Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

On his way to Fox Tower, Aaron wonders again if the struggle is worth it.   

His final exam on organic chemistry was impossible, to say the least, and he has another three to go before he can declare himself on holiday.  

But this time, like whenever other when he starts having second thoughts about his major, he recalls the beatings Tilda gifted him, the insufferable pain he could never ease, no matter how many pills he swallowed, and then, he would recall the mirror of his own face covered in the nastiest bruises he ever saw, and that is enough to keep him going, but still, he needs a break.  

At least, there are no more  Exy  practices with the season over, so his plan is to head straight for bed and sleep until it’s time to crash into Abby’s for another summer. He doesn’t even care enough about the world to text Katelyn. She might be as tired as him.   

Aaron can almost feel the soft blankets wrapping his body. And the sensation of the pillow on his head is as tempting as painkillers once were. That’s why he doesn’t bother taking his keys out and stumbles directly into the door of his dorm.  

Except that this is not his dorm anymore.   

Fucking Josten.  

It takes a couple of lazy blinks for Aaron to notice that while he’s taking in the sight of his old room as the wrong one, Day is clumsy for the first time in his life, trying in vain to cover something, turn off the TV, and standing up from a beanbag at the same time.  

He fails  spectacularly  on everything, of course. This isn’t  Exy .  

Aaron can’t help but raise an eyebrow while he motions towards the TV. Day is kind of blushing as he is caught playing videogames. Or trying.   

Nicky and Aaron spent the last week struggling through the God level of that same game, and they had finished it only a couple days ago with sweat, a gigantic amount of swears, and numbed fingers. The blond can’t hold back a smirk when he notices that Day, competitive, bossy,  insufferable  Kevin Day, has only one life left, the lowest score a videogame has ever registered, and what it’s worse, he is playing in Dummy mode.   

Shame. Shame. Shame.  

The need to sleep like the death vanishes from Aaron at the very perspective of being better than Day in something. He also sees a window for revenge after all the things the striker had yelled in a court to Aaron in the two years they have of knowing each other.   

“Sit.” He says while grabbing the spare remote from the table.  

The twin also gets the other beanbag closer to the TV. Day is hesitating as Aaron lets himself drop and starts setting a new play. He can almost see Day’s cogwheels churning between his willingness to be taught and the embarrassment of it. He is too competitive to live with a failure, so of course, the big man sits and waits for Aaron’s instructions.  

The first levels are easy peasy. Aaron can go through them even blinded, but Day is throwing all kinds of stupid questions here, there, and everywhere. Seems the guy can’t stay silent for much before he’s got another fucking question.  

Hours go by. The desire for revenge that had convinced Aaron to teach Day how to play is long-washed away, replaced instead by fun. What a weird thing to feel around the asshole who has made him run up and down a court far more than necessary.  

However, there’s something in the utter curiosity and competitiveness in which Day throws his asks that make Aaron answer them better than planned.   

Light changes and neither does a thing to get away from the screen. It’s sort of a miracle that neither Josten, Nicky, or his brother had returned, and Aaron plans to make the best of it as-  

“Yes!” Day’s victory brings Aaron back.  

What the fuck? He won’t lose playing against Kevin fucking- Exy -queen Day.   

They start over, and over, and over.   

It’s getting harder for Aaron to keep the score steady once the damn striker understands how to play, and now, he is asking about shortcuts, combos, and upgrades. And Aaron answers as they move to the next level of difficulty, even if he knows he shouldn’t if he wants to keep winning.  

The room is dark when Kevin celebrates another win. That one was harder. Aaron can’t control turning to see as the face of the man beside him sparks with one of his true smiles. The light from the screen reflects in his eyes, and lights his profile, making his angles sharper.   

And the fucking queen tattoo. Aaron always thought it was hideous, but there is something between the dark behind them and the light in the front that makes the ink shine. Aaron is attracted to it like a bee to a flower. Or like a fly to a pile of shit. Because come on! It’s Kevin fucking-asshole Day.  

Now, now more than ever Aaron understands what Andrew must feel for Josten.   

