Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Flowers have always played a big part in Aaron's life. They were how he displayed his emotions, his feelings. But while others might think of it as a beautiful blessing, he wasn't a very open person, so the flowers were more of a burden to him than anything.

He was a private person, he hated being in the spotlight and just wished to keep to himself. But the flowers prevented that from happening and he hated himself for it. Hated that he was stuck with this curse. Hated that this was his life.

At first, the flowers did nothing except turn to him when he walked by. But as he got older and faced far more intense emotions, they began to bloom whenever he felt something strongly. No one seemed to notice though.

Sure, occasionally people would find it strange that flowers, no matter the type or time of year it was, bloomed around him, but they never question it, so he didn't mention it. After his parents died, however, everything changed.

Flowers began to bloom around him constantly. Harebell, scabious and adonis flowers were the most common. They never wilted or died and grew anywhere and everywhere, they stayed by his side for years.

They only went away when his sister Sally screamed at him to stop. To get rid of the horrible flowers because all the kids at school bullied her for having a freak of a brother.

Aaron remembered staring at her with tears spilling out of his eyes, crying loudly that he didn't know how to get rid of them. That he couldn't control it and he was sorry. Sorry for having this ability, sorry for making her life more difficult. Sorry for existing.

Eventually, the plants went away. But that was only after Aaron realized the secret behind them. Should he feel extremely happy, a plant with that meaning would sprout around him, no matter the place or time of year. He realized quite quickly that if he buried his emotions deep inside, the plants would stay away. However, this proved to be exhausting, so he came up with a solution. Since no one came into his bedroom, he allowed his plants to grow freely.

A few months after the death of their parents, Aaron and his sister went to live with their grandfather, who sadly passed away just three months later. The two sibling then moved in with their uncle, a strict and religious man. Aaron had known right away that he could not let his uncle know anything about his flowers. In their old town, many people knew of his power and were wary of him, however, the worst were those who were extremely religious.

They were always more vocal in their distaste for him.

Aaron was careful not to give his uncle any tips. He could no longer use his room as a sanctuary, his uncle often came barging in, so he instead made small plants grow in various logical places. Either the school garden, his own garden or just in the woods behind his uncle's house.

Everything fell apart when his sister, whom he still loved very much despite the fact that she avoided him, ran away. Disappeared without a trace.

When his uncle told him the news, the entire room became filled with cypress, anemone and a hundred other plants. He remembered seeing his uncle's eyes widening in horror before being grabbed by the arm and dragged out of the room, the flowers trailing behind them.

His uncle had thrown him to the floor, screamed at him, calling him a devil child, blaming him for his parents death, yelling that it was all his fault that Sally had run, that he was never and would never be loved.

After that day he was severely punished if his uncle even saw the smallest plant near him.

Then, a year later, his uncle's wife died. All the man had left was a cursed devil child for a nephew. His uncle turned to alcoholism and the punishments grew worse. Now his uncle would hit him no matter what.

But Aaron grit his teeth and bared it, finding refuge in his room where he would allow any plants to bloom, often covering his bed sheets and walls. As the years flew by, Aaron found the flowers and plants to be his only friends and confided in them.

Whenever he was upset or dragged himself into his bedroom after a bad beating from his uncle, he would talk to his plants and they would curl around him in hopes of making him feel better. The flowers were always there for him, comforted him when no one else would.

When Aaron graduated, he already had a scholarship to a university in New York City and he was relieved. Now, he was a whole river away from his uncle and going to a new place where no one knew about his powers, a place where no one would call him a devil child.

It was at NYU that he met Alexander Hamilton.

At first sight, Aaron knew that the man was special, different. He only saw him from a distance of course, but goodness he was radiant. He shone as brilliantly as a star, casting a shadow down on everyone else. He had never seen or met someone as magnificent as him. He was blinded by his light and couldn't help but be drawn to it.

It turned out that they were both studying law and even though he noticed Alexander, the latter never noticed him. But Aaron didn't mind. No one at the university knew him. He kept to the shadows, talked less and smiled more because that was how he survived at home.

So Aaron was happy. Sure, he didn't have any friends, but he didn't need them. He'd gone his whole life without having a single friend other than his plants, he was fine.

Except he wasn't.

Aaron watched as Alexander accumulated friends, socialized, went to parties, was happy, and genuinely enjoying himself. Aaron didn't have any of those things. He was completely alone and he hated it.

The plants that grew in his room noticed his sad mindset and tried to comfort him, but no matter how much they curled around him and rubbed against his cheek like a cat, he couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness. He wanted friends, he wanted to be normal.

But he couldn't. His own sister thought he was some sort of freak, why should he expect a stranger to think any differently? Aaron didn't think he could take another heartbreak.

So he coped. He buried his feelings deep down, refusing to acknowledge his own loneliness. He ignored everyone and focused on his work. And he was fine, really he was. He dealt with it and while he wasn't happy, he wasn't sad either.

Everything was fine until Alexander got his first boyfriend. Honestly, he should have seen it coming. Alexander and John Laurens were incredibly close, it only made sense that, eventually, they would become lovers. Aaron pushed away and ignored his jealousy, his feelings for Alexander, increased loneliness, and continued on.

But then another joined Alexander and John. A handsome Frenchman named Gilbert Lafayette, an exchange student from France who had gained quite a following in his time in America. This time, Aaron couldn't stop the french marigolds that bloomed at his feet whenever he saw them together, laughing and enjoying their lives.

Still, he ignored it and soon, the French marigolds went away and everything was normal again. But then Hercules came along and the three decided that they just had to have him in their growing relationship.

Yellow roses and french marigolds followed him for weeks.

At first, Aaron thought he was jealous of the fact that John, Lafayette, and Hercules were in a relationship with Alexander and not him, but he realized that wasn't the case.

He was jealous that he didn't, couldn't, have what they had. Couldn't have them. And he hated himself for loving all of them when he knew that they would never return his feelings. Hated that he was putting himself through the pain of seeing them together, knowing that they didn't even know who he was, that he existed when he was all too aware of them.

Yet no matter how lonely he felt, he never approached them. His fear of rejection was too strong.

It was in the library where he had his first conversation with Alexander. They both reached for the same book at the same time and when their hands met, Aaron couldn't help but feel like his life was some bad romance book.

Alexander's eyes lit up when he saw that Aaron was the other person who had reached for the book. "Aaron Burr, sir!" He chirped.

Aaron just stared at him, shocked that Alexander even knew his name.

"I, uh," was his eloquent reply. Alexander didn't comment, simply grinned at him.

"We have the same law class, right? I thought I saw you sitting in the back! I've been wanting to chat with you for awhile, but you always seem to disappear after class. It's kinda crazy actually, almost like you have the power to teleport or something but that's just silly. Oh! My name's Alexander Hamilton by the way."

Aaron gave him a tight smile, trying very hard to get his heartbeat back to normal and looking anywhere but Alexander's face.

"Oh, uh, y-yes. I know who you are." Aaron internally cringed at his reply. That was horrid. He sounded like some sort of stalker.

"So! What do you need this book for Mr. Burr sir?" Alexander asked, rocking back and forth on his feet, still clutching the book.

"I uh, I like flowers and want to know the meanings behind them." He quickly lied. Truth be told, he just wanted to care for his only friends better, but he couldn't tell Alexander that. Dorms had no space for plants. He didn't want Alexander to suspect anything.

"Really? That's cool! My boyfriend John is planting a small garden back in our apartment and I wanna help him with his flowers. So, mind if I take the book?" Alexander's eyes were gleaming and his mouth twisted into a grin.

Aaron recognized that look. He saw it every time Alexander got into a debate with someone. If he didn't let Alexander take the book, he was at risk of getting into a heated discussion with one of his crushes. No doubt his emotions would spiral out of control and his secret would be discovered.

