Hazy Love: A Treebros Fic

Chapter 23.5: Rehab Arc - Intro

A/N: Hey guys! Long time, no update. I'm so sorry for the lack of updates, school's been rough on me recently and I had a bad setback into my anxiety, and to top it all off I got strep. Luckily, I'm doing better now. Partly because of all of ya guys positive comments. Seriously, it means a lot to me. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter and I'll see ya in the next one! :) 💕

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Connor shuffled his feet anxiously, sitting in a chair next to his dad. They were seated in front of Larry's desk, browsing on Connor's Mac-Book Air.

The two were looking at local rehab options. So far, their best option was the Schuyler Rehabilitation Center for Troubled Adolescents. The only bad thing they Connor could see with the place was the fact that it was almost three hours away.

He liked it, sure, but he didn't know if he could really bring himself to leave Evan for that long. Yes, there were weekend visiting hours, but...
they WERE high school students and Evan didn't like to drive too much. To add to the predicament, the program was almost a month and a half long.

A month and a half away from Evan and his family. He was conflicted. On one hand, the problems. But there was also A LOT of positives about that particular rehab center. What would he do?

He needed to talk to Evan.

-

Evan was laying in his bed, a leather-bound journal sitting open on his crossed legs. Evan hummed softly as he bit at the end of his own in thought.

The boy was wearing only some sky blue pajama pants, wrapped in a nice blanket his mom had gotten him when he was younger.  He was propped up with what seemed to be a million pillows as he wrote in the journal, feeling abnormally at peace.

Until he heard the screech of car tires against his driveway, and a loud BANG as  the door slammed open and Connor yelled up the stairs, "EV! ARE YOU IN HERE?! I'M COMING UPSTAIRS!"

Evan's breath quickened as he quickly stood up and threw the journal aside, looking around for a loose t-shirt, or ANYTHING to cover himself with.

It was too late. Connor, of course, had already hurried upstairs and into the unsuspecting teen's bedroom. Evan let out a little squeak, turning away from Connor, embarrassed and panicked. Connor quirked an eyebrow, confused.

"Ev, babe, you gonna turn around or do you want me to talk to your back?" Connor forced a smirk, trying to calm his own nerves as well as Evan's. Evan blushed, turning his head over his shoulder to look at Connor.

But he wouldn't turn around, not at the risk of Connor seeing his stomach.

Connor frowned deeply, noticing how uncomfortable and tense his boyfriend seemed. He stepped forward slowly, extending a pale, lanky arm towards Evan. The smaller boy immediately tensed up, causing Connor to cringe and quickly retract his arm. Evan noticed how upset Connor seemed, and he felt the urge to apologize.

"I-I'm sorry... I just, I just don't like m-my stomach." This caused Connor to wilt. How could Evan POSSIBLY think that about himself!?

"Ev, you don't have to be sorry. It's okay, I promise. But I kinda have a request?" Evan turned his head, seeing Connor standing with his arms extended.

"Can we maybe cuddle? Your room is cold." The taller boy smirked, causing Evan's freckled cheeks to light up in a reddish-pink blush. He thought for a minute.

'Was it worth it? Was Connor just gonna make fun of him? No, Connor seemed genuine. He... he wouldn't... right?' His thoughts were interrupted by Connor.

"Ev, you're over-thinking it. I promise nothing bad will happen. It's just cuddling. I wanted to talk to you, which is why I'm even here. If you don't want to cuddle, you don't have to. I won't be mad, okay?" Evan considered his options for awhile longer, before slowly nodding.

"But I, I have a request of my own." Evan turned around shyly, barely able to look Connor in the eyes, "You, you have to take off your shirt too." Connor blushed a bright red, completely shocked at request. Evan noticed this and cringed, rushing to make things better.

"I mean you don't have to it was just a suggest omigosh I'm so sorry-" Evan's ramblings were silenced as he watched Connor remove his shirt.

Cute...

"Now, are we snuggling or what?" Worrying that words would fail him, Evan chose to simply nod in response, his face still a bright red.

Connor grabbed Evan around the waist, causing him to squeak as Connor pulled them both back into Evan's bed.

Connor's face puckered up as he desperately tried not to laugh. His attempts were futile, as giggles managed to escape his chapped lips. This made Evan bury his head in Connor's chest, embarrassed.

Connor took the initiative to grab Evan's waist, rolling both of them onto their sides. Evan laughed at Connor, who couldn't help but stare at Evan's face.

Evan noticed Connor's staring, and he yet again blushed, snuggling into Connor's side. In response, the taller of the two teens rested his head atop the smaller boy's head, rubbing Evan's back soothingly as he closed his eyes.

They stayed like that for nearly fifteen minutes before Connor remembered what he'd come here to say. Reluctantly, he pulled back so that he could meet Evan's eyes. Evan whimpered slightly at the loss of contact, but he could tell by looking at Connor's downtrodden expression that the boy had something important to say. Connor cleared his throat, pushing himself into a sitting position.

"So, y'know how Dad and I have been looking at local rehab centers, right?" Evan had also moved into a sitting position, and he nodded to what his boyfriend was saying.

"Well we found one, a really nice one actually." Evan's eyes immediately lit up, and he broke into a childish grin. He hugged Connor tightly.

"That, that's so great! I'm really, really g-glad." Evan pulled back, but frowned as he saw that Connor's face was still unsmiling.

"W-what's wrong?" Evan questioned.

"It's almost three hours away. And the program is one and a half months long." Evan's frowned deepened. He couldn't say he liked the idea of being that far away for that long, but he knew he needed to encourage Connor to do what was best for him.

"That's, that's okay, Con. I can, I can use Mom's car and drive up. I know it seems hard, but I think it'll, it'll all be okay. I promise." He smiled, giving Connor a tight hug.

Connor smiled, tears of joy pricking in the corner of his eyes as he hugged back tightly.

Where would he be without Evan?