Archive of Our Own ^beta

Zero brushed his fingers over Jude’s bicep, Jude’s hair tickling the under side of his chin gently. Jude had his arm wrapped around Zero’s middle, his cheek squished against the muscle of Zero’s chest. 

“You ever think about where you’d be if we hadn’t met?” Jude asked into the quiet of the bedroom, and Zero went to look down at him, his chin fully resting on top of Jude’s head, his fingers halting in their ministrations.

“I know where I’d be, and I don’t like thinking about it.” Zero admitted, his hand splaying across Jude’s muscle to grasp at his arm, slowly pulling Jude into a semi-sitting position. Jude’s hair fell over his brows, the light of his bedside lamp casting a golden glow upon his skin. He was beautiful, enthrallingly. “What about you?”

Jude shrugged, running his hand up and down Zero’s chest, finally meeting his boyfriend’s gaze. He mulled over his words thoughtfully before he opened his mouth to speak, a small frown crossing his lips. Zero raised his eyebrows in question, giving Jude a moment more. 

“I’d probably be where I was before you came along. Desk jockey, grabbing coffee for everyone, running reports and organizing files. Lucas would’ve probably overloaded me with work, Oscar still probably wouldn’t look my way, and no one would really see me, not like you did.”  Zero frowned a little at that, but he understood. Jude had always been pushed to the back–much to Zero’s disliking–while everyone else got a moment in the spotlight. 

It was Jude’s turn now, thanks to Zero. 

“You know, the first time I saw you wasn’t when you met me at that brewery to strike a deal,” Zero started, and Jude tilted his head, adjusting his body so his legs were intertwined with Zeros, his hand sliding gently from his chest, over the muscles in his upper arm, to the veins in his lower arms, to finally connect their hands, their fingers lacing together. “It was when you came by the arena in Ohio to scout the players out. You had on this really soft blue sweater, and a dark pair of jeans. Think you had some converse on, or something.”  Jude smiled softly, his eyes dropping from Zero’s, landing on a ripple of muscle on his breastbone. 

He pressed a feather-light kiss to the expanse of exposed skin, chuckling slightly when Zero let out a small groan, Jude pulling his lips away. 

“I didn’t see you,” Jude started. “Where were you?”

Zero smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to Jude’s head, letting his eyes fall shut. Jude let his own eyes fall shut, the silence almost lulling him into sleep. 

“I was sidelined, my knee was actin’ up that day, had played on it too much. I remember looking right at the stands and seeing this oh so beautiful man–you, in case you’re wondering–smiling shyly, a notepad out on his knee while my assistant coach talked to him.” Jude laughed a little bit, pressing his face into Zero’s chest, breath a warm ghost over Zero’s clammy skin. “You looked so gorgeous, Jay. Always do, but I had never seen anyone quite like you before.” 

“Yeah, those Ohio people really don’t give you much to choose from.” Jude joked, the undertone of self-consciousness seeping through the lines of his words. Zero frowned a little, shaking his head. 

“No one had caught my eye like you had. I know I had my… hookups, had something small with Jelena, but all of those men and women, they’re nothing compared to you. They don’t hold a light to the world quite like you. You’re… Jude, I don’t know how to explain to you how beautiful you are.” Jude blushed a fierce red at Zero’s words, mumbling something into Zero’s skin. “What was that?”

“I said, you don’t know how breathtaking you are. You’re all hard lines, strong hands. But I know you, deep down. I know that you liked your bacon crispy, and I know that you like your toast double toasted. I know that you keep a glass of water on the bedside table half full, and room temperature. I know that you secretly love the rom-coms that I watch, as much as you don’t want to admit it. I know it makes you happy having someone to come home to, be able to kiss and hug them–me. Kiss and hug me. I know you , Gideon. And all I can say is, I hit the jackpot.” Jude finally looked to his lover, Zero’s eyes brimmed with tears, his lower lip sucked into his mouth. Jude tilted his head, leaning up to press a gentle kiss to his left cheek, then his right, then finally, he pressed a gentle kiss to Zero’s lips, keeping it light and chaste. 

“You sure know how to sweet talk a man, Jude.” Zero laughed softly, blinking the tears from his eyes, lip trembling a little. “I love you.” 

They didn’t say it often, at least, not in those words. Jude knew those words meant something fierce to Zero, and Jude knew he didn’t use the term lightly with just anyone. Jude knew that it was special, for only him. 

