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Andrew scrunches his face against the persistent sound. As he comes to consciousness he squeezes his eyes a little tighter together, but that does nothing to dull the noise.
He opens one eye. Ah. Neil.
Or, at least, one of Neil’s shoulders. The other seems to be leaning, hard, over the edge of the bed. Neil’s sleep shirt is a light grey, a small rip in the hem of one sleeve. It’s soft to touch and Andrew wants to reach out, to pull Neil back. He can’t see beyond Neil but he hears, a soft thing, “Hello. Hello. Hii. Where have you been hiding? Do you want to be my friend? I’m fairly sure you do. Hmm. Maybe you just haven’t thought it through.”
Andrew closes his eye. Sighs into the pillow. Feels Neil shift in front of him, and then there’s a warm breath on his face. “You awake.”
“Yes, Neil,” Andrew says into his pillow. “Obviously.”
Andrew wants to open his eyes to see if Neil is smiling. So he does.
For a second just considers Neil: smiling. His head comfy on Andrew’s second pillow. Eyes bright and awake and one hand now curling under his cheek, resting against his burn scar. He’s so – just –
For a few seconds they just look at each other. It occurs to Andrew this is the first time they’ve slept together. He feels warmth spreading through him, puts it down to the way Neil is pulling the covers up and tucking it over both their shoulders. He waits until Neil is settled again, looking at him again. Waits a second longer. What he says is, “Still here.”
“Yep.” It’s morning if the rising softness of the room is anything to go by, and he’s here. Neil’s smiling, knowing, but he still says, “Is that ok?”
Andrew hums, considering, and Neil frowns at him. “Rude. What you mean to say is yes oh I’m so happy you stayed after the most incredible um,” but Neil falters, and looks away at the last minute, laughing out an embarrassed huff.
“After the most incredible…” Andrew trails off, but he lifts a hand, strokes it down Neil’s arm. “I know you were not going to say conversation, because – no offence, Neil – eloquence is not your best asset.”
Neil looks back at him, and grins, and shuffles more into his space, and by some natural instinct their legs curl into each other, Andrew’s hand firmly on Neil’s shoulder and Neil’s sliding round his back, soft over his tshirt. “I got you here didn’t I?”
Andrew just looks at him. “You did not.”
Neil squirms a little further into his space, noses almost touching. It’s unbearable. “Who asked who out?”
“After a month. I dropped hints for a month.”
“Can’t have been very good hints to be honest.”
Andrew can’t stand this. Him. Neil. Leans forward to kiss his ear, lips just barely grazing at skin. Sees Neil’s eyes flutter shut as he settles back. “It is not my fault you are the most oblivious person on the planet.”
Neil smiles a little as his eyes open, and it’s different to the grin from before. There’s something honest and shy about it in a way that almost hurts. “I wasn’t oblivious. I knew. I’m not an idiot.”
“Hmm.” Andrew considers this. He knows he’s quieter when he says, “Took you long enough.” He wants to say take all the time you need, spends one second allowing himself to think to work out you shouldn’t want this, before just curling one hand over that goddamn ear again, Neil’s hair spilling rough and enthusiastic over it. Andrew pushes it back.
Neil says, “Impatient.”
“Yes.”
Andrew isn’t sure who leans forward first, but they’re so close it hardly matters. Neil’s lips crowding into his space and Andrew’s brushing in response. God.
Andrew pulls back a centimetre. Clears his throat. Ignores Neil’s smirk. Says, “You stayed,” again, because he’s here. “I let you stay.”
“Not like you?”
“No,” Andrew agrees, easy, honest, wants it to be like this with Neil, hopes it’s ok. Looks to him for confirmation that it is ok.
But of course Neil is just looking at him, easy, like he can see him. Says, “Interesting,” all smug and sleepy and – god. “So. You didn’t let me stay because I’m a riot to talk to – even though you and I both know I totally am – I wonder why then. It’s not,” Neil pauses, eyes flicking away and back again, “well, it’s not like you keep me around for the um, other stuff is it.”
