A/N: So...this one-shot. Boy do I have a love/hate relationship with this one. I got the idea for it at least half a year ago, and it kept getting put on the back burner, but when I finally got around to writing for Opposites Attract again, I needed a one-shot for these two to post with it, and so I came back. In the end, a 32 page monstrosity was born, and now I'm sharing it with you. As the title may suggest, this is based off of the movie The Wedding Date with Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney. That being said, I did cut a lot because this is already HUGE for a one-shot, and I altered a few of the plot points to fit with these characters. But it's still the basic premise, and parts of it are taken pretty much directly from the movie. Oh, and also, I made Sansa and Arya the only Stark children so I wouldn't have to worry about so many other characters. Anyway, enjoy reading, and review if you feel so inclined.
Thanks to Liliana, 666Neme666, and ReadLikeHermione for reviewing ch. 7.
Disclaimer: ASOIAF belongs to George R. R. Martin and The Wedding Date is the property of director Clare Kilner and whatever production company it's associated with.
Rating: M for strong language, crude humor, sex stuff. The whole shebang.
"Hello?" She answered her phone somewhat warily. It wasn't often that her older sister called, and when she did, it was usually to ask for a favor.
"Arya? Is that you?"
Sansa's voice was shrill and high through the phone and Arya dragged it away from her ear with a grimace. "Yes, Sansa. Who else would it be?"
The moment of garbled background conversation that followed belied Sansa's distraction and Arya waited somewhat impatiently until she spoke again.
"Hm? Sure. But anyway, I have news. Really good news." Before she even had the chance to guess what sort of news it was, Sansa was squealing again in excitement. "Sandor proposed! We're finally getting married! And guess what? There's even better news…"
"You're pregnant too?" Arya replied drily, picking at the tacky remains of red nail polish on her fingernails.
"What? No. You know I'm on the pill." Arya dropped her head in her hands and made an exaggerated gagging noise, which Sansa ignored. "I was going to say…you're my Maid of Honor!"
...Shit.
"Arya? Are you still there?"
She switched to speaker and got up from the table to retrieve a much needed bottle of wine. "Mmhm..."
"There's one more thing you should probably know..."
When Sansa didn't elaborate, Arya sighed heavily and took a drink straight from the bottle. "I'm listening, Sans."
"Do you remember Sandor's old college roommate? Gendry Waters?"
Arya gritted her teeth and returned to the table, swinging her feet up on top of it. "You mean the guy I dated for three years that just dumped me out of the blue when I thought he was going to propose? No…totally forgot about him until you mentioned it. Thanks for the reminder."
Sansa ignored the sarcasm dripping from her sister's words and continued nervously. "Yes, well...he'll be there too. He's the Best Man."
Now more than just annoyed, Arya snapped back with the first thing that came to mind. "So? I've got a new boyfriend. I don't care about that bastard anymore."
The relief in Sansa's tone was audible when she replied. "Really? Oh, Arya, that's so great. I'll send two plane tickets then. I can't wait! Love you! Bye!"
...Fuck.
[Three months later]
"Hello, Arya."
At the sound of her name, Arya yanked the earbuds from her ears and looked up sharply, her eyes widening as she took in the handsome stranger standing in the aisle beside her.
"Uh...hi..."
A charming smile fell easily across his features and he sat beside her, extending a hand. "Jaqen H'ghar, as I'm sure you know."
After accidentally telling Sansa about a boyfriend who didn't exist, Arya had frantically turned to the classifieds and called up the man beside her, a "male escort". From their conversation on the phone, she had gathered that he was primarily hired as a companion to prestigious events and galas, and usually didn't leave until morning.
She stared at him dumbly, offering a weak handshake. "Oh."
Never in a million years would she have imagined that the man she had hired would be so...gorgeous.
His smile widened at her obvious appraisal and Arya found herself watching how easily his lips curved to accommodate it. "Well, we should probably get a few things straight before we land and I have to meet your family. How long have we been dating?"
A blush rising to her cheeks, Arya broke eye contact and looked down at her lap, rubbing a hand across the back of her neck. "Uh...I don't know. Like...six months? That way, my mom shouldn't ask you when you're going to propose, but, she also won't assume you're just another hookup to try and get over Gendry. Also, you're absolutely crazy about me."
His eyebrows rose at the word 'another', and her blush flared deeper, but he respectfully declined from asking, instead opting for, "And Gendry is the Best Man? The one you're trying to get back?"
Arya sank further into her seat, taking a sip of the water in front of her and wishing she could just die from embarrassment already and be done with this conversation. "Yup."
He nodded in understanding and settled into his seat, leaving Arya to sigh in relief. After a few seconds of looking through the in-flight menu, he spoke again, not even bothering to look at his 'girlfriend'. "Have we slept together?"
Arya choked on her water, gasping for air as she sputtered noisily, attracting a few annoyed glances from some of the other passengers and an amused smirk from her companion. "Have we ever...uh..."
His smile grew and he gave a casual shrug. "I would have to charge you extra if you really wanted to. I just thought we should be on the same page about our...'relationship'."
God, kill me now. "Yeah, no, of course." More than the $6000 I'm already paying? Holy shit. "I mean, I...uh, I guess so. My family will assume that we have anyway, so why not?"
He nodded and she fumed silently at the still evident smirk on his face, crossing her arms when the pilot began the safety procedures and turning moodily to look out the window.
This was quickly shaping up to be the worst week of her entire life.
"Arya!"
She had enough time to brace herself as her sister teetered over on a pair of stilettos and had managed a weak smile by the time she was pulled into Sansa's enthusiastic hug.
"Hey, Sans...Sandor."
Her sister's fiancé gave a nod of acknowledgment and dug a hand from his pocket to offer it to Jaqen with a short, "Sandor Clegane."
Sansa pulled away and glanced over at the two men, her eyebrows raised as she cast a glance back at her sister. "That's him? God, Arya? Where can I find one of those?"
Arya shot her a decidedly unamused look. "I'm telling Sandor you said that."
She shrugged and waved a hand in dismissal. "He knows I love him, but that doesn't mean I still can't appreciate a well-made man."
Arya's eyes nearly rolled out of her head, but she managed to stifle her annoyance when the men walked over and Jaqen introduced himself to Sansa, lifting one of her hands and pressing his lips to the back of it. Sansa blushed at the gesture and Sandor stood up a little straighter while Arya just glared at her hired date.
For as much money as she had spent on him, she wasn't sure if their relationship was very believable. He definitely wasn't her type. She usually fell for the dark, brooding ones in garage bands. She had never been with someone so...perfect.
Jaqen broke her from her thoughts with an arm around her waist and when she instinctively stiffened, he looked down at her with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes that she immediately hated.
"So where are mom and dad?" Arya asked, eager to change the subject as she peered around at the people milling about in the chosen venue for that day's open bar and guest check in. Leave it to Sansa to make her wedding a week long affair.
"Oh, somewhere around here, getting things ready and keeping Randa away from the single male guests." She smiled when Arya snorted in amusement and glanced back just as Jaqen slipped his hand into hers. "So how did you two meet?"
After their awkward conversation on the plane, they hadn't spoken much, and Arya floundered for a moment before Jaqen answered for her, lying smoothly. "We were sparring partners in her fencing class. After getting beaten a few too many times for my taste, I offered to take her out for coffee as a truce and she accepted. Six months later, here we are."
