A/N: Omg, I am so sorry guys! I took forever with this one. I can't promise that I'll update the next chapter so quickly, but I do promise that it won't take nearly as long as this one. Is there even a point in making excuses anymore? Honestly I did let school get in the way for a bit, and after that I was so blocked. I hold this story to a high regard and really didn't want to taint it with a horrible chapter. But It's back, and this chapter is a little over 13K, and that's not including any of the A/Ns or the brief summary I included in the beginning of the chapter.
Again I would like to thank all of you for supporting me for so long, and this chapter is dedicated to all you lovely readers. I hope that this chapter was worth the wait, and I really hope that you do like it. Once again I would also like to thank my two extremely lovely Betas: leapylion3, chapters 1-7 and has even helped edit the 8th, and furiouswinter which has helped with most of the editing of 8, and has given me a lot of feedback that helped me with this chapter. So grateful to both of you for making this story so great.
Okay... I'll shut up now. Enjoy the story :)
Previously on the White Walkers...
After abandoning the shed, the pack struggles to find a new safe haven. During their journey, they are ambushed by a large group of Walkers, resulting in a few minor injuries and the death of their companion, Lommy Greenhands. Following Lommy's death, it is evident that residing in the wilderness is no longer a viable option. The pack desperately requires some sort of shelter to put some distance between themselves and the Walkers. Arya racks her brain, attempting to think of a place where she and her pack can take refuge. After many moments, she recalls an island from her childhood known as the Red Keep and believes the island was uninhabited at the time of the pandemic. Without any other options, the pack resolves to journey there.
As they begin their journey to search for the mysterious island, they soon discover that Arya does not recall the whereabouts of the Red Keep. Going out on a whim, the pack decides to sail the seas of King's Landing in hopes of stumbling upon the island. They find a sailboat at the docks of King's Landing and use the boat to travel by sea. There is a motor on the boat, but no gas, so they can only rely on the wind to take them to the Red Keep.
Though the sailboat is large enough to occupy its six patrons, there isn't much room for privacy. As the group is confined together, relationships grow stronger. One night when Arya is particularly emotional from a nightmare, Gendry stumbles upon her and encourages her to open up to him. Arya reluctantly obliges and begins to tell Gendry of the nightmares that haunt her. As Arya is describing her most recent dream, a small clue from her subconscious tips off Gendry to the whereabouts of the Red Keep.
Though the pack is thrilled to finally have some direction, the environmental conditions only get worse. Winter seems to be drawing closer and there isn't much food available on the boat. They can only eat perishable items and raw fish, as it is near impossible to light a fire on the boat. Many members of the pack fall ill from food poisoning and Yoren replaces his nourishment with alcohol.
One night on the boat, Arya and Gendry share an intimate moment. Gendry displays his feelings for Arya and leans in to kiss her, but their moment is interrupted by Yoren. Yoren lectures Gendry for his behaviour and demands that he keeps his distance from Arya. Arya is still confused by the entire interaction and was not aware that Gendry had meant to kiss her. Though she has feelings for Gendry, she is unsure of what those feelings mean and mistaken them for a stomach sickness.
Towards the end of the chapter, the pack manages to stumble upon the island only to find out that it is already inhabited. Initially, they mistaken the people on the island for Walkers, but soon discover they are human. As the ship treads closer to land, Arya discovers that her brother Jon is on the island. As soon as they land, Arya dashes from the boat and runs into Jon's open and inviting arms.
And so the story continues...
It feels as if she is in a dream, another taunting nightmare that will snatch him away from her at any moment. It does not seem plausible for him to be standing in front of her when so many others have died. She had always believed Jon was either dead or turned, but not alive. Never alive.
Arya runs to him and wraps her arms around his waist, hugging him with every ounce of strength she has. Jon hugs her back just as hard and crushes her petite body to him. In that moment, she knows this is real. The tears are already spilling from her eyes before she moves to embrace him. Arya does not understand why she is crying when this is unmistakeably one of the happiest moment in her life. Her favourite brother, the one who used to muzzle her hair and shares the same features, is alive. The emotion she is feeling is indescribable- a warmth fills her body, starting from her chest and radiating out to her fingertips. Jon brushes a kiss on her forehead, his beard tickling her soft skin. The prickle of hair surprises her and she breaks the embrace to take a closer look at him.
He has long hair now, the brown curls almost reaching his shoulders. His chin is covered in stubble and there are laugh lines on his face. He is taller now and more muscular as well. He is not nearly as big as Gendry, but much bigger than the scrawny older brother she remembers. But then Jon smiles at her, and Arya realises he is still the same Jon. She wipes the tears off her face with the back of her sleeve and then moves to hug him again, but this time she jumps on him and winds her arms around his neck. Jon lets out a bit of an "oomph" and stumbles backwards before wrapping his arms around her and lifting her up like he used to do when she was little.
Arya laughs through the tears as she rests her chin on his shoulder. She wishes this moment would never end, that time would just freeze itself and keep her locked in Jon's embrace forever. To her dismay, Jon puts her down much too soon. She wants to protest, but he muzzles her hair and Arya can feel her heart falter. She thought he would never muzzle her hair again, she thought she would never see him again. Her eyes start tearing up again and Jon pulls her back into another hug. Arya weaves her fingers through his cotton shirt and sobs into his chest.
When Arya finally calms down, Jon pulls away from her and looks over her shoulder. Arya turns and notices him staring at Rickon. Their little brother eyes Jon warily and stares at him with big blue eyes. He does not recognize him, Arya realises. Rickon was only four or five when he had last seen Jon, and this Jon looks much different from the one Arya recalls four years ago. Perhaps she too would have not recognized him if he had not looked so much like their father. No, Arya thinks, I would have always recognized Jon.
Rickon is still staring at Jon apprehensively, unsure of what to make of the stranger in front of him. Arya wants to tell him that it is okay, that it is only Jon, their older brother, but when she opens her mouth to speak, her voice is too raspy that it is barely coherent. Instead, she outstretches her hand to him and Rickon takes it without a moment's hesitation. She pulls Rickon in for a hug and Jon encases the both of them in his embrace. For this one moment, she forgets about the pain, forgets about the losses she has suffered. They may never be a family again, but this isn't all that bad. She has Jon now, and Rickon, and she has never been more grateful.
Jon slowly tears himself away from her and Rickon, and looks behind them. He furrows his brow and appears to be in deep concentration. He barely glimpses Yoren, Gendry, Weasel and Hot Pie, but instead looks right past them and stares at the boat intently. Jon's face drops and he looks... disappointed? He turns to look at Arya and whispers the one word that disintegrates her one moment of happiness.
"Bran?" he asks.
It feels as if someone has just punched her in the chest because all her breath is suddenly knocked out of her. It had taken everything she had to let go of Bran, but the memory of his death still lingers. She closes her eyes and she sees it. All of it. She sees the icy cold stare of the Walker's empty eyes. She can still feel the Walker's teeth grazing along the side of her neck. She sees how helpless Bran had looked when he was lying on the ground, marked by a gruesome Walker bite. She remembers how scared she was when the Walker was attacking her, she remembers how even more scared she was when she found out that Bran had been bitten. She remembers violently fighting against Gendry's hold so that she could get to her brother.
The sound of Yoren's gunshot rings clearly in her ears as she opens her eyes and looks into Jon's. His expression has changed from one of hope to grief. She does not tell Jon that Bran is gone, she does not need to- her silence speaks volumes. She wonders what her big brother thinks of her now. It was her duty to protect her younger brothers and she let Bran slip through her fingers. When the Walkers attacked, all Arya had been thinking of was her own safety and she completely neglected to think about Bran and his inability to protect himself. It is her fault that Bran is dead; she should have protected him or she should have died trying.
