Gendry watched Sansa as she stripped down and stepped into the tub. The fire caught the texture of her back as goosebumps formed across her shoulders.

"The water's not warm enough, is it?" Gendry asked.

"It's fine," she said, taking in a huff of breath. With a shaking hand, she reached over the tub's rim for the shirt Gendry had given her to use as a rag.

"Sansa, stop." He pushed himself against the wall and walked over to where she stood. Below him, crunched into herself in the tub, she looked so small and scared. Half of her bright red hair danced in the water. With her big, unblinking blue eyes, she looked afraid of him.

Gendry slowly bent down, as if wanting to show her she had nothing to be afraid of. He dipped his fingers into the water and almost immediately jerked back.

"Gods, Sansa, that's barely melted."

Sansa shrugged, and dunked the shirt under the water.

"It'll do." She brought the rag above her head and squeezed. As water trickled out, Sansa tried her best to hide her flinch. "The path to the springs has been snowed in for three moons. When the spring comes," she shivered as she brought the rag to her shoulders. "We'll clear the trees that have fallen and make another path."

Gendry nods, and lets the blanket fall to the ground.

"Ah!" Sansa lurches forward, and for a moment he thinks she has hurt herself. Instead, she reaches over the rim of the tub and quickly yanks the blanket away from the fire place. "There's a coal," she offered as explanation, sitting back up. Gendry admonished himself for letting his eyes fall over her wet, shivering body as she balanced on her knees and reached for the soap on the opposite side of the tub.

"Wait here," he said, trotting to the door. Sansa watched him perplexed as he dipped out of the door and out of sight, only to come back in with a large sword. In a few strides, Gendry crossed the room to the fire.

"…Gendry?" Sansa managed.

"Just wait," he dropped the blade of the sword into the fire, turning it lazily as he watched the metal, careful not to leave it in too long. When he was sure it was just at the right temperature, he pulled the sword out of the fire and stood up straight.

"Move your legs, love," he said. Sansa tucked her legs against her and pressed her back along the opposite rim of the tub. Carefully, Gendry dropped the sword into the water, gritting his teeth as the steam erupted. When the steam settled, Gendry pulled the sword back out and smiled down at his lady.

"Did that help?"

Sansa gave him a small smile.

"It did a little," she said, her nose scrunching. Gendry frowned and dropped to his knees, and dipped his hand in. While it was an obvious improvement, it was still chilly.

"I'll do it again," he said, wiping the blade on his pants and laying it back into the fire. As he pulled his hand back, Sansa caught his wrist.

"I…" she started, looking down at his hand. Gendry waited, not wanting to push anything she was trying to tell him. When she looked up at him, he saw another small smile break out on her face. Without a word, she laced their fingers together, and relaxed against the tub. He smiled back at her and jostled their hands playfully, settling himself on the ground by her bath. One of Sansa's feet kicked the water, and the fleeting memory of old men with knobbly, scarred knuckles telling him and his friends stories of mermaids.

He dunked the sword into her bath a few more times, until the water was warm enough for the goosebumps on Sansa's back to settle. The stubborn woman had insisted upon staying in the tum and continuing her bath even as the water caused her words to quiver. Gendry gave up on trying to convince her, and now sat by the tub, leaning his back against the bed as Sansa began to lather herself up for a third time.

Gendry was suddenly aware of how predatory he must look, laying back and watching her bathe like he was. Embarrassed, he spoke up.

"Do you want me to-" he motioned to the door.

"What?" she looked to where his finger was pointed. "No!" she said, scared as if she had offended him. "Of course not, it's your room. And we…" her cheeks reddened, and she dunked the shirt back into the soapy water again. Gendry smirked and crossed his arms.

"We what?"

Sansa flicked some water at him in mock annoyance. Taking it as a challenge, Gendry kept his goofy smile and he pushed himself up from his seat and crawled to the tubs edge, dipping a hand in and capturing an ankle. Sansa squeaked in delight, and kicked a small splash up at him.

"Are you blushing, Lady Stark?" he asked.

"No!" she lied, bringing a hand up to her face.

"Have I been improper?" he asked playfully, dropping his hand into the water to fish out her other ankle.

"Gendry!" Sansa laughed. She steadied herself by putting her arms down along the sides.

Gendry, waiting for an answer, began to criss cross her feet. Sansa laughed. Gendry slowed, and his smile faded slightly. Gently, he let her feet fall back into the bath, and settled at the end of the tub. Sansa's face softened, perplexed by the abrupt mood change.

"You don't…" Gendry started before dropping his head down. "Never mind."

"What?" Sansa moved to the other side so their faces could be closer. Gendry looked up.

"It's not right to ask right now." He said.

Sansa's heart skipped a beat.

