Okay so this chapter has been sitting on my computer for months now because I couldn't decide if it was good enough. I always want to put my best work and effort out there for you guys and I didn't want to disappoint. But after rereading and tweaking I decided it was as good as it was gonna get. So enjoy chapter three and drop a review about how you felt about it! Thanks so much for reading!

Much Love,

Rin xoxo

Gendry woke up to a comfortable warmth settled over half his body. He smiled and pulled the warmth closer before sighing in contentment. His eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the soft morning light flooding through the window. The first thing he noticed was a weight on his chest and his arm around something soft. He looked down to find a halo of dark hair splayed across his chest and a small arm around his waist.

Gendry brushed the hair back from Arya's face softly not wanting to wake her up quite yet. Her lips were slightly parted and her eyebrows were furrowed. One of her hands had found its way across his waist the other curled into his side. Their legs were entangled in a lovers embrace and Gendry blushed at this revelation. He took a deep steadying breath trying not to notice how every inch of her pressed against him.

He tried to angle his lower half away from her but before he could move more than an inch Arya startled awake, swung above him to straddle him and pulled a dagger seemingly from out of nowhere pressing it to his throat. He stiffened immediately drawing his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

"Arya hey it's me! Relax!" He croaked out weakly cringing into the pillow trying to escape her blade.

Her eyes flashed with recognition and she flushed drawing the knife away from his throat. Fear filled her eyes and she took in a shaky breath. "Gendry I'm so sorry. I-"

He shushed her quietly drawing her down to his chest for a hug. "Hey it's okay. It's been a rough several years. I understand, I'm prone to jolting awake in a panic too, as I'm sure many soldiers are."

She nodded against his chest and pulled back still sitting atop him. He became all too aware of their positions and tried to shift her off of him quickly, but she held her position.

"Arya could you… Uh could you move?" He asked quietly looking everywhere but at her.

She peered down at him curiously. "I quite like it up here thanks. How did you sleep?"

He frowned slightly squirming beneath her to angle his hips somewhere that wasn't against hers. "I slept fine until a madwoman tried to murder me." He grumbled and she laughed.

He stared up at her in amazement of her beauty for a moment. The way her lips parted and her nose scrunched up as she laughed. The way her chest rose and fell, and her hands resting on the taught muscles of his stomach. Then her hand was waving in front of his face and he was blushing and looking away.

"Hey where'd you go? You looked like you were thinking hard about something." She murmured down at him and he shrugged trying to sit up again.

"Nothing important. Can I get up now?" he asked almost pleading wanting to move away from her before she noticed.

"Stupid, you're so impatient." She giggled poking at his ribs causing him to squirm.

She laughed even more at this and squirmed on top of him trying to escape his returning pokes at her own ribs. He flinched and quickly grasped her hips halting her movements. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly and hissed.

"Please get up Arry. Now." He said quickly and forcefully.

"Oh I'm sorry did I hurt you?" she started to move on top of him again searching for injuries "I didn't mean to I- Oh" Her voice suddenly dropped off her eyes widening as her thigh grazed the growing issue beneath his bed clothes. Their faces flushed at the same time and suddenly their eyes were looking anywhere but at each other.

Then suddenly Arya was laughing softly and moving to sit beside him. "You could've just told me stupid, I'm not oblivious to that kind of stuff."

Gendry whipped his head around to look at her. "How? Why?"

Arya laughed at his spluttering "Where I went and what I went through in the past five years didn't leave much room for innocence."

His face darkened at that and he moved quickly away from her to sit on the edge of the bed, his back to her. He felt his chest grow tight with an anger he had never felt before. He felt the bed dip behind him and a hand came up to rest on his shoulder.

"Gendry? What is it?" Arya murmured worriedly from behind her.

"Who?" He asked through gritted teeth and turned to look at her.

She startled and moved away at the heat and anger in his eyes "Gendry?" She asked again.

"Who? Who took that from you Arya? I won't ask again."