"Go ahead. It's all yours." He said, releasing the book with a tight smile. Alexander looked startled but didn't protest at Aaron's withdrawal.

"Thanks Burr!" Alexander said before marching away. Aaron stared after him for a moment before racing back to his dorm. His chest felt tight and he wasn't sure if it was because of how close that had been, or because Alexander had acknowledged him.

After that meeting, he couldn't seem to stop bumping into Alexander. Whether they were just walking past each other in the halls, Alexander waved to him every time, being in the library at the same time, Aaron had even bumped into him at the grocery store with Hercules.

All those meetings were really testing his willpower and putting him on edge. One slip up and it was over. People would avoid him again, they would throw him to the ground and kick, scream horrible names at him. He refused to let that happen. Not again. Never again.

He began to avoid Alexander. When he waved to him in the halls, Aaron would speed up and ignore him. If he saw him in the library, he'd go in the opposite direction, and if he tried to catch him after class, Aaron would escape a different way. He even went out a window once when the professor's back was turned, just to avoid the other student.

He spent as much time as possible in his room, trying not to feel guilty or too alone. He had his plants and he tried to convince himself that was all he needed.

As his mood soured more, his plants began to wilt, little by little. He felt horribly guilty and would've cared for them like a normal person would, but Alexander had yet to return the book and none of the others seemed to do him any good.

It was a bright fall day and Aaron had decided to leave his dorm for a bit and study on the fresh green grass. He was minding his own business, doing his reading, when John, Hercules, and Lafayette all marched up to him looking very upset. They stopped in front of him and Aaron looked up, trying to push away his anxiety and slight fear when he saw the look of anger on their faces.

"Can I help you?" He asked, thankful that he managed to keep his voice steady. John pointed a finger at his face.

"What the hell have you done to Alexander?" He demanded. Aaron blinked, fear twisting his stomach into a knot.

"I-I'm sorry, what?" He stammered, anxiety coiling in him, tight and deadly.

"Alexander is... quite upset." Lafayette said.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"A few weeks ago Alexander came home super excited that he finally managed to talk to you. And then a few days later he became moody and upset, but wouldn't tell us why." Hercules explained, arms crossed and a stern look on his face.

"W-what?" Aaron stammered.

"You did not know how happy Alexander was?" Lafayette asked in surprise. Aaron shook his head, eyes wide.

"I don't know how you couldn't tell," John said, rolling his eyes, oblivious to the ever-growing flowers. "He's been trying to grab your attention for a while now. We all have."

Aaron's breath caught at the new information. "I, w-what?"

"Aaron, we have been... watching you from afar," Lafayette said. "We would like to get to know you."

Hope began to build in Aaron's chest and his eyes widened with horror when he noticed jonquils growing on the ground around them.

"What'd you say, Aaron?" Hercules asked, snapping Aaron's attention back to them. They were all oblivious to the flowers, staring at him and waiting for a response. He swallowed thickly before nodding hesitantly.

The three of them grinned.

"Sweet!" John said. "Let's go tell Alexander the good news!"

As Aaron watched them walk away, he couldn't help but feel that he had made a horrible mistake.

Yup. He made a mistake. A huge mistake.

He was currently at a small out of the way cafe, squished between Alexander and Hercules and, oh god, his heart was beating so hard that he wouldn't be surprised if everyone could hear it. Why did he agree to this again? Whatever happened to him staying away? Far, far away.

He took a shaky breath, closing his eyes, trying to calm down. He was almost scared to open them again, worried that if he did, he would see flowers blooming everywhere.

"You okay Aaron?" Alexander asked, probably noticing how stiff he was against him. Aaron's eyes opened and he was relieved to see no flowers.

"I'm fine." He said, smiling weakly at the slightly taller man. "Just uh... not used to close contact..."

The last part was quiet. While it wasn't necessarily false, it wasn't exactly true either. It was just that the close contact he'd had with other people hadn't been welcomed.

"Sorry Aaron, this is the biggest table in the cafe," Hercules said, sending him an apologetic smile. Aaron gave him a small smile back, refusing to acknowledge how cute Hercules' smile was.

"It's fine." He said even though it really wasn't. Being so close to his crushes made him feel far too many things.

He glanced out the window and cringed when he saw all the many violets and myrtle bushes growing across the street. He was only thankful that they were further away and not growing out of the table or the many coffee-filled cups.

"Are you sure you're alright Aaron? You look on edge." Alexander pressed, looking concerned.

"Yes, but I don't have many... friends. It's been awhile since I've uh, hung out with someone." Aaron confessed, cheeks turning red with embarrassment.

"Wow! You're even more of a loner than Alex!" John exclaimed earning a 'Hey!' from the other man.

Aaron shifted a bit uncomfortably. It wasn't like he wanted to be a loner, he didn't have a choice. When people learned the truth about him, well, it never ended well.

They stayed in the cafe and chatted for awhile and gradually, Aaron felt himself relax. They were all quite pleasant to be around, each showing high intelligence and they clearly loved each other very much.

It ended up being one of the best days of Aaron's life. These people were so kind and accepting. He was almost tempted to reveal everything. However, the fear that had been ingrained in him since childhood kept him from mentioning anything. He wasn't sure his heart could take being abandoned again.

As he watched his new sort-of-friends walk away, begonia flowers bloomed in his wake.

Aaron began to spend more and more time with the squad, even if he didn't really want to. When four equally adorable people all begged you to hang out, it was very difficult to say no.

However, even with these new wonderful friends, Aaron still felt lonely, like an outsider. Seeing the four of them interact with such obvious affection was taking a toll on him. His heart ached more and more, wishing he could join in.

His room soon became covered in pink camellias.

Christmas rolled around and Aaron was staying in New York. He was all too aware of what would happen should he return to New Jersey, so he prepared himself for a quiet, lonely Christmas.

What he was not prepared for, was being invited to go to John's vacation home. He'd gotten permission from his father to take his friends there but, well, Aaron was kind of worried about going.

One, he wasn't sure how his plants would do if he was gone for two weeks. He cared for them deeply and he didn't want to abandon them in any way. Two, he wasn't sure if he could survive living with his four crushes for two weeks. Something was sure to go horribly wrong. And three, ever since learning about his ability, he'd had a space to let his plants roam free. However, if he was in a house that wasn't even his, with four other people, where would his plants roam? Especially in the winter.

In the end, the squad's pleading faces threw his logic out the window and he agreed to go.

And boy did he regret it.

Turns out that every morning either one or the whole squad would burst into his room and wake him up. This meant that while he was living in the vacation home he couldn't allow his abilities to go out of control.

And the fact that the centers of his affections were living there with him and seemed to just love walking around without shirts certainly didn't help him keep his powers at bay.

He survived the first week with no incidents. If a few vases were suddenly filled with fresh new flowers, well, no one said a thing. But after a week of suppressing his flowers and feelings, he began to feel awful. He began to get stomach aches, headaches and often felt dizzy.

"Hey Aaron, you alright?" John asked, looking over at him from his spot on the couch. Aaron grimaced at the noise of his voice. His head pounded, it was too loud, too bright.

"Just a headache." He mumbled eyes pinched together. John looked at him, unconvinced.

"Alright. There's medicine in the mirror in the bathroom." He said. Aaron shot him a smile that probably looked more like a grimace than anything.

"Thanks."

As the days passed, his headaches grew worse and soon, he couldn't even leave his room. It was too bright outside, it hurt his eyes and his head.

He was currently lying in his bed, sweating and uncomfortable. His head hurt so much, it was almost unbearable. The door creaked open and the squad crept in.

"Aaron?" Alexander asked, walking over to his bed. Aaron didn't reply, only groaned pitifully.

