#c;connor

@conncrwoods

The ocean air ripped through the streets of Corinth Bay in a sharp breeze that upturned debris and sent fallen leaves skittering. When Melissa pushed open the door to L&P Goods, the wind helped take the weight off her, sending the door flying a little too suddenly. It took a second, to wrangle the door and the two coffees in her hands, but she managed it and walked the familiar path to Connor’s counter.

Melissa made it a habit to visit Connor ever since he came into town. She had vaguely known about him before. Her stepfather was proud of his Morgan lineage and proud to show off the family he married into which meant a lot of Morgan family events and a surprising amount of late nights where her stepdad locked her in a conversation about the Morgan family tree. Knowing what she does now, she wouldn’t give up those impromptu lectures for anything. It was how she came to know Connor’s name, after all. 

The relationship started as Melissa poking and prodding, but it was hard for her to keep it up and she genuinely warmed to Connor. Placing their coffees on the counter, she leaned in towards Connor with a conspiratory smile. “Ask the boss if you can take a break. I want to take you on a walk. I even brought a bribe.” She held Connor’s coffee out, wiggling it enticingly in her hand.  It didn’t take long after they initially met for her to shoehorn herself into his life. The bakery was a good excuse to ease herself in gently as she could, but now Melissa just tended to be her demanding self with him.

It was midnight and after moving in all her stuff and then wandering around catching up with family and old friends all night Chloe was exhausted. She hadn’t socialised this much since moving out, but now that it was a decent time she had an excuse to go home and curl up into bed, something she was very much looking forward too. As she walked back along the harbour, still glancing around at the decorations all over the place her vision started to blur slightly. Shaking her head and blinking a few times, she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a noise. A baby’s cry. All other noise had faded out and she spun around as she tried to find the source of the sound. It was so familiar, yet something she hadn’t heard in a long time. She took a small step forward, and suddenly the cry got louder. “Reggie?” she called as she picked up her pace and walked quickly, almost desperately towards the sound. It led her to a small area before finally it stopped, but there was something in the air that wasn’t right. Squinting slightly Chloe took a few more steps forward at what in reality was a couple of scarecrows with their arms pinned to their stands, but in her eyes she saw something very different. The sight alone made her chest tighten and her heart sink as her eyes immediately burned with tears. “No..” she whispered before stumbling forward, sobs falling from her lips as she looked up at the hallucination of Jax and Dash hanging from the posts. Their eyes were glassy and their faces and bodies were a blood covered mess. Her two best friends, dead before her eyes. “No no no- oh god please no.” she cried, kneeling on the ground before the both of them. She was unable to move, unable to think or even process that this might not be real. All she could do was cry and the longer she stared the more real it felt, and there was nothing she could do but wail for help. “Help. Somebody please.. help.” 

He’s not entirely sure what he’s doing there. Connor rummages through his memories, trying to figure out what exactly led to a frat part of all things. He finds his answers, in glimpses. An invitation from one of the guys he tutors, and Connor had honestly been in such a rush that he agreed without thinking, just so he would be able to make it in time for his next class. But now, standing amidst a crowd of probably piss drunk college students, he thinks to himself that maybe being late isn’t all that bad of a thing. The guy that invited him, Ian, he wants to say, (it’s been a long day and Connor would be lucky if he remembers his own name.) catches him by the arm with a wide smile and he could only manage a small grimace in response. It goes unnoticed though, as he dragged further into the crowd, with a cup that’s been shoved into his hands. It’s only polite that he accept it, which is what he tells himself when he tips it back and gulps the punch down. Definitely spiked. Definitely a bad idea.

But it’s sort of comforting, the heat that burns it’s way down his throat. Makes him feel sort of out there, and relaxed. A few cups later and Connor’s almost completely gone, laughing almost suspiciously loud as he talks to people that he’s never met before in his life. Any other time and he’s be crapping his pants. All concept of the minutes passing is lost on him, and he ends up on the dance floor, sandwiched between a couple who are not to shy about where their hands travel. His cheeks are completely red, lips party as he moves to the music. Is there music? Maybe it’s all just in his head. But that doesn’t make sense because then how can everyone else hear it too?

Connor bounces himself from person to person, feeling a rush from all the contact, He swears that at one point he sees a flash of a familiar face, and a head of soft hair that he suddenly really wants to comb his fingers through. But his glasses have long since disappeared and he’s got absolutely no clue where they are. It’s kind of funny, actually. The flash is gone, and Connor actually pouts, pulling away from the hands on his hips to stumble through the crowd. He looks thoroughly had, his hair messed up, clothes all over the place. There’s a dull thrum at one part of his neck that he suspects is a love bite, but he can’t be too sure. When he catches glance of the familiar face one again, he grins, stumbling over to the figure. A part of him, the last remnants of all rational thought, reminds him that he could be mistaken, there’s no telling if it’s actually Ryan in his current state, but Connor’s past the point of reason.

Connor’s admittedly been at edge since he moved back into his dorm room for the new semester. After a few talks with his academic advisory, and against her better judgement, he had swapped around a couple of his classes. Someone like him doesn’t belong in business. It’s so fast paced, competitive and there’s such a huge workload that he’s honestly surprised the actual business majors have not burrowed themselves into a hole. It’s not that he’s falling behind, he just doesn’t like it. But a promise is a promise, and since he’s made the change, he’s actually gotten a couple of messages from his mother asking about how he’s doing. Okay, there had just been one. But Connor takes his victories where he can. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s definitely not sad.

Though as much as he’d like to say that’s all his thoughts have been since classes have started, it isn’t the complete truth. Although he’s been curious, he’s made it a point to avoid Ryan. Which, as he expected, is hard to do when he literally lives across the hall from him. But somehow, Connor manages. Even when they pass each other on the rare chance, he keeps his head ducked down, gives a small nod, and slips away before the other boy can stop him. It’s complicated. He doesn’t have anything against Ryan. Doesn’t hate him or anything of the sort. But, okay... He might be a little afraid of him. Things between them became a lot more real than he expected. Too (and he’d never say this out loud) intimate. They were hanging out a lot of the time, cuddling even. Becoming fast friends, and maybe something more? 

The memory is enough to send a shiver down Connor’s spine. He’s sat on his bed in his dorm room, laptop open on his lap with pages of notes scattered beside him. The dark circles under his eyes should show just how late he’s been staying up lately, writing papers and all that fun stuff. He places his laptop down and stands, stretching his arms up into the air with a groan.

Who knows what time it is? Regardless, he decides that it’s more than reasonable to take a prolonged break. One that starts with going to the bathroom. He puts on some water for tea and ducks out of his room, pocketing his keys. He stops for a moment, eyes locked on Ryan’s door. Connor does that a lot, apparently. At least, that’s what the girl in the room next to him tells him. Maybe he waits to make sure they don’t run into each other. Or maybe there is a part of him that wishes Ryan would come out right then. Connor misses him. He shouldn’t be allowed to, though. Considering it is his decision to cut ties. Sighing, Connor ducks his head down, pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and shuffles off to the bathroom. 

Uhhh. That depends! Connor’s been in small spaces with like two people in the show so if it’s one of those two times then yes I have! Once in a bathroom stall and once in a the printing space of an office. But it wouldn’t be a new photo so I’m not sure if that’s what you mean? Jack Falahee has also played other characters who haven been in small spaces making out with people but I think all of those have been women.