#kegstand the cat

[hucklebucket]

Nancy Drew + the Sims

[scarletslippers]

National Take Your Cat to Work Day

Did I write this when I was supposed to be working? Maybe.

“Ace, you cannot.”

“But it’s ‘take your cat to work day’! We can’t not celebrate that!”

“As much as I think that Beatrice would be at home amongst dead bodies, you know that a cat in that environment is asking for trouble. Connor tolerates many things, but that would probably break him.”

“What if I—“

“I don’t think there are enough smoothies in the world to make up for that.”

Ace slumps back into the couch, absently petting Beatrice who is curled in his lap. Nancy wriggles her feet further under his thigh.

“Unless…”

“Absolutely not.”

“Come on, it would be fun!”

“Define ‘fun’.”

“You wouldn’t be there alone all day. Beatrice could keep your feet warm. You’re always complaining about how drafty it is there.”

Nancy laughs. “And you think Beatrice is going to remain near me and keep me warm? More likely she’s going to take the opportunity to wander the halls and make friends with the ghosts.”

“Maybe she’ll run into Kegstand!” 

“I hate that you sound genuinely excited about that. And I can’t believe I have to say this, but two undead cats roaming Icarus Hall are two too many.”

“Hey,” Ace sounds offended. “Beatrice is not an undead cat.”

Nancy raises her eyebrows. “Mmm, isn’t she though? Which really, I don’t feel like undead cats would qualify for this holiday, so really she should just stay home.”

“Beatrice,” Ace croons, petting her head. “You’re not an undead cat, are you?”

They wait, given Beatrice’s notoriously chatty nature for a reply, but there is none.

“Beatrice? Tell Nancy that you’re not an undead cat.” 

Nothing. 

Ace looks up at Nancy in alarm, but Nancy just smiles. “Glad we finally agree on something.”

[kmagsy-moved]

psc secret santa here again! 🎅

thanks for your answer earlier! will duly keep all that in mind...

if you feel up to it, here are some more Qs--no pressure to answer!

why do you like kevin?

any favourite moments in particular?

how would you rate/rank his eras from fav to least fav? (mclaren, renault, haas pre-2022, sportscar, haas 2022?)

when i think of kmag, i think of aus 2014 and other insane drives--are there any #iconique moments you always come back to?

opinion on dts footage?

i tried to not talk to much but like... if im given the chance to talk about kev by god i will. tucking under the cut <3

oh fuck. where do i even begin. i really just feel like- as far as it goes in f1- he's just pretty grounded. like everything u see in his interviews is just 'this guy is here to race'. he is just some guy who wants to go fast !! and that means that he really feels so much more nonchalant and straightforward to me than other drivers. he does not give a shit just give him a car and let him go. also he's just so. ugh loving towards the people in his life. like he's pretty private but when he talks about his family it just is so <3 also just him being a wet cat introvert is so personal. he's just very contained and keeps to himself and idk its very endearing AND it makes the whole narrative of him being misunderstood and portrayed as this extremely aggressive driver compelling to me. do i get he was a little bitchboy yes however the whole people (esp in dts) acting like he's some bad boy is hilarious when hes just some lil guy. on a more shallow note: he is extremely hot and im so obsessed with his smile (the EYE crinkles!)

there are... way too many but i will try to keep it short and specific. i do love his stanley cup kegstand and the bit in truth or lie where a) romain says kev used pick up lines on him and b) kev talks about lying to his teammate all the time lmao. like.... 1:31 into the spanish test vid where romain is peeking at kev's board. suck my balls incident. fred vasseur giving lil laura a flower and kev playing with laura in his car after bahrain are also <33

favorite to least favorite: haas pre 2022 (romain and him <3), haas 2022, renault, sportscar, mclaren (minus his podium)

some obvious picks from this year: brazil pole, his fight with vettel in the usgp, and bahrain. 2017 singapore battle with ocon and massa is also super super sexy and honestly and his races in 2018 are also <3 but i really cant think of anything that matches the same level of Insanity as his pole and podium.

totally fine! its a treasure trove for kev content

sorry that was so rambling LMAO i hope u have a great week <33

[spectreshephard]

im so happy kegstand is alive and tempy can have her witch/cat familiar vibes

[goodobservationshirley]

You don’t need that candle, Bess. You need me.

[portmanteaurian]

“i’m afraid your cat is no longer alive”

“thank god…for granting him peace”

[izzielizzie]

Do you think Temperance was serious about not knowing who's doing the killings?

i mean, sort of? i think there are a lot of different levels here.

the first one is the scarecrow thing that kept popping up - and probably knocking on nancy's door. it's clearly an entity of some sort, and I think that's a mystery to both nancy and temperance. it was in icarus hall, and temperance was force to dispel it, so possibly she was telling the truth about not knowing it. keep in mind that there are still curses from the lock boxes in the historical society that haven't gone away. maybe this is one of them?

also, every single person who was targeted by the scarecrow was a hudson and i doubt that temperance is the type of person to attack herself.

as for the killings, i think that was temperance since the frat boy had no relation or interest in the hudson family, so it's unlikely it was the scarecrow. we don't know her modus operandi yet, so maybe freezing people's hearts and stealing them is just common practice for her? especially since she had kegstand's heart at the end.

[kittymsmithwritesstuff]

Legends at a party HC's?

Oooooh okay. For context this is like, general house party, there are alcohol and maybe some drugs idk. Last time I was at a party I got drunk and walked into a friend of a friend’s house barefoot to piss off his mom. Anyway!

Bloodhound: They’re vibing in the corner. They may not want to participate in much of the socializing except for a few people they know, but they do enjoy the energy that comes from being in a nice crowd; besides, they love to people watch and catch all the gossip. They are also getting progressively drunker throughout the night and without having moved a single inch will probably be more trashed than anyone else, though you’d never know.

Gibraltar: Grill/food master. If he’s hosting no one goes hungry or thirsty. Not hosting he’s the beer pong master and can totally bring the wallflowers into the open comfortably. Doesn’t even need a beer in him to leap into the pool off the roof.

Lifeline: She knows how to party hard; hard drinking and maybe some marijuana if she’s already messed up, but she hasn’t been like that since a couple years before she left Psamthe. She does like to drink, but usually she takes the time to actually relax and talk with people. Will spend all night playing card or board games and periodically runs around to make sure no drunk is stuck in a compromising position. If Octane is around, they’re yelling at each other over Crash Team Racing because they get into a big fight over who gets to play Luigi if they play Mario Kart.

