#would wymack play music on the bus?

[avp23]

nicky hemmick loves fergie. no i will not be elaborating

[decaflondonfog]

shatter into you

[rated t, <1k, kevin day/jeremy knox, post canon tooth-rotting fluff]

Maybe the league at large doesn’t get it. Maybe only a very small number of people in this room — between Foxes, Ravens and Trojans — understand how big it is for all of them to be here, considering everything that has happened in the last year. Jeremy isn’t sure what the goal is behind making it a country-wide Christmas Banquet this year, but he is pretty sure no one here is pleased about it. Jeremy himself doesn’t think he gets it. He’s put some information together though, after many months of attempting to break the ice around Jean Moreau. He doesn’t need to understand it all to see how clearly uncomfortable Kevin is. Throughout the night, he bites his tongue so the questions don’t come spilling out. Aren’t you sick of people asking you about Riko? Do you flinch at quick-fire Japanese, like Jean? Would you want to come visit? If you were staying overnight, would you want to practice together in the morning? Do you… “Do you want to get out of here?”

He’s heard that before. Not outside his dreams though. Not with a very real Kevin day holding his elbow gently in his hand, not with the quirk of his mouth — not quite a smile but nearly — making Jeremy’s heart skip a beat, not with those eyes — those eyes (!), never quite this vibrant in Jeremy’s dreams… “God, yes.” Jeremy runs across the room for his jacket, comes back to Andrew Minyard’s angry whispering, to Coach Wymack’s worried eyes, to Neil Josten’s amused staring. “I’ll be back in time. I promise,” Kevin tells Wymack. He ignores Minyard and pulls Jeremy out of the room. “Where to?” he asks. Neither of them know the city, but Jeremy doesn’t mind getting lost if it’s with Kevin Day. The chatter is nervous, but easy. Jeremy talks and talks and talks, and Kevin laughs and laughs and laughs. Jeremy wants to do this forever. The bar they stumble upon is far nicer than anything he’d figured they’d end up at, but they’re both in suits and they don’t look a bit out of place amongst the low light, the cabinets full of expensive-looking trinkets covering the walls, and the quiet jazz playing in the background. Kevin insists on paying, and Jeremy is once again struck by how this must be a dream. But it’s not, because in his dreams Kevin never laughs quite so openly, never touches Jeremy’s hand as gently as he’s doing now. Kevin’s eyes go soft yet unreadable when Jeremy speaks of Jean, and Jeremy’s insides melt at how obvious Kevin’s love for Minyard and Josten is. It’s really sweet. Nothing gets Kevin talking like the subject of Exy, but it’s simultaneously overwhelming and endearing to realise that Kevin Day isn’t all Exy. As Kevin talks, Jeremy wishes he knew what falling felt like. He’d always assumed like actual falling. Alice down the rabbit hole, nothing under his feet. This feels like getting stuck in a wormhole, frozen in place by two equally powerful forces. Though Jeremy could easily let Kevin swallow him up like a blackhole. The thing is Kevin will be on his way back to South Carolina in only a couple of hours, Jeremy will be flying back home in the morning. The candlelight and the music turn Jeremy’s stomach, something out of a war film scene, the two of them slow dancing through the night, as if Kevin is getting deployed come morning. Kevin doesn’t let go of his hand when they leave the bar (Cinderella-like, clock-ticking, pumpkin-turning, mice-scattering). In the dark, Jeremy is less scared by the knowledge that he’s setting himself up for heartbreak. Kevin’s arm brushing against his is worth it. The Trojans are at their hotel, the Foxes scattered around their too-orange bus, and Kevin is pulling Jeremy away, pushing him against the wall, saying — soft and earnest — “I wish I could stay.” Jeremy (brave only under the light of the streetlamp), pushes up on the balls of his feet and presses his lips against Kevin’s, tentatively. Not a dream. Not a dream. Not a dream. Jeremy wants to do it again as soon as it ends. “Come to Palmetto,” Kevin says, just as Jeremy says, “Come to California.” They laugh. Then, “Text me.” “Call me.” Synced by wanting. Attuned by need. “Okay.” “Okay.” Jeremy only lets him go because he has to, but he knows he’ll be thinking of tonight for however long it will take until he sees Kevin again.

[zipperuser103]

If an AFTG show/movie, cartoonized or not, was made, and it was anything other than a cinematic masterpiece, I would riot.

And I mean like long dramatic shots of Neil, with dramatic songs/music playing overtop, but also there being very little music in the first place. Long pauses between dialogue.

If it’s not Call Me By Your Name level cinematography I don’t want it.

All of the music and songs would be soft and daunting.

No narration, the first shot is is just quiet zooming in on Neil “smoking” on the bleachers. It’s completely quiet for as long as it takes to get close to neils face. Than the silence is broken my coach hernandez coming in.

The scene where Neil is staring at Andrew over the bus seat: (I don’t remember exactly how the scene goes, but stay with me) Andrew says “staring”, Neil responds, and than music starts as Neil smiles and starts talking about things with Andrew. Or something like that

The scene where the butchers henchmen find Neil in the locker room, all the way to Neil is brought out of the basement and starts laughing has no music whatsoever

The scenes where Neil goes onto the court for the first time, background voices slowly get drowned out by Neil’s breathing

It’s silent, Neil brings Andrews hand under his shirt, soft music starts up while they stare at each other and then is cut off a few seconds later as wymack says his line (that I forget)

If I think of any more I might add them

[play-exy-be-sexy]

Andrew’s favorite things about Neil

When he lets Sir and King crawl on him.

How he always gets up first when the cats whine so Andrew can sleep in.

How he can entertain himself for hours playing with the cats and that stupid red laser Nicky bought them.

How he falls asleep when Kevin or Wymack are talking.

How he never falls asleep when Andrew is talking.

When he tries on Andrew’s glasses.

When he gets reading glasses of his own.

The smile he gets when they win a game.

The smile he gets when Andrew wins the game for them.

The smile he flashes Andrew across the court

Just his smile in general.

Especially the one reserved only for Andrew

When he calls him, “Drew”

Every time he says yes.

And every time he is comfortable saying no(Not that it happens a lot)

How he lets Andrew see all of him, good and bad.

How he does it because he wants to not because he feels like he has to.

His hands, scars and all

His eyes, kind and mean at the same time

Him in the exy uniform

His wet hair

His obsession with fruit

His obsession with old music

His obsession with Andrew

His pettiness

His fearlessness

His determination

All the stupid hand signs he learned(and made up) so he could communicate with Andrew without having to talk.

Him speaking french

And Russian

When his British undertone pokes out

How it only does in front on Andrew

How when they come out, he isn’t ashamed or afraid for a second

How he keeps telling Andrew it’s a good thing and they can finally be themselves

How(as much as Andrew hates to admit it)good he is at Exy.

The wedding band under his shirt that matches Andrews.

His horrid fashion taste

His equally horrid dance moves

When he is tipsy and says all the things he never would normally

Such as “You’re beautiful” or “I love youuuu” 

When he leans his head on Andrew’s shoulder.

Especially on bus rides.

How he puts his head in Andrew’s lap when they are on the couch.

How he loves to sit in Andrew’s lap.

And how when he does, he wraps his arms around Andrew’s shoulders.

His back massages.

How he can sometimes be super romantic without knowing. 

How his love is so passionate and strong.

Whether that be to the foxes, the cats, exy, etc

But how he loves Andrew the most out of all those things.

Again I’m going to stop but I could go on for ever.

Happy Valentines day yall!!!<3

[awesome-llama01]

ok so these have been in my head and i nearly cried on the bus. also have never done this before. heads-up i know absolutely nothing about pianos or actually playing music. i’m also not a writer so let’s hope this makes sense.

Neil, Andrew and a piano over time:

- Neil was allowed to play the piano when he was a kid, one of the few skills and hobbies his father allowed him to learn. it made neil more valuable as an asset

- he had to learn to become good quickly, or he would be punished by his father and by the age of 9 he could confidently play pieces from Mozart and Bach without looking at the sheets.

- this was useful to Nathan when he wanted to sell Nathaniel to the Moriyamas, it meant that nathaniel could entertain the moriyamas when necessary outside of exy

- but with years on the run, neil’s piano skills faded until he mostly forgot he had them

- it wasn’t until his third year at psu when he was cuddled up with his foxes watching a christmas film. a character in the film was playing the piano and it was so obviously fake that before neil knew what he was saying, he said “those hand movements are completely incorrect, he’s missing out on the melody. i bet he couldn’t even find middle C”

- multiple sets of eyes turned to neil, “what?” he said seemingly confused. “how the fuck would you know about that?” nicky asked, voicing the question that was in everyone’s eyes. “i played the piano when i was a kid, i like to think i was quite good at it” he said defensively.

-“of course you did” andrew muttered moving closer to him.

- this lead to nicky and allison ordering a keyboard for neil as a christmas gift

-from then on, neil got stuck back into playing his keyboard whenever he was in the dorm alone, andrew would smoke out on the roof, and come back to hear the last notes of a song, but neil would quickly put the keyboard away and try and hide the light blush on his cheeks.

- nicky and allison were constantly begging neil to play for them, and constantly trying to get him to join some of the music groups or concerts happening around campus. Wymack caught wind of this and used performing in a school concert as a punishment when neil blew his legs out for the umpteenth time when on his morning runs

- so a very sulky neil performed the one song he had learnt since receiving his keyboard (i see this song as i love you by Riopy check it out it’s great) all of the foxes (and katelyn) Bee, Abby and Wymack sat in the audience wondering whether this was just going to be humiliating for neil or if he was actually very good.

-but neil absolutely aced it, so much so he had a standing ovation, several foxes let out shouts of praise, whistles and cheers. an apathetic andrew just clapped along, but neil could tell the spark in his eyes were filled with pride. a warmth floated in neil’s chest.

- once neil and andrew go pro, neil still plays his keyboard (it’s one of his prized possessions) and eventually the cats love sitting with him as he tinkled away

- so when neil and andrew move into their first house together - a beautiful 4 bed house with plenty of space for entertaining when the foxes meet for christmas and holidays and a cosy library for andrew and his many books, perfectly befitting of professional exy players- andrew bought neil a baby grand piano, which sat pride of place in their living room.

- it was one of neil’s most favourite things in the world, aside from andrew and the cats. he loved it and would often be found tinkling away after his morning run, or after practice and tbh it was andrews favourite way to wake up, of course he would prefer waking up with neil in his arms but hearing him playing was a second favourite

- the night they got married, they went home from the courthouse, poured two glasses of whiskey and both of them sat at the piano, neil played and andrew rested his head on neil’s shoulder, his eyes drifting closed listening to the sweet sounds and relishing in the comfort of his husband

-but when neil was diagnosed with osteoarthritis at 38, it meant the end of his exy career. Andrew had retired at the same time to help look after his aching partner. both were worried about the moriyamas, who were surprisingly generous when neil told them he physically couldn’t play anymore, they entered into a deal where neil would become a coach and the moriyamas would accept 50% of his annual earnings, a much better deal than either neil or andrew could have hoped for.

- at first the arthritis hit him in the knees, making running almost impossible, it caused neil multiple panic attacks that andrew comforted him through and new restless behaviours to arise. andrew had become surprisingly good at giving massages when neil could barely move because of the pain

- but when the arthritis started to affected his fingers and his wrists he cried. he couldn’t play his piano anymore, because it hurt so much. andrew would often see neil just sat at his piano, looking forlorn. in those moments he vowed to himself that he would learn the piano, so when neil could barely move his hands, andrew would still play for him

- so when neil was out with his new team, andrew would sit and learn to ply the same song neil played for him and the foxes in his third year (i love you by Riopy)

- and for neil’s 45th birthday, andrew asked him to sit next to him at the piano, neil’s gloves hands wrapped around one of kevin’s icky smoothies, andrew began. it took for a few seconds for neil to recognise that andrew was playing and playing well but the realisation that he was playing the same song, after all these years, it earned a soft “oh my god” as the tears began to fill his eyes.

- when the song came to a close, neil had tear tracks down his face, “thank you, ‘drew” “happy birthday, darling” and a soft kiss was pressed into neil’s scarred cheek

- it was something that became common place in their home, andrew would play for neil on bad days and special occasions. eventually neil’s hands could barely function but he was grateful for all of hand and knee massages andrew gave him, all paid for in kisses and affection.

-they grew old together, and when they began to have difficulties with their memories, the piano brought them back together.

💗

[kevindayisafrog]

Part 2 of the post that was supposed to be a one shot inspired by @knandersonart ‘s art on Instagram (I have too many ideas for it to be left as a one shot, babe, I’ve got a whole book planned)

TW - abuse, anxiety and mentions of Dr*ke

Kevin had been at Palmetto for over a year now; alone and in fear. He tried hard to fit in with the upperclassmen but his short temper and constant panic left a huge gap between them that no one had tried to fill. He tried to get close to his father too but he knew that he’d never be able to tell him who he really was to him; he knew that his dad would only turn him away like Riko said. Kevin tried to keep in contact with Neil but their texts and calls had gone from one a day to one every few months. Everything was falling apart and all Kevin could do was watch as he fought like hell to climb back to the top. And the top is where he is now, but this time the podium he’s standing on is for him only, Riko can’t pull him down. Until Kevin’s alone with his thoughts, then he remembers how small he is against Riko’s power and ruthless abuse. Kevin felt himself slip further into the darkness around him when the championships were announced, something to finally concentrate on and a place where he’ll finally be with his Neil again; even if they’ll be against each other.

Kevin stared blankly at the empty bus seat in front of him as he sat at the back of bus alone; distantly listening to the upperclassmen’s idle conversation as the foxes made their way to the banquet. He couldn’t sit still as fear warred with excitement in his tight chest. He placed his AirPods in and called Neil, knowing that he’d see him in less than an hour but couldn’t wait to hear his voice. He grumbled to himself when it went to the voicemail and hung up, choosing to listen to his music instead as he watched the scenery pass by in a colored blur through the window.

