Damaged: a Andreil Story

Healing

Andrew sat in Wymack's car, biting the inside of his cheek. The car ride was silent. Léo sat beside him in the back seat, keeping a calm hand on his thigh, Andrew being too distracted to shove it off him. Wymack was driving in silence, eyes focused on the road and brows furrowed. Dan sat next to Léo in the back seat as well, leaving the front seat to Neil. "Ok so I have a strict command from the police itself, for everyone. Do not ask Neil about what happened while he was gone, he's still in shock, so take it slow" said Wymack as he kept his glance on the road. Everyone hummed a low 'okay coach'.

Wymack parked the car and turned to the foxes in the back seat. "I'm going in alone, poor boy is already quite shaken up..." said Wymack as his glance went down on Léo's hand and shook his head, turning back and taking out the keys, leaving the car. Léo sighed a bit, and Andrew were shaking his foot in anxiety. Dan was oddly quiet as she just sat there, crossed arms and a straight face staring forward.

After a while Dan clears her throat. "Do you mind showing Neil some respect and don't touch his ex right now? I don't think he'll be so happy" said Dan as she kept her glance forward. Léo blinked and retreated his hand, now awkwardly sitting there. Andrew were looking at the entrance door to the police station. Soon enough, Wymack stepped out with a person behind him and a officer. Andrew gasped lowly, he barely recognized Neil.

The striker was so dirty, mud stuck in his hair and face, his blue eyes darker and more scared. He wore a thick blanket, so you couldn't really see his clothes too well, but by the look of the hand holding the blanket, all old dirt and wounds that were infected most likely, you can take a guess. Wymack lead Neil to the car with the officer behind them. The coach opened the passenger door for the striker. Neil hesitated before getting in the car, his face showing pain as he sat down, keeping his glance down. "Stay safe, Josten" said the officer before closing the door, and walking to the coach, talking. Neil was silent as he kept his glance down. Dan smiled a sad smile at her teammate, showing her best sympathy. Neil were shaking so bad because of how cold he was that he struggled to get on the seat belt.

The door to the driver's side opened, and Wymack got in, looking at Neil for a second and sighing, taking on his seatbelt and starting the car, driving off.
"So... Neil... what do you want to eat?" asked Wymack as he drove, taking a quick glance at Neil before returning his sight back on the road. Neil stayed silent. Wymack sighed a bit. "I will pay, here, pick out a place" said the coach as he handed Neil his phone, unlocked. Andrew and Léo looked at eachother for a sec. Dan smiled gently. Neil took the phone with dirty hands, as he shook. He started to type in something and scrolled for a bit, searching. The car was silent.

Léo coughed in awkwardness and moved a bit. Neil stopped scrolling and poked at Wymack and showed him the phone. The coach looked over for a second and nodded, looking back at the road and taking a right turn. Neil shakily put down the phone and sighed. "What did he pick?" asked Dan as she looked at Wymack. Wymack chuckled. "You'll see"
The team drove for another twenty minutes before they pulled into a parking lot infront of a simple restaurant. It looked old, but well built with nice decor. Dan smiled, Léo had his hands crossed over his chest, and Andrew was staring directly onto Neil's neck. "Okay, wait here, I'm ordering" said Wymack as he fook his phone and left the car. As the door slammed shut, Neil jumped a bit, yelping.
"Neil, do you want to join me and Renee in watching a movie?" asked the captain, with a smile. Neil looked at Dan for a second before smiling a bit, rasping out a 'okay' before turning his head back to the front as Wymack left the restaurant's front door with two bags, probably full of food. "We'll do it tomorrow, you need some rest in your own bed" smiled Dan as she followed his gaze. "Food!"
Wymack got into the car, handing Neil the bags. "Okay let's go home and eat" mumbled Wymack as he started the car and drove off.
—
The foxes spoke low as they entered the fox tower. Neil walked with Wymack in the back of the gang, while Andrew and Léo led the way. Neil limped as he walked, keeping the blanket wrapped around him. He shook slightly as he walked, looking at the back of the head of Andrew and Léo. Wymack sighed a bit, and Neil blinked and looked away from the goalkeeper and the striker. They entered the girl's room, kicking off their shoes. Neil shakily walked after, still having no shoes on. Wymack pointed to the bathroom. "Go and take a shower, I don't think the girls mind" said Wymack to Neil, and the small striker looked at Dan, who nodded, before limping his way to the bathroom. As he shut the door closed, everyone let out a small sigh. "He seems so different.. like when he first came around after that winter" mumbled Dan, and Léo raised a brow. "Wait, what? Have it happened before?"
Dan shook her head. "If Andrew haven't told you, just don't mention it, old times" said the captain as she sat down in the couch, scratching her neck. Léo glared at Andrew, but the goalkeeper was weirdly quiet. He shook his head tiredly and looked over to the bathroom door.

Neil stood frozen, looking at himself in the mirror, hearing the shower going. He stared at himself in the mirror. He was dirty. Mud and grease in his hair, his skin was injured and dirty. His eyes was scared as he looked at himself. He slightly shook and stripped down completely, finally getting rid of those old dirty clothes he ran away in. The foot braces he had on had for long ago fallen off, his bandages long gone as well. Neil felt the warm water rund down his body, seeing the dort and mud fall off, landing on the floor and swirling into the shower drain.

Neil rinsed himself off, wincing a bit as the warm water entered some of his old wounds. He was starting to see his skin underneath the dirt, as he continued to scrub himself off.
About almost an hour later, when the water was starting to get cooler, he was finally clean. Neil turned off the shower and stepped out, water dripping down. He grabbed a towel and dried himself off quickly, before realizing someone had dropped off clean clothes by the sink. Neil raised an eyebrow and started to get dressed, windering if he actually remembered to lock the door.
—