Chapter Text
“So what are you going to do now?” Connor asked his sister.
“I guess I’m going to have to deal with all of the messy things that come with cancelling the wedding a day before it’s supposed to happen.” Zoe said, wiping her eyes.
“Ah, right…” Connor winced. “Good luck with that then.”
“Good luck with Evan. Not that you need it.” Zoe winked.
“And you’re absolutely sure you’re okay with this?”
“For the last time, yes!” Zoe reassured, laughing.
“Okay then…” Connor trailed off, “You wouldn’t happen to know where he went did you?”
“Nope. I yelled at him to get out and… he did.”
“He probably spent the night at a hotel. Even though I know he hates doing that.” Connor pulled out his phone to check the time. It was still pretty early in the morning, but Connor knew Evan would already be up and out of the hotel by this hour. “I think I may know where he is now.”
Connor drove down the all too familiar road, trying to think of what exactly he was going to say when he saw Evan. “Hey, you totally pulled an asshole move there with Zoe, my dear beloved sister who you were engaged to a day ago, but do you wanna go out?” Ugh. Guess he’ll just have to wing it.
Connor pulled up to the Autumn Smile apple orchard with no plan at all. He swiftly climbed the fence, the way he’s done so many times before and hopped down on the other side. The trees waved softly in the wind and it was just as beautiful as it’s always been.
Connor headed toward the yellow field and searched for the tallest tree. That was his and Evan’s unofficial spot. They always ended up there whenever they came back here. That’s where he knew he’d find Evan
And as it turned out, his suspicions were correct. There, up on the highest branches of the tree, was Evan Hansen. Without saying a word, Connor started climbing up to him. Connor doesn’t think he’s ever been so nervous while being here in their special spot. It’s always been a safe place, and to be honest it did calm his nerves a bit, but he still had no clue what was going to happen once he got to the top.
When he got close enough to Evan, Connor cleared his throat, startling Evan, who hadn’t noticed him coming up. “C-Connor! What are you doing here?”
“I, um, I came to see you. Are you doing okay?” Connor thought to ask, genuinely wondering how Evan was feeling in all of this.
“Well, uh, considering I just probably screwed up my whole life, I’m feeling pretty okay.”
“You didn’t screw up, Evan.” Connor told him, and then paused to think, “Well, maybe you did a little but, if you really felt you didn’t love her enough, then it was the best thing to do for both of you.”
“Yeah, I guess… “ Evan trailed off, glancing around wildly, eyes everywhere but Connor, “Um, so d-do you know, uh, about… about why, uh, the r-reason why I-”
“Do I know you’re in love with me? Totally.” Connor took great satisfaction in the way Evan turned bright red.
“I'm so sorry, I’m sure I can get over you, this must be so weird for you to be liked by someone like me I mean whowouldwanttobelikedbymehaha.” Evan rambled, words getting faster and faster until they all ended up in one jumbled mess.
“Woah, Evan. Who said I didn’t like you liking me? Connor cut Evan off.
“Uh, what?”
“I’m happy you like me.”
“You… are?” Evan asked, breathless.
“It means I don’t have to sit through a boring wedding.” Connor shrugged, trying to play nonchalant.”
“Oh.” Evan’s face fell.
“Yeah, it would have been so terrible to watch the man I love get married to someone else, glad that didn’t happen.” Connor said, trying not to grin as he watch Evan’s face out of the corner of his eye.
“W-wait.” Evan took a second to process. “Th- the man you love is me right?”
“Yes, you idiot.” Connor finally let loose his smile. “I’d probably kiss you right now if you weren't all the way up there.”
“W-well, why don’t you come up here and kiss me then?”
Connor’s eyes widened. He certainly was not expecting that from Evan. Despite the slight stutter, it was a very bold thing to say. That being said, Connor couldn’t resist to take up that offer.
He almost fell like 10 times—even though he’s pretty much an expert in climbing this tree by now—but he got up to where Evan was perched on his branch. “Hey,” He breathed.
“Hi,” Evan gazed at the boy in front of him, obviously nervous.
Connor decided to bite the bullet (maybe not the best metaphor for these two) and just kiss him. Connor leaned in so fast, however, that he just ended up head bumping with Evan with a painful thud. They both laughed awkwardly before Connor cupped Evan’s face and tried again, slower.
Connor was instantly reminded of the one other time he kissed Evan Hansen. It was exactly how he remembered it yet nothing like it at all. That kiss was never meant to happen—it just happened—this kiss was on purpose. This kiss wasn’t a heat of the moment thing, it was slow and a bit tentative and with the knowledge that they loved each other.