Arya was too disturbed by his knowledge of her hobbies to notice when Sansa mouthed 'six months?' and gave her a subtle thumbs up. She wouldn't have responded even if she had wanted to, and the sudden arrival of their parents saved her from having to.
Catelyn Stark hurried through the crowd at the sight of her youngest daughter, a wide smile on her face as she enveloped her in a tight hug. "Arya! Oh, it's so good to see you again, dear. It's been far too long."
Jaqen stood quietly and watched the exchange, only stepping forward when they broke apart and Catelyn's gaze settled on him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Stark. I'm Arya's boyfriend, Jaqen H'ghar."
"Boyfriend?" Catelyn cast a surprised look toward her daughter before smiling happily. "Sansa told us that you were bringing a date, but we weren't expecting anything like this. Here, Jaqen, let me get you something to drink."
He was ushered away by the ever overbearing hostess and when the happy couple likewise disappeared, Ned made his way to his daughter's side.
"There's my little girl!"
She gave him a quick hug and an exasperated look. "I'm not so little anymore, Daddy. I turned 23 last month, remember?"
"Of course I do," Ned replied, squeezing his daughter against his side and smiling down at her. "But you'll always be my baby." His gaze turned to Jaqen and he cocked an eyebrow. "Where did you find him?"
Arya laughed somewhat uncomfortably and shrugged her shoulders. "Yellow Pages."
Ned laughed heartily at her answer and placed a kiss on the top of her head before excusing himself to go continue mingling with the guests. Arya remained for only a moment before retreating to the bathroom to gather her thoughts.
Once inside, she locked the door and sighed heavily, pulling the thick envelope from her purse and flipping through the bills inside once again. $6000 even. It had the potential for either her worst mistake or greatest investment. She just hoped it was the latter.
Shoving it back into the depths of her purse, she moved to the mirror and ran her fingers through her hair, adding as much volume as she could without a hairbrush. She knew that Gendry was around somewhere, and she wouldn't run into him without looking her best.
After deciding that she looked good enough at the very least, she opened the door, coming face to face with none other than the Best Man himself.
"Arya?"
Her eyes widened in surprise and she hastily plastered on a coy smirk. "Well...Gendry. Fancy seeing you here."
He looked different than she had remembered. Older, more mature. His once shaggy hair had been cut and he had the beginnings of a beard across his cheeks and chin, just enough to be incredibly attractive.
"Yeah...You know." He eyed her for a moment, his eyes lingering on the low neckline of her dress before he leaned in and kissed her cheek. "You look gorgeous, Arry. Really great. I mean that."
Her internal victory was sweet, but only momentary, cut off by the arrival of her sister's best friend, Myranda Royce.
"Oh my god! Arya Stark! Where the hell have you been?" She pulled her into a hug before turning to Gendry with a wide grin. "Hello, asshole. Listen, since you dumped my bestie's little sister brutally, and without cause, you won't mind if I just steal her away will you? Thanks."
They left him floundering at the bathroom doorway and Myranda smiled down at Arya as they descended the staircase to the kitchen. "It's good to see you again, but please, don't tell me you're still pining after that one when you have the most gorgeous man I've ever seen waiting for you right there."
Arya opened her mouth to defend herself, but Randa just shook her head and nudged her toward the bottom of the staircase where Jaqen stood nonchalantly against the wall.
When they were alone again, he raised an eyebrow and jerked his chin toward the bathroom at the top of the stairs. "Already moving in on your ex I see. I suppose that means I should get my payment." He extended a hand, his expression expectant.
Glaring up at him, Arya dug the money from her purse and shoved it into his chest before marching over to the bar and grabbing a martini. Sansa had descended from her room during her conversation with Gendry, and she was perched delicately on Sandor's lap at the bar, giggling as he fed her the olives from his drink.
Arya felt her heart twist and she downed her own drink in a few gulps, scowling deeply. Jaqen saw the change and made his way back to her side, standing silently behind the stool upon which she sat. When Sandor scooped Sansa from her seat and kissed her soundly, Arya whirled around and met Jaqen's gaze for a brief second before she kissed him angrily, her teeth tugging at his bottom lip. Soothing her silently, he lifted a hand to cradle her cheek and dropped his mouth to her neck, kissing it softly before moving to her earlobe and whispering quietly. "Do I detect a hint of jealousy?"
Though he said it with a teasing lilt to his voice, her rage boiled hotter and she sucked at the pulse point below his jaw, giving him a feral grin when his nostrils flared visibly. "Fuck you."
He chuckled, blue eyes twinkling. "Only after a few thousand more in cash."
"Finally, some more testosterone in this place."
Jaqen chuckled and nodded in agreement, turning around to face Gendry with a friendly smile. "Can't say I mind the estrogen though. Are there any attractive and unattached young women here you could spend some time with?"
The younger man eyed him for a moment before stepping up next to him and sighing heavily. "Can I be honest with you?"
Nodding, Jaqen watched him out of the corner of his eye as he leaned back on his elbows.
"Well, you know the bride? Sansa? Her Maid of Honor is actually my ex-girlfriend."
"Mm. No kidding?"
"Yeah. And well, I haven't seen her in like, two years, but when Sandor told me that she'd be here…I've just been thinking about her a lot, and I think I might've made a mistake letting her go. And now here she is, but she's with some other guy. I heard her sister mention a boyfriend."
Jaqen nodded and just on cue, Arya sauntered over to him, completely ignoring her ex as she leaned into her hired companion and gave him a long kiss. When she pulled away, she looked over to Gendry and feigned surprise.
"Oh, Gendry, I didn't even see you there. I see you've already met my boyfriend Jaqen."
Glaring between them, Gendry shook his head and stormed off with a terse, "I should go."
As Arya watched him walk back to the house, Jaqen turned back to look across the garden, smiling to himself. This was going to be a very interesting week.
"You two must be exhausted from your flight. Let me show you to your room so you can set your things down."
They were ushered upstairs by their enthusiastic hostess, and Arya resisted the urge to complain when her mother opened the door to her childhood bedroom.
"Here we are..." Catelyn took their suitcases from them and set them down before waving them inside and giving Jaqen a conspiratorial smile with just a hint of disappointment. "This is Arya's old room. I assure you, you aren't the first boy that she's had in here."
Arya flopped down on the bed and glared at her mother. "You know I can still hear you right, mom?"
"Of course, dear." Catelyn said dismissively before meeting Jaqen's easy smile. "Now I'll just leave you two alone for a bit. Come on down whenever you're ready." With that, she retreated, closing the door behind them, and a heavy silence quickly fell over the room.
Jaqen quietly explored while Arya remained on her bed, one arm slung across her eyes, only speaking when he reached the bed again. "I suppose I'll sleep on the floor then, my dear?"
She snorted and moved her arm so she could look at him. "What? You afraid that I'll jump your bones if I wake up next to you in the morning? Bed's big enough for two. Don't worry about me. I think I can keep my hands off the goods. Paying extra isn't worth it...darling."
Though a part of her had hoped he would be offended by the comment, he merely smirked and began to remove his shirt. Arya balked, throwing her arm back across her face.
