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I have many fandoms and many ships and have an ongoing love affair with villains and darker MCs

[fuckyeahrobrae]

RobRae Weekend dates and prompts are decided!! Thanks for voting, everyone :)

As always, you can use these prompts as inspiration or you can just do your own thing. Whatever you want. Just celebrate the love between Dick Grayson and Raven!

Tag your posts with #robrae and #robraeweek, but feel free to send me links to your posts just in case I miss them. Thanks!!

Day 1 - April 28th: The Bond / Secret Identity Shenanigans Day 2 - April 29th: Reunited / Books Day 3 - April 30th: Awkward Flirting / Rain Day 4 - May 1st: Movie Night / Workout / Birds

[robraeinnevermore]

they talked about it later

[coldasyou]

my new character arc is going to be getting involved in fandom drama for shows I’ve never actually seen 

[ladyspartacus]

The only respectable reason to get involved in fandom drama tbh

[fuckyeahrobrae]

It's official - this year, RobRae Weekend will be from April 28 - May 1! You guys should start submitting theme ideas, I'll set up voting for those on March 20th! So start submitting ideas asap!!!!

[thronesdetails]

“The scabbard was soft grey leather, supple as sin. Jon drew out the blade slowly, so she could see the deep blue sheen of the steel.”

[laboratorioautoral]

This line! Am I the only one to notice the sensuality in it? I mean, look at the choice of words GRRM made to describe a sword. It almost feels like a pact with the devil.

We all know that at this point Needle is sort of a forbidden object to Arya and Jon gives it to her for several reasons other than protection. It’s a way to show us how intimately he knows her desires and he’s not only understanding about them, he indulges them. The whole scene is about sharing a secret. They are doing something that’s not proper, acting behind Ned’s back and further in the book Arya says that she would never betray Jon, not even to her father.

The use of  the word “sin” is precisely what shocks me in this scene. I write fiction and I don’t take words’ choices lightly especially when I’m describing an object/scene that’s supposed to be very relevant along the narrative and believe me; this word is not there by coincidence. If you read it after you have learned about the original outlines, it makes you feel uncomfortable (not me. I ship it).

How does it feels to touch a phallic object covered in soft leather, supple as sin? Surely, not innocent.

[bringhersafetome]

Everything about that scene is so sensuous! It’s one of my favorite moments in the whole series so, obviously, I’ve read it a million times and, the more I read it, the less innocent it got.

Of course, I’ve been thinking all this time that it was me and my dirty mind and my wish to see Jon and Arya together in the future (and the knowledge that GRRM had planned it that way fueled my will) but now I’m thinking that maybe it isn’t just me. 

Let’s deconstruct the whole scene, shall we? (And, Lady Bee, your insight and wisdom would be much appreciated).

Arya was in her room, packing a polished ironwood chest that was bigger than she was. Nymeria was helping. Arya would only have to point, and the wolf would bound across the room, snatch up some wisp of silk in her jaws, and fetch it back. But when she smelled Ghost, she sat down on her haunches and yelped at them. 

During the whole series I’ve always thought that the direwolves mean something special, that each one of them is a symbol and that they represent something bigger to each Stark. (For example, Lady’s death could also mean the impending death of Sansa’s innocence. Bran choosing to name his direwolf Summer could mean that, in the future, it will be Bran the one to bring summer back to Westeros. Ghost as a foreshadowing of Jon’s death and possible revival. Nymeria, a conquering queen, a parallel to Arya’s future, and so on). 

With that in mind, I think that sentence is very important, specially complemented with this one right here:

They arrived, flushed and breathless, to find Jon seated on the sill, one leg drawn up languidly to his chin. He was watching the action, so absorbed that he seemed unaware of her approach until his white wolf moved to meet them. Nymeria stalked closer on wary feet. Ghost, already larger than his litter mates, smelled her, gave her ear a careful nip, and settled back down.

