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lostintheuniverseslies · 1 year ago

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Fic Master Post

AFTG & 9-1-1 Fandoms

Trying My Best ● All For The Game

Rated E ● 75,271 Words ● 20 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Part 1 of a Series ● Finished

“You refuse to talk to Bee. If today was any indication, I’d say you cannot afford to continue going on without talking to her.” “I’m not talking to her,” Neil said resolutely. “Then we’re at an impasse. I will not waste my time worrying about a rabbit who will neither call me nor see a therapist for his problems.” Basically Neil and Andrew figure out how to help each other through the good and bad days.

Safe Zone ● All For The Game

Rated G ● 3,062 Words ● 1 Chapter ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Part 2 of a Series ● Finished

Andrew wakes up with a fever but like the hard headed shit he is, he tries to power through it. Nothing goes as planned and he finds a begrudging comfort in Neil.

Stay With Me ● All For The Game

Rated E ● 97,333 Words ● 21 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Part 3 of a Series ● Finished

Neil had let Andrew say goodbye to every important person left in Palmetto while he stood on the sidelines and cheered Andrew on. There was only one goodbye left and it would be the most painful one. It seemed as though it was finally hitting Neil too. They only had twenty-seven days together and then Neil would return to Palmetto alone for the first time since Millport. -They spent the first year after everything healing. Now they have to learn how to navigate being away from each other while Andrew is off playing in the pros and Neil is still at Palmetto finishing his fifth year. Things aren't easy. They never seem to be for them but they're fighters. And they always come out on top.-

Three Steps ● All For The Game

Rated M ● 33,033 Words ● 3 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Finished

After Mary died, Neil went to the FBI and helped them take down not only Nathan and his inner circle but also the Moriyama family. Now free to do as he pleases, he decided that he wants some normal life experiences. What better way to accomplish that than to enroll at Palmetto University. He doesn't expect to find friendship in his roommates and definitely doesn't expect to fall for the man who sits in the corner of the café with blades under his armbands and hair that shines like a halo in the sun.

If Only I Were Enough ● All For The Game

Rated M ● 50,970 Words ● 15 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Finished

After Andrew moves to Colorado to start his professional Exy career, he intends on everything being okay between him and Neil. But when his self-destructive tendencies tell him that he doesn't need Neil Josten in his life, everything goes to shit. Things between them seem unrepairable and he's not so sure he wants to even try. But when Neil gets into a dangerous car wreck, Andrew finds himself back at the junkie's side with a deadline to fix things or walk away forever.

Somebody's Watching Me ● All For The Game

Rated G ● 4,960 Words ● 1 Chapter ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Finished

It's October and the monsters are out shopping when they come across a very creepy doll. Neil decides to have some fun with it by scaring Nicky at every corner.

Monsters, Friends, and Candy ● All For The Game

Rated G ● 3,211 Words ● 1 Chapter ● Pairing: None ● Part 1 of a Series ● Finished

Bee has spent the last two years hoping that she was doing good by Andrew and Aaron. Hoping that she had done a decent enough job that they truly believed they were safe and loved by her. She gets her answer when she overhears Andrew comforting a scared Neil.

Nothing Mattered Until You ● All For The Game

Rated M ● 22,497 Words ● 5 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Jean ● Finished

On the docks in Marseille, Neil fell in love. But his mother ripped him away and for years he never dared hope to see Jean again. He believed that he would die before ever getting the chance. But when recuperating with his uncle after his father is killed, Neil's chance comes. Unfortunately, he isn't the only one who went through some horrible things over the years. Despite their horrible pasts, they decide to try for a future together. Going to college and even making some friends along the way. But Riko has other plans and wants back what he considers his.

A Quiet Little Seedling ● All For The Game

Rated E ● 166,687 Words ● 31 of 31 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Part 1 of a Series ● Finished

Neil had a lot of secrets. He didn’t want much in life except to live quietly, run his botanical store, upload TikToks covering plant care, and for not a single person to find out that he’s the best-selling author N.A.J who published one book anonymously five years prior and disappeared. His life takes a turn when his literary agent tracks him down for a follow-up book with the theme of feeling settled and at peace. Two things Neil is not. Thus begins his journey of planting roots in a town he’s lived in for years, starting with making friends with people who have tried to bring him into their circle. As Neil gets closer to them and his secrets become less guarded, there’s still that one big secret he intends on taking to his grave. But the closer he gets to his friends the closer he unknowingly gets to that secret being revealed.

Where Monsters Hide ● All For The Game

Rated T ● 4,299 Words ● 1 Chapter ● Pairing: Neil&Andrew ● Part 2 of a Series ● Finished

Years after their first Halloween together, where Andrew found Neil hiding under a table and vowed to protect him, Neil still finds solace in his best friend’s steadfast presence. But when a cruel Halloween prank traps Neil in a dark storage closet filled with spiders—the one thing he fears most—he’s thrown back into memories of his painful past and the terror he thought he’d left behind. In his panic, Neil clings to the one constant in his life: Andrew, who has always kept his promise to protect him.

More Than Survival ● All For The Game

Rated M ● 4,252 Words ● 1 of ? Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Jean ● Ongoing

Neil Josten never imagined he'd end up at FoxTech Innovations, a mid-sized consumer technology company founded on second chances. Between the weight of his past, the loss of his leg, and court-mandated therapy following a violent altercation, Neil is just trying to keep his head above water. When his therapist suggests a therapeutic pen pal program, he reluctantly agrees, finding unexpected solace in the anonymous letters exchanged with someone who seems to understand the weight of survival. Little does Neil know, his pen pal is closer than he thinks. At FoxTech, Neil crosses paths with Jean Moreau, a reserved marketing coordinator whose quiet empathy draws Neil in despite his resistance to trust. As their letters deepen into confessions of pain and hope, and their work relationship begins to take shape, Neil finds himself caught between the vulnerability of his pen pal connection and the guarded relationships he’s trying to build in real life. Can the words of a stranger—and the growing connections he never expected—help Neil find the courage to confront his past and embrace the possibility of something more?

Andrew's Agenda ● All For The Game

Rated E ● 4,659 Words ● 1 of 1 Chapters ● Pairing: Neil/Andrew ● Part 2 of a Series ● Finished

When Neil chooses work over their day off together, Andrew can’t resist stirring up a little mischief. After all, it’s not his fault Neil entrusted him with the login credentials to N.A.J.’s official Twitter account. What could possibly go wrong when Andrew takes the reins?

Where It All Went Right ● 9-1-1

Rated T ● 4,944 Words ● 1 of 1 Chapters ● Pairing: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Tommy Kinard ● Finished

Buck is hit by a car while saving a little girl. Before help arrives, he makes a call. Tommy doesn’t answer.

Give Me Tonight ● 9-1-1

Rated M ● 2,245 Words ● 1 of 1 Chapters ● Pairing: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Tommy Kinard ● Finished

Buck didn’t want to jump. Not at first. Sitting on the edge of a condemned high-rise, tequila warming his veins and quieting his thoughts, he wonders if making the silence permanent wouldn’t be so bad. Then Tommy shows up—blue flight suit, steady hands, and a voice that refuses to let him disappear.

#AFTG Fics #Trying My Best #Safe Zone #Stay With Me #Healing Series #Three Steps #If Only I Were Enough #Somebody's Watching Me #Monsters Friends and Candy #Nothing Mattered Until You #A Quiet Little Seedling #Where Monsters Hide #More Than Survival #Andrew's Agenda #aftg andreil #9-1-1 Fics #BuckTommy #BuckTommy Fics

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afurtivecake · 4 months ago

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choosing violence asks 🔥 7 8 18 22 >:3 - luni

7. which character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because of how fanon acts around them?

i don't have any characters i feel any particular dislike towards. but i did end up giving up on writing a fic because of how people talk about jean and jeremy. it was supposed to be like a bit of a romcom where jeremy feels like everything is going swimmingly with jean being part of the team and everything is a-okay...until cat and laila sit him down like they have something serious to discuss and tell him, hey, dude, i know you wanted a new project to work on this year and you've always wanted a pet, but, bro, jean isn't the answer. and jeremy would be all like, what are you talking about? i don't see jean as a pet! and laila, being the sensible one, would be like, "uh huh... what are your plans for this morning?" and jeremy would answer, "oh, I just was going to take jean out for a wal........." and they'd stare at him judgmentally. and the rest of the fic would be jeremy realizing that he really does do things that could be construed as him treating jean like a pet dog and having a crisis of conscience because of it. meanwhile, jean is like, awkwardly trying to figure out how to seduce jeremy and getting annoyed by how damn difficult it is. like, at first jeremy seemed to be just really dense, and just when he thinks jeremy's finally figured it out, jeremy goes and acts like a chaste and prudish victorian lady. anyway, there was supposed to be like, misunderstandings and shenanigans and attempts to seduce with puppy play. but seeing so many people talk as if jeremy ought only every be a paragon on virtue and the perfect friend and savior jean needs and that jean should never feel any obligation towards him ever has rather soured my enthusiasm for writing jeremy.

8.common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about.

usually if i think people are wrong, i just go ahead and make a post that says what i think is right so i'm surprisingly having a hard time thinking of something for this.

oh ok. yeah, riko isn't bad at exy. neil and the foxes didn't beat riko and ravens because they played a better game. the battle they had between them wasn't even about exy. if riko had truly valued exy rather than power, he would have put everything into the game and the ravens would have won. but he was more concerned with proving he had power. and neil realized that. neil realized they couldn't beat the ravens at exy; the only way the foxes could really take down the ravens is to weaken their team. that's why he sends renee to honeytrap jean and to lure him away from riko. that's why he takes the risk to tattle on riko to ichirou and bring down ichirou's scrutiny upon the ravens instead of leaving it be. in the end, neil doesn't even win playing the position he's fought so hard to become good at. they didn't best the ravens at exy, they bested riko at his own game, the one he took the most pride in: wielding power to win with underhanded means. neil didn't outplay riko - he out-gangstered him.

so no, riko isn't bad at exy. he may not be as good as kevin, but you only need to be half as good as kevin to be loads better than anyone else. and riko was more than half as good as kevin. the problem was that he didn't make his fight with the foxes about exy.

18.it's absolutely criminal the fandom has been sleeping on....

two things: 1. riko ships. 2. nicky ships.

when i first came into this fandom, i was dead sure that there would be a ton, like A TON, of kevriko, neil/riko and jean/riko fics. like maybe even nathan/riko for the freaks. like, idk how you can read aftg and not think, "damn, these 'perfect court' assholes want to explore each other's bodies really badly huh?" like, riko is %100 talking like he's kevin's abusive ex. and don't get me started on neil and riko's insane christmas holiday. in fact i was so sure of this in my mind that i assumed i'd have to wade through oodles of "fix-it" fics or AUs that sand down all of kevin, jean and riko's edges and make them live in domestic bliss, just to find ones that were like, kinda dark and dramatic. anyway i was just coming off the high of finishing tkm and so andreil was my primary concern. i didn't think much about riko ships at all because i assume other people had that covered and if i really felt like it, i'd go trawl through them. and then i discover that apparently other people do NOT already have that covered.

similar thing with nicky ships. in all my previous fandoms, the outwardly cheerful, kinda slutty characters get ALL the ships. like, you cannot take two steps in those fandoms without running into works about those characters getting fucked to hell and back. i just assumed that would happen with nicky and it just...doesn't.

turns out I'M the one that's weird for thinking these things? you don't know how shocked i was (this was before i found out TSC was coming out) to find that people have arrived at jerejean before arriving at kevriko or kevin/nicky/erik? what the fuck guys? now i have to do it myself? come on, folks. this is a 10-year old fandom. what am i missing here?

