#i’m literally in love with jeremy knox thanks

[exyconfessions]

jeremy knox was my gay awakening, like i ran into him once and he was so nice and i was standing there like this (o/////o " )

we chatted for a little bit after he helped me pick up my stuff because i’d dropped and he told me that he played exy at usc.

i ended up checking it, and promptly decided to support the worst team in class 1 exy. (sorry jeremy, you’re cute but i love an underdog)

this season has literally been insane, and i think that i might be a little bit in love with neil josten

(also, i’ve been stalking this page for a little bit, and from my understanding the dealer is the person the moves in between offense and defense to try and get the ball in their team’s possession. that’s why you can offensive and defensive dealers. i’d say it’s one of the more complicated positions on the court. they definitely deserve way more attention than they get most of the time. there’s a reason the entire game starts with them.)

.

[hozierbyrne]

Hi! Do you have any lengthy romance fic recs?!? Anything is great tbh!

hi!! i think for me, lengthy would be ~100k or more, so that's what i'll include in the list below! if you want a bit shorter (i have so many bookmarks in the 50k - 100k range let me know!!) and uh if there's a specific fandom or pairing... also feel free to drop back by and let me know!

upon our silver bridge (mdzs, lan xichen x jiang wanyin, post-canon, canon divergence, 443k+) - yeah okay this pairing is not my !! usual !! i know i know. BUT the mythology incorporated in this fic was SO cool and there are FOOTNOTES, and the writing and the character development is really beautiful. also, LONG.

love, in fire and blood (mdzs, lan wangji x wei wuxian, canon divergence, arranged marriage au, 360k+) - back to my ROOTS baby!! this one is a SLOWWW burn with some lovely moments of domesticity and a dose of political intrigue. and they're in loooove they just have. valid concerns about their whole situation!!

you can tell everybody this is your song (911, eddie diax x evan buckley, canon divergence, 470k+ over 24 works) - yes this is the fireman show, yes one of the firemen just told the other fireman that he's named him legal guardian of his son if something happens to him. IN CANON. anyway this is the creme de la creme of 911 writers and also this series is much better than the actual show. characters true to form, good writing, and the Romance and Drama of it all... unmatched.

it starts in the middle (carry on, simon snow x baz pitch, college au, 130k) - okay HEADS UP this is written in first person and jumps from narrator to narrator to match the style of the carry on books, so if that's not your jam it's not your jam! that being said it's well-written and it's all about the *clenches fist* love you find in places you don't expect, if only you let yourself see it.

lessons in cartography (aftg, neil josten x andrew minyard, post-canon, 121k+ and a sequel that's ~70k if you're vibin with it) - this is the classic canon continuation but i'm trying to hit a range of fandoms here so i couldn't in good conscience leave it off! i don't know that they're uh, romantic in some senses but like they Love Each Other Very Much.

playing on (aftg, jean moreau x jeremy knox, canon-compliant, 142k+) - this fic is probably the best aftg fic i've read in terms of making exy seem like a sport! so much of jeremy's life is wrapped up in being the captain of a division i college program and this fic reflects that thank god. author understands how a sport works UNLIKE NORA but anyway. jeremy, jean, falling in love and staying in love.

switch (star trek aos, jim kirk x leonard mccoy, academy era, canon divergence, 230k+) - sorry i literally include this fic in every fic rec list i have ever made but. it's just that good. len mccoy pov, and he's so dry and whip-smart and also so empathetic!! and he loves jim before he ~loves~ him you know and i fuck with that!! it's my favorite fic honestly like it's literally in my ebooks library with a cover i drew i really feel passionate about this one lmao maybe i should reread it

[figuringthengsout]

Artistic souls and wedding bands

"Jean!"

The screams echoed through the halls.

"Moreau!"

Jean looked at Jeremy, panic in his eyes. Jeremy just smirked. "Oh shit, you in trouble."

Sara came storming through their door. Jean freezed.

She was standing in the middle of the room, hands propped on her hips, wet hair from the shower and a pen behind her ear.

"Jeremy get out, you can't keep a secret." She didn't even look at him, but he still followed her instructions. So much for a captain.

She brought Jeremy's chair in front of Jean's bed, gestured for a piece of paper, sat down and crossed her legs. "Look, Moreau, we have only three days to perfect this, okay? I need your artistic soul to help me sort things out."

