Chapter Text
Technically, Nathaniel shouldn't have been allowed into that hospital room. 'Relatives only' the nurse told him, so Nathaniel resorted to the teachings of his father, who said that there is no forbidden place that money cannot open the door, so there he was, walking through the corridors of the hospital with cold determination.
He was still furious. If he had returned to the Ravens’s bus after the game, he would have killed Dylan with his own hands and that would have been a bigger inconvenience than he was willing to deal with, but it didn't lessen his anger.
When he arrived at the room, Nathaniel took a deep breath before entering. He knew that nothing would stop Andrew from realizing the anger running under his skin, but he could try. Nathaniel had waited for Andrew's cousin and brother to leave the hospital (he suspected that they had gone back to the Tower, maybe to change clothes or who knows what, Nathaniel did not care) to enter the building, so the room was empty.
"You shouldn't be here." was Andrew's idea of greeting. His voice was not in the normal apathetic tone, but hoarse and failing. Nathaniel clenched his fists for a few moments before relieving his fingers.
He approached the bed and stopped near the blond's feet.
"No, but still here I am." Nathaniel tried to smile, but probably came out like a grimace. Andrew rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, your doppelganger and cousin left the hospital and one of my father's men is watching around them in the parking lot."
Andrew remained silent, just assessing Nathaniel and probably trying to find out if he had fought with someone in the three hours since they last saw each other during the Ravens versus Foxes game that night. When he was satisfied, he extended his hand to Nathaniel. "Come here."
Nathaniel took Andrew's hand and let him pull him to bed, in a position lying on his chest. Nathaniel was a little reluctant, after all Andrew had got unpleasantly hit by someone else’s body, but Andrew's pull won and he put his head on Andrew's chest, with his nose positioned on the curve of Andrew's neck.
Deep down, Nathaniel knew that, that was his favorite place.
"I was terrified when I saw your body fall to the ground, not moving." Nathaniel whispered against Andrew's collarbone, which placed his arms around him. "If Jean hadn't held me, I would’ve run to you and ruined everything."
Nathaniel felt it when Andrew took a deep breath.
One of Andrew's hands started to play with Nathaniel's ear and, for a moment, Nathaniel thought Andrew would not answer and he decided to close his eyes and focus on Andrew's heartbeat in his ears.
"Now you know how I felt when Seth hit you last season."
They were silent after that, with Nathaniel not knowing how to answer that. They were officially together three years ago, four if you count the first year of both in college Exy that they spent sneaking into the shadows to see each other. Today, they were still sneaking (Nathaniel wouldn't put a bigger target on Andrew's back. Riko couldn't do anything with Nathaniel because of his father, but Andrew was another story and Nathaniel would kill himself before letting something happen to Andrew because of him), but now they didn't pretend it was just casual. It took a long time for them to fully understand and accept that they were in love with each other, but they didn't have to pretend anymore. At least not for each other.
"What did you tell the Master so he would leave you behind?" Andrew asked after a while. If he hadn't spoken, Nathaniel could have slept.
"I said that if he wanted to go back to the Nest with all his players alive, I would have to stay." He lifted his head and rested his chin on Andrew's chest, making Andrew's golden eyes meet his. "I know that he knows and I also know he knows that I know, but he's too afraid of my father to do anything about it".
A ghost of a smile appeared on Andrew's face.
"He should have taught Riko self-preservation then."
Nathaniel laughed.
"Riko and self-preservation in the same sentence, I never thought I'd see it. That spoiled man doesn't care about the consequences of what he does, and Tetsuji rarely makes that consequence fall on his nephew's shoulders".
Andrew hummed and then put his hand on Nathaniel's cheek and pulled him closer until his lips were touching. It was a chaste kiss, the kind they rarely had, but it made Nathaniel's heart swell.
He almost forgot the anger he was feeling minutes ago.
"I would have killed Dylan if Jean hadn't stopped me," he confessed after he got away from Andrew's lips.
"I know." Andrew said. "But don't do that, Riko wouldn't be happy and he'll take it out on the Foxes."
"I thought you couldn't stand the foxes."
"Wipe that smug smile off your face, Neil, I can't stand it." Andrew said and bit Nathaniel's chin. "But my brother and cousin are on the team, remember? We've had enough damage."
Nathaniel united his eyebrows and moved away a little, putting both hands on the bed, one on each side of Andrew's body, to lean on.
"What does that mean?"
"You didn't know? Princess Riko told them to vandalize the team cars".
Nathaniel didn't know. Of course not, Riko knew that Nathaniel didn't like his game, but Jean must have known and he didn't tell anything. Nathaniel would talk about it with Jean later.
"Hey, get that murderous expression off your face." Andrew said, pulling Neil back to his chest.
Nathaniel sighed.
"I'll buy you a new car."
"No. None of that. I don't need your money."
Nathaniel raised his head again and smiled naughtily at Andrew.
"What's the point of having so much money if I can't buy a little present for my boyfriend?"
Andrew snorted, but Nathaniel saw that his ears turned slightly red. Nathaniel smiled and kissed Andrew's lips, which he allowed, which meant Nathaniel had won.
They stayed in that bubble until Nathaniel's cell phone started ringing with a message, warning that Andrew's family had returned.
Nathaniel sighed heavily and disemboweled from Andrew's arms.
"I have to go." He stood and lengthened his spine. "Your little present will be waiting for you at the house in Columbia when you leave here."
He leaned over and kissed Andrew quickly, who said, "I love you."
Nathaniel smiled and gave him another little stamp.
"Until the day I die," was their answer when the other one said I love you first.
Nathaniel left the room after that, his anger calmed down now that he knew Andrew was fine.
That was all that mattered, after all.