#I SWEAR I AM WORKING ON MY REQUESTS I AM!!!!! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

starsandgutters · 17 days

Note

Hey :)

I'd like to suggest "kidnapping" as a flash fic prompt for Kevaaron 🫶🏻

Hello! 💖 I put a slight slant on this. Instead of outright kidnapping, I've gone for coercion. I hope that is okay! 🥰 54. Kidnapping

CWs: Depictions of violence Blood mention References to Thanksgiving/Drake/Easthaven Drug use/OD mention Reference to bathroom rehab

Wymack has told him to stay close to Neil or Matt all night, to use them as his shields, but it is Aaron that Kevin tries to keep in his line of vision. Aaron who he tracks all night with his eyes, only glancing away when Aaron looks back at him. He’s dared to look back too early a couple of times, caught the disapproving frown on Aaron’s face. Kevin hates watching him with Katelyn, everyone’s assumption they’re together so prevalent, Aaron saying nothing to dissuade it.

It’s Kevin’s fault, of course. Kevin had told him to do this. Had refused to let Aaron spend the banquet by his side even when he’d asked.

“It doesn’t have to be as a date, but if Kate doesn’t come I can focus on you.”

“They’ll be suspicious if Katelyn isn’t with you when Andrew is away.”

“I don’t give a fuck, Kev. Not with how you get around Riko.”

“I do,” Kevin had said, with a tone of finality, and Aaron had grown quiet and sullen and disappeared inside himself for the rest of the night. He’s good at that. He’s been doing it more, since Thanksgiving. Kevin has noticed but doesn’t really know how to help. On nights when he isn’t distracted by his own spiralling anxieties, and when he is feeling a bit softer, he thinks about crossing the room and climbing into Aaron’s bed. Not saying anything, just holding him. Letting him bury his face against Kevin’s chest and hide from the world for a while.

Then Kevin thinks of how Nicky would react if he found them there, and he just lies in his bed, listening to Aaron toss and turn, the occasional stifled noises he buried beneath the blanket. Kevin is never sure if he is crying. Kevin has never seen Aaron cry. It hurts his chest to think about, but that ache is not bigger than fear of the impact if anyone finds out.

Even Katelyn knowing is a risk Kevin didn’t want to take.

“I’m not using her,” Aaron said. “I’m not going to string her along acting like we’re dating and then fuckin’ two time her.”

“Technically you’d be two timing me with her. Which, if that’s what you have to do-”

“Shut up. God, I hate you sometimes. I don’t even know why we’re doing this.”

But Aaron’s harsh words are always contradicted by his gentle hands, the concern in his eyes, the way he never stops showing small signs of care for Kevin even when he is mad at him. Which is unfortunately most of the time. Kevin’s fear means he keeps Aaron at arms length. He can’t find it in himself to let him go entirely, this unexpected source of comfort he never expected in the Foxes, but he also can’t hold him close the way he wants to. Aaron does not react well to the hot and cold, but for some reason he always stays. Sometimes Kevin wonders why. Mostly he just assumes Aaron is always going to be there.

Kevin thinks Aaron being the first to leave the table after dinner is his passive aggressive way of making a point. He might be more irritated about that if the threat of Riko were not hanging over him like a guillotine. As it stands, he just watches Aaron go with a small frown. Catches glimpses of him dancing with Katelyn as other people move around the room and tells himself he doesn’t care, because he wouldn’t want to dance even if they could. He sticks close to Neil and sips at punch that tastes bitter in his mouth, warily scanning the crowd like a cornered animal as they wait for Riko to come.

He does, though Neil inserts himself between Riko and Kevin until Jean leads him away. Kevin feels like a numb voyeur, but he has enough presence of mind to stop Matt when he heads for Neil. Anyone else getting involved after Neil’s dig about Riko’s distance from his family will only make things worse. Matt shrugs him off, and Jean tugs at Kevin’s arm, leading him further away. Kevin goes, only because it is Jean, and he does not believe Jean will hurt him.

“He has asked me to give you this,” Jean says. He looks around warily, then slides an envelope out from inside his suit jacket. He moves to press it to Kevin’s palm, but Kevin draws his hand back.

“What is it?”

“Take it.”

“Tell me what it is.”

“Plane tickets. He wants Nathaniel to come to us over the winter break.”

“No. No fucking way. He’ll kill him.”

“I have been told to give you the tickets,” Jean says, his voice flat but his eyes desperate. If Kevin does not take them, Jean will be punished. He tenses his jaw, but finally allows Jean to put the envelope in his hand. Kevin tucks it into an inside pocket. Jean nods.

“He can’t go.”

“I have a feeling he will.”

“Will you look after him if he does?”

The look Jean gives Kevin is chilling. He releases his arm and steps away, moving back towards Riko when a loud sound catches both of their attentions. They move towards the raucous, and Kevin sees Neil and Riko crash to the ground, Neil a flurry of limbs as he lashes out at any part of Riko he can reach.

It takes a chaotic squabble of people to pull Neil away from Riko before the coaches arrive, and then Wymack herds them all towards the Home side of the court. Kevin is paying little attention to Wymack berating Neil. He’s too aware of the envelope in his pocket, feels like it is smouldering away, at risk of burning through his clothes and into his skin at any moment.

"Riko bought off the prosecution." Neil is speaking slowly, emphasising what he’s saying so they all listen. Kevin’s gaze flicks over to him. "That's why Drake risked coming all the way here to see Andrew. Riko would get the charges dismissed if Drake would-"

Neil grits his teeth and shakes his head, unable to finish. Kevin understands. He feels sick himself with the thought, but unsurprised. When he thinks of the Nest, this is exactly the kind of thing Riko would do. He looks around, automatically checking for Aaron’s reaction. It’s the first time he realises Aaron isn’t with them.

“Did you get it? Did you get my ticket? Kevin. Look at me.” Neil is hissing at him in French. Kevin’s head turns slowly towards Neil, but he’s looking through him rather than seeing him. His pulse is racing. Why is Aaron not here? Did he not see what went down with the fighting? Kevin swears he saw Katelyn with Thomas when Wymack waved them off just a moment ago.

“I’m going to kill him,” Nicky says, and Neil looks away from Kevin to reply. He’s not listening. He looks around again, feeling frantic now. Where is Aaron? He can see Katelyn, down the court a bit, also looking around. Which means she doesn’t know where he is either.

