#Wilhelm and Simon against the world

[raincitygirl76]

THIS! All this!

“He’s got us pinned” (or “he set us up” depending on the subtitles).

This is my favorite throwaway line that actually means a lot. Because no he does not. August has Simon pinned and Simon only. August’s plan has no direct consequences for Wille. Except now it does because he and Simon are finally in this together.

Wille absolutely does not want Simon to go to the police. The thought of it made him physically ill just the day before. But if that’s what Simon wants, Wille is with him 100%. Even before Simon made his decision to be with Wille, they were already together. A united front. If August is stopping Simon from going to the police, he’s stopping both of them.

Honestly, I’m so excited to see more of this in season 3. If something happens to one, it happens to the other. Them against August. Them against the monarchy. Them against the world.

[the-words-we-sung]

Thoughts and pictures - S3E3

The great rewatch of season 3 continues! And we're halfway through with episode 3. As usual, it's probably gonna get a bit long so proceed with caution 😁

And we're starting off with some big big pressure on Wilhelm, for a change... "I don't know if I can handle it" => ma'am, you're the queen, you're an adult, you're his mother. Get a fucking grip!!

How can she put so much pressure on her son's shoulders? I understand that she's unwell, she hasn't grieved Erik's death properly in season 2 so this break down was bound to happen I guess, but how can she (and Ludwig) just abandon Wilhelm like that? And not so long after his speech (and the "trial" with August). Did either of them talk to him about it? About this huge coming out he just did? About how brave he was? One day I'll write a post just about Wilhelm and his parents because I have A LOT of feelings.

And I don't know a lot about how a monarchy works but would Wilhelm really have to step up and replace his mother if she was suddenly unfit to lead, despite being 16? That doesn't make a lot of sense, does it? Especially in this case when Wilhelm has been Crown Prince for very little time (and even needs a special Crown Prince school during summer to learn his duties).

"You wouldn't have been able to handle it. That I can fuck up too" => oh Simon, my sweet sweet boy... I have to say that I really like his scenes with his mother this season, I really needed to see Linda actually act like a mom, and Simon to become more "real" with her. So I love their scenes and dynamic this season!

Is Wilhelm still seeing Boris? Or is he really all alone in dealing with his mother's health and everything else? My boy needs help...

I'm sorry but Simon with helmet hair is just the cutest thing!

But gosh their communication is just so awful this season... On one hand Simon frustrates me a tiny bit because I didn't think he would be so "naive". I mean, of course it must feel truly awful to receive to many hate comments, but he's a teenager who knows how to use social media so I would have expected him to know that these people are trolls and responding to them would lead nowhere? The people writing these are not interested in knowing him or the truth or anything, just in being nasty because it's easy to do so anonymously. But also I guess he's 16. He's super young, I'm probably expecting too much maturity here and not being super fair ><

And on the other hand, Wilhelm also frustrates me because he barely stops to listen and to actually see what Simon is going through. And yeah, he's got the crazy pressure from his family and his mother being unwell but still, he's being very selfish. And he has always had a tendency to be, but it's 10x worst this season ><

(Also why did he not say anything to these mean girls mocking Simon's song when they entered the music room together??)

I'm realizing now that truly, these Boris sessions with Wilhelm and August are really fucked up: the sessions with Boris helped Wilhelm so much last season, he felt safe enough to talk there, to be honest, and he was able to work through the hard stuff in his life. And now they put August there? The person who made him feel unsafe, who recorded him and leaked the video online. They put that person here in his safe place with him? Which might explain why there's no more therapy sessions for Wilhelm this season (outside of the ones with August). It's so fucked up...

Wilhelm is feeling so cornered...

And Simon is breaking my heart... Omar is such a good actor, he portrays sadness way too well, I wanted to cry almost every time I saw Simon in this episode. He's so depressed, thinking everyone hates him, it's hard to watch... Why did season 3 have to be so cruel to him?

It's hard to enjoy the sweet moments between them (this scene for example, which I forgot was gonna happen there :p) when we just had a sad Simon, bad communication between them, Wilhelm being mean to him... It makes it hard (for me) to enjoy the cute scenes because it just feels like a small band-aid put on a gaping wound ><

I really liked that we got to see Felice's dad again, and this scene is so important! I love Felice's decision to go without her dad and to be honest in the end. I still think she should have had a stronger storyline throughout the whole show. She's a great character and she deserved more!!

Sara and Micke singing in the car: 💛 "I'd rather have a papa with bad spells than no papa at all" => I don't know August... I guess it's the eternal dilemma..

Just because he looks so incredibly beautiful here 💜

This Sara and Micke conversation was so important and needed! I really liked that we finally got a bit more information about Micke and what happened to their family.

And another scene that I forgot was happening in this episode ^^' I got too used to seeing the cute (and hot) scenes from this season with gifs here that I know them without the context around :p

Why is it that every time something good happens to Simon this season, it backfires immediately and Wilhem makes him sad about it? 😩

3 more episodes to go, wish me luck >< This season is even more depressing than I remembered ^^'

[bigalockwood]

But within the even deeper darkness of the hallway leading to the office and bedroom, nothing was visible.  Still. Simon could feel its presence. He felt watched, perceived. His breath hitched, goosebumps prickling on his skin — something was about to materialize again in the world of the living and it wasn’t going to be gentle or kind.

A ghost pandemic has descended over Europe, the dead back from their restless sleep to haunt the living. The only line of defense – young people with the ability to perceive ghosts. Amidst them Simon Eriksson, a talented agent desperately trying to keep his family and himself alive. Armed with courage and rapiers, they endanger their lives every night, and no one more so than excentric, mysterious and borderline suicidal Wilhelm, Simon’s colleague and superior. When a case goes horribly wrong, Wilhelm’s agency is thrust into a fight against an unknown opponent – and suddenly, staying alive seems harder than ever. If only Simon cared a little less whether stupid Wilhelm lived or died.

