Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The bell over the door to Renee’s shop, The Columbia House, rings as Neil enters, his plain, dark brown travel cloak swishing around his ankles and his curly auburn hair sprouting poppies and daisies at the warmth and feeling of magic welcoming him inside. The once unfamiliar, soft smile on his face, but now a common sight reaching his eyes. He’s been in Palmetto village for two years, working in his flower shop, Foxglove, at the dead end of Foxhole Court where his fellow witches, like Renee, run their business along the road.

“Good morning, Neil, how are you today?” Renee ask serenely from behind the counter, filling a box with pastries.

“I’m doing well, Renee,” Neil hums, petting the leaves of each of Renee’s plants in her window— grown by himself— and feeding them with his magic.  He watches them shimmer momentarily, perking up just a bit after having already been watered. “What do you have for me today?” he asks as he approaches the counter, placing his vine basket— also grown by himself— on the smooth surface and pulls out several pouches for Renee’s tea selection.

“Allison finished your new cloak last night,” she announces sweetly, placing a paper wrapped parcel on the counter beside the small box of pastries, tied shut with a black ribbon, an unusual choice for the witch with white and pastel rainbow tipped hair. “I think it’s her best work yet.”

Neil eyes the box for a moment and shifts his focus to pulling off the string holding the parcel closed and unwrappings the paper, getting a glimpse of the storm grey, suede material and smiles. “Oh, this is beautiful,” he murmurs as he pulls the hooded cloak out and lets it unfold. There is intricate embroidery in shades of green and blue with a few different types of flowers and gems. The front clasp is pure silver with blue gems that matches his eyes, but most importantly— 

“Alright babies,” Neil coos, holding his new cloak in one hand and opening his old, dark brown one to reveal multiple pockets four across and six down, with tiny green or colorful plant cats, curled up, asleep. “C’mon, your new home is ready, wake up,” he talks a bit louder as Renee comes around to take over holding up the new cloak, he smiles as he watches the plant cats mewl and yawn, using their thorny claws to cross over from his old cloak to the new one, immediately curling up in their new pockets in the thick lining of the cloak and going back to sleep.

“Lazy bums,” Neil teases and unhooks his old cloak, revealing a simple blue tunic with leather bands on his forearms and loose fitted slacks. He folds the material and sets it down to carefully pull on the new one, relishing in the feel of the soft material on his hands and its comfortable weight. “How do I look?” He asks as he turns in a circle, admiring it, a couple yellow daffodils blooming from happiness in his hair.

“Great!” Renee tells him sincerely and goes around the counter again. “Same as usual?” she asks out of courtesy, Neil knows she should have already predicted his answer. 

“Try the new tea leaves I brought you, it’s a calming tea, use that honey from Wymack’s apiary, extra for Aaron’s,” Neil smiles as he opens the cloak and runs his finger over one of the bushy cats, making her purr.

“Okay, can you bring this to Aaron’s as well?” Renee touches the box, a sparkle in her eye before she takes the pouches of leaves and sets to making the tea.

“Of course,” Neil agrees absently, petting another cat just as the bell chimes again, announcing the opening of the door. 

“Neil,” Kevin greets, setting his broom against the wall beside the only other customers in the building and narrows his eyes at Neil. “Where is your broom?”

“Hello, Kevin,” Neil greets instead of answering, looking up at his taller friend. “I think— ” Neil reaches up and touches Kevin’s black hair, beautiful leafy green vines thread into the black locks, standing out vibrantly. “This will accent your eyes.” He grins at Kevin’s eye roll and returns to the counter, carefully placing the box of pastries in his vine basket, using his magic to adjust the size to fit it properly. He notes that his old cloak is conveniently missing.

“You have a state of the art broom, Neil, you should be flying it all the time, to sharpen and improve your skills for exy season! Not running around—”

“Thanks, Renee, I’ll see you this evening,” Neil says as he picks up the small tray of to-go cups, a warming charm on them to prevent any heat from escaping.

“Sure thing Neil,” Renee smiles, Neil wondering about that sparkle in her eye again. 

“Neil—” Kevin tries again as the redheaded witch breezes past.

“I’ll meet you for practice after I’ve finished my errands, Kev,” Neil promises as he pushes the door open. A pathetic, tiny mew comes from Neil’s cloak and he opens it to find one of the kitties in one of the top pockets trying to crawl out and get a look at Kevin. “Aw, Clover missed you,” Neil lets the plant cat climb on top of his cup of tea and holds it up to Kevin’s face. The cat rubs its tiny clover covered body on his cheek. “See?”

“Hi, Clover,” Kevin’s russet skin flushes darker as he grumbles, giving the cat a scritch under its chin before he backs off. “Go, run your errands so you can practice sooner.”

Neil rolls his eyes again and gives Clover a nuzzle before letting the green kitty return to her pocket. He gives everyone a final nod and heads out, his boots slapping softly on the cobblestone path, the only one in all of Palmetto Village, as the ‘witch-y-est’ part of their village needed its own aesthetic. Typically, Neil could be found running through out the village before the break of dawn—or at any time really—however he is carrying goods for a friend and he honestly enjoys a leisurely walk along the length of Foxhole Court. The journey from his greenhouse behind his flower shop at the dead end, to Aaron’s alchemy shop/ apothecary, The Black Cauldron, at the entrance that leads into the rest of the village. 

The journey takes him past Allison’s custom clothing shop, The Golden Spool; she’s not yet open. Beside that is a small bed and breakfast run by Seth, a man that only has four rooms available at any given time and almost no customers but manages to stay in business. Then there are a few little houses, all belonging to several witches among the rest of the shops. Wymack’s shop, The Fox’s Paw, a small variety store and Nicky’s psychic store, Rainbow Zen, that he never sets foot in. He sees Nicky enough when he visits his cousin Aaron and tells him his fortune every time he sees him by reading his cards without asking. Jeremy Knox runs his own shop, with a foreign witch named Jean that he brought in not long after Kevin had arrived in Palmetto Village, selling specialty goods that any witch could want, by ordering and sending things out for a customer. Neil occasionally ran errands for them when Jean is away on a delivery.

It’s too early in the morning for anyone but those that live on Foxhole Court to be milling about, setting up, but no one from Palmetto Village is here to shop just yet. This is fine, Neil likes the quiet. Soon enough he is waving his tea at Dan where she's working in the yard of the delivery and repair shop she runs with Matt. He earns a wave in response as he turns up the short path and steps inside Aaron's shop.

“We’re closed,” a bored voice calls from behind the counter.

Neil turns from pulling the door shut and finds a near exact copy of his friend, but there is something different. The carefully blank expression for one, and the fact this Aaron clone is broader and bulkier than the medical witch. The sharp look in his hazel eyes immediately tells Neil this is definitely not Aaron, as his friend has never been talented with illusions and it has him on guard. So much for his quiet morning, but he does realize who this is, despite never meeting him.

“So, you’re the twin,” Neil greets, unable to keep his flight instinct from licking at his nerves despite almost two years of peace, wishing he didn’t have his hands full. “Andrew, was it?”

After a moment, Andrew tilts his head and he has his answer. “Aaron didn’t tell me anyone would be showing up before he opened.”

Neil grins and steps further inside the shop, getting a whiff of chocolate from the mug beside Andrew and realizes why Renee had filled a box of pastries and additional drink to bring here, given Aaron doesn’t typically indulge in sweets. Neil sets the to-go cups on the counter, retrieving the box from his vine basket.

“I think these are for you,” Neil guesses as he places the box and spare to-go cup in front of Andrew, watching him stare at the box for a moment and then look back at Neil.

“I see Renee saw me coming,” Andrew comments and pulls the black ribbon loose before he opens the box without breaking eye contact. Neil doesn’t back down as Andrew pulls out a pastry at random and takes a huge bite, getting frosting on his face.

Neil can’t help but laugh and pulls away. “You’ve got some—”

“Shut up,” Andrew cuts him off abruptly, breaking eye contact to look down at the skeletal cat that leaps onto the counter, immediately walking up to Neil. “Traitor.”

“Hi there,” Neil coos, holding out his hand to the skeletal cat and beams when allowed to pet over it’s smooth bones, making a layer of moss grow over its spine. “I’ve never seen you around before.”  He knows he’s stating the obvious, seeing as she (if he is judging correctly by the smaller canine teeth) is clearly Andrew’s kitty. “What’s your name?” 

“...My idiot cousin named her King,” Andrew tells him, seemingly strained.

Neil can feel his eyes watching him intently.

“I didn’t know I was in the presence of royalty, how about a crown, just for you?” Neil coos and with the use of his magic, sprouts a colorful flower crown woven in King’s skull. “There,” he says proudly, giving King’s chin a scritch, smiling at the hollow purring noise the cat’s bones make.

“You’re an idiot,” Andrew grunts.

Neil bristles and flicks his fingers at Andrew, making a puff of pollen appear in front of his face and laughs at him when he coughs, and then sneezes twice, glaring at Neil while drinking some of his hot chocolate.

“Neil, don’t torment Andrew,” Aaron says from the stairs he is walking down. “I don’t want anything getting broken in my shop.” He appears from behind the heavy curtain acting as a doorway with a tray full of clean, empty vials.

“What’s brewing in the Cauldron, Black!?” Neil greets his friend, walking over with Aaron’s tea, ignoring Andrew as he holds it out to his friend.

“Are you ever going to stop using that pun?” Aaron sighs, taking his tea and swaps it with the tray, murmuring his thanks as he takes a sip. “Mhm, that’s really good, new tea leaves?”

Neil glows happily, feeling proud as another yellow daffodil of happiness sprouts in his hair, accompanied by a couple proud purple violets. “Yep! I had Renee make it special for you, it has calming properties cause I know how nervous you get with your self-made deadlines.” After setting the vials behind the counter, ignoring the watchful eye of Andrew, he brushes his fingers through Aaron’s locks and grins as several brilliant and fragrant flowers sprout in his light blond hair. “These are some of the flowers in the mix.”

Aaron gives Neil a small smile and gently tugs on one of his curls, examining his cloak. “Reynold’s finished it, I see, very nice,” he looks behind Neil to Andrew and rests his hand on Neil’s shoulder as he turns him to face his twin. “Andrew, this is Neil, he runs Foxglove; the greenhouse and flower shop at the end of the street. He grows a lot of the ingredients I use in my potions in the greenhouse. Try to be nice to him.”

Andrew looks at Neil, Neil staring right back as he picks up his tea again and sips it in sync with Aaron. Neil isn’t sure if he should trust Andrew— even if he is Aaron’s twin, what with the way he’s staring at him.  Now that he’s behind the counter he sees the all black ensemble and the obvious tools belonging to a necromancer. He suspected, given King’s presence, but doesn’t know what to do with this information just yet. 

“No promises,” Andrew finally replies, turning back to his pastries and hot chocolate.

Neil frowns at Aaron and it turns into a smile when his scarred cheek is pinched, glad his friend is looking out for him. “I’ll sort these,” Neil tells him, grabbing his vine basket that King is now rubbing against and the tray of vials.  He slips past the thick black curtain behind the register where two large cauldrons are simmering over their own fires. 

At the far end of the room is a huge shelving unit built into the wall—Matt’s handy work— with multiple glass jars and some dark boxes for ingredients, all labeled. Neil hums and sips his tea before setting it down with the vials. Basket in hand, he climbs the sliding ladder attached to the shelf and begins refilling the empty or soon to be empty containers for Aaron. He doesn’t have to do this since it’s not part of his contract with Aaron, and even if they torment each other at times, they always have each other’s backs.

“Do your mates know you are cheating on them?”

Neil starts at the sudden German being spoken, looking down at the curtained entrance with a frown. Of course, it makes sense that Aaron’s brother would also speak German, but why would Andrew think Aaron is cheating on Matt and Dan?

“Neil is a good friend of ours, nothing more, Drew. When you showed up and I gave you a place to stay and—”

“I didn’t ask for that, you just gave me a place to sleep and asked me to watch the counter while you're busy. Don’t place the blame on me for this.”

Neil’s eyes widen when he realizes that Andrew thinks Aaron is having an affair with him! He huffs while turning back to sorting the ingredients. A dried star anise crumbles in his hand and he sighs, taking slow breaths, trying to rein in his temper. Cam, his chamomile plant cat crawls out of his pocket and rubs against his face and he feels his heart rate slow enough to return to work while eavesdropping with Cam on his shoulder.

“I’m not. I don’t want to fight with you, Andrew. It’s been three years. Three years since you went on your sabbatical. You haven’t even gone to see Nicky, have you?”

“He’ll find out soon enough if he still does his morning tarot reading.”

“He is predictable like that… ” Neil hears Aaron sigh heavily and then footsteps. “ Just—if you’re not going to be nice, then leave my friends alone. We’re something of a community here and I like it here. Okay?”

“Whatever.”

Neil climbs down the ladder, contemplating Aaron’s twin and wonders if any of the times he shapeshifted to look like Aaron (always met with ‘I already have a twin! Stop that!’) had been painful for his friend. He never heard much about Andrew and in nearly two years since he’s been here, he has never seen him either. The flowers in his hair droop and Cam mewls at him before pawing the scars on his cheek when he feels pointlessly guilty, instead of being annoyed at Andrew.

“Hey,” Aaron calls, walking into the backroom as Neil begins to return the cleaned vials to the empty shelf for Aaron to fill with potions. Neil realizes he didn’t respond when Aaron’s fingers find his auburn curls, tugging gently, so he looks at him. “Hey,” he says softer.

“Hey,” Neil can’t help but smile at his friend’s concern, the flowers in his hair perking up again. Aaron’s not mad at him, thankfully, so they finish putting away the vials, side by side.

“Are you and Dan coming with Matt to help with the soil delivery tonight?” Neil asks when they are done. Petal—another more colorful tiny plant cat— has perched himself on Aaron’s shoulder. “It turns out it’s going to be a big delivery, everyone is coming and we’re going to have dinner after. I have a stew simmering on the stove at home. Renee’s bringing her leftover pastries and I think Wymack is bringing his homemade honey whiskey.”

“Um…” Aaron looks torn as he glances at the entrance to the front of the shop and back to Neil. “I was planning on it, but, I know you don’t trust strangers...” he leaves the concern about Andrew hanging in the air between them.

“I—” Neil bites his lip, he didn’t want his friend to miss out because he had an issue with both his privacy and safety. It took months for him to trust anyone but Aaron, Matt, and Dan when he came to Palmetto Village. Aaron himself had healed Neil’s wounds after being attacked, when Matt carried him to their home after finding him half dead on the side of the road. Dan looked after him in rotation with Matt and Aaron until he was healed, never asking questions or prying. He and Aaron were at odds at the start, given that Matt and Dan treated Neil like their child, but then somehow they bonded over how their magical talents meshed well and teasing each other. Eventually, they became best friends. 

Neil doesn’t want to risk that, no matter how dumb it sounds.

“Well, I—” Neil shrugs. “I trust you, so why don’t you bring him?” The surprise on Aaron’s face slowly morphs into a soft smile.

“I’ll see if he wants to come.”

“Okay,” Neil heaves a sigh of relief and holds out his hand for Petal to step onto, tilting his head when Aaron catches his wrist. 

“I have a new salve for you to try, do you have a few minutes?” Aaron looks at the scarring on Neil’s hands, turning them over. The scars have improved over time and, since Neil became friends with Aaron and moved into the village, Aaron has managed to lessen the severity of them significantly. 

“Uh, sure!” Neil grins and scoops up Petal while Aaron returns the smile, hurrying out of the room to grab whatever salve he had prepared.

As Neil’s ‘medic’, Aaron is the only one to have seen all of his scars. Aaron takes only ten minutes to work, making notes on the current state of Neil’s old injuries, before he massages the salve into them while babbling on about the mixture he used to make it. He takes more notes before allowing Neil to redress and then with his plant cat carrying cloak adorn, Neil is bidding his friend goodbye on his way out, hesitating at the counter to pet King and nod at Andrew. The intensity of Andrew’s stare keeps Neil on guard, but he’s not necessarily feeling threatened and decides to finish his morning errands so that he can join Kevin for practice of the sport they’ve bonded over.

~ 

When Neil is gone, Aaron turns to Andrew, frowning. “Come on Drew, you made him uncomfortable, why-”

“He’s trouble,” Andrew cuts him off, staring at the door the red-headed witch disappeared through. “And he’s hiding something.” Something behind that pretty face and all his perfect flaws. Andrew hates how he was struck speechless when the plant witch looked at him. 

“Everyone has their secrets, Drew,” Aaron bites at him, straightening the vials and jars filled with potions and salves on his ‘for sale’ shelves. “The life of a witch is never easy, you of all people should know that.”

“No, he’s hiding something big, and I don’t like it,” Andrew narrows his eyes at his brother when he snorts at him.

“Well, that is something that is none of your business, Drew,” Aaron smirks at him. “Neil has a troubled past that he prefers to keep secret. Even I know next to nothing about who he was before he came here. But he promised me that if it were a risk to any of our safety, he would tell me.” Aaron picks up a vial and swirls the contents, checking the bottom and returns it to the shelf. “Neil has done nothing to make me believe he would cause me or anyone else harm, so leave him alone.”

Andrew stares at his brother for a moment in disbelief that he does not let show on his face. “So he comes here, to your home, with all of these secrets that could risk your safety and you just accept his word that he wouldn’t cause your harm because…?” He almost laughs at the way Aaron flushes in what he assumes to be anger. Almost.

“Leave him alone, Andrew,” Aaron repeats and disappears behind the back curtain to work in his brewing room.

I'll figure out that beautiful fool one way or another.

Chapter Text

“Are you coming this evening?” Neil asks Kevin, using a cloth to wipe his sweaty face, standing in his ‘play clothes’: an old pair of slacks and tunic. His broom rests against the bench they were sitting on. The Exy pitch just outside of Palmetto Village that they practice on doesn’t see much use, as they are two of the only dedicated players. Sometimes the witches of Palmetto Village get together to play, but there is only a handful of them and it has never been enough for any real games, but plenty of fun.

Kevin also happens to be the only other witch from Neil’s past to know him, but they never spoke a word about it to anyone— not even each other. Kevin latched onto Neil because of their history and to have a friend to practice the sport they both enjoy so dearly. Neil enjoyed having another friend, even if Kevin is a bit crazy, obsessive even.

“I suppose,” Kevin shrugs, sipping from his bottle of water. Neil accepts it when offered, taking his own sip. “Will my father be there?”

Despite knowing that Kevin would already know the answer, Neil bobs his head as he swallows and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Yeah, Wymack is coming, everyone on Foxhole Court is.”

“I’m guessing there is a social gathering after we help around your greenhouse?” Kevin asks, taking back his water bottle. “Should I bring something?”

Neil stares at Kevin, wondering how long he'll beat around the bush. “Maybe,” Neil shrugs and picks at the frayed edges of his tunic. “You don’t have to,” he offers a sweet smile when Kevin shifts awkwardly, never having been one for social niceties; he appreciates that he tries.

“Will Jean be there?” Kevin asks quietly, turning the bottle over in his hands.

There it is. 

“You're the one courting him and Jeremy, just ask Jer when Jean is due to return,” Neil tries for gentle, yet encouraging, knowing how long it took the other witch to approach the couple in the first place. Kevin's brilliant blush on his cheeks tells him it doesn't matter. For someone as blunt as Kevin, he doesn't seem to know how to express romantic feelings.

“Well, it's not that easy when they are a package deal!” Kevin snaps, making Neil blink at him.

“I have no idea what you mean by that. Jer is the embodiment of sunshine and Jean is the most patient witch I have ever met, surely you can talk to Jeremy?” Neil sighs internally at the way Kevin bristles.

“I can't just talk to Jer, or like just ask him, ‘Hey Jeremy, how are you? And where is your tall, dark and handsome lover?’ like that!”

Neil shakes his head and stands up, inspecting his broom for any blemishes. It's perfect as always, the wood polished and smooth. “Did you know that Aaron has a twin?” He asks suddenly, changing the subject. 

“Yeah, everyone knows he has a brother; Andrew. He's a wanderer— like you are— were.”

Neil lifts an auburn eyebrow that he knows Allison will be attacking with tweezers the moment she sees him. “Interesting, he strikes me as more of a necromancer.”

Kevin shrugs and stands as well, Neil smiling to himself at the way he carefully scratches his head, being careful around the vines Neil grew there this morning. “He is, why do you ask? Oh, he's in the village then?”

Neil nods. “When I stopped by Aaron's shop he stared me down like he could tell—" he cuts himself off and waves off Kevin's concerned head tilt. “I'll see you this evening— talk to Jeremy!”

Neil flashes Kevin a smile and begins trekking on foot toward the path leading back to Palmetto Village as Kevin bristles again.

“You have your broom! Fly the damn thing!” Kevin shouts after him and Neil just gives him a backward wave, breaking out into a run the entire way home. He wonders about what Kevin told him, that Andrew is a wanderer like he used to be. Given that Kevin knows undetailed bits about his terror-filled past, he hopes Andrew's history is nothing like his own.

~

Home is his flower shop, Foxglove, at the front, bushy flower cats of all sizes and colors wandering or lazing about the well-lit room. Neil greets everyone cheerfully, propping up his broom by the door and steps around Sir FatCat McCatterson, weaving around his ankles, only to have her jump onto his shoulders.

“I need to wash up and I'll get you all fed, okay?” Neil asks, petting Sir’s bushy body, smiling when flowers bloom beneath his touch.

“That's a steep promise, Neil,” a quiet, but teasing voice calls from beneath the counter. Neil looks over to find Robin manually sweeping up some spilled dirt. “Seeing as I already gave them lunch.”

“Hey Robin, did anyone come by?” Neil folds his arms on the counter as his hired assistant pops up. Robin is a fifteen-year-old girl who stumbled through the village six months ago. She has almost no aptitude for magic, but plenty of passion and a will made of steel. Neil took a page out of his friend's book and gave her a job and the spare room on the first floor, trying — along with the other witches of Foxhole Court — to discover what magical talent she might have. So far, nothing has come up, but she continues to try. 

“You missed Miss Reynolds,” Robin starts once she's on her feet. Neil smirks at the formality, knowing Allison would freak out if she heard it. “She bought all of the sunflowers on display, something about needing a visual?” Neil shrugs at the same time Robin does, motioning for her to continue. “Dr. Dobson sent word that she will be gone a bit longer and Mr. Rhemann ordered a bouquet for his anniversary coming up, I left the information on your workbench.”

“Sounds good,” Neil tells her graciously, watching Robin beam at him, always so positive; her energy is good for the plants. “Everyone confirmed for this evening and I think we'll have one more, if you need numbers for the sweets you are going to make.” Robin is at least a highly talented cook and confectioner.

“Who else is coming?” She asks as Neil is heading to the back toward his living space. 

“Aaron's twin brother, but who knows, the guy was rude to me when I met him,” Neil just shrugs at Robin's insulted expression and pushes past the curtain. 

Once in the hall, Neil bypasses the first entrance to the greenhouse and walks past the kitchen on the opposite side. He smiles at the lingering smell wafting into the hall from the stew he is cooking and glances into the dining room add-on that Matt built himself. In fact, most of this house he lives in was once run-down, but then fixed up better than ever by Matt, with the help of the other witches. If one were to look up at the ceiling, they would see that those on Foxhole Court had left handprints in the bright orange colour Dan insisted on painting the walls. The dining room is ridiculously large and excessive, so Neil eats with Robin in the kitchen, but when they have gatherings, they use the bright orange dining hall. Other than his greenhouse, that dining hall is probably his favorite place in the house. 

At the very end of Neil's hall is a set of stairs that leads to his bedroom in a tower that wasn't a bedroom — until he made it into one. There is a simple bathroom against the same wall beside the entrance, but the rest of the walls have windows covering the top half. After living a life in the dark and shadows, Neil wanted a private room with lots of light and a way to see the world around him. His bedroom is spacious and occupied by several bushy cats, his tiny kitties in their pots just under the window over his bed. A large skylight lets the sun warm his bed throughout the day, while the east balcony is his place to watch the sunrise on his rare, but once in a blue moon slow days. It calls to him now, invites him to feel the breeze this high up.

Instead, he turns to take a quick shower, getting out once the sweat and dirt from his busy morning and afternoon are gone. Then he takes a moment looking in the mirror. Mirrors never used to be his friend, seeing his father staring back at him, but over the past two years, he's slowly healed. His auburn curls fall over his forehead now that they are damp from his shower, and the flowers that had been washed out are blooming again. He smiles at that, the little blue forget-me-nots that bloom the moment he tells himself ‘I am Neil Josten and not my father's son; nothing this beautiful could have come from that man’. They are his constant reminder.

Neil looks at the scars that litter his skin. The first thing he notices is not who gave them to him, but that their severity has been lessened by his best friend Aaron over the time they've known each other. He stares at his icy blue eyes that draw compliments from Allison every time she sees him, gushing over how grateful she is that she has someone to accent the cool greys that she often dresses him in.