She chances another look at Jon and to her surprise he does not look mad. Now Arya wishes that he was angry at her because the look upon is face is even more devastating. He looks broken, with fresh tears flowing from his eyes. He opens his mouth to speak, but all that comes out is a sob. He wipes the tears from his face and composes himself the best he can. "Bran- is he?"
Jon does not need to finish his sentence because Arya knows exactly what he is asking. Just as she opens her mouth to respond, she hears a gruff voice in the background answering for her. "No," Yoren announces, "I took care o' that."
She sees Jon's hands curl and clench into fists as he turns to look at Yoren. Arya wants to tell Jon that Yoren did what was best for Bran, but she remembers the distaste she had experienced towards her pack member after he shot her little brother. Yoren picks up on the discomfort easily and attempts to calm Jon. "The boy was a good lad. Very bright and brave. But then 'em Walkers attacked yer brother and yer sister here. It all happened so fast. By the time the rest o' us reacted, they had... well, yeh know."
Jon nods and takes a deep breath to calm himself. He turns to look at Yoren and mutters softly. "Thanks."
Jon turns to face Arya again and his face looks grim. With the way his lip quivers and his eyes shift to hers, she can tell that he has another question to ask. There is no hope in his eyes this time, only sadness. "Father. Did he- did he die with Bran?" Jon stutters out.
Arya closes her eyes and shakes her head. "No," she reiterates, "father died when we got separated. When the Walkers ambushed us."
Jon's eyes widen then, not expecting the answer she supplied. "So then, you've been taking care of them?" He asks, "all by yourself?"
Arya nods, "We had only met the others a couple months back, but since the ambush I-" and Arya freezes. What was she supposed to say? That she took care of her younger brothers? That clearly wasn't the case as she failed to protect Bran. "I'm sorry, Jon." She cries, "I tried to protect him, I swear I did. I just..." She hiccups, "he just... the Walkers-"
"Shh." Jon whispers as he pulls her in for another embrace. He cradles her head with both hands and she buries her face in his chest. "S'not your fault. You did the best you could. I'm just sad that there was no one there to take care of you, little sister."
"'Em not little." she manages to choke out between sobs, and she can feels Jon's smile as he presses his lips to her forehead.
"I know Ar, I know."
When the tension dissipates, Jon and the others help Arya and her pack unload the rest of the bags from the boat. Arya suggests towing the boat to shore, but Jon brushes off her idea. "We don't need it," he explains, "we have plenty of other boats back at camp." Arya does not think it is wise to abandon any resources at a time like this, but she trusts Jon, so when they leave the boat on shore, Arya reluctantly bites back her protests and follows him into the woods.
As they gather the supplies, Jon briefly introduces his other companions. The blonde haired woman who was pointing a rifle at them earlier is named Val. There was tension in the air between the blonde and the rest of the pack since they landed, but soon dissipated when Jon introduced Arya as his sister. Val says she doesn't trust newcomers, and Arya can relate. She remembers how hesitant she was to accept Yoren and the others into her pack. Arya thinks she will like Val; she looks like a warrior, neigh a goddess, and Arya cannot help but feel a little envious. Where Arya is all skin and bones, she can see the core strength behind Val's physique. As the sun shines on her, it accentuates the muscles on her biceps, but not in an unfeminine way. Though she is very toned, Val still possesses soft feminine curves. Her long, flowing, glossy blonde hair is kept out of her face with a headband and her hair fair falls loosely over her large breasts. They strain against her tank-top and Arya catches Hot Pie staring more than once.
The scared looking boy from earlier is named Podrick. He carries several bags upon his shoulders as they walk back to camp. Arya offers on several occasions to carry one for him. She is only carrying one bag at the moment and can easily take one more, but Podrick shakes his head. "No need to worry, ma'am. You've been travelling for a long time, you need your rest."
Arya is about to protest, stating that she has honestly done nothing but rest for the past few weeks, but is interrupted by the blond boy from earlier. "No need to worry about him," he states as he walks up to them with a smile on his face, "Pod here won't be able to sleep at night lest he has worked hard enough."
Arya turns to face the boy speaking to her. She remembers Jon introducing him as Edric Dayne , the boy with the blond hair and the purple eyes. Arya has never seen a natural colour like that before. Initially, she just thought they were a dark blue, but when she looks closer, she can see his eyes are in fact a deep purple. He catches her staring but does not say anything in response. In fact, he smiles at her, his eyes sparkling like amethysts . Arya quickly tears her gaze away from him, a faint blush colouring her cheeks from embarrassment.
"Your brother didn't introduce me properly earlier," Edric announces, "my name's Edric, but all my friends call me Ned."
"My father's name was Ned." Arya blurts out. She isn't sure why she tells Edric this, but the words just tumble from her lips. A dull ache creeps its way up to her heart when she hears her father's name and her smile turns into a frown.
Edric frowns back, but nods, "I'm sorry for your loss." he states sincerely. "Eddard Stark was a good man."
Arya's head snaps up at that. "How did you know-"
"Well, for one, Jon has told me everything about his family." Edric replies smiling. Arya frowns at that. Everything? "And two, I knew your father before all this happened. Well, I wouldn't really say I knew him, but he and my Aunt Allyaria used to date before he met your mother. You see, I'm from Dorne; born and raised. Once, your family went to Dorne for vacation, and your father and the rest of your family came over to our home for a visit. I met him then, but I was only a baby at the time so I don't remember."
"I don't remember that." Arya confesses.
Edric shrugs, "You probably weren't born at the time, or perhaps you were too young to remember. Anyways, when- OW!"
Gendry bumps shoulders roughly with Edric as he strides right past them . He grunts something as he passes, but Arya cannot make out what he said. Suddenly, she is angry at him. Didn't he at least have the decency to give Edric a proper apology?
"Watch where you're going, stupid!" She yells at him.
Gendry ignores her and continues to walk on. Frustrated at the stupid bull, Arya finds a rock on the ground and balances it in her hand before roughly throwing it at Gendry. The rock hits him on the back of the head with a thump, and ricochets, landing on the ground a few feet beside him.
"Ow!" Gendry exclaims as he turns to face her. "What kind of a girl throws rocks at people?" he asks, enraged.
"The bad kind!" Arya exclaims as she proceeds to ignore Gendry for the rest of the journey.
Arya finds that she likes talking to Edric. He isn't self-absorbed like the other upper-class men she has met, and Arya regrets not having the pleasure of meeting him before the pandemic. He talks about Dorne with an animated voice, and Arya almost wishes she was there- almost. It is the opposite of Winterfell with its scalding hot temperatures and its sandy beaches, but Edric mentions that Dornish lemon cakes pale in comparison to anything else, and Arya is sold.
She doesn't keep far from Jon, though. His arm is wrapped loosely over her shoulder and he occasionally muzzles her hair as they make their way back to his camp. Arya smiles as Jon's callused fingers gently brush the dirty locks of hair upon her head. Despite the earlier grief they both expressed from the deaths of their loved ones, Arya cannot help but be happy. What hurt most about this entire pandemic was losing her favourite brother. She had no idea if she would ever see Jon again; she did not know if he was alive, if he was safe. Cruel fate had taken him away from her, but he is back now and she is determined to never let him go again.
All of a sudden, Gendry freezes ahead of her, causing Arya to crash into his large frame. She is about to tumble onto the floor, but Jon catches her easily, steadying her on her own two feet. "What's wrong with you, stupid?" Arya chastises.
Gendry raises a hand to quiet her. She is infuriated that he would dare tell her to shut up after he almost knocked her off her feet, but then he speaks, "Do you guys hear that?"
Everyone quiets down in that moment. She briefly wonders what Gendry is talking about until she hears the quiet sound of muffled laughter in the background. She stares at Jon wide-eyed, about to ask him the question that everyone from her pack is thinking, but Yoren beats her to the punch, "There are others here?"
