Flowers have always played a big part in Aaron's life. They were how he displayed his emotions, his feelings. While others might think of it as a beautiful blessing, he wasn't a very expressive person, so the flowers were more of a burden to him then anything.

He was a private person, hated being in the spotlight. The flowers prevented that from happening and he hated himself for it. Hated that this was his life.

At first, the flowers did nothing except turn to him when he walked by, but as he got older and faced far more intense emotions, they began to bloom whenever he felt something strongly. No one seemed to notice though.

Sure, occasionally people would find it strange that flowers, no matter the type or time of year it was, bloomed around Aaron but they never question it, so he didn't mention it. After his parents died however, everything changed.

Flowers began to bloom around him constantly. Harebell, scabious and adonis flowers were the most common. They never wilted or died and grew anywhere and everywhere, they stayed by his side for years.

They only went away when his sister Sally screamed at him to stop. To get rid of the horrible flowers because all the kids at school bullied her for having a freak for a brother.

Aaron remembered staring at her with tears spilling out of his eyes, crying loudly that he didn't know how, that he couldn't control it and he was sorry. Sorry for having this ability, sorry for making her life more difficult. Sorry for existing.

Eventually the plants went away. But that was only after Aaron realized the secret behind it. Should he feel extremely happy, a plant with that meaning would sprout around him, no matter the place or time of year. He realized quite quickly that if he buried his emotions, the plants would stay away. However, this proved to be exhausting, so he came up with a solution. No one came into his bedroom, so he allowed his plants to grow freely.

A few months after the death of their parents, they went to live with their grandfather, who sadly passed away after just three months. The two sibling then moved in with their uncle, a strict and religious man.

Aaron had known right away that he could not let his uncle know anything about his flowers. In their old town, many people knew of his power and were wary of him, however the worst were anyone who was extremely religious.

They were always more vocal in their distaste for him.

Aaron was careful not to give his uncle any tips. He could no longer use his room as a sanctuary, his uncle often came barging in, so he instead made small plants grow in various logical places. Either the school garden, his own garden or just in the woods behind his uncle's house.

Everything fell apart when his sister, whom he still loved very much despite the fact that she avoided him, ran away. Disappeared without a trace.

When his uncle told him the news, the entire room became filled with cypress, anemone and a hundred other plants. He remembered seeing his uncle's eyes widening in horror, before getting grabbed by the arm and dragged out of the room, the flowers trailing behind them. His uncle had thrown him to the floor, screamed at him, calling him a devil child, blaming him for his parents death, yelling that it was all his fault that Sally had run, that he was never and would never be loved.

After that day he was severely punished if his uncle even saw the smallest plant near him.

Then, a year later, his uncle's wife died. All the man had left was a cursed devil child for a nephew. His uncle turned to alcoholism and the punishments grew worse. Now his uncle would hit him no matter what.

But Aaron grit his teeth and bared it, finding refuge in his room where he would allow any plants to bloom, often covering his bed sheets and walls. As the years flew by, Aaron found the flowers and plants to be his only friends and confided in them.

Whenever he was upset or dragged himself into the bedroom after a bad beating from his uncle, he would talk to them and they would curl around him in hopes of making him feel better. The flowers were always there for him, comforted him when no one else would.

When Aaron graduated, he already had a scholarship to a university in New York City and he was relieved. Now, he was a whole river away from his uncle and going to a new place where no one knew about his powers, a place where no one would call him a devil child.

It was at NYU that he met Alexander Hamilton.

At first sight, Aaron knew that this man was special, different. He only saw him from a distance of course, but goodness he was radiant. He shone as brilliantly as a star, casting a shadow down on everyone else. He had never seen or met someone as magnificent as him. He was blinded by his light and couldn't help but be drawn to it.

It turned out that they were both studying law and even though he noticed Alexander, the latter never noticed him. But he didn't mind. No one at the university knew him. He kept to the shadows, talked less and smiled more because that was how he survived at home.

