The Breaking Point

Breaking Point

I wrote this because of boredom and to find more ideas for 'the bet' so I already have a lot for chapter 4 but I don't want to post it yet because I feel like something is missing, but enjoy for now even though this is BS.

Neil Josten prided himself on being tough. He'd survived his father, witness protection, and more close calls than anyone on the Exy court could imagine. So, when his body started sending subtle warnings—tired limbs, aching muscles, and the constant headache pounding behind his eyes—he did what he always did: pushed through.
Practice, games, school, interviews. They all piled up like the clutter on his desk, but Neil never stopped. Couldn't stop. He had too much riding on this season, too much to prove—to the fans, the team, but most importantly, to Andrew.
He told himself he was fine. Just a little tired. He could rest later. Eat after practice. It wasn't like he hadn't done this before.
But as the days dragged on, it became harder to keep the mask up. He could feel it slipping. Even Kevin had started giving him looks during drills. At first, it was subtle: a frown when Neil stumbled, a raised eyebrow when his shots missed. But Neil ignored him. He had to keep going. Besides, Andrew was there. Watching from the sidelines, always keeping a close eye.
Andrew, who trusted him to take care of himself.
Neil couldn't afford to let him down.

It happened during a scrimmage.
One minute Neil was running across the court, chasing the ball, his heart hammering in his chest like usual, his breaths short and shallow. The next, his vision blurred, and his legs turned to jelly beneath him. The world tilted sideways, and the noise of the stadium—crowd cheers, squeaking shoes, Kevin shouting instructions—faded into a dull hum.
Neil didn't even feel it when he hit the ground.

The next thing he knew, he was lying on a bench in the locker room, someone hovering over him. His head throbbed, and his mouth felt dry.
"N-Neil?" Matt's voice broke through the fog, a mix of concern and relief. "Can you hear me?"
Neil blinked up at him, confused. "What...?"
"You fainted," Matt explained, his expression torn between anger and worry. "Right on the court. Scared the hell out of everyone."
"I'm fine," Neil mumbled, struggling to sit up. His body, however, had other ideas, the room spinning violently as he tried to move.
"You're not fine, Neil. What the hell is going on? When was the last time you ate?"
Neil didn't answer. He couldn't even remember. Breakfast? Maybe?
"Seriously?" Matt sighed and shook his head. "You've been pushing yourself way too hard. No sleep, no food, and now this. Jesus, Neil."
"I'm fine," Neil repeated, though even to his own ears, it sounded weak.
Matt frowned. "Well, you can tell that to Abby. She's coming to check on you."
Neil's stomach sank at the mention of Abby's name. She would fuss, poke, and prod until she figured out what was wrong, and the last thing he needed was her telling Andrew. Neil was just tired, that was all. He didn't need anyone making a big deal out of it, least of all Andrew.
Speaking of Andrew...
Neil looked around, but the blonde was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Andrew?" he asked, suddenly feeling a gnawing pit of anxiety in his stomach.
Matt winced, not meeting his eyes. "He, uh...he left early. Didn't see what happened."
Neil felt a pang of guilt. Andrew hadn't seen him collapse? That was... a small relief, at least. Andrew would've been furious. He had enough to deal with, and the last thing Neil wanted was to add to his burdens.
"Don't tell him," Neil said quickly, his voice hoarse. "He doesn't need to know."
Matt looked torn, but before he could argue, Abby arrived with her medical kit, her face set in that professional, no-nonsense expression she wore when dealing with their injuries. "Out," she ordered Matt, and he reluctantly left, leaving Neil alone with her.
As Abby took his vitals, she shook her head. "Neil, this is serious. You can't keep doing this to yourself."
Neil stayed silent, knowing she was right but unwilling to admit it. He couldn't let anything interfere with Exy. Not now. Not when things were finally starting to fall into place.

Hours passed, and Neil found himself back at Fox Tower. He'd managed to convince Abby to keep the situation quiet, though he wasn't sure how long that would last. His muscles still ached, but the brief nap she'd forced him to take had helped. Now, all he wanted was to go to his room, lie down, and sleep off the rest of this horrible day.
But as soon as he opened the door to his dorm, he froze.
Andrew was sitting on his bed, arms crossed, his eyes dark and furious.
Neil's heart dropped into his stomach. "Andrew," he started, but Andrew's cold voice cut him off.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Neil swallowed. "I—"
"You fainted. In the middle of practice. And no one thought to tell me."
Neil flinched. He hadn't seen Andrew this angry in a long time. His shoulders were tense, his jaw clenched, and his hands twitched like he was barely restraining himself.
"I didn't want you to worry," Neil admitted quietly, taking a cautious step forward. "I'm fine."
Andrew's eyes narrowed, his jaw set in a hard line. "Clearly, you're not."
Neil opened his mouth to argue, but Andrew stood abruptly, crossing the room in a few quick strides until he was inches away from Neil. His gaze was sharp, dangerous.
"You push yourself like this again, and I'll break your legs," Andrew warned, his voice low, but there was an undercurrent of worry beneath the anger that made Neil's chest tighten.
Neil knew Andrew's threats weren't empty, but he also knew the blonde wouldn't actually hurt him—not unless Neil did something stupid. Like... pushing himself to the point of collapsing.
Andrew reached up, his fingers gripping Neil's chin, forcing their eyes to meet. "You don't get to decide what I worry about, Neil."
Neil's breath caught in his throat. There was a rawness in Andrew's gaze that Neil wasn't used to seeing, a vulnerability that he rarely let show.
"I'm sorry," Neil said, his voice barely a whisper.
Andrew's grip loosened slightly, but his eyes never softened. "Next time, you tell me. No matter how stupid you think it is."
Neil nodded slowly. "Okay."
For a moment, neither of them moved, and then, unexpectedly, Andrew's hand dropped from Neil's chin to his chest, resting there for just a second—brief, but grounding.
"You owe me," Andrew muttered before stepping away, his walls slamming back into place as quickly as they had cracked open. But the message was clear.
Neil wasn't alone in this. He never had to be.
And he wouldn't push himself like that again.

Yeah, I hope it was okay and I promise I'll continue 'the bet'.

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