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Chapter Text

Dan Wilds thought she could tell the twins a part pretty well. 

Though she would never say so in front of them, Aaron was the easiest to deal with in her opinion. He rarely complained or denied when she asked him to do something. He was the quieter of the two, a presence that you could easily forget and Dan felt bad thinking that. Aaron mostly rolled his eyes and watched her with a bored expression while she spoke as their captain. Dan felt like Aaron was easier to manage. He was the least difficult because he only really played the game, did his thing, and followed Andrew and the rest of the monsters back to the bus. He would sleep the rest of the way back to campus and not say a word.

Though Dan still left him alone as she saw no reasoning to really bother him unless necessary. She had only exchanged a few words with him the entire time they’d known each other and she did most of the talking. But she saw Aaron as someone who didn’t really need a whole lot of eyes on him. He could blend into the shadows and he probably liked that anyway.

Andrew on the other hand was someone Dan always had to keep watch of. Not just to keep him out of trouble but also to watch out in general. While Aaron barely qualified as a monster, Andrew was the sole reason they had that nickname. Andrew liked to cause chaos for shits and giggles. Dan sometimes wondered if he caused problems just for the hell of it or to inconvenience her specifically. She had once called out to him by his name and he had only turned around and tilted his head and said, “I’m Aaron.” Before walking away without a care that Dan knew he was lying. 

But it was things like that that made it easy for her to tell who was who. Aaron was calmer and easy to keep track of while Andrew always had something going on with him that kept Dan on her toes. Even more so when Neil came along. 

Neil had surprised all of them with the way he was able to get Andrew to do whatever he wanted. Dan should’ve felt bad asking him to be the middleman between them and Andrew but she was captain and she needed a cohesive team. And they couldn’t have that while Andrew and his lot were being difficult. 

After everything that had happened during Neil’s first year, Andrew seemed a lot easier to get along with. She still avoided him though because regardless of how maneuverable he was with Neil, he was still full of surprises even off his meds. 

Which is why she didn’t know what to think when she saw him with Kevin Day. 

It was after a particularly grueling practice that had all of them groaning by the end of it. 

Everyone was extremely exhausted and definitely wanting nothing more than to go back to the dorms and sleep. Dan walked out with the rest of the upperclassmen as normal until she realized she’d forgotten something. “I left my shoes, I’ll be right back.” She left Matt and Renee outside and ran back in. What she saw when she reached the locker rooms made her heart stop. 

She knew it was Andrew because Aaron had said something about going straight to the dorms for a shower. Dan thought she’d seen Andrew walk off with Neil but she suddenly remembered him telling his…whatever the fuck they were that he was going to the bathroom and to go on without him. Ignoring the fact that there was no way Neil would actually leave him behind, Dan knew Andrew had lied just to get Neil away from him. Because as soon as she turned the corner, she saw him with Kevin. Andrew was against the wall, standing on his toes while Kevin towered over him. Their lips were locked and Dan felt herself slip around the corner. 

For just a moment, she thought maybe she was wrong and it might actually be Aaron. Even though he’d had that fling with a vixen last year, she wasn’t sure about him. She wasn’t sure if they’d even dated or if they were still or if it was just sex or a rumor Nicky started. Aaron never talked about relationships or sex, well at least not with any of the upperclassmen. But he always recoiled in disgust whenever Nicky would go on about boys and Erik and he often glared at Neil and Andrew when they were together. Dan wouldn’t use the word homophobic but Aaron definitely didn’t seem gay-friendly though maybe it was just with his family members as he never looked twice at Renee and Allison. And she definitely didn’t take him as a dude bro who thought two girls kissing was hot but was grossed out by touching another dude’s hand. So even though the jury was still out on Aaron’s sexuality if he even had one (Dan didn’t judge considering Neil supposedly didn’t swing for anyone but Andrew), she knew it couldn’t be him. Aaron and Kevin rarely even talked to each other unless it was through Andrew. And Kevin had always seemed to favor the scarier twin. The two had a bond that surpassed Neil and Aaron. Dan had always thought Kevin just considered him a really good friend/body guard. 

Now she knew she was painfully wrong. 

“Andrew—” Kevin started once the two pulled away. 

“I know,” Andrew replied in an irritated voice. “Come on. Neil’s probably wondering where we are.” 

Dan didn’t know how he could possibly still be thinking about Neil when his hands were all over Kevin. She knew Andrew and Kevin had a little something going on or at least she suspected. She knew it was really none of her business as that whole group of monsters were extremely closed off. She felt like there were always hints of sexual tension between Kevin and Andrew what with Kevin being completely unable to leave Andrew’s side most of his first year at Palmetto. Andrew definitely hadn’t seemed to mind being followed around like Kevin was a lost puppy with nowhere to go. So Dan had always felt like there was something there. 

Then Neil came along and had Andrew’s undivided attention so Dan had assumed he was done with Kevin. She really didn’t know what was going on with the monsters but she did know that Andrew was a disloyal ass. She was surprised she hadn’t been expecting it. Andrew had always seemed like Neil was the only thing that mattered. It definitely wouldn’t be the first time Dan had misread him. 

After waiting for Andrew and Kevin to exit before she could come around the corner, Dan felt herself get angry at what those two were doing behind Neil’s back.

And right then, she knew she needed to tell Matt. 

Chapter Text

There was not a singular part of Allison Reynolds that gave a fuck about whether or not she could tell Andrew and Aaron a part.

 They were both assholes and that was not her job. The only thing she needed to know was one of them was dating Neil (no matter what they said) and the other was too boring to take notice of. 

Allison didn’t care about the twins and was perfectly fine that they didn’t care about her. What she did care about, however, was that one of them was very close to two people she loved. 

Renee Walker had come to her like a beam of light when Seth died last year. She was there for every nightmare, every breakdown, and every moment of silence as Allison’s head finally stopped screaming and she pulled herself back together. Renee was the most patient person she knew and that patience was greatly rewarded once Allison had stitched the wounds of her heart up and asked her out. Renee put a bandaid over those stitches and greatly accepted and they’ve been dating ever since. 

And Allison vowed to do things right this time as she’d always been so wired and toxic when she was with Seth. She didn’t want to not trust Renee when she went off with the monster in private or texted that one french guy from the Ravens. Renee was sweet to everyone but she was the sweetest to Allison. So she was protective of the kind girl who made friendship bracelets for the devil. She knew she had a dark side and while that was the hottest thing ever, Renee could take care of herself. 

Neil Josten, however, was a different case. 

Allison wanted to rip her hair out when she found out he was dating Andrew. Because, in her humble opinion, he was the fucking worst. Though maybe she was a bit biased as she always had this phantom pain on her shoulder whenever she looked at him. But Neil looked at him like he hung the fucking moon. Allison didn’t understand their relationship. From an outsider’s perspective, it made no sense. But somehow in the past year, she’d grown to accept it as it was. 

It was the little things, she supposed as she’d watched Andrew let Neil walk ahead of him so he could watch his back. She watched Andrew go to the gas station near campus and come back and chuck a snack at Neil’s head every time without fail. She watched them on the bus, Neil falling asleep after an intense game that made him exhausted and Andrew staying up the whole way home sitting completely still to not rouse the redhead on his shoulder. She watched Andrew’s eyes search for Neil whenever he entered a room and his shoulders would relax only slightly when he’d see him sitting there completely unharmed. These were things she remembered Seth doing for her and knew Renee would too. Well, Seth and Renee usually handed her things instead of throwing them across the room but they were relatively normal people.

So she accepted their relationship for what it was and had the calming idea in her head that Andrew was not the kind of guy to hurt their newest teammate and that Neil was in good hands. 

Except maybe she spoke too soon. 

Allison’s bones were aching after practice and all she wanted was to collapse into her girlfriend’s lap and sleep until next week. She didn’t take note of where the monsters had gone, assuming that they all left together and she didn’t care either way. 

“Come on, sweetheart,” Renee said as they exited the locker room and made their way outside. “We can take a nap when we get back to the dorm.” 

Allison groaned on her shoulder, thighs sore and wrist screaming. It wasn’t until they made it all the way across the parking lot that she remembered, “Ah fuck! I left my phone in the locker room!” She reluctantly pulled herself away from her girlfriend who was practically carrying her at that point. 

“Do you want me to go get it?” Renee offered kindly. 

Allison would’ve loved nothing more but instead she shook her head. “I’ll just be a minute. You go ahead.” 

“Okay, I’ll wait for you.” Renee smiled and Allison had to kiss her because she didn’t know how she got so lucky to have someone who thought of her the way her girlfriend did. See if this was Andrew and Neil, Andrew would be all like Okay see ya later or something like that. 

And speaking of Andrew and Neil…

“Really? Here?” A voice that sounded more like Kevin Day said as Allison walked past the court. 

“Oh don’t act like you don’t have an exy kink, Day.” An amused voice replied but she couldn’t quite place it. She tried not to think too hard about it as she quickly made her way to the locker room and grabbed her phone. But Kevin Day was sleeping with someone? Her curiousity got the better of her. 

Allison slowly made her way back to the court as quietly as she could to not disturb the two individuals who were about to get down and dirty on their very own court. Gross but props to Kevin for being a little more adventurous than she pegged him for. And with a boy no less. She carefully pushed the door open and saw a head of blonde hair slowly and carefully place itself on the hard court floor. She couldn’t quite see his face as Kevin hovered over him and kissed his lips intensely. 

And maybe Allison didn’t care who was who when it came to the twins she had no choice in calling her teammates…but she would recognize blonde and tiny anywhere. 

Allison felt a large array of emotions. Pride because she was about to win so many bets. Anger for Neil because she thought that maybe Kevin didn’t hold the title of his best friend that she was vying for herself and trying to kick Matt out of the running for but they at least had some sense of loyalty. A little turned on because goddamn Kevin was being so gentle and sweet as he trailed kisses down Andrew’s neck and collarbone. And a little bit of jealousy for herself and Neil as well because the way the two were kissing was somehow not sexual at all. No, this kiss was charged with passion and a hint that they’d been waiting for this moment for quite a while. This was a kiss of pure unadulterated love. 

She’d never seen Andrew kiss Neil like that. Well, she never saw them kiss period yet she couldn’t imagine he kissed Neil the way he was kissing Kevin. 

Allison found herself, hands shaking at the nerves of being caught watching, fumble with the buttons on her phone so she could press record. Because there was absolutely no way anyone was going to believe her. Not the idea of Andrew cheating on Neil nor the loving way that he allowed Kevin to slide his hands up his forearms that were above his head and intertwine their fingers. She swore she saw just the slightest bit of Andrew squeezing Kevin’s hands back in turn. As she recorded the movement, she felt a white hot rage in her chest. Andrew was an asshole but she never thought he was capable of this. This was a new low and with someone close to Neil too. Yeah, no one would believe her if she didn’t have this evidence on her phone. 

She stopped recording when Kevin leaned back to take off his shirt. She had half a mind to stand there and record the whole thing if only to humiliate these cheating bastards as they should be. But being with Renee had made her a little nicer and she didn’t think that’s what Neil would want. Also she really wasn’t into voyeurism and didn’t think she could stomach it if Kevin really did have an exy kink and things started getting weird. She really didn’t need to know that. 

Allison carefully shut the door so that the two could have their little…affair in private until she could figure out what to do about it. They could continue their rendezvous undisturbed for just a moment longer. 

At least long enough for Allison to tell Renee about this. 

Chapter Text

Matt Boyd often tried his best to tell the twins a part. 

Not just because they were teammates either. He tried out of respect for them as people even though they didn’t really respect him back and he was fine with it. He thought he’d gotten pretty good at it if he did say so himself. 

Aaron was quiet. He liked to fade into the background and only speak when it was important or someone asked him a question. Even then he was quiet. He had the air of someone who had a lot going on in his head and very few got the chance to know what he was thinking. He spoke like someone who wasn’t used to being addressed. Someone who was used to being thought of as an afterthought, an oh you’re here too. And it was that idea that had Matt trying to get to know him just a little. Especially now that they shared a room. So he knew Aaron was on his way to becoming a doctor along with working hard on their team. Before they shared a room, Matt had no idea how hard Aaron worked day in and day out. He often stayed up until four in the morning as he was dragged to a late night practice at midnight. He’d come back to their dorm room and immediately open his medical textbook. Matt respected the grind and he definitely didn’t miss how Aaron would grab his stuff and a book light and exit the room because he didn’t want to disturb Matt’s slumber. He was considerate and even though he could be mean and downright brutal on occasion, Matt thought he was alright. 

Andrew wasn’t necessarily loud but he definitely commanded a room. Matt had the suspicion it had something to do with the fact he always had a knife on him though he could be wrong. Matt was sure he had barely spoken two words to Andrew after their little encounter at Eden’s Twilight and he hated that he had to be grateful that the man with the obvious anger issues and unconventional ideas was the reason he was sober now. Andrew was harder to read than his identical counterpart. While you could always tell that Aaron was thinking hard about something, there was no telling what kind of thoughts Andrew was having. He was spontaneous and outright random and Matt tried to avoid him as much as he could. 

Then he started dating Neil and everything went out of control. More than usual.
Matt didn’t want to have an issue with their relationship like Allison and Dan did. Getting closer with Neil in the past year and appointing himself as his best friend, Matt didn’t think he had the right to judge his relationship as it really was none of his business. Neil seemed content and Andrew was surprisingly sweet to him. Well, sweet wasn’t the right word. Matt wasn’t sure what word could be used to describe their odd relationship. And to be honest, there really was no one else he could imagine Neil with. 

Andrew was shockingly kind to him in his own little way. He wasn’t necessarily romantic and while Matt thought his bro deserved to be wined and dined, Neil wasn’t the type to ask for it. Neil seemed to want whatever Andrew gave or didn’t give him and vice versa. They didn’t say ‘I love you’ or kiss ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’. They didn’t cuddle or openly hold hands. But Matt had seen Neil gingerly sit next to Andrew and Andrew press the back of his hand against Neil’s and keep it there the entire time. A gesture so small and simple had Neil looking like Andrew had just gotten down on one knee and if small gestures like that were enough for Neil, they were good enough for Matt. So he didn’t have any issues with their odd relationship. Because it was uniquely them and if Neil was happy, then so was Matt. 

Which was why he couldn’t believe it when Dan told him that she’d seen Andrew kissing Kevin. 

“Are you sure it was him?” Matt questioned. He didn’t want to not believe his girlfriend but what she was saying just seemed a little far fetched. 

Dan stood in front of him in his dorm room with her arms crossed. She looked a little unsure. “I don’t know. I think so.” 