The past two days have been decidedly Not Fun and I was unsure whether I should post chapter one after all. But then the gc convinced me that especially in times like these, distraction is key. And since I can’t say no to the shareholders of the braincell… here we are. I hope this can provide some much needed distraction for everyone. Things are about to get spooky 👻👻

Huge thanks to Roo @sobadbad who was incredibly lovely and made this insanely beautiful header. I can’t ever thank you enough or express my gratitude properly 💜

Read chapter one of come closer and see into the dark here!

There’s also a playlist, which you can find here:

[enjoythesilentworld]

Jay! For the Spotify drabble thing… 17 💜

hi hi!!! ding ding ding you’ve selected an Omar song!!! i based their dynamic here on this idea where Wilhelm is a model and Simon is a popstar and they find each other in super casual ways all across the world <3 thank u for the ask Kate! xx

#17 Off My Mind – Omar Rudberg

“Where are you?”

Wille’s laugh comes crisp over the phone, “Hello to you, too.” 

Simon stares out the window at the setting sun, waiting, toe tapping against the floor as someone messes with his curls. 

“Berlin,” Wille finally says, voice still light with amusement. 

“Come to Milan.” 

Fabric rustles on the other side of the line, the faint chatter of voices in the background. 

“When?”

“Tonight. I’ve got a show— Meet me after.” 

��I’ve a shoot with Prada tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Simon shoos away the hairdresser and heads to his wardrobe. “Fly back in the morning.” 

“Miss me already?” Wille teases, but Simon can already hear his voice has gone slightly distant, like he’s pulled his phone away from his face to start booking a flight. 

“You want me to beg for it?” Simon asks, slipping on a silky blouse. “Because I will.”

There’s a short gasp, followed by a long pause. Then, Wille lets out a long, shaky exhale, mouth up close to the speaker again.

Simon pretends he can feel it, hot against his ear. 

Ignoring the few other people in the greenroom, he drops his voice to a low whisper, “I need you, Wille.” 

“Simon—” It almost sounds like a whine; all the cockiness from before, lost. 

“Is that what you want to hear? I need you. I can’t get you off my mind. Your hands, your taste.” 

(Patron, from the last party where their paths crossed. Where Wille abandoned his tequila to follow Simon into a black town car.)

A door slams, and it gets a little quieter wherever Wille is. His breathing is even more audible now, heavy. Familiar. Simon lets his hand trail over his own bare neck, remembering.  

“We can do it all over the—”

Wille finds his voice and cuts in, “I’ll be there in three hours.”

[phneltwrites]

Happier

Written for the music poll challenge. What are 5 sentences really

Wilhelm steps onto the public bus and realises he doesn’t know what to do. It hadn’t really been a conscious decision to get on. Think of Erik’s legacy, Wilhelm and if anyone asks about the hazing at Hillerska say it didn’t happen during your time and Wilhelm waited for his mother to be distracted and then he turned and walked away from the national day celebration. He’s still in the outfit. But he started walking and kept walking and then a bus came and he got on. 

The bus driver stares at him. Wilhelm blinks. Mortification creeping up his collar, he glances at the rest of the riders, who are all staring back. His eyes roam left to right and then freeze, gaze catching on the most beautiful boy in the world. He’s the only one who seems nonplussed, sitting there with a paper book.

Then he gets up.

“You need to pay with the app,” the angel with the curly hair says.

“Okay,” Wilhelm responds, going breathless. Then he fumbles with his phone, unlocks it.

He snorts. “I’ll show you.” He reaches for the phone and their fingers touch. Wilhelm lets him take it, and his fingers curl, reaching for the man’s hand as he pulls it away.

The man fiddles with it, and then taps the phone against the reader. The bus lurches and Wilhelm sways into him.

“I’m—I’m Wilhelm.”

“Simon,” Simon says, eyes sparkling in a way that lets Wilhelm into the joke. Wilhelm follows him back to his seat. There are empty ones on the bus, but Simon obligingly slides over to the window to let Wilhelm in next to him. Wilhelm straightens his embroidered vest as he sits down. “Shouldn’t you be celebrating?”

It’s a fair question. The whole family is out for it, as they are every year.

“I think I could be happier,” Wilhelm says, eyes on Simon, hoping he knows Wilhelm means with him, away from the game of the court, the negotiations. They’re never going to change, but Wilhelm can. He can get on the bus, now. Simon taught him.

“Yeah?” he asks.

“Yeah.” And when Wilhelm stares at him, Simon doesn’t look away.

[crownedwille]

S3 alternatives/rewrite ideas: What if the truth about the video came out and August got exposed? What if Hillerska investigations looked different?

My preferred s3 outcome would've been August being actually punished and his actions having tangible consequences so let's think about that! Also 'fixing' a whole lot of other storylines and plot holes that are connected to that so here we go!

Disclaimer: This post is not looking for explanations or defenses in favor of s3 plots so please only interact if you're open and willing to fantasise and theorise and spin this imaginative story further and have fun with it

I also wanna link to this post by @raincitygirl76 that kind of addresses this whole bit and has some really valid points in my opinion.

This post by @resipsaloquitace also mentions some important plot holes I'm addressing here.

The background: Wilhelm has admitted to being in the video with Simon in front of live cameras and phones for everyone to hear and it's probably being spread like wildfire on the internet already. After the first shocked reactions, I imagine the second one would be "who the hell posted that video?"

The fact that apparently no one in all of Sweden or the rest of the world (because we know this 'scandal' has been international news and the crown prince of Sweden coming out wouldn't be any different) has seemed to ask the question of "who did it?" and tried to figure it out is just completely unrealistic. People care! We know they do, the way Wille's scandals were treated before are proof of that! And he wasn't even the heir to the throne yet during one of them! Imagine how much bigger it would be now that somebody did this humiliating thing to their Crown Prince! Wouldn't you want to know as a normal citizen and think there should be justice and consequences for that person?

The conspiracy theories would probably run rampant on social media and if Felice can figure it out after only a few days, then millions of people on the internet will be able to do the same. And millions of people are damn better detectives than just Felice. Not to mention there would probably be journalists diving deeper into this and articles discussing it, wanting to be the one to drop the ultimate exposing story.

Now that that's established, let's get to the alternatives/rewrite part of it: What would a realistic and accurate punishment look like?How would that exposé come along and what would happen when August is found out?