"Do you have my ticket?" Neil’s words draw Kevin’s attention back again.

"You're not going. Do you know what he'll do to you?"

"Do you know what he'll do to Andrew if I don't go? I don't have a choice. I have to go. You have to trust me."

"He will break you."

"He wishes he knew how. Trust me. I promise I'll come back, and when I do I'll bring Andrew back with me. It's going to be fine. So do you have my ticket or don't you?"

"I have it." Kevin presses his lips together hard, gaze shifting around the court once more. He shifts back to English. “Where’s Aaron?”

“Oh shit,” Nicky says. Wymack looks disgruntled, eyes narrowing as he does a quick skim of his Foxes. Even among the panic, Kevin feels a flare of anger that none of them seemed to notice Aaron’s absence.

“Shall we split up and check the hall for him?” Dan asks. “But someone keep Neil and Kevin here, I don’t think it’s a good idea for them to be near Riko again.”

Kevin’s looking back towards Katelyn when she suddenly takes off running, hoisting the skirt of her dress up above her knees to give her more ease of movement, allow her to race faster. Kevin’s eyes move ahead of where she’s going, but he can’t see Aaron past the other teams on the floor. Katelyn disappears from his line of vision, and it’s several moments later before she reappears with Aaron. There is blood on his shirt. His nose is bloody. His mouth might be too, or it could just be the blood trickling down from his nose. Kevin feels sick.

“Not you too.” Wymack sighs heavily, rubbing a hand over his face. “Who were you fighting with?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“A surefire way to make me worry about it. You’re all trying to take me out via high blood pressure before the New Year. Speak. What happened?”

“One of the Ravens trying his chances while everyone else was distracted in the fray.” Aaron looks at Abby when she comes over to him. He flinches when she reaches for his face. Abby frowns, but she waits for Aaron to move forward to her hands rather than reach after him again. He says, voice far softer with her: “I’m okay.”

Abby checks his nose anyway, while Katelyn wraps herself around one of his arms. Kevin wants to go over and check on Aaron himself, but his feet remain stubbornly rooted to the floor. Aaron glances over at him, but whatever he sees just makes his frown deepen.

“Let’s go home, Coach,” Dan says, and when Abby is done with Aaron, they all pile back onto the bus.

It’s a silent drive home. Kevin sits sullenly beside Neil and spends his journey watching the back of Aaron’s head. Katelyn keeps running her fingers through his hair, both of them sitting unnecessarily close to each other on their seats. They don’t say much, but seem perfectly capable of communicating plenty with looks alone. Eventually Katelyn guides Aaron’s head down to her shoulder, insistently pushing him when he resists until he finally melts against her. She drapes his jacket over him like a blanket and wraps her arms around him, fingers continuing to stroke through his hair until she falls asleep. Kevin doesn’t know if Aaron also sleeps, but he doesn’t move, and Kevin is torn between a bitterness that it is not him comforting Aaron, and a deep gratitude to Katelyn for looking after him in the way Kevin can’t.

There is a selfishness to his desire to be in her place as well. He also wants the comfort right now, can feel a longing in himself for the solid press of Aaron’s warmth against him. He catches his left hand in his right and rubs his thumb up and down along the length of his scar, but it is not the same as Aaron touching him. Kevin is too keenly aware it is his own skin, even when he closes his eyes and tries to imagine it.

Kevin hands Neil the envelope in the hallway of Fox Tower. Neil takes it without opening it and goes into his dorm. Nicky babbles on about the evening, filling Aaron in on the fight in case he missed it, prompting Aaron for more details on what happened to him. Aaron does not answer, but he does inform Nicky that he’s not going to New York for Christmas. He’s going to spend it with Katelyn.

The room goes dead silent for a long stretch. Kevin looks at Aaron, stunned. It is one thing for him to make a point by going off to dance with Katelyn at the banquet, another entirely to leave Kevin for the whole of the Christmas break to be with her. What, are they lying to Katelyn’s family now too? Going to pretend she’s bringing her boyfriend home for Christmas? Or maybe Aaron took it seriously when Kevin said if that’s what you have do. Perhaps it’s not a lie anymore, and Aaron has feelings for Katelyn, and he’s realising she’s the better choice.

“What?” Finally Nicky shatters the silence, going off on an extended rant about how he cancelled his trip to Germany to be with Aaron. How he doesn’t want to be separated for Christmas. Aaron says little in response, expression grim as Nicky gets noticeably more upset. Kevin feels like an unwilling voyeur as he gets changed in the background, but there’s not many places he can go within the dorm to escape.

Aaron dips his head, expression the closest thing to guilty Kevin has seen on his carefully guarded face. Nicky pauses in his speech. He’s clearly still devastated, but he takes in Aaron’s curled forward form and he sighs for a long time. He puts his hands to his face and rubs his palms over his eyes.

“This will make you happy?”

“Yes,” Aaron says after a beat. Nicky doesn’t notice the delay. Kevin does. Aaron side glances at him while Nicky sighs. Kevin wonders if this is a test. If he asks Aaron nicely will he maybe come with them after all. He sets his jaw, wondering if he should play into that game.

“Okay then.” Nicky sounds exhausted and defeated. “But keep in touch with me, okay?”

Aaron nods. The atmosphere in the dorm is oppressive as they all change for bed. Kevin is glad when he can lie down and pretend to sleep. Eventually Nicky’s breathing evens out and deepens. Kevin waits to hear Aaron’s go too, though usually it is Kevin who falls asleep first. Aaron’s breath stays quiet, and after Nicky has been out for a while, he swings his legs out of bed.

“Come on.” Aaron stops by Kevin’s bed in the dark. Kevin does not move. “I know you’re awake. I can tell by your breathing.”

Aaron leaves the room. Kevin thinks about ignoring him, but it’s only a moment before he follows. Aaron nods at the bedroom door. Kevin pulls it closed behind him. Aaron leads them to the furthest side of the kitchen, as far away as he can get from the bedroom. Kevin folds his arms over his chest as he follows him. He wonders if this is them finally coming to a head. If Aaron is going to break it off with him.

“Do you have it?” Aaron asks.

“What?” Kevin’s whole face scrunches up in confusion. He had been bracing himself for an argument at best, a break up at worst. He doesn’t know what he’s supposed to have.

