#kevin in the nest. i assume

[caughtinsideafever]

[jeanmoreaue]

Your tags on that ask made me think about Jean being jealous of Andrew bc of Kevin

(i’m assuming this is about my good 4 u kevjean comparison lmaooo ty for noticing queen)

but actually yeah i could totally see this like Kevin really did move on in just a couple weeks lollll. i feel like to some degree this is at least a little true, but then Jean changes his mind later on. like imo maybe after Drake bc it seems like Jean feels partially guilty (even though he shouldn’t) over Riko sending Drake after Andrew since he keeps thinking about it after the Grayson incident in tsc

[kevindayscrown]

People mischaracterising everything Kevin said in TGR is gonna be the death of me. Seriously.

Even though he told Jeremy he cares about nothing else but a life of exy, later on, a discussion with Jean revealed that he still just REFUSES and is incapable of processing his own trauma. He uses exy as the one-way ticket to happiness because he has no idea how else to achieve it.

Kevin's discussion with Jeremy about Jean and the nest and Grayson showed that Kevin thinks very similarly still to how Jean thought (still thinks) about the Nest. That's just how the nest is. It's incredibly fucked up, but as Jean REPEATEDLY tells us, Kevin tried to defend him numerous times even if it didn't work. Kevin is an "oblivious fool". He didn't just accept the fact Jean was raped. He still hasn't given himself grace to process stuff, to process the "raven way". He is a CULT VICTIM. He still hears Riko's voice in his head, tormenting him. Even though Jean tells us time and time again how much Kevin also suffered, people still refuse to acknowledge it. Kevin was RAISED there from a much much younger age to the point he lost multiple elements of his own personality. This kind of shit isn't just solved, especially not when he has been stuck on other getaways to ignore his own trauma and doesn't really have anyone like Jean does to direct him otherwise.

He is mean and angry, but he is also gentle with Jean throughout the interview and doesn't push him beyond the point of breaking despite the whole mission to save face. Several interactions with Jean bring out snippets of the personality that's buried underneath several layers of trauma from the nest.

Also, remember Nora told us he has his own arc that spans across all books (back when this was supposed to be a duology) and told us to be 'patient' so I assume we are going to see more of Kevin in the third book and hopefully more of him starting his own healing journey. It was barely there in the main trilogy. In AFTG, his healing involved Exy. He still hasn't overcome his actual trauma, as we very clearly see.

Please read with your EYES OPEN, THANK YOU.

[jeanmoreautemple]

TGR wrap up thoughts:

Chapter 17 might just be the worst torture in the whole series. This is why I can’t read an Andrew POV book. My heart woudn’t take it. I hope Zane gets paralyzed or gets killed violently or something.

Chloé Moreau was a full on mob wife that could have civilians killed just like that? And the Algerian arms dealer that Elodie was sold to was a contact of hers?? Carmela Soprano or Connie Corleone vibes I’d say.

JEAN HAS A CHILDHOOD!! EXY YOUTH!! TEAMMATE!!! THAT CARES!! and knew about Elodie!!!!

I want to apologize to everyone for doubting Jerejean being balanced, it’s clear Jeremy will need Jean as much as Jean needs him.

Jeremy exclusively sleeping with people who treat him like his family??? Belittling his efforts and calling him a whore?? Who choke him and don’t care that they leave marks on him?

Jean finding Laila hot!! Jeremy wasn’t completely lying when he told his mom Jean had a crush on her, and I know it makes him nervous.

Annalise blushing just from seeing Jean in person- the satisfaction I felt was unmeasurable.

Jeremy obsessing over Jean’s taste in women but not in men? Getting crazy jealous of Laila, Renee and Annalise but not Kevin? Interesting.

Jean knowing how to braid hair!!! Because of Elodie!! 🥲 Laila brushing Jean’s hair and Jean braining hers??

So many wrist and temple kisses???? This is beautiful. And in a Nora book??

Elodie is officially “missing” and interpol can’t track her sale? Oh Nora don’t make me hope…

If she’s actually dead then both Noah and Elodie would have been dead for 4 years as of 2007, assuming Elodie was killed shortly after being sold to the armsdealer in Algiers.

Jean is already good at cooking, ceramics and knows how to drive a motorcycle 🥹

Jeremy’s biological dad is in Korea? He was removed af with Jeremy in their call but I seriously think he’s gonna support Jeremy if he decides to leave the Wilshires.

Jeremy and Jean being called faggots and whores by Jeremy’s hookups, his biological brother, Warren Wilshire, the press and other exy players, and just about anyone outside the Trojans… it was enough with Jean’s rumours and Lucas… WHYYY NORA

Overall Colleen, Thea and Sergio and this Finn might have been the nicest ravens to Jean? But he still puts Zane in that group after chapter 17 wtf.

Jeremy craving Jean so badly when Jean leaned into him and was between his legs in the hotel room vs Jean getting immediately uneasy and putting Jabberwocky between them when Jeremy put his head near Jean’s crotch area… I can’t wait to see how Nora will handle them getting intimate.

A word for word confirmation that every single person in the nest knew Jean’s age. I don’t have to delete my three posts about it yayy.

Now the public knows Jean’s age too!!! Hope the slut shaming drecreases a bit too.

Jeremy needs to cry. In Jean’s arms.

William Hunter basically saying he’s on Jeremy’s side and not Mathilda’s… I hope they keep in touch when Jeremy leaves for good / Mathilda & Warren kick him out in book 3. I wonder if he’s gonna be the one to give Jeremy his passport and other documents ?

Derek, Derrick and Sebastian not being sure whether Jean likes girls but not having any doubts on whether he likes men lmao.

Cody going “can I ask you something? You can lie…” when he mentioned that Jeremy must absolutely love how Jean says his name hshshsh EVERYBODY KNOWS.

Renee and Jean lying to each other when they ask if they are okay 🙃

Renee supporting Jerejean?? Idk how to feel about that, it’s been only a few months! She’s stronger than me for sure.

Cat and Jean matching bikes!!!

Aaron driving Andrew’s car after the trial!!!! LETS GOOO

Andrew and Renee being press partners and Andrew not saying a single word, BFFs.

Idk how to feel about the Ravens going psycho on live TV. They weren’t even playing or trying to hide it, they were just swinging for the foxes. I felt like it was all very convenient and kinda fanservicey.

Thea showing up again for like 3 pages and fruitfully telling the new gen ravens to kill themselves?? I’ll take it😭 but proclaiming absolute loyalty to old racist Tetsuji? Didn’t Jean say that he killed a freshman boy in her last year?

Jeremy and Renee speaking for the first time on the phone, about Jean!! How awkward was it? I want them to meet in person but it’d be so bittersweet for Jeanee.

