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He wasn't supposed to eavesdrop on his social worker, or his clients, but Aaron found that to be a hard rule to follow. Not when someone asked for him specifically. No one's done that for him in a long time. Years maybe. People just don't want older kids. Especially not ones that flinch away when you try and touch them. So the tiny boy sits quietly outside the door, absolutely not listening to them thank you very much. "Are you sure ma'am? Two kids their age are rather hard," His worker checks for the fifteenth time. Aaron isn't surprised. They always want to make sure people 'know what they are getting into'."Yes. I just recently found out about him, and I want both boys to have a good life. It feels wrong to keep them separated.""Mrs. Spear you are aw-""Sir, I've fostered before. I'm certain I can handle both of them."Her tone leaves no room to argue anymore. Aaron shuffles away from his eavesdropping spot as fast as possible when he hears movement. A few seconds later, the door opens. His worker gives Aaron a small smile before moving to reveal the woman he was talking to.Mrs. Spear was like those cliches you always hear about the perfect foster parent. Her face just screamed kind and loving. Naturally Aaron immediately distrusted it. His last 'mother' was like that at first too. He could still feel her nails digging into his arms.The woman gasps slightly upon seeing him, "Wow. They really do look alike."Aaron shifts away. Her smile doesn't falter at all, and Aaron frowns. People always told him that made him look grumpy. Maybe that will change her mind."Aaron. This is Cass Spear. She's currently fostering your twin."Immediately Aaron turns to his worker. Twin? He didn't remember having siblings. Not any actually related to him. Definitely not one that was born at the same time. Yet the look on the man's face looks serious. They aren't joking? They aren't joking.A fluttering goes through Aaron's stomach. He isn't alone. He has a family. The idea of it is almost laughable, but Aaron clings to that thought harder than anything he's ever held before. It was supposed to mean safety. To mean you have a person to fall back on, not a system that's already failed several times. Looking down at his hands, Aaron imagines what his sibling is like.For the first time in a long time, Aaron Minyard has hope."Go away."Aaron blinks, struck still by pure shock alone. Here he was, staring straight into the mirror they call Andrew. His twin is smiling big and wide, looking happy as can be. Yet that's the first thing he's said to Aaron. Go away."Uh.... I'm Aar-""Leave," Andrew all but hisses. Unable to process why anyone would react like that, Aaron steps slightly away from his brother.The house Cass brought him to is nice. The perfect picture of American suburbia. A large garage, two stories, and plenty of room for the kids to run around. It's different from all of Aaron's other homes. Then again, what did Aaron expect. Nothing about the Spears was like his other foster families. Key point being the other Minyard in their care.Said Minyard reaches over and grabs Aaron's arm, rather tightly. Aaron barely has time to protest before Andrew is pushing him back towards the car. As if that could make Aaron leave. Neither of them are even old enough to drive."Andrew," Richard calls from across the yard, "Please be nice and bring Aaron inside."As if a switch was pulled, all of Andrew's attitude floods from his face. That smile stays, but the manic edge fades away into nothing. An empty expression. It sends shudders down Aaron's spine.The rest of the day goes much like that. No bonding is done, just more attempts to get Aaron out of the house. Andrew hardly ever lets his smile drop all the while. Sometimes though, it softens. Like when the two of them were with Cass. Or when he was petting the neighborhood strays. Anytime Andrew looks at Aaron though, that sharpness returns.Finally deciding he can't stand someone planning his death one moment longer, Aaron shuts himself into his room. It was small, but it was enough. Aaron doesn't have that many belongings anyway. Besides, at least Andrew isn't here. That's the best he can get for now.A bitter feeling gnaws at the inside of Aaron's chest. He doesn't know what he pictured this reunion being like, but he definitely didn't imagine it like this. Hell, it seems like Andrew couldn't care less about them being family. He just wanted Aaron out of the picture. Maybe Andrew thinks his twin is going to disrupt the home he