captain-danwilds

[captain-danwilds]

his name is NEIL JOSTEN and his boyfriends sparring partner is in there thank YOU

[captain-danwilds]

First person in airspace. First person on a beach. Truly the icon we need but don’t deserve.

I am going to the beach today..... I will be the first person to aftg omegaverse post at the beach 😌

[captain-danwilds]

i love thinking about neil sleeping in the passenger seat while andrew is driving, and andrew just glancing at him from time to time and making sure that the ac is on and that the music is not too loud. he's also driving extra carefully, making sure that the drive is as comfortable as possible for him. and then when they arrive, he just stares and neil's face and reaches out to gently brush his fingers over it, but quickly changes his mind and just kind of nudges him. can't be caught having feelings like that. but it's not like neil doesn't know, of course he does. he loves andrew's caring side so much that sometimes he even pretends to be asleep just to see what he'll do

[captain-danwilds]

Neil: Why are you squeezing me when sleep?

Andrew: So you don’t run away.

Neil: I just went to get some water.

Andrew: Exactly. Suspicious.

[captain-danwilds]

PSU dorms, room 321 (Matt Neil and Seth's)

Let's be clear it's 4 am I just did the first drawing (collage?) under an hour. It was just to immerse you so you get my vision.

The real deal is that dorm plan I made! It's pretty accurate to how I picture it and probably rather accurate to description (i took a mix of all mentions to the place in the books to make it).

A while ago i posted this, a drawing of the foxhole court lounge, and i seemed to have helped a lot of people picture the place! So if you have aphantasia or trouble visualizing places, here is my vision - obviously everyone is free to picture it completely differently.

[captain-danwilds]

Are you a dog or a cat person~?

[captain-danwilds]

everyone's speculating about the "moriyama empire collapses" theory but may i offer a more satisfying alternative:

Kevin Day & the collapse of the raven-moriyama branch

cause here's the thing: agent browning absolutely knows more than he's saying. he’s watching jean and after the way he called it “the biggest case of [his] career”? yeah. this man is not playing around.

jean and neil are still useful. not just for exy, but for whatever this investigation actually is. and it's not like the FBI just randomly relocated from baltimore to seattle. there’s something bigger going on there. maybe moriyama affiliates in the pacific northwest? maybe that’s how nathan tracked mary and neil? either way, the feds shifting cities is not a coincidence.

and let’s talk about the ravens for a second. we’ve got a team full of traumatized kids, a bunch of former players who either vanished or ended up dead, and after the brawl with the foxes? the ravens are being watched. closely. and browning has his eyes right on the epicenter.

But here’s another thing: the entire moriyama empire can't fall imminently because it undoes the tension of tkm.

remember how neil couldn’t even think of even implying another, let alone moriyama involvement while in FBI custody because he implied there were moriyama spies there? how his survival literally hinged on acting like he’d never even heard of them? the feds are portrayed as not even close to touching the main branch. and even riko’s death is treated like a fluke with zero precedent for thinking that the FBI could unravel all of this in under a year.

now, do i think something fishy is happening? yes.

but what makes more sense (and what would be way more narratively satisfying) is if the feds go after the second branch. specifically: tetsuji.

think about it. he’s the one who raised riko. who "owned" kevin. who molded jean. he runs the evermore system. he’s the architect of the Nest. he is the Ravens. and unlike ichirou, tetsuji is a personal villain. the players hate him. we hate him. he’s the perfect scapegoat and the perfect target.

so here’s the theory: somewhere between college and going pro, kevin is learning more about whatever tragic way his mom died (because we all know she did) and what kevin and exy meant to her. He greives what could have been and finally understands.

Meanwhile, the FBI investigation culminates in tetsuji being tried (maybe even dying) and the second branch gets publicly targeted. The main branch panics and ichirou decides to cuts his losses to stay afloat.

But how can they do this? By enlisting a key witness to the trial: kevin day. Kevin obviously has to agree and plays his perfect part as he always does.

but throughout the trial he goes through more development and realises: 'oh I really want this to happen, how vile tetsuji is, how he didn't deserve everything riko put him through, and this is not what my mom wanted the sport to be or how she deserves to be honoured'. Maybe, after all is said and done, he loves exy but not like a Raven, but as a Day.