What about Sara's report? What if that actually meant something and the police is now involved and it's tricky and not so easy to brush under the rug? In one way or another, legally or publically, August won't get away with it. Sara is a witness after all. So even if August wouldn't get charged and be registered as a sex offender, there should at least be an effort made and a logical reason be found for that instead of ignoring what happened in the s2 finale because it's inconvenient now. The settlement in the show was too simple and easy for me and I feel like an entire writer's room should've been smart enough and come up with something.

We're talking about a crime committed against the crown prince first and foremost, that won't be taken lightly by the police, it's a matter of the country and if you will, also about politics. They have no political power but we're still talking about the son of the Head of State. They could consider this child pornography and a hate crime committed against the projected future Head of State and August essentially barely gets a slap on the wrist?

And also no mention of his estate Årnäs and Rousseau, the horse he bought? Oh and Alexander who was made the scape goat in the entire thing and then was completely dismissed in s3 like that never happened? I'm definitely open for suggestions how all that could be handled differently and all of these elements that were introduced in the s2 finale could be brought up and tied together in a more cohesive, satisfying way.

Of course this also asks the question - how does it affect August's storyline this season? Is he anxious and terrified of the truth coming out beforehand now that he can no longer control it and it's only a matter of time? And what about him after the truth came out? Will he actually learn from the consequences? Could he realise being rich and of noble birth does not protect you and lets you get away with things? Could it even be a good thing for his character and he could finally understand the real damage he has caused to Wilhelm and especially Simon and try and make up for it? Maybe he could heal even when the world is against him and his perfect image is shattered. Maybe that's exactly what he needs, to reconstruct himself. He doesn't need this facade anymore and has to figure himself out in the future without the pressure and significance he put on titles and performance now that it's no longer important.

Or if you just want to see him be punished and suffer the consequences with no healing in sight, this plot could still work. He will be stripped of his estate and the money, his name will have no worth anymore and be associated with shame and Wille and Simon can get actual justice for the crime committed against them and his place in the royal family will be taken away and they never have to deal with him interfering with their lives again.

And how does the royal court handle it before and after? How do their plans change of making August the back up now that that's no longer a viable option? Would the public question their involvement, would they be accused of covering it up and would the trust in the royal family go down? What kind of constitutional crisis could potentially arise from that? The show didn't dare get into that but let's get into that! Are they trying damage control, bring Simon and Wille into the spotlight to focus on their new progressive, modern royal couple or are they trying to keep them on the down low away from the press? What things might have to change and what will they do to keep Wilhelm in this position? What are they willing to do?

Another part are the Hillerska investigations that were a badly executed and unnecessary added drama plot in my opinion but if we keep it in this rewrite, they could be instead about the video logically. Simon and Wille were filmed in Wille's Hillerska dorm room and the person that filmed them must have been another student so that means the school is responsible and that could be really embarrassing for them.

Would the students be investigated? Would the whole day/the time the video was filmed be investigated? Would the society party be relevant and brought up again? Would the exclusive society that hinged on secrecy be exposed for what it is, promoting elitist, classist behavior and using it to consume drugs and alcohol? It would've been a good way to bring the Society back and also tie it to the s1 storylines since we had no mention of it again after that and it felt like a weirdly dropped plothole.

I bet there is a lot of attention and scrutiny Hillerska would receive after all that. How could they let this recording happen, the school doesn't seem to be safe etc. I think it would've been a logical step and feel more cohesive if the school's reputation was smeared because of the things we know have happened within the show's narrative and make it about that instead of making up a past event that has never been relevant before and was semi-retconning multiple character arcs and was put there as a shocking plot twist for drama.

This is a lot and I'm just putting these questions out there, maybe there's not an answer to all of it or there are a lot more questions to be put and it could be spun even further. And also maybe there isn't a case closed kind of solution to some of them but more an open 'what could happen after the show?' kind of implied ending (the future of Hillerska and the monarchy in the stars for example). And if anyone wants to add ideas or suggestions to this 'rewrite' (or actually rewrite it) I'm all ears!

[raincitygirl76]

I think what frustrated me most in season 3 about the August video plot being wrapped up in the first five minutes wasn’t that August was getting away with it, it was that S2 had specifically created a scenario where he couldn’t get away with it. It had laid groundwork for a plot in S3 that suddenly disappeared, with visible plot holes left behind.

In S1, I wasn’t surprised when August got away with filming and posting the video. Rich, well-connected sex offenders avoid prosecution and public exposure all the time. It felt unjust, particularly because the royal court were protecting a sex offender over his victim who was Kristina’s own child. But I understood exactly why Kristina and the royal court had made those choices, even though I didn’t like said choices. If the video plot had been left there, as it was at the end of 1.06, I wouldn’t have objected. August got away with it, of course he did. That’s just what happens.

But in season 2, the video plot gradually built to a crescendo where it became urgently relevant again and August seemed in genuine danger of prosecution and even prison (both Rickard and Rosh mentioned prison). We saw it from 2.01 onwards, when Wilhelm took every possible opportunity to inflict petty humiliations on August, since he’d been denied real justice.

We saw it in Marcus suddenly taking an interest in Simon. They’d obviously been acquaintances for years, with their moms being friends. And they’re two of the very few out gay boys in Bjardstad. But Marcus never approached Simon romantically until a few weeks after the video was released, and then he approached intensely.

We also saw the video plot building in 2.05 when Wilhelm finally revealed to Simon that August was the perpetrator, and Simon was furious Wilhelm had known this for so long and kept it to himself. Simon felt disgusted and betrayed that his fellow victim of the video had protected the perpetrator. And we saw the difference in attitude between Wilhelm and Simon. Wilhelm pragmatic and cynical, knowing the full machinery of the royal court would gear up to destroy Simon.

Simon determined to press charges and convinced he could somehow hold August to account in spite of the royal court. And the conflict where Simon directly accuses Wilhelm of keeping secrets claiming to protect him, but really protecting himself. And Wilhelm later echoes that accusation in the jubilee speech, although I’m getting ahead of myself.

