DISCLAIMER: Most characters belong to George R.R. Martin.
"You do realize i can't get you out of this one, right?" Jon sighed on the phone as she walked around the kitchen, finding a mug to pour her tea on.
"They will get over it. Besides, once Sansa gives birth they won't even remember me"
"Arya"
"Jon" He sighed, and she knew she had won the argument.
"Just… don't tell them where I am. I'll go home and talk to them when I'm ready"
"I'll trust you on this one. I'll see you around"
"Bye Jon, thank you. Say hi to Ygrette and kiss Lara for me"
"Sure"
The press was having a field day and she knew it. And her parents were probably ready to ship her off to her aunt Lysa's for a permanent exile, but she didn't care. She's never cared before and she wouldn't start now.
Meeting him was an accident, really. She was just sixteen and Robb had driven her to the local forge to get a birthday present for her sister's boyfriend. Ramsay was into medieval stuff, so she figured a custom made helmet was something he would love and Sansa would despise, it was perfect. She had hoped to meet an old guy with a beer gut and soothe all over him, but instead she met him. Jet black hair and eyes as blue as the ocean, and there was soothe indeed, it was smeared all over his tanned naked torso defining his already obvious muscles.
He had promised the helmet would be ready on time and she had basically run to Robb's car, trying to control the blush she knew was coming.
They met again two weeks later at a pub she was clearly not supposed to be at in the first place. They drank and danced most of the night and she was grateful when Myrcella covered for her when she decided to go to his place. His name was Gendry, and that was the first of many nights she spent at his place, memorizing ever part of his body as he worshiped hers. That was two years ago, and she has loved every moment spent with him ever since.
He was not the kind of man people expected her to date, in fact, he was not the kind of person people expected her to meet, but she has never been good at fulfilling their expectations. He was not the son of some Lord from a foreign land like Ramsay, nor was he a successful businessman like her brothers and her father, so as the heiress to an empire, she was not expected to date him. But he did own the forge, and was incredibly good at his craft. And with Jon's help he was considering expanding to Braavos, maybe merging it with Jon's old car shop. Sure, he didn't sign multimillion dollar deals every other week, but it was fine to her. He was Gendry; she wanted him not his money.
Her phone alerted her of yet another new text message and she had half her mind set on ignoring it like she has ignored all the ones coming from her family, when she saw it was Jon.
"I guess I should tell you I got you both tickets to Braavos for two weeks. Hotel is booked. You are welcome. -Jon"
She smiled and placed her phone down, remembering the first time Jon had met Gendry. He had gone to visit her at her dorm the year before, wanting to make sure she was adjusting well to freshman year of college; instead he'd found her naked on the bed with Gendry. He promised to keep her secret if he got a chance to meet the guy first. He'd liked him right away and didn't even mind he was five years her senior.
Sansa had met him through Skype after he accidentally walked in front of the laptop, but she hadn't really cared much, too busy taking over their mother's catering business and learning the ropes of marriage, although she did commented on the age difference and the fact that she hadn't told their parents or Robb, she had liked him and thought he seemed like a good guy that made her happy. Her sister approving him gave her hope that maybe her mother would too.
Bran and Rickon were young, but didn't mind him either. Bran was usually too busy with his books to pay attention to his sibling's dramas, and Rickon was more than happy whenever Gendry took him to the forge the days he was supposed to be visiting with Jon at her college.
So the only people left to know were her parents and Robb. She knew her dad wouldn't probably care, but her mother and Robb would not take it kindly. She wanted her to date a high class man or some Lord like Sansa had, and Robb was her extremely overprotective brother. Jon she could handle, but not Robb.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Gendry asked as he stepped into the room wearing only his briefs. He moved towards the couch and palmed his legs.
"I was thinking about how my mother and Robb are probably ready to call the police. And Shae's phone must be buzzing every five seconds with the press trying to find out how Arya Stark got married three weeks ago without them finding out" she mused as she took a seat on his lap, running her hands through his hair. "Jon decided to sponsor our honeymoon, by the way. Braavos for two weeks"
"I thought we were enjoying our honeymoon just fine" he wiggled his eyebrows and she punched his arm, rolling her eyes.
"You are stupid"
"But you love me"
"That I do" she leant in to kiss him "You are tense"
"I'm worried about your parents and your other brother. Eloping wasn't our greatest idea"
"Do you regret marrying me, Gendry Waters?" she teased him, pulling at his hair lightly.
