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Andrew’s calves were burning by the time they had finally gotten the bed set up in the master bedroom, and he took a moment to stretch his back out and roll his ankles before following his husband back downstairs. It was a nice feeling- after years, almost two decades of apartment after apartment it was nice to have some damn stairs again. Aaron would have laughed at him and told him that he was getting old, but Aaron had started going to bed at nine so he wasn’t exactly one to talk about old man behaviour.
Of course Andrew and Neil had lived together several times before so it wasn’t exactly a new experience, but it was in all the ways that counted. Exy had taken them all across the country, taking out temporary leases on apartments in many different cities but never anywhere permanent, never anywhere long term. Still, that was what was happening now- Neil’s knee was starting to give out more and more often and they were both looking into post-Exy careers that would allow them to retire without having an abundance of free time on their hands. They had chosen their new house well, close by the local youth centre and it’s exy court while also being reasonably close to the team that Neil was lined up to coach. It was a two story semi-detached with a small garden and a decent garage for their cars, and they had chosen it almost immediately after they had seen it the first time. Andrew wasn’t one for sentimentality, but the thought of growing old with Neil in a house that looked right out of one of the storybooks Andrew had read to the kids in foster homes growing up had a lot of appeal to it. Neil had seemed to agree, anyway.
“What’s next?” He took the flask from Neil’s hands and took a sip of the lukewarm coffee inside it before handing it back. “Kitchen or bathroom?”
Neil hummed and then reached over the counter to pick up the quick list they had made, crossing off the things they had done before looking up again. “If we just grab the essentials, we can leave most of the rest until tomorrow and let the cats get used to the new place."
Andrew nodded and let Neil duck past him, but not without pressing a kiss to his hair and then reaching for the kitchen box. Neil took the bathroom box, and they worked quickly in tandem to put away the things that they would need the quickest- toilet paper, shower products, milk and bread and cutlery. The place started to look a lot more homely while they worked, and Andrew felt himself starting to relax. This was their home now, their proper home. They wouldn’t have to move around again.
Neil emerged from the hallway with cat carriers in hand, and he grinned when he saw Andrew waiting for him. “You wanna take one of these?”
Andrew did as he was told, and together they went and set them down on the floor before opening them, letting the cats come out in their own time. It always took them a while to get used to new places though, so they didn’t think much of leaving them alone to settle in.
“Chinese?”
Neil made a face and then hummed. “There’s that Thai place the realtor told us about, we could order from there.”
Andrew shrugged and then reached for his wallet. “Fine, but you’re calling. I’m gonna shower, use my card.”
He tossed the wallet to the other man and then turned to go upstairs. They had an en-suite bathroom in the new house, so he didn’t have far to go once he had wrestled off his binder and found a towel before he could step in under the hot water and wash the work of the day off him. It felt good to shower in an actual house again- the water pressure just didn’t compare in apartments- and while Andrew stole some of Neil’s shampoo he allowed his mind to wander a little towards the small box that he had expertly hidden in the boards under his side of the mattress. It was stupid- they were basically married already, and they had been kept too busy by their careers to really have the big white wedding that everyone wanted them to have. Andrew himself was more partial to a big wedding than he had previously thought- years of wedding shows had rubbed off on him, it seemed. Reynolds would be thrilled too, she had had a heavy hand in all of the Foxes’ weddings and Andrew couldn’t see a reason why theirs would be any different. That was provided that Neil said yes, though.
Andrew snorted and then turned the water on, rinsing out the shampoo quickly. The proposal was merely a formality at this point, a way to solidify two decades of trust and love into one intimate ceremony followed by a party that was sorely needed. Neil would say yes, of course, but Andrew still had to ask.
He dried off easily, reading for one of Neil’s many oversized sweatshirts rather than struggling with his binder again. It wasn’t anything that Neil hadn’t seen before anyways, and the man knew better than to touch Andrew’s chest too much even though he hadn’t felt overwhelmingly dysphoric in a while. The smell of his partner helped with any lingering discomfort anyway, and he grabbed some clean boxers from the box and retrieved the velvet box from where it was wedged between the slats on the bed before going back downstairs. He was met with a silent house though, and he raised his eyebrows as he reached the hall.
“Neil?”
“In here!” He followed the sound of the man’s voice to where he was curled up on the couches they had set up earlier that day. “The Thai will be here in like, twenty minutes.”
Andrew nodded and hummed. That was perfect, really. “Do you want a drink? That bottle of bubbly that Boyd got us is still in one of those boxes.”
“You can call him Matt, you know.”
“Ah, but do I want to.” Andrew smirked when Neil flicked his arm. “Is that a yes, then?”
