#she joins andrew and neil's night practices

[foxstens]

andrew handpicks robin for the foxes and robin becomes the last official member of the monsters and andrew gives robin his bed and robin sits with andrew and neil on the couch and andrew gives robin his knives and nicky leaves robin a key to the columbia house and robin becomes neil's best friend in neil's fifth year and wymack makes robin vice-captain then captain

[abi-renirk]

Thinking about Wymack putting up with Neil, alone, during his senior year. None of the other foxes are there to deal with his antics. Kevin isn’t there to talk about everything Exy related. Andrew isn’t there to keep him grounded and sane. Allison and Nicky aren’t pushing him out of his comfort zone with his style, appearance, etc. Matt isn’t there to be a friend. Dan can’t help him captain his team. Aaron isn’t there to annoy him. Renee isn’t there with her gentle, reassuring smile.

I know that some of the freshman from the EC become Neil’s friends, but it isn’t the same as the OG Foxes.

So, he turns to one of the few people he trusts, Dad Wymack™️. Neil joins him in his office for lunch and tells him all about Andrew’s most recent Exy game. “Did you see how many saves Andrew made last night?” 38. It was beautiful.” *heart eyes* Coach returns his attention to the paperwork he was working on when Neil walked in. He half listens as the striker explains a movie that Nicky said he needed to watch to understand current trends.

After a game night, Neil goes home with Wymack, who now lives together with Abby, and stays for dinner with the couple, yapping about everything that plagued him that day. “I talked to Andrew last night and he was telling me about this drill his pro team does at practice. He thinks it’s stupid, of course, but I think it could help us get through the other team’s defense easier.” He goes on to explain the drill between bites of pasta and sauce.

When Neil leaves, Coach looks at Abby, feeling slightly dumbfounded, “I never knew the kid could say so many words in such a short time.” Abby lets out a chuckle.

“I don’t get any paperwork finished anymore with him around so much.” He explains with fake annoyance. She gives him a soft smile, “He just misses Andrew and the rest of our Foxes. I think it’s says a lot that he trusts you with the details of his private life. We all know how hard that is for him.”

Dad Wymack sits in his thought for a quiet minute, thinking back to the locker room in Millport with the brown-haired, brown-eyed boy who was scared to live. To the airport before the new year with the red-haired, blue-eyed boy who was fighting for his family. To a cheap motel in Baltimore with a boy covered in scars who fought to stay and live. Neil has come a long way and Wymack’s chest swells with pride and love for the striker.

Two days later, on Monday, Neil shows up right on time for Wymack’s lunch hour, but the older man doesn’t mind the sound of Neil’s chattering over their shared lunch. “Allison told me my hair is getting too long, but the shampoo she sent me is making my curls look “delicious”. I don’t know what she means by that, how hair can look edible, but Andrew says not to worry about it. Speaking of Andrew, do you know how much he has been bench pressing in the gym? He’s up to—“

Wymack lets out a quiet, exasperated sigh as he leans back in his chair, accepting his fate for the next year as Neil continues talking. He may act annoyed about his new lunch time guest, but it means a lot that Neil feels safe with him, even if that means learning about pop culture and Neil’s distaste for broccoli.

[sergiocanavero]

rereading aftg again when last read was in 2020 and i was a teenager is a crazy experience so

Things I Forgot About , Missed, or Moved On From Way Too Quickly:

renee is so much more present than i remember! and she and neil do end up kind of friends (see: the trio running laps together everyday)

for some reason when i first read it I thought aaron was distant from the upperclassmen mostly of his own volition whoops

forgot just how bangin' the plot structure of tkm is and how well nora builds anticipation

SPEAKING OF WHICH idk if i'm just too familiar with the books and characters but I had zero complaints with the book. like everyone jokes about how it's a "bad story," "mid writing," "problematic," etc, and I used to as well (is it mostly to preempt being seen as cringe for loving the series? probably) but now I don't find any of these qualities to be true!

dude andrew is so fucking normal. i guess i'm jsut so used to him, I remember the second time I read the series I was kind of shocked by how harsh he was. Now everything he does makes such perfect sense, he almost seems chill . Kevin on the other hand?? wildest behavior in all of the first book

someone else brought smth similar up but I can't find it: would andrew have been willing to stab or harm nicky sober? i never questioned it before, but now it makes perfect sense that he would only be willing to do that when he was drugged out his mind

nicky isn't one of andrew's ; andrew is nicky's

andrew's monologue to luther!! all the while holding onto aaron and letting neil help him holy shit. someone kill luther too

every time I read the scene when neil goes to aaron and starts comparing drake death to tilda death to get him to understand I forget where he's going with it (saying andrew didn't want aaron to kill drake) and I get so confused

andrew is so much more quote unquote normal than I remember. like bro was volunteering so much more info about himself than he needed to - he wants to be known!!!!

PARALLELS between robin and kevin, namely: andrew only showing interest and going to join night practices once kevin resists riko by playing with his left hand, But only plays and helps once kevin gets fed up and hits him in the helmet with the ball VS andrew shows interest in robin and her playing exy is resistance to her captor, to being hidden away, but only helps her and teaches her once he pushes her to the edge of the roof and she finally hits him - when they each give up their respective inactions!!

god damn i need robin cross books, please nora

the "I've never understood why he likes knives" scene. holy mother of god

the king's men being far and away the best book of the trilogy. incredibly bonkers pacing, the kidnapping being only the first of three climaxes of the book, the second being jean's rescue by renee, the third the visceral, euphoric final match

I didn't know about "you were always going to lose him" until a few days ago WHAT of course andrew lost his shit kev baby where did that pr training go

but in all seriousness it's so insane for their relationship in so many ways

andrew covering neil's mouth as soon as he says proust's name -> i think i'm going to vomit

NEIL CONVINCED ANDREW TO GO FOR THANKSGIVING I completely forgot about this. what the fuck. what the Fuck. and I think this would have been a lot more irreparable for their relationship if riko hadn't paid drake off

i have never and will never forget renee showing up in the middle of the night for andrew's keys, not requesting, grim and calm and so determined you need to take a breath.

the drama of neil not realizing the buzzer was a goal

Andrew orchestrated their entire match against the ravens. no one understood it, but they trusted him enough. andrew literally won them the championship

andrew would have had to start running the second neil dropped to his knees right???

riko death my shayla. nora's writing is so visceral and this scene. my god, this scene. the face cradle + so much emotion that neil-readspeoplelikeabook-josten couldn't understand him

allison going back to play because andrew tells her about riko <3

renee guilt!!! over seth

renee guilt over not being able to protect allison

renee guilt over not being as good of a goalie (eg first half against the ravens)

monsters (and the rest of the foxes) comfortability with abby

"Same old Kevin, as unforgiving and obnoxious as always" "his tone was fond" - Jeremy Knox knows who kevin day is!! and likes him! not the fake, perfect, polite kevin that the other teams and the press usually see

dan wilds, an obsessive and manipulative babe. and successful at both

"Matt looked at Andrew. "one of these days you have to let me hit [Kevin]." Andrew gazed back at him in unimpressed silence." babe!! matt unafraid of andrew, casual "conversation" between them. I love their potential lighthearted friendship/understanding

[bisexualchaosdemon]

His Brother's Real Laugh

(A look at Andrew and Aaron pre 'It runs in the family')

A little over three years after graduating from PSU, Andrew gets a call from Aaron. It isn't one of the scheduled times they usually have calls, but Aaron is calling to see if Andrew can visit soon. Andrew is in the car before he has even hung up, never mind that his twin lives two states away.

