#imagine everyone thinking katelyn is gonna fuck it up

[ninyard]

I don’t think having Katelyn testify for the defense would be a good idea tbh, sure she could say good things about Aaron but she could very easily hurt Andrew’s credibility if the prosecution asked about him, I don’t think she’d be a good liar at all

oh YEAH good point

i would hope that if they did ask her about andrew, the defense would strike it as irrelevant because the case isn’t about andrew and she’s there as a character witness for aaron, but then again if aaron’s whole defense is that it was done homicide in defense of andrew then possibly they would have to ask? idrk. she’d be really healthy for aaron’s case but i could see her history with andrew not working in andrew’s favour especially if they’re trying to find a way to discredit him, but katelyn wasn’t there and whatever relationship she has with andrew is surely irrelevant to the night in question specifically

but i also think katelyn is smart and knows what’s best for aaron, she knows how much he loves his brother, so i can’t really see her throwing andrew under the bus intentionally or accidentally (and she’s spent a year watching andrew and aaron trying their hardest to heal and i imagine aaron comes to her with more positive stories about andrew since they started seeing bee) ((not that that really matters))

[charlotlie]

i’m procrastinating studying for my finals & ive been on marauders & aftg tiktok for too long so here it is: my take on the aftg characters as taylor swift songs

- neil: you’re on your own kid (the neil josten anthem, especially the bridge), getaway car (I SWEAR IM NOT TRYING TO BE FUNNY), snow on the beach (tbh i always see this as an andreil song, but it’s just like: neil had never expected to fall for andrew or even trust him in the beginning, so the fact that they’re even falling? fucking weird. also, the line, “you wanting me, tonight, feels impossible” like the idea of someone wanting to touch him without wanting to hurt him ahshajsgs)

- andrew: daylight (just listen), anti-hero (this could very well apply to all the foxes, but the line, “i wake up screaming from dreaming // one day i’ll watch as you’re leaving // cause you got tired of my scheming” seems to be his perspective on nearly all of his relationships), evermore (for me, this song is largely about depression and, tbh, i’ve been reading too many andrew character studies lately, and “that this pain would be for evermore” hurts SO bad when you’re thinking about him. then the song develops, and ends with, maybe this pain isn’t forever. im gonna write a fic on this i swear.)

- aaron: delicate (“my reputation’s never been worse so, you must like me for me” him & katelyn after the whole drake incident im crying so hard😭😭)

- nicky: paper rings (him & erik 🤭, like they are the cute love songs in my head)

- dan: the man, gorgeous (so like,,, dan didn’t like matt at first, right? was annoyed at him a lot, didn’t think he was all that — so she was also very annoyed when she started noticing him and liking him and kinda being attracted to him so i just imagine this song as dan’s drunken confession to matt about how frustrated she is with him and matt’s just smiling at her and it makes her even more frustrated bcs how is he so pretty), sweet nothing

- matt: lover (“and at every table.. i’ll save you a seat, loveeeeer” asfgsgsgs), king of my heart (“and we rule the kingdom inside my room” —> i so imagine dan and matt having the stupidest fun with each other and that feels like listening to this song, like you’re not really part of the inside joke. also, dan is definitely the queen of matt’s heart :))

- allison: the last great american dynasty (she had a marvellous time ruining everything), i know places (headcanon: after renee confesses to her, they slip away for a weekend to just be with the two of them to hide themselves away from everyone else for now), i wish you would (about seth, in this case.)

- renee: new romantics (she could build a castle from all the bricks they threw at her), peace (about how the danger lives in her, how she can never truly bring peace because she doesn’t feel like she can, but still “would it be enough, if i could never give you peace?” she hopes to be enough and tries to make up for her past by caring 4 others ajahhshshs i love her sm), dress (“i don’t want you like a best friend” her confession to allison please 😫)

- kevin: right where you left me (kevin day, the epitome of the freeze ptsd response, always stuck where he in where he was), the great war (“there’s no morning glory, it was war, it wasn’t fair” makes me think of him and jean after riko died)

- jean: epiphany (listen to this while thinking of him istg im crying), exile (“you’re not my hometown anymore, so what am i defending?” about kevin😭), gold rush (jerejean conflict so good, i need new fics)

[golbrocklovely]

People on Twitter are nuts, trying to gaslight people into thinking that SnC fandom is reducing and boys are loosing popularity, meanwhile they are literally growing more and more. Sometimes i feel like some people are cosplaying as fans, while praying on their downfall for nobody knows what reason

i'm gonna go a rant for this so… read if you wanna lol

so the thing is, as someone who has been here for basically forever (but not really) there was a point in time when snc used to really listen to fans' opinions, and i mean really listen. and while that's nice in theory, what it ended up being is the twitter fandom would say jump, and snc would ask how high. and look, it's one thing to call out problematic behaviors. i'm not saying that shouldn't be a thing.

but not everything you disagree with is a problematic behavior.

and that's what happened. the twitter side grew to have a lot of power in this fandom. they essentially were the mouth piece for how the fandom felt for a couple years. they would yell at snc (or mostly colby) about something, and snc (or mostly colby) would issue an apology, or try to explain themselves when they shouldn't have to; obviously, negating actual problematic behavior. the twitter fandom cried wolf too many times tho, bc some of the shit they used to yell at, in particular, colby for was just plain dumb. the man got yelled at for wishing happy international women's day, like full blown called a sexist. he got screamed at for not talking about jan. 6 as it was happening. he got a death threat so fucking bad that he took an entire week off from twitter, and that whole situation basically caused him to keep twitter at an arms length from that point forward.

and bc of shit like this, snc grew tired of having to explain themselves over and over again, especially when everywhere else, fans didn't give a fuck about most of what twitter would bring up. or if snc apologized for actual things they did wrong, these same fans would bring this shit up all over again as if they hadn't already apologized.

they cried wolf and were perpetually unsatisfied. and i think that vibe made snc cut their losses and basically leave the platform altogether, minus when they go to promote something.

but the fans that are on there, talking about snc declining and not being as popular as they once were… those are the old fans that wish they could go back to 2020/21 when snc would bend at the knee for them. it's all cope. they can't accept the fact that they don't a, have unfettered access to snc anymore, b, can't just scream at them to do what they want, or c, have power in the fandom anymore. bc look, are there fans that genuinely feel like snc need to do more/aren't as good as they once were? for sure. i'm not saying that isn't reality. however, the twitter fans love to say that everyone feels like this, when that just isn't the case. even if let's say for argument's sake 10k ppl feel this way. hell, let's make it 100k. if 100k ppl feel this way about snc, out of the 13 mil that are subbed to them, THAT'S NOT EVEN 1% OF THE ENTIRE FANDOM. obviously not everyone subbed to them is in the fandom but you catch my drift. so that's how little these ppl actually speak for this fandom.

and when snc got gfs, that's when this fandom hit a whole new low. i expected there to be some craziness, but i never imagined it would get this bad. and the ones that talk about how they never cared about snc getting gfs, bffr. you only starting hating snc to this degree when the girls came into the picture. you guys are upset that you didn't get a say in whether or not snc dated katelyn and malia, and that pissed you off so much that now you take it out on not only the girls but the boys. and that's just weird fucking behavior given the fact that snc are supposed to be the ones you LIKE.

what's funny to me about all of this, truly, is the fact that these fans talk a big game but never do anything. yall complain to high heaven, saying you're leaving if snc don't change, ect, ect. and yet… here you are. still. and some of yall have been saying this shit since like 2021 so???? what gives? do you actual hate everything snc does or are you just so miserable in your own life it's easier to take it out on the men you swear you like than try to fix your problems???? you tell me.

and none of this is to say that snc have never done anything wrong or that i agree with everything they do. i don't. i've made that abundantly clear over the years. but the fact of the matter is, i don't feel the need to @ them and say it directly to them. i don't feel the need to bring their gfs into the topic of conversation when it involves their content. if snc were truly not entertaining me anymore, i wouldn't have spent $15+ to go see their fucking movie in the middle of philly. just be honest and say you hate them and LEAVE. no one is holding a gun to your head. you can go at any time lol

cope all you want, but it's not gonna change the fact that snc are currently succeeding and funny enough, they don't need your tweets or approval to do so.

also, as i've stated more than once, every time snc get hate, they just get bigger. so with the amount of shit thrown at them from twitter from this past year alone… them boys are gonna win a fucking EGOT at this point, so thanks in advance for that.

[banchieplaysminecraft]

How Aaron could’ve been a good character and why he wasn’t

I’ve been annoyed at this for a good long while and i’ve finally gotten around to talk about it so here we gooo

please note that, though i watched all of mcd s2 while it was coming out, i haven’t rewatched it all the way through (i’m a little less than halfway through s2) so bear with me

now, we can all agree that we didn’t really have a lot of beef with aaron in s1. was it annoying that aph was keeping secrets?  yes. did we actively enjoy the fact that this random edgelord showed up with all of this convenient information? sure. but did we actively dislike him? i don’t think so

im sure that some people did, but it was a far cry from the universal grudge that we as a fandom hold. the only question is, what changed?

the answer is pretty simple: he got annoying

there is no greater sin that a content creator can commit than to make a character tedious--especially a character that the fans are meant to root for. i once heard someone say that there is no such thing as a good character and a bad character, there are only interesting characters or boring characters

now, before the s1 finale, aaron wasn’t annoying because he made sense. we didn’t know a lot about his backstory, but we knew just enough to not have a lot of questions while also understanding why he as a character worked. he spied on zane, he got information, and he got away with it because, according to every government in existence, he was dead. he was doing it to avenge his village, which seemed to be his reason for doing most things.

 that was basically it, because that was all that we needed. he didn’t answer personal questions because that could reveal his identity, and he didn’t hang around phoenix drop proper because he knew that there was a spy in the village who might figure him out. all in all, he was a very logical character

what changed? his motivation

after the gang sealed zane in the irene dimension, may i ask WHAt the fuck was his reason for staying??? nothing! what was his reason for keeping his identity a secret? pretty much nothing! it made no sense!!

according to all of his characterization as a *~lone wolf~*, it would make the most sense for him to strike out on his own and do whatever the fuck, maybe occasionally popping back in to warn the main characters of some impending doom, maybe hold a giant fuckass sword to someone’s throat again, maybe find some other tyrant to destroy.

but he didn’t, and it made no sense

this was made exponentially worse because he was an ~edgy dark angsty boy with a sad past and a dead wife~ and because he seemed to be able to do no wrong. he rarely, if ever, communicated with the rest of the group, and he often just went out on his own--and yet, most people seemed to trust him unconditionally?? he always seems to show up at the right place and the right time with little to no explanation as to how, and no one ever questions it. sure, laurance and dante had some doubts and even spoke up once or twice, but laurance’s grievances are mostly due to being in love with aph, and literally no one else ever asked anything, despite not even knowing his fucking name

and, of course, everyone thinks that he’s super hot and aphmau falls in love with him and then he dies a tragic death in a moment of self-sacrifice that really wasn’t all that heroic because he left his wife and child behind

i mean, come on

THAT BEING SAID he had soooo muuch potentiaalllllll

LET ME EXPLAIN

during s1, his role in the story was the spy--and he was very good at it, because everyone thought that he was dead!! how are you gonna blame a dead man for anything without sounding crazy! no one knew his name or his face or anything--and they should’ve kept it that way because, surprise!! theyre still at war in s2. sure, it’s a different war, but it’s still! a fucking! war! and like 70% of war is ESPIONAGE and INFORMATION and STRATEGY, havent you ever heard the phrase KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE??? they literally had possibly the best spy that they knew of and instead of actually putting his skills to work he just dramatically leans on trees and sits in the shadows??? WHAT

he clearly had ways to get into high places, since he had somehow gotten his hands on the amulet in s1, and he used to be a lord so he would’ve known things about POLITICS and KINGDOM STUFF--i mean, we all know that aphmau knows jack shit about this world and how it works.

what SHOULDVE HAPPENED IS:

after they all get back to the overworld, he leaves the party. idc if it’s immediately after or if he waits a few days, but he leaves regardless. every once in awhile, we hear of him popping up in various places, and we run into him a few times. he informs the gang of what he’s heard, maybe tags along on some missions. he still shows up in random places the way that he does in canon, but since he’s not based it phoenix drop i think that it makes a bit more sense, and he occasionally pops back into phoenix drop whenever he’s in the area or needs time to rest and recharge, and stays an informant for aphmau & her crew. as things pick up, he slowly becomes a more commonly-seen member of aphmau’s inner circle. 

throughout this whole period, he finally starts to come to terms with the death of his wife & their village, and he slowly starts to share more with the group--nothing big, just details here and there--and he actually starts to develop *gasp* a personality. i’d like to imagine that he gets closer with laurance, dante, and katelyn instead of only ever talking to aphmau. i don’t think that he’s ever super talkative, but he starts to be a little less quiet & closed off. 

at this point, he’s either told them his name or (preferred) they all have a list of nicknames that they cycle through to address him. sooner or later he starts to help with the building of phoenix drop and the alliance, taking on duties that are more akin to his old role as lord. he either phases the espionage out of his schedule or ghostwrites all of the legislation, and falls more easily into his new roles

i don’t really care if he ever ends up with aphmau or not, but if he does then that also happens at some point or another, but i, at least, would no longer be angry at that outcome

However, this whole plot would require everyone in the story to take literally all of their roles in this literal government that they’re building seriously, and we all know that that’s never going to happen, but i can dream /s

Tl;dr, if aaron actually used his strengths and skills to be a useful member of this alliance instead of randomly showin up and dramatically hitting things with his giant fuckoff sword, he’d be so much more tolerable

[garrothromeave]

the hell is mystreet season 6??

