Margaery Tyrell bounced onto the landing, catching her breath and cursing inwardly when she realised she had another flight of stairs to go. emWhy in seven hells does Sansa have to live in an attic flat? At least it was exercise although she would have preferred a Bikram Yoga class. Margaery had been leaving her own flat when she had received a text from her red headed friend entreating her to come over right now. Sansa was not given to making demands and Margaery was concerned about what could have prompted her to be so urgent. Finally reaching her friend's front door, Marge knocked and entered.
"Thank the Gods you're here!"
"Sansa, what's wrong?"
"I'm a stupid, disorganised girl, that's what's wrong."
Margaery glanced round her friend's small flat. It was as pristine as ever. She could not for the life of her see what was causing the redhead to pace around her coffee table with an agitated frown on her face.
"What's the problem, love?"
"Jaime's coming for dinner tonight. I have to shop, then cook the food. I have to tidy up the flat and I have five orders from my Etsy page that I need to post out today! I don't have time! It's going to be a disaster!"
Sansa threw herself down on the sofa and placed her head in her hands. Margaery smiled to herself as she placed a sympathetic hand on her friend's shoulder.
"Sansa, sweetheart, calm down! It's not even lunchtime, you have plenty of time to shop and cook. Or better yet, write me a list and I'll pick up what you need in the car, I can post your parcels at the same time."
"Oh would you? Thanks so much, Marge!"
"It would be my pleasure, anything to help you two lovebirds. I take it things are still going swimmingly then?"
Sansa nodded, a soppy grin spreading across her face. Margaery couldn't remember her friend ever being as happy as she had been in the two months since she and Jaime Lannister had started seeing each other. Knowing better than anyone the shit Sansa had been through in the Vale, Margaery was delighted at this turn of events. Margaery's own relationship with Jaime's brother Tyrion had begun after Jaime's marriage fell apart, so she knew the older Lannister well enough to be confident that he would do right by her friend. Sansa had moved to the small kitchenette and begun to open cupboards, writing a list on a piece of note paper taken from a pad on the fridge. She handed it to Margaery who scanned it with a smirk.
"Sansa, you've forgotten condoms…"
"Marge!"
"Don't 'Marge' me, missy! Why else would you be cooking him dinner at home? This house is immaculate, I can only imagine the 'cleaning' you're stressing about is changing your sheets."
Sansa looked flustered in the face of her friend's banter.
"No… I've asked him here because, when he takes me out to dinner he always chooses somewhere ridiculously fancy so even if he'd let me go halves with him it would bankrupt me."
"Oh he won't do the going halves thing either? Tyrion was dead against it the first time we went out too. Their dad's a bit old fashioned and he brought them up pretty traditionally."
"So what did you do about it with Tyrion?"
Margaery smirked.
"I told him he could pay for dinner but I'd be getting the taxi back to mine and breakfast in the morning."
"Of course you did."
Sansa grinned at her friend then spoke with her eyes on the floor.
"Actually, I am sort of thinking I'm ready to take that step, maybe."
The brunette grabbed her friend's hands and squeezed them.
"Really?! That's wonderful, I'm so pleased for you! Honestly, Jaime is lovely, I wouldn't have let you near him if he wasn't. This thing with the dinners, I know you've been through a hard time, love, but he's not some entitled prick or creepy predator. If it really bothers you then take turn about paying for stuff, that always feels more natural anyway."
Sansa nodded clearly struggling to keep the smile from her face. Margaery pulled her into a hug, then stepped away.
"Right, I shall get myself to the shops and post office. I'll swing by my flat too and pick up my green kimono for you."
"Your green kimono?"
"Absolutely. I fully anticipate you will be floating around here tomorrow morning in a euphoric post-coital haze. No offence but your grey fleecy dressing gown with the wolf ear hood may destroy the wanton sex kitten image somewhat."
Margaery ducked the cushion her friend threw her way and and rushed out the door chuckling merrily.
Tyrion Lannister threw his keys onto the kitchen worktop with a satisfied sigh. Normally he would not have been happy about having to go into work at the weekend; it was one of the downsides of being an associate director of the National Targaryen Museum of Dragons. However, he'd been needed today to oversee the preparations for a new exhibit of pre-doom fossils from Valyria. It had been quite a coup for the museum to secure the specimens for the next three months and as well as being pleased about the revenue they would generate from entrance fees, Tyrion had been fascinated to see the persevered skeletons for the first time.
