#exy player!dream

[livelaughloveandread]

Wymack: You think I got to choose my players? Because you’re all such an exy dream team?! You, *points at Andrew* you’re lazy.

Andrew: *deadpan stare*

Wymack: You’re whiny.

Aaron: *looks deeply offended*

Wymack: Queenie over there is downright depressing!

Kevin: *looks a little hurt, but shrugs as if to say fair enough*

Wymack: And you Josten, you’re just annoying!

Neil: *grins diabolically*

[minyard-05]

ok whatever you do don't think about what would've happened if riko had killed neil in the nest. if it had driven the point home to jean that he was never getting out, and he stopped talking to renee, mourning his forever partner. don't think about kevin finding out that he sent neil into the nest, gave him the plane ticket, and he never flew back. don't think about kevin waiting for a text from neil on new year's and all that comes is a news alert saying one of the most promising new players in collegiate exy was reported dead this morning– don't think about andrew getting out of easthaven, scanning his family and neil isn't there. don't think about him asking nicky what happened and nicky is too choked up to say anything. don't think about andrew searching neil's room to find his armbands stuffed under the bed, because neil went back for them, neil kept them safe, neil was going to give them back. don't think about andrew's last memory of neil being him promising to watch kevin over christmas. don't think about how the twins might never have reconciled. don't think about how kevin might never have told wymack he was his son. don't think about dan and matt would've missed him, so soon after seth died, and never known exactly what happened. nobody would tell them. don't think about abby asking who they should call and wymack says 'we were all he had.' don't think about how andrew would've never known if neil really was a pipe dream after all.

[inafieldofstarflowers]

Having alternate POVs gives a more rounded perspective of so many parts of aftg, but I think that Jean specifically gives a more in-depth view of Kevin which is deeply necessary to understand his character.

On multiple occasions throughout his narration, Neil comments on Kevin’s single-minded focus on Exy. This makes sense, because Exy is at the heart of Kevin and Neil’s relationship and is central to the overarching conflict of the books. Neil gives his game to Kevin, and Kevin takes that seriously. Moreover, Kevin has something to prove, to himself and to the world, and the success of the Foxes in their season is key to his success in proving his worth, so of course he’s focused on it. Also, Kevin just truly does love Exy: he’s spent his whole life working hard to get to where he is by the time the series begins, and he clearly did that because he cares just as much as he did it because it was expected—it makes sense that he loves the Trojans, because they play for love of the game, not just for the desire to win.

When Jean’s narration discussed Kevin, it agrees with all of these things: Kevin is fanatical and he loves the Trojans (even though his playing style is incongruous with theirs, as Jean points out) and he is arrogant, though not without cause. It also, however, gives peeks at a softer side of Kevin. Part of this is because so many interactions between Kevin and Jean are colored by Kevin’s guilt at leaving Jean behind, and the validity of Jean’s accusation that Kevin twisted the knife as he left, but regardless of the reason, Kevin lets his walls down ever so slightly when it comes to Jean, and while he’s still standoffish, it’s also evident how deeply he cares about the people he loves. Jean notices this side of him, though he doesn’t typically mention it outright, being justifiably angry with Kevin; he leans closest to admitting it when others criticize or doubt Kevin’s motivations, unwilling to let them misrepresent him.

Kevin Day is the ultimate fake idgaf-er. He has his people—Andrew, Neil, and Jean, but also the Foxes as a whole—and he sticks by them. He believes in them. His faith in Andrew keeps him going, his confidence in Neil gives him space to dream about the future, and his trust in Jean is what he falls back on (when he learns about the district change, when Neil is headed to the Nest),

Applying that lens to the original trilogy makes so many of Kevin’s actions stand out, even though Neil rarely flags them as significant or identifies them as a result of either his desire to show up Riko or his fear of retribution (which Neil sees as cowardice, while Jean intimately understands the way that bone-deep terror mixes with a cultivated, years-long habit of obedience to make a cage that is nearly impossible to escape).

In this light, Kevin’s love for the Trojans looks like a small act of defiance. His History major—of which Neil makes only a passing mention—gains weight as evidence of other passions strong enough to get Kevin to fight. Kevin’s plea for Neil to leave after he learns his identity, his decision to agree to train Neil every night, and his initial refusal to accept Neil’s choice to go to the Nest at Christmas are all highlighted, exemplifying how much he cares about Neil. Every act of defiance—every time Kevin stands up for or by the Foxes, each interview where he indicates he is where he wants to be, each moment he supports Neil instead of trying to change him—gain weight with Jean’s commentary on the trauma that comes from the Nest.

Kevin Day is an Exy player. He is arrogant and irritable and abrasive; he has built himself around his success. He has also built himself a net to fall back on out of the people he has chosen to have faith in, chooses to find worth in people the rest of the world has written off and fight for them to achieve the version of themselves everyone else has long stopped believing they could be. He is the Son of Kayleigh Day and David Wymack, and he takes after each of them in spite of growing up mostly apart from both of them.

[fortheloveofexy]

I have such a hard time conceptualizing Kayleigh Day in my head... like... what kind of person was she?

Clearly she cared about good sportsmanship (the spirit award is named after her of course).

She also had a fling with Wymack and chose to hide her pregnancy from him so that he could focus in his dream of building an exy team, so she seems to be selfless too.

We also know Kevin adored her and idolized her, so we can assume she was probably a decent parent while she was alive.

So how does somebody who is presumably that good-natured wind up being besties with Tetsuji Moriyama of all people??

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Ravens were already formed when Tetsuji started asking Kayleigh to give him Kevin to train. Was she at all suspicious about the way Tetsuji was treating his players? Did she really have no idea what was going on in the Nest? Did she know Tetsuji was building a cult? Was she turning a blind eye for the sake of their old friendship? If she did suspect something, why on earth would she make Tetsuji Kevin's guardian? What possessed her to agree to that? Did she agree to it? Or did the Moriyama's forge some paperwork?

Or, alternatively - did the Ravens only become such an abusive team after Kayleigh died? Was it grief and a twisted desire to honor Kayleigh's life that drove Tetsuji to pursue victory at all costs, no matter how much ruthless cruelty he needed to inflict on his players?

