Work Text:
Aaron was not expecting this.
He had sent Andrew a text, as he usually did. Right on time, two weeks before their birthday. This gave Andrew plenty of time to pretend he was ignoring Aaron’s text before responding to him one week before their birthday and telling him when he would be driving up to Aaron and Katelyn’s little apartment.
Aaron and Katelyn had moved there a few years ago when they had finally graduated med school. It was a long shot to get residency in the same location, but they had managed to swing it. They also managed to get an apartment on the fourth floor of a four floor walk up. It was in a cozy building a few hours north of New York City. Away from the hustle and bustle, but close enough to do a day trip. And crucially, with a guest bedroom for Nicky or Andrew when they decided to come stay.
Which Andrew did, like clockwork, every November 4th.
It was a difficult thing at first. In college, Andrew and Aaron were broken beyond repair. But Bee didn’t see it that way, and took on the painstaking task of putting them back together. It wasn’t easy. Aaron didn’t think it was possible. But now he saw his brother every November 4th, where they got dinner together with no cousins or girlfriends or distractions.
It was nice. They saw each other on Christmas too, though Nicky and Erik were always there as well. Thanksgiving was difficult. Aaron always went to Katelyn’s family in Boston, and he never asked Andrew where he went. Andrew never told.
But their birthday was sacred at this point. A tradition begrudgingly agreed to in a therapist's office and carried on for years after that. The text sent, the wait, the reply, the dinner. It was always like that.
So why was Andrew calling him?
Aaron stared at his phone. He had to be hallucinating. Or it was some other Andrew on his phone calling him. Andrew didn’t call him often, especially not out of the blue, especially not thirty seconds after Aaron sent a text.
He let it ring three times before picking up.
“Hello?” Aaron said hesitantly.
“We will be arriving the night of the third. We can pick up takeout for everyone. On the fourth, we can all do an outing in the morning before the two of us have dinner. After brunch on the fifth, we will leave.”
Andrew’s voice was the same as it always was, bored and direct. Silence hung between them as Aaron processed everything. He had a million questions, starting with why the hell Andrew was calling him, but it was all eclipsed by the most glaring thing Andrew said.
“Andrew, what the hell do you mean we?”
More silence. Aaron desperately wanted to inquire again, but the years of therapy taught him to wait. Andrew said things in his own time, and Aaron’s problem with patience was still there, but getting better.
Eventually, Aaron heard Andrew take a breath.
“I am bringing Neil with me.”
“Neil?”
“My boyfriend.”
The strain in Andrew’s voice was hard to detect, but Aaron heard it. Though it was hard to hear through the ringing in his ears.
Boyfriend.
Aaron knew Andrew was gay. It was a point of contention between them. Aaron having a girlfriend was another point of contention. Lots of screaming matches (well, Aaron was screaming) came to a head with Aaron’s partner and Andrew’s lack of one. He didn’t think Andrew would ever find someone.
“How long have you had a boyfriend?” Aaron managed. He knew Andrew could hear the shock in Aaron’s voice. He deftly ignored it.
“Ten months.”
Aaron almost dropped the phone.
“Ten months and you haven’t said anything?”
Aaron could hear Andrew’s teeth grind. “I wanted to be sure.”
And okay, Andrew was giving Aaron ground here. A few years ago he would’ve hung the phone up at Aaron’s accusing question. So Aaron gave some ground back, taking a deep breath.
“Okay. I’m glad I get to meet him.”
Andrew snorted. “You will hate him. See you in two weeks.”
Aaron stayed long after Andrew had hung up, phone held loosely in his hand. Andrew was bringing his boyfriend to meet Aaron. Andrew had called specifically so he could tell Aaron rather than text Aaron that he was bringing his boyfriend. Andrew had implied an outing on the morning of the fourth that included Katelyn and his boyfriend. And Andrew hated Katelyn! Sure, the animosity had greatly reduced since college, but voluntarily doing an activity with her? And bringing his boyfriend?
Katelyn would never believe him. He should’ve recorded that phone call.
Then Aaron remembered exactly what he was planning to talk to Andrew about that November fourth, and barely refrained from banging his head against the wall. Of course Andrew would be bringing his boyfriend this year.
Of course.
------------------------------------------
The evening of the third, Aaron was pacing around the apartment while Katelyn rolled her eyes at him.
“Aaron, you’re going to break the floor,” Katelyn chided. “There’s already a mark where you’ve been walking in circles.”
“I am allowed to be nervous, Kate!” Aaron said, “What kind of guy do you think he’s bringing? What if he’s not good enough for Andrew? What if the relationship is abusive?”
