For Forever (And Longer)
SteamAndStorks (Moonreefe)
Summary:
When Evan goes to see his favorite band in concert, the last thing he expects is to have the drummer approach him awkwardly and remember his name.
What kind of weird world was he in?
(And where did Jared go?)
Chapter 1: Rock my world
Chapter Text
Evan wasn't a concert guy.
Spending ten minutes with him, hell even ten seconds, would confirm that. He's twitchy and nervous and he can't handle large crowds or loud noises. It's the last place you'd expect to find him. Not to mention, they're expensive. He's definitely not rich.
But like hell he's going to pass up the opportunity to see his favorite band live when someone else was buying the tickets. Not that they'd really been bought for him, but whatever.
So here he is, earplugs in and all bunched into his seat, waiting for his favorite band ever, Odd Possums, to come on stage. He's been to two events by them already, one signing and a panel, both events Jared had been forced to bring him to. He'd even got to get something signed by the drummer, who he definitely had a crush on, and got a hug from the guitarist, who he also had a tiny crush on.
In fact, it was how he realized he was bisexual. It was quite a shocker to absolutely no one, but it was a good moment for him.
But this is a concert. He gets to see them all in action. He's both really excited and so, so nervous. Luckily there's no way he can fuck it up, but he's already stressing about leaving afterwards, the guy next to him is a huge scary dude who doesn't really look like he belongs here, and Jared had run off with some french guy twenty minutes ago and he was scared he'd never see him again.
Jared isn't answering his texts, either, and Evan's already bit through his lip. Jared will be okay. He's an adult, just like Evan is supposed to be. He'll be okay!
Evan sighs, deciding to scroll through the bands Instagram for a bit. He finds himself smiling as their faces pop up. They're posting from backstage, and Evan is giggling at their antics. He takes some pictures of the crowd, possibly for a confidence boost later, because he's here with so so so many people and he's excited and doesn't feel like crying. Yet.
Time passes weirdly fast, Evan still a little worried about Jared, but overwhelmingly excited as the guitarist, Zoe, walks onstage and gives her guitar a loud strum. She waves to everyone, walking towards the microphone. "Heyyy everyone! Shit, look at that crowd!" Everyone around him screams, including the scary guy, and he finds himself nervously joining in.
"Everyone having a nice night?" Screaming again, Evan can't help but giggle, intimidated though he is by all the noise around him.
Then the drummer strolls out, and he's actually screaming along with everyone now, face flushed. He's realizing why people like this. He can scream, take up space, and be loud, and none of the attention is on him.
Connor gives a wave to everyone too, flopping down onto his drumset, and giving a quick drum roll. Evan finds his eyes stuck on him and doesn't even notice when the pianist comes out. He doesn't know the pianist that well, and they guy doesn't seem that nice anyway. He's not sure why he's even in the band.
Connor is a much better sight anyway. His hair is up in a bun, and Evan feels his insides heat up. Connor in a bun killed him. He was also wearing eyeliner, and Evan hopes there are some nice pictures of that on Tumblr later.
But the best part? Connor is in a bright pink crop top and a mini skirt. Evan could probably die and be ok with that. He wishes he had the confidence to wear things like that. He fidgets with a button on his polo while watching them set up.
Could he pull off a skirt? He'd definitely look ridiculous in a crop top. Oh well, not everyone could look like a model, and Jared would probably laugh at him.
Finally, they're set up and Connor and Zoe are doing one of their skits, pretending to argue as the first chords start up. This song is about the two of them fighting over a boy, and it makes Evan giggle, because yeah right. Zoe Murphy, lesbian extraordinaire, fighting over a boy with her gay brother.
The song was definitely written before she'd come out. It was still hilarious, though, and he loved that they started with it.
The rest of the concert goes by too fast. By the time the last song is playing, Jared still isn't back. Evan is enjoying himself a lot, but he's still worried about his friend. Besides, even though he loved them a lot and they were probably going to encore, he was planning to leave early anyway. He didn't want to be stuck in the crowd while leaving.
So Evan is soon up and looking for Jared near the concession stands. He nervously texts him, looking in the bathroom, in the little park area by the front, until he's almost having a breakdown and has looked everywhere but the parking lot.
But the parking lot was terrifying. It's where all the druggies went, and he hadn't planned on going there without Jared. Curse his asshole family friend for abandoning him here.
