AN: This is my first Game of Thrones story and it's an idea that's been in my head since Gendry returned and since Sansa and Arya's scenes in the finale. I haven't written anything in a long time but I hope you like it.
"You wished to see me m'lady."
Sansa turned and looked at the man who had joined her on the battlements. She was overseeing the preparation of supplies, weapons and food; not only for the Northerners and Wildling refugees but also for all of Daenerys Targareyn's armies of Dothraki, Unsullied and dragons. She was still unsure how she felt about Daenerys but the time for petty matters like family names and who was heir to what had passed. All that mattered now was the battle between the living and the dead.
Besides, as Arya had reasoned; if Jaime Lannister could survive setting foot in Winterfell without being confronted by Bran or burnt alive by Daenerys' dragons; then none of them should really be making an argument over who was related to who and who had killed whom. So whilst Sansa kept her still developing opinions about Daenerys to herself, she could however have the time to form an opinion about the man standing before her.
"I have Gendry. I have been wanting to talk to you since your arrival at Winterfell." Sansa replied as she watched Jorah Mormont teach Lyanna how to properly throw a spear; wishing, not for the first time, that she had the little lady's skill and courage.
Gendry smiled slightly at the memory of his arrival in Winterfell. His reunion with Arya when she had spotted him over Jon's shoulder, leaped at him, sending them crashing into the snow before scolding and shoving snow in his face. She was older, she was taller, she was a warrior but she was still Arry. Gendry realised Sansa had saw his smile and attempted to adapt a neutral expression; he had spent too long serving his betters to know how to act around him. "You have, m'lady?"
"I have." Sansa replied as she realised Arya was practising with a bow but shooting them far too many glances to be subtle. "Walk with me, Gendry."
Gendry initially walked behind Sansa before she deliberately slowed down, forcing him to walk beside her. He had heard different stories about her over the years. Arya had painted Sansa as a vapid, silly girl who only cared about handsome princes and songs. He had heard Jon telling Daenerys about his sister; all the pain and abuse she had suffered and how it made her unwilling to trust anyone except for him. Gendry could see the pain, she tried to mask it but he could see it. Ever since his arrival at Winterfell; Gendry had been working almost constantly in the forge, stopping only to eat, sleep or if Jon asked him to demonstrate how to use his hammer. Considering the impracticalities of using a Warhammer in such a huge battle, the lessons had been few and far between; allowing Gendry to focus on his work. And his conversations with Arya. However despite being busy, he had noticed Sansa watching him from time to time. Never to a pattern, never for too long, just enough to acknowledge his presence.
"You have been spending time with my sister." Sansa said suddenly, glancing at Gendry to gauge his reaction. Gendry wondered how to interpret that. He doubted Lady Sansa approved of him; maybe she saw his friendship with Arya as a distraction from his weapon making; after all the time for the battle was getting closer.
"If you need me to be more productive in the forge, I can be." Gendry said quickly and Sansa smiled wryly.
"If you work any harder, you'll work yourself to death. Right now, we can't afford that. Besides, if I force you to work yourself to death, I'll be more afraid of Arya than the Night King." Sansa commented. "I was betrothed three times and married twice. I know how monstrous people can be. How the most handsome face can mask pure evil. The first man I was meant to marry frequently had me beaten, stripped in front of court and took my father's head. He forced me to stand and stare at it; he also wanted to serve me my brother's head at his wedding. Lord Tyrion was kind to me, he still is kind but our marriage was a sham. It was meaningless. My second husband, he was every form of evil, brutality and nightmares in one. He thought me just how depraved and twisted people could be. I had thought about killing Joffery, of throwing him from that narrow bridge in the Red Keep when he forced me to stare at my father's head but Ramsay; from the moment I met him, I wished for nothing more than to see him die. I don't think I heard a sweeter sound than the sound of his screams as his dogs tore him apart. For myself personally, marriage and relationships have brought nothing but pain and suffering and I would rather kill myself than see Arya experience what I have experienced."
Gendry was taken aback by Sansa's openness. He knew she had suffered but not that much. Sansa also kept many of her feelings to herself. She vocalised her thoughts when they related to pragmatic things like the running of the castle, the amount of steel and grain needed but when it came to anything about family or herself, she remained silent. So why was she telling him all of this now?
"I am sorry to hear of your sufferings but," Gendry began and Sansa looked at him and answered his question before he spoke it.
"I'm telling you this because I've been watching you. So many people in this world wear masks; they hide their thoughts, their feelings, their fears and their wickedness. You don't wear a mask. You and Jon are the same. You don't wear masks, you don't hide how you feel and the thoughts in your head read plainly across your face. I know you're none of what the men I have experienced are like. You are a good man Gendry Baratheon." Sansa explained and Gendry looked around, ensuring they were alone.
"Waters, m'lady. We still haven't told Daenerys yet." Gendry replied. "And I'm yet to be legitimised. I'm still wondering if I want to be."
"There would be benefits to it. A legitimised lord would be able to marry a lady from any noble house; well any that remain. And House Stark does have two unmarried ladies who would make fine brides for any man to marry." Sansa stated. "Except Arya doesn't wish to marry and I am inclined to agree. Marriage is not a good prospect for me."
"Is there any good marriage prospects for anyone right now?" Gendry asked; the time for marriages and alliances were past. When they won the war; he had no doubt marriages and pregnancies will be rampant; more out of celebration of being alive than anything else.