The blond shakes the picture out of his mind and before having time to think about it further, he drops the controller to his side and crawls the few feet parting him from Kevin.  

The striker is still smiling when he turns to see Aaron. There’s no time to think. The twin places a soft kiss on Kevin’s cheek. On his tattoo.   

With the images of the videogame shining, Aaron finally sees the chess piece for what it is: a war scar, a battle cry, the shout released after years of injustices, the proof that it’s always possible to win.  

Aaron wants to win too.   

As he parts from the heat of Kevin’s cheek, the tall man turns his head a bit, and they both allow their lips to brush. It’s slight at first. Not even a shy peck. Kevin smiles again and they press their lips harder. Aaron can’t tell if Kavin grabs him, or if he climbs, but he finds himself on top of Kevin’s lap.   

Lips are not enough. They both had been starving for who knows how long without allowing themselves to let this bloom, so Aaron slides his tongue inside of Kevin’s mouth and is welcomed by his warmth. The twin travels his hands from the small of the striker’s back, up to his waist, his shoulders, and finds his fingers curling around the soft, soft hair that feels so much better in his hands than it ever did on any screen.  

Kevin holds an iron grip on Aaron’s shirt. Aaron wants to tell that there is no need. He’s not going anywhere anytime soon, but the taste of victory and fucking  Exy  is way more addictive than any drug. He can’t break apart even for air.   

Aaron is pressing Kevin’s neck as hard as he can to get all his flavors at once when the man releases the grip on his shirt only to slice a hand beneath and caress his back. The feel of his massive hand tears Aaron into pieces and sews him back together at the same time. The other hand joins and there’s no way for Aaron to repress the pressure building in his pants, followed by a similar reaction below his own.  

Shirts and pants are going to fly soon if they don’t stop. And as Kevin holds him tighter to his chest, Aaron knows they won’t get a grip on their own.   

Then, the lock squeaks.  

Kevin’s hands fly in a second off his shirt, looking blindly for the controller. The TV has gone black. Aaron gets back on the beanbag while ruffling his hair back into place. Hi picks the controller just in time to reactivate the screen when his copy enters the room, followed closely by Josten.  

Twins exchange bored looks. Aaron is not fooled. He knows Andrew is registering his ragged breaths and the swollen lips. Just like Aaron has done so many times before with utter disgust.  

No one says a thing, but Aaron needs to get out. Right now.   

His brother and the fucking mob child get entertained in the kitchen for ages before locking themselves in the room. Aaron no longer finds that revolting, but tempting. A good idea indeed if the other man is taller, handsome, and has those deep green eyes focused on him.  

He stands up and leaves the controller on the table before he does something stupid(er) with Andrew so close.  

It’s a huge mistake looking again at Kevin. His always perfect hair is a mess of dark strikes pointing everywhere. His lips are red and there’s a glint in his eyes that Aaron desperately needs to keep fueling. Although he has to make do leaning on the striker and asking to his ear “Same tomorrow?”  

Kevin answers with a tiny nod. Aaron gives him another to confirm.  

When he closes the door, he takes his phone to see the time but is surprised instead by a bunch of texts from Katelyn.  

He doesn’t know what will happen next, and he can’t also decide what is going to be worse, if the break up with Katelyn, or the fallout with Andrew.  

Either way, Aaron can’t erase the stupid smile from his face as he enters his room and falls into his bed.   

Sleep wins over him, but there is a pair of beautiful green eyes watching his dreams.  

Chapter Text

The fever of the moment and nothing more, Aaron thought every time he stopped kissing Kevin. They both proved unable to stop, so for the past week, they had met each other in improbable places to avoid the Foxes or Katelyn catching them. 

And it had been glorious. But... 

Aaron wants, no, needs, to know what is going on. So, he interrupts the meeting with Betsy. 

“How did you know you were gay?”  

Their therapist seems muted for the first time ever. Her smile takes a second to return and there’s caution behind her gaze as she turns to watch Andrew’s reaction to the question. He is quiet and stays frozen, spares a bored look at his twin before resuming the talk where it was interrupted. 

“I asked you something.” 

“And I will answer when you stop making stupid questions.” 