Ghost and Nymeria’s familiarity with each other and the stress the author makes on it, the relationship the direwolves have. We don’t see this with the other ones, and the mention of that simple action is unnecessary… unless, of course, GRRM wants us to think something by it.

Arya glanced behind her, saw Jon, and jumped to her feet. She threw her skinny arms tight around his neck. “I was afraid you were gone,” she said, her breath catching in her throat. “They wouldn’t let me out to say good-bye.”

We see it with the direwolves, now we see it with themselves. The familiarity, the affection, how comfortable they are with physical contact.

“What did you do now?” Jon was amused. 

Arya disentangled herself from him and made a face. “Nothing. I was all packed and everything.” She gestured at the huge chest, no more than a third full, and at the clothes that were scattered all over the room. “Septa Mordane says I have to do it all over. My things weren’t properly folded, she says. A proper southron lady doesn’t just throw her clothes inside her chest like old rags, she says.” 

“Is that what you did, little sister?” 

“Well, they’re going to get all messed up anyway,” she said. “Who cares how they’re folded?” 

“Septa Mordane,” Jon told her. “I don’t think she’d like Nymeria helping, either.” The she-wolf regarded him silently with her dark golden eyes. “It’s just as well. I have something for you to take with you, and it has to be packed very carefully.” 

Her face lit up. “A present?” 

“You could call it that. Close the door.” 

Am I the only one who got like, “Ooooh, Jon, what are you doing?” right here? It feels so intimate and private and mysterious. GRRM could’ve built this scene in a hundred different ways, yet he chose this one. 

There’s this present, but we don’t know what it is. Since Jon parts way with Robb, the writing builds expectation for this present and the first information we get about it? It’s forbidden so they have to close the door.

The way this is written it’s everything but innocent.

Wary but excited, Arya checked the hall. “Nymeria, here. Guard.” She left the wolf out there to warn of intruders and closed the door. By then Jon had pulled off the rags he’d wrapped it in. He held it out to her. 

The idea is reinforced. It’s so secretive, they need someone to guard the door. If the ages were different, older, I’m sure the reader’s first thought would’ve been something of sexual nature.

And, I’m saying it again because I feel it’s very important: there’s no need for this scene to be written like this, with that sensuous undertone… yet it is. And as a writer, I can’t help but think this is deliberate.

Arya’s eyes went wide. Dark eyes, like his. “A sword,” she said in a small, hushed breath. 

The scabbard was soft grey leather, supple as sin. Jon drew out the blade slowly, so she could see the deep blue sheen of the steel. “This is no toy,” he told her. “Be careful you don’t cut yourself. The edges are sharp enough to shave with.” 

Lady Bee made an excellent point on this already.

“Girls don’t shave,” Arya said. 

“Maybe they should. Have you ever seen the septa’s legs?” 

I read an analysis about this line in a forum of awoiaf.westeros.org so I’m quoting: 

Interesting is also their short exchange about women shaving. Aside that it shows how open are Jon and Arya with each other including bad jokes and deeply personal and awkward topics, I believe it have other layers to it. It could be nod to Arya shaving her head later (first as the Blind Beth IIRC) but it could be also read as a slight sexual undertone. Shaving (aside of shaving head) is connected to sexual maturity. Judging by Cersei’s second ADwD chapter Westerosi women almost surely do not shave any part of their bodies but in RW in culture GRRM comes from most women do, so do Novrosi women and it would not surprise me if it was a case in Braavos especially among courtesans. (x)

And with that I rest my case about that particular line because I wholeheartedly agree.

She giggled at him. “It’s so skinny.” 

“So are you,” Jon told her. “I had Mikken make this special. The bravos use swords like this in Pentos and Myr and the other Free Cities. It won’t hack a man’s head off, but it can poke him full of holes if you’re fast enough.” 

