#im pretty sure nora said that he had twins in one of her extra content things

[higgins5]

You've gone soft

Aaron lounged on the couch easily, arm wrapped around a sleeping Katlyn by his side. The warmth in the room making sleep a very appealing idea. His deprived mind foggy as he swirled his red wine around in its glass, attempting movement to stay awake. Santa may need milk and cookies to get through the night, but the adults need some help too. These presents won’t finish wrapping themselves. He glanced over at his brother, bored expression on his masked face. Andrew’s- whatever Neil was to him- lay with his head on his shoulder falling in and out of sleep. Their fingers ever so slightly intertwined, falling loosely away now that Neil had no bodily control. Aaron didn't care whether Neil was merely his brother’s friend with a bit more than benefits or his husband, though technically in some states he would be, he just cared that he brought some amount of happiness in his bleak life. So, when Katlyn suggested inviting Andrew over for dinner and helping wrap the twins’ presents, he didn't mind extending the invitation to the other.

Someone looking upon this scene would think the brothers had always been close. Think that their relationships had always been strong, aside from the scars on Neils face they’d assume their lives had been easy. Aaron, of course knows this has not always been, and never will be the case. But he admits the men looked soft in this moment, the multicolored lights from the tree making the two glow from where they had settled on the wall. He watched as Andrew slowly removed the scissors from his partners hand, saying something quietly in Russian. Secretly, Aaron had always been a little jealous that his brother decided to learn a language just so he could speak to Neil. Maybe he will ask Andrew if he’ll learn a language that they could share together. But not tonight. Tonight it is far too late to be having such conversations, maybe the wine is getting to him, he thinks. It has been a while since his college days when they’d party at Edens. He has become soft in his “old” age. Based on the sight in front of him, they both have.

Andrew lifted his head and locked eyes with his brother. In that moment Aaron could feel the peace between them, forged and fought so long ago. Andrew looked away first, seemingly bored of their unspoken conversation. They sat in a comfortable silence, forced to still for the bodies who sleep on them. Aaron wondered how their lives managed to turn out like this, something calm and filled with love. Pieces Katlyn’s hair slip from its carefully crafted braid, tickling his neck above the collar. Aaron gently brushes it aside, careful not to wake his wife. His wife, the mother of his children, the love of his life- god Aaron liked the sound of that, those words leaving a sweet taste on his tongue.

Aaron feelt the corners of his mouth twitch as he takes her hand, “I wanted to thank you for coming, by the way. The twins always get a kick out of your visits”, he tells his brother quietly.

Andrew doesn’t meet his gaze as he replies, “You’ve gone soft in your old age, it doesn’t suit you. And don’t thank me, Neil made me come. Promised there would be ice cream,” he looks Aaron dead in the eyes then, and grumpily comments, “there wasn’t any. But I suppose that’s my fault for trusting a rabbit.”

Aaron hums a reply. They both know he wouldn’t have come if he didn’t want to, but there is no need to bring that up. Aaron’s eyes track the gentle way in which he holds Josten so he does not fall, in the way that he stills as to not wake him. “I don’t seem to be the only one growing soft,” he says through a smile, nodding at the scene in front of him.

Andrew graces him with an irritated look, his favorite expression for his brother, it would seem. Aaron smiles, remembering when Andrew would only speak to get an answer- oh, how far they’ve come. He may not always appreciate the red heads presence but he will be the first to admit (never to Neil, of course) that he helped them.

Carefully Aaron lays Katlyn down the rest of the way on the couch, scooting slowly off the seat cushions. He reaches over he and slips the empty wine glass in his hand and makes his way towards Andrew, wading through the wrapping paper and presents strewn around the floor to be placed under the tree. Andrew raises an eyebrow but hands over his and Neil’s glasses. Aaron pads over to the kitchen, placing the old glasses in the sink to be washed later, he’ll leave the mess for future Aaron and curse himself later. He refills Andrew’s whiskey glass, he never did seem to take to wine, and his own. Aaron sits down next to his brother, passing over the drink after a nod of thanks.

They sit there in this casual sense of calm, marveling over how their lives turned out so perfectly. And finally, after everything Aaron is able to close his eyes. He drifts off to sleep with his head leaning on the coffee table, body still on the cold floor. He will later wake to a family filled with love and life and the happiness he had always dreamed of. He had a wife, he had a brother, he had a family, he had a home.