#he's not actually talking to the baby he's talking to shiv and roman on the other side of the room and they roll their eyes so hard

[shesnake]

kendall, six months later, cradling shiv's baby in his arms: okay yeah I did kill that waiter

[zevranunderstander]

no hate to people who are into that shit but I just saw a post that was like "how the succession characters would react to you having a panic attack", and um. well. they would do absolutely nothing

[chooey]

common kendall L

[richeeduvie]

Begging for a one shot or Drabble about baby and Roman’s yearly trip to the restaurant where they tell the waiter they’re siblings and make out? 🙏🧎‍♀️

Too Little Birthday

✭・.・✫ ✭・.・✫ ✭・.・✫ ✭・.・

Roman Roy x Reader Drabble Roman clings onto this girl like a damn life-raft.

-- Roman's a bit too invested in how his yearly birthday present goes when it has to come a little early. --

Warnings: a motivated make-out session, obvious mentions of false-incest, whiny Roman Roy what's new. Jealously, slight angst. The f slur. This draft is from a long, long time ago.

✭・.・✫ ✭・.・✫ ✭・.・✫ ✭・.

"Happy birthday, Roman. You're gonna be eighty-nine and five years old!"

Roman straightens his back out against the booth chair with a jump in his seat. More like a shimmy.

"Yeah, tomorrow - let's just hurry up to the sissy brothy kissy kissy section of this."

You want to sigh. Roman's frustrated. His birthday present is one day early. It's due to a long, very important event Tom will have with you, him, and Greg tomorrow. With that and Roman's business intermingling with yours tomorrow when you're all traveling to Pennsylvania, there's not a lot of room to give him his birthday present on his birthday.

Roman knows that, but that's not going to stop him from whining about it. Not in direct words, just eyes and jabby-voiced demands.

"Let's have fun with it, it's your present. We've got time to turn people red-"

"It's my present and I'm asking you to tongue me like a twin would."

You smile. Sure, you'll indulge quicker than you planned. It is his birthday present after all.

"You're gonna have to move closer if you want that, Rome."

The first time Roman asked for this, it made you concerned - not in a confrontational manner, that'd put you in a situation where Roman would "never forgive you" for judging him on his birthday. Although you know the things Roman says are just things Roman say, that if Kendall or...anything said them, you'd be greatly disturbed, there was the question of if Roman wanted you to roleplay as his sister. Shiv. Your friend. That would've been too much.

But Roman put it in words that soothed you enough to be more than happy to go along with his favor.

"Ew. No. I mean, I can and will still spitball a good sexed-up joke with her...and hell, maybe with Ken too during pride month for the fags but this...you're pretending to be a different sister. Duh. You are my sister and we are going to make out. Though - he’d probably rip bits of me off if I ever tried it, that’s why Shiv is chill.” 

“...Don’t say fags.” 

“You just did.”

So, he kisses you, lathers your lips with his tongues and fitting to his descriptions, Roman tongues you. Your heads and mouths move against each other, bucking up before your hand takes up his cheek. Your heart beats in your head and it's only moments before the vein of his forehead begins to throb.

"...Sir, Ma'am, are you ready to...Sir?"

Roman takes five seconds more of the make out before he slowly pulls away. Knowingly slowly - like he's a fucking asshole. You smile slight. He straightens his spine with a thin, smug mouth. His head tilts off to the side.

"Sorry to make you wait, even though that's kind of your whole thing. Me and my sis just get too excited celebrating our birthday."

You cover your mouth with your intertwined hands, elbows on the table. This has happened every year for the past five years and it just...it never gets easier. It's why Roman does most of the talking, just until his eyes are whining for you to be into it. It only matters if you like it as much as him, if his present is yours too. The point of presents is that they're not for the gifters, but Roman's insecurities say otherwise.

But you'll never admit that it's a little too easy for you to play pretend, revel in the squirm of poor waiters who deserve more pay and days better than yours and Roman's pseudo-incest roleplay.

It's not easy at all, actually. When you think of it. 

“...I-I…mm. Okay…” 

The waiter blinks. There’s nothing but silence between the three of you. Roman’s a champ, really. His smugness, the snark of his face is only noticeable to you because you’ve loved and loved him since the beginning. This poor waiter couldn’t possibly know Roman’s just fucked in his yearly prank. 

“I-I I can read you the special-” 

“Aren’t you going to say happy birthday?” 

“Rome-”

“Don’t. See? In the womb, she took all of the generosity, the morality. The bitch. But I love her, still,” Roman takes your hands from your mouth. “…if we mention it’s our day of popping out into the womb, your hourly wage pay should be telling you to say happy birthday.” 

“Roman. Don’t.” 

You’ll play twin, but going after someone’s job - need for money, not today. Not even on his not-birthday. Pre-birthday day. 

“...Fine, sorry, sis.” Roman smacks his hand on the table, then points a finger gun towards the waiter. “You’ve been doing great in the two minutes I’ve known you. I guess that’s what I’m supposed to say.” 

He looks to your hand in his other hand and of course, with low-lidded eyes, you know he’d take the skin - what he would say is bait even though he was the one to take your hands in the first place. 

Roman sucks your fingers before he sniffs them. 

You all forget what the three of you are here for. A bead of sweat drips down the waiter’s forehead. 

“...Do you two want to skip to the desert? Our patrons highly-” 

The waiter chokes. 

“They like the piss.” The waiter’s hand deathgrip her notepad. “Pie! Fuck me.”

“Mm. No thanks, I’m taken. Your wage doesn’t even need to tell you that, social awareness does all the talking there.

“That sounds delicious, thank you.” 

“She didn’t even name the flavor-” 

“We’ll take the pie for now. And just water as well.” 

You straighten out your back, smiling up at the poor waiter before pressing your nose against Roman’s knuckles. 

“Did you get the birthday text from Dad yet?” 

Ordering Roman around is as much of a birthday gift as the incest thing is. He doesn’t push on the pie for the first course. But, of course, the waiter leaves as fast as she can. 

“Happy?” 

Roman slouches against the booth, scrunching his face up as if to say so-so. 

“She was acting as if she wasn’t about to squirt.” 

“I think she was genuinely terrified, but not as much as the last waiter we had last year. I think that’s why her horror appeared clement.” 

“I think incest is becoming more socially acceptable, that’s the tiktok era for you.” 

You blink against his knuckle. 

“...I think it’s the exact opposite. Like…actually, it’s the exact opposite.” 

“Superior bloodlines took to fucking, we could do it.” 

“I’m not your actual sibling.” 

