"You look cute....Jesus."
☆

Jude squeezes his phone tightly in his hand with excitement. He was going on a lunch date with Milo and he was unashamedly gushing with joy. "How old are you?" Tashen jokes, watching Jude's once sleepy form now have a new lease of life. 

"Too old to be single!" He calls back, heading to his room to get dressed. It isn't long before he is ready and before time, not wanting to be late this time around.

"Where are you meeting him?" Tashen enquires as he fusses over Jojo on his knee, on the sofa, feeding him kibbles one at a time. 

"The book cafe." Jude replies. He keeps looking at his watch, then checking his phone, making Tashen smile.

"Why don't you take a leisurely walk there. You're making me nervous just watching you." 

"Should I? I mean, I don't want to look like I'm over keen." Jude ponders on the idea. Why did each action need such deliberation? 

"Please go before I make Jojo do something unsavoury to you." Tashen insists. Causing Jude to huff in annoyance, but was glad a decision had kind of been made. 

"Ok ok I'm going." Jude gets off the bar stool by the kitchen countertop, taking one last look at his reflection, by the door.

"You're fine!" He can hear Tashen shout from the other room....ok, he really was going. Tashen breathes out a sigh of relief when he finally hears the apartment door close. 

***

Milo finds a table for two inside the book cafe. He is trying hard to juggle a tray with two cappuccinos on and two baguettes whilst having his phone clamped between his ear and shoulder. "Please Hessy. You need to stop this...."

"Look I can't right now. I'm not doing this to him a second time..."

"Please, just...I don't know...order lunch in...use my tab."

As Milo places the tray on the table, he hears the tingle of the cafe's door as it opens, with a very smiley Jude walking through and making a bee line for his table.

"Hester, I'm hanging up." Milo says decisively as he ends the call and shoves the phone in his pocket. He now focuses fully on his lunch date. "Hey...it's nice to see you." Milo smiles and nods slightly, not knowing if he should go for the kiss greeting, considering what happened last time.

Jude on the other hand walks around the table to Milo and decides to place a small peck on his cheek, making Milo smile to himself and subconsciously fingertip the area where Jude had just placed his lips. "Nice to see you again Milo." Jude smiles, taking a seat opposite his date, with Milo sitting down quickly after.

Milo gestures at the food and drink on the table. "I hope you don't mind, I ordered for us both." 

Jude looks at the crusty baguette filled with a ham salad filling and the chocolate sprinkled cappuccino, pushing out his bottom lip in approval. "Not bad Mr Macdonald. You know what I like." 

"I'm pleased Mr Parker." Milo chuckles answering back. They both smile and Jude also laughs. School habits die hard. 

They both take this opportunity of silence to begin to eat their food. "Milo watches how Jude is focused on his meal, how his lips looked so beautiful, even if they were being stuffed with bread. Jude looks up, catching the gaze and slows down his chewing, swallowing down his mouthful of food. "What?...is there something on my face?" He goes to reach for a napkin resting on the table. 

"No." Milo smiles. "Just you look..." 

"I look what?" Jude half laughs as he sits back slightly in his seat. 

"You look cute...Jesus. I'm sorry. I've not dated in a long while." Milo can feel himself getting flustered.

"You're doing fine...and thanks. You don't look too shabby yourself." Jude compliments back, making Milo feel hot in his sweater. He begins to pull at the woollen fabric, trying to get some air within. Jude watches, admiring the colourful stripy rainbow-esque pattern. "I like your sweater by the way." 

Milo now looks down on himself. "Oh this? It's Hester's. I borrowed it..." 

Jude's carefree smile stiffened a little at the knowledge that he was wearing his flatmate's sweater. Sure, he had borrowed Tashen's things before, but something was niggling at Jude that this was not quite the same somehow. 

Milo who was still focused on the garment doesn't see the change in Jude's expression as he carries on talking. "Yeah it's old but I like it and I thought I'd take it and wear it while he wasn't looking." Milo chuckles to himself. 

Jude tries to not feel unreasonably jealous over a silly sweater and swallows down his feelings with a mouthful of coffee, but his mind didn't want to settle. If Hester really was going to plague Jude's thoughts like this, he needed to know what he was dealing with. "So...tell me..." Jude begins to ask before biting another mouthful of bread. "How long have you known Hester?"