#(i say this but i love aaron and neil friendship fics)

[viviandarkbloombartylusversion]

Neil thinks Andrew is the most attractive man ever and looks at Aaron with slight disgust while Katelyn thinks Aaron is such a handsome cutie and gives Andrew the most devious side eye with a nose scrunch

[fellshish]

I have a question, and my name is Sal.

I grew up watching Coraline as a kid. It was my jam. I loved that movie, and I will forever say Henry Selick deserved more attention for making it.

I like the Dresden Dolls and Evelyn Evelyn (Amanda Palmer projects) I still have the songs stuck in my head. You know where this is going.

I know you said that fans of works should still enjoy the work even if the creator sucks. And I can do that with Kubrick and Aaron Fechter, but that’s because Kubrick is dead, and most of Aaron Fechter’s IP got ripped away from him and is gladly in the hands of the public (despite how much he likes to sue).

Gaiman (and Palmer) are still alive and/or profiting off their stuff. Not to mention, I want to bring attention to the situation and help bring justice to the victims. Yet everytime I post about it or reblog what someone else put into words what I think, I feel like I’m virtue signalling.

How do I handle it and is it bad that I keep thinking of the art that influenced me by them instead of what they did (in a way to soften the blow to how horribly they abused these women)?

(You can respond to this publicly, as I am sure people are thinking the same thing somewhere. I am sorry for dumping all this on you.)

hi sal!

sorry, this got long. your ask was so genuine and i was afraid of getting it wrong. 

i want to start this off by saying i am not the boss of anyone’s fandom experience. everyone gets to decide for themselves how they proceed after learning about the numerous women who have come forward against neil gaiman.

the things you mention are things i’ve struggled with too — last year when i first learned about it, when i listened to the podcasts and recently again reading even more detailed (and horrifying) news reporting.

these are also struggles shared by many fans in many fandoms of creators who were accused and/or controversial and/or convicted. for example many (trans) people i know have grown up loving harry potter, and have had to deal with their favourite writer waging a vendetta against trans lives. some still participate in the hp fandom without supporting her. they can’t help their hyperfixation and still find a lot of good and a lot of friends in the fandom. 

because yes, i do believe that someone can stay in such a fandom as ethically as possible. as in: i try the best that i can to make sure no further financial gains go to the creator. that means i avoid watching official streams, buying official merch, going to official cons, going to plays based on his work etc. i also amplify the women’s voices by spreading the article. 

the thing to keep in mind is: there is a difference and a distance between a creator and a fandom of what they created. a huge wall even. fandom is about community, friendships, creativity, … i am on a playground playing with the characters with my friends. sharing art and fics and gifs etc. and what those characters and stories mean to me are positive things. 

the core is this: if you have to live your life only consuming art by morally pure people (and who determines that?!) then you will have very little left to enjoy. 

and of course i understand the urge to want to help the victims, and the guilt/worry about virtue signaling. i’m going to break those down separately.

i think the idea of ‘helping bring justice to the victims’ is good but it also puts an unreasonable amount of responsibility on your young shoulders. here’s what’s already happened: the women’s voices have been heard, there is now more widespread media covering, he has lost his reputation, hasn’t been on his platforms since last summer, he’s losing (film) projects of his work, … what else consequences are yet to come, legally or otherwise, we’ll have to see. the responsibility for that lies not with you as one single fan but with lawyers etc. and you might find it important to keep vigilant that the story doesn’t get buried (again). in that case reblogging isn’t virtue signalling but useful.

but it’s also unreasonable to expect someone to continually do that for days and days. that’s a quick ticket to depression. ultimately tumblr is, to many, a fandom space. some people use it only for pleasant fandom activities. and what if they do? you can’t know a person’s whole life: maybe they are survivors who are too triggered to participate, maybe they’ve donated to causes that help survivors, maybe they have shared the story on other platforms etc

you asked “is it bad that I keep thinking of the art that influenced me by them instead of what they did”, and i found that the most heartbreaking part of your ask. it isn’t helpful to you or to anyone to keep torturing yourself with guilt. you’re aware of the allegations, and that’s good. but don’t burn yourself out trying to live up to the impossible standard of a morally pure activist that doesn’t exist. please stop being your own thought police. 

i think the fact you struggle so deeply, shows what a beautiful person you are.

now you’re going to be reading a lot of opinions. some very different from mine. am i right in continuing in fandom? i don’t know. this is my first time living life too. but i AM right that you’re a good person.

that said: protect your heart. block freely and curate a fandom space that makes you happy. avoid engaging in endless internet discourse that is bad for your mental health. step away for a while if that is what you need.

these are some intense days but i promise it gets better. the kid who loved coraline can still love coraline, but is just more informed now. 

the main rule of fandom is: does it spark joy? if yes, embrace it, because that’s a wonderful and rare thing to have.

[ok555ficideas]

Rereading one of my fics ( Help me remember ) and decided to spread more of my Neil & Aaron friendship agenda. Here are them bounding over their mothers

“Sometimes I’m glad she’s d*ad.”

Neil could hear the sadness and guilt in Aaron’s voice. He knew exactly how Aaron felt. He took a deep breath and voiced his own guilt out loud. “I’m glad mine is d*ad too.” Aaron looked at him again so he continued. “She was not that bad. Way better than my father, that’s for damn sure, but seeing how my life had turned out, even if I don’t remember all of it, makes me happy and I know that I would have never gotten all of it with her still alive.”

“My mom used to dr*g me when she didn’t feel like taking care of me.” Aaron said a little louder than the rest of their conversation.

“Mine beat the sh*t out of me when I kissed a girl once.” Neil said and couldn’t help but laugh a little. “It wasn’t even a good kiss.”

Aaron lougheed as well. “She used to kick me out when she had one of her boyfriends over. I had to sleep on a bench in front of our apartment building.

“She used to make me do fake emergency drills at two a.m. just to see if I would be prepared for a real one. I had to run around without a coat in the middle of winter in Canada one time, because I was too slow for her liking.” Neil added.

They were both full on laughing at this point. None of what they said was funny. Far from it, but somehow Neil found peace in the laughter. He felt understood. He felt like he didn’t need to explain himself. He could say all the terrible ways his mother f*cked him over and say that he had never loved anyone more in span of few minutes and it wouldn’t be met with judgment.

[aftgficrec]

Hii! I'm so glad i caught you guys, youre doing gods work over here. I've been wanting something similar to blame it on my youth and way down we go . Something long and addicting and eventually wholesome, preferably something where Aaron is kinda jealous of Neil. I love the soulmate idea. Thanks so much <3

You’ve got a mix of things in your ask, so I’m giving you long andeil fics with happy ending + Aaron angst that are post canon like ‘Blame it On My Youth’ (here), pre-canon canon divergent like ‘Way Down We Go’ (here), soulmates, and some other aus. -A

previous recs:

long fics like BIOMY here

‘Guardian Angel’ series here

‘on the tip of my tongue (say something)’ series here (completed)

‘progress comes in small steps’ series here

‘we were together’ series here

‘This Complicated Life’ and ‘In My Defense, I Have None’ here

you may also like:

Neil & Aaron: quests, situations, friendship & slash here

post canon:

Trust Fall (And Welcoming Arms) by SpangleBangle [Rated E, 84557 Words, Complete, 2017]

Life goes on after the Foxes win the championship, and for Andrew and Neil it's uncharted territory with only each other for guides. Maybe it's time to put away some of those hard edges, and learn how to touch more softly, and speak more honestly. And if they falter, they have their family to help them get back on their feet.

tw: scars, tw: homophobia, tw: panic attacks, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: discussions of self harm, tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: implied/referenced eating disorders, tw: depression, tw: dissociation, tw: flashbacks, tw: violence, tw: implied/referenced drug abuse, tw: explicit sexual content

pre-canon canon divergent:

Oakland by AgentCoop [Rated M, 105947 Words, Complete, 2023]

When Neil Josten gets arrested for a fake ID and thrown into the Juvenile Detention System, he knows that he's running on borrowed time before his father's men catch up. His mother is dead, there's nowhere to run, there's nothing left at all but an Exy court at the Oakland County Detention Center that he has to earn the right to play on through good behavior. And Neil's never been great at obeying rules. -- An Andriel AU where the boys meet as teens in Juvie.