“Did we ever ball out which one of us is the oldest?” 

“Me.” 

Roman’s smiley, stupidly with his thick-lidded eyes and he’s handsome, despite the fact he’s your brother for the day. It’s an easy gift for him, at least this year considering it’s already ruined for him - it being a day early already being too much. So, unlike the birthdays before, your boy doesn’t have to take to pretending he’s your brother the entire lunch date. Only when the waiter is present to watch in terror. 

“But your dad, Roman - tomorrow we need to find a way to coo-” 

And you two were talking about other things, but Roman took to watching other things.

“Roman?” 

When you turn to see where his furrowed brows point to, it’s when you realize it’s someone else he’s watching. You turn behind you, seeing the light of the sun hit a man across the restaurant. He looks to be your and Roman’s age. Wavy hair, a creepy-fucked sort of smile.  

He wears his own smug look, but when it’s not Rome’s…it strikes you wrong. Confusingly. You turn back. 

You watch Roman’s mouth and brows waver. 

“Hey, just ignore him. Just a guy.” 

“Why the fuck is he gawking? The fucker is about to lick his chops and shove his hand down his slacks and choke it.” 

Roman’s eyes go wide and jolt his head forward. A physical ‘what the fuck?’ to the man across the room. When you turn again, you see how it does nothing for him. He’s got his arms crossed. 

“Oh, what the fuck?” 

It’s what you want to say when both of you see the man come up and make his way towards you. 

 “I’m gonna drop my pants to scare him.” 

“Let’s say that as your father’s company is bombarded with sexual assault allegations. Let’s. Calm down-” 

“Hey. Just want to say - if she was my sister, I wouldn’t be able to resist either.”

Roman blinks. You blink. 

….Oh. 

“Sorry, I just heard a bit of it when I was walking in. And even if you’re just fucking around…just gotta say.”

The man sniffs before he laughs. And you know your eyes only portray horror when he puts up a fist of solidarity. 

“Sibling love.” 

Then, he smiles wide at you with a clicked tongue. Roman can’t do anything and you don’t want him to, to cause a scene, it won’t be a result of his gift, just pure and sudden anger. Loud, punchy words. But for now, as the man walks away, it’s just brutal eyes - perfect daggers that’d be even more handsome if you were able to think about it, but you can’t in how fucking confused you are. 

What the fuck? 

“What the fuck?” You turn to face Roman. “What the fuck was that? Should I…” 

You put your hands together, mouth parted in a pause as you lean forward. “Should I call someone?” 

The man across the table doesn’t look at you, but his brown eyes just focus on one spot on the table. The daggers pierce the wood there. 

And you already know. So, you sigh. You try to come into frame. 

“Roman, that was just a fucking freak.” 

What you always call him. That was a mistake in your wording and you know it when Roman’s eyes flicker up in fire. 

“Not a perfect freak. Not something I’d want in my bed or…ten feet away from me. What the fuck was that?” 

“...You didn’t-” 

“I didn’t do anything.” 

“On my not-birthday…you just…he’s your type.” Roman scratches his head and inhales sharply before his eyes shut tightly. “Wow. I fucking hated that. I wanna go home. I think we just met an actual sib-molester and he was your type.”

Okay, what the fuck?

“What the fuck? What are you talking about?” 

“It’s not your fault. But that was Stewy. And a freak. Your type. On my not-birthday. What the fuck is wrong with today? I wann-” 

“How did Stewy come into this conversation? You’re my type. That was weird and I feel like I need to call the cops but it’s nothing to get jealous over-” 

Roman looks down in his heavy and tense stare. He blinks fast with scratches to his face. He picks at his ear, it’s all the signs that he’s breaking a bit. 

“M’ not jealous. Not jealous. I just-” Roman pulls a hair or two out of his brown. “I just forgot other people can see you’re hot sometimes. It’s jilting. M’ sorry.”

Another sign is a lack of finished words and eye contact. 

“Normies do that, but someone who’s more of-I kinda thrive off of being the worst possible fuck…you like that and someone just took a shit on me like it was nothing. Another worst possible fuck with long legs saw you’re fuckable…lovable. Fine. Fine, it’s whatever. I wanna go home.” 

It’s all too much for you to know what to say. Too much to say much, but it’s your instinct to soothe, even if your heart throbs and flips with a bloodrush at how Roman insecurely wears his jealousy and how you’re the only one that can bring him down from the roof. 

“I just forgot…and my brain chemicals just losing regulation at the sight of him. Sorry.” 

“It’s okay, hey. Look at me.” 

And it takes a minute, but he listens to you. Roman looks up, eyes big and blinking. 

You kiss his knuckles. 

“You’re the only fucked person I know. I don’t think it’s possible to show much interest in…anything else. But seriously…what the fuck was that?” 

“What the fuck was that?” 

“I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.” 

You don’t know if there’s anything you have to make up for, but you sure Roman will find the reason tomorrow. An excuse for another birthday gift where you’re at his feet - or he’s at yours. 

He sniffles hard. 

“You’d get scratchy too if you were me.” 

…If you were him. That’s the truth, no one could ever get like this unless they were Roman. But you wouldn’t have it any other way.

[hughiecampbelle]

Persecution (Roy!Sibling x Roman Roy)

Character/s: Roman, Jeryd, Kendall, Shiv

Word Count: 1,465

Requested: Hihihi!!! Would it be okay to request? Or maybe just as inspiration or something: i'd love to see the dynamic between roy!siblingreader and roman and how he would interact with them trying/being the big brother to them like connor and kendall are especially takeing care of them or being protective? I have severe roman brainrot rn lol and i love how you write each of them and overall the way you use words and how alive it all feels! ♡- anon

Inspired By: Family Jewels by Marina

Warning/s: sexual harassment, harassment, men being creeps

Tag: @locke-writes

A/N: You know I had to do it!!! You know I had to!!! I can't actually remember all of the election party episode, so this might be a bit off. My apologies!!! Stop my love, Roman makes my brain rot too he lives in there 24/7!!! Thank you for such kind words!!! I try my best :) I hope you like it!!! Feedback is always appreciated 💜💜💜

His hand lingers on the small of your back, on your shoulder, on your body. It burns all the way through. You don’t shake it off though. You can’t. So you smile and excuse yourself, trying to stop yourself from shuddering. It seems wherever you go, wherever you disappear, he is there. He is always there. If not in your presence, then calling, texting, emailing. He is obsessive, hungry, and you have been served to him on a silver platter whether they realize it or not. You sit alone on the couch, nursing your drink, your fourth or fifth of the night just to get through it. His knee touches you, his arm is around you. No one takes notice, not your brothers or sister. No one can save you. He speaks, but only to get closer, so close you can smell the scotch on his breath. He talks mindlessly of his campaign, of the work he and your brother have put into it. That is why you can’t resist. That is why you can’t push him away, throw your drink in his face, call him names that sit on the tip of your tongue. Because your brother has spent too much time building this relationship up, building this man up. You’ve told him time and time again that you don’t like him, that you side with your sister on this, but he doesn’t care. He is not your President yet, though God help you if he becomes him. You won’t be able to escape him. You won’t be able to run. 