Cat and Laila suspiciously made absolute 0 comments on Jerejean this book, when even Renee was teasing. Jeremy erasing the text message about Renee’s looks so Laila wouldn’t start asking questions, but then he just openly searches for a Marseillais French teacher? They are being careful af.

Jeremy blurting to Jean “Maybe Laila’s not as good with her tongue” is CRAZYyy and Jean recovering surprisingly well by saying “I will tell her you said that” . It’s as if Jeremy always has his feelings in check except with sex?? He’s worse than Jean.

I still can’t believe Warren called Jeremy you little faggot just like that. Fuck him, Mathilda and Bryson.

Kevin’s exy tunnel vision was depressive af to read: “Everything I want and need still lies ahead of me; it is a waste of time to look back so long as that holds true” ????? But he needs to drink to talk and lie about the nest and Riko??

I get Kevin and Thea have grown complacent with the nest and don’t have much need to challenge what they saw and experienced because they love exy first and foremost and they are doing great in that regard but omg I can’t believe Jean is close to being the healthiest ex Raven???

Bryson was such a caricaturesque loser villain, he got beaten up by Jean and only ran away to show his mommy?? He better have been the one to leak Jean’s address.

Oh James Rhemann… the man that you are.

Once again I want to erase chapter 17 from my mind. The trilogy finale better be the happiest I’ve ever seen.

WILL JOSHUA SHOW UP?

Jean’s childhood teammate’s letter, the marseillais tutor, Chloé revealed to call some serious shots in the Moreau family? I think it’s all a big giant red herring towards Elodie 🥹

[deeppenguinstudent]

People who say they want Jean's abuse to be publicised (especially about the backliners) don't understand why it's egregious for his career and just like an absolute horrendous idea in general.

First off, male SA is only now being talked openly on social media ONLY. Despite this, many victims are not being put to justice because, again, they are male. So imagine how bad it would have been back in 2006-2008 (where people assume that TSC takes place in)?

Men were seen as strong and immune to something such as SA, and it was deemed as less traumatic for men compared to women, which is completely bullshit. This is also to do with a lot of the generic masculinity bla bla bla and roles they were forced on.

Most of the time, male survivors were considered complicit in the act, hence the whole Lucas assuming Jean wanted it as well. This was more of him trying to convince himself that his brother was a monster, but I would argue it's also because of the whole homophobic stigma. I mean, lucas did notice that Jean was also into men.

The other thing is that there's genuinely no proof that it happened to him. Kevin does not know well anything, mainly, and none of the other Ravens would ever come forward and support Jean of all people. This is clear because I can guess a few handful knew of the truth of the backliners "breaking" Jean in. And who's to say those seniors who did that aren't already successful Exy players? That's another problem, especially because it would be a well crafted persona in retaliation to Jean who's labelled as the traitor of the Ravens? Who would the fans believe? Again the whole statutory rape thing would absolutely fuck up things in general because it will just support the propaganda back then that all gay people were predators. The prosecutors wouldn't take Jean seriously because, again, he does like men.

Also, I don't know whether this was relevant, Jean being French is another punch to the gut for him. The age of consent in France is 15, so the backliners could just defend themselves and be like Jean came onto them (which was the rumour spread around in the Nest) and again back in 2000s they didn't take statutory rape for homosexuals seriously. Also, the age of consent in West Virginia was 16, but for California, it has always been 18 so there's that I suppose.

All in all, I really hope it doesn't get publicised in the news because Jean will literally go to hell and back if it does.

[inafieldofstarflowers]

I've been thinking about how Neil expresses emotion and specifically the language around him smiling throughout the series. In TFC, the first time we see him smile is during his physical with Abby when they're discussing his scars--it isn't an expression born out of pleasant emotions:

Neil's only other smiles in TFC are two he gives truck drivers when hitchhiking back from Columbia (and I suppose we could also count the one he tells himself to make before the Kathy Ferdinand interview, when he instructs his reflection to "Smile and lie"):

In TRK, there are a few more: he almost smiles at Matt's excitement to jump into the game against the Ravens, and does smile back at his teammates when they're all tired after the game--the first genuine smile we get from him:

The next two are a false smile at Riko after he threatens Neil into visiting the Nest over break and a defiant one directed at Tetsuji when he's told to kneel--both smiles used as weapons, in a way:

But the final smile in TRK is once again sincere--in fact, it feels more like an involuntary response to Neil's relief at hearing Wymack's voice over the phone after the Nest than anything--it's a result of Neil feeling, for the first time in days, safe.

In TKM, none of Neil's smiles feel like posturing in the way that the smiles at the truckers or Riko did. At various points, Neil returns smiles from Nicky and Matt, and--on three separate occasions--smiles at something Andrew does, a significant increase in quantity of sincere smiles that seems connected to the increased sense of comfort he feels around the Foxes (and especially his happiness in his relationship with Andrew):

TKM also, however, has a few of the smiles that Neil describes as his father's--the cold one that's usually worn when he feels like Nathaniel, which I assume is the same one he gave when refusing to kneel to Tetsuji. They're equally sincere, but with none of the warmth Neil has developed through being around the Foxes. There are two specific instances of this, but I would imagine it's this smile that Neil is almost able to make when remembering his father's death & the one he wishes he could give to Riko after the Foxes win in finals:

Jean includes a few descriptions of this same smile in TSC (including a mention of Neil trying to rub it away), and Jeremy mentions it in TGR as well (additionally, Jean mentions a resurgence of Neil's insincere smile when he's speaking to the waitress, mentioning how wrong it looks):

With that in mind, the final two--which I've paired because they both come shortly after the end of the Foxes-Ravens finals and Riko's death--are from the very end of TKM and about a third of the way through in TSC:

These are interesting to me because even though they seem to fit into the category of Nathaniel smiles, I think these are also genuine smiles from Neil--they're smiles of relief at not having to worry about Riko anymore, smiles that are looking toward the future. As dark as the reason behind them may be, they're smiles that are stemming from the knowledge of what the Foxes have achieved & the warmth of the promise of a future with them.

And that's it: that's all of the smiles we get from Neil Josten across the whole series. There are only a few of them, even fewer that are sincere, and only a handful that are warm or traditionally happy. But they are there, and they matter: they're another sign of Neil feeling at home. It's huge that he flashes smiles back at Nicky and Matt, that he feels safe with Wymack and simply happy around Andrew. It's a sign of Neil learning what it means to have security and a home and a support system. Equally important is the fact that the other kinds of smiles--the insincere one that's his version of Kevin's and Jeremy's media smiles and the cold one that's associated with Nathaniel--are still around. Neil settling into that sense of security isn't him totally lowering his guard or moving into unburdened contentment and peace. That's never going to be him or his life. He's always going to have his sharp edges and he's always going to be antagonistic and he's probably never going to offer the soft, happy smiles to anyone other than the people he's closest to. That's not who he is.

