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It was a complete coincidence that Neil found out about the event. He was in the library looking for some books for an upcoming research paper when he overheard a group of guys talking about it.
“Are you going to the blade show next month? I hear they’re auctioning off some antique knives this year.”
“Oh man, if I go I’ll end up broke. I have no restraint and no room to expand my collection.”
“C’mon dude, its boring going alone. I promise to be your self control. You can even leave your wallet with me as insurance.”
“Fuck no, you’d just spend my money yourself!”
Neil pulled the last of his required books from the shelf and made his way to the service desk. An ancient looking librarian scanned his pile with shaky but efficient hands. Then he was out the doors and on his way back to Fox Tower. The dorm was empty since everyone else had classes, so it was the perfect time to get his work done. Neil fetched his laptop and booted it up, but instead of opening up a blank document, he found himself launching google instead. Without giving it much thought, he typed ‘blade show’ into the search bar.
Neil clicked on the first result which brought him to a bold looking webpage with massive block letters and flames and buff looking men holding various types of bladed objects. After a quick read through, he discovered that the blade show was a one day convention-like event held at the beginning of October. The website proclaimed that anyone who loved swords, knives or other bladed weapons had to visit this show because it was ‘every blade enthusiast’s dream come true!’
Neil thought they were overselling it.
Still, as he scrolled through the archived pictures, Neil couldn’t help but think that Andrew would find it interesting.
Later that night, when Andrew sat beside him on the roof, Neil brought up the subject and asked him if he wanted to go. Andrew stilled and looked at Neil for a solid minute. For some reason Andrew appeared surprised by Neil’s question. Of course, Andrew immediately composed himself, and when he spoke it was to question Neil right back.
“You want to go to this show, just the two of us?”
Neil shrugged, “Only if you’re interested.”
“Why?”
Neil tilted his head. “What do you mean why?”
“Why did you ask me this all of a sudden?” Andrew clarified. He took a drag from his cigarette and carelessly blew out the smoke between them.
“Is it sudden?” Neil mused. “I just heard about it and thought it was something you’d like.”
“I don’t like anything,” Andrew stated.
Neil shrugged again, used to Andrew’s denials.
“We don’t have to go, I just thought I’d ask.”
They sat in silence once more, and it grew long enough that Neil considered the subject dropped. Therefore, it took him by surprise when Andrew shoved a piece of paper at his chest the next day. Neil glanced at it curiously and found two printed tickets to the blade show. He grinned at Andrew and carefully folded the paper to put away later.
For the next three weeks there was no mention of the event, and Andrew’s strange reaction on the roof was forgotten.
Then Nicky happened.
It was Tuesday night and by some miracle, all of Andrew’s gang was present in the same room and getting along. Aaron was playing a video game about treasure hunting which managed to catch Kevin’s attention long enough for him to shut up about exy practice. Apparently the storyline had an important historical figure or something? Andrew sat in one of the beanbag chairs with a book in his lap, but he would glance up every now and again if he heard Aaron curse at the tv. Robin, freshman goalie and newest addition to their group, was sprawled out on the floor with numerous textbooks that she ignored in favour of her phone.
It was peaceful, and Neil let the feeling of home and contentment wash over him.
“Neil, my adorable friend, you’re cute when you daydream but I really need that bacon now.”
Neil looked down at the pile of bacon he was supposed to be chopping and found it was only half done. He quickly apologized to Nicky, who just laughed and turned down the heat of the stove. As Neil got back to work, Nicky surveyed the group with soft eyes.
“This is nice. We’re all so busy normally that it’s hard to meet up like this. I miss the days when we were together all the time. It kinda feels like we’re drifting, you know?”
Neil nodded, because he did. He handed the finished bacon to Nicky who thanked him and scraped it into the pan. They watched it sizzle for a bit before Nicky perked up.
“Hey I know,” he began, “why don’t we all go to Eden’s this friday? Like old times. It’ll be fun!”
Neil, who also missed having everyone together, would have said yes if it weren’t for the fact that the blade show was on saturday.
Regretfully, and without knowing the full repercussions of his reply, Neil said, “It’s a good idea, but me and Andrew have plans for this weekend.”
They hadn’t discussed the details, but Neil assumed they would leave for Columbia Friday night and then leave for the show the next morning, since the venue was only a twenty minute drive from the house. He would have to clarify with Andrew soon. Neil was too busy with his thoughts to notice how Nicky’s hand paused in reaching for a wooden spoon.
“You have plans? Plans? Like just the two of you?” Nicky nearly squealed.
“Umm, yes?”
“Holy shit are you guys going on a date!?” Nicky yelled.