Pathfinder: He likes to be helpful and pass around drinks! Actually a decent barman if Mirage programs the recipes right. Otherwise is kind of like the kid or the dog wandering around the party; people talk to him sometimes, keep their drinks or food out of disaster zone, and generally find him entertaining. Occasionally performs “move drunk person to more suitable area” duty.

Wraith: Like Bloodhound, but without as much drinking, nurses 3 appletinis through the whole night. More likely to watch people play video games than anything else. Will play solitare on her own but will readily join Cards Against Humanity and really enjoys listening to other people’s stories. Much livelier at smaller gatherings.

Bangalore: Knows how to party. Got her first working fake ID when she was 16 and has been going strong since. Doesn’t go as hard as she used to but will drink a lot and is honestly a riot to be around, very jovial though also combative. Spends most of her time chatting in circles of people and thinking up weird drinking challenges and is a great drunk chef. Overall a bit of a bro. Typically wakes up somewhere strange. Queen of kegstands.

Caustic: Keeps to the dark corners, rarely engages in conversation and is rarely engaged. Is actually courteous and polite per social convention. Smokes cigarettes on the porch and makes tiny sandwiches with the dinner rolls to eat with the dog whenever it wanders by. If there’s a cat, he will spend the whole time petting it. Leaves early.

Mirage: Per his modus operandi, is the life of the party if he can help it. Can get a little obnoxious sometimes, but mostly mixes really good drinks and makes jokes that aren’t as funny as the stuff he says when having a normal conversation. Is actually pretty chill if he doesn’t feel like he needs to entertain, usually doesn’t get too drunk and is the go-to guy to dissolve any disputes, which he’s surprisingly good at, but given he owns and runs a bar it really isn’t that surprising.

Octane: Jumps off the roof into the pool, takes a shot whenever someone mentions their ex, gets a bunch of knuckleheads together to see who can take the biggest bong rip then immediately stims to counteract most of the effects. Starts a game of truth or dare and comes up with the most creative dares and some unexpected truths that cause some genuine conversation. Will challenge anyone to a video game battle. Will not remember the night more than likely, but will remember it was awesome.

Wattson: Doesn’t drink but does have more soda than she’d usually allow herself. Brings headphones to block out noise or listen to her own tunes if things get too loud. Mostly makes rounds at the food table and will probably end up with the chillest group of folks that are there talking, gaming, or doodling. Probably DD if she came with friends.

Crypto: Drinks little, talks little, except when he’s gaming and talking shit during gaming. Probably got dragged there by someone else. Stashes food in his pockets at the end of the night. Mostly leans against the wall looking like the angsty cover for a punk band in 2005. Will think about flirting with someone but will chicken out and convince himself he can’t be bothered with all his bullshit. Has gotten in a shouting match over Uno because he forgets drunk people are stupid.

Revenant: If he is at a party he is after someone. Might eviscerate the dog. Will definitely break all the liquor because he’s a bastard.

Loba: Socialite, will get buzzed but mostly carries around a glass of wine and be a little too dressed up for the occasion. Prepared to deal with a drunk asshole that thinks she owes them something. Loves to dance and will probably be the one to start up a dance floor if no one else has. Flirts a lot, more than usual. Will always win Cards Against Humanity. Tries to keep track of who should really go home and organizes willing DD’s. Pays for pizza if it is ordered.

Rampart: Fun, happy-go-lucky party gal who wants to control the tunes and will dance, despite the fact she cannot, in any universe, actually dance. Somehow, that makes it better, and she’s a lot like Gibraltar in that she can move from group to group and really bring people out of their shells. Pure wild energy, but unlike Octane she has a stopping point. If she gets too drunk she gets very philosophical and will not remember anything she said the next morning, though it will have changed the course of at least someone’s life. Mixes a little bit of every alcohol together to see what it tastes like.

Horizon: If she’s not drinking she’s being the mom, making sure no one is too trashed, people are having fun, and stops arguments by directing people to do other stuff away from each other. If she’s drinking? She’s wild, but the enigmatic, charming wild that spouts off rousing speeches and sings old folk songs; also very silly and a little touchy-feely. You will be hugged. Is still hard to piss off, but if you actually manage to do it, run. Will fall asleep in a little ball behind a potted plant, and the dog will be cuddling with her.

Fuse: Laughing, rowdy drunk lad that wants to make sure everyone is having fun whether he is hosting or not. Will drink all of the beer. King of kegstands. Everyone’s fun drunk dad or uncle. Really not much too it; somehow doesn’t have a hangover.

Valkyrie: Brings the most expensive liquor. Generally a good all-arounder at a party, will do a little bit of everything. Get’s a little too rowdy sometimes but has a very high alcohol tolerance so it’s kind of hard to get her to that point. Will make fun of lightweights but respects people who don’t want to drink. Will find the greasiest restaurant possible after the party and take whatever people will come with her there to eat way too much.

Seer: Very fun and gracious as a guest or host. Avoids drinking because he knows that if he does, and especially if he does while Octane is there, he will go full dumbass mode and someone will break a limb. Will try to play someone at a videogame and will be so naturally bad at it that eventually he’ll get a win out of pity and leave afterward so he’s done on a good point. Best dancer there.

Ash: Won’t show up.

[gorgeoussimplehousecat]

honestly the biggest plot twist of the season was kegstand turned out to be just a normal cat

[platanchorsociety]

Just gonna throw this theory out there. What if the Frozen Hearts Killer entity is the person Temperance is trying to bring back?

This draws from some theories @voidsteffy and @nnon-but-cwnancydrew are putting out there but here goes.

We know Temperance Hudson has a daughter in Chasity Hudson. There is no indication Temperance ever married and the fact that Chasity has the last name Hudson suggests she was born out of wedlock (making her first name very ironic). It is unlikely Chasity is the person Temperance wants to revive on account of the fact Chasity is confirmed to have been alive in the time after Temperance's death as she stole some of Temperance's belongings (and possibly was in contact with her after her mother is believed to have died to pass them back to her).

But, forgoing a ritual creating the child, that means there was a man Temperance conceived a child with. Given that she was not married, it is most likely that she had a relationship with the man because she wanted to, either because he could give her something she wanted or she genuinely had feelings for him.