tw: violence, tw: blood, tw: panic attacks, tw: nightmares, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon

Lifeline by pandaseek [Rated T, 269357 Words, Incomplete, Updated April 2023]

"What is your name." He wouldn't care usually, but the way this kid had avoided it last time he asked, he was curious. "I've had six so far." He answers slowly, weighing each word. "Which one do you want?" Six names? Yep, there is something going on there.

tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced murder, tw: implied/referenced child abuse

NB: fanart for this fic by Super_Yellow on AO3 here

soulmates:

i once believed love would be black and white by acidmeringue [Rated E, 26708 Words, Complete, 2023]

Andrew does not believe in soulmates. Nicky has a soulmate. His twin Aaron has a soulmate too, but Andrew doesn't let them speak. Everyone around him has a soulmate. They can all see in color. He can't. He doesn't believe in soulmates, doesn't believe in love at all. When enough people tell you what love should look like, when you're told enough times that you should be able to see in color but you can't, you start to believe that you don't have a soulmate after all. And that's okay. At least, it was, until Andrew makes eye contact with a stranger at Eden's and the world comes to a screeching halt. ~ Soulmate au where you can't see in color until you lock eyes with your soulmate. Additionally, if your soulmate dies, your vision goes back to monochrome.

tw: implied/referenced abuse

The Real Thing by nekojita [Rated M, 34125 Words, Complete, 2021]

Andrew was more than willing to turn down the Ravens' offer to be their newest goalie, unwilling to play five more years of Exy - let alone for someone with a too-sharp smile and a manic gleam in their eyes. That was, until he realized that a member of their Perfect Court was his soulmate. (That was, until Riko Moriyama realized that Nathaniel Wesninski, the Ravens' #3 in waiting, was Andrew's soulmate.) Andrew always knew that Fate loved tormenting him, he didn't need a reminder yet again via a too-attractive soulmate who appeared to loathe him. Yet things aren't always what they seem, especially in the Nest.

tw: attempted rape/noncon, tw: abuse, tw: violence, tw: blood, tw: alcohol, tw: medication withdrawal

other aus:

If I Knew You by AceSirenSinger [Rated T, 43145 Words, Complete, 2024]

Neil is imprisoned at sixteen years old for being the Butcher of Baltimore. Andrew obsesses, and Aaron obsesses because Andrew does, and everything goes wrong and raw and painful. Feat. the twinyards breaking each other’s hearts, and a decent amount of shade on the American justice system.

tw: implied/referenced murder, tw: recreational drug use, tw: implied/referenced violence, tw: implied/referenced torture

Shut Up and Dance (With Me) by OfficialStarsandGutters [Rated E, 168160 Words, Complete, 2021]

Dance AU. - Neil Josten just wants to dance, but being on the run leaves little time for frivolous hobbies. He has no idea what one night of risk will lead to when he first steps into Eden’s Twilight. Andrew Minyard dances alone. Everyone knows this. Until a wide eyed, desperate rabbit of a boy stumbles into his path, and he breaks his self imposed rule.

tw: graphic depictions of violence, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: torture, tw: suicidal thoughts, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: anxiety, tw: depression, tw: panic attacks, tw: implied/referenced drug abuse, tw: explicit sexual content, tw: implied/referenced eating disorder, tw: vomit, tw: graphic injuries, tw: nonconsensual drug use

[lostintheuniverseslies]

Fic Master Post

Trying My Best

Rated E ● 75,271 Words ● 20 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Part 1 of a Series ● Finished

“You refuse to talk to Bee. If today was any indication, I’d say you cannot afford to continue going on without talking to her.” “I’m not talking to her,” Neil said resolutely. “Then we’re at an impasse. I will not waste my time worrying about a rabbit who will neither call me nor see a therapist for his problems.” Basically Neil and Andrew figure out how to help each other through the good and bad days.

Safe Zone

Rated G ●  3,062 Words ● 1 Chapter ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Part 2 of a Series ● Finished

Andrew wakes up with a fever but like the hard headed shit he is, he tries to power through it. Nothing goes as planned and he finds a begrudging comfort in Neil.

Stay With Me

Rated E ●  97,333 Words ● 21 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Part 3 of a Series ● Finished

Neil had let Andrew say goodbye to every important person left in Palmetto while he stood on the sidelines and cheered Andrew on. There was only one goodbye left and it would be the most painful one. It seemed as though it was finally hitting Neil too. They only had twenty-seven days together and then Neil would return to Palmetto alone for the first time since Millport. -They spent the first year after everything healing. Now they have to learn how to navigate being away from each other while Andrew is off playing in the pros and Neil is still at Palmetto finishing his fifth year. Things aren't easy. They never seem to be for them but they're fighters. And they always come out on top.-

Three Steps

Rated M ●  33,033 Words ● 3 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Finished

After Mary died, Neil went to the FBI and helped them take down not only Nathan and his inner circle but also the Moriyama family. Now free to do as he pleases, he decided that he wants some normal life experiences. What better way to accomplish that than to enroll at Palmetto University. He doesn't expect to find friendship in his roommates and definitely doesn't expect to fall for the man who sits in the corner of the café with blades under his armbands and hair that shines like a halo in the sun.

If Only I Were Enough

Rated M ●  50,970 Words ● 15 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Finished

After Andrew moves to Colorado to start his professional Exy career, he intends on everything being okay between him and Neil. But when his self-destructive tendencies tell him that he doesn't need Neil Josten in his life, everything goes to shit. Things between them seem unrepairable and he's not so sure he wants to even try. But when Neil gets into a dangerous car wreck, Andrew finds himself back at the junkie's side with a deadline to fix things or walk away forever.

Somebody's Watching Me

Rated G ●  4,960 Words ● 1 Chapter ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Finished

It's October and the monsters are out shopping when they come across a very creepy doll. Neil decides to have some fun with it by scaring Nicky at every corner.

Monsters, Friends, and Candy

Rated G ●  3,211 Words ● 1 Chapter ● Pairing: None ● Part 1 of a Series ● Finished

Bee has spent the last two years hoping that she was doing good by Andrew and Aaron. Hoping that she had done a decent enough job that they truly believed they were safe and loved by her. She gets her answer when she overhears Andrew comforting a scared Neil.

Nothing Mattered Until You

Rated M ●  22,497 Words ● 5 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Jean ● Finished

On the docks in Marseille, Neil fell in love. But his mother ripped him away and for years he never dared hope to see Jean again. He believed that he would die before ever getting the chance. But when recuperating with his uncle after his father is killed, Neil's chance comes. Unfortunately, he isn't the only one who went through some horrible things over the years. Despite their horrible pasts, they decide to try for a future together. Going to college and even making some friends along the way. But Riko has other plans and wants back what he considers his.

A Quiet Little Seedling

Rated E ●  166,687 Words ● 31 of 31 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Part 1 of a Series ● Finished

Neil had a lot of secrets. He didn’t want much in life except to live quietly, run his botanical store, upload TikToks covering plant care, and for not a single person to find out that he’s the best-selling author N.A.J who published one book anonymously five years prior and disappeared. His life takes a turn when his literary agent tracks him down for a follow-up book with the theme of feeling settled and at peace. Two things Neil is not. Thus begins his journey of planting roots in a town he’s lived in for years, starting with making friends with people who have tried to bring him into their circle. As Neil gets closer to them and his secrets become less guarded, there’s still that one big secret he intends on taking to his grave. But the closer he gets to his friends the closer he unknowingly gets to that secret being revealed.

Where Monsters Hide

Rated T ●  4,299 Words ● 1 Chapter ● Pairing: Neil&Andrew ● Part 2 of a Series ● Finished

Years after their first Halloween together, where Andrew found Neil hiding under a table and vowed to protect him, Neil still finds solace in his best friend’s steadfast presence. But when a cruel Halloween prank traps Neil in a dark storage closet filled with spiders—the one thing he fears most—he’s thrown back into memories of his painful past and the terror he thought he’d left behind. In his panic, Neil clings to the one constant in his life: Andrew, who has always kept his promise to protect him.

