This Was A Lie - We Now Know That Vincent Thought Beating Up Queer People During Initiation Was Funny.

YOUNG ROYALS 2.06 | 3.06

No but after Young Royals is over I'm gonna need Omar and Edvin to star together in two romcoms, three period dramas and a corny christmas movie. You can't just waste this chemistry

director: “as soon as i saw them together i knew it was them” 😭😭😭😭😭

To anyone who knows: Is there any chance Young Royals will get more international recognition with awards and things? Like are International Emmy awards for TV shows a thing? I want to see them really get proper accolades -- and yes I know winning awards isn't everything, but Lisa, Edvin, Omar, et al deserve it, damnit!

This sums up the difference between Heartstopper and Young Royals perfectly: The first time Wille and Simon share a bed, they have epic sex. The first time Charlie and Nick share a bed, they have a pillow fight.

Look I love unconditional devotion love stories as much as the next person, but there's really something so deliciously raw about conditional devotion.

I have served you and I have loved you for decades, but I will not give up my principles for you. You cut out part of my heart and took it with you down that path that you insist on walking, but you walk it alone. Even when the bleeding, gaping hole you left in my chest kills me, I will not follow you.

Inspired by this post (thank you for reblogging it @andthatisnotfake ):

Pirate AU where Simon is a pirate or privateer captain on a ship he owns together with his childhood friends Ayub and Rosh. One lucky day they manage to capture the previously capered flag ship of the Swedish Royal Navy, and its handsome pirate captain.

What he doesn't know is that its captain is none other than the Swedish Crown Prince in disguise.

None of them knows what the Crown Prince looks like (no cameras for another century or so) when he's not dressed up as the Crown Prince.

Simon falls for the handsome pirate captain he's captured. Wille is a revolutionary like him, who hates the monarchy with a passion as strong as his own. Add lots of steamy sex in the captain's quarters - pirates are hot, sue me.

Simon slowly realises Wille isn't who he says he is. His manners are too posh, his behaviour too strange. And then maybe Simon finds his signet ring, or a letter from his late brother. Or maybe he gets it when he learns that...

...Crown Prince Wilhelm pirated his own ship, because he doesn't just want a revolution, he's planned a whole coup with his trusted friends Felice Ehrencrona and Alexander Bragé. A coup against the Queen and the court, and the Noble families led by the Horn af Årnäs family. With the goal to forcethe hand of the Swedish Parliament Riksdagen to abolish the monarchy in favour of a new Swedish Republic.

Felice becomes the first President of Sweden. Simon and Wille sails into the sunset, living happily ever after.

Happy Valentine’s Day! 💜 Have a little friends to lovers fluff xx

“I want you to snuggle me.”

Simon isn’t sure he’s heard it right, at first. He’s trying to help Wille - a very drunk, very floppy and slurring his words Wille - to take his shoes off and climb into bed, but his best friend and flatmate is more interested in sprawling every which way, fully clothed, than actually getting under the covers.

“What?” He laughs, wrestling with Wille’s left sneaker, “What did you say?”

“Simon. Simon Simon Simon Simon. Simon,” he says the last one very seriously, propping himself up on one elbow as he struggles to make eye contact, “snuggle me. Right now. We should snuggle.”

“You’re very drunk, Wille,” Simon yanks the shoe free with a small huff.

Wille hums in agreement, “Snuggles, though.”

Simon shakes his head.

“But you’re so cuddly!” Wille groans dramatically, “Every time we hug I wish we were hugging more.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Simon giggles. He catches Wille’s other foot and starts picking at his laces.

“Does make sense,” Wille nods, “we make a lot of sense. Us.”

“Right.” It’s usually best to agree with Wille when he’s in this state. Otherwise he gets pouty and morose and Simon isn’t in the mood to deal with sad Wille tonight.

“Don’t you want to snuggle me?”

Fuck, why is he looking at Simon like that? His heavy lidded gaze is almost longing.

“Why do you want to snuggle me?” Simon tries to tease, tries to throw Wille off a bit, but his voice betrays him and he just sounds intrigued. Insecure.

“Cos you’re perfect, obviously.”

“Wille…” This is getting weird. He’s acutely aware that he’s helping Wille to remove an item of clothing, even if it is only a shoe, “Stop it now, OK?”

Wille frowns at him, “Did I upset you?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

Simon sighs, exasperated, “Yes. But you’ve had a lot to drink. You don’t want to say something you’ll regret tomorrow.”

“Won’t regret it,” Wille smiles, “I’ll still want to snuggle you tomorrow.”