already has. He's happy here, so why should Aaron get to come and change the status quo.Burying his head into a pillow, Aaron tries to just relax. They're all having a family dinner later, according to Cass. Aaron wants to at least try to enjoy it. Thus, calming himself down is essential. He's almost succeeded when someone knocks at the door. Aaron barely has time to sit up before they come in.The man is all muscle. A string of tattoos flow around his forearm, showing off the American flag and what Aaron assumes is an eagle despite not being able to see it all. His face is just similar enough to Richard's for Aaron to know who he is. Drake is the Spear's only legitimate child, and he's been grown for a few years now. Cass mentioned that he is back for some leave before being deployed again. Aaron's surprised it took him this long to introduce himself."Wow. Mom wasn't kidding when she said you two are identical," Drake says, running his eyes up and down Aaron. The boy can't help but feel like a lamb for slaughter, though he can't identify what exactly makes him think that."I'm Aaron.""And I'm Drake," He offers Aaron a hand, "Dinner is soon. Come on."Aaron takes his hand, and Drake pulls him off the bed. If his fingers linger just a bit too long, well Aaron doesn't say anything.Nor does he say anything while they eat. Content to let Cass do all the talking, he watches the table. He also tries to ignore the gaze slowly burning through his shoulder. Andrew still hasn't given up.Drake is affectionate. He hugs his parents, and ruffles Andrew's hair. It takes half a second to realize Andrew doesn't like the contact, but he doesn't push the other away. In fact, he tries to grab Drake's attention practically any time he looks towards Aaron. Not quite understanding why, Aaron is also complicit knowing he will never get to ask. Not while Andrew remains so aggressive towards him."Hey Ma," Drake starts, "I know you and Dad have been wanting to go on a date day for a while. If you want to this weekend, I can take the boys. We can all bond for a bit."Andrew noticeably stiffens, but Cass seems absolutely oblivious. She instead smiles and says something along the lines of that being a great idea. Aaron just stares down Andrew. His twin flashes yet another smile at him. This one spells doom.The next week is a game of walking on eggshells. At least, until Aaron realizes Andrew won't even acknowledge him anymore. Not outside of what Cass expects. They haven't even exchanged words since the first day.That doesn't mean Andrew's left Aaron alone though. In fact, the only time they're separate is when they go to bed. Andrew's like a cat that needs to make sure you see them ignoring you. This behavior is slowly but surely driving Aaron absolutely up the wall.Eventually the weekend rolls around. Relief from being out of school is downed out by dread over their day alone. Cass says goodbye. Drake puts a hand on both of the twins' shoulders. Andrew reaches over and squeezes his arm, just once.Aaron soon realizes that's the beginning of the storm.The first hour is normal enough. Aaron and Andrew watch tv while Drake cooks breakfast. They eat. They relax. Yet throughout the whole thing, Andrew slowly gets more and more tense. He's wound up enough Aaron's sure he'll lash out at the first thing to burst his bubble. So when Drake comes in and grabs Andrew's arm, Aaron expects the worst. Instead Andrew just calmly lets Drake lead him over to the door to his bedroom. Then Drake pauses."Aaron. Come here. You should join us," Drake says.That is the catalyst to Andrew's rage. Faster than Aaron can track, he launches a fist at Drake's throat. Drake isn't in the military for nothing though. He easily catches Andrew's wrists and wrestles the much smaller boy into the room. Fear is what drives Aaron back into the kitchen, away from this. A good ten minutes later though, Drake appears at the doorway. Andrew is nowhere in sight."Come on Aaron. We'll have fun," Drake grins. Smart enough to realize pain is assured at this point, Aaron tries to bolt. Drake snags him in seconds."That's not nice," Drake purrs. His hand slips down to Aaron's pant buttons, "We're going to all three bond."Screaming quickly proves useless as Drake shoves a rag into his mouth. Struggling is equally successful. Aaron is helpless to stop him as Drake carries him into the room.Drake's room is exactly what you'd expect from a single army soldier. All except for the small blonde boy handcuffed to the bed frame. Andrew's chest is heaving, panic evident on his