The one shots I write when I should be sleeping

5. Andreil christmas fic (totally out of character tho) (477 words)

Nicky invited him and Neil over to Stuttgart for Christmas holidays every year since he graduated. Andrew suspected he had invited Aaron and Katelyn over, too, but as medical students, they barely had enough money to pay rent. Andrew sent over a hefty chunk of his paycheck every now and then to make sure they didn't destroy themselves working late shifts every night non-stop. Either way, the straights™ never came over. Andrew let Neil convince him to go the first time and they had gone every Christmas since. 

This year, they were staying for New Years, too, and everyone had decided this year to take the subway back from Nicky and Erik's favourite local gay nightclub, Aurora. Neil had even had a few drinks. More than a few, actually. Neil didn't drink a lot regularly but he wasn't a lightweight either, so it took more than a few drinks to get him tipsy, never mind actually drunk. Tonight, as they stumbled onto the subway, giddy and content, Neil grasping Andrew's arm like he might die if he let go, the both of them were grinning. 

It was unusual already for Andrew to smile, though he had been doing it more since college and since moving in with Neil. Every time he smiled at Neil, his boyfriend told him he looked like an angel, which he thought was kind of stupid but only bothered to kiss him all over his face (on his good days.)

Nicky squealed when he looked over and saw him smiling contentedly. Neil dragged him into a pair of seats and turned to him to whisper at him. 

"Andreeeewww..." Neil slurred in German, "Babe. Darling. Love of my life. Can I... heh. You're so pretty," he smiled drunkenly and swallowed a hiccup, "Can I lean on your shoulder, angel?"

"Yes. Go to sleep, I'll wake you up at our stop," he replied. Neil grinned and pressed a light kiss to his cheek, and then passed out on his shoulder. 

Maybe it was just because he was drunk, but he was pretty sure in that moment that he was actually happy. He grinned at the thought. In the seats across from them, Erik was already fast asleep on Nicky's shoulder, but Nicky smirked and rolled his eyes.

"Of course you're sweet on each other in every language. How long has he been calling you angel?"

Andrew takes Neil's hand and plays gently with his fingers. "A few years, I guess. He's stupid, don't read too much into it," he told Nicky. 

Nicky giggled. "Sure, Andrew. Just... It's nice to see you smile. And not like you did back in college. You actually look happy, now."

Maybe it wasn't just alcohol. Maybe he actually was happy. He never thought he'd live past 20, but being happy? That was a completely foreign concept to him, even now, but he liked the idea.