#in that scene when they face off in tkm

[dayurno]

favorite thing abt kandrew sister dayurno 🧎‍♂️

the fact that the first time andrew looks awake is when he’s playing against kevin and when he smiles off his meds it’s because of kevin and when kevin calls andrew always answers and

[bloody-wonder]

omg im the tsc anon, i literally sent it cause i knew from the past aftg opinions you shared - you'd likely feel similarly to the way i did about tsc

neil outshines jean to such a shocking degree when he only has a handful of scenes... neil is a fantastic protagonist so ofc it's hard to live up to, but come on 😭 jean has such a weaker personality imo? he does/says less interesting things, but also has a less interesting perspective on things. his lack of standing up for himself when the trojans badgered him constantly and talked behind his back bothered me to. can u imagine neils reaction if the foxes had been sharing his secrets over a group chat?

but just in general. tsc felt like a sanitised version of aftg, if that makes sense? scrubbed clean of the controversial and unconventional aspects. and it's those aspects that, in my opinion, played a huge part in what made aftg so good. noras a very talented writer, but i can not comprehend the decision to make tsc... all that it was, yknow? it feels almost like it was written for the 'andreil say ily' part of the fandom...

neil really saved this book for me icl. outsider pov of him is fascinating. and while andrew barely said/did anything even when he was there, i actually kinda liked that? it puts into perspective how ig off-putting andrew can appear to those who don't put in the effort with him. 'creepy little goalkeeper' is so funny and so accurate, he IS a creepy little goalkeeper and i love that for him.

idk, some things i had anticipated - the trojans being who they are were never going to match the foxes. jeremy x jean was never going to match andreil (and ive seen ppl comparing them already... the blasphemy.) but there were things i was surprised weren't there. i had expected kevin and jeans relationship to be a lot more tense ig? i had thought jean would harbor a MUCH deeper resentment towards kevin, but i suppose its just not his character? but when i was reading, i couldn't help asking what would the fan reaction had been if that had been the case? if kevin and jeans past relationship, and places in a cult hierarchy, had shown through in a much uglier and uncomfortable way? i can see why she didn't do that, i don't even necessarily want that, i think i was just desperate for this book to have some sort of deep conflict between the characters.

on the subject, kevin felt quite different from how he was in aftg. but i can't quite put my finger on why.

anyway, it is nice to see someone else have mixed feelings towards the book. i enjoyed it, but i was shocked how many people seemed to really love it. not because it was bad. but because, to me, it was so fundamentally different from aftg.

thank you for sharing your thoughts! i suspected you might have written me bc i used to be the resident notorious contrarian of the fandom lol

yeah neil is a textbook example of a protag who drives the plot forward, he has that main character energy which jean totally lacks which makes sense since jean was originally a minor side character. at the same time the differences in their characterization make complete sense in universe due to the different ways they were brought up and the different trauma they faced. so it all comes down to each reader's personal preference: for me, neil's arc is a self-indulgent power fantasy. i think i have a strong sense of self and when i can't achieve something it's due to circumstances so far out of my control it's impossible to overcome them. it's therefore very satisfying to read about neil facing impossible odds and winning thanks to the sheer force of his personality, whereas jean's way of dealing with trauma feels less fun by comparison. but other readers can relate to him more and all the power to them. i do however think tsc does a disservice to its new characters by opening with a rather lengthy recap of how cool the foxes were in the last act of tkm and closing on a chapter where neil comes along and reminds us who the real hero of this story is🤷‍♀️

i don't think tsc has been entirely scrubbed clean of controversial aspects - i saw plenty of reviews complaining about the amount of dark content (in book 4 of a series known for its dark content, le gasp) - but i do think the handling of certain things was less nuanced than in aftg. for instance, both stories have a plot bit about someone unknowingly exposing a character to their abuser which leads to them being retraumatized (jean himself comments on the similarities between drake and grayson). in aftg that someone is nicky - a person andrew knows and trusts, a person the readers grew to care about (lol not me but certainly some other readers) - so his role in the tragic sequence of events is that much more upsetting. rape and abuse is terrible but the fact that a person who means well can exacerbate the issues bc they don't have the framework to understand the other person - that hits so much harder for me personally. so in the end drake is just an evil rapist but nicky is a much more nuanced character bc through him nora questions whether being nice and having good intentions is enough, whose feelings should be centered on in such a complex situation, whose emotional needs should be prioritized etc. by contrast, in tsc that person is lucas - someone we basically just met, who is nothing more than an antagonistic stranger to jean and who we therefore don't care about. which is why when he leads grayson to jean it's like, first of all, duhh. but secondly, bc it happens against the backdrop of the other ("good") trojans' cheerfully patronizing attitude it doesn't come so much as a shocking twist that puts the ways how we deal with complex trauma into an unconventional perspective than as a culmination of everyone disrespecting jean's boundaries all the time - which is likely what nora intended but the overall constellation feels much less interesting to me.

ig this ties into your point about the book lacking the kind of deep conflict aftg had - but maybe that was intentional too, maybe it's supposed to be aftg light in that sense, sort of a post canon character study fic. which i am not opposed to, not everything has to be high plot and tension and grey morality, but unfortunately the emotional core the story relies on in the absence of the plot just didn't work for me. i can accept jean's "weaker" personality, i can understand him not being able to stand up for himself even tho i can't admire it, but i draw the line at how forced his friendship with jeremy and the girls ended up feeling. like, i still can't get over cat's sex toy joke right on the heels of jean being badgered into admitting he had been sexually abused - the info which jeremy promptly spilled to the girls. if something like that happened to me i would never be able to trust these people again, much less call them friends so soon. it's such a bizarre contrast between how neil joining the monsters in tfc despite their problematic initiation rituals feels valid bc the narrative earned it both plot-wise (we're now facing a bigger enemy together) and character-wise (neil pushing back, talking about why they did it, nicky apologizing) on the one hand - and how jean accepting jeremy, cat and laila as his new friends feels rushed and artificial despite them being so very nice and domestic and wholesome on the other hand. idk maybe it's bc i'm inherently skeptical about disingenuous cozy/hopepunk subgenres in modern lit bc they usually have a darker underbelly people are loath to confront but ngl the words sanitized and conventional did come to mind while reading and so did the idea that tsc will especially appeal to a certain subset of fans which found the (at times uncomfortable) complexity of the original trilogy too much to handle. well, i hope they're enjoying their fantasy of healing a survivor of cptsd by cooking and shopping and hugs - i certainly got to enjoy mine in aftg, there's plenty to go around lol

besides, tsc being so different/separate from aftg makes it really easy to just not engage with the fan content and discussions if it starts feeling like they veer into the annoying territory too much. tbh my primary concern when tsc was announced was that it could contain some retcons about andreil and aftg which i wouldn't agree with - and that didn't happen, my boys are still very much in character, so i can just retreat to my enclosure and leave tsc to jean stans who are its main target audience in any case.

