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After Aaron finished med school, he moved into another state to work at a hospital, Nicky went back to Germany marrying Erick and got a job at a company, Andrew and the rest became professional Exy players.
Aaron became a doctor like he wanted to, everything was going great, then he met a guy who made him happy and was so protective of him, making him feel loved. Aaron was happy, everything was going great, he had someone who loved him, and wanted to marry him in the near future, he didn't tell the others, especially Andrew about his lover, he knew the other wouldn't approve.
A year later they got married on a sunny day, it was a small one, with just his family. It was what he wanted anyway (He wanted Andrew and Nicky there). It was normal for a while, well there was something about talking less and less with the others while he became busy. He should have been suspicious of how great things went, but alas he wasn't.
They started having small fights about his work hours, about how a staff member was too close to him, it ended up in just slamming doors. That was when he was slapped for the first time, and he wasn't even apologized to, instead he got flowers. He thought it only would happen once, he really should think better next time. The fights ended up into slaps, who in return turned into beatings.
And soon enough he made him stop going to work, instead of just sitting at home doing chores and food. He couldn't even call Andrew about, he just couldn't, it made him feel worse since Andrew always got him out of trouble he himself got into and didn't want to involve him in this. Aaron did try to divorce him, but he just got beaten and locked up in the bedroom, and the cops didn't even do anything. There was nothing he could do, he was feeling hopeless.
Aaron was tired, he just sat down after finishing doing chores around the house and wanted to rest his sore body (full of bruise, some fading some just fully formed) and aching legs (it was a long night after his attempt to escape). Then his phone rang, and without looking, he answered it.
"Hello?"
"Aaron! Hi!
"Nicky? Why are you calling? "
"I missed you, the others did too"
Aaron paused not knowing what to say, he didn't want to admit he missed them too.
"So, I talked to Andrew and the others, and we agreed to see each other in the country you're in, since you can't leave much since being a doctor" Nicky was proud of what his baby cousin achieved.
Aaron paused, before his face paled, white as paper. They can't find out about his life.
"W-what?" He cursed mentally, why did he fucking stutter.
"Were coming to see you," Nicky, sweet obviously Nicky "Why? is something wrong? "
"No! I mean, nothing is wrong, I'm just feeling tired. It was a long shift today at the hospital. "Aaron was terrible at lying, he really needed to become better, he cursed mentally again.
"Ah, make sure you rest, ok?" Well, he was glad Nicky wasn't the best at detecting lies.
"I will, don't worry, I need to go now and make dinner, text me the details"
"Fine, talk to you later, bye hon!"
"Goodbye Nicky"
Click. The call disconnected and he let out a breath before closing his eyes resting for a moment before opening his eyes and getting up stretching his sore body before going to the kitchen to start preparing dinner, less he isn't done before Alex (his husband) gets home, he didn't want to be beaten again for not finishing dinner. Damn what the fuck is his life he's done with it.
After an hour, while setting the table, the front door opened and a tall man entered, carrying a teddy bear and a bouquet of flowers in on hand and in the other a suitcase. He went and hugged Aaron while kissing his cheek.
"Hello love, I got you some flowers and a teddy bear, don't worry, I already forgave you for the mistake you did"
He sounded so sweet and full of love, but Aaron knew better. He knew Alex was anything but sincere, and also knew better than not accepting the flowers, so he smiled at him.
"Thank you, that's so sweet of you," Damn, maybe he wasn't good at lying, but he was good at pretending.
"The food you made smells amazing! I can't wait to eat"
He kissed his cheek again before letting go and going to take his shoes off and put the suitcase in the rack. Aaron just kept smiling, going and putting the flowers in a vase before setting it down on the table, before going back to the kitchen to take a plate of food and a wine bottle and going back to the table placing them down, pouring some wine in a glass, before backing a bit waiting for Alex to come back.
After he sat down, taking a small sip of wine before spluttering, putting his glass down. He started screaming.