This one could possibly be my more far-fetched thought but I’m still mentioning it: They are talking about Arya’s body. So unnecessary, I think, to the narrative but it’s there (and there must be a reason). Plus, a shout-out to Jon’s thoughts about Arya being skinny (including the comparison with Ygritte) throughout the books.

“I can be fast,” Arya said. 

“You’ll have to work at it every day.” He put the sword in her hands, showed her how to hold it, and stepped back. “How does it feel? Do you like the balance?” 

“I think so,” Arya said. 

Physical contact. Must mention.

“First lesson,” Jon said. “Stick them with the pointy end.” 

Arya gave him a whap on the arm with the flat of her blade. The blow stung, but Jon found himself grinning like an idiot. “I know which end to use,” Arya said. A doubtful look crossed her face. “Septa Mordane will take it away from me.” 

This description feels very romantic, don’t you think? “Like an idiot” it’s a must reaction when talking about romance, it’s a giveaway and it’s almost a cliché in literature. Acting like an idiot it’s directly related to being in love and falling in love and how love makes us lose our judgement.

“Not if she doesn’t know you have it,” Jon said. 

“Who will I practice with?” 

“You’ll find someone,” Jon promised her. “King’s Landing is a true city, a thousand times the size of Winterfell. Until you find a partner, watch how they fight in the yard. Run, and ride, make yourself strong. And whatever you do…” 

Arya knew what was coming next. They said it together. “…don’t… tell… Sansa!” 

Again, reinforcing the idea of the secrecy and how this action is forbidden and, in Lady Bee’s words: “It’s a way to show us how intimately he knows her desires and he’s not only understanding about them, he indulges them. The whole scene is about sharing a secret. They are doing something that’s not proper […]”

Jon messed up her hair. “I will miss you, little sister.” 

Suddenly she looked like she was going to cry. “I wish you were coming with us.” 

“Different roads sometimes lead to the same castle. Who knows?” He was feeling better now. He was not going to let himself be sad. “I better go. I’ll spend my first year on the Wall emptying chamber pots if I keep Uncle Ben waiting any longer.” 

Arya ran to him for a last hug. “Put down the sword first,” Jon warned her, laughing. She set it aside almost shyly and showered him with kisses. 

A kiss, the biggest sign of love. Again: The familiarity, the affection, how comfortable they are with physical contact. 

And, please, this isn’t as sisterly as some people want to make it seem. I have a brother (two, actually, but I have my favourite) and I love him to death but I dont “shower him with kisses”. Not even when I was little and I used to follow him around everywhere. I don’t know siblings, not even one pair of siblings, that feels comfortable kissing each other’s faces. You only do it when your mother tells you to: “Say goodbye to your brother. Oh, come oooooon, give him a kiss” and you are like: “ugh, fine.” But, by choice? Nope.

When he turned back at the door, she was holding it again, trying it for balance. “I almost forgot,” he told her. “All the best swords have names.” 

“Like Ice,” she said. She looked at the blade in her hand. “Does this have a name? Oh, tell me.” 

“Can’t you guess?” Jon teased. “Your very favorite thing.” 

Arya seemed puzzled at first. Then it came to her. She was that quick. They said it together: 

“Needle!” 

The memory of her laughter warmed him on the long ride north. 

I think this one is self-explanatory. Because, please, interesting choice of words.

I quoted the whole scene so more people could join in the analysis and share their thoughts with maybe different lines that I didn’t use. 

I really think this scene, this very, very important scene, is everything but completely innocent. 

