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Neil Josten tipped his head against the glass of the Maserati's passenger window and, not for the first time, appreciated the dark tint on the glass. It was unusually warm outside since nearly half of the country was experiencing an unprecedented heat wave, but the muted glass and cool air conditioning made the drive as pleasant as it could be.
Normally he loved road trips with Andrew. They took them whenever they could, whether just a day trip or a five-day trek across the country. Over the years Neil had come to think of it as their version of going on ‘dates.’ And though he was excited for their short, four-hour journey north, nervous energy bubbled in his gut as he thought about their upcoming vacation.
It all started....well, years ago really. More than a decade to be precise. But the current string of events began only a week ago. It was during their last semi-final match of the season and Neil had taken a hard check to the wall. He’d bruised a few ribs, sprained his left wrist, and been knocked out only to wake up and find out they’d lost by one point – booted from the championships. That stung more than anything else. But what also stung was waking up in the hospital, again, to the sound of Andrew arguing with the hospital staff just outside his door - again . Luckily only words were exchanged on this particular incident and it didn’t end with a minor assault charge as it had done twice in the past (Andrew and Neil were obviously the favorites of the teams lawyers they kept on retainer).
It wasn’t his first injury, and it wouldn’t be his last, but every time Andrew was kept away from him it hurt a little more. And it was a two-way street. Andrew had once been concussed by a ball to the head, even with his helmet on, and Neil had flown across three states to get to him, only to be refused by the doctors to visit his bedside until ‘visiting hours ’. And now that they played for the same team, it was almost more difficult. Instead of arriving at the hospital hours later, having time to process and think clearly – they followed each other immediately and wasted no time chewing out the medical staff. But what could they do? They were family to anyone who asked but the only thing the medical profession cared about was the legality of paperwork.
When they finally did allow Andrew in to see him the week prior, he was irritable and quiet. Since their season was over the injury didn’t hit Neil as hard as it could have and both he and the doctors were confident he would heal by the time the season started again in a month. But the guilt he felt over Andrews mood for being kept in the dark and away from him, even just for a few hours, sat heavy in his stomach the night he was stuck in the sterile hospital room.
The next day Andrew returned with a change of clothes and they drove home in silence. When they arrived home, Neil dug through the refrigerator for the carton of orange juice and heard the slap of a stack of papers behind him.
“What’s this?” he asked, setting the carton aside and kicking the fridge door closed with his toe.
Andrew only stared at him, so he thumbed through the papers. It was an application for a marriage license. Neil’s eyes blew wide as Andrew’s narrowed; surprise meeting a challenge. Neil signed under Andrew’s name without a word and Andrew turned towards the television. They didn’t speak of it for three more days. When Neil brought it up again, they were in bed, due to depart for their vacation in only a few days.
Neil scanned the words on the page of his magazine for the fifth time, not retaining any of the information. Not that he needed to, he’d read the thing a dozen times over by now. His gaze slid to the right where Andrew was propped up against the headboard , a novel in hand and his reading glasses sliding down his nose a little since he wouldn’t take the time to go get them adjusted properly. Neil chewed his lip.
Eventually Andrew caught on to his sneaky glances and huffed a little from behind his book. “What?”
“ ....Are you sure?” Neil blurted.
A stupid question really. Andrew never did anything without being sure.
“Be more specific,” breathed Andrew, though the hint of underlying annoyance suggested he knew exactly what Neil was asking about.
“Getting married,” said Neil, his voice quieter than he would have liked it to be.
Andrew was halfway through turning a page and paused at the statement before continuing. “Don’t ask stupid questions.”
With a sigh of relief, Neil turned back to his magazine. They had been together for a decade now so he wasn’t sure why he was thinking about it so hard. Getting married after being together for so long was a normal step.
