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Aaron Minyard didn’t wake up planning to psychologically expose his entire friend group for charity. That part came later when it was his turn to pick the Foxes' annual challenge. What he woke up to instead was Andrew leaving an empty milk carton in his fridge and Neil crouched in front of the pantry with his phone in his hand, muttering under his breath like he was trying to decode an ancient text.
“It says best before,” Neil said slowly to Andrew. “That doesn’t necessarily mean expired, right?”
Aaron stared at the pair of them. “It’s rice.”
“Yes, but it could be old rice.” Neil looked at him and shrugged, pulling it out of the cupboard anyway.
Andrew closed the fridge and walked away without comment, which somehow made it worse.
Aaron rubbed his face and looked around the kitchen. There were dishes in the sink that had been there long enough to smell as well as a bag of bread on the counter with exactly one slice left inside it.
The lounge room had a half-assembled IKEA bookshelf shoved into the corner because Neil had gotten bored halfway through, and Andrew had refused to finish it out of spite.
When Aaron had agreed to let them live with them for a couple of weeks whilst their apartment was being painted, he hadn’t realised how dysfunctional they could be. It made him think the free babysitting may not have been worth it as he looked around at the state of the house.
“You are both,” Aaron said flatly, “bad at being functional.”
Neil glanced up. “Is this about the rice or the table?”
“It is about your continued survival,” Aaron said. “Which frankly feels optional at this point.”
Katelyn sat at the table with her coffee, scrolling through emails on her phone. She looked up, took in the scene, and smiled at Aaron.
“Well, you’ll be happy to know it’s your turn this year for the challenge. Erik insisted on a traditional Losziehen in Stuttgart with Nicky before they flew back, and your name came out,” she said. “I just got the message in the group chat.”
Aaron met her eyes. “Excellent, I know what I want to do.”
“No.” Andrew paused in the doorway.
Neil straightened immediately. “I’m listening.”
“What are you thinking?” Katelyn asked as she took a drink from her coffee.
“A real-life competency challenge.” Aaron rubbed his hands together, then ran them through his frazzled hair.
Andrew’s stare sharpened. “Explain.”
“Each Fox pairing gets assigned a domestic task. Normal adult tasks. Cooking. Budgeting. Planning. Laundry. That kind of thing. They do it on a livestream for most of the day. Donations go to the children’s ward.”
Katelyn’s expression softened instantly. “At our hospital.”
“Yes.” Aaron came up behind her, his arms settling around her waist as he held her close for a moment, where she sat before she had to head off to work.
Neil’s face lit up. “People would donate to watch Kevin try to do laundry.”
“They would donate to watch Kevin breathe,” Aaron said. “This is just a bonus.”
Andrew considered it for a long moment. “And who assigns the tasks?”
“I do,” Aaron said.
Katelyn reached across the table and squeezed Aaron’s hand. “I think it’s a wonderful idea. You’re going to raise so much money.”
“And raise so much hatred from the rest of the Foxes,” Aaron smiled.
Andrew shrugged. “Acceptable losses.”
By noon, the Foxes group chat had become forty notifications deep and showed no signs of slowing down.
Aaron posted the rules in a neat list that felt vaguely threatening. One task per Fox. He had already assigned the pairings. Limited outside help. Livestreams required. Donations are tracked publicly. All proceeds go to the children’s ward where he and Katelyn work.
Matt replied with immediate enthusiasm. Dan questioned Aaron’s scoring system for the annual challenge. Allison demanded to know if laundry was involved. Renee sent an angel emoji. Nicky asked if there would be an emotional support aspect. Kevin declared the entire thing pointless until Jeremy reminded him that he once burned water. Jean said nothing at all except for reacting with a fire emoji to Jeremy’s message.
Aaron waited until the chaos peaked and then dropped the pairings and tasks.
- Aaron and Katelyn were assigned budgeting.
- Matt and Dan's task was a grocery trip on Aaron’s behalf.
- Allison and Renee were handed laundry, done properly.
- Erik and Nicky were responsible for cooking a full meal for ten.
- Neil and Andrew got building IKEA furniture.
- Kevin, Jean and Jeremy were tasked with planning a full weekly schedule, including meals, workouts and appointments.
- Seth was assigned nothing.
The silence in the chat afterwards lasted exactly five seconds.
“What the hell, I don’t even have a partner,” Seth typed. “This is biased.”
“You can hang out with us,” Matt offered.
“We will supervise you,” Dan added.
“That doesn’t count,” Seth replied. “I’m being intentionally excluded.”
Aaron responded immediately. “Sounds like a you problem.”