face. It only gets worse when he spots Drake and Aaron. Yet he doesn't yell. He doesn't scream. All the fight in him is gone, sucked into the wind."You and AJ are going to look so delicious together," Drake whispers.Aaron is unable to stop him from taking what he wants.Another shuddering heave produces nothing but the taste of bile. Pain radiates through Aaron's entire body, wracking him down to the core. Not a single mark is where Cass or Richard could see it though. Not one. Drake's done this before.Gagging, Aaron curls further around the toilet. He doesn't know how long it's been, but the golden light filtering through the window tells him it's been a few hours. Neither of his foster parents are home yet. It only took one hissed warning for Aaron to understand what would happen if he told. He didn't need the beating it would be worth.Aaron doesn't know how long he sits there before finally forcing himself to his feet. Nothing was in the bowl, but Aaron flushes it anyways before brushing his teeth. The bile still hangs at the back of his throat. That, and another taste he refuses to think about.Opening the door reveals Andrew. Aaron flinches back as his brother pushes through the door, closing it behind him. The lock clicking shows Aaron that his twin has no intention on letting him leave."Next time I tell you to do something, do it.""Andr-"Fingers twist into Aaron's hair and tug. Hard. Aaron's hand immediately flies up to grab it, but Andrew doesn't relent in his grip. In fact, he only pulls more on Aaron's hair, dragging his brother face to face with him. Aaron stills underneath him. He knows better than to fight anyone like this."I will," He relents.Andrew doesn't release him, but his hold loosens to something more tolerable. They stand there for a long moment, neither willing to break the contact yet. Aaron isn't sure if Andrew grabbed him to ground Aaron, or himself. Maybe it doesn't matter.It certainly doesn't matter when Drake gets a call, and his voice drifts up from downstairs. Aaron flinches, and Andrew once again jerks him closer. As if his brother was going to pull away.Aaron's breath hitches. Thirteen years in foster care, and no one had ever gone that far. No one thought to touch him like that. Punches and kicks and cigarette burns he could handle. Not this. He'd never prepared for this. Not once.Before he even realizes what he's doing, Aaron wraps his arms around his twin. Andrew instantly stiffens. Sure he's about to be shoved away, Aaron tightens his grip. But Andrew's arms stay where they were. One hand by his side, and the other in Aaron's hair. So Aaron takes it one step further. He presses his forehead against Andrew's shoulder.And he cries.It's not until the gentle tears turn into shuddering sobs does Andrew move again. His free hand wraps around Aaron's shoulder, pressing him closer. The one in his hair tightens to an almost painful level. The shock of it stops Aaron from falling further. From burying himself deeper in his own panic and fear."Mine," Andrew tugs his hair again, "You're my brother."Aaron doesn't argue."Listen to me, and I'll protect you. Promise."Andrew makes it sound like damnation. Aaron grabs onto it like it's a ticket to heaven."I just can't believe how close you two have gotten. A week ago I could barely get you to speak. Now look, I couldn't wedge a crowbar between you."Andrew just sends Cass a shrug and a smile. His hand is, once again, tangled into his twin's hair. Over the course of several days, the two of them have just accepted that they can't stop touching each other. Not when they're in the same room at least. Aaron took it as an assurance. He wasn't sure what Andrew thought of it.Even sleeping was harder now. The first night after what Drake had done, Aaron had gotten a nightmare bad enough he jerked awake with a shout. Being used to Andrew's eccentricities, none of the Spears woke up.Andrew, however, Andrew came soon after. He laid on the floor, and reached up to grab Aaron's hand. Aaron clung to his brother's hand all night. After that, they just stopped sleeping in separate rooms. There was no point when one of them would always go to the other in the middle of the night.Aaron leans into his brother's grip, still reading the book in his lap. Drake's left them both mostly alone. Mostly. Aaron still has issues hiding his flinches when his foster brother claps a hand on his shoulder. Or when he ruffles Aaron's hair. Pretty much any contact in fact. Andrew kept telling him to stop, that Cass would notice. At least for now though, his