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It started because of a nightmare. Neil woke up in a cold sweat, his heart jackrabbiting in his chest. Images flashed before his eyes, Neil on the court playing a game in a stadium full of people, the blur that was Kevin as he ran to score point after point. Then Riko was there, a menacing black figure poised with his racket lifted high over his head. In the nightmare Neil didn’t dodge and Andrew didn’t come to his aid. Riko slammed his racket down and laughed as Neil’s knee shattered.
“How will you be of service to my brother now , Nathaniel?”
Riko took off his helmet to reveal the hole in his forehead.
“You’re next.”
Neil gripped the sheets of his bed to ground himself. It wasn’t real. He was in his dorm in Fox Tower, Andrew was asleep above him, he was safe.
Still, Neil shivered at the phantom pain in his knee.
He had to move, to make absolutely sure he was alright. Neil sat up and quietly got out of bed. He slipped on a pair of workout tights and rummaged around in the dark until he found his keys and phone. A quick glance at the glowing numbers revealed it was just past four in the morning.
“Going for a run?”
Neil flinched at the sound of Andrew’s voice. He felt instantly guilty for having woken him up.
“Not tonight. I need…” Neil trailed off. Andrew watched him from his perch, and even in the dark Neil could make out Andrew’s horrible bedhead. “The court. I have to play.”
Andrew didn’t say anything, but he climbed down and left the room without bothering to change out of his sleep clothes. Neil followed and they only paused at the door to grab Andrew’s pack of smokes before they made their way out of the dorms.
Outside was quiet, as most places were at 4 AM, but the silence never bothered Neil. The drive to the stadium was quick, but even so, Neil was wound up tight as a spring by the time he got the gate unlocked. The sight of the court made him feel both relief and anxiety. He couldn’t lose this.
Andrew made his way to the home bench while Neil went to fetch his racket. He didn’t bother with gear since he was eager to practice and he was alone on the court anyway. He grabbed a bucket of balls and unlatched the court door. Neil glanced back at Andrew for a second and found Andrew had lit a cigarette, his hazel eyes already watching him.
“You know you aren’t supposed to smoke in here,” Neil chided softly.
“Worry about your own problems,” Andrew said.
Neil turned back to the court. For the next hour and a half Neil executed drill after drill to reassure himself that he was whole. When he was drenched in sweat and the cloud of fear from his dream no longer hung over him, he cleaned up his mess and went back to Andrew.
At some point, probably when Andrew deduced Neil wouldn’t have a breakdown, Andrew had moved to lie down on the bench. Neil noticed the pile of ash on the floor and knew that Coach or Kevin would likely yell at Andrew for it later.
As Neil approached, Andrew kept his eyes shut, though there was no doubt that he was awake. Neil took the opportunity to appreciate the picture Andrew made. With his rumpled tank top and plaid pajama pants, coupled with his still messy hair, Neil couldn’t help thinking Andrew looked extremely soft.
“Staring,” Andrew said after a while.
“I’m done here,” Neil announced, “I think I have some spare clothes in my locker. I’ll shower and we can go, ok?”
Andrew finally opened his eyes. He crooked a finger at Neil and like a moth to a flame, Neil went to him. Andrew reached up to cup the back of Neil’s neck and pulled him closer so that Neil was leaning over him. Andrew studied Neil’s eyes, perhaps checking to see if there was any lingering fog. Neil stood there patiently until Andrew released him.
“Go wash, you stink.”
Neil snorted but made his way to the locker room, lifting his shirt over his head right before he was out of Andrew’s sight.
He didn’t linger in the shower, despite how good the water felt on his skin. When he had woken up, Neil had been filled with adrenaline born from fear and danger. Now, after working the negative emotions out on the court, Neil felt energy of a different kind thrum through his body. When he exit the locker room he was surprised to see Andrew waiting for him on one of the couches in the lounge. The sight of him was enough to send Neil’s pulse racing.
Andrew, who always seemed to read Neil with ease, quirked an eyebrow knowingly. He stood and walked towards Neil, appearing bored and uninterested. But Neil was good at reading Andrew too, and he knew what it meant when Andrew backed him up against the wall.
“Yes or no?” Andrew asked.
Neil had barely gotten the word ‘yes’ out before Andrew crushed their lips together. The kiss was intense from the start, Andrew’s mouth working relentlessly to unravel Neil. Never one to back down from a challenge, Neil gave as good as he got, and soon they were panting against one another. Andrew grabbed Neil’s hands and guided them to his head, then moved his own into Neil’s still damp hair. The tension in Neil’s body grew as Andrew used his grip to tilt Neil’s head into a better angle.
The sensation of Andrew’s tongue on his lips and fingers in his hair drove Neil wild. It was too much, the growing feeling in his chest, the desperate need to be held close. He felt himself losing control, and it was all he could do to pull back enough to break the kiss. Andrew paused, and Neil feared he would interpret the separation as a ‘no’. He tightened his hold around Andrew’s head, keeping him close.
“I’m good,” Neil explained, “Just got a bit overwhelmed. You make me crazy.”
Andrew trailed his fingers down the side of Neil’s face, stopping to thumb at his wet lips. For a second Neil swore Andrew looked smug, but the expression was gone in an instant.