He moved towards the coffee machine, noting with a smirk the large bouquet of blue roses and pale yellow cake box on the side. So his brother's courtship of Sansa Stark continued? Can't wait to see what Queen Bitchface makes of all this.
Tyrion's private nickname for his ex-good sister was admittedly childish. This was because he had made it up when he was still a child. Jaime and Cersei had been friends from infanthood and she had always resented the close relationship between the brothers. In fact she had been openly hostile to anyone who she saw as threatening her hold over Jaime for as long as Tyrion could remember. In early adolescence his brother had developed a crush on his childhood friend which had appeared to be completely unreciprocated as Cersei had cheerfully gone out with various other boys in their peer group. However, when at fifteen Tyrion's brother had begun to develop a close, but obviously platonic, friendship with a girl called Brienne who he played rugby with, Cersei had suddenly discovered a passionate love for the boy she had only several months before told she saw 'as a brother'.
In Tyrion's mind the relationship had always been toxic and it had only been a matter of time until it had ended the way it did. Still his heart had ached for his older brother the night Jaime turned up on his doorstep, having discovered his wife's infidelities and been utterly broken by them. Now it seemed things were on the up for Jaime and the more Tyrion heard about Sansa, the more at ease he felt.
The kitchen door opened and he turned to see Jaime running a towel through his damp hair as he hummed a tune. He grinned at Tyrion.
"Good day at the office, bro'?"
"Yeah actually, got a really good look at the fossils from Valyria, bloody big bastards by the looks of the jaws."
"Thank the Gods they're long gone. Listen, do you think you could get me and kids tickets for next weekend? It's my weekend to have them and Tom's doing a project on dragons."
"That shouldn't be a problem."
As Tyrion was speaking, Jaime's phone began to vibrate on the kitchen table. He picked it up with a grimace which told Tyrion the caller was probably Cersei. Jaime held the phone to his ear.
"Everything alright?… Why?…Cers that's not on, it's not my weekend to have them…we agreed…no of course I don't want you to have to take them to Kevan and Dorna's…fine, fine, I'll be over to pick them up in a couple of hours."
Jaime hung up and sighed, a defeated expression on his face. Tyrion frowned at his brother.
"I thought you had plans with Sansa tonight?"
"Which I could hardly mention to Cersei."
"Why not? She's all loved up with Jack Sparrow, surely she wouldn't begrudge you a relationship of your own."
Jaime gave Tyrion a sour look. Things between him and Sansa were going brilliantly; unbelievably well. Jaime didn't want to bring Cersei into the equation just yet, not when it was all so new. A small part of him wondered if his ex had somehow got word of his new relationship and her sudden demand he look after the children tonight was her way of thwarting him, but he knew this was paranoia. He looked at his brother once more and was irked to find Tyrion gazing intently at his own phone.
"Tyrion, you could pretend to have some sympathy!"
"No time, brother, I have more pressing matters to attend to."
"Sometimes I wonder whose side you're on."Jaime grumbled. Tyrion grinned at him.
"Don't be a prick, Jaime, I am currently negotiating your release."
Text from Lovely Little Lion to Ravishing Rose: You won't believe this. Sweet Cersei has demanded J take T and M tonight. He's gonna cancel on Sansa.
Text from Ravishing Rose to Lovely Little Lion: He better bloody not! She has spent the whole day cooking! He will REALLY regret it if he blows her out.
Text from Lovely Little Lion to Ravishing Rose: Really? Ok I'll let him stew for a minute then tell him I can babysit the kids.
Text from Ravishing Rose: You hero xxxx/em
Tommen and Myrcella were delighted at the prospect of spending an evening with their Uncle and did not seem perturbed by Jaime's explanation that his friend Addam had broken his leg and required Jaime to drive him home from hospital and help him on his first night home. Jaime was just preparing to leave when the door to the flat opened to reveal Margaery. She grinned at her boyfriend.
"Don't look so surprised, love, you gave me the key."