[mostlymaudlin]

fanfic writer challenge!

instructions:

list & explain the three lines/moments from canon that are most fundamental to how you write your fave character

challenge 3 more fic writers to do the same!

ok i did this for carry on but im doing a separate one for aftg <3 because its fun

it is surprising to no one, but my fave character to write is andrew :) and i gotta put this puppy under a read more because i wrote way too much. i have [clenches fist] SO MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT ANDREW MINYARD !!!

but first, ill tag: @sillyunicorn @starwarned @takitalks @rainbow-0bsidian @pipedream-darling @otherworldsivelivedin @mrskrementz @fortheloveofexy @seasy33 @jostenminyard

(doing more than three to get the ball rolling lol)

Andrew's smile vanished when the elevator started its slow crawl down. Neil returned his stare, every muscle tensed for a fight. At the fifth floor, Andrew pushed away from the back railing and started for Neil. He reached for Neil's keys, but Neil moved the ring out of reach. Andrew tried again, and Neil had to step back to dodge his grab. He backed right into the metal doors and realized a moment too late Andrew didn't care about his keys at all. He buried the ring in his pocket, feeling pinned in. How stupid, that someone so short could have such a presence. -- (The Foxhole Court, Chapter 2)

ok, a long one to start, but important ! one of the reasons i love writing andrew is because of the way hes fucking nuts. and as someone who is also nuts, this is pleasing to me. and let me make this point without using silly euphemisms: mania is a state in which a person is heightened, but they are still fundamentally themselves. their thoughts are not limited by silly things like filters or predicting consequences. it is impulse and pleasure-chasing. so! when i look at andrew, who is supposedly on some whacked out fake drug that induces mania, i think about how his actions that could be brushed off as "he's just high" actually reflect an andrew without inhibitions. this is especially helpful when looking at andrew in TKM, when he becomes incredibly difficult to read.

this scene is the reverse, though, and that's why it's important to me. andrew is not on his medicine here, but he's not Mr. Repressed either. this is an in-between, where he's choosing to let some of himself shine through (mostly with the intention of freaking out neil, lol). and it's great, because andrew shows us a few big things:

he reads & understands people SO well, even if he rarely caters to their needs. the fact that he goes for neil's keys on day 1 to draw a reaction is like... yep. you got him lol.

he is willing to take drastic measures in the name of.... well, at this point in the story we're not sure, but soon we'll see that its to protect his people

he's crazy???? lol. i just think andrew's dialogue in tfc/trk in his brief unmedicated moments (and even his manic ones!) are so indicative of how andrew thinks. he's so fucking weird. in this scene, he follows his cornering act with "How nice to meet you, Neil," Andrew drawled. that's so weird!! he's weird. his brain is silly and clever and quick. This bit and others like it are the foundation on which ive built my version of his POV.

now, speaking of andrew's brain --

Andrew stared stone-faced back at him. Neil would have assumed it a silent rejection of Neil's veiled accusations if Andrew's hand hadn't frozen midair between them. -- (The King's Men, Chapter 11)

let's set the scene. immediately before this, neil has suggested they go on spring break, implied that there was a this, then hit andrew with his "And I am nothing" / "And as you've always said, you want nothing."

so like. andrew just got punched in the gut approximately six times in under a minute. poor guy. when neil prompts him back into action, he first threatens to kill neil, and then kisses the shit out of him. squeeee, ROMANCE!!!

when i look at this scene, i think of that first quote i pulled. i think of andrews silly and clever and quick brain, and about how much work he does to keep his mask on. there are plenty of times his mask cracks, but this one is the most fun because he is so clearly being overwhelmed by FEELINGS. he is confused by neil, irritated with him for bringing up all these things that andrew long ago decided didn't matter, and furious with himself for wanting it all too. he has to freeze so that none of that slips out of his mouth or onto his face. when he recovers, he deflects thru being mean (which is useless against neil, but still a satisfying way to blow off some steam) and then kissing him :) because really, that's what it all boils down to: andrew wants neil so bad it makes him want to murder him.

and look at this, a nice transition to the final scene!

"Rumor has it I'm pretty interesting."

"Don't believe everything you hear."

Neil ignored that dismissal because Andrew was already pulling him down again. They kissed until Neil felt dizzy, until he wasn't sure he could hold himself up anymore, and then Andrew pulled Neil's hand off the beanbag chair. He held it up and away from them for an eternity, then slowly pressed it flat against his chest and let go. Andrew tensed up under Neil's hand but relaxed before Neil could pull away. --(The Kings Men, Chapter 15) (The second Chapter 15) (Because thats something we have to clarify in these dumbass books)

oh my GOD. has a scene ever scened like this scene scened. has a touch ever meant so much. has a character ever tried this hard. ok, once we've all finished banging our heads against the wall and screaming, let's review:

andrew wants neil so bad it makes him want to murder him. but andrew also wants neil so bad that it makes him want to TRY. im actually going to take this apart bit by bit because if for some reason you're still reading this madness, i think you'll appreciate the detail LOL.

ok, first: before this paragraph, neil confronts andrew again with the gravity of their relationship, and andrew plays his usual game of deflecting and bullying. that doesnt work (andrew, has that EVER worked???***) so of course the next action is kissing.

and kissing and kissing and kissing.

and somewhere in all this kissing that is so good that neil is dizzy, something in andrew says: i want more. he takes neil's hand, maybe on impulse, and has to stop to think about what he's going to do. and then he tries to give: he places neil's hand on his chest, LETS GO, and then relaxes under his touch.

its hard to tell how much of this was impulse and how much was thought through. im willing to bet it was mostly impulse, especially because andrew doesnt hit neil with a "i never do anything i dont want to do" when neil acknowledges that this is probably something theyre not ready for. (instead, andrew reacts by deflecting/bullying -- "One hundred and one" -- and then more kissing. so predictable!).

but still! it says so much. it says that he wants and wants and wants, he dreams about things he thinks he'll never have. and neil keeps trying to prove him wrong, and andrew wants to believe him so badly, wants to SHOW neil that he's starting to believe him. scream!!! andrew invented romance. he put neils hand on his chest and LET GO. he said: "look. im trying. i want this too, even if i cant even think the words." he said: "i want to figure out how to trust you."

because underneath it all, i believe andrew is a deeply hopeful creature, and that is the thing he hates most about himself. he wants a home, he wants a family, he wants to belong -- and it makes him feel so fucking foolish. its easier to wrap these wants up in duties and protections, concrete and emotionless things. but neil never actually wanted andrew's protection, yet he still wants andrew more than anyone ever has before. thats fuckin earth-shattering. theres only so much deflecting and bullying and kissing you can do before some of that deeply buried hope claws its way out.