Aaron’s tongue is burning with a dozen replies involving Josten, but there is not as much hatred as it used to be when he remembers Kevin’s massive body covering him between heated kisses.  

“Guys, we had passed this point already. It’s normal the curiosity you feel towards the differences between each other.” 

“I’m not curious about anything.” 

He gets frustrated by his brother’s manners and wants to lash out, but takes instead the honest way, as Betsy has advised repeatedly during their joint sessions. “I am. Hadn’t asked if I wasn’t.” 

Hazel eyes crash against the exact image he sees every day in the mirror. Andrew’s shoulders tense. Neck muscles clench. His jaw tightens and he leaves the mug with hot cocoa in the coffee table before it’s broken and stains the carpet. 

“Confirmed in juvie.” 

“How?” 

“Why do care? My ass is not your problem.” 

“It was after-” Aaron can’t finish the sentence.  

The memory of Drake over his brother still burns. As much as he avoids thinking of that day, of the vibrations spreading from his arms to the rest of his body after the impact of the racquet with Drake’s skull, those images and feelings are seared in his mind forever.  

From all the abuse Aaron endured, he considered himself fortunate that at least, his privacy was respected. He couldn’t understand why after all, Andrew chose to stick with men. He knows his twin’s answer won’t resolve his possible feelings for Kevin, but maybe, it will help him embrace whatever it is. Or let it go.  

He still has Katelyn and she is not bad. But she is not Kevin. 

Aaron clears his throat when he notices he won’t get answers crossing the line. He interrupts the happy chatter of Betsy. “How you confirm something like that?” 

He expects to be ignored again, but the therapist is looking intently at Andrew. Apparently, this is an interesting topic for her too. 

“Men is all I’ve known. It’s who I am.” Aaron fixes his gaze on his brother, waiting for the rest.  

Andrew hasn’t talked that much to him since they met. Maybe when they get out, Aaron will have a knife between the ribs. He doesn’t care as long as he gets honest answers.  

If Andrew was the type who sighed, he’ll probably do it when he sees that Aaron and the therapist are still waiting. “In juvie, I had time and chances to try things at my own pace. I liked it. I stuck with it. So what?” 

“How did you know you were in love with Josten?” The question blurts before Aaron can stop it. He can see on the corner of his eye how Betsy almost spills her hot cocoa all over them. 

“The fuck is wrong with you?” 

“I...IthinkI’minlovewithKevin.” The answer comes faster than it takes Andrew to take a knife from his armbands, and Aaron hopes his brother didn’t understand, but he has a hand choking him before he can react.  

“The fuck you said?” 

Betsy clears her throat but doesn’t attempt anything else. She learned her lesson about stepping into the twins’ fights. 

“You heard,” Aaron replies in a strangled voice.  

“How long?” 

“How long what?” 

“Don’t play stupid now. How long you’ve been doing whatever you do?” 

“Weeks? That’s why I wanted to know why you-” 

“Session is over. You, with me.” 

Andrew storms out of the office and heads straight to the car. Aaron climbs in the passenger seat. It’s the first time he rides in the front. He can’t tell if that is a good thing or a bad thing, and he doesn’t know what to make of his brother's reaction.  

“You could only answer instead of making a number.” 

“Shut up.” Aaron stays quiet. He shouldn’t have opened his mouth so soon. 

Minutes go by before the goalie speaks again. “Your cheerleader dumped you?” 

Aaron lets the silence stretch. Katelyn was so scared when Andrew gave his half approval. It isn’t fair for her that Aaron now has a possible change of heart, but he can’t help it. Every time he and Kevin had been together for the past days, the only thing he could think about was how she was shorter, weaker, her hair longer and darker, her eyes boring.  

Aaron still liked her, but she wasn’t Kevin.  

“You made me lose my time for a fucking fever and now another.” 

“It’s not a fever and it wasn’t then. I loved her. I thought I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her but-” 

“But you found Kevin’s stupidity is more appealing than hers.” 

“Don’t call him stupid.” 

His brother spares a bored stare to Aaron and looks back to the road in front. “There’s your answer.” 