His hand is on your thigh, inching down. As if his touch is fire you jump up, dropping your glass, spilling all over him, all over Shiv's carpet. Fuck, you think, fuck, fuck fuck. You apologize profusely despite yourself, picking up the shards. They glitter under the light. The mumble of the crowd never stops, there isn’t a single pause in conversation. You are the baby, the least significant one. These politicians, their groups, they don’t see you. They don’t notice you. No one is coming to help you. He doesn’t seem to notice your distress, instead leaning down, face to face with you, watching you avoid his eyes. He rubs your shoulder, explaining that it was an accident, no big deal. With his finger he tips your head up, smile for me, sweetie. You recoil, apologizing, taking what pieces you have, headed towards the kitchen. You’re unsteady on your feet, too tipsy. You drank too much. You curse yourself, trying not to let the tears that welled up in your eyes fall. You weren’t even supposed to be here. You were supposed to be home, safe, far away from him where he could not possibly reach you. But they wanted you here, they needed you here, the biggest night leading up to the election. You could never disappoint them. Never. So you showed up and you drank and now you’re in this mess. You can feel him behind you, like a shadow, close but not close enough. You catch one look behind you, biting back a scream. He shakes hands, introduces himself, cracks jokes, all while moving through the crowd. You are his target, you always have been. 

From the moment he laid eyes on you, you knew it was over. Too late. You were drowning and they were doing nothing to save you. He spoke to you like you were old friends, touchy from your moment of introduction. Y/n Roy, a pleasure to meet you. A kiss on the cheek. His arm snaking around your waist for the family photo. Pleading with your eyes, but no one to see, no one to understand. Your father was more than happy to serve you to him, proud you’d made a connection so quickly. Oblivious to your disgust, to your discomfort, as always. Still, he hadn’t been that proud of you in a long time, perhaps ever. You thought you could keep up the niceties until he lost, then you would rid yourself of him for good. And then your father died. And then Roman made his deal with him. And now? Now you’re leaning over the sink, trying not to throw up, your hands shaking at the thought of him being near you like that again. He got caught in conversation with a lesser political opponent, his eyes never leaving you. Someone had given him your contact information. First an email here and there. A thank you for being so kind to him. A proposition for coffee, then drink. Texts next. Jokes that fell flat. Apologies for your father. More dates, more events, all of them, he’s hoping, you’ll be there. Calls, too. Pictures. So many pictures. Silly ones, then not so funny. If he wasn’t constantly watching, talking, touching, then he was trying to. You never responded, but that didn’t stop him. It would never stop him. 

What were you going to do? 

You clutch the edge of the sink, taking a few deep breaths. As quickly as you can without making yourself even more nauseous, you cut through the pack, headed towards the bathroom. Without meaning to, your barge through your siblings semi-circle conversation. The tears are falling. All of them look up at you, startled, but you slam the door shut before they can ask anything. Shiv knocks softly, saying your name, trying to get you out. Y/n? Y/n what happened? Can you come out and talk to us? Knees to chest you slide down to the floor, drunk, tired, your skin still crawling. Trying to catch your breath. Y/n, come on, come out. Whatever happened, we can fix it. Kendall sounded exhausted. Rightfully so. You stifle a sob, the words coming out before you can stop them. I didn’t mean- I didn’t- I know this is important to you guys. Mencken. He’s important to them, he’s important to your brother, he was to your father. You couldn’t just suck it up for a little while, you had to cry like a child. Who? What are you talking about? It’s Roman now, his voice close to you. He’s not standing like the others, he’s on your level now. You don’t know how to explain it, you can’t. You fear it’ll sound ridiculous. That you’re making a bigger deal about this than necessary. You’re not sure what else to do. You open every tab, every phone call and text thread and email. Then you open the door just a crack, sliding the phone through, shutting it again. There's a moment of silence that feels like eternity. How long has been this going on? Roman sounds angry. At you? A while. It’s all you can manage, curling into a ball, bracing for the worst. For the yelling, the disappointment, for one of them to bang on the door and demand that you come out right now. You wait, and you wait, but it never comes. It never happens. Instead your brother and sister call after Roman, trying to stop him, but he’s seeing red. 

There’s no stopping him. 

It’s quiet for a long time, but you don’t move a muscle. Your nausea has gotten a little better, your head a little clearer. You call for your siblings, but none answer. What were they doing? What were they saying? You can hear muffled yelling through the door, but the words melt together. Tones rise in pitch. The apartment has quieted. Someone laughs, you think it’s Mencken. More quiet. A door slams. You wince. This is all your fault. Whatever they were doing, whatever was going on, it was your fault. It was all your fault. Then a voice, softer now. He’s gone, kid. You can come out. Roman. He didn’t sound angry, but when did that ever stop anyone? Certainly not your father. When you don’t, you hear him groan, getting to the floor. Through the door, you can hear the weight in his voice. I’m not mad at you, I, I could never be mad at you. A pause. You honestly think I would have chosen him over you? You nod before choking up a yes. It’s my fault, you start, but he doesn’t let you finish. It’s not, it never was. He’s a fucking creep y/n, a monster. I’m, I’m sorry I didn’t notice sooner. He's gone now. He won’t come near you ever again. He’s never been so sure of anything in his life. He would never let fucking Mencken do that to you again. He wouldn’t let anyone do that. He shouldn’t have let it happen in the first place, he’d carry this for the rest of his life. He let you down, your big brother. He let you down for the last time.

[skeilig]

when shiv says "why didn't you come get me" and kendall starts apologizing but roman tells her it wasn't actually that much time (even though it was), that struck me as a really kind response.. they can't change it now. she's his baby sister and he can tell a little white lie so that she doesn't have to live thinking she missed a chance to talk to her dad one last time... throwing up

[wambsgansshoelaces]

blurb 3 of blurb night!!