But that was the problem. They weren’t normal. Neither of them. Neil always hoped...and later knew, that he and Andrew were more than temporary. And the longer they were together the more he knew that the word ‘forever’ wasn’t just a word for them. But married? Were either of them built for that kind of thing ? In the past neither of them really had good experiences with the concept of marriage but in more recent years at least, there were some good examples. Dan and Matt were married. Aaron and Katelyn were married. Nicky and Erik were married. Hell, even Kevin had married Thea. And several of them had families of their own now. But he never expected in a million years he would have anything like that with Andrew.
With his lip red and swollen from his worrying behaviors, Neil finally dropped the magazine on his lap. He sat up straighter and turned to face Andrew.
“I want our friends to be there,” he said.
They hadn’t discussed the legal side much less the physical act, but he thought if he didn’t voice his opinion now, he would chicken out.
Andrew slowly collected a bookmark from his end table, the one with pressed flowers that Bee had sent him a few years ago and tucked it between the pages. Next, he set the book aside, along with his glasses and folded calloused fingers together. He didn’t say anything right away but dropped his head back to the headboard , staring at the muted white ceiling.
It was amazing how easily Neil could read him now, given years of practice. He wasn’t angry, more pensive and Neil knew he was replaying the last few weddings they’d attended in his mind. Dan and Matt’s had been a small affair and relatively painless . Andrew spent most of the time at the bar and had been left alone for the most part. But both Nicky and Aaron had large weddings, Nicky’s due to his exorbitant personality and Aaron’s due to Katelyn's overbearing family. Both had been stressful and Neil had to bribe Andrew to go to them and stay longer than ten minutes. Kevin and Thea had, predictably, eloped. He knew Andrew didn’t want a big affair, and neither did Neil, but he did want his small Fox family to be there. Even if Andrew just wanted to do it for convenience it still meant something. It was still important.
“Next weekend,” Andrew muttered , dropping his face to the side to look at Neil. “When we’re at the cabin. We do not have to tell them beforehand and Renee can do it.”
Giving an understanding nod, Neil turned back and picked up his magazine. He attempted to use it to hide his grin but Andrew slapped it out of his hands a few seconds later and pushed him down to kiss the expression from his lips.
They passed a sign for Greenville, denoting the halfway point in their journey. Shifting against the leather seat, Neil’s hand slipped into his pocket again, curling around the small velvet box. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t packed the thing with his regular luggage. Wasn’t sure why he’d bought them in the first place. Andrew had been the one to bring up the idea of getting married and was willing to indulge Neil in completing the act in front of their friends, but he would probably roll his eyes at the idea of wedding rings . Really, they were stupid. Neil thought so too. They probably wouldn’t even be able to wear them under their gear when they were playing and wearing them in public would be a pain when their fans and reporters finally caught wind of the new development. But part of him liked the idea of Andrew having a ring on his finger for the world to see. Have people know that he belonged to Neil. For the first few years of their time playing professionally they managed to keep their relationship a secret. There was always speculation, but most thought they just had a very intense rivalry. However, when they signed to the same team in Atlanta and had moved into a house together the speculation stopped. Neither of them openly admitted their relationship, in fact they both encouraged the ridiculous discourse people came up with abou t them hating each other, but they’ d neve r denied it either.
Neil’s leg bounced up and down as Andrew guided the car down a country highway where the only things in sight were wildflowers and cows. Eventually the blond reached over and clamped a hand around Neil’s thigh, stilling the movement. Neil took a deep breath, leaned back to stare at Andrew and curled his own hand around the larger one on his leg. Their hands stayed entwined until Andrew pulled away to change gears when they took the exit for the cabin.
The first three days of their vacation was a whirlwind of enthusiastic reunions and catching up. Family photos and stories were shared over coffee or alcohol, or sometimes the sweet tea Renee made and brought out to the deck that lined the lake. They exchanged old memories while hiking trails or while eating around the picnic tables out back to the soundtrack of rustling trees, buzzing cicadas and brackish waters gently lapping at the shore below. Neil, and sometimes Andrew, featured in the background of several video calls home to spouses or other family members as the Foxes checked in. It was peaceful; it felt like coming home.
