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exyjunkies · 6 years ago

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allison & renee as babysitters to andrew n neil that have to drive them both to the park for a play date and hang out there eating concession stand ice cream y/n?

yes but in my head andrew and neil do not need to be children for this to happen

-*-

“Why did they need to come with us again?” Neil asked, loosening his grip on the swing. The wind today was calm as it blew by in momentary breezes.

Behind him, Andrew pushed him gently ever so often, and looked on over to Allison at the ice cream stand, holding two ice cream cones very carefully. Between her lips was a twenty dollar bill.

A few feet away, Renee was seated on a park bench, reading a book. Or, at least, she had a book open in front of her. Instead, she was looking at Allison and trying not to make it obvious that she was.

“Because it’s been annoying seeing them,” Andrew slightly jutted his chin at the girls in question, “tiptoe around each other and not do something about it.”

Neil gasped theatrically. “So you’re setting them up? Andrew. Never thought you had this in you.”

“378%. Do not test me.”

“They’re cute. And what you’re doing? It’s cute.”

“Shut up.”

The park they had decided to go to today was Sunberry Park, about a half-mile drive away from Palmetto State. It had a playground, adequate space for concession stands, and park benches donated by both park sponsors and people who just wanted to dedicate park benches to their loved ones. Trees grew aplenty and the bushes in between had alternating pink and white flowers. This afternoon, save for a few mothers and their children, Andrew, Neil, Renee, and Allison were the only ones there.

But do you really need the both of us to go with you? Renee had whined, seated beside Andrew after a round of sparring. The wall they were leaning on felt nonexistent, like she was going to fall off this building from the pressure.

I need to make sure you don’t chicken out again.

It’s not like she likes me back anyway. I won’t go.

Andrew had smacked her on the head. You don’t know that yet. So yes, you will go.

Now, Allison made her way back to Renee, ice cream cones in tow. Renee quickly took one (she had asked for a double-scoop strawberry, yum) and moved aside a bit.

“Sorry for the wait. The kid in front of me was crying,” Allison said sheepishly, taking a lick of her own cone (strawberry and chocolate). Renee saw her perfectly manicured magenta nails around the cone. “Said he wanted some vanilla.”

“That’s alright. Thanks for agreeing to come along with us. Didn’t think you’d say yes.”

Allison looked back at her, mildly shocked. “You think I’d reject the prospect of ice cream? Incredulous.”

Smiling, Renee closed her book and leaned back on the bench, taking a gulp of the fresh spring air. The sun had gracefully chosen not to be so bright today, and was instead looking down on them in between thick white clouds.

Renee mentally quieted her nerves. If anything, she wanted to leave this park without ruining things between her and Allison. And in order for this to happen, she needed to… well, not freak out so much.

“What were you reading?” Allison asked, putting her free arm up on the bench. Renee tried not to think so much about how close her forearm was to her neck.

“The Art of Racing in the Rain. One of my favorites. It’s written from the perspective of a dog.”

“That sounds like a tearjerker. And a lot like what you’d like.”

“I cried the first time, and will probably… cry the second time, yes.”

“I can imagine. I miss my dog all the time.”

A buzzing in her pocket interrupted Renee’s prepared reply. She brought out her phone and examined the notification. It was a text from Andrew.

have you done it yet

Blushing a little, Renee put her phone back in her pocket and shot Andrew a stony look. Andrew shook his head in return. In front of him, Neil gave her an encouraging thumbs-up.

“The monsters look so happy, yeah?” Allison piped up, looking where she was looking. “Especially Minyard. Never thought I’d see the day.”

“Why, because he’s always been against Aaron and Katelyn?”

“You read my mind.” Allison licked her lips, then took another bite of ice cream. Thoughtfully, she added, “Have you ever…?”

“Hmm?”

“I– heh. Never mind. I wouldn’t want to pry.”

Renee licked a strawberry piece off of her cone. She hoped it made her seem like she wasn’t nervous. “You started to, might as well follow-through.”

For a few moments, there was nothing from Allison but the clearing of her throat.