[kikipuff]

I’m begging you, someone please edit Kevin using the “but Peter your going to die doing this … in the stupid costume” telling Neil to run when he finds out who he is, literally begging him to run (and Kevin giving up on his own dream and life because if he does run they will be disqualified for having too few players and Kevin cannot survive without exy. But Neil’s life is more important in that moment) arrggghhhhh someone. I will give u my soul and my kidneys.

[rosanna-writer]

Baby, I'm the One to Beat (1/?)

Feyre Archeron is the most talked-about woman in Exy. On the court, she broke records in her first season with the Springfield Bucks, while her off-court romance with her team captain, Tamlin, had fans swooning. In the wake of a breakup, she throws it all away and transfers to the rival Velaris University. A new narrative emerges—after refusing to share the court with her ex, Exy's freshman phenomenon is "too temperamental" to play at the sport's highest levels. Feyre can't afford to get involved with another teammate when she needs another trophy to keep her dream of going pro alive. But amid all the drills, workouts, and scrimmages, Rhysand, her new team captain, becomes a smirking, sarcastic soft place to land. And Feyre doesn't miss his longing looks in her direction, either. Can she win the championship and still keep her heart—and reputation—intact?

For @belabellissima

My secret santa giftee is the loml, the queen, the legend BELA FUCKIN BELISSIMAAAAAA!!!! I literally squealed with excitement when I got my assignment, and I had the BEST time binging the Foxhole Court to create this AU (and real talk, when I started brainstorming and making a "things Bela likes" list, I was like "oh SHIT, HOW IS HER TASTE IN EVERYTHING SO IMPECCABLE???")

A huge thank you to my team of betas, brainstorming partners, and secret keepers: @c-e-d-dreamer, @violetasteracademic, @yourstarsmyscars, @reverie-tales, thesistersarcheron, berd-berd-nerd, itsthedoodle, and climbthemountain2020 And an even bigger thank you to the @acotargiftexchange mods for all their hard work putting on such a fun event!

Read it Here on AO3 or under the cut, and happy holidays everyone! <3

Feyre wished she'd thought about a revenge dress.

For the past year, she'd spent no less than an hour and a half in the weight room most days. She'd clocked enough miles to wear out three pairs of running shoes. A constant ache had settled in her shoulders from all the drills that honed her catching, throwing, and aiming. After all the work she'd put in to bring her body to peak physical condition, she really ought to have found something slinky.

But she'd put off packing until the last minute, and now the steam from her shower hadn't done anything to fix the wrinkled mess she'd shoved into her suitcase. Wrapped up in a scratchy hotel towel, she sighed in dismay at the stodgy black outfit she'd bought for her father's funeral years ago.

She forced herself to change before Ianthe banged on the door. Just a few days ago, they would have gone shopping for something new, but since Feyre had ended things with Tamlin, her roommate communicated solely in dirty looks. Ianthe's chipper demeanor had gotten on her nerves, especially before 6 AM practices, but now, Feyre would take it over the frosty silence that had followed them all the way from their dorm to the latest hotel room they'd been assigned to share.

Maybe it was just the thought of the last time she'd worn the dress, but Feyre suddenly missed her sisters fiercely. Despite their childhoods full of cutthroat competition, constant tears, and hurt feelings, Nesta and Elain would still rally behind her after a breakup. And it helped that they both had nicer closets to raid.

But college recruitment and Exy Pro League drafts had scattered the Archeron sisters across Prythian, so Feyre found herself getting ready for the Collegiate Player of the Year awards ceremony alone.

The formal, televised awards ceremony where she'd be seated next to her roided-up meathead of an ex-boyfriend. The ex who was also her team captain.

The occasion called for looking killer. But in the whirlwind of celebrations and interviews, congratulations and sponsorship offers since her game-winning goal ended Springfield University's fifty-year long championship drought, she hadn't had much time to herself.

And these days, Feyre spent her free time crying and beating herself up for not ending things the first time Tamlin put his hands on her.

She put on enough makeup to avoid being told she looked sick, then tied back her hair. After one last frown in the mirror, Feyre let Ianthe have the bathroom. Her teammate said nothing, but the disgusted curl of her lip spoke volumes about how Feyre looked.

She wandered down the hotel lobby, hoping to find Lucien. Since the breakup, hardly anyone on the Springfield Bucks spoke to Feyre unless they absolutely had to, but Lucien remained friendly. Or at least, he did when Tamlin wasn't around to glare.

A few of her teammates had already gathered on the sofa, Tamlin in the center. Irritatingly enough, he looked damn good in a forest green suit that stretched over his hulking muscles, and by some miracle, he'd managed to knot his floral tie correctly. He'd even washed his long, blonde hair for once.

Feyre just silently hovered at the edge of the group. None of her teammates looked at home in clothes that didn't wick sweat, dry fast, and stretch in all directions, save Lucien, who could command a runway just as well as he could dominate an Exy court. He caught Feyre's eye, flashed her a warm smile, and then went right back to nodding along as Tamlin spoke.

She tried not to take it too personally.

As they waited, a few of the Bucks took pictures together. Pictures that pointedly did not include Feyre. Ianthe would probably flood the Exy hashtags with captions about how they all clean up nice, but even that couldn't drown out excited online chatter about Feyre "the Cursebreaker" Archeron.

Breaking records got people talking a hell of a lot more than a few nice photos ever did. Feyre let that knowledge bolster her spirits.

Time seemed to drag on as the team gathered and boarded the bus. Ianthe snagged the seat next to Lucien before Feyre could, so she spent the ride to the Middle Theater staring moodily at downtown traffic. Each time Tamlin's booming voice cut through the Bucks's conversations, she nearly flinched.

As they arrived and took their seats. Feyre tried not to fidget. With all the recent travel, she hadn't gotten a workout in, and even though she needed the off-season to rest up, she felt like she might explode if she didn't run a few laps to burn off excess energy.

Since the breakup, she hadn't gotten this close to Tamlin without the benefit of a helmet, pads, and a mouthguard. The memory of that smashed study room still burned behind her retinas. As the lights dimmed and the ceremony began, she forced herself to breathe slowly. In through her nose, out through her mouth.

Feyre tuned out the introductions and the season recap—after all, she'd lived through it. Eventually, her ears pricked at the sound of her name as the nominees for Rookie of the Year were announced. A camera probably zoomed in on her face, and somehow, she managed to smile through the host listing out the nominees' achievements.

