@jensen57 @jingerhead @twirlingflurry This is all your fault. Enjoy the novel.
I will start this off by saying, write whatever the hell you want. I don't have to interact with it. But also really think long and hard about why you are writing them that way. Why do you need to change these characters so completely to enjoy them? So yes write whatever you want, but also think a little when you do.
This is all in reference to this post for context. Now I will rant.
I hate to be mean but I think some of you need the actual slap in the face that is there is no justification for this whatsoever. Whatever "oh he's overcoming his trauma, oh he's friends with her because this and that, oh it's because he's allowed to now," bullshit you want to come up with is worthless to anyone who has any grasp on the characters and their personalities.
Neil avoids Allison for pretty much the entire series. He barely even likes her. The only time they interact in canon is when it is actually necessary for them to do so. The one time they're ever alone is when he has to ride with her and they literally do not say a word to each other. He never seeks her out, even for the coverup in TRK. Wymack sends him. On top of all of that, she is also the person who outed him and Andrew to their entire team against their will not even 2 days after a very traumatic event solely to win money. And you can argue that they don't really care because they don't acknowledge it at the time, but I will calmly direct you to the scene at the cabin when it is brought up again at a much less traumatic and stressful time and both him and Andrew react very negatively to it.
Neil also hates shopping, and gossip, and drama. So tell me where exactly their personalities and interests line up. And listen I know that she is a deeper character than that but I am speaking solely to these situations where they also tend to erase her personality too. And I am all for hc's where she cuts his hair or her and Nicky (who canonically enjoys it) shop for him. But please explain to me where exactly "Neil's bestie Allison picked him up for a goss sesh and then they went to the mall." fits into canon. Literally one example. AND very very importantly. Neil isn't gay, he is demisexual. GBFs are already a harmful stereotype, so maybe don't erase an ace characters identity and his canon character in general to fit him into the role of one. Like seriously what the fuck.
Getting into that more, since when has Neil been this hyperfeminine allo "sassy bitch" who blushes when someone looks at him. I will say this, I think a lot of us in the fandom recognize that it has grown a lot in the last year and there are a lot of young fans now who probably should not have read it. But they did, and now they're here. And now Neil goes skirt shopping because they fit his slender waist and long legs oh so well. Oh wait, Neil's 5'3. Oh wait, Neil's a man. Oh wait, since when did he ever express anything but anxiety and discomfort about showing his scars. Sorry, I just forgot that the entirety of canon and Neil's characterization exists for a second there. On that note, the word blush (or any variant) doesn't exist in canon outside of describing 1) exertion (you know from the sport they play that requires strength that might, just maybe, mean Neil is muscular) and 2) Maria Hemmick being a horrible person. And then I read one of these posts and someone looks at Neil and he flushes red. Since when. I feel like I don't need to explain how that is ooc.
In that same vein, what is with the characterization of Andreil as a whole in these. Andreil is just such a special ship. They go against pretty much every relationship norm. They fit so well together because they are so similar. Neil is just about as emotionless as Andrew throughout the books in case anyone forgot. But because they've turned him into this hyperfeminine caricature Andrew now needs to fit into the strong manly uncommunicative toxic boyfriend who will Defend At All Costs and like mf growls now. People don't growl so what the fuck is with that. In reality, Andrew lets Neil handle his own problems. Because Neil can handle his own problems. I don't know why I need to stress that when it is canon and obvious. He doesn't need Andrew to throw someone out the window because they looked at his scars wrong in the crop top he and Allison bought. As you can probably guess he doesn't because that would never actually happen if he were in character, but I'll reiterate it here anyways for the sake of ranting. They also fucking talk to each other. I don't know where y'all got the idea that Andrew never asks questions or like says words to Neil when he is so serious about consent (as he should be) and half the reason anyone bet on them being a thing in AFTG was because Neil is the only one he talks to most of the time.
On to other topics.
I like Matt in canon. He's an interesting character who has overcome a lot. But I cannot stand him in fanon most of the time. He literally acts like the fucking dog from UP half the time and that is the only way I can describe it. Yes, he is friends with Neil. Yes, he is also kind. You know what he also is? He's a recovering addict. He's a flawed person just like every fox. He's a traumatized person just like every fox. He has an actual personality and life outside of being nice to Neil. Maybe consider giving him that next time.
