If I Could Tell Him

Chapter forty-one

EVAN POV

Evan noticed how Connor stiffened up as the couple passed them. "What is it, Connie?" He asked nervously as his husband sat back down.

"N-nothing to worry about." Connor replied, flashing an obviously fake smile. Immediately, warning bells sounded in Evan's head. Not only had Connor given him the worst pretend smile in the history of the universe, but he had also stuttered.

Connor only stuttered when something was very, very wrong. For example, when he had flashbacks about the abuse inflicted on him and Zoe by their father all those years ago. Or if he woke up from awful nightmares.

"Connor..." Evan said, reaching for his arm. Connor glanced in the direction of the man and jerked his arm away from Evan's touch.

Evan felt the all-too-familiar white hot humiliation sting his heart as he folded his hands in his lap and looked at the stage. As Marigold's dance number ended, Evan was fighting tears.

As the lights went up and the intermission, he stole a glance at Connor. His husband had a full on deer in the headlights expression on his face, obviously terrified of something. Maybe he's having a flashback. That might be why he pulled away so fast. Evan reasoned with himself.

"Connie? Sweetheart?" Evan asked gently, trying to bring him back to reality. Connor was mumbling under his breath.

"Won't let him touch you..." was all Evan could make out of Connors muttering.

"Who? Connor it's ok...it's ok it's just Evan...no one is going to hurt you I pr-"

Evan was cut off by a cruelly familiar laugh. He froze, closing his eyes and hoping the voice didn't belong to who he thought it did.

"You guys are still together? How sweet." Thomas exclaimed mockingly, stepping towards them.

"Get lost, Thomas..." Connor growled, not looking at him.

"I want to have a word with your boyfriend first." Thomas replied, crossing his arms.

"Husband." Evan corrected, glaring. As his eyes met Thomas' cold ones, Evan immediately averted his eyes. "H-husband..." he repeated to himself softly.

"Aww..." Thomas said, smirking. "It still stutters."

"I-I've been gettin a-a lot better..." Evan said defensively, cursing himself for stuttering again.

"Right. Sure you are." Thomas sneered.

"Hey, why don't you fuck off?" Connor asked, suddenly standing. Some parents glanced over at them, a few visibly offended by the swear.

"Because you made me repeat senior year. Since your pussy boyfriend couldn't take a joke." Thomas said, bitterness lacing his voice.

Evan saw Connor clench and unclench his fists angrily and took his hand, trying to calm him. "It's o-okay..." Evan said as convincingly as he could.

CONNOR POV

Connor looked at his husband, trembling beside him. He looked at Thomas's smug, condescending face. He looked around at all the parents staring. And he punched Thomas square in the jaw.

Audible gasps and screams sounded through the audience. Thomas fell back into his wife's arms.

"So you still have the same anger issues from high school?" Thomas asked, pushing himself back to his feet and touching his face gingerly.

"Only when people insult my husband." Connor said, protectively standing in front of Evan, who was quietly begging Connor to calm down.

Thomas stepped towards him again, aiming to hit Evan, but was stopped by Connor's hand curling around his collar.

"Well fuck me gently with a chainsaw!" Connor yelled exasperatedly. "You really don't know when to stop, do you?" All traces of anxiety were gone as he kept Evan safe from the monster in the nauseatingly magenta suit.

"Connor really w-we should..." Evan protested, trying to move his hands.

"Don't. You. Touch. Him." Connor snarled, ignoring Evan's soft pleas. He softened his voice dangerously. "Don't think I haven't forgotten about Arnold."

Thomas concealed his fear behind the mask of arrogance he was barely holding onto. "Who?" He asked, trying to pull away.

"A-Arnold..." Evan said, seemingly getting more confident. "My tree. You destroyed him."

"Oh, please." Thomas said, chuckling. "It was a tree..." Connor cut him off.

"I'd choose my next words very carefully if I were you." He warned menacingly.

"Sir?" Came an authoritative voice. "Sir please let go of that man before we have to escort you out." A portly security guard in his mid thirties stood before them, crossing his arms, no doubt summoned by the yelling. Connor would have continued his attack on Thomas if it hadn't been for Evan's voice.

"Con...Marigold has another number coming up. Please..." he said in a desperately sweet voice, melting Connor's anger.

"You're right." Connor let go of Thomas and nodded respectfully at the officer. "I'm sorry for causing a scene." The security guard walked off, and Connor turned back to Thomas. "But I'm not sorry for marrying this man. And nothing you do can change my mind." The lights went down and everyone returned to their seats for the second act. Evan put a hand on Connor's arm.

And this time, he didn't pull away.