“Andrew can take care of himself, sweetie. And he’d tell you if he needed help.”
“But what if he doesn’t?”
“Aaron.” Her tone was stern, causing Aaron to stop pacing and look at her. Her face had some hardness to it, but her eyes were soft. He let some of the tension leave his body.
“I know.” And he did. It was a common issue in therapy, both of the twins aggressive protectors of the other. Neither thinking the other could make positive decisions due to their respective trauma. Maybe that had some truth to it, at first. Aaron could admit his girlfriends in high school weren’t the best choices. But Katelyn was nothing like them.
Maybe this “Neil” would be nothing like Andrew’s past either. They just had to wait and see.
And then there was the other thing gnawing at Aaron, the reason Katelyn wasn’t pushing him too hard, the unsaid elephant in the room. Aaron was determined to tell Andrew no matter what, and Katelyn knew it was making him nervous. More nervous than the boyfriend. Andrew’s visitor was actually a perfect cover for Aaron’s real cause of worry.
He pushed those thoughts away.
It took at least another half-hour of Aaron fretting and Katelyn keeping a close eye on him before there was a knock at the apartment door. Aaron raced to it, stopping and taking a deep breath right before opening the door.
He was met with his mirror image, a version of himself with messier hair, piercings, and a bored expression. Andrew held up two bags of takeout from a local Chinese place as an offering. Aaron nodded, stepping aside and letting Andrew in like he always did. But this time he kept the door open, waiting for their new guest.
Following Andrew was a very bizarre man.
He had flashy auburn hair similar to Katelyn’s, and bright blue eyes that Aaron couldn’t look directly at. Looking around them wasn’t much good either, because his eyes traced across a myriad of painful scars. One side of his face was covered in slashes, and the other had circular burn marks creating patterns on his cheek and around his eye. Aaron looked away quickly.
The man’s outfit was strange to say the least. He had on patchy orange overalls and a dirty green shirt with the sleeves rolled up. It was clearly old and loose fitting. Hanging around his neck were a few long necklaces that had strange charms. His forearms were covered with armbands that matched Andrew’’s, though his had flowers embroidered rather than a starry sky. Around his waist was a belt that had a few leather pouches attached, and most notably, a sheath. The handle of the knife within it was well-worn.
One of the man’s hands played with the strap of a leather satchel that laid across his body, providing more storage beyond the pouches on his waist. The other hand fiddled with some strange… Aaron didn’t even know what it was, a Christmas wind chime? He averted his gaze, focusing on the man again. The same burns and slashes from his face were mirrored on his hands. Some of his fingers were covered with rings that had the same look as the other charms. A handmade look. His nails were bitten short.
Worst of all, it seemed like the man’s sturdy boots would be tracking dirt into any place he went for the next decade. Aaron doubted they were ever washed. And now they were in his apartment, dirtying the floors he had worked so hard to clean while Katelyn told him to calm down from her spot on the couch.
Andrew had been right. Aaron hated his boyfriend.
“Hi, I’m Neil,” he said, kindly but firmly. Like he was expecting them to say something about his name.
“Aaron,” Aaron replied.
“I’m Katelyn, it’s nice to meet you Neil,” Katelyn added, having stood up from her spot on the couch. Neil nodded to them both and then thrust his hand forward, the one holding the unidentifiable item.
Aaron looked more closely at it. Neil held it by a twine circle, allowing it to hang freely. Dangling was a clearly homemade wreath with an upright horseshoe inside. The wreath was made of what seemed to be many different herbs and flowers. The horseshoe looked old, but wasn’t rusted. Below that, a few iron bells hung, as well as some small pouches and glass vials. Overall, it wasn’t massive, like a traditional wreath or other holiday decoration, but it was… intentional.
“For your door,” Neil said. It startled Aaron out of his thoughts. “It can be hung on the front of the door, or the back, or somewhere around it, as long as it’s by the door.”
Aaron did not want to hang that thing anywhere near his door.
“Thank you Neil, that’s so kind!” Katelyn said. She took the strange door hanging gratefully. Aaron saw her eyes rake over the different parts of it, and he knew she was strangely enamored with the gift.
“What exactly is it?” Aaron asked, but he noticed Neil’s attention very quickly moved away from him and fixated on something in the corner. Before Aaron could tell him to take off his shoes, Neil was striding into the apartment and towards a houseplant in the corner. Aaron watched as he scrounged through his bag and pulled out a scuffed and dented water bottle, then proceeded to water the plant.
Aaron couldn’t even say anything. Just watched. It took him a moment to shake out of his stupor, shooting a look at Andrew. Andrew didn’t seem surprised or bothered by Neil’s actions. In fact, he was looking at him with a disgusting sort of fondness that Aaron had never seen.