(warning, long post ahead)

ok so before i start this

1) ive never posted shiiiit on tumblr before so watch me suffer, im just here to talk about stuff that my friends who dont know anything about aphmau have to listen to me rant about for hours on end

2) i havent seen mystreet in like years (except season 3, i watch that frequently since im laurance and shadow knight deprived) so please bear with me because i might be completely wrong on this lol. it’s just like, pointing out things i remember

3) im sure someones already talked about this but who cares

4) im gonna do this stupid thing where i just explain myself a bit at first, if you dont want to read that just skip to the part where you see “the actual thingy:” in bold and italics 

5) mild disclaimer; i am completely aware that jessica is not a professional writer. i know that she did her best to appeal to her fans, and honestly, respect for that. while this post will come off as aggressive and probably look like hate, that’s not my intention in the slightest. it’s just... intense criticism. im sure y’all probably already know that, but yeah, just stating that anyways. i do believe that jess is doing her best, and in no way do i want to dismiss any hard work she’s done. that being said; prepare for a very strongly opinionated post.

haha watch there be 10000+ typos in this making me look like a complete dumbass

ok here we go 

one of the main reasons i stopped watching aphmau back in 2017 was the mess that was season 4. like, in the first few episodes of the emerald secret, i thought “woah!! this is kinda cool, im a sucker for mystery!” because of course i was, it was something new and something exciting. the only problem i had with it at the time was kim, but that’s just because i always found her annoying and out of place. i just didn’t understand why garroth dragged her along and honestly i still don’t to this day BUT, moving on.

anyways, as the season progressed, 13 year old me was of course just “:0!!” the entire time--that is, up until the reveal of the main villain. i remember watching the episode, seeing the reveal of ein, and then stopping. like, just for a quick break, but i was still just overwhelmingly disappointed. like, and this was the time when pdh was airing and ein just got made alpha (i think?) and i had really really liked eins character in pdh. either way, that really sucked and actually opened my eyes to a lot of things.

one of the main things bein’ the fact that this was supposed to be a slice of life kinda series that decided to take a turn to a more edgy kinda approach. which, i guess i regularly wouldnt mind? but seeing as mcd was kinda bein neglected at the time it just didnt sit right with me. BUT WHATEVER, point is i stopped watching mystreet all together at the end of season 4.

like, a whole year later my brother tells me that shit’s getting intense in season 5 + 6 of mystreet, and my brilliant self decided to give it a shot--but i refused to watch all of season 5, so i only stepped in when ein made an appearance. so whenever that was, that’s where i picked up because i didnt care enough to see 

and y’know--i honestly didn’t hate it at first. in fact, i found it oddly cool. it wasn’t enough to get me into aphmau again, but it was enough to where i was intrigued. i dont know why, but i never watched the finale, so i didnt see the ending until just a few weeks ago--but back then, i thought it was neat. looking back on it however... im just so confused. 

side note: only got back into aphmau this time around because of mcd. mainly because like, i adore the first season and the first half of the second season. and being nearly 18 now, im a lot more appreciative of plot and well-written characters n junk. 

the actual thingy:

ok back on track. imma stop spilling out my story of how i got back into aphmau, and lets just skip to what rewatching mcd made me realize of season 6′s plot and shit:

-emmalyn. how the fuck does ghost even remotely exist? if she’s emmalyn as claimed, then why have we already seen emmalyn in the mystreet universe alive? look i get that creators can do whatever they want with their stories but at the same time please provide some sort of explanation good god. and maybe they did and i just havent seen it, so if there is one--let me know. but until that day imma just sit here confused as fuck

-ok so imma just be real, the whole ‘ultima’ thing is just... not great. in my opinion, anyways. like... i saw someone mention this in another post, but if this ultima stuff was like, a really big deal, why isnt it mentioned in mcd? though i suppose since its a curse of sorts, it could be later on past the time period in which mcd takes place--but even then, how did it manage to make its way into aaron’s family bloodline? 

-WHY IS EVERYONE AT STARLIGHT ITS JUST SO CONVINIENT like what happened to this place being the most expensive shit on the planet or whatever, and how the gang happens to run into like, the werewolf trio and blaze and kai and guy and nate all of these people like god damn life doesnt WORK LIKE THAT 

-im sorry but turning people into relics? thats... thats the best you could come up with? plus, like, how does that even work? in mcd it’s established that relics are separate entitles that choose their wielder, based on a ‘personal’ connection (being a descendent of a previous wielder) or if they’re a good match personality and (i think?) moral wise. so the whole turning-people-into-relics doesnt make much sense to be honest. 

-irene really over here using her god powers to only keep her friends alive like god damn not a great god if you ask me 

-can i talk about how incredibly predictable aphmaus death was? like i just kinda sat there waiting for it to happen and when it did i literally went “haha! wonder when she’ll be revived” because god forbid we actually kill off characters 

-when aphmau + demon warlock fought in the irene dimension there was no passage of time whatsoever in the real world whiiiiiiiiich really bothers me because they fought in there for at least a few minutes

-speaking of aphmau and the demon warlocks fight does it bother anyone else that it had to be aaron who took over the fight?? like we get it hes the big protector blah blah blah but god damn it wouldve been cooler if aphmau had fought this battle as her. aaron fighting this battle was so underwhelming

-...love. like, thats the only thing thats needed to break out of a forever potion? love? LIKE YEAH, GOOD GUYS GOTTA WIN SOMEHOW, but its just so cliche and overdoneeee

-oh yeah and also when travis went bonkers and became the demon warlock or whatever, why’d he only take over katelyn and garroth?? like, zane had been influenced by the potions in the past as well? DONT GET ME WRONG--i do love some good brother edge, but uh, the demon warlock was just bein kinda a dumbass by not possessing zane too just sayin’

-can aaron please go to fucking jail for mass murder now like holy shit, he just got sent home on a fuckin boat. also why did blaze forgive him for killing him thats not even remotely realistic. then again, nothing in mystreet has ever been realistic when it comes to characters and motives and personalities, (cough katelyn being actually abusive and travis being an actual pervert) but yknow whatever

-katelyn and kawaii chan literally added nothing to the plot whatsoever. like lets be real, katelyn lost her personality the moment season 5 started and kawaii chan just kinda sits there :I

-ok im sorry this was bound to come up but cmon guys imagine laurances potential if he was in season 6 like god damn this is beyond maddening. AND YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A REALLY REALLY COOL PARRALLEL?? IF IT WAS LAURANCE WHO SNAPPED GARROTH OUT OF HIS MIND CONTROL THING, because it would mimic laurance’s speech to get garroth to snap out of his rage in season 1, episode 100 of minecraft diaries. like how fuckin rad would that have been? missed opportunity 

-also?? why does kim/ghost know magicks?? like, if i remember correctly, emmalyn is a scholar--not someone who knew magicks. i mean, i guess research? study?? but its been established that knowing how magicks works =/= being able to use magicks. i dunno, just doesnt seem right i guess. maybe its explained, i wouldnt know (yes i know that makes me look like a dick leave me alone)

-melissa should have stayed dead. LIKE, NO, ITS NOT AS SIMPLE AS “haha it takes more than a few bullets to kill me”??? look ive got nothing wrong with melissa (cough lie cough) but yknow it would have just been cool a character... stay dead? for once? its just too fuckin cliche that shes alive god damn

-can i also just say the only good thing that came out of season 6 was travis’ dads sacrifice like damn that made me actually sad

-howww was lucinda turned into a relic. or yknow, anyone else? like im sure they explain it better in the actual show i just dont remember, but its just that easy? turning anyone into a relic? granted, a normal person wouldnt be able to produce a good relic, but idk man. IM JUST SAYING; that the only really powerful relics that aphmau should have been able to wield is the one that aaron + zane produced because shad relic and esmund relic moment. lucinda isnt even like, connected to a divine warrior. ALSO, another point, if its seriously that powerful of a relic getting one from just a magic user like lucinda, why go through the trouble? i mean i guess ofc youd want the “all powerful” one that the ultima produces but i mean damn whats the point

-ok this is just going to bother me but in one of the episodes (i think might have been in season 5 actually) where that like, guardian dude was chasing aphmau and zane and at one point they split up and the dude just chuckles at zane diverting paths and goes under his breath “youre not the important one here”, suggesting that aphmau somehow is? first of all, id argue that any ro’meave is significantly more important than aphmau was, especially not knowing much about her other than that shes with aaron. i might be missing some bits an pieces, but if i was that dude id forget about aphmau and go after zane 

-killing off derek for shock factor sucked, and i know the moment was supposed to be really sad because like “oh :( aarons dad is sacrificing himself for his son” but lets be real dereks still was a shitty father and i dont think his reasons for doing what he did was very good at all

-less about plot or more like: why the absolute fuck did the gang bring kim along instead of, oh i dont know, a life-long friend? like, laurance or dante maybe?? im sure its explained, i never saw aphmaus year or most of season 5, but god DAMN id hate to be apart of this friend group AND GOD LIKE, imagine reconnecting with an old friend who ends up getting closer to your best friends and taking priority in their lives over you (cough laurance) like god damn lol

-im just going to preface this one with: i dont remember everything that’s happened, so if im wrong i apologize in advance--but (you actually can correct me if im wrong and please do) didnt like, irene reincarnate her friends in order to give them better lives? I DONT KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE, ITS JUST WHAT I REMEMBER--however, if im correct, then:

a. why the hell would she bring back someone like zane, or gene, or ivy, etc.

b. why the hell do they all have the same exact names? first and last? again, im aware that the whole mystreet+mcd tie wasn’t originally supposed to be there, but i dont think that means such a coincidence can be excused? its just a bit much if you ask me.

c. why the hell is the fact that (as much as i literally hate this) aaron is a decedent of shad being ignored? like, you’d think that something like this would be something thats actually important, or something the demon warlock couldve taken advantage of. or are we completely erasing every other connections to divine warriors besides aphmau + irene? because even if irene did reincarnate them or do whatever it is she did, does she even have the power to sever the connections between them and their ancestors? my guess is, no.

d. speaking of irene why on earth was aphmau able to talk to/see irene, they’re literally the same person are they not? did she like, fuckin reincarnate herself without actually doing it?? BUT--i will give it to them, the demon warlock did refer to aphmau as something along the lines of being “one of the 3 parts of her broken soul” or something like that. however, my point still remains. also what are the other two did i miss that or is it never explained

now; if irene in fact did not ‘reincarnate’ her friends then please ignore that little bit right there :)

but yes, those are a few of the problems i have with season 6 off the top of my head. i would go into like, season 4 and 5 more as well, but i honestly didnt feel like it. at some point i might go into other things, like how important laurance could have been to the plot of these later seasons, or HELL, even dante. i might also go into what could have made season 4, 5, and 6 actually good--maybe... a rewrite? perhaps? but im getting too far ahead of myself, so i just leave you with this for now.

and i know that as soon as i post this 15 more things are just going to pop into my head BUT im going to try and not edit this post because why stress myself with that even more

anyways thank you for coming to my tedtalk 

[ghost-in-the-stalls]

Hm

more lengthy aftg meta up ahead

So andreil. Marriage. Complex concept imo

I know this is a bit of a polarizing topic. I gotta say this is one area I agree with Nora on in that I dont see Andrew and Neil being the marrying type. They wouldn't have any desire or urge to get married imo other than potentially for tax or hospital visitation purposes. I just can't see it being something either of them care to bother with unless given a reason.

Personally I like to interpret the whole "there is no this" stuff as eventually evolving from Andrew's desperate denial that he cares for Neil into just being a sort of security blanket? Like I prefer to think he stops saying it or denying it. But I like to believe the general approach to their relationship of not needing to overtly express what they are to each other is more than just a privacy thing or a vulnerability thing. I think for both of them, expression and admition can be a bit restrictive.

Neils been running for a long time, and he doesnt feel the urge to. But the knowledge that he still has the ABILITY to is, I believe, a crucial piece of his coping and recovery. He doesnt feel the need to run partly because he doesnt feel like he's being restrained or threatened with restraint.

And Andrew is letting Neil cross a lot of lines hes never allowed anyone else to cross willingly, sure. But we know he's okay with it specifically because he trusts Neil to back off if given a "no". Its the same concept. No matter how much he trusts Neil, the option to leave is what keeps him feeling safe staying.

Does that mean either of them WANT to leave or will ever consider it? No. Does that mean marriage is something absolutely permanent that you can never back out of? No. But its another restriction. Another layer of complexity. And an unnecessary one at that. At least thats how they'd see it I think.

Marriage is pushed very heavily as something that is just. The Norm. But it doesnt need to be and it absolutely won't be for everyone? These are two deeply traumatized individuals who, even after years of healing, will still be traumatized people. They dont need it and tbh I dont see them particularly wanting it. Unless, like I said, they're comfortable enough after enough years and they decide its better for tax or hospital reasons. So I dont turn my nose up at it completely, but I'm picky.

HAVING SAID THAT I have absolutely thought about it many times and here's how I think it would go:

It would be something they've discussed occasionally. Not really as a possibility. More just a moment after someone they know gets married where they check in with one another to make sure its not something the other is secretly craving. But I think that conversation leads to an understanding that if it WERE to happen, it would just be a quick courthouse situation with minimal witnesses. Neither of them would ever want an actual wedding. Absolutely not. They'd both hate that with a huge passion.

But then maybe one of them gets a pretty serious injury and the other isn't allowed to see them in the hospital right away. Or maybe the Moriyamas decide to up Neils payment and it makes them nervous.

For some reason, they decide it becomes more preferable than remaining unmarried.