“Could it maybe have been Aaron?” Matt asked carefully. He didn’t know what kind of relationship Andrew’s lot had with one another. He knew that they all followed Andrew around like some sort of cult but he never really knew how they felt about each other individually. What he did know is that Aaron was asked to watch over Kevin fairly often when Andrew wasn’t able to. Who’s to say something didn’t blossom from that? Matt wasn’t judging even though the idea that Aaron could be dating Kevin Day of all people seemed a little far fetched. 

Dan threw her hands up in exasperation. “I don’t know! Isn’t he dating Katelyn?” 

“They broke up…I think.” He added the last part as an afterthought. To be honest, he really didn’t know if they’d ever been dating. They seemed like they were just friends but Aaron had taken her to the banquet last year and Andrew hated her on sight which was a sure sign there’d been something there. 

Dan opened her mouth but was interrupted by the door opening. Speak of the devil. Aaron entered and stopped in the doorway, feeling the tension in the room. 

“Oh. Hi.” Dan said, trying to appear casual. 

“Hello,” Aaron replied politely and made his way over to his desk. 

As he begun gathering his study materials, Matt looked over at Dan who shook her head but he ignored her and cleared his throat. “Um, Aaron?” 

“What?” Aaron didn’t look up. 

“We were just wondering…um….”Matt didn’t know how to go about it without it coming out of left field but he went for it. “Are you dating Katelyn?” 

Aaron paused and blinked down at his study notes. There was a furrow to his brow that showed he was thinking hard about his next words. Then he looked at the both of them, a not quite glare but irritation marred his features. “I fail to see how that is any of your business.” And then, like he knew they were going to ask more questions, Aaron gathered his materials and exited as quickly as he could. 

Dan waited a moment after the door had shut to begin speaking again, kicking her boyfriend lightly in the shin. “That wasn’t very reassuring and you’re not subtle.” 

Matt shrugged. “Eh, maybe he just doesn’t want to talk about it. He’s right, it is none of our business.” They weren’t exactly friends and he respected Aaron’s privacy even if his response confused him more than helped their situation. “He and Katelyn could be on the rocks.” 

“And he’s cheating on her with Kevin?” Dan asked in upset. 

“Why does anybody have to be cheating on anyone?” Matt leaned back on his hands exasperatedly. “Look, maybe it was a one time thing?”

“So if Andrew is cheating on Neil, you want to forget about it?” Dan looked at him indignantly. 

Matt put his hands up in defense. “Of course not. I’m just saying maybe we should wait it out. If it happens again, we’ll talk to Neil. But for now we can’t jump to conclusions.” 

Dan looked like she wanted to argue some more but her shoulders slumped in defeat. “You’re right. We’ll just wait it out. I mean, cheaters always get revealed in the end, right?” 

Matt grabbed her hand in comfort. “Right. It’ll all work itself out.” 

And he was so sure it would too. So sure that it was a fluke. That Andrew wasn’t a cheater and what Dan had seen was a trick of the mind. 

Then exactly one week later, Matt’s confidence came crumbling down. 

It was at the Foxes annual movie night where they tried to introduce Neil to old classics he’d never seen. It was a fun ritual once a month and it brought them closer as a team much to Dan’s delight. Especially since it was one of the few times Andrew’s group were willing to hang out with them without a fight. Matt suspected that, like most things these days, it was for Neil so Andrew allowed it. 

With his conversation with Dan in the back of his mind, Matt watched the seating arrangements closely. Andrew and Aaron rarely ever dressed similarly, clearly not wanting people to confuse the two. They only ever looked genuinely identical down to their clothing by accident. And on that night, they both opted for comfort rather than style and wore sweats and a hoodie. They didn’t seem surprised to see each other wearing the same thing and they both rolled their eyes when Nicky made a joke that one of them needed to change. And this wouldn’t have been such a big deal in Matt’s eyes if it didn’t also mean Andrew’s distinct arm bands were covered, making it even more difficult to tell who was who. 

So Matt watched as discretely as he could as Neil sat at one end of the couch, a twin next to him which had to be Andrew because Aaron would never willingly sit next Neil. Kevin sat next to him with Aaron on his other side, an arrangement that never seemed strange before but Matt was now taking note of. Nicky sat on the floor by Andrew’s knees as he always had, an innocent bystander, seemingly ignorant of the drama his cousins were in. Andrew and Kevin didn’t even look or speak to one another as they sat and they’d been sitting that way every time but with this new information, Dan and Matt gave each other a look. 

Matt couldn’t say what the movie was or what it was about or how Neil felt about it because he wasn’t paying attention at all. He spent the whole time watching Andrew and Kevin. Andrew’s eyes were trained on the movie. Kevin seemed a little distracted, fiddling with his hands in his lap but otherwise nothing out of the ordinary. Aaron was watching the movie with a bored expression on his face. Matt noticed him moving a little during the movie out of the corner of his eye but he was more focused on Andrew and Kevin. Neil, the poor guy, had nodded off onto Andrew’s shoulder halfway through. Nothing yet seemed out of the ordinary.

The movie ended and there was talk of watching another. Aaron stretched his arms over his head and said he was going to the bathroom. Andrew lightly nudged his shoulder up to rouse Neil and said something to him in a language Matt didn’t know. He thought he heard the word ‘kitchen’ somewhere in there and Neil responded in English with, “Chips. The normal ones.” He then shifted his body to the armrest of the couch and rested his head on folded arms. Andrew stood from the couch and went into the kitchen without another word. Nicky was going on about the plot of the next movie they should watch and Matt was going to chime in with his two cents when Kevin abruptly stood and walked to the kitchen. Matt looked at Dan who had caught the movement and he also didn’t miss the way Allison tracked him with her eyes and made a mental note to ask her if she knew something too. 

He looked over at Neil who was fighting to keep his eyes open, completely oblivious to what was going on around him. Minutes went by which seemed too long for two people to be grabbing a snack. If there was a moment to check Dan’s suspicions, it was now. 

The good thing about being in a loving relationship for quite some time is that you develop the ability to tell what the other is thinking with just a look. So Dan met Matt’s eyes and looked at the kitchen and Matt nodded and stood himself. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom too but my vote is Lethal Weapon.” No one acknowledged it accept Nicky’s triumphant cheer as Matt made his way out of the room as calmly as he could. He slowly crept towards the entryway of the kitchen and heard the slightest bit of shuffling. 

The sound of Kevin’s voice made his blood run cold. “We should stop before someone sees us. I mean if Neil—” he was cut off by someone shushing him and Matt could hear what sounded like kissing. With his heart in his throat, he carefully pushed open the door to see a small body pressed against the counter. Kevin had his hands tight on the other’s waist as the blonde trailed kisses up his throat. They hadn’t turned the light on so Matt couldn’t see who it was. And in the small crack of the doorway, he saw all he needed to see. Andrew pushed up against the counter by none other than Kevin Day, lips locked in their own little world. Matt wanted to storm in there and rip them a part and punch Andrew right in his face. But he knew that despite his small stature, the blonde would take him down. 

So he settled on letting  the door swing shut carefully so the two didn’t know he’d seen them as he walked back into the living room. Aaron still hadn’t returned and Matt sat back in his seat. He met Dan’s questioning glance and gave her a grim smile that told her she was right and she looked over at Neil who was none the wiser with a sad glance. 

It was odd how the three came back at almost the same time. Kevin was the least subtle person on the planet with his flushed cheeks and messy hair that he kept running his fingers through and Matt didn’t know how he never knew there was something going on before. Aaron sat back in his regular seat completely normal and so did Andrew without a hair out of place. Though Matt noticed there was a shift in his expression that he couldn’t tell if it was disgust or guilt and he thought he should feel guilty for cheating on Neil like that. And with one of his best friend’s no less! That was textbook cheating and Matt had half a mind to call him out in front of everyone. He only didn’t because he was scared of what Andrew might do to him even if he was a filthy cheater. 

Neil lifted his head up at Andrew’s presence and mumbled sleepily, “Where are my chips?” 

And Andrew flat out lied. “We’re out.” Matt had never been a violent person but right then he wanted to punch Andrew for lying to his boyfriend so blatantly. And poor Neil who has never had a reason to not believe him only made a small noise of disappointment and rolled his eyes. Matt heard Kevin quietly say, “Sorry.” under his breath and that pissed him off even more as Andrew shot him a look. Kevin should be fucking sorry for constantly going on and on about loyalty and trust within their team when he was fucking his friend’s boyfriend behind his back. 

Matt tried to maintain his composure as they all watched the next movie with great difficulty as he wondered if he could take Kevin in a fight. He decided he could and later he would talk to Dan about what he’d seen and they would decide what they should do about the situation. In the end, with a small back and forth, they came to the conclusion that Matt was about to have a very difficult conversation. 

Because he had to tell Neil. 

Chapter Text

Renee Walker never really had an issue telling the twins a part.

 Maybe that had something to do with the close friendship she’d developed with Andrew or maybe it was something else. People always said they were identical. That they had the same face, same voice, that it was impossible to tell. Renee felt differently. 

Because it really wasn’t hard to tell the difference if you payed attention. 

Don’t tell anyone she said this but she viewed both of the twins as soft with an outer shell that could easily be cracked by the right person. Yes, she was aware how odd that sounded. 

She tried to get to know them individually as people, tried to learn their quirks and the ins and outs of their personalities. She didn’t like admitting that she might’ve been the only person on the team who tried with them. 

She felt as though Aaron needed to be spoken to gently. Renee started paying attention to him first because she’d always had this feeling that he was used to being an afterthought. She felt like Aaron was used to being looked at as Andrew’s brother with no name. Renee remembered how in his first year, he would say sorry a lot. And it was for things that weren’t even his fault. Dan once bumped into him accidentally and he’d said sorry. It broke Renee’s heart because she knew that feeling. The feeling of having to apologize for being alive. For existing in the space that was probably carved out for someone else. She was glad that Andrew took the time to break him of that habit, often informing him in a deadpan voice to not fucking apologize to these assholes. It was mean but it was effective so Renee let it go.

 She tried to get to know Aaron in her own way. She asked him about his studies, how he was doing, what his thoughts were. And she will never forget how they’d all been discussing a play for their upcoming game and she looked over at him and asked, “What do you think, Aaron?” Aaron had startled as though he hadn’t been expecting to be addressed at all. He looked at Andrew as though asking for permission to speak and his brother raised an eyebrow in silence. Aaron answered with his two cents slowly like he was about to be interrupted at any moment but they let him go on patiently as he explained his opinion and Renee noticed Kevin watching and agreed with him when he finished. After that, Renee and Aaron weren’t exactly friends but they had an understanding. Aaron knew she was okay. 

Andrew had sought her out on his own. Renee was used to people being cautious around her, knowing that her sunny personality was just a facade to the darkness hidden underneath. Andrew was fearless in her presence as he was with everything else. She remembered how he’d been hesitant to speak to her at first until he decided to just dive in like ripping off a bandaid. He took her to the gym one day under the guise that she had all this pent up rage she needed to get out. Renee didn’t understand what he meant until he kicked her legs out from under her and she landed on her ass. She remembered asking him if he was okay with hitting a girl and how glad she was that his calm response had been that gender had nothing to do with fighting. So they were sparring partners, there for each other whenever one of them felt some type of way. In the beginning, Renee thought it had been just for him but when she had a particularly frustrating day, Andrew took her to the gym and let her get a couple hits on him. She once thought that that was it, they were nothing more than sparring partners and nothing else and she was okay with it.

It took a while until they started laying on the gym floor, sweating and out of breath, that Andrew began talking. He asked her about herself and listened to her responses and answered her own questions with responses that sounded practiced. Eventually they had their own understanding and she knew Andrew would never call her his best friend but she felt a kinship with him. She understood him in a way that no one else did. She knew about his sexuality before anyone else and vice versa, something that bonded them even closer. She took the time to understand him instead of writing him off as a psycho like everyone else and she knew Andrew was secretly grateful. 

So the twins weren’t hard to tell a part once you actually got to know them. Though there were a few close calls, especially when Andrew pretended to be Aaron for whatever reason. Aaron never pretended to be Andrew thankfully because, no offense, but Renee really didn’t think he could pull it off. Both of them cared about people in their own way even though neither of them showed it. Renee knew that with all of his griping and rude comments, Aaron thought of Nicky as his best friend. She also knew that no matter how much he insisted he didn’t, Andrew truly cared for Neil. 

Andrew was serious about loyalty and trust within their team and especially within his friend group that he would never admit was a friend group. And with the way they were with one another in their first year at Palmetto, Renee figured Kevin thought of Andrew as basically his best friend. Maybe it was just the deal they had and Kevin certainly wasn’t a confidant of his but they were definitely close. And Kevin and Neil seemed to share the same sentiment that Exy was the end all and be all of their lives so there was some sort of bonding there. After what happened in Baltimore, Renee knew that Andrew and Neil were together in a very special way. Andrew never admitted this but Renee had clocked his crush from a mile away what with how well she knew him. Andrew had issues with trust and made people work hard to earn it from him. Renee was glad he found someone who was not only careful with that trust but careful with Andrew as well. 

Which was why, when Allison showed her the video on her phone, Renee had no earthly clue what she was looking at. 

Now, she loved Allison very much. Their relationship had blossomed over the course of the past year and Renee had patiently waited for Allison to figure herself out first before coming into her waiting arms. Renee knew Allison was still grieving Seth and that she sometimes still cried over him. She understood and she knew her girlfriend was happy with her now and that their relationship was on very good terms. 

But, even though her love had a very valid concern, Renee thought it was a little farfetched. 

She said as much to which Allison yanked the phone away and screeched, “Farfetched?! It’s Andrew and Kevin!” 

“Is it though?” Renee asked gently. 

Allison sat back on her heels. The two were sitting in the dorm room they shared with Dan where Allison had impatiently waited until their captain left the room to pull out her phone and show Renee the video she’d taken. The video that was taken on a flip phone and had a very blurry and shitty camera. It was a little shaky too, most likely from Allison’s nerves at potentially being caught though Renee didn’t blame her for that. 

“What do you mean?” Allison questioned. 

“Could be Aaron,” Renee shrugged. 

Allison guffawed. “Aaron? Please. He’s the most homophobic bitch on this team.” 

