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Evan smiles as he looks up at the sky from where he's laying on the grass, and then stretches out as if he were about to make a snow angel. Thankfully, as if some higher power had blessed him, the sun isn't in his eyes as he continues to watch the clouds rolling by.
Nearby, a figure stands dressed in blacks and greys, their face covered by their dark hair. They flash a small smile at Evan before walking over.
Evan closes his eyes just as the figure approaches, instantly recognizing the other boy.
Connor Murphy hangs over his boyfriend, blocking the light from hitting Evan's face as he lays in the grass of his yard. "Having fun, Ev?"
Evan giggles as he cracks an eye open to look at Connor, who was looking down with a fond expression. "It's calming." Connor nods before sitting down next to his boyfriend. The few moments after are filled with silence as the two boys sit, or lay, in Evan's case, staring at the sky.
"That one looks like a rabbit," Evan says, breaking the silence. Connor hums as he looks at the cloud.
"It does, doesn't it?" he replies. "The one over there looks like an elephant, though." Evan smiles a little as he agrees.
After that, they both go quiet again. Then, Evan looks over at Connor, admiring him for a second. Appreciating the way his hair fell in waves and how his eyes had a small sparkle to them. He had always loved Connor's eyes. They were beautifully unique in the way the browns and blues melted together to create something amazing.
"We should do something," Connor says suddenly, snapping Evan out of his sort-of trance. He turns to him, causing Evan's cheeks to flush a bit as he's caught staring.
"They've been putting together something at the park?" Evan suggests, and he can tell he's piqued Connor's interest. "Like some kind of fair, I guess?"
Connor stands, holding out a hand to help Evan up, which he gladly takes, before pulling the two of them away from Evan's yard and onto the sidewalk.
It doesn't take long for the two of them to get to the park since it's not too far, but when they do get there, it's moderately packed.
The pros were beginning to lessen as they continued into the small fair, eyes watching them, watching their hands instead of minding their own business.
One girl, in particular, seemed to be following them. It unsettled Evan a bit since he could about always see her out of the corner of his vision. That nervousness leads him to walk closer to his boyfriend.
Overall, the fair was fun, and playing the few games that had been set up was entertaining.
It was almost distracting enough for him to ignore the girl that always seemed to be a few steps behind them.
Eventually and reasonably, the fair gets more crowded as the day goes on, and Evan gets separated from Connor. He isn't really sure how it happens, he just knows that he's alone. His eyes dart around wildly as he tries to find the void of black that was Connor Murphy. Out of the corner of his eye, he recognizes the same lilac dress joined with long dark hair that had been trailing him since they had entered the fair. There's a look in her eyes that he doesn't like, one that makes him feel uncertain. Was his binder showing? Was it because of his and Connor's relationship? Whatever it was, the look was still unsettling.
He tears his eyes away and continues to scan the crowd, pushing through people as he continues to try to control his rapid heartbeat. "Connor?" He keeps pushing through people, yelling his name until his voice cuts out, and it feels like someone has their hand wrapped around this throat. He feels tears prick at the corners of his eyes as he stops to take a breath, one hand on his chest. His eyes close as he tries to breathe. 1,2,3,4. 1,2,3,4. He vaguely thought about finding a bathroom so he could take his binder off, but the idea is wiped away as soon as he sees a pair of flats belonging to the lilac girl in front of him. He doesn't have to look up to know she's glaring at him.
"Why?" she asks, and Evan looks up in surprise and confusion. Why what? "Why are you punishing yourself like this?" That confuses Evan even more. Punishing himself like...what?
He lets out a cough before asking, "What?" She frowns, gesturing to his shoulder where he could see part of the strap from his binder sticking out. Shit. He pulls his shirt up so it covers the binder before going to rub at his chest again in hopes that he would magically be able to breathe normally. "You would be much better without it," the girl says. While it could be interpreted that she was concerned, he knew that she meant something else. She says the words as if they were fact and that he'd be a fool not to listen. They were scalding against his skin.
"Actually-"She interrupts him before he can finish.
"In fact, I have the perfect dress that you can borrow." She smiles and looks him over in a critical eye like she was planning what to put on him. The thought disgusted him. He felt his breathing pick up, and the pain in his chest worsen. He didn't like this. He didn't like this. He felt himself fall to the ground as finally, the building panic consumed him, every unfamiliar thing combing together to make a huge weight that sat on his chest, adrenaline racing through his veins, his vision disfiguring as if looking into a distorted lens. It felt like someone was choking him again and-
"Evan!" His head whips up, and he locks eyes with Connor, relief in both of their gazes while the girl rolls her eyes. Connor quickly makes his way over to the two before crouching down in front of Evan. "Are you okay?" Evan doesn't speak, but he does shake his head. "Can you stand?" He shakes his head again. Connor doesn't speak for a while, allowing Evan to at least try to get through the attack.
When it seems like it's over, he notices the lilac girl's absence. "Where did-" Connor looks up before shrugging.
"She must have left when I showed up. What was she doing anyway?" Evan winces, and Connor looks angry. "Did she-"
"No!" he interrupts, Connor looking a little startled at the outburst. "It was- it was nothing like that. Just a few comments." Connor frowns.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I-I'm sure."
They leave the fair after that, deeming it more trouble than it was worth. Evan eventually opens up about the comments later that night, which Connor responds with anger at the girl. And even with everything that had happened, Evan was thankful. He was grateful for Connor, and he would definitely be replaying their day late into the night.