Gryles
| Pairing | |
|---|---|
| Pairing: | Harry Styles/Nick Grimshaw |
| Alternative name(s): | Gryles, Stymshaw, Harrick |
| Gender category: | m/m |
| Fandom: | One Direction/Radio 1 RPF |
| Canonical?: | no |
| Prevalence: | somewhat popular |
| Archives: | |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Harry Styles/Nick Grimshaw, also known as Gryles, is a crossover slash pairing inspired by the real-life friendship between BBC Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw and One Direction member Harry Styles. It appeared on the fandom scene sometime in 2012. The ship has a relatively minor following in 1D fandom overall, representing 3% of all 1D fanworks on Archive of Our Own, but it is the most popular pairing in Radio 1 RPF.[1]
As with many RPF fandoms, there exists a small contingent of vocal Gryles tinhats who believe the ship to be, or have been, an actual romance; however, it might be unusual in that it is encouraged by rumour and speculation outside of fandom, such as media speculation over Harry's sexuality, the homophobic predatory older gay man stereotype assigned to Nick, London gays on Twitter going "this was real" every few months in the 2020s, etc.[2][3] Some Larries believe that speculation around Harry and Nick's potential romantic relationship in 2013 was a PR stunt designed to distract from Larry.[4]
Ship History
This article or section needs expansion. |
Nick Grimshaw and Harry Styles met in late 2011 and formed a fast friendship. Harry appeared several times on Nick's BBC1 night-time show (including his final show), they were often spotted together out and about and at events, and they mentioned spending time with each other regularly on social media.
The ship boomed after Nick took over as BBC Radio 1's Breakfast Show host, but both the media and fans were interested in the relationship before that date: mainstream articles picked up on the friendship as early as February 2012, running stories about their "bromance" and "BFF" status;[5] fans were posting photos of them together as early as May 2012 under the Gryles tag on Tumblr.[6]
The July 11 Breakfast Show announcement, as well as a high-profile interview in The Guardian on Aug 17 in which Nick confirmed he was gay[7] probably explain the rise in pairing activity over July and August 2012.[8] The first Gryles story was posted to the Archive of Our Own on Aug 22.[9]
Harry showed himself supportive of Nick's debut on The Breakfast Show, appearing in a "Team Grimmy" TV commercial and phoning in from tour during the first show on September 24, 2012. Meanwhile, Nick mentioned One Direction regularly on the show, prompting many 1D fans who were not previously familiar with him or the show to tune in and listen from within Great Britain and around the world. This in turn caused Radio 1 RPF to take off as its own fandom.
The Breakfast Show team is very involved and aware on social media, including searching their own tags on Tumblr. Former producer Matt Fincham, especially, enjoyed teasing Nick about his relationship with Harry on the show, often to Nick's chagrin.[10] Nick is audibly annoyed with Matt's joke about a One Direction song being "part of your Valentine's Day present."</ref> Matt referenced Gryles by name at least once on the show and once on the R1Breakfast Twitter.[11][12] Aware of Nick's frustration with the ship, a large number of Gryles shippers are more courteous than Matt, and as Nick is very active on social media, many of his fans on Tumblr keep his full name out of "shippy" posts to prevent him seeing them, and to keep the illusion of the Fourth Wall.
Common Tropes and Themes
Gryles fanworks often fall under one or more of the following categories:
- Futurefic (especially futures wherein 1D is no longer together, and Harry is not bound to an intense touring schedule)
- Domestic fic and kidfic (both Harry and Nick canonically love children)
- Non-famous AU (one or both are unknown)
They might feature storylines involving friends becoming lovers, accidental dating, pining and UST, being closeted and/or coming out. This last type of fic often uses some of the same tropes that Larry Stylinson fics use, such as Evil Management, or plays off of real-life concerns with the media's representation of their friendship.
Gryles fics tend to have happy endings.
Gryles is also used as a prop for other Harry endgame pairings: see Nick Tropes for more info.
