He tried to steel his insides when Jude’s fingers touched his skin, he really did, but his heart tried to leap into his throat and he felt heat rise up in his cheeks. It was really annoying to have tried to shut down this part of himself, to keep his heart from leaping every time a boy with pretty eyes and a mean streak batted his eyelashes at him, and discover that a boy with delicate cheekbones and soft eyes could still make him feel like he was sixteen. He saw the boy’s gaze fall to the floor and the marble pieces scattered around them, and he felt his stomach tighten when he started dismissing all the things that Asher had said.
“You are brilliant though, and I’m not even saying it just to flirt with you.” He said gently, pushing his bottom lip through his teeth. “You took everything I said to you and correctly pointed out that I felt the need to get my orientation out in the open because of what I did. You saw I was injured and you thought of what you could do to help me, not how badly you were panicking.” He smiled and wanted to slap himself just a little bit for the way that his eyes softened at the corners. He was smarter than this, he really was. “Screw that higher education classist view of what intelligent means.”
He mentioned Evenfall, and after the initial feeling of being punched in the stomach that he associated with work, it clicked in his brain. “I know you!” He gasped, a wide grin enveloping his face. “You came in with Senator O’Shea. I served you! Y’know usually senators are terrible to serve and we have to draw straws, but I’m glad that I lost. You guys were excellent tippers. I should thank you for the week’s worth of coffee that bought me.”
I know you. I k n o w you. I know you. Senator O’Shea. I served you. I s e r v e d you.
Oh no nonononononononono.
Not again. Please no, not again.
Jude was stock still, jaw tight, slender fingers curling into tight fists. His knuckles were white. Why the hell did he ever think that a boy could be flirting with him because he w a n t e d to? Why was he such a goddamned i d i o t? Jude lifted his eyes to Asher’s face, trying to control the emotions rising in his chest, the fucking hurt. He’d thought... Asher had seemed so genuine. Jude drew in a sharp breath, and then started to shrug out of the stupid jacket, shoving it back at Asher without a second glance. His eyes were pricking, and no, goddammit n o, he would not cry!
“Did you really think I’d believe that? You just- You just casually remembering you served us?” Jude’s jaw clenched, and he shoved down the feelings that m a y b e it wasn’t a lie, Asher’s jaw had seemed so familiar, and those eyes- “I can’t fucking believe this. I thought maybe you were actually flirting with me, I thought you were being genuine, and now- Really? Just, really? Why me? Why do you people keep targeting me? I’m not going to give you my dad’s political secrets, I’m not going to give you anything. I can’t believe this, I can’t believe you guys came after me again.” His throat was growing tight, the tears were pricking h a r d e r, his eyes b u r n e d. “Go away, get the hell away from me, take your stupid jacket and your compliments and your smile and just- Leave me the hell alone! Leave me alone, leave my dad alone- Get the hell away!” Jude stood, jerking his knee away from Asher’s warm touch, and felt the first tear slip down his cheek.