paniahawkins‌:

Pania rolled her eyes as she deleted yet another DM. “Just cause I cam that doesn’t mean I want random dick pics.” She grumbled. Her ex roommate had warned her how people would hound her in her DMs because of her job, but it was still annoying.

Jude’s eyes widened at her statement, his eyebrows starting to furrow in confusion and a hint of humor hit his tone. “I mean, that’s kind of an ego booster, right?” He smirked a little bit at his own comment, shrugging his shoulders. “Random dick pics mean you’re turning someone on, and that’s like the most back-handed compliment anyone could give. Like, here, a picture of my boner. For you, pretty lady.”

jasonluca‌:

Fingers danced along the edges of record sleeves, picking them up every so often to look at the front of them. Whoever said they didn’t judge a book by it’s cover was a liar. (Or a record, rather.) Jason wasn’t even sure what he was looking for, he just needed to get out of his head for a bit - remind himself of things that he liked. That’s what landed him Puget Sounds, somewhere he hadn’t explored in quite some time. Without looking up, he flipped through a few more records as he spoke. “Have any suggestions? Doesn’t have to be new.” He questioned the worker but as his lifted his head, gaze fell upon a familiar face he hadn’t spoken to in awhile. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time. “Oh. Hey.”

@thejudeelliot

The day had started off with Jude spilling an entire bottle of water on himself-- that just started the day. The middle of the day consisted of him dusting the entire store because his manager was telling him that it needed a bit of a ‘fall refresh’-- something that Jude completely rolled his eyes over. When the ladder had been put away and the dusting had been done, there hadn’t been much to do except look through all of the new records that had come into the shop earlier that day. A few people trickled in and out, but one person looked particularly familiar. His initial reaction was to hide because he was almost entirely sure that this person hadn’t seen him. That made it better. The worst part was when he tried to get away, he heard a voice speak to him, and he didn’t want to around to answer-- knowing that this person was someone that he wasn’t entirely sure he had wanted to see. “Uh-- Van Halen’s Diver Down album is great.” He started, making eye contact with the guy for the first time as he looked back at the records he was searching through. “Hey,” He licked his lips softly at the words left his mouth, giving a small smile that was really just a friendly, casual gesture. “How are you? It’s been a while.”

nicholasthompson‌:

Nick’s heart dropped when he realized what he’d done just moments before. As he stood outside of the door he fought with himself over whether he should go back in or not and face the embarrassment that would follow, the man imagining every set of eyes that would focus on him as he made his way to the seat he’d been so eager to take only a while before. He’d never admit it to anyone in the open, but he’d been excited to join the therapy group, to possibly find someone who could related to him in his struggles, someone that would understand why it was so hard to share like everyone else had.

Shame was setting in, Nick realizing that no one else had bolted out like him. He could hear muffled voices through the door, all attendees facing their demons and confessing them to the group, how well everyone listened, the lack of judgement that followed. Then there he was, walking out on what could be one of the last missing links to recovery. How often did this happen? Did most people have more willpower than him to sit through an entire session? Was this an occurrence that happened more than he felt it did?

The last thing he’d expected was for anyone to come out searching for him, that thought becoming more and more foreign with each passing minute since he’d escaped the room. But, it did. Nick was surprised to see Jude’s face attached to the body that had come out the door after him, guilt following soon after. 

“No, you didn’t have to come after me. You should stay in. You were doing well.” Nick looked apologetically towards Jude, eyes pleading with him to go back in, to do better for himself than what Nick could only try to. “I don’t know what happened to me. It…it’s like I choked. I kept thinking about having to say it out loud so much that I got inside of my own head.” He sighed and shook his head, the man disgusted with himself at this point. “I can’t go back in there. Not tonight. I just can’t.” Of course, going in probably wouldn’t be as bad as Nick was imagining it, especially since Jude would obviously back him up. He’d come after him, after all. Still, thinking things over and taking it easy felt like the best option for Nick. “Coffee sounds great right now.”

Jude knew how it felt. It wasn’t easy in the slightest bit and to have the nerve to leave he knew would be harder, especially facing judgement, guilty thoughts, and anxiety all wrapped into one. It didn’t surprise Jude, however. This was hard, and their discussions earlier had been real. People were dealing with serious issues, and while Jude didn’t know to what extent Nick’s issues were, he knew that it had to have been pretty bad to get up and leave. He wasn’t offended or hurt by it; there was no reason to be. It didn’t make Nick weak to leave, it made him strong for knowing what he was capable of in the moment. 

What he had been waiting to see was nothing. He was almost positive that Nick wouldn’t have been on the other side of the door, so when he was, Jude was a little taken back by it. He hadn’t really prepared of what to say next, but he knew that whatever it was, it had to be something worth hearing. There were a lot of thoughts going through Nick’s head, and to think that Jude could say something that would mess him up was not on his agenda. 

“No, it’s fine-- I’m fine. I said what I needed to. Heard it all.” Jude quickly rebutted, knowing that Nick had been right. He had been doing a lot better than he thought, and he was pretty surprised with himself if he was going to be honest. “It happens. I don’t think you’re the first one that has probably done that. It’s a lot of information flying at you. A lot of feelings-- trust me, I was there.” He laughed a little bit, putting his hands in the pockets of his jacket as he leaned against the wall a few meters away from Nick. He didn’t want to get too close just in case he needed the space. “Dude, you don’t have to go back. If it’s not time, there’s nothing wrong with that.” His eyes were soft, making sure that Nick felt comforted. There was something strange about the feeling that Jude got because he knew that he didn’t usually act this way. Something inside him was telling him that he should be better to those who never wronged him, and Nick was definitely one of those people. He needed the guidance and support now more than ever. 

“Coffee it is.” Jude started to lead the way out of the building, turning around on his heels to look back at Nick. “Not much of a to-go coffee kind of guy. I like a nice atmosphere.” He paused for a moment, remembering their last conversation. “Why don’t we go to your girls cafe? I like it there. And we can tell her that you’re a therapy chicken.” A small smile started to emerge on his lips, hoping his joke would break a bit of the silence.

katemaguire‌:

Kate wasn’t looking for any kind of relationship. Her divorce hadn’t even been finalized for a year yet. While it affected her in many ways, she was enjoying the freedom that no longer being in an oppressive marriage brought. The past two years or so had been very painful for her in more ways than one, but she didn’t like to go into any detail about that with anyone. Not even her parents knew everything that had happened. 

 It didn’t bother her and she and Jude didn’t have much of a personal connection. They didn’t need one. They were essentially each other’s booty calls and that was it. It didn’t matter to Kate that the two of them were so different, but she did like that. Jude was very much the complete opposite of her, which was very intriguing. “Alright, I can’t really argue with that,” Kate said, smiling in his direction. She had noticed his eyes on her, and she didn’t mind that at all. She worked hard for the fit body she had, and she liked to show it off. It had taken her years to develop that kind of confidence. 

Since Kate had been married to a very rich man and made quite a bit of money herself, her apartment was considered high-end. It was located in a great area, had a beautiful view, and was furnished nicely. “You’re too kind, really,” she said with a laugh as she continued to make her way down to the lower level. “Who knows, I really could break something. Fun fact, I already have a fucked up shoulder.” Her shoulder injury occurred during college and even after surgery it never healed correctly. 

Flipping the lights on in the kitchen, she went over to her dog’s food bowl and filled it up. Her dog, Morticia, was a gentle giant Bernese Mountain Dog who was probably still laying in her bed. “Oh, here,” Kate said, grabbing the Starbucks coffee out of the cabinet and handing it over to Jude. She didn’t mind at all that he stayed the night. It got lonely in her apartment sometimes, so she appreciated the company. “Do you want anything particular to eat? You name it, I probably have the stuff to make it. I’m a pretty picky eater, so I usually just eat Lucky Charms or Frosted Flakes. I know, I’m like a child.”

It wasn’t really that hard to find things to talk about after a hook-up like everyone said that there was. They had a fun night, and there was nothing wrong with that-- especially since she had initiated it first. There was almost a taboo that women weren’t allowed to ask for what they wanted but Jude almost insisted that there shouldn’t be. He was over to her house quickly, and didn’t even get a speeding ticket. It was within reason that they should be able to have a fun night without any extra baggage that may have caused there to be awkwardness or tension. It was fine-- it was literally just sex.