Now quickly veering onto Kegstand. When we first see the revived Kegstand, he has golden lights in his eyes. When the energy from Bess touches him, his eyes return to normal however this is brief as Kegstand's eyes are golden once more when Bess and Agent Park encounter him. This suggests to be that reviving even something small is unstable and requires large amounts of energy, energy Temperance Hudson doesn't have, energy even Bess doesn't have. I think it is noticeable that Kegstand goes for Bess the moment it can, suggesting that there might be a hunger for this energy and the recognition that Bess can provide it. The cat does not go for Park, nor seem to show him any aggression despite the fact Park arguably is a stranger in the house.

If we take the idea that a revived creature needs to continually take energy to remain stable, it would make sense that the entity in the hat is revived. Warmth is a sign of the presence of energy and therefore cold is a withdrawal of it. Maybe the freezing is just a side effect of it withdrawing energy and the rats were used as small meals to sustain itself while it was imprisoned. This would suggest someone attempting to revive a person would want to look for a large source of magical energy such as Temperance was doing at the time of her death. If the other Women in White realised Temperance was planning to use the energy to revive someone, it would make sense they would want to banish her given how potentially dangerous it would be.

But Temperance is a highly talented and resourceful woman who possesses a great knowledge of the supernatural. So why bother with the barrier at all? Why not go off to another supernatural location around the world in the almost 200 years since we was banished. Hannah talks of experts in Greece after all. If she really wanted the power, why not seek it out elsewhere. Unless of course the thing she wanted the power for was in Horseshoe Bay, such as a half revived lover she was forced to imprison beneath the town?

It would explain why the creature was in her house without attacking her. And her blood was what drove the creature away which would make sense if her blood was somehow involved in the ritual that revived the creature to that point. Furthermore the entity went after a wider enemy of the Hudson family before pursuing one who was antagonising Nancy specifically. Maybe Temperance sat it down and explained they needed Nancy alive and that led the entity to decide it could feed on the energy of Nancy’s enemies as well as Temperance’s.

Further evidence that I can’t fit into my paragraphs:

Temperance appears to have experience with resurrecting things as she can explain some of the process to Bess

Trott's memory suggests a female child visited the creature before Trott did (leaving behind the doll) this could have been Chasity and it was her, or one of her descedents that Temperance pushed Nancy out of the memory weave to hide

[godofsexdrugsandrocknroll]

Come As You Are

Blake: [To Sun] I still don’t think this is necessary.

Sun: C’mon, babe-a-licious, it’s perfect! You’re the life of the party!

Blake: *Raises eyebrow*

Sun: Okay, well you were the life of the party but that’s not your fault.

Yang: Yeah partner, it’s pretty hard to compete with [gestures at her body] all this!

Blake sighed, choosing to ignore that comment and glanced down at herself. They were at a “come as you are” party celebrating something (though it seemed like with the death of the Grimm Queen and the rapid downspike in Grimm activity, plus a collective loss of intelligence in the Grimm, that people didn’t need a an actual reason to party) and the theme was obvious.

So Blake had eventually caved to Sun’s pleas and was busy wearing what was effectively lingerie. A black bandeau top with a cartoonish hole shaped like a cat head (basically a circle with two triangles about where the ears would be) that left little to the imagination as to the size and shape of her boobs and a short black skirt, a studded belt and hanging from the studded belt was a black cat tail. Her ears were on display, she’d drawn whiskers on her cheeks and blackened the tip of her nose but she’d drawn the line at wearing cat paw gloves and slippers and had opted for a sensible pair of heels.

Sun had basically stripped down to a furry yellow speedo and a pair of flip flops and was carrying a bunch of bananas, his own tail swishing back and forth happily.

Yang on the other hand was technically wearing more but it hardly mattered. She’d somehow managed to fit her excessive curves into a skintight bodysuit that was somewhere between a leotard and a corset, her rump barely fitting in the back while Yang’s breasts were all but spilling out of the top. It was sleeveless, she wore no stockings as she was happy to show off her legs and she wore a pair of four inch black pumps and atop a head filled with lightly curled blonde hair was a pair of bunny ears. And as if to prove her statement right, Yang had had eyes on her all night, not that it mattered to the very taken brawler.

Three guesses what she’s was supposed to be and the first two don’t count, Blake thought.

Blake: Such modesty, Yang.

Yang: Pfft, modesty schmodesty. If you got it--

Blake: Let it all hang out?

Yang: *Snorts* You see anything hanging?

Sun: [Uncomfy] Hey, uh, isn’t Jaune supposed to be here? I mean you two did say you were gonna match outfits.

Yang: Yeah, well, lover boy changed his mind last second and refused to share with his loving girlfriend what he was doing.

Blake: You put him in a headlock and demanded he tell you again?

Yang: *Blushes* No! I haven’t done that in years!

Blake: *Waits*

Yang: [Sighs in defeat] I may have tried to smother him.

Blake:*Crosses arms*

Sun: With your--

Yang: With my tits. [Grumbles] I think I’m using them too much if he’s actually developing an immunity.

Blake: [Pleased] There we go.

Still, Blake couldn’t help but smile at the grumpy and still slightly red faced form of her partner even as Sun coughed and tried to pretend that he suddenly found something interesting about Oscar’s exaggerated farmer costume of heavy brown boots, heavy duty dark blue jeans and the black-and-red plaid shirt he had tucked into his jeans with the sleeves rolled up, one hand carrying an actual hay fork.

Blake looked around and saw Ruby in track shoes, track pants and a sports bra with goggles resting at her hairline. She was busy talking to a group of admirers alongside Weiss, who was in a smart pure white pantsuit with a pale blue blouse beneath that really was no different from her everyday wear as the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company. The only additions being a clipboard and a pair of fake eyeglasses to sell the look, her hair dun up in a bun.

Nora was wearing a horned helm of some sort, sleeveless chainmail that left her biceps open to admire and brown leather bracers on her forearms. She wore studded black leather pants that showed off an equally powerful lower body and furred boots. A red cape was tied around her neck and the young woman had Magnhild over her shoulder and was darting about excitedly, other partygoers ducking to avoid getting smashed over the head by the low hanging hammer.

Blake wasn’t sure what she was supposed to be, but the same went for Ren who wore poofy white pants, black flats (slippers? She didn’t know) and a green jacket that was similar to his first outfit, but he could hide his hands in his sleeves and rather than buttons, there was a length of white rope that tied it together. He was busily following Nora, trying to ensure she didn’t cause any brain damage in her hyperactive state.

