Jude/Zero [Gideon] centric spin on S3E6~'Carrying'
Jude walked out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, to Zero who sat on the unmade bed. The blond let out a laugh then hung up the phone.
"You're in a good mood."
"Our kiss cost me a sponsor, but it snagged me two more. Rainbow credit cards. Some type of gay aftershave. And I signed a book deal for a million bucks. I mean, did you know that there was a gay dollar? I'm rolling in it and its awesome," he said in amazement.
Jude smiled at his enthusiasm. "That's great." He then added soberly, "Some people are asking how it's going to affect you long term. Affect the team. Not everyone's going to be great about it."
"Screw'em," Zero replied with a little a laugh. It was the response of someone confident in their talent and what they had to offer. The Title was what was important, and Zero had brought home two.
"I've seen you be a dozen different poster boys. I'm glad you're embracing this one." Jude just hoped that it would last. They would last.
Zero rose from the bed and moved toward Jude. "All this money talks gettin' me worked up. I need a shower. Mind if I borrow that?" He then snatched the towel that hung low around Jude's waist, playfully swatted Jude's ass and made his way toward the bathroom as Jude trailed, within a few minutes they had made their way back to the softness of the messy bed.
"I gotta' get up," said Zero in the after glow of a morning fuck. "I got practice, then the biographer that they assigned wants to come by and get some preliminary info, some guy named Max Po…Poitier, ya' know, like Mr. Tibbs…, he said licking one of Jude's erect nipples.
Jude shivered at the feeling, as he was about to lean even further into Zero's hot skin, his phone pinged. He gave the other man a look of regret and picked up his phone."Lionel" 'I need to see you ASAP. That insane bitch is doubling our rent. We need to plan.'
Jude inhaled and exhaled.'On my way'he text back. "Duty calls…" As he stood up, naked and still moist with perspiration, he was momentarily tempted to not shower; he'd fallen in love with the scent of Zero's combined sweat and cologne on his skin.
He then received a call. The number was private. He knew immediately it was Oscar calling from his contraband phone.
He stared at it. Previously, when he'd hoped that Oscar would give a damn about him, Jude had felt honored, special to have access to his other burner phone number. Oscar 1. Oscar 2. God, he'd been such an idiot.
"What is it?"
"Oscar."
Zero's eyes narrowed and he took a quick breath.
"Yeah. I know."
"If ya' know…you know Oscar doesn't give a shit about you. He's got some angle that he's thought of…he's still a caged animal. He's still playing, tryin' to play you. Don't let him."
"You came around," Jude replied feebly.
Zero just looked at him with a silent 'You'll see.'
~~~
'Why the hell was he here, again?' Jude knew that Zero was right about Oscar. He sat waiting, wearing the requisite VISITOR badge, same as the last time he'd come.
"Thank you for coming." Oscar again waddled in. He wore the same orange jumpsuit. He was shackled. Hands and feet. Everything the same. Except this time, he held in his hand the photo that Jude had given him.
"You called me. And I have somewhere else I need to be, so…" He'd told Lionel that he had an 'urgent' errand that he needed to run before he came into work. "I thought you would have traded that for a pack of Parliaments by now."
"When you have four blank walls, you crave things to look at."
"You expect me to believe you've just been staring at me," Jude said bitterly.
"I'm disturbed too. Mostly because it makes me feel something I don't like feeling." He looked at Jude, then quickly looked down. "Regret."
If Jude hadn't known any better, he would have thought his father was being truthful. Or at least he sounded like he was telling the truth. Oscar was the kind of person who didn't need to lie, he was always a step ahead and in control; he could afford to be blunt and direct. Normally, anyway.
"So, toss it."
"I wish I could." The older man got up and turned his back to Jude.
"My, uh, father he was a cold man. I got nothing from him. When I became successful, he got nothing from me. Family means nothing to a Kinkade. Yet, behind bars, it's all I've been thinkin' about." He then turned around and looked at Jude. "From the day you were born. As far as I was concerned, you didn't exist. Now I need you more than I've ever needed anyone."
"Need me…for what?"
"I'm innocent, Jude. I need you to help me prove it." He sat down heavily.
"How?"
"The only evidence they have is from a medical examiner who skipped town. My lawyers can't even question him. How fair is that? Help me find him and clear my name." There wasn't exactly pleading in those blue eyes, but an open ask.
"Why should I? So, you can get revenge? So, you can hurt somebody?" His mind automatically went to Sloane Hayes…and Lionel.