That thought alone makes Neil chuckle, a happy smile lighting up his face. He is reminded of how that smile makes the rest of his friends light up. His father's smile would never do that. This is Neil's smile and this is his body, his name.

Neil is his own person.

Bee would be proud of his successful, silent pep talk, he thinks and smirks, shutting off the bathroom light and steps into his bedroom with the intent of getting dressed. He has two hours before company starts to show up and there is much to do before then.

Chapter Text

“Baby Red!” Jeremy screeches, the bubbly witch bounding in through the side entrance of the greenhouse, surprising Neil. Neil grins and catches him in a hug, careful of all his kitties napping in his cloak once more.

“Hello Jer, how are you?” Neil asks once he’s managed to free himself from Jeremy’s embrace. He can feel the plants around them reaching towards Jeremy’s positive energy, even the kitties in his cloak perking up.

“Doing great as always! I just got in an order of energy crystals and a catalog of new exy products— they’ve improved on the armor!”

Neil grins at Jeremy’s running commentary as he continues placing empty pots on the table they would be using for this evening. While he loves working in his greenhouse, how calm it is, it’s a lot of work and appreciates having his friends come help.

“Where is Jean?” Neil cuts Jeremy off at a break in his sentence.

“Oh, he’s on his way back from a delivery to Columbia!” Jeremy turns toward Neil, a bright smile on his face, a mint plant cat in his arms, the overgrown parts coiling around his arms. “He’ll be here by dinner time.”

“Did Kev happen to stop by today?” Neil asks innocently, as if he didn't catch a glimpse of Kevin's green cloak flitting by the house entrance. 

“I think I saw him fly by when I was closing up, but he zipped off before I could even go to the door. Must have been in a hurry.” Jeremy shrugs at the end of his sentence, and Neil smirks.

“Is that so? How is that going with you three?” Neil presses a little more and feels warm at the way Jeremy lights up, cheeks pink as he cuddles the mint cat.

“It’s going slow, but I think we’re in a good place, Jean wants to bring Kevin with him when he goes on a short pickup next week and surprise him with a trip to Exites!”

As Jeremy goes on, Neil wonders how Kevin is uncertain about how much these two like him and shakes his head at how nervous the other witch is. “I’m sure he’ll enjoy that,” he finally comments, looking up when he sees Nicky throw the side door open and strike a pose.

“No need to worry! As predicted, the party is here!” 

“You’re damn right I am.” Allison, in her overdressed and gorgeous glory, breezes past a pouting Nicky with Renee in tow. Neil grins as she looks down at him from where she towers over him in six inch heels, her wide, black witch’s hat blocking the slowly fading sunlight from behind her. “Hey Red, you’re looking good, who made that stunning cloak you’re wearing?” 

“Oh, this old thing?” Neil grins even wider, giving a tight twirl that has his cloak swishing around his frame. “A dear friend of mine made it just for me, do you like it?”

As expected, Allison lets out a cackle that is somehow playful, before she pulls him into her chest for a tight hug that he returns. “You’re lucky I love you, brat,” she tugs his curls and playful orange marigolds and happy yellow daffodils bloom to join the rest.

“You always say that,” Neil teases as he pulls back, flashing a grin at Renee. “Hey Renee,” he looks at the four boxes of pastries in her arms and tries to take them from her, but she shakes her head. “Ah, Robin isn’t done just yet — trying to get the fudge just right, if you want to bring them in. Tell Kevin to stop hiding inside while you’re at it,” he murmurs that last bit under his breath, making her chuckle.

“You got it Neil,” Renee smiles, her eyes sparkling with something he saw there this morning. “I saw Matt’s truck loaded at their place on Vixen not that long ago, they should be here soon.”

“Thanks for the heads up,” Neil nods as she walks inside, being swept up into both Allison and Nicky’s arms with a laugh.

“Time to get Red ready!” Nicky announces.

“It’s not like it’s a party, it—” Neil tries to argue, only to be tugged toward the door.

“Nope, you always need to look gorgeous!” Allison insists. “Seth sends his love, but he has a guest at his inn for once.”

Neil sighs, but smiles anyway. He knows Seth, the Spice loving witch, definitely did not send his love but that’s fine, he’ll just send Allison and Renee home with leftovers for him. The sound of Matt’s huge blue pickup truck pulling up the gravel road beside his greenhouse makes him grin, but he’ll have to wait to go meet his friends until Allison and Nicky are finished with him.

---

Andrew leans against the glass of Neil's greenhouse, a cigarette that he rolled himself between his lips, smoke curling toward the sky while he watches the sun set. There is something he’s always liked about dusk, watching everything as it becomes shrouded in darkness and to feel the earth begin to cool without the sun’s powerful rays warming the surface. 

This moment is only part of the reason that when he arrived with his twin and his mates, he carried in two bags of soil through the side door, dropped them off and continued to the opposite exit. That had been at least twenty minutes ago and he didn’t even get a chance to see the suspicious (yet obnoxiously attractive) witch he came to scope out after rejecting his brother’s invitation. Twice. It does not matter, he supposes. Neil wouldn’t show his true colors around the people he is trying to fool.

King stands up on his shoulders, stretching her bones after her nap and sits on his right shoulder just as the door beside him opens. The damp earth scent of the soil wafts under his nose and chatter filling his ears.

“You are welcome inside, you know,” Renee's serene voice informs him. 

“Am I.” It is not a question. Not a statement either; an acknowledgment maybe.

“Don't be so antisocial, help out and meet everyone,” she chides him in a tone that makes bells go off in Andrew's head, pulling his attention to her. When he faces the psychic witch, Andrew recognizes her white and rainbow hair, her brown eyes but not the way her lips curl into a smile that he has never seen on her face.

If this is Renee…

Andrew feigns boredom as he and Renee look at each other, making a split second decision to test his gut feeling. In the blink of an eye, Andrew attacks with his blade drawn, jaw tensing when his knife sparks against ‘Renee's’ — a weapon she hasn't regularly carried since he's known her.

“You do have a good eye,” Renee's mouth moves, that isn't her voice but—

Andrew blinks as Renee's form shimmers, shrinks and shifts, the tiny red headed witch from Aaron's shop materializes, smiling in her place, knife still pressed against his. Anger crashes against his wall of resolve that he built over the years, but it can't break past the curiosity of the rare talent this beautiful, lying fool just revealed.

“Who is to say I didn't already know you would pull something like this?” Andrew counters. Instead of being annoyed by him, Neil's smile widens across his stupidly aesthetically pleasing face before he pulls away, making his knife literally vanish into thin air.

“Highly unlikely that anyone would have told you and shapeshifting is too uncommon for you to have jumped to that conclusion,” Neil shrugs and folds his arms across his chest.

Andrew notes that since he saw him at Aaron’s apothecary, Neil's eyebrows have been plucked, a bit of makeup painted on and dozens of new flowers have bloomed in his hair. Despite Neil's folded arms — normally a sign of being guarded — the witch appears rather relaxed and open.

“Pretty stupid to show your hand then,” Andrew fires at him evenly, he still does not trust him. After a moment he uses his boot to crush the cherry of his fallen, half smoked cigarette and pulls out another one from a silver case he won in a game of poker. Neil's brief interest in the case is disregarded before Andrew can try to read it.

“I spent enough time being someone I'm not before I became who I am,” Neil tells him unexpectedly and Andrew lights his cigarette in response with a fire emitted from the tip of his thumb. “I use shapeshifting to make deliveries beyond the safe parts of the village and mess with my friends these days,” Neil shrugs again, sounding so nonchalant, but can a man so weighed down by secrets be at ease?

“Do not expect me to give you anything just because you're offering something so personal, willingly,” Andrew tries to bait him, blowing out a ring of smoke as King's bones rattle in her attempt at getting attention. Andrew stills when Neil reaches in his direction, petting King's moss coated skeleton. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees flowers blossom everywhere Neil touches. He hates how pretty it is.

“I don't expect anything from you,” Neil still sounds so nonchalant. “Besides, the person I am has nothing to hide.”

Fuck that sweet smile of his, Andrew wants to wipe it off his face. Preferably kiss it off, but kissing liars, no matter how attractive, is not a very intelligent idea.

“And what of the person you were?” Andrew watches something sharp be snuffed out in Neil's eyes. Interesting.

“Dead and gone,” Neil punctuates this statement with a nod. “What you see is what you get.”

“I can't stand you,” Andrew tries instead, only succeeding in making Neil's blue eyes light up with amusement.

“Sorry to hear that, but you're not going to kill my good mood,” Neil informs him and pulls away from petting King. “Please—"

Andrew feels his gut twist and cuts Neil off immediately. “I don't like that word.” The command is more instinctive than anything, he rarely thinks of why he hates that word after nearly a decade of healing himself, but the response from Neil isn't the typical eyeroll and argument that ‘it's just a word’.

Instead, Neil pauses, regarding him, blue eyes briefly searching for an explanation. “My apologies.” He nods. “Still, everyone is here and we're repotting everything with the new soil before dinner. After doing a little work, you may take a plant friend home with you, if you like.” Andrew hates the mischievous way Neil's eyes glitter and wants to know why it makes those lips curl upwards, what sort of trouble is lurking behind the shift. “I must warn you, they tend to get into trouble if left unattended for too long.”

What does that mean?

“What's in it for me?” Andrew tilts his head and takes a long drag, wondering if Neil will figure out his meaning.

“Company, a homemade meal and even dessert afterwards,” Neil grins and adjusts his cloak and smooths down his sapphire blue tunic. “Or, you can stay out here by yourself, your choice.”

Andrew stares at Neil, expression blank, not letting him know two of the three things he listed definitely interested him. Somehow, he believes Neil could read him like a book and blows smoke in his face. Instead of coughing and getting angry, Neil smirks and returns the way he came.

He wants to be stubborn and stay outside, watch the last traces of daylight fade from the sky. Instead he allows a small sigh past his lips, crushes the cigarette and follows after Neil, annoyed that the door was left ajar for him. Still, he heads inside, the greenhouse is lit up with balls of light hovering around the expanse of the room. Probably a gift from Jeremy, who is well known for his skill in simple charms. Everyone in the room is standing around one of the long, work tables and—

Andrew blinks at the sight of a bushy green cat with cornflowers sprouting out of it’s back, standing on Dan’s shoulders and nuzzling against her face, the non-magical human laughing. It appears that among the flowers, trees, herbs, fruits, and vegetables (not to mention all of the potion ingredients) there are plant cats of all shapes, sizes, and breeds roaming around the greenhouse. Andrew glances at a table beside the door, a shelf connected to the metal frame of the glass walls, lined with colorfully painted pots.

Upon closer inspection, he sees that they are actually sleeping plant cats that he managed to miss when trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone. King leans forward on his shoulder, her boney paws digging in as she rattles her skeleton at the nearest plant cat, a very bushy cat that blinks its black eyes and goes nose to nose with her. Andrew reflexively pets it, only to be distracted by loud giggling from his cousin.

When he turns to glare he finds Renee smiling in his direction; they are not laughing at him, but the way Matt has picked up Neil and tossed him up to ride on his shoulders. The ladder that he must have been using to reach the hanging baskets above stands neglected. A couple flowers bloom in Neil’s hair and his cheeks are pink while he laughs and holds on, his friends laughing at their antics.

“If you would just use your broom, you woul—”

“Shut up Kevin,” several people cut Kevin off, leaving the green eyed witch scowling, Andrew watches as Jeremy latches onto Kevin and makes him smile like an idiot with whatever he says to him. Allison and Nicky both go, ‘awwww,’ but Allison sounds more mocking than Nicky, which has Kevin rolling his eyes until Jeremy kisses his cheek.

Everyone is laughing and having a good time. Andrew is curious about this… community’s dynamic, but cautious; watching everyone. Studying the way they seem so… comfortable in each others presence with the way they talk to each other with great ease and move around together as a team and Andrew is the would-be kink in their well oiled machine. Dan is playing with Aaron’s hair, his twin batting away her hand and he hears him complain, while laughing, that she’ll get dirt in his hair. Matt is taking the pots Neil hands him from the hanging baskets as he moves to the next one, placing it on the table. Andrew looks up when the house entrance to the greenhouse opens, revealing a young girl with white powder in her dark hair and a smile on her face.

“Robin! It’s about time, little bird!” Nicky teases and then grabs his chest when a tall, bulky man follows after her.

“I brought company!” Robin sings. “Mr. Wymack brought a whole barrel of his honey whiskey!” Andrew notes how Wymack’s nose scrunches at the name, but says nothing —unusual for the man, he thinks— and tugs Abby in after him. So they finally got married…

“It was last October,” Renee whispers from his left, making Andrew jolt. She smiles at his glare. “You would have hated it, there was so much joy and happiness that day,” she teases. “Abby looked so beautiful in the dress Alli made for her.”

“I would have gone just for the cake. You made it, I assume,” Andrew responds as evenly as possible, only getting a hum of acknowledgment. “Why did the liar come out disguised as you, to talk to me?” Renee sees everything about everyone as they come into her life. Andrew, like everyone else on Foxhole Court, knows just how aware she is of her surroundings.

“I told him to,” Renee shrugs when he looks at her. “Your distrust in him is misguided, Andrew. I know you value honesty in people and you can expect that from him.”

“What about the past is hiding?” He tries because Renee would have seen it in Neil’s memories, only to earn himself a knowing smile.

“Neil’s past is his own, as is yours, as is mine,” Renee reminds him.

“You don’t hide yours,” Andrew shoots back.

“But you hide yours.” Damn her. “As Aaron said, Neil will tell us if anything comes up that could be a danger to us.”

“And?” Andrew narrows his eyes further.

Renee beams. “Not once has he broken that trust.” Damn her… “So, come help out, enjoy yourself. The more hands helping, the faster we’ll be done and the sooner we can eat.”

Andrew wants to argue, but Renee glides away, getting swept up into Allison’s embrace and laughing at whatever she and Abby are talking about. He trusts Renee despite himself; with a sigh he strolls forward, ignoring the way his black cloak catches on plants (and cat-plants). Much to his surprise, he is welcomed with enthusiasm; his cousin tries to hug him and settles for a pat on the back when Andrew glares at him. His brother gives him a smile, and other various emotions emanate from the rest. Neil gives him a sweet smile from where he’s perched on top of Matt’s shoulders, but there is a hint of triumph in his stupidly beautiful blue eyes.

He… he’s like an infestation, worming his way into every crevice...

Andrew breaks their gaze to look for something to keep his hands busy. Busy also happened to translate to dirty from the soil, as he turns down the pink gardening gloves that Jeremy tries to give him. They make something of an assembly line, removing the plants, passing the old pot one way to get rid of the old dirt and passing the plant the other way to be repotted with the new soil. Neil is at the end of the assembly, giving each one of his plants' attention, his magic emitting a scent of thunderstorms and wet moss, making the plants shimmer as they settle into their new homes, their roots stretching into the fresh soil. Andrew watches as the soft expression on Neil’s face never shifts as he treats each plant as if they are no more or less important than the last. He wonders if that is how Neil treats the residents on Foxhole Court or his many plant cats.

It is an hour before they are done, the world outside of the greenhouse cloaked in darkness from the new moon and he wonders for a moment what the greenhouse would look like all lit up from above. He’d grab his broom and find out, if he weren’t so… Andrew accepts the damp rag held out to him by his twin, meticulously wiping them clean, while the rest utilize the two sinks in the greenhouse. Abby is laughing at Kevin while he tries to get them to stop messing with each other when muddy water splashes on his pants.

“Not so bad, right?” Aaron smirks, Andrew notices a tiny colorful plant cat on his shoulder and stares at it. Aaron notices. “Oh, this is Petal, he’s Neil’s but he likes to hang out with me when I’m around.” Andrew blinks and Aaron rolls his eyes. “Neil is a plant witch, as you noticed. His magic seems to bring them to life— in the form of cats.”

Andrew narrows his eyes. “That’s a form of necromancy,” he deadpans and trails his eyes over to Neil again for a moment, placing plant cats into pots as everyone begins filing inside. An unheard of form of necromancy.

“Is it?” Aaron tilts his head. “I guess he’s a nekomancer then,” Aaron laughs at his own joke.

“Stick to potions and healing spells, Aaron,” Andrew drawls, smirking briefly at his twin’s scowl, but his eyes dart back over to Neil, walking over to them, the others trickling into the house, chatting, laughing and ‘arguing’.

“Hey,” Neil smiles at Andrew and wraps his arm around a smiling Aaron’s shoulders, briefly petting Petal still perched on Aaron’s shoulder. 

Andrew notes how Aaron doesn’t tense up or even make to pull away from his touch the way his brother used to with everyone they knew until Matt and Dan. Aaron, like Andrew, does not let just anyone touch him as they were both abused growing up and this is not the first time he was touched casually by Neil. Andrew’s eyes dart over to where Renee is walking by, to the door, narrowing his eyes at her smile before turning back to his brother and Neil, tuning into whatever they were talking about.

“—should make for a more nutrient rich batch. I’ll note what batch had this soil when I make the delivery and you tell me the results, okay?” Neil smiles at Aaron’s nod and Andrew feels warmth in his belly and hates it.

“You should show Drew your tiny cats,” Aaron blurts out, his hand coming up to pet Petal again. Neil’s eyes light up, nodding.

“Good idea,” Neil lets go of Aaron and motions to Andrew. “Come on, we’ll meet you guys inside,” he promises.

What? No.

Andrew stares at his twin when he smirks and turns away, heading inside. Andrew has no idea why he didn’t want Aaron to leave but stares after him until he’s inside. Now he is alone in the greenhouse with Neil and a bunch of plant cats. He looks at Neil again, finding a raised eyebrow but no sign of a mask to be removed. Andrew finds himself following Neil to the far side where there are tiny, freshly potted plant cats of all types, from seedlings to kitten sized but none are like the full size adult cats.

“These are my newest litter of littles, I love them all dearly and like I said, they need constant attention or they will cause trouble.” Andrew follows Neil’s thumb pointed over to a bin filled with broken pots and glass. When he says nothing, Neil tilts his head at him and Andrew ignores him to hold his fingers out to a tiny cat stretching and pawing in the soil of the tiny pot.

“You’re a shape-shifting plant witch,” Andrew comments offhandedly. He side eyes Neil, gauging his response, but Neil only smiles while nodding. “You turn plants into cats.” Another nod, still unfazed. “How is it you manage to do that?”

Fuck that smile, what are you hiding? Andrew wants to smack him again for taunting him with his stupid good looks and and far too attractive smile.

“You’re a necromancer,” Neil says this as if Andrew himself didn’t know. Andrew just stares blankly at him. “What is the process of bringing things back to life?” he asks more directly, gesturing to King. Good, maybe he isn’t that stupid; not that he’ll tell Neil that.

“I use magic to convince a soul to return to its body so that I can reanimate the corpse. It is considered to be a very dark and taboo form of magic.” As Andrew suspected, this information does not surprise Neil at all. “I am able to reattach the soul to a skeleton.” He, too, nods at King. “It is an even less savory form of necromancy as the reanimated subject will never be truly alive.”

Neil shrugs, smiling. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Andrew hates him. “I think King is lovely, she may be a skeleton, but she is still the same cat that she was before she died.” As if to prove his point, Neil pets King, giving her attention and his touch sprouting more flowers.

Andrew really hates him. “Okay, dandelion, what about you?”

“‘Dandelion’?” Neil tilts his head; honestly, Andrew isn't sure where the nickname came from either, even if it's fitting.  He hates how difficult it is to not react to to Neil's cheerful laugh or the playful orange flower that sprouts in his hair. “What about me?”

“You turn plants into cats.” Andrew waits for it. Nothing.

“I do.” Andrew waits for him to elaborate. “It’s not that hard really—”

“Guys!” Jeremy bleeding Knox throws the door open, a brilliant smile on his face. “Jean is here! We’re gonna start serving dinner now, hurry up!”

Andrew glares at the bubbly witch as he disappears inside again and looks up at Neil, motioning for him to continue. Instead he finds him staring at something on the table, mouth opening to speak as Andrew places his hand down and—

“Fuck!” Andrew hisses, putting King’s hiss to shame and looks down to find a tiny, spiky, cactus plant cat clinging to his hand for dear life. “Is this one of yours?” He almost growls, looking up to find Neil covering his mouth, shoulders jumping with laughter. “Get your damn cat off!”

Neil laughs out loud, stepping back with his hands up, several more playful orange flowers sprouting up in his hair. “Nope! He’s yours now! I already suggested that you pick out a new friend to take home, but it looks like he picked you! He’s one of my catcuses, they can be really finicky and difficult to bring to life, but very hearty kitties.”

Andrew stares at Neil like he’s insane. “Dandelion, if you don’t—”

“Come on,” Neil coos as he touches the pink flower growing out of the top of the catcus’s head and the spikes relax, pulling out of Andrew’s palm. Andrew glares at the cat that sits in his palm, innocently staring up at him with pink eyes that match his flower, ready to put him down. “He likes you.”

“He stabbed me,” Andrew fires back, staring at the blood droplets forming where the spikes had pierced his skin.

“Something tells me you’ve stabbed people too.” Neil grins when Andrew glares again. “Come on, bring your new friend, I’m sure Aaron will take care of that for you.” Neil picks up the vacant pot the catcus had been in and holds it out to Andrew. “He needs a place to sleep in, when not on you, okay?”

“I—” Andrew takes the pot, now half filled with soil, in the other hand, his heart absolutely not skipping a beat when Neil smiles softly before turning away to head inside. King jumps back onto his shoulders and before he knows it, he is following after the confusing, beautiful fool.

Chapter Text

Inside the house, Andrew absolutely does not stare at Neil, in a tight embrace with Jean Moreau, both of them smiling and talking softly. He does, however, smirk internally at the way Kevin struggles to hide his jealousy while blushing and chatting with Jeremy, who is talking animatedly at Kevin. He's ignoring Nicky rambling at him about his beloved Erik while Aaron—

“Why is it burning?” Andrew snaps his face to his hand where Aaron is massaging a smelly salve into the bleeding holes in his hand from the cactus cat, then up to Aaron's knowing, smirking face. “Why are you looking at me like that?” He switches to German. 

“Nothing, you should ask Neil about the scar and burn salve I make for him,” Aaron suggests in the same language. Andrew doesn't trust the smirk on his face. 

“What about me?” Neil asks in German, pulling away from Jean. Andrew feels his jaw twitch, staring at him when he walks over, feeling exposed as he thinks of his conversation with Aaron this morning.

“I am told to ask you about my brother's scar and burn salve,” he replies, glad his annoyance doesn't seep into his tone.

“Oh!” Damn those yellow daffodils sprouting in his hair are cute… “Yea, Rin’s stuff works great!” Andrew can't help but glare at his twin when his nickname for his brother leaves Neil's mouth as Neil gestures to the burn scar on his cheek. Aaron just shrugs. “This was horrible before and this was much more noticeable, but now you can hardly tell— see?” Neil gestures at his other cheek and it takes him a moment to find the three overlapping scars on his face— that was done to him intentionally. 

Andrew is pretty certain the burn on his cheek as well as the cuts and burns on his hands weren’t from any sort of accident, nor self-inflicted. What does the rest of his body look like then?

Who the fuck are you? Why would someone torture you?

“Rin has a talent for that sort of thing, despite sucking at everything else,” Andrew tests him again, pushing and prodding Neil, wanting to see how he reacts to a direct attack on people he allegedly cares about. When Aaron scoffs at the insult and storms away growling a string of his own insults, Neil frowns after Aaron and turns a vicious glare on him.

“What the fuck? Rin is really smart and talented at a lot of things, leave him alone, asshole — he’s your brother.” Neil balled up his fist, his flowers wilting as smoke wafts from between his fingers. 

Interesting.

“You really do care about him, dandelion,” Andrew hates that he sounds genuinely surprised, but glad that Neil does care for Aaron. Aaron is annoying most of the time, but he is still important to him. But Andrew does like the way his comment makes Neil stop literally fuming. A plant cat emerges from the inside of Neil's cloak to nuzzle his chin, and the hair flowers cease their wilting at the touch.

“Thank you, Cam,” Neil whispers to his tiny cat and looks back at Andrew, and he automatically feels like Neil is reaching into his soul for answers. “Of course I care about him, he’s my best friend,” Neil says this with such certainty that Andrew can’t help but believe him.

That still doesn’t make me trust you but I’m glad Aaron has your loyalty.

“I thought I was your best friend!” Nicky interrupts, bounding over to them, a stack of bowls in his hands, Renee beside him with a stack of plates. “How could you wound me like this!?”

Andrew gives his cousin an unimpressed look when Nicky presses his back against Neil’s side, draping himself over the now-laughing witch with his typical dramatic awkwardness. He feels a pull in his stomach when Neil just laughs genuinely at Nicky’s antics, instead of getting annoyed and his hair flowers even perk up again. 

“Sorry Nicky, Rin is my favorite,” Neil teases, grinning at his friend, who pretends to be deeply offended and looks to Andrew for help. Andrew hates it.

