Chapter Forty-One: Liar Liar

Robb's Point of View

School has been in session for a few weeks. Loras and Margaery have been staying with me. Willas hasn't found them a permanent place yet. I don't mind, I like having them around.

Loras is out with Renly tonight so its just me, Margaery, and Torrhen for dinner. I fill Grey Wind's bowl with food. We are having spaghetti tonight.

"This looks delicious," says Margaery.

"Thanks," I hope it tastes good.

Margaery eats so delicately. I watch her. Her nails are painted purple and they are sparkly. On her fingers are the most expensive rings I have ever seen. She grins at me with perfect, white teeth.

Tor laughs at nothing. She smiles. When I go to feed him my hand touches Margaery's. I smile. She feeds Torrhen a bit of mashed parsnip. Torrhen opens wide for her.

"You're so good with him," I say.

"That's because I love him."

"You do?"

"Of course I do."

Grey Wind barks. I return to my spaghetti and try not to make a mess. I drop sauce on my shirt. Margaery laughs. I clean it up but it only makes a bigger mess.

"Its impossible to eat without making a mess," I insist.

"I manage," says Margaery.

"Well we can't all be perfect like you."

She looks surprised by what I said. I realize it was somewhat insulting. I try to give her my most sincere apology. She accepts it. I still feel like a jerk. Its difficult with Margaery.

She is different from Loras in many ways. I have to watch the steps I take wih her. I wouldn't want to offend or upset her. She must sense my discomfort because she purposely makes a mess. It makes Tor giggle.

"Now your clothes are ruined."

"That's okay," Margaery says smiling wide.

"You didn't have to do that."

"Yes I did. I don't want you uncomfortable around me, Robb."

I nod. "You really did a good job on this house."

Margaery beams. She starts talking rapidly about the house and what her inspiration was for each color or pattern she chose. She stops talking when she hiccups. She turns red. I laugh.

"It is impolite to laugh at a princess."

She hiccups again. I laugh. She turns redder. Torrhen giggles and we both laugh. Margaery's hiccups stop. She puts her hand over her mouth and giggles.

"Stop laughing at me."

"I'm laughing wih you, princess."

"You are not."

"Okay, maybe I am laughing at you, a little."

I laugh. She shakes her head. I am really enjoying her company. After dinner she offers to do the dishes. I clean up Torrhen and put him in the living room to play while I do the dishes. Margaery stands at the sink next to me.

"What are you doing for Meera for Valentine's Day?"

"Double dating with Renly and Loras."

"Oh."

"Why did she say something?"

"Yes."

"What did she say?"

"She said she wants you to spend the whole day with her just the two of you. She doesn't want a gift, she just wants you."

"I can do that."

"Good." She pats my arm.

"What about you? What are your Valentine's plans?"

"I don't have any. I have no one special to celebrate with."

"Well that's kind of sad."

I feel something by my feet. I look down at Torrhen jingling a toy with bells on it at me. I bend down and try to pick him up. He reaches for me. I kiss him.

"Let me finish this. You go be a father."

I kiss Torrhen and thank Margaery. I sit on the floor with my son in the living room and watch him play. Grey Wind chases a ball around the living room Torrhen giggles.

Torrhen hits me with a ball and it makes him laugh. I tickle him. He is so cute. "Stop being so cute."

Margaery sits down on the floor and Tor crawls to her. He tugs on her hair. She tries to get him to let go. He laughs like its funny. I shake my head. She picks up a toy and pretends to talk through it to Tor.

She plays peekaboo with him. I join in on that. Tor doesn't know who to laugh at but he continues laughing anyway. Torrhen drops a toy on his own head and starts crying. Margaery pulls him in close and sings to him. He calms down.

After we play, we give him a bath together. Margaery puts him to bed. She takes a shower. I sit on the couch and look at my phone. I missed a call from Meera. I call her back. I leave out the part of hanging out with Margaery alone.

We talk until Margaery comes out of the shower, but at that same time Renly drops Loras off. Meera tells me she loves me, but she has to go her mom is calling for her. My heart is racing.

"Why do you look guilty?" Loras asks.

"I'm not."

"Loras, how was your date?" Margaery asks. She hugs her brother. She has on shorts and one of Loras's T-shirts. She sits down on the couch, Grey Wind jumps up with her, she turns on the TV and flips through channels.

"Are you okay?" Loras asks.

"Yeah."

He is still looking at me. I pull him into the guest room. He keeps looking at me weird.

"I lied to Meera."

"I need more information."

"She asked if I were alone with Margaery, because she knew about your date with Renly. I lied and said no, she was hanging out with Willas tonight."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I don't want her getting the wrong idea about me and Margaery. Its bad enough she accuses me of having a crush on her. Jeyne used to do that too. If I had a dollar for the number of times she asked if I liked Meera I would be a rich man."

"But you did like Meera while you were with Jeyne."

"So?" I say. Loras continues to look suspicious. "I don't have a crush on Margaery. I don't. Stop looking at me like that."

"Okay, I believe you. But you should Meera the truth. Not telling her only deepens her suspension."

"Fine. I will tell her tomorrow at school."

"Out of curiosity, what did you and my sister do tonight?"

"We ate spaghetti, did the dishes, and played with Torrhen."

"Okay, just checking," Loras says.