On the fourth day, Neil began to get antsy . The ring box seemed to be burning a hole where it was tucked away under the mattress on his side of the bed and he knew Andrew caught him glancing at him whenever he talked to Renee, wondering if Andrew had asked her about officiating their impromptu ceremony yet. On the fifth day Renee caught him looking and if her knowing, infuriatingly serene smile was any indication , the subject had definitely been broached .
Later that evening the Foxes crammed into the hot-tub on the deck while Neil sat a little ways down, rocking back and forth peacefully on the porch swing. The cabin, the same cabin they’d visited a decade before, hadn’t changed much over the years but the swing was new.
Andrew joined him a few minutes later and handed him a glass of whisky. The blond put his foot on the swing to stop the motion long enough to sit down beside Neil before kicking at the floor himself to start it up again. For half an hour they sat in silence, sipping the bitter liquid and listening to the laughter of their old teammates a few yards away.
“Tomorrow,” muttered Andrew, the rim of the glass still touching his lip in an aborted sip. “Before dinner.”
Neil sucked in a shaky breath and nodded, keeping his eyes trained on the dark tree line ahead. His fingers ached for a cigarette but they’d both quit years ago due to their contract stipulations so instead he drummed them on the wooden planks between their thighs. Andrew caught his hand a moment later. He didn’t turn to look at Neil but squeezed his hand, and Neil squeezed back. And even after the moment of reassurance had passed, he kept their hands entwined. Neil smiled into the darkness. Tomorrow .
Sunday morning dawned pleasantly cool with a mist settling around the cabin, blanketing everything in the kind of silence that made you believe you were in your own little world. Neil hadn’t slept very well the night before despite Andrew’s efforts to wear him out and he woke with the sun. When he slipped from the bed Andrew merely turned over in his sleep, leaving Neil to brew a pot of strong coffee and sit on the porch to watch the sunrise creep through the thick of the forest.
Eventually he moved back inside when his other teammates woke and managed to sit through breakfast with minimal fidgeting, only eating a few bites since his stomach was in knots. The term ‘cold feet’ had been thrown around at other weddings he’d attended in the past, but he didn’t think that’s what it was. Anticipation, maybe? Or possibly anxiousness that he’d talked Andrew into something he didn’t really want to do and he might regret. He hoped not. Andrew had never been the type to do things he didn’t want to do and despite what the others might think – he didn’t actually go along with everything Neil asked.
After helping put away the dishes Dan sidled up next to him and put her hand on his bouncing knee, asking if he wanted to go on a run. Kevin joined them and they let Dan set the pace through the hilly hiking path nearby as they worked up a sweat and Neil’s mind finally quieted.
When they returned Andrew was sitting on the porch with a beer in his hand even though it was barely 9am. Neil ruffled his hair as he crossed into the house and smirked when he heard Kevin stop to pester him about the championship finals (Kevin’s team had lost 6-9 and though he wasn’t upset about the loss he couldn’t seem to stop wanting to analyze the game). So far Andrew had managed not to get cornered but it seemed his luck had finally run out.
After showering Neil moved to the kitchen. His stomach was growling and finally ready for food but that seemed like an impossibility at the moment , since Nicky was currently taking up entirely too much space, covered in flour and bits of batter.
“Uh....did it explode?” asked Neil, sliding onto a stool but leaning back since there wasn’t a clean surface to rest his arms on.
Nicky rolled his eyes. “I’m just an enthusiastic baker. It’ll be worth it when it’s done.”
“What is ‘it’ exactly?” Neil asked, eyeing the ingredients on the counter, which included an entire coconut, dark chocolate, and espresso powder.
“My famous German chocolate cake, of course.”
Neil perked up a little. He still wasn’t a fan of overly sweet things, but Nicky made a slightly bittersweet version of that particular dessert and it was one of the few things he and Andrew both liked. Apparently, Erik didn’t have much of a sweet tooth either so he’d adapted the recipe to find a nice compromise.
“At 10am?” Neil said, brow furrowing a little.