When they got out of bed, Jude wasn’t short to notice her. Not that there was anything wrong with that, of course, because there wasn’t. It was just now it was bright in her room as opposed to it being dark almost eight hours prior. There was more to see, and he didn’t mind looking when he could. He was sure that she wouldn’t mind, either. He smiled at her comment, eyes falling to the floor as they started to make their way into the kitchen. 

“Those are just excuses,” His comments shrugged off, he shook his head nonchalantly as he followed her down the steps. “I saw absolutely no signs of fuckery in your shoulder, trust me. Not that it was a necessary body part used for last nights agenda, but nonetheless,” His hands reached out to gently rub on her shoulder; the size of his hand encompassed her shoulder easily as he pushed on a few pressure points by her neck and shoulder blade. “A job well done under such horrific, old lady conditions.”

Jude watched her fill the bowl with food, his eyebrows creasing a bit because he was sure that he hadn’t remembered a dog. That was something he’d feel he’d notice, but he could have been mistaken. Watching her grab the coffee from the cabinet, he smiled at her gently before taking it and starting on the coffee as soon as he could. It was interesting to note that she kept things like that away. In Jude’s apartment, most of what he used in everyday life stayed out of it’s place for easy convenience. “Uh,” he paused for a minute, listening to her options as he placed his hands behind him and onto the counter, pushing himself up to sit. “Well, I’m more of a toast and eggs kind of guy, if I’m being quite honest. Cereal kind of makes me feel weird. It gets all soggy and stuff.” Biting the inside of his cheek, he looked over at the woman, his hands landed in his lap. It was nice of her to offer him anything in particular, so he felt he may have been a bit greedy at that point. “We could always go out and grab something, if you wanted-- unless, you know,” HIs insinuation may or may not have been interpreted, he wasn’t completely sure. “You don’t want... to be seen together. Which is cool, I get it.”

srosenstock‌:

Jude’s words got a half chuckle half sigh out of him. He gently shook his head, to himself, and decided to think about his words, for once, before saying anything. Last thing he needed was a distant Jude, considering how long it had taken him to get the younger man so close to him. Not only did he not consider himself able to afford losing his trust, he simply didn’t want to. In his own way, Sam had become attached to the kid. But, for Jude’s safety, he stood at arm’s distance when necessary, the rest of the time, he stood as close as he could. Surprisingly enough —or not— his safety sometimes seemed to require both, at least from his point of view. “Look,” he started, after giving up on his own thought process. He was annoyed, sometimes, at how easily he could trail away from the original topic at hand. He had to say something. “I don’t really know how to say this, but there is nothing I can think of that you could do that would make me think less of you. Or differently, even. It’s…” he sighed. And laughed at the same time, somehow. “If you really wanted me to think less of you, you’d have to really try. Stab my mother, and maybe we’ll talk. Maybe.” He joked, eyeing the man’s green eyes from his peripheral vision, smirking to himself. “At the same time, I’m not the greatest example, either. I want to say that I’ve smoked less, but that’d be a lie.” He nodded intently, in response. “One drug issue at a time. Sounds good.” He let the air be filled with music. He so seldom went out of his designated 80s playlist, that it was almost an out of body experience to listen to recent music. He often refused, but of course Jude was an exception. He seemed to be an exception to a lot of Sam’s rules, quote on quote, or at least his ideals to keep himself safe from pain, or loss, or grief. He had had a fair share of that already. Sitting in his car with Jude, listening to the music he liked, made him feel like he was no different than what he had been when he was Jude’s age. It was comforting, to say the least. “Yes, Jude. You have a good face.” He claimed. “Not really ashamed to admit it.” The next thing Jude said got a genuine laugh out of Sam. “Naked, huh?” He pursed his lips slightly. “Well, good to know.” And he nodded. 

“Excuse me,” Sam added, dramatically. “IHOP is the greatest American restaurant ever. It’s open 24 hours a day, it has breakfast food all day long, as well as dinner food. It’s ridiculously unhealthy and inexpensive at the same time. I’m sure you’ll have a great time here, since it’s a date, apparently.” Sam offered the young man a grin. “Definitely a step up. I promise you there’s a reason why I picked this place. Not very romantic, no, but a reason nonetheless.” He walked into the establishment, greeting some of the waitresses by name. Sam came to this specific IHOP more often than he was willing to admit, but he had his reasons. Thankfully, thanks to the time, the establishment itself was pretty empty, however he knew not to be too hopeful, as the kitchen was usually slower after 10 PM. They were assigned to a booth, and Sam slid into his seat like a kid about to eat a thousand pancakes. Granted, he was probably going to do just that. His arms crossed on the table as he ruffled his own hair, looking at Jude with a puzzled look. Why was he so drawn to him? He asked himself that question way too often, but the answer did not really matter. Things like Jude’s happiness and safety did. Funnily enough, he thought about that way too often, too. “What would you like to eat? There is a wide variety of gastronomy in this establishment. It’s called the International House of Pancakes for a reason, after all.” Sam offered him a smile.

Jude kept closed for a reason. There was no way that people could get as into his head and into his heart and life like Sam had been able to. There were a few reasons for that-- many that he never wanted to investigate further, but nonetheless, he hated how much he let Sam affect him. It was sickening that Sam’s opinion mattered. Trust had been a huge part of their relationship, and knowing that he was able to open up about some things was pleasant. Truthfully, it was nice that Jude didn’t have to open up to Sam. He didn’t have to do anything he didn’t want to because Sam never asked for anything in return. It was an aspect of their friendship that Jude could say that he cherished the most. “As long as you don’t hate me, then whatever.” Jude’s words were definitely in the range of ‘I’m an angsty teen’ mode, but he didn’t really care at this point because fighting with Sam over something so stupid hurt him. “Let’s just not talk about it anymore, okay? It’s giving me a headache. It’s probably giving me a headache because I don’t have it, but that’s besides the issue.” They didn’t have to stop talking there if they didn’t want to. But Jude was fine leaving it because fighting with Sam meant losing what he had already started to make up. That wasn’t worth it, especially for something that he could do when he got home-- well. In the morning, at least.

Relaxing into the seat, Jude let his head turn to look out the passenger window, watching the smaller rain droplets race their way across it as Sam drove. It wasn’t very often that he was able to sit on this side of the car, considering hew as one of the only people he knew that had a car in the city. His feet propped themselves up on the dash, he pushed back as his long legs definitely had a rougher time situating themselves there comfortably. His head turned to look at Sam when he spoke, his eyes wide with anticipation at every word. It was like that with them; Jude was interested in his friends words, especially when a compliment came from them. A smile emerged onto his lips, but it stayed mellow as he let it fade rather quickly. “You have a good face, too. What do you think would happen if they let us out into, you know, the world?” He shook his head a little bit, his hair sticking to the leather seat. “We’d probably take over the universe. Only future dictators and authoritarians sleep naked, you know.” 

The car ride wasn’t bad. Really, it only took them a few minutes to get from his workplace to the eatery. It didn’t take long for them to end up at the front door, Jude’s hand on the door handle to walk into the entrance. “The greatest restaurant ever?” Jude blinked his eyes a few times, giving a rather dirty look to Sam as he made his way into a booth rather quickly. "I expect nothing less than wine and dine, mister.” 

The menu was rather large, and Jude’s appetite wasn’t quite all the way there. The weed always helped, of course. But on nights like this, Jude would usually just smoke, eat, and go to sleep and do it all over again. Hanging out with Sam was putting a bit of a damper into his plans, but that didn’t seem to matter in the moment. They were sitting across from each other in one of America’s finest establishments. “Hm,” His lips puckered to the side, clicking his tongue as he flipped a few of the pages. “Do I feel obligated to get pancakes, or is that just what I want?” Eyes darted up to Sam’s as he watched him flick his hands through his hair messily, Jude’s eyes never wanting to stop watching something so small. He was glad that he caught it. “What do you usually get here? I feel like you’re the kind of guy who gets something weird at a place like this. Like,” He shrugged a little bit, closing the menu and slouching in his seat. “Something an old man would get. Sausage gravy.” Jude’s lips turned their ends up just enough to count as a smile. 