Seth threatened violence. Aaron muted him.
The livestreams went live the next morning and immediately pulled numbers that made Aaron blink twice. Apparently, the idea of the Foxes attempting basic adulthood tasks for charity was an irresistible challenge to their fans.
Neil and Andrew were the first to trend.
They sat on the living room floor of Aaron and Katelyn’s house, surrounded by wooden panels, screws, pegs, and an instruction booklet that Neil had already flipped upside down for the bookshelf that had remained half built.
“I think this is step three,” Neil said, holding up a panel.
Andrew didn’t look at it. “That is step seven.”
Neil frowned. “Why would they do it out of order?”
“They didn’t,” Andrew replied.
Neil flipped the booklet again. “The pictures are misleading.”
Andrew leaned over, took the booklet, and rotated it the correct way. “You are holding it upside down.”
“Oh.”
The chat immediately filled the screen.
#AndrewIsRightAgain #NeilPleaseRead #IKEAisTheTrueVillain
Neil picked up a wooden dowel and squinted at it. “What is this for?”
“It goes in the hole,” Andrew said.
“Which hole?”
Andrew gave the livestream camera a deadpan look. He looked away, then leaned over Neil without comment, close enough that Neil had to tilt slightly to make room. He slid the piece into place without looking. “That one.”
Neil stared at him as if he had just witnessed witchcraft. “How did you know?”
“Well, I can read first of all,” Andrew started before Neil swatted his arm.
At one point, Neil grabbed a hammer that was not required for the build. Andrew removed it from his hand. When they finally finished, the bookshelf leaned slightly to the left. Andrew stared at it in silence.
“That is acceptable,” he said.
Neil looked impossibly proud. Aaron, on his lunch break at work with Katelyn, they caught the end of the livestream where the bookshelf was finally standing upright. It was slightly uneven but complete, no longer taking up space in pieces across their living room and a hazard to the kids. He grinned before leaning in and giving Katelyn a kiss.
Across town, Erik and Nicky had turned their kitchen into a disaster zone. It had started off fine when he first started their livestream. Erik had gone through the recipe for the apple strudel three times with Nicky before he attempted to recreate it.
Nicky had decided they were making lasagna and apple strudel because he believed deeply in excess. According to him, he was honouring Erik’s creation from the annual bake-off challenge by him making it and letting Erik relax by making the lasagna.
“Why does this take so long?” Erik asked, stirring the homemade sauce for the lasagna a little too aggressively.
“Because good things take time,” Nicky said, skating across the tile in his socks. “Also, stop complaining, you’re scaring the strudel every time you talk. Shh, baby.”
“I am not panicking the strudel,” Erik said primly. “Strudel doesn’t panic.” He muttered to himself.
“How’s the lasagna going?” Nicky asked, deliberately distracting him which Erik immediately indulged him.
Nicky kept chatting away to the livestream, and Erik, completely ignoring the apple strudel until someone in the chat noticed a bit of the parchment paper beneath the strudel had caught alight. Nicky managed to put it out on time.
#ErikNoHelpHimPlease #SaveTheStrudel
Once that disaster had been avoided Erik tasted the homemade sauce and made a face. Far too acidic. Ruined.
Jean appeared briefly in the comments section of the livestream after Erik made these comments out loud and suggested adding sugar.
Erik stared at the screen for a beat, then carefully made his way over to the cabinet, followed Jean’s instructions, and added a tablespoon of sugar to the sauce.
“Why is Jean correct?” Eric sighed to himself as he tried the sauce again.
“Because he learned suffering early,” Nicky replied cheerfully.
With the sauce fixed, Erik carefully constructed the lasagna and slid it into the oven to bake. He turned to the camera and gave a deep bow. “Thank you, Jean,” he said. Donations jumped again.
Towards the end of the livestream, the rest of the Foxes had clambered in for dinner, much to the pleasure of those watching at home.
Andrew was holding Theo near the kitchen counter, with Betsy beside him looking over them both fondly. Renee moved around the kitchen, tidying bowls, arranging utensils, and helping serve food, keeping everything in order as she chatted quietly with Andrew and Betsy from time to time.
Neil cooed at Kate in his arms while Allison added small bow ties to Kate’s hair. Katelyn was nearby, smiling as she spoke. “Aaron will be here in a little while,” she said to Erik, “he just has to finish up his shift first.”
Dan helped set the table, arranging plates and cutlery, while Abby moved between the kitchen and the table, setting up extra dishes to ensure there was enough food for everyone and that nothing was missing.