Not knowing what else to do, Evan just sits next to a tree and waits. Everyone starts streaming out after a while and Evan is still sitting there, shaking a little and terrified. He's alone. What is he going to do?
Maybe Jared was back at their seats? He gets up, deciding to go back and see.
He walks back to the auditorium and freezes. It's very nearly empty. Jared is nowhere in sight. He numbly walks back to his seat, sitting in it. Maybe he should...call his mom? He had no one except Jared and his mom. Maybe Jared's parents.
He's fidgeting in his chair when he hears voices from onstage.
"Shit, Zoe, I dropped it while we were performing," he hears Connor's voice ring out.
"Is it really that important?" She doesn't sound irritated, just tired, and Evan can relate.
"Yes, Zoe, it is," he grumbles. Evan is staring at his shoes, trying to get smaller and not seem like a creep who'd stayed after. It really wasn't his fault. He hated Jared SO much right now.
"Connor, it's…," he hears Zoe say. He doesn't look up, but he hears a soft 'holy shit' echo throughout the auditorium.
Everything is silent for a bit, and Evan is hoping they found whatever it was they were looking for and left. Then he hears footsteps. Loud footsteps and they're getting louder. He bunches in on himself more, trying his very best to disappear. Maybe he should get up and leave? Jared had to be outside waiting. Maybe he could brave the parking lot?
Evan jumps about a foot when the footsteps stop and a hand tentatively rests on his shoulder. "Hey, uh. Are you okay?"
He expects Jared, even though it's obviously not Jared. He doesn't expect, in any world, to look up and lock eyes with a very concerned looking Connor Murphy.
Holy shit.
Evan blinks a few times, then looks down at his toes, "I. Sorry. Sorry, I'm. I lost my..., my friend. He just left and, and. And you probably don't care. Sorry." He's such an idiot. Why did he have to be so awkward? Couldn't he just, oh, communicate normally?
He feels Connor huff, "Some friend. Hey hey, it's okay. Uh," he swears if he didn't know better, he'd think Connor was nervous to talk to him. Meanwhile, he's on the verge of embarrassing himself by having a total breakdown.
"Listen this is going to sound...so, so weird," and Evan can't help but peek up at Connor's face, "Um. I've been trying to find you? Shit. Shit, that's so weird. Like not um. Fuck." Evan is so confused. Did he hear right? Why was Connor trying to find him?
Connor plops next to him in an auditorium chair, "Okay so you were at a signing one time...obviously you know that I'm an idiot. Anyway, you um. You gave me a tree charm? It meant a lot to me? And your note? I...you didn't stay after and I couldn't find you. This is so stupid oh god you probably think I'm an idiot." Connor has his face in his hands and Evan is. Flabbergasted. Staring at an embarrassed Connor Murphy. Evan swallows deeply.
"I-it's okay, um. You're...not an idiot. You're super cool? Why are you...talking to me?" He squeaks it out, then flushes and immediately feels bad, "N-not that it's bad that you're talking to me? I'm just. Not um. C-cool enough for you to be talking to me? Sorry." He's fiddling with his polo shirt's buttons again, looking at his feet again.
He looks back to find Connor staring at him. Connor looks...fond?
"Evan...shit is it weird that I remember your name? Whatever. Evan your tree is kind of my lucky charm. I still have your note. I kind of really like you? I don't...really know you. But you just. Stayed in my mind and then didn't stick around and I spent a lot of time looking for you. Which is really really weird and creepy but fuck. You're here." He groans and punches a chair. Hard. It looks like it hurts?
Connor runs both hands over his face and groans again, "Okay after that this is going to seem even weirder, but like your friend is gone and...do you want to come stay with...with us until you find your friend? Wait. Unless you came in different cars, in which case I can just walk you to the parking lot. Or. Fuck." He punches a chair again, and Evan flinches a little.
But fuck, this? Not expected. Was he high? Did he pass out? What was happening and why was Connor so…?
"Y-yeah okay. He's my ride. My car...my car ride." He's reasonably overwhelmed right now. But Connor Murphy is talking to him. Inviting him to be around him for longer. Evan is terrified because there are so many ways he can fuck this up. So, so many ways. But Dr. Sherman was just lecturing him on taking chances and jumping at opportunities, and fuck if this wasn't an opportunity.