Example Fanworks
Fanfic
- The Miseducation of Harry Styles by junkshop_disco. Nick makes Harry a mix tape, falls in love with him, and has a nervous breakdown (not necessarily in that order). (2012-09-13)
- i should ink my skin with your name by crucios (2012-09-18)
- And If This is the Only Thing I Want by estrella30. Harry and Nick are friends who kiss a lot. (2012-10-07)
- If This Is Love by sunsetmog. He's not fucking thirty yet, but he is way too old for Harry fucking Styles. Or: Nick Grimshaw has done some stupid, ridiculous, mad things in his life, but falling for Harry Styles might be the stupidest thing yet. (2013-03-07)
- This Lift is Out of Service by checkthemargins. AU in which Nick is a physical therapist and Harry needs physical therapy. (2013-05-16)
- nowhere better than this place by waspabi. AU in which Harry is a farmer and Nick is a fashion writer. (2014-01-20)
- Better Life Choices by Ferritin4. Harry and Nick pretend to be boyfriends. (2014-02-03)
- even when you're lost by goseaward. "You come to visit once every year and a half," Harry said. "Haven't you been doing that on purpose?" (2015-10-11)
- Start As You Mean To Go by smartlike. "Nick/Harry, fake relationship, like it says on the tin." (2016-06-20)
Vids
- A compilation of Gryles laughing together and just being generally adorable with their banter. by harry-nofookingway-styles (2017)
- Nick not letting Harry live (and Harry loving it) since 2012 by lordendsavior (2017-01-06)
- nick&harry - little secrets by TheOrangeDream (201-09-24)
Fandom Resources
Primers and Resources
- Gryles: A Starter Course by harrick (September 2012 Tumblr post)
- Nick and Harry spend a lot of time together or HERE, HAVE SOME OTP by fiddleyoumust: a timeline/masterlist of all of Nick and Harry's known hangouts. (2013 Tumblr post, updated).
- in which I give in and make a "welcome to 1D fandom" post, by rivers_bend: a short primer including links to other primers/resources. (Oct 2013 dreamwidth post)
- The Spinach Pie Story by atnickgrimshaw (Sept 2014 Tumblr post); offline a copy can be found here
Fic and Podfic
- Nick/Harry fanworks at Archive of Our Own
- Nick/Harry podfic at Audiofic Archive
- grylesfics, "an archive of the best Harry/Nick fanfiction" on tumblr.
- "2014 Gryles Fic Exchange". Archived from the original on 2019-01-03.
References
- ^ As of July 29, 2015, Harry/Nick fanworks represent 3.13% (1253 of 40096) of all One Direction fanworks on the Archive of Our Own. Of the 1506 Radio 1 RPF fanworks on the AO3, 751 are Nick/Harry. The next most popular pairing is Nick/Louis, with 577 fanworks. Numbers taken from the Radio 1 RPF Sort & Filter sidebar on July 29, 2015.
- ^ See for example metro.co.uk article published Feb 15, 2013: James Arthur nowhere to be seen as Rita Ora spends Valentine’s Day with Nick Grimshaw: Grimshaw, meanwhile, was likely to be nursing a broken heart last night as he gets ready for his One Direction lover embarking on the band’s eight-month world tour.
- ^ digitalspy.co.uk Nick Grimshaw: 'Harry Styles Celebrity Juice teasing was torture', published April 30, 2013: Grimshaw was quizzed about his close friendship with the One Direction star during a recent episode of the ITV2 programme, which included team captain Kelly Brook asking if they ever shared "a drunken snog".
- ^ Nick is listed as one of Harry's "beards" in tumblr user greedy-queen's masterpost here: BEARDS & STUNTS MASTERPOST, 3 February 2021. Tumblr user larryspain explained in Spanish that gossip about Harry and Nick's relationship suddenly spread in 2012, even though they had been friends for a while, because "it was convenient for both of them, since both of them needed publicity back then." Google translation of "les convenía a ambos, ya que los dos necesitaban publicidad en ese entonces" untitled tumblr post by larryspain, Archived version, 25 February 2013.
- ^ tv.uk.msn.com, Harry Styles and his famous friends, published Feb 23, 2012.
- ^ archived version of the May 6, 2012 Tumblr post by was-sapnin. (Accessed July 4, 2014)
- ^ "Can Nick Grimshaw Make Radio 1 Feel Young Again?". Archived from the original on 2021-12-06.
- ^ See the gryles tag circa July 24
- ^ I Used to Think We Were Forever by mrsyt31, posted August 22, 2012. (Accessed July 4, 2014)
- ^ In a clip from the show on "Feb 14, 2014". Archived from the original on 2015-05-09..
- ^ On Feb 7, 2014, Harry briefly called Nick on-air during BBC Radio 1's Access All Areas feature; in this video of the incident, Matt says "That's for all the Gryles fans" at 0:50.
- ^ Attention all Gryles fans - something lol involving Simon Cowell is happening on the show tomorrow Nov 24, 2014 via the official R1Breakfast Twitter.