“The plane ticket. Do you have it?”

“I gave it to Neil.” It’s only after Kevin answers that it occurs to him Aaron shouldn’t know about that ticket.

“Why would you give it to Neil?”

“How do you know about it?”

“What?”

“Kevin.” Aaron sighs like Kevin is greatly inconveniencing him. He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Why would you give my plane ticket to Neil?”

It takes Kevin a long moment to process that, and it feels like his whole system has to reboot afterwards. Aaron’s absence. The blood on his nose. Don’t worry about it. No. No. It’s one thing for Neil to go. Neil was destined for the Nest, Riko has some twisted sense of claim on him, but he has no ownership over Aaron. And as much as Kevin would prefer no one go to the Nest, Neil probably has the best chance of survival out of all of them. Not Aaron. Aaron is probably disposable to Riko. Probably as easy to get rid of as Seth.

“No,” Kevin says, the word finally ripping free of his throat. Aaron’s eyes jump to the bedroom door, then he glares at Kevin.

“Shhh.”

You cannot even imagine what is coming next, Riko had said, and he was right. Kevin would never have imagined this. He’s been trying so hard to keep distance between him and Aaron in public. This is why he’s been causing a constant rift between them. His feeble effort to protect Aaron, and what has it been for? Kevin doesn’t know if he’s the cause exactly; or if Riko’s just come for Aaron off the back of targeting Andrew. Maybe he thinks Neil’s fondness extends to both twins, or he knows this will piss off Andrew when he gets released.

Or maybe somehow Kevin is to blame. Perhaps they’ve slipped up somewhere, or he’s got someone spying on them in private. He doesn’t think Riko will kill either of them; at this point it would not serve the Ravens to win simply because the Foxes are disqualified. There will always be the what if haunting them in that case. But there is an awful lot that can be done in the Nest that is not death. Kevin knows. Kevin has seen it.

“You can’t go,” Kevin hisses, crossing the space between them, putting his hands on the counter on either side of Aaron’s hips. “It’s a trap. He’ll kill you. Or destroy you. Aaron, you can’t.”

“I have to,” Aaron says simply. “He threatened Andrew if I don’t.”

Do you know what he’ll do to Andrew if I don’t?

So Riko is hanging the same threat over both of them. There is a small relief in it. Riko doesn’t know. This is not Kevin’s fault. He is not hurting Aaron because of Kevin, but then, in the grand scheme of things, of course it is Kevin’s fault. None of them would be in Riko’s line of attack if he had not left. If he had not come to the Foxes. If he had not made his deal with Andrew and fought to have Neil on his lineup. They wouldn’t even be dealing with the Ravens in their district if Kevin had not come here.

“Aaron.” Kevin’s voice is a broken plea. He knows it is hopeless. There is no force on this Earth that will shift Aaron’s decision beyond Andrew himself walking back into the dorm. Kevin knows this. It does not make it easy to accept. He ducks his head down, pressing his forehead to Aaron’s shoulder. He laughs, but it is a bitter sound. “I thought you were breaking up with me. Kind of wish it were just that now.”

Aaron goes extremely still beneath Kevin. Kevin’s chest catches again.

“Are we even together?”

Kevin tilts his head, looks at Aaron through watery eyes. Aaron looks back, his own expression blank and assessing. Kevin swallows thickly. He watches Aaron’s resolve weaken in real time. As always, he cannot help but care for Kevin even when he is mad. He lifts a hand and gently smooths his thumb along his cheek. Kevin shudders out a breath. Aaron closes his eyes and leans his forehead against Kevin’s.

“I’ll just have to be your New Year’s Eve kiss in spirit,” he says. “Not that you’d have let me kiss you with everyone around anyway.”

“Aaron.”

“I assume Neil is going too then. Ballsy of him, taking two of us. Come on.” Aaron pushes Kevin back gently. “Let’s go get my ticket.”

Aaron wraps his knuckles against Neil’s dorm door, no concern of waking Matt. Kevin hopes he’s not back from the girls' dorm yet. It takes a minute before Neil appears, looking bleary and smelling of smoke. Aaron steps in past him before Neil can block him. Kevin follows, his head dipped.

“What?” Neil asks, looking drained.

“You have something of mine,” Aaron says.

“What?”

“The envelope.” Kevin’s voice sounds like it is coming from outside his body. There’s a ringing in his ears. He walks through to the bedroom, and when he finds it empty, sinks down into the desk chair. “He’s taking Aaron too.”

“What? No.” Neil’s voice is more irritated than the devastation of Kevin’s reaction. “What’s he want with you?”

“Does that asshole ever have reasoning?” Aaron shrugs. He doesn’t know that there’s a much bigger reason why Riko is taking Neil. He thinks this is still just about exy. Kevin’s eyes flick to Neil, wondering if he is going to reveal this. It’s not Kevin’s place to say. Neil says nothing. “He said he’ll hurt Andrew if I don’t go, so I’m going.”

“Yeah.”

“You too?” Aaron looks at Neil with an assessing gaze. Neil nods, staring back. “Why? He won’t be grateful.”

“He won’t be grateful to you for killing Drake, or for doing this either. It doesn’t matter. We do what we have to do.”

“He’s my brother.”

“The Foxes are all I have. I don’t care what Andrew thinks. I’m making the only call I can.”

Aaron studies Neil in silence, his expression unconvinced. Kevin looks between them, then drops his gaze to the ground, head in his hands. He’s already lost Andrew. He’s barely been able to grasp the idea of losing Neil. He doesn’t know if he’ll survive losing the three of them. His chest tightens, his breath cutting in and out of him, not enough, lungs aching.

“Breathe, Kevin,” Aaron says. His voice is sharper than usual, and he doesn’t move to Kevin’s side like he sometimes does. Kevin wishes he would right now. He doesn’t even care that Neil is here. He wants Aaron to reassure him. Andrew is the one that tells him hard facts, like everything is shit, but he will survive regardless. Aaron is the reassurance. He doesn’t lie, but he focuses on what is true. You’re okay. You’re safe in this moment. You can breathe, I know you can. “I know this is hard for you, but I need you to get it together. You have to watch Nicky for me until I get back.”

“You can’t go,” Kevin says, even though he knows they both will. It’s a pointless waste of the small amount of oxygen he manages to drag in.