"Who took what? Gendry you aren't making any sense. Why are you so angry?"

"Who took that innocence from you Arya? I'll kill the man that did, I swear it." He ground out and her eyes flashed with understanding.

"No Gendry. Not like that… I didn't mean… Look the past five years I met with a lot of evils but none in that sense." She tried to reassure him and he shook his head.

"Then how…" He started but she shook her head again.

"There are other ways to learn about things like that. Things that weren't forced but more of a necessity." She explained hurriedly not wanting to divulge any details into the unpleasant things she had had to do as a Faceless Man.

His face dropped then, his eyes looking away from her. "I see M'Lady. Forgive me for intruding on your personal affairs." He moved away from her touch and she moved back as if he's slapped her.

"Gendry Waters! What exactly are you trying to say!" Arya stood from the bed incredulous at his behavior and he laughed humorlessly.

"Doesn't matter Arya, forget it. I just didn't realize…" He blew out a breath and shook his head again. "I just didn't realize you had an appetite for that."

"Are you insinuating…Gendry Waters I swear if you're insinuating I was out whoring myself to anyone that'd take the chance I will throw you out of the castle my bloody self."

Gendry flinched at that but didn't speak. Arya laughed without mirth and walked to the door, opened it and turned. "Even if I was that type of woman it would never beany of your concern. I am not your property Gendry Waters and you'd do well to remember that." She slammed the door and strode down the corridor ignoring his pleas and the calls of her name.

She flew through the hallway and down the steps in a fit of rage, dark storm clouds rolling over her face. Before she knew it she had stormed her way to her parent's old chambers, where her sister, now being Lady Stark, took residence. She threw the door open without knocking and strode in slamming this door behind her as well.

"I want that stupid bull out of our castle!" Arya raged as she stormed around the room.

"Good morning to you too sweet sister." Sansa said with a smirk on her face from her chair at the table.

Arya ignored her sister's jape, and turned to her "Are all men this insufferable and stupid? If they are I can't see why any woman would bother!"

"Is this about the Knight who found his way to our gates half dead?" Sansa asked curiously fixing her eyes on the documents before her.

"I don't know why he came here if all he was going to do was be stupid!" Arya huffed and plopped down into the empty chair across from her sister.

Sansa laughed "What did this stupid knight of yours say to anger my gentle sister so?" Arya glared at her and Sansa giggled behind her hand before looking at her sister seriously. "I only kid Arya. What has the man done? If he has hurt you I must know of it, I won't let it stand, not in my castle."

Arya snorted at that "If he had laid a hand on me he'd have been dead before he could do much else. You know that. No he just says stupid things."

Sansa snorted in and unladylike manner and covered her mouth in surprise at the noise. "Forgive me, but Arya you must know men aren't the best at… well words. That's why Lady's learn their courtesies and men learn to swing swords. Now tell me what he said and I'll see what I can do."

Arya blushed and looked down at the table. She chewed her lip decisively before sighing. "Promise not to get all Ladylike on me and lecture me on propriety and such?"

Sansa's eyes narrowed suspiciously but nodded nonetheless so Arya told her sister of her and Gendry's sleeping arrangements and their awkward morning. Arya's rage renewed at recounting the words he had said and she finished the story flustered and red from anger. She looked up to find her sister looking quite amused.

"What are you looking for me like that for? You believe him don't you? Of course you do!" Arya stood quickly her chair flying backwards.

Sansa's eyes widened "No!" She yelped quickly before taking a breath. "No Arya of course not. I just find it amusing that despite your knowledge on what comes in a marriage bed you're still so naïve to the ways of relationships."

Arya's nose scrunched up "Well yea, of course I am. Why would I want to know about all of that romance stuff? Anyway what's romance have to do with Gendry?"

Sansa giggled again and came closer to her sister a look of secrecy on her face. "You know what I think?" Sansa whispered and Arya's eyes widened slightly and she shook her head. "I think that Gendry is jealous." Sansa laughed at the look of confusion on her poor inexperienced sister's face.

