[ That cute rumble and the comfort of having him near is honestly enough for Hank. He's a simple guy. Being a werewolf and losing everything and then all the shit with Connor -- it's all taught him to make the best of things and take advantage of what he's got. Gavin will always be there now. For better or worse, their little pack is expanding. It makes Hank smile. ]
You're kidding, right? [ Hank snorts. The thought of Gavin spying for Kamski is a pretty lame joke. ] It'd be one thing if I hadn't met the guy, but I did kinda get a vibe off him when I first met 'im. He smelled so damn familiar. Now it makes sense.
[ Gasp. Scandal. Hank doesn't seem to mind the touch at all. ]
Yeah, pretty hard to fight the twin thing.
[ Hank can't imagine what that was like, having to change his whole image to get away from his family. But luckily Chloe comes around to bring them an adorable reminder. That... sure looks like a photo album. A fancy, future-y one, but a photo album nonetheless.
Hank's eyes light up. ]
Here you are, Ezra. Your mother had these made for both you and Elijah, but it was never delivered to you.
[ ...oh fuck. Gavin feels a blush starting to creep up his neck. ]
Wait, what? Why the fuck did she do that? Was she having an empty nest crisis or something?!
[ He hasn't talked to his parents in the same amount of time as Eli, except he has no desire for reconciliation on that end.
Yep, it's a photo album alright. Blue, which was Ezra's Color when they were children. It's made like a book, but has fold open screens. And said first screen is him and Eli when they were literal babies, little wiggling nuggets swaddled in blankets with disgustingly cute knit caps on. ]
[ Yeah that sounds about right. Why else would she spend time on something like this?
Said blue one is Very Red right now. ]
Yeah, I was always blue and Eli was red... [ Swipe to the next page. Toddlers now; they looked even more identical before puberty hit. Both long hair, little shorts, suspenders and bow ties. Clearly an Official Family Portrait, probably for holiday cards. Another with them playing with big toy dreidels and wearing kippahs, clearly for the family in Poland. ]
[ Hank smiles, warm and bright as Gavin scrolls through each page of photos. It reminds him of Cole's own photos, hidden and gathering dust somewhere in his garage.
Yeah, let's not go there. Focus on how embarrassing this is for Gavin instead. ]
Probably an act of defiance or something. [ He doesn't want to think too hard about what that could mean...
Ugh god, he's so embarrassed. But Hank calling him cute is... nice. ]
Yeah, probably the only time I ever was. [ There they are posing with some science fair trophies. Aaaand there's the point when they started cutting Ezra's hair short, keeping Eli's long.
Suddenly there are two separate class photos, both boys not in the same one anymore. Gavin sighs a little. ]
[ Which is as close to calling Gavin "cute" as Hank feels comfortable getting, what with the two of them being in Elijah Kamski's house and Hank Definitely Not Having A Feelings for Gavin. Besides platonic ones.
The split and the difference is pretty obvious, though. ]
Aw, what happened? This when they pushed your brother ahead or something?
[ Totally. It's all platonic!! Gavin still isn't putting a name to what he feels, haha! It's good he's already flustered though so it's not obvious. (Hold him and tell him he's pretty, Hank.) ]
Yeah. And I dunno who started it, if it was them or a teacher, but they started thinking I was cheating off of Eli or something. So they split us up.
[ Yet amazingly, he was still doing just as well. He ended up getting kind of... forgotten for a few years. Until his acting out from boredom couldn't be ignored anymore.
More pictures, a little older. Eli in a graduation gown with Ezra's arm around him, grinning brightly. They definitely both have braces. ]
[ Hank shakes his head. He obviously thinks Gavin's parents are assholes, but at least Gavin still manages to look happy in the pictures he has with his brother. ]
Shit, look at you guys. You must've really missed him, huh?
Yeah... things might have been different if we weren't separated like that.