It helped that Feyre's stats blew everyone else's out of the water. Despite her limited playing time as a second-stringer, Feyre put up insane numbers of goals and assists all year. From her very first on-count appearance, when she'd body-checked a Middengard senior then twisted out of the tackle to steal the ball and score, she'd made Bucks fans believe in an end to the Springfield curse. And in the championship, she'd made it happen by slamming Amarantha, Hybern's captain, into a wall to clear the way for the game-winning goal.

The Cursebreaker was a freshman phenomenon if there ever was one.

And yet, when the host opened the envelope and read out her name, Feyre still blinked in surprise. Everything about this season felt like a dream.

She stood, and next to her, so did Tamlin. He pulled her into a hug, every inch the proud team captain the fans expected to see despite the breakup, and it took everything in Feyre to push down on the instinct to shove.

If Lucien hadn't gotten to her next, Feyre might have vomited. By some magic, he always seemed to smell like cinnamon and campfires, even drenched in sweat—decidedly not like Tamlin. "You earned it," he whispered, pulling her close.

Feyre let those words steady her as she walked up to the stage. She hadn't thought about an acceptance speech—couldn't think of one even now, amid the too-bright lights and too-loud applause. All she could focus on was not making a fool of herself and tripping as she stepped up to the podium.

But Feyre Archeron always landed on her feet, and she dutifully got through all the necessary thank-yous. The words felt like ash in her mouth, and she didn't mean most of them. Her father, who'd pushed his daughters into Exy because a shattered kneecap ended his dreams of going pro. Her sisters, who she'd been pitted against. Her teammates, who'd rallied behind Tamlin despite the abuse. Her coaches, who'd never really cared about her off the court.

Her hands still shook as she returned to her seat, only vaguely aware of her teammates clapping her on the back as she walked. The ceremony moved on to the next award, and Feyre's heart stopped hammering in her chest.

Something ugly coiled in her gut ahead of the final prize of the night—Player of the Year. Feyre hadn't been nominated. The old guard at the PCAA—Prythian College Athletics Association—still expected underclassmen to pay their dues. Despite exceptional performance that would have earned it, she wasn't eligible for the award.

But Tamlin was a finalist.

Feyre could practically taste something bitter on her tongue as Tamlin's highlights were read out. His stats weren't any better than hers—but he had the benefit of being a starter. Unlike him, she'd managed those numbers while waiting around for him to tire out and need a sub.

He'd graduate in a year. Feyre would get the playing time eventually. She knew that.

Yet…she couldn't help but wonder what she could have achieved if she'd been on the starting lineup from the beginning.

The smile froze on her face as Tamlin's name was called. It wasn't a surprise; the captain of the championship-winning team was always a shoe-in for Player of the Year. But something inside her seemed to burn anyway.

She hated it all—that dopey smile that once charmed her, his massive bear-paw hands that dwarfed the host's as they shook, the good-natured way he bumbled through the acceptance speech. He was such an oaf. And the more the Exy community applauded him, the more Feyre wanted to scream.

She did her best to push those thoughts aside for the rest of the evening. The season had ended, after all. After tonight, she'd have a whole summer ahead of her, plenty of time to catch her breath away from Tamlin. Maybe with a chance to relax, the thought of setting foot on the Springfield campus again wouldn't make her feel quite so nauseous.

After the ceremony, there was still a banquet dinner to get through. Just the thought of it sounded exhausting, and Feyre didn't know how the teams in other college leagues managed two whole banquets a year.

But at least, there would be players and coaches from other teams, and even if the Bucks all hated her, the Archeron name meant something in Exy. Nesta had gone pro with the Velaris Valkyries, and all the analysts were predicting that Elain would be chosen during the first round when the draft occurred in a few weeks.

Feyre had gotten used to all the gawking years ago.

She lost track of everyone that came to congratulate her. Helion from the Suns, Adriata's goalie Tarquin, that dealer named Kallias that she'd bowled over during the game against the Frost, plus an assortment of coaches and officials she'd never met before…

Players mingled freely—the league wasn't that big, and everyone knew everyone else, at least by reputation. Feyre had wanted to melt into the floor and disappear every time a player she'd just met told her they were sorry things didn't work out between her and Tamlin. But as usual, Velaris was the exception.

The Velaris University Stars always kept to themselves, not that anyone wanted to get mixed up with them anyway. Like everyone else, Feyre had heard all the whispers about bribing officials, and rumor had it the Stars kept a slush fund to pay players for intentionally knocking out opponents. Someone had even said Velaris had mafia connections, like some of the teams over in America. Rhysand Darling, their captain, had refused to shake Tamlin's hand before the coin toss at all of their games.

Springfield and Velaris had one of the longest, bitterest rivalries in all of college sports, so Feyre would have dismissed it as immature drama. But one tackle from Rhys had concussed Lucien despite the helmets all Exy players wore, and for weeks, she'd worried the hit had scrambled her friend's brain.

In retaliation, she'd knocked Rhys on his ass no less than five times when they'd faced off again during the playoffs. She'd delighted in the angry flash of his violet eyes behind his facemask, and with Feyre covering him, he'd hadn't scored once.

She felt those same violet eyes landing on her throughout dinner. Feyre tried to ignore it. He probably just held a grudge because she'd made him look like a chump in the playoffs, and some idiot event organizer had been stupid enough to put the Stars's table near the Bucks's.

Feyre wasn't quite sure when it all became too much. But she could barely take a bite of her chicken without another player coming to talk to her, and a few seats over, even more of them were fawning over Tamlin. She needed air.

Once she caught sight of the line to the ladies's room snaking around two corners, Feyre tried to find somewhere quiet. She walked through the halls without any sense of where she was going, other than just…away from everyone else.

She finally stopped in front of a door labelled "EXIT" that was probably in some staff-only section of the building she shouldn't have entered. But it didn't seem to be a fire door. And when she pushed, it opened without alarming.

The smell of garbage hit her like a freight train. Good—it might stink, but no one would come find her near the dumpsters. Feyre stepped outside, careful to wedge a doorstopper into place just in case it locked from the outside.

She let out a shaking breath, tipping her head up to look at the sky. Even on a cloudless night, the city was too bright for stars, but she took in the sight of the full moon rising over the skyscrapers.

