aaron and neil have the energy of "i'd take a bullet for him and then use the fact that i took a bullet for him as an excuse to make him do the dishes for a year"
Imagine you had the hardest last few weeks of your life. Everything you know is falling apart and you couldn’t even get out of bed because of your injuries. You were transferred to another team without much of a choice once again. You get to an airport to be greeted by the captain of said team and the man is PLAYING WITH A YOYO. I would’ve offed myself like my god
Jeremy and Andrew having the same type (personality wise) while being two of the most different characters in the fandom is so funny.
I think Andrew's desperation to live is a little overlooked in the fandom. It's not explicitly stated in the books, other than his SH scars, but I honestly think it is so important to understanding him and his motivations.
Did Andrew ever plan to live past graduation? Before Kevin came along and promised his life would have worth? Did he plan on disappearing when Aaron eventually walked away from him? Believing nobody would notice if he was gone?
He clung on purely for Aaron, to make sure Aaron had a bright future ahead and could go live without him. To make sure that Nicky could go back to Erik without worry.
Before Neil, Andrew didn't believe he had anything to live for. He made a very one sided deal with Kevin to find something, anything, to build his life around after graduation, believing his brother would leave him alone once again.
Because at the heart of it all, Andrew doesn't want to die. Not really.
Andrew has chronic depression and he is suicidal. He sits on the edges of roof tops to feel. He puts his life on the line again and again with little regard for his own safety. He makes promises that put him at a severe disadvantage.
His promises are what keeps him alive, what forces him to live. Dying would break his promise, and Andrew has suffered enough from broken promises.
He doesn't want to die. He wants to survive those who beat him down. He wants to move on. He wants to get better. He wants to live.
He just doesn't know how.
Andrew was lounging on the couch, observing Neil's every move. "Eight times."
"What?" Neil called back, completely unaware of Andrew's eyes on him.
"You've yawned eight times in the last ten minutes."
"I'm fine Drew."
"Sure you are.'' Andrew scoffed, shifting a bit. ''Come here.''
Neil hesitated for a moment, realizing what Andrew had in mind. "Are you sure?"
"Don't make me repeat myself."
"But we have practice soon." Neil's voice didn't sound quite convincing, as he was already walking towards Andrew.
"Fuck practice.'' Andrew sighed, extending his arm and waiting.
Neil took his hand, allowing Andrew to pull him close, until he was practically on top of him.
They did this sometimes, Andrew would hold him or play with his hair to help him relax. They didn't talk about it but they both knew how much it helped Neil.
''Yes or no?'' It was barely a whisper, but of course Andrew heard. ''Yes.''
Neil closed the last bit of distance between them. The kiss was slow and lazy. Neil pulled away slightly to glance at Andrew and then placed one last kiss on his neck, burying his face there. He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
@exyandcigarettesmoke here’s some pictures of the books! let me know if you wanted to see anything else
ALL FOR THE GAME NEW BOOK SPOILERS BELOW
saw a post about how jean and neil are pretty alike so andrew would probably like jean and just. thinking about how andrew could teach jean everything he's learned about bodily autonomy and consent and trust and self worth. thinking about aaron killing drake and neil putting a hit out on grayson. thinking about them both finding partners they trust to respect their boundaries. thinking about neil saying "andrew's taught me about give and take" and how andrew could teach that same lesson to jean. thinking about andrew teaching jean to trust bee and telling him about what he talks to bee about. thinking about jean getting bee a glass figurine for her collection because andrew told him she likes them. thinking about bee getting jean a magnet in return. thinking about how they have like more than a foot of height difference. thinking about them bonding over making fun of kevin. thinking about jean getting to know the person who finally stood up to riko and protected neil from him. thinking about jean learning that neil went to evermore to try to protect andrew from proust. just andrew and jean okay!!!!
I need jeaneil fics now. They don’t even need to be romantic
on today’s episode or AFTG Twitter Is Ruining My Life
I need more fics where writers acknowledge the implications of Andrew's eidetic memory and fucking run with that shit
Neil asking if Andrew can tell if someone broke into their apartment and Andrew scanning everything in the room, comparing his internal Perfect Clarity Snapshots, saying no and Neil relaxing
Andrew mentally sorting his Many Snapshots of Neil Smiling and Neil Waking Up In The Morning and Neil-
Andrew reading cookbooks once and being able to feed Neil "I'll eat whatever is put in front of me - wait my preferences matter?" Josten all sorts of delicious foods
Andrew reciting books from memory to read to Neil and/or their foster kids and/or The Fox Kits even when the physical copy is nowhere to be found
Andrew bringing up a perfectly clear and accurate mental recording of Bee walking him through a grounding exercise when he has a panic attack
We need more is all I'm saying!!!
Neil strikes me as the kind of person that just like doesn’t blush. Like yeah sure he may get embarrassed a little at the Foxes’ dropped jaws when yet another pop culture reference flys over his head, but he’s so desensitized to things most people can’t fathom that I feel like he would never get flustered enough for his skin to flush.
But. Maybe it does happen sometimes.
Like when Neil complains that he feels like his feet are gonna fall off after night practice and Andrew just. picks him up. Bridal style with a deadpan face and bored eyes like he picks Neil up all the time. And Neil’s face goes red in seconds because he’s never been picked up and it was Andrew doing the picking up.
Or when Andrew shampoos his hair in the shower and takes great care not to get any shampoo in his eyes and Neil pinks at the sweetness that Andrew will deny later.
Or when Andrew insists on Neil actually using the curling gel Allison got him because his frizzy curls extend “a mile off his head”. Neil blushes when Andrew comes into the bathroom with him (cause he knows fuck all about taking care of his hair) and stares while he applies fumbles with the gel.
TLDR, I like the idea that Andrew is the only one that can truly fluster Neil and Neil is the only one who can fluster turn Andrew’s ears slightly red in turn.
NO YOU GUYS DONT GET IT.
Jean wouldn't call Jeremy with Mon cherie or mi amor, he would only use those endearing names with people he wants to piss off (cough neil) or people like catalina or laila as a friendly way!! He will use it to taunt them.
He can't fathom calling Jeremy any cheesy moniker so he instead calls him stuff like petit salaud or garce!! Everytime he sees Jeremy he flushes and lets out a string of curses in French bc he doesn't know what to do with his emotions.