#it was going to be a kandrew story

[ninyard]

nin, I have two questions:

What are your feelings towards romantic Kandreil?

In your opinion, in a universe with soulmate-identifying marks, would Neil's soulmates have his original name on them? Or his new name? I've read stories with both (and one where the mark changed post-TRK) but your mind works in amazing ways so I'd like to hear what you think.

1. kandreil romantically is a good one!! my thoughts on their dynamic has been that kevneil, kandrew and andreil have different dynamics seperately and all three of them together are somewhat different together again. it all balances out, for them, there's nobody that feels left out or anything like that, but like. there's aspect in all three ships that work both seperately and together. it's a perfect balance. i'm down with kandreil

2. i was thinking about the possibility of andrew having nathaniel originally, but over time, more and more names get added. it happens sometimes, when people's soulmates have changed their names, or maybe they have two soulmates, but andrew is in class as a teenager and suddenly his fifth name is accompanied by a sixth and people are starting to question it; is he writing them on himself? is he that desperate, hoping someone with one of those names is going to fall for him? he's not sure what it means - are they all different people? they couldn't possible be the same person, soon however many different names are all over his arms and legs. i could see him being self conscious about it, all these rumours going around about him, and who his soulmates could be, and when most names last no longer than a couple months, eventually one sticks. and maybe when Neil officially signs the documents that make neil josten a real person, his older names start to fade, just leaving one name on his hip, or his neck. NEIL.

[aftgficrec]

Hi! I was wondering if you know of any fics that explore the friendship between Andrew and Kevin? Especially how they became close after Kevin came to the Foxes with a broken hand. I just think their friendship is so interesting, and I am so curious about how it started. Thank you!

@lynntjeeee and @sayonara-you-weeaboo-shits: These asks overlapped, so we combined them and separated fic types with subheads. The last ones under ‘you may also like’ don’t fit neatly but still hold the main ideas found in pre canon Kevin & Andrew stories. Unfortunately most are not very long. -A

also see:

‘a foxhole collection…’ Chapter 30 here

‘The gentle violence of loving you’ and ‘I Don't Know How to Breathe’ here

‘I came for the safety (stayed 'cause you made me feel)’ here

‘Searchlights’ here

‘Trust Me’ here

you may also like:

Andrew loving toward Kevin: friendship or kandrew here

Andrew & Kevin here

kandrew fluff & smut here

Kevin centric here

‘breaking every finger, praying that it makes me clean’ here 

‘do you care?’ here

‘Have a Kevin of the day’ Day 2 here

‘They All Burn the Same’ here (updated)

‘a lot's gonna change’ here

‘splinters beneath our nails,’ ‘Not again,’ and ‘Reasons’ here

‘Just Short Of A Fairy Tale’ here

‘the prince in the raven tower’ here

‘white soap’ here

‘Pieces of Ideas for Works’ ch 12 (also ch 43) here

‘Cross the Board and Crown Yourself Queen’ here

Rescue Me by Demiwitchwoodwalker [Rated T, 4564 Words, Complete, 2022]

Part 1 of Someone(s) To Stay, part 2 here 

“I can protect you, from him and yourself,” Andrew said in a tone Kevin couldn’t quite place after a long moment filled with nothing but the muffled noise of the game playing on Kevin’s laptop. “I can help you stay instead of running further or back.” Kevin stared at him then, finally letting himself actually look at him, and the same feeling from before returned, feeling like a hand clenched itself around his lungs and heart. He pushed his laptop closed, the game’s audio abruptly cutting off, and turned slightly to face Andrew, whose expression had shifted back into the grin that seemed to constantly be present in the day and whose eyes looked almost dead. Kevin’s lips parted, words rising in the back of his throat, but he couldn’t get them past his tongue. How was he supposed to do this? The memory of Andrew the night before floated through his mind again, when he was as close to sober as he could get, more vulnerable than Kevin felt he’d ever seen a person despite the fact that Kevin was the one halfway through a breakdown. "Why?" --- Aka, how Kevin and Andrew make their deal. (Potential triggers are listed in the tags, please be careful!)

tw: self harm, tw: panic attacks, tw: implied/referenced suicidal thoughts

broken wings by diabolicalandderanged [Rated G, 4625 Words, Complete, 2023]

Highlights of the year Kevin Day joins the Foxes as assistant coach!! Including: making the deal, meeting Wymack and taking down Riko

tw: implied/referenced abuse

Escape by 38booksonmyshelf [Rated T, 3430 Words, Complete, 2023]

The night Riko broke his hand, Kevin's only thought was that he had to get out. He went to his father.

tw: implied/referenced abuse

From Bones and Ashes by ScriptaManent [Rated T, 3006 Words, Complete, 2023, Locked]

Kevin has a mental breakdown during the weeks following his injury. He’s “safe” with coach Wymack but he can’t do anything, he can’t even hold a fucking glass and it pisses him off. He knows Riko is out there, looking for him (well, not yet, but he knows he will eventually). Kevin drinks to forget but his mind keeps going back to Riko, to that night when he broke his hand and when Jean collected him, to that night he got out of Evermore without looking back, and to that night he knocked on Wymack’s door, a living mess barely able to think straight. Then, without even a knock on the door, a first glimpse of hope manages to get him back to the surface, at least for a while.

tw: violence, tw: assault

take off your clothes and disappear by lackingsoy [Rated T, 3075 Words, Complete, 2020]

They recognize each other from the start. A yes, a no, and a maybe between Day and Minyard.

tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: implied/referenced violence, tw: alcohol, tw: medication addiction, tw: withdrawal 

Silver Crimson Black by sweetlikesugar [Rated T, 1076 Words, Complete, 2019]

Kevin can barely stand. He keeps swaying from side to side, vision blurry. Whether it’s sweat or tears he doesn’t know, and he doesn’t want to know. All he knows is the sickening rage, boiling and curling like a poisonous snake. He’s mindless with it, he’s feral with it.

TWO. by mostly_maudlin [Rated T, 2944 Words, Incomplete, Updated June 2024]

The Foxhole Court is the only place in South Carolina that makes sense to Kevin, but it lacks the discipline, rigor, and partnership that kept him grounded for years. Over four nights at the court in the spring of 2006, Kevin attempts to recreate the only life he knows how to live.

tw: implied/referenced abuse

oh icarus how do you fall (so hard and so pretty) by wxltedrxses [Rated T, 1008 Words, Incomplete, Updated Feb 2022]

An analysis of the rise and fall of Kevin Day

tw: alcohol abuse/alcoholism, tw: implied/referenced abuse

don't want no other shade of blue but you / no other sadness in the world will do by snnycarisi [Rated G, 1713 Words, Complete, 2024]

For just a moment, he could pretend that this man was Jean, that they were both free to do something as frivolous as go dancing, that they were both free at all. He imagined that those were Jean’s hands on his waist, Jean’s breath on his neck, Jean’s body heat making his cheeks colour. That Jean would even want this — want him — after everything he’d done was possibly the biggest fantasy of all. --- After a drunk encounter with a stranger at Eden's Twilight, Kevin calls Jean.

tw: implied/referenced abuse

tfc!written word au by @unkingly [Tumble Fic, 2016]

in a world where what someone believes about you is written on your skin, Andrew and Kevin make their deal.

