#* harlow chen // replies.

[fcrtheglcry]

open to: males / females / nonbinary (mutuals and non-mutuals) muse: harlow chen (they/them, bisexual), rookie adventurer and sword for hire

✧˚ · .  harlow sidled up next to the other, putting another drink down next to them. ❝ SO, ❞ they started, taking a sip from their own tankard. harlow had been bored in this town for the past several weeks, aching to get their hands on their sword again. not to mention the dwindling contents of their coinpurse. they needed a job – but they couldn’t do it alone. ❝ THE GUARDS AT THE PALACE HAVE BEEN GOSSIPING, AND THEY SAY THERE’VE BEEN REPORTS OF A DRAGON TO THE NORTH. ❞ they don’t stop talking long enough to let the other interrupt them, eager to get their entire speech out before they can be turned down. ❝ SUPPOSE’LY LAYING WASTE TO VILLAGES AND WHATNOT. IF WE KILLED IT AND BROUGHT BACK ITS TEETH. WE’D BE THE GREATEST HEROES IN THE LAND. ❞

[wildcr]

open to: females / nonbinary  plot: knight x princess au, that’s it that’s the plot

                 —                       “ALL DUE RESPECT, YOUR HIGHNESS,” harlow said, their breath coming in huffs. they shook off their sword, the blood splattering to the ground (and on harlow’s clothing, but that was a problem for a different moment), and looked around for more enemies hiding in the trees. they glanced back at the other, the royal reason they were here in the woods, agreed to a grand quest that was likely to get the both of them killed sooner or later. “BUT YOUR MOTHER SENT ME HERE TO PROTECT YOU, AND YOU ARE MAKING MY JOB VERY DIFFICULT BY RUNNING OFF ON YOUR OWN EVERY TIME YOU SEE A GODDAMN BUTTERFLY.”

[fcrtheglcry]

✧˚ · .  ❝ LI, ❞ harlow repeated, giving a small nod. but they were in a bit of a daze – that was settled far easier than they were expecting. no doubts of the mission’s possibility, no long hours planning how they would do it. but harlow didn’t know what to do with that information, so they just smiled and stood from the stranger’s – li’s – table. ❝ I’LL BE THERE, FIRST SUN, ❞ they said, marking over their chest to swear on it. ❝ AND WE’LL KICK THAT DRAGON’S ASS. ❞ but now what? harlow wasn’t great with people, but even they could tell that was as much a dismissal as anything. so harlow gave one more salute and left li alone again. they’ll just have to make sure they’re not late tomorrow morning, they thought as they retreated.

Confident. Li Hua liked and mocked it — or maybe it was the faint thrill of an adventure at the grasp of her fingertips, her usually cold bones somewhat agitated. Harlow was an interesting stranger, it seemed. And spoke of an interesting adventure. You see, Li Hua was easily bored but found entertainment in the oddest things.... Such as unreasonable ideas from enthusiastic humans. "Call me Li" she stated. For she belonged to the Li house... certainly not a smart nickname if she wasn't planning to go back to that fancy palace. But a bold one for a princess pursuing dragons, whose story certainly would fly away back to her parents' ears. She chuckled. Her mother would drop cold. "Meet me here, then, Harlow Chen, after the first sun tomorrow, yes?" she offered, chin rising, arrogant "If you are late, I'll find another guide and another sword, no questions asked".

[aijee]

i hope you don't mind asking me this, what made host/hostesses interest you, how you stumbled upon the documentary films about host/hostesses, is it recommended to you by someone? I'm really curious since i've read the price of mirrors and it's very well-written and detailed.

Honestly, it started from watching Ouran High School Host Club, which is an anime about, as you can probably tell, a host club in high school. It’s much more wholesome and cute than actual host club culture. I highly recommend watching it! And if you can stomach a particularly mature film, Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue is a tragically perfect commentary about the extremes of (Japanese) idol culture and is the inspiration for Black Swan people don’t talk enough about. 

After OHSHC, I started reading articles and watching videos about real host clubs (literally just by Googling and searching on Youtube), and have been fascinated ever since. More of my typical rambling under the cut.

(Disclaimer: I promise I’m not a psychopath nor a psychology major lol, I’m just really interested in how people operate)

I’ve always had a fascination with the manifestation (and portrayal) of human emotions, especially in darker, pressure cooker-like environments that often force raw, instinctual, perhaps even animalistic responses. And by “animalistic”, I don’t mean sexual primal instincts like the word might suggest. Perhaps I just can’t find the right description for it, but I mean the reflexive responses and emotions ingrained in mankind’s simple need to survive, live.

