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andrewsleftknee · 3 years

Text

"he'll come back"

Neil goes for a run in the middle of the night and isn't back when Andrew wakes up.

----

Neil usually left for his morning runs before Andrew was awake. Neil woke Andrew up when he’d get of bed, but he’d brush Andrew’s hair from his eyes, kiss his forehead, and whisper for him to go back to sleep. Andrew would murmur something about how Neil should stay in bed with him, but fell asleep again before Neil was out the door.

he was never usually gone for more than forty-five minutes, and got back in time for him and Andrew to make coffee together before rinsing off and going to class.

one morning Andrew noticed it was still dark when Neil was going for his run, he asked him why he was going so early, and Neil just urged him to go back to bed. Andrew was too tired to argue with him, so he held his arms up in a silent ask for Neil to lean down to give him a kiss. when Neil got what he was asking for and gave him a kiss, Andrew fell asleep almost immediately.

it was the weekend, so Andrew didn’t wake up until he heard Robin get up around 9:30. he noticed that he didn’t hear Neil come back to the dorm and when he got up he saw that Neil wasn’t in the living room. he tried not to worry, but he didn’t know exactly how long Neil had been out. it was definatly longer than he usually was. Andrew’s guess was at least three hours. he texted Neil to ask where he was, and he didn’t hear his phone go off, so at least he had his phone with him. that made Andrew calm down a little bit. Neil would call him if he needed help. he had before, and now wasn’t different.

he walked over to make his coffee alone, and grab a granola bar to eat while he watched whatever Robin had left on the tv. he hadn’t gotten a response by ten, so he decided to call Wymack.

“i think your vice-captain is dead,” Andrew said.

“what the fuck? hello to you, too. where is he?” Wymack asked

“hell if i know. i’m assuming you don’t either, so bye.” Andrew hung up the call.

Robin emerged from their kitchenette with a concerned look on her face. her and Andrew held eye contact for almost a minute before Andrew told her that Neil hadn’t come back yet.

“he does that sometimes. he’ll be okay,” she assured him.

“doesn’t make it any less scary,” Andrew replied. he and Robin got along. he liked her. they didn’t really talk about their problems together, but Andrew somewhat trusted her with smaller things. “Baltimore messed us all up. we almost didn’t get him back then.”

“right,” she said. she raised her hand so it was hovering above his shoulder. she picked it up from Neil when she learned that Andrew didn’t like being touched. he shook his head. he didn’t want any one to touch him when he was anxious. he only ever let Neil. Robin nodded. “i’m always here, if that means anything.”

Andrew got up, grabbed his pack of cigarettes from his bedside table, and went to sit on the roof. he hoped he might see Neil running back, but knew he probably wouldn’t.

he didn’t know how long he had been up there when his phone started to ring with the familiar sound of Neil’s ringtone. he tried not to freak out when he answered the call, letting it sit silent until Neil spoke first.

“i need you to come get me,” Neil said after a moment.

Andrew let out a shaky breath. “where?” he asked.

“i don’t know. i ran until i couldn’t,” he replied.

“describe it to me.” and he did. after a few minutes, Andrew thought he knew where Neil was. it was around thirty minutes off campus. Neil explained that he ran around campus until his brain told him he needed to get away. he said that he didn’t make it too long before his legs couldn’t go anymore.

Andrew drove to get Neil. he was still in what he fell asleep in the previous night. he put the sleeve of the white hoodie to his nose. it smelled like Neil. he took it from him when they were watching a movie on the couch and Andrew got cold. the smell kept him calm for the drive to Neil.

when he got there, Neil was sitting on the side of the road. his knee was bleeding, and his hair stuck to his forehead. his eyes were closed, but when he heard Andrew’s car door open, he opened his eyes to see Andrew walking over to him. the sight made him want to cry. when he crouched down beside Neil, he put his hand on the back of his neck, and pulled Neil so his head was against his chest. Neil felt safe.

Andrew gave him a minute before helping him up and to the passengers side of his car. they drove ten minutes before either of them spoke.

“i’m sorry,” Neil said to break the silence.

“don’t. not right now.”

“are you mad?” he asked. Andrew looked over at Neil, who was already looking in his direction. Neil knew by the expression on Andrew’s face that he wasn’t. Andrew saw that when he felt Neil’s energy slip. it was like he finally let himself be tired. his back relaxed against the car seat, and his hands loosened from the almost-fists they formed in his lap.

“i’m not mad,” he confirmed. “i know you can’t help it sometimes.”

“i’m trying to be more open about it when the thoughts happen, but it,” he started. Andrew reached over and put his hand over Neil’s mouth to get him to stop talking.

“not right now. lets just go home.” Neil nodded in response.

when they got back the dorm was empty. he assumed Robin got Kevin out when Andrew left campus. Andrew walked them to the bathroom, helping Neil undress before turning the shower on and making sure it wasn’t too hot. he himself undressed, and joined Neil in the shower. they made it quick, and Neil was already trying to keep himself awake as Andrew dried his hair and covered the scrape on his knee.

they got into bed together. Neil had tried to talk about what happened, but Andrew stopped him, telling him that they could talk when Neil wasn’t so tired. Neil accepted that, and fell asleep with his head on Andrew’s chest.

Andrew didn’t mean to fall asleep, but his hand stopped trailing Neil’s spine, the tension in his body eased, and he dreamed of him and Neil on the roof.

Robin’s phone rung later that afternoon. she had went back to the dorm to get something for lunch, but Kevin was still out. he had said something about hanging out with Matt. she didn’t really pay attention.

“hey, Coach. didn’t expect to hear your voice on my off day. what do you want?”

“why isn’t Minyard answering his phone?”

“which one?” she asked with a smile. she liked to push Wymack’s limits like most of the Foxes did. she knew he meant Andrew, and she knew what it was about, but she decided to test him anyway.

“not right now. tell him to answer my calls.”

“he’s sleeping,” she sighed, a little upset that Wymack ruined her fun so soon.

“it’s past noon. wake him up.”

“i don’t have a death wish, Coach. Neil is fine. Andrew has him. can i go now? bye!” she hung up the call before Wymack could give her an answer, but seeing as he didn’t try and call her again, she guessed that’s all Wymack needed her for.

she got up from where she sat on the couch and went to the bedroom. she knew she didn’t have to check in on them, but she still does anyway. she sees Andrew and Neil as cuddled together as they ever get, and smiled to herself. she slowly closed the door behind her to try and not wake them.

#aftg #all for the game #andrew minyard #neil josten #robin cross #david wymack #andriel #andrew x neil #aftg hc #aftg headcanons #aftg headcanon

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mostlymaudlin · 3 years

Text

liar, liar

andreil, ~1k

Andrew welcomes the distraction that is Nicky storming into the suite.

“You’re never going to believe this!” he says, and Andrew uses the opportunity to show his cousin an unusual amount of attention by grabbing the remote and turning off the TV.

Neil frowns at Andrew, but doesn’t say anything. Even though Andrew was on the couch first, Neil had commandeered the space by hooking Kevin’s laptop up to the television to watch the latest Terrapin vs Bearcats game. Again. Neil and Kevin watched it already last night, also where Andrew had to play unwilling witness. He’d been almost asleep in bed with his head on Neil’s shoulder when Kevin slid his chair over to show Neil a play on his laptop. And there he remained, letting the game play out as Neil watched in interest.

“Erik had to cancel our Skype call,” Nicky says now, collapsing into one of the beanbag chairs. “He has to work late to cover for a guy who is in the hospital because he apparently fell through a stained glass window.”

Nicky’s eyebrows are raised, his hands in the air as he looks back and forth between Andrew and Neil’s blank faces.

“That has to be the worst excuse I’ve ever heard!” Nicky continues, unperturbed. “People don’t fall through stained glass in real life. Erik works in finance. His coworkers aren’t living out spy movies!”

“That’s how I got this scar, actually,” Neil says, pushing his sleeve up and tapping a faded white slash on his forearm.

Andrew narrows his eyes at him. Nicky snorts.

“There’s no way,” Nicky says.

Neil levels Nicky with an unimpressed stare, rolling his sleeve down.

“It was when I was in France,” Neil continues, eyes sliding to Andrew for no particular reason other than habit, then back to Nicky. “Most Cathedrals leave their doors unlocked, so we were sleeping in the pews. But my father’s men found us and blocked all the exits. The only way we could get out was by breaking the windows.”

Nicky shakes his head at Neil, who shrugs.

“Maybe this kind of thing is just more common in Europe,” Neil says,

“Your life is insane,” Nicky tells him. “They should make a biopic about you.”

“I’d prefer they didn’t,” Neil grumbles, leaning against the back of the coach and crossing his arms, shoulder pressed into Andrew’s.

“Diego Luna would play me, then go on to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor,” Nicky continues, then cocks his head to the side. “Hollywood might have to change your height, unfortunately. I can’t think of any A-listers little and pretty enough to do you justice. Any ideas, Andrew?”

Andrew turns a cold stare onto his cousin, which only makes Nicky smile wider. Nicky hauls himself out of the beanbag, briefly stretching his arms above his head before wagging a finger at Neil.

“I bet Matt will have some thoughts on this,” Nicky says, making for the door and out into the hall.

Andrew shifts back against the arm of the couch, facing Neil. He smiles lazily at him, head resting on the cushion, already tilted to look Andrew’s way.

“You’re a liar,” Andrew says. Neil’s small, close-lipped smile takes on a more devious tilt. He shrugs.

“What’s my tell?” Neil asks, not denying it. He interrupts himself with a yawn. His whole body slumps slightly toward Andrew, who straightens his legs, so that his socked feet push at Neil’s thigh and shove him down the couch and away from him.

“You don’t have one, runaway,” Andrew says, keeping his feet pressed against Neil’s leg. “But it was too outrageous to be true, even for you.”

Neil hums, unfolding his arms and hovering a hand over Andrew’s ankle, eyes meeting him in silent question. Andrew nods, and Neil wraps his warm, rough-textured fingers loosely around the exposed skin between Andrew’s sock and the hem of his sweatpants.

Andrew leans forward, watching Neil’s face for signs of protest as he reaches out to tug Neil’s sleeve up again. Andrew’s fingers trace over the smooth skin of the scar in question.

“Tell me the truth,” Andrew says, eyes falling to the scar briefly before locking on Neil’s again.

Neil’s fingers tighten on his ankle. He nods.

“This one wasn’t too exciting.” Neil’s voice is quiet, his eyes glazing over as the memory plays in his head. “My mother gave it to me when I’d failed to take a kill shot on one of my father’s men who’d caught up to us. It was in Rhode Island, not France. She took care of him when I didn’t, and then showed me what it looked like to take the opportunity that’s in front of you. She stitched me up right after.”

Andrew doesn’t stop tracing the line of storied skin. Other scars intersect over it, bumps in the path of Andrew’s thumb.

“How old were you?” He asks. Neil holds his gaze, expression unwavering.

“Eleven.”

The wound healed well. The scar is nothing but a tight, pale, raised line down the length of his forearm. It must have been deep, though, to still be so present on his skin after all this time.

Andrew suppresses a sigh, letting go and leaning back against the arm of the sofa again. Neil’s eyelids are heavy as he watches him, the burn scars on his cheek pressed into the cushion.

“Why did you lie?” Andrew asks.

Neil’s lips twitch.

“I’m too honest these days,” he says. “It gets boring.”

Andrew rolls his eyes. Neil’s thumb rubs slow circles into Andrew’s ankle.

“I’m honest with you, though,” Neil says. “Always. I was planning on setting the record on this straight, but you got there first.”

Andrew hums shortly in acknowledgment but doesn’t drop his icy stare. Neil is unbothered, staring at Andrew with sleepy eyes.

Neil knows Andrew believes him. He knows that his thumb wouldn’t still be massaging Andrew’s skin if he didn’t. Both of them understand that truth is the foundation from which they were able to build all that they are — walls and pillars constructed from whispered secrets and bloody memories.

Andrew kicks Neil’s palm off of his ankle, and Neil’s hands fly up into the air, far from Andrew’s body. His eyes are alert now, studying Andrew’s face with concern that fills Andrew’s chest with that white-hot feeling only Neil can provoke in him. Andrew snags Neil’s wrist out of the air, tugging Neil so that he falls forward toward Andrew’s body. Neil gets the hint, shuffling forward as Andrew pulls his arm until he’s sitting in Andrew’s lap.

Neil’s fingers wind their way into their familiar place in Andrew’s hair, right at the sensitive base of his skull. Andrew gets his hands underneath Neil’s sweatshirt, palms solid over Neil’s slim hips.

“Liar,” Andrew whispers the word against Neil’s full lips, prompting them to twitch with another hint of a smile.

“Mmmhmmm,” Neil agrees, pressing his mouth lazily against Andrew’s, though Andrew refuses to give in just yet. “But not for you,” Neil whispers.

Andrew scratches his fingernails along Neil’s ribs, making him shiver. He does it again, and Neil gasps, leaning back into the touch. His mouth hangs open, his blue eyes swim with so much truth and trust that the fire in Andrew’s chest roars.

“Not for me,” Andrew confirms, then captures Neil’s lips with his.

#my writing #andreil #aftg #we r in the notes app this week my friends #ficlets #flash #not technically flashfic but i’m storing it here lol

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knox-knocks · 3 years

Note

on a place of insecurity for the kiss prompt please

you got it my friend :-*

tw for body image self confidence issues

Andrew didn't know why he cared. It had never been an issue before. But as he took off his shirt and smoothed his hand down his chest to his stomach, he felt a twinge of - of something. It was unpleasant. Andrew didn't particularly enjoy it.

Andrew let his hand fall to his side as he eyed himself in the mirror for a few seconds longer. Then he grabbed the bottle of pills Betsy prescribed him and shook one of the tiny blue candies into the palm of his hand. He raised it to his mouth, and swallowed it dry.

The living room was a bustle of activity. Neil was on his hands and knees looking for his shoe under the couch and Kevin had his hands full of a suspicious green smoothie that he was trying to coax Neil into trying with him. He was ranting about the merits of protein powder and whatever the hell else he put in it. Andrew didn't know how he could stomach that on top of the breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast Kevin ate every morning, but he also didn't care enough to ask.

Neil lifted his head when Andrew sauntered into the room. Kevin didn't stop talking, but Neil simply ignored him. He was fully dressed for the gym, though his hair was still a wild mess. In his hand, he triumphantly clutched his missing shoe.

"Hey," Neil said. A smile pulled at the edge of his mouth, a perfect companion to his tussled curls. "Did you take your meds?"

Andrew nodded and bypassed Kevin on the way to the kitchen. He stole a piece of bacon off Kevin's plate and an untouched pancake off Neil's. Andrew knew Neil had left it for him, anyway.

The gym was a sordid affair. A mix up and a scheduling conflict meant the Foxes had to share the gym equipment with the football team. Andrew waited, annoyed, for his turn on the weights. He ran laps on the treadmill next to Neil until a bench opened up for Andrew to take. Andrew switched off his treadmill and inclined his head towards Neil. Without so much as slowing, Neil flashed five fingers at him and increased his speed.

Five minutes later, Neil joined him at the weights section of the gym to spot him. Andrew didn't miss the way Neil's eyes lingered on his chest and biceps as he did his first rep. Andrew focused on the pull and strain of his muscles as he pumped his usual two hundred pounds. Bit by bit, it erased his previous insecurity until it was little more than a buzz in the back of his mind. It didn't hurt that Neil was still watching with half-lidded eyes and a quiet hunger.

Andrew replaced the bar on the hooks and raised his eyebrows at Neil. "If I drop the bar on my neck and die because you were distracted, I'm haunting you," he told him.

Neil ruffled his fingers through Andrew's hair, scattering the sweaty strands in ten different directions and then smoothing them back down again. "I wouldn't let that happen."

Andrew huffed and laid back down on the bench. He completed four more reps and removed some of the weights for Neil to do a few sets before Wymack called an end to gym time.

"Hey, Andrew." Nicky had draped himself over the five pound weights, hand tucked under chin and hair pulled into a small bun at the back of his head. "Do you wanna go to Eden's tonight?"

"Pass," Andrew said.

"Oh, come on," Nicky whined. "Just because you and Kevin can't drink doesn't mean the rest of us can't. Neil?"

"Sorry," Neil said, tone unapologetic.

"Drink at your own place," Andrew said.

"The only alcohol we have is the half-bottle of watered down vodka Matt keeps under the sink. That's not gonna get the three of us drunk."

Andrew blinked at him and Neil shrugged. "Figure it out," they said at the same time.

Nicky threw his hands up in exasperation and retreated.

Back at Fox Tower, Kevin left in a hurry with promises of watching the latest rerun of the Trojan vs Longhorns game with Neil thrown over his shoulder. Neil chased him down the hall until he confirmed they were, in fact, also watching the other games he had recorded. When he returned, he quirked an eyebrow at Andrew and jerked his head toward the bathroom.

"Shower with me?" he said.

That unpleasant feeling swirled in Andrew's belly. He shook his head. "I'll shower after you. Don't hog all the hot water."

Neil accepted that with a nod and placed a firm kiss on Andrew's jaw.

"You know," he said as he shucked his shirt over his head and threw it in the general direction of the bedroom, "I've been thinking of getting Kev those books he's been eyeing for being sober for three months. Do they celebrate three month sobriety?"

