Chapter 15

Jude was quiet as he walked home with Connor gripping his hand tightly. Connor leaned in and pecked Jude's cheek, smiling. Jude turned his head and pressed his lips to Connor's. Both boys had stopped walking, standing on the sidewalk, kissing, Connor cupping Jude's chin with his hand, Jude's arms wrapped tightly around Connor's neck, pulling him closer.

"Are you really going to move in with your mom?" Jude asked in a hushed tone, breaking the kiss.

"I don't know. I can't leave my dad alone, and switching custody takes time," Connor whispered. His hands slid down to wrap around Jude's waist and pull him close. "I don't want to be a bother. My mom works a lot."

"I know what it's like to be hit and believe you can't tell people," Jude pulled away from Connor to stare him in the eye thanks to a fabulous growth spurt. He held onto Connor's elbows as he looked at his boyfriend. "I know what it's like to feel alone and like everyone's against you, and you're not alone, the only person against you is your father and he's toxic like that."

"You being honest?" Connor sniffled.

"Yes." Jude nodded. He pulled Connor to his chest thankful that Connor had buried his head in the crook of Jude's neck so he couldn't see the glossy tears that welled in Jude's own eyes seeing strong, confident Connor all worried.

They stood there like that, a block away from the Adams Foster residence, holding each other before Connor rose his head and shuffled them into the house.

Jesus slid down the banister when they entered shouting something about Emma coming over to study and to clear the dining room before he began tossing the pillows in a different order and shoving the papers and magazines on the coffee table under the couch to give the room the disguise of having been cleaned in the last week. Everyone's been busy, what'd'ya expect?

"Oh my god, Jesus, you can't just shove that under the table! Someone will notice all that under there or step on it and go sliding into the coffee table!" Mariana warned.

"Would you like this in your room then?" he asked, handing Mariana a pile of magazines and stray papers that had littered the room.

"They're Brandon's magazines," Mariana objected. "Do I look like a prodigy musician? Thought so." She sauntered upstairs with the papers and dropped them on the night table in her eldest brother's room.

"What was that for?!" he called from his desk.

"They're your magazines, and Jesus apparently wants to give Emma a good impression," Mariana replied.

"Some of these are Jude's. That photography one is Callie's," Brandon objected.

"Then go deliver them yourself."

"Fine, then." Brandon leaned to push the door shut with his fingertips, positioning his headphones over his ears and pressing play on the new rack he'd been working on.

Jude escorted Connor upstairs where he flopped onto his bed, closing his eyes and sighing with relief that the day had ended. Connor flopped beside him, settling his head by Jude's cheek, the fluffy hair atop his head brushing lightly against the other's soft cheek, tickling slightly. Jude giggled and sat up to avoid the odd sensation.

"You should go," Jude said after a moment.

"Go where?"

"With your mom." He wrapped his arms around Connor's shoulders, pulling him into a cuddle as he leaned against the headboard.

"Can we talk about this later, and just hang for now?" Connor asked softly.

"Of course, yeah." Jude grabbed the PSP sitting on his night table. He powered it on and opened it to a mini shooter game that'd been loaded on nearly a year ago. He pressed new game and held in front of him and Connor whose eyes brightened at the gaming system in hand.

"I like your PSP," he grinned, eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Thanks, my friend gave it to me," Jude teased. He stuck out his tongue which was followed by a high pitched giggle.

"Nice friend ya got then," Connor replied playing along.

"Yeah, he's pretty awesome," Jude agreed, settling in on creating a new character with Connor's help.

AN: I did it! You don't know how proud I am that I got a couple hundred words written on this thing! I'm back and I don't know where this piece is going and when I'll be able to update since I am working on several things at once and have been dealing with writer's block. Thank you for sticking with me during the hiatus. Hopefully nothing will be that long again!