The finals were played two days after Laura had left. Zero had concentrated only to that, forgetting to buy that new phone he had promised to his sister. But it could wait, he had thought a night before the game.
Throughout the day, Zero felt the adrenaline run in his veins. He was twisty and tense. He couldn't wait to get to the court and into the action. But before that he had to sit down and listen Pete talk about their strategic against Ohio and what their weaknesses were. Zero knew he was supposed to listen, even though Ohio was his old team, but he found himself only wanting to play.
It was only half an hour before the game was supposed to start when Pete ordered them back to warm-up and when Derek, of all people, came to talk to him.
"Hey, you alright?" Derek had asked to Zero's surprise.
"What is it to you?" He had snapped at him. His wellbeing had nothing to do with Derek.
"It's just, you seemed out of it during Pete's coaching and you've been practicing every time I see you." Derek's voice was almost worried at first but then it turned stern and he crossed his arms around his chest. "So I want you to focus hundred percent on the game or you can leave now."
Zero narrowed his eyes at him. "I'm fine. And I'll give even more than that." He shook his head and walked towards the court.
Even though he hadn't listened a word Pete had said, he was on fire. His mind and body were focused and he was able to read the game almost effortlessly. After the previous game the press had called him maniac and speculated it was because of Jude's condition. Zero played on edge, making dangerous passes and shoots. Pete had warned him several times, but he didn't care. It granted few goals for the opponent but it gave them more points than it costed.
During the last minutes Zero knew it was his change to become the MVP. He concentrated only on that, nothing else mattered. He paid no attention to Derek who had managed to break lose. He paid no attention on the screams of the crowd. He paid no attention to his body which screamed in fatigue. He just pushed on and threw the ball for the last attempt, almost from the middle of the court. The seconds felt like minutes as the ball flew through the air and finally sank through the basket.
Zero heard the crowd go wild and soon after the buzzer sounded. Every Devil's player and dancer ran to the court and rejoiced their winning. For the first time in days Zero felt truly tired. He didn't feel the joy like all the others but instead, he felt empty. He looked around, half expecting to see Jude among the spectators, clapping his hands and smiling proudly at him. But there was only a mass of people, no one which he recognized. He felt his teammates pat his back but he didn't react to that. It all turned to blur: handshakes with other players and interviews with reporters.
A woman came up to him with microphone in her hands. She asked something but Zero couldn't understand what she was saying until she asked again: "How does it feel to be the MVP for the first time in your career?"
Zero tried to focus and find some kind of answer but his mind was blank. "It feels unbelievable." He managed to blurt out.
"Not a surprise." The journalist said after waiting for a moment for Zero to continue. "Many have speculated that you would drop out in the middle of the season. What would you say to those people?"
"I don't…" Zero shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He needed to get out of there. He felt like suffocating. The mass of people were crushing him. The cameras flashed as he retreated as quickly as possible from the courtside. The jumbo screen showed his exit but he didn't notice that.
Zero rushed to Jude's office and slammed the door shut behind him. He took deep, steadying breaths and leaned against the door. His legs gave in and he slid to the floor.
"So this is where you've been?"
Zero was just about to throw another basket when he heard Lionel's voice echo in the empty court. He looked to the player's entrance and saw her standing in the shadows. He then turned his attention back on throwing the ball and it sank easily.
"So you're just ignoring me?" Zero heard her coming closer as her heels hit the flooring.
"Since when I've answered to you with any of my doings?" He asked and went to get the ball back.
"Never." She answered but stopped only when she was a few feet away from him. "But since Jude's been my friend, I've been looking after him and when someone he cares about hasn't showed up by his hospital's bedside, I thought I should find out why."
Zero threw another basket. "I don't think my presence has any effect on his state." He said bluntly and without any emotion. It was seven p.m. on the next day of the game and everyone else were suffering from hangover somewhere around the city, expect for him.
"You're distancing yourself from him." Lionel's words were like a whip. "I get it that you don't want to face the truth but do you really think that it's going to hurt less if you just stay here and throw that…" She gestured towards the basketball. "…ball around instead of going to see him?"
Zero's lips were pressed to a thin line and he shook his head. "Leave me alone." He growled and pounced the ball aggressively couple of times before throwing it again.
"Fine. As you wish." Lionel said and gave him the most murderous glare. She turned around and walked towards the exit. "Oh, by the way…" She stopped for a moment. "…Jude's awake." Lionel heard the ball drop flatly to the floor and she smiled wickedly as she walked away.
