JTL-Fics

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | TBD AU

Neil startles out the hot and heavy daze that their reunion had put him in and blinks at Andrew in surprise.

“You have a brain injury! Do NOT have sex with Neil until you are medically cleared! Do you hear me! You signed yourself out against medical advice!” Aaron shouts into his house and Andrew can faintly hear the sound of his chain rattling.

“I’m going to kill him.”

“You checked yourself out of the hospital before you were cleared?” Neil asks, eyes wide with fear.

“I’m fine.” Andrew says on reflex and knows in that moment that there is no salvaging the moment.

They continue this until Andrew has Neil pressed up against the wall. Andrew wants every last centimeter of Neil. Wants him with every single fiber of his being. Wants to bite his neck and drink his marrow. Wants to rip his chest open and crawl into his rib cage just so that they’d never spend another moment apart ever again-

He wants Neil to fu-

“Andrew Joseph Minyard!” Aaron’s voice fills his home.

He wants Neil to fucking help him kill his brother.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | TBD AU

With the first taste after a five year drought Andrew finds himself desperate for more. It’s exactly like Neil’s freshman year all over again except Andrew’s long since grown out of his self-delusion that this was nothing.

He knows without a shadow of a doubt that this is everything because he knows what his life is without it.

He deepens the kiss with Neil and Neil follows suit, just as starved for Andrew as Andrew is for Neil. Andrew’s hands let go of Neil’s and find their way to Neil’s hips. Neil’s breath catches as he pulls apart, “Wher-”

“Anywhere,” Andrew confirms and Neil wraps his arms around Andrew’s neck.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | TBD AU

A tear slips out of Neil’s eye as he smiles at Andrew, “I’ve wanted to say yes for a long time.”

“No time like the present.”

Neil’s shoulders sag in relieved defeat, “It’s always been a yes with you Andrew. That hasn’t changed, very little has apparently.” Neil says. Andrew wants all of Neil’s always, all of his futures, all of his forevers, and he wants Neil Josten.

Andrew presses his lips to Neil’s for the first time in five years and he feels for the first time like he is home.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | TBD AU

“It’s dangerous.” Neil says and Andrew can hear his victory in the way Neil’s voice cracks.

“I know, I still want you.”

“I can’t lose you.”

“Then don’t let me go.” 

“I don’t want to.”

“Then don’t.”

“Andrew.”

“Neil,” Andrew looks at Neil and sees defeat there, “ Yes or No?” he asks.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | TBD AU

“You wanted to tr-”

“I wanted to be yours.” Andrew interrupts and Neil freezes. “I still want to be yours.”

It is a terrifying thing for Andrew to admit. The distance of 5 years doesn’t make it any less terrifying for Andrew to admit. Andrew should want to belong to no one but himself. An Andrew who never flew out with Kevin Day to bumfuck nowhere Arizona would want that. An Andrew who never swung a racquet and caught Neil Josten in the stomach would want that.

Andrew’s not that Andrew.

Andrew wants to be Neil Josten’s and he wants Neil Josten to be his.

That’s why he went out and endured hours of ring shopping with his cousin. It’s that admission that had his cousin wrap that ring in hundreds of layers of packaging tape just so that he could convey how important it was for Andrew not to throw out what was contained within.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | TBD AU

“I do remember it.” Neil confirms quietly and Andrew finds what he was looking for.

“You told me that day that I own myself.” He swallows, “You saying that didn’t save me, but you damn well know that it brought me closer to where I wanted to be.”

“You told me I wasn’t completely right.” Neil says and Andrew wonders how many of his words have been held close by Neil all these years. How many times he’s thought about the things that Andrew had forgotten.

“You weren’t,” Andrew confirms. “Do you know why I had pushed for you to top?” he asks.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | TBD AU

Remembers how Neil had taken him there after a series of weeks where Andrew’s body had felt wholly not his own. Where nightmares were more common than sleep. Where every touch had felt like danger.

It had been after they’d attempted to have sex for the first time where Neil was going to be inside Andrew. It hadn’t gone well at all and it had set Andrew back and set his teeth on edge that Neil had blamed himself for it when Andrew had fully consented and had wanted it. He had wanted to give himself to Neil.

On their then-traditional summer trip Neil had taken him to that tree and read him the plaque there. He’d told Andrew that Andrew was the only one who could own himself in a speech that had been so corny and sweet that it would have set Andrew’s teeth aching if he hadn’t already had such a high tolerance for sweets.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | TBD AU

“He wrapped them all up.” Andrew says and he pulls gently and Neil follows this time. “When we were in Athens, you didn’t want to see the Tree That Owns Itself because you took me there the summer after your 3rd year.” Andrew gestures to the shot glass that owns itself.

“Andrew…” Neil’s voice is tight again and Andrew wonders if Neil had thought that he’d be getting out of giving him an answer.

