#minyard sibling au

[graveyardviolence]

Katelyn Mackenzie core methinks

[simonsrosebud]

don’t leave this in the tags bc ur right…

when i first created the next gen foxes blake was the frontrunner (quickly sidetracked by these two hopelessly pining boys).

once andriel take in blake and elliot it takes her a while to stop mothering elliot bc it’s such a deeply ingrained thing for her to do by then. although he’s only a year younger than her, she took the mantle of his guardian bc he needed someone. he had undiagnosed/unmedicated ADHD & anxiety (despite teachers clocking it easily) bc of their parents, and dyslexia that he only got help with in school. blake had helped him with homework and reading since 5th grade, defended him and brought back to the surface when he got overwhelmed and overstimulated as a kid. it was natural for her to take up the other responsibilities after their mom died.

i try to show how blake still finds herself parenting elliot unintentionally every once in a while. but the thing is, she doesn’t know how to parent bc what she was doing back with their bio dad wasn’t parenting, that was surviving. she was barely 16 when she met andrew, and she’s now still only a 20 year old kid that makes mistakes and doesn’t know best.

in a social media au that’s hard but i did it with these two text threads, for example:

[emry-stars-art]

What are your thoughts on Neil and Katelyn being friends? Either in your au or just in general. Personally I’m insane about it

SAME

Like if you’re asking realistically, if I was to write a post canon Neil and Katelyn friendship it would be that they don’t actually seek out each others company, but when they DO get together it is chaos for the twins. Like no one expected them to have that much or that kind of energy around each other. I don’t even know if I can describe it, it’s something adjacent to a sibling relationship with a wordless agreement to mess with Andrew and Aaron as much as possible and also having that step-sibling vibe that is both ironic hate and a little bit of real “still not a huge fan of u”. I do like Andrew being better with kids so Neil doesn’t necessarily have a special in with kateaaron’s girls.

But they get along completely well enough and are comfy around each other. My weakness for better post canon relationships for everyone strikes again

In the royal au it’s similar, obviously it takes even longer for Abram to be comfy/casual around the queen but once he is they have a fine time when they happen to around each other. As stated previously, he sometimes ends up watching out for her at parties and stuff bc Katelyn has always been incredible at sneaking away from her people - if she isn’t on Aaron’s arm she’s gonna be on Abram’s and like at least halfway drunk, if she’s not somewhere on the floor dancing. Since this universe (or at least Palmetto idk) doesn’t have super strict policy on dances and stuff, sometimes she convinces Abram to dance with her as long as there’s someone else near enough to keep an eye on the room around the prince. Andrew always rolls his eyes at their friendly/sibling-like affection but he’s also relieved Abram’s relaxing enough to allow it. He always lets Abram go dance (Andrew himself keeps the same arm-length distance from Katelyn that he does from everyone else). Aaron doesn’t mind either, HE’S just relieved she picked someone capable of protecting her to go drunkenly talk to when she disappears (he also likes the way she lights up when Aaron eventually comes to collect her. She’s very happy to see her beloved husband and I love that for them).

Anyway Queen Katelyn is very sweet to Abram (bc she’s a sweet person) and eventually yes they ABSOLUTELY cause chaos for the twins hehe

Find the royal au writing masterpost here 💕

[ghost-tings]

so thought for aftg/ a kit among foxes slight au art thing ig if you can call it an au anyway

but do you guys think that stuart has kids or is married or has kids older than neil and then those kids have kids or that nathan had siblings I know that there's an au where David is Nathan's brother and I follow that like its drugs

but basically a thought came when I was sketching poses for elio art and about one or two have another kid in them I'm aware I can just make the kid casey (my first aftg kid oc who won't get a fic just cuz icba may get a one shot here and there) but casey is about 9-10 in 2007 which wouldn't make the height of the poses make any sense so

do we think that neil has cousins who have their own kids who are like toddler age so like 3-5 like it would make some kinda sense for Stuart to have kids even if they wouldn't inherit anything from his crime stuff but like would it mak3 sense like so do I make an art piece with a grandkids of Stuart or do I make some random kid from elios school

[merceyca]

Mack the Knife is, at long last, complete. I feel like I just sent a piece of my soul out into the universe, holy shit.