As of 2.05, on my first watch back in November 2022, I still assumed August would continue to get away with it. August had money and influence, Simon had neither. I already knew how these things so often go in real life. Also, August had Sara, warning him in advance that Simon knew and was planning to press charges. As of the end of 2.05, Simon was planning to go to the police and Wilhelm was doing nothing to warn August or the royal court. I was compelled, but I was also distracted by the curtains scene.

At the beginning of 2.06, we saw August’s desperation, him reaching out to Jan-Olof, and Jan-Olof’s indifference. We could see August starting to panic like a rat in a trap, seeing long delayed justice approaching him. And then August invited Alexander into his room and made his proposal. The rat was no longer panicking, he was fighting back with every weapon at his disposal.

In 2.06, when August and Alexander met Wilhelm at the Society’s party venue, Wilhelm was the one panicking, August had his fear under control again. He used the full force of his personality, and of Alexander’s desire for revenge against Wilhelm, to assure Wilhelm that no matter what he and Simon did, August would slide away from the mess, reputation intact. And Simon would be the one in trouble with the police. A smug August wass back on top of the world, with his twin schemes to discredit Simon and blame Alexander whirring along beautifully.

And then we had the shooting range scene, where devastating secrets came out. In the aftermath, Simon accepted that he couldn’t seek justice from the police without implicating himself for the drugs. For the second time, August had gotten away with his crime. But I was full of questions anyway.

Had August overreached himself by admitting his crime to Alexander? Yeah, Alexander hated Wilhelm, but his arrangement with August wass built on mutual convenience, not loyalty to August. A big question mark for Season 3. Also, nobody at the royal court actually liked August, he was just next in line. If word got out to the media and the public that August was the perpetrator, Kristina & Co. would likely throw him overboard without a second thought.

So throughout 2.06, my mind was awhirl with possibilities. Yes, technically, August seemed to have gotten away with it for a second time, but the video plot had been building since 2.01. I was starting to wonder if August might actually go down for his crime finally. And then Sara pulled out her cell phone and called the police to report a crime, and I yelped so loudly at the TV I scared the cat.

Finally, the crucial payoff for six episodes of build-up. Finally, the police had been involved, and soon after them, I was sure the media would get wind of it. It seemed like the perfect climax to the season, setting up a riveting conflict for S3.

As of the end of 2.06, I wasn’t really expecting August to go to prison for the video, even though both Rosh and Rickard hinted that could happen (earlier in S2). But I was expecting August to be arrested, and probably even charged. I expected the royal court to interfere somewhere along the way and use behind the scenes influence to get the charges dropped. Probably as part of a quid pro quo with August whereby he’d take sole blame for the video. Thus protecting the royal court from the public finding out they had already known it was August.

But I was also expecting the media and the public to be all over August. Once the police were involved (and we’d seen Sara involve them), it seemed impossible to keep it quiet any longer. I was anticipating a scenario where August technically got away with it, but his precious reputation was ruined. And the public was repelled at the idea of making August Wilhelm’s backup. That seemed to be what Lisa was building towards throughout S2. She built up those expectations with every strand of plot laid out in S2.

And then S3 opened with a civil settlement, an NDA, and the police no longer interested. Meaning August had gotten away with it for a third time, even after all the building blocks from S2 that he had finally run out of ways to evade justice. And then it never got mentioned again. Neither was Arnas mentioned, which August presumably had to sell to pay off Simon and Wilhelm.

It all just went away in the first five minutes. All that buildup from S2, wasted. So that is why I disliked the settlement story. Because Lisa spent all of S2 telling one story, then suddenly changed her mind after she’d already laid out all the ground work, reversed, and decided to tell a completely different, much less interesting story.

[raincitygirl76]

Good for them. My brave boys deserve to have each other’s backs and confront every idiot in their time zone while proudly holding hands. They’ve both bloody earned the right to confront the world together.

It’s power couple time at last!

I'm like 99% sure that in the scene where Wille and Simon are wearing the pink and yellow shirts in school, they are actually holding hands and Wille looks so determined!! Like "yes we are a couple and I dare you to say anything against it" 😌

[randonwilmonfan]

I'd love to talk more about the locker room scene in S2 E2 of Young Royals, where Wilhelm tries to convince Simon to get back together with him, in the process (sadly) demonstrating that he believes his mother's feeble offer to "talk" about him possibly coming out when he's 18. This takes place after his almost-removal from Hillerska.

Plenty of people have already pointed out how Henry snitched on Wille and Felice’s kiss, but apparently didn’t choose to tell anyone (as far as we’re aware) about Wilhelm almost pleading with Simon to get back together with him during that post-almost-dragged-out-of-Hillerska conversation. And that's definitely an interesting thing to chew on. But there's more...

Here are a few other things that stand out to me too:

First -

I think it’s worth pointing out the obvious — Wilhelm clearly sees Simon in his future long-term (possibly for the rest of his life). The way he casually says to Simon “So, we’d only have to keep it a secret for 2 years” implies three things very clearly.

a) He immediately and easily sees himself together with Simon in 2 years and beyond. Actually, specifically, definitely beyond. Because his eye is on the prize: coming out and living openly with Simon *after* he turns 18 — implying his focus is entirely on the intended afterwards period. He doesn’t even blink at that idea; it’s obvious to him.

b) He also really doesn’t seem to think 2 years is a big deal. For a teenager who’s only lived 16 years on this planet (only approximately ~11-ish of them in a state where they’re forming conscious memories) to think 2 years is just a drop in the bucket is kind of wild. Even 6 months feels like forever to a kid. So Wilhelm — a child — viewing time from this perspective suggests he’s likely balancing 2 years out against a much longer expanse of time; hence why those 24 months would look so minuscule and shrug-worthy by comparison. In other words: he sees himself with Simon in the LONG long term. Two years is nothing if you’re imagining growing old with someone and spending the rest of your many decades on this Earth with them. (All of this is pretty much confirmed later on in S2, when Wilhelm offers to abdicate the throne for Simon.)

c) He also doesn’t seem to think Simon should be appalled by the idea of waiting for 2 years. Yes, sure, we can chalk part of that up to selfishness and lack of mentalization / empathy for Simon’s point of view. But I’m going to suggest it’s more than that. My takeaway is that he assumes Simon also sees them as endgame, and so naturally wouldn’t be bothered by waiting a bit longer in order to spend forever together. (Sadly the conversation does not play out that way for him; ouch. Though no shade to Simon: what he said in response was realistic and fair.)

