#ellen claremont is my president after all

[rwrbficrecs]

We’ll Invite Something In by @smc-27 (book-verse)

@dot524: This is a fandom favorite and for good reason. In this canon divergence AU, Alex is President, Henry is out, and they never got together in their 20s. Instead, they encounter each other in their late 30s and a very different type of relationship ensues. They still hide it at first, but there’s a lot of living that they both have done and need to work through. I really enjoyed the character dynamics here and how the premise changed both Alex and Henry, making them bolder and more mature. Definitely read this one!

Eyes Blue, Like the Atlantic by bleedingballroomfloor (book-verse)

@dot524: A Titanic AU! Adapted by an excellent writer, this one has suspense, action, romance, and intrigue. There is a MCD (Main Character Death) in here and some other tags to be aware of, but also vibrant scenes with dancing, chasing, art, and formal wear. I really enjoyed it!

Clean Slate by @smc-27 (book-verse)

@heysweetheart-writes: This was just so excellent. I devoured it in no time, couldn't put it down. I love the way Alex just slips into Henry's life like a silk glove even though Henry has his hesitations. There's abslutely no angst at all other than "you're too young for me" "no, next question" I love it. I love Henry finally feeling young for the first time. I think that is something that Henry generally feels after meeting Alex, like he's never been able to, no matter at what point in life he is. ANYWAY I'm talking about Henry way too much again for a rec. Read this.

Most People Exist by @sprigsofviolets (book-verse)

@na-dineee: Henry, 30, is a nurse on a cancer ward. From the very first moment he feels an intense connection and attraction to his newest patient, the one who has a brain tumor and is named Alexander Claremont-Diaz. - The tags say it all: "Falling in love, Slow Burn, Angst with a happy ending, Hurt/Comfort". After reading this story I am a whole new person. I laughed and cried, had butterflies in my stomach, I felt it all. Hands down one of the best fics I've ever read!

after hours by @dumbpeachjuice (book-verse)

@na-dineee: How much can happen in a few hours? stutteringpeach: Hold my beer. 😅🤝 Reading this was truly a roller coaster ride, my stomach was doing somersaults non-stop: On his last evening in New York, poet Henry meets bartender Alex and the two spend the night together - in true "Before Sunrise" style. To sum it all up: enchanting, sweet, phenomenal, iconic!

No. 1 (Royal Red and Blue) Oil on Canvas by @captainjunglegym (book-verse)

@zwiazdziarka: This fic is so twisted and surprising in the best way! The summary did not prepare me for all the action that comes after the initial relationship drama and I'd really like to fawn over it some more but I don't want to spoil the fun of figuring out what really is going on and what are characters' motivations. Just give it a try.

Meet the Parents (series) by @14carrotghoul (book-verse)

@dot524: I really enjoyed these thoughtful character studies of Ellen and Oscar. The two short stories are a series of canon vignettes from Oscar and Ellen’s POV. These glimpses of the Claremont-Diaz parents add heart and depth to the RWRB canon, giving insight about how Ellen and Oscar think about parenthood, power, family, and each other.

Leave The World Better Than You Found It: A BONES AU by @treluna4 (book/movie-verse)

@myheartalivewrites: I really enjoyed this FirstPrince meets procedural TV show fic! With Alex as Booth and Henry as Brennan, they learn to work together, solve crimes--and fall in love, of course. Plus take down a very satisfying book villain.

No Laughing Matter by @inexplicablymine (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This fic is absolutely hysterical- a must read if you need something to cheer you up! It's also very relatable for anyone who, like me, has said things they've regretted in all the best ways!

in summer air by @acdsbff (book-verse)

@na-dineee: I need a vacation and vitamin D - maybe that's why this series (both POVs are covered 🥰) captivated me so much?! It is set on a Greek island, where Alex, just cheated on by his boyfriend, meets hotel owner Henry. What follows is a whirlwind speedrun romance against a beautiful backdrop. Really therapeutic for the heart on dreary days!!

here is a map (with your name as a capital) by @alasse9 (book-verse)

@dot524: What an incredible surprise to have this entire 50k story drop at once. In this canon divergent story, Alex and Henry start getting to know each other in Rio, when Alex helps him recover from a panic attack. Their friendship, and later their relationship, is a delightful slow burn with funny moments, heartbreak, and steady support of each other. I thoroughly enjoyed this start to finish — the characterization of both Alex and Henry is on point and I really enjoyed how the writer changed some of the scenes from the book while keeping key callbacks. A delight.

Claremont 2008 by @happiness-of-the-pursuit (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This friends to lovers AU is done so well! Having Henry and Alex meet as kids means we get years of their friendship before they even start dating, and it gives every aspect of their relationship so much depth through this entire fic. It also gives some events only referenced in the novel a completely different perspective, which makes them even better!

keep me in the moment (don't it feel so real?) by @anincompletelist (book-verse)

@heysweetheart-writes: I absolutely love everything that comes out of Sarah's magic little fingers and this was no exception. Alex and Henry are best friends and pinning over eache other unknowingly and an accidental lil discovery turns their relationship upside-down (for the better) absolutely recommended. I honestly loved it so much.

you know i can't be found with you by @dumbpeachjuice (book-verse)

@heysweetheart-writes: This was SO much fun. Alex was RELENTLESS and I absolutely love an older Henry. It was also very fucking funny. 10/10

the great duck fiasco by @alexclaremont-diaz (book-verse)

@suseagull04: A spy AU, dating apps, and Alex's Texas roots combine in the funniest way possible- definitely read this if you want a good laugh!

[meraki-yao]

RWRB Book Thoughts: Ellen and Oscar

Re-reading RWRB and thinking about Oscar and Ellen. The thing is book Ellen and Oscar's relationship scares me because it's like the worst-case scenario of my own parents (they're a lot better now but covid was hell) So I understand it.

Ellen and Oscar are soulmates. As in they are both intelligent, stubborn and headstrong. They are very similar people. Unfortunately this is a case where it's like forcefully pushing two North ends of a magnet together: Ellen in particular wants and needs a complimentary relationship instead of collaborative relationship, which is why Leo works for her: Leo is meek compared to Oscar. He really just listens and generally agrees with Ellen. His appearances are limited in the book but when he does show up he doesn't really have his own opinion. Ellen wants/needs someone who won't speak up against her.

Honestly? I, kinda feel sad for Oscar. He said it himself, "We're both too fucking proud. But God, that woman. Your mother is, without question, the love of my life. I'll never love anyone else like that." It's sad to know that he never stopped loving Ellen while vice versa isn't true, and to know that she's it for Oscar.

When it comes to parenting I honestly think Oscar is the better parent. It was really shitty of him to leave without telling Alex and June and that evidently really hurt Alex til this day, but when it comes to the other parent things? I was re-reading/listening to Chapter Four today when he goes to DC for Christmas, and both Alex and June are so much more comfortable with him. Part of that is probably because he doesn't carry the inherent pressure of being the fucking president, but part of it is that he really cares about his kids as they are. Ellen downplays June's passion for journalism and pressures her into a political job that she didn't want at all, while Oscar "raved about June's latest blog post for The Atlantic". Ellen immediately started piling up all the political consequences of firstprince literally minutes after Alex plucked up the courage to come out to her while Oscar gave him relationship advice. This isn't to say Ellen isn't a good mother, she is flawed, as Oscar is, as all parents are. But if we're looking at non-crisis moments, Oscar's actions are more comfortable for his children.

There's a reason June initially wanted to go to California and be close to her dad. Yesterday I talked a little about how I hated how Ellen and Alex treated June at the earlier chapters of the book. Well in the rest of the book it's implied that she has a much closer relationship with Oscar, jumping into his arms when he arrives at the White House, him picking her up and spinning her when they arrive at the lakehouse.

Either way, Ellen and Oscar clash becasue they're too alike, and my opinion is that Ellen tends to fan the flames more, see Christmas dinner where Oscar suggests campaigning with them to help and she immediately shoots it down with "you can't be serious". Anyways, the children suffer the most. And uh, speaking from experience here, that shit never goes away. My parents are still together and are a lot better compared to the past, but I flinch at any sound of argument/angry yelling because of all of their fighting.

And there's this one paragraph in the book: "Even before Alex's parents split, they both had a habit of calling him by the other's last name when he exhibited a particular trait. They still do. When he runs his mouth off to the press, his mom called him into her office and says ' get your shit together Diaz.' When his hard-headedness gets him stuck, his dad texts him, 'Let it go, Claremont'" and God that's so shitty? To know, to be reminded that one parent hates the part of you that is from the other parent. Even if that's not what Ellen and Oscar's intention is, that's what it feels like, and it's really, fucking, shitty.

