Built For Almost

They left Zay's dorm late.

Neil had Zay's hoodie on-hood up, sleeves swallowed his hands, hem brushing his thighs. He looked like he didn't want to be seen, but also like he was daring someone to comment. Zay trailed beside him, jaw tense, hands in his pockets like it took all his restraint to not reach over and touch him.

Because yeah, Neil was practically draped in his clothes. And that meant something. It meant more than either of them had dared to say out loud.

Until now.

The hallway was too quiet. The locker room buzzed with low voices and water echoing off the tile, and when they walked in-late, matching in everything but shoes-it went dead silent.

Callum raised an eyebrow. "You two finally eloped?"

Zay shot him a look sharp enough to slit a throat.

Neil didn't say a word. Didn't rise to it. Didn't even twitch. Just walked past like Callum was background noise. His shoulders were stiff, posture tight, expression unreadable-but Zay noticed the flicker of something dark under the surface.

Restraint.

He was holding back.

Training didn't help. Neil ran like a machine-
flawless, efficient, cold. No smiles. No banter. He didn't even flinch when Coach Langley barked critiques. He just nodded, set his jaw, and did it again. And again. And again.

Zay could feel it - Neil was stuffing something down. Hard. Again.

After the last sprint, Neil didn't wait for cooldown. Didn't stretch. He walked off the track and straight into the locker room. Zay caught the look Coach gave him.

It was the look that said "Follow him."

So he did.

The door creaked open behind him, the sound echoing off tile and metal. Steam clung to the ceiling. Neil was at the far end, hands braced on the sink, head down.

Zay approached slowly.

"You're gonna snap something running like that."

No answer.

"Neil."

Nothing.

So Zay stepped closer. "Talk to me, Neil."

Neil looked up. And god-his eyes.

Zay saw it. The hurricane behind them. Every thought he hadn't said. Every feeling he hadn't named. Every little fire that'd been smothered under silence, now boiling to the surface.

"I tried," Neil said, voice raw. "I tried to wait. To pretend I'm fine. But I'm not."

Zay swallowed. "Then don't pretend."

Neil turned. Stepped forward. One. Two. Until they were toe to toe, breath to breath, and Zay could feel the heat rolling off his skin.

"I don't want to be just teammates." Neil whispered.

Zay blinked, startled by his sudden admission. "What?"

"I don't want to be your friend who wears your hoodies and pretends it doesn't mean something."

His hands fisted in Zay's shirt.

"I'm not indifferent. I want you. Even when I'm a mess. Especially then."