A/N – Is anyone interested in helping me make some fanart for this story? Either digital or drawn? PM me if you are interested.

Arya wakes up only to find herself tucked against Gendry's bare, warm chest. One of his arms is draped over her stomach, and the other is cradling her head. Their legs are tangled together. Definitely a small bed, Arya thinks, enjoying the comfort of his bare skin pressed against her back.

Gendry is breathing light and steady. Arya doesn't want to wake him up, so she stays perfectly still and lets her eyes flutter close once more. If only we could stay like this all day, Arya thinks. No work, no racing, just lounging in bed. Except, of course, Gendry will probably freak out as soon as he wakes up. God forbid he touches Arya, much less spoons her while half-naked.

Enjoy it while it lasts, Arya thinks. She knows it's silly. She shouldn't let her thoughts or feelings be consumed by some man. But between Joffrey and her family and her racing, there are so many things to worry about, and even if it's for just a few more hours, it feels wonderful to snuggle back in Gendry's hard chest, ignore her problems, and fall back asleep.

When Arya wakes up for the second time, she's alone in bed. She can hear the shower running in the bathroom, and her face flushes, as she thinks of Gendry naked inside of it. He must have jumped out of bed as soon as he woke up and found himself tangled in Arya. The shower shuts off, and Arya sits up in bed, clutching the warm sheets to her chest.

Gendry steps out of the bathroom and Arya's mouth goes dry. There's a towel wrapped loosely around his waist, revealing the sharp planes of his stomach. Water drips from his head, trailing all the way down to the fine line of coarse hair that disappears behind the towel. Arya slowly draws her eyes away from his bare torso, only to find Gendry staring at her with an amused expression on his face.

"I thought you were asleep," Gendry says. "I hope I didn't wake you up."

This is just about the best wake-up I've ever had, Arya thinks. Again, she finds her eyes wavering towards his bare chest. She clears her throat. "I should probably get going. Practice and all. I think Jon wanted to help me today."

"Right. I need to get to work too, but if you want to shower, the bathroom is all yours. There should be extra towels in the cabinet."

"Okay." Arya pushes the sheets back and steps out of bed. She bends over, stretching out her tired muscles. Gendry is staring at her when she stands back up. His blue eyes quickly flicker over her legs.

Is it hot in here, Arya wants to ask, only half-joking. She feels like there's a palatable tension between Gendry and her, even if he won't admit it. She takes a step forward. And then another. "Arya?" Gendry says, his voice low and hoarse from sleep.

"Yes?" She looks up at him, ready to close the small space between them.

Gendry leans down. His blue eyes trained on her own. "Could you-" He pauses. "Could you move? I need to change."

Arya starts blushing furiously and immediately jumps out of the way. "Of course. Work. Shower. Got it," she starts rambling. "I need to feed Nymeria. Take her out. You. You put clothes on."

As Arya hurries out of the room, she can hear Gendry chuckling behind her. He calls out to her, "For being such an excellent racer, you really are a complete spaz, Arya Stark."

"You know, you did the right thing on Friday," Jon says. Arya and Jon are sitting on the roof of his car, staring down the empty, flat road of Cajon Cross. It's still early in the morning, and a cool breeze whips through their hair.

"I know." Arya bites her lip. "But it felt wrong."

"No one wants to lose a race, but if you had beaten Joffrey, it would have been game over. It's all right to lose the battle, as long as you win the war." Jon flips his keys, pitching them into the air, and catching them deftly with one hand. "I meant to ask you, what were you doing with that mechanic again, Gendry?"

Don't blush, don't blush, Arya tells herself. She tries to have a hard exterior, but it's difficult when her cheeks flame up at the slightest embarrassment or lie. "He's just a friend. He's helped me with my car a couple of times."

"Why wouldn't you come to me for help?"

"He's a mechanic, Jon. Not a racer with a toolbox."

"Still." Jon catches the keys a final time and tucks them in his pocket. "I'd rather you come to me for help instead of some local bastard."