Anyway, I just thought it was interesting & will probably continue to have thoughts on Neil & internal vs. external expression of emotions as I reread

[joejhang]

I was never a Kevin hater until we found out he knew about Jean being raped, dismissed those rapes and said he was never a victim because he gave the Ravens "no reason to". I understand why he had to leave the nest, I can even understand HOW he did it because he was desperate. I do NOT understand the comments about Jean being raped. Almost like he's blaming him (very Thea-esque, "up to your old tricks"). Even Jeremy didn't want to hear one more word about it from him.

I also feel like in general you have a distorted vision if who Kevin is in canon, like your statement that "Kevin and Andrew are literally best friends", when Nora said Kevin has no friends in canon, that it'll take years into their PRO career to form any sort of actual friendship with Andrew and Neil. Nora said the closest thing Kevin has to a "friend" rn is Thea, and we've all seen how detached they can be from each other. And that any sort of relationship he's in will have to account for his narcissism. It'll take him years we'll in to his pro career to form a proper friendship with anyone. Actually she said he might need to be RETIRED for that to happen, when Exy isn't the center of his universe anymore (ex Ravens retire young, so I assume KevThea will wait until then to have Amalia and at that point they will HAVE to socialize more with other people)

Kevin depends on Andrew. And Andrew needs to feel needed. Kevin is one of His People because that's their Deal. And Andrew will never break it again. He was ready to choke Kevin to death in a bout of rage and worry for Neil, but now that the emergency is over he is back in Protector Mode. You think that makes them besties?

ok in response to ur first point about kevin's response to the abuse jean suffered in the nest: i agree, the "no reason" statement was pretty awful wording, but it's obvious that kevin realises how terrible it sounds and follows up with an explanation/correction. i don't think he ever dismisses what happened to jean. i think the very fact that kevin sends jean to usc and explains their situation to jeremy is evidence that he doesn't just take jean's trauma lightly. it's also important to note that kevin's conversation with jeremy abt jean being raped in the nest isn't him justifying or excusing anything the ravens did, it's clearly shown that he's simply explaining the way the nest operates to jeremy (which he has no control over btw). he never says he's better than jean, and that's why he wasn't raped/abused the way jean was, he's just explaining why, in the raven's twisted mindsets, they decided jean "deserved" it and he didn't. jeremy rightly says in response "there is nothing that justifies what happened to him" and while it's never explicitly explained what kevin's response to that is, it's pretty obvious he doesn't think jean deserved it and he knows it was awful. i don't really know how you could interpret anything kevin says about jean as "victim blaming", to me it's very obvious that kevin wasn't really explaining the way he thinks, he was explaining it from the perspective of the ravens in the nest. and yes, he probably does still have remnants of that toxic, harmful mentality ingrained in him (as does jean, by the way, in his own conversation with andrew, which is actually quite similar to jeremy and kevin's), but he was part of a cult that had brainwashed and conditioned him since he was a child so it's understandable that he has things to unlearn. i think it's ok to point out his flaws and mistakes when it comes to his relationship with jean, but it seems pretty ungenerous to interpret anything he says to/about jean as victim blaming or dismissive, when i think they're very much the opposite.

screenshots of those conversations to back me up:

(the jean + andrew convo illustrates that jean and kevin both understand the ravens' motives and "reasons" and "justifications" for their horrific actions; this does not directly translate to they themselves being okay with it, it's a way of thinking that they were steeped in for years, so it's understandable that it would bleed through in the way they think and speak about the things that happened in the nest)

r.e. your point about kevin and andrew. my post was pretty lighthearted and unserious. no, i wouldn't say, in a strictly canonical sense, that kevin and andrew are "besties". but i do think that they are something close to it for each other, since they're both not hugely friendly, i would say that they are the closest thing they each have to a best friend (maybe bar renee/neil). also nora never says kevin has no friends in canon; she does express that friendship is something kevin is still learning, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have any friends. in fact, she specifically states that neil and andrew are technically kevin's friends. yes he still needs to work on his exy fixation but i think it's pretty ungenerous to just consider it "narcissism" when u consider why he has such a dependency problem on exy and on being the best at it.

so yes, kevin does have friends, even if it's on a technicality. neil, andrew, thea, jean (past tense???) and jeremy all do count.

it's pretty sad to just reduce kevin and andrew's relationship to something as clinical as a transaction, when it's obvious they get riled up about/with each other (esp. abt exy) and they also do "like" each other to a certain degree, because they're literally described as joined at the hip and inseparable at the start of the series. yes, this is a lot to do with their deal, but why do u think they have the deal in the first place? yes, it's because of codependency and reliance and fear, but they wouldn't have established it if they despised or didn't trust each other.

r.e. the choking issue, i think that's actually pretty easily explained. it's a bit of a messy situation, but it wasn't, as you say, just "a bout of rage and worry" neil was literally kidnapped and being tortured at the time so i think it's understandable that andrew was riled up. also kevin did apparently say "you were always going to lose him" which didn't really help the situation. yes, it crossed some lines, but i think it makes a lot of sense why andrew did it. i could go into it further, but this post is already so long.

also last thing before i put this to rest:

[allfortheslay25]

The King’s Game

I believe Riko plays cards while Kevin plays chess. The King is worth more than the Queen but Riko forgets the Ace (Neil) holds even more power

All the cards and what they’re supposed to represent

King of Spades (Riko)

Joker of Clubs (Jean)

Queen of Diamonds (Kevin)

3 of Diamonds (Andrew)

10 of Hearts (Neil Josten persona)

Ace of Hearts (Nathaniel/Abram/Neil)

King of Hearts (Nathan)

Details I did:

- Riko’s hand under the table, holding Nathan to symbolize him cheating/waiting to use the Butcher

- First drawing: Riko holding his perfect court (A for Nathaniel, Q for Kevin, J for Jean) while grinning at the bloody 10 (Neil) because even if he’s about to win with a royal flush (Ace, King, Queen, Joker, 10) he’s willing to cheat (Nathan under the table) but Riko is unaware that a royal flush needs to be of the same suits so his is just a straight (which isn’t enough for Riko)

- Second: Riko holding his incomplete perfect court (Nathaniel, Riko, Jean) he stares at the two remaining members he needs for his wrongly assumed royal flush (Andrew and Kevin) Riko intends to cheat to have his way so Nathan is hidden under the table

- Riko’s assumption for a royal flush is because it’s the highest value in poker. But since all of the cards are different suits (representing their individuality from the Nest) he’s only got a straight

- Neil would also be a wild card because royal flushes only have as much value without wild cards in a game (something Riko does not prepare for)

[problemduetest4life]

You’ve ruined my life with your fics & I can’t even be mad because everything you’ve written is so amazing.

