Disclaimer: Game of Thrones and Life is Strange aren't my properties, they belong to D&D, George R.R Martin, DONTNOD and Square Enix. And the Lord is good, because if I were the owner, believe me, you'd hate what I'd do with that.

Summary: All he wanted was to forget, to have a fresh new start. And so did she.

Author's note: This is set after the end of LIS with the "Save Arcadia Bay" ending. As for Game of Thrones, it is set in a modern universe and the characters are at the end of season 2, personality wise.

WARNING! THIS FANFICTION CAN CONTAINS HEAVY THEME SUCH AS MENTIONS OF SUICIDE ATTEMPTS, SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS, BULLYING ETC. IF YOU ARE ILL-AT-EASE WITH THESE SUBJECTS, FEEL FREE TO SKIP THIS FANFICTION.

Begin again

Chapter 2

"You definitely need to try Joyce's cooking, it's a taste of Heaven before you reach it!" Warren said happily as he was taking Lancel to the parking lot

It was early, the sun was rising in the sky, giving it a marvellous coat of pink and orange. Lancel spotted a stray cat sniffing a piece of food near the grass area. Under this light, it was a beautiful sight. He took his camera, silently took a memory of the piece of time while he could.

"I could print it and send it to Tommen." He thought as he watched the result

"You're just like Max, she too can't help taking her camera out, you two are the Lucky Lukes of Arcadia Bay!" Warren joked

"Oh, I'm sure Max is better and faster." Lancel replied with a smile

Soon enough, they were joined by Max and Kate and together, they drove off to the Two Whales. For Lancel, all seemed taken out of an american movie, he was genuinely in love with the area. He had checked the internet for some info about the city, he had learnt of some places that seemed interesting enough for his photos. The junkyard, the forest, the lighthouse, the beach… He'd so put on some good shoes and walk lots and lots of miles on his weekends! As they entered and took their seats, Joyce came to them. Lancel looked at her and he immediately loved her. She reminded him of his own mother. She had that same aura of motherly love and tenderness, despite having a black ribbon around the blue arm of her uniform. He had done his researches, he knew she was Chloe's mother. Yet, she appeared to him as regal and dignified in her grief. She was there, alive, not letting Fate get the best of her. He wished he could have some of her strength.

"Hi Joyce!" Max happily greeted

"Hello my darlings! Oh, and who is this handsome fellow?" The woman asked, noticing the new face in her dinner

"Hello, Mrs Madsen. My name is Lancel. Lancel Lannister. Pleasure to meet you." Lancel replied

"And so polite as well! The girl who will have you will be a lucky lass! You know what, since it's your first day here, you get a free muffin."

Lancel thanked her. She took their orders, Lancel followed the group's advice for the eggs and bacon.

"I know I should become a vegetarian, best for the planet and all, but bacon!" Max said hungrily as the plates arrived

"I hope this day will never come or else, I'll lose my best client for this dish!" Joyce joked

It was delicious and Lancel didn't regret to have agreed to break his fast with them. He didn't talk much, being more of a listener, but he did enjoy spending time with them. They were simple, nice, open-minded. They had welcomed him in their crew like a long-lost sibling. He noticed that Kate didn't seem well, however. Her body was here but her mind was somewhere else. He recognized that look. He had it for quite a while. He wanted to make her feel better but calling her on that in front of everyone wasn't the best way. He looked as she was excusing herself to the restroom, let a few moments pass before he excused himself as well. Kate was there, looking even more down. She blenched as she saw his reflection on the old mirror.

"Oh, Lancel, sorry… Didn't hear you coming. Am I blocking the access?" She asked

He smiled.

"No, don't worry. It's fine, I don't really need to use the bathroom anyway."

She raised an eyebrow, lost for words.

"You seemed… Away. I wanted to make sure you were okay but without calling you about it in front of the entire dinner."

"I… I didn't think you'd notice." She said, uneasy, playing with her fingers. "But it makes me happy that you care, even if we don't know each other very well."

He just smiled. She looked at him. He wasn't aware of what happened to her, but still he was kind enough to worry, to notice, she wasn't invisible for a stranger.

"Are you aware of the Dark Room affair?" She inquired after a short but uneasy silence

"Just the big lines. A famous artist kidnapping girls to have private and illegal photo shoots with drugged and bound girls."

"I was one of the victims… The last one actually… Before he got caught and arrested…"

Horror spread in Lancel's mind, he had imagined everything but that. He couldn't picture Kate dosed up, looking blankly at a camera hold by a pervert. A part of him wanted to rush to her and hug her but he restrained himself, it could be too much for her. Instead, he just gently put a hand on her shoulder.

"I am so sorry you had to live that…"

"I'm fine, even better now, Max has been a true friend and a great support, but… I still fear the world. It's my first day outside of the dorms, apart from Chloe's funerals… I had to be there, just like Max had been there for me…"

"You felt overwhelmed back there…"

"Yes… But it was nice."

"Then, consider I owe you a morning, a comfortable one. A Lannister always pays his debts. I hope you like tea."