She could do this.

Feyre Archeron could be as enduring and faceted as the night. Her teammates in Springfield just couldn't see in the dark.

"I was hoping to find the woman of the hour out here," a voice purred behind her.

Feyre's face twisted into a scowl before she'd turned around. But there Rhysand was, smirking at her with his hands shoved into the pockets of his suit. Impeccably dressed and camera-ready, he looked out of place in the dingy alleyway.

"What do you want?" she said, too drained to put any venom behind it.

"To speak to you privately."

For a moment, Feyre said nothing. She'd assumed he'd sought her out to gloat after hearing about her breakup, but that was the sort of thing people generally did in public, the bigger the audience the better. Narrowing her eyes, she said, "Why?"

"I assume you're thinking of transferring. Anyone in your position would be."

"I'm not," she lied. Admitting it to Rhysand before she'd made a firm decision wouldn't end well.

He shrugged, the simple movement of his shoulders somehow painfully elegant. "If you want to spend your time warming Tamlin's bench, then it's your season to waste."

So he was here to gloat, then. "Fuck off," she said, moving to push past him and head back inside.

Rhys didn't move out of her way—his hand shot out, and he stiff-armed her just like he would on an Exy court. Feyre growled, dropping her shoulder and shoving properly. But the godforsaken heels on her feet made her movement wobbly. He still didn't budge.

"And that," he said, sliding his hand back into his pocket, "is why you should come to Velaris."

Feyre let out a harsh, humorless laugh. "I should've known you weren't above player tampering. Did your team bribe someone to ignore that, too?"

Technically, he'd just tried to recruit her before she'd entered the PCAA portal and officially declared herself open to a transfer. Players could talk to each other, but if a coach had put him up to it, the PCAA would hit their team with a fine and suspension. The officials didn't look kindly on schools who swooped in and seduced away proven talent. But Velaris, apparently, didn't care.

His gaze roved down her body, a predatory gleam in his violet eyes. Feyre's mouth went dry. She knew that look—had worn it herself often enough.

Rhysand was hungry.

"Maybe I just think you look good in black," he murmured.

Until tonight, Feyre hadn't attended a formal event since her father's funeral. The black dress she'd bought amid a fog of grief covered her knees and collarbones, but she had the strangest sense that Rhys wanted to tear it off her with his teeth.

Feyre didn't mind. There was something deliciously heady about no longer scurrying back into Tamlin's shadow when someone looked at her like that.

But not quite heady enough that she wouldn't make him work for it. With a shrug, she said, "If I wanted to transfer, I'd have options. Adriata also needs a striker, and their jerseys match my eyes."

"Tarquin couldn't handle you."

"And you think you could?"

"You've watched enough film to know your play style is far too aggressive for the Summer Court. They rely on quick, short passes, and there's no room for someone who prefers to slam her way through lines of defenders. You'd thrive in Velaris, Feyre."

He wasn't wrong. Feyre understood how the defenses in the league operated just as well as he did, and damn near every article last season said Archeron's got that dawg in her. From what she'd heard, the culture in Adriata was good—no one ever had anything bad to say about Tarquin, and the Jellyfish would welcome a newcomer with open arms, even if they quietly grumbled about her holding onto the ball too long.

But Velaris…well, she'd heard the rumors. And even if she hadn't, Rhys rattled Lucien into dropping passes with taunts about Jesminda rolling in her grave, their quiet backliner had once grabbed Eris Vanserra by the neck when the refs weren't looking, and that tiny demon of a goalie actually bit Varian last year.

If it were any other team, Feyre could deal with a few cutthroat, psychotic teammates. An eventual spot on a pro roster would be worth it. But she'd catch hell for leaving Springfield for its biggest rival, especially after a breakup with the Bucks's beloved golden boy.

She should have just written it off. Even if she decided against Adriata, Helion might have a spot on the Suns, and there was the possibility of putting real distance between her and Tamlin if she transferred to the Continental League and joined Vallahan or Rask or Montessere. Or hell, even that ragtag American team with the orange uniforms.

But a clean break didn't compel her as much as Rhysand did.

"How would you make it worth my while?" she said, drinking in the desire burning behind his eyes and gulping it down like wine.

"Strikers come in pairs, Feyre. I need an equal partner I can split the court with and trust implicitly, but unless you transfer in, I'll be picking up the slack of whichever halfwit underclassman makes the roster," he said, not answering her question.

Feyre opened her mouth, fully intent on telling him she didn't care what he needed. But before she could, he advanced on her and added, "Tell me what you want, and if it gets you on the Stars, it's yours."

She almost said she wanted him. A cruel part of Feyre wanted to see if he'd kneel and bury his head between her thighs, just to convince her to transfer. She could imagine tangling her fingers in his blue-black hair, keeping his mouth exactly where she wanted it until he'd proved just how badly he needed her on the team.

But she wouldn't. After Tamlin, Feyre couldn't argue that she had great taste in men, but at the very least, she preferred entirely willing partners. Beyond that, she wouldn't be able to look Rhysand in the eye again, let alone play alongside him for a year.

Her good sense won out. "I need player development, a spot on your starting line, and teammates who won't cause problems."

"We'd treat you right in Velaris," Rhys purred. No one had any right to make a discussion of team culture sound that…well, sensual. Feyre shivered.

"Would you?" she said. "I'd be a distraction."

"Hungry dogs run faster, Feyre. Springfield might have tried to protect Tamlin, but it's hard to keep secrets when a captain is violent enough to throw a desk at his girlfriend. I know this is personal for you. And I'll put up with a media circus if it means I'm playing alongside a talented striker with something to prove."

Rhysand might have been the next in a long line of people who only wanted her for what she could do on an Exy court. But at least he wanted her. Besides, he didn't have to care as long as their goals aligned.

She crossed her arms. "I'll think about it."

Feyre had never seen Rhysand smile. And maybe that was the for the best because if it had happened on an Exy court, she might have been dumbstruck long enough for him to steal the ball from her racquet. Despite all the muscles, most Exy players looked like thumbs. But Rhys was devastating.

"We'll talk once you've entered the transfer portal," he said, as if it were inevitable Feyre would join the running list of players who'd officially declared their intention to leave for new schools.

