Chapter Forty-Five: Can't Get Over You

Robb's Point of View

Its late March and spring has come at last. Its Food Frenzy week at school. But some of us have senioritis. I am desperate to get all my tests and finals finished so I can graduate with honors in May.

I have an 82 in History. That's my lowest mark so far. I need to bring that 82 to a 96 or I kiss my Valedictorian status goodbye. That is why I am not competing in Food Frenzy week even though I am the reigning Hot Dog eating champion. I backed out so Gendry is taking my place.

Not only do I have to worry about graduation, I still am crushing pretty hard on Margaery. It was getting better, but after I saw her kiss another guy during the talent show, my crush has spirled into a jealous fit.

Meera is frustrated. I don't blame her. This is an obstacle we have to overcome. I aim to conquer my crush. Its difficult, because Willas decided he liked having them live with me so Loras and Margaery have officially moved in.

Willas still doesn't want them at Illyrio's place with the Targaryens. Now that the Lannisters are in prison, hopefully for good, its safe for them. But instead he wants to torture me by having that goddess walk around my house in cute little outfits that make me bite my knuckle to keep from giving into my urges.

But I digress. I needed a place to study that was void of Meera and Margaery. I am at the library studying. Loras is here with me. He and I are barely out of each other's company nowadays.

"Did you know that Margaery and I have the exact same eyes?" Loras asks over the top of the magazine he's reading, "It worries me what people like to read about."

"I like the one where you and Sansa were dating," I say. I turn the page of my text book.

"Oh yes. What about the one where I'm a chain smoker?"

I laugh, "That'd be an interesting universe, one where you liked girls and smoked a pack a day."

Loras laughs. The librarian shushes us.

"I swear these journalists are getting stupider. Margaery and I are not twins and we're definitely not doing it."

"I'm not so sure, you do share a bed," I say. He tosses a paperwad at me. "It was a joke."

Loras picks up another magazine and finds another article about himself. This one must be good. I have read the same sentence three times and have retained none of the information. I slam my book shut.

"Are you finished?" Loras asks.

"Yes. Its getting late, we should go," I say. I grab my blazer. Loras stretches. I throw my arm around him and we leave together. Quentyn Martell gives me a dirty look as we pass.

"Loras," says Quentyn, but we ignore him.

I take Loras to dinner since we were studying through it. I hope Margaery and Renly didn't go to any trouble to fix us something. Loras and I stop for tacos.

"Robb, why is it that you spend so much time with me?" Loras asks.

"I miss Jon," I confess. It used to be Jon who would help me study and who would always be there across from me in the library distracting me when I am too focused on one subject.

"You should call him."

"He doesn't want to talk to me."

"How do you know?"

"He has a boyfriend now and a better life."

"He misses you."

"How do you know?" I ask.

"We did a video chat on Renly's birthday."

"That was months ago."

"He still misses you."

"Yeah I guess."

I get back in the truck. Loras is right. Maybe I should call my brother. I talked to Bran and Rickon yesterday. I took them both out to dinner.

Margaery greets me and Loras when we come in. She put Torrhen to bed. "I did your laundry," Margaery says.

"You did my laundry?" I say blushing.

"Its clean and folded and on the edge of your bed."

"You saw my dirty clothes?"

"Was that wrong? I was just trying to help."

"No, its not wrong, I'm just embarrassed."

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about."

I go to my room and see a stack of my clothes on my bed. On the top of the stack is my underwear. I know I am blushing. I put the clothes away and go check on Torrhen. He is sleeping. I give him a kiss and leave his room.

I bump into Margaery carrying her laundry. Pink panties are laying on the top. I side step her and I go into the living room where Loras is playing with Grey Wind and talking on the phone to Renly.

"Robb just saw Margaery's underwear, and he's blushing," says Loras.

"I can't do this anymore, Loras."

"Renly, I will have to call you back. Bye. What are you on about?"

"I can't keep this up."

"Do you want us to leave?"

"No, I don't, but I want her to stop being whatever it is she is. She's driving me crazy."

"This is really hard for you," Loras says. I bite the nails on my left hand.

"I need some space," I say.

"I can go stay with Renly. Its fine," says Margaery.

"Mags, I want you here, you know I do, but this is unhealthy. I'm sorry."

"Why do you like me?" Margaery asks. She looks into my eyes. My cheeks redden.

"You're sweet, and beautiful, and you bought me this house."

Margaery laughs. She hugs me and goes to pack. I offer to drive her. She agrees. Loras stays here to watch Torrhen. Margaery and I are alone in my truck.

