Chapter Text
Evan woke up to an empty bed. That fact made his stomach churn. Where did Connor go? He fell asleep next to him last night, right? Was going insane? Has he just been dreaming this entire time? Did his mom come home early and kick him out?
‘Connor?!’ Evan yelled, voice trembling. Connor stumbled into the room, dragging a strong scent of weed in with him. The smell caused Evan to start coughing. ‘You realize that smell is gonna stick around after you leave, right?’ Connor’s only response was holding up a can of Febreze. Evan sighed and patted the bed next to him, Connor falling back onto the bed with a thump. Evan then spoke without thinking: ‘Why were you so upset last night?’ Connor froze, letting the spray can drop from his hand.
‘I hit Zoe,’ he replied quietly. Shame filled his voice while pain shined through the blue of his eyes.
‘You have to quit.’
‘It was because I quit,’ Connor frowned. ‘At least I was trying to.’ Evan’s mouth dropped open a bit.
‘You still have to keep trying,’ Evan said softly. ‘You're gonna keep getting better.’
‘You just don't get it, do you?’ Connor snapped. ‘I can't get better, Evan! I just can't.’ Evan thought it would be best to drop the subject for the time being. He felt stupid for even bringing the subject up in the first place. He always knew that Connor didn't typically enjoy talking about his feelings, so why did he ask? He should have just stayed quiet like always. Shutting up was how Evan avoided trouble. Why hadn't he just adhered to that?
‘Let's get some breakfast,’ Evan replied softly. The couple got up from Evan’s bed and shuffled downstairs, then begun to search around for something to eat. The kitchen was across from the front door, a fact that caused Evan to glance up every few minutes and make sure his mom hadn't suddenly appeared.
‘Did you eat all the powdered doughnuts?’ Evan sighed, picking up a little white box off the pantry shelf and tossing it in the garbage bin.
‘No,’ Connor said, trying to put up a facade of innocence even when he clearly had some sort of pastry in his mouth and a white powder on his black jeans.
‘Then what's that on your pants?’
‘Crack,’ Connor replied with a mock seriousness. Before Evan could retort with some sassy comment, there was a knock at the door. And Jared Kleinman, being the impatient little shit he was, decided to peer through the window next to the door. He made eye contact with Evan, then looked behind Evan and saw Connor. Evan watched as Jared disappeared from the window.
‘What. The. FUCK!’ The muffled scream came from behind the door. Evan cringed back, preparing himself for the inevitability of Jared making fun of him for his soulmate being the least-liked guy in school. ‘Evan Hansen, you better open this door right now!’ Jared screamed, pounding his fist on the door. Evan skulked over to the door, reluctantly opening it. ‘Why the hell is Connor Murphy in your house?!’ Jared stormed into the room, yet kept his distance from Connor. It was like he just found a dead rat in the corner of a cupboard.
‘It’s not what it looks like,’ Evan attempted to defend himself.
‘Ohhhhh no,’ Jared sighed, covering his face with his hands. ‘No, no, no, no, no, no. “Not what it looks like” is what you say when your wife catches you cheating on her with your somewhat-attractive secretary. Not when…’ He abruptly lifted his head a horrified look on his face. ‘No, God! No, God, please, no! NO! NO! NOOOO!!! There is no way in hell that you two are actually… Wait, Connor, you’re gay?!’
‘So you’re so shocked about me being gay, but not Evan being gay?’
‘Well, I’ve kinda always known about Evan, it’s pretty obvious.’
‘Hey!’
‘Sorry, buddy, it’s true!’
‘We’re not dating,’ Evan mumbled, a blush spreading across his face. ‘We just have a very strong bond…’ Jared cocked an eyebrow at Evan. ‘...But not because we’re gay!’
‘No, not because we’re gay,’ Connor agreed. ‘We’re close, but not… that way.’
‘The only man that I love is my dad,’ Evan added, nodding slightly.
‘Evan Hansen, considering that your dad is the quintessential absent father, that is the gayest sentence that has ever left your mouth,’ Jared deadpanned. ‘So stop trying to hide it, you two.’
‘Anyway,’ Connor said, shooting Jared a glare. ‘I have to go pick up my car.’
‘Oooo, from where?’ Jared asked, mocking interest in what Connor was saying. ‘Wherever you and Evan screwed last night?’
‘Nope,’ Connor retorted, pausing in the doorway. ‘From your mom’s house.’