Then, “Have you ever been in love?”

“Wha–” Renee’s shock moved her forward. She almost pushed the remaining ice cream off her cone. “Oh. Shit. Uh–”

In seconds, Allison had moved closer and offered a tissue. Their thighs touched. Their hips connected. Renee’s body didn’t know any other responses to this but internal panic.

Decipher the whirlwind of thoughts in her mind, and it was actually a mix of oh my god and this girl and Allison Allison Allison and Andrew why–

Breathe, Walker.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah. Uh. Thanks. And, well, to answer your question, I–”

The expectant look on Allison’s face was too much, so for half a minute, Renee busied herself with cleaning up. She dabbed the tissue on her face, and promptly ignored the buzzing in her pocket.

She could make up some excuse about having seen a kid fall over. She could lie and say that her teeth were sensitive, and that she was just taken aback. There were so many ways to avoid the confrontation that may be a disaster she cannot live down.

One thing was for sure, though. She was so going to beat up Andrew.

After making sure that no ice cream was going to fall off her cone, Renee faced Allison. She could feel Andrew’s incessant texts through the repeated buzzing in her jeans.

Well. No time like the present.

Allison moved her free arm to bring out her phone, and was about to speak, but Renee grabbed her arm to get her attention.

“To answer your question, I… have. I still… am? But it’s not the kind of love that hurts, it’s more of… the love that keeps me grounded. And, uh. I really should’ve done this a long time ago, but I never got to, so… Allison, would you like to go out with me sometime–”

“Finally.”

Behind them, Andrew looked more than ready to leave. Holding Neil’s hand, he said, “We’re leaving.”

“Bye, you two.” Neil was a cheery thing, and he waved goodbye with his free hand as Andrew dragged him away from the park.

Renee closed her eyes, and breathed deeply. Even her ice cream cone probably felt awkward in her hand. She removed her hand from Allison’s arm.

So much for avoiding embarrassment.

“Renee, I–,” Allison started, then stopped. A couple of seconds later, she teased, “You just asked me out.”

Renee’s eyes flew open, and in front of her was Allison, cone in one hand, phone in the other, and a smirk on her face.

It wasn’t like Renee to take back her words, even if it was only to save face, so she defensively replied, “Yeah? And what about it–”

“Andrew just texted me,” Allison said, opening her phone and showing it to Renee. “I was about to read it, but at least you got to it first.”

Renee only heard Allison’s anyway, yeah, I’d love to go out with you before she went on to read the texts on Allison’s phone. Laughter bubbled up in her system, and Allison snickered too.

if renee doesn’t get it out of her system, i will

would you want to go out with her

never mind. you are both completely useless

i’m never using my phone this much again

#cloudtalking #aftg #all for the game #renison #thetfcnet #myfic #answered #yay kinda proud of this one #please request for more renison i need to write some lesbian content #aftg fic

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exyjunkies · 6 years ago

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14 + andreil? (“Hey, I’m with you, okay? Always.”)

…………………………..

so i needed to write this plot bunny outta my damn mind

(and i liked this enough to post it on my ao3!!)

fic meme 1-100: andreil + 14. “Hey, I’m with you, okay? Always.”

send me a pairing (preferably from aftg/trc) and a number and i’ll write you a drabble (1-50) (51-100)

Andrew has often thought of how a clock, something built totell time, can fail at its very function the moment it’s set wrong. The thoughtwas unnerving, really, because it only strengthens the truth that time was oneof the many things that was out of anybody’s control.

One of the other things was change. The Columbia house, forall its glory and all the moments it’s lived through, cannot fight against thewishes of time. Though it did look like it tried to put up the best fight itcould possibly attempt. The windows, some slightly cracked and others difficultto open, merely provided glimpses into how much the structure has been through.The welcome mat had the letter O blacked out by ash, from theone time Nicky had set it on fire. The doorbell still worked, but the buttonwas long gone from its mechanism. The house paint was peeling off, and theplants around the side of the house were long gone.

It’s been almost three years since that day. Everyone Andrew knows has told him that this, what he wasdoing, wasn’t helping anyone move on with the natural course of things. Nothim. Not Neil.