"Um, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
She could practically hear the growing amusement in his words when he replied, and she swallowed thickly when she heard the telltale thud of fabric against the carpet.
"I was going to take a shower. Clean off the smell of the airplane and the copious amounts of alcohol that your sister's guests were consuming. Is that alright with you?"
Huffing loudly, Arya turned to face the window and stared out it sulkily. "Sure. Do whatever you want."
He chuckled audibly at that and she felt her eyes wandering to the faint outline of his reflection in the window. Quickly closing them again, she waited until she heard the shower start and the curtain pull back into place before turning back around.
His shadow was barely visible through the light fabric and she gnawed absently on her bottom lip before sighing.
"So...do you do weddings a lot?"
A few seconds passed in silence before she heard a response. "What? Just come in here, I can't hear you over the water."
Arya hesitated for a moment before rising from the bed and making her way into the bathroom, eyeing the shower curtain warily before settling on the toilet and repeating her question. "Weddings. Do you do them a lot?"
"Oh. No, actually. I've never done a wedding before this," Jaqen replied. "More fancy fundraisers and things. In general, I'm just hired for company."
"You mean when you aren't prostituting yourself?"
He sighed heavily and Arya tensed when the shower curtain rustled, ready to escape if he emerged. "I don't prostitute myself. Even if I do get paid to sleep with someone, it's rarely really about the sex. They're just lonely, and need to feel desired again."
Arya snorted. "Yeah? That what you tell yourself so you can sleep at night?"
The water shut off abruptly and Jaqen's arm reached out to grab a towel. Despite her better judgment, Arya remained, and when he pushed back the curtain to reveal his slender, well-muscled torso, it took a few seconds before she could think to turn around.
"I try not to judge the people who seek out my services."
Recognizing his statement as the jab at her that it was, she failed to register the soft thud of his towel and whirled around to glare at him, getting an eyeful of his wet, naked body instead. She gaped at him for a moment as he smirked in amusement before jabbing her finger toward the door. "Get out."
He frowned and reached down to grab his towel again, forcing Arya to snap her eyes shut. "Me? You're the one who came in here and just started attacking my work. You should—"
"OUT!"
When Jaqen finished brushing his teeth and returned to the bedroom, he found Arya tucked beneath the covers with a scowl on her face and a line of pillows across the middle of the bed.
He cocked an eyebrow and sat down on the opposite side. "I thought you said I had nothing to worry about."
"You don't," she replied, her gaze firmly on the ceiling.
"Then...why the barricade?"
She shrugged and looked at him just long enough to glare before turning on her side, facing away from him once more. "I don't know if I trust you."
He held back a laugh at that, but didn't argue further, merely flipping off the lamp on the bedside table and fumbling beneath the blankets as his eyes adjusted to the light.
It had been just long enough for him to begin to fall asleep when Arya spoke.
"Do you think he'll want me back?"
Jaqen sighed. "I think he already does."
She rolled over at that and he could hear the piqued interest in her tone. "Why? Did he say something about me?"
"Just a hunch. Any man would be lucky to have you."
After that, the room was silent.
"Hey, Jaqen, you up for a game?"
Sandor held up a football as he ducked in the doorway and Jaqen glanced at Arya for permission before nodding and setting aside the book he had been reading. "Sure."
"Great. You can be on my team."
Arya got up and followed along behind them, smiling triumphantly when she saw Gendry on the lawn with the other men. After her and Jaqen's brief conversation the night before, she believed more than ever that she would be able to win him back.
Picking a spot along the deck railing, she quickly ran her fingers through her hair and tied her plaid shirt higher on her torso to reveal a little more of her already exposed midriff.
"I'll cheer you on, babe," she called toward Jaqen, who gave her a grin and a thumbs up. It almost looked genuine.
Gendry looked over and offered a small smile, but she pretended not to notice, staring dreamily at her hired escort instead and blowing him a kiss. His eyes immediately narrowed and flicked between her and Jaqen before his jaw clenched tightly.
After establishing both the teams and the rules, the 'game' began, and it wasn't long before Sandor's team made the first point, as was to be expected considering the size of her soon to be brother-in-law. Cheering, she waved Jaqen over and she leaned over the railing to give him a kiss before whispering beside his ear. "Lose."
His eyes were narrowed when he pulled away and he returned her gaze without comment before returning to the field.
When the game began again, Jaqen took on the role of aggressive offense for his team, and with each point they scored, Arya's cheers grew weaker, and Gendry's expression grew darker. By the time Sandor, Robb, and Jaqen were high-fiving to their victory, Gendry looked about ready to explode, and because her anger at Jaqen's disobedience left her feeling spiteful, Arya ran across the lawn, leaping into her 'boyfriend's' waiting arms and peppering his face with kisses. When she looked back, Gendry was already walking up the deck stairs to the house, his fist connecting with one of the wooden posts for good measure.
Her feeling of triumph was momentary though, as Jaqen gently turned her face back to him and molded his lips to hers, kissing her deeply. When he pulled away, Arya's cheeks were flushed and her chest was heaving slightly with each breath. Eyes dark, Jaqen smiled cheekily and gave her another quick kiss before walking toward the house and slapping a hand firmly across her ass.
"I'll let you have that one for free."
"Are you sure that you don't want to go shopping with us, Arya?"
Sansa's heavily painted lips were pursed in a dramatic pout, but Arya shook her head nonetheless. "Sorry, sis. I'll be getting more than enough of all of you in just a few hours. I think I'll take advantage of this lull in activity and spend some time with my boyfriend. You girls have fun for me though."
The squealed response made her cringe and Jaqen walked with her to the car they had rented, one arm slung casually around her hips.
"You're saying that more easily now," he commented absently as he opened her door for her and then moved to the driver's side.
Arya shrugged, turning and fastening her seatbelt to avoid his gaze. "I've always been a pretty good liar."
He didn't respond to that, and kept his eyes on the driveway instead to ensure that all of Sansa's already tipsy friends stayed out of the way of the car. Once safely on the road again, Arya looked over at him.
"Have you ever fallen for a client before?"
His eyebrows rose slightly and he glanced briefly in her direction before shaking his head. "No. That's not a part of my job."
"But...how many of them want to sleep with you?"
"More than have the money to," he replied evenly.
"You have women falling all over you, and you've shared a bed with more than a few in your life. How can you sleep with them and feel nothing at all?"
He sighed at that, and kept his gaze on the road for a long moment before meeting her eyes. "I learned to separate my feelings from my work a long time ago." He pulled into a parking spot outside the small restaurant where they were to have lunch before adding, "And what I do…it isn't about me. It's about you."
Arya frowned and freed herself from her seat, not even bothering to look for traffic as she moved to meet him at the driver's side door. "What do you mean?"
He sighed again and stepped out, closing the door behind him and leaning against it. "I mean that you're the one who hired me. I'm here because of you, not because of me. I'm here to be everything that you desire, whatever the situation, whatever the needs. My job is to make you feel like you deserve to be loved, and that you're an attractive, desirable woman who has no worries about winning back her ex-boyfriend."
Arya put her hands on her hips and cocked an eyebrow at him. "Yeah? Show me."
Jaqen looked at her for a long moment before replying. "Close your eyes."
"What?"
He repeated it, softer than before. "Close your eyes."
Reluctantly, Arya did as she was told, and she tensed when she felt his warm breath against her face.