She waited for a bit, straining her neck to listen to something. Jean didn't hear anything. He didn't know what was going on. She yelled.

"Jeremy Augustus Knox! I know you are out there eavesdropping on us, go away!"

A groan came from behind the door and Jean heard heavy foosteps on the carpeted floor. Sara smiled at him, he thought it looked a bit crazy, a bit strained. "Wait a minute, my dear Jean."

She stood up and opened the door with so much force that Jean closed his eyes instinctively. Jeremy yelped.

"Faking retreating footsteps stopped working on me when I was six, Augustus."

Jeremy whined. "Come on, Sara, you know I'm curious."

"No." She crossed her arms.

Jeremy huffed. "Please?"

"No, Augustus. You'll ruin it."

Jeremy stomped his feet, he literally stomped his feet and turned away. Jean couldn't believe him. "Augustus isn't even my name."

"See, Knox, you keep your secrets, I keep mine. Good evening." She slammed the door shut and came back to the chair, picked up the paper and smiled at Jean. "So, my dear boy, where were we?"

Jean looked at her. "I... don't have a clue?"

"Right. Me neither."

"Ok, what do you need to plan? In three days?"

She said nothing. Jean waited her out, he repeated the question, waved his hands in front of her eyes. Nothing.

"Sara?" He touched her shoulder.

"Can we lay down?"

And yeah, Jean could do that, after two years of their friendship, after two years with the Trojans. He could do it, but he was still worried for his friend. "We can, but promise you'll talk to me after."

"Pinkie promise." Jean linked his pinkie finger with her and lead her down to the mattress. They were both tall and the space wasn't enough, but they had grown so familiar with each other that Jean couldn't help but describe the situation as comfortable. There were no other words.

They stayed like that for a bit, Jean stroking her back and Sara twirling the pen in her fingers. After a while she scooted near him and put a hand over his ear, like kids do to whisper their secrets. Jean loved her so much.

"I'm going to propose to Laila."

Jean freezed. He wasn't expecting that. Admittedly it was better than anything that had crossed his mind when he had seen Sara so distressed, but this? This was crazy. This was such a Sara thing.

He blanked for a bit. "But you're only 22?"

She immediately got up. "Yeah, and so what? I already have a contract to play for one of the best teams out there, I might be Court in a couple of years, I already rented a house, I already have the ring-"

Now it was Jean's turn to get up. "Wait, what? The ring?!"

"-and I already asked her father."

Jean choked on air. "You what?! Sara, what the fuck? You've been thinking this since when?"

"Three years ago." She crossed her arms over her chest. "When I first saw her."

Jean fell back on his bed. "You're crazy."

She kept staring stubbornly ahead.

He covered his face with his hands. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"You'd better, because she's going to say yes."

She hugged him.

///

"So, we have everything, right?"

Jean started ticking things off the list as he spoke. "The keys to the court, fairy lights, music, the flowers, 100 gold helium balloons and 100 red helium ballons. You have the ring, I have the cd, Jeremy has Laila. Yes, everything's ready."

"Try the lights."

Jean shut off every light in the stadium except for the one at the center. The fairy lights glittered on the ceiling and around the strings of the ballons: the red ones in the shape of an heart in the middle of the court and the gold ones like an enchanted forest tracing the path to the center, right under the light. The court had never smelled this good: the roses and the lilies covering the floor, painting everything red and white. Jean liked it.

"I like it."

"Yeah, me too."

"Come here." He hugged her, he knew she was scared. She was happy, but terrified at the same time. Jean didn't know it was possible.

They stayed there for a while, under the fairy lights, hugging each other and grinning like fools. It felt like winning.

Coach Rhemann came over interrupting them. "Alvarez."

"Coach."

"You're one of my best players" Jean squeezed her arm, where he was still holding her. "and one of the best people I know. She'll say yes."

"I know." She nodded.

Jean was so proud of her.

"Come on, go get your girl."

"Thanks, coach." She hugged him and a tear streaked her cheek.

"You're welcome, Sara."

Coach Rhemann went to open the gates of the stadium to let Jeremy and Laila in. They had used an excuse to convince her to come here on a Sunday. Jeremy was in charge of the video and Jean of the music. Before leaving Sara at the entrance of the court he hugged her another time.

"Ok, leave me now or I'm going to cry."

He patted her back and smiled. "Don't worry, Sara."

"I'm not."

