#also Aaron and Neil are besties and no one can take that from me

[nottodaysaten]

Aaron being selectively mute is my fav headcanon. I need need need more fics about it I read on that was wicked goof and have been OBSESSED ever since. Like it a problem. And I have to mention Kevaaron. Just because. They’re lovely. ANYWAYS

Aaron is selectively mute, I like to think that when he does speak after a while it's usually to insult Neil, also when he is struggling he prefers to stick with Andrew or Nicky but eventually Neil and Kevin

[ashbashsquashmabosh]

I love thinking about who would actually make the "perfect court" aka the usa team for exy based on the characters we know in aftg, so humour me.

Goalkeepers wise I don't think Renee would want to be court, she's got other things going on I think she loved exy while with Palmetto but I don't think she'd pursue it to that level. The way things were going I think Andrew would though if just because Neil will and it gives him something to do, he's still not living for it and I don't think he'd stay in it long, I'm thinking two olympic games and then he's done. Robin however learns to basically live for the game she's besties with Neil so they're exy junkies together, she continues to play for a long time on perfect court. I don't really know enough about Laila to say whether or not she has the chops to be on the national team so idk?

The only dealers we actually meet are Allison and Dan. Dan actually says herself that she wouldn't pursue Exy for herself but would take over the coaching of the Palmetto team, even though I definitely think she would be good enough to be court. I think Allison has a very competitive streak so I could see her going for court, but I can also see her starting her own business or something. I think she'd do it for a couple years and then drop it.

So for Strikers we have a big three Kevin, Neil and Jeremy and very obviously all three would make court and stick with it for a long time. Neil and Kevin are basically bound by oath to play at a high level for as long as their bodies are able and to coach after that. But I think they do love it, they wouldn't know what to do with themselves if they weren't consumed by exy.

In regards to backliners I think we get confirmation that Thea is on court? Neither Aaron or Nicky have any desire to be court whatsoever. Matt is described a million times by Neil as being the best player on the foxes so he's definitely good enough, but idk if it would be his goal. Again I don't know enough about Cat to say one way or the other. And finally Jean. Jean I think is like Neil and Kevin, playing until he drops.

( This can obviously only be based on characters we've met I know there would probably be a bunch of unknowns from other teams )

So our line out is:

Dealer- Allison

Goalkeeper- Andrew, sub Robin

Strikers - Kevin, Neil, sub Jeremy

Backliners- Jean, Thea sub Matt

Please tell me your opinions and give me the names of fics that explore this I'm begging

[inadvisablebutinevitable]

hellooo how would you rank the aftg characters personally? like in order of favorite to least favorite?

bestie I actually wrote a whole thesis essay response before realizing how unhinged it is so here is the abridged version: (note this is all for the canon versions of these characters, fanon ratings would probably be different)

Neil Josten

David Wymack

Nicky Hemmick (I know I know but it will take me 1000000 years to explain all my Nicky thoughts)

Kevin Day

Matt Boyd

Andrew Minyard (WHY IS HE THIS LOW?? Guys I don’t know I do love him I promise I would do anything for him)

Allison Reynolds

Jean Moreau (once again should be higher I love him I do)

Danielle Wilds (her and Allison could also swap places and I’d still be like “yeah that’s right” bc I love them both)

Catalina Alvarez (my fave tsc character besides Jean she means everything to me you don’t understand)

Jeremy Knox (I love him I do I just know nothing abt him)

Renee Walker (it physically hurts me to put her this low I love her so much I would die for her)

Laila Dermott

Aaron Minyard (don’t come at me pls I like him and I love fanon Aaron I just wasn’t Aaron’s number one fan in canon but I still have so much love and respect for him I swear)

Seth Gordon

I don’t really hate any of these characters I swear (except Riko he’s ranked so low he didn’t deserve a spot on the list) ((he’s a compelling villain tho)) (((Tetsuji is ranked like -100000000 I will never forgive Tetsuji ever)))

if you really want my never ending thoughts here they are under the cut:

warning for a long ass post I’m so sorry because sometimes even I can’t focus enough to read my own long posts

I have spent so long staring at this ask and trying to figure out how I can pit my children against each other but here is my best try: (this is in order of how much I enjoyed their characters personally when I was reading. The list would prob be different if I was ranking them as people and not as characters):

Neil Josten. It’s always gonna be Neil I’m sorry. Recency bias means that I’m currently thinking (and posting) abt Jean 24/7 but Neil Josten will always take the cake for me in ways I can’t even articulate. His dry humour and narrative choices always have me in stitches. He’s got so much trauma but he doesn’t want to do anything about it but push it down until he meets people he cares about and they found family him into actually healing. He cares so deeply and loves in such a subtle but incredibly strong way. I don’t know how to even express this without saying that the reason I can’t put aftg down every time I pick it up is because of Neil. He tells the story in a way that makes me want to know everything about literally every scene. It’s all Nora ofc but the personality between the lines is how I define “Neil” and I will never not love it. You’ve got me going and now I’m not gonna stop. I can’t even apologize for the length bc I will never apologize for yapping about Neil Josten I say that shit with my FULL CHEST

David Wymack. Do I even have to explain myself here? Those are his fucking KIDS and he would do ANYTHING for them while being a SASSY LITTLE SHIT about it the whole time plus he’s a DILF I would kill and die for him.

Nicky Hemmick don't shoot me pls LOOK do I think what he did to Neil in Edens was at all ok? Absolutely not. When I first read tfc I was HARDCORE hating on Nicky and then trk and tkm made him one of my favourite characters. I don’t think he’s perfect but I love the way he loves. It isn’t hard for him, none of the monsters had to prove themselves to Nicky, or even try to be a decent friend for Nicky to automatically decide that these were his people and that he cares about them. When we meet him Aaron is a homophobic dick to him and Andrew literally pulls a knife on him and yet we immediately find out that he willingly dropped everything and moved an ocean away from his home and his boyfriend to raise them both in the US and not ONCE does he act like he seriously regrets it. Me? I would be holding that shit over their heads every time they act disrespectful but for Nicky loving them despite the shit they put him through is not even a question. It’s not even just the twins too. That one scene where Neil asks “are we? Friends?” And Nicky is SO SHOCKED that Neil didn’t know and goes “oh kiddo of course!!” is my Roman Empire. Plus he’s hilarious obviously.

