It's been a week, a week since she took off the engagement ring that belonged to his Grandmother. A week since he packed his belongings with the help of his step-brother and their mutual friends Sam and Theon, a week since she slept properly. Kaela never knew depression could hit so hard and so fast, she barely has energy to get out of bed and go through her day to day activities. Jon Snow has done a number on her heart and soul and left her incapable of moving forward.
With a frown, she rolls over in bed and looks at the boring colour of the wall, idly she wonders who chooses navy blue before it sinks in that she chose it with her ex. She punches relentlessly at the pillows under her head, trying to make them as comfortable as possible until she sits up and pushes the blankets off her lap. The clock told her it was almost 10 AM and the doorbell had been ringing for the better part of an hour "Kaela.. It's Theon, are you here, love?"
Quickly she jumps out of bed, pulling a bra under her vest top then brushes her hair and ties it up in a messy bun. She changes her pyjama shorts for some yoga pants then makes her way down to the kitchen and offers a small smile to the group who gathered in her kitchen before making herself a coffee to start the day. Theon brushes a kiss against Kaela's cheek like he normally does before sitting her down and taking over the mundane act of making coffee "The house is spotless babes. What have you been up to? Did you murder someone?"
"No, just been on a manic cleaning spree. Nothing much else to do, I took my annual holiday from work a few months early. You should see my room, it looks like a showroom"
Theon glances around with a frown, Kaela's house has never been so tidy. He sets her mug of coffee down, just how she likes it then sits down tentatively and stretches out his hand. Sam and Gilly are sorting out groceries while Robb and Margaery make their calls to certain people. They're Jon's friends so Kaela doesn't know why they're being so nice to her. Carefully she slips her hand into Theon's and he gives it a squeeze for good measure before kissing her knuckles "He's worried for you"
Kaela flinches as she drinks her coffee. Theon continues "He wants to know if he can bring Daenerys around, so you can meet" The thought of Jon's other woman being in the house they shared together makes her sick, slamming the mug down she quickly retreats to the bathroom and flips open the toilet lid before throwing up the content of her stomach. Her body is shaking and tears are streaming her cheeks and there's a soft hand rubbing small circles into her back.
She'll thank whatever god she can think of for Gilly Tarly later but for now she wants to curl up and cry. Margaery squeezes in the tiny bathroom and flushes the toilet and together she and Gilly work on cleaning Kaela up "Is he really worried for me?" Margaery smiles, her smile is so lovely and warm and Kaela can see why Robb loves her so much. The flannel Margaery uses to wipe Kaela's mouth is tossed in the laundry as Gilly carefully braids Kaela's hair "Jon's very worried for you. He doesn't want you to be so lonely"
Kaela shrugs "I've always been lonely Marg"
Between them, Margaery, Gilly and Sam convince Kaela to shower and put on a nice dress. She chooses a burnt orange knee length dress with warm tights and a beige cardigan. Her arm locks with Robb as they walk down the street to Martell's coffee shop, she's thankful Robb and Theon haven't deserted her. That their friendship is still hers to keep, she knows they have to side with Jon through some type of loyalty but for now she's happy they're hers.
"There's a surprise inside the cafe for you"
She peers through the window and almost passes out at the sight, Jon Snow is sat at a booth with two mugs in front of him and her feet ground to a halt as she folds her arms. Does she want to see him again? Yes. Does she want to hear that he's happier now and how perfect Daenerys is for him? No. She stares at him for a while. His beard is trimmed and his hair is in a man bun that only he can pull off. He's traded in his glasses for contact lenses and he looks utterly and devastatingly beautiful. "Kaela.. You need to talk to him"
"I don't need to do anything. I need to be alone to grieve, we were together six years. That doesn't just go away" She idly rubs her bare ring finger and looks in the cafe, Jon's now staring at her with sad soft eyes and she huffs before turning to her friends "Dinner's on you for the next three weeks Sam Tarly" Sam grins, pecking her cheek before leading the group over to the diner across the road and Kaela forces herself to turn around and walk into the cafe.