Connor looks delighted, too, and soon he's having hand grabbed and being pulled towards the stage. "W-wait," he says, seeing something flash at him from the ground right in front of the stage. Connor freezes, and he kneels down, scooping it up. It's the tree, and it has a thumb wear on its side now. Connor wasn't kidding.
He holds it out to Connor, for the second time in his life, and Connor's whole face lights up as he takes it, slipping it back around his neck.
Connor smiles at it, then at him, and he sees something flash across Connor's face. It seems to pass again, and he's being pulled backstage.
He sees Zoe packing up her guitar. She turns and looks at them, then smirks, "Connor! You found him!"
"Shut up," he says, blushing, and Evan is…
He must be in some kind of wonderland right now.
Someone was playing a trick on him.
Something had to be...fake!
There was no way Connor had actually been looking for him. Or he'd thought Evan was something he wasn't. There's just no way. These kinds of things don't happen to Evan.
"So uh, he kind of got abandoned," Connor says, looking a little peeved, and his expression flashes from that to a smile, "So he's coming back with us for a bit."
Zoe chuckles, "Convenient. Evan do you have any way to get home? Or like, somewhere to be or someone missing you?"
Evan fidgets with his buttons, shaking his head at everything, still in shock and eyes on the ground.
Everything is silent for a couple of seconds, and then Zoe's voice is much softer, "Are you okay Evan?"
Evan bites his lip. They probably want to know why he looks like a guilty kid, eyes on his shoes and hands tucked in on himself. It probably looks weird to them, but it comforts Evan a little bit to be as small as possible, and eye contact...it wasn't easy. But he'd been told he looks weird when he's in his 'comfort pose', and these people-his idols no less didn't actually know him.
The hard part is forcing words. His anxiety has clogged his throat, and what did he even say?
He's been standing there without talking for far too long, so he finally pulls out his phone, typing on it.
He types something simple about his anxiety issues, and how he was particularly bad right now and it was forcing his throat close apologizing far too much as he does, and wanting to apologize for that. He's a mess. He shakily hands it to Zoe before he can regret it.
"Oh," is all she says for a minute, before handing his phone to Connor, whose eyes widen and he nods, handing the phone back to Evan.
"That's okay, Evan. Uh. We're in a hotel right now. Would it be okay with you if we drove you there? Is there anyone you want us to call?" Evan wants to cry. He's having a non-verbal moment in front of his two biggest crushes and biggest idols. Instead, he nods, then shakes his head.
How does he tell them nobody gives a fuck about him without seeming pathetic? He just needs a good night, or maybe a few good hours, and maybe he could drive himself back to his dorm. He'd gotten okay at driving lately, and he wasn't as scared by it. He could do that. He'd be okay.
Connor hesitantly grabs his hand, and Evan tries to relax as he's lead to a car and he waits for them to pack up. He thought there was no way he could ruin this day, but here he is. Ruining everything and acting like the biggest loser ever in front of his favorite people. Who apparently had been looking for him. He can't even begin to imagine how disappointed Connor must be. Looking for someone only to find him and having him be a huge pathetic loser. A letdown.
Connor sits in the back seat with him, and it might just be his imagination but the other seems to be trying to make up any excuse to touch him. He's usually very touch adverse in these moments, but something about how deliberate and obvious Connor was when he was going to touch him made it not feel as weird. He doesn't know why Connor would even want to touch him anyway, though.
By the time they're at the hotel, which is actually quite a while, Evan is feeling a little better. Connor explains how they made a big deal of going to one hotel but actually came to this smaller one as a way to get the stalker type fans off their back. Evan actually laughs at it, and Connor looks so pleased with himself.
For whatever reason, Connor seems eager to please Evan, even though he's the guy who's in a famous band and had millions of people swooning over him.
It's a surreal experience.
Especially when Connor was still in a crop top.
Connor helps Evan out of the car, grabbing a bag out of the trunk and grabbing Evan's hand again. Evan blushes brightly and lets himself be pulled to the hotel room. Connor ushers him in once he's unlocked the door, shutting it and locking it as soon as he's given Zoe a hug and said goodnight to her. It's really adorable watching them teasing each other and he can really see that they love each other.
He wishes he had a sibling.
Soon Connor is sitting next to him, smiling at him almost cautiously. "So, um. You alright sharing a bed? Also, do you need to borrow clothes? I've got like three sets of pajamas, so it's cool if you do." Connor is fidgety and adorable, and Evan finds himself staring for a moment before he nods, clearing his throat.