He hates everything, so that is nothing new, but—

“Andrew! Who is your new widdle fwend!” Nicky screeches, darting forward and Andrew has to refrain from stabbing his idiot cousin. He doesn’t have to worry about it when Nicky touches the cat now perched on his shoulder, opposite of King, and immediately shrieks in pain; Renee reaches out to steady the bowls he is holding.

Okay, never mind, I like this catcus.

Andrew can’t help but crack a smirk as Nicky pouts and sniffles overdramatically, sucking on his now bleeding fingers. Somehow knowing he can, Andrew reaches up with his freshly healed hand and carefully touches the cat, noting how the spikes relax when he pets him and even feels fuzzy as he nuzzles his hand.

“I’m calling it Spike,” Andrew proclaims with a smirk, eyes darting over to Neil’s bemused smile and the single yellow flower that sprouts in response.  All of his hair flowers have perked back up completely. Huh, interesting.

“No!” Nicky switches gears again, clearly forgetting about his bleeding fingers, Andrew lifts an eyebrow. “A deadly cutie like that needs a proper name!” He begins to gesture wildly and Renee laughs as she takes the bowls, walking away with a fond smile on her face. “His full name is Spikey Pink Fang McStabberson!” Nicky beams, clearly proud of his name choice.

Andrew lifts both eyebrows and looks at Neil. “Do you let him name all of your cats?” Neil sprouts a curious blue flower, a forget-me-not, as he thinks, looking up at the ceiling while tapping his chin with his scarred index finger. Andrew glances up to find numerous handprints belonging to the rest of those on Foxhole Court, he thinks, in the same orange as the obnoxious walls of Neil’s dining room. His stomach twists.

“Um, yup!” Neil laughs as Nicky hugs him before shoving him off with a playful smile brightening his face. “Alright, enough slacking off! Time to eat!”

“We were ready ten minutes ago!” Wymack grumbles, walking past with a mug of something in hand. Andrew locks on to it and then the small table off to the side with numerous beverages and cups and mugs to pour them into. “You all just kept gabbing…” Several of the others begin talking loudly over one another, cutlery, bowls and plates clattering while they begin to get food.

“Come on, Andrew,” Neil brings his attention back to him with a welcoming smile, gesturing him over to the huge, old table taking up residence in the middle of the dining room with benches surround it and loaded with quite the spread.

Andrew looks to Neil and then moves in slowly, watching everyone begin to load up their plates and fill their bowls. There is a pot of stew that smells delicious at the front of the table, a bowl of salad, numerous vegetables that Andrew is sure are from Neil’s garden. Different meat dishes that are prepared for easy sampling and of all varieties of cuisine that each witch knows how to prepare, being from all different parts of the world. Andrew hears Kevin going on about the history of the noodle, with only Jeremy and Jean paying him any attention, a faint blush on his cheeks as he does so. The young girl, Robin he heard the group call her, looks flustered while making sure everything and everyone is okay — until Renee sweeps her under her arm and hands her a plate and bowl to fill. He senses a very weak magic signature from her but… Hm.

Andrew chooses to grab a drink first, spotting a barrel of whiskey large enough for a tavern on a busy night, sporting Wymack’s business seal and fills a mug. He turns around, sipping the honey-flavored whiskey and lifts a brow when Spike pokes his cheek. He turns his head to meet the pink eyes of his catcus, now sitting between King’s skeletal paws and blinks when he mewls pitifully. He sips his whiskey again and Spike stretches toward his mug. Curious about what he would do, Andrew holds the mug out and cracks a smile when Spike plants its tiny paws on the rim, the spines on his body scratching the surface and takes a tiny lick of the whiskey. Andrew breathes out a laugh as Spike snorts or whatever it is plant cats do and leans away.

“The Monster can smile!” 

Andrew’s attention is snapped back to reality, finding a couple people staring at him — it would appear Allison is the one to have said that, smirking knowingly while Renee softly scolds her. Nicky appears thrilled at the idea of his necromancer cousin being amused and mostly everyone else is already preoccupied otherwise, but Neil is looking right at him.

Not the way Renee does when she has a premonition, but as if he can see right through him. Knows him and all of his secrets. Andrew isn’t sure if he should be afraid or not so he just holds Neil’s gaze as he sips more whiskey, watching a couple pink flowers sprout out of Neil’s hair before he looks away. Hm…

~

Dinner is a boisterous event, everyone is talking loudly as they eat, all thirteen of them sat on the benches on either side of the table. Andrew watches his twin as he is fawned over by his mates, practically swallowed into the embrace of Matt's massive body, even appearing small and delicate when tucked under Dan's chin. His cousin is chatting with Allison about his fiancé helping family overseas between bites of his meal with Renee smiling as she listens. Wymack is as quiet as he remembers him, sitting with his wife Abby and occasionally conversing with Kevin, Jeremy and Jean about finding more players for exy but everyone on Foxhole Court is too busy. 

When Andrew looks over at Neil, the plant-witch is watching over his guests with a small, content smile on his face that makes Andrew feel as if Neil is appreciating — no, marveling at what he has in front of him. Andrew watches as his eyes soften and then light up at something one of the guests says to another, a yellow daffodil sprouting and Neil leans back, shuffling food on his plate. Andrew doesn’t even realize he has been staring until Neil’s eyes meet his again and a spark shoots down his spine the second those piercing blue eyes sharpen. Neil looks away and Andrew watches him shift into interacting with those around him again. This… wall is bricked into place and it’s guarding the last thing Andrew expected this witch to be hiding. Happiness.

Why would this witch want to hide his happiness from the world? Why doesn’t he want— Andrew stills as recognition surges through him. It’s as if he was struck by lighting. Momentarily, he kicks himself for this instance of naivety. Of course Neil would want to hide his happiness — Andrew would. He’d hold onto it and hide it away somewhere safe, disallowing anyone who’d dare threaten something as precious as his happiness… If he possessed such a fantastical thing.

Andrew has to look away, focusing on his own meal —it’s delicious— as he ponders what he just witnessed. He doesn’t like how he can’t get a proper read on this witch, but seeing something so real and unguarded… He looks up once more when he hears Aaron make a snappy joke that has Neil laughing and playfully biting back. Aaron and Neil seem to have an inside joke about plants, in latin and thankfully Andrew isn’t the only one to miss it. It appears to fly over the heads of everyone in attendance, but they all seem used to this banter. At least, when he looks at Neil again, he catches a glimpse of that unguarded happiness once more. 

Who are you? Andrew can’t help but continue to wonder. It is in this moment that Andrew decides he is going to stick around and find out.

Chapter Text

Neil walks with purpose further into Palmetto Village, almost at the edge and very far from Foxhole Court. It is not exactly dangerous to be so far from the witch’s part of the village but it isn’t necessarily safe, either. He is used to being stared at by strangers when he goes into town to make deliveries or house calls. There are non-magical folks around that seek out the witches of Foxhole Court for their abilities and even accept them into their fold.

Still, there are those who think witches to be abominations performing the devil’s work. The 'averages,' or 'avis,' as they call the prejudiced assholes. Unfortunately, Neil’s cloak alone screams ‘witch!’ when the villagers look at him and before he started proudly presenting himself as a witch to the general public, he was stared at for his curly auburn hair and his too-blue eyes. Later on, when he came to Palmetto Village, it was his scars they stared at. He used to shapeshift to avoid the stares, but with his past in hiding himself constantly, he tries to avoid it as much as possible. It has been nearly two years since he arrived and there are still those few who watch him as he carefully makes his way through the village on a delivery and it always makes him extremely nervous. So nervous that Cam is nuzzled against his neck, the hood of his cloak tugged down to hide his face and his drooping hair flowers, not to protect himself from the slow sprinkle of rain preceding the storm Nicky warned him about. 

Should have flown my broom, like Kevin is always nagging me about.

Neil feels eyes tracking his movements again and he tries to not pick up his pace too obviously as to not let whoever is watching know he is aware of their presence. It doesn’t work though and he for once wishes the villagers weren’t staying indoors today with the rain sprinkling down because the sound of malicious laughter behind him is to be heard. 

Fuck.

“Where you going Pixie Boy!?” 

Neil grits his teeth at the taunting voice calling after him, making Cam nuzzle harder. It’s nothing he hasn’t been called before. He presses on, continuing down the sidewalk along Mills Street, intent on getting to the main road and getting back home. He feels heat between his fingers when one of the avis rushes forward to insert himself into his path and makes a show of leaning down to look at his face beneath his hood, this nasty, evil grin on his face.

“Woah, your face is even more fucked up, up close— failed burning at the stake, witch?”

When the avi hesitates, Neil knows his eyes flashed silver from his anger fused with fear. Glaring, Neil flicks his fingers, the ground beneath them shifting and cracking as his magic rapidly grows vines to snake around the man’s legs. Neil jumps backward when the man squawks in terrified anger and lunges for him, the vines holding fast and he falls flat on his face.

“You fucking hag! I’ll kill you!” 

Neil rolls his eyes at the man’s, a smug grin on his lips at this man’s predicament. “Can’t even stand on your own two feet, I’m not scared, asshole,” Neil snickers and leaps past his reaching hands and remembers the second avi who had been taunting him when he hears the first snarl something at him. Shit . He needs to get moving. Neil runs toward the alley he knows cuts through Mr. Hernandez’s backyard and hopes he won’t mind him passing through, again. 

A look back before he turns the corner to Mr. Hernandez’s yard informs him the first guy is cutting away the vines and the second is nowhere to be seen. Fuck, I should have paid attention — you’re slipping, Josten. Neil picks up speed and vaults over the chest high fence into Mr. Hernandez’s yard, being careful of the small garden he is cutting through, feeling the plants reach out to him so he makes a note to stop back for a visit. When he isn’t running from prejudiced assholes, that is.

Nearly two years of living on Foxhole Court, surrounded by people who love and accept him, has really ruined Neil’s survival skills and his awareness because after clearing the second fence and sprinting down the short alley he almost slams into another person that he should have sensed coming. The witch’s magic signature should have been warning enough, but this witch was speeding down the sidewalk on their broom without any care for anyone else around instead of flying above the houses as is proper. Neil frowns for a split second after the witch and blinks at the face of Aaron’s twin barely glancing back before zipping around a corner. 

This pause cost Neil though, slowing him down enough that one of the assholes appears around the corner Andrew had vanished and shouting. Double fuck, Neil growls and makes to run away but a shadow is cast over him and his heart seizes. Cam’s thorny claws dig into Neil’s tunic and the plant-witch swallows when looking up, his first instinct is to attack this new person towering over him— a cruel-looking man that smells of cheap booze and tobacco, middle aged and terrifying with all of these factors wrapped up in his hatred for witches. A classic avi. They are someone he could outrun with ease, but Neil hears the person he had previously stopped, coming up behind him in the alley and panics. 

“Where do you think you’re going, freak?” The giant avi bellows and reaches for him. Neil just, reacts. 

His eyes flash silver as his magic brings up a wall to protect himself, burning the skin off the avi’s hand and making him scream and spew curses. With a jolt of horror, Neil realizes what magic he's just used. The avi coming up the alley stops a few feet away for whatever reason just as the one from around the corner reaches where they are standing, but is suddenly staggering backward with a shout. Neil dreads his magic will attack him as well and then notices the blood seeping from between his fingers where he is clutching his side— a knife?

“Hey, dandelion!” 

Neil whirls around to find Andrew zipping toward him on his broom through the alley with his hand outstretched. Neil reaches out, his hand catching around Andrew's wrist just as Andrew seizes his own. He feels weightless as magic flows over him, and he looks up at Andrew's face, at the bored mask slipping for once to reveal the rage underneath. He doesn’t have long to study it when he is effortlessly hauled up to sit on Andrew’s broom sideways. The necromancer's hand lets go of his wrist to pull Neil to his chest by grabbing his waist. Neil’s eyes are wide when he realizes he has blinked and found his face in Andrew’s neck, his hands fisted in Andrew’s tunic. Inhaling sharply, Neil catches the scent of smoke and warmth that has him flustered for reasons he does not know as they fly higher and higher until the roofs of the buildings are all he can see when he looks down. Neil looks up when he feels Andrew’s pulse thrumming rapidly against his forehead and notes the ashen color his skin has turned. Andrew’s mask is back into place but the anxiety rolling off of Andrew gives him away; Andrew is scared. Why?

Neil chooses wisely to hold fast to Andrew as he zips through the air and once again remembers that he should have flown his own broom. Kevin is going to berate him for this, probably will not let it go. He’ll have to start flying more just to get him off his back. However, he feels safe, cradled against Andrew’s chest with his strong arm wrapped around him as he flies them back to the safety of Foxhole Court.

He feels prickling and a light weight on his tunic and looks down to see two pink eyes connected to a familiar tiny catcus and smiles. “Spike!” He releases one hand from Andrew’s tunic to pet his pink flower on top of his head, Spike mewling at him happily. He talks softly to the tiny cactus kitty (Cam mewling at him too), long enough for Andrew to get them back to his greenhouse behind his shop.

When they reach the ground on the far side of the greenhouse, facing a field by the dead end, Neil dismouts with ease so Andrew can land. Neil turns with Spike in his hands and finds the necromancer facing away from him, one hand over his mouth, whole body shaking where he leans against the glass wall of the greenhouse. Neil blinks as he realizes why Andrew was flying so low before. He’s really afraid of heights.

“Thanks for the assist, let me make you some tea inside to soothe your nerves?” Neil offers in a show of gratitude. It’s the least he can do, especially as a plant-witch with medicinal teas on hand.

He waits patiently for Andrew to recover, coughing quietly a couple times and spitting. Where is King? Neil can’t help but wonder, witches with pets typically bring them everywhere, even when flying or in some cases, teleporting. They aren’t the same as witches of the past with familiars, who helped focus their magic, but still. He offers his sincerest smile when Andrew finally turns around, lifting an eyebrow at the way the usually intimidating glare is diminished by the sweat on his ashen face.

“Alright then?” He tilts his head, feeling curious dragonsnap sprouting in his hair, pushing against the hood of his cloak. Surprising since he was certain all of his flowers had fully wilted when he encountered those witch-hunters. 

Andrew stares for a moment longer, his eyes running over Neil’s frame, looking for something. His gaze stops on Neil’s hands so he holds them out to present Spike to his rightful witch. Andrew slowly reaches towards him, but not without glancing between Neil’s hands and his face. Neil realizes he must have seen— well, seen him burn the flesh from that avi's hand. He's taking precautions. Neil feels the freshly bloomed snapdragon and the rest of his wilted hair flowers die and frowns, heart aching as if his chest is trying to cave in on itself.

This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen.

Spike jumps into Andrew’s waiting palm, Cam nuzzles Neil’s cheek to comfort him. Neil lowers his gaze as his hands fall to his sides, his cloak enclosing him in its warm, protective shield. “Thanks again, Andrew,” Neil murmurs and turns on his heel, intent on heading inside.

“Which side of your family gave you the demon magic?”

Neil flinches, full-body, at Andrew's question. Bile surges, and he gives in to the urge he hasn't yielded to in two years. He flees, sprinting into the field, away from Andrew, away from Palmetto Village. Away from his home on the dead end of Foxhole Court. Just— away.

Chapter Text

Andrew doesn't know why he turned back to help Neil. Unfortunately, it seems the witch has piqued his interest— not that he'll admit that to anyone. He turned back, and not only got way more answers from saving Neil than he had expected but also nearly passed out while flying three stories in the air. The panic attack was just the icing on the cake.

Now he is inside Foxglove, Neil’s shop, waiting for the plant witch to return so he can— so he can— can what? He has no idea what he’s doing, waiting here, but he is surrounded by numerous cats of all shapes and sizes, both plant and warm-blooded, sipping hot chocolate and eating sweets with Robin. The young, talentless, aspiring witch that Neil apparently took in when she found her way to the village after running away from her non-magic, abusive parents. He only likes her because she refills his mug before he even has to ask and it’s perfect every time. 

It has been two hours and Neil has not returned. Andrew does not tell anyone why when the witches of Foxhole Court call or stop in. Instead, he sips from his mug and watches Robin study a book on simple, beginner spells while he pets a bushy cat Robin called Sir. Robin tries to levitate a raven feather and watches as she grows more and more frustrated with each failed attempt. It's the third one she's worked with, two others having been singed as a result of failed attempts. 

Having nothing better to do and feeling a bit bored, Andrew decides to take pity on her and gets up once Sir has jumped down from his lap. Robin briefly glances up at him as he heads back through the hall, making his way into the greenhouse. He's immediately greeted with the sound of heavy rain falling on the glass roof and the strong scent of soil and moisture.

He looks around the vast expanse of Neil's greenhouse until his eyes land on the growing trees in the back not mature enough to be planted and makes his way to them. He runs his fingers delicately over the young trees until he reaches an Asvattha tree taller than the rest, placing his palm on its trunk. He can feel the magic stirring inside its heart and reaching out to his own. 

This one.

Andrew retrieves a pair of branch cutters from the workbench and carefully inspects the Asvattha. He chooses a decent branch with fewer leaves and cuts at the base, silently thanking the tree for its sacrifice.

Fuck anyone who thinks he wouldn't respect an innocent living thing.

Carefully he trims down the branch into something easier to wield and uses a knife to smooth out any sharp bumps before cleaning up. After inspecting his work, once satisfied he heads back, returning to the main room to find Robin sulking over her book, the feather she'd been working with singed like the others. She doesn't look up until Andrew stops beside her. 

“Oh, need a refill or are you heading out, Mr. Minyard?” Andrew doesn't resist the urge to roll his eyes at the formality and presents her with the trimmed branch. “A stick?” Gods, why does he have to spell things out for people. 

“A wand, to focus your magic.”

Robin's brows pinch together as she takes it from him. “No one in Palmetto uses wands though.”

“The witches here have been honing their skills for their entire lives, they wouldn't need to. Even if they are hopeless.”

Robin raises a dark brow and turns over the wand in her hands. Andrew moves slowly, to give her time to pull away, and adjusts her hold for best mobility. He guides her through the motions and nods before releasing and steps back.

“Say the spell again, clearly. Don’t put your frustration into it or it won’t work the way it is supposed to.” Andrew stares as she nods and glances at the spellbook again. “Magic isn’t about spells, it’s about controlling your emotions.”

Robin looks to him, nervous, but Andrew just stares back and she nods again. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly before she tries again, swishing her wand as she says the spell, the feather miraculously levitates off of the table. When she gasps in excitement, the spell falters and the feather flutters down onto the table but Robin doesn’t seem to care, squealing. 

“Thank you, Mr. Minyard! You’re such a great teacher!” Robin goes to hug him, but Andrew’s glare makes her stop, flushing as her smile widens. “Sorry— I— thank you, this is the first time I’ve been able to properly use my magic!”

Andrew nods and returns to his chair, picking up his mug and finds the few sips left have gone cold, looking to Robin who is still smiling at him. She easily catches on and grabs the mug from his hands, a bounce in her step as she leaves to make more. Sir returns to his lap, purring as he pets her and wonders how King is fairing at Aaron’s apothecary. Andrew looks up when Robin returns with his hot chocolate and a shy smile on her face. He nods when taking his fresh mug and lifts an eyebrow when she doesn’t return to her own spot.

“I was wondering… if…” Robin fidgets and Andrew sighs internally, knowing what’s coming, so he does nothing to soothe her nerves. “Well… could you maybe take me on as an apprentice?” She finally manages to ask. 

Andrew doesn’t respond for a while, because he doesn’t want a crying witch in training on his hands. Not that he cares, but it would be annoying. “I’m a necromancer, I practice dark magic.”

Robin flushes and he watches her try to find her words. “I— I know! But what about the basics? I’m sure you know those too? I— please?” 

Andrew narrows his eyes and her’s widen, shoulders stiffening. “Don’t say that word.”

“I’m sorry! I— I won’t say it again, promise.”

Andrew continues glaring at her for a moment before relaxing and sipping his hot chocolate, the sweetness bursting on his tongue and gets a hint of chili pepper mixed in. Ah, trying to win him over? He sighs again, making the mistake of looking at her, the innocent hope in her eyes.

Damn it.

“I’ll teach you, in exchange for hot chocolate and a box of your sweets per lesson,” Andrew gives in, slightly regretting it as Robin cheers in excitement. 

“Thank you Mr. Minyard!”

“My name is Andrew,” he finally corrects her, unable to take it anymore.

“Sorry, Mr— Andrew,” Robin flushes but continues to smile, radiating her glee.

The plants inside the shop react positively to her as the magic she emits seems to be connected to her joy. It’s a curious realization for Andrew, wondering why Knox couldn’t teach her since his magic works in a similar fashion, Nicky’s is that way as well, but his skills lie in fortune-telling. That question will have to wait, he realizes as Foxglove’s door creaks open, letting in a gust of wind and a soaking wet plant-witch.

“Neil! We were all worried!” Robin gasps as she rushes to him with a small towel she had on the back of her chair, helping him out of his soaking wet cloak, holding it carefully. “Why were you out in this weather? We all knew it would storm today.”

“Needed to think.” Neil wouldn’t even glance in his direction, even as Andrew stares at him. From Andrew’s shoulder, Spike mewls upon seeing the witch that brought him to life and successfully gains Neil’s attention. Neil’s eyes are hollow, bags under his eyes and his curls —devoid of his trademark flowers— are sticking to his scalp, dripping water onto his damp tunic. He looks absolutely miserable, especially when Robin pats at his face and hair with the towel. 

“Well tell someone where you’re going next time!” Robin scolds and Neil gives her a weak smile, taking the towel and his cloak from her hands. “I’ll make tea, go get into some dry clothes.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” Neil forces a chuckle, glancing at Andrew as Robin rushes off again. He doesn’t move from the welcome mat, shifting uncomfortably.

Andrew lifts an eyebrow, sipping his hot chocolate and Neil visibly fights a grimace.

“Can I get by you?” He finally speaks, looking to the worn-in path to the hall the back of Andrew’s chair by the counter is parked just slightly in front of.

“It’s your shop, you can do whatever you want,” Andrew stares.

“Right.” Neil properly grimaces this time and takes a wide berth around his chair, moving with extra care to ensure he doesn’t enter Andrew’s bubble. The necromancer simply follows, rolling his head to watch him disappear down the hallway and disappear behind the door at the far end. Andrew’s feet carry him into the hallway, listening to Neil’s footsteps fade as he ascends into what he believes is the tower, based on the outside structure of the house.

“What was he thinking, he’s going to get sick! I swear,” Robin worries from the kitchen, as Andrew stops outside of the doorway. Andrew wanders inside, getting a strong… ‘homey’ scent that is warm and welcoming and it’s… soothing. Hm. 

“I think we still have some of Mr. Minyard’s preventative potions handy…” Robin muses as she sets the kettle on the burner and lights the gas with a match, she frowns afterward. “Didn’t he seem off to you, M— Andrew?” She looks at him, worry in her eyes. Clearly she cares for him. They don’t even know. “I bet something happened on his delivery today, those people in the busier parts can be so…”

“Shitty?” Andrew suggests, leaning on the island in the center. Spike hops down and begins sniffing the vegetables waiting to be prepared for a meal. He watches his tiny cactus cat for a moment with feigned boredom as he takes a tiny nibble of a carrot and then looks to Robin when she moves to a cupboard, carefully sifting through.

“Yeah… Neil has already been through a lot…” Robin turns around with three mugs and sets them on the island counter between the potatoes and onions, pulling a tin down from the shelf by the pantry. Even though Andrew says nothing to encourage her, she just keeps talking. “I mean, he has no parents— or any close family that I know of,” she pauses in placing pre-prepared tea bags in the mugs and Andrew wonders who the third one is for, since he has his hot chocolate, then decides she’s just being polite. “Well, he did mention an uncle Stuart once, but then clammed up, hm.”

Andrew knows of not wanting to deal with extended family and having dead or unwanted parents. So he returns to watching Spike nibble on that carrot until he bores of it— or becomes full and stretches out to bathe himself. Andrew returns to watching Robin putter about. 

“Then there was him coming here or something and he was all bloodied up or some other horrific thing— Mr. Hemmick told me it was awful. Thankfully Mr. Minyard and his partners took care of him.”

Andrew is interested in that. “What happened?”

“I’ve only been here for about six months.” Robin shrugs, wiping her hands on her apron before pulling her new wand out of the front pocket, turning it over. “Mr. Boyd says that it was nothing like he’s ever seen— well, the glimpses of it that Mr. Minyard let him see.”

Andrew lifts an eyebrow once again, he’s doing that a lot lately. “What did Aaron say?”

Robin swishes her wand, almost opening her mouth with it pointed at the mugs before she seems to think better of it and slides it back into the pocket of her apron. “He said that… no normal witch could have done what they did to Neil— his wounds wouldn’t heal.” Robin frowns and is distracted by the whistling kettle, clicking off the burner and pours water into the mugs. “But…” she continues, brow pinched. “If it wasn’t a witch, then what, a mortal?”

“Hm,” Andrew looks back to Spike. I have a hunch.

