#judah devoe

A himbo: Judah

A mean bisexual: Zeke

An even meaner lesbian: Melody

An astrology bitch who has everyone’s birth chart memorized: Blaire

She/theys: Hot Stuff

He/theys: Pierce

A token straight that’s on thin ice: Jace/Noah

“Hey you. Look up.” *kiss noises* “All is forgiven.”

What can I say I’ve been in love with Judah DeVoe since his first video dropped

He is best boy and I will not take criticism on that opinion

His most recent video smacked me in the face with the desire to draw it so here it is

I am desperate to go back to the beach, don’t judge me.

—

“Hey!” Judah said, grabbing my arm from behind. I turned with a smile.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“So, remember how we promised to go back to the coast after graduating?”

For a few days or for good, I’d said on our date. “Yeah,” I replied.

“Well, my mom and I were talking last night, and we decided to go back over Spring Break. And... I was kinda wondering if you wanted to come with us. My mom loves you and I know my dad will like you too. Mom said it’s okay, if you’re worried about that.”

“I’d love to! I’ll have to ask my parents if it’s okay for me to take off but I’m dying to go to the beach.” And I’d go anywhere as long as I can be there with you, I added silently.

Judah beamed. “Sweet!” He gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Text me with what your parents say.”

“Will do.” I kissed his jaw—the highest point I could reach on my tiptoes—and smiled.

He chuckled and rushed off for his next class.

“You’re a goner for him, aren’t you?” Claire asked, strolling over casually.

“That a bad thing?”

“No. Just didn’t know your type was himbo jocks.”

I snorted. “My type is sweethearts who are kind. Doesn’t matter if they’re jocks or nerds or goths or whatever. He’s considerate and respectful. What’s not to like?”

“I don’t think he’s smart enough for you.”

I rolled my eyes. “You sound like my mother. And Judah’s smarter than you think. Just because he doesn’t show off his intelligence doesn’t mean he’s an idiot. He’s in Honors Chem and Calc Three. I may be in Honors Chem too but Calc? Nuh-uh. I’m fine staying in College Algebra.” I sighed. “Look, Claire, the long and short of it is he’s my boyfriend and I do really love him. And nothing you or my mom will say is going to change that.”

“I’m not trying to. I’m just still surprised you’re as... enamored as you are.” She picked at her nails. “With a jock,” she added.

I snorted. “C’mon. We gotta get to History.”

—

The car ride from Westhaven to the coast was going to take a while. As such, I’d brought plenty to do. A few books, a sketch pad, a normal notebook, some old car games from childhood road trips—and music. Lots and lots of music.

Judah and his mom talked fondly of going home to each other. Seeing her parents again, hopefully getting a visit from Judah’s dad. Judah seemed particularly excited at the prospect of that. He really wanted to introduce me. I could tell he got most of his personality from his mom, but his looks must have been those of his father. His mom was a graceful, willowy blonde woman, and Judah was a muscular black-haired tank.

“Have I told you that Mom used to work as a lifeguard on the beach?” Judah asked me, jarring me out of my thoughts.

“Uh... I don’t think so,” I said.

Ms. DeVoe chuckled. “That’s how I met his father. Powerful swimmer. Kind man. Very mysterious.” She gave me a cheeky grin in the rear view mirror. Judah definitely got his goofball nature from her. “It wasn’t much more than a summer fling. But... I got my boy out of it. If I could go back and do it all over again, there’s nothing I would change.” She gave Judah an expression full of a mother’s love and ruffled his hair where it was poking out from the gap in his backwards ball cap.

“Mooom,” he complained quietly. “Stop embarrassing me.”

I smiled. “I think it’s sweet,” I said, leaning forward from my place in the backseat of the sedan. Judah looked back at me as I set my hand on his arm. “My family gets along fairly well, but nothing like this.”

“Probably easier just ‘cause there’s only two of us.” Judah said, nodding between his mom and himself.

