The Foxhole Court Network

As a bonus for this: Obviously the parallel goes away after J.D. becomes a psycho murderer, but listen to the song “Fight for Me” from Heathers The Musical and think about Andreil and cry with me, okay?

I hope you enjoy!

–

Neil had never been a particularly heavy sleeper, his body hardwired to wake at a moment’s notice and be ready to leave. Because he had to be alert immediately upon waking, he tried to survive off as little sleep as possible, napping instead of letting himself fall into a sleep deep enough for dreaming. He didn’t succeed, of course, but when he did remember his dreams, they were filled with blood and knives and fear that crept into his waking mind and left him disoriented and shaking off the cold feeling that gripped him.

So, naturally, this dream left him…confused.

It was him and Andrew on the roof, but the edges of the dream felt hazy. Andrew sat near the ledge like always, smoking his cigarette until Neil joined him and took it out of his hands for a quick drag, watching the way Andrew’s eyes followed him.

Neil smirked. “Do you want something?”

Andrew scowled. “I told you. I don’t want anything.”

Neil nodded, his hand resting on the solid concrete next to Andrew’s leg. He hummed and said, “Do you know what I want?”

Andrew stared out at the skyline, exhaling a stream of smoke.

“I want you to fight for me.”

Andrew turned to him and when it became clear that he wasn’t going to answer, Neil continued, “I want to know I belong somewhere. And I think that place is with you, but I have to know if I mean something to you. If I’m worth keeping or of I”m just here because you made a promise and don’t want to back out.”

Andrew reached out and gestured for Neil to take his hand. Once he did, Andrew guided him to touch the pulse in his neck, the same way he did at the airport all those weeks ago. He didn’t have to say anything for Neil to understand.

Neil woke then and looked over at Andrew, surprised and pleased to find him still asleep. He watched his face and in the peaceful clarity of the morning, Neil had a realization about how hard Andrew was already fighting for him. He was at war with himself. He had to fight every instinct he had to let himself care about Neil. He had to fight to feel okay with Neil’s weight in the same bed as him. He had to trust that Neil wouldn’t hurt him.

Neil still stood by what he said to Aaron. He didn’t expect Andrew to fight for him. He wanted a lot of things, but he wouldn’t put those expectations on Andrew. He would take what Andrew could give him and Neil knew somehow that it would always be enough. He would never ask for more than Andrew was willing to give. He had already made that mistake once.

In the middle of this realization, Neil felt Andrew stir. “Staring,” he mumbled.

Neil wouldn’t describe Andrew Minyard as adorable, but his fluffy morning hair might have qualified that way. Neil put his face in his hand. “You like it.”

Andrew pushed his face to the side so he was looking away from him. “It’s too early for this shit.”

aftg meme (1/5) favourite friendships matt & neil

We decided to let loose and have fun with this ask because we are bound to leave someone out, and some of our favourite authors are very new! Here are just some of the great fics that happened this year, from established writers and ones to watch. 2020 has been a tragedy, but our AFTG fandom content flourished! - A

Also check out our staff recs and random recs tags for more of what we love, and here’s a recent ask with more of our faves from 2020.

An Incomplete Yet Numbered List of 2020 Greats in No Particular Order

1. Junior Detectives

We Used To Be Friends by gluupor [Rated M, 104576 Words, Complete, 2020] here

Neil's life is thrown into disarray when his best friend is murdered. Suddenly at the bottom of his posh high school's pecking order, Neil works with his PI father to crack the case hoping to regain some of what he lost. 

Fun Facts: This Veronica Mars AU stars Neil at his observant and manipulative best and includes enemies-to-lovers-Andreil, awkward newcomer Matt wooing polished Danielle, and 47 uses of the word kiss. 

2. Favourite Collab

Surreal But Nice by fuzzballsheltiepants, gluupor, moonix [Rated T, 35145 Words, Complete, 2020] here, podficast here

Andrew's quiet life as the owner of an independent, cat-enriched bookstore in the heart of San Francisco's hills is thrown into turmoil when Famous Actor Neil Josten stumbles into his shop. Can the call of their hearts be enough to reconcile their vastly different lives?

Fun Facts: This Notting Hill fusion is crammed full with Pining!Andrew! Ace!Neil! Grown up Foxes as a family! Fuzzy cats and feels! Old books! Socialite/Friend/Beard!Allison! And? If you ever need to write a gratuitously naked character, I highly recommend our very own Matthew Donovan Boyd. Ahem.

3. Fuzzy Mobsters

The Bachelor of Baltimore by likearecord [Rated M, 32235 Words, Complete, AFTG Exchange Winter 2020] here

Nathaniel Wesninski, the only son of the Butcher of Baltimore, has two options: choose a mob boss to marry for the benefit of the Moriyamas, or meet with an unfortunate accident. 

Fun Facts: Look, we all know who gets The Final Rose, but what a ride to get there. (That bait and switch OMG.) This fic prompted our first spontaneous random rec, and made me grab some green markers and unleash my inner badass. (Edit: please mentally insert “want to” before grab. Thank you.)

