Martin owns all these characters...
I am not even going to attempt to write another ASOFAI cos' I can't. I am not following all the original storylines. I am going to make it up to suit my story which is only about Arya and Gendry not being allowed to be together because of the class divide between them. I am writing a love story only. I want to focus on Gendry's frustration at never being able to change his situation. With Arya, I have to focus on the fact that she is turning from a child to a young woman and all the confusion that happens around that time. The intensity and heightened emotions. Here Arya is 12. I know she is more girly in my story, but she is a girl, and how would you have behaved if you spent puberty sleeping next to Gendry?
To innerflame- thanks so much for the feedback. As I said this is my fist fanfic and first time trying to write, so all comments are much appreciated.
The next day the party travelled to the Peach. The men seemed to know Tansy, the red- haired Inn keeper, well. They were all in high spirits, looking forward to a night of drinking and bedding. When Tansy spotted Gendry she said what a 'fine boy' he was, and declared that Alyce would be happy to see him, in a mocking tone. Arya had never seen Gendry turn so red. As the night wore on another young woman called Bella sat on his knee. Gendry brushed her off and walked out. Arya did not understand why Gendry did not want a woman. All the other men in the Peach were grabbing and kissing the girls. Secretly she was very happy though. She did not want to watch him take a girl up the stairs to bed. They slept together, her and Gendry. He comforts her from her bad dreams and keeps her safe. Arya was just anxious because Gendry seemed so angry by the girl's attentions. 'What does that mean?' she wondered.' What if I told him my feelings for him? Would he walk away and get angry with me too?'
Arya was thinking on this, sitting at a table alone in a lace dress that Tansy had insisted she put on, when a drunken man sat beside her.
'You're a pretty thing', he said, almost slurring. 'What's your name then?'
Just as Arya was about to tell him, Gendry walked over and put his hand on the man's shoulder. 'She's my sister... leave her alone.'
The man took one look at Gendry's size and left the table. Arya felt as if she had been kicked in the stomach... 'His sister, how could he call me that? How does he see me?' she thought.
'I'm not your sister!' she shouted.
'Oh no... I'm too bloody lowborn to play the part of brother to such a fine Lady!' Gendry snapped.
Arya was taken aback for a moment. 'That's not what I meant at all, I just mean that...'
'Get away and let me enjoy my beer in peace 'Milady'' he said as he turned his back on her and sat down.
Arya was getting tired of all this fighting. Normally she would relish a good battle, but something was happening between her and Gendry in the last few weeks that she did not really understand. All she knew was that they were spending less time together and he was not acting like himself with her. They never wrestled anymore and barely practiced swords. He always jumped out of bed quickly in the morning as if he could not wait to get away from her. They would be at Riverrun soon, and then she would probably never see him again, so 'what the hell', she thought in that moment. 'Fear cuts deeper than the sword'... she said to herself, and put her hand on his shoulder and tried to turn him towards her.
'I just meant that I don't think of you like a brother. I think of you differently... but not less than or anything, that's not what I mean.' Gendry had ignored her attempts to turn him, but now twisted to face her, a look of confusion covering his face.
'I don't know how to explain it... ohh... I wish Sansa was here. She would know what I'm trying to say. Ohh... to the seven hells with you then if you don't understand you stupid bull!'
Arya ran out the door into the cold air. It was a sweet relief on her skin which was burning from embarrassment. 'Ahhh... what have I done! He must think me mad! Gods, how will I explain that?' She questioned herself over and over as she drank the cold air into her lungs. Her heart had just begun to slow to a more normal speed when she felt someone stand beside her. She did not have to look up to know it was him. She could smell his scent and feel his presence anywhere. He was so familiar to her now.
'I have never heard you wish for Sansa before... your father, brother Jon, once your mother, but never Sansa.' Gendry said. 'I'm afraid I am as stupid as you think I am... I have no idea what you were trying to say earlier, but I want to know. I don't want you to be upset.'
Arya kept her gaze to the ground.
'You were the one who was upset,' she said in a harsh tone. 'I was just telling the truth, you are not my brother. You were the one who started yelling.'
Arya instantly felt stupid. She had broken through her mask earlier, or at least tried to. She had wanted to tell him how she felt. She wanted Gendry to know her heart before they parted. But now all she could sense was her embarrassment and it made her feel foolish, which translated to anger. Everything she felt translated to anger in the end.
Gendry sighed. 'I am sorry. I was annoyed at Bella. I hate when they just come over and... well I don't really know how to act... I'm not like the other men in there. They have...', he stopped and sighed again, clenching his fists at his sides.
Arya felt a pang of guilt. She was acting defensively as usual, and all Gendry was trying to do was talk about something important. He was not starting a fight. She took a deep breath.
'Why don't you go with one of the girls? I mean you're old enough and they all seem to look at you, especially that one, Cass I think and Bella,' she said a little harder than she wanted too.
'I... I don't know. It doesn't matter. Why do you want to talk to Sansa so badly?'.
Arya bit her lip. 'How in hells am I to explain this?' she asked herself. It was so much easier before she had started to see Gendry differently. She could just get mad at him, punch him in the arm and run away. They never had to explain their feelings to each other. All they needed to do back then was survive... go in the right direction and find food. For Arya that was much simpler than waking every day with a knot in her stomach, not because of some danger, but because of a boy. She really did wish Sansa was with her to explain it all.
'Do you not like highborns Gendry?' she asked, trying to avoid his last question. 'You seem angry sometimes that I am a Lady... even though you know I don't want to be... and it's not my choice.'
