Rizzoli And Isles - Blog Posts

And to think one was in the pilot episode

#got a long list of ex-lovers

We’re so married.

Jane 'why does this feel so right?' Rizzoli, everybody.

"Rizzoli & Isles: Season 8" - a brilliant fanfic for everyone who wants Rizzles endgame!

Title of Fic: "Rizzoli & Isles: Season 8"

Author: SilenceintheLibrary13

Fandom/Pairing: "Rizzoli & Isles", Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli ("Rizzles")

TW: /

Rating: M

Synopsis: This story is set as a continuation of the series, but with the ending we all hoped for with every fibre of our being and still didn't get! And the best thing is that we get to read about their month in Paris together - where they finally admit their true feelings for each other and enjoy a romantic first vacation as a couple. Yay!

The characters are written really well here and while it's not a slow burn, their development as a romantic couple is depicted in a very convincing way. The plot itself needs to be praised, too: We get some sexy times, but also heartfelt conversation and a glimpse into their domestic life together, yet the author did not shy away from adding some good ol' suspense: When Maura and Jane decide to get married, they receive threatening anonymous messages to call the event off! Someone definitely does not want to grant them their well-deserved "Happily ever after" but who could that mystery person be? Someone holding a grudge against those two for professional or personal reasons?

This storyline has everything a really good fanfiction needs and was Winner of the 2018 Rizzles Award of Distinction for Best Canon Storyline!

It is one of those fanfics you can read again and again when you are in the mood for something that is light but not shallow, romantic but not *too* dramatic, neither slow-burn nor sloppily done. It's one of the stories to go back to again and again because of its perfect combo of romance, fluff, smu*t, suspense and character development.

times Jane told Maura she loved her (¼)

If your memory of R&I has faded, congrats - please remember only the following times when Jane showed Maura she loved her instead of saying it.

There were too many times to count when it looked like Jane wasn’t listening to Maura, but as I liked to suspect all along, she usually really was.

There was a whole photoset’s worth of times when Jane could tell when something was wrong,

And of times she was there for Maura, even when Maura had forgotten to ask for help. 

Sometimes, Maura would forget that she was a wonderful person, and Jane would pause whatever else was going on, look her in the eye, and remind her.

Most of Maura’s sorrows were about her family, and Jane spoke up for Maura to literally every one of her parents (and a bonus grandparent) when she didn’t like the way they were treating her. 

Kind words were never Jane’s strong suit, but she found a few,

And emotional support smooches,

And plenty of hugs despite how they both claimed not to be big huggers.

x / 1 / 2

There was no space left on the couch. It was Maura's couch, in Maura's house, and it was Sunday night and most of the Rizzolis were over - even Lydia and TJ - and most of the Martins were over as well, Cailin and Hope clustered around Angela, the three Rizzoli siblings on the couch, watching the game.

It was Maura's house, and there was nowhere for her to sit.

Years ago she'd have probably left, even though it was her house, not expecting anyone to notice, but Jane looked up and caught Maura's eye, brow furrowed, and Maura walked over and sat in Jane's lap.

Tommy and Frankie looked over for a moment, but there was a yell from the tv that had the Rizzoli siblings distracted immediately. Maura wondered if Jane had even noticed, but Jane's hand rested on her back to steady Maura when Jane leaned forward to grab her beer, pulled Maura closer whenever someone scored. Maura heard a slap, then a whine from Tommy.

"I wasn't gonna say nothin'," he complained, and Jane chuckled lowly.

When Maura looked up, Hope and Angela were staring at them they way they'd been staring at TJ all night - like they were witnessing something precious.

Maura & Jane | Rizzoli & Isles 2x03

"Seasick" - Shipping Rizzles on a Lesbian Cruise

Title of Fic: "Seasick"

Author: Sybilia

Fandom/Pairing: "Rizzoli & Isles", Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli ("Rizzles")

TW: /

Rating: M

Synopsis: Angela Rizzoli wins a 7-day-vacation on a cruise across the Caribbean and wants her daughter, detective Jane Rizzoli, to come with her. But shortly before the ship's departure, Angela suddenly declares that she is feeling unwell and can't come on the cruise. This leaves Jane with her best friend, brilliant and nerdy Medical Examiner Maura Isles, as the "plus-one".