Andrew & Kevin hc by @filippa-kosta [Tumblr, 2018]

I want to talk about the significance of Andrew & Kevins relationship bc tbh I think it's devalued and misinterpreted a lot, despite the fact it's hugely significant to the series, vital to the plot, & important to Neil

andrew and kevin’s individual recovery arcs… meta by @ketterdamns [Tumblr, 2017]

kandrew/kandreil:

Make Me Believe That You Need Me Most by sambutwithbooks [Rated E, 10598 Words, Complete, 2022]

The problem was that Kevin expected exy to be enough.  Most people went through life without finding a calling, without a modicum of the talent Andrew had and still found ways to live normal, fulfilling lives. Exy- and the comfortable life it offered- should have been enough to tempt and satisfy any rational person.  And maybe that was his first mistake- believing that Andrew was a rational person. 

tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: implied/referenced alcohol abuse/alcoholism, tw: explicit sexual content

Take me as I come (or discard me like the rest) by elias_day [Rated M, 9675 Words, Incomplete, Updated Dec 2022]

Kevin’s breathing picks up. “What would you take for your protection?” “It’s not like you can offer much,” Andrew says. It’s true. What could a broken man like Kevin Day offer him? A man crippled by fear, someone without the backbone to stand on his own feet? Nothing. He could give Andrew nothing. “You’re wrong.” ___ Kevin never thought he could keep his end of the deal with Andrew. Turns out in the end, he did. Only not in the way he thought. A.K.A pre-canon KANDREW turned post-canon KANDREIL with lots of pining and emotionally repressed lack of communication

tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: nightmares, tw: vomit, tw: ptsd, tw: recreational drug use

What is love when it's never fully consumed? by CamilleDuDemon [Rated T, 10522 Words, Complete, 2021]

5+1 significative moments in the relationship between Andrew and Kevin, before and after Neil Josten's sudden arrival at Palmetto State University.

tw: medication addiction, tw: implied/referenced abuse

Temperature of Healing by ReeseMH [Rated M, 5482 Words, Complete, 2024]

Kevin Day, picked up by Andrew Minyard, hand broken and eyes glossed over because he is dead. There is nothing for him, and he doesn't even remember using his good hand to dial that number, coughing up blood before he could tell Andrew where he was. He didn't even know where he was going but the lights of the highway are pretty, and even though he is dead... he's not alone for it.

tw: major character injury, tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: anxiety, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon

invisible machinery by grainpatron380 (onesourfish) [Rated T, 2445 Words, Complete, 2020]

Andrew drags his mouth southward and doesn’t bother with apologizing for imagined horrors or future ones. Doesn’t bother to say, I won't, I couldn’t, I would never do something like that to you. Can't promise it. Months before Neil arrives at PSU, Kevin has a nightmare. Andrew questions him.

tw: nightmares, tw: violence, tw: implied/referenced abuse

I Am Ready Now by IKnowWhoYouAre_Damianos [Rated M, 6477 Words, Complete, 2019]

The problem is, he doesn’t hate him. He wants to. Wants to hate this monster so badly, wants to feel the urge to kill him like Andrew does, wants to drive out to West Virginia and waltz onto the court, choking Riko to death until his eyes turn from black and white to red, his skin from tan to blue. But he can’t. Kevin thinks about his relationship to Riko when he was still at the nest. He thinks he's falling. But someone will catch him this time. Can he let go?

tw: domestic violence, tw: explicit sexual content, tw: assault

kevin day prefers the night by thewintersolstice [Rated T, 3027 Words, Complete, 2021]

Part 1 of aftg: everything's the same except kandreil's real, duh. series

Months after breaking his hand and arriving at Palmetto State, Kevin's still struggling with leaving Evermore and Riko's still got a ghostly grasp on him. Andrew takes him for a drive. “Snap out of it,” Andrew says, simple again like it’s easy, and pushes hard fingertips into his skin until finally, finally Kevin can breathe, can fight the sick roll of his stomach and he shuts his eyes, focuses on the warmth of Andrew’s palm until it’s gone again. He pulls away and Kevin hears the press of the bed as he stands up. “Let’s go.”

Oh Captain, Let’s Make a Deal by takitalks [Rated M, 3690 Words, Complete, AFTG Mixtape Exchange 2023]

An exploration of Kevin and Andrew navigating this stand off pre-canon, with a sprinkle of getting together.

Broken promises by ok555 [Rated M, 10783 Words, Incomplete, Updated June 2024]

Kevin doesn't know if he will ever forgive Andrew for what he did to get information about Neil on their ride to Baltimore. What will Andrew do to try and win his forgiveness? Will he even care? Andrew doesn't believe in regret, but what if just this once he does?

tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: suicidal thoughts, tw: depression

you may also like:

higher ground by darkoceanbottom [Rated T, 6085 Words, Complete, 2021]

Kevin Day and identity.

tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: canonical character death

Roaring Like Beasts Full Of Rage by Sashe [Rated E, 30713 Words, Incomplete, Updated June 2024]

The PSU Foxes' luck takes a turn when they take in the Raven's injured goalkeeper Andrew Doe. Andrew isn't exactly happy to be there, treated as a spectacle by the media, an outcast by his new team and a let down by the family that never wanted him. He's especially not happy about the new striker recruit, who no one else seems to think is supicious. or Roleswap canon divergent where Raven!Andrew has a broken hand and Wymack has been raising Kevin.

tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced csa, tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced psychological abuse, tw: implied/referenced drug addiction, tw: panic attacks

The Truth Hurts Worse by mcmeasle [Rated T, 2742 Words, Complete, 2024]

Kevin chattered on as Andrew opened the door and tuned out the cadence of his voice, Kevin’s full attention on Andrew. Immediately, Andrew locked on to the man with bright red hair sitting in his desk chair, feet thrown on top of the desk with ankles crossed, tapping an impressive looking knife blade over his fingertips. “Welcome home,” the stranger said cheerily, a sharp smile wending its way onto his lips, icy blue eyes locked onto Andrew. —- Or Butcher!Neil makes a house call

tw: violence, tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon

decline of the empire by drewdrugs [Rated T, 1507 Words, Complete, AFTG Mixtape Exchange 2024]

Kevin embraced the idea that, even he had never been taught by his father, he was learning to lose now. The structures of his coliseum were crumbling and there was nothing that could be done to stop it. This time, Andrew couldn't do anything for him. Or at least that's what he believed.

tw: recreational drug use, tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: implied/referenced self harm

NB: this last one is the culmination of Kevin & Andrew’s deal from the very beginning

Interesting by ashestoashes7 [Rated T, 6632 Words, Complete, AFTG 2024 Olympics]

Andrew decided to make the Exy Olympic Finals more interesting. No one else knew what to do with that, not even his own teammates, but Andrew and boredom was a recipe for the unexpected. After all, it was not every day a goalkeeper slammed the ball down the court and bathed the opposition in red.