Walking up to the house, Andrew wondered when he’ll everstop wanting to coming back.

He checked the time on his watch. 11:38 PM.

He doesn’t think twenty-two minutes will be enough to readyhimself for what was coming.

(Really, he doesn’t think any amount of time will ever beenough.)

The doorknob is cold and unsettling to the touch as ever.Andrew opened the door, and a wind blew in his face. He coughed because of thedust that got to his nose. A few seconds later, he heard the night cricketsoutside drift to a steady silence.

Nice job, Josten. Shaking his head, Andrew broughtout his flashlight, and shone a light throughout the dark house.

When they (Andrew, Aaron, and Nicky) had bought the Columbiahouse in their freshmen year, it was mostly empty, save for the appliances thatthe seller was generous enough to leave them. They acquired a microwave, ablender, and a pressure cooker (that none of them knew how to use until theirthird year). It was a really spacious house, which meant the three of them wasfree to fill it with whatever they deemed was necessary for each of theirsurvivals. Money was no object.

So Nicky was in charge of furnishing, while Aaron made tocall in men for the repairs, and Andrew shouldered costs and looked over wherethings were supposed to go. After three months of arguments and fussing about,it was done, and they had a place to stay whenever they needed to get away fromPalmetto State. They began bringing Kevin along a few weeks later. It was ateam effort to put the house together, that much Andrew knew.

Nicky and Aaron were not the least bit surprised, then, whenAndrew and Neil had ended up taking over the house later on. Nicky had a placewith Erik in Germany, and Aaron was in med school with Katelyn in anotherstate. This was around the time Neil had graduated and was well on his way to anoffer with the US Court, and Andrew was being bombarded with the same offerfrom the US Court that he had rejected the previous year. Andrew remembered walking into the living room and seeing Neil with both contract proposals fromthe Court’s recruitment team.

Leaning against the wall, he hadwaited until Neil noticed he was there at all.

You’re not seriously judging me for going through job offers.Neil’s tone had been playful, a smirk on his face that was probably amused atAndrew’s glowering.

It’s more of an addiction for you, junkie.

It’s what’s keeping me alive. Sorry if this life is so addicting.

You know, if you needed someone to go with you and hold your hand,that’s not going to be me.

Yeah? At this, Neil had put the papers on their coffee table, stoodup, and walked over to where Andrew was standing. In the years that they hadknown each other, Andrew had not grown taller, but Neil had two inches added tohis height. The smile on his lips not withdrawing, he crossed his arms andlooked Andrew square in the face.

Then how are you going to stare at my ass from behind if you’re not inthe games with me?

Andrew remembered looking up atNeil’s face, unimpressed. Tell me onegood reason why I should go back to that game again.

You know the gig’s not half as bad as you make it out to be. ThenAndrew had glared, turned around, and walked away.

A few hours ago, both of them hadsigned with the US Court, and were set to start practices next week. Once theyhad both gotten the notification, Neil had looked and did his best not to burst outlaughing.

I am irresistible, he had declared, winking at Andrew.

One week, huh, Andrew had muttered, hoisting a laughing Neil up onhis arms and carrying him back to their bedroom. We shouldn’t waste any time then.

Andrew shone his flashlight aroundthe living room, the furniture in it now dusty and chipped. Their sofa still had that gash across the middle,and their pillows had almost all the stuffing falling out and frayed. Thetelevision set, once a flatscreen and of the highest quality, now couldn’t beswitched on or even plugged in. A circle of dustless surface was on the coffeetable, where the last ever coffee cup used to be. Andrew didn’t know if Neilhad taken the coffee cup off, or if someone had gone in to take it. Honestly,it didn’t really matter anymore.