I wonder how would book Alex feel if he know that there was an alternative universe out there where his family was functional. I wonder how would he feel if he knew that movie Alex doesn't have his loving sister, but has loving, gentle parents who have a healthy, functional relationship.

My guess, is that he would say that he'd choose his life and his sister no matter what, and he means it because he does love June, but deep down a part of him would be jealous of movie Alex for having a smaller but healthier and happier family.

[otomiyaa]

Day 10: In Secret

Henry x Alex | Nim's Lovely Tickletober 

Word Count: 800

The newspapers, gossip magazines and printouts still covered the table. Alex couldn't stop grinning, even if he didn't mean to.

"I can't believe we just got yelled at, for something like this."

"I do, actually. I can believe it."

Sure, the world knew about their relationship. But there was still their duty to keep things as professional as possible. Secretly but not so secretly tickling and groping each other whenever and wherever they could, it wasn't really part of 'the code', as Zahra worded it beautifully just now.

"What I can't believe is that they got this gem on camera," Henry said, leaning forward and grabbing one of the sheets with an Instagram post Zahra had screenshotted for them. The caption said "We've got a ticklish first son!" and showed how Henry was pinching his side, with Alex cackling loudly.

"Yeah, not my most charming picture. Loving this one though," Alex said, and he tossed the gossip magazine in Henry's direction, which fell open at the right page: Alex Claremont-Diaz and Prince Henry of Wales can't keep their hands off each other.

On the picture they chose to show with the article, Alex was tickling Henry in what he had apparently thought was a subtle way, but the paparazzi had captured it perfectly.

Henry snorted. "You have to stop tickling each other!" he mimicked Zahra's angry outburst. "I don't want to know what your mother will say to this," he said immediately after that.

Alex chuckled. "I'm pretty sure she'll be happy that we're having fun. And a healthy love life."

Henry glared at him. "You know what all these have got in common?" he asked, nodding at the papers on the table. Alex shrugged.

"Ticklish us?" he said. Henry shook his head.

"You tickled first. I remember this moment exactly," he said, showing the one where Alex was getting tickled.

"I was only doing this because you did it first."

Alex gasped loudly. "That's a big accusation. And very true," he immediately admitted.

"So?" Henry raised his eyebrows.

"So, I will solemnly swear that I shall no longer... tickle Prince Henry of Wales... unless it's..." he paused.

"...in private."

"...in secret."

They both said it at the same time, and Henry immediately gasped. "What did you just say? What do you mean, secret?"

Alex wiggled his eyebrows. "I just have to make sure that when I tickle you, no one can see."

"No! No, Alex no!" Henry laughed.

Yes, Alex. Yes.

That night they were forced to be around people for hours, for the birthday celebration of President Ellen Claremont which was organized with a big charity event, including a dinner and a party.

"Alex!" Henry hissed when Alex tickled his knee under the dinner table. Alex made a face.

"What's wrong?" he asked, to which Henry had no choice but laugh behind his hand.

"S-stohop!"

When someone looked at them in confusion, Alex chuckled along with Henry.

"My mother's speeches always have some... hidden comedy in them. It's a family thing," he whispered to explain Henry's cute little giggle fit. Meanwhile he performed a perfect tickly claw on Henry's knee and loved to hear him laugh quietly.

And later again. Even after dinner during the party, Alex made sure to be an ass about it. Anytime he was close enough to Henry, he would tickle him secretly. If Henry was somewhere and Alex needed to pass him, instead of simply grabbing his shoulders he grabbed his waist and tickled him on purpose while passing by.

"Sorry, coming through."

"AH-!" Henry almost dropped his drink. With so many people around, all he could do was glare at Alex and mouth silently: "I will kill you."

"Love you too," Alex mouthed back.

When they were dancing, again Alex would tickle him in the most subtle way possible.

"Ahahalex!"

Despite the warnings and dangers, nothing stopped Alex from tickling Henry over and over that night. And by the time they were alone together in their bedroom again, he could finally be confronted about it.

"Alex!" Henry whined, but Alex quickly held up his phone and raised his eyebrows.

"Look, the photos from tonight are already all over the net and guess what. Didn't catch us."

"I can't believe you," Henry sighed, shaking his head as he watched Alex scroll through the various articles and photo galleries.

"This here though... Look at you. I was totally tickling you under the table here. Look at your cute little nose scrunch," Alex teased as he showed Henry one photo in particular.

Henry grabbed Alex' arm and yanked him forward. "I will so kill you for this," he said before kissing him on the lips.

"So kill me," Alex said breathlessly through some intense and passionate kisses.

And the moment Henry brought his hands towards his body and started to tickle, Alex could only think that this was what he had been looking forward to all day long, and he was so ready for Henry's ticklish revenge!

[forever-fixating]

RWRB Appreciation Month Bingo: First Family

For @rwrbsource and @rwrbmovie's RWRB Appreciation Month Bingo: First Family

First Family

Author's Note: All opinions are valid, but as someone raised by a working single mom, I find some of the fandom interpretations of Ellen disheartening. I felt compelled to write this, given all the bullshit swirling around in the news about Kamala Harris. I'm not saying Ellen is a perfect mom, that she didn't make mistakes with Alex and June, but I feel she is way better than some would give her credit for. Maybe that's just my bias showing because she reminds me so much of my mom. Plus, if we want to talk about parental neglect, I think that Catherine basically abandoning her children for years after Arthur's death deserves more scrutiny than is usually given. See my previous ficlet with Henry and Pez for more on that! (steps off soapbox)

Ellen Claremont could not sleep. Leo had taken his nighttime meds and fell fast asleep, currently snoring like a buzzsaw and making Ellen contemplate homicide. She went through her mental checklist one more time, nervous that she was forgetting something that would send the entire ceremony tumbling down tomorrow. Her baby boy was getting married. In the past week, she had gone through at least two packs of tissues from bursting into sporadic fits of tears. June gave her a one-armed hug when she started crying at the florist, confirming the delivery time and location for the arrangements.

"I'm so sorry," Ellen laughed, dabbing at her eyes. "It's just-"

"Oh, you don't have to explain, ma'am," the woman said with a sympathetic smile. "I bawled like a newborn baby when all three of mine got married. You look at them and still see the babies they once were."

"You should have seen her at the tux fitting," June said. Affecting a deep Southern accent, she mock-wailed, "Look at my little boy! He's so grown up. I remember dressing him for his first day of school and now-"

"You were crying too, as I recall!" Ellen said, smacking her oldest's arm. "Just wait 'till it's your turn. I'll be inconsolable."

The two women were joyfully involved in planning Alex's wedding. Right before her second term ended, Ellen was inundated with book deals to write about her historic presidency. After the dust settled and she returned to Austin, she finally went through her inbox and contemplated such a project. There was only one person she went to for help. She called her daughter and asked if she would be willing to work with her on the book.

June was hesitant at first, so Ellen said, "I think this could be good for us, honey. I know I can't make up for all the time we lost, but I don't want to lose anymore. You may not believe it all the time, but you and Alex have always been my greatest accomplishments."

As much as she wanted to, Ellen didn't tell Alex about her offer. She wanted June to want to do this with her. It took about three weeks, but one afternoon, June called. The first words out of her mouth were, "Warts and all, right? I don't want to leave any stone unturned."

"Warts and all," Ellen agreed. With a lump in her throat, she said, "Thank you, honey."

Working on the book with June was something Ellen would always treasure. Seeing her daughter in her element, neck-deep in research materials and pages of questions, made the older woman feel guilty for trying to force her into a box that suited Ellen's needs more than June's. There were days and nights of hard work and even harder conversations, but Ellen wouldn't trade a single second. June unburdened herself of long-held resentments. She cried over being forced to grow up too fast and pick up the slack of caring for Alex when Oscar left for California.

"I was so mad at you," June whispered, her voice wavering as she studied her manicured nails. "I was mad at you for making Dad leave, mad at you for always being busy, mad at you for putting total strangers before me and Alex."

Ellen reached out to take her daughter's hand when she cut herself off. It was difficult to hear how she failed her kids, but she knew June needed this. Their relationship wouldn't progress without addressing those hurts. June wiped her runny nose, saying, "As an adult, I realize there is more to it, but try telling that to a twelve-year-old who just wanted her mom to be like all the other moms. At home doing PTA and helping with my homework."

"I felt the same way about my momma," Ellen said, refilling their wine glasses. "Why couldn't I have new clothes instead of hand-me-downs from cousins? Why didn't she make me breakfast or pack me a lunch like Donna Reed? Never mind that she was a high school dropout and a widow working two, sometimes three, jobs just to support us. I couldn't see what she gave up, just what I lost."

