Small Talk

6.

After shooting a quick text to his mom (hey sorry mom I'm staying at a friend's house don't worry I'm safe!) Evan was all set and stayed over for dinner and to sleep over.

They all sat at the dinner table together, Cynthia, and Larry, Connor's father, sat together on one side, Zoe sat next to Connor and Evan sat extremely close to Connor with enough room between himself and Cynthia to avoid any unwanted contact.

"So, how did you two meet?" Cynthia asked sweetly, cutting up her slightly burnt asparagus and popping some in her mouth.

"We met at school," Connor hesitated.

He wasn't very vocal with his family as opposed to just Evan. In fact, he was pretty skittish around his own family, Evan noticed, but the family saw nothing wrong. Mostly because they haven't really seen Connor talkative at all.

"She meant how in school, dummy," Zoe scoffed. She hesitated before calling him a dummy, mostly because she was about to cuss but she realized it wasn't best when there was company over.

"Lunch," Connor shrugged, voice sounding a little annoyed.

"So, do you not talk at all, Evan?" Larry asked sort of suddenly, as if the question was brining in his brain.

Evan sighed silently and moved his fist to his lips, making the sign for 'mute' in asl. He wasn't sure if they knew asl, but Connor knew it. He must've learned it somewhere, right? Maybe it was from his family?

No, they didn't know. Larry just crinkled his eyebrows in confusion and stared for a moment before Connor spoke up and said, "That means mute. He just told you he's mute."

Larry nodded and hummed in confirmation.

"How'd you remember sign language, Connor?" Zoe smirked and turned slightly to him.

"Why do you care if I remember or not?" Connor mumbled barely enough for Evan at least to hear. "Yeah, I remember it. Why?"

"It's been four years since I've seen you sign anything," Zoe chuckled a little sarcastically.

"Well, it's a useful language to learn," Connor retorted.

"You only know baby signing," Zoe added.

"I know more than that," Connor stated, leaning back in his chair.

"Okay, let's move on," Cynthia sighed. "So, what are you two boys up to lately?"

Evan shrugged and smiled nervously. Under the table, their hands were linked together, and neither had to use their non dominant hand because Connor had a weird talent of being ambidextrous and happened to use his left hand at the table, and Evan gave his hand a little squeeze, and in return, Connor held his hand a little harder.

"Not much," Connor shrugged off, voice trailing into a mutter again.

Dinner went by a little slowly. They all picked slowly at their plates and as soon as Cynthia got up to take care of her plate, Connor began to tug Evan away from the table and back up to his room.

He closed the door gently behind them and smiled a little.

"Sorry of dinner was a little awkward," Connor sighed.

Evan scribbled down on the palm of his own hand in the familiar purple ink, It was nice! I love Cynthia's cooking!! I haven't had a home cooked meal in ages since my mom took on another shift + Christine's!!

Connor smiled a little. "That's good, you enjoyed it," he chuckled lightly. "I'm assuming you need to borrow some pajamas?"

Evan nodded, looking down at his hands for a little.