Summary: A small drabble on when Jude broke his silence.

Broken Silence

Connor pushed his locker shut, then linked his thumb beneath his backpack strap. He turned around and walked toward Jude who stood by his locker.

"Hey," Connor greeted quietly, keeping his eyes on Jude. He refrained from sighing as Jude smiled at him and nodded. Jude's silence had started only two weeks before, but it felt like it had been an eternity since he'd heard Jude's soft voice, and he just missed it. It wasn't his fault, is what Lena had told him, but that didn't make him feel any less guilty for what he'd done. He'd hurt Jude. He should have just stood up to his dad. But, how could he? If his dad was reacting so poorly under just the assumption that Jude was gay, how could he stand up to his dad, knowing in the back of his mind, he had feelings for Jude? Yes, Connor liked Jude. He couldn't continue to deny it, especially after he had been so jealous when Maddie had asked Jude out. But he couldn't voice it. He was a coward, he admitted. But, when Jude went silent, he swore to himself he wouldn't be when it came to Jude. He had somehow managed to tell his dad he was going to keep hanging out with Jude, and he defended Jude whenever anyone tried to hurt him. But Jude was still silent. His talk with Lena the other day had only calmed him a little.

Connor blinked as he heard the snap on fingers moving together and his brain focused on the hand in front of his face. Connor blinked, focusing on Jude's face. Jude had raised eyebrows and he let his hand fall from near Connor's face. Connor understood what Jude was saying through his features, he understood Jude completely. 'Hello? Are we going to class or what?'

"Uh, yeah, sorry... Just got lost in thought I guess," Connor explained, forcing a warm smile on his face. Jude smirked, shaking his head. Jude then jerked his head toward the hall. 'Come on.' Connor nodded and followed Jude down the hall, then started talking about the newest video game to come out. He knew Jude was happy when Connor acted like he hadn't gone silent.

"Uh, hey," Connor paused, biting his lip and holding onto Jude's elbow as they got near the classroom. "What happened? Yesterday, I mean. You were there in math, but then in science you weren't," Connor questioned when Jude looked at him with a curious expression. He watched Jude's features darken, and he regretted his decision to question Jude. "Never mind, you don't have to answer," Connor rushed, biting his lip and turning and trying to get away. His thoughts were racing. He'd gone too far again. But he froze when he felt Jude forcefully grab his elbow and pull him back. Connor stumbled, ending up closer to Jude than he was before. His eyes widened a tiny bit as he looked down at the smaller boy. One, when did Jude get that strong? And, two, why wasn't he moving away from their close proximity? Connor knew exactly why he wasn't moving, but he wasn't going to voice it.

Jude looked at him, then pointed toward the clock on the wall. Connor furrowed his eyebrows, then looked back at Jude. Jude sighed, rolling his eyes. The smaller boy turned and then unzipped his backpack, pulling out a brown paper lunch bag, then pointed to it with his other hand.

"Lunch? You're gonna tell me at lunch?" Connor asked, biting his lip, hoping he'd gotten it right. Jude nodded furiously and then put the bag back in his backpack and pointed toward the classroom. Connor nodded, gulping and finally stepping back from Jude and walking into the math room. Lunch couldn't get there fast enough.

When Connor heard the bell ring after English, he was out of his seat and racing toward the lunch room. He ran so fast, he had only just slung his backpack over his shoulder when he reached the entrance. He got in the lunch line and bought his lunch, then scanned the area, looking for Jude. He spotted his friend in the corner of the lunch room, eating all by himself. Connor made his way over to Jude and look the seat beside his friend. He placed the tray on the table and his bag on the floor. He saw Jude give him a half smile. He then looked at Jude and tilted his head. Jude didn't have a notebook. Whenever Jude hadn't been able to say something with gestures, he always brought a notebook with him. Connor knew he wasn't going to be able to guess what had happened the other day.

"How are you going to tell me what happened without your notebook?" Connor asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Well, I thought my voice would work pretty well."

Connor chocked, coughing as his half-chewed bite of turkey sub flew toward his throat as he gasped. Jude's eyes went wide, his jaw dropping open. Connor coughed up the food, spitting it back onto his napkin. "Oh my god," Connor mumbled, rubbing his throat. He then glared at Jude who had started laughing when he realized Connor wasn't in danger. "Was it your plan to kill me? You just had to use your first words to me in two weeks while I was eating?" Connor fired, rolling his eyes and folding up his napkin and tossing it in the trashcan beside them.

Jude half-smirked, half-smiled, laughing. "I could stop if you want," Jude offered.

"No!" Connor shouted, his eyes going wide. He put his hand on Jude's shoulder. "Don't, please, go, tell me," Connor demanded, dropping his hand looking at Jude. He listened closely as Jude began to explain what happened. It was sad, hearing that Vice Principal Adams Foster had lost the baby, but Connor couldn't help the ghost of a smile that was on his face the entire time Jude spoke, glad to finally hear his friend's voice.

Connor knew that now that Jude was talking again, the two had a lot to work out, but all Connor cared about now was hearing Jude's soft, kind voice share a sad story, and then joke with Connor till the end of lunch bell rang.

I have no idea why this idea only just came to me.

Follow me on Tumblr at jonnorlandfill.

I don't own The Fosters or anything you may recognize.

-HJ