"I TOLD YOU I DON'T LIKE THIS KIND OF WINE"
He threw the bottle of wine at Aaron's head, before continuing to eat quickly and going upstairs. Aaron just let out a sigh and went to the bathroom to clean and bandage the area where he was hit. He was lucky the shards weren't deep.
After finishing treating the wound, he went to clean the mess in the dinner room. While cleaning, Aaron stopped and touched his head before letting out a sigh wondering how he ended up like this. His mother's words were true after all. The Minyard's can't go higher then rock bottom.
He wondered what the others will think when they eventually find out that he isn't a doctor anymore and being married to an abusive person..,yeah, it will be a mess but he's good at pretending so maybe everything will go smoothly and nobody gets hurt (No one but him).
The next day he got a text from Nicky about the day and time they will get to his house, a week from now, all he's got to do now is just better so Alex won't hurt him till (at least anywhere it isn't visible) the others come then eventually leave to go back to their lives.
It went better than he expected, after all he was good at pretending, that's what he did all his life to survive after all. He cleaned the house and made some food, when he got a text from Matt telling him they arrived and he heard the doorbell ring. Opening the door, he immediately met with a hug from Nicky.
"Aaron! Hi! oh my god, I missed you so much, look at you, you've grown so much"
He pulled away a bit to look better at his cousin. Aaron shily smiled back.
"Hi Nicky, I missed you too"
More than he wanted to admit. He was then let go, while Nicky went to the side to show the others. Andrew and Neil just looked at him, one nodding the other just kept looking at him intently. (Neil)
"Aaron"
"Andrew"
He nodded back
"That's awkward" of course she had to ruin it.
"Allison, let them be" Renee was such a sweetheart, how were they dating? He didn't care nor wanted to find out.
"Hello to you too Allison, hi Renee, how are you guys?"
"Were doing great, thank you for asking"
"Aaron, my guy, how are you, we missed you"
He was given another hug by Matt, Dan, and Kevin just nodded at him.
"I didn't"
"Shut up"
"Yeah, yeah"
He let out a sight before letting them enter, showing them where to put their things and guiding them towards the living room.
"Make yourself at home, I'll be back in a minute"
He said and went back to the kitchen, turning the oven off so the food didn't burn. Then he went to the fridge and took a bottle of water, apple, and orange juice.
"What do you guys want? Water, apple, or orange juice?" He loudly said to make sure they heard him.
There were some confirmations of an apple juice, orange and water, some didn't respond probably not wanting to drink anything now. Nicky wandered in the kitchen to help him with the glasses, bringing them to the living room distributing to who wanted what.
Aaron took his phone out, going to Alex's contact, sending him a message about the guest who was here. He then sat down on the single couch, before starting making small talk with the others, oblivious to a certain someone stare (Andrew and Neil's) while he partially lied about his life.
After an hour and a half, the front door opened, drawing the stares there while Aaron got up and walked towards it, where the others couldn't see everything, including the glare he got from his husband.
"Welcome home, sorry I didn't tell you earlier about the guest," he said with so much sincerity hoping he didn't make a scene.
"Hello love, it's ok, everyone makes mistakes" He smiled back at Aaron, he knew it was fake but that meant he would pretend till they left.
Aaron took his suitcase from him, before putting it in the rack, and going back to the living room to meet everyone stares.
"Guys, this is my boyfriend, Alex" Alex squeezed his hand as the word boyfriend left his mouth, but nothing was shown on his face.
"Hello, it's nice to finally meet Aaron's friends and family"
After everyone got over the shock, they started talking with him, while Aaron ignored the burning gazes of his twin and said twin boyfriend. Everything went smoothly, like he hoped. After they ate dinner, they were shown the guest bedrooms before he went to his own shared bedroom with his husband, who still didn't let his facade fall.
The next day the others went out to explore before eventually leaving tonight after dinner since they were interrupted by a sudden match being arranged a few days from now on (it was a lie made by Andrew and Neil). Things went great this day too, he said his goodbyes to the others before they left with the car they came with. His face fell off after closing the door, knowing what was awaiting him. Maybe he should have gotten help from the others. He was Fucked. (He didn't know about the cameras Neil installed while everyone was sleeping).
