Dual

He hated it. He was matched and there was nothing he could do about it. Almost everything that happened after he saw that girl was a blur, his sister took him home after he went into an almost catatonic state.

What was worst being that people he barely knew saw him lost it, he actually freaking lost it. He wasn't ready to be matched, he wasn't ready to find his soulmate and he wasn't ready for her to run away at the sight of seeing him. Was he that horrible of a match? Who was that girl anyways? She was an acquaintance of the people he hanged around that day, but they never mentioned her name.

His sister kept calling him to check on him, the first few days he went into Thoreau mode and disappeared from civilization, then he immersed himself in work and college. The only places one could find him where the car shop at Mott's, behind the car shop where he practiced a hobby of his and his flat. No more bars, online grocery shopping was his new favourite thing. He couldn't handle facing those greys eyes again, he wasn't ready.

Now he was walking as fast as he could towards his bike, he didn't want to talk to anyone. Just go home and avoid the rain that was coming. His surprise was that someone was waiting for him. Jon was leaning on his bike with arms crossed, dressed in black as always. He slowed his pace as he arrived to his bike.

"Nice ride, mate" – Jon was analysing his bike. What did he want?

"amm, thanks" – this was awkward, what was that guy doing here? Was he going to make fun of him. Crap, he hated the world.

"So heard you have a way of fixing cars" – the guy was looking at him; it was as if he was being tested.

"Yeah, I work at a car shop" – he had no patience for it.

"Can you fix an old car? A Camaro?" –

"They're the same principle, aren't they?" – he was shifting uncomfortable on his spot, he just wanted to go home.

"I used to have a Suzuki Hayabusa, got into an accident a while back and got this" – the guy pointed to a scar he had on his face – "Haven't rode it much ever since" – So the guy was feeling like telling him his life story or what?

"So… you want anything? – go to the point fast, Snow.

"Boring you much, huh? Yeah, I want to get a certain car fixed and heard you were the best mechanic in town" – so he wanted a favour?

"Well, you can take it to the shop" – he walked towards his bike while putting his helmet on.

"See, this is a special quest. This ride has a special meaning, you see. Mya said you can help me and double charge me without guilt. I think actually I'd be cheaper to buy a whole new car, but it has to be this one" – Jon looked at him. He was going to say no, but it'd bring trouble to his sister. Gendry hated doing favours to people.

"I'll be all day by the shop tomorrow, you can take it there. You know where it is, don't you?" – he hoped on, the guy was looking at him, there was something about this conversation that made him vulnerable. – "Yeah, I'll take it there in the morning. See you tomorrow" – it felt as if he was the one being dismissed. He hoped on his bike and got out of that place.

Next day, when he arrived to the shop and Jon was already there waiting for him. Well, that made Gendry hate him a little less, he disliked unpunctuality.

"Needed to have it pullover all the way here, Mott said it was okay to keep it inside the shop. That's fine, right?" – the guy was looking way friendlier than yesterday as if he wasn't testing him anymore. It made him feel more at ease, but there was still something about this guy.

"Yeah, it's fine. Let's check it out" – he walked to the back of the shop where the new car was. It was a 73 old Camaro, in the worst conditions possible. Gods, those cars were to be kept as a collection, to be taken care of and this was destroyed. The pain, seats, as he checked the engine and other stuff it was almost a lost cause.

"It's bad, isn't it?" – Jon asked with a defeated tone.

"Indeed" – it was all he could say.

"It really doesn't matter how much it costs, as long as you can fix it. We'll search to the end of the world for the pieces you'll need. But it has to be this car" – the guy was a foot away from begging.

"It'll take time; it's going to cost you. Not because of me, but because of what you're going to need. The engine is busted; it'll need a new one. Change of interior, painting. It'll be like making a new car. You'll even need to change parts of the carcass. Really mate, are you sure you don't want a new car?" – he was being honest, this was going to cost a fortune.

"Yes, I'm sure. But, time is something we don't have much of" – he seems disappointed.

"Due date?" – if he really wanted this car he could make it work, but he had to be realistic this was not going to be easy. It could be fun working on this type of cars, they were classics.

"We only have three weeks" – the guy sighted. A month was too little time if some pieces were hard to find or needed to be order from far away.

"Please, tell me you can do it. We'll pay, we'll look for the parts and all. But please, help us" – Jon looked him in the eye, there was something about the tone of his request. This car must be really especial, but…

"We?" – Gendry was curious all this time Jon had been talking in plural it was kind of weird, he laughed at his question.

"Yes, we. It's kind of a family request this, you see. This car is very especial to us, my sister looked for it specially for months. When she found it she was destroyed to see it in this conditions" – Gendry sighted, he would feel bad if he refused a work like this. It was going to be time consuming as hell.