As if sensing Aaron’s eyes and questions, Andrew looked over at him. “Neil likes plants,” he said, as if that explained everything. Aaron could only blink.
Katelyn, bless her, took it in stride. “Thank you Neil,” she said, “but could you take off your shoes before you help us with the plants? I have another one that I’m worried I overwatered. I can show you while I give you a tour of the apartment.”
Neil didn’t even look guilty as he looked down at his shoes. He just tugged them off, setting them next to the plant. Not even next to the door. Was he raised in a barn?
“This one here needs more water than others, so keep that in mind,” Neil said. He stood from his crouched position over the plant, looking eagerly at Katelyn. “Where are the others?”
“Follow me,” she replied. She easily led him down the hall, pointing out their different rooms before walking into the bathroom and talking about a plant she had put there a few months ago.
Their partners out of sight, Aaron approached Andrew.
“Where did you find him?” he asked. Andrew raised a brow.
“Palmetto.”
Right, Andrew had moved about a year ago. He was a freelance illustrator and graphic artist, used to do tattoos and still had clients falling over themselves for his designs. Some even rented whole tattoo studios just so he would come in and ink it too. In true Andrew fashion, instead of using his money and talent to open his own studio, he fucked off to the middle of nowhere, a random town called Palmetto with nothing and no one.
Except Neil, apparently.
“Why… him?” Andrew shot Aaron a look, but Aaron couldn’t help asking. Neil was nothing like what Aaron thought his brother’s boyfriend would look like. Though he supposed Neil barging in and not apologizing for the dirt was on brand for his brother’s unapologetic asshole attitude.
“I like him,” Andrew said. Aaron found himself reeling in surprise again. Andrew saying he liked something? Liked someone?
“I mean-- he’s just-- I don’t know, he’s just different from what I was expecting,” Aaron stammered.
“What were you expecting?”
“Some edgy goth like you?”
Andrew frowned. “I’m not a goth.”
“Sure.”
And for a moment it felt easier, the teasing and annoyed looks coming naturally once again. It had taken them time to get to this point, so Aaron was glad a boyfriend wasn’t completely negating all their progress.
That’s when said boyfriend decided to return to the room.
“Music is good too, but try to keep it acoustic. She likes piano.” Aaron had no idea what that could mean, but Katelyn was nodding along with Neil’s instructions.
“Thanks Neil, I haven’t had many plants before so this is all new to me,” Katelyn said.
“Here,” Neil said, grabbing something from his bag, “if they’re looking down, just add this to the water you use to water them.” He handed Katelyn a small pouch.
“Thank you Neil! We’re lucky Andrew’s with someone who has a green thumb, the twins are terrible with plants.”
“Yeah, Andrew was banned from my garden for a while.”
Katelyn and Neil shared a smile, and Aaron knew that Katelyn had been won over.
He really hated Andrew’s boyfriend.
“Alright, let’s dig into this food!” Katelyn said, heading towards the kitchen to start unpacking the take-out. They all migrated in her direction, grabbing plates and bowls and serving spoons. Aaron let himself think that it would all be fine. They would go on an outing tomorrow and maybe he could get to know Neil a little better. Katelyn liked him, so how bad could he really be?
------------------------------------------
The next morning, Aaron was up early. He was used to a strange sleep schedule with his shifts at the hospital. He was lucky he managed to get time off for Andrew’s visit, but after brunch on the fifth he would be right back at work for another brutally long shift.
He eyed his new strange decor as he shuffled into the kitchen. Katelyn had hung it up, saying they needed something for their door and she liked how it “felt”, which made little sense to Aaron. He was able to ask his question again, Neil explaining that it was to protect their house. He had made the wreath himself, cleaned the horseshoes and the bells which he picked up from who knows where, and created the pouches and vials with specific herbs.
Katelyn loved it. She was practically beside herself that someone would put in so much effort to create a gift with so much intention, especially the intention to protect. Neil insisted it was nothing, saying he made ones for everyone he considered family, which made Katelyn melt, Aaron glare, and Andrew to say nothing.
“Is he serious?” Aaron murmured to Andrew when Katelyn and Neil were washing dishes.
“About what?” Andrew said blankly.
“You know about what, about his weird door thing and protection and herbs and all that shit!”
Andrew had fixed him with a look that Aaron could not decipher. “Yes,” was all he said. Aaron couldn’t try to get anything out of him before Katelyn was yelling that they needed to come dry the dishes.
Aaron shook his head and looked away from Neil’s gift. Katelyn would get bored of it eventually, and they could hang something new on the door. Or just paint it, or something.
