#kevin proust | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

thefoxholecast · 2 months

Text

The Original Foxhole Court Extra Content (Archived from Nora Sakavic’s Tumblr)

We copied the following text directly from the pre-2024 version of the Foxhole Court Extra Content page on Nora Sakavic’s Tumblr blog (korakos.tumblr.com/fox). In March 2024, she did “some spring cleaning” by shortening the list of links and deleting/hiding old posts. The links in this copy lead to archived snapshots of the old posts on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.

Some of the links are broken. If you have copies of these posts, please let us know so we can fill in missing content!

Because Tumblr only allows up to 100 links per post, we're unable to replicate the full list here. View the full list of links on our blog here: thefoxholecast.tumblr.com/FoxArchive

The Foxhole Court

ETA 2023: most of the posts here are from 2013-2015. Some of them overlap with older drafts. Some answers have evolved over time, even if they haven’t been updated here. Most I haven’t changed my mind on, for better or worse. Take ‘em or leave ‘em, and good luck making sense of ‘em around all the drunk rambling and detours. One day if I have the energy I’ll just sort it into a coherent reference.

Two sections here: the questions submitted by tumblr users, and a miscellaneous collection of stories & factoids pulled from the oft-neglected blog. The questions aren’t in any particular order, though I did try to organize them by subject matter. Ish. Once the dust is settled a bit I’ll try to find a better sorting system. Also, the tumblr tag I use for questions is http://korakos.tumblr.com/tagged/foxhole-court-questions-and-spoilers

Lots of spoilers for The Foxhole Court ahead!

Preface: Why are Asks disabled in 2016?

COURTING MADNESS

—Exy Rules & Regulations

—Exy: A History of the Sport

—Palmetto State University

—The original “What Happens After King’s Men” post

—SON NEFES, the cousins’ freshman year through Renee’s eyes

——One . Two . Three . Four . Five

—Nicky Hemmick

—Seth Gordon

—Aaron Minyard

—Matt Boyd

—Kevin & Andrew

—David Wymack & the Monsters

—Wymack & Andrew re: Neil

—Dan Wilds is recruited to the Foxes *

—Allison through Dan & Renee’s eyes *

——pulled from an abandoned, unfinished book about the Foxes’ women

TUMBLR

NEIL

—Neil’s life on the run

—Do they ever celebrate Neil’s birthday?

—What if Neil told the truth earlier?

—Neil through the Foxes’ eyes

—Neil through Ichirou’s eyes

—Neil’s looks post-book and relationship with his reflection

—Does Neil ever talk to Bee?

—Neil’s millions

—Neil’s fight training

—Who’s Neil closest to beside Andrew

—Neil’s fashion style

—Cellphone ringtone

—Christmas/birthday presents for Foxes

—Does Neil ever cry?

—Neil’s lonely fifth year

—When Neil’s overwhelmed

—Does Neil crush on his teammates?

—Neil & Ichirou’s intimidation

ANDREW

—Andrew’s sober look at his teammates & Neil

—How did Andrew react to Cass’s letter?

—Andrew’s medication and the follow-up

—Has Abby seen Andrew’s scars?

—Andrew & Mama Bee

—Andrew & Roland

—How far has Andrew willingly gone?

—What animal figurine did Andrew buy Betsy?

—Andrew’s eye color

—Andrew’s opinion of the cats

—What’d Andrew say to Nicky in TKM?

—Andrew’s honest opinion of Exy

—Andrew’s thoughts on Neil’s binder

—Andrew and his sexuality

—If Andrew had met Neil’s mother

—Andrew’s thoughts on Neil’s sexuality

—Andrew’s fondest memory of Neil

—Andrew’s aforementioned withdrawal

—Do you think Andrew is really really really awesome?

—Proust and Andrew

—What happens to Proust?

—Andrew’s reaction to Neil’s bday blood

—Andrew on Neil eventually changing out

—Does Andrew get grumpy?

—Does Andrew get less dead inside?

—Does Andrew call Neil by his name?

—Why give the Foxes crackers?

—Andrew’s first choices in winning a fight

—Who liked knives?

—What got chopped from Drake’s arc?

—Does Andrew get off thinking about Neil?

—Post Andrew & Bee’s side story?

—When did Andrew start thinking Neil was interesting?

—Any other words he can’t stand?

—What does he think about nicknames?

—Explain Andrew’s fatal disease in the comic version

—Andrew’s canon mental state

—How did Andrew not know about Tilda’s abuse?

—Why punch Neil for “Sorry”, and when Andrew is sick

—What’s with Andrew and promises

—Andrew’s thoughts on Roland’s premature confession

—Andrew’s arrest

—Wanting nothing vs not wanting anything

—Why was Andrew laughing after Drake?

—If Neil had chosen Dan & Matt over Andrew

NEIL & ANDREW

—The other 10%

—Which teammate caught on first?

—Do Andrew & Neil go on dates?

—When did they first hold hands?

—When did Andrew clue in?

—Exites self-censure

—Betsy’s & Aaron’s reactions to the news

—Roland’s opinion of things

—The breaking point

—Who tops?

—On tying people up

—Their domestic life aka Sir Fat Cat

—I love you

—Andrew and the bed issue

—Nightmares

—Do they learn to talk to each other?

—Blaming Neil for Drake

—Andrew comforting Neil?

—Neil’s fondest memory of Andrew

—Neil getting Andrew off for the first time

—Neil seeing Andrew naked

—Neil & the sex how-to

—How was the first time

—Where’d it happen?

—When was their first hug?

—“I won’t let you let me be”

—Their roadtrips

—Neil waking Andrew up

—Andrew’s real smile

—How does Andrew show appreciation for Neil

—Their happiest moments

—Does Neil ever make Andrew laugh?

—Does Andrew take comfort in Neil

—Does Andrew get protective/possessive?

—Doesn’t Neil crave affection?

—Andrew re: Neil’s panic attacks

—Media reaction to Andrew/Neil

—Further reaction to Andrew/Neil

—On “accidentally” sitting in laps

—What if Andrew died?

—What if Neil died?

—Reaction to getting hit on by others

—Do they celebrate anniversaries?

—The first time Neil pushes Andrew down

FOXES

—How tall are the Foxes?

—Why is everyone so short?

—Where did their names come from?

—What were their majors?

—What do the Foxes look like?

—What are their Hogwarts houses?

—Reaction to the kidnapping

—Do Neil & Renee become friends?

—What did Allison do with Seth’s urn?

—Nicky’s evolution over the drafts

—Do the Foxes get their skiing trip?

—Does Andrew know Nicky kissed Neil?

—When did Aaron & Katelyn fall for each other?

—How did Andrew and Wymack end up handcuffed together?

—Kevin’s favorite things

—Kevin and Andrew’s on-court kerfuffle

—Dan’s haircut

—Dan & Matt’s relationship

—Dan & Matt’s first kiss

—Matt bouncing back from Columbia

—Matt rooming with the monsters

—The other what-if OT3 aka D/M/N and the dynamic

—Do Allison and Renee have the hots for each other?

—Matt forgiving his father

—Any mistletoe shenanigans?

—Thanksgiving and the Foxes

—Kevin’s best friend

—Janie Smalls

—How did Kevin and Thea meet?

—Foxes’ favorite ice cream flavors

—Kevin & Andrew’s on-court argument

—Foxes’ taste in music

—Kevin’s middle name & drink of choice

—Do Kevin & Neil want to kiss?

—Which Fox would Kevin kiss, then?

—Kevin’s best non-Exy memory

—Allison’s three bets

—Why is Allison’s middle name Jamaica

—Kevin, Andrew, and Neil staying friends

—“Joan of Exy”?