June sniffled, her face crumpled. "I felt so guilty because you were out there changing the world, being this hero to so many, and all I could think was how I wanted you home with me, being my momma. I'm sor-"

"No, baby." Ellen pulled June into her arms and squeezed her tight. They were both crying now. "I can admit there were times when my job took precedence over you two. Christ, after what happened to Alex, I blamed myself and my relentless ambition. Why didn't I stay in Texas? Why couldn't I be happy there? How could I let something like this happen to my own son? But I told myself that if I did stay, he wouldn't have met the love of his life."

After tossing and turning for twenty minutes, Ellen gave up on sleeping and climbed out of bed. Immediate family on both sides chose to stay at the lakehouse before the big day. She slipped on her houseshoes and headed to the kitchen for a snack. She smiled when she saw Alex sitting at the counter, tapping away on his laptop.

"That better not be work-related," Ellen teased when she reached him, "or your husband-to-be will be mighty peeved."

Alex jumped but smiled sheepishly before closing the laptop. She took the chair next to him as he said, "I can neither confirm nor deny what I was doing, but I have a bottle of Maker's and a tub of Rocky Road to pay for your silence."

"Proceed, counselor."

Alex grinned and stood. She watched him move around the kitchen with the softest of smiles. The florist's words returned to her and never felt more true than in that moment. Though a young man stood there, pouring them whiskey and grabbing two spoons and a frosty tub of Bluebell out of the freezer, all she could see was a little boy arguing with a Seaworld employee, a lanky teen excited to drive without supervision. And now here he was, about to marry his fairytale prince.

When he caught her scrubbing the corner of her eye, he shook his head and said quickly, "No, no, no! Momma, please don't start crying 'cause if you start, I won't stop!"

"I'm sorry!" Ellen whimpered between giggles. Alex set their drinks down and put the Bluebell tub between them. As he took his seat, she sipped her whiskey and said, "You're just my baby boy, and you're getting married tomorrow. Poor Junie has been consoling me for weeks."

They clinked their glasses together, and he opened the ice cream. Each of them dug in with matching watery smiles. After a period of silence, Alex said softly, "Shit...I'm getting married tomorrow."

Ellen gave him a chocolate whiskey kiss on the cheek. "You sure are."

He ate another spoonful and said around it, "Is it weird that I'm not nervous? Like...I just want to go home with my husband and unpack our house together."

"Not at all, baby." She took another sip, relishing the burn down her throat. "Alex, when things were at their worst, your love for that boy was unshakeable. Trust in that always, and you'll be okay."

"Any other pearls of wisdom?"

Ellen snorted. "You sure you want my advice? I did get divorced."

"That's why I trust you more than most," he said, his eyes and voice so earnest. "May not have gotten it right the first time, but you got there eventually."

Ellen hummed. She thought back to her marriage with Oscar. Already pregnant, they opted for a quick ceremony with the Justice of the Peace. Neither of their families was happy about that decision, thinking they were moving too fast. All her momma could say when Ellen asked her to be there was, "You're gonna regret this, Ellie, but you're grown. I can't stop you."

"Well," Ellen sighed, leaning back into her chair, "the most important thing, especially since you're your momma's child, is to make time for him. Don't wait for birthdays or anniversaries to celebrate each other. If you see a trinket that makes you smile and think of him, buy it. The little moments are just as important as the big ones, baby."

"Is that why you and Dad didn't work?"

She gave her son a sad smile and said, "If I'm perfectly honest, I don't think your daddy and me would've made it long-term. We were both too stubborn to listen, too proud to compromise. But Alex, I wouldn't change a thing. All the mistakes I've made, the regrets I have...you two were never that."

Alex ducked his head, his long curls falling forward. "Goddamn it, Momma. Told you not to make me cry."

"Oh, baby," she laughed. Wrapping her arms around him, she kissed his head and said, "You and Henry are forever. I've never felt more certain about anything in my life."

"More than winning the Presidency?" Alex laughed.

"Especially more than that."

A/N: I tried to give space for valid criticisms of Ellen while still allowing for some grace and understanding. That she and Alex have such a good relationship in the book counts for something in my mind. Share your thoughts down below! I love getting nerdy about RWRB.

Check out this post and join the fun in celebrating the one-year anniversary of our little romcom that could being released!

[alexshenry]

Hello, sorry if you answered before but can you recommend some of your fav rwrb fics?

Hi, anon! Sorry for this very late reply, I saved your ask to my drafts and then wasn't able to find it 🤦‍♀️I answered with some of my favourites here already, and I have a tag with fic recs, aswell. I also recommend following @rwrbficrecs. I'll soon be making a rec list, so I'll have a more comprehensive list then.♥

The two loves of my life I will never stop recommending:

God Save the Blessed American Mom by zipadeea - On December 4, 2021, an attempt is made on President Ellen Claremont's life. Alex gets shot instead.

This broke me, healed me, and made me fall in love with every character all over again. Everyone's emotions towards the events are so nuanced and realistic, and the writing is soooo stunning. Just make sure to have tissues ready.

but i can count on you to tell me the truth when (i've) been drinking and you're wearing a mask by anincompletelist (soldouthaz) / @anincompletelist - The room goes quiet again, Alex too focused on the sound of his own breathing. He’s already started, he figures, and the person still hasn’t left. But this next bit is a little more personal, and Alex isn’t positive what the parameters are for one-sidedly conversing with a masked stranger about your best kept secrets at a halloween party when you’re so drunk that the floor is beginning to look like it may open up and swallow you whole. Isn’t sure if that might be better anyway.

You know when you read something so beautiful you feel tiny butterflies in your stomach? This is what this fic did to me. Very gorgeously written, especially Alex's inner thoughts. I will never be able to look at my ceiling the same way again, thank you Sarah ♥

Other fics I read recently and wholly recommend:

The Arrangement by cmere - Shaan approaches Henry with a deal from the Queen: agree to an arranged marriage with a woman to flaunt in public, and he can enjoy the services of a male escort in private. Alex doesn’t actually care about him; it’s just a job. Right?

You Can't Deny Me Anything by Dawg1515 - That night at the Lake House, Henry is getting ready to leave when Alex wakes up feeling sick. Faced with memories of losing his father, Henry decides to stay and take care of Alex. They have some things to talk out.

Falling Down the Stairs of Your Smile by chamel / @cha-melodius - The movie is over and it’s getting late, but all Alex can think of is that he really doesn’t want the night to end yet. Which is crazy. Twenty-four hours ago Alex was actively cursing this man’s name, and now he seemingly can’t get enough of spending time with him. It doesn’t make any sense, but somehow it does; it’s the same feeling that he was chasing all those years ago in Rio, the one that pushed him to go up and introduce himself at exactly the wrong time, the one that made the hurt of that encounter linger for so long in his psyche. (A canon-divergent fic in which Alex spends another night at Kensington after the hospital visit and learns some very surprising things about Henry (and himself)

come pick me up by smc_27 - Alex is an Uber driver. Henry needs a ride to the airport.

[indestructibleheart]

Tagged by my beloveds: @kiwiana-writes, @hgejfmw-hgejhsf, @cha-melodius, @vanillahigh00, and @junebugclaremontdiaz.

By this point, MJ (@kiwiana-writes) and I have both casually mentioned a secret project. It's still a secret, but I am a menace and a plague and I'm sharing this with absolutely no context whatsoever:

Henry's gaze flicks across the desk to meet the stoic expression of the President of the United States: a carefully schooled pose he recognizes from the mirror after his father passed. The hard line of her jaw and the bleak look in her eyes betray the attempt at being inscrutable to anyone who knows the signs. Beside her, June is openly somber, tears welling, and her bottom lip is trembling. Nora holds her hand over the table. And Henry should say something supportive. He should nod and say that he understands. He should roll back his shoulders and acknowledge that he, as someone who is not even a legal citizen of this country, is grateful to be included in this conversation at all. Gratefulness, too, is a practiced pose for the spare. Henry is meant to smile and say, "thank you," even in meetings with Parliament. He is a figurehead. A charm. At any rate, the papers have already been drawn for Henry's abdication, which removes even the illusion of Henry's political power. At this moment, he is, for all intents and purposes, just a guest here—someone invited out of the kindness of Ellen Claremont's heart.

[gif of alex running away and flipping peace signs]

Tagging some lovelies under the cut. If you have not been tagged and you want to be, consider this your tag!

@anchoredarchangel, @barbiediaz, @cricketnationrise, @guillermosfamiliar @hippolotamus, @inexplicablymine, @jettestar, @lizzie-bennetdarcy, @missgeevious, @mulderscully, @myheartalivewrites, @ninzied, @nontoxic-writes, @notspecialbabe, @priincebutt, @rmd-writes, @rosedavid, @three-drink-amy, @treluna4, @vanillahigh00, @welcometololaland, @orchidscript, @ships-to-sail, @stereopticons.