Aaron doesn’t have enough time to understand what Andrew had meant, because his twin is already stomping inside of the stadium, where Kevin and Josten are practicing. That’s not a surprise. Neither can’t breathe if they are not burning themselves out in a court. 

That small similarity with his brother elates and infuriated Aaron at the same time.  

But the feeling can’t last as Aaron gets hypnotized by the agility in the taller striker’s moves. They are practicing the goddamned Raven drills and Kevin is simply amazing changing his racquet from one hand to the other to catch every single rebound with perfect accuracy. 

That is not a man, it’s a monument to humanity. 

With a blond demon about to strangle him for the second time that year. 

Aaron rushes into a sprint before his brother reaches Kevin and plants himself in front of Kevin. “Move.” There is something deadly in Andrew’s voice, but for the first time, Aaron is not afraid of him. They are mostly the same person. It’s about time he is treated as an equal, even if he doesn’t hide knives under his sleeves and has a thing for people taller than him. 

“No.” 

Kevin flinched at the sight of the scary twin and is trying to fuse himself with the wall of the court. Josten takes his time noticing the change in their practice and is approaching slowly, but he stays quiet. Finally. 

“No?” Andrew asks, this time he’s got a knife out. It’s maybe only for show. The man has never given a warning before. 

“You won’t do the same again. Stop hurting the people that matter to me.” 

There is a slight change in Andrew’s pose. Aaron is half expecting the blade to slash him, but he doesn’t care. When his brother pinned Katelyn in the library, he had been too shocked and too numb to do anything. It won’t happen again. Even if it makes him bleed. It wouldn’t be the first time he does and certainly, it won’t be the last. 

“The fuck is going on Andrew?” Josten finally speaks, but the addressed man is too focused on his twin to answer. 

“There you have your answer again. Now, neither of you is my problem anymore, but if anyone hurts the other, it won’t end well.” 

“Fuck off.” There is another change in Andrew’s posture and then the knife is gone.  

“Whatever you do, keep it out of my sight. And tell the cheerleader and Thea before I do. Traitors aren’t nice." 

Without another word, Andrew heads back the way he came. It takes only a moment for Josten to react and go to the locker room to change and give them space. 

Kevin isn’t that fast. And neither is Aaron. His sight is glued to the place where his brother disappeared. He doesn’t want to face Kevin after that forceful outing. 

“What was that?” The striker finally asks. 

Aaron doesn’t want to answer. There is a big possibility that Kevin will turn him down if he knows all the fuss made over a relationship that neither knows how much is going to last. He faces green eyes anyway. 

“Andrew gave us his blessing.” 

Pure fear takes control of Kevin. However, is fast replaced by a common urgency to celebrate, so the next thing Aaron knows is the feel of a plexiglass wall pressed onto his back, and the warmth of Kevin’s sweating body on his front.  

It’s a good thing there aren’t practices anymore. Otherwise, a Fox would’ve caught Aaron and Kevin naked on the floor of their court. 

Chapter Text

Having Andrew’s approval feels so much better than what Aaron expected. It wasn’t exactly that he was waiting for it, but now that the thing going on with Kevin is known to him, Aaron can finally breathe peacefully, knowing his twin won’t slash either him or Kevin if he sees them together.  

Nonetheless, Andrew had a valid point. Aaron needs to talk with Katelyn. That’s why he is walking alone to the library on the last day of school when he could be very well kissing Kevin in one of the basement rooms. 

Katelyn is sitting at their usual table, reading one thick book, probably about chemistry regardless they won’t have to study at least for a few weeks more. There are two cups of coffee on the table. Aaron’s stomach rebels with remorse by the gesture. He is here to dump her and she brings coffee. She is indeed amazing, but yet again, not Kevin. 

Aaron reaches the table but stays standing, watching her go through the book. He can’t deny is still a pretty treat the way her nose crinkles when she is reading something that she doesn’t understand. And it’s still appealing how she puts a few rebel strands of hair on the back of her ear just for them to fall over again.  

But her hands are too soft. Her hair is too long. Her eyes are too dark. There is no tattoo on her cheek.  

