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wellcomeoneileen · 2 days

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Why does Randy Harrison deserve compensation? What happened to him? You can DM me if it's not okay to be public

Hey! No it’s totally okay.

⚠️disclaimer - I am a NEW fan and so I am NOT the most informed at all. Other people like @brian-kinney-apologist like really know shit. I initially found things bc watching S4 made me go oh there is bts shit going on for sure and googled, and then when I got on tumblr I saw a bunch of posts talking about it, too.

Lots of older sources are harder to find now bc they didn’t do a digital preservation or the website is expired, but here is what I’ve found, from heated Advocate articles whilst the show aired and then from more measured reflections from podcasts around 2016.

Randy was young and it was his first TV show - when he started he didn’t even have an agent, and really didn’t know what he was getting into. He had done sex scenes on stage and thought that he was pretty prepared for what was to come.

However, he has stated he ended up feeling pretty objectified, such as hearing “we need more shots of Justin’s ass” regularly or expressing a desire to not to go-go dancing type scenes (King of Babylon upset him) and then even more go-go dancing being added (S2 Sap scenes). He was also told to act less gay by casting directors for the show, and to “try to be more butch because Justin isn’t out of the closet”

The show pre-dates intimacy coordinators and there have been allusions, including from the actresses Thea and Michelle, that the sex scenes could be uncomfortable to film.

There was BTS clashing, with producer Tony Jones !!reportedly!!! Saying that Randy was a bitch to work with and “showrunners” “reportedly” saying they would never work with Randy again. There are two interview clips, one from when the show was airing, and one from 2016, when CowLip say they wanted all actors to be comfortable on set, and in BOTH clips , like 15 years apart, Randy kinda like laugh/roll his eyes and Gale looks at him very bemusedly. They had bigger reactions in the ~2003 clip.

He was openly pretty angry as the show went on. He told the Advocate that he would never be friends with or respect Justin if real. He disapproved of the Britin relationship. He said he had to fight to include the scene of Justin topping Brian, which was very important to him. Leading into season 5 he stated he hoped Justin was killed off by getting hit by a truck (obviously being glib, but like he was mad lol)

He has said that lots of scenes needed to be reshot because he struggled to do them so much, like the Cody sexy gun scene that made him so uncomfortable, and then either he or Gale said S5 sex scenes were reshot a lot because they just couldn’t stop laughing at that point anymore.

Peter and Scott recently have said the only time anyone asked for actors’ opinions was right after season 1 ended, and to ME they sounded kinda cheeky about it, all these years later, so perhaps it was a cast sticking point? Unsure, and it wasn’t even Randy who said that. Fat grain of salt.

He has more recently reflected on this time period and expressed regret he went out the way he did, and he understands things better and honors his craft more (heavy paraphrasing!) bc he was mentally checked out by the end and wishes he had finished strong instead.

Also, the cast didn’t realize when signing on how isolated they would be from The Industry. Randy has spoken about this in an unrelated podcast, as have the actors who play Ted and Emmett. NYC or LA are where you want to be for networking, and then signing on to spend the majority of the year in Toronto negatively impacted their careers, they feel. Randy has said he had to start from scratch after the show ended, and Peter and Scott have said Showtime had no idea how to market the show nor their stars, and so they had to just watch as all the initial hype fizzled and nothing was done with them. They were contracted to work too much to seriously be involved elsewhere, while simultaneously not getting good exposure, which I IMAGINE created a dire sort of mood and morale on set. < personal interpretation and fictionalizing history.

Meaning, Randy probably at the very least FELT like he had spent five years on a show that didn’t respect him and it was largely for nothing. He has since stated he appreciates the opportunity and it is the reason he was finically secure, for which he is deeply grateful.

And then finally the fans! He had stalker(s?) and tons of creepy people and was heavily typecast and people would come up to him frequently, which made him uncomfy, and would furthermore act like he was actually Justin, which made him super uncomfy. He was kinda like Chappell Roan!! He was like hey I’m not Justin I’m a person and y’all are freaks. He has publicially declined to speak on the stalking issues, which given his vocal responses to other issues, indicates to ME that it’s pretty personal and upsetting (I mean it’s stalking it’s obviously horrible but you know what I mean). During the show he had a boyfriend that fans like tormented online and even on posters (that bit comes from Tumblr or another forum, so not like verified info on my part at all) because they shipped “Gandy” so hard. I know I’ve read on tumblr about the insane Gandy people but all I remember is they were intense and insane and negatively impacted Randy’s actual real life. Again, that’s info from fans that I haven’t read in article or heard from out of his mouth. Secondary source lol.

This point is PURE speculation, but early interviews with the whole cast were super excited, and they all talked about how excited they were for something ground breaking. By the end, people were angry or giving fluff responses, or in Peter’s case; calmly stating the show was a soap opera and that’s okay. I FEEL like everyone thought they were signing up for something more real/gritty/positive impact to society and then were like oh I’m here to look hot in this show that only moms watch to get them turned on to have sex with their husband. Cool.

Now, do I agree with that - no. But, the show audience was vastly different than expected, and the artistic direction might have been too, both of which might have really disappointed people. Esp Randy and maybe Gale. Randy was a capital T theatre person, and Gale was too and had lots of experimental work and like performance art. Randy has ALSO expressed displeasure with some theater work he did because he didn’t think it was fresh and the audience was only older wealthy white people, so we do know that this sort of thing does matter to his sense of fulfillment at work.

TLDR; had to shoot scenes he didn’t want to, several times, felt objectified on set, disagreed with his character’s direction, maybe felt like he wasn’t being listened to artistically, was cut off from other work opportunities, didn’t appear to get along with leadership, had bad fans, was young and in deep over his head, and at the very least *started* with no career or social support system.

