Neil Josten slammed the door shut behind him, the sound echoing throughout the entirety of the court that he was standing on. When he looked up, Andrew Minyard was standing on the other side, eyes narrowed down while staring off towards the other end of the room. The stands were empty, only four individuals occupying the stadium; two of which were on the court and two in the stands. If Andrew had gotten his way, no one would be here. But Neil was stubborn and always found a way to get himself into unpleasant situations.

"Surprised Day showed up," A voice barked from the opposite end of the court; this had been the individual that Andrew was glaring at. Standing there with a grin on his lips, fully dressed out in his Edgar Allan Ravens jersey, was Riko Moriyama.

"That makes two of us," Neil retorted, twirling his orange and white Exy racquet; it was the only item that he was told to bring. Well, the racquet and Kevin, but Andrew came with the set of boys.

"Will he not be joining us?" Riko questioned, arching an eyebrow as Neil glanced up and down the court.

Neil had been to this court before; more than once, in fact. However, he never had time to actually admire it. His first experience on this court had been anything but pleasant; after all, playing Exy at Evermore over his Christmas break was one of the most painful things he'd ever willingly put his body through. Then there was when the Foxes had defeated the Ravens in the finals, completely ruining Edgar Allan's perfect winning streak. Now, standing on the Ravens' court with only the King of Exy, something cold shook Neil to the core. He didn't even bring his uniform or padding, meanwhile Riko looked ready to begin.

"I'm afraid not. He didn't even want to come in here. You can thank Andrew for his presence," Neil explained, gesturing back to the two boys who were standing at the doorway to the court.

Andrew Minyard looked ready to kick down the court door if he had to. He could take Riko Moriyama in a fight, even without a weapon. Meanwhile, Kevin Day looked as if he'd rather be anywhere else in the world than on Riko's court; he definitely had the right to want that. Kevin stood at Andrew's side, arms folded across his chest. The two Foxes seemed so out of place here, and Neil knew that they were. None of them wanted to be here.

"Ah, yes. I forgot about the little psycho. Send him my thanks," Riko muttered with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"I won't," Neil explained as Riko arched an eyebrow, looking Neil up and down; sizing him up.

"Well, we had this made up for you. Consider it a gift from my family," Riko mumbled with a twisted grin, handing Neil a black and red jersey. In bold red letters, the last name 'WESNINSKI' was printed on the back along with a crimson '04'. Neil knew better than to complain about it. He knew that Nathaniel Wesninski would always haunt him.

"Go get dressed out. There's padding waiting for you in the locker room, Nathaniel," Riko muttered with a smirk as Neil nodded, turning his heel and keeping a tight grip on the jersey.

"Oh! And in case Day and the psycho decide they want in, these are for them," Riko added, throwing Neil two more jerseys. It wasn't an invitation; it was a demand. They were going to play with Riko. They had to.

Neil held the bundle of Raven jerseys close to him, pushing the court door open and staring at Andrew's intense expression. Without speaking, Neil passed out the jerseys. Kevin looked ready to pass out when he read his last name and number on the back of a Raven's jersey. Meanwhile, Andrew didn't even look at his. In fact, he was yet to look away from Neil.

Neil led the way to the locker room, both Andrew and Kevin on his heels. When he shut the locker room door behind them, they noticed padding setting out for them. Strangely, it was all the correct sizes.

"I'm not playing with him," Kevin firmly stated as Neil exhaled a shaky breath.

"I told him that. He doesn't want to hear it. We have to," Neil expressed as Andrew arched an eyebrow.

"Or else what? Why the hell are we even here?" Andrew finally asked, leveling Neil with his curious yet annoyed glare. Neil was used to seeing this stare, so he was capable of holding eye contact with the shorter boy.

"Or else this is never going to end," Neil lied directly through his teeth as Andrew blinked back at him. He didn't believe a word of it.

"Okay, sure. But what's the real answer?" Andrew demanded as Neil began pulling on his padding. After that, he slid on his jersey; both Andrew and Kevin did a double take when looking at his number and catching a glimpse of the name on the back.

"And he fucked up your jersey. That's not your name," Andrew explained, recalling the day when Neil Josten legally changed his name. Nathaniel Wesninski no longer existed.