“Maybe,” I agreed.

Judah burrowed down into his seat, pulling his cap down over his eyes. “I’m gonna take a nap. Wake me up in a couple of hours.”

Ms. DeVoe and I exchanged a look. “Okay,” I said. His mom smiled.

—

Judah had fallen asleep on the beach, one arm flung over his eyes, wet hair sticking out at all angles. His mom was standing a ways away, staring out to the horizon. The rushing sound of the waves was soothing, but I was just as playful as he was, so it was no time to take a nap.

Instead, I started burying Judah in the sand, snickering to myself the whole time.

When I had his legs and feet entirely covered under three inches of sand, I heard Ms. DeVoe gasp. “Kel!” she exclaimed.

Judah woke and sat up abruptly, our foreheads smacking together. We both hissed in pain. “Dad,” he said softly.

I turned as he started worming out of the sand.

Standing before Ms. DeVoe was a man. Built just like Judah. His long hair was mostly black, with a shock of blue on the top of his scalp and fading to that same blue at the ends, bound back into a ponytail. His facial hair did something similar. Even from my distance, I could see the electric blue of his eyes. He was in a pair of black swim trunks, and absolutely covered in blue markings. Too clear and crisp to be tattoos. Just like...

Just like the mark on Judah’s back.

I helped dig Judah out of the sand and pulled him to his feet. He wrapped an arm around my waist and guided me over to his parents. Ms. DeVoe looked at the newcomer, her former lover, with wistful nostalgia. “Hey Dad,” he greeted with a smile.

The man smiled back. “Hello, Judah,” he said. His eyes turned to me. They burned with something otherworldly—and I wondered for a moment whether he was all he seemed. “And who is this?”

“This gorgeous thing is the one I’m dating,” Judah said, tightening his arm around my waist.

I stuck my hand out and told him my name.

Surprisingly, he shook my hand. “A pleasure to meet you. My name is Kel.”

“Pleasure’s mine, Kel. Judah’s told me a bit about you.”

Kel’s eyes slid to his son. “Nothing too bad I hope,” he said.

I laughed. “Only the good stuff,” I promised.

Judah pointed at me with his other hand and whispered. “Really good swimmer.”

Kel smiled, but I could tell it was a little forced. “Well, then, I can see you chose your partner wisely.”

Judah chuckled. “Thanks. I was actually really hoping I’d get to introduce the two of you. Thanks for coming.”

“Well, I haven’t seen either of you in ages. I wanted to check up on you.” Kel looked between Judah and Ms. DeVoe. “Do you mind if I have a word with your mother alone, Judah?”

“Not at all.” He tugged me back toward where he’d been sleeping in the sand.

“Where did he come from?” I whispered, looking around. “No tracks in the sand, no other cars, no one else is here but us.”

Judah shrugged. “He just has a way of appearing, I guess.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Judah, that’s not an answer. What aren’t you telling me?”

“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me. It’s best for you not to know.”

“So if I ask what’s with all the tattoos that totally are not tattoos, you won’t tell me that either?”

“I probably could, but I have no idea how to explain them.”

I sighed and leaned against his side. “Don’t you trust me?” I asked.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, babydoll,” he replied. “For one thing, I don’t want to put you at risk in any way. I doubt telling you would, but I love you too much to take that chance. For another thing, I’m terrified that you’ll leave me because you’ll think this whole thing is crazy.”

I wrapped my arms around him and held him close. “I’m not going anywhere. Just... just tell me. Please? I hate being the only person here who doesn’t know what’s going on.”

Judah sighed and looked down the beach at where Kel and Ms. DeVoe were talking. Occasionally Kel glanced over at me and Judah.

“Promise you won’t think I’m crazy?”

“Promise.”

“Well... my dad is... hmph. The proper term is a Divine. But the easiest way to say it is he’s basically a sea god.”

“Like Poseidon?”