So Aaron was happy. Sure, he didn't have any friends, but he didn't need any. He'd gone his whole life without having a single friend other than his plants, he was fine.

Except he wasn't.

Aaron watched as Alexander accumulated friends, socialized, went to parties, was happy and genuinely enjoying himself. Aaron didn't have any of those things. He was completely alone and he hated it.

The plants that grew in his room noticed his sad mindset and tried to comfort him, but no matter how much they curled around him and rubbed against his cheek like a cat, he couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness. He wanted friends, he wanted to be normal.

But he couldn't. His own sister thought he was some sort of freak, why should he expect a stranger to think any differently. Aaron didn't think he could take another stab to his heart.

So he coped. He buried his feelings deep down, refusing to acknowledge his own loneliness. He ignored everyone and focused on his work. And he was fine, really he was. He dealt with it and while he wasn't happy, he wasn't sad either.

Everything was fine, until Alexander got his first boyfriend. Honestly, he should have seen it coming. Alexander and John Laurens were incredibly close, it only made sense that eventually they would become lovers. Aaron pushed away his jealousy, his feelings for Alexander, and increased loneliness, and continued on.

But then another joined Alexander and John. A handsome Frenchman named Gilbert Lafayette, an exchange student from France who had gained quite a following in his time in America. This time, Aaron couldn't stop the french marigolds that bloomed at his feet whenever he saw them together, laughing and enjoying their lives.

Still, he ignored it and soon, the french marigolds went away and everything was normal again. But then Hercules came along and the three decided that they just had to have him in their growing relationship.

Yellow roses and french marigolds followed him for weeks.

At first, Aaron thought he was jealous of the fact that John, Lafayette and Hercules were together with Alexander and not him, but he realized that wasn't the case.

He was jealous that he didn't, couldn't, have what they had. Couldn't have them. And he hated himself for loving them all when he knew that they would never return his feelings. Hated that he was putting himself through the pain of seeing them together, knowing that they didn't even know who he was, that he existed, when he was all too aware of them.

Yet no matter how lonely he felt, he never approached them. His fear of rejection was too strong.

It was in the library where he had his first conversation with Alexander. They both reached for the same book at the same time and when their hands met, Aaron couldn't help but feel like his life was some bad romance book.

Alexander's eyes lit up when he saw Aaron was the other man who had reached for the book. "Aaron Burr sir!" He chirped.

Aaron just stared at him, shocked that Alexander even knew his name.

"I, uh." Was his eloquent reply. Alexander didn't comment, simply grinned at him.

"We have the same law class right? I thought I saw you sitting in the back! I've been wanting to chat with you for awhile but you always seem to disappear after class. It's kinda crazy actually almost like you have the power to teleport or something but that's just silly. Oh! My name's Alexander Hamilton by the way."

Aaron gave him a tight smile, trying very hard to get his heartbeat back to normal and looking anywhere but Alexander's face.

"Oh uh y-yes, I know who you are." Aaron internally cringed at his reply. That sounded horrid. He sounded like some sort of stalker.

"So! What do you need this book for Mr Burr sir?" Alexander asked, rocking back and forth on his feet, still clutching the book.

"I uh. I like flowers and want to know the meanings behind them." He quickly lied. Truth be told he just wanted to care for his only friends better, but he couldn't tell Alexander that. Dorms had no space for plants. He didn't want Alexander to suspect anything.

"Really? That's cool! John is planting a small garden back in our apartment and I wanna help him with his flowers! So, mind if I take the book?" Alexander's eyes were gleaming and his mouth twisted into a grin.

Aaron recognized that look. He saw it every time Alexander got into a debate with someone. If he didn't let Alexander take the book, he was at risk of getting into a heated discussion with one of his crushes. No doubt his emotions would spiral out of control and his secret discovered.

"Go ahead. It's all yours." He said, releasing the book with a tight smile. Alexander looked startled, but didn't protest at Aaron's withdrawal.