Andrew shrugs. “Oh I don’t know. Where else can I get such good quality jacking off material.”
And Neil shakes his head, his eyes sparkling in amusement, but his face looks a little set that way, and Andrew feels something hot sink in his stomach. Before he can think what to say Neil changes the subject. “I met your cat.”
“Really.”
“Yep. We’re going to best friends.”
“That’s interesting, because what I heard was a fairly pathetic rejection.”
Neil is settling his face against Andrew’s neck, so Andrew closes his eyes, divides his concentration into two halves: cat, and what’s different.
“I think she just needs to get used to me.”
“Hmm.” Andrew pushes his hand into Neil’s hair, breathes in. “She doesn’t like strangers.”
“Guess I’ll have to not be a stranger then.” Andrew can feel Neil smiling against his neck, can’t help the small shiver it sends through him, and then Neil starts kissing him there, lips working gently against his skin, his collarbone, his jaw, and
This is the first time they’ve woken up together. And Andrew –
Well, usually he gets something out of way before seeing Neil for the day. He has a routine, and it’s new, and it very much involves seeing Neil (every day, if he can), and very much involves getting rid of any physical tension before then. It’s his routine. It’s how he allows Neil to be here, how he trusts himself around him.
And now he feels like he might explode. If Neil keeps squirming against him, the tiny kisses against his neck turning into small licks and hums, his entire body growing tight in response.
Andrew says, sharp, “Neil.”
“What?” When Andrew doesn’t reply Neil lifts his head, assesses Andrew, then goes a bit pink, embarrassment painting his cheekbones, and scoots back a couple of inches. “Sorry.”
Andrew shakes his head, instantly regretful at the loss of Neil’s heat and Neil’s lips and Neil’s scent. “Never mind. Come back.”
Neil is clearly trying not to look down at Andrew’s crotch. Says, “Um. I’m sorry though. I guess. I didn’t mean to –”
“Neil.” Neil stops. Andrew places a finger under Neil’s jaw and tilts his face so that they’re a breath apart, so that he’s looking into his eyes. Let’s himself just sit in this place for a minute, runs his fingers over skin. “Listen to me.” Neil gives a small nod, eyes bright on Andrew’s, his face so fucking – Andrew kisses him. Draws back, tries to get his breath under control. “Never apologise for that.” He doesn’t know what else to say. Doesn’t think anything else is needed. Hopes it isn’t. Doesn’t want to dilute himself with words he doesn’t mean.
But Neil just nods. Still has a tiny frown between his eyebrows. Andrew looks at it, pointedly. And then says, “Yes or no, Neil?”
Neil’s frown deepens. He says, “Um, yes, Andrew, but what –”
But Andrew has run a hand over his arm, onto his waist, and starts tickling him with feathery fingers.
Neil jolts away, a look of panic on his face. “Andrew.” He sounds half-shocked, out of breath, the edge of a smile on his face.
Andrew says, “A fair punishment.”
“For what?”
“Every time you apologise for something moronic I will tickle you.”
And Neil absolutely grins at that, one hand still out in front of him, to ward Andrew off, the other over Andrew’s hand on his waist, fingers slipping together. “Don’t you fucking dare Andrew.”
“You’ve been warned.” Andrew leans forward, closes the gap, kisses him. Neil brings up a hand to his cheek, fingernails curling against his skin, and Andrew feels it like warm sunlight, and pushes closer.
And then something hops up onto the bed behind him, pushing under the covers and pressing into his back. Neil goes dead still against Andrew, pulls away with wide eyes and whispers, “Andrew.”
Andrew rolls his eyes, pushes himself up onto one elbow and reaches behind to shove King away a little so he can roll onto his back. The moment he does, King places one paw, steady, onto Andrew’s chest, and meows. “King,” Andrew says, “Neil.” He gestures. “Neil, King.”
