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Thanksgiving day started out like any other: Neil waking up at ass crack o’clock to go for a run, and Andrew waking up to Neil stomping around looking for extra clothes for his shower once he got back.
While Neil bathed, Andrew sent a few texts to Aaron: his team therapist suggested making the first move when it came to keeping in contact with his brother, and for the past few years it’s been working out, though it could be hard sometimes.
Andrew slipped on a shirt over his team sweatpants and puttered to the kitchen. The light from their floor to ceiling windows in the living washed the rest of the apartment in warm light. The city was a kaleidoscope of reds, browns, and oranges - and the light sprinkle of soft, white, snow falling past their windows left moving shadows on their dark wood floors.
As Andrew enters the kitchen, Sir and King are caught red-handed traipsing all over the island. Without saying a word (he’s not getting caught doing that again), Andrew picks the two menaces up and sets them on the floor. While their coffee is brewing, he gets the cats their breakfast and brings one knee to the tile, and pets Sir’s head as she eats.
The coffee is done and Andrew walks to the dark green marble countertop to prepare a couple of cups. From the high keening of the cats, he found himself unsurprised by the soft “Good morning”’ before Neil put a hand to the small of his back and leaned a hip on the counter beside him. A hum has Andrew turning his head in askance of a kiss. It’s light, and chaste, and has quickly made it’s way to the top as Andrew’s favorite greeting.
He hands Neil his coffee and they sit down to for breakfast: toast and orange slices for Neil and a bowl of cereal for himself. Neil flicks through his phone as he eats and Andrew plays the crossword that was on the back of yesterday’s newspaper.
Neil takes a look out the massive windows behind him in the living room, “We probably got lucky with the snow today; there’s not much. Allison said New York is a mess.”
Andrew hums, “Chicago apparently, too.” It’s not much but Andrew doesn’t miss the way Neil’s mouth twitches at the small clue that he spoke to his brother this morning.
After breakfast, the two men watch television quietly on their massive slate-grey couch, under a blanket with the Sir squished between them and King on the headrest behind Neil. They trade slow kisses and multiple “Get your foot away from me, it’s freezing’s” before it’s 5 pm and time for them to leave the warm and quiet of their apartment.
Old habits die hard, as Neil puts on a respectable outfit picked out by Andrew: dark jeans and Prussian blue sweater. Andrew’s own smoke grey turtleneck proves how well his fitness regime has staved off any old pudginess Andrew had in college and Neil can’t stop looking at his arms and back and the way they look under the soft fabric, and they spend a few minutes at the front door trading, even more, kisses before putting on their coats and scarves and heading out.
When the elevator doors open, their elderly neighbor, Mrs. Young steps out and gives them a fond smile.
“Happy Thanksgiving, boys.” She lays a hand on Neil’s arm as she walks past and Andrew nods while Neil returns the sentiment.
**
They make their way to a grocery store near Pavetti’s house and there are so many people in the parking lot that it takes Andrew nearly ten minutes to find a spot.
After they’ve eventually parked, Neil asks, “Any ideas on what we should bring.”
“Deserts,” Is all Andrew says as he makes his way to the aisle, barely touching the many people that flood the store.
Neil jokingly picks up a box of sugar-free hard candies and Andrew ignores him.
They end up picking a turtle cheesecake and in the checkout line are forced to take several pictures with fans: Neil with a smile that was more of a grimace and Andrew blank-faced as ever.
The two eventually make it to Pavetti’s sprawling house in the suburbs of Denver. The sun is long gone so the house is lit up from the inside. They find parking on the street and while they’re waiting for someone to open it Andrew reaches over and fixes the collar of Neil’s shirt. Neil smiles in thanks and Andrew’s unmoving face is suddenly washed alight with the light from inside the house.
“Hey! It’s Andrew and Neil! Come in, come in.” Their co-captain Amber Laughman answers the door, well past drunk and ushers them in. The other members of the Denver Snowcaps are around the house, drinks in their hands, loud, and obviously drunk.
Neil is immediately roped into some conversation with Laughman and Okoye about their last game and Andrew makes his way to the kitchen slowly, stopping every few people to respond to his teammates.
Neil has only been part of the Snowcaps’ roster for two months, the team still isn’t quite sure what to make of, not just Neil-fucking-Josten, but Neil-fucking-Josten who is also their silent and mysterious captain’s partner.
Once Andrew is in the kitchen he finally spots Pavetti, he hands over the turtle cheesecake and Pavetti mock cries, “Andrew, thank you so much for spending hours making this Fletcher Industriescake for us.”
“You said we needed to bring something, not make something.” Their captain laughs and Andrew makes himself a drink.
“Your boy is looking really good, did you dress him yourself again?” Andrew makes a noise of confirmation and Pavetti laughs. “Who would’ve thought Neil Josten couldn’t dress himself?”
“If you knew him outside of Exy and fancy team parties you’d believe it.”
**
Pavetti and her wife make a long speech about how thankful they are for their friends and teammates and everyone finally gets to eat. Neil and Andrew are sitting knee to knee on one of the couch as their plates are balanced on their laps, Neil smiling at everyone’s drunk conversations.
Johnson eventually starts yelling about how he’s so good that he’s been nominated for the best defenseman for the second time.
“You may be nominated, but Andrew’s won best goalie two years running. So we know who the real winner here is.” Neil smirks and everyone starts to talk over themselves to throw out statistics. Neil is definitely drunk.
Andrew will never get over the little burst of something that happens in his chest whenever Neil shows a bit of pride over him. Andrew doesn’t really try all that hard when it comes to Exy, and knowing that even that little bit sends Neil over the moon, gives Andrew a feeling of absolute fascination, and horror, and something else.
The night ends, they say goodbye to their teammates and take home extra plates for later, and in the car ride home, they hold hands. Quiet and content. The darkness outside broken up by the twinkling lights of the winter season.