"Aaron? What's going on?" Hercules asked, placing a warm hand on his arm. Aaron nearly mewled at the contact. It felt so nice.

"Aaron, I think you need to go to the hospital," John said. He shook his head, only to whine as the movement made his head hurt even more.

"N-No..." he stammered, whimpering at the pain. He coughed, his body began to shake. He didn't understand. Why was he so sick? He almost never got sick.

Tears began to well up in his eyes and spilled over. He didn't understand. What was going on? He began to sob, burying his head in his arms. He was so tired. He just wanted to sleep.

"What are we supposed to say to him?"

"How should I know?"

"You guys need to calm down. We should let him explain once he wakes."

Aaron opened his eyes and blinked, trying to clear his vision.

"Everyone shut up! He's waking up." Someone hissed. Aaron's vision cleared and he stared dumbly at the four men staring down at him with a confusing mix of concern and caution.

"Alexander...?" He murmured, his face being the first one he saw. He sat up, completely confused. "What happened? What's going on?"

He looked around the room and his eyes widened in horror.

Hundreds of different plants and flowers covered the room. They were on the flower, on the walls even growing on the ceiling. A scarlet geranium, obviously sensing his panic and anxiety, curled its leaves around his wrist, its soft petals brushing against his skin. Aaron absentmindedly pet it, taking in the damage he had done to the room.

"Aaron... after you passed out all these plants appeared," Hercules swallowed. "Did you... did you do this?"

Aaron felt panic rise in his chest and he started to shake. Memories of his uncle hitting him, his sister screaming at him, and all the kids at school yelling freak filled his mind. His breath stuttered in his chest and tears started to spill from his eyes again. Columbine and helenium flowers began to bloom all around him, answering Hercules' question. Aaron buried his face in his hands, not wanting to see what their reactions would be.

"Aaron... why didn't you tell us?" Alexander asked softly, placing a gentle hand on his shaking shoulder. Aaron couldn't reply, only let out choked sobs. Arms wrapped around him and pulled him into a warm chest. He curled up and clung to the shirt of whoever was holding him. Eventually, his sobs turned into small whimpers and his seemingly endless well of tears finally dried up. He let go of whoever he was clinging to.

"I-I'm sorry..." he mumbled, wiping his eyes. Lafayette, who'd held him, took his hand and began to massage it.

"It is fine mon fleur. Do you think you could tell us why you kept these flowers a secret?" He spoke gently, softly. Aaron looked down at his lap, squeezing Lafayette's hand.

"I... I have a sister." He said quietly. Everyone stayed quiet, waiting for him to continue. "When our parents died flowers and plants began to follow me everywhere. They grew on everything and... and Sally she... people at school bullied her for, for having a 'freak for a brother'." He sniffled. "She came home one day and begged me to get rid of the plants, claiming she couldn't live anymore with everyone knowing her brother was some sort of freak." Aaron could feel tears rising up.

"Aaron..." Hercules whispered.

"Then we moved in with our uncle and nobody except Sally knew about my abilities. But when I was eleven Sally ran away and when my uncle told me, the flowers appeared. He was so m-mad. He dragged me out of the room and threw me to the floor, calling me a devil child. I-I-" his voice broke off in a sob and Lafayette quickly pulled him into another hug.

"God Aaron," John said, grabbing his hand and squeezing it tightly.

"I-it only got worse after that. My aunt died and my uncle got even worse. Everyone in town knew about my power. They were so horrible..." Aaron sniffled, wiping his eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I was so scared that the same thing would happen."

"Aaron, you don't have to worry about that anymore. We don't mind your ability." Lafayette said, cradling his face gently and wiping his tears away.

"Yeah!" Alexander piped up.

John smiled at him. "Plus, your ability is beautiful. I mean look at this! It's amazing."

John gestured all around the room, grinning widely. Aaron stared at him, shocked. No one had ever found his ability beautiful before. And just like that, he fell in love a little more.

For the rest of their vacation, the others begged Aaron to allow his powers to have free rein. He had been reluctant at first, worrying that his plants would ruin John's beautiful vacation home, but the man insisted that it was fine, so he let go. He allowed his plants to grow to their heart's content.

Well, mostly.

The feelings he had for the others stayed down. He refused to allow any romantic plants to grow. Not when Alexander carried around that library book with all the flower meanings. He felt exposed. His emotions were out on the table and anyone could see them. He was relieved when Christmas break finally came to an end.

They returned to campus, sharing goodbyes. Aaron quickly walked to his dorm, running in and slamming the door behind him. Immediately, all his plants turned to him and started to entangle themselves around him, obviously offering comfort.

"Hey guys." He muttered, petting a couple of plants, smiling softly when they bloomed under his touch. It'd been so long since it was just him and his plants. It was nice.

He sighed and stood up, his plants turning and following him, seeming confused. He began to unpack, petting the plants that began to take his clothing, folding them and putting them away. Because of their help, the unpacking went by pretty quickly.

"Thanks." He said, sitting down on his moss and clover-covered bed. The clovers turned to him, silently asking him what was wrong. He reached over, brushing his fingers against their leaves gently. They practically preened under his attention. He continued to do this until some ivy wrapped itself around his wrist, tugging him a bit.

He sighed again. "Alright, alright," he said. "I'm fine really. The guys all know about my ability now. I'm just a bit... anxious. "

His voice trailed off, his mind thinking of the worst possible scenario like it had since he told the guys. Anxiety wrapped around him, suffocating and tight. His plants, sensing his already high and increasing anxiety levels, rushed forward to comfort him. He's broken down in front of his plants before and they were horrified at how upset he'd gotten. He knew they never wanted that to happen again.

While these plants weren't the same ones that grew in his room back home, they somehow knew, or acknowledged, everything that the others have witnessed.

He curled up on his bed, dead tired. The drive back had been a long one and his worrying was draining. The plants curled around him and he fell into a dreamless sleep.

The following weeks consisted of him settling back into a routine of school and avoiding the squad out of fear of what they would say.

Sure, they knew about his power, but what if he accidentally slipped up and a rose bloomed around them? It was too big of a risk. They were his only human friends. He couldn't afford to lose them.

His plants didn't seem to agree, they heavily disagreed in fact, seeming to imply that his overall health was suffering because of it, considering all the horehounds that were blooming around his room. He ignored it, choosing to focus on his studies and wondering what he was going to do for the summer. He couldn't afford to stay in New York, but he really didn't want to return to New Jersey.

He sighed, tapping his pencil against his textbook. He was currently in the library, trying to study for an upcoming test, but he couldn't concentrate. The worry about the upcoming summer and the guilt of avoiding the squad demanding all the attention from his brain.

"Aaron?"

His head snapped up and he blinked when he saw John standing beside him holding some biology books.

His mouth went dry. "Uh, h-hello John." He looked away from John's intense stare, the guilt eating away at him. Bramble started to grow under his right sleeve, cutting into his skin.

"Mind if I study with you?" He asked. Aaron nodded mutely, eyes locked on his book. The bramble started to curl around his torso, more cuts appearing, bleeding.

The two sat in silence, Aaron biting his lip to keep himself from crying out in pain. The bramble was growing quickly now, all over his body, cutting him with their thorns.

"I-I have to go." He said quickly, grabbing his books before rushing off, pain coursing through him with each step. He ran as fast as he could when he heard John call out to him.

Once he got back to his dorm, he immediately took the bramble off his body and placed it around his room, allowing it to plant itself into his headboard. The next thing he did was treat all his cuts. The bramble rustled in guilt.

"It's fine." He quickly reassured. That didn't stop the bramble from wilting its leaves slightly. He smiled gently before returning to wrapping his body in gauze. Tired both mentally and physically, he walked over to his bed and collapsed on it, falling asleep on the soft moss.

The next day, Aaron was in his law class, preparing for class to begin.