"Yeah," he manages, and Connor has that extremely pleased look on his face again that Evan can't help smiling at. The worse of his anxiety attack had faded, and now he was just dealing with being able to hang out with actual Connor Murphy.
"Awesome," Connor says. He then just stares at Evan for a moment, eyes sort of glazed over, before shaking himself out of whatever he was thinking and jumping up to grab clothes for Evan.
Evan, finally comfortable to observe him, realizes just how lanky Connor is. Everything about him has that sharp, comfortable aesthetic about it and...and he was just really, really pretty.
Everything was different from afar. It was different when he was looking at pictures of him on Tumblr. It was different when Connor spent all this time trying to make him smile. There's something in his chest that's reacting to Connor. Evan didn't know how to feel about that.
Soon he has Connor's clothes in his hands and he's in the bathroom. He looks at himself in the mirror and cringes. He looks...not great. He looks tired, soggy, gross. Just as pathetic as he felt.
He doesn't know why he expected anything else, honestly. He wasn't going to magically get attractive out of nowhere.
He sighs and slips into Connor's clothes. They're huge on him. He can't help but giggle at himself in the mirror. He looks like a toddler trying on their older siblings clothing on.
Not to mention, the shirt is hilarious. In big pink block letters, it says 'can't wake up (can't wake up inside)', and he could bet anything Zoe bought it for Connor.
He walks out, more like waddled honestly, and Connor has changed into his other pjs, a cute shirt with a panda on it and floor length pants with a floral design. He doesn't immediately notice when Evan comes out, on his phone and laid back on the bed. Evan could almost pretend he was supposed to be here.
Then Connor's head turns and his eyes widen and he sees that same thing he saw all the way back at the stage, that weird look painted on Connor's face. Then Connor is really closed to him, and he doesn't know when that happened.
"C-Connor?" He chokes out. Connor looks like he's fighting an internal battle, and then something obviously wins over and he's moving closer.
He pauses. Evan can see gears turning, and he really doesn't know what to feel. Connor is so closed to him. If Evan goes on his toes he can touch his nose to Connor's.
"Evan," Connor says, and his voice is deep and it vibrates in Evan's chest, "I really, really want to kiss you right now, but I need you to be okay with that." Connor hesitantly puts a hand on his arm, and Evan's head is swimming.
Kiss him? Why? Before he can think, Evan nods. Connor's mouth is on his, and his eyes shut, his whole body feeling hot as Connor's fingers come to rest on his scalp, his arm wrapping around Evan's back. It goes on for so long, and yet it's just not enough. They're panting and Connor is flushed even more than Evan, and Evan didn't know that was possible.
"Evan," Connor says again, and Evan looks up at him, not even realizing he'd gone drifting off.
"Evan, I want you," he says, and Evan doesn't know why Connor looks scared. Why on Earth is Connor the scared one here? Evan's nobody. Connor probably sleeps with enough people daily that Evan won't even be a memory in a week. Something about that doesn't sit well with him, and he doesn't know why. He's used to being forgettable.
He realizes he hasn't responded and does so by leaning up as far as he can go and kissing Connor gently.
After a sort of embarrassing moment in the bathroom, he finds himself on the bed, Connor grabbing the necessities from a bag and rolling onto the bed with him. He's blushing, nervously playing with the hem of Connor's shirt. Is this really happening?
Connor's fingers are on his neck, and he can assure himself it is, and he doesn't know how ready he is for it.
"You can still say no," Connor says gently. He really doesn't want to say no. At all. So he just keeps staring at Connor. Connor waits for his okay, so he nods.
Connor Murphy is undressing him. He's expecting...he doesn't know what he's expecting, but the seemingly rash and violent drummer was so gentle. He's pulling Evan's, or really his own, pants down when he asks Evan his favorite color. It's such an innocent question it catches him off guard.
"B-blue," he says quietly, "Baby blue." Connor smiles, nuzzling his inner thigh.
"Somehow fitting," he responds, and Evan is smiling along with him, even as Connor's nose is so close to his junk. Connor continues peppering him with adorable questions, making him giggle and blush, and this wasn't what he was expecting at all. He's no longer scared, rather relaxed as he can be with someone so in his space, and excited.
Connor's finger circles around his hole, and he gulps. Connor smiles, leaning down to suckle at his neck, pulling a moan from him and making him squirm. It takes a while for him to fully relax, but finally, Connor is able to slip his finger inside, and it's a weird feeling. He's already gripping onto Connor tightly, trying his best to stay relaxed.
