I Write Things I Guess

I’m glad Kevin lived in canon and didn’t die like he does in half of the drafts for many reasons. And one of them is most definitely I don’t think I’d have survived having to watch Andrew grieve Kevin.

Just…Riko shooting Kevin instead of Neil which is heartbreaking enough. But then you have Andrew holding Kevin in his arms practically begging him to stay with him.

Even going so far as to use the word he hate because Andrew would do anything if it meant Kevin got back up. But it didn’t work when he was 7 and it won’t work now.

He has to sit and watch the light drain from Kevin’s eyes knowing that when Kevin needed him the most Andrew failed to protect him.

He broke his promise.

He told Kevin he’d never let Riko take him away and he’s bleeding out on the Raven’s court with a bullet in his chest all because Andrew wasn’t fast enough.

Security having to physically hold Andrew back to take Kevin away from him cause he just won’t let go. Andrew losing all of his usual composure, he’s screaming, he’s shouting and demanding that they give Kevin back to him.

The only person who can reach him is Aaron but just barely. Neil’s a wreck who’s trying to pick with a fight with Riko and the rest of the Foxes are right behind him.

And Wymack has to stand there watching Kevin get carted away and Andrew breaking down in his twins arms realising he’s lost two of his kids in one day.

But because Kevin idolises him so much.

There’s a poster of him on Kevin’s side of their dorm room and not even the threat of Riko’s wrath can quell Kevin’s incessant rambling and praise for the Trojans captain.

He’s jealous he’s so fucking jealous and everyone knows it except for Kevin who obviously sees Riko as above everyone else in a league of his own and can’t be compared to anyone.

On that though I do love the idea of Kevin and Riko being in a secret relationship that was as unhealthy and controlling as you’d expect to be. And then Kevin ends up in the Foxes with a broken hand along with a broken heart.

It’s there he starts to learn what it truly means to be loved and valued beyond his skills at Exy.

Though the truth of his and Riko’s relationship doesn’t come out until Kevin gets absolutely plastered at Edens for the first time. He’s sat there rambling about Riko coming to get him and what he’ll do to him when he does.

When Andrew questions him later Kevin is more concerned about the others knowing he’s in relationship (or was…he’s not sure anymore) with Riko than the details about the abuse he let out.

No one at the Nest knew…not even Jean.

To him the details don’t matter but it matters to Andrew it matters a lot.

Kevin never talks about it on his own accord Andrew grows to know him well enough to know if and when Kevin will answer him. He keeps a mental note about everything Kevin says on the subject.

“I can’t say no to Riko.”

It paints a horrifying picture and if Andrew stands that just bit closer to Kevin after such revelations and after every session with Bee, well that’s between them.

Kevin doesn’t really get what the fuss is about there’s not much he can do after swearing each and every player to secrecy. It’d ruin Riko’s reputation and Kevin’s as well if the world found out they were closer then they should be.

He gets used to Nicky’s annoying need to ruffle his hair and Andrew being able to stop the world around him by placing a hand on the back of his neck.

This is love.

It’s strange that it doesn’t hurt.

Then Neil comes along and with him so does Riko. Kevin is a nervous wreck, he can’t eat, he can’t sleep, Andrew is the only thing keeping him together. He’s drinking more until every dark shadow in the room looks like Riko.

Neil doesn’t find out until after the Kathy Ferdinand show. When Riko pins Kevin against the wall and Kevin practically goes limp against him. There’s a sweetness to his voice as he talks about how much he missed him but there’s venom behind every word.

Neil puts the pieces together in record time and practically pushes Riko off of Kevin as hard as he can. Kevin crumbles to his knees and Riko begins to attack Neil. It’s only than does Kevin get the will to fight back and gets elbowed right in the face for it.

Andrews smile has never looked so cruel when he surveys the sight.

Kevin falls apart the moment they’re alone and Andrew as always puts him back together. He gives Neil a chat earlier on the rooftop and it becomes an unspoken promise between the two of them to keep Kevin safe.

Feelings start to blossom and Kevin feels incredibly guilty about it because Riko would be pissed if he knew. But Andrew makes him feel safe and home starts to feel like watching old Exy tapes with Neil.

