REVOLUTION: young royals

you're under every line

"these songs weren't out yet in 2020/2021" and i dont care
(yes i go absolutely overboard with my playlists) https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5l567ZtmVv3IRVmrhpehxj?si=ElKPTRh3TFqeGjODkPXBqg

—

Wilhelm has a playlist.

He listens to it whenever he's feeling...things. Usually when he's sad.

He  knows it's probably not healthy to listen to sad songs, further  inducing his depression-wallowing. But, really, what's the point of a  mental breakdown when you don't have a dramatic soundtrack to go along  with it?

It started out nice; a few party songs his old friends  introduced him to, even some soothing jazz or ambiance. But those soon  turned sour — "friends" turned out to be clout-chasing scumbags, upbeat  party songs were a flashback to a particularly vile fistfight, and the  calmer songs were just reminders of the nights he put them on repeat to  soothe his anxiety. The playlist wasn't fun anymore.

Then he came to Hillerska.

The  welcoming ceremony's choir captivated him. They were beautiful as  harmonies filled and echoed the church's halls. It was so much.

There  was a boy. He was the lead soloist, taking no shit from the older  students who picked on him. His voice was so loud and melodic, Wilhelm  couldn't help but fall. The song: A Fool To Remain Sane. It was trapped in his head, playing on repeat as he remembered Simon.

   Simon, Simon, Simon.

Everything went wrong after Erik died.

It felt wrong to seem anything less than devastated because, well, he was  devastated. He spent the entire two weeks off of school sobbing into  his pillow, then powdering on makeup so the public couldn't tell. But  this also meant a lot of sad songs on loop. They helped his  tears pour from his eyes, easily recalling those nights Erik would hold  him as he cried over whatever. Erik was the only one who had understood.  He was lonely, but he was less lonely with him. Why should he be  allowed to listen to anything uplifting?

The video leaked.

Simon broke up with him.

Christmas break was hell.

He  tried to cheer himself up, adding happier and upbeat songs in between  the depressed, slow ones. But it didn't work, only turning him into a  Scrooge the entire time.

(One night, Wilhelm is playing the songs on shuffle. It Takes A Fool begins to play. He throws his phone across the room so hard it nearly breaks.)

The new term starts.

It's even worse than he imagined.

It's embarrassing and very cringe. He knows it's stupid. But he's mad and sad and upset about  everything, so he needs something to motivate him, including loud, angry  songs about revenge and break-ups.

When Wilhelm finds out Simon is trying to move on, those break-up songs become sad and mournful. Yearning. (Even more embarrassing and cringe, honestly.)

And when the dust finally settles, when it's calm,  he starts listening to love songs again (mainly Taylor Swift). He  listens back to the older songs in the playlist without as much tension.  Simon listens with him because they're together now. Properly. Publicly. He's allowed to love him.

(Far into the future, Simon releases his song for the world to hear. Wilhelm adds it, and he never updates the playlist again.)

—

this entire thing was actually just a ploy to force people to listen to my playlists! (wilhelm would not be a chloe moriondo stan but it's my playlist and i make the rules)
i was this 🤏 close to adding angel with a shotgun to the playlist. i didnt. but i did add one nightcore song. because come on..listening to depressing music as he stares off into the distance thinking about his one true love? i mean seriously
if yall have any suggestions for songs to add to the playlist, lmk! i tried to make it more "songs i think [x] would listen too" rather than "songs with lyrics/vibes that remind me of [x]" since i wanted to try something new!

i might do a full breakdown of the playlist on my tumblr https://cr1nge-culture.tumblr.com if you want. i have lots of thoughts about it

* 514 words (December 1, 2022)