"Relax," he breathed. "I'm not going to kiss you."
After a moment, she acquiesced, her hands dropping to her sides and the tension slowly leaving her frame. She could hear Jaqen smile as he leaned in, his lips grazing the shell of her ear.
"He's going to be so sorry he left you, so stop worrying about it. Forget what happened between you, and just remember what an incredible woman you are." One of his warm palms moved to her chin and she leaned instinctively into the touch. "If you do that, then he'll have no trouble realizing what he lost."
She could feel his mouth as it moved past her neck and for a moment she wished it would land and she could feel his lips against the sensitive skin. It had been nearly long enough to leave her mortified when she realized that he had moved back against the car, and her eyes fluttered open, meeting his inscrutable gaze.
"Holy shit..." she breathed, one finger moving absently to brush against her lips. "You're worth every penny."
"Oh my god, Arya! That's your boyfriend?"
Arya sighed and nodded at an already very drunk Margaery Tyrell. Before she could reply, however, Myranda stepped up and threw an arm around Jaqen's shoulder, downing what certainly wasn't her first shot of the evening.
"Can you even believe that our little Arya gets to fuck this guy?" When Arya blushed and opened her mouth to protest, Randa's expression turned serious. "No, really, you should give God a bottle of wine or a quiche or something."
Jaqen's laughter only served to embarrass her further, but for once, Sansa came to the rescue, swaying drunkenly to her sister's side and shoving a martini into her empty hands.
"Arya! You're here! And Jaqen...you should stay with us! We're going to be more fun than the men anyway."
Still laughing, the escort untangled himself from Myranda before shaking his head. "Thank you for inviting me to join you in this…timeless feminine ritual, but I really should be going. Your fiancé is expecting me, and I would hate to disappoint."
When the girls all voiced their displeasure, he took Arya's drink and raised it in the air, ignoring her momentary scowl.
"A toast before I go though. Here's to the husbands who've won you, the losers who've lost you, and the lucky bastards who've yet to meet you!"
A cheer went up as more alcohol went down and Jaqen gave Arya a wink and a kiss on the cheek before moving to the door with a final parting word.
"Good luck."
"I just...there's something about him I don't like."
Sandor snorted and took another drink of beer before following Gendry's gaze to where Jaqen stood at the edge of the room. "He's 9% body fat and fucking your ex-girlfriend."
Gendry glared at his friend before sighing and looking into his glass of whiskey. "I guess it just took me seeing her again to realize what I'd lost, you know? I didn't deserve her then."
"And you do now?"
Gendry laughed, too many drinks in to care too much that he had been insulted. "Aw, fuck you, man."
Sandor grunted and when Gendry retreated to mingle with a few of their other friends, Jaqen moved to take his place.
"So, Jaqen, it looks like you've finally tamed Arya, eh?"
The younger man chuckled and shrugged, taking the drink the bartender offered with a gracious smile. "I'm not sure if 'tamed' is exactly the right word, but she has kept me around for this long, so..." He shrugged again and Sandor nodded in understanding.
"She deserves a guy like you. Hasn't had the best of luck in the past, but it really seems like the two of you are in love."
Jaqen nodded slowly, taking a sip of his beer. "Yeah. It does, doesn't it?"
Too happy about his impending wedding to ask about Jaqen's cryptic answer, Sandor merely clapped him on the shoulder before moving to Gendry's side and throwing an arm around him. Both men were already well on their way to getting completely drunk.
Taking advantage of one of the rare moments that he had time to think, Jaqen sighed heavily and set aside his drink as he rubbed absently at his temple. When he had accepted Arya's payment, he truly hadn't had any idea what he would be getting into.
Now, he was caught in the middle of one of the most intricate webs of deceit that he had yet to build. Her family all loved him, and they were more than happy to see her 'settling down', while she was merely using him to try and win back the affections of her immature and standoffish ex-boyfriend. And he...to be honest, he still didn't even know what he thought of the petite, feisty woman who had hired him.
His train of thought was interrupted by a door opening on the floor above them, and a cheer rose from the men below as a line of scantily clad women descended the staircase. They were nearly halfway down when Sandor realized what was happening and bellowed angrily at his Best Man.
"I said no strippers, man! I promised Sansa!"
"They aren't strippers," Gendry said hastily, eyeing the short, dark-haired one at the front of the line. "They're just…dancers."
Sandor stared at him for a moment in disgust before shaking his head in disbelief and grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair and nodding toward Jaqen. "Come on, man. Let's get out of here."
"Woohoo! Who's ready for the best fuckin' bachelorette party of our lives?"
Sansa blushed at her friend's language, but took the drink that was shoved at her and knocked it back. Arya sat beside her and ordered a drink of her own, gulping it down as she tried desperately to forget the way that Jaqen's words from earlier had affected her. It had been strange feeling wanted, even if it was just a lie.
Not long after she had been asked to be the Maid of Honor, the bachelorette party had come up in conversation and Arya had swiftly delegated its planning to Randa. Now that the night had come, she was even more relieved that she had made that decision.
That being said, the hostess for the night was already far too drunk for her own good, and while she talked loudly enough when sober, her voice was enough to shatter eardrums after a few too many drinks. When she leaned forward to address the bartender, Arya automatically reached for another drink and leaned away.
"Oh my god, Harry? Sans! This is Harry. God, do you remember him? You two like, dated in high school, and then we totally hooked up when you dumped him for Sandor? Do you remember that?"
Sansa nodded, blushing furiously, and gave the equally embarrassed Harry a weak smile.
"God, you're hot! Why did I break up with you, again?"
Harry mumbled something under his breath, and Arya got his attention to order a third drink before Randa could mortify him any further. He made it with a thankful smile, then looked shyly at Sansa when she slid her empty glass across the bar.
"You look good."
She smiled back before thanking him and then lapsing into a heavy silence. After a moment, she turned to Arya and spoke. "I don't know if I can do this."
"Do what? Deal with the stripper that Myranda has no doubt hired?"
Sansa smiled weakly but shook her head. "No...this. The-the wedding. The marriage. All of this."
Arya frowned, setting her drink down on the bar. "Sans…what are you saying? Of course you can. You've been waiting for this day your whole life. And you and Sandor couldn't possibly be any more in love."
"I know that. I do. But...seeing you and Jaqen together has made me remember what it was like when we first started dating. Before the…flowers, and the color schemes, and the cake tasting and the guest lists and the abstinence. God, Arya, our mother pulled me aside last night and gave me a talk about what to expect on my wedding night! The most Sandor and I have managed since we've been here was a quickie in the backseat of his car. I've never been so horny in my life!"
Arya made a face and stuck a finger in her mouth. "TMI, Sans."
Sansa rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "At least she put you and Jaqen in the same room back home. Sandor's in the guest room off of the basement because Mom thinks I'm still a virgin! If the wedding wasn't this weekend I'd just set her straight so I could let off some steam."
Trying her best not to laugh at her sister's misfortune, Arya gave Sansa a sympathetic smile and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, and don't think about that tonight, alright? This is supposed to be your last night of freedom." She took a shot and then slammed the glass down on the counter. "Enjoy it!"
"Stop the car!"
When the chauffeur obeyed, the car lurched slightly and a round of drunken laughter rose from the backseat as the women found themselves tangled together from the sudden movement.
