#No wonder he's always with Katelyn

[maple-pies]

AFTG from a D1 perspective

As a D1 athlete from a sport where men and women practice and compete together (thought we are separate teams) here are my thoughts ;)

Whenever the Foxes travel and stay in hotels they have to share rooms (but if Wymack is going to drop the $$ for shower stalls they def don't have to share beds like my team does) but I wonder if they randomize the rooms?? lots of potential there...

(however, USC?? They're big enough that I can def seeing them have to share beds hahahaha)

training trip? do they go on training trip Nora I need to know! Lacrosse sometimes does, so maybe exy would idk... (they go to Florida or PR, Kevin gets hella burnt and Neil gets freckles end of story)

Lift?? They have to be lifting!! I know Aaron and Andrew are really into it and Nicky and Allison fight over the aux

there are days where everyone gets along (even people who hate each other) and there are days where everyones HATES each other (even the people who are best friends) it just happens

men are always puking during practice. Aaron personally gives me big barf boy energy (Nicky canonically yaks already lol)

periods. Having men and women practice together means the women don't GAF about talking about periods while the men stare at their shoes and pretend not to hear hahahha

Abby definitely gets pissed at Wymack and lift coach (they have to have one okay??) for working the foxes too hard, it's the trainer's job to get pissed at coaches okay

just NCAA violations in general. We have to do quizzes and shit to show we know the rules we can't break/rules the school and coach have to follow. (I could make a whole separate post about all the NCAA violations broken haha)

this is no way saying aftg is inaccurate, it just means they didn't ever get caught which checks out

speaking of which, whenever Aaron get's pissed he definitely is like "And we went over 20 hours last week!! I could just report them!!" to Katelyn and she calms him down

Interactions with other teams/greek life. I know there have to be some mixers/athlete events, if not the Foxes then the Trojans for sure.

complaining about dining hall food, I know Kevin's pissed about seed oils or lack of protein, something stupid like that

hookups within the team. okay the Foxes are small, but that just makes it more messy. the trojans have insane teamcest I just know it. (being coed means even more hookups than normal) . cute relationship sex, hate sex, random sex between people you would not believe (i def don't know this from first hand experience what....)

I'm so excited for TSC because we get so see how a "normal" Exy team behaves (I put normal in quotations bc ppl need to understand that D1 athletes, esp ones on a team as good as USC, are definitely not normal people ahahha)

this is definitely just part 1

#i have so much more to say #but heres this for now #aftg #all for the game #the palmetto foxes #tsc #the sunshine court #the foxhole court #neil josten #kevin day #andrew minyard #aaron minyard

[jtl-fics]

Fluent Freshman - Part 44

PREV

The flight up to New York is a pleasant one.

The time in the airport itself had been less pleasant. Matt, as it turns out, is a firm believer in arriving with just enough time to check a bag, get through security, and get to the gate. He had claimed up, down, left, and right that he had it down to a science.

No matter how many times Smith had wondered about the scientific rigor of this 'science' he still kept it to himself. There was no need for Smith to voice his uncertainty with this plan because Kevin well and truly had it covered.

"You're giving us only an hour to check bags, get through security, and get to our gate?!" Kevin demands.

"Kevin, if you wanted to be there earlier then you could have asked Andrew to give yo a ride." Matt says. "We'll be fine."

"You know what Neil and Andrew get like when they have a long roadtrip ahead of them." Kevin argues.

"All lovey-dovey?" Nicky asks as Aaron makes a gagging sound.

"No, well yes, but no they always stop and buy all of the worst food too." Kevin reminds. "I'm just concerned about us missing our flight! We have barely enough time!" Kevin huffs crossing his arms.

"You're wrong anyways." Aaron says idly as he continues to text with Katelyn.

"How am I wrong?!" Kevin demands.

"We also have to park within that hour that Matt has left us with." Aaron says looking up from his phone.

"Matt!" Kevin squawks.

"It'll be fine." Matt reassures for the 2nd time.

"We all have checked bags!" Kevin exclaims, "What if we miss our flight?!" he wails.

"It'll be fine!" Matt repeats.

"No it won't!" Kevin exclaims.

---

It was fine.

The only real delays they met were at security.

Smith prided himself on being efficient in the security line. He has his watch off, his phone and ID secured in a zipped jacket pocket, his backpack and electronics in separate trays, and his shoes ready to be slipped off.

So he was shamed to have been the cause of the first delay when the TSA agent wouldn't wave Smith through the metal detector since she didn't realize he was there. That had been a whole anxiety attack and a half as the line had formed up behind him all wondering what the hold-up was.

Finally she seemed to startle as she realized that Smith had been standing there waiting and waved him through.

The other delay was that Kevin got patted down after he had forgotten to empty his 'emergency' water bottle.

It was probably for the best that they didn't have to be in the airport for that long. Every announcement that it was very important to not leave your bag unattended made him worry that with every blink somehow someone had slipped a bomb into his backpack.

While it was on his back.

As he was running with the rest of his friends to their gate.

"It just had to be the gate on the other end of the terminal." Aaron huffs.

"It would have been 100% perfect if someone hadn't left their water bottle in their bag despite the, let me check, 3,820 signs that said remove all liquids from your carry-ons!" Matt says as they continues to run.

"I said I forgot!" Kevin yells back from his spot at the front of the pack. Smith was under the distinct impression that Kevin was keeping pace with them since he had seen the Striker move much faster on the court and during warm-ups.

"We could have forgiven that!" Nicky pants, "Why did you have to slam the whole thing to prove that it was 'just water'?" he asks.

"Because I wanted to prove I wasn't a national security threat!" Kevin says. "I'll be going to the Olympics in a couple years and I can't have that on my record." he continues as he rounds a corner.

"What record?!" Smith asks suddenly worried that there was a record.

"Smithy, there's no record Kevin's just an idiot. An idiot who got patted down, tested for explosives, and had his carry-on searched." Nicky huffs.

"You don't know that there's not a record! The record everything nowadays!" Kevin huffs and their gate is in sight.

"Kevin, just shut up!" Aaron exclaims as they reach the line for their flight.

"Wait why aren't any of you getting shitty with Smiths?!" Kevin asks.

"His delay was like a minute and more importantly NOT HIS FAULT!" Nicky defends.

"He should have just walked through!" Kevin argues.

"Oh it's fine if he gets a record but not you?!" Aaron asks.

"So there is a record?!" Smith asks again.

They reach the line and the largely empty area around their gate is more than enough evidence that this was the final boarding. Smith breathed a sigh of relief as he took his place in line behind Nicky.

"The lines pretty slow, I'm going to go get a water." Kevin says and before any of them can say anything he is off towards a busy looking Newsweek store.

"I cannot believe him." Aaron huffs.

"All that water he just drank and is about to drink? He has lost window seat privileges." Matt pants wiping sweat from his brow.

"Agreed." Nicky says.

Smith laughed between panting breaths. His stomach hurt a bit from the stress of running but it was fine.

They get on the plane without Kevin and head to their seats. Most of the overhead storage is taken up at this point but Smith slides his bag under the middle seat in front of him after Matt

In the end, Kevin barely made it onto the plane in time since he got caught up in deciding on water. "You're in my seat." Kevin says as the only man not yet seated.

"I am not about to spend this flight getting up every 2 minutes because you have to pee." Matt says, "Abby didn't used to need to take all those pitstops when we're on the bus." Matt adds.

"I hate the aisle, the cart could hit my legs." Kevin argues.

"Then you can sit in the middle if Smith's willing to move." Matt says.

"You can have the middle Kevin." Smith offers actually preferring the aisle seat since then he doesn't have to ask anyone to move for him.

"I hate the middle seat, there is no room." Kevin crosses his arms.

"Smith is like only 3 inches shorter than you and he's not complaining." Matt continues.

"It's an important 3 inches."

"I bet it is."

"Nicky, are you serious?"

"What?!"

"There is an uninvolved member of the public, right there."

"He's wearing headphones it's fine!"

---

It's fine.

Eventually Kevin takes the middle seat if for no other reason than Matt stubbornly pretends to go to sleep but absolutely does not want the aisle seat either.

Smith gives it up and ends up with his own preferred seat while Kevin pointedly takes both of the arm rests, as is his right. The plane ride progresses smoothly from there. Smith has always liked flying. There is always a sense that the second that he gets onto the plane and the door closes he has absolutely zero control over what happens afterwards.

That is a nice comfort.

He pays attention to the safety briefing, finds his nearest exit, and that he should secure the bag over his own face before securing it on Kevin's.

He puts his headphones on and tries not to think about the anxiety of meeting the 'girls'.

He has heard much about the 'girls'.

Allison Reynolds. Allison was someone who's legacy existed even outside of the team. Smith didn't know much about fashion but a Reynolds bet remained a solid practice within Palmetto. She was, undeniably, absolutely gorgeous and if Kevin was to be believed 'kind of a bitch'. Nicky had swatted his arm but had said that it was not entirely inaccurate but like 'in the best way'.

Dan Wilds. He met Dan. Dan was nice. Also, if Matt was to be believed, the best human to ever walk the planet earth. The reason the sun rose in the east and set in the west. The gravitational pull that held the universe together. If Andrew is to be believed, she's fine.

Renee Walker. Renee was the one who taught Andrew how to use knives. His friend has talked warmly of her, in the way that Andrew talks warmly about anyone which is mentioning them at all. She was the one that Smith was the most anxious about meeting.

Kevin turns his nose up at the ginger ale that Smith gets but he's allowed these now per his actual doctors orders.

1 hour left until arriving at JFK.

He hopes this ginger ale is enough to calm his stomach since he's still not allowed Pepto.

MASTERPOST FOR ALL PARTS OF FLUENT FRESHMAN AU

NEXT

#Fluent Freshman AU #Oh boy it feels nice to write this again #If I were to name this chapter something else it would be 'Smiths on a Plane' #MAN IT'S BEEN A MONTH #Moved #got my place painted #got new appliances because my old ones were older than me #Developed a life long hatred for whoever designed the barstools I bought from WayFair #It was not just what I needed #Anyway we're back #Smith's on a plane #About to meet the GIRLS #Kevin almost had to call Andreil to have them come back #There may have been some autographs given to the staff to be able to re-open the door for him. #He wanted mineral water and wanted to be selective on the minerals #I don't mean to write him like this but every time I write him he is like this #Matt is based on my sister in this regard with 'exact science' meanwhile I show up 4 hours early to a flight #Like no checked bag I'm TSA pre-checked #I have never missed a flight and I fear what i'd do if I did #Matt may be a bit of a Gomez for Dan but who can blame him #Next up Smith actually meets the girls #Fluent Freshman - 44 #AFTG #AFTG OC #AFTG AU #Palmetto State Foxes #AFTG Fic

[exy-shmexy]

Aaron letting himself collapse on the floor after an intense footwork practice session where Kevin breathed down everyone’s necks so they would be perfect for finals.

His lungs are on fire, his legs have the consistency of jelly left in the sun for too long, and he is exhausted from all the assignments and tests he has had to work on and study for. As soon as Wymack whistles the end of practice, he tosses his helmet away, falls to his knees first, then willingly lets gravity pull him down until he’s sprawling on his back. He doesn’t care one bit. He’s just tired. He hears footsteps coming his way.

Matt appears from above him, looming high, and looking just as rough as he is. “You good buddy?” he asks. They’ve gotten closer ever since Aaron switched dorms with Neil. Aaron nods silently.

Matt stretches his hand outfor Aaron to take but he shakes his head. “The floor is great right now,” Aaron wheezes.

Matt snorts. Then he does something Aaron didn’t see coming. He crouches and lets himself lay down next to him. “Huh,” Matt says after a beat. “The floor is great right now indeed.”

