Chapter Text
He sat with his hands wrapped around the –not coffee, can’t have coffee anymore– glass of juice he had poured for himself when he returned home an hour ago. The glass was still completely full as his mind was preoccupied with other things at the moment. He had had a doctor’s appointment this morning as he’d been feeling sick lately, then because of that appointment he had had to have a meeting with his supervisors within the fire academy where he was learning to become a firefighter. At least up until this morning he was. Evan was still trying to come to terms with everything that had just happened.
“You’re home early,” the words penetrated through his thoughts and Evan looked up to find one of his roommates entering the kitchen, ‘didn’t you have classes today?”
“I did. I was sent home,” Evan hummed as he watched Dylan head straight for the fridge and pull it open to rummage through, “Jack forgot to go shopping.”
Evan had done the same thing when he first got home, looking for something to eat his feelings away. Not that he had actually been hungry or anything at the time, still too preoccupied with his appointments and meetings that morning, not to mention the constant nausea rolling through his stomach at all odd times. Dylan frowned as he closed the fridge door with a sigh and twisted around. His hand swept his sandy blond hair off his forehead as he leaned back against the counter behind him.
“I’ll order us some pizza.” Dylan was still frowning, “Are you okay, man?”
Evan opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to figure out if he was or not. Physically? Sure, his doctor said he was completely healthy. Mentally? He has his ups and down just like everyone else–he was currently rocking on the fence post. Emotionally? He was a fucking disaster.
“You remember that Fourth of July party?”
Dylan smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned forward just slightly, “Sure do. Definitely remember walking in on you and that guy when I came to raid your snack drawer.”
Evan snorted, remembering Dylan sputtering apologizes but still walking into the room to rummage through said snack drawer while Evan and said guy were a little –indisposed– on the bed. Evan had yelled at him to get the hell out and Dylan had fled with his arms full of Evan's snacks, wolf whistling and cackling like a hyena as he went. Evan had been embarrassed and instantly apologized to his bed partner, who had just been staring at the once again closed door where Dylan had just disappeared through. It had only taken Evan a single rock back into the man for their private party to continue.
“What about it?” Dylan continued, then his eyes widened, “oh my God, was he straight? Married? Did he give you something? Are you sick, or dying?”
Evan shook his head and then winced, “Kinda?”
Dyan’s frown deepened, “I don’t understand.”
“I’m pregnant, Dyl.”
There was a moment’s pause before Dylan broke into his hyena cackling he called laughter and bobbed his head, “Good one, Evan. You really had me there for a sec.”
“Why would I lie about something like this?” Evan hissed, leaning forward on his elbows at the table, blue eyes blazing at his friend. “I got myself knocked up even though I’m always careful, always. I don’t know anything about the other father except his name and that he’s a good ten years older than me, and now I’ve been dropped from the academy because I can’t do the physical tests in my condition.”
Evan had released his grip on the glass to do air quotes around the last word before deflating and dropping his hands back to the table on either side of the glass. He pressed the tips of his fingers into the wood grain, watching the edges of his fingers turn white with the pressure, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. It wouldn’t do good for him to get worked up, his doctor had said.
“Shit, are you serious?” Dylan shoved himself forward, pulling a chair out and dropping down into it across from Evan, “Ev, that’s–man, I’m sorry. I know you worked hard to get into the academy, to become a firefighter. Is there anything you can do to still graduate?”
Evan shrugged, relaxing his hands and watching the blood flow back into fingers. “They told me since I finished most of the classes that I can return next year for a refresher of what I’ve already learned and then continue with the physical tests without having to pay the tuition again.”
“Hey, at least there’s that, no need to start over.”
“I guess,” Evan shrugged again, “I don’t want to have to wait though, Dyl. This means I need to find a new job for a year. I just want to be a firefighter.”
“I get that, Evan.” Dylan reached across the table and took his hand in his own, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t bite my head off with me asking, but have you thought about all your options here?”
“What do you mean?” Evan scrunched his nose in confusion.
“You’ve worked so hard to get where you are now, to become a firefighter. Do you–are you sure you want to have this baby? It’s going to be hard, Ev.”
“I know that I do.” Evan nodded, “I–I’ve always wanted kids?”
Dylan tilted his head slightly to the side and gave Evan a sad smile, “You’re only twenty-four, man. You have plenty of time to have those kids. I’m not trying to influence you but take your time, really think about this. That’s all I’m saying.”
Evan opened and closed his mouth before taking a deep breath and nodded in agreement. Dylan’s smile brightened slightly as he squeezed Evan' hand once more and pulled away. He leaned back in his chair and fished his phone out of his pocket.
“Now, pizza.”
“And garlic bread.” Evan finally picked up the glass of juice and took a large gulp, suddenly thirsty.
Dylan smirked as he typed away on his phone, “And a large garlic bread.”
They sat in silence for the few minutes it took Dylan to order the pizza before he shoved his phone back into his pocket and stood. He stretched his arms over his head, his shirt riding up just slightly.
“Should be here in an hour,” he dropped his arms back to his sides, “I’m going to take a shower real fast, I didn’t take one at the gym this morning.”