SO YEAH i really didnt need to do all that but i did. if youre still reading then like LOL youre a trooper hope u enjoyed the 2AM Nerd Rory show. but i think about andrew a lot (obviously) and hes such a difficult character to write, so returning to scenes like these three really help ground me in the version of him that lives in my head. so that i can put him in situations :)

***actually wait i just remembered one time where the bullying/deflecting worked, so here's a bonus. in ch 10, the make it to finals and have a party at abbys. andrew and neil are outside, and neil is frustrated with andrews apathy -- "Would it kill you to let something in?" / "It almost did last time." -- and then also starts talking oh so earnestly about how andrew could be court if he'd just TRY. andrew, obviously, gets mad and asks Neil if hes capable of talking about anything other than Exy. which actually hurts neil's feelings, because neil just really likes talking to andrew about exy (the thing hes most passionate about) & deeply values his opinions, and hes upset by the implication that they dont actually have this in common.

and like, you could read this as andrew just being sick of talking about exy lol. but i see it as part of the pattern. andrew is triggered, first of all. and then neil is being a little too earnest about the future and andrew, talk to me. and andrew's fucking overwhelmed !!! he does not know what to do with this! so: lash out. hit neil where it hurts. deflect and bully.

[fortheloveofexy]

I’m curious, how do you see sub Andrew being supported by canon? (I’m not leaning either way, that’s just not a take I’ve seen before and it’d be interesting to get your opinion)

Since a few people have asked me now, here are a few scenes in particular from canon that support sub Andrew, followed by some of my own thoughts

While there's obviously nothing in canon that says "Andrew has to be a sub!", there is also ample subtext that he could be, if only there were someone he could trust enough to not hurt him or take advantage, someone who respects him enough not to touch without permission, who would follow his boundaries to the letter and care for him while he was in a vulnerable state. And there's plenty of subtext about his character to imply that it's something he'd be open to, given the right circumstances. Let's take a look at a few instances:

This scene from the hotel in Baltimore:

Andrew shifted as if to get up and Nathaniel knew he was going to shut Browning up for good. Nathaniel knew better than to touch Andrew yet but he got as close as he could and framed Andrew's face between his bandaged hands. Andrew could have easily pushed him aside, but after a short pause he got settled again. Nathaniel flicked him a quick look, grateful for that compliance, before leveling another icy stare at Browning.

Neil looks at him and frames his face with his hands, and what does Andrew do? He settles down and stays quiet.

Despite the stressful situation, despite the fact that he's already so on edge from what has been a very emotionally fraught few days, he listens without question. Andrew, who notably barely listens to anyone else, especially when it comes to protecting his people. Just one look from Neil and he puts the claws away and lets him handle it, perfectly obedient.

There are more scenes like this throughout the series, of course, where Andrew listens to Neil and nobody else, such as getting him to agree to Thanksgiving with the Hemmick’s or to stop targeting his teammate's ankles during practice, so I won't list them all here.

Basically, once he decides that he trusts Neil, he'll pretty much do whatever Neil asks him to. He's not above submitting to what Neil wants (within reason, of course).

This bit of dialogue between them in TKM:

"Good," Neil said at length. Tugging a sleeping dragon's tail sounded like a good way to die a painful death, but Neil would be dead before Andrew's protection wore off. "I want to see you lose control."

Andrew went still with his hand halfway to the vodka. "Last year you wanted to live. Now you seem hell-bent on getting killed. If I felt like playing another round with you right now, I would ask why you've had a change of heart. As it stands, I've had enough of your stupidity to last me a week. Go back inside and bother the others now."

Neil feigned confusion as he got to his feet. "Am I bothering you?"

"Beyond the telling."

"Interesting," Neil said. "Last week you said nothing gets under your skin."

Now, initially, it's very easy to just read this as classic Andreil flirting (which, to be fair, they are blatantly flirting here). But as always with these two, there are layers of subtext happening.

The minute Neil suggests Andrew lose control, that he wants to see Andrew when he's not in control? Andrew freezes, clearly caught of guard. And then reverts to his typical tactic of pushing things he wants away with threats and insults.

Now what does that tell us? One, that he wants Neil, of course, but it also tells us that it's highly likely some part of him wants to lose control too. Maybe even willingly give up control, if only he could trust someone enough not to take advantage of him.

And then there's this little bit too, just a few paragraphs prior:

"I warned you not to put a leash on me."

"I didn't," Neil said. "You put that leash on yourself when you told me to stay no matter what. Don't be mad at me just because I was smart enough to pick up the other end of it."

"If you pull it again I will kill you."

"Maybe when the year is up, you will," Neil said. "Right now there's not a lot you can do about it, so don't waste our time threatening me."

Again - another scene that's very easy to read as just Andreil flirting (which, they are). But look at the metaphor Andrew chose - he told Neil not to put a leash on him.

We know he's in part referring to Neil manipulating him into releasing Allison and stopping him from injuring a teammate, but it's also a pretty blatant innuendo.

And then Neil reminds him that Andrew is the one constantly tethering himself to people with deals, that he keeps giving others power over him with promises. Neil is simply the first person to actually realize it and use that power, and Andrew doesn't quite know what to do with that.

So, of course, in typical Andrew fashion he follows up by trying to threaten Neil, pushing away the things he wants again. And Neil is clever enough to call him out on it, because he knows Andrew. He knows the threats are bullshit, he knows Andrew is just showing his teeth as a means of self-protection.

Additional thoughts:

Many people in the fandom view Andrew as exclusively a dom because of how he initially has to maintain strict control over his sexual partners and cannot tolerate being touched in return. 

I, however, disagree. I think he and Neil are both switches, personally, and here’s why:

Andrew doesn't fiercely maintain control of all his sexual interactions because he's inherently a dom. He maintains rigid control because initially that's the only way he can engage in sexual activity at all. But, we already know based on the progress he makes in canon and Nora's extra content that his need for rigid control eventually relaxes with Neil, and over time he's more comfortable letting Neil touch him back.

Essentially, my theory is this: Control for him was never a preference. It was a survival tactic. A necessity of his circumstances, a reaction to a childhood full of abuse, and he needs it less and less the more he heals.

And as he grows more comfortable accepting his own wants, he's able to accept that maybe, sometimes, what he wants is to give control to Neil, to let go and allow himself to be taken care of for once.

Just think about how potentially healing that could be for him too. Andrew, who clings to control in his daily life because for so long, control meant safety, finding a space where it's okay to let go. He can give up all control to someone he trusts not to hurt him, and nothing bad will happen to him because of it. He can let go, and he will still be safe, because Neil is there to look after him, and Neil would never hurt him.

Genuinely, I think its a part of his character and his healing that is so underexplored in the fandom, and I'd love to see more people dive into it.

[darlingbudsofrae]

Remember Chapter 14, TKM— that scene in the hotel when Andrew bursted in, slowly peeling the bandages off Neil's face— his face still devoid of emotions.

Reading that, all I could think about was that scene where Neil asked Andrew to break his deal with him, having no idea Neil said that because he was going to get kidnapped and die and didn't want him involved because he is the martyr no one asked for, how Neil told him he wanted to go back for him and Andrew repeating pipe dream, pipe dream, pipe dream over and over in his head to ground himself. He tells Neil to not go back to him crying with a broken face, probably expecting him to run away from him now that they weren't bounded by a deal.

But Neil did came back— covered in bandages and gauze, a new set of wounds and scars and a huge nasty burn by his cheek almost nearing his eye, and Andrew plays that memory on the bus on loop as he stares at his rabbit, he probably remembers all those tics he took note of that seemed out of place, how Neil gave him that stupid smile when he considered and gave in, breaking a deal and a promise for the first time in his entire life— and he couldn't stop his mind from playing it over and over as he stares at him because when has his eidetic memory ever been so forgiving?