But when her and Maura enter the ship, Jane quickly comes to the conclusion that something on the "Olivia" smells - well, fishy? (sorry for the double entendre, lol). Not only are there solely women on the ship - the women all seem to be very interested in the same sex. Jane is mortified, especially when Maura points out that as the winner of the cruise drive, Jane is legally obligated to stick to the release she signed, which inlcudes leading various group activitites, posing for pictures and the like.

Jane would rather just up and leave but lets herself be convinced into staying (does she even have a choice, for real?). So, our two favorite Bostonians find themselves in an extremely gay environment, surrounded by hundreds of lesbians, and have to pretend being a couple as soon as they leave their cabin on the ship to participate in the various activitites and competitions going on.

But Jane would not be Jane without her competitive streak and she soon finds herself wanting to be the "Queen of all Lesbians", as the winner of the games is called. This leads to some pretty hilarious events like her participating in a "Lick clean an ice-cream bowl"-contest or a "penetrate donuts with a dildo on a harness strapped to your waist"-competition.

It does not only sound funny and weird as heck, it is! The wonderful thing about this fic is that there are multiple wonderful things, to be honest. The plot is so clever and original that you don't want Rizzles to leave that lesbian cruise ship ever again. But then we also have the beautiful, very accurate depiction of Maura and Jane who are written in character so very well by this crazily talented writer. The descriptions, be it of the games or the ship or the tourist destinations, are done in great detail and serve to make this story even more outstanding. Aaand as the special cherry on top, we also get the authors's OCs and all of them are utterly PRICELESS! We have former Wimbledon Champion, the unapologetically gay and deliciously unhinged Millie-Joyce Ming, famous singer and surprisingly tame diva Beata Frankenmeier and "Big Carl" Carla Timmons, another police officer ready for a good time among fellow lesbians.

And in the middle of this spicily sapphic ship, we have Maura and Jane, both secretly already harboring more than just platonic feelings for one another... but will they finally be courageous enough to admit their blossoming love for each other and go from "fake girlfriends" to "real couple"?

I cannot stress this often enough: READ THIS MASTERPIECE!! It is so wholesome and brilliant and great fun and romantic and wild and creative and had me laugh out loud in public again and again because the humor is simply impeccable. Read it. You won't regret it.

Also, make sure to check out the writer's other two stories, "Constant Companion" and "Seasick"'s sequel, "Cherry Grove", they are equally awesome!!

"Underbelly" - this Rizzles story is a raunchy, refreshing, very rewarding (bike) ride!

Title of Fic: "Underbelly"

Author: DrScout

Fandom/Pairing: "Rizzoli & Isles", Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli ("Rizzles")

TW: violence, rough s*x, drugs, swearing

Rating: M

Synopsis: In this very well-crafted AU exploration of our beloved Rizzles pairing, the writer has taken her chances by creating a deeply unique story about these two! It is remarked by the author that "Sons of Anarchy" was an inspiration for the plot, but as I have never watched it, I can't really comment on that.

What I CAN comment on, however, is the quality of the fic which is absolutely brilliant! It isn't exactly the slowest of slow-burns but the way the chemistry between Maura and Jane is written here is simply addictive. However, the author never fails to share with us Jane's and Maura's inner thoughts and feelings which creates the depth necessary for a truly great piece of writing.

So, in this story, we have a tattooed, wild bike rider called Jane who just got out of prison. She's a car mechanic but also belongs to the notorious "Druids" biker gang run by Paddy Doyle. Jane has grown up in this rough environment where weakness and vulnerability are almost never discussed openly - instead, people tend to get try and drink their sorrow away or have a passionate hook-up with somebody who doesn't mean anything to them so they can release tension.

Jane's whole world is about to change for the better, though, when she encounters Maura Isles, a doctor working at the hospital. They quickly fall for each other and realize that they want to be together. But Maura is an upstanding citizen who considers it very unfortunate that out of all people, gang-leader Paddy Doyle is her biological father. Jane has never learned to live by society's rules and standards and while she is determined to make her blossoming relationship to the beautiful honey-blonde work, she struggles to find constructive ways of dealing with her emotions and the Druids are like her chosen family - and her beloved younger brothers actually also belong to the gang.

This story is very entertaining to read, incredibly well-paced, and the author manages to create suspense and really pull you into this AU Rizzles version! It might not be the story for everyone as you certainly have to be willing to try out something new and unusual - in my opinion, DrScout did a great job of capturing Jane's and Maura's personalities and make the whole story work despite the challenge of having Jane be a convicted ex-felon - not many writers would be able to pull this off, yet here it is done with thoughtfulness and finesse.