[simplyclary]

Imagining Alex and Henry's Lush Future Together

(Photo edit by me)

I love a good sequel and when I heard that one of my favorite movies will have a sequel, I can't imagine the amount of possibilities of what could happen in the second movie or maybe even the third movie (if there is gonna be one). All I know is that the future is gonna be lush.

I will lay out a few storylines with and without a time jump so read whatever suits your fancy and enjoy!

Plotline #1 (Without Time Jump)

The sequel picks up immediately after the election night, where Alex's mother Ellen Claremont has won a second term as President. Alex, buoyed by the victory, begins his journey into the political world, working closely with his mother and carving out his own path. Henry, now publicly out, starts to explore life outside the constraints of the royal closet, engaging more openly with LGBTQ+ causes and pursuing his passion for literature.

Alex faces scrutiny and opposition from conservative politicians and media who disapprove of his relationship with Henry. This public and political pressure strains Alex, who is determined to prove himself in the political arena.

Henry, while more free, struggles with the newfound attention and pressure. His past insecurities resurface as he tries to adjust to his new public persona. An ex-partner of Alex, who is bitter about their breakup, re-emerges and starts spreading rumors and causing disruptions. This ex tries to drive a wedge between Alex and Henry by creating misunderstandings and tension.

Alex and Henry confront their insecurities and the external pressures together. They publicly address the rumors, reaffirm their commitment, and showcase their united front. The story concludes with a heartfelt proposal, setting the stage for the third movie, which will focus on their wedding and further political aspirations.

Plotline #2 (With Time Jump)

The sequel begins 1-2 years after the events of the first movie. Alex is now a rising star in politics, working on major initiatives and building a reputation as a passionate and effective leader. Henry, having fully embraced his identity, has become a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and is writing a novel.

Alex's burgeoning political career demands more of his time, creating a struggle to balance his professional responsibilities and his relationship with Henry. The couple faces the challenge of maintaining their bond amid their busy and often conflicting schedules. Despite being out, Henry still faces pressure from the royal family and certain segments of the public to conform to traditional expectations. This tension grows as Henry's advocacy work sometimes clashes with royal protocols.

An ex-partner of Henry’s, who is envious of his relationship with Alex, starts causing trouble. This ex-partner attempts to sow doubt and mistrust, causing friction between Henry and Alex. Through open communication and mutual support, Alex and Henry manage to navigate the challenges. They confront the ex-partner’s schemes head-on and reaffirm their trust in each other. The film ends with a romantic proposal, hinting at a future wedding and the ongoing journey of their relationship and careers.

You didn't think this was the end of the story now, didn't you?

If ever there was a third movie, this is my one single plot idea. Have fun!

Plotline #1

Picking up immediately after the events of the second movie, the third movie follows Alex Claremont-Diaz as he embarks on his new journey as a senator. Balancing his demanding political career with his relationship with Prince Henry proves to be a monumental task, especially when Henry begins to seriously consider abdicating his royal title to be fully with Alex.

The movie delves into the intense emotions and difficult decisions they face. Henry's desire to leave the constraints of royalty clashes with Alex's belief in his duty to his country and his fear of the repercussions Henry might face. This disagreement creates a significant rift between them, testing the strength of their relationship.

Simultaneously, their hectic schedules leave little time for wedding planning, causing additional stress and miscommunication. The pressures of their public lives and personal ambitions strain their relationship further, leading to moments of doubt and frustration.

As they navigate these challenges, Alex and Henry realize that their love for each other is worth fighting for. With the support of their friends and family, they find a way to balance their personal desires with their public responsibilities. The movie culminates in a heartfelt wedding ceremony, symbolizing their unwavering commitment to each other. In the final scenes, they discuss the possibility of adopting a child, opening a new chapter in their lives filled with hope and promise.

[yorit1]

forever with you

Alex was excited. Today was the day that he and Henry were getting married. It was the perfect day for a wedding. They were getting married at a country estate in England, which would be ideal.

“You look great,” Nora said. 

“So do you, best woman,” Alex said. 

“Yes, I do,” Nora said. “Henry is so lucky to marry you.”

Alex straightens his tie and looks in the mirror. He sees his mom come in and looks at her. 

“My beautiful boy is getting married today. With only five more days of me being president,” Ellen said. 

“Thanks, Mom. I’m kind of nervous,” Alex said. 

“It wouldn’t be normal if you weren’t nervous,” Ellen said. 

“What if Henry regrets marrying me?” Alex said. 

“He is so lucky to marry you, and you both helped each other grow as men,” Nora said. 

“Okay, I’m ready to go,” Alex said. 

Ellen took Alex’s arm and looped her arm through it as they walked. Oscar walked through the room and took Alex’s other arm. 

Henry looked into the mirror as his sister Bea looked at him. 

“You look so handsome, Henry,” Bea said. “My handsome prince.”

“What if Alex regrets marrying me?” Henry asked. 

“He wouldn’t. You both are much happier when you are together. You are finally your true self and get to marry the man you love,” Bea said. 

Henry takes Bea and hugs her close to him. He wishes his grandma could be here, but the Queen could not represent the crown and a gay wedding. He was thankful that his sister was here for him. 

“Let’s go,” Bea said and took his arm in hers. 

The wedding music started playing, and the party entered the hall. Alex, his parents, Henry, and his sister walked down the aisle. Alex and Henry arrived at the altar and stood together before their guests. 

“Guests welcome to the wedding of the year,” the registrar said. “We are here for the wedding of Alex Claremont Diaz and Prince Henry.”

Alex and Henry took each other's hands in their own, stood looking at each other’s eyes, and smiled at each other. 

“Alex and Henry have their vows and want to share them with you.”

“Henry. You helped me accept who I’m supposed to be. You are lovely and beautiful and so thoughtful. I love who I am when I’m with you. I love you as I’ve never loved anyone before, and I love you so much, I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you,” Alex said. 

“Alex, you let me be who I was always supposed to be. I love you so so much. Thanks for always being there for me and loving me. I can’t wait to marry you and spend the rest of my life married to you,” Henry said. 

“Alex, do you take Henry to be your lawful wedded husband? To love and to hold in sickness and health til death do you part,” the registrar said. 

“I do,” Alex said. 

“Henry, do you take Alex to be your lawful wedded husband? To love and to hold in sickness and health til death do you part,” the registrar said. 

“I do,” Henry said. 

“Alex and Henry, I now pronounce you Husbands,” the registrar said. “You may kiss.”

Henry and Alex kissed. It was a fantastic kiss, their first as husbands, and they were thankful they were married and kissing. 

Everyone clapped and threw confetti at them. Alex and Henry laughed, walked hand in hand, and left the altar with smiles. 

Alex and Henry walked into the reception room and were hugged by all of their closest friends. 

“I’m so happy for you,” Bea said to Henry. “You are a married man now. And you, Alex, I’m so happy you’re my brother now.” Bea hugged Alex. 

Ellen and Oscar hugged Henry and Alex and welcomed Henry to the family. 

“I’m so happy that you are married now,” Nora said. 

Nora jumped up into Alex’s arms and hugged him tightly. 

“Henry, take care of Alex. If you ever hurt him, they won’t find the body,” Nora whispered in Henry’s ears as she hugged him. 

Alex and Henry sat down, and everyone sat down after them. The servers brought the first course to the table. The food was delicious. And they happily ate it. 

After the first course, it was time for Alex and Henry’s first dance as husbands. 

The song started, and Alex and Henry swayed to the music. Alex placed his head on Henry’s shoulder, and they swayed.

“I’m so happy that we are here now and that we are dancing together. I remember you tried to get me to dance at your New Year's party. This is more my type of dancing,” Henry said. 

Henry twirled Alex around, dipped him, and kissed him. The kiss was sweet, and everyone cheered as the song ended. 

After dancing and eating, it was time to cut the cake. The cake was exactly what they wanted, and it was not at all like the cake at the wedding where the disaster happened. 

“Remember when we were stuck with that cake at your brother’s wedding, and it fell on top of us? That day changed everything for me. That’s how we became who we are, and now we are husbands cutting our own cake,” Alex said. 

“You were on my mind. I couldn’t stop thinking about you even though you annoyed me,” Henry said. “You are very animated, but now I find it adorable.”

Alex and Henry cut the cake and fed it to each other. Alex placed the cake on Henry’s lips and spread it around his cheek. After that, Alex kissed the cake off of Henry’s face and smiled at him. Henry laughed. 