The waitress brought them water to start, and Jude, of course being the child that he was, started to play with the straw in the cup a bit, leaving marks of water on the table. “I need to know why you brought me here now. Is this where serial killers bring their victims before they die?” His finger sat on the end of the straw, catching water in it before bringing the other side to his mouth and letting it go. Something so simple and childish, really. “Because if that’s the case, I don’t know how I feel about being your victim. All I want to know is if I’m the first or not. I feel like a lot of those girls don’t get noticed unless they’re the first or last.”

warrenkenna‌:

                   Not teasing him was simply impossible. It didn’t matter what they were doing, or if they were in public because Kenna found it entertaining enough and for someone who barely filtered her words, he should have been thankful she was being this ‘polite’. “Oh wow – you made it sound like a threat. I can’t wait, even though I think you’re going to be busy, carving  pumpkins all night long.” Smirking slightly, Kenna tucked a strand of hair behind her ear; as the next song came on. Her foot tapped on the car’s floor on the rhythm until Jude parked in a space and killed the engine, causing the music to stop. “And what if I’m the one to draw you like one of my French boys?” Bouncing on the car seat, Kenna took her seatbelt off and leaned in closer, letting her look linger for a moment - and then kissed his cheek, “You’re so easy to tease.” 

She didn’t put much thought into his words, not when Kenna knew he was just reacting to her teasing. Sometimes she could be a little too cruel but that was her way of coping with things. The fewer people you let in, the less painful it was when they left. 

Having come back to the neighborhood filled with so many good memories couldn’t have been busy. Acknowledging as much, Kenna wondered what her own reaction would have been if she went back to Midtown after tasting this kind of freedom. Just the idea terrified her, her hands turning into fists unconsciously. Taking a look of his face, those features she was so familiar with, another question popped in her mind that left her confused; why the hell would he take her to a place that meant so much to him? Shoving her hands into the pockets of the larger jacket, Kenna smiled. “You know how to ride a bike? Well, damn. That’s cool, I always thought bikes are cool.” She exclaimed, not going on and asking if he ever broke anything in the process. That would take them both in a place that neither wanted to be right now. 

The same question lingered in her mind even though she didn’t want to. Kenna was aware it wasn’t a thing, what they had but at the same time, Jude had unknowingly become her first choice when it came to a lot of things. If she felt lonely, he was the first one she would text or call. If she wanted to smoke, he’d be the first one to be invited over. “Yeah, you get a few extra points for the jacket. Just because I don’t want to freeze.” She responded with a smile, looking down at the ground as she walked this time, to make sure she wouldn’t step on more mud and ruin his car later. Lifting her head, a smile crawled on her lips. As confusing as the whole situation was in her head, Kenna didn’t control her next words. “I’m honored. Being the first girl from Jude Elliot’s harem to be going out in public with him. If anyone sees us, we can pretend I’m your cousin. Make up a cool story about how I come from an exotic island – and excuse my angelic looks.” 

They did break a rule though, didn’t they? He was right, somewhere out there must have been a rule about what they were doing and they didn’t seem to be caring much. In all honesty, Kenna was excited to be doing something different. Sometimes, it felt too suffocating staying behind closed doors. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy smoking and messing with him, but there were a few rare instances when she wanted to go outside and feel normal. Doing that now, filled her with so much happiness that Jude couldn’t or wouldn’t probably realize. He paid for her and the two found themselves wandering around and between pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. 

“It all depends on what you want your pumpkin to look like. If you’re that obsessed over my ass, then I can’t help but grace you with it in a pumpkin form. You can measure but not touch, we’re here for the pumpkins, not you getting all handsy.” Walking around him, Kenna went to pick up a small sized one, thinking it would fit perfectly on her window. “How about this one?” She asked, holding it up for Jude to see. “We could make it look like Trump or worst – our landlord.” 

Their relationship consisted of back and forth banter that also included a couple blows to the ego for both of them. Well, to him, at least. “If you think I won’t be able to stop carving a pumpkin to cop a feel on you, then you’re so, so wrong, Blondie.” Jude’s eyebrows were raised a bit, his dimple showing slightly on his cheek. It came out when he felt a bit more flirtatious than other times; it was almost innate. It came out quite often around Kenna. “You’re just giving me all the blows today, you know? You’re obviously hiding the fact that you’re extremely attracted to me. Don’t worry, it’s fine. I won’t tell anyone. But you better stop while you’re ahead,” He paused for a moment, looking down at his lap before smiling again, his tongue darting out the front of his lips a little bit. “If you keep going I might start to deprive you instead. You know, reverse psychology.”

The neighborhood wasn’t a bad memory for him. It was mostly about the memories that had happened here that he wasn’t quite fond of. The neighborhood and people had nothing to do with it, but it still brought up times that he didn’t want to relive now. “You don’t know how to ride a bike?” He felt a bit sad saying that out loud because it was a bit upsetting that she didn’t have the childhood that he had. His childhood was comically normal and incredible, and riding his bike from friends houses made him who he was as a kid. It was back and forth from one place to another all the time. “How else did you get around when you were ten and were running away from home? I had to have a bike to really make the grand exit, you know. Riding off on my bike to get away from it all.”

For some reason unbeknownst to him, he felt a certain way about Kenna that he hadn’t felt about any relationship-- any friendship, relationship-- before. It was like she was the one person who knew everything about him and almost nothing at the same time. She knew his ticks and what he liked on his pizza, and for some reason, that seemed to be one of the most important aspects to him. No one needed to know anything else about him, as far as he was concerned. “Trust me, I am saving up those points for something real good.” He nodded, his eyes gleaming with pride at that. “Also, I can’t let your trip to this pumpkin patch be that awful or you won’t trust me anymore.” His words were a bit heavy because he knew what trust meant to both of them, but it was the truth. He wanted her to continue to do things with him, and he wanted them to continue to have fun, especially when he knew that it could be hard for the both of them. The comment she made had his smile matching hers. “I did have girlfriends when I lived here, you know? You’re not the first girl people have ever seen me with. Once upon a time, I was a  You wish, angel.” 

Jude didn’t go on dates. There was never really a time that he set aside to try and meet someone organically, because... well, he didn’t really want that commitment. He didn’t want to have to feel like he was obligated to come to pumpkin patches once the trees turned yellow, and he surely wouldn’t feel obligated to have a day with someone that he didn’t feel like was worth his time. That felt, well, a bit worthless. Knowing Kenna and spending time with her felt like the commitment part was automatically excluded from the narrative, and for the time being, he was going to keep it that way. Even if it meant having to pay twenty hard earned dollars on a girl that he was “kind of” having sex with.

“I want my pumpkin to look like you ass.” Jude stated smugly, shaking his head a little bit to inform her that he was in fact, serious. “Who said we’re here for the pumpkins? I don’t remember that being one of my rules. I remember that I said we are for pumpkins, but not just for pumpkins. You know?” The smirk on Jude’s face almost never left when he was around Kenna because why would it. There was nothing that he wouldn’t say around her that wouldn’t have something to do with sex-- honestly. “Don’t let Judy hear you say that you’re comparing her to Trump or she’ll flip and get us both evicted, and trust me-- I can’t afford that. Unless you’re planning on helping me live out of my car.” Looking at the pumpkin that Kenna picked from the ground, he shrugged a bit. “Up to you, pumpkin. It is your choice. You only get one though, remember? That is a rule. So make sure it’s the right one.” Jude looked around at a few, pulling one from a few vines before turning it around a bit, looking at all side. “See, this,” He nodded, smirking. “This is a perfect pumpkin. I knew I’d find it before you did.”

georgigimartin‌:

@thejudeelliot

Her eyebrows were furrowed feigning deep attention to what the person in front of saying. But her mind was scattered all over the place. Beginning at why she was pretending to listen to what the man in front of her was saying. It was incomprehensible to Gigi as to why she was here at all. It was a lifetime ago she spent her very few free hours finding and collecting priceless pieces of art for her father. But now, why now? Why was she even here? Why did she succumb to whatever he would ask of her? 

There was something about the air there that reminded her of a different time. Not so long ago, but even still she was a different person then. Happier, in some ways. She had been looking for a vinyl version of ‘My Baby Just Cares For Me’. It was a definite for Gigi. There was no way she could unwind without a good selection of Nina Simone and Edith Piaf. Unfortunately for her, she had asked the wrong person for help. Instead, of help finding the record, she was attempting to dissuade the man from a coffee date.

She had become a master at making people feel like she was listening to them. A few nods here and there, a little bit of agreement and to finish of the conversation with something generic. In reality her mind was drifting to offshore places, thoughts of finding something loomed over her. Her attention snapped back to where she was right now when her acquaintance welcomed his friend with open arms. Her mind still not fully in the moment, she turned towards the person behind her, waiting for an introduction. But the moment their eyes met, none was needed. Of course, Jude was here. He would be, wouldn’t he? The man she’s been avoiding every chance she got, now unwillingly part of the conversation. And right then, Gigi froze.  