Jane rubbing Maura's back soothingly and showing off her chess skills so she can impress Maura... and the way Maura looks at Jane afterwards... Rizzles is real <3

You

You and me

You and me won't be unhappy

I love the power Maura has over Jane. Since it was not enough to see the series, I have seen it again analyzing each part and each interaction between Maura and Jane and, I find it fascinating how maura is the boss of the relationship, Every time Jane does something Maura doesn't like she just gives her a look and Jane starts making excuses and explaining herself Which I find super interesting because she doesn't behave that way with men, she doesn't let herself be bossed around and she doesn't let them hesitate either, but instead when she's with Maura or in some case, Always defend and let Maura be the boss Also the power of conviction that Jane has over Maura In short, they are a couple, they got married in Paris and live together with bass and a son. Which is giving me an idea for a little drawing hehe I apologize for the drawings I make, I promise to upload something of quality when I have time

In twenty years, Netflix will launch Rizzoli & Isles: The Maine Event as a short run series where Maura writes mystery novels based on old BPD cases while Jane challenges all the young people to “no blood, no foul” basketball games on their at-home court. When she’s not breaking noses, Jane assists the local sheriff with their more difficult cases that require her particular brand of sleuthing.

They have a small menagerie of animals left to them by Korsak and Angela lives in the guest house so she can pop in like Sophia on The Golden Girls, to ask inappropriate questions about Jane and Maura’s sex life.

Sign our petition at whitehouse.gov! Or should it be stateofmaine.gov? Maybe let’s just send psychic messages to Netflix while I work on a time machine.

"Ocean Nora" - a Rizzles story par excellence

Title of Fic: "Ocean Nora"

Author: KathleenDee

Fandom/Pairing: "Rizzoli & Isles", Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli ("Rizzles")

TW: /

Rating: M

Synopsis: Set in the canonical Rizzoli & Isles universe, this story is a Jane and Maura love story worth reading. Maura is the one here who finally makes a tentative move - and Jane finds herself wondering... When they finally acknowledge that there is more between them than "just friendship", they decide to take things slow but explore their romantic feelings for one another after years of not giving in to temptation.

"Ocean Nora" beautifully explores the main character's feelings, their thoughts, their actions. It is incredible how the author managed to get not only Jane and Maura just right, but also all the side characters that appear throughout the story. It is full of warmth, fluff, but also some slightly angsty moments. The slow-burn here is written exquisitely well, you find yourself rooting for the detective and the medical examiner so much it makes you forget everything else around you.

Also, the way the author writes about Jane's cases and Maura's autopsies is utterly brilliant, they're woven into the plot seamlessly, it's basically like watching Rizzoli & Isles on TV only better because we get the love story we're all pining for!

I found myself wishing more than once that KathleenDee could have been an actuall screenwriter for the show cuz "Ocean Nora" would actually be the perfect take on Rizzles!

I'm still a little speechless about the way the fic writer poured her heart and stoul into this story. The time and effort writing this gem of a story must have taken up - I'm in awe and I'll never cease to be madly in love with this brilliant, heartwarming piece of writing.

Please note that while this fic is currently not finished, you get 45 chapters of absolute quality content that will keep you up well into the night - I just could not tear myself away from it. No matter if this ever again gets updated or not, if you ship Rizzles, this should be one of the fics to not miss out on.

Rizzoli and Isles is actually a show about a Queerplatonic Relationship.

Okay hear me out.

So, I always have shipped Rizzles. There are many MANY ways in which these are queer coded characters with a heavy romantic subtext, that a lot of the time honestly bleeds into the maintext. A lot of the actions and dialogue that we would typically interpret as romantic, especially between a hetero pairing, certainly works for this show. 

But I did a re-watch of the show recently, and while I still ship them romantically, I actually think what is being portrayed between them is something else. They are DEFINITELY more than friends; I mean they are life partners in every sense of the word. But the kind of dynamic that is CANONICALLY portrayed between Maura and Jane, is in fact, a Queerplatonic Relationship.

