Sansa and Tyrion had pranked Grand Maester Pycelle for a fortnight, a different love letter and flower each day. Oh how much joy that had brought Sansa. It was priceless for her to see Pycelle's reaction once they wrote him to meet his lover at the gardens only for the man to realize that he had been fooled. Tyrion and her had to choke back their laughters from behind a bush to avoid being discovered.
Her moments with Tyrion mocking the Maester together had united her to him in a way she couldn't quite describe yet. She dared not say friendship yet, but she could no longer call him an enemy anymore either.
The Royal Wedding was less than a month away and her husband seldom came home. Tyrion was too busy making the monetary arrangements and loans for the event, spending almost his entire days locked down in the Master of Coin Office. He left to work on the early morning before Sansa could awake and returned home very late at night, when she was already fast asleep. She genuinely missed him, his presence at least.
Staring at the Blackwater Bay on her terrace she so frequently visited, Sansa remembered how worried Tyrion was when she had her moonblood sickness some weeks ago, she couldn't help but wonder about the Imp's health. He wasn't sleeping enough, and knowing him, he was most likely eating little food and drinking too much wine. You stupid little girl, why would you trouble yourself for his likes? But a pang of guilt led her to the kitchens making a basket with two meals.
On her way, Sansa realized she did not know where Tyrion's office was. Her troubled looks might have encouraged Lord Varys, who was nearby, to approach her.
"My Lady Sansa" the eunuch said "could I help you with anything?"
"Lord Varys," she said bowing her head "I- I was wondering-... Could you help me finding Lord Tyrion's office? It only occurred to me that I don't have the slightest of ideas where it might be and I wanted to bring My Lord Husband fresh food from the kitchens as I know he is exhausting himself with his duties"
A look of surprise was drawn into the Master of Whispers' face "Why, that is so thoughtful of you, My Lady. I am certain Lord Tyrion will be enormously pleased of your kind gesture. He always speaks so highly of you. I was ever so certain that your marriage would be a good influence on him. You see, Lady Sansa, Tyrion is a dear friend of mine. I admire him and his brain very much. It sickens me how the court treats him, they all judge him by his size and looks, but he is a bigger man than most"
Sansa blushed unconsciously. Varys then escorted her to Tyrion's office door. She gave him her thanks and bowing his head, the euneuch left. Sansa stood in front of the door in a dwell of heart and soul. She raised her knuckles upon the wood but dared not knock. She was filled with doubt and an unexplainable fear. You came all this way, you might as well just knock she told herself. And she did. But there was no reply from the other side. She tried once more but silence was the only response given. She frowned and gathered all the courage within her body to open the door without permission.
The room was poorly lit and awfully small, even for him. His study at home was much larger than his office, which made Sansa wonder why would they give someone of such high position a terrible space to work. She spotted Tyrion sleeping on his desk upon some parchments and books of numbers. She approached her husband and thoughtlessly pushed some blond curls from his forehead.
"Tyrion" she said, her voice almost a whisper.
He stirred but didn't woke. He looked so peaceful when he slept, though the bags under his eyes made him look restless. She shook him slightly.
"Tyrion, wake up" she pushed another curl back "I brought you food"
Tyrion's eyes popped open. It took him a while for him to focus on Sansa, but once he did, he jumped back in full surprise and straightened himself on his seat. He blinked twice and rubbed his eyes, as of he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Sansa felt her cheeks and belly grow warm.
"Sorry I frightened you, My Lord, I-... With all the great burden of work you've lately been having I couldn't help but notice you are not feeding yourself properly. So I thought bringing you a meal here would be good to you. Forgive me if I have interrupted your duties" she said trying to keep any emotion out of her face.
Tyrion couldn't do the same. He was gazing his wife in complete shock but also admiration. He opened his mouth a couple of times but for the first time, words failed him. He stared at the basket Sansa had on her hands and then returned to her deep blue Tully eyes. "You did this for me? Willingly?"
Sansa turned her gaze to her hands trying to avoid his eyes "Well, you too worry for my health, don't you? It is my duty as a wife to take care of you"
Tyrion's mismatched widened as each word escaped Sansa's eyes. His face then softened into a gentle smile. "Very well, My Lady, did you bring anything to drink?"
