Shrike

Just a quick note at the beginning to say: If you're squeamish at all, this is probably not the best fic for you. The imagination got a little dark with this one, to absolutely nobody's surprise. So, TW: Blood, gore and extreme violence.

Oh, also, the song Shrike by Hozier was basically on repeat for the entire Neil/Andrew scenes, so i suggest listening to it if you want to get a little into their headspace.
(See the end of the work for more notes.)

I was housed by your warmth
Thus transformed
By you're grounded and giving
And darkening scorn
Remember me, love
When I'm reborn
As a shrike to your sharp
And glorious thorn

Hozier: Shrike

-

Four days before their match with the Bearcats, everything went to shit.

Tensions were high. Kevin, notorious for being high-strung, was snapping and snarling at all of them and it was only a matter of time before someone decided to hit back. Neil wouldn't name any names, but he had noticed that Allison's nails seemed to be getting sharper each time she came to practice. That, paired with nasty glint in her eyes every time Kevin called one of them incompetent, spelled trouble.

Now Neil was in no way a social butterfly, but when murmurs started to go around campus about a funfair nearby, he perked up enough to listen. Most of the other students seemed to be planning on going, swayed by the promise of terrible rides, cotton candy and a bar down the street that was promoting cheap shots for the entire night. All of this sounded like Neil's worst nightmare, but he knew the rest of his team would love it.

So, he picked up a few fliers and posted them 'anonymously' under the other foxes door. It took them less than twenty minutes to come banging at Andrew's dorm room.

"Nicky, open the damn door! There's bad decisions to be made, and you're normally at the forefront of them all!"

Neil pulled back from Andrew's lips, sighing heavily. The other man shot him a bored stare, looking between him and the door. He pushed Neil back a couple of paces, adjusting his waistband. Neil smirked.

"Go and tend to your stupid foxes, Junkie. I have a feeling this is your doing anyway, if those shifty eyes are anything to go by."

Neil adapted an innocent stance, widening his eyes for added effect. Andrew didn't look convinced. He shoved Neil towards the door with a pointed look, and it was all he could do to not laugh. He had a feeling that would earn getting something lobbed at his head, and it would be a shame to ruin this good mood.

When he opened the door, Allison gaped at him. Dan too. Matt just send him a knowing smile, which made Neil shift in place. Sometimes he felt like Matt just seen him too much, even without him having to say anything. If he were to ask though, his roommate would probably claim that it was something to do with his 'best friend senses tingling' and that was a whole other can of worms that didn't need to be opened twice, so he kept his mouth shut.

"What are you doing in the monsters dorm?" Allison asked.

At the same time, Dan blurted;

"Why was the door locked?"

Neil felt his cheeks heat. Matt was biting his lip in attempt to hold in his laughter, and it seemed to be a losing battle. Fumbling for a response, Neil simply shrugged and ripped the poster out of Allison's hands. He looked down at it for a second, squinted in fake consideration and then looked back at them.

"This looks fun." He said, voice dripping with false cheer. "We should go."

The three of them blinked. Cocked their heads at him. Blinked again.