22.your favourite part of canon that everyone else ignores

ok there is one thing that i really like that i've never seen anyone else like as much as i do and it's when thea barges into their room ready to have an argument and andrew shows up, takes one look at thea and basically goes, meh ok, carry on. it's so funny to me. like, this is the guy who's spent the entire series ready to shank anyone who comes at kevin. thea shows up and andrew's just like, yeah, not touching this one with a ten-foot pole. you're on your own, mate. and then just goes to stand with neil to watch the whole thing like it's a real-life soap opera. first of all, it means that andrew implicitly trusts thea despite never having met her. and second, i like to think it's andrew's way of saying, "you called this upon yourself, kevin." i like to think that andrew's been listening to kevin talk about his long-distance girlfriend whom he ghosted a year ago but fully expects to still want him back this entire time. and he's never said anything about it, because it's not his problem, but he has been silently judging kevin and thinking like, "fucking straight people."

#asking the hard questions here :)#i enjoyed it #asked and answered

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dayurno · 1 year ago

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more than a woman is the ultimate kevin day song to me……. im so glad you agree…… i knew you would understand. i was listening to that playlist the other day and realized i HADNT added it yet and it felt like an oversight so i had to fix it immediately. it was very important to me the whole playlist wasn’t sad. i stsrted my kevin playlist in the height of me losing my mind about him last year in july (i read the books for the first time at the end of may!) but it only made me crazier so i held off making the jean one until november LOL. his is def a little more sad but i think a good portion of the songs are hopeful :-) and YEAH jean is soooo hozier to me. i gave myself a limit on how many hozier songs i could add. it will probably be broken eventually

UR PINTEREST BOARD that fic is going to kill me. im so excited every time you share something about it…. the dynamics seem so fun ^-^ also the richard siken tweet in there Took me Out. i own and have read crush by him so many times like it’s such a big part of who i am and relating that to kerejean makes me. sbdjebx. sweating. nauseous. so excited. the vibes are so good, it feels very nostalgic and warm already….. btw your jean playlist hit me over the head and gave me a.Concussion. i wanna get better???!?! under the table???? OOM SHA LA LA? that song changed my brain chemistry like three years ago and im going to associate it with him forever now. your kevjean playlist being so long is so very real too….. i need to sit down and listen to the full nine hours of it.

DBSIDBSID. the kandrew beef is Personal and it’s so funny. i am working on making them get closer it just takes a lot of time bc andrew simply does not like to stick around. he comes to a sort of truce with them at some point, mostly after he and jean have a Talk alone, but he still doesn’t like kevin for a while. there IS side andreil tho…. neil is 26 :3 he comes to visit kevjean in paris for a bit and immediately causes problems. but the problems help them get their shit together so it’s fine! andrew is of course intrigued. most of it happens in the background tho bc they like to disappear together…… but neil actually ends up in foster care and gets adopted by wymack when he’s around 13, which is around the same age andrew is adopted and meets jeremy, so they understand each other still :) they do a lot of sneaking around and do not want their relationship perceived at all vs jeremy knox head of the PDA committee and very happy for his own friend finding love.

the biting…….. jeremy falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum but he does suffer from the most intense feelings of love anyone has ever felt and will latch on like a dog and not let go sometimes. it really depends on his mood and what they’re doing how hard he bites ^-^ jean almost never complains but kevin always does. as is how they are. and they really both love attacking kevin. sitting there biting at his neck and shoulders and jean in particular likes gnawing on the wrist bone. jeremy is only a few inches shorter than kevin but will not hesitate to push him around….. dreamy sigh. at first he’s very nervous about overstepping Anything around either of them but once he knows that they actually like him he becomes such a menace. it’s his life’s duty to make kevin day, his childhood celebrity crush, a little embarrassed and whiny. both he and jean are soooo happy to tease kevin and kevin complains constantly about being ganged up on. jeremy is actually still IN college too, he turns 23 toward the beginning of the fic (i. hc him as a cancer!) and he and andrew have their fifth year to get through so he’s really just some college kid nibbling on and picking on them and taking over their apartment. trust that jean gets teased too he wouldn’t want anyone left out!

JEANFO….. jean….. my apple strudel….. there is so much i could say about him but it feels hard to do him justice…… he really is so special. he’s a little more healed of course bc he’s 28 and has always had kevin keeping contact with him. kevin got out at 14 so jean was there for 6 years without him and it’s really. it’s not a good time for him. but kevin refuses to lose contact and even sneaks across state lines to see him at 16 when he gets his license (with 14yo neil). jean has always had something to hold onto and live for. so jean is doing okay……. he still struggles and he’s very stubborn so he would rather AVOID things and kevin isn’t the kind of person who’s going to push him to face them (kevin has his own things to avoid) but he gets a good push from jeremy. and he LOVESSSS keremy. it’s one of his greatest joys that the two people he loves most care about each other the way they do. he’s so obsessed with them and so excited to show them off when they get together with friends. he’s really a little bit of a clingy freak :-) ESPECIALLY if he gets drunk. he’s a very needy drunk and if someone doesn’t kiss him (or if he doesn’t get to bite) his whole night is ruined and they certainly can’t have that. he learns quickly he cannot keep up with jeremy Party Boy knox tho. he’s a silly guy <3 sooo bitchy to everyone outside of his boyfriends but tender with them…. they’re trusted with his girlish little heart. i could talk about him for ages but i fear tumblr will cut me off LOL our responses to each other are getting so long like we’re writing letters by candlelight to be sent post-haste…..

HELLO MY LOVE im sorry for the late reply my pc was out of commission and answering asks on mobile is terrible but i am back now as your penpal. I LOVED MORE THAN A WOMAN OFC i understand i think i've had so many kevin day playlists since i first read aftg in 2020 (which feels like such a lifetime ago!), so i try not to keep too much track of them and not to take them or myself too seriously either. in a way all the playlists i've made have been an abstract of my life at the time of making so i want to preserve them that way! which is why my kandrew playlist is 6 hours long. because i am preserving.

THANK YOU FOR LIKING MY PINBOARD i wanted this fic most of all to be an ode to friendship. in kandreil i think theres so much history and tension there that sometimes it's easy to forget that there are other reasons people can stay together, so i wanted to write a kerejean where they felt like they were genuinely friends before it ever started careening into romance!!!! i think it's working. Probably. it's a very joyful and warm fic (or at least i hope it is) and i've been having a lot of fun with dialogue specifically because so much of friendship is just talking! anyway ah i have to stop myself before i spoil anything so just know it's going to be fun. hopefully. and there's a scene where jean calls kevin the first flower of edgar allen (direct rip off from tlt but bear with me)

I LOVE THEM BOTH TEASING KEVIN!!!! is there anything more genuine than teasing your crush together.......... that's the kind of thing i live 4 in relationship dynamics................ ohhh i just know this fic will get me so bad if it ever sees the light of day (heh).... ALSO HE'S STILL IN COLLEGE KEVINNNNNNNNNNN kevin youre letting a man still in college boss you around youve been better and more dignified endings. AND I LOVE DRUNK JEAN THANK YOU especially needy aiyayayaya..... my favorite senseless hc is that jean is a lightweight and he cant keep up with neither jeremy nor kevin nor renee. he's drunk off of one glass while the other three compete to see who can get liver failure first. he has been consistently getting drinked under the table by kevin for years. our beautiful apple strudel....... our little cabbage as the french say. :-)

i hope my candlelight letter reaches YOU post-haste and ofc im sorry for the wait!

#im sorry 2 everyone who sent asks these days really BUT IM BACK NOW I PROMISE #lets kiki again and have fun because god knows in these trying fucking times we need it #asks #kerejean fic anon

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altruistic-meme · 4 years ago

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AFTG fic recs

Hi all! I just wanted to share some of my all-time favorite fanfics for aftg, for no real reason other than I want more people to read them and send their love to the authors :)

Under a readmore because it got. A little long. But please enjoy!

WIPs

Dangerous Habits by LovelyLittleGrim ( @lovelylittlegrim )

Andrew has run into problems while on undercover jobs before. None of those problems were anything like the troublesome runaway that is one Nathaniel Wesninski

Aka: the fic where Andrew is undercover as a hitman for hire and Neil is the guy who hires him. Things get complicated from there.

Undercover Andrew? BAMF Neil? Hitman AU?? Absolutely. I’m in love. The story is just *chef kisses*

Chapters: 8/9

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, past rape/non-con, Drake Spear (who is his own warning), Butcher Neil,

Negotiations by elesary ( @elesary )

This is what Andrew Minyard knows: his brother is dead, killed by a petty Raven prince who has never learned to keep his hands off of Andrew's things. His brother's daughters are his responsibility, a job that is made infinitely harder when their shitty grandparents want custody. Nathaniel Wesninski is a liar, but he might be the only way to avenge Aaron and protect his nieces. All Andrew has to do is watch Nathaniels - Neil's- back as he carves out his own life and identity from everyone who thinks they own him.

Andrew has always been good at upholding his end of the bargain, has he finally found someone willing to uphold theirs?

This fic has got me fucked up, honestly. I’m emotional over it. It’s fantastic.

Chapters: 11/?

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, attempted sexual assault, Butcher Neil,

the upper hand by plantelty ( @plantelty )

Shortly after losing his mother, Neil arrives in the small town of Palmetto, South Carolina, alone in the world and with an impossible plan to carry through.

At the age of eighteen, Andrew ends up helping a boy stage his own death.

Just two fucked up boys learning to trust each other during the course of a summer, but also: multiple references to songs, twinyard angst (Nicky tries his best), The Plotting of Neil Josten's Gruesome Demise, and shit hitting the fan in a variety of ugly ways!

The cliffhanger has got me on the edge of my seat, but it is 100% worth the read and the wait for the last chapter!!

Chapters: 10/11

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Canon typical violence,

The Butcher’s House by Fire_Bear ( @fire-bear )

Andrew thought something was odd with the house the Foxes had to move into after their Athletes' House had been burnt down. He just wasn't prepared for what was actually wrong with it.

For this was a house full of monsters.

Ghost story! Ghost story! Ghost story! I literally think about this fic every other day, it’s fantastic.

Chapters: 6/?

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Warnings: character death (major or minor is unclear), injuries,

Promise of an Unbroken Boy by elesary ( @elesary )

Neil is caught by the police with Mary's burning body and is sent to juvie in Oakland where he is assigned to share a cell with one Andrew Doe, who promises him Exy, if only Neil will tell him all of his secrets. With no access to tinted contacts and hair dye, he agrees, it's only a matter of time until he's killed after all. What does he have to lose?

But Andrew's found someone who knows what a promise means, and he'll be damned if he lets that go without a fight.

Ngl this is definitely in my very top favorites -- I LOVE the idea of Neil and Andrew meeting pre-series, and this fic just BLEW my expectations for that plotline out of the waters

Chapters: 14/?