foster family thinks it's just from Aaron's previous abuse.The more and more time Aaron spends with the Spears, the more he realizes just how little they know about their son. Andrew planned on never letting them know. Aaron decided just to let his brother deal with it.Hopefully he wouldn't regret this one day.Aaron stares at Cass, shock and dread building in his stomach. Three months. Drake was coming back for the summer to spend time with them before Cass officially adopted the two of them. He wanted to 'spend time' with his little brothers.He tightens his grip on Andrew's leg underneath the table. Andrew doesn't react, but he sends Cass that fake smile he always uses. Aaron hates that expression. That look means they won't say a word. Again."And," Richard grins at them, "We got another surprise."With that he scoots a letter across the table towards them. Andrew stares at it for a few seconds before Aaron grabs it. It's just a normal letter, from a person he doesn't know. Nicholas Hemmick. It's already opened, likely Cass checked what it was first before giving it to them. Slipping the paper out of the envelope, Aaron reads over it.He barely made it all the way through before thrusting it at Andrew. Curious as to his Aaron's reaction, Andrew takes the paper himself. Aaron watches as the smile on Andrew's face slowly grows sharper. More dangerous. The same look he got on his face seconds before someone was going to get a fist in the face. Normally not Aaron, but that expression still put the other twin on edge."No."Pause."Andr-""No. We don't need some stranger claiming to be family. I don't want to meet him."Aaron watches the whole exchange with a tense anticipation. He's never seen Cass push Andrew too far, and was wondering if this would finally be it. If this was the day that Cass would take one step too far.Naturally, it wasn't. She'd gotten an extra day to get used to Andrew's mannerisms, and knew when she couldn't needle him. This was one of them. Aaron could tell by Andrew's grip on his shirt alone. Aaron was his calming point, and also the one thing he wouldn't purposely hurt. That didn't mean Andrew wouldn't drag Aaron around by the hair. He didn't feel like stumbling up the stairs today.Andrew releases his hold on Aaron after a few minutes of silence. Aaron watches him stalk out the backdoor. Likely to find something he could hit. If they were lucky he wouldn't come back with busted up knuckles. Cass still gets the hydrogen peroxide just in case."What about you Aaron?" She asks, laying some bandages on the counter. Aaron opens his mouth then shuts it. It takes several more times before he finally manages to get any words out."I don't know. I.... I don't want to do it without Andrew," Aaron shrugs, staring at the paper Andrew dropped on his way out. The temptation is almost enough to say yes. To screw what Andrew wants and go with it. Aaron still so desperately wanted an actual family. Not Cass and Richard's. They might say they're practically related, but Aaron couldn't bring himself to accept that. Not with Drake.His foster parents look slightly disappointed, but not surprised. How can they be. Both of them know just how awful Andrew is with change. He always finds the bad before the good. Sure, sometimes he'd still do something different. Family, however, was always a more sensitive subject. Some random person trying to wedge themselves into his life was sure to be rejected.That doesn't stop Aaron from grabbing the letter when the Spears leave the room. He'll keep it for now. Just in case."Hello?""Is this Nicholas Hemmick?""Yes. Who is this?""Aaron Minyard."Aaron looks around. He really shouldn't be doing this. Really, really shouldn't be calling him. Andrew was likely to kill him. But.... Aaron couldn't handle much more. Definitely not another two months of Drake."Do you think Andrew and I can come visit you?"Cass and Richard were easy to convince. They'd wanted the twins to reach out from the beginning. Cass was already happily coming up with gifts for them to bring Nicky.Andrew on the other hand, Andrew was a whole different matter.He avoided Aaron for a solid twelve hours when he first announced what he wanted to do. Learning from the last two years, Aaron didn't try to hunt him down. Instead he waited for Andrew to come to him. That turned out to be half past eleven that night. True to form, he couldn't sleep without Aaron close."Not a word," Andrew warns, grabbing Aaron's hair. Staying quiet, he waits for whatever internal battle Andrew is having to conclude. Every now and