[brewdarrymore]

an alternate version of the scene in tkm where Katelyn jumps into Aaron’s arms after the game

Aaron was one of the first off the court. He shoved his racquet at Nicky and dropped his helmet and gloves on his way to the cheerleaders. Katelyn tossed her pom-poms aside at his approach and jumped into his waiting arms to kiss him. The Vixens bounced around them, cheering and waving to the crowd. 

“Holy shit,” Nicky said, looking from them to Andrew’s unimpressed countenance. “Holy shit, am I dreaming?”

Andrew pulled Neil in by the collar of his jersey. He murmured against Neil’s lips, only for him to hear, “If he gets to do that now, I get to do this.” And he kissed Neil, there on the court in front of everyone.

When he pulled away, Neil was breathless and grinning, unable to help himself. Andrew glared. “Don’t say a word,” he warned, and Neil laughed. Then he leaned in and kissed Andrew again. Andrew didn’t complain. 

“Holy shit,” Nicky said again. “I must be dreaming.” Neil heard him, but he didn’t pay attention. All he was doing was kissing Andrew, and not even really in the way he wanted to, but even the fact that he was letting him do it in public like this was unbelievable. And Neil wasn’t about to let it go to waste. 

Part of it must have been petty revenge on Aaron, too, which Neil was fine with.

“Oh, is everyone making out now?” Dan shrugged and pulled Matt down, wrapping her arms around him. Matt picked her up and spun her around, kissing her back with vigor.

Allison and Renee looked at each other and grinned. Then Allison dipped Renee back and kissed her on the lips. 

“Wait, wait, no fair!” Nicky was frantic, eyes wide. “Kevin, quick! Kiss me!”

“No fucking way,” Kevin said, and took several steps back. Nicky frowned. Then, not to be left out, he ran over to the Vixens and planted one on one of the only two male cheerleaders on the squad. 

“What the hell are you all doing?” Wymack was saying in the most baffled voice Neil had ever heard him use, though no one was listening to him.

Neil laughed again, the sound vibrating through Andrew and making him grip his jersey tighter. Neil was the first one to break free and nudged their noses together, deliriously happy. 

Aaron and Katelyn had approached, hands clasped between them. Aaron rolled his eyes at his brother. “Unnecessary.”

Andrew just shrugged and took Neil’s hand, as if to mirror his brother and his girlfriend. Aaron sighed and gave a pointed glance to Neil, which Neil studiously ignored. 

“This is ridiculous,” Kevin mumbled, stalking over to the reporters. “There’s gonna be video of this all over the blogs within the hour.” The crowd was already going crazy at the random love-fest the Foxes had broken out into. Wymack was shaking his head with a bemused look on his face, having given up on trying to understand. 

Neil couldn’t be bothered at the moment. He went to join Kevin in front of the cameras, with Andrew at his back. 

He sensed that the journalists were about to ask about the unprompted public displays of affection, but Kevin threw the bomb about Wymack being his father at them, and their attention was stolen. Neil knew he’d have to answer questions later, but he didn’t care. 

He didn’t care about anything but the residual high of their win, and the strong, solid presence of Andrew behind him.

[luvbug724]

hiii ive been thinking abt neil running post-tkm whatre ur thoughts on that 🤨 i feel its not Too common but it comes up often enough in fandom and is always triggered in neil by something so he runs and either comes back or doesnt but i cant rlly see that happening? also similarly do u think neil would have some troubles w accepting permanence in his life? i was thinking hed def have some habits he wouldnt need anymore but w main threats gone + a life he wants to keep it wldnt be a huge issue..

WAIT my last ask when i say like permanence ex: neil panicking abt captaincy in tkm do u think hed have similar experiences later on w similar aspects of living in one place? (and this maybe triggering the need to run in turn)

holy cow first of all i got so excited when i got this ask you don’t even know. this has definitely been something that’s been sitting in the back of my mind but it was never something that bothered me enough to share online. SECOND of all, i mean absolutely no disrespect to anybody who might disagree with me on this or has written neil in this scenario-- it’s all fiction we’re all having fun here and my characterization may differ from yours and that’s fine! even if i might not be a fan of the concept i still read and support fics that include it if i like the writing :) this got very long and some people probably won’t be interested in reading it, so my response is under the cut :’)

but as for your question, anon, i completely agree with you. when i got this notification the first scene my mind went to was chapter nine of tkm right after wymack offers neil the vice captaincy. this was, probably, one of the worst sequences of events that could have possibly happened to neil: some of his most fundamental lies are exposed to his team, he’s confronted with his past, he has to reveal some truths that he never planned on saying, and now here’s his coach insisting on a future he so desperately wants but doesn’t think he’ll live long enough to have. neil should have already had a new name in a new country three months ago and instead he’s at palmetto state in the public eye right for the moriyamas and wesninskis to watch. 

and what does he do?

He didn't remember pulling it from his pocket or making the decision to dial out. He lowered it and tapped a button, thinking maybe he'd imagined things, but Andrew's name was on his display and the timer put the call at almost a minute already.

Neil put the phone back to his ear, but he couldn't find the words for the wretched feeling that was tearing away at him. In three months championships would be over. In four months he'd be dead. In five months the Foxes would be right back here for summer practices with six new faces. Neil could count his life on one hand now. On the other hand was the future he couldn't have: vice-captain, captain, Court. Neil had no right to mourn these missed chances. He'd gotten more than he deserved this year; it was selfish to ask for more.

He should be grateful for what he had, and gladder still that his death would mean something. He was going to drag his father and the Moriyamas down with him when he went, and they'd never recover from the things he said. It was justice when he'd never thought he'd get any and revenge for his mother's death. He thought he'd come to terms with it but that hollow ache was back in his chest where it had no right to be. Neil felt like he was drowning.

Neil found his voice at last, but the best he had was, "Come and get me from the stadium.”

andrew grounds him, comes for him, and makes sure that neil can’t run. but this was just one very extreme situation, so here’s how i think his future may play out: no matter how much neil wants to go, he needs to stay even more. and, unlike the above situation, neil now has explicit permission (a command, even) to stay with the foxes, to stay with his family. i think he will be fine for a long while until there comes a moment where he realizes that he’s here to stay and he has a home and he has the foxes and he has andrew and it’s honestly a toss up as to how he would react. the first option would be that it’s overwhelming in a very, very good way and nothing much changes. the second option (which seems way more in character for neil) is instead: he panics, and he needs something to keep him tethered to psu. he might seek out andrew like he did in canon or he might try to hide it to not worry him, but i’d place my bets on somewhere in the middle where he makes sure andrew knows whats going on but tries to downplay its importance. 

anyways, i wrote all this before i even checked with nora’s ec to see if she’s said anything in a similar context and she DID and and it was pretty much compliant with my ideas which i am very happy about:

“He’s more likely to walk away or tell Neil to get over it or look right past whatever existential/psychological crisis Neil is having. Neil’s grumpiness after a loss are brushed aside unimportant, and his aggravation over uncooperative teammates is nothing to pity him for. 