KevAaron just kinda spontaneously appeared out of the depths of hell and I don't know how to shove it back in there. I have met young fans that ship it exclusively (yes, instead of Andreil). I'm fairly certain people just went "ah here is a character we haven't tried to ship Kevin with yet" and ran with it. They never once have direct dialog in the entire series, despite living together, being in the same group, being on the same team, and partying together. Apparently they "have similar trauma" but like guys.. if that is the only link you have for a ship I have very very many questions. Especially if you're going to bash KevThea for the same reason (I don't ship KevThea either pls don't come for me I'm just making a point). If you feel the need to break up KateAaron's happy, healthy canon relationship to shove a character into an mlm ship that has absolutely no bearing in canon and basically requires it to be written ooc please reconsider that ship.
I will end this by saying, in the nicest way possible:
If you need to change so much about the characters to enjoy them and the series, did you really enjoy the series?
oliver wood crying after they lost the quidditch match and ignoring that harry almost died gives off VERY strong kevin day and neil josten vibes except lets be real, neil would be more upset about losing than almost dying too
i have so many emotions about One Riko Moriyama, because on one hand i hate him so much but in the other hand, every single time he appeared in the book i just...loved it. cause he added this tension and always progressed the plot. it was just so good yknow? like he’s a little bastard and if he were real i’d hate his guts on i instinct but as a character/ piece of fiction, i find him really interesting to think about. anyways:your thoughts? not just on this but like, riko in general?
(sorry for such a long ask ┌(-.-)┐)
riko moriyama is a little bitch and i hate him, but i absolutely agree with that. he’s a terrible person and i was almost as excited as neil when he died, but i also absolutely loved the almost feral side of neil he brought out. riko prompted so many iconic lines, and i was genuinely excited when i got to scenes that had him in them. that could be because i’m a sucker for angst
overall, i hate riko in terms of actual qualities. he wasn’t even a villain i could sympathize with, because he just genuinely enjoyed causing pain and terror for no other reason than that it was fun. but i loved the added angst and drama he brought to the series, it definitely enhanced some of aftg’s best qualities and made it that much more interesting
you said i could send more asks (and i just thought of this so) what do you think of the extra content? ive seen a lot of mixed views but everyone mostly disregards it so i was just wondering what parts you liked and what parts you didnt
sorry for two asks in a row but xfjrsfbjgrukgv i’m curious
yeah, seriously send them whenever! they always make me happy :)
as a general rule, i accept the things that are set pre-canon and most canon-timeline stuff (why andrew’s afraid of heights, that kevin noticed andreil first, renee’s past, etc). the stuff that i don’t love (mostly post-canon), i tend to view as headcanons rather than stuff that would happen in the canon universe. like the no renison, no jerejean, twinyards growing apart - i don’t vibe with those, but i respect that other people might
some of the post-canon stuff that i do like is the cats, robin, how andreil navigates intimacy (besides the no hugging), and andrew sleeping w his back to the wall, among others. i also don’t actually mind the no marriage thing for them, and i’m passive about the no “i love you”s
idk! i’m pretty indifferent about most of it. i was just excited to have more content from the author! i pick and choose what i want to consider canon, and i just disregard the rest :)
love your hcs!!!! do you think you write one about the legacy neil left at palmetto and with the foxes. like he goes back when wymack retires. and next to where he carved his and andrews initials into the bed post just before andrew left, there’s other foxes initials and he sort of unknowingly created a tradition. or like eventually he gets his old exy racquet back from the cops and it sits at the court and before a game he slapped it so so did the rest of the team and has become a team ritual
hi anon - thank you so much! sorry for the delay, this week has really been something skhdskgjhd but i hope you enjoy <3 i had lots of fun with this :)
years down the line, wymack is retiring (dan will be taking over for him)
neil and andrew are still playing pro together, but there’s a lull in their training and it’s nearing the end of the collegiate exy season, so they drive to palmetto together
andrew says he’s only going because he doesn’t want to have to deal with the cats alone
“you were alone with them for two weeks last year”
andrew pretends he doesn’t hear him
and then neil and andrew are standing outside wymack’s apartment, unannounced, and he grumbles that “at least you didn’t break in this time” but there’s fondness in his tone and he ushers them in
they have a night of comfortable chatter and silences, and andrew grabs the alcohol from the same cabinet it’s always been in. it’s familiar, and neil falls asleep on wymack’s couch with a smile on his face and andrew curled up on top of next to him
and the next day, neil and andrew go to fox tower, and they walk the stairs that they know as well as they know each other
they get to the third floor, and a small group of foxes is leaving their dorm room, the one that used to belong to neil and andrew, when they see the two and just. freeze.