Otherwise Neptune was wearing a toga and a golden circlet of equally golden leaves native to Mistral with strappy brown leather sandals. Sage was across the room wearing a ceremonial robe that was unfamiliar to the Menagerie born faunus with a wooden staff and Scarlet was both dressed as a stereotypical pirate and was clearly flirting with Yang’s uncle, who’d been lazy and added a small top hat and wraparound shades and was drinking liberally from a flask.

There were others they knew but the only others she could see at the moment were Fiona Thyme in what looked like wool footie pajamas and Maria Calavera in a hooded cloak, upside down and...doing a kegstand with two men near her age holding her feet, wearing what looked like a gimp suit, the other in slacks, suspenders, a bow tie and nothing else!?

Blake’s head snapped back to Yang who was staring, disturbed, at the same scene. Blake shuddered. Sun shrugged.

Sun: At least the old lady’s having fun.

Yang: Yeah. Kinda wished her fun didn’t make me wanna bleach my eyeballs though. [Grouchily and quiet] Where is he? I swear, if he’s skipping out on me...

Blake: I’m sure he’s just--

A ripple of laughter cut her off and Blake blinked, looked and--

Blake: [Disappointed] Late. *Big sigh* Oh boy.

Sun: [Breaks down into snorting laughter, turns away to avoid potential Yanger]

Yang: [Spins] What’s--

Jaune had arrived, but instead of whatever he’d agreed to wear with Yang he was wearing a large, stereotypical trash can around his torso with his bare arms moving awkwardly at his sides, his bare legs waddling slightly in the clanging and clunking costume. On his brightly grinning head was the top to the trash can, held in place by a strap that went under his chin.

Yang: [Sputtering incoherently]

Ruby: [Distantly] Yang, that’s so mean!

Yang: [Distressed] I didn’t--

Weiss: [Distantly] For shame, Yang Xiao Long.

Yang: [Upset] Nooo, it’s not--

Partygoer: Wow. Poor guy. [To his girlfriend] Please don’t ever do that to me. [Girlfriend hugs his arm]

Yang: [More upset] I swear--

Scarlet: [Finally looks over] *Squawking laughter*

Yang: [Even more upset] Stop, it’s seriously not--

Qrow: [Disappointedly] Firecracker. We raised you better.

Yang: [Can’t decide whether to cry or explode; pouts at Jaune while trying to glare] Baby, we talked about this!

Jaune: [Happily smiling] You talked. I ignored. Besides, everybody’s perfectly in character! Who am I to deny my nature!?

Yang: *Unhappy teakettle noises*

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dragonslayer’s probably my favorite RWBY ship, Black Sun’s leagues better than Bumblebee (IMPO) and I really couldn’t help myself here.

[the-magnificunt]

Is Temperance the heart thief?

SPOILERS FOR 3x1

The Drew Crew is going after a serial killer and we're all wondering if Temperance Hudson is the one stealing those hearts. Nancy doesn't seem to think so and her gut is pretty good (when not misdirected by a wraith), though at the moment, her reasoning is only supported by Temperance not having written the warning message on the wall and having saved the group at Icarus Hall. Considering that we don't yet know her motives, Temperance could easily be up to something where she needed the group to trust her/be alive for a little while longer.

CW for gross animal death

The writers gave us a big push in the "Temperance is a big bad" at the end of the first episode of season 3 when she used the heart of Kegstand the cat to do some sort of blood spell on a map (a locator spell?), and her using a heart pushes us in the direction of thinking she might be the one stealing hearts. However, her method of acquiring this heart actually points to her not being the serial killer. Temperance didn't freeze the chest cavity of Kegstand to get their heart, she cut them open. The heart definitely wasn't frozen when she took it out as it freely poured blood onto the map.

Currently, all signs are pointing to Temperance being on the up and up, but I certainly am not going to count her out yet as a danger. From what we know of her history, she seems to make choices based on what's best for her no matter the consequences for others, so I still worry for our precious Drew Crew whenever they're around her.

[gayshipsandanxiety]

KEGSTAND THE CAT

[acesnancy]

A cat named Kegstand lmao

[autumnsart22]

Oikawa x reader ch. 9

Holy shit, HELLA long chapter! I just got so excited for this one, I couldn’t wait until Sunday lmao. Hope you like it, it was definitely one of the most fun to write 🤪

I stepped out of the car, the smell of salt washing over me. The sun was high in the sky, baking and hot today--perfect day for the beach. Kiyoko slid out of the passenger seat after me, her sheer white coverup doing nothing to conceal her matching white bikini underneath. I wore a pink strawberry sundress over a high waisted baby blue bikini with matching sandals and sunglasses. 

Daichi, Suga, and Yamaguchi joined us around the side of the car, since we had all carpooled together. From across the sandy parking lot, I saw Tanaka pull in, his car practically shaking with the volume of his music. Noya sat in the passenger seat, totally vibing with it, while Asahi, Hinata, Kageyama, and Tsukki sat in the back; all of them except for Hinata looking immensely uncomfortable. 

When they joined us, we all walked together onto the beach, where at least a hundred people were already gathered. Beach volleyball was set up, music blared from an unseen speaker, beer kegs were scattered at random intervals, picnic tables were covered with snacks and food, grills were going, and people talked, laughed, and swam in the ocean. 

I was momentarily overwhelmed by the amount going on, but Hinata grabbed my hand, bouncing with excitement. 

“Come with me,” he said, practically dragging me away. I managed to grab Kiyoko at the last second, not wanting to be abandoned on the beach with a bunch of people I didn’t know. 

Hinata headed towards a large circle of people who stood around a massive bonfire, despite the heat of the sun. I recognized a few of them, but didn’t know any by name. 

As Hinata approached, a tall, broad boy with spiky hair and silver dyed tips turned around. “Hey! Hey! Hey! It’s the little orange!” 

“Hey Bokuto!” Hinata said, running over. “How have you been?” 

“Gooooood, Fukurudani is playing better than ever, so I hope you’re prepared to be crushed by my amazing spikes!”

Another boy turned around, just as tall as Bokuto with spiky black hair. “Keep it down Bokuto, you’re so loud.” He looked over, noticing Hinata. “Heyy, it’s Hinata. Kenma, look who it is!” 

“Kuroo, leave me alone, I’m busy.” Kenma, a short kid with longer hair and blonde dyed tips had his eyes glued to his phone, tapping on the screen as he played some sort of game. 

“Hey, I want you all to meet someone!” Hinata gestured wildly at me, and most of the people around the bonfire turned to look. 