"I know." He chuckled and started to walk towards the speakers. He turned. "Oh, and, Alvarez, you clean up good."

She huffed and lifted her middle finger. "Fuck off, Moreau."

"Now I recognize you."

She smiled. He jogged to the speakers.

///

Of course Laila said yes. Jeremy cried more than everyone else and coach Rhemann opened a bottle of champagne he had hidden for the occasion.

Jean was so happy for the both of them that he didn't even got angry when he and Jeremy got stuck cleaning the court. He kept the flowers, he thought they'd look nice at the dorms.

He was walking back from the court when his phone buzzed with a text from Sara: "And, Jean, I'll need a bestman now."

Jean grinned: "My artistic soul is available."

[wesawbears]

ohhh i love your writing!!! could you maybe do “You’re trembling.” for the dialogue prompts?? You obviously don't have to if you don't want to :)))

Thank you!!! I hope you enjoy!! I hope Jerejean is okay.

--

To put it mildly, Jean was not accustomed to being touched gently. The last gentle hand he remembers is his mother’s, touching his face as she sent him away. He has long since forgotten the words she spoke, and even her face is cloudy to him now, but the memory of the touch of her hand on his cheek was a balm for the eleven years he spent at Evermore.

He feared he would never be touched gently again, until Renee came for him with soothing words and hands cradling his face. He flinched away from her, but she didn’t judge him for it, only held him fiercely and pulled him out like an avenging angel.

Jean does not flinch for Jeremy Knox, or any of the Trojans. He treats their handshakes like acts of violence and answers in kind. To Jean, the Trojan Court is a battlefield, and Jean, raised for war, sees the other players as landmines to be avoided.

Jeremy, on the other hand, is naturally tactile. Jean sees how he seeks out his friends’ touch, leans into it like a flower tilts up toward the sun and Jean cannot fathom what it must be like to trust someone enough for that.

It takes time, but he and Jeremy eventually form a genuine friendship. Still, he sees how careful Jeremy is to respect his boundaries and while it’s kind, he won’t let Jeremy deny himself what he needs because of Jean. He trusts Jeremy with this .

“I am not a spooked animal,” he says, watching Jeremy perch himself on Jean’s bed.

Jeremy twists his hands nervously. “I know. I just don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

Jean puts his book away and moves closer to him, pressing their knees together. “I will not always be okay with this. But I can try. I can get better. This is good.”

Jeremy’s sweet smile lights up the room.

--

Jeremy was not a stranger to physical affection. He had grown up in a family of huggers and while he would never cross someone’s boundaries, he’s the first to offer a literal shoulder to cry on or a hug of congratulations.

That said, his fear of touching Jean wasn’t entirely based on concern for Jean. Jeremy in a romantic context became more guarded in his touch. He craved it, but he’d been in bad relationship before, been told he was needy and clingy, so it’s just easier to stay away, to put off the hurt.

But when Jean holds him the first time and traces his hand over his face like he’s something to be cherished, something inside Jeremy breaks.

He doesn’t realize it until Jean tilts Jeremy’s head up, frowning. “You’re trembling.”

Jeremy shakes his head and brings Jean’s hand to his chest. “I’m fine, I promise. Just don’t go away, please.”

Jean nods, but he still has that adorable furrow in his brow that Jeremy wants to smooth away with his thumb, his lips, anything. “I won’t, Jere. But I need you to talk to me.”

“I just never thought it would feel like this.”

Jean smiles. “Like what?” he asks, lifting Jeremy’s hand to kiss it.

Jeremy lets out a sigh. “Like that. Safe. Good. Special.”

Jean presses a kiss to his temple. “You are safe. I will never hurt you.” He moves to Jeremy’s wrist. “You are good. You are so good. You deserve good things. And I will give them to you.” He ends with a kiss to his cheek. “You are so special and precious to me, my love. Don’t forget that.”

Jeremy surges forward and kisses him soundly. “Thank you.”

Jean shakes his head. “I love you. I need no thanks for that.”

They fall asleep, together, and happy, and so, so loved.

[aftgexchange]

Pinch hits #6-24

Pinch-hits are up!

These are all the prompts that were unfilled because their person dropped out or hasn’t posted their gift, and a pinch-hit is when someone volunteers to pick it up so no one is left without a gift

Please only volunteer if you can finish a pinch-hit within the next week (by the 19th Dec)

You don’t have to have signed up for the exchange to pick one

First come, first serve

Send me an ask with the # you’d like and I’ll let you know who it’s for

Minimum requirements for each kind of gift are here

All claimed, thank you!!