Military School

brother!roman; reader is a Roy

prompt: “it popped in my head and i weeped (jk) but i think maybe little one shot of roman having to go off to military school and leaving his baby sister who watched him sob after logan was a bitch one too many times when he was young and she was even younger so before he leaves she has to hold him and comfort him cause he's just a scared little traumatized child in a adult trench coat BDKWBD and when he comes back he is like jumping for joy and yeah happy ending we need those more often TEHE”

I love u sissy thank u for requesting <3

“Hey, come on, don’t cry.”

Roman pulls you into a tight hug, and he’s keenly aware of the dampening of his shirt from your tears.

He wasn’t exactly sure how he got to this point, but he did. Military school. He’s barely a teenager; you’re barely a child.

“I don’t want you to go,” you admit quietly. He was your lifeline in this shitty family. The only one around for long enough to take care of you. What’ll happen when he’s gone? What’ll happen to you.

“I don’t, either, but he’s making me,” he says, his voice cracking. And all of a sudden, this isn’t about you anymore. Tears begin forming at his waterline, and he desperately tries biting them back.

“You’ll come back, though, won’t you?” you ask meekly. “You’ll come back big and strong.”

He laughs, but there’s no joy in the sound. “I’ll come back. I promise I will, don’t worry.”

“Will you let me write letters to you?”

He gives your shoulder a squeeze. “I’ll write to you.” He pauses. “Um, be good, okay? Don’t get into any trouble. Don’t be like me.”

You don’t know what he’s talking about. You idolize him. You want to be just like him- kind, caring, thoughtful, witty.

“Roman!” comes your father’s shout from downstairs. Your brother flinches, but gets up from the floor of your room where the two of you are sat. With shaking hands, he holds your head and presses a kiss to your crown.

“I have to go.” His voice is trembling. He makes his way to the door before stopping and looking back over his shoulder. “I love you. Don’t do anything stupid.”

And then he’s gone.

The next few years are lonely. He keeps his promise and writes you letters every so often, but they’re short and devoid of any substance. While Shiv and Kendall come home to visit you often, it’s just not the same. Neither of them sit down with you like Roman did. They don’t really take the time.

You take his advice to heart. You stay out of trouble- specifically with your dad -and just mind your business as the years go on. Life is boring. It’s lonely. But that’s how it’s going to be- you’re a Roy, and you’re the youngest. When he does come back, you’re the only one who goes to the airport for him.

The driver doesn’t actually let you go inside- too much paparazzi, too much danger. You wait patiently, fiddling with the sleeves of your shirt. It’s not as climactic as you expected it to be, but at the same time, it felt natural. Neither of you were the dramatic type, neither of you wanted to be the dramatic type. There were already too many characters in your family. Too many draining ones.

He slides into the seat next to you, the bags under his eyes defined and deep. Wordlessly, you hug, his hand clapping your back. “You’re all big now,” he says quietly.

“You calling me fat?” you ask slyly, smirk developing on your face.

“What? No!” He then notices your expression. “Oh, fuck you.” You both laugh, and you give his shoulder a squeeze. You don’t know what to say, what to do. You’re just glad he’s back in one piece.

He avoids your father for the rest of the day. You’re on the floor of your room, like you were those few years ago, finishing some schoolwork when he knocks on your door frame. “No loitering,” you tell him.

“Wanna go to Target? I don’t want to be here when Dad gets home.”

“Will you buy me something?”

“No.”

“Then you’re on your own.” Despite your words, you get to your feet and fish out a jacket from your closet.

The two of you don’t really do anything in the store. He wanders around, you follow him. It’s like he’s here for the first time, his eyes snagging on displays and the shelves of colorful, junky snacks. “I haven’t had Doritos in years,” he tells you as you wind through the aisles.

“Then get some.”

“You’re just going to eat them.”

“No, I won’t,” you lie. He rolls his eyes at you but grabs a bag anyway. “Come on, we should just pig out. You look like a malnourished Victorian child.” Without waiting for him to answer, you grab things from the shelves and keep them gathered in your arms.

You spend the evening in his car, talking about life with your brother and munching on the snacks he’d gotten for himself. Life’s better now that you have a friend again.

[transmutationisms]

Love ur takes on the bio/body politics of Succession and I thought 4x09 delivered so much to unpack there!!! Found it so tragic/interesting the way Shiv was talking about her unborn child throughout the episode so resentfully, like a parasite/leech that she’d be prepared to neglect to pursue the company just like her father did…. The cycles of abuse are cycling lol. What do you make of shiv’s relationship to her motherhood and her awareness of her body’s utility to logan’s empire/under capitalism generally? I do really feel like her characterization this season is an interesting summation of the “having it all” discourse of neoliberal feminism (from catherine rottenberg’s Rise of Neoliberal Feminism, dk if you’ve read but I highly reccomend!) Just watching her last ditch attempts to cling to any remaining vestige of power within the company while so brutally reckoning with/abdicating her future motherhood that was hoisted upon her in part due to tom’s striving and ambition…. WHEW.

Also, do you have any insights on why roman was so shaken by seeing his father’s coffin/“is he in there?” I’m still trying to fully unpack that line with regard to what we know about his fear of death/aging and implied abuse he suffered but maybe I’ve got my tinfoil hat on lol.

yeah shiv's position is quite interesting right now. as my bf pointed out, she basically kept her position with matsson by promising not to love her baby. motherhood can be part of 'having it all' as long as there's a huge behind-the-scenes network of domestic workers, assistants, &c to support you. her lines in 4x04 about how she wishes logan could have held his grandkids are also telling; although she hasn't said anything explicitly about producing an heir, we know that's something logan wanted from her because his racism and ableism prevented him from seeing sophie and iverson as filling that role. shiv's earlier reluctance to have children was partly about her relationship with tom, but was also suggested to be partly a reaction to her fear that if she got pregnant, she would basically be relegated to the domestic sphere forever ('mommed') and would no longer be able to even try to become logan's successor. so, having a baby is useful to the company in terms of the long-term line of succession, but also has the potential to basically exclude shiv herself from the game. it converts her body into something that serves logan's interests in a very different way: she's no longer an employee but a mother.

as to roman, this was the culmination of a long fixation with his father's body. way back at the beginning of the show, roman was the one who denied logan was "an elderly patient" in the hospital; he saw logan as basically invincible, except of course for when the worry would break through ("i heard you tried to kill our dad with the sun"). he asked for one of logan's sweaters to sniff, which is later inverted by roman leaving his suit jacket with logan's body on the plane, then echoed by roman wearing logan's sweater around in 4x05. roman was also seen a few times taking logan's advil, a kind of logan relic and a way for roman to metaphorically consume him, which is resonant given how physically unaffectionate and actually violent logan was with him.

