Connor hadn't gotten a kiss from Jude in three days. Three whole days! It was kind of like Connor's own personal hell. Jude wasn't that comfortable with PDA, even though they'd been dating for three years, so they only kissed when they were in private. And the problem was, Jude had been so busy that they'd only seen each other at school, which obviously meant no kisses. And Connor was convinced he was dying due to the lack of affection from Jude.

It was all because of that stupid play. Okay, it wasn't stupid; Jude had got the lead role and Connor was actually super proud of him, it was just…these rehearsals were ridiculous! Connor was barely getting any time with Jude because he was always at rehearsal. Who needs to rehearse for 6 hours?!

But let's not forget the worst part about this whole thing though; Jude had to kiss his female counterpart in the play. Multiple times. Connor was feeling more than a little jealous about that right now, that girl (who he didn't even know the name of) was getting more action from his boyfriend that he was. Connor huffed; he was determined today was going to be the end of that!

Jude walked into the cafeteria, clutching the brown paper bag which held his lunch, spotting Connor and quickly walking over to join him.

"Hey Con!" Jude said beaming. There was one more thing; these last few days, Jude had seemed a bit too happy given the lack of togetherness the two of them had.

"Hi Jude," Connor replied, standing up and grabbing Jude's arm, dragging him away from the table.

"Umm, Con, where are we going?" Jude asked.

"I don't know yet," Connor answered. "But it's going to be somewhere we can be alone."

"Why would we need to be alone?"

"Because I need some time, alone, with my boyfriend," Connor explained.

"Oh Con, you know I want to, really, but I just can't. I only have fifteen minutes for lunch before I have a drama club meeting," Jude countered.

"Jude," Connor whimpered, tightly gripping Jude's hand.

"Tonight Con, okay?"

"Okay."

Well evening came and went, and Connor saw no sign of Jude. The director held rehearsal for longer than planned, because, as Jude told him via text, she didn't feel that his kiss with his co-star looked "authentic" enough. Connor snorted while reading the message; if the director wanted an "authentic" kiss, she shouldn't have picked a gay boy to play the straight male lead. Jude was a fantastic actor, but he wasn't that good. It's not like the director was clueless; all of Anchor Beach knew they were: a) both gay and b) dating each other. Connor sighed; but that extended rehearsal also meant that Jude had spent the extra time kissing his co-star, meaning here was another day where Jude's co-star got more lip action from Jude than he did. Connor texted Jude back:

Can I come over?

Connor was missing Jude, big time, and on top of that he was jealous. And Jude's overly cheery attitude wasn't helping to allay any of these feelings. They were barely spending any time together, and yet Jude was just as happy as ever, while Connor was bordering on miserable. Maybe—and Connor knew this was a ridiculous thought, but he couldn't help it—maybe Jude liked this other girl better than him. Buzz; Jude's reply lit up his phone:

Sorry Con, not tonight :( We have company and plus I've got a lot of hw anyway.

Connor let out a shaky breath. Well at least tomorrow was Saturday, they'd definitely see each other then.

Connor showed up at the Adams-Foster house early the next morning, as was his tradition ever since they started dating. Curiously, Jude's car wasn't in the driveway when he arrived, and Connor was pretty sure he knew what that meant, but he hoped that perhaps someone else in the family just borrowed it and Jude was still inside sleeping.

"Connor?" Lena asked when she answered the door. "What are you doing here?"

"That seems like a silly question to ask," Connor quipped playfully, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach.

"I thought Jude told you he wouldn't be here this morning," Lena explained. "He has a dress rehearsal today."

"O-oh," Connor replied, quickly pulling out his phone and checking his messages: nothing from Jude about not being home in the morning. Connor frowned. "Sorry about bothering you then," he continued, his head drooping.

"You're welcome to hang out with Stef and me if you'd like," Lena suggested.

"No offense to you guys, but I really just came over here to see Jude."

"Forgot something, no time to explain," Jude gasped, brushing past them, surprising Connor. He hadn't heard anyone pull up. Jude was inside for a few seconds, before sprinting back out the front door with something in his hands, not even acknowledging Connor's presence.