Jude laid with his eyes closed. It helped him control the pain he felt with every breath he drew. He wasn't sure if it was caused by the wound itself or if it was also the worry he felt for Gideon. He was exhausted. The nurses had dragged him to shower an hour earlier and as he had seen his own reflection from the mirror, they had shaved his beard at his request since he wasn't capable of doing it himself. Nevertheless he felt much better even though taking one shower had felt like the hardest thing to do.
Nearing footsteps caught Jude's attention and he turned to look towards the sound. The pain he felt at the moment he saw Zero standing there, was something completely different. The man was pale and there were dark circles under his reddish eyes. He looked like he hadn't slept in ages.
Without a word Jude moved to make some space for Gideon and lifted the blanket. Zero crawled next to Jude and slipped his hand under his pillow. He pressed his forehead against the side of Jude's face and cupped the other side with his free hand. Jude settled against Gideon's embrace and took hold of his hand, caressing it slowly. They both closed their eyes.
Zero breathed in Jude's smell. He felt overwhelming gratitude to be able to feel Jude's chest rise and fall against his arm and sense his heart beat steadily. Jude's other hand found Zero's knee and it weakly squeezed it. He listened Zero's breathing until it turned to broken sobs.
"It's okay. I'm here." Jude whispered and turned his face slightly towards Zero's, who buried his head between the pillow and Jude's neck.
It didn't take long for both of them to fall asleep.
Lionel entered the room as quietly as she could with her high heels. She couldn't help but smile when she saw the two boys sleeping next to each other. They both looked so peaceful. Lionel really didn't want to interrupt them but she had no choice. She cleared her throat and called out Jude's name. Jude opened his sleepy eyes and moved a little to see Lionel better. The movement made Zero flinch as he woke up.
"The doctor wants to speak with you." Lionel said, feeling Zero's angry gaze burn a hole into her forehead.
Jude sighed and rubbed his eyes. Zero made a move to sit up when Jude gripped the front of his shirt.
"Hey…" Jude said and with a little nudge Zero already understood what he wanted. He leaned down and pressed his lips against Jude's. His lips were dry but so familiar. Zero ended the kiss and looked at Jude. He was still keeping his eyes closed and slowly licked his lips before opened his eyes and smiling at Zero, who grinned back at him.
"Enough boys, you're making the poor man blush." They looked up to Lionel and true enough the doctor was looking embarrassingly at his hands trying hard to become invisible.
The doctor cleared his throat. "It's okay… I just took a look at your thorax pictures, Jude, and your lungs are looking good, all things considered. The dim area which was caused by blood and pneumonia has reduced significantly. We're moving you into physiotherapy tomorrow."
Zero didn't seem to expect such a good news right away. He let out a strange sound which sounded like a repressed laugh and sigh at the same time. He looked at Jude and the smile he gave him made Jude's heart melt.
The next day Jude was taken to his new ward. It was pure torture. The doctors decreased his pain medication dose and increased his daily exercise. Which meant he had to walk back and forth the corridor countless times.
Jude had been tied to bed for the last seven days. His body had become skinnier as his muscles had decreased. Even walking had been a challenge at first. Zero had been helping him out whenever he was able to. If Jude had let Gideon decide, the man would've been by his side day and night. Jude had to shoo him home to get some sleep. Although he always came back the next morning looking like he hadn't slept at all and often dozed off next to Jude's hospital bed.
After, which felt like hundredth time, Jude walked along the corridor towards his room, he swore he wouldn't get up from the bed for the rest of the day. As he finally crawled between the sheets and closed his eyes for well-earned rest there was a knock on the door. Jude sighed when he heard Lionel's heels hit the floor.
"Hi." She greeted as she closed the door behind her and walked in.
"Hi." Jude echoed and forced his eyes open. "Sorry, I might not talk much. I'm too tired." Jude yawned and closed his eyes again. He heard Lionel walk closer and then felt a hard pinch on his arm. "What the hell!" Jude startled and stared at Lionel who just shrug her shoulders.
"See? All awake." Lionel smiled to him smugly before rounding to the other side of the bed and sat down. She was right, Jude didn't feel tired at all anymore. "I have news for you." Lionel looked at him, mysterious smile playing on her lips. "I heard Jelena wants to see you."
"Jelena? Why?" Jude lifted himself to a sitting position. The movement making his wounds wring.
"That's what I want to find out too. If she truly needs to see you, this is where she'll come." Lionel opened her back and took a nailfile out.
