It's been a week, and Arya hasn't heard from Gendry. She knows from Jon that he's flown out to King's Landing for the funeral.
Sometimes she just wants to stay home, and sometimes she just can't be there for another moment.
And whatever she's doing, she can't be busy enough. She almost wants school to start back up again.
One night, she is so desperate she even goes to a party with Hot Pie. A very drunk Edric Dayne is there and tries to kiss her, assuming there would be a repeat of the last time they attended the same party. Unsurprisingly, she is overcome with the need to be home again. So she promptly leaves three hours early.
Her parents are worried about her. They know something is wrong. They ask her questions that she refuses to answer.
Bran doesn't, because he knows that's the last thing she needs. Rickon is completely clueless that anything is amiss, but what do you expect? He's eight.
Sometimes Bran will join her on the sofa and watch the TV in silence. It's the most comfort she's received.
"I love you, Bran," she tells him once.
"Okay, weirdo."
Gendry walks back to his car alone after burying Renly. Loras refuses to leave the grave, no matter how many times Gendry tells him that he could not stay all night. Eventually, Gendry gave up.
There was a nice turnout. But Gendry knows that half of these people didn't know, or care about, Renly. The Lannisters were in attendance, unfortunately, in place for Robert.
"He's just too upset to come," his father's current wife Cersei told him.
More like too drunk, he had wanted to say. But he bit his tongue.
He is in his car now. The silence is too much, too empty. Too lonely. Before he even knows what he's doing, he is pulling out his phone.
"Hello?"
He forgets to breathe when he hears her sleep muddled voice. After composing himself, "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
"Gendry." His name is soft on her tongue, and he knows she's awake now. No one says anything for a moment.
He is staring out the window, out at Renly's grave, out at Loras on his knees above it. "I wish you were here," he admits.
"I would've come, you know," Arya says. "If you'd asked."
"I know."
There is silence. And then finally, he hears her strained voice on the other line. "Gendry?"
"Yeah?"
"Please come home."
"I will."
His plane lands in Winterfell the next day. Jon greets him with at the airport with concerned eyes and a clap on the shoulder. "Glad to have you back, Gendry," he says.
Jon drops him at the dorms. He has apparently has met someone, and is off to a date. This conveniently leaves all the unpacking to Gendry.
When it's done, he showers and changes into fresh clothes. He walks to the bus stop and rides to Arya's neighborhood. He decides he really needs to find a way to bring his car up from King's Landing.
When the bus comes to a halt, Gendry walks the remaining block to her house. He rings the doorbell. As he waits, the nerves finally set in. What is she's pissed? What if she tells him to fuck off? What if—
A boy with shaggy red hair and blue eyes answers. He looks about fourteen. Bran.
"Umm, hi. Is Arya home?"
Arya has brushed her teeth, changed into her favorite oversized sleep shirt, and undone her bed, ready to crawl beneath the covers. Turning off her lamp, there is a knock at the door. "Yes?"
She hears the door click open, and turns around to see who it is. She is frozen.
"Gendry."
Their eyes meet. A million emotions rush over her all at once. She struggles to sort through them all.
"I'm sorry—"
"Why'd you do it? Why did you make me think…" She swallows. "Why did you just leave?"
"I'm sorry I left like that. I'm sorry I…" His voice is pained. "Arya, you're Jon's little sister. You're sixteen—"
"We are three fucking years apart!" She feels the anger boil over. "Three fucking years, so don't you fucking dare use that as an excuse!"
"I—"
"Do you know how it felt," she says, "do you know how it felt when you kissed me, when you made me think you wanted me, and then pushed me aside like I was nothing?"
He is suddenly in front of her, and his hand is on her cheek. He is brushing away tears that she doesn't remember falling. "Arya, don't fucking think that. Not even for a second. I've never wanted someone in my life as much as I want you."
She bravely meets his stare, her fierce eyes unmoving, matching his intensity. "Neither have I."
Their faces are so close, and all she wants to do is close the distance. She inches forwards until her lips press against his. She does it again.
"I can't," he says, pained. "I can't."
"You can."
She kisses him again, and again, and again, until he's moaning into her mouth.
Arya has to be on the very tip of her toes to reach him. She reckons she would fall if it weren't for Gendry's steadying hands, holding her safely in place.
Her hands are in his hair, tugging him closer, deepening the kiss even further. His fingers trail down her spine until he meets the small of her back, sending chills along the way.