Second -

I think we have to rewatch his interactions with Simon as Henry slams a door and slowly walks past them with a raised eyebrow. Because, in S1, that Wilhelm would have immediately jumped away from Simon to create distance and try to pretend there’s plausible deniability about what their relationship has been and could be again. That’s (one) part of the whole point of S1: Wilhelm is not ready to be brave enough to face a homophobic aristocratic world and take a bold stance to stand by Simon.

Instead, in S2 E2, he sits still. He stays right next to Simon. In fact, he *leaves his hand resting directly on Simon’s thigh.* And he knows someone is coming their way! He heard the door slam inside the locker room. Obviously he knows someone else is here. But he doesn’t jump. He actually doesn’t really stir much at all.

He sits there like it’s of no importance, and he doesn’t care who sees. Or, even, who overheard this very intimate, vulnerable, and pleading conversation. A conversation in which the future King of their country is almost on the verge of begging his ex to please be his again… not just for now, but for multiple years’ time. I mean we’re like 2 steps away from Wille practically offering Simon a “promise ring” (not sure if that concept holds up in Europe, but it’s basically a very pre-engagement type thing in the US; it’s not common though). (Their convo also makes it very clear Simon was the one who dumped him and that he’s having trouble accepting that and moving on.)

Yet he doesn’t seem perturbed or disturbed by Henry’s presence and overhearing and seeing them. He doesn’t seem embarrassed at all. He’s not ashamed of his love for Simon. Even more specifically, he’s not afraid of people (Henry) seeing him put his heart out on the line, and of them knowing that he wants Simon back - not for just a hook-up, but for a very long-term, serious, committed relationship. And he doesn’t make any moves to emotionally or physically distance himself from Simon, despite Henry’s clear witnessing of this private moment.

This is a subtle way to show that, even though Wille hasn't yet gone through his full S2 journey of self-awareness and self-growth, he has still already begun changing and growing after the end of S1. So he’s at least started to learn some of his lessons about what he needs to do differently.

Anyhoo, the whole point I’m trying to make is… gosh there were so many fascinating things happening in that scene. And they rush right past us in the blink of an eye! But there is so much meaning built into every small interaction and non-interaction there, and into every nonchalant assumption the characters casually voice.

I’m sure there’s more meaning and are more details I missed, too! What did you think? I’d love to learn more from others’ perspectives, too. :)

[turnmyheadupsidedown]

Young royals faves fest

This year I’ve been tracking my reading and I have some favorites from the 499 fics I’ve read. So why not share them now during @youngroyals-events faves fest?

There are an insane amount of amazing yr fics on ao3 and this is only some of my favorites from what I’ve read this year (sadly didn’t track last year..)

one hundred and seventeen

by thatgayprince (@prince-simon) E 15k

Wille celebrates his birthday in Vegas, courtesy of Maddie, where he runs into Lady Gaga's background dancer

Let’s start with a classic (for me). This one has a special place in my heart. I think this was one of my first fics that included some kind of gender/trans/non binary/fluid and I was so reluctant to read it because of that and now I love it.

Constellations of Love

by Spidaya (@simons-purplehoodie) M 80k

An enemies to lovers & fake dating story, with focuses on Simon’s struggle to keep his family afloat despite his father’s abuse and addiction, and Wille’s trauma and anxiety from childhood to adulthood, heavily based on the book “They Hate Each Other” by Amanda Woody

This is for those of you who want to feel when you read. I cried multiple times both times I read it this year.

forever i'm yours

by goldenwilmon (@goldenwilmon) E 22k

Simon takes a chance when he sees Wilhelm from afar at a party on a January night, sparking an instant connection between them. They spend a year falling in love.

You wanna have some good feelings? This is for you! According to my notes it’s “so fucking cute and lovely”

Little Light

by unfortunate17 (@unfortunate17) E 22k

Wilhelm never returned to Hillerska after winter break. Ten years later, Simon watches him come out on national television. Then, they reconnect.

Simon is not okay. It will hurt and you need to take care of yourself while reading this.

Is It Over Now?

by itsme_hi_imtheproblem (@iwouldnevergetintofanfic) E 75k

It's clear from the start that Crown Prince Wilhelm and Simon Eriksson, member of world-famous boyband sensation HIGH 5, don't have a future. Against all odds and under scrutiny from media, management and the royal court, they still try - and fail to preserve their fragile relationship.

It's over.

Until Simon decides to release three songs, ten years later. Three songs about Wilhelm. Times have surely changed, but so have they. Both of them struggle with the strong emotions that reappear. Are they just memories? Or are things not quite as over as they thought?

Buckle up, because this will be an intense ride! The angst level is high but it is worth it, so worth it!

In Another Life

by embracedthevoid (@embracedthevoid) E 100k

Wilhelm and Simon stumble back into each other's lives and decide to give themselves one last night together.... or so they thought it would be their last night.

Wilhelm never returned to Hillerska after winter break, and he has spent his entire life regretting it. Nearly a decade later, he runs into Simon. He had hoped he'd successfully moved on from his feelings after all these years, but clearly, he was wrong. The two spend a passionate night together, expecting it to be their last. That is until it happens a second time when the two come arrangement that suits both their needs. Friends with benefits? No, they'd have to actually be friends for that to be the case.

Complicated feelings and really good smut? Yes please!

Fools in a Fable

unfortunate17 (@unfortunate17) E 39k

Simon, a journalist at a left-wing magazine, eagerly accepts the chance of a lifetime to write a scathingly honest piece about the newly crowned King Wilhelm, who has a history shrouded in parties, drugs, and gay allegations. His plans, however, go to shit when he realizes that Wilhelm is nothing like he expected.