To the side, their bookshelf wasstill crammed with books, half of which they never got to read together. Nearit was another shelf, which held framed photos and some souvenirs from thecountries they got to travel to. A mini Eiffel Tower, a golden cat that used towave its paw, a box of one red chopstick because they lost the other one. Atiny Mexican hat, from the first time they flew anywhere. Andrew surveyed thephotographs, looked at the all the faces. A family portrait, with him, Neil,and Sir Fat Cat and King Fluffkins. They had taken it intending for it to be aChristmas card, but Neil liked it so much he wanted it to be the family’s copyand theirs only. A picture of him and Aaron, arms around each other’sshoulders, taken by Neil himself. And beside it, a picture that Andrew hadtaken of Neil holding one of Dan and Matt’s kids, from when they babysat forthe couple.

Of the two of them, Neil had beenmore vocal about wanting kids, simply because Andrew was rarely ever outspokenabout anything. Andrew had it memorized – that look of want that Neil used tohave, whenever one of Dan’s kids would bring him something they had drawn orwhenever they wanted something from their kitchen. Neil had both been subtle(adoption flyers lying around the counter) and obvious (bringing it up whenthey were in bed, before they went to sleep). But what he didn’t know was thatit was a fleeting want between the both of them, something that never happenedonly because they were too busy with everything else.

Looking at his watch, Andrew sawthat he had seven minutes before midnight.

“You don’t mind if I’m a littleearly, do you?”

The voice had come a little tooclose behind him, but Andrew had learned to calm himself down. Neil never meantto scare him, even if his hair stood on end almost every time this happened.Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. Inhale.Exhale. That’s it.

He turned around, and behind himwas Neil.

In his spiritual, yet mostcorporeal, form.

A ghost.

“You were always one forsurprises,” Andrew whispered, tightening his grip around his flashlight. Neillooked back at him, shrugging in the most Neil-like fashion.

Ever since Neil had become thisstate, he was always different. Sometimes, he was his cheery, annoying self,following Andrew around the house and talking his ear off. There have beentimes when he was an angrier, snappier version of himself, levitating objectsaround the house and throwing them against the walls. Most of the time though,Neil was merely a shell of himself, less responsive, drifting out of realityfrom time to time.

He liked it when Andrew came tovisit, which was twice or thrice a week. Always around midnight, and not formore than half an hour. Neil had explained, once before, that there wasn’t muchspiritual energy around their part of South Carolina for him to stay long.Andrew didn’t know much about the supernatural and ghosts and spirits, so hetook Neil’s word for it.

At the start, Neil being a ghosthad helped Andrew cope with his death, had helped him mourn the loss. The shockhad lasted quite a while, and then the anger came. Andrew was not proud of howhe handled himself.

It was a day like any other,specifically a day when Neil was home and Andrew was out, taking care of thegroceries. Between the both of them, no one knew that Lola Malcolm hadn’t beencaught by the FBI, and was instead on the lookout for Neil to seek her revenge.Andrew had come home to the struggle between Lola and Neil, and hell had brokenloose from there.

Andrew had succeeded in getting aknife through Lola’s head through her eye, but not until after she had shotNeil in the stomach. There was blood everywhere. And the hospital could only doso much that much blood loss. Andrew threatened as many doctors and nurses ashe could, but he couldn’t change what had happened. Neil was in a coma for agood eight months, before the doctors had the talk with Andrew regardingpulling the plug.

A voice had come up behind him, inthat hospital hallway, and whispered, “Letme go, Andrew. The machines are terrible. It hurts so, so much.”

It took Andrew another monthbefore he could agree to pull the plug. Wymack, Betsy, Abby, and the Foxes,both the old and the new, were there with Andrew, and that was that. No fancyfuneral. No televised news about Neil’s death. No articles in the newspapers,no interviews with the sports channels.

Just a cremation, a jar, andNeil’s ashes, sitting in one of the Columbia house’s cupboards.

It’s been almost three years sincethe accident. And a small part of Andrew was uneasy, if not scared, about Neilstill not being able to transition to the afterlife.

Three years.

Neil put his hand to Andrew’s arm,and Andrew shivered. He could feel the faintest sensation through his shirtsleeve. He saw Neil solidify a bit more and sigh in relief.

“I get the feeling that you havesomething to tell me that couldn’t wait.”