“No, he’s not,” Renee said blatantly. Because he believed, like herself, that growing up in a christian household most likely caused some internalized homophobia that she knew he was working through. And besides, he seemed perfectly okay with his brother and Neil and half the team was bisexual so there was no way he hadn’t become at least a little bit more open to the idea. There was also the thing that Renee kept to herself and especially Andrew. The way that Aaron’s eyes tracked Kevin in the room, how perfectly compliant he was when Andrew would tell him to keep an eye on him. How he had once stared for a moment too long when Kevin lifted his shirt to wipe sweat from his brow and his eyes had flicked to meet Renee’s and he flushed in almost shame at having been caught. 

But Renee couldn’t tell Allison that. It was Aaron’s secret. A secret she kept  just as she’d kept Andrew’s when he had told her as subtly and in as non simple terms as possible that he had a preference for men and never asked if she understood what he meant. 

“Whatever,” Allison waved her hand. “It’s not Aaron. It can’t be.” 

“Okay, well, it can’t be Andrew. He would never betray Neil like that.” Renee knew she was right. Andrew had far too much self respect to do such a thing. 

“See, that’s what I thought too!” Allison exclaimed. “But the evidence doesn’t lie.” She held up her phone. 

Renee didn’t want to say that her girlfriend was wrong. That what she’d seen was incorrect. She didn’t want to invalidate her feelings like that. Especially since she was so sure it was Andrew. “Okay, how about this?” Renee suggested carefully. “We wait until they slip up again and if it really is Andrew, then I’ll talk to him.” 

Allison deflated. “That could take forever and Neil needs justice.” 

“And he will get it.” Renee patted her girlfriend’s arm in comfort. “Just be patient.” 

“Fine,” Allison said defeated. “But I’m sending this video to you so you can confront him with the evidence and he can’t deny it.” She pulled her phone back out and began typing on it. “And I reserve the right to kick Andrew in the groin if it turns out I’m right.” There was a fire in her eyes that Renee couldn’t help loving even if it was about kicking her best friend in the groin. 

Renee giggled. “Of course, dear.” 

And she had been so sure that she and Andrew would never end up having that conversation. So sure that Allison was wrong and that Andrew and Kevin didn’t have that kind of relationship. 

Until a few days later. 

It was cold outside even though spring had already started. The wind was going strong and Renee thought it might start raining soon. Wymack cut their practice short due to the impending storm that he suspected would cause a power outage. He, of course, had to threaten Kevin to not drag Neil to the court anyway much to his chagrin and protests. 

Renee walked back to the parking lot with Matt and Dan who wouldn’t stop glaring at Andrew. She wondered if he could feel the eyes on him and just elected to ignore it like he used to. She asked them what their deal was but they both replied that it was nothing though it sounded suspiciously rehearsed. 

Andrew probably wasn’t paying attention to their stares as he was in the process of berating Aaron. “I told you to bring a jacket and now you suffer the consequences.” He was wearing a black hoodie that covered his arm bands to the wrist. The only people in their group who wasn’t wearing a jacket was Aaron and Neil. Renee thought Neil because he was too prideful for one and Aaron because he simply forgot. 

Aaron tightened his arms around himself and glared at his brother. “Whatever, just turn the heat on when we get back to the car.” 

“No,” Andrew replied but Renee knew he would anyway. Neil stretched his arms above his head and said something about a nap and that was the last thing she heard before they all filed into their respective cars. 

Renee had a study group in the library she needed to get to and she forgot that she’d leant Neil her history book so she had to grab it before going there. She was on her way when she’d remembered so she turned around and went back to the dormhouse. Renee opened the door and passed by the living room where Neil layed presumably taking a nap. He had a blanket up to his mouth and his eyes fluttered open when the door shut. 

“Hey,” Renee said softly. He honestly looked a little precious on the couch like that. “What are you doing out here?” 

Neil ran a hand through his auburn curls and sat up only slightly, rubbing the sleep from his eye. “Everyone’s in the room so I came out here.” Then his eyes squinted in thought. “Well, I think Nicky and Aaron went to the library. I don’t know. What time is it?” 

“Almost four,” Renee replied. “I need to head to the library myself, I just need my book back.” 

“Oh, it’s on my desk.” Neil yawned. “You can just go in. I don’t think Andrew and Kevin will mind.” 

Renee smiled sweetly. “Thanks. Get some rest, Neil. You deserve it.” 

Neil waved a hand at her and collapsed back on the couch. Renee made her way up the stairs and to his dorm room. She knocked politely on the door in case Kevin and Andrew really were in there as she didn’t want to startle them if they weren’t paying attention. There was no answer and Renee listened for any signs of life. There was a slight creaking sound and she heard Kevin’s voice distinctly say, “Okay, you need to take this off.” 

Renee had a bad feeling swirling in her stomach as she carefully turned the knob which wasn’t locked and opened it to see the worst thing ever. Kevin was standing over a body that was sitting on the desk in the corner of the room, one hand gripping a thigh and the other tugging on the collar of a jacket. A very familiar jacket. A jacket that Andrew was wearing.

For half a second, Renee thought it maybe might be Aaron or maybe she just hoped it was. But Neil had said specifically that Andrew and Kevin were in the room and Neil had never once slipped up when telling the twins a part. 

Renee thought she never had that problem either but some days it got hard. Like the other night when they’d worn the same clothes for movie night. She’d originally thought it sweet they’d subconsciously done it even though they’d thrown her for a loop and made her question her own mind until they’d sat in their respective seats. 

But Neil would know Andrew blind.  

Oh god. Allison was right. 

Andrew’s hand had been very close to being in Kevin’s pants and he ripped it out as soon as the door opened. Renee couldn’t see his face hidden behind Kevin’s body but she could hear the huff of irritation that she knew very well. He turned his head like he was trying to hide but it was a little late for that. 

Kevin’s head snapped to the door, his mouth open in shock. Andrew kicked him away as though he could hide what they’d been doing. “Renee—” Kevin started. 

Renee’s eyes were open in shock. “Neil is right downstairs,” she said quietly and carefully because she didn’t want to be heard in case Neil hadn’t yet fallen back asleep. 

“I know,” Kevin at least looked a little guilty. “Don’t tell him.” 

Renee couldn’t believe he would ask that of her. “Are you kidding? What you’re doing is—” 

“We know,” Andrew’s voice was gruff and a little muffled from where he had his hand covering his mouth, thumb pinching the bridge of his nose. “Don’t tell him.” 

Renee couldn’t believe the blatant disrespect. Not just of Neil who had no idea what was going on under his nose, who trusted Andrew implicitly to not hurt him. She could see her textbook right by Andrew’s thigh. So not only were they being incredibly disloyal to Neil but they were doing so on his own desk. In the room where he slept no less. They really didn’t have any morals. 

Kevin’s eyes were pleading. Andrew’s eyes were closed in upset. Renee wanted to scream at them both and run downstairs to tell Neil. Instead, she sighed making it clear she was disappointed in them. “Fine. But I want to make it clear that I don’t like this. What you’re doing together is wrong.” Kevin looked guilty and his eyes flicked to Andrew who didn’t say anything but his shoulders slumped a little. “We will talk about this later, whether you want to or not.” Renee added and she shut the door behind her, forgetting all about her textbook. 

She ran down the stairs, heart in her throat. Before she crossed the threshold out of the dormhouse, she took one last glance at Neil. Neil who was sleeping soundly on the couch unaware of the betrayal going on above him. Part of her wanted to shake him awake and tell him everything but she needed time to gather her thoughts. Neil deserved a gentler confession. So she would wait. And maybe Neil wasn’t the person she needed to talk to first. 

No. Before all of this came to the surface, she needed to get Andrew alone and ask him what the hell he thought he was doing. 

Chapter Text

Jean Moreau couldn’t care less about telling the Minyard twins a part. 

The only thing he needed to know was that one could stab you if you got too close and the other was barely worth a second thought. He didn’t take notice of their different styles in clothing or whether or not one or both liked men. He only noticed the way they played and that was all he needed to know. 

His boyfriend, Jeremy, on the otherhand tried his best but that was just because he was a much nicer and more caring person than Jean.

Aaron was so good that last round…or was it Andrew? 

It doesn’t matter, mon petit chou. 

Jean, don’t be mean. 

What Jean did know was that Andrew (the stabby one) was in a relationship (?) with Nathaniel Wesninski, now known as Neil Josten, the butcher’s son that Jean tried to avoid as much as he could in the beginning. Now, he supposed they could be considered friends. Mostly due to the fact that Jeremy liked him and Jean went where Jeremy went. Plus Kevin kept him around and Jean guessed Neil had to be okay now if Kevin vouched for his shitty playing style. Though maybe Kevin wasn’t a good judge of character considering his closest friend was Andrew Minyard (the crazy one). Except he’d also introduced Jean to Jeremy who was the love of his life so really the jury was still out. 

Jean also knew that while the Foxes sucked at playing and sucked even harder at being decent human beings, they were like a little family. They had the qualities of trust and loyalty that Jean admired. The Trojans had that too but they’d always had it unlike the Foxes who seemed so divided their first year as a team and now seemed like a cohesive unit that knew how to play the sport this time. Kevin had told him that Andrew was big on loyalty and kept those he considered his on a tight leash. Jean knew Kevin was also serious about loyalty to his team as well as the people around him. Jean had always been loyal to Kevin even before Riko’s death and he hoped Kevin was the same with him. 

And Jean didn’t know much about relationships what with Jeremy being his first one but he did know that you should never stray from the person you’ve claimed as yours and vice versa. Kevin hadn’t really had many relationships either to Jean’s knowledge but he had to know this one rule as well. 

Which was why Jean was completely beside himself with what he witnessed the night of the Trojans vs Foxes game. 

The Trojans won, of course now that Jean was on their side, and there was a polite handshake between Jeremy and the female captain (he didn’t care what her name was) and afterwards, Kevin stopped Jean on his way out. 

He had his little group with him. The twins and their cousin along with Josten. “Hey,” Kevin said. “We’re going out to Eden’s tonight. You should come.” 

“Ed—en’s?” Jean questioned, having never heard of the place. 

“It’s a club in Columbia,” one of the twin’s (the boring one) said. 

“Oh, I do not think—” Jean was interrupted by Josten who rolled his eyes before speaking. 

“Come on, Moreau. You’re not on Riko’s leash anymore. You can indulge a little.” 

“Yeah,” the twin’s more eccentric and loud cousin said. “It’ll be fun. We don’t bite.” 

“Much,” the evil twin grinned, baring his teeth a little. 

Jean met Kevin’s eyes. They had never been allowed to drink alcohol or indulge in things such as clubs back at the Nest. A year ago, Jean never would’ve even considered doing anything but go back to his hotel room and not talk to anyone unless Riko gave him permission. But now here Kevin was inviting him out. 

“You don’t have to drink if you don’t want to,” a quieter, more polite sounding voice spoke up and Jean stared at the other twin who’d never given him a second glance before then. “And you can bring Jeremy if that would make you more comfortable.” Jean wondered why he’d even bothered speaking up if doing so seemed to make him uneasy from his spot next to Kevin as his voice echoed in the tight hallway. The twin that he’d never even been sure could do anything more than a huff a breath and roll his eyes at the antics of the people he’d chosen to surround himself with. Aaron, was it? He shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably as Jean stared at him analytically, accidentally brushing up against Kevin. Kevin who Jean had known to jump at the slightest touch, barley even flinched when Aaron’s skin grazed his. 

 Josten spoke again, breaking Jean of his analysis. “Come on, just have some fun with us. Pull the stick out of your ass.” The twin with the dead eyes and evil smirk snorted next to him. Jean wondered if this was what peer pressure was. 

“Um…” Jean looked at Kevin again who’s eyes were pleading. “I’ll think about it.” His answer seemed satisfactory as Kevin said he would text him the address and to meet them there if he decided to come. 

Later, he sat in his hotel room with Jeremy and told him all about it. 

“You should go,” Jeremy insisted. “It’ll be good for you to let loose a little bit.” He was rubbing a towel over his bleached blonde curls after his shower. 

“I have never been to a club before,” Jean said from his spot on the bed. “I have never even tried alcohol.” 

Jeremy hung the towel on a hook to dry. “You don’t have to drink. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.” His voice was sweet and genuine, a vast difference from what Jean had been used to. “And actually, I’d prefer if you didn’t. We have to go home tomorrow and I’d rather you didn’t get carsick from your hangover.” Then he added quickly, “Unless you want to get drunk then by all means! I’ll stock up on plastic bags and some extra water and I think I have advil somewhere if you—” 

“You are rambling,” Jean interrupted but his heart felt full. Jeremy was the kindest person he knew and he never thought someone so wonderful and beautiful could love someone as dark and broken as him. 

“Sorry,” Jeremy said sheepishly. “I just want you to have a good time doing whatever it is you want to do. You were amazing tonight, you deserve to unwind.” 

Jean hummed in thought. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to hang out with Kevin. If he was honest, he had missed the person he used to call his only friend. But a club with loud music and grinding bodies and sweat and alcohol was very much not his scene. Jean was extremely nervous that he would mess things up and Kevin would hate him. No matter how much Jeremy assured him that would never happen. 

Jean reached out hesitantly and Jeremy came forward to stand between his legs without a second thought. “Will you come with me?” Jean felt like he would feel better if Jeremy came to do all the talking and existing as a normal person for the both of them. 

Jeremy put his hands on Jean’s shoulders and dug his thumbs into the knots he had there soothingly. “I would if I could, love. But I have an essay that’s due at midnight and I procrastinated like hell this week.” Jean made a noise of upset. “You’ll be fine,” Jeremy assured, rubbing up and down Jean’s shoulders. “I’ll keep my phone on so you can call me if anything happens. I’ll come get you no matter what.” 

Jean played with the hem of Jeremy’s t-shirt in thought. He would much rather stay here with his boyfriend and watch him write an essay in total silence. But Kevin had asked him to come. And the group he hung around with actually wanted him there. Plus Jeremy wanted him to get better. He wasn’t necessarily asking him to be a person who went to clubs and got drunk and did dumb things a piece of him that hadn’t met Jean yet had done. 

He was just asking him to hang out with a friend and come back to him. Jean could do that. 

“Okay,” he said at last, finally meeting the other’s eyes. “I will go. But I will not drink and I will think of you the entire time.” Jean thought saying that last part was as good as saying I will always come back to you.  

Jeremy breathed out a laugh. “If that is what you want to do, I certainly don’t mind. Just think of me fondly, okay?” 

Jean tilted his head in confusion. “How else would I think of you?” 

Jeremy made an unusual noise and wrapped his arms around him. Jean went willingly, hugging his boyfriend’s waist and resting his forehead against his stomach. He was unsure of the cause of this bout of affection but he didn’t complain. 

