Minutt for minutt

This is part of the Stolen Moments series on [AO3].

A collection of moments between Andrew and Neil as their lives continue together through the years.

As always a big thanks to @velvetnoodle for being an amazing beta <3

After practice, Neil is so worked up from Kevin’s constant complaints that he runs up the stairs to the roof. He forces the doorknob open and steps out onto the windy rooftop to find Andrew already sitting close to the edge at their usual spot with a lit cigarette.

Neil walks towards Andrew and sits down next to him, letting their shoulders and knees touch. “One of these days you’re gonna have to let Matt punch Kevin,” Neil mutters as he glances sideways at Andrew and decides to steal his cigarette.

Andrew gives him an unimpressed look and returns to stare at the horizon. He grabs the bottle near his side and takes a sip. Neil doesn’t normally drink but he’s been having a bad week, and it’s only Andrew with him here so he knows he’s safe. He motions with his hand for Andrew to pass him the bottle, which earns him a curious look from Andrew. They trade cigarettes for alcohol between them until Andrew closes the bottle and stores it away. “That’s enough.”

“I don’t feel drunk,” Neil replies.

“If you don’t stop soon, you’ll be as drunk as last year,” Andrew says. “I thought you didn’t like the after-effects of being drunk.”

“Ugh don’t remind me about that,” Neil says with a frown, remembering the morning after when he woke up with his head still spinning and the worst headache he’d ever felt.

“I know my limits, but you never drink so you don’t know when to stop,” Andrew points out.

Neil nods, knowing that Andrew is right. “According to you, though, it was only that bad because Nicky mixed different drinks.”

“Your point?” Andrew asks.

“It’s a different situation today. It’s just one bottle, no mixtures.” Neil clarifies and turns to the side to look properly at Andrew before he finishes. “But if you think I should stop now, I’ll do it.”

“Good, because you’ll regret it tomorrow if you don’t,” Andrew says, still looking at the horizon.

Neil watches as Andrew takes the pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lights another one up. The air around them is filled again with the familiar smell of smoke. “Andrew?” Neil calls as he leans towards him. When Andrew looks back at him, Neil continues. “I want to kiss you.” It’s not a question, but he knows Andrew will understand that he’s asking for permission.

This is part of the Stolen Moments series on [AO3].

A collection of moments between Andrew and Neil as their lives continue together through the years.

This one is for @arituzz happy belated bday Ari! Hope you like it!!

As always a big thanks to @velvetnoodle for being an amazing beta <3

As Neil enters the car and puts his seatbelt on he can’t help but remember all the times he ran away, jumping from one city to the other, always looking over his shoulder to make sure he wasn’t being followed. But this is different, he thinks, as he looks sideways at Andrew waiting for him to start the engine. They aren’t running away; they’re just taking a break for a few days in Columbia.They’ll be back.

He leans his head against the window and lets himself get distracted by the cars as they pass. They share a comfortable silence in the car journey and only stop for a few minutes at a gas station to fill the tank. The farther they get from Fox Tower, the more relaxed Neil begins to feel, and when they enter the house Neil feels all the tension from the new recruits and becoming captain lift from his shoulders.

Neil lets himself smile as he leans against the doorframe. He watches Andrew move around the kitchen to take out an ice cream container from the freezer and then grab a spoon from the drawer.

“Going on 173%,” Andrew says without taking his eyes of the ice cream.

Neil rolls his eyes, but stops staring. He grabs the pack of cigarettes that Andrew dropped in the counter when he entered and starts to walk towards the garden. Once he’s outside, he lights one cigarette and lays down on the grass to contemplate the night sky.

Moments later, he hears the door being opened and Andrew’s soft steps on the grass. He steals the cigarette from Neil before he lays down next to him with their shoulders and legs lightly touching.

“How did you know?” Neil asks eventually. He hadn’t realized he was so tense and worried until he got here. But Andrew of course knew what to do. He saw right through Neil and brought him away to clear his head.

“Know what?” Andrew asks back.

Neil turns to the side and watches Andrew’s cigarette burn as he inhales. “That I needed this.”

Andrew turns to look at him and breathes out the smoke into Neil’s face before he answers. “You’ve been looking like you’re ready to run away any second.”

"I'm not going anywhere," Neil says quietly. It’s the truth, but the instinct of running away will always be in the back of his head from a life on the run.

This is part of the Stolen Moments series on [AO3].

A collection of moments between Andrew and Neil as their lives continue together through the years.

As always a big thanks to @velvetnoodle for being an amazing beta <3

As Andrew rests their foreheads together, he lets his hand travel under Neil’s shirt to trace his scars. Neil closes his eyes and focus on the feeling of Andrew’s hands exploring every inch of him like they’ve done so many times before.

Neil jumps when he hears the door of the bedroom being slammed closed, but Andrew tightens his hold on Neil to keep him in place. He feels Andrew immediately tense beside him. Neil doesn’t move his body away, but shifts his head slightly to the side in the direction of the noise.

Kevin is leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded, looking unimpressed. “Take me to practice.”

Neil is about to tell Kevin to fuck off and leave them alone for just one night when he feels Andrew remove his hands. Neil immediately misses the warmth of his hands, and turns to glance at Andrew, as his face goes blank again.

Andrew stares at Kevin until he finally takes a step back looking annoyed by their lack of response. Once he reaches the door he speaks looking over his shoulder. “I’m waiting by the car.”

Neither of them move as they wait for Kevin to get out. When the door finally closes, Neil can see the tension lifting from Andrew’s shoulders as he leans against the counter. Andrew looks sideways at him with a calculated expression on his face. “You ready? If we take too long he won’t shut up in the car.”

“I just need my shoes and then we can go,” Neil replies, moving away from the counter and towards the beanbags where his shoes were discarded previously.

By the time Neil is ready, Andrew is already waiting by the door. Neil notices the gym bag over his shoulder, and tries to fight back the smile that is forming on his face. Andrew occasionally decides to practice at night with them, and it’s been happening more frequently. At the beginning, Andrew used to claim that someone needed to keep an eye on them both, but Neil knows that he would never agree to extra practice if it was really something he didn’t want to do.