(Alright, so this chapter is also going to be in Connor's P.O.V., I originally wanted to make the last part and this one just one giant mess of a chapter, but it ended up being too long, so this was the next best thing! Anyway I hope you've been satisfied with the story so far and I'll let you back to reading <3)
It was around ten when Connor pulled into the Denny's parking lot. He knew Evan wouldn't be able to hold down a lot of food, but they needed to get something in him and this had been the closest place Connor could find that was still open.
As the car turned off, the constant thrumming of the motor and whirring of the air vent were replaced by the soft sound of Evan's steady breathing. He was asleep again. Connor debated letting him sleep and simply getting the food to go. Evan could eat when he got home.
But he wouldn't.
Isn't that why they were here? Why were they here anyway? Why did he care so much?
These questions ran on loop through Connor's head as he gently reached over and shook Evan awake. His eyes slowly opened as he looked over at Connor.
"What are we doing?" he asked. His voice was groggy and tired. Not responding, Connor unbuckled both their seat belts before getting out of the car. When Evan made no move to do the same, he walked to the other side and opened the passenger door for him.
"Hurry the fuck up, Hansen."
Evan scrambled out of the car the best he could with a broken arm, and followed Connor across the parking lot and into the building. Connor hadn't been to a Denny's in years. It held a sense of nostalgia for him, since this was the place his family would drag him to every Saturday night. But that was before his father's business became successful and eating at a place like this was beneath them.
Thankfully, it wasn't beneath Connor.
Evan sat at a random booth, and Connor took the seat across from him.
"Are you going to tell me why we're here?" Evan mumbled, playing with the small packets of sugar at the end of the table.
"Well since your tired ass was already half passed out when I told you, I'll tell you again. You're going to eat something, I'm going to pay for it, and then we can both go home and get on with our lives."
"But-"
"This is not debatable. Now shut up and act normal, someone's coming over here."
He didn't give Evan another opportunity to protest as someone came over to take their order. Connor ordered Evan an omelet and some toast, and himself a black coffee. He wasn't all that hungry but caffeine was something he would never pass up.
As the waiter retreated, Evan and Connor once again settled into an awkward silence. This didn't bother Connor much, but despite how hard Evan was trying to hide it, he was clearly struggling.
In order to lighten the situation, Connor asked the first question that came into his brain.
"How'd you break your arm?"
"W-what?" Evan looked up, clearly not expecting Connor to make any attempt at a conversation. His mouth was opening and closing in an attempt to speak, almost like a fish. The waiter came to his temporary rescue as they were handed their drinks.
Evan quickly started drinking his chocolate milk, looking down at the table. Connor took a long sip of his coffee, waiting to see if Evan would answer.
When he didn't, Connor put down his coffee and asked again.
"Evan, how did you break your arm?"
"I-I fell out of a tree..." He responded, still not looking up from his glass.
"That's the saddest fucking thing I've ever heard."
Connor darkly chuckled as he took another sip of his drink, but the defeated look on Evan's face swung open the door that guilt had already come to knock at.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Wait, I didn't mean-" Connor started, but he was cut off when the food came. Evan was handed his plate and he simply stared at it.
"You need to eat something," Connor said, shoving a fork in his direction.
"I'm not hungry," he mumbled, but slowly reached out grab the fork.
"You and I both know that's a lie."
Evan stabbed the omelet with the utensil as Connor was scrambling to find a way to be rid of the awkwardness. Eventually he just settled on an apology.
"I'm sorry-"
"It's fine, you were right, it's fucking depressing, my entire existence is fucking depressing and I don't expect you to act like it's not!"
Connor didn't know why, but Evan being so degrading of himself made him angry. Not at Evan, but the things making him feel that way.
"Don't fucking say that! Despite what your dumbass might think, you're not fucking worthless, and I guarantee you are ten times better than all the assholes at our school!" he half yelled, slamming his hand on the table.
As he once again took an angry drink of his coffee, he expected Evan to retort, to argue back, but to Connor's surprise he just smiled down at his plate.
"You mean like Jared?"
Connor almost spit out his coffee.
"Hansen... did you just insult someone?"
"Maybe..."
Connor let out a breathy laugh, "He is an asshole, though."
"Yeah, but he's a loveable asshole." Evan paused, taking in a breath, "Kind of like you-" he finished quickly before shoving an absurd amount of omelet into his mouth.
Connor felt his face heat up as every possible response he could've had flew out of his brain.
He was blushing.
Connor Murphy did not blush.
Before he had time to come up with some half ass response, Evan started choking on the omelet and Connor rushed over to the other booth to make sure he didn't die. It was several long, awkward moments of Connor beating Evan from behind on the back until he spit it back on the plate.
"You okay?"
Evan nodded, his face was red and his breathing was labored.
"I-I wanna go home," he said, looking up at Connor. He got up out of the seat and Evan followed. Connor pulled out his wallet as they walked up to the front.
"Here, this should be enough."
He handed the man who had been their waiter a one hundred dollar bill. Evan saw this and his face blanched.
"Uh, u-um-" he started, but Connor held up a hand to stop him from continuing.
"My family has more money than they know what to with, whatever goes to me is either going to be used on some random ass shit or weed, so let me do something good for once while I'm in the mood."
Evan shut his mouth and nodded, following Connor out the door. He drove Evan home, occasionally asking the boy for directions.
When they pulled into the driveway, Connor waited while Evan dug around for his key to the house. Getting bored of watching him frantically search, Connor pulled out his phone and scrolled through Twitter.
"Shit!" Evan yelled, throwing his bag on the ground.
"What is it?" Connor asked, looking up from his phone.
He sighed, feeling in his pockets on last time.
"I left my key in my mom's car."
Evan genuinely looked frustrated but Connor just laughed.
"Dude, why the fuck are you laughing? I've got nowhere to stay tonight!"
"You can just stay with me."
Wait what? Did I just say that?
The words had slipped out before Connor could stop them. It seemed he was having a giving streak today.
"Really?"
"Yes."
No.
What the hell was going on?
Evan sat back in the seat, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.
"Thank you."
"Anytime."
Stop that. Stop talking.
Connor wasn't just going to leave him to sleep in the yard after telling Evan he could stay at his house, but he still wasn't completely sure how he got himself in this situation.
His mouth had spoken before his brain could stop it, and so while Evan went rambling on his thank you's and how he didn't have to do this, Connor made an apparent point to stay silent.