“Hi,” I smiled. “I’m Y/n L/n. It’s nice to meet all of you.”

“Heyoo, I’m Kōtarō Bokuto!” Bokuto roughly slapped me on the shoulder, almost making me fall on my face. 

“Tetsurō Kuroo, nice to meet you.” The other boy with the spiky hair stuck out his hand, and I shook. He gestured to the boy with the longer hair, who still hadn’t looked up from his game. “That’s my boyfriend, Kenma Kozume. Sorry, he’s a bit rude.” Kuroo jabbed Kenma, who let out an offended grunt and gave his boyfriend a death glare.

“I have drinks,” another extremely attractive boy with black hair joined the circle, passing a few red solo cups around. When the boy noticed me, he gave a short nod. “Hi, I’m Keiji Akaashi.”

I quickly reintroduced myself, smiling and accepting a cup filled with what smelled like beer. 

“Can I have one?” Hinata asked, and I almost burst out laughing. Hinata drinking beer? Usually he only liked fruity drinks like white claws, or just avoided alcohol altogether, taking orange juice instead.

Bokuto laughed loudly, but passed Hinata a red cup. 

“You won’t like it, Hinata,” Kenma muttered, but the Karasuno first year seemed determined. As I expected, disgust twisted his expression as he took a sip and he handed it off to Kiyoko immediately. 

“Where do you go to school, Y/n-san?” Akaashi asked, turning to me. 

“Oh, I’m the manager of Aoba Johsai. They had practice today, which is why I came with Karasuno.” 

“OOOOOH she’s ditched them!” Bokuto yelled. 

“Keep it down,” Akaashi said, rolling his eyes.

Hinata poked me. “Y/n-chan used to go to Karasuno as our manager, but her mom forced her to transfer, which is why you haven’t met her before.”

I nodded, feeling a little uncomfortable suddenly. I didn’t want to face the question of my loyalty quite yet, because which team would I choose? Seijoh or Karasuno? 

Luckily, I managed to move the conversation away from myself. “Where do you all go to school?”

“Kenma and I are at Nekoma,” Kuroo said, ruffling the shorter boy's hair. 

“Me and Akaaaaaaaashi go to Fukurodani!” Bokuto pumped the air. He almost had as much energy as Hinata; how was that even possible?

Akaashi gave me a knowing look and passed a bottle of gin my way. I added a small amount to my now empty cup, thanking Fukurodani’s setter with a wide smile. 

“Heyyyy, anyone want to drink out of the beer keg?” Kuroo smirked, gesturing towards the large metal barrel a few yards away. Bokuto agreed instantly, and Akaashi decided to tag along. 

I tapped Kiyoko’s arm. “I’m going to join them. Do you think Hinata is fine?” 

The orange haired spiker was speaking wildly to one of the tallest guys I had ever seen, who had silver hair and green eyes. The tall boy had his arms crossed, looking down at Hinata from his immense height. 

Kiyoko nodded. “Yeah, that’s Lev Haiba, he’s friends with Hinata. I’m sure they’ll be fine.” 

“Ok, I’ll see you later, ok?” 

Kiyoko nodded and waved, turning to talk to Dachi and Suga who had just come to join the group around the bonfire. 

I turned, downing the gin in a quick, terrible tasting gulp, before hurrying to catch up with the three other boys who were headed over to the beer keg. 

Tanaka and another boy with a blonde mohawk were already taking turns drinking from it, seeming to be in a competition over who could handle the most. Kuroo began chanting for Bokuto to do a kegstand, a challenge which the Fukurodani captain accepted instantly. With the help of Tanaka and the mohawk guy (who introduced himself as Taketora Yamamoto), we managed to hold Bokuto upside down as Akaashi fed him the hose, which sprayed beer directly in his mouth. 

The entire group quickly collapsed, and Bokuto fell in a spray of alcohol which soaked his clothes. I began to giggle uncontrollably, and even Akaashi smiled.

Kuroo slapped Bokuto on the back. “HA, better luck next time! I bet I can do better.” 

This started a competitive round of keg stands, which didn’t end well for anyone. By the time it was my turn to drink upside down, everyone was already too drunk to hold me, so we just ended up falling in a tangle on the ground. 

“You look like you could use some help,” said a deep voice above me, and I looked up to see a serious looking boy with cropped olive hair standing over me. He extended his hand, and I accepted it, allowing him to help me to my feet. 

“Thank you very much,” I smiled. 

The guy nodded, his face expression blank. “My name is Wakatoshi Ushijima.”

I blushed slightly at his low voice, not sure what to make of him. “Um, I’m Y/n L/n.”

I blinked, suddenly realizing that he was only wearing swim shorts. Unfortunately, I was standing very close to his naked chest and stomach (which were ripped as fuck). 

Before my intoxicated brain could come up with the next course of action, I felt a hand on my shoulder. 

“Hello, Ushijima,” I looked over to see Kuroo, smiling blandly at the other boy. “It’s good to see you again.” 

“Ah, Y/n-san, I see you met Mr. Prissypants over here!” Bokuto flung his arm across my shoulders, not-so-subtly dragging me back from the olive haired boy. 

Ushijima narrowed his eyes slightly, but bowed to me. “It was a pleasure. I hope I get to see you again, Y/n-san.”

Without responding to either Bokuto or Kuroo, Ushijima turned and strode away, his back flexing as he walked. 

“You good?” Bokuto patted me on the back, and I almost fell. 

Instead I burst out into wheezing laughter. “Why was he so serious?” I gasped. 

Kuroo and Bokuto joined my giggles, hunching over and clutching their stomachs until none of us could breathe. 

“God-I-I need to cool off,” Bokuto finally panted, turning his gaze to the ocean. With a whoop, he took off at a run towards the water. Kuroo and I followed in suit, both of us tripping and falling as we slipped on the sand. 

It probably wasn’t the smartest idea to go swimming in the ocean when we were all wasted, but Bokuto was already waist deep, and Kuroo didn’t hesitate to follow him. I had enough forethought to quickly ditch my sundress on the sand before leaping into the waves, which quickly slammed my legs and almost sent me careening headfirst into the water. Bokuto and Kuroo were much taller than me and didn’t have any trouble standing in the large waves, but I was practically up to my chin. 

“Y/n-san, you look like a drowning cat!” Kuroo mocked. 

“Obviously that’s you, Mr. Nekoma!” I yelled, right before a wave crashed into me and sent me flailing back towards the beach. 

