number-of-kings

[number-of-kings]

This is the money Marge. Reblog for good fortune

[number-of-kings]

Surprise, Captain!

Cross posted to ao3

Neil is a nervous wreck, about to play his first game as captain of the foxes and Andrew says he can't make it.

Set after cannon when Andrew and the others have graduated

Neil breathed shakily. It was his first game back at palmetto state since the upper classmen had graduated.

Since andrew had graduated.

The roar of the crowd is deafened by the walls of the locker room and his own anxiety, his own thoughts berating him; Why is he so scared to play exy- the sport he loves, the sport he excells at when he survived the japanese mafia and his sadistic father? Why can't he just pull himself together to play without his boyfriend at his side?

"Hey kid- you good?" Coach Wymack stands before him, concerned furrow to his brow and hands on his hips. Neil notices he stays out of arm reach- that Neil is out of his reach. Neil never mentions it.

"I'm fine," he cringes as the words come out of his mouth. Despite everything he's been through with the team he still has that knee-jerk reply, to pretend he's fine.

Wymack frowns at him, "You'll do great, kid. We may not have the upperclassmen any more, but you were never great because of them, Neil. You're good because you're good."

Neil huffs a bit, an almost laugh, before replying.

"It's not entirely that. Andrew and I won't stand on court together for a year at least and-" maybe ever again.

"It's just-" Neil clenches his jaw. "It's stupid, but Andrew said he wouldn't be able to make it back today. He said his coach wanted them all to stay for the first month for team bonding or some shit."

Wymack raises an eyebrow. "S'not stupid, kid. It's okay to wish he could be here- it's your first game as captain and you wanted to show off the progress you made with the freshmen over the summer-"

Neil coughs.

"The very small amount of progress." He appeases. "It's still an achievement, I swear those kids will give me grey hair and I'll have to retire within the week."

Abby pokes her head through the door, "they want you ready in five, they're starting warm ups earlier tonight."

Wymack softens at her appearance as Neil nods, and she turns fully to face him.

"Need anything, Neil? No new injuries you forgot to mention?" She grins at him.

Neil shakes his head no, and she nods in return before turning to talk to the others.

"I think that means it's time for your pre-game pep talk, captain." Wymack says.

Neil shakes out his arms and turns to follow Abby.

As he rounds the corner he sees his team huddled in seperate groups- not unusual for the Foxes- but when they see their captain they all gather to huddle with him.

Although the freshmen are looking a little pale, he can see the hunger in their eyes.

"You'll do good." He sounds stilted, even to his own ears. "We should warm up now."

Some of the team roll their eyes while they begin to disperse towards the door, but he can see some of the freshmen frozen in confusion, shoulders a little laxer as they forget their nerves for a moment.

Wymack shakes his head amusedly as Neil passes him, clapping a hand on his shoulder and huffing out an only semi-sarcastic "nice one, kid."

Neil doesn't flinch. He hasn't been that jumpy in years.

He passes through the door and firmly ignores the stands. He needs to get into the zone, needs to focus.

The warm up laps and light stretches pass in a blur and he raises up on his tip toes and bends towards the floor to stretch his legs. A wolf whistle comes from the crowd.

"Damn Neil, if you weren't already take-ow."

Neil snaps his attention to the stands, finding Nicky rubbing the back of his head beside a scowling Aaron, whose hand makes a hasty retreat back into his pocket. Next to them stands-

"Andrew." Neil walks towards him, pulling himself onto the stand's railing to better see him.

Andrew stands from his seat in the front row, face is as stoick as always, but Neil can see the way his lips turn up at the corner, the slight glimmer to his eye that tells he's enjoying the surprise. Neil's surprise.

Andrew's here to surprise Neil.

Neil reaches up to clasp his shirt in one hand as Andrew moves to stand in front of him, fisting his own hands into Neil's sport shirt with what little give his has with his bulky exy armour beneath.

"I thought you couldn't come."

"Surprise." Andrew deadpans.

Neil laughs and smiles as he looks into Andrew's face.

"Yes or no." Andrew asks, glancing down at Neil's lips before staring into his eyes, searching as always for a hint of doubt- a reason to say no.

"Yes," Neil answers, "always."

Andrew gives him a look, before using his grip on Neil's shirt to tug him forward enough to connect their lips in a simple kiss.

Neil smiles at him, before turning to Nicky and Aaron. "Thanks for coming," he says, because he's learned that they don't have to come because they feel responsible for him, but they choose to come because they care. Because he's family.

Nicky smiles back and Aaron pretends he didn't hear Neil speak, but his ears turn a little red.

Andrew pushes him off the railing onto the side court below. "Go play, junkie," He calls down.

Neil just laughs, and with one last glance back at Andrew, he walks over to his team.

"Alright, let's do this."

The announcement speaker buzzes on. "Now in the home court we have the Palmetto Foxes! Leading the starting line is number 10, captain Neil Josten."

He runs into the court.