“Oh my god.”
“I thought you two were already acquainted.”
“She was hiding under the wardrobe.” Neil is rearranging himself, legs all crossed on the bed, looking like he’s trying not to look excited.
“She’s a cat,” says Andrew, one eyebrow raised.
“She’s a cat. Hello.” Neil holds one hand out. King gives it an unimpressed look and hops back off the bed.
Neil looks like he’s going after her, but Andrew holds out a hand in front of his face. Neil rolls his eyes at it, looks back at Andrew – grins. Lets himself gets pulled back into the covers. Lets himself be kissed, lets Andrew hook their legs together.
And it’s. Not terrible.
But soon it is too warm, and Andrew is hungry, and something about Neil’s smile and easy words and hands around waists has made Andrew hard again. Neil gives him a knowing look from his position in the middle of the bed, as Andrew grabs clothes, and says, somewhat slyly, “What are you gonna think about?”
Andrew considers telling him. Wants to tell him. Doesn’t want to sound weird. “What do you think, Neil? Last night. Your hands. Hot stuff.” And Neil smiles at him. And it’s easy. Maybe. Andrew wants to study it. To make sure. But he also wants to get in the shower as quickly as fucking possible. Turns away and says, “Don’t run away.”
“Oh don’t worry, I have things to do.”
Andrew showers. He does think about Neil. He closes his eyes, lets the water spray over his head, keeps seeing those unsure smiles on his face. Maybe they’re just normal everyday smiles. Andrew suddenly wishes he could skip this bit, wishes he had the catalogue of Neil’s expressions, tries to concentrate on the feel of Neil’s hand on him last night, and he does, but there’s something in the hard edges to his voice as he'd whispered it’s you, Andrew, that pushes him over the edge.
When he’s done and dressed and ready to find him again, Andrew pads out into the kitchen to see Neil, fully dressed and crouched down, expression serious, concentrating, body held still, one hand balancing himself up and the other held out for a very unsure King to sniff. He takes his phone out immediately.
---
Andrew: first meetings
Andrew: [image attached]
Nicky: OH MY GOD
Nicky: HE’S SO CUTE
Kevin: is that neil
Aaron: it’s 8am andrew some of us didn’t need to see this
Nicky: SOME OF US DID
Nicky: mm
Aaron: don’t be gross
Aaron: it’s a fucking cat
Nicky: and a cutie
Nicky: andrew this is adorable
Andrew: no it isn’t
Kevin: he’s just being evasive
Aaron: stop acting like one fuck means you know him dickball
Kevin: excuse me, three, and I do
Andrew: kevin
Nicky: watch your eyes, he used to be an eye gouger
Andrew: I regret everything about this morning
Aaron: including nick
Kevin: his name is neil
Aaron: I *know*
Andrew: I retract my last statement
Aaron: gross
Nicky: 😍
---
Andrew: neil learns what a cat is
Andrew: [image attached]
Allison: morning you two 🤨
Renee: yes it is very in the morning isn’t it
Matt: aww!
Matt: yes!
Matt: finally!
Matt: you get him tiger
Andrew: I assume you mean the cat
Matt: who else
Dan: *sniggers*
Dan: oh hey
Dan: cute cat
Neil: OH HEY
Neil: guess who just made a new best friend
Dan: are hedgehogs and cats natural besties
Matt: :D
Matt: (now you know how I feel)
Dan: wait, must find out
Neil: (haha, matt)
Andrew: neil
Andrew: she sniffed you
Matt: (😊)
Neil: ( :) )
Andrew: and left when you moved in for a pat
Andrew: your criteria for new best friends needs re-evaluating
Neil: progress though!
Neil: soon she shall be mine
Andrew: I’m screenshotting this
Neil: what did I do
Andrew: to send the police for evidence
Neil: oh haha
Allison: it’s too early for this shit I swear