Work Text:
They’ve been dating for three months when things go south for the first time.
“Hey, Ev.” Connor comes through the front door and wraps his arm around Evan from behind. “Good day today?”
“Mmm, yeah.” Evan turns around in Connor’s arms and kisses him softly. “I made cookies. Want one?”
“Sure.” Connor takes the proffered cookie and bites into it. “Mmm …. Good work, babe. These are amazing.”
“Thanks. Hey, have you heard from Jared today?”
“I have not. But I know he’s working late tonight. That’s actually why I came by. I, uh, I could use a hand with … planning a date? Our six month anniversary is next week and I want to do something nice for him.”
“Oh. Um. Yeah.” Evan takes hold of the edge of the counter, trying not to show the anxiety running through him.
The thing is, Evan knows Jared and Connor have a three month head start on him. They’ve been kissing for three months longer, having movie night for three months longer, cuddling, eating out, holding hands, all of it for three months longer. And it usually doesn’t bother him; usually he’s able to forget that they’re not on a level playing field. But Connor wants him to help plan an anniversary date for their mutual boyfriend. Who’s been dating Connor for three months l longer than he’s been dating Evan.
“Evan?” Connor rests his hand over Evan’s, startling the other boy from his thoughts. “Everything OK?”
“No! I-I mean yeah. I-I mean, ofcourseyou’dwanttogooutwithJaredforyouranniversary. Whywouldn’tyouwantodothathe’syourboyfriend!”
“Evan, Evan, slow down babe. What’s the matter?”
“Nothing! It’s fine! I’m OK, Con. Really.”
“Sweetheart, if something’s bothering you, we need to talk it out. We can wait until Jared gets home, if you want, but let’s stay in tonight, discuss where we’re all at?”
Oh god, they want to break up with me. “Oh, um … uh … OK?”
“OK?”
“OK.”
Connor leads Evan into the living room and turns the TV on for background noise. He pulls Evan into his lap, and they settle in for reruns of Friends. An episode and a half in, Evan lifts his head from Connor’s shoulder and looks intently at him.
“Evan?” Connor runs a hand down his back.
“Doyouwanttobreakupwithme? Is-isthatwhyyouwanttotalkwhenJaredgetshome?”
“What? No. No, Evan, no. Sweetheart, we don’t want to break up with you. Why would you think that?”
“Just … it’s just that you wanted to talk to me with Jared? To-to go back to when it was just the two of you?” His eyes fill with tears and he scoots away from Connor.
“Evan, that’s not why I thought we all needed to talk. You just—you seemed kind of uncomfortable when I asked you to help me plan a date for Jared and that … it seemed like something we all need to talk about. You know how important communication is if this is going to work. But no, baby, I never even considered breaking up with you. I’m—these last few months are the happiest I’ve been … ever.”
“O-OK.” But Evan doesn’t seem convinced. Thankfully, before he can work himself into any more of a panic, Jared pushes the front door open and drops his work bag on the floor.
“Honeys, I’m ho-ome!” But his face falls when he sees his boyfriends. Evan still won’t look at Connor, and there’s tears tracing down his cheeks. “Guys? What’s wrong?”
“Jared?” Connor speaks up when Evan stares down at his lap. “Remember when we said at the start of this that if any one of us ever had a problem with it, we’d all sit down and talk about things?”
“Yeah … what’s going on?” Jared sits down between Evan and Connor on the couch, but he doesn’t touch either of them.
“I’m not sure yet. We were waiting for you to get home so we could discuss it together.”
“OK. Well I’m here now. Evan, what’s the matter, babe?”
“It’s stu-stupid!”
“It’s not stupid, Ev. If something’s bothering you, it’s valid and we need to talk about it.”
“No. It-it is stupid! You like me. You-you always say that. So I-I shouldn’t think …” Evan trails off, picking at his finger nails until Jared reaches around and grabs his hand.
“Think what?” He asks softly, turning around to look at Connor, who seems to have just figured out what the problem is.
“That we don’t want to date him anymore.” Connor whispers, trailing a hand idly up Jared’s back.
“What? Evan, that’s insane! I mean, why wouldn’t we want to date you anymore? You’re amazing, babe!”
“Bu-but you’re going out wi-without me!”
“What?” Jared turns to look at Connor again.”
“I wanted to do something nice for you next week. For our six months.” Connor pecks Jared’s forehead playfully.
“Oh. Th-that’s so sweet, Con. Totally gay, but very sweet.” Jared really is touched. No one’s ever taken the time to plan something nice just for him before. “But Evan, just because Connor and I go out together doesn’t mean we don’t still want to date you.”
“I-I know, it’s stupid. I told you that. Of course you guys want to go out for your anniversary. It’s-it’s just a reminder.”
“Reminder of what, babe?” Connor reaches over Jared to rub Evan’s shoulder
“You guys get to everything three months before I do! You’ll have your six-month anniversary, then your year, and-and however long we’re together, you’re three months ahead of me!” Evan jerks away from Connor’s hand and curls in on himself.“Evan, hey, come here, look at me.” Jared leans closer to him, but doesn’t try to touch him again. Evan doesn’t look, but he shifts a little, leaning into Jared’s knees where they’re pulled up against his chest. “Hey, that’s it sweetheart. You’re OK, we’re not upset with you. And I’m so, so sorry you feel like this. But we do special stuff, just the two of us, right? Connor doesn’t like to cook, so we make dinner. And we have our own movie nights sometimes.”
“Yeah, Evan.” Connor rests his chin on Jared’s shoulder so he can be heard better. “And me and you, we have fun too. Jared doesn’t go with us when we go drive late at night, does he? Or join us to watch Friends re-runs?”
“Not if you actually paid me, Murphy. That show is so stupid.” Jared interjects. “But seriously Evan, we all like each other, and sometimes that means we go have special dates one-on-one. It doesn’t mean we do or don’t like someone more than someone else. And all the big stuff? That’s for the three of us. We get our own special anniversary, for all three of us to celebrate together. And I’ve got some big ideas. But first, I’m gonna go next week and show Connor how much I’ve enjoyed our time together. What can we do special for you?” He chances wrapping his arms around Evan and is relieved when the smaller man relaxes into his hold.
“I-I don’t know. Um … I don’t … I don’t want to mess up your night?”
“You’re not going to mess it up, honey. We love spending time with you.” Connor reaches forward to run his fingers through Evan’s hair. “What about this: Jared and I go out next Wednesday because that’s our anniversary. And then Thursday we’ll do whatever you want? You can plan a special night for all three of us?”
“O-OK. Th-that sounds fun.” Evan lolls his head back against Jared’s knees so he can look at their faces upside-down. “You-you’re not upset?”
“Of course not, Ev.” Jared bends down to kiss his forehead. “We knew that this relationship would take a little extra communicating at the start. We’ve just got to make sure we follow through on that and talk about it when something upsets us. Like this.
“OK. Um … thanks.” Evan smiles lightly and watches his boyfriends smile back.
“No thanks-ing, Ev. What kind of assholes would we be if we got mad at you for telling us how you feel?”
“I-I guess.” Evan squirms around, shoving Jared until he’s facing the TV again and tucks himself into Jared’s side. Jared ends up leaned over on Connor, who slings an arm around his shoulder and strokes Evan’s hair. Six legs tangle together on the coffee table. Connor reaches over and grabs the remote.
“Alright, Now that this is settled, who wants to finish Friends? OW! Kleinman, move your fucking elbow!”
“Don’t threaten me with Friends!”