[ Another picture, them sitting at a table with a lot of wires and circuit boards and other tech things strewn about. Ezra's the one with his feet on the table, so at least that hasn't changed. ]
[ Hank shrugs, poring over this latest picture. Yep, it's easy to see where Kamski got started. Though Hank's never been huge on technology, it's pretty crazy to think that these are the baby pictures for the richest man on earth. And Gavin. ]
[ He takes a deep breath and sighs. The pictures aren't much now, since Ezra avoided his family even before he left. But there's one right at the end, surprisingly of Gran. His dear Gran. It's obvious she was a classy and artsy lady, all dressed to the nines with her hair and nails done.
She's got an arm around Ezra's shoulders, resting her chin there. He's probably around thirteen at the time, beaming. Gran looks very cheeky, like she just said something that made his parents look pissed. ]
Aw, Gran. I'm surprised Mom had any pictures of her.
[ Hank rests a hand on Gavin's leg, giving him the comfort he no doubt needs. It's clear Gavin's grandmother was important to him. By the sound of it, she gave him his own life outside of his brother. She looks like the kind of badass grandma anyone would be lucky to have. ]
[ He laughs and closes the book. ] Definitely. She let me move in with her overnight, after all. I think she was just waiting for me to decide to leave.
[ He turns to look over at Hank... they're awfully close. Ah. He wants to kiss him. So he bites his lip instead. ]
[ Fuck!! Fuck. Hank can't stop staring. The pull to just kiss Gavin is too strong. because kissing is definitely what he wants right? Oh, yeah. Sure. He leans in and reaches over to cradle his jaw, kissing him.
Hank's weak!! And alpha instincts are strong!! That's definitely all it is. ]
[ Oh baby!! He leans in, fluttering his eyes closed and humming sweetly. Gavin shifts a little and rests a hand on his chest.
Wow, making out on his brother's couch. Gotta make up for all the typical high school things he didn't get to do, he guesses. He sneaks his hand up to Hank's collar, finding the little peek of chest hair... Hank you're so hot, god. ]
[ ...oh right his brother's couch means his brother is there. With a startled little noise he pulls away, although his lips are very obviously kiss bruised. ]
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You're kidding, right? [ Hank snorts. The thought of Gavin spying for Kamski is a pretty lame joke. ] It'd be one thing if I hadn't met the guy, but I did kinda get a vibe off him when I first met 'im. He smelled so damn familiar. Now it makes sense.
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You can see why I never got my nose fixed. It would've been way too obvious before. [ He sighs. ] Guess it seems kinda silly now.
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Yeah, pretty hard to fight the twin thing.
[ Hank can't imagine what that was like, having to change his whole image to get away from his family. But luckily Chloe comes around to bring them an adorable reminder. That... sure looks like a photo album. A fancy, future-y one, but a photo album nonetheless.
Hank's eyes light up. ]
Here you are, Ezra. Your mother had these made for both you and Elijah, but it was never delivered to you.
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Wait, what? Why the fuck did she do that? Was she having an empty nest crisis or something?!
[ He hasn't talked to his parents in the same amount of time as Eli, except he has no desire for reconciliation on that end.
Yep, it's a photo album alright. Blue, which was Ezra's Color when they were children. It's made like a book, but has fold open screens. And said first screen is him and Eli when they were literal babies, little wiggling nuggets swaddled in blankets with disgustingly cute knit caps on. ]
Oh my god.
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[ Yeah, Hank is definitely looking over your shoulder for this, Gavin. Baby pictures!!! ]
Ohhhhh my god, you were so cute. Is the blue one you?
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Said blue one is Very Red right now. ]
Yeah, I was always blue and Eli was red... [ Swipe to the next page. Toddlers now; they looked even more identical before puberty hit. Both long hair, little shorts, suspenders and bow ties. Clearly an Official Family Portrait, probably for holiday cards. Another with them playing with big toy dreidels and wearing kippahs, clearly for the family in Poland. ]
No wonder I hate bow ties.
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[ Hank smiles, warm and bright as Gavin scrolls through each page of photos. It reminds him of Cole's own photos, hidden and gathering dust somewhere in his garage.