Unsure of how to react to Andrew appearing his doorstep mere hours after Aaron asked him to come, Aaron points out that he is meant to be at practice with his fancy Pros Exy team. Andrew flipped him off and didn't bother with a proper greeting either, "What's wrong?"

"What?" Aaron frowned, confused. "Nothing is wrong."

"Something must but up if you couldn't tell me on our normal brotherly bonding call." Andrew insisted.

"It wanted to speak to you in person, but nothing's wrong," Aaron sighed. "Just come in, I'll make coffee."

"If you try to give me decaf again, I'm going to kill myself on your wife's nice white rug." Andrew warned.

Aaron laughed as he led the way to his small kitchen. "I made sure we had regular coffee when you said you were coming and hung up,"

Andrew nods and watches Aaron make their coffee. Katelyn doesn't appear to be home, but it's not unusual for their schedules to shift out of sync with their medical school graduation now less than a year away. And Aaron didn't look upset or hurt at all; just a little nervous.

Andrew allowed his brother a moment to collect himself, just until they sat down with their drinks. "What's going on, Aaron?" He asked again.

"Kate's pregnant," Aaron answered at last.

Oh. Andrew had not been expecting that. He didn't react outwardly, unsure what reaction was appropriate here.

"Is this good news?" He asked.

"I think so?" Aaron shrugged. "I've spent the last week freaking out, in all honesty. We are meant to finally be starting our careers now so the timing isn't ideal, and after everything with Tilda... But, I think it's good, yeah. I think I can do this, if it's Kate I'm doing it with."

"If anyone can pull off becoming a doctor and a mother in the same year, it's Katelyn." Andrew acknowledged. As much as he had hated Katelyn at first, he had come to understand why Aaron loved her over the years. They weren't besties, but Andrew had been Aaron's best man when they got married.

"She is a force of nature," Aaron smiled into his coffee. The twins have never, and would never, admit that they shared a love of fiery redheads.

"And you are more capable than you give yourself credit for," Andrew said. "I know you can do this, irrespective of timing or what happened in the past."

"I–" Aaron blinked at Andrew in surprise. It was a minute before he was able to answer, "Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me for the truth." Andrew gave him a small, rare smile. "Congratulations, Aaron."

Katelyn came home later on while they were chatting, and Andrew extended her that same congratulations. She thanked his brightly as she came to join them, plopping down next to her husband and putting her feet in his lap. Aaron started rubbing them without even pausing their conversation.

Aaron insisted that Andrew at least stay the night once they were done talking. Andrew agreed after texting his own husband to assure the silly rabbit that he was actually alive, if in a different state than when they last spoke. And that he hated him, after Neil had responded with something sappy in Russian.

It was the next morning that Andrew had suggested Aaron and Katelyn move to be in the same city after graduation. He could see the surprise and hesitation on their faces and held up a hand to stop them responding. They had nine months to figure it out, but he wanted to help if he could and he missed living in the same state as his brother. He just wanted them to consider it for now.

They put a pin in the topic there. They talked about other things over the coming weeks instead. Any high or low, Andrew listened to anything Aaron wanted to talk about. He even ordered food to be delivered to Katelyn a couple of times when Aaron was worried she wasn't taking enough breaks from studying but didn't know how to help.

So when Aaron's name popped up on his phone the same afternoon he knew Katelyn's first ultrasound was due to take place, Andrew was on high alert immediately. "Is something wrong?"

"What?" Aaron was just as confused as he had been last time Andrew greeted him in that manner.

"Katelyn had her scan today and you are calling," Andrew explained. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Aaron breathed out the slightest chuckle. "No, not wrong."

"But there is a reason you called," Andrew prompted, not quite a question.

"Yeah, uh," Aaron sounded dazed. "We're having twins."

Things so rarely went well for the Minyard twins, it was a startling relief that Aaron wasn't calling with bad news. He was just calling to freak out about the shock of finding out he was having twins when he only just stopped panicking about having one kid.

"Maybe it runs in the family," Andrew remarked. He thought Aaron having twins was objectively hilarious.

"Maybe the universe is just fucking with us," Aaron suggested with a playful groan.

And Andrew laughed. A real, genuinely happy laugh. Aaron had never heard his brother laugh like that before. "Us? No, this one is all you, brother mine. I've never been so happy to be the gay twin."

And then Aaron was laughing too. "You're the asshole twin, is what you are."

<<Pt.1 Pt.2 Pt.3>>

MASTERPOST

[ninyard]

I would love to just sit on a roof top and talk to you about anything and everything. Hear all of your opinions on everything.

Wait what the hell that’s so sweet I’m the mayor of yapsville when you get me started on something I have An Opinion on, so I promise you’d probably quickly regret it.

But picture us. Me and you on a roof. And I tell you the following, as the wind blows our hair and the sun starts to set:

- Andrew helps Renee dye her hair

- When they move in together, Andrew always finds his t-shirts or random belongings shoved under Neil’s pillow. Harmless stuff, but usually stuff that belongs to Andrew. Kept safe, untouchable below his pillow like the few belongings he had in the beginning.

- Dyslexic Kevin Day

- Allison helps Neil get his hair back into a good condition when he starts to grow it out post-TKM. She helps him do treatments and recommends the best products. She braids it when it gets long enough. She shows him how to properly tie it back, she teaches him how to properly look after the texture in his hair.

- Andrew has a folder in his camera roll for nobody else but himself of things that make him smile on the inside. Most of the time it’s stupid things, like a terrible advertisement stuck to a lamp post, or an ugly dog, or an awfully parked car. Silly things that make him laugh that he screenshots or snaps a picture of. There’s eventually hundreds of pictures in there. There’s photos of Neil, when he falls asleep on Andrew’s shoulder and Andrew’s too proud to tell him how cute he looked. Photos of Neil in his suit before a banquet, photos of him doing dishes or handing him dinner. There’s photos of Andrew and Renee after they’ve been sparring. There’s photos of things he’s seen in stores that remind him of Kevin, or Neil, or Renee. Sometimes Aaron. There’s even a few photos of Kevin in there, too. Nobody know this folder exists. Not even Neil, who doesn’t even know half of the photos of himself in there even exist. Because it’s just for Andrew. It’s just for him to collect the little joys in his life now that he can somewhat actually feel it.

- Kevin has to wear a brace on his hand/wrist every now and again, and he still sees a physiotherapist once every few months to check up on his hand.