“We’re going,” Aaron says, final, then holds out his hand to Neil. “Ticket.”

While Neil makes up some lie about going home to see an uncle, Aaron simply says he’s got an early flight and he’s leaving with Katelyn.

“How are you getting to the airport?” Kevin asks.

“I’ll take the bus. Too suspicious if Neil and I leave at the same time. Kate’s gonna cover for me if anyone messages her.” Aaron finishes double checking his bag and turns back to Kevin. They’re in the living room of their dorm, both of them having been unable to sleep last night. “You’ll be okay. You’ll be in New York. No one outside of us knows you’re going. No one will be able to reach you there, and they’ll be busy with Neil and I anyway, I’m sure. So you’ll be fine until I get back.”

“You won’t.”

“I’ll live.”

“Best case.”

“Kevin.”

“Let me get you a cab.”

“The bus is fine.”

“Aaron. It’s the least I can do. If I could go in your place-”

“You wouldn’t,” Aaron says, and Kevin deflates, because it’s the truth. “And that’s okay. I wouldn’t let you, because you might never get out again, but I will.”

Kevin reaches for Aaron, unsure if he’ll actually be allowed to touch him, but once his hand wraps around Aaron’s forearm all the bravado seeps out of him. He sags forward against Kevin’s chest as Kevin embraces him tightly, pressing his face to Aaron’s hair, breathing in the familiar scent of him.

“Come back to me.”

“I will. I just said that.”

Aaron draws back just enough to look up into Kevin’s eyes. His gaze flicks over his face, assessing, before he pushes up on the balls of his feet and presses their lips together. It is a surprisingly soft kiss for them. Kevin drops his hands to Aaron’s waist to steady him, then leans down so he does not have to arch up so much. Aaron’s arms curl around Kevin’s neck, holding him closer. The pressure between them builds, a sense of desperation, but the kiss does not deepen. Aaron breaks it, pulling away slowly, Kevin following him for just a second. Aaron takes a deep breath. He sighs it out.

Then he kisses Kevin in a way that makes his inside melt, tongue against his, tongue piercing trailing along the top of his mouth, fingers in his hair. This kiss is far more brief, but Kevin is almost panting when Aaron pulls away. Aaron wipes his damp lips on the back of his hand.

“That’s your New Year’s Eve kiss early.”

Kevin’s phone rings on Christmas Day. He excuses himself from the table, insistent he has to take it. Neil’s name is flashing across the screen. It’s the first he has heard from either of them beyond a confirmation text from Aaron that they had landed in West Virginia. Kevin’s been sick with worry, and Nicky’s festive mood has been darkened by Aaron not replying to any of his messages, thinking he’s being ignored in favour of Katelyn. Kevin makes sure to move a fair bit down the hall before he answers.

“Neil?”

“Nathaniel’s a bit preoccupied at the moment,” Riko says, and Kevin freezes, heartbeat thundering in his ears. “I just wanted to let you know about my Christmas gift to him. See, he’s finally got his number. Just like he was always supposed to have. Things in order how they should have been.”

“No,” Kevin says, disbelieving.

“Oh yes, Kevin. Just finished tattooing it. The ink is still fresh.”

Everything in Kevin wants to hang up on him, but he’s afraid if he does Neil will suffer for his arrogance. So he is stuck clutching the phone and breathing shallowly.

“I will have my Perfect Court, Kevin, as is my birthright. I don’t care how many bumps I have to go through along the way. You will all fall in line for me eventually.”

When Kevin still doesn’t speak, Riko laughs, sharp and cutting, crackling down the line.

“Merry Christmas.” He hangs up without waiting for a response.

We landed in WV

He’s here with Jean

We are just heading to the airport for NY

Merry Christmas

You’re meant to be back today

Did you get back?

Happy New Year

Yes

Happy New Year

Are you okay?

Aaron?

I will be

Was asleep

Did he hurt you?

I’m okay Kev

Are you okay?

Of course I’m okay

Really?

As okay as I ever am

Okay

“Is Neil okay?” Kevin asks when Wymack answers the phone in lieu of greeting. “He’s not answering my calls.”

“Surprise surprise. Okay is perhaps an overstatement, but he’s alive and functional. Just about.”

Kevin sighs heavily. It doesn’t quite feel like relief.

“You knew then.”

“Yes.”

“Did you know about Aaron too?”

Kevin’s mouth feels incredibly dry.

“Yes.” The word scratches hoarse and quiet out of his throat.

“You’re going to have to tell the others.”

“They didn’t want me to-”

“Kevin. Listen to me. They are going to be okay, but neither of them are in a good way right now. The others need to be warned what they’re coming back to. Neil’s battered. They’ve dyed his hair, he’s apparently been wearing contacts all this time, and…”

There is a long pause. Wymack does not tend to hesitate. Kevin feels a sick drop in his stomach.

“And what?”

“They’ve tattooed him. A number four.”

“I know.”

“You know?”

“Riko called me on Christmas to gloat.”

“A heads up would have been nice,” Wymack says, but he does not sound particularly angry. Just his usual gruff irritation.

“Aaron too?” Kevin does not really think Riko will have inked Aaron. While Neil’s number was probably intended as a claim of ownership, Riko in general is very picky about who gets one. The Perfect Court is only to be composed of the best of the best, of course. There are countless Ravens fighting for those numbers. Aaron is not really talented enough, does not care enough about exy to really merit one, but Riko has been acting more erratically and taking more risks than Kevin has ever expected from him. He has to check.

“No. From the little I’ve managed to scrape out of Neil, they had Aaron somewhere else while they were putting him through exy torture camp.”

“So Aaron’s okay?”

“No. They’ve pumped him full of something. Abby’s sent for blood tests, but he’s a mess. She suspects a blend of heavy opioids and maybe something else. The early signs of withdrawals have started but Abby anticipates he’ll get a lot worse over the next week or so. She’s keeping him largely sedated at the moment. Looks like he’s barely eaten in weeks. He’s not as badly battered as Neil, but they’ve definitely beat him as well.”

Kevin puts a hand to his face. His throat convulses. Fuck. Fuck.

“We’ll try and get back earlier.”

“No point. I doubt he’ll be conscious much in the next few days, and Neil can barely move. I’ve got my hands full trying to get him to rest.”

