I Think Some People Need To Understand That Saying A Character Is An Objectively Terrible Person Is Not

i think some people need to understand that saying a character is an objectively terrible person is not robbing a character of nuance.

i just think from an outsider pov andreil is insane because you have neil abram josten, the prettiest boy you've ever met, insane colouring because he has auburn hair and electric blue eyes, son of one of the most infamous serial killers in america, connections to the mafia, was part of the reason the worst team in the nation won championships, mouths off to the press, and then you have andrew, who, for all intents and purposes, is just Some Guy™.

andrew's such a fake idgafer no way anyone ever thought this man was apathetic or soulless like...he cares so fucking much??? he beat up four grown men trying to hurt nicky (as a teenager, btw). he enrolled them all in psu so aaron could become a doctor. he threatened nicky at knifepoint not to hurt or touch neil (and this wasn't about neil specifically this was because he's been there, he's been a victim, and he wouldn't want anyone else, even this strange know-nothing kid who he finds suspicious, to experience it). he says "spoil the ending for me, did you kill him?" when renee told him about the man who raped her and she can tell he cares about her answer; he cared to know if she escaped the man who abused her even though he barely knew her at all at the time. he punched matt (a guy like twice his size) for hitting kevin. he nearly choked allison to death for slapping aaron. he freaked out so badly when neil was kidnapped; he literally strangled kevin, lapped the campus multiple times, went through his bag and phone, checked hospital records, felt fear for the first time in years...and everyone's still just like "oh yeah he doesn't have a soul." what??? he yells at someone for the first time when bee has a heart attack. he didn't tell bee about neil even though he told her about so much else because he didn't want to risk her disapproval. he had to sit in silence for a few minutes just processing how easily aaron and bee accepted his relationship with neil. he said "everyone knows now, bee" after they all found out about dr*ke's assault because he couldn't stomach the fact that he thought his loved ones wouldn't trust him to protect them now that they thought he couldn't protect himself. he bought neil armbands to match his so he wouldn't have to see the scars his father's people made on his arms. he ran to neil like all of hell was at his heels when riko threatened him. who the fuck ever thought he was apathetic or soulless.

andrew "so they killed cassandra first 'cause she feared the worst / and tried to tell the town / so they set my life in flames, i regret to say / do you believe me now? / they knew, they knew, they knew the whole time / that i was onto something / the family, the pure greed, the christian chorus line / they all said nothing / blood's thick but nothing like a payroll / bet they never spared a prayer for my soul / but you can mark my words that i said it first / in a morning warning, no one heard" minyard

sometimes i just smile and think about andrew being helplessly charmed by neil's messiness. his tendency to run his mouth at the worst times to the worst people. picking fights and booking it immediately. telling people exactly what he thinks of them. turning andrew's own words against him. his witty wordplay and easy back-and-forth with andrew, when andrew is usually so slow to converse with anyone. just. andrew being in love with neil.

andrew "i'll drive you home / you drive me crazy / but that's not gonna stop me / i'll call you out / you call me "baby" / but that's not gonna stop me / from lying to my therapist" minyard