Jon smiles, but it is Val who answers, "You didn't think it was just us now, did yeh?"
"How many others are there?" Gendry inquires.
Val is about to answer when she is interrupted by an eager Rickon. "Look!" he exclaims as he points forward.
Arya and the others move forward past the clearing to see what Rickon is pointing at. The sight that awaits Arya, shocks her. There are dozens of tents surrounding the large cabin she used to sleep in as a child and she spies several people gathered around the cabin. Arya cannot remember the last time she had seen so many people; there must be twenty, maybe thirty people on the island. They all seem so carefree; performing various tasks, chatting, and she even spies a couple of children running about.
Others quickly take recognition of them, and now dozens of strangers are staring at her and the rest of her pack intently. Jon places a protective hand around her shoulder and introduces Arya, Rickon, and the rest of their pack.
"We sent you out to get some fish and you return to us with two wolves," a familiar voice states, "but I suppose that's not fair because they are half Tully." A short man emerges from the crowd and despite his small stature, it takes Arya a while before she recognizes him. There is a large gash on the middle of his face and his nose is now missing, but the man standing in front of them is unmistakeably the imp, Tyrion Lannister. Arya never had the chance to speak to Tyrion in the past, but she remembers how much she hated Cersei and Joffery, and does not think Tyrion will offer any better company. To her surprise, Jon just smiles at him and Tyrion is beaming back at her brother. It seems as if the imp is happy about their reunion, but something still unsettles Arya about the youngest Lannister brother.
After the exchange, the other strangers welcome everyone to their home and begin showing them around. Questions slice through the air, "What is it like out there? Are there still a lot of Walkers? How did you find the island? You lived in a shed? Are there others?"
Arya is happy when Yoren answers for them because she is simply exhausted from their long journey. Her stomach churns when she smells soup brewing and she thinks of how long it has been since she last had a decent meal.
"You guys must be starving." Edric comments, reading her mind. Arya just nods and Edric smiles kindly, "Well, it shouldn't be too long before lunch. Why don't you sit and-"
Arya does not catch the second half of his sentence because a flash of auburn suddenly catches her eye. Her head snaps back to catch the familiar colour and Arya is dumbfounded when she sees Robb and Sansa standing outside the cabin door. Arya blinks, staring at her siblings as if she has just seen a ghost. She is shocked to find both Sansa and Robb still alive, and she finds that her siblings mirror similar expressions once they catch sight of Rickon and herself.
Arya does not remember when she started running, but she must have because in the next moment she has launched herself into Sansa's arms. She can tell that Sansa is a bit surprised that she went to embrace her before Robb - after all, Arya had always been closer with her brothers - but there is something about her sister that Arya misses. She remembers bickering constantly with Sansa, throwing food and other debris at her sister. She even remembers hitting Sansa once; a punch in the arm that resulted in a bruise and a four-week grounding. Arya looks back on all the fighting and it fills her with regret. Sansa and Arya had never gotten along with one another as children, and it wasn't until their separation that Arya realised how much she truly loves her sister. Ever since then, Arya's biggest regret was to have her sister die, never knowing how much she loves her, to always believe that she hated her. But now she is here, and she is alive, and Arya wishes she can take back every hurtful thing she has ever inflicted upon her sister.
Arya's hands wind tighter around her waist and she squeezes Sansa, smudging dirt and tears on her dress. The last time she hugged Sansa when she was dirty, her sister had pushed her away in disgust and scolded Arya for ruining her dress, but now Sansa is hugging Arya back with equal vigor, her fingers digging into the short, greasy locks of Arya's hair as she sobs into her shoulder. Arya feels a pair of strong arms wrap around her from behind, and she knows it is Robb encasing Sansa and herself in his hold. He is pressing kisses on her head as he mutters something about how he thought she was dead and how he thought he would never see her again.
Jon and Rickon join them soon enough, and the Stark children gather around for one large group hug. Arya laughs through the tears as she embraces her family. She can no longer feel the void nor the emptiness that has filled her heart for much too long. In the present moment, Arya is neither sad nor fearful. She is something that she hasn't been since her mother passed away all those years ago. For the first time in a long time, Arya Stark is happy. She is finally reunited with her family, and that is all she needs to pull through. They may be broken, without a mother nor a father and a sibling missing, but they will survive and take care of one another. The lone wolf dies but the pack survives.
Pleasantries are made between the other members in camp once the siblings finally break apart. Arya is introduced to many people, though she forgets most of their names too quickly. They all seems nice enough, and they kindly offer more food when Arya and her pack quickly scarf down their portion of lunch. Arya protests the offer for food at first, feeling guilty for taking so much, but Jon assures her that food is not a problem here. She finds it hard to believe that the resources at camp can sustain so many people for such a long period of time, but she does not question Jon and happily eats two more portions. The food is probably the most delicious thing Arya has eaten since they abandoned the shed. Her plate is filled with white rice, venison and she is also presented with a bowl of soup, filled with a variety of roots and vegetables she does not recognize. Arya offers to clean the dishes, but the others convince her to take it easy for today. Catching Arya's guilty look, Jon assures her that they will find jobs for her and the rest of the pack tomorrow, but he insists that she rest for today.
"If you wish, Arya, you may take my tent to sleep in." Edric politely offers when Arya is finished eating. Before Arya can even think of responding, she hears a loud hacking sound and turns to see Gendry coughing up the spoonful of rice he just ate. Yoren pats on his back roughly, and she takes notice that his face is beet red.
"It's a rather small tent, so I normally sleep there on my own," Edric explains as he captures her attention away from Gendry, "but I am sure that you and Weasel will find it spacious enough to sleep comfortably. My friends, Beric and Thoros share a rather large tent. I am sure they wouldn't mind if I moved in with them."
Arya is about to thank Edric for his offer, but is quickly interrupted by an eager Sansa. "Arya!" She calls, emerging from the cabin and gracefully heading towards Edric and herself. "I am sorry to interrupt your conversation with my sister, but would you mind if I borrowed Arya for a few moments?" Sansa politely asks. At any other time, Arya would have rolled her eyes at Sansa's formalities, but instead she just smiles, happy that the pandemic has not changed her sister.
"No need to apologize, Sansa." Edric states politely with a smile. He quickly takes his and Arya's dirty dishes and leaves her with a parting glance and a sweet smile. Arya shyly smiles back as Edric takes his leave.
Sansa takes hold of Arya's hand, weaving their fingertips together as she leads her to the large cabin. "I asked a couple of the girls to help me draw you a bath." Sansa states. Arya frowns as she focuses her attention on her hygiene. The last time she took a bath was six days ago and Arya only now begins to realise how foul she and the rest of her pack must smell to the other islanders. Though the ocean was easily accessible, they hadn't been able to bathe since the temperature dropped. The water was freezing cold and no one wanted to risk falling ill, so their hygiene - or lack thereof - had been a small price to pay. Arya mutters an apology, but Sansa just smiles back at her sister, insisting that she has nothing to be sorry about.
The cabin isn't what Arya remembers. She could have sworn it was much bigger when she was younger, and it was definitely cleaner. Where once the cabin was filled with trophies, art work, and prestigious Baratheon heirlooms, it is now filled with boxes and dust. Some artwork still remains, but the Baratheon heirlooms are replaced with Lannister ones. She looks to her right and remembers where there once was a sculpture of a large stag with the emblem, Ours is the Fury . It is now replaced with a smaller gold lion. Its teeth are bared menacingly, and the site of it sends a chill down her spine. On the bottom left corner, the words Hear Me Roar are scrawled in small, cursive, crimson letters.
