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Andrew was injured during a game and needed a minor surgery. He was brought to hospital in an ambulance and Neil insisted on accompanying him but was unable to do so. After what felt like an eternity, Andrew's surgery was successful and Neil was finally allowed to see him. Rushing into the room Neil saw Andrew on the hospital bed, in a loose hospital gown tied on sides.
“Neil,” Andrew looked at Neil for a few seconds and blinked, his gaze unfocused. Neil stopped a few inches away from the bed, realising instantly that Andrew isn't sober. With worry gnawing at Neil's insides he was informed that the medicines can produce side effects like drowsiness, dizziness, or a feeling of euphoria in some individuals. These effects may be perceived as being "high" by some patients. His mind stopped on the word ‘high’. Andrew hasn't been high since the college days, he knows his limits, knows when to stop drinking. The Andrew in front of him, with an unsteady gaze and slurred speech was miles away from the Andrew who was on drugs in college.
Andrew was curiously looking at his surroundings, when he spoke his words were heavily slurred, “I'm in a hospital.” It wasn't a question so Neil said nothing, observing Andrew's reactions.
“How do you feel? Any discomfort or pain?” Neil asked.
“My feet are cold,” Andrew look at his feet which were under the sheets and frowned and Neil could swear he saw a pout on Andrew's lips. Neil was too stunned with the knowledge that Andrew pouted. And oh Neil's heart momentarily stopped as he looked at Andrew's eyes, eyes which looked watery. Those bright, watery eyes were looking at Neil and Neil alone and Neil's breath stopped. His entire being froze as he looked at Andrew, he was overcome by a very strange feeling of wanting to embrace Andrew and squeeze him, so tight. Neil didn't have time to even think of anything else as Andrew jumped to another topic.
“Want to see you in a tank top,” Andrew's gaze was on Neil's chest and slowly moved to his biceps, his cold feet forgotten in the favour of observing Neil's biceps through his slightly unfocused eyes.
“A what?” How Andrew's thoughts jumped from his cold feet to tank top is beyond Neil's comprehension. Neil's mind was still stuck at the question he asked previously and hence asked again, “Do you feel any pain or discomfort?”
“Black. Will buy for you,” a nod to himself as Andrew continued, his eyes roaming on Neil's chest “Want to see the side of your chest through the low cut sleeve of tank top,” Andrew licked his lips. “Would be a nice view.”
“Uh, so, we'll go shopping I guess?” Neil was unsure whether Andrew would remember this conversation later or not but still humored him.
“I like shopping with you.”
“As in buying clothes?” Neil asked.
”That too, yes. I like how I can visualise you in clothes and then decide what I want to see you in,” Andrew's words slurred. “I pick tight ones for you on purpose. Love seeing your upper body's shape through the shirt. Makes my thoughts run wild.” Andrew's hands lifted in air as if tracing the shape of Neil's body in air. Andrew's eyes returned back on Neil's figure, his gaze very appreciative. And oh Andrew will kill Neil after he gains sobriety, no doubt.
The things Andrew is saying out loud were never meant to be heard by Neil but the thoughts buried deep in Andrew's mind are casually slipping through his tongue today. Neil desperately hoped, prayed, that Andrew would have no memory of all this after he gains his reason however the self destructive part of Neil came out and his mouth worked faster than his brain.
“That too so that means you like some other kind of shopping with me too?”
“I like grocery shopping with you,” Andrew nodded to himself. “Feels very comfortable and domestic, just being with you while we pick items together and you trying to convince me that we need the absolute rubbish that's just going to kill us faster,” Neil spotted the barest hint of a smirk which someone else might mistake for a smile on Andrew's lips as Andrew continued “but above all I like being together. I always saw other people shopping with their significant others you know, it feels so unreal that I too have someone by my side now,” Andrew's eyes shot over to Neil. “That I can spend time with someone I feel comfortable being around, bantering over food items,” Andrew has a far away look in his eyes as he whispered out in a sigh “I like that. Very much.”
Neil knows that Andrew would never have mentioned that if he was sober. “Do you?” Neil asked, wanting to hear the confirmation, his stomach flip-flopping. Andrew cocked his head to one side in question, looking at Neil curiously. “Do you not trust me?”
Again jumping to a new question, Neil almost couldn't keep up with the conversation as he was transfixed by the sight in front of him. Andrew cocking his head to one side, his hair falling down, hazel eyes brightly surveying Neil, this picture scratched at some unknown corner of Neil's heart.
Andrew considered Neil for a long time, eyes taking in ever inch of Neil while he was pondering over something unknown to Neil and after a long pause Andrew asked in a low voice, “Will you believe me if i tell you the sky is blue?”
Neil's heart squeezes at that question as his thoughts race back to the time when Andrew confessed why he didn't like the word "misunderstanding". “If I tell a man the sky is blue and he tells me I am wrong, I am not inclined to give him a second chance. I see no reason to.” The uncomfortable feeling in his chest was pushed down by the need to tell Andrew that yes, he will. Neil will always believe Andrew.
“You once said ‘Sunrise, Abram, death these are the truths’. Today I'm giving you one more truth. Yes. I will believe you. Hell, you can even say that the sky is green and I'd believe you. No doubt. No questions asked.”
“Why would I tell you that?” Andrew shoots Neil a weird look like it's absurd that Andrew has to spell it out for Neil. Somewhere between the lines Neil caught the unsaid ‘Why would I lie to you like that?' and it was so in line with Andrew's character, Andrew's whole being that a smile slipped out. A very silly, simple and idiotic smile.
“Hm, you're right. You wouldn't,” Neil said. And Andrew, still not sober, caught that smile and answered with one of his own.