—Can the Foxes sing?

—Some of the Foxes’ previous bets

—Do Nicky & Allison become friends?

—Are Foxes based on RL people?

—Nicky when Neil asks about friendship

—Dan & the monsters in Columbia

—What if Kevin was killed?

—Renee and her near-death experiences

—More background available on Renee?

—Why doesn’t Aaron let the Foxes in?

—Team’s reaction to Drake, Andrew’s reaction to being outed

—Andrew & Aaron’s time with Tilda

—Does Aaron reconcile with Andrew over Tilda?

—Nicky & his parents after Drake

—Foxes thoughts in Baltimore

FOXES POST-TKM

—The Pro Teams

—The Weddings

—Neil as the Best Man?

—Kevin after TKM —Thea, Jean, Foxes, and Riko

—How does Kevin & Wymack’s relationship evolve?

—Renee after TKM

—Nicky after TKM

—Aaron after TKM

—Allison after TKM

—Dan & Matt after TKM

—Dan and the US Court

—Any pro-period scandals?

—Andrew & Neil’s relationship with their team

—Would Neil hold Matt’s children?

—Neil & babysitting the Foxes’ kids

—Which Fox’s child would curse first

THE FUTURE FOXES

—Who is Robin Cross?

—Neil and Jack

—Andrew’s reaction to Neil punching Jack

—Foxes’ reaction to Neil punching

—Kevin and Jack

—Neil’s new recruit

—Andrew and Jack

RIVALS

—Who is Riko Moriyama?

—Riko & Kevin’s evolving relationship

—More about Riko & Kevin’s past

—How did Riko break Kevin’s hand

—Riko’s brutality toward Jean

—Any draft where Riko wasn’t killed?

—Were Riko, Kevin, and Jean involved sexually?

—Does the Fox-Trojan rematch happen? Also how do the Trojans & Jean get along?

—Do Alvarez & Laila (Trojans) have backstories?

—Thea’s number & thoughts on Raven brutality

THE “ADULTS”

—Kayleigh Day & David Wymack

—Abby Winfield & David Wymack

—Wymack’s parents

—Did Wymack cry during the trilogy?

—Did Kayleigh know about the Moriyamas?

Nora & the Foxes

—Fancast and Andrew

—Changing opinion of Foxes over the years

—Bits of the scrapped K/N/A threesome here and here

—The KxAxN AU where Kevin died

—Will there be a sequel?

—What inspired you to develop Exy?

—Fox fanfictions, collected by coldsaturn

—Why a pseudonym?

—What came first, characters or story?

—Were you the artist of the comic version?

—What did the comic-Foxes look like?

—What do you do when you’re not writing?

160 notes · View notes

lovefromremus · 1 year

Text

sometimes i think of just how earth-shattering neil's existence must have been for andrew. like andrew is here, content with not having any other purpose but looking after his family. then all of a sudden a skittish, brunette boy turns up and, even on the drugs, andrew can't help but look at him a little longer then he does matt or kevin or any other boy he sees. but it's okay - his brain is affected by the drugs.

but then oh he has gorgeous blue eyes and oh he can actually be quite witty and, dare he say, funny at times. interesting. he is not scared by andrew.

andrew finds himself sharing little things, like phones and seats in the maserati for him.

and then all of a sudden, drake was back. and neil was protecting him - so was aaron. and then andrew's gone and proust is here but then at least he is off the drugs.

thinking everything would go back to a new kind of normal, andrew comes back only to find neil is well and truly neil now with gorgeous auburn hair and bright blue eyes shimmering with life even after seeing death so many times.

andrew finds himself looking at neil more, looking for neil more. neil who went to the nest for him, who experienced unworldly torture to keep andrew safe that ended up being futile anyways.

when neil accepts all of his disgusting secrets and truths and, in the moments where andrew does nothing but hate himself, neil finds something to latch onto and respect. neil who accepts his kiss even without warning, and who keeps accepting his touches and no matter what, unlike anyone else andrew has ever met, respects his boundaries and what it is andrew cannot take.

for once in his life, andrew is enough for someone. the little things he can give are enough for the boy who had never had a thing of his own.

but think about then, how he must have felt, when neil was gone. and andrew slowly realises the meaning behind those words. thank you, you were amazing. it made andrew feel sick to his stomach and somehow his hands had made it to kevin's neck despite his promise to protect him.

all he needed was to find him. find neil. it was only once it was gone that andrew recognized the ache that was neil, the hole he had left open and oozing blood.

andrew almost feels disgusted with himself at the relief he feels when he sees neil alive and breathing in that little room. but before that can register in his mind, andrew is already up close and touching him once more. and more than disgust, andrew feels relief.

#all for the game #aftg #andrew minyard #psu foxes #andreil #palmetto state university #neil josten #the foxhole court #aaron minyard #kevin day

708 notes · View notes

otdiaftg · 4 months

Text

"You weren't supposed to leave Kevin's side. Did you forget?" "I promised to keep him safe," Neil says. "I didn't say I'd hound him every step of the way like you do. I kept my end of the deal." "But not like this," Andrew says. "You already said this had nothing to do with Kevin. Why did you go?" Neil doesn't know if he can say it. Thinking about it is almost too much. Andrew is waiting, though, so Neil chokes back his nausea. "Riko said if I didn't, Dr. Proust would—" Andrew claps a hand over his mouth, smothering the rest of his words, and Neil knows he'd failed.

Day: Tuesday, January 2nd Time: 2:15 PM EST

60 notes · View notes

crows-and-crumbs · 6 months

Text

Aftg time travel AU idea in my brain I can’t really let go of

Classic “everyone gets sent back to the start of the first book” but they still have their memories right?

Anyways, everyone has an awful time:

Andrew is back on the drugs and Drake is still alive, Proust is still alive everything is awful.

Neil is on the run again, back in Millport, his dad is alive, Riko is alive, that’s awful to.

Seth is alive and Allison is fucking reeling.

Riko is alive and I don’t have to tell you how that impacts Kevin.

However, what I want to talk about is Jean and Jeremy.

Like the two of them, waking up in the past, and Jean is right back in his own personal hell at the nest. Right back under Riko’s thumb.

Jeremy is fine in his little Trojan paradise, except for the knowledge that Jean is in hell, a hell that he’s expressed he’s rather kill himself than ever return to.

The absolute fear and rush Jeremy’s in to get to him, to fix it, to save him, knowing that Jean is running on fucking fumes at this point, and just- the angst potential y’all.

Anyways I’m not gonna write it, cause I suck at writing time travel fics, but this is my pitch for someone with more talent than me to do so if they wish.

Actually in light of the new book, we just need more Jean and Jeremy please, friendship or lovers I don’t care that much, but just the two of them make me happy

#aftg #all for the game #aftg fanfic #jean moreau #jeremy knox #jean and jeremy #andrew minyard #aftg fandom #neil josten #fanfic ideas #tw scuicidal thoughts

74 notes · View notes

jtl-fics · 10 months

Note

Hey, no need to respond to this, truly, but I just had to say something. Feel free to ignore and I won’t bother you about this again, but it makes me uncomfortable how you portray Riko as this traumatized kid who just needs love&attention in your writing when he is canonically an abuser. He nearly beat Jean to death and ordered other Ravens to rape him. He broke Kevin’s hand and tried to emotionally abuse him into returning to him. He helped Drake cross state borders while he was being investigated for child sexual assault and pointed him at Andrew. He paid Proust to assault Andrew. He tied Neil to a bed and tortured him. He killed Seth. Yes, his backstory is tragic but he is an abuser. And it’s uncomfortable reading about how his victims should feel sorry for him bc now they’re older and more mature and Riko “was a kid”. I recognize you have the right to write what you want, I just wanted to tell you how it reads. I’m not trying to be mean or harass you & I won’t send anything else other than this. And do not post this to the public if you don’t want to! Seriously, I’m not trying to be mean or hurt your feelings, you’re a great writer and I don’t believe you meant anything malicious or were trying to communicate what I took from how you wrote Riko, just that that’s how it comes off.

