Brienne exhales. While she still has to process the admissions Jaime made to her not long ago, she actually feels rather confident after all, for reasons she can't and maybe even doesn't want to explain.
They fell back into routine far easier than either one feared. Jaime spends the night more and more often – and Brienne tries her best to get used to the fact that being around Jaime inevitably means a loss of control, since the man manages to flip her and her life upside down.
Though of course she can flip him down likewise.
His back was one huge bruise after she proved him just that that in the kickboxing arena.
Though at some point she can't help but wonder. It's been over two weeks since Jaime's admission, and still… it's all as sweet and innocent as it was in the beginning.
Except that they admitted to each other that they fell in love with each other – and Jaime takes his almost childish delight in telling her every time he finds an occasion for it... one time even when she was in the bathroom, brushing her teeth and had a mouthful of white foam.
"Blue Eyes!"
Brienne blinks as Jaime comes inside her loft. She gave him a key so that he can come and go as he pleases, and because she is fed up to always open the door for him.
"Hey, you are early," she tilts her head.
"My Father is in town," he grimaces.
"And that concerns me why?" she makes a face.
"Somehow he found out that I'm in a relationship, though I wanted to tell him personally once he came to town. I reckon Cersei has her hands in this somehow. So now he wants to meet my inamorata," he explains. "For family dinner."
"Did you look that word up in a dictionary?" Brienne makes a face.
"It doesn't matter. I just want to know if I have to make up some smooth excuse why you can't come or if you can bring yourself to come with me," Jaime replies.
Brienne makes a face. She was introduced to the parents of one of her partners only once, and that proved to be a real disaster. When she ordered a steak, surrounded by militant vegetarians, it was somehow over. Not that the relationship was worth it much.
"Will it be Chinese?" she asks bluntly, making Jaime chuckle, "No, no Chinese. No chopsticks at all, I can promise that much."
"But you'd want me to come?" she asks.
"Everything is better with you, you know that," he shrugs. "But I'd understand if you said no. Not only will you meet my Father dearest, but also… Cersei."
"Well, I can't bypass it forever, can I?" Brienne shrugs.
"That is why I love you, Blue Eyes," Jaime grins, meaning to kiss her, but Brienne puts her hand on his forehead, keeping him from it, "I need to get changed."
And so, later the evening, Brienne and Jaime find themselves entering likely the fanciest restaurant in town. She went with the black dress she wanted to wear to the dinner Jaime had invited her to the day he admitted his first relationship to her. This is coupled with a small purse you can't fit anything into, and nude slippers with a small heel. Brienne reckons she will tower above them in height anyways, so she might take a bit away by wearing not so high heels. Jaime's hand is securely set on her hip as he guides her inside, though she can feel a small tremor the moment on his family comes into view.
"Father, it's been such a long time. May I introduce you? This is Brienne of Tarth," Jaime grins, his voice steady and self-conscious. Brienne extends her hand to the man with white hair and cold eyes, "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Tywin shakes her hand, "The pleasure is on my side. My son talked a lot about you."
He is good at lying, because Jaime let her know that he did in fact not.
"I hope only good things," Brienne manages to say halfway smoothly, but that is when Jaime's twin sister emerges like a mystical animal out of the fairy tales. Her hair shines so brightly that it blinds Brienne's eyes, it's long and perfectly styled. She wears a ruby satin dress, hugging her perfectly shaped body in just the right places, coupled with black, polished stilettos that are so high that Brienne knows she'd just fall over if she ever wore such a shoe. Her face is flawless, everything about her is. At some point Brienne should have guessed as much – because Jaime is already cut out of a magazine, so it stands to reason that his sister is likewise.
"So you are the ominous Brienne my brother can't stop babbling about," she says, taking her hand. "It's such an honour to finally meet the woman who's turned my brother's head around."
"I feel honoured to… uhm, get to know you, too," Brienne grimaces.
"Brienne! I haven't seen you in such a long time!" Tyrion's cheery voice rings out, and Brienne and Jaime thank the Gods for the youngest Lannister son to always know when to interrupt. He took a liking to Brienne by now, already due to the fact that she made him forget about Cersei at last, and the youngest Lannister wants it to stay that way.
Brienne bends down to embrace the dwarfish man, who pats her on the shoulder affectionately. Brienne can feel the stares from the other woman poking through her.
