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It was early morning, around eight. Nicky had just come back from his night shift in the Paradise-dusk . He walked into the house, lazily taking off his jacket and shoes. The shift at the bar had been surprisingly quiet: no fights and not a single junkie in the bathroom to clean up after.
He flipped through the mail: an electricity bill, a water bill, a letter from the insurance company covering Aaron’s dentist visit—which, of course, made Nicky very happy. A couple of coupons for free toilet paper and a 10% discount at a pizza place that had just opened on the next street. Nicholas smiled: small things, but after six months of adapting to a new life, fights, getting used to new responsibilities, and so much more, it felt great to finally experience some peace.
In his new life there was just him, his cousin who had just lost his mother and was a drug addict with an unbearable personality, and a suddenly-appeared twin brother who, less than a year ago, had been in juvenile detention. Nicky still didn’t fully understand Andrew: he hardly spoke, got into fights, and looked like a creature straight from hell—yet, surprisingly, he had perfect grades and was doing well in school.
At first, Nicky thought he wouldn’t make it—those late-night calls to Erik and the tears about how he definitely couldn’t be a good guardian… But half a year had passed. The twins had turned 18 in November, and in two and a half months they would graduate from high school. Nicky didn’t know what would happen after that, but for now, he was content. They had a house with a mortgage that he paid diligently, the twins helped out and worked part-time as dishwashers at the bar, and they had enough for everything.
Nicky grabbed a beer from the fridge and finally flopped onto the couch, turning on the TV. It was Saturday, so the twins were probably still asleep. He could finally relax and call Erik. He wondered what to make for dinner later.
On TV, they were talking about Easter, which was just around the corner. Easter was always a special day for Nicky: he and his mother used to love hunting for eggs, he went to church with his father, and on the way back his father would buy him ice cream. Too bad his parents wouldn’t even talk to him now. Luther Hemmick hated male omegas and thought they were the devil’s work. But Nicky couldn’t change who he was.
He sat there flipping through channels, trying to find something interesting, when he heard someone coming down the stairs. It was Aaron.
“Hey,” Aaron said. “You’re home early.”
“Yeah, people usually don’t drink that much before Easter. By the way, why are you up so early?”
“Studying for a chemistry test.”
“Maybe we could have breakfast together then? Andrew’s not up yet?”
“He’s not here.”
“What do you mean—he’s not here? Where is he?”
“No idea. He just left in the middle of the night,” Aaron pulled milk from the fridge and poured himself a glass. “Someone called him yesterday, and he flew out of the house, got into the car, and left.”
“God, I hope he’s not getting into trouble,” Nicky leaned back against the couch. “Do you think he’s seeing someone?”
“Who knows. I’ve never seen him look at an omega that way. And when Roland flirts with him, he just ignores it. So probably not.”
A loud engine noise in the yard made them realize Andrew was back.
A minute later the door opened, and Andrew walked in with a big backpack in his hands, followed by a red-haired boy holding a small blanket wrapped up like a burrito.
“Uh…” Nicky said, pointing at the boy. “You brought a friend, Andrew?”
“This is Neil. And he’s going to live with us.” Andrew closed the door behind them and dropped the backpack on the floor.
Aaron and Nicholas exchanged glances.
“W–w–wait, what? Andrew, explain yourself properly!” Nicky jumped up from the couch, moving closer—until he noticed the little bundle in the boy’s arms was moving slightly.
Andrew followed Nicky’s gaze and pointed at the blanket.
“This is our child,” he said with the calmest face imaginable.
Aaron’s and Nicky’s eyes nearly popped out of their heads.
“What?!” they exclaimed in unison. “What do you mean your child?”
“Exactly what I said,” Minyard replied flatly.
“But what? Why? How did this even happen if you were here the whole time?!” Nicky was falling apart, clutching his head as questions poured out of him.
Aaron, meanwhile, asked:
“Did no one ever teach you about protection?”
“Shut up,” Andrew shot him a look, then turned to Neil as if to say: See? I told you they’d react like this.
Nicky kept clutching his head, trying to calm the rising panic, repeating the same questions over and over.
“Breathe, Nicky,” Andrew ordered in his calm voice.
Aaron began eyeing Neil suspiciously, shamelessly, studying him up and down. Neil stood in the middle of the living room holding the baby, not knowing for the first time in his life what he was supposed to do.