He is beginning to understand what answer Andrew referred to. Aaron didn’t think as much of Katelyn when they caught each other’s eye. She is beautiful, smart, and fun, but- 

“Hey, babe! Didn’t see you. Come sit.” 

Her words, her smile, and the cup of coffee in his hand bring Aaron back to the library too fast. He sits but keeps some distance. It doesn’t take long for her to notice something is not right and Aaron’s heart leaps by the sight of her concerned eyes looking at him. Looking through  him. 

“You’re cheating on me,” Katelyn says. 

It’s simple and fast. A fact on the table. She doesn’t look sad, angry, or disappointed. She only keeps her eyes fixed on him. Aaron feels another handful of guilt thrown at him. He should’ve talked with her even before Andrew knew. 

“I didn’t mean to. It just... happened.” Aaron lowers his gaze and focuses it on the full cup of coffee burning his hands. He can see her nodding. 

“So, should I give it a time or we’re done?” 

Aaron is struck by the professional tone she uses to handle this. He can’t understand how can she keep her voice steady and her eyes clear when everything inside of him is crumbling by the weight of what he is about to do. She doesn’t deserve either outcome. She is wonderful and she survived Andrew’s wrath. She shouldn’t be going through this.  

“I think we’re done.” 

Katelyn nods again and sips her coffee. Aaron is getting ready for the tears, the screams. A big fight. She lowers the cup and swallows before talking again.  

“Hope she’s worth it.” 

“He.” Aaron corrects with a whisper. He feels hot and blushing when Katelyn looks at him. 

“He?” 

“Kevin.” 

“What!?”  

There it goes the fight he was dreading. He would be so happy skipping it, but she has every reason to be mad at him, and after how hard it was for them to be together Aaron will not fight back. He’s going to plant a straight face to every blow, as he did with Tilda, because this time, he is very sure he deserves anything and everything that Katelyn throws at him. 

“I knew it!” She finally exclaims. 

“What?” Aaron is the one asking now. 

“Oh, come on! The way you talked about him? That is exactly how we girls talk when we are falling for an asshole. Sorry.” She adds quickly. “But he is one.” Aaron opens his mouth to ask but closes it again when the girl keeps talking. 

“And how you despised Nicky? And your rants about Andrew and Neil? Babe, you were hiding in your tiny closet all along. It’s surprising how fast you came out though.” 

It’s not something he usually does, but Aaron gaps a couple of times, trying to find his words again. “Then why you never told me anything? And when Andrew almost choked you? When I first asked you out?” 

“You’re cute and fun, and yeah, it’s disappointing that I won’t get to make my life by your side, even after I survived your insane brother, but it wouldn’t be nice if sticking with me would’ve made you miserable in the long run.” 

Aaron looks at Katelyn in awe. “I don’t deserve you.” 

“No, you don’t. But you have Kevin now. And we can stay friends if you want to. It’s good to have someone who understands chemistry and biology and knows how to actually explain it. I don’t mind if we keep studying together.” 

“I’d like that.” A smile finally appears on their faces.  

“Good. I got to go. I’m flying home tomorrow and I haven’t packed.”  

She stands up, grabs her things, and leans to give Aaron a soft kiss on the cheek. She is only a few steps away when she turns again. “And Aaron? If he breaks your heart, you can always come to cry with me.”  

Katelyn winks at him and disappears in between books and a wake of flower perfume, just how he met her. 

*** 

After ending things with Katelyn so smoothly, Aaron is definitely ready for the holidays. He doesn’t even care that probably Josten will be around for Andrew the whole time. While Kevin stays close, nothing ever matters. 

He is in such a good mood, that he climbs the steps of Fox Tower three by three, anxious to find Kevin’s lips again. They haven’t kissed in the whole day and they certainly could enjoy each other’s mouths now that Aaron is officially free. 

Alas, his plans start crumbling as he approaches the third floor. There is tension sweeping from the stairs. A silence so heavy that is almost impossible for Aaron to rush the last strides even though he knows he should be faster. 

The view in the hallway is worse than he thought.  