"Let's have a seat, then," Tywin says. All do as the eldest says. In the end, Jaime sits next to his father and Brienne. Tyrion, gladly, managed to take the seat next to Brienne, and is thus seated between her and Cersei at the round table. Brienne already feared that Cersei would sit next to her to dig her nails into her forearm.
Brienne tries her best to ignore the Red Lady studying her movements, though she almost chokes on her glass of water when Cersei asks her if she isn't afraid to do too much training so that she'd look more like a man than a woman. However, that is when she feels Jaime's hand squeezing hers very tightly.
"So? How long will you stay, sister dearest?" Tyrion throws in soon thereafter, earning him a few glances of pure venom from her, knowing fully well that he asks only to point out that she is to leave soon again.
"That's not out yet," she shrugs.
"It is," Tywin argues. "You were supposed to come here for the plenary meeting to give your presentation. After that, you are supposed to head back to Italy the soonest you can. The business doesn't handle itself."
"In fact it does," Cersei argues. "It's not like we have to build things with our own hands or so. In fact, things go their usual ways with or without me there."
"Which is why you are supposed to make sure that this is so," Tywin tells her promptly. "Because that is your job."
"What can I say? I miss my family, crucify me," Cersei argues.
"Don't tempt me," Tyrion mutters under his breath.
"This is about business," Tywin says.
"Oh, right, just as it was that you set me up with Robert, because he'd be a good trading partner. We are no longer in the Middle Ages, you know? You don't have to wed me to some man to earn his trust," she hisses.
"He would be a good match," Tywin shrugs, seeming to care little.
"And I am seriously the only one who has to get together with whoever you please?" she argues. "When my brothers get to be with whoever they want?"
"Sister, I think the red wine is loosening your tongue a little bit too much," Jaime tells her, his voice soft, but still sharp.
"What? Did he try to match you with her? No. For that she is not prestigious enough," she shrugs. "He only does that with me."
"Careful now," Jaime warns her. Brienne just watches those two killing each other with glances, as though they were on fire.
"Why am I supposed to marry someone you find suitable as a trading partner while he gets all freedoms he wants? Why am I the one who gets punish till today?" Cersei demands, eyes fixed on Tywin this time, who only shrugs, "I will not honour that with a reply. I will only say that I didn't tell you to marry this man. I gave him your number and he asked you for a date. What you make of it is something completely else. And in any case, Jaime brings good results, while you seem to enjoy your lifestyle too much to care about the firm."
"What?" she blinks at him.
"I will not discuss this matter during dinner," Tywin says. "Unless you make me. And I may add that this may not end pretty for you."
"Because it's an uncomfortable truth that we are not at all as perfect as you wanted to forge your children?" she huffs. "Because you got a dwarf, a witch, and a knight who cares little about the firm?"
"Are you done yet?" Tyrion exhales wearily, sipping some of his wine. "Or could you at least wait until the dessert to revive the old family feuds? Or does the dwarf have to tell you that you are making a fool of yourself right now?"
"Careful now, little monster," she hisses.
"Oh, there comes the main course," Jaime exclaims loudly to somehow break up the moment – and Brienne really starts to understand that this family is messed-up.
"So, how are your plans for the future?" Tywin says, cutting his steak, glancing at Jaime and Brienne.
"Plans?" she frowns at him.
"You don't seriously ask that yet, do you?" Jaime exhales. Brienne just tilts her head.
"One of my plans is to found an organisation to teach women self-defence for free," Brienne blurts out. Tyrion chuckles next to her, "That sounds like a wonderful idea for the future, Brienne."
"And you hope that Jaime, I mean, our family, will be so kind to provide the money for it?" Cersei huffs.
"No, I already have some plan sponsors, through my father," she replies promptly, trying hard not to let it show just how offended she feels. Because Cersei means to imply that she is only together with Jaime to get that project working, to get his wealth.
"I didn't know you were rich?" Cersei grins.
"Not rich, but my father is befriended with many influential people. Not to mention that I am friends with Renly Baratheon. He is one of the main sponsors and is very invested into the project," Brienne tells her, now feeling more confident.
"Renly Baratheon? Isn't that Robert Baratheon's little brother?" Tywin looks at her.
"Yes!" Jaime jumps in. "Renly and she are friends since High School, just like she is befriended with the Tyrells. You know that Renly is very successful in his job, like Robert."
"You mean the little canary?" Cersei huffs.
"Thin ice," Jaime tells her with narrowed eyes, knowing how highly Brienne values Renly. She told him about that ball back in High School, and how much balls Renly apparently showed that night.