The trail ends, tetsuji is executed after chilling testimonies. And the main branch abandons exy involvement altogether because it’s too risky. The problem is that kevin, jean & neil played such big roles in the collapse that they hold the power/risk to shine a light on the main branch + neither can they be killed without the FBI being suspicious again and reopening the case.

They know this, the main branch knows this, it's Kevin/Neil who say it out loud and ichirou plays smart & strikes another deal: silence in exchange for freedom. kevin, jean, and neil get to walk away from all of it (no 80% money, no debts, just bring left alone & to play exy).

and then we end where we need to: with tetsuji dead, the raven branch destroyed, and MOST IMPORTANTLY:

kevin day as the last living person related to the foundation of exy. the one person left who can reshape the game. the one person who will make it what Kayleigh Day wanted it to be.

[captain-danwilds]

nesting adventure part deux

"Which one of you fuckers took my diamond necklace?"

"Why does it gotta be us, huh?"

"The MONSTERS? Of course it's one of you."

"Our stuff is going missing too, dude! We just had to buy a new remote and two new PlayStation controllers. It's not us, I swear!"

"Uhh... my clean socks. Like, all of them."

"Five of my books are gone."

"My knit sweater, too."

"Oh, ew?"

"Okay, hold up— Kevin's books, Aaron's socks. Allison's necklaces. Renee's sweater. The monsters controllers. Like, half of my shirts are missing. What else?"

"I can't find my good bra?"

"This sick fuck... Dan's bra? This is insane."

The foxes argued amongst themselves all the way back from the court, into their individual cars, and then back to the dorms. Everyone was pointing fingers, but everyone was also missing something.

Dan went up and down the hall to the other athletes dorms to ask if they had also had reports of missing items. None of them had, and she returned to where all the foxes had wedged themselves into the girls' dorm room with a frown on her face.

"So someone is just stealing from us?" Dan crosses her arms, chewing on her bottom lip.

Neil, feeling an increasing roll of panic in his chest, shrugs one shoulder. "People still hate us, even when we're winning. We're annoying."

Nicky huffs. "That's so not fair. How are they even getting in?"

"It's not like you're super diligent locking your doors," Allison says. "I get into your room all the time."

"So you ARE the thief!"

"Yeah, of Andrew's good coffee creamer."

Andrew doesn't respond to that. He flicks an annoyed look at Allison, but ultimately just shrugs. Kevin's the one who buys the groceries, anyway.

"Okay," Dan says, waving her hands. "Okay. Locked doors, all the time. And, um, maybe a buddy system? Fuck, I don't know."

When the initial meeting of the minds is over and Nicky starts thumbing through Allison's movie collection for something to watch, Neil makes his excuses to leave back to his own dorm. Homework or a nap or something.

He's halfway to his own door when he hears the girls' dorm open and close. A glance over his shoulder reveals Andrew having slipped out, too, and he's following Neil at a leisurely pace.

"We've got a klepto on our hands," Andrew says mildly. Neil shrugs, his face going hot as he pushes open his door— unlocked, because Matt always leaves it unlocked.

Andrew follows him in. He leans back against the door, crossing his arms. "Alright. Where is it?"

Neil turns to face him, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Where's what?"

Andrew tsks and waggles one finger at him. "Let's not play dumb."

Neil wants to just tell Andrew he is dumb but he has a feeling that isn't going to get him out of this. He scrubs the toe of his sneaker against the linoleum in the entry way, then kicks off his shoes before taking Andrew through into the bedroom.

His throat tightens. He hesitates in the center of the room. Andrew sidles up beside him, boots still on even on the carpet, and touches the center of his back with his fingertips.

Neil takes a deep breath, then moves to his dresser. He yanks open the bottom drawer and pulls out his duffle. Suddenly, the sight of it makes him sick, when before looking at his spoils has just unnerved him a little. He throws the duffle onto his bed and paces to the other side of the room.