She had the brightest smile ever.

"Beware, I could make your tea collection vanished by drinking it all in one day! Max and I always have a weekly tea. We could have one too. You could tell me about the Seven Gods and their story."

He nodded.

"I'd like that."

As Kate went out, he felt his phone vibrating. He took it out, recognizing the number.

"I changed both my phone and my number, how did he get it?!" He wondered as he opened the text he had received

It doesn't matter that you're away, you'll never be free of me, you little dirty bitch. I'll destroy you and any chance at happiness you have. Your daddy won't be able to protect you and send you in the world's asshole forever. You're a lying freak, a hypocrite. The Seven are prayed every day to give you the balls to jump of a bridge and die!

He looked at himself in the mirror. His face had gone white and he noticed his hand was shaking. He took a deep breath, erased the message and passed some water on his face. He bit his tongue hard as he forced a smile on his lips.

XXXXX

Back in King's Landing, Kevan sighed as he was ready to be received by his niece for dinner. He loved Cersei, he really did, but as time passed by, she grew older and bitter. And there was something she did. Something he couldn't forgive her for just yet. If he could forgive her at all. Lancel had make a mistake, a mistake he recognized, a mistake his son admitted, however he considered her to be the one to blame. Lancel would turn eighteen in january, he was, by most standards, still a child.

A gullible child.

A child who lacked confidence and she toyed with that to get whatever she had wanted from him.

"Good evening, Uncle." She greeted

"Good evening, Cersei."

Her youngests, Myrcella and Tommen, were adorable children he loved very much and Tommen kinda reminded him of Lancel in his early years. However, her eldest was a nightmare, and he dared say Evil reborn. He had sent texts to Lancel that sent chills down his spine despite being old enough to be his grandfather. It was only because he had complained to Tywin that Joffrey had stopped. Because Cersei didn't see the harm in it.

"Uncle Kevan, is Lancel happy in Arcadia Bay?" Myrcella asked as they were sitting at the table

He smiled softly to her.

"He is very happy, he told me he made friends already. And he also told me he had a special picture for you, Tommen."

"Yay!"

The youngest's joy made him laugh. They all sat, his widowed niece, her children and his older brother. Joffrey couldn't help but feeling superior. Yes, they had managed to have Lancel change phone and number, to have him stop. From his first phone. They hadn't thought he'd buy a second one, keeping it secret, to make his cousin's life a true Hell. He couldn't understand why people sided with him despite his mother being the true victim in that affair. That was unfair and he was going to make him pay.

"Still, Uncle, I don't understand why you sent him so far away for something so little." Cersei said as she was drinking wine

"You wouldn't call your children's dreams little." He only replied

"I would tell them when their dreams are just that." She responded

"I've seen his work, it's not impressive." Joffrey added

"That's because you are jealous. You can't take a picture right. Lancel kindly agreed to take some pictures for me and they are gorgeous, I love them very much. He also helped me for some art projects and he was a patient teacher. I think he can easily have a successful career in that branch." Myrcella stated

Joffrey was red with anger, having been challenged.

"Lancel would be touched to hear you say so." Kevan said. "I believe the same thing. I trust my son and I wouldn't push him in a way if I knew he had no talent for it."

Tywin only nodded in approval. Cersei and Joffrey's outraged faces were priceless and Kevan wished he had the guts to tell them to hold the pose while he'd take a picture to send it to Lancel.

XXXXX

Feeding her little Alice, Kate was thinking of Lancel. She didn't know him very well, but he had struck her as a gentle person, a sincere man. However, he had to have a part of darkness in his heart, some hardships, as few would notice her being unwell and guess it wasn't just being under the weather.

"He's handsome too, that doesn't spoil anything."

She felt her cheeks burning after she realized what she had just thought. She had thought that a man was beautiful, a few weeks only after being abducted and abused. What was wrong with her?!

"And besides… Nathan was nice too. And not bad looking. And rich. He offered help once. It lead me on a dark path…"

She didn't regret offering a hand of friendship to Lancel, it was the way she was, the way she wanted to live and even if it wasn't to work out, she'd have no regrets as she would have tried.

She just…

She just wanted to avoid living in a nightmare again.

XXXXX

Lancel was still in his pyjamas when he was browsing through the mail he had received. One stood out of the ordinary. All was typed, not a single sign of a handwriting. He opened it and started to read it as he was closing his door. He felt grosser and grosser at each word his eyes encountered. He swore he could feel tears burning and threatening to fall. He refused to give the author this satisfaction. Not while holding it at least. He didn't sign but the style had Joffrey's perfume all over it. He crushed it, formed it into a ball and angrily threw it in the garbage can before going back to his room. He closed the door, resisting the urge to slam it, and when it was just him and himself, he let himself slide, his back against it, until he was sitting on the floor. His knees near his face, his arms surrounding his legs, he buried his head in the little space created and broke up in tears.

The others were right, they were always right.

He was a weakling and a fool.

He gave them another proof of that, by hoping he could turn a new leaf.

He'd never have an average life.

He just wasn't born for happiness.

To Be Continued