Aaron stares at him, wondering what’s going on.

Before he can figure it out, Nicky sprawls on Matt’s other side. “Goddammit, I’m fucking parched,” his cousin says through ragged breaths. “Are we having a floor party? Why wasn’t I invited?”

“You just invited yourself,” Aaron answers. There is no heat in his voice.

“Oh Maaatt,” Dan’s voice comes from somewhere on Aaron’s left. She flops down on top of her boyfriend. “I can’t stand up anymore. Day is gonna be the end of me.”

“He’s gonna be the end of us,” Nicky cries dramatically.

“You should thank him. Erik is gonna love those thick thighs,” Matt smiles.

“Got anything you want to admit to the general public, Boyd?” Nicky fires back, playful grin on his lips.

“Keep your flirting away from here,” Aaron groans.

And then the bane of his existence appears in his field of vision, Andrew silent by his side. “You flirt with Katelyn all day long, that’s rich of you to say.”

“Fuck off, Josten.”

“Can’t face the truth?”

“I wasn’t talking to you.” Aaron cannot add anything else as a full water bottle lands on his chest.

“Drink,” Andrew commands quietly Aaron grumbles. He opens the bottle. But he freezes. Because Andrew sits down next to him and tugs Neil down on the floor with him. The redhead willingly lets him and soon enough, half the team is on the floor surrounding Aaron.

Renee, who until then had been helping Allison clean up the court, calls Kevin to join them. It takes a lot of convincing before he joins them too, but eventually all the Foxes are there in a circle. Aaron ignores the feeling in his chest. He ignores the fact that despite thinking he would always be alone, he now has a family, no matter how dysfunctional. He won’t admit it out loud—not yet at least—but he is grateful for every single one of them.

Even Neil, no matter how hard he denies it.

#I'm having very strong Aaron Minyard feels right now can you tell? #He deserves a family that loves him and cares for him #also I hc that he and Neil become besties years down the line like come on they have the same sarcasm and sense of humor #((also they have Andrew in common)) #anyway I love the Foxes being friends and you can pry them from my cold dead hands #aftg #all for the game #aaron minyard #andrew minyard #neil josten #kevin day #matt boyd #dan wilds #renee walker #allison reynolds #nicky hemmick

[jurygarroth]

what your MCD/MYS fave says about YOU

from my jurygarroth experience

aphmau

endangered species. mostly on aphtwt?

tend to be younger

and also a little more defensive of your favs, not like picking fights but sensitive to negativity and avoid it at all costs

diaries fan? zoeymau. mystreet fan? aarmau

garroth

professional mcd overthinkers, physically unable to stop talking about analysis and interpretations. especially betrayal arc.

very emotional fans

garroth boobies

poly garlaurmau believers

have beef with laurance fans but like laurance

laurance

almost always more of a diaries fan

talkative. most vocal in a shooting the shit way

ginger laurance enjoyer. you’ll draw laurance with orange hair and at least 1 green eye until the end

long tumultuous history with laurmau as a diaries fan or garrance as a mystreet fan

have beef with garroth fans but neutral on garroth

dante

dante angst lockdown good heavens what are you guys doing to him!!

you project onto him a lot don't you.

mostly mystreet fans but you’ll also defend his diaries version with your life

danvis and/or daaron

lucinda

you’re gay

made you realize you like women

pretty quiet all things considered? not usually someone's #1 fav but everyone likes her so she's always high up on their lists

adore her voice actress. her voice is one of the reasons she caught your eye

katelyn

yeah you’re gay

also made you realize you like women

usually the most well-adjusted people, have nuanced takes

you project onto her don't you

travlyn is a comfort ship but you pick the parts of their dynamic you like

travis

you are just joyful peppy people

have a very obvious type in favorite characters, more often than not your favs are filled with other "silly guys with hidden depth" types

ninjago fans??? wonder why that is

trans travis enjoyers

aaron

mostly mystreeters

nobody gets him but you. you look into him and see the characterization he was robbed of and you want to save him

you guys have a lot of thoughts.

aaron boobies

derek lycan HATER derek lycan DEATH PENALTY

zane

literally all of you act a certain way and I don’t know how to explain it. not in a bad way but YOU ALL HAVE THE SAME BRAIN

whether it's zanana zanki zanus zanvis zanemau you have a zane otp that you will put your life on the line for

you want to see him slay. drawing him in indulgent outfits forever

you've put some kinda gender into him

kc

big fan of pink

put a lot of effort into making your online profiles look nice. terminally online and a little silly

involved in or appreciator of some type of subculture fashion like scene, emo, gyaru, lolita etc

usually also a zane liker

vylad

incredibly specific about vylad characterization and vylad headcanons you’ve imagined his whole life’s story in your mind already

obsessed with ro'meave family backstory

your nonbinary.

vylance believers

gene

you have a massive crush on him don’t you

#DONT JUMP ME i'm not trying to slander anyone i just did this for funsies #if your fave isn't here it's because there's too few of you to get a read. be more annoying!! #aphmau #aphblr #court in session

[emry-stars-art]

For the Royal AU Twinyard backstory... Maybe Andrew, as a second son, was sent away for study? He could have become an apprentice to a knight or a scholar when he was young, maybe even with the Spears, and that's where Bad Shit Happened. And then he could have returned when he became of age, or when their last parent dies and Aaron needs a familiar (ha!) face around

*excited* okay okay this has been brought up a few times now and every time I read it the idea grows on me more, you’re all so smart for it

(I was gonna put the art at the end but this got a lot longer and sadder than I anticipated so. Sometimes Andrew likes to do stuff like this when they’re stuck talking to important boring dignitaries)

(It’s the main reason Aaron develops an incredible poker face)

tws this time are all canon compliant

Honestly yeah! I do think this is great because I want the twins’ father to be around after birth and for a while, because the whole point of Andrew being sent elsewhere is probably so they can give that extra attention to Aaron and raise him as the heir to the throne. So it’s a perfect balance, in my mind, of a family that cares enough to get Andrew an education/proper upbringing and a father that doesn’t care enough to spend time on a second son.

In my head the Spears would be almost always overbearing, partly because Andrew is the prince and they Do Not want to disappoint the royal family and partly because Andrew is the prince and they immediately assume this little five year old they get on their doorstep is going to be a spoiled brat. Even though he isn’t. And, as you may guess, the only thing they turn a blind eye to is Drake. Drake, their own son, probably the real spoiled brat that gets his way in all things, even with the young prince. Faces no consequences, even when Andrew tries to tell someone. It’s probably his governess or nanny at first (either way, it’s not really important what the role is, just that she’s there). And this woman has been Andrew’s biggest advocate since he arrived, she genuinely cares about and is worried for the little prince with his bruises and fear. She cares enough to bring this up to Duke Spear - maybe he really is dumb enough to just be unaware, she hopes - and confront him about Andrew’s treatment. But of course the duke doesn’t do anything to discipline his son. Instead, the governess is fired and a new woman takes her place, a woman that isn’t as outspoken and won’t ever question the authority of the Spear family. Andrew learns soon enough that trying to tell someone or speak out only makes things worse for himself. Sometimes he still wonders where that first governess is, if she’s doing well.

Meanwhile at the castle, Aaron is going through his own rigorous training. A lot of the same stuff as Andrew is learning, honestly, with a few added duties and lessons and a lot more official meetings he attends with King Minyard. It’s a pretty average upbringing for an heir, I think.

Then maybe when Aaron is around the age of ten or so, King Minyard passes. This wouldn’t normally be a political issue, since it’s expected of the Queen to take over and divide the king’s half of the duties as she sees fit until either she remarries or has an heir become old enough to take the throne, at which time she may pass it to the child or continue to reign until she either passes or is deemed unfit. And, politically, this is exactly what happens. What most don’t see is how grief stricken she becomes and then remains. She can’t pull herself from her grieving, and instead of passing duties to more fitting people, Queen Tilda simply lets young Prince Aaron take on as many duties as he can without breaking down. (Though he has, before. Likely a few times. A kid being pushed past his limit again and again.) Aaron grows up so much faster than he ever should have. He’s thirteen now and sometimes he shakes with stress.

Then the queen finally gives into her grief and passes as well. If it weren’t for Katelyn, Abigail, and Betsy, Aaron might have been next to lose his mind, leaving the throne empty. As things are, Aaron swallows everything down just long enough have word sent to the Spear family. He wants his brother back. A familiar face and his quiet, desperate hope: someone to just help.

And return him they do. Andrew’s been perfectly competent with all his studies, they say, they’d even managed to break that stubborn streak. (They didn’t like he wouldn’t speak or shake hands when instructed. They didn’t like being told no.) And yes, it’s a familiar face. Aaron sees the carriage door open, sees his twin for the first time in eight years, but he isn’t sure he recognizes Andrew. Andrew isn’t supposed to have bags under his eyes like this. Andrew didn’t hold his jaw so tightly. And Andrew certainly didn’t answer questions like some kind of unthinking, unfeeling shell.

The first thing Andrew says to Aaron getting off that carriage is “No.” It’s quiet, but he does say it. Aaron is confused - he’d thought they’d still be allowed to hug each other, or shake hands at least - but he does step back and instead ask if Andrew wants to see his room. He can see Andrew relax.

It might hurt Aaron a little when he watches the Spear boy get a hug with no protest, or how Andrew quietly addresses the duke with more than a one word sentence. But he’s not going to ask about it for a while. He’s the stranger to Andrew here, after all.

(I think Andrew does let him ask. The most he tells Aaron about it - maybe as much as a year later - is that the younger Spear had been much worse at listening than Aaron ever is. It is much better here. At least you and Nicky understand the meaning of ‘no’. Leave it at that. And after that Aaron is even more supportive of Andrew’s wide bubble than he was before. He enforces it himself when he has to. And growing up together for longer, with no looming secrets or much reason for animosity between them - it isn’t Aaron’s fault King Minyard decided to hand Andrew off and the twins are both mature enough even at that age to know it - means the twins are much closer than in canon. I don’t think it would be a typically ‘fond’ relationship, because they’ve both still been through it. But they support each other in all things, no questions asked, and always get through problems together.

It doesn’t take much longer than that first year for Aaron to earn the right to touch Andrew, even if he does need to give or show warning before he does. Andrew never says it, but he’s grateful that Aaron is generous with his shoulder pats. It feels a little like the validation he never got anywhere else. And Aaron never says it, but he’s grateful that Andrew is always at his side to tell people ‘no’ when Aaron is technically not allowed to.)

#oh god I’m having EVEN MORE emotions about twinyards #I thought I’d reached a limit #but no my feelings seem to be limitless #these are our BOYS #do they talk to each other much without reason? #probably not #but they find reason enough making fun of various merchants and self righteous officers and nobles #do they make fun of each other like long siblings? #of COURSE #im determined to make the next post at least half fluffy/funny #been posting a lot of angst lately #and there’s plenty of fluff and comedy around here #I just. I care about them a lot okay #they make me emo #aftg #all for the game #my writing #andrew minyard #aaron minyard #asks #royal au #fan art #my art

[xerith-42]

*bats my eyes at you* spare some angsty headcanons perhaps?

Ask and you shall receive

Laurance is triggered by the smell of burning hair. Bro had hair down to his waist and then went into literal hell, I imagine so much of it caught on fire or was maybe even deliberately burnt, and it's such a distinct smell. It rarely happens, but if a stray spark from the fire accidentally catches on Cadenza's hair Laurance kind of freaks out a little. Fight or flight kicks in but he freezes but he also fights but he's also frozen and that smell is so awful he literally wants to rip his own skin off.

Katelyn doesn't ever think she'll love again. It's why she's so put off by Travis' advances, she just doesn't think it's a possibility. Every time she thinks about love she thinks about Jeffory. Seeing him on the island, even if it was an imp, did not help matters.

