Title: Innocent Victim
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Zeke Barnes/Jordan Hester
Fandom: Person of Interest/A Gifted Man
Rating: PG-13
Table: 1drabble
Prompt: 34, Innocence
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Zeke Barnes or Jordan Hester, fortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Jordan smiled at his reflection in the mirror, feeling buoyant.

He was actually going out on a date with Zeke. It didn't seem possible that he'd met someone who was interested in him.

Jordan felt more nervous than he ever had before as he looked at himself in the mirror, brushing a hand through his dark hair. Did he look all right? Did he look strained? Was his nervousness showing through?

He hoped not; he didn't want Zeke to think that he was going to be nervous and jumpy whenever they went out.

There he was, thinking about the future again as though it was a done deal. This might end up being their only date; after one time, Zeke might decide that they weren't suited for each other and he didn't want them to go out again.

That would hurt horribly, Jordan thought, wincing.

He hoped it wouldn't happen, but he had to steel himself for the worst. He wasn't much of a date these days, that was for sure.

Ever since he'd had his identity stolen, life had seemed to deal him one blow after the other. He hadn't been able to get a decent job when he'd been fired from his consulting position, and working as a barback barely paid.

But at least he was surviving, and he wasn't in jail. He still worried that he might end up there, unless he could find the identity thief.

He wanted more than anything to prove his innocence, to show the world that he wasn't the horrible person everyone seemed to assume he was.

He'd have to explain what had happened to Zeke, at some point. If he kept seeing this man -- and he most definitely wanted to do that -- then he would need to let Zeke know all that had happened to him. He would be completely honest.

Maybe Zeke would know someone who could help him. Maybe together, they'd be able to prove his innocence and get his identity restored.

And then he could stop feeling like a shadow in his own life.

He was the injured party. He was the innocent victim, and he would prove that. The problem was that he didn't know where to start.

Zeke might have some ideas, once he knew what the situation was. Jordan hoped so, and he hoped that Zeke would be willing to help him and not turn away because of what had happened to him.

He didn't think Zeke was that kind of person. He trusted the other man, and he was more than willing to put his future in Zeke's hands.

Taking a deep breath, he turned towards the door, ready to go out and meet Zeke. This was going to be an interesting evening for both of them.

There would be revelations, and hopefully, decisions as well.

***