Yes, Aaron has been teaming with the Foxes for two years. He knows fights arise and everyone goes straight for the throats, but since Gordon’s death, he had forgotten completely how it could be, even if the deadliest part of the team shared a face with him. 

Andrew was tense, holding a bloodied knife in hand. Josten was in front of him, whispering things only the twin could hear. Blue eyes meet Aaron’s with a silent plea of not approaching. He can’t anyway. His world freezes when he sees a tangle of black hair doubled over. Renee and Matt are holding him. Dan is between them and Josten. Aaron realizes the shorter striker is the only real barrier keeping Andrew from launching at Kevin again. 

His feet act before he can think what he is doing, and plants beside Josten. 

The face of his twin is strained in a way he has never seen before. It’s not like they know each other too well, but he has seen enough of Andrew to know something is wrong.  

“The fuck’s going on?” 

Josten gives him another warning look. Andrew tights his fists some more and breathes deeply one, two, three, four times before looking at his brother. On the corner of his eye, Aaron sees how Josten manages to take the bloodied knife from Andrew’s tight fist. 

“I’m killing him if there’s a replay,” Andrew says with a deadly tone and strides back to his dorm.  

No one moves. Not even Josten. He holds to the knife with trembling fingers and only moves when he feels Renee and Matt on his heels, holding Kevin. 

“We’re taking him to Abby.” The striker watches from Renee to Kevin’s sweating and pale face. 

“No. I’ll patch him. Wymack is going to give us hell if he knows.” The goalie nods. 

They all get into Matt’s dorm. Renee and Josten come and go grabbing stuff from the bathroom. Dan stays by Kevin’s side, sending deadly glares to Aaron once in a while. Matt extends a bottle of liquor to Kevin.  

Aaron knows how much alcohol the man can get into his system, but it still surprises him the way his striker downs the whole bottle in a few seconds. Renee and Josten are back and working on a small bleeding gash by his hip when he drops the empty bottle to the floor and nods. 

No one talks to Aaron the whole time. 

It’s until they are done and happy with the job done into the wound when Josten turns to Aaron.  

“He kissed Andrew.” 

“He did what!?” Dan and Matt ask at the same time. Renee only lifts her eyebrows in surprise but says nothing. 

“Where did you take your cues from?” Josten asks, ignoring the reactions around. 

The question hits Aaron with more force than the bandaged fist he received at the cabins a few months ago, but he has no time to even be offended when everyone is looking at him in disbelief. 

“It just happened, okay?” 

“You look the same. Not fair.” Kevin mumbles in his drunken haze. 

Aaron has enough. He storms into his new room and starts sorting clothes. He takes a big pile and drops it at Kevin’s feet. 

“Look, you stupid asshole. There goes all my black clothes. I’m dumping them. And he always wears fucking armbands  Day. If you mistake us again, I’m killing you myself.” 

“You look hotter when you’re mad.”  

Dan and Matt are covering their mouths by then. The smile on Renee’s face is back on, and Josten just looks from Kevin to Aaron a couple of times before heading out of the room.  

Andrew didn’t kill Kevin, everyone knows now, and Kevin looks softer when he is about to fall asleep, so Aaron sits on the couch and savors the liquor from his mouth. Aaron can’t care less what his teammates think of them. 

“Why... No way! We didn’t have a bet!” Matt pouts when Aaron lets go of Kevin’s face and places his head on his lap so the striker can sleep. 

“Neil had,” Renee says. “And he won.” 

Whatever happens next, Aaron doesn’t mind. Kevin and him are a thing now. The team knows and the holidays just started. He will have full weeks for him to get his hands, his mouth, and his mind full of Kevin without having to hide anymore.  

Kevin twists to get more comfortable and holds Aaron's hand to his chest. 

As Aaron feels the heartbeat of Kevin’s heart, the only thing that can improve on his life now is for Andrew to stop carrying fucking knives all the time, but that is too much asking, and it doesn’t bother him cradling Kevin’s head while he recovers.  

That is when he knows that he doesn’t have to worry anymore because once Kevin is healed and after the holidays are over, they’ll have their whole lives ahead to figure out what they are and how long it’s going to last.