Kenmur still loves Sasha. He will always love Sasha. There is no amount of time that will stop him from loving her. Even if he also loves Emmalyn more than life itself, even if he's dedicated himself to his wife and his studies, there's still always that part of him that will answer to Sasha. Whenever she's around he can feel himself being pulled towards her just from the sound of her voice.

Zianna hates the sound of silence. So many years completely alone in such a huge estate. By the time Zane and Garroth disappeared, she was effectively estranged from her husband, only staying so they can maintain this cover of the Lord and Lady of O'Khasis. But their home is massive, designed for an entire family and then some. Even after Vylad and Garroth "died", Zane kept the house busy and often had Jury members present. The hollow emptiness of her home is nearly maddening for the poor woman.

The only reason Zianna never left is because she still held out hope for all of her sons. Zianna held out hope that any one of them would come stumbling in through the front door, likely beaten and bloody, and she would be able to take them into her arms and welcome them home.

This could very well turn into it's own post but here's a few small relic angst headcanons. Aph starts to lose her sense of self because sometimes she'll talk and it won't sound like her. They have mostly similar speech patterns, and she says things she would normally say, but it sounds like someone else, and she can never put her finger on it. Others notice, but nobody can quite figure out what's wrong with it. Until Zoey hears it and says it sounds familiar.

Travis usually likes to be a bit of a know-it-all, having a lot of random bits of trivia he's just learned from years of having nothing to do but entertain himself alone in a cabin, but sometimes the facts he gives are on subjects he never studied. He knows it's because of Enki's relic and he can't do anything about it. He hates how monotone his voice sounds whenever it happens, like he isn't even happy to know this information.

I'm sorry but we cannot gloss over how much turmoil Garroth would be over getting Esmunds relic after Zane already had it. He lies awake at night wondering what the three of them have in common, what he and Zane have in common at all. How could the protector bond with such a destructive awful man? How much is Garroth really like his brother? Can he even say he isn't like his brother if they were able to bond with the same relic?

Zoey may not have personally known all the previous relic holders, but she saw them. She was ten when Irene was walking among the mortals. Sometimes when she looks at her friends she sees... someone else. Someone so familiar, so similar to them, but the details aren't right. She can't tell if this is an effect of the relics or her own dwindling sanity/life force after giving up her immortality.

And entirely for myself because I will keep rewriting Aaron in my posts, Aaron feels such tremendous guilt like all the time. The survivors guilt has consumed everything he is, even the relationship that's supposed to be healing it. All he can think about is how he let everyone down, when he was supposed to lead them. Aaron wears the bandana not because he's hiding his identity, but to hide the permanently miserable look in his eyes.

#text post #minecraft diaries #laurance zvahl #minecraft diaries laurance #garroth ro'meave #mcd headcanons #mcd garroth #aphblr #mcd #aphmau minecraft diaries #travis valkrum #mcd travis #mcd zoey #zianna ro'meave #mcd kenmur #mcd emmalyn #mcd katelyn

[jeanvaljeancheri]

Here are some recs with the secret relationship trope! Most of them are andreil but the last one is jerejean :) i organized them by word count to make it easier.

The Enemy of My Friend is My Super Enemy 2k

Grace stands in solidarity with her teammate and friend Andrew Minyard.

Therefore, she hates that asshole Neil Josten.

don’t hate the player, hate the game 2k

Allison smirks suddenly. “At least I got an up close view of that ass.”

“Not a total loss then.” Nicky grins at her and they fist bump.

Kevin just sits there watching them, silently judging them and siping his vodka.

(neil is a hot stranger at the bar. people try and get with him. kevin drinks copious amounts of alcohol.)

Raven's Nest Burning 2k

While Andrew and the Foxes were in the stadium parking lot, next to the team bus, waiting for Wymack to appear, Evermore's East Tower exploded.

Pointless 3k

The Foxes have only ever known him as the vicious, vindictive Monster he’s portrayed himself as. Now, he’s a mystery no one knows how to solve; hard and violent for strangers, soft and gentle for this boy with the sharp smile.

5 times the Foxes accidentally spied on Andrew and his secret boyfriend and the 1 time they actually get to meet him.

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day 4k

Neil has one of the worst days and Andrew is able to make it a little bit better.

Welcome to my Professor Neil and Professional Exy Player Andrew world! This is probably going to be a series where I explore more of this little AU that I love dearly!

i'll keep you 4k

Aaron asked, “What’s your deal? What’s going on?”

Andrew had no choice. He stood up, walked to the bowl of freshly cut melon surrounded by pools of watermelon juice and an assortment of black seeds, and plucked a piece of the fruit. It was dark red and glistening and sweet on his tongue.

It tasted like ash. Like a dirty little secret. Like a mistake.

The Bet 5k

“I bet the monster will come alone again this year,” he says, his voice scratchy like the sound of a blender in the early hours of the morning.

“I’ll take that bet,” Aaron says, face a blank slate, anger cooling behind his eyes.

“Five hundred bucks,” Seth replies, eyes sparkling in amusement. He’s got the face of someone who thinks they’ve won.

“A thousand,” Aaron counters. Andrew’s eyebrow twitches up imperceptibly, a feeling like a laugh bubbling up his throat.

(In which Neil and Andrew are secretly married.)

it's disillusion, and confusion (this illusion of me) 5k

“Okay, kid. You can fend for yourself I’m sure, but you won’t be able to beat the guy whose car this is. He’s dangerous.” Ignoring the way Neil snorted, Matt barreled on. “Like, really dangerous.” He trailed off; Neil looked as though he was torn between amusement and anger.

or; 5 times the foxes were confused over neil and andrew's relationship and the 1 time andrew made it clear

 Not-So-Secret Someone 6k

Eight times the Foxes discover that Andrew is seeing someone and one time they meet Andrew’s elusive partner

about u 9k

Neil and Andrew have been friends since they were kids. Recently though, those feelings had turned into more. While they try to keep their relationship secret because they’re scared of their families’ reactions, they go on a family beach vacation. Chaos ensues.

Brother of Mine 12k

'Aaron should have known something was going on with Andrew when he had agreed to change their deal.

Thoughts of Katelyn, of not having to hide her anymore, took up all the space in Aaron’s mind and he never wondered why Andrew would have relented so easily.

Looking back, it should have been obvious what was going on.'

OR: 5 times Aaron should have realized Andrew had somebody, and the one time he met him.

Odd Eye 16k

Andrew spends most of his childhood thinking he is a psychopath. He is not. Andrew is, and always will be, just Andrew.

That Isn't Nothing 38k

A look into the lives of pro exy players Andrew Minyard and Neil Josten. The world says they hate each other, but when Andrew gets transferred to Neil's team, their teammates begin seeing something else between them.

Sixteen hours 120k

started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this (affectionate)

Jean and Jeremy secretly start dating in their final year at USC.

In my top three favourite jerejean fics of all time!

#ao3 #andreil #fic rec #aftg fic #all for the game #the foxes #andrew x neil #angst with fluff #andrew minyard #secret relationship #jerejean #oneshot #fanfic #tfc fanfic #the raven king #neurodiversity #demisexual neil #aftg fic rec #outsider pov #The foxes react #Coming out

[qixjone]

ranking aftg monsters rizz

credits to: searchingforglendowerwithleah for the idea!

1. neil- hes the god of accidental rizz. he rizzed people and makes them fall in love with him on accident. and furthermore hes great at flirting (out of this group) when its with andrew. i feel like we need to bring in the whole thing with andrew bc not only did he accidentally rizz him, he flirted like his life depended on it when they got together. man always knows what to say- its just he only wants to say it with andrew

2. kevin- hes so bad but hes so good. man can barely flirt with the guys he likes but damn can he rizz up a whole stadium of people. like the whole switching hands. hot. but at the same time hes a human disaster

3. aaron- medium rizz. not too interesting. he can rizz. he has rizzed katelyn.

4. andrew aka the guy who drugged his crush bc he thought he was a threat then gave him the cheesest lines ever- the MIDDLE SCHOOL FLIRTING. like. comeon. “in mot a math problem.” “id still solve u” “i hate you but that doesnt mean i wouldnt blow you.” DUDE. its a wonder he bagged neil dear god

5. nicky- no rizz. completely rizz-less. kinda creepy. idk how he even got erick. man is just weird and creepy. talks about how hot u r infront of u in a dif language? hes a strange little man (derogatory) stay away from him for ur own good.

#this is a cannon nicky hate page #i might move aaron up idk #he rizzed up katelyn idk how but he did #thats thats a lot for him #esp with his height #i feel like a lot of people would have put neil lower #but listen to this: #he rizzed people on accident #u have to have so much rizz to do that omg #aftg #neil josten #aftg trilogy #all for the game #aftg hc #aftg headcanon #aftg incorrect quotes #andrew minyard #all for the game meme #aaron minyard #nicky hemmick #kevin day #andrew is as tall as a fith grader n flirts like one two

[eat-limes-bitches]

Winds

*Part of the Stages of a Storm collection*

PAIRING: Female Avenger! Reader x  Bucky Barnes 

WARNINGS: Angst, Injury, depression, crying, hurt/comfort, Soft! Bucky

(This story was highly inspired by You Don’t Know by Katelyn Tarvern)

The wind shows us just how close to the edge we really are

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Any other day, the view would be enough to calm the turmoil swirling through her head, but being stuck back at base in a wheelchair while her teammates were out fighting the next battle was too much for her to handle. It had been 6 weeks since Y/N had fractured her pelvis and femur and was removed from field work ‘until further notice’ as Tony said. They had also assigned her a babysitter, Bucky was staying back from all missions now, just to watch over her, making sure she was safe and was well taken care of. What she didn’t know was that Bucky wasn’t forced to do this, he begged them to let him stay back. Y/N had wormed his way into his heart from the moment she stepped foot in the compound and he didn’t trust anyone else with her care, which is how he found himself here, watching his little spitfire be more of a wisp of smoke as she stared out the window, gripping the mug in her hands with a vice grip.

 Taking a deep breath, he walked over to her and sat down next to her and watched her for a moment. The tattoos on her arms that would normally glow and fluctuate with the fire she tamed inside was now an ashy black, almost seeming to fade in some places. Her eyes were hollow missing the spark that usually lived there and her overall spunk was gone. “Hey darlin, I know this sucks, but how are you doin’?” Bucky asked softly, placing his hand on the armrest of her chair. Y/N shook her head, refusing to look at Bucky , instead focusing on picking the skin around her nails.  “You were right about the sucking part.” She grumbled, setting her mug down on the table and examining her hands. “I haven’t been able to conjure a flame in weeks, I don’t know who I am anymore.” Bucky placed a hand on her shoulder and tried to find the right words to say but she shrugged him off. “ I'm so tired, sitting here waiting. If I hear one more "Just be patient", It's always gonna stay the same.” Bucky felt his heart sinking at her confession, “Doll…” he started but was cut off by her speaking again, “Let me just give up, let me just let go.” Bucky placed his hand on her shoulder again causing Y/N to turn and look at him. She took in the worried look on his face before speaking again, “If this isn't good for me, I don't wanna know. I don't want your good advice, or reasons why I'm alright.” She took a watery breath and spoke again, “I need some air.”

Y/N removed herself from Bucky's presence and wheeled away from him and onto the balcony, hoping the cool air from the approaching storm could help her find the air that had been missing from her lungs. She closed her eyes and focused on the wind whipping her hair around when she heard the door open and close before heavy footsteps made their way towards her. She opened her eyes only to be met with Bucky’s concerned gaze looking right back at her. She was captivated by the blue orbs for a moment before she blinked and shook her head. “Don’t look at me like that.” This caused Bucky to arch an eyebrow slightly, “Like what.” Y/N looked at him again before her hardened expression crumpled slightly, “Like you can see right through me. I’m afraid you’ll end up seeing me the way I see myself.” She whispered as tears began to freely flow down her face. 

