dkafterdark:

A Twin By Any Other Name

Written for Andreil Week. Day One: Shakespeare

*This is probably the silliest, most OOC thing I’ve ever written

“This is so stupid,” Andrew grumbled. He pushed Neil back into the racks of costumes, hiding them between sequined vests and feathery boas. The smell of baby powder, perfumes, and sweat was overpowering.

“I know,” Neil answered. He couldn’t contain his giggle or hide his smile. He couldn’t stop his body from shaking with pent up laughter.

Andrew huffed and leaned in, kissing Neil into silence. Neil smiled against Andrew’s lips and let Andrew pin his wrists against the wall, keeping his needy hands from mussing Andrew’s wig and costume.

“I hate you,” Andrew said once they came up for air. His hazel eyes were outlined with black kohl, eyelids dusted with shimmery black powder. His lipstick was smeared but Neil could fix that easily enough.

“I know,” Neil said again. His throat bobbed as he swallowed.

“So much.” Andrew’s lips grazed Neil’s Adam’s apple, then the side of his neck. Neil couldn’t breathe. “You owe me,” Andrew warned, nipping at Neil’s neck hard enough that Neil gasped and bucked against him.

“God, Andrew…” Neil tried to stifle the helpless whine in his voice.

“ANDREW MINYARD!” Allison’s yell made Neil jump in surprise. “GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE WE’RE ON IN FIVE.”

Andrew ignored the warning and leaned in for another kiss.

“Nope, nuh-uh,” Neil protested, turning his face away. “I need to fix your makeup or Allison will kill me.”

“I’d like to see her try,” Andrew said but he backed up and helped Neil untangle himself from the nest of costumes. Neil was pretty sure he was now covered in glitter and feathers but Andrew’s outfit still looked fine and that was all he was worried about.

The dressing room was crowded and hectic. Renee joined them and fussed over Andrew while Neil reapplied his lipstick.

“You look hot,” Neil whispered into Andrew’s ear. “You should definitely wear this dress again.”

“You should definitely die,” Andrew replied. Neil grinned. Even with all the makeup he could tell that Andrew was blushing, just a bit.

Andrew went to join the cast and Neil hurried over to help with the props and set. His primary job in the high school’s production of Twelfth Night had been working with the art department to design and paint sets. However, when Aaron suddenly came down with the flu, it became Neil’s task to wrangle Andrew into the role and get him to cooperate. Getting him to wear the punk rock dress that Viola wore in her first appearance was the biggest hurdle and required lots of bribery on Neil’s part. Not that he minded. Convincing him to act opposite Katelyn, who had the role of Olivia was… well, Neil still didn’t know how that would go down. They had only been able to rehearse with Andrew once before tonight’s opening performance and the entire crew, especially Allison, was losing their minds. Neil thought it would be fine. Andrew had an eidetic memory and, thanks to Neil’s backstage involvement with the play, he had sat in on the majority of the rehearsals, mostly so he could torment Neil and heckle his twin.

Moments before the curtain was set to open Neil shoved his way into the wings, craning his neck around his taller classmates until he could see Andrew. Really, Allison’s idea of a modern take on the play was a lifesaver. No one could convey aloof, punkish boredom like Andrew Minyard. He slouched in his black leggings and his ripped and tattered black dress; the combat boots were his, as were the fingerless leather gloves. His long blonde wig looked distressed, his makeup artfully smudged. Renee had designed his wardrobe, as both Viola and Cesario, to be gender neutral and it worked. Andrew looked the part and Neil knew that when he stepped onto the stage he would be perfect.

—–

The play went better than Neil had hoped. At first Andrew’s deadpan, jaded delivery of the lines – all of the lines – had the audience confused. But it was Matt, seated on the front row between Kevin and Dan, who saved them. In the midst of the quiet audience Matt snorted at Andrew being pronounced a eunuch. Then Seth and Dan started laughing and the ice was broken. Whether or not everyone “got” the dense, Shakespearian script didn’t matter; it was the other actors playing earnestly juxtaposed with Andrew’s “I don’t give a fuck” presentation that kept the audience in stitches.

Ryan, who was playing Orsino, seemed to be at wit’s end and Katelyn as Olivia was trying to keep a brave face as she relentlessly pursued Andrew. Neil could not stop grinning at the most awkward love triangle to ever grace the stage. By the time intermission came his cheeks were sore from smiling and his stomach hurt from laughing. Andrew found him immediately and dragged him outside for a frantic makeout session and cigarettes.

“My only consolation,” Andrew complained, “is that Aaron’s name is still on the program.”

Neil covered his mouth his hands. “Oh my god… I didn’t even think about that! So everyone probably thinks—”

“That Aaron is the worst actor ever?” Andrew exhaled smoke into Neil’s face and stubbed out his cigarette.

“Are you kidding me?” Neil touched his fingertips to Andrew’s cheek. “You’re awesome. I think, despite the modern look and interpretation, everyone would be confused or bored by the play. But with you on the stage? They can’t look away.” Andrew’s piercing glare and the hard set of his mouth said that he disagreed. Neil trailed his fingers over Andrew’s jaw and under his chin, tilting his head up. “You’re a star,” Neil breathed and kissed Andrew.

Intermission cut things short but Andrew made it very clear he wasn’t done with Neil.

“You’re spending the weekend at my place,” he told Neil, his hand gripping the back of Neil’s neck. “Make sure to tell Wymack.”

“He already knows,” Neil said. Andrew gave him a look so Neil explained. “Like I was going to let you go home alone after tonight. Please.”

Andrew rolled his eyes. “Junkie.”

“Just for you,” Neil winked.

[Notes: 1) I haven’t read Twelfth Night in YEARS so don’t judge me too harshly, I just remembered it was about twins and I thought how funny would it be if Aaron had to drop out of the play and Andrew took his place. Plus Twelfth Night has a lot to do with gender roles and depending on how you want to read it homoerotic undertones etc. Can you tell I was an English major? 2) I’ve never been involved in a stage production so sorryyyyy if things are inaccurate. I banged out this little story in a few hours so again this is just for funsies. 3) In this high school AU Neil is Wymack’s foster son. Some of the foxes play high school exy, some don’t. Aaron is a science geek who got talked into doing the play by his lovely and persuasive girlfriend, Katelyn. Neil and Andrew are dating and out and pretty much inseparable. So yeah, a fluffy au]