Jude popped one eye open and quickly turned off his phone alarm before it woke Connor. Moving slowly, he left their bed, leaving Connor asleep. Jude tucked his feet into what Mariana called his 'old man' slippers and stretched trying not to take too long. Jude had a schedule to stick to today, after all. He half-turned and gestured to Hades, who was watching him out of one eye. Jude gestured again and the three-year-old Pitbull huffed a sigh and heaved himself out of his own giant bed in the corner of their room.

Jude followed Hades into the hall and then anxiously glanced at Connor, but he had grown used to the sound of the dog's nails against the hardwood floor. Still, Jude pulled the bedroom door most of the way shut. Connor could have another few minutes of rest.

Hades looked over his shoulder at Jude.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Jude muttered and he followed the black and white dog down the steps and to the back yard.

Jude opened the door and Hades bounded out, sniffing along the fence line. Jude knew he didn't have to watch him – even if Hades could get out, Connor had trained him better than that. Jude watched the dog plod around his territory. They had gotten him a year ago, both as a twenty-fifth birthday present for Connor and as a celebration of buying the house. They had gone to the animal shelter and while the employee was leading them toward the nine-month-old golden retriever Jude had spotted on their website, Connor had seen Hades, huddled in the corner of his own little room. He'd been raised to dog fight and had spent at least a year doing it; the shelter had him for approximately four months. He was abused, distrustful of people, and, apparently, had a habit of aggression when he felt cornered. Connor had sat down in the corner furthest from Hades and within ten minutes, Hades had been curled up in his lap.

"He's just misunderstood," Connor had said to Jude, while Jude had thought that they just understood each other. "He's even got a Greek mythology name. It's perfect," Connor had added.

As if Jude had needed convincing. As if Jude weren't completely helpless against his eyes. And, so, Hades had come home with them. Jude had never seen any hints of the aggression they had been warned about, even though Hades considered himself more Connor's dog than Jude's. They just had an energetic animal that drooled and liked to sleep upside down.

While Hades peed in the bushes, Jude closed the house door and circled into the garage. Gerald sat in one corner, rarely used unless Connor had to take a short trip along to the grocery store. He wasn't reliable enough for long distances anymore which Jude was sorry for. He thought taking Gerald on their overnight trip would be much more poetic than their new car.

But Gerald was left in the corner and Jude opened the door to their new car. Well, his, really. Connor had a hatred for driving and a job that allowed him to work from home. It was Jude that commuted back and forth each day and took the driver's seat whenever they went anywhere together. And that was why Jude had felt confident enough to use the car as a hiding spot. Jude popped open the dashboard as Hades loped into the garage, making his way over to Jude.

"What do you think?" Jude asked, opening the box. "Do you think he'll like it?"

Jude watched Hades carefully, just in case he decided to eat the ring. Hades's snout nosed at it once and then he lost interest, heading back out into the yard. Jude stared down at the gold ring – perfectly matched to the colour of Connor's mother's rings and engraved with 'AND THE REST OF YOU'. Jude needed it to be perfect because he needed Connor to say yes. There wasn't a lot of fear left in Connor but if there was something that would bring it back, it would be a ring.

Jude tucked it into the pocket of the black jacket he'd be wearing tonight and then artfully draped it into the backseat so the shape of the box wasn't obvious. He grabbed the cooler he'd packed last night from the fridge and put it in the trunk with the rest of the supplies he'd packed. Jude checked the time. He still wasn't running late, which was good. They had a long drive ahead, not to mention actually figuring out how to set up a tent.

He took a moment to sort through his texts. He answered the one from Stef and Lena that was both a 'good luck' and a 'congratulations' and then ignored the one from Mariana, asking if he had read the article she'd sent. He had opened it, late last night when he had received it, only to quickly close it again when he'd realized it was about Taylor, getting out of prison at the end of the year. Jude tried to think of her rarely and he especially wasn't going to think of her today. Today was supposed to be perfect. He refused to let anything ruin it.