“You think Nicky is going to want to wait a few days when he hears about Aaron?”

“Then don’t tell him until the day before you come back, but I need you to warn them, Kevin. I got enough of a shock when Neil phoned me to pick them up from the airport. Neil was the one to phone me. That says enough. He barely knew where he was, and Aaron was still off his head. I don’t know how Aaron managed to navigate the pair of them through the airport, or how no one stopped them. I don’t even know how he survived the flight. He spent the whole car ride back shivering and puking in the backseat.”

“Did you take him to the hospital?”

“No. It’ll be too easy to slant this as a stress induced relapse after everything that happened, and if the press can paint him as a junkie, that could have a negative impact on the trial. Abby’s monitoring him. If it gets precarious enough that he needs to go in, she’ll make that call, but at the moment she says she’s got him, and I trust her.”

Kevin sniffs. He’s finding it hard to speak. He nods even though Wymack can’t see him, breathing shaky down the line.

“Are you going to be okay?” Wymack asks, in that way he has that is blunt but somehow still compassionate. Just like Aaron. Fuck.

“Nothing happened to me.” No, nothing happened to Kevin. Everyone else is just suffering in his place. Taking all of Riko’s blows because he can’t reach Kevin. “If I’d just gone back to the Nest-”

“Don’t start that. No one wants that. You’ve seen how Neil has gone out of his way to put himself between you and Riko countless times, and I know Aaron can be a bit closed off, but he wouldn’t want you going back either.”

Kevin wonders if Wymack is just saying that. If he’s trying to be comforting, or Aaron has maybe said something in his high state. Kevin searches himself to see if he cares about that, but the old throb of panic and concern is gone. All he feels is a hollow ache. He’s speaking with his father, who doesn’t know, because Kevin is too afraid to tell him. About the boy who he loves, who doesn’t know, because Kevin is too afraid to tell him. And both of them put in the effort to care for Kevin even without the awareness of either of those facts.

“Look after him,” Kevin says, sounding broken even to himself. Then, uselessly, he adds: “Both of them.”

It’s pointless in multiple ways, because he knows Neil will resist being taken care of, and he knows he already exposed himself. But he’s tired, aching, sick, and he can’t find it in himself to keep pretending. Not right now. Not in this moment.

“I will. I’ll take care of things on my side, and you take care of things on your side. Can you do that for me?”

“Yeah,” Kevin says hoarsely.

“Good. Oh, and Happy New Year.”

You told me you were okay

Aaron

Was sleeping again

I said I will be

I can’t wait to see you

Really?

Yes

Is that a surprise?

Kinda

You should get more rest

See you soon

Yes

“We have something to tell you,” Kevin says. His voice is paper thin. He’s looking at Nicky but not really seeing him. His hands are shaking so badly he has to move his phone to the right one, afraid his left one will give, and even now he feels like he might still drop it. He swallows around the lump in his throat.

“You alright, man?” Matt asks. Nicky is uncharacteristically quiet as he takes in Kevin’s stance and expression. His smile slowly drops from his face.

“What is it?”

“It’s Aaron,” Kevin says, and he feels his throat convulse, closing tight. He thought he had learned to shut this down. How many years he had spent watching Jean get battered and bruised. How many times he was made to hold him down as Riko tortured him. How many distractions he had to create so the others wouldn’t notice the extent of his injuries, or to pull their attention away from poking at the weaknesses in Jean’s play. Kevin should be more than used to having Riko hurt the person he loves. He shouldn’t even flinch at it by this point.

But he’s been out of the Nest for over a year now, and almost every memory he has of Aaron is separate from Riko. Small blood like Kathy Ferdinand aside. Where Andrew is the constant, steady force that keeps Kevin propped up and moving forward even when all he wants to do is crumble, Aaron is the persistent patience that encourages him to let some of his guards down. To shrug off the weight the Nest left on his shoulders. To try and embrace his new freedoms. He has not needed those defences in the same way, has not been reinforcing them through practice, and so they have weakened.

He didn’t think he would ever need them for Aaron. Aaron was never supposed to be tied up with Riko, was never supposed to be in the Nest. Bar marking him on the court, Aaron should never have been near Riko at all.

Nicky’s face grows serious at the mention of Aaron’s name. He steps closer to Kevin.

“What’s wrong with Aaron?”

“He wasn’t with Katelyn over the Christmas break. He was at the Nest.”

“What?” Matt and Nicky’s voices ring out in synchronicity.

“Neil and Aaron both. I’ve- Coach is on the phone. He can tell you better than I can.” Kevin sets the phone on the table between them as he doesn’t trust himself to keep a grip on it, putting it on speaker.

“Coach? Is Aaron okay?” Nicky leans over the phone, like that will make Wymack answer faster. Matt leans forward beside him.

“Is Neil?”

Wymack gives them a summarised breakdown of what he told Kevin. He doesn’t mention the tattoo, but he warns them Neil won’t want to be fussed over, and not to ask about his eyes. He gives Nicky the latest update from Abby, the blood tests definitely showing some strong opioids, but also a mix of drugs she’s not entirely sure of. There’s reassurances that they will both be okay despite the fact they’re in rough form now. Kevin folds his arms tight across his chest as the other two babble down the phone, and turns his head away from the panicked concern on their faces.

He’s glad they’re going back to Palmetto tomorrow. He’s barely slept the entire break, and he knows he won’t be able to settle until he finally sees Aaron and Neil again, until he can prove to himself they’re safe with the physical proof of their presence.

Kevin’s cheek is still throbbing from Matt’s punches as they make their way to Abby’s. Neil is driving, Nicky is in the back, and Kevin stares out the windscreen with hollow eyes. Once Nicky heard what happened and immediately contacted Aaron, Aaron made him promise to not get Andrew without him. Kevin isn’t sure if Aaron is really up for being away from campus yet, but Nicky had promised.

“I’ll wait in the car,” Neil says. “Give you space.”

He looks towards Kevin, but Kevin is already out of the car before he realises that Neil is probably expecting Kevin to wait with him. That it is Nicky he is giving space with Aaron to, not Kevin. He could pretend he just wants to stretch his legs, or he could act like he misunderstood and get back in the car. Kevin does neither. He ignores Nicky’s surprised look, and doesn’t even glance back to see what expression is on Neil’s face. He simply strides towards the building.

