Should I add translation/pronunciations to the titles, or nah?

The fun thing if that you'll know when the story is ending because the gap between published chapters will become shorter; due to the fact that I'm writing ahead of what I'm posting, of course.


28. Αδέλφια

There's a gap between what you're willing to do for someone or something, and what you can actually physically do, like, Connor's paraphrasing here, but basically, sometimes what you're willing to do will hurt worse than doing nothing? And sometimes you make empty promises you can't actually keep, it's just… hard to explain.

Connor can bring himself to shove the box of pills he wants nothing to do with in his bag, and can bring himself to take them with him to school, only because Evan asked; Connor's willing to do a lot for Evan, but he can't do some things. Like, make their situation different, or get rid of Evan's problems, or another hundred and one things that are beyond his power but feel like they should be, as if Connor was supposed to be the solution but failed; he knows, realistically, that this isn't true, but the thought persists.

So Connor does what he can, he gets through the awkward conversation that ends with the box in Evan's bag, and a pill swallowed down in a second, as if it were the most common thing; Connor thinks about the med bottle Evan carries, and about the cast he's had for almost two months now. If Connor could save Evan from himself he would, he'd do everything in his power, because the world needed people like Evan Hansen, people willing to do everything they were able to.

Evan gets an odd look before he speaks to him.

"Uhm, so, this one guy from the yearbook committee, Trevor? He asked me if I could get you to talk with a friend of his alone?"

"And you think I should"

Evan bites his lips and nods.

"It sounded kind of relevant"

Connor shifts in place worriedly.

"Word finally spread?"

Evan closes his eyes tightly for a second.

"I'm hoping to be wrong, but he was… fearful"

"And you think they'll try to warm me about it"

Evan nods again, Connor rans a hand through his hair, he knows, realistically, what their play should be, but…

"Are you sure I should go alone?"

Evan smiles then, the first one so far; diluted as it is through the worry, it still makes Connor's heart do skips.

"I trust you"

Connor thinks there's not much he can actually do for Evan; Connor also thinks there's nearly nothing he's not willing to do for Evan. The line between those two thoughts is often only existent due to Connor creating it, but his fear of losing Evan is greater than his desire for more; and so the line will remain there.

He manages to smile at the omega, pretend like those three words didn't shake him to the core; he's gotten good at it by now, at pretending he isn't hopelessly pinning after Evan like a fool.

"Ok, I'll do it"

Evan smiles again, this time one Connor knows better, not that it changes anything, silently thankful; the bell rings and Connor makes a motion to get them going, because walking Evan everywhere has become nearly second nature now.

- ... .. ... / .. ... / - ... . / - ..- .-. .-. ... -.- / ... - ..- .-.

Zoe doesn't mean to eavesdrop on her brother, but after seeing him give Evan a box of pills her feet moved on her own; and now she's really glad her beta genes mean neither of them noticed her changing scent, hidden by Evan's more notorious one.

She's … confused is a good word for it. See, if whoever they were talking about had been wanting to warn Evan against Connor she would've gotten it, she had thought about doing it herself before seeing the way they acted around each other, and wouldn't blame someone else from doing it; but warning Connor against Evan? And they both seemed to be unsurprised about it too, like they've been expecting it.

Had she stumbled into some alternate reality? Why would anyone be afraid of Evan? It just doesn't make sense.

She isn't proud of what she decides to do. Tailing after Connor when he follows Trevor fletcher into the room the yearbook committee had claimed when it had first started.

Zoe ducks into an adjacent room before either can see her and presses herself against the shared wall. It takes her a bit before she finds that one spot that lets her hear clear enough to make words out, or maybe their voices have risen, it wouldn't surprise her.

"- just, let you do as you please, it's more complicated than that"

"I told you already, I'm not gonna put her in danger!"

"Look Tera has been through a lot, I don't think I can keep bringing new people to her life without consequences"

Zoe realizes it really was the second because their words get hard to make out after that, she waits patiently, just in case she gets anything else; about three minutes later or so, she does.

There's a noise of something falling harshly into the ground but no sign it was a person, and then there's her brother.

"That fox is ten times the omega you are, and I'm not gonna sit here listening you mock him"

She's moving then, knowing Connor well enough that she predicts him exiting the room with an angry stride; she's a bit impressed though, at how clearly Connor has fallen, because he can only have been talking about Evan just then.

She catches him in stumping through the hall and runs after him.

"Connor!"

"Not now Zoe"

"Who's Tera?"

He stops dead on his tracks and whirls towards her, he has his leopard eyes on, and she subconsciously takes a step back. And then there's Evan, who appears at the end of the hall with and pales at the sight of them; he hurries over and Zoe surprises herself by how relieved she is to see that, still she asks again.

"I heard you talking to those guys in the yearbook committee, who is she?"

"Who's who?"

Evan has finally reached them, and it's amazing how Connor changes with his presence, his eyes go back to normal though he's still clearly angry, but his body becomes a little less tense. Zoe directs the question to Evan.

"A girl named Tera"

Evan blinks at her, frowns, and looks at Connor.

"Why were you talking about my sister with the yearbook committee?"

Connor lets out a long sigh and turns to him.

"I'll tell you later"

Evan nods and turns back to Zoe.

"Uhm, Tera's my half-sister from my dad's side; he left her with us back in the break"

The way he says it it's obvious that he doesn't like talking about it, Zoe can't really blame him, and by the way Connor looks, it's obvious he knows the whole story behind it.

"Can I see her?"

Evan winces.

"Uhm…"

Zoe remembers what Connor has said, and now that Evan looks like he doesn't know how to decline without it coming out as something weird, she starts pulling the pieces together.

"Just a picture would be fine"

Evan looks a bit surprised, and then looks at Connor, who flushes and groans before digging his phone out, the smile he gets tells Zoe he knew the alpha would have a picture, and that's kind of adorable.

Connor gives her the phone with a warning look, Zoe rolls her eyes and looks at the screen; in the picture Evan is sitting crisscross on the floor, hands together in front of his mouth trying to hide the fond smile he's bearing, in front of him, copying his position is a little girl that can't be older that two, and Zoe can't help but smile herself.

"She's so cute!"

Connor snatches the phone from her.

"Yeah, yeah, she's a charming little shit"

Evan chuckles and gives him a look that makes Zoe feel like she's intruding a private moment.

"Don't listen to him, he adores her"

Connor goes red to the tip of his ears, and Zoe is living for this.

"Oh, does he?"

"Shut up! Come on Evan"

He grabs the omega by the good arm and pulls him, and he must not be doing it very hard because Evan walks backwards with him instead.

"Bye Zoe"

He waves and finally turns to let Connor take him away, Zoe smiles until they disappear from view. It's clear, from what she's gathered, that Evan's sister didn't have a good life before getting into the Hansen household, and for some reason the guys at the yearbook committee are interested in both her and Evan; Zoe thinks there's something big going on beneath her nose.

She decides… not to involve herself.