Much like this night, that midsummer afternoon she was saved from an uncomfortable encounter. As her subtle refusal to coffee didn’t seem to acknowledged, someone right there behind her managed to swoop in her aid. She had turned around to find a pair of gleaming eyes followed by an even brighter smile. Unbeknownst to her, that afternoon would set in motion what would be some of the best and worst times of her life.

Seemingly, nothing ever came easy. Spilling a bit of coffee on his hand, the man lifted it to his lips before stepping out of the café. Down the street, there had been a local art exhibit that he had been waiting to see for a while now. He just hadn’t had the time to do it, but today seemed like a... well, what he would call a self-help day. However, it wouldn’t just be him-- he had taken the time to view a few pieces at the museum with a friend that he planned to meet. It had been a while since he had visited this particular place in mind, but he knew that it would definitely have great show pieces, and he was excited to see what was in store. The building was only a few blocks away, so with a few steps and a couple car horns later, Jude found himself walking through the lobby speedily. 

A day just like any other, he had assumed. It had been pretty shitty, really-- well, that wasn’t out of the ordinary. The customers had been rude on that day in particular, and Jude was not in the mood to deal with people who were just going to make everything worse. His head hurt, his Converse were just a bit too tight, and he knew that he shouldn’t have worn a jacket in June. But now here he was, sweating his ass off. It didn’t take long before a girl came into his record shop. It wouldn’t be the last time she came in, either. 

The coffee was starting to get cold because Jude had a huge habit of not finishing things in time, so deciding to throw it away made him internally scold himself. Why would he have to waste a good four dollar latte like that? While his friend hadn’t arrived, his body started to wander around, seeing things that he probably should have waited to see, but he was nosy and anxious about it. There were a lot of things that he was excited to see, so he really wanted to get in there. Of course, the people around him were just as interesting, though. There were a lot of different people that would come in and out of these places. Soon, he recognized someone, knowing that the would meet eyes and wow, he did not want to talk to someone who he saw only a few times a year-- they were also talking to a few other people, but here went nothing--

Of course-- of course. Jude’s mind was racing hastily trying to find words to express the introduction he was being given to someone he most definitely did not need an introduction for. There was nothing to say, really. 

“Hi,” His voice was monotoned, deep, and a bit unsure of what else to say. He didn’t extend a hand-- no, he knew this girl. He knew her all too well. 

Jude couldn’t help but notice that this girl was uncomfortable by the situation that she, of course, did not put herself into. It wasn’t like him to but into conversation or specifics, but he knew that it would be worth it. Right? 

“Hey, I found that vinyl you were looking for,” His conversation inserted itself between the two people, his body invading both of their spaces. His eyes were telling to her to make sure she understood he was trying to save her. “I think it’s a great album, maybe I can show you a few others over here?” He motioned over to the records on the opposite side of the store, enticing her to follow him. 

nicholasthompson‌:

Pretty with it was something Nick would take as a compliment, especially in his first year teaching. He felt like a fish out of water at times, constantly asking his coworkers for help while completing assignments to be able to receive his full certification after having tested into a teaching position over the summer. He’d gone into it all with a heart that wanted to help a kid that might be going through struggles like he had, someone that needed a positive male figure in their life and could only get that from school, or to just try to make a difference in the world of education at all. He liked to think he was doing that with every ounce of effort he put into this new venture, even if it would only effect his own students in his classroom. “Thanks,” he said and nodded. “I guess that they do.”

Nick sank back into his chair as quickly and quietly as he’d entered the room just moments before, brown eyes darting around the room to size up the rest of the group and whatever possible reactions they’d have to him. There was no reason for anyone to act like his confession was out of the ordinary - all of them had their own demons to face - but he couldn’t help but feel as if he’d lost whatever metaphorical armor that protected him in his quiet battles with his mental health. Everyone there knew now, they’d know if they saw him on the streets, or God, if he taught one of their kids. Nick did his best to quiet his own thoughts as he straightened his back against the hard, rather uncomfortable chair, nervously awaiting the next command.

It didn’t come long after, the therapist at the head of the group pushing them to think deeply about what made them tick in the worst ways. Nick didn’t want to speak up, mainly because he didn’t want to think about what it was that caused his anxious tendencies, as the woman had put it. His gaze shifted from the tile floor to unfortunately lock gazes with hers. She had kind, concerned eyes, a look in them that dug for answers that remained locked in Nick’s head. He’d hardly confessed to anyone the nightmares he still had even on the best nights, how he couldn’t bear to sleep with his bedroom door open, the countless times he’d gotten up to jiggle the handle of his front door to make sure it was locked tight.

This was a mistake.

Without saying a word Nick stood from his seat and made a silent beeline for the door, making an escape to the hallway that had brought him to the hell that was analyzing his own thoughts. The man took a few steps away from the door then leaned against the cold, cinderblock wall, closing his eyes for a moment while he argued with himself over staying or leaving. He truly needed the help, and storming out like this only proved to himself how much he did. Nick was tired of running, tired of hiding, but Jesus was it terrifying to face the facts of what was wrong in order to take a few steps in the right direction. Even worse, he felt terrible for bailing on Jude. Dick move, Nick. Dick move.

Jude surprised himself with the amount of information that he was able to give to that group. The air that was still left in his lungs felt stale, like it had been there for far too long. He grasped as the idea of maybe wanting to say more because, really, it did feel therapeutic if he was going to be ironic about it. Recognizing everyone else’s thoughts got his mind thinking, and soon enough, he felt himself enthralled by the people around him. People had stories to tell, and Jude had been so ignorant to the fact that his own would actually matter to others-- it didn’t, he soon found out. Other people were dealing with other issues and they were just in here to try to figure out how to coexist with them. The question started to go around the room, people answering it with all of their best intention. Jude was very respectful to listen to the people speak their truth and to empathize their worries, because he knew that they needed support just as much as he did. The forty-year-old woman with three kids had just as much on her mind and plate as Jude did, and he felt a bit guilty over that. His problems seemed worthless to other peoples. 

Almost as soon as it happened, Jude’s eyes locked on Nick. This can’t be good, Jude thought to himself. They hadn’t made arrangements for what would happen if someone left without warning, only if they decided to book it together. This was new to him, and with almost no seconds to spare, Jude’s body reacted. He stood from his chair, grabbing his jacket and walking towards the door that Nick had just walked himself out of. Unfortunately, Jude hadn’t recognized the extent to which this situation could have ended up. There were many avenues that he could face, and he did not think about the repercussions of facing someone who was anxious enough to leave an anxiety therapy group. There had to be something underlying, and Jude did not want to have to make him more uncomfortable than he most likely already was. 

Opening the door to the hallway, the man immediately noticed Nick standing by the door, alone in his own thoughts. There were no words to say, because he wasn’t sure where to start, so he didn’t-- not yet at least. He had nothing to exchange other than support, which he had just learned about four minutes ago from the therapist. Words wouldn’t change how Nick was feeling, so being there for him, another presence, may be enough. Jude’s hands made their way into his pocket, making sure that he didn’t look as uncomfortable as he felt about the situation. His eyes were worried, wondering if his friend would be okay-- he knew that he wouldn’t immediately, but he hoped that he’d find peace in whatever was happening in his own thoughts. “Hey,” His word was soft, inviting he’d hoped. It wasn’t often that Jude was the one to facilitate an intervention. “I respect you for doing that.” Jude made sure to keep his words soft and inviting for discussion, because he wanted Nick to respond to them. “We can leave, get coffee if that would make you feel better.”

katemaguire‌:

Kate never thought she would be the type of woman who had casual hookups. She had a serious relationship towards the end of high school and had been completely head-over-heels in love with the guy. The breakup bothered her more than she cared to admit, but she tried to move on by dating a few guys in college, and then a few more years down the road she met her husband. Even though the divorce had been difficult, it gave her a newfound sense of freedom. She could do whatever she wanted. 

Despite sleeping together on multiple occasions, Kate and Jude still didn’t know a lot about each other. Things between them were purely sexual, and that was exactly what she wanted. But he was a nice guy and she enjoyed talking to him. Observant as always, she had quickly noticed that he wasn’t much of a morning person. That was one thing they had in common, because she really wasn’t either. “Are you sure? You don’t have to. You came over to my apartment so it’s the least I can do,” Kate said, standing up and going over to her closet. Grabbing her black satin robe, she slipped it on over her petite frame.