Court after hours feels like the only time he can truly breathe again and maybe it won’t last forever but Kevin wishes he could stay here.

and i would've gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling... monsters???

CONTENT ID UNDER CUT

Kevin learns Neil’s secrets and knows he has no future but he promises to train him every night. Cause he cares about Neil and he cares about Andrew. He doesn’t want to lose either of them. Not his old friend and not the boy who’d follow him through hell itself simply because he asked him too.

Kevin was always there watching the walls between them start to crumble, the late night practices they were both always there for, the way Andrew softens even if he’d never admit it.

Kevin knew he could never be what Andrew needed. His days in the light were numbered and Riko had laid his claim on him long ago. Neil was in a similar position but if anyone could defy fate it was him.

He could run as far as he could but Andrew would never let him go.

Maybe Riko decides to finally come and collect his run away bird. And being the sadistic fuck that he is wants to make it hurt as much as possible. So he tells Kevin to go give his dear old dad one last hug for the road.

And is very amused to find out “oh you didn’t tell him did you? Ever the little coward aren’t we Kevin? Well, go on we haven’t got all day.”

Everyone knowing the next words to come out of Kevin’s mouth are the truth because he can’t say no to Riko. And it’s so Riko to give Kevin the dad that he could never have only to then tear Kevin away from him.

Maybe Kevin dies during that final game against the Ravens like he does in the drafts. Perhaps it’s in his will because he always knew his days were numbered one way or another.

Or maybe Neil has to be the one to break the news when all is said and done. Either to Wymack himself or (knowing his luck) on live TV to people trying to besmirch Kevin’s legacy after his death.

And then seeing Wymack’s face when the cameras cut.

Some AFTG sillies

How he immediately understood Reo’s importance to Nagi with a few vague words, and his “Nagi..” in the extra from the end of 2nd sel. when Nagi was worried abt Reo.

When Zantetsu asks Nagi why he plays soccer and Nagi responds "It's because of Reo, or more like Reo's fault", he's immediately intrigued. He understands that there must be more to Nagi's feelings.

When Nagi goes on to say "All I'm doing is tagging along", Zantetsu doesn't take his words at face value and assume Nagi is just going with the flow like he's saying. Instead, he sees Nagi saying he's there because of Reo, and understands that Nagi wouldn't be there if he didn't want to or had no reason due to his objection to hard work.

Taking these things into account, Zantetsu concludes that "It's Reo's fault" and "I'm tagging along" means Nagi is most likely here because he likes Reo, and asks his next question under that assumption. "What's so great about that guy? (that you would go so far for him)"

He reads inbetween the lines. Nagi never said he liked Reo and did all this because he liked him. But Zantetsu heard these things and immediately clocked Nagi’s dedication

Then when Nagi said Reo was the first to show interest in him, Zantetsu says Nagi may be weird but he’s not a bad guy. And I think that’s him acknowledging Nagi’s gratefulness toward Reo, and the dedication that results from that.

Something Reo still hasn't understood throughout Nagi and Reo's entire friendship, Zantetsu understood in a short conversation. We can compare this to when Reo had a similar interaction with Nagi.

You could say Nagi's being even more direct here. (Direct, for him). "I don't wanna play soccer but being with you isn't a pain, so its fine" This pretty heavily implies that Nagi only plays soccer/endures it because he enjoys Reo's company. Reo doesn't get this. To be fair to him though, it's always a harder thing to get when it happens to you, as opposed to when you're an outsider.

I think Zantetsu has a point when he says truly smart people are too kind to point out the dumbness of others. In the sense that nagi and reo have no problem being mean girls TM and they are very emotionally immature, despite being geniuses. (Or maybe because..?)

He never steals shots Isagi (Or ANYBODY else) is definitely going to make.

And when he keeps the ball to himself instead of not passing. It's not because of a stubbornness of 'oNLy i cAn sCoRe' it's because he has the skill and ability to break through and make the shot himself.

Not to mention the fact he realised he was getting codependent to play with Isagi and broke that shit off so quickly AND still continue being not stuck up about it. And was still friends with Isagi.

In a way Bachira Doesn't let his ego / his monster fuck up his game. Only uses it to fire himself up.

Hot take but he's quite literally, possibly, the sanest and well adjusted in terms of football philosophy and play on the field.