Kevin Day guys I love him ok, the first two books he compelled me but TKM he POPPED OFF. “I’ve never been skiiing” BANGER “I’m gonna be the deadliest piece on the board” GOOSEBUMPS, “My father comes to all my games” HAD ME IN TEARS. Don’t even get me STARTED on that sexy ass racquet hand switch at championships I’m going to combust. I love that he’s literally obsessed with exy and has the most complicated relationships with the mc’s of every book and yet steals the show every time. Kevin Day I love you.

Matt Boyd. I love him because he would love me for putting Neil first and kill me for not putting Dan before him. He loves his girlfriend and his homies and his sport and cars in that order. He’s a golden retriever who saw a team full of scary-ass wolves and still tries to be friends with them. He wasn’t a part of the “clique” that Neil was in but he did not let that affect his perception or love for Neil in any way. He’s been to hell and came out with just as much love in his heart as he did when he came in. He told Neil that he didn’t know if Andrew would be good for him but then he saw that Andrew fought Kevin for him and decided that he approved bc all that mattered to him was that Neil had someone who would defend him the way Matt would. Then he immediately becomes the #1 wingman right before the shower scene bc he would rather die than cockblock his homie. I love him so much

Andrew Minyard. Like Nicky, I was absolutely a HATER in book one and then he became one of my faves. I like that he’s brave and determined, standing despite everything when the world tried to put him down, but not without his flaws. I really appreciate that Andrew isn’t perfect, he struggles, he’s violent when it’s necessary and sometimes when it’s not. I love how he was always willing to protect Neil, despite everything in him telling him that Neil couldn’t be trusted. He’s a flawed man, but at his core, a good one.

Allison Reynolds is that girl. She reminds me of Andrew (both of them would kill me for saying that) because she takes no shit and gives no fucks. She’s who 16 year old me wanted to be when I grew up. She goes through every emotion in these books and comes out full of righteous anger and uses that to kick the raven’s ASSES and I’m so here for that

Jean Moreau. It’s weird to me that he’s so low because I love him he’s my special boy. I thought that he was interesting in TRK but Riko was a more compelling villain to me. Then ofc we learn that he was never meant to be the villain and he was ranked just below Kevin for me because I just wanted him to be happy. Then tsc happened and he became my hyper fixation. He has a VERY similar sense of humor as Neil except for Neil his jokes were directed at abnormal behaviour, and for Jean he just gets so appalled at the most normal things. I digress about his humor I love Jean and if u want to know why just read literally any of my posts

Danielle Wilds is my GIRL. Her story compels me so much and I really wish we got more backstory for her (obvs we got plenty considering the cast of characters is so huge but still… I want more). She loves her team so much despite everything and she works so hard to keep them together I wanna give her a hug and a kiss. (That scene in TKM right after Andrew breaks Riko’s arm Dan was the FIRST one to find Neil and she was so concerned about him she cares about him so much STOP they’re FAMILY I LOVE THEM)

Catalina Alvarez was my favourite character in tsc (aside from Jean) because I love her so much. @theresalwaysafiresomewhere said that cat reminds her of me and it was still to this day the best compliment I’ve ever received. I cannot name a single thing abt cat I don’t like so I’m just gonna keep going.

Jeremy Knox is only this low bc I still know nothing about this man. Reading his pov and seeing him thru Jean’s eyes was helpful in securing him a spot in my list of faves tho, I want to know everything about him please Nora please

Renee Walker also should not be this low it physically hurts me to put her here but like most other characters in this half of the list, she didn’t compel me as much until tkm. Just a personal thing I guess. I do love her though and I wish she got more time with Jean. It still bothers me that she loved Jean but was the bigger person about it and knew that they weren’t at the right place in their lives, and yet we don’t get to see how making this decision affects her. I think she deserves to be loved more. I hope she gets a happy ending the same way Jean does.

Laila Dermott I love her I just don’t really know enough abt her

Aaron Minyard I like him I promise I do he’s got some of the best one-liners! He killed drake did all that in college with an gf and all the power to him but really I think that fanon aaron just appealed to me way more. Canon Aaron just annoyed me because— gunshots actually you know what maybe it’s once again because unreliable narrator Neil hated him and Neil’s my fave so I had to be a hater too 😔

Seth. I know some fans love him and I respect that but I just… idk I don’t see the appeal. Fanon Seth is great tho I’m a fan.

Canon Thea is somewhere on this list near Laila again bc I love her but I don’t know enough about her to be like “yeah she’s my fave”. The version of Thea I created in my head based on the crumbs the books and the ec gave us, on the other hand… she’d probably be somewhere up there with Kevin

[ma-lark-ey]

feels imperative for me to tell y'all I mostly read this chapter in my sociology class #college.

Also note that numbered comments footnoted from the text are comments actually on the word doc I left while reading that I deemed funniest enough to share with the world so

Chapter 4:

Up until then they were fighting like cats and dogs. Now look at them. They're practically trading friendship bracelets and I couldn't fit a crowbar between them if it'd save my life."[1] "But why?" Neil asked. "Andrew hates Kevin's obsession with Exy." "The day they start making sense to you, let me know," Nicky said, moving so Neil could get a drink. "I gave up trying to sort it all out weeks ago. You could ask, but neither of them will answer. But as long as I'm doling out advice? Stop staring at Kevin so much. You're making me fear for your life over here." "What do you mean?" "Andrew is scary territorial of him. He punched me the first time I said I'd like to get Kevin too wasted to be straight." Nicky pointed at his face, presumably where Andrew had decked him. "So yeah, I'm going to crush on safer targets until Andrew gets bored of him. That means you, since Matt's taken and I don't hate myself enough to try Seth. Congrats." "Can you take the creepy down a level?" Aaron asked. "What?" Nicky asked. "He said he doesn't swing, so obviously he needs a push." "I don't need a push," Neil said. "I'm fine on my own."

[1] Not meager besties, not lovers, not a QPR, not brothers, but a secret undiscovered fifth thing.

