Close Behind || Aaron Minyard

8

It takes two weeks of training for Neil to tell her she absolutely is lucky for not being able to play and that he hates Kevin for breathing.

Fair assessments in her opinion but she knows it's just Neil being frustrated.

He was playing like he was angry, which was worse than when Neil played like he was scared because he made stupid mistakes. It made her upset to see him upset, generally speaking, but when he wasn't playing to his standards because of it, that was worse. She sort of wishes that Kevin would choke on a dick, maybe he'd calm down then.

For her, it was fine. Naomi still had another week at minimum to be on the bench and that was fine. She was still running with Neil, or leaving to go hide away in the weight room after Wymack gave her a key. It wasn't like she was just being stagnant. She didn't have to listen to Kevin if she didn't want to, Naomi ran away from the court plenty of times when he was getting especially shitty.

She didn't really run into Aaron again and that was preferable. The things she'd said while passing out weren't the best, if he rubbed some brain cells together he'd realize she spoke German and that wouldn't be great for her or Neil. Beside that she's embarrassed that she'd spent two day wearing his clothes before they agreed to drive her back to Wymack and Neil.

Plus Neil had chewed her out over it, then proceeded to mock her for being a damsel in distress for some pale blondie.

He was restless though, so Naomi let him off easy when he got like this. Tonight was one of those nights, he was pacing silently and she was watching him in the lamp light of Wymacks living room.

Naomi sighed loudly enough and Neil stopped to look at her with a startled look, like he didn't know she was awake. "Wymack won't like it if you pace holes in his flooring."

"Right," Neil said dumbly, he sat down on the couch with her.

"Get up, change," Naomi says with a huff. She pushes the borrowed blanket off and looks at the sweatpants she's wearing, not hers, and the long sleeved shirt. It'll work enough. "Let's go for a run, or to the court, something to get rid of your annoying energy."

He looked at her for a few seconds before nodding. Neil deftly moved away to grab his bag and start changing out his jeans right there, they were far beyond modesty around each other. Still, Naomi got a sick feeling every time she saw the small cuts on his legs. "We can run to the court and back."

"Just need to know it's still there?" Naomi jeers at him.

"Don't be a jerk," Neil huffs.

She pushes up and walks to the door silently to put on her sneakers, the ones that are a size too small and she's kept hidden in her bag for years. Naomi frowns and waves for him to hurry the fuck up.

They leave quickly and quietly, Neil locking the door behind him and tossing the keys to Naomi since she has pockets. It's a practiced routine they do most mornings or nights now.

Neil never sets the pace because he's two inches taller and runs faster because of that, he just leaves himself next to Naomi at whatever pace she chooses.

Which is great because her legs are too stiff for running the four minute miles he loves to make her do all the time. A six minute pace is much nicer on her legs currently.

When they get to the stadium she just stands back and watches over their shoulders as Neil puts in the code to get in. She doesn't look forward again until the door closes behind them.

The lights were on and she huffed, remembering she'd seen the GS in the lot. Naomi was so used to it being here when they were that she'd not said anything. Neil turns to her a frowns, she nods in return.