it’s nothing new to be recognized by fans, but it’s weird for it to happen somewhere that feels like home. they tolerate it and ask if they could go into their old dorm room
the young foxes scramble to let them in and frantically pick up clothes and throw away trash to give the room some semblance of tidiness. neil and andrew don’t care
the bean bag chairs are gone, but there are still faint ash stains on the windowsill, and the crystal-clear memories of long since faded moments wash over neil
they drift over to the bedroom, and the young foxes leave them be as they silently make their way to the bunk. neil gingerly sits down onto his old mattress, andrew right beside him
andrew catches neil’s attention by tracing the carvings of their initials on the bed post, then trailing his finger down an array of other scrawled letters below. other initials, carved by foxes who came after them, and a smile ghosts over neil’s face because,,, he stopped running and he left solid evidence behind and people actually continued it after he was gone ?? and it’s such a weird thought but he loves it
he asks the young foxes if there’s anything else that continued after he left
they show him the roof, fitted with new locks that have also since been sabotaged. it looks like their secret spot was less secret than they thought, but at least someone’s still enjoying it
they proudly demonstrate how they’ve all memorized neil’s riko roast which baffles him because that was never even televised ?? where did they hear it ????
andrew ofc will never tell him that he transcribed it when nicky asked him to. he doesn’t even really know why he listened, so there’s no way he’s ever going to try to explain it to neil
all of them have orange bandanas, which is a tradition that started neil’s second year and has apparently continued ever since
they don’t know that that’s where it started so they don’t mention it, but neil noticed from games
they take neil and andrew to the court and show them the two lucky racquets (the drake one they got back from evidence when the case was closed and the one andrew used to shatter riko’s arm) and they all absent-mindedly tap them on their way in
it used to be a thing the foxes would only do before games, but slowly spread to. every single time they go to the court
apparently it’s also become custom for them to link arms on to way back to the bus after games, after neil’s kidnapping from binghampton
it took a while for them to get the order of the line right bc if they’re not careful, their attempt at keeping each other safe becomes a fist fight
bonus (not one of neil’s legacies): dan’s photo wall continues! they don’t ever take down pictures of the older foxes, just keep squeezing more pictures in. it expands beyond only one wall to every wall of the foyer, and they’re still having trouble finding room. sometimes they have to pile photos on top of each other
they also mention that movie nights are still a thing! they’re bi-weekly, and they always try to find a classic movie that at least one of the foxes has never seen bc of a shitty childhood
night practices are also still happening. not everyone goes every night, but a couple of the keeners do
“junkies”
neil is,,, stunned, honestly. he didn’t ever imagine he could have this concrete of an impact, didn’t think he could keep existing in a place even after he left it
before, he’d never wanted to be remembered. the idea slowly became more bearable over the years, but this is,,, he never expected anything like this
it’s overwhelming and it’s wonderful and he loves it
and later that night, neil and andrew go up to their rooftop (there are two young foxes up there that scurry away as soon as they realize who stepped onto the roof)
and as they look out over the city, hands linked, neil’s heart feels so light and he can’t get rid of - doesn’t want to get rid of - the smile that seems to be glued to his face, even through the pang of nostalgia - another new feeling
and neil and andrew sit under the comforting blanket of the night and talk into the darkness
just like old times
and it’s comfortable and familiar and once upon a time, neil wished that it would never end
but now? now, neil knows that while he may leave,,, this will never end. not really
as he sits under the stars next to the man with whom he will spend the rest of his life, neil knows the memories and whispers of the past live on through love and legacies
neil. buddy. my guy. you got through christmas at evermore with riko moriyama, but concerned teammates are what you can’t survive. sir, wtf
(the king’s men, pg. 16, ch. 1)
damn😍🤤
Andrew commission
DO NOT USE OR REPOST
Instagram: @ deetrinity
Apparently this is a Broadway play, but all I can think of is Katelyn 😂
this is so perfect pls- i will be rereading this fic forever
nanatsuy gift for @twirlingflurry
“My child is fine” your child runs a AFTG blog on tumblr
Andrew: Picking locks is my specialty.
Andrew: *throws brick through window*
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