- Matt goes to Andrew the first time he thinks about relapsing. He doesn’t even think about it. Neil is very confused when he comes back to the dorm to find Matt and Andrew playing video games together, but doesn’t question it.

- Dan tags along to night practice every now and again. Nobody acknowledges that she isn’t usually there, they just let her join them on the court and practice as usual. It makes Kevin really happy, actually, to see her trying to better her skills with them. Usually she just joins them when she can’t sleep and needs to get out of her head.

- On the OG foxes last night together before the first of them graduate, they all find themselves around a fire pit in one of their parents houses, or on property Allison rented out, and they tell each other stories and share some confessions in a mostly-funny, kind of emotional way. They cry and laugh and hug and shock each other with some of the things they say but it’s a really beautiful moment before they’re finally split up for the first time

- Dyslexic Kevin Day (again)

[ashestoashes7]

would love to see some trojan andrew?? 👀

💙💙💙💙

—

The media is all over the announcement.

The Trojans’ miracle goalie has a twin? And he’s a FOX??!?!

They get nosy and Aaron’s past starts getting leaked out bit by bit: an accident. CPS got involved. Tilda was deemed an unfit caretaker. another accident, this time one she couldn’t recover from (hey, Aaron, how’d that drug test go—)

Kevin originally went to recruit Andrew for the Ravens, and he has Jeremy’s contact info so he agrees to pass along a letter for Aaron in exchange for the freshmen joining him for night practice (Neil isn’t complaining).

Because if Aaron has a twin he wants to know him.

Andrew’s response?

“Fuck off!”

<—Prev

WIP Game

[constelationprize]

ROBIN/ELODIE ??????

if this about to be like my eva josten/adèle moreau scenario i will cry then ask u to please marry me.

i need this more than i need air. u don’t understand. i love u. ur the freaking best. tell me more.

Yeah that one came to me in a vision.

The thing is that like most of my other niche rarepairings I just cannot resist the allure of Narrative Parallels™. Mostly I just realized how similar Elodie and Robin's stories are (in concept) and that they could actually be around the same age (considering Elodie would be around 15-16yo in 2007 and Robin joins the Foxes in 2009 after Kevin graduates, and assuming Robin didn't get held back due to the Horrors, that would put them at around a 1-2 year age difference).

So the basic concept for the AU is that Elodie survives and is rescued by Stuart during TSC and then brought over to the USA to live with Jean and the Trojans. This goes about as well as you would expect, which is to say not at all – she's heavily traumatized, barely speaks English for the first couple years, and is resistant to any kind of help that would result in her having to leave Jean's side. She also at first does not want anything to do with the other Trojans at all because she sees most of them as adults she can't trust and also resents them for monopolizing Jean's time, and none of these college sports players is anywhere near qualified for unpacking All of That.

Elodie and Jean effectively make each other's recovery worse for a long while because they immediately try and fall back to their childhood dynamic, which can no longer work for multiple reasons. But through Betsy Dobson all things are possible and eventually they get to a point where they aren't actively standing in each other's way anymore, though things are still Not Good.

It gets tough again when Jean graduates and they move out of LA, which just uproots what little stability Elodie had again, and he has developed a need to constantly check on her that cannot be good for his now even busier pro player schedule. Also, Elodie is almost 18, and at a point where she should be graduating high school and thinking about her future, which she very much is not doing because until a couple years ago she didn't even HAVE a future so she doesn't really know what to do with it.

They start floating the possibility of getting her into a community college or something in the state Jean's in, but eventually the possibility of having some strings pulled to get her into PSU is brought up, and Elodie latches onto it immediately, mostly because she both feels stifled by Jean's helicopter parenting AND kind of wants to punish him for not actually spending time with her by moving away. Jean doesn't want to let her, but he also doesn't really have a choice, and PSU might be far but at least he knows Elodie will have people there to reach out to if she needs it.

Joke's on Elodie though because going to college to annoy your brother does mean she just conned herself into taking classes and figuring out what to do with her life now and she has to do it while dodging 20 phone calls per hour. Anyway now that she's on PSU she has to learn how to do human person things like making friends. She ends up joining a roller derby team as a combo meeting people-getting exercise-venting anger deal.

Robin, on the other hand, is going through a similar situation where Andrew just graduated, and Neil is in his last year, so she's about to lose her anchors at PSU. Once Neil graduates, she won't have anyone to night practice with anymore, so she also joins the roller derby team to fill in her nights, in a way of trial-running how to maintain some sense of routine and normalcy and maybe make some friends as well.

And that is how the world's saddest most traumatized girls meet. They have no idea who the other really is at first because Elodie doesn't follow exy out of spite and they also don't tell each other their full names because they are very googlable and the team is for both of them a way to finding who they are outside of what happened to them, so they don't want to invite the past in there.

Neil figures it out pretty fast though, since he's been keeping an eye on Elodie, but he tells no one because he thinks it's going to be funny when Andrew and Jean (who absolutely hate each other) discover they're dating (He's right). The basic idea I have is that everyone kind of finds out at the same time when Andrew and Jean play against each other in a nearby city and both Elodie and Robin come to watch and it's a very spiderman pointing meme moment all around.

Getting to truly know each other then is a blessing and a curse because the similarities between their stories are as important as the differences. Elodie would have given everything to have parents that would want her back home and want to protect her and Robin would kill to have her family understand and relate to her trauma the way Jean does. Elodie genuinely cannot understand Robin's guilt over escaping by dooming another girl because she would have actively killed without remorse to break out. Robin doesn't get why Elodie is bitter over having to be rescued when she used to dream about someone finding and saving her. It's a very "grass is always greener on the other side" situation, and they clash a lot, but eventually they work it out.

I'm also thinking of having Robin being conflicted over whether she wants or even is capable of going pro (since as per the EC she technically wasn't good enough to be recruited if not for Andrew's constant endorsement). I'm not sure what Elodie would be majoring in, but that's fine because neither is Elodie. So that's something else they're both dealing with.

That's mostly what I have so far, I'm hoping some day this fic will grow a plot that can hold my attention so I can actually write it.