"Aaron!"

His book was slammed shut by someone's hand and he jumped in surprise.

"A-Alexander..." he had forgotten the man was in his law class. He swallowed when he saw the expression of anger on Alexander's face. "Can I help you?" He asked, thankful that his voice was steady.

"You're avoiding us." Alexander accused, frowning. Aaron blinked, trying to think of a lie, but then he felt a petal brush against his ankle. He looked down, Alexander followed his gaze.

"Aha! Bittersweet nightshade! That means truth." Alexander said, pointing to the flower. Aaron felt panic rise. Alexander had said that so loudly. He looked around, only relaxing slightly when he saw that no one had noticed.

"Would you keep it down!" He hissed. "You know I don't want people knowing."

"Whatever," Alexander said dismissively. "Mind telling me why you're avoiding us."

His mouth went dry, his throat tight. What could he tell Alexander? That he didn't trust him and his boyfriends?

"I..."

Thankfully for Aaron, the professor walked in at that moment, saving him from talking further with Alexander. Throughout the class, he could feel Alexander staring at him. It was unnerving and african marigolds began to sprout on his laptop. He let out a curse and quickly scolded them, just barely managed to will them away. The rest of class went by without an incident and as soon as the lecture was over, Aaron was gone.

Four months flew by with no contact from the squad. Aaron began to feel lonely again, but he had no one except himself to blame. He was the one who ran, he was the one who couldn't stand the thought of losing friends because of his power, and yet he'd lost them anyways. He couldn't help but laugh at the irony. It seemed he was destined for loneliness.

Summer came almost too soon and he realized he had to return home. There was nowhere else to go. As he packed up his things, his plants wilted slightly and curled around him. They knew how much he hated his uncle's home, no house. A place where you don't feel welcomed or safe is no home.

Aaron trudged along, lugging his suitcase behind him. Every step felt heavy, his chest tight. His grip on his suitcase was firm, his eyes fixed on the ground.

Slowly, robotically, he climbed into a cab and told them where to go. As the cab drove off, he caught a glance of the squad climbing into a van cab, laughing the whole time. His stomach twisted and he looked away.

The summer went by painfully slow, the beatings exactly the same. His childhood room bloomed with love-lies-bleeding and azalia.

He returned to NYU, battered and exhausted. His body was littered with bruises and every step hurt. He arrived at his dorm and collapsed on the bed with a groan.

His body ached so much. Dog roses began to bloom almost immediately, slithering up up his walls and curling around his desk. He let out a tired sigh and drifted off to sleep.

Aaron was woken by a knock. Frowning, he sat up and wandered over to his door, rubbing his eyes.

"Yes?"

"Aaron!" A voice exclaimed in surprise. Aaron looked up and blinked dumbly when he saw Lafayette standing in his doorway. Instantly, he was wide awake.

"L-Lafayette!" He squeaked. "What are you doing here?" His voice went small, shifting from foot to foot.

"I was just going around and introducing myself to all the new students. Most of them live in this building." He said and Aaron couldn't help but notice that his smile seemed strained. A lump formed in his throat, tears threatening to spill over.

"I-I see." He said, not looking him in the eyes.

"Well, I shall see you later, yes?"

Aaron swallowed. "Right. Yes, of course."

Lafayette nodded before walking away. The dog roses curled around him tightly, but they offered little comfort.

He was now truly alone.

His classes went by slowly, seeing anyone from the squad rarely happened. And he wasn't even trying to avoid them anymore. It seemed they didn't want him around anymore and the worst part was that he knew very well that there was no one to blame but himself.

Instead of approaching them and talking like the healthy thing to do, he threw himself into his schoolwork and when that didn't distract him enough, he got a job at a small cafe. He was underpaid, but it was a good distraction so he didn't really care.

Winter break came by and Aaron stayed in his dorm in New York, refusing to return to his uncle's unless absolutely necessary. The squad left without a goodbye and Aaron wallowed in pink peonies and dead leaves. Christmas was over in what felt like an hour, New Years passed just as fast.

Classes began once more before he knew it. He shared a law class with Alexander again and considered approaching him, but the way he was blatantly ignored made him think otherwise.

Mourning bride flowers bloomed everywhere, he couldn't stop them. They grew in his room, on his textbooks, they even began to follow him around. He was in constant fear that someone would notice, but he was safe. For now.

Summer came and went, he returned home again and came back to school with just as many, if not more bruises. Aaron stumbled through his classes, feeling more tired than ever before. His eyes felt heavier, his body didn't want to cooperate. He was never hungry anymore and he woke every morning wondering what the point was. Before he knew it, he spiraled into depression.

Every day was a fight to get up, and his plants were worried. Lotus flowers bloomed, but he barely noticed. He quit his job at the cafe, finding it more difficult to communicate with customers. He found it more difficult to do anything really.

The months flew by and before he knew it, it was November and the snow had begun to fall. It didn't take long for the ground to become covered with it. Christmas was rapidly approaching and he wondered if he could get away with staying at the school.

When he'd returned home for the summer his uncle hasn't been pleased that he'd stayed at school, Aaron didn't want that to happened again. His uncle wasn't fun angry.

He sighed, looking around his room. It was covered with so many different plants, but particularly purple hyacinths. He let out a huffed laugh. Purple hyacinths. The flower that meant sorrow and regret. Fitting.

Aaron looked down at his books, then at his clock. He had to get to class. He sighed before carefully moving the plants growing on his law book to his notepad. He bundled up and left his dorm.

As he took a seat in class, he failed to notice a purple hyacinth slowly grow under his chair. He also missed Alexander's shocked expression when the man caught sight of it.

He was sitting on a bench outside after class was over, doing his reading when he sensed someone stop in front of him. He looked up, shocked to see Alexander.

"Alexander..." he breathed.

"Aaron." He said curtly. Aaron stiffened, quickly looking down at the ground.

"Is there something you need?" He asked quietly, hands gripping his textbook tightly.

"I saw the purple hyacinth."

Aaron's breath caught.

Alexander continued. "And I understand why you avoided us. But you don't need to Aaron! We care for you, we really do. We'd never do anything to harm you. At least not on purpose."

Alexander took a step forward, grabbing his hand. "We want to be your friend Aaron. Why can't you understand that?"

Aaron jerked away, yanking his hand back.

"Why?" He said, voice nearing hysterics. "You wonder why I can't just, understand? It's because I've never had friends before! You guys are the first people to ever, ever, treat me so kindly. To accept who I am so readily. My own sister didn't even do that Alexander. She hates me!" He sobbed, covering his face, ugly tears slipping free.

"All my life I've been called a devil child, a freak." He practically spat the word. "No one has ever been so kind. And if they have, it was only to-to hurt me in the end. You can't expect me not to be suspicious."

He was standing now, book laying on the ground forgotten. Alexander stared at him, eyes filled with something akin to regret. Aaron looked away, glancing down at his discarded book. He went to wipe his tears, but before he could, Alexander lurched forward, wrapping his arms around him and pressing Aaron against his chest.

"Aaron," he whispered. "We won't hurt you, we won't betray you. We'd never, we'll always be here for you. We won't, I swear we won't, ever hurt or abandon you."

As he spoke, his grip grew tighter. Aaron didn't have to see his face to know that he meant it. He let out a sob and clung back just as tightly.

A few feet away, a single snowdrop peeked out from under the snow.

Chapter Text

Aaron sat in the squad's living room, staring down at his tea and squirming uncomfortably. After his confession to Alexander, the man had insisted that he return with him to his apartment. Foolishly, Aaron had agreed and that led him here. Squirming awkwardly with four pairs of eyes staring at him intensely.

"So," John finally said, breaking the tension. "What's up? Haven't seen you for awhile."

