SilvaGrey

I got tagged by @nerdyfangirl76 ages ago, and then by @themarsbar with @moonlightfrogsandkisses, @earlgrey-lateatnight and @kruemel8 by the time there almost were some flowers poking up. Thank you for the tag💜

Spring has been so slow here since we didn't get as much snow as usual. It will probably explode soon, though. I swear the birch trees are greener now than they were this morning.

If anyone has missed it The Great Moose Migration has started since a couple of days on the Swedish public service network. So here I am unapologetically doing some self promotion for the young royals fic I wrote based on a slow-tv about said event... And if anyone that has read it already wanna see how the control room with all the screens look like you can watch this short clip.

The Great Moose Migration, on AO3 in English Den Stora Älgvandringen, originalet -på Svenska

Rating: Explicit | Words: 18,956/15,545 (swe version) | Warnings: None | There is this popular slow-tv in Sweden called The Great Moose Migration, where a bunch of cameras are set up out in the forrest, monitoring the moose for a couple of weeks as they migrate north for the summer. The live feed is broadcasted 24/7 both on television and online without commentary. What if in 2029 Crown Prince Wilhelm of Sweden was invited as a guest expert, participating in the studio every day to discuss the highlights of the footage from the last 24 hours? What if Simon -terrified of bears- Eriksson moved from Bjärstad at 15, became a producer, and then in 2029 in charge of both the live feed and what's supposed to be happening in the studio? What would happen then?

Observations on episodes 1.01-1.03

Just some things that stood out to me about the second half of S1 during the slow rewatch I'm doing with a smaller community!

1.04: S1 Micke through an S3 lens

One thing that really jumps out, at least for me, is Micke's fear of his children turning out like him.

Micke is clearly carrying shame related to his addiction which, as we learn in S3, also has a functional link to his ADHD: he falls off the wagon when the medication works and he feels like he can handle going for a beer with his friends. This isn't just him being impulsive, it's part of the functional and social side of his addiction.

Micke may well be aware that there can be underlying genetic elements to both addiction and neurodiversity. Sara has inherited his diagnoses, and in this 1.04 scene, he seems to suspect that Simon might have inherited a predisposition to addiction. He appears relieved when that isn't the case.

Micke also excuses his addiction, as many addicts do. Simon asked about his back pain, which is a common initial trigger for painkiller addiction as people get hooked on prescription meds. (One of the drugs stolen by Simon is Tramadol, a synthetic opioid.) He also tells Simon he needs the stimulants for his ADHD, but they are also part of the same tangled web of issues and circumstances as the benders and opioids.

It's been debated a lot where Micke was physically abusive in the past, but I'm not inclined to believe it ever went quite that far. For one thing, Linda doesn't seem afraid of him in 1.05, just sad to see him. For another, a history of violence should have absolutely come up when Sara moved in with him.

Don't get me wrong though, it still seems clear that Micke had anger issues and was physically menacing when drunk and high. Probably scared the kids by shouting, punching walls and so on. After all, Sara does blame Linda for not protecting them from his outbursts, and Simon flinches very tellingly when Wille hits the piano in 1.05.

It's heartbreaking to see Simon turn into a scared and upset kid in this scene. Such a stark contrast to their early scenes, where he looks conflicted and guilty to be tricking the father who is happy to have him back and even seems to be trying to stay sober for him. His reaction to finding Micke passed out betrays that he had been subconsciously letting his hopes build up, and he takes all of Micke's meds in anger. That adds so much nuance to Simon's character and their relationship!

1.04: The Society

Obnoxious as this club is, August seems to be offering it as a comforting peer support group for Wilhelm. He even tells Vincent that Wilhelm needs his "brothers"; note the linguistic connection to the loss of his actual brother. I firmly believe August himself felt or, more likely, was told something similar by Erik after his father's death.

But as others in the rewatch community pointed out, it's a hollow and arbitrary group that doesn't actually meet the members' emotional needs. The Society boys don't bond as themselves; it's more like they're performing a script of Male Bonding in High Society while in costume as their dads. Some of their actual friends are excluded, because the group is stuck in a time when those friends would have been seen as lesser. Vincent is suddenly saying very disparaging things about Nils, while Henry doesn't acknowledge Alexander's presence at all (it's unclear how friendly they were meant to be in S1, but they are a trio with Walter in S3). Meanwhile, these boys aren't even hanging out because they genuinely vibe with each other! They all just happen to be noble firstborn sons, and that's supposed to connect them.

