Red Leaves and Polaroids

The Lannisters lived in Rosedale in a huge grey house decorated with ivy and ethereal murals of lions, Cersei was gorgeous, tall and blonde in a red dress, Theon was convinced she'd had a couple drinks, then Jaime and Tyrion followed. Jaime Lannister always showed up at Starbucks with his girlfriend Brienne. Tyrion was the black sheep of the family who was married to one of Sansa and Dany's coworkers and didn't seem to be offended when someone pointed out his dwarfism. Sandor Clegane showed up later after picking up the kids from art class. Myrcella and Tommen were sweet and blonde and quiet, they had been abused by their late brother Joffrey, Theon liked them better than the rest of their entourage. Sandor couldn't keep his eyes off of Sansa. Finally Lysa Arryn came. She was dressed up, the Juicy tracksuit she was wearing was light pink with 'Juicy' embroidered on the ass in blue rhinestones. Bran Stark was a skinny, sassy boy of eleven with dark brown hair and icy blue eyes which he rolled whenever Cersei fingered his wheelchair and gushed over how inspired she was by him, like most boys of his age, he was convinced he was smarter than everyone else. Rickon was gentle and quiet, with light auburn curls and glassy blue eyes, he sat next to Sansa all night, holding her hand.

Dany sat quietly in all black, frantic fingers screwed with her translucent black tights as if they burned her skin, every now and then Asha would whisper something to her concernedly, in response to which she would shake her head and smile. Sansa downed drink after drink, which Lysa ignored, as she was too busy staring at Dany with calculating eyes. Perhaps she could tell this house didn't belong to them.

The Lannisters did their best to keep up the charade, Cersei comically kept asking Asha to tell her where the powder room was, a routine which they had rehearsed at length. Lysa didn't seem to find it all that funny, and didn't understand why Cersei kept forgetting where the powder room was. Jaime had securely locked both the children's rooms and hid any evidence that might suggest kids lived there in the first place, Tyrion hid all his little clothes.

Theon was worried the ruse wasn't good enough. Bran seemed doubtful. He frequently asked why they hadn't lived in a house like that when their lawyer parents were alive. Sansa lied and said it was a gift. With every lie, Cersei got drunker and drunker and her lips got looser and looser, Jaime and Tyrion kept trying to make her quit but she responded with a few short jokes aimed at Tyrion, (You're so short you tripped over a penny!) and a jab at Jaime for being 'a controlling little man-diva'. She straightened out after puking a few times and after Dany forced her to go lay down for a few minutes.

Sandor and Sansa disappeared after a while. Theon honestly didn't want to know where they went or what they were doing. Sandor creeped him out even more than Daario.

"Know what?" said Cersei, "I can put my leg behind my head." Cersei lifted her leg and Tyrion slapped her in the shin, Lysa gagged on her Bloody Mary, ('It's not a work night!' she had insisted.)

"Colourful friends you have." said Lysa to Jon, "What is it they do again?"

"I'm a housewife." Cersei hiccupped, "My husband here-" she pointed at Jaime, "Is a pediatrician and my brother is unemployed because, let's face it, mice can't hold jobs... We live down the street."

"You look familiar..." said Lysa, "Cersei Lannister?"

"No!" Cersei yelled, "I don't know who that is. I'm... Cherries Lancaster."

"Oh. Alright."

"I'm getting so bendy." Cersei giggled, "I'm a pretzel, you guys."

"Sorry about her, she's been depressed after her last husband died." Asha covered, "And her son." Cersei looked suddenly sad. Theon excused himself, and headed towards one of the Lannisters' many bathrooms down the hall, he opened the door and saw Sansa and Sandor kissing in the bathtub, Theon yelped and slammed the door shut, he sprinted down the hall to the next available bathroom, he sat on the edge of the tub and closed his eyes with his head in his hands.

He needed to be away from people. He had a headache from Cersei's voice and his hands ached from being clenched into tight fists.

The door opened, Dany was standing there.

"Come on. I'm not an idiot, you always excuse yourself when you're bored."

"You've had a couple drinks."

"That and I'm buzzed on clozapine, it's making me salivate." Dany sat on his lap with her face to his, "Quaithe's been leaving me alone, we have until the medication wears off."

"I don't want to leave you when it does."