"Arya, what are you doing?"
Ignoring her sister, she grabbed her purse from the floor of the limo and crawled to the door, letting herself into the cold night air. Just in from the corner sat an ATM and it was there that she staggered, reaching out her hands every few steps to steady herself.
"Arya!"
Waving the cries away with a hand, she pulled her debit card from her purse and selected the maximum withdrawal amount. The bills that came out were new and crisp, and as she repeated the action, they made an impressive addition to her wallet. It was already bulging when she realized she had lost track of the amount and since she couldn't remember how much she'd need anyway, she stopped, dropping the card back into her purse and staggering over to the car.
The door flew open as she approached it and Myranda stepped out, blowing kisses at her friends inside the car as she backed away, shoes in hand.
"I'm just going to walk from here, my hotel's just around the corner. Don't you worry about me, girls, you just have fun! This was a great night! A fucking great night!"
Arya's keys jangled ineffectively against the front door lock for a few minutes before she finally managed to get them in and stumble inside. The house was quiet, and she took a moment to regain her balance before heading for the stairs.
The door at the top was closed, but when she opened it, she found an open pair of dark blue eyes meeting her gaze. The swarm of butterflies in her stomach fluttered once more, but the amount of alcohol she had consumed was enough to suppress her nerves as she reached for the bottom of her top.
It had made it onto the floor and she was fumbling with the button on her shorts when Jaqen spoke.
"What are you doing?"
Shaking her head, she lifted a finger to her lips and stripped down to her underwear before climbing onto the bed and crawling over to him.
"Arya..." There was a hint of warning in his tone, but he made no move to stop her, and when she lowered her lips to his, he didn't hesitate in returning the kiss. Her already foggy mind grew muddled as his tongue swept between her parted lips and his hand smoothed across the curve of her back.
Stopping by the ATM was definitely the right decision.
Flipping her over onto her back, he pulled off his shirt before returning to her, his lips on her throat as she tangled her fingers in his hair.
"Relax," he breathed, and the sound of his voice, low and rough with desire, had the tension melting from her limbs. Forgetting about Gendry, and the wedding, and any lingering doubts, she wound her legs around his hips and pulled him to her, losing herself in the feeling of him as their lips met again.
Arya woke up the next morning to an empty bed, a headache, and absolutely no recollection of anything past the first hour of Sansa's bachelorette party.
Groaning, she tried to roll from the bed, but the motion set her head spinning and she flopped back down again. A few seconds later she opened her eyes and was met with the sight of her clothes, laying rumpled on the carpet.
Slowly, she lifted the covers and then sighed heavily. Of course. She had gone to an ATM after Sansa's party. Lifting her wallet from the bedside table, she looked inside to see that all of the money she had withdrawn was still there, and she wasn't sure if she should be relieved or disappointed.
The door opened and she hastily shoved the wallet beneath the blankets as Jaqen walked in with a tray of food, smiling at her when she squinted in his direction.
"Good morning. How are you feeling?"
"Like shit," she croaked, taking the water he offered and sitting up so he could set the tray on her lap. When she smiled at him, he leaned forward to kiss her, but she pulled back.
"Jaqen...what happened last night?"
He smiled slightly and raised his eyebrows, but then his face fell when he realized that she truly didn't remember. Straightening up, he smiled tersely and shook his head. "Nothing."
Nothing. Okay. Good. That was...good.
Nodding, she smiled up at him and took the mug of coffee from the tray before setting it to the side and wrapping herself in the sheet. "Thanks for the coffee," she said quietly, shuffling away toward the bathroom.
Once inside, she dropped the sheet and turned on the water. So nothing had happened. And that was good, she told herself once more. She could keep her money, and it would be far less awkward when she and Jaqen parted ways.
The sound of the shower curtain covered the sound of the door opening behind her, and she was just ducking her head under the water when the curtain was yanked back. Gasping, she threw her arms over her chest and glared at Jaqen as he held up her wallet.
"Was this for last night?"
Arya felt her face flush and she stammered for a moment. "I...no. It can't be, because, nothing happened."
His expression darkened at her blatant lie. "I thought I told you that if I wanted you to pay, I would have asked for the money beforehand. It's all still here, so obviously, I didn't do that, no matter what did or didn't happen between us."
Arya avoided his gaze and bit her lip. "I just...I didn't want you to think that I was expecting anything for free, or, that I was expecting anything at all." She met his gaze again, her blush deepening. "I mean, I guess I was expecting something, or I wouldn't have taken out that money on the way back..."
Damn it, why did just looking at him make her feel so flustered?
Shaking his head in disbelief, Jaqen held up the wallet once more. "Well, just so you know, you're three hundred short." And with that, he tossed it beside the sink and stalked out.
Thankfully, the days leading up to the wedding were busy for all involved, and in the midst of the chaos, nobody noticed the sudden tension between Arya and her supposed boyfriend. For their own part, they mostly avoided each other, dodging the events that each was slated to participate in, and spending their nights in sullen silence.
When they were finally forced back together again, it was two days before the wedding, for Sandor and Sansa's dancing lessons. Because her fiancé was so reluctant to go in the first place, Sansa had all but begged them to come along, and in the end, Arya had set aside her pride and agreed, though neither she nor Jaqen was particularly happy about it.
"Do we really have to do this, Sansa?" Sandor grumbled as they waited for their instructor to check on the space they would be using.
"Yes," she replied simply, patting his hand where it rested against her waist.
Jaqen came to her defense, speaking up from his chair in the lobby. "Dancing lessons are important for a wedding, Sandor. Everybody's going to be watching you two while you dance, and if you trip in the middle, it's only going to take everyone's attention away from how beautiful your new bride is."
Arya rolled her eyes and avoided his gaze. If only they knew that she was paying him to say things like that.
A moment later, the dance teacher returned, smiling politely. "Looks like we're ready for you. Go ahead and go on in and we'll get started."
Sandor and Sansa took the lead, and when they entered the ballroom, the instructor took them aside, giving them a speech about how important their wedding dance would be. Sandor looked incredulous, but he obeyed when she told them to begin regardless.
"Like it or not, we're still a couple until the wedding's over," Jaqen gritted out through a forced smile as he moved to her side and placed a hand lightly on her hip. Glaring at him, she grabbed his hand and yanked his arm fully around her back, pressing herself against him.
Eyes narrowed, he accepted her unspoken challenge and pulled her close, his hand grasping hers firmly as they began to move in rhythm. He seemed hesitant to do much more than sway to the beat, and Arya cocked an eyebrow at him.
"What's wrong, Jaqen?" She taunted. "Two left feet?"
His expression darkened and he effortlessly swept her into a low dip by way of reply, pulling her back up just as easily in a spin that landed her flush against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat against her back, and his breath was warm against her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. Angry at her own reaction, she stomped hard onto his foot and felt a swell of satisfaction when he let out a muffled curse.
When he spun her out again to return her to their original position, the dress Sansa had forced her into swirled around her knees, and she didn't miss Jaqen's appreciative gaze as his eyes wandering to her exposed legs.