Kevin was last off the bus and he stood behind the other foxes as Wymack opened the storage compartment on the coach, passing their outfits to each player. Matt tossed Kevin his dark green suit before turning back and catching his own suit before it hit the ground. “Jesus, Coach, this cost me a lot of money”, Matt smiled despite his words and smoothed down his suit. Wymack retorted dryly but Kevin didn’t hear what was said as he already turned and made his way towards the stadium; his body buzzing with a distant memory of Neil’s body close to his. He pushed his way into the locker room with a sign reading: ‘Palmetto Foxes’ written in black sharpie. He quickly threw on his suit with his back to the others, ignoring Nicky’s wolf whistle as he moved to the mirror to smooth down his forest green blazer. “Where are you going, hot stuff?”, Nicky winked with a laugh as Aaron groaned and turned away from his cousin. “I’ll be on the court”, Kevin muttered as he left the locker room and walked as fast as he could to the court. It pained him to see a perfect court being used as a dance floor and dining area, but he wasn’t here to be disgusted. He opened the court door as he felt a stern hand on his shoulder causing him to flinch and duck down. “Don’t worry, it’s only me”, Wymack pulled Kevin back up and turned him so that they were facing each other, “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay before you walk into the lion’s mouth”. Kevin looked up into his father’s eyes and blushed in embarrassment at the raw worry that he saw. “I’ll be fine as long as we’re not near Riko or Tetsuji”, he wrung his hands together and tapped his foot impatiently. “I’ll keep an eye on you, kid and if you’re worried in any way come straight to me, okay?”, Wymack gave a fierce squeeze of Kevin’s shoulder before pushing him through the door. Kevin turned away and made his way over to where the seating charts were. He ran his finger down the sheet until he found the Foxes’ name and made his way to the back table, freezing as Riko stood from their shared table. “Kevin, welcome home”, Riko announced in Japanese, spreading his arms in a vicious gesture of a hug. Kevin gulped and clenched his hands before taking a deep breath and making his way over to the table. “Riko”, he muttered as he sat down opposite Neil, relaxing as Neil wrapped their ankles together, “the rest of my team are just coming”. Riko barked a shrill laugh as he sat down and leaned towards Kevin, “me and Jean were just talking about how we’re surprised you guys made it into the championships, what with your small number of players”. Jean looked up and sent Kevin a subtle shake of his head, mouthing a small ‘I’m sorry’. Kevin sent a small smile back before turning to Neil, ignoring Riko’s annoyed frown. “Hi”, he whispered, running his ankle up to Neil’s thigh. “I’ve missed you”, Neil replied in French, reaching down and squeezing Kevin’s ankle under the table. “Hmmm, so we’re doing this now? Speaking other languages so I won’t understand”, Riko nodded slowly before laughing and curling a large smile, “your mother would be so disappointed in your disobedience. If you’d shut up we’d all hear her turning in her grave. Even though we’re so far away from her”. Kevin tensed and clenched his jaw, trying not to give Riko the satisfaction by showing his anger.

“Riko, it’s so lovely to meet you, Dan Wilds”, Dan led her team to the table and scraped her chair back, sitting down with her hand extended to Riko. Riko looked at her hand in disgust before shaking it with a fake smile, “I hope you’re looking after my Kevin for me”. Matt sat beside Dan and laughed sarcastically, “he’s not yours anymore, he’s ours”. Riko dropped Dan’s hand onto the table with a thud and turned to Kevin, “weren’t you just telling me how much you hated this team and that they’ll never win the championships?”. Kevin sat up straighter and smiled, “no, I wouldn’t say that and do you know why, Riko? Because although these aren’t the best players, they’re the strongest I’ve ever met. They use their teamwork to push back and fight to win their deserved place at the top. You won’t be smiling so wide when we beat you and win the championships”. Riko’s smile fell and he grabbed Kevin’s left wrist in an iron grip, “don’t fucking push me tonight, remember that you’re my pet. I won’t hesitate to put you down, do you hear me? One wrong move and I’ll bring your whole team down with you, see if you’re so brave then”, he growled in rapid Japanese. Nicky looked between the two before placing his hand over Riko’s and digging his nails in deep, “I’d advise you to take your hands off of him or I’ll break it off”. Kevin turned to Nicky in surprise and was shocked enough to let his long lost genuine smile get plastered across his face. Riko pulled his hand away and glared at Kevin, “you’ve deluded these jokes into thinking that they’re better than they are. You’re getting cocky, Kevin, what will you do when they turn you away like they inevitably will?” Andrew elbowed Neil to get him out of the way and leant on Neil’s hunched back, “now, now, Riko, let’s not throw your toys out of the pram. I told you what I’d do if you messed with my family, do you really want to test my word?”. Riko tensed and slowly turned to face Andrew, “One more word, Andrew and I will get an old friend over to play with you. Drake must miss you”. Andrew flinched at the name and let out a long medicated laugh, “try me” he growled. Neil shouldered Andrew off and stood up, ignoring Riko’s glare, “I’m going to the bathroom, try and fucking stop me”. The foxes watched in silence as Neil left the room without a single glance back to the table. “Your pets aren’t as loyal as you thought, are they?”, Dan asked and she tapped her nails against her glass, “must suck when everyone turns their back on you”. Riko growled in annoyance, hating how he’d lost control of the situation and his words were thrown back at him. Kevin stood up quickly, knocking his chair onto the floor with a loud clatter as he left the table, half running to the bathroom and ignoring Wymack’s shouts of concern.

“Neil?”, Kevin called into the seemingly empty bathroom, pushing open the stool doors slowly. “I really did miss you”, Neil walked around from the corner of the room and stood on his tiptoes to wrap his arms around Kevin’s neck, “I actually missed your irritating shouting and obnoxious presence on the court”. Kevin let out a small huff as he brought their lips together, smiling into the kiss of ‘hello’. “I hate you”, he whispered into the kiss, knotting his fingers in Neil’s orange hair. “Sure you do”, Neil replied, purring as Kevin tugged lightly on his hair. Kevin pulled away first and stared down into the ocean blue eyes before him, the auburn eyelashes fluttering his eyes back open. “Neil”, Kevin started but Neil let go and walked away to the sinks, “please just hear me out”. Neil sighed and turned on the tap, “Kevin, not now, can we just have this moment? Stop trying to ruin everything”. Kevin frowned and followed Neil, leaning his hip beside him at the sink, “I don’t ruin everything”, he muttered. Neil placed his hands under the tap, refusing to look up at his pouting boyfriend, “you know that’s not what I meant”, he sighed and dropped his hands to the bottom of the sink, “I can’t come back with you”. Kevin groaned in annoyance and pushed off of the sink, pacing his way back to the stools, “why not? Why the fuck not, Neil? Nothing is stopping you and even if something was you wouldn’t care anyway”. Neil turned the tap off and slammed his hands against the ceramic, “for fuck’s sake, Kevin, are you being obtuse on purpose? If I could go, I would. Do you think that I enjoy the nest? Do you think I like you being so far away from me? Because I fucking don’t, it’s hell”. Kevin laughed flatly and crossed his arms, half turning away, “you can come with me, you just don’t want to”. Neil pushed the heels of his hands into his eyes and sighed heavily, “why do you always twist things? Listen to me”, he dropped his hands and marched over to Kevin, pulling his arms apart forcibly, causing him to flinch, “listen, I hate not being without you, okay? And I know it makes you cringe when people talk like this, but I can’t live without you and I hate to admit, I really do, but I need you. I’m trying so hard to get out of there so you’re not alone anymore and Andrew’s helping too. We’re so close to getting out, we just need to be patient and wait a little longer before we can be with each other again, okay?”. Kevin dropped his head and Neil stood on his tiptoes so their foreheads could touch. “I hate being alone”, Kevin whispered, “I’ve never been alone before. When my mom found out who Tetsuji really was, who his family were, she exiled us to Ireland and never let me leave her sight. She took me everywhere with her, not even trusting teachers to look after me at school. But she left to go to the shops in the next town whilst I was sleeping and Tetsuji paid people to stage a fatal car accident. After that day I was with Riko and he wouldn’t let me leave his sight either, so I don’t know what to fucking do. I’ve never been alone before”, he sniffed and let out a small whimper. Neil gently placed his hands either side of Kevin’s face and placed a small kiss on the tip of his nose, “you’re not alone, I’ll never let you go”. Kevin lifted his head and turned to look away, “but you are leaving me alone”. Neil shook Kevin’s head and pressed his own head against Kevin’s ribs, “I’m trying, I really am”.

They stood in silence as Kevin hesitantly wrapped his arms around Neil’s shoulders. “I know you are, I’m sorry, I’m just scared”, he placed a gentle kiss atop Neil’s head and rocked him side to side slowly. Neil hummed and looked up, taking in his boyfriend’s worry filled eyes, “that color looks good on you”. Kevin frowned and looked down at his suit, “I wanted to wear red but I don’t really suit it”. Neil snorted and pulled away, turning to walk to the bathroom door, “you suit red, Kevin, trust me”. Kevin watched as Neil left the bathroom with a wink and couldn’t help but feel alone once again, a heavy feeling weighing on his chest. “Thank you”, he whispered with a small smile to the space Neil left behind as Riko kicked open the door with two broad shouldered Raven players behind him.

[simonsrosebud]

Alright — this is very important — what’s the wedding party look like? Do either of them get walked down the aisle? What do the bachelor parties look like? What’s the first dance like? The cake cutting? OR! Do they just elope?

Either way, the most important thing of all — what are their vows?

i’m going to warn you:  i’m afraid this is going to be a very long post.

the wedding is in january, before playoffs have the chance to start up.  it’s easier that way also, because most of their friends either play exy or coach it, so they’re all off too.  and dalton’s professor friends are off for winter break.

that being said, they’re on a time crunch for bachelor parties.  and since kevin doesn’t drink or anything, the idea of the “typical bachelor” party is out of question.  kevin doesn’t care for a bachelor party for himself, anyway.

however, when andrew is added to a groupchat with the whole wedding party, he sends two texts.  not to the group, but to allison.  she’s the one handling it, anyway.

the first text is a link to elton john at madison square garden, the second is a text.  

hamilton on broadway friday the 14th, concert 15th.

(ik the timelines don’t technically match up, but since this is all fictional who cares)

it’s perfect.  allison checks with dalton to be sure, and he lights up.  apparently kevin has gotten really into hamilton because duh it’s history, and elton john is one of his favorite artists, especially after dalton introduced him to “your song” in college.

dalton goes with him because they know kevin would want him there, unlike normal bachelor parties where you spend it without your fiancé.

as for dalton’s, he gets taken to florida (it’s only like a 5 hour drive i think but they could fly also) and his friends, who for the most part are straight besides emmie, a blazing proud lesbian, take him to gay bars on gay bars, and then go to star wars land in disney world for a day- kevin’s idea.  dalton is very excited about this because in this ask dalton reveals he’s a star wars fan and says he’d like to go see it someday.  they also get drunk in disney, don’t worry.

they both have good sized wedding parties.  for dalton, it’s carmen, bella, and his best friends jenna, reid, and sam.

for kevin, it’s andrew, neil, and dan.  if anyone asked kevin in college if he’d thought she would be in his wedding party- or even if they’d leave college being friends, he would have said no, but he was stupid to think the foxes would ever lose touch.  if anything, he got closer.

he’s also gotten closer than he ever would have probably wished to allison.  there’s something to be said for the both of them having good taste.  all it took was one trip of clothes shopping for a banquet for them to realize they’d had a lot more in common.

the only reason they never realized it was because they’ve both got the same level of stubbornness.

which is why she somehow ends up being asked to be in his wedding party, too.

kevin isn’t worried about asking neil.  a little about andrew, but he can always get neil to talk him into it.  he stops them both from leaving after practice, one day.  “will you be my groomsmen?  both of you?”

neil really doesn’t look surprised.  not even phased.  he’d been matt’s best man, after all.  “yeah, sure.”

kevin looks to andrew, who hasn’t moved a muscle.

when he does, it’s to swing his bag around his shoulder.  "no speeches.”  and before he gets to the door.  “and no one’s wrapping their arm around mine down the aisle.”  and that’s more than okay with kevin.  he doesn’t really want them speaking, anyway.

and then there’s dan and allison.  he isn’t worried about them, so all he does is text them and they agree.

there’s no more than 70 people there.  the actual ceremony only about 30.  it’s not big by any means, but they didn’t want it big anyway.  plus, kevin doesn’t have a whole group of family to invite like dalton does in the first place.  he doesn’t mind, though, because he’s grown to consider dalton’s family his own.

kevin doesn’t get walked down the aisle.  he never saw himself doing that with a woman before he realized he was bi and could potentially marry a man, so he’s never cared for it.

wymack, however, officiates the wedding.  he’s very proud of it, too.  he never seems to show nerves, and he doesn’t let kevin know, but this is something that causes him great stress.  he can’t fuck it up.

he doesn’t, of course.

he’s standing beside kevin when dalton gets walked down the aisle by his mother, and kevin told himself he wouldn’t get emotional.

he lets out a breath and a soft laugh, then looks up at the ceiling to blink away the sudden wetness in his eyes.

when anne hands him off, she kisses kevin on the cheek and whispers.  “all yours now, love.”

kevin wants to kiss dalton so bad.  so so bad.  but he has to wait.  instead he gives him a wink and takes his hands.  he expects them to be a tiny bit sweaty like they sometimes are when he gets nervous, but they’re not.  dalton’s grip is firm, and the only thing kevin can see on him is glee.

kevin feels he barely can pay attention to the words his father is saying until it’s time for the vows.  he’s first.  he takes a deep breath.pays attention to what his father is saying, too busy staring at his fiancé.  until they get to the vows, that is.

kevin is first, and his heart has never beat this fast.  he memorized his vows, but just in case, he unfolds the paper from his pocket and takes the microphone.  “i’ve made plenty of bad decisions in my life.  going to the club the night before a game, trying to fix the kitchen sink by myself.”  he smiles when dalton laughs at the memory.  “d, i knew from the moment i told you about my demons and you stayed, that choosing you was the best decision i’ve made in my entire life.  your are the strength i didn't know i needed, and the joy that i didn't know i lacked.”  dalton mouths i love you.  “thank you, for supporting and loving me unconditionally, i know i haven’t always made it easy.”

dalton gives the slightest shake of his head at that one.  loving kevin comes as easy as breathing.

“thank you for showing me how to accept myself, and showing me what it’s like to find peace, to know what it’s like to feel wanted and loved.  thank you for helping me to better myself as a man and a partner.  you make me a better person in every single way, and i promise to put it all to use and give back every single day of our lives.  i promise to love you through every hardship, to love you for who you are and who you are yet to become.  i promise to support and help you in every new adventure, and to always be at your side.  i promise to be patient and loyal.  i promise to remember to show you every day how deeply i care for you.  i promise to share my whole heart with you, to love you fiercely— for the rest of my life.  as long as you’ll have me.”

dalton blinks away tears, and after taking a moment, he accepts the microphone.  "kev,” he whispers, and takes a breath.  kevin knows he has his written down, but he doesn’t take it out.  he doesn’t need it.  “i used to think that i just got lucky that some random hot kid asked me for help with his homework.”  kevin grins.

“but i’ve realized now that the universe put you in front of me for a reason.  you have filled my life with happiness and have given me a sense of peace that i’ve never known.  you are my best friend, my biggest supporter, and the best co-pilot in life that i could’ve ever wished for.”  he smiles.  “today marks the start to the rest of our lives, whether we’re ready or not.  i will not take our time together for granted. and because words can’t do it, i promise to show you, for the rest of my life, how much i love you.  i promise to encourage you to follow your dreams.  to support you through any of life’s obstacles.  i promise to make you laugh when you’re taking yourself too seriously.  i promise to hold your hand through the good and the bad, to keep you afloat when you feel you’re drowning.  i promise to share the weight on your shoulders like it’s my own.”

a tear drops from kevin’s eye, and dalton reaches to gently wipe it with his thumb before grabbing his hand.  “i promise to never stop making up my own lyrics to songs i don’t know. although, i know you wish i would.  i promise to look back on our lives when we’re old and gray and have no regrets.  i promise, from this day forward, kevin day, that you will never walk alone.”  he lowers the microphone, whispering.  “as long as you’ll have me.”

it’s a very emotional ceremony, that’s for sure, but they’re grinning by the time the rings go on, and dalton barely holds back from jumping kevin before he can say, “you may now kiss.”

kevin has his arms around dalton’s waist and dalton’s hands on his cheek and the back of his neck, and they’re both smiling into the kiss less than two seconds in.  but kevin doesn’t care.  dalton’s laugh is the best thing he’s ever heard and he relishes in it as he crushes him in a hug before tearing back down the aisle.

their first dance is to “your song” by elton john.  is it probably overused?  sure, but kevin isn’t into music enough to know or care about that.  it’s the song that

it’s always been dalton’s go to song to sing in the car, and whenever he does he tends to just kind of grab onto kevin’s hand while he sings.  he’s no harry styles but he can hold a tune just fine.

it then turned into a song kevin listened to on bus or plane rides, and when he entered the pros dalton started sending him voice memos on text of him singing like two lines from the song before his every flight.

kevin also played it in the car back to the cabin after he proposed.

it’s their song.

dalton pulls kevin to him for the first dance, with one hand holding kevin’s and the other pressed against the small of his back.  and dalton’s singing along just loud enough for kevin to hear.  it makes him smile at his dork of a husband, and halfway through the song kevin lays his head on dalton’s shoulder and slides his arms around his neck.  he closes his eyes and ever so quietly sings along.  

dalton kisses the side of his head and wraps his arms around kevin’s waist.

when the song is coming to an end, dalton kisses kevin and smiles as he sings the last lines to him.  “how wonderful life is while you’re in the world”

kevin smiles.  “sweetheart,” he whispers.

but then the song ends, and kevin leans back against their table as dalton takes the floor with anne for the mother son dance.  he sends a thought up to kayleigh.