"Nicky's scheming to rape Neil," Aaron said. "There are a couple flaws in his plan he needs to work out first, but he'll get there sooner or later."[1] "You're such an asshole," Nicky said as he started for the door. "Wow, Nicky," Andrew said. "You start early." "Can you really blame me?" Nicky glanced back at Neil as he said it. He only took his eyes off Andrew for a second, but that was long enough for Andrew to lunge at him.

[1] I can’t with these fuckers. in all seriousness, having read a good chunk of TRK at this point and also Andrew having no further context than Aaron's one out of pocket joke. He's justified here, actually. I support him. It is BATSHIT without that context though.

Neil wondered if Andrew's medicine would let him grieve, or if he'd laugh at Nicky's funeral too. Then he wondered if a sober Andrew would act any different

^^ elaborating on this in the endnotes

"You're only a year older than I am." Two, really, but he wasn't about to tell them he'd lied about both his birthday and his age.

I refuse to accept that. No way Kevin's only twenty. Surely he's like. twenty-two at the youngest.

"You could at least try," Kevin said. Andrew thought about it, then said, "I could, couldn't I? Maybe next time!"

And now, for your chapterly conversation that's really just hate-flirting;

"Get off my racquet." "Make me?" Andrew said, spreading his arms in invitation. "Try, anyway." "Don't tempt me." "Such fierce words from such a little creature," Andrew said. "You're not very bright. Typical of a jock." "Hypocrite," Neil said.

Andrew. You want to fuck him so bad it makes you look stupid.

Wymack tossed the coffee to him. Neil caught it instinctively, but he couldn't hold onto it. It bounced off the floor at his feet and the lid popped off to spill grinds everywhere. Wymack stalked toward Neil with a snarled, "You idiot." Retreating from a furious older man was so instinctive Neil didn't realize he'd flinched until Wymack froze. Wymack's face went almost dangerously blank and Neil dropped his gaze. He was careful not to look away from Wymack entirely. He needed to see when Wymack started moving again. He waited for Wymack to say something. After an endless, brittle silence, he realized Wymack wouldn't speak until he did. "Today was my mistake," Neil said quietly. "It won't happen a second time." Wymack didn't answer. He didn't come closer, either. At length he pointed at the ground in front of him. "Come here. No," he said when Neil started to reach for the mess at his feet. "Leave it...Look at me," Wymack said. "Right now." Neil dragged his stare up from Wymack's chest to his face. Wymack's expression was still too blank for Neil to feel safe, but he knew better than to look away again. "I want you to understand something," Wymack said. "I am a loud, grouchy old man. I like to yell and throw things. But I don't throw punches unless some punk is dumb enough to try me first. I have never, ever hit someone without provocation, and I'm sure as hell not going to start with you. You hear me?" Neil didn't believe him, but he said, "Yes, Coach."

^^^ elaboration in the endnotes x2

Kevin was more demanding of himself than he was of anyone around him. He set his standards impossibly high and tried for them with everything he had, and he didn't understand why others wouldn't do the same.

^^^ so much to say on him in the endnotes

"Is that your slow attempt at suicide or do you actually have sheathes built into those?" Neil asked. "Yes." "That's not the one you tried to cut Nicky with. How many knives do you carry?" "Enough,"

sober Andrew is literally the funniest bitch in this series and he's not even trying to be funny.

Also Neil how do you know which knife Andrew used on Nicky. Gay behaviour.

"Kevin says you'll be a champion. Four years and you'll go pro. Five years and you'll be Court. He promised Coach. He promised the school board. He argued until they signed off on you...Curious that a man with so much potential, who has so much fun, who could 'be something' wouldn't want any of it. Why is that?"

^^^ all thoughts on Kevin are going in the endnotes there's too many

"You are a conundrum," Andrew said. "Thank you." "No, thank you," Andrew said as he slipped past Neil without a look back. "I need a new toy to play with."[1] "I'm not a toy."[2] "I guess we'll see."

[1] is this say yes to the dress or say yes to slut jesus christ Andrew WHAT. [2] Neil: "I'm not gay!" bbg then what in the homosexual was that?

don't look back, don't slow down, and don't trust anyone. Be anyone but himself, and never be anyone for too long.

^^^ so many things to say on Neil's mom in the end notes.

He hadn't cried when the flames caught, and he hadn't flinched when he pulled her cooling bones out. He filled her backpack with everything that was left of her, carried her two miles down the beach, and buried her as deep as he could. By the time he found the highway again he was numb with shock

He was nothing and no one, and he always would be. Court wasn't for people like him.[1]

[1] Neil , bbg, your mom ALSO was abusive do you realise this please say yes. Neil the lesser of two evils is still evil.

"and I—I can't go back there. I can't, I can't, I won't, I—I have to go. I have to go. I should go now, before he has to come for me. Maybe he'll forgive me if I go back. If I make him hunt me down any more than I have already he'll kill me for sure." "Shut up," Wymack said. "You're not going anywhere." "I can't tell Riko no!" "Then don't say a word," Wymack said. "Keep your mouth shut and let me and Andrew do the talking.

Kevin. I want to study you like a bug.

"Jean," Kevin cut in. "I have to call Jean. I have to hear him say it."

I don't know who Jean is, imma be so fr, but I do know he's getting his own book?? and I also know he's a fan favorite apparently?? maybe I blocked him out of my memory somehow but I read all of the TRK I'm like, 90% sure and I dont remember him?

TBCH I have no idea how much of this series I've already read it is brain soup. the other night I was explaining it to my roommate and went 'OH and I forgot to mention, that Andrew guy? He's actually spending about 90% of the book on like, court mandated crack because he almost killed four people. No yeah, it's kind of not a big plot point beyond the fact he's loopy as hell most of the time." and she stared at me like I lost my mind (I had)

"But he broke his hand in a skiing accident," Neil said. "Bullshit," Wymack said. "It wasn't an accident...it wasn't the first time Riko or Moriyama laid a hand on him. It was just the first time Kevin was smart enough to pack his bags and walk away. So much for family, hm?" "I don't believe in family." "Neither do I."

My Dadmack agenda is making some slayful fanfic ideas in my head.

