gray’s essential aftg fics
hi friends! i made a list of all my favorite aftg (read: andreil) fics to recommend to whoever wants them! all of these are either complete or regularly updating, so no waiting for a chapter that will never come. enjoy, and make sure to leave the authors a comment!
never fallen (from quite this high) by crystalcrow
For most people, a problem is a matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful that needs to be dealt with or overcome.
For Andrew Minyard, it’s the word that fits Neil Josten with a capital P.
(or, aftg from andrew’s pov)
Chapters: 43/43, Words: 352140
why i like it: i'm a slut for andrew's pov, so this fic is kind of my everything. bonus points for being an alternate way to reread the series.
Every Time a Bell Rings by fuzzballsheltiepants
Nathaniel has been lost since his mother died. According to the authorities, he died too, in the shootout that killed his father. In reality, he's been dragging himself along from town to town, sleeping on the streets, lacking even a name. He's not sure how he's been surviving, or if it's even worth it anymore.
Andrew has been stuck in the waiting room of the Afterlife, reading the same stupid pamphlets and listening to the same terrible music, ever since he was collateral damage in the car wreck that eliminated his mother. Until he gets a chance to take over the guardianship of one particularly difficult person and possibly earn his wings--if he can keep the idiot alive.
Basically, an It's a Wonderful Life AU featuring our favorite Foxes.
Chapters: 17/17, Words: 56704
why i like it: it's sad, funny, and heartwarming, much like the inspiration.
Fencing with Reality by fuzzballsheltiepants
What do you do when you're bored out of your skull during social distancing and a spider has just taken up residence in your living room? If you're Andrew Minyard, you take up fencing and end up meeting someone who you can't get out of your head - even if you've never actually seen their face.
Chapters: 1/1, Words: 7230
why i like it: pandemic or no pandemic, taking up a new hobby because there's a spider in your house is both hilarious and ridiculously valid.
Magesong by fuzzballsheltiepants
Ten years ago, Neil and his mother fled from his violent Fire mage father, leaving the kingdom of Ravenar and his childhood friends behind. Now alone, his magic stripped from him, Neil finds himself a spoil of war, sold by the new king of Ravenar into marriage with the prince of Palmetto in an attempt to buy peace. Nothing goes quite as he expects: he regains his lost magic, makes new friends, and reconnects with old ones. But even as he starts to form a magical bond with Prince Andrew, a threat lurks on the horizon, and he must stop it before war breaks out again.
Chapters: 13/13, Words: 54753
why i like it: magic! but also the positive arranged marriage. mostly the magic tho.
light fires at night (to push back the void) by inthesea (now archived)
The first time Andrew realizes he wants to hear the words, Neil isn’t even doing anything. He’s just sitting there, staring at the horizon with that stupidly dramatic faraway expression of his, and letting the cigarette burn down between his fingers all the way to the filter — an outrageous waste of good nicotine, if you asked Andrew.
(Or: 20+ times Andrew and Neil say I love you, and one time they say it out loud.)
Chapters: 3/3, Words: 61862
why i like it: a very good development of neil and andrew over the years. it's just satisfying.
The Bachelor of Baltimore by likearecord
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. He thought he had it worked out. And then Andrew Minyard walked into his life.
Chapters: 5/5, Words: 32235
why i like it: it's a (slightly nicer) look at what neil might have been like if mary had never ran, and while we don't support the mafia, it's interesting to see how the foxes might have fit into that world.
Point Nemo by moonix
Neil meets his favourite Exy player of all time one starry night on a balcony, steals his cigarette lighter, gets asked out on a date... and has to pretend not to be completely, utterly obsessed with Exy in order to keep his interest. Easy. Right?
Chapters: 1/1, Words: 13814
why i like it: cozy winter vibes, chronic pain rep, and neil being absolutely ridiculous. plus, this kevin moment:
“Remember what happened last time you tried to set me up with someone?” Neil said, snapping his fingers at him.
“She wasn’t so bad,” Kevin said mulishly. “How was I supposed to know she was deathly allergic to peanuts?"
Not Nothing by TheRainbowElectric
Five times Neil tells someone that he and Andrew aren’t dating, and one time Andrew uses his words to set the record straight.
Chapters: 1/1, Words: 23148
why i like it: it's a nice, pretty realistic take on neil and andrew's relationship and the way it develops in the aftermath of tkm.
Blame It On My Youth by youreyestheyglow
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.
Chapters: 126/?, Words: 1,425,633 (as of 2023-03-05, updates on Sundays)
why i like it: general domestic fluff (with some drama here and there), great character dynamics, and the fact that i laugh out loud at least once each chapter.