"No. So, I can get out. So, I can say my son made it happen."
'My son.' Growing up he knew of Oscar Kinkade, the rich and powerful owner of the L.A. Devils. Lisa rarely spoke about Oscar. All he knew about his parents' marriage was that Lisa Ashley Giuliano had been a Miami cocktail waitress when she met Oscar Bernard Kinkade. A whirlwind romance, marriage, and pregnancy and within a year of his birth, they were separated and divorced.
He stared at his father for a few moments. He then took a breath and quickly exited the room.
~~~
Jude looked around. It was…a party. There was a large poster of Zero on the cover of 'Out.' Per usual he was shirtless, but not dirty this time or holding a basketball. Male and female go-go dancers in cages and on poles. The pump of loud club music as everyone milled around having what looked like a fun time. This might have been the first time in a long time that he was somewhere that wasn't work related, but social. Bar his date with Lucas. God, that seemed a million years ago… he looked around and spotted Raquel….speaking of uneasy dates. She looked in his direction and made her way toward him.
"Jude. Congratulations," said Raquel. The two of them hadn't really seen much of one another since the heat from Olivia's murder had died down and Oscar had gone to prison.
He'd raised an eyebrow when Zero told him he'd tasked her to help with the party and make sure it represented Zero. She'd managed the Devils Playground and helped handle Derek's Roast; she had the skill…it was now that he was once again ensnared with Oscar, he couldn't help but think of what had gone down between them.
"You, too," he replied awkwardly. One minute he was blackmailing her about her immigration status and trying to date her and the next she was helping his partner and him with a coming out party. Wild. "You're married to a woman…Kyle."
"Yeah, it's great. You should try it!" she said with a forced enthusiasm.
"I just wanted to say thanks for all the help and good luck," Jude replied.
"Jude," she said suddenly serious. "I meant what I originally told you. You're not like your father. You could be…if you wanted to. But, I don't think you do?" She then flashed him a wide and beautiful smile. "Anyway, again. Congrats."
Raquel then quickly made her way through the throng of bodies, toward an extremely cute guy in one of the cages. He looked around and pondered her words, and all the things he'd done that made him a Kinkade, and none of them good…
~~~
"...is that something you might be attracted to?"
"Sounds like a great opportunity. Call my reps next week, " Zero said as he shook the hand of a representative who was interested in another sponsorship. Zero grinned from ear to ear. Partly due to the dollar amount and partly due to the Grey Goose on the rocks he was partaking in.
"Another 500,000Gs in the piggy," Jude said taking a drink of his bourbon.
"That was a passion project."
"Gay energy water?"
"Eh, you know, thirst is universal," he teased.
They both knew it was all bullshit. But, it was bullshit that paid, and they were killing it. Together.
"Great party, Zero," said Max Poitier who appeared through the crowd. He was out of his earlier blue plaid and now in black leather to fit the mood of the party.
"Yeah, this is my life," he said, with a sweep of his arm. "Guaranteed best seller."
"Mmm, you know what would really guarantee it? Your journey here from foster care."
"Journey?" Suddenly he looked extremely uncomfortable. "I told you; the past is the past. I really wanna' focus-"
"-I know what you wanna focus on. Zero you agreed to a biography, not a coloring book. Your fans wanna know the real you."
Suddenly, breaking the tension was a hand on Zero's shoulder. "Hey, bitch," interrupted Willam, a well-known drag performer. "Devil Girls are about to dance. Come stand near me so I can see if girls really do turn you on!"
"The Ladies need me," said Zero. Jude could see the relief of being rescued from Max's demands. "Mmm"
"I'll bring him back, maybe," they said with a smirk and a finger toward Jude. "Everybody move!" Willam and Zero made their way through the crowd to watch the Devil Girls perform.
Jude let out a light laugh. He never would have imagined a year ago, Zero being this at ease.
Max turned and peered through his glasses at Jude, arms crossed. "I have a few questions about your boyfriend, maybe you could answer them f—"
"-Not my story to tell," Jude interrupted. He had to admit to himself, that there was a lot to the story he didn't know. "Besides, the dance is about to start," he said giving Max a tight smile, as he turned his gaze toward the women decked out in tuxedos and evening gowns under a glow of red and chandeliers.
~~~
Jude had slipped away from the biographer during the Devil Girls' performance and saw that Lionel had arrived, as he made his way to talk to his best friend, he saw her make a beeline toward Zero.