[ladyspartacus]

Obligatory reblog of this post again cause this is THE SCENE for me. It was the scene that made me first think Jon and Arya were The Pairing. And I didn't even know why at the time but this post sums it all up. It explains why my thoughts were 'oh? So they're gonna get together' when really this shouldn't have been the case. And mind you, I thought this based first on the show when it just came out. That's how strong Jon and Arya's connection comes across, and I was left hoping they'd find each other again(but only as siblings at this point). Now at the time I must admit I didn't yet ship it, it would be years yet before I did. But ultimately I lost my heart to jonrya. No, early on, I was team gendr*a like a lot of people, even though I could notice the parallels between Gendry and Jon and Ygritte and Arya. I thought not much on those parallels, just a light bit of 'oh I suppose I could see how this could lend to a jonrya ending but that's clearly not gonna happen' (oh what a silly summer child I was). And again I still hadn't yet read the books, but in my search for gendrya content cause I wasn't satisfied with just content from the show I began digging into the books and the hints, the foreshadowing, the suggestions of jonrya, the deep unconditional love they have for one another... well, they were overwhelming to say the least. It was impossible for me not to ship jonrya. As for gendry, well as much as I like him and liked the ship, I am no longer able to see it as a viable end pairing. Gendry to me sits in the same vein as Ygritte, no more than a stand in for the person Jon and Arya likely end up with, each other. And so back to what I was getting to, reblogging this cause this was THE SCENE that started it all for me.

[wickedhawtwexler]

me when other people tag me in things: this person??? thought about me???? i'm so flattered??????? 🥺💕🥺💕🥺💕🥺💕

me when i consider tagging someone in a post: i am annoying!!!! i am overstepping every single boundary!!!! i am making an absolute fool out of myself!!!!!!

[probuccalfat1]

the almost contentious but intimate relationship between a woman and the book she’s been trying to read for a year

[robrae-is-forever]

Robin looked his soulmate dead in the eye and told Raven "You give me hope" and you expect me to just not take that in the most romantic way possible like what the f*ck man

[navelee]

I love your drawing style! Can you draw a robrae Kiss? Please?

[fromtheseventhhell]

Interesting how George could've easily left Arya out of the Northern plot altogether considering she wasn't physically there, and yet he went out of his way to have her name be used and have an impact in the North...

[ladyspartacus]

Interesting how she's the only one with a POV in every book. It's almost like George is telling the readers that ARYA IS F****** IMPORTANT TO THE STORY.

[enmorestation-deactivated201712]

[trinityvixen]

I love how it is all polite history and then that post script

[zoi-no-miko]

I appreciate this as a reference

[astriloquuus]

arya being a surrogate mother figure to weasel is so important to me. she worries for her, defends her, cares and protects her as best as she can in the position they’re in. like they’re literally living off of bugs and arya is thinking about weasel’s hair.

and it comes so second nature to her - every time she is doing something for weasel, it’s just a sentence thrown in between whatever else is going on at the time. she never consciously thinks about caring for weasel, because she doesn’t have to - she just does.

[the-king-andthe-lionheart]

This shouldn’t stay in the tags because it’s too good of an addition:

[assigned-boyking-at-birth]

One of them will have to get finished eventually, right???

[grogusmum]

[blndraws]

🐺🥀🐺

[navelee]

[iriascend]

“Yeah, the carpet matches the drapes, hon’. Wanna see for yourself?”

Art commissioned from the amazing @gotham-gargoyle

Hot Tank Jason Todd Agenda continues, this time with bonus skunk stripe appreciation. 

[xaphrin]

For the Year of the OTP, choose whomever popped in your head first, cause that's the one that's resonating most with you. A teacher once told me I second guessed myself too much, and that she noticed my first answers were usually the correct ones(pencil erasers aren't the best at erasing lol). I've tried to take that advice all through my life since, and it's been more helpful than not. Surprisingly, especially when ordering food at a restaurant. I always get the best dish ;)

Anyways if you do the challenge I look forward to whomever you write!

That's the sweetest thing ever.

And, well it turned out the my first instinct was JayRae, and that's what @megwritesfanfiction suggested I do too. So, here we go, 2023 OTP will be 12 fics of JayRae. Meg and I are supporting each other in this, so I promise to get a fic out at the end of every month on AO3.

Here we go! Hopefully this will keep me on track for writing!