If you want to read about the adventures of Neil’s sister, Mack, now you can!!

CLICK HERE TO READ

[allfortheslay25]

The Minyard-Josten siblings!

Note that these three are NOT part of the same universe. They do not coexist but I wanted to draw them together anyways

Milo is Neil’s son from my fic: We’ll Both Be Fine

Maya is Andreil’s biological daughter from an old idea

Ollie is Andreil’s adopted son from my prototype Milo

I’ve never introduced Oliver before and it’s lowkey cuz my sister AU shames me and told me to throw him away (cuz I literally have no use for his character anymore) but I couldn’t do that to my bby and somehow I thought of him again in the past few days :’)

When We’ll Both Be Fine is finished, I will make a collections fic of all my prototypes/drafts/and extra content for the Miloverse which will include a oneshot about Oliver aka the original Milo design

[codename-adler]

if you really want me to say more i will start by telling you that jo bennett has always reminded me of andrew minyard. also gavin/carter is kinda like jeanaaron only because gavin reminds me of jean way too much...like you could put someone else in carter's place but gavin...jean would 100% turn into a wolf to avoid like literally everything in his life ever. not to mention the long lost sibling. there's a lot i have to say about this apparently i didn't even know i had this many greencreek thoughts excuse me while i think of rereading

LIZ

LIZ

Andrew as Joe and them not speaking after the fucken traumas VS me having a Speak AU about Andrew 😭😭😭

both Aaron or Neil would work SO WELL for Carter omg... like even tho Kelly is the ace rep he's way too sweet and conventionally smart to be like Neil... cuz Stupid Neil 🥹 in Jean's voice?? with that Marseille accent??? DEAD.

Aaron as Carter the stupid 'straight' i live  😭 😭 😭 upon my last reread Carter really soared high thru my faves and this is the maraschino cherry on top

tho what if i said GORDO (my love) as JEAN (my beloved)??? Kevin and Mark?? the parallels????? i can't i can't i can't

(i need to know what you think about the cover redesigns)

[jtl-fics]

smalls?

WIP Wednesday 4/10/24 (Closed) | Smalls AU

She looks back at Betsy and she's looking so patiently at Janie that she gets in that moment why even someone like Andrew Minyard would feel like Betsy's ok to talk to. She decides not to care if that is just a facet of her being written that way in this moment. She wants to talk to someone about at least some of what is going on with her.

Her memory is perfect. She remembers so much of her previous life. Her hometown, her mom, her dad, her siblings, her friends, how hard she had worked at college, all of her favorite books and games.

She just doesn't know a damn thing about Janie. Janie might not even have anything to know, she was just supposed to be a plot contrivance for Neil Josten to join the Foxes. Janie doesn't have a past for Janie to remember.

Make Me Write: This Week's WIP Wednesday

< PREV | FIRST | NEXT >

[bratprinceofexy]

Aftg Rdr2 AU

This absolutely unhinged au came to me last night, and now I have to share it. I realized as I was matching characters to rdr2 characters that in this au, the Van der Lindes are significantly less doomed.

Foxes(Van der Lindes)

Wymack- Dutch, this is easy, though he would be much less unhinged than the real dutch

Andrew- Arthur, andrew can draw in this au! Arthur just makes so much sense for andrew at his core. I think instead of improperly prescribed drugs, the focus can just be on alcoholism and the debts.

Aaron- John, if andrew is arthur, aaronn is john. I think their pact would have to be different and they might just be adopted siblings in this au. Adding the arthur-john sibling dynamic to the minyard twins would be really fun

Katelyn- Abigail, because aaron is john, katelyn has to be abigail roberts. Jack exists in this au as their son. Love an au where katelyn and andrew are besties

Nicky- Josiah Trelawney, I originally went with Javier for him, but trelawney works so much better! He's gay, he has a ring of 'men down on their luck', he has a secret family in saint denis (Erik!); it's perfect!