Whatever she had said to the baller was short, and he knew not sweet, as she walked away, the blond looked after her. Jude met her at the bar.
"So, what was that?" he asked.
"What?" she said with feigned innocence, then brought her usual two olive, dirty martini to her red lips.
He tilted his head with raised brows.
"Oh, my little tete a tete with your boy toy? I just threatened to hit him with my Mercedes if he screwed you over…again."
"Lionel…"
"Listen. Real talk," she began in her breathy, but best big sister tone. "You and I both know from personal experience, that when you go back to the well…it can be poisoned, with lead! I just want you to be careful." She gave his cheek a light pat, where he felt the chill from her drink.
"Speaking of…this whole thing with Jackson and you?" He took a sip of his drink.
"That is complicated…but, he's been very helpful with this Jelena and Terrence situation. He's asked me to run away to Fiji."
"Are you?"
"Great party," she said ignoring his question, and then turned to people watch.
After the requisite one hour and two drinks, she said goodbye and goodnight.
~~~
"Hey, I gotta' head out. You gonna be okay?" Jude asked after he found Zero, Willam and one of the 'Out' writers posing for photos in front of his magazine cover.
"Yeah, sure."
Max unexpectedly appeared behind Jude.
"Takin' off, too," he said as Zero and he gave each other a friendly handshake. "Lot of, uh, distractions here. I was hoping we could talk this week. Maybe check out the house you grew up in."
Zero threw Jude a look that said 'help.' "He can't, we have a home game against Dallas. No time to jet to Colorado."
"Oh, it's not in Colorado. It's here in L.A. I dug up the address." He reached into his pocket and handed a piece of paper to Jude.
"You said you're from Denver." Jude looked questioningly at Zero. He didn't get it. Zero had told him about his foster parents and why he had changed his name. Why was he hiding the fact that he was from L.A. and not Denver, the least controversial piece of the puzzle? He could understand not telling the world, but why not tell him, Jude?
"How many times do I have to tell you that my past isn't part of the deal?"
"You're getting a million dollars for a tell-all. Either you tell all, or there is no book!" responded Max.
"Then, screw the book! I'm going to get a drink. I'll see you later." He then stormed off.
~~~
"I'm glad you came back," said Oscar.
Jude was seated and waiting when his father appeared. He wouldn't have left the party if he hadn't had to. Especially considering how upset Zero had been. But, this was important. If he was going to keep moving forward, he had to know.
He took a deep breath and pulled out a white envelope and held it up. "The M.E. I paid someone to track him down. I got his phone number." He put it on the shiny, grey tabletop.
"You did? But you're still not sure you can trust me."
He silently slid it toward Oscar, who with shackled hands reached for it. Jude instinctively blocked the envelope.
"I think you had that dancer killed. And I think you're using me to try to get off for it. I'm risking signing a man's death warrant. Risking being an accomplice because I want to believe you really care about family. Care about me. We can absolutely get to know each other. But here. One on one, while you let the courts decide. Jude knew this was a gamble. It was prison. No one in their right mind would want to be behind those four walls. Innocent or guilty. "If you call this number, it'll be the last time you ever see me."
He got up and left.
~~~
"Hello Thomas." Oscar's voice had a familiar smug menace.
"It's Jude," he replied from outside the prison. "You just lost your son. Goodbye." He hung up the phone, started the Porsche and drove home.
~~~
Jude recognized the ISN theme music as he came into the apartment hours later.
"Where you been?" asked Zero, when he walked into the bedroom. The blond was barefoot and sat up in bed, as he turned off the TV.
"I'd rather talk about this." Jude pulled out the piece of paper from earlier. "You grew up in L.A?"
"So, what?" Jude sat on the bed. Zero made room for him, a look of frustrated annoyance evident in the baller's exhaling of breath.
Jude tilted his head and gave him a look. "You wanna cash in on coming out without actually coming out."
"Were we at the same party?"
"I don't mean coming out as gay. I mean coming out as Gideon. People care about your story."
Zero bowed his head. Jude could feel the desire to hide radiating from the other man.
"You don't know how lucky you are having people who wanna know who you really are."
"Okay, I'll go to that house. Tell my story." He shook his head emphatically. "But, not to him. To you."
Jude smiled, leaned in and kissed him gently, but persistently.
Zero pulled back, lips barely touching his. "I'd rather die, than go back there...but, I'll try for you. For us," he whispered before resuming the kiss.