But once in a long while Neil will hit a ledge he has to be pulled back from, and that’s what Andrew does. Like in Baltimore, when Neil is trying to say Do you want me to go, and Andrew catches hold and tells him Stay. 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. Honestly, that’s what Neil needs.” (Andrew comforting Neil)

“Impatience kind of worked in Baltimore, but I guess it’s not a one-size-fits-all kind of ordeal. Forced eye contact and Look at me and a ruder calm down right now. ((Thanks Andrew, really sympathetic of you)) Andrew gives Neil the weight to connect him to the real world: a hand on the back of his neck or fingers hooked in the collar of his shirt to drag Neil home to him.” (Andrew re: Neil’s panic attacks)

now, as for neil adjusting to just a plain stationary life, i think he’d adjust relatively easily. his entire life was fitting in which i don’t think he’d have a big problem with, but the new element of how he’s not pretending anymore, he’s just neil josten, might throw him off a little bit. there’s likely going to be some habits he picked up that he can’t shake and some associations (alcohol isn’t for fun, it’s an anesthetic is one that comes to mind) that he never quite gets rid of but despite how much might get thrown at him, after everything he survived freshman year it’d take a fucking lot to push him to his breaking point.

[the-minyard-twins]

Andreil Fic Rec

I’ve always wanted to do a fic rec so here we are! I’ve read a lot of Andreil recently and these are my top 28 favorite Andreil and AFTG fics

1. Trust Fall (And Welcoming Arms) by SpangleBangle

85k | Explicit

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

2. Learning To Feel (When You’ve Forgotten How) by thegirlwiththeprettybrowneyes

43k | Teen | No Proust AU

On the night before his first day of therapy at Easthaven, Andrew blows out his legs and decides he isn’t going to bury his feelings anymore, consequences be damned. In return, he gets a schedule change, and a very strange new therapist. /////// “Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t blow you,” Andrew finished, looking anywhere but at Neil’s face. Neil looked like he had just realized the sky was blue. “You like me,” Andrew sighed. “Yeah,” he said, resigned “Yeah, Neil, I like you,” /////// No Proust AU

3. Broken by Jeni182

34k | Explicit

Andrew attempts suicide and he and Neil try to navigate his recovery and healing together.

4. Waves by Jeni182 (sequel to Broken)

94k | Explicit

Broken Part II - Neil and Andrew try to navigate life post Andrew’s suicide attempt now that he’s in Denver and Neil’s in his last year at PSU.

5. Funky Happenings with the Fox Family by dobbypussypopper

29k | Teen | text!fic

naughtygayweedcrime: did I rlly just see neil say woke

naughtygayweedcrime: what a surreal timeline we live in

dumbfool: allison is trying to teach me how to meme so I can get hip

naughtygayweedcrime: bless your poor soul

davidwymack: sometimes I regret living

davidwymack has muted exyllent, damnwilds, + 7 others for 30 minutes

6. Something in Return by reaching _my_summit

31k | Mature

“Andrew Minyard, how will you celebrate winning your final college Exy championship?”

“I’m going to Disney World,” Andrew deadpans.

- - -

Andrew’s final year at Palmetto State comes to a close. His future is upon him and there are plans to be made. Years ago, Neil asked Andrew to stop smoking in exchange for something. Andrew finally knows what he wants in return.

7. The Unloved Kids by AlrightDarlin

35k | Not Rated

“I intend to treat them the same. I need strong athletes, not toddlers,” Wymack starts, but sits back with a sigh, running a hand over his face. “But hypothetically, if I had to look after a bunch of toddlers on the weekends…”

Betsy’s eyes crinkle with her smile. “Are you asking advice?”

“They’re screwed up enough,” Wymack says, “I’m not trying to make it worse.”

(David Wymack takes his little nightmares and does his best to corral them and love them within an inch of their lives. He can’t change what happened to them, but he can be there for them now.)

8. Turn it Off by elawless

10k | Mature

“It hurts…so much…too…much” He choked out between breaths. “I want to let go so…bad. I am so close”. He lifted his head to look at Andrew and saw no blue in his eyes and believed Andrew was real, but the rest of the pain was. It was just enough for him to trust Andrew with what he would say next.

“Stay. Give me Neil back. Don’t leave.” Andrew could no longer cover all of his desperation, his voice seemed to crack on the last word.

“Just let me turn it off. Just for today. Neil will come back. Bring him back, for the both of you.”

9. VW Actually Means “Very Weird” by exyjunkies

15k | Gen

If it was just going to be the two of us, then why bring the Volkswagen?

So that if I end up murdering you on this road trip, I’ll have enough space for clean-up.

Neil and Andrew take on the Pacific Coast Highway over the span of two and a half weeks, with a surprise for one of them at the very end.

10. Puzzle Pieces by Nikotheamazingspoonklepto

59k | Explicit | Series

Neil’s life is a puzzle, the people in it are the pieces that give everything meaning. Together they make a picture of happiness.

11. diet mountain dew by reaching_my_summit

2k | Teen

neil thinks andrew is very pretty. he tells andrew exactly that.

12. For Science by ClockworkDragon, DeyaAmaya

8k | Explicit

“Here’s what I propose: we’ll play a game, and I’ll even let you pick which one, but we’re going to set some stakes. I’m not going to let you talk big and walk away free of punishment if you lose.” Without hesitating, Kevin asked, “Fine, I choose Trivial Pursuit. What are the stakes?” Allison put a finger to her lips and tilted her head, as if she was actually thinking of a response and didn’t plan this whole thing days ago. “Hmm, did you know the spirit store recently added fox themed thigh-high socks to their stock? They’ve become quite popular amongst cheerleaders.” This statement seemed to throw Kevin off because he just stared blankly at Allison until she continued. Andrew was not, however, an idiot. He could see where this was going. “How about whoever loses has to wear the socks for an entire school day; including morning and evening practices?” “Holy shit,” Nicky whispered. “You are one devious bitch.” Allison winked.

13. ain’t no rest for the wicked by dearhappy

8k | Teen | Lucifer!AU

“You really expect me to believe that?“ Neil asks, "Especially when his girlfriend said that he’d always been worried about what you’d ask for in return, and that he called you the Devil.”

“I don’t lie,” Andrew says simply. “You can think whatever you want.”

“Why was he so worried if that was all it was?”

“He made a deal with the Devil,” Andrew says, “Tell me you wouldn’t be worried about that.”

14. Not Damsels, not Knights by my_unlikely_hero

93k | Mature

Neil is not a damsel, Andrew is not a knight, Riko is not a dragon. Nobody gets saved. Not really.

Or: Riko goes too far, and Neil is left in pieces.

15. The Continuing Adventures of the Nine-Nine by gluupor

48k | Gen | Series | Brooklyn 99!AU

A series of short, ridiculous, mostly plotless stories featuring the Foxes as the cops of the Ninety-Ninth Precinct.