Again!! Am not the most knowledgeable person !!! I do NOT want to spread misinformation so hopefully I’ve tagged where I’m reading into things vs actual quotes but also people who have actually been around pls feel free to say 🙋um actuallllyyyyy

#qaf #queer as folk #ask #randy harrison #this is everything in my head but literally if I’m wrong let me face my punishment

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sp-by-april · 2 days

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april pls hear my vision. some sort of i literally dont care how you make it work but either omegaverse or like werewolf ALPHA STAN ..... going into rut and desperately needing relief so pathetic needy clingy possessive stan fucking reader over and over and OVERRRR again through several rounds til hes decided reader is filled up enough & packed with his pups...... pls i am FERALLLLL agh

I did omegaverse with some hints of werewolf because idk that sounded fun lol. This is my first Omegaverse fic, please be gentle with me 🙏🏽💙

Alpha!Stan x Omega!F!Reader

[Get a shot with a twist!] [Stan Marsh Master List]

I am a member of the court in King Kyle’s palace. I’m a handmaiden to the latest princess he’s been betrothed to. That means I run into Stan Marshwalker pretty regularly.

We’ve flirted a little, but we were both very busy people with important duties. I also knew something about him that was a closely guarded secret... Stan Marshwalker was a werewolf.

I had just left the Princess’ side and was roaming the halls ensuring nothing needed tending to. Once I confirmed that nothing required my attention, I retired to my bedchamber. I had just removed my corset when I heard the heavy door open and close.

I turned to the door, surprised to see Stan was standing there.

I stepped towards him thinking there was some emergency. His breathing was heavy, almost panting, and his pupils were obviously dilated.

I grabbed his hand with growing concern, “Is everything okay?”

He glanced away briefly, his hand tightening around mine.

“You’re in heat,” Stan growled low as he brought my wrist to his nose, “I can smell it on you,”

I tried to pull my wrist from him to no avail. It was something I was trying to hide, and apparently, I’d been unsuccessful. I should have known he’d figure it out, but everything still took me by surprise. I panicked knowing the full moon would rise in just an hour or two.

“I’ve always wanted you,” He pulled me into him, his voice growing thin, “But now I need you,”

He let go of my wrist and grabbed the shoulders of my dress, pushing the garment down past my chest to my waist. He stopped for just a moment, distracted by my breasts, then pushed my dress down past my hips and onto the floor.

“It’s fucking fate,” Stan said as he pushed me onto the bed.

As Stan stood over me, his eyes lasciviously combed over every bit of my naked body and I could see exactly how badly he needed relief as he stroked his throbbing hard-on over his pants. The guy looked huge. The idea of him fucking me was scary… and a little exciting. Very exciting.

“Us… like this,” His breath hitched as he unbuckled his heavy belt before letting it and his sword fall to the floor with a metallic clang, “Full moon. Heat. Rutting. All at once,”

He pulled off his helmet, dropped it and I still wasn’t sure what to do. I was attracted to him, but there were rules. I disliked the notion of some guy bursting into my room and deciding he could do whatever he wanted with me. More than that, I hated the idea that I wasn't in control of my own body's reaction to someone like him.

“Stan… We shouldn’t, it could cause so many problems,” I thought maybe I could reason with him...

As he climbed on top of me and settled between my legs, it was impossible to ignore the wet warmth pooling in the very place he wanted to lay claim to.

He pulled off his tunic and I was the one who was momentarily distracted, I never realized what a good body he had. He unbuttoned his pants and pushed them down to his thighs.

My heart raced, I could hear it pounding in my ears as I stared at his cock. God, it was immaculate. He was so thick and dripping wet with so much precum, I had the urge to lick him clean.

"Please? Please," Stan's voice thinned to a whimper as he stroked himself over me, "I need you,"

I was already wet with slick but seeing him want me so desperately turned me on even more.

“It has to be you,” He whined as he leaned over me, kissing my neck as he rubbed the tip over my slit, coating himself in my desire, “Please...”

He pushed into me, slowly pushing my body to its limits inch by inch as he sank inside.

His body shuddered over mine as he held steady, I think he was trying to let me adjust to his size, but he was so big, there was no real adjusting to it.

Stan’s hips started to shift into me in long, deep strokes and I was whimpering from the start.

“You’re so fucking perfect,” He groaned as his hot breath fell over my ear, “I knew you’d feel amazing,”

He started to pick up the pace, pounding into me harder, faster, harder. I moaned and writhed underneath him as my body tried to get used to this new rhythm.

His hand palmed my breast, rolling his thumb over my nipple. I couldn’t help but mewl. Stan twitched as he listened to me.

“You’re so responsive,” He leaned down and ran his tongue up my neck as he pinched my delicate bud.

A sheepish smile slid over his face, “I couldn’t stop now if I wanted to,”

I realized then that I could feel Stan's knot swelling inside of me.

He groaned as his hand slid over my cheek and his gaze was locked onto his thumb as it brushed over my lips, “You’re tied to me now,”

He locked his mouth onto mine and pushed his tongue into my mouth as his hips rocked in shorter, faster, deeper, harder strokes. As his tongue turned over mine, his dick was expertly massaging that sweet spot inside me and I knew I couldn’t take much more of this.

“Stan…” I tried to beg him to move slower, that I was too close, but he was preoccupied.

“I can’t wait to claim you. To fucking breed you,” He panted over me and his voice grew into a low growl, “I’m gonna keep going until I fill you up with pups,”

Stan leaned down, taking my nipple in his mouth, groaning into my breast. I cried out as his teeth grazed me. When he finally let go, there was a thin line of drool connecting his wet mouth to my breast.

His hips fell out of rhythm as each thrust became more and more urgent. His eyes were half-lidded and there was a look of satisfaction on his slack jaw as he pushed into me with each desperate, needy thrust.

My back arched and my muscles tensed up beyond measure. My nails pressed into his back, and I saw stars as all the pleasure in my body swelled, crested, and completely overtook me. A quivering moan poured from my mouth as the soft, silky walls inside my core closed around him and gripped his cock tight, like a pathetic, needy vice.