"Kevin only had the strength to leave because Riko destroyed his hand. That was finally one injustice too many. Because of that I'd like to think Kevin would defy Tetsuji, but it's just as likely we'd never see him with a racquet again. But the day Kevin stops playing forever is the day he dies. He has nothing else. He wasn't raised to have anything else. Do you understand? We cannot lose to the Ravens this year. Kevin won't survive it."

then everything else I've noted for this chapter is the family goss of the Moriyama-Josten whatever the fuck is happening here.

notes:

first, let's talk about Kev, baby.

Kevin Day is such an interesting character because he's a very different portrayal of abuse victim response than usually put in these kinds of media. Kevin doesn't let people except for Andrew and Riko push him around--- Andrew out of respect, and Riko for obvious reasons. Despite being conditioned to be a follower, Kevin IS a leader. He thrives in leadership positions. As much as Andrew has a leash on him, he has a leash on Andrew.

I think it's very clever characterization on Sakavic's part for the first time Kevin's facade of level-headed, pissed off teach coach to slip away into what he really is--- a terrified survivor who's partially in hiding--- being in the location Neil is starting to consider his home turf, whether intentional or unintentional, allows Neil to feel a bit closer to Wymack as well as humanize Kevin to him. By Kevin, unbeatable and unshakeable, Mr. Stonecold Kevin, to feel comfortable having this kind of emotional breakdown in Wymack's house, Neil sees that this person is respected and trusted by someone he at least respects.

Wymack's handling of the situation I also think is rather good. Kevin wouldn't respond to something soft and vulnerable, like Neil did. Kevin doesn't care for gentleness at all, the firm and demanding nature Wymack offers him in this moment heavily resembles what I figure Andrew would do in the situation (if sober), who is very much a comfort to Kevin.

Furthermore, Neil & Wymack's interaction over the coffee beans is something I think about so extremely often.

Neil thinks he's this big macho aloof guy, and he definitely tries to come across as such. But he's really... Not. He's kind of like an ornery cat, like yeah you could be intimidating maybe, but you're really just a baby, ain't ya? I mean, he succeeds better with the team, but he never tries very hard to hold his persona over Wymack, and whether that's his fight or flight response or a subconscious comfortability with Coach is impossible to tell.

I mean, all in all Neil is kind of just a pathetic skrunkle. Like, sorry kid, you failed at intimidation school. It's clear of the team by his aloof persona. I appreciate Neil's effort to be cool, it's just not fooling anyone. All of them can tell that Neil is honestly a pretty timid person, very quiet, very docile. Which leads me to...

His MOTHER. Listen I understand this woman was doing the best she could but if her and me are EVER in the same room I am throwing hands. It is ON SIGHT.

Now. I'm gonna chill. However, even if the way she raised Neil was for his safety and his benefit, it was abusive in every sense of the word. One of the first things Neil says in this book is that his mother would beat him senseless is she saw him playing Exy. Insane words, Neil. And I also recognize this woman had some serious issues of her own she needed to work through, like... Lord. Just. So much to unpack with her.

That being said, I want someone to BEAT some self-worth into Neil and I know that ain't gonna happen so.

I'm sure there was something else I wanted to touch on but I have no more thoughts so this is what you've got. On to chapter five.

Lark Liveblogs Literature Part ???: All For The Game Series - Nora Sakavic

I'm doing something a little bit different with this one! In the business of full disclosure, I read TFC (and about a chapter of TRK) in April this year, decided "I can't mcfucking do this" and then gave up. And then didn't stop thinking about Neil Josten for the next eight months and now we're BACK. So, instead of properly 'liveblogging,' unlike most first-reads I do, I'm actually annotating this one because it's too good to NOT.

That means I have a customized (so totally legal mhm) word doc, highlight/unline privileges, and audacity.

Here's what I knew before I read back in April (stolen from my beta version of this post);

Andrew Minyard: Gay(?), funniest bitch alive if Tumblr brackets are to be trusted. Murderer? Has Boyfriend???

Sports. Maybe. Yes? sports.

Drugs are involved. Somehow.

Now, here's where I am going in now;

Ranking the Foxes goes; Neil, Aaron, Dan, Kevin, Andrew, Renee, Matt, Nicky

I have no idea how exy works, I do don't plan on figuring it out.

Do not remember if I read TRK but what I remember happening is far too much to be just the 230 page doc that is TFC so I MUST HAVE right?

Do know his real name's Nathaniel because I did read that scene reveal and get JUMPSCARED by my brother's name.

How this is going to work is that I'm going to put in my annotations for each chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 1:

"You can't be serious." "Very serious, and very out of time,"

"were a team of talented rejects and junkies because Wymack only recruited athletes from broken homes...nice in theory, but it meant his players were fractured isolationists who couldn't get along long enough to get through a game."

"God damn it, Minyard. This is why we can't have nice things."[1] "Oh, Coach," someone said over Neil's head. "If he was nice, he wouldn't be any use to us, would he?" "He's no use to us if you break him." "You'd rather I let him go? Put a band-aid on him and he'll be good as new."[2]

[1] This is why we can’t have nice things, darling. Because you break them. I have to take them away

[2] Andrew I’ll kiss you

"blond and five feet even"[1]

blond? wrong. five foot even? correct.

"They were champions, and Neil was a jumble of lies and dead-ends."[1]

[1] Neil your self-loathing is showing

"It's not a good idea." "Your opinion has been duly noted and dismissed,"

"It was proof he existed, same as this game they both played. Kevin was proof Neil was real."

"It's about second chances, Neil. Second, third, fourth, whatever, as long as you get at least one more than what anyone else wanted to give you." Neil had heard Wymack referred to as an idealistic idiot by more than one person, but it was hard to listen to him and not believe that he was sincere

"It sounded like a dream; it tasted like damnation"

notes:

nothing much to say on chapter one--- it's a standard introductory chapter to a contemporary(ish) novel.

Wymack sets up the series' key theme with his line, "It's about second chances, Neil. Second, third, fourth, whatever, as long as you get at least one more than what anyone else wanted to give you."

Kevin's demeanor in this chapter is very similar to the Kevin we see up until Raven's come into play--- He's very good at acting very standoffish and tough.

The shift in Kevin when Riko comes into play was actually so dramatic I didn't recognize him here, I was afeared

some of the quotes I've added here are obviously because I thought they were funny exchanges--- others are me English Majoring(tm), and others are just me marking plot, characterization, facts, etc.

admittedly what i've put here is about half of what is actually highlighted/underlined in my doc.

