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"She's my sister." Gendry put a heavy hand on the old man's shoulder, and squeezed. "Leave her be."

The man turned, spoiling for a quarrel, but when he saw Gendry's size he thought better of it. "Your sister, is she? What kind of brother are you? I'd never bring no sister of mine to the Peach, that I wouldn't." He got up from the bench and moved off muttering, in search of a new friend.

"Why did you say that?" Arya hopped to her feet. "You're not my brother."

"That's right," he said angrily. "I'm too bloody lowborn to be kin to m'lady high."

Arya was taken aback by the fury in his voice. "That's not the way I meant it."

"Yes it is." He sat down on the bench, cradling a cup of wine between his hands. "Go away. I want to drink this wine in peace. Then maybe I'll go find that black-haired girl and ring her bell for her."

"But...."

"I said, go away. M'lady."

Arya whirled and left him there. A stupid bullheaded bastard boy, that's all he is. He could ring all the bells he wanted, it was nothing to her.

-A Storm Of Swords

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My favourite thing about Gendrya in fics (and even canon did you see his expression in the knife throwing scene) is that Arya could do something dangerous or threatening and anyone else present would be terrified while Gendry has the biggest heart eyes imaginable.

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The way gendry is stationed at the last place arya was known to be.… protecting orphans when it was always arya who cared most about the children….. the layerss , it compels me 😔

it really is the way he’s intentionally stationed there that sets the entire thing off. 

 "Had it from one of Beric's bunch. The lightning lord is looking for her too. He's sent his men all up and down the Trident, sniffing after her. We chanced on three of them after Harrenhal, and winkled the tale from one before he died. [...] Later on, we heard how the Hound slew three of his brother's men at an inn by the crossroads. The girl was with him there. The innkeep swore to it before Rorge killed him, and the whores said the same.” (Brienne, AFFC)

like this isnt a fun lil narrative coincidence. he knows.............gendry knows that the crossroads is the very last place arya was seen. he’s there for her: waiting for her to come back? honoring her memory? sharpening his grief into anger like that sword he's forging? idk! but i do know its on purpose!

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yeah i really do think gendry probably feels like the situation at the crossroads is penance for him. he left arya and failed to protect her. now she’s gone and he’s staying at her last known location - guarding all these orphaned children. which is a pretty big development for a kid who once referred to a toddler as being “no use” (it was a stressful situation for all but still lol)

he’s angry too which is making him susceptible to the bwb. gendry gives no indication in affc of having any issues with their darker mission to get revenge for trw. he’s following their god, refers to them as friends, and tells stoneheart’s enemy she will answer for her crimes. and he could leave! gendry is a skilled worker and could find work almost anywhere. but he doesnt. he stays.

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I find it interesting that Gendry a boy who normally keeps to himself is the one to initiate a conversation between him and Arya, when she’s the more sociable one under normal circumstances.

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Arya was a skilled climber and a fast picker, and she liked to go off by herself. One day she came across a rabbit, purely by happenstance. It was brown and fat, with long ears and a twitchy nose. Rabbits ran faster than cats, but they couldn't climb trees half so well. She whacked it with her stick and grabbed it by its ears, and Yoren stewed it with some mushrooms and wild onions. Arya was given a whole leg, since it was her rabbit. She shared it with Gendry.

Okay but how many times do you think Gendry was offered this kind of minimal, basic, unreserved kindness? How many times do you think someone shared their scarce food with a bastard child in Flea Bottom without asking for anything in return?

Yes, Arya is often curt. Yes, I love that Gendry's friendship and trust in her is based on him being able to, unlike most people, see past her gender and height and fragile appearance, that he knows how strong she truly is. But sometimes I remember one of the first things Gendry must have noticed about her, one of the roots of their relationship, is that Arya -despite the hell she goes through- remains selfless. One of the first things he learnt about her, before he even knew her true name, is that Arya is kind.

And kindness had never been a constant in Gendry's life. Not before Arya.

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Arya: Crushes are the worst!

Gendry: I know, I always act stupid when I'm close to mine.

Arya: Pffftt you always act stupid

Gendry:

Gendry: Please, don't think too hard about this.

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Just give me one good movie kiss and I'll be alright.