"He's not a bastard!" Arya snaps, immediately on the defensive.

"That's not what I meant. I meant he's an actual bastard, like born out of adultery."

Arya narrows her eyes, trying to remember what Gendry told her about his family. He said he didn't know his mother or father, and she didn't push the subject because it wasn't any of her business. "How do you know that?" Arya asks. "And why does it matter even if he is a bastard?"

Jon laughs harshly. "I don't care that he's a bastard. I care that he's Robert Baratheon's bastard."

Arya's stomach drops. She can't believe it. "He's what?"

"Robert's bastard. As in step-brother to Joffrey fucking Baratheon."

"That's not true." It can't be true. Why wouldn't Gendry tell her that himself? He knows she hates Joffrey. Why wouldn't he tell her that they were actually related? Why would he hide that from her? Suddenly all the trust she's put in Gendry seems to be crumbling away. "Do you have any proof?"

"If you've been on the circuit long enough, it's pretty commonly known. Technically it's just a rumor. Joffrey would never admit to be connected to a poor mechanic, but it's the truth. I'm sure of it."

"Why doesn't Gendry live with the Baratheons then?"

Jon shrugs his shoulders. "Because Robert is a drunk fool? That's a question you'll have to ask Gendry. You two seem close. Maybe he'll answer it."

Arya chews on her lip. "We aren't that close."

"Good. Because if you get that close I'll bruise him up bad enough that he won't be able to touch your car for months."

Arya pushes Jon in the shoulder. "It's not like that," she mumbles, half-heartedly, too distracted by Gendry's past to really care what Jon thinks.

"I wish I believed you. He stares at you like you're the only thing out there when we're at the circuit. You should have seen the look on his face when Joffrey was talking to you last week. Looked like he was ready to rip apart that little shit and claw off his face."

"You're making him sound like a animal."

"Yes, a very protective, large animal that I don't want messing with my little sister."

"I'm not little."

Jon ruffles Arya's hair. "But you are little. A little cat in a very big jungle."

"We need to talk," Arya says as she walks into Gendry's shop. He's sitting on a workbench, tinkering with an engine part.

"What's up?" Gendry asks. "Did you want to go practice again?"

"No. Well, yes. But that's not what I want to talk about." The next race is tomorrow, and Arya has to learn the trick by then. But she can't practice with Gendry's new familial relation on her mind.

"What is it then?"

Arya takes a deep breath before locking eyes with Gendry. Straight to the point, she tells herself, there's no reason to draw this out. "Gendry, when I first met you, I asked about your family, and you avoided the subject. And that was fine because it wasn't any of my business."

Gendry grits his jaw. "It still isn't your business."

"I'm not so sure about that anymore. Because it would be my business if you happened to be related to Joffrey Baratheon."

Gendry stands up, dark blue eyes flashing with anger. "My background isn't your business, Arya."

"Yes. It is." Arya crosses her arms. She won't let Gendry intimidate her. He might look furious, but she can hold her ground. And as mad as he looks, there's no way he'd ever hurt her.

"Why?" Gendry asks. "Why do you care? So the piece of scum is engaged to your sister. Big deal."

"It's more than that," Arya responds.

"What do you mean?"

Dammit, Arya thinks. How can I expect Gendry to be honest about his family if I can't be honest about mine? Can I trust him? Can I tell him who I really am?

"What do you mean?" Gendry repeats, taking a step closer to Arya.

She takes a deep breath before continuing. She wants her voice to be steady. "The Baratheons and my family-" she pauses. "They go back a long way. I don't know how much you know about Baratheon Corporations, but my father used to be Robert's Vice President. That is up until about a year ago when my father was fired for no apparent reason and without severance payment."

Arya pauses again and glances at Gendry. He's staring at her with complete attention. "Gendry- if I tell you the rest- you have to absolutely promise not to share this information with anyone. Not even my parents know. Can I trust you?"

Gendry's blue eyes flicker for a moment before he grabs Arya's hand and runs a thumb gently across the soft skin. All the anger in his eyes is replaced with warmth. "Yes. You can trust me."