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, Underage, attempted rape/non-con, canon-typical violence,

~~~~~~~~~

Complete

The Nameless Monster by kanekicure ( @kanekicure )

Nathaniel Wesninski wants nothing more than to see his father dead and buried. But when his father promises him the title of The Butcher, Nathaniel quickly realizes that his destiny of following in his father's footsteps is closer than ever before.

So of course, when he gets forced to go undercover for the Baltimore police, he starts seeing what living could truly be.

Andrew Minyard is a newly recruited police officer for the worst precinct in Baltimore, who is dedicated on hunting down the notorious Butcher and his unnamed underling. But when Neil Josten is thrown into his midst as his civilian consultant; he starts to realize some things don't quite appear as they seem.

I love the story telling -- the secret identities, the plotting, everything.

Chapters: 14/14

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, Butcher Neil, implied/referenced rape/non-con, implied/referenced child abuse, implied/referenced slef-harm (I believe there is a scene that is somewhat detailed on this subject), some characters also get drugged at one point,

that’s just something people say by nanatsuyu ( @theoctopusnods )

Neil makes the mistake of stealing the wrong car. Andrew makes the mistake of offering a ride to a liar. They both make the mistake of turning the whole affair into a road trip ‘home.’

Gonna be honest; the summary does not give a big idea as to what is in store and i am SO GLAD I gave this one a try so i’m telling you that you will be too

Chapters: 24/24

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse, panic attacks (somewhat grahic descriptions of)

The Story After You by kanekicure ( @kanekicure )

Andrew Minyard does not understand how Riko Moriyama landed Neil Wesninski.

How the snot-nosed, small dick, rich brat, second son of the Moriyama family who also just so happened to own the largest EXY gear and merchandiser company in the world “RAVEN” - had landed smart mouthed, quick witted, stupidly blue eyed Wesninski, was beyond him. Well, unless Wesninski was a gold digger, but Andrew doubted it.

Or; how Andrew Minyard says he doesn't get into messy situations, until he meets Neil and suddenly he is in the most messiest possible situation ever imagined in his life - oh and also, he might be becoming a homewrecker.

Ok I am behind bc I haven’t read the final chapter of this but!! I love the story, it’s very emotional and moving, and I love the characterization in it.

Chapters: 10/10

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Abusive Riko/Neil, abusive relationship, implied/referenced rape/non-con, implied/reference child abuse, implied/referenced self-harm, graphic depictions of violence, some descriptions of injuries/scarring,

This Complicated Life by 5a5b5p5 ( @andrewsbutterflyknife )

“This is exactly why I don’t want you and Andrew to meet,” Aaron says grumpily. “You two would get along far too well.”

Neil grins. “I just like pissing you off,” he says, “It’s not my fault your brother does such a good job at it.”

—

Neil doesn’t expect much from his Sophomore year of college, but when he becomes a waiter at the Palmetto Bistro, his life gets a whole lot more interesting. As it turns out, maintaining friendships new and old as well as navigating an interesting relationship with the head chef of the restaurant—who just so happens to be his best friend’s twin brother—is a lot more complicated than he’d thought it would be.

A much more light-hearted fic than most of the others! Includes a secret relationship, and also chef Andrew >>

Chapters: 10/10

Rating: Mature

Warnings:

When I Fade, Keep Me in Your Memory by demesh

Neil Josten has a secret: he can flicker out of existence.

He can vanish with the turn of a thought; click his fingers, and suddenly he’s not there anymore. Invisible and untouchable, he becomes a living ghost.

Having promised his mother never to let his ability go, Neil teeters the line between faded and real, a person and an echo. He can’t risk getting hurt.

But then, one day, someone sees him when they shouldn’t be able to.

A (flower-shop) AU about how a faded and lonely Neil finds it in him to become someone real.

Another fic that I need to catch up on ;; but anyway it’s amazing and I love Neil’s ability in it, it’s so well explained and well-written about

Chapters: 12/12

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Warnings: mentions of past abuse, panic attacks

12 Ways to Woo a Minyard by NikNak22 ( @knickknacksandallthat )

Neil is a math nerd who, by a stroke of dumb luck, falls into a group of friends that are the closest thing to family he’s ever had. So, when he tells them about his new mysterious crush, he shouldn’t be surprised how immediately they come up with a plan to help win them over. One they insist that if Neil follows it, he’ll have them falling for him in no time. But things don’t always go to plan – or do they?

Nicky wants to set him up with someone else. Matt and Jeremy are confused but supportive. Allison and Seth offer lewd suggestions, while Dan does her best to keep everyone in line. Jean and Renee know something, Aaron doesn’t really care, and Kevin just wants Neil to join the lacrosse team.

But one thing’s for certain – whether Neil’s successful or not, everyone’s got money riding on this.

The romance-trope-filled fanfic of my dreams. Sometimes you just need a fic of pure joy -- this is that fic.

Chapters: 14/14

Rating: Mature

Warnings:

finders keepers by moonix ( @annawrites )

Andrew meets Nathaniel through a scavenger hunt app. As their team takes part in a hunt that sends each of them to creepy, abandoned places alone to solve clues and gain points, Andrew and Nathaniel begin a little treasure hunt of their own. The anonymity of getting to know each other in small increments, never meeting face-to-face, allows them a level of intimacy neither are used to. Meanwhile Renee’s friend Neil is acting weird whenever Andrew shows up…

This was one of the first fics I read for aftg!! And BOY what a great start!! All of the little pieces and parts that work together, and just the scavenger hunt itself is fantastic! (I also REALLY wanna know if there is an app like this out there because I would be down to do that)

Chapters: 8/8

Rating: Mature

Warnings: (these all come from the author:) “mentions of historical abuse in a mental asylum, mentions of suicide, mentions of murder and kidnapping, morbid facts, creepy abandoned places including a haunted house at a theme park with disturbing rooms, special appearance of a creepy clown doll, fatphobia and some introspection on body image/complicated relationship with food, mention of self harm scars”

-----

Scared to Live (But I’m Scared to Die) by Major_816 ( @major816 )

Neil Josten goes to the Nest for Andrew, but he stays for a lot more.

"I'm sorry Coach," he muttered.

"For what kid?" Wymack shifted. "You've got to give me something to work with here."

Wymack watched the thin traces of sorrow as paper exchanged hands and he was looking down at a contract with the Edgar Allan Raven's.

"I signed them Coach, I'm sorry."

The one where Neil doesn't come back from Winter Break.

It is VERY dark, and is one of very few fics that I have actually been almost unable to read one of the scenes, so DEFINITELY pay attention to the warnings -- both these, and the ones provided for each individual chapter. I did go through the fic to collect as many warnings as I could find in the chapter warnings, but be sure to take care of yourself.

Chapters: 36/36

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: rape/non-con elements, implied/referenced rape/non-con, discussions of rape/non-con, canon-typical violence, graphic descritions, physical abuse, panic attacks, descriptions of injuries (often graphic), psychological warfare, dissociating, psychological torture, physical torture, use of knives, alcoholism/alcohol abuse, pain-induced delirium, rape/non-con, emotional self-separation, suicidal ideation/thoughts of suicide, emotional distress (which sums up the whole fic and also me while reading it), handcuffs/chains used as restraints, referenced/implied abuse towards animals, vomitting, begging, excessive use of painkillers, drowning, waterboarding, physical restraint, mutilation of an animal, mild hallucinations, non-con drugging, sleep deprivation, starvation, humiliation, the Butcher,

Also one of the first fics I read and 100% my absolute favorite fic!!! Which is adfjhsd a little worrying, considering, but it is what it is. Anyway. This fic absolutely wrecked me, and while it is technically complete, there is a sequel in the works! So! But I am so so excited for the sequel, and I am working on rereading this. It’s amazing. 1000/10.

#also!! btw i would love if anyone has more fic recs >> just an fyi >>#idk if demesh doesn't have a tumblr but i couldn't find one :(#also major816 for some reason i can never tag and idk why #aftg #all for the game #andreil #the foxhole court #tfc #andrew minyard #neil josten #fic rec #rec list

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doodlingstuff · 4 years ago

Text

Coffee first?

Very late @aftgexchange gift for @rainbow-0bsidian Here's a Coffee Shop AU featuring an evil autumn-colored crocheted nanna-rug. Hope you like it!

---

"I don't even know why I'm letting you drag me into this. I have a paper due tomorrow." Jean says, tapping furiously into his laptop as if the excessive noise will make him go faster.

"Because the two of you need to go out more often! Unless you are, you know, like together, in which case-"

"Don't even finish that thought." Andrew threatens Dan from his place, smoking on the window.

Dan crosses her arms. She's in the middle of the room, where she can look at both men at the same time. The truth is, she knows they both have lives. Or sort of... But she doesn't want to go alone to meet the cute beefcake from the gym on her first date.

They've been eyeing each other for long enough without saying anything, that in the end, it had been Dan who proposed having coffee in her preferred place.

"Okay. I'm done." Jean announces, closing his laptop. "Move it, Minyard."

"I didn't sign myself to be her chaperon."

"And I'm not going to be their third wheel."

"Guys, come on! I never ask anything from either of you."

Both men turn to shot daggers at Dan. Technically, she spends most of the week asking things, but that is because she's the team's captain, and they're supposed to fall under her command.

"I'll buy you a slice of each cake," Dan says to Andrew. "And I'll help you finish your paper when we return." She adds to Jean. "Can we go now?"

Andrew shrugs before discarding his half-smoked cigarette. Dan feels immediate relief. She won't go alone. Her roommates will be there, and if everything goes to awful hell, she can always count on Allison and Renee to cry all night.

"How do I look?" Dan asks the men. She still has a few minutes to make last-minute changes.

Andrew swipes her from top to bottom and Jean from her shoes to her hair.

"Could be worse."

"Halloween is coming."

Dan feels her belly churning with dread. It must be the boots, or the sweater, or the hair. Or perhaps she overdid her makeup? What if-

"Wilds, no." Andrew breaks the silence. Dan turns to look at him. If she has to give the tiny man credit for something, is that he knows how to dress when he means it. She should've asked for his help. Or Jean.

Oh, for fuck's sake. She's so stupid! She also lives with a French, and she couldn't ask for advice. This Matt guy is turning her into a puddle of uselessness.

"I said no. Let's go." Andrew cuts in again and storms out of the door.

Dan sighs and goes out, ready to fail.

The way goes silent. Andrew and Jean occasionally type something on their phones. They are closer to each other than they are to Dan. Like real bodyguards. At least that gives Dan a bit of security.

She breathes in the chilly morning autumn air and pushes the door of the Fox Coffee Shop, already scanning the tables. There's no sign of her big man yet. She might have a few minutes to steel herself for the stunning view and relax before he-

"What are you doing? Don't leave me with her!" Jean scowls behind her. She turns on her heels to see Andrew leaving the coffee shop.

"Andrew! What are you doing? Andrew!"

Dan is finally thankful for choosing shoes she can run with. She is so worried about being left alone with the cute man that she doesn't pay attention to the sound of windows smashing at her back and hurries more to step in front of Andrew.

"We got a deal! What's wrong with you?"

Andrew only lifts a brow. It would've been enough to make Dan step aside if she didn't know him so well already, and she hadn't noticed the faint blush on his cheeks.

"Can we go back? I got a date."

"Go ahead. I don't." There's the faintest of inflections in the last part. Dan would've asked if she only had time. Right now, she wants her date to be perfect, and it's coming pretty bad from before the start.

"I'll also get you fancy ice cream when I'm done. Andrew, come on, I need you."

The man looks from Dan's face to the coffee shop at the back. His cheeks blush again.

"Is he worth it?"

"I'll never know if we don't meet."

"Chocolate fudge, rocky road, brownie, and cookie chips. Plus the cakes, and I reserve the right to stab him if he isn't worth it."

"Awesome. You're the best. Come on; he must be there."

Dan makes her way back to the coffee shop, feeling pounds lighter with Andrew going willingly behind her. However, the relief doesn't last long.

There's a crowd of people at the entrance of the place. Dan makes way for her and Andrew to see what's the source of the commotion. A million scenes cross her mind. All of them, except the one with Jean on the floor, cursing in angry French at a blond man who's pressing gauze to his forehead.

"I can't take care of that cut if you keep moving, you know?" The blond says.

"Leave my head alone and get rid of that stupid rug!" Jean protests.

Dan looks at the spot pointed by Jean. There's a crumpled autumn-colored crocheted nana-rug on the floor.

"As if it was the rug's fault that you can't see where you put your feet. Or your whole body, for that matter." Interjects a small man from aside. He gives a few steps to get close to the window that apparently, met Jean's head. "At least you hit with the wall and didn't break the window."

