One Of My Favorite Things In AFTG Is How The Author Deals With Consent, Particularly Between Neil And

Andreil doesn't humanise each other. Yes they do pull parts of themselves that others might consider admirable closer to the surface, but to call it humanising someone sounds like you're not considering someone as a person capable of good. Andrew was capable of good regardless of Neil and same goes for Neil. It was just a matter of circumstances.

Neil would've also hated it if this was being said about Andrew who is called 'a monster' by others, rather than just a person/human.

They're not each others answer and they wanted each other just the way they were. Truthful, earnest and themselves, which means that yes they are assholes.

hot take ig but like

kevin day should not be in a relationship with any of the canon characters in aftg

let him have his history nerd (my fav headcanon ever) or literally anyone who's good for him idc or let him be aroace but he should nottt be dating an exy player and especially not jean i can't see that being healthy in any way shape or form

no hate to any kevjean/kevandreil/kevaaron/whatever shippers out there this is js my opinion 💕 

I've been thinking about this theory about Riko orchestrating Jean's sexual abuse as punishment for his attraction to Kevin, because Riko is not in the habit of sharing his possessions. And while at first glance it would seem that Riko does this because it's Kevin... looking deeper I get the feeling that his attitude extends to the rest of the Perfect Court too.

Consider Andrew.

Riko sets first Drake and then Proust on Andrew, and the implication is that Andrew cannot get away with "taking Riko's things." This obviously refers to Kevin, but I don't think it refers to Kevin alone. It's significant that Riko brings it up with Neil and Neil only, and it happens during this specific conversation.

Riko uses Andrew to taunt and intimidate Neil, immediately after Neil implies that Riko is not the only thing saving him from his father. We come to understand several things in the course of this conversation:

That Riko considers Andrew to be responsible for Neil's continued refusal to return to his place among the Ravens.

That he believes threatening Andrew's safety will be enough to convince Neil to come to Evermore.

Which means that Riko obviously has an inkling of what Andrew and Neil mean to each other (even if Neil does not yet). He weaponizes this knowledge against both of them, and while Neil ends up going to Evermore, it does not mean that Riko lets Andrew get away.

That's because he never intended to. When Riko refers to Andrew as the miniature one with the disgusting attitude who thinks he can take my things, his "things" refer not merely to Kevin but, to a heavy extent, also to Neil, and he punishes Andrew for his closeness to Neil the same way he punished Jean's closeness to Kevin.

Why am I bringing this up? Well, quite simply put, it's all because of the as-yet unexplained January incident that Jean brings up in The Sunshine Court.

We know that following Neil's departure from the Nest, Zane betrayed Jean by setting Grayson on him. What we don't know is what Riko did to Zane and Grayson afterwards, or why.

Jean brings it up several times, but only refers to it obliquely, and doesn't give us any details:

I don't think Riko cares about what happened to Jean, of course not. But it makes too much sense to me that he decided what Zane and Grayson did was an insult to him, Riko, because how dare they touch his property when he hasn't permitted it? How dare they take his things? How dare Grayson pretend he has some sort of claim to Jean?

I'm throwing this theory out because I have nothing to lose: whatever Riko did to Zane and Grayson was in retaliation to what they did to Jean, but not because Riko cares. He did so only because Jean was another one of Riko's things, and those who take his things away must be reminded of their place.

So, yes, I think all of this is an extension of the fact that Riko has an unhealthy obsession with the people he considers to be his pets or his property. Transgressions against his claim over them deserve to be punished for the insult.

Even if those transgressions are committed by the Perfect Court itself. Riko plays the part of the jealously possessive master, the one they should all devote themselves to, the only one with authority over them. No one else can have them — which means they cannot have each other either.

thinking about the fact that Neil matched Kevin's and Andrew's freak almost immediately. just straight up figured out how they ticked and walked them like dogs for three books straight. to everyone else, Kevin and Andrew are insane. to Neil, they make perfect sense.

if I was vanessa and I watched my ex bf maintain eye contact with his live in wolverine from an alt universe who was very literally “made” in a lab (and wades wet dreams) take their shared dog, give wade a nod of encouragement & for wade to slide his hand up against mine i’d think the next words out of his mouth would be “do you want to join our polycule”

what did you expect, captain?

Neil knows love exists because Andrew is full of it. He sees it when Andrew cooks two different batches of pancakes, one batch being regular and the other chocolate chip, because he knows Neil doesn’t like sweets.

He sees it when Andrew specifically puts sticky notes on the wall next to their front door because he knows Neil is likely to see them and be reminded of things he needs to do that day.

He sees it when he and Andrew drive hours to listen to Aaron give his valedictorian speech at his university graduation.

And he feels it when Andrew cradles his head in the dead of night and reminds him who he is. Saying:

“You are Neil Josten, a nuisance with a smart mouth. And you are home.”

i feel like we don't talk abt this part of the ec enough bc CAN WE JUST. TALK ABOUT HOW ANDREW EQUATES HIS AND NEIL'S RELATIONSHIP WITH WYMACK AND ABBY'S. LIKE. CAN WE TALK ABOUT IT. BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT IT EVERY DAY. EVERY. DAY.

There is poetry in Nathaniel finding belonging with the change of his name. Natalie finding salvation by the God that damned Nicky.

There is poetry in Andrew and Aaron finding a family in Nicky when he was cast away from his.

There is poetry in Allison relishing in the money that was meant to be hers but never got in the end, poetry in Andrew hating the money he was never meant for.

There is Poetry in Aaron having a mother that wronged him, and Matt being righted by his.

There is poetry in the way Dan had to fight to keep afloat, where it was Allison fighting that got her cut off in the end

There is poetry in Nicky finding love and himself abroad, where Nathaniel ran from all that he was

There is poetry in Matt with a loving mother who showed him how to live, and Neil who was kept alive by his own.

There is poetry in the foxes

what the fuck do you mean there are people out there liking jean's and thea's "friendship" ??? "she was like a sister to him" ????? the girl that asked him if he was back to his “old tricks” when she saw him in THAT state?? his old tricks being him getting fucked by older guys when he was 15/16 years old?? "riko made her believe he was willing" he was a kid??? "she is a victim too" i don't care let her heal far away from jean??? i hate u