Andrew shrugged. "Get them anyway. I don't think I can handle any more drool on the computer keyboard."

"I'll order them today." Neil stepped in the doorway of the bathroom with his shorts balled up in his hands. "Hey. You okay?"

"Peachy."

Neil tilted his head until he caught Andrew's eye. Andrew didn't miss the crease of concern in his eyes. "The antidepressants still making you feel weird?"

"I've been worse."

Neil eyed him until Andrew grew tired of being scrutinized and ushered him toward the waiting shower. Neil left the door open and Andrew cast a lingering glance over his shoulder as he peeled off his boxers and stepped under the hot spray of the shower.

Andrew didn't realize he'd fallen asleep until the sound of Neil rummaging through the drawers for clean clothes woke him.

"Morning," Neil quipped. Andrew squinted at him from under his arms. "Shower's free."

Water beaded on Neil's shoulders and ran down the corded muscles in his back in thin rivulets. They disappeared in the fluffy towel still wrapped around Neil's waist. Neil shook out his hair and looked back in time to catch Andrew staring.

He raised his eyebrows.

Andrew rolled his eyes at Neil's smug expression and pulled him closer by the towel. "Asshole," he said, and kissed him.

Neil planted his hands on either side of Andrew's thighs and let the towel drop to the floor. He hummed and opened his mouth as Andrew directed the kiss with nimble fingertips on his jaw. Neil pulled back with a gasp and began kissing down his neck.

"Neil," Andrew said. His eyes fell shut when Neil sucked at the pulse in his neck. "I haven't showered yet. I'm sweaty and gross."

"We can shower when we're done." Neil pressed a hand against Andrew's back and bit at his collarbone. A surprised gasp slipped past Andrew's teeth.

"You're gross."

"You like it."

Andrew didn't deny it.

Neil worried at a spot on Andrew's throat and reached for the hem of his shirt. Andrew startled at the first brush of Neil's fingers against his bare skin. He jumped and reached for Neil's hands, but Neil was already moving back.

"Andrew?" he asked, looking him up and down, searching for what had triggered this reaction. His chest heaved, skin already flushed a distracting shade of pink. "What's wrong?'

"I don't want to take my shirt off." Andrew wouldn't meet Neil's gaze.

"Okay," Neil said. "Is everything okay?"

Andrew nodded, then shook his head. He chewed on his bottom lip. Neil gently reached out and pulled his lip out from his teeth with his thumb. He waited for Andrew to find the words. Neil was always so patient with him.

"I gained weight," Andrew said. When Neil said nothing, Andrew looked up to find him looking befuddled.

Maybe Neil didn't notice, but Andrew couldn't stop noticing. He knew it was the meds fucking with him, Betsy had said that would be a side effect, but it didn't stop Andrew from being self-conscious. He couldn't help comparing himself to Kevin and his green smoothies and defined abs, or Matt's chiseled chest. Andrew had always been on the heavier side, but it had always been made of muscle, and it had never bothered him before.

He was still strong. He could still protect himself. He was able to lift Neil up against the wall when they were kissing. It shouldn't have mattered.

Neil watched him for a moment longer and said, "Can I try something? I have to take off your shirt."

Andrew hesitated, but he trusted Neil. He nodded and lifted his arms so Neil could pull his shirt off. Then Neil pushed him with a gentle hand on his chest until he was flat on the bed.

The first kiss was right on Andrew's chest, just above his sternum. Neil never broke eye contact when he pressed his lips to his skin. He lingered there for just a heartbeat longer before he shifted so his mouth hovered above Andrew's stomach. His kisses were light, frustratingly so, until he placed a soft kiss onto the soft flesh on Andrew's tummy.

His lips tickled the blond hair there, and Neil left tiny butterfly kisses all over. Around his belly button, his navel, the sides that poked out of his waistband, until Andrew was relaxed and reassured underneath him. His eyes had drifted shut, nearly lulled back to sleep beneath Neil's soft touches.

When he was finished, he pulled himself up until he was face to face with Andrew. Their noses brushed. Andrew stole a kiss from him.

"I love your body," Neil said. "No matter what it looks like."

Andrew brushed the hair back from the side of his face and ran his hands down Neil's sides and over his back to settle above the slope of his ass. He plucked another kiss from Neil's lips. "I still need to shower," he said.

Neil huffed a laugh, pressed their foreheads together, and rolled off him. "Better hurry before Kevin gets back and steals the rest of the water."

"Over my dead body," Andrew sniped and tripped over Neil's discarded clothes in his haste to get a fresh towel. He doubled back to press a kiss to the crown of Neil's head.

"Thank you," he whispered against his hair. He didn't need to say anything else. Neil already understood.

#aftg #andreil #andrew minyard #neil josten #i don't edit these so if you see any mistakes shhh #mine #my writing #aftg fic #yes i would die for soft andreil #and soft tummy andrew

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ninyard · 3 years

Note

more stefan/andrew au? the last one was fucking amazing

(following on from pt 2 kinda following canon a lil bit but imagining their relationship panning out earlier than it did in the series? Fab)

Part 1 / part 2

“Andrew?” Neil was woken up by Seth’s pissed-off, tired moan. “Get the fuck out of here, you fuckin’ freak.” Neil heard the rustling of covers and Andrew’s footsteps coming into the room. “Yo, hey, are you deaf?!” It’d been a couple days since the incident in Columbia, and Andrew and Neil hadn’t really spoken since then. Coach had tried to get them to make up when Neil came back to his apartment, but his attempts futile. They’d only had a short conversation before Andrew got bored and left. All Neil got from Andrew’s lot since then was hostility and cold shoulders. Now, in the middle of the night, Andrew was breaking into the room of the three people he actively seemed to hate the most. Neil pretended to sleep, until he felt weight on the rungs of the ladder on his bed, and hands on the back of his T-shirt. Andrew practically pulled him off the bed, immediately waking him up from any bit of sleep he had left in him.

“Car. Ten minutes.” Andrew didn’t lower his voice for Neil’s half-asleep roommates. “I don’t like waiting.”

“I don’t care.” Neil retorted back in a hushed voice. “Leave me alone and let me sleep.” Andrew got real close to Neil’s face. The dim light of the moon outside the window showed Andrew unsmiling face. He was presumably sober, and Andrew sober was a much scarier sight than him being medicated and violent.

“Ten minutes.” He repeated again, matching Neil’s volume, hazel eyes burning a hole through Neil’s natural blue. Andrew put a finger to his lips and switched to German. “This is the only chance you’ll get.”

Neil had almost forgotten he’d spoken to Andrew in German in Coach’s apartment. He was startled at the sudden language change, and obliged when Andrew finally left the room. He got dressed underneath his covers as best he could, and decided against putting in his contacts, before jumping down off the top bunk.

“Bring that monster around here one more time and you’re moving out.” Seth groaned, but fully meant what he said. He turned around to face the wall and through the muffle of a pillow, Neil heard him say, “Now fuck off.” Matt, sleeping like a rock, was snoring on the other side of the room, totally unphased and undisturbed by Andrew’s swift entrance and exit.

Andrew was alone at his car when Neil pulled the sleeves of his hoodie over his hands in a desperate attempt to stay warm, the door of the dorm building shutting behind him. It was freezing outside, and Neil hadn’t realised it was literally the middle of the night until he saw a clock in the hallway reading an early 3:54am. The wind blew leaves across the parking lot with a whistle and a rustle, the dry fall leaves swirling around like tiny twisters on the tarmac. The campus was silent, on the night of a weekday, so Neil didn’t expect anyone to be out. Yet here Andrew was, leaning on the bonnet of his car with a cigarette between his lips, smoke quickly disappearing in the biting wind.

“You never answered my question on our little night out.” He spoke through the smoke, as Neil approached closer. “We’re going for a drive.”

“Do you ever sleep?” Neil’s voice was groggy from his own interrupted sleep. Andrew didn’t answer, instead flicking away his cigarette and sitting into the drivers seat. Neil walked around to the passenger side and sat in. When he tried to warm his hands on the hot air Andrew had blowing through the air-con, Andrew turned the heat off. Neil was sure if Andrew was medicated he would’ve laughed, but he instead opted for watching the road as they drove in silence. Neil sat back and tried his best not to fall asleep. His head bumped about on the headrest as they drove, and every time his eyes started to close, his sleep cycle begging him to come back to rest, Andrew would snap his fingers in his face or lay a punch down on his thigh. After a short drive, they pulled up into the empty lot of some National Park Neil didn’t know the name of. He was too tired to pay attention to the signs, but figured Andrew wouldn’t bring him to a park to kill him or let him go. Andrew was a man of truth when he wanted to be; He wanted to know why he was on the run and Neil didn’t have the energy to argue.

“Why are we here?” Neil asked at the same time Andrew said “What brought a runaway to Oakland?”They both paused for a moment, but Neil knew Andrew wasn’t going to answer his question until Neil answered his.

“It was the first place she wanted to stop.” Neil spoke through a yawn. “The others before there made her too paranoid. It was the first time she felt like she could close her eyes and actually sleep without feeling like she was…” He thought about his words for a moment. The last conversation they’d had, he told him he was on the run, but Andrew already knew that. Neil thought he’d got through to him by giving him half-honesty, telling him his parents were dead. He never brought up Riko, or his family, instead choosing the option of trying to appeal to Andrew’s inner child, who remembered Stefan. It was a stupid choice, and Neil knew that the second he chose it. “She could sleep without feeling like she had a target on her back.”

“Did you kill her?” Andrew said it so casually it felt like murder was something so normal, like eating lunch or going for a walk. Like asking if he killed his mother was just like asking if he liked the taste of garlic, or if he was having a good day.

“No,” Neil answered. He’d been thinking about what he would tell Andrew about his life since he seen him in Arizona. Who was he before Oakland? Where did they go? Who was he running from? “Riko’s family did.”

And suddenly Andrew was interested. His face was a mixture of disbelief and boredom. Neil told him his manufactured version of the story; that his parents were killed by the Moriyama family, and that they’d been on the run since the execution of his Father. He kept out the part about the Butcher of Baltimore, or the fact that he was actually still alive, but Andrew’s mind was at work as Neil told the story. If he didn’t look awake before, he did now. Neil spoke for an hour, maybe less, maybe more, flowing from story to anecdote to answering questions that Andrew slipped in whenever he wanted. Neil answered it all with mostly-truths, redacting the stuff Andrew simply didn’t need to know. Neil was a runaway, his family were in some bad business, but Neil was the only one left.

“I really didn’t think you could get any more stupid, yet I am constantly surprised.” Andrew tutted as he shook a cigarette out of the packet, into his hand. He rolled down the window on his side and smoked out of it, seemingly unbothered by the wind that just blew the smoke back into his face. “You knew who I was, but you knew Kevin too? How forgetful do you think people are?”

“I don’t know,” Neil told him honestly. “I just- We were so young. I met Kevin years before I met you. I just didn’t think I was important to anyone.” Andrew laughed a laugh that wasn’t really a laugh at all. It was the sound of dismissal, as though he didn’t believe a word that spilled from Neil’s tired lips. “I didn’t think I’d ever be particularly memorable or mean anything to anyone. That was the most important thing to my mom.”

“What, being unimportant?” Andrew didn’t look at Neil as he spoke.

“Being forgettable.” Neil sighed, thinking about his mother’s words that had been drilled into his head. If you’re too interesting, you’re asking to be killed. Be boring. Be normal. Be forgettable. “You fucked that up for me.”

“See, you keep blaming me,” Andrew shook his head as he took a drag from the cigarette that had been half-smoked by the wind. “I didn’t fuck up your life, Abagnale, you did.” Neil didn’t get the reference, but he didn’t ask either.

“I don’t mean it’s your fault. You didn’t do anything,” Neil tried correcting himself. “I couldn’t help it when I was around you. And all I could do every second of my days after Oakland was blame you because I couldn’t deal with the fact that I let you in. Everything I learned, everything I’d done, you came along and turned the place upside down because I just had to know you. I had to.”

“Why?” Andrew looked at him with that same uninterested look he usually had, when a medically-induced smile wasn’t spread across his cheeks. “What made me any different to the hundreds of other kids I’m sure you met on your travels, hmm?”

“You were real.” Andrew scoffed. Neil frowned at that and shrugged his shoulders. “We’ve been through this. Don’t waste my time getting to know me if you just want me to run. You want me to get lost in the park, is it? Is that why you brought me here?”

“Nothing better than some honesty with a view.” Andrew tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “How do you expect me to trust you when you’ve spent your whole life a liar? Be mad if you want, but I’m much less gullible now, you see. Once a liar, always a liar.” Neil sent Andrew a look as he hovered his hand over Andrew’s. When he just stared at it, Neil brought Andrew’s hand up to his collarbone where was a small, raised, pink scar sitting just above it.

“The motels phone.” Neil spoke quietly, as if Mary would hear, as if she was waiting to jump out from behind the car to take him and beat him again for letting his guard down, for being unforgettable. “It was the first thing she could grab when we got into our room. I never told her your name, and she beat me harder for it. I never wanted to let her anger ruin your name.” Andrew dropped his hand from Neil’s grip.

“Pretty unintelligent to take hits for someone you thought you’d never see again.”

Then Neil said, “I knew I’d never forget you.” Andrew tensed up at the almost-promise, and the memories came flooding back for Neil like a tsunami sweeping over every other thought he had. “I wouldn’t. I couldn’t.” Neil almost reached out to touch Andrew before he remembered the boundary Andrew had set that night in Columbia. Neil didn’t have a right to touch him anymore, and he knew Andrew noticed as Neil’s hand lifted and then hesitantly fell. “Tell me something I don’t know about this Andrew. I’ve told you my life, tell me yours.” He gestured to Andrew, sat across from him with an almost-frown on his face and a thinking mind hard at work.

“This Andrew doesn’t give a shit about what answers you think you deserve.” He looked Neil up and down. “I don’t owe you anything.”

“Why doesn’t Nicky know you’re gay?” Neil asked, instead of waiting for him to come up with something himself, it was much easier to get honesty from Andrew by prompting him. Neil watched as his jaw tensed for a second, thinking about the answer.

“Nicky is too involved in being the gay cousin to un-assume.” Andrew barely lifted his shoulders in the form of a shrug. “He hasn’t asked.”

“Why don’t you tell him?”

“I don’t ‘come out’,” He brushed off the thought with the flick of his wrist and a roll of his eyes. “I don’t fuck women in my spare time. Who cares?”

“Yeah, sure, but-” Neil had started to speak when Andrew cut across.

“At least I’m out to myself,” He nodded towards him. “You, on the other hand? Was it just Stefan who was into it or is the unnamed you just in denial?”

“I’m not, like…” Neil hated the sexuality question. It was confusing and messy and Andrew and Andrew and Andrew. “There was no one after you. It’s only been you.”

“By choice or by mothers hands?”

“Neither. Both?” He wasn’t sure how to answer. “The foxes are the first people I’ve let get somewhat close since then. That’s the truth. I haven’t wanted to. I’m just not interested in anyone.” The except for you part was silent, but he knew Andrew had somewhat heard it when he sat back, one hand on the steering wheel, the other arm resting on the door, as he took a deep breath that he tried to hide. Neil wasn’t even sure he was still into Andrew like that, because they were so young, after all. Andrew was still experimenting, and they never spoke about those kinds of feelings. They were friends who kissed each other because they wanted to know what it felt like. They kissed each other because maybe they thought they liked it. Maybe they’d have to do it again just to be sure. But that was so long ago, and so much had changed. Neil had had a crush on that Andrew, but this one? He wasn’t so sure. This one was harsh and mean, angry and unmoving. This one had been hard-boiled by life and wasn’t going to crack any time soon. He didn’t know if he felt things anymore. He didn’t know if Andrew was capable of a crush, or a kiss, or a simple, electric touch of fingers to skin.

Without a word, Andrew had switched on the ignition and idled the engine for a moment before pulling out and starting on the drive back to campus. Neil didn’t say anything else, he only rested his head on the window and watched as the morning sun slowly lit up the night sky, the dark navy blue taking over the black sky so slowly it was hardly noticeable.

He had pulled into his usual parking spot not long later, still not looking at Neil or speaking at all. He stayed still in the drivers seat after switching the engine off. Neil took that as his cue to leave. Matching Andrew’s silent treatment, he got up and shut the door without a word. Andrew had rolled down his window again, another cigarette already stuck between his lips. He watched as Neil walked around the car before he tapped the outside of his door twice to catch his attention. Neil spoke before he could.

“Give me a chance.” The wind blew his hair off his face, reminding him how cold it was, and why he should’ve worn a jacket. “Let me stay. I don’t have anything else.”

“Don’t be fooled into thinking I trust you.” He hung his hand out the window finally looking Neil in the eyes again. “It’s a matter of time before your egg timer runs out. Make use of it while you can.”

“I’ll bury Stefan forever, if you ask.” Neil offered in payment for the sudden change of heart in letting him stay, in cleaning his hands of the idea that Neil was after Kevin, or that he was a threat. “Say the word and we start fresh from today.”

“I don’t care,” Andrew took a long drag, one that felt like it was centuries long, like the sun would be up by the time he finished. He blew it out and raised his hands. “Kill what wasn’t real. Prove to me what was.”