“He’s taking a long time, normally he’s quite speedy about… everything,” Robin worries. “Never seems to take his time, always working or out on errands for the shop or his friends. Mr. Minyard says he hasn’t convinced him to take a day off in the two years he’s known him.” She starts suddenly. “Do you think he got sick from the storm!?” 

Andrew holds his hand out to Spike, the catcus quickly hopping on and scurrying up his sleeve to perch onto his shoulder. “I’ll go check on him.” 

“Here! Bring him his tea, p— Andrew,” Robin catches herself and Andrew finds himself appreciative at the small gesture, waiting for her to spoon sugar into two of the mugs— more in one than the other as well as two drops from a familiar vial he’s seen at Aaron’s shop, in another. “The grey one is his, I put a cold preventative in it.”

“Mh,” Andrew takes both mugs, sipping from the black one and nods at the sweet taste before walking out of the kitchen, hearing Robin call her thanks.

Andrew has to essentially juggle the mugs to open and close the door, walking quietly up the stairs, listening for any sign of Neil during his ascension. When he's three-quarters of the way up he hears him, talking softly, affectionately, almost… apologetically. At the top of the steps, Andrew stands in the doorway, the heavy curtain that is supposed to cover the entrance is tied off to the side and he has a view of Neil's bright, open room. His bed in the middle beneath a skylight, windows covering the walls and surrounded by a balcony. Shelves lined up along the windows, covered with pots filled with plant cats of all sizes.

Said cats are mewling at Neil as he goes to each pot, sprinkling something into each and petting the heads of the cats, heat lamps warming a couple dozen tiny cats. Neil still looks miserable, but his shoulders are sagging slightly less. Andrew’s stomach wrenches when he realizes Neil’s damp auburn curls are still devoid of any flowers and wonders why? Why does he care?

Then dulled blue eyes turn to him, a blank, exhausted expression on Neil’s face as he stares at Andrew and the necromancer holds still, staring back. Neil’s eyes slowly drop to Andrew’s hands, and confusion glimmers over his face so faintly that Andrew isn’t sure if he really sees it. Then Neil licks his lips and turns back to his plant cats, and resumes sprinkling them with something.

“Robin sent you,” Neil’s voice is dead, drained. He looks so wrong, not himself. “You didn’t have to do that, just because she’s sweet.” 

“I don’t do anything I don’t want to do,” Andrew keeps his tone even, watching Neil freeze momentarily, then carry on. Andrew steps in the room and stops in the center, facing Neil.

Neil finishes up and sets the shaker on a small shelf with numerous tools for gardening and caring for plant cats. Andrew is still wondering how bringing plants to life in the form of cats works. He wonders if Neil will ever tell him. 

“You can set it down,” Neil tells him, voice hollow.

Andrew knows what he’s referring to, his panic attack from earlier. He’s confused by and suspicious of Neil, but not afraid of him. Wary? Yes, but what witch isn’t these days with witch-hunters around? The avis like the ones they dealt with today. So instead of setting it on the desk in Neil’s room, Andrew closes the space between them with three, slow, careful steps and holds the mug out to the witch. 

“I’m afraid of heights,” Andrew offers as Neil stares at him, but he continues to stare back. “I’m not going to stand here all night.” That gets the witch to move, scarred hands slowly lifting and taking the mug carefully. 

“Thank you, Andrew.” Neil takes a sip and lowers his gaze.

Andrew hums in acknowledgment and copies him, sipping his sugary tea slowly, studying the witch across from him. Neil is— he's not afraid, Andrew realizes, though he no doubt assumes Andrew hates him for what he saw. The aura of a half-bred demon was so thick in the air when Neil’s magic attacked that avi, that there was no mistaking it for anything else. With how Andrew responded to him afterward, he’s sure Neil is expecting something negative.

Hatred. Cruelty.

Except... Neil is just resigned to whatever he thinks Andrew will do to him. Accepting. Realizing this sends a trickle of ice down Andrew’s spine, turning his stomach and making his sweet tea bitter... His eyes trail over the scars on Neil’s beautiful, exhausted face, the fading scars on his hands. Aaron had been treating his best friend’s wounds since he and his mates rescued the witch and Andrew wonders just how severe the scars were back then. Robin said the wounds wouldn’t heal, probably until Aaron figured out something and Andrew isn’t sure what type of creature or tool is used to cause such damage.

"Iron infused with demon magic," Neil offers quietly while Andrew’s eyes are retracing the burn on Neil's left cheek. "A witch's flesh won't heal from that. Ever." 

Andrew blinks. "But a half-demon's will?" There are no studies on this, no information in the books Andrew has read. Anyone with demon blood in their veins is hunted down and killed, or they never find them— if they exist. With Neil standing here as proof, they do exist. 

"Guess so if Aaron figured it out," Neil shrugs. "My…" Neil frowns and pulls away, walking to the window where a small bench is and sits down sideways, looking out at the rain. The storm has gotten even worse. 

Andrew's feet move before he makes a decision, but sits on the bench sideways, across from Neil, watching him. Neil barely glances at him. 

"What do you want, Andrew?" His voice is so quiet.

"Nothing." 

"Everyone wants something, usually for nothing," Neil counters and turns his gaze on Andrew, icy blue eyes sharp. "A necromancer doesn't become a necromancer just for kicks, Andrew." 

"No, they don't." 

"Lose a loved one that you wanted to bring back?" His question isn't at all mocking like the others have been when they asked, Neil, is genuinely curious. "While necromancy does work, it's not a perfect art form, the—"

"The human being brought back is never the same as they once were," Andrew finishes. Neil nods and sips his tea, looking back out at the rain hitting the windowpane. Andrew does the same, disappointed that he missed the sunset because he was waiting for Neil to return. Not that it would have made a difference with the storm rolling in. 

They sit in silence, drinking their tea for a few minutes. The soft sounds of slurping and swallowing, the cats shifting in their pots is all that he can hear, other than the storm.

"Wallflowers." Andrew apropos to nothing and sees Neil turn to look at him from the corner of his eye, waiting. "Wallflowers and wildflowers in general," he finishes.

"Faithfulness in your adversaries and freedom?"

Andrew nods and looks to Neil. "And lavender," he glances at Neil's annoying mouth, watching the corner twitch, then looks to his eyes, watching them sparkle and chase away the dullness. "Quietness and tranquility." 

Neil is full on smirking and a playful orange flower sprouts in his still-damp curls. For a second, Andrew feels triumphant in cheering Neil up —still unsure why— until that single flower droops as Neil looks out the window again. 

"Why are you here, Andrew? I saw the way you looked at me after I— well, earlier." 

Ah, he's still hung up over that…  

"Oh, dandelion, you caught me off guard." Neil looks back to him, eyebrow raised. "I do not like being caught off guard."

"Neither do I."

"And I don't like surprises." Andrew flicks his gaze over Neil carefully. "What else are you hiding?"

Neil stares back at Andrew and drains his tea, lowering the mug to the floor with a careful twitch of his fingers, his magic makes the room smell of wet moss. "Why? What do you plan to do with the information?"

Andrew drums his fingers on his mug before finishing his tea and flicks Neil an annoyed glance when Neil lowers Andrew's mug. Clearly, Neil is a practiced witch; he has a firm grasp on how to use his magic, so what happened with the avi was likely a rare occurrence for the witch.  But...

"I need to know if my family is safe."

Neil frowns. "Andrew, I stayed in Palmetto because I wanted a fresh start with people who accepted that I have a bad past. It was a chance to become the person I've always wanted to be, and I took it. I promised Aaron that I would tell him if anything from my past would affect the rest of them on Foxhole Court and he accepted that. I've only had to tell him about it once."

"What was it?" Andrew asks carefully. 

"That… the people who did this to me might come for me."  

"Did they?"

"Yes. Renee saw them coming… she dealt with Lola herself." Neil winces and then shakes his head, meeting Andrew's eyes. "I only want to live my life here within the community, with the friends I've made. My lineage is simply an… annoyance."

An… annoyance… Interesting word choice for someone who tortured you.

"What will happen to the asshole you burned today?"

Neil looks down at his hands, shame clear in his expression and posture. "The wound will never heal, he'll suffer from gangrene and it will need to be amputated, if he's lucky." Neil's hands grip the hem of his tunic before smoothing it out. "I didn't mean to do that, I usually have much better control over that magic."

Andrew takes a moment to look over Neil again, despite his image being burned into his memory. If he had to compare Neil to anyone, he'd pick Renee. 

"I'm a bad person trying very hard to be a good person." Neil recites as if he read Andrew's mind.  

"We don't need two Renees, dandelion."

Neil laughs and his single orange flower perks back up again. It looks so lonely and unnatural, all by itself. An incomplete bouquet. 

"But Renee has been such a good influence, a great example," Neil grins.

"Be yourself, everyone else is already taken." Andrew scoffs.

Neil grins even wider at him, a yellow flower blooms, and then a snapdragon. Warmth blossoms inside Andrew's chest, making him swallow thickly. Neil looks so beautiful like this. 

"I think being in Palmetto is where I finally got to be myself, or who I was meant to be. Since coming here, I've never been happier. Aaron and his mates saved my life." Neil smiles softly and two forget-me-nots pop up as he looks out the window. "Everyone has, in more ways than one. More than I could ever thank them for." 

"Did Aaron tell you we were separated at birth?" Andrew asks suddenly. Neil blinks but nods after a beat.

"Tilda kept him around for a punching bag," Neil grimaces. "You… were in the foster system, yes? Until you were sixteen?"

"Turns out good Catholics don't like it when the orphans they take in, ‘out of the goodness of their hearts', can do magic." Andrew is unsurprised to see the understanding in Neil's eyes, rather than pity. "Being forced to beg for forgiveness from a God I never believed in, while they… tried to beat it out of me."

"They tortured you…" Neil finishes. Andrew manages a nod. "Why are you a necromancer, Andrew?"

Andrew clenches his fists, his left arm itching where he tried to make the pain go away, by redirecting it. It never worked before, why should it work now? 

“I figured I should become what they all already thought of me,” Andrew keeps his voice steady and his gaze locked onto Neil’s. He does not discuss his motivations with anyone, but Neil has been honest with him and… something about Neil makes him want to open up. Andrew never wants anything. “I started studying the ‘darker’ artforms in magic at age twelve after my foster brother…” he trails off as Neil’s gaze sharpens and his expression grows dark. 

“What did he do, Andrew?” The tone Neil uses is one he would have expected from him up until he came up the stairs and saw him with his tiny cats. Something he expected from the malicious witch he initially believed Neil to be. Not the gentler witch he saw as Neil broke from Andrew simply looking at him in fear, in genuine distrust. It’s so dark and filled with angry promises to destroy anyone who dared to touch Andrew, a man he just met. It ignites a warm flame in Andrew’s belly and this time he doesn’t attempt to extinguish it.

“Cass took me in, despite my magical abilities, believing we could all live harmoniously. Her son did not share her views and he took it upon himself to ‘rehabilitate’ me. Between the beatings, the attempts at drowning or burning religious emblems into my skin, he nearly succeeded. I thought Cass to be worth the trouble and never told her about her son’s actions, since he was supposed to be deployed overseas, but he made it a priority to ‘fix me’.” Andrew can’t look at Neil anymore, the rage in his expression is too much, now that he knows the truth. 

And now that he’s talking, he can’t stop and wonders if there was a truth serum in the tea.

“Then we found out about Aaron and that he is also a witch, he wanted to bring Aaron with us on a retreat before his deployment, promising he could ‘fix us’. So I told Aaron to fuck off and ran away.” Andrew touches the shrunken skull on his belt, not that he needed to, to be able to remember. “Ran into an old fashioned coven, traveling the world and joined them, learned from them, searching for answers to questions I didn't even know to ask…, but they still… they showed me why witchcraft is not evil, even in the most unsavory of variations..." Andrew swallows thickly against the lump in his throat, the scars on his arms stinging with phantom pain. "And when I turned sixteen, a witch’s coming of age, I came to live with Aaron and Tilda.”

“You killed her after you saw what she was doing to him,” Neil concludes.

“In short, yes. Aaron didn’t have the balls to do it even though he asked me to keep him safe,” Andrew shrugs.

“But he still gives you a place to stay every time you're around."

Searching for answers to unknown questions.

He can feel Neil’s icy blue eyes on him, so he looks at him and can feel how much he wants to speak, so Andrew inclines his head, barely a centimeter.

“...What about him?” 

Andrew knows that wasn’t what Neil wanted to say or even ask, he can see it in his eyes, but he lets it slide. For now. Neil has given him so much today, more than he expected, especially when they both expected nothing. 

“I killed him,” Andrew waits for a reaction. Nothing. “Found out he was taking in orphaned children due to their magical abilities and ‘fixing them’, so I made sure he’d never do it again.”

That gets a reaction, but not the one he expected. “You don’t owe me an explanation, Andrew.”

Andrew has no response to that, because he can tell Neil means it. Andrew feels the tension he didn’t realize he was still carrying slip off of his shoulders and stares back at Neil, feeling calm. An unfamiliar green flower sprouting in Neil's curls draws Andrew's gaze, but only for a moment before he looks back into Neil's eyes. This time he doesn’t feel annoyed or suspicious when Neil smiles at him.

“The storm won’t let up, so you can stay in the spare room, if you like,” Neil offers.

Andrew doesn’t have to think about it, nodding to the witch in thanks. Neil's smile widens, a daffodil sprouting in his hair. A pink flower follows as they stare at each other, before Neil refocuses on the storm outside the window. Andrew watches him for a minute more, trying to figure out the beautiful witch before him again. This time it’s not out of suspicion, but reluctant curiosity and Andrew is surprised to find that he's happy about the change. 

Chapter Text

Neil bats away Aaron’s hand, from tugging on his curls and smiles as playful orange, happy yellow and bashful pink flowers blossom in his hair, laughing at his friend. “Stop, Rin! I said I was sorry! To you and everyone else!”

“You should have sent a message!” Aaron growls and swats his arm.

“In that storm last night?” Neil teases. “Not even my messages could have survived that wind.”

Aaron grumbles to himself and shoves the tray of cleaned vials at him before storming back upstairs with his tea. Neil grins and shrugs at Andrew watching him from behind the counter, King coiled around his shoulders since he didn’t return to her until that morning. 

“Staring, dandelion,” Andrew flicks his fingers at him and sips his hot chocolate, eyes returning to the book he grabbed from beneath the counter when they arrived at Aaron’s apothecary. 

Neil flushes, another pink flower sprouting and pushes through the curtain leading to the back to start sorting the vials. When he got up the next morning, he and Robin were joined for breakfast by Andrew as he spent the night in his guestroom to wait out the storm. Andrew then tagged along with him for his usual routine in stopping by each of the shops on Foxhole Court. With his usual herbal delivery for Wymack’s whiskey, he received a coin purse for his bi-weekly payment, same with Renee for his pouches of tea and Seth’s obsession with the non-addictive Spice that Neil grows and Seth uses recreationally. Renee welcomed him cheerfully as always while she filled his usual tea order and told him she was glad that he didn’t catch a cold. Seth and Wymack were far grumpier over him not checking in before the storm, since he went into the village on a delivery for Jeremy, who clung to him, relieved when he stopped by to check-in. 

Thankfully he didn’t get more than his cheek pinched by Allison when he ran into her, and a bone-crushing hug from Nicky (I would have thought you would read your cards to figure it out… ). Kevin and Jean were out, thankfully, for a surprise trip to Exites under the guise as a delivery for Jeremy, so he got to put off that lecture for another day. At this point there are more flowers showing than his auburn curls and the staring; Andrew is increasingly more obvious. The curious looks from his friends meer glances to Andrew's fixed attention, and a comfortable warmth settles inside him when he notes that there is still no fear or malice behind those steady eyes. Yes, Renee knows more of his past than he’s comfortable with, but Andrew has taken what he told him in stride and that feels good to share with someone. He doesn’t like that Andrew understands what he went through —to a point — but he appreciates their solidarity nonetheless.

Aaron shoulders him when he joins him in sorting vials and Neil hip checks him back, his friend’s light smile letting him know he’s forgiven. He feels his tight shoulders relaxing, no longer drawn in on himself. When they are done, Neil leans against the counter to watch Aaron check on his cauldrons.

“You’re getting along with Andrew then?” Aaron finally asks, making a note in his potions journal after adding an ingredient. 

“Yeah,” Neil smiles softly. "He helped me get away from some avis and he… apparently does not like heights or something— I had a meltdown when…" he feels his hair-flowers droop and looks down, recalling what happened not only with the avi, but Andrew's reaction. 

"You're not in the habit of meltdowns, Red. What happened?" Aaron's fingers find his hair and Neil looks up at him. His stomach clenches, bile crawling up his throat. "You can tell me," Aaron reminds him quietly. "If you want to." 

Neil bites his bottom lip and shakes his head. He wants to tell him everything; he's his best friend, he has a right to know. Especially because of how understanding and patient he's been. But… what if he rejects him after he knows? 

Aaron isn't like that. 

He's been there, right by Neil's side for the last two years and he's seen some fucked up shit. And… it doesn't feel right telling Andrew, a stranger, when Aaron has been his best friend all this time. Not even Kevin, a man from his past, or Renee who simply sees everything, has shown him such compassion, such friendship.

"I…," Neil mumbles and feels encouraged when Aaron nods. "I think there are a few things we should talk about…," he whispers. 

Aaron’s hazel eyes dart between Neil's and his teeth set into his lip.  "Like…?" 

Neil swallows hard against the dryness in his throat and licks his lips. "I'm… not just a witch," he whispers. "I'm… my— I'm half demon on my father's side." His last words are nearly inaudible, but even so, Aaron's expression doesn't shift, he merely blinks.

"I know," Aaron tugs on a curl. 

Surprise and relief wash over Neil. He always knew Aaron was smart, proved it time and time again, but—

"But you never said anything?" Neil stares at him with wide eyes. “When did you realize?”

Aaron blinks again. "Neil, when you showed up here, bleeding from dozens of wounds and barely clinging to life, you should have died because it took me two weeks to get your wounds to stop bleeding, let alone heal them. You lived off of blood replenishing potions and nutrient tabs for nearly a month. Your eyes flash silver and you have an unnaturally high skill with nonverbal magic, among other talents. It was obvious."

"Does anyone else know?" 

"Renee, obviously, as well as Matt 'n Dan of course, they didn't really get it, but they trusted me when I said it would be fine."

"Why did you help me if you knew?" Neil swears he's close to tears and he isn't a crier. 

"Because I would have wanted someone to help me if I was in your position— oof!" Aaron gasps as Neil grabs him in a tight hug, squeezing him close and Aaron hugs him back. 

Neil feels impossibly warm and loved, thankful for whatever blessing that is his best friend. "I could never thank you enough, Rin."

Aaron chuckles, tugging on his hair. "You can't, but you can give me a discount on my ingredients?"

Neil huffs and allows a couple tears to fall, smiling impossibly wide. His face hurts.  "Not a chance."

"Eh, worth a try."

They separate and Neil smiles brilliantly, wiping away his tears as Aaron teases him gently about them. Neil knows he truly cannot thank Aaron enough for his friendship and understanding, let alone his secrecy. But… maybe he can just… show him. 

Neil goes throughout his workday feeling lighter and somehow even happier than he has in a long time. He has a great job as the village florist/botanist, his business is steady, he has great friends and even has a couple friends who are trustworthy. This is all he's ever wanted and even though he never expected to have it, he does. 

Chapter Text

Andrew yawns into his mug of hot chocolate and flips the page of his novel, hand reaching over to scratch King's skull as he reads. It's been a bit of a slow day for The Black Cauldron (who named this place, exactly?) Most of the customers are elderly folk in need of Aaron's arthritic soothers and dementia aids, parents coming to get potions for sick children; non-witches and witches alike. He's just turning the page when his brother walks in from the back room with a tray of dirty vials, announcing;

"Alright, you can lock up, Drew."

"Mhm," Andrew needlessly marks his page with a black ribbon and walks around the counter, King leaping onto his shoulder with practiced ease. He's just getting the key out when a green leaf plasters itself against the window and normally he'd just ignore it, but there is no wind and the leaf is glimmering. So he opens the door slightly and the leaf swoops inside and plasters itself against his cheek. Annoyed, Andrew pushes the door closed and locks it, flipping the sign to show the 'Sorry We're Closed. Will Return Tomorrow At 8am' side instead of the ‘Come In. We're Open' side. Afterwards, he peels the leaf off and glares at it, only to stare in confusion when he reads it. 

Andrew, 

Would you like to come to mine for dinner?

~N. Josten

Andrew stares at leaf and thinks of the peculiar witch blessing this leaf with his magic just for a dinner invite. Yes, he finds the plant witch very attractive and yes he no longer sees him as a threat, but…

Why me? 

It probably doesn't mean anything, despite Neil cheerfully greeting Andrew everyday and including him in his and Aaron's morning tea routine —he even brings a specially dessert tea that tastes like pie for Andrew— and sprouting pink flowers in his curls when Andrew catches Neil staring. It’s a strange thing, the staring. Most people who look at Andrew like that are looking to sneak a few minutes pleasure before moving on. Or making sure he’s not shoplifting, depending.  They aren’t usually blushing flowers out their hair and inviting him to dinner.

"Ready?" Aaron reappears, having changed out of his work apron and into his cloak. Andrew had been eyeing the cloak, and its navy blue to black gradient, since his return. He looks tired, relieved to be going home. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving. I wonder what Matt ‘n Dan decided on..."

Andrew stares at his brother for a moment and then back to the leaf. Personally, he's had enough of intruding on the threesome and their meal times, they try to involve him in conversation, but it is clear to Andrew that this used to be the time the three of them got to bond and just be together. Andrew preferred to not intrude in on his brother's life anymore than necessary, so; 

"I have plans elsewhere, don't wait up for me," Andrew stares at the leaf.

Aaron is wide eyed with surprise when he looks up and Andrew tucks the leaf into his pocket, grabbing his black cloak from the hook beside the door. Aaron is still staring when he looks up as he's snapping it on. 

"What?"

"Did Renee invite you over?"

Andrew rolls his eyes and heads out the door, leaving his twin with, "Don't wait up." Andrew smirks as Aaron rolls his eyes as well while he locks the door. When Andrew turns around, heading up Foxhole Court, he can’t ignore the nervous butterflies fluttering in his stomach. 

~

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many pink flowers in your hair before, Neil,” Robin teases from the kitchen island where she is chopping vegetables.

Neil’s face instantly burns and sprouts a couple more peonies and azaleas to match. It has come to the point today that he has made himself embarrassed and that typically doesn’t happen. Ever.

"I don't know what I'm doing." Neil pokes at the stewing beef —his go-to meal— but at a much smaller scale than what he prepares for their community parties. He also noticed Andrew had helped himself to seconds and thirds of it. Realizing that, Neil sprouts more flowers. "I don't know what I'm feeling. He's just a new… friend?"

Robin laughs. He doesn't like the sly smile she hides when he looks over. "Is that why you ran away during my lesson with him the other day? You're being awkward?" 

"I haven't had to make a friend since you arrived. " Neil shrugs, still confused and simply steps aside for Robin to add the vegetables, stirring, adding some salt and stirs again, covering the pot after. He looks to Robin, the witch-in-training leaning against the island counter. She has this look on her face that he's never seen before. Almost confused herself —pensive, maybe— as she tilts her head, only to jolt at the sound of the front entrance door opening, signaled by the sound of the overhead bell.

Neil is frozen, staring at the kitchen entrance as he listens to the sound of heavy boots make their way through the shop. Murmured words as they pause greeting the cats?— before continuing on. A glance to Robin finds her staring wide eyed at Neil, also frozen before their quiet —not so unexpected— guest arrives in the kitchen entrance.

Andrew hesitates at the sight of them staring, glancing between them and lifts an eyebrow. "Clearly I've missed something."

"Uh…"

"We were waiting for you!" Robin jumps in quickly. Neil is grateful. "If you want to help out, we need to set the table!"

Andrew looks between them, eyebrow raised as King jumps from his shoulder to the counter, batting at the ingredients Robin is chopping. Neil looks at the skeletal cat, sprouting even more flowers and smiles then looks to Andrew, taking in a steady breath before speaking.

“The stew won’t be done for another ten minutes or so, the veggies are still cooking down,” Neil smiles and feels another azalea sprout in his hair and clears his throat when he sees that Andrew’s eyes are focused on his hair, watching said flower pop up. Neil swears Andrew’s eyebrows are going to disappear into his hairline at this rate. “Uh… dishes are there and cutlery is in that drawer… I—” Neil stops talking and turns back to the stove, tending to his stew.

“Okay…,” Andrew drawls with a lilt of confusion still in his voice.

Neil hears him step further into the kitchen and hunches over the pot more, tasting the broth and adds more pepper, just a dash, for show. He absolutely does not tense when Andrew brushes past him and he does not jump when Robin appears at his elbow to add in the remaining vegetables.

When Andrew’s heavy boots clomp out of the room, Robin is jabbing him in his ribs, whispering in his ear. “You’re being so obvious, just relax, Neil!”