[codename-adler]

hiii for the WIP game can i request andrew’s farewell omg

hiiiiii. sorry in advance.

this one-shot is part of the Nothing Is Going to Be Okay collection, where i explore different AUs but someone always dies! 🤗 collection title comes from TFC, fic titles come from the playlist/soundtrack which i'm keeping for myself for now :)

Andrew's Farewell is the Hunger Games AU.

The AU: 10-21 y/o tributes, every year alternates between all-boys or all-girls

The scene: When Katniss kills Marvel to save Rue, but Rue still dies in the process. This time, Andrew kills Riko to save Kevin, but Andrew gets killed in the process too. oops.

The pairing: Kandrew

The plot:

Andrew swears to protect Aaron by taking his place if his name is picked; it is.

however, Kevin's name is picked right after, and he is Andrew's second promise

come the Hunger Games, Kevin separates to join the Careers, stupidly trying to protect Andrew; he only leaves once it is announced that 2 tributes from the same district can win; Riko breaks Kevin's hand when he leaves

Kevin and Andrew reform an alliance

while trying to blow up the Careers' supplies with his knife-throwing skills, Andrew hears Kevin getting trapped

Andrew arrives and frees Kevin, but Riko shows up

Kevin notices Riko first but Andrew thrusts him enough to shoot immediately when he sees Kevin's face

Riko throws his spear at the same time Andrew throws his knife

the knife strikes Riko's jugular

the spear impales Andrew

*cue the death scene*

Kevin sings; "Don't talk" / K continues singing / " 'said don't talk..." / "I'm singing"

Andrew dies, and Kevin honors him like Katniss honored Rue

Kevin wins. For Andrew.

idk what kind of PR story they would spin bc i don't think a ‘star-crossed lovers’ arc is going to work for them, but the point is i get right into the death scene, it's not meant to be a full THG Au. it's just fun to explore all the universes where Kandreil/Andreil/Kandrew/Kevneil didn't make it 😇 bc AFTG truly is the one and only!

[stabbyfoxandrew]

Yay you got your rainbow crate!! I've been waiting to ask you about the bonus stories. Do you think this part is about Andrew? I'm kinda worried I'm looking at it with my kandrew shipping goggles on but I literally can't think of anyone else it could be talking about!

"Just smile and nod at them, and they'll be too busy drooling over you to care what you're actually saying. Works on me every time."

Nicky wasn't the only one so easily swayed, but if Nicky and Kevin were both too blind to figure that out David wasn't going to put it together for them.

omg you were waiting to ask my stupid ass something? TwT god bless you anon, both for waiting and also for thinking of me <3

yeah! that's what i thought. but you must remember that my kandrew goggles are welded onto my head and thus i can't NOT automatically think of andrew

[nanatsuyu]

hi I looove dashboard saints your characterization is so lovely <3 also was wondering your thoughts on Nora’s kandrew-adjacent tweet

Aaah thank you!! They're a lil rough and scrungly but I care them deeply ;;

And oh boi lmao that's a loaded question innit

I'll put under the read more in case people are trying to avoid anything new content wise!

So I saw a few of tweets and they weren't necessarily a surprise to me? Surprisingly lol

Kevin being the problem child wasn't out of my realm of thinking, but I'd never put it into those words. Though there is something to be said about her mentioning Kevin has a "homoerotic what are we" effect on people which like against also isn't a major surprise? (I'm thinking distinctly of that scene where he covers Neil's eyes because I don't know it was pivotal yes but also not the straightest thing I've read a man do.)

I am glad there was no elaboration like 'Andrew had unrequited feelings because of it' because honestly I think I would have had a meltdown if that was ever confirmed or something. Apollo do not grant me your gift of prophecy I need handled with kid gloves I am fragile.

But I mean in Most of my kandrew stuff with shipping goggles on, I always imagine Andrew being the one floundering a bit while Kevin is very blasé or unaware (or uncaring that he comes across that way). So for it to be canon, I'm like yeah alright.

The choking incident with Andrew not having and regrets also makes sense. That's a very Andrew way of considering it. (I have my own issue(1) with how that event went down but that's another story.) Kevin knowing Andrew would be mad also makes sense and it does really break my heart that he had already forgiven Andrew because he knew how he would react. Heartbreak in the 'oh god he knows Andrew so well' way. I've mentioned before that I always assumed from the moment Neil made him promise not to tell, that Kevin has resigned himself to his own grave, though. There was no way he was going to come out of that unscathed. I'm really just starry eyed over the fact that he knew it would happen and he wouldn't blame Andrew because he knew Andrew had fallen for Neil. Kevin holding onto all that remorse of not being able to do anything for Neil, to then be compounded with the knowledge that he would also be more or less playing a card in taking something away from Andrew? When Andrew had tried so valiantly to say he didn't care about anything or anyone? Kevin obviously knew that was a lie before Neil, but I imagine watching Andrew's feeling unfold for a person and knowing what was going to happen was gut wrenching. Kevin aka the boy with a heart of gold he's never been given the chance to really polish.

This all is completely, lovingly, amazingly, wonderfully rectified by the joy that is if andreil got married "Andrew would choose Kevin". Like I read that and my skin healed, my crops were watered, I never wanted for again. I dunno there was a part of me after reading that never felt a certain closure with their relationship (I mean sands the tattoo thing that helped and lives rent free) but I'd always kind of wondered if they ever got on after that. And apparently it was a no brainer if the option came up so I'm :')

This was long winded to say I'm happy to agree and incorporate these into my bank of knowledge but also please god no more angst for them I need to rest my weary heart

[liaisun]

for the aftg asks

3 - favorite scenes?

28 - if you had to kill a fox. (Seth doesnt count.)

<3 way to mke me think with 28!!!

my fav scenes - (i most recently read tfc so it's at the front of my mind): when aaron, nicky, and neil first scrimmage, and nicky and aaron compliment neil's skills and neil says the two of them are really good <3 (and then they tell him kevin "thinks we're a waste of oxygen"😭 kevinnn) i think people forget a lot that the entire team are Really good players, and nicky and aaron are included in that!!

-dan and renee doing their nails and talking abt charity projects after neil gets his shit rocked by kevin (after he broke into the monsters' room) like

-of courseeeeeee the district transfer announcement scene where kevin and andrew are Like That... and neil's inner thoughts . my god. like whatever kandrew had going on was something different and i desperately wish to know what wymack thought of them before neil came along. i need wymack pov So Badly

-neil being like Betsy Dobson Will be In My Walls if i tell her a single thing meanwhile andrew minyard is already in his walls like buddy ...