Andrew cocks his head.

He moves slowly, tapping one finger along the length of the duffle until he reaches the zipper. He drags it open, pushing aside the flaps of the duffle. Neil's treasure trove of stolen items nearly spills out. It's all there. The books. The socks. The shirts. The sweater. The trinkets. The necklaces. The baubles. The bra.

Andrew's cheek pulls at one corner, but his face remains otherwise blank. "My, my..."

"I'm gonna give it back," Neil says. His voice sounds desperate even to his own ears. He twists his fingers against his stomach, cracking his knuckles anxiously. "I just need to figure out how to put it all back without someone seeing me."

Andrew drags a bored look up to Neil's face. It's so unreadable, but something about Andrew's utter lack of reaction settles Neil's nerves.

"Keep it," Andrew says. He pulls the zipper closed. "Watching them try to figure out who did it is more fun."

Neil should have been expecting that answer. "I don't know why—" He swallows thickly. "I just... I don't know. But I'll give it back. I will."

Andrew takes the stuffed duffle and carefully returns it to the bottom dresser drawer. It takes a few tries before he's able to push it down and close the drawer at the same time.

When he stands again, he presses a hand against Neil's chest, then slides it up, slowly, to cup the back of his neck. They're quiet together, until Neil realizes that he's slowly begun to match his panicked breathing with Andrew's slow inhales and exhales.

"How nobody else sees it, I'll never know," Andrew says mildly.

"Sees...?" What? Neil's criminal soul?

Andrew gives Neil a squeeze, but doesn't elaborate. He slips out of Neil's space, leaving Neil feeling slightly off kilter.

[captain-danwilds]

moto AU

[captain-danwilds]

cute mermaids Andreil

[captain-danwilds]

all for the game social media au part. 10 (trojan car wash edition!) (i made this in april and gaslit myself into thinking i posted it)

<< previous part >>

i've hit that stage of summertime sadness where i can't bring myself to actually be productive so expect these to pick back up!!

comment to be added to or removed from the taglist :D

@icangotwiceashigh @qixjone @graveyardviolence @williamluvr @thewaferofchaos @matawda @mqmneee @gingersoosoo @sing-a-songofsix-pence @screechin-outloud @ienvysomegays

[captain-danwilds]

This sounds wonderful. I will gladly clap and nod just on what exists currently but if the dream comes to fruition, I’m sure I’ll be all the more in love.

In your ideal world, how long is babydeer AU? Is it one big fic or a series of fics capturing moments that diverge from canon? Would it even be a fic or would it be more graphic novel since you also are good at art? - @captain-danwilds

omg 🥺 in my most ideal world if I could sit down and write out babydeer au, it would have at least 75k words of canon compliant/divergent where need be, and then I would draw scenes from the fic and everyone would clap and nod their heads

and then there would be follow up 5000+ word one shots of more specific moments (flashbacks or post canon content)

[captain-danwilds]

cozy babydeer au nesting edition

"Have you seen my, like— you know that band shirt? The big one, with the hole in the armpit? Fuck, this dorm is like two feet big..."

Neil glances up from his desk as Matt paws through the soft sided hamper at the foot of his bed again. His stomach sinks in guilt and he shakes his head.

"Haven't seen it. Did you leave it at Dan's?"

Matt's eyes light up for a moment and he snaps his fingers. "Maybe. Be right back."

Neil waits for the sound of the dorm room door to click shut behind Matt before he pushes out from his desk and pads to his dresser. He yanks open the bottom drawer and pulls out his duffle.

It's heavy now.

Neil squats on the floor and pulls open the zipper. He's never considered himself an kleptomaniac before. Stealing used to be something he did just to survive. Food, small things he could pawn, or necessities. He got really good at pickpocketing in Greece for cash. He hasn't done it since leaving Arizona, though. He hasn't needed to. For one, he's got enough money to manage here and for another, Kevin slaps down his debit card whenever any of the foxes need anything.

But his duffle has become a testament to Neil's inherent criminal nature.