"I would never. But marrying at the courthouse with only Myrcella, Tommen, Jon and Ygrette as witnesses wasn't romantic"
"I don't do romantic"
"I know. It's one of the things I love about you" he pressed a kiss to her forehead "We need to go to Winterfell. We should face your parents together, as a family"
She scrunched her face, before pecking his lips again "It's weird, to have my own family. Sansa used to talk about finding her prince charming and marrying and having kids. I was more into skating around with Bran or playing hockey with Jon and Robb. I never thought I'd fall in love, or marry" she snuggled closer to him and sighed "Should we bring Nymeria and the other pups?"
"Well… we did agree to give the other pups to your siblings"
"Sansa will be furious" she giggled.
"I doubt it. We should get ready and head over there. The sooner the better"
She truly didn't wanted to leave what was now her home, but she knew that after hiding away in her bubble for three weeks she had to face her family.
The drive to the Stark Family State in Winterfell was somewhat long, and riding with six pups made it quite entertaining, but once they arrived at the gates it felt like they've gotten there way too fast.
"Maybe we should come back another day, if you are nervous"
She scoffed "I already sent a text message to every person that lives in that house. And I can see Sansa is already here, if we skip it, she will have Ramsay skin me alive"
The gates opened and Gendry parked his beat up truck right behind Jon's car. She took a hold of Nymeria as he got the other pups. As soon as they stepped through the door they were greeted by Catelyn and Robb's glare while her father seemed to be sizing up Gendry.
"Gendry! You finally came! Sansa said you are our brother now, like for real" Rickon all but shouted as he ran to the door to greet them "Bran! They brought puppies!"
Gendry barely had time to react before Bran and Rickon were taking the pups out of the box he had them in and all but dashed to the backyard, Nymeria trailing behind. It was then that he had time to look at Robb and Catelyn's face, the realization that it seemed like everyone knew about their relationship but them probably making them angrier.
"You must be Gendry Waters, right? I'm Eddard Stark, Arya's father" Ned moved towards the door, eyeing the couple while nudging his wife and eldest son to the living room "Arya"
The tension in the room could've been cut with a knife if she would've wanted to, the only background noises were those of Bran and Rickon playing around with the pups.
"So… How long has this been going on?" Catelyn asked, face stoic and glare set on Arya before shifting it to Gendry.
"Two years. He owns the forge where I had Ramsay's helmet made" she replied calmly, her left hand placed on Gendry's thigh so they all could see her wedding bands.
"So you are dating a-"
"I married a forger. Robb, you can't really berate me for marrying someone normal. So don't you dare"
"My wife is a nurse"
"My husband is a forger. Get over it" he huffed like a petulant child and she wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or slap him. Maybe both.
She could see Jon, Sansa and Ramsay shift in their seats, and that caught her mother attention too "How come you knew and never mention it? I'd expect it from Jon, but you Sansa?"
The redhead rolled her eyes before shifting again, her hand rubbing her round belly "Arya is a big girl, mother. Who am I to tell her who to date? Besides, it's not like she ever listens to me"
"How long have you known?" Ned asked Sansa and she simply sighed before answering "A year? Maybe more? I don't know. But Gendry is a good guy, and he makes her happy. Now if you'd excuse me, I need to walk my back is killing me. I'll go check on the boys" She got off the couch with Ramsay's help and they made their way to the backyard. Jon groaned as he felt his father's eyes set on him "Jon?"
"I've known since the beginning, I think. He's always been a nice man, and my sister is happy. That's all I ever wanted for my siblings, and I support them. Ygrette supports them, and Lara loves her uncle Gendry." He got off the couch and followed the path to the backyard, leaving Arya and Gendry alone with Robb, Catelyn and Ned.
"How… why? Why to keep it a secret for so long?"
"Because you are not the most supportive person I've met, mother. You would've never approved, and Robb, you beated the living lights out of Joffrey Baratheon when he cheated on Sansa, and they were fourteen! You are far too overprotective, and I'm not a child anymore"
She noticed her father was quiet, and it made her nervous. Eddard Stark was usually quiet, but when things escalated during family affairs he was always fast to keep the calm.
"Are you pregnant?" Robb asked accusingly, eyes set on her flat stomach.