Your characterization of everyone is so spot on and your story’s are just so awesome to read. they are absolutely devastating.

I’ve read everything you’ve written and wish i could read a hundred more works by you. i was wondering what some of your favorite aftg fics were?

Thank you, holy shit, this made my day :') I aim to please and I aim to devastate, so this is great feedback

ALSO! YES! RECS! HOLD ON!

I read a LOT of Jean centric stuff, but also some of my favs are some rogue pairings, so buckle up...

This Time With Feeling by Ocean_Adjacent (WIP/170k multi-chap/Jerejean/pre-TSC canon): This is probably the fic I’ve re-read the most ever, it follows Jean joining the Trojans post TKM and the writing is just CHEFS KISS. TTWF follows three plots: the Trojans, the Foxes, and the Ravens. Chapters alternate btwn Jean's POV and different characters(OC's and canon characters alike). HIGHLIGHTS: Slowburn Jerejean, The College Experience™, backstories! layers! themes!, AND an octopus I have cried over.

The Later Parade by @hourafterhour (Oneshot/40k/Kevjean/Post-canon): AKA The Kevjean BIBLE! If you have not read this fic, you really should. It follows Jean as a pro-Exy player, including his journey with sexuality and KEVIN DAY BEING MESSY. HIGHLIGHTS: Obvious knowledge on sports/drafts by the author, Kevjean angst up the wazoo, Kevin's relationship with Exy/The Nest butting heads with Jean's, The Bisexual Jean Experience™, and DUPUIS!!!

Not Yours To Bleed by Coffeexandxangst (WIP/385k multi-chap/Andreil/Raven!Neil AU but in the pros): If you have wanted more insight into the gang/crime aspect of the AFTG, this is the fic for you (but mind the tags!) Some chapters will be so romantic and lovely and then BOOM! Suddenly it's a thriller and I'm clenching my cheeks in fear. HIGHLIGHTS: Side Jerejeanee, getting to hate on Kevin Day for free (which I only do bc I LOVE him), a morally ambiguous body guard, and PAIN PAIN PAIN!

it's semi-automatic by @wyverningx (WIP/38k multi-chap/Jerejean/Mafia AU): This fic follows Jean trying to take care of himself and Elodie which ofc get's him wrapped up with the Moriyamas and Jeremy, who is the head of his own organization. Despite some devastating details, it's a super fun fic. HIGHLIGHTS: Jean and Elodie sibling cuteness, Jeremy being one sexy mf and a dog named Lexapro. I would rec the Jerejean text fic ALSO by wyverning, but if you haven't read that, I'm assuming you live under a rock (IT'S SO GOOD! READ IT!!!)

Ailleurs by revengeandotherdrugs aka @keirametzbrassknuckles (WIP/45k multi-chap/Kevjean/AU + pre-canon): THIS FIC HAS ME IN A CHOKEHOLD! In an AU where Stuart Hatford took Jean in instead of the Moriyamas, alternating pov's between Kevin and Jean explore their relationship as Kevin and Riko travel through London for Exy Press Reasons. HIGHLIGHTS: Stuart Hatford being a Good Dad, Liverpudlians, angst CITY, and Kevjean as bumbling teenagers.

nothing to be kindle[d] by @poetic-ivy (Oneshot/8k/Kevallison/post-canon): Allison goes pro and is aiming to make the Olympic team. Kevin is also there. Friends with benefits but also friends with feelings for one another. HIGHLIGHTS: Banter/Flirting, Allison getting what she deserves, and some lovely freaky times.

Like Being Known by OfficialStarsandGutters (Oneshot/19k/Kevaaron/post-canon): Kevin suffers a head injury and doesn't remember who he is. Aaron offers to house him and take care of him while he recovers and they grow closer. HIGHLIGHTS: SO SOFT, Aaron the begrudging caretaker, Kevin being #difficult, and a wholesome conclusion

Already Gone by @nina-reads1804 (WIP/150k multi-chap/Andreil/post-canon): ANDREIL BREAKUP! YE BE WARNED! Andrew handles the inevitable of him and Neil moving apart after graduation by breaking up with him during his senior year. This fic follows Andrew in the pros, newly single and struggling. HIGHLIGHTS: Great Andrew and Aaron bonding, Patrick the Therapist, chaotic coping, and crying over sad Neil Josten.

Kintsugi by Zombiecowboy65 (Oneshot/18k/Jerejean/TSC canon): Cute, perfect, gorgeous Jerejean. Jeremy and Jean communication and healing that touches my soul. HIGHLIGHTS: Core four friendship, Jerejean first kiss and MAGNET RESCUE

OKAY SO MAYBE THIS IS A LOT! But here's my reasoning! I have friends who do not read things over 80k, but I also know people who really want a big ol fic to sink their teeth into. Lots of relationship representation in here as well, so hopefully something here is to your interest! Thank you again for the WONDERFUL ask! :)))

[foxstens]

i have so many thoughts on why it seems like kevin's experience after leaving the nest was different. my main thought being that we just don't get to see it. neil joins the foxes months after kevin does and in the beginning he only interacts with kevin during practice, so that explains part of it.

in son nefes we only see kevin as he relates to exy or andrew (lmao). but also kevin spent his first month or so with wymack, so whatever might have been there we simply don't get to see. the extra content says that he only took his coat and wallet when he left the nest, and that in his first few months he struggled with missing his team, his inability to play, and with doubting his decision to leave.

kevin also spent longer than jean in the nest, timeline-wise it seems to have been closer to a decade, and if 5 years was enough to make jean forget the previous 14... sure, kevin was afforded slightly more decencies than jean - he had a car (who knows how often he got to use it), he had to travel for press reasons, and he had more clothes i guess. but taking it all into account we have no reason to assume it was easy for him.

but we just don't see a lot of kevin's struggles period. we don't see his thoughts we don't see all the ways in which his trauma manifests we don't see what other coping mechanisms he has besides drinking. the night training could partially be that but again. we don't know.

[wonderland2805]

I know we've read a lot of comments from Neil and Jean's pov about how Kevin is a coward, how Kevin "saw nothing but the court" and so many other things like that, and I know it's easy just go with it and assume he is nothing but an insensitive asshole and that's it, but can we plaese stop for a moment and talk about how Kevin's obsession about exy is the only thing that keeps him "sane"?