He decided to make a pot of coffee, expecting Katelyn up soon and Andrew not long after. He didn’t know anything about Neil’s sleep schedule, so he just assumed whenever Andrew showed up, Neil would follow behind.
So when the front door opened revealing Neil, sweaty and in athletic clothes, Aaron couldn’t help his startle.
“Sorry,” Neil said, but the look on his face made Aaron think he wasn’t very sorry at all.
“It’s fine, I just didn’t think anyone would be up this early,” Aaron replied, pulling himself together quickly.
“I go on runs every morning. Lots of good stuff to pick up around here too.” Neil punctuated his statement by holding up an elegant feather. Aaron looked at it, incredulous.
“Are you a birder? Or collect feathers?” he asked. Neil shrugged.
“Not really a birder. I guess you could say I ‘collect feathers’ but I don’t usually keep them. This one will be perfect to use for Andrew’s birthday gift. Bird of prey feathers are great for protection. Oh, can I have some of that coffee? I’ll bring Andrew a mug too.”
Aaron had no idea what the hell Neil was talking about with the feather, so he just nodded about the coffee and watched as Neil poured two mugs and put an ungodly amount of sugar and creamer in one, leaving the other black. Then he whisked them away to the guest room, leaving Aaron alone once again.
So Neil was a crafter. He crafted that weird door thing, he was crafting something with random items from the sidewalk outside, he gardened to get herbs and flowers to craft with. Aaron could deal with that. As for the feather meaning protection… Aaron didn’t know what to make of that. It was an echo of the short conversation about his gift. Things meaning protection, or luck, or safety. It was weird. Neil was weird.
Aaron reminded himself he had known Neil for a few hours, and sure, he was weird, but there were probably plenty of normal things about him too. He had plenty of time to figure those things out. Aaron started on eggs for everyone, thinking about the morning they had planned.
------------------------------------------
“Are you sure you checked under the cushions?” Katelyn asked.
“Yes, I’m sure,” Aaron replied. He tried to keep the frustration out of his voice, Katelyn was just trying to help, but it was hard. They were supposed to leave to head to the park fifteen minutes ago, but Aaron couldn’t find his keys. It was setting their whole schedule behind.
“Lost your keys again?” Aaron looked up to see Andrew striding into the room, Neil close behind. Both were dressed for the day, Andrew in all black and Neil in another tacky and worn outfit that he probably chose in the dark.
“Not all of us have an eidetic memory,” Aaron grumbled. He sat up from where he was looking under the couch and watched Andrew sit down and not help. He was about to say something when he noticed Neil mumbling in the corner.
“Maybe it’s in our room,” Katelyn said.
“No, I don’t bring the keys into our room, it has to be in here.”
“Are you sure?”
“I don’t--”
“Here you go.” Katelyn and Aaron looked over at Neil, who was no longer mumbling in the corner. Instead he was holding out Aaron’s keys.
“Neil! You rock!” Katelyn said. She seemed happy they could finally get moving with the morning. Aaron just looked at him suspiciously.
“Where did you find them?” he asked.
“Side table, near the lamp.” Neil nodded his head over to the table.
“I looked there!” Aaron said. Neil just shrugged, tossing the keys to Aaron.
“Neil’s good at finding stuff,” Andrew chimed in. He probably sensed that Aaron was about to ask more about the keys mysteriously turning up. Aaron saw a small glint in Andrew’s eyes, hard to notice but there, that spelled out amusement. Maybe a secret.
It seemed that Andrew and Neil pranking him by taking his keys was not out of the question.
“Lost things like to have a little fun, but usually they want to be found,” Neil said casually. “You just need to know how to ask.”
And ok, the prank was on the backburner now because what did that mean?
“How do you ask?” Katelyn said hesitantly. Aaron was relieved his wife was at least slightly on the same page as him.
“Just a small ritual, some string, and luck,” Neil said casually. Aaron was about to ask what the fuck he meant by a ritual when Andrew interrupted.
“You got your keys. Let’s go.” Neil followed him to the door, the two of them tugging their boots on. Katelyn and Aaron looked at each other for a moment, before Katelyn shook her head with a small smile and followed the others to the door.
Aaron let himself sit for another second, staring at the side table where Neil found his keys. Aaron knew he had checked there at least twice. He had moved the lamp. He had stared at the wood grain. The keys weren’t there.
The sound of the iron bells ringing as Katelyn opened the front door echoed in Aaron’s ears.
Aaron hated Andrew’s weird boyfriend.
