I'm just… wordless. Truly wordless. 101 favorites and 120 followers?!
THANK YOU SO MUCH! *cryinghappytearsinthecornerofmyroom*
When I'd started writing these one-shots I had never thought people would like it so much and now I'm awestruck by your warm response towards something what was supposed to be only a one-time thing. And I'm sorry for my long absence. I have a lot on my head now, but I really try to write something and I did have some stuff written, but... I don't feel it's good enough to be published. I'm just messing around with some pairings and I fell in love with Aegon/Arya and just... let's see what will happen.
Perhaps you have any proposition on pairing/character I should write about? Let me know in the comments!
*DISCLAIMER*: Another AU(modern), it's not a follow-up to chapter 2 and chapter 3.
I DON'T OWN ANYTHING. CHARACTERS BELONG TO GREAT GEORGE R.R. MARTIN!
(I'm sorry for posting it for the second time but I added a small scene at the end which didn't want to escape my mind. I just love Jaime,really!)
And now Cersei/Ned:
Cersei observed them from the distance with narrowed eyes. Eddard laughed and smiled broadly at something what Ashara said. How much the brown-haired woman annoyed Cersei. It wasn't just because Ashara was pretty(Cersei was prettier-at least that was what she liked to say to herself), but she was sick-making when it came to men. She had to be always in the centre of attention, laughing, smiling sweetly and making that foul big eyes pretending to be interested in everthing what they were saying. She would often lay her hand on man's arm while she was giggling at probably the stupidest thing he said, just like Ashara was doing right now with Eddard Stark.
The jealousy in her veins was unnecessary. Ned wasn't her man like he once had been. It was a long time ago when she'd been just a silly schoolgirl and hooked up with a guy older than her(Eddard had been a management student back then). She liked showing it off to her friends that the idiotic girls envied her. It's been almost five years since they broke up and despite the long time of separation, her feelings for Ned Stark were still somewhere in her heart, lurking and niggling her at nights. He'd been too good for her, tolerating her moods, fights and constant whining that he didn't try enough to make their relationship work. She'd let him go at the worst possible moment.
How pathetic Cersei was to grieve over her ex-boyfriend in the middle of her father's brithday party?
Get your shit together, Cersei! She pursed her lips in anger. You're not brainless to still care for Eddard Stark. He's not even that handsome! But... he looks hot with the light stubble on his face... No, Cersei! Stop it! You don't love him. Not anymore. Ugh, dammit!
Cersei chastened herself and took a large sip of her white wine. Her meaningless thoughts were interrupted when small boy with head full of brown curls ran straight to his father and Eddard scooped him up with a grin on his long face. The child giggled and talked animatedly, waving his hands around while Ashara was feigning surprise on her face and then smiled at Robb appreciatively. A wry smile settled on Cersei's face when Ned caught her eye and she tipped her glass towards him in acknowledgement. His smile was warm on his lips and he whispered something in Robb's ear that the boy looked at her and nodded his head.
No sooner he escaped his father's arms Robb was in front of her with a toothy grin. He missed three little teeth on his lower jaw. He was a beautiful boy with these bright grey eyes, which reminded her of morning fog; Ned had the same eyes. Cersei smiled at Robb gently.
"How can I help you, sir?" She squated to his level and cocked her golden eyebrow at him.
"My daddy asks you to dance with him, m'lady!" He announced. Robb may had a look of his father, but his frankness was his mother's. Cersei laughed, looking past Robb's shoulder at his father, who had a small smile on his face while observing them.
"You're gonna dance with daddy or no?" He frowned and tugged on his red bow tie.
"Hmm... Maybe. You're sure daddy won't be stepping on my feet?"
"No, silly!" Robb giggled and gave Eddard the thumbs-up. Ned closed on them and Cersei fixed her golden hair involuntarily. It's pathetic, Cersei, really. He's just trying to be nice. As always.
"I knew you'll agree." Ned teased her, looking at her with amusement.
"Just because Robb asked me so charmingly." She fought the urge to smile at Eddard and winked at Robb.
"Of course." Ned ruffled unruly curls on his son's head and sent little boy to play with his friends. Robb kissed her cheek before mingling with the crowd. Cersei took Ned's extended hand and let him take her on the dancefloor. His touch sent a nice tingling over her skin when he rested his hand on her waist. She shouldn't feel like that. It was wrong and frustrating. But Eddard Stark always had this impact on her. He knew the words that calmed her down, that made her feel special and secure and he also knew those one that made her blood mix with desire she had never felt with anyone else. He saw something more than only pretty face in her; there was cunning, mind, ambition and fierceness under her skin.
