"Why are you so upset?" Connor realised it may be the wrong thing to say the moment the question left his lips.

"You think that I'm overreacting?" Kevin continued to march through the forest, a hand on the trees lining the path for support.

"There was nothing incriminating or embarrassing. On the contrary-"

If Connor had Kevin's test scores, he'd be proud to flaunt them. And he thought that Kevin, of all people, would be fine with letting everyone know how smart he was.

Kevin's shoulders slumped, "It's not that, Connor. It just caught me off guard. Made me feel...violated. And I never want to feel like that ever again. After…I hate feeling like this so much."

Oh. That made more sense.

Connor felt the phone in his pocket vibrate again. The last thing Connor wanted to think about right now was Anthony.

"I don't know how to make this right," Connor admitted, "We didn't mean to make you feel like that. I'm sorry. We were just being busybodies. I did stop them after that."

Kevin continued walking without looking back. Connor sighed and followed closely behind.

"I know, Connor," Kevin finally stopped, "For the record, I give you permission to look through all my stuff."

He was forgiven.

"Even your diary?" Connor smirked.

"You know I don't keep one."

They were almost there when Kevin tripped over his own feet. Connor barely managed to get a hold on Kevin's arm to prevent his fall, "Geesh Kev, how are you so drunk from just beer."

"Kev?"

Kevin turned to face him, looking like he was about to cry.

"Hey, what's the matter?"

He avoided Connor's gaze.

"I lied."

Connor frowned, "What?"

"You were right. I took the Tramadol."

"You...," Connor froze.

Kevin lied to him, to his face. After all the progress that they have made.

And to think that Connor genuinely felt bad for even suggesting that in the first place.

He watched as Kevin slowly lowered himself down onto the ground.

So Kevin lied. And he knew better than to drink after taking the meds. Connor should be angry, but he wasn't. Connor was just...disappointed. And very tired.

"What are you doing? The ground's all muddy," Connor pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Dizzy."

Connor sighed and pulled Kevin off the ground, "C'mon."

—

It didn't take long for Kevin to drift off after Connor got them situated in bed. Kevin had remained quiet the whole way back, after he confessed.

Man, Connor needed a drink. A real alcoholic drink. He scooted backwards on the bed until his back hit the headboard.

He had done everything he could to help Kevin. Connor had been supportive, and patient, and loving. What more could he do?

Connor took out his phone. Ten unread messages from Anthony. Connor shook his head and laughed to himself. Just how desperate was this guy to meet up with Connor?

'When will you be back?'

'What about next week? I have Tues and Wed off.'

'Do you like Indian food?'

'There's this nice restaurant I recently discovered near Covent Garden'

'It's not a date. I swear. Just to chat'

'As friends'

'If you don't fancy Indian we can always go for Mcdonalds'

'Just kidding. As a healthcare professional I would advocate against eating fast food'

'What do you like to eat?'

'Are you asleep? Good night, Connor. Or good morning, if you happen to be seeing this once you wake up.'

Connor briefly wondered what Anthony would say, if Connor suggested bringing Kevin along. Knowing what Anthony was playing at, the guy would probably claim that he wouldn't mind at all. But somewhere down the line, a few more dinners and lunches later, he would eventually find a way to ask Connor out alone. Connor may not have much experience in the dating department, but Connor knew how the game was played.

He wasn't going to lead Anthony on, that much Connor was sure. But he didn't want to blow him off either. One can never have too many friends, right? Besides, Anthony would make a nice friend.

Fine, he would go, and then make it very clear to Anthony that he was just looking for friendship. Nothing else.

'I don't mind Indian,' Connor typed.

—

The next morning, Connor was the first one to rise, out of all the Elders. Everyone had made it back safe and sound, thankfully.

"Oh, pancakes for breakfast! Nice! I haven't had them in like forever!" Arnold beamed as he peeked over Connor's shoulder.

Connor nodded, "I know. That's why we brought it. We even brought this," he lifted a bag of Hershey's chocolate chips.