Connor keeps asking him hilarious questions, and he really didn't think you could do that during sex. But it was great, and even though his answers were really simple, Connor seemed pleased with every new thing he learned. Evan briefly wonders if he does this with everyone.
When Connor finally works two fingers into Evan, Evan is already a mess. He didn't expect this to feel good, really, and he was pretty happy to be proven wrong. There's a bit of a burn, but Connor's mouth is all over him and he really can't focus on much else. The questions stopped once Evan couldn't really form words anymore, and now Connor was just nipping and licking every exposed inch of skin he could get to. It was a truly maddening experience.
There's a bit of an embarrassing moment where Connor nips his ears, and he moans a little too loudly. It's a moment of self-discovery, and Connor looks immensely pleased.
Finally, they reach three, and Evan is just a complete mess. He can't keep quiet anymore, and everything is really really fuzzy in his brain. He's holding onto Connor for dear life, and his dick is throbbing. He's too embarrassed to touch it, though, because he might just end this a little too early.
Finally, Connor deems it enough, and Evan was both relieved and extremely disappointed when the invasive fingers disappeared.
He feels a nudge, and Connor is slathering lube all over him again. It makes him keen, and he's hiding his face in his hands, panting. Connor seems to have finished whatever he was doing, and he's now trying to pry Evan's hands away from his face.
"I wanna see your cute little face, Evan, please?" Evan peeks at him from between his fingers. Connor smiles, and Evan pulls them away a bit. Connor leans over and claims his lips in a kiss, smiling, and there's another nudge at his hole.
"Ready?" Connor says, and Evan hesitates before reaching for Connor's hand. Connor seems happy to lace his fingers through Evan's, smiling and taking Evan's dick in his hand, leaning back over to kiss Evan as he slowly breached him.
He's expecting it to be worse than it is. It hurts a bit, but Connor is touching him all over, and that might be why he doesn't notice as much. Connor finally bottoms out, and Evan and him are both panting.
For a minute or two, they're breathlessly giggling, locked together and giddy from it.
Then Evan wiggles questioningly, and Connor moans, and Connor leans down and kisses his nose before cautiously pulling out an inch or so, and then back in. Evan gasps, fingers squeezing Connor's arm. They're giggling again, and Evan didn't know that would be something he'd like during, but he's definitely for it, especially because Connor looks so happy above him, and he's so giddy and happy himself.
They start up a pace, and kiss and make plays at each other in the midst. It feels somewhat natural, though they have their awkward moments that they end up giggling through. It was nice.
Evan of course makes a mistake. Not a bad one, really, but it certainly changes things. He snakes his hand up to Connor's head, wanting to touch his hair. He snakes his fingers through it, only to end up moaning loudly as Connor's hips give a particularly hard thrust, and he's left reeling for a moment.
It doesn't connect right away, but when it does he's giggling again, and Connor looks a little embarrassed. He smirks, giving it a hard tug.
He ends up screaming as Connor's pace goes from one to one hundred, and he's keening and mewling, scratching Connor's back up, reduced to a messy puddle.
He files away this particular sensitivity, not really sure for what.
He's playing with Connor's hair still, letting himself be filled with pride whenever it got a serious reaction out of him. He wonders if he could get Connor in the mood with his hair alone. If so, Evan might have a new favorite thing.
He finds himself on the tip of the metaphorical iceberg, nails burrowing holes into Connor's shoulders and eyes rolling back into his skull, as Connor's pace goes erratic. Connor's bitten so many spots on his neck that when he presses his head against the headboard, they all stretch out, and it pulls such a loud keening sound from him he's surely woken everyone in the entire hotel up.
He doesn't even care.
Connor, meanwhile, is making so many noises that are all killing Evan. Mixes between moans, shouts and garbled versions of Evan's name. He's got one arm hooked under Evan and one on the headboard, and he's clearly losing it.
"E-Evan, oh fuck," he groans, "Please don't...don't leave me," he's so visibly close to the edge, and Evan is right there with him. He almost thinks he's misheard at first, and he doesn't have time to think about it before he and Connor are both screaming, his nails most likely breaking skin.