I want to study the dynamic between Neil & Wymack under a microscpe

[honestlyzenoouh]

The Friendship I never knew I needed

Okay, new headcanon time because I read a post about Aaron and Neil begrudging friendship, and now this thing won’t leave my brain. It sorta grew legs and kept on going, sorry. Featuring twinyard forced bonding, Neil being an asshole and Katelyn being sneaky.

Okay, so we know that Neil doesn’t really care for Katelyn. But like, sometime in Neil’s 3’rd year and the girls have left him he shows up to one of his maths classes and like, Katelyn is there??

Katelyn is super smart as well as athletic, the whole deal. And one time one of her TA’s were like, okay this class might actually challenge you, but won’t take up all of your time. Might be fun.

And Katelyn is like, alright imma try.

The first two weeks Katelyn doesn’t even notice she shares the class with Neil, it is that big.

When she does though, it’s because the professor is writing a thing on the board (it’s early, I don’t wanna do actual maths rn), slightly incorrect, and she really wants to point it out, but also doesn’t wanna be rude and affect her grade.

Neil doesn’t have such worries and just sorta not quite yell but loudly points it out... might’ve used a cuss word or two as well, whoops

Katelyn was like thank god someone said something, she was sat clinching all muscles not to say anything.

Then she clocks who said it and was like, huh, I might do something about this. He is someday gonna be my family so might as well start wearing him down now, instead of later.

Also, perfect excuse to actually start up a conversation, sharing a class.

So a couple of weeks after that, when Katelyn has had some time to think, and Neil thinks he’s safe, she strikes.

They are appointed some homework, and she has positioned herself so she can see Neils face in the lecture hall (without it being obvious) and Neil’s eyebrow pinch the tiniest bit together. Now is the time.

She gently approaches him a little sheepish, “could we maybe form a little study group for this class? I don’t really know anyone here, and I don’t really understand the concept for this bit”

Neil, a little suspicious but also completely lost on this subject “would you be able to meet in the library on Tuesdays at 4?”

She says yes of course and dances a bit internally.

The first like, 3 study sessions are completely awkward and stilted, but somehow they work really well together academically? Who knew?

It’s in the fourth meet-up that the ice breaks. Katelyn arrives a bit winded, with a half of cup of coffee and just starts to enthusiastically rant about this complete asshole who cut in line at the coffee place, and then the girl who tripped her on the way into the building but wouldn’t apologize and they got in an argument and then so on about every bad thing for the past week

And Neil is just hooked on her rant. He is reminded a bit of Dan and her ranting about sexist assholes in sports and he really misses her, but why should that stop him from making new friends?

So he stops fighting it and actually talks to the girl. Turns out, they have a lot in common. Including complaining about their significant Minyard. They love them, but oh my lord are they petty and annoying.

From there on out, Tuesdays becomes their hang out day. Even when the semesters over and they don’t have that class anymore. Just Katelyn and Neil becoming unlikely best friends (sorry Matt, it wasn’t on purpose), and telling each other everything. She is the first one outside of the foxes to see his scars.

She didn’t flinch. But she quietly seethes for days afterwards. Aaron tipped him off by complaining about Katelyns bad mood to Kevin (not that he cared) and he overheard it. They had a talk and only grew tighter.

Fast forward like, a year and a half, and Aaron really wanna meet this person. And Katelyn really wants her bf and bff to have a bond as well, but considering all of the bitching she hears about Josten this and Josten that, she had taking to keep referring to Neil as that person I meet in this class, or her nickname for Neil (it’s buggy, because he keeps on bugging her with more maths) to keep the peace.

Also, gender-neutral terms to keep the jealousy at bay. He’s not that bad, but better safe than sorry. Neil means a lot to her now.

But finally she snaps; “fine, you can meet buggy. But only if they agree to meet you too”

“Why wouldn’t they agree to meet your boyfriend?”

“You’re annoying, and I complain about you a lot.”

“You what?”

Anywayyyys.

Neil of course agrees, but only if he can bring Andrew as well. “He’ll play nice, I promise! No knives or hairpulling”

Aaron is really excited to finally meet Buggy. They really mean a lot to Katelyn and makes her happy. And who makes her happy, make him happy too

Andrew is very curious about Neil’s supposed new best friend. Turns out, Neil also hasn’t disclosed exactly who it is, but Andrew hasn’t outright asked him about it so.. It’s his own fault, really

The meeting goes a little like this:

Neil and Katelyn is at their weekly hangout, this time at a coffee shop around campus, and both text their S.M(significant Minyard) where to meet up. Andrew arrives first and just stands in the doorway when he catches sight of the twin redheads sitting and laughing about something. Neither has noticed him yet

Debating just walking out again, he hears a soft but earnest “are you fucking kidding me”

Turns out Aaron was just as surprised and lowkey mindfucked. They catch each other’s eyes and have their first mental conversation

“Well shit, now we have get along with each other’s S.R’s (significant redhead). Also did you know? No? Thank god I wasn’t the only one”

Katelyn turns around as her Aaron senses has gone off, and spies the twins just looking at each other totally defeated. Then turning to Neil like,

“Did you not tell Andrew about me? Because he is doing the same face Aaron is currently doing, and I didn’t tell him exactly who he was meeting today other than my best friend”

“Whoops, might’ve forgotten. They look kinda emotionally constipated... For how long do you think Aaron is gonna complain about it’s me?”

“Two weeks at least, how about Andrew with me?”

“He’s just gonna passive aggressively stare at me with snide comments every now and then until I buy him a tub of ice cream in apology. I give it 6 months for Aaron to laugh at I joke I made without making that face afterwards”

“You’re on, it’s gonna take him 9 at least”

It took 5 and a half months, and 2 years for Katelyn to get Andrew to huff his version of a laugh at all.

Just, Neil and Katelyn being besties and forcing the twinyards to accept and maybe even like each others S.R’s whilst also getting a better relationship out of it. Also; Aaron is now cursed into saying buggy instead of Josten or Neil, and he hates it. Until he doesn’t of course.

[crazy-fangirl2524]

What if Andrew died?