She only stares at the lion for a moment before Sansa drags her away from the main room and brings her to the bathroom. True to her word, the bath is filled to the brim with hot water. She can still see some of the steam rise from the water, and there is a large assortment of cleansing products lain out neatly by the side of the tub. Arya is about to turn around to lock the door, but is surprised when she still sees Sansa there waiting for her.
"Come." Sansa states gently.
Arya walks to her sister and she watches Sansa as she carefully begins to peel the clothing from her body. Arya raises her hands to help Sansa peel off her shirt and suddenly Arya is a child again. The unfamiliar bathroom reverts to the one she used to bathe in back in Winterfell. The dull gold tiles turn back to the familiar grey and white, she spies the large wolf portrait by the sink, and she can even smell the faint scent of her mother's lavender candles.
"Arya, what have I told you about playing with your brothers?" she hears a familiar voice call.
Arya gasps and holds in her breath as she turns to face her mother. She looks just as she used to when Arya was still a child, before her hair was streaked with white and before the Walkers bit her. She is no longer sickly looking, nor covered with sweat, but rather the young, vibrant Catelyn Tully she had always loved and remembered. She still hasn't recovered from the shock of seeing her mother and she has to remind herself to breathe when her chest tightens and her cheeks turn purple.
"You are almost a woman and you are still behaving as a child." her mother scolds. "I should have never allowed your father to indulge you so much. Look at you, Arya. You are filthy! You've covered yourself in mud from head to toe. It will take hours to get you clean. You cannot keep acting like this, Arya. Your sister was far more mature than you when she was half your age."
Arya cannot move, she cannot speak. She just stares at her mother with tears brimming in her eyes. "Are you even listening to me young lady? Arya? Arya! Arya!"
"Arya!" Sansa calls, breaking her from her trance. The tiles revert back to the dull gold and the wolf portrait vanishes. Her mother is gone as well and a dull ache fills her heart. She turns to look at Sansa and it suddenly dawns upon her how much she really looks like her mother- their mother. Her hair is a few shades lighter and Sansa is a few inches taller, but the resemblance is still uncanny.
"Arya, I said can you please get in the tub." Sansa states.
Arya looks down and notices she is fully nude. When did that even happen? But she obliges and steps into the large tub of water. The water is still hot and Arya winces at the harsh temperature of the bath water. She has no time to recover before Sansa dunks a bowl of hot water upon her head. She spits the water from her mouth and rubs at her eyes. When she opens them, Arya notices that the bath water immediately turns a murky brown colour as it washes the dirt from her body.
"Perhaps we should have given you a shower first." Sansa muses as she sees the bath water turn darker.
"The showers work?" Arya asks, surprised.
"There is no electricity and no water from the pipes," Sansa explains as she starts scrubbing the bar of soap on her skin, "but some of the people here built a couple of showers a few years back. We boil the water and then pour it into a large bucket. Then we have a lever you can pull that slightly tips the bucket, making it very similar to a real shower. It always takes a lot of hard work to set up, so we don't use the showers every day, but they are absolutely wonderful. It's always the little things you miss."
Arya nods as Sansa grabs the bottle of shampoo and squeezes a copious amount on her palm. "How come you have so much stuff?" Arya asks as Sansa begins to lather the shampoo in her hair. "Like the shampoo, how have you been able to salvage that for so long?"
"Well, like you, a lot of people bring stuff with them when they find the island," Sansa explains, "but usually when we run out of stuff, we get a group of people to go back into the city to find more supplies." Arya freezes, but Sansa does not catch her hesitation. "It's getting harder to find anything now and more recently we've had to go outside King's Landing to find food and other supplies, but we've managed to cope for this long."
"Yo-You have people leave the island?" Arya asks, her voice breaking.
Sansa stops lathering her hair, "Arya," she states gently, "we only have volunteers go out and grab stuff. You know we would never force you or Rickon to go. We wouldn't force any of your friends to go unless they wished to. Besides, I just got you back. Do you honestly believe Robb, Jon or I would let you out of our sights again?"
Arya immediately relaxes, the tension quickly dispelling from her body. "I never want to go back out there again." Arya admits, thinking of the near death experiences she has already had. Her body shakes as she remembers Bran's death and the ambush she was in with Gendry.
Sansa gently places her hands upon Arya's shoulders and she immediately feels comforted. They stay there for a while before Sansa resumes washing her once more. Sansa changes the water three times until she is satisfied with Arya's cleanliness. Arya emerges from the bathtub and Sansa brings a towel to help dry her off. Her fingers absently trace the ribs visible upon her abdomen and she sees Sansa flinch every time she comes across a scar or a bruise.
"I cannot believe you went through that all on your own." Sansa admits as she stares at her injuries. "Robb and Jon both thought you were dead, but I told them you weren't. You've always been a fighter, so brave, I knew I couldn't lose you so easily."
Sansa finishes drying her body and then runs the thick towel through Arya's damp hair. "And your hair..." Sansa smirks as she runs her fingers through the clean, wavy, damp hair that now reaches the top of her shoulders.
"I know," Arya admits, smiling, "you're mad that I cut it."
Sansa shakes her head, "No, I like it." she admits as she continues to towel dry her hair. "Short hair suits you."
When Sansa fetches her some clothes, Arya automatically thinks that her sister will attempt to dress her in a frilly, floral garment. That is why it comes as a shock to her when Sansa stalks back into the room with a pair of black Dr. Martens, dark blue skinny jeans, a loose white t-shirt with a picture of a howling wolf, and a simple grey jacket.
Sansa also brings her some clean undergarments; just a simple wireless bra and a pair of white cotton briefs; none of the lacy lingerie crap she knows her sister wears. As Sansa dresses her, Arya catches her sister staring at her protruding ribs and the many lesions coating her body. Injuries were never uncommon for Arya. Whenever she'd come home from school or playing sports with her brothers, Arya would bring home a new bruise or scab, but these lesions are different. Though there are still many bruises and scabs covering her body, they are also accompanied by scars and burns- permanent fixtures that serve as constant reminders of all the hardships she has encountered. As Sansa slides on the bra straps, her fingers ghost over the long scar on her shoulder. She got that scar about two years ago from accidently stabbing herself with her own machete. A few Walkers had attacked her when she was out on a supply run and though Arya had managed to kill them, she did not come out of the battle unscathed. One Walker had knocked her over, causing her to fall on her machete. As she hit the ground, the blade of the weapon punctured the skin and penetrated her from the shoulder, marking yet another memory she would much rather have forgotten.
They never talk about the scars, though. Even as she sees Sansa ghost her fingers over the hideous lesions, she remains silent about the abrasions. Instead she tells Arya about the camp and the others living here. She tells her about their family and all the things she missed as their siblings grew up. "Many of the people sleep outside," Sansa tells her as she runs a brush through Arya's tangled hair. "The Red Keep is far too small to host so many people, so we only sleep inside the cabin during winter and bad storms. Since the Red Keep belongs to the Baratheons, they always sleep inside the cabin and have been kind enough to give Robb and I our very own room. Jon and most of the others sleep in the tents, which I'm sure will be offered to your friends as well."
"The Baratheons are here?" Arya questions, not recalling seeing Robert nor any other Baratheons when she arrived.
"Well, not all of them," Sansa clarifies, "Robert died during the pandemic, but Cersei is here and so is Joffrey." Sansa's voice cracks as she says Joffrey's name and Arya suppresses the urge to call him a prick.
"So I take it that you are still dating him." Arya states.
"Yes. Joffrey is my boyfriend and I love him." She states. Arya does not respond to Sansa's statement. Though she still hates Joffery and thinks he's a cunt, she refuses to address this to her sister. She hasn't seen Sansa in almost four years and the last thing she wants is to start an argument. "As I was saying," Sansa states as she continues to brush Arya's hair, "I have my own room in the cabin. I know Jon has probably arranged a place for you to sleep, but I much rather you share a bed with me."