Yet at the same time, this bubble within a bubble does allow the members to spend some time together in a more intimate setting, which could sometimes lead to more genuine bonding opportunities, as August and Wille’s conversation outside shows. It's just that they'd be better off creating and seizing such opportunities without being held back by this ridiculous framework.

1.05: Erik's shadow on August contemplating the video

I know this is a controversial topic, and if you disagree with me, that's fine! Please be respectful if you decide to comment.

When August came to Hillerska, Erik initiated and socialised him to Forest Ridge (via initiation rites and oath) and the Society (via oath), as well as the rules and norms of these communities (via house and Society traditions, but also the video shown at initiation). This year, it's been August's role to do the same to new students, although he chose to spare them the trauma of the video. He was also specifically entrusted with Wilhelm's socialisation into the school community, and after Erik's death, into the Society.

But Wille does not appreciate his efforts as expected or take the "right" lessons. Just as August assumes they are finally getting on the same page, he discovers just how fully Wille is going against the norms that Erik once impressed upon August and that August has been trying to pass on (and Wille is doing it with Simon, who is not only a guy, but an outsider who utterly rejects the social order, and a thorn in August's own side).

This jarring difference to Erik makes August question everything. Wilhelm and Erik's fitness for the crown prince role, the norms and values August has been taught, both Erik and August's "success" as initiators and mentors... We see him ask Vincent what kind of king Wilhelm would make, but there are also other questions we can infer:

What does it say about Erik that he showed us that video when his own brother is into guys?

What does it say about me if Wille chooses Simon over the community I've tried to offer him?

Is it my fault if this damages the royal house or monarchy? Have I failed Erik?

Could this have been avoided if I had just shown that video to Wille?

Would Erik want me to confront Wille? To keep his secret? To inform the royal court? To get rid of the problem, i.e. Simon?

--- and, importantly: What is Wille actually even doing? Is this a secret dalliance behind closed doors? A one-time hookup, an experiment? An actual, serious threat to the social order?

That last batch of questions is why August's expression turns thoughtful and evaluative when Wille initially claims not to remember anything, and why he baits Wille with the information that Simon supplied the drugs.

In his assumed role of "substitute big brother and protector of the monarchy", August eventually decides to remove the threat and return Wille to the "right" path by having Simon expelled (which would also conveniently cover his and the Society's asses). Note that this solution does not involve posting the video or revealing Wille's secret. August is still trying to stay loyal to his family and the monarchy, and he likely thinks Wille will eventually come around.

Everything changes when Wille rejects August's solution and saves Simon. In humiliating August in front of his peers with the financial troubles that led to his father's suicide and are getting him kicked out of the home he's found in Hillerska, Wille is throwing August's loyalty, mentorship and offers of community back in his face. August has no idea Wille intends to make up for it by paying his fees and, frankly, I don't think Wille even fully realises how important these things were to August or why.

When August sits alone in the empty club room, the brighter side of Erik's spirit that connected him to Wille is no longer with him. Only the shadow is left: the Erik who could traumatise and humiliate August without batting an eye, for his own selfish ends and the benefit of the social order. In his volatile emotional state, August sees that ghost in Wilhelm and embraces it in himself, giving in to his worst impulses.

1.05: Culmination of two secret-keeping arcs

A discussion question by @bluedalahorse really drove home for me how Micke showing up at Lucia and the video leak are both thematically connected and narratively parallelled. This sequence is the culmination of Simon and Wille’s arcs of seeing someone they weren't supposed to.

The encounter at Lucia reveals to Simon’s family that he's been seeing Micke. He's betrayed the siblings' promise not to have any contact with their dad for what Sara and Linda (who are unaware of Simon's dealings at Hillerska) can only assume were "selfish" reasons. Around the same time, the video leak reveals not just to the world but also to Wille’s family that he's been seeing Simon and betraying the promise to fill his late sibling's shoes as crown prince...for what they regard as "selfish" reasons.

In both cases, it's someone other than Wilmon who blows the lid on the secret, but they are still the ones impacted. For Simon, a major indirect consequence is Sara secretly making a deal with August for a place at Manor House. For Wille, it's the cover-up/denial that Kristina, who already knows about August, convinces him to participate in.

Thus, a crack is born in each family dynamic that splits open when the other family member's lie/secret comes out (end of S1 for Wille, end of S2 for Simon).

1.06: Maddie's lack of radicalism

Something that fascinated me about Maddie on this rewatch was her telling Felice, "Stop playing detective, the police will figure it out." This shows that while she clearly isn't a traditionalist, she also isn't a revolutionary. She's an establishment liberal who believes in and advocates for gender equality, LGBTQIA+ rights, other individual rights and freedoms, and so on...but also trusts the existing system to sort things out.

