Jude gapes.

And by ‘gape’, I mean: mouth wide open, eyes big, not breathing, internally flailing.

He is abso-fucking-lutely freaking out. They’re in the last 30 seconds of the last game of the season and he (and the crowd) are biting their fingernails down to the nub at this point. Zero has just scored a three pointer and it’s put the Devils neck and neck with the Warriors. They’ve just called a time-out and the whole crowd is murmuring excitedly. The room is just filled with so much suspense that Jude isn’t exactly sure what to do. 

He takes a look at Jelena, who is trying not to send too many nervous glances over at Terrance, then he looks at Terrance, who is trying not to look like he’s in pain. Then he sees the girl who comes to the coffee shop 15 minutes after they’ve closed every Thursday, she trips over someone’s shoe on the way to her seat and Jude does not feel bad for laughing. His eyes finally land on Zero and he’s got his game face on as he meets with his other teammates in the huddle. A smile pulls Jude’s lips upward as he kind of gets lost in the way that that Versace model stands. The way Zero makes exhaustion look that attractive is kind of infuriating to say the least. He’s got his sweaty arms crossed over his just as sweaty chest in a jersey that’s got to be uncomfortable at this point. His hair is all wet and tousled and it reminds him of the time when they... well...

Jude tries to break himself out of his inner adoration of the perfection that is Zero before he gives himself a boner in the middle of his crowd. He refocuses his eyes in enough time to see the huddle break, Zero finds Jude in the crowd and his game face is on, so he doesn’t really smile, but the wink he sends is even better.

Both teams assume their positions and Jude shifts his eyes over to the referee, who lifts the whistle to his lips, Jude’s heart takes off 90 miles an hour as soon as he cheeks puff up to blow. The Warriors have the ball and they move fast, so quickly that Terrance gets tripped up and he hits the floor. Which, would be a good thing except he wasn’t ready for Zero to come out of nowhere and clip the ball from him. 

20 seconds on the clock. The audience cheers at Zero’s steal.

Terrance is back up, he moves across the court. Zero passes to Derek, who takes the shot and misses. Warriors rebound, but Terrance doesn’t let him get far, intercepting the pass and passing to Derek.

6 seconds!

Derek shoots for the three and the crowd gasps, but it bounces off the rim.

3 seconds! Everyone’s face sinks.

Until they see Zero, who leaps, grabs the falling ball by the very tips of his fingers and slams it into the hole. 

------------------------- L A T E R...

“Winning tonight’s game does not make this any less illegal. I cannot believe I let you talk me into this.” Jude frowns, looking around at the empty court.

Zero just laughs, moving off court to the ball rack to grab one. He dribbles it a couple of times and passes it to Jude. “You’re up first.” He challenges.

“Excuse me? You think I’m stupid enough to play any game that involves basketball with you?” Jude turns on his heel and shoots the ball from the three point line, he has no type of form whatsoever, but he makes it in anyway. Zero, who looks slightly impressed, goes to get the ball and then takes off his shoes. “What are you doing?”

Zero gives him a look. “I didn’t bring you here for a regular game of basketball, Jude. I’m trying to get you naked.”

“How subtle.”

Zero laughs again and takes his shot, of course he makes it. So Jude removes his shoes. His next shot makes it in and Zero is taking off his socks. “Two for two, look at you. I think you might have to come to tryouts next season.” Zero misses his next shot and Jude fights the urge to throw it in his face--and he would, but the next item that comes off when Jude makes his shot is his shirt. And if you’ve seen Jude look at Zero minus a shirt, you know his brain isn’t working anymore.

Jude misses his next shot. “You manipulative asshole. You missed on purpose because you knew I’d make my shot so you could take off your shirt because you knew it’d distract me. I demand another shot.”

Shaking his head with a grin, Zero passes Jude the ball. “Sure.” Jude looks at the net and shoots the ball, only for Zero to jump up and intercept it. Jude narrows his eyes as Zero walks over to the three point line. “I said you could have another shot, I didn’t say I’d let you make it.”

“You are the devil.”

Zero just crowds his space with a playful smirk on his features--Jude’s pulse speeds up. “I don’t see anything wrong with that.” Jude swallows at the dryness in his mouth but he doesn’t tear his eyes away from Zero, instead he uses this moment to snatch the ball from him and run up to the net and shoot it. Zero is laughing a little louder now. “Oh, so that’s how you wanna play. I see.” Jude is feeling pretty good about himself, even better when Zero has to take off his pants. He passes the ball to Zero and then all his confidence shrivels up like a raisin. Zero puts on his game face.

“Hey! No! You put that face away. That’s cheating. I will quit and call security I swear to god.”

Zero doesn’t say anything he just starts to back up. “What are you talking about, Jude?”

“Don’t play stupid with me. That’s the expression you have on your face when you’re in the zone. During actual games.” Jude watches as Zero continues until he’s a little past half-court. “Gideon Marshall, I swear on all that is holy if you shoot that ba---”

He shoots.

He makes it.

“Socks, shirt, off.”

Jude grumbles, but he takes them off anyway. He goes to retrieve the ball to make a quick shot and Zero is behind him instantly. “Oh, so you’re guarding me now?” Zero just offers a low chuckle behind him and Jude dribbles the ball a couple of times. He hits Zero with a crossover and turns to shoot the ball, Zero lets the ball hit backboard before he catches it mid air and slam dunks it.

“Pants.” Is all he says.

Now they’re both in their underwear. Zero with a snug pair of bright red Calvin Klein’s, Jude has on his favorite navy pair of boxer-briefs on. Zero runs his tongue across his lips and dribbles the ball a couple of times. “Come for me, Jude.”

Jude obliges. Zero passes him the ball and he’s off to the net, with no preamble. Zero is on his tail, he stops running and pretends to shoot the ball, but Zero doesn’t fall for it. But another idea arises and he just backs closer into Zero’s space until he can feel his bulge pressing against him. Zero reaches around him for the ball, but Jude refuses to let him get it, he stretches his arms as far away from Zero as he can. Zero eventually gives up and drops his arms.

And they land right against Jude’s bare thighs. And Zero is perfectly aware. He drags his fingers along Jude’s skin, raising goosebumps as he does it. His hands slide across Jude’s growing bulge and he feels the heat emanating off of Zero’s body. Jude wants so badly to break his composure, to let go of a moan, but he remains still, his chest heaving. It’s eerily silent for a moment, Jude has no idea what’s gonna happen next, it’s like he can feel Zero contemplating what his next move will be. Jude knows that Zero can’t fight the urge that grows within his stomach, that Zero would just love to lay him out on this waxed floor. But will he do it?

The only sound that can be heard is Zero breathing in his ear. His fingers rest on Jude’s dick that strains against his underwear, begging to be let out the way it throbs but Zero isn’t moving. Red rushes to Jude’s cheeks and now that he’s shirtless, you can see the blush spread across his chest. He opens his mouth to call Zero’s name but Zero seems to move just when the tension gets too thick to bear. He curls his fingers around Jude’s dick and starts stroking him and he repeats his last words in a way that gives them a completely different meaning than last time.