[minyard-05]

about to make myself cry over aaron minyard again

(very long semi incoherent post-tkm thoughts below)

i've been thinking about kateaaron a lot lately (when i am i not) but like. i have been wondering Why would katelyn stick around especially when aaron wasn't going to say anything about the deal with andrew until after graduation when it was up like. what would make her willing to hold onto him that long after she was acutely aware of exactly what andrew would do to her?

then i got to thinking like. Maybe both of them were under the assumption that it wasn't serious at all. maybe aaron explained that it couldn't be. but nicky says in the raven king that aaron hasn't even asked katelyn out yet, which is possibly true at that point, but there's still definitely something there. so since there are shreds of canon information about these two and i do what i want, here is my very long idea about the Timeline of Kateaaron

i think neil's right in that they probably met through having similar classes and also through the foxes' general proximity to the vixens. so they're sort of semi-aware of each other, at this point katelyn wouldn't know About the twins, just that aaron is sort of a quieter version of his brother (which seems to be the outward impression of them). anyway. so katelyn recognises aaron in a couple of her classes, she's probably seen him at practice. she tries to talk to him a few times and while he's polite he's never that engaged in any sort of conversation. but they start studying together. quietly, they don't verbalize it that often, just katelyn will join aaron at his table in the library or vice versa and they will just. exist together like that. because thats the closest, safest way aaron can have any kind of relationship, platonic or otherwise.

from there it develops very quietly and very slowly, but katelyn slowly picks up on the fact that aaron is a lot more willing to talk to and engage with her when he's alone. so the library becomes their Place. they exchange numbers eventually and aaron opens up a bit more. he still doesn't talk a lot though, so katelyn fills in the gaps, and he's content just to listen to her because it all feels so normal, so ordinary. everything else in aaron's life is bloody and scary and tainted by his past and his brother. katelyn isn't. that's why she means so much to him.

i think aaron asks her out in a very roundabout way the night after he gets out on bail. he shows up at her dorm, conveniently when all of her roommates are out, and katelyn's about to berate him for not responding to any of her messages before she sees aaron is a fragment away from breaking. so she lets him in, lets him sit with her, lets him talk. he gives her an albeit broken up version of thanksgiving, and being arrested, and everything that happened after and then katelyn asks about andrew and aaron goes quiet. they sit there like that for a minute, and just before katelyn is about to apologise for overstepping, aaron tells her. he tells her everything, about meeting andrew when they were kids, about being terrified of losing him, about tilda hitting andrew instead of him, about the car crash, about juvie, about moving to SC, about his addiction and abou andrew getting him clean, about drake, about easthaven. aaron tells her everything because he can't tell it to anybody else. and then katelyn asks him if he wants to go home and aaron says no. so katelyn holds him and he stays the night.

after that, aaron spends most of his nights with her. she encourages him to go back and talk to the foxes, and he does. they're all very calm and cautious with him, but appreciate the unspoken ask for normalcy, so that's when team dinners start. aaron and katelyn don't label anything but nobody says anything when she picks him up from practice or when she drops him back off at the dorm after studying late.

slowly, katelyn learns how to love him. she learns to wake him up with a hand in his hair, not shaking his arm, or he backs away before he fully registers who she is. she learns to slip her arms around his waist instead of his shoulders, she learns to move slowly when she goes to brush something off his face so he doesn't stumble back expecting a hit.

they don't seriously get together until after andrew talks to her in the library. their first date is about two weeks before the PSU/USC game, a post-study evening ice cream trip. it took too long and too much hurt, they can both agree, but it's worth it.

[palmettoshitposts]

some andrew & renee thoughts

andrew likes renee because she’s not afraid to confront him, contradict him or say no to him. she’s not afraid of him at all.

renee is easily more dangerous and andrew knows and respects that. renee has a grasp on how to use knives better than andrew could ever imagine (before neil, at least) and it leaves him more than slightly in awe.

the whole sparring thing came about because when andrew pushed her one practice early on, she pushed back harder and they started fighting

she definitely hurts his feelings once or twice and he lies awake at night thinking about it. what bugs andrew that what she’s said is right. comments that are just observational in nature about his behaviour or character but they cut because he trusts her opinion on things.

one time, she just calls him out on something he thought she’d support him on - some stupid opinion - and he’s offended and irritated. and renee never says I told you so, so she just shrugs and moves on.

renee calls andrew out on being a misogynist. andrew is initially confused but renee bullies him into being a feminist. that’s how their friendship works. most of this takes place on the roof. before that was andrew and neil’s place (and even after), it was andrew and renee’s. but renee has no interest in smoking, so she joins him by bringing tiny bottles of bubbles and punctuating her sentences by blowing them. the one time andrew calls her a bitch, she just responds with ‘don’t🫧be🫧a🫧misogynist🫧’. weirdly, it works.

andrew likes renee because she’s all sharp edges and imperfections. andrew’s had more than enough of the horrors that lie behind the perfect facade.

when you get close to renee, you learn she’s got crooked teeth and a honky laugh. when she dyes her hair, it’s because of sheer boredom but she has a list of her next ten hair colours in her notes on her phone. andrew knows these things, and knows that knowing them is a privilege. he keeps this to himself.

renee can be spiteful and rude. renee can be snappy and unkind. but she acknowledges these things and takes accountability in a way that’s totally revolutionary for andrew.

she rarely apologises. one time, early on, a remark she makes at his expense is far too cutting and he’s not mad about it but clearly it’s impacted her. she apologises later on, carefully and sincerely, and it’s the first apology andrew has ever fully believed, even if he doesn’t think it’s required. he shrugs her off and she knows exactly what it means.

andrew never admits it aloud, but what he deep down loves about renee is how she can make him a better person.

she gently nudges him and his rigid thinking along the path of self development and it’s something he would never thank her for but he is endlessly grateful for.

[aftgphoenix]

Day 7 of @millportisntreal's Valentine's Day Drabbles! Sorry for any inaccuracies, the last time I was around a karaoke event was at a family get-together in Mexico like fifteen years ago and I was more interested in playing on the playground than trying to sing songs I didn't know.

Karaoke

"Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world, she took the midnight train going anywhere!" Dan sang. She pointed at Matt.

He grinned back at her before joining in with an enthusiastic "Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit, he took the midnight train going anywhere!"

Dan let herself sway to the music as she kept singing along to the song. She and Matt were at a campus karaoke night and she was determined to have fun. Practice was stressful with whatever Neil had done with the twins, especially Aaron. Truth be told, she was still shocked that Andrew had somehow let Aaron join his weekly therapy session. She determinedly pushed that line of thought out of her mind and returned back to the song.

"Don't stop believin'! Hold on to that feelin'!" She belted out, then shrieked a little in surprise when Matt picked her up and spun her around. She laughed and spun into his arms when he finally set her down. He kissed her, to the cheers of the watching crowd, then spun her back out as the song finished up.

[foxstens]

so when will we talk about how robin literally takes kevin's place

[thespineoftherighteous]

top 5 Dan Wilds moments, top 5 kandrew moments

EXCELLENT ask

Dan:

1. helping Neil figure out his schedule (with Matt) in tfc

2. when Neil shows the girls the tattoo while Allison is doing his makeup and Dan gets outraged and then just gets really sad and you can see how helpless she feels and how much she cares about him

3. when someone at the banquet was trying to give her shit for being Hennessy and she hit him in the balls with her stilettos before roasting him

4. telling the waitress Neil got his scars from falling into a tank of piranhas (she's literally babygirl do you even get it?)