"I've always thought green was your color." He murmured with a smile. She looked down for a moment on her deep green dress and remembered that times when he used to say it to her. She didn't forget.
"I know. All the dresses you'd bought me were green." The left corner of her mouth twitched up. "After third time it became boring."
Ned laughed lightly, spinning her around. "Complimenting you was easier once."
"Flustering you was easier once too."
"I'm afraid we're getting old."
"You're getting old." Cersei skimmed over his appearance with her green eyes and announced with fake horror in her voice. "Is that grey hair on your head, Ned?"
"Haha, very funny, Cersei."
"I wouldn't consider it funny. You need to dye it or else any young bimbo wouldn't want to date you, old man." She smirked.
"You need to give me your hairdresser's number who dyes your grey hair then." Ned smiled at her smugly when she huffed and narrowed her eyebrows at him.
"Since when you're so mean?"
"Since never. I'm mean only in your presence, Cece." Cersei couldn't help but appreciate this funny side of Ned. When they'd met for the first time he was so shy and awkward, but as the time passed he came out of his shell.
Cece, she mused, I haven't heard his nickname for me what seems like... forever.
"I miss Robb very much, you know." Ned began, hint of sadness in his voice. "He's growing up so fast. Sometimes I wish I hadn't taken up this job in Oslo... I even miss bickering with you." He ended with a smile. Cersei smiled back at him and observed how the look in his eyes became honest.
"I know, Ned, I know." She whispered and turned her eyes away from his. She didn't want him to see her glassy stare.
Their son missed Ned terribly for the past year. It was hard enough for Robb to understand that his mom and dad weren't together like other children's parents and they lived separately, but Eddard visited him as much as he could and was always there when Robb needed him. Even when Robb had a nightmare or was too scared to sleep alone in his room after seeing a 'monster' under his bed, one call in the middle of the night and Ned was at her door and ready to calm Robb down. He was a good father, Cersei couldn't deny, but she was mad at him for leaving them in London and moving to Oslo to take up the position of deputy manager in his company's branch in Norway. Cersei got used to the thought that despite they weren't in relationship Ned was always in her and Robb's life.
When Cersei had discovered she was pregnant with Robb she'd been barely twenty and she and Eddard were apart for two months already. She was devastated thinking that her careless student life full of parties, alcohol and hot guys was going to end. Cersei was too young and too irresponsible to be mother; how could she be a good one if she still had no idea which Kardashian sister she liked the most? Pregnancy was a tough and torrid time in her life. Life wasn't like she'd planned it. Life was full of surprises and disappointments and wasn't waiting until she would get used to it.
With time, Cersei thought that maybe she needed that. She was too vain and her life had been too easy. She hadn't appreciated what she had. She had been spending her father's money like water and hadn't cared for her mother's pleas to finally think what she really wanted in her life; what she wanted to achieve and who she wanted to be. Cersei had thought life to be too soft.
Eddard had been by her side during her pregnancy. She knew he was happy because of the baby, but she refused his offers to build their relationship again, she didn't want him to be with her only for the baby. She did love him, but that solution was pointless and it would only hurt her. They agreed to be friends at least. Ned always defended her in front of her father even if she didn't need that, he made her laugh during the moments she felt low and tolerated all of Jaime's digs towards his person and he didn't fight back when Jaime gave him a black eye for getting his twin sister pregnant. It was selfish how happy Cersei was because Ned Stark was too good for her and he still stayed.
The song ended and Cersei smiled at him, letting go of his hands, but before she could withdraw her left hand from his, he caught it firmly. Ned gave her a long look and she could feel he was slightly nervous.
"Can we talk? Just for a moment." She nodded and he guided her to the patio.
Cersei was afraid that it was that moment when Ned would tell her that he had someone and didn't want to be in Robb's life anymore and how would she explain this to her little boy? Since she had Robb she had never thought about having someone for good. She hooked up with few guys but after she told them she had a son they quickly lost interest in her. That was why she took her own words deep to her heart: Love no one but your children.
If Eddard wanted to throw Robb away just like some dog then fine; I can make Ned's life a living hell. Cersei nodded to herself. She was good at that stuff.
The night was warm and the moon was hidden beneath clouds. There was no one outside in the garden. Ned stood for awhile looking at the night sky and Cersei sighed irritated. She sometimes forgot how he liked to brood in the open air. If he wanted to say something then he better spit it out before she become annoyed.
