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There was a blanket fort in their dorm. It took up a good quarter of their living space, stretching from Andrew’s desk under the window to Neil’s on the adjacent wall. Where it had come from wasn’t a mystery, but why it appeared certainly was. Andrew refused to say, hadn’t even hinted at his desire to make one; Neil and Kevin had just come back one day, and there it was. It had been a shock, but Neil had to admit, even with his limited knowledge, it really was quite an impressive fort.
Kevin had grumbled under his breath for the first two days, but eventually it just became second nature to walk around it. Pity be the soul who disturbed the dragon's lair.
Because that’s what Andrew had become. He spent most of his time in the fort now, and Neil knew he had slept more than one night inside of it. No one else was allowed in, Andrew going as far as hanging a giant sign in thick black marker saying ‘NO PASSWORD? FUCK OFF’ right at the entrance.
At first, Neil had worried Andrew was having a series of bad days, shutting everyone out. But to his surprise and relief, Andrew actually seemed more relaxed, a little happier, a little more present. He didn’t want to stop whatever it was that Andrew was doing when it was so clearly helping him. So, Neil left snacks at the fort’s door, kept Kevin from complaining, and left Andrew to his new spot.
But Neil missed him. It had been a week since the fort appeared, and it felt as if he barely saw him outside of practice. Neil could be patient, but he was starting to itch with the absence of Andrew by his side. He was becoming a little desperate.
Which is how he found himself crouched in front of the fort, hands tucked between his knees. “Andrew,” he said.
There was some small shuffling, a shift of the blanket behind the sign, but Andrew didn’t appear. “Neil,” his voice sounded from inside the fort.
He sighed, shoulders slumping. “What are you doing?”
“Lots of things,” Andrew said.
“Could you do any of them out here?” There was a moment of silence, and then another small shuffle. Andrew still didn’t appear, and Neil felt about two seconds from tearing his hair out. “Andrew,” he said again, very carefully keeping his voice conversational, “we could watch a movie if you come out. Or go for a drive. Go to that diner with the waffles you like.”
“We could,” Andrew agreed, and Neil swore he sounded amused. “Unfortunately, I am otherwise occupied. Maybe another time.”
“Doing what? ” So much for conversational. At least at that, Andrew’s head did finally pop out, blond hair mused and a brow raised. Neil scowled, far past pretending. “I would like to actually spend time with you.”
Andrew blinked at him, but was otherwise still. “Okay. Would you like to come into the fort?”
“I-yeah,” Neil said, a bit startled.
“I need the password.”
Neil looked at Andrew, who stared back at him expectantly. He was serious. “You’re serious.”
“The sign is pretty clear,” Andrew said, reaching out to tap it twice.
Sighing, Neil scrubbed a hand over the back of his head. “Let me guess, you won’t tell me the password.”
“That would be unethical,” Andrew said. “Privacy and all that. But,” he hummed, tilting his head to the side, “someone might have written it down somewhere for safekeeping. If you found it and came back, I would have to assume you’re allowed inside.”
“Andrew,” Neil tried, but Andrew was already hidden inside the fort again.
He waited a minute, just staring at the stupid blue blanket acting as a door. Resigning himself to his fate, Neil glanced around the dorm before standing. If Andrew wanted to play this game, Neil would do his best to win. After all, he had experience finding hidden caches. This wouldn’t be too hard.
Two hours later Neil was on the verge of a breakdown. He had checked everywhere in their dorm, under the mattresses, the beanbags, the kitchen drawers, even behind the toilet, and had come up short. The roof was no better, the car just as fruitless. Neil had almost become desperate enough to break into Andrew’s locker before Coach had found Neil in his office and kicked him out for destroying the lounge.
Slamming the door of their dorm behind him, Neil stomped up to the fort. “Am I going to have to drive to Columbia to get it?”
For a moment, Neil thought Andrew would ignore him, or that maybe he had left and Neil was talking to himself. But then there was a metallic clicking, and Andrew said, “I thought you would have found it in five minutes. I’m a little disappointed, honestly.”
“Fuck off,” Neil muttered.
“Wrong.”