"I just didn't expect to see you tonight" replied Tyrion as he moved to kiss her.
"You really thought I'd miss out on a big night in with the Lannisters?"
With the appearance of Margaery, Jaime's children went from being unperturbed at his departure to a state of excited glee. In other circumstances, he would have felt put out, but heading out the front door and towards his car, Jaime found excited glee pretty much summed up his own feelings.
Jaime had dropped Sansa off several times after they'd been out but he hadn't actually been in her flat before. When he had made his way up the many flights of stairs, unable to help feeling smug at not being even slightly out of breath, he was amused to note the silver, wolf head door knocker. He knocked and waited, soon hearing her voice approach the door. She sounded agitated and when she answered it was with an apologetic smile and a phone wedged into the the crook of her neck. He stepped into the small hall and listened to her try to wind up the conversation.
"She's not likely to listen to me!… I can try but you know how stubborn Arya is… of course I'd miss her too, look maybe you get Jon to talk to… ok, ok sorry for mentioning it! Look, mum, I'll call her tomorrow but I have to go now, Marge is here for dvd night. Love you bye."
She hung up the phone and turned to him, placing her hands on his shoulders and briefly kissing his lips. Jaime pulled her to him, stroking her cheeks and grinning cheekily.
"'Marge is here?' So now we know Sansa Stark is a terrible liar, why am I not surprised?"
Sansa blushed.
"I hope you're not offended, my family can be a bit over protective, I don't really feel ready to tell them I'm seeing someone yet."
"I completely understand. My dad's interference in my life was basically the reason I ended up leaving Lannisport as soon as I finished school and never coming back."
Strictly speaking, the move to King's Landing had been Cersei's idea. Jaime's father, had always hoped his son would follow him into merchant banking however Tywin had never approved of Jaime and Cersei's relationship and had made no effort to hide the disapproval. Jaime also now suspected Cersei had wished to loosen his ties to his high school friends and his brother, however he certainly did not want to talk about his ex-wife to Sansa. Particularly not when she was standing there looking breathtaking. He handed her the flowers and cakes he had brought as a gift and felt something inside him flip over as her face lit up.
"Winter roses! They're my favourite! Thank you, why don't you sit down? I'll get you a drink."
Jaime sat on the sofa as Sansa busied herself in the small kitchenette, placing the flowers in a delicate silver vase.
"So what possessed you to rent a flat six flights up? Enjoy the idea of being a princess in a tower do you?"
She made a face at him over her shoulder.
"Nothing so romantic. It was the only way to get a two bed on my tiny budget. I needed a spare room for the sewing machine and one with velux windows gives me good light."
Sansa had felt shy when she first told Jaime about her small online clothing business. In fact, if it weren't that being a graduate with a part time job in Topshop didn't seem fairly tragic she might not have mentioned it at all. Back when she was at fashion school in the Vale, she'd had grand plans of launching a boutique in trendy White Harbour. But she'd learnt the hard way that Professor Baelish's financial backing came with strings… So for now em'Florian and Jonquil'/em was restricted to a few online orders. But at least it was all her own work. She poured two glasses of white wine and walked to the sofa.
"I'll give you a tour if you like?"
"I'd rather you gave me a kiss."
She grinned at his sparkling emerald eyes, feeling the butterflies rise in her stomach, as they so often did in his presence, and leant towards him for a deep kiss.
"Right you three, I'm fairly sure I have nothing in which could constitute a dinner. So what kind of take away will it be?"
"Chippy tea please, uncle!"
"Yeah can we get fish and chips please?"
Tyrion grimaced at his niece and nephew, Margaery raised her eyebrows.
"What's wrong with a chippy tea?"
"Nothing, if you're at the seaside. Don't forget I grew up in Lannisport, what passes for fish and chips around here, I wouldn't feed to a cat!"
"Oh don't be such a grump! I'd love a scampi supper, couldn't you just have some chips and curry sauce?"
Margaery batted her eyelashes and pouted and Tyrion sighed in resignation.
"Fine, fish and chips it is, but please, just a portion of dry chips for me, curry sauce is an aberration."
"Wonderful! I'll go to the chippy, anyone coming with me?"