"Neil, can you go back to attending orders?" The blond man asks, still busy attending Jean.

At her back, Dan hears Andrew muttering "Neil" to himself.

"I'm not cleaning his blood." The man -Neil-, says as he goes back to the counter.

Dan doesn't pay any more attention to him and crouches beside Jean. "What happened?"

"I wanted to catch Andrew before he ran away and slipped with their stupid rug. Who puts a rug in the middle of a coffee shop?"

"I did; any problems?" Neil replies from the back of the counter.

"You are a problem!" Jean shouts at the same time that Andrew says it, already in front of Neil. The blush has extended from his cheeks to his ears.

"It's just an attitude problem," Neil says, quieter, only for Andrew to hear, but the whole shop is still silent with the commotion.

"I'll still solve you," Andrew says with a casual shrug that can fool anyone but Dan or Jean.

"At least buy something before."

The blond man. Jeremy reads his tag, just puts his head inside his hands. "This job is going to kill me."

At that moment, Dan can see the instant shuffle in Jean. When he sees the exhaustion in Jeremy, he also goes slack against the wall, all tension between him, the rug, and Neil instantly gone. "I'm sorry for causing you trouble, love. It's just- Andrew's impossible, and our girl Dan here is having her first date with a guy from the gym."

Dan can't think anymore. She doesn't even know what's going on. Jean and Jeremy are holding hands on the floor, and Andrew is having a heavy staring contest with Neil at the counter.

"Love?" Is all she can mutter.

"We've been dating for weeks. We didn't want to tell you because I thought you liked him." Jean says.

"I- What?"

"You come here so often that I thought you might come for me? It wouldn't be the first time. And I know it wouldn't be because of Neil; he doesn't seem your type." Jeremy explains.

Dan feels dumbfounded. Her knees are about to give up below here. This can't be happening.

"I come here because of the morning views, the warm lattes, the pecan pie, and the free Wi-Fi! And I have a fucking date with a super hot guy who's like seven feet of glorious muscle crowned with a perfect smile and the most hilarious sense of humor. Why would I even look at you? No offense, Jean, I can see the appeal."

"Do you think all that of me?" Asks a deep voice behind Dan.

"Fuck me now," Dan mutters to Jean's and Jeremy's entertainment.

"Uh... Thought we could have coffee first? But I can do that too if that's what you want. I mean, who wouldn't? You're like a goddess."

"I- Wh- So- Do you really think I'm a goddess?"

"Hell yeah, I've been wanting to ask you out since spring but thought like your friend's boyfriend that you were into him and I-"

"Shut up and kiss me."

Dan doesn't think as she talks and pulls Matt in for a kiss.

All her nerves melt as soon as their mouths meet. It's so much better than anything she had imagined. Not that she'd put too many thoughts into picturing herself with Matt, but it's everything she ever dreamt of and then some.

"You could do the same someday." Dan listens to Andrew deadpan to Neil. She bursts into laughter at the same time as Matt.

The kiss breaks, but their hands remain holding as they go to get their drinks and officially start their date.

It looks like this date won't be a total failure after all.

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crazy-fangirl2524 · 4 years ago

Note

I read your bisexual aromantic Kevin post and omg im so intrigued! could you (if you want ofc) expand on why you think he's aromantic or other headcanons you have about it? Thank you!

Canonly, Kevin was supposed to be with Andrew and Neil. Nora was forced to cut out all that part as she thinks it’s “too much”. Thus according to this, Kevin was actually not straight but then nora changed it.

The whole fandom felt that Kevin is definitely not straight and either ship him with Andrew, Neil, Nicky, Aaron or their ocs. And it could be said that Nora used Thea as a shock factor and to just pair him up with someone. Furthermore, when renee told Neil that Andrew’s not straight Neil’s first thought was that Kevin and Andrew. Moreover, Kevin said “it’s easier to remain heterosexual,” this could imply that this was what he thought about himself.

So thats why I think Kevin day is bisexual.

“Their [Kevin and thea] relationship is built initially on intense physical attraction and athletic respect. It deepens over the years, but Exy will always be tangled up in the midst of it. They’re less about romantic getaways and more interested in beating each other up on the court.”

This is taken straight from the extra content (I know many people don’t consider that as canon, but personally I consider anything written by the author canon so bear with me for this okay). As many people didn’t actually take time to read the extra content, many may have skipped this.

This shows that at first their relationship was all physical and sexual, and only later developed into something more. However I never felt anything from Kevin and Thea and we never saw much so it’s normal to imagine that they broke up later (if you never read the extra content).

Now, we all know that Kevin is obsess with exy, (even obsess is to put it lightly). He put his whole focus on exy because that was what he was taught his entire life. The nest never allowed kevin to have any relationships and he never really find a problem with that? (I mean sure he did had a secret one with Thea but I never see that it was anything more than intrigued or sexual)

Now there’s also four and a half year age difference between Thea and Kevin, therefore, Kevin was only fourteen years old when Thea was eighteen and Kevin was a minor when their relationship began. And I hate big age differences so.

Then why not make Kevin biromantic? because every time someone ship Kevin with anyone else, they change many aspect of him. And I’m not saying that it’s not making Kevin “better” but it is literally just cutting out chunks of his character and moulding him into someone else. Kevin in the books literally never hinted to like anyone in anyway (it could be because he was already in a relationship with Thea but then Thea and him hadn’t talk since he got out of the nest and Kevin didn’t even think about telling her anything?! How does that screams a relationship to anyone? Therefore I rest my case that Kevin and Thea were only physical up until the end of tkm, the rest it depends on what one believes in)

And we rarely see aromantic characters in books or headcanon because the media made it seemed that to be complete or to heal from trauma or anything you will need someone. Yes of course people need support from others but it doesn’t necessarily have to be from your partner or someone romantically. It can be from friends and family which in my opinion is just as important as romantic relationships.

It is so easy to ship kevin with anyone. You can ship kevin with Andrew, Neil, Aaron, Nicky, Allison, Matt, jean, Jeremy. Literally anyone. He is the easiest character to ship with anyone in the books. So why the fuck not make him be satisfied with himself?! Why must we change part of him to make him suit another person when he is perfectly fine the way he is?

Honestly to be short and shallow I headcanoned him as aromantic because I want an aromantic character and all other characters are already taken lmao and I’m too lazy to make ocs for Kevin so making him aromantic make sense and I don’t want to make it about his trauma but he was literally taught to just make exy priority and nothing else so I feel like he never learn to care for relationships and then all the mafia shit and no time and Kevin couldn’t care more or else and feel like it’s wasting time and too much effort so yeah Kevin is aromantic. Oh ya and also there’s too little Kevin content on tumblr and I wanna write sth Kevin related and the first thing that pops up into mind is this. And I also have seen post saying Kevin is aro/ace but I don’t think he is asexual because the way Kevin sees Jeremy and giving his rare genuine smile yeah right straight my ass and Kevin must had been at least a little attracted to Andrew but was just too scared and had too many other things to worry about so.

#sorry this turns into a fucking ramble and I hope this was what you are looking for and sorry for my incompetency I have shit writing skills #this makes so much more sense when it’s in my brain LMAO #also I discuss this with my good friend on Instagram before and we both agreed on this and then it was stuck in my head and it’s pride month #so why the fuck not?#and honestly all these points are just lowkey combination of posts I’ve seen before lmao I think yall have seen these arguments already #aftg #aftg incorrect quotes #all for the game #Kevin day #tfc #the foxhole court #aftg reread #aftg hc #aftg series #tfc incorrect quotes #incorrect tfc #tfc hc #nora sakavic

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pop-punklouis · 5 years ago

Note

top five HL fanfic!!!!

biiiiitch you all know how hard it is for me to choose only 5. but sigh FINE here’s my all-time favorite list that isn’t 5 sorry i can’t choose 😔:

• Here in the Afterglow (89k)

“If you hadn’t noticed, I don’t have many friends,” Louis whispers, the blossom of insecurity in his stomach unfurling and clawing its way into his throat.

Harry is silent for a long time, and then he speaks; a soft, slow uncurl that makes Louis’ stomach shake. “I’ll be your friend.” 1970’s AU. In a tiny town in Idaho, Louis’ life is changed forever by the arrival of a curious stranger.

• Coax the Cold (86k)

England, 1897.

English Professor Louis Tomlinson’s passion for the occult has been a source of mockery and derision for most of his life. When he hears whispers of a travelling freak show newly established in London claiming the existence of a monstrous sea hybrid, half-man, half-fish, Louis sees it as his ticket to credibility amongst his peers. The summer he spends undercover working on the show, however, gives him much more than that.

• Wild and Unruly (124k)

Harry is a cowboy sitting on the biggest oil reservoir in Wyoming, and Louis is the paralegal assigned to pressure him into selling his land.

• This Wicked Game (70k)

An AU in which The Bachelor is gay, Louis is a contestant, Harry is the bachelor, everyone drinks a lot of champagne, the entire world gets to watch them fall in love, and no one plays by the rules.

• Love is a Rebellious Bird (135k)

AU in which the boys still make music. Louis is the concertmaster of the London Symphony Orchestra, Harry is the New! and Exciting! interim conductor/ex-cello prodigy who "has made Mozart cool again" according to Esquire Magazine (Louis hates him immediately, which is definitely why he internet stalked him in his dark bedroom late at night that one time), and Niall is the best. Zayn and Liam are around too.

• Fixated On One Star (53k)

Louis is just a boy with the world on his shoulders, and Harry's just a boy from the wrong side of the galaxy. A little thing like love doesn't stand a chance against a thousand years of war, at least until the right two come along to break the mold.

Or: space Romeo and Juliet AU

• Finding Lou (60k)

Louis is the nomadic stranger who wanders into Harry’s bookstore. Harry is the skeptic who falls for him.

• California Sold

Notoriously closeted boyband member Harry Styles is famous on a global scale, meanwhile Louis, as his best friend, is back home in Manchester, living the typical life of a 24 year old. When Harry needs Louis with him in LA, a publicity stunt gone wrong changes their friendship forever.

A fake-relationship AU between two lifelong best friends.

• Empty Skies (134k)

For three years, Harry has been running from his past. Now, he is moving to London and pledges to fulfil his only dream -- making it big in the music industry. Not everyone has a place, though, and the competition is tough. As is his past catching up on him.

Louis is part of the biggest boy band of the world, and getting there had meant a lot of hard work, as well as sacrificing parts of his heart and soul. He's still happy. Maybe not as happy as he could be, but who is he to complain?

• And Then a Bit (159k)

“We’d like to give the fans what they want.” Magee states, placing his hand on the table in front of him and leaning forward. “We want to give them Larry Stylinson.”

Or, take a parallel universe where Louis and Harry were never together, mix in a two year hiatus and an impending comeback, pour in a dash of lost fans, two tablespoons of strong friendship and a Modest! employee with a good idea. Add a squeeze of pretending to be a couple, lots of kisses and a tattoo or two. Stir. Serve: the mother of all publicity stunts. (aka Harry and Louis fake a relationship for publicity. Eventually it becomes a lot less fake and a lot more real.)

• Dream Awake (31k)

The sun leaks through the tent wall behind him the way it leaks through eyelids, bathing the boy in an ethereal half-light as he croons. The crowd is mesmerized. Louis is mesmerized. This is the most important person in the world, he thinks wildly, and then can't figure out how to take it back.

On a hazy day in August, Louis sees Harry perform at a music festival as an unsigned act and convinces him to spend the rest of the weekend in his company. Harry gets signed; life changes. They never really wake up from the dream.

• Say You’ll Remember (93.5k)

au. louis and harry are best mates that are only half aware that they're also soulmates. alternatively, louis goes to university and harry travels the world, and they always manage to find their way back to each other.

takes place over nine years, in which they love and hurt, make mistakes and learn, and above all, grow.

• Outwit, Outplay, Outlast (61k)

Survivor All-Stars AU in which Harry and Louis are just in this game to win the million dollars, but they end up with something better.

Featuring Harry's yellow swim shorts, Louis in snapbacks, and OT5 shenanigans.

• Nothing Else But Us Right Here (35k)

Louis sighs and gives himself a mental pep talk as he smooths his jumper down over his hips. He can do this. He can resist the draw of Harry Styles, because he is a responsible, mature adult, and as much as he wants to tangle his fingers in that mess of hair and map those ridiculous tattoos with his tongue, he does not want to get his daughter’s favorite teacher fired.

• Wings to Break Your Fall (103k)

strip club AU. Harry’s work and family are keeping him busy. He really isn’t looking for a relationship, doesn’t want one. He just wants Louis. Problem is, Louis has other plans.