Jude slid his phone into his pocket and ascended the stairs. Hades had taken over the foot of the bed, his head on Connor's legs. Connor had rolled onto his stomach, Jude's abandoned pillow clenched into his arms. Jude leant against the door frame, just for a moment, wishing he didn't have to disturb either of them. But he needed to keep to his schedule and his caffeine headache was growing, and so he crossed back to their bed, straddling Connor's thighs and running his hands up Connor's back until he reached his shoulders. Connor groaned but didn't really wake.

"Baby," Jude cooed. "Baby."

One of Connor's hands appeared and he reached up, grabbing Jude's leg.

"Time to wake up," Jude continued.

"You're dressed," Connor said, as if it were an accusation.

"I told you were getting up early today, remember?"

"It's Saturday," Connor said, sounding slightly whiny. "We're supposed to sleep in. You promised."

Jude had, years ago, when real jobs and life in general had started depriving them of the slow, sleepy mornings that Connor was so in love with. And they were good about sticking to it, rarely getting out of bed before nine or ten.

"Baby, it's special."

Connor half-turned, tugging at Jude until Jude was down on the mattress with him, Connor's strong arms around him. "It's Saturday, Jude."

His breath was hot against Jude's skin and Jude was so tempted to just stay there. Usually, their slow wake ups ended up being the highlight of his weekends and he was reluctant to give that up, even if it was for the best cause. He opened his mouth. As if Connor sensed it, he slowly kissed the back of Jude's neck, his hands purposefully seductive against Jude's front.

"Baby, we have to go." Jude didn't even convince himself.

"Go where?"

"It's a surprise."

"You know how I feel about surprises, Jude."

Jude did. He'd been trying not to think about it while he was doing his planning.

"It's a good surprise. A nice date. We haven't done one of those in a while."

"The last time we went away was for your birthday. The bed and breakfast you picked out."

"Right, so we're about due."

"There's no occasion," Connor pointed out, sounding much more aware.

"Being with you is an occasion," Jude said. "And I found somewhere good."

Connor laughed softly but Jude could tell that he was happy. Connor kissed the back of his neck again. "It's important, then, is it?"

"Yeah. Well, no more important than any of our other dates but … we have a deadline tonight. There's something specific we're going to see."

"Movie?"

"No."

"Concert?"

"No."

"Play?"

"No." Jude grinned. "You won't guess. Also, Hades gets to come with for all of it."

Jude felt Hades' nose against his leg.

"What are we doing, Jude?"

"It's a surprise!" Jude rolled over so that he could face Connor. "A good surprise. I really want you to see it. So, let's go. I did put the effort in."

"I know. Let's go."

But then Connor kissed him and Jude really lost all will to get out of bed and go down to the car. If it weren't for Hades launching himself from the mattress, Jude might have lost track of the world entirely but when he heard their heavy dog hit the floor, he pulled away and sat up.

"Come on, baby, get dressed."

"Okay. Just for you," Connor said.

Everything else done, Jude just sat on the bed and watched Connor change. Connor laughed at him but continued on. Jude just bit his bottom lip, thinking of just how long Connor had spent being shy and not understanding what Jude saw in him, to the subtle change in Connor starting to show off for him and then, watching Connor actually start to like the attention. Jude still wasn't sure if Connor fully understood why Jude liked him – every so often, he would say something that left Jude realizing that Connor was still convinced that Jude was too good for him – but he knew Connor loved him too.

"All right," Connor finally said. "I think I'm ready. What should I pack, Jude? Will I need anything too fancy?"

"All packed and ready to go," Jude said. "Just this one time. I promise. I won't do it again."

"Okay," Connor agreed. "Are we going far?"

"It's a long drive," Jude admitted. "It'll take most of the day and then there's some stuff before the, uh event."

Connor was just staring at him.

"Trust me, baby."

"I do," Connor said and Jude chose to take those exact words as a sign, even though he knew it was pure coincidence.

Connor called to Hades as they walked down the stairs.

"Do you have his leash and harness? What about food and water? Bowls?"

"Baby, I took care of him," Jude promised. "I swear, you coddle him more than you would an actual child."

"Dogs are better," Connor said. "Kids are too easy to screw up and hurt."

"I know, I know," Jude said. "We talked about it. No kids. Just a lot of babysitting the nephews and nieces."

