Chapter Text
Aiden M̶i̶n̶y̶a̶r̶d̶ Clark has known for most of his life that he was adopted. He knows who his birth mom is, but he doesn't really care to meet her or his brothers. Tilda Minyard gave him up at birth, so why should he have cared when she died or even have gone to her funeral?
When he was younger, he learned the story of how he was adopted. His parents were worried that he would be upset or mad about it, but how could he be? He was just abandoned by his “mother”, and they were the ones who helped him and gave him a home. He couldn’t be mad at them, even if they left a lot.
Tilda hadn't meant to have a kid. She was out at a bar one night, and when she woke up, she was in a guy's bed. It turns out that he got her pregnant. She ended up having a t̶h̶i̶r̶d̶ second boy. Now, she didn’t mean to have another kid, so could you blame her for giving it up for adoption? Y̶e̶s̶. So, her new baby boy was put up for adoption and left behind.
That's how he ended up in the Clark family's care, looking so much like their own child. No one would even think that he wasn’t. Thanks to the black hair dye. However, in the last couple of years, he let it grow out, and now it is his natural hair color: blonde.
He and his father both agreed to keep Aiden a secret from his brothers, Aaron and Andrew. Aiden didn’t want to meet them. He saw no point to it. He is happy with who he has and doesn’t feel the need to go find some more people to be in his family. He already has his cousins, friends, and parents, even though they’re not around much. Why would he need
anyone else?
Welp, they ended up joining a popular college Exy team, the Palmetto State Foxes. They have been on the team for two whole years, and people are still making jokes about him being their long-lost brother. Which, they are right, but they don’t know he exists, and the only reason they’re saying this is because “Aiden looks like them.” They don’t even know he’s actually related to them. They just think it’s funny because it makes him so annoyed. Like seriously, it was only slightly funny when it first happened, but it’s been two years now. If they don’t stop soon, he’s going to fucking punch someone.
Oh, maybe that’s why people always compare him to them…
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“Alright class. We're going on another field trip this year!” Mr. Thomas announced excitedly.
The group all looked at each other, each of them showing various faces of panic.
“What are we going to do?? The last time we went on a field trip, we got cursed to see phantoms every night!” Taylor whispered, obviously panicked.
“This time we will be going to South Carolina to visit the Palmetto State Foxes!” What? Nope, absolutely not. There is no way that this is how Aiden is going to meet his brothers.
“Mr. Thomas, why are we going there exactly? I don’t see how this relates to our history class.” Ashlyn questions. YES! ASH EXACTLY!
"Well, Ashlyn, the Foxes are currently the best Exy team in the United States! However, that only happened last year. Before that, the team was known to be the weakest team in class I Exy and a bunch of screw-ups,” Mr. Thomas explains. “So, by learning the story of how the Foxes became one of the best teams, I’m hoping it will help you children see that if you try hard enough and put in the effort, you can do almost anything! Plus, I think you guys deserve a break from your main project, so why not do something fun instead?”
"Now, just like before, if you want to go on the field trip, please pick up the permission form as you leave. You will need to give this back to me before the week is over; otherwise, you will not be able to go.” Mr. Thomas says as kids start to line up at his desk for the form.
“Oh my god, wait!!! This is so cool!” Taylor cheers excitedly, “We actually get to meet the Foxes!”
“I didn’t know you liked Exy,” Logan says.
“Oh yeah, she has liked it ever since Dan Wilds became a captain. Though she really only watches the Foxes.” Tyler replies.
“Well, I can’t help it! She is the first-ever female captain in all of Exy!”
“Too bad she’s about to graduate,” Ashlyn comments.
“You watch it too?!”
“Nope, my parents do though. So, I know a lot about it.”
"Wait, so who's all going?” questions Tyler as he starts heading to lunch. “I know me and Taylor are going, but who else?”
"Umm, I guess I’ll go,” answers Ashlyn.
After sitting down at the table, Logan replies, “If you're all going, it wouldn’t hurt to go as well.”
“Aiden, Ben? How about you guys?”
“Huh? Oh yeah, we’re going!” Aiden says with a big smile. Fuck, he really didn’t want to go, but there’s no way he’s going to stay behind if they’re all going.
“Great! I can’t wait for this!!” she cheers. “Waiting these three days is going to kill me!”
He doesn’t know why he agreed to this. This is so dumb. For his fifteen years of life, he and his family have made an effort to hide the fact that he was Aaron and Andrew’s brother. Yet he’s about to ruin all that by literally serving himself on a silver platter by going to Palmetto. There is no way they won’t figure out that he’s related to them. He looks just like them!
Not only will his brothers find out he exists, but his friends will also find out he’s related to them. Which, they won’t think differently about him—at least he doesn’t think they would, but still!
This is going to be an absolute train wreck.