“Do you remember what you said to me?” He asks because Andrew remembers it now. He remembers it perfectly.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | TBD AU

When he turns back to Neil he sees Neil taking in Andrew’s living room and realizes that Neil has never been over to his place. He gets ahead of himself thinking about another key that could sit on Neil’s keyring, another one from Andrew.

He tightens his hand and takes him to his study.

Neil halts in the doorway, seeing all the missing halves to his photos, “Nicky really did keep them all.” He breathes out, likely surprised to see that Andrew really had put them all up on display. That Andrew had cared enough about these forgotten memories to give them space.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | TBD AU

There is a downside as Aaron rushes out of his house towards him, “Andrew you signed yourself out against-!”

“Shut up.” Andrew pushes past his brother, making sure to put himself between Aaron and Neil as he makes his way to his house. He fumbled with his keys since he wouldn’t let go of Neil and was trying to ignore the headache-inducing sounds of his brother’s questions.

He pulls Neil in first before turning to his brother as Aaron tries to follow them in, “I said leave me alone.” He pushes Aaron back and slams the door in his face. He deadbolts it and chains the door for good measure.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | TBD AU

They wait in silence outside of Smith’s house after Neil locks the door to the house and Andrew looks and sees a familiar key on the keyring that he hadn’t bothered to look at before he knew what might be missing from it.

The taxi comes quickly and Andrew pulls Neil into the back seat before giving his address.

The taxi driver tries to talk to them twice but both times they remain silent and Andrew isn’t surprised to see that he took the most direct path to expedite getting them out of his car as fast as humanly possible.

Andrew gives the man his money and a generous tip before pulling Neil out of the car.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | TBD AU

He watches as the word hits Neil like a physical blow and Andrew had known it would. Please was not a word that Andrew or Neil would use lightly. It was a word that couldn’t be ignored, it was desperation, it was dire, and Andrew had only used it once before with Neil and Neil only once.

Andrew had made progress in those years he had lost, progress that was now his to benefit from once again.

Neil’s hand is in his almost before he can finish saying the word. Andrew doesn’t hesitate to wrap his fingers around Neil’s hand and start to pull him out of his apartment and out of the house as he quickly orders another taxi, ignoring the missed calls and texts from Aaron and Katelyn.

Andrew catalogs all of the differences from the last time he had held Neil’s hand like this.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | TBD AU

Neil looks at him like Andrew’s asking him to do something impossible. “Andrew…” he croaks and Andrew can’t see the complex calculus swirling around Neil’s head. All he can see is himself reflected in Neil’s eyes as he stares back at him. 

He can see Neil’s yes in his eyes but he can also see the fear.

Andrew decides to play a bit dirty in that moment. It’s easy to ignore since he was a Fox, he had been a Fox this entire time.

“Come with me,” Andrew offers his hand to Neil and this is where he plays the dirtiest card he has, “please.”

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | Foxhole Bake AU

There’s a flurry of motion as each of the bakers move to start grabbing bowls and utensils as they read the instructions.

The camera cuts to Andrew who is reading the paired down instructions on how to make a marshmallow from Paul and Prue with an irritated look on his face.

The camera cuts back to Andrew doing an aside, “I don’t get what the big deal is with homemade marshmallows. The store bought ones taste good.” he shrugs.

The camera cuts to Neil, “Andrew would know if store bought ones weren’t worth it, he’s eaten more marshmallows than anyone I know.” 

Noel walked into frame, “Neil, I want to hear you say marshmallow again in your accent.” he says.

“You are the one saying it weird from my point of view.” Neil rolls his eyes.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | Foxhole Bake AU

There’s a cut away to Andrew, “It’s a **** ******* treat.” He says as there’s a bleep and a blurring over his mouth as if he had sworn instead of just stating what the well-known brand was.

The camera cut back to the tent.

“With that all said bakers.” Noel smiles brightly, “On your mark.”

“Get set.” Sandi continues.

“Bake!” They both cheer and the bakers quickly pull the gingham covering from their ingredients.

11/6/24 WIP Wednesday (CLOSED) | Foxhole Bake AU

“Bakers, like Paul had said this will be a two day bake. Your marshmallows will need time to set, I can say this part since it’s sort of a given. At least 12 hours and neither Paul or Prue were willing to hear me out on the baking sleepover.” Noel explains pulling out a sleeping cap from his back pocket. “I think if we all just start sleeping at our stations once I call time he won’t be able to say no.” 

There’s general laughter throughout the tent.

“Once again, you’ll have 40 minutes for this part and this will be dedicated entirely to the creation of your marshmallows. Tomorrow will be the construction of your puffed rice treat.” Sandi says the non-branded appropriate name.

The camera catches Andrew rolling his eyes.