#hc that neil is obsessed with all things seafood but is allergic to shrimp

[imperfectcourt]

21 andriel

21. A chaste kiss given to each other because they are in mixed company

It was neither an award ceremony nor a charity function. It was also both. Andrew didn't know or care. All he knew was that his team had arrived annoying early and the canapés weren't out yet. His captain had somehow acquired him a crystal glass of expensive scotch despite the only refreshments going around being champagne, sparkling water, and some alcohol free cranberry cocktail. She was a real one. She reminded Andrew of a bizarre mix of Dan and Nicky. A monstrosity but surprisingly tolerable.

The cavernous ballroom slowly filled with people as more teams and staff and celebrities and press filtered in. Andrew wasn't exactly looking for Neil, but he knew exactly when he arrived. He hadn't even been facing the right direction, just knew when he turned around he'd be there. And he was, standing with false confidence in a tight blue suit, surrounded by tall, tall, taller players who didn't pay him any particular mind.

Their eyes met across the crowded room and Andrew wanted to gag at the cliche. He sipped from his glass instead. Neil didn't come over right away. This was his first big event like this, a period at the end of his first professional season. At some point tonight, his trade would be announced, but until then he had to play nice. Well, save face. Well, not make a scene. Well, not cause a riot. There would be time. They would have time.

Until then, the waiters had started milling around with expensive, bite sized foods. Andrew's specialty. He took out his phone and sent Neil a quick text.

Do not eat any shrimp

 He put his phone away and watched Neil check his messages. Neil shot him an unamused look and, very subtly, stuck his tongue out at him. An actual child. 

Being in the same room as Neil was almost harder than living in different states. His coach gave him a knowing look. It had been his initiative to sign Neil after seeing the lengths Andrew went through to spend scraps of time with him. Andrew wouldn't say he owed his coach for something he didn't ask for but he might have put in a modicum of effort for a few important games.

The event went on. People spoke on stage. Kevin did something or whatever. It was mind numbingly boring. The post season trade announcements went through and everyone pretended to be surprised and happy. His coach went up and stood next to Neil and his stupid tight royal blue suit and just about every camera in the place flashed and then they were walking back towards their group of tables. Andrew realized that the only seat available at his table was his coach's seat to his right and like hell if coach would give it up because he was a tool. He looked to the person to his left, it was a backliner, easy going, a push over.

So Andrew pushed him over.

Derek let out a little oof as he landed on the ground.

"What the fuck, dude?"

"This seat taken?"

And there he was, standing over Andrew's shoulder with the tiniest little smirk on his face. He looked rested, finally, after weeks of bleary eyed Skype chats during the push through playoffs and finals.

"No," Andrew said. Derek looked grumpy for a brief moment before going off to find a seat at a different table. Neik slid into it as his- their coach took his own.

"Keep it in your pants, Minyard," coach said lowly. Andrew didn't bother responding. He couldn't be bothered by anything that wasn't Neil, here with him, here to stay, on his team, in that freaking tight blue suit.

The awards or whatever went on around them. Neil cared about them about as much as Andrew did, looking to him instead of the stage, head resting on his hand and propped on his elbow.

Staring, Andrew mouthed. Neil stuck out the tiniest tip of his tongue. Andrew wanted to bite it. Instead he kicked out his foot to hook it under Neil's ankle. It wasn't enough. He ran the top of his patent leather shoe along the underside of his calf. It still wasn't enough. The season had only ended a week ago and neither had had time to recover from the exhaustion until now.

Now, seeing each other for the first time in weeks, seeing Neil bright eyed and done up like some hot shot looking like the smuggest motherfucker in a room filled with the cockiest assholes on the planet and it wasn't enough.

"Are you gonna eye fuck me all night or get up there?" Neil murmured in smooth Russian. The sensation of the words hit first, then their meaning. Somehow, he tore his eyes away from Neil to look up towards the stage where his name was projected in big white letters under the title of some award he didn't care enough about to recognize. The applause that had become white noise suddenly became unbearably loud to his ears.

"Go," Neil said. He was smiling so Andrew went. He took his time going up to and onto the stage, uncaring of the audience. The audience. He stared at the award in the presenter's hands for a long moment, hot under the spotlights. He thought of Neil sitting with his team and of not making waves and of the effort he had put in when it counted. He thought of Kevin not getting this award. He took it.

"Speech!" A voice- Matt fucking Boyd- yelled from the crowd, earning an uncomfortable chuckle. Andrew went up to the microphone, making a show of angling it down, of inspecting the award. He lifted it up to his forehead for a salute and walked off the stage. People laughed like he'd made a joke when really he just didn't care enough to pander to them. He barely cared enough to get the award in the first place, and even then he hadn't gotten it for himself.

Neil was badly holding back a smile as Andrew approached. It pulled two deep dimples into his cheeks. Andrew fell into his chair and slammed the award down in front of Neil.

"Yes or no?"

"Now?" Neil asked in surprise, eyebrows high and smiles released as he glanced around at the crowd. 

"Yes."

"Yes."

They both leaned in at the same time, shoulder to shoulder and heads tilted toward each other like they were about to share a secret. Andrew pressed a hard, closed kiss to his lips to the applause of some other award winner. Neil's breath was hot on his cheek and his hand gripped Andrew's knee and it wasn't enough.

But they had time.