then he tightens his grip, making Aaron wince. He doesn't apologize. Aaron doesn't expect him to."Why. We don't need him.""But we can use him," Aaron says. Andrew tugs a little bit, but gives Aaron no other discouragement from speaking."Andrew. I can't do two more months. I can't," His voice cracks a little. Andrew scowls and pulls Aaron into a sitting position that 'conveniently' brought his brother closer. Aaron leans into Andrew's hand. Andrew splays his fingers out and scratches at his scalp."We can come back after a bit. Cass isn't leaving, and we can drop contact afterwards.""I don't want him thinking we're family.""Then you can make it clear to him the moment we get there. I didn't say you had to be nice."Silence. Aaron tugs his brother into their shared bed. Andrew shoves him across the bed, and Aaron easily rolls to the other pillow. Both of them being rather small, it's simple enough to keep space between them. Andrew keeps a hold of Aaron's hair. He hardly ever lets go of him at night. Aaron was fine with that. He's also content in letting Andrew think on it all night.Turns out that's the right move, as the next morning Andrew plops the family laptop onto the table with a website for a zoo in Columbia. Richard readily accepts to giving them the money for it. Aaron happily accepts his wordless victory.Aaron doesn't know when Andrew gave up on living with Cass, but he made it final soon after they returned home. Drake had spent the last month of summer 'bonding' with the two of them. Maybe he was finally finished with Drake's abuse, or maybe Cass' saccharine sweetness finally burnt a hole through Andrew. Either way, Aaron didn't find out until the social worker was already on his way.They'd be living with their aunt and uncle. The same aunt and uncle that said nothing when their mother dropped both of them into foster care. The same ones that never bothered to contact them until Nicky reached out.Aaron honestly thinks Andrew has finally lost his mind. Yet here they are, being carted off in a car to Colombia.A hand is kept tightly in Aaron's hair practically from the moment they said goodbye to Cass. They weren't going to become Spears anymore. Aaron doesn't know if that idea hurts or is liberating. Maybe a bit of both. It definitely bothered Andrew more than Aaron. He actually wanted to be with Cass. Wanted a real mother.It's possible that could never really happen. Not for them at least.Still. Aaron tries to look forward to their new life. To enjoy that maybe Andrew will let himself grow close to Nicky. Maybe even Luther and Maria. Somehow though, this still feels like entering a different kind of hell.Aaron had accepted long ago he would never get to meet his mother. Yet here she stands. Drunk, drugged up, and beaten to a pulp, but still standing. And knocking on Luther's door.She freezes for a moment, unable to really process why someone she doesn't know answered. Aaron watches as her blown out pupils focus for the barest of moments before she gives a single long blink. She smells like alcohol and death. Aaron honestly has no idea how she managed to get into the neighborhood without dying."Who the hell are you, and what's with the stupid getup?" Tilda Minyard slurs. Her son leans away from her."I'm Aaron. I've got Exy practice soon, and so I'm in uniform. Please get off our patio."Tilda tilts her head much like a confused dog. She then proceeds to tilt forwards, and fall flat on her face. The alcohol had finally caught up. Aaron doesn't bother to catch her, and doesn't flinch at the loud crunch her nose makes upon impact. Instead he shuts the door and walks back to his room, intent on once again dragging Andrew to practice."Who was at the door?""No one important, Aunt Maria," Aaron yells to her. He can tell his aunt doesn't believe him, but just shrugs as she goes to check. Let her discover the mess that is his mother. Better her deal with the druggie than him.Yet over the next several days Tilda stays with them. The twins tend to avoid her ever present essence on the couch, very much liking the fact that they have no relationship with her. Luther, however, proves to be an ingenious 'man of God'. Within two days he guilts Tilda into accepting her sons into her life. In four he convinces Aaron to spend time with her. Seven to get her to sign the twins onto her life insurance policy.Two weeks for her to finally raise a hand to Aaron when they're in private. The same amount of time for Aaron to decide he won't tell anyone. Five weeks for her to get a house in town. Eight before