The plot happens quickly but there's a lot of it, mainly because I allowed myself to experiment a lil, so, there's that.
Every single part of this story is based in multiple dreams I've had since the first one that made the first 10 chapters, so the writing process is me trying not to dream abt it bc I'm afraid I won't remember come morning, and then dreaming about it and somehow keeping the info for weeks despite my ADD.
17. Κίνηση
Heidi Hansen and Janis Griffin had become friends back when they first started nursing school, or well, rather Heidi kept her close because her loud personality worked as a great cover, easy to keep to yourself when someone else is showing off. Janis seemed to think Heidi a friend though, or at least someone she could be brutally honest with without facing repercussion for it, other than inside Heidi's head.
Janis had insisted they find mates at the same time so their first pups would be the same age, Heidi met Richard Boone, and Janis met Lewis Kleinman. Richard was a bit of a surprise, a bit of a lie detector, and amazingly, brave enough to stick with Heidi after finding out she had dragon blood; sure, he was a literal dick who ran off chasing after a cocktail waitress just because she was an omega unlike Heidi, but he seemed to have kept Evan's secret safe, and for that Heidi is grateful.
Lewis, on the other hand, is a man unafraid of saying what he thinks, privileged and uncaring how his words sound to different ears, and Heidi knows now just how much of an influence he is on those he surrounds himself with. Lewis has a keen eye for that which does not fit into his view of how the world should be, and his reach is such that when he starts clearly doubting Heidi she panics; he's hard to misdirect, because Heidi feels like poison might as well be replacing her veins with every word she utters in order to fool him, she despises the mask she makes for him, but she cannot face him, not with Evan on the line.
Janis is easier to handle, easier to coax into doing what Heidi needs her to, just the right words, bite back the retorts.
"Morning Janis, how are things in your wing?"
The woman smiles at her brightly.
"You know, very cold and quiet as usual, how about yours?"
"Hectic"
Heidi sits down in the table in front of her.
"Home too, Richard dropped Evan's new sister with me, I wouldn't have opened the door but well, omega instincts are hard to fight against and she's only 2"
Janis gives her the first real look of concern.
"That man is horrible, is better that she's with you"
Heidi gives a fake smile of her own, she's out of practice but the tiredness she carries with her gives her a bit of leeway.
"Makes good practice too, Evan found himself an alpha"
The smile on her face is so fake it might as well be trademarked. Janis had been the one to tell Heidi about Evan's little ruse to get out of shifting, expressing her 'condolences' at the fact that her boy had turned to be such a small thing and how worried she must be that no one would take him; Heidi had just gone along with it, not wanting to ruin Evan's cover, at least it was a good choice of animal.
"That's great, you must be so relieved!"
Heidi smiled, working her way to how she wanted to word the next part.
"Oh almost so, it's just that your boy didn't take it well from what I hear"
Janis blinked, smile almost slipping from her face.
"Jared?"
"Evan says he was less than kind when he found out, sounded almost possessive to me"
Janis lets out a loud laugh, forced in a way that, while Heidi can tell she is faking it, no one else would be able to.
"Well that's just silly; Jared knows he can't court a fox, too small for a Kleinman"
Then, she puts on a smile that's nearly vicious, and Heidi knows her next words will try to make her rise to an argument
"No offense to Evan, of course, he's a lovely thing, I'm sure he'll make this alpha you speak of very happy"
Heidi has known her long enough to perceive the tone of mockery, but that's ok, it's fine because Heidi just put her plan in action.
"Oh, not at all, I'm telling you because I know how much you care about it"
The smile on Janis face was a terrible cover for the shock she had written all over it.
"Well, I have to run; it was lovely to talk with you"
- ... / ... . -.- / .- / .-. - ...- / -.-. ... .- -. -. .
This was, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the single most domestic thing Connor had ever done, and it wasn't even with someone related to him, he didn't think, Tera was a mystery in that area though.
Speaking of Tera, the little girl had wide glowing eyes as she swung her legs back and forth in the kid chair of the shopping cart. Yes, Connor was pursuing the aisles of a supermarket, not only with Tera, but also with Evan Hansen.
Evan, had made a quick list of things they would need, how he knew was a mystery to Connor, like, specifically; as in, Connor knew what he would buy if he went to the supermarket just for himself, Evan knew how to buy for a two years old he knew very little about, his mother, and himself.
Connor, because his mom liked to switch what she was into frequently, had at one point taught himself how to cook the food he wanted to eat; which led to plenty escapades to this same supermarket for ingredients. Evan only knew how to make basic foods, like noodles and eggs, but you couldn't feed a two years old with just that, so they reached the deal that Evan would handle the finding everything they would need, and Connor would cook things to keep in the fridge and freezer.
Thus, here they were, in the supermarket. Luckily for all three of them Tera was a smart girl who understood reasoning, and seemed happy enough just riding in the cart, making faces at Connor.
The alpha was only pushing the cart because it had been part of the deal he made in order to get Evan to accept him paying for the food, the omega had been adamant in repaying at least the portion of it that was for himself and his mother and would not be persuaded otherwise, Connor ended up accepting all the terms because he was distracted by how different Evan was when he set his mind on something; it wasn't that bad though, and Evan didn't ask him to do anything he wasn't already planning on doing, well, maybe sans the cart thing, but Evan was too focused on fulfilling the list to do it himself.
It made all the sense in the world that this is where he finally ran into Alana beck. See, when Connor found out about the orchard project he figured that she would be the one person to ask about it, as she was often somewhat involved in nearly everything of that sort; clubs, committees, if it was morally helpful or school related, Alana was in it.
So, of course, he never found her that day at school but he did now, she was the one to see and approach them.
"Hey Connor, Evan, doing some shopping?"
Connor knew it was time to start the act, people at school had noticed Connor hanging around Evan, but this would be sure to make them aware that he was 'interested'.
"Yeah, the Hansens have a sudden extra mouth, and I wanted some brownie points"
Alana gives him a look, and then her eyes find Tera and her entire demeanor changes into one of intrigue, mind rapidly going through explanations. Evan must have noticed her drawing conclusions as well, because he spoke up.
"This- this is, uh… Tera, my- my uh, half-sister"
"Oh"
Alana's entire body seems to accompany that exclamation, as her eyes now flick through Evan and Tera; she seems to accept it though, as she gives a short nod.
"You two look very similar"
Connor has to fight the urge to look at them to try and find if he can see what she does.
"Thanks"
"You two must be close then, she seems very comfortable with Connor"
Connor knows this is important, but he doesn't actually know how to respond to that comment without giving himself away; thankfully Evan, amazing liar that he's turned out to be despite his obvious telltale signs, speaks up again.
"I'm convinced she likes him better than me"
Connor turns to him at that, and notices too much, similar face structures, similar nose, and a thousand little nothings that seem to stand out now as if highlighted.
"Don't be ridiculous, she adores you"
It's the whole truth, Connor isn't sure how it happened, particularly given how quick it was, but it is true nonetheless. As Alana eventually walks away to continue her own shopping and Evan guides him onto the last few things, and then to the registers for Connor to pay everything; he thinks it might not be the only thing that stood truth in their charade.