"I will, Aunt Margaery"
Chirped Myrcella, giving her uncle a look that made him think of a less malevolent Cersei. Before he could overcome his embarrassment and tell his niece not to be so presumptuous, the pair were at the door, Margaery turned to Tyrion with a grin and nodded towards Myrcella.
"I like this one, she's sharp. See you soon, boys."
Tyrion found a wide smile appearing on his own face as he turned to his nephew.
"Right, Tommen, lets have a look at this dragon homework then."
Sansa sat opposite Jaime at her tiny dinner table. He seemed to be enjoying the food and almost as soon as he had arrived she felt her nerves melt away. She watched him as he carelessly ran a hand through his golden hair and her fingers itched to do the same. Sansa became slightly distracted by this thought and clearly missed what he said.
"Sorry Jaime, what was that?"
"Ah, I see your falling under my spell! I was asking what your mother was phoning you about?"
"Oh! It was my younger sister. She's graduating in the summer and has just announced she's been accepted for a post grad at the Bravosi Institute of Tecnhology."
"Gods, she must be brainy, that's the one of the best engineering unis in the world."
"I know, it's a great chance for Arya. Mum says its too far away. I guess its hard for her to see us all moving on, especially since dad died."
"You know I really admire you for coming back here to support her, you're a very caring woman, Sansa Stark."
She blushed at his compliment.
"I knew Arya would want to get away, she's always wanted to travel… and well, you met Bran, it's hard for mum with that on top of Rickon being so young and managing her job too."
"Oh-ho older sibling guilt, I know that one too well."
Jaime took a sip of wine and sighed.
"I told you my mum died when I was young. She had cancer, the thing was mum and dad tried for a long time to have me and then again with Tyrion. She was about three months pregnant with him when she found the lump. There was no way she was having an abortion so she had to delay her treatment which meant it spread. Tyrion was a complete teenage tearaway and him and dad used to have these screaming rows. Dad would be shouting: your mother did not give up her life for you so you could throw yours away! It was a hell of a lot of pressure to put on a kid. I should've stayed around more, I suppose."
Sansa stroked his hand.
"Do Tyrion and your dad get on better now?"
Jaime smirked.
"Well, Tyrion does less to piss him off. But actually I think they have been more cordial recently. Dad adores Margaery."
"Everyone adores Margaery."
Sansa smiled and rolled her eyes but then a mischievous look, which Jaime loved, appeared on her face.
"She's very serious about your brother though and shall I tell you how I know?"
"Please do."
She had leaned towards him conspiratorially and he wanted to kiss her very badly. If the way Sansa was biting her lower lip was anything to go by, she knew he wanted to too.
"Well, normally when Marge gets with a new guy I hear every detail of what goes on with the pair of them-"
"Wait wait. If you're about to divulge details of my brother's sex life, I'd rather you didn't"
"As if I would! No that's the point! She told me she'd met someone, it was all going wonderfully but she never ever went into details. All she would say was that it was really, really good."
"And that's a sign its serious? I clearly have a lot to learn about the dating game."
"Lucky for you I'm a good teacher."
He loved these occasional flashed of sassy Sansa, this time he did lean over the table and kiss her. Not being in a public place had lowered both their inhibitions and thankfully the table was really small. He ran his hands over her long, white neck, through her fiery hair and revelled in the feel of her teeth on his lips. After minute they broke away and he was pleased to see that she was slightly out of breath.
"I'll go and get dessert."
"Yes please, Miss, then we can continue my lesson."
Jaime watched her walk to the kitchen trying to stop thinking about whether the table could take their weight for a strenuous shagging session.
Tyrion had to admit, the chips tasted pretty good. To be honest, everything seemed pretty good as he watched Margaery messing around with Tommen and Myrcella on the sofa. His niece glanced up at the wall clock.
"Oh, its half seven, please can we watch Dancing With Dragons, Uncle Tyrion?"
"You only want to watch it cos you fancy Oberyn Martell!"
"Shut up, Tommen!"
"Now, now you two. Yes Cella we can watch Dancing With Dragons. Tommen, once it finishes we will play any game you choose."
