Chapter Text
The gunshot came from nowhere. One minute they were jogging and the next minute
BANG
and all Neil saw was Andrew falling to the ground.
His heart stopped. He was incapable of doing anything. Blood was pooling around Andrew's unconscious body.
"Andrew.", Neil whispered.
Neil pressed shaky fingers to the wound, his hands coming back slick with blood. Andrew didn't reply. Why didn't he reply?
"Andrew," he whispered again, "wake up please." Andrew looked so vulnerable. He looked so much at odds compared to what Neil was feeling inside.
"Andrew wake up!", he screams this time.
Wake up wake up wake up no no no no no.
Neil couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. This obviously wasn't happening. It was another one of his nightmares he'd wake up from very soon. Andrew would be lying there next to him. He'd feel the pressure of Andrew's hand on his neck in just a second. That's all he had to do, last one more second and then he'd be fine. This was all a nightmare and he'd wake up in no time.
Only it wasn't.
"Andrew come on.", Neil couldn't even talk anymore. His voice was hoarse. His throat felt completely raw. Had he been screaming? His heart and head felt like minced meat.
He swept a hand through Andrew's hair, horrified to see the blonde streaking red at contact.
How was there so much blood? Why did this all feel so real?
"Andrew.", Neil whispered for the last time. "Please.", he said as he touched his forehead to Andrew's, knotted his hands in Andrew's now red hair, like he'd done a million times before, and closed his own eyes. Tears leaked from his eyes onto Andrew's. But they still didn't open? Why didn't they fucking open? Why wasn't he waking up?
Neil was unaware of the man who'd fled immediately on his bike after firing that shot. Unaware of the crowd that's gathered around them. Unaware of the fingers trying to pry him off of Andrew's body. Unaware of the ambulances and the police and the foxes.
Unaware of everything but the gaping hole in his chest. Of the darkness overtaking his mind.
All that mattered was holding on. If he could hold on to Andrew for just one more second he'd be up, annoyed at Neil. Adding another figure to the infinite percent Andrew had maintained for Neil. Kissing Neil and telling him he hates him. If this wasn't a nightmare, Andrew was definitely asleep. He only looked this peaceful while sleeping. If only he could hold on just a bit longer Andrew would wake up. All he had to do was hold on. Just hold on for some more time.
But Andrew didn't wake up. And he never would. But it was too early for Neil to accept that. He couldn't. He wouldn't. He was falling down a hole, one which he knew he'd never escape. Not without Andrew to pull him back out.
Time was like glass. Broken into so many pieces. Every edge pricked him and drew blood. He didn't know how he'd ended up in the shower. Didn't know how he'd reached home. His skin crawled but he felt completely numb. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, touched a hand to his face, and smiled.
The day Andrew Minyard died, Neil Josten died too.
Nathaniel Wesninski was back and he wasn't planning on leaving this time.
Nathaniel fucking Wesninski was back. And the world was going to feel his wrath.