4. OMG They Were Roommates

better than nothing by Stjosten [Rated T, 9174 Words, Complete, 2020] here

Andrew’s cryptid college roommate leaves him strange post-it notes, and a red-headed bartender with a thing for street art may or may not be flirting. Andrew wanted nothing until he decides that he kind of wanted something.

Fun Fact: We love when Andrew gets what he never knew he always wanted.

5. Gay/Ace Disaster Sandwich

definitely something by bazookajo94 [Rated T, 8011 Words, Complete, 2020] here

Neil thinks he’s found a good match for Kevin in Andrew: he’s good at exy, he can tolerate Kevin at his worst, and he always turns up whenever Kevin and Neil are out and about. Neil is pretty sure Andrew is half in love with Kevin already. Andrew is, obviously, very much into Neil.

Fun Fact: If you’re not a Kevaaron fan, their budding background relationship here may change your mind.

6. Winningest Rare Pair

coming loose by djhedy [Rated T, 26338 Words, Complete, 2020] here

It's hot, and the twins are disgruntled, and Aaron can't stop hoping for things he can't have.

Fun Facts: Sethvin is sooo 2019. The kev/aaron tag on AO3 added 120 fics this year to the previous 66 (and those were a combined total from 2017-2019). Even as background characters, their made-in-nerd-heaven pairing is becoming ubiquitous. This handy online calculator says that’s an increase of 182%. (My brain said 60 something x 3 = 18, the first two digits in 186 fics in a tag = 300%. This is why I don’t do math.)

7. Blood is Thicker

progress comes in small steps series by Ominous [Rated T/E, Series, 147727 Words, Complete, 2020] here and here

Before Andrew & Neil and Aaron & Katelyn, there was Andrew & Aaron. This series tracks the ups and downs of healing a relationship that was broken from the word go. 

Fun Facts: The last work in this series is the sweet ending of a multi-course feast. Much of this collection is in Aaron’s POV, and we see his flaws and insecurities and hopes and growth and love. Neil and Katelyn get to be badasses. Neil and Andrew get to show up in full protect-our-brother mode and put on a ‘we are very rich and famous married gay athletes’ show. It’s amazing. There's therapy and Foxes. There’s Med School and Katelyn’s parents. There's Vegas. And OMG that wedding

8. Love in the Time of Corona

playing dead by flybbfly [Rated T, 6598 Words, Complete, 2020, Locked] in Staff Recs - Quarantine (they’re all 🔥), more here

Neil is miserable in quarantine with his new roommate. Slowly, they get to know each other.

Fun Fact: Our blog’s debut grew from a purr to a roar when Covid 19 slammed the brakes on life as we knew it. We were delighted by this lockdown Andreil tale from an old friend.

9. A Lunar Chronicle

Selling Meteors To Dinosaurs by moonix [Rated T, 7076 Words, Complete, 2020]

Neil pretends to be a robot in order to escape his father and the Moriyama Corp ship he's confined to. He did not count on getting sent to bot mechanic Andrew Minyard to be fixed.

Fun Facts: A fandom favourite by any measure, moonix dropped this scifi diamond straight into our hearts. No spoilers, but not everything is as it appears. 

10. Guilty Pleasure

addicted to the quiet type by passive_phantom [Rated E, 92525 Words, Incomplete, Updated December 2020] here

It starts as a bet. A really stupid bet, considering the circumstances. Neil would go to Eden's - the local BDSM club - with Kevin for two months. 'Socialization', Kevin called it. 'Making new friends'. 'Learning to act like a human fucking being for once'.

Fun Fact: We can’t resist this walk on the wild side, but you won’t catch (most of us) in the club.

11. Crack Attack

Not a Fucking Squirrel series by justadreamfox, likearecord [Rated T, 9225 Words] here (now with a part 3)

Could squirrels talk? If squirrels could transform into a boy and push abusers down the stairs, was it out of the realm of possibility that they could talk?

Fun Fact: We were already howling over this when we got a pair of asks for the crackiest crack we could find, it was our crack destiny. (“Oh. Is he a Harry Styles?” RIP me, I’m dead.)

12. Andrew Minyard, Celebrity Crush

can i get a kiss (can you make it last forever) by Talls [Rated T, 8995 Words, Complete 2020] here

In which Andrew has a podcast, and Neil falls in love with him twice.

Fun Facts: Friends-with-benefits-to-pining-to-love? Yes please. And you can try to hide greatness in a collection humbly titled “aftg au oneshots,” but just like taxes, cream rises, baby.

13. Favorite Cats Treat

A Mewment Like This by fuzzballsheltiepants [Rated T/M, Series, 38784 Words, Incomplete, Updated July 2020] here

A well-loved ongoing series that started with strangers who both coincidentally owned a “cat with the weird name” meeting in a vet clinic, progressed to a blossoming friendship, and is heading towards more.

