Just Jude

Spoilers for the Fosters 3x01

"I just wanna be Jude for a while."

"Of course you can-Jude of course you can be just Jude for a while. No one said you couldn't," Connor said, some of his confusion lifting.

"I don't like labels. Everyone always wants to label me and I hate it. So yeah, for now, I just want to be Jude."

"Can you, um," Connor stuttered. "Do you think you can also just be my boyfriend too?" He asked the smaller boy, terrified of his answer.

Jude's eyes widened in shocked.

"Of-of course I can!" He said in a hurry.

"Oh. Okay. Good." Connor suddenly knew what it meant when people said it felt like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. He felt like he could breathe again.

"Connor, I like you. Please don't think I don't. I have my own messed up issues I'm working through and-and you make things less complicated, okay? I promise." Jude said as he reached out to take the other boys hand.

"If you're sure?"

"Very sure." Jude smiled and Connor found that he couldn't help but return it.

"So, just Jude..." Connor started, making Jude duck his head and smile. "I do have one thing I have to say to you, okay? And its really important so I need you to listen to me very carefully."

The smile on Jude's face tightened as he nodded in understanding to Connor.

"First, you leave me in a tree that I am ashamed to say took me far too long to get out of and then you make me trek across the beach, on crutches Jude!, to find you. You have to to stop taking off and leaving me in these crappy situations, okay? They suck. And you suck. And these stupid crutches suck and-Jude, stop laughing at me, okay! Two girls had to help me down outta that tree and I think they only did it because of how pitiful I looked after you left me! Its, Jude stop, its not funny Jude!"

Connor knew it was funny. Now, obviously, not then. Then it sucked. His boyfriend was a terrible person.

"I'm, I'm sorry, Connor. I won't leave you in a tree again. I promise!" Jude continued to laugh, almost hysterically, at Connor's theatrics.

"I hate you." Connor mumbled, trying very hard to keep a smile off of his face.

"Yeah, no you don't." Jude said, grinning at his boyfriend as he leaned into him.

"No. I don't." Connor smiled and wrapped his arm around Jude's shoulder. "I really don't."