It doesnt change anything between them. They don't want it to. But they make a call or two to whatever foxes are closest/can get there the fastest to make sure they can show up at the courthouse with the witnesses they need. They dont hide it from anyone, but they dont outright tell anyone either unless it becomes relevant. So it would travel through the foxes grapevine and theyd probably end up throwing them a small reception party in their apartment at some point, but thats it.

So imagine Wymack and Abby getting a 2am call from Andrew asking them to fly up because Neil got sent to the hospital after a nasty game injury.

"Why is he okay?? Is he gonna make it?"

"Yeah I just need you guys at the courthouse when he gets out to witness me and the dumbass get married so I dont have to sit in the waiting room for 10 hours next time."

Or Aaron and Katelyn getting the call from Neil right after one of them gets off of a long shift.

"Hey we bought you guys some plane tickets out here so you can be our witnesses."

"Witnesses to what?"

"We're getting married"

"Fucking??? Why?"

"Tax reasons"

"Youre both professional fucking athletes"

"We decided its time to save up"

"YOU LIVE IN A FUCKING PENTHOUSE"

"Anyway your plane leaves in 5 hours pack your bags"

My point is that Andreil have been public nuisances for years now and that would absolutely carry into this situation.

[willinglyhomosexual]

Nicky and videos

Nicky films Every Single Thing All The Time and it's so annoying

The videos are everywhere. Youtube, vine, instagram, fucking facebook - everywhere. The fans are well fed

Some of the classics include:

- a video of Aaron and Kevin drunkenly belting the pokemon theme song

- the foxes in a supermarket. Andrew setting down a family-sized tub of ice cream into the cart. Kevin putting it back on the shelf. Andrew placing it in the cart again. Kevin putting it back. Unwavering eye contact. It goes on for a solid minute

- Neil smearing ice cream on Andrew's face and then saying "there, now you're short AND sweet!" after which there's simultaneous groaning from off screen. Andrew just stares blank-faced into the camera like he's in The Office

- a grayscale video of Kevin yelling at a zoned-out Neil, zooming in on Neil's face as all around me are familiar faces plays in the background

- a "foxhole game night" monopoly video featuring ear-piercing screaming, Dan and Allison rolling on the floor in hysteria, a cry-laughing Matt clutching his stomach with one hand while pounding on Neil's back with the other, Neil beaming, Andrew looking almost smug by his side, Renee showering them both with monopoly money, Kevin snatching Aaron's whiskey bottle and downing half of it. You can imagine what happened here

- a video of Neil gingerly sipping on his soda at Eden's with "shots shots shots shots shots shots" playing over it

- a compilation of Renee smiling because it's too pure. Everyone loves it

- a clip of Aaron and Katelyn flirting, all soft and cutesy directly followed by Andrew and Neil cussing each other out

- Dan and Matt cuddling which cuts to Nicky fake gagging at the pure heterosexuality of it all. It's been liked only by Andrew

- Andrew on his tippy toes trying to reach something with the caption "they tried to put me on the cover of vogue, but my legs were too long". It's liked by everyone but Andrew and Aaron

- Andrew and Neil staring each other down, lost in their own world, when suddenly Nicky sneezes. They turn their heads to glare at him at the same time

- Wymack saying "road work ahead" to which the entire bus screams in unison "WELL I SURE HOPE IT DOES"

And finally:

- Andrew reciting The Crush Song to a very confused Neil

"I'm single as I can be-"

Nicky zooms in on them.

"-you're single, perfect for me. I'm gonna give you a bunch of reasons why you should date me."

Neil's face is pure, genuine confusion and worry.

"Reason number one - I'm super hot. Reason number two - she's super not." Andrew is completely expressionless. His voice is monotonous and bored. "Reason number three - I'm all you got, and all you got is someone hot."

A door slams in the distance, most likely Aaron. Andrew doesn't blink.

Nicky is wheezing behind the camera.

Occasionally Kevin tries to butt in but Andrew raises his voice and talks over him.

"First name hot-" "wh-" "aND LAST NAME BITCH. Wanna get with me? Now that's the stitch."

The camera is shaking uncontrollably.

"you think I'm trash?" "andr-" "HELL NO, I'm class, and I got a-" "andre-" "-bIG FAT ASS."

Eventually Kevin gives up.

"Please date me because I'm single. S-I-N-G-L-E, love me. And hug me, and touch me. And, well, fuck me," Andrew recites.

When he gets to the end of the song he immediately leaves to get himself a beer without saying anything else. Neil is left staring off into the distance, possibly having an existential crisis.

Nicky flips the camera, and through sniffles says, "...and that was Andrew Minyard with 'The Crush song' featuring Kevin Day. Have a good night."

It instantly becomes a viral video. People who haven't even heard of exy are sharing it. A bored twink monotonously serenading The Crush Song to a confused twink? Hilarious. Aaron hates them so much

Bonus: when tiktok becomes a thing Nicky is all over it. You can imagine how that goes. The monsters refuse to interact with him in public

On the flipside: once, Nicky managed to convince Kevin that e-boy stands for exy boy so Kevin had "professional e-boy" in his bio for a good week or two

It was a good time

[fangirlkats]

hello it’s your turn again aftg go (: no ulterior motive i just like your opinions

your happy face doesnt inspire confidence but im just gonna go ahead and do it anyway because my opinions are flawless

The first character I first fell in love with: its been literal years since i read this for the first time but i cant imagine it could have been anyone other than andrew i love that boy so much

The character I never expected to love as much as I do now: kevin. hes so fucking annoying and now i spend like... hours thinking about him. its wild.

The character everyone else loves that I don’t: uhh maybe jean? i dont see the hype altho i do get why people love him so much

The character I love that everyone else hates: aaron. people forgive andrew for his blatant sexism stemming from his tumultous relationship with women throughout his life but they wont forgive aaron for acting homophobic when hes seen his cousin be beat up and his brother raped for being gay. miss me with that shit.

The character I used to love but don’t any longer: im more meh about katelyn the more time goes on tbh

The character I would totally smooch: matt. best boy.

The character I’d want to be like: dan, shes so... awesome. also wymack.

The character I’d slap: hard choice between drake and riko but id do much more than slap drake so riko

A pairing that I love: andreil, also kevaaron. also anything that involves kevin, for some reason.

A pairing that I despise: thea and kevin i just dont... understand.

[msawesomeworld]

Royalty not loyalty Chapter 12

A/N: I am inspired to write this apparently. So I am not gonna waste it and post it. Seeing as these come in like once every full moon or something. So enjoy <3

Read the other chapters here.

“Love is a poison. A sweet poison, but it kills you none the less.” - George R. R. Martin

I woke up the next morning with a killer headache and a bit of a heartache still. The ladder I had gotten used to. When you lose someone like that you get used to having days where you get sad about it, sometimes for no obvious reason.

I got up and removed the make up from the night before. I was very tried but I still needed to be presentable. What would my mother say if she had seen me with last nights make up on? I applied a new natural layer to my face, ensuring that I looked as perfect as I aspired to be. I packed it up and started gathering all the rest of my things. I had just zipped the suitcase when there was a knock on the door.

“Come in.” I yelled and in walked Skylar and Robert smiling at me widely.

“We are leaving now, just wanted to say goodbye.” Skylar said walking over to me giving me a big hug.

She was followed by Robert who also hugged me. We had talked a little every now and then, he was pretty cool. Robert left to go load their car but Skylar stayed with me.

“Skype or call me if you need anything alright? God knows your wardrobe could use an update.” She said and I chuckled at her shaking my head.

“Not that there is anything wrong with your style, but you have a body, that needs showing off. Which honey you are not doing.” She said and I chuckled hugging her again.

I liked her a lot. She was practically a polar opposite to me, but I liked that. I kind of think I needed that. Someone to tell me to go out of my comfort zone. Chris used to do that too. We pulled away and she smiled widely at me.

“Remember to say yes a little more okay?” She said and I smiled kindly at her and nodded.

That was not gonna happen, but nothing wrong with saying that I was gonna try. I knew what was gonna happen once I got back to school. I would have my minions doing all of my dirty work for me. I would go back to being the untouchable, conservative and perfect me. That is how I was raised and that was just who I was. End of discussion.

Rian came and told me it was time to go a little while after that. I gathered up my things and left the room. We met Victoria and Louis on the way out and hugged both of them goodbye too. There was a very sad expression on Louis face. Which I probably should do something about, I would have to work with him a lot over the next few years. So it would probably be good to clear the air. I was too tired and hungover to be bothered with it though. Maybe I would write him an e-mail to clear the air or something.

I was gonna miss the girls though. Luckily I did have Rian back with me which was a nice comfort. Also a little strange having someone near me I had known before we were royal. Yet also someone who now knew a lot of intimate details about me and I knew the same about him. He was a sweet guy though so I figured it would not be too big of a deal.

Still it is weird having a friend that actually knows things about you and your life. Maybe that is what it is like to have true friends. I mean I did like the girls and all but they were in the end just means to an end. I would never share any of those things with any of them.

When we got back to our beautiful campus we hugged goodbye and went to our separate dorms. I lived in a flat with Katelyn and he lived across town in a small apartment. I spent the rest of the day unpacking and trying to get some rest. The girls however wanted to know everything about my trip. I shared a little with them but left the rest to be between us royals.

It took a lot of convincing but after a lot of a fight I got them to leave me alone. I was finally able to sleep my hangover off.

From there things started going back to normal. I went to my classes did my work and most people was scared to talk to me. Just how I liked them to be. Intimidated is a better word than scared. When the weekend came I had to go to a stupid frat party. I hated going to them, but the girls always begged me. I never saw the point of begging me to go. I was gonna stay sober throughout them anyway. I could not risk any of those people seeing me intoxicated, can you imagine the scandal?

I got all dressed up and ready to go. Kathlyn helped me get ready and I returned the favor. She was the only person on this campus beside Rian I actually liked. The rest were just mindless tools. The party was a great example of that. All of these people desperate to fit in even though it does not matter. It does not matter who you befriend in college. It does not change your social status just because you go the parties. Everything about them is pointless.

But the rest of the world did not know that. Because they were not crowned sculls.

While there were some conspiracy theories it was still a completely secret organization. You had to be invited to apply to get in. It was for the elite and the elite only, the people who truly ruled this world. At their parties it did matter how you were perceived, and who you became friends with. Here you were just making friends without getting any benefits.

I stood around for a long time sipping my water just observing these desperate individuals. It was a little boring seeing their mating rituals. I was also a little jealous of them.

They got to act out, they got to let lose and have fun. I could never do that here, or anywhere else for that matter. The only place where I could truly express how I feel is in the confines of my own home. They got to make friends with people they liked, maybe they had all of the same interests or something. They might have struggled through life, having to work hard to get into this school. I had too but not in the same way. If it had not been for my family someone else might have deserved this spot more than I did. They did not have to worry about image or anything else. They just had to worry about school and being popular. It must be nice to be them, having such easy lives in that sense. Their families were probably so proud when they got into Yale. My parents barely blinked when I got in here. It was tradition, how could I not be accepted? They probably loved their parents and called them regularly to tell them how they were doing here. I was envious. Money does not buy happiness that is for sure. They had parents that loved them, while mine could do nothing but school me on my every flaw.

I was knocked out of my thoughts when a drunk frat boy put his arm around me and slurred something. I was disgusted and pushed him off of me. I groaned and left the party, I did not feel like it anymore.

I got back to my dorm room with nothing to do really. I had done all of my school work before going out.

I changed into some comfortable clothes and decided to check my to do list.

I looked it over and sighed, I then picked up my laptop and my email.

Dear Louis

I’m sorry I was such a bitch. You bring that out in me, when pity me.

You scolded me for not trusting you, but I know you were just playing a game, so you can ditch the act. You do not care about me, you just want some dirt to use against me. I understand, I do the same all the time.

I stopped to read it and deleted it. I sounded like an even bigger bitch. I sighed and tried writing again. This time it was way too formal, like I was writing to a colleague. I deleted again and stared at the black e-mail again. I got frustrated and started writing again.

Dear Louis 
I am sorry for acting as I did at the lake house. I am immature and pandered so much into this world, that I do not think I can ever trust anyone. This world is so fucked up and manipulating, I cannot help but think that everyone is exactly like me. I am not gonna lie, I am gonna continue to be a stuck up bitch, who hides her every emotion. Let us face it, old habits die hard. I have this need to be perfect and that is the best way to do it. I hate you because you do not do that. You never pretend that you are perfect and you see right through me with that. Because you know it is not real. It is so much easier to not feel anything.

I do not even know why I am telling you all of this. I am not going to, I am going to delete this email and write you a proper one. Because I have no real motive to apologize to you other than the fact that I know we are gonna have to work together in the future. I like you, but I do not know you, and you will never truly know me. So it seems stupid to tell you anything at all.

Stella.

I read it over and stared at it. This was the truth, but it kind of scared me. That this was who I am. I knew I was the stuck up bitch who was taught to hide all of her feelings. Because feelings might as well be imperfections. However it is easier to live with when it is not thrown in your face.

I went to delete it but accidentally sent it. My eyes widened. That was not supposed to happen. He was never supposed to read any of that. That was an entire page full of weakness, that he could definitely use against me or expose. If he did not have anything on me now, he definitely had now. I closed the laptop and felt like crying. I was so stupid. Had my mother taught me nothing? I should never have even written that. Never write down anything that can be used against you.

I was so stupid.