Bucky’s heart broke and he kneeled down beside her, taking her face in his hands and wiping the tears away with his thumbs, “Oh darlin’, what do you need from me?” Sniffling, she looked into Bucky’s eyes and began to wonder when she loved the feeling of his hands on her skin and how vibrant his eyes were. Shaking the thought from her head she took a deep breath and the words that left her mouth were ones Bucky never thought he would hear, let alone directed at him, “I could really use a hug. I feel so alone.” Careful not to jostle her, Bucky wrapped Y/N up in his arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead while whispering softly, “You won’t ever be alone as long as I’m around, doll. Never.”

#bucky barnes x female reader #bucky barnes x reader #hurt/comfort #angst #bucky barnes x avenger!reader #bucky angst #bucky x reader angst #bucky barnes x you #bucky x you #bucky x female reader #bucky x avenger!reader #sweet bucky #soft bucky #bucky fluff #bucky barnes fluff #bucky x reader fluff #bucky barnes x reader fluff

[aftgficrec]

omg it’s finally open!!! so i’ve been looking for these two fics FOREVER, and i can’t find them anywhere :(

the first one was called “the way young lovers do” i think, and it was aaron and katelyn helping neil and andrew set up their new house, and it ended with neil and andrew dancing to the song in their yard. it was very cute and i can’t find it no matter where I look

and the second one was aaron meeting katelyns parents for the first time, and they are super conservative and hate aaron, so they invite neil and andrew to be there to take the heat off of aaron. i remember neil saying andrew bought him a cartier bracelet and he wanted the one in a different colour, and just being a brat in general?

also if you have any similar fics with the four of them bonding, i would love them!

thank you guys sooooo much for this blog! happy holidays <3

OK, so what we have for you is a collaboration where S instantly remembers every fic she’s ever read BY NAME, and A makes random connections you may or may not want. 

The first fic you’re looking for is fluffy, fun, post-canon andreil: ‘We Sat on Our Own Star and Dreamed,’ by fuzzballsheltiepants. The author has locked this fic since its original publication, so you have to be logged in to AO3 to find it. If you’ve ever wondered why some works are locked, check out this article from techcrunch.com.

The second fic you mentioned is ‘the roads I traveled with you,’ which is part 9 of a delicious post-canon series by Ominous that digs deep into the relationships between andreil, andreil + aaron, the twins, and katelyn/aaron, and the stitched-together family they become. I just checked, and part one of this series has nearly 5,000 kudos! -A

also see

the latest roundup of this group bonding (and not!) is our Neil & Aaron: quests, situations, friendship & slash ask here

‘awkward Twinyard/ katelyn & Neil double date,’ and ‘wholesome twinyard hurt/comfort’ here

‘The societies we despise’ here

‘I'll Come Back To You’ here

We Sat on Our Own Star and Dreamed by fuzzballsheltiepants [Rated T, 3815 Words, Complete 2020, Locked]

Aaron & Katelyn have been too busy with their internships at the hospital to visit anyone, but Andrew and Neil just bought a house and they took a few days off to help them move. Fluff and introspection ensue.

tw: implied/referenced abuse

NB: if you love the relationship vibes in this fic, here are other asks where we suggested it:

more like ‘something in return’ here

new Katelyn/Aaron here

post canon long domestic andreil here

post canon andreil fluff + snark here

cute and happy andreil here

canon divergent low angst twinyards here

twinyards relationship focus here 

progress comes in small steps series by Ominous [Rated T/E, Series, Complete, 2020], featured here and here

Before Andrew & Neil and Aaron & Katelyn, there was Andrew & Aaron. This series tracks the ups and downs of healing a relationship that was broken from the word go. 

Part 9: the roads I traveled with you [Rated T, 35542 Words, Complete, AFTG Big Bang 2020] When his brother gets engaged, Aaron doesn't expect it to send his head spinning as much as it does. Marriage has always felt like a dream, or a nightmare, one he never thought either of them would be able to achieve. In that moment, Aaron remembers what he's always known, what keeps his head above water. He wants to be with Katelyn forever. That's never been a question. But marriage hadn't been brought up. For so long it was this abstract concept, a fantasy. He'd always reasoned with himself that it would happen, rationally of course it would, but now... Now Andrew has made the idea a reality, and Aaron has to confront his own wants for his future.

tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: implied/referenced addiction, tw: homophobia

NB: find art by @autumnalpalmetto here, and below are other asks where we’ve featured this series:

favourite new fics 2020 roundup here

domestic fluff w/twinyards bonding, Neil & Aaron friendship here 

Katelyn & Neil friendship here

let’s focus on Katelyn here

Katelyn-centric hurt/comfort here

Andrew & Katelyn rapprochement here

Aaron & Neil rapprochement here

angsty aaron fics here

Aaron accepting andreil here

fluffiest long post canon college fics here

best post canon fics w/happy ending here

staff fave post canon andreil here

canon divergent low angst twinyards here

healthy sibling rivalry here

twinyards relationship focus here 

Andrew & Aaron’s therapy sessions here

Andrew's pov of meeting Neil here

Neil's sophomore year and beyond here

romantic andreil/growing together here

andreil first time sex here and here

Andrew says no here

andreil getting married here

fics like 'only you' here

more like 'room 308' here

authors like willow_bird here

#fic #neil josten/andrew minyard #katelyn/aaron minyard #neil josten & aaron minyard #aaron minyard & andrew minyard #katelyn & neil josten #katelyn & andrew minyard #universe: post canon #theme: domesticity #theme: relationship study #theme: engagements #theme: pregnancy #theme: twinyards bonding #theme: families #theme: communication #theme: healing #theme: vacations #theme: fluff & humour #theme: fluff & angst #aftg big bang #tw: implied/referenced abuse #tw: homophobia #tw: implied/referenced addiction

[iqueenlost]

Part 3/5 of my Andreil fake dating au

Check Part 1 Part 2

Buckle up guys!

@dreamerthinker @folkit @lalalaets @julesghouls98 @tesadoraofphaedra @objectifymecaptain @holyshitthatsilegal @ourshadowstars @bumpingbees @madrasiiuvu @lillyndra @themundanemudperson

---------

In anticipation for the date he planned to take Andrew Neil didn't have a good night of sleep. Too much energy coursing through his body begging to be let out. So as soon as the sun began to peek on the horizon Neil got up and went on a run, hoping that it would make him less jumpy until Andrew was ready to get up. He planned to let him sleep in and rest from all the long nights he pulled in the last month. 

 After running almost the double of miles he usually did in the mornings and still having not wasted half of his energy, he stopped at the cat cafe to kill time until it was close enough to a reasonable hour to get Andrew out of bed. When it was almost nine he began to make his way back to the apartment after buying Andrew his favorite heart attack inducing cocotion.

The apartment was silent and dark and Andrew was still asleep when he stumbled in a few minutes later, so he busied himself with showering and having breakfast. He had just put on some music at a low volume and was scrolling through his social media for a while, checking what his friends and students were up to, when his phone rang. 

“Shit, shit, shit.” Neil chanted while trying to pick up the call or just turn off the damn sound before Andrew woke up with all the noise. 

Uncle Stuart's name read on the screen. “Why are you calling so early?” Neil asked when he finally picked it up.

“Oh, I thought I would check on you. As I always do. On every Saturday. It’s not like you dont wake before sunrise anyway.” He said, sarcasm dripping from his rasping voice.

“Andrew’s sleeping.” Neil said in a hushed tone, as if he spoke in a normal volume Andrew would wake up, even though his room was on the far end of the corridor and the farthest from the kitchen.

“Are you in his bed perhaps?” Stuart wondered.

“What?” Neil squeaked, heat tracking down his neck. Just what the heck was Stuart thinking? “Of course not.”

“Of course,” He repeated dully. “Then it doesn't have any relevance.”

Neil clicked his tongue, his finger tapping on the counter in annoyance. “Good to know you’re still an arse.”

“It’s genetic, as you may know.”

That seemed in fact to be the case, Neil couldn't count the times he had relished in being difficult just for the sake of being difficult, and Stuart was one of his preferred victims. 

“I hate you.” Neil said, without any heat in his tone.

From the other side Stuart sighed and Neil heard a door opening and closing.

“So you have said, multiple times. It’s almost like being back in time.”

“Did you want anything or just be a pain in the ass?” He asked as he crossed his arms, a frown settling between his brows.

“A little respect would be good.”

“Sorry, we’re out of those.” He smirked.

Stuart sighed and Neil smirk transformed into a full-fledged smile.

“Anyway, Lisa wants to know if you are coming for Christmas.”

Lisa was Uncle Stuart’s platonic life partner, they have been living together since Neil’s senior year. They had met when Stuart traveled to Australia for a work conference and instantly hit it off. They were the closest thing to soulmates Neil had ever seen and the fact that they didn't need to have a sexual relationship to be happy together had once been a comfort to Neil.

“Christmas’ still weeks away.” Neil voiced in doubt.

“You know her and her infatuation with the damn holiday.” Neil could almost see the frown on Stuart's face from his tone. For all his grouchiness about Christmas, or any other holiday for that matter, he always went along with whatever Lisa wanted to do.

“Tell her I have to check with Andrew.”

Andrew used to go to England with Neil instead of spending the holiday with his brother as Aaron spent Christmas with Katelyn's family. It had started before Nick moved back from Germany with Eric, so it was convenient for Andrew to make the trip down to Germany and spend the New Year with them. The last two years though since Nick had come back Andrew opted for not going and Neil had been a little less excited to visit Stuart and spent weeks away from him.

“You do know you can come without him, right? It’s you she wants to fawn over, not him.”

“I know–”

“Your codependency is getting worse and worse,” Stuart interrupted. “And you haven’t even won him over yet”

“I’m hanging up.” Neil announced, suddenly annoyed with the conversation.

He heard Stuart clicking his tongue as he complained. “It’s like you don’t even respect me anymore.”

“Never really did, it shouldn’t be a surprise.” Neil sassed back.

“Bog off, you pratt.” He said, hanging up himself and Neil laughed.

Sometimes he really missed Stuart, even though when Stuart chose to go back to England in Neil’s sophomore year of college Neil had felt like he was gaining freedom. Stuart tended to worry and hover too much about him after they found their foot on their relationship and became closer. It had taken some time but by the time Neil was seventeen he and Uncle Stuart had developed a special bond. Neil was grateful Stuart had chosen to take him instead of dropping him in the foster system, even though he had to uproot his life in England to take care of him. Neil knew he would not have the life he had now had Stuart made a different choice back then. He would never have met Andrew or his other friends. He couldn't imagine the path his life would have taken then.

He got up to put his plate on the sink when Andrew’s voice came from behind him, making him jump a little. “You Uncle?”

Neil turned back smiling brightly at him. “You up! I thought you would sleep in today.”

“Uhm.” Andrew hummed before going for the coffee machine.

“I brought you coffee.” Neil pointed to the to-go cup on the counter. “Or should I call it dessert.” He grinned.

Andrew made a gimme gesture opening and closing his hand. He looked soft, having just woken up, with hair sticking up in all directions, eyes only half open and a sleep line running down his left cheek.

Neil could feel that he was smiling as he observed the softness on Andrew’s face and marveled at the domesticity of their life. A few years ago when they met –Neil had just moved to Palmetto and started his sophomore year– if someone had told him he would fall in love with Andrew he would’ve laughed hard at them. At that time Neil could see no light in sight. Even one year after the trial his father’s shadow still blocked every little speck of light from reaching him and the fact that his mother casted him aside and fled their nightmare without him was still a oozing infected wound in his chest impeding him from ever thinking of trusting someone again. To this day he still didn't know where she was and deep down he hoped she would never return, there was some hurt that time couldn’t heal.

