#i think if michael didn’t intervene the great twisting or whatever it was called the spiral would’ve-

[apollos-boyfriend]

every once in a while i remember that canonically none of the rituals would’ve worked and i just wonder how they would’ve fallen apart without the archive’s intervention. nikola trips and eats shit so badly during the unknowing she cancels it out of embarrassment then and there

[supertransural]

There was something defective in the blueprints of the universe Chuck created where Cas rebels and TFW wins (aka the main universe we see).

Ok I've thought a lot about this, and I may just be spewing nonsense, dont get me wrong, but it feels like an itch I need to scratch (by writing a long post about a random theory, because that's how we do things in this house).

There's something about how decadent the angels get and how broken the system is in Heaven that just feels wrong. Firstly, remember how Chuck tells Cas in s15 that in every single other universes, he was a good little warrior and "did what he was told"? It may not be the angel in question that has a "crack in his chassis", but the designs of Creation themselves.

Here's the thing, we know doubt was already spreading around in Heaven before Cas rebelled, before he became this legend (wether a good or a bad one, still a legend amongst the feathered assholes) in Heaven. But without Cas fighting (and killing) his own Brethren, without him pushing against the Great Plan for Dean, would those other angels actually have rebelled? Maybe they did in one universe, only to reinstate the old order, with a slight twist, probably simply the leader/god wasn't the same angel as it was before (Michael) (they're not exactly famous for their original thinking). Maybe they backed down after getting sent back to Bible camp. Maybe they were simply killed because subtlety isn't one of their fortes either and the faithful other hundreds (thousands? millions? I'm never sure) of angels found out and eradicated the threat.

Incidentally, from the few clips we get of the other worlds, I seem to remember seeing Cas chasing after Sam and Dean along with other angels, so it really looks as though Heaven wasn't defeated and still righteous and still in full functioning order. The Host was still goin' strong, if you will, unlike in our little universe, where only a few angels remain and the archangels are dead and everything is absolutely going to shit up there.

My point is still fuzzy but I'm getting to it, just give me a few more paragraphs I swear it makes sense. I intend to wrap it all up very neatly once I figure it out.

So as I was saying, in the universes where Lucifer didn't win, but where the Apocalypse didn't happen either (without Cas' help in making sure it didn't, since he "did what he was told") Heaven still did not fall. They didn't scatter like cockroaches, the Host was still there, still chasing after Sam and Dean after at least a decade. Perhaps it suffered some setbacks, a few changes in Management, but it was still Heaven, ya know? Same everlasting goals and same targets.

Which brings me to my second/third example (point? idea? not sure what to call them to be honest): Zachariah the time bender. I know angels are capable of twisting time a bit, traveling through it, provided they have a big enough power generator (several angels working together, an archangel, a very strong will as we see with Cas, you name it), but the stunt Zach pulled by twisting the timeline effectively causing a fork to appear in linear time? That's not just traveling, that's creating. Something an angel doth not do. Zach had a bit of a crack in his chassis as well, from my point of view. Zapping Sam and Dean in a weird universe where they work office jobs? Ok. Zapping Dean in the past to see his mom and dad? Ok. Those are angel-level-of-thinking-and-doing things. Creating a different timeline?? That's what Chuck does (albeit in greater scale) with his different universes. Zach was somehow a): allowed to do it and b): able to do it. How?? And interestingly enough, even in a different timeline, this world still has a failing Host. One that up and left.

Speaking of apocalyptic worlds, let's not forget that even during an ongoing apocalypse, even lead by a deranged Michael, Heaven did not fall either. All the worlds where Lucifer won aren't exactly relevant here, if Heaven was defeated well within the rules of the Big Ol' Plan then that neither proves nor disproves my point. There may even be some worlds where Michael is killed by Lucifer and the Apocalypse begins, but the Devil still doesn't win, wether it be thanks to the Winchesters, or Heaven fighting back and winning in the end, or maybe both.