Neil wasn’t sure what that invitation meant, but he didn’t ask Andrew to keep speaking. When they broke eye contact, he knew then Andrew wanted him to leave. Neil didn’t look back, heart racing, practically ready to burst out of his chest by the time he reached his dorm room. He opened the door as quietly as he could, careful not to disturb his peacefully sleeping roommates, and he crawled back into bed to try get some sleep before the practice scheduled for the morning. Instead of counting sheep, battling restlessness like a fight for his life, he thought of Stefan. He thought of the heart of Nathaniel that had gotten wrapped up in his blond hair and tiny frame. Neil fell asleep thinking about who he used to be, and what parts of that were real. What parts could he keep? His mind spent its last morsels of energy on dissecting Neil Josten, to make him feel a little more real.

The next time they saw each other outside of practice was when Kevin started coming to find him late at night to go to the court and practice together. Neil realised quickly he was going to become a night owl as a Fox, but it still took him a while to adjust to the late nights and early starts. But him and Andrew kept their distance; they didn’t speak if they didn’t have to, and their conversations were kept to a line or two each. They played their first match of the season, and Andrew had sent out shots for Neil like they were capable of working together. Then there was Kathy Ferdinand’s show, at which Andrew had hands all over him, holding him back from killing Riko on live TV. He had made a deal to protect Kevin, and then he was being psychically held back from doing so. Neil did what he couldn’t, and stood up to Riko, a conscious effort to gain his trust, to prove he was on the side of the foxes. Then there was that touch, that simple, light, barely-there touch, and Neil knew he’d won. He’d earned Andrew’s trust, at least for a moment, but that was all that mattered.

When Andrew ever-so-kindly reminded Neil later that Riko would find out about him, the original “Neil”, as easily as he’d strolled onto that stage to sit across from Kevin, there was no choice but to run. He couldn’t imagine any other option. His entire body went into fight or flight, and he struggled to sit still as Andrew held his collar and told him to stay.

“Why?” Neil asked, throat dry, hands shaking, after Andrew offered him protection for the year if he promised to stay. It was funny to imagine, as if there was anything he could do against the actual, guns-blazing, internationally dominating mafia. “Why would you help me?” Andrew laughed, and just about caressed Neil’s jaw in the most non-affectionate way possible. Neil felt his touch leave blood on his skin, but he didn’t flinch. Andrew was manic, and didn’t care. He looked as if he didn’t even feel the pain of a glass-shattering punch, and was actively enjoying the chaos that the morning had brought with it.

Andrew didn’t give him any sort of an answer until later that night, when he stepped into Neil’s space and told him to remember the feeling; Neil couldn’t run anymore. He had given his word to Andrew that he would stay, and as much as he had started to hate the Present-Day-Andrew-Minyard, he trusted him as a man of his word. Neil had killed the parts of Stefan that were untrue; all that was left was the real emotion he felt when he looked at Andrew. He was an asshole, but he was Andrew, and Neil trusted this five foot blond boy with his life. Perhaps it was crazy, perhaps he was officially, undeniable, finally signing his name on his death wish, ticking down the hours until his past caught up. Whereas running was his old line of defence, his current one was Andrew. Andrew was an unlit fire suddenly gaining embers, and Neil knew it was dangerous to let that fire grow. Especially when Andrew leaned over in Eden’s, crackers on his tongue, a drink in his hands, and whispered in German;

“Mommy’s not here to hurt you anymore.” Neil snapped his gaze towards Andrew, who was coming up on his high, speaking to Neil but watching the crowd on the dancefloor. His breath at Neil’s ear sent shivers up his spine, goosebumps on his arms. “My hands are open to have your back. Give it to me this time.”

#idk if this is bad #I can’t be subjective about my own content anymore #straight up I’ll delete it if someone tells me it’s bad lmao #andreil #Andrew minyard #Neil josten #andreil au #tfc #aftg #the foxhole court #all for the game #aftg fic #tfc fic #as per usual send an ask if u want more/have a specific Andrewstefan prompt

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willowbird · 2 years

Note

The one word thing: rhythm

"Can I touch you?"

Neil cocked his head, almost surprised by the question. Almost. It occurred to him to say 'no' - and to most other people he probably would have. But Andrew was, oddly enough, the person he trusted most in the studio.

So after a moment he sighed, he nodded, and he said, "Yes."

Andrew stepped closer, close enough that Neil actually noticed the slight height difference between them, his gaze needing to shift slightly downward to continue to hold Andrew's. He wasn't expecting the zing of heat that shot up his spine when Andrew placed his hands lightly on his hips, but it wasn't an unwelcome feeling - even if he wasn't sure why it happened or what it meant.

"You carry too much tension in your hips, it is making your movement stiff and mechanical." Andrew's tone was steady, passionless - but Neil couldn't quite take offense when he was right. Besides, he was a little distracted by the realization of how many freckles Andrew had.

"You need to learn to work with gravity instead of fight it all the time," Andrew was saying, now guiding his hips into a slow roll - one down and one up, around and back. Somehow, it was easy to let his body do whatever Andrew told it to, and his knees bent slightly to follow the rhythm. He let Andrew push and pull him, and they started a simple samba.

As they started to take steps, Neil lifted his hands but only hovered them above Andrew's arms - not willing to touch without permission. Without stopping their slow, rolling rhythm, Andrew's gaze flicked to the side then back to meet Neil's. An eight-count went by with Andrew still leading them around their corner of the studio, his hands on Neil's hips and Neil's hands hovering two inches above Andrew's sleeves.

Then Andrew said, "Shoulder to elbow is fine. Nowhere else."

Which was... odd. But somehow filled Neil with some kind of victory. He rested his hands lightly on Andrew's upper arms - and they danced.

#one word prompts #aftg microfics #andreil #aftg fanfic #aftg

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delunea · 3 years

Text

AFTG|Glen Capri AU PT 1

AFTG|Glen Capri AU PT1

Credit to @whumpercrows for this idea

A/N: I posted this to the wrong account so if you’ve seen it before that’s why :/

//TW// Mentions of Suicide, Suicide Attempts, Self Harm, Panic Attacks. Basically if you have ever watched this episode of TEEN WOLF you should kind of know what to expect. Stay safe readers!

“I’m not sleeping on the floor.”

“You’re not sleeping in our bed,” Andrew spit out, dropping his duffle near Neil’s feet. Kevin glared at the pair and then turned his gaze on Aaron and Nicky.

“No,” Aaron said simply and sat beside Nicky. Kevin opened his mouth to retaliate, but seeing the argument would go nowhere dropped himself down near the front door and pouted. He was already upset about having to push back the UT Longhorns game because of their stupid bus breaking down, and now this. Andrew had chosen Neil over him to share the bed.

Nicky stretched his long limbs out on his side of the bed and then looked over at the tantrum Kevin was throwing. “Did you guys see that number? When we walked in?”

“No?”

Nicky snapped his fingers together, “It was like, two ten or something.”

“Two thirty one, actually.” Andrew corrected, pulling a bottle of whiskey from his bag. All eyes, excluding Neil’s, eyed the bottle hungrily and forgot their conversation. “Greedy bastards.”

“Haven’t you ever heard the saying 'sharing is caring?’”

Andrew froze Nicky with his glare then sat back against the wall and turned the TV up. Neil glanced between the gang, then pulled his bag closer and sat on the other side of the bed as Andrew.

He wouldn’t voice his concerns, but this place felt wrong. He had been in and out of motels just like this. He had stitched his mom up in a place dirtier than this, she held him close with a gun tucked behind his head on the floor before.

But this place just felt bad. Like his father was looming in the room, butcher in hand and ready to attack. Neil had to resist the urge to glance around, find another escape route just in case.

“Kevin?”

“We can’t drink the night before a match.”

“That has literally never stopped you once.” Nicky snorted, making a grabbing gesture at the bottle. Andrew didn’t even acknowledge him. Kevin huffed and stole a pillow from Nicky, then laid back and closed his eyes. “Party killer.”

Despite his best attempts, Nicky’s constant pestering kept Kevin glaring at the ceiling. Andrew settled back into the bed, bottle stolen by Aaron and then Nicky. Neil had pried his bad out of his own hands and set it off to the side but couldn’t quite relax still. If Andrew noticed he didn’t say anything.

Time ticked on, Nicky quietly rambling on about Erik while Aaron and Kevin tried to get some sleep. Neil slid down and curled into a ball, closing his eyes and evening out his breathing. Not quite asleep, however.

The warm numbness that came with liquor started to ebb on Andrew’s mind. He whispered a quiet question to Neil, and with a small nod settled down beside him.

A crash jolted Andrew awake. Before he had shot up he already noted the TV had been turned off, and Neil was no longer lying next to him. In that same amount of time Andrew had grabbed the knife under his pillow, whipped around and had it aimed at the body that was hovering above him.

Aaron wasn’t one to show much emotion, but right now everything was plastered on his face. Fear, horror, sadness, and a bit of annoyance.

“What the fuck-”

“Andrew, I-I’m sorry. But drop the knife, we have a problem.”

#aftg #aftg au #tfc #tfc au #the foxhole courtt #all for the game #exy #the kings men #andrew minyard #aaron minyard #neil josten #kevin day #nicky hemmick #neil josten angst #andreil angst

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phantaloon-books · 3 years

Text

All We Are is Bullets

AFTG songfic, Andreil centric, Andrew POV, inspired by Demolition Lovers by My Chemical Romance

Trigger warnings: violence, graphic descriptions of violence, death, major character death, gunshots, guns, gunshot wounds, injury, angst, hurt no comfort, sad ending, blood, car crash, life on the run. This one’s on the heavy side sorry.

Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard

I would drive on to the end with you, a liquor store or two keeps the gas tank full

It had been over 7 months since they last had an encounter with anyone from the Moriyamas or the remaining of the Butcher’s people.

They had grown too comfortable, too soft. Andrew wasn’t even sure how that happened, considering both his and Neil’s upbringing, but it happened anyway. They were reckless and careless, jumping from town to town along the United States, jump starting cars and making gas station stops and robbing liquor stores, and they’d grown to feel safe.

What a ridiculous thing it is, safety. Neither Andrew nor Neil should be able to afford to feel safe.

But they did.

And these are the consequences.

Andrew shakes his head, pressing harder on the gas, willing the stolen sports car to just go faster. One hand on the wheel, the other hand hovering over Neil’s pressed against the bleeding wound on his stomach.

Neil’s breaths are getting rougher, and Andrew tightens his hand on the wheel. Of course Neil notices, and icy blue eyes look up towards haunted hazel.

“It’s fine, it’s fine, don’t worry, I’ve dealt with worse, it’s gonna be fine,” Neil’s words are supposed to be soothing, but his voice is too hoarse for them to work. Andrew snarls.

“Shut the fuck up, Josten, just stay awake, I’ll get us out of here, and we’ll stop soon to patch you up.”

“They’re gonna be on our tails soon, Drew, I don’t-”

He breaks off in a coughing fit, his lungs rattle, and when he pulls his hand away from his mouth, Andrew sees the red that paints his hand. Andrew swears his soul leaves his body.

“I’ll pull over on the next stop-”

“Andrew, we don’t have time to stop right now, you know we don’t, it’s fine, I’ll be fine, if we stop we’re dead.”

Andrew knows that’s true, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t hate it. Instead he holds on to Neil’s hand tighter, and Neil’s expression softens.

“Until the end, forever, remember?”

I will drive until the end with you. I mean this forever.

This isn’t supposed to be their lives. They were supposed to be done after the shitshow that was Neil’s freshman year. The Moriyamas were supposed to leave Neil alone. The FBI was supposed to deal with what was left of the Wesninski circle. They never should have trusted the feds to do their fucking job. Instead what was left of the Wesninski claimed war on the Moriyamas and Hatfords. Ichirou was beyond furious, with both Wesninskis and Hatfords out for blood and revenge. And he blamed it all on Neil.

Andrew would never understand the Moriyama lord’s logic. To blame a mob war on a 19 year old kid, whose only crime was being born to two mob families, one of which was tied to the yakuza.

But they were out for Neil’s blood then. Had nearly killed him outside the Court the first time, he would have been shot in the head if it wasn’t for his incredibly quick instincts. The shot hit his shoulder instead. They didn’t wait for a second time, Andrew just shoved their stuff in a bag, took Neil’s remaining money and together they ran. He only left a letter for Aaron, and he didn’t regret leaving their family behind.

Neil had been upset with Andrew at first.

“You have no idea what you just did, Andrew! You have no idea what it’s like to run for your life every single day, not knowing if you’re gonna live long enough to see the next, you have no idea what you just did!”

“I don’t care about that, Neil.”

“You should! This isn’t a little adventure, this isn’t a road trip, this is fighting to stay alive, and bullets and knives and hiding and lying forever!” his voice broke, and dropped to a whisper, “I never wanted to put you through this.”

“You’re not understanding me here, I’m trying to show you but you don’t understand. You mean too much to me to care about all the things you’re saying, I’d end my days in a hail of bullets to keep you safe, I would drive on to the end with you, I’ll keep running with you to prove to you how much you mean to me.”

Leaving bought them 4 more years.

Until today.

Until the end of everything.

The sun is going down on the highway as Andrew floors it, going too high above the speed limit running from Neil’s demons. But he’d signed up for this, as Neil had so kindly put it. Neil’s hand trembles, growing cold. His blood is slowly pooling on the car seat below him. He fights to hide his grimace, but his face is pulled tightly in pain anyway.

“I’m going to fucking stop, Neil.”

“Goddammit, Andrew! No, we can’t afford to stop, right now!”

I’m trying to let you know how much you mean.

“Andrew, we’re not stopping, I can hang on however long we need to get somewhere safe.”

“Nowhere is safe, Neil, we’ll never stop,” Andrew can’t help the snarl, anger is curling inside his chest and it’s too much, “You’re bleeding out, don’t you understand? We need to stop now.”

“I know this is frustrating for you, Drew, I get it, but we have to wait until we reach somewhere safer-”

“Goddammit, Neil-”

The car is thrown forward at once, and Andrew has to take both of his hands to the wheel to stop the car from veering sideways and crashing. With a curse, he takes a look through the rearview mirror, and he curses once more.

Fuck.

They’d been too busy arguing to notice the black SUVs and trucks on their tails. There’s a lot of them, nondescript, but obviously Moriyama. Andrew’s heart starts to race, as he wills the car to go faster, beyond its own limits. But there’s too many of them. There’s no way they’ll make it out this time.

He glances at Neil, blank mask long forgotten, worry and dread and terror seeping out of him like it never has before. Because Neil is crying softly, despite the serenity of his entire posture. Tears are streaming down his face, eyes closed but body and face relaxed.

The car is nearing 200 mph when Neil opens his eyes, tears flowing freely. The black SUVs are getting impossibly closer, caging them on the sides.

“I’m so sorry, Drew,” Neil’s voice is a shattered whisper, and it breaks Andrew’s already shattering heart, “I never wanted to get you involved in all of this, I never wanted this life for you, I’m so so sorry, I ruined your life.”

“Shut the fuck up, Neil, I chose this, I chose to run with you, I wanted-” the words are stuck in his throat and he can’t get them out. I wanted to spend however much time was left with you. That’s how much you mean to me. That’s how much this means to me. “I meant it then, and I mean it now, Neil Josten, until the end.”

Neil’s eyes are pained, something like grief and sorrow shining through the icy blue. But he still forces himself to smile, as if he can read what Andrew thought, and Andrew knows full well he does.

“We’ll show them all how much we mean.”

The first shot comes from Andrew’s side and he barely manages to dodge the bullet that cuts through the glass like it’s nothing, shattering the window at once. Neil crouches with a cry, and Andrew shoots a glance his way as much as he can as he attempts to keep the car under control. Neil’s right shoulder is bleeding, the window on his side just as shattered as his own. Andrew didn’t even notice the car getting close enough to Neil’s side, or the shot aimed his way. Neil feels his stare, the overwhelming alarm and horror that drowns Andrew from the inside, and turns pained yet calm eyes his way.

“It’s okay, it’s gonna be okay.”

Understanding.

Neil knows he’s not going to make it, they are not going to make it. This is going to be their last run. With a deep breath, Andrew buries all the fear and worry deep down, and stares at Neil with nothing but determination.

“I’m about to get us killed, but when it stops, we run in the other direction and into the city, we hide as best as we can.” The or die trying goes unsaid, but Andrew knows Neil understands, he always does.

“I love you, until the end of everything.”

Andrew stares at Neil, and he wants to say I love you too, you mean everything to me, but instead what comes out is “Hang on, tight,” and he hits the brakes at once.

Despite Andrew’s eidetic memory should make sure that he remembers what happens next, but it’s all a blur, and when he can get to consciousness and focus his eyes, it’s to Neil half carrying him as he limps his way down the highway, looking frantically behind him. A quick glance behind them and Andrew sees the wreck he left behind; cars pile one on top of the other, some are on fire, including the one they were driving, and they set each other aflame, like pouring fuel on scarecrows. Moriyama men are dragging themselves out of the cars, and trying to find a way out of the wreck. Andrew can’t help the smile. He didn’t think they’d make it after braking a car going 200 mph, but he somehow manages to make his legs listen to him, as his ears echo.