After tying the robe around her slim waist, she looked to Jude. “Cream and just one of those little Splenda packets, actually. I know it’s not the healthiest way to take coffee, but I don’t care.” She went to medical school and knew how to eat a well-balanced diet, but most of the time she just didn’t. “Come on, go downstairs,” she said, gesturing for him to follow her as she made her way out of the bedroom. “You were great last night, by the way. With my geriatric status, I’m surprised my hip isn’t broken,” she joked.

Jude’s natural instinct was to run. It had always bee something that he felt was necessary in times that he felt in danger, or when he felt the world was against him. Having a personal, intimate connection with someone scared him, but mostly scared him when it led to having commitment. Commitment meant having to show up on dates at the right time, or making sure to introduce them into your world. Jude wasn’t ready for that, nor did he believe he would be anytime soon. This wasn’t commitment; this was convenience, and if Kate was alright with that, so he was he. 

There hadn’t been much of a personal connection, however, because Jude felt as if their worlds couldn’t have been anymore different. Her life seemed lived and established, while he was still trying to figure out what he would do after his lease was up. There wasn’t much that he felt they had in common, which, again, was alright. You didn’t need much in common to have a good time, he assumed. “No, I’m sure,” He confirmed, gently moving his eyes towards the woman jumping out of bed. “Yeah, you let me stay here, so let me repay you.” Jude bit at his lip softly, his eyes moved away when he was sure he’d been caught looking. 

It interested him how mature she was; Jude seemed to fall into a category of needing people to care for him, and Kate was one of those people, he felt. “Cream and Splenda packet, got it,” He noted, pointing at his head to make a visual mental note. Following the woman downstairs, he looked around at the house in the daylight. It was much cleaner and brighter than he had seen in the darkness from last night. He wasn’t usually here all that often; most of the time he didn’t even stay the entire night because his anxiety would give him a rush, forcing him to leave early before she’d wake up. “Please,” He voice sounded covered in lace from the small ego boost, “You act like you’re about to break or something-- you move better than I do most of the time.”

Making the way into the kitchen, Jude moved towards the coffee pot. Of course, he hadn’t expected her to follow him downstairs, and in any other situation, he would have been a bit curious and looked around for items that he wasn’t sure of their placement. However, this was a bit different as he felt he couldn’t just snoop. “Where do you keep your coffee?” He asked, eyes wandering around as he started to fill the pot up with water. 

warrenkenna‌:

                     “Please, like that would be a bad thing. If any pumpkin looked anything like my ass does, we’re talking about real orange masterpieces.” There was no way she was letting him get to her, especially when it came to.. well, pumpkins. One thing she loved though, was how she learned a new thing about Jude every day because it somewhat made her think of how many things they had in common after all. “So, you’re good with your hands too? That’s new.” Nudging his side with her elbow, Kenna wondered whether he had any secret talents. “Does that mean you can draw well?” 

His reaction – it caused her to raise her brow playfully. Jude wouldn’t have fallen for her words unless he had things to hide. As curious as that made her, Kenna locked the screen letting him know that she was going to respect his privacy. They weren’t… a thing, so there was nothing to worry about and in all honesty, the blonde didn’t want to know. Last time she was close to someone, jealousy messed with her head and here, they were both free to do whatever they wanted, with whoever they wanted. “Well, it’s obvious then –” Smirking, the blonde made a grimace. “Whoever told you that was fucking blind.” Side-eyeing Jude, she bit her tongue until it was impossible to hold back her next teasing remark. “Babe, who said it was the best sex I’ve ever had? I mean, I’m honored to know I’ve rocked your world I didn’t know I was that good.” 

Hell yeah, take that, she thought and giggled.

Between all the fun and teasings, Kenna was aware of how tough coming here should have been for him. A part of her appreciated the fact Jude had pushed aside his own feelings to bring her here so the two could create new memories and that alone, made her feel some sort of butterflies in her stomach. Shaking the thought away, eyes wandered around them, taking in the environment he was so familiar with and listened, her whole demeanor softening. “This is a nice place to raise kids.” She was quick to say, even though her brain had decided against it. Her mouth always rushed like that. He didn’t want people to see them together and Kenna didn’t question it, just trusted his judgment. Less trouble for Jude, the better time they’d have she figured. She rolled her eyes at his obsession to find the perfect pumpkin tonight, where the hell was he going to out it anyways? In the living room? 

While thinking about all that, Jude was already taking action and handed her another jacket. “See, this is why you shouldn’t be rushing me, I could have grabbed a scarf.” She complained but smiling slightly at him. He was kind, that ass. “Thanks, my knight in a shining armor.” Sliding the larger jacket on, Kenna felt better in an instant. Not giving a shit about how she looked at this point, she smiled over how the fabric carried his scent. “You know, you have too many rules.” She began saying, turning around to walk backwards towards the entrance of the patch. “Who would have thought you were going to be so serious? Rules are meant to be broken, Sweet Pea. Now come, before you start bitching over those pumpkins…” 

“Oh,” Jude nodded a few times, getting a bit worked up at the fact that she was teasing him about his sex skills; this was all in a playful manner, of course. He knew that she didn’t feel that way, and if he had to jog her memory, he figured he could help out with that. “Trust me, I think I can help you remember sometime later.” Looking over at her, he winked ironically, biting at his lip for more of an effect. Tapping on the steering wheel to the music, he looked a few different ways before putting the car in park in a spot and turning it off. “I can draw really well, yeah,” He confirmed, looking over at the girl again before taking the keys out of the car. “What, you want me to draw you like one of my French girls?” Not a chance.

Watching the girl’s reaction, his mouth opened a bit in disbelief that she would actually tease him that hard about it. “Well, fuck you too.” He joked, “Fine,” A shake of his head disregard everything he had just said. “Forget what I said-- I’ve had way better fucks before, trust me. See, how does that feel, huh?”

Being back in his old neighborhood was a bit nostalgic, but it also made him feel a bit empty. There were times he’d want to come back, but he always told himself that there was no reason for him to be here anymore-- he wasn’t wanted here anymore, and that was okay. He had gone to bigger things, moving into the city made him feel a bit better about everything that had gone on. It felt like he was growing, even if he was out of money and starting his life out, well, really sad and terrible. It was different, and he needed to get out of a place that brought him back to a terrible time. “It was a great place to grow up, I had a good time. Learned to ride my bike on the street we pulled up here on.” He smiled back at her, squinting his eyes a bit at the brightness that was coming from the clouded sky. Pulling his sunglasses out of the small middle compartment, he placed them on the front of his shirt just in case he’d need them later.

Rolling his eyes gently, Jude’s reaction to Kenna was mostly out of jokes and sarcasm. It was because they weren’t a thing that they acted like they didn’t care for each other, he thought. There were a lot of times that Jude felt that he shouldn’t act a certain way, because he didn’t want to give the wrong impression to her. It was usually just out of fun and games-- or was it? That was the problem; he never really knew, and that’s what the hardest part was. He never wanted to hurt her, and with every jacket, with every talk... he just didn’t want to hurt her, that’s all. “Knight in shining armor, huh? That means I get all the credit for saving you, right, damsel in distress?” He smirked a bit at her, following her lead as she started to walk towards the entrance. Chuckling, he shook his head, hating how she always had to call him out on something. “Oh, please,” He argued, “I’m literally taking a girl I hook up with to the pumpkin patch-- that is a rule being broken from some book, somewhere in the world.”

Of course, like he promised, Jude paid for her, because he was nice that way-- no, this still wasn’t a date. Starting to walk amongst the vines and looking at all the pumpkins in the field, he looked at a few, bending down to pick one up and deciding against it before turning back to Kenna. “What are you thinking? Are we looking at one that actually looks like your ass because you’ll have to let me size a few up so we get the most accurate one.”

katemaguire‌:

The previous night had been a bit of a blur. Frustrated from her workday, Kate came home, had a couple glasses of wine. God, her life was a mess lately and she just couldn’t catch a break. Even though it had been months, she was still dealing with the aftermath of her divorce. And since coming back to Bellevue after being away for a decade, it seemed her past was coming back to haunt her. She ended up texting Jude, asking him to come over to her apartment. 

Rolling over in bed, Kate grabbed her phone and looked at the time. It was eight-thirty, so she would have to go to work in a few hours. One perk of her job was that she didn’t start until midday. As she felt the mattress give slightly, she glanced to Jude and smiled at him. 