"The real answer is that Riko is going to keep killing Foxes unless we play his little game. He's currently targeting Renee for taking Jean and I'm not going to let that happen," Neil replied, looking between the other two Foxes, who were now also attired in the black and red of Edgar Allan's uniforms.

"If I recall correctly, this same thing happened over Christmas break: Riko makes a promise, you come to Evermore, you get the shit beat out of you, Riko doesn't keep his promise. Or are we expecting something different to happen?" Andrew questioned, his intense gaze locked on Neil.

Andrew was wearing Jean's old number: 03. Seeing 'MINYARD' printed across Andrew's back in the crimson letters actually managed to trigger Neil's fight or flight response. He can't drag these two into this. Kevin was still absolutely traumatized from his time spent at Evermore and Andrew didn't need more trauma in his life; they'd both been through enough already. Kevin's jersey, unlike Neil and Andrew's, wasn't new. This was the exact jersey that he used to wear every time he played out on the court; all three of the boys had picked up on this fact.

"I'm not letting anymore Foxes get hurt because of me. If I have the opportunity to try and fix this, then I'm going to take it," Neil explained as Andrew rolled his eyes.

"Stop playing hero," Andrew demanded, crossing his arms over his chest as Kevin sat down on a bench, placing his head in his hands and attempting to calm himself down. Kevin Day would truly rather be anywhere else than back at Evermore.

"No," Neil responded as Andrew clenched his fists at his side, desperately wanting to throttle the boy he was arguing with. But he wouldn't; however, it did take every ounce of restraint that his mind could gather up.

"I really fucking hate you, Josten..." Andrew seethed, closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose. Neil weakly smiled, knowing that meant he was going to get his way.

Andrew Minyard was a rather complex creature. He didn't express his love through words, he displayed the strong emotion with his actions. He could scream and yell about how much he hated something, but could never mean it. But, no matter how much he claimed to hate Neil Josten, it was never true. Andrew cared far too much for Neil; he wouldn't allow anything bad to befall the boy.

"I know," Neil replied as Andrew turned, looking over at Kevin.

"Fine. He wants two Foxes out on his damn court, then he can have them. Kevin, take that shit off and go wait in the car. Neil and I will handle this," Andrew explained in a harsh tone, displaying how much he truly didn't want to be here and dealing with Riko. Yet he was here, doing this to benefit the Foxes and to ensure that Neil was okay.

Kevin didn't need to be told twice. He was quick to remove the black and red jersey, tossing it away from him as if it was on fire. Every part of him wanted to be back at the Foxhole Court, running through mindless Exy drills with any one of the Foxes. Hell, he'd even be willing to run drills with Aaron Minyard and Nicky Hemmick right about now.

"One more thing. Nathaniel Weskninski is dead. No sense in wearing his name. This one is for you," Andrew muttered as Kevin tossed all his padding back onto one of the benches. Andrew shoved something into Neil's arms, both boys looking down at it. Neil felt his heart hammer in his chest, a smile forcing its way onto the striker's lips.

It was the most flashy and obnoxious orange that Neil had ever had the misfortune of seeing, but he was so far beyond glad to be holding it. Orange and white. The Foxes. Home. Turning the jersey, 'JOSTEN' and '10' were printed on the back. Neil tore off the Raven jersey, replacing it quickly with the one that truly belonged to him. Andrew was right: Nathaniel Wesninski no longer existed. Neil Josten was all that remained.

"Thank you..." Neil whispered, finding himself scanning Andrew's face with a searching glance. Every single fiber in Neil's being wanted to kiss the short blonde standing before him, who was caring for him in a way that no one else had ever even attempted to. But he wouldn't. Neil wasn't sure if Andrew was okay with that, both due to the fact that Kevin Day was still in the room and he wasn't sure if Andrew even wanted that.

"I'm going to take a quick shower. You two can head out without me," Kevin muttered, his anxiety showing through his tone. He didn't even wait for a reply; instead, he walked away and headed towards the shower room. Andrew and Neil both heard the shower turn on, then fixed their attention back on one another.