Matt's missing tee shirt sits right on top. Neil pulls it out, revealing a mess of other things he's been swiping for months: baubles and trinkets from the other foxes, some other clothes, a tangle of Allison's jewelry, one of Kevin's books on indigenous Russians, and more.

He's going to give it all back. He's going to make himself. He has no idea how it got this out of control. Shame and a healthy dose of embarrassment climbs up his throat, making his face red.

His ears prick, catching Matt's footsteps out in the hall two seconds before the dorm room door opens. Neil shoves his duffle back in the bottom drawer and kicks it shut just in time for Matt to come huffing back in the bedroom.

Neil holds up the shirt. "Is it this?" Knowing very well it is.

Matt perks up. "Yes! Dude, where'd you find it?"

Neil swallows down the truth. "Under the bed." He passes it off to Matt, who immediately pulls off the shirt he's already wearing in exchange for the well-loved band tee.

Neil watches in utter dismay as his hard won prize waltzes right back out of the room.

[captain-danwilds]

I don't know if we realize how important the scene where Neil fights with Kevin in the bus bc he wants to sit with Andrew is FOR ANDREW.

Imagine being Andrew and meeting this kid who's all twitchy and beautiful and thinking he's an illusion but he's there. And he's giving his game to Kevin Day bc for him Kevin Day is everything there is to be and you know that Kevin lost it all but now there's this kid who listens to him ramble about exy and actually pays attention and cares about it when nobody else does and you know Kevin feels like he has something now so you are just waiting for that to happen like "just kiss already".

But you notice that the kid is also looking at you. And he's listening to you and watching. Always watching. Learning your language, getting what you mean without you having to explain. And that is just unsettling bc "what in hell is this guy doing?" What about Kevin?. So that just reaffirms that he's an illusion bc he's not for you.

He. Is. Not. For. You.

And then you're in the bus heading to another game and you know the kid's excited and will probably ramble about it with Kevin for the whole ride so you're ready to just sleep thru it but wait. Bc he is heading to you. And he's arguing with Kevin Day and shutting him down bc he wants. To sit. With you.

And then you realize. You will give Kevin Day everything but not this. This is for you. This is for you bc he CHOSE you.

You're just this kid who always wanted but never got it so you stopped wanting bc "what is the point?". But now this illusion is here and he is choosing you so you will take it. You will take it and fuck everyone. This is for you. You get to have this.

[captain-danwilds]

It started with sarcasm. Andrew had been in a mood and had not been patient with the team. His comments made Kevin storm out, with Aaron and Nicky going after the striker.

"Good job," Neil said dryly.

"It's not my fault he's so sensitive," Andrew snapped.

"If you say so," Neil shrugged. "Gold star for not being as much of an ass as you could have been."

Andrew huffed, and Neil left it alone.

A few days later, when Andrew stormed off the court mid-practice, Matt had sworn that it wasn't his fault. 

"I didn't even talk to him!" 

"Good job," Neil's tone matched his blank expression before going after Andrew. "You get a gold star for not making it worse." 

Matt had pouted a little, but it ultimately blew over without much effort. Andrew was just having a bad day.

The next time it happened, Nicky was helping Seth with an assignment, and Seth managed to get through the whole interaction without a single derogatory comment to Nicky. 

"See? You are capable of being a semi-decent human!" Neil grinned at the scowl that earned him before adding: "You get a gold star!"

"That's not fair!" Matt protested. "I never got mine!" 

"What?" Neil looked over, confused. 

"You're giving him a gold star when you still owe me one!" Matt reminded a still confused Neil. 

"I never got one either," Andrew crossed his arms, and Neil stared at the two of them.

"I'm not actually giving him a star," Neil pointed out, realizing now what they were talking about. 

"Well, that's just mean," Nicky was clearly trying not to laugh. "Promising them gold stars and not delivering." 

"It was sarcastic! I don't even have any gold stars!" 

"There are stickers at the bookstore," Dan offered helpfully, though her grin said she was enjoying this too much.

"I am not buying stickers to hand out like you're children!"