He barely registers the loud sound of wood snapping, and Connor is panting in his ear, still shaking and groaning. He only just realizes that Connor's bitten into his neck, and the realization makes it sting a bit. Connor and him stay in the same position for a bit, before Connor rolls over onto his side, not even pulling out, and Evan realizes that at some point Connor put a condom on. He's somewhat disappointed, but really it's practical. He doesn't know why he cares.
The world spins around them for a bit, lying there together.
"Evan?" He heard Connor say, sounding almost...nervous.
Evan rolls his head to the side, looking at Connor. He's looking back at Evan, eyes lidded, but with a sort of tentative look on his face that Evan can't place.
"Evan, I...I don't want you to…to," he's searching for words, and they're both still floating, but Evan has a heavy feeling in his chest.
Connor seems to find something in himself, and he sits up, looking Evan dead in the eyes, "Evan, will you...will you stay? With me? Can we…," He's lazily running his fingers over Evan's stomach, "Will you be mine?"
Evan feels something lift, and he smiles.
"Yeah, Connor. I'll be yours. For forever."
Connor smiles. "For forever."
It's a silly promise to make when you've just met for the first time. When you have no idea what the future holds.
They don't break it.
They do break the bed.
Chapter 2
Evan's fingers are shaking. Not the little twitches of energy he gets when rehearsal starts in the depths of the Odd Possums studio, or the drumming of fingers against his song binder. Quaking might be a better word for it.
Ever since meeting Connor all that time ago at this very venue, he's been doing things he never thought he could ever do. Like this, now on the stage, shaking, nay, quaking fingers propped up on the piano keys. The delicate ivories seem to blink up at him curiously. 'What do you have to fear' they say, and the list is near endless. He sneaks a peek over at the crowd monitor, currently focused on recording the crowd. A full venue. He's never been happier that stupidly large curtains adorn the stage. He thumbs his tree charm, a matching one to the one he knows is hanging from the wrist of one Connor Murphy.
He gulps, eyes searching for said co-lead and drummer of the band, finding him tuning his drum set, puffy skirt pushed to the back as he leans over the biggest drum in the set, scowling at the thing and hitting it with a bitten drumstick. Five years. Five years together. Evan had seen his ups, his downs, they'd got him sobered up and on medication. It had been a journey. Evan had performed in front of people several times. He was used to it now, as it were.
'What do you have to be afraid of?'
Evan's hand wanders to his pocket. He fingers the square box residing there. Five years ago, Evan would never have imagined doing something this ballsy. But anxiety soaked little Evan would never in his life imagine performing in front of thousands, now would he?
That wasn't to say he still didn't regularly have anxiety attacks before doing so, but…
He'd come a long way, thank you very much.
Breathing deeply, Evan slides his fingers back up to the ivories. Connor flashes him a concerned look from the drums. It was an expression that clearly said Connor was expecting a panic attack at any second, but that he was here for Evan. Evan gives him a shaky smile in return, feels his hands cramp slightly and rubs them together. Connor hops off his drum stool and pads over, giving Evan a great view of his outfit. The crop top had evolved into a corset with a lacy skirt, fluffy as all hell. Their latest album was steampunk-themed, so a few cogs were here and there, and Connor was never without the tree charm that flashed in the lights. It brings Evan's attention to his own slick backed hair and cog covered suit, the tree pin on his lapel. Despite the theme, to celebrate the lore of this venue, the first song was that silly arguing song between the Murphy siblings, with Evan being the one fought over. It was going to be hilarious and Evan was ready.
Evan is brought out of his own mind by gentle lips on his own. He squeaks slightly in surprise and Connor giggles, peppering kisses around his jaw. Evan giggles quietly, picking at one of Connor's corset strings. "Don't worry, no self-detonation today," Evan murmurs, nosing up into his boyfriend's neck.
"Leave that to the fans," Connor smirks and hugs Evan tightly, "What's got you doing your cute squinty face over at me?"
Evan snorts. "I don't squint!" He dusts one of his black keys off. The dust was always more noticeable on them in the bright lights, while the little white keys always got away with being filthy. Okay, fine, he's distracting himself. Sue him! "Go back to tuning, okay?" He gives Connor a little push toward his drums and gets a blinding smile and a peck on the lips in return.
Evan checks the time, getting his sheet music in order and popping both his left earplug and right earpiece in. He runs a hand through his hair, stretches his legs. He takes deep breaths, focusing on Connor's back. He grins when Zoe blasts on the stage, looking all shades of awesome, badassery leaking from her pores in kind...wait, no. Ew. From the smile on her face, Alana was the one taking her time. She blasts through tuning her guitar while Evan is still doing breathing exercises.
