we talk a lot about andrew and aaron defending/taking care of each other but we have gotttt to talk about nicky more
nicky, newly eighteen, using his savings on a lawyer to fight for custody of the twins, having to prove his ability to serve as a capable guardian, having to face his father when he explains what he's going to do, keeping his voice calm as he can when he talks the twins through it so they don't pick up on how terrified he is.
nicky falling asleep at andrew's bedside in the hospital post-car crash, because luther left the moment his nephew was stable, and nicky's never even met this kid, but he's still aaron's brother. he looks just like him, and they just operated on him for sixteen hours and he's fifteen and nicky just can't leave him alone, he can't.
nicky talking aaron through a bad trip three days after his mother dies, kneeling beside tilda's bed while aaron has his hands clamped tight over his ears and he's been crying for almost an hour now, mumbling to himself, and nicky just tells him where he is when he asks. relents when aaron begs him not to call an ambulance, because so long as he stays conscious, they can wait it out.
nicky testifying to andrew's defense in court a few months after he's beaten almost to death by four men outside eden's. swearing on the bible that andrew saved his life. nicky asking andrew why he did it that night after dinner, when it's just them in the kitchen, and andrew just stares for a long while before leaving.
nicky teaching himself to cook simple and cheap meals, things that andrew can rip apart, things that aaron can stomach, and nicky trying to give the twins a home to come back to after school. somewhere safe they can retreat and drop their guards, even if it doesn't always look like how he thinks it will.
they still watch dumb game shows on the couch together in the evenings. nicky still drives them to and from exy practice, and goes to their games. nicky's with them when wymack offers them college, and nicky doesn't expect to go with them but damned if he'll leave them behind. nicky hemmick loves his fucking family so fucking much and sometimes that just means raising two emotionally stunted teenagers by leaving food out at night like stray dogs
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