More Than Survival

Rated M ● 4,252 Words ● 1 of ? Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Jean ● Ongoing

Neil Josten never imagined he'd end up at FoxTech Innovations, a mid-sized consumer technology company founded on second chances. Between the weight of his past, the loss of his leg, and court-mandated therapy following a violent altercation, Neil is just trying to keep his head above water. When his therapist suggests a therapeutic pen pal program, he reluctantly agrees, finding unexpected solace in the anonymous letters exchanged with someone who seems to understand the weight of survival. Little does Neil know, his pen pal is closer than he thinks. At FoxTech, Neil crosses paths with Jean Moreau, a reserved marketing coordinator whose quiet empathy draws Neil in despite his resistance to trust. As their letters deepen into confessions of pain and hope, and their work relationship begins to take shape, Neil finds himself caught between the vulnerability of his pen pal connection and the guarded relationships he’s trying to build in real life. Can the words of a stranger—and the growing connections he never expected—help Neil find the courage to confront his past and embrace the possibility of something more?

Andrew's Agenda

Rated E ●  4,659 Words ● 1 of 1 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Part 2 of a Series ● Finished

When Neil chooses work over their day off together, Andrew can’t resist stirring up a little mischief. After all, it’s not his fault Neil entrusted him with the login credentials to N.A.J.’s official Twitter account. What could possibly go wrong when Andrew takes the reins?

[vykio]

melt and pour into my blorbos

or writerly ephemera but i didn't know if I could steal mari's title - like I could have asked but I didn't lmaooo - OK I did ask and she said I can do the alternative title HAHA <3

Mari @decaflondonfog tagged me here in this tag game!

✨ share some bits little bits of you, easter eggs, memories, etc. you have left scattered in your fics or art. if you fancy it, tag a pal. ✨

📱“I’m not afraid of the word orgasm, dumbass,” he says sharply. He is, admittedly, very nervous about Kevin’s proposition and feelings being bared to him like this. It’s not that he doesn’t feel the same way, he’s just not as good at expressing his feelings. It’d been a problem in previous relationships too. “Don’t you have a catch to flight—flight to cash—catch? Fuck you,” Aaron says, flustered, when Kevin laughs.

I love to like. Roleplay scenes before I write them down and I did this a lot for experts on communication. Aaron's stuttering is something I actually did so I decided he could have it - it worked out well to show how nervous he was!

🍫(There is still an on-and-off argument in the Foxes’ group chat on the worst and best ways to make hot chocolate that is always brought up by Kevin, who prefers milk, and who won’t leave Aaron alone, who is of the opinion that water is easiest.) (The secret third option—water and milk, frothed to delight—is presented by Neil, and when he reminds everyone of that, Aaron does approve of Kevin's belligerent contributions.)

This part of crossing lines, running reds - this is an actual real ARGUMENT that resurfaces in my friend group like every year and I AM Neil and I'm RIGHT !

❤️‍����But Jimin, as he tangled a hand in Taehyung’s mussed up hair, and arched his back, wasn’t thinking about the slow drag of his boxers over his hips, or the tantalizing gaze Taehyung fixed upon him.

Over him, above the the noises they both released, Jimin could hear the thoughts that were pushing to the forefront of his mind, past the barriers he put up to keep them at bay. Jimin, as Taehyung sucked him into his mouth, could only think about how this wasn’t enough for him.

Mmm. This whole one was about that period I was in love with my friend. We fooled around and I thought I wanted to be more to them, but they didn't feel the same way and they were honest about it, even though all the signals pointed to yes in my head. That was the saddest part of our friendship, I think, because I hadn't known how to get over it, but we're OK now. :)

☕when he writes, it's as if he is writing a novel. or a short story, more like. with periods, and commas in their proper places. the like a great, famous writer would. jungkook doesn't know any, so he can't compare. so when yoongi speaks, he is reciting it, his short story, narrating, without the fluff, only the most important details to take you away. as if he can only fit everything he has to say in four pages, no more.

'how do you do that?' jungkook asks him once, sitting across him in their favourite cafe downtown (or maybe not their favourite, but the one they visit the most). he's carefully spooning foam out of his cafe mocha, his go-to drink when he isn't sure he really wants to drink or eat anything. the mugs they use here are so huge, he's sure he's not going to finish it.

Oh! Two things about cafe mocha sans foam: 1) I wrote this because I was - and probably still am, in many ways, but different ways from 2016 i think - insecure about my writing. 2) I HATE foam i hate frothed milk the way baristas do it but i always always forgot to ask for lattes without foam LOL so jungkook scooping it out, that was me for real. there was a lot of me in this but I stuck to the first 2 things.

Thanks sooooo much for the tag, mari! If you want to participate, please do! :) @starsandgutters @merceyca @neh2351983 @moondal514 @wyverningx

[wuzeio]

Can I just say, your design for Neil is just immaculate!? Those big eyes?? you cant help but fall in love with that 🥺

Also the vibes for Neil and Kevin's friendship in your drawings are absolutely awesome as well, i love it<3

Lastly, in the Zombie AU, how come Neil is apparently resistant, do you know? 👀 g2g, gonna go find a fic for a zombie AU now.

🥺❤️❤️omg I don't know how I missed this fhsjkdfhdfg, thank you so much!!! T__T <3 (i'm very inspired by @/02511213942 neil's design too !!! :D )

I am a kevneil fan all the way ... I want them to bicker and argue and then sleep on each others shoulders heheh

As for the Zombie AU,, I haven't thought about that for a hot MINUTE but Neil being resistant was inspired by Ellie from TLOU 🥹 I've been revisiting the Walking Dead Telltale games recently tho so I might make some more AFTG zombie AU art because of that loll. Also if you're looking for a good fic, I would really recommend reading anywhere else is hollow by Likearecord!! It's currently unfinished but its very very good, and Aaron has a silly pink baseball bat :D

[codename-adler]

DANCE TIL YOU FIND SOMEONE TO DIE FOR UPDATING??? YES GOD YES!!!

Yes!!!!! It really warms my heart that you still care anon 🥹🫶

Adler's WiPs ~ Project: dance 'til you find someone to die for (dtyfstdf)

Premise for newcomers: What if instead of Seth, Riko had tried to get rid of Aaron? The night Seth was supposed to "accidently" die, Ravens found their way to Aaron instead. By pure dumb luck, Kevin answers his call for help and from then on, Kevin and Aaron are thrown together to brace themselves for every deadly trap sent their way. The dangerous game they play isn't just Exy anymore, and their hearts might get caught in the crossfire. >>Here on ao3 or >>here on Tumblr (masterlist of all parts)

Oh dear lord I have not updated since… 2021. I am so sorry. Things in the brain and the body got in the way. But that does not mean I have stopped thinking about Kevin and Aaron and the alternate timeline I have created. I’ve just had to scale down the plot a little bit, for now, as well as my expectations and goals. It became too big for me and that scared me, and discouraged me. So now it’s little bites and little steps! Or what they call “filler episodes” in the industry… We love those, right?

Up next: Shower Scene. Will it be sexy? Uh, yeah, you could say that. Will it be angsty? Oh yeah. That’s the main goal. I’m drawing a lot from personal experience with physical scars and how it affects routine activities such as washing up. I wanted to give a new perspective on scars, different from Neil’s or Andrew’s, and realized that I could expiate some of my demons through Aaron (like one does), who now has scars similar to mine due to every injury he has suffered in the fic until now. I also just love shower scenes in aftg fics. They’re so tense and charged!! There’s Kevin, and there’s Aaron, having an emotional conversation under hot water, only separated by a stall wall. Ugh! The boys have got to get hot and bothered about each other at some point, ya know? Anyhoo, that is the starting point of this new era for the fic. It’s small in the grand scheme of things, it’s full of dialogue (my péché mignon), it’s good therapy (for me, not them) and well that’s the dream for now!

Now, what after that. There are, evidently, unavoidable parts that must happen in order for the story to progress both in its own timeline and according to the canon timeline. There is the infamous New Year’s in NYC / holidays at the Nest thing, where I want to explore how Kevin copes with both Neil and Andrew locked away, and how Aaron helps (or aggravates) him considering how changed their friendship is. Thea also has to make an appearance at some point, both for the sake of this fic and for her own spin-off with Katelyn. And also so I can end things between her and Kevin in a way that I deem respectful and believable enough for both Kevin and her. I have little fillers here and there that mean the world to me, but they all lead to a First Kiss. They gotta get there at some point right? I’m not sure yet which of them will make the first move. I got multiple scenarios for each. There most certainly will be blood involved.