Aaron flinched and looked down in shame. It hadn't been just awhile. It'd been over a year since he had last spoken with any of them. Pink peonies began to bloom around him as he lowered his head in shame. His mouth felt dry, his tongue heavy. He felt ashamed, embarrassed to be caught in this situation, even though he knew this was his own fault.

"John," Alexander said, walking up and placing a hand on his boyfriend's shoulder when Aaron said nothing. "Give him a chance to explain everything."

John scowled and looked away, making Aaron want to sink deeper into the couch.

"Aaron," Hercules said. "We're all ears."

He bit his lip and fiddled with his sleeves.

"I..." his voice caught in his throat and he looked down at the ground. The four stared at him waiting. After a few minutes of silence, Alexander sighed and walked over to Aaron, taking a seat beside him.

"Aaron," He said softly. "They aren't mad, they just want to know why you cut off communication."

Aaron clenched his hands. "I was scared." He said quietly.

His reason was met with silence.

"Scared?" John practically spat. Aaron flinched.

"John," Hercules said sternly. "Let him talk."

John huffed and looked away, crossing his arms.

Aaron took a deep breath. They all deserved to know his reasons, no matter how stupid or ridiculous it may seem to them.

"You all know about my uncle," he started.

They all nodded.

He squeezed his eyes shut as painful memories began to surface.

"My town," he paused, searching for the rights words. "They were extremely religious. After my uncle discovered my powers he tried to hide it. He was a priest, after all. Nobody could know he had a devil's spawn for a nephew. But I was quite young when Sally left and my uncle discovered everything and well, I didn't have great control over my powers at that time. It didn't take long for everyone to know what I was. We were a relatively small town, word was passed quickly. After that, the only time someone was kind to me, they would just stab me in back later."

Aaron sniffled, startled to realize that he was crying. "No one has ever been as kind as you guys before. I was so scared. I was so scared that it would be like all the others."

A small sob escaped his lips as memories of all his peers from school came back. Two aspen trees began to grow slowly on either side of him. He sobbed and Alexander wordlessly pulled him into a hug, gently rubbing his back as he cried.

"Aaron, would you like to go back to your dorm?" Alexander asked quietly. Aaron sniffled, still clinging onto the other man.

"I don't know, I just-"

"You can stay here Aaron," Lafayette said. Aaron's eyes widened in surprise and he looked at them.

"Yeah, we don't mind," Hercules said, standing and kneeling beside him. Aaron let out a sob when he began to gently massage his hand. Guilt overtook him. They were treating him so kindly. He was so horrible to them, he didn't deserve this! Bach flower holly began to grow, cutting both him and Hercules.

"I don't deserve t-this-"

"Hey," Hercules interrupted softly. "Don't say things like that Aaron. Everyone deserves love."

"B-But I-" he hiccuped. "I was so horrible-"

"Aaron," John said. Aaron was startled when hands suddenly cradled his face. He looked up, his vision blurred out by tears, but he could still make out John's crazy curly hair.

"Yeah, you made a couple of mistakes," John said, brushing some tears off of Aaron's cheeks. "And you were a bit of an asshole, but I mean, who isn't?"

Aaron's vision began to clear and he could make out John's face now. He was looking at him like he was precious, like he was wanted. Aaron trembled, feeling tears well up again.

"We're not mad Aaron." John continued. "Well, we were in the beginning, but did you really think we couldn't forgive you? We care about you, Aaron. We aren't going to let you go that easily."

"He's right," Alexander said. He'd let go of Aaron when John had come over, but he was still pressed into his side. "We care about you. You're our friend and friends forgive easily."

Aaron could only sob as the squad held him tightly.

He woke the next day on a couch, cuddled close to Lafayette and John. Lafayette was holding him tightly while Aaron's and John's legs were tangled together.

Blood rushed to Aaron's face when he realized how close he was to his crushes. Quickly, but gently, he removed Lafayette's arm that was curled tightly around his waist and carefully untangled his and John's legs.

"You're awake."

Aaron's face flushed all over again when he spotted Hercules smiling at him from a chair.

"I, uh, I'm sorry." He stammered, managing to scramble out of the embrace he'd been in a second ago.

Hercules chuckled gently. "Not a problem. Anyways, Alex and I prepared breakfast."

Aaron blinked. "Alexander never struck me as a cooking person."

Hercules barked out a laugh. "He isn't. In fact, he's not allowed in the kitchen without one of us. The one time we left him alone in there, we had to call the fire department because our apartment was filled with so much smoke."

"Wow," Aaron said, mildly impressed that Alexander had somehow created enough smoke to fill their relatively spacious apartment.

"Yeah," Hercules said, standing up. "Don't worry about those two." He added when Aaron glanced down at the still sleeping John and Lafayette. "They're physically incapable of waking up before ten o'clock."

Aaron smiled softly before following Hercules to the dining room where Alexander was waiting.

Breakfast went by, John appeared a half hour later, followed by Lafayette, who joined them an hour after John, giving everyone, including Aaron much to his embarrassment, a kiss on the cheek. They spent the day together, both catching up with each other.

Aaron didn't say much, just told them how he'd returned to his uncle's for the summer, they'd all been horrified to hear that. In fact, the minute the words escaped his mouth, all four of them hugged him. It was only later that Aaron realized that crocus had been blooming around him.

Of course, things didn't return to normal just like that. The squad seemed reluctant to trust him as they had in the beginning. They also didn't communicate with Aaron all too much unless he approached them. Aaron understood though. It would take time for him to earn their trust and friendship back. There was one problem though. While he was determined to change and never let something like that happen again, he didn't know how to express that to the squad.

"What do you guys think?" He asked his plants, sighing when all they did was curl around him. He pet some mezereon before walking to his desk to do his homework.

In the end, Aaron decided to just try and connect and hang out with the squad as much as possible.

He asked Alexander if he wanted to study together, offered to help John with his small garden at the apartment, gave himself to Hercules as a model, even wearing some dresses, and just asked Lafayette if he wanted to hang out, simply so he could get to know the Frenchman better.

His efforts to connect with them all seemed to work. Slowly, Aaron repaired the damage he had left. Soon, they were able to go for coffee and none of the previous tension was present.

Sometimes, on the squad's insistence, Aaron allowed his plants to grow freely. He was still a bit uncomfortable with it, and constantly worried that they would all suddenly turn on him. He hated himself for still being so paranoid, but he couldn't help it. After Sally and his uncle, it was near impossible for him to trust anyone completely.

"Hey Aaron," Alexander said. "You alright?"

They were at the library studying together, but memories of the past had bubbled up and Aaron found himself lost in them.

"Huh?" He said, snapping out of it.

"You zoned out."

Aaron smiled apologetically. "Sorry."

"It's fine. But is everything alright?" Alexander asked, looking worried.

Aaron bit his lip and looked away. "Yeah..." he winced at the blatant lie. "Just uh, just remembering some stuff."

Alexander seemed to understand. "Do you want me to go?"

"No, no!" Aaron said quickly. "No, it's fine."

Alexander didn't look convinced but he let it slide.

It wasn't until later that evening that Aaron realized why he had been remembering things from his past, more specifically Sally.

Today marked ten years since he had last seen or spoken with Sally. Ten years since she ran away. Ten years since his life went to shit. A small sob escaped him and he curled up tighter on his bed. The next day, Aaron woke to citron flowers covering his room. He was so exhausted that he simply shot a text to Alexander asking if he could take notes for him, stating that he wasn't feeling well.

Without waiting for a response, he fell fast asleep.

He woke up four hours later to a knock on his door. Blinking blearily, he stumbled out of his bed and went over to his door. His eyes widened when he saw Alexander and John standing there, looking concerned.

"Hey Aaron," Alexander said. "Can we come in?"

Aaron blinked, and without thinking, opened the door.

