Chapter Text
3 years later
They were sitting on the living room sofa, cuddled up together and watching some trashy reality-show when Kevin got a text from Allison to turn on the news.
He grabbed the remote without thinking and was accompanied with Aaron’s quiet protest. The blonde claimed that he hated the stupidly unrealistic shows, but Kevin knew that he secretly loved the drama.
“Ali says to turn on the news.” Kevin tried to buy his boyfriend’s forgiveness with a quick kiss to his temple.
“Yes folks, you heard it correctly, our favorite Exy power couple is married.” The voice of a reporter sounded through the TV speakers.
“Are they just now finding out that Jeremy and Jean are married?” Aaron asked amused with a smile on his face.
“To the people who are just now tuning in, let’s roll the clip again.” The reporter said.
Aaron’s smile dropped immediately, when he saw that the people on the video were not Jeremy and Jean, but rather Neil with his shit eating grin that was reserved for the times he wanted to cause trouble and seemed to be present around reporters more times than not .
“Neil, it’s been five years since you and Andrew confirmed your relationship and according to fans’ research you've been dating ever since your freshman year in collage, what’s stopping you from tying the knot?”
Neil turned to the camera with a raised eyebrow and a glint in his eyes that Kevin knew all too well.
“We’re already married.”
“What?” Aaron's loud voice washed out whatever else was said on the TV. “They’re married? Since when?!”
Kevin was sitting there quietly, hoping that he wouldn’t be directly asked that question. The thing about that marriage was that it had nothing to do with marriage. Andrew got pissed off one too many times that he couldn’t visit Neil in a hospital without threatening someone with a knife and that combined with the tax benefits had them sold on the idea.
They called Kevin in the middle of the night to fly to Seattle so he could be their witness. Kevin had no idea why they didn’t ask Aaron, since he was living in the same city as them, but decided not to ask. He had no problem with them getting married as long as they didn't come out and ruin their careers.
Well, that was his thinking back then, and as he was looking at his outraged boyfriend, who always looked adorable while angry, he couldn’t believe he was once upon a time such an idiot.
“You don’t seem surprised.” Aaron pointed an accusatory finger at him and Kevin swallowed out of nerves. “Why aren’t you surprised?”
Kevin knew that he was a terrible liar and also didn't want to ever lie to Aaron so he braced himself for his boyfriend’s anger.
“I might have been the witness?”
The expression on Aaron’s face turned from angry to sad and Kevin's heart broke. He was prepared to be yelled at, not to see the miserable expression on the other man's face.
“We weren’t dating yet, it was back in 2012 and I honestly forgot that they were married, I’m sorry for not telling you.” He rushed to clarify, in hopes that it would make Aaron feel better.
Aaron sat back down on the couch and turned off the TV that was still showing Neil’s interview over and over again.
“I’m not mad at you.” He said with defeat in his voice. “It’s just, Why wouldn’t he tell me?”
Of course. This wasn't about Kevin. This was about Andrew. Aaron always felt insecure in his relationship with his brother. He was always so happy after he and Adnrew hit some kind of milestone and he must have been so disappointed that Andrew didn’t confide in him with this.
“I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it.” Kevin scooted closer to him on the sofa so he could bring Aaron into his arms. “Maybe call him?”
“Yeah, I think I will.” Aaron replied and picked up his phone from the armrest.
He dialed Andrew’s number and put it on speaker. Kevin wasn’t sure if he wanted to be a part of this conversation, but didn’t really have a choice to make up his mind, because Andrew was already picking up.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Aaron went straight to the point.
There was some shuffling on the other end of the line, followed by silence and Kevin thought that Andrew hung up on his brother, but after a minute he finally spoke.
“I told you he is not my boyfriend, not my fault you didn’t figure it out.” The response was cold, but there was also a hint of teasing in his voice.
Aaron suddenly burst out laughing and Kevin was so surprised he almost fell off the couch. He probably would, if not for the weight still leaning against him.
“Oh my God, and here I thought you were still denying what he meant to you and all this time you were telling me he meant more.”
Andrew didn’t dignify that with a response and hung up. Aaron didn’t seem bothered by that fact. There was a smile painted on his face and Kevin realized that he would never understand the relationship between the twins, no matter how hard he tried to.
“You okay?” He asked just to be sure.
Aaron turned around in his arms and kissed him softly on the lips.
“Yeah, I’m okay.” He replied and without another word picked up the remote again and turned the atrocious reality show back on.
