Andrew was lounging on the couch, observing Neil's every move. "Eight times."
"What?" Neil called back, completely unaware of Andrew's eyes on him.
"You've yawned eight times in the last ten minutes."
"I'm fine Drew."
"Sure you are.'' Andrew scoffed, shifting a bit. ''Come here.''
Neil hesitated for a moment, realizing what Andrew had in mind. "Are you sure?"
"Don't make me repeat myself."
"But we have practice soon." Neil's voice didn't sound quite convincing, as he was already walking towards Andrew.
"Fuck practice.'' Andrew sighed, extending his arm and waiting.
Neil took his hand, allowing Andrew to pull him close, until he was practically on top of him.
They did this sometimes, Andrew would hold him or play with his hair to help him relax. They didn't talk about it but they both knew how much it helped Neil.
''Yes or no?'' It was barely a whisper, but of course Andrew heard. ''Yes.''
Neil closed the last bit of distance between them. The kiss was slow and lazy. Neil pulled away slightly to glance at Andrew and then placed one last kiss on his neck, burying his face there. He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
'Hey,' Neil whispered, propping himself up to stare at Andrew, 'you've been sleeping for over ten hours now.'
Andrew was lying on his stomach, with both of his hands tucked under his pillow, and his head turned so that he was facing Neil.
He tried opening his eyes but failed. He tried again and managed to open them only slightly enough to study Neil's face. Neil seemed to be enjoying this, a lot. A small smile was threatening to break loose on his lips as he reached out and ruffled Andrew's already too-messy hair.
'Still tired?' Neil said, running his fingers over Andrew's back in a slow, soothing motion, before bending down and showering his shoulders and neck with kisses.
'You smell good,' Andrew murmured, his voice rough with sleep, and Neil smiled into his neck.
'It's your shampoo.'
'I know,' Andrew yawned, shifting slightly and stretching his body out so hard, Neil could swear he heard something in his back pop. Neil reached out and started massaging the back of Andrew’s neck making him sigh and bury his face deeper into the pillows. He let his hand travel all over Andrew’s body until it stopped at his lower back. He started massaging the soft skin with his thumb, small circular motions taking away all the tension there.
‘Don’t fall back to sleep,’ he teased, retreating his hands. He started moving away, but two strong arms found his waist and he was being pulled back in one swift motion.
‘Your fault,’ Andrew said, dangerously close to his ear, as he wrapped himself around Neil.
It felt good, having Andrew press him down into the mattress. Neil’s skin burned in all the places it met with Andrew’s, and Neil wasn’t complaining. He closed his eyes and let the warmth consume him as they both drifted off to sleep.
Thinking about Neil wearing Andrew's hoodies and watching all of his games when Andrew is not around and he misses him
One day Andrew returns earlier than expected only to find Neil curled up in their bed, looking very comfortable wearing his hoodie. His hair is a mess and his eyelids look heavy, but somehow he still seems so focused on whatever is going on on the screen in front of him. He slowly lifts his head, eyes going wide and frantic as they scan the figure standing in the doorway. His mind is a mess and the only thing he can focus on is Andrew
'Drew?' Neil whispers, pushing the laptop away as he slowly lifts himself up from the bed.
He can feel Andrew's eyes on him even before meeting them. Eye contact alone seems to be enough to make him go lightheaded.
Andrew can't help but let his gaze wander, from Neil's hair, long and messy, sticking out in all directions, and Neil's face, red and flustered, to his body, and the way his hoodie fits him almost perfectly. He can feel his chest tightening and his throat closing up at the sight of Neil in his clothes but he doesn't let it stop him. He continues observing, his eyes dropping to Neil's very strong, very naked thighs. The hoodie is not doing a very good job in covering them, and no matter how grateful Andrew is for that, it's not enough. He wants to reach out, and trace his fingers over-
'Drew,' Neil repeats, this time standing right in front of him, arms reaching for his shoulders.
Andrew lets him pull him into a hug, his arms going from Neil's waist to the small of his back. He presses him close, his fingers tingling at the feel of Neil's skin under them.
'That's mine,' he says, tugging at the hem of his hoodie.
'Yeah,' Neil murmurs, letting himself be pulled into a kiss. He pushes him away for only a second to whisper, 'I could take it off if you want,' before he's closing the distance between them again.
The kiss is rough and messy, but neither of them seems to mind. When they finally pull away, they are both breathing hard and Neil just can't stop staring.
'Keep it on,' Andrew says into his ear, before picking him up and carrying him to the bed
‘Kevin dropped this off earlier,’ Andrew said, motioning towards the small cake that was sitting on their kitchen table. ‘Jean made it.’
‘He knows I don’t celebrate,’ Neil murmured. His fingers trembled slightly as he pulled the chair to sit in front of the cake. He took his time observing it, a small smile tugging at his lips. It was white and devoid of any sort of decoration, with one single candle waiting to be lit on top. He was never one to go out of his way and actually buy a cake for himself, nor did he like when others did it for him. He thought it unnecessary. Yeah, yeah, he was alive and a year older, no need for over-the-top celebrations or sweet treats to prove the point.
