Short story set a few years after Arya, Gendry and Hot Pie escaped Harrenhal. AU in which all the people in Arya's death list are already dead (not by her hands), so are her family members. She doesn't have a family to come back to anymore, and just wants to survive (I just wanted to give her a background in which she doesn't want to kill everyone). Only fluff.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, obviously.

It was a warm night. There was a singer staying at the inn that week, and he was singing a very enjoyable song. Gendry had been watching Arya the whole night, unable to look away from her. She was laughing, probably at some stupidity Hot Pie had just said, and Gendry couldn't hold back a smile.

She was wearing a dress that night, something she didn't do often. Actually he knew she hated dresses, but there were certain nights she decided to wear the one that the innkeeper's wife had given to her as a gift for her 15th name day. She looked gracious wearing it, and Gendry found himself struggling not to stare. But he was failing miserably.

Five years had passed since their escape from Harrenhal, and she was no longer that skinny child that could easily pretend she was a boy. She had grown into a beautiful young woman, and he often found himself staring at her, only averting his eyes when she occasionally looked back. But it was not until six months ago that he felt his heart lurch for her for the first time.

One day, Gendry was heading to the forge when he caught a glimpse of Arya. She was standing next to Rory, the older brother of one of the kids she used to teach sword fighting. She was holding down her wooden sword, and she was staring at Rory with confused eyes, as if trying to figure out what he was talking about – and he wouldn't stop talking.

Something in the way Rory was looking at Arya made Gendry feel something he had never felt before. A surge of anger aroused from nowhere and he stopped, clenching his fists and holding his breath, his eyes never leaving them.

Suddenly Rory leaned towards Arya, his intentions clear as day, and Gendry gasped and unconsciously stepped forward, but then stopped again. Arya had moved backwards quickly enough, so Rory was blinking stupidly, staring at her. In the next second, Arya was threatening him with her sword, which made his face go white, and he turned around and ran away from her.

Gendry let out a sigh of relief and resumed his way to the forge, smiling. But the whole scene would keep playing in his mind over and over again throughout that day and the days that followed, as it had stirred feelings that apparently wouldn't leave him anytime soon. He couldn't stop thinking about what Rory had tried to do, and he couldn't help feeling extremely annoyed by it.

Several days had passed, and he simply couldn't let that feeling go. Every time Rory was around, Gendry couldn't help scanning the place in search for Arya, as to make sure the annoying boy was far away enough from her. Rory often stared at her, and every time she found his gaze she would roll her eyes in disgust. And Gendry couldn't feel more pleased when that happened.

As the weeks went by, Rory seemed to have given up and started 'chasing' another girl, and Gendry felt a great relief. His anger towards the boy eventually faded away; but there was another feeling… and that one just refused to disappear.

Actually, that feeling seemed to grow each day, and he didn't know what to do about it. He tried to act the same way around her, teasing her as he always did, just to get a punch in his arm in response, but something in the way she acted around him was slightly different. She still teased him too, and called him stupid sometimes, but not as much as she used to. He wondered if she had somehow noticed his feelings for her. He was suddenly afraid…

He had decided not to stare at her anymore, but it was getting increasingly hard, especially this night. She looked beyond gorgeous with that dress and her loose hair falling down her shoulders.

Then the singer started to sing a very sad song, and Gendry noticed when Arya's smile faded away, being replaced by a deep sadness. His heart ached at that sight. The next second, she was getting up and heading to the door, one hand reaching her face, and he was sure she was wiping a tear.

He couldn't stop himself from following her, and he found her outside, leaned against a nearby tree. As he approached her, he saw her wiping her tears quickly before looking at him.

"Arry, are you okay?", he asked softly.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said quickly, and he gave her a doubtful look.

"You were crying…", he said, reaching out a hand and touching her face gently.

He was positive she had shuddered a little when he touched her, and he quickly removed his hand. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel uncomfortable.

She stared at him for a while, and then looked down.

"Do you know what day is today?"

"No…"

She stared at the ground for a few more seconds, and then looked up at him.

"Today is Bran's name day. Or it would be, if he was alive…", she said calmly.

"That's why you're wearing a dress?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"How did you know?"

"I always wondered why you decided to wear it sometimes, and I had already noticed that every time you did it you looked sad. And now that you brought up your brother's name day… I thought…"

She smiled.

"It was my father's name day last time I wore it… But, Gendry, I'm impressed! When did you start getting smart?", she teased him, and he was sure that was her way to avoid crying again. He could see tears forming in her eyes again.

"I'm glad I could impress you, m'lady", he said, bowing mockingly at her.

She just punched him at the arm and laughed.

He laughed too and, without thinking, he reached a hand again, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She seemed to shudder again, but this time he didn't miss a flush coming across her cheeks.

"I… I think we should get back", she said, already moving away from him and towards the inn.

He just followed her, smiling, his heart fluttering inside his chest as he was certain he had caught a hint of nervousness in her voice.

He only hoped it was not just his imagination…

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