His neck burns with embarrassment and his hair adds another flower to the bouquet.

“Obvious about what?” He chokes.

“About your huge crush on him.”

Oh. Oh.

Neil squeaks and drops his spoon to bury his burning face in both hands, mentally cursing Robin as she giggles at his predicament. So that is why he feels like his stomach is full of butterflies around the necromancer. This is new and not exciting, but terrifying.

“Relax, I’ve got your back, Neil,” Robin promises, patting his shoulder before leaving his side.

It doesn’t make him feel any better, but it helps him calm down— outwardly. Taking a deep breath, Neil wills his face to stop burning with embarrassment and dreads to know how many pink flowers have bloomed in the last minute, wondering what Andrew will think when he returns to the kitchen. Maybe he’ll think nothing of it. Maybe he’ll ask and Neil will turn into a walking bouquet. The latter is most likely to happen, since Neil has never been interested in another person and he has no idea what to do with this. 

~

Neil is being… weird. Well, weirder than usual and Andrew isn’t certain how he should read this. Robin is always weird, but then she gets this thoughtful expression on her face any time Neil does something weird when the three of them are in the same room. Usually, Andrew would just write it off as someone not knowing how to act around him, but the awkward, aborted sentences and the number of times he’s caught Neil’s face turning pink makes him wonder.

Or am I just overthinking this?

Sighing, Andrew shakes his head and sets the last spoon down and looks up at the ceiling again. He studies all of the handprints in that obnoxious bright orange, left by the people he used to consider his… community, as Aaron had called it. Nicky and Aaron are his family, Erik, Dan and Matt are an extension of that for being with said family. Renee is his friend, Bee his mentor. Abby and Wymack are the guardians of this little witch community. Everyone else are just people he at one point at least trusted to leave him be if and when he needed it.

It’s been nearly three years and he’s returned to everything as a stranger, with this half-demon plant-witch comfortably fitted into a hole he didn’t know existed in the community. Neil has occupied what Andrew thought to be his space at Aaron’s side, happily fitting in with the rest of his family. Clearly adored by everyone, providing stability and friendship for them, despite being unaware of his parentage or past. Renee trusts him, so that’s something, Aaron has come out of his shell, becoming more confident, and even Kevin has made progress with the two witches he’s pined after since Andrew has known him.

Neil has made waves in this community in a way Andrew wouldn’t have even cared to attempt, and he’s as damaged, if not more so than Andrew. He’s a curious individual and Andrew can’t help but want to get closer to him… if he wasn’t being so… weird.

“Andrew!” Robin pulls Andrew from his thoughts, leaning into the dining room while sporting a grin. “Can you help bring everything in? Dinner is ready!”

Andrew hums and follows her back to the kitchen without a word, helping her and Neil who collects a carafe of something that smells sweet and mugs to drink from. Andrew collects the stew pot from the stove to carry out to the table, despite Neil’s cut-off protesting and waits for the witch to set the warming stone on the table, watching it shimmer with his magic once Neil places it, despite no spell being uttered. Andrew is certain Neil’s demon blood allows for him to utilize magic without uttering a single spell and wonders if Robin has ever noticed that. He doubts that Neil has ever had to use a wand to hone his skill, either.

“Smells good,” Andrew manages a compliment to break the unnatural quiet of the room as Robin serves them all healthy portions of the stew. Rolls that Andrew suspects are from Renee’s shop are served alongside it and when he sips from his mug, he appreciates the sweetness of the drink, though he’s unable to decide what it is. 

“Thank you,” Neil smiles shyly, his cheeks pink —again— and hair sprouting another flower. Andrew realizes that there are several more of them since he arrived and wonders. “I noticed you enjoyed it at the get-together, enough to have three servings, so help yourself.”

Andrew’s eyes sharpened as he stares at Neil, pausing with his spoon halfway to his mouth for his first bite. Neil made this in hopes that he’d come for dinner, because he liked it last time? He noticed that he liked it? Now he really has to wonder if he’s reading into this too much. But Robin’s stifled giggle and Neil’s responding glare and sprouting azalea just deepens the suspicion.

The suspicion that Neil just might be interested in him… the concept alone has Andrew’s neck burning and busying himself with digging into his stew. Fuck, it’s as delicious as last time and he murmurs his thanks, not meeting Neil’s eyes as the three of them dig in.

Robin, the chatterbox she is, starts a conversation about the few lessons she’s had with Andrew and the necromancer is fine with that. It gets both himself and Neil to ease up a bit, but Andrew can still see that brick wall firmly held in place, the plant-witch guarding his happiness and enjoyment. While Andrew respects the need to hide something so important, he still doesn’t understand how it got to that point, but he’s determined to find out.

It takes Andrew a couple sips of the sweet, aromatic drink to realize it’s alcoholic and when he asks, Neil tells him it’s a type of sangria that Nicky taught him how to make. Andrew is both surprised and not at all by this, since Nicky insists on keeping family recipes private. He swore to only pass them on to his children or his niblings if Aaron or Andrew should ever have children of their own. It would seem that Neil has somehow truly made himself a permanent place for himself on Foxhole Court, including in Nicky’s golden heart.

“How long have you had King?” is Neil’s next question, albeit unexpected and off-topic—

Robin laughs as King and Spike tumble onto the table; Neil’s cat, Sir leaps up right after and he feels something brush against his legs. “Looks like they wedged the door open,” Robin sighs. “We’ll never get them all out…”

“Don’t worry about it now,” Neil answers, picking up his and Robin’s bowls as King tackles Sir and both cats tumble past.

Andrew’s lips twitch as a couple of daffodils join the mix, warmth sparking in his chest when Neil’s wall lets a bit of light through the cracks in between the bricks. Spike, who had hitched a ride on King’s moss covered back, paws at Andrew’s bowl. Andrew offers him a carrot from the stew and watches as the cactus cat settles in to eat his treat before inhaling the last of his first serving. While he’s ladling another into his bowl, he brings up the one question he’s wanted an answer to since the first time he met Neil.

“You never said how you create your plant-cats, dandelion.” He doesn’t miss how Neil’s head tilts at the name he’s given him, like he does each time Andrew calls him that.

“Like we talked about before,” Neil begins, reaching for the ladle once Andrew is done, but smiles shyly when Andrew insists on serving him. Then he serves Robin when she holds out her bowl and she thanked him graciously before Neil continues. “With necromancy, you convince a soul to return to its own body— even its skeleton, like you’ve done with King.”

Andrew nods and notes how Robin is leaning forward, turned to face Neil in her seat on the bench beside the plant-witch. Evidently she’s not heard this explanation before.

“Okay, so with plants, it’s different, I’m sure you can feel the magic, the life in them, right?” Neil is smiling wider now, any awkward nervousness is bleeding away slowly. Andrew can’t help but nod along, because yes, he has felt it before. “Well, what I do is I grow and shape my plants however I like, but typically so they resemble cats. Like Sir—” Neil looks to his cat running around the dining room with King and then thinks better of interrupting, looking down at Spike instead. 

“Okay, with Spike, he was actually grown from two cacti and with my magic, I merged them into one,” Neil smiles, petting the pink flower on Spike’s head while the catcus nibbles on his carrot. “After I’ve grown my plant cat, I can attach a soul to it.” 

Andrew can’t help but interrupt now; “That’s necromancy.” But not exactly...

Neil presses his mouth in a thin, but shy smile, flicking his gaze to Robin and then back to Andrew. “It is.”

Robin tips her head, studying the man who took her in and gave her a home. “But I’ve never seen you practice dark magic before, Neil.”

Neil smiles nervously at her and then looks down to pet Spike again. “It’s not necromancy exactly, but I don’t know what else to call it. I use my magic to convince the soul of a cat to attach itself to my plant cat. Give it a second chance at a better life.” 

That doesn’t explain how you get around the lack of the deceased’s body…

“That’s really sweet, Neil!” Robin beams and turns back to her meal. Andrew suspects that she must not know the ins and outs of magic. The laws and basics, even though Andrew has been teaching her them. To be fair, necromancy isn’t ‘basic’ magic.

Andrew catches Neil’s eyes again, worry evident in them and he cocks an eyebrow, shrugs and returns to his stew. A white daisy sprouts in Neil’s hair and Andrew wonders what emotion that flower emulates. He doesn’t bother asking, instead listening to Robin pick up another conversation that Neil responds to, that Andrew manages to listen to.

They are at the tail end of their meal when King and Sir take their fight to the table top and before Neil can scold them, Sir tackles King and pop! Robin squeals when King’s head rolls across the table, her bones collapsing uselessly to the wood with a clatter. Sir sits beside King’s bones, pawing at her. 

“Sir killed King!” Robin cries.

“She’s fine,” Andrew sighs as an unphased Neil tries to console a tearful Robin. Not that Andrew is surprised by that and gets up to pick up King’s head from where it rolled and shoos Sir backward, popping her head back into place. 

“Wake up,” he orders, petting her bones gently, allowing some of his magic to seep into her skeleton to help things along. “King, wake up,” Andrew orders again and this time her bones rattle a bit, before they are reassembled into the shape they once were. King clatters to her paws and rattles her bones in a purr, nuzzling Andrew’s hand. “Good girl.”

“T-that was…,” Robin trails off, staring at Andrew’s skele-cat in interest now, the tears prickling in her eyes blinked away. “How’d you do that?”

“Magic,” Andrew deadpans at the same time Neil does.

Robin bites her lip, flicking her eyes between them and Andrew doesn’t like how they are sparkling… What are you up to, Robin?

“That’s—” she laughs and shakes her head, standing up from the bench. “I guess I’m still learning,” Robin reasons, patting Neil’s shoulder. Neither him or Neil say anything. Andrew finds Neil’s staring at her, wide eyed. “I’m going to clean up, I’ll bring dessert out to you.” Robin starts collecting bowls and spoons before darting out of the dining room.

Andrew looks at Neil again to find him hiding his face in his hands, pink flowers blooming as he watches. He catches on when Robin returns with two plates in hand, her sweets piled high on one with only a few on the other, which has more fruits, setting them down in front of him and Neil.

“You two sit and talk, get to know each other better. I’m in the kitchen if you need me!” Robin grabs the stew pot, but not before tugging on Neil’s auburn curls. Did she think Andrew would miss the sly grin that she just gave him, or the way it causes Neil to mimic a tomato to the best of his ability?

Instead of watching Robin leave, Andrew sinks back down into his seat, King perching up on his shoulders and laying across them for a nap. He watches as Neil stares intently at his plate of fruit, popping one of the sweets on his plate in his mouth at random. His chest is tight, pulse thrumming rapidly. Did… did this mean what he thinks it means?

Only one way to find out…

“Could she be any more obvious?”

Neil shrugs, glancing up through his bangs, cheeks still a delicate shade of pink. Andrew looks at the burn scar for a long moment, noting how Aaron’s salves have made the tiniest bit of a difference in healing it over the last couple of weeks. It appears smoother, but he knows the only other person besides Neil and himself to notice, would be Aaron. Aaron’s excuse for this would be that he’s the one ‘experimenting’ on Neil’s scars. Andrew is just staring at Neil and cataloguing every little detail of him to memory, whenever he gets the chance. Only to then accuse Neil of staring. 

Hypocrite…

Neil looks so uneasy… but there is a glimmer of hope in his eyes now. Andrew feels beyond compelled to push, to find out what is there. To know. If he’s reading this wrong, he’ll back off and never bring it up again. Maybe go on another sabbatical.

“Dandelion—”

“Why do you call me that?” Neil cuts him off abruptly, poking at a strawberry on his plate. “It’s a weed.”

Andrew blinks, swallowing hard; his throat is dry so he sips more of the sangria to wet his mouth and give him some strength. He can’t stop himself from letting truths fall from his lips. “It may be a weed, annoying and everywhere you don’t want it to be, like an infestation. But they are nice to look at.” Neil perks up at his soft explanation, lips parting in a failed retort.

Neil laughs and offers a small smile. “I thought I was the plant witch?” He teases.

Andrew’s chest tightens again. That fucking smile. “Then as a plant witch, you should know that weeds only grow where you don’t want them to, otherwise they are just another flower.”

Neil flushes and looks away, smiling as he plucks up his strawberry and takes a bite. Andrew can’t help but stare. Neil can’t help but let him know he’s doing so. “Staring, Andrew.”

That fucking smile. Stop it.

“You’re most guilty of that, dandelion,” Andrew shoves another sweet into his mouth and has to look away from Neil and his stupid sparkling blue eyes and pink cheeks and a bouquet of flowers sprouting from his hair.

“You’re still guilty of the same crime, Andrew.”

Andrew shrugs slightly, careful of King and chews on a piece of fudge, thinking. This time his gut clenches and he stares at his plate. “What was she insinuating?” He looks up carefully, Neil is chewing nervously on a piece of melon. Andrew wants to lick the drop of juice rolling down his chin, but Neil just wipes it away with his pinky. 

“About… us getting to know each other?” Neil slowly meets his gaze, it’s clearly a struggle for him, but he still does it. Andrew just nods and Neil looks away, to the doorway specifically and then to Spike who has stretched out on the table, fast asleep, full from mooching off of his stew and it makes Neil smile softly.

“She…,” Neil sighs and Sir comes up to him, plopping herself in his lap, purring. “I… haven’t had to make friends since Robin came here, but it wasn’t like… this,” Neil motions randomly with his hand, the other petting Sir. “It wasn’t weird like this with Aaron or Matt, Nicky or Jeremy or fucking Jean.” 

Andrew’s heart practically stutters, way too hopeful.

What did we say about hope? It’s dangerous.

And yet, he can’t help himself. “What’s different?”

Neil meets his gaze, honesty in his eyes. “I want to trust you… and… you make me nervous, but… not in a bad way?” Neil shrugs and cuddles Sir closer to him. “I just know I look forward to talking to you and I don’t know what to do with that.” 

Andrew can’t help but frown, licking his lips to return to a neutral expression. “Don’t you have that with Aaron?”

Neil nods and then stops, biting his lip as he shakes his head. “This is different.”

“Oh.” Smooth Minyard…

“Yeah,” Neil laughs, staring at him nervously.

Say something.

“Is that why you’re always staring at me? Trying to figure it out?”

Neil blushes even harder at this question. “Is that why you’re always staring?”

Andrew blinks. “Yes.” But I’ve already figured it out.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” Andrew is dizzy, this new information flowing over him like a cold wave, stunning him into silence. He copes by shoving two more sweets in his mouth and chews slowly. Neil does the same with another piece of fruit. They stay quiet, exchanging awkward glances while they clear their plates, until…

“Robin… you’re not very sneaky,” Neil looks to the door.

Andrew copies him and Robin pokes her head in, smiling innocently. He hadn’t heard her, but Neil had? Interesting. 

“So did this count as your first date?”

Andrew chokes and Neil groans, hiding in his hands again. Robin just laughs as she walks away. He could kill her , but… looking at Neil, his shy smile looking up at him, he thinks he might only maim her a little bit.

Chapter Text

Andrew is surprised at the shift in his and Neil’s… relationship over the next few days, finding them spending increasing amounts of time together. And while they spend more time together, the air between them becomes lighter and breathable, comfortable. Andrew allows simple truths to be shared without any expectation of something in exchange and it surprises himself more than anything. Except, Neil does the same.

Up until now, Andrew wouldn’t give someone anything without getting something in return and usually, it would have to be something of equal value to whatever he himself offered. That is not the case with one Neil Josten, who just listens when he speaks and offers no pity or criticism, but understanding and the confidence that it would stay between them. It relieves Andrew of a weight that had been crushing him for nearly his entire life and can’t be sure what to feel about it, which is exactly what he expresses to Betsy ‘Bee’ Dobson over mugs of chili-spiced hot chocolate when she returns from her own travels.

“It’s good to see you like this, Andrew; your aura isn’t suffocating the room. I’m happy to know the reason why that is.” Bee’s eyes twinkle with amusement and Andrew is reminded why he likes the woman. He could always trust her to be honest with him, in her own playful way.

“Damn, I guess I’ll have to figure out another way to scare off everyone then.”

Bee simply laughs into her hot chocolate. “I’m certain you’ll find a way, you are very creative.”

“Full of compliments today.”

“Mhm…,” Bee gives him her evaluating look that she does when she wants to size him up before asking him something. Usually, it’s a bit too personal. He’s not going to encourage her, so he waits. Thankfully, it’s not a long wait. "Speaking of Neil, I find myself wondering if you're so light because of the way you two have grown so close so quickly."

Andrew hesitates at that and lowers his mug back into his lap, cradled between both hands, his rings click as his grip tightens momentarily while he stares back at the older witch. “Oh Bee, Just say it.” 

Bee smiles and lowers her mug as well, lightly tapping her fingers against the side. “Are you interested in Neil?”

Andrew huffs at her question. “He's easy on the eyes. That's all.”

“And now your aura is telling me otherwise. You can’t lie to me Andrew, but feel free to try.”

Of course Bee probably knows about Dandelion… but who else does?

Andrew narrows his eyes at her, realizing that the older witch more than likely knows what Neil is and wonders how much she knows about it. Or if she simply suspects. Bee is not as talented of a psychic as Renee, but she is still quite skilled and experienced. So if Bee does know… then who else does? He and Neil haven’t discussed his lineage since the day he found out, and if he wanted to get closer to Neil, he doubts bringing that delicate topic up again so soon would be beneficial. So he’ll have to settle for tactfully prying information out of the witches of Palmetto.

“Something on your mind, Andrew?”

Andrew hums and sips his hot chocolate. “Just wondering why you find Dandelion so interesting.”

Bee’s eyes sparkle at the nickname. Damn it. “‘Dandelion’? That’s cute.”

His neck burns, but he recovers quickly. “He’s an annoying infestation.”

“Mhm. So what about Neil interests you?”

“He’s overly skilled, performs non-verbal magic with ease, has an abundance of unique talents that are rare to find, especially when one would be impressive for a witch to have…" he hesitates as he recalls that the man he got half his genes from, also— "He's had a rough life…," Andrew finishes. 

"Like you," Bee offers. 

Andrew clutches his mug tightly and shakes his head. "Not like me, worse."

Bee hums, her own rings clicking as she strums her fingers against her mug. "Pain is pain, Andrew. Trauma from your past still hurts, regardless of the story. You both survived 'rough lives', maybe that's why Neil interests you. Do you believe he'll understand what you've been through?"

Andrew finds himself nodding, with Neil's lineage, the half-demon plant-witch is certain to have experienced the hatred and torment he did. "But I don't think I'll understand what he's been through."

Bee is uncharacteristically quiet for a long moment, sipping her hot chocolate. Andrew is uncharacteristically patient. When she looks up, there is this searching look in her eyes before certainty solidifies. 

She knows…

"I think not even Renee is as well equipped as you to try and understand what Neil has been through."

Chapter Text

Andrew watches the rest of the residents on Foxhole Court more closely after his conversation with Bee. It's unfortunate that he has to speak to them at times, but it is necessary if he wants to find out who else knows about Neil's lineage. So far, he knows Bee is aware, after dancing around the subject. Renee knows, of course she knows. And Aaron, that should have been a given; even if Andrew does torment his twin, Aaron is smarter than most of the people he's ever met. So that means Matt and Dan probably know, which is a good amount of people and he wonders if Neil knows that.

However, it's really hard to focus on that, when Neil is laughing with Seth and Aaron at Aaron's shop, yellow and orange flowers sprouting as they talk. Damn him for being so beautiful. Seth rolls his eyes at Neil as he drops some money into his hand in exchange for a paper-wrapped package Neil pulls out of his vine basket. He nods a farewell at Andrew and Aaron on his way out of the apothecary. Aaron tugs on Neil's curls before heading back upstairs with a tray of dirty vials and tools, leaving him alone with the plant-witch.

"What was that?" Andrew asks when Neil steps up to the counter to place his basket down and pet King when she goes up to him, Spike scurries to sit up on his shoulder, stretching from his nap with King.

"Hm?" Neil smiles at Andrew, sipping his tea. Andrew tries his own; it tastes like berry cobbler.

"What did you sell Gordon?" It looks like the same package he sold the innkeeper before.

Neil perks up and exhales a laugh. "I grow a special plant that when it’s dried, can be ground up and rolled in cigarette paper and smoked for a lovely high. It's called 'Spice' and it’s the least harmful drug Seth has ever taken, but it helped him stop smoking opium, so," he shrugs, leaning on the counter, enjoying his tea.

"Do you do that with everyone here?" Andrew says as he watches Neil, wondering if he’s done a similar favour for Aaron. "Give them plants to solve their problems?"

Neil pets Spike on his shoulder and hums. "I think houseplants, herbs, and spices are wonderful gifts, but alone; no. I don’t think they solve problems, I just like to be helpful." Neil says avoiding the question. 

Aaron scoffs at them as he reappears, shoving a tray of potions and ingredients to restock in their direction. "Andrew, the couch is only free on the condition you help Neil, get going." He says as he walks away. Andrew would argue but he knows that Aaron thinks he would actually leave again if he didn’t have Aaron’s place to stay. So Aaron’s threats to kick him out are as empty as always.

Andrew and Neil both reach for the tray at the same time, their fingers brushing. Andrew quickly retracts his hand and hopes his face isn’t red.

Andrew chances a glance at Neil, neck burning and finds a couple pink flowers to have sprouted, as well as a matching dusting of pink on his freckled cheeks as he reaches carefully for the vials again. He curses the flicker of hope in his chest, warmth spreading as he recalls dinner at Neil's the other night, neither of them knowing how to approach this. Andrew because he doesn't feel—

Liar...

—and Neil because he had confessed to never feeling like this towards another. It's a difficult dance they are performing and Andrew isn't sure who is leading. If anyone at all.

Neil clears his throat and Andrew refocuses, grabbing a handful of vials. "I think—"

"—That's scary," Andrew immediately cuts in, amused at Neil's annoyed look, hiding behind his snark because at least he knows how to do that.

"As I was saying," Neil continues, looking away to focus on stocking the shelf. "I think it isn't considered 'free' for you to sleep on Rin's couch if you're working here."

"Rin is nice enough to let me stay here." Andrew is the only one allowed to call Aaron ‘Rin’. "I might as well help him out, to make sure nuisances like you don’t mess up his system."

Neil frowns and the flowers droop against his fluffy hair, and Andrew does not feel bad. Especially when he turns away to put something on another shelf a little further away from Andrew.

"Then you might want to follow Rin's system. The headache-away is in the wrong place." Neil says, but Andrew can't see his expression.

Andrew turns to look at where he put the vial, it's where it's always been, he thought. He doesn't forget things.

"This is where he's always had it." Andrew insists.

"Well, maybe he changed it while you were gone on your sabbatical, a lot can change in three years." Neil says, and he always somehow knows Andrew's weak spots, whether it's that pretty smile or throwing such a statement in his lap.

"He doesn't change things," Andrew presses, ignoring the tightness in his chest, replacing the warmth that had just been there. "Rin doesn't like change."

Neil gives him a look, reading him, eyes searching before he slowly steps closer and points to the shelf he'd placed the vial on. "He sorts them by their use, then alphabetically, by each shelf. This shelf is for focused replenishing potions." He lowers his arm, pointing at the one below it. "This shelf is for preventatives and—" He picks up the vial, placing it on the third shelf. "—This shelf is for cures for common ailments. He's had this system for the last year or so."

Andrew stares at Neil and then looks at the shelves, reading the labels on the vials quickly; Neil’s right. Aaron once sorted everything simply by alphabetical order, instead of grouping them together by similar uses. He'd really been gone a long time...

"So put them in the right place, otherwise Rin'll get annoyed," Neil collects a handful of vials and starts shelving them.

"He lets you call him Rin." Andrew hopes his voice doesn't waver from his usual level tone, but from the way Neil stills he suspects he had given himself away.

"He does," Neil replies slowly.

You were gone too long again

"Andrew?"

Andrew blinks and looks at Neil, realizing he'd gone quiet and still. "I gave him that name." It comes out before he could even think about it, another truth that Neil has managed to pull from him. One so private and special. Damn him.

Neil stacks the last of the bottles in his hands away and moves closer to Andrew.

"So you gave him a name, doesn't that mean he likes it if he wants those close to him to call him Rin? I bet, when you were ... away, it gave Rin comfort to be called that and be reminded of you," Neil says, so earnest.

Damn you Neil, Andrew thinks. Damn him and the way he knows how to make Andrew feel less like an island, and more like a peninsula. He feels unmoored from those he desperately wants to keep close to him, his family, his twin brother, but Neil can make him feel like… like even though he’s been gone, he has not been forgotten.

Andrew feels a little spaced out, because when he blinks, Neil's a lot closer than he remembers. 

"Thanks," Andrew says tersely, before Neil can spit out whatever thought he's chewing.

"You're welcome," Neil smiles softly and his flowers perk back up in his hair. Still standing so close.

Andrew swallows, wanting to look away, but unable. Neil's cheeks pinken slightly; he backs off with another handful of vials in hand and the spell is broken. He just sets to shelving again, quickly memorizing the new system. He pretends he hates it and mumbles his complaints.