Evan smirked, “Yeah, I didn’t wanna say anything but man you stink.”
“Dick.” Dylan rounded the table and pressed his fingers to the side of Evan's head, shoving lightly as he walked past.
Evan laughed as Dylan walked away, content to just sit there and finish his juice while they waited for the pizza to arrive. He heard shuffling at the doorway separating the kitchen from the hallway.
“Hey, Evan.”
“Hmm?” Evan turned to look at Dylan, eyes wide.
Dylan knocked his knuckles against the door frame as he smiled back at him, “Whatever you decide just know you’ve got support. You know the guys and I are here for you.”
Evan blinked as unshed tears filled his eyes and he had to swallow twice before he could reply, “Thanks, Dylan.”
Dylan watched him for a few more seconds before nodding and then turning and leaving the kitchen. Evan couldn’t stop the smile from breaking out on his face as he turned back in his chair and leaned back. When he had first met these guys in Peru all those months ago, Evan wasn’t sure about this move to Los Angeles with them. He had been worried. They were all friends well before he joined their group. But he didn’t have to be worried because as soon as Connor had introduced him to the others, they had welcomed him instantly.
Connor had been the first one he met, though he had spent weeks serving them alcohol at the bar he worked at on the beach as they partied and had their fun. When it had been time for them to move on, they were heading back to Los Angeles where they lived. According to Connor, they had had a fifth roommate before their vacation, but a falling out happened, and upon returning to the States they would need to advertise for a new one. Clearly Evan had made an impression because on their last day in Peru, Connor had approached him and offered him the room if he was tired of bartending in the South. Honestly, Evan was, though it had more to do with his visa, was going to be expiring in only days and he had yet to figure out his next move. Heading to LA with these guys seemed like the next best thing.
Connor was a twenty-five-year-old Latino man with tanned skin and dark eyes. He seemed to be the ringleader of their ragtag group. Working as a paralegal, he was out of the home a little more than the rest of them. But when he was home, he loved to party. He was definitely more of a playboy than even Evan, only with the ladies unlike Evan's preference for men. If there was a party at the house, Connor was most likely the instigator and planner, and he never needed a reason to party. Sure, there were the holidays and birthdays, but most Fridays and Saturdays found dozens of people in the house with booze and music.
Jackson was a twenty-six-year-old tall black man, even slightly taller than Evan's six foot two. Up until a few months ago, Jackson was a mechanic working in his uncle’s shop. When Evan had shown interest in the fire academy, so did Jackson. They had applied together, and both been accepted. They were competitive but supportive as they learned all they could about becoming a firefighter. The house they all lived in together was actually Jackson’s, inherited from his late grandmother.
Luke was a twenty-four-year-old ginger man of average height, and a bartender much like Evan was. He was sweet and quiet but fiercely protective of those he cared about. As long as Evan's known them, he’s also known that Luke and Jackson were friends with benefits. Or so they say. Evan was pretty sure they were actually dating and just not saying anything. It wasn’t like they would judge them, especially not Evan, who was very open with his sexuality and all the very male hookups he brought home regularly. Luke had been the one to get Evan his job as a bartender when he first moved to LA with them, so they worked shifts together a few times a week until Evan started at the academy and had to quit.
Then there was Dylan. He was twenty-four like Evan, very vocal and a jokester, but could be serious when needed. He was only an inch shorter than Evan and just as muscular, with sandy blond hair and brilliant emerald green eyes. He had been the one to get Evan into a good workout routine as they became roommates. His job working construction needed him to be strong, and when Evan decided he wanted to be a firefighter, Dylan stepped in to help him bulk up and train before the academy began. Of all the guys, Evan saw Dylan as his closest friend. Neither bothered knocking when entering the other’s rooms (clearly), they were constantly hanging out when their schedules allowed, and usually when Connor was throwing a party, if they weren’t looking to party, they’d go hang out elsewhere for a few hours.
There was a time when Evan thought maybe they’d become more but Dylan had gently explained that though he wasn’t afraid to be tactile and affectionate with Evan, he was not attracted to men. Evan was okay with that, not willing or wanting to ruin such a good friendship anyway. And then he met Dylan’s girlfriend, Shannon. Shannon was short and sweet with chestnut brown hair and green eyes. She had a strong sense of humor like Dylan and loved the man with all her heart, just as Evan knew Dylan loved her. He has also found the ring hidden in Dylan’s desk drawer one day and has pestered Dylan almost daily for when he was going to propose.
Living with these other guys was great for Evan, he loved it. He had spent years traveling from place to place since leaving home at nineteen, never staying longer than a few months somewhere. Most of those years were spent renting a room at a motel or sleeping in his jeep. He never really had a home after leaving Pennsylvania, until now. LA was his home, and he was trying to set down some roots, starting with his friends and roommates, and what he believed would be an amazing career as a firefighter. What he had told Dylan was the truth, he always wanted children. It was also true that he never believed it would ever happen, or if it did it wouldn’t be for a long time at least. Now he was getting another dream. He was going to have a child, what is currently breaking his heart about it was the fact that he is going to be a single father because he didn’t know how to contact who he knew was the other father.
It was something he was going to need to live with and be the best single father that he can.