"So that's the only reason you came?" Jude teased as Lionel looked like she was about to camp by his bedside for the rest of the day.
She looked up at him with a mock hurt on her face. "How dare you? I'm visiting a friend of mine and Jelena is only a little bonus by the side. By the way, where's Zero?"
"He's home bringing me some stuff." Jude looked at the clock. Gideon had been gone for almost two hours now. He should've been back already.
"Have you heard from your mother?" Lionel asked, noticing that Jude looked surprised by the question.
"No." He said after a short silence. "Why?"
Lionel shrugged. "She seemed concerned about you. That's all."
"She came to see me?" Jude's genuine astonishment made Lionel frown.
"She's your mother, Jude." Lionel put the nailfile away and leaned closer to Jude.
"Yes, but we… haven't been very close since moved out." Jude wasn't sure how to explain his relationship with his mother. They had been very close when he was a child but now they only saw a couple times a year during holidays.
"To tell you the truth, I was as surprised as you were when she came to see you." Lionel confessed. "I thought she was dead or something."
"Dead?" Jude looked at her, a little amused.
"Well, you never talk about her so it was only a natural conclusion." Lionel defended herself. "She probably wants to see you. I called her just to tell her you had woken up."
Jude looked away and shook his head with a sad smile on his face. "She remarried just before I went to college. Before that she had concentrated only at her two jobs and me." He felt weird talking about his mother to Lionel. She probably wasn't that interested about their relationship but she didn't interrupt him. "Her new husband, Jake, had two children from his previous marriage. They moved in together and I was sort of a… left out. Not intentionally of course. Jake just didn't know how to deal with me and I don't blame him. I was Oscar Kinkade's teenaged son. So I moved out of their way quite willingly."
"That must've been though." Lionel's compassion surprised Jude but he decided not to question it.
"Back then it was. I don't think about it much these days." Jude smiled. "I have a new mother figure anyway."
Jude grinned when he saw Lionel's shocked expression. "I'm not that much older than you!" She exclaimed and playfully slapped his leg. But Jude could see that she was flattered.
Zero went through a sport back where he had packed Jude's possession from home. He had taken couple DVDs, clothes, toothbrush and a laptop. Lionel had left to meet with her divorce lawyer.
"Look what I got." Zero took a white box from underneath all the stuff and threw it to the bed. He had bought it on his way back.
Jude looked at the object curiously. The nurse had propped him up to a sitting position with two pillows. He barely reached to the box as he took it to his hands. He already knew what was inside when he opened it: a black phone. Jude was sure he knew why Gideon had picked just that color. His old phone was still police's evidence. "Thanks." He smiled to Gideon but started to laugh when he saw him holding another phone. This time white. "Lionel didn't tell what happened to your last phone." Jude immediately regretted asking when Gideon's smile faded.
"I dropped it. She's been pissed when I didn't buy a new one right away." Zero answered, not wanting to get to the details.
"I can imagine." Jude let out a little laugh before starting to fiddle with his new phone. He didn't switch it on, however, which made Zero frown.
"What's wrong? You don't like it? It's the latest model." He closed the bag and sat to the bench.
"Oscar contacted me." Jude's words were like a bunch to Zero's guts. For a moment he just stared at Jude, mouth hanging open. Then his words started to sink in and Zero pressed his mouth into a thin line.
"Oscar? How the hell did he do that?" Zero couldn't help but yell. He jumped up from the bench and started to pace around in the tiny room. The hatred he felt towards Oscar erupted all in once. All that he had kept inside while pretending to be Oscar's right hand. Jude didn't answer right away. He looked back at his phone with a deep frown on his face. "What did he say, Jude?" Zero stopped in the middle of the room and stared at Jude, wanting an answer.
Jude closed his eyes and sighed. "He called to the ward and the nurses asked if I wanted to talk with him and I said yes."
"What?" Zero couldn't believe his ears. "The man tried to kill you and is now almost invited to see you? How does he even dare to get in touch with you after everything he's done?"
Jude finally looked at Gideon and shook his head slightly. "It seems police has charged Oscar only for Jelena's attempted murder. The detectives confirmed that when they came to see me when you were gone."
"You did gave them your testimony, didn't you?" Zero lowered his voice now when the shock started to wear out. Jude looked away again and didn't answer. "Jude?" Zero called his name to get his attention. He already knew what Jude was going to say but didn't want to believe it.