• Leave it to the Breeze (81k)

Louis couldn’t be prouder of his bake, but there’s something—there’s something. Something about Harry Styles and the earnest way he measures, pours, mixes, scrapes. Something about the tip of his tongue poking out of his mouth as he knocks the air out of his batter.

or a great british bake off au in which louis cares about winning and winning only, harry is made of sunshine and rainbow sprinkles, and niall sticks his nose into other people's business. also featuring liam as louis's best friend-slash-concerned mother, and zayn as a macaron connoisseur.

• You Come Beating Like Moth’s Wings (81k)

Harry smiles. He's only known Louis for about two hours, knows nothing about him past his first name, but he's nice and sarcastic and helpful and so, so pretty. And Harry's still got a few days left in Barcelona, and he thinks he wouldn't mind spending them with Louis.

Also known as, Harry takes the summer before uni to travel Europe and meets Louis in Barcelona, and they end up traveling together.

• Hold Me Closer (36.5k)

Louis Tomlinson is one of the most promising dancers of the English National Ballet, on track to become the youngest principal dancer in the company's history. That is, until forces conspire to significantly complicate his life, including: a surprise ballet, an unfairly attractive guest choreographer, and being pushed into a rivalry with his best mate. Featuring lots of wine, dancing, pining, and a happy ending.

• In Vogue (121k)

Fashion AU. Louis is the editor in chief of Vogue magazine, and Harry's running British GQ. Featuring Zayn as the crazy creative director and Louis' confidant, Liam as the sports writer that gets to sit front row at fashion week and DJ Neil as the only sane person in the whole story. (There are no skinny jeans in this fic)

• These Things Will Never Change for Us at All (1.5k)

The room falls silent as they stay wrapped up in each other. Harry can feel Louis’ soft breaths on his neck, and he almost thinks Louis’ fallen asleep until he says softly, “How did you know you were in love with me?”

Or, Harry and Louis look back on five years.

• A Runaway American Dream (15k)

AU. they take route 66 with only each other and their secrets.

• Things Have Gotten Closer to the Sun (49k)

it’s strange, making the choice to face his past—it almost feels like he’s heading for the sun straight on, like he’s screaming come on and burn me, i deserve it.

when a solar flare is announced to end the world in twelve days, harry reunites with the people that he used to know better than the back of his own hand.

• Here (in your arms) (60k)

the one where Louis is a successful real estate agent and Harry works at a retirement home. They’ve never had a real home. Up until now.

(Starring Liam Payne as a fitness trainer, Zayn as an artist, and Niall, who busks.)

• These Inconvenient Fireworks (190k)

Future AU in which nobody tries out for X Factor but the boys end up finding one other eventually anyway. Louis is a jaded bastard who owns a cat named Duchess and teaches drama to teenagers, Harry is an idealistic aspiring photographer/part-time footy coach, Zayn teaches English lit and wears leather jackets, Liam saves people from burning buildings, and Niall is Niall.

• In Dreams (23k)

AU. When Harry moves to a new city, his new flat come with a number of sweet, anonymous gifts and surprises that brighten his days. Could it be a friendly ghost? Another friendly presence in his new building is his tattooed neighbor, Louis, who seems determined to put a smile back on his face.

• My Heart is Breathing for this Moment in Time (160k)

When Louis first saw Harry at the 2010 X Factor Auditions, he thought he was watching a peculiarly special stranger. But Harry has known Louis ever since he was five years old. Because Louis has a rare genetic disorder that causes him to Time Travel to important moments in his past and in his future - and to Harry, always to Harry. When they’re put into a band together, it seems like everything Harry has been waiting and wishing for has finally come true. Except for the small fact that Louis doesn’t know that Harry is in love with him- that Harry’s always been in love with him. Fate, it would seem, is just getting started.

A story about growing up and growing together, and the impossible love that makes it all worthwhile.

• Paint the Sky with Stars (63k)

On 10 April 1912, Harry Styles boards the finest ship the world has ever seen. Still grieving the death of their mother, he and his sister are being sent to America to live with a callous uncle who cares more about his business connections than family. Harry prepares himself for a long, disappointing voyage alone in his stateroom. Louis Tomlinson has borrowed and saved, and finally has enough to purchase a Third Class ticket to America. With all of his belongings in a single ruck sack, he boards the Titanic filled with hope for a brighter future. Never one to sit still, he can’t resist exploring the massive ship, and soon goes sneaking into First Class in a stolen steward’s uniform. By a twist of fate, Louis finds himself in Harry’s stateroom, entranced by the most attractive man he’s ever laid eyes on. He keeps returning day after day, even if he doesn’t understand what it is about Harry that continues pulling him in. That’s all right; Louis has a week to figure it out, and Harry is plenty willing to help. Except they don’t have a week. They have four days. Because on 15 April, their entire world will be turned upside down.

Or, the historically accurate Titanic AU with a happy ending.

• Through Eerie Chaos (102k)

For as long as anyone can remember, Old Hillsbridge Manor has always been believed to be haunted. Everyone in the village agrees and keeps a respectful, fearful, distance. New in town after a bad breakup and an internship that led to disappointment rather than a permanent job, Harry Styles figures taking pictures of the decrepit building could be a great new creative project. Or at least a much-needed distraction while he searches for a job and crashes at his parents’ new house. No one warned him about the apparitions though; about the music, the laughter, the people who flicker and vanish when you call after them, the echoes of a past that should be long gone… Harry has never believed in spirits but even he can admit that there’s something weird going on. What starts as mere curiosity evolves into a full-blown investigation and soon enough, Harry finds himself making friends with an aristocrat from the 1920s and struggling with finding the best way to tell him that he’s dead.

The Ghost Hunter AU where Niall lives to prove ghosts are real, Zayn is a skeptical librarian and Harry gets caught up in a century-old mystery and catches feeling in the process.

#whew!#favorite fics #grey

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a0wz · 1 year ago

Text

Jeremy's POV or at least what I think it would have been when Neil picked up Jean.

This contains a few direct text from TSC to keep continuity.

Jeremy didn't know what to think when Jean had told him Neil Josten was in town for a meeting. He knew questions wouldn't do much good and Jean seemed to have his mind made up about the matter. Neil had to have known about Jean's circumstance if the Foxes helped him to the Golden Court, but Jean mentioned his time at the Foxhole Court even less than his life in the Nest. A Fox was a friend in Jeremy's eyes but nothing felt right about this meeting.

“Do you want to see him?” Jeremy asked as he sat at the foot of Jean’s bed. “I have no problems telling him he has to wait until tomorrow. We can put him in a hotel for the night or something."

“He would not come see me if he had any choice in the matter,” Jean said. “I have to meet with him.” Jeremy wasn't too sure what that was supposed to mean. Was it because of what happened with Grayson back at the stadium? No, who could book a flight across the country that soon? This had to be something else, how involved was Neil with the Ravens? Jeremy remembered the news broadcast, Neil explained he had a two-week visit to Edgar Allan and was marked with the same style tattoo as Jean and Kevin. The symbol of his place on 'the perfect court'. If the Ravens made outright abuse a part of their routine, then did Neil's visit mean he saw, or even experienced, what Jean had been going through for five years? Suddenly, Jeremy felt as though the striker had a lot more answers than he had questions.

Jean was sitting on the ledge of the bay window when a car pulled up outside. He waited until he saw Neil get out on the driver’s side before nodding an okay to Jeremy, and his captain went ahead to undo the locks at the front door. Jean caught up to him as he was setting the bar to one side, and Jeremy opened the door right as Neil knocked.

“Hello, Neil.” Jeremy turned sideways so Neil could fit past him through the doorway, but Neil only stepped backwards off the welcome mat. Jeremy guessed he wasn't coming in to chat over a cup of tea. “An unexpected pleasure.”

“Unexpected,�� Neil agreed as he looked past him. Jeremey had only ever seen the Fox in Exy gear, but even without it there was something almost creepy about him. He hated to make assumptions about people, especially if they've never hung out personally, but Jeremey knew from experience what it looked like for someone's pleasant smile to not reach their eyes. Neil's gaze was ice, in color and in feeling.

Neil took a few seconds to scan over Jean's battered face. Jeremy thought anyone would flinch at the sight of someone in Jean's condition but Neil seemed only slightly confused than anything. What surprised him even more was when the Fox addressed Jean in fluent French. Cat and Laila threw up surprised glances while Jeremy could only shrug discreetly. Their exchange was quick, Neil finished with a single word. Jeremy could only guess it meant shoes since Jean toed into them without response. When Jeremy realized they were leaving, he put a hand in front of Jean’s chest and stilled him long enough to ask, “Are you sure about this? I would rather you stayed where I can keep an eye on you.”

Not a couple hours ago did they find out one of Jean's assaulters was hunting after him, how would Jean leaving ever be okay? Jeremy was left frustrated when Jean looked at him, a pale canvas streaked with gross reds and blues, and replied dryly, “Lock the door behind us.”

He wouldn't admit it, but jealousy stung at a corner of his heart watching Jean's back as he followed Neil into the rental.

Should I keep going with the scene of Jean coming back from the meeting?

Thinking about this bit and what Neil must have thought about Jeremy and the Trojans at the moment.

Like, he already kind of mistrusts Jeremy because Jeremy smiles a lot and seems friendly (that's just the type of person he uneasy around, like Renee and Betsy). And he assumes the Trojans' niceness was an act. Last Neil's heard of Jean is Kevin saying Jean's fine while on the phone with Jeremy and now he shows up in LA to find Jean all beaten up again -- what's he supposed to think? All he knows is that Jean's getting shit on in the press. The Trojans haven't said anything and Kevin trusts them, but is it possible Kevin's wrong and that they've been giving Jean a hard time? He'd like to think not, but just in case, he'll ask in French so that if Jean does need help, he can do it without Jeremy and the Trojans knowing.

Alternately, what must Jeremy think of Neil? He just breezes into town and demands that Jean go with him? And Jean just gives in? Even after the day he's just had? Neil's not at all pleased to see Jeremy and whatever he said to Jean in French was clearly not a friendly greeting. Jean doesn't seem to want to see him but Jean won't tell him no and Neil doesn't seem to be taking no for an answer. Then Jeremy watches Jean fatalistically follow Neil into a car and clearly spends the worrying because by the time Jean's back, he's at the open door waiting for him. From Jeremy's perspective, all he knows is that Jean went somewhere with Neil, not entirely willingly, and came back bolting out of Neil's car, looking really upset.

I'm dying to know what Jeremy thought all of that was about. Also the potential for Jeremy and Neil to have a dynamic where they're quietly suspicious of each other because of their protectiveness over Jean is so funny to me.

#aftg #all for the game #jean moreau #the sunshine court #neil josten #andrew minyard #fanfic #jeremy knox #different point of view #reply #the foxhole court

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writingpuddle · 5 years ago

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Fic Masterpost

I actually have enough fics now to justify doing one of these, so here goes! I realized after I finished that I never specified pairings, but like, do you gotta ask? It’s Andreil all the way down 😎

Multi-Chapter

Out of the Ashes (Quartet, WIP) Words: 254,021 Rating: Mature/Explicit

A highschool AU turned university Exy AU with a few major plot twists and a whole lotta angst. Comprised of: Pressure Points (Words: 92,170, complete) Flatline (Words: 76,642, complete) Borrowed Time (Words: 85,207, WIP)

Glencaster Lodge (complete) Words: 51,429 Rating: Teen and Up

Sometimes happily ever after is a long time coming.

The one where Andrew and Neil didn't meet in college. Now, in their sixties, they discover it's never too late for true love.

Through Rose-Coloured Glasses (WIP) Words: 21,175 Rating: Teen and Up

A series of vignettes set in a world where Neil and Andrew were adopted as children and grew up as best friends.

Be All My Sins Remember’d (WIP) Words: 6,716 Rating: Teen and Up

Kengo is dead, and it wasn't an accident.

a Hamlet AU featuring Riko as Hamlet, Jean as Horatio, and a whole pile of angst and murder

Broken Symmetries (WIP) Words: 53,648 Rating: Teen and Up

Multiverse travel is real--but you can only travel to worlds where your doppelganger is already dead. To Eldridge Co., Neil is a valuable commodity, able to travel to nearly 98% of the worlds they can reach. But neither Neil or Eldridge are quite what they seem. (A Space Between Worlds AU)

Warning Signs (WIP) Words: 5,714 Rating: Mature

Mary Hatford could kill a man and fleece his corpse without flinching. She knew the family business inside and out. She was born for this life, she had trained for this life, and she wanted it with all of her being.

There was just one teensy little problem.

Much Ado (complete) Words: 23,186 Rating: Teen and Up

