No. ( he answers, because it's the truth. ) I'm not.
( but he also isn't answering anything else about axel, unless aaron asks for it. that kind of information isn't an unspoken something, and neither is it something andrew will go out of his way to clarify. he feels guilty about it, in light of their promise. he doesn't want to.
instead, he watches the end of the cigarette hit the floor. axel will grumpily pick it up later. andrew takes more of his interest in aaron's palm, balled in a little fist. his head tilts, interested. concerned. seeing the mirror image of himself acting as he would and wondering where it came from, although he does have an idea. he stands suavely, padding across to him. this time when he approaches, his presence is a lot less dominating -- the beast, for the time, has been calmed. it reaches for aaron's hand, parting open his fingers. )
All I've done is with the promise of keeping you safe.
( that's it. he's failed, as the cigarette burn mocks him, because the one person andrew can't save aaron from is himself. ( this, too, they have in common. )
he dusts the ash away, gingerly. carefully. intimacy does not come naturally, but under the thin veil of healing, he can manage it, cupping the back of aaron's hand, drawing his fingers along the burn. )
I would choose you. ( he says this quietly. he doesn't think axel would be especially mad over it -- probably happy, in fact, because he's a backwards thinker. kevin and neil don't stand a chance. )
no subject
( but he also isn't answering anything else about axel, unless aaron asks for it. that kind of information isn't an unspoken something, and neither is it something andrew will go out of his way to clarify. he feels guilty about it, in light of their promise. he doesn't want to.
instead, he watches the end of the cigarette hit the floor. axel will grumpily pick it up later. andrew takes more of his interest in aaron's palm, balled in a little fist. his head tilts, interested. concerned. seeing the mirror image of himself acting as he would and wondering where it came from, although he does have an idea. he stands suavely, padding across to him. this time when he approaches, his presence is a lot less dominating -- the beast, for the time, has been calmed. it reaches for aaron's hand, parting open his fingers. )
All I've done is with the promise of keeping you safe.
( that's it. he's failed, as the cigarette burn mocks him, because the one person andrew can't save aaron from is himself. ( this, too, they have in common. )
he dusts the ash away, gingerly. carefully. intimacy does not come naturally, but under the thin veil of healing, he can manage it, cupping the back of aaron's hand, drawing his fingers along the burn. )
I would choose you. ( he says this quietly. he doesn't think axel would be especially mad over it -- probably happy, in fact, because he's a backwards thinker. kevin and neil don't stand a chance. )