With that, Rhys sauntered back inside, and Feyre silently glared at his back until he'd disappeared down the hallway. Definitely at his back and not at all at the sculpted ass perfectly accentuated by his well-tailored, stupidly expensive-looking suit.

When she was alone again, Feyre took a few deep breaths of cool night air. It didn't do as much to clear her head as she hoped. She needed to sit and think about this—make a list of the pros and cons, maybe even talk to her sisters and get their opinions.

But no one wanted to snatch that trophy back from Springfield more than Velaris. And no one wanted to shut Tamlin up more than Feyre.

If she closed her eyes, Feyre could imagine the boos if she entered the Spring Court in black. Each goal would quiet them down until the Bucks fans just sat in stunned silence or left early in disgust. All of the hype and excitement ahead of the biggest rivalry game of the season, the hype that only came after winning a championship…fizzled out into nothing.

It would be a perfect end to Tamlin's college Exy career. He might even cry.

But then again, if she transferred for more playing time and underperformed, she'd be Exy's biggest bust. A freshman who let one good season go to her head, then floundered. Too confident for her own good, too temperamental to play alongside her ex, too emotional to play Exy at the highest levels. A disappointment compared to her sisters—someone cracked under pressure with a national audience watching.

It could kill her chances of going pro.

Feyre couldn't stay out in the alleyway much longer before someone came looking for her. Steeling herself to get through the rest of the night, she headed back to the banquet. The rest of it seemed to pass in a blur, and she pretended not to notice the Velaris players whispering among themselves.

She'd left her phone in the pocket of her jacket. It had been sitting on a hanger at the coat check all evening, but when Feyre checked her messages on the bus, there was a new text from a contact that definitely hadn't been there before the awards ceremony.

Rhysand Darling 🌟: It was a pleasure meeting you tonight.

Feyre locked the screen before any nosy teammates had a chance to peek over her shoulder. The whole ride back to the hotel, Feyre felt like her phone was burning a hole in her pocket. Lucien even seemed to notice—she'd forced an uncertain smile when he'd shot her a worried look.

It wasn't until Ianthe's snores filled their shared room that Feyre dared sneak off to the bathroom. The tile was cold against her legs as she sat on the floor, back against the door. Before she had a chance to sleep on it or talk herself out of the decision, she started drafting an email to Springfield's coach and administrators. Once she'd typed it, she just stared at the subject line as her stomach did backflips.

Notification of Transfer

Feyre squeezed her eyes shut and hit send. She waited to feel regret or horror or even the urge to un-send the email and pretend nothing had happened. But it never came, and she'd run out of tears. Something inside her hardened into cold, icy resolve.

She switched to her messaging app and replied to Rhysand. The Spring Court had better not be standing when we're done with it. And no bitching if I get a penalty for spearing Tamlin's head on my racquet.

His response came seconds later, so quickly that Feyre had to wonder if he'd been waiting by his own phone. You're going to fit right in at Velaris. Can't wait to see you on the Court of Dreams 🖤

[exyrpf]

Exyblr Dashboard Simulator based on what I personally see on sportsblr:

3/?

🫡 exyisntreal follow

actually the real reason they call it the fox HOLE court is - *exy ball hits my head, immediately killing me*

197 notes

😎 foxyknoxy

@ sports news.................

there are so many other ways you can say this

🐋 sexyexy

can i add another personal fav?

😎 foxyknoxy

how do they keep getting away with this

#the real question now is: #DOES kevin day top neil josten? DOES neil josten edge kevin day?

876 notes

👁 jean-mor-uhoh

asking exy fans "is he attractive or is he just tall and athletic" is so funny like - no no no we've accepted that he isn't attractive. he's just some guy. the most Some Guy some guy in the world. he probably uses 3 in 1 shampoo/conditioner/body wash and drives a big truck bc he thinks it looks manly. he has no discernable personality besides 'athlete' and listens to terrible country music. can he even read? questionable.

#you don't need to tell us #we know #the average looking rep we need!

960 notes

🥰 boytoyjeremyknox follow

I'M SICK OF NCAA EXY MIC DROPS !!!!!! KEVIN DAY NEVER WENT SKIING AND NOW I HAVE JEREMY KNOX IN MY FACE TELLING ME JEAN MOREAU IS A TROJAN??????????????? I CAN'T HANDLE THIS

#this is too MUCH i need PEACE and QUIET also omg hiiiii jere u look so slurpable covered in sweat

201 notes

🫡 exyisntreal follow

yeah espn+ is fun and all but then you get to the ad break and LIVE SPORTS! ESPN+ ORIGINALS! smacks you in the face and you regret everything

🧸 mreow-bearcats-mreow

had a dream once where riko moriyama was standing at the end of my bed like a sleep paralysis demon, stage whispering "LIVE SPORTS!" over and over

🫡 exyisntreal follow

girl r you like,,,, ok?

🧸 mreow-bearcats-mreow

no 👍

506 notes

👨🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻 talk-exy-to-me

kevin day????????! like from the fanfiction??!?!

405 notes

🏳️‍🌈 gay4stickball follow

seeing a player on campus is always a trip like logically i know you go to my school. we've shared classes. but this is MY coffee shop i frequent and your stupid exy ass should never be NEAR ME go back to the FANFICTION where you belong!!!!!!!!!!!

#leave me be

376 notes

🌸 a-softer-exy

neil josten x kevin day - hands

#neil josten #kevin day #psu #psu foxes #palmetto #0210 #kdnj #njkd #web weave #exy #hands

3,076 notes

[ninyard]

How good do you think the individual foxes actually are at exy? Like we know Kevin is like THE diva of exy, Andrew can be insanely good when he tries, we know Neil is steadily improving and it's also mentioned that Matt is quite good, but what about the rest of them? Cause I lowkey feel like Nicky kinda sucks ass noah fence.

i think nicky is the personality hire

im kidding okay be nice to nicky. he tries his best. he just wants to be in germany with his husband when all of a sudden he's playing SPORTS??!?!??!

i think purely based on the arrangement made by wymack it's POSSIBLE that nicky is the weakest on the team. but i don't think he's bad. or holding them back. necessarily. realistically regardless of the personal reasons why wymack would have anyone on the team i think all of them are there because they can play. i don't think he just gets random people with problems and hands them an exy racquet and a dream you know. he still scouts for the team and decides who to sign and who not to sign.

my kind heart wants to say they're all on the same level. okay it DOES. i think they're all talented and Good. i know they're not equal but i can't categorise them because i feel bad for the people that are lower bc i still think they're good just not AS good as the people above em. ive written a list out in order like half a dozen times and i just feel bad about ranking them above each other :( they all have their strengths okay!!!!!!!!!

like do i think allison is better than it seems she is because of how much she gave up for exy? do i think that matt is on par with neil, and could be a really strong backliner if he kept working towards it? do i think that dan is a really strong leader which makes her a better player? do i think that renee is possibly much stronger on the court than in goals for not a whole bunch of reasons but Because I Feel It To Be True?