I really want to give you a snippet. I’ve got nothing ready or non-spoilish. But maybe, just maybe, by the time I post the corresponding part, y’all will have forgotten about this? So, um, there:

P.S.

Ye olde playlist

[jtl-fics]

omg wow. the new chapter wow WOW. WHERE DO I START OMG. jsjdjdjsjs i absolutely want to reread this chapter again after this bc omg the BUILDUP WAS SO INCREDIBLE WOW SO MUCH HAPPENED THIS CHAPTER I HAVE NO WORDS SERIOISLY OMGGGGG

the talk with ichirou and our boy ff is so funny in sm ways holy shiet and i loVED that it was feom ichirous perspective like ff is one incredibly hot mess but only we (and ff and nicky and gs know that of course) but literally everyone else including head of the mafia (or yakuza?) think he is the most competent incredible and coolest person to ever exist like ajdjhdjsjjs

and omg neil <3 we love to see neil eating and being surrounded by the love and family he deserves <3 and im really loving aaron in this fic like ik he was an asshole in the books but u can also sorta understand it and i love how ur portraying him just like idk how to explain it but yas <3 i feel like hes always so overlooked and forgotten so im really glad that he has his moments here (esp love it when hes bickering w the other monsters so it feels so real i luv it)

grandma smith is a gem as always and i find her and kevins relationship so hilarious and cute

the mix of povs was so cool i loved it, the way it flowed & the suspense!!!! so good omg. esp when it finally jumped to ff at the end LMAO GETTING THE REAL INFO!!!!!!!! damn smithy did so well especially him thinking he was talking to the police!!!! like sm could have gone wrong & his thoughts at the end PLS SO FUNNY!! no smithy ur not racist <3 but omg pls hes so cute i love him so so much

i cant wait for the next chapter thank u so much for writing this ahsjdjsjja

Real tears at this comment! This was such a nice thing to wake up to!!!!!!

I keep thinking that when I get around to properly writing this in not draft form (looking at you earlier chapters) I'm going to write some scenes from other character's POV (Grandma's whole 48 hours with the monsters from her POV and FF's POV as he talks to the nice FBI agent Iruma Matsumoto). Writing from Neil's POV inbetween helped me a lot in keeping this chapter from being too heavy. (Also snuck in a bit of the Neil & FF friendship)

Ichirou's POV and like turning the shit that FF WOULD SAY into stuff that Ichirou could misinterpret took me sooo long it's why the chapter came out so much later than I wanted it to (that and I spent most of my weekend building that link tree for the AUs)

Lol I just said this in a conversation I was having on here but YOU READ THAT ONE POST ABOUT NEIL'S GLOW-UP FROM THE BEGINNING OF HIS FRESHMAN YEAR AND YOU NEVER RECOVER. He's still too skinny!

Aaron is one of my favorite characters who does not get used enough IMO. Like he's fucking funny! Yeah he's kind of an asshole Neil's freshman year but like he's a STUDENT ATHLETE in PRE-MED dealing with THE MAFIA. Also I really love writing the Monsters as just like...normal guys. Like it's not all overwrought conversations sometimes it's "No Kevin, putting vanilla protein powder in chicken stock is not 'Like Chicken and Waffles' it's a CRIME."

I do feel bad about how GS is just constantly like dogging him but in a voice that makes him preen but like to be fair.... vanilla protein powder into her sweet grandson's soup.

FF is always worried about the most important things when faced with a situation. Like 'At least it's a beautiful day I can cloud watch as Captain Neil and Andrew murder me.' , 'I hope there's a bathroom in this torture chamber' , 'Oh gross he didn't wash his hands before he left the bathroom to go murder Captain Neil', and 'Oh no I WAS racist and RUDE. Why the fuck didn't I ask for his name BEFORE I had that conversation. GS raised you better!'

[nanatsuyu]

will u ever write a sequel for that’s just something people say?

would you believe me if I said I have 5+ ficlets sitting in my drafts for that au fbdilflsk they deal with:

renee and andrew's friendship pre-fic

aaron and kevin in vegas

neils recurring nightmares and injuries

neil getting high again (:

a return to a love motel

it's been a minute since I've read through it and I wanted to make sure I wasnt gonna retcon anything which is why I'd been a bit hesitant in continuing them tbh but I think about them more often than not surprisingly. that fic is very near and dear to me ;;

I don't know if I would have anything Big planned for a sequel because neil deserves a rest sweet boi but I'd really like to revisit it with these since a couple are from andrew pov and we know how much I enjoy an andrew pov lol

[sapphoherselz]

hiii I've been summoned!! and I have my fave neilaaron fics!! first of all these two asks I found!!

second of all so I had already done a post about this but could NOT find it but thankfully I had the doc so here it is!!

Only a few of them about Aaron and Neil being friend before Neil and Andrew Are a couple so I put some of my neilaaron bestfriendisms!! Hope you'll like it!! <333

on the tip of my tongue (say something)

An Olive Branch

You Are So Much More Than Your Father's Son

Who is the man in the relationship?

Becoming Friends

This Complicated Life

i'll crawl home to him

Knives And Spoons

heyy!!! dont want to bother you, but perhaps would you have any fic recs where neil and aaron are best friends?? i was searching for recs and i saw one of your post where they were friends. im desperate i cant find anything 😫😫

also excuse me if there are any mistakes but english isnt my first language😭

hi! you are absolutely not bothering me but unfortunately I have no recommendations for you! I haven't been able to find any fics lately with some good neil and aaron bestfriendisms so if anybody has any or is writing any PLEASE help us out (right now I'm being sustained by the socmed aus on here, particularly @sapphoherselz neilaaron tweets)

[splishsplashyouropinionistrash]

welcome welcome, it’s been a while.

but we’re back now with tumblr’s favorite show: AFTG Hot Takes, where i spew paragraphs and paragraphs of bullshit instead of working on my WIP.

without any further ado, i am proud to present: every AFTG ship, ranked.

this is your friendly reminder that these are just my opinions. if you like a ship i don’t: great! if you don’t like a ship that i love: also great! i’m always happy to hear people’s thoughts, and i love a good friendly debate, but please remember that i’m 17. i’m not here to argue with you about why your ship is the best. i’m just here to have fun.

these probably aren’t all the ships that are out there, but this is everything i’ve seen so far. if i missed one, let me know!

24. Jean/Riko

this one… ew. ew ew ew. every ship with riko is so ew, i cannot begin to explain, but this one is the worst.

i’ve read too many Nest fics to not gag at this tag, cause it’s never consensual.

23. Kevin/Riko

just no.

moving on.

22. Kevin/Thea

y’all know i hate this ship by now, but for newcomers: it’s predatory and neglectful. very very ick.

21. Andrew/Roland

this one… where to start?

i’ll probably make a full post ab it soon, so for now, let’s just say that it’s very similar to Kevin/Thea. The age gap at the time that things started between them… the morals and legality are murky at best.

20. Andrew/Kevin

i’ve said it once, and i’ll say it again: they. aren’t. good. for. each. other.

Kevin doesn’t respect boundaries. he pushes things. and boundaries are the absolute most important thing for Andrew. they just don’t work.

19. Andrew/Neil/Kevin

i very vehemently despise this ship, for the same reason i hate Andrew/Kevin. i think it’s so important for y’all to remember who these characters are and not just ship them because they all have dicks and are nice to each other sometimes. that turns into mlm fetishization real fuckin quick.

18. Neil/Kevin

this is one that i can almost sort of see. if i hadn’t accidentally spoiled andreil for myself, i would have assumed this was canon during my first read.

but it’s just… i love the fact that they’re friends. i think their friendship can be so amazing, and i love reading fics where they’re that close. i don’t think every friendship in media has to turn romantic.

17. Kevin/Jean/Jeremy

remember what i said about kevandreil? apply it to this one too.

ik it sounds like i just hate poly couples. i don’t. i just hate ships like this, that really wouldn’t be healthy but people put together anyway because oh gay people yay! it feels gross and fetish-y and i am not here for it.

16. Kevin/Jean

this is a ship that i can see happening pre-canon, but i’m not the biggest fan of it simply because there’s no way it could be healthy. they went through a lot together, sure, but traumabonds are notoriously unhealthy.