Kevin thought he was prepared after seeing how bad Neil looks, but his first glimpse of Aaron punches the air out of his chest. Kevin knows Aaron is, objectively, quite short, but he never really looks small. He looks so fucking small in Abby’s guest bed, his pale skin marked with cuts and bruises. Nowhere near the technicolour portrait of Neil’s skin, but bad enough. He’s paler than usual, even his lips drained of colour. His skin is damp with a layer of sweat, his eyes glassy and hollow. Kevin is frozen by the door as he takes him in, but Nicky rushes ahead.

“Oh, Aaron.” He catches Aaron’s face in his hands. It is telling of the state that Aaron is in that he doesn’t even fuss as Nicky puts a hand to his forehead, brushes his hair back, leans down to look in his eyes. “How are you feeling? Don’t say fine. I’ve already told Neil I can’t hear that today.”

“Like shit.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You’d have tried to stop me.”

“Of fucking course I would have. God.” Nicky sniffs, the threat of tears evident in his voice. “Though Kevin told me why you went, so I know I wouldn’t have won that argument. I should have known you wouldn’t just change plans so last minute.”

Kevin finally gets his legs to work. He crosses the room and sinks into the chair beside the bed, across from where Nicky is hovering. Aaron’s eyes flick to him. His pupils are blown wide, dominating his eyes, only a ring of colour visible. A dull brown in the artificial light of the room. No sign of the usual kaleidoscope of colours Kevin knows exist in Aaron’s eyes. Kevin meets his gaze and can’t think of a single thing to say to encapsulate how he’s feeling. He puts his hand on Aaron’s bare forearm, careful not to overlap any of the bruises from needles. Kevin hopes at least some of them are from Abby, that they’re not all from the Nest. There’s a drip running into Aaron’s other arm.

“Aaron.” His voice comes out hoarser than he expects. Aaron’s eyebrows lift, like he’s surprised Kevin is touching him in front of Nicky. Kevin can feel Nicky watching them, but he doesn’t give a fuck. He can’t. He’s been pushed past the edge of his fear. He’s been thrown into a situation only one step away from his worst case scenario, and Kevin can’t help but think how easily it could have been. One miscalculation, one bad reaction between drugs or from Aaron. People accidentally die from taking one too many paracetamol drinks when they have the cold. It would have been so easy for Riko to have unintentionally caused Aaron to overdose on whatever shit he was injecting him with.

“Hi.” Aaron’s face has been largely vacant since they entered the room, but after a delayed moment, he smiles at Kevin, his head lolling on the pillow towards him. “Look after Nicky for me?”

“Think I scarcely managed to look after myself.”

“Tch.” Aaron clicks his tongue disapprovingly. He moves his arm back until his palm is beneath Kevin’s instead. Kevin grasps Aaron’s hand in both of his.

“Uh. Excuse me? Am I the one who’s high?”

Kevin glares disapprovingly at Nicky, but Aaron doesn’t look away from him, thumb rubbing over the back of Kevin’s knuckles. It’s selfish. Aaron is the one beaten and drugged in the bed, but here he is, comforting Kevin with his touch. The sheer relief of it enough to have Kevin almost sagging against the bedsheets beside him.

“You’ll have to tell me about New York.” It’s not that Aaron doesn’t talk to Kevin. He does. Sometimes quite a lot, but it’s always when they’re alone, and his tone is never quite chatty like this.

“Later. Are you sure you’re up for this?”

“I’m going,” Aaron says firmly. “Abby said I can.”

“I did, but he’ll have to come back here later. We’re still running a fluid drip. He was badly dehydrated when he got back, and he’s having trouble keeping even water down with all the vomiting.” Abby glances at Kevin’s hands around Aaron’s but doesn’t say anything, giving Kevin a small smile. She touches Nicky’s bicep reassuringly as she steps by him, then leans over Aaron. Unlike at the banquet, Aaron doesn’t flinch when Abby reaches for him this time. Either the instinct is blunted, or he’s used to Abby caring for him now.

She checks his pulse, takes his temperature, and removes the IV tube from his arm. She leaves the small plastic bit that it feeds into though. Aaron probably knows the name of it. Kevin will ask him later, because Aaron will enjoy telling him.

“Am I going to live, doc?” Aaron grins at her. It’s not quite as manic as Andrew’s drugged smile, but it still sends a cold shiver down Kevin’s spine, because it’s not Aaron’s smile. Not any of the ones Kevin recognises, anyway.

“If I have anything to say about it.” Abby smiles fondly, pinching Aaron’s chin. Nicky’s eyes move between them, eyebrows raised.

“Is he still high?”

“Nicky,” Kevin hisses.

“It’s a fair question,” Abby says. “Yes. I’ve got him on a lower dose of a similar opioid to the one that showed up in his blood results. It’s helping with the pain of the other injuries, but mostly it’s to wean down the dose and stave off the worst of the withdrawal side effects.”

“Not getting rid of all of them though,” Aaron says.

“Last dose was just shy of an hour ago, so you shouldn’t be too sick before you get back again. Might take a basin with you just in case.”

Aaron pulls a face, but he starts to push himself up in bed. He has to take his hand from Kevin to do so. Kevin clutches on for a second before realising what Aaron is trying to do and letting go. Nicky moves to help Aaron.

“I’ve got it,” he says, but Nicky pulls the blanket down anyway. Aaron winces as he gets out of bed, in a way that suggests he’s trying very hard to hide it. “I need to get dressed.”

Abby takes her leave of the room. Nicky takes one step, then looks at the slow way Aaron is moving.

“Do you need help?”

Aaron glares at him.

“I’ll help,” Kevin says, waving Nicky towards the door. “No, seriously, what is happening here?” Nicky looks between them. Kevin meets Aaron’s eye. Nicky is his family, it’s not Kevin’s place. Aaron looks warily back at him. Kevin has always wanted to keep them secret. Aaron does not go against that promise.

“I’ll be out in a moment,” Aaron says.

“You’re just going to ignore me?”

“Go tell Abby about your trip. I bet it’s more pleasant to listen to than mine.”

Nicky’s frown deepens. He lingers, clearly not wanting to leave Aaron, but he’s been reaching out to the twins for long enough to know when his hand is going to get batted away. With one last curious glance towards Kevin, he leaves, clicking the door shut behind him.

“Should I not have said that?”