[broken-heart-raven-queen]

I keep imagine how WILD it has to have been a 1st year Raven.

The first day speech being something like:

"All your friends and family?? Forget them, they are outsiders now. They'll never knoe the true spirit of and exy player. You are now better than them in every shape or for form.

If you had other dreams they end now and forever. You'll have to kys at like 40 when you can't play anymore, so don't even bother.

Anyways, welcome to Evermore we have cookies in the kitchen. They are made of 0% sugar and 100% brainwashing juice. Enjoy!"

But yeah in all seriusness, imagine being 18 and so excited bc the best team in the country saw potential in you and then finding out in the firts 20 minutes that you just signed yourself into a cult and you have to suck it up.

Maybe they just search for very lonely people (like all cults do) idk.

[afurtivecake]

had a dream where exy was an even crazier sport. instead of combining lacrosse and hockey, it combines lacrosse and parkour. instead of being totally flat on the ground, it’s played with thick foam platforms suspended from the ceiling. and players can jump from platform to platform and even use the wall as the surface to jump off of. basically it introduces the element of vertical movement to exy where players are prioritizing agility rather than power. contact is only allowed if you’ve got both feet on the ground. the goal is basically a large pot you have to fling the ball into. the goalkeepers have to defend this goal from ALL angles. when above the ground, you’re only allow to carry the ball one step; you HAVE to pass. that is, unless you’ve stolen the ball from your opponent, in which case you are allowed to carry the ball no more than five steps. Defense mainly stays on the ground. also, in my dream it was a sport played predominantly by women.

[luxxbean]

My educational Exy commentary, coming from a lacrosse player

I really hate people who write about playing exy itself and they’re like “andrew threw the ball at Kevin’s knees and he laughed and walked it off” like no. That shit hurts

I play lacrosse and I am a goalie (literally Andrew Minyard) and can just imagine him bulked up with the protective gear. The chest protectors alone make me look like Iron Man most of the time

I know that the exy goal is not necessarily a goal but just a fucking section of the wall and I need you guys to think about how IMPOSSIBLE that is to defend. There is twice the amount of area to cover with even less reaction time depending on the crease (?) around the goal. Kevin Day coming at you and side-arm shooting a ball 100 mph? I’m moving out of the way.

Now, give or take, the balls we use in lacrosse and the balls used in Exy seem to be the same. Which is truly not much of a comfort because they hurt

Helmets? Best invention yet. Saved me from tons of concussions

However: mouth guards being optional is something I have Up For Debate. With my helmet, I have no need for it- however, I stay in my secure spot at the goal for nearly the entire time. My teammates, helmet-less? No mouth guard = no teeth. Even with helmets, probably.

Wooden defense racquets: get rid of them please that sounds god awful ❤️

Plexiglass: hate it but I also thrive on the ball going out of bounds so I can steal it. Would be insane to bounce balls off the wall to my teammates tho I kind of wish we had that

Now, the goalie box around the goal is something I want to touch on yet again. There is absolutely no way to stop people from going in there; rules or not, it will happen. What happens if they do?? For my sake and yours I hope it has the same rules as lacrosse does. Give goalie the ball + shot is nullified. Simply because I love to yell at people in my space

Nora please I really need more rules for Exy can the goalkeepers score. In men’s lacrosse they can, but in women’s? In my dreams. However, Exy is coed. Give me answers please (if it’s in the books forgive me I have not read in two years)

Now. If anything I have said sounds off. It’s because I know little to nothing about men’s lacrosse. Mainly, because they stink. Other than that, though, is because I don’t care enough to learn their rules.

thank you for your time 🥲

[orange-foxes]

Social Media

📱 The Truth Behind It by wematch (3k)

Neil finally makes a Twitter account the year after he leaves the Foxes. His PR has been nagging him about making a social media account since he joined the team but ultimately he uses it to annoy Andrew. Of course things escalate and the rumours of a rivalry between the two form, that is until Neil clarifies everything.

📱 Catfish by likearecord (22k)

There’s very little Andrew likes less than being tricked, but not knowing things does make the cut. He stands, throws his messenger bag over his shoulder, grabs his coffee, and stomps over to slide into the chair across from the guy. He looks up at Andrew with a flash of calculated flight or fight in his eyes, but he quickly smooths this over and affixes a look of polite interest on his face. “Can I help you?” “Are you on Grindr?” Andrew asks. Bluntly.  “Uh,” the guy says, looking more confused. “I don’t know. What is it?”  “It’s a hookup app gay men use.”  “Oh,” he says, frowning. “No, I’m definitely not on that.”  “Because you don’t do gay men?”  The guy shrugs. “Because I don’t do hookups.”

📱 Funky Happenings with the Fox Family by dobbypussypopper (29k)

naughtygayweedcrime: did I rlly just see neil say woke naughtygayweedcrime: what a surreal timeline we live in dumbfool: allison is trying to teach me how to meme so I can get hip naughtygayweedcrime: bless your poor soul davidwymack: sometimes I regret living davidwymack has muted exyllent, damnwilds, + 7 others for 30 minutes

📱 The societies we despise by This_Witch_Writes (5k)

Technically it all started because of two cats. Andrew’s phone number had been leaked and he was waiting on a new sim card. So when Neil saw the cats, one black and one ginger, play fighting beside the Chicago Bean, he had tweeted the picture to him instead of texting it. An innocent enough tweet on the surface, tagging Andrew and adding the caption “us”. To Neil, Andrew and their family, an obvious and even uncharacteristically sappy statement of long-held affection. To exy fans on the internet, a declaration of war.