Finally, the sad excuse for pre-concert music comes to an end. "It's fuckin' elevator music is what it is," Connor had griped one time.
A small familiar tone and announcement come through their earpieces, and the curtains are pulled back abruptly like the curtains guy was going to pull them and fell over. Evan flinches just the tiniest bit, and Connor gives him a reassuring smile. The audiences' overpowering applause fills the venue, noise in every nook and cranny. A few signs are being held up, one even says 'CONNOR MURPHY IS A FASHION IDOL!' and Evan can't help but agree, even if he thinks Zoe's name ought to be on that sign too.
His eyes flit over to the singer-guitarist. She'd gone full steampunk suit, frills buttons lapels and a hat with all those same features. It was funny, sometimes he forgot which Murphy was the one that could bench press him. Then she reminded him, in some ways more than others.
He's giggling to himself when Connor gets his attention and points to a sign, grinning.
'EVAN 3 CONNOR OTP!' next to one stating 'EVAN MURPHY'.
It's cute, and it definitely doesn't warrant the shot of anxiety that runs through his stomach. How old were those girls anyway, one looked twelve! Certainly too young to be invested in his relationship? She couldn't know, could she? Surely not.
Zoe walks over to him, pretending to be pulling him up for the first song and leaning over him, "When?"
"When do you think...?" Evan is futzing around with his hands helplessly.
"Right before the last song in the set, the cute one." She grins, not giving him a chance to protest as she yanks him up to stand on a tiny mobile dais. He lets himself look anxious and fidgety, partly because that's his part in this, and partly because aggressively attractive Murphy siblings circling him would never ever be something to scoff at. It goes on for a moment or so before Connor sits at the drums. The song starts up, and since Evan has little to no part in it, he just admires the two as they do their thing.
"Lesbian Extraordinaire," Evan mumbles to himself, smirking at Zoe as she does her part of the song. He thought it five years ago, and honestly...he'd only had it proven to him further in that time.
Soon the song is over and he's on the piano, and it's suddenly intermission. Time flies...
At the moment his fingers hit the last few keys and applause roars out, Evan is shivering, high on the feeling of performing. He looks over to Connor, who is, of course, panting rather hard and staring at him. They smile at each other and Evan only barely catches it when Zoe teasingly mentions that they're making love eyes at each other. They blush and grin, Connor flipping his sister off. Meanwhile, Evan doesn't dare, because she could bench press him.
The audience laughs a final time and the curtains are pulled so fast he's sure half the audience gets whiplash. Who in the world was in charge of the curtains?!
Evan only gets to be outraged at the curtains for a moment before there are lips on his lips again and Connor is pulling him up to gently twirl around with him. Connor seemed especially handsy today, and honestly...Evan wasn't complaining. It was reassuring in a way because he can tell that Connor does, in fact, love him, so maybe, just maybe, this whole proposing deal wouldn't go down so badly. Evan's hands continue to shake regardless, and Connor is humming and holding him close.
It's a thing, now, he supposes. Ever since the very first time he performed Connor had kept him busy during intermission. It wasn't always physical, one time he'd just put a bottle of water in his hands and told him a shitty joke. There was the time he'd given Evan the little tree charm, too, and Evan had cried. Then Connor had cried, while Zoe was trying not to laugh at the emotional mess from a few feet away.
It was Connor's show of support. It was meant to calm Evan down, and usually, it worked.
But considering the enormity of what he was going to do, along with the fact that Connor doesn't know about it? He'd have to be forgiven if he was a little shaken holding his boyfriend in his arms.
Zoe must see him freaking out, because she's demanding his attention upstage, and Connor snorts. "Alright, don't keep her waiting. It's not fuckin worth a temper tantrum, even if I'd rather keep you to myself." He gives Evan a little shove, winking.
Evan rolls his eyes fondly and sets off toward Zoe. She begins to mess with his hair, parting and moving the strands this way and that. Evan clears his throat a little, "Those uh, those curtains sure did whip around," He half mumbles, nerves tickling the inside of his throat.
Zoe snorts. "Mhm. Sure did." She weaves a bit of his hair behind his ear to keep it from sticking up. "You don't seem as nervous as I thought you'd be."
