Chapter Text
*Phone Buzzes* 1 New Message from Connor.
Connor: I need you to kill me please.
Evan: I’m going to be honest here, Connor, pass.
Connor: Please?
Evan: No. But also why?
Connor: It’s dumb
Evan: You’re asking me to kill you, but yes, I’m sure it’s very dumb.
Connor: I heard my parents talking.
Evan: ??? Ok? Are they sending you to military school? Taking away your car? What?
Connor: They’re setting up their annual ski trip with the Harrissesesss
Evan: ….
Evan: Ok so that’s not a reason for me to kill you.
Connor: It fucking is! It’s horrible. Their kids are dicks and they’re SO insufferable god they’re going to make me go so we can be some stupid ass perfect family.
Evan: Probably. Sorry Con. I’m not gunna kill you, but you can text me the whole time and never have to talk to them - Promise!I’m going to miss you over winter break tho :( I’ll have to give you your gift when you get back.
Connor: You got me a gift? :)
Evan: Maybe. I’m sure my mom got you something too. But you’ll have to wait for when you get back.
Connor smiled dropping his phone to his chest and throwing an arm over his eyes. What was he going to do? This trip, the little he had heard about it, sounded like a nightmare.
He was home, in his bed - a rare setting for him these days. He honestly hated being in his house. Everything was suffocating. His dad never tried to understand him after he didn’t turn out to be the baseball star he wanted. Add to that his mom was always trying something new to “fix” him instead of the one thing he needed. She didn’t quite grasp that he needed a consistent and effective therapy for his anger and depression. It was something that always seemed to boil over at the worst times and it was a miracle he was even still around.
It was a rare sight for him to be in his own room because Connor had found himself staying at Evan’s house more and more. Ever since the fateful meeting in the computer lab. Which in turn led to a misunderstanding, which led to Connor almost making a mistake he couldn’t take back, the two had managed to spark a friendship. Evan, normally unable to speak to someone, let alone someone a head taller and who constantly glared at him, had been the instigator. Well, mostly he just constantly checked on Connor whenever he saw him to make sure he never ended up completing what he set out to do as he ran from the lab. However, the constant pestering eventually wore Connor down and the two managed to do more than make sure the other was alive.
That in turn blossomed into a romance between the two. It was in the way that Evan worried his hands were too sweaty, or over thought every interaction that charmed Connor in a way no one else had. Connor had always known he was gay but this had been a sort of “awakening” for Evan of his bisexualty.
Since then, the two had become nearly inseparable. Well that is inseparable outside of Connor’s house. The times spent in the Murphy household were few and far between as they opted to spend the majority of their time at Evan’s house. The food was better, the house was more cozy, Connor’s parents wern’t there, and there was Heidi. She really was the best. Everything Connor could hope for in a parent. She was supportive, kind, and though she was rarely around, always did her best to show she cared. She was someone Connor felt he could trust and he gradually opened up to her as well.
She also knew about Evan and Connor as opposed to his own parents. They had started in secret, as Evan wasn’t totally ready to tell anyone and Connor was fine if no one knew about his life. However, Evan was unable to keep it from her and burst out one night while they were eating pizza. One short hyperventilation later he was being excitedly welcomed as Evan’s boyfriend.
Connor refused to tell his parents, even against Heidi’s protests. Sure, they knew he was gay - He wasn’t going to hide that. But if they knew about Evan then it would be constant pestering to have him over for dinner or to meet him or to have him spend time with him. At least from his mom. His dad would keep the whole thing at arm’s length or awkwardly try to talk to Evan about baseball. They knew Evan existed and Connor wanted to keep it at that.
It would all just be too much. Evan was the one good thing going in his life right now and he wasn’t going to risk that.
A soft knock at his door interrupted his thoughts. It was nice to actually have his door back again after it had been taken away for months. The modicum of privacy was his “reward” for not doing drugs. Well at least not getting caught with them. Evan may have been a good influence on him but sometimes he still needed to feel numb.
“Honey, can I come in?” He heard his mom say. She asked politely, but Connor knew she was going to come in even if he said no.
“Fine.” he called back.
She entered the room in a bit of a timid method. Maybe she expected Connor to be angry. Maybe she expected him to get angry. He wasn’t sure. Part of it made him feel a little sad. Heidi never shied away from him like Cynthia did, but Heidi had also never seen him at his worst.
She sat down on the foot of his bed. His room was a mess, so there were not a lot of options that were not covered by clothing, or art supplies, or something that no one wanted to sit on. Even the bed had the covers strewn about everywhere.
“So…..” She began like she wasn’t actually sure how to start. “Good news! We got off the phones with the Harris family a little bit ago and-”
“Ohhhh god fuck no!” Connor cried out, interrupting her. “We ARE going on a ski trip. No. No thank you. No. Don’t want to.”
“Connor, it’s going to be fun!”
“Fun for you! I get stuck going everywhere with their ‘oh so precious’ sons. Chad Harris is an asshole and I don’t want to be near him.”
“Well that’s why I was thinking-”
“I can stay home? Great. Love that plan! Have fun!”
“Connor please let me finish.”
Connor let out a sigh, flopping his head back. He knew there was no way out of this. His parents would never let him stay home alone. Not after, what they referred to, as “The incident.” Such an insufferable way of saying he almost killed himself. It was a miracle he could spend as much time with Evan as he could. However, strangely, when he would be at his house until all hours of the night they never asked any questions.
“So obviously we can’t leave you home alone. We’re all still a little worried after….the incident. But we were thinking that maybe it would be nice if you brought a friend along.”
“Tsh yeah, because I have so many friends who would stand to spend their entire Winter Break with me.” Connor snapped back, frowning.
“Well, what about Evan?”
“Ev..Evan?” Connor questioned clearly befuddled at the suggestion. His mind started racing. Why would she suggest Evan? How much did she know about Evan? Would spending time with his family make Evan hate him?
“Well you do spend a lot of time with him.” Cynthia replied. Her tone was kind, but cautious.
“How do you know that?” Connor asked, still unsure what to think.
“Well his mother, Heidi, calls whenever you’re staying over at their house. Me and her have had a lot of talks about the two of you being friends. I had no idea, but she says it has been really good for you.” She places her hand on Connor’s knee “And I think it’s been really good for you too.”
Connor looked at the hand. Normally he didn’t want anyone in his family to touch him but the way she was gently stroking his knee with her thumb…maybe she already knew? What was happening?
“You know, Evan seems like a really nice boy. I’d love to get to know him more.”
“He is nice but…” Connor paused, unsure on how to continue. “But there’s no way he could afford a trip like this! Ski trips are not exactly in the Hansen budget.”
“We’d be happy to pay for Evan to join us, if it would make you happy sweetie.” Cynthia replied with a smile.
“I don’t know. I don’t think it would….I don’t want him to feel bad.”
“He wouldn’t have to feel bad at all. Someone so special to you would be more than welcome, no matter what it takes. You know I heard he got his cast off so I am sure he’s eager to be more active again.”
“How did you know that?” Connor was seriously not liking how much his mother seemed to know. How far did this knowledge go?
“Again, me and Heidi have been talking a lot. Just ask him if he wants to come. Please?” Cynthia asked. Her eyes were soft but pleading.
“Ok. Fine. I’ll ask him.” Connor said placing a pillow over his face.
“Good. I can’t wait.” his mom replied with a happy tone, patting his leg.
“Yeah. Me too. Yippie.” Connor replied, his voice muffled but the sarcasm showing through.