Stan's eyes rolled back, and a loud shuddering growl spilled out from deep within him. He bucked up into me with such a force, that I thought he was going to bruise something deep inside of me. He groaned and his hips twitched sporadically as his cock pulsed intensely, pumping me full of hot, sticky spurts.

He panted over me and I pushed on his chest trying to get him to move. He didn’t budge. Instead, his hand dipped between us.

“You’re still gonna be tied to me for a while…” His fingers began to rub my clit in tight little circles.

I writhed and whimpered under his touch and he seemed enamored as he watched my reaction.

“Anyway, it’s like I already I told you…” He groaned as his hips jerked into me, “I’m not gonna be done with you until you’ve been bred for sure,”

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technically-human · 1 day

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Hi! So I was scrolling through the dbda tags on Tumblr after seeing someone I follow reblog things from the tag; and all the art, gifs, etc. there made me curious about the show (though kind of especially your art). So I decided to look for some clips on YouTube and... spoilers... but I saw the last scene in which they hugged... and like I said, I've only recently been exposed to fan-made stuff about the show, so I didn't think I was particularly invested in the show... but that scene literally made me break down lmao. Seeing Charles stare at his hand after hugging Edwin? I was going insane. It could also be due to not getting enough sleeping, but I was legit sobbing while ranting to a random spider (the house is empty and my dogs are sleeping lol) about how that scene mirrors the scene in which Edwin realized he was in love... I wrote a two page rant. I don't even know if it's really even accurate or if I'm just making random assumptions based on fan-made art.

So now, now idk what to do- I mean, I'm definitely going to watch the show after getting some rest but like, any advice? (on how to be chill and normal about the show?) and sorry about the long ask, I'm jusy very unwell rn.

I'm very glad you have found the show, it seems like you will like it.

That particular scene truly is something else, huh? I mean, I would be completely willing to accept Charles doesn't reciprocate Edwin's feeling if not for that small detail. It is so subtle but so, so important. I'm sure the spider you ranted to agrees (and it's funny it was a spider, considering... Well, you'll see)

To be honest, if I knew how to be chill and normal about this show... Well, I still wouldn't be. But luckily, you have a lot of people here who are just the same!

To enjoy this show, I think I would advice... If you're the kind of person who cries while watching shows, have some water and tissues ready for all episodes. You never know what small detail might thrill or sadden you, and this show has a lot of them if you watch closely enough. And have someone to share your rambling with! If the spider is too busy, you can always tell me, I would love to hear your thoughts as you watch! :)

#ask ask ask #dead boy detectives

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fanfic-writer-and-rambler · 2 days

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Tim Drake and Jason Todd fic excerpt

Words: 650

Type: Comfort/Angst

Let me know what you guys think, this isn't the official chapter, just wanted to post this and show off my practice writing since I won't be posting chapters written like a tv script (what could've been lol). Reblog, like or comment if you like it or want to give me some tips. Don't be too harsh lol.

Tim Drake lays on the floor of his bedroom as old jazz music plays on a record player connected to a large speaker in his room. It was a year after his dad died. Two years after his mom died and when holidays connected to his parents rolled around he'd shut himself off in his room, because what point is there in life? At least that's the stage he was at.

"How long has he been in there?" Bruce asked as he and Dick Grayson stood at the closed door to Tim's room.

Dick checked his watch, "He started at 4 in the morning so 15 hours."

Bruce nodded, crossing his arms. "It's not mother's day or father's day. His mother's birthday and death day isn't until-"

"Bruce, maybe we don't guess what parent based event is making him depressed." Dick said, glaring at Bruce.

Bruce nodded, "I was just throwing out options. Well, he'll be fine. He's done this before."

"That's not healthy," Dick said with a sigh.

"Hm... maybe. You have fun talking to him then."

Bruce walked off before Dick could protest.

He sighed, knocking on the door. "Tim, you want to hang out with me today?"

"There's no point to do anything today." Tim whispered as he stared at the wall in front of him. "Let me wallow in the depths of my loneliness."

"We can get lunch, see a movie, whatever you want," Dick said.

Tim groaned, rolling his eyes. He stood up to open the door to his room, Dick jolted shocked at his brother's disheveled appearance.

"Have you taken a shower?" Dick asked.

"No. I'm staying in until my dad's birthday has ended. Leave me alone until then." With that, Tim calmly closed the door, walked back to his spot on the ground and resumed laying on the floor.

"Birthday! That's what was today," Dick said, snapping his fingers. He paused realizing how bad that reaction was. "With that knowledge, Bruce and I will leave you alone for the day."

"Fantabulous." Tim grumbled as he hit replay on his dad's favorite jazz song for the fifteenth time. Closing his eyes, he went into his mind about to remember the good times he had with his father.

...

Tim left his room three hours after talking to Dick, he was thirsty and needed to drown his sorrows with coffee. As he entered the kitchen, he walked by Jason without saying a word, grabbed a big bottle of cold brew coffee from the fridge and sat down at the table.

"Hi Tim," Jason said, surprised the young man hadn't said anything to him.

Tim grunted, unscrewing the cap on the bottle and chugging from it. Jason watched this with confusion, unsure of what to say.

He has only dealt with Tim's annoyingly energetic and nerdy attitude, but he had never seen him look depressed. He was also concerned with the fact the 5'7 man managed to down the entire bottle of cold brew without taking a pause. Tim laid the bottle on the table and stared at the ceiling.

"I feel nothing," Tim said, emotionlessly.

"Mm-hm," Jason said examining the empty bottle.

"I wish I died twice to save them, but now all I'm left with is dead parents, depression, ADHD and anxiety."

"Facts," Jason said, nodding.

"How do I go on?"

"Fucking Christ, come on!" Jason yanked Tim by his shirt and walked him out of the Wayne Manor, to his car and tossed him in the back. "We're taking you outside."

"I want to lay in sorrow," Tim whimpered. "At least feeling mentally dead will get me a little closer to my parents."