📱 Reputation by lemonicee (8k)

The rise and fall of the Minyard-Josten Rivalry. Usually when Neil starts shit in a post-game press interview, he does it on purpose. This time, he really just meant for it to be a joke. “How do you feel about the possibility of ending up on a team with a former Fox teammate?” is the next question. “Great,” Neil answers, sincere. “I would love to play with Matt or Kevin again.” “What about Minyard? Would you sign with Atlanta?” Neil says, “Andrew? He’s a nightmare.” He knows it’s a joke. His team knows it’s a joke. Andrew will know it’s a joke. The press does not seem to know that it’s a joke.

📱 likes: exy by djhedy (32k)

Allison: ok look I have an idea Neil: oh no Allison: you’re not going to love it Neil: I already said oh no Allison: we should sign you up to tinder! Neil: …how do you leave whatsapp

📱 all that i’ve been dreaming of by bazookajo94 (5k)

Exy fanboy Neil Josten stumbles across roleplaying Twitter accounts. Lonely and curious, he requests one for literally any of the players from the professional exy team Palmetto State Foxes. Someone calling themselves rp_aaaaaminyard03 responds. Andrew Minyard, bored with life, the universe, and everything, makes a fake roleplay account on Twitter. He is roleplaying himself. He is rp_aaaaaminyard03.

📱 In Which Neil Josten is a PR Nightmare by CoverYourEyes (14k wip)

Eve was not the best person in the world. Sometimes she didn’t hold the elevator open when she saw people rushing to catch it from the other side of the lobby. Cutting the line at Starbucks was a semi-regular action. But Eve did not deserve to be Neil fucking Josten's publicist. ********** Or, the one where Neil does what he wants, picks fights with reporters, discovers Twitter, breaks the internet, and really shouldn't be allowed out of his house. Andrew does nothing to discourage him.

📱please tell me it's just the fandom freaking out by OneSweetMelody

Neil Josten @neiljos10 Sadly @ajminyard isn’t too excited about that face off Neil Josten @neiljos10 Maybe @ajminyard will learn how to block an offside bouncer before then. Or any shot.

📱 Talk All Night for Nothing by ipromisetostaywild (20k)

Andrew Minyard is a vlogger on YouTube, doing quite well for himself despite the fact that he never shows his face to the camera. He may just change his no-face policy, however, after meeting a certain vlogger who wants to do a collaboration. OR Andrew edits other people’s videos, makes his own, & becomes totally smitten with a blue-eyed boy.

📱 We Never Go Out Of Style by dancingongasoline (28k)

“Allison is pretty famous around the younger celebs,” Renee said when she saw Andrew’s eyes linger on the mass of people slowly filtering into the room. “There’s a lot of people here; didn’t think it was this anticipated.” Andrew murmured, leaning closer into Renee’s side. The woman hummed, her eyes straying from row to row. “It’s probably because Neil is gonna walk.” Andrew had heard that name before. Neil Josten. Or Neil is a supermodel at the height of his career, and Andrew is a famous actor from the Marvel franchise.

📱 We'll Make It Happen by honorarystar (2k)

“Why would I want to share pictures of my personal life with strangers though?” Neil slumped down in his seat on the lounge couch. He wished that he had waited for Andrew instead of getting to practice early. This could have been avoided. “It’s Instagram. Who cares?” Allison was looking at Neil like he was the insane one for not grasping this concept.

📱 POV: Your best friend is Neil Josten by NeilsStrawberries (3k)

Allison Reynolds is not only a talented Exy player and renowned fashion designer, but also an extremely famous blogger. A little while ago, she started a new trend: POV: Your best friend is Neil Josten. * Or, a sequence of videos recorded by Alliso

[ashestoashes7]

sorry one wasn’t enough, ‘interesting’ content please <33

- @you-know-i-get-itt

sure, I’m having fun working on them <33

WIP Game

- Interesting -

The US Court is meant for die-hard Exy players, addicts, those who look upon an Exy racquet with a desperate devotion it cannot possibly deserve. Any descriptor one could possibly dream up is so far from Andrew Minyard they aren’t even on the same continent.

Andrew wasn’t going to be Court, the thought itself was so ridiculous he wouldn’t even speak it aloud to disparage it. Making it to his senior year was no guarantee, contemplating what it would be like to drag his hand across Olympic symbols stenciled on the walls of a custom-built stadium would be a waste of all of their time.

Idealistic, Andrew had said to his face time and time again. One of the many incredulous exclamations Andrew had so kindly provided whenever Kevin got particularly emphatic, laughter tearing itself from his throat until the drugs fell away and he could bury his disbelief in cigarettes and smoke. A glance over the edge a little too close for Bee’s liking and the absurdity hit him in full force.

Finished Now

[eeriepavuk]

Another one of my “Have you ever..” thoughts.

Okay so. Do you think Riko ever loved someone? And I don't mean how a person looks, it's more about inner qualities. Riko is a bad person, we can’t say otherwise. He made a lot of bad decisions and torture people and his death, as for me, seems like a logical ending to his story, but we can’t just assume that he always was like that. He was a child once too. He was drawing numbers on his and Kevin’s cheeks using markers, saying that they both will be the best players, he wanted attention from his family, he wanted to prove himself worthy, he saw Kevin as a brother at the start, he was a child. I’m just wondering what was before everything, before Riko become sadistic and manipulative individual. Do you think he ever looked at his older brother with love, dreaming about becoming like Ichirou or was there a time when abandoned Riko genuinely believed if he would be the best in exy his family will pay attention to him. Nill always say us how traumatic it was for Kevin seeing Nathan killing a person in front of everyone, but what about Riko? Riko know what violence is from his abusive uncle, but he never get involved in main family business, so what if he never saw a bloody murder before, what if this moment affected him too. What if he dreamed about being loved, what if he tried to give love but it wasn’t successful, not in his family. Kevin and Jean was as a gift to him to his perfect team, but they were sold, they didn’t wanna be with Riko, they don’t love Riko, and as more sadistic he become as more people start to be afraid of him. And Riko, who grow up like a small prince with the only one desire to be noticed become cruel as he will never get what he wanted, as he never will be a king, as he don’t see other way to express his feelings but violence.