Cersei crossed her arms. "Ned, I don't have time for your brooding-"
"I resigned."
"-what?" She frowned and he took a step closer.
"I'll be back in London in six months." Ned explained with a tentative smile on his lips. She didn't say anything, mulling over his words. His eyes were sincere and warm and she wondered why he resigned.
"Why?" Cersei breathed. "It's just-You've always wanted that. You've said that you like your job, they were going to promote you soon, weren't they? So why are you giving it up?"
"Because I don't feel happy, Cersei." Ned sighed and ran his fingers through his brown hair. "In the begging, yes, I felt happy, but later I started missing something. I was alone and there was no Robb's giggle in the rooms of my flat and no snarky comments from you. And I miss it all; our little weird family we make. It's just-I don't want to feel that emptiness anymore."
"I miss it too." Cersei looked at him and she saw hope. Did he really want that what she thought? They both were bad with words. He would never tell her straight what he really wanted, the same with her(to her it was pride and stubbornness).
"Will you wait?" He asked with a small smile and took a step closer that Cersei had to lift her head to look him in the eye. She licked her lips and murmured:
"Six months?"
"Six months."
Cersei kissed him boldly. Approval, her kiss was an approval on his terms and she would wait for him these six bloody months. Because she loved him and the way Ned was kissing her, like a thirsty man needing water, she knew he loved her too. She felt all the longing and anger and envy in the kiss and that was what she wanted.
He let go of her lips to let her catch a needed breath. Ned put his forehead on hers and closed his eyes. Cersei whispered:
"Only six months. If longer, I'll kill you I swear."
"I don't doubt it."
His loud laugh made her grin. She missed him. She missed her Ned.
"I told you they're gonna be together." Ashara smiled slyly at her fiancé. Jaime cursed under his breath and Tyrion laughed.
"I didn't think Stark will have balls to try with Cersei again." Jaime glared at his sister and Eddard Stark, who were whispering in each other's ears. Seeing their faces it was probably something dirty. "I would have to kill him this time. Black eye isn't enough."
Ashara patted his chest, her purple eyes twinkling. "You can always give him a shovel talk. It's better than killing, right?"
"He gave him one once." Tyrion shrugged and sipped his wine. "It didn't work out much, did it?"
"Oh shut up, Tyrion!" Jaime growled and turned his green eyes to his brother. "It wasn't my task to tell them to use condoms."
"Ugh, Jaime!" Ashara made a face while Tyrion snickered.
"What?"
"That was cringy."
"Tyrion laughed!" Jaime defended himself. He crossed his arms. "But really, why Cersei wants to be with him? She told me she hates him!"
Tyrion sighed miserably. His brother was so blind sometimes.
Ashara rolled her eyes at her fiancé. "If you can't see how Cersei looks at him then you're thicker than I thought."
"...That's what she said!" Jaime exclaimed and burst out laughing. The thing was that Jaime Lannister loved 'that's what she said' jokes and couldn't waste such a good opportunity that Ashara gave him.
"Really, Jaime? I-really-just-" The dark haired woman shook her head and looked at him with exhaustion while he was grinning from ear to ear. "I told you no more 'The Office' if you make another pun."
"Hey! But it was funny! Who doesn't love typical Michael Scott jokes?!" Jaime lifted his eyebrows at her.
"It was funny for the first few times, but now-I hear it 24/7." Ashara gritted her teeth as if she was recalling some painful memory. "I still don't know why I'm putting up with you, Jaime."
He gave her a smirk and wrapped his arm around her middle. "Oh I don't know? Maybe because I'm... How your telling me often;'Oh Jaime! Yes! You're the best! I love when you're doing it-!"
"Shut up!" Ashara flushed furiously while Jaime tried to imitate her high-pitched voice. Tyrion tried to stifle his laugh, but she still could see his face red from laughter. She swatted Jaime's hand from her waist and leaned back when he tried to kiss her. "I'm going to find your mom. Maybe she'll tell me if Lannister men are possibly getting wise with age!"
Ashara stormed off, leaving Jaime with a goofy smile on his face. Hell, she's beautiful when she's angry.
"I want to have kid with her, Tyrion." He told his brother and Tyrion shook his head, cocking an eyebrow at him.
"Marry her then."
"But I want it now. She'll say no. Stark didn't need to marry our sister to have a kid with her anyway." Jaime pondered.
Tyrion took a bite of apple pie and drawled. "But he had to wait another five years to have sex with her again."
"Oh." Jaime made a wry face.
"Yeah, brother, oh."