You wanna read almost 40k with the constant feeling of “shit will hit the fan really fucking soon”? This is for you!

The bro-tap

itsme_hi_imtheproblem (@iwouldnevergetintofanfic) M 5k

What if Wille bro-tapped Simon a little too hard after rowing practice in S1E2?

We will end this list with a short one shot which is both funny and very beautiful. I’d say this is my favorite first time-fic.

[caramelpenguin]

Simon is soft. Simon is warm. Simon is golden and he is safe and he is love. These are simple, solid facts that- at this very moment- makes Wille want to cry a little bit. It is the opposite of the icy atmosphere in the Palace, where his mamma criticises his every thought and move and decision, and his pappa stands there to watch.

It's early autumn. Outside, the cold is beginning to seep into their bones, biting at the edge of the world. Simon is tracing lazy patterns onto his collarbone, curled up next to him on his bed, bathed in the orange glow of the fishtanks. They fit together. Wille doesn't know who he'd be without this.

"Do you want to talk about?" Simon asks. He whispers it as if the world will steal his question from him if he's too loud. He's had too much taken from him already.

Wilhelm shakes his head. He cried enough before texting Simon asking if he could come over. He really doesn't want to cry again.

"Okay. That's okay." A kiss on neck. Lips pressed onto his cheek. Onto his forehead. Fingers combing through his hair, over and over, like they're stitching him back together. He is surrounded by warmth. His chest is stirring, he hears his heart thumping in his ears and something weird is welling inside and it might tip over but he can't let that happen because then he'll think about his mamma and that look on her face and the way she says her words so that they cut cleanly through him, so that they drip with disappointment and how she won't let him be himself and how controlled his life has been and will always be and he really doesn't want to cry.

"Thank you, Simon," he says instead of falling apart. Wilhelm swallows hard, he breathes deep. He clenches his jaw.

"Don't thank me."

"I just did."

Simon tuts playfully. He draws a heart onto Wilhelm's cheek with his index finger. "I hope you know that I am so proud of you. All your friends are. Parents aren't always right, you know." Simon threads their hands together. "They don't get to decide who you are, or who you'll become. That's yours." Wilhelm shuffles to wrap an arm around the body next to him. He's clingy and desperate and aching. He's a little boy again. Starving for hugs. Starving for a love he doesn't have to earn.

"One step at a time," Simon murmurs, holding Wille tightly against him.

He nods. "One step at a time."

[zee-has-commitment-issues]

Number 87!

Hello! Number 87 is Coincidence by Sabrina Carpenter. Shorter this time! But still not sticking to the 100 words lmao my bad.

Simon and Wilhelm had an unspoken rule: they were never truly off-limits to each other. It didn’t matter who else came into their lives, how long those relationships lasted, or even if the world seemed to be falling apart. Somehow, someway, they always found their way back to each other. It was a truth so unshakable that anyone smart enough knew it was better to accept it than to fight against it. It wasn’t a question of if — it was simply a matter of when. The wise learned to accept it; the foolish believed they could change it.

That didn’t stop anyone from trying, of course. Every time the pair broke it off, some idiot would try to worm their way in and take the prize. Each of them so confident that they would be the one that would change the pattern.

They never were. It would happen again and again. The couple would break up and pretend to move on, then two weeks later they’d be texting again, then making excuses to be in the same place, until they would inevitably fall back in bed and back in love.

There was never an excuse good enough to fully justify their actions, and the few times they lied about their phones dying or nothing happening were quickly disproven by their own social media posts together.

It wasn’t a coincidence that they always seemed to end up in the same corner of the same party. It was probably better if people just accepted that and moved on.

send me a number from my spotify wrapped and I'll write something

[thatsmybook]

In season 2, in preparation for the Valentine's Ball, Felice decides not to wear the white wig with her outfit.

She has her natural hair big, and curly and out, and stunning. Also, I love that her dress is a dark colour compared to everyone else's pale coloured outfits.

She says to her friends about the wig: "I don't know what to do. I can't wear that. It doesn't feel like me." Madison says, "Isn't that the point, though." Stella says," I think it's really pretty." Felice replies with, "It's not that it's not pretty. That's not the problem. It just doesn't feel right. But it's so weird. Everyone else will wear one."

She wants to be herself and sit in her own beauty, but she is worried that she will stand out by not conforming. Parallel this with her dad in season 3 telling her, "When I started (at Hillerska), I tried to have my own style. Some different cool clothes, big unruly hair....But here, that wasn't an option. Soon, I looked like everyone else."

When how you look, your hair, the colour of your skin, makes you different, conforming to the hierarchy that implies that European standards of beauty are superior, is necessary to have an easier time at Hillerska. According to Poppe, "That's how you win. Play be the rules."

I love how this is followed by Felice going against the rules of Hillerska that you don't snitch on the goings-on of the institution, and being honest. Leaving her conforming dad out of the interview room.

I like to contrast Felice's decision at the Valentine's Ball with Wilhelm painting his face and putting on his wig that makes him look like a traditional Prince. In this scene, he is crying as he dons his Prince apparel. It also 'doesn't feel right'. And it also 'doesn't feel like him'. He has always hated his role as Prince. Even something that should be fun, like playing dress up for a ball that everyone is doing, is not. Because he's not playing a role like everyone else. He is that role, and he hates it.

As to the other characters: August is seen to be really pleased with his reflection in the mirror as a traditional noble (read Prince) role. Sara is caught up in the excitement of being one of the elite girls and playing at being a part of their world. Simon is in his school uniform. He is himself. A 16 year old school boy. He definitely stands out at the ball, but he doesn't care.

[ticklishraspberries]

Study Strategy (Simon/Wilhelm)

Summary: Living in a dormitory requires a level of quiet that neither Simon nor Wilhelm can accomplish. (This show gets angsty literally right off the bat and I couldn’t handle it anymore, I had to stop and write some fluff to cope. Thank you to my evil friends, @signinandgetkinky and @nhasablogg for telling me to watch this show, you’ve ruined my life. Hope y’all enjoy the fic!!)

“You are allowed to take a break from studying, you know,” Wilhelm says, smirking.

