Jonnor - A Tale of Self-Discovery and Friendship

Don't Forget The Details

"Well...Jude, I officially don't know what to say," Connor was still breathing pretty heavy. "...you're just so amazing. That felt amazing. I pretty much wanna do it again." Connor smiled as he stared up at the ceiling, completely unable to focus on anything in particular as he was just trying to regain his composure.
"Hah, well...I thought that was fun," Jude heard a doorknob begin to be twisted, with the key being used making slight creaking noises as well.
"Shit...someone's home. Hurry up and get dressed!" Jude whispered loudly.
"But I'm still messy!" Connor was still frantically getting up, trying to find tissue.
"Just run to the bathroom, I'll cover here!" Jude was trying to calm himself down, but he could barely even stand once he got off his bed. The adrenaline hadn't kicked in yet, and the second he'd set his feet down, his knees would shake rapidly and profusely, seemingly wanting to give at any moment. Finally, Jude managed to get dressed just in time for Callie and Brandon to walk by his door, taking a second to greet their little brother.

"Hey Jude, how's it going? Alone I see." Callie noticed a shirt laying on the floor she hadn't recognized before. "Wait, who's shirt is that?"
Jude was frozen to his stance after hearing this. He looked down and as luck had it, Connor's plaid shirt was laying there clear as day, a shirt that you'd never see Jude wearing so his list of possible excuses just got halved, at the very least.
"Actually, it's mine. I got a stain in it so I was gonna change but I forgot to grab a shirt of his to put on. Did you grab one for me Jude?" Jude thought Connor was so good at these quick responses.
"...yeah, I forgot." Jude quickly turned around to his dresser and pulled out a white t-shirt and handed it to Connor. "Here you go. Sorry." Jude felt very awkward going with the scenario Connor propped up for them, but had to go with the flow.
"Well Connor, hi! Brandon and I are gonna play guitar and make nachos. Let us know if you want anything guys." Callie waved at Connor, and as Jude would hope, was oblivious to their previous actions. Brandon followed her, but gave them the "take two fingers and points them at himself and then back at them" look. Obviously he knew something was up, but Jude was just relieved she didn't inquire about the shirt on the floor.
"You forgot your shirt on the ground how?!" Jude shook his head.
"Well, you're not complaining about me being shirtless, are you?" Connor inched closer to Jude, noticing Jude's eyes start at his lips, then move down towards his chest, then focus on his abs, then back at his lips. Jude had always been a sucker for Connor's toned and well-defined body.
"Well no...I just..." Connor kissed Jude right away, taking the chance at finishing the sentence away from Jude.
"Didn't think so." Connor breathed. "I texted Jake earlier asking for details and he and his girlfriend said they actually were running late so we can still go if you want, it would just be a later showing. Or we could just say here if you want, I don't care as long as you're with me." Jude kind of wanted to get to know Jacob more as he always spoke about Jacob in a high fashion.
"Whatever you want. If you wanna go, I'll change my outfit real quick and we can. If you wanna stay, I'm taking my pants off and putting on pajamas." Jude said.
"How about we go? We haven't been to the movies in awhile. It'll be nice." Connor smiled remembering how their last date at the movies went.

Connor's date wasn't Jude at this time, in fact, it was Daria who was his girlfriend at the time. Connor's feelings towards her were purely platonic, though she didn't know it. Jude tagged along with his friend Taylor, who knew that were was something missing between both her best friend, and the guy that she "knew" Jude had a thing for. She suspected Connor was into Jude well before the shooting incident. Actually, she knew at the movies. Connor and Jude wrapped pinkies, with Connor initiating and completely shocked when Jude went to reciprocate the actions. They thought they kept it secret, but Taylor saw it. She kept it a secret as she wanted to see Jude happy and could tell Connor was putting on an act.