Renee- Charles, renee was difficult, but I chose charles because of how he is torn between his identities. She would obviously not be christian, and I think it would be more of her discovering more about her identity as she connects with the Wapiti and her indigenous heritage. Also, Charles is Arthur's bestie (and more in canon if you believe in charthur, though that would not be a factor here)

Bee- Hosea, this was chosen mostly because of bee's relationship to andrew, but also she'd be so interesting as hosea. We'd really get to see her mischievious side :)

Abby- Grimshaw, it fits best for her role. I think this au implies a polycule between abby, wymack, and bee

Dan- Tilly, Tilly is sister to Arthur and I think her personality is in line with Dan

Matt- Lenny, he's the closest fit, but it's a bit of a stretch. I don't know how lenny's backstory would mesh with Matt's. If anyone has a better match, let me know.

Allison- Karen, they are loud, confident, and bitchy. It's an easy match

Seth- Sean, this is less a personality match and more of a role in the story match. Sean's relationship with Karen meshes on well to Allison and Seth too.

Kevin- the one character who doesn't have a match to an rdr2 character. I do have an idea about how he fits in with Kayleigh Day and Riko though

Neil- Sadie, this is another character where the role in the story matches well more than personality. I think he and mary would have been at that homestead and mary was killed there. His father is Nathan Bronte, crime lord and puppetmaster of the political leaders in saint denis

Kayleigh Day- Annabelle, annabelle has zero backstory other than that she died, similar to Kayleigh Day! I think she was involved in the creation of both the foxes and the o'driscoll(ravens in this au) gangs and Testsuji killed her sparking the rivalry between the gangs. Kevin was raised with the O'driscolls and fled to the foxes when Riko broke his shooting hand

Antagonists:

Tetsuji and Riko run the O'driscolls and work with both the Brontes (wesninskis) and Ichirou moriyama, who is a wealthy businessman in blackwater with ties to both the criminal world and the pinkertons. Also a friend of Leviticus Cornwall.

Jean was stolen as compensation from some poor family and is considered riko's property

Misc Characters(chosen for what was funniest):

Roland- Fence in Emerald

Jeremy Knox- Albert Mason

I'm having a lot of fun piecing this au together and I might turn it into a fic if it gets that far!

[graveyardviolence]

YALLL IM BACKK. also KATELYN IS HERE🫶🫶🫶

ft. andrew arden bonding, texts between katie & arden, & lux & arden

[6kate1bishop6]

this is like the crack everything is happy there is no angst au of The Reveal but it entertains me to no end that everyone could just find out in seconds through coincidence

---

katelyn gazed at neil out of the corner of her eye. she forced a nervous laugh to startle itself out of her, but there was only so much disarming charm you could lay on someone before they began to see through it.

neil had frozen, unresponsive and unknowing of how to reply.

nicky was squinting at them, holding his hands up as if framing a photo, "you know, i can kind of see it. similar jawlines, the bridge of your nose is the same. this is so freaky i cant believe ive never noticed."

"were not related." neil choked out, and it was the least convincing denial anyone had ever heard.

"are you sure?" allison giggled.

neil kept his gaze on andrew's. "we're not." he tried again, but the damage had been done.

"neil." katelyn began. she wanted to tell him that he wasn't helping them any, that his refutations were more suspicious than if theyd outright confirmed it. but, to say any of that, even in another language, would increase the suspicion even more.

katelyn could understand his anxiety, even if it was inconvenient. theyd put so much work into keeping anyone from finding out, especially andrew. to have it all undone within seconds.

neil seemed to realise he needed to control himself better. his demeanour shifted, no longer caught off guard, but instead an artificial anger, "we're not. leave my family out of this."

he stormed off. andrew followed after him. it was a weak cover, playing into the assumptions that he came from a broken home, but the foxes bought into it too easily. all, except the minyards.

aaron kept his eyes locked on katelyn. the foxes broke off, uninterested now that the confrontation had ended and the asshole katelyn had been fighting had lost his edge. finding his way to her side, aaron led them over to the dancefloor.

it wasnt a slow song by any means, but aarons hands found their way to katelyn's waist, her own encircling his neck as they swayed gently in their own corner of the room to their own beat.