“i’m incredibly proud of you.”  it’s abby at his side, sliding her arm around his waist.  she kisses his cheek.  “i know you know this already, that you foxes are family to us.  but... you have always been like a son to me.  and you always will, even if not by blood.”

kevin is looking at his feet, but eventually he meets her gaze.  “you’re the closest thing i’ve ever had to a mother.”  he squeezes her hand, and, “do you want to do the dance with me?”  he doesn’t know how he hadn’t thought of it before.

abby’s a little teary, but nods.

dan rests her head on wymack’s shoulder.  “he’s done good.”

wymack nods.  he doesn’t respond, because he’s got… something… stuck in his throat.  not emotions, definitely not emotions.

kevin smears cake all over dalton’s lips when they cut the cake, and in return he presses a messy kiss to his cheek.  it’s sickenly sweet.  the whole thing is, especially compared to the kevin day that some people know, and the one they see on television.

i can’t think of other things i may have missed, but please please let me know if there is anything else you guys want more insight on, or prompts regarding these!

oh yeah, kevin throws one of the bridesmaids little bouquets as a joke.

and carmen catches it.

[91percentpynch]

kevin day as a singer/ songwriter

IT‘S KEVIN DAY BITCHES YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS - originally this was supposed to be a kevin day writing songs, soft wholesome au thingy, it ended up in kevaaron angst with a happy ending. but i put conan gray songs out of kevin‘s point of view as a bonus??? so it‘s still singer/ songwriter kevin??

kevin day has always loved music. he loved it when his mother sang him lullabies when he couldn‘t sleep, when they danced around the kitchen screaming the words to the song from the radio on the top of their lungs, loved it when she taught him how to play the piano and the guitar.

but like every other good thing evermore took this from him, once they snatched him and burried him alive. riko hated music, so naturally it was forbidden for all of them. no happiness, no light. only ever exy, exy, exy.

don‘t get it wrong, kevin loved exy. he was the son of exy. kayleigh found exy, kayleigh gave it to him, it was in his blood. it was in his soul. and it brought him closer to his beloved mother, to the woman who made his life good, who gave him light and happiness and left him back alone. gave him to them.

however just as exy was in his blood, so was music. so whenever he was alone with his partner he would quietly hum or sing a song his mother used to sing him.

when jean moreau arrived at the nest hell broke out. riko was jealous because kevin would spend more time with the new kid than him. kevin wouldn‘t give the king enough attention so all of his subjects had to suffer.

it got worse with every passing day, with every look that lasted just a second too long, with every conversation whispered softly in french, with every lullaby kevin would sing for jean when he was scared, with every embrace and late night talk. with every stolen kiss, they had to pay. well, jean had to pay. kevin had to remain untouched, no scar was allowed to be visible on his perfect face, on his hands or any body part visible. jean however? jean was never allowed to leave the nest, he was riko‘s, he belonged to riko like some doll he could stab or kick or do whatever he felt like to.

the day kevin told riko to stop, was the day riko lost his patience. kevin day got better in exy, he took his favourite toy away from him, he had the audacity to talk against his king.

kevin always knew riko was unpredictable when he was angry, that the world was just black and red when he was mad with anger, but he never in a million years thought that this anger would ever be against him. that he would have to feel what jean felt every single day.

but he did this day, when riko broke his hand. it was also the day when kevin decided that it was time for them to leave. for both of them, jean and him.

„we‘re going“, he whispered in french when he came back to their shared dorm room. „we‘re leaving. you and me. my father, wymack, he has an exy team on his own. the foxes. we‘re going to join them. because i will not leave you here, understood?“

„we can‘t go, he will find me and while he cannot kill you, he certainly can kill me. no one really cares about me, anyways“, jean replied.

„oh is that so? well i for that matter care about you, you beautiful french bastard and now take your five things and we‘re going“

„kevin, we can‘t. not both of us. that‘s way too suspicious“, jean tried to reason.

„darling, it‘s more suspicous when i go alone, now come. we don‘t have much time. riko will look for you soon, if he doesn‘t already. i know the way out, maybe, if we‘re fast we can go to a more growded place before he catches up on us, maybe we can even reach the bus or a taxi before he comes. we have to try, we cannot stay here. i for once must go to the hospital, the bastard broke my playing hand“

„i‘ll make sure he won‘t come after you, you go. go and forget me. go and leave me alone. it‘s only a few more months before i go, only a few more months before it‘s all over. you don‘t have to watch that. just, go“, jean said, his voice tired and filled with emotion.

„i will get you out of here and you will give live a chance. i promis you will see the sun again“, kevin replied, tears running down his cheeks as he leaned in for one last kiss. „i love you“, he whispered into the darkness as he turned to go. kevin never heard the reply, he wasn‘t sure he wanted to.

so kevin tiptoed to the backdoor and left. just like that. until this day he didn‘t know what jean had to go through for him to be able to leave like that but he was thankful for it nonetheless.

somehow he made his way to psu and found his place in the team. well, not exactly found a place. more like got adopted by a scary 5“0 tall, stabby boy, who promised to keep him safe, his twin brother and their cousin who scared the living crap out of him.

„what is our routine? do we have 16 hour days as well here? when is practice? and do we choose our majors ourselves or does the master choose them for us?“, kevin asked the others when they were alone in their dorm.

„do we have WHAT now?“, nicky asked. „dude, no we do not have 16 hour days, we, you know, want to like surive?“

„oh, are we allowed to listen to music or does the king not approve that?“, kevin asked instead.

„dude i don‘t know what fucked up shit they did in evermore but you‘re allowed to do whatever the fuck you want here. and dan would more be a queen, but we just call her dan or captain?“

„oh, okay“, kevin said before turning around and leaving the room. his chest tightened, his arm hurt, he just wanted back on the court. but he wasn‘t allowed on there until his left arm was doing alright, and as long as he wasn‘t on the court he couldn‘t train his right hand to play.

the only other thing that could calm him right now was music. the sound of a piano, the strings of a guitar against his fingers, the scratching of a pen against paper as the notes are written down on it.

kevin wandered through the fox tower, more lost than ever, and somehow found himself in a music room. a dusty piano stood under a bright window, an old guitar was in the corner next to an alomst ancient drum set.

almost automatically his feet brought him to the piano and he began playing. he played and played, as if his life depended on it and kevin felt calmer and lighter than he did in years. the voice of his mother was in his head, singing lullabies and placing a kiss on his forhead.

his right hand was playing the old lullabies he remebered while the left hand rested on his tigh

„that was good“, a voice said, bored and unimpressed. he turned around to see one of the twins watching him. it was the one who couldn‘t hide all of his emotions like the one with the knives.

„aaron, right?“, kevin asked, voice hoarse from crying.

„how do you tell us apart? not even nicky can tell us apart like 90% of the time and he‘s basically our mom“, aaron replied.

„well, it‘s a 50/50 chance, isn‘t it? i was just lucky“, kevin replied.

the music room became his place of safetey and calmness after that day. he would return whenever he felt lost or sad or upset. be it 2 am or the middle of the day.

and aaron would join him more and more often, may it to study because „your music helps me concentrate“ or just to watch kevin play while the sunbeams chased over his pretty face.

and if kevin slowly fell in love with aaron in those shared hours it was nobody‘s business

however it didn‘t look like aaron was into him anyways, as the joining kevin in the music room got less and less, and the time spent with kateyln from the vixens got more and more. and suddenly all of the songs kevin wrote were about aaron. all kevin thought about was aaron. he joined him in his dreams. the nightmares from evermore were replaced by kevin dying alone in a dark void while aaron laughed at him with katelyn by his side.

it was one of those late nights, one of the 2 am sessions where emotions took over and the truth was just easier to take. it was one of those nights that aaron decided to go into the music room, he didn‘t konw why. maybe it was katelyn telling him she wasn‘t into him anymore. it‘s not even been a month. or was it two? aaron never was good with telling weeks apart from days or hours. it was all the same blur of colors and voices and the ever so present need to be perfect. nothing less was acceptable.

„why would you ever kiss me? i‘m not even half as pretty. you gave her your sweater, it‘s just polyester, but you like her better, wish i were heather“, it was kevin‘s voice, like an angle, filled with pain and sadness. aaron sat down on the floor, just listening, wondering who the fuck heather was. and who the fuck would ever break his heart.

„watch as she stands with her holding your hand, put your arm ’round her shoulder, now i‘m getting colder. but how could i hate her, she‘s such an angle. but then again kinda wish she was dead, as she walks by, what a sight for sore eyes. brighter than a blue sky. she‘s got you mesmerized while i die. why would you ever kiss me? i‘m not even half as pretty. you gave her your sweater. it‘s just polyester, but you like her better. wish i were heather. wish i were heather. wish i were heather. why would you ever kiss me? i‘m not even half as pretty. you gave her your sweater it‘s just polyester, but you like her better. wish i were katelyn“, the last word was barely audible and aaron would have missed it if he wouldn‘t have moved closer to kevin while listening to his song.

„why would you want to be katelyn?“, he asked kevin as before he could stop himself.

as kevin turned around the moon let shadwos dance around his beautiful face. aaron could see that he was batteling with himself. that he was about to say something he wouldn‘t normally allow himself to say. show weakness and vulnerability when strenght was all he knew.

„because you like her better. because i want to be the one you kiss“, kevin whispered, looking at the ground. his hair falling into his face, hiding his expression.

aaron moved closer and closer. there were only a few inches between them now. softly he took kevin‘s chin in his hand and lifted it, forced him to meet his eyes. „well, what if you were heather?“, aaron asked, a small smile dancing around his lips.

„but- but katelyn is heather“, kevin whispered.

„well, kately found herself a girl. thea. she dumped me. and i‘m actually glad she did, i wanted you anyways. i just couldn‘t admit it. i thought it was wrong, unnatural. but if something this beautiful is sinful, i understand how adam was able to make the sin. if a fallen angle is wrong in god‘s eyes i have no answer what is right“

he closed the distance between them and placed a soft kiss on kevin‘s lips.

kevin, confused and drunk on the smell and taste of aaron, kissed him back. hungrier. needier.

the taller boy softly put his arms around the waist of the smaller one and pulled him closer. „you do not understand how long i‘ve been waiting to do this“, he whispered against aaron‘s lips.

„believe me, i do“.

the next day kevin took a guitar and a blanket after exy training, took aaron‘s hand and told him to come. together they went to the roof (where andrew and neil were making out, as usual) but they didn‘t mind they went to the other side, andrew‘s death glare on them but what‘s new, and filmed an accoustic version of heather kevin would then later on youtube. heather became their song (weird choice i know but it‘s the song where they kissed for the first time) and so so kevin‘s music career started.

kevin kept writing songs - mostly about aaron - throughout his exy career and published them. his fans loved his songs. his fans loved making conspiracy theories about who the songs are for. they‘re losing their shit when they found out it was aaron. after kevin retires he becomes a fulltime musician and eventually even goes on tour.

BONUS - CONAN GRAY SONGS OUT OF KEVIN‘S POV

grow - years, after evermore. after he starts therapy (and takes it seriously) and he feels like his life slowly but steadily becomes better. aaron and him have been dating for a year or two. he is ready to grow, to become his own person. to be himself and do whatever he wants. he is ready to go into the world. he is ready to show them that he queen of exy is not afraid anymore. that he is worthy and he knows it.

comfort crowd - aaron comforting kevin. aaron knowing when he needed to be with the foxes and when he needed some alone time. or some aaron-kevin-time. i do believe that the foxes becomes his comfort crowd, because they‘ve all been through shit and i refuse to believe that they wouldn‘t care about kevin as they did with neil once they learned what that poor boy had to bo through.

the story - kevin wrote that song about him and jean and the nest. the boy and the boy are him and jean. it‘s the story of their time there and the second verse is kevin‘s story of fleeing from evermore. and the refrain is a metaphor for life, because his life wasn‘t funny. or sweet. or pretty. and the „it could work for you and me. it‘s not the end of the story“ is about him and aaron. the last song verse is about jean and that he hopes that he finds his happy end with jeremy.

maniac - kevin wrote that one when katelyn came back to aaron and asked him to take her back cause the girl she thought she was madly in love with broke her heart. but aaron refused to take her back, told her to go back to her ratback and leave him alone. he‘s with kevin now and he doesn‘t need her anymore. she can‘t get him back.

affluenza - kevin wrote that for allison. i don‘t know the deep story behind that, the song just gives me allison vibes.

wish you were sober - kevin wrote that after the first party he went to with the foxes after he joined him and it‘s obviously about aaron. drunk aaron to be exactly. drunk aaron has a special place in kevin‘s heart.

the cut that always bleeds - that one was when aaron dated katelyn and told kevin about it and kevin just died a little bit inside whenever he did.

fight or flight - he wrote that before aaron told him how he felt about him. he just didn‘t know how to put his feelings into words so he just wrote that song.

lookalike - kevin wrote that before aaron and him started dating, but when jean and jeremy started to become closer. he didn‘t take that well at that time as he had a massive crush on both jean (who refused to talk to him) and jeremy (who never looked at him twice but still). and he just daydreamed about dating jeremy so much it almost felt like a betrayal when he started dating jean.

the king - honestly? aaron dating katelyn but nonetheless always coming back to kevin. kevin knows that. that‘s why he wrote the song.

(can we be friends?) - this is about jean/ jeremy when kevin didn‘t really have friends. jean/ jeremy at the time of the nest probably.

(online love) - this one‘s about jeremy. cause let‘s be honest, at least one of those songs is about jeremy.

crush culture - that one is the result of an angry 4 am song writing session when aaron dated katelyn and jj was just starting to date.

generation why - this one‘s for the millenials. his generation in this au.

heather - heather is aaron, basically he‘s talking about having a massive crush on aaron but aaron would never feel the same cuz he‘s obviously straight and madly in love with katelyn (= heather) who is just stunning and gorgeous and beautiful and so much better than kevin

overdrive - this one was written after the first time the twins and nicky took him to eden‘s. the time when kevin started to catch feelings for aaron.

