Head cannon time: Neil is smart.
I know what you're thinking, Neil is a math major, he's a polyglot, of course he's smart. But that's not what I'm talking about.
I'm saying that Neil is smart.
There is a reason why Mary had to force to do average at school and not draw attention to himself, because that kid was bringing home straight A's and getting awards for damn near everything. Something he was very proud of because it was the only time both of his parents would be nice to him. They might even give him a treat.
Mary forces him to become paranoid to the extent of making average grades to go unnoticed, but do you know how hard it is to make a certain grade? You have to know every answer on the test to calculate how much you can get right to hit that perfect C.
I think Neil sat there through every lesson and test running calculations in his head about how many mistakes he needed to make to go under the radar. To never win an award. To never get asked to join any clubs. Because he KNOWS that Nathan and his people are scouring any news about up and coming kids.
They're looking at all the finalist in the state and nationals spelling bee's. The decathlons. The sporting teams. Just waiting for Nathaniel to grow egotistical enough to get the spotlight again.
But Mary doesn't celebrate his achievements anymore. At best he'll get a pat on the back if his report card is filled with the most mundane, 'I have no clue who this kid is' language from his teachers.
And Neil is desperate for that crumb of affection.
So he only goes back to Exy after she dies, and he plays down his talents until Kevin comes along. And when Andrew calls him out for knowing more than he lets on... Well, Neil is a real boy now, He doesn't need to hide anymore.
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