His heart tightened in his chest when Andrew moved to stand behind him, resting his hands on Neil’s shoulders. Neil leaned back, thankful for Andrew’s presence. He appreciated the way Andrew leaned against him, his touch making him feel grounded.
‘Kevin said that he made it healthy, whatever that’s supposed to mean,’ Andrew said, giving his shoulders a light squeeze. Neil couldn’t see his face but he imagined him rolling his eyes at that.
‘Weirdo,’ Neil mumbled, shaking his head. He was so happy he feared his heart would burst. That stupid, stupid French boy, is he really going to make him do this?
‘Would you light the candle?’ Neil said, turning around slightly to look at Andrew.
Andrew held eye contact for a moment, making sure that this was what Neil really wanted before fishing out a lighter from his pocket. He leaned over Neil and lit the candle.
They stood in silence for a moment. Neil closed his eyes, focusing on the way Andrew’s body pressed against his back. He blew the candle without making any wishes. That would have been too much.
‘Want a slice?’ Andrew said, taking the candle out of the cake, and placing it to the side. He moved swiftly through the kitchen, getting everything ready before sitting down next to Neil.
‘Not now,’ Neil answered, observing how easily Andrew cut into the cake before placing a piece onto his own plate.
‘Suit yourself,’ Andrew mumbled, stuffing his face with a mouthful of cake. Neil’s eyes lingered on the frosting that sat in the corner of Andrew’s mouth and he fought the urge to lean in and clean it with his tongue. Andrew noticed though. Of course he did.
‘Want a taste?’ He said, moving the plate away, his eyes reserved for Neil only.
‘Yeah.’
Andrew slowly leaned in and took Neil’s face into his hands. He ran his thumb over his cheekbone before connecting their lips. The kiss was painfully slow and the sweetness made Neil’s head spin. He went limp, completely melting in Andrew’s arms.
Andrew pulled away slightly, only to leave a small kiss on his forehead before closing the distance once again.
Lemon, Neil thought, running his fingers through Andrew’s hair. He could get used to this.
‘Can I try doing that for you?’ Neil said, pointing at the nail polish in Andrew’s hand.
Andrew sent him an unimpressed look as he sat down at the table, placing the nail polish in front of him and leaning on his hands to look up at Neil.
‘Where did that come from?’ he said, closely studying his face. Neil looked determined as he crossed the room to sit in front of Andrew. He took one of Andrew’s hands, his fingers slowly tracing over Andrew’s own, stopping every now and then to play with his nails. At last, he intertwined their fingers together, enjoying the feeling of Andrew’s cold skin against his burning one.
‘I don’t know,’ he answered honestly. ‘But I like it when you paint your nails so I wanted to try doing it for you. Can I?’ he continued, giving Andrew’s hand a little squeeze.
‘Yes,’ Andrew answered shortly. He knew this wasn’t going to end well, but he didn’t care. If this for some reason made Neil happy then he would humor him for however long he needed to.
Neil grabbed the nail polish and Andrew placed his hand in front of him in anticipation. Neil's eyebrows were furrowed and his mouth slightly open as he concentrated on the task at hand. He worked slowly, and carefully, but somehow still managed to miss half of Andrew’s nail, painting the skin around it instead.
Neil looked annoyed when he realized that this wasn’t as easy as he thought it would be. He had watched Andrew do this so many times in the past, so he somehow convinced himself that he would be able to do it on his first try.
‘I think you might need glasses,’ Andrew said, sounding amused. ‘How did you manage to miss the whole nail, Neil?’
‘I didn’t think it would be this bad,’ Neil said, irritation evident in his voice. He pushed the nail polish aside and observed Andrew’s nails. They looked awful, so Neil just sighed and waited for Andrew to start teasing him, but he never did. What’s more, Andrew didn’t look bothered at all by the fact that Neil just wasted his time on this and that he would have to do it all again.
‘I don’t care,’ Andrew said when he noticed Neil’s confused reaction.
When Neil said nothing, Andrew got up from his chair and walked over to him. He hooked one finger under his chin to make him look up. Neil stared at him, his eyes wide and lips slightly parted, and oh how Andrew enjoyed the sight.
‘It’s just a stupid nail polish,’ he said, leaning down, his face so close to Neil’s that he felt his breath against his lips. He gave Neil a questioning look before closing the distance between them. Neil melted against him, his fingers finding their way to the front of Andrew’s shirt and pulling him closer.
Neil was the first one to break the kiss. He leaned on Andrew’s chest, trying to catch his breath, before reaching for one of Andrew's hands and bringing it to his lips. He kissed each of his fingertips, before moving on to his palm and wrist. Andrew’s other hand was tracing small circles over Neil's back, making him shiver. He wanted to bury his fingers in Neil’s hair, but the polish was not dry enough for that.
‘Next time I think I’ll just stick to watching you do it,’ he murmured, moving back to look up and Andrew.