5. it happens off screen but when she and Kevin finally talk on vacation about the coach/father reveal and it's mentioned that they both come back from it looking worn out and i imagine there's so much there went down there

6. genuinely every time she gives Neil a hug

7. ordering the stand for the trophy before they actually won championships

8. when she started a dogpile on Coach while being all sweaty from practice

kandrew:

1. that first night practice that Andrew joined Kevin and they had that whole sexually charged battle of wills

2. the night that Kevin got the queen tattooed and it's a Big Deal for Neil to see but that's not even comparable to what it's like for Andrew, who's been waiting for something like this since day one. and it kind of electrifies Andrew

3. their whole antagonistic, petty, clawing at each other's throats, pre-tfc relationship AND how the fact that what ended up making them so close after all that was Andrew seeing Kevin pick up his racquet again for the first time after the accident and how that was enough to get Andrew on the court himself

(that was like a million different moments, forgive me for cheating)

4. Andrew taking off Kevin's glove mid-game to check that it's good and reassure him + Kevin going straight to the goal after Andrew's first full-time game to catch him through withdrawal

5. Andrew giving Kevin his meds (!!!)

(+6. "i could drive your car, you know" "bitch over my dead body" .... see also: every "it's fun telling Kevin no" moment)

[rachthechaosbi]

Ok so I’ve seen Neil is touch starved headcanons before,,, but what about Kevin?

Kevin grew up in the Nest, he probably didn’t get a lot, if any, physical touch that wasn’t meant to hurt so when he gets it with the foxes it’s like a dying man getting a sip of water

it starts with Abby

(because I feel like Abby is often overlooked by the fandom and deserves much better)

anyway we all remember the way Kevin just CLINGS to Abby after the Kathy Ferdinand interview right?

so when Kevin is upset, he often finds himself walking to Abby, sometimes unconsciously, sometimes not

but he just likes to be held by her and feel protected and warm and comforted because she’s his mother figure okay

next is Wymack

in my personal opinion, Wymack tends to clap foxes on the back after games or practices, no matter who is standing next to him (except Andrew or Neil, he knows better)

more often than not, that person is Kevin

and Kevin??? loves it???

(physical affection from DAD that’s my DAD)

(it takes a while for Kevin to adjust to having his father in his life, but he really truly does love it)

so he ends up trying to stand next to Wymack As Much As Possible

Andrew isn’t really one for physical affection

but Kevin savors Every Damn Touch He Can Get

even if it’s just Andrew barely brushing his back with his fingers

he finds himself leaning into the touches

with Neil, it’s mostly exy related

(because when you put Kevin Day and Neil Josten together, what else is it really going to be?)

tight side hugs after games, high fives after good plays, that weird sort of helmet grate bump thing football players do

Aaron isn’t much in the way of physical affection, but sometimes Kevin will find himself leaning against Aaron when they’re on the bench or in the locker room

Aaron tolerates it, and Kevin Very Much Enjoys It because we all know twinyard shoulders are big and strong and can hold the world

Nicky is very very very very very excited in true Nicky fashion when he realizes that Kevin actually likes physical affection

one word: hugs

so

many

hugs

Nicky will hug Kevin constantly, whether it’s side hugs, bear hugs, i’m going to jump and you better fucking catch me hugs, anything

sometimes it’s too much for Kevin, but Nicky realizes this and will back off when asked

but he really finds a place with the upperclassmen

because the upperclassmen have had years together, and they cuddle like NOBODYS business

(because I said so)

one movie night, Renee notices Kevin staring at their cuddle pile and asks quietly if he would like to join them

Kevin almost cries

he is with his people and he is warm and happy and falls asleep in the cuddle pile

(Allison may or may not have taken a photo for blackmail)

after this, he gets all the casual touch from the upperclassmen he could ever wanr

Matt gives him piggyback rides, even if Kevin is only two inches shorter

because according to Matt, “piggyback isn’t a phase, it’s a lifestyle”

they frequently get weird looks around campus

“is that Kevin Day??? on his teammate’s back???”

after practices, sometimes Kevin gets tired, because, you know, he’s an athlete and stuff

so he sits on the floor and leans against couches while he’s yelling at the foxes

one day he doesn’t pay attention to where he sits (Wymack made them run FORVER again)

and he sits down in front of the upperclassmen, and while he’s yelling Dan just starts playing with his hair because she’s bored and he does this Every Damn Day (I’m assuming this is after they’ve showered because otherwise ew)

and Kevin just stops functioning

the entire room is silent

until Allison breaks the silence with a “it’s that easy??? that’s all we had to do???”

so now Allison and Dan will frequently just start playing with Kevin’s hair while he yells to make him shut up

(Kevin knows what they’re doing. it’s not working. maybe it’s working. shut your fat fucking face Aaron)

Renee doesn’t really have a Thing™️, but she is extremely observant, and she always has a knack for knowing when Kevin needs to be touched and what type of touch he needs

this got MUCH longer than expected, but have some touch starved Kevin getting his physical affection at last

it’s good for the soul

[andrewsleftknee]

Neil’s hair was practically dead after the decade of bleaching and dying his hair over and over again. his hair would fall out all the time, leaving a trail of ginger hair wherever he went.

he decided he was over it. he hated having his hair be so damaged. it wasn’t soft like it was when he was a kid. he wanted to have nice hair again, so he cut off the majority of his hair, only leaving the parts that had grown since his stay at Evermore.

he ran his hands through his cut hair constantly to try and get used to the new length of it. he has changed his hairstyle up a lot, but he never got used to them so quickly.

after a few months, his hair was grown out longer than it had been in years. it stopped around his chin and was often put up so the top half of his hair was in a bun because the bottom half was too short to make it in.

on nights where they would hang out with the upperclassmen, Allison would weave braids into his hair. she was always gentle with Neil, never tugging too hard. these nights became more frequent during the second half of the year when it started to sink in that the girls would be leaving soon. they had all gone through a lot together, and Neil couldn't believe that they would have to leave so soon.

Andrew would sometimes join them as well. he probably wouldn’t admit it, but he had come around to the upperclassmen. he didn’t entirely see why Neil likes them so much, but he tolerate them.

"are you going to grow it any longer?" Allison asked. she had finished braiding his hair, so she was starting to pull them out to start the process again.

"maybe an inch or two longer. this is the longest it’s been in a long time. i kind of want to see when it’s like to have it a bit longer,” Neil responded.

“i can help you trim it if you’d like,” Renee offered from behind the couch, peering over Allison’s shoulder to see what she was doing to Neil’s hair. “saves a little money,” she added.

“okay, sure.” he smiled back at her while Allison’s fingers weren’t in his hair. “that sounds good.”

the room soon filled with its normal chatter. Allison weaved one more set of braid before she decided to try a french braided crown at the top of Neil’s head. it left a small amount of hair hanging down by his chin, about a third of it if he had to guess. it was different to what she has done before, but Neil liked it.

Andrew and Neil left the girls’ dorm a while later. they were the first to leave, but they had both wanted some time alone. they both wanted some quiet.

they had a cigarette by the window, the both of them a little too tired to go up to the roof, before changing into comfortable clothes and climbing into bed together.

Robin hadn’t moved in with them yet, but Neil and Andrew would sometimes fall asleep in the same bed. they both craved the warmth of each other.

