…Andrew And Neil Moved Like They Were Caught In Each Other’s Gravity, In Each Other’s Space More

reference photo

Just occurred to me that during the Revelation Scene, Neil says "you like me" instead of "you're attracted to me" and I'm wondering if it's because in his lil demisexual brain, the only way he could reasonably articulate his understanding of the situation wasn't "you wanna fuck me" but instead "you enjoy my existence" because "blowjob" held very little value or interest to him but "positive regard" absolutely did and I just-

Jean is not a delicate little butterfly that’s been trampled into the mud. He’s a chained dragon that’s been trampled into the mud, and the chains are off now. No one else could survive what he went through for as long as he did, certainly not with any trace of spirit or heart still intact. No wonder Jean feels so unseen. Not because people can’t see his pain… but because that’s ALL they’re seeing. How frustrating to prove yourself unbreakable only to be always seen as something broken. He’s faced the darkest fires of hell and survived, but everyone’s focussed on his still-smoking wounds instead of his still-beating heart. This man is a warrior. It’s his enemies they should feel sorry for.

fox tweets (pt 2.5) ((ft. jeremy))

"omg those are the exy monsters they're so scary"

you mean nicky? with a mortgage, husband and two kids?

neil? canonically a math nerd who enjoys cross country?

aaron? the pre-med student dating a cheerleader?

kevin? worlds first almond-mom-history-nerd?

andrew? the boundary respecting ice cream addict?

like yeah ok they've killed people but like also they have a cheese drawer so just calm down, be respectful, and don't start punching people - you'll be fine.

I will say that at the heart of Jeremy and Neil's stiff attitudes towards the other is that they are worried about Jean. Jeremy sees Neil show up at a bad time and take Jean out and brings him back an even bigger mess, so of course he would be a little put off. And when Neil showed up, he saw Jean all beat up and immediately asked Jean in French if the Trojans did this to him. It will all probably be cleared up, maybe, but i love that they are so protective of Jean. 🥺

Something I've never seen pointed out in the aftg fandom is a certain aspec of the scene where Neil and Andrew are sleeping together in the cabin and Renee knocks on the door. We talk about how great it is that Neil reaches for a gun and hits Andrew's arm instead - something that will still protect him.

But can we appreciate that Andrew was asleep? Andrew who we see sleeping through a lot of different things from team meetings to bus rides, but will wake up violently when he's touched. When Renee knocks, its described as a tap of her nails. I don't see that actually waking Andrew, but Neil touching his arm in a desperate search for a gun? That would wake him up, but Andrew doesn't lash out at Neil. He just looks at him before getting out of bed.

Now, Andrew could have already been awake and Neil didn't know it or maybe a tap of nails did wake him, but I think Andrew was asleep. I think even then Andrew trusted Neil more than anyone knew. I think he kept reminding himself about Neil's presence before falling asleep (to the point he put his arm under Neil's pillow) so he wouldn't react violently when Neil inevitably shifted and touched him in his sleep. I think he used Neil's head on his arm as a grounding technique because he didn't want to risk hurting Neil when he was already so injured and he just likes being close to him. And I think this moment speaks volumes to Andrew's healing and just how much he loves his feral boyfriend.

Just once, I need Neil to get angry at Andrew for being so careless with his life. Just once, I need Neil to make Andrew understand that the terror Andrew felt that night in Baltimore, when Neil walked willingly into death's cold embrace without telling a soul what was waiting for him, or at the championship game, when Riko's racquet came within inches of crushing Neil's skull-

That's the very same terror Neil feels when Andrew walks a little too close to the edge of the roof. It's the same terror Neil feels when Andrew speeds a little too fast in the Mas, when he weaves between cars like he's got a death wish. Its the same terror Neil feels when, after Aaron's trial, Andrew drinks a little too much and disappears for a little too long, and he doesn't leave a note and he won't answer Neil's calls, but he took the car and nobody knows where he is until he miraculously turns up at Wymack's at nearly five in the morning.

I need Andrew to realize that as terrified as he is of losing Neil, Neil is just as terrified of losing him.

many obvious reasons that andrew found it so surreal coming back after getting sober and finding neil still there but one of the ones nobody talks about is neil’s reaction to the nest. like he just straight up did not care. yeah weeks of torture no big deal. like that has to be a headfuck… kevin is shitscared at even the mention of the nest & andrew knows the depth of kevin’s fear more than anyone and neil comes back looking like a different person with a million fresh injuries & is just like yea whatever :/ ??? ?? ???? andrew had to have been thinking who the fuck is this guy and just how Stupid is he. no wonder he hates him

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.