"Thanks Burr!" Alexander said, before marching away. Aaron stared after him, before racing back to his dorm.

His chest felt tight and he wasn't sure if it was because of how close that had been, or because Alexander had acknowledged him.

After that meeting, he couldn't seem to stop bumping into Alexander. Whether they were just walking past each other in the halls, Alexander waved to him every time, being in the library at the same time, Aaron had even bumped into him at the grocery store with Hercules.

All these meetings were really testing his willpower and putting him on edge. One slip up and it was over. People would avoid him again, they would throw him to the ground and kick, scream horrible names at him. He refused to let that happen. Not again. Never again.

He began to avoid Alexander. When he waved to him in the halls, Aaron would speed up and ignore him. If he saw him in the library, he'd go in the opposite direction and if he tried to catch him after class, Aaron would escape a different way. He even went out a window once when the professor's back was turned, just to avoid the other student.

He spent as much time as possible in his room, trying not to feel guilty or too alone. He had his plants and he tried to convince himself that was all he needed.

As his mood soured more, his plants began to wilt, little by little. He felt horribly guilty and would've cared for them like a normal person would, but Alexander had yet to return the book and none of the others seemed to do him any good.

It was a bright fall day and Aaron had decided to leave his dorm for a bit and study on the fresh green grass. He was minding his own business, doing his reading when John, Hercules and Lafayette all marched up to him, looking very upset. They stopped in front of him and Aaron looked up, trying to push away his anxiety and slight fear when he saw the look of anger on their faces.

"Can I help you?" He asked, thankful that he managed to keep his voice steady. John pointed a finger at his face.

"What the hell are you doing to Alexander?" He demanded. Aaron blinked, fear twisting his stomach into a knot.

"I-I'm sorry what?" He asked, anxiety coiling in him, tight and deadly.

"Alexander is... quite upset." Lafayette said.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"A few weeks ago Alexander came home super excited that he finally managed to talk to you. And then a few days later he became moody and upset but wouldn't tell us why." Hercules explained, arms crossed and a stern look on his face.

"W-What?" Aaron stammered.

"You did not know how happy Alexander was?" Lafayette said in surprise. Aaron shook his head, eyes wide.

"I don't know how you couldn't tell," John said, rolling his eyes, oblivious to the ever growing flowers. "He's been trying to grab your attention for awhile now. We all have."

Aaron's breath caught at the new information. "I, w-what?"

"Aaron, we have been, watching you from afar." Lafayette said. "We would like to get to know you."

Hope began to build in Aaron's chest and his eyes widened with horror when he saw jonquils growing on the ground around them.

"What'd you say Aaron?" Hercules asked, snapping Aaron's attention back to them. They were all oblivious to the flowers, staring at him and waiting for a response. He swallowed thickly before nodding hesitantly.

The three of them grinned.

"Sweet!" John said. "Let's go tell Alexander the good news!"

As Aaron watched them walk away, he couldn't help but feel that he had made a horrible mistake.

Yup. He made a mistake. A huge mistake.

He was currently at a small out of the way cafe, squished between Alexander and Hercules and oh god his heart was beating so hard that he wouldn't be surprised if everyone could hear it. Why did he agree to this again? Whatever happened to staying away? Far, far away.

He took a shaky breath, closing his eyes, trying to calm down. He was almost scared to open them again, worried that if he did, he would see flowers blooming everywhere.

"You okay Aaron?" Alexander asked, probably noticing how stiff he was against him. Aaron's eyes opened and he was relieved to see no flowers.

"I'm fine!" He said, smiling weakly at the slightly taller man. "Just uh... not used to close contact..."

The last part was quiet. While it wasn't necessarily false, it wasn't exactly true either. It was just that the close contact he'd had with other people hadn't been welcomed.

"Sorry Aaron. This is the biggest table in the cafe." Hercules said, sending him an apologetic smile. Aaron gave him a small smile back, refusing to acknowledge how cute Hercules' smile was.