“We’ve got all the time in theworld, what the fuck are you talking about?”

“Seventeen years of marriage doesn’thelp you become a better liar, dummy.”

Andrew gritted his teeth. Hefrowned at Neil. “Yeah, well, the real world doesn’t make me deal with thetruth any better, either.”

“And what has been happening in the real world?” Neil’s voice was lessinterested and more of a drone. As if it was draining him to push every singleword out. He went to sat down on their sofa, and continued, “Tell me a story.”

So Andrew told him. About Reneeand Emilio’s third son, who was born premature and had to stay in the incubatorfor a few weeks. About Allison and her fiancé, and their upcoming wedding inthe Bahamas. About Nicky and Erik visiting for Christmas this December. AboutAaron and Katelyn opening up a new private practice in the east. About Robin andher girlfriend, and how she had been coaching the Foxes for almost seven yearsnow. About Wymack in a plush and comfortable retirement home that just happensto adore Exy and him, so they had no problem with Kevin’s specifications. AboutDan and Matt starting an Exy Little League, and how it was going to be biggerthan they had anticipated. About how he and Kevin were still with the Court.

“But you know how I keep thinkingof,” Andrew broke off, inhaling a little shakily. He sat beside Neil. “Ofresigning. They have enough goalkeepers there anyway.”

Neil did a lifeless haha and replied, “Good luck. Last timeI joked about you leaving, Chief always said that wouldn’t happen. “Not on my watch, Josten.” With the gruffdisagreement and all. That kinda shit.”

“It doesn’t do anything for meanymore.”

Which was true. Financially, Andrew was set for (what he believedwere) the remaining years of his life, and he still had some of his fortune fromhis teenage years to add to his Court savings. He didn’t really care much forthe Exy celebrity life, and he only had a few friends in the sports industryand even less of a desire to make more. On top of that, the only reason why hewas still with the Court was because of Kevin, who was still a little abovetwenty-five years or so from retirement. Kevin was convinced that he and Andrewwould be together on the team until then.

Every single day with the team andplaying Exy served to be a reminder to Andrew about just how much Neil livedfor the sport. They had played games with one off the court, but when they wereboth on the court together, they were a force to be reckoned with. Eventually,everyone had ended up looking forward to the games that had the both of them onthe lineup.

Now that Neil was gone… well.Andrew could still close off the goal when the team needed it, but even theleast invested fan could see that games against the US National Team were lessexciting now. It was something no one dared to speak of.

“Well, you know I wouldn’t mind ifyou did,” Neil said, leaning back and closing his eyes. Or at least that’s whatit looked like to Andrew. “Resign, I mean.”

They sat in silence for a longtime after that, Andrew and his arm on the couch’s arm rest, and Neil sittingback on the couch. It was never an uncomfortable silence, that much they bothhad to be thankful for. From time to time, Andrew looked over and watched Neildo his best to materialize, take as much energy as he could from the ground,sometimes from Andrew. But then Andrew knew Neil always felt bad about tiringhim out, so the touches were subtle. Andrew didn’t want to admit that it wasmore draining that he let out.

Besides, if it meant that he couldsee Neil a little better, then Andrew would hold onto Neil himself – if Neilwouldn’t violently lash out and throw Andrew off of him.

“Ugh, we never really got thishouse to look the way it should,” Neil suddenly said, his eyes darting aroundthe room. Andrew snapped out of his thoughts.

“Your eye for real estate ischarming, junkie.”

“Shut up. This place was a dumpbefore I got here.”

Andrew felt his mouth twitch up abit at that, and he saw Neil laughing quietly. For a bit, he looked almost… alive.

“Yeah,” he murmured, shiftingcloser. “You were a real lifesaver.”

Neil looked Andrew in the eyes,and smiled.

Then, as if a spell broke, he suddenlyclosed his eyes and groaned slightly. “Ugh.”

“What?” Andrew was alert, a bit ofpanic rising in him. “Anything I could do?”

“No, I just,” Neil stopped, facingaway from Andrew. After a beat, he spoke up again.

“This always happens. I hate it.”

“What does?”