"I'll do it. I can fix it" – Yes, this was going to be his personal project.

"Thanks mate, you have no idea what this means" – the guy extended his hand for a handshake type of hug. He had never been fold of physical interaction but it'd be rude if he rejected. Then he started making a list of parts he was going to need that he might not get a hold of that easily, he could order a few but I'd take time.

In the end they exchanged numbers and started talking about school and stuff while also talking about the car. Gendry also checked if he was going to need something else. Jon left short after and next day he came back with a check for the first payment, the one destined to parts. Jon tried to make small talk looking all uncomfortable.

"So, I'm sorry to ask or bring the topic but you seem to be okay by now. I mean, what happened the other night at the bar" – crap, the guy mentioned it up. He could feel himself blush.

"yeah, don't know know what happened that night" –

"You know what happened. To some it's quite a shocker finding your soulmate. You got scared some have it worst, believe me" – the guy laughed and blushed.

"Can it even get worst?" – he used his sarcasm tone, he didn't want to talk about the topic.

"Yeah, I passed out when I met Ygritte" – Jon laughed – "She still doesn't let me live it down. My sister Sansa got a meltdown when she saw she was matched with a guy that didn't look like prince charming. Another person really close to my heart panicked and ran away in front of her soulmate" – the guy chuckled – "And you really don't want to know what my friend Sam did. Yours was really a nice reaction" – Jon said it with such an ease that made Gendry feel as if he wasn't been mocked. This was just the guy talking to him.

"Well, then I guess I got lucky, didn't I?" – he sighted and the guy laughed, but it was a mock not directed at him, Gendry could tell.

"Don't know about that but I do know that your soulmate is going to be quite handy" – holy shit, what had Jon said?!

"You… you know? Who? I…" - He was lost at words, his mouth gaping like a fish, probably. Jon chuckled.

"Don't take it personally, she tends to run away when things get too much to handle. That's just her, you'll get used to it." – how could the guy possibly know who he had matched to? There were a lot of people on that bar

"how do you know who my soulmate is?! – shit, no no no. He had avoided the topic until now for the guy to bring it up now.

"Gendry, your soulmate is my sister Arya" – what in seven hells? – "How can you be so sure I matched with your sister?! – he was going into panic.

"well, it's not that quite hard to point out. You were pretty out of it, you kept saying stuff while Mya and I took you home. And then I talked to Arya. Put two and two together and that was it" – he didn't even remember talking after he sat down. What did he even say? This was too much for him, he needed to sit down. He looked at Jon, he was just there with his arms crossed and an amused expression.

"You took me home?" – he, unfortunately, didn't remember any of it. His world was shocked that night, you couldn't blame him.

"Yes, look It's alright you don't remember. You don't need to get embarrassed or anything but you were thinking out loud, I guess. You described what you saw I suppose and 'grey eyes, dark hair, short girl' is a quite accurate description of my sister to be honest" – dear gods, he wanted the earth to swallow him. Why couldn't he be a loner? – "There are a lot of girls like that" – he tried to defend himself.

Jon let out a laugh, the guy was so relaxed now. Was Jon happy she was matched to a guy like him? – "Could be, but when I found her she was talking about "big guy that looks like a bull, blue eyes, dark hair and… other things…" – the guy was using and amused tone and what other things? She said he looked like a bull? Really? That was great…

Really, his life was hell now. In the time lapse of a few days it had gone from simple to a freaking living hell. HE ran a hand through his hair, he hated been matched.

"So, the reason I brought the topic is because, well…" – Jon started talking again, shifting uncomfortable on his feet.

"She hates me, doesn't she?" – he wanted to be crushed under the Camaro.

"no! no! Just that I suppose you'll meet eventually, I thought I should give you the heads up about that. She doesn't know you're the one working on the car, though… but this car is special for her, you see" – Jon was moving his hands while talking, as trying to diminish his nervousness – "guess, it's a nice way of meeting officially through this project" –

"Have you told her you know me?" – he said while looking down, he hated this whole soulmate thing.

"No, I haven't. See, I have to go now" – Jon looked at his watch – "I have class and I have to drive back to uni. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, mate. I found a place where they sell car parts, I'll see if they have anything tomorrow. We can talk more about it tomorrow and I'll tell you more about her or don't know, it's kind of weird, isn't it?" – the guy shifted on his spot again before turning around and leaving.

Well, Gendry cursed under his breath. He didn't want to be matched and he didn't want Jon to know more about his own soulmate than him. He just wanted to forget this whole deal, he went back into the shop to work and occupied his mind. Stupid soulmate thing, he thought.


Author's note:

Second chapter, not much of Arya yet. Jon knows something this time.

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