"Holy shit." John gasped.

"Wha...?" It was then that Aaron remembered all the plants that grew in his room. "U-um, I-"

"This is amazing Aaron," Lafayette said, looking around with wide eyes.

"R-really?" He stammered, cheeks red.

"Yeah!" Alexander had a wide grin on his face and he raced into the room. "Whoa! There are so many plants!" He gasped. "Is that an adonis vernalis growing from a mug?"

Aaron flushed. "Y-yes, it is."

"I had no idea you could make plants grow on any surface," Hercules said, softly stroking a coriander that was growing out of his desk.

"Yeah, I can. It can be a bit frustrating at times." He said sheepishly.

"Are you feeling better?" John asked, turning away from his mossy bed.

Aaron smiled softly. "Yes, is that why you all came?"

"Yup!" Alexander said with a grin. "I photocopied some notes for you."

"Thank you so much," Aaron said, taking his copy.

"No problem."

They all jumped when a phone rang loudly.

"Not mine." The squad said in unison.

Aaron rushed to where his phone was, frowning when he saw an unknown number was calling.

"Hello?" He said.

"Hey, Aaron."

Aaron stiffened. "S-Sally?" He said, eyes wide.

"It's been awhile little brother."

Aaron swallowed, ignoring the squad's shocked and concerned looks.

"What do you want?" He asked stiffly.

"I wanted to see how my baby brother is doing," Sally said softly.

"I'm doing fine, thank you," Aaron said stiffly, his grip on his phone tightening.

"That, that's good to here."

Aaron pursed his lips. "Why are you calling after ten years of zero contact?"

Behind him, the squad all gasped quietly.

"I... I have news."

He quirked a brow. "What is it?" He said, feeling sick to his stomach.

"I'm married."

Aaron nearly dropped his phone.

"I'm also pregnant."

This time, he did drop his phone, which then hung up on his sister.

"Aaron?" Alexander asked quietly, but he ignored him.

Pregnant. His sister, whom he hadn't heard from for ten years is married and pregnant.

"Could you..." His voice cut off. "Could you guys leave please?" He asked weakly.

Lafayette frowned and held his trembling hand. "Aaron," he said quietly. "Tell us what happened. Then, if you still wish us to, we will leave."

"It's none of your guys' business!" Aaron suddenly burst out. Caraway bloomed around him, curling around his legs.

"Aaron," Hercules said softly, walking up to him, stopping just a few inches away. Tears were falling from Aaron's face, the betrayal and hurt that his sister had implanted in his heart overwhelming him. Hercules' eyes were soft and he raised his hands to gently cradle Aaron's face. Aaron let out a small sob when he began to wipe his tears away. "We care about you, Aaron. Maybe even more than you know."

"She's married." He finally whispered, falling into Hercules' warm chest. He said nothing, gently stroking Aaron's back. "She didn't-" Aaron sobbed. "I wasn't even invited to her wedding."

He sobbed, sinking to his knees. Hercules followed him, holding him tightly.

"God Aaron." He whispered, kissing his head in an attempt to comfort him.

"She called to tell me-" Aaron sobbed, gasping for breath. "She called to tell me she was pregnant."

"Jesus Christ," John whispered.

"I didn't even know. She hates me! Will I even ever get to see my nephew?"

"Of course you will," John said softly, walking over to him and Hercules, kneeling beside them. He placed a hand on Aaron's shoulder and squeezed. "I don't think she hates you, Aaron. After all, why else would she even call to tell you about her pregnancy and wedding?"

"But she never even told me she was engaged. And she ran away from home, because of me!"

"Aaron," Alexander said, walking over to him and joining the strange pile of comfort that Hercules and John had going. "She'd be crazy to try and keep you from seeing your nephew. If she doesn't, then we'll step in and make sure you can at least me the little tyke. I promise."

Aaron gave a watery laugh and smiled at the squad.

"Thank you." He whispered.

After that first phone call, Sally didn't attempt to contact him again. Anxiety coursed through Aaron and with each passing day, he grew more and more anxious and down.

Why would she call, drop a bombshell, and then ignore him? He knows John said that Sally doesn't hate him, but Aaron can't help but feel and think otherwise. Why else would she leave when they had been so young and then not contact him for ten years?

These types of thoughts plagued Aaron's mind and soon, he drove himself into an even deeper depression. His anxiety spiked, and he was starting to hate getting up in mornings, he was sometimes even tempted to not go to class. However, he knew if he did, he would just cause the squad to worry needlessly about him and he didn't want that. That, combined with the thought of his uncle's reaction if he skipped class kept Aaron from staying in bed all day.

So he forced himself to get up in the mornings and attend class. He did his classwork, went to hang out with the squad, even though it felt fake, empty. The squad seemed to take notice of his shift in behavior, but they said nothing.

Some days, Aaron wished they would ask what was going on with him. He wished he could just spill everything to them, sob his sob story out and not feel any regret or guilt for dumping his problems on them. But he couldn't. The squad had already helped him so much, how could he live with himself if he dumped all his problems on them? He knew he was already a burden, he didn't want to become more of one.

"Hey Aaron," Alexander said during one of their studying sessions. "Has Sally contacted you again yet? It's been a month."

Aaron's grip on his pen tightened. "No." He said quietly.

Alexander frowned, but said nothing more on the topic, something Aaron was grateful for.

The next couple of days past, with still no contact from Sally. Those days turned into weeks, which then turned into months.

Three months passed, no contact.

Aaron's mood slowly, but surely went down. Every night, he lay awake in his bed wondering what he'd done wrong. What he'd done exactly to make his sister, whom he had loved more than anything, to despise him.

Every night, he would cry himself to sleep.

Christmas rolled around and he stayed on campus after much convincing by the squad. They all split up though. Lafayette returned to France to be with his family and John went to South Carolina, with much reluctance. Hercules went to Washington DC. While he had offered for Aaron and Alexander to join him, Alexander's stories of Hercules' older brother turned him off of spending the holidays with the man.

That just left Alexander. Though, he was staying on campus with Aaron. He had explained that he didn't have any family to celebrate with.

Suffice to say, it was quite an awkward conversation to have.

Christmas passed. Alexander came to Aaron's door and begged him to make a spruce tree grow so they could have a tree. They spent that evening decorating the spruce tree and fell asleep cuddled together on Aaron's surprisingly comfortable moss bed.

The others returned in January, all practically glowing with happiness. Because Aaron's dorm was apparently so 'amazingly cool', their words not his, they all gathered there to catch up.

"Honestly," Hercules said. "My brother is crazy. And stupid."

"What'd he do this time?" Lafayette asked, mindlessly petting some clovers that were sprouting around him.

Hercules sighed heavily. "On Christmas Eve, he took off his clothes and went screaming down the street."

Aaron grimaced and hid his smile.

"Oh, Jesus," Alexander muttered. "I love your brother, but man is he a dumbass."

John snorted. "Like you're one to talk Mr 'I go to sleep at three in the morning and don't eat for days'."

"Shut up John!"

"It's true."

Aaron giggled and everyone froze, staring at him.

"What?" He asked.

"You just giggled," Lafayette said bluntly.

Aaron blushed. "A-and?"

"That was so cute," Alexander whispered.

Aaron's cheeks flared and he hid his face in his hands. He could've sworn steam was coming off him with how flushed his cheeks were.

"Don't hide your face!" Lafayette whined, trying to tear his hands away.

"Yeah!" John said and soon they were all dogpiling him. Aaron let out a shout of laughter when Hercules' hand brushed his sides.

"Oh my god!" He cried gleefully. "You're ticklish!"

"N-no!" Aaron shrieked when they all began to tickle him. "No! S-staph!"