“Oh, don’t act like you don’tknow,” Neil scolded, a little sadly. “Me wanting to hold your hand, or mewanting to kiss you, and then remembering that— that I’m just… this.”

And here I was, about to tell him that he has to move on. “Neil, pleasedon’t do this.”

“Don’t do what?” Neil snapped, standing up suddenly, making his form waver abit. Andrew was starting to feel his own anger too. It was anger not at Neil,but at the situation that led to this. He did his best to keep it down and puttwo fingers to the bridge of his nose.

“Don’t… ugh— don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

Neil looked down at him, a littleconfused. Then, understanding showed on his face, along with a very pissy mood.

“Oh. Okay. I see how it is.”

In all the years that they’ve beenmarried, they’ve had their fights, and they’ve each had their share of faults.After everything though, they always, alwaysmade it a point to resolve their issues. This was because of the two of them,Neil was the one that hated going to sleep with something wrong between them.

Still, they were human, so nothingwas as perfect as how the movies almost always made everything out to be.Andrew tended to be unresponsive a lot of the time, because he didn’t believein wasting a single breath on useless things, and Neil always had some smartremark prepared to everything because he liked being the last say, socompromises were only arrived at after a lotof work.

So of course, this meant thingsalways had to get messy before they get fixed.

“Neil,” Andrew began, standing upand taking a few steps away from Neil. “You know it’s been far too long. It’sunnatural.”

“So is being murdered at the ageof 46, Andrew!” Neil yelled, theground shaking a little, just because he can make it shake. “This is so unfair.I’m not fucking ready.”

“And no one ever is,” Andrew replied,stepping forward slowly. It was so hard to keep himself composed, but he knewhe had to do it. “But I’m telling you now. You’re not doing yourself any favorsby staying here.”

“Wow, now you’re telling me about what’s best for me. Well, news-fucking-flash, Andrew Minyard. Ithink I can handle myself.”

“No, you can’t! If you can, you would’ve been gone from this place a longdamn time ago. You know I’m making sense. You’renot human anymore, Josten. You have to fucking accept that.”

“And what about you, huh? What is it about methat keeps you coming back? I’m ‘not human anymore’? Fine. Then why do you keep going here, at the crack-of-God’s-ass‘o clock, visiting me?”

“Because I care about you, idiot. Don’t you think it hurts me to see you likethis, too?”

“Oh, boo-freaking-hoo, Andrew Minyard is still alive, getme a tissue.”

Andrew exhaled, getting the rageout of his system before he did anything drastic. Crossing his arms, he saidthe one thing that’s been on his mind ever since he got there.

“So if I went and offed myself.Would that help?”

Neil, as always, doesn’t properlylisten when he’s in the heat of the moment. “If you— what?”

Clearing his throat, Andrew repeatedhimself.

“If I died. Passed away. Left thislife. Etcetera etcetera. Would you finally move on to the afterlife?”

“You’re being ridiculous. Wheredid you get that dumb idea? It’s not that easy.”

“Then what, for God’s sake, wouldmake it easy—”

“Nothing, Andrew! Don’t youfucking understand?”

Neil’s outburst was so strong thata wind blew through the house, and every door in the house began openning andslamming back shut. Andrew was taken aback. The pressure in the room was sostrong, and the doors were so loud.He shut his eyes and took a few more breaths to steady himself. Anger and fearwas not the greatest combination to deal with.

Easy, Minyard.

After calming down himself, Neilshook his head.

“Don’t you get it?” He startedagain, less harshly this time. “My entire childhood, I never got to make anypart of it mine. It was always, new nickname this time around, or new state thenext month, or new house to break into later on. Mom died, and I had to livewith her voice of disappointment wherever I went. It was absolutely miserable. Andthen I came across Exy, which gave me the chance to take a small part of itback. For myself.

“And then the Foxes came along,and. And you guys were everything.Not from the start, no. At the start, a lot of you were major assholes,” Atthis, Andrew nodded in agreement, and Neil continued, “But then you guys becamefamily. And every game that Palmetto State got me to, gave me even more andmore reasons to keep going. Wymack was, sort of, the father I never knew Ineeded. And somewhere along the way, I saw you in a way that I never saw anyoneelse before, and, well, I guess the rest was history.