For example, Harlow’s famous study with monkeys suggested just how instinctually vital companionship, comfort, and touch can be, even foregoing feeding ourselves. Throughout human evolution, back when Neanderthals were still existent, socializing was necessary for hunting and gathering food. Love and, to be scientifically objective, sex were necessary for humans to survive. Nowadays, I'd say that sex isn’t as much of a big deal given that lifespans aren’t as threatened by hazardous environments as before. But companionship and love? Still so terribly important, for better or for worse.

With host culture, I was instantly fascinated by how our basest, most primal desires for love and companionship were not only fostered and turned into profit (clients), but also weaponized and suppressed (hosts). Both the giver and receiver are still very much human and flawed at the end of the day, so learning more about this dynamic was an interesting way of seeing how far people are willing to go to fulfill those aforementioned primal desires in a more contemporary setting. Who is more pitiful? The client who will do anything to get what they crave? Or the host who is slowly destroying that human part of themselves?

Growing up, I’ve personally always had a healthy relationship with celebrities and my one-sided, “for fun” crushes on them. K-Pop was no different. As I got older, however, and witnessed K-Pop fanbases grow exponentially and reach younger, English-speaking audiences (I obviously didn’t learn much from Kfans as a non-Korean speaker), I started seeing parallels between more passionate host/client and K-Pop idol/fan relationships:

Delusions of feeling like you “know” this person you “love”

A lacking distinction between reality and fantasy, with one side fanning the fantasy fuel (for profit and/or because they really believe in that fantasy they’re giving)

Claiming “ownership” over another person, especially when you feel like you have financial stake in that other person’s lifestyle and successes

This is not to say that one relationship is more morally correct than the other because they’re comprised of a spectrum of attachment types (and to different degrees). There are fans who respect boundaries, or are casual, or truly become better people because their favorite groups’ music pulled them out of dark times. Been there, done that. There are also clients who just visit hosts for fun without expecting more. There are clients who leave host clubs and come back better people, too. But both jobs are arguably fundamentally the same.

In a time period when companionship and love are becoming harder to come by because of restricted physical contact (again, relates back to the Harlow experiment), it felt relevant and poignant to write an analogy between hosting and idol culture. It was only a matter of time before love and companionship was monetized because we need it as much as food, water, shelter, etc. which we also pay for.

I’ve seen those photos of SVT hosting virtual fan meets, which don’t seem so intimate when the curtains are pulled back. You could draw a million conclusions for what those photos mean, and they could all be valid. I mentioned in a reply on “the price of mirrors” the incident with EXO’s Chen (baby, girlfriend, certain fans wanted him out because they thought he “betrayed” them and EXO) and BTS’s Jimin (ngl he’s my ult but he’s a chronic abuser of the “my fans are my girlfriends!!!” BS and I’m exhausted by it). As the Hallyu wave continues to grow, I honestly worry about how far these relationships will go, and how our sense of love and companionship in these cultures will change.

So where do we go from here? I honestly don’t know. I'm not as obsessed with K-Pop as I used to be, probably largely in part due to Adult Responsibilities that take up my time, and solid relationships I have in real life that keep me feeling loved and looked after. I still follow my faves, of course, but not to the microscope lens other people do. With fanfic, I’m mostly using up some pent-up creative energy and trying to empty out some thoughts that keep crawling around in my mind—one of which was hosts vs. idols, I guess!

[fcrtheglcry]

a starter for @ofvixensandwolves muse: harlow chen (they/them, bisexual)

✧˚ · .  ❝ HOLY SHIT, ❞ harlow breathed, hoping their voice didn’t come out quite as terrified as they felt. it was a bit of a blow to their ego to need to be saved like this, but the racing of their heartbeat was enough to drown out the embarrassment for the moment. they’d been on the edge of town, camping by the woods, when a creature the likes of which they’d never seen before appeared out of the trees. they’d be dead if it wasn’t for the quick thinking of the stranger who saved them. ❝ WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT THING? ❞

[fcrtheglcry]

a starter for @asterigos muses: harlow + regan

✧˚ · . ❝ ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME OR SOMETHING? ❞ harlow asked, their voice laced through with annoyance even as they felt the slightest bit of relief not to be walking into this very creepy, supposedly-cursed forest by themselves. 

what? no, scratch that. harlow was definitely not afraid, so there was no reason to feel relief at the other woman’s presence. it had to just be the annoyance that she was following her again – and that meant sharing the reward, should they get to the end of this quest in one piece. harlow had chosen this one for the reward, specifically – enough gold to keep them fed and housed in the local tavern for weeks, if not months. they needed that paycheck desperately. 