"See you," Connor muttered to Lena, sniffling as he trudged out to his car. Why did it feel like Jude was actually ignoring him? As he drove, Connor decided to take a detour to the auditorium, instead of going home. Maybe he'd be able to see Jude for bit if he went there, and Jude couldn't ignore him then, right?

"He's backstage getting ready," a boy said to Connor when he walked in. Connor strode that direction quickly, looking around for Jude as he did, just in case he'd moved since that person saw him. He found him right where the boy said he would be, yapping away with his co-star. Connor scowled, hesitantly shuffling up to Jude, who signaled for the girl to take off for a minute.

"Oh hey Con, what are you doing here?" Jude inquired, taking in Connor's strange body language: shoulders slumped, hands in his pockets, eyes intently studying the floor tiles, scowling contorting his eyebrows. It was very unusual.

Connor considered his options. What he really wanted to do might have pissed Jude off, but he didn't just want to stand there and talk. He craved physical closeness to Jude, something that he had been sorely missing for the past four days. So he picked something in between, reaching over and grabbing Jude's hand, weaving their fingers together.

"I-I'm sorry, I just wanted to see you," Connor mumbled. Now that he was here, Connor felt a little weird. He was just being clingy and needy and suddenly he felt really embarrassed. And plus he felt really jealous and he was pretty sure he was just being ridiculous. The show started on Monday and Jude had bigger things to worry about than his overly-attached, absurdly jealous boyfriend right now, but he couldn't help it. "Can we go somewhere, just you and me for a bit?"

"Hey I—" Jude began before being cut off.

"Jude, you're needed on stage!" the stage manager shouted, so Jude dropped Connor's hand, hurriedly taking off in that direction without even so much as a goodbye. So Connor went home, slowly dragging himself into his room and flopping down on his bed.

"Okay son, what's going on?" Adam asked, having followed Connor up, sensing his melancholy demeanor when he walked in the door.

"Nothing," Connor muttered, his voice muffled by the pillow he had shoved his face into.

"Hahaha, nice try bud," Adam chuckled, sitting on the edge of Connor's bed. "But I'm your dad. I know this is not nothing."

"I'm just being dumb," Connor retorted. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You're missing him, that's not dumb," Adam countered.

"But I'm just being super needy. It's not like I haven't seen him at all."

"I seem to recall that Jude likes it that you're, as you put it, 'super needy'." Adam reminded him.

"Well he's busy with the show today and besides we have a date tomorrow, I'm not going to do anything now."

"Suit yourself," Adam shrugged, standing out and leaving Connor lying there.

"JUDE!" the director screamed. "That's your cue!"

Jude shook his head, trying to empty out his thoughts so he could focus on his lines. But his brain kept wandering back to his exchange with Connor before rehearsal started. Connor was acting strange, and Jude wasn't really sure why. There was yesterday, where Connor said he needed some time alone with him, but he seemed to take it just fine last night when Jude told him that he was too busy to hang out. But Jude didn't really have time to investigate. The show opened on Monday and he had to be focused. He and Connor had a date tomorrow anyway; they could talk about this then. With that in mind, Jude cleared his mind of Connor, honing in on the remaining scenes of the dress rehearsal.

"Hey bubba, how was rehearsal?" Lena asked when Jude arrived home later that day.

"Oh it was fine," Jude replied. "Maybe a little rough at the beginning, but nothing too big."

"Hey, did you ever tell Connor you were going to busy today?" Lena inquired. "He was here this morning when you came back for whatever you forgot."

"I uh—oh shit," Jude mumbled; he didn't even notice Connor when he came back home this morning. But that would've explained Connor's out-of-the-ordinary behavior. He blew Connor off without even telling him first, and then he ignored him. Jude was starting to feel like he had been a terrible boyfriend these past few days.

"Okay then, well you should probably tell him you won't be available tomorrow, so you don't just brush him off twice in a row," Lena commented.

"But Mama, Connor and I have a date tomorrow!" Jude protested.

"Jude, it's a family thing. You need to be there," Lena explained. Jude sighed; telling Connor this wasn't going to be fun. He wasn't getting out of this family event. Jude pulled out his phone, reluctantly calling Connor.

"Hey Con!" Jude said with forced cheeriness when Connor answered the call.

"Hey Jude," Connor said, and Jude winced at the flatness to his voice.