"Jealous? What for?"

"Because you spoke of yourself with another man of course. I expect he didn't fancy the thought of someone else touching you before he did." Sansa sat back again.

"That's stupid! No Gendry isn't like that. He's a stupid bull and I'm just Arry. He wouldn't want that, he wouldn't want me." Arya's voice had built over her small speech but had softened to almost a whisper at her last words.

"Arya a man would not trek through winter itself for just anyone, he wouldn't have almost died for just anyone. I'm not saying this is all for certain, but just pay attention to how he looks at you when you're alone again."

"How will I know though?"

"Once you open your eyes to it, it won't be too hard to tell trust me. Now go on, go back to your knight, I have to balance the books for repairs." Sansa murmured turning back to her documents.

Arya heard the soft but unquestionable dismissal in her sister's tone so she stood and bent to press a kiss on her sister's cheek. "Thank you Sansa."

Sansa blushed and nodded and Arya went to take her leave. She had opened the door to her sister's chambers when said sister's voice chimed in from behind her.

"And Arya?" She called a slight lilt in her voice.

"Hmm?" Arya asked without turning back.

"At least try not to be too improper with this Knight. I fear I'd like a rest after such a troublesome several years, I don't want little nieces and nephews running around here quite yet." Sansa gave way to laugher as her sister's head whipped around to her an incredulous expression painted on her face until she saw her sister's smirk.

Arya huffed at the injustice of her teasing, threw her sister an unladylike gesture with her finger and shut the door behind her. She did not immediately set upon finding Gendry's chambers. She was still too peeved at his words and admittedly a bit unsure of her sister's. Instead she found Maester Edrick and sent him to fetch Gendry some food and clothes. The Maester sensed her unease and nodded briskly before fleeing the room.

Arya wandered to her own chambers. Upon entering she immediately shed her crumpled tunic and breeches, switching out to a fresh pair. She re-laced her boots and braided her hair, preferring to have it out of her face for today. She strapped her needle to her waist and grabbed a cloak from her wardrobe before she left and clasped it around her neck as she fled down the stairs. She exited the wing of the castle and fled through the snow seeking refuge in the warm kitchens.

She entered the snug and warm kitchens and stopped to grab some bread and what little sausage they could spare for the morning. She nodded politely to the few cooks and exited back out into the cold. She ate her breakfast as she walked across the grounds to the godswood. When she entered the sacred place of her gods Nymeria immediately came to her. Arya grinned for the first time all morning and patted her head affectionately.

Arya spent a good portion of the morning under the heart tree, by the hot spring stream while Nymeria contented herself with splashing through the water and pacing through the weirwoods. She leaned her head back against the tree and closed her eyes. She had been slightly dozing when she heard a tree branch snap under the weight of someone's foot. Arya jumped to her feet quickly her sword drawn before she could fully straighten herself. Her eyes swept the godswood quickly before finding the source of the sound.

Gendry stood twenty feet from her, his hands held up in surrender and his eyes wide with worry. "How many times are you going to try to kill me today?"

Arya's irritation with him came back at full force and she glared at him before lowering her sword and sheathing it. "Depends. How many times are you going to be stupid?"

He huffed at her as she stood staring at him. "Did you come here to apologize?" She asked her eyes flaring with anger.

"Don't know what you want me to apologize for. I already said M'Lady's personal affairs are not meant for me to question." He bowed his head.

She growled at him and strode forward to shove him. He barely moved an inch. "Why do you have to be so stupid?"

"If M'Lady finds me so stupid does she wish me to leave?" He murmured without looking at her.

"I am not a lady you stubborn bull. I wish you to just be Gendry and to stop being so… so maddening!" at that his head shot up and he snorted.

"I'm the maddening one?" He asked and she glared in response. "What? You're the one putting the words in my mouth and changing your actions towards me at the drop of a hat."