Finally Jude looked up to him, looking almost guilty. "I told them I couldn't remember who did it." He closed his eyes, readying himself for Zero's outburst.
"Jude! Why the hell would you do that?" Instead of shouting Zero's sounded more concerned as if Jude had lost his mind. He walked to sit by the edge of the bed and tried to get an eye contact with him.
Jude reluctantly looked at him. "I don't know." He said at first but Zero's demanding gaze made him continue. "I thought…" Jude didn't know how to explain his actions to Gideon. "I thought that I need to keep Oscar at my side for a little while longer. Until the time comes to get him. Do you understand?" Jude tried to lean over and take Gideon's hand but the movement made him grimace in pain.
"You alright?" Zero reached out to touch Jude's arm. His expression soft.
Jude smiled to the thought that Gideon was able to forget their conversation for his wellbeing. "It's nothing. But we need to keep Oscar believing that we're not a threat to him. Not until it's sure he's going to jail for the rest of his life."
Zero thought about Jude's words for a moment. He realized how afraid Jude was of Oscar and he knew that the man was capable of escaping from impossible situations. Still Zero believed it would be better for Jude to let Oscar hang right away, but he decided to trust in Jude's instincts instead.
"I get it." Zero answered eventually and couldn't help but mirror Jude's smile.
"Come here." Jude outstretched his hand towards Gideon who leaned over to kiss him. Jude didn't tell Gideon that Oscar had asked him to meet him. He would, after he made up his own mind.
Jude didn't really believe that Jelena would visit him. He thought she would send him an email or something that sort. So it took him by surprise to see her walk inside his hospital room. Jude realized he hadn't prepared to their meeting at all. Usually he went every meeting through his head but this time he didn't have that advance and it unnerved him. Even more when it was Jelena standing there. Zero seemed to be as stunned as Jude was. But instead of a murderous glare Jude expected to see on his face there was smugness.
Jude was about to greet Jelena but she got ahead of him.
"Very well." She said with a fake smile attached on her face and she looked straight at him, ignoring Zero completely.
Zero lifted his chin and narrowed his eyes. "Very well what?" He asked but Jelena kept staring at Jude.
"I'll sell the team to you, provided that you'll sell me your share of the Devil girls." Jelena continued and her smile faded.
Zero wished the decision was his to make. He would've said no just to have the satisfaction to see Jelena squirm. But the ball was at Jude now and it was his move and as Zero expected, Jude wasn't going to torture Jelena more than necessary.
"We have a deal." Jude agreed. Jelena bit her lower lip and dig up a piece of paper from her handbag.
"I took the liberty to make the paperwork beforehand." She handed them to Jude who read the paper through carefully to check if there was a catch in there but everything seemed to be in order. Jude signed the paper and pressed the nurse call-button so she could take a copy of the contract.
Finally Jelena turned to look at Zero. "If it had been you in charge of the Devil girls, I would've never given in." Zero snorted. "But I respect Jude. He was the only one who anticipated my intension of snatching the team from Oscar." Then she turned towards Jude. "But just so you know: I haven't given up."
Jude appreciated her words. One thing he knew about Jelena was that she didn't give compliments lightly. "I know." He said to her. The war would never end as long as Jude had anything to do with the team. He knew that and had always known it. So he accepted things as they were. Jelena was going to give him a good fight, but he wasn't going to lose it any time soon.
"There you are." Nurse brought the contract back and Jelena took the original copy.
"Shot wounds won't heal quickly." Jelena suddenly said and walked out. Jude just stared after her with dumbfound expression.
It didn't take long for Jude to get his strength back. The doctors still forbid all the hard exorcises and he couldn't use his left hand at all since it could tear the wound on his shoulder open. When Jude was able to walk the stairs to the second floor and prove that his memory worked as well as before, he was discharged.
Zero had returned to normal from the tired and run-down being he had been. He had almost forgotten how happy Jude made him and how often he smiled around the man. The worry for Jude's safety, however, was still there, nagging his insides. The realization of how close he was of losing Jude hit him two days later Jude had been released from hospital.
Jude was in the shower while Zero ordered them something to eat. He heard the bathroom door shut when he tossed the phone to their bed. "I ordered us Chinese food." He called out and turned around to see Jude standing in the doorway only towel around his waist. Zero felt his heart drop and a lump rise to his throat as he saw two surgical wounds on Jude's chest. The memories of Jude bleeding in his arms came back to his mind. Jude seemed to notice what he was staring at and sighed. He had finally been able to uncover the wounds during shower and had forgot to cover them before coming out. They still looked ugly with stitches and red skin.