Henry smiled and fed Alex the cake. The two of them looked at everyone who was there to celebrate their wedding. They got married without causing a scandal and were able to live happily ever after. 

“To Alex and Henry.”

“To Alex and Henry,” everyone cheered. 

Alex and Henry were ready to spend the rest of their life together.

[thebadgerclan]

Addendum

Pairing: Alex Claremont-Diaz x Henry Fox

Summary: Henry arrives in D.C, and proposes an addendum to his list...

A/N: This can be read as a part 2 to "Lists" but can be read as a standalone

It was never quiet in the White House.  There was always something happening: always someone on the phone, some staffer tapping away on their computer, Service agents lining the halls.  Even in the Residence, Ellen Claremont would often work into the early hours of the morning, taking calls from overseas, pouring over bills sent to her from Congress.  Alex was used to sleeping in a loud environment, so when the door to his room opened and shut around 3 in the morning, it didn’t wake him.  If it was something to be worried about, the Secret Service would have taken care of it, after all.

It had only been three days since Henry had last seen him, but it might as well have been years.  Now that people knew about them, that he was free to love Alex openly, he couldn’t bear to be apart from him.  So he’d sweet-talked Shaan into chartering him a plane to D.C., and now here he was; standing in his boyfriend’s bedroom, watching Alex snore, the lights of the city filtering through the window.  Henry knelt on the bed, gently shaking Alex’s shoulder.

“Alex, love,” he said, heart squeezing when Alex’s face scrunched up and he turned it into the pillow.  “My darling, it’s me.  I’m here.”  Another shake of his shoulder, and Alex was awake, blinking sleepily up at Henry.  “Hmm, wha…?  Henry?”  “Yes, love, I’m here.”  Alex sat up, rubbing his eyes.  “Baby, what’re you doing here?  Shit, is everything okay?  Are you okay?”  Henry nodded, moving closer to his boyfriend.  “Everything’s fine, love.  I just missed you.”

“You flew 8 hours because you missed me?” Alex asked, and Henry nodded, blushing.  “Baby, that’s so fucking sweet. C’mere.”  Alex pulled Henry into his arms, kissing him softly, smiling against his lips.  “I missed you too, H.  I’m so happy you’re here.”  Henry shifted to lie under the covers, snuggling into Alex’s arms.  Alex was shirtless, and Henry resisted the urge to trail his fingers over his chest, down his abs, and even lower.

Henry sighed happily, feeling sleep tugging at his eyelids.  “How long are you staying?” Alex asked, and Henry shrugged.  “As long as you’ll let me, I suppose.  Can I…” he trailed off.  Alex cupped his cheek, coaxing him to look up.  “Can you what, baby?”  “Can I stay with you?  Until after the election at least?”  That nearly broke Alex’s heart, and he pressed a lingering kiss to Henry’s lips.  

“Baby, you can stay however long you want.  Remember what you said in your letter?”  Henry shook his head.  “I said quite a bit in that letter, dear.”  “You did.  You said ‘When I am in your arms again, I do not know if I will have the strength to let go’.  Well, I don’t think I want to let you go, baby, so there.”  Henry smiled, leaning into Alex’s touch.  “I love you, Alex,” he said, and Alex kissed him.  “I love you more, baby.”  Normally, Henry would quip that that was up for debate, but he was so tired, he settled for a hum, cuddling into Alex’s chest.

***

He was late.  Ellen had given him clear instructions: be ready to go to the rally at the Washington Monument at 9 AM sharp.  It was now 9:15, well past the 5 minute grace period she’d set, and Madame President was not it today.  “Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz,” she said as she approached his bedroom door.  “If you aren’t ready to go when I open this door, so help me Lord…”

She knocked once, twice, then opened the door, ready to scold Alex, but any reprimands died on her lips when she took in the sight before her.  Henry was curled up in Alex’s arms, both sleeping soundly.  It was a touching scene, but unfortunately, one that couldn’t last.  Ellen cleared her throat rather loudly, startling both her son and the Prince.  “Mom!”  “M-Madame President!”

“Diaz, you know you have a rally to get to,” she said.  “And you are now…17 minutes late.”  Alex sat up while Henry, who was as red as a tomato, stated in shock.  “Mom, I’m sorry, but Henry–”  “Your boyfriend flying in is no excuse, Sugar.”  Ellen gave Henry a sweet smile, one the Prince could tell was genuine.  “Hi baby.  And please, call me Ellen.  ‘Madame President’ makes me think someone’s about to give me bad news.”

Henry nodded, and Ellen continued.  “10 minutes, Alexander, and if you’re not downstairs, I’ll have Zahra come up here.”  “What about Henry?”  Ellen sighed.  “Bring him with you, Sugar, if he wants to go.  Or let him stay here.  I honestly don’t care.”  And she was gone, already talking on the phone about the next item on her agenda.  Alex turned to Henry.  “Do you wanna come?”  “I’d best not,” Henry said.  “Gran isn’t pleased that I’ll be with you on election night, likely photographed.  She says it’s too much of a statement.  Sorry, love.”

Alex kissed him as he rose from bed.  “Don’t worry about it, baby.  This is all Ma has me doing, then I’m free as a bird till election night.”  HE changed into a pair of jeans that hugged his ass in all the right ways and a “Claremont-Holleran 2020” t-shirt, pressing another kiss to Henry’s forehead before leaving.  “Need anything before I go?”  “I’m alright, love, thank you.”  “Course, baby.  TV remote’s here, and if you want something to eat, use the phone over here to call the kitchen.”

Alex scribbled the extension onto a post-it and stuck it to the phone, leaving one final kiss on Henry’s cheek.  “Love you, baby.”  “I love you too,” Henry replied, and Alex left, running downstairs to escape Zahra’s wrath.  While he was gone, Henry decided to do something he’d been wanting to do since Alex left London: write an addendum to his list…

***

Three hours later, Alex returned to the residence, a bit sweaty from the late October sun, but feeling happy and light.  The rally had been great, which was the foundation for his giddy feelings, but those feelings were only enhanced by the knowledge that Henry was waiting for him in the Residence.  Alex ditched his security once he was inside, taking the stairs two at a time as he jogged to his room.

He found Henry on the couch, Pride and Prejudice playing on Netflix, a box of Jaffa Cakes open on the couch beside him.  “How the hell did you get those?” Alex asked, kissing the crown of his head.  “It turns out,” Henry said, pausing the movie.  “That when you’re a Prince and you ask for something very nicely, people will give you what you want.”

When Alex scoffed, rolling his eyes, Henry laughed.  “I brought them with me, if you must know.”  “Are you kidding?” Alex replied.  “Baby, you brought fucking Jaffa Cakes with you from England?”  “Yes!  You fools don’t sell them here!”  Alex flopped onto the cough at Henry’s side.  “Baby, we gotta get you some Cosmic Brownies.  Ooh!  Or Swiss Rolls!”  Henry shook his head.  “If you’re going to mock my taste in snack foods, maybe I won’t give you what I was working on…”

“What were you working on, baby?”  “No, you don’t deserve it,” he teased, and Alex leaned on his shoulder, puppy eyes out in full force.  “Please, baby?”  “Oh, you absolute menace,” Henry said, though he was smiling.  “Here.”  He handed Alex a folded piece of paper, which Alex unfolded with a knowing smile.

An Incomplete and Ever Growing List of Things I Love About Alexandr Gabriel Claremont-Diaz: An Addendum:

The way your accent slips into your voice when you’re tired or passionate about something

How sexy you sound when you speak Spanish

The way you look when you’re sleeping, how relaxed and peaceful you look

The way the world goes quiet when you kiss me

The way you smell, like coffee and spices and home

How your clothes fit me

How good you make me feel when you fuck me

How safe you make me feel all the time

The way that you think Empire is the best Star Wars movie (wrong, dear)

How patient you are

I love you, my dearest heart.  Please, never let me go.  -Henry

P.S.: Life seems emptier without you, the soulwarmth isn’t around…  Allen Ginsberg to Peter Orlovksy.

“Oh my God,” Alex said, practically throwing himself into Henry’s arms.  “How the fuck are you so perfect?”  Henry smiled, wrapping his arms around him.  “I am far from perfect, darling, but thank you.”  Alex lifted his head, pressing his lips to Henry.  “No, you are perfect.”  He kissed his nose.  “My.”  His cheek.  “Perfect.”  His jaw.  “Fucking.”  His collarbone.  “Man.”  His chest.

“And I love you so damn much, H,” Alex concluded, kissing his lips once more.  He set the paper aside, not wanting to crush it with his next actions.  Alex straddled his boyfriend, kissing him again, this one deeper, hungrier.  “Alex,” Henry whispered, threading his fingers through his hair, tugging gently.”  “Mm, that’s something I’ll have to add to your list, baby?”