Simon can’t help the fond chuckle he gives in response. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re good at maths.”

“So are you! You just overthink the questions.”

Wilhelm snatches the notebook away before Simon can protest, pushing him back against the bed and laying across his chest, effectively finding a way to both pin him down and cuddle him close.

Simon would be lying if he said he didn’t like it. “Well, if I fail this next test, it will be your fault.”

“Good thing you won’t fail, then.”

He opens his mouth to argue, but Wilhelm is kissing him before he can form any words, and he can’t help but kiss back. It’s risky, kissing at school like this, but they can’t seem to resist the temptation.

After their lips pull apart, Wilhelm doesn’t stop there. He presses kisses to Simon’s cheek, his jaw, his nose. His face flushes, and he’s certain that the prince can feel the heat radiating off of his skin. Normally, he’d be teased about it, but his mouth is rather occupied.

Simon lets out a content hum, hands wrapping around Wilhelm’s waist and holding him even closer. He loves when his boyfriend gets into these touchy-feely moods, wanting to be so near they’re practically joined at the hip. It makes him feel special, wanted.

When the kisses travel down towards his neck, though, he can’t help but squirm, a breathy laugh slipping out.

“Does this tickle?” Wilhelm asks, mischief glinting in his eyes.

Even his breath tickles. How is that even fair? Simon huffs. “You know it does.”

“I know. I just wanted to hear you say it.”

Simon never expected Wilhelm to be so playful, so affectionate. He assumed that royals grew up so stiff and strict, but it seems as though the prince’s relationship with Erik was just as playful as he and Sara’s own sibling bond. It’s heart-warming, actually, to imagine Wilhelm as a child, shrieking with joy while being carried on his big brother’s back, not worrying about the family’s legacy or public appearance or one day taking the crown. He certainly hadn’t been worried about a world where his older brother was no longer there to bring a smile to his freckled face.

The sad thought isn’t able to linger, as Wilhelm has taken Simon’s half-assed confirmation as an invitation to continue, each peck of his lips more deliberate, more purposefully ticklish, and Simon can’t help but giggle, heels digging into the mattress.

It’s a soft, steady sound until Wilhelm experimentally nips at the shell of his ear, which makes Simon shriek in the high-pitched way he finds so embarrassing, and it makes them both laugh harder with how ridiculous it is.

“Shhh,” Wilhelm murmurs, nose pressed into the crook of his neck. “You’re going to get us caught.”

“Then it’ll be entirely your fault,” Simon replies, scrunching his shoulders, trying and failing to protect himself.

And because that simply won’t do, Wilhelm switches tactics and scratches at his belly, making him thrash wildly, burying his face in the other boy’s hair as some attempt at volume control. It doesn’t do much, and reality sets in and reminds them both that while this is all fun and games, the idea of being caught is a very real, very scary thing.

“You’re the worst,” Simon breathes when Wilhelm finally rolls off of him, curling up by his side instead.

Wilhelm grins. “You love it.”

Simon rolls his eyes and sits up to resume studying, and Wilhelm doesn’t snatch his book away again. He just lays next to him, occasionally helping him with equations, but mostly just watching him.

When he does well on the test, Wilhelm whispers that maybe tickles should be his new studying strategy. It makes him blush like mad, but he doesn’t protest the idea.

[bluedalahorse]

Morning commute thoughts about Sara and Wilhelm

Well, okay. Maybe you can have a little meta, as a treat.

I pretty firmly believe that we’re supposed to see connections/parallels between how Sara treats Simon and how Wilhelm treats Simon, especially by the end of season 1 and then moving into season 2.

Consider how:

Sara and Wilhelm both betray Simon at the end of season 1. Wilhelm by denying his involvement in the video, Sara by letting August buy her silence.

Both Sara and Wilhelm think they can hold August accountable by acting alone. They do this without asking Simon what he thinks is best or enlisting the support of trustworthy adults. Sara attempts to emotionally support August enough that he holds himself accountable, while Wilhelm goes on a classic revenge spree. Neither approach is 100% effective because they’re working alone and because both of them are up against untrustworthy adults working behind the scenes (the royal court) who make situations worse.

Even when things are fraught for the reasons mentioned above, we still see evidence that they care for Simon and that their relationship with him is worth preserving. Wilhelm and Simon’s moment where they take a running shortcut at rowing practice is one of them. Sara hugging Simon after he sings his song is another. There’s more, too! I will let y’all find those things as I’m late for work.

Both of them have their poor decisions clouded by first love. Sara gives August more space than she probably should to change because they’re in love with one another (something that’s been brewing even before the video, so even if August never released the video, they still might have had some kind of relationship even though it may have looked very different.) She also assumes Simon’s scars from the video have faded somewhat so it’s okay to keep pursuing her relationship. (How many of us have assumed something affected someone less than we thought it did only to later find out we were wrong? Certainly I did, when I was a teenager.) Wilhelm, meanwhile, is in love with Simon, but at the beginning he is far from being a Model Boyfriend. He initially attempts to pressure Simon into a secret relationship and does stuff like read Simon’s texts. This is frightening enough when it comes from someone the same social class as you, but Wilhelm is a prince with a lot more access to wealth and people who can like… request your phone records and stuff. He never uses his power that way and I don’t think it occurred to him to, but I think we’re supposed to understand that this could have gone south if he didn’t have people like Boris helping him. (Meanwhile, Sara’s romance with August feels like a more dramatic betrayal in some ways than Wilhelm reading Simon’s texts and Wilhelm denying he was with Simon on live TV, but Wilhelm also has a lot more institutional power behind him while Sara is in a relationship when she lacks institutional power and her intimate partner has a lot to hold over her if their relationship sours.) The show is very clear that falling in love is a morally neutral thing—falling in love, whether it’s with a “generally good” or a “generally bad” person, is something you can’t control, but the choices you make as a result of being in love are what defines your moral stance. By the end of season 2, Wilhelm has grown and made the choice to express his love for Simon in more conscientious ways. He becomes aware of the role his status plays. Meanwhile, Sara has chosen to give up her first love—even with the possibility that she could face brutal retaliation from her partner—to try and achieve justice for Simon’s sake.