❝ I TOLD YOU I WAS TAKING THIS JOB ON MY OWN. ❞

[fcrtheglcry]

✧˚ · .  harlow didn’t know how to argue this anymore. they let out a breath, blowing the stray hairs away from their forehead, and reached out to clutch one of alysanne’s hands. ❝ I’M NOT TRYING TO THIS HARDER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE, ❞ they said, their voice quieter. they didn’t exactly know how to reckon with the implications behind alyssane’s words, the unspoken thing between them that neither wanted to risk. harlow had never been good at feelings. it was easier to fight dragons. ❝ AND IF YOU DON’T WANT TO COME, YOU DON’T HAVE TO. BUT I’M TIRED OF BEING SAFE ALL THE TIME. IT’S NOT GETTING US ANYWHERE. ❞

an ache reached out for alysanne's heart, eyes wandering through harlow's affliction, they only longed for their happiness yet fear prevented such an adventure. perhaps it was selfish of them, harlow deserved a better life, one a bounty such as this could give them. "of course i am, but it isn't worth losing you!" alysanne blurt out, fear recognized within blue orbs. "no recognition or gold is worthy of risking this" whatever they shared, it felt special and far too precious. they exhaled, fingers running through long blonde hair. "you're the bravest person i've ever met, sometime i wish to have your courage... but i'll always choose your safety."

[fcrtheglcry]

open to: males/ females / nonbinary (mutuals & non-mutuals!) muse: harlow chen (they/them), 24, bisexual, rookie adventurer/mercenary plot: lightlyyyyy based on this song, harlow and your muse got lost in the woods, split from the group of mercenaries they were working with to kill a monster (we can plot further if you'd like or just wing it!)

✧˚ · . ❝ SO, YOU’RE BEING REALLY QUIET, ❞ harlow says, their voice a little hesitant but tilting up into teasing by the time they continue, ❝ DO YOU THINK I BITE OR SOMETHING? ❞ they try to throw an easygoing grin in the other’s direction, but it’s clear the other isn’t in the mood. and fair – harlow can’t deny the fact that they’re not supposed to be here. they barely know each other, after all, only on the same path because they sought the same reward for killing the beast terrorizing the local farmers. getting lost in the woods at night – together, split from the other’s group of mercenaries – was never part of the plan. harlow isn’t expecting them to become best friends, but a little more civility wouldn’t hurt. ❝ I DON’T, IF THAT WASN’T CLEAR. ❞

[fcrtheglcry]

a starter for @likcthemoon muse: harlow chen (they/them, bisexual)

✧˚ · .   ❝ UNGH! ❞ harlow lunged, their sword clanging metallically against the other’s parry. they were sweating, having to jump around to keep up with their opponent like this – evenly matched, it seemed, in talent and skill. until harlow took a bad step back, their foot slipping on a loose rock underheel, and suddenly they were on their back with a sword tip to their throat. breathing heavily, harlow surrendered, their hand going slack on their sword hilt. ❝ I ALMOST HAD YOU. ❞

[fcrtheglcry]

a starter for @tearfest muse: harlow chen (they/them, bisexual)

✧˚ · .  ❝ THAT’S TOO FAR WEST, WE SHOULDN’T GO THAT FAR, ❞ harlow said with a stubborn shake of their head, crouched over the map with the other as they tracked their plan across the kingdom. harlow liked traveling, for the most part – it was half of what made this career path fun, the ability to drop everything and skip town whenever they got bored. but harlow was planning on never going back to the mountains where they grew up, and the other’s plan got them seriously close to their hometown. not that they’d know that. ❝ SHIT GETS WEIRD IN THE MOUNTAINS, WE SHOULD STAY IN THE VALLEY. ❞

[fcrtheglcry]

✧˚ · .  harlow watched the stranger with interest as he cleaned his blade, their mouth embarrassingly open in shock. as soon as they realized, they snapped it shut and stumbled to their feet. ❝ NO, YEAH, ‘COURSE I’M ALRIGHT, ❞ they said, brushing the dirt off their clothes. ❝ THANKS TO YOU NOW, I GUESS. ❞ harlow shrugged, their already-present embarrassment only deepening at his mention of the nearest town. ❝ NO, I KNOW, ❞ they said. this was why harlow made it a rule to not adventure alone whenever possible, apparently.  ❝ I, UH. I’M ON A BIT OF A JOB RIGHT NOW. NOT USUALLY THE DAMSEL IN DISTRESS KINDA PERSON, HONESTLY. ❞

"Nothing you wanna tangle with," Arkyn replied, swiping his blade hard through the air in an effort to remove the blood from it. He grabbed what looked like an old sash hanging from his belt and used it to clean the rest of the metal. "You doing alright? It looked like a close one." He looked around, hoping not to find another monster lying in wait. Maybe fortune would see to it that there was merely one by its lonesome wandering around. "You know there's a town a couple miles west, right?"