The older man shrugged and changed the attachment on the mixing bowl. “Renee asked me to make it. Which is weird because she doesn’t like coconut but I guess no one can resist my signature dish. She said she wanted it for later tonight.”
Neil’s hand stilled where it was tracing shapes in the white powder on the counter top and he felt his ears go pink. Luckily Nicky seems too focused on the task at hand to notice his silence and continued mixing ingredients until they’re were safely poured into round pans. Somehow, Neil was roped into helping with the clean-up but it was fine since he got to make himself a turkey sandwich after the dishwasher was loaded.
The rest of the afternoon passed leisurely. The Foxes went for a swim at the lake and came back to shower and get ready for the evening. While they were walking back towards the cabin Renee suggested they do something nice that evening and asked them to dress for ‘a night out.’ All of them had brought clothes that would be passable enough to go to a nice restaurant at the very least and no one really questioned it at first. At least until after they were all dressed and slowly gathering in the living room. Allison asked where they were going but Renee only smiled quietly and said it was a ‘surprise.’ A few seemed suspicious but they were too busy pre-gaming with early-evening margaritas to care. Aaron was already red-faced and held a rare smile on his lips as he texted Katelyn from the couch.
While they waited for Nicky and Kevin to come down, Neil retreated to the bedroom to get the ring box. He hesitated next to the bed and was still staring down at the mattress when Andrew appeared, closing the door behind him. He watched Neil with calculating eyes, stopping a foot away. He tipped his head to the side and Neil could suddenly read his mind somehow. Second thoughts?
Neil shook his head. “I’m ready. If you are.”
Andrew nodded and turned to exit the room, leaving Neil to swipe the box from the mattress and stuff it into the pocket of his slacks.
He was wearing a light blue button up and khaki pants. His scars were on display in the short sleeves, but he had long ago stopped caring about hiding himself from the Foxes. He rarely wore his armbands at all these days.
Andrew was dressed similarly, though his pants were a dark, charcoal gray and his shirt black. But he’d forgone the armbands too. He still wore them in public but not when he felt comfortable. Neil was glad he’d let the Foxes in, at least to an extent.
As they made their way back to the living room Nicky was already there. Kevin was coming down the stairs, his phone held aloft as he talked quietly to the screen. His expression and voice were shockingly soft and Neil surmised he was talking to his two-year-old daughter, Amalia. He hovered on the bottom stair and the moment he dropped the phone from his face the Foxes immediately began teasing him with cooing and baby talk. Kevin’s face heated and he flipped them off but his scowl was still an odd mixture of a smile and Neil appreciated how the years had softened his teammates – all of them really. Maybe not in the public eye, but behind closed doors, they could really be themselves.
They were still teasing him as they followed Renee outside but their chatter turned to suspicious questioning when they passed the vehicles and headed towards the lake.
“Where are we going?” asked Nicky. “I am definitely not in good walking shoes so if we’re hiking somewhere I need to go change again...”
Neil and Andrew brought up the back and Renee ignored her teammates, striding confidently towards the docks, even when Allison started physically poking her for answers.
The sun was just barely visible over the tree line on the other side of the cove, casting orange and purple hues over the still water. There were a few other houses scattered around the lake, but everything was quiet. Still. Most of the families and vacationers had likely retreated inside for dinner.
When Neil felt the boards of the dock creak under his boots he paused, hand in his pocket fiddling with the box. Andrew stopped beside him and they watched the rest of their teammates follow Renee towards the end of the pier. Neil twitched at the feel of Andrew’s hand on his wrist, following it down to his pocket. When he looked to the side Andrew’s eyes were fixed between them as he tugged Neil’s hand out, still clamped around the box. His neck cracked slightly at the speed he looked up at Neil, hazel eyes wide in question. Neil’s expression momentarily went through several stages: fear, surprise, panic, embarrassment. He suddenly wondered if he should have said something. If he should have presumed at all.
“I didn’t...I just thought...but maybe I shouldn’t have...” he stuttered and Andrew clamped a hand over his mouth, holding it there.