“I don’t know. Should you?”

“Nicky is your family. It’s not my place.”

“Not your place to what?”

“Suggest… anything about you.”

“What would you be suggesting, Kevin?”

Kevin looks at Aaron, the space between his brows furrowing. Aaron looks back. He sighs. He starts to take his shirt off. Kevin steps around the bed.

“Here.” He catches the base of Aaron’s shirt and pulls it up slow, jaw tensing as he sees the old bruises littering Aaron’s torso. “You said he didn’t hurt you.”

“No. I said I was okay.” Aaron holds his arms up for Kevin to slide his shirt over them. He’s lost a noticeable amount of weight. “Besides, most of this wasn’t Riko. I think he was too busy with Neil. He sent others. I didn’t recognise them, so I don’t think they were Ravens. He must have got someone with medical knowledge. To get the dosage right. Most of this is from the start. He wanted me to inject myself. I wouldn’t do it. He didn’t like that. When he realised he couldn’t beat me into submission, he started on about Andrew again.”

“Then you did it.”

Aaron looks up at Kevin, his mouth pinched. Kevin can see the confirmation in his eyes.

“Then I guess I was too out of it after a while. Might have injected myself badly, or taken too much, or… I don’t know. They just came and administered it themselves after… I don’t even know. Time is weird in there. Felt longer.”

“It’s the days.”

“What?”

“The Nest runs on sixteen hour days.”

“Shit. I thought time was just moving different, with the drugs.”

“Sorry I didn’t message more. When you didn’t reply, I was worried they had your phone.”

“I think they did. I don’t really know. I remember bits, but I was out of it a lot. I think that helped. That I slept through most of it. Neil had a worse time.”

“Maybe. This is still bad.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you really going to be okay?” Kevin touches Aaron’s cheek. As soft as he can manage. Aaron leans more heavily into the touch, his lashes fluttering. He looks up through the pale fan of them at Kevin.

“It’s going to suck, but I trust Abby. It will suck less than the first time.”

“The first time.”

“When Andrew got me clean. Right after our mom died. Locked me in the bathroom for days. Clawed my fingers raw against the door trying to get out. Was convinced I was gonna die in there.”

“Jesus, Aaron.”

“Abby’s doing it carefully. Weaning me off. Keeping me hydrated, monitoring my blood sodium levels. That’ll lower any potential risks of heart failure. Andrew might flip once he finds out she’s giving me drugs though. Don’t let him lash out at Abby, okay?”

“How can I stop him?”

“If you get between them, he’s less likely to hurt you.”

“He won’t hurt you.”

“I don’t know about that,” Aaron says. It’s a bizarre statement. Since he’s been at Palmetto, Kevin has seen Andrew lash out multiple times. He’s been a target, and Nicky is on frequent occasion, but never once has Andrew reached for Aaron. Yet Aaron sounds so unconvinced.

“I’ll try,” Kevin says, because he knows it’s a lost cause trying to meddle in the twins’ relationship. “You’re shaking. Let’s get some clothes on you.”

“You don't have to- I can dress myself. I just thought this would give us a chance to speak with Nicky out of the room.”

“I want to,” Keivn says, navigating Aaron into his jumper.

“You’re acting weird.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re acting like-” Aaron cuts off, turning his head away.

“Like what?”

“Like you actually like me,” Aaron says after a long moment.

“Of course I like you.”

“Doesn’t seem like it. A lot of the time.” Aaron looks back to him, brow creased. Kevin frowns at him, both of them unhappy looking.

“Why would we be doing this if I didn’t like you?”

“I don’t know. You like the attention. Like having someone take care of you.”

“Is that what you really think?” When Aaron shrugs, Kevin sighs.

“Can you blame me? You act like you don’t even want to know me half times, now you’re all over me. I’m getting whiplash.”

“I was so scared I was going to lose you,” Kevin admits, looking at Aaron’s chest so he doesn’t have to meet his eyes. “I thought if anyone knew, Riko would target you. I thought it was for the best. Then he got you anyway, and all I could think for the last few weeks is what if you don’t come back? What if you’re gone, and we didn’t even part on good terms? You die resenting me and I don’t even get to say goodbye?”

“I don’t resent you, Kevin.”

“You thought I didn’t even care about you. Why do you do this if you think that?”

“Because I care about you,” Aaron says simply. “Thought that much was obvious. I tried not to, and it didn’t work. I can’t turn it off. So I’m stuck settling for whatever you give me.”

“You shouldn’t have to settle.”

“You were never willing to give more. I couldn’t push you.”

“I can’t pretend anymore. I couldn’t even wait in the car. I had to see you.”

Aaron’s face twitches. The briefest hint of a smile. He puts his hands on Kevin’s shoulders. Kevin crouches down immediately so Aaron’s arms can go around his neck, hugging him to his chest. He’s gentle with his grip, not wanting to aggravate any of Aaron’s injuries. Aaron has no qualms in response, tightening his arms around Kevin, clutching to him. His cheek is clammy where it presses against Kevin’s. His body is shaking against him. His hair smells sickly; sweaty, but not how Aaron’s sweat usually smells. Something acrid and bitter to it.

“We should go. I don’t want Andrew to be waiting.”

Kevin helps Aaron finish changing, making a mental note of any other marks on his skin. When they’re done, Abby wraps a blanket around Aaron’s shoulders and gives Nicky a basin to take with them. She hands Kevin a bottle of water, tells him to try and get Aaron to keep taking sips. Nicky sits in the back with Aaron. Kevin wants to stay near him, but he gets in the front. At the hospital, he sits beside Neil when Aaron collapses into a single chair, awkwardly trying to extend some comfort to him. He’s already been honest with Aaron today. Listening to Neil talk about Riko should be easy in comparison. Neil thanks him by throwing the knowledge that Wymack is his father back at him, which is very in character for Neil. Kevin’s spared any further discussion about it by Andrew’s appearance.

Andrew’s cool glance drifts across them all, but Kevin notices as it lands on Aaron his eyes widened fractionally, and his look lingers for several seconds longer than anyone else. He says nothing. Kevin’s stomach clenches painfully. I don’t know about that, Aaron had said. Is it because he knows what Andrew off his meds completely is like? Did he know Andrew wouldn’t spare him a second glance?