Evan raises an eyebrow. "I don't?" Here he'd thought he was shaking from head to toe and looking shiftier than a raccoon on the clock, but Zoe was known for being brutally honest...maybe he was more centered than he thought.
"Mhm. Thought you'd be having heart palpitations or running away or something." Her hand glides through his hair soothingly one more time before she moves her hand to his back and pats him, "You've got this, I can tell."
He grins up at her and pointedly doesn't hug her, because she hugs far too tightly and he's a small and delicate boy. He does a nod to her and takes a fluffy towel to wipe his sweat off with as he returned to his piano. It seemed far too quickly that those damned curtains were whipping around again and they were off.
Evan gulps, eyes slipping shut as his fingers continue on without him. There are the nerves, tingling up and down his back where they didn't exist before.
Instead of worse case scenarios, though, his hours of practice carry him through, fingers hitting keys on their own, face its learned mask of calm. He really can't believe it. His eyes find Connor, who is sweating and drumming and singing and…
He's gorgeous. Evan's fingers fly along the piano's keys, but his eyes are stuck on how the stage lights make Connor's hair a beautiful, bright brown. How It falls on his eyelashes and makes his buckles and belts shine, twinkle. His star, his perfect star. He feels the droplets on his hands before he registers them on his cheeks, his hands too busy to wipe them.
↪This may be the most terrifying thing Evan has, or ever will, do in his lifetime. But if he gets to marry him, marry Connor. God, who cares? His face cracks into the biggest grin it's possibly capable of, his bottom lip wobbling. His finger hits the last key on the second to last song before he can register it. The last riffs of Zoe's guitar, the last notes of Connor's voice, and Zoe turns to him, striding offstage with the rest of them. Evan holds his breath a moment, lets it out. He stands, he turns to Connor. Everything else melts away when he sees the confused, curious grin on his face, the little quirk of his eyebrow. What crowd, look at him. Look at his star.
There's no magic to the seven or so steps he takes, he almost stumbles once, he's red and Connor's sweating. Everyone in the audience has their breaths held. He bursts into tears before he can get on one knee, and he scolds himself when he sees Connor's face turn to worry. Connor locks lips with him, hand on his cheek, raising an eyebrow in question. Evan's heart stops, thumb swiping across Connor's cheek. He takes a deep breath and gently pushes Connor off of him. His fingers are shaking when he gets the box out, his knee collides with the stage a little too hard. His voice is wobbly when he nearly whispers, "Connor. Will you marry me?" He has to blink the tears away, the look on his face is pinched, nervous.
Connor's the one in tears, nearly seconds later. He takes the ring gracelessly, shoves it on his finger and all but tackles Evan, fluffy skirt bouncing with the force. He's going to thank curtain guy later, he thinks, as the curtain whips around. He hears the sound as his mic goes offline, Connor peppering him in kisses, his giggling louder than the roar of the crowd in their ears.
"You're amazing," Connor whispers, "Brave, wonderful, gorgeous, God...I can't believe I get to marry your ass."
"Not just my ass," Evan quips back.
They take their damned time, and sue them-they're engaged now. The crowd doesn't complain a peep, imaginations surely carrying the space where the curtains only fluttered from touch, where the 'fuckin' elevator' music resurfaced. When they're finally pried off of one another, they take their places for the next song. Evan with a mic clutched in both of his shaky hands, kiss drunk and only just barely terrified of singing. Zoe signed him up for it, so he can't be too bad right? She wouldn't send him up here if his voice was that of a dying goose. Or maybe it would be revenge for all the snapchats of her asleep in weird positions. Welp.
They're still dewey eyed when they softly sing the chords at each other, the choreography lost when they came close enough to touch, wrapped around one another and just barely in tune. Surprisingly it's Connor's voice that breaks first, on the word 'future'. It's Evan that cries again, on a verse about growing old together.
Regardless of who started it, by the end, there are messy tears and out of tune whispering.
There doesn't seem to be an end, no packing and no leaving the venue. Their moment lasts for ages and when it's over they're sitting in the car, Connor's leg trapped between Evan's, Evan's face in his chest. They kiss, grind on each other a little, but by the time they're in their bed it's pure, raw emotion that's guiding them, touching and kissing. The heat seems to simmer until they're just crying again, clinging to each other, too caught up in the future to be present.
Someone croons the chords to the song again, someone else follows suit, and before long they're both out cold, yet so, so warm.