------------------------------------------
The park was nice, orange and yellow leaves dancing in the light breeze around them. Andrew walked with Aaron and Katelyn, but Neil tended to wander ahead or fall behind, even disappearing for short periods of time before reappearing like nothing ever happened.
Andrew didn’t seem concerned, so Aaron wasn’t either. It was still weird though. He would pop in with random commentary about the park. Some of it was relatively normal:
“Cardinal, Andrew did you see?”
“Red maple, really common in this area.”
Others were… stranger:
“They have witchgrass here. Get it? Andrew, come on, get it?”
“I’m glad the trees aren’t bothered by the sunshine, I know they were having some rain earlier this week. They’re all very polite.”
This paled in comparison to the very strangest thing that happened, which was a large black bird landing directly on Neil’s shoulder and yelling in his ear. Katelyn screamed, Aaron startled hard, Andrew did nothing, and Neil looked annoyed.
“I said I didn’t want any messages for the next three days, does anyone read texts?” Neil said, far too casual for the situation.
“You’re one to talk,” Andrew replied, also far too casual. Then Neil was reaching up and pulling a-- okay, so the bird had some sort of message attached to its leg. Neil unrolled it, read it, sighed, and then began searching through his bag.
“Is that safe?” Katelyn asked. She had gotten over her initial fear and was looking at Neil with trepidation and wonder.
“It cannot be safe,” Aaron said. He put himself between Katelyn and Neil.
“It’s fine. Neil’ll send it away in a minute.” Aaron looked incredulous at the thought, ready to ask Andrew what the hell is up with his weird boyfriend, when Neil found what he needed and drew their attention.
“You’re very lucky I had this on me,” Neil said. “It’s gonna be thirty bucks at least, especially for the trouble.”
The bird squawked. Neil held firm. Finally, it stuck it’s leg out, and Neil attached a small bottle to it with the same string from the initial message. He also grabbed a small nut or seed from a pouch on his belt and fed it to the bird.
“Tell her Monday at the latest, or she won’t like the consequences,” Neil told the bird. Then he gave it a quick pat on the head and it launched off his shoulder and into the air.
He turned to the group with an apologetic smile, the kind someone wears when they get an important phone call during a date or had to change the time for a meetup. “Sorry about that, let’s keep walking. Katelyn, you said there was a pond ahead?”
It was a testament to Katelyn’s improvisational skills that she was able to act normal after Neil just had a conversation with a messenger crow or raven or whatever it was.
“Yeah, just up ahead Neil!” she said, just barely breathless. “There are some birds there people like to feed, you might enjoy that.”
Aaron’s wife was perfect. He didn’t know how she did it, he was still reeling from everything but she had taken it in stride and was leading Neil to a place where he could talk to even more birds. Aaron snuck a glance at Andrew, who was already looking at him.
“Andrew, what was that?” he asked.
“Not important,” Andrew brushed off. “Neil has weird friends. Animals like him.”
Before Aaron could inquire further, Andrew left him behind and followed Katelyn and Neil at a brisk walk. He was avoiding the conversation. Avoiding telling Aaron something.
Aaron had a guess, but it sounded far too outlandish to be true. At least they still had dinner tonight. Andrew couldn’t avoid him then. He would get his answers about Andrew’s weird boyfriend.
------------------------------------------
Aaron was hesitant to leave Katelyn alone with a stranger, but she waved him off.
“Honey, you’re being ridiculous. Andrew would never leave you with someone dangerous, and by extension me.”
“He’s threatened you multiple times.”
“Keyword there is threatened. I’m still in one piece. Neil said he had some errands to run anyway, I’ll be alone most of the night.”
Aaron knew she was right, but he hated it anyway. Andrew hadn’t held any ill will towards Katelyn in a long time, and considered her family now. He wouldn't try to hurt her. He’s known Neil for enough time that he isn’t a stranger.
“Plus you have news to share,” Katelyn added, and Aaron’s anxiety immediately switched paths.
Right. That. He was telling Andrew That. Tonight. At dinner.
That.
Katelyn must’ve seen his face and stood up from their bed to meet him by the closet, wrapping her arms around him.
“It’ll be alright, baby. He’ll be excited. Well, as excited as Andrew can be.”
“I know,” Aaron said, leaning into her arms, “but I just can’t stop thinking of the worst possible scenarios. What if he freaks out? Or leaves? What if he thinks we’re making a mistake?”
Katelyn kissed Aaron’s neck, resting her head there.
“Then he can fuck off.”
Her words startled a laugh out of Aaron, who felt some tension release from his shoulders. No matter what happened, he would always have Katelyn.
“You’re right,” he said.