Bokuto and Kuroo were laughing, wading over to me and helping me back to my feet. Before I could blink, Bokuto splashed me in the face, making me splutter and gasp. When I partially recovered, I furiously splashed him back, starting a vicious battle which made my eyes literally burn from the saltwater. 

“You know, you’re chill Y/n-san,” Kuroo said. “I’m glad we got to meet you.” 

“Ohhhh yeah I agree! You’re definitely fun!” Bokuto agreed, and I grinned. 

“Thanks I--” Before I could finish my sentence, the captain of Fukurodani was easily scooping me up, holding me like a baby, before quite literally tossing me into the next upcoming wave. I spent at least three seconds in the air before I collided with the water and was swept under, tumbling with the sand and waves. 

I felt a hand on my arm, dragging me back up to the surface where I gasped for air and furiously spat out salt water. 

“Dumbass!” Akaashi was yelling at Bokuto, still holding my arm. “Clearly she’s too drunk to swim properly you idiot!” 

“Ah, it’s fine, I’m totally ok--” I tried to interject, but Kuroo gave me a “this happens all the time” look, so I let it go. 

By the end of his lecture, Akaashi turned to me. Poor Bokuto looked like a sad little puppy, and I gave him a pat on the shoulder. 

Akaashi said, “Want to get some food or something? It’s probably best if all of you get out of the water.” 

I nodded, still holding on to Fukurodani’s setter’s arm for support as we exited the water, Kuroo and Bokuto behind us. 

Oikawa POV:

After a lot of nagging and carefully worded pleas, I finally got Coach Nobuteru to cancel our Saturday practice so Seijoh could attend the volleyball club beach party. Apparently teams from all over Japan were coming, which made me practically buzz with excitement at the thought of mapping out potential enemies and showing off my own skills.

Iwa-chan and the rest of the team decided to go as well, all except for Y/n. According to our coach, she had a doctor’s appointment scheduled for that day, which was why she wasn’t able to make it to practice. I tried calling her to find out, but no one answered and it went straight to voicemail. Either she actually did have a doctor’s appointment, or she had gone to the party without telling anyone. 

The thought annoyed me a bit, because I knew who she would be going with: Karasuno. I knew it wasn’t my place, but it made me jealous to think of her with another team. She was Seijoh’s manager now, which meant she should be with me, not them. 

I had been absent minded all day because of it, causing Iwaizumi to smack me on the back of the head a few times after I didn’t hear when he was talking. 

As we stepped out of my car into the sandy parking lot, he said, “Dude chill. If she’s here, it’s literally fine. I don’t know what your problem is.” 

I ran a hand through my hair, huffing. “I know that! You’re the one with the problems.” 

Iwaizumi crossed his arms. “I’m going to get a drink.” He didn’t pause as he disappeared into the crowd of people, headed in the direction of one of the picnic tables loaded with different types of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. 

I tugged my shirt over my head, tossing it through the half-open window of my car, leaving me in only my gym shorts. I began to follow Iwaizumi, eyes scanning the crowd for a familiar flash of H/c hair. Instead, I was almost immediately swamped by fangirls, desperate to get a picture with me, or to have me sign their faces in permanent marker. 

What idiots. 

My fake smile appeared without prompting, and I humored them, laughing along with their comments and allowing them to snap a few pictures. 

“It seems you’re always the celebrity, Tooru Oikawa.” 

I turned slowly from the group of girls, muscles practically spasming in an effort not to punch Ushijima’s stupid, serious face. He stood a few feet away, arms crossed as he surveyed me. 

I forced myself to smile wider, giving a mocking bow. “That’s me. I just love the attention.” 

Ushijima started to speak, “You--” But I interrupted him, already done with the conversation. “I have someone I need to find, but glad we got to catch up. I’ll see you in spring nationals.” 

I pushed past him, not looking back as I headed further into the party. I scanned the crowds, spotting a few of the Karasuno players, recognizing Daichi Sawamura, Asahi Azumane, and Kōshi Sugawara. But Y/n wasn’t among them. Maybe she really wasn’t here after all, and had a doctor’s appointment like she said. 

Almost the second the thought had passed through my head, I heard a familiar laugh echoing from down the beach a little ways away from me. My head whipped around so fast that I felt my neck crack. 

Y/n-chan wore a baby blue bathing suit that clung to her body, water dripping from her hair and skin as she emerged from the ocean. Every thought flew out of my head as I gazed at her. Holy fuck…

But her arm was thrown around the shoulders of another guy, someone I didn’t know. He shook water from his dark hair as he helped her walk up the beach, his arm around her waist to keep her from falling. She was clearly drunk as shit--was he taking advantage of her? Or did she know him….

I stalked towards them, my fists curling as instinctual protectiveness erupted in my stomach. “Y/n--” 

I reached out for her, and suddenly I was getting shoved hard in the chest by another tall guy with spiky black hair who came up from behind them. 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” The guy asked in a low voice, glaring at me. 

“Hey! Who’s this?” Another guy with a loud voice and frosted tipped hair came up on Y/n’s other side, staring at me curiously. 

I took a deep breath and smiled widely. “I’m Tooru Oikawa. That’s my team manager you have there, and I’d like her back.” I reached for her again, but the guy with frosted tips smacked my hands away from her. My vision went practically white with anger. 

“Woahhh buddy, Y/n-san isn’t just an object that we’re going to hand off to a random stranger,” the boy said, only to be interrupted by a slightly slurred voice. 

“Oikawa? You’re here?” Y/n’s face brightened, making my heart stutter at how happy she was to see me. But then her brow furrowed in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

I laughed without humor. “Practice got cancelled, so the team came to the party.”

The guy with the black hair still had an arm around her waist. He turned to her with a serious expression asking, “You know this guy?”

“Yeah, Oikawa’s my...friend…” she slurred the last few words, clutching the boy’s arm as she tilted slightly. The other guy with the spiky hair quickly grabbed her other side so she didn’t fall on her face. He stumbled slightly as he moved, which made me think he wasn’t very sober either. 

“What the fuck did you give her to drink?” I snapped, fighting the urge to grab her again. “Woah, buddy, chill out.” Frosted tips laughed, his words running together. 

“Sorry,” the guy with the black hair grunted. “They’re all a little drunk.” 

My gaze fell on Y/n again, almost instantly distracted from the problem at hand by that dumbass bathing suit. I couldn’t get enough of her in it. 

“New girl--” I started. 

“What’s going on over here?” 