Loosely following the plot of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, avowed bachelor Neil is determined never to marry, and also determined to insult Andrew into an early grave. Meanwhile, Riko is plotting to ruin Matt and Dan's wedding. Wymack has a headache.

Under a Sea of Mist (complete) Words: 48,992 Rating: Teen and Up

For a thousand years the Lord Ruler has reigned over the Final Empire. Ash falls from the sky and strange mists shroud the night. The skaa labour in the fields and the nobility dance in their Keeps, their glittering lights blinding them to the cruelty in their hearts.

The skaa rebellion is a fantasy and Neil knows it. The Lord Ruler is immortal; there's no overthrowing him. It's as much a surprise to him as anyone else when he gets recruited. But as he gets drawn deeper into the plot, he starts to discover things that will change their understanding of magic forever.

There's always another secret. (A Mistborn AU; no knowledge of Mistborn required)

One-Shots

Coming Home (complete) Words: 19,343 Rating: Teen and Up

After Baltimore, the Foxes get Neil back--in an urn.

Across the ocean, Nathaniel Wesninski schemes to get back to his family.

Love and Other Assorted Foolishness (complete) Words: 3,232 Rating: Teen and Up

5 times Andrew and Neil kissed in secret while there were other people around + 1 time they got caught

Honey I Shrunk The Kids (complete) Words: 6,261 Rating: General

Due to handwavium quantum nonsense, Andrew and Neil are suddenly children again, with no memories of their lives with the Foxes. The team attempts to take care of them. Hijinks and cuteness ensues.

Becoming (complete) Words: 2,171 Rating: General

Learning to be soft is an uphill process. Andrew and Neil take a stab at it anyway.

More Than This (complete) Words: 2,556 Rating: Teen and Up

What if Neil and Andrew met before Mary died--from Mary’s POV

Singularity (complete) Words: 15,011 Rating: Teen and Up

Neil Josten's Guide to Hooking Up With Your Roommate

(your results may vary)

Moonlight (complete) Words: 1,815 Rating: Teen and Up

The Foxes go camping. Skinny-dipping happens. Neil is a nuisance.

Another Day Calls (complete) Words: 6,561 Rating: Mature

Aaron's trial ended with a not-guilty verdict. That should be the end of it. Andrew testified and now he can wash his hands of that part of his life.

But though it's ancient history to him, it's front page news to the rest of the world. The fallout is never that easy.

The Stars Refuse To Shine (complete) Words: 4560 Rating: Teen and Up

Andrew faces a life-threatening surgery. Neil grapples with the thought of losing the most important person in his life.

What do you do when the person you were supposed to grow old with might die tomorrow?

Never Have I Ever (complete) Words: 7191 Rating: Teen and Up

“Wait, it’s my turn,” Allison said, pushing herself further upright. She swayed dangerously, then narrowed her eyes and pointed at Neil. “We’re still targeting him, right.”

“Jesus,” Aaron muttered. “Could you guys seriously—”

Nicky clapped a hand over Aaron’s mouth. “Yes,” he said. “Definitely. Make the boy drink.”

Aaron shoved him off and sulked at the edge of the fire, nursing his drink.

“Alright,” Allison said. “I've got it. Never have I ever—told Andrew I love him.”

Bulletpoint Fics

Neil with a British Accent

The Marriage Fic

Foxes on the Pacific Crest Trail

The Hobby Farm

Trans!Neil

#my writing #fanfic #aftg #fic masterpost #andreil #neil josten #andrew minyard #going through this list really illuminates how erratic my writing interests are #the pattern is #things i like #and things i like are not very consistent lol #all for the neil

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hargrove-mayfields · 4 years ago

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Lover, Lover, Number 9

Second day of HWOL!! Today’s prompt was Love Potion!! Read here or on my ao3 @ej_writer

Word Count: 4,593

Rating: T

Warnings: Non-Consensual Touching (Pretty much blink and you miss it and very non-explicit. It happens while a person(s) is under the influence of a love potion.)

It’s all Max’s fault, honest.

For the week leading up to Valentine’s Day, Billy’s been trying to pick the best person to be his date. Not that Valentine’s was really that important to him, per se, but he’d made a bet.

His step sister, the little brat, had made a wager that if he didn’t have himself a date by the fourteenth of February, he’d be forced to drive her everywhere she wanted to go for a whole year.

There was no way he was about to fork over that much of his time to some snotty middle schoolers, but finding someone he’s willing to go out with, a condition of Max’s bet was that it couldn’t just be a hookup, ended up being a lot harder than he anticipated.

Before he knew it, there were only two days left before he either got a date, or subjected himself to the dweeb-orama gang.

He tried to ask Carol, since Tommy dumped her right before the big day and she seemed to be into him, or at least how his ass looked in his jeans, but she tells him she doesn’t want to deal with the drama. So he tries Tommy, but he wants commitment and feels like Billy’s just in it to best Max, which, yeah, he sort of is. Everyone else follows the same pattern, can’t keep up with his reputation, can’t trust him in a relationship, on and on and on.

It’s over breakfast one morning, as he groggily makes him and his sister both a bowl of cereal, that Max asks him, “Why don’t you just ask Steve?”

Billy acts unphased, doesn’t even bother to look at her. “Steve who?”

“C’mon stupid.” His sister rolls her eyes and drags a bowl over towards herself. “Everyone knows you like Steve Harrington.”

“Do not.” He shovels a mouthful of cereal in his mouth.

“Right. Lemme guess, you don’t eat like a pig either?”

“Very funny.” He fixes her with a glare. “I’m serious shitbird, just because I like him doesn’t mean I like him.”

She nods and agrees. “Sure.”

“And just because he's nice to me doesn’t mean I have to have the hots for him.”

“If you insist.” Her bottom lip juts out as she agrees with overemphasis.

“What is your problem?” He snaps.

“I’m just agreeing with you. You don’t like Steve Harrington.” There’s a mischievous smile darkening her sweet face as she tells him matter-of-factly, “But, if you’re really desperate, I know a way to get him to like you.”

And Billy already knows what she means, of course the little shit would suggest something like that. “Nuh-uh. No way, I am not using magic.”

“Why not? Clearly you need it.”

“Because I can do it on my own, brat. Just don’t want to.” He's too defensive for it to not be true and they both know it, so before he lets a thirteen year old do anymore damage to his ego, he adds, “Can't deal with your bull this early.”

Max looks at him all smug like, her eyebrows raised as she hides a knowing smile behind her cereal bowl, but she does let it go, if not just to watch her step brother stew in silent annoyance. She’d gotten under his skin so easy, and she thought it was funny.

Her step brother, on the other hand, does not, and narrows his eyes at her, practically snarling at the look on her face. “Shut up.”

“I wasn’t even saying anything!” She bites back.

Billy grumbles and dumps his bowl in the sink, and leaves to his room to avoid babysitting his sister.

He’s starting to realize that Max had set him up. The real reason she made the stupid bet wasn’t to torture him with driving her and her nerds around, but because she thought she could hook him up with Steve.

But that doesn’t matter, because he's not pining after Steve Harrington, no matter what his little sister says.

Sure, Steve had invited him over to his place a few times, but that was just a courtesy since they were friends from basketball. And it didn’t matter that he happened to be the prettiest boy Billy ever laid eyes on, with his soft hair the color of chestnut and his doe eyes just as dark, and his long nose and his pretty red lips and-

Okay, maybe he was a little into Harrington, but again, he wasn’t going out with his best friend just because his step sister dared him to.

He can’t just call the bet off, but he’s not willing to lose either. The clock was ticking, Valentine’s Day getting closer and closer, so he’d just have to settle on somebody soon.

Admittedly, it would make things a lot easier just to cheap out and use magic, after all, he’d been trying and failing to get a date for weeks, but that could be dangerous, and Billy’s been barred from using his powers for a few years now anyways.

His father was ashamed to have a freak for a son, so ever since Max and her mother came around, he wasn’t actually supposed to use any magic at all anymore, not even for the most insignificant of things. Hell, with how tight of a leash Neil kept on him, his step sister wasn’t even technically supposed to know he’d inherited the knack from his mother.

He doesn’t really listen to that rule, but there’s no way for Neil to keep tabs on that kind of thing, so he still puts a charm on his and his sisters bedroom doors every night to keep unwanted guests out, and he still uses spells for his convenience whenever he can get away with it.

In all honesty, he could do without that stuff. Incantations were boring, spells were too basic. His favorite, the one thing he misses having the liberty to do, that’s got to be potions.

Before his mother’d left him behind, ran off to live the uninhibited life of a free spirit every witch dreamed of having, she had been very proud that Billy had taken after her in his powers, and in his skill for potion making especially.

They would make them together a lot of the time, huddled up down in the basement when his dad wasn’t home so she could show him the ropes and teach him all the recipes she knew.

He’d caught on real quick, well enough that she didn’t need to hover after the first few attempts at one type. Sometimes he wishes he’d been less proficient for just a little longer, so she’d have had a reason to stay and keep helping him.

Among their most common to make though were potions of luck and protection, elixirs, anything positive really. His mother may have also, on occasion, made a more powerful potion, one to keep under the pillows, in a flask on her hip, to spike her husband's coffee with every morning, just so Neil couldn’t hurt her or her son, but Billy was sworn to secrecy on that one.

Under his bed he still had a trunk full to bursting with everything of his mothers’ he had been able to keep, including their already prepared potions. Rows and rows of intricate crystal bottles, some still full to the top while others had only a few drops left, depending on how useful they were, all neatly displayed along with the rest of the memories of his mother.

She absolutely never allowed him to make anything dangerous, the first thing she ever taught him was to always keep hate out of his magic, so she’d let him practice more complicated and powerful potions with something a little less destructive.

Something like love potions.

It becomes his sort of trademark, the earthy smell of rose hips and cinnamon clinging to his skin from hours bent over their big cauldron they kept stored away. Even now, without having brewed anything for almost a year since they’d moved houses, it still lingered, like an aura.

They made up for some of his best work, the hardest of the love potions coming easier to him than the easiest of the medicinal ones. The best he’d ever made was a platonic love potion that his mom let him use the teensiest drop of to stop a fight between his friends at school, and to this day he was still proud of that one.

His mom had always said it made sense that that would be where he excelled, loving with his whole heart was just in his nature, and his craft was the reflection of that. In the same sense, it comes as no surprise when he’d stopped being able to brew anything stronger than potpourri after she’d walked out on him and broke that big heart right in two.

He didn’t know if keeping every of the potions that he made was genuinely because of their potential usefulness, like he tried to convince himself, or if it was a way to hold onto a time when he was still good at what he did. A time when he was happy.

Were he going to use one of those potions he kept stashed away, as Max had not so subtly suggested, he knows exactly which one he would choose. Not number six, not number twenty-seven, he would need number nine.

Not that he would, because he refuses to use his magic for petty relationships. Yet another thing his mom had drilled into him from the start was to never use his gift to take advantage of other people.

But then another day passes, and Billy's got to at least consider it, if not only for the sake of him not having to provide chauffeuring services to his least favorite bratpack.

In all reality, it wouldn’t be so bad to date Steve, he was nice enough and cute enough, but he feels they were sort of of the same polarity. They could get along just fine now, but there was some force, some energy between the two that kept them apart.

For every step they take forward, say, Steve agreeing to keep his magical secret from the moment they met, they have to take one back.

That fact had been well established in his mind since the moment he noticed himself making heart eyes; he and Steve just weren’t going to work out. Not after months of oblivious pigtail pulling, not after pushing Steve out of his own social circle, and definitely not after their fist fight in November.

Billy thinks he takes rejection from Tommy and Carol and everyone else in stride, but Steve wasn’t like them. The relationship they already had teetered on the line between rivals and friends, always one argument away from going back to that place, and Billy’s unwilling to lose that constant.

Of course, he wouldn’t have to worry about rejection and ruining friendships if he used magic.

But that was wrong. Number 9 was the strongest of the strong. It was said that it was powerful enough to make oil and water mix, but even then its effects only lasted for exactly twenty minutes. The jig’d be up quick, and his pretty boy would be right back to hating him.

There was always the slightest chance too that it were brewed just right, and Steve would love him forever, the bond that would form between them the moment he drank from Billy’s magic maybe enough to last, despite their differences. It wasn’t guaranteed to turn out bad, so maybe, just maybe, he’d give it a shot.

Godammit, had Max gotten in his head.