“What’s that?”  Alex smirked.  “The way you pull my hair.”  Henry let out a soft moan, sealing his lips over Alex’s once more.  “Baby?”  “Mhmm?”  “Please tell me you brought your travel-size lube,” Alex said.  “Because if I have to ask the Secret Service, I’ll die.”  Henry laughed, wrapping Alex’s legs around his waist and standing, gently tossing him onto the bed.  “Oh darling, it’s like you don’t know me at all,” Henry said, kissing him before rummaging in his suitcase.

[cricketnationrise]

hiiii this is for the ficlet fest !!!! shaan srivastava, the white house, 3:14am 😎

thank you for the prompt! i haven't written shaan's POV before, so this was really cool. enjoy! 💜🦗

want your own ficlet? TWO DAYS LEFT rules here.

❤️🤍💙❤️🤍💙

white house, 3:14am

“Are you done packing your office?” Shaan asks, coming up behind Zahra and dropping a kiss to the nape of her neck.

“I’ve been packed for a week, Srivastava, you know that.”

Shaan hums. He does know that. The neatly stacked boxes of her things have already been whisked away by the efficient White House resident staff earlier tonight.

“If you’re fishing about my mental state about tomorrow being the Inauguration for the next president and therefore the end of Ellen Claremont’s time in the White House, you’re doing a piss poor job of it.”

He pulls her closer. Her words are all prickle and fire, but her body sags into his, letting Shaan hold her steady for once.

“I figured I’d give you an opening if you wanted to take it.”

Zahra just sighs, looking around at her (almost former) office. All of Zahra’s files and extra clothes and knick-knacks that Alex buys her that she pretends not to keep, are gone – only the furniture remaining. The room seems to be slumbering, or maybe holding its breath, ready for the next occupant.

“Ask me again in a week. I’ll be bored of downtime by then.”

“Deal.”

There’s a clatter in the hallway, then loud shushing noises and the careful click of a door. Shaan moves the pair of them to the doorway, curious as to who else is moving around the West Wing at three in the morning but— Ah, he should have guessed.

Through the door to the veranda, a pair of young men’s silhouettes are visible in the moonlight on the way to the garden. Alex is in front, one of his hands tangled with one of Henry’s, leading the way. Shaan drops a kiss on the top of Zahra’s head, overcome with pride for the pair of them.

Zahra makes a noise somewhere between disbelief and delight. “Those sappy little shits.”

“I wouldn’t throw stones, love – they aren’t the only ones doing a grand farewell tour of this place.”

“Yeah, but I do it with class,” she says, spinning in his arms and throwing her own over his neck. It’s been four years since he proposed, but Shaan still tracks the glint of the diamond on her engagement ring with a rush of joy. It’s even stronger since it was joined by her wedding ring last year.

Zahra rises up on her toes and he ducks his head to make it easier for her to kiss him. It’s a quick kiss, more of a peck, but she says so much with her body that never makes it past her lips. Shaan’s spent so long learning this silent language of hers, that it’s easy to parse the love and relief and exhaustion and sadness that she pushes into his mouth. He gathers all of it up and tucks it into his own heart – he’ll carry it for her for a while. For as long as she wants him to.

“Let’s go – for once I don’t have to commute here in the morning, we should make the most of it.”

“After you,” he says, stepping back and letting her lead the way toward the Residence. She reaches one hand back to tangle her fingers through his.

[apollo-the-frog]

im just gonna make a list of my favorite rwrb quotes

(sorry for any mistakes)

"you decided to put your dick into the heir to the british throne" zahra says, as she is actively pegging the equerry to the heir to the british throne

"HRH PRICE DICKHEAD💩"

to alex from henry

("is alex claremont diaz going to be a father?" news) 

to alex

"but we were ever so careful dear"

The turkey /cornbread knows my sins, 

Henry 

-alex

(I totaly... Privately called that)

-nora abt henry kissing alex

(I have no idea what a maypole is... Are they known for their homosexual tendencies?)-alex

"Who says make love anymore? Are we gonna like... Listen to Lana del Rey while we do it?) -alex

"everytime I see you it takes another year off of my life" -zahra after she sees henry in alexs closet 

[ALEX READING ONE LAST STOP]

"it's like there's a rope attached to my chest and its pulling me towards you"

-alex on the dock with henry

"if you want me to leave you'll have to tell me to leave"-alex at the palace after henry ghosted him

(WHEN THEY WRITE THE HISTORY OF MY LIFE I WANT IT TO INCLUDE YOU. And my LOVE FOR YOU!!)

-alex (i think) at the museum at night

"HISTORY, HUH? 

BET WE COULD MAKE SOME"

-alex at the museum at night

(and I'm not gonna get any work done until you let these lovesick homosexuals on the phone with one another) -zahra on the phone to shaan after email leaks (the lovesick homosexuals are alex and henry)

"the phrase 'see attached bibliography' is the single sexiest thing youve ever writen to me"-henry (i think) in emails

"Sugar, I cannot express to you how much the press does not give a fuck about who started what," Ellen says. "As your mother, I can appreciate that maybe this isn't your fault, but as the president, all I want is to have the CIA fake your death and ride the dead-kid sympathy into a second term."-ellen claremont, after the cake incident 

“You and me and history, remember? We’re just gonna fucking fight. Because you’re it, okay? I’m never gonna love anybody in the world like I love you. So, I promise you, one day we’ll be able to just be, and fuck everyone else.”-alex, after email leaks

HRH Prince Dickhead @

You are the thistle in the tender

and sensitive arse crack of my life.

Text from Alex:

yo there’s a bond marathon on and did you know your dad was a total babe?

Text from Henry HRH Prince Dickhead:

I BEG YOU TO NOT

A: "You are gonna go be, like, five hundred feet away from me for the rest of the night, or else I am going to do something that I will deeply regret in front of a lot of very important people."

-after alex and henry make out in the red room

"O, fathers of my bloodline! O, ye kings of olde! Take this crown from me, bury me in my ancestral soil. If only you had known the mighty work of thine loins would be undone by a gay heir who likes it when American boys with chin

dimples are mean to him."-henry in emails writing a story abt them to alex

"Christ, you're as thick as it gets," he says, and he grabs Alex's face in both hands and kisses him.

“I don’t give a damn what Joanne has to say, Remus John Lupin is gay as the day is long, and I won’t hear a word against it.”-(henry i think) in texts

"The next slide is titled: EXPLORING YOUR SEXUALITY: HEALTHY, BUT DOES IT HAVE TO BE WITH THE PRINCE OF ENGLAND?"

-ellen claremont, the powerpoint presentation 

"Sometimes you just jump and hope it's not a  cliff."(idk who said that but i think henry)

"Wait. Zahra. Oh my God. I just realized. You're... my friend." "No, I'm not." "Zahra, you're my mean friend." "Am not."-alex (idk when)

"I've been gay as a maypole since the day I came out of Mum, Phillip."-henry, with the queen

"Diaz, you insane, hopeless romantic little shit, says the voice of the President of the United States, muffled in the bed. "It had better be forever. Be safe"-ellen claremont, on voicemail 

oh shit i forgot the agenst the walls one sorry 😢

if you know the page # or character/time mistakes put in tags :)

[gatheryepens]

Red, White & Royal Blue book review

Warning: small spoilers

“Thinking about history makes me wonder how I’ll fit into it one day, I guess. And you too. I kinda wish people still wrote like that. History, huh? Bet we could make some.”

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations. The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince.

As President Claremont kicks off her re-election bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?

Author: Casey McQuinston

Rating: 5/5 ✨

Funny story, I had actually planned on reading this book a lot earlier than intended. About a year ago, for my school newspaper I had actually planned to do a book review on a popular BookTok book. My plan was to do Red White & Royal Blue, however seconds after buying the book I immediately got a refund and email saying the book was out of stock - so I reviewed The Love Hypothesis instead. I am glad that a year later I decided to read the book but at the same time very sad that I didn’t discover it sooner - a true oxymoron! This book was excellent. The book starts off with Alex Claremont-Diaz attending the royal wedding between Prince Philip (Henry’s older sibling) and Princess Martha. During the wedding, Henry and Alex get into a little spat which leaves them ending up in the cake  on the floor. This creates a commotion, which results in several news outlets reporting the matter because of this some serious damage control is required resulting in a fast friendship that ends up being more.

