Chapter 1

disclaimer: this is my very first time writing and publishing a fanfiction out of love for my favorite got ship please bear with me x

It was robert baratheon's birthday party. the grand celebration attracting tons of media coverage in westeros. the wealthy men flocking around him as he jokes around wanting to be in his good graces. it was held in a lavish hotel in king's landing. one of the most important invited guest is ned stark. robert's bestfriend from childhood and patriarch of the oldest family in the seven kingdoms which is house stark of the north.

along with him is his wife catelyn and their five children robb, sansa, arya, bran and rickon with their cousin aegon targaryen but famously known as jon snow.

robert introduced his estranged son gendry baratheon to everyone. gendry a bastard born and raised in the slums of flea bottom was found by ned stark and a paternity test was done suddenly thrusting him into the spotlight attracting unwanted attention from his father whom he resented for years.

his mother worked in a bar and met his father there. it was a one night stand says his mother whenever he asked why his father was not around growing up. he didnt ask anymore. robert didnt knew he got her knocked up and never cared until she died when gendry was 15 leaving him an orphan.

jumping from foster homes to another being a parentless bastard was a literal nightmare for him. until a local mechanic tobb mhott and his wife adopted him.

it was a fateful day when ned stark came in the shop asking for him. he was 17 at that time but stood the same height as the older man at 6'4. it piqued his interest as why an important man as ned stark was looking for him a bastard working in a mechanic shop. the way ned's grey eyes were looking at gendry unsettled him like he was seeing someone from his past. and that was the day he knew robert baratheon was looking for him. and the rest they say is history.

gendry became best friends with ned's eldest child robb stark and his nephew a fellow orphan named jon snow. spending more time with them during holidays as he got invited to family parties. he also befriended ned's godson theon greyjoy who is attending the same university as them and played with his younger children arya, bran and rickon. it made gendry feel he belonged and loved.

everything changed when arya stark turned 18 and it made him feel different. she wasnt that tiny skinny tomboy with short hair anymore. arya stark was growing into a beautiful woman and she was leaving for bravos and gendry never saw her for 4 years. she distanced herself from him and it hurt.

but tonight looking at her in a strapless black dress with her long wavy hair and red lips it was hard not to be attracted to her. sitting across her with her head leaning on robb's shoulder while clinging into jon's arm closing her eyes. she looked extra beautiful but tired he thought.

after graduating from university arya moved back to winterfell and is now working in the family company with robb and jon. gendry also now his father's heir is working for the baratheon family business in storm's end. it made him more busy and less time to see robb, jon and arya. he missed her so much.

he snapped from his thoughts when arya stood up holding her champagne and coat leaving the table. her cousin and big brother looked at her with concern in their face but she smiled at shrugged it off assuring them that she's fine. she doesnt look fine. everyone from her circle knew about her messy break up with edric dayne 2 years ago. it was circulating around their circle but jon and robb were tight lipped. he only heard sansa and theon talking about it in one day in the house garage.

"he cheated on her" sansa said looking glum

"when did that happen? the bastard was just here a month ago?" theon asked

"looks like he was cheating the whole time they were together"

"fuck! i'll beat that shit up!""

arya's been working so hard in uni and her internship and shes graduating in a few days. she's not looking healthy either theon its worrying me"

"did she say anything?"

"knowing her no but my parents will have to interfere its concerning them too you know"

"shes moving back to winterfell?"

"yeah shes not happy about it i mean she wanted to go to qarth or essos but my dad convinced her otherwise"

arya wanted to move away from westeros and it hurt gendry hearing about it. i have no right to feel hurt. we've stopped talking for years but he couldnt help it he was still arya. that little girl who treated him like family. his arya.

he found her sitting alone outside with a bottle of champagne at the side sipping endlessly in her wine glass. staring at nothing.

"you can come and sit with me i dont bite" she said still not looking at him.

gendry cleared his throat and made his way to sit beside her maintaining distance.

"its been years since i last saw you"

"indeed"

his blue eyes staring at her poker face figuring out her emotions. this was not the arya he knew. she looks broken hiding in a facade of indifference. like she doesnt want to feel anything anymore.

"welcome back" he said still not looking away from her face.

"you didnt come to my graduation" she replied turning her head to him and it almost knocked the wind out of gendry seeing her like this. so beautiful yet so cold.

what happened in bravos arya?

"i was busy and i thought you didnt want me there"

"why do you think that way?"

"arya we stopped talking for four years! you stopped talking to me!" he hissed trying to control his frustration

"i thought you got married to jeyne"

"thats not a legit reason for us to stop talking and stop being friends!"

"gendry i confessed to you and made a fool out of myself when you were getting married to another woman" arya said in a flat tone

"it was a rumor! jeyne and i werent even in a relationship arya! you fucking shut me off! i contacted you for a year and all i got from you was a cold shoulder!"

"it wasnt worth it gendry i was in love with you and i dont think its safe for my feelings to be around you that time" she replied with a deep sigh

it was silent after their conversation. gendry's heart was racing so fast and arya was perfect in masking her emotions.

"what happened in bravos arya?" he said softly eyeing her carefully. he noticed her stiffening and drank another glass.

"i just grew up and realize some things arent worth fighting for" she smiled but not like those reaching her eyes.

no fire. no emotions. there was no glint of mischief just emptiness and it made gendry sad.