My point is, this world we see most of the time is Chuck's favorite, the one he was most "hands on" with. It's the one where he writes himself into the story and observes and intervenes sometimes. It's the one where he has to do that. It's the one where Amara is freed and the angels are able to do jackshit about it. It's the one where Heaven falls, it's the one where the holy rules are broken from the get go, it's the one that allowed an angel like Cas to break free, even when Chuck himself wasn't too happy about it. Heaven becomes the ruins of what it once was and loses its power for no reason other than a couple dudes with guns and knives and this one angel whose programming didn't go according to plan. It's the one where Bobby is enough to free souls from their rest by basically knocking on a couple doors, like cmon. A Heaven whose gates are so easily manipulated Metatron manages to close them off and takes over for a little while. One where all the angels fall and lose their wings. It's a Heaven where legions aren't enough to bring back one stubborn, unimportant in the grand scheme of things (or so they thought) angel to the pearly gates. They lose every endeavor they put their minds to, they don't slaughter demons by the dozens, they're lost.

This isn't an A grade Heaven. This is a Heaven that must've had a flaw in the design. Perhaps that's why Chuck found it so interesting, maybe not realizing why. He left one termite in the woodwork, and watched it all crumble, popcorn in his hand, unaware of his slow downfall until it was much too late. Without a malfunctioning Heaven like that one, he'd still be God. Cas wasn't the one with the crack in the chassis, yes he was special, but I like to think he happened to exist in the same universe as that termite, and the dominoes fell accordingly. It's like a butterfly effect, maybe Chuck created this world absentmindedly, no particular idea in mind, got distracted for a millisecond (which could well be an eternity in his case, time is a weird concept) and overlooked one typo in the code, forgot to write one little detail in small letters at the bottom of the contract, didn't add the teaspoon of baking powder sitting next to him to his batter, and the world exploded majestically in his face. Maybe he wanted to make this one more interesting, and corrected a sequence but forgot to change the initial layout of the program, maybe he lengthened his sentence but forgot to add punctuation or forgot to remove a capital letter, maybe he added a clause in the contract that created a loophole, who knows? It still had the same result. Him losing his powers, and probably dying in a ditch somewhere.

Seeing as this theory already didn't make much sense in my head, I hope I've at least articulated it well enough to make it comprehensible, and that the last point clears off whatever confused cobwebs had been accumulating in your mind after each sentence.

[vagrantblvrd]

Oh my gosh I love the pairings for the concubine post. What about jeremwood or jerevin or jerevinwood, or jeremavinwood or jeremichael? To be honest I can see most of those working really well as well. I know you mentioned jeremwood so I’m really curious on your take? Sorry for any misspellings

Well, if you insist on twisting my arm like this, Anon! ;P (jk, I was thinking about these on the way home and your ask came at the perfect time, so yes??? Also I kind of stray from the original premise a few times, so sorry about that???)

Jeremwood:

So, okay. Let’s have baby Ryan whose parents died when he was a kid, so there’s been a regent (Geoff and Jack or someone along those lines in charge until Ryan comes of age, which is kind of ironic to Geoff because he’s not that much older than Ryan himself, always a bit of an older brother figure to him and such, but Plot Reasons.)

Conveniently for Plot Reasons, Ryan’s going to be of age in this particular AU.

Ryan’s parents may have been a bit on tyrannical side of things and due to civil unrest and the whatnot while Geoff and Jack set to putting things to right after their deaths they decide it would be wise to keep him out of the public view.

They make sure he has the best of everything they can give him – education, care, and they do love him – but there are major security reasons to limit the access others have to him and so on.

He grows up sheltered in that way. Not spoiled, or at least to a ridiculous degree, because Geoff and Jack both feel guilty about how they help raise him and overcompensate at times.