Robin and Andrew both looked to the kitchen; Robin with mild curiosity, and Andrew with not much of anything. When Nicky just smiled and waved them off, Robin turned back to her phone. Andrew held Neil’s gaze for a beat longer before ignoring him again.
“It’s not a date?” Neil tried.
Nicky scoffed, but kept his voice low when he said, “Liar.”
Neil frowned. It wasn’t a date, though. He and Andrew went to Columbia randomly throughout the year, this was hardly different. He told Nicky as much.
“Ya but when you normally go it’s this spur of the moment decision. This time you said you had plans ,” Nicky emphasized. Neil didn’t really get the difference. Nicky saw Neil’s confusion and took pity on him.
“What are your plans, Neil?”
Neil grudgingly told him about the knife show and how he told Andrew about it.
“Wow Neil that’s really sweet. Also kind of scary, all the pointy objects--,” he cleared his throat, “Anyway, you totally asked him on a date.”
“I don’t understand. We are just hanging out,” Neil grumbled.
“No my little clueless bean, you’re not. You heard about this thing that Andrew might like, correct?”
Neil nodded.
“Then you asked him out, ya?”
“I asked him if he wanted to go--”
“Same thing. Listen Neil, you cared enough about Andrew’s interests to mention the event to him. I know you guys spend almost every minute with each other so this may not seem like a big deal, but it is,” Nicky said kindly. “You made it special because you were thinking of him, and the planning, no matter how little, shows the effort you’re willing to put in to spend time with him.”
Neil thought about it. It’s true that the time he spent with Andrew felt natural, like they could go anywhere and do anything and it would still be amazing. But maybe Nicky had a point; maybe setting aside some time for planned outings was special.
Neil glanced at Andrew and felt anticipation and excitement for the coming weekend. Maybe the whole ‘date’ thing had merit, maybe it didn’t. Whatever the case, Neil was looking forward to just being with Andrew.
**************
Of course, since Nicky knew about the ‘date’, it was only a matter of time before the rest of the upperclassmen knew as well. Allison was waiting for Neil outside of his final class. She had her car keys swinging around one finger and a smile that promised mischief on her lips. She laced their arms together and steered him down the hall.
“Come on, sweetheart, we’re going shopping.” Her tone left no room for argument, so Neil sighed and let himself be led to her convertible.
It was only when they were in a store, Neil’s arms weighed down with a pile of clothes, that he asked, “Is this really necessary?”
“Hush, this is for your own good. I won’t let you go on your first date looking like an extra from the Walking Dead. Seriously your clothes are in tatters.”
Neil didn’t know what the Walking Dead was, but he doubted his wardrobe was comparable.
“I do have nice clothes you know,” he said. “Andrew buys them for me sometimes.”
“Not good enough. You need to put in more effort than that. Are you going to let him dress you forever?” Allison challenged, hands on her hips.
Neil startled at the concept of forever. He didn’t know if he’d be so lucky as to have Andrew there to dress him for the rest of his life.
“So I’m supposed to let you have the job,” Neil joked.
“At least I’ll put you in some goddamn colour. Blue looks fucking perfect on you but he only ever puts you in black. It’s a complete waste .” she said it like someone just insulted her mother. Scratch that, Allison would probably love it if someone did that. Renee’s mother, then. “Now stop standing there and go get changed.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Neil said, just to be a little shit.
Three hours, two outfits, a new haircut, and for some reason and eyebrow wax later, Neil at in the girl’s dorm with a tableful of Allison’s makeup in front of him. He was trying to listen to her as she explained what each item was for, but there was only so much room in his brain for information that wasn’t exy or Andrew related.
Allison snapped her fingers in his face.
“Are you even paying attention?”
Neil ducked his head sheepishly.
“Give him a break, Al,” Dan said from where she sat painting her toenails. Neil would thank her, but she sounded way too amused to be sincerely trying to save him.
“Fine, fine. No use teaching you this stuff if you aren’t going to remember it.” Neil almost sighed in relief. “But you are at least going to learn to smudge some eyeliner around those baby blues.”
She put a dark pencil in his hand and told him to copy her. Neil did his best, but for the most part he focused on not blinding himself.
“Not too shabby, kid,” Dan said when he was done. Allison nodded her agreement and handed Neil a wipe to take off the liner.
“Now, tell me the rules for the date,” Allison demanded. Neil rolled his eyes, thinking the whole thing stupid.
“Don’t talk about exy. Don’t start shit with anyone. Keep my phone on and text if I need anything,” Neil recited dutifully.
Allison grinned and Dan wiped pretend tears from her eyes. “They grow up so fast!”
