Work Text:
There's only seconds left on the clock when Neil scoops up the ball, and runs .
He's going so fast he'd doubt he's even touching the ground if not for the ache in his legs at every step as he tears down the court, bouncing the ball off the wall every ten steps as he dodges friend and foe alike.
The opposing team's goalkeeper raises her racket threateningly, daring Neil to shoot, and with the last dregs of strength he can muster, Neil throws.
The goal lights up red as the final buzzer sounds and the stadium explodes .
Foxes sprint into a dogpile in the middle of the court, their excitement echoed by thousands of voices cheering, and Neil watches them as he sinks to the floor, legs unable to hold him for a second longer.
Andrew crouches down next to him, eyes gleaming, and pulls Neil's helmet off his face, cupping his cheek in a palm.
"Yes or no?"
"Yes." Neil breathes without hesitation, but pauses when Andrew leans in.
"We're on live TV, Drew." He reminds the goalie as if either of them could forget with the absolute pandemonium happening around them.
Andrew tilts his head, a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Who cares what they think?"
Neil's answering smirk is pressed away by Andrew's lips, and the stadium fades away.
The kiss only lasts a few moments, but in that brief amount of time, nothing matters but the hand that's gravitated to the back of his neck, and the breath between them.
Andrew pulls away first, resting his forehead against Neil's, skin sticking with sweat, and ugh they both need a shower.
Neil says so, and Andrew pushes the striker away with a roll of his eyes. "Junkie."
"All your's." Neil quips back, and that's when he notices that his team has paused their celebration to stare at their goalkeeper and striker like they've never seen them before.
Nicky's eyes are so wide Neil's pretty sure they'll pop out of his head any second now, Allison's jaw has practically dropped to the floor, Matt has the stupidest grin stretched across his face, Dan and Kevin look gobsmacked, Aaron's got a murderous glower, and Renee is smiling sweetly.
"About time you two!" She remarks playfully, and that breaks the sudden stand-off like a shattering mirror.
There's the thunderous sound of footsteps, and then Neil's absolutely dogpiled by the upperclassmen.
"Get the fuck off me." He hears Andrew grumble, followed by Nicky screaming incoherently, and Aaron trying unsuccessfully to interrogate his twin.
"Oh my god, you just settled like 3 bets!!" Allison squeals in Neil's ear, "When the hell did you two get together?!"
Neil just shrugs. There isn't any particular moment that stands out to him. He and Andrew weren't strangers one day and kissing the next. It was a gradual thing born of experience and trust.
"It just kinda happened."
"And you choose now of all times to tell us?" Nicky exclaims, shaking Andrew's shoulders until he's bodily shoved off.
"We didn't tell you shit." The blonde gripes, retreating a few feet from the chaos.
"So you're boyfriends?" Kevin cuts in and Neil and Andrew both grimace.
"I prefer the term partners," Neil admits, looking to Andrew who nods once in agreement.
"I thought you were aromantic." Matt nudges, looking at Neil with a questioning gaze.
"I'm demi, I think."
Matt smiles, clapping a hand on Neil's shoulder. "Cool, as long as you're happy, man."
"Foxes! Get your asses off the court!" Wymack shouts from the sidelines, and reluctantly, they break apart to head for the stands.
Andrew gives Neil a critical once-over and sighs. "You overdid it. Again."
Neil rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "Maybe a little."
He takes the hand Andrew offers him without protest and allows himself to be pulled to his feet. His knees buckle almost immediately and for a moment, he thinks he's going to fall, but a hand wraps around his waist and tugs him against the rough padding of Andrew's armor, holding him up.
"Idiot." Andrew huffs at him, fondly.
"You love it." Neil winks, but then he freezes. It's the first time either of them has said the L word, and beside him, Andrew stiffens.
"Shit, I didn't mean to say that, you can just ignore-" Neil panics, but Andrew's lips against his temple shuts him up.
"I do." Andrew assures him as they pass through the tunnel into the Foxes' lounge.
Abby is upon Neil in an instant, fussing over the exhausted teen as Andrew drops him onto a couch and appoints himself guard while they're handed water bottles and get their obligatory concession checks done.
Wymack's going over game stats with occasional input from Kevin and Dan when they tune back in, and Neil's hand finds Andrew's, giving it a gentle squeeze.
Andrew squeezes back, pulling his knife to flip mindlessly with the other as they drone on.
"And you two-" Wymack suddenly turns on the pair raising an eyebrow at the way they're draped across the couch, hands still intertwined.
"Above your pay grade." Neil and Andrew chorus with a shit-eating grin and deadpan apathy respectively.
"Fucking hell." The man groans, putting his head in his hands. "Just keep it off the court."
"No promises." Neil quips, and Andrew cuffs him.
"Sure thing, coach. Can we go now?"
"Yeah, yeah get the hell out of my sight." The man shoos them off.
It's only when they've finally been left alone for the night, curled into the sheets in their shared room, that Neil brings it up.
"You kissed me on live TV."
Andrew huffs a breath of warm air against the back of Neil's neck, making him shiver.
"So what?"
"We're going to be in the news for weeks." Neil whines, "I'm already getting enough media coverage as it is."
"That's a problem for tomorrow. Sleep, Junkie." Andrew tells him, curling an arm around Neil's abdomen protectively.
Neil pouts but dutifully goes quiet, relaxing into the hold. As he drifts off, Andrew's chest rising and falling against his back, he smiles to himself.
Yeah, he wouldn't trade this for the world.