"josten?" aaron asked.

"we both changed our names." katelyn admitted, quiet beneath the bass; she knew aaron would find the words anyway.

"fuck. youre really his sister?" aaron's head fell to her shoulder. it was katelyns favourite thing about the few inches she had on aaron; feeling him resting against her.

"yeah." katelyn released the secret out into the open.

"fuck." aaron dragged out the word, "i cant believe im in love with jostens sister. fuck me, we'll be brothers in law one day."

katelyn thought back to the looks andrew and neil shared. the four of them seemed to be destined to stay within each other's orbit no matter what.

---

allison at the end of the night: so, we all agree that neil and katelyn are actually siblings then?

dan: oh yeah definitely

You know what would be hilarious?

Foxes and Vixens all in a shared space. Maybe a college party? Non-Fox/Vixens present too.

Through shenanigans and chicanery, Katelyn and Neil spare some Attitude to the same person on separate occasions that evening. Unrelated encounters mind you. Neil and Kate haven't even directly interacted all day.

Later on, Foxes and Vixens are gathered. Auburn Haired Neil and Strawberry Blonde Katelyn are nearby each other simply by virtue of the Twinyards hanging close to each other. The receiver of the Attitudes is there. Looks between the "red heads" and makes a wayward comment about siblings.

Record scratch.

Blood Hounds For Drama Allison and/or Nicky ask for clarification - are they saying they think Neil and Katelyn are related???

Uh,,, yeah? Red hair? Attitude Problem? Attracted to short and stocky blonds?

Silence.

And then,

Chaos

[kevinqueenofexy]

Alice Minyard

Her heart was beating ridiculously fast as Wymack looked at her, his hand on the doorknob. Behind this door were the Foxes. Behind this door was her cousin. Behind this door were her brothers. It felt like a dream, a surreal and incredibly weird dream. This couldn't be true. She was an abandoned child, she had no family. Yet behind this door were the people who should've been with her for her whole life. She felt like it was yesterday that she had found out she had two older brothers after stealing the papers her social worker kept about her. She had also found out the name of her mother - Tilda Minyard. And then, one day, after she had been playing Exy for almost a year, she saw them on the TV. Andrew and Aaron Minyard. So she had done some research on these two boys who looked unbelievably similar to her. It was a good thing that she has always been very good at hacking. And now she was finally here. "Are you ready?" She had totally forgotten that Wymack was standing right next to her. Somehow she managed a quick nod. She wasn't ready at all. Her heart was about to explode. Wymack had warned her about Aaron and Andrew. The reunion of the Minyard-siblings would probably not turn out like she imagined. But after eighteen years of way too many Foster families she was used to things turning out differently towards how she had imagined them. Wymack hadn't told the twins yet that their sister was coming. According to him, he hadn't even told Dan or Kevin who she was. He has only told the Foxes that they were getting a new freshman. Wymack opened the door. She was late to arrive. All the other freshmen had already been with the Foxes for weeks now. She was late but she was here and there was no turning back. All the eyes where on her as she entered the room. Almost all the eyes. She found them immediately. They weren't sitting next to each other, which didn't surprise her. Aaron sat next to a tall boy with ruffled dark hair - Nicky Hemmick. Her cousin. Aaron looked at her with a bored expression. Andrew was sitting on Nicky's other side, next to him a red-haired boy, who she recognised as Neil Josten. Andrew wasn't looking at her, he was looking at Neil. She flinched as Wymack cleared his throat. "Guys, this is our newest addition. She's a striker," he declared. "We don't need another striker," a boy protested. She didn't recognise him so he probably was a freshman as well. "Our lineup can always use more players, Jack," Dan Wilds, team captain responded. She shot her a quick glance, smiling but it was obvious that she didn't know what to think of her. "What's her name?" a blonde girl asked Wymack. She recognised her as Allison Reynolds. Wymack started to talk, but she interrupted him. "I can speak for myself. My name is Alice Minyard." The room went quiet within a second. Alice felt the blood rising in her cheeks, making her pale skin look red. She didn't dare to look at Aaron and Andrew. She was afraid to witness their reactions. For so long she had been waiting for this moment and now it was finally here. The Foxes looked at her with their mouths hanging open and their expressions blank. Even Kevin and Neil were shocked. After seconds or minutes or hours of silence someone finally reacted. It was Nicky. He got up from the couch and walked slowly towards Alice. He rose his arms carefully, probably knowing from experience that a Minyard didn't like to be touched without giving permission. At first Alice was confused but then she realised that Nicky wanted to hug her. She slowly rose her arms and he immediately threw his arms around her and squeezed her. "Welcome to the family," he said. Over his shoulder Alice got a glance at her brothers. They both stared at her, Aaron with obvious confusion, Andrew with a blank stare. It wasn't what she had hoped for. It was so much more. She had finally arrived.