Neil notices when he feels Andrew take back some of his own weight, turns a bloodied and dirty face at him, and smiles back brightly. Neither of them have much hope of making it to the other side of the road and finding a place to hide, but in that one second, they begin to run hand in hand, and things are okay, despite Neil’s bleeding wounds, and Andrew’s aching head.

They both know it won’t last long, so Andrew pulls Neil for a kiss, as long as he dares to, it’s merely a brush of their lips, but it’s everything that matters.

They’re about to reach the other lane when the first shot rings through the air, but Neil’s always bright instincts pull them both out of the way. They would be helpful if there were two or three men, but Andrew risks a glance back. There are dozens of men regaining their composure, readying their weapons, and before he knows what’s happening, both Neil and him are hitting the ground hard.

Neil just pushed him.

And then the bullets come, lead rain passing through phantoms.

He’s too disoriented at first, but then burning pain lights his body, like nothing he has ever felt before. He gasps, but he pushes through the pain, and forces himself to look around. He doesn’t have to look far, he finds what he needs next to him.

“Neil! Neil!” His voice seems far, far away, but Neil is looking up at the blue, blue sky, breath coming in insignificant little huffs, more like sighs than breaths. Blood is pooling underneath them. “Neil, look at me, stay with me.”

Moving hurts, burns, but he makes himself push through it harder, until he’s somehow leaning on his side, with a clear view of Neil. Neil who’s bleeding too much. Neil who has too many bullet holes on his body. Neil who just pushed him to the side to protect him. Neil who is bleeding out. Neil who despite everything turns his head so he’s facing Andrew, even if his eyes are still looking up.

Andrew’s own eyes are blurring with unshed tears, and he blindly reaches forward to grab Neil’s hand lying limply by his side.

He feels like he’s falling.

Neil’s lips are turning red, and he’s coughing, choking, trying to force out words that can’t come out. He gasps and moans in agony, and Andrew’s own chest hurts, not just from the bullets he couldn’t escape. This is it, a pool of blood, falling and touching hands.

“Neil, look at me, look at me, it’s gonna be alright, we’re gonna be alright.”

Andrew’s own voice is cracking. He doesn’t understand how Neil remains awake, but his stubborn idiot rabbit is still breathing. With another strained whine and a choked sob, their eyes meet at last. Icy blue and deep hazel, one last time.

And Andrew is falling, falling, falling.

He squeezes Neil’s hand as tightly as he can, and chokes out a whisper despite the metallic taste flooding his mouth, “It’s okay, we’ll be okay, just let go, it’s okay.”

He feels the thuds of footsteps approaching, but black is already creeping at the edges of his vision, his eyelids are growing heavy, and Neil’s own breaths are coming slower.

Neil closes his eyes, and Andrew closes his as Neil’s shredded chest stops moving.

I’ll meet your eyes, I mean this, forever.

lol sorry

read on ao3

#all for the game #aftg fanfic #aftg #andreil #andrew minyard #neil josten #tfc fanfic #tfc #tkm #trk #the foxhole court #the raven king #the kings men #this was dark lmao #ngl i made myself cry for a bit there #demolition lovers

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mulberrymelancholy · 3 years

Text

One step at a time

My @aftgexchange gift for @lemonboyjosten You said “hurt/comfort” and I couldn’t resist. Hope you enjoy it!

It was a good day, Andrew had decided.

He and Neil had gone to the zoo as per Nicky’s request – “They’re opening the penguin exhibit Andrew! Penguins!” – and even he couldn’t hide a smile when they waddled up to Neil and pecked his red hair curiously. It was small, an almost microscopic curve of his lips. Logically, Neil shouldn’t have seen it, but somehow he did. And he smiled back at Andrew. Small and secretive but warm and so full of love that it made Andrew’s breath catch in his throat.

Then he lost his breath when a kid dropped their bright-blue slushy on Aaron’s brand-new beige chinos.

It was a good day.

It was a good day, but Neil was sweating next to him in their bed despite the winter cold. He was trembling, murmuring so quickly and sharply that he sounded like a frightened animal, cornered with nowhere to run and no idea of how to escape. It sounded like he was begging and all Andrew wanted was for it to stop.

“Neil,” Andrew whispered, his voice rough with sleep. “Wake up.”

Neil didn’t respond, his breathes now coming in short shallow gasps that burrowed into Andrew’s heart and activated an instinct that he didn’t know he still had. He didn’t want to touch Neil when he was in this state, so he hovered just above him, bending low so that he could speak directly into Neil’s ear. “Neil,” he said softly. “You’re safe. You’re here. Wake up.”

Neil’s arms relaxed slightly and Andrew had the brief thought that he should probably stop crowding Neil’s personal space before a solid fist connected with his jaw.

Things happened in slow motion; Andrew sitting up on the bed, rubbing at his jaw, Neil blinking the sleep out of his eyes, looking slowly at his knuckles. Andrew could see the realisation dawn in his eyes, before a look of abject horror crossed Neil’s face and he scrambled out of bed. Andrew unsuccessfully tried to reach out to reassure him, but his hand fell short, and Neil sprinted from the room.

“Fucking hell,” hissed Andrew, watching him leave.

He found him on the roof a few moments later, a bag of frozen peas pressed to his jaw.

Neil was curled tightly, trying to make himself as small as he was that first day Andrew pulled him out of the fire. Only, this time Neil was trembling so violently that the long sleeves he normally wore to bed had slipped down his to his elbows and Andrew saw for the first time the scars that were so different from his own. Neil’s were round and deep, asymmetric and frantic, while Andrew’s were thin and sharp, betraying a system that Andrew didn’t even notice he had at the time.

Andrew dropped the blanket he was carrying around Neil’s shoulders, but the redhead didn’t respond until Andrew sat down next to him.

“Andrew I’m –“

“Don’t apologise.”

Neil looked at him sharply, and Andrew blinked at the moisture in his eyes.

“Why the fuck wouldn’t I apologise? I hit you, Andrew!”

“Because I was crowding you while you were panicking. That was my fault and I should have known better.”

Neil sputtered for a moment. “Y-you were trying to help. I shouldn’t’ve reacted –“

“I can take a punch, Josten.”

“For God’s sake, ‘Drew, that doesn’t mean you have to,” Neil whispered, his voice cracking. Andrew felt a twinge in his heart in response. “Fuck.” Neil whipped angrily at the tears flowing down his cheeks.

Andrew gently pulled his arms back down to his side. “You’re allowed to cry.”

Neil used his arms to clutch at the blanket and pulled it across his shoulders and knees as he sobbed quietly. Andrew didn’t say anything until he stopped sniffling, and by that time the skyline was already glowing in the soft orange that promised a bright dawn.

“I wanted today to start good,” Neil whispered, so softly that it was as if he would shatter the silence and everything else good in the world if he dared say what he wanted to. Andrew inclined his head to tell Neil that he was listening, and Neil smiled softly, his eyes tired. “It’s been going so well. I wanted to wake up this morning with both of us warm in bed and the sun coming in through the windows and now I fucked that up.”

“Healing isn’t linear, Josten.”

“I know. I know, but I-“ Neil wiped his hand over his face, burying it in his hair, clutching the back of his skull to pull himself even smaller.

“Yes or no?” Andrew asked.

Neil finally looked him in the eyes. “Yes,” he said instantly.

Andrew sighed, grabbing the blanket and spreading it across his shoulders as well. He tentatively rested his arm across Neil’s shoulders instead, and waited until Neil relaxed into him to let it tense. He pulled Neil close to his chest, letting his own body heat warm him up.

It was then that Neil noticed that Andrew had left his armbands behind. He stared at the methodical cuts. “Yes or no?” he whispered.

Andrew swallowed, but buried his face in Neil’s hair and inhaled deeply. “Yes,” he breathed.

Neil traced the scars, his fingertips so light that it was as if he though the pressure from his fingerprints would be enough to make the old scars burst open once again.

“I survived that,” Andrew said into his hair. He tapped Neil’s arm. “And you survived this too. We aren’t going to let the damn things get to us now.”

They sat in the quiet, as close as they could be, huddled under the blanket and watching the sunrise. Andrew played with a strand of Neil’s hair that was long enough to tickle his cheek, brushing across the freckles as if it were a paintbrush splattering stars across a broken sky. At some point, Neil started talking; about his father, a man so awful that he had spent most of his childhood years running away, about his mother, a woman so awful she had made him believe he could. Neil spoke about being pulled back, the war with the Moriyamas, the torture, the deal with the police in exchange for his and Kevin’s freedom. By the time he was done, the sun was high in the sky, but Neil’s hands were still cold and trembling, perhaps now more due to exhaustion instead of fear.

“We should probably feed the cats,” Andrew said, although he made no move to get up and do so. Neil was resting his head against Andrew’s chest, his side fitting perfectly. Andrew felt like they were a matching puzzle that he didn’t want to break.

Neil hummed. Andrew looked down to see that his eyes were closed, a soft smile on Neil’s face as if he were halfway to the blissful sleep he had missed that morning. It made Andrew’s heart ache.

“I’m going to pick you up, Neil. Yes or no?” he whispered gently. Neil hummed again, and burrowed further into his chest. “Neil?”

“Yes,” Neil yawned.

Andrew lifted him up with ease, cradling his legs and shoulders as Neil’s head stayed where it was. Andrew made sure the blanket was still covering both their arms. While he didn’t care what the other residents of Neil’s building thought, he knew that Neil didn’t want Matt or the others to see the scars he was carrying.

Kevin raised his eyebrows when he saw them walking down the stairs, but Andrew judged the dazed look in his eyes and decided he was too hungover to pay them much attention and just shrugged as he let himself back into the apartment.

The cats were clawing at his legs the whole way from the front door to the bedroom, but he the glare he shot them kept them mostly quiet. Neil woke up from the jostling when Andrew put him back in the bed, and mumbled a sleepy, “Drew?”

“Stay,” Andrew said, tucking the blanket around him and walking out, closing the door behind him once the cats had followed him out.

#aftg #aftg spring exchange #lemonboyjosten #my fic

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happyandticklish · 4 years

Text

Three Times Andrew & Neil Were Interrupted and One Time They Weren’t.

Notes: For the anon who requested a follow-up on New Perspectives where Andrew finally gets to see just how ticklish Neil’s armpits really are. Sorry this is so long, but I got kind of carried away with the concept. I hope you like it!

Summary: Ever since Andrew found out Neil liked tickling, he’s kept Neil on his toes whenever he’s around. Unfortunately, they keep getting interrupted until Andrew devises a way for them to finally be alone.

Neil was fucked.

That was the thought that volleyed around his head as he skidded around the halls of the abandoned stadium, heart racing in his chest. Laughter, giddy and wild, tumbled from him in an uncontrolled fashion. It was strange; Neil had rarely laughed when he first came here and now he found he couldn’t stop.

“Jo-sten!” The words echoed behind him, the syllables drawn out in an intimidating fashion. He knew the owner of the voice well, intimately some might say. “Why are you running? You know your fate is inevitable.”

He did. That didn’t mean he couldn’t try to prevent it for as long as possible. He slammed into a row of lockers, his sneakers slipping against the linoleum floor. He had a couple inches on Andrew and therefore longer legs on his side, not to mention panic and adrenaline, but he could practically feel the other boy’s breath on the back of his neck. When fingers slipped into the back of his shirt and formed a tight grip on the fabric, slamming him back into one of the lockers, he felt the breath burst from him in one startled gasp.

“Josten.” Andrew greeted, calmly gathering his wrists into one hand to hold above his head. “we meet again.”

Neil was full-on giggling, squirming against the metal behind him before Andrew had even done anything. “Nohoho, wahahait!”

“What’s wrong?” Andrew asked, shit-eating grin fully apparent on his face. “I haven’t even done anything yet.”

“But you’re going to,” Neil pointed out, shakily attempting to collect himself, though it was difficult with Andrew’s hand hovering right over his side. Waiting him out. “Just do it already, get it over with!”

“Do what?” Andrew asked innocently, carefully placing his hand against his side and beginning to walk his fingers up the thin material of Neil’s shirt. “What exactly do you think I’m going to do?”

Neil watched those fingers ascend higher and higher up his torso with a hawk’s eye. “You k-know whahat.”

“I don’t think I do.” Andrew leaned in close so that his breath hit the shell of his ear, his body pinning the other boy against the lockers. “Why don’t you remind me, huh?”

Neil shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut so he didn’t have to look into those piercing eyes. Andrew sighed in disappointment. “No? I guess I’ll just have to remind you then.”

Suddenly Neil was falling forward against Andrew as devious fingers drilled into his armpits and caused hysterical laughter to fall helplessly from his lips. He tugged on his arms, but Andrew’s hold was like steel clamps about his wrists. “Ahahahahandrew, nohohohoho!”

“Oh, now I remember.” Andrew’s words vibrated against his ear, making Neil squeal and scrunch up his neck in addition to the fierce tickling on his torso. “You’re ticklish. This must be hell for you then.”

Neil’s eyes widened at the teasing, his struggling intensifying. “D-Dohohohohon’t, gahahaha, stahahahahap!”

“It must be terrible,” Andrew continued, oblivious to his torment. “To be so ticklish and so helpless to do anything about it. I mean, I am just not stopping, am I? And I’m probably not going to. Yet all you can do is sit there and take it. Truly the very definition of hell.”

“Y-Yohohou’re tihihickish t-tohohohoo!” Neil pointed out, almost as if he wanted Andrew to retaliate in kind. Instead of going harder, however, Andrew took a different approach and started lightly spidering his fingers over the sensitive area. Neil’s eyes widened, the crawling sensation of his fingers somehow so much worse to bear.

“I’m fucking not,” Andrew corrected calmly, as he was in full denial of that day in the closet when Neil proved the opposite. “And besides, even if I was I wouldn’t be nearly as ticklish as you are. I mean, this is kind of ridiculous.”

“I-Ihihihit tihihihihihickles,” Neil insisted desperately, uselessly, hiccupping over his laughter as he buried his face in the other’s neck. “Gehehehe, nohohohoho mohohohohore!”

“You don’t mean that, do you?”

Neil’s face flushed, but before Andrew could pursue the subject any further they heard the tell-tale sound of the door opening that forewarned their teammates approach.

It was like a switch had been flipped and suddenly Neil found the strength he needed to escape. He bit Andrew’s neck sharply, making the other boy hiss and instinctively loosen his grip which was all Neil needed to push him off and away from him. He slowly straightened and pulled down his shirt, still red-faced and giggly.

“What the fuck, Josten?” Andrew grumbled, reaching a hand up to rub at his neck. “I swear to god, I’m dating a vampire.”

“Hey guys.”

They whirled around at the sound of Nicky’s voice. Rather, Neil whirled and Andrew slowly turned around, acting like he hadn’t been tickling the shit out of him two seconds beforehand. Nicky raised an eyebrow at his ruffled state. “Hey Nicky,” Neil said lamely, unable to think of an excuse for their current state.

“I thought we heard voices,” Nicky said slowly, the we in question appearing behind him in the forms of Kevin, Aaron, Matt, and Dan. “What are you guys doing here so early?”

Andrew clapped a hand down on Neil’s shoulder, ignoring his tiny jump at the sudden contact. “Neil wanted to practice. I came to help.”

Neil glared at him. The first part was true, but almost the second Andrew had entered the building they had begun their little chase, much to Neil’s delight dismay.

“Oh.” Nicky said, clearly wanting to pursue the issue further, but unsure about the consequences of those actions with Andrew’s eyes so firmly trained on him. “Well, since you guys are already here I guess we can all practice together.”

“That sounds like a great idea.” Andrew shoved Neil towards their group, strolling off in the opposite direction. “You guys have fun with that. I’m going to get a soda.”

Neil rubbed his shoulder, following the others and trying not to think about what Andrew’s skilled hands had been doing to him moments before.

Running back to the showers, Neil cursed himself for his forgetfulness. He had been so distracted from practice and then the glorious feeling of scalding hot water running against his skin, that he had completely forgotten to grab his shirt. It was a mistake that he would never normally make, but in his hazy state it had simply slipped his mind. Luckily, he had realized it was missing before he could get back to the dorms and have anyone see him. He was fairly certain the showers were abandoned, and if not, it was a chance he was going to have to take.

He spotted his T-shirt, slumped over the stool where he had left it. He was just bending down to retrieve it when he heard a voice behind him.

“Showers are over.”

Neil nearly jumped out of his skin, clutching the shirt to his chest instinctively. He spun around to find Andrew leaning against the stall wall, one eyebrow raised. He glanced down at his shirt then back up at Neil’s bare chest.

“You shouldn’t forget your things here,” Andrew said coolly, not taking his eyes of him. “People have been known to steal.”

“You shouldn’t sneak up on people,” Neil huffed, trying to ignore the way his heart was racing in his chest. Thank god it was just Andrew. He didn’t need to have a heart-to-heart with the team about what his father had done to him in the past. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to make sure you got back safely.”

Now it was Neil’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Right. And why are you really here?”

“Oh ye of little faith.” Andrew closed the distance between them in three, quick strides, his face inches away from Neil’s own. He placed his hands on either side of him. “Yes or no?”

“I—um—yes?” Neil stuttered, trying to figure out what he was doing. Andrew’s hands were warm from practice and felt heavenly as they gripped his skin protectively. His relaxed state was quickly ruined, however, as Andrew started to softly trace those hands up his sides in a fashion that made Neil shiver and choke over poorly concealed squeaks.