"It's fine." He said even though it really wasn't. Being so close to his crushes made him feel far too many things.

He glanced out the window and cringed when he saw all the many violets and myrtle bushes growing across the street. He was only thankful that they were further away and not growing out of the table or the many coffee filled cups.

"Are you sure you're alright Aaron? You look on edge." Alexander pressed, looking concerned.

"Yes, but I don't have many... friends. It's been awhile since I've uh, hung out with someone." Aaron confessed, cheeks turning red with embarrassment.

"Wow! You're even more of a loner than Alex!" John exclaimed earning a 'Hey!' from the other man.

Aaron shifted a bit uncomfortably. It wasn't like he wanted to be a loner, he didn't have a choice. When people learned the truth about him, well, it never ended well.

They stayed in the cafe and chatted for awhile and gradually, Aaron felt himself relax. They were all quite pleasant to be around, each showing high intelligence and they clearly loved each other very much.

It ended up being one of the best days of Aaron's life. These people were so kind and accepting. He was almost tempted to reveal everything. However, the fear that had been ingrained into him since childhood kept him from mentioning anything.

He wasn't sure his heart could take getting abandoned again.

As he watched his new sort of friends walk away, begonia flowers bloomed in his wake.

Aaron began to spend more and more time with squad, even if he didn't really want to. When four equally adorable people all begged you to hang out, it was very difficult to say no.

However, even with these new wonderful friends, Aaron still felt lonely, like an outsider. Seeing the four of them interact with such obvious affection was taking a toll on him. His heart ached more and more, wishing he could join in.

His room soon became covered in pink camellias.

Christmas rolled around and Aaron was staying in New York. He was all too aware of what would happen should he return to New Jersey, so he prepared himself for a quiet, lonely Christmas.

What he was not prepared for, was being invited to go to John's vacation home. He'd gotten permission from his father to take his friends there but well, Aaron was kind of worried about going.

One, he wasn't sure how his plants would do if he was gone for two weeks. He cared for them deeply, he didn't want to abandon them in anyway. Two, he wasn't sure if he could survive living with his four crushes for two weeks. Something was sure to go horribly wrong. And three, ever since learning about his ability, he's had a space to let his plants roam free. However, if he was in a house that wasn't even his, with four other people, where would his plants roam? Especially in the winter.

In the end, the squad's pleading faces threw his logic out the window and he agreed to go.

And boy did he regret it.

Turns out that every morning either one or the whole squad would burst into his room and wake him up. This meant that while he was living in the vacation home he couldn't allow his abilities to go out of control.

And the fact that the centers of his affections were living there with him and seemed to just love walking around without shirts certainly didn't help him keep his powers at bay.

He survived the first week with no incidents. If a few vases suddenly fresh new flowers, well no one said a thing. But after a week of suppressing his flowers and feelings, he began to feel awful.

He got stomach aches, headaches and often felt too dizzy.

"Hey Aaron, you alright?" John asked, looking over at him from his spot on the couch. Aaron grimaced at the noise of his voice. His head pounded, it was too bright.

"Just a headache." He mumbled, eyes pinched together. John looked at him, unconvinced.

"Alright. There's medicine in the mirror in the bathroom." He said. Aaron shot him a smile that probably looked more like a grimace than anything.

"Thanks."

As the days passed, his headaches grew worse and soon, he couldn't even leave his room. It was too bright outside, it hurt his eyes and his head.

He was currently laying in his bed, sweating and uncomfortable. His head hurt so much! It was almost unbearable. The door creaked open and the squad crept in.

"Aaron?" Alexander asked, walking over to his bed. Aaron didn't reply, only groaned pitifully.

"Aaron? What's going on?" Hercules asked, placing a warm hand on his arm. Aaron nearly mewled at the contact. It felt so nice.

"Aaron I think you need to go to the hospital." John said. He shook his head, only to whine as the movement made his head hurt even more.

"N-No..." He stammered, whimpering at the pain. He coughed, his body began to shake. He didn't understand. Why was he so sick? He almost never got sick.