"Usually I just take another pill." Dany whispered, pushing her lips against Theon's and beginning to unzip the back of her black dress, "She's been nice to me since this morning. She won't hurt me like that again."

Dany leaned back, purple eyes heavily-lidded by black mascara. Her lipstick was a dark plum colour, silver bangs falling in her eyes. She was gorgeous... Theon hadn't seen her happy since Drogo and Rhaego had died. Theon wondered if she was thinking the same about him, maybe there had been a time when he was happy and then he'd lost it. Theon couldn't remember. She removed the top half of her dress, the outline of her black lace bra casting a shadow over her pale chest.

"This is a big house."

"Shitload of rooms..." Dany smirked, she leaned in again but Cersei flung the door open, a waft of wine came off her.

"Hey, you guys. I gotta get in there." she whined, kneeling in front of the toilet.

...

Rickon and Tommen had fallen asleep around ten. Bran and Myrcella insisted that they weren't tired, Arya kept trying to take a sip of someone's drink every now and then. Sandor and Sansa were still MIA and Jaime and Tyrion were arguing off to the side about who had supplied Cersei with whiskey, so far, it looked as if Tyrion was winning although Theon knew he was to blame for his sister's behaviour. Dany had written all over Asha's arm in eyeliner and Lysa looked incorrigibly uncomfortable. Jon came out of the kitchen holding a platter of something Cersei had bought. All Theon knew was that it had been expensive and it was most likely vegan.

"Cherries..." Tyrion warned, "Remember, you have to meet Myrcella's teacher tomorrow."

"Oh, Schmyrion." Cersei slurred, "Y'cant order me aroouun', ohhhmy God, youuu're even more worser than Dad..."

"Ha!" said Lysa, "Tyrion Lannister, the Imp! I know you!"

"Lancaster." Tyrion corrected, "And I've never met you before in my life."

"You're Tyrion Lannister, we were in college together. Everyone called you the Imp, remember?"

Tyrion shrugged, "Sorry, no."

"Where is my niece?" Lysa inquired, "I need to speak to her about this whole custody thing."

"You've already talked about it a little bit, uh, I think she's tired." said Asha.

"I'm gonna go get another drink!" Dany announced,

"I'll do it." said Jaime, taking her glass and half-sprinting into the kitchen,

"Get me one too!" Cersei called, draining a full glass of California Merlot, "Aw, snap, it's lights-out for Cherries..." she keeled sideways out of her chair and collapsed on the white carpet. "I'm okay! Don't get up!"

Theon watched as Cersei clawed her way up the side of her chair with messy blonde hair and clouded green eyes, she was absolutely pathetic but Theon couldn't help but feel bad for her. He could tell Dany was empathetic.

Jaime walked quietly back into the living room and handed Dany her drink, Cersei glared at him when he sat next to her empty-handed, swayed in her chair, and eventually just laid across her brother's lap. Theon looked around the room, his sister looked bored.

Sansa and Sandor snuck back into the room, Sandor's burned face was streaked with Sansa's red lipstick and Sansa's dress was on inside out. She sat down next to Dany, who whispered something, in response to which Sansa laughed and Dany rolled her eyes looking annoyed. Arya slid off the couch and put her shoes on her hands, Bran and Myrcella headed towards the backdoor and she followed them.

"Sansa, finally."

...

Theon and Dany went out back after Sansa, Jon and Lysa began to discuss custody of the boys. Dany was smoking on one side of the porch and Theon sat there with his hands in the pockets of his jacket. The smell of Dany's Northfields made him cough and reminded him of when Asha would smoke them in high school.

She glanced over.

"Want one? I have a lot more."

"That's okay, I don't smoke."

"I probably shouldn't either, I'm coked up on anti-psychotics all day everyday, shouldn't be inhaling tar." Dany took a long drag off her cigarette and exhaled smoke into the orange light of the streetlamps. "I hope Sansa gets the boys." Dany ground out her cigarette, "Well, after everything resolves itself." She wrapped her jacket tighter around her body and sat on Theon's lap.

The kiss tasted like nicotine and lip gloss. Theon felt her heart beating violently against his ribcage. He pulled her closer but suddenly she pulled away, in the light of the streetlamps and the light from inside, Theon saw tears spilling down her face.