"We can do that where I'm taking you." Jason turned the key to start his car and drove off. "By the way, dude you are acting more emo than Bruce on a good day. We're going to get you some fresh air and burn your clothes."

Tim moaned in sadness.

"Glad you agree," Jason said, ignoring Tim.

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daenysthedreamer101 · 2 days

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Daughter of Steel and Bronze ~ HOTD

Ch 15 - To Mend a Broken Heart

HOTD x Targaryen!OC, Targaryen!OC x Harwin Strong

Warnings: slight make-out session? They get a bit horny lol. Daena and Harwin being sappy, love-sick fools, fluffy overall

A/N - I'm obsessed with this painting of the knight and the lady. It's so beautiful and represents Harwin and Daena so well

HOTD masterlist

"Not much can be said for the couple following years - Queen Alicent gave birth to another son, Prince Aemond in 116 AC. Once again, Princess Rhaenyra's status as heir was questioned, but the King ignored all the whispers at court.

On Driftmark, Prince Daemon wed Lady Laena Velaryon. Many took notice of this, as the wedding followed quickly after the death of his first wife, Rhea Royce. Not even a year has passed and the Rogue Prince found himself a second wife.

His daughter, Princess Daena, stayed shrouded in black for an entire year, following the death of her mother. The once vivacious princess was now a shell of her former self, refusing to eat or drink, barely sleeping, and confining herself to her chambers. Some believe she never truly recovered."

(Fire & Blood, Being a History of the Targaryen Kings of Westeros, by Archmaester Gyldayn)

116 AC

During the first two months after her mother's passing (before Rhaenyra's wedding), Daena visited the Eyrie, intending to speak to its ruling Lady, Jeyne Arryn. They discussed her inheritance and her new role as Lady of Runestone.

Daena knew that as Rhea's only child, she was the heir to Runestone and upon her mother's death, she became its new ruler. But there was just one problem. She was Daena Targaryen, not Daena Royce.

She had Royce blood. She was raised at Runestone and knew the castle better than any living soul and the Vale had a special place in her heart. But, she was a dragon. She was fire and blood. She loved her mother's side of the family dearly but, she could never part ways with her last name. She could never imagine herself as anything other than a Targaryen.

That is why she flew to the Eyrie and spent three whole days there, talking with Lady Jeyne for hours. She also reconnected with her distant cousin, Jessamyn Redfort, a 'dear companion' of Lady Jeyne.

Following Rhaenyra and Laenor's less-than-perfect wedding, Daena (with the King's permission) relocated to Dragonstone, where she spent most of her time, mourning. There was no way in the Seven Hells she would spend any unnecessary time at King's Landing, for she loathed the city. She also had no desire to go back to Runestone, even though it was her birth-given right and duty.

Ultimately, she settled for Dragonstone, the ancestral home of House Targaryen. Both she and her dragon loved the smoky air and gloomy atmosphere of the island. There, she could sulk in peace, without worrying about what the lords and ladies of the Red Keep would say.

With her, Daena brought Harwin and Hanna. Joy, the older and more outgoing of the two sisters, was married off to Ser Elmo Tully, the heir to Riverrun and the future Lord Paramount of the Riverlands. Initially, Daena was quite sad; she would miss Joy's lively spirit. But on further thought, she realized it would be a good thing to have one of her most trusted friends become the future Lady of Riverrun.

The months she spent on Dragonstone were quiet, peaceful, and healing. On the nearby island of Driftmark, her father and Lady Laena were wedded; not even half a year has passed and her father has already found himself a new wife. It stung Daena, the fact her father was so quickly able to move on from her mother's death as if she never existed. She did not attend their wedding.

But, Lady Laena was kind, beautiful, of pure Valyrian blood, and as of late, a dragon rider. Months before Rhaenyra's wedding, Laena claimed Vhagar, the largest dragon in the world. Vhagar was almost two hundred years old and was one of the three dragons Aegon I used to conquer Westeros. Only a bold spirit could claim such a beast and Laena proved she was worthy of riding the Queen of all dragons.

Harwin didn't know what to make of Dragonstone. The first time he laid his eyes on the island it was hidden by fog and mist, the smell of salt and smoke hitting his nose. The castle itself was a wonder to see; built by the last Valyrians, it was an homage to their once-powerful Empire. It was wholly non-Westerosi. Everything about it was made to honor and glorify dragons.

It was unnerving to live in, to say the least. A grim place, Dragonstone was built with arcane arts, fire, and sorcery. Draconic architecture could be found in every nook and cranny of the castle. Door handles, murals, candles, goblets, chairs, tables, mirrors, wall carvings, statues; the entire castle was shaped like one giant dragon. Harwin did not like the idea of living inside a dragon's belly.

But who was he to disobey his darling Princess?

Speaking of said Princess, she was leaning on one of the many balconies that were perched up on the walls of the castle. She seemed in deep thought, her gaze focused on the roaring sea. She looked so hauntingly beautiful, Harwin thought; her long silver hair was pulled up, and she was shrouded in black as she always was these days. Around her neck, she wore the Valyrian steel necklace her father gifted her.

He stood behind her, slightly to her right, watching, observing her. Her face was expressionless, but he could see so much pain and grief inside her lilac eyes. She drummed her fingers against the stone balcony.

"I wish to walk on the beach." She said quietly.

Harwin looked up at the sky - large, grey clouds were covering up the sun and it looked like it would rain any minute.

"Are you certain, Princess? What if it rains?"

"Then we'll be wet." She stated, turning to face him.

Her once lively face was blank, and Harwin couldn't help but notice how her new way of dressing made her look significantly older than she was. Before he could respond, she walked past him, quickly descending the long flight of stairs.

The bottom of her black gown dragged across the wet sand but she paid it no mind. The wind carried a scent of smoke and salt, something she enjoyed immensely. There was a certain coolness to the air which indicated to her it would rain soon. As someone who spent a lot of time high up in the air, she knew the telltale signs of an incoming storm.

"I received a letter from Joy this morning," Harwin said, breaking the silence.