[jemej3m]

radio silence (chapter 4: aaron and andrew’s people)

of course i had to do neil 

here’s ch.3 

warning for canon typical violence (baltimore, aaron’s perspective) and minor acephobia (if you squint)

*

Aaron did not like Neil Josten. He hadn’t from the start. He was quiet until he was loud-mouthed,  he was pathetic until he berated a psychopath on national television, and he was flighty until he socked said psychopath in the mouth. To sum it up: He was a walking contradiction.

It made sense that Andrew would be enamoured with him.

Andrew had told him that Easthaven had been uneventful, and that he hadn’t let Proust near him. Aaron supposed he had Josten to thank for that. It didn’t mean Josten had the right to fuck his brother, especially when it seemed that he was jumping off his ‘I don’t swing’ high horse right into his brother’s bed.

Aaron wasn’t an idiot: He’d suspected Andrew was gay for a long while. He’d known there was something different about Josten, even before Thanksgiving.

So when the idiot had gotten himself kidnapped, it wasn’t surprising that Andrew lost his shit.

Andrew’s version of ‘losing his shit’ was distinctly more conservative than one might suspect: He came back with Josten’s duffel and racket with corpselight in his eyes. He’d sat in the corner of the bus with Neil’s phone and gone over his call history, the texts in his deleted folder. Aaron watched the way Andrew’s shoulders curled, a spring wound tighter and tighter and tighter.

I’ll look up that area code, Aaron offered, when the number 443 kept circling in Andrew’s mind, loud enough for Aaron to hear without prompting. A quick search yielded an unexpected result.

Baltimore.

Andrew’s gaze snapped up to Kevin. “What’s in Baltimore?”

Kevin went white.

Matt, Aaron and Renee had to wrench Andrew back from genuinely snapping Kevin’s neck. We won’t find him if you kill Kevin, Andrew. Andrew, listen to me. Do you want to find Neil? Renee was sat across his lap, Aaron holding down his elbows. Andrew. Stop.

“Get off me,” He snarled. Aaron did as he was told, staying close and holding Andrew’s gaze as he breathed heavily, cheeks flushed with anger he hadn’t seen Andrew express in years.

The story tumbled out of Kevin’s mouth haphazardly, voice hoarse with the damage Andrew had done to his throat. When he was finished, Aaron watched him retreat into his corner again, staring listlessly out the window as Wymack nosed the bus further north instead.

Hurting Kevin was one thing, but watching Andrew reunite with Neil was a different monster entirely. Aaron watched from a distance as Andrew fell to his knees and battled with the way anger and relief. When Neil switched to German and told Andrew what’d happened, Aaron ignored his words, instead watching the way his brother’s eyes flickered over every burn and cut and bruise, fingers harsh as they wound themselves in the thread-bare, bloodied hoodie Neil wore but infinitely gentle over his injuries.

Aaron wondered if he looked at Katelyn like that.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Andrew said, bowing his head closer to Neil’s with his fingers fisted in his obnoxious red curls.

Aaron almost told Andrew that he was fucking whipped to all hell, but Andrew had been through enough. Instead, he watched Andrew as he stood and followed Neil out with the other federal agents, and said don’t do anything stupid. Including Neil.

Andrew only responded with a scathing fuck you.

*

Aaron walked into the cabin and let the familiarity wash over him. It was six years since the Foxes had stayed here for a week on Allison’s forgiving dime, six years since the nightmarish weekend in Baltimore. He looked much the same, Aaron noted (but with old scars instead of bandages and a new brand of confidence holding up his chin), still with the haunted blue eyes and scowl of his lips.

His brother still stood, tucked into Neil’s hip. And Aaron—well, Aaron couldn’t fault Neil for it any longer. He’d stayed by Andrew’s side all through college, and now, through two years of Andrew’s professional career, one of his own. He was trading in the off-season to Andrew’s team, which meant Aaron would get more peace and quiet now that Andrew wouldn’t be so lonely.

The cabin was just the same, too. New countertops in the kitchen and covers for the pillows didn’t dissuade the character of the place. Aaron had never found affection and friendship in his Fox family, but it was familiar and safe being with the nine of them. He wouldn’t trade that for anything.

They talked about old memories. They asked about their respective careers. Renee had been off hiking last Spring, so it was nice to see the way Andrew leaned towards her, talking quietly under the din of music and an Exy game playing in the background.

Aaron wandered off when the sun was just about setting with his beer, enjoying the cool breeze where he leaned against the railing. He took a photo for Katelyn and sent it: She didn’t respond, only because she was also away with her Vixens. It worked out well: They always took this week off in Spring and took an extended moment away from one another. Living together, med-school, residency planning and mentorships were a lot.

He’d propose to her soon. Maybe in the summer. It wasn’t like they hadn’t talked about it: They’d both agreed that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. Marriage was just, undoubtedly, a big-ass deal. He’d gone to Nicky’s wedding, and helped with probably 95% of the planning procedures. He wasn’t sure he was ready for that chaos.

The door behind him slip open. Aaron didn’t look back, expecting his brother: He startled when Neil stood next to him instead, sipping on what was probably his brother’s glass of whiskey.

What is your menace doing out here? Aaron inquired, sending Neil the appropriate scathing look.

I don’t own him, Andrew answered, an amused drawl in his tone. Aaron huffed.

“Remember when you tried to punch me with mummified hands?” Aaron remarked, resting his beer against his ankle and straightening up again. “Pathetic.”

“Remember when you accused me of using your brother?” Neil arched an eyebrow. “That was the shittiest shovel talk I’ve ever heard.”

“You’ve only heard one.” Aaron grunted. “Monogamous fuck.”

He was really just talking about him and Andrew: They were settlers at heart. Neil knew this and snorted at the irony.

“Speaking of,” Neil murmured. “Andrew wanted me to invite you to something.”

Aaron narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his brother’s boyfriend, who backtracked slowly with a small smile playing across his lips. His hand subconsciously drifted to the hollow of his throat, playing at the collar of his t-shirt. Aaron noticed the new silver chain around his neck and felt a strange tightness in his chest.

“Text me the details,” Aaron said, looking back out to the sun which had just managed to disappear beyond the horizon.

Neil disappeared inside, quiet.

Are you messing with me? Aaron asked.

No clue what you’re talking about, Andrew responded, cooly.

I can’t believe you’re getting married before me.

Everyone’s invited to ours for 4th of July, Andrew said, ignoring Aaron entirely. That’ll be the reception, but you and Matt will get there the day before to be witnesses at the courthouse. Katelyn can come, unless you open your mouth.

Aaron snorted. Nicky is going to fucking shit himself.

Andrew simply hummed.

*

the fluff finally comin’ along now

also i nearly gave up lmao i was sold on scrapping the whole idea, good thing im a sucker for the social construct that is marriage 

[akira-sxto]

Location: L.A. Night Club Date: February 15 Time: 11:39 p.m. (OPEN)

There were memories almost everywhere Akira looked. He recognized buildings and cars. Street signs and trees. From the moment their plane had started its descent Akira felt like he was taking a step back in time. He hadn’t been back to L.A. since his parents spirited him away to rehab two years ago. He never wanted to come back, if he was being honest. But coming back to play for the Foxes seemed like a good enough reason. At least until Akira walked out into the airport and was hit by it all. The noises, the people, the smell. All of it. He ended up coming to an abrupt halt in the middle of the walkway trying to take it all in. Trying to calm his nerves. 

It’s Wymack’s hand on his shoulder that shakes Akira out of his spiral of thoughts and feelings. Most of the Foxes and Vixens had already left him behind, not that he could blame them for it. “Good?” Wymack’s voice is low but there’s no denying the genuine concern in it. It takes Akira a long minute to find his words.

“Y-Yeah.” His voice cracks. “I’m good.” He swallows hard and starts forward. Wymack follows, keeping in line with him. Akira finds a deep sense of solace in it, uses it as a reminder of who is his now. He’s more grateful for the fact the Foxes and Vixens allow him to hide in the middle of them when they make the short commute to the bus and then the hotel. Everyone knows he’s a Fox. Knows the Foxes are coming to L.A. for this game. He’s not the least bit surprised by the hounds lying in wait for him.

What he is surprised by though are the familiar faces in the crowd when he heads out to the court for warm ups. So unexpected, and entirely unwanted, that Akira runs head on into the person in front of him in a desperate bid to escape them. It’s sad, but seeing them sends such a complicated mix of emotions through him his only course of action is to bolt. He doesn’t even apologize before he’s darting to the doors, pausing just outside them. He’s engulfed in the shame of it and he stews in it. These people were his friends...had been his friends. He should find it heart warming they’d want to be here for him, wearing orange and cheering him on. But it’s a hard emotion to feel through the unbridled anger. They’d gotten him into that damn mess. Hadn’t bothered to fish him out. 

It’s the loud rap of someone’s knuckles on the plexi-glass that shakes Akira out of his head. The guilt comes back when he sees it’s Wymack. Nothing happens. And then Akira takes a deep breath and heads back into the fray. Fuck them. Fuck this. He’s going to show them just how much he doesn’t regret leaving them behind.

And he does. And the Foxes win.

The Foxes win.

Akira’s so ecstatic about the win that he all but forgets about Trevor and Morgan and everyone else in the stands. Even the fight doesn’t deter his mood much. He’s in a fantastic mood up until Trevor and company bust into the locker room. They’ve clearly used their fame as leverage or something to get in. All he feels is dread. They make a beeline for him, Trevor pulling him into a headlock and messing up his hair, crowing loudly about how that game was fantastic and how celebrations are in order. They’ve rented a club. Put together a party. For the Foxes. It sends Akira’s emotions into another wayward spiral. He doesn’t know what to say and the words that come out feel fake and hollow. But he agrees to come. How could he not? The press would never let him live it down.

And of course it’s a familiar club, the place they’d often come as a cast to get drunk and high. The old booth Akira used to strike the deals is still there, the lights still flash to the beat as the music pounds through the speakers. He’s on edge the second he walks inside, his mouth bone dry and hands shaky. This was a bad idea. A terrible idea. He doesn’t want to be here and yet...can’t be anywhere else. 

The press always watching.

He feels like a caged animal, trapped, chained. It’s suffocating. And he tries to hide it as best he can, hanging out with the cast and telling tales. Even getting out onto the dance floor for a while. Smiling and nodding at all the right moments. At some point someone got him a can of soda, his usual party drink of choice these days. It helps to have something to hold but it makes him feel so other among people holding familiar bottles and glasses of alcohol. When he’s finally able to slip away from the crowd he holes himself up in a corner booth. Willing everyone to not see him. Praying the party dies down quickly so he can leave and not get called out on it in the tabloids in the morning.

He takes a drink and grimaces. It’s warm. It’s beyond warm, it’s almost hot. God knows how long he’s been simply holding onto it. He pushes it away from himself, looking out over the crowd in a poor attempt at looking engaged and excited. He spots someone nearby and shoots them what he hopes is a smile and not a grimace. “You having fun? Me and the cast used to come here all the time back when I was on On the Line. The bartender used to...” He pauses to gather himself again, steel himself for the admission. “Used to know my order by heart. I’ll bet he probably still does.”

[kar3npage]

Sewing Scissors and Throwing Knives

Chapter 2 is up! Read from the beginning on ao3 here

What would have happened if Neil stopped playing Exy? If he kept running after his mother died? Neil Josten is working as a janitor at Palmetto State University when he gets the opportunity to work as a fashion designer for an up and coming brand. It's a dream come true, if it wasn't such a public position and if he wasn't still running from his father and the Moriyama's. Aka, the Fashion Designer AU that no one asked for but I couldn't help but write.

After a restless night Neil is sick of thinking about Wymack and his stupid, too good to be true proposal. And he is especially sick of the fact that he knows exactly what he’s going to do. He knew before he even left the university yesterday, but that doesn’t make his choice any better or easier to deal with. The truth it, Neil is exhausted. There is only so long that a human being can go without friendly interaction, and he’s been alone for so long. Every time someone gets too close, he leaves. It was bad enough when he was with his mother, but the past 7 years have been harder than Neil ever thought that they could be. There is a pretty solid chance that Kevin won’t recognize him: Neil’s hair is black and his eyes are a dull brown now, and it’s been so many years that even if his hair and eye colour were the same he doubts that Kevin would have remembered. Although, it was a pretty traumatic event so that might have hammered home some details that would usually be lost to time. And if Kevin does recognize him? Neil figures that he’s been running on borrowed time for a while now. He might as well go out with a bang, and it would be nice to be known as someone with potential. It would be nice to be known at all. So far he’s imagined that his death will be covered up and no one will remember. An unknown body found in the ditch outside of a small American town maybe, or perhaps he will never be found and his name will be forgotten along with his mothers.

The sticky note with Kevin’s number on it that Wymack left on the sketchbook is jarringly orange. It almost makes Neil smile, how it matches the unreasonably bright shade that is on the team jerseys. Neil is standing in the parking lot of a bus station that looks like it’s been around longer than buses have. He’s facing a telephone booth--something that is not easy to find nowadays, but Neil doesn’t want to buy himself a phone just for one call. Plus, this way he is harder to trace. Just in case. Taking a deep breathe, Neil steps into the enclosed space and starts dialing. He holds the phone up to his ear and clutches at his sketchbook like it’s his lifeline. At the moment, it kind of is. The phone of the other end rings, and rings, and rings. Neil is just about to give up and pretend none of this happened when a gruff voice answers the phone. “What?” the voice says, talking over the sound of arguing and faint music in the background. “Is this Kevin Day?” Neil asks after a panicked pause. “Yes. Who is this?” There is murmuring in the background and Neil can barely hear Kevin say ‘no, it’s from a payphone I think’. Neil speaks before he can continue the side conversation. “This is… Neil. Neil Josten. You’re father gave me your number.” “Oh! Oh, you’re the one with the sketchbook.” “Yes.” “Why didn’t you call yesterday?” Neil blinks in surprise. “Wymack said I had until Friday to answer. It’s only Wednesday.”

“Yes, but no one waits for opportunities like this. Everyone wants what I am offering you.” Kevin sounds irritated, or maybe stressed. Neil tries to put this voice together with the smiling picture from the Exy magazines he used to be in. The two do not mesh.

“Well I had to think about it. Is your offer still up or not?” “That’s ridiculous. Why did you have to think about it?” Neil gives him a similar bullshit answer that he gave Wymack yesterday. “I didn’t think I was good enough to work with Kevin Day.” Kevin snorts. “You aren’t. But I still want you to. If you listen to me, do everything I tell you to do, I think that you could be good.” “So the offer still stands?” “You’re in Palmetto? I’ll book your plane ticket. Since I obviously can’t send you the information on this number, I’ll send it to Wymack. It’s up to you to get it.” “So the offer still stands?” Neil says, feeling rather irritable. All this time he was worried about Kevin recognizing him and it turns out that he should be more worried about dealing with Kevins attitude. “Yes. We’re flying you out next week.” The line goes dead and it occurs to Neil that he isn’t actually sure where he’s going yet.