'Arry, I get angry because I am a Bastard, and I have no place. I suppose I would have liked to stay in Riverrun with you, but you would not be allowed to be my friend, so that made me angry. We can never really be friends, because I am nothing and you are.'
'But you know I don't care about that Gendry' she protested loudly. She was starting to get upset, not angry this time, but sad.
Gendry cut her off, 'I know you don't, but everyone around us does and they always will.'
Arya was about to say something but stopped when she seen men riding into the clearing in front of the Peach. Both she and Gendry ducked out of the way. After the attack on Yoren and his men, they always feared that any new group were looking for them. The men went into the Inn. Arya and Gendry waited for a while. They heard no fighting so they decided to go back inside. Two of the new men were drinking and kissing the girls like the rest. One was in conversation with Tom and Lem.
'They are not at Riverrun', Arya and Gendry overheard him say. 'They are on their way to the Twins, to make peace with the Frey's after the Stark King married someone other than his daughter', he said. 'A messy business... Lord Frey would not take kindly to such a slight on his house' the man continued with a chuckle.
'Then I suppose we are on our way to the Twins too', Tom said.
Arya looked at Gendry with wide eyes. 'Robb is married!' she said.
'Aye, it seems so... you have a new sister', he said with a smile. Arya returned his smile and blushed.
'What?' Gendry said, 'Why are you blushing Arry? You never blush.'
He was truly stunned, but Arya took it for teasing and got defensive again.
'I'm not, stupid', she said as she got up from the table and went to the bedroom.
Arya stripped down to her under clothes and got into bed. 'Why did I go all red? All he did was smile at me and I turned to fire. I have to do something about this... it has to stop.' She chastised herself until she heard the bedroom door open, and then she froze, just as she did every night for the last two weeks. Gendry walked over to the bed and undressed, leaving only his breaches. He climbed in and moved towards her.
'If we go to the Twins, it will take longer than going to Riverrun... I mean... it is further away so it will take longer to get to...' Gendry fumbled.
Arya relaxed a bit. It helped her to feel calm around him when he went all stupid like this. She didn't feel like such a child.
'So?' she asked.
'We will have longer together... before you go back to your family and I leave with the brotherhood.' He whispered.
Goosebumps arose all over Arya's body again. She felt lightheaded. 'He wants more time with me!' she screamed to herself. 'Gods!'
After a deep breath she said 'I will miss you'.
She heard Gendry's sharp intake of breath. A moment later he said
'I will miss you Arry. I don't want those other girls... I want you'.
He said the last words so low she thought she might have imagined it. Slowly she turned and lay on her back. They were both looking at the ceiling. Neither had felt this kind of tension before. They lay next to each other like two marble statues, unable to move.
'I want you', she whispered, 'I don't know anything about this Gendry, that is why I wish Sansa was here. She understands this...'
She sounded like she would cry. Gendry picked up her hand in his and gently ran his thumb over her skin in a circle, hoping to soothe her.
'It's okay Arry... I want you to know that I love you... but, Arry, we can never be together. If I touch you the men will geld me and you brother will put my head on a spike. I wish it was different... but I can never have you. You will marry some Lord' he began before Arya snapped
'I will marry who I want, if I even want to marry. My brother would never force me to marry a man I do not love and I I'll never love any man except you', she spat before she even realised what she was saying.
Gendry smiled at her declaration. But he also knew that now that he was aware of Arry's feelings for him, it would be harder to stay away from her. If she didn't love him he could leave her and try to forget her, but that would be impossible now.
'Arry, don't get upset, please. You can talk to your family and I will come to you wherever you are.'
'Do you promise?'
'Yes, I swear it'.
Arya turned on her side and slowly moved her hand, allowing it to find Gendry's bare chest. She had dreamed of touching him this way for weeks but it felt better than she could have imagined. She seemed fearless in the moment. She was nervous and scared, but she was touching him and it was filling her body with sensations she did not know existed. Nervousness changed to excitement and excitement back to nervous energy, over and over. Waves of excitement flowed through her whole body. His chest was hard and defined. Arya could feel his muscles under his smooth skin. As she traced the line of his belly, his muscles contracted and his stomach did a tiny jump, quick as lightning. Gendry grabbed her hand and moved it away from him. Arya gasped. It was so quick but she knew she did not hurt him. The sound he made was different. He was taking in short, sharp breaths and the sound was making Arya stomach twist with anticipation. She felt nervous tingles spread over her body and a hot, heavy feeling between her legs.
Gendry held her arm without moving for what felt like an eternity. He needed to steady himself. He was harder than he had ever been before. He could not do anything stupid. Arry was young, a maiden and a highborn Lady. He must control himself.
'I need to go for a walk Arry', he said when his breathing had calmed.
'Are you mad at me?' she asked.
'Gods, no. I just... I will... I will never dishonour you Arry, so it is best that I get out of this bed now'.
To her complete surprise, Arya giggled. She had never giggled before. Sansa and her friends did all the time when they talked about boys. She had always thought it was idiotic.
'I am glad you are amused 'Milady', but I am the one who will lose his head, amongst other things, so I'll have a walk... and please be asleep when I get back'. He said in a playful tone.
'I should punch you for turning me into a giggling little girl Gendry Waters, but it is far more fun than I ever thought it could be', she said with another bold laugh.
Gendry sighed and whispered 'Seven hells, Arry, you will be the death of me' as he got out of bed, dressed and left the room.