Aaron let out a sigh before turning around, meeting face to face with his husband's icy glare. He didn't even get anything to say before he was slapped. The sound is echoing around the room.
"You got the guts to invite people over without telling me? telling them were boyfriends? Right after I forgiven you for the mistake you made for attempting to escape me?"
His voice started to get loud.
"Listen I-" slap
He was slapped again before being punched, hitting the wall with enough force to knock the air out of him. Before he could react, Alex started to choke him.
" You just don't learn your lesson, do you?"
After he was let go, Aaron took big gulps of air.
"Alex, I'm sorry I-" "SHUT UP! I don't want to listen to your excuses anymore, after tonight I will make sure you will listen better"
Aaron ripped his arm out of his hold before realizing his mistake when he was hit with a nearby vase on the head, he was getting dragged again, but nothing make sense anymore, he could only feel the blood tickling down his chin. He heard a door being slammed before falling unconscious.
Waking up was hard, the annoying beeping was too damn loud before he registered it completely making him freeze then abruptly sit up, vision going white for a second while the beeping becomes faster alerting whoever was in the room react, pushing him down, telling him to calm down.
He didn't know why he listened, but something about that voice was screaming safe and he stayed put before falling asleep again. He was so damn tired. The next time he woke up, things were still a vit hazy, but he could see now. Huh why was he in the hospital, Alex must have gotten him good if he was here.
He blinked fast to get rid of the heaviness he was feeling, letting out a groan he sat up slowly, looking around the empty room, save for himself. While he muzzled whether to call a nurse or someone, the door opened making him look towards it expecting a nurse, or doctor, but the sight made him freeze looking at his mirror self. What.The.Fuck.
His mouth went slack as he continued to stare, Andrew, seeing his twin awake walked towards him frowning.
"Lay down, It's better for you"
"A-Andrew, w-what?" Aaron couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Andrew frowned more before pushing Aaron, who was so shocked he couldn't protest, to lay down. He was silent for a moment before trying again.
"What are you doing here?"
He was flicked on the forehead by Andrew, and he let out a winch it hurt where he was flicked, even if it wasn't with much force. Andrew face was dark, hands curling up at his side.
"Why?"
Aaron frowned back at the question.
"Why what?"
Andrew looked downright murderous for a second before clenching his hands tighter, and he let out a breath, eyes closed willing himself not to hit his idiotic twin.
"Why didn't you tell me"
Ah. Aaron face was blank, his head was a mess trying to find a replay to satisfy his twin.
"And don't lie, you know I don't like lying"
He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them, even if he didn't talk now, Andrew will surely find a way to make him talk.
"I-" he gulped before looking away " I got myself into the mess I should get myself out of it, not call you to help me each time and-" Andrew flicked his forehead again.
" I'm your twin, and older, even if it's by a few minutes, dumbass (I'm not dumb, he muttered and he was flicked on the head again), I will always help you, more than that, remember our promise? I will always protect you, even if it's from your own dumb self"
Andrew didn't usually talk much to get his point across, preferring action over words, but when it came to his idiotic little brother, he needed to speak so he would understand. Aaron eyes shock, unshed tears stuck in them, letting out a sniffle.
Andrew looked at him before making a decision and got on the bed and hugged his twin who froze before starting to clench his hands on his brother's t shirt and started to sob quietly. Andrew was holding his brother tight, his heart breaking hearing his twin cry. He failed to protect him again, but from now on he won't let anyone touch him.
He continued to hold him, while Aaron fell asleep against his chest, eyes puffy. And even then, he just adjusted the position to be more comfortable when he heard a phone going off, and looked towards the door seeing Nicky, with his phone out, clearly taking pictures, while the others who were behind him smiling at the scene.
He glared at his cousin, who smiled back at him before ushering the others out again, letting the twins be.