𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖛𝖎𝖇𝖊 𝖎𝖘 𝖕𝖗𝖊𝖙𝖙𝖞

Treebros- soulmate au part 1

Ok it's a soulmate au where the persons first words to you are tattooed on your arm, this was requested by WhiteWolf12666
She's really cool, go check her out!
Part 1
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Evan traced over the words again and again as he perched on the branch of an apple tree. "What the fuck are you laughing at?"

It was one hell of a soulmate quote, that's for sure. It had shown up on his forearm sometime during junior year, and his mom was probably (definitely) more excited about it than he was. He had been worried he would never get a quote, that he didn't have a soulmate; after all, who could ever love Evan Hansen? He had severe social anxiety, and he couldn't go more than five seconds without picking at his nails or the hem of his shirt or his shoelaces. He stuttered and he mumbled and he spoke too fast. He was unloveable by anyone except for his mother, and even that felt forced to Evan.

He looked down. Dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves and left highlights on the grass below. He scratched the bark of the tree by his thigh, trying to distract himself from what he was about to do. A tear dripped down his chin, falling on the stark black ink of the tattoo. Most everyone had found their soulmate by now, it was senior year, he was seventeen, what was wrong with him? He had no friends--only Jared Kleinman, who insisted he was a "family friend."

He wiped at his eye and looked up at the leaves above him. Cotton candy clouds drifted lazily in the sky. It was a beautiful day.

He let go of the branch.

Wind whistled by his ear.

His arm went numb.

---

"I, uh, I fell. Out of a tree."

Evan picked at his cast as Jared laughed. "You what? What are you, an acorn?" His infectious laughter made Evan feel a little less anxious, and he sheepishly smiled downward. "God, you're hilarious. Anyway, I guess I'll see you around?" He flashed his signature Jared Kleinman smile at Evan and turned, walking down the hallway.

Evan waved at him gently, curling in on himself as he was alone once again. He still heard Jared's voice as he walked away. "Hey, Connor, digging the new hair length! Very school shooter chic."

He looked over his shoulder and saw Jared standing next to a tall boy--Connor--with shoulder-length hair. He looked... bitter. His mouth was pressed in a hard line as he looked down at Jared, his fists white-knuckle gripping his messenger bag.

"It was a... I was joking." Jared sounded exasperated or even slightly scared to Evan, which worried him greatly.

"I know. It's hilarious. Don't you see how hard I'm laughing?" Connor's voice was cold and stony. If Evan wasn't already terrified of him, he'd laugh. "Am I not laughing hard enough for you?" Connor growled, stepping into Jared's personal space dangerously.

Jared laughed awkwardly, taking a step back. "You're such a freak," he mumbled as he retreated down the hallway past Evan.

Connor's eyes caught Evan's as they followed Jared. Evan cracked a hesitant smile at the unexpected eye contact, immediately scolding himself for being so awkward. Connor strode towards him, scowling. "What the fuck are you laughing at?" he threatened.

Evan's blood ran cold. His hand shot up to his cast instinctively, which covered the same remark tattooed onto his skin. His face turned red and his palms turned sweaty as he grasped for words. Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit, his mind screamed in a never-ending loop. "What?" was all he could manage, his throat hoarse and his brain running at a mile a minute.