"Tormund and Brienne?" Sansa offered and Gendry laughed. The arrival of both Jaime Lannister and Tormund in Winterfell having fled both Kings Landing and the Wall respectively had caused an unexpected but welcome source of amusement in Winterfell as both men competed for the affection and attention of Brienne. It also helped ensure productive work happened as all Brienne needed to do was stand near a task that needed done; such as chopping wood and Jaime and Tormund would work faster and harder to be better than the other.
"When I was a child, I told my mother that I wanted the kind of marriage and love that she and my father had. I was convinced their love story was one of love at first sight, a true love for the ages. She laughed at me and told me their love was one that had built over time. Over friendship, respect and affection. When my father wanted us to leave the Capitol and break my betrothal with Joffery; he told me that I deserved some kind and brave and strong. Looking back, I know he would have wanted the same for Arya." Sansa explained. "I may have missed my chance for someone like that, but Arya doesn't have to."
"What do you mean?" Gendry asked. She couldn't be saying that she actually approved of him. How could she approve of him, a royal bastard with no money, no lands, no prospects; just a Warhammer and a forge? Surely a noble lady from a noble house would want her sister to marry someone who deserved her. He loved Arya, of that he was certain but was also knew their love would mean nothing in the end.
"You are a good man Gendry; a truly good man. You're honest, hard working, loyal, brave and you don't let anyone influence your mind or actions. You're rational and practical and kind. You live by your own trade, not relying on a name or wealth. I've seen you not just at work but with the people around you. You listen to them and respect your opinions, you work well with the children you train. The circumstances of your birth do not affect who you are." Sansa explained. "You are the sort of person, bastard or not, that Father would have loved either of us to marry. Especially Arya because you accept her for who she is."
"I've always accepted who she is; to me that's what her different from everyone else. She was herself but able to hide herself at the same time. She was brave and determined and fierce. I told her once the reason I couldn't be her family was because of our different status. The reality was, that I didn't deserve her." Gendry explained.
"And now?" Sansa prompted. "What's stopping you now from being part of her family?"
"You mean aside from the army of the dead coming to kill us?" Gendry quipped before his expression grew serious. "I know I don't deserve her and I don't think she cares for me the way I care for her."
"The first one I cannot argue with. The second two, I can. I know Arya. Things have been difficult since we came back to Winterfell and although she has changed a lot; some things haven't changed. When she likes someone; she likes them. When she hates, she hates. I've seen how she looks at you; she doesn't just like you. She tries to hide it but I can tell. She can mask her face all she likes but that level of love can't be hidden." Sansa explained. It also helped that due to the amount of people now in the castle; they were resorting to sharing rooms; often three or four to a room. She was sharing with Arya, Lady Lyanna and Brienne. More than once she had heard Arya mention Gendry's name in her sleep and she could tell by the tone of her voice that Arya wasn't having nightmares about him.
"Jon would never approve." Gendry added and Sansa raised an eyebrow at him.
"Jon already likes you, besides at the moment he can't really talk about disapproving a love match." Sansa commented and her expression grew serious. "There was a time when I would have been horrified to think that Arya wanted to marry a blacksmith. It used to confuse me as to why she wanted to be friends with butcher boys and stable hands. I was selfish then, I admit it. I'd like to think I'm not as selfish now."
"I wouldn't call you selfish Lady Sansa," Gendry said and Sansa smiled knowingly at him.
"Because you wish to have my approval. You already have Jon's, you know you do and Bran can't focus on anything but the Night King at the moment. You know if anyone would protest it would be me. I want you to know that you have nothing to worry about. I know you Gendry and I think you are a genuinely good man. Genuinely good men are very few and far between, especially these days." Sansa explained with a smile. "All I want for Arya is for her to be happy and it's taken me too long to realise that sword fighting, knife throwing and being unladylike makes her happy. You make her happy."
"Thank you," Gendry replied sincerely. He knew she would never admit it but he knew that if he did ask her to marry him, Arya would want the approval of her sister. She had told him the story of how Littlefinger tried to tear them apart and she had warned him that no man would get between her and Sansa again. She hadn't said his name, nor had she needed to. The message was clear. If Sansa didn't approve, then they could not be together and they definitely could not wed.
"There's no need. You are a good, kind honest person." Sansa said and gave a rare playful smile. "And handsome. If I had known you before Arya, I probably would want to marry you myself."
"Unfortunately my lady, my heart does belong to another. However I would be more than honoured to have you as a sister." Gendry said sincerely and Sansa's playful smile turned into a genuinely touched one.
"And there is no one I would rather have as a good-brother." Sansa replied before she looked over his shoulder. "You can stop hiding now Arya."
"I wasn't hiding." Arya lied as she walked around the corner. "I was coming to find you. Tormund shoved Jaime into a pile of dung and Jaime threw some in Tormund's face. They're fighting in the courtyard."
"I'll see to them." Sansa said and smiled at the way a blush had started to cross Gendry's cheeks and Arya was now very interested in her boots. "And I'll leave you alone to talk."
There may be no great romances, happiness or true love in Sansa's life but if she could help Arya find some in her life, then maybe that was what mattered. That was what Sansa mused to herself as the sound of Tormund and Jaime's scrapping and insult throwing reached her ears. After all, right now, she had other things to think about.