Wymack hadn’t been smug about Neil crawling back for a plane ticket. Instead, he seemed quite pleased about the whole thing. Now that Neil is in the John F. Kennedy airport in New York waiting for one of Kevin’s people to pick him up he is starting to regret every single decision that he’s made since his mothers death. Actually, he’s regretting every decision he’s ever made. Ever. It’s the blank look that draws Neils eye rather than a sign indicating who should pick him up. Neil had done some research this week in between panic attacks, so it’s easy to recognize the man standing in front of him. According to the fashion magazines, Andrew Minyard has been pretty much glued to Kevin’s side since they went to Design school together after Kevin broke his hand and flew the Nest. Andrew is now an infamous addition to the fashion world--his skill with embroidery is often ignored in favour of talking about his tragic past and terrifying demeanour. Now that Neil is seeing him in real life, he can see that Andrew doesn’t look like much at first glance. 5 foot even with pale hair and a blank gaze, Andrew is much more dangerous than he comes across. His time in juvie, a legally required drug induced mania that occurred after nearly beating four men to death with his bare hands, and the assault that ended the drugs during his time in university are all well documented. The only thing that keeps reporters from asking Andrew about these events is the terror that they won’t survive the encounter. “Bags?” Andrew asks once they’ve both looked each other over. “This is it.” Neil says, pointing to his well worn duffle. Andrew shrugs and walks away, assuming that Neil will follow him. Neil follows him.

It’s not until they’re sitting in an obviously expensive car that Andrew speaks again. He’s smoking a cigarette with the window open, the vehicle still parked in the underground parking at the airport. Neil holds himself absolutely still to make sure that Andrew doesn’t notice how badly he wants to get away from the airport. “Kevin says Wymack recruited you,” Andrew says in a bland tone. “I don’t think ‘recruit’ is the right word. I forgot my sketchbook at the court and Wymack kidnapped it. Then sent photos of it to Kevin.” Neil hopes that he could mask some of the disdain at being slightly forced into this opportunity. Andrews glance at him says otherwise. Andrew doesn’t respond to that, just stubs out his cigarette and starts driving. Neil is on high alert throughout the drive, his eyes tracking every sign that they pass. Andrew doesn’t even look at him again until they get to what Neil assumes is the studio. Despite the brand getting more and more popular, the building is bland and unassuming. Neil guesses that this is just an office, that clients wouldn’t normally come here. The area that it’s located in is obviously high end, with the buildings all new and built in modern and stylish ways. The one that Andrew leads them to doesn’t stand out, but the closer they get the more Neil can see how tastefully expensive it is. There are two men standing outside waiting for them when the car pulls over and Neil gets out. Both are significantly taller than Neil. He maps out an escape in his head, hoping that their height would slow them in a fight. Neither seem to notice his hesitation. The shorter one of the two beams and pulls Neil in for a hug, one that he extricates himself from as soon as he can. “Kevin didn’t say you were so attractive! This is seriously going to be so much fun, Kev never lets anyone have any kind of control. Except for Andrew, sometimes, but never over the designs! I’m still in shock that he wanted another designer here, this is crazy,” the man babbles. The taller one beside him looks just as thrilled, but he’s calmer and just offers a hand to shake to Neil. “I’m Matt Boyd, and this is Nicky. Dan wanted to be the one to meet you first,” Matt sends a significant look to Andrew, “but it’s a little hectic right now with a client fitting. You know how it is.” Neil does not, in fact, ‘know how it is’. But he gives a little nod to let Matt know that he’s following. Andrew starts into the building and the others follow him. Neil wonders about the control comment that Nicky made about Kevin allowing Andrew to have some. “Dan, Danielle Wilds, is head seamstress,” Matt explains as they walk. Nicky buts in. “And she keeps us all together when it gets stressful. And she’s Matts girlfriend.” Matt takes over again, a small smile on his face. “I’m lead pattern drafter, Nicky here is in the Marketing department--” “And Andrews cousin,” Nicky sings. Andrew gives him a rude gesture without turning around to look at them. Neil sends a quick glance between the two of them. Where Andrew is pale in every way, with his blond hair and nearly translucent, Nicky is the complete opposite. His tan skin and dark eyes make a stark contrast between the two, and his hair is curly while Andrew’s is straight. Nicky must notice Neil’s confusion because he explains quickly. “I know! Doesn’t look like it, does it? My mom was ‘rescued’ during one of dads missionary trips in Mexico. I got moms colouring.” “Why are you greeting me if you’re in marketing?” Neil asks. Matt laughs at his blunt approach. “Nicky always does, it makes new employees feel a little more at ease. Especially when Andrew picks them up.” Andrew is waiting for them to get to the elevator. If the comment bothers him, he shows no sign of it. Neil clutches his duffle a little closer as they all pile into the elevator. No one mentions it, but Nicky does raise an eyebrow at the ratty bag. “Anyway, I’ll introduce you to everyone else once we get to the floor. Like I said, it’s been a little crazy right now so we won’t be able to ease you into anything.” Matt gives him a sympathetic look, even though this news is a relief for Neil. The less time people have to ask him questions the easier. “What do you do, Andrew?” Neil asks, even though he knows exactly what Andrew does. Andrew gives him a carefully blank look and crosses his arms, one hand on an armband. Neil’s eyes track the movement. It makes sense to have weapons there, since it would make them easy to access. He vows to keep a closer eye on them from now on. After the silence lasts too long Nicky takes over, laughing uncomfortably. “Andrew is an embroiderer and Kevin’s guard dog.” There’s a barely concealed threat in Andrews eyes and Nicky is quiet for the rest of the excruciating elevator ride. It stops on the 14th floor. It takes everything in Neil to get himself to step off of the elevator and away from any possibility of escape. He scans the room to find the emergency exit (in the far right corner) and check the windows. No matter what, he knows that there isn’t an easy way out of this building. Quietly spoken German startles Neil out of his thoughts. He turns around to see Nicky whispering to Andrew. “What was that? Is he going to have a panic attack or something?” Andrew doesn’t answer, but when he sends an assessing gaze towards Neil, he knows that they’re speaking about him. Neil forces his muscles to relax and follows Boyd into the room. After the original alarm, Neil actually looks at the room and how it’s set up. There’s a gently hum of voices and machines that permeate the floor and make it feel almost cozy. The room that they’ve stepped into has a line of industrial sewing machines on one side, each with a dress form sitting beside them. Most of the dress forms are partially dressed with the beginnings of elegant evening gowns. On the wall to the left under the large windows is a row of ironing boards. A man is standing at one of them with a look of bright concentration on his face while he irons what looks to be a cotton gown. Neil has never had the time to properly construct anything-all of his training when it comes to sewing was done in the heat of the moment. He’s much better with hand sewing, a by product of the little chores he had to do when they were on the run. “Knox! Neil is here,” Boyd says to the man. He puts the iron down on the holder and turns around with a thrilled smile. “Hi, I’m Jeremy Knox. I’m the lead tailor. I work mostly menswear, so you won’t see as much of me, but I love to do a good women’s suit as well.” “Who designs menswear?” Neil asks, shaking the enthusiastic blond mans hand. Nicky gives him a strange look. “Um, Allison does. You know, Allison Reynolds? The creator of Alli Rey?” Neil sends him a blank look. His research had focused on Kevin, he hadn’t had the time to pay any attention to the other roles in the company. He’s regretting that already. Matt takes over, sounding more friendly about Neil’s lack of knowledge. “Allison is known for exquisite suits. As her company expanded, she wanted to add in womens wear, and that’s when Kevin joined the crew.” Neil tries to commit every detail of the jobs of each person that he comes across. Matt is patient and good with the other staff. He introduces Neil to everyone without interrupting their work too much, and is quick to move them on to each room. There are two rooms with sewing machines, one of them for mens and one for womens. Another massive room is filled with huge, waist height tables for the pattern drafters. Matt is obviously in his zone there, and he shows Neil the area with pride. There are rooms for fittings and meetings, as well as a cutting room, which they don’t enter but just peak into. The area is filled with offices--one for Nicky and his small crew that work marketing, and one each for Allison and Kevin. There are a few more offices off of this, but since Matt stops at Kevins door, Neil decides to ignore them for the moment. Neil notices Andrew slip into one of the rooms without any of the others noticing. Even though Neil has already spoken to the ex-striker and was perfectly aware that he would be seeing him today, it’s a shock to see him sitting at a desk and yelling into the phone, one cheek tattooed with a queen chess piece. It had been a huge deal when it came out that Kevin had covered up his tattoo. Accusations and rumours were thrown around for months, but when Kevin never released a statement it was eventually forgotten about. Or, at least the topic had gone dormant. They wait in the doorway awkwardly while Kevin finished his heated call. The wall behind his desk is covered in images that look like reference and inspiration photos. One wall is full window and the room is stylishly furnished. When Kevin finally puts down the phone and puts his full attention on the two men hovering in the doorway Neil freezes. This entire journey was stupid, and if Kevin recognizes Neil right now he won’t have a way out. No flash of recognition mars Day’s face, though. Instead, Neil is fixed with a haughty expression. He barely spares a glance for Matt, and Matt eventually leaves after telling Neil that he’ll introduce him to Dan as soon as she’s back from the fitting at the Madison Avenue store. “You don’t look like much,” Kevin says eventually, pinning Neil with an unimpressed look. Neil is fully aware that he’s wearing an old t-shirt and jeans, both a size too big. He feels like trash in this fancy office with shiny furniture. Usually these clothes help him blend in, but here they are making him stick out like a sore thumb. “I don’t think I’m here to look good,” Neil finally replies. Kevin doesn’t look impressed with that answer, and chooses to ignore it. “I’ll send someone to pick up clothes for you. Probably Nicky, he knows the image that we’re trying to portray.” Kevin gets up from his chair and leans against the desk. He is significantly taller than Neil (like most people are), but he stands hunched over like he’s trying to hide himself. He straightens every few minutes, but continues to forget and hunch over again. Neil watches the inner battle with fascination. “As I’m sure you know, the Resort show is coming up fast, which is why things are so hectic around here right now,” Kevin looks put out by the chaos. Neil doesn’t appreciate the assumption that he knows when fashion shows are, since he very much so does not. “Anyway, we’re working on Spring/Summer right now and it needs to be good. We’re getting outside pressure and with the brand getting so much attention right now, we need to keep it up.” “So why did you bring in a rookie?” “You’ve seen the floor,” Kevin says with outright disgust. “We’ll never come up with something groundbreaking the way it is now.” Neil raises an eyebrow and makes a note of how little faith Day has in his own team. That could be a bit of a recipe for disaster. “That doesn’t explain why you’ve brought someone in whose never studied or worked in the industry.” “If you do exactly what I tell you to do, it’s all going to work out.”

Neil spends the rest of the day shadowing Kevin, being grateful he never played Exy with the man, and trying to memorize every single piece of information he’s being given. He’s exhausted by the time Kevin decides that they’re allowed to leave at 8pm, but he knows he can’t let his guard down yet. Just because Kevin hasn’t recognized him yet doesn’t mean that he won’t, and there’s something about Andrew’s vacant stare that’s causing Neil some anxiety. He’s pretty sure that the small blond will be more trouble that Kevin and Nicky combined. Although Nicky is starting to be a big problem. He’s gotten it into his head that if Neil doesn’t look perfect, he’ll lose all acclaim that he’s procured from his years in Marketing. To be fair, the way that Kevin worded his job to buy Neil clothes did make it sound like life or death. Nicky refused to let Neil get a cab to the hotel room he’ll be staying at while they try to find him accommodations, so he’s trapped in the back of the expensive car with a chatting Nicky while a grouchy Kevin sits in the passenger seat and an apathetic Andrew drives. “Don’t worry about anything, we’ll get you measured tomorrow during your lunch break. If Kevin gives you one,” Nicky says, glaring at Kevin before continuing on his tirade. “It’s seriously going to be so easy. You’re gorgeous enough in that trash, but in a suit? No one will survive those sharp cheekbones!” Nicky fans himself. To Neils surprise, Andrew gives Nicky a sharp look through the mirror. “Stop,” he says in German. Nicky takes the dangerous tone in a stride and rapidly changes the topic to talk about an upcoming photoshoot. That sets Kevin off about not having promotional material ready in time, which gives Neil a glorious breather in the conversation. Getting measurements done shouldn’t be a big deal. It wouldn’t be, for most people, but Neil isn’t most people. And he’s pretty sure that he’ll have to disrobe at least a little to get proper measurements. He’s still trying to figure out a way around this when Andrew dumps him at the hotel. Only Nicky says goodnight.

[nekojitachan]

Twinyards (brotherly platonic) #15

*sighs*

*whispers* i thought you were my friend….

15. Don’t die on me– Please

Yeah. Trigger for some violence and guns

*******

There had to be easier ways to earn a scholarship than to play Exy on a team with the Foxes, Aaron thought as he suffered through the last few minutes of an early play-off game with Breckenridge. He could have suffered the embarrassment of showing up at prom in a dress made out of duct tape (after everything else he put up with in high school, what the hell, right?) or pretended to be a Star Trek fan or something, considering he hadn’t pulled his grades up in time (that Andrew… that they sucked for too long). No, he was stuck playing on a team of rejects and lunatics and liars while he got his ass kicked trying to keep the ‘roided offense (they had to be, the over-muscled, aggressive assholes) away from the goal.

Oh, and all while his dear brother yelled at him and Nicky for being lazy bastards who couldn’t block a distracted toddler, they were such a pathetic pair of backliners.

Andrew better not so much as blink when Aaron dragged Katelyn onto the team bus for the ride back to PSU, not when he had his own boyfriend (Aaron still felt a bit of a reflexive shudder at the thought because, well, Neil) and managed to channel the indignation he felt into mostly blocking Breckenridge for the final part of the game.

Go figure, he guessed over a year of therapy might finally be paying off.

Nicky gave out a loud cheer when the final buzzer sounded and the Foxes won by four points, the second of the three games they needed to proceed to the death matches. Aaron grimaced as he shoved his obnoxious and sweaty cousin aside, and did his best not to notice Neil headed to the goal to… whatever with Andrew. Do their weird ‘not in a relationship’ thing.

Idiots annoyed him, and those two were among the biggest he’d ever had the misfortune to suffer.

They cut it short, though, because the Breckenridge fans were not happy about their team being knocked out of the play-offs so early; it was something that had been simmering all season long, with the Jackals bitter about the Foxes winning the championship last season, something they’d never accomplished. They were used to being being the best in the Southeastern district, and weren’t taking kindly to being so vastly eclipsed by a team that used to be considered the worst.

Not kindly at all, judging from the raucous boos raining down onto the court - boos and drink cups and other debris, which reminded Aaron of what had happened in Binghamton almost a year go. Apparently he wasn’t the only one, considering how all the Foxes but the freshmen drew together with either anxious or cautious expressions on their faces, how Andrew was all but plastered to Neil’s side and the upperclassmen drew as close as they dared to the couple while Wymack yelled at Breckenridge’s coach about skipping the post-game line-up.

No one argued with that decision.

Well, almost no one argued with that decision - Jack, ever the asshole, bitched about how Wymack rushed the team through their showers and getting ready to leave after Dan and Kevin conducted very brief post-game interviews.

“We won, why are we running out of here as if we’re ashamed?” the idiot freshman bitched as he threw his dirty uniform into his duffel bag.

“Maybe because in part what everyone’s pissed-off about out there is how you ran your mouth while out on court?” Nicky said while he pulled on a clean shirt. “You know, you calling them names and getting yourself yellow-carded?”

