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They had told their parents they were going to study together. What they were originally intending to study he couldn’t quite recall, because they were instead lounging on the Murphys’ couch, watching Parks and Rec and laughing their asses off. Jared was perched on the back of the couch, weaving his hands through the dark curls in front of him to make a braid. Evan was curled up with his head in Connor’s lap, happier than he’d been in ages.
It was peaceful, after the tumult of emotion the beginning of senior had been. There were French (ah, that was what they had been studying) textbooks strewn across the floor, along with crumpled paper and several broken pencils. Jared finished the braid and hummed in disapproval when there was no hair tie on his wrist.
“Connor, do you have a hair tie?”
“Why the fuck didn’t you grab one before you started?”
“I thought I did!”
“You should have checked!”
“Ugh, fine!” Jared let go and allowed the braid to unravel. “Have your lame curls,” he muttered in a surly tone, dropping down next to the taller boy.
Connor rolled his eyes, but he looped an arm around Jared’s shoulders and tugged him into his side.
“I like his hair,” Evan said, looking up at them with a smile. Jared buried his shoulder in Connor’s shoulder and hummed neutrally, his next words coming out muffled.
“Goddammit, I love you guys.”
There was dead silence.
“Uh…” Jared’s head jerked up to see Connor and Evan staring at him. “...Kidding? Obviously, I mean we haven’t been together for even like four months yet and that’s not long
enough to fall in… you know what, nevermind.”
“Jared-”
“Don’t,” he muttered, getting to his feet. “Just forget it. I’m going home.”
“Jared-”
“I said drop it!”
Evan was shocked into silence, sitting straight up and staring as Jared snatched his French textbook from the ground and shoved it in his backpack, muttering darkly under his breath as he stalked toward the door. The other two were jerked out of their stupor as he pulled it open harshly, accidently hitting himself in the nose, causing him to stumble backwards and land on his ass.
“Goddammit!” He shouted. Evan scrambled over to him.
“Oh my god, are you alright what am I s-saying of course you’re not alright sorry i asked that you’re bleeding a-all over the place. That was a stupid question s-sorry but are you going to be ok or are you going to b-break- leave us please don’t leave us Jared I’m sorry if I did something but don’t walk away pleasepleasepleaseIloveyoutoogoddammit-”
“Breathe, baby,” Connor soothed, kneeling next to Evan and rubbing a hand up and down his back. “It’s fine. We’re here. Jared… Jared isn’t leaving?” It came out like a question. Jared pushed himself up on his hands, rolling his eyes.
“I find your lack of faith disturbing.” Evan gave a watery chuckle and swiped at his eyes, still breathing erratically.
“I-is now really the time t-to be quoting Star W-wars?” He swallowed harshly. “S-sorry I freaked I thought I was loosing you but I shouldn’t h-have made it a-all about me, I’m really really sorry are you ok this is about you-”
“Hey.” Jared reached out to pull him close. “This is about all of us, ok? I shouldn’t have done that, of course it seemed like I was leaving. I just wasn’t thinking. I love you.”
“I love you too,” Evan says, his voice muffled in Jared’s chest. Connor sits back on his heels, huffing.
“I feel left out.” Jared rolled his eyes.
“Yeah yeah, I love you too, Hot Topic.”
Connor laughed. “I love you, you little shit.”
“I love you both,” Evan whispers.
“I love you, baby.”
“Love you, Ev.”
It’s not exactly romance central, sitting on the ground tangled together with Jared’s nose bleeding and Evan’s tears drying and Connor’s hair getting in everyone’s face, but that’s ok because it’s them and they wouldn’t change a thing.