“Andrew, tell me he’s at least eighteen,” Aaron said, still scrutinizing Neil and trying to get a better look at the baby. The answer, of course, was an obvious no.
Meanwhile, Nicholas was fighting a full-blown mental war inside his head. He had just managed to settle their lives, everything had only just started to fall into place—and now there was a strange teenager with a newborn in his arms. And Nicky himself wasn’t even twenty-two yet.
“I’m seventeen,” Neil spoke up. “And I…” He looked down at the infant and added, “We won’t be a burden. But if our being here is too much for you, then we’ll leav—”
He didn’t finish because Andrew cut him off:
“You’re not going anywhere.”
“Oh God…” Nicky muttered. “Okay, Nicky, get a grip,” he whispered under his breath, earning an exchange of ambiguous looks between Andrew and Neil.
The baby in Neil’s arms let out a small squeak, and Andrew immediately stepped closer.
“I need to buy a lot for him: diapers, another crib, and some other things. And I need to get something else,” Neil said.
“We can go now and buy it,” Andrew suggested.
“I don’t think he can handle another trip today. And I don’t want to leave him with them. Maybe you trust them, but I don’t. One of them is literally having a breakdown right now,” Neil nodded toward Nicky. “I can go myself if you stay with the baby.”
“You don’t have a license,” Andrew pointed out.
“I’ve driven without one before,” Neil shot back.
Andrew, unsurprisingly, didn’t like that statement.
“You want to end up in jail for driving without a license? From what we’ve seen, you’re very lucky,” Andrew said, in a tone that hinted at something Neil clearly understood—even if no one else did.
Nicky, who had finally caught his breath, offered—he needed to clear his head anyway:
“I can drive him.”
Neil and Andrew exchanged a glance, weighing the offer. After a moment, Neil nodded and carefully handed the baby to Andrew.
Nicky gave a slightly awkward smile, gestured toward the door, and stepped outside. Neil nodded at Andrew, checked on the baby one last time, and followed after Nicky.
When the infant whimpered, Andrew walked over to the couch and gently set him down, unfolding the blanket. Aaron came closer, curiosity clear in his eyes. The baby was so small—probably not even a month old. Andrew stared at him like it was the first time he’d really looked at him, taking in every detail.
Aaron’s gaze flicked to his brother’s face. Andrew looked unsettled, almost anxious. Aaron never thought he’d see that kind of expression on him. It surprised him—and, in a way, even amused him.
His eyes returned to the baby. The tiny hat he was wearing looked uncomfortable, slipping down over his face. Aaron silently asked for permission to remove it, and Andrew gave him a brief nod.
“I thought he’d be a redhead,” Aaron finally broke the silence. “Like your little stray.”
Andrew just gave a short huff. Aaron couldn’t tell if it was agreement or reproach.
When the baby opened his eyes, they were blue—like the redheaded boy’s. But even then, he still resembled Andrew more: the light hair, the shape of his brows, the nose. Only the eye color set him apart from being a third copy of the Minyard brothers.
Aaron couldn’t fully process what was happening. His unbearable brother had a child. What else didn’t he know about him? And what would this mean for them? Yes, things had been rough between them since their mother’s death, but… could this baby soften Andrew, maybe even bring them closer? Or would he take Andrew away from him entirely—the brother Aaron had only just started to get back?
Andrew’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts:
“Hand me that bag,” he said.
“What?” the younger Minyard asked.
“The bag. That one. Pass it over.” Andrew nodded toward a bag lying nearby.
Aaron stood, picked it up, and brought it over. Andrew pulled out a pack of diapers, set aside the blanket, and got ready to change the baby.
“You know how to change a diaper?” Aaron asked, a little surprised.
Andrew didn’t answer at first. But after a minute, he gave a short nod.
***
Meanwhile, Neil and Nicky were in the car, already driving toward the younger one. After ten minutes of awkward silence, Nicky finally asked:
“So… Neil, right? Do your parents know you’re here? They’re probably worried.”
Nicky held the wheel with both hands, glancing at him occasionally, trying not to show his awkwardness. After a long pause, Nicky began to think he wouldn’t get an answer—but Neil finally spoke:
“I don’t have any,” he said, staring calmly out the window, his chin resting on his hand.
“Oh…” Nicky replied awkwardly. “I’m sorry.”
Silence fell again for a couple of minutes, until Neil broke it:
“You’re an omega, right?” For the first time, he looked directly at him. The blue eyes sent chills down Nicky’s spine, as if looking straight through him.