Jack appeared ready to throw something at Nicky until Andrew slammed his locker door shut and leaned forward, his expression blank but gaze intent on the rookie striker. “Josten mouths off all the time,” Jack sneered while he folded his arms over his chest in a show of false bravado. “Maybe it’s his fault.”

Normally Aaron would agree with the jerk, but Jack was like a landmine, going off with the slightest pressure and totally indiscriminate, while Neil was normally a guided missile, intent on a target with maximum damage. Neil didn’t take on the entire team, just the players who gave him shit.

Which, granted, were most of the Jackals.

“I don’t let them get away with treating me like shit, but I actually play Exy instead of merely trying to look tough out there,” Neil shot back as he glared at Jack. “Maybe you should, too.”

Before Jack could argue, Wymack yelled at them to behave and get their asses in gear before he left them behind (if only for a couple of them). Aaron grabbed his bag, eager to see Katelyn and head back to campus, and hoped that Coach Martin wouldn’t complain about her riding with the Foxes.

He was busy texting her to see if Martin had agreed to allow her to switch buses as they left the Away locker room, Andrew on his left as his brother motioned for Nicky to walk ahead; someone seemed intent to herd his little group of ‘Monsters’ close together, the reason becoming clear as the noise from out in the parking lot grew louder. Dan fell quiet from what she was saying to Matt and Renee’s shoulders tensed while Wymack called out to them to be careful as they walked out onto a still-full parking lot awash with angry Breckenridge fans.

The campus police had their hands full trying to disperse the upset crowd, hindered by barely moving cars which were blaring their horns and blasting music. Shit was still being thrown through the air, including something which made Laura yelp as she ducked to avoid it hitting her head. Sheena yelled at a group Jackal fans which made them spray their drinks on her, and only Renee pulling her back kept a fight breaking out then and there.

Worried about Katelyn, Aaron hurried ahead to where the Vixens were huddled together doing their best to ignore a bunch of assholes in Breckenridge jackets who were harassing them; it looked as if Jorie and Bianca were barely holding back from punching them.

“Hey! Leave them alone,” Aaron shouted even as he heard his own name be called out from behind him. “Get away from them, you assholes!” Remembering his lessons from Matt, he formed his right hand into a fist and threw his weight into the punch he aimed at the guy standing nearest Katelyn, striking him on the left cheek.

He got another punch in before someone grabbed him by the back of his shirt and spun him around, clipping him in the ribs before he ended up on the ground. He got a kick in the back as he curled up to protect himself and then there was more shouting, was Nicky’s loud voice and Matt yelling, was Neil calling out Andrew’s name and then something in what sounded to be Russian.

Aaron had just started to unfurl when there was a loud bang, a noise which startled him still with its intensity and strangeness before he realized that it was a gunshot, that someone had just fired a gun. There was more yelling, a mix of panic and anger and the sound of running, and then he heard it.

People were calling out Andrew’s name.

Neil was crying out Andrew’s name.

Aaron found himself on his feet within an instant and twisted about until he saw the huddle of bodies nearby - Wymack and Matt were wrestling with some strange guy while Neil and Nicky knelt next to Andrew, who was sprawled motionless on the ground.

“No, no!” Aaron stumbled over to his brother, who was just out of reach, really. “What the hell?” he cried out as he fell down next to Andrew, to the body which suddenly seemed so small (Andrew never appeared small, not really, other than that one time back at-) with his eyes closed and the red spreading across his chest despite Neil’s hands pressed against it as if to keep it inside.

“He was… you were… oh god,” Nicky stuttered out while Neil rambled on in a mix of what sounded to be Russian and German.

It couldn’t be happening - Andrew couldn’t be hurt, not Andrew. He was supposed to be there to fuck things up for Aaron but also make them right, to be there. If he was in trouble, Aaron had to do something, just like with Drake. He had to make it right. Yet when he pressed his fingers against Andrew’s neck, to feel his pulse, he could barely feel anything at all.

“Don’t die on me– please,” Aaron whispered as Abby rushed over to join them, as he heard someone start crying in the background. “You can’t, you asshole.” He kept repeating those words while Abby started CPR and Neil’s pleading in foreign words.

*******

Hmm.

Blame @nikothespoonklepto

[palmettofoxden]

Do you think you could write some Kevin/Jeremy? Because that would be awesome

I absolutely love Kevin/Jeremy, so you have come to the right place. I’ve been rambling about them again and I don’t know if there’ll still be more of this afterwards or not but this is what I’ve got so far:

So they’re at a banquet and Kevin is already pre-tipsy and upset because it’s the first banquet without Riko around and the Foxes are kinda salty because Kevin should be glad he’s free, not drinking to get through it.

Kevin is pretty much done with the Foxes and his judgy judge besties Neil and Andrew so he’s like fuck this I miss Jean and Jeremy is so much nicer than these assholes.

Kevin is not supposed to be sitting at the Trojan table, but no one stops him when he does. He’s so famous and pretty and charming that it’s just allowed.

Jean’s kind of eying Renee across several tables because why is this happening, but Jeremy is just chatting Kevin up like there is nothing out of the ordinary and he’s always excited to get a chance to catch up with Kevin.

Kevin’s only a little tipsy at this point. But he wants to stop thinking about missing Riko, so instead he focuses on what he can to try to get through the banquet. Which is what he can do now because Riko isn’t here. Like sit and socialize with the Trojans and like flirting with someone publicly without having to worry about them paying for it and his publicity took enough major hits that he recovered from and he’s playing with his left hand again and a champion and he’s feeling a little invincible and mostly hella infatuated with Jeremy as usual. And Jeremy’s been flirting with Kevin for years but they’ve never gotten past mildly flirty friendship because Kevin couldn’t. But tipsy Kevin wants to flirt with Jeremy more and wants to spend time with the Trojans and wants to ignore his team.

Andrew and Neil are keeping an eye on Kevin from a distance, but Kevin’s safer here than he has been in a long time so they’re not too worried. Even when the music starts and people are dancing and Kevin and Jeremy start dancing, they know he’s not in danger from it so they leave it alone. Jeremy half joke offers to dance with Kevin, expecting Kevin to take the out and laugh it off like he always does but he has to ask, especially when Kevin’s spending so much time with him tonight. This time Kevin doesn’t laugh.

Kevin’s not even drunk yet, but he’s dancing with Jeremy because he wants to and no one’s gonna stop him or attack Jeremy for it. And the Foxes are kind of surprised, but like also there was definitely a bet on whether Kevin was really as straight as he claims to be with how he acts around Jeremy and the whole wouldn’t go more than a Minyard away from Andrew at any given time for like a year thing.

For now Kevin ‘hasn’t danced since before Neil joined the team’ Day is fast dancing with Jeremy. Slow dancing comes later. He’s less sober for it.

Kevin has at least one flask on his person and every time he thinks too much about Riko he either escalates things with Jeremy to distract himself or drinks. Jeremy kind of helps with the not letting Kevin drink too much because goody two shoes Jeremy drinks from Kevin’s flask whenever Kevin offers. Which is every time he takes a swig. Kevin takes bigger swings though and he was tipsy to start so at any given point he’s more drunk than Jeremy.

Jeremy happily listens to Kevin talk about exy. Jeremy has things to add. Jeremy is so much more pleasant to be around than the guilt tripping Foxes that Kevin’s still annoyed with.

And the weird thing is Kevin is starting to get drunk and in a bad place, but he’s still happier than usual around Jeremy. He’s not putting on the there are cameras here face. He’s laughing too hard at something Jeremy said and it’s not because he’s fake laughing. It kind of weirds the Foxes out.

It’s weirding Jean out too.

Jeremy somehow gets even happier and more excited when he’s drunk (or maybe that’s just the more time he spends around Kevin) and Kevin is feeding off of his energy.

Kevin’s not so sober, but in a good mood still when a slow song comes on and they slow dance and Jeremy’s so strong and warm and Kevin doesn’t even care about other people anymore. He likes it here with his head on Jeremy’s shoulder. He’s a little disappointed when the slow song ends and they stop dancing like that, but he still feels warm all over from the alcohol and from Jeremy.

Kevin’s night is really looking up. And then comes the Riko tribute part.

Kevin’s not drunk enough for this part. No one warned him about this. Now that he thinks about it, it shouldn’t be a surprise. It was meant as a surprise for him and the Ravens though. Kevin tries not to visibly panic and focuses all of his energy on breathing normally as someone starts talking about what a great player he was and how missed he is and son of exy and Kevin can’t totally hear all of it. It’s just coming in clipped bits while he stares at the slideshow of Riko pictures. He’s in every one. Kids or not, they have those numbers on their faces. He feels sick and he can’t look away. He wonders where Andrew is, but this isn’t something Andrew can protect him from anyways.

He manages to tear his eyes away from it to look for Jean. He can’t see him past the other people. Too many people are looking at him, watching for his reaction. He doesn’t want to look back at the pictures, but his eyes have a mind of their own. They’re still talking about Riko. Kevin hears his own name interspersed in there but he doesn’t know why. For a while they’re just talking about him and Riko. He hopes that if it is visible that there is something wrong with him people assume that it is just grief and not something more complicated. And then they point out Kevin and Jean. Riko’s brother/best friend/right hand man and their old friend handpicked to be on Riko’s elite court. Kevin locks eyes with Jean for a second and almost regrets it. Jean looks as sick as he feels. Kevin can’t do this. He can’t be here anymore. Except then they call on him as the person who knew Riko best and was closest to him in the world to come up and say a few words about him. Jean leaves. Kevin uses it as an excuse to bolt too. The general consensus is Jean was overwhelmed with grief and had to leave and Kevin was too and went to go check on him/they went to lean on each other. Jean had already disappeared by the time Kevin made it out of there to try to get away from the banquet and to try to check on Jean. He saw Renee go after Jean though. She’s better with him anyways. Kevin doesn’t know what he’d say and he’s a little busy having a panic attack of his own. Jeremy was right next to him, so he shows up first where Kevin has collapsed outside the banquet. Andrew and Neil make it there a minute later.

Jeremy crouches down next to him and asks “Are you okay?” Kevin’s not, so he doesn’t say anything. Neil is kind of the worst of the why are you upset about Riko being dead people and Andrew isn’t much better. Neil would be better off around Jean with his opening line of “You won. He’s dead and you’re still here. He can’t do anything to you.” At least he says it in French so Jeremy doesn’t understand it. Kevin doesn’t want them there. He tells Andrew and Neil to leave him alone and when they don’t, he tells Jeremy he’s ready to go back inside. Jeremy isn’t totally sure of what’s going on, but Kevin reaches his hand up and moves to get up, so Jeremy grabs his hand and helps him while eying Andrew and Neil half apologetically, half suspiciously. Andrew and Neil let Kevin drag Jeremy back toward the banquet. Wymack meets them halfway back and tells Kevin “I didn’t know. I would have warned you.” Kevin says “I know.” Wymack kind of glances down at the intertwined hands and Jeremy as if he is noticing Jeremy’s presence at all and the hand holding for the first time, but then his focus is all on Kevin again as he pulls out a flask and asks “Are you okay? Do you need this?” Kevin already had his share of alcohol, especially for a supposed to be dry event, but he takes the flask anyways with a slight nod that was maybe supposed to be a thanks or maybe an answer to the question about whether he’s okay or not. Kevin isn’t particularly sure either. He just knows he’s gonna be a lot more okay with more alcohol in his system and with Jeremy, away from Andrew and Neil.

So Kevin goes from kind of drunk and having fun to really drunk and not having fun and this is the point when flirty fun with drinking turns to Jeremy looking after Kevin and not taking things any further. Jean and Renee resurface a little later and Jean looks a lot calmer with Renee’s elbow hooked in his. He’s still a little shaky and drained of colour though. Kevin isn’t dancing anymore. He’s sitting there drunk and Jeremy keeps a hand on him to hopefully keep him steady. His hand is on Kevin’s knee, but he figures it’s okay because Kevin doesn’t seem to mind and Jeremy had his hand on Kevin’s knee like this earlier in the night when Kevin was at the Trojan table. Kevin knows he could leave. Wymack would get all the Foxes on the bus and they would be out of there in under five minutes. But then he’d be around his team again, stuck in a bus with them judging him for being upset. And he’d have to leave Jean here without him and Renee. And he’d have to leave Jeremy and he feels a little better here with Jeremy and he doesn’t want to leave USC, where this banquet is being hosted this year, yet. He wants to stay with Jeremy. He wants to go back to happy party drunk, not sad drunk breaking down in the back of a bus. So he sticks around and when the banquet ends, he knows it is time to go back to the Foxes and instead he turns and asks Jeremy “Can I stay at your place tonight?” Jeremy looks concerned and torn as he says “I really like you, Kevin, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. You’re drunk and upset and you’re-“ But Kevin cuts him off and says “I know. I don’t mean like that. I mean just stay there so I don’t have to face my team. I want to avoid it.” Jeremy mulls it over very briefly before he says “Okay, you can stay with me. Just let your team know so they don’t worry about you. Or do you want me to do it?” Kevin shakes his head and says “No. I’ll tell Coach.”

Kevin is such a mess and Jeremy is worried about him. Wymack is okay with it because Jeremy is nice and because Kevin just wants to crash on his couch and get a break from the team and Wymack knows tensions have been running high and figures that isn’t the worst thing for Kevin right now. So Kevin tells Jeremy he knows and the Foxes leave together and Kevin leaves with Jeremy.

Back at Jeremy’s dorm, Kevin is drunk and a little confessional. Jeremy wants to make sure he’s okay, so he asks about how Kevin is doing after the Riko thing and Kevin starts talking about how he knows what Riko was like and he knows he was a good player but wasn’t a good person and what was he supposed to say about him? They already talked about him as a player and they expected him to say something more personal about what he was like and Kevin couldn’t lie, but he couldn’t just go up there and tell the truth about the things Riko did to him and Neil and Jean and other Ravens. And Riko’s supposed to be a tragic saint in public and the devil in private and Kevin is supposed to be the mourning brother who thinks Riko has never done any wrong in public and in private he’s supposed to hate him and he can’t do either. The Riko thing is too complicated and he ends up guilty about every way he feels about things involving Riko whether it’s caring too much or not enough.

Jeremy actually listens and doesn’t judge Kevin for being conflicted and confused and Kevin may or may not drunk cry on Jeremy’s chest while Jeremy strokes his hair and reassures him that he’s allowed to feel conflicted about it. Kevin doesn’t sleep on the couch like he told Wymack. Jeremy is a fucking sweetheart and loans Kevin pajama pants and even a t shirt and makes Kevin take some advil so his hangover won’t be so bad in the morning and makes sure Kevin is all comfy and settled in his bed before he gets in on the other side and they just sleep.

Kevin wakes up in the morning with a headache and then opens his eyes and sees Jeremy there and lowkey panics because oh fuck did he have sex with Jeremy? What happened at the banquet? He looks down and pulls the blanket up to check if they’re clothed and yup, they’re fully clothed in Jeremy’s pajamas. And then it all starts coming back to him and he’s embarrassed and still annoyed with the Foxes (especially Neil) and he is even more into Jeremy because wtf Jeremy is so sweet and looked after him so well and put up with his shit and let him stay there. Jeremy woke up when Kevin panic rolled and lifted the blankets and he’s watching Kevin now and Kevin is embarrassed and doesn’t want Jeremy to see him blushing, so he pushes his face down into the pillow and lifts the edge of it up to try to hide his face from Jeremy. Jeremy laughs and Kevin blushes into the pillow more. He can’t see it, but Jeremy is smiling at him and looking at him so smitten.