"Why did you want to know?"

"To see if your pupils dilated."

He walks away. I scratch my head. What? Why would he do that? What do my eyes have to do with it?

I sit on the couch away from Margaery. She stretches out and lays on me. I don't know where to put my hands so I rest them on the back of the couch. Loras comes in sits down in a chair. Grey Wind walks over to be petted.

"What are we watching?" Loras asks.

"The Real Housewives of Westeros," says Margaery. She snuggles up against my chest and tucks her head just under my arm. I put my arm around her for a second then move it when I see Loras smirking.

"See that lady's husband is cheating on her, but its okay because she is on him too and that woman over there is screwing her own son," says Margaery.

Loras laughs. I just go along with it. Eventually Margaery changes the channel to a movie on TV. Its a gory war movie. I look down after a while and notice Margaery has fallen asleep on me.

"Want me to carry her to bed?" I ask Loras gently sliding out from under Margaery to avoid waking her. She is out. I could leave her on the couch. Loras puts a pillow under her head. I put a blanket over her.

"Can I sleep with you?" Loras asks.

I nod. I check on Tor then go in my room. Loras snuggles up next to me. Why do all the Tyrells like to snuggle? I let Loras snuggle with me. I pull the blanket around us.

"What did you mean when you said you wanted to see if my pupils dilated?"

"When you're attracted to someone your pupils dilate."

"Did they?"

I can't see his face, but I know he's smiling.

"No. You're good."

"Loras, I don't like Margaery."

But he doesn't respond. He still doesn't believe me. To be honest, I am not sure if I believe me anymore. I roll over, wrap my arms protectively around Loras and try to go to sleep.

In the morning, my arms are still around Loras. I shake him awake. He heads off to the bathroom. I check on Tor. He is not there. I go into the kitchen and Margaery is feeding him.

"Good morning, I heard Tor crying so I got him. I hope that's okay."

"Yeah its fine."

I watch this beautiful girl feed my son. She is so delicate and proper about it. When she is finished she gives Torrhen a bath in the sink and picks out his clothes before she passes him to the nanny.

"Get dressed. Its casual Friday," Margaery says.

I smile. I go back in my room and pick out something to wear. Loras shakes his head. He points to a wardrobe he knows would win Margaery's seal of approval.

"Why do I need her seal of approval she isn't my girlfriend?"

"You would look hot in that. Put it on."

"Not if Margaery will like it."

Loras rolls his eyes. I get dressed in ripped jeans and my Ironborn T-shirt. I put on a hoodie that has Winterfell written across the front. I leave my curls loose instead of gelling them.

"You look homeless," says Loras. His pants are purple.

Margaery comes out of her bathroom with tight skinny pants and a shirt that shows off her cleavage. She puts on her coat and hat. She has a light amount of make up, but she is still stunning.

"If I were a girl, I would hate you for how stunning you are," says Loras. I stare at her. Her lips are painted a deep blood red. Her cheeks are dusted with glitter. Her hair falls down her back in ringlets. "Robb, quit staring."

"I wasn't staring."

I snap out of it, and grab my keys. I kiss Torrhen and wait for everyone to get in the car. Loras sits in the back. Margaery climbs in the passenger seat. She checks her make up many times on the ride to school.

When we get there she gets out and Loras and I sit in the car. He is staring at me through my rearview mirror. I bite my bottom lip.

"I don't like her. I don't. Quit looking at me."

"If you say so."

He gets out. I feel like kicking myself. Loras and I walk in together. Aegon is dancing with Meera in the hallway. I come up and take her from him. I kiss her hard on the lips.

"Robb, stop it."

Aegon kisses Margaery. Now I feel like kicking him. Margaery slaps him for being so bold. I lead Meera away from Aegon. She stops me.

"We talked about this, Robb. I am not a toy for you and Aegon to fight over."

"Then tell him to back off."

"We were dancing. Is it that offensive to you if we dance?"

"Meera, I wasn't honest with you last night. Margaery was with me at the house last night. Nothing happened. We ate spaghetti and played with Torrhen. That's all."

"If nothing happened why did you lie?"

"Because you're so parnoid I am going to leave you for Margaery. Can't you see I love you? I am crazy for you. I emptied out my bank account being your secret admirer last year because I wanted you that badly but I couldn't have you."

Meera kisses me. I press her against a set of lockers and kiss her long and hard. She moans into my mouth and I feel pressure against my jeans.

"You smell like strawberries and peaches."

"Is that bad?"

"The peaches are Loras. I assume he slept with you. But the strawberries." Meera walks back the other way I follow her. She walks up to Margaery at her locker and sniffs her.

"Strawberries."

"Meera. I can explain," I say.

"Its my fault," Margaery says. Meera looks at her. "I thought it would be funny to switch our body washes. I emptied his and poured mine in it. I thought it would be funny if he smelled like a girl."

Meera laughs. She buys the story. She hugs me and apologizes for being suspicious. I nonverbally thank Margaery for helping. I need to be careful. I must tell Willas to find a house soon. The longer Margaery stays with me, the more problems I am going to have.

As I said, I have no intention of shipping Robbaery. Yet. I just like their dynamic. They don't fit, but yet they could. Plus, Mags is hot. Aegon disrupts Meera and Robb's relationship, so I sort of wanted that for Mags.