Kevin lost his mother when he was really young, he was raised at the Nest, and he had no choice, nowhere else to go, and nothing to hold on but this sport his mother created. He was left with a violent man and a new "brother" that was nothing but a sadist brat, one that he wasn't even allowed to avoid or stop. Kevin was a pet, a new toy for Riko to break, but yet an investment. Riko couldn't just break him entirely, no. He had only one thing he could do, and that was playing exy, because no matter how much Riko could hurt him, they were destined to be the best at Court, that was the only thing he could have that was safe to hold on besides his mother's memories and now a number 2 in his face that was a promise. That's all he ever allows himself to believe in.

Then Jean arrives. Kevin has been at the Nest for years and is used to Riko's violence, he knows how this work, he has exy and now he has a partner in his misery. He can't do anything to stop Riko, but he is there for Jean in the only way he can. But then, here we have a breaking point, Jean and Kevin's relationship...

I believe that Kevin knew about Jean's feelings, and he used them to make Jean promise not to try kill himself again and then again to make Jean distract Riko when he broke Kevin's hand and Kevin left Evermore. Still I don't believe he did it because he doesn't care about Jean but out of pure despair. In the first case, because after years of having nothing but Riko's twisted company he has someone, a friend even if it would never be anything else, because let's be for real, what he did to Jean for being in love with Kevin when he found out would be nothing compared to what he would've done if he would've think that not one but two of his properties had turned against him, it would be unforgivable that Jean could ever claim one of HIS things, and he couldn't hurt Kevin that bad since he was in the public eye, but he can hurt Jean all he want, he can even kill him, and even when it was selfish of Kevin making him stay, he couldn't lose Jean (we can see this kind of feelings in Jean too when Neil spent Christmas break at evermore, but that's another conversation) so they stick together but Kevin let himself get lost at Court again because this is the only thing he can control, he can't protect Jean, he can't do anything but play.

Then starts the real down fall, because Kevin maybe already knew he was better than Riko, maybe at some point he realized, knew it was dangerous and started to hold himself back at Court, after all, as long as Riko never notices something, there was no real danger, and he would has exy even if he was the second best. But then people started to talk, and he meet Andrew, who wasn't interested in some pathetic asshole who was preparing himself to be the second best. I bet he never explained to Riko what made him change his mind about Andrew, but since this point all just get worse, because then we have the ERC meeting, and all finally goes to hell. Riko breaks Kevin's hand and he has suddenly lost everything, he can't play anymore, there is only pain, in his past, in his present and in his future so he take the only way out he has: Wymack.

We all know that Kevin decided to stay even when he found out about Wymack being his dad when he was in high-school, and we can all agree that it was in part because Wymack was the Foxes coach, and they were kind of a mess and Kevin is very aware of his talent and is kinda bitchy, but I believe it was also because maybe he didn't want to leave Jean alone, he can leave, sure, but what about Jean?

His broken hand was the only thing that could ever make him leave, because being able to play exy was the only thing that connects him with his mother, it was also the only thing he has and can control. He can't save Jean, he can't play anymore, so he leaves. It was awful, it was painful, it would always hunts him, but it was the only thing he could do.

He leaves, but he never find peace. We see him sticking to Andrew because he doesn't know how to be alone, he is too scared to be alone. We see him fighting the Foxes about being bad at court, being rude to them and being an obsessive ass when he is assisting Wymack as a coach, but also how he told them the truth because they deserved to know what they were getting into when they accepted him. We see him learning to play all over again with his less dominant hand, we see him trying harder than anyone. We see him offering Andrew a reason to live when he get out of his medication because he believes in Andrew's potential. We see Kevin looking out for Neil because he believes in him and his potential, and even when he find out the truth about Neil, he keeps teaching him, he doesn't abandon him. We see him sending Jean to the Trojans because they are kind, and he knows that if someone deserves kindness, that one is Jean, he wants peace for him, he also wants him to be in a great team, because Jean is ridiculously good.

Kevin Day knows what it is having nothing and no one, what it is to be incapable of protecting yourself or the ones you love, he knows what it is to be ashamed of the things you did, he knows what it is not being capable of forget, he knows what it is wanting to drown all your thoughts, he knows what it is trying to be brave and fail, he knows what it is keep trying

He is not okay, he is an obsessive asshole, he thinks he can't get better, he is not an easy person, he doesn't even thinks he deserves get better, he is trying to help others as he can, he is drowning his problems in vodka, he still hears Riko's voice...

I hope one day he will be okay

[hyperboleigh91]

I think we should talk more about the fact that Jean probably never once played at 100% after being brought to the US. He was constantly physically and mentally abused.

And yet, he was still considered one of the best. I've seen people say that it's likely Jean is an Exy prodigy, and I completely agree.

I think it's reasonable to assume that Tetsuji didn't decide to take some kid from another country who played Exy just because Jean's family owed the Moriyamas (far too much risk for a kid that's just a good Exy player). Jean was probably specifically picked - maybe his family was even targeted - because he was an Exy prodigy.

Riko was violent to Kevin because he was jealous. Now imagine a child two years younger than Riko and Kevin, who didn't have the 'pedigree' of being related to one of the founders of Exy, being brought to Evermore and showing enough promise to outshine Riko. Of course Riko tried to crush everything about Jean in the most sadistic ways imaginable.

I think it's possible that Jean, under the Trojans' care, could easily be the best Exy player bar none. I think it's equally possible that all of the trauma Jean endured has caused him to burn out and not be able to reach the potential that he would have otherwise.

------

I still want to know more about the Ravens and the Moriyamas. I want to know if Tetsuji was furious at his nephew for breaking Kevin and Jean after Tetsuji clearly did everything in his power to get them. Or if Tetsuji adored his horrible nephew and therefore ignored any wrongs that Riko committed. I don't particularly want a book from any Ravens' POV unless it's from Jean or Kevin in flashbacks, but I do really want Jean or Kevin to get their flashback moments and uncover the mysteries of the Nest.

*I am hopeful that there will be a third installment in AFTG where Kevin is the main character. I think it would finish the series off beautifully to end with the "Queen's Court."

[karmacharmeleon18]

You’re aware that Thea was most likely SAd even more and worse than Jean right? At the end of the day Jean was a white man but Thea was a POC woman in the nest. She most likely was gang rap*d. She might have known that Jena was suffering but it wa nothing in comparison to what she had to do/what she was made to do to earn her place in the nest.

First of all I am a black woman so yes, I’m very aware how how shitty our lot is in life

I know this is rude and aggressive, but at this point you deserve it, because randomly showing up in someone’s inbox with an ask like this, two separate times (and the first time much more graphic), is just plain fucked up and you deserve the reality check. You got lucky tumblr ate your previous ask and my response because I tore you a new one.