[fcrtheglcry]

open to: females / nonbinary (mutuals & nonmutuals) muse: harlow chen (they/them, bisexual) plot: (preferably homoerotic) sword fighting sparring partners

✧˚ · . ❝ UNGH! ❞ harlow lunged, their sword clanging metallically against the other’s parry. they were sweating, having to jump around to keep up with their opponent like this – evenly matched, it seemed, in talent and skill. until harlow took a bad step back, their foot slipping on a loose rock underheel, and suddenly they were on their back with a sword tip to their throat. breathing heavily, harlow surrendered, their hand going slack on their sword hilt. ❝ I ALMOST HAD YOU. ❞

[fcrtheglcry]

a starter for @cripplemagics muse: harlow chen

✧˚ · . ❝ WHAT YOU’RE SUGGESTING…THE STORIES SAY NO MAN CAN SURVIVE IT, ❞ harlow said, their voice coming out stronger than they felt. harlow was no stranger to peril, nor were they ever one to step back from a challenge when gold was involved. but this would be the biggest job they'd ever pulled, if it didn't get them killed. naturally, harlow was a bit skeptical. ❝ ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO RISK IT? ❞

[fcrtheglcry]

tag dump for muses 1-5.

[fcrtheglcry]

✧˚ · . she was right – harlow had no claim to this job any further than trying to be the first one to get there and the first one back to claim the reward. they couldn’t stop regan from coming if she had decided to take it as well, and wasting all their energy fighting about it would only get them both potentially killed. but of course, they weren’t about to just own up to that point. ❝ CAN’T YOU FIND YOUR OWN FUCKING JOB? ❞ they grumbled, a hand on their sword hilt as they rolled their eyes. they weren’t about to start a physical fight with regan, obviously, so standing here at the treeline was wasting precious time. �� THAT WAS A LOT OF WORDS AND I STOPPED LISTENING, NOT GONNA LIE. BOTTOM LINE, I DIDN’T ASK FOR A PARTNER. ❞ 

harlow eyed the forest. was it darker inside than out here? it looked almost too spooky, like the sun was choosing not to shine in this one place. but no more dawdling. without waiting to see if regan followed them, they started making their way into the brush. after a few seconds, harlow listened for the tell-tale sound of footsteps following them. 

❝ OH GOOD, YOU’RE STILL HERE, ❞ they said, the sarcasm practically falling off their drawl. they walked for a few minutes, not looking back. but then, when the treeline was just barely in the distance, something breaks a twig in front of them. harlow stops in their tracks and puts a hand out for regan. 

❝ WAIT,❞ they say. ❝ DID YOU HEAR THAT? ❞

"No, I don't care what you do." That was a partial lie and that vexed her to no end. She hardly knew this person and yet here she was already shadowing them to make sure they didn't break their foot on a rock or get sliced and diced by some monster. They seemed too naive because no one would go rushing head-long into this job, but they did.

"Too bad," Regan grumbled, keeping stride with Harlow, "I also already told you I was taking the job so I guess we'll just have to split the reward then. Nowhere on the posting did it say it belonged to you, and you aren't the only bounty hunter out here who'd like a little extra money." Her shoulders were hunched up, body tense, and they weren't even in any imminent danger yet. Wanting to see Harlow in action was only part of the reason they took the job. Even with dividing the reward between the two of them it was still better than most of the job postings she'd seen and they'd both be able to take care of their necessities with more comfort than she was willing to bet either of them had been able to in a while.

"If you survive it anyway," she added under her breath. Harlow certainly didn't come off as the type of person who was much of a professional, but Regan also knew not to judge someone based on first appearances too much either. Maybe they had some sort of trick up their sleeve that was only revealed in the heat of battle. "So you'll either have to deal with a little competition or try to get rid of me now, but I don't know why you'd want to go through the trouble and expend more energy on that and then pursue this contract while you're already worn out and with me still doing the same."

[wildcr]

a starter for @lellarps​ muse: harlow chen

                      —                          harlow sidled up next to the other, putting another drink down next to them. “SO,” they started, taking a sip from their own tankard. harlow had been bored in this town for the past several weeks, aching to get their hands on their sword again. not to mention the dwindling contents of their coinpurse. they needed a job – but they couldn’t do it alone. “THE GUARDS AT THE PALACE HAVE BEEN GOSSIPING, AND THEY SAY THERE’VE BEEN REPORTS OF A DRAGON TO THE NORTH.” they don’t stop talking long enough to let the other interrupt them, eager to get their entire speech out before they can be turned down. “SUPPOSE’LY LAYING WASTE TO VILLAGES AND WHATNOT. IF WE KILLED IT AND BROUGHT BACK ITS TEETH. WE’D BE THE GREATEST HEROES IN THE LAND.”