“Of course I am,” she replied. “And you should be more nervous about your little theory.”
“Shut up!” Aaron tackled Katelyn playfully to the bed, looking at her with a loving smile. “I regret telling you.”
“I’m not saying you’re wrong, but honey, you have to admit, it’s a little funny. I mean, what are you going to say, ‘Hey Andrew, I think your weird boyfriend--’”
Aaron put a hand over Katelyn’s mouth, muffling the rest of her speech. She laughed and licked his hand, so he pulled it away and kissed her instead.
Kissing Katelyn was a happy place for Aaron. It was comfortable, easy, and gave him butterflies every time. Katelyn loved to run her hand through his hair gently, never pulling. He melted at the feeling of it. He loved to stroke her cheeks with his thumbs, cradling her like she was the most precious thing in the world, because she was.
Katelyn pulled away first, a languid smile on her face. “Enough kissing. You have to get ready.”
Aaron snuck in one more peck before getting off the bed and putting on his chosen button up shirt. Katelyn sat on the bed for a moment before standing and grabbing a brush from the bathroom to style Aaron’s hair.
Fifteen minutes later, Aaron was walking out of his bedroom looking fairly nice, followed by Katelyn in loungewear and fuzzy socks. As they rounded the corner, Aaron stopped short.
Andrew was on the couch, dressed in all black as always, though this outfit was just slightly nicer for dinner. Next to him, Neil sat in his same outfit from the walk. They faced each other. Neil had Andrew’s arm cradled in his hand, and he was pressing his lips to Andrew’s armband.
It was incredibly tender and short-circuited Aaron’s brain.
He and Katelyn watched as Neil released Andrew’s arm, murmuring something. Then he looked up with an expression that could only be described as gooey, causing Andrew to huff and shove his face away gently.
Aaron was about to make their presence known when Neil looked right at him. It was like he knew they were there the whole time. Maybe he did.
“You two ready to go?” he asked. “Katelyn and I are gonna have a girl’s night while you’re gone.”
“Didn’t you have some errands to run?” Katelyn asked.
“Yeah, but we can’t let these two have all the fun.” Neil’s grin was playful and just slightly sharp. Aaron had seen a similar expression on Katelyn before. When she was getting into trouble.
It was lucky that Andrew was able to shove him out the door, or Aaron may have insisted on calling the whole thing off and staying home, if only for his own well-being.
------------------------------------------
The restaurant was a nice, upscale but not too upscale place that served Italian food. The two were promptly seated at a secluded corner table, as was their preference. The restaurant was nice enough to accommodate that during the reservation process.
Andrew was quick to grab the free bread at the table, and they ordered some additional bruschette, calamari, and roasted cauliflower as appetizers. Andrew’s diet had mellowed with age. While he was still a fiend for anything sweet, he actually ate other things from time to time.
They chatted about nothing for the first portion of dinner, through first drinks and appetizers. It was tradition at this point to not get into anything serious until the mains arrived. This was a strategy the twins had developed in therapy, to keep things light and share details about life first before digging deep, in order to ease them into each other’s presence and keep them in the therapy office a little longer. When they had started with accusations every session, someone ended up storming off five minutes in.
Now it was just what they did.
Aaron told Andrew about the hospital, about the surgeries he had been doing and the other doctors there. About decorating the apartment with Katelyn as the season changed. About what he made for lunch. Andrew told Aaron about the commissions for tattoos and other artwork he was getting. About his new place in Palmetto and what he still needed after almost a year. About his new favorite coffee order.
It was easy. It was nice.
Then a plate of pasta and a glass of wine was set down in front of each twin, and they both knew the real conversation was beginning.
“Neil,” Andrew said, putting it on the table. “You don’t like him. I knew you would not like him.”
“It’s not that I don’t like him,” Aaron began, trailing off slightly. “He’s just weird. And your first serious boyfriend ever, unless we count Roland.”
“We don’t count Roland.”
“He’s the first person you’ve ever introduced to me. It seems like you're serious about him. I want to like him, but I don’t want you to make a mistake.”
Aaron shut his mouth quickly at the end of his sentence. It was hard to word his fears. He knew Andrew didn’t like other people trying to protect him or getting involved in his affairs. Roland had been a point of contention between them when Andrew first started hooking up with him. Aaron hoped that after all this time, Andrew would at least hear him out.
“Neil is not a mistake.” Andrew’s voice was firm, but Aaron heard something else there. A slight vulnerability. Nothing bad, nothing afraid, nothing scary. It was a protective anger coating a soft core of--
Of love.
Aaron had heard it in his own voice before when the conflict between Andrew and Katelyn began. The fierce protectiveness, the desperation to get Andrew to see that Katelyn was different, that he loved her.