Hey, I am going to respond to this just because I want to be clear that I am writing Riko very very aware of the fact that he has done things in the books that make me really dislike / hate him as a person. Still, as a character there are things I want to explore with him y’know?

Especially from people who he really has no power over at this point. Especially from people who he did use to have power over at one point.

Some of this might be coming across a certain way just due to the fact that I had some ideas earlier on in the writing of these that I've discard. Such is the nature of a WIP. The other part is that a lot of the snippets are missing broader context. Such is the nature of a Snippet.

Either way you're fine to be uncomfortable with that and to not like how I'm writing it but I do just want to cover generally how I'm approaching Riko in the 2 AUs I'm really treating him differently than canon.

In the Math Nerd AU I want to explore a Neil who is a lot older and who still, honestly, hates Riko. He hates him and would love to watch him sink into the pits of hell once again.... but he's also a Neil who has grown a lot since he was 18-19 and dealing with Riko the first time around. He's a Neil who not only benefited from but now truly and absolutely believes in the power of giving someone a chance. Wymack has had that level of influence on his thinking.

He was a Captain and stayed close with the Foxes and Wymack over the years. He has seen all of the kids that Wymack gave 2nd chances to.

Some of them deserved that second chance and they utilize it.

Some of them deserved that second chance and failed to utilize it.

Some of them didn't deserve those second chances and did utilize it.

Some of them didn't deserve that second chance and proved that they didn't deserve it.

Wymack still offered it to all of them and he didn't always like those kids but Wymack still did his best to help them. Neil thinks Wymack died with his only regret being that he didn't have a chance to drink the pricey bourbon they'd gotten him and that he wouldn't get to call Kevin after his games.

Neil WANTS / NEEDS / CRAVES that peace of mind for reasons I'm not going to touch on here because it doesn't involve Riko.

I have decided on a few things that are different from the initial description, such is the nature of a WIP.

Its not quite clear in the snippets because hey they’re snippets and not the full story and honestly I’ve avoided doing these snippets from Neil’s POV. All Neil is doing right now? He’s offering Riko a chance and that's it.

What Riko does with that chance I haven’t touched on at all. Neil is offering a Riko an opportunity to stop before he sinks his own ship and Neil won't even toss a life preserver because watching him drown was immensely personally satisfying to Neil last time. What he wants is the certainty that there was no redeeming Riko, that there was no excuse, and that he's totally normal for thinking about how Riko looked the night he died with warmth. If Riko proves him wrong? If all Riko really did need was someone he had no power over to treat him like a person and not a commodity?

It'd be the ultimate proof that anyone can benefit from a second chance, that Wymack was always right to offer it. He'd be okay with that too.

I also want to explore what Neil can gain by delaying the satisfaction he got the first time around by outright telling Riko to just fuck off. How playing it a bit nicer / smarter with Riko means that the Foxes are safer and also gives him the opportunity to protect other people he has had a hand in saving. Andrew was the first person that Neil saved when he went back in time, but he wasn't the last. Neil also wasn't always successful in saving some people despite his foreknowledge.

Again, nature of the WIP and nature of the Snippet were not everything is here since I sure as hell am not writing this in order with the snippets but I am going to touch on it in a WIP Wednesday ask pretty soon, probably once I finish this beast / make myself dinner.

For New Kings it's a lot easier since mostly I'm treating Riko as a joke. Someone who wants to be a threat, who remembers being terrifying to these Foxes. Except now he...just kind of isn't. He has no power over any of them. Like Nicky said, he's seen home loans scarier than Riko is at this point.

It really is them just seeing someone they remember being so huge and threatening and scary and…..its just this sad sack 20 something playing at being God because he’s good at a sport. Honestly, in comparison to what some of them got up to later? He's not even that good.

They won’t take him seriously because why the fuck should they? That would just feed into his already insane ego. In my experience there’s nothing that upsets an abuser more than his once victims just won’t give him any power over them. (Again its the nature of the snippet in that its not the full picture and I haven’t even covered Riko’s reaction to the Fox’s dismissal of him as a threat in all its unhinged glory nor Renee's grand theft Moreau.)

STILL, if that isn’t something you want to read then please just add the tags #Math Nerd AU and #New Kings AU or ME (jtl-fics & justthislazy) to a block list. I'm religious about tagging so if you still want to read other stuff then just blacklisting those tags will keep you safe.

I can add Riko Moriyama as a tag on the parts that involve / mention him if you still want to read the snippets that don't include him.

I’m not out here to make someone uncomfortable but I do want to explore these things in my writing. It might change the further I go but it might not so please proceed at your comfort level.

Thank you for writing to me with your concern and I’m more than happy to accommodate with tags if you wanna message me.

Still, like you said, I'm going to write what I want.

#my writing #Riko Moriyama #Math Nerd AU #New Kings AU #This thing is very wordy #TL;DR Right now it's a WIP with SNIPS and I haven't put the full context out #I am thankful for this ask so people can make the decision if they want to read further #I will now take a shower cook dinner and write some more ASK WIPS

77 notes · View notes

traumatizedpomelo · 1 year

Text

parallels in the teams

In reality, there are only three, because, well. Kevin Day went from number two in black to number two in orange.

1 - oh, the captains. Captain Wilds and Captain Moriyama.

Dan takes control of the team with hard-earned authority and the pragmatism of someone who went through the real world the hard way, someone who used to dance for a living. She didn't care for her aunt, so she made a family from her stage sisters and then the two other girls on the Foxes. She loses semifinals, and then claims her captainship from the coach of a broken team full of broken people.

Riko was given everything since birth: power, playthings, a captaincy - everything but the attention from his father he so desperately craved. Even his brother would have done, but Riko is the second son, and so he only meets Ichirou when he's caused too much trouble for the main branch to ignore. One last victory for the King. He leaves the meeting in a bodybag, a single bullet through his skull.

To both of them, exy matters more than nearly anything else in the world - for Dan, almost more than a bigger life. For Riko, almost more than being acknowledged by his family. But see - Dan knows where to stop. Riko's entire life, he's been unlimited in his freedom, whereas Dan's life can be defined as a series of limitations.

And then Riko dies, because of his lack of restraint. And Dan - Hennessy - one of the only female captains in NCAA exy - wins.

3 - the defenders of their castles. Knights, in their own right. I'm speaking, of course, of Jean Moreau and Andrew Minyard.

Andrew was, since birth, an unwanted child. His own mother left him to rot in the foster system while she took Aaron back - perhaps his was the first birth certificate in the drawer, perhaps something in her knew Andrew would be unmanageable. (The thing is, we don't know if he would have been unmanageable. The abuse and the pills and everything else killed him, you see). So when he's given a family, he latches onto it with a burning ferocity and drags them along with him. Everyone assumes they have to bully him into things, but the heartbreaking fact is - they don't. Neil knows this firsthand. But ask him anything nicely, and he will almost always say yes if it's not inconvenient. Such a sad habit of a man who always begged no growing up.