This feels kind of relevant now that we know how she reacts in S3 when Felice and other students' testimony results in the school closing down. In fact, we could even expand it to the girls' "rebellion" in S2: Maddie wants to take down the patriarchy, but not enough to boycott the Valentine's Ball or arrange a wider campaign against the sexist letter tradition. It's enough to agree that girls should be allowed to write letters too, and for them all to go together as friends.

1.06: Sara kissing August

I always wonder watching this scene if August realises yet that Sara is genuinely attracted to him.

August has espoused transactional views on relationships this season. For example, he wooed Felice with promises of expensive dates, and when she gave in, it was without expressing any true affection ("I know you're interested, so here I am"). Another example is kissing Sara at the stables because he suspected Felice of cheating and wanted to make sure he didn't look the fool.

It would thus make sense for him to read Sara's interest in this episode as merely part of the transaction of him helping her become a Manor House girl. Maybe also as a way of claiming the status Sara desires, and an attempt to copy Felice. This would also explain how he is so quick to believe that she snitched on him once he'd helped with the application and outlived his usefulness.

Another notable thing about this scene is that it solidifies for both August and us viewers that Sara truly is different from her brother. Simon would not accept anything other than money in exchange for the alcohol and drugs; he was not interested in August's favours or social capital. The favour that August needs from Sara is much bigger, and he has to offer her whatever she wants, knowing he can't afford to pay. But instead of money, she asks for a favour: for him to use his social capital to help her join the system that he himself values so much. This not only impresses August, but paves the first steps of common ground between them.

1.06: Sara's complex guilt

Sara's guilt over her deal with August is very clearly visible when Simon says he likes her as herself and wants to be friends again because he needs her. However, I think this is actually a bit more complicated for Sara than it seems on the surface, because does he truly like her as herself...? Does he even fully know her as herself?

Simon knows Sara as she was before Hillerska, when they grew up together and when he tried to protect her from the bullies, but since then, she's changed and grown in a new direction that Simon has not always understood or sympathised with. Yes, part of it is her trying to be more like Felice and the other Manor House girls, but part of it is also her finally getting to explore and come into her own in a new environment. She's got friends now and doesn't necessarily have to be defined and burdened by her past bullying or family troubles anymore, at least not to the same degree as in Bjärstad and at Marieberg.

So when her brother says he likes and needs her as her past self, he is unknowingly putting a different set of expectations on her. She feels guilty for betraying him, but also for not quite being who he wants her to be anymore. And that's a complex kind of guilt, because for all that she truly loves him and wants to be friends with him, she can't and doesn't even want to be her old self anymore.