16.  Not Only You and Me by orphan_account (part of a series)

18k | Explicit | Porn!AU

Andrew, Neil and Kevin film Foxy’s first gay threesome porn scene.

Cue the feelings.

17. High School Science by fuzzballsheltipants

30k | Teen/Explicit (parts 1-3 are Teen and part 4 is Explicit) | Series 

High School!AU

18. False Equivalence by sunrise_and_death

22k | Teen

Some part of her had known it would come back to Neil. He was the one who had cracked the twins the first time. Of anyone, he was the most likely to have a solution for this as well.

Although the events of the previous year resolved a lot of issues, Katelyn quickly discovers that not every problem has been addressed. As she attempts to map a future in which Aaron has both her and his family, she finds herself once again working with Neil Josten—to unexpected results.

19. trans andrew by aceaaronminyard, autisitcandrewminyard

30k | Explicit | trans!Andrew

a fanfic series for a tfc au where andrew minyard wasn’t registered into the system as andrew doe but as erin doe.

mostly set post-tkm. mostly porn.

20. Advice and Amusement by Autumnalhogwarts

11k | Teen

After a series of failed attempts to woo Renee, Allison turns to Andrew for help. As Renee’s best guy friend he’s in a unique position to offer advice. However, that doesn’t mean he’ll be willing to.

21. Kidnapped by Shell_Writes

21k | Explicit

Neil and Aaron get kidnapped by four deranged men while the team is on a camping trip. shit happens and they have to escape this horror house. together.

22. Return of Dad!Mack by SensationalSunburst

14k | Gen | Series

Dad!Wymack & Mom!Abby

23. For He’s A Jolly Good Felon by gluupor

4k | Teen | Felon!Neil

What’s a guy to do when he’s forced to go to his conservative, homophobic aunt and uncle’s for Thanksgiving dinner?

Why, invite along his ex-con, tattooed, argumentative roommate as his fake boyfriend, of course.

24. make my heart shake (bend and break) by WaifsandStrays

4k | Explicit

Aaron develops a fascination with Kevin’s dick, has a sexuality crisis and feelings and fails to process any of it.

25. Across the Water by transandrewminyard

13k | Teen | trans!Andreil

Perhaps several years too late, or maybe right on time, Neil Josten runs away from home and tries to dream a new life for himself. How poetic that his first night out on his own would deliver him to a stranger who seems to understand everything he’s been through, and then some?

26. Prompt: Andrew and Neil get to babysit Sophie by orphan_account

14k | Mature | part of a series

What it says on the tin, basically.

Aaron and Matt leave for a few days and ask Andrew and Neil to babysit Sophie. Baby-sized exy is involved. Also lots and lots of angst. But there is a happy ending!

27. Salt Bros and Roller Derby Vixens by moonix

14k | Teen | Series

Roller Derby!AU

28. Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder by priorwalter

12k | Teen | Felon!Neil, Author!Andrew

“So,” Neil asks as he washes his paint-covered hands in the kitchen sink, “Christmas.”

Andrew glares and says nothing. This year, Neil and Andrew are spending Christmas with Andrew’s brother, Aaron Minyard. Aaron Minyard, Andrew’s twin whose existence was unknown to him until two months previous. Aaron Minyard, an orthopedic surgeon with a wife (an oncologist, naturally) and two daughters. Aaron Minyard, who grew up with a mother that chose him.

**

Andrew Doe has survived until age twenty-nine without any biological family, and his life turned out pretty good, considering all of the reasons it shouldn’t have. At age twenty-nine, Andrew’s book becomes a bestseller and leads his long-lost twin brother to him. Familial drama ensues.

[elsskovv]

Tfc as tv series

Okay, so we all know that aftg probably isn’t going to ever get a show (which is depressing but the people who make tv shows are losers so).

But if it ever was, I’m pretty sure it would fit really perfectly into a bbc mini series (bbc specifically because a lot of their dramas have a similar vibe and they allow a lot of violence and profanity).

So basically, all the books would be into one season.

So there’d be ten hour-long episodes.

Two for book one.

Four for book two.

Four for book three.

( can you tell i’ve thought about this wAy too often? )

Book 1:

• I’m basically just gonna list random scenes that I imagine should happen but aren’t part of anything Nora’s written.

• I saw this in @mrsnightread ‘s screenplays here. But it’s basically the monsters realising that Neil’s disappeared from the Columbia house. ( The way she wrote it is absolutely golden btw )

• This isn’t specific to any of the books, but a scene where Neil needed to keep his bitchass mouth shut says something dumb in an interview.

• Kevin: “If anyone needs me, I will be drinking pure ethanol. And you can thank neil! The little bastard!”

• And Nicky and Matt are just there laughing their arses off.

• Aaron just sits there rolling his eyes.

• Andrew just smirks at Neil.

• There could be a scene with Matt and Neil are just sat talking.

• Neil: “I’m beginning to wonder what sort of a place I’ve walked into.”

• Matt: “Don’t worry, man, everyone thinks that at first.”

Book 2:

• So obviously book two is the one where you kind of start sympathising with Andrew a little more.

• There’s a lot of head canons where Andrew’s really good with kids. So what if there’s a scene where the monsters and Neil are just walking back to the parking lot after Eden’s Twilight.

• And there’s this little kid just sat, crying, alone.

• It’s past midnight by this point, so they’re all pretty worried, but aren’t really sure what to do.

• Andrew starts walking over to the kid and everyone, apart from Aaron’s, first reaction is to stop him because they assume he’s gonna do something dumb.

• Aaron tells them to leave it and let him talk.

• So Andrew goes over and is really fucking nice to the kid and they’re all, including Aaron, extremely confused.

• He also barely has to crouch because the kid’s only a few inches shorter than him.

• Andrew: “Hey, little guy, are you all by yourself around here?”

• The kid just nods.

• Andrew: “Do you have anywhere to go?”

• The kid shakes his head.

• Andrew: “It’s not a good idea to be alone around here. Please will you come with us, we’ll take you to the police station or some shit. You can find your parents, or whoever.”

• The kid: “I don’t even know who you are, though.”

• Andrew: “Okay, well I’m Andrew, I’m nineteen. That one’s Neil, but he’s annoying. That one’s K–”

• The kid: “Kevin Day. My brother has a poster of you.”

• Kevin just smiles because why is andrew suddenly being nice?

• Nicky crouches down beside Andrew because everyone else is being to freaked out.

• Nicky: “And i’m nicky!”

• Nicky holds out his hand, the kid takes it very slowly and shakes it.

• Andrew: “He’s also annoying.”

• It’s quiet for a second. The camera cuts to Neil who raises an eyebrow at Aaron. Aaron just shrugs.

• Then it’s kind of a close up on Andrew’s face and him saying. “I don’t think you should be alone here, will you come with us?”

• It cuts to the five of them at a police station. Kevin’s talking to two people who are now holding the kid, they’re presumably thanking him, but you can’t hear what they’re saying.

• Neil sits down beside Andrew, smiling slightly at him.

• Neil: “Who knew Andrew Minyard had it in him to be nice?”

• Andrew: “Don’t get used to it, Josten.”