Now, you’ve gotta explain to me why do you NEED (and atp it is a pathological need y’all seem to have) to make the abuse in the Nest even WORSE than what it canonically is?????

The Nest is a CULT.

THAT IS BAD ENOUGH.

Being in a cult is bad enough already. I’m sorry that doesn’t satisfy you? Doesn’t tickle your fantasy enough? And you need to fantasize about a black woman being gang raped to satisfy your craving for violence and sexual abuse because apparently beating kids to death and Jean being raped several times is not enough for you?

Seriously, what is your goal here? What do you expect me to say?

You randomly show up in my inbox with disturbing asks about an extremely triggering topic and expect me to do what, exactly?

And you dare use race as a “gotcha” when I have already acknowledged that Thea most likely, inevitably had it harder than other Ravens because she’s a woman of color

But again, that’s not enough for you, right? So I ask you: what else do you want me to say?

I have said several times that Thea is a VICTIM. Like every single Raven. Even Riko.

She was ABUSED in the Nest. Like every single Raven. Even Riko.

Why do I have to acknowledge and agree with your speculations about her being g*ng raped despite there being NO PROOF OF IT IN CANON?

Why do I have to agree with your graphic fantasies?

Because you do realize that what you're saying is all speculation, right?

And I’m sorry, but if you want to have a constructive conversation about these books and their extremely graphic themes, we can't focus on speculations, on what might have happened, because the possibilities are endless

What we can and should focus on, is what we KNOW happened

We know that Jean was raped several times

We know that Thea dismissed it as Jean being a whore

We know that Jean was almost killed by Riko

We know that when Thea saw him half dead, she assumed it was the Master's doing because Jean might have been "up to his old tricks" and he deserved the punishment

(Kevin fully knew Jean was being raped, and he said that all Ravens knew a variation of the story; I think many knew, while others - particularly Thea, who was in her last year, with her eyes set on her pro career already and not the time nor inclination to care for little boys following her around like ducklings - didn't care enough to look into it)

We know that Riko used rape to torture Jean

We know that he felt the need to keep it a secret from the Master

We know that Tetsuji used his cane to beat his players

As far as we know, no Raven was raped, waterboarded, pushed down the stairs, stuffed into a box, cut to pieces by Riko's knives like that, had his bones broken for fun

Only Jean

Even Neil was spared some of these tortures, despite being property like Jean

But being "like Jean" does not make you Jean

Only he was tortured like that

“She might have known that Jean was suffering but it was nothing in comparison to what she had to do” LITERALLY NO.

The main abuser in the Nest has always been TETSUJI, for years before Riko showed up

And Tetsuji’s brand of abuse is horrible and fucked up enough as it is

And does not include rape

Nothing in the books or extra content points to rape being standard practice in the Nest. Nothing points to it being used as a standard corrective method or punishment. Nothing.

(or waterboarding, Riko’s knives, being suffocated into a box, being pushed down the stairs, etc. …)

Jean never mentions it. Nora never mentions it.

The only one that uses rape as a weapon is Riko.

And specifically against Jean.

That's why Riko kept it a SECRET from the Master. He didn't want Tetsuji to know because that might have been too deprived even for him

Rape is not the Raven's way

It's specifically Riko's way

And specifically towards Jean, a frightened yet combative queer boy that was also his property, and he was going to use rape, and knives, and water to beat the queerness and the fight out of him

This is what distinguishes Jean from other Ravens: he was PROPERTY

All the methods he was tortured with are exceptional, in the sense that they were exceptionally cruel but also the exception to the rule

There’s no mention of any other Raven being waterboarded, for example. Only Neil who, despite not being a Raven, was considered property as well by the Moriyamas

And yet Neil was never raped at the Nest

Maybe because Riko likes to have an active role when torturing people: he would never touch another man sexually, so with Neil he uses knives, and water and fists. Maybe there was simply not enough time for Riko to orchestrate Neil's rape, under Tetsuji's more watchful than ever eye. He wanted to personally torture Neil during his stay at the Nest, and rape is a boundary not even Riko will cross, so Neil was spared that agony.

Or maybe it's more simple than that:

Neil was Moriyama property

Jean was Riko's property specifically

Riko could do whatever he wanted with Jean because he belonged to him

But Neil didn't, so he was spared some of the horrors

I know that Riko is the Big Bad Wolf in the story because we watch it all happen through Neil’s eyes, but Riko was not the main abuser in the Nest

The MAIN ABUSER in the Nest, for years, since the Nest was created, long before Riko showed up, was TETSUJI MORIYAMA

Even Riko was abused by him

And his brand of abuse was physical violence administered with his cane

Even in Jean’s story, despite all the awful things Riko did to him, we see the amount of trauma Tetsuji caused him, the grip he still has on him, as strong if not stronger than Riko’s

.

Villains are nuanced. Beating teenagers as punishment is very different than having them raped, or tolerating mass rapes happening under your watch

Just because Riko is a special kind of depraved bastard, it doesn't mean Tetsuji is the exact same type of depraved bastard

Y'all need to stop thinking that every villain is the same, thinks the same, acts the same

Not every villain rapes people, kills children, boils puppies alive and kicks kittens to death

In my opinion the Moriyamas are cartoonish enough in their villainy as it is, there's no need to exaggerate even more

.

This is what y'all need to understand:

The average Raven experience is bad enough

YOU DON'T NEED TO EXAGGERATE TO MAKE IT SOUND EVEN WORSE

Thea, Kevin, Riko and every single Raven were in a CULT

THAT IS BAD ENOUGH

A cult that beat them up for every tiny mistake, that decided what they would study, that controlled their food and every single minute of their day, that kept them in a constant state of fatigue, sleep deprivation, physical and psychological stress, and forbade interactions with the outside world. The Ravens weren't even allowed to have families.

For Gods' sake, that is bad enough

Why are y'all so obsessed with making it even worse????

All we got from the books and extra content is that the Ravens see sex as a tool, a way to let out steam, and since women on the line up are rare, the Ravens don't make distinction, they sleep with whoever is up for it and still consider themselves 100% heterosexual

Jean specifies: "they'd made do with any man willing to tumble"

Key word: willing

He never mentions any rapes happening in the Nest besides the ones he was a victim of

And with how close of an eye he kept on Thea for that year they overlapped in the Nest, you'd think he'd notice if she was gang raped. Especially because Riko would 100% want to watch and torment Jean vicariously with it. Yet it never happened

The only ones who never slept with a man are Riko and Kevin, because in Nora's words from the ec: "they were too... press conscious? Public-opinion oriented? They were going to be champions; they were going to be world famous stars. They didn’t need anything that could “taint” that image, no rumors or hints that would put a dent in their stellar image."