[palmettofoxesthings]

More twin au wildness. Fellow Junkies, this is why I started the conversation about Neil’s real age IM SORRY A one shot about what happens when Nat visits for their birthday in January but the Foxes think it should be March

[merceyca]

Mack update!! This one’s all in Neil’s POV so it’s a little different, but I hope y’all like it :))

Chapters: 17/21Fandom: All For The Game - Nora SakavicRating: MatureWarnings: Graphic Depictions Of ViolenceRelationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, Kevin Day & Neil Josten, Kevin Day & Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten & Original Character(s), Andrew Minyard & Original Character(s)Characters: Neil Josten, Andrew Minyard, Mackenzie Josten/Dinah Hatford/Mary "Mack" Dinah Wesninski (OC), Kevin Day, Aaron Minyard, Nicky Hemmick, Matt Boyd, Renee Walker, Allison Reynolds, Dan Wilds, David Wymack, Abigail Winfield, Betsy Dobson, Dorian Landler (OC), Stuart Hatford, Rada Lebedev (OC), Lola Malcolm, Tristan Landler (OC), Sheena (All For The Game), Helena Lebedeva (OC)Additional Tags: sister fic, Josten sister AU, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Andreil, Gun Violence, Mild Language, Explicit Language, this has literally no purpose, i just really like badass women, and the aftg universe, Neil Josten is a Little Shit, he will send Mack to an early goddamn grave, this was fun to write, I hope it's fun to read, Post-Canon, Wesninski sister, Sibling AU, established andreil, I get way too invested in Mack's story, I'm not sorry, this is just an excuse to write Neil as a woman, the Jostens have big bastard energies and I love them for it, Gang Wars, Neil gets the chance to come out to his family, this is mostly wholesome i promise, okay that last tag’s a lie, have fun, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced SuicideSummary:

‘You’re alive.’It wasn’t what Neil had wanted to say, but the words seemed to spill from his lips and he couldn’t take them back.‘So are you,’ his sister scoffed, her eyes as sharp as her tone. ‘Fuck knows how.’

 Neil Josten's sister, Mary "Mack" Wesninski, isn't as dead as he'd once thought and—to his ultimate displeasure—she's got plans. Andrew's going to kill him. He just narrowly avoided one mob war.

[tamquamalteradam]

AFTG Characters from the POV of someone who hasn't read it

Andrew Minyard

Ronan Lynch, basically

<3 knives <3

Blue Sargent levels of short

Also Blue Sargent levels of fiesty

Would do anything and everything for Neil

EXY IS LOVE EXY IS LIFE

Neil Josten

Jorts? Did he wear jorts once and now his friends will never let it go? I have seen "Neil Jortsen" as part of one too many usernames

Probably also wears crocs

Cannot express his feelings

"i'M fiNe" said Neil, although he was not fine, in any way

The new kid (ok maybe I read the summary on The Foxhole Court)

Aaron Minyard

I feel like the Minyard's parents were never around because they were off doing mafia shit so Aaron had to step up as the "responsible sibling" so now he's seen as annoying but he's actually just trying his best

Lowkey jealous of Andrew in some aspects

I am just projecting Declan/Ronan sibling dynamics onto the Minyard twins? Yes

Jeremy Knox

I think this man dies like 3 pages into the book or something

Or was that Kevin Day?