A noise of frustration escaped him, and Neil buried his face in his hands. Forcing himself to take deep breaths, he ran over what he knew. His person was an impossible asshole. Neil wanted to kiss his face anyway. That face was inside a blanket fort. He wasn’t allowed in the fort without the password. Said password was written down somewhere close by. Andrew wouldn’t write it down unless he wanted Neil to find it. He would have made sure no one else would stumble across it, so it would have to be somewhere safe.
Son of a-
Neil ran to the bedroom, ripping through the closet until he unearthed his safe. Punching in the code, he yanked the door open and bit back a cry of victory. Taped to the inside was a small slip of paper with familiar writing. Neil read it once, twice, three times, and let out a string of the worst curses he knew.
“Andrew,” he said, planting himself in front of the door and crossing his arms, “I am not saying that.”
“Then you don’t get to come inside,” Andrew said. “Rules are rules, Neil.”
Clenching his jaw, Neil blew out a harsh breath through his nose. He had done a lot of terrible things in his life, but none like this. If it was for anyone else, Neil would rather cut out his tongue. But it was Andrew, and Neil would do anything for him. Screwing his eyes closed tightly, Neil accepted his fate with a shudder.
“I love baseball,” he gritted out.
The clicking stopped, and then the blanket moved aside. Neil had to drop to his hands and knees to get inside, ducking his head under Andrew’s arm. Shuffling in, he blinked at what Andrew had managed to build. Everything was covered in blankets and pillows, fairy lights strung throughout the space. There was a pile of snacks and drinks, Andrew’s laptop paused on some movie, a pile of books in the corner. Everything was warm and soft, and any lingering annoyance evaporated.
“Oh,” Neil said.
Andrew hummed and cleared a space beside him, rearranging the nest he had built so Neil could join him. He tugged Neil until he was pressed flush against his side, hooking one leg over Neil’s. Everything about Andrew was relaxed, open, and Neil couldn’t help but bask in it.
“Why did you build this?” He asked as Andrew finished fixing the pillows around them.
Andrew was quiet, chewing over his words. Neil waited, watching as Andrew smoothed a blanket over their laps, fingers leaving impressions in the soft fuzz. “Bee thought it would be a good idea to have a space I could decompress.”
“And you thought of a blanket fort?”
“I never made one before,” Andrew said.
Neil glanced around again, taking in the care Andrew had put into building it. The fact that he let Neil into a space meant to be safe lit something warm in his chest, making him feel lighter than before. Neil knew it must have shown on his face because Andrew pressed two fingers to his cheek and pushed him away.
“Thank you,” he said.
Andrew flicked his fingers at him, too busy digging around in the blankets to give him a signature glare as well. He came back with a bundle of orange, which he dropped unceremoniously into Neil’s lap.
Raising a brow, Neil carefully picked it up, brushing his fingers over the soft yarn. Unraveling it, Neil realized with delight that it was a pair of socks, complete with a fox face and ears. Tugging them on, the ears sat just below his knees, immediately warming his feet. Wiggling his toes, Neil couldn’t keep the smile off his face if he tried. It only grew when Andrew pulled out a set of knitting needles and the beginnings of a matching pair in dark grey.
Knowing Andrew wouldn’t acknowledge anything Neil said about it, and may even stop out of spite, Neil knocked his socked foot against Andrew’s bare one in a silent thanks. The bump he got in return was all he needed. Leaning against his person, Neil watched Andrew’s hands slowly build another sock, everything in him glowing warm and soft.
They sat pressed together, the light slowly fading with the day. By the time evening had set in, Andrew’s feet had gained a new pair of socks, ears and all. The fairy lights lit the small space, the volume of movie Andrew had put on barely there. It was their own little bubble, and Neil felt content to stay locked away in it forever.
When Andrew’s eyes began to droop, gaze unfocused, Neil pulled him closer. “I like your fort,” he said, pressing a kiss to Andrew’s temple.
Andrew tucked himself further into Neil, pulling a blanket up to his nose. “You still need to say the password to get back in.”
Neil groaned, head thumping on the wall behind him. But for all of his dramatics, he couldn’t find it in himself to truly mind. For Andrew, for days like today, Neil would do anything.