He felt the smile on his face slip away at the prick of pain that shot to his heart. Andrew took a step in Neil's direction, gaze locked on him as he placed his now empty cup on the counter beside Neil “What is wrong?” He asked in a concerned tone that no one but Neil would have been able to perceive.

There it was again, Andrew superpower was his ability to read Neil microexpression. “Nothing, just thinking.” Neil smiled sadly. “About how time flies, it seems like it was yesterday you were threatening to kick me down the school’s roof.”

That’s where they met for the first time. Neil hiding from everyone and from his hurt and Andrew skipping a class he thought was dreadful to smoke on the roof.

Andrew's nose wrinkled. “Don't get sentimental on me.”

“Oh, you know me. Love to reminisce.” Neil smiled wide at him. “Breakfast?” He changed the subject as he walked to the fridge. “We need to go grocery shopping sometime soon, can you on Monday? I have classes only in the morning.”

“Dick Dylan gave me a three-days’ leave, so I’m back only on Thursday.”

Dick Dylan, who was actually named Richard Dylan O'Connell, was what Andrew called his boss, the district attorney. They had started with the wrong foot when Andrew first got the job but although they now had a decent work relationship the nickname stuck.

“That's good,” Neil said. “Scrambled eggs?” He asked, already taking the egg carton out and looking back to see Andrews nod.

They worked together  like a well oiled machine to make Andrew’s breakfast as Neil had already eaten. Afterwards they moved it plus armfuls of snacks and Andrew’s favorite flavor of ice cream to the living room to watch tv for the next few hours.

Neil dropped to the couch and put his feet on the coffee table getting comfortable. “What are we watching?” He asked as he turned the TV on with the remote. For his delight Andrew chose to sit right beside him instead of moving to the end of the couch.

“Anime,” was Andrew's response so Neil chose a random anime from the most watched list from their streaming platform.

That was how they spent most weekends that Andrew didn't have to work. Jumping from show to show until they found something binge worthy that led to hours in front of the TV. But today Neil had a plan. First he had to flirt with Andrew and then convince him to go on a date. So, even though he felt like a teenager, half way through the second episode of the bloody ghost horror anime they had landed on he stretched his arms out and put it on the backrest of the couch being careful to not touch Andrew as he gauged at his reaction.

Neil’s heart said goodbye to life when Andrew glanced at him for a minute before adjusting his position so he was now leaning a little into Neil’s arm, almost cuddling. He had to remind himself that he had been this close to Andrew before and that just because he was feeling different about it, it didn’t necessarily mean Andrew did as well.

Over the years Andrew had become more and more comfortable with touch. He still had days where he couldn't stand the feeling of someone close to him let alone putting their hands on his body, but there were days where he accepted a pat on the shoulder from Aaron or hugs from Nicly, Renee and Bee. Neil was in another whole category, Neil was the only person Andrew ever let lay down next to him without moving away.

Sometimes Neil felt guilty, Andrew trusted him enough to let his guard down with him yet every time he did Neil thought about touching him or kissing him. Someday Neil felt dirty that he would even think of that while knowing everything Andrew went through, that he would even think of that when Andrew had no idea what he was imagining in his messed up mind. Although he would never hurt Andrew and he always asked if Andrew was okay when he touched him, he still felt guilty. He tried telling himself that it was different. He loved Andrew, always had and always would, his feelings for him went above just lust or sexual attraction. He was pretty sure he only desired Andrew because he loved him. So he asked every time he wanted to take and never took what Andrew couldn't give him. That’s why he needed to confess, to see if Andrew also wanted him. Whatever Andrew wanted he would give without a second thought even if what he wanted was for Neil to go away.

“Can I touch your hair?” He asked when the credits of the episode rolled up. When Andrew looked up at him blankly he spoke again. “Yes or no, Andrew?”

“Yes.” Andrew breathed, voice so small and unlike his unapologetic and monotone way of speaking. As if he also felt the pent up tension in the air. As if he also was bracing himself for what it all could mean. Neil asked himself if it was possible that Andrew finally catched up to what was really going on here.

Time seemed to slow down and the air between them crackled with electricity as Neil moved the arm around Andrew’s shoulder so he could slip his fingers into Andrew’s soft hair. Neil felt Andrew shudder when his fingernails scratched very lightly at his scalp. The whole time Andrew’s never strayed from Neil’s. His intense golden eyes piercing through Neil as if he was reading Neil’s soul and figuring out all his secrets. After years of being invisible and overlooked, being known had an addictive thrill to it.

The loud opening music from the anime startled them out of the moment they were having and Andrew gaze moved back to the TV where it stayed glued to the screen. Neil bit down on his lower lip to avoid laughing out loud but his finger never stopped moving, feeling up and down the length of the locks on the top of Andrew’s head.

They watched two more episodes while Neil continued fondling Andrew’s hair, before Neil finally proposed the idea to Andrew. “We’re going out today.” He said, barely containing his enthusiasm. “On a date.”

“Why would we?” Andrew asked, looking extremely cozy in his nest of blankets and cushions and head now fully placed on Neil’s shoulder. He had to turn his head to look up at Neil’s eyes. Their faces were close enough that if Neil bent his head a little their lips would touch.

“Because our friends are coming for dinner and we have to act like a couple so we should do coupley things,  like a date.” He said innocently, even when his mind supplied him with the memory of Allison telling him that the two of them already acted like a married couple.

But that wasn’t relevant now, today he would blow Andrew’s mind with an unforgettable date that would ruin all other dates for Andrew, making him completely captivated by only Neil and no one else. Then his only choice would be to date Neil. Bold statement, Neil was aware of it, but what he lacked in experience he made up in determination.

“That doesn't make any sense, and they’re your friends.” Andrew rebutted, sadly moving away from Neil's embrace.

“Renee’s coming,” He pointed out.  “And she’s been your friend and sparring buddy long before I even joined the group.”

“I still see no correlation.” Andrew stated seriously and a small smile blossomed on Neil’s lips. Renee was the only one Andrew never denied being friends with. It was cute actually, the bond between them.

“We’re going," Neil insisted, hitting Andrew with the best puppy eyes he could muster. “We can have breakfast food for lunch or a dessert feast, just like when we were in college.”

Andrew looked at him in silence before sighing. “You're paying.”

“Of course.” Neil grinned. “What kind of date would I be if I didn’t. I let you know I was raised right.”

He hadn’t and Andrew knew that but what was important was that he had a whole plan thought out, starting with lunch at a nice bistro that had opened recently and looked really good when he passed it on the way to work. It was right next to a used bookstore that was obscure enough that it would probably be almost empty and allow them to browse for books in peace after lunch. Then they would walk to a roller rink, where Neil would teach Andrew how to roller skate. It would be the perfect opportunity to get close and touch him without making Andrew uncomfortable. It was also a good opportunity to get Andrew to maybe kiss him. It was going to be perfect and by the end of the day Andrew and him would be a true couple.

— — —

The truth was that things started to deviate from the plan the moment Andrew and Neil arrived at the bistro. Trip there was good, they talked and listened to Andrew emo rock road trip playlist, Andrew even sang along to the lyrics with Neil.  But when they were just about to enter the bistro a voice called out for Neil. “Yo, Mr. Josten.” The boy –that Neil recognized as being Ajax– hurrying over to them said cheerily. “Yo, Mr. Josten’s friend.” He added nodding at Andrew.

Neil did not want to meet some from school right now, in fact it was the last thing that he wanted to happen that day.

“Ajax.” Neil said flatly, sending dagger Ajax’s way in hope he would get the memo and scram.

The little shit grinned with an evil glint in his eyes. Neil was sure he got the memo and didn't leave just to annoy him. “Are you guys going in? Can I join you guys? I haven’t eaten yet and I’m hungry.” He circled his arms over his belly dramatically.

Andrew shrugged and went into the bistro. Ajax sent Neil a little wink before following him in. Neil pinched the bridge of his nose, a vein pulsing in his temple. What the hell? He was sure some entity in hell was laughing at him right now but in the end Neil had no other choice but enter the bistro following behind Ajax and Andrew.

Neil had passed this bistro numerous times and always thought it looked good from the outside.  As for the inside, the first thing he noticed when he entered was that the place was really nice, with warm light wood flooring, cushioned chairs and cabinets in a mint color, dark wood tables and a lot of plants distributed throughout the space. The window that faced the street had tall windows that let in natural light. Neil didn’t know much about decor but he liked the homey feeling of this place.

Andrew chose a table with four chairs on the far end of the room beside one of the windows and Ajax sat down on the chair on Andrew's left, backing the rest of the restaurant, so Neil chose to sit on the chair directly in front of Andrew.

He turned to Ajax as soon as he was seated trying his best to not sound too grump. “What are you doing here?”

“My father was supposed to spend the day with me but he left half-way through brunch because Tara called and said Eli didn’t feel so good. It’s probably a lie because she doesn’t like him spending time with us. I mean, me specifically, I look too much like my mother for her liking. 

Neil never met or saw a photo of Ajax's mother, she’d died when Ajax was seven and apparently his dad burned everything she owned and every photo in a fit of grief-stricken anger –at least that's what Jason had info dumped on Neil in the beginning of the school year. It was a fact though that Ajax was very different from the rest of his blonde-haired, green-eyed family. Ajax's hair was a mess of oak brown curls on top of his head and his baby blue eyes always looked bright with amusement, even when he was feeling down. His sharp features were all angles and almost no softness, making him look like a mischievous elf.

He was shorter than Neil, about Andrew height but Neil could tell he had some growing up to do. He was ready to bet that next year Ajax would go through a growth spurt and come back to school much taller than Neil, it was all in the hands and feet, that were disproportionately large for his small body.

Neil cleaned his throat not knowing the appropriate way of reacting. If this was about one of his friends he could shit talk the other party to his heart's content but Ajax was his student. He couldn’t very well talk like that about his students' parents even though some of them deserved it, so he chose to change the subject. “Ajax, this is Andrew.”

Ajax turned to observe Andrew with sharp eyes. “You the guy that picked up Mr. Josten yesterday.”

“Very observant of you.” Andrew replied and Ajax narrowed his eyes trying to determine if Andrew was mocking him.

“How do you know Mr. Josten?”

“From high school.”

“Are you a teacher as well? Don't look like it.”

“From when he was in high school.” Andrew clarified. “And what does a teacher look like?”

“Wow! That's ages ago.” Neil did not appreciate the jab, he was 26, that was hardly old. “ And I don't know, boring?” Ajax shrugged.

“Hey!” Neil exclaimed, offended. First old and now boring? He did not look boring, not at all.

Andrew smirked a little. “Well, thank you.”

“So…” The boy asked as he placed his elbow on the table. “What do you do?”

“Is this 20 questions?” Neil was close to having an aneurysm. He glared at Ajax, forgetting that he had sympathized with him a moment ago, and begged the boy to take a hint in his mind. “And if yes it should be me asking, as this is my date.

“This is a date? I couldn’t tell.” He directed big, innocent doe eyes at them.

“Do you enjoy annoying me?” By the glint on Ajax's eyes Neil was pretty sure the answer was yes.

“I just surprised you interested in dating.” He turned back to Andrew as he explained. “When the year had just started a few girls asked Mr. Josten if he had a girlfriend. When he said no they asked if he had a boyfriend e do you know what he said?” Ajax inclined over the table top in Andrew’s direction with an eager expression, as if confiding a secret.