Hi yes it’s me again I’m writing another headcanon because why the fuck not and idk if yall have read it but Nora did mention that if Andrew was somehow killed by Ichirou as a warning or message Neil would basically destroy the Moriyamas and he would be more Wesninski than Josten and Nora ended with five years later Matt and dan found him and stuff and Imma continue from there on because I’m a fucking masochist

while Nathaniel is not sorry for the path he took and the sacrifices he made for revenge, he finally grieves for everything he’s lost (this is taken straight form nora’s tumblr (which doesn’t exist anymore but anyways))

Matt and dan tell Neil Nathaniel what had happened for the last few years and Nathaniel listens expressionlessly (it’s worse than Andrew’s blank look because his eyes are just dead dead)

When they mention about Andrew’s urn which is still in Aaron’s possession Nathaniel’s eyes flash and they finally see a glimpse of the boy they knew just a much more broken and sad version

Nathaniel tells them nothing about him but they know he is listening so they just fill the silence with their life and the foxes life for the past few years (lets just assume that they are in a coffee shop in japan)

One year after their visit, Renee visits Nathaniel with Andrew’s urn, and Renee gives it to Nathaniel saying that he deserves to be the one to keep it

Nathaniel doesn’t know how to react, he literally just froze, it’s the only thing that has ever caught him off guard since Matt and Dan’ visit and Renee basically shoves the urn into his arms

Renee waits patiently for Nathaniel to recover and Nathaniel finally asks, “why did they keep it, after all this time, Aaron?” he asks so quietly it is a miracle that Renee heard him but she did

The question is a jumbled mess but Renee gets it and she says, “we thought that maybe someday you might want it, and Aaron doesn’t mind”

Nathaniel nods and Renee asks if it is okay if any of the foxes want to visit him and Nathaniel just shrugs

After Renee leaves, Nathaniel back in his apartment just stares at the urn. He doesn’t cry or say anything he just stares at it for maybe like hours or even days.

The urn brings back a lot of memories, no matter how hard Nathaniel tries, he can never forget the feeling of Andrew’s hands on him, hot and heavy, his mouth hard on his, Andrew taking him apart steadily and Andrew’s neck fetish. The trust, the keys which he still keeps in one of the bottom drawers, he can’t bring it in himself to throw them away, the honestly and the truths Andrew gave him

He put it on the nightstand besides his bed and he finally also brings the keys out and put it besides the urn

The next time, all the foxes somehow even Aaron and Kevin and Wymark and Abby and Besty go to visit Nathaniel and they all catch up. Even though Nathaniel still tells them nothing about himself and doesn’t contribute to any of the conversations, they can see his relaxed shoulders and his eyes are not that dead, although still blank. And they never once call him Nathaniel, only Neil.

He will always be Neil to them

These visit to Japan become a regular thing although it is not all the foxes all together

One visit, Dan gives Nathaniel the picture she took years ago of Andrew and Neil, where Neil gave Andrew his real name in the airport.

It is the only picture of Neil and Andrew there ever is

Nathaniel thanks her and dan gives him a sad smile

Nathaniel frames it and put it besides the urn and the keys

Many years past and during one visit, when Dan and Matt visit Nathaniel again, they found out he is dead (i do not know how just maybe alcohol poisoning? Car accident?) (also maybe Nathaniel is in his late thirties)

The foxes decide to put neil’s ash in Andrew’s urn

“Fucking junkie,” he pulls him close and rest his head on his shoulder. “I missed you” “I hate you”

I hope you guys enjoy this!!!! As much as I did while writing it!!!! Idek why I keep on thinking about these stuff honestly ahahaha I’m not crying your crying what why are my eyes sweating lol

The last bulletpoint is their reunion in the afterlife because I refuse to believe that they aren’t soulmates and of course they will still be together in the afterlife and all lives afterwards till the end of the fucking time

[sadboyayeron]

AFTG Avatar AU

So i’ve been watching Avatar and I’ve thought a lot about an AU where Neil is the Avatar.

Neil was born as a water bender but his father was basically one of the most powerful fire benders the fire nation next to the fire lord aka the moriyamas. Who knew how to bend his fire like knives.

Neils mother who is also a water bender ran away with him once she found out he was the next avatar to a village full of non-benders but filled with warriors and different types of artist. (He’s 16 y/o)

He learns how to use swords (on some zuko level blue sprit type energy).

His fathers crew ends up finding them and killing his mom (the smell of fire/burning flesh)

He already mastered water bending and one day he knows he will have to learn fire bending but he vows to never use fire that day unless he needs to.

While running away he ends up on the lion turtle. He doesn’t remember how he got there but he must of entered the Avatar state. There he learns how to bend energy, the ability to bend another person's life energy by predating the four main bending arts, the formation of the four nations, as well as the creation of the Avatar.

He then ends up in the Earth kindom. He finds Andrew (17y/o) in a earth bending comption and instantly knows he must learn how to Earthbend from him.

Andrew is reluctant at frist but he realizes this might just be interesting.

Neil learns that Andrews mother tilda had past away (due to reasons). She gave up Andrew and kept Andrews twin Aaron. Tilda was not a bender and abused her son who was. She didn’t allow him to use his bending.

Andrew was kept in a fire nation camp before he figured out on his own to metal bend and ran away at a young age when he found out he had a brother.

He learned how to actually earthbend from the Bagemoles. When he found his brother he taught him how to bend also, though Aaron still had troubles because of his mothers abuse.

After tildas death Nicky (20 y/o) found them before his father could and took them in.

His father is a very rich man who abandoned his sister and was a control freak (toxic parents). They hid together but the twins took turns fighting to get some money for food. Nicky worked in a underground club.

Nicky is not a bender but he has been learning some fighting skills from Andrew who learned them from studying the way fire benders faught (in a way he knows the techniques of fire bending and made his own earth bending skills, including Aaron.)

The cousins were found by Wymack (similar fighter to Iroh) a traitor Fire bender who takes in runaways and kids who need a second chance. They call them selfs Foxes.

He meets Besty or Bee as he calls her, she teaches them all how to calm there mind, teaching them breathing techniques and making delicious hot chocolate or tea. Her teacherings help all them in many ways.

Can’t forget Abby who is a healer, she studied different earth remedies and has perfect water bending healing.