They didn't and Aaron could barely breathe through his laughter. They finally moved away after multiple minutes of cruel torture, leaving Aaron laying their, panting, with small giggles escaping his lips. As he struggled to calm down, he failed to notice the flushed, adoring looks on the squad's faces.

He sat up, wiping away some tears. It had been a long time since he'd laughed that hard.

"You're really adorable," John said bluntly, causing Aaron's face to burn all over again.

"W-what?" He squeaked, looking around to make sure John's boyfriends weren't mad. He was shocked to see them all nodding in agreement with large grins on their faces.

"It's true," Alexander said, crawling over to him. "You're super cute." He grinned widely, while Aaron blushed and scooted away slightly.

"What are you talking about?" He stuttered, feeling a bit nervous at the look on Alexander's face. He squeaked when a warm hand was suddenly on his cheek. He turned, eyes wide at how close Alexander was.

"Stop me if you want to, okay?" He muttered.

Aaron didn't get a chance to reply, because suddenly Alexander's lips were on his. He made a muffled shocked noise because Alexander's boyfriends were watching and they were kissing and oh god he's kissing back now.

Alexander pulled away, a soft look on his face.

"A-Alex..." Aaron stammered, face flushed. He looked at the others, anxious about their reactions. To his absolute shock, they were all smiling at them.

"W-what?" He stuttered. He turned at Alexander. "W-why did you..." His voice trailed off as he remembered the wonderfully warm kiss he'd gotten.

"You know," Lafayette said. "For someone so smart, you certainly are dense."

Aaron stared.

No. There was no way, absolutely no way, that these beautiful men liked him of all people.

"We really like you, Aaron," John said. "We'd love it if you'd join our little group."

"I..." Aaron's mouth was dry and he could only move it up and down in shock.

"If you don't want to that's fine," Hercules added quickly. "But could we at least stay friends? We'd all really like that."

Still, Aaron could say nothing. His brain was too busy trying process what was happening.

"Is that a no?" Alexander asked softly, looking a bit disappointed. That snapped Aaron out of his daze and he shook his head.

"N-No!" He said. "It's not that. I-I would love to..." his voice trailed off and his cheeks flushed. "B-But I just," he looked down at his lap. "Do you guys really want me in your relationship? I mean," he squirmed a bit. "I'm already such a burden to you guys, I don't want to-"

"I'm going to stop you right there." John interrupted.

Aaron squeaked when someone held his chin and forced his head up. He swallowed when John's lovely hazel eyes met his.

"You're not a burden," John said firmly. "We really love spending time with and," he smiled a bit sheepishly. "I mean, I wouldn't be opposed to spending the rest of my life with you."

Aaron's eyes widened and his mouth dropped a bit in shock.

"R-really?" He whispered.

John leaned closer, warm breath fanning Aaron's face. "Really." He whispered back before capturing Aaron in a tender kiss.

Aaron's eyes fluttered shut and he arched into John's warm body. His hands rose to the man's shoulders and he began to kiss back. John's lips were incredibly soft, even better than what Aaron had imagined. The kiss itself was gentle, slow. Something he never would've expected from John. A small content sigh escaped his lips.

"Hey," Hercules said, tugging John back. "Let us have a turn."

Aaron turned to Hercules and accepted his kiss. Hercules tugged him close, wrapping an arm around his waist and practically pulling him into his lap. Hercules' lips were a bit chapped, but still somehow incredibly soft. It was a bit faster than the previous kiss, but it was still somehow absolutely perfect. Having Hercules' strong arms circling his body made him feel incredibly safe and he snuggled closer, wanting more of that feeling, that touch.

"You are mean for making me wait," Lafayette said, promptly snatching Aaron from Hercules and placing him in his lap. Aaron face flushed when Lafayette placed a soft kiss on his neck. Arms hugged him close to Lafayette's chest and he gasped softly when Lafayette kissed his neck, giving a tiny bit of suction as he went.

A surprised moan escaped Aaron's mouth when Lafayette sucked on an especially sensitive spot.

"L-Laf..." he stammered, face bright red.

"So cute," Lafayette mumbled before finally capturing him in a passionate kiss. Aaron jolted when he felt Lafayette's tongue slid along his sealed lips. Shyly, he opened them, brushing gently against Lafayette's tongue, which had wasted no time in entering his now open mouth. A small moan escaped his lips as Lafayette brought him closer, chest against chest.

"Jesus, that's hot," John mumbled.

Aaron could feel Lafayette smirk into the kiss before the man pulled away. Aaron's face flushed when he saw the small string of saliva connecting them. Lafayette wiped it away before giving him a peck.

"You'll join us?" Lafayette asked softly, stroking his cheek.

Aaron bit his lip, leaning into the touch before nodding.

Alexander grinned before scooting over and kissing Aaron again. When he pulled away, he looked overjoyed.

"Welcome to the family!" He said warmly, taking his hand and kissing it softly. Aaron blushed but smiled. Wood sorrel flowers, red roses, blue violets and althaea frutex flowers bloomed all around them.

Three months of pure bliss and love passed. Honestly, Aaron had never felt happier. He no longer hesitated with his flowers. Often, he would pluck them and gift them to his loved ones. Each and every time, their faces would light up and they'd rush to put them in a vase.

Aaron was the happiest he'd ever been. So, of course, something had to ruin it.

He had been lounging under a willow tree, with John's head in his lap. They were both waiting for their boyfriends to come join them, but John somehow ended up with his head in Aaron's lap while the other man played with his hair.

It was peaceful until Aaron spotted a young woman standing next to a quite handsome looking man, cradling her heavily pregnant stomach.

"Aaron?" John asked, wincing slightly when he felt how tight Aaron was holding his hair. He craned his neck and gazed at his boyfriend with concern. He wasn't even acknowledged. John followed his gaze, eyes widening when he spotted the heavily pregnant woman.

"Is that..." He whispered.

The woman's gaze suddenly locked on them, causing Aaron to stiffen and yank some of John's hair, who barely managed to muffle a small cry at the sudden pain. He gently placed a hand on Aaron's, squeezing it tightly. Aaron squeezed back, obviously panicking as the woman, John assumed his sister Sally, began to walk to them, looking determined.

"Excuse me," she said once she reached them. "Are you perhaps Aaron Burr?"

John sat up, tugging Aaron close and squeezing his hand again. "Yes, he is." He said, seeing as Aaron didn't seem able to answer. "I presume you are Sally?"

She nodded, hand resting on her stomach. "And you are?"

"John Laurens." He hugged Aaron close. "I'm Aaron's boyfriend."

Sally's eyebrows rose, but she made no comment. "I would like to speak with my brother alone."

"'Fraid that's not possible," John said smoothly, grip tightening on his lover. Where were the others? "Anything you want to say, you can say in front of me."

Sally frowned, looking frustrated. "I doubt Aaron wants that." Her eyes went to Aaron's, razor sharp. "Right little brother?"

Aaron didn't respond, head downcast.

"Aaron?" John said softly, squeezing his hand.

"You're not my sister," Aaron said quietly.

Sally looked shocked. "W-what?" She stammered.

"We haven't spoken for ten years." Aaron's voice was cold as ice.

"Aaron, I'm still your sister!"

Aaron took a breath, having a death grip on John's hand. "Not anymore."

"You-" Sally spluttered. "I love you, you're my baby brother! I can't just leave you all alone!"

"You did for ten years." Aaron sneered. "Why should it be any different now?"

"That was for the best Aaron." She insisted. "If I had contacted you, Uncle Timothy would've-"

"Oh, so you were scared of him huh?" Aaron's face was twisted with anger and to John's shock, a bit of disgust. "How do you think I felt? I was stuck with him, I'm still stuck with him!" Tears were starting to form in Aaron's eyes now. "How do you think he reacted when he found out about me? No sister would leave their little brother in that type of situation!"

