Connor chewed on the inside of his cheek as he glanced through the empty locker in front of him.
Well, it wasn't exactly empty, it had a few scraps of paper stuck to its walls with gum or some other substance that could hold them to the wall that Connor would have with him- so bandaids worked too.
Connor never really used his locker for anything school related, it was really only so he could stick his head in front of it and momentarily block out the nicknames thrown out at him or not make eye-contact with the kids who rushed past him in fear of getting hurt, as if Connor was a Jack-In-The-Box, he may be a jack-ass sometimes, but hurting kids for no reason wasn't exactly his thing- unless someone caught him when he was off-guard or straight up pissy.

That had been the case with the best twig entering his life though, speak of the bonsai.

Connor kept his gaze forward at a particular paper scrap towards the very back of his locker as Evan made his way beside Connor, leaning against the locker that was there beside Connor's.

Connor pretended to shift around something important in his locker, really just keeping his eyes trained on the slip of paper containing Evan's number that he had received at the end of last year, before slamming his locker shut and looking coolly over at the short boy.

Evan immediately perked up when Connor directed attention at him, causing him to nervously pick at the end of his cast and glance down with a small, precious smile.

This made Connor stiffen up and glance above the tiny blonde and clear his throat, "What's up?"

"Wh-what's up..?" Evan tried to repeat the greeting in a voice that sounded like a surfer-dude voice.

Connor couldn't help but smirk in amusement, "I dunno', you're the one approaching here, Hansen."

"O-oh yeah!" Evan nodded, "Can you...give me a ride home, by chance? My mom took a-another shift without telling me..." Evan was no fiddling with the hem of his shirt, lips pursed together.

"Yeah sur-" Connor choked when Evan looked up at him with a beaming smile that had his lips pressed together and eyes shining as if he couldn't believe Connor had actually said yes- what the hell was wrong with him? Connor couldn't understand in the slightest why Evan was actually pleased to be around Connor, and god that face he made whenever he was suppressing excitement and just- it made Connor feel really...cold? He must be, he had goosebumps after all, what else could it be? But damn, he could almost feel heat collecting at his cheeks as Evan smiled at him. Doesn't this kid know I have a reputation to uphold? Connor caught himself before smiling back, giving a shrug instead, "Let's go." Connor nodded.

Evan grinned and nodded back, following after Connor like a loyal puppy as the taller brunette headed towards the back exit of the school.

Evan was staring down at the ground, like usual, rubbing his hand on the sides of his legs slightly, in fear that they were too sweaty, before turning a corner, silently in-step with the boy walking beside him. Evan was impressed with how chill Connor could act when advancing down a hallway, after all, with all the teasing that others gave, he was the most feared in school, his look right now could probably send a freshman running, but it sent Evan falling.

Connor glanced down at Evan and cocked an eyebrow.

ShIT I'Ve bEeN stAriNg fOr tOo lOng
Evan had a mental panic-attack.
Play it off, play it off, play it off, play it-

Connor simply gave a small smile to Evan in response.

Evan tensed and went completely red as Connor looked forward to the hallway that was coming to an end ahead of them.

Evan could feel his heart-race, he couldn't be falling for someone like Connor, Evan was too much of a good kid for that...regardless, Evan stole a glance at Connor the moment the other boy opened the door for him casually, Evan's hands shook as he shuffled out quickly, Doesn't he realize I-I have a reputation to uphold?

Connor shuttered as Evan briskly walked through the door, he felt weird to say the least, lime fuzzy and light-headed and- had Evan done some kind of shit where if you look at him you get high? Connor felt like that was more plausible than him actually feeling emotions for another human-being.

Evan murmured a tiny Thank-You which caught Connor off-guard as he nodded in response, beginning to whistle the beside Evan as they continued though a parking-lot outside of the exit they'd taken from the hallway.

"I-is that the Steamboat Willy th-theme?" Evan chirped up.

Connor frowned in thought, "What?"

"Oh...you know, the theme for- well, you'd know it from like- okay so, at the beginning of every Disney movie, I mean, if you've watched one before, if you haven't, that's fine and all...!" Evan continued but Connor couldn't hear him.

Connor was lost in admiring the precious way that Evan tried to explain something and ended up repeating the entry to a conversation over and over before going back on things he said...he also found it a little saddening that the boy found that he had to deny things he enjoyed just to fit in.

"-and most people don't even know it's an actual, full-length cartoon, a-and you know Walt-"

"I like Disney." Connor sharply cut on, causing Evan to flinch.

"Wh-wh-?" Evan began before smiling, "I-I do too!"

Connor paused as they reached his beat-up, old car, opening the door to get in before he felt a hand impulsively grab his wrist.

"Maybe you could uh, maybe we could um, like, watch a Disney movie t-together sometime? If you want to that is! IfYouDon'tThoughThat'sFINe-IMean,IWasJustAskingSoLikeYeah-I'llShutUpNow-"

Connor's breath hitched as he realized he'd been staring at where Evan was holding his wrist and partially the bottom of his hand, "S-Sure." I just stuttered- SHIT- Evan! I have a reputation to uphold!

Evan looked mostly surprised but also relieved, before realizing he'd been keeping his grip on Connor's wrist, causing him to quickly release the other and murmur a quick sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry before heading to the passenger's side and opening his door, closing it gently when he sat down as Connor got into the driver's side the rest of the way and slammed his door, causing Evan to emit a quiet yelp.

Connor then turned on some trashy-pop as they pulled out of the parking-lot and he sped off down the road.

Evan instantly stiffened up at the speed that Connor was going down the hill that led to Evan's house, making Evan dig his nails into the already ripped-up chair he was sitting in, his breathing picking up.

Connor noticed this slightly and moved a hand to rest it on Evan's leg, "You good?"

Evan's heartrate simply increased as he blushed with the sight of Connor's hand on his thigh, he nodded quickly, looking out the window but ducking down slightly, not wanting to be seen right now, I've got a reputation to uph-hold...

Connor realized too late that he had put his hand on Evan's leg without asking but figured it would be too awkward to move it away now, making it so this was the sum of their car-ride all the way down to Evan's house, prompting Connor to go faster.

At Connor's increase in speed, Evan instinctively slapped a hand down on Connor's and held onto the taller boy's hand tightly in fear.

Connor bit his lip slightly at this action before slowing the car down as they neared Evan's house.

By the time Connor was pulling into Evan's empty driveway, their fingers were interlocked and they were now silently sitting there with that while Connor put the car into park.

There was silence filled with a bubbly tension for a few moments more before Connor turned his head slightly to Evan, "You...good to...go?"

Evan was staring down at their hands and the thumb that Connor was rubbing over his hand soothingly, "N-no." Evan choked out, not exactly volunteering to do so.

"Yeah..?" Connor's voice was breathy from sheer anxiety and confusion.

Evan frowned.

Connor noticed and frowned in return, "What's up?"

Evan lifted their intertwined hands up to his face and pressed his cheek to them, causing an already shaky Connor to become a blushing mess.

Connor couldn't help but smile as he made eye-contact with Evan who had changed to put his hand down and press Connor's hand to caress his cheek.

Connor slowly reached to hold Evan's other hand and they sat there for a few more seconds.

Evan closed his eyes contently.
Connor did this same.

They had a reputation to uphold now.