Andrew meets Renee (19 y/o) who is exceptional at throwing stilettos, she learned while being a bandit in the Fire nation. Stilettos are small knives and spring-loaded stiletto holsters concealed in her robes, she is capable of besting numerous benders at once, despite not being a bender herself.

Andrew learns from her how to uses smaller blades in a similar fashion hidden in arm sleeves. He can even throw them using matel bending.

Matt (18y/o) isn’t a bender but he grew up in Kyoshi Village. The worriers such as his mother where women but he learned many skills from her, his father who lives in the Earth Kindom was against her teachings and forces Matt to learn how to survive in the desert. His mother found out and found Matt with sand benders who taught him a different way of fighting. He also was hallucinating the whole time, from one to many cactuses.

Allison (19 y/o) is from the nourthern Water tribe and was considered royalty. She was forbidden to learn water bending and studied healing. Her parents where going to have her Masries off. She went against the rules and water bended and then was banished from the tribe.

Dan (19 y/o) is from the southern water trabe but was taken to prision in the fire kingdom. There she learned how to dance with the water and the skill of blood bending.

Seth (20y/o) is a non-bender from the fire nation. His mother was a fire bender and his father was not. His father was a drunk who kept trying to have kids that were fire benders but non of them seemed to be. So he fourced them into intense training that wouldn’t even do much for non benders. Till Seths brother a year younger then him unknowingly bended fire that burned there father. Seths father then beat his brother to death.

Kevin (18 y/o) only joined resently thanks to Andrew who found him wondering starving in the middle of nowhere with two badly burnt hands. Kevin was from the fire nation and was training with Riko a firebending prodigy and is one of the few living firebenders capable of summoning lightning.

Kevin though was proving to be better then Riko who was slowly going insane and was abused by us uncle

Kevin even found a way to deflect Rikos lighting. Riko brunt Kevin’s hands while he was distracted in anger.

Kevin was taken in by the Fire lords brother who trained the fire nations army, after his mother passed in battle.

Before Kevin rannaway making himself a traitor he found out about who is father was and went on a journey searching for him.

Neil is taken in by this crew of misfits.

Andrew Teaches Neil Earth bending and in exchange Neil shows Andrew what he can do with his swords and Knifes. They continue to exchange truths and learn more and more about each other.

Aaron joins there training a lot and Neil notices how Aaron tends to hold back so he shares his truth about his mother not allowing him to learn other bending techniques and only telling him he’s the Avatar the day she died in his arms.

Aaron takes this in and tells Neil his story, hearing Aaron tell his story fills in details Andrew didn’t know or told. They both take a better understanding of each other.

Neil, Matt, and Renee help Nicky with his fighting skills. All learning from each other and passing it on to the others.

Kevin learns how to fire bend again. While he’s healing he teaches Neil how to bend fire. With the help of Seth and Andrew who both had studied it.

Dan is able to teaches Neil Blood bending but Neil and her both vow to only using is when it comes to trastic measures.

He try to hide it from Andrew but tells him when they become more intimate because he wants him to know he would never use it on him. A promise.

While Kevin heals, Wymack teaches Neil and Kevin techniques no other fire bender would know.

Wymack is able to teach kevin how to breathe fire and better learn how to redirect lighting and even go as far as learning how to absorb it making your fire stronger when reflecting it back.

Neil learns these techniques and even figures out how to bend lighting.

The only problem is learning how to Air bend.

The group not including Wymack, Abby and Bee, have to find the Air nomads temple that was said to be resorted by the fire nation. At least that’s what was said.

On the journey Neil gets drown to a direction where they find a flying bison in side a crave. There they find a Little girl named Robin (14 y/o). They find out she is a Air bending who was trapped somehow and survived somehow for so long.

They take her in and she teaches Neil Air bending. She was never wasable to get the aarows but she had scrolls filled with Air bending techniques. They were able to learn them together.

I was really bored and wrote this, I still need to finish rewatching Avatar 😂!

I’m pretty sure people made an AU about this, I saw art on instagram but haven’t been able to find the fics or art. Drop them in the comments for me if you can please!

[lost-within-a-dreamers-dream]

001 and AFTG pls 😊

oThank you for the ask!! And for on of my favorite fandoms <3

001 | Send me a fandom and I will tell you my:

Favorite character: Neil Josten, hands down because that boy is so sassy and I love him

Least Favorite character: Thea. Her character is in like one scene. I have no attachment to her and her relationship with Kevin is toxic for both of them.

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): Andrew/Neil, Andrew/Neil/Kevin, Matt/Dan, Wymack/Abby, Renee/ Allison

Character I find most attractive: Matt Boyd. I like tall boys and he is so sweet but also has this chaotic dumbass Bi energy that I love

Character I would marry: Allison. She is attractive, can match my sarcasm, she can take care of me financially, we can judge other people while sipping cocktails at brunch and she would treat me like a queen.

Character I would be best friends with: I wanna say Neil or Andrew cause I would love to be their friend but it’d probably be Kevin. Trauma, drinking and history would bond us. 

a random thought: I think that Andrew and Neil don’t adopt a kid in the future, but I can see Andrew and Neil opening or working with some type of youth service/housing for runaway and abused children and teens where they help them through a variety of ways i.e. sports, art therapy, schooling, psychologists and the other foxes donate and take turns helping out.  

An unpopular opinion:  I don’t really have any unpopular unpopular ones/ I guess it’d have to be that I don’t hate Aaron. He wouldn’t be my favorite character but I see all his actions through his trauma and his twisted relationship with Andrew.

My Canon OTP: Andrew/Neil. I don’t think I need to say much on this, but just the way they respect each other and support each other is so sweet and soft for two boys that are used to violence.

My Non-canon OTP: Renee/ Allison. Give me my lesbian exy players. Give me Renee and Allison holding each other up after brutal matches and kissing each others bruises.

Most Badass Character: Andrew or Renee. They have both been through so much and are strong in different ways. But both would fight till bloody for those under their protection.

Most Epic Villain: Ichirou. That man was only in a handful of scenes but gave me chills. Plus he wasn’t whiny or ranting. He was cool and calm and scary.

Pairing I am not a fan of: Aaron/Kevin. Just no thanks.