#6 TAKEN Would like: Art, Fic, Graphics/Edits, Headcanons, Playlist Andreil, kandreil, jerejean, rikev, twindreil, any ichirou ship... basically any but Renison, that one's just not my thing. Raven aus, dark aus w/o character death, hurt/comfort or angsty fluff, but anything lbr NSFW is fine

Would not like: Character death or Renison   #7 TAKEN Would like: Art, Fic, Headcanons Andreil, jerejean, Matt and Dan. Platonic foxes or Trojans Hypothermia (with bed sharing) First snowfall with the cats Neil's first real Christmas NSFW is fine

Would not like: No kandreil. No Riko without comeuppance. No non con or bdsm   #8 TAKEN Would like: Art, Fic, Graphics/Edits Andrew, Aaron, Neil, Jeremy, Jean, Andrew x Neil, Aaron x Katelyn, Jeremy x jean, anything about the foxes in general 1) The twinyards coming to a resolution - can be about their relationship in general or a given situation in which they need to come together 2) Andrew and Neil - long distance. Maybe they can't see each other over the Christmas period due to scheduling, they make it work 3) Jean intending to spend his first Christmas out of the nest alone, the Trojans show him that that's not a possibility 4) Any au situation where Andrew and Neil meet for the first time. Can be outside of college, can be in a high school setting or just after graduation (could even be in a college setting but can't be Exy related) 5) The foxes doing something for Neil that he doesn't expect. Andrew going out of his way to make it happen 6) Aaron spending Christmas with Katelyn and away from his family NSFW is fine

Would not like: Kevin x Aaron, Matt x Aaron, Riko as a main character   #9 TAKEN Would like: Art, Fic, Headcanons, I have a preference for rare ships. I'm happy to receive anything, but honestly, I have these 'weird' ships like... Seth/Allison/Neil as an example. I just like rare things that look like they'd be interesting to experiment with! I like Barista/Coffeeshop AUs, as often as they crop up. Soulmate AUs, Wingfics, supernatural beings... vampires, werewolves, centaurs. I don't mind I just like them. All and any of them. And obviously, I'm fine with them being in other situations as themselves or as they were in canon. It's fine, I don't mind. NSFW is fine   #10 TAKEN Would like: Art Kandreil (this would make me extremely happy), or I guess Andreil is also good MagicAU or Fantasy AU; SoulmateAU; anything like that (I also really love angst) NSFW is fine   #11 TAKEN

Would like: Art, Fic, Headcanons Raven!Neil, JereJean, Dan/Matt, Allison/Seth, Katelyn/Aaron, Andreil, Laila/Alvarez, Renee/Jean, Nicky/Erik Raven!Neil (preferably finding/after finding Andrew); any type of recovery (ie Andrew or Neil or Jean accepting their scars); angst ending in fluff (like Jean or Neil explaining how they never celebrated the winter holiday)

Would not like: Riko/anyone, Renee/Allison, Neil/Andrew/Kevin and no explicit nsfw (can be alluded to but nothing more) please.   #12 TAKEN

Would like: Art, Fic, Graphics/Edits, Headcanons Any of the foxes even Wymack or bee or Abby tbh I'll be happy with anything Maybe neil or Andrew being jealous for the first time in their life? Aaron and katelyn- how they must've started? Or something bout Aaron and Neil becoming friends I live for that. Something with Mary in it? NSFW is fine

#13 TAKEN

Would like: Art, Fic, Graphics/Edits, Headcanons, Playlist Any ships/characters aside from Riko 1. one of the foxes giving neil an ugly Christmas jumper 2. neil and kevin trying to do a Christmas shop 3. wymack insisting on a team Christmas dinner No NSFW please   #14TAKEN

Would like: Fic, Headcanons, Jerejean!! Andreil, the Trojans -slow burn jerejean -JEREJEAN FIRST TIME -always down for some good nsfw (kinky, soft, normal whatever) -sexual frustration between jerejean or andreil (and then resolved) -angsty with happy ending for either couple NSFW is fine

Would not like: Nothing about riko and any of the characters as a ship, don't like ichirou with any pairing either.. not really looking for kandreil or major character deaths   #15 TAKEN