Neil doesn't seem bothered by it, a smirk played across his lips as the air in the room settles into something calmer. He can't pretend he hates that, he's just not sure what to do with it.

Chapter Text

Andrew shows up at Neil's greenhouse during lunch, after telling Aaron he's done for the day. Aaron had stared at him, expression completely blank and then stomped into the brewing room. Andrew is certain he heard Aaron cursing under his breath and didn't care to ask why.

Neil greets him with a smile, already back to work with his arms laden down with flower pots. Andrew tries to not think about the way he has dirt smudged on his cheek, reminding him of how real Neil is.

"You made it!"

Neil's genuine happiness at Andrew's arrival is too much. He blinks and has to focus on making himself respond. "I made it."

Neil grins and continues to the table he's working at and sets down his pots. "Grab some gloves and I'll show you what we're doing!"

Andrew, despite Neil's protest otherwise, doesn't think he's the best person to help repot plants, he works best when things are already dead, not springing with new life. He likes spending time with Neil, alone and away from prying eyes. Especially in the greenhouse surrounded by Neil's own element, his bread and butter.

Andrew eyes the small plants, the little prickly cacti and ignores Neil until he picks one up and says; "It's you."

"Very funny." Andrew rolls his eyes and looks to the cactus in Neil's hands. "Are you going to make that one into a cat?"

Neil smiles and nods, setting the cactus down. "Eventually, but it takes quite a lot of energy." 

Andrew looks down at Spike; he's crafted from a different species of cactus than the one Neil had been holding and Spike's animation makes the contrast more vivid. It reminds him of what Neil has yet to adequately explain. "You never told me the entire process of attaching souls to plants."

It doesn't have the effect he was expecting and Andrew wonders just how different Neil's skill is when Neil becomes quiet, contemplative. Considering how to respond. "You haven't told me exactly why you joined the coven."

It's an obvious redirection, but Andrew can see the nervousness in Neil so clearly, it's as if he's reading his aura and he isn't that type of witch. Andrew folds his arms over his chest. 

"Truth for truth." 

Neil bites his bottom lip and Andrew has to tell himself to not stare, focusing on Neil's too blue eyes and steels himself when a curious snapdragon sprouts in his auburn curls, nodding.

Andrew can't look at him, but tells him anyway. He keeps his promises. "I joined the traveling coven, because I heard in my current village that they were 'the worst sort', since they practiced necromancy, worse than what ‘ordinary’ witches do. Decided to become what they already expected of me. Expected of all witches, really…" Andrew focuses on a single spot on the workbench, ignoring Neil. "They were simple nomads, using dark magic to scare non-witches off, simply defending themselves. I never once felt fear, even as they put up wards laced with evil spirits meant to frighten even the strongest man or the holiest priest, and animated corpses to chase witch-hunters away... Not like...." Andrew glances at Neil and he doesn't interrupt, doesn't say anything, simply waits until Andrew just shrugs. 

"Like with him," Neil finishes for him quietly and Andrew can’t bring himself to respond. Neil knows anyway. 

"Your turn."

Neil sighs and scoops Spike into his hands, the tiny catcus not stabbing him with his spines, nuzzling the plant-witch instead. "I was always seen as evil, and non-witches and witches alike had every reason to believe that, but I was just defending myself as well," Neil shrugs when Andrew looks at him, eyebrows furrowed, what does that have to do with necromancy? "But that is in the past and I refuse to cause harm if I can avoid doing so." When Neil grimaces, hair flowers drooping, he knows he's thinking of his last encounter with an avi. "So I attach the souls of cats to plants I've shaped for them, but when I die, so will they..." Neil slides his gaze over to him and Andrew understands. 

"That's…" Andrew can't believe he's stuttering, but— "Splitting your soul more than once would kill you. A human would never—" Neil's eyes flashing silver stops Andrew from continuing.

"I'm not entirely human as we both know, Andrew."

"How many times?" Neil shrugs at this, frowning to himself. "Why?"

"Cats are the neutral force of this world, neither good nor evil and can sense both within a person. I like to think bringing back those long passed, would be an effective way of both ridding myself of that part of me, as well as bringing beauty into the world." 

Andrew looks at Neil and Spike, thinks about how lonely Neil must have felt before coming here, before the cats. Andrew has his own reanimated feline, and despite King being made from bone, King is more than the sum of her parts or lack of them anyway. Andrew tentatively reaches out and gently pets Spike. He surprisingly doesn't live up to his name, not since their initial ‘meeting’. Andrew tries not to make an uncanny comparison to himself, but fails. Prickly looking on the outside, but soft to the touch with a gentle hand. 

"I think… that Spike is very soft, such an ironic name I gave him." Andrew says breaking the somber expression Neil has.

"You have to move with his spines, not against them," Neil says faux sagely. 

"I don't think being a necromancer made me dark or evil, I just think it depends on the very nature of how it is used. Even the ‘purest’ kinds of magic can be abused." Andrew thinks of the ‘good’ magic users he heard about on his travels, that ‘had a bad day’ as if they hadn't been obviously abusing magic for a very long time before they were caught. 

Andrew is petting Spike, a piece of Neil's soul and thinks that today has been surreal enough. 

"I don’t think the demon blood made you any more evil than anyone else. Maybe you have more of a capacity than the regular person, but you’re no more evil than I am." 

Neil turns to him, fully, still cradling Spike in his hands as Andrew carefully strokes his spiky body. To think he had been wary of being this close to the half-demon before, even if it were for a moment when he couldn’t think straight. Andrew waits for him to say something, managing to hold Neil’s gaze as icy blue eyes search his hazel ones. Paranoia seeps in just as he speaks up.

“If the coven showed you that dark magic truly isn’t evil, why did you leave, if they made you feel so safe?”

Andrew doesn’t like this truth game suddenly. Not because he’s embarrassed but… he has nothing to offer Neil. So he deflects. “I found my family.” 

Neil doesn’t buy it. “You left on a three-year sabbatical, Andrew. Rin tells me you didn’t really keep in touch all that well.”

Andrew has to fight to not look away from him. 

“You don’t have to tell me,” Neil continues when Andrew remains silent.

“I don’t know,” Andrew blurts out before he can stop himself. Neil frowns. “I don’t know why I left.”

“The coven, or your family?” Andrew doesn’t respond to that. 

Neil studies him for a moment and then looks down. “What answers are you searching for, Andrew?” 

“I don’t know.” Andrew turns away from him when he looks up, he can’t handle this anymore. He expected to come see Neil today and… again, he doesn’t know what he expected, but it wasn’t a deep, personal conversation like this. He feels so raw and exposed. He hates it.

But you don’t, not really…

“Andrew—”

The side door to the greenhouse swings open and both of them jump in surprise. Andrew looks to Neil, wondering how neither of them didn’t notice Mathew Boyd and his stupid, loud delivery truck pulling up.

“Neil!” Matt greets him cheerfully as Andrew turns to see the giant non-witch walk in, a large, flat package under his arm and a toolbox in the other hand. He pauses when his eyes land on Andrew, evidently confused.

Andrew looks at Matt, feeling the same confusion he sees etched on Matt's face. This is his time with Neil, and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t find a way to say it out loud that doesn't sound like a petulant toddler being told to share a toy for the first time. 

He’s also trying to wrap his head around just how childish he feels.

Andrew and Matt both turn to Neil, both of their expressions asking ‘Why is he here?’, to a confused Neil. Evidently he’s not seeing the issue here.

Neil probably thought it wouldn't be a big deal, like Andrew doesn't avoid the man as much as possible. He tries to be stoic, but Matt resembles an overgrown puppy half the time. 

"Hi, Matt." Neil smiles.

"...I came to fix the window." Matt says a little uncertainly, glancing from Andrew to Neil like it's an equation he can't quite solve. 

Good luck with that, I can’t figure it out either.

"Great!" Neil smiles and moves away from Andrew.

 No. No, it's not.

"That storm last week cracked a pane when a branch hit it," Neil laughs and it sounds so bright, but Andrew can't help but feel a little smug that no orange or yellow flowers sprout in his curls. "Then one of the fluffy kitties smashed through it, charging a bird." And the smugness is gone. 

"Oh no!" Matt frowns, not even looking at Andrew now as he goes to the window crudely covered with a large piece of wood. "Are they okay?"

"Abby had to make a house call to heal a gash, but otherwise they were okay. More scared than anything. Nothing some cuddling couldn't fix."

"Well, that's good!" Matt sounds genuinely relieved as he moves the pots stacked in front of the window, moving the bench after. "I'll get it fixed in a jiff!"

"Thank you, Matt," Neil grins and walks back to Andrew. The urge to steal Neil away and hide until the non-witch is gone is strong, but he doesn't give in. "Sorry about that, let's get back to work!"

Andrew tries to get back to work, repotting the plants, but Matt is a distraction and Andrew can't relax with him puttering around in the background.  He grits his teeth and tries to focus on Neil and not Matt the bumbling window fixer. Just as he opens his mouth to say something, Matt starts talking. Andrew focuses on the plants, trying to ignore him.

He tries not to show his frustration in his work, because the plants matter to Neil, and embarrassingly, that means it matters to Andrew too.

How inconvenient.

"How long does it take to fix a window anyways?" Andrew mutters to himself, but annoyingly not quiet enough.

"Do you think you could do a better job?" Matt quips. 

Andrew bristles and narrows his eyes at his "brother-in-law" standing tall by the window.  He's intimidating for a non-witch. Andrew barely tolerates the man because he and Dan make Aaron happy, which is why he hasn't chased him off. Yet. But now he's interrupting his time with Neil? His time to figure out whatever this is? What he wants?

"I could do it without making so much of a racket," he forces out as evenly as possible. 'Negative energy isn't good for the plants,' Neil had told him. 'People like Robin, Nicky, and Jeremy help them immensely,' was his example.

Matt growls and gestures at the window. "Then by all means, go-" 

"Okay! This isn't good for my plants," as if to prove his point, Neil's hair flowers droop slightly and Andrew's chest tightens. 

How dare you upset him.

You're not helping.

"Sorry, Neil..." Matt apologizes, while frowning at Andrew. Andrew offers his patented bored expression.

"Just… don't, guys, you're both my friends."

"Sorry," Matt apologizes again and resumes replacing the glass.

Andrew stares at his back for a moment and turns to the pots, scooping soil into it and carefully picks up the plant he'd been repotting. He feels Neil's eyes on him, but tries to keep it cool, until Neil's tiny Chamomile cat, Cam is held up in front of his face. Another piece of Neil’s soul.

"Here," Neil whispers, "Cam is great for anxiety and stress." That damn, comforting smile…

Andrew holds Cam as he purrs in his arms. His purring is very loud, but it’s... soothing.

Andrew watches Matt putter about, while Neil does actual work with the plants. He has gentle hands, talking soothing words to them; watching him, Andrew feels like each plant is special to Neil.

Andrew can feel the warmth in his stomach growing stronger the longer he looks at Neil. It's quite aggravating. Neil, the bastard, invited him over when he knew Matt was coming over, like it isn't a big deal. 

Like, being friends with Andrew isn't something to hide. 

Andrew hates how Neil's not even disappointed in him, he isn’t being very helpful, but Neil is humming under his breath and occasionally glancing over at Andrew and smiling.

Being around Neil feels like when he first learned how to use magic, in a way that didn't feel like he was cursed. It's a low, simmering, warm sensation of affection, that with every passing day threatens to boil over.

Chapter Text

Spending time with Andrew has grown to become something that Neil looks forward to. Robin teases him endlessly and the more he thinks about it, the more he realizes that the fluttering in his stomach is something he wants to explore.

So he takes Robin's advice (and Renee's encouraging smile) and decides to see what this is. He plucks a leaf from a bush and uses a special pen to invite Andrew to have a picnic under the full moon with him at midnight tonight. In case he doesn't understand, Neil presses a kiss enhanced with his magic to the leaf and lets it go out the window. Nerves make his stomach clench and his fingers tremble, but he goes back to work.

Thirty minutes later the leaf flits back through the window and smacks against his cheek. Shakily, Neil peels it off and then stares at it, bursting out into laughter when he finds a bite taken out of it. It’s such an Andrew thing to do, with how prickly he is on the outside, but so warm on the inside, just guarding himself like one of Neil’s catcuses, he knows he has a ‘yes’.

Looks like he has a date tonight.

~

Neil spends far too long debating over whether to craft his own picnic basket or buy a new one, before he finally finds the perfect choice.

It's old —Allison would call it ‘rustic’— and one of the things he found in the attic of the house, probably left over from the previous owners. It's a light chestnut brown, but despite all the time left sitting in the dry, dusty attic, the wood isn't in danger of splitting. Instead, it is in pristine condition, and from what Neil can tell, is protected by some sort of preserving spell.

In spite of what the witches on Foxhole Court gambles or gossips about behind his back, he isn't wholly naïve about romantic endeavors. Until recently, he was simply confused on the chemistry portion of them.

Neil is excited, and his face is starting to hurt after smiling so much. It shouldn't be that different from a normal afternoon spent with Andrew, but it somehow feels different. Like Neil is on the precipice of discovering a new property of an herb or ingredient, one foot on the edge of the tipping point before it's all over.

Neil wants to make this a nice date, not because he wants to impress Andrew necessarily, but because Andrew will appreciate anything Neil does. Knowing this makes Neil want to make this date amazing for Andrew. Wants to show him he cares. That he… likes him.

"You are so cute, Neil," Robin coos and Neil laughs, swatting away her hands as they fuss with his clothes. She'd picked out his nice black slacks and a forest green tunic that fits him snug around his chest and shoulders. As well as the black boots he told Allison he'd never find a use for and the matching arm bracers. Even on a date, he is not going to let himself go unprotected and he doubts Andrew would, either.

"Stop." Neil does not whine, his smile still holds fast. "It's... we're just having a picnic!"

"At night," she stresses, hands clasped to her chest. "Beneath the full moon. Alone." Robin sighs wistfully and then laughs when Neil blushes, sprouting more pink flowers. "Don't worry Neil! Andrew is going to love this!"

Neil takes the picnic basket from her, filled with goodies that the witch-in-training had helped him prepare. He smiles when he opens it and finds a soft wool blanket, neatly folded and tucked inside. "I hope so, thanks Robin!"

"Go get 'em! He'll be here soon!" Robin promptly spins him on his heels and pushes him towards the door.

Neil laughs despite his nerves and grabs the door handle, after a steadying breath he is able to pull it open and step outside into the cool night air. Foxhole Court is illuminated by the lanterns Seth and Wymack light every evening, there is something about this little part of Palmetto that seems so different, magical beyond the presence of the witches here. Neil loves it.

Approaching footsteps alert Neil and he looks to find a small shadowed figure approaching, his pulse speeding up when Andrew steps under the glow of the lantern's light. He almost forgets to breathe, but manages to greet him. 

"Hello, Andrew."

Andrew looks stunning. The lamp light makes him ephemeral, illuminating his blond hair, and making his eyes appear to glow in the fading twilight sky. Andrew is —even to Neil’s inexperienced eyes— dressed nicely, looking so very handsome. It’s a new thing for him, to not only recognize, but react to another person this way. Neil realizes, he likes it. It’s less terrifying now, being attracted to someone, but he’s learning to embrace it, especially since Andrew agreed to this date. It’s easier, still new and nerve wracking, but easier. 

It's all because of Andrew. 

However, Andrew's face almost betrays his suave appearance. Neil knows Andrew tries to hide his emotions behind his blank expressions, but Neil's spent enough time with Andrew to decipher most, if not all, of them. And Andrew looks as nervous and uncertain as Neil feels. It's nice to know the feeling is mutual.

Andrew is wearing a very dark cloak, and a dark grey vest with polished buckles, over a skin tight black top. Neil thinks they’re new, he’s never seen him wear them before.

Andrew catches Neil's eye as he takes in the outfit.

"Renee said Allison found some dyes to make the black appear… blacker." 

"I think it suits you, Andrew. You look very handsome." Neil compliments, smiling even harder, moreso as Andrew’s cheeks pinken.

“Thanks…” Andrew clears his throat. “You mentioned a picnic?”

“Yes!” Neil holds the basket in front of him as Andrew steps closer. “Shall we?” When Andrew nods, he holds out his hand to him, only to laugh when Andrew looks away with his arms folded over his chest, feigning disgust. If only the blush on his pale cheeks didn’t give him away.

“C’mon, Andrew.”

“Then lead the way.”

Neil laughs again and does just that, turning towards the field beside Foxglove and leads Andrew into the waist high grass. The only sign that Andrew is following is the sound of the grass catching on his clothes.

The further they move away from Foxhole Court, the darker it becomes, allowing the glow of the full moon to paint their way, approaching the tree line of the forest. Neil can practically feel Andrew’s questions rolling off of him as Andrew stares at his back. He doesn’t answer them. If Andrew didn’t trust him, he wouldn’t be here. It’s not like the necromancer can’t defend himself.

They remain quiet, except for the sound of them moving through the grassy field, into the shadows of the trees. Neil can feel the positive energy and the life the forest holds and breathes in the clean scent. It is one of the few parts of his life on the run that he misses and he sometimes finds solace in retreating here when he feels overwhelmed. A smile tugs at his lips; maybe he can tell Andrew this. Maybe he’ll understand when he gets to the clearing, all on his own.

They walk closer to the clearing and Neil can just see the flowers cleaving a valley of reflected light in the dark forest, through a grove of trees. Neil can hear Andrew's breath catch as they come to the foot of the clearing. Neil turns and carefully walks backwards into the clearing so he can see Andrew's expression as he takes in the view.

Behind Neil, is a large field of flowers, all blooming in the moonlight, the same silvery color as that they are reflecting. Slowly, Andrew takes a few steps forward into the clearing and crouches to inspect the flowers, and Neil habitually crouches down in the field, pushing his fingers in the dirt to feel the roots, smiling as they reach out to absorb his magic.

"What are these? I've never seen something like this before." Andrew says in something that could quite possibly be classified as awe if it was said by anyone else.

That reaction makes Neil beam, and he sends a little 'hello' through the roots. Careful to avoid crushing any of the flowers, he sits down, facing Andrew.

"They're commonly referred to as ‘moon flowers’ since they only bloom in a full moon, thriving off of moonlight instead of sunlight. But they are actually called Epiphyllum Oxypetalum."

Neil smiles as he watches Andrew observe the moon flowers in front of him, his right hand coming up to cup the petals, but not yet touching. He can see him wracking his brain, trying to figure out the name, where he's heard it before. 

"They're highly poisonous, aren't they?" Andrew’s hazel eyes shine even brighter in the moonlight; it makes Neil's heart skip a beat, and he swallows when Andrew's attention flicks to the flower he can feel sprouting in his curls.

"Tremendously," Neil agrees, chewing his bottom lip as he shifts to kneel beside Andrew and pets his finger over the silvery petals. "The flower itself is, anyway." Neil strokes the green leaves next, then digs his fingers gently into the dirt the flower sprouted from, feeling the roots and smiles when he feels the energy and life reaching out to him. Echoing his earlier greeting.

"However, the antidote comes from the roots. They were my mum's favorite, she always said they were symbolic. ‘How dangerous that which is beautiful, but how something so... 'unsightly' or unseen is what will save you’." Neil turns to watch Andrew's expression after he tells him that, watches as he caresses one of the flower petals in his fingers.

"They remind me of you." Andrew says, voice hushed in the quietness of the dark forest. "They bloom in unexpected circumstances, but shine so brightly. Deadly, but they’re also a balm."

Neil can feel his face heating up, accidentally releasing a tiny burst of power into the soil. The roots drink it up and the moon flower shines brighter, the opposite of what he wanted; the light emitted illuminates his face and probably makes his blush more prominent.

His now obvious embarrassment is dulled when the light allows Neil to spot Andrew's own pink cheeks, and he smiles warmly. Andrew clears his throat and looks back at the flowers, still glowing brightly with the aid of Neil's power.

"They're... how did you do that?"

Neil perks up at the question and flexes his fingers in the dirt. "Plants have always been an important aspect in my life, just a little differently. With my mother, in that part of my life, we'd use the poison to keep us safe. Nowadays, I like to focus on the antidote and... despite how dangerous that part of my magic is... these plants thrive off of it." With that said, Neil focuses his magic into the dirt and every flower in the clearing drinks up his power, glowing so brilliantly that it hurts his own eyes.

"The avis think our magic is so evil and dark, sinful..." Andrew sounds hollow, squinting as he looks around the clearing and then settles his gaze on Neil. "Even with your... bloodline, I don't understand how they can think that true… if this is what you can do."

Neil can't help but frown as he pulls his fingers out of the dirt and wipes them on his trousers. Sorry Robin… "If you saw the things I've done Andrew..." He sighs and shakes his head, reaching up to rub his face, surprised when Andrew gently takes his hand.

"Other people, with or without magic aren't any more or less 'evil' than either of us, dandelion." He sounds so insistent, like he believes it. Neil wants to believe him too and it settles something inside him. "You said that you've spent all your time here trying to live your life as the person you want to be. Let go of the person you were. I thought you said you already did that."

Neil laughs and squeezes Andrew's hand, swallowing down his nerves as he boldly laces their fingers together; Andrew squeezes back. He can feel Andrew's racing pulse, betraying his calm expression. "I— I thought I did too, Andrew... but after that incident, it brought up some— a lot of bad memories."

Andrew’s eyes bore into his, searching as he thinks. “Tell me,” he finally urges and Neil’s breathing stutters, gripping Andrew’s hand even harder. He doesn’t flinch or pull away, simply lets Neil cling to him; it’s what Neil needs and he hasn’t even realized it until now.

So Neil tells him of his horrible father, the demon who seduced his mother and drew her away from her family. Who gave her his child, destined for a hard life; Nathaniel, the boy who would be his heir and follow in his footsteps. Of his mother who stole him away for a life just as hard on the run when he was old enough, struggling to get by with the little they had. How they stole and conned and killed just to survive. Until her brother Stuart found him and saved him from the demon Nathan, but it was a year too late.

Neil tells him how his uncle Stuart had been forbidden to return with the half-demon child, son of the demon who had murdered his youngest sister. Instead Stuart gave him the money and supplies he could, to help Neil find his own way. How Neil was left alone to struggle on his own and as a result was attacked by two of his father’s underlings, who tortured him in a field as if they were actually burning a witch at the stake. Neil managed to kill them, but barely escaped with his own life.

He talks about being found half dead on the side of the road by Matt, and being brought back to Dan and Aaron. People who took him in without hesitation, and suddenly Neil Abram Josten was born. He didn’t know if he could trust these people, but seeing a witch, mated with not one, but two non-witches, gave him something to hold on to and Neil stayed. He tells Andrew how he promised Aaron that he meant no harm; impossibly, Aaron had accepted that and gave him a home. They helped him fix up the abandoned greenhouse at the end of Foxhole Court. Helped him make a life here, as Neil Josten.

He tells him how Renee had come to him a year later to tell him that Lola survived when he got away and was coming to get her vengeance for the death of her brother. Neil had been so afraid he would have to leave, but Renee had assured him that she’d keep his secret and he told Aaron that his past was coming back to haunt him. That they were in danger. But instead of shunning him like he thought he would, everyone in their little community on Foxhole Court banded together and dealt with Lola —Renee dealing the killing blow— and DiMaccio, another one of his father’s people. After that, Neil knew he was free and could really live as Neil Josten and he was happy.

Neil looks to Andrew after he’s done talking, Andrew had sat silently beside him the entire time, just listening. Neil is amazed by how… light he feels.

“I’ve never told anyone the whole story,” he admits. “I— it feels good, to share this with you.”

Andrew is quiet for a moment, before he releases Neil’s hand to pull out the same silver cigarette case Neil had seen before and slides a hand rolled cigarette between his lips. He raises an eyebrow when Neil holds his hand out for one, but gives it to him anyway. After they’ve both lit up courtesy of a small flame Andrew produces from his thumb, Andrew leans back on his hands and looks up at the moon through the opening in the trees.

“So you’ve been through some shit.” Neil chokes out a laugh at this, cupping his cigarette close to his face, inhaling the smoke.

“Yeah.”

“Now’s the time to let it go.”

Neil looks to him and when Andrew looks back, smoke curling from his mouth as he slowly exhales, just… being. Neil’s heard bits and pieces of Andrew’s own story, how traumatic his own life has been, but he just is; and after sharing this story, his story, in its entirety with Andrew, he feels like he can do just that. He can finally let it go and he can hold onto something new and push forward now that that last piece he was clinging on to, is free from him.

And Andrew helped him realize that. But that aside…

“I’d like to try kissing you,” Neil says it before he can really process it. Andrew stares at him, blinking once, twice— “You don’t have—”

“Stop.” Neil does. “Is that what you want?" Neil swears he can hear Andrew swallowing, watching his eyes glance briefly at the untouched picnic basket. Gold, green and brown shift in those hazel eyes in the moonlight, Neil doesn’t want to look away.

“I don’t really know how these things work,” Neil lies. Of course, as Neil had been learning Andrew’s tells, the necromancer has been doing the same in return and smirks at him as he sits up.