Ryan grows up knowing about the things his parents did – great and terrible and all that – and how it affected their people. The impact they have even now, a decade and change after their deaths. (Still those out there who think their madness was passed on to their son and have tried and tried to get to him to end the bloodline while they can because Drama.)

And Ryan, okay. He grows up knowing all about this, seeing Geoff and Jack injured in assassination attempts and all that – and after one that comes too close for anyone’s peace of mind, Geoff and Jack decide he should pursue additional schooling/education out of the kingdom.

Frame it as totally not being related to the time someone almost killed Ryan in his own home (again), but widening his life experiences before he takes the throne and everything.

They all know it’s a flimsy excuse, but Ryan feels too guilty to protest as strongly as he might have if their explanation was the truth.

Geoff and Jack send him off with the Twins and Michael at the head of his little entourage (just the four of them to avoid drawing too much attention because surely someone of Ryan’s import would have a grand entourage and such).

Neither Geoff and or Jack like it, but Michael’s proven himself trustworthy time and again, lifted from the ranks of city guard to castle guard to one of Ryan’s personal guards. Trevor and Alfredo are two of their most promising spies/assassins and equally loyal and most importantly, Ryan likes them. (Closest thing to friends he has, even if he thinks they see him more as a Duty than a friend, but you know. He’s kind of dumb like that.)

Anyway, anyway, all this going on and Ryan’s finished his schooling and is headed home where the coronation and all is supposed to take place before summer’s end. (Because reasons?)

They have a mostly uneventful journey home, Ryan getting a little anxious the closer they get because he, too, is concerned he may have inherited his parents’ madness.

Michael insists he’d knock any nonsense like theirs out of his head if he shows signs of madness, and while it’s worth a good laugh, he also knows Michael is serious. (As serious as the Twins and the promise he insisted on they do their duty to the kingdom if he became the same sort of monsters his parents were.)

He still worries. (Remembers overhearing Geoff and Jack when they got a little too into their drink late on winter nights and the way their own parents were executed by Ryan’s for committing treason and just. Wow, a lot to unpack there especially because the two of them never held his parents’ acts against him and just yes. He’s worried he’ll go mad and since they’re among the closest, most dangerous threats to anything he might do of course they’d have to be dealt with first.)

So, you know.

Ryan’s all fucked up about going mad and everything and also just learning to be a good ruler even though Geoff and Jack will serve as close advisors and so on.

And then!

There’s a storm or bandit attack that scatters their little group, has Ryan ending up in this tiny podunk village where they don’t ask questions. (Too many, at any rate.)

He has to wait the storm out there, worried for the others but they’re skilled fighters and he’s not with them so they should be safer?

And anyway, he notices this village is barely hanging on. Not like the other villages he’d seen on his journey to and from the neighboring country he went to school. The brief tours Geoff and Jack would allow him when he was younger.

Finds out they’re not receiving the aid they should, that the bandits are rampant and overall it’s gone unnoticed too long. (Greedy nobles squeezing what they can from them because they’re sitting on valuable land or there are mines rich with ore the people won’t relinquish and so on and so forth.)

And!

There’s a guard from a nearby city on leave, visiting the family who took him in when his parents were killed in a bandit raid years and years ago.

Bright smile and infectious laughter and – totally against some outdated order of the kingdom – teaching the men and kids of the village how to fight. (Something, something, incite rebellion against the crown if the people were properly taught to fight and all that.)

The guard knows if he’s caught out he’ll face jail, or execution, but what else can he do when his village is suffering and they’ve been denied help? So he made himself someone who could protect them by learning to fight and passing his knowledge on.

And Ryan, okay.

At first he’s all :O at the guard’s brazenness – he teaches them in broad daylight where just anyone can see!

But then Jeremy notices the stranded stranger watching and calls him over – doesn’t know what he thinks he’s doing because this is bound to land him in hot water, but hey, you know.

Poor guy was separated from his traveling party by bandits and he was injured in the fray and maybe he should learn how to defend himself?