roman also has a fraught relationship with his own body, as shown by the body-checking, his restrictive eating, and his inability to fuck or even take his cock out in front of matsson. roman was disturbed when connor sent the funeral home photo of logan's body, and again when connor was talking about going to visit the body. for roman, bodies in general are a site of violence and shame, and logan's body specifically is something that logan always tried to deny existed or to transcend, yet also the way he physically inflicted pain upon roman. so, roman has this fixation on the physicality of logan's dead body, which both is and isn't logan, and which both disgusts and compels roman. seeing the coffin was disturbing because the body was both hidden and displayed, and roman almost couldn't force himself to believe that logan really was dead or even had a physical body that could be killed. and in the "can we get him out of there" line, roman was sort of hysterically trying to 'free' logan, both from death and from the constricting box, as well as trying to get physically closer to the father he misses greatly and has always both loved and feared.

[absolutelynothoughtswhatsoever]

Post S4Ep5 where I think Tom and Greg are going to go from here:

So alot of people have been complaining that Tom and Greg have both been pretty sidelined in the past few episodes, and while I agree, I think they will be having more significant storylines in the last half of the season. Specifically, I think we are going to see a betrayal arc between the two them.

The set up for it has been made pretty clear with the recent episode: Greg is starting to get into good graces of Ken (+Roman) while Tom is getting pulled in by Shiv.

We have been seeing a turn for Tom and Gregs relationship. Tom’s focus on Greg seems to pale compare to previous seasons where he was practically obsessed with Greg. They both have no power now that Logan is dead. However, Tom still treats Greg like a little bit of a lackey despite not having much power himself (he made Greg tell Kerry she is not fit to be anchor so she wouldn’t be mad at Tom and Logan, he told Greg to act like an idiot in front of the Matsson and the swedes so that Tom looks better in comparison). However, in those instances Tom can’t maintain that fickle power over Greg—Logan dies and Kerry is ousted from the inner circle so it doesn’t matter if Greg pissed her off, Greg looked like an idiot in front of Matsson but Matsson was intrigued by Greg since he is family and cares even less about Tom. Along with that, while Tom has been floundering to find footing in the shifting power dynamics, Greg is actually doing somewhat well (despite coming off incredibly cringey). He knows about Ken and Roman intentionally trying to tank the deal, he was getting along with and dancing with the girl that Matsson has been sending litres of blood to (sidenote: Matsson is such a hilariously weird fucking freak), he established some rapport with Marcia who may or may not be the administrator of Logan’s trust (it is never confirmed but we will probably find out soon). Also—Greg was somehow able to not only find out Matsson’s weird sex habits, but confirm the kill list as well as how many people are on it which is kind of impressive if you think about how much the other Waystar co. was struggling to talk with Gojo people. Greg’s big skill is that he is easily able to gather information, especially since no one expects him to actually use the things he learns since he sounds like such an idiot. (Also someone pointed out that Greg actually has all the necessary information to figure out that Ken was involved with the waiters death in S1).

With that in mind, Greg is probably going to become more valuable to Ken (+ Roman) as he continues to accumulate more valuable information.

We also have to remember that while this is happening, Tom has now once again gotten into the clutches of Shiv. Shiv is willing to let Tom back into her life because she knows that she can control him—the only reason he still has a job is because of her, plus she knows that baby has potential to emotional devastate Tom. And considering how this is a existing pattern in their relationship, we can expect for Shiv to in fact do something to devastate Tom. If we follow where that pattern goes, then Tom will turn around and throw that devastation right back at Greg.

Tom and Greg’s relationship can’t exist without Tom and Shiv’s. And the way Tom treats Greg is a reflection of his unhappiness with how Shiv treats him. A big issue in the Tom and Shiv relationship is that she had cheated on him and then blindsided him with an open relationship. So now that Greg has been openly having casual sex with numerous women, there is a strong likelihood that Tom will berate Greg for this when his relationship with Shiv reaches the fallout point. Tom has already been shown to annoyed with Greg’s sex life numerous times throughout the season, so combined with heightened emotions, it is pretty feasible that he will outright blow up on Greg.

With that—there is a possibility that they can link this back to the compulsory heterosexuality that has been hinted within the season. Logan brings up Greg’s gay dad in episode one—which is a odd call back if it is not going to be utilized later. Before that scene, Greg’s dad was just an offhand comment made in season 1. It would make way more sense to bring up Ewan disinheriting Greg since that was something that happened more recently and it occurred in the same season where Logan’s relationship with his kids suffered. Along with that, it is a bit odd that we are getting so much focus on Greg being interested in women and hooking up etc. He brings it up constantly as if he wants to remind people that he is indeed heterosexual yet we never get any indication that he is ever had sex with them? In the first episode he just rumages with the girl and it is implied that he didn’t even come. In the recent episode he makes a point about wanting to meet women yet is only seen dancing (pretty platonically) with one in a group setting.

So here is where we are at: Tom will probably throw Greg’s slut era in his face, if the show is actually trying to make Greg being closeted and trying to pretend to be heterosexual then Greg will probably fall into a crisis because of this, and finally Greg’s betrayal of Tom seems imminent.

BUT, I don’t think Greg will actually betray Tom. It seems way too obvious of a move and utterly predictable, especially since Greg has already betrayed Tom on like three separate occasions. Rather, I think Greg is going to be in a position where he has to choose between the Roys, his heterosexuality, the power and Tom and he will choose Tom. Early on, people speculated that the reason that Greg is looking at his own reflection in the posters is because he is going to have a moment where he recognizes how far down the hole he has gotten. Greg is slimier than ever this season, which I personally think makes having to chose whether or not the stay in this world more compelling—it only really feels like a big choice when he is actually despicable, otherwise the stakes just aren’t there. There has always been more hope for Tom and Greg to get out because at the end of the day they are outsiders to this world. And maybe they will realize that they are the only people to care about the other in this fucking family.

[ezlebe]

Day 2 - Hurt/Comfort

Tom paces the small, curtained off infirmary with his hands perched on his hips. He’s dressed down in a knit sweater and worn jeans, compared to Greg, who’s in Ralph Lauren cashmere and pressed slacks. “So tell me again what the fuck you were doing?”

“Talking, mostly?” Greg says, hearing his voice thin around the awkward stretch of the truth

“Talking?” Tom repeats, his voice pitching perky, sharp, and dubious, as he comes to a pause with his arms folding across his chest. “How did this talking end up with you off the back of the platinum class bleachers while the ponies ran around?”