"But... don't you want your own room?" Arya asks. Sansa and Arya had to share a room growing up when they were younger. Sansa detested sleeping with Arya in the past and demanded that she get her own place to sleep in as she needed her privacy. It was due to Sansa's objections that the Starks moved into a larger home, but now Sansa was offering to share?
Sansa stops brushing her hair and turns to face her sister. She kneels on the floor, taking Arya's hands in her own and looks straight into her sister's eyes. "I haven't seen my sister in over three years. The last thing I want is to spend more time away from you." Sansa tells her with the utmost sincerity. As Arya stares back into her sister's eyes and, seeing the vulnerability behind them, she has no other option but to accept her offer. Besides, the thought of spending her nights with Sansa makes her happy. She has never slept away from Rickon before, but she is sure Robb and Jon will take care of him.
As they head downstairs, Arya spots a large mirror in the hallway. She cannot remember the last time she has seen her own reflection, with the exception of the distorted images she'd see of herself in the ocean. Arya hesitantly steps towards the mirror, not knowing what she even expects to see. When she finally gathers her courage, Arya takes a step towards the mirror and cannot help but gasp at her reflection.
No longer does she see the ugly horse faced girl that she remembers. Her long, slim face is now gone and replaced with soft cheekbones. Her hair that now reaches her shoulders, lays neatly upon her head in soft little waves. Arya takes a closer look at her reflection and can see the pattern of freckles that cover her nose and cheeks. Though her eyes are still baggy and covered in dark circles, Arya cannot deny that she has grown into a beautiful young woman.
She remembers constantly being compared to her aunt in the past, and it wasn't until today that Arya finally saw the resemblance. Her aunt was supposedly one of the most beautiful women in the world, and though Arya does not think she is nearly as pretty as her aunt or Sansa, she no longer considers herself as an ugly little duckling. She briefly wonders if Lyanna looked like she did when she was a child. Long thin face, gangly arms, hollow cheek bones. She wonders if anyone had ever called her aunt horse face or underfoot as a child.
"Arya Stark." she hears a voice call from behind. Arya turns around and finds herself face to face with Cersei Baratheon-Lannister. Arya has to admit that even through the pandemic, Cersei remains as beautiful as always with her long, wavy blonde hair and her pale green eyes. There are a few wrinkles upon her face, but she is still a striking woman and certainly does not look as old as she truly is. There is a coldness in her voice that perturbs Arya, a sense of authority as if Cersei believes she is superior to everyone else. She has always hated Cersei in the past and still holds onto most of that animosity. Robb, Jon, and herself, would always refer to Cersei as a bitch behind her back, much to the displeasure of her mother and Sansa. She does not cower from Cersei's stare, and to her surprise Cersei does not look angry, but rather amused.
"Well, haven't you grown into quite the beautiful young woman?" Cersei comments with a smirk.
Arya wants to tell Cersei that she can go fuck herself, but she remembers that she is living in her home, so she bites back her retort. She isn't about to respond to Cersei's statement until she catches Sansa giving her a pleading look. "Thank you, Mrs. Baratheon." Arya mumbles out. She sees Sansa flinch beside her and wonders what was improper with her statement.
Cersei does not look displeased with her statement but corrects her nonetheless, "call me Ms. Lannister. My husband is dead, I am no longer a Baratheon." Arya simply nods and Cersei continues, "I will be sure to find you a room in the cabin. There is a room filled with boxes that I can get a couple of men to clear out and you may sleep there. I'm sure we have a spare mattress somewhere as well. Unfortunately, the room is a bit small but it's better than sleeping outside in the filth." Cersei states disdainfully.
"Actually, I've already offered to share my room with Arya." Sansa interrupts in a quiet, meek voice.
Cersei turns to look at Sansa and gives her an icy glare. The look she gives her is only for a brief moment, and Arya begins to wonder if she had just imagined it. Cersei quickly smoothens out her expression and gives Sansa a soft smile. "That's odd, I was made to believe you and Joffrey usually share a bed."
"I am sure Joffrey will understand if I wish to spend some more time with my sister, whom I have not seen in almost four years." Sansa replies.
For a moment there is silence, and the two women appear to be in a standoff, both eyeing the other one warily. "Very well." Cersei states, finally breaking the silence. "Though I am sure Joffery will be disappointed to hear this news. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work that needs attending." And with that, Cersei sashays out of the room, the clink of her heels announcing her departure.
What the fuck was that about? Arya questions to herself as she watches Cersei leave. When she was a child, the older woman always doted on Sansa, admiring her beauty and polite manners. But now, if Arya wasn't mistaken, it was almost as she was treating Sansa as an enemy. It was always Arya, Cersei hated. Cersei often complained to Robert and her parents about her wildness and attitude. She turns to look at Sansa and notices a slight tremble in her fingers, but Sansa is quick to compose herself, dragging Arya out of the cabin and already steering the conversation to a more pleasant subject.
She meets Joffrey for the first time in Sansa's room. It is late at night, and the majority of the people on the island are asleep. Arya is preparing for bed in Sansa's bathroom. She removes her clothes and dresses herself in only a pair of briefs and one of Jon's old t-shirts. The garment fits her loosely and the hem of the shirt reaches her mid-thigh, considering Arya is significantly shorter than her brother. It may not be the most modest of clothes, but she is only sharing her bed with Sansa and it feels nice to sleep in something comfortable for a change. Back in the shed, she would always have to dress modestly, even at night, since she was sharing her sleeping quarters with males. It was a bit easier when it was only her brothers, but with the newfound presence of Yoren, Gendry, Hot Pie and Lommy, Arya even had to force herself to wear a bra while she slept.
She is bent over the sink, furiously brushing at her teeth, watching the brush as it stains red with blood. Sansa says it will do that for a few days as her gums are not in the healthiest condition. Toothpaste was always scarce back in the cabin and her oral hygiene suffered greatly from the lack of supply. She spits out the last of the red, minty substance when she hears a faint argument in the background. Though it has been years since she last saw him, Arya does not think she will ever forget the whinny, petulant, sound of Joffrey's voice.
Arya quickly puts her toothbrush away and emerges from the bathroom, not giving a second thought to her lack of clothing. "Is there a problem?" Arya asks rudely as she glares at Joffrey. She tries to keep her calm, as technically this is his cabin, but she cannot hold her anger in for long if he continues to mistreat her sister.
Joffrey turns to look at her then There is a scowl upon his face before he catches sight of her. Slowly, the scowl softens and she does not miss the way his weasel-like eyes rove her body up and down. He looks at her as if she is a piece of meat waiting to be ravished and smirks sinisterly as his vision settles on her legs.
Arya looks down at her legs and blushes at her state of clothing- or lack thereof. She pulls at the hem of her shirt, stretching the garment until it reaches the top of her knees, but under Joffrey's eyes she still feels naked. She expects him to shout at her or insult her like he used to do when she was a child, but instead he smiles the same smile that Cersei Lannister was giving her just this afternoon.
"Arya Stark." He states as he continues to smile at her. Arya cringes at the sound, her name sounding foul when it spills from his lips. "My mother was right, you have grown into a pretty little thing."
Arya sees Sansa flinch beside her and she stares at her with wide eyes. Arya is about to snap at her too, telling her that she's not interested in her little boyfriend, but Arya realises that Sansa does not look at her with jealously. It almost looks like... fear?
"I didn't believe my mother when she first spoke about you." Joffrey continues, addressing Arya. "You were always such an ugly little thing, but the years have been good to you," Joffrey states as he looks back at her legs, "very good to you."
Arya subconsciously curls her hands into fists, but Sansa places her hand on top of her own, the action automatically soothing her anger. Whether Joffrey missed their exchange or chose to ignore it, Arya did not know. "Well, I suppose if you two would like to share a bed for a while, I don't mind. After all, you are women. Your hearts were built soft."
