The ball flew through the air, and Jude caught it easily. He tossed it from his glove around his back and into his free hand so that he could toss it back to Connor who was readily waiting with his glove open. The day was beautiful. The sun was high and bright, and the grass was green and soft. There really wasn't anything different about the day yet Jude felt as if everything was much brighter than usual.

"Double Play!" Jude sang as he lobbed the ball at Connor

Connor promptly caught the ball. As he held it he got the sudden urge to throw it much harder than necessary. Jude dodged it in time, and they both played it off as a joke until a glove came and slapped Connor in the face from across the yard. Jude was walking towards him smiling.

"Oh, sorry! That was an accident!" Jude's voice dripped with sarcasm as he laughed through talking.

"Oh yeah?" Connor was laughing too as he pushed off to start chasing Jude around the backyard.

Jude started off giving only half hearted pleas for Connor to stop, and to not grab him. As he cried out though he wanted nothing more for Connor to grab him. It wasn't hard to figure out, Jude thought. He liked Connor not just as a friend, but something more. He had said he didn't want labels, and so he didn't put any on himself, but he liked Connor. So much sometimes that it hurt.

Just as his thought finished Connor's hands wrapped around Jude's shoulders, and thrust him to the ground. Jude didn't hit the ground hard, but as soon as Connor landed on top of him the air rushed out his lungs like the world had held it's breath. Connor was looking over him, and their laughter quickly died. It turned into quiet breathing. Neither boys were really sure where to go from here, but neither wanted to move. Connor's head dipped slightly, and they held that position for a while. Just barely moving to breathe. To move closer. And then Connor's phone went off.

Connor released Jude's arms and rolled off of him so that he could reach for his phone. There was a text from Daria asking if he wanted to come hang out. Did he? He hesitated before saying anything. He wanted to stay with Jude, but he didn't want to make Daria angry either. He figured he would let Jude decide.

"What are you doing?" Jude said sitting up a little bit.

"Sorry, Daria texted me she wants me to come over." Connor sat and waited to gauge Jude's reaction.

"Well do you want to?" Jude knew Connor was going to go, but he didn't want him to

Connor didn't know what to do. He wanted to stay. He wanted to be close to Jude again, but it was odd for him to be that close with another boy right? Yeah, it was. Honestly he didn't know why he had done it in the first place. He was just messing around. It wasn't a big deal. Jude wouldn't mind if he went to hang out with Daria. Plus she was hot maybe he could make out with her again.

"Well what else is there to do?" As soon as Connor said it he felt wrong about it.

"You should go then if you want to." Connor recognized the tone in Jude's voice. Connor had messed up.

"Well I don't have to." Connor was trying to back peddle

"Whatever just go."Jude said as he got up and walked into the house.

Connor leaned back. He had royally messed up. He pulled out his phone he had to text Daria.

Jude rushed into the house and up into his room. He threw himself onto his bed, and just laid on top of his comforter for a few. Why? Why, did Connor do this to him? He liked Daria not Jude, but even as he thought it his mind drifted to the part of himself in which he believed Connor did like him. His thoughts shifted to the tent. There was more than just sheer curiosity in the way Connor kissed him in the tent. It was not meaningless. Jude felt dizzy from trying to sort through it all so he just decided not to.

Jude picked up his tablet, and opened the new Star Wars game, and tried again to face off against the troopers that invaded his base. It was going well; he was holding off the invading army of lasers, robots, and monsters. Jude's thoughts of Connor slipped from his brain as he focused heavily on winning the game, and beating this level that had kept him up kate trying to beat. He was doing great until Connor walked in again.

There was no mistaking Connor's timid walk into the room. He knew that he had messed up, but he was hoping that Jude would let it slide like so many other things before. Connor approached Jude lying in bed playing his game. Jude was blatantly not looking at Connor. Connor realized that this was happening.

"So I texted Daria, and just told her that I was going to stay here." Connor said timidly

"It's not nice to lead people on" Jude wouldn't even look up from the tablet.

"Well I'm not okay?" Connor was stumbling to find the right words.

Connor went and slapped Jude's foot. Not hard just enough to be playful.

"Stop it"

Connor tapped it again.

"Stop it"

Connor tried one more time, and before he had even finished pulling his hand back there was Jude's foot in his stomach. Connor crouched to the floor holding his stomach. When he looked up he saw that Jude was crouching in front of him looking worried.

"I-I'm sorry I didn't mean to kick you that hard." Jude looked like he was going to try and hold Connor but he refrained

"Why did you kick me at all" But even as Connor uttered his exclamation he knew the answer.

"You kissed me remember? In the tent! And then you- all day…. I just don't get this. I don't get You!" Jude was shaking from anger, and his breathing was rapid.

Connor didn't know what to do or what to say. Jude was right, and he knew it. There was nothing Connor could really say. He had no idea what to say to Jude. Connor was still so confused, but there was something he could do.

Without a thought Connor just leaned in and kissed him. No matter how confused he was he knew that he liked the feeling of Jude's lips on his. He tasted like you would expect Jude to taste. Like toothpaste and a little like doritos. It was soft and timid at first, but as soon as Connor felt that Jude wasn't going to kick him again Connor leaned in. Pressing further into the kiss, and just letting what happened happen.

Jude at first wasn't sure what to feel. At first he was kicking Connor in the gut and the next they were kissing. Jude hated it because as soon as their lips met his anger melted away. He had wanted this for so long, and so much. Yet it wasn't perfect. This didn't solve anything! It only made Jude more confused. Why did Connor do this? Why couldn't just give him an answer? Jude slowly pulled away. He stared at Connor waiting for him to say something, but they were both too breathless to speak.