Connor looked anxiously over his shoulder. "Are you sure you don't hate me for that? I thought you would want kids."

"Baby, no," Jude said, stopping just in front of their garage door. He rubbed his hands down Connor's arms. "We talked about it, remember? I don't need my own kids to be happy. I would rather have you than a million kids."

"I'm less work than a million kids," Connor agreed and Jude just laughed. Connor kissed him again. "Okay, let's go."

Jude took the driver's seat while Connor helped Hades into the back seat before getting in the front.

"First, coffee. Then, date time."

"You and your coffee," Connor said. "I think you love it more than me."

"Well, as long as I'm not obvious about it, do you really mind?"

"Yes," Connor said, bitterly.

Jude glanced at him in surprise but Connor was just smiling at him. Jude couldn't help but reach across the console to cradle his face and then press his lips to Connor's. He was interrupted when Hades' long tongue left streaks of drool along both his cheeks and Connor's.

"Okay, okay," Jude said, laughing. "I've got the message! Off we go!"

And off they went.

(-.-)

Connor twirled his stick in his hands and then leant his marshmallow over the fire. Next to him, Jude did the same with a hot dog, his head on Connor's shoulder. Night had fallen around them leaving the trees looking like looming shadows. Connor tried not to twitch with every unexpected noise, unsure of how he felt about the empty forest, no matter how comforting the world felt inside of the warm bubble of the fire. Hades kept bounding just out of their little clearing to go and sniff but Connor kept calling him back, worried he would run into an animal bigger than him.

"I didn't think you would bring me camping, Jude," Connor finally admitted.

"Why not?"

"Neither of us are really the camping type, are we?"

"I went a couple of times with my family when I was a teenager."

"I know, I just never thought you would take me."

Jude shrugged and pulled his hot dog out of the fire, gently testing it with his fingers before putting it back. "Don't catch your marshmallow on fire, baby."

"Don't give me cooking advice," Connor teased him but he removed his stick from the flames.

Jude grinned. "Do you not want to camp? Do you want to go?"

Connor half-grumbled, "We spent too much time putting up the tent. I'm not leaving for a week."

Jude really laughed then.

"HADES! Here!"

Hades rocketed back to them, sitting at Jude's feet and expectantly looking toward the hot dog. Connor reached out and scratched behind his ear.

"Also, Jude, what was that event you were talking about?"

Jude looked at the time on his cell phone. "Give me a few more minutes."

"If anything comes out of those woods, I will lose it."

"Nothing's coming out of the woods!"

"Hrm." Connor put a new marshmallow on the end of his stick., lowering it into the flames. He twirled the stick idly

"Oh, baby, it's time," Jude said. "Look up."

Up? Connor thought. There was nothing up. He looked anyway, just to placate Jude and then he gasped.

"It's the meteor shower!" he exclaimed, dropping his marshmallow into the fire in his excitement to stand. He had read about the shower and had been disappointed that they weren't supposed to be able to view it that well from home. Connor could only turn into a circle, trying to see all of the streaks of light at once. Jude had found the perfect spot. Trees so that they were sheltered and able to be alone but a big enough clearing that there was an unobstructed view of the stars. "It's beautiful!"

Jude stood up next to him, squeezing his hand. "Glad we came?"

"Yes!" Connor laughed and repeated, "It's beautiful!"

He glanced quickly at Jude but Jude was just looking up at him. Connor grinned happily and looked back up.

"This was worth all the driving," Connor said. "It's so beautiful, Jude. Thank you."

Jude cleared his throat and it sounded awkward to Connor's ears. "Actually, baby, the meteor shower isn't the only reason I brought you here."

"Are you … you going to kill me and leave me in the woods?" Connor tried to joke, even though he knew it wasn't really funny and neither of them really laughed.

"No."

Jude let go of his hand as Connor half-turned again, trying to follow the tail of a meteor that had looked unexpectedly green. Could they be green or was he just imagining it?

"Connor."

Connor hated to look away from the sky but Jude sounded so serious that he tore his eyes away from the spectacle in front of him. His eyes sought out Jude and then his heart nearly stopped when he realized Jude was down on one knee, a ring box in his hand.