~~~~~

Billy knows he’s an idiot, a complete and total dumbass for showing up to the party with a crystal vial in his pocket, but he can’t help it.

There’s no guarantee he’s even going to use it, it’s just in his pocket as a sort of security blanket. He doesn’t even catch a glimpse of Steve anywhere among the crowd, so he sees no harm in it.

Well, at least not until someone, he’d have to guess it was Tommy, slips a hand into the pocket of Billy’s jacket, apparently able to sense a bottle from a mile away, and steals it. Like it’s just his own secret stash of alcohol instead of the most powerful piece of magic he’d sure as hell ever owned, let alone to have ever been used in Hawkins, a traditionalist town known for its distinct lack of witchcraft.

Only he doesn’t notice that it’s been swiped, not until he catches a glimpse of the gentle pink glow that only he could see in someone else’s hand from across the room, hovering just inches above the punch bowl.

He’d like to think he’s pretty powerful in his craft, he'd been raised by a witch who’d in her time been strong enough to get kicked out of her coven for threatening the High Priest, but in that moment he just sort of freezes.

There’s an infinite number of spells he could’ve used; he knows how to stop time, how to recall objects, and about a thousand and one other handy little ways to stop the vial from being overturned into that bowl.

And yet, his brain freezes up, and before he can do anything about it, there’s a thick fog rolling off of the bowl, and the air smells sweet and sticky like ladies perfume, and the liquid is shining all bright pink.

Billy is officially screwed.

It’s one thing for a single person to drink a love potion, but mixing it with any other liquid? That shit turned into a weapon.

He knows he’s not gonna make it in time, but he’s at least gotta try to stop it, get people as far away from it as possible. He muscles his way across the room, pushing past the crowd of teenagers to try to get to it first. “Nobody fucking touch the punch.”

But his voice calling over the crowd draws their attention to him, and there’s at least fifty hollow gazes fixed right on him. Judging by the looks on their faces, the pinpoint pupils and the awe stricken smiles, he’s too late.

There’s one breathless moment where Billy realizes what's about to happen and tries to back away before all hell breaks loose, but all at once they all surge forward trying to get their hands on him.

Momma didn’t stick around long enough to teach him how to discharge a potion, and he wasn’t going to make it the whole twenty minutes in this herd. The front door is his only escape.

It’s so dark in the room, other than the light from the potion’s ambience, that he can’t make out who’s who, whose lips those are on his neck, whose hands are on his hips and tangled up in his hair, so he just trudges forward as best he can, trying to shake each person off, only to get another wrapped around him.

But, in the magic induced state, they’re strong, and they don’t want to let him go. Fingernails dig into his skin, arms wrap tight around his waist, any way they can hold onto him to try keep him from moving any closer to that door, they do.

It’s like walking in gelatin, so many people trying to stop him, and it takes him way longer than it should, but he makes it to the door.

Before he can open it, someone’s pushing his back up against it and reaching a hand up under his shirt. Another someone presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

He feels blindly for the door knob and gets it in his hand after a few attempts, the ordeal being all the harder when there were so many people who wanted those hands on them, and twists it.

The rush of cold air from outside and the lights from the streetlight on the sidewalk helps a little to dilute the strength of the potion, weakening just enough the grip of those under his influence that he can wriggle out and slam the door shut behind him.

He keeps his back pressed against it, his arms holding on to either side of the door frame as tight as he could so nobody else can get out. Checking his watch, there were still about seven more minutes until the potion would wear off.

He could see the faintest glow of pink light shining from under the door and behind the curtains on the front window, and he thought about what they were doing without him. Probably talking about how he was the coolest, the ones who’d gotten their hands on him bragging.

No one but him would remember what happened anyways.

To make his escape, wait out the rest of the potion's effects, and hightail it before anybody remembered he was even here, well, that would have just been too easy. Because this is Billy Hargrove, so of course, at that very moment, who would approach the house but Steve fucking Harrington.

“Hargrove?” He looks confusedly up at Billy, and climbs a few of the porch steps to ask him, “What’re you doin’ out here man?”

“Party’s a bummer. Thinking ‘bout ditching.” The nonchalance he’s able to portray in his voice is in direct contrast with the way his hair is frizzed out and his clothes are all messy from what happened inside.

Steve doesn’t seem to pay it any mind though, because he offers him a smile, and responds to Billy like this situation didn’t look weird at all, with him sprawled out over the door and in such bad shape. “Mind if I join you? Wasn’t really looking forward to all the people tonight anyways.”

“Uh, if you give me,” Billy turns his wrist, still not letting go of the door, and reads the time on his watch again, “three and a half minutes, then we can blow.”

Steve leans a little to try to see in the window. “Is somethin’ going on?”

“Nothin’, nothin’ just uh, told Tom I’d stay ‘til quarter after.” It’s a bullshit excuse, Steve already knows he and Tommy aren’t even that close, but Billy just focuses on counting down the seconds and doesn’t think too much about it. “And…. we’re good.”

“You are so weird, dude.” Steve remarks while he waits for Billy on the steps. He looks back over his shoulder when they’re walking away but visibly shrugs it off. “Did you drive?”

“You know I don’t park my baby on the street.” His prized Camaro had yet to make an appearance at one of these parties, for a platitude of reasons, but the main one being that he might have to break his mother’s golden rule and put a curse on someone if his beauty got so much as a scratch.

“Figures.” Steve remarked. He didn’t think the Camaro was all that, thought it was too loud and too fast.

His BMW isn’t too far off, showing up late meant he had to take a street spot instead of cramming into the driveway, but that only made it easier to get out.

While he starts it up, he asks Billy, “Where are we going? I picked last time.”

“Far away from here as possible.” He mutters in response.

Before he pulls away from the curb, Steve asks, “Did something happen, Bills? You’re acting all, weird.” There was genuine concern laced into his voice, none of that playfulness that they usually had.

But for Billy, anything would be better than having to own up to what had happened. He’d have to admit to the whole, desperate for love, he used a potion he made when he was seven to try to make Steve Harrington fall for him, and that was not ideal, to put it simply.

Only, he felt obligated to explain, because he knew what Steve was thinking had happened. He knew too much about the sorts of things Billy told not a single other soul.

His magic was one thing. Where nobody was really supposed to know Hawkins got a new spell caster for the first time in ages, Steve had some grandma or someone who was a witch and had recognized that shit in a heartbeat.

Observational skills like that, it was no surprise he’d figured out the truth about his father too. About where the bruises and the scars came from.

So he knows that’s what Steve’s thinking right now, that Billy’s acting off because of something his dad did, and it would feel wrong not to tell him the truth, to be pitied when nothing even happened this time. Still, he’s not exactly thrilled about having to confess about the potion.

“Someone brought a fucking Number 9 to the party.” Billy flips the sun visor down to see himself in the little mirror there. There’s kiss marks all over him that he tries to rub off with his sleeve, but the leather doesn’t do much but make the skin flush.

“Shit, not a number nine.” Steve says it like he’s confident in it, but his gaze keeps flickering over to Billy to gauge his reaction. It’s clear that he has no idea what he’s talking about. “What's- what’s number nine?”

Billy snorts and explains, “Only the strongest love potion out there. Went straight into the punch.”

He doesn’t have much of a grip on the magical world, but he knew enough to guess that was a problem. “What kind of a dipstick would bring that?”

Billy stopped wiping at his face and looked over at Steve with that ‘come on, stupid’ look on his face. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe the only dipstick who walked away from the place covered in fucking lipstick.”

“Really?” There’s a teasing tone in his voice, like a parent who found out there kid had a crush, and it makes Billy want to sock him. “And who does Billy Hargrove need a love potion for?”