Connor still can’t believe it, though. Even with Evan right here, mouth moving against Connor’s, he still was expecting to wake up any minute and it all be a dream. But, when he pulled back, Evan was still there, looking at Connor as if he hung the moon.
But then, Evan’s face changed. He looked panicked. “What about Zoe? She’s your sister, and this would totally be a betrayal of your part, dating your sister’s ex, you can’t do that to her, I can’t let you do that! I mean-”
A part of Connor wanted to joke about how they just kissed but the first thing on Evan’s mind was still Zoe, but he knew now was not the time. “She’s fine with it.”
“What?” Evan stopped dead in his tracks.
“She said she’s fine with us dating. She encouraged it, actually.”
“But…”
“She… she still loves you, which is why she wants you to be happy, even if it’s not with her. Now, she’s not going to be totally okay for a while, but she will be eventually.”
Evan let out the breath he was holding. “Okay. I just, wish this didn’t happen this way. Ugh she must be really mad about having to cancel the wedding at the very last minute.”” Evan buried his face in Connor’s jacket.
“Yeah, a bit…” Connor said, but he was thinking about other things. If things really had happened another way. Maybe they could have figured this out sooner and things wouldn’t be as messy as they are now. He was thinking about a lot of ‘what ifs.’ Like, what if instead of pretending the kiss never happened, Evan had chosen to be with Connor instead of staying with Zoe. But, that didn’t happen. Connor had Evan now, and that’s all that matters.
“So when do you think you really fell in love with me?” Connor ended up asking after the two made their way back down to the ground.
“Oh. Well, it’s sort of hard to pinpoint, especially since I only realized this a few days ago, but… I’d have to say it was that one day I came to your house to see you fighting with Zoe and um, afterwards you took me here and told me what had happened between you two. You gave me your hoodie because I was cold and we just held each other.” Connor remembered that day, “I think that’s when I fell for you.” Evan had on a shy grin. “Um, what about you? When did you realize that you, uh, loved me?”
“I first realized that night we went camping together for the first time and we were laying down and looking at the stars, which sounds cheesy as all hell, but yeah. Um, as for when I first actually fell in love with you? Okay, this is going to sound even cheesier than before, but I think I’ve loved you from the moment we met.”
Evan looked stunned. Connor could see why. Not only did Connor have these feelings since the beginning, he also knew they were there for a really long time.
“Well, not literally the first moment we met, but when I first took you here.” Connor eyes roamed over the familiar sight of the apple orchard. “I still consider that day the best day of my life.”
When Connor looked back at Evan, he didn’t expect to see the tree-loving boy crying. But before Connor could ask if he said something wrong, Evan pulled Connor down into a kiss. “That is literally the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.” Evan whispered onto Connor’s lips.
They kissed for a little while longer, Connor thanking his lucky stars that he’s able to just kiss Evan now, before heading back to Connor’s. Connor watched as Evan immediately went for the couch and flopped down on it dramatically.
“Things are going to be so weird now.” Evan sighed. “So many things have changed in such a short amount of time.”
“Yeah,” Connor sat down on the chair adjacent to the couch.
“I’m gonna have to go back and face Zoe eventually. I’ll probably have to move out too.” Evan groaned, “I don’t want to have to find another place to live it’s so stressful!”
“Why don’t you just stay with me?”
Evan lifted his head off the couch to look at his boyfriend. “We just got into a relationship, isn’t that a big step?”
“Technically, but we’ve been best friends since high school and we already know what it’s like to live together since we shared a dorm in college.” Connor pointed out.
“I guess…” Evan trailed off. “Okay, but if this has any negative effects on our new relationship, I’m finding my own place.”
“Deal.”
So, once Evan was brave enough, he finally showed up back at what was once his home with Zoe. They had a long and hard conversation that ended with both of them in tears, but they were sure everything would be fine between them again eventually. Evan was glad about this, since he really wouldn’t be the same without her. He took all of his stuff and moved in with Connor like they had planned.
Fortunately, this didn’t cause a negative impact on their relationship like Evan had been expecting. It was actually rather nice to wake up every day to Connor’s face on the pillow next to him. It was just like in college, but with less stress from classes and more kissing and cuddles, which was a lot better.
Evan was happy and Connor was too. Connor relished waking up and kissing Evan on his nose every morning, just because. Connor never thought he’d ever have this and then he did. Connor didn’t think he’d ever get over the fact that Evan loved him back. All in all, despite all the hopeless pining he did, Connor truly is glad that he didn’t give up.
He’s so glad that he never got over Evan Hansen.