1.06: Parallel to Linda and Simon in 3.05

One more thing I wanted to mention was, there's an interesting parallel between Kristina telling Wille he is so young and asking "is it worth it?" in the car and Linda telling Simon "love shouldn't be this hard, especially when you're so young" in S3. In both cases, one half of Wilmon hears from his mother that their relationship is incompatible with Wille's public role and they should maybe consider ending it. The contexts are very different (for instance, Kristina is being manipulative while Linda is being genuine), but it could be argued that both breakups were in fact necessary to clear the deadlock they found themselves in and give them an opportunity to come back together on more equal terms.

~~~

@heatedrivalryweek's #HRweek2026 | Day Seven ↳ FREE SPACE: A 007 FILM [TEASER TRAILER]

I wrote a thing for the anniversary of Young Royals S3, the brain said that Swedish was the way to go so with Swedish it went. Thank you @books-books-smolderinglooks for initiating this. Words: 2659 | Rating: Teen | Tags: Post canon, Wille's Stockholm friends, Text messages, They are only human - only teenagers

Morgonsolens strålar smög sig in mellan gliporna i tyget som Simon hängt upp över fönstret. Wille var inte van, hans hjärna verkar ha blivit inställd på att associera ljus genom fönster som något negativt om han inte var vaken och påklädd. På sommaren är det lika bra att ha två lager hade Simon sagt, samtidigt som han stod och balanserade bredvid akvariet på skrivbordet. Kan hända att Wille passade på att stå nedanför och stötta honom lite, en hand på låret när han lutade sig lite väl långt ut. En hand just under den hårdare höftkammen, den han tyckte om att följa formen av med sina läppar, nedöver dit den pekade. Simon gav i från sig så trevliga ljud då. Det kan hända att det fanns andra orsaker än mörkläggningen till att Simon ville ha två lager fastspikade över båda sina fönster. Han sov ändå med akvariet tänt om inte Wille var där. Men nu var han det, och han var vaken för trots de två lagren så lyste solen in över deras kuddar.

Saw an opportunity to draw some happy Wilmon for @books-books-smolderinglooks epilogue event 🥰 I imagine they’re university students at this point. Wille has glasses, that’s very important.

Happy Friday :) Here is a little ficlet I wrote for @books-books-smolderinglooks’ epilogue challenge. I hope you like it x

~

The first time they sleep over at the palace after… Everything, it’s awkward. Simon stands at the foot of the bed, sleeves pulled down over his hands, fingers nervously fidgeting as he looks anywhere but at Wille.

“Simon,” Wille moves towards him.

The wind whips rain against the aging windowpanes, the first chill of autumn biting into their endless summer.

“I…”

“I’m sorry, too,” Wille takes his hand, lifts it up to his face to kiss the soft stretch of skin just above his thumb, “I’m sorry for how I acted that day.”

Simon’s eyes flutter closed briefly at his touch, “You were hurting,” he says quietly.

“So were you.”

“I shouldn’t have…”

Wille shakes his head. He leans in to kiss Simon’s lips, still holding his hand between them, “It’s OK.”

“I don’t feel like it is.”

“It will be,” Wille promises, “one day we’ll probably be laughing about it.”

Simon huffs. His smile is fond, if disbelieving, “I just want to make it up to you.”

“You already have.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Simon…”

“Wille,” his tone is softer, now, “tell me what you really wanted,” he reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind Wille’s ear, “how you imagined it would be.”

Wille raises his eyebrows.

“Besides that.”

“OK,” Wille still hasn’t let go of Simon’s hand. He runs his thumb over the back of it, intertwining their fingers. His voice is quieter, almost shy, “I wanted to fall asleep in your arms.”

The two year anniversary to Young Royals S3 is coming up! 💜💜 The season that brought us happy endings (mostly, not August ha) and driving off into the beautiful summer (and lives 🥰, Wilmon making new lake memories 🥹) together. So in celebration, tell us what has your favorite character been up to? Whether it be with fic, an edit, gifs, snippets, art or even just a ramble of your thoughts, share with the fandom what has Wilmon and all the others been up to since then? As a small challenge, use one of the soundtrack songs (a lyric, for the vibes) and incorporate it into your content.

Works can be posted anytime during March 11-18 in celebration of that crazy week. Make sure you tag it with #YRS3epilogue. Hope some of you can participate! 🌼❤️

HOLLANOV FIC REC

I have become obsessed with this genre of fic written in POVs that look at Shane and Ilya's relationship from the outside. Not only do they always bring such neat perspectives and juicy humour, but always a lot of heart. I've found this especially true with fics written specifically from Hayden's eyes. As the best friend of a guy who holds his cards close, his discovery journey's are often a fun and wild ride. 💖remember to kudos & comment on fics you read 💖

Outsider POV

🏒 911, Jackie speaking by camiii / @camiii - 6k “Jackie?” Shane’s question cuts through the silence, and Jackie winces at the frantic rasp of his voice. “Right here, honey.” She tries to keep her voice light, wrapping her hand around Hayden’s wrist and meeting his worried gaze over the phone. “What’s going on?” - Ilya is hurt, but the hospital will only talk to "Jane". zannithinks: what an absolute beauty of a story. Seeing the boys through Jackie's eyes was so special, shattering preconceptions, redefining the meaning of friendship, and highlighting the importance of the right to be there for the ones you love.