Damn I hate him, but MY GOD he’s a good villain and I want to know more about him. I want to write about his childhood 😔

Sorry for possible grammar mistakes, I was writing it on emotions and my English sometimes kinda sucks

[constelationprize]

hello! 8 and 18 for ask game? owo

8. Common fanon opinion everyone is wrong about

This one might come to bite me in the ass very very soon but I hate hate hate the idea that Jeremy or the Trojans have to be Jean's white knights to the point it actively hurts their characterization.

One example is, of course, the classic "Jeremy calls out/hits Kevin for leaving Jean behind" because it is the most ATROCIOUS of the already plenty horrible fanon takes around Kevin fleeing the Nest. It doesn't make sense for any of the characters involved and it does not fit the situation.

But the one that I hate the most, and am constantly in fear of seeing become true in the next two books, is the Trojans getting a red card for defending Jean. I get why that would be cathartic in theory, but let me put this bluntly, it would be a dogshit writing decision.

The point of the Trojans being "pacifists", and them being Jean's new start, is that he needs to know he can live his life without violence, even in self defence. They address this in TSC in a way that I found very well explored, in that them refusing to play dirty is not a superiority complex or naive; it is a very deliberate, constant choice they make to not rely on having to put down others to be successful. It makes them work harder, it makes them better players. It's not like the Trojans don't check people, it's not like they play a secret kind of Exy that's not a contact sport, they simply don't throw punches and they don't do cheap shots.

The Trojans are, narratively, the polar opposite of the Ravens. That's why Jean is sent there to heal. Breaking the no red card streak cheapens that. It sends the message that non-violence is never a viable option. That wanting it does in fact make him weak.

Moreover, past the momentary catharsis of seeing Jean being defended, the consequences are not worth it. The Trojans would have their legacy tainted forever, and it would be ultimately Jean's "fault" even if he is not the one carded, and he's already being portrayed as a problem player by the media. Not to mention Jeremy, whose whole entire goal is to become the first Trojan captain to bring home a Championship first place trophy, and that would be cut at the knees by the red card. It would ruin his legacy as well. This would ruin both their character arcs because it would cut off the possibility of Jean being accepted as a true Trojan and Jeremy realizing his dream.

Either that, or it would be portrayed as a universally loved decision with no consequences, which would plain and simple just be bad writing.

Not a single good option here!!!!

18. it's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on...

I'm gonna be so fucking real right now.

This fandom NEEDS freaks. I think it's very curious how in a series with extremely dark topics wanting to engage with those topics in any way that is not black and white is so widely persecuted. Even the main characters, who are actual murderers, are more often toned down into soft, defanged versions of themselves that have never suffered and never done anything wrong than put in scenarios where they can be morally gray or truly dark. And it's crazy because at the same time the amount of straight up torture porn in fics is insane. But that's only allowed as long as it is our righteous protagonists suffering bravely before the evildoers getting run off a cliff Disney villain style.

TSC gave us so much interesting Raven content but that has made no ripple in the fandom at all because Ravens Bad.

My favorite example of this, also, is Riko. Riko is a very fascinating character, and even if you personally think that he does not deserve redemption, he makes such a fun villain. But so often in fics he's like this cartoonish bad guy not only in the sense of no depth at all but also in the sense that he's like ridiculous. Like he's not a good Exy player and he can't really do anything to hurt Neil or the Foxes which is just. Patently untrue.

People forget so often that EVERY time that Neil goes against Riko, the consequences outweigh the rewards. Every time but one. Neil's constant antagonizing of Riko is what gets Seth killed, it's what gets Andrew assaulted, it's what gets the Foxes constantly harassed, it's what gets him tortured for two weeks and then sent back out looking like bait for his father's people. There is direct correlation between every time that they meet and/or publicly mention each other and a bad thing that happens. And I'm not saying that it's Neil's fault, or that he shouldn't have stood up to Riko – I'm saying that pretending that Riko doesn't have power, that he's not a threat, is stupid. This is literally the key to their dynamic, and I don't understand why people think that the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist of the story should be the protagonist winning 100% of the time.

This also extends to ships. I understand not wanting to read toxic dynamics, but that's what the ao3 filters are for, not making it a cornerstone part of the fandom culture that you should not want to explore them.

This is a fandom where people are afraid, with good reason, of taking risks. And it makes the mainstream fanon content boring as hell.

[kevinsdsy]

headcanons – nabil mahmoud, #17: junior

nabil mahmoud was only mentioned like three times in the sunshine court and of course i had to immediately built my own headcanons around him so here we go i guess hehe

first, and foremost, nabil mahmoud is a north african man 🫡 my original headcanon was for him to be a moroccan man (self projecting), but since i’m fancasting ameziane as nabil, i’ve moved on from moroccan to algerian.

nabil is muslim !! i think this was quite obvious from the book, since it was mentioned he’s the last one on the court, because he couldn’t gear up until after prayers, but it’s so important to me i want to acknowledge it <333

now moving on to a bit a more controversial topic since he’s muslim. i also headcanon him to have a situationship with tony. because i’m nothing without my lgbt muslim headcanons (i did it first with laila dermott and nabil mahmoud is my second victim)

i might do a whole other post about tony & nabil headcanons but let me start easy off

also tony is one of the trojans assistant’s and idek how old the assistants are supposed to be but for the sake of my own sanity and headcanons lets say tops 2 years older so i can live within my own delusions hehe.

even though nabil is an exy player for the trojans he’s actually really good when it comes to playing football (soccer) too, since he grew up playing football on the streets with his childhood friends and father.

daddy issues !! because what are we without our daddy issues.

he’s got a great bond with his mother though, he talks a lot with her on the phone, but he rarely visits due to avoiding his father.

most summers he’s everywhere and nowhere but last year he’s stayed with tony and his family (subtly pushing my situationship agenda).

since it’s confirmed he studies architecture he dreams off bringing his own modern switch to north african architecture (it’s STUNNING he has a vision)

religious trauma due to him dealing with his sexuality, been there done that.

since nabil and cat are juniors they’re actually really close friends. and as i said before i headcanon to laila to be a sapphic muslim. so i imagine cat and nabil grew closer together when he opened up about his sexuality and his feelings with religion.

laila is his standing pillar within the trojans they’re besties in my mind.