-the kandrew fight of '06 (there were several in fact) but where kevin is mad at andrew for trying when wymack asks him to shut down the goal and andrew calls kevin jealous. lmfaoooo

-kevin telling neil to "destroy him" about that opponent who was harrassing neil on court <3

-wymack and neil after neil gets back from christmas break at the ravens...i want to see more of wymack caring for others in his way

-the upperclassmen taking care of neil !!!!!!

-the trojans matching the foxes' lineup

-everyone fighting the fbi for neil to stay with them

i must reread the last book to declare more

if i had to kill a fox............................. from a sheer butterfly effect perspective... and avoiding the foxes getting disqualified for lack of players. i really do wonder how the foxes would do without wymack. LIKE...... neil brought the foxes together, but wymack is their foundation??? agh??? literally what would they do if something happened to him. the thought compels me so muhc. for someone literally on the team, maybe renee. she is subtle but very influential... she's the protector/gatekeeper of the upperclassmen so how would her death effect them? the hard-won friendship between her, dan, and allison... her role as a peacekeeper and bridge between the monsters and upperclassmen before neil? the one person who really understood andrew before neil? she provided lots of valuable insight for him, she unnerves neil the most but how does her loss impact the way the story unfolds? AGHHHHH also considering either wymack or renee dying INSTEAD of seth..... now we get REALLY into the weeds

[onbeinganangel]

2022 round-up ✨

ooooh this is such a fun end of year little tag game!! thank you @danpuff-ao3 for the tag!

Rules:

1. Post the top 5 works you're most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular), 2. your top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release in the new year, 3. your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year, 4. your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year, 5. and your number 1 favorite line you've written this year!

Before I get into it, I’m tagging @vivantesopales @the-starryknight @mintawasalreadytaken and @sweet-s0rr0w 💕 no pressure, have fun! Alright, here we go:

5 fics

(i wrote a total of 6 so this should be easy enough lol from favourite to least loved — by me personally, fuck stats — we have:) savage natures [aftg, andrew/neil, mary hatford character study, 6k, M]

It starts with the now-familiar smell of blood long seeped into the fake leather of the car seats, with the stench of burning plastic, flesh and gasoline.

It starts like any good ghost story should: I am dead, and Nathaniel has come back at last.

geometric equilibrium [aftg, andrew/kevin/neil, getting together, mutual pining, 10k, M]

Kevin graduates and Neil thinks he’s pretty. Andrew graduates and Kevin pines. Neil graduates and Andrew is way more than 100% done with all this triangle-shaped bullshit and can’t believe he has to be the one to fix it.

Or: the Flawed Court get together, in three graduations acts.

Second Best [hp, harry/regulus, past jegulus, past sirry, porn with a side of hate/hurt but it's not quite hate fucking, 8k, E]

Can you want me like you wanted him? Because I do.

Liturgia Horarum [hp, draco/harry, very soft domestic fluff, 1.5k, M]

From morning melodies to evening encores, a day in the life through the soundtrack of routine.

facedown on my bed (thinking of you) [hp, fem!drarry, hogwarts is an all girls school, getting together, uni au, friends to lovers, 10k, M]

Sometimes the feelings you have for your enemy-turned-roommate-turned-bff are not as platonic as you think. Sometimes you're the last person to realise it.

4 current WIPs

(these are all AFTG fics, sorry HP pals) [redacted aftg mixtape exchange fic] - can’t say much except that my recipient chose an amazing song and a brilliant pairing and that the mods are the best and the stars aligned and fate was on my side when i was given this prompt and i’m really excited to finish it and for it to be out in the world

the next three are actually a series of pwp fics set in the same universe where we have established kandreil but i’m giving them all one-on-one time (therefore, three fics)!! i’m very excited about it! this series features: trans neil, professional athlete shenanigans, kevin being a freak, neil being a horny little shit, andrew being his little weirdo self who plays exy because there's nothing better to do but actually is the epitome of a malewife. lots of porn with a side of domesticity, just the way i like it stand in awe of him - the kevneil fic, which yes is titled after a psalm do not dare @ me lol this one is a very soft rapid escalation of morning glory snuggles and domestic chats in which kevin and neil are in bed and start talking about andrew and at first it's like "oh he's so cute when he's grumpy" and suddenly it's like "and that thing he does with his tongue" and they just get each other off thinking about how much they love their bf!!!! like good for them tbh

clinging to you - kandrew!!!! size difference!!!!! 🥵🥵 like there is one vertical foot between those two bastards and you think i'm not gonna make it a thing? i'm gonna make it a thing. i actually have a good chunk of this one written already, it has taken over my brain. just kevin being "ah andrew is so Large and Beefy and Good at Exy" (*cough cough* exy kink *cough cough* competence kink) but then suddenly they're in bed and he realises he can cover ALL of andrew with HIS body and he's like "oh it turns out he's smol but that's also hot?" immediate fireworks in the ol' brain box!!!!

waiting, wanting - ah. the andreil with that one premise that has been done a gazillion times across every random on earth but idc because i want it. neil is horny, andrew is asleep, kevin is across the world and in the end andrew and neil end up fucking with kevin on the phone listening in. neil gets fingered within an inch of his life and andrew gets mocked for his bad french accent and it’s all very delightful, if i say so myself

3 biggest improvements

oh yay tooting my own horn, my favourite activity lmao cutting back - i started this year with a very clear goal of doing No Fests. i did nearly fail at this and i DID sign up to a fest although for no fault of my own that didn't work out in the end which means No Fest 2022 was a success. i also spent a lot less time forcing myself to write and a lot more time thinking about my motivations, the stories i really want to tell and what kind of presence i want to have. i wish i had cut back more but it's very hard. a while ago i described to a dear friend how falling out of love with a fandom community is a bit like moving house, and this move hasn't been smooth. i am proud of my efforts here though!

finding a balance to my outlining process - outlining has always been my weakness. my two longer works are a bit of a mess continuity-wise because my brain just hates outlining. the moment i write down what happens it ticks the wee box for that task and assumes i am done. this year i have found a happy balance where i don't outline too much so that my brain still thrives on the mystery but enough so that the final product isn't a total mess.

characterisation vs plotting - this ties in a little bit with the outlining thing above but i feel like a lot of what i wrote this year was character motivated rather than plot driven! it's a bit of a new approach for me but i am very pleased with the results. it took a lot of studying (mostly reading original stuff, but also a ton of @skeptiquewrites fic because in my opinion, no one does a full cast of characters that feel real and fleshed out and wonderful every single time like tee does!) and a lot more time considering who these characters are instead of actively writing to advance a story, which really worked out for me

2 resolutions

get back to original work - i have a novel idea that's been in my head for a very long time and my goal was to work on it at some point this year. i even gave it a good go during NaNo — unfortunately, it is largely horror and also very much based in my childhood home, in which i am currently living... you can see how that probably wasn't a good idea in the first place. (wtf was i thinking) so, depending on whether or not i manage to finish building and move into my tiny home at some point in 2023, a good chunk of a first draft should be achieved sometime next year!

give myself some grace - well. yeah. that. this is basically an extended version of the "cutting back" improvement from this year. i have to remind myself a lot that unexpected heartbreak and real life shit and bad mental health are all a thing. i'm not always going to be able to finish my projects, and sometimes i will be able to finish them but it won't be what i want it to be. so i'm putting joy above every other feeling next year by cutting myself some slack

1 favourite line

all my favourite lines this year are from the same fic but i am obsessed with how kevin and neil are basically canonically soulmates so i’m gonna go with:

“A raven-black string of fate tying their pinkies together — Neil's own scarred hand to Kevin's racquet-mangled one.” from geometric equilibrium

[starcrossedfates]

Hiii, I'm your secret snowflake id like to know if there are any specific pairing your like and what tags you'd like to be on the story l. Also is there any specific plot line that you'd like or a set number of words? You can include anything else that you'd like! :)

Hey there! I'm just going to list these out to make sure I don't miss anything. Feel free to drop in again and ask for anything else if you need more info!