He made himself comfortable in Kevin’s arms and that was all Kevin needed.
***
Kevin was caught by a reporter on his way to the grocery store and had to try really hard to remain civil. Years of his PR training were overshadowed by the fact he had people around him who loved him for who he was, which made it harder and harder to pull off the fake smile he was once so accustomed to.
He decided to not risk his chances in case he said something incredibly stupid that would land him in trouble again and bolted for the store.
Over the next few days he had mastered avoiding the press. He didn’t go out in case it was strictly necessary and when he did he made sure to be less recognizable.
Aaron found it ridiculous, but Kevin refused to be laughed at.
Of course, he couldn’t avoid the sharks forever. He let his guard down after the game, too excited to yap about Exy to watch out for a potential trap.
“So, Kevin. Care to comment on your teammates’ news?” One of the reporters shoved a mic right into his face.
From the corner of his eyes he could see Neil having the time of his life, while watching Kevin suffer.
“What news?” Kevin hoped that if he acted stupid and oblivious they would leave him alone.
He was, of course, not that lucky.
“About them being married.” Kevin must have made some kind of face, because the reporter didn’t let him say anything, before speaking again. “You don’t seem surprised.”
Kevin sighed with frustration and ran his hand through his hair. He send one last look to Andrew and Neil, hoping that they would rescue him from this torture. They looked content, just observing the fiasco, so he turned back to the reporter.
“I was the witness,” there were gasps of surprise and millions of cameras flashing right in his eyes. Kevin thought that he shouldn’t be held accountable for his next words. “It’s not like it is a real marriage anyway, can we move on to Exy now?”
***
Kevin Day doesn’t believe in marriage equality
Kevin Day is the best example of being gay and homophobic at the same time. We all moved on from his hateful comments regarding his teammates from years ago, but the Sadow’s striker seems to never have enough.
Marriage equality is something that our community had to fight really hard for and hearing Kevin Day, someone who is thought of as a gay icon among fans of sports, claim that marriage between two men is not real is very hurtful and disrespectful and I for one am not surprised.
Anonym for “Exy entertains”, 04.18.2019
“For fuck’s sake, this is ridiculous.” Kevin threw his phone across the room, even though Alliosn was still on the line.
“I told you to mind your words.” She said with an infuriating laugh.
Kevin did mind his words. For so long he had minded his words and yet again Neil and Adrew made him lose all control of his brain to mouth filter. He wanted to strangle them and thank them all at once.
It was freeing to be as pissed off as they sometimes made him feel. He was raised to be a robot, an Exy maschine with no regard for anything else. The fact that they had the ability to press his buttons so much was comforting. Especially because it wasn’t about Exy. They were the first people who made him care so much about something other than Exy and it felt good.
What didn’t feel good was being yet again accused of homophobia by the press for something that was just a stupid misunderstanding.
“I meant as they did it for the tax benefits.” He tried to defend himself to his friend.
“I know that, but the press doesn’t. But don’t worry, your boy is already on it, yet again.” There was amusement in her voice and at his hum of confusion she continued. “Aaron is being interviewed as we speak, I wonder how he’s going to fix this for you this time around.
***
Aaron walked out of the hospital with his head hanging low. All day he was berated by the questions about his boyfriend being a gay homophobe. He was tired of reminding people that Kevin was in fact bi and that he was definitely not homophobic.
He saw the reporters a moment too late and was ambushed by them, before he could escape to his car.
“Dr Minyard, are you sharing your boyfriend’s opinion on marriage equality? Is that why you didn't tie the knot yet?” The reporter showed the mic so close to his face he almost had his nose broken.
He wanted to punch that stupid smirk out of the men’s face and tell him what he really thought about all the people sticking their noses where they didn’t belong.
He knew, though, that it would only make matters worse. He opened his mouth without knowing what would come out of it.
“I told you before that Kevin has a dry sense of humor. He’s just trying to rile up his fiance’s brother.” He said and took advantage of the reporter’s surprise to get into his car.
He drove off with wide eyes and what he was sure was a stupidly big smile on his face. He just implied that Kevin and him were engaged. Kevin and him were very much not engaged. He felt nerves and excitement crawl all over his body and made his way home.
He hoped that he didn’t just fuck up the best relationship of his life.
***
Kevin was sitting on the sofa with the TV already turned off and with his jaw lying on the floor.
Aaron had just implied that they were engaged. They weren’t, even though Kevin very much wanted to be. He was waiting for the right moment and the right moment was just snatched away right from under his nose.