Myrcella grinned as she turned on the TV and flicked through the channels. Dancing With Dragons was an extremely popular show where celebrities were paired with professional ballroom dancers and competed against each other. One of the most popular professional couples were Oberyn Martell and Ellaria Sand. They had been linked romantically as well as professionally but both were also rumoured to have hooked up with celebrities they had partnered in more than one series. Margaery nudged Tyrion's niece.
"My oldest brother is one of the choreographers on this show."
"Seriously?!"
"Yeah. He used to be a professional ballroom dancer but he injured his leg really badly. I've been to the studio loads of times, I've even met the Red Viper himself."
"I'd love to meet Oberyn Martell."
"Well I wouldn't"
- Tommen chimed in.
"He wears fake tan and glitter. Uncle Euron says he's a ponce."
Tyrion knew he should really challenge Euron's restrictive views on masculinity but less than comfortable thoughts about what may have gone on when his girlfriend met the Red Viper, for all she was not his girlfriend then, somehow kept his mouth shut.
Dinner was eaten and the plates were piled up in the sink. Jaime sat beside Sansa on the sofa, both had cups of coffee going cold in front of them. Jaime ran his tongue gently around her mouth, one hand in the small of her back as he held her to him. She tasted faintly of the lemon dessert they had eaten. Sansa pulled away and Jaime was dismayed to see that she looked uncomfortable, the red head looked down at the floor a concerned expression on her beautiful face.
"Sansa, did I do something wrong? I'm sorry, I'm very rusty at all this…"
"No, Jaime, you've been perfect, you are perfect."
She paused and took a deep breath.
"I didn't just leave the Vale to be closer to my family. Ever since I was little, I've always wanted to make clothes, I had all these dreams about becoming a world famous designer, and no real idea of how I would get there. When I got into the Eyrie fashion school, mum was really pleased because my Aunt's husband was a professor there. Petyr was always saying how talented I was, that he'd never seen such good work. After I graduated, he encouraged me to stay on, he said he finance me to open my own shop in Whiteharbour, I thought all my dreams were coming true, it was so stupid of me. Anyway, I lived with them for a year and it all seemed to be going to plan, he would take me to parties were I met loads of influential people from the fashion world, I thought he was helping me to learn how to become a player."
She laughed in a bitter way Jaime had never heard before and he put a hand on her shoulder, he wanted to pull her to him and hug her but he could tell that she needed to finish what she had to say. Sansa carried on:
"So one day he took me to this empty unit right on the sea front. He said it was mine, as long as I finally made him happy. I didn't know what he meant, he got really angry, told me I'd spent years leading him on, that I was as bad as my mother, he tried to force himself on me. I had to run out with my shirt unbuttoned and bruises all over my face. No one believed me. My aunt said I was trying to seduce her husband and she kicked me out. I had a boyfriend their too, well fiancee actually. He didn't believe me either. In some ways that hurt more, looking back now I can see that Harry didn't really love me, he just liked having a pretty girl on his arm. Anyway, I spent I few months staying with a friend out there licking my wounds and when dad died I came back here."
Now he did pull her to him, wondering how it was possible to feel a burning desire to inflict a painful death on a man he had never met.
"Gods Sansa, I'm so sorry, that's fucking awful, what a cunt of a man."
He felt her laugh shakily.
"Yes he is. For a long time I thought it was my fault, but he's the one in the wrong, I know that now. And I don't want to let him ruin anymore of my life. So…I'm telling you all this not because I want your pity, I'm telling you this because I want you to stay, here. Tonight."
He gently lifted her chin and tilted her face to his.
"Sansa are you sure? I can wait as long as it takes."
"I know you can. That's why I'm ready."
And smiling at him, Sansa rose from the sofa and took his hand to lead him to the bedroom.
Tyrion closed the bedroom door on his niece and nephew. Tommen was now fast asleep in the top bunk, while Myrcella had promised she would only read another chapter of her Jacquline Wilson book before turning out the side light. He walked towards Margery's welcoming arms and brought his lips to hers.
"Why don't we head to bed ourselves, lover?"
"I'm not sleepy, Tyrion."
"I didn't mean for sleep."
Her hazel eyes sparkled with mischief.
"It feels a little bit wrong with Tom and Cella asleep next door."
"So I'm doomed to a life of celibacy once we have children?"