“Yes or no?” Andrew repeated.

“W-Whahat?”

“Yes or no?”

Neil inhaled sharply as Andrew’s nails crossed a sensitive spot against his ribs. “I—uh, yehehes?”

“Yes?”

The tracing was impossibly light and Neil was quickly finding it hard to concentrate. “Y-Yehehes! Yehehes, j-juhuhust—ohohoho gohohod!”

Neil slammed his fist suddenly back into the wall as Andrew’s fingers climbed perilously high up his ribs, teasing the edge of his armpits. Andrew didn’t pause but shot his gaze up to Neil’s face, examining it for any signs of distress. Neil formed a shaky thumbs-up, too on edge to form coherent words. Andrew’s fingers ascended just a little higher and—

“Josten! Minyard!”

Neil’s shriek was muffled only by the quick action of Andrew’s hand which slapped against his mouth. “Yes?” Andrew drawled lazily, not stopping his hand as he traced his armpits. Why wasn’t he stopping? “Did you need something Coach?”

There was the squeak of footsteps as they both heard Wymack take a step into the locker room. “Showers are over. You both need to head back to the dorms.”

“Neil forgot his shirt,” Andrew replied, grinning evocatively. Neil was dying against the wall, squirming as he desperately tried to avoid the relentless tickling on his worst spot. The only reason he wasn’t giving them both away was Andrew’s other hand which firmly and frustratingly prevented him from screaming his lungs out at the sensations. “We’ll be up in a second, I promise.”

“Now, Minyard.”

Andrew rolled his eyes, but slowed the intense tickling so that he was just rubbing the spot in firm, reassuring strokes. Eventually, once he was certain Neil wasn’t going to accidentally burst into wild and hysterical laughter, he removed both hands. “C’mon Neil. To bed it is.”

Neil followed slowly after him, reminding himself never to be alone in the bathrooms with Andrew again.

The third time Andrew surprised him with one of these random tickle attacks, they were in the middle of one of Wymack’s famous lectures.

Neil had chosen, against his better judgement, to take the remaining seat next to Andrew. The reason for its vacancy was because no one wanted to be the next victim of Andrew’s sudden sleep attacks. Neil had taken a chance, given that most of the other seats were taken, and plopped down besides him, hoping this time Andrew would find it in himself to stay awake. This, among other things, was one of the many reasons why you did not show up late to a team meeting.

What happened next was worse than getting randomly punched in the gut, however. At some point while Wymack was distracted talking, Andrew had managed to sneak an arm around Neil’s waist, resting his hand on his side. Neil startled, shooting him a look; Andrew wasn’t usually one to initiate physical contact in public. He quickly realized the reason for this when two fingers pinched the skin of his side in a way that was unmistakably meant to tickle.

Neil jumped, arm shooting down to his side, and swallowed down a gentle whine. Wymack paused his lecture, glancing over at them. “Is something wrong?”

Neil quickly shook his head and Andrew just shrugged in reply. Wymack fixed them both with hard stares. “Right. Anyway, as I was saying, you cannot physically beat your own teammates on the rink.”

“Killjoy,” Aaron muttered under his breath.

Now that the attention was refocused away from them, Andrew continued his subtle assault. He ran his fingers up and down Neil’s side, subtly pinching and poking at the skin in a way that could be played off as innocent should anyone catch them at it, though it was anything but in reality. Neil tried not to squirm and failed heavily as he screwed up his face in an effort not to laugh. With one hand he covered his mouth to hide the giant grin forming there, playing it off like he was holding his chin in concentration.

Technically, Neil could have stopped Andrew if he wanted to, but that would mean revealing to the others that he was ticklish and there was no way in hell he was going to let that happen. Andrew knowing he was ticklish was already bad enough; he could only imagine if someone like Nicky knew as well. Not to mention, there was a strange thrill to the whole situation that he didn’t want to end just yet.

Andrew kept persisting at this one spot right above his hips that made Neil spasm embarrassingly, a reaction that was more difficult to cover up than the others. Luckily it seemed like the others hadn’t caught onto his predicament, with the exception of Nicky who watched him with a curious glance. Small snickers were sneaking out between his fingers and Neil bit desperately down on his lip, trying to bury the sensations.

When Andrew’s hand shot suddenly up to under his arms Neil shrieked, unable to help himself, and sprung out of his seat and away from his teammate’s devil fingers. Wymack stopped talking midsentence and they all paused to stare at him in confusion.

“Neil?” Matt asked hesitantly after a moment. “Are you okay?”

Neil could feel the blush already beginning to creep onto his cheeks. “I, uh, I had to use the bathroom. So…”

“Can’t it wait?” Wymack asked, staring at him with narrowed eyes. Neil fidgeted under the careful scrutinization. “We’re in the middle of something here.”

“No,” Neil said after a moment after racking his brain for a better lie and coming up empty. It was strange how his whole life could be a lie and yet in this one moment he found himself unable to come up with any. “You guys can continue without me, it’s fine; Matt will catch me up.”

“I will?” Matt asked, but by that point Neil was already gone.

“And you’re sure no one will find us here?”

“Nervous?”

“Fuck off.”

Neil gripped both of his arms, shivering against the cold. He sat propped up against the edge of their building’s roof, Andrew sprawled lazily besides him. It was Andrew who had come up with the plan, insisting that no one would think to look for them there. It was the one place where they wouldn’t be interrupted.

When Neil turned to look at Andrew, he found piercing blue eyes staring into his. He swallowed nervously.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Andrew parroted smoothly. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Neil thought about it. It was almost impossible to separate his nerves from excitement at this point, especially when it came to Andrew. In this specific circumstance, however, he knew that if he didn’t have Andrew’s hands on his body wrecking him until he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak, then he would go insane. In response he slowly slid his fingers into Andrew’s, bringing one to his lips and softly kissing each of his fingertips. Andrew rolled his eyes, but he could hear him inhale sharply. Neil placed one of Andrew’s hands against his side and then raised his own hands so that Andrew’s other was gripping each of his wrists tightly against the edge of their little balcony.

Andrew readjusted his grip, curling his fingers lightly against his side. Neil shivered, not just from the cold this time. “Yes or no?”

Neil closed his eyes, exhaling on his next word. “Yes.”

Hysteria. It was the only word he could think of to describe what he experienced. Laughter, wild and carefree, spilled from his lips as Andrew got a chance to properly ruin him. There was no prelude this time, no build-up, no slow teasing. Though he only had one hand free, Andrew used it to its full potential. He darted from spot to spot, hips, thighs, knees, that area right under his ribs that made him shriek. Neil was certain that it couldn’t possibly get worse.

He was wrong.

Neil yelped as fingers slid under his shirt and skimmed up his side, scribbling under his arms with deft precision. He tugged desperately at his arms. They wouldn’t budge. He begged for Andrew to stop. He didn’t stop.

Fuck.

“I think this is my favorite spot,” Andrew mused, not moving off that one spot. “What do you think? Is it your favorite spot?”

Neil babbled helplessly, giggles and streams of snorting cackles spilling from his lips.

“Hmm? No answer? I’m gonna take that as a yes then.” He started spidering his fingers around the outer edges of his armpits, just barely touching his shoulder blades, and Neil nearly lost it then. “You must really like it, if it tickles this much and you still haven’t asked me to stop.”

“S-Stahahahahap!” Neil managed, choking over breathless laughter to get the simple word out. He thought he might have been able to handle it if Andrew had been switching it up a little, moving to a different spot every once in a while or even just moving to the other armpit. “Stahahahahap, Plehehease!”

“Ah, ah, ah,” Andrew clucked. “That’s not the right word, is it? What is the right word, hmm? You know what to say, how to make this all stop. What’s is it, Neil?”

Neil shook his head resolutely. Not yet. Not when his brain flirted with insanity and his nerves screamed at him to make it stop. Not when pleasure flooded his senses, making him giddy and blissfully stupid. Not when, for just a moment, he was truly free and could laugh without fears or responsibilities. He couldn’t be done yet.

“Nothing to say?” Andrew asked, raising an eyebrow. “Okay. I’ll talk then.”

He leaned in, slowing the tickling to a soft fluttering of fingers against his skin, and pressed his face into the other boy’s neck, lips not quite touching. “You’re beautiful, you know that?”

Neil shook his head, biting his lips. He couldn’t handle this on top of everything else. There was a very distinct possibility that he might die.

“You’re fucking gorgeous,” Andrew expanded, planting soft kisses along his collarbone between words. “You make me want to wake up in the morning. You make me want to be something. You give me the hope I never had.”

Neil swallowed nervous laughter, his heart stuttering in his chest. “A-Ahahandrew.”

“You’re so talented. You’re so talented and you don’t even see it, but you are.” Andrew moved higher, signing kisses up the column of his neck. “You do anything you want and you don’t give a fuck what other people think. You’re an enigma, Neil Josten. You’re a masterpiece of broken pieces.”

Neil’s mouth was running dry. He wanted to say something, either to refute his words or thank him, he wasn’t sure yet, but Andrew intensified the tickling then, digging his thumb into the delicate hallow of his armpits. Neil squeaked, bursting back into babbling laughter.

“I love how my touch turns you inside out,” Andrew said, ferocity entering his tone now as his kisses turned vicious. “I love that you’re so ticklish. I love that I can make you laugh through such a simple thing.” He gently bit at the bundle of nerves right behind his ear and Neil squirmed underneath him. “I love the expression you make when I find a good spot. But do you wanna know what I love most?”

Neil was breathless. He writhed against the wall, his body made of flushed skin.

“I love how much you love it.”

Then Andrew drilled both fingers into his skin and sent him into another level of hell.

Later, Neil lay curled in Andrew’s arms, eyes closed as fingers softly scraped against his scalp, a comforting pressure that helped to slowly calm his racing heartbeat.

“Thank you,” Neil said after a moment.

Andrew shot his gaze down to him sharply, before staring off into the distance. “Don’t worry about it.”

Neil sighed contentedly, interlacing their fingers and wondering how fortunate he was to have met someone like Andrew Minyard.

Truly, wonders never ceased.

#all for the game #tickle fic #andriel #aftg #tickling #neil josten #andrew minyard #andrew x neil #fanfic #request #fanfic request #my writing

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play-exy-be-sexy · 4 years

Note

11 and 2 for the prompt thing (go all out on the angst ;))

“Oh god you’re bleeding”

Neil watched from the stands as Andrew played his first pro game since graduation. Neil didn’t realize it was possible to feel this much happiness and pride but as he watched Andrew go out onto the court for the first time during the second half his heart was nearly exploding.

“There’s your man,” Nicky said as Andrew walked towards the goal. Neil mumbled something that passed as an agreement, to caught up in the game and Andrew to give a real response. Nicky sent him a knowing look but stayed quiet.

The second half of the game was going fairly well for Andrew’s team. Neil had never seen him play with such focus and interest. It was captivating and Neil often found himself watching Andrew more then the actual game.

At the ten minute mark the opposing team made a shot on Andrew's goal. He quickly deflected it off of the opposing teams head. Neil watched as the victim of Andrew’s instigating ripped his helmet off and marched towards the goal. Andrew barely looked up before the Striker took his racket and smashed it into Andrew’s stomach, much like Andrew had done to Neil all those years ago. Neil could tell it wasn’t hard enough to cause real damage but enough to hurt pretty fucking bad.

Andrew fell to the ground hitting his head quite hard on the court floor. Neil faintly heard Nicky gasp and call his name but he was already walking down to the inner court. He quickly lifted his hood to hid his face from the peering eyes. It was not the time to out himself and Andrew to the public. He knew he couldn’t get onto the court but he sure as hell wasn’t going to watch from the stands. He went to the railing just above the Home bench and jumped down the two feet so he was on the inner court.

“You can’t be down here, sir” A security guard called from a few feet below.

“He’s okay, he’s with the team...as a, um, medic,” Someone on the bench yelled for him. Neil, to busy looking at Andrew getting pulled up by the team nurse and coach, mumbled a thanks.

They made their way over to the bench and Andrew looked up at Neil, still clutching his stomach.

“Who the fuck are you?” The coach asked, throwing a glance at Neil on the way to the locker room.

Neil quickly followed, “I’m um...Andrew’s friend, from college. Neil Josten?”

“You good with him being here Minyard?” The coach grunted at Andrew. Andrew gave a little nod as the nurse checked him for injuries. The coach looked between the three before turning to go back to the game.

Neil quickly took his hood off and walked over to where the nurse was looking at Andrew’s head.

“Oh god, you’re bleeding, Drew.”

“I’m fine,” Andrew mumbled.

“Don’t use my words against me, Minyard.” Neil said with a small laugh. Neil sat down on the bench next to Andrew and hovered his hand over Andrews. He nodded and Neil tightly grabbed it, bringing it to his lap. If the medic lady noticed, she didn’t say anything. Neil watched as she cleaned up the wounds on Andrew’s head from the fall. There was one that started in his right eyebrow and went up a few centimetres that would probably leave a scar.

“Guess we will match now huh?” Andrew mumbled touching the cut before the nurse batted his hand away.

“I’ll finally be able to tell you and Aaron apart,” Neil smirked.

“Like you couldn’t since the first time we met.”

The nurse quickly finished her job, “It’s going to leave some pretty nasty bruises that are going to hurt like hell but other than that everything looks good. You guys can go in the lounge while the game finishes if you want.”

They both said thanks and Neil tried helping Andrew to the lounge, “I can walk perfectly fine on my own, Junkie.”

“I know,” Neil said, not moving his arm from Andrew’s waist. They went and sat on the couch and Neil turned Andrew. “Part of me thinks you did that just so he would come after you and you could come spend time with me for a while.”

“I’m not that desperate. It is a good bonus though. It was getting boring.”

Neil scoffed and laid his head gently on Andrew’s shoulder. They stayed like that until they heard Andrew’s team come into the locker room and the coach kicked Neil out.

I don’t know how realistic this is. I didn’t know how bad it would hurt to get hit with a exy racket so I just kinda made it up. Also I’m not that good at writing angst so this is as close as you get. Sorry!!

#aftg #andriel #andrew minyard #neil josten #andrew x neil #the foxhole court #all for the game #nicky hemmick #exy #writing prompts

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liveyourlastbreath · 3 years

Text

AFTG|Glen Capri AU PT1

Credit to @whumpercrows for this idea

//TW// Mentions of Suicide, Suicide Attempts, Self Harm, Panic Attacks. Basically if you have ever watched this episode of TEEN WOLF you should kind of know what to expect. Stay safe readers!

“I’m not sleeping on the floor.”

“You’re not sleeping in our bed,” Andrew spit out, dropping his duffle near Neil’s feet. Kevin glared at the pair and then turned his gaze on Aaron and Nicky.

Nicky stretched his long limbs out on his side of the bed and then looked over at the tantrum Kevin was throwing. “Did you guys see that number? When we walked in?”

“No?”

Nicky snapped his fingers together, “It was like, two ten or something.”

“Haven’t you ever heard the saying 'sharing is caring?’”

Andrew froze Nicky with his glare then sat back against the wall and turned the TV up. Neil glanced between the gang, then pulled his bag closer and sat on the other side of the bed as Andrew.

But this place just felt bad. Like his father was looming in the room, butcher in hand and ready to attack. Neil had to resist the urge to glance around, find another escape route just in case.

“Kevin?”

“We can’t drink the night before a match.”

The warm numbness that came with liquor started to ebb on Andrew’s mind. He whispered a quiet question to Neil, and with a small nod settled down beside him.

Aaron wasn’t one to show much emotion, but right now everything was plastered on his face. Fear, horror, sadness, and a bit of annoyance.

“What the fuck-”

“Andrew, I-I’m sorry. But drop the knife, we have a problem.”

#aftg #aftg fandom #neil aftg #all for the game #the foxhole court #the kings men #neil josten #Andrew MinyarD #aaron minyard #nicky hemmick #kevin day #the monsters #foxes #exy #teen wolf au #aftg au #angst #neil angst #andreil angst

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ninyard · 3 years

Note

part two of the stefan/andrew au PLEASE

WELP this might not be the part two people wanted but here’s what I wanted so~ enjoy!

(Part 1 ? is here)

((this got rly long so I had to stop but if u want a third part lmk 🥺👉👈))

Neil made his first mistake by not bolting the opposite way when Coach Hernandez told him he had visitors. An Exy racquet to the chest and a single glance at those bright hazel eyes turned Neils entire world sideways in seconds. This couldn’t be happening. Neil almost couldn’t hold back the ‘Andrew?’ that wished to escape his lips. Of course, this wasn’t Stefan’s Andrew, but Neil knew that already. Life had turned Andrew Minyard into a man of manufactured emotions, a life of violence and misled decisions landing him on Coach Wymack’s pity party guest list that was the Foxes’ lineup. Andrew didn’t flinch looking at Neil, and Neil begged the universe to have erased the memory of Stefan from Andrew mind. He hung around a motel, for Christ’s sake, how many other people would he have met before and after Stefan? Neil Josten looked totally different, with puberty, hair dye and new contact lenses on his side.