So Ryan ends up as his training partner and Ryan is totally handling it just fine, you know? Especially when Jeremy corrects his technique (wouldn’t do to give away the fact Ryan’s a decent fighter in his own right because his cover story!!1!) by stepping in close and repositioning his grip on his weapon and so on and so forth.

The bright smile and genuine delight when he praises Ryan when he gets a move right. (Ryan being thrown and pinned and all that Good Shit when Jeremy disarms him and shows him – and their audience – how to stay alive until they can get a weapon in their hands.

Jeremy breaking off every so often to help the others, encourage the kids to keep at it because practice is how you improve! Mistakes are part of learning! And other uplifting things.

And then it rains again, everyone running to shelter and Ryan ends up eating in the humble little home of Jeremy’s adopted family and just.

A lot of Things I Love all tossed together.

And then!

A few days later Michael and the others find Ryan again and they have to finish their trek back to the castle.

Michael and the others giving Ryan and Jeremy Privacy while they make their goodbyes and totally not giving Ryan grief about it on the way back to the castle. (They would never!!11)

Ryan gets home and there’s a Touching Reunion between him and Geoff and Jack and once he’s settled back in they get on with the coronation business.

Shortly after Ryan’s coronation Trevor sidles over to let him know there’s Serious Business to see to at court, a matter of Treason ans such?

Ryan is like, well shit, because it’s like the billionth time since he took the throne. (Assassination attempts and Plotting To Overthrow the Mad King and so on.)

When the offender if brought before him it’s Jeremy.

Bound in chains and looking ragged like he’s been ill-treated before being brought to court for his crimes.

Which, as it turns out, is the whole teaching the people in his village how to fight? (Ryan’s enemies digging deep, or a sycophant chancing upon Jeremy hoping to curry favor with Ryan for exposing this nobody who is clearly out to incite rebellion.)

Trevor and Alfredo have obviously been keeping close watch on Jeremy – Ryan clearly liked him *wink wink* and also Jeremy’s own Potential and such – so they intervened when he was arrested and insisted he be brought before Ryan.

And then!

Someone rips the hood off Jeremy’s head and he’s like. He figures he’s going to be executed so he comes out firing, lays out this list of injustices against his village and others like it out there and just goes on and on and on until he runs out of breath.

The whole court is silent because such insolence?

Trevor clears his throat, which is Ryan’s cue to speak – he flubs badly - but recovers and addresses Jeremy’s grievances with the due respect they deserve, promises change will happen and Jeremy is like what the shit, because that’s Ryan???

Idiot who didn’t know how to hold s sword and always ended up on his back in the mud no matter how blatantly Jeremy telegraphed his moves and oh shit oh shit oh shit, he’s the king???

And then!!1!

Because Ryan can’t just let the whole Treason business slide, he does Research. Makes the mistake of asking Geoff what he should do – Jeremy’s not wrong for anything he did- and Geoff okay.

Super fucking Tired of everything makes what’s meant to be a throwaway joke about this insanely old tradition of the king and concubines and whatever. Something from the days their people were conquerors and Ryan is like !!!

And so he goes down to the dungeon cell Jeremy’s in. Michael goes along too, because people are constantly trying to kill Ryan and the king is a goddamned moron, but he gives them the semblance of privacy as Ryan fumbles his way to explaining his offer to Jeremy?

Jeremy who just stares at Ryan because what the actual hell is happening? (But you know, given the choice between public execution or pretending to be Ryan’s concubine? It’s an easy enough choice.)

Jeremy has the chance to ~earn his freedom for services rendered (he almost, almost laughs at the way Ryan’s face turns bright red during this part because lol, what a fearsome tyrant he is. Lost to his own madness and so on) and all that.

And then it’s just.