Fun Facts: WHAT A TREAT to get an installment of this series this year! It’s full of warmth and humour, and just enough angst to keep us on our toes. And like. Can we talk about that cliff hanger? And what is up with Jean?

14. Bad Boys

Dark necessities by boybeaulieu [Rated M, 20780 Words, Complete, 2020] here

The Small Town AU where Andrew Minyard has a reputation, Neil is helplessly infatuated and bound to get his heart broken.

Fun Facts: There were plenty of fics that caused A Stir in our fox house this year, but this stands out to me. Partly because I let myself fall into exactly three WIPs in 2020 (ok MAYBE five), but also because I love our fandom trope where a hard Neil will gut you without remorse but Andrew is almost always gruff and bluster but soft on the inside. Plus, he’s hot and misunderstood, ok??

15. Boys in Skirts

Vintage au! by 5a5b5p5 [Rated M/E/T, Series, 11217 Words, Updated Oct 2020] part 2 here

Andrew Minyard is a bored model taking NYC by storm. One day, he stumbles upon a vintage shop run by a mysterious man with a seemingly infinite supply of secrets — and skirts.

Fun Fact: We had many asks for boys in skirts this year, and this series is a little gem. To skip the smut, you can safely read parts 1 and 3.

16. Record Breaker

Blame It on My Youth by youreyestheyglow [Rated E, 446038 Words, Incomplete, Updated Dec 2020] here

10 years after the end of The King's Men, Andrew and Neil have decided to foster a kid. They have low expectations for themselves--they're not exactly ideal parenting material--but at the very least, the kid will be safe with them. But neither Andrew nor Neil do temporary very well.

Fun Facts: This megafic blew past fandom legend ‘Armies’ to clinch its 2020 spot of third-longest work in our fandom! Here are the stats on the current top five: 1. ‘Black as is the Raven, He’ll Get a Partner’ by nekojita, 644k here, 2. ‘Way Down We Go’ by nekojita, 621k here, 3. ‘Blame It on My Youth’ by youreyestheyglow, 446k WIP, 4. ‘Armies’ by nekojita, 342k here, and 5. ‘The Unkindness of Ravens’ by crazy_like_a, 306k WIP here. 

For further comparison, some famous published works in the 400k words range include 'The Stand' (uncut version) and ‘It’ by Stephen King, ‘Infinite Jest’ by David Foster Wallace, ‘A Storm of Swords’ by George R.R. Martin, and ‘Gone with the Wind’ by Margaret Mitchell (source). All of those clock in around 1,000 pages. And? We continue to poke each other when a new chapter of BIOMY comes out. (Also? Can I still be a stan if I have to pretend to know fics by their acronyms?)

17. Final Curtain

Red Rabbits: Season 2 by bloodydamnit, jeni182 [Rated M, 282064 Word, Complete 2020] here, plus ‘Behind The Pod’ has been recc’d several times, for favourite smut, Seth redemption, Kevin-centric, Matt processing his past, and Aaron-centric with the diminutive doctor battling Covid. Find several art pieces by @bloodydamnit here and the playlist here.

You’re listening to Season Two of Red Rabbits, the Case of the Newark 9. My name is Robin Cross. I’m number 8. And I survived. Season 2 has Neil Josten joining TFN to catch the predator who had kidnapped a young Robin Cross (a Fox from Nora’s extra content, tw: dark) and is still abducting girls. Come for the gripping, immersive crime drama with the accompanying staff blog @redrabbitspod where fans can go ham (to give you an idea, we featured a storytime with Neil post here). Stay for the relationships between the Foxes and their lives and loves. And the always and forever Andreil flame that stutters and nearly goes out, but then burns bright and true. 

Fun Facts: Once more for emphasis: the Red Rabbits Universe can be considered nothing short of an AFTG fandom phenomenon. The original ‘Red Rabbits’ true crime podcast drama (here) exploded onto the scene in 2019 as we met The Foxhole Network (TFN) family through their story and blog, @redrabbits-season-1. ‘Red Rabbits: Season 2’ threaded in current events including international tragedies, movements, politics, and the all-too-real global pandemic adding soul and pathos and depth and the urgency that comes from messy realities reported in real time.

The creators have said there will not be a season three, but Neil just landed his dream job and Andrew’s writing a book, and even Sir and King have something to purr about, so we have a sneaking suspicion that the Minyard-Jostens will find a way keep us fans posted in one form or another.

18. Bonus: Animated Attitudes

foxhole twins animation by @marxandria

Andreil during quarantine by @book.fanarts on Instagram (@bookfanarts)

Fun Fact: It’s just. So them. Endlessly watchable.

That’s All, Folks!

Headshot #commission finished! 

andrew manyard

andrew minyird

Neil taking pictures of moments when he’s happiest. This one is just for them to see, though

Also happy birthday, me! 

Nicky: neil where r u?

Neil: Home

That dad thing where he just