Aaron is the first to move, heaving himself painfully out of the chair. He had wanted to come. Even as sick as he is. He had wanted to be here for Andrew, and Andrew doesn’t so much as say hello. Kevin steps up beside him when they get to the car. Andrew’s gaze dips over him in a bored inspection.

“You’re not even going to check if Aaron’s-”

Andrew flicks his fingers in dismissal, and Kevin, always the obedient fucking dog regardless the master, can only nod and go get in the car. Aaron reaches forward from the seat behind his and gives the back of his neck a firm squeeze. His hands are always cold, but they’re freezing today. Kevin reaches up and catches Aaron’s hand before he withdraws it fully, rubbing his fingertips between his own until they warm up some. Aaron tugs his hand away when Andrew gets in the car.

They’re sent up to the dorm when they return, Andrew keeping Nicky behind. Aaron survived the car ride, but he’s starting to get nauseated again. He immediately collapses on the couch when they get in, making a soft, sick moaning sound. Kevin moves him so his head is resting on Kevin’s thigh and tries to encourage him to drink from the water bottle, holding it up to his lips so Aaron can take small sips. Aaron pushes it away. Kevin has tugged Nicky’s throw blanket from the back of the couch down over Aaron and is carding his fingers through his hair when the dorm door bursts open.

“I did not believe you to be stupid,” Andrew says. Aaron doesn’t stir in response. Kevin starts to open his mouth, but Andrew holds up a warning finger. “Not you.”

“Oh, are you actually talking to me for once?”

“You went to Evermore.”

“Yeah. I’d have told you as much if you had asked.” Aaron starts to sit up. Andrew’s eyes flick between him and Kevin, but he seems to prioritise this over questioning their closeness.

“Go and get Neil,” he says to Kevin. Kevin looks warily at Aaron. Aaron gives a small nod, so he leaves him. He can hear Andrew’s voice as he leaves the dorm, Aaron’s raising in response, but their words are lost when the door closes behind him. Nicky’s already at Neil’s door, so Kevin takes that to mean he was just being dismissed. This is confirmed when he tries to follow Neil into the dorm again only for Andrew to close the door in his face.

“Well,” Nicky says. “We may go elsewhere for a while.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Kevin leans against the wall across from the door, taking his phone out. “Aaron needs to go back to Abby’s soon. I’ll see if she can come pick him up. Andrew doesn’t seem in the mood to offer lifts.”

“You’re very concerned about Aaron.” It is an obvious prompt coming from Nicky, but he’s left disappointed, because Kevin says nothing in response. Eventually Nicky sighed. “Let me know when he’s back at Abby’s. I’ll check in on him tonight.”

Neil eventually come out of the dorm, Andrew behind him. Kevin has slid down to sit on the floor, his head resting back against the wall. He moves to stand. Andrew settles him with an unrecognisably cold glare. Kevin has never been subject to a look like that from Andrew.

“You let him go.”

Kevin’s gaze slides to Neil even though he knows that isn’t who Andrew is talking about. Perhaps he just wants someone else to defend him if Andrew is abandoning the position. Before Kevin can answer, Aaron comes rushing out the door. His hair is sticking to his clammy forehead and he’s gone extremely pale, but he plants himself between Kevin and Andrew.

“Kevin didn’t let me do anything. You may act liks his keeper, but he’s not mine. He has no control over what I do.”

Andrew’s eyes narrow, flicking between the pair of them. Aaron squared his shoulders as if he does not currently look like a strong breeze could take him out. Andrew huffs, inclining his head for Neil to keep on walking. He holds Kevin’s gaze for several long seconds as he walks down the hall, before eventually turning away. Aaron sags back against Kevin once they’re out of sight.

“I’m calling Abby.”

“Mm.”

Aaron was right. Andrew does not take well to the news Abby is still dosing him with drugs. She is firm with her explanation why, and when she explains the risk of fatal complications from going cold turkey, Andrew goes still. He does not argue further after that.

Kevin thought he might put him out of Aaron’s room, but he doesn’t. Abby has told him he can stay or visit as much as he likes.

“But no drinking, Kevin. I’m already putting one of my Foxes through rehab. I don’t need to deal with another. If you want to come see him, you do it sober.”

Kevin agrees, even though he desperately wants a drink. He wants to go burn himself out on the court too, but he wants to see Aaron more.

“I’m just sleeping most of the time. You don’t have to stay.”

But Kevin does. He sleeps with his head resting on folded arms at the side of Aaron’s bed. Sometimes he wakes up with Aaron’s fingers pushed through his hair. He rubs Aaron’s back when he throws up, helps him wash up and change when the cold sweats soak through his clothes, feeds him soup when the shakes in his hands make it difficult to hold the spoon. It is evident Aaron does not take easily to be fussed over, but he accepts it as an inevitability of his care plan, and only pushes back against Kevin minimally.

“What do you call this?” Kevin touches a finger to Aaron’s arm near where his IV is running into the skin.

“IV.”

“No. This bit specifically.”

“Cannula.” Aaron doesn’t quite smile, but his eyes crease slightly.

Kevin uses Nicky or Andrew’s visits to go and clean up himself, though he’s got a bag with his own spare clothes at Abby’s now for when he wants to stay, and she grants him free access to her bathroom. He stays through Katelyn’s visits, pettily territorial as if she has not been helping cover for them at Kevin’s request all year. He doesn’t get in the way, sitting back to let them catch up, and he replies as pleasantly as he can manage when Katelyn includes him in the conversation.

Slowly Aaron starts to look better bit by bit, his injuries clearing up. Though his withdrawals get worse as Abby lowers his drug dose. Kevin lays behind him on the bed as his body trembles, curled around him, trying to press his own warmth into Aaron.

“I hate you seeing me like this.”

“You’ve seen me in worse states,” Kevin says. Aaron sniffs. Kevin presses a kiss to the back of his head. “Through sickness and health. Or whatever.”

“We’re not married,” Aaron says, but he still laughs, which is all Kevin really wanted, his fingers tangling with Kevin’s where his hands are wrapped around Aaron’s, warming them. Aaron laughs, and they’re okay, and he’s going be okay. He’s going be okay and Kevin is never, ever going to let anyone take Aaron from him again.

#kevaaron #fox fics #if you have sent me a request I promise I will get to it!!!#I have eight more in my inbox I am working through them I swear!!!

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