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Andrew's fingers itched for a cigarette still, after all these years.
He didn't need all those inane replacements Aaron had suggested—though he'd accepted the candy just to annoy Kevin. He was well-versed in addiction and how to come out of it.
Aaron had graduated with honours, the top of his class, because of course he had.
He'd spent his bachelors making his studies work while playing exy and dealing with a side helping of mafia trouble, after all. It was no surprise that once fully allowed to focus, he'd shone.
No surprise to Andrew, at least. Aaron still seemed in shock, and Nicky had burst into tears.
"You're Andrew Minyard!" Someone said in awe. Andrew wondered if Aaron got this often. But no—they were actually talking to him, not his double.
"No," he said dismissively.
"Yes, you are," someone else insisted, and this voice sounded young. He turned to see a little girl perched on someone's shoulders. "You're an Olympic gold medalist. You've saved the most goals out of any goalkeeper in exy. I'm a goalkeeper too. I want to be just like you!"
"Don't," he advised.
The little girl seemed undeterred. She reminded him a little of Robin, which softened him. "I do! Can I have an autograph?"
He sighed, air coming out through gritted teeth. He couldn't refuse a child. He wished Neil were here—he would've managed to come up with a way so he could refuse.
But despite Aaron and Neil being friends, after all these years, Aaron had insisted on his graduation being a family only event.
Andrew had wanted to point out Katelyn would be there, but Neil had convinced him not to.
"Besides," he'd said. "They're married now. You two are family."
Andrew didn't much like the thought of that.
As much as he'd grown to respect Katelyn for how she stood by Aaron, he would never be a fan of people—especially females—around his brother.
He didn't believe in regret, but he was sorry for how wary Katelyn was around him. She'd never forgotten the threats he'd made to her in the library, how Neil had stood aside while he'd shoved her around, and he doubted they would ever be anything beyond friendly for Aaron's sake.
He and his therapist were working on that.
He'd realized eventually that Bee had become far more than a therapist to him—something dangerous to the proper therapeutic process. He knew he was more than just another patient to her too.
Aaron had had a point when he'd argued that Bee had a bias for Andrew and would therefore always take his side over Aaron's.
That's why Andrew had found a new therapist—with a lot of effort.
There weren't many people he trusted as easily as he had done Bee.
But he'd found one eventually.
"Mister Minyard?" Came an impatient call, and he blinked back to see Aaron and Nicky staring at him with concern.
"I suppose," he sighed indifferently and the girl beamed, shoving a notebook at him. To his shock, he spotted Neil, Jean and Kevin's signatures in it. And a long message with a smiley face from Jeremy.
"Are you collecting exy players' autographs?" Aaron asked, raising an eyebrow. He fidgeted in his gown and cape, obviously uncomfortable.
"More importantly, do you just take that book everywhere?" Nicky chimed in.
"Nope!" The girl said cheerfully. "My brother said his classmate is Aaron Minyard—so I knew you'd be here."
"We've been looking for you for a while now," the man said with a rueful smile. "I was afraid we were going to miss Eli walking."
"You're Eli's father?" Aaron stood more erect.
Apparently Eli's father smiled. "The head of surgery at St. Beth's, yes. You're doing your residency there, right?"
"Yes, sir," Aaron stammered.
Andrew would have smiled if he could. His brother was suddenly paying a lot of attention to Andrew's fan's father.
"What are you aiming for?"
Aaron seemed unable to form words. "Neurosurgery," Andrew answered for him.
Eli's father hummed. "That's a tough choice."
"Aaron's graduating top of his class," Nicky said proudly. "He'll manage."
Eli's father cast him an interested glance. "I see." He fished out a card from his pocket. "Here. Call me if you have any questions or if you need advice."
"Thank you sir," Aaron managed, taking the card.
"It's the least I can do for a Minyard," Eli's father smiled. He and the little girl left soon after.
Nicky started chattering instantly, as allergic to silence as always.
Andrew and Aaron ignored him, locking eyes.
For a Minyard. Like it was a good thing.
Aaron wasn't a fan of nepotism, especially for being Andrew's brother, and he didn't like his fame much.
But this. . .
They'd been broken so many times by so many events in their lives.
They'd managed to claw their way up and to each other anyway.
"A little far from rock bottom, no?" He interrupted Nicky, who just looked confused.
Aaron's smile was large, however, and that was what mattered. Andrew imagined what it would look like on his on face, one day, maybe. "Yeah. Just a little."
They moved forwards towards the stage.