“Mostly, like… I was less prepared than anyone expected when I got pushed?” Greg says, tapping his fingers against one of his thighs, as the other holds his phone close to his lap.  “And I landed sort of bad trying to step back… I guess I should’ve just fell, or something. It was only like five feet up?”

Tom takes a deep breath, then exhales it slowly, as he shakes out his arms. He reaches down and softly rubs at the wrap around Greg’s ankle with the backs of his knuckles.

Greg drags his teeth across his lower lip. The pressure is barely there, since the ankle is wrapped so tight, but he can still feel his face start to color, so he looks away from it.

“Connor said you were fighting with Shiv?” Tom says, as his hand shifts to lightly palm across the back of the splint, then up Greg’s bare calf. He clears his throat, as he pulls away, “I can’t really comprehend that.”

“No, uh…” Greg clears his throat. “I mean, sort of, she started it? But it was mostly everyone.”

“Not to be a big damned narcissist, but I have to ask…” Tom takes a breath, rolling his eyes toward the window, then offers a loud hiss of a sigh as an exhale. “Was it about me?”

“It wasn’t really – ” Greg bites back the lie, grudgingly, then reaches up and scratches at the back of his neck. “It was… in a way just adjacent?”

Tom turns back to Greg with a wide tilt of his head.

“You could say that maybe it was more about me?” Greg says, swallowing shallow, digging the tips of his fingers harder against the knob of his own spine. He looks away from Tom’s furrowed brows, instead focusing down at his knees, bent up awkwardly on the short cot. “And… uh, like how they’re super not great at being my family, in general? So Roman pushed me, because I said y-you were.”

“Ah,” Tom intones, then offers a few clicks of his tongue.

“I don’t think he meant to hurt me, uh…” Greg tips his head, recalling the pitch and break of Roman’s voice, calling him stupid while everyone dropped off the benches. “I’ve never actually heard him sound freaked out like that? So it was sort of nice.”

“Of course,” Tom says, flat, rubbing his palms together down near his waist. He looks over his shoulder at the door, then back to Greg, shaking his head, but doesn’t say anything, as he rounds closer to the head of the cot.

“Anyway, like I won the argument, in a way,” Greg says, looking up with a wide blink and a tight attempt at a smile. “Since they like called you after I broke my ankle.”

Tom rolls his eyes, reaching out across Greg to mock smacking at the foot on the pillow. “Twisted, by all accounts, including the x-ray, you big baby. There’s a reason you’re still at this dinky urgent care for the rich and famous.”

Greg looks down at it with a flattening of his lips. He tries to move his foot, then hisses at the pull down at the inside of his ankle. “It feels broken?”

“Yeah, that’ll be because it’s not broken,” Tom says, as he perches on the side of the cot, sliding his arm across Greg’s shoulders with a tug to tuck him into his side. “So you just get a little Tylenol and a nice splint.”

Greg leans sideways with a sight through his nose, setting his head into Tom’s shoulder with a low mutter. “Lame.”

[uglyscrawl]

is this anything. from a late night start-writing-and-see-what-happens session

“No,” Kendall interrupts Roman mid-bargain, boring his eyes into the blank screen of the TV, palpably angry despite the aggravating blah of his face. “I’m not talking to her.” Roman suppresses a groan of frustration. His fucking brother. “You’re talking to me, aren’t you? And you hated me so much you tried to gouge my eyes out like last week.” “It’s been longer than that,” Kendall says, voice so low that he might as well be communicating in grunts. Still no apology, of course. For the attempted eye-gouging and the broken stitches and the sitting in Dad’s chair, putting his feet up on his desk, stealing his voice and his all-knowing stares and his rough hands. Roman hadn’t minded the hands so much, truth be told. He maybe hasn’t stopped craving the feeling of being strangled, his incriminating cacophony of words finally dying in his throat and his heart pumping so hard and fast that he feels it in the plates of his skull. He maybe craves it from Kendall specifically, Kendall who had looked at him with a rage so primal and deep that Roman wanted to drown in it forever.

Anyway, Roman isn’t apologizing either. Because fuck his stupid brother and the stupid unfinished shape of him and the stupid goddamn hole in his chest he’s shamelessly asking Roman, of all people, to fill. Stringing him along his whole life, feeding him false hope from the palm of his hand. “So, what, you’re not gonna have a relationship with your future niece or nephew?” Kendall gives Roman a look like he just pissed on his shoes. Wrong angle, apparently. “Have you considered that she might not actually be pregnant?” Roman scoffs mightily. “Please. I can think of no greater humiliation for Shiv than being unwittingly impregnated by Conventional Corn-Fed Tom. She’d never make that up. Unlike you.” Kendall pauses. “I’d…lie about our sister’s fuckin’ bloodsucking cockblock husband putting a baby in me?” “You’re a liar, period. You’ve got lies coming out of both ends. I can’t believe a single word you say.” Kendall’s face falls somewhat. “Nothin’ to lie for anymore, Rome.” “Yeah, yeah. Save your droopy woe-is-me thing for Shiv, you’re gonna need it. Don’t think she’s on standby to massage your broken dick just ‘cause I was. She’s mad.” To his credit, Kendall doesn’t bother pretending to be offended by Roman’s crassness. “So the fuck am I. If she cared about me at all she wouldn’t have - ” “Nope,” Roman says. “We’re not doing this again tonight. God, you’re both just the worst.” Kendall sort-of-smiles, his tension giving way to a loose-limbed softness that tends to come out only on frozen mornings in Roman’s living room; the two of them sharing a couch and a drink and an apathy for the future so vast that it’d suffocate them both, if not for their fingers mingling over the glass they passed back and forth and their eyes meeting and embracing a million times over. “You might be the worst of all, Rome,” Kendall says, his voice dropping to a devoted murmur that reveals his innermost gratitude. “Sleeper hit of the family, huh? Everyone wanted a piece of you, and I didn’t even notice.” “‘course you didn’t notice,” Roman grumbles, blushing fiercely, glaring down at his own lap. “I fucked it all up anyway. None of ‘em would touch me with a ten-foot pole.” “Good,” Kendall says simply. Roman can’t decide what he means by it, and is slightly terrified to ask.