Romcom shenanigans with Jeremy swanning around taking advantage of his new job title or whatever you want to call it. Enjoys fucking with Ryan once he realizes he really is an idiot. He and Michael get along too well for Ryan’s peace of mind – they’re terrible enough on their own, but absolutely horrible when they team up.

Ryan can’t tell if the Twins are teaching Jeremy or if it’s the other way around, and is too scared to ask.

Geoff and Jack are freaking dying over Ryan being the one to Suffer for once.

And then there’s some Grand Conspiracy against Ryan Jeremy helps thwart? Pretends to go along with the conspirators because he’s been turned into a concubine and surely will want his revenge and Ryan is all :((((((((((((((((((((((( thinking Jeremy’s been playing him for a fool this entire time, that it was all an act – but then Jeremy reveals it was all a plot to capture the conspirators and Ryan you dunce, of course Jeremy’s madly in love with you.

And then, like.

Romance???

Ryan finally able to push new laws through that the conspirators who have been blocking them for so long are either dead or disgraced and everyone else are in favor of these changes.

Happily ever after for everyone, although Ryan laments the days Jeremy would go around shirtless all the time. (Not proper for the king’s husband, although Jeremy indulges him when they can because Ryan’s just that ridiculous.)

Jerevin:

Newly crowned king, Gavin plays the part of a fool because his is a small kingdom, right? In no real position to go to war over the smallest slight. Seems to bow and scrape to other kings and queens and only those paying close attention realize his kingdom gets the better part of any deal they make.

Perhaps not immediately noticeable, some take years to show the benefits they’ll reap, but his kingdom is happy and prosperous.

(The kingdom straddles a mountain range with treacherous paths and only a few routes viable for those on either side, so they see a lot of trade and the whatnot. Have managed to avoid war for generation by knowing how to negotiate deals with all parties coming away from the table satisfied and such.)

Jeremy’s a young guard who was born in a neighboring country and found himself enlisting in Gavin’s army...because reasons and circumstances. (Former street rat and no loyalty to any royal, but he’s heard good things about this new king and anyway, he’ll get a roof over his head and meals and coin for his pouch. Better deal than anything else he could find and he’s only expected to serve for three, four years  at most.)

He’s there in Gavin’s entourage on the way back from a negotiation when there’s an ambush – regular bandits or something more, no one knows – and he saves Gavin’s life.

Takes an arrow to the knee and tries to laugh it off when Gavin goes to the healer’s tent to check on him. All those stories he’d heard from city guards and veteran soldiers. Worried about future prospects but at least he’s alive?

And then there’s a misunderstanding or some such. Gavin just wanted to repay him for saving his life, intended to find him a suitable position in the castle proper once everything settled down some, but you know.

Suddenly everyone thinks Gavin took a liking to this young guard and made him his concubine?

Perhaps there was a Thing before the ambush in which the two of them stayed up all night playing card games or whatever in Gavin’s chambers. People thinking it was a bit more intimate than Gavin falling asleep partway through the night because exhaustion from his duties and Jeremy putting him to bed with this goofy little smile because FEELS and keeping watch.

Gavin being utterly mortified while Jeremy is initially confused because deciding to make the most of it. (Makes Gavin’s skeptics super uncomfortable and teases the hell out of Gavin and general romcom shenanigans before they get their shit together and realize they have FEELINGS for one another and happily ever after.)

Jerevinwood:

This whole plot where Gavin’s entourage is ambushed and while no one is killed, Gavin’s the only one fit to travel.

Michael and the others refuse to let Gavin go on without protection of some sort even though he insists he can look after himself -

And exasperate with their stubbornness, turns to this pair of mercenaries that were instrumental in turning the tide of the ambush in their favor.

Not even from his kingdom, but their own loyalty it to one another and other cliches, and he offers them a ridiculous amount of money to safeguard him until he’s back at the castle and among other loyal to him.

Ryan and Jeremy are kind of uneasy about it, but easy enough money and they were headed that direction anyway.