The blonds eyes were more hooded now, soft and perfectly defiant. Under the low light of the sunset he almost looked...fond.
Neil clamped his lips together and Andrew withdrew his hand, letting it drop only far enough to hook in Neil’s collar. He tugged once, and then raised his other hand to unbutton the top button of Neil’s shirt. When he was finished he grabbed Neil’s collar and pulled him in for a brief kiss, muttering ‘ idiot ’ before they’d fully separated. Neil smiled and let some of the tension leave his shoulders. He shifted the box to his right hand and let Andrew take his left, pulling him the rest of the way down the pier where the Foxes were still trying to interrogate Renee.
Matt and Aaron were lining mortars at the end of the dock, fireworks that were probably illegal in the state but had been carted across state lines to celebrate the week with a literal ‘bang ’.
“This is why you dragged us out here?” asked Allison, waving a hand towards the incendiaries . “I thought we were going to wait until tomorrow night to set them off.”
“Yea...you really want to do these before dinner? I mean it’s not even dark yet,” said Matt, setting the last one in place.
After they were done they turned to fan around Renee. Neil and Andrew had paused a few yards away, and somehow the Foxes had formed a little ‘v’ shape, looking like a flock of birds. Dan, Matt and Nicky were on one side while Allison, Aaron and Kevin were on the other with Renee standing at the center. She was wearing a white sundress that contrasted starkly against her hair, which was now jet-black and tickled her shoulders. She looked different, but somehow still the same, and the same cross necklace still adorned her collar.
“Actually,” she began, looking side to side. “I ordered in tonight. It should arrive in about an hour. But there’s something Andrew and Neil wanted to do first.”
Neil’s hand tightened around Andrew’s when she turned her attention towards them.
“Are you ready?”
Andrew tensed a little beside him but gave a quick nod and pulled Neil the rest of the way with a barely audible “Come on, junkie.”
The Foxes attention immediately turned from Renee to the pair of them so Neil kept his eyes fixed on the shimmering water of the lake. However, when they were close enough Neil reached out and shoved the ring box in Matt’s hands. It took the taller Fox a moment to figure it out but his realization seemed to bloom quickly.
When they stopped in front of Renee, Neil tossed a glance back at his best friend. “Hang on to that for a second for me.”
Matt was practically frozen in shock, his mouth gaping down at the object in his hand in an expression similar to the one he’d worn the first time he’d held his son for the first time. He looked up to Neil, back down, and up again.
“Is that....” Dan gripped her husbands wrist and her sight-line began going through the same process of disbelief as she looked back and forth. Nicky simply tilted his head to the side to look at his cousin, still trying to work out what was going on.
Across the pier, Allison leaned to the side to see what they were talking about. The moment her eyes caught on the little blue box she nearly jumped out of her skin in realization. Instead she opted to punch Kevin in the shoulder as hard as she could causing him to recoil and clap a hand over his limb.
“Jesus, Reynolds, what the fuck?!”
Allison ignored him, squealing in tandem with Nicky who finally seemed to have caught on. Only Aaron seemed stoic about the whole thing, though his expression was still more surprised than he probably would have allowed it to be on purpose. When Neil caught his eye the other Minyard rolled his and turned his head away.
Andrew reached up to clasp his fingertips around Neil’s chin, bringing his attention back where he wanted it and Renee held up her hands to try and quiet them as they all started talking at once.
“Stop talking,” Andrew said mildly, dropping his hand.
He hadn’t been loud, but the demand got their attention and they finally quieted. Neil reached out to snatch Andrew’s hand again and hoped the goalie wouldn’t notice how badly he was trembling. But he did, of course. Thankfully Andrew’s reaction had been to reach out and take Neil’s other hand instead of chastise him for his ridiculous nerves.
Andrew’s hands, by perfect contrast, were steady and Neil was grateful he wasn’t a mirror ball of anxiousness. But of course Andrew was calm. It was just a stupid formality for him, a means to an end so he won’t have to fight with doctors when one of them ends up in the hospital.