"Hi Jon" She approaches the table carefully, brushing down her dress then stands with her hands in her cardigan pockets as she watches him.
"Hello Kaela" His smile is warm and lovely and Kaela has to force herself not to light up when he talks to her. She gratefully slips into the seat opposite his and takes the mug he pushes over, wrapping her hands around the ceramic before taking a hesitant sip and savouring the almond taste of the hot chocolate. For a while its silent, Kaela watches the world drift by the window and Jon watches Kaela before glancing down at the tan line on her left finger where his Grandmother's ring used to be
"Sam said you wanted me to meet Daenerys"
"Yes.. We wanted to apologise"
Kaela nods, eyes wide and shocked and she scratches at the design on the blue ceramic cup with her thumb. She has so many questions for the love of her life. Her lips part then close again as she scrambles around her mind to find something to say until she bites her lip and glances at a family sitting at a booth in the window. Something inside him clicks and he frowns over at his ex looking so lost and despondent in the cafe they used to love together "Kaela.. Do you want to go home?"
"No. It's just.. An adjustment"
Jon feels like a fool as he watches Kaela. She's slipping so far from reality that it scares him, she used to be so bubbly and full of life and now she looks tired and sad. The box in his pocket feels heavy, he's not let it leave his person since Kaela willingly returned the ring without a fight. All she asked was to be allowed to stay in their house until she found somewhere new, Jon isn't going to push her into moving. Slow and Steady wins the race with Kaela, that much he knows is true. He doesn't want to say goodbye to the absolute angel in front of him but knows he has no place in her heart and life anymore. Kaela never falls in love with the same person twice.
But sometimes he catches himself wishing she would. He wishes he could keep her. But he's not selfish and if he can move on then she has every right to do the same, his fingers are itching to touch her and he wiggles them loosely at his side before bringing his hand up and pushing her hair back from her face. Kaela frowns, head tilting as she eyes him inquisitively before offering up a blinding smile that has Jon speechless "Let me walk you home"
"What about Daenerys"
Jon shrugs "Let's just get home. You look exhausted"
The walk home is quiet, Kaela has her hands in her pockets as she looks around at all the fall colours while Jon lingers behind walking a few paces slower. She stops at a park entrance and looks longingly at the chestnut trees in the distance, Jon opens the gate with a smile and holds his hand out as he walks past the play sets. Kaela's quick to take it and they run over the field towards the trees, only stopping when Kaela's hat falls off and she has to go back to retrieve it "What are you like hey?"
She laughs and her heart stops momentarily as he kisses her cheek.
It's just a friendly move. Just a friendly peck. Kaela can move past it and act like nothing happened.
Surely.
The afternoon is pleasant, they spend a few hours hunting for chestnuts before walking home quietly. To Kaela it doesn't feel any different than it did a week ago when they were running around with Jon's younger siblings: Arya, Bran and Rickon. She'll have to go and see them at some point, make her presence known and reassure them she still loves them a great deal. She deposits her bag on the chair by the door and pulls her shoes off dropping them in the shoe tub before walking through to the kitchen "Your boxes are in the spare room if you need them"
"Yeah I'll take them when I leave. I just want to make sure you eat first"
"Oh.. I'm not really hungry. I'll just have a salad later"
Her favourite mug is sitting by the kettle, nothing has changed since Jon left a week ago. He wants to go nosing through all the drawers and cupboards but decides against it, she's perched on the counter watching the garden and Jon shuffles foot to foot before walking over and standing between her legs. She needs this, he can tell. She needs the closeness and the love before she turns into a complete shell of who she used to be. His lips trail across her shoulder and up her neck and he grins as she shudders, he loves the responses her body gives him.
"I know you won't fall in love with me again. But gods, I'd never survive you moving on"
Her eyes scrunch tight as she tugs him closer and he continues kissing up and down her neck.
It'll do for now, she tells herself, it'll just have to do for now.