“Yeah. Like Poseidon. Except real.”

“And the markings that are definitely not tattoos?”

“They’re called Divine Invocations. They’re how his powers work.”

“And you have one.”

“Yep.”

“So... you have a power?”

“Uh... yeah, I guess so.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a surprise,” Judah said with a smile. “You’re taking this well.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m a little startled. But I’m grateful that you’re trusting me with this.” I kissed his arm, since it was the easiest to reach. 

He planted a hand on my head and chuckled. “Thanks for not thinking I’m crazy.”

“Well, it actually explains a lot, so I’m willing to put up with the existence of divine beings or whatever.”

He bent down and kissed my cheek. “Thanks, babydoll.”

—

Kel looked away from Judah kissing his partner and turned his attention to Judah’s mother. “Is he... happy?”

She smiled. “The happiest I’ve ever seen him.”

“Well... that’s good.”

“Kel.” She set her hand on his arm. “He’s growing up. It’s just something we both have to accept and understand. He’s still my baby boy but he’s... he’s a proper young man now. He’s smart and strong and I trust him to make good decisions. I know it’s hard to see him... pulling away from us, even a little, but it had to happen sometime. He’s in love. And I think that’s great.”

“Yeah,” Kel said, eyes going down to the water lapping at their ankles. “I just... I feel like I missed a lot, while he’s been at school.”

“Don’t worry. Those two are planning to move back here after they graduate.”

Kel wasn’t sure if his relief showed on his face, but he suspected it was.

“Go talk to them, Kel. Meet his cute partner. You really will like the two of them together. They’re a cute little couple.”

—

“Your dad’s coming over here,” I muttered to Judah. He swore under his breath and tried to make our stance together a little less intimate. Ms. DeVoe hung back, looking out to the horizon with her sundress flapping frantically in the ocean winds.

“So,” Kel began, “how did you two meet?”

“Well,” I said, “the short version is he saved me from some bullies at school.”

“The long version involves cramming both of us into a small locker to avoid them when I was fresh out of the pool,” Judah added with a smile. Kel smiled as well, but again I thought it might have been a bit forced. Telling me his dad was essentially a god made that blaze in the man’s eyes make a lot more sense. There was incredible power in his gaze. “Not the most pleasant experience.”

I chuckled. “You should have seen the front of my shirt. Absolutely soaked. Thankfully I had a jacket that I wasn’t wearing so I could zip it up and not look like I’d fallen on my face on the pool deck.”

Judah laughed. “Yeah... it was kinda awkward.”

“But it was a blessing in disguise too. Because I got to meet this goofball,” I said, nudging Judah with my elbow.

“Yep!” Judah squeezed my shoulders tightly. “And I wouldn’t trade it for the world!”

(Honestly I find it funny to imagine Nix as a gossipy busybody on top of everything else when it comes to his brothers’ progeny so... yeah) (Also I used OCs for this instead of keeping it general because I had a very specific Narrative Style™ I wanted to use and it fit better)

—

“Keeeeeeel!” Nix’s voice shouted as the Divine of Love swung into Kel’s study in his palace. Kel looked up from the book on his desk. “I got some tea to spill!”

“What?”

“I got some hot goss to dish!”

“I speak every language in Creation and I have no idea what you’re saying. Speak like a normal person for five minutes.”

Nix sighed dramatically. “Fine. I have some news to share.”

“You could have led with that.”

“Not as fun. Anyway.” Nix flopped into the other chair in the room. “I felt a little twinge in the family earlier, and look what I’ve found. Your son is in love.”

Kel looked up from where his gaze had drifted back to his book. “What?”

Nix raised a hand and waved it in a circle. A small orb materialized in the air, like a small TV screen displaying events from another place. “Well, maybe not in love yet. But intense infatuation,” Nix said.

Kel leaned closer to the orb.