Would like: Art, Fic, Graphics/Edits, Playlist Andreil, Jerejean, Keremy, Kerejean, Jean Moreau, Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten, Jeremy Knox playing with hair, witch au, smiley soft mornings, mermaid au, NSFW is fine No Drake   #16 TAKEN Would like: Art, Fic, Graphics/Edits, Headcanons Andrew/Neil, Andrew/Neil/Kevin, Neil/Jean 1. Magical (I.E Neil is a werefox) 2. Andrew is a detective 3. Professor AU (I.E. Andrew is criminal prof, Neil is landuage prof, Nicky is religious, etc)" NSFW is fine

Would not like: Explicit rape, Riko with anyone   #17 TAKEN

Would like: Fic, Headcanons Andrew/Neil or Jean/Jeremy Either a Christmas ski trip with the Foxes and Trojans or maybe just a Christmas party NSFW is fine, no Kevin/Aaron please   #18 TAKEN

Would like: Art, Fic, Graphics/Edits, Headcanons, Playlist Andrew/jean, Andrew/Neil, Andrew/Kevin/Neil, Jean/Jeremy, Riko, Neil/Matt, Neil/Seth, Neil/aaron holes au where Andrew is Madam Zeroni's great great grandson and Neil is Stanley yelnats  Au where riko isn't killed but instead gets kicked out of exy by ichirou and goes to live in the countryside where he meets a house servant ichrou hires who he falls in love with and they go on cute dates 1920's matt/neil where neil cross dresses as a lounge singer so he can marry matt who play piano and they play at a speakeasy together. NSFW is fine

Would not like: character death non-canon, guro, unhappy ending, dying of old age   #19 TAKEN

Would like: Art, Fic, Headcanons Andrew, Neil (together or separately), Jeremy and Jean (together or separate), Matt, Kevin, nicky Life before the foxes, life after the foxes, enemies to lovers, little quirks they like their friends to do/to do to their friends (pet names? Casual touching? Sign me tf up), will literally accept anything soft or that will make me cry, or both NSFW is fine

Would not like: Riko in any capacity other than how he affected the character the gift is about. Aaron as a "misunderstood good guy," if it's about Matt please don't make him white (or any of them but Andrew and Jean really but Matt is a hard pass)   #20 TAKEN

Would like: Art, Fic Neil/Andrew ; Kevin Day; Laila/Alvarez ; Nicky Hemmick; Allison Reynolds; Neil&Kevin I prefer canon compliant content for all the following prompts:: Fluff or Brotp stuff ; Fashion (or fashion disaster) ; Camping in Tents NSFW is fine

Would not like:

Moriyamas, angst

#21 TAKEN Would like: Art, Fic, Headcanons, Playlist Aaron, Seth, Kevin, Renee, Jean, Nicky Kevin/Aaron Aaron/Katelyn Renee/Jean Nicky/Erik Kevin/Thea Laila/Alvarez Jean/Neil Seth/Allison Seth/Aaron Home alone AU, A lonely Christmas when they're a child and then a Christmas as an adult with the family they made, a family dinner where they're meeting the family for the first time, secret santa au where they got a menial gift but it was always want they wanted as a kid but never got it because of whatever reason, the first winter without having to worry about their survival, hot cocoa and gingerbread house contest No infidelity, NSFW is fine   #22 TAKEN Would like: Art, Fic, Headcanons,  Andreil Coffee shop au!! the foxes catching a glimpse of Andreil softness! Andreil softness in general, Andreil playing pro exy on the same team, foxes' snow day at Palmetto NSFW is fine

Would not like:

Kandreil     #23 TAKEN Would like: Art, Fic Any of the Monsters, and ship wise andreil or kevaaron  Tattoo, coffee shop, florist, harry potter, and historical aus are my favorite. Im super into the twins having curly hair and or glasses. Dramatic sassy one liners are the key to my heart! NSFW is fine

Would not like

Focus on side/minor characters, or angst/dark thoughts   #24 TAKEN Would like: Art, Fic, Graphics/Edits, Headcanons, Playlist Andreil, jerejean, renison Soulmate au, fake dating or just something fluffy and/or smut NSFW is fine No mpreg please

[wesawbears]

Choose between Kevin Day and Actual Sunshine Jeremy

!!!!!!! BUT I-*sigh* i literally waffle on this daily, but I'm gonna go with the love of my life Jeremy Knox today. (ILU KEVIN STILL)Thanks!!!