She looked up at him. "You did? What does it say?"

"She says the Tullys are most hospitable and that they take great care of their future Lady."

Daena smiled at the news. She was glad the Tullys were taking good care of her friend.

"There's more," Harwin added and stopped suddenly.

Daena stopped as well, waiting for him to reveal more news.

"She is with child."

Daena was speechless. "That's wonderful! You're going to be an uncle!"

Harwin chuckled. "I suppose I will."

Daena's smile faded. "...I haven't received any letter from her since she moved to Riverrun. I think she's cross with me."

Harwin furrowed his brows. "Why do you think that?"

"Because...I didn't attend her wedding." She mumbled, nervously playing with her necklace.

Harwin chuckled once again. He took hold of her hand, kissing the inside of her wrist. Putting his other hand around her waist, he pulled her closer, their faces inches away. He placed his forehead against hers.

"It is not in my sister's nature to be resentful. It must have slipped her notice once she found out she was pregnant." Harwin said quietly, looking deeply into Daena's eyes. Her pupils were wide, making her eyes appear darker. She placed her other hand on his forearm.

"I- I suppose you are right." She whispered, her eyes falling to his lips.

He smiled at her, nudging his nose against hers, and kissed the side of her head. She sighed in contentment, placing her head onto his breastplate. The cool metal felt nice against her hot skin. He placed many small kisses on top of her head, holding her tightly against his body. He inhaled the scent of her hair - lemon and rose oil.

She felt her heart skipping a beat. Ever since her mother's death, she's been...distant and formal with Harwin, ignoring the way he looked at her, ignoring whenever he called her 'love.' In a way, she was punishing herself, abstaining from his touch, depriving herself of any joy.

Not anymore.

"Kiss me." She pleaded, looking up at him, her eyes full of desperation and desire.

Harwin was taken aback. They haven't had any intimate moments ever since Lady Rhea passed. Daena noticeably distanced herself, and he respected her wishes even though it broke his heart. And now here she was, begging for his love.

"Are you certain?"

Daena tsked and grabbed his head, pulling him down and connecting their lips. He stumbled a bit, not expecting her to react that way. He put his hands on her hips, squeezing her soft flesh. Her fingers were tangled in his dark curls, drawing him closer.

He grabbed the back of her head, deepening the kiss. He gently bit her lower lip, making her gasp in surprise, giving him further access to ravage her mouth. All the little noises she was making were spurring him on and he couldn't help but notice his pants tightening.

"Harwin..." She whined his name and it sent a shiver down his spine.

"The things you do to me, you pretty little thing...You don't even know." He groaned in her ear and the sound went straight to her core, making her clench around nothing. His hot breath made the hairs on her neck stand up.

"But I do...You have ignited a fire in my heart and it burns so sweetly I wish for it to burn forever. I wish for it to consume me whole."

His hold on her hips tightened and it ached slightly, but she didn't dare to move. A low growl left his throat as he inhaled her scent. "Those are dangerous words, little dove."

"I know you feel the same way." She whispered into his ear.

Before he could respond, the sky opened and rain started pouring from the clouds above. To her surprise, he picked her up and ran toward the castle. A gasp escaped her lips upon realizing her feet were off the ground.

For the first time in months, she laughed.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Hanna screeched as she saw the Princess and her brother enter the castle, sopping wet.

"We were just taking a stroll on the beach," Daena answered innocently as Hanna dragged her toward her chambers.

"Quick, Princess! We must change your clothes or you'll get sick." Hanna rambled on as they reached the room's door.

Daena chuckled at her friend's worry. "No need to worry so much, my dear. I'll be fine."

Hanna clicked her tongue and shook her head in disapproval, catching sight of her brother. "You too, Harwin. Go and change."

"Why of course, my Lady," Harwin said with a smirk.

"I'm serious!" Hanna hissed angrily at her big brother.

"Alright Hanna, dear, I'm sure Ser Harwin can take care of himself. Now, come and help me get out of this dress. I'm positively soaked." Daena said, pulling Hanna by her sleeve.

"Congratulations on your sister's pregnancy," Daena muttered as Hanna massaged oils into her skin. The light of the now-waning sun trickled faintly into her bedchamber. The fireplace was lit, warming the room and adding additional light. Daena was ready to retire for the day.

"...You know?" Hanna asked, her voice coated with surprise.

"Harwin told me while we strolled on the beach," Daena said, leaning back in her bathtub.

Hanna stayed quiet.

"What's the matter?" Daena asked.

"Nothing, Princess."

"Hanna. I know you. You've been unusually snappy today. Something's bothering you. Won't you confide in me? I thought we were friends."

"It's just- Joy's pregnancy. It made me think of my own life."

"Yes?"

"I'm afraid Father will soon marry me off."

"Would that be a problem?"

"I-"

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Hanna wiped her hands, got up, and went to see who was knocking. Daena could hear the measter's hushed voice. Hanna was back with something in her hands.

"A letter for you Princess. From King's Landing."

A sigh escaped Daena's lips. She perched herself up, picked up a towel from the side of the tub, and wiped her hands. Hanna handed her the letter.

Her eyes went over the lines over and over again. A frown appeared on her face and an agitated groan left her lips. She crumbled the letter and threw it away.

The Princess was in a foul mood this morning, Harwin noticed. He could see it in her eyes, in the way her jaw was tense, in the way her brows were furrowed. Instead of talking, she sighed, clicked her tongue, and rolled her eyes at everyone. She was annoyed, dare he say angry.

Why? Harwin didn't know.

They were now in Aegon's Garden - it was filled with tall dark trees, wild roses, and cranberries. It had a pleasant piney smell. Daena sat down on a large bench made of black stone. She patted the seat next to her and Harwin sat down.

She took a deep breath, taking in the scent of all the wildflowers. "This was always my favorite part of the island. I like how quiet and peaceful it is here. I've never felt such tranquility anywhere else."

"... I'm sure you have noticed my less-than-pleasant behavior today. I'm sure you've wondered why that is."