So Jean took an uber to the club known as Eden’s Twilight, providing the driver with the address and texting Kevin his reluctant decision to make an appearance. 

Jean checked his phone one more time before entering the club with the music he could hear clearly from outside. He had two text messages. One from Kevin to tell him where he and the questionable individuals he called his friends were inside and one from Jeremy that simply said Have fun baby! I’m rooting for you! And six little yellow characters things that had a party hat and looked very excited. It made Jean smile and he had half a mind to text Kevin that he’d changed his mind so that he could go back to the hotel and get in bed with Jeremy where it was safe. But he needed to do this. Riko was gone and couldn’t stop him from having fun if that was what was going to happen tonight. Jean took a deep breath and entered. 

His head was already buzzing with the intensity of the music. He had to shove through a few people who were practically having sex on the dancefloor as he made his way towards where he’d seen a flash of red hair. The cousin looked up when Jean approached the table they were at. “Jean! You made it!” 

“And without Jeremy,” Josten unnecessarily pointed out. “That is progress.” He cheersed him with the can of coke he had. Jean decided not to tell him that he tried to get Jeremy to come with him and was unlucky. 

“Thank you?” Jean replied. 

“You want one?” Josten raised his can again. 

“Or would you prefer something stronger?” The cousin pointed at the only twin at the table who tilted his head back and downed a shot of something that did not look delicious. 

“Um, I am okay,” Jean replied politely even though he wanted to run. 

Kevin shrugged. He looked a little tipsy himself, less stiff and swaying upright. “Suit yourself. But hey, I wanted to ask you about that play in the second half of the game tonight. So has Jeremy been…” And they began having a conversation about the one thing Jean had knowledge in that didn’t make him uncomfortable. Josten chimed in here and there with his own thoughts and about how they totally would’ve won if they’d done something different. 

Twenty minutes went by of this talk and the other twin came to their table with two drinks in hand. Josten stopped mid sentence to talk to him. “What took you so long?” 

Jean took this twin to be the one who actually spoke as the other one at the table had been staring at his empty glass without saying a word. “I had to explain Aaron’s complicated order three times because he’s a pussy who can’t drink straight vodka.” 

The quiet one, Aaron, glared at his brother and snatched the proffered drink from his hand. “Fuck off, straight vodka tastes like bleach.” 

“Then don’t drink,” the bitchy one, Andrew, said taking a sip of his glass. 

“Now now children, don’t fight,” their cousin said playfully. 

“Fuck off, Nicky,” The twins said in unison. 

Kevin shuddered. “Don’t do that, I hate it when you do that.” 

“Come play with us, Kevin,” Andrew deadpanned and then his eyes fell on Josten and it was like they were in their own world. Jean didn’t know much about the relationships the Foxes had with each other, but in the past year he had come to notice that Josten and Minyard had a…thing. He wasn’t sure if they were dating or just fucking behind closed doors as they didn’t act like a normal couple. Half the time they didn’t even look like they liked each other but Jean saw their hands entwine under the table and the way Josten looked at Minyard was a very familiar lovesick, this is my person look. It made him wish Jeremy were there even more. 

An hour went by with Jean and Kevin speaking of nothing but exy much to the chagrin of the Minyard. The other one had been dragged to the dancefloor after downing his colorful concoction in five seconds. Jean was explaining the strategy Jeremy had mapped out for the Trojans that night but he was beginning to notice that Kevin seemed a little distracted. His eyes flittered around the room like he was looking for someone until they stopped on one spot behind Jean’s head. Jean didn’t want to turn around to see what he was looking at as he didn’t want Kevin to know he’d noticed. 

Suddenly, Kevin cleared his throat. “I’m gonna head to the bathroom.” He stood abruptly and walked off. Josten and Minyard watched him go and met each other’s eyes with a mutual eyeroll. Jean wondered what that was about. Did Kevin develop a small bladder that the team joked about? 

A few minutes later, right as Andrew said something low to Josten and left the table himself, the cousin, Nicky, returned out of breath and practically vibrating. “Where’s Aaron?” Josten asked in an amused tone. 

Nicky waved his hand. “He said he needed some fresh air.” 

Josten snorted. “Yeah. Air.” The word air seemed to have unspoken quotation marks and Jean didn’t understand why. It felt like he’d always be confused when speaking to the Foxes. This was why he didn’t hang out with them. 

“Right,” Jean cleared his throat. “Um, I will be right back. I need to call Jeremy.” The two didn’t seem to notice he’d spoken, Josten beginning to impatiently tap his foot and look around as though his Minyard would appear and Jean didn’t understand why he didn’t just go with him if he was that codependent. The cousin of said Minyard was gently swaying to the dumb techno song currently playing as Jean left the table. 

He was beginning to feel a migraine coming on what with the loud music and the exhaustion from the game and the surrounding bodies. He pulled out his phone and scrolled to Jeremy’s contact. He thought that Kevin might’ve returned but it felt like he’d been gone for quite a while. Jean would’ve waited for him longer except he really didn’t want to be there anymore so he thought he would just go to the bathroom and quickly inform him of his exit. 

Jean pushed the door to the men’s room open hesitantly, trying his best not to catch some sort of sexually transmitted disease. “Kevin?” He called. The music was significantly less loud in the dingy club bathroom, only the thumping of it echoed inside. There was no answer and no one in the room at all to Jean’s confusion. He entered slowly, figuring that if no one was inside he could take a breather in one of the stalls and maybe call Jeremy in private. He opted for the handicap stall since it was bigger and had a sink where he could maybe wash his hands of whatever germs the club was most definitely infested with. He briefly looked down and began dialing his boyfriend’s number, hoping that he wasn’t asleep yet so he wouldn’t wake him. Jean pushed the door open with one hand and registered the breathless, “Fuck.” far too late.  

Jean’s phone slipped out of his hand and the clatter of it echoed through the bathroom as he froze in the doorway at the sight before him. Kevin had someone on the counter, his body shielded over them so their face couldn’t be seen. The person had their legs wrapped around him tight and dropped them when Jean opened the door.  Kevin tensed up as he pulled back and turned to their intruder. His pants were unzipped, belt unbuckled. He looked a mess. As he turned, Jean caught sight of messy blonde hair and a familiar cutting stare. Jean suddenly felt sick. 

“Do people not knock anymore?” Minyard said, irritated. 

“I, um—” Jean didn’t know what was an appropriate response to witnessing one of your close friends clearly about to have sex in a club bathroom. He never thought Kevin to be the type. He had so many questions and not a single one was he sure he actually wanted the answers to. 

“What do you want, Jean?” Kevin said not unkindly. His voice was more exasperated than anything. 

“I—I  just—I am leaving so—” It was a miracle Jean managed to get the words out. 

“Thanks for coming out, see you around.” Kevin spoke quickly but somehow remained polite. 

Minyard was not so kind. “Yes, wonderful now get the fuck out.” Jean could see a red mark in the shape of Kevin’s mouth forming on his collarbone. Kevin smacked his thigh lightly in reprimand. 

“I apologize for um…” Jean made a vague gesture at the both of them and Minyard rolled his eyes as Jean scrambled to snatch his phone from the floor. “Goodbye.” He practically ran out, not even saying goodbye to Josten and the Minyard’s cousin as he made his way outside. 

He forgot all about calling Jeremy and began setting up for another uber instead. 

“Hey,” a voice called while he typed the hotel address with shaky hands. “Are you gonna throw up?” 

Jean looked to where the voice had come from and saw the other Minyard leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette. It was almost impossible to see anything in the club what with the flashing lights and all the people but out there in the street with just the street lamps as lighting, Jean could see a little bit clearer. As stated before, he never really cared who was who when it came to telling the twins a part. But right then Jean suddenly wished he had. Aside from the world shattering realization that Kevin kissed boys in disgusting club bathrooms, there were countless moral reasons why he suddenly wished he’d payed more attention to which Minyard went outside and which one followed Kevin to the bathroom. 

Except maybe he had. 

Where’s Aaron? 

He said he needed some fresh air. 

Jean made a horrible realization. 

Aaron was the one who went outside. Which meant that the Minyard in the bathroom was Andrew. Andrew who was in a committed relationship with Neil Josten. Andrew who was not being very loyal and Kevin who was a good friend of aforementioned Neil Josten and was also not being very loyal. 

Jean felt a million emotions at once. Disgust that Kevin would do that anywhere other than a bed where sex belonged. A little bit of jealousy at the fact that he once harbored feelings for Kevin and may have had a chance not that that mattered now. Betrayal on behalf of Neil who most likely trusted Kevin and Andrew not to hurt him this way. And anger that Kevin was his friend and he was committing the worst crime you could commit with someone who was in a relationship with someone else. “I think I may,” Jean replied to the Minyard, suddenly feeling very sick to his stomach. “Kevin is behaving dishonourably.” 

Aaron took a drag off the cigarette. “I never took him and my brother for the fuck in the bathroom type yet here we are.” He seemed completely unbothered by it. 

“You know about it?” Jean asked incredulously. How could he know that his own brother was committing this atrocious act and seem not even care? 

The Minyard rolled his eyes. “You’d have to be blind and deaf or just plain stupid to not know.” 

“But do you not care?” Jean said. 

Aaron shrugged. “I’d be a hypocrite if I did. I’m just glad I don’t have to bear witness to it. It’s none of my business what they do behind closed doors.” 

Jean wondered what he meant by that and opened his mouth to reply but Neil Josten suddenly opened the door to the club. Aaron raised a brow at him. 

“Hey,” Josten said. “Nicky’s been wondering what’s taking you so long.” 

Aaron scoffed. “Oh I’m sure Nicky was.” He then flicked his cigarette and crushed it under his boot. 

Josten then met Jean’s eyes. “Leaving so soon, Moreau? You look a bit shaken up.” 

“I—” Jean started and then stopped himself. Should he tell him what he saw? Was it even his place? It wasn’t like him and Josten were all that close and maybe he knew about his goalie and vice captain and just didn’t care. Maybe they had a different kind of relationship than Jean was taught. He then decided it was best if he kept his mouth shut at least until he spoke to Jeremy. Yes, Jeremy would know what to do. “I am sorry,” Jean settled on saying. 

Josten tilted his head in confusion. “For what?” 

Jean didn’t answer and his uber suddenly pulled up and asked if he was Jean Moreau. Josten would find out soon enough on his own, he was sure. Jean opened the door to the car. 

“See ya around, Moreau.” The Minyard gave a two-fingered salute, a trait he must’ve picked up from his awful  twin. 

“Thank you for inviting me,” Jean replied. “You are much more pleasant than your twin.” And it was true. Aaron had never been outright mean to Jean like Andrew had, never picked a fight with him, and was even kind enough to suggest Jeremy come along if it would make him more comfortable. Even now, questionable morals aside, he had stayed talking to him even though he didn’t have to. 

The Minyard’s eyebrows raised, his expression remaining neutral. “Well, that’s a first.” Josten snorted next to him and the two waited until Jean was safely in his uber before going back inside, Aaron’s hand oddly resting in the back of Josten’s neck shoving him through the door. Jean had never seen the two interact much before but maybe he had, considering he never could tell them a part unless one of them spoke so it was possible Josten had a close relationship with both of the twins. Or maybe Josten was also being disloyal. God, Jean’s brain hurt. 

Jean thought about his night the whole way back to the hotel. He wondered how he was going to bring this up to Jeremy. He wondered what his reaction to it might be. Jean didn’t want to keep it from him as he knew Jeremy was quite fond of Kevin. He would have a better perspective on the situation. Jean wasn’t good with relationships and even though he knew what was right and wrong, he was still a little iffy on if what he’d seen was even real. 

When he made it to the hotel room he shared with his boyfriend, he opened the door and saw that the lights were still on. It was far past midnight and Jeremy had his laptop settled on his thighs. He looked up when Jean shut the door behind him and smiled sleepily. “Hey. How was your night?” 

Jean didn’t reply, only coming forward to brush blonde bangs out of Jeremy’s eyes and place a kiss on his temple. “Did you have fun?” He tried again. 

Jean wanted to tell him immediately what he’d seen. How he didn’t know how Kevin could do something so awful to his teammate and friend. How he wasn’t sure how Kevin had changed so drastically and become so dishonest and disloyal. But Jeremy looked so exhausted from the game and finishing his essay and clearly waiting up to make sure Jean got home safe. It was a conversation neither of them were in the right frame of mind to have. 

“It was an experience I am not sure I would like to have again,” Jean answered vaguely. 

Jeremy laughed a little bit. “Well I’m proud of you for trying.” 

“Thank you.”  Jean began getting ready for bed . “Did you finish your essay?” 

Jeremy took a moment to yawn. “Yup. I was going over some notes before I went to sleep. Wanted to make sure you got home okay.” he smiled again with exhaustion in his eyes. 

Jean changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt, making a mental note to thoroughly wash his previous clothes of the disgusting club. He came around the other side of the bed and sat. 

“Hey,” Jeremy called. “Did something happen?” 

Jean hated and loved how his boyfriend knew him so well now. He never thought he’d get to a point in his life where it didn’t bother him that his partner could take one look at his face and know something was up. He sighed. “I do not wish to talk about it at this time. I think we should both get some rest.” 

“Okay…” Jeremy replied carefully, clearly a little wary of what was going on in Jean’s mind. “As long as you’re alright.” 

Jean scooped up Jeremy’s hand from the keyboard and held it. He couldn’t imagine not wanting to hold only his boyfriend’s hand. He couldn’t imagine wanting to be with anyone else. Maybe Jean was just different that way. “I am okay. Go to sleep, Jeremy.” 

Jeremy complied and shut his laptop and eventually turned off the lights. They both went to sleep, Jean having a little more trouble as Kevin’s adulterous behavior kept playing in his mind. And the next day, they were on the bus on their way back home. Jeremy and Jean sat together in total silence. The rest of their team were also quiet as it was incredibly early and they were still tired so half the team had immediately fallen back asleep. But Jeremy was a morning person and his eyes were bright and wide awake as he watched the ends of South Carolina go by. 

They passed by a neighborhood on their way out and it made Jean think of how Kevin had told them he and his friends had a house in Columbia. That made him think of last night and remember how tightly Andrew had been hanging onto Kevin in that bathroom, how passionately they were kissing, how desperate they seemed. And all of that made him wonder if they continued their affair late after Josten went to sleep. Did Andrew stay up waiting until his partner drifted off to sneak into Kevin’s room? Did they have to force each other to be quiet so no one would know what they were doing? It made Jean feel sick all over again. 