Andrew raked his fingers through Neil’s hair. Neil had taken the braid out before he got into bed, deciding that he didn’t want the top to be more curly than the bottom. Andrew wouldn’t complain. as much as he liked Neil’s hair off his face, he liked to pull his hands through his hair too. he liked to feel Neil relax under his soft touches, subconsciously leaning his body closer to Andrew.

Andrew liked Neil show he was regardless of how long his hair was, but he had to admit that he loved Neil’s hair long. he probably wouldn’t admit it out loud unless Neil had asked him specifically, but he did.

[sylvie-writes]

Chain of Events

word count: 2500

pairing: andy barber x female reader

warnings: cheating, age gap, some profanity.

request: can i request a andy barber x fem!reader where the reader is his asisstant and his secret mistress (in mid 20s) which she always stick by his side and help him through jacob's trail. after the trail he divorced w laurie and they got marry and have a baby girl please!! thank you!!

a/n: sorry for the wait! i hope you enjoy lovely! ngl this really fueled my love for andy. 

please excuse any mistakes!

It wasn’t something you were proud of. Something that had started off as a night with a few innocent drinks paved the way for a never ending cycle. At times you felt dirty and awful, yet that didn’t stop you from going to see him every other night. Even when you had the slightest feeling that Laurie had a hunch, it didn’t stop you. Especially when things got dark for Andy, you were the one to hold him close and not his wife. It felt so right although extremely wrong all at the same time. 

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

Currently, you were sitting in your apartment bed, spending your Friday night a bit differently than most. Rain gushed from the sky and rhythmically hit your bedroom window which you were spaced out on, many thoughts running through your mind and a glass of wine occasionally hitting your lips. Using your free hand you softly ran your fingers through the mop of hair that belonged to Andy who was passed out in your lap. His breathing was even and it did your heart good to see him so peaceful for once. Just two hours ago, he called you, sounding so broken and vulnerable which was out of the ordinary for Andy. The minute you answered the door, he flung himself at you and held you tight, whispering repeatedly “don’t leave me, please.” 

It absolutely tore you to pieces to hear him say that and you were quick to reassure him that it wasn’t even possible. You then lead him to the bedroom to ask what had happened. 

“Is everything alright? Talk to me, Andy.” You placed a set of his pajamas into his hands but not without a pleading look in your eyes when meeting his own sullen ones.

“Laurie’s adamant it’s him, but (y/n)-” Placing a finger on his lips, you hushed him. 

“I know, I know. You just have to ignore it okay? Laurie is just,” Pausing, you chose your next words wisely, “having a hard time with it all. Everyone copes differently.” 

He sadly nodded before standing to kiss your forehead and make his way to the bathroom to get changed and cleaned up a bit. 

The two of you continued to chat about Jacob’s trial once Andy returned from the bathroom, and he confided in you in many ways more than one. You’d never seen Andy so open, even with yourself, and clearly it helped him quite a bit as he was now relaxed. 

Time had flown and amongst your thoughts, one stood out to you in particular. When would Laurie start to question where he was? Andy always had some bullshit excuse ready to give her and would then tell you that it would be alright. Normally, before you had time to truly convince yourself, Andy’s lips would be on yours or his hands would caress you gently and you’d melt into him as did your cares. Except for now. 

The two had just gotten into a huge fight and you were sure Andy hadn’t even thought twice about telling her where he was going. Even if he did, Laurie would surely be on the lookout for his return. 

Carefully reaching over to your nightstand, you grabbed your phone to check the time and noticed that it was getting late. 

“Andy? My love, when do you have to go home?” You leaned down to whisper to the sleeping man who groaned in return. 

You repeated his name once more, this time slightly shaking his shoulder to which he rolled onto his back, a goofy grin on his lips as he looked up at you. “Well hello, honey.” 

From Andy’s point of view, you peered down at him like a disappointed mother but with a faint smile upon her lips at her child’s goofiness. 

“Nice of you to join me, sleeping beauty. I was wondering what time you had to get home. It’s starting to rain more heavily and Laurie-”

Andy sat up and turned himself so he’d be sitting shoulder to shoulder with you. Silently, he took your empty wine glass from your hand, leaning to place it on your nightstand. As he did so, he didn’t let go of your wrist, which he brought to his lips when he returned to face you. 

Murmuring against your wrist, he started to place soft and delicate kisses to the smooth skin there. “Don’t worry about it. I told her I’d be back tomorrow morning.” 

“But Andy, she knows you don’t have anywhere to stay.” You didn’t want to exactly say “Hey! Andy, you have no friends and your wife knows that!” but it was implied in a kinder way. Andy picked up on this, clearly deflecting when he just nodded in response and started to place more kisses up your forearm. 

Letting out a frustrated “hmph,” you let Andy carry on before he victoriously smiled at you.

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

The vicious cycle went on throughout the course of Jacob’s trial as things between Andy and his wife got worse. Even though they both lived under the same roof, slept in the same bed, and put on a facade for Jacob, they were practically separated. One night Andy drunkenly showed up on your doorstep, confessing how he had come home to find Laurie with another man. In a fit of rage he let the cat out of the bag that he had been seeing you. Funny how things work. 

You knew they were both wrong, so instead of shaming either one of them, you just let Andy cling to you for comfort. When Andy was drunk, he was like a big child and if the circumstances were different, you’d been laughing, but rather you soothingly rubbed his back and listened as that’s all he needed. Someone who would just listen.

At three in the morning, he most definitely needed you as well when you found his head in the bowl of the toilet and not sleepily nestled in your neck. (Which was ironic as the two of you would be switching places very soon.)

Christmas came quick and along with it, many miracles, one being that Jacob was not convicted.

Just as Andy was in a rush to tell you the news, Laurie was even faster to serve the divorce papers to him. In a relationship, you and your partner are supposed to be able to push through tough times without breaking. With that being said, Andy and Laurie mutually agreed that they had failed and it was time they both quit lying to themselves. It was time for real happiness. 

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

“(y/n) meet me at our favorite restaurant in thirty minutes.”

You were working on some case files for Neil, despite your hatred for him, and tried to tell Andy that you were busy at the moment. He didn’t listen but continued to insist that you meet him there. His tone wasn’t demanding, but it was...excited? Surely, Andy had been excited over things in his life, but you’d never actually heard the usually emotionless man speak with such ardor. 

Setting down the case files, you rushed to put on some real pants and a blouse, but nothing too fancy or flashy as you had no idea what was about to happen. 

When you arrived at the restaurant, Andy happily flagged you over. He wore the biggest smile ever and you were borderline concerned. What could have him this happy? Was he getting back with Laurie? As much as you wanted them to be a functioning family, you weren’t sure if you could deal with such heartbreak because Andy really did feel like the one. 