“Ah?! Yeah… I’m an omega,” Nicky answered, slightly taken aback. He really didn’t look like an omega—taller than average, a build unlike most omegas. Probably why he had been able to hide it from his parents for so long.
The sudden memory brought a wave of images: his father’s yelling, his mother’s frantic voice, the sound of breaking dishes, and his own pleas… Neil’s voice pulled him back from the spiral of thoughts:
“You wouldn’t say so,” he stated calmly.
“Same goes for you,” Nicholas replied.
Although Neil was a short kid, that could easily be attributed to being a teenager still growing. Not even the shoulders gave him away. But it wasn’t about appearance—it was about the gaze. In Nicky’s mind, omegas could be recognized by their eyes. They usually looked up slightly, either angrily, fearfully, or almost grateful that someone was even talking to them.
This happened because omegas were rare and often treated poorly. Sure, things were more progressive now, and much had changed for the better, but traces of past persecution still lingered in less developed areas.
But Neil’s gaze was different. There was no fear. He looked more like a quiet predator—ready to strike if threatened. And probably win.
Neil went silent again, staring out the window. Nicky wasn’t sure if he had said something wrong, or if the boy was just like Andrew.
“I didn’t know…” Neil said suddenly, still looking out the window. When Nicky made a small “ah?” sound, he repeated: “I didn’t know I was an omega. I was always told I was a beta.”
Something inside Nicky tightened. He understood him perfectly—he had been in a similar situation—and just nodded in understanding. There was more in common between him and Neil than he had thought. For a brief moment, he saw himself in him: scared, lost, with no one to rely on.
“Must have been scary,” Nicholas finally managed to say.
“No, on the contrary, a lot of things fell into place,” Neil shrugged indifferently.
“I mean with the baby. That must’ve been scary,” Nicky said again, gripping the wheel. Neil was silent for a moment, processing the question.
“Maybe a little,” he agreed, “but it doesn’t matter anymore. What’s done is done. Regret is pointless.”
“Ha, you sound just like Andrew,” Nicky said, surprised. Neil didn’t respond, and Hemmick just smiled.
“So, where are we going?”
“To buy baby stuff: a crib, a bassinet, everything for the little one.” Nicky nodded. He didn’t know if Neil had money for all this—and he wasn’t going to ask. He had just gotten some cash from the club, and he had a credit card he could use. He glanced at Neil and his clothes: terrible rags, old jeans, a worn black-and-gray t-shirt, and a nearly faded black hoodie. Nicholas decided he should probably get him some clothes too, since he was staying with them. Another teenager to be responsible for, plus an infant. Anxious thoughts pressed down on him, and he tried to distract himself.
“So, Neil, you and Andrew have known each other for a while, right? Longer than Aaron and I have?” he joked, laughing at his own joke. Neil shrugged—he seemed to do that a lot, like it was a habit.
“About two years, maybe a little more,” said the redhead.
“Wow, that’s serious. So… you love each other or something like that?” Neil didn’t answer. Nicky wasn’t surprised—two of a kind.
About fifteen minutes into the quiet drive, Neil finally spoke:
“Has he… been with anyone?”
At Nicky’s dumbfounded “what?” Neil clarified:
“I mean, has Andrew ever been with anyone while you were living together?” Nicky finally understood the question.
“Ah, no. Definitely not. Aaron said that Roland, my coworker at the bar where we work, flirted with him, but Andrew shut him down. And at school? Nobody. Everyone’s afraid of him.” Neil accepted the answer with a nod.
“And you worried you’d have to compete with someone?” Nicky smirked. “Don’t worry. Now I get why Andrew never showed interest in anyone. Turns out, he had that redheaded cutie all this time.”
“Shut up,” Neil interrupted, turning back to the window, which made Nicky smile. Neil really was quite handsome. A little wash and a change of clothes—and he could easily pass for one of those teenage models in magazines.
They finally arrived and parked near the mall. Neil quietly followed him.
“We need the third floor, there’s a baby store,” said Nicky. Neil nodded.
First, Neil picked out a baby carrier. He even tested it, placing a doll inside instead of a baby, and ran from one end of the store to the other, which left Nicky baffled. Is he planning to run a marathon with a baby? he thought.
But the oddities didn’t end there. Neil was very meticulous in choosing the bassinet: how securely it attached, how light it was, whether it could double as a car seat.