Yeah, let's not go there. Focus on how embarrassing this is for Gavin instead. ]
Aw, I think they're cute. You look so adorable.
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Ugh god, he's so embarrassed. But Hank calling him cute is... nice. ]
Yeah, probably the only time I ever was. [ There they are posing with some science fair trophies. Aaaand there's the point when they started cutting Ezra's hair short, keeping Eli's long.
Suddenly there are two separate class photos, both boys not in the same one anymore. Gavin sighs a little. ]
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Eh, I dunno about that.
[ Which is as close to calling Gavin "cute" as Hank feels comfortable getting, what with the two of them being in Elijah Kamski's house and Hank Definitely Not Having A Feelings for Gavin. Besides platonic ones.
The split and the difference is pretty obvious, though. ]
Aw, what happened? This when they pushed your brother ahead or something?
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Yeah. And I dunno who started it, if it was them or a teacher, but they started thinking I was cheating off of Eli or something. So they split us up.
[ Yet amazingly, he was still doing just as well. He ended up getting kind of... forgotten for a few years. Until his acting out from boredom couldn't be ignored anymore.
More pictures, a little older. Eli in a graduation gown with Ezra's arm around him, grinning brightly. They definitely both have braces. ]
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[ Hank shakes his head. He obviously thinks Gavin's parents are assholes, but at least Gavin still manages to look happy in the pictures he has with his brother. ]
Shit, look at you guys. You must've really missed him, huh?
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[ Another picture, them sitting at a table with a lot of wires and circuit boards and other tech things strewn about. Ezra's the one with his feet on the table, so at least that hasn't changed. ]
I was just humoring him at first. Robots, right?
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[ Hank shrugs, poring over this latest picture. Yep, it's easy to see where Kamski got started. Though Hank's never been huge on technology, it's pretty crazy to think that these are the baby pictures for the richest man on earth. And Gavin. ]
Yeah. Robots. Who would've thought?
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She's got an arm around Ezra's shoulders, resting her chin there. He's probably around thirteen at the time, beaming. Gran looks very cheeky, like she just said something that made his parents look pissed. ]
Aw, Gran. I'm surprised Mom had any pictures of her.
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[ Hank rests a hand on Gavin's leg, giving him the comfort he no doubt needs. It's clear Gavin's grandmother was important to him. By the sound of it, she gave him his own life outside of his brother. She looks like the kind of badass grandma anyone would be lucky to have. ]
You must've been her favorite grandkid.
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[ He turns to look over at Hank... they're awfully close. Ah. He wants to kiss him. So he bites his lip instead. ]
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[ They are awfully close, aren't they. And Chloe seems to have given them some privacy. Hm. Suspicious.
Shit but Gavin looks nice, biting his lip like that. ]
The family that actually gives a shit, I mean.
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Yeah... who knows where I would have ended up. Probably been a CyberLife drone and hated my life.
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You would've been fucking miserable.
[ And he never would've met Hank! ]
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Yup. And missed out on all this fun.
[ His heart hurts at the thought of never meeting Hank, it's true. And Connor. And Chris and Tina. Fuck, when did he get so sentimental? ]
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[ Fuck!! Fuck. Hank can't stop staring. The pull to just kiss Gavin is too strong. because kissing is definitely what he wants right? Oh, yeah. Sure. He leans in and reaches over to cradle his jaw, kissing him.
Hank's weak!! And alpha instincts are strong!! That's definitely all it is. ]
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Wow, making out on his brother's couch. Gotta make up for all the typical high school things he didn't get to do, he guesses. He sneaks his hand up to Hank's collar, finding the little peek of chest hair... Hank you're so hot, god. ]
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And Elijah Kamski steps into the room. With snacks. ]
Really, Ezra? Really? In my own home?
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I uh. Well, you were taking too long...!
[ Yeah that's an excuse. ]
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I was, very graciously, going to see how you were doing. But the two of you need a bit more privacy you could at least have dimmed the lights.
[ Because now he has the mental image of Hank Anderson kissing his brother!!! It's never going to leave his brain! ]
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