"You're the one being stupid and judging things you don't understand!" She growled at him and pushed against his chest again. "If I'm so maddening why did you even come here?!" at that he flinched, hurt flashing across his face.

"If you have to ask that… then you're more clueless than me Arya…" He murmured turning to go.

"Wait no! Gendry…?" She chewed on her lip nervously. "Please?"

He sighed but turned to her nonetheless "I came because you wanted me to. You're the one that sent Nymeria to me, even if she only found me towards the end there. I came because you needed me, because no one ever cared to look for me before unless it was to find me and kill me." He kept his head bowed and she inhaled sharply.

"If she only found you towards the end… how did you know to come? How did you know I was alive?" She whispered.

His eyes widening as if just realizing he'd said it and his eyes darted around as he struggled to find the words. "I… I had a dream. It was two months after I'd heard the first news of your returning. Two months of trying to keep the hope from my heart. And then I saw you talking to Nymeria… Well it was me, but I was Nymeria? Anyways you told her to find me. When I woke up I knew and so I left to go see." He sighed. "I know I sound crazy-"

"No" Arya cut him off and she laughed at the simplicity of it, of how obvious it was. "You're not crazy. You're my pack." She said with a prideful tone and he finally looked up at her. He found a look of amazement and wonder on her face. She stepped closer to him, almost toe to toe and peered up at him curiously.

Her hand came up to trail his beard with her fingertips and he leaned into the touch. She focused on the way he looked at her, the way his hand found her waist and he touched her softly, as if not wanting to spook her. His blue eyes shimmered with caution and warmth and something else that made her heart leap into her throat.

"Arya?" He said her name quietly as he had when she had found him outside her gates, as if her name was a sacred prayer and she shivered.

And then she was leaning up towards him and pressing her lips lightly to his, scared of rejection, scared of losing Gendry, scared of it all. But she quickly learned she had nothing to fear. Gendry hesitated for only a second before he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and pulled her flush against him. She squeaked quietly against his lips and she felt his lips turn up slightly in response to her noise and then he was kissing her back and all thoughts of rejection and loss flew from her head.

His lips were soft against her own, applying only the slightest of pressure. His hand found her face and cupped it turning his head slightly to give them a better angle. She brought her hands up to rest on his chest and she kissed back only slightly clumsy in her actions and hummed softly. And then just as suddenly he was pulling back from her lips and she was taking slightly shaky breaths.

Her eyes fluttered open to look up at him and found him grinning stupidly. She flushed and tried to move away, but found she was once again trapped in his arms. This time she didn't mind so much. She did manage to look slightly annoyed though.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?"

He chuckled and brushed a hair that had come loose from her braid back behind her ear. "You're beautiful." He murmured and she blushed and shoved at him.

"And you're stupid." Arya replied scrunching her nose up at him.

He laughed again and pulled her tighter to him, before bending uncomfortably to bury his face in her neck. "If M'Lady thinks me stupid who am I to object?" She could feel his grin against her neck and she squirmed trying not to laugh.

"Stop calling me M'Lady for the last time you stubborn bull!"

He nuzzled her with his nose before murmuring "As M'Lady Commands."

It was almost a replay of what had happened years ago, on the road with Yoren. She huffed indignantly and shoved at him. He stumbled from her embrace and fell back into the snow, but this time he caught her wrist and pulled her down with him. They laid in the snow and laughed. The laughter died down and they stared at the tree limbs branching out above their heads. When Gendry took her hand in his her heart sped up and Arya spent the rest of the afternoon hoping against all hope she hadn't just risked losing everything with a single kiss.

Okay so was it too soon for them to kiss? Maybe. Do I regret it? Not a damn bit. Was this maybe a bit ooc? Probably. A kiss is just a kiss and by no means means that everything is going to be sunshine and rainbows from now on. I still have a lot to explore with this story and I hope you all join me for the ride! Drop a review below or pm me! It makes the muse happy and satiated lol! As always thanks for reading and I'll see you all next chapter!

Much Love,

Rin xoxo