• Neil: “Why were you so worried, though?”

• Andrew looks him dead in the eye. “No kid deserves to get left behind.” He walks away, pulling cigarettes and a lighter out his back pocket.

• ( i’m gonna write this properly at some point )

• After the whole Drake ordeal and all of them are back at the house in Columbia, Nicky walks outside to find Andrew smoking on the driveway.

• Nicky’s a little awkward, but he’s basically just trying to be nice and telling Andrew that he can always talk to him no matter what.

• Andrew goes on with his I don’t need anyone™️ kinda bullshit.

• Nicky’s already kind of angry and upset because his parents have lied to him and probably blames himself for what happened with Drake. He completely snaps.

• Nicky: “Andrew, you have so many fucking people that care about you and love you, that want to fucking help you! Me, Aaron, Kevin, Neil, Coach, Renee! Fucking, Bee, even! You just spit it back in everyone’s face! When are you gonna realise that you have people backing you?”

Book 3:

• I haven’t thought of many scenes too vividly for tkm.

• Before the final game, they’re all just killing time. Nicky decides that he has an incredible pep talk so everyone absolutely must crowd round and listen.

• He’s basically just quoting Kourtney Kardashian.

• Neil stands behind Andrew. Andrew takes his hands and wraps them around his stomach. Everyone already knows about them so fUcK iT.

• Neil rests his chin on Andrew’s head, this probably gets an “ohmigaWd, this is adorable!” From Nicky so Andrew immediately stamps on Neil’s foot and shuffles away because it makes him feel too vulnerable he has a reputation to uphold.

Yeesh that shit was long, sorry bros.

[nickireadstfc]

The Raven King: A Summary – The Plot Twist King

Shocks and revelations! Sassfests! Backstory awesomeness! Team spirit! The Josten Glow Up™! Me losing my shit! But most importantly – plot.

Sounds good? Then it’s time for Nicki to sum up The Raven King.

In 2013, now-renowned author Nora Sakavic blessed us with The Raven King, book two of the All For The Game trilogy. In this second installment of orange gay sporty murder shit, ex-runaway, part-time sassmaster, and all-time Exy nerd Neil Josten meets the Edgar Allan Ravens, a team that is exactly as dark and fucked-up as their completely unsubtle name suggests.

Especially Neil has reason to fear them: Star player Riko Moriyama, also known as That Fucker™, and his father Tetsuji are Neil's crime lord father's crime lord bosses and are exactly 0% fooled by his runaway act. However, as Neil is a 100% impulsive savage sassmaster, he consistently picks fights with them anyways, which Riko repays by revealing his true identity to Kevin.

But that's not all there is. Just when the Foxes' start to form some actual team spirit and real friendships, our heroes experience the shock of the century: At the Hemmick's family Thanksgiving, goalie, snarkmaster and court-approved maniac Andrew Minyard is raped by his long-time childhood abuser Drake. In his brother’s defense, Aaron rushes in and kills Drake - a ruse set up by Riko Moriyama.

In order to free his boyfriend teammate from the Moriyama-bribed doctors Andrew was sent to for rehab, Neil agrees to spend Christmas with the Ravens, which is exactly Not A Fun Time. There, he is tortured, abused, cut, burnt, tattooed against his will and generally made to look as if he had a fun encounter with a meat chopper. Bruised and beaten, Neil returns home to his Fox family and swears everlasting vengeance on The Raven Fuckers.

And that’s The Raven King for you.

Did I like it? Hell fucking yes.

Did I prefer it to the first book? Hell fucking yes.

Seriously, The Foxhole Court was wonderful, all good things in there, all the exposition a girl could want, but The Raven King was where shit finally, finally started going down.

There was PLOT. There were brain-mushing twists and jaw-dropping revelations, breath-stopping shocks and heart-clenching emotional moments galore.

This, as predicted last time, was the book where the arc of suspense picks up speed. It’s a basic - but effective - trilogy setup: The first book sets the scene, introduces the theme and the characters and gets the reader invested in the story. The second book dishes out the truly gripping plot points, keeping the reader at it and paving the way for the big finale. Finally, the third book is where shit truly goes down: Here, the last big twists are revealed and everything culminates in an epic finale.

It is Every Trilogy Ever, and it works like a fucking charm.

Personal highlights of this book include, but are not limited to:

THE FALL BANQUET SASSFEST. EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. I will probably never shut up about this ever. "Dan, I said please" honestly ICONIC. 

"I don't think Riko likes me very much"

The second banquet, but for entirely different reasons - reasons being Neil's newfound guard dog attitude and my newfound tears

Renee’s backstory can I get a hell yeah

Nicky teaching Neil how to cellphone uhmmm sign me the eff up

THEY FINALLY HAVE TEAMWORK AND DO STUFF TOGETHER MY LITTLE HUFFLEPUFF HEART CAN'T HANDLE THIS

Thanksgiving. We don't talk about Thanksgiving but. Honestly that chapter.

The very last two chapters scared the crap out of me but honestly, they were so well-written and so amazing so suck it I'm including them here seriously they were so good

DADMACK

Same as last time, but updated: Opinions on characters!

Neil is still my son, but wow, introducing Son 2.0 in the Updated Version: Now featuring Facing Your Problems, Dealing With Shit and Actual Responsibility! With a guaranteed 20% less emo and 100% more awesome! Buy now, get one punch in the Raven jaw for free. No, seriously, Fearless Neil Josten is my favourite Neil Josten. He is right on the same level as Sassmaster McSavage Neil Josten, followed by Responsible Neil Josten, with Angsty Dramatic Runaway Neil Josten coming in last. (Sorry, book 1.)

Andrew has risen through the ranks of my favourites faster than mentos in a coke bottle. I LOVE HIM. Thanksgiving has cemented this. He is my small gay angry knife murder son and I will protect him five-fucking-ever. He is the main reason I am hella excited for TKM because Andrew!! Off!! His!! Meds!!! Imma pass out I'm so excited.

Kevin has definitely improved as well – the awesome 'I Have Adopted This Team And I Will Make Them Great, Suck My Dick Riko' scene, anyone?

Nicky has won back my heart for good by now - the Teaching Neil How To Phone Incident has definitely rid him of any and all past mistakes in my book. Also, he is the fuck precious and continues to bring sunshine into all our bleak lives. 

Aaron has gained mad, mad sympathy points in this book. He suddenly has a PERSONALITY, you guys. Also, the Thanksgiving incident. THE THANKSGIVING INCIDENT. Anyone hating on Aaron from this point on can fight me. Also Katelyn is an a+ cutiepie.

My opinions on Renee, Matt and Dan are pretty much the same as before, if heightened by the reveal of all of their awesome backstories. An ex-street gangster, an ex-junkie and an ex-stripper all loving and supporting each other and being their own family?? Sign me the fuck up.

The only one I'm still kind of 'meh' about is Allison. Where's her backstory. Pls. I want it.

Wymack, Abby and Betsy are the Fox Parent Triumvirate, my opinion on them hasn't changed either. Also Dadmack!