“Do tell me.” Andrew said and Ajax paused, unsure if he was really interested in hearing the story. It was clear Andrew's monotone was confusing to him, but still he wouldn’t pass the chance to make fun of Neil. Maybe Neil should be more distant with his students but he enjoyed being the favorite teacher even though the least liked teacher most often than not was the one that taught math. He liked being a contradiction.

“He said he didn’t swing.” Ajax laughed. “Do you believe it? I could hear their heart breaking”

“He’s been saying that for years.” 

“Why did you even agree to go on a date with him?” He pointed at Neil with his head as if he couldn't fathom why Andrew would want to.

“He accosted me while we watched anime.” Andrew replied and Ajax nodded in understanding. He was just about to say something else when the waitress reached their table to take their order.

“My name’s Jenny and I will be your waitress for today. What can I get you guys?” She asked in a cheerful way and with a pleasant smile. 

She turned slightly to Neil and she presented him with the menu along with a bat of her eyes but Neil didn't give her a second look and immediately passed the menu on to Andrew, who arched a brow at the situation before taking it

“Can you order something for us?” He asked before looking at Ajax. “Ajax, can I talk to you for a minute?”

Neil then led Ajax to a corner of the bistro close to the entrance. “Ajax, I like you a lot, kid, but God help me if you don't go away I’ll make sure you don't graduate from high school forever. I’m trying to do something here.”

“Relax, Mr. Josten. I didn’t intend to really crash your date with Loverboy anyway, I was just having some fun getting under your skin.

“Good, bye then.” Neil turned to go back to his and Andrew’s table but Ajax spoke again. “Make sure to say only good things to Jason at the next teacher-parents meeting. No bullying stuff to be mentioned.”

Neil made a face but at Ajax’s arched eyebrow he nodded. It would depend on what the other kids were doing to Ajax when the time came. He was alway a liar at heart anyway, one more one less wouldn't make a difference at this point, so he promised away.

When he returned to the table Andrew glanced up from the menu. “You didn't need to send him away. It’s not like this is a real date.”

It hurt a little that Andrew was shrugging off every one of Neil's hints and not seeing this as a real date. Neil didn't know if Andrew was just that oblivious or if this was his way of letting Neil down gently. Was he not being clear enough that he wanted Andrew in his pants? Better yet that he wanted Andrew’s heart because his heart had beaten only for Andrew’s for years now?

Neil forced a laugh before saying. “Ajax is a great kid, but I’m not sure how to act when I meet students out of school. Besides, this is our test drive.”

“Test drive?” Andrew arched an eyebrow at that.

“Yes, if we convince everyone we meet that we are a couple we can convince our friends too.”

“That’s a flawed logic.” Andrew pointed out. “Our friends have known us for years. Those people don’t know how we usually act.”

Neil gave Andrew his brightest smile. “Our friends,” he emphasized. “Thought we were a couple for years.”

Andrew's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arm, leaning back on the chair as he observed Neil like he was the weirdest creature on the planet. “Then what is the point of today?”

“You’ll know soon enough. Now, what did you order? Are we doing breakfast at lunch, just dessert or what?”

In the end they did not order breakfast food but had pasta instead, along with half the dessert menu. When they were getting ready to leave another unpredictable situation arose. Their waitress, who Neil had not given much thought to during their time there, thought it was a good idea to hit on Neil when he was clearly on a date.

They were preparing to leave and Neil had waived to her so she could bring them their bill when she passed him a note with her phone number and a kiss mark to him instead. “Call me if you want to have fun sometime?” She drawled out in what Neil thought was an attempt at a sultry voice. A poor one at that, 0 out 10. Not attractive at all.

He gave her a polite closed lip smile before saying as he nodded his head at Andrew. “I don't think my boyfriend would like that very much.”

“Oh, I'm not jealous, your boy can come too.” She chuckled lightly at her own joke as her hand went up to Neil’s arms and stroked it. Neil faltered at her lack of senses before he tried to shrink away from her touch. Yeah, Neil would not be coming back to this restaurant. Which was a pity, he’d liked the ambience and the food had been really good but staff that didn't get boundaries was a turn off.

 Andrew's face got dark the second the blonde waitress put her hands on Neil and he slammed his fist at the table, growling when the waitress looked back at him with wide eyes. She was trembling, Neil noticed.

“I suggest you keep your hands to yourself if you don’t want to lose it.” He threatened. His expression was so vicious that he looked like an avenging angel passing on due judgment to an insignificant mortal. That Neil could attest was a turn on.

“We would like the check now.” Neil informed the spooked waitress, he couldn't even remember her name. “If she acts like this with everyone who comes here for a date she’s not getting much tips.” He said out loud when she went away at an admirable speed.

“Don’t act like you dont have a mirror at home.” Andrew said evenly, the cold anger in his eyes slowly disappearing.

“Is that your way of saying you think I'm pretty?” Neil asked, batting his eyelashes at Andrew . “Well, thank you, love.”

“Lets get the fuck out of here before I get indigestion.” He changed the subject without denying, which made Neil immensely happy.

— — — 

After leaving the bisto they moved to the bookstore next door, that part of the date unfolded like Neil expected at least. The bookstore was almost empty and they spent their time there browsing the shelves and reading while laying on one of the couches. In the end Andrew brought six books and Neil found two books that looked interessant so wrote down the titles so he could buy the audiobooks as he hardly had the patience for reading but liked hearing the stories while he was running or working out at the gym.

“What did you buy?” He asked Andrew when they walked out of the store.

“Two thrillers, one fantasy book, one horror comic and two books about legal matters regarding child and family law.”

When they reached the parking lot they stopped by the maserati so Andrew could throw in the paper bag with his new books before continuing to walk to their next location as it was close enough. Neil looked at Andrew's hand intensely until Andrew sighed and offered it up to him. Neil smiled softly and held Andrew’s hand.

“I thought you weren't interested in child and family law.” Neil commented.

“Bee offered me a job at her non-profit.” He said. “It would be a step down in terms of pay, but–” He cut himself with a sigh. Neil could tell he was feeling conflicted about it.

Andrew had told Neil about Betsy's non-profit. She had always been involved in some kind of charity but last year she had begun her own dedicated to helping abused kids and or parents. They offered free counseling and basic medical help, legal counsel and shelter to those who found themself in need.

“Are you sure you want to work there?” Neil asked in concern and Andrew scowled at him. “I’m serious Andrew, this last month was difficult, with Georgie case and everything. Working at Betsy’s non-profit would put you in constant contact with children in home situations like that.”

“It’s a good cause,” was all he said, eyes casted down so Neil wouldn't get a good read at them. But Neil knew how to read Andrew even if he was avoiding his eyes.

“I know, and I think the work she’s doing is admirable –Hell, I was a kid in a difficult home situation once– but you have to think what is best for you. Can you cope with it without it triggering you, hurting you? It’s not the time to be altruistic at the expense of yourself. You taught me that.”

“It would be good if I were to foster in the future.” He uttered.

Neil was so shocked by that statement that he tripped on his feet and would have fallen if Andrew hadn't pulled him back by the grip he had on Neil’s hand.

Neil looked at Andrew with wide eyes, mouth hanging up. “You want to foster?” He gulped while he waited for Andrew to responde. This had never been something Andrew had remotely alluded to before.

“I thought about it. I don't know if I could with– with my record, but hell if I know. People of worse history have become foster parents before.”

“You would be great at it, I'm sure.” Neil squeezed his hand. “You have alway been a caregiver.”

Andrew scoffed but said nothing more.

They walked in silence for a little before Neil spoke again, “I’m going to support you in whatever you decide, you know that, right?” Andrew hummed. “I meant it Andrew, I'm here and I'm not going away, as long as you want me here.”

Andrew looked down to their hands clasped together before nodding. Neil directed him a smile, hoping it would convey everything he couldn't say yet. He even allowed himself to imagine a life where he and Andrew foster or adopted together. He loved Stuart and was immensely grateful for him but the time he spent in his care wasn't what he could call home, even when Lisa had come along. And Neil desperately wanted it, deep down he knew he wanted the picket fence dream, and he wanted it with Andrew. That thought made him even more determined to end this date on a high note.

He had high hopes when he walked into their last location, the roller rink. The place was new, only about six months since the it’s inauguration. He had heard about it from a few people and Allison and Renee had a date there that Alisson described as one of their best ones yet. Neil waggered it would be a good place for their date, with good activities to do together, good junk food, and good music. It had few points that could be counted as a con. 

As soon as Neil walked in he was hit with the smell of buttered popcorn and cotton candy that brought Neil back to the time he skipped summer school class to go to the amusement park with Andrew before Andrew went  on his university tour trip with Aaron and Katelyn. They were going to visit about six schools even though they most probably would go to USC. At that time he was about to begin his junior year, but he was determined to graduate early so he could join Andrew’s college the next year.

Neil, Aaron, Katelyn, Andrew and Kevin had decided to spend the day there before they all left on the next day. It would have been almost like a double date if it wasn't for Kevin. Back then he had spent half the time angry and jealous of Andrew and Kevin's relationship even though it was clear they were just friends. The second half was better as he convinced Andrew to slip away to go to a haunted house and lose the rest of them.

“Doesn't this remind you of that time we went to the amusement park?” He tugged at Andrew's hand, aiming a cheeky smile at him.

“The one you spent half the time arguing with Kevin.”

“What can I say, he was a pain in the ass back then.”

“This implies he isn't one now.” 

Neil rolled his eyes at that and pointed to the counter next to the entrance. “Do you want to get us the skates?”

Andrew shrugged but walked over to the counter fishing his wallet from his tight skinny jeans’ pocket. Neil observed him go and tried to calm down a bit, now he needed courage and mentally prepared for what he needed to do. He was going to ask if Andrew wanted to kiss him any moment now.

“Oh, Mr. Josten,” A voice called out for him and Neil sighed. Please God, not now, he pleaded, but when he turned a middle aged woman stood in front of him. “ What a surprise to see you here.” 

“Because us teachers never leave the school.” Neil mumbled under his breath, annoyed to meet yet another person who knows him. Is it too much to ask for people to pretend they don't know teachers when they see them in a social setting off school?

“What did you say?” She asked, oblivious to his annoyance.

“Nothing, it’s good to see you Mrs. Johnson. How is your husband? And Kate?”

“Good, good, just there, on the rink.” She pointed to the man in the red long sleeve jersey that could barely stand up in the skates and the teenage girl that was trying to hold him up in the midst of a laughing fit. “Too much of an adventure for me, you see. I could never.” She let out a high pitched giggle that went straight to Neil’s brain and caused a headache to begin to form. “Is this a friend of yours?” She pointed at Andrew who had returned to Neil's side with their skates frowning in judgment.

Off work Andrew was very different from his put together work look. He was wearing black skinny jeans with rips on both knees, a tight black short sleeve t-shirt and black combat boots. The tattoos on his forearms peeked out from beneath his black armbands, a pop of red from one of the roses, the only color on him aside from the strands of mussed light blond hair he didn’t bother to comb that morning after Neil’s finger had made it even more of a mess. He had also put on his many earrings, plus the black eyebrow piercing that stood out so much more due to the contrast with his blonde brows.

“You could say that,” Neil paused dramatically. “We’re roommates.” He snickered a little, almost a giggle, and raised an eyebrow at her but Mrs. Johnson didn't get the joke. Not a fan of bl fiction apparently.

Andrew rolled his eyes at Neil’s antics and didn't bother even saying anything to Mrs. Johnson. “Here your death-on-wheels.” He said passing one of the skates to Neil.

Neil directed another fake smile at Mrs. Johnson, who still observed them confused. “It was great seeing you, Mrs. Johnson, but we’re going to adventure ourselves on the rink.” With that he offered his hand to Andrew who after shrugging took it in his.