Pairing(s): I'm fond of Kandreil and Andreil in particular, but I also like Kandrew and Kevaaron.

Tags: Alternate Universe has been my go-to lately. Fantasy, modern, a creature fic, no Exy, supernatural elements, apocalypse—anything goes. Same for the other tags: angst, fluff, domestic fluff, hurt/comfort, getting together, etc.

Plotline(s): Up to you!

Word count: Honestly, anything upwards of >2k is good! Or >1k even. I don't want to put any pressure on you to write a monster of a fic, haha.

EDIT: Not sure if you still check this, but just wanted to add on: No NSFW, please.

[jaywalkers]

omg i’m rlly curious abt 23. how do you deal with writers block?, 33. do you start with the characters or the plot when writing? and 35. tell us about a character who’s very different than you who you love a whole lot

BTW I LOVE UR WRITING 🥹

ahhhhhh thank you!!! i'm so glad you've loved to read my writing! it's such an honour to have people want to consume the things ive created and then enjoy them.

23. how do you deal with writers block?

i mentioned it in a previous ask, but i usually have a couple of other wips on the go at any given time, so sometimes i just move to work on another fic! if it's an issue with that one wip though, i'll reread/rewatch part of the original media, have a trawl through my moodboard, or try to figure out if there's some load-bearing part of the plot that just isn't working.

33. do you start with the characters or the plot when writing?

depends on the work! if it's a new fandom i'm writing for, it starts with the character and what about them i want to talk about. is it a plot point, a personality trait, a relationship?

if it's an older fandom, or one i've written a lot for (i.e. mdzs, aftg) it's usually a plot i want to explore, and i cast the characters depending on who fits it best! it's how i ended up writing katekevaaron when i wanted to write a kevin chronic pain fic, because they fit that best! it's how i ended up with kandrew when i wanted to write a coastwatch au that ended up being canon divergent!

35. tell us about a character who’s very different than you who you love a whole lot.

hm. i don't think many of my favourite characters are similar to me in many ways — when it comes to aftg im more of a jeremy, you know? or an abby.

probably the one i'm most different to is neil — i can relate to andrew and kevin in their siblinghood stories, but i don't have that with neil.

[dailyandrewandaaron]

your take on a hogwarts Au, can be andreil or kandrew ?

Hufflepuff was usually regarded as a soft touch in quidditch. an easy win for the gryffindors . Their captain Jeremy was always big  on good sportsmanship This time however neil noticed the team had made a few changes. They had a new keeper which was not surprising what was surprising was who the new keeper was

“I dont believe it“ said dan under her breath “ I thought their lot was all about fair play.”

“ whats up? “ neil asked her . Dan pointed at their new keeper  

“They’ve only gone and got the monster up “ she said through gritted teeth

“ That’s the monster?“ Neil almost laughed looking at the blonde boy who could be mistaken for a first year . “ He  looks like hes twelve ,” He had heard the  stories of the infamous monster and whereas he knew that they very much exaggerated he expected there to be at least some truth behind the tales. “Maybe hes only scary to hufflepuffs"

“Looks can be deceptive “ Dan reminded him. “ you didn’t look like much yourself when you first started."

The monster had the skills at least . neil watched him bat away the quaffle again and again like it was nothing at all . the was a fierceness to way he played that was especially unusual for a team such as hufflepuff. he could almost see now how the small blonde could've earned his  deadly reputation .

Neil let him save one more goal before he curled his fingers around the snitch and held it aloft ending the game with victory for gryffindor.

Later when they came down neil took a better look at him .

He hadn’t noticed the others paleness and sweatiness until now “out of shape?” he teased

“ Drained out of boredom “  the monster retorted “ your team cant score to save your lives”

“we still beat yours” neil reminded him.

“ Dumb luck . emphasis on dumb .” he replied 

“I thought hufflepuffs were supposed to be nice” said neil amused.  

“Doesn’t say that anywhere”  the blonde grunted.

“I think its implied”

“ No, it isn’t. “he looks past neil somehow “ Not all demons are snakes . “ he said with a dead eyed smile.

“I think you play well “

“Quidditch is a ridiculous game “the blonde  shrugged “ but its passes the time at least. nothing else to do that this time of day”

“Dont you enjoy it ?” neil asked shocked . playing quidditch had always been his biggest dream

“ They only let me be keeper. Its a very dull position . practically pointless today thanks to you”

“You think im good? “ neils eyes widened

The monster shrugged again like he didnt care either way. 

“who taught you to play like you do ?” neil asked him “ because it sure as hell wasnt hooch.”

“kevin” said the other boy.

“ kevin?” Neil frowned “ Not  Kevin Day ? The slytherin captain?”

“ The very same.” The hufflepuff grinned at him. "we train in the middle of night of the night when nobodies watching. he could train you too if you asked him.  “

Neil made a face  and shuddered. “ he scares me”

“pfft.  Its all an act - and hes not even that good at it.  We’ve known him a long time . he always thought Id be in his house everybody did. That’s why he taught me to play in the first place. now I get to use his own teaching against him. such fun!”

“ I guess he hates that” 

“ I guess he does. It's his own fault though “

A slimmer spectacled version of the monster wearing yellow scarf came from the stands and clapped  him on the back . “ good game “ he said quietly

“ couldve been better . we lose every week”

“who is that?” neil asked

“ My brother Aaron . we’re twins .”

“Really? “ neil rose an eyebrow looking from one to the other” I never would’ve guessed.”

“you asked."

The glasses made the twin look like harry potter neil thought and then remarked that aloud . the other , Aaron, frowned puzzled and then wondered away from them .

“ He doesn’t know who that is “ Andrew explained.

“Hows that?” Neil asked goggle eyed.

“ He's new to all this. We didn’t grow up together .he stayed with our muggle mother. We met by accident just before our letters came .  we never wanted to split up after that.” he didnt tell the whole story . 

The screech of breaks and the smashing of glass  clutching his brother to his chest.  “ what did you do? “ Aaron had screamed.