Arya seethes at the insult, but Sansa remains calm for the both of them. "Thank you, Joffrey. That is very kind of you."
Joffrey turns to look at Sansa then, looking at her for the first time since Arya walked in the room. It almost seems like he had forgotten she was there. "Right, of course. I suppose I will see you ladies later." Joffrey announces before he leaves the room.
Arya turns to look at Sansa then, suddenly feeling guilty for her lack of clothing in front of her boyfriend. "Sansa, I didn't mean-"
But Sansa waves off her attempted apology and brings her to bed. The mattress is so soft, and Arya cannot remember a time when she has slept on anything this comfortable. She does not realise how tired she truly is until her head hits the pillow and Sansa tucks her into bed. Suddenly, all the anger and tension dissipates from her body and she falls asleep before Sansa can wish her a goodnight.
Arya isn't the only one to quickly adjust to camp life. The rest of her pack members immediately find refuge at the Red Keep. She spies Hot Pie in the kitchens surrounded by a large group of people. She finds that they dote on his every word as he explains the techniques for properly kneading dough. The food is a significant improvement from what they've had before. With Hot Pie behind the kitchens and bountiful of ingredients to work with, the food has to be the most delicious thing she has ever eaten. Even Cersei seems impressed as she takes a sip from the hearty vegetable stew Hot Pie prepared.
Even Yoren takes well to the island. He and Tyrion become quick companions, instantly bonding over their love of liquor- out of all things. Arya never catches either man without a flask in their hands, but she smiles when she finds Yoren eating a bit at meals. He seems to be getting healthier and stronger as the days pass, the youngest Lannister clearly being a good influence on him. It isn't a shock to her that both men take to each other quite quickly. Both men are intelligent, charming, and humorous in their own way. Tyrion doesn't seem to mind Yoren's unkempt appearance or his life before the pandemic, which is a lot more than she can say for his sister, whom Arya catches giving Yoren dirty looks. Or perhaps it is her brother that Cersei eyes with such disdain? Either way, both men are nonplussed by her hostility and continue to chatter away as they ignore Cersei's presence.
Rickon also seems to be doing quite well and he bonds almost immediately with his brothers. He shares a bed with Jon, adjusting quickly to the brother that resembles her the most, but it is still Arya he clings to. It is always her he sits beside during meal times. Since he is merely a child, he isn't assigned a job unlike Arya and the rest of the pack, but still helps his sister fulfil all her duties of the day. She teaches her brother how to set up snares, and they end up catching a fair share of squirrels and pigeons for the camp. With the threat of the Walkers virtually eliminated, Arya finds herself enjoying her time with Rickon and they form a deeper connection than the one they had back in the shed.
Perhaps one of the most shocking adjustments is Weasel. She remembers the girl being so frightened by strangers and unfamiliarity, but shockingly, she bonds with most of the girls at camp quite well. Everyone dotes over Weasel, especially since she is the youngest resident. Sansa is especially taken with the little girl, spending hours with her every morning, braiding her hair and dressing her in cute outfits. It occurs to Arya that Weasel is the younger sister Sansa always wishes she had, one that she can dress in pretty garments and bestow with knowledge in regards to the traditional feminine customs Arya always found so petty. Arya cannot help but be slightly jealous of their relationship. She and Sansa had never gotten along like that when Arya was Weasel's age, and where it took weeks for Weasel to adjust to Arya, the little girl is immediately taken with her sister. But that jealously does not last long because Weasel always manages finding her way to Arya several times a day, and Arya smiles at the fact that she has not lost her old friend.
The only person who does not seem to improve from camp life is Gendry. The other campers have been nothing but friendly and have attempted to start several conversations with him, but he always brushes them off and spends most of his time alone. His mood has dropped considerably since they landed on the island, and though a part of her is still mad at Gendry, the other part deeply worries for him. Though she hasn't known Gendry for long, he does not strike her as the type of person who would seclude himself from other people. She thinks back to the first time she met him, back when they were still strangers. He was always so talkative with Arya and her brothers, quick to make friends and was a respected member at of the pack. She knows something is wrong, especially when she catches him secluded in a far off corner still within the campus, tinkering away with a box of tools and various bits of machinery. After Arya and the others had settled for a couple of days, they were soon assigned various camp tasks. With Gendry's obvious muscles and brute strength, he performed most of the hard labor, such as building shelters and furniture, and chopping down wood for fires. Whatever he is working on now is not a task he was assigned, but something he has chosen to do out of his own free will. It seems that nowadays Gendry is always burying himself in some sort of work, and she wonders why he would spend his break time working rather than relaxing and chatting with the other people at camp.
He looks up at her then, and Arya loses herself in his dark blue eyes. The stubbornness from his face is gone, and the look he gives her is one filled with vulnerability. Suddenly, Arya cannot remember why she is mad at him. The anger dispels from her and all she sees is Gendry, her friend. She's never had many friends before, always being the outcast in her youth. Even the few friends she has made were always no more than acquaintances. None of them ever understood her more than the boy sitting a few paces ahead of her. He is different from Yoren, different from Sansa, and different from Jon in a way that Arya cannot place. As he returns her stare and his expression softens, Arya begins to realise how much she truly misses him, their fight seeming so petty and meaningless.
She takes a step towards him, intending to apologize and make amends, but then she hears her name being called in the distance. She turns to find Edric making his way towards her. He smiles as he approaches her and begins a casual conversation, completely oblivious to the moment she was sharing with Gendry.
Gendry.
She turns to where he was seated just moments ago only to find the place empty with not even a single bolt nor gadget from the machinery he was tinkering with. Her heart sinks and she cannot begin to explain the feeling of disappointment that tugs at her heart. She turns back to Edric and resumes their conversation, though it is mostly one-sided. She is trying to pay attention to Edric, she really is, but when she talks to him all she can think about is the stupid boy with the black hair and blue eyes.
She walks with Edric back to the campfire where her brothers, Yoren, and Tyrion are already eating their dinner. She takes her usual seat in between Robb and Rickon, while Edric fetches food for Arya and himself. Before Arya even has the opportunity to make herself comfortable, Rickon jumps on her and begins animatedly talking about his day. Normally, Arya always laughs and enjoys the shenanigans her brother is up to, but today she is distracted and simply wishes Rickon could just keep quiet for one day.
Edric brings two plates of rice, veggies and a hardboiled egg, setting the plate in front of Arya. Arya picks at the food, eating no more than a spoonful of rice and she does not even touch her vegetables. She picks at the egg, crumbling it between her fingers until she is left with a mess of yellow debris and egg whites. In the corner of her eye, she can see Robb's disapproving stare. Sansa must have told her brothers about her protruding ribs, because he and Jon constantly chastise her about malnutrition. They force her to eat something any chance they get, and she can feel the uncomfortable stretch of her stomach with the bountiful amounts of food they have forced her to eat. She's not in the mood for one of their lectures today, so she quickly thrusts the barely touched plate over to Robb, and announces she is tired and is going to retire early. Before any of her brothers even have the chance to object, Arya is already gone, making her way to the cabin without a second look back.
Arya enters the room she shares with Sansa and is quick to notice her sister's absence. It's not even fully dark outside, and she knows Sansa is still eating her dinner inside the cabin with Cersei and Joffrey. Arya doesn't bother waiting for Sansa and begins to unbuckle her belt. She swiftly strips her garments, and removes her bra, leaving her bare save for her underwear. She hops into bed, not even caring to put on a shirt. Instead, she tugs the blankets up to her chin before turning on her side and laying her head against the pillow. Within moments, Arya is asleep.