Suddenly, her feet are off the ground. The kiss is broken as her breath hitches in surprise. She watches him as he lays her gently onto bed.
His face hovers over hers, and her hesitant fingers reach to trace his jaw, his lips, everywhere he took a hit. The bruises and cuts are healed, but she remembers them.
She looks back up at him, biting her lip. His eyes are dark with desire, light with hesitance.
Her hand moves to the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head. This is what she wants. She explores the muscles along his back as their lips meet again.
This is what they both want.
He kisses down her neck. His hand moves past her hip to her exposed thigh. He guides her leg further up over his side, aligning them perfectly. She moans at being so close to him and wants to rub herself against him. Her eyes fall shut as she revels in the feel of his lips.
He begins to inch up her sleep shirt, over her hips, beginning to expose her underwear and stomach. "Is this okay?"
She nods. "Yeah." Her voice is breathless.
He slowly pulls the shirt over her head. She is left bare from the waist up. She forgets to feel embarrassed as his hands and lips are on her chest. When his hot mouth moves all along her breasts, kissing and licking and teasing, Arya can't help but shudder and fidget to rub against him, searching for friction.
He continues his trail of kisses down her stomach. He watches her for any sign of discomfort as his fingers hook into her underwear.
Her heart flutters in a fit of nerves and anticipation. She can't handle the warmth, the ache. When he finally rubs a finger to her sensitive flesh, it only intensifies.
She gasps and squirms beneath him, wanting more. He slips a finger inside her. Her head falls to side with a strangled moan as he moves within her, adding a second finger. His thumb brushes against the bundle of nerves above her opening. Pressure builds inside her. She is coming onto the edge.
He won't let her go over. "Just wait," he whispers, kissing her ear. "Trust me."
He is out of his jeans, and his arousal is pressed against her center. Gendry kisses her, his lips lingering before moving all along her cheeks, her jaw, her neck… She gasps as she feels him slowly push inside her.
Arya tenses. He kisses her until she relaxes. When she adjusts, he begins to move inside her. She gasps in pleasure and grips his shoulders. She arches her back, and his lips drag across her neck.
It is all consuming. She cannot think, she can only feel. She moves with him, kissing his jaw, whispering soft encouragements.
His movements grow more desperate and their pace increases. Her head is buried in his shoulder, muffling her breathless and strangled moans. The pressure is building again and she feels her body tightening.
She gasps as she finally falls over the edge. She feels it everywhere. To her heat, to her core, to her fingertips… it is everywhere.
Gendry is fast to follow. With a moan, he collapses above her.
His lips find hers and kiss tenderly.
Later, Arya is settled comfortably in the crook of Gendry's shoulder. He plays with her hair and lets his fingers rub circles at the small of her waist. She is still smiling softly to herself. She hasn't stopped.
"Have you ever…"
She's doesn't know why he's asking. He obviously knew the answer, or he wouldn't have been so slow with her, wouldn't have thought she needed time to adjust.
Blood rushes to her cheeks, and her eyes look everywhere but his. "You know I haven't."
"I didn't know. I just assumed," he answers. "Jon said you've never had a boyfriend before."
"Oh." She hesitantly looks up. "Does it weird you out?"
"No, I'm just happy I got laid."
She sits up in disbelief, shaking her head. Gendry's grinning, and she's grinning back. "Stupid," Arya tells him, shoving his chest. He bursts out laughing. She does it again, and gasps as Gendry suddenly pulls her onto his lap. They are both breathless, their lips almost touching. He closes the distance.
Her parents are at an alumni event for the university. They aren't expected home until late, but she and Gendry are already cutting it close.
They reluctantly disentangle themselves and dress, then head downstairs. She walks him out, and they make plans to meet at the pub tomorrow.
Bran shoots her knowing looks as soon as the door is shut. "Have you really been moping over a guy this past week?"
"Shut up," she blushes. "It's not like that."
"Whatever. Please don't be so loud next time."
"Bran!"
AN: Thanks for reading! Half of this was smut, wasn't it? Well, I would be lying if I said there wasn't more in the next chapter, but something BIG and very plot driven will also happen...
Sorry to tease you. Anyway, I think I'm going to start putting out 2 chapters a week. One on Saturday and the other on Wednesday. Most of this story is done. I just have write one more chapter and edit all the rest.