15. Kevin/Matt

this, again, feels like just putting two characters together because they’re nice to each other occasionally, but really? they aren’t. correct me if i’m wrong, but Matt and Kev only have one canon interaction that i can remember, and it’s literally Matt punching Kev in the face.

Not to mention, Dan and Matt. Dan and Matt! i love them too much to accept this.

14. Kevin/Matt/Aaron

listen. again, i don’t hate poly couples. i really, really don’t. i just…

Matt literally… just doesn’t mesh well with Kev or Aaron. at all? i don’t understand the thought process behind this.

13. Renee/Jean

i don’t… i don’t hate this one. i just don’t like it. i feel like both Renee and Jean have wayyy better ships (not to spoil anything, but they both make top 5 in different ships)

i don’t think they’re awful, per se, i just don’t really see the chemistry.

12. Allison/Seth

this is an unpopular opinion, i know. but i’ve read a few “Seth lives” fics that redeem him, so i can’t hate him. i can’t, you can’t make me.

believe me, i don’t like it either, but i don’t run this city, the rats do.

anyway, it’s not awesome and i like Ally’s other options better, but it could be good! it could be great! i read too much redemption fanfic!

11. Kevin/Jeremy

i’ll be honest, it’s not my favorite to read when Jean is also in a fic, but if we’re talking in general?

i adore. fics where Kev is falling all over himself trying to talk to Jer are my bread. and. fucking. butter. quicksand has destroyed me. absolutely ruined me.

10. Aaron/Katelyn

starting off the top ten with one of my favorite minor characters ever, this ship is up here because i love Kate so much.

i read too much fanfiction, i know, but i just think she’s so cool?

honestly, i really don’t think Aaron deserves her. she’s that cool. i love her so much. that’s my lady. my babygirl. simply adore.

9. Abby/Wymack/Betsy

i like this one, i really do. all the Fox parents together? it’s perfect. i love it. enough said.

8. Kevin/Allison

listen. i’ve said i didn’t get it before, but honestly? i change my mind. i like this one. i like it a lot.

their personalities would mesh so well. they’re both dramatic, they’d be the funniest fucking couple in the world. i like it a lot.

7. Abby/Wymack

it’s a classic. i ship it, you ship it, the Foxes ship it too. we all ship it. they’re made for each other, and that’s all i have to say.

6. Matt/Dan

if you don’t like this one, you’re lying. they are. the definition. of love.

they’re so cute? so cute? i have no words?

your honor, i love them.

top five time!!

5. Nicky/Erik

god, these two.

if you know me at all, you know i have a soft spot for Nicky. i relate to his story so much, and i hate how dirty Nora did him.

but god, these two. they are love. they are perfect.

i have no words. i just love them so much

4. Kevin/Aaron

i love this one. you know i love this one. everyone knows i love this one.

they’re both assholes, and they’re both hurt in different ways, and i love when they heal together. when they help each other and lean on each other and just- ugh.

i like watching them heal, and i like watching them do it together. (plus best friend’s brother anyone?? a classic trope)

3. Renee/Allison

i love them so much. i love them so much.

they balance each other out so well? they’re so perfect for each other?

also, we need more wlw couples in media in general, and especially in this series.

i love them so much.

2. Jean/Jeremy

you know. you know i love this one (thank you Hoax, and thank you gus_47. you have ruined my sleep schedule and i have never been happier)

grumpyxsunshine, guys. healing together. i love when people heal together. i love it

also, round of applause to us in the fandom for creating an incredibly popular ship between two people who literally never interact in canon. we did that. i love that for us.

and now, for #1.

1. Andrew/Neil

they are love. they. are. love.

it’s a classic but it’s perfect, and i love them so much. no i will not elaborate (this time)

well! thank you for reading, start a (friendly) fight with me if you want, and drink some water

hugs and kisses <3

[altruistic-meme]

AFTG fic recs

Hi all! I just wanted to share some of my all-time favorite fanfics for aftg, for no real reason other than I want more people to read them and send their love to the authors :) 

Under a readmore because it got. A little long. But please enjoy!

WIPs

Dangerous Habits by LovelyLittleGrim ( @lovelylittlegrim )

Andrew has run into problems while on undercover jobs before. None of those problems were anything like the troublesome runaway that is one Nathaniel Wesninski

Aka: the fic where Andrew is undercover as a hitman for hire and Neil is the guy who hires him. Things get complicated from there.

Undercover Andrew? BAMF Neil? Hitman AU?? Absolutely. I’m in love. The story is just *chef kisses*

Chapters: 8/9

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, past rape/non-con, Drake Spear (who is his own warning), Butcher Neil, 

--

Negotiations by elesary ( @elesary )

This is what Andrew Minyard knows: his brother is dead, killed by a petty Raven prince who has never learned to keep his hands off of Andrew's things. His brother's daughters are his responsibility, a job that is made infinitely harder when their shitty grandparents want custody. Nathaniel Wesninski is a liar, but he might be the only way to avenge Aaron and protect his nieces. All Andrew has to do is watch Nathaniels - Neil's- back as he carves out his own life and identity from everyone who thinks they own him.

Andrew has always been good at upholding his end of the bargain, has he finally found someone willing to uphold theirs?

This fic has got me fucked up, honestly. I’m emotional over it. It’s fantastic.

Chapters: 11/?

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, attempted sexual assault, Butcher Neil,

--

the upper hand by plantelty ( @plantelty  )

Shortly after losing his mother, Neil arrives in the small town of Palmetto, South Carolina, alone in the world and with an impossible plan to carry through.

At the age of eighteen, Andrew ends up helping a boy stage his own death.

-

Just two fucked up boys learning to trust each other during the course of a summer, but also: multiple references to songs, twinyard angst (Nicky tries his best), The Plotting of Neil Josten's Gruesome Demise, and shit hitting the fan in a variety of ugly ways!

The cliffhanger has got me on the edge of my seat, but it is 100% worth the read and the wait for the last chapter!! 

Chapters: 10/11

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Canon typical violence, 

--

The Butcher’s House by Fire_Bear ( @fire-bear )

Andrew thought something was odd with the house the Foxes had to move into after their Athletes' House had been burnt down. He just wasn't prepared for what was actually wrong with it.

For this was a house full of monsters.

Ghost story! Ghost story! Ghost story! I literally think about this fic every other day, it’s fantastic. 

Chapters: 6/?

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Warnings: character death (major or minor is unclear), injuries, 

--

Promise of an Unbroken Boy by elesary ( @elesary​ )

Neil is caught by the police with Mary's burning body and is sent to juvie in Oakland where he is assigned to share a cell with one Andrew Doe, who promises him Exy, if only Neil will tell him all of his secrets. With no access to tinted contacts and hair dye, he agrees, it's only a matter of time until he's killed after all. What does he have to lose?

But Andrew's found someone who knows what a promise means, and he'll be damned if he lets that go without a fight.

Ngl this is definitely in my very top favorites -- I LOVE the idea of Neil and Andrew meeting pre-series, and this fic just BLEW my expectations for that plotline out of the waters

Chapters: 14/?