She awakes hours later, rubbing at her eyes as she sits up in bed. Arya vaguely remembers her dream, the memories created by her subconscious slowly fading after every waking minute. Though she does not quite remember the exact contents of the dream, she does remember it was pleasant and vaguely recalls Gendry making an appearance.
Arya blinks a few times, trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness. She isn`t sure what time it is, but judging by the lack of noise from camp and looking out the window, she predicts its quite late at night but not yet dawn. She turns to her side and spies Sansa fast asleep to her right. Her hair is wrapped in a loose bun and she is hugging a pillow as she gently breathes in and out. Arya settles back under the covers and closes her eyes before she realises sleep will not come. Though it is the middle of the night, Arya is wide awake and resolves to get up, promising herself she'll take a nap sometime later in the day.
She is careful not to wake Sansa, and mentally cringes as the bed gives a little squeak when she rolls off it. She pads through the room silently, her feet stealthily stepping on the floor boards with the grace of cat. The dancing lessons her mother made her take as a child proved to pay off. She steps into the bathroom and carefully shuts the door behind her.
As soon as she stands up on two feet, she can feel the pressure of her bladder bearing down. She crouches over the big hole in the bathroom where there used to be a toilet. Arya does not know how the camp members managed to transform the toilet into an outhouse, but resolves not to think about it. When Arya peels of her underwear, she is shocked to find that it is coated with a clear, sticky substance. She wrinkles her nose at the smell and looks at the strange substance, baffled of what it could be. She`ll probably ask Sansa about it in the morning.
Making her way to the sink, Arya grabs the pitcher of water perched on the bathroom shelf and uses it to wash her hands. She also splashes some of the lukewarm water on her face, wiping the crust away from her eyes. She peels off the underwear, and tosses it in the basket of soiled clothes before quietly entering the room once more. She is relieved to find Sansa still asleep, the muffled sound of her breathing still echoing across the room. Arya grabs a fresh pair of undergarments and quickly slips it on, as well as some sweat pants, a dark blue camisole, and a loose white knitted shrug. Sparing one last glance at her sister, Arya gracefully exits the room, being careful not to make a peep when she closes the bedroom door shut. Quiet as a shadow.
It isn't until she steps outside the cabin door that Arya realises she is barefoot. She briefly considers going back for her shoes, but they are in Sansa's room and she has already made it this far without waking anyone up. So Arya continues to walk through the camp, gritting her teeth when she accidently steps on a pebble.
Though they are relatively safe on the island, there are always at least two people awake to keep watch. Jon has assured her that they had never had a Walker problem before, but it seems that the paranoia from the Walkers has not let up. As Arya makes her way towards the tents, she spies Podrick and another boy whose name she cannot remember. They both tend to the fire as they quietly share whispers. The other boy spies her immediately and sends her a friendly wave. She feels guilty now for not remembering his name. Podrick sees her a few seconds later and gives her a friendly nod. She is thankful that they do not question her as to why she is up so early and she flashes a friendly smile at the two boys as she passes.
She isn't sure why she is out here or what she hopes to accomplish by coming here so early in the morning, but nevertheless she finds herself standing outside of Gendry's tent. She halts just outside the tent and bites on her lip, questioning if she should step inside. He's probably asleep, stupid. He'll just be angry at you if you wake him up. But despite her reservations, Arya pushes the flap aside and steps inside.
It's the first time she's been in Gendry's tent, since she's been in anyone's tent. There are two twin mattresses that lay side by side from one another. On the far side of the room there are a few bags pushed to the side and clothes are lain haphazardly in a corner. The space isn't what Arya would call large, and she feels guilt and shame gnawing at her heart. After all, she was sleeping on a large bed, in a spacious room, with her own private bathroom.
The boys look comfortable though, more at peace than she has ever seen them. Hot Pie lays on his stomach and the gentle sound of his snores fill the room. She sees the drool dribble from his chin and pool on the pillow he is resting on. She finds the sound of his faint snoring soothing, bringing back one of the few pleasant memories from the shed. She used to be annoyed at her brothers for snoring when she was a child, but the action means something so much more to her now then what it meant back then. The snores signify life, the show that they are still human, and she tries not to let her emotions overtake her when she thinks of how much more different life would be without that sound. Hot Pie shifts onto his side, and his snores fill the room once more- he has always been a restless sleeper.
Gendry, on the other hand, lies flat on his back. He makes no noise while he sleeps, but she can see the steady rise and fall of his chest. He isn't wearing a shirt, and the blanket is wrapped right above his stomach, his bare pecs peeking out from under the covers. He lays an arm under his head, and the other is draped on his stomach, over the blanket. She finds herself staring a bit too long at his biceps, and she is suddenly thankful that Gendry is asleep so he cannot catch her staring.
Arya does not know what she wished to accomplish by coming here so late. Of course Gendry would be asleep, practically the entire camp is. She is about to sneak out of the tent, but then she sees Gendry's face scrunch up. His face glistens with sweat and he begins breathing more erratically. She isn't a stranger to nightmares and she wonders whether or not she should awake Gendry from his slumber. She is about to turn around and run away before he wakes and catches her in his room, but then his breathing becomes more erratic and he starts mumbling incoherent words in his sleep. Arya doesn't have the heart to prolong his torture, so she kneels beside his mattress, and raises her hand to softly shake Gendry's shoulder. His hand shoots up and grabs her wrist, none too gently and Arya cannot help but gasp at the sudden contact. Gendry's eyes automatically shoot open from the noise (he had always been a light sleeper), and his blue eyes meet her grey.
He looks confused for a moment but to her relief, he does not look angry at her for intruding into his and Hot Pie's private quarters. He rubs at his eyes and runs a hand through his hair, still damp from the sweat. Gendry sits up on the mattress, now fully awake, and removes the hand from Arya's wrist. "Arya, what are you doing here?" He asks, concerned.
She is about to respond but Hot Pie grumbles beside them, startling them both. She and Gendry are silent for a moment, not even daring to breath, least they wake their companion. After what feels like hours, but was merely a matter of seconds, Hot Pie shifts his position and his snores fill the room once more.
Gendry shifts his attention from Hot Pie to Arya. "I'll meet you outside," he whispers.
She waits for him to come with her, but he simply lays on his bed, waiting for her to leave. "Well, come on, stupid" Arya whispers back, a little too harshly.
Gendry frowns and he looks annoyed now, "I said I'll meet you outside. Now go, I'll be out in a couple of minutes."
Arya snorts. "What are you? Naked under there?" She asks sarcastically.
"Yes." Gendry replies bluntly, still looking at her.
"Oh." Arya states, as her face turns a pretty shade of crimson. She looks away from Gendry, too embarrassed to meet his eyes. "I'll... um... see you outside then," she answers as she scrambles away from the tent. Despite the heat outside, she can still feel the warmth on her face. Her thoughts keep flowing back to Gendry, him lying on his bed, imagining how he looked like under the sheets. She mentally curses at herself, wondering how such a thought entered her mind.
He comes out a moment later, wearing a pair of loose sweats and nothing else. Arya feels herself blush again when she eyes his bare torso, but Gendry does not seem to notice as he takes a seat beside her.
"I'm sorry!" she blurts out before he even has the chance to sit down.
Gendry makes himself comfortable beside her and stares at her quizzically. "For what?"
"For throwing a rock at you," Arya shrugs, "for ignoring you."
Gendry just snorts, "Right, I forgot about that. Probably because it didn't even hurt," he teases.
"It did too!" Arya yells at him, suddenly offended. "You screamed 'ow' and you were rubbing at your head."
Gendry chuckles, "I just did that to not wound m'lady's ego."
