Orange Season - AFTG Headcannon Fic
My piece for @sonofaexy for the @aftgexchange, just the boys celebrating Hanukah in their own way. I hope you enjoy!
The Foxes spend their holidays separately, with Andrew and Neil staying behind
Andrew doesn’t have many pleasant experiences with the holidays, and they’re both content with spending their break as is
But it’s a combination of Nicky’s insistence of doing something special and the little stare Neil gives when he sees anything Christmas, that Andrew reconsiders
In passing, Andrew tells Neil that he’s in charge of any holiday plans, and that gets Neil thinking
He never really understood or enjoyed Christmas, it’s kind of difficult to when it reminds him of his father’s Christmas parties
Or the fact that he and his mother were Jewish
But this is their first holiday together, and Neil is all for making new memories and experiences with Andrew
So Neil decides to go shopping with Andrew
Snow starts to fall, and much to Andrew’s annoyance, Neil is underdressed
Cue in some intimate insults and forehead touch as Andrew puts on a beanie on Neil before they continue on with their trip, the snow doesn’t last much longer
Of all Christmassy things he expected to see, Andrew raises a brow when all Neil gets are oranges, oil, scented pine fragrance, and a bottle of wine
They head to the rooftop and Neil starts to assemble
Neil remembers Mary cutting the oranges, the halved peels saved and the fleshy innards a tasty snack, her pouring oil and pine fragrance in the pseudo bowls and lighting the oiled stem on fire
Neil does the same, ‘It’s hard to celebrate Hanukkah properly when you’re running, but we made do with what we could’
He remembers his mother telling him that oranges get sweeter in the winter
There being some reaction that makes the fruit sweeter and prevents freezing, it’s their way of surviving Abram, and sometimes Neil thinks they’re alike in that aspect
Mary was by no means mother of the year, but it’s moments like those, he can’t help but cherish
He doesn’t tell Andrew that, but he doesn’t have to
They stay on the roof in silence until the scent of pine is gone
They don’t do anything special for the next couple days, but Andrew keeps thinking back to the rooftop
So he comes up with his own way of giving in holiday cheer
One night, Andrew gifts Neil a menorah, and Neil is floored,
Don’t look at me like that, Andrew tries not to let the fuzzy warmth from watching Neil or the smug satisfaction of properly celebrating the holiday, unlike a certain someone, intoxicate him
Neil lights the candles and he just reflects on how lucky he is-to be alive, to have a family, to be with Andrew
They relish the moment and enjoy their holiday content with each other