Matt gave the apple strudel a long, concerned look, clearly unsure if it was edible or not. Seth placed a stack of books on the table, the next read for all of the Foxes and their ongoing bookclub.
Wymack leaned against the counter, talking quietly to Kevin, who nodded, following along while keeping an eye on Jeremy and Jean who were making cocktails for everyone.
Nicky turned the camera back toward himself, grinning. “Thank you so much, everyone, for all the donations and for tuning in. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the Foxes livestreams. They’re just as chaotic, I promise.” He gave a small wave before finally shutting the camera off.
Allison and Renee were the next go and approached their laundry task like a full-scale operation. Renee started the livestream and sorted piles of clothes with ease while Allison inspected fabrics as if they were under cross-examination.
“This is not red red,” Allison argued, holding up a sweater and squinting. “It is more of a maroon-adjacent.”
“It looks red red to me,” Renee said calmly. “But you’re the expert, my love.”
Allison sighed but relented. They read every care label. Allison refused to use anything but her preferred detergent.
“I have standards,” Allison said to the camera, holding up a bottle. “Just like Reynolds Beauty Lab, standards are important when it comes to yourself and those you love.”
“Maybe you can do my makeup for me later?” Renee asked, dragging a load of delicates to the washer and tossing the bag in.
“Oh, I would love that,” Allison smiled, her hand brushing Renee’s arm.
The chat flooded instantly.
#DomesticQueens #LaundryLesbians #ProperFabricCare
Allison pulled a sweater from the pile and paused. “Wait, whose laundry is this?” she asked as she started pulling out items one by one. First came a series of men’s t-shirts, then toddler clothes and tiny socks.
“It’s Aaron’s.” Renee admitted. “Surely you realised we wouldn’t have eight loads of washing to do between us otherwise.”
Allison threw her hands up in mock exasperation. “That heathen. I swear these tasks were designed for his benefit.”
“I don’t mind helping them out.” Renee said, lacing her fingers with Allison’s. “Plus, their babies are so cute. Look at these tiny socks.” She held up a miniature pair, and Allison couldn’t help but smile despite herself.
Allison sighed dramatically before she relented. “Very cute.” She started a new load of washing, handling Kate and Theo’s clothes with extra care, checking labels, sorting them before washing them. Katelyn’s clothes were treated just as gently. Aaron’s went into the washer with little thought or consideration, tossed in haphazardly
They finished a short while later without shrinking anything. Allison demanded applause for both her and Renee, and they received it as well as a decent amount of donations.
Matt and Dan absolutely underestimated grocery shopping. They had Aaron’s list. They forgot the list. Matt pushed the cart through the aisles while Dan tried to remember what they were meant to get for Aaron. He had made the grocery list for his household to make it more challenging for them, in his words.
“How many eggs do normal people eat?” Matt asked.
“A lot,” Dan said uncertainly. “Maybe.”
Seth showed up halfway through.
“I’m a domestic goddess,” Seth said. “This isn’t fair, I would’ve crushed these challenges.”
“You can carry stuff,” Dan offered.
“I’ll one-up you,” Seth said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the shopping list Aaron had made for Matt and Dan.
“How did you get it?” Matt asked, taking it in his hands and holding it close to his chest.
“Yeah, how did you get it?” Dan asked, giving Seth a suspicious look. “Pretty sure I left it locked up at home.”
“A warlock never reveals his secrets, Dan,” Seth said coyly, a smirk playing across his face.
Seth judged loudly as Matt and Dan made their way through the aisles and debated what brand was best to buy.
A few aisles later, Matt reached across and brushed a smudge of flour off Dan’s cheek without thinking, and the livestream caught it perfectly. Seth leaned closer to the camera and muttered, “Aw, look at that. Domestic cuteness alert.” Dan’s ears went pink as she glanced at Matt, and Matt gave a small, embarrassed smile.
The chat immediately exploded with heart emojis and comments. #MattAndDanOurLoves #OhCaptainMyCaptain #FlourFaceLove #FoxesCaughtInTheWild
Matt pushed the trolley down the final aisle, whilst Dan looked for the last few items on Aaron’s list while Seth walked alongside them, deep in animated discussion with Matt about the latest book club pick of the month.
“Honestly, chapter six was brilliant,” Seth said, waving his hands as he spoke. “The plot twist was foreshadowed perfectly. You could almost miss it if you blinked, but once it clicks, it is pure genius. And the letters subplot? Absolutely brilliant.”
Matt nodded enthusiastically, almost bumping the trolley and forgetting about the livestream entirely. “Exactly. I didn’t see any of it coming. Everything ties together so elegantly. And the character development is so well done.”