Knowing those thoughts wouldn’t lead anywhere good, Neil shoved them down. Andrew’s wasn’t stupid. There were probably other ways of accessing someone's sickbed – a power of attorney or some other legally binding document. Bribery even. They had the money for it even after the Moriyamas took their cut from Neil. But Andrew had given Neil a marriage application. He wanted this. Andrew didn’t regret. He didn’t make mistakes.
Before he could fall too deeply into his anxiety, Renee took a step closer and surveyed her friends, still smiling at them the same as she always had.
“As you seem to have figured out, we’re here right now to celebrate the lives of two of our cherished friends. Our family,” Renee began, clasping her hands together. “This moment isn’t about joining them together. We all know Neil and Andrew have been joined in life and love for some time now. Today we just reaffirm what they already know themselves. With that said, I’m sure our grooms will appreciate me keeping this short. Andrew, Neil, is there anything you would like to say before we move on?”
Neil visibly tensed, his hands clenching around Andrew’s. He hadn’t thought about this. Shit. Was he supposed to write...like...vows or something? That’s what they were called, right? How could he have forgotten this, it was his damn idea. Fuck.
Luckily, predictably, Andrew seemed to recognize his internal panic and reached out to drag his hand upwards to Neil’s wrist, pressing his thumb to Neil’s pulse where it hammered against his skin.
“ Calm down, rabbit. You don’t have to say anything you do not want to say .”
Relief came in a stream of air from Neil’s parted lips. Not only for the reassurance, but because it was in stilted Russian. It was a language they’d learned together in their time at PSU in an effort to have some measure of privacy when they couldn’t be alone. Neither had used it in a few years, not since the last world cup in Saint Petersburg. Neil was rusty as well – but this was good. Because he wanted to say things to Andrew. So many things. But he wasn’t sure he could even find the right words. And he definitely wasn’t sure he could say them in front of anyone.
For a moment Neil chewed his lip, summoning the courage and twisting their hands together again to lace their fingers together. When he spoke he could barely hear himself and Andrew leaned forward slightly, two sets of eyes locked on their intertwined fingers.
“ For so long, all I knew was running. And I’ll never forget the day you gave me a key. The day you told me to stay and gave me the strength to call something a home. At first, I thought it was the house. The shelter. The walls and locked doors. But the longer I stayed the more I realized that you were my home. Now I can’t imagine ever leaving. I could tell you how grateful I am for all of that, every day, for the rest of my life and it still wouldn’t be enough,” he took a slow breath. “I know you said...that you weren’t my answer. But you were part of it. And you still are. You always will be.”
Blue eyes flicked up and he found Andrew watching him with a careful expression. Unguarded and more vulnerable than Neil had ever seen him look. At first, he was sure Andrew wouldn’t say anything – would tell Renee to continue. But pink lips dropped open and Andrew only had eyes for Neil.
“ You were not my answer, but you were part of it, ” Andrew agreed, taking a shaky breath of his own.
“This was never nothing. You were never nothing, ” he continued. And then Andrew’s lip ticked up slightly and he squeezed Neil’s hands. “ I guess I never will be rid of you then, after this... ”
Neil couldn’t stop himself from grinning, stepping forward into Andrew’s bubble. “ Not even if you tried. ”
Andrew smiled. Just for a split second and Neil was close enough that it was likely only Renee managed a glimpse.
“ Well... .” sighed Andrew, his mouth resuming its neutral shape. “ At least you’re interesting. ”
For more than a minute they stared at each other, Renee likely not realizing they were finished since they hadn’t reverted back to English. When Neil glanced around he noticed Nicky was openly crying despite not having understood anything they said. Matt also had a few tears streaking down his cheeks and Dan beamed at the shorter pair, running her hands in soothing circles along the backs of her husband and Nicky – who eventually tipped his head onto his former captains shoulder to continue sniffling.
