always // treebros soulmate au

chapter thirteen ~ run

i'm baaaackkk

due to my theatre camps starting up soon, i probably won't be updating as much, but i am here!

(just saying this so i don't get your hopes up) the waitress is an oc, not a cameo from something, sorry :(

***

"y-you still w-won't tell me w-where we're going," evan mumbled.

connor smiled brightly and looked over at him. "it's a surprise, i already told you."

it was the weekend, and they were sitting in the back of a taxi. evan's first week at school had gone really well, and connor insisted on doing this to celebrate. of course, he had been planning this all week.

"surprises g-give m-me anxiety."

"darling, no offense, but what doesn't?"

evan smiled a little and nuzzled into connor's shoulder. "y-you don't."

connor smiled brightly and kissed evan on the top of his head. evan blushed and grabbed connor's hand, playing with his fingers.

"why d-do you always p-paint your nails b-black?" evan wondered aloud.

"i don't know. it's just a habit of mine. black's dark, like my soul," connor smirked.

evan shook his head. "y-your soul is m-more like a w-watercolor. e-everyone's i-is..."

the statement registered deeply with connor, and he looked at the smaller boy leaning against him with surprise.

"i-i'm sorry, t-that w-was stupid..."

"no, that was gorgeous and poetic and absolutely true," connor interrupted. he looked back down at his nails. "actually, the real reason is because i started painting them black before i saw you. black was the only color i trusted myself with because it was the only thing i could really see... you know, everything else was grayscale. it was hard for me to even determine white from yellow."

"oh, okay. b-but you should p-paint them b-blue sometime," evan advised.

connor raised an eyebrow. "and why is that?"

"i d-don't know. i j-just l-like blue, sorry, it w-was a stupid idea."

"no, no, of course i will. anything for you. i'll just raid zoe's nail polish the next time i'm over there."

the taxi stopped in front of a fancy italian restaurant, and evan gasped.

"h-how did you know i l-love italian?" he asked connor, as connor paid the driver.

connor helped evan out of the car. "i didn't know. i just guessed."

connor offered his arm to evan, and evan rested his hand on connor's elbow. they walked into the restaurant like they were royalty strutting into a fancy gala.

as they waited to be seated, connor whispered in evan's ear, "did i mention how absolutely stunning you look tonight?"

it was true. when connor had opened the door for evan that evening, he had to stable himself on the wall. evan was in a tuxedo and had a blue bowtie on, something connor had never seen before, and it was like looking at the sky at sunset.

evan's face flushed pink. "thanks, but i-i think you l-look better."

"nonsense."

a waitress appeared. she was tall and her dirty blonde hair was pinned back in a bun. "mr. and mr. murphy-hansen?" she asked, smiling a little bit. her voice had a hint of a southern accent.