🏒 Maybe: Jane by anatomybygreys - 5k The Boston Raiders tease Rozanov about his mystery long distance girlfriend, sending Jane stories and embarrassing pictures of Ilya. Shane and Ilya don’t think much of it - until Theo Michaud gets traded to from Boston to Montreal and updates his contact list. zannithinks: this was perfection, a retroactively obvious but never seen before complication; featuring a lovely sense of team camaraderie and Ilya's attention-loving antics. Special nod to Hayden and Shane who are the definition of Subtle (yikes)

🏒 It’s Always Hollander and Rozanov, Right? by Internerdionality / @internerdionality - 5k Five times Scott Hunter thinks about Hollander and Rozanov together, and the one time he gets to watch. zannithinks: this is what we all secretly wanted! Scott clocking the boys, and liking what he sees more than he thinks he should. That final scene is soooo hot!

🏒 moments to be tolerated by thestarsarewinning - 3k There’s a muffled shout from next door. And another. Hollander, Luca thinks, and then wishes he hadn’t been able to tell. - five times the Centaurs hear Shane and Ilya having sex, and one time no one hears zannithinks: what a fun little ride through the trials and tribulations of having Shane and Ilya on your team, for better or for worse (RIP) those poor boys

🏒 Drunk and Disorderly by FireflyAlchemist - 3k “Wait, Mr. Raiders fan,” Rozanov calls. Constable Sullivan pauses. “I get a phone call, yes?” - Unable to do what he normally does after Montreal games, Ilya goes out to a club, gets super drunk, and ends up getting picked up by Montreal police for public intoxication. Sitting in a holding cell, the only number he can remember is Shane's. zannithinks: what a sweet character study of our favourite bad boy who's secretly a marshmallow. This ends with tooth-rotting sweetness!

🏒 you bottom feeder by heyy_jude - 2k He heard a rough grunt, and then Rozanov’s voice. “Get on your knees.” A muffled thump. Rozanov moaned appreciatively. - Scott Hunter overhears something he shouldn't have. He enjoys it a little too much. zannithinks: ok this is just a fun and fantastic consideration for everyone - Scott deserves more orgasms after all the grief these two give him!

🏒 The Elevator by Lexi_Leckstar - 1k Yuna shot up. “The elevator!” she screamed in horror. - Yuna wakes up the night after Shane and Ilya came out to them. zannithinks: what a funny little premise paired with a big squeeze to the heart from a mom just trying her best.

Hayden Pike POV

🏒 I Like Jane For You by Icopythefax / @exactphoify - 17k After a mix-up leaves Hayden with the wrong phone for three days, he ends up learning more about Ilya Rozanov and his secret girlfriend, Jane. zannithinks: you may notice I say that every fic is my favourite Hayden-discovery fic, but THIS ONE holds a truly special place in my heart. This legitimately had me on the floor unable to breathe through the entire range of human emotions. If you read any fic, it must be this one!

🏒 your good buddy lily by larry_larson / @larcenistarsonist - 17k of all things, hayden doesn't expect a t-shirt to be the thing that exposes it all zannithinks: oooh this one stands out for the way it touches on Hayden's complex emotions surrounding Shane, beyond friendship and into the intricacies of being celebrity athletes. A great look at what's beyond the mask of a supportive best friend, and it isn't always pretty. A standing ovation from me!

🏒 Hayden Gets The Message by KarsKars - 5k He hadn’t meant to look. Honest. He really hadn’t. But Shane was in the shower, and Hayden had picked up what he’d thought was HIS phone. - Hayden starts to put the pieces together and figures things out much sooner than expected. zannithinks: Hayden playing Sherlock Holmes is a kink of mine.

🏒 the other line by Anonymous - 5k Shane's not that subtle. - the phone call from Hayden's side. zannithinks: ok I love the turmoil in this one, and I actually love just how turned on Hayden gets from not only Shane's voice but knowing he's coming undone.

🏒 hayden pike v the ‘lily’ thing by goldengalaxies - 4k “Just hang up.” A very, very familiar Russian voice. What the fuck? Ilya goddamn Rozanov was with Shane, at the cottage. With Shane. - hayden has a long standing dislike for ‘lily’. a second phone call at the cottage makes him dislike lily even more zannithinks: this author has an entire series of outisder POVs focused around the discovery of hollanov, and honestly each one is fantastic! This one I particularly enjoyed for it's short scenes through the whole timeline and Hayden being a true Hater right from the beginning.

🏒 you his boyfriend or something? by ingberry - 2k Shane is at a sports bar in Tampa when people at his table start talking shit about Ilya. It becomes impossible to keep his mouth shut. - an alternative retelling of how Hayden finds out. zannithinks: Technically this isn't Hayden's POV, but... it's still mostly about our beloved best friend. The last few lines took me out at the knees.

🏒 take away the salt from your eyes by playinginthunderstorms / @playinginthunderstorms - 2k "Shane." "What," Shane snaps, yanking off his shirt. Then he freezes, holding onto it with both hands like he's only realized what he's been wearing, and says with equal vehemency, "Fuck," and flings it toward the headboard. "Fuck!" He says again, louder. - Shane gets back to his hotel room after running away from Ilya's place in Boston and panics. Hayden is also there. zannithinks: ok this has to be at the top of my list of Hayden discoveries. The dialogue, the mess of emotions, the authenticity in every word. love love love to see it!

more rec lists: canon/canon divergent | a/b/o + bdsm au | outsider pov + hayden