Neil went that night to buy the stickers. He had Renee take him, since she was the least likely to make fun while still being helpful. They found a decent-sized packet of reflective gold stars, and after Neil had paid for them, Renee got the first one. She smiled sweetly in thanks and carefully stuck it inside her wallet.

When they got back to the dorm that night Neil gave one to Andrew (who didn't say a word but also didn't reject the sticker), Matt (who enthusiastically stuck it to his shirt), and Seth (who very loudly declared this was stupid, Neil was stupid, why would he need a sticker?). But as Neil left, he noticed Seth had carefully stuck the sticker to the front of his notebook.

And so the sticker competition began.

The Foxes quickly learned that Neil did not seem to have the same sticker-gifting qualifications for all of them. Apart from the first couple of sarcastically awarded stickers, Neil did not hand them out for just anything. It took a couple of weeks, but the team gradually figured it out.

Andrew got gold stars for making an effort with team bonding and participating fully in practices. (Though he also seemed to have stickers that no one else remembered him getting.) Kevin got them for correcting the team more kindly and for drinking less, as well as for showing almost any self-restraint, really. Seth got them whenever he stopped mid-insult or fully kept his comments to himself. Renee got them for vocalizing her opinions (as well as any time she supported Andrew). Allison got them when she stood up to the press or backed up any of the Foxes, and Dan got them after almost every press interview Neil had to do (as well as after any practice that Kevin took over). Nicky got them for respecting boundaries, and Aaron got them for not antagonizing his brother and for spending time with the team for more than a few minutes (without complaint). The cousins also got stickers for family bonding. Matt got stickers the most often, and they seemed to be any time he treated Neil like a friend.

Then there were the miscellaneous gold stars. Catching yourself before saying words that Andrew didn't like. Volunteering to clean up the court without Coach having to ask or assign the task. Any voluntary visits with Bee or Abby were automatic gold stars. Making Andrew genuinely laugh (only Renee had gotten one of those). And sometimes, Neil simply said "Good job," and someone got a star. Those were harder to figure out. Aaron and Andrew also got them after therapy.

The Foxes had a running tally of who had how many gold stars. Matt and Andrew were usually tied for first (Nicky loudly claimed favoritism). Usually, Aaron or Renee held the next two slots, but after that, it was anyone's game. If there were any kind of obvious criteria, the Foxes probably would have bets, but for now, they just kept a leaderboard. The team coveted the shiny stars.

Everyone kept them in different spots. Matt usually wore his after getting one, but a line of them was growing on his desk. The front of Seth's notebook had a few neat lines of stars. Nicky's were everywhere: his notebooks, his phone, the dorm. The girls also each had at least a star or two on the back of their phones. There were stars in wallets, lockers, and cars, yet despite the competitiveness over the shiny stickers, only the players knew about them.

It was during one of the Foxes' away games that it finally happened.

It was half time and the team had regrouped in the guest team lounge. Neil and Andrew were leaning against each other, each with a waterbottle, the rest of the Foxes spread out around them and Coach was lecturing.

"I know you're all tired but what is happening out there? Every other play it seems like there's a fight. Seth you're close to a red card!"

The striker shrugged.

"Asshole keeps talking shit," Seth said it in an almost offhand way.

"Since when is that an issue?" Wymack demanded. "You all shit talk!"

"About Kevin," Seth said as if that elaboration was helpful. When no one seemed to get it, Seth continued: "He's our freak to shit talk. Not theirs!"

Wymack looked gobsmacked as the team burst into laughter. Abby hid a smile behind her hand, and Kevin looked confused.

"Well," Wymack began, but then stopped when Neil held something out to Seth. "What is that?"

"He earned it," Neil said as if it was obvious, and Seth looked pleased with himself, sticking the gold star to his helmet.

Wymack watched as the team burst into protests.

"Seth always fights, that's not fair-!"

"If I had known that-"

"We can get them during games?"

"I haven't gotten one in ages!"

"Hey!" Wymack shouted over the babble, and everyone quieted. "What is going on?"

"Neil gives them stickers for being good," Andrew explained, his regular bored expression in place. "His version of good, anyway."