I went to bed trying to just forget the whole incident. I could not sleep I was way too nervous to do so. I grabbed the tin box I always had near me and left my room. I went to the roof, it was cold up there. I liked the sensation of wind on my skin. I sat on the edge and lit up the cigarette taking a drag. I blew out the smoke and smiled a little. This was nice and relaxing in. I looked out on the campus. It looked nice and quiet on this time of day. There was distant music from parties, but looking out on the campus it was nicely peaceful. I took a few relaxing drags, before turning it off and putting the rest back in the box. I did not feel like moving yet so I just stayed put for a little while.

I liked it up here. It felt like the rest of the world was allowed to move forward and I could just sit still for a little while and watch it all. I knew I that I would never truly be apart of it. I could never let myself.

I would never experience a one night stand or the excitement of a first love. The heartache of a heartbreak, having a relaxed day in sweats.

I would never experience any of that. I was too detached for that. Too obsessed with being perfect for that.

I would have to experience the world without any attachment and observe it. 
I would never really love anyone. I would never be truly happy. I would always just be.

A/N: That was it, if you cant wait for more, read my other fics here.

[moondal514]

Neil and Andrew:

“Renee figured out Andrew’s attraction first, Kevin picked up on Neil’s attraction not much later” can’t get over Kevin canonically being the 1st to pick up on Neil’s attraction to Andrew. It’s so funny cuz he probably knew before Neil did and I can just imagine the internal spiral he probably had about it. I need to go find that post that tried to track down the exact moment Kevin knew about Andreil again cuz it’s excellent

Sksdjdjdksk Renee was banned from the upperclassman Andreil bet. That’s hilarious

“Kevin, on the other hand, was too obsessed with Andrew and Neil to not notice how much time they spent looking for each other” why does this make it sound like Kevin was watching his unrequited crushes get-together (Kevin does give the energy of a guy that keeps having multiple unrequited crushes at the same time that always end up dating each other *cough* Andreil and JereJean)

“Lot of sex going on in the Nest, fueled by anger & hate & tension & triumph. Almost didn’t matter who fucked who or what gender the other person was because in the end it was just sex and they were all Ravens” mmm yeah no sorry I’m gonna disown this piece of the Extra Content. Sorry Nora but the Nest always read to me as being incredibly repressed. Like sex and romantic relationships being looked down on cuz they’re distractions from exy so the Ravens are like Jesuits or something, giving up all worldly pursuits, including sex and relationships, for the sake of exy

So it’s officially canon that the moment Kevin knew for sure about Neil’s romantic attraction to Andrew was the winter banquet, when Neil volunteered to go to the Nest for Andrew, so it’s canon that Kevin knew about Neil’s feelings before Neil did. Absolutely hilarious

Still think it’s hilarious that Betsy figured out that something was going on between Andrew and Neil cuz Andrew went from not being able to shut up about Neil to not talking about him at all

So it’s canon that Andrew did not in fact tell Betsy about both the nature of his past abuse and his sexuality until both were thrown out into the open by external events

“Aaron knew the moment Andrew walked back into their room in Neil’s clothes that this was something important. He went to Katelyn and the upperclassmen, demanding every insight they could give him, and put it all together with a selfish intensity” desperately need the fic where Aaron goes around interrogating the upperclassmen about Andreil, like that sounds hilarious

“Once Nathaniel is laid to rest that’s pretty much it, there’s no going back. The only things that could break them up are things neither of them would ever consider doing–Neil spilling Andrew’s secrets & belittling them, or Andrew killing one of the original Foxes–so they’re guaranteed to make it work the rest of their lives” 🥺🥺🥺 don’t you love when the creator says it’s canon that your otp is set to be together forever and have a happy ending

Friends, I’m pleased to announce that it’s canon that switch!Andreil is a thing by Neil’s junior year

Jack is canonically Neil’s vice captain??? Apparently??? Damn how did they go from Neil beating him up to that point

“Childish spite, thy name is Andrew” sksjdjdjds it really is

“For clarification—there are two USCs in the United States. 90% of the time everyone’s referring to the one you all read about in the books—the University of Southern California where the Trojans play. For years I insisted that USC was an imposter, because there is also a University of South Carolina” lmfao. This is gonna sound so SoCal of me but the 1st time I learned about USC in South Carolina was seeing a live football game in a restaurant where it was snowing on the TV and it said the home team was USC. As I was in LA then, it was extremely confusing

“Neil manages to get free while Andrew’s away, but he gives up on his practice for the night. The next day Neil cuffs himself to Andrew so Andrew can’t leave him behind again. Andrew is pretty sure that defeats the entire purpose of the experiment, but he doesn’t break free” Andreil flirting everyone. Making fun of each other’s handcuff picking abilities

Stuart gets murdered??? And that’s the 1st time Andreil have handcuff sex??? Uh ok I guess

“But refer back to #1 at the top! My take on things does not have to be your take on things. I want you to have fun, whatever you do! Go forth and write with my blessings. :)” good to see Nora endorsing selectively accepting and discarding parts of her vision

“Slow is the best? worst? thing they could do to each other, because slow means unraveling in slow motion, means they can’t hide from each other, means they are laid bare in ways they hadn’t thought possible before. It is the closest to an I love you they can come” 🥺🥺🥺

Trying to be normal about Nora’s descriptions of Andreil holding hands and sitting in each other’s laps but tbh I don’t know if I can be

“He didn’t expect his teammates to abandon all other reasonable names and start voting on Nicky’s suggestions, but they needed to believe that in some universe Andrew Joseph Minyard would own a tortoiseshell named Sir Fat Cat McCatterson” ok I do like this version of how King and Sir get their names…but I also am desperately in love with the image of Andrew telling Neil that their cat is now named Sir Fat Cat McCatterson in a deadpan so I’m conflicted about whether or not I want to accept this part of the Extra Content

“Andrew does most of the cooking in the beginning. He learned how to cook while working at Eden’s Twilight” eyyy chef!Andrew is canon

“This is how Andrew comforts: by being a stabilizing force, an anchor to keep Neil at home, a place to rest his weight and his secrets” 🥺🥺🥺

“Neil will never see Andrew cry even when the funerals start” mmm…I’m conflicted about this one

“Or maybe it’s seeing Andrew take initiative and let Robin into their group, proving that he’s outgrowing his shell enough to take in another refugee, or him making her move into their room and then having to share Neil’s bunk so she has a place to sleep” trying to be normal about Andreil canonically getting to the point where they can permanently share a twin-sized bed in Andrew’s last year

“Andrew telling Neil they’re going to be living together by telling Neil the decorating is his problem if he wants more than two chairs and a bed” 🥺🥺🥺 but also I just know Andrew instantly regretted leaving Neil in charge of decorating when Neil bought all orange furniture

“Q: What is Andrew's fondest memory of Neil? A: Probably one of the times Neil’s mouth got him into a world of trouble, because Andrew is an instigator at heart and Neil is really good at picking fights” so Andrew definitely likes to relive the “you know, I get it” speech huh

Ah I’m at the section of the Extra Content that made everyone mad

Who spread the rumor that Nora said Andrew doesn’t smile? Cuz that’s not true? She said he doesn’t do it in front of other people but he’d probably do it in front of Neil??? (Granted that’s technically not true cuz Andrew smiles in front of Kevin when Kevin gets the queen tattoo but Kevin probably doesn’t count lol)

Ok I’m lowkey offended that Nora said Andrew doesn’t laugh but also I sorta get it cuz I could see how after his medication laughing has bad connotations for Andrew. But with that being said…I want him to laugh cuz I think he deserves to so I will be living in my delusion that Neil had heard Andrew laugh. Thank you and goodnight

Oh this is the controversial “they don’t say I love you” part. Tbh I’m neutral about this, I don’t care if people write fics where they say it but I also don’t care if people write fics where they don’t. But y’all really shouldn’t have gotten upset about it cuz Nora’s explanation is actually really cute

Like this: “Their I love you is in their Stay, in their Don’t Go, in their Welcome Home, in fingers hooked in belt loops and lingering looks across a room, and they wouldn’t have it any other way” this shit is romantic af and I love it

Need to talk about how evil the concept of Neil realizing he loves Andrew during Aaron’s trial is though, like that’s the kind of angst potential I’m here for

Apparently non-medicated!Andrew in fact doesn’t instantly attack people when he wakes up, he only does that if he’s woken up by being touched

“Neil tends to wake a little more violently than Andrew does” interesting

“Where one wakes up, the other’s bound to follow, so they start stocking decaf coffee in the house for midnight cigarette breaks” 🥺🥺🥺

Sksdjdjdks when Andreil go pro, their fans are apparently mostly too scared to go to them in public

Bruh Nora’s entire section about the hypothetical scenario of Neil’s reaction if Andrew was killed by the mafia is horrifically tragic but also SO gripping. Like Neil would basically become Nathaniel Wesninski for good and just fucking destroy the Moriyamas and honestly it’s kind of badass but again, tragic

Also “the family that forced the Moriyamas out of Japan in the first place” 👀 tea

Nora’s hypothetical how Andrew would react to Neil dying is extremely painful to read but I gotta take a moment to highlight this: “I honestly believe the only person who could mean anything to Andrew in the wake of this would be Wymack. It’s hard to explain their relationship or exactly why they work the way they do, but Wymack could watch Andrew implode and still be a steadying hand” cuz it says volumes about Andrew and Wymack’s relationship and makes me emotional

Finally reading the Extra Content (taken from this link wonderfully provided by @peggyrose19) cuz a blessed soul has converted it into a form I’ll actually read. I’m posting my reactions here for posterity as I get through each part.

Warning for spoilers for the Extra Content, all the typical AFTG trigger warnings, many unsolicited opinions, and USC bashing lol

[markonasurface]

6/50 - “Could you be any louder?”

Fandom: All for the Game Characters/pairings: the Foxes/andreil, kevin x allison, (aaron x katelyn, matt x dan, renee x jean) Summary: The Foxes decide to spend spring break together again (sans the freshmen). The walls are thin and Allison doesn’t want to hear any stupidly happy couples screwing. A/N: Because I saw this post and all I could think of was tfc/aftg. Tbh it’s all I think about these days.

http://maelerie.tumblr.com/post/135803922052/send-me-two-characters-or-more-and-a-prompt-and

**warning for the usual things brought up from the Foxes’ pasts**

It was their second spring break together and would be the girls’ last one with them since they were fifth year seniors. Dan, Matt, Renee, and Allison had decided to rent a cabin again.

Even though they were no longer roommates, or maybe because they were no longer roommates, Neil and Matt kept up with their fighting lessons. Neil showed up just as the upperclassmen decided it might be nice to go to the same place as last time.

“Think Andrew would let you guys come along again?” Dan asked.

“I’ll ask,” Neil said.

“Then it’ll be a definite yes,” Matt grinned.

Neil smiled, a little less socially awkward after nearly two years with the Foxes. “Are the freshmen coming?” he asked.

“God no.” Allison groaned. “Spring break is supposed to be relaxing and fun. It’ll be hard enough with the monsters around.”

All Neil said was, “Okay.” He knew she had a soft spot for them even if she still hated them all. Also, he was pleased they didn’t want the freshmen around as much as he didn’t.

He joined the others in the lounge after his shower and Wymack went over notes for the coming week. He ended with, “Don’t fail your midterms.”

“So?” Allison asked Neil.

“I haven’t asked, yet,” he told her.

“Asked what?” One of the freshmen questioned.

Neil turned to Andrew and spoke in German, “They want to know if we want to join them for spring break like last year.”

“Hell yeah!” Nicky shouted in English.

“It’s not fair when you guys speak in German,” Sheena complained.

Aaron looked at her and said, “If it’s in German, it’s not your business. You don’t hear Kevin complaining.”

“That’s probably because he’s just relieved he doesn’t have to listen to Neil and Andrew’s dirty talk and understand.”

If it wasn’t Exy, Kevin didn’t care so he didn’t respond. Neil ignored the comment and relayed the invitation in French.

Kevin shook his head. “There wasn’t a court last time.” His response was in English.

Neil kept on in French. “Will you go if they find a place with a court?”

“Nobody likes it when you guys speak French either!”

“No one likes it when you speak.” Aaron returned.

Kevin pointed at Allison. “Find a place with a court.”

She glared. “You’re so fucking predictable.”

“Fuck you.”

“In your dreams, asshole.”

One of the freshmen blurted, “You guys are making plans and only inviting half of the team?”

They ignored the freshmen and started for the door. “Aaron?” Dan asked. “You can bring Katelyn.”

This started another round of protests from the freshmen. “She’s not even on the team!”

Aaron shrugged and Dan grinned. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Thea can come, too.” Renee said kindly to Kevin.

“No.”

Neil nudged Andrew and got a glare. “So we’re going?”

“Make sure there are enough rooms. I want the one farthest away from them,” he shot over his shoulder.

“Hey, Renee,” Nicky said. “Is Jean coming?”

“Are you kidding me?” Jack yelled when Renee nodded. “He’s on another fucking team!”

Dan/Matt Kevin/Nicky Andrew/Neil Aaron/Katelyn Allison Renee/Jean

They left Saturday afternoon. They took three cars since they had two extra people coming along. Matt drove Nicky, Aaron and Katelyn since Aaron still refused to have Katelyn and Andrew in the same space for long. Allison drove Dan, Renee and Jean since Renee wanted to avoid the awkwardness that was Kevin and Jean. Andrew, Neil and Kevin were the last to arrive since they stopped for alcohol.

Neil thought there wasn’t much difference between this place and the one they stayed at last spring. The set up was much the same with one bedroom on the first floor and four on the second. The only difference was there was a loft/attic that acted as a sixth bedroom.

The others had left the first floor bedroom for Andrew and Neil again so Kevin went upstairs to find the room with Nicky’s bag.

