Summer of Jonnor

Love the One You're With

"The current is pulling us out," Jude said, as Connor swam up to him. 

Connor looked around "Try a different direction," he said. "Instead of swimming against it, let's swim across it." He swam towards the beach at an angle. Jude followed. It was hard work with his clothes dragging on him; he felt his muscles cramping as he swam and kicked. Connor's idea was working though, they were getting closer instead of further away. They were heading past the edge of the beach now, towards the rocks at the edge of the cove. Jude felt the salty water surging past his face as he stroked and with it, his brain registered the scent of Connor. Were pheromones even supposed to work underwater? What strange twist in evolutionary history was he experiencing now? Could it be that whales and dolphins could smell pheromones? Revitalized by the molecules of Connor coursing through his blood, Jude made a final sprint for water's edge and the waves washed him up against the rocks.

Connor was right beside him, he took Jude's hand and helped him back towards the dock, walking uncertainly and unsteadily in the darkness and on the slippery rocks.

***

Stef was taking cover by the dock. She had a good fix on where the shooter was, she just needed to be patient...

His head darted up, checking out the surroundings.

 Stef threw a flash-bang at him, he staggered up in surprise and she sprinted towards him, tackling him and pinning him to the ground. She wrenched him onto his stomach.

Jude and Connor ran up to her, Connor helped hold him down with his strong hands. He helped Stef cuff him.

"You okay?" Jude asked Stef.

She nodded. "You?"

"We're fine," Connor said.

"Stay here, I need to check for anyone else."

Connor nodded and kept the guy down. He heard the helicopter up on the cliff above and sirens approaching. He looked at Jude, and saw something in his eyes. "What?" he asked.

Jude gave him a little smile. "Pheromones work in water."

"Wow. That's cool."

Jude hugged him from behind, and held him until it was, at last, time for them to go. 

***

On the way home, Connor and Jude sat in the back of Stef's police SUV, holding hands. "I knew you'd come after me," Jude said. 

Connor lifted his hand and kissed it. "Someone to watch over you?"

Jude nestled in beside him. "Yeah. You do a pretty good job of that, by the way."

Connor kissed his forehead. "For the longest time I thought about what it would be like to be boyfriends with you, Jude. I didn't think it was going to be as good as it has been."

Jude blew out his breath. "Yeah. I guess I thought I would eventually have someone, and I'd love the one I was with. I just didn't realize for a long time that it was going to be you."

"Did you want it to be me?" Connor's eyes were like tiny stars in the darkness.

Jude nodded. "Honestly yes. For a long time I don't think that I realized that's what it was...that I was feeling. But by the whole time the thing happened with Maddie, I knew. It just didn't seem like it was a thing that would actually happen until that night in the tent. When did you know?"