Ever the gentleman, Andy pulled out your chair and handed you a small bouquet as you sat in the wooden seat. Before he walked away, the man planted a smack of a kiss on your lips and hurried back to his seat since he saw the waiter out of the corner of his eye. As the waiter approached, you were just sitting there, the most shocked expression on your face as it settled within you what Andy had just done. Long ago when this whole fiasco began, you and Andy always kept it professional when out in public because so many people knew him and word could get out easily that he was cheating. 

The minute the waiter left, you were quick to chastise Andy who just laughed as if it were the funniest thing in the world which left you a bit angered. 

Since the restaurant was quiet, you extended yourself across the table so Andy could hear your harsh muttering. 

“Do you realize what you just did, Barber?!” Andy shook his head in a content manner and at this point steam was about to emerge from your ears. Before all hell could break loose and you go ballistic, Andy cut in to explain. 

“Jacob, he’s a free man!” Andy looked at you with an awaiting smile and your face immediately softened, but for only a second as that didn’t explain why he was parading your relationship out like this. Didn’t he know what he was risking, not only for himself, but you.

Your counterpart noticed the sudden change of expression on your face and continued, “But among other things, I meant to tell you that Laurie and I got divorced recently.” 

“Oh hon, I am so sorry.” Reaching across the table, you comfortingly ran your thumb over the back of his hand, but he just shook his head in detest.

“No no, it’s not a bad thing because it just opened the gateway for this,” Andy pulled his hand away and went to dig in his coat pocket. You thought to yourself, no he couldn’t be-

“(y/n), I’m gonna make this short, but sweet. You mean the world to me and I could spend all night listing off why I love you, but that will never do justice, so instead, I ask that you make me the happiest man alive, and marry me?” 

His cliche, yet utterly adorable speech could make a person’s heart melt and instantly say yes, but you’ve always been a thinker, and maybe Andy had accounted for that a bit in his proposal. 

“Andrew! You just got divorced!” In a semi-whisper slash hiss, you bent over so only he could hear, hiding your words from the prying onlookers as if you had top secret info spilling from your lips. 

“I know, but, (y/n), you are the one.” He looked a bit awkward being on his knee for so long and the ring box still patiently in hand as you processed his question. Nonetheless, Andy continued to hopefully smile at you, ignoring all of the whispers, until you excitedly replied “yes” just a mere second later, though it felt like ages for him. 

This proposal was definitely gonna be a story for generations. 

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

You and Andy settled for a simple courthouse wedding with just your parents in attendance as witnesses. The two of you were never really used to flaunting your relationship, and even though you could now, it just wasn’t ideal. Besides, you had bigger things to worry about.

For example, when just a few weeks after your short-lived honeymoon, you noticed some changes and came to the conclusion that you were pregnant. 

One night, you casually brought up the idea of more kids to Andy to test the waters. 

“Hey love, you awake?”

Andy lifted his eyes from his book, no longer looking as if he was asleep. He nodded his head and set the book aside giving you his full attention. 

“What’s up, gorgeous?”

“I was thinking… what if we were to have a kid. Would you be opposed to that?”

The reaction on Andy’s face was most definitely not the one in mind and he looked as if you had asked him the most appalling question on earth. 

“(y/n), I love kids,” He chuckled a bit, “I thought I made that clear, you know, by being a dad and all.” 

His lame attempt at making a “joke” eased your nerves and you just came straightforward with the gold. 

“Andy, I think I am pregnant.” 

And faster than a predator can pounce, Andy was on you in seconds, his arms hugging you close as he whispered words of excitement. 

༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

Nine months later and that statement was very true as you held a bundle of joy in your arms. Your hours numb in pain couldn't even be compared to the gift that was before you. Andy could hardly keep his hands off your stomach for the past few months and he never failed to speak to your daughter as if she was actually there. Now that her presence was finally in the world, Andy was yet to look away from her small figure and his smile hadn’t withered the slightest. 

The nurse had stepped out a few minutes ago, giving both you and Andy some time and privacy with your newborn. Even though drowsiness overcame your body, you visibly forced yourself awake just to absorb all the time you could with her. Little ones grow up in a flash and you weren't going to miss a second if it was up to you.

Andy joined you in the hospital bed when you silently invited him in with a soft pat to the crinkly sheets. Once he snuggled up against your side, you carefully passed the little baby who was about to have her first contact with her father. 

As Andy played with her mini hands, you sleepily rested your head on his broad shoulder, watching the two and already figuring out that they’d be lifelong friends. 

“They always say with age comes wiseness, but darlin’, your momma gives that phrase a run for its money.”

You giggled at your husband’s words and propped up the little darling the smallest bit so she could “see” you and her dad. 

“Don’t listen to Daddy, munchkin. The grey in his beard says otherwise.” 

“Hey! I’m not that old, I was still able to knock-” Backhanding Andy’s leg caused him to dramatically cut his sentence short. There were plenty of years for him to taint your daughter’s innocence.

 As you observed the two, you noticed Andy gazed at her as if she hung the moon and stars for him, a familiar look he often gave you. Possibly from the lack of energy or just being enamored with the interaction, a sweet tear slipped from your own eye. Upon closer inspection, one could see that a subtle tear fell from the man beside you.

If Andrew Stephen Barber had known all those years ago he’d be here with a second chance at life, he would’ve never even waited another second to be with you. It’s funny how life can send you down the most twisted paths, yet have you come out with the most precious of gifts. 

 taglist: @memissbee @tricereads @buckybarnesthehotshot @bval-1 @tonystankschild @just-one-ordinary-fangirl @turtoix @kelbabyblue @jakiki94 @aubreeskailynn @calirindo @lady-elena-adeline @siriuslyslyslytherin @sushiinmidnight @patzammit @iwik3it​

a/n: what did you guys think? it feels like ages since i’ve written anything, and I am sure you can tell haha

if you are new here, check out my masterlist at the top of my blog for more Andy Barber (and Chris Evans characters) writing. I’d link it but tumblr always tag blocks me :( 

[the-chicken-or-the-banana]

I always wondered how the foxes would react to finding out that it was andrew that "hit on" neil first (specially Kevin, since he was just standing right there while that happened)

(now, i don't think they would willing just talk about it but if one of them slip up...)

Btw: i absolutely adored the goodbye kisses series

AHHH sorry for being so MIA lately but i'm absolutely loving this! also i'm realizing that i'm very bad at actually getting to the point so enjoy a shit ton of irrelevant exposition :)

read it on ao3 here

— ··· —

Kevin didn't understand why they had to come to the zoo. It was smelly, there were kids screaming everywhere, and he'd nearly been stepped on three times in the past 10 minutes. He much rather preferred exy to this.

Team bonding sucked.

He trudged along beside Aaron as Dan, Matt, and Nicky actually tried socializing with the new Foxes. Normally, Kevin would jump at the chance to talk about exy with these recruits, but also, normally he didn't feel like he'd just just rolled through a flaming dumpster filled with screeching, pooping monkeys.

Kevin let out a sigh as they passed some sort of mildly interesting snake exhibit. He nudged Aaron, who was on his phone with a red face, which meant he was either texting lovey-dovey things to Katelyn or blasting an idiot in his Ochem class. You never really knew with him.