Their first day was remarkably similar to their first day last year. The others were already in the hot tub. Nicky helped Andrew mix drinks for the others. Andrew and Neil isolated themselves in view of the others and sipped whiskey.

They ate dinner together then settled on couches and raced to see who could get wasted first. They ended the night with Allison calling out the same warning she had the year before. “The walls are thin! I better not hear any of you stupidly happy couples fucking.”

“I bet if you ask nicely Kevin will keep you warm tonight,” Nicky singsonged.

Kevin shot him a disgusted look at the same time Allison told Nicky, “It wasn’t funny the last five times you said it.”

Late Sunday morning the Foxes slowly convened in the front room so they could head to breakfast together. They talked quietly, most of them hungover, all of them still waking up.

“I’m hungry,” Nicky complained.

“Then go wake up your cousin,” Allison snapped back.

“They have to be awake,” Dan said, eyes closed and head leaned on Matt’s shoulder. “I heard one of them get up to shower this morning.”

Nicky glanced at their door. “If one of them is up, the other is, too, but I haven’t heard a sound from their room. Have you?”

He crossed the room and knocked. There was no answer so he tried the door knob and was surprised to find it was unlocked.

His jaw dropped when he took in the scene before him. Neil was leaned back against the wall, hands in Andrew’s hair, and Andrew was on his knees.

Neil’s eyes snapped open with the door and he spluttered, “Fucking hell, Nicky -” He made a noise Nicky never in a million years thought he’d hear coming from him in real life and struggled to keep his eyes open. “G-get the fuck out!”

Nicky slammed the door in his haste and turned to the others who were looking at him curiously. “I think I just saw Neil enjoying himself while not playing Exy,” Nicky deadpanned and couldn’t keep the grin off of his face.

“You’re lying,” Matt accused but he was laughing like the rest of the team.

“Andrew was -” Nicky mimed giving a blowjob and the others lost it.

“You’re gonna make me puke,” Aaron was perhaps the only one less amused than Kevin.

“They’re so quiet,” Matt looked back at their door.

Allison stood. “Let’s go to breakfast, then.”

The others agreed and stood up. About half of them were out the front door when Andrew emerged from his room.

He grabbed Nicky by the shirt and hissed, “Don’t do that again.” His cousin struggled to hold back his laughter but nodded.

“You look wrecked,” Allison commented and Andrew glared.

“Shut up.” More than a couple of the others snorted. It was hard to take him seriously when his lips were swollen and red, his pupils were so dilated his eyes were almost completely black, and his hair was sticking up in weird angles thanks to Neil’s hands.

Allison only allowed a small smile and said, “It’s a good look on you,” before walking out the door. It wasn’t a lie.

Andrew refused to come out of his room for the rest of Sunday which meant Neil didn’t either. The others left them alone until after dinner.

“They could be having sex,” Nicky slurred, already tipsy. “And we wouldn’t even know.”

“Is it normal?” Matt looked toward their door again. “To be so quiet?”

Renee cleared her throat softly and the others looked to where she was curled up with her feet under her and Jean’s arm around her. “I think that everybody’s different. Different experiences and all that.”

“What?” Katelyn asked.

Aaron groaned but kissed her temple. “If the only experience you have is being raped and having your life threatened if you make a noise, you’re used to being quiet.”

He waited for Katelyn to show she understood. The alcohol made her brain sluggish so it took her a few seconds. “Okay, but what about Neil?”

“I heard him tell Andrew that his mom used to beat him any time she caught him with a girl.”

“Damn!” Nicky laughed and Aaron turned to glare. He had been speaking quietly but hadn’t realized the others had gone silent around him to listen. “I’ve heard of people trying to beat the gay out of you but never have I heard of someone beating someone n-not straight!”

Aaron ignored the others as usual and told Katelyn. “Also, Neil’s a liar. The first nineteen years of his life he spent controlling what other people saw of him. I imagine it’s not easy giving up control after so long.”

“Neil ‘I’m fine’ Josten,” Matt agreed.

“What does that mean?” Jean instinctively looked toward Kevin for an answer.

The others hadn’t really seen the two former Ravens interact except for at the banquets when Riko had a collar around Jean’s neck. They also knew the reason Jean wasn’t playing with the Foxes was because there was too much history between him and Kevin.

They didn’t know what they expected but it wasn’t an open expression and Kevin telling Jean, “Last year, whenever anyone asked Neil how he was or if he was okay he would automatically say, ‘I’m fine.’ Even after he came back from Christmas break he told everyone he was fine.”

Jean nodded at this. He changed to French. “The two weeks he spent with the Ravens he never said how he was doing. Mostly just screaming and groaning.”

“Nobody asked,” Kevin assumed. “Nobody would’ve cared.”

“When we talked, it was mostly about Riko, Exy, and you.”

Riko’s name spiked interest in their conversation even more. Kevin only slightly stiffened. When Jean finally looked at the others he said in English, “I’ve never heard Neil say, ‘I’m fine.’ If I had to give him a name like that it would be Neil ‘fuck you’ Josten.”

His comment lightened the mood again and the others went back to talking about random things. Allison motioned for Dan and Renee to follow her so they got up from their seats. Renee looked at Allison and pointed to Katelyn with her eyes and Allison shrugged. While Dan kissed Matt, Renee went over to Aaron and Katelyn and said, “We’re going upstairs. Care to join us?”

“Sure,” Katelyn looked only slightly surprised. She kissed Aaron’s cheek then let Renee help her to her feet.

“Come on, Dan,” Allison whined. She pulled Dan away from Matt and grabbed the fullest bottle she could on their way to the stairs. Renee brought up the rear in case any one of her tipsy friends decided to trip.

When they reached the attic, they all climbed onto Allison’s bed. Allison and Dan turned to Katelyn.

Her face was already a little flushed from alcohol but blood rushed to her cheeks when Allison asked, “So is Aaron loud?”

“Wh-what?” she stuttered, then laughed a little nervously. “Why?”

“We just got proof his twin’s not.”

“No, we didn’t,” Katelyn said. “We got proof that his twin’s boyfriend isn’t loud.”

Dan nodded. “Yeah, but you heard what Aaron said.”

Allison rolled her eyes. “Okay, but both of them are very controlling. The only time we’ve ever seen Andrew show any personality was on his drugs. After that, nothing. I think it’s safe to say neither of them is able to give up that much control even when they’re getting each other off. I think Andrew’s less likely than Neil.”

Dan giggled and choked on a mouthful of liquor.

“So, back to Aaron,” Allison tried to gesture to Katelyn.

She shrugged and took a gulp from their shared bottle when Dan offered it to her. She grinned and said, “Mostly only when he’s drunk. Otherwise, he’s not. He’s kind of serious and sweet.”

“Aaron? Sweet?” Dan hiccuped. She paused then said, “Last year I would’ve never believed it. But now - now that we’ve seen him around you - Oh, my god! He does have a soft side!”

She said it like a revelation. She turned to Allison. “Do you think Andrew is sweet to Neil?”

Allison blinked lazily up at the ceiling. “I don’t know. Remember when Nicky thought it was just hate sex?”

“Yeah, but they’ve been together for a year now,” Dan took another swig from the bottle.

“I’d be more shocked to find out Andrew is gentle when they’re - do you think they’ve even had sex? I mean, like, besides handies and blowjobs. Like, I’d get it after all that shit with Drake last year.” Allison leaned up on her elbows suddenly to look at Renee. “Does he tell you that stuff?”

“No,” she said and left it at that.

Allison fell onto her back again and dragged Dan with her. Katelyn drank from the bottle and swallowed. Then she said, “Which one of your teammates do you think is the loudest in bed?”

At the same time Dan and Allison answered, “Nicky.” This sent them into a fit of giggles. Renee smiled down at her friends.

“Hm,” Allison hugged Dan and snuggled into her warmth. “Now we know two are quiet, two are loud and one -” She pointed at Katelyn and nodded once in thanks. “Is both.”

She gasped and blurted, “What about Kevin?”

“Someone so uptight has to let loose somewhere, right?” Dan rolled so that she was on her stomach.

“I don’t know,” Renee said and the other women immediately gave her their undivided attention.

When she didn’t elaborate, Allison and Dan both complained.

“C’mon, Renee-nay,” Allison leaned across Dan’s back to tug at her pastel colored tips. “What do you know?”

She pursed her lips. “This doesn’t leave this room,” she finally caved. They waved her off and she spoke quietly, not wanting Jean or Kevin to hear her even though there was an entire floor between them. “Riko decided when Kevin and Jean had sex for the first time.”

“What? Like he fucked them?” Allison shrieked.

Renee shushed Allison and said, “No. He chose the girls for them and was there when it happened. Ravens weren’t allowed to go anywhere without another Raven. Kevin was literally by Riko’s side for most of his life and when he finally left, Jean was.”

Dan grimaced and spoke slowly. “That’s sick. So they were only allowed to have sex if someone else was watching?”

“I don’t think the rules were as strict with the other Ravens but I don’t know. Neil said Riko and Kevin shared a room in one hall and all the other Ravens were in a different hall.”

“But if he was always with Riko, how’d he and Thea get together?”

Renee shrugged, deciding she had shared way too much information for the night.

Allison was on her back again, blinking lazily at the ceiling. She asked, “Is Jean loud?”

Renee’s eyes looked empty. “I imagine it’s a little bit like Andrew’s situation. He learned begging and fighting didn’t make them stop.” She flinched and she was sweet Renee Walker again. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud. We’ve kissed and that’s it. I don’t really know.”

Dan grabbed her hand and squeezed. It was hard to believe Renee when she said she and Andrew were very similar but times when they were reminded of her past and now that they knew a little more about what he had gone through, it was hard to believe she didn’t turn out exactly like him.

“I thought Kevin was gay for the longest time,” Allison admitted, subdued. “Like, I thought it was the reason he couldn’t fully give up Riko.”

“Do you think he was ...” Katelyn wondered. “Is that why you said you don’t know if he’s loud in bed?”

Renee shrugged. “I don’t know. Everyone’s different. Even two people who go through the same situation can react to things differently.”

“Geez,” Dan said. “Sorry, Katelyn. We promise our hangouts aren’t always such downers.”

“It’s interesting,” Katelyn admitted, laying next to Dan . “I know not all the girls on the squad had perfect lives but I feel like we live in a bubble sometimes, you know? I feel like everything I’ve learned about your team is stuff you only see in movies. Abuse, rape, murder. After hanging out with you guys, it’s just something so different hanging out with the squad.”

“I guess after dating one of the monsters, nothing can really surprise you, huh?” Allison’s eyes were closed and she reached out blindly to squeeze Katelyn’s arm.

Dan threw an arm over Allison’s waist and snuggled her face into the side of her neck. “Remember that thing that Neil said? Uh, it-I, um, if we got what we deserved we wouldn’t be foxes.”

“Hm,” Allison sighed, already asleep.

Renee woke up before the sun rose and couldn’t fall back asleep. She turned over under Jean’s arm and studied his face. It was weird, the contrast. She had seen all of her teammates awake and asleep at some point and it never ceased to amaze her.

They all looked so peaceful and it made Renee sad to think that anyone could hurt them. The thought passed through her mind again and she remembered why she couldn’t fall back asleep. She felt guilty.

Jean’s and Kevin’s lives at Castle Evermore were their business and for some reason Renee had shared some of Jean’s and Kevin’s experiences. She wouldn’t want Jean telling his teammates that she had been raped. Yet, she had all but stated that multiple people had forced themselves on him.

Lightly, she pressed a fingertip to his cheek and traced the three she knew was underneath his coverup tattoo. His eyelashes fluttered and he breathed deeply, moving a hand to cover hers. He moved their hands down until he could press a kiss to her palm.

“Morning,” he sighed against her skin and she felt his lips quirk up into a smile.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” she said softly.

He squinted his eyes open and turned to grab his phone off the nightstand. “You didn’t,” he told her after checking the time. “I always get up now.”

A door opened on the other side of the space separating Dan and Matt’s and Renee and Jean’s rooms from Nicky and Kevin’s and Aaron and Katelyn’s rooms. Quiet footsteps crossed that space and stopped in front of their door.

The knock was light and Renee looked up at Jean before sliding off the bed and going to answer it. She knew who it was going to be but she was still a little surprised.

Kevin leaned against the doorframe, looking slightly surprised to see Renee as well.

“Kevin, good morning,” she said.

“Hi, Renee,” he responded. “Is Jean up?”

She had a feeling he already knew the answer. She opened the door the rest of the way and moved so Kevin could see Jean.

“Neil and I are going to the court.”

Jean sat up. “Meet you downstairs.”

Neil finished tying his shoe before turning back to look at Andrew. “Are you planning on leaving the room today?”

“I might kill Nicky if I do.”

Andrew’s eyes were closed so Neil rolled his eyes and leaned in close. “Yes?”

“Mm,” Andrew hummed. Neil kissed him.

When Neil closed the door behind him he was greeted with an annoyed look from Kevin. He looked at his watch, making sure he wasn’t late, then shrugged it off, knowing Kevin was displeased with Andrew’s failure to join them.

Kevin didn’t move so Neil shot him a questioning look. He looked up at the second floor when he heard a door open. Kevin waited for Jean to get halfway down the stairs before heading outside.

Neil drove them to the court. He would’ve preferred to run but then he couldn’t take his racquets. They started with laps around the court which was nice but slightly smaller than an actual Exy court. They stretched like they usually did at their morning practices with their teams before running through the Raven drills. Kevin let Jean borrow one of his racquets since he and Neil both used heavier racquets more commonly used by backliners and was closer to Jean’s height.