“ magic. it was magic “

“ Theres no such thing as magic!”

“ Is that why youre in  Hufflepuff, because didn’t want to be away from him?” neil pried jolting him out of his memories

“maybe it is . maybe it isn’t. “ he replied coldly. “ who can guess the wisdom of the hat”

“It would would make sense.  “ neil nodded to himself like he had it all figured out  and chuckled “Youre the most un-Hufflepuff Hufflepuff I know”

“ you don’t know any other hufflepuffs “ andrew challenged him

“ I know jeremy . you're not like him”

Andrew gave a smile but not in a nice way “ Im not , but you’re like any other Gryffindor “

“Am I now?” neil asked teasingly

“ Andrew stared at him directly and listed faults off with his fingers  “cocky , reckless , judgemental.“

“ooh, I hurt the monsters feelings! “ neil prattled

“ haven’t you heard?  I don’t have any feelings . everyone says so “ he replied.

“ that’s  not true . what are you afraid of ?”

Andrew grimaced .Typical griffindor valuing courage above sense. He remembered the feeling with being on the broom with nothing to support him either way . nothing to stop him from falling. Andrew had never liked flying. “heights “ he answered truthfully

“ very funny haha . “ neil rolled his eyes disbelieving  . “ don’t talk about yourself then . do you really think kevin would train me?"

“ youre never going to play like he does. Hes far too methodical . its not your style “

Neil pushed through his natural anger at that comment“ Not what I asked.”

“He’ll do it if you ask him. Kevin loves a lost cause.,a charity case if you will.”

Neil bristled at this description “ like you.” he spat back

 The blonde neither confirmed nor denied this. didn't notice the jab at all it seemed". Tell him Andrew sent you and you wont get any trouble from the slytherins ."

“ Thanks monster “

“My name is Andrew . I just said so . I thought gryffindors were meant to be smart."

“ Nah, youre thinking of ravenclaw there. "Neil turned seeing Dan beckoning as the other Gryffindors were assembling for a victory party “ my name is Neil by the way. Neil josten “

“ I dont care .” said the monster , no - Andrew , but his face seemed to soften a little  into a look not quite friendly exactly but less hostile than it had been previously.

“see at the next game, Andrew ? “ 

“who says im going  to continue playing?” he grumbled but Neil knew he would . As much as the blonde protested disinterest he had seen the way he played  and he knew it was not the way that someone who truly didn't care would play.

“I want to see you beat Kevin.” 

“Oh , that you will” Andrew said in lieu of goodbye . 

[dayurno]

bigger than the whole sky from taylor swift‘s new album is andrew after baltimore. i cannot handle this.

i can't tell if this is about neil or kevin and either option makes me want to die thanks. it is true that nothing she's ever written has been more andrew than "everything i touch becomes sick with sadness" but also. "did some force take you because i didn't pray?" is also very. hm. hmhmhmhmhmhnhm. taylor swift psych ward NOW

but also. also!!! Also!!!!!!!!! what if... post-baltimore kandrew... the great war.... THINK ABOUT IT... when i first listened to this song i was flabbergasteddd because it reminded me of kandrew's cold war in tnotg and i was like ngnfntsnf... anyway here's my thesis:

[It turned into something bigger / Somewhere in the haze, got a sense I've been betrayed / Your finger up my hairpin trigger] (!!!!!!!!!!)

[My knuckles were bruised like violets /Sucker-punching walls, cursed you as I sleep-talked]

[You drew up some good faith treaties / I drew curtains closed, drank my poison all alone / You said I have to trust more freely / But diesel is desire, you were playing with fire]

[And maybe it's the past that's talking / Screaming from a crypt / Telling me to punish you for things you never did /So I justified it / All that blood shed, crimson, clover]

[You looked up at me with honor and truth / Broken and blue, so I called off the truce / That was the night I nearly I lost you / I really thought I'd lost you]

LIKE!!!!!!! the feeling of doing something impulsive and misjudging someone's intentions. harming them when they never meant to harm you. andrew trusting faulty notions from his own past (getting lied to = loss of control), regretting it once the war is over... ..... .... when she says "i justified all that bloodshed" LIKE........ the night i nearly lost you......

also fuck my lifeee "you looked up at me with honor and truth" is such a kevin line...... we never get to know what happened that day but i like to think that for a moment there kevin really did mean to just tell andrew what he knew. he wanted to help. it was misguided and it was innocent but isnt that what kevin is all the damn time!!!!!! truly there was no morning glory, it was war, it wasn't fair :(((((

[isthatbloodonhisshirt]

You uh-- you sure seem to be teasing us with a lot of stilinki twins post for someone who already has a lot to write and probably doesn't want her readers to riot and plead for stilinski twins fic. Dangerous waters, my friend. =.=

OMG OKAY, TRUE STORY, so as I type this, I legit just finished a re-read of AftG and my brain was trying to figure out if I could do a Sterek spin of it, and all I kept thinking was Stiles as Andrew, aka the Minyard twins and like, to come into my asks and see this (even though I know you sent this a while back, I’m so sorry orz) makes me feel like this is a sign pfft. I NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO STEREK AFTG NOW! (My problem is I keep seeing Derek as Kevin and I am noooot into Kandrew -squints- So I’ll have to work harder lol) 

LOL But for real, if I wrote a twins AU, there are only two ways that would go: 1) AftG AU, or 2) original fic I ended up never writing that I could probably tweak in my brain and turn into Sterek AU. Both are possible, so while I promise nothing, I’m not saying I would NEVER write a Twins AU :P 

But yes, dangerous waters indeed >.> I do have a lot on my plate and very few spoons so I should probably like... actually work on shit |D I need time off to sit down and focus though, waaaaaah. But I’ll get to things eventually, I prooooomiiiiiseeeee <3<3<3<3<3<3

[onereallygoodlambonastick]

since Kevin is equal parts jock and history nerd do you think he’s sort of fascinated by Andrew’s memory/the way his mind works I’ve always thought that

well now u’ve got me thinking abt it anon. bro i think kevin would 100% pester andrew abt his memory. and utilize it mercilessly. like having andrew memorize an impromptu grocery list right before they go to the store. or asking him to recall what that shady brand of vodka was to send off to aaron so that neither of them wind up in the hospital for lead poisoning. orrrr. 

to Learn. store historical facts and mysteries and romances like stocking a library in a human vessel. kevin goes all sparkly-eyed when andrew recites old poetry line by line from the oldest annals whenever kevin offers them up to him and the look on his face is the only reason why andrew doesn’t set the books on fire. 

and this becomes a thing. andrew just throwing an obscure line from some great epic out there between them like a lifeline and kevin just going quiet so his nerd brain can process where it comes from. 

“15th century?”

“Decade, junkie.”

“1460s.”