We know next to nothing about Jean. We know he is French, we know he grew up in Marseilles. We know he had a family, once, and he was heartbroken and furious when they sold him to the Moriyamas. When he comes out of the darkness, so many years later, he is almost unrecognizable. A broken spirit, a broken man. But he is still Jean Moreau. He is still the boy who taught Kevin French against Riko's wishes, he is still the boy who called Renee and asked for her help. But those years in the Nest also changed him, perhaps irreversibly. And he is too cowed to say no, ever, so he always says yes. Until Renee rescues him from Castle Evermore and takes him to the Trojans. Then he fights with a ferocity, something ingrained in him. And once again, he is promptly ignored.

Say yes, say yes, and usually they do. Both men unable to stop something, a trap set up by men more powerful than them. Drake. Riko. Proust. Every monster under Andrew's bed and Raven outside Jean's room - shadows that they could never quite shake. But then they're free. And neither of them knows quite what to do at first. So Jean self-destructs. But Andrew is determined to take everyone else out with him. They both end up living with boys who won't let them.

Jean and Andrew both make it out. And this is important.

4 - the backliners. Matt Boyd, and, however sickeningly, Nathaniel Wesninski.

Matt has tried so hard his entire life. He cares so much about everything, getting into drugs and drinking for his father, getting better for his mother. He cares enough to let Andrew dose him with speedball and "purge" him the way he did to Aaron. He fights for his teammates, for his captain, for the skittish new striker who's rooming with him. He defends his team - that's who he is. He is a protector, and he takes his role seriously. Remember when he offered to help Neil if Kevin became a problem?

Nathaniel Wesninski does not care. Now, underneath his skin is Neil Josten, starting striker, but he does not care about the Ravens. Quite the opposite. He fumbles shots on purpose, gets into fights with his teammates, mocks his captain. Anything to make the Ravens lose. He was put on the home half of court to protect Castle Evermore, but instead he lets in as many enemies as possible, even if they're only strikers on his team. He digs his heels in every step of the way, fighting Riko the entire time. "Make me," he says, and smiles when he knows Tetsuji will beat him. Just as long as he can make them lose.

Defenders, but only one does his job. Matt is all heart, standing up for everyone, even the so called Monsters. But Nathaniel - Nathaniel would verbally eviscerate Riko on TV. That is, if he could speak.

And then Nathaniel speaks. And he leaves the Nest. The same way Matt found it in himself to fight off speedball, the way he leaves the bathroom he'd been locked in. Once.

70 notes · View notes

kevindavidson · 10 months

Text

In light of rereading the bullshit that is the Extra Content:

Kevin is deaf, and Korean - because I said so.

The twins’ eyes are amber, not hazel (fire-amber to match fire hair and a burning car Neil’s finds in cigarette cherries.)

Nicky is fluent in Spanish and only ever uses the curse swords just to piss of his parents.

Renee is South Asian.

Allison is a bottle blonde Cuban and her middle name is Jamaica because her mother was pissed at her Cuban father and decided to spite him.

Neil dyes his hair every color of the damned rainbow just to fuck with Browning (he’s not hiding, he’s staying, and everyone will know that especially when he goes bright pink.)

Wymack is Jewish. Why? Big nose grumpy dad - think Jon Bernthal - teaching Kevin to make challah. Deal with it.

Bee retires and opens a honey farm for the shits and gigs while Andrew retires and becomes a defense attorney because his degree was actually not for shits and gigs.

Robin and Kevin are Aroace - they co-adopts twelve cats. One of them is named Steven, another Riko, because they have no more power over them and reprimanding the asshole ginger, and pompous munchkin makes them happy.

Arab Neil. Why? Kevin knew a blue eyed ginger arab - he’d have never thought this plain asshole to be that striking asshole.

Thea never contacts Kevin after retirement. He was fourteen. It’s gross.

And fuck Proust.

#all for the game #andrew minyard #david wymack #neil josten #Renee walker #i’m going to scream #it’s 4am

16 notes · View notes

kevinproust · 5 months

Text

#montreal #nightphoto #foggy night #rosemont #fujifilm #xpro3 #kevin proust #mtl

99 notes · View notes

splishsplashyouropinionistrash · 2 years

Text

Welcome back to AFTG Hot Takes, the show where I share my unpopular AFTG opinions. I will only stop if and when god (or Miss Nora herself) shows up at my doorstep to retcon me to hell Moriyama style.

Today’s instalment: why I hate Kevandreil.

For those of you who don’t know, Kevandreil (otherwise known as Kandreil) is the ship name for Kevin/Andrew/Neil. One of the reasons why it’s become such a popular ship is because, in multiple early versions of AFTG, this was the main couple instead of just Andrew/Neil (or Andreil).

You may be asking yourself “But Sam, how could you hate it?” and also, “How did you get into my house?” Well, I’m glad you asked :D.

When you look at Kevandreil, it does make a kind of sense. Kev is already the closest thing to a best friend Andrew and Neil have. Neil does, momentarily, think that Kevin and Andrew are hooking up. Not to mention there’s some sort of sexual tension between Neil and Kev in the first book. Really, all the signs are there. It’s far less outlandish than a lot of the fandoms other ships (think Jerjean, Renison, etc).

So then why would I hate it, if it makes so much sense? The answer is simple: Miss Nora’s extra content. In one post explaining her thoughts on Kevandreil and why she cut it, she said that the relationship was toxic and codependent. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think any of our boys deserves that sort of relationship.

I know, I know. As a community, we’ve mostly given the extra content an enthusiastic hell no and moved on. There’ve been one or two glaring exceptions (King and Sir specifically) but for the most part, it’s ignored.

Some things shouldn’t be ignored, though. Like how Andrew would never be called “AJ”, because that’s what Drake called him. Or the things Proust did to Andrew. Those things are important, and I cannot just ignore them.

Kevandreil, to me, is the same. Does that mean I’ll shame you, or even think badly of you, for enjoying it? No. To each their own, and if you can separate it from the extra content then good for you. I can’t.

TL;DR, Kevandreil would be an unhealthy relationship according to the extra content, and my brain is not capable of ignoring that.

Was this the hottest of takes? No, certainly not. But hey, I’m tired.

Miss Nora, when you inevitably send someone to take me out, I ask only that you do not let them go full Lola on my ass.

#day i don't even know of trying my hardest to piss off the fandom #i'm in my villain era ig #and by that #i mean that i'm being a minor annoyance #i am the little bug that keeps biting you #you're welcome #aftg #all for the game #the foxhole court #tfc #kevin day #andrew minyard #neil josten #kevandreil #kandreil #Andreil #splishsplash originals

94 notes · View notes

ninyard · 1 month

Text

things I want to write:

- Andrew and Kevin’s first meeting at the nest

-Raven!Neil including but not limited to if Andrew was taken to the nest in the same way Neil was over Christmas, if Neil was recruited to the ravens from Millport, alternatively Raven!Andrew following Kevin to the foxes after Riko breaks his hand

- Andrew talking to Betsy about Proust after his death, Andrew’s trial, how Betsy and Andrew’s conversation went after Thanksgiving and how their first session went once he returned

- Kevin Day :) literally anything :)

- Kevin and Allison’s problematic friendship (that ends up not being problematic once they’re ~healing~)

- How the foxes started to notice that Andreil were A Thing

- some sort of Raven Cycle AU, like a Dream Thieves scenario where Andrew is Kavinsky and Neil is Ronan. Probably would never write it but…been thinking about it

- Kandreil being hot as fuck tbh? Like? That’s all

too many words too little time

#yes I am an adult #yes I would like to write about fictional threesomes spitting in each others mouths #is that so bad?#is that a crime?