"Aaron!" Sally pleaded.

"No," Aaron said coldly. "I don't want to see you again Sally. Maybe now you'll understand how much it hurts when someone you love leaves you."

Sally's mouth moved up and down, but no sound was coming out.

Aaron took a deep breath and John could tell he was close to breaking down. Gently, he helped Aaron up, pecking his forehead.

"Come on babe," he said softly. "Let's go."

He led Aaron around Sally and back to the apartment. Silent tears were streaming down his boyfriend's face. John felt sorrow squeeze his heart. He couldn't even begin to imagine how Aaron was feeling.

"That was a very brave thing you did back there." He murmured softly, shutting the front door quietly.

Aaron sniffled and wiped his eyes. "Doesn't feel that way."

"I know love." He whispered, kissing Aaron softly. "Wanna cuddle?"

Aaron sniffled again before nodding. A few minutes later, John's phone dinged.

"Oops." He muttered.

Aaron, who was snuggled against his chest, looked up. "What is it?" He asked, sounding a bit drowsy.

"The others are just wondering where we are," John said, kissing his forehead. "One sec."

He shot a quick text that they were home before turning his phone off and chucking it on the coffee table. He wrapped his arms back around Aaron, who sighed contently.

It didn't take long for the others to arrive. They all blinked in surprised at the sight of their boyfriends cuddled together on the couch.

"Is everything alright?" Lafayette asked, hanging his coat up.

John shushed them. "He's asleep." He sighed. "Sally showed up. She wanted to talk to Aaron without me there. We got into a bit of an argument. Aaron basically disowned her as a sister and honestly, I don't blame him." He shook his head. "She didn't seem very pleasant for the few seconds I spoke with her."

"Will Aaron be alright?" Hercules asked, gazing at their sleeping boyfriend.

"Probably," John said, stroking Aaron's back a bit. "But it'll take awhile to recover. He was really upset and emotional when we came home."

"If what happened to him happened to me, I would be too," Lafayette said softly.

"On a more serious note." John gnawed his lip. "I'm pretty sure Aaron's being abused by his uncle."

Alexander frowned. "You're sure? I mean, I know Aaron said he hadn't reacted well when he discovered his ability, but do you think he's still hurting him?"

"From what Aaron said to Sally, I'd assume yes." John tightened his grip on Aaron. "I'm worried. I don't want him going back to his uncle over the summer."

"If his uncle is hurting him, I agree," Hercules said. "But where will he go?"

"I could bring him with me to George's," Alexander said.

"Are you certain Alexandre?" Lafayette said. "Would Monsieur Washington be alright with that?"

"It might take him a little while to adjust to Aaron and fully warm up to him, but that's not a big deal. If we tell him it's not safe for Aaron to go home, he and Martha will take him in." A smile crept onto Alexander's face. "That's what they did for me."

John nodded. "That sounds good. But now comes the hard part." They all stared down at their dozing boyfriend. "Convincing Aaron."

Aaron woke up an hour later and, after much apologizing to John for making him stay on the couch that whole time, the others decided to bring up what they'd discussed while he'd been sleeping.

"Aaron," Hercules started softly. "I'm going to ask you a question and I'd like you to try and answer honestly."

Aaron frowned, anxiety swirling in his stomach. "Uh, o-okay."

Hercules bit his lip. "Your uncle, is he abusing you?"

Aaron's eyes widened and he stiffened.

"Way to put it gently Herc," John mumbled with a frown.

"I don't, why would you, I..." Aaron looked down, trembling slightly.

"You won't get in trouble Aaron," Lafayette said softly. "But if he's hurting you in any way, we want to stop it. We care deeply about you."

"It's not," Aaron bit his lip. "It's not that bad. He's been getting a bit better."

"Aaron," Alexander said with growing horror. "Is he hitting you?"

Aaron shrugged, curling within himself.

"Aaron," John said softly, "We might have a way where you don't have to return to him."

Aaron's eyes raised. "What?"

"You could come to live with me and my adoptive parents," Alexander said with a small smile.

Aaron's eyes widened and he shook his head. "I-I wouldn't want to burden you."

"Martha loves children," Alexander said. "Trust me, she'd adore you. You wouldn't be burdening anyone love."

Aaron bit his lip. "I can't." He whispered. "He'll get mad if I don't come home."

"Baby, he wouldn't be able to touch you," John said, squeezing him tightly. "We could get him arrested and you'd never have to see him again."

"I-I..."

"Just think about it petit fleur," Lafayette said gently. He'd always been good at detecting how anxious Aaron got. "We have a couple more weeks before we go home. All we want if for you to consider it."

Aaron pursed his lips and nodded. "Okay," he said.

Hercules smiled and kissed his forehead. "That's all we're asking."

Aaron spent weeks thinking it over. He would love to go live with Alexander's family, but the anxiety of what his uncle would do and Alexander's parents finding out about his power made him hesitate. After all, there was no way of guaranteeing that Alexander's parents would react well. What if they were horrified by Aaron and refused to let him date their son?

Aaron's breath hitched at the thought.

On the other hand, though, he'd finally be safe. No more bruises or harsh words. No more preying on his deepest insecurities, no more doubts. Maybe he'd finally gain a bit more confidence.

He was so conflicted that york roses followed him around. His lovers acted no different, in fact, they seemed even more loving and perfect. They showered him with kisses and sneak attack hugs and were constantly picking him and telling him how much the loved and adored him. Each time, Aaron's heart sang with happiness.

He never wanted the joy he felt to end.

By the end of April, he decided. After a long conversation with Alexander, who assured him his parents wouldn't mind his, as he put it, gift, he decided he would go to Alexander's family home during the summer.

After one more night to sleep on it, Aaron had no doubt in his mind. He was going to go with Alexander to his home in Washington DC. He was nervous as hell, but he knew that this was what he wanted. He wanted to finally be free of his uncle's abusive and horrible clutches. He knew his boyfriends and their families could help him.

And help him they did.

The second Martha met him, she instantly took a liking to him. It didn't take long for her to begin hugging him whenever appropriate. George was a bit colder. He shook his hand, requested that he take good care of Alexander and the others, and after that, got right down to business.

A lawsuit was issued to Aaron's uncle, who responded with fury. Thankfully, his boyfriends helped him stay strong and away from the man who'd abused him for years.

With piles of evidence of year-long abuse thrown against him, it didn't take long for Aaron's uncle to finally, finally, be arrested. That night, Aaron had snuggled close to his lovers, sobbing with relief.

"It's finally over." He sobbed, clinging to Lafayette. They had all come to Washington DC when they'd heard of the lawsuit. Balm of Gilead grew on the bed they were curled up in.

"Yes, it is." Alexander murmured into his hair, softly kissing his neck.

Hercules and John were curled up nearby, each touching at least one part of Aaron. The love and comfort he felt from them made him feel so incredibly happy. So happy, he thought his chest would burst.

"I love you all." He whispered, slowly falling asleep.

He didn't even notice the bridal roses sprouting behind the ears of all his lovers. Nor did he see the small, clearly in love, smile of his partners as they brushed their fingers against the soft petals.

Chapter Text

You guys have all been so patient and lovely, I'm so, so sorry this isn't a new chapter.

I hate to tell you all this, but my passion for Hamilton has been going down. I still enjoy the music and the characters, but it's just not something I love anymore. That being said, I do want to write the last chapter for this fanfic. But it's going to take awhile and honestly, I may never get to it. These chapters take a long time to write, the first one took a month and the second a couple of hours. This third chapter just hasn't been coming to me and it may never will. If I'm being honest, the third chapter probably won't be six thousand words. Maybe three thousand, but I just don't know. Hamilton is a tough character for me to write.

For now, Flower Talk is going to be Aaron's journey only.

I'm so sorry for disappointing you all.