So here’s a working definition of the term for those who aren’t familiar with it: 

Queerplatonic relationships and queerplatonic partnerships are committed intimate relationships which are not romantic in nature. They may differ from usual close friendships by having more explicit commitment, validation, status, structure, and norms, similar to a conventional romantic relationship

I have actually experienced something like this, (and yes I’m going to get a bit anecdotally personal here; I’ll try not to be too long winded, but it’s relevant, I promise lol): 

I had an (unspoken) kind of relationship like this with my best friend in my early/mid 20s. We have been best friends since I was 11, but something definitely shifted when we became adults, and I have to say, I ended up, quite unexpectedly, being deeply in love with my best friend…platonically. I didn’t want to date her. I didn’t want to sleep with her. But, I was totally devoted to her and we were each other’s person for years. We were each other’s assumed plus one for everything, we regularly did dinner dates, we gave each other super sentimental cards and specialized gifts on birthdays, we also regularly did domestic shit together like grocery shopping, errands, chores, house projects; you name it, we had it/did it. I mean we were even each other’s phone background for a while lmao. We never lived together, but we had keys to each other’s places. 

Now a lot of this shit can happen and does happen in standard friendships (maybe not the phone background thing; that was super gay ngl hahaha), but the thing that made this different was the level of assumed partnership going on between us. And the…energy. We would stare deeply into each other’s eyes. We had that magnetic kind of magic with each other, like no matter where the other is in the room, we find our way back to each other. And people literally perceived us as a couple. Hell, my other friends teased us about it. 

Any of this sound familiar?

Oh and I DO find her to be attractive and even sexy. And we flirted (still do lolol) a LOT. 

But I didn’t ever really…..actually want to have sex with her. Not that I would’ve even necessarily been opposed to it, because we were so close, but it just, wasn’t ever a desire for me.

This was interesting to experience, because I do identify as a lesbian, I have been romantically attracted to people, sexually attracted to people, and the two, as society expects, do usually go hand in hand for me. But with her, I honestly could’ve seen forever; like being exactly as we were, as life partners, I could’ve even seen myself raising kids with her, and I would have been TOTALLY, GENUINELY content with it, ‘cause my relationship with her filled me up in a way nothing else has. This was confusing as all hell to me for a long time, because I didn’t have a name for this until recently when I learned about the concept of Queerplatonic Relationships which again supersede friendship and often are life partnerships, but aren’t inherently romantic or sexual, even though they are quite deep. I actually think QPRs speak to that “limitless” “otherwise undefinable” kind of relationship dynamic. 

Sooo - and I promise I’m wrapping my story up - when my bff met her current boyfriend, which is her first super serious adult relationship, I didn’t quite experience jealousy, I mean I always envisioned a romantic partnership for her, and I still want that for me! Buuuut…my feelings were complicated because it’s like…I had to mourn what I lost, as our dynamic inherently changed, and the fact that I wasn’t her person anymore. Weird thing to process indeed. Also *ahem* SOUND FAMILIAR?

Without getting too carried away here (oh who am I kidding, I already have 😂) for comparison’s sake, I actually went through a crazy ass heartbreak with someone, also while I was in my mid 20s; someone to whom I WAS romantically, sexually, spiritually, connected and attracted. I mean I was IN LOVE with this woman and she broke my heart by not fully reciprocating my feelings and not wanting to be with me. I thought I was gonna die when we stopped talking. Hell, it’s been years and I still think about her. 

But if you were to ask me who the true love. of. my. life. has been so far…I’d pick my best friend! 

The funny thing is I think a LOT of women end up in these kinds of dynamics, ESPECIALLY queer women, maybe even more so queer women who form super close relationships to “straight” women (gotta put str8 in quotes ‘cause…this shit is inherently queer even though it’s not romantic/sexual). You all know what I’m talking about; You’d do anything for each other, there’s chemistry, connection, and care, yet it doesn’t quite fit into any box you try to give it. People read you as a couple. You know this about yourselves, and you just…accept it. Because what you have is actually beyond any label. You know?

Anyway, I think there’s actually something cool and radical about this and I know that queer people want and deserve romantic and sexual representation, but I think this IS an accurate kind of representation that happens all the time that isn’t appropriately covered or discussed in media.

In hindsight, I think that’s what really hooked me on R&I. I mean, I started watching ‘cause I thought they were lesbians, and I kept watching ‘cause I thought it would be canon! And yeah, I still think about what could’ve been with them: fanfiction is good for that. But why do I still watch the actual show? Well…I LIVED it. 

Now: do I think that Maura and Jane often tip the scales a lil’ TOOOOO far in the explicitly gay direction on this show? Oh hell yes! Do I think you can interpret them as two people who are madly in love, romantically, with each other, yet are too scared to do anything about it? Oh hell yes! Like I said I do ship Rizzles. BUT, if I’m honest about what is FULLY, CANONICALLY being portrayed, no subtext, ALL maintext: It’s 10000% a QPR. 