"Don't act like you don't get any!" Nicky immediately protested. "You're at the head of the leaderboard this week!"

"Leaderboard?" Wymack asked, looking bewildered, before waving his hand. "Okay, we'll discuss this later. You all need to get your heads back in the game! Seth... try not to get a red card."

It was not lost on the team that Wymack hadn't actually told Seth to stop fighting. The team headed back out to the court and Neil took his spot on the bench beside coach.

"So stickers huh?" Wymack asked as the whistle blew and the game began again.

Neil shrugged.

"Honsestly coach I don't get it either," Neil wasn't even sure how to explain. "I was being sarcastic. Then they actually wanted the stickers so I got some."

"And now instead of fighting with Kevin, Seth is fighting with the other team?"

"He's also stopped insulting Nicky. Mostly."

"Hn," Wymack didn't say more, letting the subject drop.

Neil didn't think any more about it that day, focused on the game and the team. It wasn't until the next practice that it came up again.

Kind of.

Neil was in the locker room, lacing up his shoes when Wymack came by and silently handed Neil two new packs of shiny gold stickers. Neil accepted them, confused as Coach then walked away. Neil looked down at the stickers and smiled to himself with sudden understanding.

From then on Neil never ran out of stickers.

[captain-danwilds]

I am absolutely in love with this. Literally so wonderful.

Hi hi! I just spent 30 minutes reading through the whole babydeer AU tag (which is PHENOMENAL btw) and you mentioned purring a few times, which I’m obsessed with in abo stories. I was wondering about Andreil and specifically Neil’s first time purring after his presentation? Like what causes it to start up and how does Andrew react to the sound/feeling??

THE TAG IS 30 MINUTES LONG? oh my god I'm so sorry. anyway. purring

Andrew's stomach falls out from under him at the sound coming from of Neil's chest. Is his throat closing up? It sounds like something is collapsing in there. A weak lung. A puncture in his heart. Anaphylaxis.

Andrew sits up sharply in the bed. Neil is curled in the sheets, nestled warmly under the blankets, face pressed to the sheets. And dying. A death rattle coming out through his lips. Or, no. Lower.

In his chest? Andrew resists the urge to shake him awake. He lowers himself back to the bed, to his elbows, nosing closer. Sniffing at him, his scent is perfumed and warm. Nothing smells off perse. In fact, his scent is stronger.

The rattle pitches louder when Neil breathes out, softer when he breathes in. Andrew touches his fingers to his chest. It's a physical rattle, a rumble, a horrible thing that Andrew can't fight or fix. He can't kill something wrong inside of Neil.

Neil's eyes pop open— asleep, and then awake. And the sound stops.

"What?" Neil murmurs, brows frowning.

Andrew's eyes flicker over Neil's face. He slides his hand along his chest. Up to his throat. Feels the air come through without a single rattle. It dawns on Andrew so slowly, if only because he hasn't thought about this maybe ever. Hasn't considered what it might sound like. What Neil might look like in this moment, when his instincts catch up to him.

He was purring.

Andrew swallows. He rubs his thumb against Neil's jaw. "Nothing," he breathes.

Neil pushes himself up just enough so he can flop over onto his other side, nestling back into the sheets. Satisfied that nothing is wrong and Andrew is going to keep watch while he tucks his face back into the pillow. Andrew tucks himself around his back, arm winding around his chest. And he waits. Listening as Neil's breathing evens back out.

And then... the rattle. Slow. Quiet. But there. A purr.

Andrew tucks his face against the back of Neil's neck and listens.

[captain-danwilds]

I absolutely adore how protective they all are of Neil and how you described Neil’s senses interacting with his environment. I think it’s precious how Andrew gravitated to the jellyfish and Neil was hypnotized by the sharks.

this is babydeer au in spirit but it's not focused on that. foxes team bonding exercise. it's so long I'm sorry

During syllabus week, Dan and Matt make the executive decision that the Original Foxes are going to Ocean's Edge, the two story aquarium at the edge of Palmetto.

"We've just spent a summer apart," Dan says. "This is a team building exercise."