After two hours of shopping for baby items, they finally headed to the checkout.
“Cash or card?” the cashier asked.
As Nicky pulled out his credit card, he heard Neil say “cash” and count out several bills. Neil had a lot of cash. The cashier didn’t notice, but from Nicky’s perspective, it was obvious the redheaded teen had a whole backpack full of money. Nicky stared at him in astonishment. Neil just shrugged.
While loading the purchases into the SUV, Nicky finally asked:
“Where did you get all that money? Did you steal it?”
“No, I didn’t steal it,” Neil assured him.
“Then where did it come from?” Nicky guessed Neil might have stolen it from someone—hence the ragged clothes, hiding from dangerous people. Worse, if he’d stolen it from the mafia.
“Consider it my inheritance,” the younger teen said calmly.
“An inheritance… in cash? Seriously?”
“You can not believe me if you want, but it’s mine. From my late mother,” Neil said calmly, packing the boxes into the trunk. “You have nothing to worry about, Nicky.”
It didn’t exactly calm him, but from what he’d learned in the few hours of knowing Neil, he probably wouldn’t get any more answers. Nicky decided to be happy and just accept the answer. At least until he pressed for more—but that wouldn’t be now. He sighed and sat on the curb; too much had happened today, and they hadn’t even eaten. Neil sat next to him.
“Listen, you… don’t owe us anything. We only came because Andrew wanted it. I’m not going to be a burden. I can handle this myself. Don’t overthink it,” Neil said so calmly that Nicky believed him. He might look like just a teenager, but he spoke like an adult. This guy clearly knew what he was talking about. “Come on, we’ve bought everything we need. Let’s go back to the others.” Neil patted him on the shoulder.
Nicky took a deep breath and stood up.
“No, we haven’t bought you clothes yet. You look like a hobo.”
Neil looked at his outfit questioningly.
“It’s fine, as long as it’s comfortable and not too flashy,” Neil said, awkwardly glancing at his clothes. Nicky chuckled.
“Come on, troublemaker teen.”
In the store, he made Josten try on a bunch of clothes. To Nicky’s surprise, Neil obediently followed his instructions, muttering a little that his clothes weren’t that bad.
“Try this one too,” Nicky said, bringing another stack of shirts. As he handed the clothes to Neil, he couldn’t help but notice his bare back in the reflection. His heart skipped a beat, and a lump formed in his throat—the entire back was covered in scars, and judging by the look of it, the front wasn’t any better. Neil took the clothes without noticing Nicky’s gaze.
He had only known this kid for half a day, but he already understood that his life had been pure hell. It wasn’t just the scars—it was in his eyes, just like Andrew’s when Nicky first saw him: a “fight or flight” look. At that moment, Nicky decided: even if it was going to be hard, he would make sure this kid had a home.
“Nicky? I think these shirts are too big,” Neil’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
“Yeah? I’ll bring some smaller ones…”
***
“Can I hold him?” It was a very unexpected request from Aaron. Andrew, who hadn’t let go of his son since Neil had left, wasn’t sure if he should…
“I won’t drop him.” After a moment of consideration, the older Minyard finally agreed and nodded.
Aaron gently lifted the baby, adjusting his hat.
“He looks exactly like my baby pictures,” Aaron noted, earning a disapproving glance from his brother.
“Come on, I haven’t even seen yours,” Aaron smirked, and the baby made a tiny sound in his sleep, almost like approval of his words. “See? He agrees too.”
“Enough, give him to me.”
Aaron twitched, not letting his brother take the baby.
“Hey, I just picked him up…” Andrew looked annoyed, as if the baby was trying to take his toy, which made Aaron laugh. In these few hours, his brother had opened up more than in almost ten months of living together.
“Give me my son, now!” Andrew demanded again, trying to take him, but Aaron still held the baby.
“We’re twins, we share DNA, so technically he’s mine too,” Aaron said, prompting Andrew to furrow his brow and try to grab the baby again. “Stop talking nonsense,” he added. Aaron laughed, running around the first floor with his brother, not noticing the front door had opened.
“What are you two doing?” Nicky asked in surprise, holding a pile of bags. Neil was there too, looking far less ragged than when they first met.
The Minyard twins froze at the sound of their cousin’s voice, turning to see the newcomers. Nicky was genuinely surprised by such childish behavior from the cousins, since their relationship had always been either dramatic or completely indifferent.