He jumped a little from his thoughts when a gentle hand nudged his knee. “Are you okay?” Jeremy asked lowly to not rouse their teammates. 

Jean met Jeremy’s eyes. Every time he looked at his boyfriend, his heart was full and his whole being settled. “I just cannot imagine wanting anyone else when I am with you,” Jean said, seemingly out of nowhere. 

Jeremy looked surprised and the tops of his cheeks turned a shy pink. “Oh. I feel the same way, of course,” he said quickly before continuing. “But does this declaration have anything to do with whatever spooked you last night?” Spooked was putting how Jean felt lightly. 

And he was ready to tell him. Because Jeremy would know the next steps. He would know what Jean should do or not do in this situation. So he hummed his affirmation and began with, “Kevin is behaving dishonourably.” 

Jeremy titled his head in confusion. “What do you mean?” 

So Jean told him the whole terrible story and Jeremy listened patiently and calmly and waited for Jean to finish explaining all the way up to his conversation with the other twin outside. Part of him wondered if Jeremy would even believe him, if maybe he would take Kevin’s side. Maybe Jean really was just stupid and this was how relationships worked. If that were the case, he did not think relationships were for him. Instead though, Jeremy patted his thigh and said, “I’ll give Kevin a call when we get home.” The way he said it, so calm and collected and with a smile that did not reach his eyes, made Jean glad he wasn’t alone in his upset thoughts about the situation. 

They changed the subject after that and made it all the way back home safely. Jeremy waited until he and Jean were alone. After the thirty-seven hour drive with both of them falling asleep here and there, everyone else went to their respective dorms and houses. Jean sat on his bed and began unpacking his suitcase. He had almost forgotten about the conversation on the bus until he heard the distinct sound of Jeremy’s phone ringing after he’d dialed the number. 

Now, Jeremy was usually a very sweet individual. He rarely ever cussed or got particularly angry. He tried not to raise his voice, especially in front of Jean. Jeremy was the sun in all the right ways, warm and a bright shining light in Jean’s otherwise dim and cloudy disposition. 

So when he heard Jeremy shout, “Kevin Day, you fucking asshole!” into the phone, Jean instantly knew he had made the right choice in telling Jeremy Knox. 

Chapter Text

Andrew Minyard found it hilarious when people couldn’t tell him and Aaron a part.

 It was fun for him to look people dead in the eyes and say he was Aaron even when they addressed him correctly. He liked that they couldn’t even call him out for lying because they were never too sure. Andrew enjoyed stealing Aaron’s clothes and pretending to be him even though he could count how many times he’d done it on one hand. He was good at pretending. 

He knew Aaron couldn’t pull off the same tricks either because he wasn’t good at mimicking Andrew’s dead stare and neutral expression. Aaron was more emotional than Andrew and it sometimes made Andrew want to vomit when he pretended because he had to act like he cared about things he very much didn’t. People thought of them differently and it never really bothered Andrew that he was known as the scary one even though it bugged Aaron to be called the boring one. He’d take scary over boring for sure. But Andrew liked not being known well and being able to pass as Aaron so people would leave him be. 

Then Neil Josten came along and ruined the whole damn thing. 

Andrew was a goner from the start when he first layed eyes on Neil Josten with his piercing stare and shitty attitude. He wanted to break him in the beginning and now he was destined to spend forever picking up Neil’s pieces and putting him back together. The knowledge made him sick. He had all these mushy feelings that had him smoking more often and wanting to punch walls. Neil was supposed to be a side effect of the drugs and it was a huge shock to Andrew’s psyche when he realized that someone who cared and helped and stared and offered and trusted was a real person who wanted him. 

Andrew knew that was rare for someone like him. It was rare to have that kind of trust and blind loyalty without ill intentions whatsoever. Andrew was still working on remembering Neil didn’t have bad intentions every time his hand hovered near him, asking permission to touch and respecting a no when Andrew got overwhelmed by too much contact. He would never use dumb words such as ‘boyfriend’ or ‘partner’. Neil was just simply his and Andrew didn’t like to be owned but Neil had a grip on him and that is all he will say about that. But they had something worth keeping and it took them forever and a half to get to where they were now. 

 So why on earth would Andrew ever do anything to damage that? 

Renee was acting strangely. Well, all of the upperclassmen were but Andrew usually saw Renee as the only person amongst that particular group with a brain in her head. She was irritatingly kind and patient and didn’t make Andrew want to choke her for asking too many questions about where he was going, what he was doing, why Neil had to come with. Andrew felt a kinship with her as she had a dark side he had clocked from a mile away. He used to be wary around her, not scared exactly, more cautious about being alone with her. Until he decided to take a chance and they became the closest thing he had to a friend. Kevin was a close second but they had a more complicated relationship that Andrew really never felt like getting into.

Renee was different. She became the only person who took the time to get to know him instead of assuming things with just one look. She was the only one who looked closer and he even noticed she tried getting to know Aaron too even though that was completely pointless. He felt like he could trust her with secrets no one else knew about and she’d hold onto those secrets until the day she died. 

So Andrew didn’t understand why she kept looking at him like he’d wronged her. He didn't think he had though Andrew could never really remember the long list of people he’d said a bad word to or threatened with a knife. He didn’t think she was on that list and he hated that it was kind of bothering him. 

In the past month or so, Andrew had noticed a shift in the upperclassmen’s dynamic with him. It used to be that they avoided him and the people he hung around like the plague and that’s how he liked it. These days, they sent in Neil to ask if they could have a movie night or a day out like he was some dad keeping the kids from playing outside. That image made him gag. Andrew supposed sending Neil to speak to him was a wise choice as anyone else would receive an immediate no and he really didn’t want to be privy to any of them begging. He was loathe to admit it but Neil only got the yes because Andrew knew he was the only one who would accept the no. Andrew had tested it one night when the upperclassmen wanted to watch a movie after practice. Neil had brought it up on the roof one morning and Andrew had blatantly said no and Neil, the fucking bastard, had shrugged and replied, “Okay. I’ll let them know we won’t be attending.” And Andrew never thought he’d consider himself a weak man as he found himself rolling his eyes and complying with, “Fine. We’ll go.” The way Neil had smiled right after made Andrew want to go back in time and stab himself in the eye for ever letting this idiot under his skin. 

But in the most recent months, the upperclassmen had started looking at him strangely. They glared at him openly and every time he moved near Kevin, their stares would get more intense. He wondered if maybe they suddenly disliked Kevin which he wouldn’t be surprised as Kevin was fucking irritating but it seemed more than that. Andrew was used to the stares he’d get based off of his stature and indecipherable personality. He was used to them simply pretending he didn’t exist, liked it in fact. Except now they looked at him like they were going to jump him at any moment and he didn’t like the off feeling he was getting in his gut. Not that he couldn’t take each and every one of them down if they tried something. Renee had begun to avoid him as well and Neil had told him she was exhibiting odd behavior. 

Andrew had returned from class one day to find Neil on the couch taking a nap, a rare occurrence since Josten was always wired and awake at stupid hours, a true Kevin Day clone in the making. Him allowing himself this small moment of rest when he needed it had taken months of Andrew shoving him onto the bed and running his fingers through the redhead’s soft curls until he drifted off.

 Neil had woken up when the door quietly shut, always alert at the slightest sounds and noted that he thought Andrew had still been upstairs. He clearly forgot in his exhausted state that he’d been told point blank by Andrew himself that he was going to class, leaving him in the care of Kevin and Aaron who were doing their homework on opposite sides of the room last he saw them. This was one of the many reasons Andrew forced him into rest as the idiot forgot simple details and became delirious from the exhaustion. “What the hell are you doing out here?” Andrew asked. 

Neil sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eye. “Aaron picked a fight with Kevin for some reason. I don’t understand why he didn’t just go to his own room but whatever.” Andrew didn’t understand it either. Aaron had switched rooms willingly, almost relieved he was allowed this small freedom. Yet he was constantly hanging out in his old room. Andrew didn’t know if it had anything to do with familiarity or that Aaron actually did enjoy their company rather than Boyd’s who he now shared a room with. Andrew didn’t really care. 

Picking a fight with Kevin made no sense and practically kicking Neil out of the room made even less. Neil had relayed to Andrew that Renee had stopped by to grab the textbook he had borrowed from her but it was oddly still on Neil’s desk. Some things were out of place on said desk, Neil’s pencil holder a little farther to the left and some papers strewn about in a different organized mess than how Andrew had seen it earlier. Kevin lounged on his own bed, highlighting passages in his boring ass history textbook. His hair was a mess like the stress of Socrates or whatever the fuck had him running his fingers through it. Aaron was sat at Andrew’s own desk, occasionally scratching at his neck as though he could play off the obvious bite mark as a rash. Those two were so fucking unsubtle, it made Andrew want to tear his hair out as he resisted the urge to blatantly roll his eyes when he asked if they’d “settled things” and they both acted like he’d point blank asked if they’d just got done fucking. Part of him wished he had just to get it over with because the fumbling excuses that “Kevin breathes too loud” and “Aaron mumbles too much” weren’t funny anymore. And when he asked if Renee came by, Aaron tried way too hard to convince him that no, she hadn’t. 

Clearly something had happened there and it began Renee’s sudden avoidance of him. Every time their eyes met, she looked like she had something to say but couldn’t quite get the words out. Andrew wanted to grab her by her neck and demand she just spit it out already. The frustration weighed on him. Andrew didn’t understand what was going on and why the upperclassmen suddenly hated him again and why Renee was avoiding him. He hated to admit that it bothered him. 

Neil started noticing the odd behavior as well. He even went as far as to pull Boyd aside one day and ask him. Later, Neil would explain to Andrew that Boyd had dodged the question and suddenly begun avoiding Neil as well. Andrew wanted to wring their necks and demand an explanation because you could do whatever you wanted to him but Neil did not deserve Boyd avoiding him and Wilds and Reynolds staring at him with looks that could only be described as pity. Andrew knew Neil despised being pitied. 

It had been a week since all of this nonsense started and the two were beginning to get fed up. “You could try talking to Renee?” Neil, the idiot, suggested. 

Andrew took a drag from his cigarette and blew it out into the air. “I don’t give a fuck what they think of me. You talk to her if it bothers you so much.” 

“I will,” Neil challenged. 

“Fine,” Andrew replied apathetically. 

“Fine.” 

So Neil talked to Renee. Andrew didn’t know what their conversation entailed but the next day, Renee finally came up to him and said, “We need to talk.” 

They went to the court for privacy. Kevin and Neil weren’t there being dumb so it was perfect. They sat on the bleachers in silence for a moment. Renee wrung her hands in her lap before saying, “I’m sorry I’ve been avoiding you.” 

“Okay,” Andrew responded. He didn’t want to give away that it had bothered him. 

“I just…” Renee sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “I didn’t know what to say to you after what happened last week.” 

Andrew’s brow furrowed in confusion because he had no idea what she was talking about. “Last week,” he repeated. 

“Yeah,” Renee nodded. “And look, we’ve all seen some stuff and just—what you’re doing is wrong, Andrew. You know that, right?” 

Andrew blinked. “You’ve seen what, exactly?” 

Renee shook her head. “Come on, we all know about you and Kevin.” 

“Kevin,” Andrew echoed. Kevin and Andrew? He didn’t know there was a him and Kevin. That’s disgusting. Andrew’s not stupid, he had been aware of people assuming he and Kevin were fucking behind closed doors due to how Day followed him around like a puppy and refused to leave his side all of freshman year. It was so annoying. It was like an itch he couldn’t scratch, a fungus that just wouldn’t go away, a tumor that he couldn’t extract. 

He assumed those rumors had ended once he and Neil began their…thing. 

“What about me and Kevin?”

Renee rolled her eyes. “Don’t play dumb. I literally saw you and him in your room. Dan saw you after practice and Matt saw the two of you in the kitchen last movie night. Allison has a video of you on this very court. You can’t deny this when there are witnesses and solid evidence.” 

Andrew felt like he was on trial but he didn’t know what the hell for. All of those events he very much did not remember being anywhere near Kevin. He felt like he was watching a movie in reverse and already knew they all died in the end but not quite sure how they ended up there. “There’s a video?” It was starting to feel like if he just repeated things Renee was saying, it might make sense somehow. 

“Yes!” Renee then pulled out her phone and pressed a few buttons. Then she turned it around and showed him the screen. 

What he saw there put everything into place. 

It also made him sick. 

Because what he saw playing on Renee’s screen with a shaky cam and terrible quality was his twin about to get fucked by none other than Kevin Day. On the court no less. Did those two have no shame? Have some fucking decorum for christ’s sake. 

“I did not need to see that,” Andrew said in disgust. 

“I know it’s hard to watch,” Renee put her phone away. “I didn’t believe it at first but when I saw you in your room, on Neil’s desk of all places, I couldn’t deny it.” Neil’s desk? Neil was not going to be happy. Renee turned her whole body so she was facing him and looking him in the eyes when she said, “Look. What you’re doing is terrible and I know you love Neil—” 

Love was a strong word. A word Andrew never thought he’d have access to. Andrew and Neil were not the type to exchange sappy nicknames and I love you’s. Neil had warned Andrew that the feelings he had were beginning to become intense. Andrew had left the room and gone straight up to the roof and thought about jumping. Neil gave him an hour before coming up to get him and they pretended he had never said anything. 

“Stop talking,” Andrew intercepted. 

“No,” Renee challenged. “You have to listen. If you want to be with Kevin, fine. But you have to tell Neil the truth first. You can’t keep going on like this.” 

Andrew could not believe they were having this conversation. He couldn’t believe the rest of the upperclassmen had dragged Renee down to their level and taken away all her braincells. Because Andrew always thought she was pretty good at telling him and Aaron a part. How could she possibly be this stupid? Him and Kevin? No way in hell. 

“Oh trust that I won’t be,” was all Andrew said. He could’ve defended himself. He could’ve told Renee that it wasn’t him. But to be quite honest, he kind of wanted to see where this goes. He wanted to see what Renee had in mind for her little talk. 

“Good,” Renee amended. “So talk to Neil or I will show him this video.” 

Andrew wanted to say nice touch and commend her on her bravery to threaten him so blatantly. Instead he said, “I will talk to Neil.” 

Oh he would talk to Neil alright. 

Right after he murdered his twin for dragging him into this mess. 

Chapter Text

Neil Josten never really had trouble telling the twins a part. 

From day one, he was in Andrew’s orbit. He knew him from the moment he entered the foxhole court. He had a momentary lapse when Andrew was pretending to be Aaron but that was just a fluke. They may be identical but they couldn’t be more different. 