"Connor, I'm so in love with you. I couldn't imagine my life without you."

Breathless, Connor sunk to his knees against the slightly damp earth, unable to take his eyes from Jude's face.

"Waking up to you is the best part of my day and I want to do that for years to come. I want to make dinner with you and have our home with dogs and love and laughter. You lift my heart just by looking at you and I know we can not just survive but … but … flourish. We have survived. We survived the worst right after we met, practically, and now it's our time to be together, not just as boyfriends. Out of everything in this world, Connor, I just want you to be my husband. Will you please do me the honour of marrying me?"

Connor really couldn't breathe. He hadn't seen it coming. Except Jude had opened the box and there was a gold ring there that was meant for him. Jude wanted to marry him.

"You want to marry me?" Connor whispered. It was unbelievable. It shouldn't be. After all he knew to be true, after all of the years they had together, after all he loved Jude, it shouldn't be a shock, but it was. Marriage was something beyond. "Me?"

"You," Jude said, and Connor was so glad that Jude was smiling at him. "I want to marry you but the question is: do you want to marry me?"

Connor didn't really think that was a question at all. "Yes."

Of course, he wanted to marry Jude. There wasn't anyone else but Jude. He didn't understand why Jude would want him, but he never had. He loved Jude with more than he was capable with and he had never questioned whether or not life with Jude was what he wanted, once he realized that was what he wanted. Jude reached for his hand, picking the ring out of the box. Connor gave him his left hand and the cool ring slid across it, fitting him perfectly. Connor picked his hand up and held it close to his face. He was wearing an engagement ring.

"You want to marry me," he said to himself, but Jude, of course, heard him.

"With everything I have."

Connor felt a hot tear streak down his face. "We're going to get married."

"We're going to get married, baby," Jude said, sitting right in front of him and he sounded so happy that Connor felt his heart swell in his chest.

He launched himself into Jude's arms, throwing his own arms around Jude's neck. He pressed his lips to Jude's and then just laughed, listening to his voice bounce around the trees.

"What do you think?" Jude asked.

Connor leant his head back and looked up at the stars. "Jude, it was perfect."

Jude kissed his neck and then Hades burst between them. He sat on Connor's lap and licked at his face.

"Hades," Connor said, his voice shaky. "We're going to get married."

Maybe if he said it enough, it would sink in. Jude wanted to marry him. He was going to get married.

"Not you and Hades, I'm hoping."

Connor just laughed all over again. "No, but he's going to be in it."

"Ring dog?"

"Ring dog," Connor agreed.

Jude's arm slung around his shoulders and they sat on the ground, looking back up at the sky. Connor found that he couldn't quite concentrate on it properly anymore. He kept sneaking glances down at his new ring, gleaming brightly on his finger. He was engaged now. He struggled to let it sink in. Jude loved him enough to want to marry him. He was going to get married. There was a ring on his finger and Jude was the right man. They were going to walk down an aisle and say vows and they were going to plan it and do it together. It was the way that things should be done, unlike the way that it had almost happened last time for him.

"It was my last never," Connor murmured, the realization hitting him as he thought backward.

"What?" Jude asked.

"Getting married," Connor clarified, raising his voice from a whisper. "It was my last never. And now you have all of them."

"Is that so bad?" Jude asked.

"No. It's not even a little bit bad." It was almost like proof, that Jude was the one to break all of the barriers.

Jude kissed his cheek. "Look up. It's only going to last a little bit more."

The meteor shower, maybe, but other things would last forever. Connor turned the ring on his finger. It was warm already, as if it were part of his skin, as if his body had already adapted to it. Playing with it gently, he watched the last of the meteors fall. Without their presence, the world seemed eerily dark.

"Should we go in the tent?" Jude asked.

"Okay. You go turn on the light, I'll take care of the fire."

That taken care of, he and Jude fumbled around one another in the tent so they could change into pyjamas. They let Hades inside, then, and Connor carefully zipped up the tent. It felt colder inside the tent than it did outside and, so, after getting Hades snuggled in his bed, he quickly climbed under the blankets. Jude wrapped his arms around Connor's waist, his head on Connor's shoulder. Connor squeezed his right arm around Jude and then he lifted up his left hand, turning the ring again. He was wearing an engagement ring.