The question was out of Tyrion's mouth before he realised and he could have kicked himself. Normally his deep seated fear of rejection stopped him from sharing any of his dreams about a future with Margaery. It was just that the whole night had been so relaxed and happy that his defences were completely lowered and now he had likely ruined everything. He heard her speak.
"Tyrion. Look at me."
Only when he complied did she speak again.
"Before you try to pass off what you just said as some kind of joke, I want to tell you, I've spent a good part of this evening pretending Tom and Cella were our children. I've never been especially broody but I know I want children with you. I want us to have a family together."
The pair gazed at each other in silence, beaming smiles on their faces. At that moment Tyrion made up his mind to start planning the most romantic proposal ever seen. Margaery's expression became suggestive.
"Besides, by the time our children are the same age as those two, we'll have had years to work out a stealth strategy."
"I've already had years, my love, I spent much of my adolescence sneaking past my father when I was grounded for some minor offence."
"You make him sound like a monster! I've always found Tywin charming."
"Well, he loves you."
"You see, you have more in common with him than you think."
Their conversation had taken place on the way to Tyrion's bedroom. As he closed the door behind him, he contemplated sending some flowers to his bitch of an ex good sister. After all, it was her imperious request for childcare which had prompted he and Marge's confessions. Although, explaining his gratitude would likely lead to an explanation of how Jaime had spent his night and Tyrion could well imagine how that would go down. He looked up and realised that his girlfriend had dispensed with her clothes and was waiting for him in bed. Unsurprising this put schemes regarding Cersei out of his mind for the rest of the night.
The next morning Sansa was woken up by the sight of Jaime Lannister, carrying a breakfast tray into her room, stark bollock naked.
"Jaime! You could have put some clothes on!"
"Don't pretend to be unhappy about it, I have now confirmed that you are very into my naked body."
He placed the tray before her and she noticed as well as tea and toast, he had made her a crown from the blue roses her brought the evening before. She beamed at him.
"Am I your Queen of Love and Beauty?"
"Can you doubt it? One advantage of going out with a dad to a daughter: I'm very well practiced at hair plaiting, daisy chains and flower crowns."
Jaime's face took on a hesitant expression.
"I was wondering if you felt like heading back to my flat with me in a little while and maybe meeting Myrcella and Tommen? No worries if not, but I'd like you to meet them as soon as your ready. I mean, I know you've met them before but not with me so anyway, do you want to?"
Sansa grinned at this rare display of uncertainty; her heart warming at the implications of taking this step.
"Yes I would love to, I think I'll leave my crown here though."
When they arrived at the flat, the others were all in the kitchen, Tyrion was instructing Tommen in how to make eggy bread and Marge and Myrcella were seated at the dining table, taking selfies on the young blonde's tablet, using the 'Rose of Highgarden' filter. Something about the scene called to Jaime's mind his own marriage, before it all went to hell and happiness for his little brother further buoyed his already ebullient mood. He gripped Sansa's hand briefly.
"Kids, I want you to meet a new friend of mine. Her name's Sansa, she knows Margaery."
"Hello Sansa, I'm Tommen. Would you like some eggy bread?"
"Yes please Tommen it looks delicious."
Myrcella grinned cheekily.
"Is Addam alright then, daddy?"
"He's fine, I picked up Sansa on the way back from his."
His daughter looked sceptical but then Sansa sat down beside her .
"I've heard so much about you and Tommen that I couldn't wait any longer to meet you. Is it true you were bitten by a snake in Dorne. You must be very brave."
Jaime watched Myrcella launch into the tale of her childhood encounter with a sand snake on a family holiday. Soon Tommen approached the table, a plate piled high with golden brown slices, beaming with pride at the compliments from the three females. Tyrion handed Jaime some orange juice with a grin.
"Good night was it?"
"Sure was, I hope Tom and Cella weren't too much trouble?"
"Not at all, quite the opposite in fact."
Jaime raised his brows questioningly but Tyrion had busied himself pouring more juice. Jaime smiled to himself. He knew that introducing Sansa to his children meant bringing Cersei into the equation soon. Not to mention meeting her family before too long which was just as daunting in different ways. But for now he could eat eggy bread, drink orange juice and try very hard not to spend all his time day dreaming about the previous night.