I turned to see exactly the opposite of who I wanted. Instead of Iwaizumi, or someone who would help me get Y/n away from these creeps, I saw the four Karasuno first years were striding towards us across the beach. Shōyō Hinata, Tobio Kageyama, Kei Tsukishima, and Tadashi Yamaguchi, all of them looking serious and angry. 

Y/n POV: 

Now was not a good time to be drunk. In fact, it was probably one of the worst times. I could barely keep up with what was happening as Hinata, Kageyama, Tsukki, and Yamaguchi approached. Oikawa (Oikawa was here!) stood a few feet away, arms crossed and a dark expression on his face. His hair was pushed back from his forehead, and he wasn’t wearing a shirt, exposing his toned stomach which was built with a lot more muscle than I would have expected from such a lean person. Damn. 

I became aware that I had an arm around two other shirtless men, Akaashi and Kuroo. The situation (me, drunk with a bunch of half clothed guys who were basically strangers) probably looked bad to Oikawa, which was why he had come over to help. I needed to explain but--

“What’s going on?” Kageyama said darkly, giving Oikawa a death glare. 

“Ah, my young prodigy, four eyes, freckles, and short stacks. Good to see you again.” Oikawa’s smile was arrogant and he put a hand on his hip as he glared at them. 

“It’s--” I tried, but Bokuto easily spoke over me. 

“This asswipe was trying to grab Y/n-san!”

Oikawa’s eyes narrowed, and I quickly unhooked my arms from around Kuroo and Akaashi, moving to the center of the circle of massive boys to try and calm them down. Unfortunately, I only succeeded in tripping. 

Oikawa’s arms came out so fast, it was as if he was expecting me to fall. He caught me around the waist, pulling me to his chest holding me tightly. My heart raced and I felt my cheeks heat up as my face was pressed against his skin, hands literally clutching his bare shoulders. 

The moment was ruined as Hinata let out an outraged cry. “Let her go right now, Great King!” 

I was yanked back yet again hitting another person’s chest as they pulled me away from Oikawa. I looked up to see...Tsukki? He was trying to protect me too? “Let her go,” Tsukki said, radiating arrogant hatred without even trying. His glasses flashed, and even I was intimidated for a moment. 

“Hey--” I tried again, but this time it was Kageyama who spoke over me. 

“She isn’t just some toy you can drag around,” he practically snarled. 

I felt a gentle hand on my arm, and looked over to Yamaguchi. “Are you ok?” He whispered. 

I nodded quickly, grabbing the boy’s hand and squeezing it. The fact that all these people were trying to defend me, even though they barely knew me or I didn’t go to their school anymore, made my heart swell. Even Yamaguchi, the sweetest and quietest person I knew, had come over to help. 

But Oikawa wasn’t a problem here. 

Kuroo stepped towards Oikawa, crossing his arms over his chest. “Clearly, you aren’t wanted around here. Go bother someone else.”

I watched Oikawa’s eyes turn lethal. He only looked this intense during volleyball matches, and now wasn’t the time to get into a fistfight. He was outmatched six to one, but he looked like he was about to punch Kuroo in the face.

“Yeah Great King! Get--”

I quickly lunged forward, interrupting Hinata and stepping between the two shirtless, towering boys who glared at each other with murder in their eyes. “Hey!” 

Oikawa looked down at me, his eyes softening slightly. “Chibi-chan…”

I turned to Kuroo and Bokuto, the second of which had stepped up to Kuroo’s side. I was now sandwiched between three different boys, my head barely coming up to any of their chins. I tried to ignore the number of bare chests around me as I spoke. 

“It’s ok, Oikawa is the captain of Aoba Johsai. I didn’t realize that Seijoh was able to come to the party today which was why I came with Karasuno, but Oikawa can drive me home.” 

Bokuto opened his mouth to say something, but Akaashi stepped forward, putting a hand on his arm. “Bokuto, it’s fine. She clearly knows him, and he’s the captain of Seijoh.” He turned to Oikawa, his face apologetic. “Sorry, we didn’t know who you were, and we didn’t want to give Y/n-san to a random person when she’s this drunk.”

“Hey!” I snapped. “I can take care of myself.”

Every boy around me, including Hinata, gave me a patronizing look. 

Bokuto laughed loudly sticking out his hand. “Well this is awkward! Sorry for almost punching you there. I’m Kōtarō Bokuto, captain of Fukurodani!” 

I sighed, but Oikawa nodded and shook hands with the other guy. “It’s a pleasure to officially meet you.” 

Kuroo and Akaashi also introduced themselves, but I was practically dying from the embarrassment of it all. How did they switch to being civil so quickly? Less than a minute ago, they all looked like they were about to end each other. 

Oikawa bowed. “Well, I think we’d better get going. Thank you for taking care of her before I got here.” He smiled, so wide and fake that I was shocked when no one said anything about it. Had he always hidden his true feeling behind those smirks and laughs, and I just never noticed? 

I quickly pushed the thought from my mind, turning to Kuroo, Bokuto, and Akaashi. “It was really nice to meet you guys. We should hang out again!” 

Bokuto crushed me in a hug, slamming me on the back a few times and knocking the breath out of me. “Hell yeah! Add me on instagram and I’ll send you my number!” 

Kuroo also slapped me on the back (what was with these volleyball players hitting so hard?!) and Akaashi promised to keep in touch. 

I hugged Hinata and Yamaguchi tightly. “Tell Kiyoko and Daichi where I went, ok?” They nodded both of them looking a little sad. I suddenly felt awful for abandoning Karasuno yet again, but I was the manager of Aoba Johsai. And even though I didn’t really want to admit it to myself, I wanted to go with Oikawa, outside of any duty as the manager. 

As I waved goodbye, Oikawa draped an arm across my shoulder and smirked at Kageyama. “I hope to see you in a real game, your majesty.” 

The tension spiked, and I tugged on Oikawa’s arm. “Let’s go, Shittykawa,” I snapped, practically dragging him away. 

“Ugh, Y/n-chan, you’re so mean! I just wanted to make fun of him a bit!” Aoba Johsai’s setter whined as we made our way across the beach, through the crowds of people towards the parking lot. 

I spotted Iwaizumi talking to two unfamiliar girls, and changed directions towards him. As we approached, I said, “Sorry to interrupt. Iwa, Oikawa and I are headed out. Do you have another ride?” 

Iwaizumi glanced between Oikawa and I, clearly trying to assess something. After a second he nodded. “Yeah, I’ll just get a ride with Kindaichi. See you later.” 