Kevin still doesn’t want to go back to the Foxes because he wants to avoid them after the banquet and because he wants to stay around Jeremy for longer. Jeremy reaches over to try to pull the pillow back down, but Kevin pushes it up harder. Jeremy could probably push it down again if he really wanted to, but he gives up and runs his fingers through Kevin’s hair instead. Kevin slowly leans into the touch and stops hiding his face so he can eye Jeremy curiously. Jeremy smiles at him so soft and sweet and asks “How do you feel?” Kevin’s pretty sure he’s asking how he’s feeling about the whole Riko thing, but instead of giving a real answer about that, he just says “My head hurts.”

Jeremy unceremoniously shifts closer and kisses the side of Kevin’s head because Kevin’s head hurts and Kevin just fucking freezes enough that Jeremy falters and loses his confidence and starts to wonder if Kevin flirting back and acting actually interested and not just casually flirty like he usually would was a combination of drinks and being upset that he regrets this morning. So Jeremy asks “Was that okay?” And Kevin murmurs “Do it again.”

Jeremy’s lips twitch up and he kisses Kevin again, but on the cheek this time and asks “Like this?” Kevin’s cheeks are getting warm again, but he is already in deep enough that it’s obvious his thing for Jeremy isn’t a one-sided thing, so he grabs Jeremy’s cheek before he can roll away and stray too far again and says “Like this” and stretches up to kiss Jeremy on the lips.

[nickireadstfc]

The Foxhole Court, Chapter 12 – Road Trip To Embarrass… Who Again?

In which the squad goes to a talk show, wake-up calls go wrong, Neil goes live on national television, shipping goes well, and I go nuts, just a little bit.

Sounds good? Then it’s time for Nicki to read The Foxhole Court.

Hey, remember two chapters ago when we were promised some prime Road Trip To Embarrass Kevin time? Well, guess what's fucking happening.

          Wymack warned them last night they’d have an early start today, but there was no way the Foxes could start the season without a small party. (…) The upperclassmen put away most of a bottle of vodka even without Neil and Renee helping them. At the time they all thought it would be worth it. After getting less than an hour of sleep, Neil wasn’t so sure.

Ahahaha, literally me at the time writing this.

6hr bus journey – on which you really need to work – at 9 in the morning? Better stay up till 4 drinking wine!!

Don’t be like me, kids.

Unimportant detail: They stop at a gas station for morning fast food, which I liked because I was literally reading this at a fast food gas station.

Here, Wymack attempts to wake everyone up, and I enjoy the return of my favourite running gag:

           “Hemmick! You were supposed to wake them up ten minutes ago!”

           “I don’t want to die,” Nicky said. (…)

          Wymack went all the way to the last row, pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, and threw it at Andrew. Judging by the resounding thud, Andrew woke up as violently as always.

Ahhh yes, nothing like a good ol’ bit of physical violence to greet the day <3

Although: That’s kind of smart, actually. Why did no one else ever think to just throw things at Andrew from a safe no-hit distance?

(Because Wymack is the best, that’s why.)

However apparently, Andrew isn’t the only one with weird sleeping habits:

           Wymack planted his shoe against whatever part of Kevin was closest and started pushing him.

           “Up,” he said over and over, getting louder each time until he was almost shouting. “Get your ass up and moving!”

What follows is an amazing description of a Kevin that just won’t wake up. Like, dude has to run laps down the bus and still almost falls asleep mid-run, putting new meaning into the term running gag.

Also, what level of #iconic and #relatable.

           Wymack smacked the back of his head to wake him up.

          “I hate you,” Kevin said.

           “Breaking news: I don’t care.”

BREAKING NEWS: I DON’T CARE. I have that on a shirt!! It’s part of my modern Grantaire cosplay and I love it to bits. Cue me actually squealing when that happened.

Today on A List of Plot Details That Will Come Back To Bite Me In The Ass At Some Point:

           Kevin dug Andrew’s medicine out of his pocket and handed the bottle over. He and Wymack watched as Andrew tipped a pill into his hand and swallowed it dry. (…)

          Odd, Neil thought, that Kevin would have Andrew’s medicine at all. Kevin had it at Sweetie’s, too.

He’s keeping his medicine for him? Why? The obvious answer would be ‘so he can make sure Andrew takes it’, but I feel like there’s more to it. And why Kevin? Surely Coach or Abby would be the more sensible and responsible candidates. Because they spend the most time together? This is all real shady, you guys.

They arrive at Kathy Ferdinand’s show, and this is where thing get interesting. She comes out to greet them – in the parking lot, might I add, which… the fuck? – and something else comes out as well: Actual traces of charm and positivity in Kevin ‘Stoic and Mighty, All Hail Unto Him’ Day.

           This smile was something else, this was Kevin’s public face. It was meant for interviewers and fans who were better off not knowing the arrogant, ruthless side of a world-class champion. Kevin looked every inch a perfect celebrity. Neil found it horribly disorienting.

And Nicki found it horribly hilarious. I can just imagine Kevin smiling warmly, stance relaxed, a charming eyecandy celeb to everyone, except when you get up real close you can see the actual violent murder in his eyes.

Wonderful.

And now it’s time for this chapter’s ~plot twist~ that ~absolutely no one saw coming~:

           “Did you talk to him?” Kathy asked Kevin.

           “I didn’t think we needed to talk about it,” Kevin said.

           “About what?” Neil asked.

           “I want you on my show this morning,” Kathy said.

Yes. Yes yes yes yes. Did someone say Road Trip To Embarrass Kevin? I feel like this turned into much more of a Road Trip To Embarrass Neil and I am loving it.

This is going to be good.

Also, what the hell is it with Kevin and not telling people about important things? “Oh, by the way we’re going halfway across the state to be on one of the highest-rated talk shows in the nation tomorrow, no biggie you guys”, “Oh, by the way, Neil you’re also going to be on said highest-rated talk show even though I know you’re hiding a shitpile of secrets the size of the Kilimanjaro, yeah no, no need to tell you beforehand you’ll be fine, see me give a shit”.

Neil, of course, has the freak-out of his life, and allows himself a tiny slip-up that will no doubt come back to kick his ass later:

           “It’s not your decision,” Neil said in venomous French. He didn’t realize what he’d done wrong until he felt Wymack’s piercing stare. Andrew’s lot knew Neil spoke French. Neil could explain it to the upperclassmen later and they wouldn’t think twice about it. But Wymack, like Andrew, had also heard Neil speak fluent German.

Oui oui, mon ami, tu as… ah, how you say… fucked up. #languageskillsoutforwymack

However, no Neil freak-out too big for Kevin ‘I Don’t Have Time For Your Teen Angst Bullshit’ Day:

            “You will do this today, or you and I are finished. I will wash my hands of you on the court and you can struggle your way through mediocrity alone. You can return your court keys to Coach when we get back to campus. You won’t need them anymore.”

           It was like getting punched in the chest. “That isn’t fair.”

           “Did you, or did you not promise me that you would try?”

Of course, we can’t say no to that. Love those lil daily doses of Kevin/Neil in between <3

(What’s their ship name? Keil? Nevin? I’m not loving either option.)

Why is he so set on having Neil on that show, though? Just to get him used to being in the public eye because he promises him such a bright future in Exy and knows this is an important part of it? Or is there more to it? Am I reading too much into things again? I’m intrigued.

Ah, I’m sorry, did I say little doses of Kevin/Neil? THINK AGAIN.

           Neil closed his eyes. “Why did you tell the ERC I would make Court?”

           “Because when you stop being impossible and do what I tell you, you will.”

           Andrew hadn’t lied. The articles hadn’t lied. Despite Kevin’s angry words and rude impatience, Kevin believed in Neil’s potential. Kevin wanted to train Neil. He wanted to play with Neil, and he wanted to shape Neil into the star he’d once been. Kevin would never forgive Neil for vanishing on him without warning this fall, and Neil hated that. As complicated as Neil’s obsession with Kevin was, one truth was undeniable: He didn’t want Kevin to hate him.

Hello everyone, I am reporting live from my fucking grave.

GAHHHHHHHHHH. Nothing like a bit of enemies-to-friends trope to get me going.

In other news: Feels over, dicks tucked back into pants, it’s show time!

           Kathy beamed as she slowly paced the front of the stage. “How many of you had the chance to go to the game last night? Oh, wow! How many, like me, watched the game from the comfort of their own home?” She raised her hand and laughed at whatever response she got from the crowd.

This woman is increasingly reminding me of Caesar Flickerman from The Hunger Games.

Just imagine this is how I’m picturing her now at all times, minus the blue hair (probably).

           “Kevin, Kevin, Kevin”, Kathy said, shaking her head in tie to his name. “I still can’t believe I talked you into this. I hope you’ll forgive me when I say it’s surreal to have you back here alone! I still think of you as one half of a whole.”

           “At least I have room to stretch out now,” Kevin said, neatly avoiding a real answer. “I might have to do so in a minute. I can’t believe you expect us to be awake and presentable after last night’s games.”

Is that…… Kevin…….. actually giving charismatic answers……. being an actual human being……. what kind of witchcraft.

I am loving this.

The interview goes on, it’s kind of banal chatter, nothing we didn’t know already, although I am enjoying it tremendously. It’s nice to have a break from all the emo-ing around back home at Palmetto, even if it’s all fake show smiles.

Time for the fakest show smile of them all: Neilly baby!

           “Why don’t we all take another look at him?” Kathy said. “Let’s see the man who replaced Riko Moriyama at Kevin’s side. Introducing Neil Josten, the newest Palmetto Fox!”

Yikes. What an introduction.

           “Isn’t this an interesting picture?” Kathy asked the audience. “Kevin is paired again.”

Seriously, can she stop.

I mean, I get that it’s good for show biz, and I don’t blame her as she doesn’t know their backstory, but rubbing this shit into their faces is still Grade A Shitty™.

They chat a bit more, bla bla sportsball, Kathy Flickerman asking questions and Neil lying through his teeth, although I’m surprised homeboy doesn’t get at least one “I’m fine” in somewhere.

And then – the absolute fuckery that this entire chapter had being leading up to happens.

           “Why the major [district] change?”

           “I don’t presume to understand Coach Moriyama’s motivations.”

           “You mean they didn’t tell you?” Kathy’s surprise looked genuine.

           “We are all very busy. It’s difficult to keep in touch.”

           “Well then.” Kathy recovered with a bright smile. “Have I got a treat for you!”

What.

           Music blared from the speakers, a dark melody with heavy drums. The crowd jumped to its feet and started chanting in unison: “King! King! King!”

What.

           He spotted the Foxes easily, as they were the only unmoving bodies in the crowd. They sat blank-faced with shock.

Same. What.

           The man who stepped onto the stage wore the same outfit Kevin did, save his version was black from head to toe. (…) The number one tattooed on his left cheekbone told everyone who’d just walked onto Kathy’s stage.

ARE YOU ACTUALLY SHITTING ME. I did not see that coming. I did NOT see that coming holy fuck.

(We only have two chapters left. Logically, something had to happen. Still. WHAT THE FUCK.)

           It had been nine months since Riko Moriyama and Kevin Day stood in the same room together, nine months, since Riko destroyed Kevin’s hand, and now they were reunited on national television.

Oh boy. I am sure there is absolutely no way in hell this can go horribly, horribly wrong.

EXCUSE ME WHILE I IMMEDIATELY READ THE NEXT CHAPTER BRB

[91percentpynch]

Jean‘s first Winter Barquet without the Ravens

look i have this in my head for a while now, so i thought i might as well share it with you guys!! i have absolutely no idea where this is going, guess will find out:) jerejan isn‘t a thing yet in this headcanon, but please keep in mind that they ARE in love,,, we will see where they‘re going,,, also please keep in mind that i never took french so if the french terms are wrong i‘m sorry <33

jean only owns the suits he was forced to wear with the ravens. obviously he had no time to take it with him and no one would bother to give him the few things he actually owned back, so he has nothing to wear

as he has a mental breakdown because the thought of meeting his ex-teammates alone gives him anxiety jeremy walks in, smiling softly as he asks „so i guess we should get you a nice suit for tonight. are you bringing someone by the way?“

the moment he sees jean on the floor he goes over to him and sits down next to him on the floor

„is there something that would make you feel better?“ jeremy asks quietly. „need a hug? or something else?“

jean just holds out his hand, a silent question jer quickly answers by taking his hand and softly squeezing it

„we got this dude, don‘t worry i‘ll keep you safe“ jeremy whispers as jean is trying to stop his sobs

„how exactly do you plan to stop them?“ jean asks, with a thick french accent he gets when his panic attacks are especially bad

„oh, a man never tells his secrets. you will see when we need to find out“, jeremy laughs.

they stay in that position for a while before slowly getting up to go to the mall to get jean a suit

when they sit in the car and jeremy‘s about to start his car he asks jean if it‘s okay to listen to music, or if he‘d rather have it quiet

„music, because quiet reminds me of them“, jean whispers, ashamed that he would allow to show weakness to his captain

„music it is my dude“, jeremy says and puts on his french playlist. „thought you might like that“, he looks flashing a grin at jean

jer obviously knew jean liked it, jean told jer about his love to music/ french music when they started talking, he told him it calms him down

jean just puts his head against the window, looking at nothing in peticular

at the mall they go into the first store who sells suits (because they‘re slightly stressed to make it back in time, they‘re both masters in procastination)

„okay so i thought of something, cause shopping for clothes is always super boring. so we both choose something for the other person and try it on together. you don‘t have to take my choice but you have to at least try it on“

„but you have terrible taste, jeremy. terrible“

„well than you can only improve the way i look, can‘t you?“, jer replies with a wink, „and my taste is perfectly fine“

jean doesn‘t reply to that, as the only thought in his head „everything is perfect about you, everything but the way you dress“, but he will not say such things to his captain

jeremy takes his lack of an answer as a yes and disappears to look for suits

sharing a dom for a few months and the fact that jer leaves his stuff lying around jean knows jer‘s size

not that he would be interested in jeremy, not that he would spend hours on end thinking about his captain

jean picks out a navy blue suit and a light grey bow tie which happens to have the exact same color as his eyes

slowly he goes looking for jeremy, who waits for him in front of the dressing rooms with his characteristic toothy grin

„okay show me what you got“, jer says when jean is within earshot

jean hands his finding over without a word - blushing a bit

jer takes it, hands jean a suit and diappears in the changinng room

jean slowly goes in the one next to jer and changes in the suit jer gave him

once he‘s done he looks at himself in the mirror

jeremy chose a light grey suit with a navy blue suit

they unintentionally match

when jean leaves the changin room, jer is already waiting, happily chatting with an employee about the exy season

he stands there awkwardly looking at jeremy, not saying a thing, until jeremey turns around and notices him

jeremy gives him a once over and nods satisfied with himself

„we‘re matching, i like that“, he says softly, blushing

„i have to admit, this is not as terrible as i thought it would end up to be. you look faboulous, no wonder when i pick out your outfit“

„well, you look rad as fuck my dude. you‘re definetly buying that, well not you but coach. coach told me to get us some nice suits, apparently the one i own is - i quote - ‚a unnecessary threat to society‘“

„he isn‘t wrong though“, jean says, a small smile on his lips.