Neil set the purchases down and approached, taking the baby from Aaron. Aaron didn’t resist and calmly handed him over. Neil gave Andrew a look of reproach, but Andrew just shrugged.
The moment Josten held the baby, he woke up and smiled at someone familiar.
“Did you change him?” Neil asked Andrew, who nodded.
“We even changed his diaper,” Aaron added, emphasizing “we.” Andrew rolled his eyes at his brother’s childishness, thinking ignoring him entirely might be better.
“By the way, what’s his name?” Nicky asked, stepping closer to carefully examine his nephew. Neil touched the baby’s cheek with his finger.
“I haven’t thought of that yet,” he admitted honestly. “Any ideas?”
“It’ll be hard to pick, considering we’d have to reject twenty-three names,” Andrew joked, which didn’t impress Josten. Nicky and Aaron exchanged glances, not understanding their brother.
They tossed out a few suggestions, but Neil rejected them. Nicky and Aaron suggested names like Alex, Chris, or Stefan, but none pleased the parents.
After some failed attempts, Aaron offered:
“Liam?”
Neil thought for a moment and finally nodded.
“Liam seems right. What do you think?” Neil asked, keeping his eyes on his son. He liked the name—it wasn’t linked to any old names or the past; it was entirely new, a name that belonged to his son. Andrew agreed.
“Liam is a wonderful name,” chirped Nicky. Aaron was pleased that his choice was approved. Liam spit up. Neil immediately adjusted the baby so he wouldn’t choke.
“Seems he got a little car sick while you were running around with him,” Nicky teased the twins.
“We need to change him,” Neil picked up Liam’s bag of clothes, but Andrew intercepted it, telling him to follow upstairs.
“Then Aaron and I will make lunch,” Nicky nodded after them as the parents left.
Andrew’s room was small: a bed against the wall, a window in the middle, a desk. Neil laid the baby on the bed and removed the soiled clothes. At the same time, he looked around: Andrew’s books on the desk, the Exy uniform, the stick.
“You still play?” he asked while dressing his son.
“Yes,” Andrew sat beside him, watching Neil. “Can’t let what you taught me go to waste.” Neil smirked.
“Sure, of course… only because of that…” he carefully buttoned Liam’s new shirt. “But I’m glad you didn’t quit.”
“You can start again too.” Andrew’s hand brushed Neil’s overgrown bangs. Neil didn’t respond; his face tensed.
“It’s too risky, and you know it. If they find me, I’ll have to run.”
“Run with a baby in your arms like your mother? How did that end, Abram?” Neil flinched at the name.
“They don’t know about Liam; they must never know. I won’t allow it. So…” Neil didn’t finish before Andrew interrupted.
“So what? You’ll run alone?” Neil met Minyard’s eyes.
“If I can protect him, protect you, then I’ll have to,” Neil lowered his head and looked at his son. Anxiety flooded back: thoughts of them finding them, what his father could do if he knew about Liam… From these torrents of thought, Andrew’s firm hand touched his neck.
“Breathe…” he commanded. “No one will touch you. They think you died with your mother.” Neil finally breathed again. “If they show up, we’ll call your useless uncle, understood?” Neil nodded, finally coming to himself. Andrew, still holding Neil by the neck, pulled him onto his shoulder.
“You calmed down fast. Thought I’d have to kiss you. It helped with your panic attacks,” he said. Neil smirked into his shoulder.
“So, Roland?!” Neil asked, lifting his head to look Andrew in the eyes.
“I’ll rip Nicky’s long tongue out,” Andrew pulled Neil’s face closer, his breath scorching. “Then my cousin told that I didn’t care about him.” Neil’s gaze swept over Andrew’s lips. He still remembered their last desperate kiss, afraid they would never see each other again. Without thinking, Andrew pressed their lips together. Familiar lips he had missed madly, never expecting to feel again.
They kissed hungrily, as if afraid they’d be separated again, until their lungs burned from lack of air. Only when they pulled apart did they realize a pair of blue eyes were watching them curiously, which made it slightly awkward. Andrew took Liam in his arms; he was still so tiny.
“He seems used to you,” Neil noted, seeing that Liam didn’t cry or struggle. He gently stroked his son’s head.
None of them could have known how everything would unfold when they first met; they could never have imagined that a fight two years ago would change their entire lives…