Three hours later other people started showing up at the court much to Kevin’s annoyance. He started collecting the balls into a bucket but he was Kevin Day and he was with Jean Moreau and Neil Josten. He was one of the sons of Exy and now he was the only son of Exy. They had all been marked for Riko’s perfect Court.

Of course he wasn’t able to gather more than a couple balls before someone approached him. Kevin half assed one of his press smiles which was more than enough.

Neil took over collecting balls. Kevin and Jean were media trained; Neil was known for saying controversial things and pissing people off. As soon as he finished collecting the balls, he called out to Kevin.

The boy who was posing for a picture with Kevin and Jean looked at Neil. Kevin motioned for him to come over and Neil tried to wave him off.

It was a repeat of Kathy Ferdinand. Kevin called out in French, “You gave me your game so get the fuck over here. Play nice.”

Jean raised his eyebrows at that. “Really?”

Neil called out, “Fuck you, both.” Kevin and Jean laughed like Neil had made a joke. None of the people there had understood their conversation so they laughed, too.

They posed for pictures and gave autographs for ten minutes before Kevin said, “We better get going. It was great meeting you.”

“Play a game with us!” Someone suggested.

Neil thought Kevin would decline. These people were only playing for fun. They weren’t dedicated enough that Kevin would be wasting his time.

“Sure, one game,” Kevin agreed and Neil gave him a look. “Jean needs to borrow some gear though.”

They headed over to their duffle bags and Kevin muttered, “Stop looking like Nicky just walked in on Andrew giving you a blowjob.”

Neil gaped. “Did you just make a fucking joke?”

They pulled on their helmets and gloves, deciding they’d do a short first-team-to-five-points kind of game. They were just deciding teams when Andrew and Renee showed up.

Neil watched as one man was brave enough (or stupid enough) to try to introduce himself to Andrew. He offered him a hand to shake and Andrew stared at him uninterested. Renee intervened and shook the poor guy’s hand, introducing herself.

Andrew left them and went straight for Neil. He hooked his fingers through the grating of Neil’s helmet and said, “You’ve been gone for more than three hours.”

“Don’t blame me,” Neil couldn’t help but smile knowing Andrew had run five miles to get here. “Blame Mr. Celebrity, Queen Day, over here.”

“I want ice cream,” Andrew said and a piece of sweat-darkened hair fell into his eyes. “Give me my keys.”

“Play a game with us,” Kevin said.

Andrew’s gaze floated over to Kevin. “No.”

“Neil will get wasted after.”

“No, I won’t.”

It was amusing watching Kevin try not to scowl because so many pairs of eyes were on him. “I’ll fill the freezer at the cabin with your favorite ice cream and won’t say anything when you make yourself sick off it.”

“I’m not putting on any gear.”

Jean and Renee joined them, both wearing borrowed helmets and gloves. They each had an arm wrapped around the other. Under her free arm, Renee carried an extra helmet and gloves.

“Here you go,” she smiled at Andrew.

He took it and said, “I’m not guarding your goal.” He crossed the court and went to stand in the opposite goal.

Renee smiled at the other three and said, “I’ll be a backliner for the other team.”

They had more than enough volunteers to fill their team. They ended up having to play three games because so many people wanted the chance to say they played on Kevin Day’s team.

Andrew rebounded most of the balls off of Kevin’s helmet whenever he got the chance. Neil was relieved Renee was put on as Kevin’s mark because she knew what he was like when he was frustrated or upset with Andrew. Whichever striker Jean guarded had a hard time getting the ball at all but their other backliners weren’t very good and their goalie was worse.

After the third game, Andrew walked off the court. Kevin declined another game and Renee made sure to thank everyone she played with. Jean waited and held a hand out to her when she started toward him.

They changed out of their sweaty clothes. Jean gave Renee his clean shirt and she smiled gratefully. He replaced his dirty shirt with his jacket. Neil threw Andrew his hoodie before going into a stall to change.

“I will leave you,” Andrew called so Neil could hear him from his bathroom stall.

“Just like you’ll push me off the roof of Fox Tower.” Neil came out and joined the others.

In the car Jean checked his phone and frowned. “What’d you do to piss off Thea?” he asked Kevin.

Kevin didn’t turn around and he answered in French. “We had an argument about Riko and the Ravens. She didn’t like what I had to say so she dumped me.”

“I thought we convinced her last year that you were telling the truth,” Jean switched to French to humor Kevin.

“She wanted to know more so I told her more. She’ll get over it.” Kevin turned the volume up on the radio to end the conversation. Andrew slapped his hand but didn’t turn it back down.

Andrew parked the car in the farthest parking space possible and told Kevin, “Buy me a spoon, too.”

Jean and Renee went with Kevin. Neil waited until he couldn’t see them through the back window before leaning forward. “Shower when we get back?”

“Not with you.”

Neil kissed the side of Andrew’s neck and murmured, “Why not?”

He didn’t answer. He wouldn’t answer for two reasons: Neil already knew the answer and Andrew wouldn’t admit to weakness.

When the others came back, they filled Andrew’s trunk with ice cream. Renee passed him a pint and a spoon and he ripped the plastic seal off with his teeth. Kevin looked disgusted but true to his word didn’t say anything.

On Tuesday the group went on a five mile hike. It was a loop trail through a densely wooded area. They paired off on the narrow trail talking about anything and everything.

It was one of Neil’s favorite parts of spring break. Their team blended together and “upperclassmen” and “monsters” was scarcely used, if at all. They still argued a lot, but it was over stupid things that normal twenty-somethings would fight about.

Neil hung back until he was bringing up the rear with Andrew. They walked in silence, listening to their teammates laugh and shout.

As they approached a part in the path where sunlight broke through leaves and branches, Neil nearly toppled over the side of the trail. Andrew’s grip on his hand tightened and to anyone who looked back at them it would seem that Andrew only grabbed Neil’s hand to stop him from falling. In truth, Neil had tripped because he wasn’t expecting Andrew to hold his hand with all of the others around.

He looked at Andrew, hair and eyes unnaturally pale in the sunlight. Andrew stared back, mouth straight, eyes only Neil could read as defiant.

“Aw,” Nicky cooed and the couple’s attention snapped forward.

Andrew dropped his hand and Neil glared at Nicky for ruining this moment. Katelyn was peering over his shoulder at his phone.

“This is a great picture,” she said. “Dan will want to put it on the wall.”

“I will kill you,” Andrew fixed Nicky with a look.

Nicky rolled his eyes but forced his way to the front of the group as he yelled, “What’s new?”

Four miles in Allison stopped.

“Where’s Dan?”

The others looked between themselves and shrugged. Neil frowned. “Matt’s missing, too.”

“Oh,” Allison smirked.

“We should go look for them,” Neil said.

“Dan and Matt are missing together,” Nicky emphasized. When Neil still looked confused, he said, “They’re probably doing the straight person nasty.”

The others groaned. “Do you always have to call it that?”

“What if they’re actually hurt?” Neil didn’t look convinced. “We’re in the woods. One of them could have twisted an ankle or fallen.”

“They’re fine,” Allison put her hands on Neil’s shoulders. She breathed in deeply through her nostrils. “Fine. Let’s go everyone!”

The others protested but they all headed back the way they came calling out to their ‘lost’ teammates.

They didn’t have to go far before they heard Dan moaning and Matt grunting through a patch of trees. The others tried to keep straight faces. Aaron was the first to turn away.

“Happy?” he asked. “They’re fine.”

“More than fine,” Renee agreed, taking Jean’s hand and following Aaron and Katelyn.

The others started to follow but Neil stood frozen in place. He felt the burn in his cheeks.

“Neil?” Kevin looked over his shoulder when he didn’t hear them following behind.

“Wh-why?” he stuttered. “Why would anyone want to do th-that out here?”

Nicky put a hand over his heart and sighed. “Oh, you sweet, sweet boy.”

Andrew shot him a warning look and Neil glared. “I’m serious.”

“Andrew, take Neil about a mile back and show him why.” Nicky winked.

“No.”

Nicky laughed. Andrew took Neil’s hand and dragged him along in the opposite direction from the others. Neil looked back and forth between the cousins.

“Have fun, you two!” Nicky called.

“Andrew, stop,” Neil said. He immediately loosened his grip and waited. “We’re not actually going to - like, we’re not going to do whatever Matt and Dan are doing, are we?”

Andrew shrugged.

“I don’t want -” Neil sighed.

“What?” Andrew demanded, impatient, not angry.

“Our first time to be in the mud,” Neil finished, rushed, eyes locked on Andrew’s.

Neil could have sworn Andrew nearly smiled. “Can I blow you in the mud?”

He wasn’t Andrew so he grinned, suddenly at ease. “Can I blow you?”

The upperclassmen wolf whistled when Andrew and Neil finally returned from their eight mile hike. Andrew ignored them and went straight to the porch, pulling out his pack of cigarettes.

“So now do you understand why people do that out there?” Matt smiled knowingly at Neil.

“No,” Neil tried to keep a straight face. He turned to Nicky, “Thanks for pissing off Andrew.”

“Anytime.” Nicky winked.

Neil crossed his arms. “Stop winking at me. I had to walk an extra three miles because Andrew refused to finish the hike with you guys.”

Nicky frowned. “You mean you guys didn’t -”

Neil shrugged and went to find Andrew. When he joined him at the railing, he leaned in close and asked, “Yes or no?”

“Yes.” Andrew exhaled his lungful of smoke in Neil’s face.

Neil closed the distance, smiling as the taste of Andrew on his tongue was replaced with the more familiar taste of his cigarettes.

“Smells like rain,” Dan commented as she came out of the bathroom toweling her hair dry. “Did Neil and Andrew come back, yet?”

The others pointed around a table, through the archway toward the sliding glass door. Dan tilted her head.

“Guess they didn’t get enough of each other out on the trail.”

“Do you think Neil’s only allowed to touch Andrew’s hair?” Matt asked, not able to drag his eyes away.

“Five dollars - yes,” Nicky responded.

Allison shook her head. “Fifty for no.”

“I’m with Nicky,” Matt said.

“Oh, honey.” Dan plopped down next to Matt. “You boys are so wrong. Fifty for no.”

“Are you going to bet?” Jean asked Kevin.

The others immediately started protesting. “That’d be unfair.”

“Kevin has an unfair advantage. He shares a room with them. He spends extra time with them on the court.”

Kevin glanced at the others. “We go to the court to play Exy and run drills. I see what the rest of you see.”

“Liar.”

He shrugged, unaffected.

Dan groaned at the sunlight coming in through the window. She pressed her naked body closer to Matt’s, one leg thrown over his thigh, and kissed his chest.

“Good morning,” he whispered, his lips pressed to the top of her head.

“Ugh, five more minutes.” She stretched against him before curling up again.

They had been up late, talking, drinking, betting. Despite Kevin’s protests they all went out and tossed a ball around in the rain.

“Ok-” Matt started to agree but a loud clatter had them both shooting up in their bed.

They exchanged looks and paused, waiting to see if a fight would break out. They heard Allison give a shout and Dan was out of bed in a split second, pulling on shorts and a tank top.

She ran downstairs accompanied by a few other bedraggled Foxes. Neil was the first to reach Allison since his and Andrew’s room was on the first floor.

“What’s going on?” Dan crouched next to Allison who had sunk to the floor and pulled her legs up to her chest.

“That fucking asshole motherfucking cunt,” she seethed through her teeth. She was glaring at the pieces of her cellphone across the room. She was yelling and angry but Dan could see how she held back her tears. “Fuck him!”

“Allison,” Renee said from the stairs. “What happened?”

Allison turned to look at the others behind her. “He fucked a Vixen.” She fixed Katelyn with an accusatory stare and Aaron grabbed his girlfriend’s hand defensively.

“Who did?”

“My good for nothing virgin ex-boyfriend. Ha!” Allison’s laugh was humorless. “Ex-virgin ex-boyfriend, if he really was one. There’s a video and everything.”

Kevin emerged from the bathroom, hair wet.

“Get your laptop,” Allison told him.

“Why?” Kevin asked, dully.

“Because I fucking said so!”

His expression went from bored to angry but before he could say anything, Dan said tiredly, “Just do it, Kevin.”

Dan insisted they do whatever Allison wanted for the rest of the day which mostly meant sitting on couches and piles of blankets, drinking. Whenever Allison sent him a pointed look, Neil took a sip of his drink.

Soon enough even Neil was feeling warm and light. It was only one in the afternoon.

They spent the first hour listening to Allison talk shit about her stupidly tall basketball playing ex boyfriend. The conversation slowly moved on to worst breakups - personal and in the celebrity world.

Nicky pulled up a list on his phone and the Foxes made bets as to which breakup was number one. They were all wrong.

“Number one,” Nicky read aloud. “Kevin Day and Riko - uh.”

The group fell silent. Finally Jean said, “Go on. Finish the article.”

Nicky looked stunned but obliged when Kevin said nothing. “They may not have been an actual couple, though some fans dispute this claim - but many will agree the breakup of the sons of Exy was a horrible one. Inseparable from the time that Kevin was adopted by Riko’s uncle and cofounder of Exy, there was mass hysteria among Exy fans when it was discovered that not only did Kevin break his hand but also that he would be leaving the Raven’s for the last-ranked Foxes. Kevin only continued to add to the confusion over a year later when he implied something else had happened to his hand that conflicted with the original statement offered by the Ravens.”

“Stop,” Neil said. “We all know what happened. This is just some stupid recap.”

“I need another drink,” Matt said.

“Nicky, what was that drink you made yesterday?” Dan asked.

Nicky got up, only a little wobbly. “Aaron has dust, right?”

Aaron reached into his pocket and pulled out some packets.