“I finally, finally had the life Iwanted. And I had that life to share with you. It wasn’t perfect, and it suretook some work getting there, what with my father and the Moriyamas and all,but I made it. I was myself. And I hadthat going for me for a long time. Seventeen years with you was wonderful. ButI knew I wanted the lifetime package. But then Lola came that day, and… andtook it all away. Just when I was just getting ready for the long haul.”

Neil sat back down, leaving Andrewabsolutely speechless. This was a side of Neil that he has never heard before.A lot of things were going on in his mind right now, and none of them was theright thing to say in this situation.

“Do you know what I was doing thatday, Andrew?” Neil continued, not looking up at him. “Because I do. I stillfucking remember. I was about to put in a call for this house I wanted, justoutside of South Carolina. Somewhere in Pontiac. Matt told me about a reallygood deal by a friend of his, so I went to check the house out a couple weeksback. I was going to say yes to the realtor and put in the first payment. Itwas going to be a surprise.”

Sitting back down carefully,Andrew made sure to look at Neil this time, listening to everything he had tosay. He put his hand on top of Neil’s spirit one, watching Neil’s materializedface shed a tear.

“Shit,” Andrew whispered. He hated seeing Neil cry. “I never knew.”

“Yeah,” Neil sniffled, putting hishand to his face and wiping off a tear. “It’s because I did my best to keep thesecret this time around.”

And they stayed like that, staringinto each other’s eyes, for a little bit longer. Andrew could only hear hisheartbeat, the crickets outside, and Neil’s labored breathing, from his entiredialogue earlier.

“Andrew,” Neil murmured. “I’mscared.”

Gritting his teeth, Andrewreplied, “I am too. It was hell tolose you the first time. But this is something you have to do.” After a beat,he added, “It’ll get easier.”

When Neil didn’t reply, Andrew puthis lips to where he saw Neil’s cheek was, and kissed. Andrew didn’t feelanything, but Neil let out a humorless chuckle.

“Thanks for trying, asshat,” hesaid, and Andrew knew they were okay again. He didn’t really know what to saynext, so he only nodded. Neil inhaled, exhaled, and clenched both his fists.

“Fine. I’ll stop being a ghoststuck in the past,” Neil said, and stood up. He rolled his shoulders back, andstretched his neck. “The afterlife can’t be thatbad.”

“If you get sent to hell, please reserve my slot.”

“You know there’s one with your name on it already.”

They could sit there and jokeabout it for another hour, and it still wouldn’t make the goodbye any better. Neilwas off staring at absolutely nothing, like he was trying to find the words tomake it easier. Andrew knew this, so he stood up with Neil, staring into thesame nothingness.

“Hey,” Neil said, after anotherlong, quiet minute. “I’m with you, okay?”

Andrew thought about how a clockcan fail to tell time the moment it was set wrong. It was a fact of life thathe used to be frustrated with, because he had wanted to go back and change thepast. He had wished he did things differently, sway the odds in his favor. Dothe groceries the previous day instead. Get home a little earlier. Kill Lolabefore she got to shoot Neil.

But now, Andrew knew that he neededto stop playing god. Every single thing in the universe was going to come andgo, no matter what anyone did, and nobody could change that.

What made everything morebearable, Andrew knew, was the people that he went through time with.

“Always,” he replied, looking atNeil one last time. He couldn’t believe this was going to be the last time. Thetightness in his chest was enough to stop him from breathing.

It was almost like he was losingNeil all over again.

Neil smiled sadly at Andrew,almost as if he was trying to hold back more tears.

Then, he looked up, and he wasgone. And for the first time since he had bought the house, Andrew was on hisown.

For the first time, Andrew wasalone.

#andreil #andrew minyard #neil josten #thetfcnet #all for the game #aftg au #anonymous #answered #ficmeme100 #uhhhhhh WELL #myfic #aftg fic

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