Tears began to well up in his eyes and spilled over. He didn't understand. What was going on? He began to sob, burying his head in his arms. He was so tired. He just wanted to sleep...

"What are we supposed to say to him?!"

"How should I know?"

"You guys need to calm down. We should let him explain once he wakes."

Aaron opened his eyes and blinked, trying to clear his vision.

"Everyone shut up! He's waking!" Someone hissed. Aaron's vision cleared and he stared dumbly at the four men staring down at him with a confusing mix of concern and caution.

"Alexander...?" He murmured, his face being the first one he saw. He sat up, confused. "What happened? What's going on?"

He looked around the room and his eyes widened in horror.

Hundreds of different plants and flowers covered the room. They were on the flower, on the walls even growing on the ceiling. A scarlet geranium, obviously sensing his panic and anxiety, curled its leaves around his wrist, its soft petals brushing against his skin. Aaron absentmindedly pet it, taking in the damage he had done to the room.

"Aaron... after you passed out all these plants appeared." Hercules swallowed. "Did you... did you do this?"

Aaron felt panic rise in his chest and he started to shake. Memories of his uncle hitting him, his sister screaming at him and all the kids at school yelling freak filled his mind.

His breath stuttered in his chest and tears started to spill from his eyes again. Columbine and helenium flowers began to bloom all around him, answering Hercules' question. Aaron buried his face in his hands, not wanting to see what their reactions would be.

"Aaron... Why didn't you tell us?" Alexander asked softly, placing a gentle hand on his shaking shoulder. He couldn't reply, only let out choked sobs. Arms wrapped around him and pulled him into a warm chest.

He curled up and clung onto the shirt of whoever was holding him. Eventually, his sobs turned into small whimpers and his seemingly endless well of tears finally dried up. He let go of whoever he was clinging to.

"I-I'm sorry..." He mumbled, wiping his eyes. Lafayette, who'd held him, took his hand and began to massage it.

"It is fine mon coeur. Do you think you could tell us why you kept these flowers a secret?" He spoke gently, softly. Aaron looked down at his lap, squeezing Lafayette's hand.

"I have a sister." He said once he had calmed down a bit. "After our parents passed, we only had each other. But it was during that time that my abilities appeared. At first, Sally didn't mind them but then..."

His voice cut off and Lafayette squeezed his hand.

"She came home one day and begged me to get rid of the plants, claiming she couldn't live anymore with everyone knowing her brother was some sort of freak." He could feel tears rising up again.

"Aaron..." Hercules whispered.

"Soon after we moved in with our uncle. Everything was fine until Sally ran away. She disappeared and I was so upset that I lost control and my plants bloomed everywhere. When my uncle saw, he-he dragged me out of the room and threw me to the floor, calling me a devil child. I-I-"

His voice broke off in a sob and Lafayette quickly pulled him into another hug.

"God Aaron." John said, grabbing his hand and squeezing it tightly.

"It got worse after my aunt died. My uncle began to drink and..." Aaron sniffled, wiping his eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you..."

"Aaron, it's alright." Hercules said gently.

"We won't be like that." Lafayette added cradling his face gently and wiping his tears away. "You can trust us."

"Yeah!" Alexander piped up.

John smiled at him. "Plus, your ability is beautiful. I mean look at this! It's amazing!"

John gestured all around the room, grinning widely. Aaron stared at him, shocked. No one had ever found his ability beautiful before.

And just like that, he fell in love a little more.

For the rest of their vacation the others begged Aaron to allow his powers to have free rein. He had been reluctant, worrying that his plants would ruin John's beautiful vacation home, but the man insisted that it was fine, so he let go. He allowed his plants to grow to their hearts content.

Well mostly.

The feelings he had for the squad stayed down. He refused to allow any romantic plants to grow. Not when Alexander carried around that library book with all the flower meanings. He felt exposed. His emotions were out on the table and anyone could see them. He was relieved when Christmas break finally came to an end.