Now Andrew had the same voice, the same look.
A mean and nasty part of Aaron wanted to fight. Wanted to hate Neil even more, say cruel things, force Andrew to pick sides. To see what he put Aaron through.
The other parts of Aaron, the ones softened with time and care and love, the parts sanded down in therapy and healed with long conversations, thought about how Andrew had had no one for so long. Aaron never thought he would hear anything like love coming from Andrew, about anyone, friend, romantic partner, even family.
He deserved to have what Aaron didn’t at the time, for a variety of complicated reasons. He deserved support.
But there was still that little thing in Aaron’s mind.
“Ok, but you know your boyfriend is some kind of witch, right?”
Aaron was surprised at his own boldness, and even more surprised he didn’t get punched in the face. He started believing he had stumbled into some alternate universe when Andrew cracked the smallest of small smiles. It was practically laughing by Andrew standards.
“Yes, I am aware Neil is a witch.”
“So he probably does weird rituals with crystals and drinks disgusting tea and bleeds on pentagrams? And you’re fine with that?”
Andrew’s smile dropped quickly. “Neil does not do anything with blood. He does not do anything dangerous. He does not force me to do anything when it comes to his beliefs.”
It was still strange. Aaron didn’t know why. He tried to voice it.
“But he knows it’s not real, right?”
“When a patient is asking God for good health, do you send them to a mental hospital? When a coworker has to step out to pray when the sun sets, do you let them know it’s not real? People’s beliefs are their own. Just because you think Neil’s are strange, it doesn’t make him insane or stupid.”
And… okay, Andrew made a good point. Neil didn’t seem to judge them for anything, didn’t make assumptions about star signs or say he only practiced “natural” medicine and didn’t believe in vaccines. He had never even mentioned being a witch. He had given them a gift, telling them to hang it by the door, but hadn’t forced them to. He said it was for protection, which was a kind thought, and it could just be seen as a handmade gift.
Neil had his quirks, but that didn’t mean he was dangerous.
“As for it not being real,” Andrew continued, “sure. Believe what you want. The world has a lot of shit we haven’t figured out yet.”
Aaron could feel his keys burning a hole in his pocket. The ones he had lost, that Neil had talked into coming out of hiding. Their houseplants, that were flourishing under Neil’s small tweaks. The strange bird that had landed on Neil’s arm with a message and an intelligent glimmer in its eye.
Aaron decided he didn’t want to know about all that.
“So Neil’s a witch,” Aaron said. “What does that entail exactly?”
Aaron hadn’t noticed how tense Andrew was until he relaxed at the question. Aaron tried to ask with genuine curiosity, his version of an apology. He wanted to learn about Andrew’s boyfriend.
“Neil is best at making charms, trinkets, amulets, talismans, things like that,” Andrew said. “He gifts them to people he likes. He also has a garden and uses it to make homemade meals and teas. They do not taste disgusting, though I add extra sugar. He has recently been learning more about sigils. He occasionally reads tarot or runestones, but not very often.”
“And you--” Aaron almost said “buy that?” but managed to catch himself, “do that too?”
“No. I’m not a witch,” Andrew said. Aaron nodded.
“Good to know. I was going to get you crystals for Christmas, but I guess it’s back to the drawing board.”
Andrew’s lip barely upturned at Aaron’s comment, but it helped ease the tension further. They both dug into their pasta with more vigor, Andrew answering questions about Neil and Palmetto, Aaron talking about some of the stranger things he’d seen at the hospital that felt a little like magic.
They talked through thanksgiving plans (Aaron going to Katelyn, Andrew staying with his new friends in Palmetto), Christmas plans (Nicky wanted to see Andrew’s new house, so they decided to all go to Palmetto, which Aaron was nervous about but wouldn’t admit it), and getting older.
By the time plates were cleared and birthday dessert had been ordered, Aaron had completely forgotten about that other thing he had to tell Andrew, until Andrew brought it up.
“There was something else,” he said, sipping at his almost-empty glass of wine.
“Something else?” Aaron asked.
“You were jittery about more than Neil.”
It all came back to Aaron in one fell swoop. He choked on his own spit for a moment. Andrew waited patiently, raising an eyebrow at Aaron.
Aaron collected himself and took a deep breath.
“Katelyn’s pregnant.”
Andrew didn’t do hugs, but the way his hand gripped Aaron’s, it felt like one.
------------------------------------------
While walking to the entrance of the lobby from the parking garage, Aaron realized he felt happy. That wasn’t necessarily a rare occasion, Katelyn made him happy, his work made him happy, but this was different. This was with his brother. This felt like floating.
