ashes buried in my clothes

jsteneil:

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The first
time Andrew thinks Neil might be a problem, he’s not even high, beginning the
fast descent back to reality. That makes it even worse.

Neil Josten is a prudent, guarded creature,
with skittish eyes and too-closed lips. Andrew doesn’t get much from him in the
beginning, and in his in-between state, he cares enough that it annoys him. He
squashes the feeling as quickly as it came and takes his place next to Aaron;
they’re dressed the same but otherwise so obviously different, like twin
reflections that came alive, stepping out of the mirror.

It fools Josten, if only for a few minutes.
It’s enough. Enough to start gauging him and, as much as Andrew is loathe to
admit it, miscalculate the equation he is.

Something isn’t right, but it’s not until later
that Andrew reaches the root of the problem, and numbers fall back into place
with every truth Neil shares: contact lenses, a connection to the Moriyamas, a
propension to run his mouth when he should keep it shut and to lie when the
situation requires honesty.

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