“Thank God you came back.” Neil said in a hushed tone. “It’s the second time we meet someone I know from school today. We should have snuggled on the couch and watched tv instead, at least it would be just the two of us.”

Neil was beginning to develop a hatred for small towns. They encountered someone at every corner. They stopped briefly at the entrance of the rink to put on their skates before joining the crowd, Neil taking to it with graceful ease and Andrew unsteadily managing to balance himself.

“Remember me, why the hell did I agree to do this?” He grunted.

“Because you think I'm charming.” Neil was starting to believe it to be true as Andrew alway went along with his crazy ideas. 

“You’ll be the death of me, Josten.” He grumbled and held tight to Neil’s forearms as his legs threatened to give out on him.

“Come on. Hold on to me and everything’ll be fine.”

“I hate you.”

“You know, you've been saying that for years and I believe it less and less.” Neil chuckled.

 “I’ll kill you in your sleep someday.” He threatened.

Neil’s brows went up and down in a suggestive way. “It would be easier if we divided a bed together.”

“Not happening.” Andrew scoffed at Neil.

“Don't knock it till you try it.” Neil said, bring Andrew closer to him. “Maybe sleeping with me is just what’s been missing from your life.” He whispered softly against Andrew’s hair.

“Can you shut up and keep us from falling and cracking our heads?” Andrew's voice came out rough and Neil's stomach made a cartwheel, a giddy smile rising in his face.

“Don’t worry if you fall I’ll catch you or fall with you. I’ve heard that falling together it's the best feeling.” Cheesy, Neil knew it but he couldn't stop now.

“What has got into you lately?” Andrew frowned and tried to move away to look at Neil’s face but when his skates started to slip and he almost lost balance he clanged to Neil again. “You been talking nonsense all your life but this is a new level even for you”

“I have never been more aware of what I say, Andrew. Every little word I'm saying right now means something and I would appreciate it if you pieced it together. But now put your hand on my waist.”

“Sorry, what?”

“Come on, we’re dancing, now pull me close like you meant it. Hold tight to me, darling.” He winked.

“There are parents here.” Andrew declared flatly. “And I sure as hell am not dancing on these things.” he motioned to the rollers.”

“So? It’s not like just because I’m a teacher I can’t have a personal life. If I want to dance in public with my boyfriend I can very well do that and screw what everyone else thinks. 

“But I’m not,” he said evenly. “Truly your boyfriend.”

“For now I’m saying you are. You can act like that whenever you want, you can even kiss me.”

“That’s not funny, Neil.” Andrew's face grew cold as he peered at Neil.

“I thought we had already established that I don't have a sense of humor.”

“This fact becomes more and more evident.” He said, before mumbling so low that Neil almost didn't catch what he said. “Just like you becoming more and more cruel.”

Neil faltered for a moment. He couldn't understand what Andrew meant so he asked, “What does that mean?”

“Nothing for you to know.” Andrew dismissed with a flick of his hand.

Neil pondered over it for a moment but came to no conclusion so he just whirled then around the rink to the rhythm of a disco song avoiding the crazed teenagers that flew past them. Andrew's hands held tight to Neil in apprehension as if Neil was the only thing keeping him standing– which he pretty much was.

Neil was having the time of his life as he moved backward smiling the whole time. When they stopped in the center of the rink and a new song came on, Neil took the initiative to bend his head in Andrew's direction until their foreheads were touching, breath coming short at their proximity and heart pounding in his chest. He was going to kiss Andrew now. It would be magic, he could already tell just by the way fireworks ignited on his stomach and his heart somersaulted out of his chest cavite. His palms became umid with sweat and his mouth dried out, but he was going to do it anyway. 

He leaned in, his mouth approaching Andrew’s until it was a hair away and waited for Andrew to pull away. When he didn’t, Neil went for it. Just as their lips were about to touch Neil heard a loud whistle above the music and a cacophony of voice yelling. “Get it, Mr. Josten.”

His head snapped back to where six of his students were pillowed on top of one another on the bleaches at one side of the rink laughing and pointing at him. He looked back at Andrew to find him with a vacant gaze and blank face two shades paler than usual, looking as if he was going to be sick or pass out.

To be honest Neil didn't remember the last time he cried but right now he wanted to cry from sheer frustration, he was so close. He just wanted this day to be about him and Andrew. But instead he encountered someone that knew him from school in every location he had planned. This was supposed to be the day he made Andrew his and instead he now had his school kids making fun of them and ruining their first kiss before it even happened.

“Let’s go home.” He sighed, at least at home it was just the two of them, well that is until Allison and the other arrived for dinner.

They scurried away from the rink still hearing the chant of the noisy teenagers and Neil vowed to make the rest of their senior year hell. He would squish every little spark of joy from them with surprise tests and impossible to complete assignments until they cried and begged for mercy.

The walk and drive back home was silent, a gloomy cloud of self-doubt and loathing hovering above Neil’s head that grew bigger with each passing minute. Why wasn’t Andrew saying anything? Neil was sure he noticed what he was going to do on the rink. Andrew hadn’t pushed him away or given any indication that he didn’t want Neil to proceed and kiss him. But maybe he had just been too shocked to react, he had looked the closest to terrified Neil had ever seen him after the kids began to goad them to kiss.

Neil waited in agony until they reached their apartment and stopped in the middle of the living room before turning back at Andrew and questioning him. “Do you like me? Like like-like me?” He said, immediately regretting it. Way to sound stupid on the most exhilarating and yet terrifying moment of his entire life.

Andrew blinked at him for one long, excruciating second before crossing his bulging arms. “What are we, twelve or something?”

Neil glared at him, a deep scowl on his face. “Stop deflecting Andrew, I need to know. I'm tired of waiting and waiting for you to piece it together.” His heart tumbled on a beat as he stepped closer to Andrew. He was going to do it, let it all out in the open. “I like you, Andrew, I’m head over heels for you.”

“Since when?” Andrew asked in an even voice and for the first time in their friendship Neil could not for the life of him read Andrew's face.

“I realized it on the day you left for your university touring trip. I still had two years until I could join you and the thought of not seeing you every day, even though you would be just a few hours away, terrified me. That was the sole reason why I applied to graduate early. But again when I think about it I guess I liked you way before that, I just didn't know what the feeling was at the time. Maybe even from the very first time I saw you. You just intrigued me so much”

“You’re ace, Neil.”

“That doesn't change what I feel for you. Asexuality is a spectrum Andrew. It has always been you for me.”

Andrew said nothing, his eyes panning around the room at everything but Neil. If this was a cartoon smoke would be coming out of his head. He was malfunctioning.

 “Are you going to say something, I feel like I’m dying right now.” New voice cracked but Andrew still didn't look at him.

“I think this would be a bad idea.” Andrew started and Neil's heart broke in a million little pieces. His chest became a hallowed blackhole and he felt panic slamming over him like a wave threatening to drown him and lead him into nothingness. 

This was a rejection. He put his heart on Andrew's hand and, even though he was sure Andrew would never purposely hurt him, he had just squeezed and crushed it until it no longer had any pulse. And the worst thing was that Neil himself broke their friendship ‒just like Andrew was breaking his heart‒ the moment he fell for his best friend. Now things would never be the same. It would be awkward and none of the easy understanding they had between them would be left, because right now Neil couldn't even look at Andrew without dying a little more inside.

He had hoped. But the thing about hope is that people are so enthralled by it that they forget its destructive power. And Neil hoped and then he forgot he was unlovable.

Andrew opened his mouth to say something else when the doorbell rang like the cry of a dying animal in the silence of their home.

----------

— Don't hate me guys —

— What do you all think is going to happen next? What does Andrew mean? —

— This one here was ambitious, by the end I had a 13 page document more than the last two part together. I spent so much time adding and editing stuff out. I cogitated splitting it in two parts to update earlier but decided not to. I think it turned out okay. Let me know what you guy think —

Check Part 4

#aftg #all for the game #andrew x neil #andreil #andrew minyard #neil josten #flirty neil josten #neil josten cant catch a break #my boy is trying #little bit of angst #fake dating au #oc character #fanfic

[asktheviceroyroadcast]

Welcome to Viceroy Road!!

I’ve decided this will just be… having people ask characters things and letting the lore and story get more in-depth as things go along. You can still ask me questions about it over at my main stuff, but any questions to characters must be done here. Feel free to ask about characters who aren’t here. It may introduce some familiar faces. So let’s get in to it!

Viceroy Road consists of a great cast! Meet the neighbors! Aphie lives in 122 Viceroy Road! She often has people come stay with her, so the house is rarely empty. This includes Kanna and Vylad while they were trying to figure out where to stay(separately.)

Across the street at house 121 lives Garroth! With him is Laurance. They… barely know each other, actually. Garroth had put in an add for a roommate and the rest is history. He’s a bit nervous though… something feels off about his roommate. Oh well. It’s probably fine.

Next to them resides Dante and Travis, in house 123! They’ve been friends for a few years, and Dante begged Travis to get a house with him so he wouldn’t have to live with his brother anymore.

Across from them is Katelyn, in house 124. Kanna eventually moves in with her! A girl named Teony shows up there a lot so you’re bond to meet her too!

Zane lives in the next house, number 126. He’s not pleased about it, trust me. The one chance he had to get away from family and they still somehow end up in the same place. Talk about unlucky.

The house across the street, 125, belongs to a Miss Emmalyn and a man named Kenmur. They don’t go out much, but the lights are almost always on…

Next door, in house 127, lives a guy named Aaron. From what his neighbors can tell, he’s pretty much never home, but he’s rarely seen around town either. So who knows?

And finally we have house 128, hosting a Miss Lucinda! She’s constantly working on one thing or another, but don’t worry about interuptubg her. She could use the break… wonder what she’s doing, though….?

oh? Are you wondering where Vylad went? He lives the next street over, along with other friends, of course!

#mystreet rewrite #aphmau #aphblr #aaron lycan #laurance zvahl #aphmau laurance #kawaii chan #garroth ro'meave #aphmau garroth #zane ro'meave #aphmau zane #katelyn aphmau #aphmau katelyn #lucinda aphmau #aphmau lucinda #aphmau au #aphmau emmalyn #aphmau kenmur #aphmau dante #aphmau travis #travis valkrum #vylad ro'meave #aphmau vylad #aphmau teony #Viceroy Road

[jtl-fics]

Time After Time:

Math Nerd AU

May 19th, 2020 (in the past future [before the reincarnation])

Math Nerd AU | Unusual Fic Asks

Neil was coming to accept that he wasn't going to die of old age as the doctors told him the recovery time for his twisted knee. He would need to do physical therapy before he could even have the surgery and then additional physical therapy afterwards.

It would take too long.

The Moriyamas would cut him as a useless thread. "Mr. Josten, you'll play again." The Doctor assures, "You will just-"

"Thank you Doctor, yes I understand." Neil interrupts. "Let's schedule a time to start the physical therapy." he says because a part of him feels spiteful. He knows how Ichirou works, knows that his death will look like a suicide.

People who are committing suicide don't make plans right? Maybe his death would be just enough to topple it all to the ground and save Kevin and Jean. He makes his appointment and hobbles out of his doctor's appointment to find Andrew in the waiting room.

He wonders how much longer he'll get to look at him.

He'll never actually be ready to stop.

Andrew's gaze snaps to him and Andrew has always been able to read him like a book. "It's too long?" he asks.

Neil laughs because, as usual, there was no point in hiding things from Andrew. "I've had my will ready for a while. I'm leaving-"

"Stop." Andrew raises his hand, "you aren't dying. Not before me. I'm older." Andrew argues.

Neil smiles and wishes to say the three words that bubble up in him but he wants them to be the last ones he says to Andrew if he can manage it. Saying them now would only make Andrew upset and possibly leave.