"Seven Hells, Robb! I am not!" she groaned "And if I were, what is it to you? He's my husband" she knew Robb was going to give her a comeback, but their mother's voice cut through their argument.
"Eddard?" Catelyn asked, and she was looking at her father in a way she's seen many times before, like when he'd told her he had enrolled her and Sansa for dance lessons when in reality she was playing hockey.
"I knew" he shrugged at the reaction it got from his kids and wife "I walked in on Rickon playing videogames with him. I asked who was he talking to and he said 'Arya's boyfriend'. So I took it upon myself to find out who he was and why you were quiet about him"
She turned to look at Gendry who was looking at the floor, sheepish. They knew each other and didn't bother telling her "Before you snap at me, I didn't know he was your father. He went there and asked me to forge him a direwolf shield. I didn't knew he was your dad untilwe walked in"
"How could you not know Eddard Stark? He's the mayor!" Robb said in disbelief.
"I'm from Flea Bottom, and I don't follow politics" Gendry shrugged.
"So you approve of him? Eddard-"
"All I ever wanted for my children was for them to be happy. Jon married Ygrette and now they have Lara. Robb, you married Talisa and Sansa married Ramsay and is having her own child. And eventually, Bran and Rickon will fall in love and marry themselves. I wanted my children to marry for love to someone that makes them happy, and so far, that's what they have done"
Gendry cleared his throat before standing up and glancing around the room, settling his eyes on Catelyn "I am sorry we met like this, and I know I'm not worthy of her, but I love her, and I would do anything for her. And I'll make sure she has everything she and our future children might need. I am no Lord like Ramsay, but I'd like to think I can make her happy"
Catelyn was about to answer when Bran and Rickon walked in, each of them holding a pup "Can we keep them? Please! Sansa said she was taking one home for the baby and we already named them" Bran pleaded, eyes shining as he looked at his father.
Eddard smiled as he glanced at his youngest sons "Did you?"
Both boys nodded "This is Summer, and Rickon named his Shaggydog"
He pretended to be thinking for a moment and Arya knew he would let them keep them. "You will train them, feed them and bathe them. And if they die, you will bury them. Understood?"
Both kids nodded excitedly before taking off to the backyard again, just as Jon and Sansa returned, a puppy in their arms.
"Ramsay stayed with them" Sansa replied as she saw her mother frown.
"And I'm going home. Ygrette is waiting for me, and I want to take this little guy to Lara. I named him Ghost" Jon smiled as he petted the snow white pup "I'll see you tomorrow, Arya. Good night everyone"
Once Jon left and Sansa settled on the couch again, Arya turned to her family "So…"
"Welcome to the family, I guess" Robb sighed as he stood up to shake Gendry's hand "You hurt my sister and I will forge you into a light post"
"Arya…" Catelyn took a breath before moving to her daughter, hugging her tightly "I'm sorry you felt the need to hide this from us. I love you, and I want you to be happy" she pulled back before glancing at Gendry "I am happy she found someone who will treasure her. Welcome to the family"
"So… Shae wants to know what she is supposed to tell the press" Sansa questioned, eyeing the couple.
"Nothing. They will get over it once you give birth. Are you really keeping her?" Arya eyed the pup in her sister's lap, and she could feel Gendry's smugness at the fact she had actually liked one.
"The baby will need a companion, so why not?" she smiled "Besides, all of the Stark kids have one, why shouldn't i? I named her Lady"
"You would" she laughed "And mother, I know you'll want to throw us a big party to compensate our shotgun wedding. But you need to get in line, Sansa and Margaery already called dibs on that"
"Even Margaery knew?"
"Well… she is married to Tommen, and he was our witness so…"
"Arya!"
AN: So... It took me a while to get into GoT but... Holy... now i'm hooked. And Gendrya is my OTP and i simply adore Arya. Also, I know Ramsay is not... well, he's Ramsay. But Iwan Rheon and Sophie Turner are the most adorable human beings and i went for it... I'll see what i do in future fics. I'm planning on only doing OneShots because i don't have the time to do a full story right now, but who knows? I hope you enjoyed this!
Btw, their ages here: Jon is 24, Robb 23, Sansa 20, Arya 18, Bran 13 and Rickon 11. Baby Lara is 2 and Sansa is basically ready to give birth. I will use different plots, but i'll try to work on this age-frame. If i do change it for a story, i'll let you know!