Jude was just about to say something when Zero walked closer to him and stopped only inches away. He slowly lifted his hand and caressed the sensitive skin around the wounds.
"Those will heal." Jude said to reassure Gideon but the man just shook his head.
"I umm…" Zero tried to say something but the lump made his voice hoarse and he had to swallow. "I really thought I was going to lose you." He finally managed to choke out and Jude immediately leaned closer and pressed their lips together.
For a moment they just stayed there, keeping their lips pressed together and enjoying being close to one other. Zero sighed against Jude's lips as he felt the tightness of his throat disappear. Jude lifted his hands to cup Zero's face, deepening the kiss. Zero let him until he realized where it would lead if he didn't stop, so he tried to pull away but Jude followed him.
"Jude…" Zero murmured when he was able to pull their lips apart for a second.
"Hmm…" Jude hummed against his mouth, but kept his hands softly on Zero's face.
"Jude!" Zero had to push Jude away a little bit roughly but immediately regretted it when he saw the hurt and puzzled expression on his boyfriend's face. "Take it slowly. You just got out of the hospital." Zero said, out of breath.
Jude licked his lips and Zero thought that he was going to back away, but then he rushed forward and took hold of his face again, almost tripping them over. "But I want you." Jude said with low voice and captured Zero's lips again.
Zero had a hard time separating them again. "I know… and I want… you too." He managed to say between the kisses and when Jude concentrated on kissing his neck instead, he finally managed to speak full sentences. "I really want you, Jude, but you're still recovering."
Jude was now kneeling in front of Zero, lifting his shirt and giving light kisses on his belly. He was going even lower when he suddenly stopped. Zero felt a little disappointed when he didn't feel Jude's soft lips on his skin anymore.
Jude got up, still keeping his hands underneath Zero's shirt, and stared at him for a moment. "You haven't have sex in two weeks?"
The question took Zero aback and he didn't know what to answer. Why would Jude even ask that? Of course he hadn't had sex since Jude got injured. "No, of course not." Zero finally managed to answer and as hurt as he was for Jude doubting him, the smile Jude gave him made him smile too.
"I just…" Jude started and laughed a little. "I just thought you would never survive so long without it."
Zero lifted his eyebrows and huffed. "What do you think? I'm some kind of sex maniac?" He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Well… the evidence speak behalf of it." Jude said, smile still playing on his lips.
"Right. Just so you know I'm certainly not a sex maniac and I can go without another day as well." Zero said with a mock hurt in his voice and started to walk pass Jude out of the bedroom.
"No, you won't." Jude quickly stopped him by putting his hand on Zero's chest, the gesture reminding of their first time together. "You maybe can, but I can't." He said leaned over to Zero once again.
Zero couldn't help but smile. "Look who's talking." He teased but then grew serious. "I still don't think it's a good idea."
"We'll take it slow then." Jude said and kissed his lips.
Zero fought against the idea for a while longer before giving in and answering to the kiss. He could feel Jude smile against his lips and knew that he had lost the fight, but knew he wasn't going to regret that.
Jude fumbled with Zero's belt and slipped his hand underneath his waistband. Zero hummed contently and traveled his hand down Jude's back to cup his ass. Jude placed his unoccupied hand behind Zero's neck and adjusted their kissing angle. Zero pulled the towel off of Jude's hips and looked down to enjoy the view. Jude might've been a little skinnier now than he used to be but it didn't change the fact that the man was gorgeous. Zero squeezed Jude's ass again and pulled their hips together.
Jude slipped his hands under Zero's shirt again, this time lifting the clothing from disturbing their skin to skin contact. After that Jude pushed Zero to the bed and started working on his trousers which wasn't such and easy task since he couldn't use his left hand properly. Zero soon seemed to remember that and helped him to pull them off. They smiled up at each other before Jude kneeled down again and took Zero into his mouth. Zero sighed and leaned back against the mattress. Truthfully told, he hadn't even thought about sex much during the past couple of weeks. His mind had been concentrated on Jude and on the basketball. Nothing else had mattered at the time. Now he couldn't even comprehend how he had managed. A gasp escaped his lips as Jude sucked a little forcefully than before and then smiled around his cock.