“Can you behave if we continue?” Andrew’s voice was low and heated. It made Neil shiver.
“Yes,” Neil said, trying and failing not to sound as desperate as he felt. “I want you close right now.”
Andrew hummed at the admission. After a moment’s deliberation, Andrew moved his hands down Neil’s body, over his chest and along his ribs until they reached his hips. They paused there for an instant, and Neil had the feeling Andrew was testing something within himself.
“Can I touch your legs?”
“Yes, Andrew. You know you can touch me anywhere.”
Andrew squeezed Neil’s hips, “Junkie.”
Neil couldn’t reply because in the next moment Andrew had his hands on the back of Neil’s thighs and he was lifting Neil right off the floor.
“ Holy shit, ” Neil breathed.
“Put your legs around me. Don’t hold too tight,” Andrew instructed. Neil nodded dumbly and did as he was told. Once Neil was secure, Andrew walked them to the nearest wall so Neil could support his back.
At first they just stood there, getting used to the feeling of where their bodies touched. Neil could feel the heat of Andrew’s sides against his legs, the almost bruising grip Andrew had on his thighs to hold him up. The sensations were addicting.
“Can I kiss you?” Neil whispered. Andrew answered by tilting his head up and connecting their lips once more. Neil kissed back with fervent passion.
He bit at Andrew’s bottom lip, swiped his tongue behind his teeth. When Andrew leaned away to breathe, Neil took the chance to suck under Andrew’s jaw. Neil heard Andrew’s breath hitch and warmth flooded his body all the way down to his toes. Andrew retaliated by stepping closer to the wall so that their bodies were flush chest to chest. Neil threw his head back and moaned when Andrew readjusted him in his arms, hands sliding up Neil’s thighs to grip his ass.
“Andrew,” Neil said, and it sounded like worship.
“You can touch my arms,” Andrew said between kisses, and Neil accepted the permission like the gift it was. He felt down Andrew’s shoulders, followed the hard lines of muscle in his biceps, unyielding as they kept Neil from falling.
Andrew’s mouth sought Neil’s attention and they were lost in eachother’s kisses again. Everything but Andrew became irrelevant. Neil cherished each kiss; marveled every time Andrew let out a restrained groan. Neil thought he could probably spend forever wrapped up and secure in the safety of Andrew’s arms.
“Sweet Mother of God, what the hell did I just walk in on!?”
Andrew pulled away so abruptly that Neil couldn’t help but gasp. It took his mind a moment to register what had happened, but once the fog of arousal and passion had lifted from his mind, he was able to identify Wymack standing in the doorway. He was staring at the pair of them with his mouth half open and eyebrows raised so high they almost met his hairline.
“Morning, Coach,” Neil quipped, unashamed. He and Andrew weren’t big on PDA but Neil would sooner die than try to cover up what they were doing, like it was something he should feel guilty for.
“Don’t ‘morning, coach’ me, Josten,” Wymack snapped. “I come here to open up and find you two halfway to making a mess of the wall! How many times do I have to tell you kids to do your business in the privacy of your goddamn dorms?”
Neil tilted his head down at Andrew, “Are we not the first ones to make out in the lounge?”
“You aren’t that special, idiot. The good captain and Boyd couldn’t resist each other last year. We had to throw out a chair. Reynolds and the shitstain Gordon were worse.”
Wymack shuddered, “Don’t remind me. It took months for them to mellow out. I didn’t think I’d have to deal with this anymore.”
“Poor you.”
“Zip it, Minyard.”
An awkward silence filled the room. Neil’s legs were starting to cramp, and Andrew’s arms must be getting tired, but there was no way they were going to separate and give Wymack a potentially traumatizing eyeful. It was impossible to hide a boner in pajama pants or gym shorts. Wymack seemed to realize this seconds later, because he flushed and looked away. Neil had never seen Wymack look so uncomfortable, and the mischievous part of Neil found it extremely funny.
Wymack cleared his throat, “Anyway, try to spare me the heart attacks and just keep the viewer’s discretion stuff for when you aren’t in a public place.”
Neil glanced at Andrew and grinned, willing him to play along.
“Shouldn't that go both ways coach?” Neil said innocently.
Wymack narrowed his eyes because he knew Neil, and nothing Neil ever said was ‘innocent’.
“We don’t want to hear you and Abby living out your nurse and office fantasies either,” Andrew deadpanned, providing the perfect punchline to Neil’s setup.
Wymack spluttered and turned bright red. Neil laughed and felt himself fall for Andrew even more.
“God you kids are going to send me to an early grave.” Wymack rubbed a hand over his face in exasperation, but Neil glimpsed a tiny smile underneath. “I’ll save my breath next time. This is above my paygrade anyway.”
Wymack turned to leave. “Practice is in an hour, you evil shits.”
Andrew and Neil were alone once more.
“You can put me down now,” Neil said.
“I could just drop you.”
“It’s not that far a fall.”
“I hate you,” Andrew said as he helped Neil stand. Neil’s legs felt like goo but it was worth it.
“We still have an hour, do you want help with that thing in your pants or..?”
Andrew glared at Neil and told him to shut his unattractive mouth. He still dragged Neil to the showers though, so Neil counted it as a win.