“You’re a terrible liar,” Andrew murmurs, reaching up to his face and Neil feels warm as he leans into his hand, smiling gently. “Yes.”

“Hm?”

Andrew huffs. “This is where you kiss me, dandelion.”

“Oh!” Neil laughs and a couple more flowers sprout in his hair. Neil thinks the ghost of a smile that appears at the corner of Andrew’s lips is a good look for him. So is that pink tinge on his pale cheeks. It makes him want to kiss him more and can’t stop himself from leaning in, but hesitates anyway, worrying that Andrew would change his mind.

He doesn’t and the feeling of his lips on Andrew’s is something so amazing, Neil didn’t think he’d ever want to stop kissing Andrew Minyard.

Chapter Text

Neil smiles when he finds Andrew at his usual post, leaning against the counter in Aaron’s shop while reading with King napping beside him, and shuts the door with a click. “Long time no see.”

Andrew doesn’t look up until a black ribbon is slid in between the pages of his book, eyes landing on the bouquet of flowers in Neil’s arms and then his face. “Not nearly long enough.” Despite the bland tone in his voice, Neil is happy to see the softness in Andrew’s eyes.

Not even a week after their date, the two of them have been growing closer than before, sharing curious kisses and the occasional meal after a hard day’s work… and then more kisses. Neil is finding more and more that he really has been missing out on that, kissing. Or it really just is that he enjoys kissing Andrew and Andrew only.

“Then why do you come over after work every day?” Neil teases, enjoying the resulting flush on Andrew’s neck his question earns.

“Someone has to train Robin.” Neil rolls his eyes at Andrew and steps up to the counter to place the bouquet down gingerly so that he can pet King. “I’m flattered, but pink isn’t my color.”

Neil has to laugh at that, thinking of the numerous times he’s made Andrew blush recently. “Really? I think you should consider adding it to your wardrobe.” Andrew simply stares back and he smiles wider. “But I actually came to ask you a favor; can you escort me into the village? I have a delivery to make,” he says, gesturing to the bouquet.

Andrew lifts a blond brow at that and Neil feels himself flush this time. “Why?”

Neil shrugs, stroking King’s back and making new flowers bloom, she looks lovely. “Just in case I run into another avi, I don’t want to ruin the bouquet I worked so hard on.” He slides his gaze over to Andrew, hoping he understands. Even if Aaron knows of his lineage, he’d rather not bring that up when a customer could walk in. “It’s in the same area as last time.”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Andrew sighs, “but take Day’s advice and fly your broom.”

Neil frowns and looks to Andrew, wondering if he’d actually have to say it. Wonders why Andrew is being so resistant. “Maybe… I’d just feel safer with you at my side?”

It’s Andrew’s turn to roll his eyes. “You and I both know you can protect yourself.” Andrew hesitates when Neil’s frown deepens, his hair flowers drooping slightly. “Fine, what do I get in return, since Aaron is going to get annoyed with me?”

“Other than my company and rousing conversation?” Neil teases but it falls as flat as Andrew’s bored stare. “Dinner?”

“What are you making?”

Neil smiles brighter, knowing he has Andrew now, his flowers perking back up. “I know a few good recipes that I think you’ll like, you can pick your favorite.”

“Better be good, dandelion,” Andrew snaps his book shut and tucks it beneath the counter. “And you can tell Aaron why I’m leaving early.”

“You’re leaving early?” Aaron appears from upstairs and Neil glares at Andrew. “Again? C’mon Andrew, you said you were going to help out while you’re here.” It seems he’s just noticed Neil’s presence. “Hey Red, back so soon?”

Neil flicks another annoyed look at Andrew as a smirk twitches at his lips and turns to his best friend, smiling as sweetly as possible. “Yep! I’m stealing Andrew for the rest of his shift, I need him to escort me into town on a delivery.”

Aaron gives him a narrow look, flicking his gaze between Neil and Andrew, squinting his eyes until they are nearly slits and Neil actually becomes concerned. “Why?”

Neil’s cheeks burn. “Well, I—”

Aaron’s eyes widen. “No! Neil Abram Josten!”

“What?!” Neil does not whimper, thankful when Aaron rounds on his twin, hands on his hips.

“Andrew Joseph Minyard.”

“Aaron Michael Minyard-Boyd-Wilds.” Andrew isn’t even phased by his brother’s appalled tone, face blank; Neil just wants the ground to swallow him up. “Now that we all know each other and the fae can use our names against us, I have to make sure dandelion here doesn’t get into more trouble in town, unless you needed something else?”

Aaron flushes red and Neil swears smoke is going to come out of his ears, but the apothecary simply throws his hands up and storms into the brewing room. He’s cursing to himself about ‘freeloaders’ and wondering ‘what am I going to do with them’, slamming the curtain shut behind him, the curtain miraculously falling shut. Neil blinks a couple times, feeling bad for upsetting his best friend and looks to Andrew helplessly.

“Well? I don’t have all day you know.”

Neil sighs and scoops the bouquet into his arms again, unable to not smile when King perches herself on Andrew’s shoulder. He is also amused at the way King automatically shifts from shoulder to shoulder for Andrew to pull on his cloak before slipping into the hood and curling up. When Andrew opens the door, he smiles and follows him out.

~

“Well, that was uneventful,” Andrew comments as he walks beside Neil, heading back. Neil hums at him, finding his boredom amusing and veers off down the same alley as before, making his way toward Mr. Hernandez’s backyard. “We’re not on the run, why the shortcut?”

Neil smiles. “I wanted to stop by and check on Mr. Hernandez’s backyard garden when I was here last. He buys his seeds from me,” he explains, using the gate this time and smiles when he sees the elderly man coming out the back door, pipe in hand. “Hello, Mr. Hernandez!”

“Neil! It’s been a bit,” the non-witch smiles and Neil is reminded why he likes coming to this part of the village. Not everyone is a shitty avi. “And you’ve brought company.”

Neil’s cheeks burn as he looks to Andrew and then nods at Mr. Hernandez, pink flowers blooming as the elderly man’s eyes twinkle. “This is my— this is Andrew, we— we’re friends. He escorted me on a delivery today.” A softer smile graces his lips as he looks to Andrew again.

“Ah, I see. I knew I heard a ruckus before, swore I saw you cutting through and then some bumbling idiot trampled my tomatoes!” Mr. Hernandez grumbles and sits on a bench, complaining about inconsiderate assholes. Neil frowns and goes in search of the plant that had been victimized.

“I’ll take care of it, don’t worry, Mr. Hernandez!”

“I knew you would, good thing you have help today, Neil.” There is a pause and Neil looks up from the crushed and broken tomato plants he found. Mr. Hernandez is looking at Andrew, so Neil does too. “You take good care of your friend, Andrew, he’s a good witch and a great man. He’ll look after you, too. Understand?”

Andrew’s expression smoothes out into something unreadable and Neil feels a snapdragon sprout, even as Andrew gives Neil a head tilt. “Neil doesn’t need protection, I’m just in it for free food.”

After that, Andrew looks away to wait for Neil and Neil does too. He does not shake the confusion until they return to Foxglove for dinner. Neil makes a savory gravy chicken and biscuit recipe for dinner and smiles at the kisses he gets after dessert.

Later, in the greenhouse, he sits with Andrew and two mugs of tea while heavy rain hits the glass from yet another storm. “I don’t think you’re making it home tonight.”

“Hm…”

Neil carefully fingers the edges of his mug, thinking.

“I told you, thinking is dangerous, dandelion. I can smell smoke.”

Neil rolls his eyes but turns to Andrew anyway, he likes how he looks in the glow of the few lamps in the room. It makes him feel warm, gazing at Andrew. Knowing he has him at his side, just in a different way than his other friends.

“I was wondering, since, I know you help Aaron out at his shop in order to sleep at his…” Neil smiles when Andrew watches him out of the corner of his eye. “And that you don’t like intruding on his and his mates’ space… so… if you want… the spare bedroom is yours.”

Andrew goes still, turning away, Neil frowns when his hands clutch his mug until his knuckles are white. “You don’t—”

“I know I don’t have to,” Andrew cuts him off and Neil waits, heart pounding loudly in his ears. “I just need to think about it…”

Neil almost breathes a sigh of relief. “The offer doesn’t expire, take your time.”

“You shouldn’t offer things so freely.”

“Why not? It’s my place, I believe you told me I can do whatever I want. And I want to offer the spare bedroom to you.” Andrew is quiet, not spitting out a snarky remark. Neil, looking back to the rain hitting the glass, hopes that he wasn’t too forward. Waiting.

“I need to think,” Andrew repeats after a while, voice soft.

“I can wait,” Neil promises and meets Andrew’s gaze when he looks at him, smiling reassuringly. 

‘Yes or no’ is murmured, followed by a ‘Yes’ and Andrew pulls him in for a gentle kiss that leads to nowhere. Neil likes it.

Chapter Text

Andrew touches his lips as he stares at the same page he had been reading for the last twenty minutes or so and drifts off in thought. The once shy kisses he and Neil had exchanged had lit a flame in his belly and every time he thinks about it, that flame grows as their kisses become bolder each time they meet. It… it has begun to frighten him, the comfort between him and Neil growing with each passing day is too much. It’s overwhelming and each time, Neil just smiles that stupid smile of his and the way he bites that stupid plump lip with his perfect white teeth, and his stupid pink blush and pink hair flowers, just before he steals another kiss.

No, not steal. Neil hesitates every time right before they can touch, letting Andrew close the distance. Asking without uttering a single word, for permission that Andrew has already given him. Permission to take something Andrew never anticipated being willing to give so freely. Every time Neil pulls away, Andrew just wants to pull him back in and let Neil put his hands on him, to feel him, to find out how their bodies would fit together.

His past… lovers would have never been allowed such things. Not allowed to touch him, to see the horrors of his past inflicted on his body by cruel hands belonging to crueler faces. All at once, Andrew feels safe enough to push past every boundary he set for others, and let Neil cross those lines, but at the same time, realizing this terrifies him. Andrew Minyard does not feel, he’s supposed to be able to control those feelings, he doesn’t want anything. But Neil Josten has made him question every little thing he thought he knew about himself and— 

I can’t do this…

Silently, Andrew slides the black ribbon in between the pages and closes his book, tucking it beneath the counter of Aaron’s shop like usual, but this time, he won’t be returning for it.

It was a shitty story anyway, he muses as he retrieves his cloak from the hook beside the door, snapping the clasp into place once it’s around his shoulders. King perches herself on his shoulder, Spike sleepily poking his head out of the confines of the pouch on his hip, purring when Andrew strokes the pink flower on his head then he grabs the handle of the door, pulling it open.

“Andrew, where are you going? It’s not closing time…”

An unfamiliar chill clutches at Andrew’s chest as he glances back at his twin, standing in the entrance of his brewing room and wiping his hands on a bit of cloth. Aaron looks confused, unaware.

He deserves an explanation.

There is a block of ice in his throat and Andrew holds Aaron’s gaze for a moment too long, Aaron just stares back, eyebrow raised. Somehow, he manages a two-fingered salute and walks out the door, pulling it shut behind him. He can feel Aaron’s eyes on him, and hears the confusion in his voice as he calls after him.

The chill in his chest creeps into his stomach, weighing heavily and he ignores it, ignores Aaron following after him while he treks further up Foxhole Court. Maybe Aaron gives up because he thinks he’s going to see Neil himself, or maybe even Renee or Bee. A pull at his insides tugs with each step. A pull he doesn’t want to feel, so he ignores it, ignores King’s concerned nuzzling and Spike’s soft mewling. His boots slap on the cobblestone with each step, passing by the homes and shops of the community that was once his.

Passing Columbia House, Andrew does not dare hesitate, even though he can feel Renee’s eyes on him the entire time. She knows, she’s seen it, but she does nothing, even as he reaches Foxglove. The place that could have become his new home, but it just couldn’t happen. The pulling tugs harder as he passes Foxglove and he’s not a step into the field when he falters, wanting to turn and look back. To see if Neil is watching, but... He can’t, he won’t.

So Andrew tugs his hood up and moves on, feeling the tall grass brush his fingers and cling to his clothing, letting go of what he had once tried to call his home. He even goes as far as to painstakingly conceal his magic signature. He doesn't want anyone to try and follow.

Chapter Text

Neil frowns when a sense of dread washes over him, a cold and heavy weight engulfing him entirely. Cam nuzzles his cheek, but his attention does not ward off this awful sensation and he can’t figure out what has caused it.

"What is that…" Neil muses aloud, looking to the field beside his greenhouse through the glass. The sensation does not fade and his hair flowers droop. Cam mewls pitifully and so do the rest of his plant cats hiding in his cloak.

When he can't pinpoint the reason for this unsettling feeling, Neil frowns and crosses his arms over his chest. Weird…

---

He’s late…

It’s been an hour and Andrew hasn’t shown up like he said he would, making him more uneasy than he should be. Neil taps his fingers on his workbench and sighs, feeling quite anxious and frowns as the flower pot he has in front of him cracks and splits into a handful of pieces. He glares at it and pulls away to yank a leaf off a bush then winces, apologizing mentally for his aggression as he pens a note.

When Neil releases the leaf out the window, he watches it flit to the ground and freezes.

Andrew?

Shaky hands grab another leaf and he scratches out a note to Aaron, Is Andrew around? He releases it with a moment of hesitation, finding himself thankful that this one flits away to find its recipient. Neil closes his eyes and exhales slowly, telling himself he needs to calm down, especially when he looks at his workbench where his left hand is resting to find a scorch mark.

You don’t have any information yet, just relax.

For the next several minutes Neil focuses on cleaning up the broken flower pot, Cam pressed firmly to his neck and nuzzling his jaw. It helps, but does nothing to ward off the sense of dread sitting cold in his chest.

“Neil!”

SNAP!

The new flower pot in his hands shatters at the sound of his name being shouted. He whirls around to find Aaron stumbling through the main entrance as the shattered pieces of the pot hit the ground.

“Rin?” Neil frowns at the wild look in his best friend’s eye. He’s sweating, breathing heavily as he walks into the greenhouse.

“What’s wrong Mr. Minyard?”

Neil looks past Aaron as the apothecary turns around, finding Robin in the doorway, frowning. The chill in Neil’s chest spreads and Cam yowls loudly. Neil watches both Robin and Aaron shiver as the side entrance opens and Renee steps through, a blank expression on her face.

No… why? Is he...

“Neil, Aaron…” Renee presses her lips into a thin line and Neil stills, ignoring how his breath manifests in front of his face.

“Where is he?” Aaron demands, looking between Renee and Neil. “Renee! Where is my brother?!”

D—did he...

Renee sighs and closes her eyes. “He left, I’m sorry.”

creak

“The fuck?” Aaron hisses while Neil’s mind sprints through explanations, flashing back to his conversation with the necromancer last night. Last night, when he asked him to stay. “Why?!” The pain, confusion and bit of anger in his best friend’s voice stabs Neil in the chest. “He didn’t say anything.”

c-crack

Renee’s gaze ever so slowly slides back to meet Neil’s and he shakes his head. He’s shaking. Cam and the rest of his littles are mewling. Aaron’s wide eyes turn on him and when he steps forward, Neil stumbles back.

What did I do?

“Ne— what happened?” Aaron’s voice is unsteady. Neil doesn’t understand why. Something wet is on his face. Wet on his hands. Everything is cold. Not the wet. The wet is warm. Hot.

Crack

“I—I asked him to stay…” Neil admits. Panic, fear, guilt, all rushing through him—

Crack-creak-crack

Aaron’s eyes dart around the greenhouse and Neil shakes his head as Aaron creeps toward him. Instead, he holds up his hands.

Why?

“Neil…,” Aaron starts softly, stepping in Neil’s line of sight when he looks to the door when Dan and Matt stumble, calling Aaron’s name. At least he thinks that’s what they’re saying. Neil can’t see or hear beyond Aaron.

Aaron— I— what did I—

“Neil—”

Creeeaaaak

“Neil. Red, think of where you are!” Aaron smiles. It’s so fake. Fear. There’s fear in his eyes.

My best friend.

CRACK

“Get out.”

I did this… 

“Wh—” Aaron’s eyes widen. “Neil.”

Crrreeeaaa—

“Get. Out.”

Aaron nods, stepping back. Waving the others away. Neil forgot their presence. Forgets why they’re here.

Crack

Now he remembers.

CRACK

“GET OUT!”

Every window in the greenhouse shatters. Someone screams. Neil doesn’t know who. He’s on his knees, trembling. Cam is mewling. All twenty-four littles, mewling.

Wet on his face. Hot and wet. Shaking. Tremors. Throbbing in his head. Chest clenching. Stomach backflipping. Lip hurts. More warm.

The ground is reflective. Transparent. Slightly green. Wind? Why is there wind?

Oh. Right. Greenhouse. Shattered.

My fault. Out of control.

“You’re not out of control, you’re in pain.”

Neil looks up. Aaron is knelt before him. He looks tired. Eyes red. Few streaks. One cut, fresh— Neil reaches up and cups his cheek. Aaron doesn’t flinch. His gaze steady. Neil’s thumb traces the cut, pouring his magic into it. It’s gone in one swipe.

Aaron pulls Neil against his chest and Neil clings to him. Aaron’s magic reaches out and Neil sobs. The pain is flooding his system—

“I’m sorry, Rin. I—I did thi—”

“Shut. Up.” Aaron chokes, nuzzling his hair. “He does this. He’s always done this.”

Neil stays hidden against his chest. He wants to believe him. He does. 

He still feels responsible.

Chapter Text

~Robin~

Robin watches Aaron hold a still trembling Neil amidst the shattered greenhouse and sees Matt and Dan creep back to the door. She looks for Renee, but the psychic is nowhere to be found. Robin is beyond confused about what she just witnessed. She has never seen such an immense display of a witch’s magic. Never felt it. On one hand, it was amazing. On the other, such destruction caused by a witch’s magic is terrifying. 

Robin doesn’t know what to make of this and with Renee gone and Aaron and Neil comforting each other, she looks to Dan and Matt.

“What… what should we do?”

Matt falters as Dan tries to go to their mate, but Matt holds her back and Dan gives up after a moment. “Let Aaron handle it, he knows Neil best and—”

“Neil just destroyed his livelihood,” Dan cuts Matt off. “Both their livelihoods— where is Aaron going to get his ingredients— I—I don’t—” Dan presses her face into Matt’s chest and her mate holds her dutifully.

Robin’s frown deepens at that realization, taking in the destruction around her. The question of ‘How did Neil do this?’ lingers in the air. She casts her friend and housemate a concerned glance as Aaron and Neil’s distress turns into exhausted whispers. Another look at Matt and Dan’s lost, considering expressions confuses her. 

Not knowing what else to do, Robin grabs a broom and dustpan to clean up the shards of glass, thanking Matt and Dan when they lend a hand. It seems pointless, but she has to do something, while also fighting to keep the cats in the house. The sound of the wind and glass clinking together is all that is to be heard after a while. 

~Kevin~

Kevin stares at the disaster that was once Neil’s greenhouse, now a metal frame creaking with the wind picking up, and sees Aaron and Neil sitting in the middle of it all. When he felt the unmistakable wave of Neil’s magic all the way back at his father’s place, he’d had a sick feeling wash over him in its wake when he recognized the demonic energy. Renee met him when he and the rest of the witches on Foxhole Court had curiously come out to investigate. She didn’t warn them of an attack— neither did Nicky, so they were all confused, except for Kevin. When she told Kevin to look in on Neil, he dreaded to learn what had happened.

Kevin’s father and step-mother stopped when the greenhouse came into view, along with a now panicking Nicky, but Kevin kept moving forward, taking in the destruction. He’s seen what Neil’s magic could do in the past, even as a young witch, while the others haven’t, so he’s not surprised about their gawking and demands to Renee and Robin to explain what happened.

Still, seeing Neil in a near-catatonic state, looking like the boy he met while searching for his father, makes him pause. Aaron's head snaps up, clutching Neil's hand when Kevin's boots crunch against the glass around them. He appears quite stressed out and Kevin wonders why Andrew isn't in his place. He’s not an idiot, but he still glances around the greenhouse and takes a headcount of the on-lookers, finding that there is one important individual missing. The man Neil has forgone exy practice over and over to spend time with. 

“Andrew left again?” Kevin’s question makes Neil flinch and Aaron nods while pinching the bridge of his nose. “So… what’s with all this? I thought you had a better handle on your father’s magic?” Aaron tenses and stares at him wide-eyed, but Kevin focuses on Neil. A few people in hearing range clamor with confusion. He recognizes the magic signatures of a concerned Jean and Jeremy as they come up beside him. 

“What’s going, Kev?” Jeremy touches his arm but Kevin pulls away, staring Neil down. Kevin can feel Neil’s anger, mingling with his guilt and sadness.

“Shut up, Day,” Neil’s eyes flash silver and Kevin feels Jean and Jeremy start at the sight.

“You said you were past all this emotional shit, Wes—”

“Finish that sentence and I will throttle you,” Neil hisses. Cam mewls on Neil’s shoulder and Kevin looks around the greenhouse, at the now homeless plant cats, the destroyed foliage and tsks.

“You could do that, but how about you clean up your mess first?” Kevin lifts an eyebrow.

“Leave him be,” Aaron frowns, squeezing Neil’s hand.

“Don’t coddle him,” Kevin mocks in return. Aaron growls at him until Neil stands, stalking away from everyone. “I thought you were done running?” This makes Neil freeze mid-step. Kevin’s fists unclench, knowing they haven’t completely lost him.

“Seriously, what the hell is going on?” Seth speaks up when no one else does; even Allison is stunned into silence. Surprising for both witches, but Seth’s not been drugged to oblivion in over a year. “It looks and feels like a dem—” Seth cuts himself off sharply; if he has recognized the magical signature, then so has everyone else.

Kevin knows this is a delicate situation, but the residents of on Foxhole Court are not a typical witches’ coven, they’re not a coven at all. He’s almost certain a handful know what Neil is and at least half have an idea. They’re not stupid and, more importantly, they know that which makes up a person doesn’t boil down to bloodlines. Neil is their friend, but if he leaves now this destruction is the last thing they will remember about Neil. If he leaves now, Kevin doubts he’ll return.

“Shit happens,” Kevin reminds Neil as he watches his shoulders sag, his beloved plant cats trying to comfort him. “‘You just clean yourself up and do damage control.’” Kevin quotes Neil himself.

“You’re such an asshole, Kev,” Neil chokes. Kevin exhales silently and watches Neil turn back, head bowed as he closes the distance between them. “Everyone clear out,” Neil orders quietly as he holds his hand out to Aaron, pulling him to his feet.

“Are you done being overemotional?” Kevin asks seriously and holds his hands up when he’s glared at, guiding Jean and Jeremy out while ignoring their questioning stares. He also ignores everyone else’s gaze and ushers Robin out while Renee shoos everyone else back.

Kevin and Renee make sure everyone is beyond the shards of glass, still dismissing the questions being thrown their way. Instead, Kevin crosses his arms and turns to watch a confused Aaron who’s the last one out with Dan and Matt, repeatedly looking back over his shoulder at Neil pacing in the middle of his destroyed greenhouse.

“What the hell is he doing?” Aaron stops in front of Kevin, his eyes suspicious.

“You haven’t known Neil as long as I have; just watch.”  Knowing he hurt him with that comment, Kevin ignores him again until Aaron huffs and turns to watch his best friend.

The questions stop as Neil stills with his arm out, palms up. A translucent haze engulfs the greenhouse and the shards of glass littering the ground begin to levitate, piecing the greenhouse back together. While the others watch in amazement, Kevin seethes in jealousy, wishing for the magic reserves required for a spell as impressive and as difficult as localized/isolated time reversal. 

Especially when the moment the spell ends, Neil collapses to his hands and knees. Aaron shouts his name and rushes back inside while the others proceed with more caution. Despite his jealousy, Kevin feels for Neil, since using that amount of magic creates a literal beacon. Everyone can feel the cruel energy of demonic blood twisting with Neil’s lighter magical signature, beyond threatening as it overpowers them all. Any witch with good survival skills should be running the other direction; they don’t, because they know Neil.

Kevin is glad that the people who have befriended Neil are doing the opposite.

“I knew there was something weird about him…”

Kevin blinks and looks to his father, watching their community investigate the un-shattered greenhouse while Aaron and Robin freak out over Neil. 

“I guess that’s one way to put it.” 

~Bee~

It is not a surprise to Betsy to learn of Neil’s lineage. Nor is it a surprise how negatively Neil responded to Andrew leaving so suddenly; they were all hurt by that. What she is surprised by is Neil knocking on her door a week after he destroyed (and un-destroyed) his greenhouse. Neil is always cordial with her, but has refused her numerous invitations to join her for tea.

"Is everything alright, Neil?"

"Would it be in poor form to take you up on that offer of a cup of tea?" Neil smiles weakly, but the lack of flowers in his hair gives away how truly fake it is.