Sansa grinned "Tyrion, I knew you'd have wine here" turning to see the flare on the desk she smiled and turned to him again with Bright eyes "I see I am not mistaken".
They ate in silence on a little couch Tyrion had in his office. Often, Tyrion told Sansa about his job or anecdotes of the past. She listened to them all with much attention and whenever he made a joke she genuinely burst into laughter, as ladylike as she could of course.
Once they were done eating, the both stares at their fidgeting hands unsure of what to do. Sansa had never felt so close to her husband. A few months before they were only little more than strangers and now… now they were something else. Everything just reminded her about her parents, how her mother told her their marriage grew slowly, stone by stone until they reached the peak of love. No. I won't compare their marriage to a Lannister she glanced at Tyrion who was looking so troubled and her thoughts softened. I am a Lannister too now.
"Sansa?" Tyrion said, his voice cracking with doubt
"Yes, My Lord?"
"I would- I just-..." He brought his eyes to meet hers taking a deep breath "Thank you for bringing me this meal, My Lady. I can not tell you how grateful I am for it. Truly, Sansa. It means the world to me"
How is it that my name in his voice sounds like a song? "It was nothing, Tyrion. Any dutiful wife would've done it"
"Yes. But still, it has been a wonder that you did. Not as my wife, but as you. Sansa Stark. The smartest Lady of the court underestimated by many but with more brains and courage than all. Never in my dreams would I have thought you'd trouble yourself for the likes of me. I'm very thankful you did, My Lady Wife"
Sansa stared into his eyes looking for something she didn't even know about. Her cheeks flushed and her breath hitched "Why me, Tyrion? Why do you always worry so much for me? Why are you always treating me so kindly? I wanted to hate you. To despise you for the house you belong to. To loathe you for being a monster like your sister, father and nephew. But you have made it very difficult, My Lord". Her voice cracked at her last words "Why me?"
"Because I-"... His eyes shone bright and his mouth trembled. He looked out of words, out of courage. He left his gaze from her eyes but Sansa kept looking at him closely "Because you're my wife and I admire you dearly. Because I want to make you understand that with me you are no longer a prisoner. To let you know that I too have been a victim of my family's lion claws and that you are the only family I have that hasn't laughed about who I am. Yes, I've seen the disgust on your face when you see me, but you don't laugh at me. People have mocked me my entire life for being born as a dammed dwarf. No matter how hard I've worked and how much I've proved, they always laugh. All except you" he returned his stare to hers.
"And for that I cherish you, Sansa. I can not undo what my nephew and father have done. I wish I could, the Starks and the North have always had a intriguing spot in my heart. I wish I could get your home back to you and everything you held dear. But I can't. So the least I could do is try to build you a home, if you let me".
Sansa's eyes grew glassy with tears. Tyrion Lannister had found a way to break her walls and armor. He had managed to touch her heart and feel alive again. She couldn't hold back the tears no longer. Letting them roll down her face, she leaned her forehead towards her husband's.
"Thank you, Tyrion" she whispered.
Smiling, he wrapped an arm around her neck and with his free hand gently stroke her long auburn hair. She pulled him closer into a hug as warm as the one she gave him on her terrace and they were both lulled into sleep.
When she woke up, Sansa thought it all had been a dream. Another fantasy of hers. But when she turned to see herself wrapped in Tyrion's arms, she dared not hold back a wide smile. Her husband was still asleep and the sunset light from the window that illuminated the office made his blonde curls look like gold. She gently moved out of his embraced and stared at him. She softly traced his scar with a finger and placed a kiss on it. Tyrion only shifted his position but didn't wake. Picking up a blanket from the floor, he placed it around his small body and left the room quietly.
Sansa no longer could determine how she felt towards the Imp. Something had definitely changed, but she did not have the name for it. All she could think about was her Septa. She had once told her that there is always something, at least one thing, in a man that is attractive. Sansa could not find one the night of her wedding. But now she understood why. He couldn't find anything on his body because what made Tyrion appealing was within him. His mind, his wits, his personality, admiration, kindness. His heart. Maybe we can make this ironic twist of fate work out Maybe there is a chance for us.