"What is it?"

"I just….you don't regret it, do you? You're not ashamed of…" he motioned slightly with his head to the bed. "That it was with me?"

Sansa wanted to cry.

"Gendry," she said, reaching out to place her hand on his shoulder. His eyes tightened, and his jaw set. Sansa had seen her brothers do the same thing when they were trying to steel themselves. Quickly, she pushed herself out of the tub, the third wash-through forgotten. She kneeled beside him, water dripping from her and forming small mud puddles on the dirt floor. Gendry shook his head.

"It's not about me," he said.

"Gendry," Sansa clipped. He looked up at her, surprised by the regal tone she had taken with him. Sansa could see wetness in his eyes. "You said it first. My battles are your battles."

Gendry swallowed, and quickly nodded. He brought his palms up to his eyes and pressed. He pushed his head back up, and looked up at the ceiling as he began to explain.

"I'm some low-born bastard who can barely read," he said finally. Sansa reached for the blanket he had pulled from the bed earlier, and quickly wrapped it around her. She settled closer to him, and let her hand fall on his knee.

"I'm not…good enough, for you." He said.

"Gendry," she said, her voice softer than before. Gendry turned his head to look at her. Sansa pushed herself off her spot and fit herself between his legs. Taking the corners of the blanket in her hands, she reached out and rested her hands on his shoulders, tenting the sides and enclosing them. Sansa moved to straddle him as his knees dropped, and ran her finger tips along the underside of his jaw. Gendry closed his eyes again, and reached up to gently enclose his hand around her wrist.

"I want you to listen to me," she said slowly. "Look at me," shocked by her own bravery, Sansa tried to keep her face serious as he opened his eyes. She took his face in her hands.

"There is no one in this life or the next who is better for me than you are, do you understand me?" she asked. "I'm the one who lied to you. I'm the one who woke you up and made you help me make a bath-"

"You didn't make me, I want-"

"Hush!" she bopped him on the shoulder. "I'm the one who has been dishonest and I'm the one who's broken."

"Sansa, you're not-"

"Will you let me finish?" she huffed.

"You're not."

Sansa rolled her eyes and Gendry's hands came to rest on her hips, pulling her closer against him as if urging her to continue. She sighed.

"I'm the one who is unworthy of you, Gendry. Me. Not you. Never you." She shook her head.

One of Gendry's hands lifted from her side and tilts her chin up.

"Well," he sighed, a smile erupting across his face. "What are we going to do with each other?"

Sansa let a small giggle escape before pressing herself against him and kissing him. Gendry's hands came to lay on her back, pulling her closer against him. Sansa sighed into his mouth, and flicked her tongue across his top lip. Gendry let a small moan escape before bringing his hands up to her breasts. Sansa groaned, and ran her fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp. With one hand, Gendry pressed them up from their seat on the floor until he could lay back on the bed, bringing Sansa down with him. Turning them onto their sides, Gendry bit her bottom lip softly before pulling away. Sansa tried to reach for him and pull him back, but he laughed and pulled her into his arms.

"You need to sleep," he said. "You've got a country to run."

Sansa groaned, her breath tickling the hair on his chest. Gendry smiled to himself.

"Not very lady-like, growling." He teased.

Sansa lifted her head to look up at her lover with a stern expression. Gendry smiled back down before placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Not very chivalrous, denying a lady who is obviously in need of warmth," she wiggled against him. Gendry stifled a moan.

"Aye, I can do that." He said, rolling on top of her, trapping Sansa beneath him and letting some of his weight drop onto her. Sansa laughed.

"Well, g'night" Gendry said, dropping his head onto the pillow under her shoulder. Sansa giggled as he mock-snored beside her.

"Gendry," she chuckled. "You oaf, you know that-"

"I'm sleeping, I can't hear you," he said, turning his face to her. Sansa sighed, and brought her hand up to his cheek. Gendry dropped over to her side, freeing her, and looked up at her.

"I didn't say it earlier," she said slowly, running her thumb along his cheek. "but I should have told you sooner. The day morning I first left you, I should have told you."

Gendry brought his hand up to cover hers.

Sansa took in a breath.

"I love you," she said.

Gendry wrapped his arm around her waist and lazily pulled her closer against him into a deep, warm kiss. When they finally parted, Gendry pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Say it again," he said.

"I love you," Sansa smiled. Gendry kissed her.

"Again," he said. Sansa laughed.

"I love you,"

And so they went until sleep over came them, ushered in by quieter affirmations and lazier lips. Before closing her eyes and drifting off, Sansa pressed her hips against his, and breathed in his scent.

Gods. Don't let me lose this.

...

Thank's for reading y'all! Grad school has me swamped but every review I get warms my little student heart