Chapter Text
Practice with the new foxes was going well, for once. The team was finally beginning to work together and the freshmen were cooperating with the foxes from Neil’s freshman year. Finally, he saw a team that could win a game – and not just scrape a win, either.
Neil had worried for a while that they would never reach this point. The new players too abrasive and the old foxes too set in their ways. There had been the usual pissing contest to determine each player’s spot in the hierarchy, too and he’d given as good as he’d gotten. But now, eventually, everything seemed to be working out.
He called an end to practice, taking advantage of his new vice captain duties to make sure it ended on a high note, and the foxes traipsed off to get changed. Neil walked towards Kevin and the two of them began making their way to Andrew in goal, idly discussing the practice and the team’s improvements.
They had almost reached the goal when Nicky came up to them, still panting slightly from practice. “Can I speak to you two for a minute?” he asked. He glanced at the goal and murmured, “alone.”
Neil and Kevin exchanged a confused glance but shrugged in agreement. Neil waved off Andrew’s attention and the blonde headed to the locker room.
“Right, so I have a bit of a favour to ask you guys. This is going to sound crazy but hear me out, okay?” Neil and Kevin exchanged a vaguely confused look.
“So you know how the team has a bet on who Neil’s dating, right?” At Neil’s alarmed look, he continued, “Or not. Okay. Well, we do. And uhh…” he trailed off, wincing.
“Spit it out, Nicky,” Neil said.
“Well, I bet that you two are together and we’d find out before Halloween and there’s not long left now and I bet a lot of money because I was so sure so I can’t lose so I need to know, are you two together?” he blurted out, barely seeming to take a breath.
“No, we’re not,” Kevin said.
“Why would you think that?” Neil added.
“You’re always together! You’re always talking about exy and going to night practice together! It’s not like either of you are going out and meeting other people regularly, you just see the team and we knew it wasn’t any of the rest of us. Some of the others think Neil’s dating Andrew but I just don’t see it to be honest.”
“Did it not occur to any of you that I might just be single?” Neil asks, choosing to ignore Nicky’s comment about him and Andrew. They had been together since Neil’s first year and while they didn’t exactly hide their relationship, most of the foxes hadn’t caught on. And they were fine with that. Kevin only knew because the three lived together and he had stumbled across the two of them kissing. It had been an awkward moment for all three of them but they’d quickly moved on.
“Yes, yes, we all remember that you ‘don’t swing’ but seriously Neil, you can’t expect us not to get suspicious with how much time you all spend together.”
“It’s called having friends, Nicky,” Kevin said tiredly. “Is there a point to this conversation or can we go change?”
“Okay so the favour I want to ask is if you’ll pretend to date each other so I can win the bet? Please,” he said, drawing out the final syllable.
“Absolutely not,” Kevin said. Neil nodded his agreement.
“Come on guys, for me? You won’t actually have to do anything different since people already think you’re together, just tell everyone you’re dating and maybe flirt a little, that’s all! And only for a month or so and then you can dramatically break up and everything will go back to normal.” Neil and Kevin remained unmoved so he continued, “I’ll split the winnings with you! And I’ll even go to night practice if you want? Whatever will make you guys do this, I just need to win.”
Kevin looked ready to disagree again when Neil cut in, “We’ll think about it, okay?” Kevin shot him a confused look.
“Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, Neil. I knew I could count on you!” Nicky said excitedly, leaning in to wrap Neil in a hug.
Neil had gotten better with showing affection with the team since his first year and the others had taken advantage: often hugging him, or even just existing near enough to brush against him in that casual, comfortable way they had with each other. He’d decided he quite liked it, though there were still days where it was too much and grated against his skin, days where he had to tell them no. They listened when he did, and that was what mattered.
Nicky let go of him and flounced away. As soon as he was out of earshot and Neil and Kevin were alone on the court, Kevin turned to Neil with a betrayed look. “Why would you say that? We can’t–”
Neil cuts him off, “I didn’t say yes, did I? We can talk about it later, I have class.”
“What about Andrew, Neil? What would he think?” Kevin continued, for once not letting thoughts of missing class deter him.
“I’ll ask him,” Neil said simply and left to go change.
-
Later, when Neil and Andrew were sitting on the roof, Neil brought up Nicky’s proposal.
Andrew lifted his cigarette to his lips and took a drag before responding. “Do you want to, Neil?” he asked, watching Neil carefully.
“I think it could be fun, only if you’re okay with it. Plus Nicky said he’d come to night practice so it would be good for the team.”
“Junkie,” Andrew said, snorting derisively and taking another drag.
“Andrew, what do you think? Yes or no?”
“I think it will be funny watching you two pretend you have any idea how a relationship works.”
“Kevin had Thea,” Neil said.
“Kevin and Thea were born out of desperation and loneliness in the Nest. It fell apart as soon as they got a taste of freedom. That’s not a relationship.”
Neil knew better than to bring up his and Andrew’s nothing to challenge that he knew how a relationship worked. Instead, he asked again, “So it’s a yes? If I can convince Kevin you’re okay with us pretending?”
“Yes, idiot.” Andrew said.
Neil grinned, already wondering how he’d convince Kevin. Andrew sighed, stubbing out his cigarette and asking, “Yes or no?”
At Neil’s enthusiastic yes, he gripped Neil’s hair and used it to tug him closer before kissing him. Neil sank into the kiss, keeping his hands in his lap until Andrew brought them up to his shoulders.
When they broke away, Andrew flicked Neil on the forehead. “Staring,” he murmured. Neil only grinned.
-
They made their way back to the dorm they shared with Kevin a little while later, lips kiss swollen and Neil’s hair messy from Andrew’s fingers. Neil immediately made a bee line to where Kevin was sitting on the couch watching an exy game while Andrew continued on into the bedroom.
“I spoke with Andrew,” he announced, sitting next to Kevin. “He’s okay with it. He thinks it would be funny.” He didn’t add that it was because of their ineptitude that he’d find it funny. He didn’t think Kevin would appreciate that and right now he needed to persuade him.
Kevin sighed, looking at him. “Why do you want to do this, Neil?”
Andrew had asked the same question and Neil still didn’t have a real answer. Yes, Nicky coming to night practice would help the team but Neil found himself intrigued for another reason that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. It was like he had the answer but it was just out of reach.
“I don’t know, Kevin. I just think it could be fun. What could a month hurt anyway? Nicky said we barely even need to do anything different! Besides, maybe it will teach the others to stop betting on us.”
Kevin sighed again, as if Neil was annoying him. Neil tried not to take offence.
“Fine, we’ll do it. But no longer than a month and it stays within the team. No one else finds out or we call it off.”
“Don’t worry, Kevin. We all know your thoughts on remaining heterosexual as a pro player. Wouldn’t want to damage your reputation.” Neil said with a cheeky grin.
“That was one time, Neil! I just meant not to flaunt your thing with Andrew or you’d risk not being picked up by a professional team.”
“I hardly think that’s what’s going to put them off. Surely if they can get past the whole Butcher’s son thing, they can get past that.”
Kevin shot him a look that Neil took to mean don’t chance it. Not wanting Kevin to back out now, he took out his phone and pulled up his text messages with Nicky. They were largely one sided and full of little crossed out squares on Nicky’s part that Neil had been informed were emojis his phone was too old to understand.
He typed out a message and hit send.
Neil Josten: We’ll do it.