“For the record, I think all of you are blowing this out of proportion,” Neil stated.
“This is important preparation, Neil,” Allison said, “Don’t you want to win over your boy?”
“No?” Neil was so confused by everything. “I, uh, though he was already….won?”
“Oh my god look at his face,” Dan wailed.
Allison just laughed and laughed.
“Nevermind that last part. You’ll do just fine,” Allison chuckled.
************
Andrew stood at the usual spot, smoking and waiting for his three o’clock. She appeared before him two minutes early, wearing her favourite sweats and a smile so sweet it gave Andrew a cavity just by looking.
“Hello, Andrew,” she greeted.
“Renee.”
They walked to their patch of grass, hidden between trees right behind the football field. Andrew almost hadn’t asked her here, but he needed an outlet. The last few days had grated on him, with Nicky’s insistent pestering and the knowing looks th upperclassmen would send him. And Kevin, stupid, one track minded, Kevin. All he talked about was how bad it was to miss two nights of practice, as if Andrew had never done so before.
So he asked for Renee.
Soon he would leave for Columbia with Neil, and he didn’t want to be so wound up. He didn’t want to ruin their time together.
“Three rounds like usual?” Renee asked.
Andre gave her a brisk nod.
“Same rules?” she said lightly.
“Why are you asking? Afraid of a few bruises?”
“Hmm, no. I just thought we should keep heads off limits today. We don’t want to mark up your face for tomorrow.”
If anyone else had dared to say that to Andrew, he would have gutted them where they stood. But this was Renee. And maybe he needed to hear it.
“You assume you can hit me there at all.”
A spark of challenge lit Renee’s eyes and from then on all talking ceased. They circled each other until one of them broke and attacked. They traded punches, kicks and tackles until someone yielded. Then they seperated to start again. Renee went easy on his face, and Andrew would have been angry if it weren’t for how she got im twice as good in the chest.
By the end of their bout, they both sported bruises, but there was no blood because no knives were used today. Andrew lowered himself to the ground and took out his cigarettes. Renee settled beside him and allowed him a few minutes of silence.
“So…. a date with Neil.”
“I’m going to stop you right there,” Andrew cut in.
Renee hummed but kept quiet.
Andrew sighed, exhaling a cloud of smoke. Tomorrow, he would go on a date with Neil. It was unexpected, the night Neil asked him. Andrew’s first reaction had been to tell Neil no. Andrew had never been on a date because a date symbolized things that Andrew never thought he could be. There was commitment, and emotions and being intimate in public. Dates, no matter how casual, came with expectations. You had to act a certain way, do things in specific ways. The entire idea of ‘dating’ made Andrew want to vomit. He couldn’t be like other people, couldn’t be some romantic partner who would woo Neil with grand gestures of affection.
But Neil was an idiot. When he asked Andrew out in a way that clearly implied ‘date’, Neil had been completely oblivious to the concept. In that moment Andrew remembered that Neil was like him; someone who couldn’t conform to the way society labeled dating.
Neil, with his honest eyes and even more honest intentions, had offered Andrew a choice. And like all other questions he posed, Neil expected nothing of Andrew that he wouldn’t freely give. It was that knowledge that allowed Andrew to feel comfortable enough to say yes.
“You don’t need to pray for me,” Andrew said.
Renee studied him for a moment, then smiled and lay down on the grass.
“I suppose I don’t.”
*************
Neil threw his overnight bag into the trunk of the Maserati and slammed the door. He practically ran to the passenger door because he was so eager to leave. Andrew was already behind the wheel, and he raised his eyebrow at Neil’s hurried movements. Neil smiled at him with all the happiness he felt in his chest.
Andrew reached for his face, and Neil expected to be pushed away. Instead, Andrew grabbed his chin and pulled him in for a hard kiss. It left Neil breathless and dazed, and he sank into his seat like a puddle.
“Junkie,” Andrew said, but the words were softer than his kiss.
*************
Allison and Renee watched from Matt’s window as Neil and Andrew made their way to the car.
“I think we were worried for nothing,” Renee whispered.
“You’re the one that was worried. Those two are so into each other it’s scary.” Allison wrapped an arm around Renee’s waist. “Still, I’m proud of them.”
“I assume you’re also proud of the three hundred dollars you won,” Renee teased.
“Three hundred dollars that we won, darling.” Allison took Renee by the hand and led her back to their room. “Now come on, all this talk about dates and we haven’t had one in centuries. This cannot stand. I won’t be outdone by Neil of all people.”
Renee laughed and it sounded like crystal.
“We can’t have that,” she agreed.