I feel like we’re 100% meant to see these parallels and feel equal amounts of sympathy for Wilhelm and Sara as they grow and work out who they are in the world and what they can do next. Which is why if I had to guess, Wilhelm and Sara having a bonding moment will play some role in Simon’s reconciliation with Sara. And even if it doesn’t, I guarantee you that the writers were thinking of them as having parallel arcs.

Anyway, I love both Wilhelm and Sara so much. They both have amazing growth! That’s why I want to see them interact and become friends.

[writerthroufire]

A Symphony of Lies

A Simon angst fic

Simon's heart would pound with excitement every time he finished a new track. His fingers danced across the keys, conjuring up rhythms that pulsed through his veins. Each chord was a piece of his soul, laid bare for the world to hear. He lived for the moment when he'd share his creations with his friends, their eyes lighting up with enthusiasm.

Wilhelm, his boyfriend, was always the first to listen. His tall frame would engulf Simon in a warm embrace, his head resting on Simon's shoulder as he closed his eyes. "It's beautiful, Simme," he'd murmur, his voice thick with adoration. Simon would beam, his heart swelling with pride.

His other friends, a vibrant group of art students, were equally supportive. They raved about his melodies, analyzing the lyrics with an intensity that flattered him. Their genuine interest fueled his passion, making him believe he was on the brink of something extraordinary.

But beneath the surface of their enthusiastic praise, a subtle dissonance began to creep into Simon's mind. Their reactions, once brimming with raw emotion, now seemed a little too rehearsed, their compliments a bit too generic. It was as if they were going through the motions, offering empty praise to appease him.

Doubt, a venomous serpent, slithered into his thoughts. Was it possible that his music, the product of his heart and soul, was simply not good enough? Or worse, were they lying to him, their smiles masking a hidden truth? The more he played his music, the more convinced he became that his friends were merely humoring him.

A cold dread settled in his stomach as he realized the terrifying possibility. Had he been living in a gilded cage of illusion, surrounded by people who pretended to adore his music? The thought was almost unbearable.

The weight of uncertainty had been gnawing at Simon for months. Every smile, every nod of approval felt increasingly hollow. He longed for genuine feedback, a critique that would help him grow as an artist. But as the days turned into weeks, the silence around his music became deafening.

One afternoon, Simon arrived home earlier than usual. As he slipped off his shoes, he heard voices coming from the kitchen. It was Wilhelm, on the phone with their friends. Curiosity, a dangerous temptress, urged him closer. His heart pounded in his chest as he pressed his ear against the door, his breath catching in his throat.

The familiar voices of his friends washed over him, but their tone was different. Gone was the enthusiasm, replaced by a casual indifference. Then, Wilhelm’s voice cut through the conversation. “His music? Honestly, I don’t get it. Reggaeton? Come on, it’s so... basic.” Simon's blood ran cold. Basic? His music, the culmination of countless hours of passion and experimentation, reduced to a single, dismissive word.

A wave of nausea washed over him. Wilhelm continued, his voice laced with condescension. "I mean, I love Simme, but his music? Not my thing. Maybe he should try pop or something. He’d be better off." Simon's vision blurred. Pop? The very suggestion was a betrayal of everything he stood for. His music was a reflection of his culture, his roots. It was his identity.

The words cut deeper as Wilhelm elaborated, his voice dripping with certainty. "And the beats? Don’t even get me started. They’re just... off. Like, he clearly doesn’t know what he’s doing." Simon’s hands clenched into fists. Off? Those beats were the result of countless hours of trial and error, a labor of love.

Simon’s world crumbled around him. The boy who had been his rock, his confidant, was now exposing his deepest insecurity. The pain was a physical sensation, a heavy weight settling in his chest. Every ounce of pride he had built around his music was being systematically destroyed.

He stood frozen, unable to move or react. The words echoed in his mind, a relentless assault on his self-esteem. For the first time in his life, Simon felt truly alone. The boy who had always seen the best in people had been cruelly betrayed by the one person he trusted most.

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. Simon stood frozen, the blood draining from his face. He had poured his heart and soul into his music, only to have it dismissed as "basic" and "off." The words echoed in his mind, a relentless assault on his self-esteem. Shame, a cold, insidious creature, coiled around his heart.

He had trusted them, his closest friends and his lover. They had feigned enthusiasm, their lies a carefully constructed facade. The realization was a bitter pill to swallow. How could they have been so cruel? How could they have hidden their true feelings for so long?

With trembling hands, Simon retreated to his room, the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. The door clicked shut behind him, a barrier between his shattered world and the rest of the world. And then, the dam broke.

Sob after sob racked his body, each one a physical manifestation of the emotional turmoil within. Tears streamed down his face, blurring his vision. He curled up on his bed, a small, broken figure lost in a sea of despair. Hours passed, the world outside fading into a distant hum.

The silence in the room was deafening, punctuated only by the rhythmic sobs escaping his lips. His mind raced, replaying the hurtful words, analyzing every inflection, every nuance. He questioned his talent, his worth, his entire existence. In the depths of his despair, he felt utterly alone.

Simon took deep breaths. He didn't wanna bother them anymore. He'd shut up about his writing and music. When hanging out with his boyfriend he refrained from mentioning anything to do with his music. And it didn't seem Wilhelm noticed. That, or maybe he was grateful, Simon couldn't tell. Either way it hurt, and Simon began to sink into himself.

The vibrant, passionate Simon was slowly fading, replaced by a hollow shell of his former self. His once sparkling eyes now held a dullness, a reflection of the dimming light within. The music, his solace, his escape, now felt like a heavy burden, a constant reminder of his failure.

The joy he found in creating, in losing himself in rhythm and melody, was replaced by a gnawing sense of inadequacy. Every chord he played, every lyric he wrote now felt like a desperate plea for validation, a cry in the void.

He retreated into himself, building walls around his heart. The Simon who once shared his dreams, his hopes, with abandon was now a ghost, haunting the empty corridors of his soul. The once open book was now a tightly sealed volume, its pages filled with unspoken words and buried emotions.