And my opinion on Riko and his bastard posse should be clear. Kind of split on Jean (he's a victim etc etc, still doesn't excuse him imo, but maybe he’ll become more likeable later), but that's about it.

Let's take a look at some predictions I made last time, shall we?

They’ll deal with Seth’s death – some better, some worse pretty much exactly sums it up, go me

The banquet thing will happen and it will be hella awkward and hilarious and something Super Dramatic And Important will happen OH MY SWEET SUMMER CHILD OH MY OH MY

Neil will master the Raven drills Kevin is making him do and it will be EPIC so he did pass them apparently, but I actually had to read back on this to be sure, sooo - no epicness. instead: heavier racquets! when will Kevin chill, the answer is never

Andreil will continue having Important Gay Moments™ uhmmm hECK YES lotsa andreil in this book, ya girl is happy

The “Kevin and Riko know Neil” situation will not be addressed (!) (I’m expecting that to be in the last book, near the final epic smackdown) GIRL YOU WERE EXPECTING WRONG BAHAHAHA

Neither will we meet Neil’s father (again, last book) ok I'm sticking with this tbh

However, we will meet Tetsuji and shit will go down oh hon

Also, we’ll meet some Ravens I suppose, since it is the Raven King after all "WE WILL MEET SOME RAVENS, I SUPPOSE" oh HON OH HON

We will find out Renee’s backstory y e e e s

We will find out something – if maybe not everything – about the Minyard-Hemmick backstory Y E E E E E E E E S oh dear

Some more kisses will happen. I don’t care who kisses whom. Probably not Andreil (yet). Let it be Abby and Wymack. Aaron and his irrelevant girlfriend. I don’t care. Give me kisses. excuse you, "irrelevant" psshh, but yeah that's the only kisses in this book :(

And because I don't learn from my mistakes, let's do this one last time - Shit I Think Will Happen In The Kings Men:

HANDS UP FOR CANON ANDREIL I'm sorry, I know this is happening, tumblr told me :/

Will they kiss tho?? Will they have actual love declarations?? Sexy times maybe even????? WHO KNOOOOOOWS

I will love the USC Trojans 1000% if they are huffy puffs I will love them

Someone's gotta die who are we kidding

Hopefully no one of our guys

We will finally get that sweet Allison backstory (come on girl don't let me down)

We will meet Neil's dad. This cannot not happen.

Some championship shit will happen in which the Foxes either a) win or b) don't win but The Real Prize Was The Friendships We Made Along The Way

Nicky's bullshit dad will get the court case he deserves (if this doesn't happen I'm the fuck quitting)

Cats are probably important somewhere

Phew. That's it for this book, then. As always, thank you guys are so much for sticking with me through this. You are the backbone, the spirit, the motivation of this blog. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

See you soon with the third - and final - book. I am not ready.

If you like what I do here and you want to help me continue writing (still working on that laptop), please consider buying me a coffee! Thank you so much <33

[shihoran]

TFC Dream Log

I had some dreams with plot so I thought I might as well write them down.

I. This dream was about me being a part of a group of friends, a mixture between my real life classmates and the foxes. They got along really well, made jokes about upcoming finals and all. We were on our way from a park or lot towards a little house in the mountains where we were staying for a skiing trip. In the dream I had a crush on Kevin Day, kept staring at him and was asked to finally confess by Allison or Nicky, but I said “Can someone as obsessive with something as him really love anything else beside it?” And Andrew pointed out that I was the same. There was something like a cut, similiar to a cut in a movie, and we sat around the TV watching a movie in black and white disturbed with statics; and I think it was Andrew who said it was a stupid movie. At the end there was a woman, bob cut hair and old fashioned clothes(20’s era), introducing herself as the author. The movie was made from a book she made. The scene cut again to Andrew and Kevin going skiing together on the snowy mountains, they got reckless, and Kevin fell, so Andrew leaped after him; but both slided down on their backs and stared at the camera. They were dead. Neil and Aaron came first, Neil to Kevin and Aaron to Andrew. The dream cut again to the woman as she opened the book, that said “In memory of my friends, Andriguez and Bernard” with the dates of their deaths.

II. This takes place after TKM. Neil and Andrew walked towards their apartment in a blocky, red house with brick stones and a green metal staircase up to their house (compare to japanese apartment buildings). They lived in a rather small? area with a market nearby. Either of them were looking at pots for plants to be put in and Andrew made fun of a decoration element, making Neil trip over a pot and break it. They got into a fight with the merchant, Neil paid for the pot and took it home; Andrew was off to somewhere else, but promised to join him later. When Neil arrived home, he picked out a book and found, that the plot was just a description of what Andrew and him have been doing after the events of TKM and that they have been shadowed by someone the whole time, even when they went throught the marketplace. The two last opposing pages had two different versions of the outcome, either Neil would die, or they both would. Neil flipped through from start to beginning and only then understood that this wasn’t a joke or just a figment of imagination, and put the book back down. He went through his options; wanted to run away, but he knew that if he did, Andrew might be running into the murderer’s open knife; so Neil sat down on a beanbag and decided wait; because no one would hurt Andrew, not if he can help it; even if it meant waiting for his own death.

III. Kevin and Riko grew up together as sons of aristocrats, somewhere around the 1900century, England. Riko was the son of the house, Kevin was taken in to study and be a companion to Riko, for both were of the same age and Kevin’s house wanted to elevate their status by having a son under the wing of a Moriyama house. Tetsuji was the master, and taught them everything they needed in this society with the end of his steel cane. There was one task that they had to go through, something like a ridiculously dangerous coming of age ceremony, that could have them killed. Riko decided that he needed to make Kevin useless for whatever Tetsuji had planned, and so that he would kick Kevin out, meaning at least he would be able to escape. Riko broke Kevin’s hand. Kevin ran away. He remembered an old servant of the house as he ran through the streets with his hand messed up and bleeding; several carriages, horses, and people having to be fought through to get anywhere. He didn’t remember the name of the servant, he thought “If only I knew, I could call out, I need help. Riko needs help.” Instead, Kevin was found by the servant, an old slender man with blue eyes and white hair. He took him in and after time passed and Kevin was finally able to face the Moriyama house, Riko had been made the one in command already, with Tetsuji at his back. Kevin tried to take Riko with him, but Riko blamed Kevin for running away and abandoning him, not coming back earlier when Riko almost died by Tetsuji’s hands. It is unclear whether or not Riko really thought that or had it beaten into him by Tetsuji and prolongued torture; but now Riko hated Kevin and would do anything to ruin him.

IV. This sequence was probably inspired by “Foxes by Suki Fleet” that I was reading the night before. Riko was a rent boy, out on the streets, occasionally selling his body, but tonight it was too cold to lean into a stranger’s car, so he stood quietly under a doorway, watching the streetlight painting the snowflakes and wet ground in orange. When he turned, there was another guy his age that he didn’t even notice before, watching him. They didn’t say anything, minding their own business, but they both somehow ended up standing squeezed close together to save themselves of the cold through body heat. The boy, turned out, was Neil, the runaway. They became friends. Riko wanted to run away with him.