The second mistake he made was not realising Kevin Day was going to be around. If Andrew wasn’t dangerous enough, Kevin was even more so. Neil couldn’t believe his eyes the moment he looked closely at the teams lineup from the previous year. Kevin Day would have forgotten Nathaniel Wesninski, he was sure of it, but to look across to a picture of the teams goalkeeper and seeing the short blond boy he met in California? It was a sure sign for Neil to stay the hell away from South Carolina.

Neil’s biggest mistake was deciding to push his luck and take a plane there to sign with the Foxes. He was signing a death wish; but he didn’t care anymore. He was a dead man walking, living off stolen hours. It was only a matter of time before someone caught up with him. His mother was dead, god, his mom, Mary Hatford, the woman who taught him how to be. It wasn’t just like Debby, who died leaving Toronto, or Alice, who died leaving London, or Judy who died on the train between Germany and Prague. This was permanent, and Neil didn’t think he could run for much longer.

Andrew didn’t say anything during their meeting, in which he had plenty of opportunities to at least look like he recognised Neil, or the features of Stefan still left on his face. Kevin didn’t say anything either, and his words made it clear he didn’t remember Nathaniel, either. Neil was walking a thing line between life and death, with Stefan on one shoulder and Nathaniel on the other, waiting to tip him over, to expose the truth, to leave him buried like his mother.

The first night Neil slept - or more so lay on the couch in silence for hours, brain filled with noise and regret - in David’s apartment, he couldn’t stop thinking about Andrew. He couldn’t stop thinking about the kid with white-blond hair and a toothy smile, who ran his fingers so gently over Stefan’s skin, like he would break if Andrew dared get any closer. He couldn’t stop thinking about the playground, and the motel, and the kisses… and the punches, the kicks, the pulling of hair, the slaps across the face with yells to accompany them. Before Neil knew it he was stuck with his face hovering over the toilet bowl, his stomach threatening to burst at any moment. After a minute of gagging and spitting into the water, Neil washed his face and headed towards the balcony that David told him to smoke on if he needed to. This was one of those needing to moments.

Weeks went by without any indication he was going to be caught. Kevin looked at him like a stupid amateur, which was good for Nathaniel’s sake, but for Neil? Neil, who fought like his life depended on the racquet in his hands? Neil, who ran like his father was hot on his heels every single time he set off down the court? It hurt him to be insulted so often, but Kevin was leagues above him when he played. Neil was never going to be good enough. Andrew avoided him as much as possible. Nicky told him that was just how Andrew was; if you brought him no benefit, or if you made him bored, he would put you on a high shelf and never look at you again. By the way Andrew only spoke to Neil when Neil stood up to Kevin, Neil thought it was obvious that Andrew didn’t recognise him.

And then came the invite to Columbia.

“Get rid of the contacts, by the way.” Nicky had brushed off the realisation like it was nothing. It sounded like ‘you have something in your teeth’ but felt like a screaming siren above Neil’s head. It felt like a punch to the gut, like a gun to his head. “Andrew’s decision. And brown, Neil? You’re so predictable and boring it’s adorable.” He’d left a bag of clothes with Neil.

When Neil looked at his blue eyes, he felt too many feelings he couldn’t describe, or name. He felt like he was looking at his father. He felt like he was looking into the mirror like he had the last time he was Nathaniel. The last time he was in Baltimore. He’d cycled through the catalogue of contacts during his time on the run, but never once went back to blue. They were the icy eyes of a murderer, not the eyes of quiet, boring Neil. But at least they weren’t green. Neil was worried about Kevin recognising him by his eyes, but it was going to be dark out by the time they left. Neil would just have to stay in the dark around Kevin, and hope he got too drunk to notice, too drunk to remember.

When Andrew’s group came to pick Neil up, there was a change in dynamic Neil hadn’t seen before. Instead of Nicky being the middle man in their conversations, or Kevin being the reason to talk, Andrew was taking charge of their night. Neil’s heart raced every time he looked into his eyes. Every time he heard that voice it told him to run, the same voice as before, only deeper, emotionless. Neil couldn’t imagine this Andrew crying. Neil couldn’t imagine this Andrew being open, about his sexuality, or his feelings. If he didn’t look almost the same only older, he would probably doubt this was even the same Andrew.

“Oh! Oh, now, that’s interesting!” Andrew had commented as Neil left his dorm room. Nicky, Aaron and Kevin had walked ahead of the two of them. When they’d disappeared around the corner into the elevator down, Andrew turned and grabbed Neil’s face to inspect it. “What a change, hmm? Blue to brown is a bit drastic for fashion, don’t you think?”

“I’ve never liked my eyes,” Neil spoke through the fingers that rested over his lips. “I’ve worn them brown most my life.” Andrew tutted as Neil spoke, but left that thought there. His features were angry, like Neil had insulted him, but he S miled like he’d been talking to his best friend. He placed a cigarette between his lips as they joined the others in the elevator.

Before long, they were walking through the doors of Eden’s Twilight, music pumping and swirling through the air, vibrating their bodies as they walked. Andrew motioned for Neil to follow him to the bar once they’d found a table.

“Shots on me.” He’d come down from his manic high, waiting for his dust adrenaline to kick in. His smile was gone, but his tone and way of speaking was still the same. “What do you drink?”

“I don’t,” Neil answered, having to yell over the music.

“Sure you do.” Andrew waved him off. “I’m being polite. What do you drink?” He asked again, as the bartender came over.

“A coke for me.” Neil told the man behind the bar before he could ask Andrew. “Just a little ice.”

“See, now, Pinocchio, when someone offers you a gift you say thank you and accept it.” Andrew turned towards the man. “Roland. This is Neil. He’s a newbie.”

“I hear you,” Roland nodded, already placing shot glasses on the tray he’d put on the bar. “My choice, with dash for the new kid.” He poured a clear spirit into eight shot glasses, and used the fountain tap to fill a larger glass with cola. Andrew passed cash over and waved off his change as a tip. Before Neil knew it he was heading through the crowd, Andrew balancing the tray on one hand held high above his head. They reached the table and nothing has spilled, and before Neil knew it, the shot glasses were stacked in a tower on the tray as Neil nursed his coke.

“You don’t drink.” Andrew turned to Neil after watching the others take to the dance floor, coming up on their high, dusting when they couldn’t be seen. “Why?”

“Hate the taste, mostly.” That would be the truth if ‘taste’ actually meant ‘feeling of being out of control of my body’. He shrugged at Andrew’s dissatisfaction with that answer.

“You come to university and you don’t drink?” Andrew scoffed. “Do you smoke?” Neil shook his head. He’d tried an edible by accident once in some cafe in Europe, and got so paranoid they had to move on that night. He swore he saw his dad staring in the windows in the red-light district, a blunt between his lips, a smile made of murder wrapped around it.

“Not for me.” Neil took a sip from the cold coke. “Hard to find when it’s not legal and I hate the cops. Takes too much effort to roll.” Neil lied, like he knew what he was talking about, but he just remembered watching people in the cities he went to, everywhere having their local stoners, the folks who sat in the parks without a care in the world.

“You don’t drink, you don’t smoke, you won’t dust.” Andrew rattled off the options. “Is it molly you’d prefer?” And when Neil shook his head again: “Psychedelics? Benzos?”

“I’m just not interested.” Neil looked into his glass, focusing on the ice. If he kept looking at Andrew he felt like he would crack. “Don’t we get tested before games anyway? What’s the point?” Andrew didn’t answer before he heading back up the bar. Neil didn’t follow this time. When he came back, there was ten shot glasses on the table. Again, eight filled with an unnamed spirit that burned Neil’s nose and twisted his stomach. The other two were cola.

“I’d hate for the new boy to feel left out.” Aaron, Nicky and Kevin had arrived back to the table for their shots. Andrew handed Neil one of his glasses. Neil knocked it back when the others did. It was ordinary coke, no surprises, no weird tastes, no reason for Neil to believe Andrew would have given him a shot of alcohol instead. That was, until he clinked glasses with the others and swallowed the second shot in a quick movement. He felt the alcohol burn his throat. It warmed his chest, but the familiar feeling wasn’t what worried him. It was the taste of salt on his tongue when he hadn’t licked any before hand. He quickly excused himself from the table and left for the bathroom.

Andrew had drugged him. He didn’t know why, but all he knew was the crackers were already coursing through his veins with deadly adrenaline. He was sure his racing heart wasn’t helping. It didn’t help, either, when Nicky reached the stairs before he did, and pulled him in for a salty, dusty kiss. Neil pushed him off as discreetly as he could.

“Nothing?” Nicky complained as he Neil bounced up the sticky stairs two steps at a time. Neil was sure he heard him say something about Neil being too hot to be straight, but the roaring anxiety in his ears was enough to drown it out. He locked himself in a stall and tried to best to throw up. He hadn’t eaten before he’d left, and he hadn’t drank anything other than he soda, so his attempts were fairly futile. A knock at the door interrupted him, and when he answered with a quick ‘occupied!’ He heard the door unlocking from the outside. Andrew pushed his way into the cramped stall and shut the door behind him. Before Neil could even begin to object Andrew had grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against the wall, Neil struggling to keep his balance with the toilet in the way.

“You don’t like the taste of alcohol or you’re afraid of losing control? Telling your truths?” Andrew’s drug induced smile had returned with mischief and malice. “Let’s see how this does!” His voice was low as he spoke, with an enthusiasm to his words that made Neil sweat. When he went to protest, Andrew covered his mouth with his free hand.

“Shut up,” He clicked his tongue. “You have spent your entire extended stay here lying to me and lying to poor, gullible Coach. I see the way you look at Kevin, too. Either you’re lying about not swinging or there’s something deeper to that intimidation.” Neil tried to get out a ‘I don’t swing.’ Before Andrew shushed him again. “Don’t keep lying, newbie! One last chance at honesty.” He lifted his hand no more than an inch from Neil’s mouth. Neil was sweating, his hands shaky, his mind turning into fog, desperate to cling to any sort of euphoria it could find. When it’s search came up empty, it filled his stomach, his head, his hands, his feet, with anxious buzzing instead. He couldn’t ignore the nauseating feelings the drugs brought with them.

“I don’t swing,” Neil stood his ground. “I don’t.” Andrew brought his hand up to Neils hair and yanked him down to his level, hard. He kept an inescapable grip in his curls as their faces almost touched.

“Still don’t know?” Andrew pouted in fake-pity. “Ten years later and you still don’t know?” Neil’s stomach would’ve fallen from his body if it’s got the chance. His heart would’ve went with it when Andrew continued. “There better be a good reason for Neil existing, Stefan, and I can’t wait to hear it.”

“What?” He tried, but it was no use. His voice failed him, cracking as the futile attempts at lying left his lips. “I don’t know what-“

“Shut up.” Andrew repeated. His grip not relaxing. Neil was worried he was pulling his hair from the root, but that was probably the least of his worries. Probably. “Do not lie to me again.” Neil searched his eyes for a sliver of doubt. A tiny, tiny possibility that he might think he was wrong. It wasn’t there. He’d been caught.

“Andrew.” He wrapped his hands around Andrew’s wrist, the one hovering over his head, muscles tense from the grip on his head. “Can we talk without ripping my fucking hair out?”

Before Neil could react, Andrew had let go of his hair, but in doing so, had swung his head with full force into the side walls of the stall. His balance finally failed him, but Andrew caught him by the neck of the black turtleneck he’d been gifted. He heard a few stitches pop, but it didn’t matter. The sudden movements turned Neil’s stomach with a violent wave, and he gagged hard, his stomach threatening to come out his mouth. He leaned over to spit into the toilet and bared his teeth at Andrew, breathing heavily through them.

“So he lives,” Andrew smiled, his pupils blown, a white-knuckled hold on Stefan-Neil’s collar. Neil was afraid he was going to pass out. His body was on fire, his mind screaming like an emergency broadcast alarm. “Tell me you didn’t know, oh humour me! I’d hate to think you’re stupid enough to come here still in possession of the memory from there.”

“I didn’t think you’d remember.” Neil didn’t break eye contact.

“So you ARE that stupid!” Andrew pushed him back, letting go of his top. Neil tried to assess his escape routes, but it was no use. He couldn’t get out of this. “I remembered little Stefan the second Kevin showed me your file. I didn’t think it would be you, surely it couldn’t be, but our little visit to fuckport, Arizona couldn’t lie to me like you did. So is it Neil, or is it Stefan?”

“Neither.” He spat out the honesty, worried if he waited, another lie would take it’s place. “But you can call me Neil.”

“Oh, no, no!” Andrew grabbed him by the neck, holding his jaw in a way that could become a choke very quickly. “Maybe I’ll stick with Stefan. You don’t get a say. You know, I thought mommy killed you.” A knife twisted in Neil’s gut.

“She’s dead.” Neil tried to breath through his unwanted come-up. “That’s the only reason I’m here. Because she wasn’t alive to stop me.”

“Did you do it?” He held Neils face like the world would end if he let go. He held even tighter when Neil tried to pull away.

“No.” That was all he said. He thought about continuing, considering the fact he was a dead man already. But he stopped himself. How could he say it was his dad without saying he was the mafias right-hand-murderer? Was he wasting his time lying?

“Didn’t think you did.” Andrew laughed, barely even blinking as he intimidated Neil. “No balls then, no balls now.”

“I was twelve.” He spat through crushed cheeks. “We were kids.”

“Old enough to be a liar.” Andrew let go of Neil’s face with a forceful push and turned to open the stall door. “You’re going to lead us outside. If you deviate or try to run I’ll kill you. I will kill you.” So Neil did just that. He led the way in silence, down the stairs and towards the exit. When Nicky stopped and excitedly asked where they were going, Neil looked back to Andrew who waved his pack of cigarettes, a smile on his face, no essence of a lie present. Neil just kept walking, kept his head down, and tried to ignore the pain on the side of his head. When they reached the outside of the club, the brisk air biting their exposed skin, Neil turned to the first man he saw, a club-goer at the top of the queue, and swung a punch up. Andrew noticed the second his hands left his sides, balled up with a plan. The man threw a hefty punch back, shouting intimidations, knocking Neil’s short frame to the ground. As quick as humanly possible, Andrew had hoisted him up, wrapped his arms around his back and twisted his wrist in such a way that a single jolt would break it. He held him in that position with one hand, putting all his strength into keeping Neil still.

“He gets crazy on tequila!” Andrew laughed, shaking his head as he took out his wallet and pulled out a fifty note. He threw it at the guy as compensation, his friends holding him back from beating Neil’s vulnerable, ballsy ass. He continued yelling as Andrew hauled him away. He grunted in pain as he refused to loosen his grip on Neil’s wrists. He walked him around the back of the club, to an empty, barely lit parking lot. He threw him to the ground so quickly he didn’t have time to stop his fall.

“Every moment I spend around you, you prove you’re much fucking dumber than I thought.” Andrew spat down, then crouching down to Neil’s level, balancing on the tops of his feet. Neil cradled his head, arms wrapped around the nape of his neck. He was sure he had a concussion. He could barely open his eyes through the pulsing blood rushing through his head, but forced himself to, to look up at Andrew’s smiling face.

“What happened?” Spit dripped down his chin, blood slowly trickling from the busted lip he’d earned himself. “What happened to that Andrew?” Andrew froze for half a second, and Neil noticed. “The Andrew who cried because he was gay? The kid who actually fucking cared about anything?”

“Oh, you are treading thin fucking ice for someone who doesn’t know how to swim.” Andrew tilted his head. “Mention another precious memory and I won’t hesitate to actually break your wrist next time.”

“Why?” He spat blood at Andrew’s feet. “Afraid somebody might remember what you’re actually like when you’re not pretending to be a sociopath?” Andrew opened his mouth at the challenge, a smile creeping up one side of his face. “Are you afraid to actually have someone around you know anything about you? I’m a threat. That’s all you care about.” He continued. “What, do you think I’ll use it against you? You’ve been treating me like shit since we met. If I was going to stab you in the back I’d have done it already, asshole.”

“Since we met, again.” He corrected the most irrelevant part of Neils sentiment.

“Let me go now and I’ll move on. You won’t ever see me again.” Neil bargained. Andrew’s eyebrows twitched ever so slightly. “This time I’ll get a chance to say goodbye.”

“No,” Andrew stopped him. “You don’t get to arrive in to my life like a tornado and disappear. You don’t get to dig your own grave and push me into it.” He bent down to get closer to Neils shaking face. “You’re going to tell me exactly what happened first. Tell me what she did to you.”

“No.” Neil strained. “I moved on. You were dangerous. You almost got me killed.”

“Boohoo, do you hear my tiny violin, liar?” Andrew grabbed a hold of his hair again. Neil let out a cry of pain, trying to pry Andrew’s fingers from his scalp. “Talk. Talk or I will get you killed.”