"Chocolate chip pancakes! Oh my god! Is this real life?! Am I still dreaming?!" Arnold pinched his own cheeks.

Connor sprinkled the chocolate chips onto the half-cooked batter on the pan, "Okay, calm down."

"You guys know me so well!" Arnold squealed and wrapped his arms around Connor's middle.

"Well, it was all Kevin's idea," Connor shrugged and flipped the pancakes, "Why don't you go wake him up?"

Connor didn't feel like talking to Kevin right now.

"Oh. Uh...Is he still mad about last night?" Arnold looked uncertain.

Right. Connor had more pressing issues on his mind, but the both of them did leave the lake pretty abruptly. It must have put a damper on the party mood, no doubt. Connor didn't want to make guesses as to what the others must think.

Nobody knew what Kevin had gone through. Poptarts still assumes that Kevin was just beaten up by The General and his goons when he stormed into that camp. More than once, Connor had overheard Elder Church refer to Kevin as the drama queen. But that was just how Church was. He also frequently called Connor a naggy househusband. Connor just let him be. As long as Kevin didn't know, nothing bad was going to happen, and no one would get hurt.

"He's not mad anymore," Connor assured Arnold, "We had a talk. And he's gotten over it."

Arnold heaved an audible sigh of relief, "Oh goody! I was really worried!"

—

"Connor," Kevin sighed.

Connor adjusted his tie and folded his shirt collar down over it. From the mirror, he could see Kevin standing behind his shoulder, looking dapper in his black suit and tie.

Connor moved on to tucking in his shirt without responding.

"Connor," Kevin repeated.

He still didn't turn around. They hadn't talked since last night. Connor spent the breakfast catching up with Poptarts and the rest of the Elders, while Kevin was having a discussion with Arnold about the wedding ceremony.

Connor took another glance at the mirror. Kevin was still waiting for him.

If Kevin apologised, which he hasn't, was Connor supposed to say that 'it's okay' and let it slide? Was Connor supposed to accept that being lied to was part and parcel of the process to Kevin's recovery? How many more times of 'it's okay' would Connor have to say, before it wasn't okay anymore?

"Connor, please."

Connor finally relented and turned around.

Kevin held out the blister pack of pills towards Connor, "I'm sorry I lied to you."

"And you want me to what? Safe keep it?"

Kevin shrugged.

"Kev," Connor ran a hand down his face, "I don't want to be your parole officer."

"What do you-"

"It's not just the pills. I get it, you're scared. It must feel overwhelming to be back so soon, and they make you feel safer. It's the lying to me, after you promised that you will never do that ever again. And then the drinking, even when you know that you aren't supposed to. And the worst thing is that this isn't even the first time, Kevin. I thought you know better after…everything," Connor blew out a breath, "I don't want to be nagging after you all the time. We're supposed to be equals, and we're supposed to be looking after each other, not just me doing all the-," Connor waved his hands, "You know?"

Kevin sat down on the edge of his bed, "Are we...breaking up?"

"What?! No!" Connor threw his hands up in the air. Why did Kevin always think that?

"Then...What do you want me to do?"

"That's the thing," Connor moved to sit beside Kevin, "I don't want this relationship to just be me telling you what to do all the time. I'm not your parents."

"Okay?" The furrow between Kevin's brows deepened as he processed what Connor had sprung on him.

Was it like an I-get-it 'okay', or was it more like a this-is-a-lot-to-take-in 'okay'?

"We're good, Kev. I'm not breaking up with you. Ever," Connor repeated once more for good measure, "I just…think that you can do better than this. I really do. You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for."

On hindsight, it was a bad decision to be getting into this before the wedding. They had ten minutes to compose themselves and get into the celebratory mood for the joyous occasion, but Kevin was still looking pretty distraught.

Was there a better way to have phrased all of his thoughts? There probably was. But there was no do-over.

Connor took Kevin's hand in his, "We should go."