“For you.” It takes all the courage he has, but he admits it. His eyes flicker nervously between Steve and everywhere else, waiting for his response.

And what he gets is, “Pfft. You know I don’t need magic to get the ladies.” Let it be known that no one ever accused Steve of being the brightest.

As if he hadn’t noticed that Steve was a skeezer. As if his heart hadn’t already been broken a thousand times over because of it. “Yeah, no shit.”

He furrows his eyebrows in confusion, but maybe a little bit in denial too. “Then why’d you bring me a love potion?”

“Steve.” It sounds like a plea, an exhausted attempt to get him to understand, but Steve isn’t in on it.

“What?” Billy just sort of raises his eyebrows in response, and something about it makes it click in Steve’s head.

His mouth forms an ‘o’ shape, and when he speaks again, his voice is all breathless, “You were going to use it on me?”

“Doesn’t take a genius.” And that’s the end of it.

They don’t talk about it. Steve drives them out to the quarry in silence, occasionally looking over at Billy like he wants to say something, but doesn’t.

As soon as they get there, before Steve’s even got the chance to put the bimmer in park, Billy’s out of the car and sitting on the edge of the rocky lookout.

He needs a smoke, needs the burning in his lungs to distract him from the weight of what he had just admitted to Steve. His hands are shaking as he fumbles with a match, trying and failing to light the cigarette on three different matches before he decides to give up.

Steve taps his shoulder and hands Billy his zippo before sitting down next to him. “You didn’t have to.”

Billy lights it up and takes a long drag, giving Steve back his light with a cigarette as thanks, filling his lungs with as much smoke as he can before he can respond. “Have to what?”

“Try to use magic on me.” Steve’s staring down at his hands, calculating every last word he says. “You could’ve just asked.”

“Yeah, I know Harrington. It was creepy. Just drop it.” There’s a sharpness in that tone that hasn’t been there for months, and it makes the both of them wince.

Steve explains himself, hurt by the coldness, “No, I think it’s sweet! I mean, that you would do that for me.”

“Get over yourself. Was just messin’ around, wanted to see if I could do it.” That’s what gives him away. Billy was too sure of his own prowess for that to be all of it, and so Steve decides to press him for the truth.

“Don’t you want to know what I would’ve said though, if you asked me?”

“Honestly? No.” He really, really does.

Steve pretends like he doesn’t hear that and tells him anyways. “I like you Billy.”

It hitches his breath to hear that, but Billy’s got to be rational. “Yeah? You like me or the cinnamon?”

Steve’s face scrunches up in confusion. “What?”

“It’s an ingredient in the potion, Steve. Do you mean it or did you get a whiff of that shit somehow?” He still doesn’t look at him, just stares down at the churning water, and it registers with Steve that he doesn’t want to see absent admiration, pinpoint pupils, any sign that this isn’t real.

So he assures him, his voice as soft as it can be, “I mean it. I really really like you, and if you’re not gonna believe me, then- then I guess I’ll just have to prove it.“

Who would’ve expected Steve to make the first move? Stumbling, bumbling Steve Harrington, the one to lean in first. But he is, it’s him who uses those long fingers to turn Billy’s face towards his and presses their lips together.

If, you know, there wasn’t a more pressing matter at hand, like the fact that the boy he’d just tried to use love magic on was kissing him without the assistance of said magic, Billy might’ve been a little disappointed in himself to not be the one to initiate it.

But they’d have time for that argument later, about who did what when, right now his mind was more focused on not just sitting there, on moving his lips against the other boys and

It feels like forever before Steve pulls away to put a hand on the back of Billy’s head so he can bring their foreheads together.

Steve’s breathless as he says, “Wanted to do that since the first time I saw you in the parking lot.”

“Good. Didn’t want to have to brew any more.” Billy says without a hint of seriousness.

Steve nudges him with his elbow. “I’m trying to be romantic, you ass.”

“No seriously, hibiscus is super hard to come by around here, couldn’t afford to waste any on you.”

Crossing his arms, Steve fixes Billy with a stern look that makes him laugh.

“M’only teasin’ ya pretty boy.” He crumples his cigarette into the asphalt and puts his hand on Steve’s knee. “Kiss me like that again, would ya?”

And he does. Every time Billy asks, Steve’ll kiss him just like that first time, soft and gentle and sweet in a way he’s never had, no magic required.

Needless to say, Billy definitely won that bet.

#harringrove week of love #harringrove #billy x steve #billy hargrove #steve harrington #ej writer #story by ej!#this is based on a fraggles episode! I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity!#I thought I wasn’t going to like this but it turned out to be one of my favorites #even though it took way longer than it was supposed to lol #super proud of how it turned out though

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sunshinebillyhargrove · 4 years ago

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You Belong With Me (a billy hargrove x oc fic)

Note: I’ve been writing so many things and I’m excited to share one of my new fanfics to this blog. This is a small opening to a fic I want to get into this coming month. Billy Deserved Better. Tw for bullying and eating disorder. This is kind of an enemies to lovers fic but like 10 things I hate about you with a lot of Tswift inspiration. I hope you guys like it!

--Alison Gilbert wasn’t popular like the other girls at Hawkins High. Invisible actually. A careless single mother and a stuck up best friend made that much easy. Everything changes when the new King, Billy Hargrove, sets his sights on her. A secret prank tears them apart but it might be what brings them together too. Will love conquer all?--

prologue/one.

“Alison, over here!” A small hand rose across the school cafeteria. The blaring bell trilled loudly. It was lunchtime. Alison wanted the day to end. Her black Converse moved across the floor to her best friend. Many students moved like zoo animals into the big room to start eating. All of them talking about the upcoming prom.

Heather looked cute as a button with a big smile to match and lots of pink make up. Maybe a little fake. She was too popular for Alison. She dressed all in girly prep colors and was rich. Alison lived on Cherry Lane and just wore band teeshirts with ripped jeans.

“Hey.” Alison sat down and didn’t touch her meal. She didn’t want Heather commenting on how much she ate or the fact that she liked to wear dark colors. The two couldn’t have been any more different.

“There’s a huge party tonight.” Heather gushed excitedly. Alison shrugged. “We’re going. I’ll let you borrow something of mine...that fits.”

“Fine.” Alison picked at her lunch but wasn’t interested in it. Heather slid a flyer over.

“Prom is coming up. I’m going with Steve Harrington. Is that a problem?” Heather sipped a diet coke. “He asked me.” Alison hid the pain because she had a huge crush on Steve once and Heather knew it.

“No, it’s fine.” She got up with her lunch. “I have to go to the library.” Alison got a few steps and tripped, landing with a thud. Students laughed hard at that fall. She was so unpopular and they liked to pick on her. Heather peeked behind her shoulder but pretended she didn’t see anything. She didn’t want to be seen helping her loser friend.

“Tommy, you asshole!” Alison swept her tray up and food splashed everywhere. “You’re such a jerk.” Tommy and Carol laughed with the other people in the popular click. They always bothered her for no reason. She was never mean to them.

“Watch where you’re going, fatass,” Carol retorted back. “Go cry about it.” Alison sniffled her tears and ran away. She went into the bathroom and made herself throw up after Carol’s words. Already thin but she didn’t know it. She wanted to be pretty like Heather. Alison pretended she carried herself too high to be bothered with comments. She just wanted to fit in.

Back in the cafeteria, Billy Hargrove came into school late and saw his friends still laughing at their table.

“What’s going on?”

“Talking prom.” Tommy winked and another popular boy laughed. “You going?”

“It’s stupid.” Billy flicked his lighter around.

“We’ll give you forty bucks to make Gilbert go. Your neighbor. Ugly dork.” Tommy smiled with a mean look. “They say the bookworms are wild in the sack.”

“That’s dumb, dickweed.” Billy shook his head.

“A hundred.” The other popular boy sprang up. “Take Gilbert to the prom and show us your Hargrove charm. Show us how cool you are, B. Kiss her before they announce prom king and queen. And then dump her for whoever is queen.”

“Hey, uh, it might be me dummy.” Carol started to file her nails and got all prissy.

“Could be Heather.” Tommy chuckled. “Just ask her, B, and get paid for it. It’ll be so hilarious.”

“Yeah, whatever, I’ll think about it.” Billy got up and left

Alison and Billy were neighbors on Cherry. Their windows even faced each other. Alison liked Max and Susan but hated Neil. He was such a creep. She heard him fighting with Billy a lot.

Her mom wasn’t home because she was never home anymore. Always going out with guys and not caring about her daughter. She worked at the new mall that just opened in the makeup section of JCpenney. It didn’t matter. Alison liked to be alone mostly. She could just play piano and sing wherever she wanted. Alison always wanted to be on Broadway. She got all the choir solos which made Heather jealous. Her mom was a beauty queen and always mad her daughter didn’t want to be in pageants. Alison was just a theater dork.

Alison went into her house and ate a banana because it was easy on her tummy. The doorbell rang so she groaned and got it.

“Hargrove?” She made a face at him because he was such a jerk like Tomy. He didn’t pick on her as much but he ignored her a lot. “What do you want?”

“Hey, Gilbert. Alison.” He seemed shy all the sudden. Her blonde hair flowed in the wind against pale skin. She was actually really pretty. Especially since she got her braces off. Even with the big reading glasses she wore in class, she was beautiful. Big teeshirts hid her figure. “I was thinking about prom and wondered if you wanted to go with me.”

“Uh no...” Alison shuffled. “But thanks.”

“Come on, it’ll be fun. I want to ask you.”

“Ask one of those other popular girls you like. I’m not interested, Billy.” She moved to shut the door and his foot caught it.

“You mean, sluts? I don’t want other girls. Sorry, Tommy’s such a jerk. He and Carol are just stupid.” He explained and got charming. “I wanted to make it up to you. Go with me.“

“Maybe,” she said shyly. Billy was really cute and he seemed genuine. He bit his lip and looked so good. Things were better after he and Max started to get along. Alison had a crush on him but he was such a jerk to everyone. It felt like he might be tricking her to and she didn’t want to be hurt again. “I’ll think about it. You can still ask someone else though.”

“You know where to find me, Ali. I’m asking you so just deal with it. I only want to go with you.” Billy winked at her which sorta made her melt. “I’ll see you around and all you gotta do is nod that pretty blonde head of yours. Okay?”

“Why are you asking me?”

“Well, I always thought you were cute.” He touched her chin and her heart stopped. “I’m not interested in any other girls. We should hang out. It’ll be fun. I could show you a really good time.”

“I’ll think about it Hargrove.” She tucked some hair back. “I’ll have to get a dress and everything.”

“You’ll look beautiful in anything you wear so get a dress and we’ll go. I can pick you up at 7 on prom night.” Billy winked. “Just say yes, Ali, live a little.”

“Yes, okay, I’ll go with you.”

“Awesome.” Billy smiled and turned to go. “Don’t be nervous, we’ll have fun.”

“Your friends won’t get mad?”

“Ah, who cares about them.” He walked off and lit up a new cigarette. “See you, princess.”

“Bye, Billy.” Alison sighed against her door and locked it. She had a date with a boy.

Billy felt kinda guilty after he walked off. He could just be nice and get paid. What Alison Gilbert didn't know couldn't hurt her. But, the guilt still ached at him. He realized he might have actually liked this girl.

I hope you liked it! I try not to picture young Tswift as Ali but I can’t help it.

#Billy Hargrove x oc #billy hargrove #billy hargrove headcanon #Stranger things #Stranger things fanfic #Billy x oc #billy hargrove fanfic #my fanfic #steve harrington #heather holloway #my oc ali

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