“My father is a very dangerous man. He’s murdered more people than there are days in a year.” Neil wiped the blood from his lips. It stung as he did so, but it didn’t matter. He took out a small stack of IDs from his wallet and threw them across to Andrew. For a second, anyone would’ve thought they were real, but closer inspection killed that thought. Andrew was holding a driver’s license belonging to Chris Angle, 21, from New York. A European passport card signed by George Debois from Paris. A gym membership from Seattle, an employee pass from Toronto, two more drivers licenses from cities across the globe. All the names were different, but they didn’t belong to different people. They all had pictures of Neil on them. Some he had long hair, short hair, an unfortunate buzz-cut. He wore a beard in some, the baby face of a teenager in others. “You aren’t the only one I’ve lied to. Don’t think you’re special.” Andrew snapped the IDs with angry force. Neil took a deep breath, knowing the last memories of his mother were buried in the face of Christopher Hart, snapped in half, just like that. He continued searching through his wallet. Deep into the card pockets of the tattered leather. He didn’t look up when he heard Andrew drop the scraps of his identities on the ground. Neil found what he was looking for and threw it again, across the space separating them, it clattering by his feet. “If my mom found that she’d have killed me herself. We ran so she could protect me. I made that so much harder on her by meeting you.” Andrew inspected the card he’d been thrown. An under-eye twitch and a slow inhale accompanied his realisation. “You want to hate me for what she made me do, fine, but it was inevitable. You were never going to be the reason that made us stay.”

Neil had given Andrew something he couldn’t bare to part with. His old wallet stayed buried deep, deep in his belongings, so well hidden his mother hadn’t even known it existed. He usually kept his current IDs on his person, and never in a wallet. It was a ticking time bomb, but Neil needed something. He needed a reason to feel, and if that was the memory of the good day his mom had had when they finally showered after weeks of baby wipes and deodorant, it was something to hold on to. Neil had to stay grounded in some sort of reality. He was on the run, sure, but the people he met, the things he’d done? They were real. It hurt to see those memories snapped on the ground like trash, but Andrew didn’t snap the memory he held in his hands.

Andrew held the library card of Stefan Montgomery. It had a faded black and white photo on it, scratched out with time. He had begged the librarian to let him have the card without taking a picture, but she had insisted it was necessary so people didn’t have more than one. In the photo was a scared little boy, a gash on his cheek, with crispy curls and a skinny face. Neil remembered walking to the library when he couldn’t find Andrew, taking out books to help him learn any of the languages he needed to know. The library in Oakland taught him about the history of Spain, and the culture in France. There was something about Stefan that Neil didn’t want to forget. He’d kept that library card safe as if it were a lifeline, like he knew it would come in handy some day.

And then Andrew threw it across the empty parking lot like a frisbee.

“She didn’t see anything.” Neil tried, as if it would help. “We left because I made a friend. Not because… you know.”

“I was not your friend.” Andrew stood up and put a cigarette between his teeth. He lit it, one puff, two puff, three puffs until it burned red. “I was never your friend.”

“You were.” Neil struggled to stand up and join him. “Don’t lie to a liar.”

“You remember it wrong!” He took a short drag and flicked ash as he spoke. “You were a toy to play with when there was nothing else to do.”

“You could’ve went home.” Neil took the cigarette from Andrew’s fingers. “But hey, I wasn’t the only one who needed to escape heavy hands, right?” He pulled the smoke into his lungs and breathed out before flicking the barely smoked cigarette away. “You were my friend. You had Stefan killed because I cared about you when Stefan wasn’t supposed to care about anybody.”

“Be quiet.” Andrew pulled another cigarette from the packet and squared up to Neil who was standing so close he could feel Andrew’s breath hot on his face. “You didn’t care.”

“Are you listening?” Neil spat again, the heat of the cigarette having hurt his cracked lips. “We left because of you. Because I let you in, and I’m sorry you were collateral damage in our war against the world but fuck, we didn’t have a choice. Do you think I wanted to leave? I was going to leave you a note, but she wouldn’t leave my side until we were in another city and Stefan was just another name in the pile. Fuck you if you don’t want to believe that. I don’t owe you an explanation but you’ve got one anyway. Tell me to leave and I’ll go. Tell me you understand and I’ll go, Andrew.”

“I waited for you.” Andrew exhaled honestly through cigarette smoke. “Every day! The fourth day I tried knocking on the door of your motel room. Fifth day a random couple opened the door and I knew you weren’t coming back. Why should I give you another chance, hmm? When you so easily could run away before, who’s to say you won’t do it again?”

“I’m not asking for another chance,” Neil head was pounding. He felt like he could pass out, his ears ringing and body jittery. “I don’t know, maybe I’m asking you to remember what I meant to you.” Andrew pursed his lips at that. He was struggling to keep his composure, like the memory of before was chipping away slowly at this version of Andrew. He was holding himself together with twitches and small fidgets.

“I hate you.” He said, coldly. He had lit his cigarette and smoked through half of it before speaking again. Neil just stood, suddenly thinking about if Kevin were to find the IDs scattered on the floor. He didn’t even think he could lie to Nicky about that. He would pick them up in a moment, but he couldn’t afford to lose Andrew’s interest in the conversation. If Neil got distracted now he could ruin every chance he possible had at reconciling some sort of relationship with Andrew.

“I hate what the world has turned you into.” Andrew snorted a laugh at Neil’s dramatics.

“Oh, you are a pipe bomb.” Andrew started to walk away, but when Neil grabbed his arm to stop him, in a quicker movement he had twisted Neil’s arm in some sort of self defence move that hurt. “You don’t have a right to touch me anymore. Keep your lying hands to yourself or I’ll break every one of your fingers.” He didn’t let go immediately.

“Do you miss it?” Neil searched Andrew’s eyes for something, anything. “Being vulnerable? Being comforted instead of being alone, blaming the world for your problems?” Before Neil could even think to keep going, Andrew had used his free hand to manoeuvre a knife from his arm bands and hold it up to Neil’s face.

“I dare you to keep pushing.” His words were casual, but a threat nonetheless. “Stop trying to control a life you left. I won’t be a scratching post for your mommy issues, runaway.”

“What did Jakub do to you?” Neil brought a memory out from the depths. As soon as the name left his lips, Andrew’s entire body hardened and his eyes turned to glass. He slashed a cut into Neil’s cheekbone without hesitation and proceeded to let go of his arm and jam a thumb into the fresh wound. “Why did you spend your childhood alone in a playground?” Neil spoke through gritted teeth.

“If you want to keep your fantasy alive I advise you to really shut up now.” Andrew pushed him backwards, a final squeeze in the gash as he did so. Even more blood dripped down his face. Andrew wiped his hands in his pants and picked up the ignored cigarette he’d dropped in the altercation. “You are going in circles. This is your last warning.”

“My mom nearly broke half the bones in my body trying to get rid of the memory of you.” Neil took his spot back up so close to Andrews face he could practically see every one of the pores in his face. He still had freckles scattered across his face, his skin soft, with faint acne scars here and there across his cheeks. “I never stopped thinking about you.”

“You should have.” Andrew threw his cigarette at Neil. “Make your choice. Run like you’re used to.” He looked him up and down one more time and turned on his feet back towards the club. Neil didn’t follow. He started to pick up the remnants of his past and he felt his nose ache in psychosomatic pain, remembering a nose-breaking punch his mother threw when Neil dared asked if they could stay. He spat again, still trying to get the salty taste out of his mouth. His hands were shaking so badly he could barely hold onto the shards of plastic evidence of who he used to. After picking them all up he had to stop, and sit down. He was afraid he was having a panic attack, and he couldn’t tell if it was because of the drugs still ravishing his system, or if it was because of Andrew. Maybe it was both. It probably was. He didn’t think he could’ve spoken the truth if he wasn’t high, but God, if he were sober it would’ve been so much easier to run. High Neil was emotional Neil, empathetic Neil, hurt Neil. He’d only had the experience of being really, genuinely high a few times, and every single time just reminded him how much he hated the feeling of being out of control. Of his nerves, his feelings, every fibre in his being misfiring and doing the opposite to what he wanted. His brain was begging him to feel the chemicals it was pumping out, but all it did was amplifying the aching feeling in his chest. He let out a noise that didn’t quite resemble a cry, or a sigh, or a grunt. It was a noise born from pain, a mixture of anxiety and heartbreak, maybe. He wasn’t sure what that felt like. Maybe this was it.

He tried to steady his breath and he stumbled across the empty lot. The booming bass from the music at Eden’s practically shook the ground as he walked, at least, it sure felt like it did. He stumbled as he reached down to pick up the library card so carelessly thrown away. It hurt him even more looking at Stefan, feeling this pang in his stomach that wished things could’ve been different. He didn’t think he liked Andrew like that, and being on the same team was just the destruction of a childhood crush. Neil tried to come up with excuses in his head to how Andrew felt, but it was obvious he had thrown Stefan into the bad memories pile a long, long time ago. Neil showing up again just ripped through Andrew’s closure, and knowing he had feelings beneath what he showed, he was probably hurting too. It didn’t seem like it, but maybe he was. Neil had put the ID away, and looked around. He had no real idea where he was, or how to get home. Before he knew it, he was sprinting away from the club, going nowhere, going anywhere but there. His head wasn’t in a place to decide that he should stay. He’s worth it. His heart raced at the thought of Andrew’s face, looking down at the long unused library card. He’s worth it. Neil couldn’t look back. He was wondering what Andrew was telling the others, and if they would believe him. He wondered if he’d told Nicky about Neil’s Idontknow sexuality, and that’s why Nicky thought it okay to kiss him. But he didn’t feel anything with Nicky. He didn’t look at anyone in the way he looked at Andrew. He ran and ran and ran until he’d sweat out the drugs, until his head was more focused on trying to breathe than it was on Andrew, and his mom. It took a while, and he was lost when he stopped. Unfamiliar streets, him a stranger in someone else’s hometown. Maybe that made things worse. This feeling was too familiar. Lost, lost, lost. Sometimes lost became familiar, became home. He didn’t think he could be un-lost again.

Part 3

#this is about older andy n Neil #so pls send an ask if u want more of them when they were young #cos I love Stefan + Andrew #Andrew minyard #Neil josten #andreil #tfc #aftg #the foxhole court #all for the game #andreil hc #just want ppl to read this bc I’m really happy with it :(

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veritemojo · 4 years

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you make my heart shake, bend & brake, andreil one shot

on ao3 | heyyyy I hope you enjoy this little snipit of something I've written. It's my first aftg piece so if you have some feedback that would be cool, but only kind and constructive advice allowed 'round these parts. thank you for reading, I hope you have a great day full of wins.

let's light ourselves up!

The lights pulsed, swimming colours of pink's and blue's, and sharp flashes of green's and purple's punctuated the beat. Andrew leant on his arms, hooked over the rail of the balcony, and looked down upon the dance floor. Glitter shimmered on the skin of the party goers, glinting and magic under the neon lights. And Neil was no exception. He was so easy to spot, it was almost funny. How a man who had tried so hard to blend in, had ever managed to, was beyond Andrew.

His arms were up straight above his head, swaying to the melody, curling and twisting with the music. Effervescent glitter shone on his cheekbones, his eyelids, his forearms. A few flecks had been dabbed on his lips. If his arms lifted high enough you could see some glitter on his abdomen. Sweat beaded on his brow and his upper lip, his neck glistening with it. Andrew wanted to lick it, to taste the salty tang of his warm skin.

His head was lulling back, eyes fluttering closed in a type of euphoria. Neil wasn't a drinker, and he wasn't one for any other type of intoxication. Andrew could only assume he was on some sort of energy trip of his own. His jeans hugged his waist, soft and worn from years of wear but tapered and fitting him just right. His t-shirt was just as threadbare, white and fraying at the edges, a flaking graphic on the front. His attire was so simple. And yet, he was so enticing, a mythical, enchanting being lost in a tune. Andrew couldn't take it eyes off him. But those damn boots, those black heeled boots made Andrew want to clench his fists and surrender everything he had at the exact same time.

Nicky had bought them for Neil, a gift to welcome him 'into the world of expressing yourself through clothing'. Neil hadn't seemed to understand what Nicky had meant, until he saw the boots that Nicky had produced from the cardboard box. His eyes had lit up and his cheeks had pinked, taking them with pure care and wonder.

They were a soft, black leather, pointed at the toe and with a block heel. 'Something subtle to ease you into it', Nicky had said. Andrew had glared at them. Neil had asked, quietly if they were his, if he could keep them. Nicky had to hold his breath to keep the tears from falling.

And now, they seemed to be Neil's favourite item of clothing whenever they went to Eden's. Andrew loved loathed them.

Andrew didn't particularly like crowds, too many foreign bumps and touches, it set his jaw to clench and his teeth on edge. But he felt drawn to Neil, drawn to the young man who seemed so enraptured and content in that moment, a soft grin lighting up his face. He seemed oblivious to the stares he got, regardless of their gender. Neil was an enigma for all it seemed.

And so, Andrew stood up from his table to push through the crowd, leaving Kevin and Renee to sip on their soda's and chat in peace.

He only had to push a little, the intoxicated mass seemed to shift easily with only a little guidance. It wasn't long before he was in Neil's vicinity, only a few knocks before he ended up face to face with his boyfriend. Despite seeming so lost in the moment, it didn't take long for Neil to clock Andrew was there, his present smile stretching into a beaming grin.

"Hey baby," he began, arms lowering and taking a step closer, but never ever touching unless Andrew said so. His chest grew tight. "Whatcha' doing out here?" he asked, voice having to carry a little for Andrew to hear him over the heavy bass. He tried to ignore the thrum of his heart over the pet name. He couldn't let Neil know how much it knocked him for a loop every damn time. He would enjoy that too much, and then never let up. He was annoying like that. His hips still subconsciously dipped to the beat, a kind smile still painted on his lips.

Andrew didn't answer with words, but he took a deliberate step even closer, close enough that their foreheads rested against each other. He saw Neil's lashes flutter for a moment, affection rouging his cheeks. Or maybe it was the heat. Neil didn't move to touch him anywhere else, just leant against him where Andrew had initiated the contact. Seemingly content, he began to make little shuffles, little sways from side to side with the melody. Andrew's body followed him without thought, breathing in.

Neil smelled of sweat, a musky boyish smell, deodorant and something sweet. His breath was warm on Andrew's cheeks as they swayed. Neil brought his hands up to bracket Andrew's head, never touching but an invitation. He waited patiently. Andrew nodded, mouthing a 'yes', so as not to have to shout over the music.

Neil rewarded him with another secret smile, his fingers finally coming to thread through Andrew's hair, gentle and light. Never clutching, or demanding. Andrew tried to supress a shiver when Neil let his nails lightly run over his scalp, but they were so close and touching, he knew Neil felt it. He felt a groan in his chest but clamped down on it. His head nodded forward of it's own accord, their noses bumping. Neil grinned.

Neil's fingers threaded through strands of his hair at the nape of his neck, playing and soft. Andrew's chest grew even tighter. Neil began to hum under his breath, along with the melody. Andrew wouldn't have been able to tell if he didn't feel the vibrations through where they connected to each other. Andrew breathed him in once more.

Neil's mouth began to shape around the words, singing with the artist and nudging his nose with Andrew's playfully. Andrew lifted off only to ask into Neil's ear, "holding your waist, yes or no?". Neil's nose scrunched up with his shining smile, nodding while shouting a "yes", back in Andrew's ear.

Andrew wrapped his hands around Neil's ridiculously, stupid tiny waist and pushed down the want to clutch onto him forever.

"Can I kiss you, yes or no?" Neil asked, gaze darting from one to the other of Andrew's eyes, waiting ever so patiently for an answer. Andrew took stock of his surroundings for a moment, taking his time to make up his mind. He didn't feel threatened, the other clubbers seemed to keep their distance, he hadn't felt a jostle from someone except Neil for a while. It was a docile space in that aspect, most people too busy kissing themselves, or so caught up in the music they didn't bat an eye.

Neil was so warm, almost hot under Andrew's fingers, expression open and doting. His lips waited, a small smile tugging at the corner gently. They were pink and plump as always, waiting, waiting, waiting...

He felt safe with Neil, he felt secure. It had taken a while for them to get there. It had taken time, and patience and growth. It had taken multiple sessions with Bee, discussing the 'ins-and-outs' of a healthy, balanced romantic relationship. It had taken communication on both sides, peeling back the gnarly stuff and healing what was there.

That didn't mean they didn't have their rocky days, didn't have the days where either Andrew felt an itching and crawling under his skin he couldn't scratch or dispel, or that Neil's skin felt pull too tight and taught over his bones. They still asked yes or no, no matter what. But it had become simpler, less burdened, less heavy when it came to the casual stuff. The affectionate every day stuff. Though there were still days where a 'yes or no' would have to be asked for every little bit of contact. And that was okay. They were expanding and rising together.

So right here, right now, Andrew felt safe with Neil, felt safe with his boyfriend in a club with bouncy and grinding music. In a crowd.

He said yes. Yes, yes, yes.

Neil's answering smile was something that Andrew would have imprinted in his mind for years and years to come. Ever so gentle, ever so slow, Neil leant forward. Their noses brushed, and their lips hovered before finally slotting together in what Andrew was pretty sure was bliss.

Neil's lips were hot, beads of sweat there but Andrew couldn't care. They kissed. And kissed, and kissed, and kissed. Andrew coaxed Neil's mouth open, rubbing his tongue against his. He felt an expel of air from Neil, a hitch in his throat. The corner of his mouth threatened to twitch.

It was hot, it was wet and it was messy. Teeth sometimes clashed, though it didn't seem to deter them. Andrew just kept kissing, catching Neil's bottom lip in his to tug at with his teeth tenderly, sucking and soothing it with his tongue after. Neil did groan then, fingers flexing and combing in his hair with a little more gusto. The corner of Andrew's lips did twitch this time.