she gets back into drugs again. Twelve before Aaron joins her.Twenty seven before she gets into a car wreck, Andrew inside. Aaron's twin survived, but his mother didn't. He drowns his confused feelings in more drugs. It's not long until they're all that matters."Aaron. Go get something in the bathroom for me."Aaron glares up at his brother, who's standing literal inches away from the bathroom door. Flipping him off, Aaron presses his face back into his pillow. Andrew doesn't give up though. Instead he comes over and pokes Aaron. Then he starts repeating his demand over and over. Unable to fall back into questionably restful sleep, Aaron reluctantly gets up.It takes him three seconds to realize their spare bathroom has cans of food along the sink, and a sleeping bag on the floor. It takes Andrew two seconds to slam the door shut and break the handle to trap Aaron inside."Andrew! Andrew god dammit let me out!" Aaron pounds on the door. Andrew does no such thing, and he doesn't respond to Aaron's yells or threats. Nicky comes home a few hours later, but just casually knocks on the frame. Aaron instantly knows his cousin was in on it. The effort it takes to not stab Nicky through the broken door handle with his fork is immense.Soon though, withdrawal hits. Aaron feels like someone slammed into him with a truck. Everything in his body hurts. The shudders only jar his aching muscles more. His yelling soon turns to pathetic pleading. Still, no one comes to release him.Yet, like clockwork, around midnight Andrew appears at the door. Pain had stopped him from sleeping, and separation had seemingly stopped his brother. So, ignoring the rage eating his insides, Aaron sticks his fingers underneath the door, unwilling to reach up to shove them through the broken handle. Andrew does the same. Their fingers brush against each other. For now, that's enough. Fitful rest finally starts coming.First thing in the morning though, the nausea starts up. With a hard jerk away from his brother, Aaron is at the toilet in seconds. Andrew sits at the bathroom door for a long moment, before finally deciding that Aaron won't be coming back for a while.And a while it is. It takes five days for symptoms to stop appearing. Then Andrew and Nicky leave him in there for three extra days. Just in case they say. Aaron thinks they just want to torture him longer.The hardest thing though is the separation. Aaron never realized how close him and Andrew had gotten until suddenly he was taken away. All at once he had lost every single one of his safety nets. A breakdown was inevitable.Andrew seemed to realize the same thing. The moment he pries the door back open, he slips a hand into Aaron's hair. Obediently following his twin, Aaron tries to not think of how long it'd been. Tries and fails.They barely make it into their shared room before Aaron is tugging his brother close. Andrew is innately aware of his brother's emotional needs at this point, so he doesn't bother trying to push Aaron away. Anyone else would have had their fingers broken at least three times over before they could get to this point. Anyone else would soon be realizing why Andrew is considered the crazy twin.Aaron has always been an exception. Especially when silent sobs start wracking through his form. Andrew tugs on his brother's hair. Both his comfort, and Aaron's way of grounding himself."Mine."Like always, Aaron doesn't disagree. He does know Andrew claiming him like this means one thing though. It means Andrew is his too. He never wants to separate like this again."So what's the answer? Will you sign or not?" Wymack grumbles after letting Aaron read through the contract at least three times. Nicky has already signed his, and Andrew is leaning lazily against the wall. He's waiting for Aaron to decide. This decision will be both of theirs.Yet, this stays too good to be true. Aaron never expected to be good enough for Class I. He also never expected to be offered a full ride sports scholarship.Here it sits though, staring at all the conditions in writing. Any major he wants, five free years of college, and a dorm room he can share with his family. Quite literally a dream come true. A feeling Aaron had though was long ago stomped out once again worms it's way to the surface.Hope.So Aaron signs without any more hesitation. Wymack grunts in satisfaction as Andrew mimics his twin. Taking both of their papers, he gives them a quick look to make sure they got everything. Seemingly satisfied, he looks back up to the three of them."Well then. Welcome to the Foxes."