"Okay so, I met your mom so I was wondering... Do you wanna meet my parents? I know you have anxiety so I get it but I was just wondering..." Connor was walking home with Evan after a long day of rehearsal, the boys holding hands as they walked along the sidewalk in the setting sun.

     "I'd love to! They're not gonna like me but I would really like to meet them and shit..." Evan mumbled with a small smile, Connor bumping against him affectionately.

     "They're gonna love you. Just, Larry is kinda temperamental? I guess. He's probably working so..." Connor pushed open the door as he dropped Evan's hand, hearing the sounds of the house fill up the air around them.

     "Hi Zo, hi Mom and?"

      "Your Dad is going to be home soon Connor! And who is this?" Cynthia came out with a large smile, taking off oven mitts as she faced the boys.

      "This is Evan Hansen... My... Friend. He's like, the male Veronica in the musical." Connor said proudly, rubbing Evan's shoulder a little.

      "Nice to meet you! I'd love to hear you sing sometime, Zoe has been mentioning how you sing so well. Would you like to stay for dinner?"

      "T-That's so kind of you... I'd love to! T-Thank you." Evan rambled out, smiling awkwardly to Cynthia as he moved closer to Connor. Zoe sensed the tension and strolled over to the boys, motioning them upstairs.

     "We're gonna hang out upstairs, mom." She yelled as they started going up the larger staircase to Zoe's room. She opened the door to a purple and grey painted room covered in little stars everywhere. Evan looked stunned as he was guided to sit on her bed next to Connor, smiling a little as Zoe closed the door behind them.

     "Your room is so nice..." Evan complimented as he was nearly overwhelmed by everything around him. Connor finger tips brushed his until their hands connected casually next to each other.

     "Thank you! Also, Evan, that concealer is not your shade. The hickeys are really vibrant. Connor, help your boyfriend." Zoe teased, pointing out the hickeys from last night all over Evan's neck. The smaller boy blushed bright red, hiding his face in Connor's hoodie.

     "I tried! Well, I kinda wanted to show him off but I tried." Connor stated through a small laugh, earning a playful shove from Evan.

     "We left yours uncovered anyways..." Evan mumbled as he traced Connor's hickeys, smiling at his work.

      "That's all I need to hear. Opening night is in two weeks now? We're doing pretty well actually." Zoe smiled as she lazily flipped through her music, checking to make sure it was all there.

     "Yeah. I need to stop freaking out during Meant to be Yours though." Connor sighed, leaning backwards on the bed as he stared at the ceiling.

     "You're doing better every time we rehearse it." Evan said quietly, sitting closer to Connor as he played with the hem of the others sweatshirt. Zoe looked busy as she was typing on her phone, smiling a little at her notifications.

     "Heather McNamara's actor, Thomas, walked out of rehearsal today. Apparently he was quitting? We don't have an understudy and the directors freaking the fuck out." Connor commented lazily as he toyed with Evan's hair.

     "I love her part..." Zoe's voice was soft as she looked into nowhere.

     "D-Do you sing or anything?" Evan asked awkwardly, Zoe smiling a little bit.

     "Sorta. Not ever in front of people. Not because I'm shy I just... It never occurred to me that I would want to? But I see Connor up there with you and I want to..."

     "You should totally see if you could audition for her part."

      "I mean, I've practically memorized her part! Do you think she'd let me?"

      "If she doesn't, I'll threaten her or some shit." Connor added in, looking at his sister affectionately. Their relationship hadn't always been the strongest, but recently they found as they were forced to spend time together for the musical that they had grown closer. Zoe felt safer as Connor didn't threaten or scream at her anymore, and she was thankful that Evan had helped him change that. 

     "Y-You should sing something for us! If you're comfortable with that and everything."

     "Sure? I'll do a little bit of Lifeboat..." Zoe trailed off as she pulled out her phone, putting on a karaoke of Lifeboat.

     "I float in a boat, in a raging black ocean," Evan looked stunned as Connor smiled widely. 