She handed him a crumbled letter. "This is why."

Harwin's brows were furred as he read it. "So, what does this mean?"

Daena sighed, looking down at her feet. "It means that as soon as I finish my mourning, the Queen will try and marry me off to a lord of her choosing. She will whisper in my Uncle's ear, just like her father did. She'll try and convince him it's for my own good."

"I would sooner jump into Vermithor's mouth and let myself get eaten alive than let her control my life."

Harwin smirked. He knew she would do it.

"There is only one course of action I can take." She said, turning to face him.

"And that is?"

"I need to find a husband, by myself."

Harwin's heart skipped a beat at the mention of her marriage. It would be a lie to say he hasn't fantasized about marrying Daena, or at least offering himself as a candidate for her hand. He never verbalized those dreams because he never thought himself worthy of her hand, let alone her love.

"He will be one lucky man, whoever he is." He whispered, looking at a rose bush in the distance.

"Yes, yes he will be." She said pointedly while looking at him. She grabbed his hand once she realized he wouldn't look at her.

"...Princess?" Harwin uttered. He was overwhelmed by the feeling of her warm hands wrapped around his.

"Harwin..." She called teasingly. A wide smile was on her face, a glitter of determination in her eyes.

"You don't mean-"

"You, silly. I'm talking about you. Marry me, Harwin."

He felt like somebody punched him right in the gut, his lungs begging for air. His heart drummed wildly in his chest as he processed her words. Daena Targaryen, daughter of the Rogue Prince, rider of Vermithor, the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, was asking him for his hand in marriage.

"I'm not worthy of you."

Daena did not expect those words to come out of his mouth. Why would he think that?

"Why would you say such a thing?" She asked more harshly than she wanted.

He stayed silent.

"If not you, then who? Who is worthy of my love if not you, my brave knight?" She inquired, her voice softer.

"I-"

"Do you not feel the same way? You...you don't love me?" She finally asked, cutting to the heart of the problem. Her voice cracked, tears welling in her eyes. This was the first time they had a conversation about what they were to each other.

Harwin took note of the uncertainty in her voice and the fear in her eyes; fear that perhaps, she was wrong and he never truly loved her. He needed to put her mind at ease.

He got down on one knee and held her hands.

"There are no words in any language on this earth to describe how I feel about you, how much I adore you. You have...bewitched my heart, body, and soul. Even in my dreams, I could not escape you. Countless nights I have spent thinking about you, praying to every god imaginable, and thanking them that I get to spend my life serving you - my darling Princess, the one who holds my heart.

If you told me right now to fall on my sword, I would. If you told me to throw myself off the Wall, I would. I would kill for you. I would die for you. I would follow you to the ends of the earth. If you banished me and told me to leave your side, I would if it meant you were happy. Gods, I- I never thought this day would come but, will you marry me and be my lawful wife?"

She couldn't believe her ears. Or her eyes. She was beyond herself, to say the least.

"Daena?"

Her mouth was dry and her tongue twisted. His words struck a chord in her heart and she felt like it would burst out of her chest from how loudly it was beating. Tears blurred her vision and she could feel his calloused hand wiping them off her face.

"No tears, my love. This is a happy occasion, is it not?"

She only nodded, not trusting her voice. More tears ran down her face as realization of the situation set in her mind. Harwin loved her. He loved her. He asked her to be his wife.

"Come here, beautiful." He said as he pulled her onto his lap. She placed her head on his shoulder, the cold metal of his armor helped calm her down. He brushed his fingers through her silver tresses. He could hear her sniffing and her body shook slightly as she held onto his body tightly.

"Harwin?"

"Yes, Princess?" He asked, looking down at her.

"I love you." She whispered, a little pout on her pink lips.

"I love you too." He whispered back, kissing her softly.

They sat in silence for a while, holding each other and taking in the scent of wild roses. Little birds chirped high above them and the wind whistled. They stayed there until the sun went down and the moon showed its silver face.

Taglist: @ateliefloresdaprimavera

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ruegarding · 4 months

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hello! I hope your having a good day! If you don't mind me asking, what is your opinion on the Cupid Scene in Hoo? And if you could how would you change it?

my opinion on the cupid scene…well, i don't think a traumatic coming out scene is automatically bad. the problem i have w it is that rick capitalized on shock value instead of good writing. rick retconned a bunch of things to make nico alone and miserable so that he could have this scene, and it was completely unnecessary. ppl can have friends without coming out. and, as i’ve repeatedly said, the way hoo is written is literally a repeat of his arc in pjo but worse, because we’re acting like important events in pjo didn’t happen in a series that’s supposed to be a sequel to pjo and rick is inconsistent so the payoff is questionable.

the solution is…good writing. creating a cohesive and intriguing plotline where this scene is either necessary or scrapped if it isn’t.

thus begins an unnecessarily deep dive into all the retcons, inconsistencies, and general what-the-fuckery of nico’s arc in hoo bc i’m the verbose king and we've accidentally stumbled into something i have a lot to say abt.

first retcon. in son, frank explicitly says that nico does not make him nervous and describes nico as mysterious. not weird, creepy, off-putting, or anything similar. and nico is! he is clearly hiding things and shows up infrequently. this is a neutral description, and frank goes on to say that pluto’s powers, and specifically the underworld, isn’t enough to make him dislike pluto or nico.

also this, showing nico is comfortable enough around frank:

but then in hoh, frank thinks going somewhere with nico, alone, is terrifying.

at worst, frank would’ve felt awkward. they’ve never had to talk alone bc nico is at camp jupiter for hazel and doesn’t have any reason to talk to frank by himself. if frank didn’t want to be alone w nico bc of that, it’d make sense. but that’s not what’s said or implied! and nothing has happened! nico got kidnapped, they saved him, and since then he’s been chilling on the boat, exactly as weird as before, if a little more understandably distressed. like, nothing happened to change frank’s opinion this drastically. even the difference between pluto and hades (wealth vs death) doesn’t matter bc nico uses his powers in son. also frank literally summons a skeleton guy in son and hazel is a zombie, like…