“When did you get that?” Neil questioned.

He shrugged and handed them to Nicky. Andrew got up and went outside to smoke.

“Neil?” Renee offered a packet to him but he shook his head. She gave them to Kevin instead.

Nicky returned fifteen minutes later, using a circular pan as a tray. “I made one for everyone!”

The bright blue drinks got passed around as Dan enthusiastically insisted, “You have to try it! It’s the best drink ever.”

A glass was shoved into Neil’s hand as he stared toward the porch at Andrew. Allison wrapped an arm around Neil’s neck and hoisted her glass toward the center of their deformed circle.

“Fuck cheaters!”

The others echoed her toast and sipped their drinks. Neil grimaced a bit but took another sip. Even he had to admit it tasted better than most alcoholic beverages.

He accepted the shot Allison messily poured for everyone and toasted the “lying bastard” before tipping his shot back like the others. He hadn’t finished Nicky’s first drink but another was passed to him anyway - pink and glittery.

“Why is it sparkling?” he asked, his tongue starting to feel heavy in his mouth.

“Edible glitter!” Nicky yelled over the music that had been turned up once Allison started pouring shots. “It makes everything better!”

Neil barely tasted the second drink. The sun was setting outside and the lights were blurry inside.

“Drink!” Allison called from where she was dancing with the other girls. They all obliged.

Neil was three quarters through the glittery pink drink when he felt someone behind him. He startled, trying to blink the haziness from his eyes.

“How much did you drink?”

“Andrew!” Neil twisted around and pulled Andrew’s hands so he could sit next to him. He started to crawl into his lap but paused. “Is it okay if I -?”

Andrew reached around him and picked up a glass. He kept his other hand on Neil’s hip as he took a sip.

He licked his lips and Neil watched, mesmerized. “Dust.”

“What?” Neil sat up quickly.

“You’re all high,” Andrew stated.

Neil’s brain slowly processed that information. “You’re not?”

He was rewarded with an annoyed stare. “You told me no more.”

“Well,” Neil thought, still staring at Andrew’s lips.

“Well, what?” Andrew snapped his fingers and Neil realized he’d been reaching a hand up to touch his lips.

“You should tonight.”

Andrew shook his head.

“An exception,” Neil insisted. His head felt heavy so he leaned it against Andrew’s shoulder, feeling himself go crosseyed trying to keep his gaze on his mouth. “I had some so it’s okay if you do, too.”

“Not tonight.”

“Can I kiss you?” He saw the hesitation. “We won’t do anything else but I want you to kiss me.”

Andrew looked around the room.

“No one cares. They’re all high,” Neil reminded him.

He stood up and Neil pushed his bottom lip out, prepared to pout. Then Andrew helped him stand and he smiled. “Yes?”

“Yes.” Andrew told him and Neil went in too quick. Their teeth clacked and Andrew hissed, forced himself to unclench his tight grip on Neil’s wrists. “Not here.”

“Why not?” Neil knew he sounded pathetic but he couldn’t help himself. He almost never drank and now he was on drugs, too.

“Hey, when’d you come back?” Matt asked on his way to the kitchen.

Andrew stared at Matt’s retreating back as if that was Neil’s answer. It was but Neil’s brain wasn’t working enough for him to comprehend why.

“Kiss me?” Neil said, question mark at the end.

“Not here,” Andrew repeated.

“If we go to our room, I’ll just want you to fuck me,” Neil said, exasperated. He tried to pull himself free but Andrew ended up having to steady him again.

Nicky, Allison and Dan were close enough that they called out obscene support.

Andrew tensed and Neil tried to take a step back. “Never mind. We don’t have to,” Neil slurred and tried to backtrack. “We can just be here. Not touching. I want to kiss you but it’s okay if you don’t want to kiss me. I shouldn’t have - like, I’m high? And drunk? And high? I want you to be okay and if that means -”

A hand shot out and Neil stumbled forward. It took him a moment to react but then he registered Andrew’s hand clutching the front of his shirt and his lips moving against his.

Neil kissed him back, then put a hand between them. “You don’t have to.”

“I want to,” Andrew growled and grabbed Neil’s hand, bringing it to the back of his head. He turned them so Neil’s back was to the wall, fingers digging into his hips. He nipped at his lip then pulled back just enough to study Neil’s face. “Yes or no?”

Neil blinked his eyes open, confused as to why he wasn’t being kissed anymore.

“Yes or no?”

He realized Andrew needed to be extra sure when Neil was in this state and said, “Yes.”

He loved that Andrew put everything into kissing him, even now - especially now and he moaned. Andrew bit his lip in warning so he tightened his grip in his hair.

Some of the others started wolf whistling and cat calling. Neil didn’t notice until he felt the lack of pressure on his right hip. He opened his eyes and saw Andrew flipping them off. They laughed and Andrew stopped kissing Neil.

“Stop!” Neil nearly whined but caught himself. He tried to remember who he was without the extra stuff running through his veins. He forced an edge into his voice. “You’re ruining everything!”

The others laughed harder, Neil knew he had failed, and Andrew took a step back, forcing Neil to release his grip. Andrew shot the others a cool look before walking toward the porch.

Neil quickly sank to the floor and pulled his knees up to his chest to hide his arousal. “Sometimes I really can’t stand you guys,” he muttered.

“Aw, Neil!”

“Fuck off, Nicky.”

Kevin didn’t know how he found himself alone with Allison but here they were outside in the cold night, both drunk and both recently single. She tipped her head back and finished her drink before saying, “Being cheated on rea-really sucks.”

Any other night Kevin would have just ignored the comment. Tonight he said, “I wouldn’t know. You can’t be cheated on if you’re not allowed to be in a relationship and everybody is fucking everybody.”

“How could he cheat on me?” Allison was still whining and still drinking.

Kevin sipped his drink and said, “You’re annoying as fuck.”

“What?” she tried to glare at him. “I’m fucking hot as fuck, I’m beautiful, I have great boobs and I’m fucking good at fucking. Fuck!”

“Hm,” Kevin shrugged.

Allison stepped closer. “What’s that supposed to mean? Queen Day. You’re the most condescending asshole I’ve ever met and you’ve seen my father! You’re the fakest - stupidest, dumbest person ever. You needed a short little psychotic midget to protect you. You’re incapable of loving anything but Exy and yourself! No wonder Thea dumped you.”

“Thea dumped me,” Kevin was over enunciating to avoid slurring and tripping over his words like Allison. “Because she didn’t like the idea that I was telling the truth when I said Riko had her teammates fu -”

He turned away suddenly. “Fuck you.”

Allison grabbed his arm. “No. Fuck you. I’m amazing.”

Kevin looked at her, an eyebrow cocked. “Ha.”

The next morning Kevin woke up to the sound of Allison puking over the side of her bed. He shot up, ripped the sheet off of her to wrap around his waist and ran downstairs. He ignored stares from the others as he tripped into the bathroom, barely managing to get the toilet lid up before he emptied the contents of his stomach.

Allison appeared a few minutes later, wearing Kevin’s shirt from the night before inside out, sprinting for the other bathroom. Nicky leaned against the doorway to the bathroom by his and Kevin’s room and wrinkled his nose. “What’d you guys do last night? Rob a liquor store?”

Kevin flushed the toilet and kept vomiting.

“Renee gathered the clothes you two discarded on your way up to - ugh,” Nicky shuddered.

Kevin flipped him off and Nicky laughed, closing the door to the bathroom.

Matt, Nicky and Aaron kept driving even when Allison’s and Andrew’s cars pulled off at the first gas station. Allison groaned and said, “I think I’m still drunk.”

Neil went inside and came back out a few minutes later. He stopped by the pink Porsche and Renee rolled Allison’s window down. “Shut up.” Allison commanded even though no one was saying anything.

He handed over a couple of water bottles, something for her headache and a few plastic bags (”just in case”), then got back into Andrew’s car, presumably giving Kevin the same. The passenger door opened and they heard the splash of sick hitting the pavement.

“Ugh,” Allison groaned, holding her stomach. “Get me away from him.”

Renee obediently pulled out of her parking stall and got them on the road again. The drive was a few hours long so they let Allison try to sleep off her hangover. Dan and Katelyn dozed as well as none of them had gotten much sleep the night before.

An hour out from Palmetto Dan’s phone buzzed and she answered it sleepily. “Hello? Hm? Yeah. Tell them -” She got Renee’s attention. “How long?”

“One hour.”

“One hour. Love you. Yeah, I’ll call Neil. Love you.”

Dan selected Neil from her contacts and waited for him to answer. “Just a reminder to dress nicely.”

The freshmen had agreed to shut up about not being invited on their spring break plans if the upperclassmen treated them to an expensive meal when they got back. They stopped at another gas station to change and Andrew’s car pulled in not far behind them.

Kevin and Allison reached the doors at the same time and they stopped to glare at each other before going inside. Renee wrapped her arms around Jean’s waist and sighed. “Think this will be a problem for our team?”

“No,” Jean said honestly. “Kevin would never let anything as trivial as a one night stand with someone he hates get in the way of his game.”

When they arrived at the restaurant the freshmen and Matt’s car were already there. They joined them at a group of tables pushed together. Nicky had made sure to save the end spots for Andrew and Neil.

“You guys look exhausted.”

“That’s because somebody woke us up in the middle of the night and kept us awake for quite awhile,” Dan said without any heat.

“A couple of somebodies,” Nicky smirked.

The freshmen looked around at the others’ faces trying to figure out who they were talking about. Katelyn laughed. “Dan came out of her room because she thought she was going to have to break up a fight.”

“What convinced her it wasn’t?” someone asked.

“She tripped over Allison’s bra,” Katelyn giggled.

“Shut up before I tell everyone what you said about Aaron in bed,” Allison threatened through her teeth.

Aaron shot Allison an annoyed look but he turned and raised his eyebrows at his girlfriend. Katelyn blushed and shook her head.

“I’m sure Allison was only doing it for science,” Dan mused.

“Fucking Kevin was a science experiment?” Nicky’s jaw dropped. He winced. “Don’t kick me, Kevin.”

“What?”

“Kevin and Allison?”

“I thought they were both seeing other people?”

Kevin continued fixing Nicky with a loathsome stare. When someone brought up cheating Allison whipped around. “I am not the cheater,” she seethed.

“But how?” Sheena questioned. Everyone looked between Allison and Kevin, legitimately confused.

Finally Allison stated, rushed, “Because we were so wasted his face was blurry.”

“Oh, I’m sure you guys knew who you were fucking. Also, we all know it’s not his face that’s hard to handle. The amount of bickering between was enough to know you knew. Never mind the ‘fuck, Kevin, god.’” Nicky mocked.

“Kevin always talks shit,” Jean offered, maybe thinking he was helping by offering a fact that negated Nicky’s statement that the bickering is what gave them away.

“Not surprised,” someone said.

Nicky looked at Allison. “So really, how the fuck did that end up happening?”

“Have none of you ever been cheated on?” Allison demanded. “You choose the best looking guy around and fuck him.”

“But you and Kevin?”

Allison groaned. “God, Nicky. We were wasted and both recently dumped. That’s enough. End of story. It won’t ever happen again. Mind your own fucking business, you creep.”

“Okay, okay, okay,” Nicky conceded. “Just one more question though because I mean damn! I thought I was loud but, could you be any louder?”

[katelynhummel]

Wuthering Heights | Eli & Kate

Tagging: @elikarofsky & @katelynhummel Location: Eli’s suite Date: May 23rd, evening Summary: Scene Week, involving a mix of bondage [Eli & Kate], impact play [Eli & Kate], and sensory play [Eli]. Also, Katelyn’s first scene.

Eli gathered up her supplies, a flogger, a candle and some rope. She hoped her plan for Katelyn would be okay with the submissive but she was getting nervous as she waited for the girl to arrive. Walking over to her bookcase, she pulled a couple of books for the girl to choose from while she waited.

Kate took a deep breath before knocking on Elizabeth's door. This was about to be her first ever scene, and while she had long expected to be the Dominant in the situation, she was glad to be doing this with someone she respected. Gaining enough points to get off campus certainly helped her nerves some as well.

Eli heard the knock and took a deep breath before opening it and smiling. "Hey. Come on in" she greeted. Closing the door behind her, she walked towards the kitchen where she had her supplies laid out. "So" she started, straight to the point. "You have total veto power but I was thinking of using some of the bondage techniques from class and binding you and then have you read out loud while I use these to try and distract you" she explained to the sub, biting her lip as she waited for the response of the other girl.

Kate offered Elizabeth a hesitant smile as she stepped inside, and she followed her over to the kitchen. Seeing the items laid out like that made her nervous, but a small part of her was also really excited at the thought of finally doing a scene. "I like that, Miss," she said after a moment. "I've... never actually done any of this before, so I don't know what I can and can't handle, but I do like your plan. What would you like me to do?"

Eli nodded. The fact that Katelyn had never done a scene was what made Eli nervous. She was a slut. Everyone knew that. So not only doing a nonsexual scene with someone but doing their first scene made Eli a little nervous. But it wasn't the first time she had done a scene so she had to just have faith in herself. "Well, Normally I'd ask you to strip down but if you don't feel comfortable doing that we can work around it" she explained.

Kate shrugged. She wasn't completely uncomfortable with her body, but getting undressed seemed to indicate things growing more sexual. That was her only problem with it in theory, and she knew that this scene didn't have to become sexual. "How much would you like me to take off, Miss?" she asked, shrugging out of her cardigan and laying it over one arm.