Not their fault if they develop feelings for this foolish little king along the way and vice versa.

Get back to the castle where Gavin spins a lie about his entourage taking ill – food poisoning or whatever – and traveling behind him as they’re able. (Something, something conspiracy?)

And oh, look. Treat Ryan and Jeremy nice, he’s rather sweet on them.

Ryan and Jeremy hamming it up as his concubines and daring the advisors who are part of the conspiracy to Do Something when they correct the two of them whenever they challenge the baddies on some bit of strategy or whatever.

General sort of romcom shenanigans mixed with Intrigue and so on.

Michael and the others get back to the castle just as things  reach the boiling point and then like. Battles and fighting and Ryan and Jeremy saving Gavin’s life and exposing the traitors in the process, because Drama.

And then Gavin being all :((((((((((((((((( because he thinks Ryan and Jeremy are that skilled as actors and Michael kind of wanting to throttle his idiot king. Kicks him out of the castle and tells him to bring those other idiots back before someone else hires them as his concubines and it turns into utter ridiculousness. (Also Touching and Heartfelt reunions in a forest glen beside a babbling brook and Confessions of Undying Love and also smooches.)

(I really, really, love these three in this scenario? But in my head it’s a mix of Drama and Romcom and just them being the biggest idiots ever. XD)

Jeremavinwood:

Okay.

So.

Young King Jeremy with personal guard Michael who’s injured protecting his king and general misunderstandings and awkwardness of everyone thinking Jeremy’s claimed Michael as his concubine? (Kind of a twisted childhood sweethearts deal.)

Featuring Gavin and Ryan who are members of the thieves/assassin’s guild in the city but due to Reasons no one knows which of them belongs to what guild?

The love fucking with people about it and so do their guild members, and anyway, the guilds are so closely allied it doesn’t matter?

So you’ve got Gavin and Ryan occasionally breaking into the castle – testing security and toying with spymaster Trevor and his Alfredo (No one knows what Alfredo does aside from Trevor and Alfredo and honestly, it’s too much trouble to ask, so.)

Those moments when Gavin just pops up out of nowhere, dagger at Jeremy’s throat and a cheerful grin asking him where his guards are now before things devolve to hand-to-hand and one/both of them pinning the other and mischievous grins and almost kissing before they’re reminded of propriety and their positions and suchlike? Or Ryan stalking Michael down int eh city or castle halls and an impromptu sparring match with Ryan being a smug prick riling Michael up – Michael letting Ryan think he’s riled him before he turns the tables on him and knocks his feet out from under him and also the pinning of one another.

Gavin dropping in on Michael and asking him the most infuriating questions while Michael’s working on his swordsmanship against a dummy until he decides Gavin’s footwork needs polishing. Ryan sprawled on Jeremy’s throne on a night when Jeremy’s head is full of turmoil and he doubts his decisions as king. Ryan taunting and needling him until Jeremy has a breakthrough moment of realizing he’s not a perfect ruler but he tries to be, and that’s a hell of a start and so on.

And just.

The four of them with this odd relationship that is the talk of the kingdom – everyone knows but there’s never any evidence. (With the thieves and assassin’s guilds involved, of course there isn’t.)

And then comes a day when Gavin and Ryan are accused of Jeremy and Michael's murders and have to break out of the dungeons after they've been captured.

At first it’s to bring the real killers to justice/get their revenge? But then they learn it’s a Conspiracy and Jeremy and Michael are still alive so they have to rescue them and then do the bring the baddies to justice/revenge bit.

If they’re forced to confront their FEELINGS for those two idiots and vice versa in the process – then that’s the price they have to pay.

(Because of course Jeremy and Michael have been told Gavin and Ryan are going to be executed for their “murders”, will be forced to watch it before they’re killed to cover everything up and God knows they’re going to do their damnedest to escape/make the baddies pay for their crimes.)