"Aaron."

Aaron just scowled at him. Kevin sighed again. Conversing was always so much more exhausting than he anticipated.

"Snakes."

"What."

"Do you want to... see the snakes?"

Aaron blinked in confusion. "Okay?"

Kevin led them to the snakes.

There, they shoved past some families and made it to the front of the glass enclosure.

"Well?" Aaron asked. "Now what do we do?"

Valid question, Kevin thought. He hadn't really considered what they were doing. He just wanted to see snakes.

He told Aaron as much, who rolled his eyes aggressively and went back to his phone.

Kevin felt a tap on his shoulder and twisted around, coming face-to-face (well, more like chest-to-face) with some sort of tour or information guide.

"Hi!" she smiled all too brightly. Kevin wanted to cover his eyes. "How are you enjoying the exhibition?"

"Um," Kevin gulped eloquently, then remembered his media training. "Oh yeah, it's great!"

"Awesome," she beamed. "You know, there's a snake feeding session in about 5 minutes if you and your son are interested."

Kevin's face contorted in confusion. He whirled around, assuming some tiny, lost child was latched near him, but when he turned back, the lady — Sandy — had her gaze intensely focused on the only other small person near him: Aaron.

Oh dear.

Aaron seemed to come to the same conclusion as Kevin did because his eyes widened comically and he hissed "I. am. not. his. son."

Sandy blinked owlishly. "Little brother then?"

Aaron threw his hands up. "I am 21! Leave me alone." He then proceeded to stomp out of the enclosure, dragging Kevin along and leaving a very flummoxed old lady behind them.

"I can't believe it," Aaron kept muttering. "Your son. Your son! I hate life."

Kevin was a bit miffed that he hadn't actually been able to see the snakes, but he figured Aaron's plight was slightly more significant than that.

After a few moments of silent walking (Kevin) and angry grumbing (Aaron), Kevin realized he couldn't see any of the Foxes anymore. He glanced around, instinctively searching for Andrew.

"Hey, do you know where Andrew and Neil went?" Kevin asked.

Aaron scoffed. "They're probably making out somewhere."

"Who's making out?"

Aaron and Kevin both gave unholy screeches as they turned around to find Nicky standing between them, a wide, innocent grin on his face.

"What the fuck," Aaron complained. "Don't do that again, you bitch."

Nicky waved him off. "Shut up. Who's making out? Might be able to close some bets."

Kevin rolled his eyes. "We just can't find Andrew and Neil anywhere. Aaron seems to believe they're off deflowering a zoo Port-A-Potty or something."

"Well then, we wouldn't want to interrupt them, right?" Nicky winked. "Anyways, we're all going to the butterfly exhibit right now so y'all have to join us. I'm not taking no for an answer."

It seemed that they had no choice, so after sharing a resigned glance, Kevin and Aaron trudged behind an overly enthusiastic Nicky while he babbled on about some parrots that he saw. It really didn't seem as interesting as Nicky was making it out to be, but Kevin didn't want to say anything lest he was expected to participate in the conversation too.

They finally reached the butterfly exhibit where the other Foxes were waiting for them. They entered as a mass of loud, mildy buff, smelly athletes and got more than a few glares from the parents of young children who moved out of the way.

But in all this movement, the path cleared and Kevin found... Andrew and Neil? He was about to turn to Aaron and tell him that they evidently not making out, until he noticed how still Andrew was standing and the glee on Neil's face.

Nicky's gaze caught onto them a second later, because he squealed and grabbed Kevin's arm, jabbing his finger at the sight.

"Oh my God," he whispered. "Is that a butterfly on Andrew's nose? That is adorable."

Kevin squinted, and yes, that's exactly what it appeared to be. Nicky's outburst had caught Allison's attention, and she began marching over to Neil and Andrew, the rest of the Foxes in tow.

Kevin could already tell this was going to be a mess.

When they finally reached Andrew, Aaron was the first to speak. "What the fuck?" he asked flatly. Andrew glared at him. Slowly, as to not move the butterfly, he raised his hand to gently flip off his brother.

Nicky immediately started cooing. "Aww, don't worry Andrew! I think you look adorable."

Andrew began slipping out a knife.

On Allison's left, Kevin saw Dan practically shaking with laughter as she pulled out her camera and snapped a picture.

Neil opened his mouth, probably to tell off Dan but Nicky rushed in to talk to him.

"Soooo," he waggled his eyebrows. "I didn't know you could see the future, Neil."

Neil stared at him blankly and turned back to Andrew as he pulled out a map, but Nicky rallied on.

"Like, you must have been able to predict that one day Andrew was going to be this adorable. That's why you asked him out, right?"

"What?" Neil asked distractedly. "I never asked him out."

Kevin blinked in surprise. After a moment's consideration, he realized that considering how utterly oblivious Neil could be, it really was no shocker that Andrew had to ask him out first.

"Wait wait wait," Matt shook his head. "So Andrew asked you out?"

Neil waved them off as he continued squinting at the map he was holding. "Yes yes, just go ask Kevin, he was there."

All eyes turned to Kevin. Kevin was very lost.

"What the fuck," Aaron repeated. "I'm so confused."

"Me too," Kevin muttered. "Me too."

— ··· —

After their long day at the zoo was over, the Foxes finally began the trudge back up to their respective dorms. The younger Foxes dozed off immediately, but the older Foxes gathered in the girls' room to drop off the bags they had borrowed for the trip.

In all the commotion, no one really noticed Andrew and Neil leaving together. But right before they slipped out the door, Renee caught sight of them.

"Good night, you two!" she called. Neil turned around and gave her a tired wave, his body slumped on Andrew.

"Wait!" Nicky scrambled off the sofa. "Before I forget: Neil, how did Andrew ask you out?"

Neil blinked sleepily. "Well," he slurred. "He asked if he could blow me."

The room went silent.

Andrew heaved a sigh and dragged Neil out the door, leaving seven wide-eyed, very much awake athletes in their wake. Slowly, everyone turned to Kevin.

"You!" Allison weakly jabbed a finger in his direction. "You knew about this!"

Too late, Kevin realized what Neil's statement meant. Andrew had asked out Neil in front of Kevin. By offering sex. Nothing could have possibly ruined Kevin's night as much as this information had.

He met the Foxes' eyes slowly. Even Renee looked a bit surprised at Neil's admission, but she was clearly biting back a smile. "Trust me," Kevin groaned. "If I had known this had happened, I would have won myself so many bets."

"Damn," Nicky sighed. "I wish Erik and I had such an iconic story. Who knew the quiet, stabby cousin was such a horny gay bastard?"

"I," Aaron announced hotly. "have never wanted to forget a conversation more than this one."

"But Aaron. Andrew asked to blow him."

"Nicky, I swear— "

"OH MY GOD. They're probably having sex right now! Kevin, could you— "

Aaron put his head in his hands. "Please shut up now."