Across the dock, Aaron had his arms crossed but was looking at them with open curiosity instead of annoyance. Allison had her talon-like nails digging into Kevin’s bicep and he seemed torn between grimacing and keeping his rapt attention on the grooms.
Andrew turned a little to face Renee, giving her a nod to continue. She returned the gesture and then reached out to Matt who handed over the rings, tucking the box away in his own pocket.
Renee took the jewelry and examined the set for a split second before holding them outwards. Neil and Andrew let go of each other to pluck the tiny metal bands from her palm. Neil chose first, knowing that his was the slightly smaller one since his fingers were slenderer , leaving Andrew to take the other one.
They were identical in all but size – dark titanium, almost black in color with thin, smooth rings on the outside and a cracked wood sort of texture on the inside. They were simple but elegant and one of the few pairs he thought Andrew might appreciate aesthetically.
Andrew turned it over between his fingertips as Renee spoke again.
“ A ring, is just a ring. It can be a symbol of unbroken love, trust and commitment. A symbol of infinity. But you don’t need symbols to remind you of those things when you have each other. Andrew, do you take Neil to be your husband?”
“Yes,” Andrew said without hesitation, voice louder than it had been when they’d whispered Russian at each other moments ago.
He reached forward to take Neil’s hand and their eyes stayed locked the entire time as Neil felt the cool metal slide down his scarred ring finger.
“Neil, do you take Andrew to be your husband?”
He broke eye contact just long enough to take Andrews hand, smiling softly. “It’s always yes, with you.”
Once the ring was on, Neil curled their fingers together again and they turned to face Renee.
“Then by the power vested in me....and the online certification I got two nights ago to make this legal in the state of North Carolina,” she mused, and a few of the Foxes chuckled. “I now pronounce you married. You may kiss, if you choose.”
They had never purposefully kissed in front of anyone, but the Foxes had caught them on multiple occasions over the years while they were still at PSU. Neils hand twitched in Andrews and while Andrew didn’t roll his eyes, it was a near thing.
“Go ahead, junkie.”
Neil grinned and reached up to take both of Andrew’s cheeks in his hands and pulled him in.
It wasn’t a chaste kiss but it didn’t last long. Though it was long enough for the Foxes to start cheering and Andrew to raise his hand and give them the finger even though his eyes were closed and his tongue was still in Neil’s mouth. When they broke apart Neil laughed and dropped his head to Andrew’s shoulder, suddenly finding his legs feeling weak. But Andrew was as solid as ever and he clutched his shoulders to keep himself propped up, wrinkling Andrews shirt in the process.
Andrew moved one hand from Neil’s waist to thread through auburn hair, letting him recover some of himself as he breathed against Andrew’s neck. And then they were swarmed, the Foxes coming up and congratulating them. Andrew allowed the group hug for about three seconds before his firm ‘ Off ’ had them pulling away and whooping more, patting Neil on the back since he was less likely to toss them into the lake at their show of affection. After several minutes of revelry , Matt and Aaron started shooting off the fireworks. It was nearly dark now and fireflies blinked around them, the full moon rising over a purple-gray sky and bursts of color illuminating the group below. Neil plucked his shoes and socks off and sat on the edge of the dock to watch, Andrew joining him a moment later. They sat there, pressed together, Andrew’s fingers tracing over the ring on Neil’s hand. Neil turned and stared at his husband, watching the reflections of the fireworks in his glossy eyes. Andrew reached up, pressing two fingers to Neil’s scarred cheek to push it away.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
Neil smiled but turned his head right back, because it was one of the rare occasions that Andrew was smiling too. It wasn’t bright or wide, but it was there, and it was just for Neil.
The rest of the night was a blur. As they walked back to the cabin Nicky already had his phone out, screaming into the dark. An image of a sleep rumpled Erik, who had clearly been unconscious moments before since it was past 2am in Germany, groggily questioned him from the tiny screen.
“BABE YOU’RE NOT GONNA FUCKIN’ BELIEVE THIS!”