BUT JEREJEAN— EVERYONE LOVES JEREJEAN RIGHT

Sunflowers. This is 100% due to @ronans-sepiaphotograph's Jerejean AU which I have not read (but I will after I finish)

Jean Moreau

Not sure who this is but JEREJEAN

The further down I go on this list the less confident I am in character names/spellings

Renee Walker

Gives me big sister vibes?

She's the one who'll have band-aids and hand sanitizer on trips

Kevin Day

If he isn't Asian— Kevin is like the most Asian guy name out there

Exy coach or head boy or something? Gives me Oliver Wood vibes

Allison Reynolds

I think you are blonde

And gay?

[whatareyoudoingwithamaserati]

" We'll be royalty."

:D any ship and uh- royalty au is all i got

Leo!!!! Hi!!! I love this song and prompt so uh!! yeah!!

I totally went of prompt but like that’s how my brain works so!!!

~~~

“Hey, Andrew?” Neil calls, opening and closing every door of their apartment. “Andrew, where are—” He opens the door to the laundry room, pausing in amusement at what he finds.

“So you see,” Andrew tells his captive audience of Sir and King from his position on the washer. He’s cross-legged, a knife balanced between two of his fingers as he talks, eyes lively. “All it would take to overthrow the government is a well-planned riot, with our resident junkie being the one to start it.” He doesn’t even bother to look up at Neil, instead gesturing for him to sit down with the cats. “Sit down junkie, this is where you come in. As I was saying...”

Neil makes a noise of amusement, closing the door and sitting in between the cats as Andrew continues to detail how he would take down the government.

“The riot would work, but only as a distraction. See, while you and all the others we associate with—”

“Our friends,” Neil fills in, the corner of his mouth ticked upwards in a smile. It’s taken him a while to get used to the concept of having friends; somedays it still doesn’t feel real, but he likes it.”

“Yes, yes, our friends. As I was saying, while you and our friends—and Aaron—work on keeping the riot running, I will be breaking into the white house. From there, I shall take out the president, whatever shitbag that is, and step into the role as temporary leader of America.”

“Like you could get past the secret service,” Neil snorts, petting Sir, who’s moved to cuddle him. “They’re good at their job. Really good.”

“And how do you know this?”

“Romero and Lola had a sibling who once tried to break into the white house on a dare. They didn’t make it very far.”  Neil says this all with a straight face, not giving away whether it’s a lie or not.

“Point made and ignored,” Andrew says, grabbing the pop can beside him and taking a sip. “I am infinitely better than this long-lost Malcolm sibling, who surely cannot compare to the level of intelligence and stealth I have.”

Neil raises an eyebrow as if to say are you so sure of that?

In response, Andrew raises both his own eyebrow and the can of pop, his expression saying I am absolutely sure of that.

A shake of the head, and then Neil focuses on the pop can. “Andrew,” he says, voice filled with both warning and amusement. “You know you’re only supposed to be having one pop a day. How’d you get this by me?”

In response, Andrew pulls out the empty coffee mug from behind him, pretending to take a sip as he deadpans, “Mm, good coffee.”

Neil starts to snicker; loudly, and it only gets louder as Andrew slips the pop can inside the coffee mug, demonstrating exactly how his little trick works. In between gasps for air, he finally manages to choke out, “Kevin is going to kill you!”

“Kevin can’t kill me if he’s in the middle of a riot while I take out the president of the United States. Successfully, mind you.”

“Valid point,” Neil scratches King’s ears as she snuggles up against him. “You’ve just got to make sure Kevin doesn’t find out until the riot starts.”

“Semantics,” Andrew says with a lazy wave of the hand, putting the coffee cup and the pop can inside of it down. “What he doesn’t know won’t kill him. Back to the plans. While I am the temporary leader of America, you will be in charge of both getting rid of all the pigs,” his tone is one of disdain and he pulls a face at even the mention of a cop. “And making sure Kevin can never come near me with another healthy food ever again.”