"Without the freshmen," Matt says wrly.

Nicky rattles with excitement the whole drive, wedged into the back seat with Aaron and Kevin, Neil and Andrew in the front of the Mas. Matt loads the rest of the foxes into his truck. They arrive within minutes of each other and descend in a rowdy, writhing, cartoonish mass on the ticket counter. Kevin steps forward and slaps Wymack's p-card down and pays for them all.

Dan tries to keep them all in one group for approximately five minutes before she gives up. The monsters fracture into two groups: Kevin, Nicky and Aaron, and Neil and Andrew. Renee and Allison side with Neil and Andrew, while Matt and Dan trail after Kevin's group.

Neil gets nudged into the center of the group by habit when the move from exhibit to exhibit— the smallest, the only omega, being pushed behind the taller bodies. Andrew falls at his side, quiet and watchful, but more relaxed now that there's a pack of them.

Renee rattles off facts that she reads on the exhibit placards, but nobody really listens. Neil can hear Nicky's loud voice around the next turn, laughing and shouting. It fades again as his group keeps moving ahead.

The air in the aquarium is cool and slightly salty. Neil's new nose can smell the intricacies of the water, the ocean smell, musky and strange. Everything is filtered through cool, dark exhibits, the light muted. Neil's never been to an aquarium before this. It's like he's wandered into another world entirely.

Andrew hovers a nearly neon-blue exhibit where bright, orange jelly fish float in a slow circular current. Neil watches, pleased. His face shows nothing, but his eyes focus hard on the jellies. Tracing their aimless movements.

"I like these," Renee hums on Andrew's other side. "It looks so peaceful."

Allison, over Neil's shoulder: "I don't think they know they're alive."

Neil's cheek pulls at the corner slightly. "No," he agrees.

Andrew doesn't look like he hesitates to leave, not to the naked eye, but Neil can see the slow, almost imperceptible drag of his boot as he turns away. Neil brushes his shoulder into Andrew's as they fall into step beside one another again. Allison loops her arm through Renee's.

The foxes meet up again as the aquarium halls loop to deposit them in the touch pool area. Nicky is already leaning over the edge of the pool, one hand in, eyes wide as the sting rays slowly circle in the shallow water. The girls all crowd on either side of him, but the rest of the foxes hang back. Neil isn't interested in actually touching the fish. Aaron looks a little sick at the prospect, and Andrew just isn't going to leave Kevin or Neil's side.

"You're missing out," Nicky calls over his shoulder. Matt hesitates, then scoots up on Dan's other side.

"Oh yeah," he says loudly as his palm glides over a small shark. "This is dope."

It takes a while for them to move on, but when they do it's as a reunited group. Neil in the middle of the pack again, though Andrew cuts his eyes on irritation when Matt and Dan try to squish him between them.

The larger sharks are a big hit. The tank expands the entire wall, the glass floor to ceiling, the whole room bathed in blue light. Neil almost feels sleepy as he leans against the back wall, watching the creatures swim slowly back and forth. Andrew settles beside him, shoulder to shoulder.

"They're like you," Neil says, tipping his head toward Andrew. "All teeth."

Andrew blinks slowly. "Quiet."

Eventually, the foxes move on, bouncing in a group from one exhibit to the next. South Carolina State fish. River Monsters. An octopus feeding. Penguins. Kevin hovers by the otter exhibit. He's not as subtle as Andrew has been by the jellyfish.

The winding halls of the aquarium deposit them out into the gift shop. Nicky and Matt go right to the novelty tee shirts that have the name of the aquarium on the front. They paw through each until they have a handful of shirts for each fox.

"I'm not wearing that," Aaron warns.

"It's a requirement," Matt says seriously. "Neil, tell him."

"He's only vice captain," Dan points out. "My word trumps his. It's a requirement."

Neil shrugs. "My hands are tied."

"I'm not wearing that," Andrew says, but he holds his hand out expectantly for his shirt. Matt grins and hands one over.

All in all, the aquarium is still standing when the foxes spill back out into the parking lot.