"Remember when I went to hold your pinky? I was so nervous, I wanted to throw up." Connor started laughing, he realized that was only mere months ago and how it correlates to where they are now.
"Yeah, my entire body was numb when you touched me. I couldn't believe you liked me like I liked you." Jude was blushing, still finding it hard to believe Connor was his boyfriend and not just his best friend at school. "Are you ok...with what we just did? I feel like we were so in the moment we didn't think about it." Jude instantly started forming regrets, hoping they weren't moving too fast in their relationship.
"I am...but I wouldn't have been if it was with someone else. You've broken me out of my shell so I kind of feel like I have no limits anymore." Connor stared right into Jude, and Jude could tell Connor was vulnerable, fully observant in how Jude would next respond. So, Jude thought about his next words very carefully.
"I think we should maybe slow it down. I'm glad we did it but...I just don't want to rush so fast that we forget about the details, you know? I'm not ready for sex yet, though I know I want it with you. We're only 13 after all." Jude gently brushed up against Connor's lips, resting his hands on Connor's shoulders, both boys moving in synch.
"I agree Jude. I want to wait too." Connor meant what he said, but couldn't get past the thought of what sex with Jude would feel like if what they just did felt like "that".

Callie drove Jude and Connor to the movies after so proudly obtaining her driver's license. Once they arrived, she asked Jude to step around the side of the car so she could have a word with him, and Connor said he'd grab their tickets in the meantime.
"Hey you...don't think I don't remember the shirt being on the ground. I don't believe you two. Are you guys actually already having sex?" Callie asked.
"Oh my gosh, no Callie! We've only made-out, that's what happened ok?" Jude was only partially honest. They had definitely gone past making out, but she didn't need to know that.
"Well, I guess good? But make sure you're going at your own pace, ok? I know he's probably more experienced than you so don't feel pressured to do anything you don't want to." Callie raised her eyebrows, knowing she got her point across.
"Yeah Callie, I know. We talked about it and said we aren't ready to do anything." Jude crossed his arms in a defensive fashion, again only telling the truth half-way.
"Ok. I'm proud of you bro. I'm happy you have Connor. Now go in there and try to watch the movie, ok?" Callie snickered after her own joke, thinking it was quite funny.
"Yeah yeah..." Jude was glad to see his sister handle their relationship so nonchalantly. He thought back to when he first told her Connor was his boyfriend and how emotionless her response was. In fact, in the beginning she wasn't a fan of Connor. At all. He was relieved to see her feelings toward him progress in such a seamless way.

When Jude finally saw Jacob, he noticed something different.
"Hey, is that a new piercing? The one in your nose." Jude observed.
"Hah, yeah. It's called a septum piercing. I just got it earlier today. Pretty sweet, huh?" Jacob asked, seeking approval. His girlfriend, Alexis, just smiled, holding her balance up against his arm, which was wrapped around her in a very similar way Connor does with Jude.
"I mean...I guess? Did it hurt?" Jude wasn't sure how he felt about piercings, or tattoos, for that matter.
"Maybe I should get one Jude, what do you think?" Connor asked, his sarcasm not extremely noticeable like he hoped it was.
"Actually, no. Don't answer that. I promise I won't." Connor was laughing, poking at Jude both physically and now with his jokes.
"Yeah...I would probably just rip it out. I can't imagine you with one, sorry Con." Jude said matter-of-factly.
"Wow, you'd just rip it out? That would hurt me babe." Connor pouted. And then Jude just realized: Connor called him babe in public. He absolutely loved it.
"I'd just kiss it better of course." And then Jude reached forward, in front of the lines all over the movie theater entranceway, and kissed Connor on the nose, then down on the lips for a few seconds before smiling and grabbing his arm, like Alexis did, to watch the movie.

All four decided sitting in the back of the theater was their best option. Not just to kiss, as was the assumptive plan, but because the theater was smaller than they expected and sitting anywhere else was too close. They had gotten pretty settled into the movie, finding it to be pretty interesting, but then Jude's phone began vibrating. He was resting his head on Connor's shoulder, using his right hand to caress Connor's hand on Jude's thigh, and just groaned hearing it now vibrate for a second time. When he quickly glanced at the screen, it was Stef calling. And this was odd, because Stef usually only texts.
"Hey mom, I'm at a movie." Jude whispered, trying not to disturb anyone around him. "...what? Oh my God...yeah, we'll be outside...ok...is he ok? Ok mom, I promise." Jude remained like a statue in his seat, completely unable even to blink his eyes.
"What's going on Jude?" Connor alarmed at Jude's sudden reaction after the phone call, rubbing his hand on Jude's thigh now, trying to calm him down.
"Brandon...he got shot."