It wasn’t the first time she had woken up with him next to her. They usually saw each other from time to time, usually when one of them needed a pick-me-up. Messing around with the younger man was exciting and a lot different for her, considering her ex-husband had been twelve years older than her. Their little no strings attached relationship was exactly what she needed. “Do you want something to eat? I think I’m going to go downstairs and make breakfast. Coffee, too.” 

{ @thejudeelliot }

The work day had been slow-- too slow, to be honest. He wasn’t impressed by the customers today, and the work load had been more than he thought. He was glad to get out the door at a reasonable hour, and it just made it a bit better when a text message popped up on his screen just as he was leaving. Jude’s night got slightly a bit better after reading it, a smile forming on his lips as he replied to it before getting in his car to head over to the woman’s apartment. After a few drinks, a couple winks, and a few flirtatious words exchanged, Jude ended up staying the night. Again. 

The morning approached rather quickly as he started to awaken from his sleep, his breathing patterns shifted as he opened his eyes that were still a bit squinty. His eyebrows furrowed together as he turned his body around to look at the woman who was already looking at him. He smiled gently, laying back on his stomach, facing her as his head settled on the pillow. The curls fell into his face softly, showing a bit rough, as he went to open his mouth. “I’m okay,” His voice was a bit raspy as a yawn followed after. Jude honestly hated waking up in the morning, it was one of the worst feelings to him-- although, she had a pretty nice bed and it was extremely comfortable once he got settled into it. “Let me make breakfast this time.” Pushing himself up, he slipped his way out of the sheets, looking at his clothes that lined the floor. 

After throwing on the t-shirt and underwear from evening prior, Jude pushed the hair from his forehead, eyes still covered with sleep. It wasn’t usual, but Jude was known to have a few... regulars. It just so happened that Kate called him on a night that he didn’t have any other plans, so what would have made him say no? “Black, cream, sugar?” The question left his lips, still a bit raspy and asleep-- this whole morning thing wasn’t really his favorite, but he pretended for a few people he tried to impress.

nicholasthompson‌:

Nick scoffed out a laugh at that last remark…someone to go home and tell all about this experience? Gabrielle knew that he’d been attempting therapy again, but she knew how private he was about all of it right down to the roots of the issues that made him the anxious man he’d turned into a decade before. He was open with her, more than he’d been with anyone in his life at this point, and what a good ear she had for listening and a heart full of empathy and understanding for him. Still, it would be a struggle for him to go back to their home and lay out everything that happened throughout the night, even if all that went on were introductions and some kind of meet and greet over a table of cheap snacks.

“Yeah, I guess I do,” he agreed anyway, knowing there was no need to explain himself in that moment. That was what the group was for along with his private therapist. “You know, I’m actually one of the few history teachers that tries to make the subject interesting. You need to learn about what happened in the past to know how we can better ourselves for the future. I haven’t heard as many complaints about being bored this year as I thought I would.” He was proud of that too, unless they all waited until he was gone to express a hatred for his class.

Nick swallowed a lump in his throat while he watched Jude begin his interaction. Hell, he nearly choked on it. How could saying his name to a few people make him feel so vulnerable. Once Jude was done all eyes directed towards him, and no matter how many times he’d spoke to his students, given presentations, or led meetings and conferences for his family’s advertising firm, Nick found himself wishing he could crawl into a hole and hide for the rest of the meeting. 

“Well, ah,” he started, taking a moment to find his words. “I’m Nick. My therapist suggested I come here to have a support system while I’m trying to work through my PTSD.” It was tough, saying that out loud, seeing as Nick did his best to bury the terrible things he’d experienced in his past. “This isn’t really my thing, but I thought it would be worth a shot if it’ll help get me better.”

Thinking about going back to high school made Jude feel so... dated. He obviously hadn’t been out of high school that long, but the amount of time that had passed was really incredible. Jude was a good student, he always had been; he was a respectful kid as well, he understood that teachers still had lives to live and that they didn’t want to be pestered by annoying kids all day. With that being said, history was probably one of the worst classes ever. “I can imagine that you’re probably a good teacher. You seem pretty,” He shrugged a bit, not really knowing the words to express. “Like, with it, you know? I don’t know if fun is the word to use for a history course, but I’d imagine that it’s probably decent.” Jude smiled a bit, knowing that his explanation was trying as hard as it could, and he laughed a bit thinking about how it sounded coming from him. He was really trying to hype Nick up about it, but he just shook his head. “I’m sure they like you.” 

The speech he gave in front of everyone was definitely not as bad as he thought it could have been. There was a lot of relief as soon as the therapist moved on to Nick, Jude’s eyes followed to look at him. He listened to the man speak for a minute, his eyes moved away from looking at him because he knew how it felt to have eyes on you all the time. It made you more nervous than you could have been. When he mentioned his PTSD, he looked back at him, curious, but definitely would never ask directly about it. It obviously was something he’d share if he felt comfortable doing so. Jude continued to listen, nodding at what he had to say to confirm his ears were open and ready to hear what he had to say-- in the group or even outside of it.

Once the a few other people introduced themselves, Jude’s eyes made it around the room, looking at others who were just as troubled as he was-- maybe more, maybe less. It was unclear by just telling their names and why they were there in the first place. However, when the circle made its way back to Jude, he looked at the therapist, wondering if she’d speak to him directly or not. The therapist went over a few things, telling them mostly about group therapy and what it would do for them, and Jude felt like he had made a good decision coming here, but he also had trouble understanding what would make him want to choose this over... self-destructive habits. He felt closed off all of the sudden, not wanting to talk about his past because it hurt to think about, so talking about it would be much worse. Jude’s eyes fled to Nick’s, giving him a scared look before looking down at the hands in his lap again. 

What causes you to have anxious tendencies and thoughts?

Indirectly, Jude felt the therapist ask him a question, her eyes settled on his as he looked up, a smiling face looking at him as he sat up again, straight and feeling a dry mouth. “Uh,” He spoke, looking around again, watching other people watch him, “W-Well,” He stuttered a bit, nervous. “Thinking about my family, I guess. I have friends, but not a lot,” He swallowed, a lump in his throat hovering. “I don’t know. I guess I just,” He paused. “I guess I just feel like nobody listens.” His voice was a little quieter that time, his eyes blinked a few times before he took in a deep breath; it was a little shaky. “I don’t want to be vulnerable to someone who,” He closed his lips, they were thin and dry and he didn’t want to open them again. “Someone who won’t... care. You know?”

warrenkenna‌:

                    The more she thought about it, the more excited she became over carving a pumpkin. Her expression didn’t change one bit, because even at this state Kenna would refuse to show her true feelings right away - old habits died hard like that. “You? An artist? Since when?” She teased, hands shoved into her pockets to keep warm. She was good at drawing, really good because since she could remember herself, the need to put her feelings down on a paper was strong. It was one of the few things she could do without being judged or dictated and without it, the blonde would have lost her mind. “You know, just because I can’t kick a customer doesn’t mean I won’t kick you.” She warned, only to burst into a laughter. “What do you think I did? I spit into his soda before serving it.” She gave him a proud look, one of those she had every time she accomplished something great, “Wow, hang on there.” Raising her finger to stop him from talking, the blonde hushed him right away. “My hands are heavenly. Repeat after me.” Smirking, Kenna stuck her tongue out at him all childish like and laughed happily, a warm feeling taking over her. “You worried about my shirt now, Elliot? Don’t worry, I don’t mind walking without it.” 

Getting into that car was admittedly better than standing outside. This warm, fuzzy feeling following her inside and she wasn’t sure why but it wasn’t rare to feel beyond comfortable with Jude. With him, she could be herself and not worry about a thing. Well, most things. “Oh, I get access to all of your dirty secrets now.” Taking his phone, Kenna followed the directions and plugged it before going through the songs and playlists. “I think..” There, a title caught her attention and she was smiling again, not expecting to find one of her favorite s o n g s. Within a few seconds, the music was blasting in the car and she didn’t hold back but sang along. The idea of having a whole weekend to do anything she liked was great. Now, doing something with Jude, that sounded even better in her head. If he had other plans, Kenna couldn’t come between them, but she wished he could find some time to come over, even for an hour. Talking with him had become one of the things she enjoyed the most and as strange that was, for someone who didn’t like talking much, the young woman was almost certain it had to do with the comforting feeling he brought along. “Who said anything about chilling, huh? You gotta win that. You haven’t won shit yet.” 