And when Arya looks into his eyes, she knows she can trust him. Because he's Gendry. And she shouldn't have doubted that trust for a second. She opens her mouth. "After my father was fired, Joffrey blackmailed Sansa into marrying him. He said that he wanted to keep a Stark on with Baratheon Corporations because it was good for the company's image. And if she doesn't marry him, he's going to sue our father for everything we're worth and throw him in jail. I know it sounds crazy, but it's the truth, and you have to believe me."

"I do believe you," Gendry responds. "It sounds exactly like something the Baratheons would do."

"So," Arya says softly, "That's why I need to know if you're related to them. Because Gendry, I hate them. And I plan on doing everything in my power to ruin them and get them away from my sister. And I don't know-" Arya shakes her head. "How can I know what side your on?"

Gendry stares at Arya with a look of disbelief. "How could you ask me that?"

"If Robert is your father, you must have some sort of attachment to him. I can't expect you to go against your own blood."

Gendry laughs darkly. "My father. My loving fucking father. Arya, when I told you I didn't know my parents, it was the truth. Robert got my mother pregnant and was out of the picture before I was even born. For five years, she begged him for money, for anything to help raise me with, but he never responded to her pleas. He never even bothered to visit me."

"What happened after five years?" Arya asks.

Gendry looks down, his voice quiet. "My mother died."

"You were an orphan at only five?" Arya can't help it. She feels her eyes filling with frustrated tears. It's not fair what the Baratheons have done to destroy so many other families. It's not fair, and it has to stop. "I'm so sorry," Arya says, knowing the words are useless.

"It's fine. It's all I've known, and I'm all right with it."

Arya grew up in a house of six children and two parents. She can't imagine growing up with no one. It was bad enough when Robb, Jon, and eventually Sansa left the house.

"Look at me, Arya." Feeling silly, Arya wipes the few tears from her eyes and looks up. Gendry is staring at her, blue eyes serious. "My parents don't define me. I might be related to Robert, but I'm not a Baratheon. I'm Gendry Waters. A mechanic, and your friend. I wouldn't betray you any more than you would betray your own siblings. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good." Gendry sighs deeply and then looks up again, smiling. "So. I guess it's time for practice then."

"Dammit!" Arya screams, slamming her hands against the wheel.

"You almost had it that time," Gendry says.

"You're a terrible liar."

"I'm serious. You were almost at five seconds." Gendry waves his phone in the air. "Look. I was timing it."

Arya looks at the digital stopwatch. It reads 00:00:456. "See?" Gendry continues. "You almost had it."

"I guess so." Arya has been practicing the same trick the thousandth time. The clock is ticking. The race is tomorrow.

"I think you'll get it this time," Gendry says. "I can feel it."

"What are you psychic now?"

"Yes. I also predict that you will buy me Chinese food for helping you all week with this trick."

"You haven't been helping me. You've been sitting here, annoying me."

"I've been providing moral support."

"I don't need moral support. I need a stronger boost."

"Which I would be happy to install for you if you had any money." Gendry taps his jeans. "My pockets are as dry as yours."

"Well hopefully we'll both be rich tomorrow."

"Rich?"

"All right, hopefully we'll have enough money to pay the bills and buy a Happy Meal tomorrow."

Gendry laughs. "That sounds more accurate." He rubs his hands together. "Come on, though. Try the trick one more time. I know you can do it."

"Fine." Arya pulls the car into first and starts driving once again down the flat pitch of road. You can do this, she tells herself, gripping the wheel tightly. You can do this.

As soon as she gains enough speed, she pulls the switch, and her car starts to lift into the air. "Steady," she says, talking to the car. "Easy does it." She lifts the car more slowly this time, letting it balance every few degrees before turning almost completely vertical. "Clock it," Arya calls out.

The car shakes as it speeds down the street on two wheels. Arya has the grip the wheel tightly to keep it from jerking right or left. Gendry is sitting beside her calling out the time, "Two seconds...three..."