He heard the front door open and close and light steps approached him on the sofa. He didn’t turn around, knowing full well who just entered their home.
He stood up on shaking legs and walked around the couch. He didn't know if he wanted to bolt out the window or ran straight to Aaron and kiss him senseless, so he settled on staying a couple feet away from the other man and propped himself against the back of the couch.
“Fiance?” He asked with wonder in his eyes and voice.
“Yeah,” Aaron’s voice was full of uncertainty, but there was a flush of something dangerous in his eyes while he was settling on what to say next, “you know. Someone had to save the Day.” He added with a smirk and an over theatrical wink.
Kevin rolled his eyes at the ridiculous pan and took a step closer to his boyfriend. Trust Aaron to make it all a little easier, just by making a stupid joke.
“You know, you will have to fake marry me now, right?” He asked in a teasing voice.
His heart skipped a beat at his own words and he hoped that the fact that he was shaking was not visible to the outside world. He thought that Aaron would tease him back, but instead the blonde headed in the direction of the bedroom and emerged from it with something in his hands.
Something very small, that Kevin would recognize anywhere. He was under the assumption that he had hidden the object very well, but he was clearly mistaken.
“How about you finally use this,” Aaron threw the small box that was previously resting in the button of one of Kevin’s drawers for weeks, “and marry me for real.”
Kevin caught the box and looked at it like it had personally offended him, or worse like it had offended Exy. He grimaced and looked at Aaron.
“I was waiting for the right moment.” He said, annoyed that it wouldn’t be a surprise.
He had so many plans for the proposal, but none of them seemed good enough for Aaron. He wanted Aaron to be wooed and surprised in the best possible way. He wanted to show Aaron how much he loved and cherished him and now all the plans went to shit.
Aaron rolled his eyes and closed the space between them. Kevin was again sitting on the back of the couch, since he took a step backwards when Aaron went to the bedroom, so the blonde positioned himself between Kevin’s legs and took his face in his always so gentle hands.
“Every moment is the right one with you.” He said in a disgustingly sweet voice and Kevin was glad that he was partially sitting down, because otherwise he would fall to the ground.
Trust Aaron to say the sappiest thing and stop Kevin’s quiet spiral.
He grabbed Aaron by the hips and spun them around so that his still, but not for long, boyfriend was the one against the couch. He fell on one knee and looked up at the love of his life. He opened the box to reveal the ring and took a deep breath.
He had thousands of speeches prepared, but all of them were thrown into the bin. No words were enough for how he felt, but he had to try anyway.
“Aaron, my love,” he started and he wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to finish, because tears were already gathering in his eyes, “We have started all of this a little bit unconventional.”
Aaron snorted above him and muttered under his breath. “That’s an understatement.”
“I wouldn't have it any other way.” Kevin said and smiled up at the man of his dreams. “I would have taken whatever road, no matter how hard if I knew that a life with you would be waiting at the end of it for me. I love you with all that I got, I-,” He was about to say something that would send the past-him into an aneurysm, but something that he knew was true for longer than he was willing to admit it. “I love you more than Exy.”
Aaron gasped and then immediately started laughing. “Only you would bring up Exy while proposing.”
“I said I love you more than it, don’t laugh.” Kevin exclaimed, even though Aaron’s laugh was like music to his ears. “It’s like the highest of compliments.” He added, with a fake pout.
“I know, baby. Thank you. There is nothing I love more than you too.” Aaron grabbed Kevin’s chin so that he would look at him.
Kevin almost lost all ability to speak, because of the beauty of Aaron’s hazel eyes that were staring right into his soul.
“Will you marry me?” He choked out.
Aaron’s expression that was full of love took him over the edge of crying and there were tears streaming down his face.
Aaron wasn’t doing any better.
“Of course.” His now fiance said and leaned down to place a chaste kiss on his lips. “After all, I already told the press, no going back now.” The blonde teased.
Kevin rolled his eyes again, but still brought his fiance into a searing kiss. He held him close and swore to himself to never let him go.
Who would have thought that a couple of stupid and misunderstood comments would lead to the best thing that has ever happened to him.
He hoped that no matter what the world would decide to throw their way in the future and no matter how still not fully healed they both were, they would get through all of this together. Kevin knew that he was going to make thousands of mistakes and that the more comfortable he would become the more rude, not thought through comments he was going to make, but he also knew with a one hundred percent certainty that he would have his soon to husband there by his side, always ready to Save the Day.