Andrew was brasher and rougher around the edges. He had an outer shell that was tough to crack if you were the wrong person. He tucked a special part of himself away to avoid getting hurt. That special part was where you could see his true kindness, the way he cared for others. He had his own special way of caring that Neil didn’t understand why people couldn’t get it. Andrew was the type to bitch at you and call you dumb for not bringing a jacket when he told you to and then offer you his own without you even having to ask. He was the type to keep your secret even if you blabbed his. He was the type to watch your back when you couldn’t for yourself. Andrew was more than just a psychotic drug-fueled manic. Neil was glad he took the time to find that out and even more so glad that Andrew allowed him to. 

And Aaron…well, who the fuck cares. 

Neil didn’t like it when people tried to act like they knew his relationship with Andrew. They didn’t need all that sappy shit like I love you and cute nicknames. All they needed was a yes or no and a moment. Neil didn’t like when people tried to assume things about Andrew. While he appreciated the concern the upperclassmen had for him being in a close partnership with someone who had held a knife to all of them at least once, Neil was pretty sure he had it covered. What people didn’t know was that Andrew would never hurt Neil on purpose. And if he did so accidentally, Neil was confident that what Andrew would do to himself would be way worse than whatever anyone could do to him in the name of protecting Neil. They had a special relationship that Neil wouldn’t trade for anything and he knew that all of the trust and comfortability and work they’d put into getting as far as they did was something Andrew would never put into jeopardy. No matter how much he insisted Neil was just there for entertainment and he hated him otherwise. You don’t freak out about the intensity of feelings you have for someone you hate, Andrew, just saying. 

So all of this was why Neil was growing a little bit irritated that the upperclassmen were giving Andrew dirty looks and even more so that Renee of all people was avoiding him. 

Neil had tried discussing it with her after getting Andrew’s “permission” and it was the strangest conversation they’d ever had.

He managed to catch her when she came in from her last class. She walked right by his dorm room and he called out to her. Neil had never seen Renee be wary around him. She had been the first person to extend a welcoming hand to him even though she knew she freaked him out in the beginning. But this Renee had just about jumped out of her skin when he said her name. 

She turned around slowly, her eyes flicking around the hall and never meeting his. That was how Neil knew something was definitely up. “Hello, Neil. How may I help you?” Her voice sounded way too formal. 

Neil didn’t falter. He held out the textbook she’d come to get from him a week ago. “You never came back for this.” He had thought it was odd when he came back to his room and saw her textbook still sitting on his desk, albeit in a different spot than where he’d left it along with a few other things out of place and disheveled. Nothing was missing so he just assumed Aaron or Kevin had bumped into it and knocked a couple things over by accident in their ridiculous fight.

Renee took it from him gingerly and held it to her chest. “Oh. Thank you. Was that all?” 

Neil saw his chance and took it. “No. Why have you been avoiding Andrew?” It was a little too on the nose but he’d never been known for beating around the bush. 

Renee paused, her eyes finally meeting his. “I’m not.” 

Neil huffed in irritation and leaned his shoulder against the doorframe. “Lying is my thing, Walker. What did Andrew do to you?” 

He saw a flicker of guilt on her face. She looked more nervous rather than scared and Neil wondered what she had to be nervous about just standing there talking to him. “He hasn’t done anything,” she said finally. “Well, not to me.” Renee looked like she hadn’t meant to say that last part out loud. 

“Okay…” Neil was confused and he didn’t feel like prying answers out of her but Andrew was clearly distraught about Renee’s faltering opinion of him so he had to figure it out. “I’m sure whatever he did, he didn’t mean it.” Andrew probably did mean it but a white lie never hurt anyone. Neil knew that if Andrew had offended Renee in some way, he’d find a way to apologize in his own way without actually saying he was sorry or that he didn’t mean to do what he did.
Renee tilted her head curiously at him. “Neil, can I ask you something?” 

Neil shrugged. “Sure.” 

“Are you happy with Andrew?” It was not what he was expecting her to say. 

He faltered a little. “Pardon?” 

“Are you happy with Andrew?” Renee repeated. “Like, he treats you well and you don’t dislike being with him? You guys are okay?” 

Neil was so sick and tired of having this conversation with people. Andrew was not some demon Neil had summoned from the seventh gate of hell and forced into a relationship with him. Andrew wasn’t the nicest person in the world and neither was Neil and just because he didn’t have much experience did not mean that he couldn’t take care of himself. Neil was not some naive child and it pissed him off that people saw him that way. He knew Andrew better than anyone. He knew his ticks and what upset him and why. He knew not to use certain words around him and keep his hands exactly where Andrew said. Neil thought himself as being lucky he was even allowed to touch. 

And Renee was the last person he expected to not understand all of that. 

“Um, yes…?” Neil replied, trying his best not to scream at her for even asking. 

“And would you say that you and Kevin are on good terms as well?” Another weird as fuck question. 

Neil and Kevin had a complicated friendship. One that stemmed from Neil being obsessive about exy and the king of such. In the past year, they’d calmed down and had a pretty easy relationship. They didn’t fight anymore and most of their conversations were about Riko and exy. Neil had even told Kevin to invite Jean out with them the previous night after their game with the Trojans. He was surprised the Frenchman even came and was not at all shocked he left in such a hurry. Andrew had told him about a weird conversation he had with him outside before Neil had gotten antsy and interrupted. He had a good laugh about it, knowing that Jean’s brain was probably even more scarred now. Neil was closer to Kevin these days and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel a sense of pride that Kevin came to him instead of Andrew when he was dealing with a crush on someone on the team. He knew he didn’t talk to Andrew due to the nature of who it was and questionable choices aside, Neil was happy none the less. 

“Renee, what is this about?” Neil asked exasperatedly. He didn’t know what any of this had to do with why he’d begun speaking to her in the first place. 

“Answer the question,” Renee responded. Her voice was level and calm with an intensity that uneased Neil. 

Neil rolled his eyes. “Andrew and I are fine. Kevin and I are fine. Fucking Nicky and I are fine. Aaron’s still an asshole. Satisfied?” 

Renee did not break her calm facade at his small outburst. “I will talk to Andrew, okay?” 

She left without waiting for him to respond. The conversation he just had hurt him more than it helped him figure out what the hell was going on. Later he would tell Andrew all about it and Andrew would ask him to leave the room. Neil did so compliantly and as soon as he’d shut the door, he heard a bang against the wall like Andrew had thrown something. He came back an hour later to Andrew smoking a cigarette on the windowsill and one of his textbooks in a heap on the floor across the room. 

Neil knew better than to ask if he was okay. 

He found himself alone in their dormroom later on, everyone either in class or at the library. Neil wondered if Renee was having that talk with Andrew and hoped his partner would come back with answers. He decided to continue playing the game Aaron had introduced him to. It had been a gesture of nicety since it was the kind of game you could use to get your frustrations out instead of throwing things at the wall like Andrew. Of course, they’d begun a rivalry on it and fought each other in game mode all the time. Andrew and Kevin made fun of them but Neil knew they’d rather have them take their frustrations out in a game rather than on each other.

He was in the zone with no idea what time it was, his thumbs a little sore but he did not want to stop. Neil jumped a little when he heard knocking. He didn’t stop trying to kill his opponent, confident he’d soon hear the deep Finish Him any moment now. “Door’s open,” Neil called, unlike the others who would constantly lock it for privacy reasons. He didn’t really care if people came in unless it was just him and Andrew in the room alone. 

He heard the click of the door opening slowly and tentatively. Neil looked from the corner of his eye and saw that it was none other than Matt. He felt a sense of calm at seeing a very close friend enter. Neil and Matt didn’t get the chance to hang out much anymore and that made Neil a little sad because he supposed Matt was one of his best friends. He was kind to him and an all around pretty cool guy. He had his own concerns about Andrew in the beginning and Neil didn’t blame him for being protective and trying to ensure his safety but he backed off pretty quickly once Neil explained that he was perfectly okay. 

Neil finished killing off his opponent and Matt waited patiently for him to finish. The screen showcased his win as he looked up at his friend. “Oh, hey.” 

“Hey, buddy,” Matt said. “Whatcha up to?” 

Neil gestured at the screen with the controller. “Just playing a game while I wait for the others to get back. Want a turn?” He pointed his sock clad foot at the other controller sitting on the floor next to him. 

Oddly, Matt declined the offer. “Um, no thanks. I was actually hoping I could talk to you about something?” 

Neil paused his next round. “Sure, what about?” 

Matt shut the door carefully behind him and came over to sit next to Neil on the other beanbag chair. “I first want to preface this by saying that I think you and Andrew are perfect together. I didn’t understand it at first but this past year has made me realize that you’re actually a very good match.” 

Neil stared at him. “Okay?” What was he supposed to say to that? And why was this the second time his relationship with Andrew had been called into question? 

Matt continued without preamble. “So I would never want to do or say anything that could hurt you in any way, man. I mean you’re my bro, my home skillet, my home slice, my best broskie—“

“Matt,” Neil interrupted, only understanding half the words he just said. “What’s your point?” 

Matt looked him dead in the eyes in a way that made Neil uneasy for the first time since he’d met the man. He had never seen his former roommate/best friend look so serious. “My point is that I would never want to hurt you and it pains me to even be having this conversation with you.” 

“What conversation?” Neil questioned. There was a little bit of anxiety swirling in his gut, the anticipation of Matt’s next words causing an uneasiness he wasn’t used to. 

“Andrew’s cheating on you!” Matt blurted like he was ripping off a bandaid. He inhaled deeply, breath a little shaky. 

Whatever Neil had expected had not come close to that. “What.” It was not a question or an ask to repeat. It was a simple what the fuck are you talking about because it was so far from anything he thought. 

“We’ve all seen him. With Kevin.” Matt said slowly. 

“With…Kevin.” Neil repeated, again not a question. He could count the amount of times Andrew and Kevin were alone together these days on one hand. 

Then Matt explained all the scenarios in which “Andrew and Kevin” had been caught by one of the Foxes. He told Neil about Dan finding them after practice, Allison on the court, Matt in the kitchen, and Renee in his very own dorm room. And after he finished, Neil thought about where he’d known Andrew was during those moments. He thought about how Andrew did not leave his side that often unless he was going to the bathroom or had classes. Contrary to popular belief, they weren’t that codependent. Sure, Neil got a little bit fidgety when Andrew would leave his side and insist he stay put but that had more to do with past trauma than anything. And Andrew would never admit it but he couldn’t focus when Neil was out of his orbit either. Either way, Andrew would not have had the time to make out with Kevin behind Neil’s back and stick to Neil like glue unless he was some sort of mastermind. Then Neil thought about the secret he was keeping for Kevin and how Andrew wasn’t supposed to know even though he did. And that was when it clicked. 

Oh. 

Oh. 

Neil felt it bubbling up in his throat, a rare feeling swirling in his chest. He put his face in his hands to muffle it, shoulders shaking. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes. He heard Matt make a sad noise. “Oh, Neil. I’m so sorry you had to find out like this.” He put his hand on Neil’s shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly. “I know your trust has been broken but we’ll figure this out. I’m here for you, buddy. Whatever you need and we’ll—are you laughing?” 

Neil couldn’t hold it in anymore. He lifted his head, peels of laughter bursting out of him. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It’s just Andrew and Kevin.” The idea of the two of them was so ridiculous and the fact that the Foxes thought it was Andrew was even more laughable. 

 “You are taking this surprisingly well.” Matt stated in confusion. 

Neil took a deep breath to calm himself, a smile stuck on his face. “I appreciate you telling me. I will talk to Andrew.” He pat Matt’s shoulder and stood. 

“What? Right now?” Matt looked up at him in surprise. 

“Well, yeah. If he’s fucking my friend behind my back, I need to tell him it’s over.” Neil tried to sound normal but it just came out like he was drunk. 

“Um, okay…?” Poor Matt looked like he was gonna have an aneurysm. “I’ll be here if you need me.” 

Neil left the dorm room in search of Andrew. The Foxes’ odd behavior was becoming so clear now. Neil just wondered how the hell Renee got roped into it. 

He made it as far as downstairs into the living room when Andrew walked through the door. “Andrew,” Neil called. The blonde looked up, eyes searching his face for anything that was wrong. “I need to talk to you.” 

Andrew came closer. “I need to talk to you too.” 

Neil couldn’t contain himself. The situation was so completely stupid and ridiculous. “I just found out the most hilarious thing. You’re gonna laugh when I tell you.” 

Andrew crossed his arms and raised a brow. “Am I?” Neil wasn’t sure he actually would but he thought it would at least amuse him. 

“I found out why everyone’s pissed at you.” 

“So did I.” There was bitterness and irritation in Andrew’s voice. “Apparently I’m fucking Kevin.” 

“I know!” Neil exclaimed. “Isn’t that hilarious?” 

“It’s more nauseating than hilarious.” Andrew pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. “My reputation is ruined.” 

“Well, think about me.” Neil put a hand to his chest dramatically. “I trusted you and you have an affair with Kevin. How could you?” 

“I hate you so much.” But the look in Andrew’s eyes when he looked back up at him held a different story. 

Right then the source of their problem walked right through the door. 

Aaron Minyard in all his disgusting, can’t keep it in his pants, terrible at keeping a secret glory. “Hey,” he said. “What’s up with you two?” He probably sensed the tension in the room that Andrew was radiating. 

His brother only looked at him with absolute annoyance. Of all the things Andrew could have said to him in that moment, he only had one thing to say. “Really, Aaron? On the court?” 

Chapter Text

Aaron Minyard hated that people couldn’t tell him and Andrew a part. 

His whole life he had spent feeling unseen, unwanted, uninteresting. His own mother didn’t care that he existed and when he found out about Andrew, he thought he would finally have someone who shared in that brushing aside Aaron always dealt with. But no. Andrew was this shiny new thing to their mother, to Nicky, to his aunt and uncle. Aaron might as well have never even existed. 

He tried not to think about it. Tried to let the words roll off his back. But you can’t unhear that you’re boring. That you’re only the other one. That you’re not even your name, you’re “Andrew’s twin”. Aaron never thought he’d be an other. 

Then college rolled around and he was forced on this stupid fucking team who thought of him as nothing more than just “the less scary one”. He thought that maybe someone would care that he existed, notice him trying and how hard he was working on maintaining his grades and being a decent player. He didn’t even want to play exy but he was stuck on a leash and had no choice just like everything else. 