Eli thought for a moment before nodding once to herself. "If you're comfortable with it, down to your underwear should be enough" she explained, sending a comforting smile

Kate nodded, though her body felt wound tight with nerves. "That's completely fine, Miss," she said. She set her sweater down on the back of a chair, then pulled her shirt off over her head. After toeing off her shoes, she slid out of her skirt and piled everything neatly on the chair with her sweater. She was left standing in a matching, lacy, pink bra and panty set, and she clasped her hands together in front of herself when she looked back at Elizabeth.

Eli watched the girl undressed, very aware of the nerves. Once the girl was done, she smiled at her and grabbed her supplies before reaching out a hand to grab Katelyn's before lightly pulling her towards her bedroom. "I just want you to be as comfortable as possible" she explained as she brought the girl to her bed. "Would you like to use a particular safe word or does the stoplight system work for you?" she asked, before she started anything.

Kate allowed herself to be led into the bedroom, and though she didn't show it outwardly, she was grateful that the Switch was taking her comfort into consideration here. She sat down on the edge of her bed and thought for a moment before responding. "The traffic light system would probably be easiest, Miss."

Eli nodded before placing the rope and flogger on the bed before placing the candle on the side table and lighting it. After it was lit, Eli snapped her fingers before running back to the kitchen and returning with three books. "I probably don't have your collection but I have Wuthering Heights, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring or The Name of the Wind" she read off as she displayed the three books to the girl to choose.

Kate watched as Elizabeth lit the candle and got things set up for them, and she did her best to hide her nerves. She smiled when she saw the books and picked up Wuthering Heights. "I love Lord of the Rings, but I don't enjoy the books nearly as much as the films. They're cinematic masterpieces," she explained.

Eli smiled as she handed the girl the book before placing the other two on the side table. "I hear you there. And while we all know they're super long, I'm super bummed hey left out Tom Bombadil and Glorfindel" she said with a shrug. "So I'm gonna have you in the middle of the bed. I'm gonna tie your elbows to your knees, to make your mobility limited but your ass exposed for this" she explained, lifting the flogger. "I'll also be binding your wrists together, so I'll turn pages for you. Once we get you all tied up, you'll start reading out loud. I'll provide 15 hits. For every time you mess up, you'll get some hot wax after we're done with the hits. Understand?" she went over, hoping everything was okay with the sub.

Kate grinned, relaxing a little bit more once Eli started talking about the Lord of the Rings. "You and me both," she said, "though can you imagine how long the movie would have been if they'd kept all of those songs in?" She shook her head, growing quiet as she listened to what Elizabeth had planned. She eyed the flogger warily but nodded. "Understood, Miss." She was nervous about actually being able to get through fifteen strikes with that flogger, but she told herself that she could do it. She was strong, and she didn't want to disappoint the Domme. Who knew, she might even find that she enjoyed it--there was a reason that she signed up for the impact play class, after all. She pushed herself up onto the bed and kneeled down in the middle. "Like this?"

Eli chuckled. "They would need their own movies, those songs" she joked as she watched the girl move to the center of the bed into position. Nodding she smiled. "Exactly" she said before she quickly moved about tying the girls wrists together than her elbows to her knees before finishing with her ankles. Once everything was tied, she stood to the side for a moment "You okay? We still good to go?" she asked, ready to quickly untie the girl if things were too much.

Kate laughed a little at the joke but didn't respond, her attention already focused on the scene that was about to start. She was proud of herself for allowing Elizabeth to tie her up without fighting at all; it was amazing what a few deep breaths could do to keep her calm and collected. The position was a little uncomfortable at first, but only because it was new. She did a quick mental inventory of herself before nodding. "Yes, Miss," she said. "I'm okay. I'm good."

Eli nodded before grabbing the book and opening the drawer of the side table to pull out a book stand to set up in front of the girl. With the book set up in place, Eli nodded again. "Alright. Whenever you're ready, you can start reading out loud. If you stop for more than 5 seconds after each hit, mess up the word or phrase you're on during a hit or any other words come out such as ow or fuck which are not in the book, with the exception of your safe words, I'll count them as a mark. At the end of all this, you'll get one candle pour for each mark. I'll start after you start. If you have any questions, please ask before you start reading. Other than that, whenever you're ready" she said in a calm, collected tone, doing her best to keep Katelyn calm.

Kate stared at the book in front of her while she listened to the instructions. It all made sense--it was so simple, really, when she thought about it, but she was still impressed with all of the thought that Elizabeth had clearly put into deciding the scene. She was fairly certain she was setting herself up for failure here, but she still wanted to try. "Eighteen-oh-one," she started. "I have just returned from a visit to my landlord..."

Eli nodded to herself as the sub began reading. Letting her rad the first paragraph, Eli positioned herself behind the girl. After a few moments, she finally brought her hand back and brought the flogger down. It wasn't the hardest she had ever hit but it was not a soft hit as well. It was a nice starting point that she could build off of, trying to feel how the sub was going to react.

Kate grew more and more nervous the farther she got into the paragraph without any sort of strike landing on her backside. When Eli finally hit her with the flogger, she gasped in shock at the pain. She'd known in theory, of course, that impact play would be painful, but to actually experience it first-hand was something else. It took her a few seconds to regain her concentration enough to find her place and keep reading, and she was certain that she'd taken too much time to recover. One pour of wax wouldn't be too bad, at least--or maybe it would be. Her voice shook slightly as she moved on. "'Mr. Heathcliff?' I said. A nod was the answer."

Eli counted to five in her head before mentally noting one mark. She didn't want to say anything out loud, to not distract the girl from her reading more than necessary. After a few more lines, she brought down the second blow, quickly followed by the third and fourth, leaving only 6 or 7 seconds between each hit.

Kate was better able to control her reaction through the next several hits, now that she knew what they felt like. It seemed to sting a little worse with each new hit, but she managed to keep going each time. On the fourth strike, though, she stumbled over what she was saying. Sentiment came out as sentinel, and she winced, knowing that would be another drop of wax. She steeled herself for the next blow, starting the sentence over again.

Eli heard the stumble and made a mental note but kept going. She was proud how the girl powered through, rarely stumbling or losing concentration. Once she got to ten, Eli paused. "We doing okay?" she asked, making sure Katelyn was alright. She also knew that the last 5 hits were going to be harder than the first ten and she wanted to let the girl know, so she wasn't caught off guard.

Kate did her best to get through each of the strikes without breaking one of the rules of this little game, though there were definitely a couple more stumbling blocks as she made her way through onto the second page. She'd lost track of how many hits she'd received after the first few, so she was surprised when Elizabeth asked her a question rather than continuing. "Yes, Miss," she said meekly. "Are-- are we done?"

Eli smiled but shook her head. "5 more. I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay and let you know that I was going to come down a little harder" she explained. "You've done good so far. Only 4 mistakes out of 10 hits. I'm proud of you" she said with a smile on her face. "If things get too intense, use your safe word. I won't be offended or upset. But I am going to push you on these last 5" she explained. "You can begin again whenever you're ready"

Kate gave an involuntary little shudder when she heard that she was only two-thirds of the way through this part of the scene and that the pain would be getting worse from here on out. She was proud to hear that she had only messed up a few times, and she nodded confidently. "Yes, Miss," she said before clearing her throat and starting to read again. "Wuthering Heights is the name of Mr. Heathcliff's dwelling..."

Eli nodded as the girl began reading again and wasted no time bringing down the flogger, a little more power behind it than she had been using before. At the loud slap, she paused, waiting to catch the girls reaction.

Kate knew the flogger was coming again, but she wasn't prepared for it to come down so hard or quickly and she completely forgot herself. "Fuck," she gritted out between her teeth, wincing when she realized what she'd done. She breathed in through her nose and took a moment to find her place again.

Eli chuckled at the girls reaction. "Pretty sure Lockwood doesn't say that" she said softly before letting Katelyn find her place again and begin reading. After a line or two, Eli brought down the flogger again, the same intensity as the last one. With a break between each one, Eli made her way through the last 5 hits, proud of the sub she was with.

Kate was less able to concentrate on what she was reading now that Elizabeth was hitting her harder. It took her longer and longer to regain her composure with each hit, but each time, she eventually managed to keep reading. When she was pretty sure she'd received the last hit, she just kept reading through the pain, wanting to get through it as quickly as possible. "...previous-to-inspecting-the-penetralium," she said, the words running together in her effort to just keep going.

Eli was proud of how the girl kept going. With the exception of the first hit, Katelyn pushed through and Eli was going to reward that. Putting the flogger down, Eli made her way around to the front of the girl. "You're done. You can stop. You were such a good girl. So so good" she said, brushing loose strands of hair out of the subs face, smiling at Katelyn. "How are you doing? are you okay?"

Kate stopped reading as soon as Elizabeth said she was able to, her voice dropping away in the middle of a word. "Thank you, Miss," she said, feeling a little dazed as she looked back at the other woman. "I-- I think so. That was... intense." She took a few seconds to try and compose herself a bit, but she knew there was still more to come. "When are you going to use the candle, Miss?" she asked. "And where?"

Eli smiled at the girl. "Impact scenes usually are" she agreed. Hearing the girls question, she smiled. "I wanted to make sure you were okay and you were okay continuing. I was going to leave you in this position. You only have 5 pours. I was going to go with your back and feet unless you'd like somewhere else" she explained to Kate.

Kate didn't know what it was about Elizabeth's smile, but something about it made her feel much better about what she'd just gone through. Her ass was pretty sore, and she was sure that wouldn't be going away any time soon, but she was glad the Switch was there with her. "That's... fine, Miss. I just want to make sure it doesn't get on my bra or panties."

Eli heard the girls concern and nodded. "I can make sure that it stays away from your undergarments" she said with a smile. Placing a soft kiss on the girls forehead, Eli got up and grabbed the candle before moving behind the girl again. Looking to see how much wax she had, she took a deep breath. "Ready?" she asked before she poured some of the wax onto the girls lower back, making sure she was far enough away from the girls undergarments.

Kate was nervous again all of a sudden. She'd gotten used to the feel of the flogger landing on her ass, but hot wax against her skin was completely new. "Thank you," she said. When she was asked if she was ready, she answered right away. She wasn't sure if she was, but then again, if she wasn't ready now, she'd never be ready. "Yes, Miss," she said, tensing up when she felt the wax landing against her back. It was hot, but not painful in the same way the flogger had been.

Eli did the 4 remaining pours quickly. She did two more on the girls back and one on each foot. Once she was done, she put the candle down before moving to undo the bindings. "You okay?" she asked the sub as she massaged the girls arms to try to get blood flowing regularly again.

Kate gasped each time the wax landed on her skin, though it was by far the worst on the sensitive undersides of her feet. She was panting pretty heavily by the time it was over, and she was very grateful to be untied. She let Elizabeth take care of her arms, but she had to stretch up onto her knees a little more, needing to change position there, too. She was wary of moving too much, though, not wanting to aggravate her ass or accidentally knock wax off. "Yes, Miss," she said after a few moments, feeling strangely out of it. "I think so."

Eli let the girl stretch out. "I have some lotion I can put on your ass and thighs. Or, if you're not comfortable with that, I can give it to you to put on yourself" she said. "It's a cooling lotion. It'll take out some of the sting" she explained. "You're also more than welcome to use the restroom. I can draw a bath for you"

Kate smiled shyly at Eli, eventually stretching her legs all the way out so that she was lying on one side and looking back at her. "Could you put it on?" she asked, wanting nothing more in this moment than to be taken care of. It was a strange feeling, but she certainly wasn't going to fight it, not when the Switch was so accommodating. "A bath sounds wonderful, too."

Eli smiled at the girl and nodded before getting up to get the lotion. Returning to the room, she sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the girl before placing some lotion in her hand. She then reached over and carefully lifted the edge of the girls panties before placing her hand under the garment, not removing it out of respect for the sub, hoping that was okay. "How's that feel?" she asked softly.

Kate lay there quietly while Elizabeth left the room, her brain still trying to process everything that had happened since she'd arrived. She moaned softly when she came back and started to rub the lotion into her heated skin. "So good," she said, stretching the words out and mixing them in with her moans.

Eli chuckled at the girls reaction and continued rubbing the warm skin. Once she covered the entire area, she rubbed the lotion on her hands before standing up. "I have something for you. For being so good" she said with a smirk

Kate frowned Elizabeth pulled her hand away from her ass, wanting the massage to go on for much longer. She perked up a little at the mention of a reward, but she stayed lying where she was, too comfy to move. "What's that, Miss?"

Eli grinned at the girl before walking over to her desk and grabbing her sketchbook. Opening it, she found the drawing she put into a plastic report page holder and grinned as she turned around. "I made sure I had it finished for today" she said as she handed the girl the sketched out blueprint of a library that would fit into a bedroom sized room with a window nook for reading, a ladder on wheels to get around the bookshelves, a fireplace and comfy seating with an option of either a desk or coffee table in the middle of the room.

Kate watched in curiosity as Elizabeth pulled out a notebook, and it took her a moment to realize what it was. When she did, though, she pushed herself upright so that she could look at it better, wincing a little as she put pressure on her ass, but it was worth it. She held the sketch in both hands and examined it, a smile growing on her face with each individual feature she noticed. "This is incredible," she said softly, continuing to look it over for a few more seconds before looking back at the Switch. "Thank you, Miss. I'd love this. I don't think I'd ever leave."

Eli smiled down at the girl as she took in the sketch. "Well when you get your own place, you can let me know and I'll come make it come to life" she told the sub.

Kate returned Elizabeth's smile and nodded. "I'll have to do that," she said quietly. It would, of course, depend on whatever her eventual Dominant wanted, but with any luck, she'd find someone who wanted to let her have something this nice. "Thank you again, Miss."