Dan was reaching for a bag of rice on the top shelf. Just as her fingers brushed it, Seth paused mid-sentence.
“No, grab this one instead,” he said, pointing to a different bag of rice slightly farther down the aisle. “It’s much better.”
Dan raised an eyebrow, glanced at Seth, then shrugged and instead went for the rice that Seth had recommended.
As they finished loading the last few items into the trolley, Matt leaned over and gave Dan a quick kiss. Which she returned, both of them forgetting about the livestream before Seth cooed from behind them.
Matt and Dan laughed together before they pushed the trolley toward the register. The cashier recognised them instantly, smiling as they unloaded the groceries, while the livestream donations continued to climb.
Viewers flooded the chat with love heart emojis and comments, creating more trending hashtags in celebration of them.
#FoxesTakeTheGroceryStore #SethsSecrets #DanAndMattVsShopping #WarlockWinsAgainSoUnderrated
Kevin, Jean, and Jeremy sat buried in calendars and sticky notes, pens scattered across the table. Kevin wanted maximum efficiency for their task with a heavy focus on workouts and appointments, with every minute accounted for.
Jeremy was more focused on sustainability, meal prep, and making sure no one burned out. Jean just wanted them both to be quiet.
“You cannot schedule workouts three times a day,” Jeremy said, tapping a pen against the table.
“The people can adapt,” Kevin replied, leaning back in his chair.
“They will collapse,” Jean said at the same time as Jeremy.
“Jinx!” Jeremy said, grinning before Jean could react.
Jean shot him a look, then gave a small, reluctant smile. “Unbelievable.”
Kevin raised an eyebrow. “Okay, fine, compromise time then. Let’s actually make this work.” He leaned over the table, pointing at the calendars. “Morning workouts for strength. Afternoon cardio. Evenings are optional recovery exercises.”
Jeremy scribbled in his notebook. “Got it. And meals? They can be prepped the night before so nobody burns out midweek.”
Jean leaned over the table, matching their pens and colours. “Appointments need to be clear, colour-coded, so no one ends up double-booked. And we keep it flexible—if someone’s exhausted or sick, we can adjust.”
Kevin tapped a finger on the table. “Efficiency plus flexibility. That works. Everyone wins.”
Jeremy leaned back, satisfied. “Finally. A plan that actually makes sense.”
Jean nodded, folding a sticky note and placing it neatly in the pile. “Alright, I can live with this.”
They all leaned back, glancing at the mess of notes and calendars, now actually serving a purpose. Neil chimed in on the chat, saying he couldn’t believe they got Kevin to compromise, which made Jean and Jeremy laugh while Kevin sulked.
Jeremy waved at the camera after a few minutes. “Since we’ve got a plan, let me show you a little demonstration.” He grabbed the camera and set it up in the kitchen, where he grabbed a cutting board and started prepping vegetables.
“This is one of my weekly meal prep side dishes I came up with. And yes, I’m using SunKissed Hot Sauce.” Jeremy held up the small bottle proudly. “This is a new one that I created with a little help from Jean and Kevin.”
“It’s much milder than some of my other sauces; poor Kevin can’t handle the heat.” Jeremy smiled, his eyes crinkling as he drizzled the sauce over the vegetables, careful not to spill anything.
Kevin’s eyes went wide when Jeremy mentioned his weakness, and he let out a high-pitched squawk, waving a hand in front of his face embarrassed.
Jean glanced at him, stifling a laugh, and then the two of them shared a quiet smile, genuinely soft when they looked back at the way Jeremy focused on his cooking.
“See? Meal prep doesn’t have to be torture,” Jeremy said with a grin at the camera, handing Kevin and Jean a small plate.
Kevin took it, still muttering under his breath, but the warmth in his eyes betrayed him. Jean followed, taking a bite and letting out an approving hum.
“Okay, I admit it,” Kevin said, shaking his head. “This is good. Really good.”
Jeremy winked at the camera. “And that, my wonderful friends, is how we keep our household running without anyone collapsing midweek.”
The chat was delighted and had created a few questionable hashtags during the stream.
#FoxesPlanningCommittee #StickyNoteWars #JeanNeedsCoffee #KevinEfficiencyDay #JeremyHotSauceMe #PleaseFuckAndLeaveTheLiveStreamOn
Aaron and Katelyn were last and handled the task of household budgeting and a bit of financial planning with ease as they started their livestream. They explained expenses, savings, and upcoming bills, breaking everything down so it made sense. Donations poured in through livestream as viewers cheered them on and asked questions of their own.
