Couples That Give Me Off The Same Vibes

the sexual tension between me and unread books on my bookshelf

I know this is not new information, but I've seen a fresh wave of people confused about what the fuck Andrew planned to do as a 5'0 man with a knife against the literal mafia, so.

I think the fact that neither Neil nor Kevin lost their faith in Andrew’s ability to protect them after he was attacked by Drake (unable to stand his ground against a single man with a bottle, let alone the Yakuza/Nathan with their guns) is the best proof we have that the deal was never about physical protection. This is confirmed by the way Neil never expects Andrew to save him from his father, in fact cuts him loose before Baltimore as soon as danger is truly near.

Andrew is a pretty self-aware character, and he wouldn't make promises he knows he can't possibly see through, so I think he knows what Kevin and Neil also know: what they need from him, and thus what he promises, is not physical protection.

To Kevin, he promises safety from the Moriyamas, and the way we see him enact that safety (at Kathy's show, at the banquet) shows exactly what it's about: when Riko starts getting into your head, when he makes you doubt yourself, makes you think maybe you should go back to Evermore, I won't let you. I will get you away from him, I will treat him like he's just some dude to remind you that you can face him without kneeling. I will be your spine until you find your own, I will stand my ground for you until you can do it yourself.

That's why the scene when Kevin gets to the dorm with his tattoo and Andrew's eyes show so much feeling is huge not just for Kevin but for Andrew: because that was the whole point of their deal, Kevin has found his spine, Andrew bought him the space and time to do it.

To Neil, he promises safety from the people hunting him down, and that means: I will give you something to build a life around (keys, drives to nightly exy practices, someone to lean on, someone who will listen without flinching). When you feel like running, I will be someone you can call to come pick you up. When you forget, I will remind you who you are: Neil Abram Josten.

Andrew stands between Kevin and Riko and between Neil and his father not as an impenetrable wall but as an obstacle in their vision: not shield but focal point.

(Makes me think of that scene in The Haunting of Hill House, Hugh holding Steven's neck to keep him from looking at the ghosts, saying, Look at me, just look at me, keep your eyes on me. That's what Andrew’s constantly doing --even literally, when Kevin is spiralling after Wymack tells the team about the district change and Andrew makes him look away from his broken hand and up at him).

new genre of favourite character: normally apathetic teenager who gets absolutely unhinged when in the presence of dangerous substances

Sometimes I sit and wonder about the paralels in AFTG and I go like "Woooow Nora's brain" yk?

So here are some of them:

•Jean and Andrew both having suicidal ideations, being number 3, not showing their emotions on the outside but feeling so much on the inside (AND letting people think they doesn't care), protecting Kevin (and others in general) and not accepting help until the situation is critical.

•Andrew and Riko both being separated from their families at birth and creating one by force, Andrew doing it mostly for others while Riko did it for himself.

•Renee and Neil growing up in mafia/gang enviroment and scaping it, the whole Nathaniel/Nathalie thing.

•Matt and Aaron growing up with neglecful parents and them being the reason of their addictions (to similar things also) and being "helped" with that by Andrew's questionable means.

•Nicky and Allison being shunned by their parents for being themselves, forgetting all the other things they did to make them proud and loved.

•Seth and Neil trying to blend in (in different ways but still), dealing with jelousy and then Seth dying his last year with the Foxes and Neil who thought he was gonna die his first year surviving.

There are much more but I can't think of all of them now and didn't write them the last time I thought about this. For me it's awsome how maybe a little desition, a person, a moment... can turn you in an entire different person and this books show that SOOO WELL!!

it if I had a nickel for every YA book with two deeply traumatized and touch starved characters exploring their intimacy behind a closed bathroom door during a critical turning point in the plot while their friends are chilling outside I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot but it’s weird it happened twice

the original crows trio is amazing because jesper is so excitable and bubbly and inej has more heart than all of ketterdam put together and yet both of them have chosen as their favourite person a mean little guy with the temperament of a wet cat

MY BROTHER, MY KILLER

Diana Nguyen Ghost Of // William Shakespeare The Tempest // 僕のヒーローアカデミア My Hero Academia cr. Kohei Horikoshi // unknown // unknown // @nathanielorion // Madds Buckley Brother // 僕のヒーローアカデミア My Hero Academia cr. Kohei Horikoshi // Jennifer Saint Ariadne // Leonard Cohen Famous Blue Raincoat // The Crane Wives Icarus // unknown // Clive Barker The Hellbound Heart // 僕のヒーローアカデミア My Hero Academia cr. Kohei Horikoshi // Natalie Diaz When My Brother Was an Aztec // Taylor Swift The Best Day // Joshua A. Krisch Brother, Sister, Rival, Friend: The Longstanding Effects of Sibling Relationships // 僕のヒーローアカデミア My Hero Academia cr. Kohei Horikoshi

Bam meeting the Family Heads:

Andrew Minyard core

TW/ BLOOD

MONSTER