"I forgot to show you this." Jude picked up the light and slid the ring off Connor's finger. Connor almost whined. That was his. "I engraved it."

Connor took the ring and the light, reading the words. "'And the rest of you'. Jude, that's perfect!"

"I wanted it to be perfect. You're perfect."

"You are," Connor said and he slid the ring back on. He flicked off the light and rested it down by their squishy mattress. "I … am actually really excited to get married to you."

"Really?"

"Really. We're going to get married."

Jude laughed. "Do you really believe it?"

"Maybe not. Maybe I'll make up in the morning and you'll have to do it all over again just so I can believe it."

"It was too nervous. I messed up. I had a speech prepared. I practiced it on the drive up when you weren't paying attention but that wasn't what I was thinking, really, at all. That flourishing stuff? I don't know where that came from."

"I loved it," Connor assured him and then asked, "Why were you nervous?"

"I was worried you might say 'no'."

"I never say no to you."

"I thought I might have finally found the thing."

"I'm glad you asked, Jude. I wouldn't have been able to get up the courage to ask you."

Jude readjusted his head. "Were you thinking about asking me?"

"No," Connor admitted. "I wouldn't have been able to ask you."

"I always have to do the asking."

"That's not true!" Connor protested. "I asked you to kiss me first! I asked you to be my boyfriend first! I asked you to have sex first! This is your first question!"

"I asked you on a date first," Jude said and he sounded smug.

"Okay, one. Well, two, now," Connor said. "But it's all been really good, hasn't it, Jude?"

"It can only get better," Jude said. "We have a long time for it to get better. It's going to be you and me, baby, for as long as possible."

"Marriage is forever," Connor said. "I believe that's what it should be. The right person, the right time, and it's worth it to wait."

"And I'm the right person?"

"Yes," Connor said with conviction.

"And now is the right time?"

"No," Connor said. "We're not getting married now."

"No," Jude laughed. "When's the right time to get married?"

"Early September," Connor answered. He turned on his side and faced Jude, rubbing their noses together.

"We should get married outside."

"During the day. Not too formal."

"No. Matching ties. Should I wear a white suit and you can wear a black one?"

"No," Connor said flatly.

"Sorry."

"You've got more good ideas in there, I'm sure, but we don't have to talk about it all right now."

Connor moved Jude onto his back sliding his body between Jude's legs. Jude's fingers tangled in Connor's long hair and pulled his head down. Connor pressed his body down the length of Jude's before kissing him deeply. All he needed was the warmth of Jude and the knowledge that Jude loved him too.

He lifted his lips from Jude. "You want to marry me."

Jude laughed at him again, as Connor was sure that he would keep doing. "I want to marry you."

"I want to marry you too."

"Good."

And then Jude kissed him again.

(-.-)

Connor slid a treat to Hades in the backseat and Hades quickly snapped it up.

"Don't spoil him so much."

"He deserves something for spending all that time in the backseat," Connor said. He rubbed his hand along his jeans, getting off the dog drool.

"What do I get for spending all this time in the driver's seat?" Jude asked.

"There's ice-cream in the freezer at home."

Connor glanced over at Jude, who shook his head. "Not what I meant."

Well, Connor knew that but he still wasn't good at voicing what kinds of physical things he wanted to do to Jude. He finally looked away from his fiancé and his body warmed at the thought of the word. He looked down at his ring. It was simple, gold and not flashy at all, but it was exactly what he wanted.

"I'm going to have to go visit Mom and tell her all about it. First thing we do when we go see Dad next month, okay?"

"First thing," Jude said. "We'll leave early for family dinner at Moms tomorrow so we can go tell Callie."

"Did you tell anyone you were going to do this?" Connor asked.

"Moms and I had to tell your Dad."

"You didn't have to ask his permission or anything like that."

"I didn't because I'm not archaic," Jude scoffed. "I had to tell him because I had to ask him what colour gold your mother's rings were."

"Why –" Connor cut himself off quickly. "Do they match?"