Andrew hummed in agreement, squeezing Neil's shoulders lightly.
Andrew was lying on top of Neil, resting his head in the crook of his neck. Neil’s hair tickled his face, but he didn’t mind. He was surrounded by Neil’s smell and he loved it. Craved it. He closed his eyes and nuzzled his face closer. He would never say it out loud but he loved feeling protected. Needed.
"Hey Drew," Neil whispered, running his fingers through his hair.
"Hmm?" Andrew hummed, opening one eye to look up at him.
"I like the way you fit right into my arms."
As if to prove his point, he wrapped both of his arms around Andrew's waist.
Andrew slightly lifted himself so that their faces were inches apart. "You should stop talking."
"I could do that, but I could also tell you how amazing you are."
"Guess what?" Neil said, pulling at the side of his mouth just enough to reveal a sharp fang that definitely wasn't there when he left in the morning.
Andrew almost choked on his drink but tried his best to play it cool as he walked over to Neil, never looking away from his mouth.
"You said you wanted us to go as vampires for Halloween," Neil continued, letting go of his mouth and leaning back against the kitchen counter, "so I asked around; turns out you can get some pretty high-quality ones at this place—"
Andrew closed his eyes and inhaled sharply before scooting closer. Neil spread his legs a bit, making it easier for Andrew to stand in between them as he brought his hand up to Neil's cheek.
Neil shivered at the feel of his cold hand but soon after leaned into the touch. Andrew ran his thumb over his bottom lip before looking up, a question evident in his eyes.
Neil nodded, his hands reaching for the front of Andrew's shirt.
Andrew used his point and middle finger to slightly part Neil's lips before running them across his front teeth. He paid special attention to the fangs, circling his thumb over them and pressing onto the sharp end. He wondered how it would feel if Neil were to bite down on his neck. His collarbone. His thighs—
Neil opened his mouth wider, pulling him closer by the shirt. He let out a choked sound as Andrew pushed his fingers deeper into his mouth, pressing down on his tongue. He pinched it between his fingers before sliding them out.
Neil stood frozen as Andrew brought them to his own mouth, licking them all the way to the top, his eyes never leaving Neil's.
Andrew pulled him in, connecting their lips into a messy kiss. He bit down on Neil's lip and licked into his mouth in a desperate attempt to get closer.
As they broke apart, panting and gasping for air, and as Neil tried to kiss him again, Andrew grasped the hair on the back of his head, using it to guide him towards his neck.
"Bite me," he whispered.
Neil's eyes went wide and his heart stuttered as a low whine escaped him.
"Drew?"
'Yes, Abram.'
Neil's mind was spinning as he sunk his teeth into Andrew's neck, careful not to hurt him. He pulled away only enough to study the marks before leaning back in to lick the spot and give it small kisses in an attempt to soothe the pain.
Andrew gasped, his hands dropping to squeeze Neil's waist and eventually finding their way under his shirt.
"I love the feeling of your teeth on me." He said, his voice dangerously low.
Neil groaned, his head dropping on Andrew's shoulder when Andrew let his hands roam, scratching Neil's stomach and pinching his sides, before going lower, "Especially because I can tell how much you are enjoying it."
‘I can feel you staring, you know,’ Andrew said, without turning around to look at Neil. He took the last drag from his cigarette before throwing it out the window without giving it much thought. It was late at night and the cold breeze made him shiver as he swiftly closed the window and pulled the curtains closed. He crossed the room to his armchair, all the while fully aware of Neil's unwavering gaze following him.
Neil observed as Andrew got comfortable in his usual spot, propping his legs up on the small table in front of him and crossing his arms over his very naked chest. Neil almost didn't hear what Andrew said, too busy appreciating the way his body looked illuminated by the soft light coming from the TV that neither of them was actually watching.
Neil let his eyes roam all over Andrew's body, paying special attention to his forearms, the skin there slightly paler than the rest. He flexed his fingers at his sides, feeling a slight tremor as he remembered the first time he got to see them free of the armbands that usually kept them out of sight. The first time he got to run his fingers over the scarred skin. His heart spasmed in his chest as he thought of the way Andrew's skin broke into tiny goosebumps at the unfamiliar feeling of another person's gentle touch.
Neil took a deep breath, waiting for his heart to calm down before his eyes continued their journey, this time landing on Andrew's strong biceps and well-defined chest. Neil loved every part of Andrew, each strong muscle and the soft tissue covering it. He loved mapping out his skin with small kisses and careful bites. Loved feeling Andrew completely relax under him, safe and comfortable in his arms.
'I like your shirt,' he said at last, finally letting his eyes meet Andrew's.
'Oh really?' Andrew scoffed, raising an eyebrow at him. Without breaking the eye contact he spread both of his arms in invitation.
‘The material is not too bad, want to feel it?'
And Neil didn't have to be told twice, he pushed himself off the couch in an instant, forever grateful that he got to do this. He'll worship Andrew's body and show him how perfect he is for as long as he'll let him.
