Ski Trip (Connor Murphy X Reader)

Winter Break

Growing up with the Murphy family being every step of the way was fine for a while, though my little self was slightly jealous that Zoe and Connor had both a mom and dad, and I only had a dad. That fact did not matter much when I spent so much time with them and their family, though, because it was like we were sharing parents. 

oey was always pretty girly, wearing sparkly dresses with bows and lace and wearing small high heels and sparkly lip gloss. Despite that, she was always covered in paint or playing something. The piano that was in the main room of the cabin on ski trips, or the cheap keyboard she got for her seventh birthday, or the fake guitar that made sound, but was impossible to tune properly. I did get along with her, but her love for make up and dress up and sparkly things was annoying to me, along with her brother. I was like her when it came to paints and music, but I also had a love for animals and nature, that she simply did not have like I did.

Connor was the typical boy for most of his life, but maybe slightly more girly than most boys were, not being afraid to wear nail polish or grow his hair out or put it in different styles. I related to him more growing up, because I was more of the typical tomboy, with hints of being slightly girly. I enjoyed wearing skirts and small shorts and pretty shirts, but also liked running around in the mud and climbing trees or catching bugs. 

Years passed, though, and the time that we spent apart started to catch up to us as we started doing our own things. Zoe got less girly, and more sarcastic. Her voice got deeper and duller, except when she was excited about something like music. Connor got distant, and started wearing more dull clothes. He tended to sulk around, and talk less even when I tried to talk to him. I assumed it was just him growing up and he would get out of it, but soon he was totally distant and talked as less as possible. 

-----

I looked out her car window, watching the snowflakes fall softly from the white sky. Trees around the area were dead, all except the pine, and were covered in snow. I was not looking too forward to the trip this year. I struggled to have meaningful conversations with Zoe, but could scrape by. Connor however, I was lucky to have two to three conversations with him within the two week trip. I tried all I could, but he seemed to weasel his way out of talking to me. I did not blame him much, and chose to ignore it. 

While I went to a different school as them and thus did not hear people talking about him much. When I went to fairs or to art shows, I would sometimes hear people talking about him. I tried to stand up for him, but nearly no one listened to Me.

Their car pulled up to the large cabin, the sight never being boring to me. It was a beautiful cabin, built entirely of fake logs that made it look old fashioned, and had big windows with forest green curtains and shudders. The upstairs rooms had balconies that had stairs to go outside without going through the front. The Murphy car was already there, meaning they were all unpacked and waiting for me and dad. 

"Get your things and I'll get Larry to come help me with the rest," My dad said as I stepped out of our car. I grabbed my suitcase and made my way to the front door, never knowing whether to knock or to just walk straight in. Before I had the chance, the door opened and Larry was standing there with a big grin on his usually stoic face.

"Hello Y/n, make yourself at home while I help your old man," He said, walking by me swiftly, starting to chat with my dad. I walked in, Cynthia greeting me immediately.

"Hey Y/n! Kids! Y/n is here! Help her unpack her things!" A few moments passed and Zoe came bounding down the stairs. She wore a thin flowy black dress with pink flowers on it, and colorful socks with cats on them. She had sparkly lip gloss on, like always, but everything else was different. She wore more natural make up, pink tinted sparkly lip gloss and rosy cheeks, with gold eye shadow. Her nails were not painted, which was unusual for the Zoe I met the year before. 

The year before, Zoe was in a comfy-cute phase, wearing big sweaters and turtlenecks with leggings and Uggs. However, she loaded her face with red blush and bright eye shadow and eyeliner. Nothing like the Zoe I saw now.

"Y/n!" She giggled, running up to her and struggling to not slip on the hardwood floor. She wrapped her arms around my neck, which was normal for her when she saw me. No matter how many times Zoe did it, I was taken aback every time when I was glomped in a hug. 

"Hey, you look great. And... really different from last year. It's funny, you come back with a new look every year," I said, searching for the right thing to say to the girl after not seeing her for a year. Zoe's already red cheeks reddened more, and averted my gaze.

"Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out my style. I'm sure this is it, now!" Zoe responded, her face scrunching up in determination. I smiled, the bright energy being refreshing, and having someone to talk to. Sure, I talked to people, but I didn't consider anyone my friends. Maybe me and Zoe only saw each other once a year, but we had done it for so long that I would consider her a friend anyway.

"Lets go get you unpacked. We don't know what to do about the bed, though. There is still only one, and me and Connor don't want to share. Maybe we could share a bed and Connor can sleep on the couch," I stayed silent, thinking that was unfair, but did not want to say anything just yet. 

The room was same as ever. A big dresser that everyone put their clothes and other possessions in, a tv on top of the dresser, a couple bean bag chairs, and the big king sized bed in the middle of the wall in front of the dresser. Connor was laying flat on his back on the bed, already unpacked and not knowing what to do.

"Hey, Connor," I smiled, and he only glanced at me, not responding. 

Me and Zoe got busy to unpacking my things, including my PlayStation that I had brought. Zoe looked hopefully at me as she tried to hook up the gaming station, but my brows furrowed in frustration, making Zoe's smile sink.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know my way around this kind of tv. I can't figure out how to set this thing up," Zoe and I swapped places, and Zoe's brows furrowed as well, and huffed as she threw the cords to the floor. 

"I can't get it," I pouted, and her gaze shifted to Connor, who was half asleep on the bed.

"Hey, Connor?" Zoe watched, but said nothing as I talked to her brother. She wanted to tell me not to talk to him, but she really wanted that PlayStation set up. "You play a lot of games, don't you? Can you give it a try?" Connor didn't even look up, staying still and pretending that he was asleep. "Con~ I know you aren't asleep," One of his eyes cracked open, glaring at me before closing again, and he rolled over so I could not see his face.

"Yes I am," He muttered into the pillow. 

"Connor please? I'll let you use it whenever you want~," I cooed, and there was second that everything was still and silent, and Connor got up, walking to the tv. He spent a second searching around the back of the tv with the cord of the PlayStation in his hand, before he put it in the right plug and walked back to the bed, flopping down again. 

"There," I smiled, proud I got him to talk and help me. 

"Thank you!" Zoe stared in amazement that I was able to get her brother to cooperate with me.

"He never is that cooperative. Maybe he has a soft spot for you, Y/n," I stuck her tongue out at Zoe, turning the PlayStation on.

"Yeah, right. I just treat him better than everyone else,"

"You're right, you can always see the good in people when no one else can,"