Connor pulled the necklace out of his shirt and looped the chain around his finger so the other rings rested next to his new one. His mother's rings had a slight bit of age to them but they were clearly the same shade of gold.

"You thought of everything, didn't you?"

"I tried to. You're going to be wearing that for the rest of your life so it couldn't be anything less than perfect."

"I love you so much."

"I love you too," Jude said.

"I'm going to call, Dad," Connor decided. He picked up his phone and dialled his father.

"Hello?" Rachel answered.

"Oh, hi, Rachel," Connor said. "Is my dad around?"

"Sure, let me go grab him. How are you? How's Jude?""

"Things are good," Connor said. "Jude's great. You?"

"I'm still trying to convince your father that we should get a cat. I think I'm winning."

"Good luck," Connor said, and that was the last things that he got to say before the phone was transferred to Adam.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Dad. How are you?" Connor asked.

"I'm good. How are you, Connor?" Adam asked.

"Jude asked me to marry him last night," Connor blurted, underestimating the thrill that would go through him at actually saying the words. He and Jude were going to get married. Jude wanted to marry him.

"Did you say yes or do you need me to fly out and help you move?"

"Dad!" Connor exclaimed, even though Adam was completely joking, and he was glad that he could tell the difference now.

"Congratulations," Adam said sincerely. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, Dad."

"He's good for you," Adam said. "He always has been. But I'm always here for you, just in case."

"I don't need a just in case," Connor said. "This is what's right for me. It's going to be me and Jude at the end of the day."

Jude reached across the console to grab his hand. Connor held his hand as he said his goodbyes to his father.

"You and me, huh?" Jude said, once Connor had put his phone away.

"You and me," Connor said, perking up once they turned down their street. "And at least one dog, at all times."

"Yes and yes," Jude said. He hit the button and opened the garage door, driving in.

Jude unpacked the car while Connor let Hades run around the yard. He finally took Hades in when Jude was finished, the Pitbull grabbing a much-loved duck toy and carrying it off into their living room. Connor looked at Jude, skinny and tall and the most handsome thing Connor had ever seen.

"We should shower after spending the night in the woods," Jude said, but from the way he spoke, Connor knew the last thing Jude was thinking of was actually showering.

"Well," Connor said carefully, stepping toward him, "you do owe me after taking away my Saturday morning."

"I gave you a ring!" Jude said. "Come on, we have a date with the shower wall."

Jude grabbed his hand and led him toward the stairs. Connor laughed, letting Jude pull him along.

"We are good in the shower."

"We're good everywhere," Jude said. He walked backwards once they were upstairs, pulling Connor's shirt over his head. "'Cause we're so good together."

It was like they were meant to be, like that fate idea that Jude flirted with every so often. But there was something unalterably right about how they fit into each other's arms. Jude kissed him and Connor couldn't help but smile.

"I love your eyes, baby," Jude whispered.

"I love you," Connor said.

"And the rest of you. All of you," Jude said.

"I love you," Connor repeated, because there was nothing else that could be said.

Loving Jude was what there was for him. It was all that he wanted and he was so indescribable lucky that Jude wanted him too, that Jude had spoken him at all, that Jude was a good man and had never given up on him. More than that, he was so thankful Jude had showed him that he was a good man too, that he was worth something too. He was deserving of the way that Jude loved him.

Jude flicked the shower on and Connor kicked the door shut.

He didn't need their dog jumping in the shower with them. Again.

THE END

The chapter's title is after the song Better Today by Coffey Anderson. If you have a song that reminds you of Barefoot And Bruised and would like it to be on the playlist – and possibly a chapter title – send it in and let me know! I'd love to hear your playlist suggestions! (Chapter titles are mostly chosen via shuffle.)

So, on tumblr I'm: we are all of legend now (with dashes between every word). If you want to find my replies to anon reviews, add backslash tagged backslash anon dash replies. If you want to see anything I post about Barefoot And Bruised, go to my tumblr URL and add backslash tagged backslash barefoot dash and dash bruised dash. Punctuation is spelled out due to Fanfiction's restrictions. If you're having any trouble accessing the tumblr content please send me a pm and I can format it for you in a different way.

~TLL~