(the source isn’t important but i've been quoting these five seconds for years)

oh! and that’s not all, it gets worse!

these scenes from hoh are incredibly infantilizing. why are we treating nico like a feral dog that needs to be domesticated??? yikes. and once again, it’s not true! nico was fine talking w ppl in pjo (if a bit over-enthusiastic). and then in son he was perfectly civil and was fine having the conversation abt the quest. his issue w ppl was that his powers/parentage put ppl off, and, even in son, that he had to keep a secret.

nico is perfectly capable of speaking like a normal person and working as part of a team (see: final botl battle, final tlo battle, the sword of hades). like, nico’s struggle in hoh should be 1) that ppl are calling him creepy behind his back (and therefore has nothing to do w his social skills) and/or 2) that he just survived an incredibly traumatic experience and is understandably withdrawn. neither of these are properly addressed and instead the implication is that nico is hiding himself bc he’s gay and everything will be solved if he accepts himself.

edit: i never actually explicitly stated this, but nico's queer coding and disability coding overlap, which is why this infantilization/ableism is important enough to highlight despite the conversation specifically being abt the queer aspect of it.

second retcon. percy…as i’ve said many times before, percy explicitly calls nico his friend in tlo.

this immediately makes hoo trying to act like they don’t know each other and were never close a retcon. they were friends, they saw each other frequently, nico made silly jokes w percy…and we’re ignoring all of this in hoo.

i've talked abt this previously (in response to tsats), but nico is the one putting distance between him and percy. percy reached out to nico repeatedly thru pjo.

when percy notices that nico excludes himself, percy finds a private place to talk to nico and assures him that percy wants him around and offers solutions to his discomfort (this is not percy’s responsibility. percy is a child). when nico insists that he won’t stay, percy sees it from nico’s perspective and, instead of forcing nico to do something against his will that may totally backfire, says “i hope we don’t have to be enemies,” leaving room for nico to decide whether he’s willing to be friends.

bc percy understands the root of nico’s issue (that no matter the accommodations made at camp, there’s always going to be the implicit message that he doesn’t belong there), he addresses it and uses his wish to make sure that nico has a home at camp.

and when nico tries to prove he’s useful, percy proves he would’ve invited him in whether nico was or not. bc he thinks nico deserves to be a kid.

“i wonder if [nico] had ever had a birthday party,” percy thinks at his own birthday party where he didn’t invite his friends bc he felt it was too much of an inconvenience, in a story where he never had friends prior to these ppl he didn’t invite, and the only person he had for twelve years of his life was his own mother. and percy uses his own loneliness to empathize w how lonely nico is.

percy is not some distant figure nico is idolizing. he's a kid trying his best to care for another kid at a time where no one else did, while experiencing his own trauma. all of their hang-ups exist bc of that.

going back to their relationship in hoo, even trying to make percy uncomfortable w nico’s powers (and therefore not wanting to associate w nico) doesn’t work bc percy has gone on record and said he thinks some of nico’s powers are cool and has neutral responses to others, not to mention percy is also a big three kid who makes other ppl wary (i could write a whole meta on how what percy finds disturbing w nico’s powers is directly tied to what percy finds disturbing w his own powers, but i’ll restrain myself. please clap).

and if that wasn’t enough, the entire reason percy stood up to hera in botl is bc she was willing to let nico die specifically bc he doesn't fit in bc of those powers.

this plotline was tired before it even began.

you could argue that all of this changed w nico’s betrayal in tlo. but then why didn’t percy tell anybody when it happened in tlo (annabeth would’ve reacted to it if he had)? why did percy trust nico to come when he called? why didn’t any of percy’s animosity come out afterwards at camp? and in the throne room, percy didn’t have to single nico out w his wish. he didn’t have to watch nico to make sure he was settling in. but he did. and because he did, any writing that suggests percy doesn't trust or care abt nico bc of that is bad writing. maybe rick forgot this, but u can be angry w and hurt by the ppl you love and still love them.

even the justification that nico lied in son isn’t good enough to completely change their relationship, bc it’s pretty clear why nico lied and percy says he can’t stay angry at nico when they rescue him, and let me remind u, anger is a core part of percy's character. while nico lying might be enough for characters like leo and jason, who have no rapport w him, to doubt him, it’s not enough for percy. and why are we so obsessed w dismantling percy and nico’s friendship anyway? why is that necessary to the story? like i said before, ppl can have friends without coming out. isolating the only queer character (at the time) isn’t necessary.

this conflict doesn’t even work in hoo bc their distance is still one-sided…

when did percy not give nico a second chance in hoo? the only times they’ve interacted prior to this was when percy remembered nico in son and tried to talk to him and then when they saved his life. and then nico brushes off percy's gratitude and tells him to back off. this is not nico idolizing percy who doesn't care abt him. this is percy reaching out and yet again nico putting distance between them.

and, obviously, this doesn’t work at all w pjo when the entirety of botl exists, you know, where percy chose to trust and protect nico and then went out of his way to make sure nico knew percy held none of nico’s anger against him. it’d be one thing if nico was supposed to be wrong, but considering how there’s an entire arc in hoo abt jason being the first person to trust nico, and tsats seriously acts like percy only ever talked to nico when he needed something, it’s safe to say this comes from a place of stupidity.

ok. this sections getting long, so i moved the it was stupid to have percy give jason a reason to doubt nico section to a new post. but know that i'm aware and i think it's stupid.

back to the point of all these retcons w percy. there's nothing in hoo that necessitates changing percy and nico's relationship from pjo. while percy in hoo is never cruel to nico, they act like strangers for some reason. so, it's changed for no reason and it's written poorly.

sigh. and then all of chb is retconned (or recycled if you’re feeling generous).

