Work Text:
Andrew Minyard was not the man to express his feelings vocally. "I love you" was not a phrase he had uttered in many years. But, as he looked at Neil Josten sitting next to him on the roof, holding a cigarette in his lap and looking out at the dark college below, Andrew considered how it would feel to say.
This time it was all up to him, a phrase he could or could not say as many or as few times as he felt like. And Neil would return it.
How would it feel to hear those three words and know they were true? Because Andrew knew, more than he knew anything, that Neil loved him. And, beyond all reason, Andrew loved Neil too.
"Neil," Andrew declared, as though his name was more than just a name.
The redhead looked over at Andrew from under his hood. With his typical heavy gaze. Andrew found comfort in those pretty blue eyes. And he had long since stopped calling Neil put for staring.
Neil snuffed his cigarette out on the concrete and turned to face Andrew. "Drew."
The abbreviation of his name twisted Andrew's heart in a way he leaned into. Twisted from a cracked, broken vase to one of stunning red.
"I-" Andrew wasn't one to stutter, but this wasn't a phrase he knew quite how to say.
"What is it?" Neil's baby blue eyes looked at him with an expression of concern. His head tilted to the side. Reading Andrew.
Andrew placed his palm against Neil's scared cheek. He took a deep breath and looked into the stunning blue eyes and saw his own expression. Andrew knew this was the time. "I love you."
A smile broke across Neil's face. He giggled a little. "I love you too."
A smile tugged at the corners of Andrew's lips but instead he asked, "yes or no?"
"Always yes-"
Andrew pressed his lips to those of his red haired boyfriend. And for the first time he admitted to himself that Neil and him were something, something good. Something Andrew can love freely.
So Andrew pushed his fingers into Neil's hair and straddled Neil's small hips.
Neil wrapped his arms around the back of Andrew's neck and pulled the blond close to his chest. And Andrew let himself be held, for the arms around him were safe, as was he.