„holy shit you‘re smiling, i either said something unbelieveable stupid or funny. i thought i had to talk french again to make you feel better“

jeremy took french as soon as he knew jean would come to the trojans so he could talk to jean in private, if needed to

„please don‘t. your french is terrible“, jean replies, his smile only getting bigger at the thought of jer‘s terrible pronounciation

„hey“, jer says jokingly offended

they change back in their regular clothes, pay the suits and head back to their dorm

„you wanna listen to that french music while we pack for tonight?“, jeremy asks quitely when they close their dorm door behind them

jean can only nod, his panic slowly growing

on the way to palmetto state - where the winter barquet will take place this year - jeremy sits next to jean

when jer notices jean getting nervouse/ anxiouse he offers him his hand

„my mom used to hold my hand when i was anxious, said she‘d keep me safe. thought it might help you as well“, jer is blushing again, avoiding jean‘s eyes

jean takes jer‘s hand without comment, thinking how soft they are over and over and over again

„why didn‘t you bring a date? i bet the ladies would kill someone to go on an event like that with a guy like you?“, jean asks jeremy in a sorry try to distract himself from the ever rising anxiety

„i‘m not into girls, first of all. and secondly i might like someone who would not be ready to with me there and i will not force them to do anything when they are clearly not ready“

jean pretty much stopped paying attention when jeremey said he was into guys

„what do you mean by ‚a guy like me‘?“, jer asks winking

„oh you know, unbelieveably annoying, decent looking, kind. isn‘t that what girls are into these days? i wouldn‘t know, all we got to be interested in was exy, exy, exy“, jean whispered, blushing

„annoying, huh?“, jer laughed.

jean didn‘t know what to reply so he decieded to stare out the window - definetly NOT thinking about how beautiful jeremy‘s eyes look in the stupid light of the bus

„hey wanna listen to the french music again? someone told me lately that my pronunciation is shit, so i need to listen to it anyways as this french guy won‘t help me out. we can share my headphones if you want?“

jean had never seen jeremy so shy, and he had to admit jer is even more adorable and attractive that way

not that jean would pay that much attention to jeremy knox

jean just nods unable to form a word, yet a sentence

when he put the headphone in his ear, he leans his head against the window and shortly after that falls asleep

when they arrived at palmetto state, jer wakes jean up softly

jean didn‘t let go of jer‘s hand - his grip only tightening- until they reached the home locker room where they would put their stuff and get changed for the barquet

„don‘t worry, i will keep you safe. i will punch anyone who looks at you funny“, jeremy whispers to jean when jean struggled to close the buttons of his shirt

jean‘s hand wouldn‘t stop shaking so jeremy closed the buttons of jean‘s shirt for him

jean suddenly gets very inappropriate thoughts while silently watching jer buttoning his shirt

„ready.“ jean answers, taking jer‘s hand

„ready?“ jer asks, holding out his hand, when they are changed

as soon as they entered the court jean looks for renee, in order to Not Look at the raven‘s table

obviously renee would spot him immediatly and drag her girlfriend alison with her to greet him

renee hugs him tightly completly ignoring jeremy

„i missed you, skyping just isn‘t enough j. you gotta visit me sometime. anyways i asked wymack to sit the foxes and the trojans together, so you can sit with me and tell me everything“, she said softly against his chest with a grin on her face.

jean isn‘t used to people being happy to see him so he is lowkey overwhelemed

„o- okay, but you gotta let me go first“

renee lets go almost immediatly, taking his other hand

it‘s only then that she notices jeremy

„oh god you two are matching, alison look they are matching“, she says excitedly

but alison only has eyes for her gorgeous girlfriend

jeremy laughs quietly while renee drags them to their seats

jean takes the place next to renee, jeremey sits next him, across from jean sits matt boyd, to matt‘s left kevin day and to matt‘s righ is dan

jean only focuses on renee though

they talk about school, their free time activities, the exy season, renee‘s plans for when she‘s done with college

jean does not let go of jeremy‘s hand until dinner arrives

they eat in silence, everyone‘s too busy with the delicous food

after everyone‘s done with dinner the tables are getting moved to the sides of the court, christmas music starts to play, someone brings the punch in and everyone starts to socialise

people are bringing their dates on the dance floor to slow dance under the mistletoes

„do you, uhm, do you maybe wanna dance with me?“, jer asks aggressivly blushing

„you wanna dance with me? what would the person you talked about on the bus would say to that?“, jean answers, having had a punch or two too much to calm his nerves

„that‘s what i‘m trying to find out right now actually“, jeremy replies shyly

„wait i‘m the mysterious guy you like? why?“, jean is suddenly not so drunk at all, rather confused than anything else

„dude have you looked in a mirror lately? i‘ve had a crush on you since i first saw you on court. started out as a stupid little crush, but then you started to live with me, play exy with me and i got to know you. you are so strong, so funny if you let yourself be, you are talented and so much more. i would add ‚good dancer‘ to that list, but you‘d have to dance with me for that“, jer says still blushing, avoiding his eyes

„okay, then let‘s show these losers how to dance“, jean replies, a small smile on his lips

jeremy knox liked him the way he liked him jeremy knox liked him the way he liked him jeremy knox liked him the way he liked him

so they ended up slow dancing at the edge of the dance floor

laila and renee saw them and took a quick picture of them before leaving them be

eventually it was only jean and jeremy, no ravens, no teams, no exy court

„i wanna see the stars“, jean says, suddenly having the urge to see the bright spots against the dark sky. needing to show jeremy, to make him understand

„i think it‘s okay when we disappear for a second“, jeremy says against his chest, as he still leans against jean from the slow dancing

so jean leads them out and as soon as they are outside he searches the night sky for the stars

when he found them jean points at them and says „look at the stars. you are the stars. you are bright and people look for you, people love you, people want to be with you. me? i‘m the night sky. i‘m dark, people are afraid of me. i am nothing worth looking at“

„jean, you are none of the things you said right now. if no one else i would always come looking at you. you are not dark. you surrived darkness and you came out of it. you surrived. you made it. and i am so unbelieveably proud of you. you are so strong and beautiful and if no one else, i want to be with you“

jean never cried, not when his parents sold him and homesickness almost killed him, not when riko tortured him, not when kevin left him alone in that hellhole, but this? silent tears are running down his cheeks

jer‘s hand is reaching up to his face to put them away, but he stops a few inches away, asking „may i?“

jean only asks

jeremy softly puts jean‘s tears away with his thumb

„i really wanna kiss you, can i kiss you?“, jeremy asks softly.

jean is unable to say a single word so he just nods and leans in to jer

and that‘s the story of their first ever kiss

it‘s also the story why jean calls jer „mon étoile“

[nickireadstfc]

The Foxhole Court, Chapter 11 – Orange Sportsball Gets The Fuck Real

In which the Foxes play their first match of the season, I have questions about American college sports, my Percy Jackson obsession has a brief cameo, and I’m sadly less excited about Actual Sportsball Games than I should be.

Sounds good? Then it’s time for Nicki to read The Foxhole Court.

           Thursday’s excitement had nothing on Friday’s. The whole school got decked out overnight with vibrant orange and white streamers. Ribbons and banners hung off every sidewalk lamp. Live student bands took over the amphitheater for short concerts and the student newspaper released that morning gave details for the afternoon parade.

Is that, like…………. Normal behavior on game days?? Actual American high school/college students, please confirm. Is this an actual thing???

I mean, I know y’all are big on sports and school spirit, but this big??

Please understand my confusion: At my school, no one fucking gave a shit about the sports teams. I didn’t even know when anyone had games/competitions unless we got told afterwards who won what brilliant award now, and even then like 5% of us cared. And I can’t speak for my uni yet, but I’m pretty sure it’s the same there as well. Do German unis even have sports teams?

I always liked to make fun of High School Musical 3 for having those giant ass banners displaying the athletes hanging in the halls. I am now starting to realize that might be perfectly normal for American schools.

What the fuck.

Also, Neil officially came out now – as a member of the Foxes, that is, of course.

           Neil wanted to cut class and hide at Fox Tower until game time, but athletes weren’t allowed to call out without a legitimate medical excuse. Someone from the athletics committee went around all day counting heads through classroom windows, and Wymack would be the first to hear Neil was absent.

They seriously stalk their students all day in fear they might be skipping class? And these students are in college, they are grown adults, not 14-year-olds. Again, is this a thing, what the fuck??

Then again, we’re talking about the country who invented hall passes. This is probably not the craziest thing around.

Fortunately, the Foxes decide to display their first sign of group solidarity in these trying times and guide Neil from class to class. This is a really small detail, but I love it.

I’m imagining Neil as a lil baby duck who obediently follows a big spikey-haired Matt duck, a small white-pastel-y Renee duck or a glamorous blonde Allison duck, wagging behind them in a tiny duck-sized jersey.

Although, when you think about it, they’re all just lil baby ducks following a big Wymack momma duck.

(Someone draw me fanart, I’m BEGGING YOU.)

I’m getting off track. Back to the plot.

           Andrew hadn’t lied to Neil back in May. In almost every article that talked of Neil’s pathetic experience Kevin was quoted as having high hopes for him. Kevin really had said that Neil would one day be Court.

Because this is the second time this has come up: What exactly does “being Court” mean?? Like, being Captain? Being MVP? Also, is this a regular sports expression or is is Exy-exclusive? Exyclusive?? Help.

A small silver lining of future hilariousness appears on the horizon: An Exy kickoff banquet is going to happen sometime in the next few chapter, and I am HYPED. This chaotic mess of a team + all their rivals + dates + drinks can only equal a Massive Fun Time™.

Fun for us, not for them, might I add. I am dying to see this.

           “[Renee] hasn’t asked [Andrew] yet, but it’s inevitable. (…) Money’s on the table as to whether or not he says yes. Pot’s getting pretty big, so get your bet in fast.”

           The only thing the Foxes had in common besides Exy and hardship was their strange obsession with betting on the stupidest things. Neil had figured that out only two weeks into practice. A week didn’t go by when there wasn’t money on something or another.

A team after my own heart <3 Can I join? I can never find anyone to bet on dumb things in my own circle of friends.

Will I throw this piece of paper in the bin on my first shot? Will the bus be late? Will Friend A and B hook up tonight? Will I lose my (nonexistent) emotional sanity to this series before the last book is over?

I don’t know about the others, but the last one is 100% happening.

           “There’s something we haven’t told you yet,” Dan said. (…) “So Andrew’s technically legally required to take his medication, right? (…) He struck a bargain of his own with Coach. The only reason he signed with us is because Coach agreed to let him come off his drugs for game nights.”

Is this supposed to come as a big plot twist? Because I kind of saw that coming. 10 bucks says Andrew comes off his meds for all Important Moments.

*insert yet another rant about the negative portrayal of mental health meds as barbaric mind-numbing, mania-inducing ~happy pills~ here*

Anyways, back to game day!! Our beloved foxy nutcases are playing against the Breckenridge Jackals, which is shaping up to be a Fun Time™ as they are apparently the biggest bullies around (second only to the Edgar Allan Murder Mob Clique, of course).

However, when faced with his impending wipe-out on the court, our favourite Sassmaster McSavage reaches new levels of Hell Fuckin Yeah:

           “[Gorilla] will break every bone in your body if you give him the chance.”

           “Don’t worry, though,” Matt said. “He’ll probably be too busy killing Kevin and Seth to notice you.”

           “This is my reassured face,” Neil said, pointing up at his blank expression.

SAVAGE.

I actually laughed so hard at that. This is some Percy Jackson level of sass right there.

Come to think about it, I want the entire AFTG series narrated by Percy Jackson, especially the chapter titles.

“I Am Offered A Foxy Deal”

“My Troubled Past Comes Back To Haunt My Ass”

“I Get Dragged Into Some Gay Shit”

“We Kick Serious Jackal Butt, Sort Of”

Remind me to make a full post of that once I’ve finished the series.

Off topic again. Sorry.

Before we finally begin the actual match (and wow, it’s 1.1k words already), Nicky seems to finally get the mental slaps I’ve been sending him since a few chapters ago:

           Nicky looked at Neil. “Hey,” he said, sounding uncharacteristically hesitant. “We haven’t really had a chance to talk after… Well. I wanted to say sorry, but I kept chickening out. Are we okay?”

           “I don’t know yet,” Neil said.

           Nicky weighed that for a minute, then sighed and said, “Fair enough.”

Deep sigh. Who are we kidding, I can never resist a self-aware comic relief, Nicky, you’re still one of my faves. At least he knows he fucked up.

And now, finally: It’s Orange Sportsball time!!

Time for fast-paced sports action, balls flying, racquets hitting, body-checks left and right, a flurry of energy and emotion… that I simply can’t get behind.

I’m sorry, you guys, but I found myself having to double- and triple-read passages here in order to keep up with who is standing where, who is passing to whom and just generally what exactly is going on. Maybe it has to do with my own lack of interest for any sports involving balls (or actually any sports that isn’t dance, cheer, or anything involving performance), but I’m not really excited about this whole game part, to put it mildly.

Don’t get me wrong: I am loving the emotions attached to it. Solidarity, passion, group dynamics and character development shown on the field, give me all that good shit. I just couldn’t care less about who’s passing to who. Forgive me.

Did someone say passion and group dynamics?

           Neil’d watched his teammates fall apart to in-fighting all summer long, but now he finally saw them as a whole. As much as the Foxes disliked each other at times, they disliked their opponents more. They were still too fractured to be truly great, but they were good enough to give him chills.

This is shaping up to be good, you guys.

I can only imagine the sheer gloriousness in the upcoming books when Kandreil finally get their shit together and play on the field as a beautiful unstoppable three-way killing machine. I WILL DIE.

Twenty minutes into the game, Seth is crushed against a wall by three hundred pounds of pure douchebaggery – and I actually do feel sorry for him, not gonna lie – which means it’s time for the moment we’ve all been waiting for:

           “Going on for Seth Gordon is freshman Neil Josten, number ten, of Millport, Arizona.”

           Neil wondered if casket lids sounded like court doors being shut.

Ah yes, thank you for reminding me, even in the face of impending doom, how incredibly extra our boy Josten is.

           “A national champion and an amateur? South Carolina’s gotten even crazier than usual.”

           “An amateur and a cripple, you mean,” the dealer said.

           Andrew slammed his racquet against the goal, making several athletes jump and drawing more than a few wary looks his way.

This is such a small detail but it’s the /best/. Nobody insults my boyfriends in front of me, fuckface.

Bla bla bla more sports bla bla, I’m putting everything remotely interesting that’s happening in a bullet list because let’s be honest, it’s not fucking much.

Neil scores! Twice! Good boy.

Matt takes a card for the team by punching the fuck out of Gorilla, what a babe.

Also, his mom is a professional boxer? When can we meet her. I’m always a sucker for strong women who could kick my ass.

Gorilla has been hitting Kevin’s hand on purpose all the time, which is not cool, yet not surprising, ain’t no honour in Exy injuries, apparently.

That is it, my dudes.

Writing the next chapter on a coach (yet again) as I’ll be visiting some friends in NRW, so I’ll be coming to you live from my Prime Flixbus Office Space, let’s see how that works out. Till next time, ily all. <3