I've been sitting on this for a while. I just really wanted a mid-battle Gendrya kiss.

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it's been forever but the "I always knew you're just another rich girl" & "you don't know any other rich girls" moment still hits all my buttons

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grrm writing a storm of swords: its very important to the plot that arya/gendry have cute banter and grow closer and they need a sweet scene where he sees her in a dress for the first time and forge flirting and a wrestling match that is clearly symbolic of future sexuality and a love song and i will introduce two new characters to stoke the flames of this romance and gendry will try to make arya jealous and arya will be deeply hurt when he joins the bwb and theres gotta be class angst and heartbreak mixed in with the blossoming love and-

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Book Gendrya Month 2023 - Day Eight - Romantic Tropes

Love Theme

Arya and Gendry share several romantic tropes in their story with each other, especially in A Storm of Swords, but I think one of their most significant romantic tropes that they have is their love theme.  And it’s so significant because GRRM went out of his way to specifically write this song for them and no one else as it doesn’t show up anywhere else in the books, just in Arya IV ASOS.

“My featherbed is deep and soft, and there I'll lay you down, I'll dress you all in yellow silk, and on your head a crown. For you shall be my lady love, and I shall be your lord. I'll always keep you warm and safe, and guard you with my sword." “And how she smiled and how she laughed, the maiden of the tree. She spun away and said to him, no featherbed for me. I'll wear a gown of golden leaves, and bind my hair with grass, But you can be my forest love, and me your forest lass.”

Now we know this song is about them because when Tom O’Sevens is singing it, he winks at Arya, and later Lady Smallwood specifically says to Arya “I have no gowns of leaves”.  The song specifically mentions yellow – a Baratheon color – and crowns - Gendry’s biological father was the former King - and depicts the free spirited “Maiden of the Tree” who wants love on her own terms, which sounds like what an older, flowered version of Arya would want if she fell in love even if that doesn’t necessarily mean literally forsaking noble life to live in a forest.  We also know this is about them because in the previous scene we get this:

Gendry put the hammer down and looked at her.  “You look different now.  Like a proper little girl.” “I look like an oak tree, with all these stupid acorns.” “Nice, though.  A nice oak tree.”  He stepped closer, and sniffed at her.  “You even smell nice for a change.”

During these scenes, Arya is wearing a pale green dress that is embroidered with acorns.  She also has a lot of “maiden of the tree” symbolism.  She is referred to several times as a squirrel while with the Brotherhood Without Banners and is often associated with the Children of the Forest and is a powerful skinchanger.  Arya worships the Old Gods and the Old Gods actually speak back to her from the trees.  She has learned “needlework” in the branches of weirwoods and other trees, and is often climbing trees.  And she has also ingested acorn paste numerous times to stay alive.

Gendry also has symbolic ties to trees. Gendry as a Baratheon (even a Baratheon bastard) is tied to the storm, the fury - thunder and lightning - and he carries a hammer just like the Norse god, Thor - god of lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of mankind and also hallowing and fertility. Thor's tree of life was an oak tree. So while Arya and Gendry are in the smithy at Acorn Hall, Arya represents the oak tree and Gendry represents a god of power that is linked to the oak tree. So Arya has symbolically become Gendry's Tree of Life, the oak tree he is forever linked to.

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Arya: That scowl makes you look so unapproachable

Gendry, secretly thrilled: and yet here you are

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Gendry: so when are you going out with me?

Arya: i don't know, gendry, when are you asking me?

Gendry: hm

later

Hot Pie: SO YOU JUST RAN AWAY??!?!

Gendry: I DIDN'T EXPECT HER TO FLIRT BACK!!!!

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Ah yes, the boy who’s currently staying at the last known location of Arya and who’s entire personality shifted because of her kidnapping is was definitely never intended to have any further importance in her story. Brienne reminding the readers of his parentage was also just a funny tidbit that George added for shits and giggles. No importance, he just wanted to make fun of Brienne for still liking Renly is all…

Also find it fucking hilarious that people sight the show as giving Gendry “more importance than he was ever intended for” ,when Arya just hooks up with him and fucks off while he’s left with a title but literally nothing else of importance in the story. He might as well have kept rowing. (On top of the show cutting a lot of their important scenes)

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GAME OF THRONES 2.02, The Night Lands