I smiled and thanked him, following Oikawa as he led me out to the parking lot. A few girls yelled Oikawa’s name from behind us, but he ignored them. 

I held onto his arm, still not feeling completely sober. And also, a small part of me wanted to silently declare that Oikawa was not available. Even though he didn’t belong to me in any way...but still. 

Seijoh’s captain stopped in front of one of the nicest cars I had ever seen, and I felt my mouth drop open as he pulled a set of keys to unlock it. It was a silver convertible, sleek and shiny, looking almost brand new. 

“Y-you own this?” 

Oikawa tried to hide a smile, but I saw pride in the lines of his shoulders and the curl of his mouth. “Yeah, I spent all my savings on it.”

I slipped into the passenger seat after putting a towel down so I wouldn’t get his nice leather seat wet, and Oikawa started the car, pressing the button so the roof smoothly rolled down. 

He glanced over at me, eyes flickering over my bathing suit, before he cleared his throat and looked away. 

“Here,” he tossed his shirt at me without looking. “You should put that on.” 

I glanced at the shirt. “Why?”

He muttered something under his breath that I didn’t hear, but before I could ask him to repeat himself, he connected his phone to bluetooth and started playing music. I rolled my eyes and tugged the shirt over my head. It was just a plain white Aoba Johsai shirt, but it smelled like him, and I had to resist the urge to sniff it like a creep. 

Instead, I pulled my wet hair up into a bun, leaning back in my seat as Oikawa pulled out of the parking lot. 

“Do you know the way to your house from here?” He asked, and I nodded. 

“Yeah, I’ll direct you.”

As we pulled onto the highway, “Why Do You Feel So Down” by Declan McKenna came on, and I lifted my hands into the open air. The sun blazed down and the wind whipped across my face, making a wide smile spread across my face. 

I began to scream the lyrics, most of my voice lost to the wind. Oikawa began to laugh at me, and I stuck out my tongue. 

“You’re so cute chibi-chan!” He took his hand off the wheel to squeeze my cheek, making me slap him and yell to look at the road. 

“I didn’t think you’d like this kind of music.”

“What?” He looked offended. “I like all kinds. What did you expect me to listen to?” 

“Probably something shitty, like your personality,” I scoffed, and he jabbed me. 

As we pulled up to my house, Oikawa smoothly parked next to the curb. 

“Here,” I moved to take off his shirt, but he waved me off. 

“It’s fine. You can give it back another time.” He eyed me, smirking. “It looks better on you, anyway.”

I blushed, reaching down to grab my purse in order to hide my face. “Thank you for driving me back. And also thank you for trying to defend me from the other boys, even though I can take care of myself. That was very sweet.” 

I turned to look at him, only to find him staring at me, head tilted and a genuine smile on his face. He shifted, and I felt all my muscles freeze as he reached out and grabbed my chin, running a thumb across my lips gently. 

“I’ll defend you whenever you need me to,” he said, and I let out a shuddering breath as he dropped his hand. 

“O-ok. Well I’ll see you Monday?” 

He nodded and waved as I hopped from his car. His shirt only reached my mid thigh, and I felt my face reddening as I made my way back up to my house. 

Oikawa POV:

I thought that seeing her in a bathing suit was bad…. 

Watching her walk up to her house wearing only my shirt made my heart pound so hard, I had to take a few deep breaths before I drove away. 

Chapter 8

Chapter 10 

[leahlisabeth]

And because you want to reach 100 aftg fics by the end of the year, which is so awesome! How about prompt number 11 "checking your phone late at night and see them go online the moment you open their message" for andreil. Hopefully that inspires you to write a little something :)

Thanks so much for prompting! After this, I have thirteen fics to go before I reach 100! My askbox is still open for prompts from this list or any other ideas you might have.  Just send me a scenario and a pairing! (I will also be taking mdzs/the untamed prompts even though they won’t count towards the 100)

Neil flopped into bed.  He was too young to be feeling so old.  All it took was an evening taking care of freshmen as they got their party legs to make him feel like he’d been alive for centuries.  First Jenny had done a kegstand when her only previous drinking experience was stealing the dregs of her mother’s wine coolers.  Connor had decided to play Never Have I Ever with Jack who absolutely did not play fair.  Frankie had somehow found a fifth of whiskey and made a valiant effort to drink the entire thing themself.  All three of them had been puking by the end of the night.

Neil could smell the sour scent of vomit hanging in a general aura around him.  He groaned and dragged himself up again.  He was never going to fall asleep if he didn’t take a quick shower first.

He slipped a little as he got out of bed and realized he had stepped on his cellphone.  He picked it up and pressed the unlock button but the phone was dead.  Andrew’s voice popped into his head, reminding him to plug it in and he fumbled for the charge cord before stumbling to the shower.

He only stayed in long enough to rinse himself off before giving himself a cursory rubdown and dragging himself back to bed.

As always, there was a moment right after lying down but before falling asleep where his bed felt big and empty.  They were already a month into the semester and Neil still could not get used to the feeling of going to bed alone.  Normally he could text Andrew or even call him after lying down to remind himself he didn’t have to be lonely, but it was already one o’clock in the morning and Andrew was playing an away game so it was three hours later where he was.

A lump formed in his throat and suddenly it was hard to breathe.  He fumbled for his phone and powered it up.  Even if he couldn’t talk to Andrew, he could at least scroll through old messages and see if Andrew had sent any photos of their new kitten.

He smiled a little when he saw Andrew had sent him three messages while he was out: first, a photo of tiny, fuzzy King Fluffkins perched on old, grumpy, one-eyed Sir Fat Cat McCatterson, second, a text block with approximately fifty knife emojis and one golf ball, third, a message saying, “if those children keep you up too late, murder is a valid option.”

Neil smiled, the loneliness of the room already dissipating at this reminder of Andrew’s steady presence.  As he stared at the messages, Andrew’s status changed to online.  Neil pressed call before he thought better of it; Andrew answered on the first ring.

Neil didn’t say anything, just enjoying the open line of connection between them.

“Yes?” Andrew asked.  Neil could hear the amusement in his voice.

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” Neil teased.

“Don’t be cute,” Andrew said.  “You know why I’m not.”

Neil sighed happily, enjoying the familiar sound of Andrew’s breathing in his ear.  “Me too,” he said.  “I missed you too.”

Andrew didn’t say anything else, his breath already evening out into sleep.  It didn’t take long before Neil followed.