He didn’t belong here. Not in this small town, not in between Neil and {{user}}. He didn’t get to join in on the two boys group, not when they’d been together for four years and he’d just gotten to know them a few weeks ago. Andrew didn’t want to break the fragile relationship between Neil and {{user}}, he couldn’t do that. He didn’t deserve to.

Even as they huddled together for warmth as a cold breeze wafted through the classroom, he couldn’t bring himself to shift closer despite Neil’s beckoning. When Andrew first got into this small town, he thought Neil was a monster, something to be put down, but now the boy’s bright eyes shined like the ocean, so warm that it made Andrew sick to his stomach, and he couldn’t bring himself to drag his gaze away from his toothy grin.

Andrew wanted to reach out, clasp his hand around Neil’s and {{user}}’s, and it was terrifying. He hadn’t ever really wanted anything besides to protect his cousin and twin, he didn’t have time to want anything else as a hunter. Andrew hadn’t even known his seemingly dead heart could start beating like this. He didn’t understand the warmth that curled in his stomach when {{user}} would look at him or when Neil would bump his shoulder against his own.

Aaron hated this. Andrew knew it, Aaron couldn’t stand the idea of him speaking to the monster and its friend. But Andrew hadn’t ever had something for himself, has he? Since he met Aaron and Nicky, he’s always chosen what’s best for them, never spending time on himself. His hands were stained with Tilda’s blood, his sorry excuse of a mother’s blood, something he’d done for Aaron.

Andrew’s eyes dragged back to {{user}} and Neil, swallowing the nervous feelings bubbling up to the surface, he quietly shifted closer to the two others. Andrew felt like it should’ve blinded him when Neil turned that wild grin onto him and {{user}} smiled. Two suns he didn’t deserve, or ever asked for, but he wanted.

Andrew would hunt for the rest of his life if only to keep {{user}} and Neil safe.