He presses her palm a little tighter this time, fearing that Brienne will lunge over the table. You can insult her, you can insult her work, but Renly is one of the things that are untouchable for Brienne.
"In any case, I find Brienne's idea really brilliant. Women should know how to defend themselves. I hear and read it often enough that they get beaten up or robbed or both… or worse. If they knew how to properly defend themselves, they'd stand better chances," Jaime goes on in a more peaceable tone.
"I feel the same," Tyrion nods. "In fact, the Lannisters may profit from investing in this project likewise. We still have so much to do in terms of PR. This might be something to help the firm get a better picture."
"We don't need a better picture. We are successful," Cersei argues.
"We could be more successful. I should know. I know the numbers better than you because I do my job. You'd have no idea what a good PR campaign can do to spur business," Tyrion huffs.
"We have Jaime for the PR. His face is everywhere," she argues. "He is our number one advertisement."
"But you can never have too much PR," Tyrion argues.
"Uhm, sorry to interrupt, but if you excused me for a moment?" Brienne says suddenly, getting up. Jaime looks at her quizzically, but she offers a small smile before she goes.
"One odd bird you caught there, brother," Cersei snorts once Brienne is out of sight.
"I won't tell you another time that you should be more careful, sister," Jaime argues.
"So, Jaime, you think she is a good match?" Tywin asks, unimpressed by the siblings fighting. Jaime turns to him, blinking, "I love her, if that is what you are asking. Or do you mean to give me the speech of how she is not good enough for me?"
"Hm, I can't say that for certain. Up to this point, I'm positively surprised, though," Tywin says, shovelling more red, bloody steak into his mouth.
"Wow, I never heard our Father making a compliment," Tyrion huffs. "Someone please take a picture."
"You know as well as me that I approve this for more than one reason. And if she has connections to both the Baratheons and the Tyrells, then only the better," Tywin replies. Jaime means to say something when he realises Tyrion tapping his thigh – and Cersei having gone to the restrooms.
Splendid.
"So, about the PR campaign…," Tywin goes on.
Meanwhile, Brienne stands in front of the polished mirror in the bathroom, washing her hands with cold water, which is soothing against her heated skin.
Jaime warned her about his family, but she didn't expect it like this at all. She grew up in a household that was always filled with love, despite the tragedies they lived through. Brienne knows she is always welcome at home, no matter what she does. But here she has a family where a daughter is excluded from the family because of something she and her brother did when still youths, a patriarch who is only set on gain for his empire, and then there are Jaime and Tyrion who don't seem to fit in at all.
And somewhere in-between she stands, wherever that is.
"Oh, hello there," Cersei's voice rings out, and Brienne tries her best not to jump like a startled cat. Jaime's sister takes her stance next to Brienne, giving her another look-over, before she takes out a lipstick from her purse and starts to go over her full lips.
"Family dinners always tend to be messy," she goes on.
"Well, I guess your family isn't the exception," Brienne shrugs, trying hard not to start sweating.
"Sadly not," she exhales. "It's just that I don't get to see them so often. I live everywhere but at home."
"I'm… sorry about that," Brienne wriggles her nose.
"Oh well, it's the price you pay for love," Cersei exhales.
"Jaime's mentioned… that to me," Brienne replies.
"Oh did he? And it didn't put you off?" she grimaces. "And here I thought we were odd."
"I, uhm… It's something of the past," Brienne says uncertainly.
"Do you really think it is?" Cersei grins. "I mean, I suppose Jaime thinks it is, but in the end, none of his relationships worked because they weren't… his first."
Brienne blinks against the white light above the mirror.
"That has always been the issue," Cersei goes on. "I'm just curious how long it will take him this time around to figure it out. He is a passionate man, and sometimes way too impulsive. But you will likely know just how passionate he is, right?"
Brienne goes on blinking, her mind reeling.
"In any case, you should enjoy it for as long as it lasts. But you are a strong one, aren't you? I bet you are one of the ladies who will always be able to handle things on their own. Women have to be strong, right?" she plops her lips and stuffs her lipstick away.
"It was nice chatting with you," Cersei says before she disappears.
Brienne sucks in a few gulps of air before heading back to the table as well. She settles down on her chair, and Jaime's hand is instantly searching hers. Brienne looks over to Cersei, who sips her wine, mouthing "told you" around the red liquid pouring down her throat.