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): Maybe Seth. Or Aaron. Seth because I just found him to be very one dimensional? I didn’t know enough to really feel enough for him, more I felt Allison's pain over him. Aaron because Nora could have shown the strain in the Twins relationship and theirs with Nicky without the homophobic comments? Like yeah, have him grumble about Nicky’s comments but there’s ways to do that without making him homophobic

Favourite Friendship: Neil and Matt. They’re just so pure together. And I love how Matt was introduced to this 5′3 jumpy kid and went ‘NEW BESTIE, MUST ADOPT’.

Character I most identify with: I identify with Andrew a lot because I suffer from insomnia and depression but also Kevin because of his driven nature, his interests and his panic attacks.

Character I wish I could be: Probably Renee. I wish I could have her outlook but also defense skills. I also want her style and hair 

[pretty-little-lyre]

Hey! So I’m making this my primary kin blog! Here’s a big, all purpose canon call I guess?
My full kin list can be found in my ABOUT, but:

TAZ

Sloane- I love talking to everyone, even doubles, so please HMU!

OUAT

Ruby- I have a lot of storybrooke memories, and I’d love to talk to Emma and Belle again especially, but really anyone!

Felix*- being obscure kin is suffering, but I also have a ton of memories. I’m super down with talking to anyone with a Peter Pan adjacent kin whether or not they’re my canon! I also remember knowing Alice, and adult Henry.

Harry Potter

Remus Lupin*- biggest strongest loneliest kin TBH. If you’re one of the marauders please, I’m desperate. No doubles please!

The Raven Cycle

Adam Parish- exhausted magical bisexual, low-key a druid. High key dating Ronan. Super awkward and bad and talking but what’d you expect? No doubles please, but anyone else I’d really like to talk to.

MARVEL

Charles Xavier *- Movie canon, mostly. I miss all my kids and my friends. I'd love to talk to anyone or any mutants.

Teddy Altman - follows canon pretty closely, I'd love to talk to any of my team, or any marvel heroes :)

Gertrude Yorkes- Canon compliant (comics), non-binary genderfluid. I miss my dinosaur and my boyfriend Chase and my QP Nico. Would love to talk to any marvel kin!!!

Venom - Movie and comics canon. Goopy symbiot husband. I love my husband Eddie Brock and also our best friend Spiderman :)

PJO

Percy Jackson- Annabeth was a really good friend, but we broke up not too long after BoO. Big Bisexual energy. I hung out with Jason a lot post canon, and he remained alive, which we love for him. I came and went from Camp as an adult and did my best to help the kids. Luke Castellan kinda had a point and we had a complex relationship. Also Tartarus trauma but we knew that- it was a big bonding point with me, Annabeth, and Nico.

YUGIOH

Yusei Fudo - Canon compliant, including BBS (is love to talk to yugi or Judai again).

Ryou Bakura - please talk to me about tabletop rpgs and the occult. Ryou also does tarot and other psychic stuff so hmu for a reading!

KYO KARA MAOH

Wolfram Von Bielefeld- are they any other kkm kin out there please I'm dying

SQUARE ENIX

Ienzo/Zexion: ienzo twice, zexion between those times. I lost my heart when I was 14, and got it back just after 24. My memories as Ienzo before I lost my heart are very fuzzy. Identity issues and trauma galore, but I am trying to be better and make up for things. Doubles are great actually.

Neku Sakuraba- aka Phones. I was trans/nb and Shiki was a trans girl. Beat was my best friend and we weren’t quiet dating but almost. I really miss my friends. I really miss Josh. Like a lot. I don’t have memories from KH:DDS/Traverse Town but it’d be cool to talk to anyone from there :)

PRATCHETT

Aziraphale (Good Omens)- British, intelligent, gayer than a tree full of monkies on nitrox oxcide 😇 Crowley and I had a very special relationship. I wouldn’t call it dating because after 100 years of years of being officially “together” as it were, it was so much deeper. I secretly loved the Bentley. I also was in a pseudo friendship with Pollution? Odd.

Angua Von Uberwald (Discworld)- Canon compliant, I married Carrot in my canon and also was sort of dating Sally. Cheery is and will forever be my best friend in the whole world and I’d die for her.

THE PENUMBRA PODCAST

Juno “Disaster man” Steel* - big bi sad Disaster garbage man in a short skirt and a loooooooobg jacket 🧥

WOLF359

Daniel Jacobi *- BIG gay, madly platonically in love with my best friend, the smartest and most wonderful brilliant incredible woman in the entire universe, Dr. Alana Maxwell. I also had a BIG thing for my boss (not like it was a secret lmao) whoops ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Aaaaaaand a kinda dopey crush on Eiffel. He was funny and cute I don’t know what you want from me. It’s hard being gay and lonely ok don’t @ me. A lot of post-canon memories about everyone- Doug and I lived together in an old SI-5 safehouse, along with Hera and Athena (Alana’s clone AI). Kepler came back too, at some point, and had a beard which was great for me.

I’ve got a lot of memories of non-canon Goddard employees and friends, including an AI (I think with the designation Odysseus?), so if you are non-canon hmu!

Non-Sourced/Original Source/NF/Misc

Zaz - a tiefling bard who really wants to be a wizard. Raised in a dark elf circus, I was a clown and I just wanted to make people smile! I had big demon teeth that made me lisp badly when I tried to speak common, and I was told never to speak my language around guests because it was “too scary” so I never really talked. I wore bells around my wrists and ankles and would jingle :)

AFTG

Neil Josten - Yeah I'll get back to this one

Criminal Minds

Aaron Hotchner - Team Dad. My team was my family, and I never remarried after Haley. I was big into musical theatre and would take Jack to community theatre productions (and sometimes other members of the team if they were willing).

Musicals

The Rum Tum Tugger (CATS) - A curious cat! Besties/FWB with Bumblarina, tight with Mungojerry and Runmpleteaser, cooler younger brother of Munkostrap, boyfriends with Mistofelees even though he won't publicly admit to it.

Enjolras (Les Miserables) - Fiery revolutionary, french bastard with bad taste in men.

Flynn Rider/Eugene Fitzherbert (Tangled) - I watched Tangled the Animated Series and now I kin transmasc bisexual disaster icon Flynn Rider.

Characters marked with a * are main/primary IDs!