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, Underage, attempted rape/non-con, canon-typical violence, 

~~~~~~~~~

Complete

The Nameless Monster by kanekicure ( @kanekicure )

Nathaniel Wesninski wants nothing more than to see his father dead and buried. But when his father promises him the title of The Butcher, Nathaniel quickly realizes that his destiny of following in his father's footsteps is closer than ever before.

So of course, when he gets forced to go undercover for the Baltimore police, he starts seeing what living could truly be.

-

Andrew Minyard is a newly recruited police officer for the worst precinct in Baltimore, who is dedicated on hunting down the notorious Butcher and his unnamed underling. But when Neil Josten is thrown into his midst as his civilian consultant; he starts to realize some things don't quite appear as they seem.

I love the story telling -- the secret identities, the plotting, everything.

Chapters: 14/14

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, Butcher Neil, implied/referenced rape/non-con, implied/referenced child abuse, implied/referenced slef-harm (I believe there is a scene that is somewhat detailed on this subject), some characters also get drugged at one point, 

-- 

that’s just something people say by nanatsuyu ( @theoctopusnods )

Neil makes the mistake of stealing the wrong car. Andrew makes the mistake of offering a ride to a liar. They both make the mistake of turning the whole affair into a road trip ‘home.’

Gonna be honest; the summary does not give a big idea as to what is in store and i am SO GLAD I gave this one a try so i’m telling you that you will be too

Chapters: 24/24

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse, panic attacks (somewhat grahic descriptions of)

--

The Story After You by kanekicure ( @kanekicure )

Andrew Minyard does not understand how Riko Moriyama landed Neil Wesninski.

How the snot-nosed, small dick, rich brat, second son of the Moriyama family who also just so happened to own the largest EXY gear and merchandiser company in the world “RAVEN” - had landed smart mouthed, quick witted, stupidly blue eyed Wesninski, was beyond him. Well, unless Wesninski was a gold digger, but Andrew doubted it.

-

Or; how Andrew Minyard says he doesn't get into messy situations, until he meets Neil and suddenly he is in the most messiest possible situation ever imagined in his life - oh and also, he might be becoming a homewrecker.

Ok I am behind bc I haven’t read the final chapter of this but!! I love the story, it’s very emotional and moving, and I love the characterization in it.

Chapters: 10/10

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Abusive Riko/Neil, abusive relationship, implied/referenced rape/non-con, implied/reference child abuse, implied/referenced self-harm, graphic depictions of violence, some descriptions of injuries/scarring, 

-- 

This Complicated Life by 5a5b5p5 ( @andrewsbutterflyknife )

“This is exactly why I don’t want you and Andrew to meet,” Aaron says grumpily. “You two would get along far too well.”

Neil grins. “I just like pissing you off,” he says, “It’s not my fault your brother does such a good job at it.”

—

Neil doesn’t expect much from his Sophomore year of college, but when he becomes a waiter at the Palmetto Bistro, his life gets a whole lot more interesting. As it turns out, maintaining friendships new and old as well as navigating an interesting relationship with the head chef of the restaurant—who just so happens to be his best friend’s twin brother—is a lot more complicated than he’d thought it would be.

A much more light-hearted fic than most of the others! Includes a secret relationship, and also chef Andrew >>

Chapters: 10/10

Rating: Mature

Warnings: 

--

When I Fade, Keep Me in Your Memory by demesh 

Neil Josten has a secret: he can flicker out of existence.

He can vanish with the turn of a thought; click his fingers, and suddenly he’s not there anymore. Invisible and untouchable, he becomes a living ghost.

Having promised his mother never to let his ability go, Neil teeters the line between faded and real, a person and an echo. He can’t risk getting hurt.

But then, one day, someone sees him when they shouldn’t be able to.

 A (flower-shop) AU about how a faded and lonely Neil finds it in him to become someone real.

Another fic that I need to catch up on ;; but anyway it’s amazing and I love Neil’s ability in it, it’s so well explained and well-written about

Chapters: 12/12

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Warnings: mentions of past abuse, panic attacks

--

12 Ways to Woo a Minyard by NikNak22 ( @knickknacksandallthat )

Neil is a math nerd who, by a stroke of dumb luck, falls into a group of friends that are the closest thing to family he’s ever had. So, when he tells them about his new mysterious crush, he shouldn’t be surprised how immediately they come up with a plan to help win them over. One they insist that if Neil follows it, he’ll have them falling for him in no time. But things don’t always go to plan – or do they?

Nicky wants to set him up with someone else. Matt and Jeremy are confused but supportive. Allison and Seth offer lewd suggestions, while Dan does her best to keep everyone in line. Jean and Renee know something, Aaron doesn’t really care, and Kevin just wants Neil to join the lacrosse team.

But one thing’s for certain – whether Neil’s successful or not, everyone’s got money riding on this.

The romance-trope-filled fanfic of my dreams. Sometimes you just need a fic of pure joy -- this is that fic. 

Chapters: 14/14

Rating: Mature

Warnings: 

--

finders keepers by moonix ( @annawrites ​ )

Andrew meets Nathaniel through a scavenger hunt app. As their team takes part in a hunt that sends each of them to creepy, abandoned places alone to solve clues and gain points, Andrew and Nathaniel begin a little treasure hunt of their own. The anonymity of getting to know each other in small increments, never meeting face-to-face, allows them a level of intimacy neither are used to. Meanwhile Renee’s friend Neil is acting weird whenever Andrew shows up…

This was one of the first fics I read for aftg!! And BOY what a great start!! All of the little pieces and parts that work together, and just the scavenger hunt itself is fantastic! (I also REALLY wanna know if there is an app like this out there because I would be down to do that)

Chapters: 8/8

Rating: Mature

Warnings: (these all come from the author:) “mentions of historical abuse in a mental asylum, mentions of suicide, mentions of murder and kidnapping, morbid facts, creepy abandoned places including a haunted house at a theme park with disturbing rooms, special appearance of a creepy clown doll, fatphobia and some introspection on body image/complicated relationship with food, mention of self harm scars”

-----

Scared to Live (But I’m Scared to Die) by Major_816 ( @major816 )

Neil Josten goes to the Nest for Andrew, but he stays for a lot more.

~

"I'm sorry Coach," he muttered.

"For what kid?" Wymack shifted. "You've got to give me something to work with here."

Wymack watched the thin traces of sorrow as paper exchanged hands and he was looking down at a contract with the Edgar Allan Raven's.

"I signed them Coach, I'm sorry."

~

The one where Neil doesn't come back from Winter Break.

It is VERY dark, and is one of very few fics that I have actually been almost unable to read one of the scenes, so DEFINITELY pay attention to the warnings -- both these, and the ones provided for each individual chapter. I did go through the fic to collect as many warnings as I could find in the chapter warnings, but be sure to take care of yourself.

Chapters: 36/36

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: rape/non-con elements, implied/referenced rape/non-con, discussions of rape/non-con, canon-typical violence, graphic descritions, physical abuse, panic attacks, descriptions of injuries (often graphic), psychological warfare, dissociating, psychological torture, physical torture, use of knives, alcoholism/alcohol abuse, pain-induced delirium, rape/non-con, emotional self-separation, suicidal ideation/thoughts of suicide, emotional distress (which sums up the whole fic and also me while reading it), handcuffs/chains used as restraints, referenced/implied abuse towards animals, vomitting, begging, excessive use of painkillers, drowning, waterboarding, physical restraint, mutilation of an animal, mild hallucinations, non-con drugging, sleep deprivation, starvation, humiliation, the Butcher, 

Also one of the first fics I read and 100% my absolute favorite fic!!! Which is adfjhsd a little worrying, considering, but it is what it is. Anyway. This fic absolutely wrecked me, and while it is technically complete, there is a sequel in the works! So! But I am so so excited for the sequel, and I am working on rereading this. It’s amazing. 1000/10.

[a-chaotic-being-that-reads]

pjo + aftg crossover thoughts time!!

Percy and Neil would either immediately start fighting or making out (platonically) when meeting. I do not know which. It's a 50/50 chance.

PERCY/ANNABETH + MATT/DAN DOUBLE DATES