[toastytrusty]

if u have any more romelukas headcanons to share I would love to hear them 👀 this ship is so underrated

oooooo okokok omg

to #me they started getting close before the gojo deal, with rome kinda seeking lukas out now and then when he needed to get away from Family Drama (tm), and lukas always let him because at least with roman around things are a little less boring. personality wise they keep each other in check really well, roman having a kind of delusional manic optimism towards the world and lukas having a much more nihilistic realistic worldview. they balance each other out yk. i think lukas probably had a thing for rome pretty early on but rome is so oblivious to both lukas' feelings and his own and also is on the aroace spectrum (ace panaroflux) and just. does Not pick up on Anyyything so they suffer the necessary queer situationship for like a year. rome is also probably very flippant and dismissive of lukas trying to connect, because he is just. so scared of attatchment and being genuine. but they'd do mundane shit like watch movies and play video games and go boating on that bigass lake. lukas would try to get rome to open up to him but he never would, not yet at least.

i think romes explosion on the mountain started a kind of a temporary fall out period; lukas realized rome was not like. in a good enough mental place or situation with his family to persue any real relationship so they both kinda back off but but it also makes lukas want the company even more bc he realizes how badly rome needs out of it.

after the gojo deal i think rome takes a lot of time away from the company and his family and everyone he knows in general, maybe for about a year, just kinda traveling the world and learning how to be a person without anyone else's influence, because he needs that. get a dog, eat some steak, yk. not talking to anyone, just off on his own. i think what would eventually draw him back is shiv's baby; it would probably take him a few months to actually see them, but once he did he would realize how badly he missed having people around him, and even though he didn’t regret his journey of self discovery, he knew he was done with it. after spending a few weeks with shiv and baby, he would find himself reaching back out to lukas, and eventually make his way to wherever tf lukas lives in sweden, and kinda just. never leaves.

i imagine roman would move in without ever really making it a thing? he would just show up one day and follow lukas around, and lukas would never really comment on it or ask where he was or why he suddenly wanted to stay. maybe he had a guest house or guest room waiting, hoping that rome would come back eventually. rome never reapplies for waystar or any of lukas' various assets, he is chronically unemployed and just. hangs out. they give each other something to do; hiking and late night campfires and general company through all things. it's like a petty unspoken challenge to see how long they can go without either of them acknowledging that there is anything past Pals going on. like gay chicken except they are actually gay. i see them as endgame in the way that they never really. Acknowledge? anything between them? they just kiss and hold hands and sleep in the same bed every night. but like, in a bro way. totally. don't think too hard about it. over time they come to understand each other better than anyone else and spend like all their time together.

i can totally see roman spontaneously proposing out of the blue one day, in the way he did with both tabitha and gerri, a kind of insecure need to be reassured that he isn't going to be abandoned, as well as having this kind of transactional perspective on relationships and being deserving of love. i feel like they could adopt a kid at some point, and compete to see who could be the better parent. roman would try sooooo hard to be a better dad than logan was and end up being really indulgent, and lukas would have to be the voice of reason. while roman would go for overcorrection to try and make up for his shitty childhood, i feel like lukas would be a lot more timid to be super involved, but would ease into it and do a really good job.

[richeeduvie]

thank you genius anon for the roman summer house ask. but also richee can you elaborate on this time that roman came out from under the table while drunk… curious to know if he did that for the reason I think he did

"That tickles. Jesus fuck-!"

"I'm not even licking anythi-"

Roman's not. He just finds the inside of your thighs quite comfortable. And your skin smells good. Like really good, it's whatever body wash you're using.

Sometimes, it doesn't feel that taboo to want to peel bits of you off. If he could put you back together without any pain, he would.

"Someone's coming. Just shh."

He rolls his eyes, but his heart feels like the way his mouth purses when he hears it's Kendall.

Roman understands his jealousy. Not very fucking well, but he knows that it's just not right whenever you talk to people. It doesn't even have to be other boys that Roman's sure they want you naked and nippled and for them, it's just...anyone. It's Kendall, but Kendall's a fucking freak. It's Shiv and every adult adult who takes time away from him. It's school and it's movies that distract you.

Maybe it's fucking pathetic? Roman doesn't it. It's not right because it makes him feel sick and small.

And Kendall just keeps yapping. You're too nice to everyone, like it's your job. It's especially peevy when you make it so Kendall's comfortable.

You won't admit it - Kendall won't even admit it, but the brotherly fucker wants you so badly. It's gross. And you should pretty much have the understanding that you don't do well with other people. Just him, even when he's mean. Sorry.

"So, I was just thinking about...you ever hear of go-karting?"

"Jesus fuck."

Roman cringes and lazily comes up from your legs. Not air, cause that would mean he wouldn't be taking in your mouth whole.

"...Roman-"

"You taste like cake. Yum. Hi, Ken." He furrows his brows, looking down. "Close your legs, you don't want to look slutty in front of my brother."

And Roman tries not to wear a stupid-born smile when Kendall just stares, all the confidence and shitty banter gone now that he's here. And his mouth was just on your crotch. That doesn't need to be said between the three of you.

"Do you - do you guys do that al-all the time? What the fuck? That's not cool, dude."

"Why are you pushing this on me? What if she wanted me down in the trenches."

"...Are you-" You hiccup. Roman fixes your hair. "Is my vagina the trench?"

"It's like - take it as a fucking compliment. Wet, narrow....I'm the only one up in there, right?"

"Don't fucking...Roman. Both of you, what if Dad saw?"

"He wouldn't have?"

Roman scratches behind his ear. He can see a purposeful, slight shake of his brother's body.

"What? Cause you wouldn't have made the fucking effort to come up?"

"Why does it bother you so much? It would've only bothered Dad cause it's just more proof that I am his disappointment baby. A vat of unprofessionalism."

Roman knows why Kendall looks so strangled by the way he came up from under the table, why he still looks tense as he throws his legs over you. You look heated. It makes Roman smile.

He knows why even if Kendall never admits it. Maybe he'll get over you like a normal fucking person. But Roman's selfish as much as he is someone that loves his brother. He deserves a bit of tense nerves, his own amount of jealousy because he's not even suppose to be jealous in the first place.

Roman burps and presses a thumb into your hand.

"Go away, Kendall. You have Stewy cock to make you feel better. About what? I don't think either of us have a clue."

He drags out the word clue and stares into your skin, a low head looking down.

Don't give her that fucking look, bitch.

He looks at your guilted face like you've vomited on his shoe.

"Don't tell me you actually feel embarrassed and bad about it."

"You should've waited."

"Oowee, let's spare Ken's feelings. What feelings am I sparing by making the effort to not remind him that I'm inside you at all times?"