“What if I’m the one trying to make sure you’re eating healthy food?”

“Then you will be banished and thrown to the wolves.” Andrew rests his chin on his hand. “I pity whatever wolves get stuck with you.”

“If I get banished, you’ll miss me, and that would be a tragedy.”

“If you get banished, I will jump for joy.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Neil drawls, focused on both Sir and King, who’re demanding his attention. “Maybe you’ll start to believe it.”

“I do believe it. Anyways; after I have successfully banished you, and made sure Day can never touch another vegetable in his life, I will set America free, and live a peaceful, Exy-free life.”

“That’ll never work, you do know that?”

Andrew stares at Neil impassively, his lips quirking when King meows. “See, King agrees with me. Her and Sir are the only two who know how to properly appreciate my genius. King meows again, and Andrew nods at her. “I know Neil is an idiot, but what does that make me? I am the one dating the idiot.”

Now it’s Sir’s turn to meow, and Andrew tips his head as he listens to her tirade. “Yes, yes, I do know this is the same Junkie I have plans to rule the world with, but you have to understand; sometimes he can be annoying, and that isn’t any fun for me.”

“I can hear you, I hope you know.”

Andrew holds up a finger, turning his stare onto Neil. “Didn’t your mother tell you it’s not nice to eavesdrop?”

“No, but she did tell me that the second one starts talking to a cat, something is very wrong.”

A shrug. “That’s what all of my doctors have said, but just look at me; I’m doing completely fi—good. Well. Splendid. Marvelous.” He rattles off an impressive list of words, never once using fine, just to prove a point.

Neil sighs in amusement, picking Sir up and holding her to his chest. “What was this about ruling the world with me?”

“Also none of your business. Next question.”

“What if my next question is the same as the first?”

“Incorrect. Repeat questions break rule number seventy-nine.”

“And what happens to be rule number seventy-nine?” Neil asks, petting King on the head as she demands attention as well. “Andrew Minyard gets to do whatever he wants?”

A calculated tip of the head. “Close, but not quite. Rule number seventy-nine is—and I quote, mind you—‘Andrew Minyard gets to make and break whatever rules he wishes.’”

“Because that’s a fair rules system, isn’t it?

“Mm, life isn’t fair, so why should rules be?”

“Fair,” Neil says, putting Sir down and standing up. “In the spirit of rules not being fair, I propose an amendment; rule seventy-nine and a half.”

Andrew raises an eyebrow, putting his pop can down and standing up as well. “And what would that be?”

“‘Neil Josten is the exception to the rules.”

He’s always been the exception, but Andrew doesn’t need to tell him that, the Junkie’d start thinking he was more than nothing.

But is co-owning an apartment nothing? Is having two cats and sharing cigarettes and falling asleep in the same bed every night nothing? Because it sure feels an awful lot like something, and that thought is almost scary. When nothing becomes something, how does one cope with the thought that they could lose that very something?

The kind of nothing that Neil is is intangible, held together by promises of forever and whispered truths.

The kind of something that Neil could be is something different; something tangible. It could be a lifetime, set not in stone but in water, ebbing and flowing but never quite leaving. It could be everything and nothing all at once, and the thought makes Andrew want. He wants the kind of shit you hear about in fairytales because for all the lack of romantic feelings he feels, he still wants the stability granted from a relationship.

“Rule seventy-nine and a half sounds like an acceptable rule,” Andrew finally concedes, gesturing for Neil to follow him. “Roof?”

“Yeah, sounds good.”

Together, they leave their apartment, Neil swiping the pack of cigarettes they keep by the door for this very reason.

If Andrew tells Neil about how they’d rule the world together when they’re finally perched on the roof, well, that falls under rule eighty.

Rule eighty: what happens on the roof, stays on the roof.