“Hm. Close enough.”

and andrew uses this to disrupt kevin’s occasional fanatic habits, as a way to snap him back, to break him out of heated arguments with the coach, a teammate, a reporter or whatever. this occurs in high frequency in the weeks leading up to a make-or-break match when kevin is intolerable and obnoxious, going through the motions of his self at evermore. so andrew steps up when matt’s voice pitches a new low and when kevin’s hands flex into fists and says:

“it’s rotten work,” nearly under his breath, but tunneled straight into earshot.

“not to me,” kevin says instantly, turning away from matt and levelling green-gold eyes andrew’s way, glazed over with something almost like gratitude. “not if it’s you.”

(and the foxes unlearn their rude knee-jerk name-calling. they stop calling kevin an exy freak and start calling him nerd: a softer, kinder endearment for most. except for maybe allison, but even she has her limits. 

the foxes stop calling andrew a monster entirely. they call him by relatively harmless things instead, like romantic, or old man, or sap. these, however, serve to agitate andrew more, so--two birds in one stone, ey? aaron uses all of it, launches them from his verbal arsenal with great spite, and says sap like he means to stab andrew or kevin dead with it. but he’s an unceasing dick, so ha, ha.)

and andrew eventually frequents kevin’s hoard of history books on his lonesome to pick out stories and lines and quotes, and finds that. he kinds of enjoy it, remembering things as if to pick them like yellow daisies from a lush field, and offer them as a notion of promise, commitment, reminder. maybe even a pleasant surprise. (andrew finds, to his utmost dismay, that this is the exact manner in which a romantic would act. but he doesn’t mention it bc he knows every single one of the foxes would never. let him. live it down.) andrew recognizes that this is the precious part of kevin that evermore/riko doesn’t have their nasty claws in. and he knows how dear that is.

he is secretly pleased to have this key, this metaphoric gate that will always open under his light hand, and oh! to be the one to possess the heart key, the door to home! how he cherishes and adores it. 

safe to say--andrew gets better and better at selecting and reciting poetry, to the point he even starts making up some of his own--Magnifique spoken word--and like an genius asshole, forces kevin to spot the difference.

(kevin can, half the time. the other half, andrew is just too fucking good. kevin thinks that andrew would be bomb at poetry slams, but he could care less, predictably. andrew is only doing this to soothe kevin’s nerves. to bring back some sun and chip away at the ice. but andrew will never tell him that, but kevin knows it to the marrow of his bone, anyway.)

>>>>>ok now im. obsessed with this headcanon. sorry this devolved into kandrew but i couldn’t help it. this can read as platonic tbh, but they’re soulmates through and through! rip to nora sakavic but im different

[whatmack]

I just read your kandrew/kandriel and I just need Andrew realizing that he can finally have Kevin bc Neil is there to give and receive touches and to uphold and remind about boundaries. But Kevin's dumb so Andrew has to literally yell at him while Neil is the back cackling

“You’re serious.”“Yeah?”Andrew looked up at Kevin. He looked down at the couch. He looked at Neil on the corner of the couch. He looked away from Neil on the corner of the couch (Neil had a hand over his mouth and his eyes sparkling and how was Andrew supposed to breathe with him looking like that) and back up at Kevin.“Right now,” Andrew said flatly. “Seriously right now.”Kevin rocked to the side, wincing after the familiar fashion of a person recirculating blood in numb limbs. It made him lean heavily on Andrew’s left thigh, something that would have been impossible for Andrew to bear a few months ago but with Neil here was–Okay.More than okay. That was difficult to think about.There was a lot of Kevin. But Neil helped him remember (had taught him) what it looked like when someone was giving themselves over to you, and Kevin was not a threat. Not like this.Not in Andrew’s lap, his waist held tightly between the span of Andrew’s hands.

“Let’s run down the possible reasons why I would have allowed this,” Andrew said, ignoring Kevin’s attempt to interrupt–so what if he’d pulled Kevin down, so what if it had been all his own idea (so what if that meant everything). “Wow, so many. I can see why you’re having such a difficult time coming to a conclusion.”“I don’t know! I’ve given up trying to guess what you’re thinking,” Kevin snapped, knees making the couch creak alarmingly. It was such a Kevin way to act, angry and petulant and self-centered, that Andrew’s heart surged against his ribs. He shoved Kevin off and stood, patting his pockets for a cigarette to regain himself. Coming up empty, he turned around to see Neil spinning the pack on a fingertip. Bastard; to get them, Andrew would have to return to the couch. He gave Neil a glare that promised deep, extended suffering. Neil had the audacity to tap the cigarettes against his temple.“You,” he said, not knowing which one he meant, and stopped. He couldn’t say it like this; he needed to hide behind fanciful eloquence, and as much as he hated himself for it the confectionery sugar-dusted words fit well in his mouth, slotting in and dripping out again syrup and bourbon cherry. He itched all over with the need for a smoke.“There was a man once. Are you listening?” He clenched his fists to keep from dragging his hands through his hair, from stepping forward and digging them into Kevin’s. “The man is not the important part of the story. Everyone thinks about the subject. No one ever considers the timing. There was a man once.” He took three deliberate steps forward, forcing himself, and won the rush of Kevin’s head tipping back to keep their eyes together. He’d had a haircut, today. Andrew could smell the hairspray on his neck.“Andrew,” Kevin said, and Andrew shook his head and leaned down, clamping his hand over Kevin’s mouth. Kevin’s breath was humid, his lips plush and distracting. At least he went silent. Neil dropped the cigarettes.“You are not the same person as you were last year. You will not be the same person next year. You will not be the same in the next week, or day, or hour. We are all motes of dust from a million years away.”Kevin’s nostrils flared. He had a cornered look in his eyes, a touch of the animal; but it wasn’t panicked. No, Andrew realized; Kevin liked this. Liked having Andrew stand over him. Andrew dug his nails into Kevin’s jaw and felt Kevin gasp against his palm.His heart would beat out of his chest and flop to the floor, pulsing, naked without the flesh surrounding it. They both would see.“Who are you, Kevin Day? Right now, in this moment. I do not care about anything else.”Kevin’s voice came out garbled.  Andrew had to draw his hand away for him to speak, and flexed his fingers to release some of the cramping. Andrew could feel Neil watching him. Watching– them. He wanted, desperately, to look. He did not allow himself.The tip of Kevin’s tongue as he wet his lips threatened to smash through Andrew’s foundations. “I can’t do this if you’re going to take it away.”“Then you can’t do this,” Neil said. Andrew suppressed an instinctive attack, the hair bristling up his arms and nape; he had not expected Neil to speak, though in retrospect he should have. Neil was always speaking. Neil continued, “It’s a gift. All of it. All of– of this (there is no this there is no this). You’re not entitled to anything”“I know,” Kevin said. It was nearly a whine. Not nearly; it was. “I just– I’m not– I’m not assuming. I can’t.” His voice cracked, and Andrew understood. Neil didn’t. “If you think for a moment that you get to lay your whole sob story at Andrew’s feet now of all times then you can move in with Matt.”His mouth always had moved faster than his sense. Andrew held up a hand to stop him, and astoundingly Neil did, though he kept muttering under his breath. Andrew folded his arms in front of his chest and watched Kevin squirm.He knew Kevin, as he knew Neil, better than either one of them thought he did. He’d known them from the beginning. Rarely did it matter that he’d known Kevin longer, but Neil overshooting the mark had made this one of those rare. (The timing…)“I made you a deal,” he said to Kevin. “I do not go back on my word.”