Super dramatic reunion scene/climactic battle and then like. ALL the FEELINGS as they finally admit they’re totally in love with one another and have been for ages and EVERYONE KNEW THIS WHOLE TIME BUT THEM.

Jeremichael:

So this is one that sticks closest to the original premise in my head?

Michael and Jeremy who train together as kids.

Jeremy from a poor village who intends to send what money he can home to his family and the village and young prince Michael whose parents think it’s best he not think himself too above the people whose welfare he’s responsible for.

They become good friends early on – maybe a bit of youth and ego at first, but that fades as they get to know one another over time. Goes from being something on it’s way to ugly and bitter to friendly teasing as they work together to improve their skills.

And then there’s an accident, some stupid little thing, and Jeremy’s going to be sent back to his village once he’s healed enough. Won’t ever become a guard with that limp or whatever else injury, but he’s young enough he can learn a trade. (Bitter seed planted in his heart because he doesn’t have the money to gain an apprenticeship, but pride and whatnot.)

Michael doesn’t know until later, Jeremy about to be sent home and he rushes to find him. Thought he’d done something to make Jeremy mad with him, not knowing Jeremy thought the same about Michael and that was why Michael never came to see him after the accident.

Michael catches him as he’s packing to leave and panicking he latches onto the last thing his tutors drilled into his head, old, outdated (barbaric) traditions having to do with concubines and blurts out an idea to keep Jeremy with him?

Tells him he’ll have a roof over his head and food and money to send home and all that and misses the way Jeremy’s face twists. (Budding feeling for Michael soured by this Deal Michael wants to make with him and of course, of course Michael wouldn’t see him in that way. He's going to be king, and Jeremy’s some poor kid who lost his chance at being someone.)

Still.

The prospect of being able to help his family and his village are too good to pass up and he accepts.

Michael insists on Jeremy being his training partner so he still learns how to fight properly even if he tires easier and the like. (Thinks Michael’s being kind when he tells Jeremy he’s improving and all that even thought Michael’s telling him the truth. Because okay, sure. Jeremy’s not as strong as he used to be, but he’s still fast and clever and compensates for his injury in brilliant ways.)

Jeremy acts as both ~concubine/advisor/additional bodyguard and falls even more in love with Michael who doesn’t seem to notice?

Meanwhile, Michael is head over heels for Jeremy but is super aware of abusing his power/position in life and thinks Jeremy couldn’t possibly like him in That Way.

Cue abominable amounts of Pining until there’s an Incident.

Some terrible storm while they’re on a ship to meet with a potential suitor for Michael and end up stranded on an island (because reasons) and have to rely on one another to survive until rescue comes.

And then FEELINGS and Realizations and just when they’re about to get to the whole Confessions bit, a fisherman happens upon their island and brings them home.

Michael’s swept away to deal with his Duties and the like and Jeremy is mostly ignored and they don’t see one another until there’s a fancy ball.

Michael’s birthday or a solstice or something, and Michael’s all dressed up and so is Jeremy and they have that oh no, not only is he hot but he cleans up real nice moment when they see one another for the first time that night.

Michael’s supposed to pay attention to the various royals who traveled to meet with hi as possible suitors, but he has eyes only for Jeremy and vice versa.

They sneak off to a quiet corner and awkwardly compliment one another and make small talk. Stop to watch the fireworks display overhead and there’s this series of horribly awkward events that ends in their hands brushing together. Eyes drawn towards their hands, slowly lifting so their gazes meet and they decide independently of one another fuck it because this may be their only chance to steal a smooch, right?

Michael's meant to marry and have heirs and Jeremy...he’s a sham, a fraud. Never made it as a soldier/guard and  a poor choice of concubine, so please, please, please let him have this one thing.

And then they kiss, and kiss again, and just kind of don’t stop until one/both of them confesses their love and then it’s just this slippery slope of requited love and all that until there’s really no choice but for them to get married, you know?

Horrible, really. (However will they manage???)