Likewise, Aaron had called Katelyn when they got back to the cabin and Kevin texted Thea. After they had eaten the catered meal Renee ordered, Kevin dialed Wymack and Abby. The pair had had gotten together officially the year Neil had graduated, even though they never married, and the old team spent some time talking to their former coach. Most of them still kept in frequent contact with him and while he looked a little more worn, his hair almost entirely gray now, he still was every bit the man Neil had taken a chance in trusting all those years ago. They ate, they drank, and they drank...a lot. It was nice, to have them all there celebrating. But Neil could tell Andrew was a little overwhelmed. The blond disappeared with a bottle of whisky onto the porch as soon as Nicky turned on loud music and started pouring shots. Neil was relieved to see Aaron follow his twin out a few moments later with two pieces of German chocolate cake on paper plates; they didn’t return for almost an hour and when they did Andrew seemed more settled. It had taken years, but the twins were finally in a place where the animosity between them had mostly dissolved . Neil still recalled the knock on their door years earlier where Aaron had shown up out of the blue to ask Andrew to come to his wedding. Neil never was privy to what was said between the two of them and would likely never know, but ever since they seemed to have reach an understanding . Neil noted Andrew’s wobbly countenance as he rejoined the group, which wasn’t surprising since the once full whisky bottle was nearly gone. Neil had mostly stuck to soda himself. By midnight, most of the athletes were in the tank. It seemed none of them really drank much anymore and it had gone to their heads pretty quickly . While the night had been enjoyable, most retired early, which was fine in Neils book. Andrew had sobered up some by the time they were falling into the bed, but they were both exhausted. After a few heady kisses, Andrew latched onto Neil like a koala, throwing a leg and arm over Neil‘ s legs and torso, seeking to sap the warmth from him. He loved when Andrew did this. It wasn’t often and usually only happened when he was tipsy or in the dead of winter and Neil never teased him for it because he liked it too much. Normally they still slept mostly apart, facing each other with only fingers or knees touching. He would never take these moments for granted. Neil snaked an arm around and let his fingers scrape along Andrews scalp until his breathing evened out. He stared at the ring on his finger, glinting in the sliver of moonlight that crept in through the window, and wondered how on earth he ended up here. How he deserved all of this. Before he could get too lost in his thoughts rain started to patter against the roof and he closed his eyes, letting the sounds of the gentle thunderstorm and Andrews breathing lull him into a dreamless sleep.
The next morning was the start of their last full day together. Soon they would all be off, back to their lives, unsure when they would all be together like this again. Nicky would be going to spend time with Aaron and Katelyn and their two yappy terriers for another week before returning home. Kevin was making a stop to see Wymack and Abby before he flew back to Texas. Renee and Allison would be going back to New York where they shared a penthouse apartment. Allison had become quite a famous fashion designer and was the number one investor in Renee's non-profit to help underprivileged youth - Andrew was the second. Dan and Matt would return to Pittsburgh and relieve Randy of her grandmotherly duties – a job she apparently took incredibly serious since according to Dan she spoiled their kids rotten. And Neil and Andrew would return home, relieving their elderly neighbor Mrs. Finch from taking care of their two cats.
The Foxes cooked breakfast together. They talked about upcoming plans and came up with ridiculous hypotheticals for future vacation ideas. Allison hooked her phone up to the TV and played the video of the wedding ceremony from the night before, one Neil had no idea how she had managed to take without anyone noticing and felt himself go pink at the realizing that they would definitely end up translating what Neil and Andrew had said to each other. Andrew only threatened her with death once but she waved him off and he seemed too content from his position on the love-seat with Neil to bother following through.
Neil buried his face in Andrew’s neck and tucked his feet under Andrews thighs, handing him his coffee, immersing himself in the feeling of warmth, the sound of familiar laughter. He wasn’t sure when they would all get together again, but he knew they would. Their bond was like the sun, permanent, bright, and they rotated around it unable to ignore the gravitational pull. And they didn’t want to. For people who had once been so lost, it was nice to finally be found. And they were never letting go.