The week had flown by, and now Evan and Cam were left with only each other to process what was coming next. It was a strange feeling, knowing that tomorrow would change everything for both of them. They’d been preparing for the adoption of Roxy, but tonight was still just about them, just Evan and Cam.
They were in their usual spot on the couch, music from the band softly filling the background. The air was thick with an unspoken understanding. Roxy’s adoption had been a complicated whirlwind of emotions for both of them, but it was finally happening.
Evan, still reeling from everything, found himself more on edge than usual. His fingers traced the edge of his one empty beer bottle, eyes fixed on the TV but seeing nothing. He couldn’t stop thinking about how tomorrow, Roxy would officially be his daughter. His protective instincts were running wild, and that left him feeling vulnerable and unsettled.
Cam, always the more laid-back of the two, could tell Evan was tense. He leaned back, his fingers idly flicking the strings of his guitar, a silent invitation to talk. But Evan didn’t need the invitation to begin.
"You know, this is fucking crazy, right?" Evan muttered, looking down at his hands. His eyes darted to his wrist.
Cam raised an eyebrow, his tone dry. "What? You’re just now realizing that?" He smirked, trying to lighten the mood. "Yeah, we’re about to be parents—well, you’re about to be a parent. I’m just the guy who tags along and pretends to know what the hell is going on."
Evan let out a short laugh, his nerves still gnawing at him. "Yeah, that’s about it." His eyes flicked over to Cam, his expression softening a little. "You’re a part of this too, Cam. Don’t act like you’re not. You’ve been with me through everything."
"Yeah, well, I’m not the one who has to deal with the actual parent stuff," Cam said, sitting up, his gaze shifting over to Evan with a rare seriousness in his eyes. "But that doesn’t mean I’m not here. You don’t have to carry this alone, man."
Evan’s breath hitched, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fade. Cam’s words meant more than he was willing to admit. It wasn’t just about Roxy anymore—it was about their bond, about how they were both clinging to each other in their own ways.
"Thanks, Cam," Evan muttered, his voice a little shaky. He wasn’t sure if he could say everything that was in his head right now, not with all the emotions flooding him, but Cam always seemed to know what to say.
Cam’s smirk returned, though it was softer this time, not as playful. "Don’t thank me yet," he teased. "We still gotta figure out how to keep a 16-year-old alive. We might need a fucking manual."
Evan rolled his eyes, but there was a real smile on his face now. "Yeah, you’re right. But hey, if it gets too much, we can always fall back on our ‘what the fuck are we doing’ moments."
"Those will definitely happen," Cam agreed, his voice lowering slightly as he leaned in closer. "We got a lot of those memories."
There was a quiet moment between them, one that didn’t need any more words. But it was hard to ignore the intensity in the air. What they had—what they shared—was more than just friendship. It was more than the bond of childhood and music. There was a quiet pull, a magnetic force between them that neither of them had addressed head-on.
Evan shifted uncomfortably, suddenly aware of how close they were, but before he could move, Evan froze. He didn’t look at Cam.
Evan swallowed hard, "It’s not that. It’s just..." He trailed off, not knowing what to say. Cam asked, his voice softening "You’re always so fucking serious when it comes to big shit.
Evan’s gaze flicked up to meet Cam’s, the vulnerability in his eyes apparent. "Maybe," he admitted quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Cam looked bored. "You’re allowed to have moments where you break, Evan." Evan shuddered, not sure how to respond to that.
The room was suddenly smaller, the air thick with something unspoken, and neither of them seemed willing to look away from each other now.
"I don’t know what I’m doing, Cam," Evan finally said, his voice thick with something heavier than just the nerves of tomorrow. "I’m just... I’m trying not to fuck this up."
"Maybe you don’t have to do it alone, though." Cam’s voice was barely audible now, the air between them thickening. "You got me. Always."
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