They returned to campus, sharing goodbyes. Aaron quickly walked to his dorm, running in and slamming the door behind him. Immediately, all his plants turned to him and started to entangle themselves around him, obviously offering comfort.

"Hey guys..." He muttered, petting a couple of plants, smiling softly when they bloomed under his touch. It'd been so long since it was just him and his plants. It was nice.

He sighed and stood up, his plants turning and following him, seeming confused. He began to unpack, petting the plants that began to take his clothing, folding them and putting them away. Because of their help, the unpacking went by pretty quickly.

"Thanks." He said, sitting down on his moss and clover covered bed. The clovers turned to him, silently asking him what was wrong. He reached over, brushing his fingers against their leaves gently. They practically preened under his attention. He continued to do this until some ivy wrapped itself around his wrist, tugging him a bit.

He sighed again. "Alright alright." He said. "I'm fine really. The guys all know about my ability now. I'm just a bit... anxious. "

His voice trailed off, his mind thinking of the worst possible scenario like it had since he told the guys. Anxiety wrapped around him, suffocating, tight. His plants, sensing his high anxiety levels, rushed forward to comfort him.

He's broken down in front of his plants before and they were horrified at how upset he'd gotten. He knew they never wanted that to happen again.

While these plants weren't the same ones that grew in his room back home, they somehow knew, or acknowledged, everything that the others have witnessed.

He curled up on his bed, dead tired. The drive back had been a long one and his worrying was draining. The plants curled around him and he fell into a dreamless sleep.

The following weeks consisted of him settling back into a routine of school and avoiding the squad out of fear of what they would say.

Sure, they knew about his power, but what if he accidentally slipped up and a rose bloomed around them? It was too big of a risk. They were his only human friends. He couldn't afford to lose them.

His plants didn't seem to agree, they disagreed, seeming to imply that his overall health was suffering because of it, considering all the horehounds that were blooming around his room.

He ignored it, choosing to focus on his studies and wondering what he was going to do for the summer. He couldn't afford to stay in New York, but he really didn't want to return to New Jersey.

He sighed, tapping his pencil against his textbook. He was currently in the library, trying to study for an upcoming test, but he couldn't concentrate. The worry about the upcoming summer and the guilt of avoiding the squad demanding attention from his brain.

"Aaron?" His head snapped up and he blinked when he saw John standing beside him holding some biology books.

His mouth was dry. "Uh, h-hello John." He looked away from John's intense stare, the guilt eating away at him. Bramble started to grow under his right sleeve, cutting into his skin.

"Hey, mind if I study with you?" He asked. Aaron nodded mutely, eyes locked on his book. The bramble started to curl around his torso, more cuts appearing, bleeding.

The two sat in silence, Aaron biting his lip to keep himself from crying out in pain. The bramble was growing quickly now, all over his body, cutting him with their thorns.

"I-I have to go." He said quickly, grabbing his books before rushing off, pain coursing through him with each step. He ran as fast as he could when he heard John call out to him.

Once he got back to his dorm, he immediately took the bramble off his body and placed it around his room, allowing it to plant itself into his headboard. The next thing he did was treat all his cuts. The bramble rustled in guilt.

"It's fine." He quickly reassured. That didn't stop the bramble from wilting its leaves slightly. He smiled gently, before returning to wrapping his body in gauze. Tired both mentally and physically, he walked over to his bed and collapsed on it, falling asleep on the soft moss.

The next day, Aaron was in his law class, preparing for class to begin.

"Aaron!"

His book was slammed shut by someone's hand and he jumped in surprise.

"A-Alexander..." He had forgotten the man was in his law class. He swallowed when he saw the expression of anger on Alexander's face. "Can I help you?" He asked, thankful that his voice was steady.

"You're avoiding us." Alexander accused, frowning. Aaron blinked, trying to think of a lie, but then he felt a petal brush against his ankle. He looked down, Alexander followed his gaze.