Her wounded pride from their fight ebbed slightly at the evident desire in his appraisal, and when his eyes met hers again, she smirked knowingly. For appearances, he kept his features hostile, but just as he pulled her against him once more, she caught a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Across the room, Sandor missed an attempted dip and Sansa landed on the floor with a thud. Her cry of surprise and dismay caught their attention, and when they looked to the commotion, they quickly avoided Sansa's murderous gaze. Unable to contain her amusement, Arya giggled and then tried to muffle the sound with the back of her hand, prompting Jaqen to laugh as well. Much to her sister's chagrin, they were unsuccessful in hiding their mirth, and they broke apart, laughing loudly.
It was only when the dance instructor pursed her lips in their direction that they composed themselves once more, and as they moved into position once more, Jaqen paused for a moment, pulling her into a tight embrace.
Hiding her smile against his shoulder, Arya hugged him back.
They were sitting alone on the steps of the dance instruction building, waiting for Sandor and Sansa to rejoin them, when Jaqen cleared his throat.
"Do you remember me telling you that I had never done a wedding before?" He asked, and when Arya nodded, he continued, a bit haltingly. "Well, it's not that I've never been asked. I just...never said yes."
Arya raised her eyebrows and looked over at him, meeting his gaze for a moment before responding. "Then why did you say yes to me?"
Frowning, Jaqen shrugged slightly. "I don't know. I guess there was just something in your voice on the phone that day."
Arya snorted. "Desperation?"
His expression remained serious and he stared at her for a long moment before he finally replied. "No. I think it was hope."
The Stark vacation house where the happy couple had decided to house their wedding party for the weekend was just as extravagant as the home that they had been raised in. The home was nestled amid a sprawling fifteen acres, just off a lake where Ned spent much of his time fishing and boating.
As Ned and Catelyn showed their guests to each of their rooms and Sansa and Sandor snuck off to the wine cellar for some time alone, Arya and Jaqen got settled, enjoying the peace and quiet while it lasted.
"You know what really pisses me off?" Arya asked, sprawling across the bed as Jaqen began unpacking.
He raised his eyebrows as he moved his clothes to the closet. "That your sister is getting married and your ex is the best man?"
Arya ignored him. "You know practically everything about me, and I don't know anything about you but your name and your job."
Sighing, he abandoned his suitcase and joined her on the bed. "I'm allergic to mayonnaise, I have a degree in psychology from Emory, I hate caviar, and I think I'd miss you even if we never met."
Arya felt her heartbeat quicken and she looked over at Jaqen. His dark blue eyes held her gaze without wavering and she took a moment before replying quietly. "I don't think I've thanked you."
Smiling, he closed his eyes and laced his fingers behind his head. "Don't thank me yet. There's still a lot that could happen in the next 24 hours."
"I'm getting married in the morning!" A very drunk Sandor scooped his soon to be sister-in-law from her seat at the bar and swung her around before setting her back down again, earning a half-hearted glare.
"Yes," she huffed as she straightened her dress and returned to her drink. "To my sister. Although I think you're just excited to get to have sex with her again."
Sandor shrugged his shoulders slightly, still grinning stupidly. "Marriage does have its perks."
When Arya snorted, his smile faltered slightly and he looked around in confusion. "By the way, have you seen Sansa? I thought she might be in here with you."
"Jaqen, you seem to have a way with women," Ned piped up from behind the bar. "Why don't you see if you can't rustle up the bride? I'll see that my future son-in-law stays away from our alcohol for the rest of the evening."
Nodding, he stood and kissed Arya lightly on the top of the head before setting about his search. In the end, it was the boathouse where he found her, her voice carrying out from behind the open door.
"Why are you bringing this up now? She's here with Jaqen!"
"I just...Sansa, I have to know—"
She was standing on the far side of the room, glaring angrily up at the best man as he held onto one of her wrists. When Jaqen pushed the door open the rest of the way, she yanked her hand away and crossed her arms, sighing heavily.
"...if I should wear the red tie, or the blue," Gendry finished lamely, before shaking his head and angrily storming out.
Jaqen stood in silence, waiting for Sansa to explain what he had walked in on. Finally, she tore herself away from the view of the lake, sitting on one of the couches.
"Arya thought that he was going to propose, and so I did what any good sister would do. It was just before their three year anniversary, we were all out here to celebrate, and while she was away at the grocery store, I went to ask him what he had planned. Instead, I found him…"
She trailed off and shook her head in defeat. "I couldn't tell her, Jaqen. I love her too much."
He sighed, but nodded in understanding, his heart heavy as he realized the weight of the secret that Sansa had been forced to carry, and that he too would now have to keep from Arya. Client or not, he had come to care too much for her to risk her being hurt.
"You have to promise me, Jaqen," Sansa pleaded, her blue eyes welling with tears. "That you won't tell her. She can't know."
His expression grim, he nodded once more. "I won't. I promise."
"Arya!" Sansa appeared in the doorway of their father's study, looking panicked. "I can't find my lipstick. Do you have any I could borrow for the rehearsal dinner?"
Sighing, Arya hefted herself off of the leather couch, hesitating for a brief second before kissing Jaqen on the cheek. "You men enjoy yourselves while I get lost in the sea of lace and tulle."
Ned chuckled as his eldest daughter dragged her sister away and then turned back to the newspaper before him.
Jaqen sat in silence for a long moment, swirling the olive in his martini around the bottom of the glass. The pages of the newspaper had turned twice before he spoke.
"Sir?"
Ned looked up and smiled. "Just Ned, please. I insist."
Jaqen nodded and began again. "Ned, I have a question for you, and it may not make much sense, but I'd like you to answer it honestly."
Raising his eyebrows, Ned folded up the newspaper and set his glasses down beside it. "Go on."
Taking a deep breath, Jaqen steeled his resolve. "I'd like to ask for your permission to date your daughter."
A brief silence passed between them before Ned finally replied. "Well, of course. But...I thought you already were."
Smiling to himself, Jaqen nodded absently and drained the rest of his drink.
Yes, everybody was beginning to believe they were.
"Hey, Catelyn, can I steal your daughter for a moment?" Both women looked to the door and under the weight of their combined stare, Gendry shrank back slightly.
"You wasted so many years of her life already, what could a few more minutes hurt?" Catelyn replied tartly, turning away and opening a bottle of wine.
Arya sighed. "Thanks, Mom, but it's fine. I can handle this on my own."
Leaving her mother behind, she ducked out of the room and crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes?"
Gendry cleared his throat nervously and tugged absently at his tie. "Well, uh, I just feel like I needed to talk to you." When she merely raised her eyebrows, he continued. "You know how sometimes people do things, that maybe, they...they had hoped that they wouldn't...but then they...they weren't who they wanted to be, and..."
"What are you trying to say, Gendry?" Arya asked with obvious confusion, looking over his shoulder as Jaqen rounded the corner and then stopped short.
"I'm trying to tell you something important, Arry," he responded irritably. "And you're not even paying attention."
"Mmhm. Listen, I've got to go. I'll catch you at the rehearsal dinner, okay?"
Moving out from between him and the wall, she walked over to Jaqen, her smile faltering when she saw the frown on his lips. "Hey, is everything alright? You look upset."
His eyes moved to meet hers and he nodded. "Yeah." Taking one of her hands, he smiled at her softly and pressed a soft kiss to her palm. "Everything's perfect."
"Now, Jaqen, I'm not sure if you've heard the story of how Sandor and Sansa started dating."