“Not at all, come in, Neil.” The relief in Neil’s expression is crystal clear, Betsy simply smiles and leads him inside. “Have a seat while I boil some water, but I’m afraid I won’t make tea to your standards. I’ll try my best though.”

“That’s fine, Betsy, thank you.” Neil shuffles inside and sits at her kitchenette table while Betsy putters about, filling her kettle and collecting mugs while the water boils. Neil is quiet, looking out the bay window.

When the water is boiled and the tea steeped with a bit of honey, Betsy joins him at the table. Neil murmurs his thanks again, and Betsy smiles. She watches as he gently blows at the steaming mug before sipping and cradling it in his hands. 

“How are you, Neil?” She asks, breaking the silence once she realizes Neil is struggling to do so.

“I’m fine.”

“Are you?” Betsy tilts her head when Neil looks up, ready to argue. “Aaron mentioned you’ve seemed quite down recently.” Neil closes his mouth and looks away. “A few of your friends have expressed similar concerns, since Andrew’s abrupt departure.” Neil’s exhaustion is even more apparent with how his shoulders sag and his frown deepens. She feels for him, truly. “It upset us all, Neil.”

“I don’t understand why he left…”

“Only Andrew knows the answer to that, Neil.”

“Well he’s not here!”

“I know,” Betsy stays calm in the face of Neil’s outburst, tapping the sides of her mug. Neil looks away when she only continues looking him in the eye.

“Sorry…”

“What can I do for you, Neil?” Betsy asks once more.

Neil is quiet again and Betsy can see him shrinking, anger deflating into resigned sadness. She's never seen him so shattered, not even when he arrived in Palmetto.

"He respects you, you're his mentor. You should have an idea of why he left so suddenly." Neil looks up again, eyes pleading for an answer. 

"Andrew respects me because I keep our conversations between us."

Brief anger flickers through Neil's eyes and his expression so quickly she'd have missed it if you weren't looking at him. Then his shoulders slump further and his aura shifts to dejection. 

"Then tell me how to forget." A quiet request that Betsy should have seen coming.

"Why?"

"Because I spent my entire life running until I found this community. Something to keep me here and he already had all that. If I don't forget, I'm afraid I'll run too." Neil's gaze drifts to the window.

"Do you not trust your friends to make you want to stay, Neil?"

Neil stills and Betsy reaches across the table, covering Neil's hand with her own. When Neil looks at her, his eyes are shining with unshed tears and desperation. 

"Don't try to forget, Neil, and don't try to bear your pain on your own. I'm glad you came to see me, but I think what you need right now is to spend time with your friends." Neil stays quiet, but he nods after a moment, so she pats his hand and pulls back. "Finish your tea."

There’s another nod, followed by tense hands bringing his mug to his lips; Betsy hopes Neil will listen. Hopes he'll let his friends look after him.

~Aaron~

"He's gone to see Betsy," Aaron tells Seth when he walks into his shop, feeling overwhelmed with work and exasperated at the hotel owner. "You'll have to wait."

"Is he still moping around?" Seth grunts, arms crossed as he leans against the counter. Aaron smacks his hand when he tries to touch the ingredients he is chopping for a potion. "You'd think the little spitfire would be stronger than that."

Aaron bristles, his entire body tensing up. "Fuck off, Gordon."

Seth rolls his eyes. "Don't be sensitive. What's he doing talking to Betsy? He's never done it before." 

“Fuck if I know.”

“Oh, what’s with that tone; jealous?” Aaron glares at Seth’s shit-eating grin. “I know you’re spitfire’s best bud ‘n all, but he does need professional help.” Aaron just bites the inside of his cheek and focuses on chopping, wiping the knife on a soft cloth after he’s completed it. 

“Tell me I’m wrong,” Seth goads him.

Aaron just stabs the knife into the chopping board and grips the counter, glaring at Seth again. “I’ll tell him you need a refill. Now, fuck off.”

“Alright, whatever. I know when I’m not wanted. I’ll be at Alli’s.”

Only when Seth leaves, does Aaron breathe, pinching the bridge of his nose. He can’t help but feel jealous that Neil doesn’t just come talk to him, but they both know with Andrew being the source of pain for both of them, it’s impossible. Neil feels guilty and a small, regrettable part of Aaron does blame him. He knows it isn’t Neil’s fault, just Andrew being… Andrew, but the feeling is there: he doesn’t know what Neil could have done to make Andrew leave. He refuses to let that feeling take over; he wants his best friend at his side, so they can heal.

~

“I’ll be with you in a minute!” Aaron calls over his shoulder when he hears the bell over the door chime, in the middle of adding ingredients to his large cauldron. He can’t step away when doing this, otherwise, the entire potion will fail and he will have to start over. 

“Hey,” Neil’s voice, drained and listless comes from behind Aaron, causing him to still momentarily before continuing.

“Hey.” Aaron glances at his best friend when he steps up beside him, icy blue eyes downcast, watching Aaron stir slowly. Gods, he looks so pitiful… The small amount of residual anger and blame deep down inside of Aaron evaporates. Seeing Neil like this is too much for him.

“How was your visit with Betsy?” Aaron smiles when Neil’s eyes lift to the side of Aaron’s face. “Heard it through the grapevine; you know no one here knows how to keep their mouth shut.” He tries for lighthearted, but his friend doesn’t do more than hum quietly. Aaron frowns and they stay silent while Aaron finishes adding the ingredients, Petal crawling out of Neil’s cloak to sit on Aaron’s shoulder.

“I—”

“Shut up,” Aaron gripes, tugging on Neil’s curls as he gives him a stern look.

“But—”

“You were going to apologize again and I’m sick of it. He left, he did shit like this before you and he were courting or whatever. Andrew has issues and if I gave you the impression that I blame you, I’m sorry. So stop it.”

Neil’s eyes widen as Aaron stares him down for a moment and then walks past him to check on the second cauldron, glad to see it is bubbling away like it should, the color just right for the halfway mark. When he sets his oversized stirring spoon down, he tenses at the arms wrapping around him and then sighs, a sad, tired smile on his lips as he squeezes Neil’s wrists.

“I asked him to stay and he left… I’m scared I’ll run too.”

“You won’t.”

“How do you know?”

“Because your family is here.” Aaron smiles as Neil’s face falls against his own shoulder, feeling him shudder and the smile against his back, so he reaches up to tug on his hair again. “You’re almost as dramatic as Nicky, you know?” A flower pops up between Aaron’s fingers and when he turns to look he sees one he doesn’t recognize. He is glad he made his best friend feel something positive for the first time in days.

“Am not,” Neil mumbles into his back.

“Are too,” Aaron grins as Neil squeezes him tight before pulling away. Neil isn’t smiling like he usually does, but the sadness has lifted, leaving him more tired in appearance than anything. Aaron will take it.

Chapter Text

“Andrew?” The coven elder, Miss Annabeth, turns back to him while Andrew stands still in the middle of the path.

Andrew doesn’t reply at first, staring down at Spike in his hands, curled up tight. He’s been lethargic lately and Andrew dreads to know why that is. He has a pretty good hunch, after learning what it is, but… he—

“What is it, Andrew?” Annabeth calls to him again and Andrew thumbs Spike’s pink flower. He mewls pitifully and Annabeth frowns. “Your little friend okay?”

“No.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“I don’t know…” 

Annabeth holds out her hand and Andrew extends his, letting the elder scoop Spike into her careful hands. Her left hand glows as she hovers over the little catcus, stroking the wilting pink flower after a few moments. Andrew doesn’t like the way her lips press into a thin line.

“Andrew, you never told us why you came back so quickly. Normally you return to your family for at least five or six months.” Annabeth sighs as Andrew looks away. “We have always accepted those in need, from every walk of life and helped them find a place, a purpose. Including you, Andrew. We won’t press, but you’re unnerving some of the younger witches.”

Andrew side-eyes her, refusing to apologize. “I can leave if you don’t want me here.”

“I didn’t say that, Andrew.” Andrew stays silent and Annabeth sighs again, heavier than the first time. “If you want to talk, we’re here, but you can’t keep moping around like you have these past couple of weeks. It’s not good for you, you’ll get wrinkles.”

“Because your cheery attitude prevented that.”

Annabeth gives him a dry look and gently places Spike in his hands again. “We’re stopping for a few minutes.”

When she turns to leave, Andrew speaks up, glancing at Spike. “You didn’t say what was wrong with him.”

Annabeth frowns at him. “Spike is the result of a witch’s soul and a cat’s being merged inside of a plant. The cat’s soul cannot die again, but the witch’s can, so whatever is wrong with him is the result of what is wrong with the witch.”

Andrew feels his heart in his throat, hands trembling as he cups Spike close to his chest. Annabeth leaves with a sorrowful glance and Andrew fights to not crumble from the guilt washing over him. These past two weeks —eleven days to be exact— he had wondered if he had done the right thing, leaving. Well, at first it was more telling himself that Neil and the rest of the community on Foxhole Court were fine without him. They were fine before he came back and Neil didn’t need him and his issues around when the pretty plant-witch already has so many of his own problems. He has Aaron. Aaron, who lets Neil call him by the nickname Andrew gave him. Rin is his brother, but clearly found Neil to be a suitable replacement.

Then Spike started responding less and less. In fact, during the first few days after his departure, Spike stabbed him numerous times, something he had not done since their first meeting. Andrew didn’t know what to do, his thoughts continuously circling back to a certain redheaded witch before aggressively redirecting. And as a result, he pushed away the witches in his nomadic coven.

Just like he had pushed away his family, the one he refused to admit he wanted. He even told Neil that he left the nomadic coven because he found that family. But Neil didn’t buy that answer.

     “You left on a three-year sabbatical, Andrew. Rin tells me you didn’t really keep in touch all that well.”

Because he never felt like he truly belongs there. Aaron has Matt and Dan. Nicky, Erik. The rest of the community is already settled; what did they need him for? Even Kevin is happy.

     “What answers are you searching for, Andrew?”

He told Neil he didn’t know and now frowning down at Spike… he still doesn’t have a clue. Neil saw that and… and it scared him. Maybe Aaron could see it too —Renee sure as hell does— but neither of them ever said anything, never outright asked what Andrew is looking for. Not like Neil.

No one has ever made such an effort to know Andrew; either they tried and conceded to his constant push back or backed off when Andrew finally snapped at their forcefulness.

     "I think not even Renee is as well equipped as you to try and understand what Neil has been through."

Andrew swallows hard, remembering Bee’s words. He feels stupid. That horrid guilt chilling him further, weighing him down to the bottom of a freezing cold river, the rapids ripping into him violently.

Because surely, if Andrew is capable of understanding Neil’s painful past… Neil is able to do the same for Andrew. He’s proven that. And it took him leaving and hurting Neil and his brother to accept that. Spike is the proof that he shouldn’t have let his fear consume him. His self-doubt.

“I messed up.” Sure, he has realized that now, but will he be forgiven?

Andrew looks back down the path from where they came and then back at Spike. Turning on his heel, he leaves without a word to his coven; they’ll understand. He won’t know if he is forgiven if he doesn’t try.

Chapter Text

Neil looks to Renee and nods when she stares at him, her mouth in a tight smile as she places the to-go cups in front of him. “Thank you, Renee.”

“Are you going to practice with Kevin today?”

“He’s with his father today.” Neil doesn’t know why Renee insists on conversations like these when she already knows everything. He appreciates the courtesy it lends either way.

“Well, tell Aaron I said hello, then.”

“I will.” He always does. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Renee.” He nods again, drinks in hand and turns to leave.

“Neil?” He pauses at the door, turning his head slightly to her. “I know it is hard right now, but things will get better.”

“Yeah.” Neil heads out, walking down the cobblestone path and doesn’t look at Seth when he stops in his morning sweeping routine to look at him. Allison tries to get his attention from the door of her shop, but he just waves his tea at her and continues on. Thankfully, Erik is back as of last night and Nicky won’t be around to try and cheer him up again, but Jeremy manages to stop him for a tight hug and gives him an energy crystal to help.

Neil appreciates his friends, they try so hard.

Dan and Matt are already gone when he reaches the apothecary, so no one to wave at when he enters and swallows when he sees Aaron, already with a customer, paying for their things. He didn’t realize how late of a start he’d gotten today. Later than it has been for the last two weeks, but sleep has not come easy for him. He steps around the counter and slips past the curtain to the brewing room and climbs the storage ladder to start sorting the ingredients for Aaron.

“Is that him?” the customer asks Aaron, probably assuming Neil can’t hear them. Neil really wishes he wasn’t so late now, he doesn’t want to hear this. “The one—”

“Is that all you need, ma’am?” Aaron cuts her off brusquely. The menacing smile in his voice is as clear as day. Neil can imagine the sharp look in his eyes, daring the woman to keep talking. Neil’s love for his best friend grows just a bit more.

“Uh… yes, thank you.”

“Then have a nice day.” Aaron’s footsteps retreat from the counter as the customer scurries away and Neil looks down to see him stomp into the room.

“She was nice.”

“People don’t know how to mind their own fucking business,” Aaron growls as Neil climbs down. Aaron stops to stare at him, eyes on his hair, and Neil reaches up to where he is staring. A single flower has blossomed. “What do poppies mean?”

Neil manages a shy smile, glancing away and then back at Aaron. “Fondness, affection.”

Aaron laughs and drags his hand down his face, shaking his head, but the smile on his face is gentle. “C’mon, I’m behind on everything.”

Neil nods and grabs their tea first, holding Aaron’s out to him. “You look dead on your feet.”

“I am; without an extra set of hands, I have to manage everything on my own. Matt ‘n Dan are too busy with the shop and deliveries to help. They keep promising to make time but I can't ask them to do that in the middle of 'renovation season'." Aaron sighs again. “And of course, there aren’t any teens I can hire, the last one went off to study elsewhere…”

"I can— ow! Rin !" Neil pouts, rubbing where Aaron pinched his arm.

"Stop trying to stretch yourself thinner than you already have."

They exchange annoyed looks, only to laugh. Aaron starts collecting the ingredients to work on his potion. Neil gladly accepts the items handed to him and then smirks as a thought pops into his head.

"Or, you know since Seth never has customers—” Neil laughs at the annoyed expression on Aaron’s face, grinning cheekily as an orange flower blooms.

“The bumbling idiot would break everything and then expect me to pay him,” Aaron rolls his eyes, chucking in a plant and gives the potion a stir, swatting Neil as he laughs harder.

“Gordon can’t be trusted with his own business, let alone yours.”

Neil’s head snaps to the curtained doorway, heart stuttering as Andrew pulls the heavy fabric aside. His head spins with questions and confusion and hurt. 

Where have you been— why did you leave, Andrew?

“Y-you bastard!” Neil blinks as Aaron flings himself at Andrew, his brother doing nothing to deflect the right hook to his cheek. “How dare you— I can’t believe—” Aaron chokes on the air that Neil can’t convince to enter his lungs right now, gripping Andrew’s cloak in his fists.

Andrew just stares at Aaron until he starts shaking and buries his face in Andrew’s chest, Andrew touches the back of his head, murmuring something Neil can’t hear.

“Y-You can’t keep doing this to me, Drew, I can’t take it!”

“I know.”

“You’re an asshole, leaving without a word!”

“I know.”

“Then why do you keep doing this!?”

I would like to know as well…

Andrew doesn’t respond right away, fingers curling into the hairs at the nape of Aaron’s neck, his eyes trailing over to Neil. Neil feels himself freeze completely; along with his lungs, it feels as if his heart has stopped functioning.

“I had to figure some stuff out,” Andrew finally admits, causing Aaron to look up at him with tear-stained cheeks. Aaron is still clearly angry, brow pinched, every inch of him tense. “Will you give us a moment?” Andrew glances back at Neil, Aaron mirroring him.

Neil wishes he could be swallowed up by the floor, not wanting to do this, but… he’s missed Andrew. Aaron’s watery, questioning eyes meet Neil’s for his approval. He considers and bites his lip before nodding. No matter how hurt he is, the least he can offer is to allow Andrew a chance to defend his actions.

“Fine,” Aaron bites out, his fists twisting in Andrew’s cloak for a moment before shoving him away. “I’m still pissed at you, asshole.” Aaron shoves past his twin, the sound of his booted feet pounding up the stairs. They taper off and then they are alone.

Neil stares over Andrew’s shoulder as if he can see through the curtained doorway until Andrew turns to him. Neil’s eyes drop away from the guilty expression darkening Andrew’s face, to his hands cupped in front of him. Spike, curled listlessly, nestled in his palms, tugs at Neil’s heartstrings making him step forward immediately.

“How long?” Neil whispers, gathering the tiny catcus in his scarred hands.

“Since I left…”

Neil draws blood as he bites the inside of his cheek, stroking over Spike’s body with a hand glowing a faint teal. Spike mewls pitifully and Neil exhales slowly, bringing the catcus to his face, nuzzling his wilting pink flower.

“You…” Andrew begins, faltering when Neil looks at him immediately. Neil watches Andrew bite his lip and look away, seemingly collecting himself. “You said that you create the cats by attaching a piece of your soul, alongside a cat’s soul,” Neil nods, so Andrew continues, “He was suffering; I couldn’t do that to him.” Andrew evades Neil’s gaze, staring intently at the potion Aaron and Neil had been working on.

This infuriates Neil and the glass containers inside the brewing room rattle. Cam yowls for him to calm down. So he inhales sharply and holds it, willing his demonic magic to settle. Andrew is staring at him, hazel eyes glimmering with something he hasn’t seen in Andrew’s eyes before.

“Magic is heavily influenced by emotions and the witch’s mental state, Andrew,” Neil reminds him coldly. Andrew says nothing. Neil bristles and turns on his heel to check on Aaron’s cauldrons. “Is this your twisted way of checking in on me and Rin?”

There is a shift of body weight behind him, Neil refuses to turn. He doesn’t have to because Andrew circles the room to stand on the other side of the cauldrons.

“Would it make you feel better if I said yes, dandelion?”

Neil glares at him, a block of ice forming in his throat. “Y-You don’t get to call me that anymore!”

“Okay.” Andrew nods once, gaze dropping to Spike cradled in Neil’s left hand, against his chest. Spike is already regaining some color and strength, being this close to his maker.

More silence stretches between them, the two of them both stubborn, unwilling to be the one who gives in first. Neil hurt, Andrew… whatever he is, stoic asshole. Looking up at the necromancer, Neil can’t help but feel warm that he has returned, glad. That annoys him more than anything.

“So,” Neil finally caves, because he’d spent a good two weeks trying to figure out why Andrew left, and only one thing comes to mind. “Did you find the answers you were looking for, Andrew?”

The necromancer does not answer, but Neil can practically hear the words racing through his mind and looks up, meeting Andrew’s serious, guilt-ridden gaze.

“There weren’t any questions left to ask.”

Neil blinks at Andrew’s confession and then swallows, trying to dislodge that block of ice entirely. He can’t speak.

“It’s all been right here.”

Neil clutches at his chest, unable to handle the pain any longer. “And you couldn’t figure that out without ripping my heart from my chest!? What about Aaron? He was a wreck when you left! Not a god damned word to anyone! Do you have any idea how much that hurt!?”

“I know.”

“If you knew, then why—”

“I never had this, Neil.” Andrew motions vaguely around the room. “I never had a family until Aaron and Nicky. I left for three years and come back to this gorgeous, yet dangerous stranger having replaced me.” Andrew’s ears turn red, his cheeks a dusting of pink. “Everything I knew had changed, once again, so I did what I’ve always done: I left.”

Neil understands, he does. He was constantly on the run from his father and his followers. Having no one but his mother, then not even her. He was alone and, as he told Andrew, he didn’t have anyone until Matt found him dying on the side of the road. But what Andrew is saying… it doesn’t sound like the entire story.

“That’s not everything,” Neil challenges him. Andrew stares back, the blank expression on his face barely held in place. “The first day I came in here, you weren’t expecting me. Aaron didn’t tell you that I stop by every morning and he gave you a place to sleep in exchange for working the counter. That’s what he offers you every time, how did that change?” Andrew is quiet, looking away now. Neil bites his lip again and comes around the cauldrons to stand before him.

“I opened up to you in a way I didn’t to Aaron, my best friend, because I felt you understood…” Neil clutches Spike to his chest, shaking with overwhelming emotions, so many he can’t name them all. “After you left, I… I thought about running again.” This makes Andrew look at him again, eyes wide with surprise. “I thought it was inevitable, because how could someone with everything— a family, a home, safety, a community— everything, someone so strong despite it all, ran without a word to anyone why wouldn’t I run too?”

“Neil—”

“I asked Betsy how to deal with how you hurt me and everyone else. I already struggle to open up to people, but you made me try.” Neil laughs, a sad, broken sound. “I know Aaron blamed me for you leaving, but he never admitted it. But I do know that I was part of why you left. I asked you to stay, and you left.” Neil studies Andrew’s face carefully, wanting to see the truth, to understand, so he decides to take a leap.

“Tell me, is commitment that terrifying to you, Andrew? I want you to be my partner, but not if it scares you that much. I’d much rather Rin have his brother and Robin her mentor.”

Andrew remains silent, his lips parted as if to speak, but nothing comes out. Neil blinks, once, twice, realizing—

“Did you really not believe me when I told you that you didn’t have to do anything you didn’t want to?” Neil deadpans, his voice flat. “That I can wait for you to decide?” When Andrew doesn’t confirm or deny, simply staring back at him, Neil knows. “Aaron should have punched you harder.” Neil scoffs and turns on his heel, but Andrew catches his sleeve.

“What?” Neil looks back at him.

“I-I never had anyone understand either,” Andrew squares himself, his hand shaking Neil’s sleeve. Neil watches as he takes a slow, deep breath, evidently steeling himself. “You never pushed beyond what I was comfortable with without asking first and you read me like a book. You never took more than I offered.”

“That’s because I only want what you offer, dumbass!” God, did he really have to fall for the biggest idiot? Neil tenses at that revelation.

“You’re such a martyr…”

Neil rolls his eyes and turns to Andrew, offering a dry look. “Then what does that make you?”

Andrew hesitates, his fingers tightening around Neil’s sleeve. He swallows hard and licks his lips before finally responding. “A fool.” Neil sighs and rubs his face with his hand, shaking his head. “I don’t expect you to forgive me—”

“Just shut up, you talk more than me when you’re freaking out.”

Neil peers at Andrew through his fingers, his heart clenching at how tense the other man is. Even disheveled, with his hair tousled from mussing it up with his hands and dirt on his clothes from traveling, dark bruises from sleepless nights under his eyes, he’s still the most handsome man he’s ever met. Which might be weird, since Aaron is his twin, but even so, Andrew is so much different from Neil’s best friend and he cares about Andrew for entirely different reasons than he does Aaron.

“You really are a fool,” Neil sighs, shaking his head at himself more than Andrew.

He looks to Spike, the catcus sleeping peacefully in his palm, his deep green body brightening from their contact, Neil’s magic feeding him. He’ll be better in no time. Neil looks at Andrew, who is waiting for him to speak, address him properly. It looks like this is far from the realm of Andrew’s comfort zone.

“Andrew, if anyone can understand the fear of commitment, it’s me. If things started getting too comfortable or if I settled into a routine, it was time to move on.” Neil remembers those days too clearly, being uprooted without more notice than ‘pack your bags, we’re leaving’. It was awful. “But that is in the past and I have worked very hard to ‘let it go’, as you so eloquently put it.” Neil steps closer, extending his hand and clutches Andrew’s shoulder when he nods. “Now it is your turn, let go of the past and move forward.”

“I’ll still have boundary issues…” Andrew admits, wrapping his fingers around Neil’s wrist. Neil smiles softly as their hands slot together, fingers interlocking.

“And I will continue to respect that,” Neil promises, squeezing Andrew’s hand. “Just… don’t run away again, don’t shut us out, okay? You can talk to me or Rin, you have people who care.”

Andrew exhales slowly and nods, his grip on Neil’s hand like a vice, shaking. “I will try.”

“That is all I ask.”

They are quiet for a moment, Andrew’s gaze locked onto Neil’s chest, chewing on his lip. “Is… is the spare bedroom still available?” He asks softly, meeting Neil’s gaze. He can see the nervousness and anxiety rolling around inside the other witch.

Neil huffs, feeling stronger with Andrew here again, trying. “I told you the offer doesn’t expire.” The hope that lights up Andrew’s eyes makes Neil feel at ease, the pain from the last couple weeks not gone, but soothed with the promise of them trying again. “Can I kiss you?” he asks, lowering his voice.

“As many times as you want, dandelion.”

Neil grins, kissing Andrew chastely and sighs, pressing their foreheads together, just taking in the moment. How good and right it feels to have Andrew back again. “I’m glad you came back.”

“...Me too.”

“Now you have to apologize to Aaron.”

Andrew sighs and squeezes Neil’s fingers. “I know. I will.”

“Good.” Neil kisses him again for good measure and pulls away, beaming when one of his auburn curls is tugged, heart fluttering at the gentle way he is being looked at. Things won’t be the same as before, but maybe, hopefully, they will be better.