3 notes · View notes

kevincharlesward · 1 year

Photo

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust | Otranto LE, Italy

“Il vero viaggio di scoperta non consiste nel cercare nuovi paesaggi, ma nell'avere nuovi occhi.” – Marcel Proust | Otranto LE, Italia

#otranto #salento #Italy #puglia #kevincharlesward #kevinward #photography #streetphotography #fujixt1 #Architecture

38 notes · View notes

fancifulpurposelesslovely · 1 year

Text

Andreil - Touch - The King's Men

Notes:

It's here. It's time.

Once again, absolutely some editor discretion happened here. Deciding who was touching who and if it was important Not Touching or casual or whatever took... some effort and guessing.

If you know of any moments I missed, please please please let me know, I'd love to add them here and to my notes.

Chapter 14 will always be my favorite.

There are times I count touching clothes as touching and sometimes as not-touching. If clothes are chosen specifically to avoid touching skin, it's counted as not-touching.

This post is long. Like longer than you think it is. Probably longer than that. Beware when opening.

I don't even want to think about how much time I spent on this specific task, but I'm really happy with it and I hope others enjoy it too!

Andrew Touches Neil

Chapter One

He shouldn't have been surprised that the first thing Andrew went for was the bandage on his cheek. Aaron and Nicky had looked past it, not even noticing it amongst the rest of the gauze and tape. Andrew had spent too much time watching Kevin's back to not put the pieces together. He scratched up a corner of the tape and ripped the bandage off like he wanted to take Neil's face with it. Neil braced himself for violence, but Andrew's blank expression didn't change at the sight of Neil's new tattoo.

“Riko let you go," Andrew corrected him. "We are doing too well this year and your feud is too public. No one would have believed you willingly transferred to Edgar Allan mid-season." Andrew smashed the bandage against Neil's face again and pressed the tape flat with hard fingers. "You weren't supposed to leave Kevin's side. Did you forget?"

…Why did you go?" Neil didn't know if he could say it. Thinking about it was almost too much. Andrew was waiting, though, so Neil choked back his nausea. "Riko said if I didn't, Dr. Proust would—" Andrew clapped a hand over his mouth, smothering the rest of his words, and Neil knew he'd failed.

Chapter Two

He didn't remember putting his head down and definitely didn't remember falling asleep. Fingers digging into the back of his skull startled him awake. He grabbed for a gun, for a knife, for anything close enough to buy him room to flee, and sent the computer mouse skidding across the table. Neil stared blankly at it, then at the screen in front of him. Fingers clenched into a fist in his hair and Neil didn't resist as Andrew forcibly tilted his head back. "Is your learning curve a horizontal line?" Andrew asked. "I told you yesterday to stop making my life difficult." "And I told you I wouldn't promise anything." Andrew let go of him and watched pitilessly as Neil rubbed at his head. Neil sat up straight and started shutting his browsers down.

Andrew dug a fingernail into the hollow of Neil's throat until he had Neil's undivided attention. "Sit down and be still."

Shut up," Wymack said. "When you're sporting fewer than fifty stitches I'll consider letting you on my court again. If I catch you so much as looking at your gear before then I will bench you another week out of spite. Do you understand?" "But—" "Give me a 'Yes, Coach'." "Coach—" Neil forgot the rest of his argument when Andrew pinched his wrist. A bolt of fire popped through his fingers and he snatched his hand away as fast as he could. Neil flicked Andrew an irritated look, but Andrew didn't even look at him. Neil wrapped his arm around his stomach to get his hand out of Andrew's reach and sullenly turned his attention back on Wymack.

Chapter Three

On Neil's right shoulder was a burn scar, courtesy of getting smacked by a hot iron. Andrew put his left hand to it, fingertips lining up perfectly with the raised bumps the iron's holes had left behind. His right thumb found the puckered flesh from a bullet. Neil had slept in his bulletproof vest for almost a month after that close call, too scared to take it off. His mother had to bully him into shedding it long enough to wash up. "Someone shot you," Andrew said. "I told you someone was after me," Neil said. "This," Andrew dug his fingers harder into the iron mark, "is not from a life on the run." "My father gave me that. People came by asking questions about his work. I didn't say anything, but I didn't sit still enough, either. He hit me as soon as the door closed behind them. That's why I gave you 'Abram'," Neil said. "I don't want to give you my father's name because I don't want anyone to call me it ever again. I hated him."

Chapter Seven

"Revenge is a motivator only for the weak-willed," Andrew said. "If you believed that you wouldn't be planning how to kill Proust." The doctor's name still tasted like acid, burning Neil's tongue and throat, but it wasn't enough to put a dent in Andrew's calm expression. Andrew gazed at him in silence for what felt like an eternity, then propped his cigarette between his lips and motioned Neil closer. Neil was sure he was stepping forward into a knife for bringing Proust up again, but he obediently closed the short space between them. Andrew caught the back of Neil's neck in a bruising grip to keep him from retreating. He pulled Neil's head toward him and blew smoke in Neil's face. "This is not revenge," Andrew said. "I warned him what I would do to him if he touched me. This is me keeping my word." He waited a beat to make sure Neil understood, then let go. The next time he raised his cigarette to his mouth Neil took it from him. Neil broke it between his fingers and let it fall to the asphalt by their feet. Andrew watched the halves roll away from each other and turned an unimpressed look on Neil. "Ninety-one percent," Andrew said.

Chapter Eight

Neil dropped the helmet to the pile at his feet and punched the back of his locker. His fist hit plastic instead of metal, and Neil wrenched the broken bag off its hook. When he turned to throw it Andrew caught his wrist. Neil hadn't even heard Andrew cross the room toward him. Neil stared at him and through him, heart pounding in his temples. "It's ruined," Neil said, voice ragged with an awful rage. "It's all ruined." Wymack burst into the room with Nicky on his heels. The sight of so much blood stopped him short for a moment before he strode for Neil. "Is that yours?" "Coach, my gear," Neil said. "It's—" "It's not his." Andrew let go of Neil and went back to his own locker. "He's fine."

Chapter Nine

Andrew dug a finger in Neil's cheek and forcibly turned his head away. "Don't look at me like that. I am not your answer, and you sure as fuck aren't mine." "I'm not looking for an answer. I just want—"

"No one asked you." With that, Andrew caught Neil's face in his hands and leaned in. Nicky's drugged assault aside, Neil hadn't kissed anyone in four years. The last girl was a scrawny French-Canadian who'd held him with just her fingertips and kissed like she was afraid of smudging her tacky-bright lipstick. Neil couldn't remember her name or face anymore. He remembered only how unsatisfying the illicit encounter had been and how furious his mother was when she found them. That awkward peck wasn't worth the punishment that had followed. This was nothing like that. Andrew kissed him like this was a fight with their lives on the line, like his world stopped and started with Neil's mouth.

He hadn't figured out which way to lean before Andrew pried Neil's hand off his coat. "Let go," Andrew said. "I am not doing this with you right now." He practically shoved Neil's arm away from him and leaned back out of Neil's space.