Andrew would be so fascinated by Annabeth. They'd get on so well. Like the way he does with Renee (I think that's the correct spelling but it's 1 am and I haven't read read aftg properly)

will would appreciate Aaron's help around the infirmary so god damn much because you know nico isn't actually doing anything when he's there

NICO DOES THAT THING THAT HE DOES IN LITERALLY EVERY OTHER SOLANGELO FIC AND HE SUMMONS A SKELETON KITTEN AND IT LOVES ANDREW SO MUCH

and andrew loves it

the Piper/Allison potential omg. NO THE RACHEL/PIPER/ALLISON FRIENDSHIP WHAT THE FUCK

Wymack and Mr d would get on so much and Chiron would hate it bc he's a little bitch. he'd be all like "well I thought I was gonna FINALLY have someone to talk too about dealing with troubled kids but I guess not then" *dramatic sigh as they ignore him*

Speaking of troubled kids. think of the recruiting opportunities for the foxes at chb. They're all mostly fit and sporty and active and all from messed up homes.

ALSO. IMAGINE THE TROUBLE PERCY AND NEIL WOULD DO TOGETHER

they'd get killed for their collective ability to run their mouths and have zero critical thinking before doing something

honestly. For someone who very much so hates crossover fics. i sure do talk to you a lot about them. I'm declaring myself king of pjo crossovers where nothing actually happens they all just become friends.

..........I should go to bed

lemme get this straight: YOU CREATED THIS SHIT LONG POST AT 1 AM????

bitch how-

AnYwayS Imma ignore that fact for a bit to say "wow" to this post

cause WOW-

no but neil and percy would make out just to make andrew and annabeth jealous cause they're them-

no for real I agree annabeth would totally understand him whereas percy + andrew's first encounter would probably be similar to carter and percy's meeting??

YES YES THE KITTEN FROM THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM (i think?? my mind is in shambles right now so i have no idea if that was the place)

oh my gosh.

THAT FRIENDSHIP IS EVERYTHING.

but but

imagine Thalia meeting Allison and they're like, "bitch yes we're the same but we're also different let's be fucking bitches"

i strongly believe that some of the foxes are actually demigods just very distantly related.

FOR REAL FOR REAL

no but chiron would be so fucking fed up with them burning down one of the cabins or irritating the ant monsters in the forest and they start attacking the camp or some shit-

....is that not the best kind of crossover?? plus that's the only kinda crossover I know the fuck-

YES??? gee did that enter your mind just now??

[aftgficrec]

Any neil& aaron recs? Not with a relationship with them necessarily as endgame but something like triptych or the one where they're on the hunt for andrew (cant remember the name rip, but i love that one)

There are a good amount of fics for Neil and Aaron — their relationship is fertile ground to explore angst or growth! The stories run the gamut from mutual disdain to familial warmth, from bad or awkward situations to quests (like hunting for Andrew together in ‘I'm leaving this town…’), from friendship to lovers and even plain ol’ sexual experimentation (see ‘triptych’). 

Though you weren’t keen on Neil/Aaron as a couple, you might enjoy ‘Every Sinner Has A Future.’ It’s friends to lovers and spends significant time developing their relationship. Find it and the fics you referenced among those featured below. -A

Neil & Aaron in situations/working together 

Aaron & Neil stranded together here

Aaron & Neil stuck in a bad situation here

‘Calm down. I look a lot worse than I am.’ and ‘climb a mountain (hold his hand)’ here

‘they who made you/they made me too’ here

‘Identity Theft’ here

‘Apart from Your World (A Part of Mine)’ (selkies) here

‘The World Beneath Our Feet’ series here

‘Crossfire’ here 

‘For You I'd Bleed Myself Dry’ here (updated)

‘If Neil, Then Fox’ here

Neil & Aaron relationship because of Andrew

Aaron & Neil rapprochement here

Aaron accepting andreil here

Aaron & Neil's talk at the cabin here

Neil meets the in-laws or foxes here

‘Did You Get What You Deserve?,’ ‘The Ash is in Our Clothes,’ and ‘common ground??’ here 

‘Married To Annoy,’ ‘head case (what to do with you),’ and ‘AJMICKEY56's Fanfiction Palooza!’ chapters 2 and 82 here 

‘Hold each other...ch 8: Time Does Things’ here

‘Muscle memory’ (completed) and ‘The Memories I Never Can Escape’ here

‘No More Fucks To Give’ here (updated)

‘Neil Fights the Foxes’ here

‘on the tip of my tongue (say something)’ parts 7 & 8 here

‘No straighter path than to struggle,’ ‘The Road Trip,’ and ‘An Olive Branch’ here

‘what even is baseball anyway’ and ‘Holding On and Letting Go’ here

‘Hold me close (in fact, bury me)’ here

‘a girl so bright she'll blind you’ here

Neil & Aaron friendship

Aaron & Neil = Andrew/Neil here

Neil & Aaron friendship 2 here

domestic fluff w/twinyards bonding + Neil & Aaron friendship here

the tumblr posts in Neil/Aaron or Neil & Aaron ask here

‘Make This Leap (Geronimo)’ here

‘Math, Exy and Middle Ground’ here 

‘every piece of you, it just fits perfectly’ here

‘i just wanted you to know (this is me trying)’ here

‘togetherness’ here

‘More Than Words’ here (updated) 

‘Ten Percent’ here

‘Tachycardia’ here; ‘Tachycardia (the My Own Soul's Warning Remix),’ ‘It's going tibia okay,’ and ‘What the fuck happened to you?’ here

‘Aaron is Neil’s doctor in the pros’ here

‘Shards of Glass’ here

‘Et tu, Doctor?’ here

‘Art Hoe’ here

‘Beach Bois’ here

‘just a footnote’ here

‘I'll Follow You’ here

‘Call the doctor ( I may need help)’ and ‘we're inside out’ here

‘Andrew Goes to Hogwarts’ series here

‘Minyards' Magical Mischief’ here

Neil/Aaron rarepair

Neil/Aaron or Neil & Aaron here

‘In The Forest (Burning Bright)’ here 

‘Winter Banquet’ here

you may also like

new Katelyn/Aaron here

Katelyn & Neil friendship here

Katelyn & Neil as siblings/lookalikes here

Katelyn-centric hurt/comfort here

Aaron protective of Neil here

Neil mistakes Aaron for Andrew here

Andrew & Katelyn rapprochement here

‘the prettiest blue’ and ‘The Photo Strip Predicament’ here

‘Nor are we forgiven’ here

‘Give Me Another Minute (to Lay Here in Your Echo)’ here 

‘coming loose’ here

‘the roads I traveled with you’ here

‘One day we'll reveal the truth’ and ‘i'm getting static from my better sense’ here

‘you're not next before forever’ here (completed)

‘Before You Drown’ here

‘Five Years to the Day’ here

‘Twilight and Daytime’ here

‘Whispers in the leaves, shadows in the moonlit night’ here

quests and situations

halloween series by zweimam [Collection, Rated T, 44426 Words, Incomplete, Updated Sept 2023]

NB: Part 1 reviously recommended in new twinyards bonding ask

Part 1: I'm leaving this town (and I'm changing my address) [40309 Words, Updated Sept 2023] Aaron tries to assimilate everything, nodding, "How do you know he didn't mean it?" "It wasn't a thought, or anything," Neil says, looking everywhere but at him. "He told me to go away, to leave and run, and I did. I'm very good at running, you see." Or: Aaron has been looking for his brother for six years. Right when he's beginning to lose all hope, he meets Neil Josten.

tw: child abuse, tw: implied/referenced murder, tw: heavy suicide themes, tw: implied/referenced suicide attempt, tw: implied/referenced drug addiction, tw: detailed discussion of drug use, tw: implied/referenced overdose, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: panic attacks, tw: dissociation

Part 2: I know that you'll come if you want [6170 Words, Updated Aug 2023] If Aaron has been looking for his brother for six years, Andrew has been waiting for him for longer.

The Most Unorthodox Way of Fighting Back by orphan_account [Rated T, 1683 Words, Complete, 2021]

Neil Josten is forced to pick up his shoes and run. If not for him, than for the ones who can’t.

tw: graphic depictions of violence, tw: murder, tw: blood/gore

Tumblr Bits by gluupor [Rated T, Collection, Complete, 2019]

Chapter 8: Neil Josten: Accountant Spy [2316 Words] Whenever anyone asked Neil what he did for a living, he responded by saying he was a spy. This always was met with impressed faces and probing questions about his job.

till the bitter end on a flat tire by thewintersolstice [Rated M, 10000 Words, Complete, 2022]

neil & aaron end up stranded on the side of the road in the desert. neil wants to talk homophobia. aaron wants neil to shut up for once in his life. aka: my attempt to turn aaron minyard into someone i want to like

tw: homophobia, tw: implied/referenced child abuse

Growing Sharp Edges by Leocante [Rated G, 10218 Words, Complete, 2022]

Aaron just needed some wiggling room. He didn't think he was asking for that much - a few inches of freedom, a miniscule amount of life outside of school and exy, an ounce of control over his day. Well, thruth be told, he wasn't exactly asking asking. Questions like that resulted in a knife under his neck and an unyielding 'no'. But Aaron needed some goddamn wiggling room, and he was desperate enough to ask Josten for help.

tw: attempted sexual assault, tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: implied/referenced drug addiction, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced murder, tw: recreational drug use, tw: alcohol