Eventually, he learned to stay in the shadows, make friends with the darkness. He supposed it was okay that everyone was focused on ensuring Andrew didn’t murder someone in cold blood during a game if it meant that they were off his back. Because all he could do was say he was Aaron when they called him Andrew and they’d lose interest and leave him alone. The only people who actually knew him were Katelyn and Nicky. Nicky was his cousin, his family so he knew Aaron inside and out. When Andrew came along, there was focus on him yet Nicky never stopped asking Aaron how school was, if he made any friends, if anything interesting happened today. Nicky never forgot him and Aaron appreciated it even though he couldn’t find the strength to tell him. 

Katelyn was different. She sought him out after a group project and he found himself unable to shake her. She was nice and pretty to look at and god he wished the rumors about them were true, then he wouldn’t have to confront his confusing feelings about friends from high school and enticing ad popups. Katelyn was the closest thing he had to a best friend and he would be eternally grateful that she never judged him for asking her to lean into the rumors but not outright lie. He at least felt prideful that he had his own thing outside of Andrew and a team he didn’t care about. 

Then Kevin Day happened and Aaron’s brain broke in half. 

Kevin was the fucking worst. He was arrogant, rude, a total fucking exy junkie. He made practice difficult and longer than they should’ve been because he had to nitpick everything and everyone. Aaron wanted to gouge his eyes out with his bare hands. 

He also wanted to bite him. 

That was a horrible thought he had been suppressing for years. Aaron had known he liked boys since he was in high school and he had a fat crush on a close male friend. And he hated himself for all of it. He grew up in a religious household and old habits became difficult to break. When Nicky came out to him, Aaron told him he was going to hell. Their first two years of college and Nicky couldn’t stop talking about fucking and his boyfriend Erik and Aaron couldn’t keep his snide little comments to himself. He knew he was hurting Nicky and he hated himself because of it. Especially since it was his own internal homophobia that was making him act this way. Aaron wanted nothing more than to apologize and tell Nicky that he wanted to kiss boys as well as girls and he wanted to have sex with Kevin Day. 

But he couldn’t. 

So he slipped into a role people mapped out for him. He didn’t correct anyone claiming he had a thing for Katelyn and acted like this straight perfect guy who lived in Andrew’s shadow. 

He was perfectly fine with his secrets and blatantly ignoring the knowing looks Renee kept giving him when he stared at Kevin for too long. 

Then he got to know Kevin and Kevin got to know him and Aaron wanted to die with his feelings. Because Kevin didn’t treat Aaron like an other. He followed Andrew around and stuck to him like glue but he invited Aaron to come with them places. Aaron got told to watch over Kevin on occasion by Andrew which he took to mean he was trusted with his well being. When that happened, they got to talking. Just about life and school and the occasional trauma dump session. 

Kevin knew him. He took the time to know him, to learn him differently from Andrew. Once, Kevin said “You two really don’t look that much alike.” And right then Aaron was a goner. 

It happened on a whim. A night where emotions were running high and Andrew wanted everyone close. It was right after they’d almost lost Neil, their first night in Columbia since. Just the five of them. Aaron had no choice in accepting that this was his life now and Neil was fucking his brother and he wasn’t going anywhere. 

It was late after they’d got to the house. Neil slept in Andrew’s room and they were thankfully silent the whole time. Aaron found himself unable to sleep through the night, only able to think about the bruise on his jaw, the cut on his lip, the taste of blood on his tongue. The brawl hadn’t been that bad, a meager distraction from Neil’s disappearance. Aaron couldn’t believe he’d gotten himself hurt on Josten’s behalf. Though in a way, it felt kinda nice to beat the shit out of someone for once instead of the other way around. Except Neil ruined that pride by punching Aaron in the face. He regretted his comment that caused it immediately after he’d said it so Aaron tried not to murder Neil in his sleep. 

The skin under his eye throbbed and more and more Aaron was angry. Angry at himself for acting like such an asshole all the time and taking his shit out on Nicky and everyone else. Angry at Neil for bringing his shit to Palmetto when Aaron was trying to have a peaceful college life. Angry at Andrew for being such a goddamn hyprocrite all the time. He was even angry at fucking Kevin for causing these confusing feelings and being right downstairs while Aaron knew he needed to go to the kitchen. 

He decided fuck it and went down anyway, quietly sifting through the freezer for something to ice his eye with. He instantly jumped when he felt a hand on his waist. Aaron turned and saw a shirtless chest at his eye level. “Jesus fuck, Kevin!” he hissed. “What the hell are you doing?!” 

Kevin raised his hands in defense. “Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

Aaron put a hand to his chest to calm his racing heart. A heart that was racing for more reasons than one. “What do you want?” He knew he was being an asshole again for no reason but he couldn’t care. 

“What happened to your eye?” Kevin asked instead of answering Aaron’s question. 

Aaron touched the skin under his eye self consciously. It was still a little tender. “Josten and I had a bit of a spat.” That was an understatement. 

“A spat,” Kevin repeated. “This seems like worse than just a spat. Neil doesn’t attack for no reason.” The way he said it sounded like Neil was a dog and it made Aaron want to roll his eyes. Except he was far more focused on Kevin lifting his hand and putting it to Aaron’s cheek, thumb gently brushing under his eye. 

Aaron felt himself inhale sharply at the contact. “It was my fault,” he said softly, almost scared to break whatever was coming to the surface between them. Almost two years of dancing around each other it felt like. 

“Are you okay?” Kevin’s thumb  traveled down and rested on the cut on Aaron’s bottom lip. It had long since scabbed over but it still stung a little. 

Aaron breathed in again. Kevin smelled like old spice cologne and sweat. It was more intoxicating than any girl he’d been with. “Kevin, what are you doing?” It felt like he was asking that question over and over with no real answer. Aaron wasn’t sure if Kevin was drunk or he himself was dreaming. 

He knew he didn’t want to wake up as soon as Kevin’s hand went to the side of his neck and pulled him up into a deep kiss. Aaron found his hands flying to Kevin’s face, pulling him closer. It felt like finally exhaling. It felt like letting go. It felt amazing. 

And it ended as quickly as it’d begun. Aaron’s eyes fluttered open to stare at the idiot in front of him who he simulatenously wanted to jump and punch at the same time. “Why did you do that?” Aaron whispered, so quietly as though the air between them was so fragile and easily breakable. 

“I thought I was going to die not that long ago,” Kevin said softly, thumb reaching up and touching lightly at the cut on Aaron’s lip. “And I really didn’t want to without having done that.” 

Aaron was so fucking weak. 

They ended up taking it upstairs to Aaron’s room, trying their best to remain quiet so Andrew didn’t know what they were doing and Nicky couldn’t be nosy. Aaron felt like it was his first time all over again and he couldn’t believe they hadn’t done it before. He couldn’t believe how long they’d waited. 

In the morning, Aaron woke up with his head on Kevin’s chest and they had a long conversation about feelings and emotions and all that disgusting crap. Kevin confessed to liking Aaron ever since he woke up to him after a particularly bad panic attack. Aaron confessed his own feelings and they mutually decided that what they had needed to remain private. If only just to see where they were headed and to avoid questions and their nosy ass teammates thinking their opinion mattered. And they especially wanted to avoid Andrew finding out who would no doubt threaten Kevin with a knife and do…something to Aaron, they weren’t sure. Everything was going fine. They managed to keep it to themselves for several months, sneaking kisses after practice and having sex when they knew no one would be back for hours. 

Then they went and fucked it all up.

See the thing about having repressed emotions for someone for a long time and being so in love you can’t breathe is that you cannot keep your hands off each other once you finally seal the deal. 

So Aaron couldn’t help himself from kissing Kevin after practice when he thought everyone had left. He didn’t think Dan would forget her shoes and see Kevin press him against the wall. It was just one kiss. One lingering kiss. Kevin bit his lip. “Andrew—“ He’d been about to point out that Andrew would be wondering where they went and come looking for them any moment. 

“I know,” Aaron sighed and they both left. 

And in Aaron’s defense, he was well aware of Kevin’s exy kink and thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to try it out on the court. Once again, he’d thought everyone left when he dragged Kevin back inside by his hand. Kevin went willingly, kissing the skin behind his ear as Aaron re-unlocked the doors with the key still attached to Kevin’s belt, using that opportunity to get even more handsy. “Really? Here?” He asked once he saw where Aaron was taking them. There was a hint of excitement in his voice that had Aaron knowing he’d made the right call. 

Aaron kissed him again. “Oh don’t act like you don’t have an exy kink, Day.” He pushed open the doors to the court and kissed him deep. Kevin then sank down, getting into Aaron’s idea. What they had was passionate, almost two years of pent up feelings needing to be released. Aaron felt Kevin slide his hands up and intertwine their fingers above his head. 

And Aaron would like to stress that they did not actually have full on sex on the exy court. They weren’t that depraved or unsanitary. And Aaron would be lying if he said he didn’t get a little bit of a thrill knowing they’d almost full on done it on the very court everyone still practiced on without the knowledge of what had just occurred there. But it was just simply removing shirts and some light dry humping, okay? And it wasn’t like they were the first couple to try it anyway. Aaron didn’t think Allison, the hypocrite, would fucking record them and send it to Renee. 

Movie night was entirely Kevin’s fault. First of all, Aaron hadn’t meant to dress similarly to his twin. They just happened to have the same style on occasion except Aaron owned more color than Andrew. And second, Kevin voted no on the movie they ended up watching to begin with and was therefore distracted the whole time. Aaron couldn’t have cared less and didn’t want to be there in the first place. He was basically falling asleep like Neil who they were watching the stupid movie for in the first place. Then he felt a hand on his inner thigh. Aaron had his head resting on his hand and his eyes flicked to where Kevin was slowly rubbing circles along the seam of his jeans. Aaron inhaled deeply, trying not to make a noise as Kevin’s hand came dangerously close to his crotch. He tried to maintain his composure, not alerting any of the Foxes that he was getting hot and bothered. 

As soon as the credits rolled and there was already discussion of what movie they’d be watching next, Aaron practically jumped out of his seat and said he was going to the bathroom. Not that anyone really noticed or cared. It was more for his boyfriend’s benefit who he immediately texted to meet him in the kitchen in five minutes.  

Aaron stood there waiting. A moment later and Andrew came in. It was not who he was expecting and Aaron jumped out of his skin. “This isn’t the bathroom,” Andrew said in greeting. His voice wasn’t suspicious and he wasn’t even looking at him as he sifted through the cabinets. 

Aaron opened the fridge. “Oh, um. I just went and came in here for a soda.” He tried to keep his voice level. 

Andrew still didn’t look at him, probably not even listening to his half assed explanation that made it sound like Aaron teleported to the kitchen with how little time it had been since he stood. His twin cursed. “Did Kevin throw out the chips, again? I’m gonna kill him if he doesn’t leave us out of his bullshit nutritional regimen.” Andrew and the rest of the Foxes had a mutual disdain for Kevin’s health kicks where he’d get so angry at their loss that he’d throw out any junk food he found. It bothered Aaron as well but he was the one with the knowledge that Kevin had an unhealthy hyperfixation on food, a habit he was trying to break. It was unfortunate that their team suffered the consequences. Aaron did his best to get him to indulge every once in a while which didn’t always work but on occasion he’d savor the sweet taste of Aaron’s lips after ice cream at Sweetie’s. 

“I’ll take him grocery shopping and replace it if you want,” Aaron suggested. It was rare that Andrew would trust him with Kevin out in public but he’d loosened his leash on all of them recently so it wasn’t that far fetched. Andrew finally looked at him and stared. His gaze was unknown if it was suspicious or not. Aaron cleared his throat, trying to sound nonchalant and like he wasn’t desperate for an excuse to go out just the two of them for once. “I’ll grab you some ice cream,” he added, trying to sweeten the deal. 

The time between when Aaron spoke and before Andrew did felt like it went on forever until Andrew finally said, “Fine. Make sure you use Kevin’s card.” 

Aaron tried not to breathe his sigh of relief too loudly. “Got it.” 

It used to be rare that the two could have a casual conversation like that, even rarer that Andrew would let anyone other than himself be alone with Kevin but things changed over the past few months since Neil came into their lives. Aaron would never thank him or say the shift had anything to do with that dumbass but he was grateful the collar Andrew kept around his throat was released just in time for him to start going behind his back but he did not have time for guilt right now.  

Andrew finally left, mumbling about needing to piss and Aaron almost thought about forgoing his quest and getting back to seeing what movie was chosen next. Then finally Kevin got the memo and entered. “What the fuck took you so long?” Aaron hissed. 

Kevin rolled his eyes. “Well it’s not like I could come in when Andrew was in here. I like my dick attached to my body.” 

Aaron hummed. “Me too.” He wasted no time, immediately pulling Kevin in by his belt loops. Kevin groaned softly into the kiss and leant down to hoist Aaron easily on the counter. 

They didn’t have time to fuck obviously but they could at least get a little out of their systems. Plus Aaron wanted payback for the teasing earlier. 

Aaron lightly pushed Kevin away from him and hopped off the counter. He shifted them both sideways and trailed his hand up Kevin’s shirt, nails scratching his skin. He leant up on his toes and kissed up and down the other’s throat. 

“We should probably stop,” Kevin breathed into his mouth. “I mean if Neil—“ Aaron kissed him again even though he was right. This had been a slight issue that past month. Because Neil was the most nosy and observant bitch Aaron knew. They had both suspected Neil might know about them, even worse when Kevin revealed he’d actually told the moron about his crush. Ignoring the rush of giddiness at the knowledge Kevin had talked about him before they dated, there was a part of him terrified that Neil would ruin everything by blabbing to Andrew. And anyone could walk in on them really, they weren’t exactly hidden. 

Aaron shushed him soothingly and kissed his lips one last time, savoring it. “Okay, you go back first.” Kevin nodded and left, hands lingering on Aaron’s skin. 

Kevin sat down next to Andrew while Aaron quickly grabbed a soda from the fridge. All he heard as he sat down was Kevin’s half assed apology about the chips Neil couldn’t have. Aaron only cared that Andrew didn’t seem suspicious of them. 

What he failed to notice was the glare Matt was sending Andrew and Kevin’s way. 

Renee had been a fluke. 

Because while they knew about Kevin’s exy kink, Aaron seemed to have a weird thing of his own. It happened on a whim like most of their random sexcapades. It was on a random day when everyone just so happened to be either in class or at a study group. Neil was laying in his bed that used to belong to Aaron, seemingly attempting to take a nap. 