The bride-to-be groaned and covered her face with her hands. "Mom, no...please don't do this."
Smiling, Catelyn shook her head. "Oh no, I think it's time we truly make Jaqen a part of the family. Arya, why don't you start it?"
Grinning at her sister's embarrassment, Arya took a sip of her wine before beginning the story. "Well, it's the fall of 2009, and Sansa is just starting her sophomore year of college. Sandor is already on his way to a master's degree, and finds himself as a teaching assistant for a statistics class. This is when Sansa was still pursuing business over design."
"And on the first day of her discussion," Catelyn continued, taking over. "She walks in and sees this older man in the front row, tall, and handsome. She had long since left a string of fraternity boys behind, so she thinks to herself that she might try to ask him if he would be willing to study with her for the semester."
"But when class starts," Arya said with a grin. "He gets up starts reviewing what they'd learned in lecture, and poor teenage Sansa realizes that the man she's got the hots for is her TA."
Sandor held up a hand to stop her and finished his drink before speaking. "This is the best part. I have to tell it. So halfway through semester, we're in discussion, and I go up to the front of the room, and I start doing examples of god only knows what, and I turn to the students and ask for someone to give me a number, just any number. And Sansa, who had hardly spoken two words in the first eight weeks, just starts rattling off a list of numbers, so I'm trying to get them all down and then once they're written, I realize that—"
"The numbers were my phone number," Sansa finished in defeat, her cheeks flush with embarrassment and a healthy amount of red wine. "I don't know how I got up the nerve to do it, and I ran out of the classroom as soon as we were finished, but then, that night, who called me up and asked me out for coffee but Mr. Clegane, as I still called him at the time."
Jaqen smiled as the couple leaned in for a kiss. "That's a good story. I'm glad you found each other."
When they pulled apart, Sansa rested her head against Sandor's shoulder and smiled at her younger sister. "Why don't you tell us the story of how you two met?"
"Why don't I go get some more wine first?" Arya countered, rising from the table. "I'll be right back."
As she made her way to the wine cellar, she tried to suppress her sudden disappointment. Her family all loved Jaqen so much, and they had no clue that not only did they not have a good first meeting, but that within the next 48 hours, they would be parting again, for good.
She was just beginning to search for a bottle of white wine when she heard footsteps from the stairs above, and a moment later, Gendry entered the cellar.
"Hey," he said, moving to her side and shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Hey," she replied easily, her thoughts still on Jaqen.
"I thought that maybe, we could...that...dammit," Gendry swore, shaking his head in frustration. "I'm sorry. I didn't think this would be so hard. I just…I feel like, I owe you an explanation. For the way things ended between us."
"Hey, just relax," Arya replied with a small smile as she moved to another row of bottles. "You're fine. I promise." When he sighed in relief, she continued. "But I should probably admit...I brought Jaqen with me to torture you. Slowly. This entire week. But then...I don't know. Something happened, and, I hope you don't take this wrong way, but," she straightened up and put a hand lightly on his arm. "I'm just...over...us. I'm just tired of all of it, our whole story. So I don't need an explanation. Let's just go upstairs and watch all of our friends get drunk."
Picking two bottles, she smiled at him and headed for the stairs once more. She was nearly to the top when he spoke again.
"I slept with someone else."
It grew so quiet that Arya could almost hear her heartbeat, and she turned around slowly to meet his gaze.
"What?"
"I...I slept with someone else. While we were dating. Sansa caught me, and that's why I broke it off with you. We started seeing each other after, but then, realized it was stupid and it felt wrong, and..." He trailed off and then searched her features for any sign of a reaction. "God, Arya, say something. Please?"
Turning back around, she walked out of the wine cellar without saying a word, leaving him behind. She had never felt so stupid and humiliated in her life. $6000 spent on a man to make her ex jealous, when he had never cared about her in the first place.
When she returned to the dining room, Myranda caught the look on her face and stood up to meet her, her eyes moving between Arya and Gendry.
"My god. He told you didn't he?"
Arya could hardly recognize her own voice when it came out, quiet and shaky. "You knew?"
Passing off the bottles, she continued to walk, picking up her pace until she threw herself into Jaqen's waiting arms.
She heard the sound of heels and then her sister's voice, hushed but furious. "You promised, Jaqen. Why would you just tell her like that?"
Arya felt her heart stop and she raised to head to find Sansa frowning at Jaqen while Myranda hurried over to correct her. His eyes were filled with pity and regret when she met his gaze and she slowly pushed him away, shaking her head.
Not only had Sansa known, and Myranda, but Jaqen...he had known what a fool she was the whole time...
Her eyes welling with tears, she turned and took off running, desperate to get away from it all.
She could hear Jaqen calling after her, but she didn't slow down. Her chest grew tight as she struggled to breathe, and when she stopped to gasp for air, he caught up to her.
"Leave me alone," she cried. "You knew and you didn't tell me. I can't believe I trusted you!"
"Come on, Arya—"
"How could you not tell me?"
He shrugged helplessly. "What did you expect me to say?"
Arya shook her head, furiously blinking away her tears. "You let me make a complete fool of myself. You lied to me. But I guess I shouldn't really be surprised, because that is what you do. That's who you are. You're a liar."
Narrowing his eyes, Jaqen stepped toward her, his expression incredulous. "You're judging me? Boy, that's a good one. You're just going to stand there and point the finger at me? The guy that you hired to pretend to be your boyfriend."
Sniffing, Arya shook her head, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "You're right. You're right. I was so desperate to have everyone believe that I was happy for once that I paid $6000 for a lie. And…at the end of the day, the only one who ended up falling for it was me. I wish I could say it was worth it."
Jaqen scoffed. "Fine. Go ahead, Arya. Hate me. You know, I think you're running out of steam on the whole Gendry thing anyway, so maybe you can hold onto this one long enough to ruin your next relationship."
He shook his head and walked off, leaving her there angry, hurt, and alone.
Arya was lying in bed, staring at the empty closet where Jaqen's clothes had been, when there was a knock at the door and Sansa stepped inside.
"Hey."
"Hey." Arya replied flatly, still staring straight ahead at the wall in front of her.
Sansa was quiet for a moment, and remained by the door. "I just...I wanted to apologize. For keeping it a secret from you for so long. I wanted to tell you, just not the night before my wedding."
Arya snorted and rolled over to meet her sister's eyes. "You just thought you would invite him back into my life after knowing what he had done, because it made your wedding better. Sure, he's an asshole, and he broke your sister's heart, but he'll make a handsome addition to the wedding photos."
Sansa's lip trembled and she shook her head. "Arya—"
"Oh, don't worry," she snapped. "Your wedding will be perfect. Tomorrow, I'll smile and I'll say all the right things, and maybe someday I'll forgive you, but tonight, right now, I'm not going to pretend that it's alright."
She was out of $6000, Jaqen had disappeared forever, and she would have to stand across from Gendry in the morning and pretend that she wasn't broken. No, things were definitely not alright.
It was the perfect morning for a wedding. The sky was clear and blue, and in all the excitement, the drama from the night before was forgotten. For the most part.
Jaqen had long since gone, and Arya felt hollow inside, but she was the very picture of support as she smiled and posed beside her sister for photos. Sansa looked radiant as always, and Arya just pretended to be happy for her, imagining that each loving look passed between the couple didn't feel like a knife to her chest.