Inside, the image of his son was familiar. Judah was built like Kel—tall, muscular, brawny. Like all the Divines. Black hair and bright blue eyes. He was standing on the dark deck of a pool in swim trunks, shirt cast to the side, invocation on his back displayed. And standing next to him...

A girl. She had a single light brown braid between her shoulder blades and was wearing an electric blue one-piece bathing suit. She had a bright smile and dark eyes. Nearly a foot shorter than Judah, he seemed so much larger than her.

Kel watched her squeal with laughter as Judah grabbed her around the waist and hurled them both into the pool. When he let her go, she splashed him. He splashed back. They chased each other around the shallow end of the pool, laughing and splashing. Despite being up against the son of the Divine of Water, the girl was managing to hold her own as a swimmer against Judah.

“This was about fifteen minutes ago,” Nix informed his brother. “Like I said: intense infatuation.”

Kel blinked several times. He had no idea what to say.

Nix noticed his brother’s speechlessness. “Well. I’ll leave you alone to process this. See you at their wedding.” He winked and strolled back out of the study. The orb remained behind. Kel reached out and brought it closer to him.

Ever since Judah had gone to Westhaven for school, Kel hadn’t been able to check on him. Had it even been a year since he’d left the coast? Had it been more? How had Kel missed so much already? His son... infatuated with a girl. And, given the way she looked at Judah when he was turned away in embarrassment, Kel could tell she was infatuated with him too. He watched her leap at him, trying and failing to tackle him into the water. She ended up with her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, clinging like a soaked, stubborn octopus. They were both laughing.

Kel set the orb to float over his desk. “Oh, Judah...” He sighed.

—

“Ah, man,” Judah said. “I wish you could meet my dad. He’d like you. Since you’re such a good swimmer.”

Vivian laughed. “Well, maybe one day,” she said. “When we’re all graduated. Maybe I can come to the coast and visit you.”

Judah perked up. “Yeah! That’d be sweet!”

Vivian smiled and relaxed, floating on her back on the surface. “Oh man, it’d be great to visit the coast sometime soon. I haven’t seen a beach since I was, like, ten or eleven. I miss it.” She sighed. “I never get used to the salt water and it always burns my throat, but there’s just something about the sea.” She sat up and let her feet drift down to touch the bottom of the pool. “And you’re probably the only person I’ve ever talked to who actually understands what I mean by that.”

Judah’s gaze was glazed. “Yeah,” he said. “You’re the first person who’s ever expressed that to me too.”

Vivian hopped over to him, standing close. “When we graduate, let’s go to the coast. You and me. Maybe just for a few days, maybe for good. Deal?” She stuck a hand out.

Judah blinked hard, the glaze vanishing. “Deal!” He scooped her up into a hug, dragging her out of the water.

“Judah! It’s cold!” she complained. “Put me down!”

He laughed, throaty and full-bodied, and let her go. She unceremoniously splashed back into the water, dunking under. She stayed under for a few seconds, using the bubbles from her splash to hide her lashing her hands out, grabbing Judah’s ankles, and pulling.

She must have caught him off guard because he lost his footing and plunged in.

Vivian’s head broke the surface long enough for her to take a deep breath before Judah grabbed her around the middle and dragged her under. She didn’t scream, given she was expecting it.

She wasn’t expecting the underwater kiss, though.

Not that she was complaining.

It tasted like chlorine, but his hands were strong and his lips were soft.

They drifted to the top and broke apart as their heads breached the surface. Judah chuckled awkwardly. “I’m... sorry. I probably shouldn’t have done that,” he said.

Vivian just kissed his cheek. “It’s okay. I enjoyed it.”

He laughed, tilted his head, and kissed her again. “Me too.”

—

“Since when are you and Judah DeVoe a thing, Viv?” Claire demanded.

“What? How—who—?” Vivian hissed.