"Yes or—"

"Yes," Andrew quickly replied, leaning forwards and crushing his lips against Neil's. Andrew's hands splayed out over Neil's chest, shoving the striker back against one of the lockers. Neil was careful as he moved his hands, fingers finding their way into the blonde locks of Andrew's hair. The pair weren't stopping, either.

Neil Josten and Andrew Minyard were such strong forces, the two of them colliding into one another. When they kissed, it never felt like just another kiss. It was always sparking something strong within the two boys. This time, greed and desperation gnawed at both of their insides. They needed one another and physically couldn't get enough. Both of them were tugging and pulling at the other; Neil yanking on Andrew's hair while the blonde clutched at the taller boy's jersey. Neil could feel Andrew's tongue on the inside of his teeth, licking at the interior of each and every crevice in the striker's mouth. A hum involuntarily escaped Andrew's throat, feeling complete bliss while Neil's tongue explored and touched each and every tooth in the goalie's mouth.

The familiar crash of an Exy ball hitting off the side of the court walls pulled the two boys back to reality. They attempted to catch their breath, remembering what they were about to do. Andrew outstretched a hand and fixed Neil's hair, meanwhile the striker grabbed two of the black and red helmets that had been set out for them. He offered one to Andrew, who nodded and grabbed it.

"I know that it's difficult for you, but don't be an idiot," Andrew requested as Neil let out a weak laugh.

"No promises," Neil replied as Andrew smacked him upside the back of the head.

Neil led the way out of the locker room, the pair of boys still holding their helmets as the headed back towards the court door. Andrew, ever the one for dramatic flare, kicked the court door open, drawing Riko's attention towards the two of them almost instantly. As they entered, Riko turned a curious look their way.

"Kevin?" Riko demanded as Andrew simply shrugged.

"Got sick. I'm subbing in for him," Andrew shortly explained, the look on his face daring Riko to argue with him. Neil knew that would end in physical violence. Instead, Riko took in what Neil was wearing and arched an eyebrow.

"That's not your jersey, Nathaniel," Riko pointed out as Neil shrugged.

"It is, actually. And my name is Neil, by the way. Nathaniel withered away with his father," Neil explained as Riko found the audacity to laugh. Andrew twirled his large goalie racquet, slamming the bottom end into the floor, the noise bouncing off the inner court walls. It was a threat. But Riko ignored it.

"That's not how genetics work, Wesninski. Your father's blood still flows through your veins. And I know that haunts you. But you'll have to live with that for the rest of your life, however short it may be," Riko muttered. Andrew's eyes ignited with murder, but Neil only shrugged that off.

"Enough talk. What are we doing here? What do you want from us?" Neil demanded as Riko grinned, turning and looking towards the home goal. He was tossing the ball up in the air, catching it with his gloved hand and then repeating this action.

"I want everything you've got. Wesninski, you're on defense. Minyard, you'll be trying offense," Riko explained as a laugh broke out of Andrew's throat.

"And what the fuck would that do for you?" Andrew demanded, standing at Neil's side.

"It would show me everything I need to know about whatever secret relationship you two are poorly attempting to hide," Riko explained as the two of them arched an eyebrow, almost in unison.

"You think there's something going on between the two of us?" Andrew deadpanned. Neil didn't know if he should find this amusing or confusing.

"Do you not understand that Andrew hates me the most out of all the Foxes?" Neil questioned as Andrew shrugged in agreement. It was a lie, but it was rather easy to sell it seeing as Andrew loved reminding Neil of how much he hated him.

"It doesn't matter what I think, does it? I just want the truth. And this little exercise is going to show me exactly what I want to know," Riko promised as Andrew tilted his head, displaying the fact that he highly doubted it.

Andrew grabbed Neil's racquet, meanwhile Riko tossed Neil a defensive racquet. Both boys tested the weight of the new and unfamiliar equipment, taking practice swings. The two Foxes locked eyes, forming a silent agreement: they weren't going to break. They would never give Riko Moriyama the satisfaction of discovering their relationship, no matter how complex that relationship may be.

After a few test swings, two more Ravens walked onto the court; one of which had a goalie racquet and the other held a defense racquet. The goalie headed directly for the goal, taking up her post while the defensive player stood in front of Andrew. The man was a whole foot taller than Andrew, yet still looked slightly terrified of the short blonde; and he had every right to be afraid. Andrew Minyard had quite the reputation. Finally, Riko stepped in front of Neil; he was going to be Neil's offensive player. Riko grinned as he tugged his helmet on, readying his racquet in his grasp.