What I really liked about the book is how long it took for the relationship to develop. Although the relationship started fairly fast, the build-up to it as well as what followed afterwards was executed well. Before Henry Kissed Alex, they had formed a nice camaraderie from the emails and the phone calls - I don’t know if I will ever get over the turkey prank. Even after the kiss, the relationship continued to develop with more emails and secret rendezvous. I think what was really beautiful were the individual characters growing and becoming more comfortable with one another. Henry first comes off as surly and standoffish, however we find out (along with Alex) that Henry is a funny person and has a big heart. I am a sucker for enemies to lovers/rivals to lovers and McQuinston did a fabulous job showing the stages  it took to go from rivals to lovers - which made it a good read. 

The writing style, in my opinion, was very simplistic. I don’t mean this in a bad way, I really liked how it was written - it was simple but engaging. This writing style made the book very nice, easy and enjoyable to keep on reading. I also liked the chapter to chapter length ratio, a lot of the times chapters can either be too few or too many or they can be very long or short. Obviously to find the perfect chapter number to chapter length ratio it depends entirely on the book, however McQuinston found the perfect balance. The chapters weren’t too long or too many. I loved the diversity of vocabulary that the author used. Whenever Henry said something really British I would chuckle for a while, a lot of the times anything Alex referred to I would have to look up for example LSAT. McQuinston did a really great job writing this book and showing the chemistry between Alex and Henry.

I really enjoyed reading from Alex’s perspective as I enjoyed going through the self discovery journey with him. Alex’s journey of discovering who he is and what he wants to be was really interesting to see. When we are younger, for some people it can be really hard to decide what you want to do in your future and to also not be swayed and pushed into a career path by other people like family. Alex first wants to go down the politics route (he wants to become a Senator), his main motivation is to help people and to do good in the world. Afterwards, he considers going into law after June convinces him to take the LSAT. Rediscovering yourself and changing your mind on something you're certain about is hard but it makes you a very brave person. One thing I admire a lot about Alex is how open he is to change and how throughout the book considers as well as explores different aspects of himself, whether it be deciding on a new career path or coming to terms and accepting his sexuality. Given that his mother is the President of the United States, approaching certain topics like sexuality or career paths would be challenging - as throughout the book there is a strong emphasis on all members of the family to be involved in the campaign and politics, so to divert/take a step back from politics would be surprising. There is also the issue of when he wants his mother to comfort and give advice as mother she probably lectures him as the President not as his mother and vice versa.

The only negative I have for the book is that I felt like the pacing was inconsistent. At the start, I felt that things happened really fast for example Alex and Henry’s relationship - I counted it from when they kissed. Then near the end it started to slow down a lot which is mainly due to the fact that both conflicts were resolved pretty quickly and  the only thing left to resolve was the politics. I do think that the book was heavy on the politics, which at times made it hard to read/understand - the amount of times I would reread or have to google certain phrases. Despite the amount of politics, I enjoyed having that side plot as when I read romances I really like when there are other things going on besides the romance as it helps us to understand the characters and their motivation a lot better. To conclude if you are interested in enemies to lovers and unlikely relationships, I would definitely recommend Red White & Royal Blue. It was a fun read and had loveable characters which made it an enjoyable experience.

my last review, it was a long time....

[royalrudberg]

My thoughts on RWRB, in no particular order because my brain doesn't work like that:

SPOILERS AHEAD

These are my opinions/thoughts after the first watch through (of course I'm gonna re-watch several times) but don't be mad at me please I'm sensitive

Things I loved

I spent the first full hour smiling and laughing. It put the Com in Romcom. And then the lake scene plunged me into a pit of despair, but in a good way.

Alex was Alex and Henry and was Henry. Like Nick and Taylor really got their characters and did them so much justice and the chemistry was chemistry-ing

Miguel! He was fun and flirty. I wasn't expecting him at all but I think his addition really worked for two reasons: it saved Alex time in figuring out his sexuality so we get ahead into him + Henry, and it gave an explanation for the leaking of the emails without being as politically charged as in the book, because some people, especially if they're not American, don't care about that part as much

Amy is so fucking funny

Zahra is even more funny

Casting! Pez was perfect! Philip was amazing! Papa Diaz delivered the dad vibes for sure. I wish Bea had more screen time. Shaan was good (and very handsome) And don't get me started on UMA FUCKING THERMAN!!

I know we'd have preferred to have both June and Nora but I think that for the purpose she served to the plot just Nora was fine. Movie!Nora was a combination of book!Nora and June. It worked.

GET LOW GET LOW GET LOW

Henry pretending to look for a book when Amy comes into the red room absolutely killeddddd me

Ellen talking about getting Alex on Truvada. Real AF.

Henry doing karaoke!

"I thought Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz was a mouthful." "He is."

"Shut up stop talking" and "You're late", followed by him trying to close the door

The texting/messaging and emails. They included enough for you to get the idea and to show the passage of time and they did in a cool way that didn't take too much of the screen time. Also Henry being "in the room" when they're on the phone was so cute!

Alex being nervous and awkward about having sex with Henry was perfect! It felt very real

Criticisms:

Henry going to fidget with his ring,realizing Alex is wearing it, and that little smile at each other. Fucking beautiful

Alex reading OLS

I wanted Henry singing God save the King

We didn't get to see Catherine? But at least she didn't get Juned.

No powerpoint??? Even though Ellen giving him the talk was plenty funny.

Fucking eyelashes! Miguel mentioned them, but I don't think Herny did? Why notttt??

Random but I would have rather had the conversation in the tack room than the whole polo mantage. We get it, he's hot.

Leo?!? I knew June wasn't there but his parents still being together was so random to me? Not necessarily bad just random.

I really wanted to see Alex standing in the rain...also the dialog there kinda threw me off? Like I know it was heartfelt and emotional or whatever but the "and I'll bother you no longer" part didn't feel like that version of Alex. Kinda took me out of the moment.

Maybe I just wanted more Stephen Fry, but that resolution was a little too easy/cheesy

Idk if it was my ADHD or Taylor's pronunciation but I had to turn on the subtitles because I kept not understanding him?

Questions:

Did they have to change Henry's name? Like bc of the actual royal family?

Can the presidents spouse still have a seat in Congress? Is that allowed?

[yanpersonalconfession]

Red White and Royal Blue has me on a fucking chokehold and I don't know why! It's not because of the s*x scene that softcore porn that happened, or of the incredible acting of TZP and NDG (and of course their chemistry) or the Queens that are Ellen Claremont-Diaz, Zhara and Nora.

Whatever magic that this movie have that had made me watch this more than ten times in a week is mind-blown!

My favorite parts are (in no chronological order):

The one after Alex was chastised by Mommy President and Mommy President said that Zhara will tell Alex what he needs to know and Zhara said that if he sees any paparazzi's that he needs to act like the sun shines out of Henry's ass and he has a Vitamin D deficiency and then later in the movie she got the shock of her life when in all actuality Alex is just doing what she told him to do. 🤷‍♀️

The one where they talked about who is going to top and who is going to bottom like two mature adults who agreed to have consensual sex.

Where they both agreed to be casual and yet yeets that agreement out the first time they had s*x... 🤭

Alex's panic when he realized that Henry could ignore him at the Prime Ministers dinner gala because he hasn't replied to him for like two months.

This line: Prince Henry belongs to Britain, Henry Fox needs to belong to himself or else he'll vanish. (Cut to Alex) Can he belong to someone else? (Cut back to Henry) Only momentarily. Boys! What the fucking happened to casual?!

Anything that have Zhara and Nora in it.

The thirst in Miguel's eyes for Alex, in the Prime Ministers gala, and yet Alex only has eyes for Henry that he had absentmindedly confirmed that they will flip Texas... 🥰

That speech by Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz about privacy, the LGBTQIA+ community and how he loves Henry (longname) Fox. 😍

History, huh? Bet we could make some. (then this movie proceeded to make history)

Alex storming the castle to talk to his insecure and far too anxious love of his life, then proceeded to prove that he will not move an inch and is ready to throw hands just to keep his happiness.

That look Henry gave Alex after he confirmed that Alex is indeed a mouthful. 🤭😵

All those handholding these two did under the radar because I was far too distracted to look at their hands.

When Alex was about to say I love you and Henry jumped into the lake and placed his hand against his chest because he is afraid that his heart will beat out of his chest from the pain he is trying to withhold.

The fucking British people accepting their Prince!

Ok, ok I'm done let me go back to watching it.

