyes studying them momentarily before breathlessly answering, “What do you think?”
Connor, immediately lighting up at the realization, brought Jude into his embrace; smiling into the crook of Jude’s neck. “So Jude Adams-Foster, would you like to go on a date with me?”
“Its about time! I never thought you would ask, you goof.” Jude chuckled, nodding his head.