"Come on," Arya whispers, a bead of sweat on the back of her neck.

"Four seconds...five!"

The car bangs back to the ground a millisecond after Gendry calls the time. Arya slams the breaks, bringing the car to an abrupt stop. Her hands are shaking, and she's smiling broadly. "Holy shit," she screams. "I did it! We did it!" She whips open her car door and steps outside, running around to the front of her car to stare at it.

Gendry gets out also, and Arya runs up to him excitedly. "We did it." She repeats. She steps closer and grabs Gendry's hands, shaking them. "We did it. I'm going to win the next match. I know it!"

Happiness and relief is flowing through her. Gendry looks down at Arya, smiling widely. He laughs. "I've never seen you this excited."

"I just-" Arya stops pacing and drops Gendry's hands. She catches his blue eyes. "Determination. That's all I need, and I can have everything I want."

Everything.

Suddenly, Arya grabs Gendry by the back of his neck and pulls his lip down to hers. Before he has a chance to push her away, Arya shoves him against the car and kisses him deeply. Determination, she thinks. Gendry is almost unresponsive until Arya quickly snakes her tongue into his warm mouth, and then, he suddenly shudders deeply and wraps his arms around her small back.

Their mouths attack each other, sharp, needy kisses. The tension that has been building since their first kiss feels like it's exploding, and Arya's skin is on fire. She gasps as Gendry pulls away from her lips and starts sucking on her neck. She leans into his touch, gripping the tight muscles of his back. Everything he touches feels like it's erupting with tiny, pinpoints of pleasure.

Gendry grabs Arya and flips her around so that he's pinning her against the car. He lifts her up the hood of the car. Her legs wrap around his waist, pulling him closer. She can feel his arousal pushing against her thigh, and it fills her with lust. He wants me. I knew it.

Arya grips Gendry's hair and yanks up his face to meet hers. "Kiss me," she says, surprised by how low and husky her voice sounds. If she reacts like this from a few kisses, she can't imagine how quickly she'll unravel while doing something else.

Gendry dives back for Arya's mouth, and their lips and tongues battle for the upperhand, hot and furious. He even kisses like a stubborn asshole, Arya thinks, smiling into Gendry's mouth.

They continue, wrapped up in each other, for what feels like hours. When Arya finally pulls her lips away, they're swollen and red. Gendry is staring at her with ruffled hair and dark eyes. They watch each other, breathing heavily. Gendry slowly releases Arya, and she slides down from the hood of the car. She can feel the heat between their bodies, and all she wants to do is touch him again.

"That was..." Gendry starts. "Unexpected."

"That's all you can say, Gendry, that it was unexpected."

He smiles slowly, almost embarrassed. He rubs the back of his neck with his hand. "It was nice?"

"Nice?" Arya punches him in the arm.

"Oi! What was that for?"

Arya grabs her keys and starts to turn towards her driver's door. "You better come up with an adjective besides nice if you ever want that to happen again."

Gendry is laughing. He grabs Arya by the arm and spins her around. He presses her against the car, and Arya gasps, her pulse racing. Gendry leans down and brushes his mouth against her ear. She shivers. "All right, Arya, how about this?" His voice is low and teasing. "It was very nice."

And then he bites her earlobe softly, and that's all it takes for Arya to give in. She wraps her arms around Gendry. Right before kissing him, she smirks and says, "Let's find out what it takes to get an amazing out of you."

A/N – Ooh. Fun chapter. Lots of our favorite stubborn people.

WARNING: I think I'm going to change the rating of this story to M. It won't probably be anything too intense, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Also, I'm not sure, but I think next chapter is going to be a San x San interlude.

Thanks for reading and reviewing : )

Kimboslice – Thank you for telling me about the drive / shift to first. I have no idea why I'm writing a racing story seeing as how I know nothing about cars.

Fox Alder– I didn't even think about adding Ygritte because I already have some many characters going, but I love her, so maybe she'll slip in somewhere.