Chapter Ten

Neil took the pint from Andrew's unresisting fingers, stacked it on top of his, and leaned in. He stopped shy of actually kissing Andrew, not daring to touch him until Andrew gave him a green light. Andrew's expression didn't change but there was a subtle shift in his body's tension that told Neil he'd gotten Andrew's attention. Neil lifted a hand but stopped it a safe difference from Andrew's face. Andrew caught hold of his wrist and squeezed in warning. "It's fine if you hate me," Neil said. It was the truth, if a bit of an understatement. So long as Andrew was only physically attracted to Neil, this was safe to experiment with. Neil's death wouldn't be more than a faint inconvenience to Andrew. "Good," Andrew said, "because I do." For a second Neil thought Andrew would push him away and be done with this. Andrew did push, but he followed Neil down. The short carpet was rough against Neil's knuckles where Andrew pinned his hand over his head. Neil couldn't complain when Andrew was an unyielding weight on top of him. He started to reach for Andrew again but stopped himself halfway there. Andrew snagged that hand too and held it down out of the way. "Stay," Andrew said, and leaned down to kiss him. Time was nothing. Seconds were days, were years, were the breaths that caught between their mouths and the bite of Neil's fingernails against his palms, the scrape of teeth against his lower lip and the warm slide of a tongue against his. He could feel Andrew's heartbeat thrumming against his wrists, a staccato rhythm that echoed in Neil's veins. How a man who viewed the world with such studied disconnect could kiss like this, Neil didn't know, but he wasn't going to complain. Neil had forgotten what it was like to be touched without malicious intent. He'd forgotten what body heat felt like. Everything about Andrew was hot, from the hands holding him down to the mouth steadily taking Neil apart. Neil finally understood why his mother thought this was so dangerous. This was distraction and indiscretion, avoidance and denial.

Chapter Eleven

Andrew set the beer aside without taking a sip and closed the fridge door with his foot. It took two steps to close the small space between them and Andrew stopped as close as he could get without actually leaning against Neil. His fingers were cold from the can when he curled them around Neil's chin.

Yes or no?" Andrew asked. "Yes," Neil said. Andrew sent a significant look down at Neil's arms where they were folded across his chest. It took Neil a moment to catch on, and then he dropped his arms and stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets. Andrew waited until he'd gone still before kissing him. Neil stopped thinking about classes, Exy, and Kevin's liquid spine and let Andrew kiss him senseless. He was cotton-headed and unsteady by the time Andrew pressed his other hand flat against Neil's abdomen. Every nerve ending from his chest down seemed to twitch in response. Neil clenched his hands into fists like that would keep them where they were and let Andrew back him into the wall.

Andrew pushed him harder into the wall, mapping him out through his shirt from shoulders to waist and back again. He'd had his hands on Neil's bare skin just a couple weeks ago when he saw Neil's scars, but this felt completely different. This was Andrew learning every inch and edge of him. His hands had never felt this heavy or hot before. Every press and demanding slide of his fingers sent heat curling through Neil's veins. It made Neil restless, made him anxious, made him lean a little deeper into Andrew's kisses and made him too aware of the denim trapping his hands at his hips.

Neil couldn't remember the last time he'd put hands on someone. It wasn't the girl in Canada—maybe the girl before. For the first time he considered touching Andrew like that and learning Andrew's body the way Andrew was memorizing his. He wanted to find the places that made Andrew give ground. He hadn't said that aloud, but as if on cue Andrew followed Neil's arms down to his wrists and poked his fingers into Neil's pockets. He was making sure Neil's hands were still there, Neil guessed, so Neil twisted his hands deeper in response. Andrew caught hold of his wrists and squeezed to stop him. After a moment's consideration he pulled Neil's hands free and held them up by his head. He kissed Neil like he wanted to bruise his lips and leaned back to fix Neil with an intense stare. "Just here."

They didn't talk at night, maybe because they'd talked at practice or maybe because it was late and they were only stealing a few minutes before much-needed sleep, but night was where Neil had the most questions. They niggled at him when Andrew pinned him against chilly concrete and worked hot hands under his shirt. Being curious about Andrew wasn't anything new, but the gnawing importance of these answers was. Kissing Andrew changed things even if Neil knew it shouldn't. He wanted to know where all of the lines were and why he was the exception. He wanted to know how Andrew was okay with this after everything he'd been through and how long it'd taken him to come to terms with his sexuality after Drake's abuse. Neil stole the cigarette as he sat down beside Andrew and turned it over in his hands. Andrew blew smoke in his face in response, so Neil flicked ash at him and made as if to stub the cigarette out. Andrew pinched his wrist and took the stick back.

"That's a first," Neil said. "Do I get a prize for shutting you up?" "A quick death," Andrew said. "I've already decided where to hide your body." "Six feet under?" Neil guessed. "Stop talking," Andrew said, and kissed him.

Chapter Fourteen

There was a crash behind Nathaniel, the unmistakable sound of a body slamming into wood. He turned as Andrew forced his way into the room with Wymack right on his heels. Kurt grabbed at Andrew but lost his grip when Wymack shouldered past him. Nathaniel had only a second to see the handcuffs locking Andrew and Wymack together, and then Browning reacted to the violent entrance by reaching for his gun. He tried straightening, but Andrew caught his shoulder and shoved him to his knees. Nathaniel went without argument and cradled his wrecked hands in his lap.

Andrew's expression was deceptively calm, but there was iron in his grip when he seized Nathaniel's chin

He dragged a finger along the lines of tape keeping the myriad of bandages in place as if looking for the best place to start. He tore the gauze off Nathaniel's right cheek first, exposing the striped lines left by Lola's knife. He favored the stitches with a cursory glance before moving on. The tape on Nathaniel's other cheek hurt like hell coming off, since it pulled the skin around his burns, and Andrew froze with his hand a few scant inches from Nathaniel's face.

Andrew pressed two fingers to the underside of Nathaniel's chin to turn his head. Nathaniel let himself be guided and said nothing while Andrew looked his fill

He caught hold of Nathaniel to turn his face forward again and shot Abby a look so vicious she stopped in her tracks.

…I don't want—" he started, but that wasn't fair. "If you tell me to leave, I'll go." He didn't say it would kill him, but he didn't have to. Andrew hooked his fingers in the collar of Nathaniel's sweatshirt and tugged just enough for him to feel it. For a moment Nathaniel was months away from this moment, standing in the darkened front hall of Andrew's house for the first time with a warm key digging into his palm. It felt like coming home, and it was enough to take the edge off his fear. "You aren't going anywhere," Andrew said: the same words, the same promise.

Andrew tugged Nathaniel's hoodie and said in German, "Get rid of them before I kill them."

Neil sat in the backseat with Andrew and toyed with the bandages on his face. Andrew popped the back of his head when he realized what Neil was doing and ignored Neil's scowl.

Neil didn't know what sound he made but Andrew's fingers were a sudden and unforgiving weight on the back of his neck. Andrew pushed him forward and held him down. Neil tried to breathe but his chest was as tight as a rubber band ready to snap.

Chapter Fifteen

Andrew studied his chest with a bored look, but the fingers he pressed to Neil's scars were a heavy and lingering weight. Neil waited to see if he had anything to say, but Andrew hadn't spoken to anyone since they checked out of the hotel in Baltimore. Neil doubted the others had noticed, since Andrew rarely talked to even Kevin or Nicky now that he was sober, but Neil wasn't used to the silent treatment.

A hand in his hair jarred him from his thoughts and he cracked his eyes open to see Andrew standing in front of him. Andrew hadn't bothered to get undressed aside from stripping his bands and shoes off. Water plastered his black shirt to him, and small streams raced down his temples and over his cheeks to drip off his chin. Neil reached for his face, remembered the bags just in time, and frowned a bit in annoyance. Andrew pushed his hand aside and yanked the shower curtain closed. Andrew got Neil's hair washed efficiently, if not gently, but by the time he moved on to Neil's body there was more kissing than cleaning.

Chapter Seventeen

Finally Andrew looked back at him, but for a moment Neil didn't know who he was looking at. In the space of one breath Andrew's expression went so dark and distant Neil almost retreated. Then Andrew was back, as calm and uncaring as always, and he caught Neil's wrist to push his hand to his side. He dug his fingers in before letting go, not quite hard enough to hurt, and said, "That's why." Neil stopped when Andrew told him to. It wasn't much, but it was more than enough. Neil managed a nod, too numb to speak, and watched Andrew walk away from him.