Who is the man in the relationship? by sugaroto [Rated T, 6986 Words, Complete, 2022]

"I'm your type." Neil went on. "Then I'm yours." Aaron shot back, "You're literally fucking my twin, asshole!" "High five!" Neil said, his eyes lightening up, "We're type buddies!" Neil started laughing. "What? What's so funny?" Aaron asked. "We should get married!" Or The time Neil and Aaron got drunk and thought it'd be funny if they got married.

tw: alcohol

NB: fic meme by @sugaroto here

Momentary Disaster by JostenlovesMinyard [Rated T, 1305 Words, Complete, Twinyards Appreciation Week 2022]

Day 2: Disaster Aaron and Neil are sent to do a grocery run but Neil loses something along the way. Aaron is there to help him.

You Are So Much More Than Your Father's Son by phan_taloon [Rated T, 3143 Words, Complete, 2021, Locked]

In which Nathan Wesninski has fanboys and Neil Josten doesn't want to deal with them, but Aaron is there to save the day.

tw: panic attacks, tw: flashbacks

A Pain Never Meant to be Felt (I really suck a titles, just pretend its good.) by transandsad [Rated M, 14187 Words, Incomplete, Updated Aug 2023]

Aaron is mistaken for someone he is not and has to figure out how to pick up the pieces in the aftermath.

tw: gang rape, tw: nonconsensual touching, tw: assault, tw: graphic descriptions of csa, tw: graphic depictions of violence, tw: blood, tw: flashbacks, tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: ptsd, tw: panic attacks, tw: suicidal thoughts, tw: murder, tw: drug addiction

Neil and Aaron swap body’s AU bullet fic by @sadboyayeron [Tumblr, 2020]

AFTG Neil & Aaron Gender Swap hc by @sadboyayeron [Tumblr, 2020]

friendship

Oblivious series by greencherrybomb [Rated T, Collection with 2 complete works, Updated July 2022]

Part 1: Oblivious in love (3152 Words) Andrew has been pining after Neil Josten for months, but knows it wont happen. Neil doesnt even swing, so he does the only thing to protect his feelings. Ignoring Neil and eating ice cream. Part 2: Best Friends Brother (3930 Words) Neil has been harboring a long time crush on his best friend, Aaron Minyards, brother Andrew. Too bad Andrew has been avoiding him at all costs and is dating the hottest guy in school, Kevin day. Or at least thats what Neil thinks.

Dear Little Ghost by choisunsanie [Rated G, 4650 Words, Complete, 2022]

Neil Josten starts to be haunted by a naughty blond ghost.

tw: previous major character death, tw: car accidents

And I Swear And I Swear, I Was Burning Alive by Miss_Fun_Fun_and_Fun [Rated T, 1477 Words, Complete, 2022]

Neil is confronted by his ex-best friend's twin brother while still reeling from his mother abandoning him. - A one-shot, alternate universe for Fortheloveofexy's fic, "More Than Words".

tw: implied/referenced drug addiction

NB: ‘More than Words’ was previously recced here (updated)

sexual experimentation

triptych by likearecord [Rated E, 12805 Words, Complete, 2023]

Three parts, three POVS. Aaron, wondering, picks up a guy in a bar. Neil, having learned something, wants to try again. Andrew, knowing nothing, sees something he likes.

tw: explicit sexual content, tw: nonconsensual touching

friends to lovers

Every Sinner Has A Future by OfficialStarsandGutters [Rated E, 29864 Words, Complete, 2021]

Canon divergent Neil x Aaron. - Neil Josten. A shock of red hair and ocean blue eyes. Pretty faced, but nothing special. Except he makes a throwaway comment about Andrew being off his meds and it’s like everyone in the room forgets to breathe. Even Aaron, his body still and tense with surprise that he can tell them apart. Without even having met Aaron, he knew Andrew wasn’t him. That shouldn’t mean anything. Aaron rubs his sweaty palms on his skinny jeans and tells himself it doesn’t, it doesn’t, it doesn’t.

tw: recreational drug use, tw: implied/referenced drug addiction, tw: nonconsensual drug use, tw: graphic description of overdose, tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced murder

Art

monsters cuddle pile art by @emry-stars-art

au where aaron and neil are best friends first comic by @02511213942 also on twitter

when Neil tells Dr Aaron he’s fine art by @srslyarts

get in loser we’re going shopping art by @ouijacine

Josten and Aaron on press duty comic by @paradoxolotl

Aaron is a godfather comic by @paradoxolotl

[foxyatlas]

For you have any hcs for Neil and Katelyn. There isn't enough content for their friendship

I honestly don't think about the two of them all that much but I do have them interacting at one point in my a/b/o fic ("A Breath of Unscented Air", tho the Katelyn chapter isn't published yet) but I can give this a spin

-So Katelyn and Neil wouldn't really ever be around each other, until Andrew agrees to end the deal so he and Aaron can both start dating people

-Then, after that, out of spite Aaron starts bringing Katelyn around as much as possible. He brings her to movie night, to meals, everything. Andrew has to deal with it (which neil teasingly reminds him of constantly), and Aaron likes shoving it in his face. 

-Also, Katelyn is really glad to no longer be a closet girlfriend. She didn't love that. 

-But you know how I said Neil teased Andrew for this? He seriously gets a kick out of it. He and Andrew will be kissing or something and Andrew will pull back and say something bullshit like "I hate you" (because his feelings SCARE him and he's never expressed affection before). And Neil will be like "understandable. You should break up with me, then you won't have to deal with Katelyn anymore. You and Aaron can be bachelor's forever". Sometime around then Andrew usually shuts him up, sometimes with another kiss, sometimes with a hand over his mouth. It's okay. Neil is thoroughly amused.

-So like, Neil is aware Katelyn is around. But it's not like he actually talks to her. 

-And then. AND THEN. 

-One day, in an effort to try and fit in more, Katelyn starts up a conversation with Neil. And Neil completely blows her off, because he doesn't care and he doesn't do small talk, but Katelyn is persistent. She tries a million topics and none of them stick, until finally she asks him about a shot he missed at last week's game and Neil goes off. Fifteen minutes later, he's still ranting about how the ref made a bad call and whatever. Eventually Aaron notices and saves her, but Katelyn has got her in. 

-Whenever she can, she talks to Neil about exy. It's not all that bad because Aaron actually doesn't talk about exy with her at all except passing comments, so she likes knowing what it's really like. And it gets Neil to talk.

-Eventually she starts doing some research until she can actually converse with Neil about the sport, because she's a dedicated scholar and also a social butterfly. 

-Aaron tries to tell her it's not worth it, but she won't listen. 

-Then one day she sees Neil at the coffee shop and slides in the seat across from him. Neil looked surprised, but before he can say anything she goes "I just had a rotten day. Can I complain?"

-Neil is surprised, but nods, because, well. Katelyn has listened to enough of his rants, and Neil doesn't actually want to be an asshole. Especially because she seems like a decent-ish person. 

-So he listens. She starts complaining about a professor he had last semester and he gets to join in, because yeah, she /sucked/. 

-Over time they just… accept that if they ever want to complain, they can go to each other. It's kinda nice. 

-No one catches on for a while, until one day Aaron and Katelyn are sitting together getting coffee and Neil pulls a chair up, tells Aaron to move over, and immediately gets into a rant about his stats test. Aaron is super confused and annoyed, but Katelyn is listening intently, because stats was always her favorite type of math and she helped Neil with his test corrections the week before. When Neil is done complaining, he looks at her expectantly and is like "do you have anything?" 

-She's like "I have a couple, but its okay, I'll just text you later." 

-"Great. Bye." 

-Neil gets up and leaves, flipping Aaron off as he goes. Katelyn waves pleasantly. 

-As soon as Neil's gone, Aaron turns to her. "What the fuck was that?" And Katelyn gives him this super innocent look like "what? I'm making friends" 

-Their friendship continues from that point, morphing in some pretty unexpected ways. Neil wants to try some subtle eyeliner for Eden's one night and Katelyn gives him a hand. 

- Katelyn needs help moving things for a bake sale one day and all her sorority sisters are busy, so Neil shows up and helps her carry stuff. 

- Sometimes they send each other pictures of their respective partners when they aren't looking. Katelyn will send a picture of Aaron and Neil will respond "dang. I almost thought he was attractive until I realized who I was looking at. 0/10"

- One time Neil was sitting at a coffee table across from a Minyard, but Katelyn could only see the back of the guy's head. So she came over and sat down with them and was like "hey Neil!" And then looked over and luckily it was Aaron and she continued to live another day

If anyone has anything they want to add, please feel free to do so!