I keep my hands to myself. She turns on the radio then stares out the window. I feel so bad about this. I am such a jerk. I pull in at the apartment parking lot.

Margaery kisses me on the cheek. She doesn't say a word. She just gets out. I chase after her. I spin her around to face me.

"You don't have to do this."

"Meera is my best friend, Robb. I love her. She doesn't deserve the pain. I need to be away from you for everyone's sake. If you continue to like me she is going to get hurt and I don't want to do that to her."

"But I will try harder."

"No. I will stay with Renly for a while."

"Are we still friends?"

"No. I can't be friends with you right now, Robb. You need to get over this. I will see you at school."

I walk back to my truck. I don't start it up. I punch the steering wheel and start crying. I lost a friend because I have feelings for her. I cry until I hear someone tap on my window. Its Renly.

"Go away," I say.

"You okay?"

"No, I'm not okay. I just lost a really good friend because I have a stupid crush."

"Go home, Robb. Go home and call Meera. You have a wonderful girl."

"You could be supportive."

"No, I can't. You were such a jerk to Meera about her crush on Aegon and now you like someone else and that girl is patient with you. You owe her an apology and one to Aegon too."

I roll up the window and start my truck. Renly is right, unfortunately. I go to Meera's. She answers the door in her robe. That used to excite me, now it doesn't. Meera pulls me inside. She takes me upstairs where I get on my knees to apologize to her.

"I want to re-light the fire in our relationship," I tell her.

"I want that too. What did you have in mind?"

"I want to be your secret admirer again. My feelings for you were never stronger than when I was your secret admirer."

"It won't be a secret."

"It will if you play along."

"You're crazy, but you're cute."

I smile. She kisses me. My heart hammers in my chest. There it is. I want that fire to burn throughout my body when I'm near Meera. I leave her house and go to the nearest flower shop and buy a hundred orchards. I put them in my truck for school tomorrow.

Loras is waiting for me when I come home. I hug him. Losing Margaery is one thing, if I lost Loras I would fall apart. I kiss his forehead to let him I care.

"I love my sister, Robb. Don't put me in a position to choose between you. You won't like the outcome."

"Fair enough. Anyway, it won't come to that. I am going to re-start the fire in my relationship with Meera by being her secret admirer again. It should help me get over Mags."

"How much money do you need?"

"I don't need any money."

"You're unemployed and I know how much you spent last year as her secret admirer." Loras opens his wallet. He gives me his credit card and some cash.

"Are you sure about this?"

"If it will get you over my sister then yes." I accept his money. He knows I don't like taking money from him. I check on my son then get ready for bed. When I am lying in bed thinking about Jon, Loras comes in clutching a stuffed animal. He looks like a child.

"I can't sleep without someone next to me," he says.

I scoot over and pat my bed. Loras slides in. He puts the stuffed animal on the floor. I ask him to snuggle with it, because I don't feel like snuggling with him. But he puts his head on my shoulder anyways.

"Are we going to do this every night?" I ask.

"Probably."

"Great. Just checking."

"Do you want me to stay with Renly too?"

"No. I want you here."

"Okay, then stop complaining."

"Yes, dear."

So that's how it goes for a whole week. Loras and I are practically inseparable. Meera comments that we are like boyfriends. She catches me feeding him from my plate, before I realize we have been acting like boyfriends.

Soon, it becomes a joke. As I relight the candle in my relationship with Meera, I inadvertently have replaced Margaery in Loras's life. She has not spoken to either of us in a week.

At lunch she sits with Sansa and Aegon at a different table. I know this is hurting Loras. He tries to talk to her on the phone when he calls Renly, but she refuses to talk to him, and its my fault.

She is talking to Willas apparently. She told him she misses Loras and Torrhen and me. I feel like a jerk, but Loras doesn't act like he is upset with me over it.

Loras and I are getting ready for bed. Loras tries to kiss me. Our lips actually touch before I realize what's happening. I push him away.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I did that."

"Its okay. Its no big deal."

"We've been acting like boyfriends and everything, and I guess my old feelings resurfaced. If you want me to leave I will. I don't really have feelings for you anymore. I want you to know that. That ship has sailed. I just got caught in the moment."

"Calm down, Loras. No, I don't want you to leave. I know you don't like me that way anymore. We'll call it an accident. I can back off the boyfriend jokes."

"No, I sort of like being your non-boyfriend boyfriend."

I laugh. Loras slides in bed. I get in too. He rolls over away from me. I scoot closer and put my arms around him. I know that's what he needs. I will never understand why he can't sleep alone, but I am happy to give him what he needs.