"Con, I've got some bad news," Jude continued, just trying to get this over with.

"You're canceling our date?" Connor questioned, his voice cracking as he did.

"Yeah, it's a family thing."

"Okay well I'll see you on Monday then. Bye."

Jude canceled their date. It was a family thing, and Connor's head understood that, but his heart really didn't. All his heart knew was that Jude kept blowing him off when he was sure Jude knew how much he missed him. Connor laid in bed, trying to decide whether he should just be sorry for himself and his "failing" relationship (it wasn't really failing, Connor just couldn't help but overreact a little), or march over to Jude's house and force him to spend time with him.

"Jude's home now, isn't he?" Adam asked when he walked past the door to Connor's room. Connor nodded. At least it seemed like Jude was home based on his phone call a few hours ago. "Well then, you better get your butt over there young man. I've had enough of this moping around." Connor decided to go along with his dad; at least that made the decision for him. So he stood up, not bothering to check his outfit or hair, and left his house, going over to the Adams-Foster's, his dad only somewhat jokingly yelling after him to stay the night there too.

Jude was surprised to hear the doorbell ring. His moms didn't say they were having company, so why would anyone be here? Jude got up from the couch, going and answering the door to reveal a slightly disheveled Connor standing there.

"Oh um—" Jude spluttered, not getting any farther before Connor grabbed his hands, drawing him into his arms as Connor gave him a sloppy kiss. They stood on the porch, kissing for what seemed like hours.

"I really miss this," Connor whispered after a while, burying his head into Jude's neck. "I really miss you."

"I'm so sorry Con," Jude replied. "I know I've kind of been neglecting you because I've been so busy, but I guess I just thought that you seemed fine, so everything was okay."

"I was fine; at first anyway but then it just kept happening that we couldn't have time together and it got worse," Connor explained. "And then I showed up at rehearsal today and I felt dumb because I was just being needy and jealous because you were kissing that girl and not me. But you took off without even saying goodbye and then you canceled our date and I just felt like I did something wrong or—"

"Shhh," Jude murmured, holding Connor in his arms, gently rocking him back and forth. "You didn't do anything, it was all on me. And you don't have to feel dumb for being needy; I like it."

"That's what my dad said," Connor giggled softly.

"Hmm, he's a smart man Con, maybe you should listen to him," Jude teased, leaning in and kissing Connor again. "And you were really jealous of Kate?" he added, chuckling.

"Well she was getting more kisses from you than I was."

"Oh trust me they're all just always awful. Nobody can kiss me like you do," Jude grinned.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah Con," Jude answered, closing the gap between them again and connecting their lips. "Nothing could ever make me feel the things you do."

"I love you Jude."

"I love you too Con. Now why don't we go inside? Maybe I can convince my moms to let you stay over for the night," Jude replied. "Perhaps you should cry a little, that might help our case." Connor playfully shoved Jude.

"Maybe you should cry, I mean, you're the actor here!" Connor countered.

"Why would anyone need to cry?" Stef wondered aloud, having heard their conversation as they came inside.

"O-oh um," Jude stuttered. "I-I wanted to know if Connor could spend the night, y-you know since we haven't seen each other much this week with the play and all." Stef narrowed her eyes, staring them both down, making Jude feel uncomfortable.

"Is Connor's dad okay with this?"

"Yeah he is," Connor answered. "I asked before I left."

"Well then, I suppose you can," she said. "But Connor has to sleep on Jesus' bed."

"Okay, thanks mom!" Jude exclaimed, dragging Connor by the hand up to his room.

"Door stays open!" Stef called out.

"Why do you insist on telling them not to share the bed?" Lena inquired. "It's not like they ever actually listen."

"Oh hush love."

"Okay, come on, does she really think I'm going to sleep in Jesus' bed?" Connor laughed, curling up into Jude, the two of them on his bed.

"Nah, she's just gotta say it," Jude replied.

"Good, 'cause I'm not moving from this spot," Connor yawned, his head laying on Jude's shoulder and his arms around Jude's chest.

"I wasn't going to let you," Jude quipped, putting his arm around Connor and squeezing him tightly, using his other arm to pull the blankets up over them.

"Night Con, I love you."

"Night Jude, I love you too."