Chapter Eighteen

The club was too loud for Neil to hear Andrew's approach, but suddenly Andrew was pressed into his side by the crowd. Roland looked from Andrew to Neil and back again, brow furrowed a bit in badly-concealed concern. Neil realized then he was looking for a sign they were all right after what he'd let slip back in January.

Chapter Nineteen

The darkness should have hidden the jittery wreck he'd become, but Andrew wasn't fooled. He jabbed Neil's shoulder on his way back out of the room. Neil tore his gaze away from Kevin's unconscious form and followed. Andrew pushed him up against the wall with heavy hands and hard kisses. "Junkie."

Neil Touches Andrew

Chapter Two

Matt made the mistake of stopping to look. Andrew didn't even hesitate but punched Matt hard enough to knock him off his feet. It should have been impossible to topple him; Matt had more than a foot on Andrew and could out-press any of them at the gym. Andrew had the advantage of surprise, though, and didn't stop when Matt fell. He smashed his fist into Matt's face as soon as Matt hit the ground. Dan was on her feet in a heartbeat, but somehow Neil made it to Andrew first. He didn't even remember deciding to move. He used his body and momentum to shove Andrew back. He expected Andrew to hold his ground, but Andrew let himself get pushed and flicked Neil an unconcerned look. Neil put his hands up between them in case Andrew tried to go around him.

Chapter Eleven

Andrew watched the phone bounce off the couch and skitter across the carpet. It was a toss-up whether or not he'd ask. Neil kissed his neck, hoping to distract him, and was rewarded with a startled jolt. That was enough reason to do it again. Andrew pushed his face away, but they were standing too close together for Neil to miss the way he shivered. Andrew kissed him before Neil could say anything about it.

"Okay," Neil said, and dug his fingers into Andrew's hair as soon as Andrew's grip went slack. It wasn't much but it was a desperate relief having something to hold onto. Maybe that low rush in his gut was from being trusted enough to reach out at all. Neil would figure it out later. All that mattered now was how easy it was to pull Andrew in for another kiss.

Chapter Twelve

"Are you ever going to tell them?" Neil asked. "I won't have to," Andrew said as he slid out of his seat. Neil would have reached out to stop him, wanting to hear the rest of that, but Andrew wasn't leaving. Instead he helped himself to the other half of Neil's seat. Neil turned to face him as Andrew explained. "Renee says the upperclassmen are betting on your sexuality. They're split down the middle." Matt had said they were betting on Neil, but this wasn't what Neil expected them to be putting money on. He floundered a moment, unsure how to react, but said at last, "It's a waste of time and money. They'll all lose. I've said all year I don't swing and I meant it. Kissing you doesn't make me look at any of them differently. The only one I'm interested in is you." "Don't say stupid things." "Stop me," Neil returned. He buried his hands in Andrew's hair and tugged him in for a kiss. It was easy to forget this endless ride and tonight's game with Andrew's hand on his thigh and teeth on his lip. Andrew pulled away too soon and got to his feet. Neil knew this wasn't the time or place, but that didn't stop him from feeling cheated.

Chapter Fourteen

"I was going to tell you," Nathaniel said. "Stop lying to me." "I'm not lying. I would have told you last night, but they were in our locker room." Nathaniel still had his hands up by Andrew's face, so he lightly tapped a thumb against the bruise at Andrew's eye. "I didn't know they'd staged a riot."

"Get away from us," Andrew said. "Andrew," Abby said, quiet and careful. "He's hurt. Let me see him." "If you make me repeat myself you will not live to regret it." Nathaniel had never heard that murderous tone from him. It made his hair stand on end but somehow eased some of the lava in his chest. It was Nathaniel's fault Andrew's self-control was in shreds, but it was also for his sake. Andrew's bottomless rage would never hurt Nathaniel, and that made all the difference in the world. Nathaniel gave Andrew's hair a cautious tug. Andrew resisted the first two attempts but finally let Nathaniel drag his attention back where it needed to be.

Nathaniel kept one hand buried in Andrew's hair but finally lowered the other. In quiet German he said, "Did they tell you who I am?"

"My uncle executed him," Nathaniel said, wondering. He crossed a precarious line and pressed two fingers to Andrew's chest over his heart. The memory chilled him to the bone, and he couldn't suppress all of a shudder. "I spent my whole life wishing he would die, but I thought he never would. I thought he was invincible. I can't believe it was that easy."

Chapter Fifteen

Andrew made the mistake of turning his face away at one point, so Neil chased water down the side of Andrew's neck. Andrew's fingers clenched convulsively on Neil's sides as a shudder wracked Andrew's frame. Andrew tried to recover with a ground-out, "Your neck fetish is not attractive." "You like it," Neil said, unapologetic. "I like that you like it." He bit down to prove his point and Andrew turned his head into it with a sharp hiss. Neil smiled where Andrew couldn't see it.

Chapter Sixteen

Andrew preceded him out of the room, but Neil snagged his sleeve as he tugged the door closed behind them. Andrew obediently turned to face him.

Chapter Seventeen

Neil stared at his empty palms, mystified, then reached under the hems of Andrew's long sleeves and caught the edges of Andrew's bands. He knew there were sheathes in Andrew's bands and had handled them before, but the weight still caught him off-guard.

Neil let him get to the railing overlooking the campus pond before catching hold of Andrew's elbow. Andrew wrenched out of his grip but stopped moving.

Chapter Eighteen

Andrew took the stool so no one could get between him and his drinks, and Neil stood as close to his back as he could

Mutual Touching

Chapter One

Neil was the first out and he caught Andrew's door before Andrew could close it. Andrew didn't move, but there was just enough room for Neil to lean in and get his binder. He straightened and turned to find Andrew had shifted closer. There was nowhere for Neil to stand except up against Andrew, but somehow Neil didn't mind. They'd been apart for seven weeks but Neil keenly remembered why he'd stayed. He remembered this unyielding, unquestioning weight that could hold him and all of his problems up without breaking a sweat. For the first time in months he could finally breathe again. It was such a relief it was frightening; Neil hadn't meant to lean on Andrew so much.

Chapter Eleven

Andrew slowly let go of his wrists and placed a hand flat on Neil's chest. They stood like that an age, Andrew testing Neil's control and Neil content to kiss their mouths numb. Andrew's hand between his legs was an unexpected weight. Neil didn't realize how tight he twisted his fingers in Andrew's hair until Andrew bit his lower lip in warning. Neil grumbled something incoherent and forcibly loosened his death grip. He thought he tasted blood, but it was a fleeting tang quickly forgotten as Andrew got his button and zipper undone. Andrew wasn't gentle, but Neil didn't want him to be. Neither of them had the constitution for tenderness. This was ruthless, almost angry, Andrew's hand taking Neil as far and fast as he could go. Neil tried pulling Andrew closer, but Andrew kept a hand flat on Neil's chest to keep space between their bodies. Neil barely managed Andrew's name before Andrew pushed him over the edge and kept going. Andrew smothered his frantic gasp with a last hard kiss and finally let go of him. They stood cheek-to-cheek a minute, an hour, a day, Neil's heart pounding in his temples and overloaded nerves shuddering. Coherent thought came back in lazy, fractured pieces and the first thing Neil was really aware of was how tight Andrew's fingers were digging into his chest. Neil tried to look down, but Andrew gave him a short shove in response. "What about—" Neil started. Andrew cut him off with a low, "Don't." "You can't go back to Kevin and Nicky like that." "I said be quiet." "You said 'don't'," Neil said. Neil flexed his fingers in Andrew's hair, fixing his grip so he could tug Andrew into a short kiss. Andrew tolerated it for only a moment before leaning back. He wiped his hand on Neil's shirt before tugging at Neil's wrists.