the ppl at camp accept him while his cabin gets built. pretty nice. then in boo nico reveals they got tired of him after a week–which is still summer–despite there being an influx of kids from all descents, some of whom would be weird or uncomfortable or whatever this justification is. that’s not even mentioning how percy’s own experiences (remember how he was ostracized…multiple times…) should have made them more accepting of nico.

why…was this necessary at all…? especially when u have an entirely different camp that treats nico as weird bc they didn’t have that good experience w him? this is really what gets me. if rick wanted to be lazy and repeat nico’s arc, he could’ve done so without retconning things.

for example, with the seven, leo, piper, jason, and maybe annabeth (she doesn’t have much to say abt nico in pjo), i could understand having animosity towards nico, as well as camp jupiter, but retconning established relationships to make ur only (at the time) queer character isolated and miserable only to then have his coming out be violent and traumatic is. well. bad! especially when the person who is w him for that experience is not someone he has built any sort of camaraderie w. nico isn’t choosing to trust jason, he’s being forced to.

and the whole nico-needs-to-learn-to-trust-ppl plot doesn’t work anyway bc of rick’s inconsistencies.

jason has a moment much like frank where he doesn’t want to go anywhere w nico bc nico is so weird and scary. nico has every right to pull himself away from ppl who treat him like he’s got something contagious. and there’s more:

“since when does jason defend nico,” as in they have shit on nico before and jason has not, in the past, defended nico. as in nico had every reason to not trust jason prior to this bc everyone, including jason, were talking shit behind his back. why are we acting like nico is being unreasonable? oh no, y’all are talking behind my back…clearly it’s my fault bc i push everyone away and that has nothing to do w ur behavior or anything…yes this is good writing.

and we’re supposed to believe that jason (and reyna and hedge and will) is the first person to be kind/reach out to nico, but we have this scene from botl where percy comforted nico and gave him a piece of his childhood back:

and this is after percy cleared the air to make sure nico knew he didn’t hate him and offered to make accommodations for nico at camp and then respected and understood why nico wouldn’t want to. like,

woah, you’re telling me that a character reaches out to nico after a traumatic experience in an act of kindness and this helps nico grow as a person? and it happens multiple times?! yeah, apparently rick and fandom have completely forgotten abt this (also hazel exists???). they’re even phrased similarly! “maybe it’s time to take a risk and embrace something you’ve pushed away.” furthermore, they both support their point by helping nico, percy by inviting nico into his home to enjoy cake and ice cream, jason by drinking from the chalice. once more w feeling: nico has been loved the entire goddamn time!

i get what rick was trying to accomplish w the whole cupid scene concept. which is that it’s okay to be gay and that it can feel very “othering” to be gay. nico has to accept himself in order to make friends. that’s what this

and this

are trying to say, right, but this doesn’t work when you’ve blatantly retconned established relationships to have characters push nico away for his powers/parentage/whatever. nico’s struggle is not an internal issue that can be solved by accepting himself, it’s an external issue caused by how other ppl treat him for his powers/parentage (which he has never been shown to reject btw).

the thing is, the powers-as-queerness metaphor only works when you don’t have, you know, characters who aren’t queer going through similar ostracization. not only was percy ostracized at chb in tlt for his powers/parentage (very similar to nico!), percy has a moment in this same book where his powers terrify annabeth, and then piper in the next book, in which he, you know, lets himself almost die to poison bc he feels like he “deserved it” for using those powers. again, this is not queer-coding for percy (unless…?). moreover, like i said, nico doesn’t reject his powers, so the whole queer-coding w powers and needing to accept himself is already iffy (...rejecting powers...hold the fuck up…percy isn’t…unless…). even the out-of-time metaphor doesn’t work bc it’s something he shares w hazel, who is not canonically queer (unless…?!). so, already, we’re on shaky metaphorical ground. all of this could work, theoretically, if combined w strong writing, but combined w the retconning and inconsistencies, this plotline makes no cohesive sense.

we’re supposed to believe that nico is the one pushing everyone away while they are secretly super supportive while simultaneously being shown that everyone talks and thinks shit that affirms nico’s thoughts abt them that makes him want to pull away. and then in boo we completely ignore that these ppl have been pushing nico away and suddenly everyone (reyna, hedge, will, etc) is supportive.

pick a struggle!

also nico’s coming out scene in boo sucked (yeah this is the segue).

this is the culmination of nico’s arc in hoo. he’s finally accepted himself enough to speak the truth without pressure. we ruined percy and nico’s established relationship for this. and they don’t even have a conversation. then nico walks over to will bc percy, “regular guy” percy, is “not [his] type.” don’t look too deep into that.

so, how would i fix the cupid scene? well.

there were a million different ways to write a better arc for nico and earn that cupid scene. for example, rick could’ve stuck to a plotline.

the trust plotline could’ve been good. bc this exact thing is what causes the accidental kidnapping situation in tlo. nico doesn’t trust percy enough to tell him the truth and chooses to manipulate and lie to percy instead. this choice is what sets up their conflict bc percy views this as betrayal (something that’s important to a guy who’s fatal flaw is loyalty).

it’s also interesting bc nico does choose to trust ppl in hoo; he eats the pomegranate seeds despite not knowing that someone is coming for him, he just trusts that someone will (we’re ignoring what boo says abt nico’s tartarus experience bc fun fact! that is also retconned). and it pays off, bc not only does he get saved, we see hazel and percy even willing to challenge the other members of the seven to make sure he gets saved. so, it’s not a lesson he’s already learned, it’s a lesson he’s learning. but, going back to the main question here, would the cupid scene still be necessary? was being dragged into tartarus and almost dying not enough spectacle?

regardless, my biggest problem w the cupid scene in all of this is that it gives the impression that u have to come out in order to have ppl love u and trust u. a much better message to send is that the ppl who love u will love u before and after u come out. no isolation necessary.

#shows up over a month late w an essay-length response as to why nico’s arc in hoo sucked #are u not entertained?#also hi! just realized i never said that lol #nico #rr crit #hoo crit #disability #queerness #answered #min talks pjo

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