"Andrew." he murmured against his lips, kissing him again and again. Their hips moved to the beat subconsciously. Neil's thumb rubbed against his cheekbones, pressing even more kisses into his cheeks. Andrew's own thumbs found Neil's hips, stroking over them while he held him up firmly. Neil's glitter smeared abdomen quivered. Neil had often said how he felt he could lean everything he had on Andrew for support and that Andrew could take his weight and never falter. He could hold him up, always.

"Andrew." he whispered again, though this time close enough for his ear to catch.

"Yes baby?" was all Andrew asked. He felt Neil's reaction to the pet name rather then saw it. His knees buckled a little and he sagged slightly, if only for a moment, righting himself immediately after to stand straight with his cheeks aflame. Andrew quirked a brow, a tiny smile on his lips.

Neil shook his head with a grin, pecking his lips once more, quickly and flutteringly light. They moved together to the music for a few tracks, Andrew staring at Neil and Neil staring at Andrew.

"Home?" Neil questioned, with an incline of his head. Andrew nodded, allowing Neil to lace their fingers together and to lead Andrew back to the table. Neil threw him a beaming smile over his shoulder as they did. Andrew's heart clenched.

They came back to the table to find their team screeching at each other, falling over themselves laughing in an intoxicated haze. Dan shouted out that Andrew had some glitter on his face, with a smug grin as she wavered into Matt. Andrew stared at her, doing his best to ignore the smirking Neil next to him, who fingers squeezed his. Andrew squeezed back.

They'd only done this a few times, as a group, a full group of all the original Foxes. Andrew could count them on his fingers. But it had started to become something a lot more frequent, a lot more common place, that they would all pile into cars for a night at Eden's. It might have been because every single time they were all together in that shadowed room with the thumping music, around a table and all of them squawking about Exy, Neil would get this particular look, a particular smile, that Andrew found himself wanting to see, over and over again.

He found himself surrounded by a lot more Foxes then usual recently.

Kevin and Renee remained on the side-lines, smiling at their friends as they were still just as sober and Neil and Andrew. Kevin had been sober for two months, now a part of the soda can clan with Neil and Renee. Andrew could still see the first night of Kevin's sobriety crystal clear.

The air was humid and vibrating with bass as they screamed their usual at Andrew over the music. Neil hovered by his side, hip cocked and gaze wandering as he did. It was only when he got to Kevin, not even pausing to look at him because he knew his order by heart, that Kevin spoke up.

"I'll-I'll just have a soda, thanks." he shouted, his cheeks rouging red as he spoke, his fingers getting fidgety as Andrew stared at him. With a serene smile, Renee took Kevin's hand, lacing their fingers together with a squeeze of support. Kevin blushed even deeper, a timid, albeit satisfied smile on his lips.

Allison reached over to pinch his cheek gently, before dropping her arm back round Renee's shoulders.

Matt beamed, slapping Kevin on the back in comradery.

Dan reached over to fist bump, a proud smile aimed right at him.

Nicky started to well up, clutching at his own cheeks in containment.

Aaron shrugged, but held Kevin's gaze.

Neil smiled at him, with an incline of his head.

Andrew nodded, before pushing off the table top to lead Neil back through the crowd.

They leant against the sticky bar together, sharing short pleasantries with Roland who seemed rushed off his feet but still had a few moments to throw them a winning smile. Neil remained silent, chewing on the side of his thumb as they waited.

"We should have done more." Andrew croaked out after a few minutes, leaning his weight on his crossed elbows, which rested on the bar top. Neil turned to him, a thoughtful purse of his lips pulled before he answered. Andrew knew Neil knew what he was getting at. He always did.

"Maybe." he admitted, gaze far away as he pondered. "But thinking like that won't do anything now." he reminded Andrew, fingers tapping. "We need to focus on what's going on now. And what's going on now is, Kevin wants a soda. So we'll get him a soda." Neil finished, a small smile turned Andrew's way. Andrew knew what he was getting at. They had all had a lot of growing to do, and things were far different to what they were a few years ago. And yes, they should have been more responsible, they should have looked out for Kevin and his need for drink the same way they did for anyone else.

But things had changed now, Kevin had changed. He was getting sober, was taking conscious action to stay clear. The here and now was what they needed to focus on. And after all, Andrew didn't believe in regret. It was stupid, and a waste of time. And so, he nodded at Neil's words, and waited for Roland to laden their tray with drinks.

Renee had pilled up her lot into Allison's car, following Andrew to the Columbia house through the night fallen streets. Lights flashed past the windows as Neil reclined in the passenger seat, their interlocked fingers resting on the console. Kevin was keeping a nattering Nicky company, will Aaron dozed on his other side, head resting on Kevin's shoulder. Neil took a picture, sending it off to Katelyn.

Katelyn took seconds to reply with streaming heart emojis and wishes of being there, if only she didn't have a family gathering to attend. Andrew was starting to become a little wary of Neil's And Katelyn's budding friendship. It smelt like trouble.

Getting them all into the front room hadn't taken too long, the sober ones yanking duvets and pillows out from the cupboards to set up make-shift beds for the team. Allison whisper-shouted for her girlfriend to hurry up and join her, waving her arms about as she lay amongst a sea of blankets and cotton. Renee chuckled, quick to grab glasses of water for everyone before falling into the arms of her taller, and a lot drunker girlfriend. Not that anyone didn't see that coming from a mile off. Dan won 200 bucks that day.

Andrew nodded to the back door, Neil smiling at him and following through the sliding doors. Andrew lit up, shaking one out for Neil who declined, both of them sitting to perch on the end of the porch.

It was late, or early? The skies had began to light up as night turned into day, inky indigo lifting into a baby blue. The air was cool, but the winds still as they sat. Andrew watched as the grey smoke from his cigarette curled up, dissipating. It wasn't long in companionable silence until a slither of the sun shone over the horizon. A vanilla swirl of orange bursting skies shot out, rays streaming up as it bled seamlessly into the blue. They sat there, watching the Earth do it's thing in even more silence.

Neil beginning to shiver broke the spell, Andrew letting out a long sigh once, before pulling off his leather jacket to sling over Neil's shoulders. Neil blinked at him a few times, ice blue eyes wide with surprise. Like a damn deer caught in headlights.

It was oversized on Neil, swamping him a little but by God, wasn't it the most gorgeous sight Andrew had ever seen. Neil - with dried sweat on his forehead and rogue glitter everywhere, smudged. His lips were red and plump, kiss swollen and chapped from the cool night air as the sunrise lit up his face in a golden glow. The leather jacket sat on his shoulders, though a too big and stretched. Andrew loved hated him the mere sight of him. And those damn boots...

"337 percent." was all Andrew grumbled, turning his gaze away when the start of a warm smile threatened to lift Neil's lips.

Neil shifted closer with a quick 'yes or no', head resting lightly on Andrew's shoulder. The striker let out a soft sigh, legs swinging as Andrew smoked. Andrew pressed a kiss into the crown of his head. It wasn't long before the sun had began to rise higher into the sky.

#tfc #tfc fanfic #the foxhole court #the foxhole court fanfic #aftg #aftg fanfic #all for the game #all for the game fanfic #andreil #andreil fanfic #kevin is sober and appreciated 2020 #mine #my writing

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teen-content-queen · 4 years

Text

I’m Nothing

Fandom: AFTG Ship: Neil x Andrew Synopsis: Neil gets hit on and Andrew doesn’t like it.

Read on AO3

Eden’s Twilight was busy, the usual Friday night crowd intensified by a local concert that had gotten out around the time they’d gotten into Columbia after their game. From the sidewalk outside, Neil watched Andrew and Allison’s cars swing around the corner as they went to find parking.

“Neil?” Dan called out, looking for him as the rest of the Foxes disappeared into the bar.

“Right here.” He said, turning back and following her and Matt through the door.

As soon as they stepped inside, Neil spotted Aaron at the bar with Nicky, chatting with Roland as he poured drinks, arranging their usual order across two trays. Neil gave him a head nod before looking towards the tables nearby, where Kevin, Renee and Katelyn were watching the group before them clearing out their stuff to move on to the next bar.

Katelyn may be a bit annoying, but Neil admired her ability to spot a table and sink her claws in. He watched her eye a rowdy group of women that Neil assumed must be a bachelorette party and cut them off at the pass with a steely gaze. Satisfied, Katelyn and Renne quickly took their seats while Kevin continued to eye the crowd. Neil, Matt and Dan arrived at the table just as Aaron and Nicky returned with the trays.

“There’s a shot and a soda for you Neil.” Nicky said, eyeing Neil with a curious look. Neil just gave him a nod and took the soda, leaving the shot behind. He wasn’t in the mood tonight. Nicky let out an exasperated sigh and took the shot himself, chasing his own with the brown liquor.

Neil took a seat on the far edge beside Matt, and listened to Matt and Nicky discuss the DJ’s music taste. A quick look down the table showed him that Dan and Kevin were already discussing the outcome of their game earlier that night. They’d won by 3 goals, but Neil knew from Kevin’s grumbling in the car that he wasn’t satisfied with the defensive line and by the look on Dan’s face, he wasn’t afraid to tell her so. Across from them, Renee and Katelyn were chatting away about something on Renee’s phone while Aaron watched them with only the faintest glimmer of interest on his face.

With the trays cleared, Neil made quick work of collecting the empty glasses, stacking them up and carrying the whole mess back to the bar for the next round. When Roland saw him coming, he held up a finger, letting him know he’d come over as soon as he could. The same bachelorette party from before seemed to be hoarding his attention at the moment.

Neil found a small opening to slide the trays across and tucked himself in, ready to wait out of the flow of traffic. He looked towards the door, wondering where Allison and Andrew were before remembering the concert. Parking and traffic would both be a nightmare. He made a mental note to ask for extra shots for both of them.

In his distraction, he hadn’t noticed the guy next to him staring until he finally turned back towards the bar. The guy was probably in his late 20s, his dark hair cut short and dark stubble groomed in a way that suggested it was intentional instead of just a lazy afterthought. He looked a little out of place at Eden’s but here he was, watching Neil.

At this point Neil was used to the looks. Between Exy and the scars across his arms and cheeks, there was a lot about Neil Josten that garnered attention. He looked at the guy now, quickly realizing his gaze wasn’t like the starstruck looks he got at Palmetto or the curious eyes that traced his scars whenever he went somewhere with the Foxes. This guy wasn’t looking at Neil like that at all. Before Neil could decipher it, the man was talking to him. Because of the music, Neil had to lean in closer to hear what he was saying.

“Cool scars. I guess you like it a little rough.”

Neil pulled back a little to look at the man, noticing now the slight grey flecks in his stubble. Neil cocked his head to the side, not sure he’d heard the man correctly. Sure, he’d been hit on by Nicky a few times in his first year at Palmetto, but those had mostly been jokes and before then Neil had done such a good job of blending in that no one had ever thought to hit on him, let alone a stranger in a bar. The man must have mistaken Neil’s confusion for curiosity though and leaned in again.

“Can I get you a drink?”

Neil shook his head, thinking about the nearly full soda he’d left under Matt’s protective eye at the table. He eyed Roland down the bar, but the bachelorette party was still holding his attention.

“Ah come on, don’t be shy. I’m a nice guy.” The man said, leaning in so close now Neil could smell his cologne and the faint hint of cigarettes.

“I’m fine.” Neil said, words soaked in their usual indifference. He pulled his gaze from the guy and looked back at the bar, hoping he’d get the hint and give up. Apparently, Neil wouldn’t be so lucky.

Instead of moving onto another prospect, the guy turned from the bar towards Neil, pushing his weight into Neil’s firmly planted frame. By now, Neil had gone from confused to annoyed, sliding far enough away that he could no longer feel the guy’s body heat through his shirt.

“If I can’t get you a drink, how about a dance?” He asked, a little bite to his question this time. Neil ground his teeth together.

Roland finally closed out with the bachelorette party and was moving towards Neil when he noticed the guy next to him. Neil could tell he sensed something was off, because he distinctly made out Roland’s lips saying “oh God no” as the man put a hand on Neil’s shoulder in an effort to force Neil’s attention on him.

Before Neil could do anything though, a hand reached out of the crowd for the guy’s elbow. Black bands covered his forearms, but Neil could still see the muscles underneath flex as the hand gripped the elbow and yanked it off of Neil.

“You shouldn’t touch things that don’t belong to you.” Andrew said, voice emotionless but fingers still tight around the guy’s arm.

The man looked from Neil to Andrew with a guilty and horrified expression that would have made Neil laugh a little if he wasn’t afraid of Andrew dislocating his elbow. Neil gave him less than a cursory glance before focusing on Andrew. Andrew finally tore his gaze from the guy to look at Neil.

“I’m fine.” Neil promised, answering the unasked question.

He watched Andrew give him a once over and then turn back to the man beside them, dropping his elbow and watching as he skittered off into the crowd and away from them. When he’d disappeared, Andrew looked at Neil, expression back to a placid indifference but Neil could see his hand still clenched at his side.

“I’m fine.” Neil said again, softer this time but knowing that Andrew would hear him.

“200% Josten.” Andrew said, flicking an irritated glance towards the dance floor where the guy had disappeared to.

Neil rolled his eyes.

“That was not my fault. I’m stupid, remember? How am I supposed to know when a guy is flirting with me?”

“201.” Andrew replied, but Neil could see the smallest smile on his lips. Neil let his hands hover above Andrew’s still balled into fists at his side. Andrew looked down at them and back at Neil.

“Yes or no?” Neil asked.

“Yes.” Andrew said.

With that, Neil took Andrew’s hands in his, soft despite their callouses. Without breaking his gaze, he gently uncoiled Andrew’s fingers, smoothing his over the half circles Andrew’s fingernails had dug into the pads of his hands. Interlocking their fingers together, Neil gave Andrew’s hands a small but firm squeeze before dropping one hand to turn toward the bar where Roland was busy filling their trays with drinks.

“An extra couple shots please.” Neil told him. Roland nodded.

“Already taken care of. Sorry about that Neil. If I’d seen him, I would have come over sooner.”

Andrew was still looking at Neil, and again Neil squeezed his hand.

“I’m fine Roland.”

Andrew huffed at his side, about as tired as his teammates of hearing Neil say his standard catchphrase. But their drinks were ready and Neil had to drop Andrew’s hand as they both took a tray and headed for the table.

When they got back, only Kevin was left, the rest of them off on the dance floor. Neil spotted Nicky and Renee on the outer edge, jumping and flopping around while Katelyn and Aaron had gotten swallowed up by the crowd ahead of them.

Kevin looked up, head buried in his phone. Neil saw the USC Exy game on his screen.

“How’s the game?”

“Trojans are up by 2. Jeremy is on fire.”

Andrew shifted next to Neil, pressing their thighs together as he picked up a glass from the tray in front of him and leaning into Neil’s side a bit. He stayed like that the rest of the night.

By the time they left Eden’s a few hours later, USC had won the game and Nicky had managed to lose part of his outfit on the dance floor. For the most part though, they were all in one piece and parted ways as they approached the cars, parked next to each other in spots that Neil would not have considered legal but knew better than to criticize.

Renee took Allison’s keys and piled her bunch into the car, taking Nicky along so that he’d make his early morning flight to Germany, wishing Andrew’s lot a safe trip to their place in Columbia before hitting the road back to Palmetto. Andrew climbed in the passenger side and was already situated with his seatbelt on when Neil opened the driver’s side door.

The trip back to Andrew’s place in Columbia was quiet, as Kevin had passed out immediately and Katelyn and Aaron spoke only to each other in hushed tones next to him. When they pulled into the driveway, Aaron and Katelyn had made their escape inside quickly as Andrew woke Kevin and the three drifted into the house. Kevin gave them a mumbled send off as he disappeared into Nicky’s room, shutting the door behind him.

Neil could hear the sink running in the bathroom upstairs, Katelyn’s giggled drifting through the quiet house, and let Andrew lead him to the kitchen. Pulling out two glasses from the cabinets, Neil filled both with cool water and placed one in front of Andrew, not caring about the glare he got for his efforts. Instead, he sipped on his own and stared off into space, ears still ringing from the bar.

His gaze was on the clock on the stove, the bright digits reading 2 am, when Andrew finally spoke.

“You ever say I’m fine again and I’ll cut your tongue out myself.”

Neil couldn’t help himself, finally looking at Andrew to answer,

“But you like what I can do with my tongue.”

Andrew just watched him, expressionless.

“202 Josten. And only getting higher.”

“If you kill me, what will you do to keep yourself entertained?”

Andrew almost smiled at that and Neil took it as a victory.

“Not almost get in bar fights every time a guy looks at you for starters.” Andrew said, flicking a hand as if swatting away some invisible gnat.

“But I’m nothing.” Neil said, pleased with himself for the callback.

“And I want nothing.” Andrew said, flipping the script on him. Neil almost choked on his water and set the glass down with shaky hands. Andrew stepped around the counter so that his chest was almost flush with Neil’s.

“Yes or no?” He asked.

“Yes.” Neil said, voice a little higher with shock and anticipation. Andrew wrapped a hand around the back of Neil’s head, grabbing onto a fistful of hair and dragging his head down to meet Andrew’s, lips crashing together.

#aftg #neil x andrew #the foxhole court #andriel #fanfic

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