Turning her head to pay some attention to the road ahead of them, having no idea where they were going. She was still trying to find her way around the city but with no car in her disposal, it was difficult to go around. The parking lot didn’t look familiar though Kenna knew she was going to be fine as long as she stuck around with him.. not that she planned to run away, no. Jude opened the door for her and she slowly stepped outside, needing a minute to adjust to the temperature difference. Taking her time as he spoke, Kenna listened carefully and crossed her arms over her chest, a failing attempt to protect herself from the cold. “You grew up around here?” Now, that was new. Pressing her lips into a fine line, she just nodded and repeated after him. This was supposed to be a fun night and Kenna didn’t want to ruin it by making him uncomfortable or doing anything that would trigger past memories Jude wanted to forget. “One pumpkin, can’t feed the animals, we run away from people. You got it, captain.” Not prepared to look down, but like a domino effect her eyes followed his, Kenna groaned lowly at the sight of her boots in the mud. Any sign of annoyance disappeared, and she was smiling again, “Is that so? You’re an idiot, you know that?” A fucking hilarious one too. “Get me out of here before I go all dirty on you, capeesh? 

Going to his old neighborhood gave him a bit of anxiety, however, he felt that it would be worth it to take Kenna somewhere he had memories, and a place where he felt safe. His smirk rested on his face, eyes rolling at her comment. “Fine, if you don’t believe me, your pumpkin will end up looking like ass.” He turned his head from looking at where he was walking to tease her, nudging her again. “I was going to study art in college,” He explained, unknowing if he had told her that information or not. “Astrology was a close second.”

As soon as he realized she had his phone, his eyes widened a bit as he looked over at her, “No, don’t” He laughed a bit, knowing full well that she could find so much shit on him if she really looked hard enough. There were a few things he wouldn’t want her to see, and he knew that-- well, it may ruin what they had right now. That wouldn’t make the rest of their day very fun at all. They had never really talked about their relationship, boundaries, and what their relationship even consisted of. It was confusing even to him, so if she knew that there were, well, others... he didn’t know how she’d react to it. When the music started to play, he smiled again, tapping on his steering wheel. “You know,” He raised his eyebrows a little, “I get told I look like Mick Jagger.” His tone was a bit bodacious, knowing that he wanted to get a reaction from her. “Oh, please.” His voice exaggerated, again rolling his eyes at her comment. She had to have been messing with him now. “We have had some of the best sex of our lives together, and I still haven’t won anything else? I think this is rigged.” 

Once they arrived to the patch, Jude wasn’t really sure how to react to all of the memories that had started to arise. He remembered coming here as a kid so vaguely, and it wasn’t like it was that long ago. The weather definitely was being a little bit of a bitch, but it didn’t matter because they wouldn’t be there that long unless Kenna really wouldn’t be able to pick out the perfect pumpkin. Looking at her, he nodded in confirmation. “Yeah, I grew up like down the road. There’s a neighborhood back there, I grew up there.” He pointed a little towards the entrance that they just came from, squinting a bit at the sun that attempted to peak out of the clouds, even if the temperature was a stagnant coldness. Jude laughed at her repeating his words, watching her feet hit the ground. “Trust me, it’s for the best,” He replied, knowing that it would absolutely be... the worst if he saw any past teachers, family members, or friends that he had in the past. It would enhance questions about who he was with and why he had made it back here in the first place. “As if I haven’t seen how dirty you can be.” A wink towards her made his smile enlarge on his face again, as he started to walk towards the front area. “Let’s go, we’re going to end up with an ugly pumpkin and it’s going to be your fault.” 

Jude released his hands from his jacket pocket, looking at the way she held her arms across her body. Jude had lived here his whole life, he was used to the cold, so it wouldn’t really matter to him what the temperature was, but he didn’t want her uncomfortable. “Here,” He opened the back seat of his car, crawling in head first to grab something from the back. “For you, m’lady.” Jude pulled an extra jacket that he had for emergencies-- well, because he really forgot to bring it in one night. “Don’t drop it or get it dirty, and we’re good.”

srosenstock‌:

There was something about the tension in his car that made Sam’s arm hair raise. Unfortunately, not in the good way, in the way of excitement or desire, but in wariness. The last thing he wanted to do was to close the door it had taken him so long to open with Jude, in order to let the young one feel safe with him and his intentions, which never included his unhappiness, nor should they ever cost him his comfort. Perhaps he was taking a step past a line he hadn’t been aware of, but if that was the case, it was duly noted. After all, Jude was his own person, and he existed outside Sam’s own concerns about his dreams and well-being needs being met. A nervous tap on the steering wheel followed his thoughts, as he stepped on the gas and moved out of the parking spot. “I’m sorry. I didn’t meant to cross a line there,” he explained. “You can do what you want. You’re an adult  — I’m just offering my point of view.” He extended his right hand towards Jude, and gently pulled one of the stray curls by the side of his head, smiling to himself afterwards. “Relax, Jude. I’m not your father. Take my opinion with a grain of salt, if you want. I can’t force you to listen to me, or do what I say.” He took his eyes from the road for a moment. “I’ll support you anyway. That’s literally what I’m here for. Last thing I want is for you to be sad all the time, Jude.” That shouldn’t even be a question. Part of him felt bad, almost, that he wasn’t just quite there yet, a part of his life just meaningful enough to stop the sadness. Sam knew what that was like, and he knew he didn’t want that for the younger one.  What Jude had said while they were still inside the store ringed in his head still.  “You know,” he started. But then, he paused, letting the song he had picked ring in his ears for a moment. Every little thing, every moment, taught him something new about Jude. Somethings, like what had just happened, only reaffirmed Sam’s place in the boy’s life, keeping him in check. As much as Jude meant to him, he had no right to even attempt to take control over his life, however much he disagreed with his hobbies and whatnot. But listening to the music he liked was always warming. An unspoken little truth about the curly haired boy — yes, a boy — he cared so deeply for. “I’ll give you a pass for today. In your defense, Taco Bell is unhealthy. I think I have a better idea of where we can go… Not that it is any better, but really, the chances of finding a very healthy takeout option at this hour are very, very slim. You’ll have to trust me with this one.” A more playful tone left his lips, a wide grin invading his features, in a very obvious attempt to lighten the mood he had just created.  “And to confirm what you mentioned inside the store, yes.” He nodded to himself. “I do have a good taste in faces. You’re right in assuming that.” Sam dropped that knowing fully well what it meant, but mentioned nothing else about it. Actually, he quickly changed the topic. “If you don’t want to stop by your place, then, be aware that my clothes might be a bit big on you, but you can wear them if you want. I have no problem with that…” He trailed off, his blinker signaling the direction he intended on going to. “There’s still time if you want to head there. We could always stop by after you eat, too.” He made the turn he needed to make, and eventually he was greeted by the obnoxious red and blue neon lights of his favorite restaurant’s 24 hour sign. “Welcome to IHOP, the happiest place on Earth.” He pulled into the nearest parking space. “Unfortunately, they do not have a drive-through yet, so we could go inside… If you want to. Unless you really, really want Taco Bell.”

Jude’s time spent with Sam made him more confident in ways that he couldn’t describe; well, for one, he told him how good he looked most days they hung out together, which only increased his ego. However, it was different when he was shot down by Sam or judged in ways that he couldn’t comprehend, in ways that hurt his heart. Jude did not want Sam to think he was a bad person for doing drugs, truthfully. He wasn’t a bad person at all, he just made some bad choices that left him feeling a bit, well, more sad than before. There were obviously other ways to cure his sadness, and he recognized that every time he smoked, but that didn’t stop him from doing it, of course. It didn’t stop him from wanting to impress Sam in every way that he possibly could because he wanted that confidence all the time; he wanted to feel secure and fought every second of his life for that feeling because he was angry, sad, and anxious most of the time. It felt good to forget about that all for just a second. 