So no: Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli are certainly not JUST friends. They aren’t just colleagues, although their work relationship is just as powerful and awe inspiring as their personal one. They aren’t really like sisters, although they can quarrel like siblings at times. They aren’t truly romantic, although they are essentially life partners. They aren’t in a sexual relationship with each other; not that it couldn’t go there, but I also see how it wouldn’t need to go there, and how that doesn’t diminish the bond at all. They have something that I recognize -and something I think perhaps many of us recognize too- something beyond definition, because at the core of it they are true-blue soulmates who share a kind of unconditional love that is rarely found in ANY kind of relationship. If there is a definition that comes close to summing this kind of thing up: Queerplatonic Relationship is the answer!

Idk just felt like sharing this. Thanks for reading 🤓

Season 2 ep 3: They just HAVE to continue calling each other "babe" plz 😭

Me starting season 2 of Rizzoli & Isles: Well, surely this show can't get any more gay! Plot twist: It absolutely can :)

Okay, but season 1 episode 09 of Rizzoli & Isles?! The way Jane soothingly touches Maura's arm and how Maura reacts with this very specific look, this precious combination of surprise and wonder and tenderness for Jane?! The way they sit at home and Jane reassures Maura she doesn't have one single evil bone in her body and how they hold hands so intimately?! And then the lighter scene at the very end, when they join some plumbing business with Jane's father and brother behind the bar, how Maura reaches out her hand to touch Jane,and how Jane reciprocates that gesture and it just looks so very domestic and sweet and natural?! I am going FERAL I ship them so hard it blocks the Suez canal

HOW IS THERE A HETEROSEXUAL EXPLANATION FOR THIS????!!!!!!

Maura & Jane | Rizzoli & Isles 2x02

'kay, so I said "There cannot possibly exist a gayer episode of Rizzles than the undercover in a lesbian bar one" and then this one has Maura going all protective over Jane and wanting to learn how to handle a gun to keep her safe?!?! And asking her "Jane...do I look badass?"?!?! C'mon, kiss already, pleeeaaazzzee

"Warm Milk" - a Rizzles Fanfic that has it ALL: intimacy • growth • romance • fluff • sexy times

Title of Fic: "Warm Milk"

Author: YoDrDeath

Fandom/Pairing: "Rizzoli & Isles", Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli ("Rizzles")

TW: mentions of past abuse, r*pe, PTSD

Synopsis: This fic is based around season 1 & 2 and follows Jane and Maura on their journey from friends & co-workers to becoming a romantic couple. Jane Rizzoli was not only cruelly haunted by Hoyt, but also s*xually assaulted. Maura Isles wants to help the person who is becoming the best friend she's ever had, but she also can't deny her own attraction to Jane who is still suffering from nightmares, flashbacks and severe anxiety. When Maura gently suggests to aid Jane in the process of becoming more okay again with vulnerability - especially regarding sexual intimacy -, the detective is hesitant, maybe even appalled, at first. But she can't quite get Maura's idea out of her head and so, the two women find themselves in one of their bedroomes, talking about stuff Jane is scared of and Maura starts developing a plan to guide her dear friend. At first, all they do is talk. They talk about sexual encounters, about what Jane would like, what would feel good and why, it starts out harmless enough. But of course, their conversations turn a little more heated very soon, and then, slowly, the touching starts, too. And finally, both women realize that they want more which understandably is horribly frightening and confusing for Jane. But on the other hand, Maura is her safe place. She trusts the medical examiner more and more, she finds herself aching for her presence and aching for her touches.

This story beautifully explores their blossoming relationship and the difficultites they have to face. It is a heartwarming, clever, tender story about true love, and it deals with difficult but extremely important issues like consent, PTSD, boundaries and sexual epression. It is the story about Jane, the surivor of a horrific assault, that changes her life forever but that does not take away her personality and her ability to love fully and desire intimacy - physical and emotional. Somehow, this story delicately manages to walk the fine line between the really dark stuff, the beauty of love blossoming in the most unexpected places under the most unexpected circumstances and also captures this really passionate, intense moments between our two favorite ladies.

Rating: M

Something something drawing attention to the neck something hairtossing as mating something

Now with VeryAccurate™ image descriptions

Not my gay ass becoming utterly obsessed with Rizzles in 2023 - I mean, this kind of queerbaiting is torturous 😭

oooh yeah

reblog and put in the tags non-canon ships that you genuinely think should be/should’ve been canon