Connor zipped up his backpack and picked up his suitcase, but Evan grabbed it from him. "I-I can carry it...
f-for you," the shorter boy walked down the stairs towards the Murphy's minivan. Evan would not see Connor for 2 whole weeks and he wanted to spend as much time as he could with him before they had to part ways.

Connor huffed and followed Evan. He had never agreed to the road trip across the country and back. If anything, he was completely against it. But what his mom says goes, and no matter how much Connor pleaded with her, Cynthia would not budge. "This will be good bonding time," she had said. "We need this, as a family."

Evan placed Connor's suitcase in the trunk of the minivan, and wiped a tear from his eye. He didn't want to cry. Not in front of Connor. He had to stay strong.

Cynthia emerged from the front door, locking the house behind her. "Alright guys! Say your goodbyes, Connor."

Connor turned toward Evan. "I'm gonna miss you."

"It's 2 whole weeks, Con. I-I don't...I don't know if I..." a tear fell down Evan's cheek, despite all of his effort.

Connor pecked the shorter boy's lips and took off his sweatshirt. "Keep this 'till I get back. I have another one in my backpack. And I'll call you, okay?"

Evan took the sweatshirt and nodded. Connor kissed him one more time, then hopped into the car. As they pulled away, Connor waved.

Once the car was out of sight, that was when Evan let all the tears out.

🔹🔶🔹

Larry pulled the car onto the highway, and Cynthia looked at the backseat, where her two kids sat. Connor had his headphones plugged in, trying not to think about Evan. Zoe was texting.

"Okay, guys!" Cynthia said and Zoe looked up. "Connor. CONNOR." Connor didn't respond, just kept staring out the window. Zoe pinched his shoulder, and Connor finally payed attention, taking off his headphones. "What the fuck do you want," he said grumpily, giving Zoe a death stare.

"Aww, you sad you miss your boyfriend," Zoe made big puppy dog eyes and pouted.

"Zoe, stop it," Connor shoved her. "Fuck you.

"Fuck you!"

"Okay, guys," Cynthia said again, and they glared at her. "Since this is family bonding time, you're not allowed to use your phones. Put them in this," she handed Zoe a ziplock bag, but Zoe started ranting defiantly. Connor just simply said, "Fuck you," and placed his phone in the bag, the ringer still on.

"Zoe, in the bag. Now," Zoe sent one last text, then placed her phone in the box.

"Good job kiddos!" Larry said from the drivers seat. "Now, who wants to play the license plate game? Oh! I found Florida!"

Connor sighed. This was going to be a long road trip.

🔹🔶🔹

Evan stepped into his bedroom and immediately collapsed onto the bed sobbing. He couldn't believe it had only been about 10 minutes, and already he was a mess. He couldn't even think about what he would be like in the next 2 weeks.

At least Connor had given him his sweatshirt. It smelled like him, strongly of cinnamon, with a hint of weed. Evan held it up to his face and took a strong sniff, and almost instantly he felt better.

He laid there in his bed for the next few hours, smelling Connor's sweatshirt and crying. He didn't even eat anything, just hid under the sweatshirt and passed out from exhaustion.

🔹🔶🔹

It had only been three days, but it felt like forever to Evan. The smell of the sweatshirt was starting to go away and Evan had cried himself to sleep every night. But he didn't call Connor. He didn't want to sound desperate or needy.

But on the fourth day, when the smell was gone altogether, he couldn't take it anymore. He called Connor.

It rang and rang for what felt like five minutes, until his voicemail came on.

Hey, this is Connor Murphy. I'm too lazy, so leave a fucking message if you seriously need me.

So Evan did. In fact, he left several messages, but each time he called, Connor wouldn't pick up. This wasn't like Connor. He always picked up.

🔹🔶🔹

Connor was sitting in the car, staring out his window, when his phone rang and Evan's picture lit up the screen. It rang until his voicemail message came on, and Evan, of course, left a message.

Hey, Con it's me. Um...I hope you're okay? Call me when you get a chance. Thanks. Connor cursed when he heard Evan's voice. It sounded shaky.

Then five minutes later, the phone rang again. "Mom, can I answer? It's Evan."

"No, Connor. This is family time." Connor huffed and crossed his arms.

Hey, Connor? Um...it's me again, sorry if I'm bothering you but can you please answer? I miss you so much and I just need to hear your voice right now... Connor could hear Evan sniffling through the phone, then a sob, then Evan hung up.

"Mom. Please."

"No."

By the sixth or seventh time that Evan called, he sounded like a complete mess.

Con...please...pl- Evan broke out into complete sobbing before he could finish, then hung up.

The phone didn't ring after that.

"Mom, please. I'm begging you. Just let me call him one time."

"Yeah, come on, Mom," Zoe was actually agreeing with Connor? That never happened. "Evan doesn't sound too good..."

"Yeah, I don't know, honey," Larry was on Connor's side too? "Just let him call him. Just once."

"Fine," Cynthia finally gave in  and handed Connor his phone, which was littered with missed calls.

🔹🔶🔹

Evan answered on the first ring.

"H-hello?" Evan said shakily, trying not to cry again.

"Evan..." was all Connor had to say before the boy broke out into tears.

"Oh...my god, Connor I...I miss you so much..."

"Ev, it's okay. I'm here now." Connor's soothing voice instantly made Evan feel better. He wiped his tears with his sleeve and took a deep breath.

"Please...please don't leave," Evan pleaded, but he heard Cynthia tell Connor to finish up.

"Ev, I'm sorry, but I have to go," Connor apologized and Evan hung up hesitantly. He sniffled, and let one tear fall down his cheek, but then stopped himself. He could make it.

He would be strong.

🔹🔶🔹

Connor was ecstatic. He was only 15 minutes away from his driveway, 15 minutes until he could see Evan. He knew Evan was having a hard...er...rough two weeks, and Connor missed him like crazy.

As soon as he saw Evan sitting on their doorstep, Connor jumped out of the still moving van without a care in the world. Evan stood up and ran into Connor's arms connecting lips with him for the first time in a long time. The electricity was back, both could feel it.

Evan pulled back and sniffed Connor's shirt. "You smell...nice," Evan smiled for the first time in 2 weeks.

"Where's the sweatshirt I gave you?" Evan handed him his sweatshirt.

"I-I got some snot on it, so I...um...I washed it for you," Connor smelled the shirt.

"It smells like you now," Connor smiled and sniffed it again.

"Well, it will go away in a few days..." Evan said and Connor laughed and kissed him again. "How was it?"

"Eh, I still hate 'em," Connor didn't even care about the trip.

He was just happy to be back.

A/N
I rewrote that ending like a gazillion times, I couldn't find a good way to end it. In one draft, they came back early, but then I realized that Cynthia would never do that...

Sorry I'm rambling.

Heere's a Murphy family gif to go with the oneshot.