Chapter Fifteen

Neil leaned in to kiss him, needing to know if Andrew would lean away or push him back. Instead Andrew opened his mouth to Neil without hesitation and slid his hand up Neil's chest to his throat. Kissing hurt his injured cheeks but Neil fought to ignore that twinging pain. It'd only been a couple days since those kisses on the bus but right now it felt like forever.

Maybe Andrew felt the twist of his lips against oversensitive skin, because he tangled his fingers in Neil's hair and pulled his head away. Andrew put a hand flat against Neil's abdomen and pushed, backing Neil up until he was out of the spray and pressed flat against slick, chilly tile. Andrew bit the question into the corner of Neil's jaw. "Yes or no?" "It's always yes with you," Neil said. "Except when it's no," Andrew said. Neil put a plastic-wrapped finger to Andrew's chin, guiding his head up for another kiss. "If you have to keep asking because—I'll answer it as many times as you ask. But this is always going to be yes." "Don't 'always' me." "Don't ask for the truth if you're just going to dilute it."

Andrew clapped his hand over Neil’s mouth and kept it there until going to his knees meant he couldn’t reach anymore. Andrew ghosted kisses across Neil’s hip before swallowing him whole. Neil caught at Andrew’s hair, but his injuries and the plastic bags made it difficult for him to get a good grip. He scrabbled at the wall instead, but it was too slick to offer much leverage. Andrew pinned him against the wall with a hand on his hip, which helped, but Neil still felt like he was falling.

“Do you want—” he started, voice ragged. Andrew kissed him to shut him up. Neil grimaced a little at the taste on Andrew's tongue but was happy to burn it away. Andrew braced himself with a forearm against the wall, keeping a few comfortable inches between their bodies. Neil let him have that gap but crossed his aching arms behind Andrew's head to keep him close. Neil didn't notice the absence of Andrew's other hand until Andrew's breath caught against his lips. It confused him for a second, to the point that he was almost stupid enough to pull back and look down. It'd been weeks since kissing Andrew became a regular thing, but every night ended the same: with Andrew getting Neil off and then sending Neil on his way. He wouldn't even unzip his pants when Neil was still around. Neil didn't know if this break in routine was grudging trust or determination to not let Neil out of sight again. Neil didn't care right now so long as Andrew stayed. Neil hummed something into Andrew's mouth that could have been approval, could have been encouragement, and got a faint growl in response. Andrew wasn't amused by Neil's support, but he wasn't annoyed enough to pull away, either. Neil held tight until Andrew finally went still. Andrew took a couple seconds to catch his breath, then pushed at the wall until Neil obediently dropped his arms and let him go. Andrew rinsed his hand in the spray before getting to his feet and helping hoist Neil up.

Chapter Seventeen

Neil locked the door behind him and crossed the room to Andrew's side. Andrew let him take the vodka away without argument or resistance. Neil screwed its cap on tight and set it where neither of them could knock it over. Andrew was ready when Neil turned back to him, and he caught Neil's collar to pull him down. Neil planted one hand against the rough carpet to keep himself leveraged off Andrew's body. The other he buried in the beanbag near Andrew's head. Andrew dragged a hand down Neil's arm from his shoulder to his wrist. "Last I checked you hated me," Neil said against Andrew's mouth.

Neil ignored that dismissal because Andrew was already pulling him down again. They kissed until Neil felt dizzy, until he wasn't sure he could hold himself up anymore, and then Andrew pulled Neil's hand off the beanbag chair. He held it up away from them for an eternity, then slowly pressed it flat against his chest and let go. Andrew tensed up underneath Neil's hand but relaxed before Neil could pull away. Neil wasn't fooled. Andrew had made it very clear the first time he kissed Neil how important an actual "yes" was. This casual surrender wasn't genuine consent. Andrew was doing this because of what they'd said on Wednesday, but Neil wasn't sure which one of them Andrew was trying to convince. It'd only been three months since Proust's abuse and four months since Drake's attack. Neil didn't know when Andrew would be okay with this but he knew it wasn't today. Neil left his hand on Andrew but refused to move it from that spot.

Not Touching

Chapter One

...If you are worried about dying of exposure you're a little late." Andrew raised a hand to Neil's face but stopped with his fingers just a breath from Neil's skin. Andrew wasn't looking at his injuries; he was staring at Neil's unguarded eyes. "Did I break my promise or were you keeping yours?"

Chapter Five

Andrew started to turn away, so Neil hooked his gloved fingers in the netted head of Andrew's racquet and gave a careful tug.

Chapter Six

"That's enough," he said in German. He was close enough to grab Andrew, but Andrew had warned him he didn't like being touched. He held his hand out over Renee's head instead and waited for Andrew to flick it a hooded look. Satisfied he had Andrew's attention, Neil said again, "That's enough, Andrew."

Chapter Nine

Neil's heart stuttered to a stop at the first hard press of lips against his and he reached up without thinking. His hand made it as far as Andrew's jaw before he remembered Andrew didn't like to be touched. Neil caught hold of Andrew's coat sleeve instead and knotted his fingers in the heavy wool. The touch was a trigger. Andrew leaned back just enough to say, "Tell me no."

Chapter Eleven

Neil obediently let go of him and didn't miss the way Andrew watched him lower his hands. Neil didn't know if he could get them back in his pockets without brushing up against Andrew, so he tucked them behind his back instead. Andrew eased back out of Neil's space and dropped his hands. "Go," Andrew said. "Where?" Neil asked. "Anywhere I can't see you," Andrew said. Neil wouldn't live long enough to understand all the broken layers of Andrew's sexuality, but he at least knew better than to be offended by that dismissal. He waited until Andrew was far enough back that he could step away from the wall without bumping into him. The room was set up so his desk was partially out of sight from the door, but Neil went to the bedroom instead. He dug the knuckle of his thumb into his swollen lower lip and winced a little at the sting. He peeled his shirt over his head, bundled it up to hide the mess, and stuffed it into his laundry basket. He traded his jeans for sweats, scrounged up an old tee to wear, and leaned against his bed to wait.

Chapter Twelve

Neil heard the click of a lock coming undone and knew the referees were opening the door. Andrew wasn't moving yet, but Neil still put an arm in his path to keep him where he was. He pressed his gloved hand to the wall and leaned in as close to Andrew as he could with all of his bulky gear on. "I'm asking you to help us," Neil said. "Will you?" Andrew considered it a moment. "Not for free." "Anything," Neil promised, and stepped back to take his place in line again.

Chapter Fourteen

Andrew's fist went back, but he didn't take the swing. Nathaniel knew it wasn't because that was the hand cuffed to Wymack; Andrew's arm actually shook with the effort it took to not knock Nathaniel's head off his neck. Nathaniel said nothing to tip the balance either way. At length Andrew uncurled his fingers and let his hand hang limp from the cuff. "Say it again and I will kill you," he said.

Chapter Seventeen

"How is this okay?" "It isn't a 'this'," Andrew said. "That's not what I'm asking. You know it isn't. Andrew, wait," he insisted, because Andrew was turning away like he couldn't hear Neil anymore. Neil reached for him, unwilling to let him leave without a real answer. "No," Andrew said, and Neil's hand froze a breath from Andrew's arm. Andrew went still as well, and they stood for a minute in awful silence.

#aftg #fox reads aftg #all for the game #andreil #andrew minyard #neil josten #andreil touching #aftg research project #all the king's men

14 notes · View notes