Neil nodded and then stretched his legs out. “The flutes are in the box marked delicate.”
Andrew went to the kitchen and got a knife to open the boxes, taking out two champagne flutes and rinsing them quickly before finding the bottle and opening it with little fanfare. Then, checking to make sure the ring was still in place, he brought the bottle and the two glasses with him back into the sitting room, putting them down on the little coffee table they had brought with them from their last apartment.
Neil smiled, relaxed, and then reached out to take Andrew’s hand. The sensation still sent a thrill up Andrew’s spine- even after all of the time they’ve been together, the fact that they still sought out casual contact with each other wasn’t something that Andrew thought he would ever get used to. “This is pretty fancy, Drew.”
“Can’t we celebrate moving into a new house?” Andrew filled the two glasses and then held out Neil’s to him, having to briefly let go of the man’s hand to turn the television on. He found a channel that would give them some nice background noise while they talked- some interior design show, the kind of show they usually watched when they weren’t watching Exy.
Neil took the glass and then grinned, his eyes wrinkling at the corners and making Andrew’s heart stutter in his chest. “Of course we can.”
Andrew licked his lips and then sat down, taking a sip of his champagne to steady himself. “Can you grab me a blanket?”
Neil turned to find it, leaning over the arm of the couch with a laugh. “You know, if you’re cold we can just turn on the heating-”
He stopped dead, blanket in hand as he saw the box in Andrew’s hands. “Oh.”
Andrew chuckled and then opened the box, revealing the ring inside. He’d been holding onto it for months now, having bought it with Nicky the last time he had visited the man in Germany. It was a simple silver band, a glint of diamond embedded in it and some engraved markings for decoration- Neil’s taste in rings was simple, and Andrew had done his research.
“Andrew, it’s- this is-” Neil cut himself off to sit forward. “It’s beautiful.”
“Is that a yes?” Andrew could feel himself starting to go red, and he cleared his throat. He wasn’t twenty anymore- he had long since come to terms with the fact that the man in front of him was the love of his life and that he had a soft spot for the man. A really big soft spot, but that was besides the point.
Neil laughed wetly, making Andrew’s heard thud in his chest. “You haven’t asked me anything yet, Drew.”
“Neil Abram Josten.” Andrew watched as Neil’s eyes widened slightly and then continued. “Will you marry me?”
Neil nodded eagerly and then rocked forward to wrap an arm around Andrew’s neck, crushing their lips together in an eager kiss. He almost spilled both of their glasses in the process, but Andrew found that he couldn’t have cared any less if he tried. “ Yes , Andrew.”
They pulled apart after a few moments and Neil wiped his eyes, laughing again. “You realise this means you’re really stuck with me right?”
Andrew rolled his eyes and held out his arm, letting Neil slot in against his side- they fit together perfectly. “After twenty years, I thought that was already pretty obvious.”
Neil smiled and then held his hand out. “Put it on me?”
Andrew took the ring out of the box and then threw the box to the side, taking Neil’s hand and sliding the ring onto his finger smoothly. It fit perfectly, and when it was in place Andrew brought his hand up to press his lips to it gently. Neil’s smile softened slightly, and he kissed Andrew on the cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Andrew looked to the side as he felt the weight change on the couch, and then moved his arm to allow King to pad onto his lap and curl up.
“She’s come to celebrate with us.” Neil grinned and then reached out to scratch her head, the ring catching the light from it’s new home on his left hand. “Isn’t that right, baby?”
King purred softly, and then meowed in protest when Andrew moved his hand away to grab the remote. Andrew rolled his eyes and changed the channel before bringing his hand back to pet her gently. “Stop encouraging her neediness, Neil.”
“Oh shut up, you’re the one who spoils her.”
“Lies and slander.” Andrew huffed and then relaxed back into the couch. “You’re telling them, by the way.”
“If you’re under the impression that that means they’ll leave you alone then you’re sorely mistaken, Drew.”
Andrew grimaced. “They’re my friends too, Josten. I know them a little better than that.”
Neil smiled softly, and then kissed their joined hands. “That’s Josten-Minyard to you, actually.”
Andrew’s lips twitched at the corner and he leaned in to kiss his partner- his fiancé - on the lips. “I suppose it is, isn’t it?”
Neil grinned brightly, and then curled up into the man. “You’re getting the food when it comes.”
Andrew sighed, long suffering. “Yes, dear.”
“I love you.”
Andrew untangled their hands in favour of combing his fingers through Neil’s hair, smiling softly as the man shivered at the feeling. They had time to tell people and to start making plans, but for now it was just the two of them the same way that it had been for most of their lives at this point. Gently, he tugged the man closer and kissed his temple. “I love you too.”