“Everyone’s been talking about it. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because we’re—” Vivian cut herself off. Yeah, they’d kissed in the pool last night—but they hadn’t discussed whether they were officially together or exclusive or anything.

Though Vivian knew if Judah asked anyone else out, she’d feel wildly jealous.

“We’re not official,” she finally said. “So the rumors need to die. We’ve gone on, like, two dates.”

“There is a ‘but’ in that tone if I’ve ever heard one.”

“But I’d like it if he and I were official. I mean, I told you about how he saved me from Jace and Noah a couple weeks ago. And... I think we just get each other, y’know? Like, I told him about the way I feel about the ocean and he knew what I meant. No one else ever has.” She picked at her nails. “There’s just something there, I guess.”

“Sooo... go talk to him about it!” Claire teased.

Vivian rolled her eyes. “Maybe I will after class.”

“C’mon, Viv. We’ve got like 10 minutes before classes start. Go find him.”

“I have no idea where he’d be this time of day. I’ve never seen him in the hallways before school. Just during and after.”

Claire leveled a sarcastic stare at Vivian. “It’s Judah DeVoe. Where do you think he is?”

“I know people around here seem to fall into stereotypes, but that doesn’t mean they always adhere to them. Like, going to the pool or the locker room doesn’t mean he’ll be there. He could be talking to Mr. Glass about our English papers, or seeing Mr. Graves about Chem, or heaven forbid he actually talk to some friends—”

“Vivian. Just go look. We’ve got time. I’ll go with you and peel off when we find him. I’ll even make it look normal and natural.” Claire winked playfully.

“Fine. We can go look. But if he’s not there, you leave it alone until after classes are over.”

“Deal.”

Vivian rolled her eyes and grabbed Claire’s bag strap. “Let’s go,” she muttered.

Claire caught up and they strolled through the academy’s hallways toward the pool, trying to look more casual. Vivian took care to notice people glancing at her more than usual. The way students always looked at classmates when rumors were being passed about them. Didn’t matter if the rumors were as benign as a new couple getting together or as sinister as causing an accident that hurt another classmate. They always stared.

“Vivian!” a voice called from behind them. She stopped and turned.

There was Judah, waving.

Claire set her hand on Vivian’s shoulder. “I’ll see you in History,” she said, slipping into the crowds and disappearing. One thing Claire could always do was vanish among people.

Vivian and Judah made their way towards each other.

When they reached one another, Judah gently took her arm and pulled her to the side of the hallway, out of the way but not necessarily more private.

They spoke at the same time.

“Listen, Vivian—”

“Judah, I—”

They both stopped. “You go first,” Judah said.

“No, no. Please, you go ahead,” Vivian replied. “I insist.”

“Uh, okay.” He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. “Listen, Vivian, I’m not super good at this kind of thing, but, uh, I... I really like you. And I don’t know who found out about...” he cleared his throat “about what happened last night... but I don’t want the rumors running around today to, like, scare you off. I-if you don’t want that from—from me—from us—I totally get that, but, I don’t want to, like, never speak to you again—”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Vivian interrupted. “I came to find you this morning, actually, because I wanted to talk to you about the rumors too. We—we didn’t talk about it, really. Last night. Whether... what happened made us official or not. And, if you’re willing... I’d... I’d like to be. I really like you too, Judah. A lot.”

His eyes widened. “Really?”

Vivian nodded eagerly. “Mmhmm.”

Judah barked a laugh and scooped her into his arms. She managed not to scream but she still yelped. He spun her around in a circle. “This is great! So, I get to call you my girlfriend now, right?”

“Only if I get to call you my boyfriend.”

He kissed her, still holding her in the air with her legs dangling almost a foot off the ground. “This is the best day ever,” he said softly.

Vivian giggled. “Agreed.”

—

Zeke glanced at Roxanne and Cam. “Judah DeVoe and Vivian McCloud is not a pairing I ever would have expected around here,” he remarked. Roxanne squeezed his hand.