"I miss Margaery," Loras says.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Are you over her yet?"

"I want badly to yes, but I still get all tingly when I hear her name. I hate this."

Loras kisses my hand.

"Renly doesn't like me sleeping next to you. He thinks my feelings are going to resurface. I told him that I need to feel someone next to me or I can't sleep. He understands, but he isn't happy."

"I am not going to steal you away."

"You don't understand. My heart was yours before it was his. He is afraid I am going to give it to you again. He wants all of my love. He doesn't know that he has my whole being."

"You really felt that strongly about me?"

"I did. But I'm over it."

I knew Loras had a crush on me in the beginning, but I didn't know just how strong it was. It doesn't matter now because its in the past, but I feel bad for hurting him.

"There was never a chance was there?" Loras asks.

"No. I'm sorry."

"I'm not upset. Don't apologize. I love you like a brother now."

"You're more than my brother, Loras. You're my fake boyfriend."

He laughs at that.

"You're more than my brother too," he says seriously.

I get closer to Meera over the next few days. She forgives me for being distant in our relationship. Being a not-so-secret admirer for her is working out. It has re-booted my feelings for her in a way I never expected.

On Friday after school I bump into Margaery. I feel a slight tingle in my finger tips when I touch her, but no where else. I smile.

"Hi," I say.

"Hi."

And then she hugs me. I am so happy to hold her I could cry. It has been so long since we spoke. I miss her.

"Please come home where you belong."

"Okay."

I smile to myself. This girl is great. It will be nice to have her back for Loras.

Loras is so happy to have her back he wakes me up by dropping a balloon filled with water on my head. I get out bed and chase him. I tackle him and we wrestle. Loras pins me. I break lose and manage to pin him. There is no lack of noises.

"Why don't you two just do it and get it out of your system?" Margaery asks. I see Renly hits her on the top of her head with a newspaper.

"Don't give them ideas."

"Pinned you," says Loras.

"No way," I say wrestling for control. I tickle Loras. He fights even harder for control. I laugh at his struggle.

"This is really turning me on," says Renly.

"You like watching teenaged boys don't you?" Willas asks.

"Like you're one to talk," says Renly.

My head bumps Loras's and we accidentally kiss. We back off. I let Loras out of the hold I have him in. I help him up. Willas is laughing.

"I knew they wanted each other," says Willas.

"Shut up, Will. Are you alright, my flower?" Renly asks.

"I'm fine. Robb?"

"Good," I say. I take Torrhen from Margaery. She is beaming over my accidental kiss with Loras.

"So, Robb, when are you coming out?" Willas asks.

"You're an ass."

"You kissed my brother. That must be fun for you, Ren."

"Fuck you, Willas. It was an accident," says Renly holding Loras close. Loras is embarrassed. I let him know I have no hard feelings. He smiles.

"So I won?" I say.

"No. I pinned you."

"Well I pinned you too."

"No. You cheated. You tickled me."

Loras and I have a rematch. He pins me. Margaery calls it in favor of Loras. I accept that. I help Loras up. I kiss my son and watch Margaery and Loras wrestle. Renly munches on a slice of bacon.

I hand Torrhen to Renly and decide to help Margaery out wih Loras. Loras moves and I find myself wrestling with a hot girl. When the realization hits me, my hormones betray me.

I stop. I back off and let Loras finish wrestling her. My heart is pounding in my chest and other parts of me are throbbing. I go to thr bathroom to solve the problem. I wash my hands after.

Loras is holding Torrhen and waiting for me in the hallway. I take my son and he giggles. I give him a big kiss. I fatch of his stinkiness. Loras comes with me to change Tor.

"I know what you did. I wish you wouldn't."

"I didn't have a choice."

Loras lays his head on my shoulder. I rub the top of his head. He purrs like a cat. I choose something cute for Tor to wear today. He throws his shoe at me and laughs about it.

Loras and I get ready for school. I pass Tor off to Renly who is watching him today. My nanny is sick and Willas lost at poker the other night so he's in a very foul mood. Renly is my only option.

"Tor, you be good for Uncle Renly."

"Torry and I will have loads of fun," says Renly, "We'll get our hair done, and go shopping, and get matching tattoos."

"I know you're joking but if Torrhen comes home with a tattoo I will hit you."

I kiss my boy goodbye and load the Tyrells in my truck. The prettier one sits up front. I catch my self staring at her legs. They are bare since its spring. My eyes follow her legs up to the hem of her skirt. I lick my lips.

Loras slaps me in the back of the head. I deserve that. I non-verbally thank him. He grins. I continue driving and keep my eyes on the road.