Fucking hell! Simon grits his teeth. Wille is both infuriating and adorable, and, well… Simon’s seen him looking. He’s seen Wille’s eyes flutter over his bare collarbones when he makes coffee in the morning, wearing only his bathrobe, still damp from the shower. He’s seen the way Wille glances at him when they’re studying together, when he thinks Simon isn’t looking. The way he leans in closer and closer every time they go out drinking. He isn’t blind, but he isn’t stupid, either. Wille is far from ‘out,’ and they have to keep living together for the rest of the semester.

“If I cuddle you,” Simon hedges, “will you go to sleep straight after?”

Wille nods eagerly.

“OK, move up, then.”

Wille shuffles towards the wall, arms outstretched for Simon to fall into. Simon lays himself down carefully, turning to face Wille, but still keeping some distance between their bodies.

Wille grins at him, “This isn’t snuggling.”

Simon rolls his eyes. He groans in mock annoyance as Wille manhandles him into a bear hug, one arm under his neck and the other around his waist. They fit together surprisingly well, despite the height difference. His face ends up in the crook of Wille’s shoulder, breathing in the clean, spicy scent of the perfume he borrowed, and it’s fine. It’s nice, even. Then Wille’s thigh pushes up between his legs, and suddenly Simon isn’t breathing normally.

“Simon,” Wille’s hand is warm on his back, sliding up under his shirt to stroke in small circles. He nudges Simon’s nose with his, lips parted for a kiss, but Simon pulls back, pressing his palm against Wille’s chest.

“Not while you’re drunk, OK?” He whispers, nuzzling Wille’s nose so he knows it’s not a ‘no,’ just a ‘wait,’ a ‘hang on.’ ‘Let’s do this properly, because I really want it, too.’

“OK,” Wille whispers back.

They finally fall asleep all tangled together, limbs and warmth and mussed up clothing, Simon’s head resting on Wille’s chest.

Wilhelm looking at Simon ❦

By @/hsroyals on TikTok

I really appreciate this take & interpretation. These lines from Wille in S1 & S2 ("you're the only one I can talk to") have always kinda bothered me even though they're really realistic so simultaneously I also appreciate them. I agree they're not intentionally manipulative, but to me they are evidence of some deeply problematic dynamics still at play (which Wille works through by the end of S2).

To me, these are examples of times Wille is trying to be vulnerable and reach out... but is not doing so in a particularly emotionally aware or empathetic way. It's all about him. He's still working on developing the important skill of mentalization, which makes sense both because he's a teen + because he was raised as royalty. These statements are all oriented around his needs (to not feel alone, to have someone to talk to) rather than about Simon or about something mutual between the two of them.

I know people love the St. Lucia hug & kiss, but tbh if I'd been Simon, I would have been pissed and would NOT have hugged him then. Like: You don't have anyone else to talk to? Honestly that's a you problem - sorry. You should stick up for me & have my back because you want what's best for me, not just because you want what's best for YOU (and don't want to lose your only confidante).

A more empathetic & emotionally intelligent communication approach would have been, for example, "I don't want to lose you because I care about you + *also* I don't want you to have to get kicked out of school. That would be messed up and I don't want you to experience messed up things. I want to show you that I care about you by putting you first and proving I'll advocate for you." If I'd been Simon, I would have preferred that statement a whole lot! But I think it's useful & very telling that that's *not* what he got. Yet.

But also Willie is manipulating Simon telling him that and it worked in season 1 but not in season 2 and i think that was Lisa’s intention. Re “you are the only I can talk to”

The post in question Your ask is so interesting that I had to go back and rewatch the scene. Is what he's doing emotional manipulation? I disagree, but not by much. Wille isn't consciously or subconsciously trying to make Simon feel guilty so he doesn't leave him. Instead, he's being vulnerable and open, sharing his own fear.

Neither does he use a "pity my poor feelings" strategy, which is another manipulative way of gaining sympathy. He knows what he did to Alexander is wrong. He admits to being selfish.

Even if it wasn't manipulative, what he did and said was not okay at all. That's underscored by the specific lyrics of Samurai Swords being played when Simon walks over to hug him, so crucial they're texted: "I am leaving, I'm unleashing, I unravel to the leeches, I'm unpleasant, I'm not loving, I'm not loving".

It's a genious song choice btw, because it both explains the characters' feelings about themselves, it's also massive foreshadowing.

What I love about that scene isn't that Simon is hugging a distressed Wille, it's that it so clearly shows that Wille is aware that his behaviour is very far from ok, and that the music drives this point home.