evil-diabolical-oops:

addesin:

evil-diabolical-oops:

How Andrew views himself playing Exy:

“You don’t think,” Andrew said. “I told you, didn’t I? I don’t like Exy. I don’t like teams; I don’t like teamwork. I was not born and raised to be a team player. You want me to do them any good you have to narrow the playing field. When I crash the only thing I feel is me, and I will do what comes naturally.”

“Which is?”

Andrew’s smile was wide. “Fight everyone who thinks he can best me.” (x)

How Neil views Andrew playing Exy:

“They thought you’d hurt someone if you were loose on the court?“ Neil asked. Andrew didn’t answer; Neil took his silence as confirmation. He tried imagining Andrew in any other position but couldn’t see it. “I think it’s better this way, with you as the last line of defense. You let us run ourselves into the ground and clean up behind us. You play the game like you play life. That’s why you’re so good at it.” (The King’s Men, Nora Sakavic)

It’s all about perception. I think it is beautiful how Neil sees Andrew, especially given in contrast to how little Andrew sees in himself.

I fucking really love the parallels Nora presents with Andrew and Neil’s positions though. It’s so straightforward that you almost don’t give it thought until after you finish the books but it’s such a nice expression of their characters.

Neil, a striker, fastest little shit on the court. He’s darting around, getting on player’s nerves, fighting to the last breath. He’s running, just like in life, he’s always running, always desperate.

Then you have Andrew, sitting in the back of the court, watching everything from behind, overseeing this whole conglomeration of two forces butting heads. Like Neil says, he’s the last line of defense. He’s reactionary. He doesn’t engage, doesn’t fight, just shuts down any attack on his charge with blunt precision.

And then at the end, after Neil has taken all this time to develop his sense of self and his purpose in life, standing at Andrew’s side, having Andrew’s back, having his team’s back. When he needs it, he takes the position of defenseman. He shuts down Riko. He could run, but instead he uses his strengths to defend his goal beside Andrew. And sure, after the Edgar Allen game, he goes back to being a striker, but the point is, is if he needs to, he can be that shield, he can be Andrew’s defense.

Bless Nora honestly, because this was such a glaringly obvious thing that I didn’t even question it when I was reading. It was such a natural course of events. And afterwards, I’m just left breathless because GOD IT’S SO CLEVERLY WRITTEN JUST BLESS NORA MAN SHIT

Yes! And I think if you look at it that way it shows how well Neil is able to adapt. How versatile he is. How he is willing to fill roles. It is hard to peg him down. Both on the court and in life.

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p>Where Andrew is Andrew and he stands his ground. Either the ball scores or it doesn’t. Things are very black and white for him.