(and now we also know that Riko was absolutely disgusted by the idea of touching another man sexually, he wouldn't even get his hands dirty when it came to tormenting Jean in that regard, he had other Ravens carry out the rapes for him)

Besides, Kevin was interested in Thea since the moment he met her, when he was still in high school and she was in the Nest. Kevin respected and admired her... and she barely gave him the time of day, she didn't beg for favors or special treatment because she didn't need to

Thea is a hell of a backliner and not even Riko has ever tried anything with her, because he never had a reason to (to use Kevin’s own words while explaining how come he was never raped 🙄🤢)

This is the average Raven experience: harrowing, because you are stuck in a cult for 4 years, and it will forever affect your life, but also rewarding, because if you train hard enough you get exactly what you signed up for

You get to win championships and become one of the best pro players in the country

And as far as punishments, that’s the Master's business, certainly not Riko's

He might like to torment you if you cross him, if you’re not good enough, if you show you’re scared and Riko smells fear like a predator

But Riko doesn’t have the right to beat some random Raven to death, or have them raped repeatedly or gang raped (or waterboarded, or cut up and bleeding, or or or---)

Riko doesn’t have the right to put a player's performance at risk

He could only do so with Jean, because Jean was property

And even with him, Riko spent YEARS testing the waters, pushing boundaries, understanding what he was actually allowed or not allowed to do to him, seeing what Tetsuji would tolerate and what he better keep secret from him

Jean does not represent the average Raven experience

Jean was property

Property specifically given to Riko by the Master, to do whatever he wanted with him

(I know I'm repeating myself ad nauseam, but atp I think the repetition is necessary; I've said the same things over and over, post after post, and I still keep receiving the same type of asks, so maybe if I say it a million times it'll finally sink into your heads and y'all will leave me alone?)

.

In a world of abuse, Jean is still the terrible exception

Just like Kevin and Riko were the exception, but at the opposite end of the spectrum

They were ALL abused, but Kevin and Riko were extremely privileged, treated as kings, "little gods" among men… meanwhile Jean was property and treated as such

And again, keep in mind that not even Neil was raped, despite being property as well

So why do you assume, with 100% certainty that Thea was?

Thea represents the average, but leaning more towards the privileged side

Jean and Neil are property

Riko and to an extent Kevin are family

Thea and all Revens, past and present are assets

All are abused

And all are given the chance, if they endure, to become the best

Which is why Thea is a Raven apologist through and through, and if Jean told her that he was raped, best case scenario she would just shrug it off (like Kevin)

And despite what happened to him, Kevin is still a Raven apologist, just not as enthusiastic as Thea:

.

There's no mentions of rapes for any other Raven, because rape is Riko's weapon, and only against Jean

I know (and I've said before) that technically in the Nest Kevin has power over Thea. If Thea disappointed/upset Kevin, he could go to Riko, and Riko could go to the Master and persuade him to punish Thea in some way; extra drills, less sleep, a slap, a punch, a hit of his cane to the ribs... That said, the only way to truly upset Kevin in the Nest is to suck at Exy, and Thea Muldani most definitely does not suck at Exy. So Kevin would have no reason to complain about her to Riko and set the chain of punishment into motion

As for Riko himself, he has a lot of power over Thea, but I simply cannot see him hitting her without Thea hitting him right back. And the Master would either ignore the whole thing or take her side, because I bet that old bastard would have loved to see his antichrist of a nephew humbled by someone better than him

(Not Kevin though, never Kevin because Kevin was Riko's brother in the way the Moriyamas understand brotherhood: the second always serves and submits to the first; the only time he was allowed to try, he paid dire consequences for it)

But a Raven decking Riko in the face? A woman, at that? Hilarious. Especially because Thea was one of the best, not some random bratty Raven throwing a fit against the King, but one of their best players putting a child back in his place, and why wouldn't the Master like that?

... Or maybe he would have laughed and then killed Thea for the capital offense of laying hands on a Moriyama, who knows...

But I don't think that Riko was willing to take the chance

I think he respected her

(again, all speculation)

Remember that Thea was a 5th year senior when Riko joined the Nest with his ideas of a "Perfect Court" and numbers to bestow upon hopeful Ravens. She had her eyes set on her pro career and most likely a pro contract already secured. Riko had nothing to offer to her. She admired him because he was a Moriyama, a "little god", the King of the court and part of a duo considered the future of Exy. But she is Thea Muldani ffs, she doesn't need a child to give her a number, she's going to earn a spot on the National team on her own. She spent 4 years in the Nest without Riko and absolutely dominated

Thea considered Jean a little lost duckling following her around (in an incredibly condescending, bordering on insulting way, rather than affectionate)

She considered Kevin the future of Exy but also, in the beginning, a guy not up to her standards and who "fucks like a virgin", she barely gave him the time of day... until she noticed how good of a player he actually was, how much Riko was stifling his talent... (btw she was actually the one to put it in Kevin's mind, for the first time, that he was actually better)

And I'm sure that she respected Riko as a Moriyama and as the King of the Court. But off the court, if Riko had tried to swing at her, she would've swung right back. With her backliner racquet instead of a fist

And I think Riko knew it and respected her for it

Thea is extremely arrogant. The type of arrogance born out of actual, tangible superiority (just like Kevin). Which is why you'll never convince her that she's wrong about anything (just like Kevin) and why she'll hit you if you try to hit her (just like Kevin does with Neil and Jean, getting aggressive and physical until Andrew or Jeremy intervene; but unlike Kevin, Thea will attack anyone that crosses her, not just people she considers weaker than her and easy to subdue, as Kevin does)

The Ravens have existed for years before Riko showed up

We only got to know the Riko-obsessed Ravens, because the books are set during his reign over the Nest

But that’s not the reality, the usual, the standard for the Ravens

For the average Raven, that trained at the Nest before Riko, there was a different god: the Master

Tetsuji Moriyama was their obsession, their recurring nightmare, their tormentor

(their savior, their leader, the source of their every success and fleeting moment of joy… because that’s how cults work)

And Tetsuji’s brand of violence, as far as we know, does not include rape

Doesn’t even tolerate rape, since Riko kept it a secret from him

And that doesn’t mean that Tetsuji is a good guy

It simply means that what Tetsuji is, is bad enough already

There are Ravens that were literally killed by the Master after a beating that got out of hand

That is bad enough

Every Raven was stuck in that environment for 4 years, witnessing and experiencing physical and mental abuse

You don't need to make it even worse

The Ravens have existed long before Riko joined the Nest

His particular brand of cruelty is not the standard

So I really don't understand this obsession with making everything even worse, more horrific, more cruel...