"Let's go home. I wanna see the cats." he says instead. It doesn't matter too much, his will spells out where everything is supposed to go. Andrew helps him into the car and puts his crutches in the backseat. They drive in silence and Neil finds himself looking at every black car with out of state licenses.

He looks at his phone because there's no point in worrying. His fate was sealed the moment that Ohio player rammed into him. He hopes Andrew likes one of the options he listed in his will. He hopes he stays close to Andrew, hopes he can protect him from beyond.

He prepares texts for all of his friends as he goes. Most are just I love yous and some thanking them for being especially kind to him. His text to Matt a long note on how sorry he is that he won't get to watch his god daughter grow up. His note to Aaron to make sure that his daughters take after Katelyn when they're born.

They get home and Neil is glad to see that there are no cars in their driveway. It does not mean that Ichirou isn't there, but it gives him a bit more time to look at Andrew.

Andrew's jaw is tight as he pulled into their garage.

"I've had arrangements made and paid for Andrew. It's going-"

"Shut up." Andrew hisses and gets out of the car.

Neil's phone rings and he sees a familiar area code he looks as Andrew shuts the door as he enters the house.

He hits accept. 32 wasn't bad considering he never expected 20.

"Hello?" he asks.

"Wesninski." Ichirou greets and Neil lets his eyes close. "I hear you will not be able to pay me." he comments.

"It will be quite some time before I can work on the court again My Lord." he doesn't lie or try to hide it. "I understand what this means for our deal. May I-"

"I wish to strike a different deal." Ichirou interrupts and Neil blinks.

"You...wish to strike a different deal?" he asks.

"I am in need of someone with your certifications Wesninski." Ichirou says.

Neil's jaw tenses. He can't do his father's work. He'd rather just have Ichirou shoot him and let it be done.

"You have kept up to date with your CPA certification from what I understand?" Ichirou continues.

Neil blinks.

What?

#Math Nerd AU #Unusual Fic Asks #AFTG #AFTG AU #Andreil #Unseen is Andrew inside looking at the money he's saved up from his own paychecks #Money that will cover what Neil owes Ichirou for a year. He's set it aside in case this ever happens #To buy Neil time #Turns out Wymack has saved Neil's life instead #Since he got Neil his college degree #Math Nerd - Future Past - 01

[bluebird-in-a-cagedrawing]

Nightmare AU part 27

And with this part we are at the half of the comic 👀

Warning:Blood and a small death:

Doctor bird:"Soon very soon, this will be over, we are so close to victory, i can taste it."

The fake Nightmare king:"This is the heart of your machine, Doctor Bird! Such a wild energy at my small finger, all those worlds soon will be mine."

Growlian:"Such a wonderful show, my Highness, delightful even."

Panel 2

Luciano the candle of secrets:"This is for you Moon on fire, the doctor found out our next target."

Moon on fire:"Her name is Katelyn, will any knights come with me to capture her, i know about the others."

Luciano the candle of secrets:"They are indeed such a problem, but for now you must bring the next target!"

Katelyn:"Who are you? Why are you here? Help, someone!

Clause the assassin king:" They always try to run, pitfull, i feel like only us are working too hard."

Moon on fire:" We are not here to ask question, we need to work, or else they will use us in the experiments.

Luciano the candle of secrets:"I see you finished already, i guess the poison did it... That is such a shame."

Moon on fire:"I need more of those poison, is really hard to not get unwanted attention these days, my blade are sticky from blood."

Doctor bird:"A small price for such a specimen, now excuse me, i have work to do... Meet me at about two hours and 10 minutes from here."

Doctor bird:"Excelent, a fine work indeed... Don't touch her, why can't anyone understand how delicate is this process... I have what i need now to extract the essence."

Luciano the candle of secrets:"How many do you need? Can't this machine work any faster? Such a waste of resources, our king will not be pleased!"

Clause the assassin king:"When we will see them again, after i took an arrow on my shoulder i want to take their neck for this?!"

Amstran the moon dancer:"I feel a little dizzy, i have to lay down for a minute."

The cigarette ghost Smoky:" Sir, you have a telephone call from someone named Trisha the hour glass."

Sky Coeur the detective:"Amstran the moon dancer i need your opinion, tell me honest did i bought the right one?"

Amstran the moon dancer:"Yes, hello?!"

Trisha the hour glass:"You are the pumpkin Felix Reddison told me about, meet me at the local library at 5 am in the morning, come alone!"

Panel 7

Luna the moon demon:"Are you sure it's a good thing to go alone?"

Amstran the moon dancer:"I have to know, maybe she has answers...Excuse me...!"

Trisha the hour glass:"Ah, finally we meet Amstran the moon dancer, come in... There are still 2 hours till the fog will be lifted up."

Amstran the moon dancer:"Strange weather, i can't get used to it. Is that why i feel so sick in the last days, i don't say anything to them because i don't want them to be worried."

Trisha the hour glass:"Let's practice something simple, choose a book and give it to me. Close your eyes first!"

Amstran the moon dancer:"I don't see how this works, i just..."

Trisha the hour glass:"Shh, don't... Trust yourself, and repeat the first word it comes to your mind."

Amstran the moon dancer:"Dove."

Trisha the hour glass:"Looks like your power is not healing pumpkin. My friend Felix Reddison told me you felt a little off since you couldn't heal Jenna Heart wound, poor girl."

Amstran the moon dancer:"I don't know l, i just had to try something, she did not deserved that...I feel so sorry!"

Trisha the hour glass:"Even so, poison can not be cured that simple, it's not your fault, let's try another one...and then bring your friends too... It's time for the questions to get their answers!"

Panel 10

Le souris bonbon neige:"He is where? Who though it was a good idea to let him alone by himself!"

Lumboo the light ghost:"He is fine, no one wakes up at that hour, not even your enemies."

Staran the galaxy man:"If you may sit down, Amstran the moon dancer is more capable alone, plus this Trisha the hour glass only invited him alone not us."

Sky Coeur the detective:"Le souris bonbon neige, he is right, all this fight is to no avail, we have to trust him, there is nothing we can do...This is not how i wanted to spend my honey moon!"

Part 1 till part 26

Also, i forgot...You can tell me which part is your favorite, i am a curios little bean...And if till now the comic is kinda boring well, the next part will have a little action...Sorry, no spoilers!👀😅

#my ocs #nightmare au #part 27

[eego0]

Me again! You said you wanted a topic so I have one. What are your thoughts on the Jury of Nine and O'kasis, especially key figures like Katelyn, Zane, Ivy, ect?

Omg thank you so much for asking!!!

The Jury of Nine is SO fascinating to me. A group of the strongest soldiers in the land led by the physically weakest link but a master manipulator. I’m curious to see how things worked on the inside but lets talk about our key figures

Katelyn the Fire Fist: WHEW. She’s got so much emotional baggage but is such a good character. She’s a strong fighter and a fantastic friend when Aphmau needs her most. I love seeing her vulnerability over time. She seems cold at first glance but shes not above opening up to Aphmau and her guards after Jefforys been killed. She strives to help those in need, but she unfortunately was dragged away from her family and stapled to the wrong crowd. I wish we saw her family in MCD and I think about them a lot.

Jeffory the Golden Heart: his story BREAKS me. He didn’t get to do many good things but he was a good person till the very end. Again, I wish I saw the dynamic between him and Katelyn since they were such good friends.

Ivy: She’s a fantastic villain. I want to analyze each word in her name. Think of Ivy like the plant Poison Ivy. It causes rashes, irritation and harm to basically anyone that even so much as brushes against it. Then venom, when it's used as an adjective- it's there to describe a hostile or bitter tone or action. The scythe is used by the grim reaper in folklore to take the soul of a dead person or someone destined to die. It makes oerfect sense for her. But I have to wonder, was she ALWAYS like that? So blood thirsty? Power hungry? What do we think?

Janus: janus is a VERY intriguing character to me. I don’t know all that much about them but I’m pretty sure they’re the first non-binary (he/they) character. The whole arc with Ivy having his sword was incredibly thought provoking for me, but I don’t have much else to add.

Lastly, I’m gonna touch on Zane: like I said, I think he’s probably the weakest in the Jury. BUT, he’s an incredibly smart manipulator. Him being a son of Gartes definitely helped him. He was born psychotic and never strayed from his path. I wonder how Zianna felt about his involvement in the Jury.

Sorry my analysis’ were lackluster this time! It’s finals season so I’m very tired but I really enjoyed thinking more about them. Thank you for your thoughts @intrigued-gelatin as always! Feel free to drop what you know or tell me some of your headcanons!!

#mcd #minecraft diaries #aphmau #mcd aphmau #aphblr #aphmau mcd #mcd aaron #mystreet #the jury of nine #jury of nine

[straightmenforgarrothromeave]

minecraft diaries inside out au. stay tuned for the explanations (they’re below)

aphmau as joy:

aphmau, in sort of an obvious choice, was given joy. this is because i imagine she's a very optimistic person, often seen smiling, and because of her naiveté and general oblivion to the worse things in the world she has a very positive outlook on the way she interacts with people and situations. overall, very cheery! i think it fits her very well :)

dante as sadness:

dante was an interesting one, honestly probably my biggest struggle - but only because i couldn't decide if he'd make a better sadness or fear. in the end, i think sadness works best for him: through everything, i don't think dante was ever able to properly settle. i think he's more lonely, quiet, keeps to himself - in such, manages to isolate himself a lot and further contribute to his overall depressing vibe as a character. he always just seemed sadder, hence - sadness. (side note: fear was considered because of dante's constant fear of losing everything once again. it's one of the reasons he's never content, he can't be - something can come and destroy it all.)

garroth as fear:

oh man. garroth got fear for quite a lot of things. originally, he was also up for grabs for sadness, but... eh. didn't fit him as well. garroth represents fear because he's in a constant state of worry and paranoia. he's always afraid SOMETHING is going to happen, something is going to hurt the people he loves, something is going to prevent him from protecting those he holds dear. that, and he's incredibly fearful of being himself - he's a gay man in the medieval era, i don't blame him. there's just always something plaguing his mind and creating that worry. he's also very cautious, which is something that joy (in the actual movie) mentions in fear's introduction: fear makes sure riley stays safe. and i think that's a wonderful reflection of garroth. also! he suffers from anxiety in general, this creates a lot of fearful situations in his head and he ends up scaring himself 97% of the time.

laurance as anger:

ok right off the bat. come on. shadow knight shit when laurance is REALLY angery? come on. laurance was actually the second match-up after aphmau and joy, it seeming to be just the most obvious. after becoming a shadow knight, laurance mentioned how he was losing his temper easier and growing more impatient. we see a lot of anger issues develop with laurance as mcd progresses, so i thought that him representing anger would be perfect. i also can't quite see him as any of the other emotions, so win :)

katelyn as disgust:

ehh. yeah ok. doesn’t fit as well as any of the other ones - this one’s definitely the weakest link. i didn’t have much ground for this one, but i couldn’t see any other (main cast) crew as disgust, including zane - yeah zane doesn’t work. he’s disgust in my mystreet rendition though! but not here. quite a few people brought up how it could work with katelyn though, in the sense of her being disgusted with herself due to the work she has to do, disgusted with zane, so on and so forth. take it as you will!

that’s the most of it yeah. and since i mentioned it, here’s the mystreet rendition:

garroth (joy), aaron (sadness), travis (fear), katelyn (anger), zane (disgust).

definitely some quirks needing to be worked out there but whatcha gonna do. we win these

(ALSO I KNOWWW THE PROPORTIONS ARE A LITTLE WEIRD. still in old art territory)

#aphmau #garroth ro’meave #laurance zvahl #minecraft diaries #aphmau katelyn #aphmau dante