      "Low in the water, and nowhere to go, the tiniest lifeboat, with people I know..." She continued until she reached the end of the song. She got lost in her own world as she sung, Evan and Connor's small applause snapping her back to reality. 

      "You're fucking amazing! You have to try out. Tomorrow." Connor's voice was filled with excitement, Evan nodding next to him.

      "You're so good! Your voice is so naturally beautiful." Zoe blushed at Evan's comment, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Connor rubbed Evan's back a little, leaning his head on the shorter boys shoulder. 

      "Dinner!" Cynthia yelled up, inviting the kids down to eat. They stumbled down the stairs happily, sitting down giggling a little. Larry had recently come home and was sitting at the end of the table watching Evan and Connor suspiciously.

     "I've been told you're Evan Hansen?"

      "Y-Yup! I'm Evan... I-I mean yeah. I play Ronnie in the musical w-with Connor." Evan rambled, Connor reaching his hand under the table for Evan to hold onto. Evan looked over to Connor, giving him a warm smile as he squeezed his hand.

       "And we think that's just wonderful, Evan! I can't wait to see it... Connor's just been obsessed with musicals since he was little. He insisted we let him perform the entirety The Lion King... I think I still have it recorded somewhere!" Cynthia laughed to herself, earning another smile from Evan and an annoyed grumble from Connor.

      "Let's just burn those-"

      "I'd love to see them sometime." Evan added in with a giggle, Connor shaking his head in some defeat. For moments they were all focused on eating the food Cynthia had made, pausing for moments to add a comment or start a conversation.

     "So, what's Heathers about? I'm not really into musicals." Larry commented as he took a long sip of wine.

     "W-Well..." Evan started scared, but Connor looked over to him and nodded for him that he was going to explain instead.

     "It's like, Veronica "Ronnie" is in high school and just wants it to be done right so... Three Heathers are cool and like they think Ronnie is cool so bam she's in with them but they're bitches... Then JD comes in and murders people with her and they kinda have this relationship thing. But he murders Heather basically. But then Ronnie turns on him because murder is wrong and like shit happens and he blows up."

     "A stunning explanation." Zoe said with a smirk, shoving some macaroni into her mouth.

     "So you're portraying a gay couple on stage?" 

      "Y-Yes." Connor said trying to be confident, watching his father give him a somber nod. He gulped as he tried to distract himself with eating, twirling his fork in the food.

     "So, Evan, have those lines memorized?" Zoe added emotionlessly, changing the topic for her brothers sake. He shot her a look of thankfulness, gripping Evan's hand tighter. 

     "Y-Yeah! Connor helped me with them and I have them down pretty well." Evan smiled proudly, finishing the dinner in front of him.

      "Funny I haven't seen you guys hang out before."

      "Maybe it's because you're never home."

       "Connor!" 

       "What? It's true." Connor said lazily. He and his father had never really gotten along that well. He especially didn't want his father using the tone he had with Evan. 

      "I-I have to get going actually... Thank you s-so much for the dinner! It was really good." Evan said quickly, getting up to put his dishes by the sink and grabbing his nearby bag.

      "I'm going to drive him home, Mom." Connor called as he made his way out the door with Evan. They shut the door behind them, Evan exhaling peacefully.

     "Sorry about that... My Dad's kind of a dick?"

      "Don't worry about it... He's not homophobic, is he?"

      "I don't even know. Doesn't matter." Connor said simply as they got into his old jeep, driving home quietly. Their hands laced together as Connor drove, both boys smiling as the night air surrounded them. They got to Evan's driveway, Connor looking to Evan lovingly.

      "I love you, Ev." Their lips connected in the front seat of the car, Connor's hand trailing down Evan's face. Evan kissed back softly, both of them intending an innocent kiss full of nothing but love for the other. They pulled away smiling.

     "I love you too." Evan whispered as their hands let go unwillingly. He got out of the car, about to walk into his house when he turned around to run back to Connor and quickly kiss him one last time. He ran back into his house, the lights flicking on and the sound of Heidi's voice filling Evan's mind. Connor blushed, wondering how he could be so fucking lucky.

//

a.n: hi i don't have anything to say but thanks for reading this shit ily