Neil Josten Fan club

Andrew loves Neil's voice

**Note** This is a hc I've seen multiple people do so this is just my take on how this would go, but please enjoy how I feel Andrew would react to finding out Neil has a British accent :) (P.S. This is the first fic I have ever done so lmk if it's any good.)

Neil stumbled his way off of the court. Ever since championships, Kevin was pushing it ten times harder at night practices because there was nothing to conserve their energy for. Neils legs were wobbly and his scarred hands were numb all the way back to fox tower. The sweet relief of his bed was almost within reach when Nicky caught him in the doorway of his bedroom. A cursory once over said he was ready for a night out, and Neil could barely hold back his look of dread.

"Dude, you look like you're dying, tell Kevin to ease up it's the off season? Anyways, we're drinking tonight. NO, no don't argue with me, it's a team thing, even Andrew is coming." 

Neil was ready to verbally annihilate Nicky and climb his exhausted ass into bed, but was cut off by the mention of Andrew's name. Not just that, but the fact that the man had agreed to do something with the other foxes with absolutely no prompting from Neil. He knew it couldn't have been Nicky or Kevin, Andrew loved saying no to them too much. It was probably Renee's influence Neil decided. Neil resigned himself to the fact that, where Andrew went, Neil went and his glorious bed would have to wait a few more hours. Wordlessly, Neil turned into his bedroom and spotted the fresh outfit laid out on his bed. Black slacks and Satin button down. Clearly Andrew had picked the outfit, if it were Nicky it would have been sequins probably.

Thirty minutes later, Neil is squished in the back of Andrew's car between Aaron and Nicky, on their way to one of the bars near campus. The upperclassman were still a bit wary of going to Columbia with the cousins. Andrew hadn't spoken a word all night, and Neil focused his stare on the back of his head, attempting to figure out what made him deviate from his normal refusal to do anything social with anyone outside his immediate family. Neil gave up after only a few moments and decided staring was enough. Andrew's hair had gotten longer and the top was all floppy. Neil couldn't stop staring at one loose piece that fell out from behind his ear and brushed the side of his cheek. It was...distracting. It was literally one of the most distracting things Neil had ever seen, he really didn't know he could be so captivated by a lock of hair. It was disorienting. Neil almost literally reached out to tuck it back behind his ear and feel whether or not it was as soft as he remembered Andrew's hair being. He didn't though, he knew better. Nicky snapped him out of his thoughts with an enthusiastic shake on the shoulder.

"Neil, I know you don't usually drink but you have to tonight. No morning practices, no secrets to spill, only good times."

Neil clenched his jaw, Nicky was insufferable and persistent and turning him down wouldn't be easy. "Nicky, I appreciate it but seriou--"

"Plus, its Renee's birthday! You might be able to turn me down but what about her?" Nicky's look was triumphant. He knew he got Neil, there was no denying Renee when she asked for something. At least now he knew why Andrew had agreed. Still, Neil couldn't help the fact that the idea made him uncomfortable. Old habits die hard, and fun was never something that accompanied alcohol in his life. The look he shot Nicky communicated as much. This time when Nicky replied it was a bit softer. "Andrew will watch you tonight. I promise it will be fun, let me be the one to show you how to drink for a good time."

Nicky's smile was as disarming as ever. Neil's instinct was to still decline, but then again, when has he ever paid attention to his instincts in the past year? Every good thing he has is because he threw caution to the wind when he joined the Foxes, and it had paid off then. He'd had the opportunity to drink with people before now. It had come up a few times in his past. In Millport, some of his teammates made an effort to bond by inviting him to a school bonfire where everyone would get drunk and throw things on the fire. The idea of going was as terrifying as it was intriguing. In the end he had walked by just once to watch, he felt like he always had, like someone who didn't belong and never would. He had decided he was glad he didn't go. But this time it was different. This time it was his family, he belonged here, he wanted to be here. Neil looked up to catch Andrew's eyes in the rearview mirror. Andrew--as if waiting for exactly this--was already looking and his face was as steady and calm as ever. A slight nod confirming that Neil could do this, that Andrew would be there for him. It was enough to make Neil feel dizzy, the weight of his gaze, even one as small as that.