An aspect of Andrew and Ashley’s relationship as kids I’m very interested in is that, when you read between the lines, they actually care about each other quite a bit.
On Leyley’s birthday, after she rants about how birthdays are “all nonsense anyway” and ends said rant with “who cares,” Andy responds that he does. In turn, Leyley is shown to have genuinely appreciated his willingness to celebrate it, as she made a drawing of that day and kept it with her until adolescence.
Prior to that, Leyley notably doesn’t make a fuss when she recognizes Andy can’t afford a cake. She also states she went along with Andy choosing the lemon muffins because she thought he wanted them.
In the flashback about Leyley’s suspension from school, she’s displeased that Andy’s cooked her “the same crap” again but quietly eats it anyway. This, in conjunction with the previous point, suggests that as much of a brat as she is, she does (in a way) understand that Andy is trying his best to look after her.
Leyley appears concerned for Andy as he breaks down at the grandparents’ house and asks him if he’s okay. When he asks her if she wants to be friends, she replies “I thought we already were.”
In the abstract segment within Andy’s subconscious at the start of 3A, his family is represented by ghosts. At one point, the player is given a choice - either Andy gets yelled at by his teacher, his mother, or Pink Ghost/Leyley. When he takes away Pink Ghost’s coloring pencils, her reaction is a quiet expression of sadness as opposed to a roar.
The same segment also contains a similarly abstract “family portrait.” Renee’s Lime Ghost is the one depicted as angry - Pink Ghost, contrary to expectation, is depicted as sad.
I find the last two points particularly noteworthy. Leyley’s external belligerence doesn’t seem to leave as visceral of an impression on Andy as the underlying reasons for it.
Everyone else sees a helion. He sees a heartbroken little girl.
stormborns
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annaxmalina
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