"I can be your family."
Arya heard her voice break when she told him that. She knew it was a hopeless plea; for when Gendry makes his decisions, he sticks by it. But she had to try at least, because she didn't want to be back in Winterfell with an aching heart, knowing that she let this moment pass without even asking.
His face held all the emotions she was trying to avoid. Seven hells, he's going to tell me no. He's going to say no.
"You wouldn't be my family. You'd be my lady."
That was it. Those were the words she dreaded the most. But she knew they were coming, and hearing it come out of his mouth did not make the moment any less heartbreaking. She choked back a sob and mustered all her strength to walk away. She already let him see her eyes water, her voice break…she cannot let him see the first tear to fall.
"Arya!"
He heard him call out her name several times but she ran out of the cave before he could catch up to her. Without further thought, she climb the first tree she could find and sat on the lowest branch, her legs tucked close to her body. Finally, she let the tears fall.
Father…Mother…Robb…Jon…Yoren…Lommy…Hot Pie…
Sobs wracked her tiny body. She bit her knuckles to muffle her cries to avoid waking the others. She cried for all those she loved, all those who left her, and she cried until the tears stopped coming.
Gendry means to leave her too.
Everyone leaves her at one point or another. Maybe she should stop trusting people…stop before she grows close to someone again in the future. Wiping the tears with the back of her hand, she tilted her chin up and sniffed.
This is the last time she's opening her whole self to another person. Arya Stark will abandon everyone else before they abandon her.