Andrew could barely hold in his roiling emotions at the restaurant, telling Aaron he was grateful that he would get to be an uncle, that he never thought he could have that, all through gritted teeth. He also told Aaron that if his child was ever hurt in any way by Aaron or Katelyn, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill either of them.
Aaron said that he would let Andrew do whatever he wanted if that ever happened.
They enjoyed their sugary dessert together, blowing out the two candles they requested. Then they headed home, warm insides fighting the chill of the wind.
Once in the lobby, Aaron frowned. Was that--
“Katelyn? What are you doing down here?”
Katelyn turned at the sound of her name, smiling brightly. “Hey you two! Neil and I were just out on a walk, but he had to go do something else so he dropped me here.”
“He left you?” Aaron said. Katelyn rolled her eyes.
“He walked me to the lobby and I had to insist to him that I could take an elevator by myself.”
Aaron still pouted, but Katelyn gave him a peck and it cheered him up.
“Dinner was good?” She asked as they got into the elevator. Aaron nodded. Andrew just looked at Katelyn, locking eyes with her. She smiled softly at him, and Andrew gave her a nod. They looked away after that.
It was all Aaron could’ve wished for.
He fell into bed easily with Katelyn that night. She had presented Andrew and Aaron with gifts (a large bag of Andrew’s favorite candy and fuzzy socks with gourmet chocolate for Aaron (who had been eying hers enviously since October)) and they had chatted in the living room for a short time before calling it a night. Aaron asked about Neil, but Andrew reassured him that Neil would be back soon.
Under the covers, Katelyn rubbed her socked feet against Aaron’s. “I’m glad it went well,” she said.
“Me too. He didn’t even pretend to be annoyed about us changing the guest room into a nursery. I think he was ordering baby things for us on his phone at the end of dinner.”
Katelyn giggled and kissed Aaron. He kissed back happily. The full moon was illuminating the dark room with a cool glow, and everything was warm in their little apartment.
It was the best birthday Aaron had ever had.
------------------------------------------
The next morning, Aaron and Katelyn woke up to delicious smells. They stumbled into the kitchen to find Neil, being assisted by Andrew, cooking a brunch feast in their kitchen. Aaron hadn’t even heard Neil come back the night before, even with the new bells on the door.
“I thought we would go out for brunch,” Katelyn said, but the smile on her face was massive.
“Why go out for brunch?” Neil replied. “I make it better than they ever could.”
He wasn’t joking. Orange and clove spiced pancakes, brown sugar biscuits with bacon, mini egg cups with chopped veggies-- it was all delicious. Aaron felt himself fill with newfound energy and happiness as he ate. The food warmed him from head to toe and he found himself appreciating the sunshine more than usual. Neil promised to write the recipes down for Katelyn, and they flipped a few pancakes together in the kitchen while the twins just enjoyed the space.
Katelyn insisted on cleaning, and Neil insisted on helping, despite being the one to cook. Aaron volunteered instead, happy to help his wife, while Andrew and Neil split the final biscuit together and enjoyed the morning
All too soon, they were packing up to leave.
“We’ll be down there for Christmas!” Katelyn said excitedly. “I’m ready to see your garden Neil, I bet it’s amazing even in the winter.”
“Drive safely,” Aaron told Andrew. Andrew nodded. It was like “I love you.”
“Oh, and here,” Neil said, an echo of the first night, “for the baby. Put it in your hospital bag. It’s for protection and good luck.”
In his hand was a hand-carved pendant of a fox. It hung like an ornament on a piece of twine that was taped to the back. Neil insisted it could be a keepsake, a necklace, whatever suited them best.
Katelyn had hugged Neil tightly, and he squeezed her back. Aaron had no idea when that happened, but he supposed it wasn’t a bad thing. Neil would likely be family in the future, if the way Andrew talked about him and looked at him was anything to go by.
Then the apartment was empty, and Aaron was left breathing in the remnants of spice and something unrecognizable in the air. Katelyn looked at the fox pendant with wonder, and Aaron let a finger softly graze the smooth wooden surface.
Maybe Neil wasn’t so bad after all.
(Months later, Andrew will get a call from a panicked Aaron about something being wrong with Katelyn’s labor, before it gets resolved almost like magic. He’ll admit to Andrew in a waiting room that Katelyn had kept the fox amulet in their go bag since they had gotten it, and that he could’ve sworn it looked at him in the hospital room. That it moved. That Katelyn’s birth was fantastic after that, no complications.
That the little patch of white hair on their daughter’s head might be something a little unexplained. A little something like magic.)