When you don't respond, the casual and sickly humor turns red in Roman. He stares.

"What feelings?"

But he's weak, it never takes much and it takes nothing when he's drank a lot. Like a softy, touchy little hand holding his.

"Wanna pick a movie?"

"...It's gonna be a super dirty movie. The most visible pussy and dick you've ever witnessed."

"You had a panic attack watching the first fifteen minutes of boogie nights and we had to put on the beauty and the bea-"

Roman's heart picks up. Why would you ever bring that up?

"You didn't make that moment feel like something you were gonna fucking laugh at me for."

"I'm not laughing, I'm just saying...do you think you'd get like that if you watched us on camera?"

He blinks.

"Have you been fucking recording us?"

"No! I was just wondering."

"You're not good at that. Fucking Jesus."

"Where are you going?"

Back down. Where it's easier to breathe.

[hughiecampbelle]

Succession Preference: Baby Introducing Their First Date

Requested: 2nd preference: how would each sibling react to their baby sibling (reader) introduceing their first date (gn neutral if possible) - anon

A/N: This is just too cute to imagine!!! I love it!!! I hope you like it my love!!! Feedback is always appreciated!!! 💜💜💜

Connor is so excited to meet them. Unfortunately for you, the whole family is over for dinner and insists on meeting your date before you go out. You were hoping to sneak out after drinks, but before dinner. Connor won't let you get away with that, though. He's eager to meet them. Really. Unlike the rest of your siblings, Connor fears no ill intentions. He truly wants to see the best in people, even the people trying to date his baby sibling. When they get there, they're immediately taken into the living room. You have no time to warn them at all. He doesn't intend for it to be an interrogation, but Connor asks them a lot of questions. Are they in school, what do they do for work, do they have any siblings, pets, what is their family like, what are their intentions with you, etc. This is just a first date. You like them, you want things to go well, but this is definitely not the type of deal where they should be meeting your family. This is not going well, not if they're with Connor the whole night. Your date just smiles and nods along. When your brother is satisfied, he winks at you before you go, telling you "they're a keeper". You thank him, getting the hell out of there before he asks anything else.

Kendall doesn't like this at all. He goes to your father, asking if he's heard about this little date you've got planned for tonight. Of course he does. Why would Kendall care? No, no he has to put a stop to this. He thinks his father has lost his edge. He tries to bribe you with money and alcohol and shares in the company for you not to go. You try to remind him that you're an actual, legal adult. That you can see whoever you want when you want and he can't stop you. You also remind him that this is a first date, it could be nothing special. It definitely won't end in marriage. You don't know that, he warns. What are you talking about, Ken? You were never this way with Shiv and Rome. He wants to tell you it's because you're his baby. Shiv would date whoever she wanted and didn't care what anyone thought. Roman rarely dated and when he did it was never that serious. But you? You're his baby. He watched you grow up. He can't let you go that easily. He just can't. He doesn't care if this person is some supernatural genius or the next president or the bringer or world peace, he will not let you go with them. You're just a baby, his baby.

Shiv accidentally and not so accidentally crashes your date while you're on it. You and your date go to a very local, very popular cafe that just so happens to be near Waystar. You didn't even think about if you would run into your family, you just picked it because it was a nice place. Shiv spots you laughing and smiling across from someone who most definitely is not a friend, at least not a friend she's ever seen. Hey kid, she says, dragging a chair over with her. Who's this? Wanna introduce me? If you could crawl under the table and hide, you would. Instead now you have to sit and smile as your sister quite literally interrogates them. What do they want with you, what are their intentions, do they respect that no is a complete sentence, do they know who your father is, etc. You want to die. They have this look in their eyes that screams help me, but you can't do anything. Every time you try to get her to go away and move on, she blatantly ignores the hints. When she's done, you swear it's taken forever, she leaves with her coffee and a wicked grin. Your sister doesn't like anyone wanting to date you. As far as she's concerned, you're too good for them. You'll always be too good for them. All of them.

Roman doesn't like them at all. He doesn't even give them a chance. He makes fun of them, he points out their flaws, he picks on them. They come up to meet Logan just for a second before you go to dinner. You don't know that Roman is there until you come out of the bathroom and see your date being taunted by him. Immediately you defend them, hissing at your brother to stop it. You send them down to the lobby, needing to talk to your brother. What the fuck are you doing? You ask, ready to kill him. He was going to scare them off forever. You really liked them, you wanted things to go well. Them? You like them? Are they paying you? That earns a slap to his arm. What is wrong with you? He laughs. How much time do you have? You just roll your eyes. You'll have a big fight about it after, but for now you have to go downstairs because your date is waiting for you. Roman would never put this into words, but you dating means you're all grown up. He doesn't like that thought very much. What happened to the baby he used to rock to sleep and the toddler he held on his shoulders? Suddenly you wanted a partner? Nope, not on his watch.

[wulfhalls]

you know how everyone has been theorising for ages that ken is gonna die? well, my tinfoil theory is actually that first of all shiv and ken are either gonna go nuclear on each other or come very close to doing so but roman is gonna die which will cause temporary ceasefire. however afterwards shiv and ken will basically become like logan and ewan. i hate it but this show is sort of about continuing generational trauma and ken is already an absent father, we know he’s a killer, his name is literally logan roy. regardless if shiv keeps the baby i think she’s gonna move. i feel like rome is kind of the glue that holds the sibs together and without him i don’t see them keeping in touch w each other. especially if they do start fighting again. i can see then maybe occasionally talking to connor but not to each other. tinfoil hat off <3

oh FUN! like yes let's perpetuate the cycle! all of this happened before all of this will happen again! rose/rome parallels? the final straw that breaks it all apart irrevocably?

[saturnaftertaste]

i think so much time is spent with shiv being the Girl one that we rarely get to see her be the Youngest one. like instinctively i knew when she was handed the phone that she’d swap ‘dad’ for ‘daddy’ when kendall comes to get her he says ‘shivvy, honey’ when they’re all huddled in the glass room later connor is actually holding her despite being the definite outsider to the kendall-roman-shiv trio and she Lets Him. even roman treats her as the youngest until she starts talking about having the plane circle and like i know previously (especially s2 with the sh-e-o attempt) they’ve been ruthless to her for being the youngest AND the girl one, but something about being both of those things makes all three of the others instinctively look out for her first — when roman talks he offers support to shiv but seeks support from connor and kendall. they don’t rib her about being ‘fucked’ by this. i don’t know where i’m going with this my point is that shiv was and will always be their baby sister and isn’t that such a blessing and a curse