"You ready, Wesninski?" Riko asked, a shark-like grin stretched over his lips. Neil wasn't ready, but he knew that he shouldn't admit that to the King of Exy. Instead, Neil nodded, deciding to get whatever hell him and Andrew were going to experience over with.

As soon as they began, Neil was already misstepping. His mind was so familiar with the movements of a striker that playing defensive line was something a bit more foreign. Riko rammed himself against Neil, shoving the Fox down to the ground. Neil gritted his teeth, getting back to his feet, but Riko didn't let him. The swing from the racquet landed directly in Neil's ribs, knocking the air out of his lungs and leaving him crumpled on the ground. Despite all the padding, Neil immediately knew that at least one of his ribs had broken. It was similar to the first interaction that Neil had with Andrew, though this swing was a lot more painful; it wasn't intended to stop him, it was meant to bring him harm.

"Fuck..." Neil hardly managed to choke out, sprawling out flat on his back. Riko was standing over him.

"Get up, Nathaniel," Riko demanded as Neil obeyed, pushing himself up to his feet and wincing with every movement. It was definitely more than one rib that was broken.

Neil had forgotten that Andrew had been on the court with him until the defense player that had been paired with the short blonde began screaming in pain. Both Riko and Neil turned to shift their attention over towards the shouting, immediately spotting blood covering the floor and Neil's racquet. The Raven was going to be fine, but he had a huge gash on his shoulder and a busted lip. He was backing away from Andrew, who was gripping onto the racquet and death glaring Riko.

"Riko, you know how I feel about you touching my things... You know I don't share, especially not with you," Andrew muttered, approaching Neil and Riko. Riko gritted his teeth and pulled his racquet up like a weapon; he wasn't going to back down or shy away.

"Why do you care about Nathaniel so much? You just told me that you hate him. And you and I both know that you're a killer, Minyard. So prove it," Riko spoke, gesturing towards Neil. Andrew blinked a couple times, unsure if he'd heard the Raven correctly.

"And people think that I'm fucking crazy," Andrew muttered while narrowing his eyes down.

"And you're right. I'm a killer. So get the fuck out of my way and let us leave before you get a close up on how deadly I can be..." Andrew growled, walking over to Neil's side. He seemed to assess the amount of damage that Neil had taken; the striker was in a pretty sorry state, but he's lived through worse.

"Okay, so then what do you really think of Nathaniel?" Riko asked as Andrew wrapped an arm around Neil in a supportive manner. Neil was quick to lean into Andrew, his entire body feeling heavy and exhausted. Neil winced, gasping a slight bit when one of Andrew's hands landed against his injured ribs.

"You really want to know what I think of Neil Josten?" Andrew questioned, removing the striker's helmet and his own, tossing them across the court. The goalie analyzed Neil's face, seeing a few new bruises that Riko had put there.

"I think Neil is a Fox, therefore, he's my family. And absolutely no one is allowed to mess with my family," Andrew established, grabbing onto one of Neil's hands. Meanwhile Neil was inhaling shaky breaths, attempting to think more about this conversation opposed to the sharp pains in his ribcage. Andrew could sense the striker's immense discomfort.

"You see all the Foxes as family? You're this protective over all of them? I recall a time when you nearly choked the life out of Kevin, a time you nearly killed Allison Reynolds, and some of the many times you physically harmed Nathaniel," Riko pointed out as Andrew narrowed his eyes, violence and anger beginning to pump through his veins.

"Each and every Fox is my family. And I won't let another human being threaten them. Your last name isn't going to be enough to protect you from me," Andrew expressed as Neil inhaled a sharp breath, leaning more into Andrew's side; Andrew accepted Neil's weight, more than willing to do anything he could to ease the other boy's pain.

"You think that you can single-handedly fend off the Yakuza?" Riko questioned as Andrew shrugged.

"I'm more than willing to try," Andrew replied as Neil tried to stand up on his own, but the short blonde wouldn't allow him to; Andrew Minyard was well aware of the fact that Neil Josten was hurting.