Neil could be seen behind them during the livestream, kneeling on the living room floor, holding Kate’s tiny hands and gently coaxing her to take a step. “Come on, baby,” he murmured, grinning as she wobbled slightly before plopping back into his arms.
Kate giggled, reaching for his nose, and Neil laughed softly, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.
Andrew sat nearby on the couch, feeding Theo small pieces of fruit while talking to him in low, encouraging tones.
Theo babbled back at Andrew, eyes wide with concentration.
Aaron glanced up from the spreadsheet, where he had occasionally been adjusting numbers and checking in on the kids. Katelyn leaned against him, smiling as she watched the scene, clearly savoring the warmth of the moment.
Neil and Andrew exchanged a glance. “We have to head out,” Andrew said, glancing at the kids. Neil nodded. “We’ll be back soon.”
Neil handed Kate to Aaron, and Andrew gently placed Theo in Katelyn’s lap. “We’ll be back soon,” Neil said, ruffling Kate’s hair.
Once Neil and Andrew stepped out, Aaron and Katelyn focused on keeping the livestream engaging.
Kate toddled across the living room toward a small pile of blocks while Theo carefully tested the crayons they had laid out.
Aaron picked up a crayon and showed Theo how to make a simple shape while Katelyn guided Kate in stacking the blocks as high as she could. “Look, Theo, a triangle,” Aaron said, holding up his scribble.
Theo clapped his tiny hands and babbled happily. Kate successfully balanced three blocks before they tumbled down, prompting a squeal of delight.
Aaron leaned back on the floor beside the kids. “This is also another tip for families, playtime at home,” he said. “It can be fun and cheap.”
Katelyn smiled at him. “Inexpensive and entertaining. Budget-friendly parenting at its finest.”
The chat flooded with cheering emojis and love heart reactions. #DomesticBliss #BudgetAndPlay #FoxesFamilyTime
They spent the next little while guiding the kids through tiny games and playful challenges, narrating it lightly for viewers.
Kate practiced walking from Aaron to Katelyn and back, each time gaining more confidence, while Theo created a small masterpiece of scribbles and lines.
Katelyn narrated playtime tips and gently encouraged milestones, her laughter soft and constant in the background. The chat remained lively with hashtags and comments celebrating both the kids’ progress and the cozy domestic scene. #BabySteps #ToddlerWins #FoxesParentingSoSweet
After a while, Neil and Andrew returned, sweaty but smiling, carrying water bottles. “We’re back,” Andrew said.
Theo waved a crayon proudly at Andrew, and Kate took a few steps towards Neil. Aaron and Katelyn laughed, giving thanks to the livestream audience before wrapping up. “That’s enough for today,” Aaron said, smiling at the camera. “Budgeting and playtime all in one day. Thanks for joining us and donating towards the Children’s ward. Every bit helps.”
For a few minutes after the livestream had ended, Aaron listened as the house buzzed with soft laughter, little coos, and tiny footsteps. Numbers and tasks faded into the background, replaced by a small snapshot of what his family had become.
Later, on the group chat, Matt spoke first. “Guess being dysfunctional paid off.”
“Worth it.” Aaron typed back.
“Speak for yourself,” Seth typed. “I better be paired up next year.” *shakes fist gif*
“Well at least you weren’t called a Laundry Lesbian, I’m bisexual” Allison typed back.
“Who won anyway?” Nicky typed followed by “🍆💦”
“Nicky I swear” Dan typed. “WHYYYY ^”
Aaron scrolled through the donation totals and screenshots of the livestream chats, tallying up the donations highlights and achievements on a spreadsheet he had made specifically for the event.
With a smirk, he declared aloud to the group chat: “By a very narrow margin, the winners of the real-life competency challenge are Neil and Andrew. For managing both toddlers and furniture with minimal casualties.”
Neil blinked at him. “That is not a compliment, is it?”
“It is,” Aaron said. “Mostly.”
“I knew we should’ve taken those babies and put them in our video” Kevin typed back.
“That would be kidnapping Kevin,” Neil typed back feeling smug he and Andrew had won.
“You would know all about that wouldn’t you,” Jean said before sending 🖕🏻which Neil naturally sent back and called him a baguette.
The chat reacted with a combination of laughing emojis and gifs. Even Seth, who had spent most of the day whining about bias, begrudgingly admitted the results were fair enough.
The Foxes might all be dysfunctional and prone to disasters, but for one livestreamed day, they had proven that together they could accomplish far more than anyone would’ve expected of them when they had been younger.
Next year would come soon enough. Whatever chaos, disasters, or utterly ridiculous challenge the selected Fox came up with, they all knew one thing.
They would all participate again.