The way that Sam answered back to him surprised him-- scratch that, it didn’t surprise him that Sam was so mature and neutral about it. It shouldn’t have surprised him at all, in fact. “You didn’t cross a line,” He looked at his hands, pulling at the skin by his thumb before feeling a sigh release from his chest, through his nose, because his lips were thin and shut. The comment about his father struck him harder than he thought it would. Lifting his head, he stared out the windshield, swallowing the lump in his throat before gently closing his eyes. Of course Sam wasn’t his father, Sam would never treat him the way that his own father had, but the comment hurt him more than he would have admit. “Yeah, I know. It’s just,” He paused, feeling more anxious than he had earlier in the night because he didn’t want to explain himself to Sam or to anyone. Sam was right, he didn’t have to do anything considering he was an adult that made his own decisions. It was just that he didn’t want to disappoint Sam continuously, over and over, which he knew that he did a lot, it was obvious. “I just don’t want to make you think less of me because of some stupid habit I have-- like, smoking is kind of my thing and it, like, I don’t know, you should try it sometime. It’s fucking dope. Makes you feel good.” Jude smiled at the end, using terminology that he hoped Sam would try to use at another time trying to be ‘cool’. “My cigarette habit is getting better, I haven’t done coke at all this month-- well, the month isn’t over, but,” He smirked a bit, but found himself looking back at Sam fondly, more like a puppy than anything else. “So one drug issue at a time, okay?”

Once they started to drive away, Jude loosened his muscles a little bit, feeling less tense than just sitting there in the dark car, waiting for Sam to say anything. The music filled the car, and it meant more to him than anything to be able to sit in the car and listen to the music that he liked. His attention was quickly taken from the music to listen to what Sam had to say. “I trust you,” Jude’s voice was a little dimmed, quiet and soft. The feeling of Sam’s fingers in his hair made his breathing stop for a minute, waiting for their skin to touch; when it didn’t, he let the breath out. “I guess it’s not really an assumption if you admit I have a good face, is it?” 

Sam’s offer intrigued Jude, and he didn’t know how to really take it. It was such a kind, genuine offer that he felt like he didn’t deserve to be treated so well. It was a bit too much, if he was honest. Sam’s interest in Jude confused him, but just on the basis that he was genuinely just a lost, sad boy who didn’t know who he was or what he wanted. He just felt lost. He wondered if Sam felt the same way. “Oh, it’s fine,” Jude shook his head a bit, “I sleep naked anyways.” His words burned on his tongue as he spoke, knowing he’d get a reaction from it. His eyes moved to the side, looking at Sam from a side-eyed view; he didn’t want to miss his facial expression. “Well, there’s no point in going to my house afterwards. The point of getting high is to go out afterwards and eat a shit ton, so it’s fine, we can just move on from that.” As they pulled up to the restaurant, he wasn’t surprised at all that Sam would choose something like this. Jude reached towards the handle to open his door, rolling his eyes at Sam a bit. “This is so weird of you,” He laughed a bit, shaking his head. “Out of all of the places you could take me on a date, this is what you’d choose? I don’t know if I should be flattered or offended.” Stepping out of Sam’s SUV, Jude closed his door, moving towards the drivers side. “I strictly take my hook ups to Waffle House, so I guess this is probably a step up, huh?”

warrenkenna‌:

                      Even though Kenna had spent a great amount of time thinking about their plans tonight, a part of her couldn’t help but feel odd about doing something relatively ‘normal.’ In reality, there was nothing wrong with them going out - they weren’t hiding from the world, were they? Two people making plans, two friends she had forced herself to think. She enjoyed his company so before feeling too overwhelmed about any of it, the blonde had decided to not put too much thought into it. Two friends going out, there was nothing wrong with that. Yeah, she was excited but who wouldn’t be in her place? 

Halloween was undoubtedly one of her favorite times of the year. Despite that, Kenna had never done something more than dressing up and when she was back in New York, her version of dressing up was a pair of slutty clothes and a creepy make up she had done herself. Having that particular talent had come in handy, especially since people didn’t care much about what she was portraying. The rest, carving pumpkins, going trick or treating - those were things she had barely experienced as a child. “Are you for real?” She asked, immediately looking down at her white sweater, thinking that it was all a bad idea. It didn’t feel like she would have a saying in this, but the stubbornness kicked in and she shook her head, “I’m picking the pumping, you’re carving it. I’m good with my hands, but not that good.” Throwing him a look, Kenna pushed her tongue against the inside of her cheek. She’d pick the ugliest pumpkin ever. The fact they were doing this though, it made her happy inside. Doing normal things, it made her feel like moving so many miles away wasn’t the worst life choice of hers after all. “You know me,” She shrugged, “I’m good with a burger. As long as it’s not chocolate and cereal.. yeah.” They were on the same level when it came to money so that wasn’t going to be a tough choice. Instead of ordering in, they were gonna eat out. Simple as that.

Murmuring a soft thank you when he opened the door for her, Kenna jumped in the passenger’s seat and put her seatbelt on, waiting for Jude to walk around the car and make his way in. During those few seconds, the young woman looked around, took the scent in - his car was too clean. Too nice and comfortable to be in. “Work was good.” She exclaimed, looking outside the window when he started the car, “There was this guy who called me blondie. I told him to read my name tag properly unless he wanted his food served cold. I mean, that’s the nicer insult I’ve come up with, so yeah. Nothing interesting happened, other than that — oh, I also got the weekend off.” She smiled and turned to look at him, head resting against the seat behind her. “So, if you like wanna come around..” Kenna’s voice trailed off, before smirking slightly. “You kinda owe me a movie night anyway, so.. you don’t really have a choice.” 

The whole idea of hanging out as friends made Jude uneasy only for the reason that they really... weren’t friends. Well, they were. But that definitely shared more information that many friends did... “information” was probably not the word to use, but he couldn’t really think of another ‘hookup’ couple he knew that would go to the pumpkin patch together on a Friday night. It wasn’t something he was familiar with, and he didn’t really know how to approach. However, he knew that their comfortability factor was at a high level at the moment, and everything would fall into place. 

Her comment made Jude laugh because obviously she hadn’t carved pumpkins enough to know it wasn’t that messy. Unless you made it messy, which he planned to probably do just in spite of her and her white sweater. “You’ll be fine, it’s not that hard. I’m kind of an artist, you know.” Jude had always been way better at art than most people ever gave him credit for, but it was true. Art and music had been his thing growing up, and carving a pumpkin wasn’t necessarily the medium that he worked with, but he’d figure something out. Besides, it would be fun and he knew that it would take her mind off of whatever she didn’t need to be thinking about. “Listen--” He paused at the comment she made, smirking to himself as he tried his best not to let it overtake his face. “Okay, you can pick the pumpkin. But also,” He licked his lips, they’d been a bit dry with the weather changing. “You’re pretty damn good with your hands from my experience with them.” Shrugging a bit, he was just being honest. He caught her look at him, shaking his head as he bumped his arm against hers. “You really can’t go wrong with a burger, you know? Might get your sweater more messy than the pumpkin.” 

Getting into the car, Jude felt a bit more normal than ever. It wasn’t often that he was toting a girl around with him, feeling like they were more than just friends-- they were friends. Her comment made him nod a bit as he turned on the car and started to back out of the parking spot, looking around and making sure everything was clear. “How dare he,” He shook his head a bit, “I’m the only one allowed to call you that. Did you tell him off?” Pulling out of the apartment complex, Jude pulled his phone out of his pocket, lifting his body off of the seat a bit to pull it out. “Here,” He gave the phone to her, “Plug it in and pick some music.” They stopped at a light, Jude’s face turning towards hers gently, his eyes soft, remembering their night together. It made him smile at the fact that she remembered something about their night, and he appreciated the invitation. “I’m going to take you up on that movie whether I have a choice or not. Not every day that someone asks me to Netflix and chill, you know?” He nodded, biting at his lip again and feeling the smile over power his face.

The drive wasn’t that bad, and Jude found it way more easily than he thought he would’ve considering he hadn’t been back to his old neighborhood in, well, about two or three years. He had been to this specific pumpkin patch before, the last time with another person-- well, the last time was really a date, but he wouldn’t inform Kenna of that. Once they parked, Jude’s took the key out of the ignition, getting out of the car only to walk around and open the door for her right away. It wasn’t a date, really. “Here are the rules,” He started, leaning on the open door, “You only get one pumpkin, you’ll break the bank. We also can’t feed the animals, we have no money in our budget for that either. We can pet only. Oh and if I see someone I relatively know, I’ll start walking in an opposite direction so we don’t run into them. I grew up in this neighborhood, so I’d appreciate it if you’d ignore people with me. Is that clear?” His smile was gentle on his face, his hands holding themselves around the door as he looked down at the ground, noticing it was a bit muddy. “And I’ll try to keep you from getting muddy. But I like my girls a bit,” He paused, “Dirty.”