"Aha! Bittersweet nightshade! That means truth." Alexander said, pointing to the flower. Aaron felt panic rise. Alexander had said that so loudly. He looked around, only relaxing slightly when he saw that no one had noticed.

"Would you keep it down!" He hissed. "You know I don't want people knowing!"

"Whatever." Alexander said. "Mind telling me why you're avoiding us."

His mouth went dry, his throat tight. What could he tell Alexander? That he didn't trust him and his boyfriends?

"I..."

Thankfully for Aaron, the professor walked in at that moment, saving him from talking with Alexander. Throughout the class, he could feel Alexander stare at him. It was unnerving and African marigolds began to sprout on his laptop.

He let out a curse and quickly scolded them, just barely managed to will them away. The rest of class went by without incident and as soon as the lecture was over, Aaron was gone.

Four month flew by with no contact from the squad. Aaron began to feel lonely again, but he had no one but himself to blame. He was the one who ran, he was the one who couldn't stand the thought of losing friends because of his power, and yet he'd lost them anyways.

He couldn't help but laugh at the irony. It seemed he was destined for loneliness.

Summer came almost too soon and he realized he had to return home. There was no where else to go. As he packed up his things, his plants wilted slightly and curled around him. They knew how much he hated his uncle's home, no house. A place where you don't feel welcomed or safe is no home.

Aaron trudged along, lugging his suitcase behind him. Every step felt heavy, his chest tight. His grip on his suitcase was tight, his eyes fixed on the ground.

Slowly, robotically, he climbed into a cab and told them where to go. As the cab drove off, he caught a glance of the squad climbing into a van cab, laughing the whole time. His stomach twisted and he looked away.

The summer went by painfully slow, the beatings exactly the same. His room bloomed with love-lies bleeding and azalia.

He returned to NYU, battered and exhausted. His body was littered with bruises and every step hurt. He arrived at his dorm and collapsed on the bed with a groan.

His body ached so much. Dog roses began to bloom almost immediately, slithering up up his walls and curling around his desk. He let out a tired sigh and drifted off to sleep.

Aaron was woken by a knock. Frowning, he sat up and wandered over to his door, rubbing his eyes.

"Yes?"

"Aaron!" A voice exclaimed in surprise. Aaron looked up and blinked dumbly when he saw Lafayette standing in his doorway. Instantly, he was wide awake.

"L-Lafayette!" He squeaked. "What are you doing here...?" His voice went small, shifting from foot to foot.

"I was just going around and introducing myself to all the new students. Most of them live in this building." He said and Aaron couldn't help but notice that his smile seemed strained. A lump formed in his throat, tears threatening to spill over.

"I... I see." He said, not looking him in the eyes.

"Well, I shall see you later yes?"

Aaron swallowed. "Right. Yes, of course."

Lafayette nodded before walking away. The dog roses curled around him tightly, but they offered little comfort.

He was now truly alone.

His classes went by slowly, seeing anyone from the squad rarely happened. And he wasn't even trying to avoid them anymore. It seemed they didn't want him around anymore and the worst part was that he knew very well that there was no one to blame but himself.

Instead of approaching them and talking like the healthy thing to do, he threw himself into his schoolwork and when that didn't distract him enough, he got a job at a small cafe. He was underpaid but it was a good distraction so he didn't really care.

Winter break came by and Aaron stayed in his dorm in New York, refusing to return to his uncle's unless absolutely necessary. The squad left without a goodbye and Aaron wallowed in pink peonies and dead leaves. Christmas was over in what felt like an hour, New Years passed just as fast.

Classes began before he knew it. He shared a law class with Alexander again and considered approaching him, but the way he was blatantly ignored made him think otherwise.

Mourning bride flowers bloomed everywhere, he couldn't stop them. They grew in his room, on his textbooks, they even began to follow him around. He was in constant fear that someone would notice, but he was safe. For now.