"Jude…" Zero whispered and Jude, understanding right away what Zero wanted, crawled to face him. This time Zero cupped his cheeks and pulled him down to a kiss. When they broke apart Jude laid down to the bed on his stomach and reached out to take lubricate from the bedside table. He felt Zero crawl on top of him and press his lower body's weight on Jude. Zero reached to take the lubricate from Jude and poured some onto his fingers. He kissed Jude between the shoulder blades as he used to and started to prepare him. His eyes were caught by the two other wounds on Jude's back and a chill went down his spine. Jude's gasp and movement of his hips, however, brought Zero back to his current task. He pushed another finger inside and closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Jude's warmth against his body.
"Are you comfortable this way?" Zero asked at the same time as he reached down to kiss Jude's neck.
Jude wasn't comfortable at all. The wounds screamed in agony under his and Zero's weight and he couldn't support himself properly without his left hand. "Wait a minute…" He grunted and turned around. Zero lifted himself up just enough to let him. Jude positioned himself against the bed and tried to feel if it was any better. His left hand got rest properly this way but now the wounds on his back rubbed uncomfortably against the duvets. Jude sighed in frustration. He took a pillow from Zero's side of the bed and arranged it under his hips so that the weight was lifted from lower wound which was the sorest one. Then he nodded at Zero.
"Okay?" Zero still asked.
"Okay." Jude smiled up at him and enjoyed the feeling of Zero putting his weight over him. Zero had to take a steadying breath before slowly pushing inside of Jude. His whole body screamed for him to go fast but he knew Jude wouldn't be able to take it at the moment. Instead he savored the feeling of Jude's tightness and moved slowly. He kept his eyes open most of the time, just to check that Jude wasn't in pain. Soon the feeling caught up with him and he was lost in the moment. He had missed Jude's touch so much that now when he finally had him again, it was almost painful. Jude's hands traveled on his back and ass.
It didn't take long for both of them to come close to the climax. Zero moved his hips a little bit faster than before and Jude wrapped his legs around him even tighter. Zero looked at Jude's face, completely relaxed and free of all the worries. The feeling of desperate need filled his chest, the need of keeping Jude in his life and it was almost suffocating. Zero captured Jude's lips on his and came with a gasp against Jude's lips. He reached down to finish Jude off which was almost unnecessary since he came soon after.
Normally Zero would've collapsed over Jude but just when he was about to, he realized his error and instead lowered to his side but stayed as close to Jude as possible. Jude reached down and tossed the pillow under his hips to the floor. Zero watched him until their breathing evened out, admiring Jude's satisfied expression. His forehead was sweaty and his cheeks a little red. Zero reached over and kissed Jude's cheek, tasting the sweat there.
"I missed you so much." Zero whispered and nuzzled Jude's neck.
Jude turned to look at him and smiled. "I love you too." He said and was about to turn to his side when he realized he wasn't allowed to put so much pressure to his shoulder. "Great, I can't watch you sleeping without my neck stiffening." He mumbled and tried to find a good position on his back. He realized the way they had sex hadn't been ideal one to his wounds which now felt extremely sore, but he wasn't going to tell that to Gideon.
"Spoon then." Zero mumbled against his ear, already half asleep.
Jude smiled and turned his back on him. Zero quickly pressed his body against him and embraced him tightly. Jude knew he was supposed to go to the shower but he didn't have the will power to leave from Gideon's arms. He knew he was going to regret it in the morning but right now, he just wanted to enjoy the moment. He was just about to fall asleep when Zero's voice woke him up.
"Will you marry me?" The question came out easily. Zero hadn't planned to ask it, not now and not that way, but it had just felt right.
Jude turned to his back so he could see Gideon's face properly. "What did you just say?" He tried to search Zero's face for any sign that he was joking but there were none.
"You heard me, stupid." Zero said a nervous smile on his face but his voice was steady. He knew what ever Jude's answer was, it wouldn't destroy their relationship. But it still didn't stop is heart form bounding out of his chest.
For a moment Jude just stared at him, his mind completely blank. Then he reached out to pull Gideon to a rough kiss.
"Was that a yes?" Zero had a hard time to pull himself away from Jude but when he did he was finally able to speak.
"You know the answer, stupid." Jude smiled widely and this time Gideon pressed their lips together.
Jude was a little disappointed that he wasn't in good enough shape to go for a round two, which Gideon had surely deserved but he was contented enough to be in his arms. He was able to do one thing though and parted their lips to kiss Gideon's cheek and then his earlobe and neck. With every kiss he went lover before disappearing under the duvets. Jude smiled when Gideon took a deep breath between his teeth.