They’d come back from practice, Aaron fully having regretted not bringing his jacket when Andrew told him to. He’d spent the whole car ride back shivering and eyeing Kevin in his blue sweatshirt, wanting nothing more than to climb inside it with him. When they made it back to the dorms, Andrew took off his hoodie and threw it at Aaron’s face. “Fucking here, next time bring a jacket when I tell you it’s going to rain dumbass.” It made no sense to give it to him right now since Aaron could easily crawl into his bed and warm up himself but he appreciated the rare act of kindness and he warmed up a lot faster when he zipped up the hoodie and basked in the aftereffects of his twin’s body heat. 

Aaron had been trying to read his textbook but the sounds of Kevin tapping his pen was distracting him. It wasn’t the tapping that was bothering him, it was the fact that Kevin looking so focused and studious was turning Aaron on completely out of nowhere. He’s not proud of the idea he had to get Neil the fuck out of the room so Aaron could jump his boyfriend’s bones.

“Will you stop?” Aaron said abruptly. Kevin paused and looked at him. Neil’s eyes fluttered open to stare. 

“Stop what?” Kevin asked with a brow raised. 

“Tapping,” Aaron waved his hand. “It’s distracting.”  

“Oh sorry,” Kevin said sheepishly and probably expected Aaron to go back to studying even as Neil closed his eyes again. Except then he put the pen to his mouth and chewed on the top and that drew attention to his mouth so Aaron couldn’t not pay attention. He looked down at the page again, assuming his plan had failed and actually tried to study again. 

But then Kevin resumed his tapping so Aaron threw his eraser at the wall behind his head. “Stop. It,” Aaron grit. Kevin looked at him like he was crazy. 

Neil sighed aggravatedly at having been awoken a second time. “You do understand you don’t live here anymore? You can go to your own room and not bother us.” 

“Oh fuck off, Josten.” Aaron snarled. 

“Fine. I will,” Neil sat up, Andrew’s blanket around his shoulders, and stood. “You two can fight or fuck it out, I don’t care. I’m going downstairs.” 

“Neil—“ Kevin protested, probably about to deny the fucking comment but Neil had already slammed the door behind him. “Would you care to explain what your problem is?” 

Aaron stood from his own chair. “You were distracting me.” And before Kevin could say anything else, he was in his lap and kissing him. 

Kevin’s hands held his waist as he kissed back. “Oh I see,” he mumbled between kisses. “You picked a fight with me on purpose so Neil would leave.” 

Aaron kissed his jaw. “Now you’re getting it.” Kissed his neck. “You’re so smart.” His collarbone. “Not just a pretty face I see.” He felt movement against his inner thigh and laughed lightly. He pulled back to stare at his boyfriend’s flushed face. “Really? That’s what did it for you? I barely said anything.” 

“Shut up,” Kevin mumbled. “You know I have a thing for…praise.” He said the word like he was embarassed even though Aaron loved it. 

“I know,” Aaron smirked. “It’s cute. You’re so good, baby.” 

“Stop it and come here,” Kevin stood and Aaron went with him, scrambling up on the desk and allowing the other to stand between his thighs. Kevin leaned in and then stopped. “Wait. Shouldn’t we move? This is Neil’s desk.” 

“So?” Aaron said. He didn’t really care that it was Neil’s. It wasn’t like they wouldn’t clean up their mess anyway. 

“So if he finds out, he’s gonna be pissed.” Kevin looked around the room. 

Aaron played with the hem of his shirt to get his attention back on him. “Yeah,” he replied breathlessly, blood quickly traveling south. “I know.” He felt excitement swirling in his gut. 

Kevin stared at him. “Wait. Is the idea of pissing Neil off turning you on?” 

Aaron bit his lip. What could he say, he really hated him. “Maybe.” 

Kevin rolled his eyes playfully. “And you say I have weird kinks.” 

Aaron scoffed. “Are we doing this or what? Because I can leave—” 

Kevin cut him off with a bruising kiss, trailing his hand up the hoodie and the back of his shirt. Aaron began unbuckling his belt and sliding his hand in. His other hand tugged on the collar of his boyfriend’s shirt so he could have better access to his neck. After a moment, Kevin pulled back again and Aaron groaned in frustration. “Okay, I’m gonna need you to take this off.” He tugged on the hoodie. “You look too much like Andrew and it’s really not doing it for me.” 

Aaron didn’t understand that at all but, “Nice to know you don’t have a thing for my brother.” 

Kevin kissed him long and deep. “Nope. Only you.” Aaron felt his heart swell as they continued kissing and unzipped the hoodie, allowing it to fall off his shoulders without yet taking it off completely. Neither of them heard the first knock, too engrossed in each other. 

So when the door opened, they naturally froze and Aaron screamed a little on the inside. When he saw it was Renee, he didn’t know what to do. She was the only person aside from Neil who he thought might suspect that he and Kevin were together. He’d known about her catching him staring at Kevin every once in a while and was all the more grateful that she didn’t seem to have told Andrew or anyone else. They may not have been exactly friends but he knew he could trust her in a way. 

The way she reacted to seeing them was strange. She seemed so scandalized and confused and Aaron didn’t know why. Saying that them having sex on Neil’s desk when he was right downstairs was wrong seemed a little dramatic. Kevin and Aaron were far more focused on trying to make sure she didn’t tell Neil. Just because Aaron had a newly discovered thing for pissing Neil off, it didn’t mean he actually wanted him to find out he and Kevin were in the process of having sex on his desk. 

Aaron was way more focused on trying to make it look like they hadn’t been doing anything when Andrew walked in later. Though Renee never did end up having the talk with them she’d promised. 

Finally, what happened with Jean was his own fault. Because who just opens a bathroom door without knocking? 

Okay, Aaron could partially be blamed for that because he was a little drunk and alcohol made him both meaner and hornier. Ditching Nicky on the dance floor was a lot easier than he thought once he put a hand over his mouth in feigned nausea and lied about going outside. He was lucky Kevin had gotten the memo when they locked eyes and Aaron had tilted his head towards the bathroom and went. And maybe he should have locked the stall he shoved Kevin into but he clearly had his eye on a different prize and in his drunken state, the thought hadn’t occurred to him. It was weird how Jean had reacted and even weirder how abruptly he’d left that night. Maybe he just didn’t have all that much experience and he and Knox weren’t as adventurous, who knows.  Kevin was grateful to Andrew and Neil for making sure Jean got into his uber safe and sound even though Andrew had really just been trying to finish his cigarette. “He said I’m more pleasant than you,” he said to Aaron smugly which he didn’t get at all. Aaron may have been forgettable but most people tended to prefer his less hostile company. Maybe it had something to do with the bathroom incident and how rude he’d been but Aaron really didn’t care. Jean wasn’t a friend of his and probably never would be. Aaron had only been nice to him originally for Kevin’s sake so his opinion of him didn’t really matter and he didn’t have to worry about him spreading his business around either as he had so much more to worry about. 

And all of that had occurred up to now fell into place and Aaron did not know what to think when Neil told him all those moments had been witnessed and he’d somehow been confused for Andrew. 

“Allison recorded us?” He outraged. “That’s so weird! And you,” Aaron pointed at Andrew. “You knew this whole time?” 

Andrew scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Of course I fucking knew. You are not subtle.” 

“Fuck,” Aaron pinched the bridge of his nose. 

“Yup and if our teammates could tell you two a part, they’d know too,” Neil said. “You whores.” Aaron flipped him off. “So now that that’s established, you need to fucking tell the team so they stop being mad at Andrew.” 

“I don’t care what they think of me,” Andrew deadpanned. “But I can’t have people think I’m having relations with Kevin Day of all people. My reputation would be ruined.” 

“Oh fuck you,” Aaron said. He didn’t appreciate the cracks about his boyfriend. Well, at least he knew there was no real threat between them. Neil and Aaron both really had nothing to worry about. “You don’t care that I’m dating Kevin?” 

Andrew tilted his head. “Why would I care? Our deal is done considering…” he made a vague gesture at Neil who grinned at him. Aaron hated them both. 

“So I did all of this for nothing?” It was pissing him off that he’d spent all that time sneaking around hiding his love behind closed doors and he didn’t even need to. 

“Pretty much,” Neil shrugged. “The question is are you going to come clean or not? Because Andrew may be okay with everyone hating him but I’m not and I will not hesitate to tell the truth on your behalf.” 

“Oh, please what do you know about truths?” Aaron crossed his arms. “You’d really out me like that?” He didn’t think Neil had it in him. It was cruel even for someone who hated him. 

Neil’s shoulder slumped. “Well, no. But I think you owe me for fucking on my desk and if Nicky finds out on his own, I will tell him all the gory little details you just told us. See how easily you can get out of a safe sex talk with him.” 

Aaron shuddered. He remembered when Nicky found out about Andrew being gay and tried to give him a talk about homosexual safe sex. Andrew locked himself on the roof until Nicky put the condom and cucumber away. 

The real question was did Aaron care that people thought he was Andrew and that Andrew was cheating on Neil and that was why everyone was acting so strange? 

No. Not really. He found it hilarious actually. 

But the sneaking around was getting old and tired and if Andrew didn’t care, there was no point in keeping it hidden any longer. “Fine. I’ll talk to Kevin and we’ll see.” 

This answer seemed to satisfy Neil and later when it was pitch black and everyone was asleep, Aaron told Kevin everything as they sat in the living room together. 

“Whatever you want to do is fine with me,” Kevin said after ruminating on it for a moment. He grasped Aaron’s hand in his comfortingly. 

Aaron thought that it would be nice to finally be able to kiss his boyfriend when he wanted without having to come up with some elaborate scheme to do so in secret. He wanted to ask for Kevin’s jacket, cuddle him during movie night, and fall asleep together without having to worry about someone noticing. And fuck, he wanted to tell Nicky all about these feelings and how scared he was and have him tell him he understood and that everything was going to be okay. 

Aaron was tired of hiding. So he gripped Kevin’s hand tightly and said, “We’ll tell them tomorrow.” 

They had come up with a plan, a whole speech to tell their team. In true Aaron and Kevin fashion, it was well thought out and discussed in great detail. But also in Aaron and Kevin fashion, it was completely thrown out the window and chaotic in the end. Because it ended up happening like this: 

Coach Wymack was just about to begin his whole thing about what to expect in their upcoming game that Friday. They were waiting on Kevin who was surprisingly running late and Aaron was getting a little worried because his boyfriend was usually the first one there. 

“That kid better hurry up, I have paperwork,” Wymack checked his watch. 

Time was ticking and Aaron couldn’t take it anymore. He didn’t want to do this alone but with how long Kevin was taking, it seemed like he was going to have to. So Aaron cleared his throat. “While we wait. There is something I need to say.” 

Everyone looked at him like he was crazy. Probably because it would be one of the few times he’d actually spoken in a meeting of his own accord. “Go ahead, Minyard. But make it fast.” Wymack gestured for him to speak. 

“So, um, it has recently come to my attention that this team seems to have some false notions about Andrew and I would like to rectify that by making an announcement that I hope will clear the air.” Aaron was beginning to get a little nervous. Coming out to family is hard enough but to a whole team who witnessed you almost having sex in public spaces was even worse. 

Nicky pretended to wipe away a tear. “Aww, Aaron’s standing up for his brother. I never thought I’d see the day. How far my babies have come.” 

Andrew glared at their cousin. “Shut up, Nicky.” Then he looked at Aaron. “You were saying?” 

Even though he didn’t care if Aaron came out or not, Andrew was still being kinder than expected and Aaron had never been more grateful. “Right, uh. So these past few weeks—” he was interrupted by the door opening and Kevin finally showing up. Aaron felt like he could breathe again. 

Kevin had his phone pressed to his ear, cheeks slightly flushed and listening to the voice that was a little loud. Aaron couldn’t hear what the other person was saying though they were clearly yelling. The person was confirmed as Kevin came further into the room and said into the receiver, “Jeremy I—I’m not—Stop yelling—” Then when he couldn’t take it anymore, “Dammit Jeremy, I was fucking Aaron not Andrew!”

A hush fell across the room. All that could be heard was Jeremy Knox’s distinct ohhh on the receiver. Everyone else seemed to have that same notion as it clicked for them too. 

“Is that what you were going to say, Aaron?” Abby broke the silence politely. 

Aaron felt his entire face flush. “I was gonna say we were dating but sure, that too.”

“Oh, that makes much more sense,” Renee said next. “I’m so sorry Andrew.” 

“You should be,” Andrew replied. 

Kevin seemed to finally notice that what he’d said had an audience. He cleared his throat embarassedly. “Um, I’ll call you back.” He hung up the phone and sat next to Aaron. “I am so sorry,” he said to him. 

Aaron winced. “It’s fine. Had to come out sometime.” 

Matt was the second to look ashamed with himself. “We’re really sorry, Andrew. We didn’t think of Aaron as a possibility. Though I guess now…” he looked down at Kevin and Aaron’s entwining fingers. “We probably should have. Happy for you guys, though.” 

“I guess I’ll delete the video,” Allison said not even ashamed she still had it and more disappointed she had to get rid of it. 

“I should’ve known,” Dan shook her head. 

“I have something to say of my own,” Neil raised his hand. All eyes immediately went to him. Aaron opted to not say anything else in this little meeting as he just wanted to pretend what just happened hadn’t happened. “While I appreciate your…let’s use the word ‘concern’ at my relationship, it is none of your business and if Andrew is doing something wrong or I am, we will discuss it and figure it out on our own. You can’t just make assumptions, especially since Andrew—“ 

“Wouldn’t touch Kevin with a ten foot pole,” Andrew cut in. Kevin rolled his eyes. Aaron wished his twin would  stop implying Kevin was disgusting or something. 

“— That.” Neil jerked his thumb at Andrew. “I don’t need you all meddling and treating me like I don’t know what’s best for me. Understand?” 

There were sheepish agreements and apologies all around. Aaron just wanted to move on. 

Wymack shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t care who’s fucking who. If you’re all done, can we start this meeting already?”  

And that was that. Aaron did end up having a heart to heart with Nicky and told him all about his confusing feelings and narrowly avoided a sex talk. Nicky told him he was proud he figured himself out and that he didn’t mind the light bullying if it meant Aaron felt safe taking things out on him. Kevin had a private conversation with Wymack who only said that if he was happy, that was all that mattered and Aaron was actually a pretty decent choice. Aaron found himself proud at that when Kevin told him.

 In the end it all worked out and Aaron couldn’t be happier. 

And everyone learned a couple valuable lessons: 

1. Wait for a ‘come in’ when knocking
2. Look a little closer before assuming the twins are each other and making accusations 

And 3. Aaron is more than meets the eye and Andrew isn’t as bad as everyone thinks. 

That last one was the most important lesson of all.