Summer came and went, he returned home again and came back to school with just as many, if not more bruises. Aaron stumbled through his classes, feeling more tired than ever before. His eyes felt heavier, his body didn't want to cooperate. He was never hungry anymore and he woke every morning wondering what the point was. Before he knew it, he spiraled into depression.

Every day was a fight to get up, and his plants were worried. Lotus flowers bloomed but he barely noticed. He quit his job at the cafe, finding it more difficult to communicate with customers. He found it more difficult to do anything really.

The months flew by and before he knew it, it was November and the snow had begun to fall. It didn't take long for the ground to become covered with it. Christmas was rapidly approaching and he wondered if he could get away with staying at the school.

When he'd returned home for the summer his uncle hasn't been pleased that he'd stayed at school, Aaron didn't want that to happen again. His uncle wasn't fun angry.

He sighed, looking around his room. It was covered with so many different plants, but particularly purple hyacinths. He let out a huffed laugh. Purple hyacinths. The flower that meant sorrow and regret. Fitting.

Aaron looked down at his books, then at his clock. He had to get to class. He sighed, before carefully moving the plants growing on his law book to his notepad. He bundled up and left his dorm.

As he sat in class, he failed to notice a purple hyacinth slowly grow under his seat. He also missed Alexander's shocked expression when the man caught sight of it.

He was sitting on a bench, doing his reading, when he sensed someone stop in front of him. He looked up, shocked to see Alexander.

"A-Alexander..." He breathed.

"Aaron." He said curtly. Aaron stiffened, quickly looking down at the ground.

"Is there... is there something you need?" He asked quietly, hands gripping his textbook tightly.

"I saw the purple hyacinth."

Aaron's breath caught.

Alexander continued. "And I understand why you, why you avoided us. But you don't need to Aaron! We care for you, we really do. We'd never do anything to harm you! At least not on purpose!"

Alexander took a step forward, grabbing his hand. "We want to be your friend Aaron. Why can't you understand that?"

Aaron jerked away, yanking his hand back.

"Why?" He said, voice nearing hysterics. "You wonder why I can't just, understand? It's because I've never had friends before! You guys are the first people to ever, ever! treat me so kindly! To accept who I am so readily. My own sister didn't even do that Alexander. She hates me!" He sobbed, covering his face, ugly tears slipping free.

"All my life I've been called a devil child, a freak." He practically spat the word. "No one has ever been so kind! And if they have, it was only to-to hurt me in the end. You can't expect me not to be suspicious!"

He was standing now, book laying on the ground forgotten. Alexander stared at him, eyes filled with something akin to regret. Aaron looked away, glancing down at his discarded book. He went to wipe his tears, but before he could, Alexander lurched forward, wrapping his arms around him.

"Aaron," He whispered. "We won't hurt you, we won't betray you. We'd never. We'll be here for you. We won't, I swear we won't, ever hurt or abandon you."

As he spoke, his grip grew tighter. Aaron didn't have to see his face to know that he meant it. He let out a sob and clung back just as tightly.

A few feet away, a single snowdrop peeked out from under the snow.

Flower Meanings:

Harebell: Grief
Adonis: Sorrowful Remembrance
Scabious: Mourning
Cypress: Despair
Anemone: Forsaken
Yellow Rose and French Marigold: Jealousy
Jonquil: I Desire a Return of Affection
Myrtle and Violets: Love
Begonia Flower: Being Cautious About New Situations
Pink Camellia: Longing
Columbine: Anxious and Trembling
Helenium: Tears
Scarlet Geranium: Comforting
Horehound: Health
Bramble: Guilt
Bittersweet Nightshade: Truth
African Marigold: Uneasiness
Love-Lies-Bleeding: Hopeless
Azalia: Bloody Tears
Dog Rose: Pain
Dead Leaves: Sadness
Pink Peony: Shame
Mourning Bride: I Have Lost All
Lotus Flower: Depression
Purple Hyacinth: Regret, Sorrow
Snowdrop: Hope

Amazing cover by sadhaven