The dinner goes on uneventfully thereafter. Tywin shakes her hand, saying that he hopes to see more of her and that he'd charge Tyrion with engaging with her project for PR reasons. Cersei goes as far as to hug her and Jaime this time, and Tyrion offers sympathetic glances before he takes a taxi to his apartment.
And so, they find themselves in a sticky taxi as well.
"I'm so sorry for this disaster," Jaime exhales. "I thought they'd behave at least a little bit."
"It's nothing," Brienne replies.
"Are you alright?" he asks, noting the distant tone in her voice. "Did Cersei something to you?"
"I don't want to discuss that in a taxi," Brienne replies.
"Okay, I get that," Jaime grimaces.
They drive to her apartment in all silence thereafter. Once inside, Brienne kicks off her shoes at once, letting out a sigh, her whole body curling in on itself to get rid of the tension in her muscles.
"What did Cersei say?" Jaime asks, his fire burning, aching for a reply. Because he fears that his sister did more than a little stabbing on his Blue Eyes.
"She still loves you," Brienne replies, her sapphire eyes gleaming in the dim light.
"She wants to own me, that was also the breaking point for us before. That she wanted to possess me," Jaime argues. "But it doesn't matter, because I don't love her like that anymore. I told you, I love you."
"She said that you tried to make yourself believe that with whatever girl you were with before, because none of them could match your first," Brienne goes on.
"That may have been true for the other girls I was with, but it's not true when it comes to you," Jaime argues vehemently. "So listen."
"You never tried to sleep with me," Brienne then blurts out saying.
"What? I sleep next to you almost every night, and I'm glad for it, even if your mattress sucks," Jaime argues.
"No, I mean… you never slept with me, and that even though we are… already to the point that you introduce me to the family," Brienne argues. "Is that because you still think of her?"
Brienne expects many things for a reaction, but not that Jaime bends over, laughing loudly to the point his body shakes.
"This is not funny!" she curses. Jaime straightens back up, wiping a tear from his eyelashes, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. This is not at all funny, but… it's just so ridiculous."
"What is?" she grimaces.
"Brienne, I would have torn off your clothes the very first night I saw you, but I wanted to show you that you matter to me, because you do. I wanted for you to make the first step, and trust me, it took me about everything not to just take you. You drive me insane with your crazy sexiness, I told you often enough," Jaime tells her, drawing closer. "I would have flung you down, would have torn off your clothes, but I wanted to be a gentleman. I wanted to show you that I'm none of the little shits who played tricks on you before."
Brienne just stares at him as Jaime comes to take his stance right in front of her, "I told you, Blue Eyes, I love you. Cersei is just messing with you because she can't accept defeat."
"So I'm not just some echo?" she asks, her voice a whisper.
"No, you are the real-life version of a princess I rescued," he grins, wrapping his arms around her. "A princess who happens to be as weird as I am."
He presses his lips on hers, holds her close, doesn't want to let her go, ever again.
"And by the way, I take it as an invitation that you bothered your head sore why I didn't sleep with you yet," he grins against her teeth, pushing her backwards.
"Jaime?" she suddenly looks at him uncertainly.
"What? I have been patient enough, c'mon," he mewls.
"You know, I… I haven't ever…," she wants to warn him, but he just pulls her up to fling her down on the mattress, "That's alright. I only rescue maidens anyways."
He kisses her until she submits to every of his touches – and Jaime still can't imagine how someone would reject such a gemstone if he had it in hand. Everything about that woman is so wonderfully out of place while being just in place, a constant voltage field that it sends shivers up and down his spine.
Brienne is scared at first, for so many reasons that they just dance over her head, but Jaime kisses them all way, touches them all away. Because he turns out to be the kind of man she always wished for.
Maybe they live a dream after all, within a messy reality.
"Do you trust me?" he breathes at one point.
"I trust you," she sighs.
Because she does.
His moves are careful, but not too careful, possessive, but not too possessive, just something in-between that she wants to get lost in forever. Even though the smug grin makes her shove him a few times when he goes too far, but he just chuckles and tries again.
Because he always tries again, doesn't let go.
And when he moves into her, it's as though the fear people like her Septa punched into her since she was just that small simply melt away as he holds her, kisses her, waits, waits for her, as both lay bare, without any armours, any last defences.
They are at a truce, accepting themselves in their messed-up nature, messed-up family relations, messed-up pasts, because they found a bit of fairy tale thanks to a red stiletto stuck in a drain.