“I love you too, Gideon.” 

+

Lionel sat across from Zero at the bar’s table, her eyes regarding him, straying to the tailored suit jacket. Zero swallowed nervously, shifting his weight in his seat, anxiously gulping down his beer. 

“You’re proposing.” Lionel was blunt, and Zero gaped at her, gulping the last few sips of his beer. “Why do you need me?” 

“I–I wanted your permission. You’re his stepmom, and one of his best friends, and–and I wanted to do this the right way.” Gideon ‘Zero’ Wilson did not get nervous, not about anything, or anyone. Unless it was Jude. Lionel smiled a little at his antics, before she shook her head. 

“Sell me on it. Make me believe that you actually mean this, and it’s not some ploy like Jelena was.” Zero frowned, but he understood. 

“Jude, he makes me feel like I can have the world at my feet, and that I can do anything as long as he’s by my side. He’s… he’s my better half, my everything. Looks are just part of it, you know? He looks like fuckin’ prince charming. He’s… Lionel, I swear this isn’t another ploy, or another sick joke. This is real. We’re real.” Lionel had already approved of it at the first sentence, but hearing the rest of what he had to say, it was nice. She knew Jude was in good hands, and she knew Zero would stay true to his word. 

“If I’m becoming your mother-in-law, I think it would be best to know your real name.” Zero laughed a little, the butterflies settling in his stomach. 

“Gideon.” 

Lionel hummed, pulling one of her hands from her lap to rest atop Zero’s, her lips curving up into a soft smile. 

“Nice to meet you, Gideon.” 

Gideon smiled back, twisting his hand to grasp hers. 

+

Zero gently shut the door behind him, turning the lock until it clicked, flicking on the porch light beside the door. The wrapping around the flowers in his hand made a crinkling noise, Zero wincing at the volume of it inside the silent house. 

Jude had texted Zero that Ahsha needed help moving some of her boxes into her new house, since Derek wasn’t in town, the man busy with a sponsor deal. He had confided in both of them before Lionel, asking Derek for advice, as well as Ahsha for the more romantic part of the proposal. Ahsha had squealed and hugged Zero so tight, Zero thought his ribs might’ve cracked. 

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, quickly falling into step. His legs carried him over to the small dainty kitchen table Jude had tucked away, a small succulent sitting in the center. He set the flowers down carefully before he walked over to the cupboards, finding a decent sized vase. He reached over to the sink to fill it with water, his free hand reaching into the drawer by his thigh to pull out scissors, preparing to cut the thorns off and shorten the stems, that way the flowers fit into the vase. After putting out the water, he made quick work of getting the thorns cut as well as the stems, placing them into the neck of the vase, spreading them out a bit to make the bouquet look a bit fuller than it had before. He disposed of the trash in its respective bin before he turned to the sink, washing the grime off of his hands from the flowers. He had a whole plan tonight, going the whole nine-yards for Jude. 

He was gonna make this night perfect, no matter what it took. 

+

Jude had come home in the middle of him making dinner, Zero taking a quick appreciative look at him before shooing him out of the kitchen, allowing Jude to place a kiss on his lips before Zero really did kick him out. 

Zero didn’t know how to make much, but what he did know how to make was spaghetti. He had been perfecting it since he was in his foster home, down to the last miniscule detail he could. He spared a look out to the living room where Jude had been occupied, smiling softly at the scene that greeted him. Jude was resting on his side, a pillow tucked under his arms. He was in an old pair of Zero’s basketball shorts and one of his old ratty tee’s, and his hair ungelled. This was perfect, just right. 

This night was to be perfect. 

+

By the time they had eaten both dinner and dessert, the two men had fallen into a food coma. Zero’s speech long forgotten, he held out the ring box to Jude, who now had his eyebrows raised at him, his lips parted. 

“Marry me?” Zero asked, and Jude just stared, and stared, and stared. 

Zero tried to take the ring box back, but Jude was quicker, his free hand reaching out to grab Zero’s wrist, plucking the box from his hand, opening the box. 

“Of course, stupid.”

It may not have been exactly what he had planned, but it was just right for them. 

Zero felt like he was on cloud nine when he slid the ring onto Jude’s left hand, his smile gentle in the dim light of the room. 

Zero felt downright giddy. 

Euphoric.