[jonbernthalslut]

all right fuckos. listen up. we’re talking books again. this time: red white and royal blue by casey mcquiston.

i’ve got a lot of shit to say so buckle in and i hope u read this.

first of all, most of you don’t know me. you don’t know shit about me, so let me enlighten you. i’m nineteen years old, the daughter of two drug addicts, a daughter without a mother, a proud fucking queer woman, and i am texan. i am born and raised texan. and i love my state. sometimes i want to give up on it. i want to scream and fight and run away. i desperately want a brighter future for texas, one i know in my goddamn soul is possible. in the 2020 election, joe biden lost texas by only 5.6 percent. he only lost us by 630,000 votes. you know how fucking insane that is? there was actual real life doubt that we would go red. when the heartbeat bill was passed, texans went to the capitol and protested. we screamed for our rights. when george floyd was murdered in cold blood, texas got mad. we flooded the streets and screamed until we lost our voices. we broke shit. we fucking rioted.

i think people pass texas off as an evil state. a place without morals. but it isn’t true. this is a state of immigrants and working class and people in poverty and good fucking people. so many of us try desperately not to lose hope that texas can become better. that we can fix it. that this place, our home, is worth fighting for after all.

in red white and royal blue, the main characters mother is the first female president of the united states. a woman from texas. the lometa long shot. ellen claremont. she’s up for re election in this. fighting to keep being able to lead this country into a better tomorrow. she’s a badass, a democrat, a divorced woman, a mother, an ally, and a goddamn texan. and, stop now if you don’t want a spoiler.

in the end, president claremont wins her election. but it all comes down to texas. we end up being the very fucking last state. the one to win it all. and you know what happens? texas comes through. we fucking turn blue. we re elect a woman with two openly queer half hispanic children into office.

when i read it the first time, i had to set the book down. i couldn’t breathe. it was every hope i have for us inked on paper. it was glorious and revolutionary and it renewed my hope.

the thing is, when you live in a place that seems like it hates you it’s easy to lose hope. it’s so fucking easy to give up. running away seems like the better option when the people that are supposed to represent you further hatred against your communities. it makes you sick to your stomach to see stupid trump stickers everywhere and know these people would tell you you’re wrong for loving whoever the fuck you want. it makes you want to punch someone in the face when they spew bullshit against immigrants, the very same ones you grew up with. it shatters you when you read the headlines about how your own fucking government strips away your rights as a woman. greg abbott fills you with an indescribable rage. ted cruz makes you believe in super villians.

you feel like your home doesn’t give a single flying fuck about you.

and it isn’t true.

this book proves that it isn’t fucking true. the truth is, you love texas and texas loves you. it needs people to fight for it. it desperately needs change. it needs hope and love and goddamn revolution. it needs the story casey mcquiston wrote for it, or at least the heart of what she meant.

in the book, texas looked at this bisexual half hispanic first son of the united states and we loved him. with his sex scandal, and his romance of a fucking british monarch, we loved him. texas loved him.

i don’t want to give up on this place. i want to stop fantasizing about leaving the only home i have ever known. i want to feel safe here, like i did when i was little. i want my friends to feel safe. i want their families to feel safe.

texas is worth fighting for.

and a few side notes:

there’s a lot of moments where they talk about grief. prince henry lost his father. he lost him young. his sister describes it as the worst thing that ever happened to him. the worst henry has ever fucking felt. says he thought he knew what the worst he could feel was, but losing his father forced him to learn how wrong he was.

i lost my mom three months before my eighteenth birthday. she overdosed. she died alone. it was by far the worst fucking thing that has ever happened to me. she was my best friend in the world. she was my fierce protector. my confidant. the first woman to love me, truly and unconditionally. losing her felt like falling into a black hole. it felt like i would never ever ever be happy again. it felt like a part of me died too. i was broken and shattered and i can confidently say it was the worst i have ever felt.

it’s been over a year now, and it’s not better. people like to tell you that time makes it better but it doesn’t. you never get over it. you don’t move on. you don’t forget. you don’t fucking heal. you try your goddamn best to do what she wanted for you. you try to remember what being happy felt like. but it’s all different now.

poets and authors talk a lot about the heart. in my head i imagine it as something thirty times bigger than the person. i imagine it as a shield from the world. a fragile one, that gets chipped easily. losing a parent makes it all tumble down. you stand there staring at all the pieces on the ground and you try to fix it. you get your scotch tape and your big girl boots and you try to patch yourself together. but the pieces don’t fit anymore. the heart is missing something so integral to its survival. it is missing her sweet warm presence. it is missing all her nicknames for you. her hugs that always felt like coming home. her smile. her pitfalls.

i have never in my life read something that described my grief as perfectly as this book. it was like it looked into my scotch taped heart, my fragile armor, and mirrored it back at me. it made my chest hurt. but it was freeing. there’s comfort in knowing you are not alone, even if it’s a fictional character. there’s understanding there. casey didn’t even have to explain it. i knew exactly how henry felt. i knew it because it’s how i feel every day. there’s a quote from this i like.

“the worst thing is one of the first big things that ever happens to you in your life. it happens to you, and it goes all the way down to the bottom of what you know how to feel, and it rips open and carves out this chasm down below to make room. and because you were so young, and because it was one of the first big things to happen in your life, you’ll always carry it with you. every time something terrible happens to you from then on, it doesn’t just stop at the bottom - it goes all the way down.”

when you’re in the after, because you can’t help but separate your life into the before and the after, suddenly everything feels worse. the world is darker. that shine inside of you, that light, it dims. you get a b and you think you’re failing her. you get drunk and you think she’d be disappointed in you. you choose the wrong person to love, and you can picture her so clearly telling you not to make her mistakes. everything is always tied back to it. you can’t escape. you cant run. you learn to live with a hole in your chest, a crack in your armor, and you try your absolute fucking best not to let the enormous agony you constantly feel drag you back down. you rip your fingers and your soul to shreds trying to climb your way out of the bottomless pit.

so thank you, casey mcquiston. thank you for giving this to me. thank you for your words. thank you for knowing that grief never ever ends.

i want to be an author, one day. it’s my big daunting dream. alex wanted to be a politician, and i want to write. i want to write things that people talk about. i want to write great sweeping love stories and terrible dramatic betrayals. i want to write things people see themselves in.

casey mcquiston, i want to write like you. i want to achieve what you have achieved.

girl, you’re my fucking hero.

and everyone that actually read this rambling long winded post where i set my heart onto the page, thank you. read this book. i recommend it whole heartedly. especially for my queer people, my texans, my grief ridden people and anyone that has hope for something better. something softer and kinder.

[karmilleryn]

so i went out for dinner tonight and my server’s name was Lynden:

which is a name i’ve never heard before and i thought it was pretty

but also it immediately made me think of RWRB and how their first kiss was under the linden tree

so then i thought, what if when Alex and Henry have kids, they have a girl and name her Lynden because of that?!

because they’d want a unique name

a) just because they think it’s cooler than a common name but also

b) bc Henry never thought he’d get a choice for shit like that before Alex came around (of course he also thought he’d have to have them with a woman, but that’s a whole other subject way too sad for this post), and

c) to spite Henry’s grandmother if she’s still around by then, and Phillip, who think Henry’s children should have more traditional names (we know Alex loves being contrary, and i think Henry would agree in this case lol)

((EDIT because i just realized this totally randomly last night: it also sounds like “London” so that’s a nice small tribute to Henry’s home

and the only other time i’ve heard a version of this name is the male “Lyndon” of the president LBJ, and I have no idea if he was a good president but it is presidential/political which we know is kind of Alex’s thing, but more importantly, the lakehouse Alex loves is on Lake LBJ, so that would add a lot of meaning for him too))

and like a lot of people, i always hc’d they’d have kids, but didn’t have my heart set on specific names other than Arthur if they have a boy, after Henry’s dad

(and maybe calling him a shortened version of it, like Artie, because it’s cute but also to still differentiate a little even though Henry’s dad’s not around for them to have name mix-ups [lol but also it’s getting sad again sorry])

((EDIT because i just realized this totally randomly last night: i’ve also now heard the idea from someone of doing “Elena” because it’s after Alex’s mom but a more Hispanic version and i really like that, and they could call her something for short to match Artie and to help differentiate… but Ellie would be to close to Ellen, and i don’t think i really like Laney… but anyway, at first i was thinking Lynden could be a middle name, but also i realized Catherine and Catalina are similar, so if they could figure out some combo/middle ground for that, that could be a middle name to name after June even though she goes by June lol and Henry’s mom. so maybe they just need more than one daughter lol. and then maybe with the first names, they wouldn’t need all the last names? because i’d figured Alex would want to keep both of his but the only one that matters to Henry is Fox, so they would both change theirs to/have their kids be Claremont-Diaz-Fox? but that’s still such a mouthful lol))

but now i really like this one!

(it’s not too “stupid modern baby names made up by suburban moms,” is it? [tried to link a post there, but it didn’t work in the original post or in replies or in a reblog, so I’m gonna put a screenshot of the link here so maybe you can c&p if you’re on mobile and have the newer feature of being able to c&p text from screenshots, which is like my favorite thing ever lol, or type from scratch:])