(I’m not going to leave you alone.)“Okay,” said Kevin. Too loud, too rough, too free with the emotion in it. He did not move an inch as Andrew cupped his cheek in his hand and kissed him.

[liaisun]

Hi hope you don’t mind me asking but what is the monster therapy Au? Is it different from the other monster Au? It sounds cool whatever it is!

omg thank u for asking!!!!!! i love talking abt my aus its always welcome<3 when i saw u sent me an ask i got so excited JSJDKF also because i feel like you'd like it 👁️

yes!!! they r 2 different aus. so the monster therapy au is based off of this prompt: "You're a psychologist. Your speciality is monsters, who lack the self-confidence to actually scare anyone." and as soon as i saw it i was like BEE @ KEVIN!!!! it just clicked. honestly it does kinda have monsters inc vibes LOL, but in the sense like monster society values how scary u are.

so kevin is recently turned and undead; he's Tall, he's Intimidating but……. he's not scary. once you get to know him, what's there to be afraid of? HE'S the one who's scared. always. he's terrified. he's a coward—

once i read this thing about vampires going through the 5 stages of grief after theyve been turned and i kinda applied that here!!! even just being turned into a monster, thrust into this world u don't understand, really messes u up. most monsters are just born of the void, some are abstract and incomprehensible to the eye (powerful), some can switch between those forms and more corporeal ones, others are seen in various folklore and/or are human-like, but with other characteristics. then, people can become one after they die, either by being turned by another or being unable to rest, usually due to trauma. humans and monsters Don't coexist, so u lose everything and everyone you've ever known… compound that with some very traumatic experiences leading up to kevin's death and the death itself courtesy of one Ư̵͙̪N̵̺̲̊T̴͎̒̽H̸͎̔̉Í̸͓N̶̝̂́Ǩ̸͇̅Ä̵͕́̍B̸͇͐L̷̻̱̈́É̷̗ ̵͙͈͑̃Ň̶͓A̴̡̼̎M̸͊̊͜Ě̶̹͠ (UNTHINKABLE NAME) and bam. monster therapy time for kevin day

fear is a really big part of the story. it's what kevin tells bee is the defining characteristic of a monster; those who create it (everyone else), and those who feel it (him). ANDREW <3 his friend??? protector? small threatening omnipresent companion no one dares to cross after he devoured 4 higher souls on his first day undead? is someone who kev aspires to be. to him andrew embodies what a monster should be.

when i say kevin is recently turned i lied JSHSJF he was turned a while ago, but he was stuck as a little ball of fright (imagine the soot sprites from spirited away) in the shadows. one day andrew came across him and took him in, kept him safe and eventually…. kevin started changing. (inspired by the invisible children from moomin, kids who turn invisible after abuse but can become visible again with love and care and safety). kevin is a full being now, an actual monster, but he doesn't feel like it at all, which is where our story begins, with him talking to bee about this.

also because i am incapable of not including all three boys - neil! he is a complete shadow, dark and quiet and always moving, never taking any specific form. he's very interesting in their — kinda a mix of kandrew both. neil isn't frozen with fear like kevin was; he has bite and he isn't afraid of other monsters, has great power like andrew, but he's controlled by the past. even in a new life, he's still running, still invisible for the sake of survival.

the story isn't a romance (QUEERPLATONIC ROTATIONS) but it is full of love and trust. for example, kandrew: the dynamic between them is so important!!!!! foundation of thr au. the parallel and contrast of the times where kevin was vulnerable when a powerful person came 2 him; it destroyed kevin the first time, but now, with andrew by his side, it allows kevin 2 heal. also i think andrew became stronger while taking care of kevin in the beginning because his power wasn't running on anger and spite anymore, but protection 🥺

kevneil relationship: for kevin, i think neil entering his life in the same position kevin was/is in (but now having drew by his side) gives him new perspective . understanding . compassion too.

for neil, having people, tethers, support even in the smallest ways, makes him more real. brings him out. not in a physical sense— having a body most of the time is weird for him after changing for so long. he'll never choose or stick to one form, either. but overall, he's more settled in his existence, starts to see himself as an actual being, find his identity. even if he is Nothing, he's Nothing in the sense of a void, a black hole, and neil's been collecting bits of the world for years.

and although this au is kevin pov, i think a 2nd part with bee's pov and her different monster patients, the foxes, would be super fun :] (and more fitting of the prompt) so who knows.. . and if u want 2 know anything abt Other monster au (or any other monster au i have. so many) as well, i am here ;>

finally, here is a tidbit that doesn't fit the tone of this at all but i couldnt keep 2 myself LOL - there is a human-monster hotline u can call to speak to a liaison if u suspect monstrous activity in ur area! the number is 1-666-3005 and the Monster Identification Listing Force (MILF) is the organizer and even has an infomercial on human TV. for a generous donation of YOUR SOUL (ahem. 50¢) u can buy monster repellent. is it holy water? no, that's a common misconception - it is actually just unfiltered tap water because that stuff has so many metals in it the monsters take psychic damage near it<3 works like a charm

[jaywalkers]

For the ask game, 52, 54, 81, and 90 !!! if that isn’t too much haha

52. how many unfinished ideas/stories are you working on at the same time?

a lot. i try to only have one big project on the go at any given time, but at the moment i have five fics i've been alternating between in the last few months:

fish hook, open eye: kandrew longfic come unguarded: kurotsukki longfic silk road: nico character study (probably will be 40k) exit, pursued by a bear: mary & seth character study

54. what’s a common writing tip that you almost always follow?

i already talked about the 'more is better' tip, but i also follow the 'write as you would block a scene on screen'. there's a camera shot change? paragraph break. the character changes expression in the middle of a sentence? mention it, then go back to the rest of their sentence. there would be a music score come in? take a break from the dialogue and thoughts to describe the scene around them at the same pace the music would be. pacing is so key, and this is such an easy way of visualising it and then putting it on the page.

i try to indicate with my writing where the reader should breathe. i used to be a musician. i think that's something i took from that.

81. if you could go back in time and give your younger self a piece of writing advice specific to you, what would it be?

QUIT IT WITH THE PURPLE PROSE YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO ESCAPE IT.

90. do you notice your own voice in your writing style?

absolutely. i do think this is a key thing i struggle with — i don't think i'm very good at differentiating narrators in my fic, because i have a set style and voice that i like to write in. i'd love to try and start to differentiate it a bit — i have been trying really had with kei in my lifeguard wip, and with andrew in my kandrew wip. here's a snippet of each, but i can't tell if they're actually varying.