The dressing room of the church was thick with perfume and chatter as the bridesmaids hovered around Sansa, trying to get her to look as perfect as possible before her walk down the aisle. It was after they had helped her into her dress and before the makeup touch-ups that Arya took her leave, sitting out back of the church in an attempt to clear her head.
She was picking the petals off of a flower in her bouquet when her father approached, lowering himself down beside her.
"I've been looking for you."
Arya smiled weakly and returned to the flower, unwilling to meet her father's gaze. He watched her silence for a moment before speaking again.
"So why did you let him go?"
Arya sighed and shook her head. "It's complicated, Dad."
"Ah, right," Ned said, nodding. "It probably wouldn't have worked out anyway, right?" He frowned slightly and then continued. "You know, I remember reading a very interesting article in the Times once that said every woman has the exact love life she wants. And you know what? I have to agree. But I refuse to believe that this is what you want, Arya."
He placed a hand on her knee and smiled. "Ever since you were little, you've always cared about what other people think, though you tried your hardest not to show it. But come on. What do you think? Is he the one for you?"
Arya bit her lip and pondered her father's words before nodding, slowly.
Ned's smile widened and he handed her a set of keys. "Then go get him. Sandor convinced him to stay in the boathouse overnight. If you hurry, you might still catch him."
Smiling, Arya took them and hugged him tightly before getting to her feet. "Do you have the keys to Sandor's car?"
Chuckling, he nodded and tossed them up to her. "Be careful with the cans."
As Arya drove from the church, cans rattling behind her, she thought about what her father had said. As much as she hated to admit it, maybe Jaqen had been right. Maybe the reason she had gone to him in the first place was because she knew that she had never really wanted to be happy with Gendry. Of course, it took $6000 and finding out that her ex was a cheater before she realized that over the course of a whirlwind weekend, she had fallen in love with someone else.
Parking the car outside the vacation home, she lifted the hem of her dress and ran to the boathouse, only to find it empty. It was only when she stopped to catch her breath that she saw the envelope on the table.
Written on the back, in Jaqen's handwriting, were two simple sentences. 'It's all here. Trust me.' Even without looking, she knew what she would find inside. $6000, in cash.
After leaving the money behind, Jaqen had taken their rental car and headed for his departing flight. Although Sandor had tried to convince him to stay, and given him the boathouse as temporary lodging, he knew he had to go. Arya had been clear about her feelings, and he had no right to try to change her mind.
He was nearly halfway to the airport when he realized that he was about to make the biggest mistake of his life. Nearly a decade as an escort and he had never done anything else but ask for pay up front, no matter how the evening or event played out. As selfish as he realized it made him, his empty wallet, if nothing else, was a testament to his feelings for the feisty young woman.
Swearing under his breath, he checked for traffic before yanking the wheel into a U-turn and starting back. There was no way that he could go back to his old life when he was in love with Arya Stark.
It was just as his surroundings began to look familiar again that he heard the sound of shouting, and a moment later, Sandor and Gendry appeared, tangled together on the ground and throwing punches. Evidently, Sansa had decided to tell her fiancé about his best friend's transgression.
"You bastard!"
"That's not fair!" Gendry whined, struggling to get away. "It was a mistake!"
"You cheated on my little sister!"
Gendry managed to free himself and took off, leaving Sandor to flail until he got to his feet again. Jaqen drove the car around alongside them, keeping even as they continued their chase.
"Sandor, just calm down!" Gendry begged. "We can talk about this!"
Shaking his head, Sandor slowed down a bit and looked over at Jaqen. "I look like a total idiot right now don't I?" When Jaqen nodded, he sighed and came to a stop, bending over to catch his breath.
"Get in the car, Sandor," Jaqen said, leaning across and pushing open the passenger side door. "He's halfway to California by now, and you have a wedding to get to."
"I've just made a mess out of everything now haven't I?" Sansa sniffed, wiping at the mascara that had run from her crying.
Silently, Arya handed over a box of tissues and took a seat beside her.
Taking one with a weak smile, Sansa blew her nose and then sighed heavily. "I'm so sorry, Arya. I really am. I know I should've told you, but I just love you so much and I didn't want you to get hurt. By trying to be a better sister, I turned out to be the worst one."
Arya shook her head. "You aren't the worst sister, Sansa. You're the best one I ever could've asked for, and I'm sorry for my part in all of this too."
Smiling, Sansa pulled her into a hug, but the sound of the door opening broke them apart. When she looked up, it was Jaqen in the doorway. Avoiding Arya's gaze, he looked to Sansa.
"I got your fiancé back for you, and I don't think you'll be seeing Gendry again anytime soon. You're up in ten minutes."
Nodding, Sansa wiped at her smeared makeup before squeezing her sister's hand and hurrying out.
Once she had gone, Arya stood up and walked over to Jaqen. "Hey, I—"
He shook his head, cutting her off. "Last night when we were fighting, I thought this was over. And I was going to leave you and just...take off. But, then I realized...I'd rather fight with you then make love with anyone else."
Stepping closer, he brought a hand to his chin and tilted her head up, meeting her gaze for a long moment before ducking down and kissing her deeply. Smiling against his lips, Arya kissed him back, enjoying the feel of their first real—and free—kiss.
After gently drawing his lips away from hers, he looked down at her. "I should get going."
Arya felt her heart drop and she shook her head. "What? No. You can't."
Jaqen raised his eyebrows and pulled away from her, going to the door. "I have to." He winked and then grinned. "I'm the new Best Man."
The wedding was a complete success in every way that it could have been. Sansa looked beautiful, the vows were sweet and heartfelt, and by the end, even Sandor himself was in tears.
For the reception, the guests had been reduced to content dessert-induced mumbling and Sandor and Sansa were dreamily feeding each other cake when Arya stood and clinked her glass for attention.
"Hello, all. As many of you know, my name is Arya, and I am the lovely bride's little sister. In that capacity, and as her Maid of Honor, I believe I am entitled to a speech. But this weekend's already been a wild ride, so I promise I'll keep it short, simple, and free of embarrassing childhood stories."
Sansa smiled up at her and she returned it before looking to her sister's new husband. "Sandor, there's no man in the world who knows how to love my big sister better than you do. You're the two luckiest people I know, and I know that you'll be two of the happiest as well. Take care of her, and be good to each other."
Arya was dragged into a tight hug when she sat back down and Sansa whispered quietly beside her ear. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Sans. Anything for my big sister."
She was just finishing off the wine in her glass when Jaqen snuck up beside her. "Care to dance?"
Grinning, she took his hand and let him lead her to the floor. "It's a good thing we took those lessons."
Jaqen laughed. "Good for you. I already knew how to dance."
They smiled at each other and Arya stood on her toes to kiss him, taking full advantage of her ability to do so whenever she pleased without any ulterior motive. They were still deep in their embrace when she heard Myranda yell.
"Arya, look out!"
Pulling away quickly, she whirled around, just in time to catch the bouquet that her sister had thrown. Jaqen raised his eyebrows at her and she shrugged slightly, looking down at the collection of flowers.
Whether the tradition's meaning proved true or not, she had a feeling that neither of them would be ready for another wedding for quite a while yet.
But then again...why not?