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“Jared, Are you free tonight?”
And that's how it starts, After everything that happened, all the panic attacks Jared went through, all the nightmares about a boy in an oh, so familiar blue striped shirt, with the stupid strawberry blonde hair that looks brown in certain angles he imagines he could run his hand through-
That's how it starts.
That's how Evan starts to talk to him again, eyes glimmering with hope, still making Jared's heart ache, even after all that time.
“What?” He answers, utterly confused, eyes watching Evan brushing away his mop hair from blocking his eyes, Jared's breath catches in his throat.
He'd been..neglecting his hair, letting it grow long. He got too depressed to care about the mess. Busy mourning losing Evan's warmth.
“Um-” Evan stammers. Caught off-guard and making Jared chuckle. He hasn't changed a bit, Jared longs to envelop him into a tight hug, to never let go, just live between Evan's arms where he wished he belonged, smelling the gentle hints of the coconut-scented shampoo Evan likes.
“I was wondering-
If you weren't doing anything tonight, maybe we could uh-
..Watch a movie, together?”
“I thought I didn't have any friends to watch movies with?” Evan winces, Of course, Jared didn't forget.
Evan sighs hope getting duller in his eyes, Jared melts with sadness under his gaze.
“Still, I miss you, I'd be honored
If you'd let me be your friend.”
Jared wants so much more than just being Evan's friend, mouth agape while he tries to see if Evan's genuine if it's not another faithful dream to torment him and his pain.
“My friend..?” Jared echos, Evan wants to be his friend? Really?
“We can be seventeen-
We-
We can make things right-
We can be ourselves!” Evan panics, not wanting to lose Jared while he has him interested.
“..What movie?”
Evan blinked, surprised it actually worked.
“You didn't think that far, did you, Hansen?” Jared laughs. He missed Evan more than he missed himself.
“Make it Mean Girls and I'll say yes.”
Evan never nodded so fast in his life.
“It's Mean Girls we're watching Mean Girls-!!”
“..Two.”
Evan hated that movie and Jared hated it even more.
“Okay, two, whatever-!”
Jared smirks.
“You'd watch that monstrosity to be my friend?”
Evan makes a quiet 'Mhm..' noise that makes Jared want to protect him.
“I'll be there at eight.”
Evan beams at him, watching Jared's face light up to a pretty pink.
~~~
Horrible movie long forgotten, Jared's in Evan's lap, Evan's hand plopped in Jared's.
He's playing with it, tossing it around and tracing the fingers, holding it close until he decides to test something, bringing each knuckle to his lips, waiting for a reaction.
Evan says nothing.
Jared kisses Evan's palm.
Nothing.
Jared turns around, Maybe Evan fell asleep?
All he sees is a happy Evan, the shyest yet bravest smile on his face, light from the TV making his skin glow and eyes shine brighter.
He leans in, watching Evan's eyes widen. He slows down.
Would Evan reject him?
And then Evan fists Jared's shirt, roughly pulling him in, making their lips quite literally crash together, Teeth clanking as they both gasp then wince in pain.
They break apart.
Evan tries again, slower. Less desperate.
It's perfect because of how far from perfect it actually is, amateur and sloppy, shy and sweet, not quite enough but also too much.
It's beautiful.
It's how kids act.
How teens who just turned seventeen act.
It's how Evan and Jared change the world.
It's how beautiful it is to start over again.
Being themselves.
No more war, No more Connor project.
No more damage.
No more fright.
Just being freaks.
But..That's alright.