I do blame Nora for this, she undeniably has a fixation for pain/torture and even admitted she can't find a character interesting unless they went through unspeakable abuse

And she attracted a fanbase that for the most part thinks just like her

Or maybe you’re one of those Kevin apologists that hate my opinion of him and are trying to use Thea as a tool to diminish Jean’s suffering? Because you think that will somehow absolve Kevin? … Kinda racist to use a black woman as a pawn in your games to elevate an already privileged white man, don’t you think?

Whatever the case might be, go do that somewhere else. You’re not welcome here.

Kevin and Thea deserve each other. Jean deserves so much better than the both of them. He deserves Jeremy, Cat, Laila, Jab, the floozies, Coach Rhemann and Adi, the sun of California, rainbows, open roads, friends...

Die mad about it.

[little2nerdy]

edit: now up on ao3 with a part 2!

Kevin set the box on his desk, it wasn’t big, just enough to fit his textbooks & notes. His car had shown up with the keys and paperwork, the box sitting in the passenger seat.

His camera was unscathed, the memory card still intact, along with the sparse knickknacks he’d collected on his few excursions outside the Nest. It was far better treatment than he expected from the crumbling mess the Ravens had been turning into.

At the very bottom was a scuffed string and washer envelope he didn’t recognize. It had no labels or indication of what was inside. His heart rioted against his ribs, there was no telling what lay within but there was no way he was just going to leave it.

He put away the rest of his things and sat at his desk, staring it down. He could hear Neil and Andrew in the living room, watching the ridiculous cooking show that Andrew insisted be put on anytime he was around so he could escape exy. (Neil was a sucker and always obliged).

He drew a breath and unlaced the red string, sliding the contents onto his desk. It was a stack of paperclipped forms along with another small envelope, the kind you get when you print out photos at the drugstore.

His heart lurched to an abrupt halt as he skimmed the top page. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting but it was not this.

Transfer of Property by a Registered Owner

Below was neatly typed out legal jargon he barely understands but there are parts filled out in handwriting he recognizes. His mother’s handwriting.

Her signature is strewn throughout the documents he flips through, his name appearing in her neat scrawl over and over again. He scrambled for the smaller envelope and dumped it, photos tumbling out onto the desk and floor.

It's his home. Their home, in Ireland. The house he grew up in when they weren’t traveling. When he wasn’t stuck spending his summers with Riko. When his mother was alive.

His breaths are shallow and his hands are shaking as he grasps a photo that had fallen to the floor. It's his mom. She’s curled up on a chair, a tiny version of himself wrapped in her arms. They’re both smiling, matching pairs of green eyes peering back at him.

He doesn’t remember much about his time before the Nest, but there were flashes of memories. A school uniform, one on one exy games in the backyard, soda bread baking in the oven, walks to the local court hand in hand with his mother.

He remembered the house, they were happy there. He assumed it had been lost to him after her death, sold or left to rot, the Moriayama’s taking everything Kayleigh had left him.

But from these documents, it seems like it’s been cared for, left waiting for him. It’s a place he could go back to.

He could go home. 

----

idk how i got this idea in my head but i had to get it out 😅 i will probably add at least another little bit to this, i want him to bring wymack with him.

[sourbruise]

JEANEIL & TWINYARDS PARALLELS (shabbily cobbled together)

— aaron was bonded to andrew by birth while neil was to jean by 'contract', holders of consecutive numbers. both pairs were seperated before they knew of each other's existence.

— andrew sent a 'fuck off' letter to aaron when the latter had tried to contact him, which we can safely assume was his way of keeping aaron away from drake. after they finally met, they struck a 'deal' that they will stay exclusive and andrew took it upon himself to 'protect' aaron. cue the car crash 24hrs later and tilda's death.

when neil went to the nest the first words jean spoke to him are "You shouldn't have come here." in the same vein, when neil arrives at the nest before new years, jean introduces him to the buddy system. kevin messages neil "jean will help you if you help him". as mentioned in the king's men and the sunshine court, jeaneil had their own deal going too:

— riko's death causes jean immense distress to the point the he attempts suicide. jean hadn't seen it coming and it'd come as a complete shock rather than the call for freedom. he lost his abuser, who he had a complex dependence on.

aaron had not taken his mother's death well despite her abuse and had doubled down on his addiction. andrew had to lock him up to get him through withdrawals.

— at Thanksgiving, aaron is famously known to have been faster than neil. aaron kills andrew's abuser.

In the sunshine court, it is established that jeremy is jean's partner. their romantic attraction towards each other is also alluded. HOWEVER, neil reaches jean faster. neil orders a hit immediately and grayson is put away that night. neil stays jean's rock solid alibi.

— how protective andrew was of aaron when it came to katelyn. andrew hated her ass to the point that aaron had to stay away from her. then in tgr we have jean saying "I wouldn’t have given him to you if I’d known you would just throw him away so carelessly." Yeah.

considering so many parallels, i think jeaneil's relationship will take the same course as the twinyards. as andrew and aaron reconcile (aaron driving the Maserati), neil will come away from his trauma at the nest and will be able to face jean. my money is on jean approaching neil first.

[aysouday]

The Golden Raven Spoilers

Part 3

1. All the ridiculous nick names jean picked for people😭😭😭😭

Malfunctioning cretin (neil)

ill bred child (neil)

Rancid menace (neil)

Disobediant shit stain (neil)

Fair haired rat (andrew)

Half baked baguette (bryson)😭

2. All the barkbark scenes. Jeremy wanting to make a food bowl for a cardboard

3. Also something I just realized is that Jean is afraid of showing he likes men due to Riko's abuse. Like in tsc he tells neil smth like "when Ichirou finds out you're with Andrew you'll regret your boldness" he just assumes it is not allowed for everyone but I'm glad his conversation with renee at the end of tgr made him doubt the brainwash.

4. Speaking of brainwashes, omg it's so heartwarming to see how Jean is adapting to normal life day by day, and how he is actively trying to get better and get the idiotic ways of the nest out of his life. The way he loves cat and laila and wants to protect them. The way he has warmed up to trojans and their way of playing. I mean this boy was having brawls with other ravens last year but he is braiding laila's hair now? Found family and a healing journey at its finest🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼

5. Kevin.

6. Also this part💀💀💀

7. Lastly I think the biggest mysteries rn are who made laila's address public and what Browning is going to do with Jean.

I think book 3 will be: something will trigger jerejean which will steady Jeremy enough to stand his ground in front of his family. Then we gonna have someone try to do smth terrible to jean (maybe the person who leaked his adress, maybe his father comes to usa for revenge idk) which will result in all the confrontation with the feds. And then we're gonna see Trojans vs. Foxes which Trojans will win and jeremy can finally have a satisfactory graduation.