Title: Love Is on the Way
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Zeke Barnes/Jordan Hester
Fandom: Person of Interest/A Gifted Man
Rating: PG-13
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.

***

"Would you like to come up for a nightcap?"

Jordan offered the invitation a little hesitantly; he wasn't sure just what he should do, or how Zeke would react. But he felt that he had to ask.

He didn't think that Zeke would take him up on it; he was sure that the other man would shake his head, give him the requisite good-night kiss, and walk away.

But Zeke smiled and nodded, his dark eyes seeming to search Jordan's face, as though he was trying to make sure that the offer was genuine, and that Jordan wasn't just saying it to make a gesture. "Sure, if you're sure it's okay with you. I don't want you to feel like we're rushing things."

Did he want to rush into this? Jordan wasn't sure about that. He liked Zeke more than he had any other man he'd dated; he was sure that the two of them could have something.

Even with his life turned upside down the way it was now, he didn't want to turn Zeke away. He was far too drawn to this man. He already felt a spark between them.

Jordan took a deep breath, throwing caution to the winds.

"I don't feel rushed at all," he said softly, knowing that he was speaking the truth. "If I did, I'd tell you. I'm not ready for anything physical yet, but .... I want us to leave our options open."

"I don't think either of us is ready to take things further than a good-night kiss, at least for tonight," Zeke said with a soft laugh, echoing Jordan's own thoughts. "Don't worry, Jordan. I'm not going to push you for anything that you're not ready to give. I promise you that."

"Good to know," Jordan said softly as he led the way up the stairs to his third-floor apartment. The elevator was, as usual, broken, so they had to walk.

He hated bringing Zeke to a place like this, but he had little choice.

"This doesn't seem like the kind of place a guy like you would be living in," Zeke told him, a slight frown between his brows. "Would I be wrong in thinking that you've fallen on hard times?"

"Something like that," Jordan murmured as he unlocked the door of his small apartment and let Zeke enter first. He had gone out of his way to clean up, and the place was immaculate. It might be small, but it was neat and tidy, and in some ways, he was proud of it.

It was a very modest accommodation, with a living room, bedroom, a small bathroom, and a tiny kitchenette. But he kept it looking good, and the furniture was comfortable.

What did it matter if all of that furniture came from Goodwill, and nothing matched? It was cozy, and it felt like home. That was the important thing.

At least, that was what he tried to tell himself. It was still hard to believe that he was dealing with something like having his identity stolen; the reality of it was still sinking in. How was he going to tell Zeke about it, when he wasn't sure that he fully understood all of the ramifications himself?

Zeke sat down on the small couch, stretching his long legs out in front of him. "I like your place," he said softly, looking around. "It's small, but it feels warm and friendly."

Those words made Jordan smile, easing some of his nervousness.

"I have scotch, if you'd like that, or brandy," Jordan offered, a little flustered at Zeke's easy acceptance of his home. He didn't really know what to say, or what to do next.

"Jordan." Zeke's voice was soft and calm as he gestured to the easy chair by the couch. "Sit down and relax. Nothing's going to happen that you aren't prepared for. I can assure you of that. So let's just sit here and talk, okay? We got to know each other over dinner. Now let's dig a little deeper."

Jordan sat down slowly, a little reluctantly, then got up again. "Let me get you a drink. Then we can talk and relax all we want, okay?" He went to the kitchen, quickly making them each a brandy.

He sat down again once he'd handed Zeke's glass to him.

There was so much to talk about, and he didn't know where to begin. Zeke was regarding him with a slight smile; his next words were very soft, almost a whisper.

"So tell me what happened, and why you're living in a place like this instead of the kind of place I know you belong in," he said, raising his glass to his lips and taking a sip.

"My identity was stolen." There. It was out. The words had been said, and Zeke wasn't looking at him like he was some kind of idiot. No, the look that Zeke was giving him was curious, but also full of compassion. It was the look of a man who wasn't going to look down on him, or run away.

That look made Jordan's heart sing. It told him that he was right to let his heart move towards this man -- and that love was on the way for the two of them.

"Then we have to see what we can do to figure out who took it, and how to get it back," Zeke told him, leaning forward. "Tell me more about how this happened."

Jordan leaned forward at the same time, moving closer to the other man.

Their lips were only inches apart; he could feel Zeke's warm breath on his skin. He knew that the two of them were going to share a kiss; he could feel them moving towards each other.

When their lips met, the kiss began sweetly, gently, then blossomed into something more. Jordan could taste the brandy on Zeke's lips; he wanted this kiss to never end, to go on forever, to last indefinitely. Of course, that couldn't be, but he liked to think that there would be more in the future.

Oh yes, love was on the way for the two of them. He could feel it, not only in that kiss, but in the emotions that were growing within his heart.

He could very easily fall in love with this man.

Maybe it was already happening. It was a start, just a beginning, but Jordan knew that his heart was opening to Zeke, that it was only a matter of time before he would fall.

And he was perfectly all right with that, he thought as he moved closer to the other man. If love was on the way, then he was going to let himself go, and enjoy the ride for as long as it lasted.

***