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.
Connor rummaged through his drawers to his dresser and pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a large T shirt with some elaborate geometric design on it and small splashes of color on the black fabric.
Evan smiled.
"I'll let you change," Connor smiled and quickly ducked out of the room, probably going to the bathroom to change his own clothes, Evan thought.
He quickly slipped out of his normal outfit and into the clothing that Connor let him borrow, having to roll up the waistband on the sweatpants because they hung off his hips weirdly and were way too long for him, and like the sweatshirt, the shirt hung loosely off of his tiny frame, making him look like a little kid despite not being that much shorter than Connor. He did slip the sweatshirt over the shirt and zipped it halfway.
He sat on the floor for a little bit, waiting for Connor to knock on the door. He lightly strummed his fingers on the floorboards to the music softly playing in the room.
"You done changing?" Connor softly asked as he knocked on the door, but then realized Evan couldn't quite answer.
So, Evan hoisted himself up to his feet and opened the door with a small smile.
Connor was dressed in his own pajamas and smiled when he saw Evan in the doorway.
"You look cute," Connor mumbled under his breath with a smile, and frankly, Evan wasn't sure if he was meant to hear him but his face heated up and he looked at his hands with a smile.
He signed a small thank you lowly with a small smile.
>>>
Evan woke up the next morning in Connor's small bed with Connor's arms around him, legs tangled with each other and his head on Connor's chest. He was barely awake, so instead of acknowledging the position he was in with Connor, he positioned himself a little higher up on Connor and rested his head in the area between Connor's shoulder and neck, not caring at all if anyone thought it was gay because he wasn't really thinking.
He felt Connor gently rub his back, and soon he just drifted back to sleep, lightly snoring.
Connor, however, was fully awake and fully content with the position. Until the door opened.
"Breakfast is ready when you tw...ooo... are...." Cynthia said, voice trailing off to a mutter as she looked at the two cuddled up. "Oh gosh, well, you could've told me you two are together. I don't mind."
Connor went bright red and really hoped Evan didn't wake up, and hoped Evan was actually asleep and didn't hear his mom.
"We--we're not," Connor nervously muttered, careful not to wake Evan. "Bye mom, we'll be there soon."
"It's pancakes, by the way," Cynthia whispered to Connor from the doorway. "Happy to see your branching out and finding yourself, Connor. He's a good boy, and I won't tell anyone else if you don't want me to."
Connor took a deep breath once she left, feeling flustered about the whole situation. Of course, Evan didn't even budge, or, not until a minute or two later.
He groaned softly and blinked a couple of times, now being more awake and more aware of how he was positioned on Connor. He propped himself up with his elbows on the mattress, still trying to shake the groggy feeling from his mind. His face was a mere inch or two from Connor's, still not quite processing anything. His eyes squinted and his lips were still slightly open, almost as if he was going to say something, but they both knew that wouldn't happen anytime soon.
"Uh, Ev?" Connor nervously whispered, giving a sheepish and sort of worried smile.
Evan blinked his eyes open a little wider when his brain finally snapped awake.
His face went bright red as he shoved himself up to his hands instead, distancing himself a little further from Connor's face.
He quickly rolled off the bed , quickly up to his feet and started to sign sorry.
"No, no it was fine," Connor chuckled with his voice shaking a little, ears bright red and face flushed a nice pink. "I didn't mean to--to uh, ruin the moment."
Evan shook his head and backed up a little, taking deep breaths and shaking slightly.
I scrambled to grab a pen and write on his outer forearm:
It's okay! Sorry I didn't mean to get so close!
"Ev, it's alright," Connor chuckled breathily. "You weren't even all the way awake! I'm sure you didn't mean it. Anyway, my mom made pancakes."
Evan chuckled a little bit, still slightly shaky.
---
oops looks like Evan almost kissed Connor by accident Evan doesn't think when he's tired
also I love Cynthia doing all that she can to make sure Connor knows she supports him (and Evan)
I just really love Cynthia in general honestly
Please vote and comment so I know to keep updating!!