Arya gets angry then. She gathers up all the strength she has and punches Gendry in the arm. It annoys her when he doesn't even flinch, but merely chuckles at the blow as if it never happened. She goes to punch him again, but he grabs her wrist this time, encasing her small hand in his hold. She tries to pull her arm back, but Gendry keeps a steady grip on her wrist so she cannot even tug her hand away. She tries to punch him with her right hand this time, but he grabs that wrist too using the same hand that has captured her left wrist. Arya doesn't think of even drawing her other hand away during that small window of opportunity, and she now finds Gendry holding on to two of her wrists with only one hand. Arya desperately tugs at her hands then, but Gendry takes his opportunity to bring his other hand to her ribs and begins tickling her. That bastard . Giggles spill from her lips involuntarily as he continues to tickle her ribcage. She tries squirming away from him but Gendry's hold is too strong, so she brings up her knee and slams it in his stomach. He lets her wrists go then, pain flashing through his face momentarily as Arya frees herself and laughs at his stupid expression. He joins her then, and they both bring their palm to their mouths to muffle the laughter, least they wake up everyone at camp.
Suddenly all the tension between them is gone, and Arya and Gendry are friends once more. She lays her head on his shoulder then, and he wraps an arm around her waist, as they both fall back into a comfortable embrace. She feels warm, as she presses herself closer to Gendry`s body- he`s always warm. A yawn escapes from her lips, and Arya lets her eyes droop as the exhaustion from their scuffle finally settles in.
"I`m sorry too." Gendry suddenly says, snapping her out of her slumber.
This time, she is the one who is confused. What had he done that he needs to apologize to her? She`s the one who threw a rock at him, she`s the one who yelled at him, she`s the one who called him stupid. "What for?" Arya questions, turning to look at him.
Gendry doesn`t turn to look at her though, his eyes set firmly on the tent in front of them. "For being angry at you." Gendry shamefully admits, still not meeting her stare.
"You were angry at me?" Arya questions, though it is barely a whisper. She begins to question if Gendry even heard her, before his expression softens and he turns to look at her. She can feel his fingers rubbing soothing circles on her hip and his blue eyes find her grey in the darkness.
"Not angry." Gendry admits, "I suppose I was jealous. Don`t get me wrong, I was very happy that you found Jon, and Sansa, and Robb, but-" He trails off.
"But what?" She questions, her voice still soft.
"But I`ve never had that." Gendry admits, "I`ve never had a family before."
"But you had Tobho," Arya interrupts, "he was your family."
Gendry shakes his head then, "Don`t tell anyone this, but Tobho was never my uncle. He was just some mechanic that offered me a job when I was sixteen. He was just my boss, and yet he was still the closest thing I`ve ever had to a family. My mom died when I was little, and I never knew my father. I never went to school, I never had any friends. I just grew up in this shitty orphanage with people who didn`t give a fuck about me and kicked me out as soon as I turned sixteen."
Arya gives him a sad look then, and Gendry quickly turns away. Clearly, he doesn`t want her sympathy. He keeps his arm around her waist though, but it suddenly feels cold. "You, Yoren, Hot Pie, Lommy, Weasel, Rickon, Bran... You guys were the only friends I`ve ever had." Gendry continues, "I`ve never met someone like you before, someone who I bonded with so easily. You were different from Tobho, different from Yoren. I... You were- are the closest friend I`ve ever had. But after you reunited with your family again, we stopped speaking. I didn`t blame you, I still don`t blame you, but... I just missed my friend."
Gendry shakes his head then, and to Arya's surprise, he begins laughing. "You know what's funny?" he asks, turning to look at her. Arya just shakes her head, not knowing how to respond. "The apocalypse was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. I was so alone before, so lost, but after I met Yoren, Hot Pie, you... well that was the first time I felt like I actually belonged. Like I had a family."
"I could be your family," Arya offers. She looks up at him then, the boy who she's known for less than a year. She's always known there was something special about Gendry from the moment she met him. No one apart from her family had ever cared for a tiny little spitfire like herself before, but not Gendry- Gendry was different.
"Family" Gendry repeats, testing the word on his lips. "I've never had a family before, I've always had nothing. You want to know what's the best part of having nothing?" He asks, turning to look at her.
Arya gives him a small shake of her head. She's never truly had nothing, not like Gendry has. She grew up having everything: a large family, a big house, her dog, a bountiful amount of money. Her father spoiled her, giving her anything she'd ever wanted, and then when she lost him, lost her family... well, that was the closest Arya got to having nothing, and she couldn't think of anything good about that. Then again, she has never been before, not truly. She's always had Rickon, and even Bran for a long time.
"It's kinda easy when you've got nothing," Gendry continues, "because nothing can't be taken away from you. After the pandemic, the Walkers, you lost everything. You lost your family, your house, your dog. I suppose I never had anything to lose. The pandemic didn't affect me the same way it affected you."
"Well, that's good then, isn't it?" She questions.
Gendry turns to look at her then. It isn't until Arya feels the warmth of Gendry's breath upon her face, that she realises how close they really are. His face is only inches away from her, and the proximity makes her uncomfortable. "No," he states, "because now that I finally understand what it was like to have something, I don't want nothing anymore."
She's about to ask him what he wants, but before she has any time to react, Gendry presses his lips against hers. Arya is shocked by the sudden action and remains frozen as his lips slant softly over her own. She watches him as he kisses her. His eyes remain closed, and he brings one hand to cradle her head while the other hand remains on her hip. The woozy feeling she was having earlier intensifies until it feels like she is about to burst into a million pieces. Arya resolves that it's a good feeling, and her eyes close as begins kissing him back.
She does not know how to kiss, she realises, as her lips clumsily move against his. She isn't even sure if she's doing it right, but it feels nice as their lips move in tandem. Every time their lips brush together, a new jolt is sent down to her stomach and a warmth fills her core. She begins to crave more, the featherlike touches growing infuriating as the need for him intensifies. Her hands move on their own accord, her fingers weaving in his shaggy black hair as she anchors his face to hers. Taking the hint, Gendry gently tugs on her lower lip and slowly begins to suck. She lets out a hum in the back of her throat, and is immediately embarrassed by the noise, but Gendry takes the opportunity to slide his tongue into her open mouth.
The kiss intensifies then, and Gendry presses his body harder against hers. Both of his arms are now on her back, pushing her body to his. One of his hands finds its way under her shirt and his fingers begin stroking the bare flesh on her back. His tongue explores every crevice of her mouth before gently nudging hers, encouraging her to move with him. Arya doesn't know what to do, but she begins to move her tongue nonetheless. She tries to mimic Gendry's previous actions and pushes her tongue roughly in his mouth. She feels the vibration of his moan against her lips, and then Arya's body begins to move on its own accord. Instinct takes over, and she straddles his lap, pushing against him until she feels like their bodies are molded as one. She tastes him then, and he tastes better than she could ever imagine. His mouth is warm and Arya finds that she enjoys the feeling of exploring his mouth with her tongue.
When she was younger, she always thought kissing was gross, but now she finally understands why people liked it so much, why her parents would do it quite often. It feels nice... kissing Gendry. Wait... she's kissing Gendry? Her lips immediately freeze against his, but Gendry doesn't seem to notice. It isn't until now that Arya realizes what this all means, and she hates herself for succumbing her heart to yet another person.
Gendry's lips are still moving passionately against her own when Arya realizes that she can't do this. She begins pushing him away from her, but he is too engrossed in kissing her to notice. Finally with one hard shove she pushes him back, and he stumbles away, falling back and digging his elbows to the ground to break his fall.
His lips are red and swollen, his eyes almost black. He looks confused for a moment before he catches the look on her face. Realization finally dawns that she meant to push him away and stop the kiss. His eyes widen then, and he begins to apologize, but Arya doesn't hear him. She's already on her two feet, running as far away from Gendry as she can.
A/N: Yeah, so I end the chapter like that... runs away before yu all kill me. At least we finally started the Arya and Gendry romance :D
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