Chapter 10

Gendry Baratheon POV

I thought hanging out with Arya would be a good thing, but now I'm just even sadder than I was before. I miss her so much, and she didn't seem to understand what I meant when I said that. Maybe it's a good thing we broke up, she really is a lot less mature than me.

Podrick called me today, he wants to hang out. He meets me at my car when I pull up to his place. "Hey," he says. "I have weed, do you want to go smoke?"

That surprises me, he usually isn't a big stoner. "Sure," I say. "Would Myrcella mind?"

"She's not a smoker, but I think it would be fine," Pod says. "I just need something to take the edge off."

"Are you okay?" I ask as I start driving toward a hidden spot by the nearby creek where I know we can smoke.

"Yeah," he says. "I just forget how draining it is to be around my parents when I'm not in school."

"I get that," I say. "I'm tired of living with Renly sometimes."

"Really?"

"Yeah," I say. "He's my brother and I love him, but I feel like I'm too old to be sharing a room with my brother like we did growing up."

"Yeah, I get that."

We pull up to the smoking spot and head to the hidden area. We light up our joints and start smoking in silence. I usually don't smoke in the middle of the day, but it's summer and I could use some relaxation too.

"How are you?" Podrick asks. "Are you feeling any better?" I appreciate him asking, he knows I've been feeling pretty down since Arya and I broke up.

"Yeah, I'm a little better," I say. "We actually hung out the other day."

"Oh really?" Podrick asks. "Did that go okay? Or was it awkward?"

"It actually went okay," I say. "I'm glad we can still be friends, but I definitely still felt sad that she ended our relationship."

"Whose idea was it to hang out?"

"Hers," I say. "We went for a smoke, which we used to do all the time before we started dating."

"Was it just like it was before?" Podrick asks. "Or did something feel different?"

"It felt different for me, but probably not for her," I say. "She offered to hook up if I wanted to, but I said no. That definitely didn't feel right."

"That's weird," Pod says. "I get why you wouldn't want to do that, it's crazy to me how much Arya is willing to just jump into stuff like that."

"I know," I say. "I swear I won't ever understand her."

There's a long pause as we keep smoking. "Have you considered moving out of your parents' place since you graduated?"

"Not really," I say. "I mean, I want to move out eventually of course. I just know it'll be best financially for me to stay there at least through the first year of trade school."

"I totally get that," he says. "I'm saving money by going to the community college and my parents are really getting on my nerves, so I've been thinking about moving out more and more."

"That makes sense, I'm sorry your parents are getting on your nerves. Maybe that means you're becoming an adult."

He chuckles at that. "I bring that up because I wanted to ask you something," Podrick says. "I had an idea."

"What is it?"

"Would you maybe want to get a place together before we start school?" Podrick asks. "It could be after we start school, too. I was just thinking about what might be easiest."

"You'd want to live with me?"

"Totally," he says. "You're one of my best friends, and it would beat living with my parents."

"I'd be open to the idea," I say. "I just need to look into the finances, and I'm getting a little too high to be thinking about that right now."

He laughs. "Sorry," he says. "I picked a bad time to ask. But think about it, keep it in mind."

"Definitely," I say. "Do you just want an excuse to have your girlfriend over?"

"My parents actually don't mind her staying over," he says. "But it would be nice to have more privacy."

"Then I don't know about that," I say, laughing. "That's still my cousin, I don't want to hear any of that."

He chuckles. "I always forget you two are related since you get along so well."

"I love my cousins," I say. "Joffrey's the worst, but Myrcella, Shireen and Tommen are sweethearts. I guess 3 out of 4 isn't a bad record."

"Myrcella is the sweetest girl I've ever met," he says. "And have you heard her sing? She has a beautiful voice."

"I have a little, but she's really shy about that. I'm glad she feels comfortable enough to sing around you, it shows how much she trusts you."

I can tell how much he loves Myrcella, it's so sweet. I'm happy for her, she deserves it after having so many struggles with her eating disorder and her family life. I hope Arya and I can start things up again someday, I want what Podrick and Myrcella have.

Maybe living with him wouldn't be a bad idea, it would be nice to try it out since we're both staying in town. We're choosing school options that aren't as expensive, and if we both had jobs I think it would be doable. I was planning on getting a job this summer after having to leave my last one, so it's definitely something worth looking into.

Jaime Lannister POV

I'm picking up Theon from his class today, and then we're meeting Ramsay for lunch. I thought he was mad at him, but I guess he got over it. The community college is much bigger than I expected, I've actually never been here before.

I'm walking towards this common sitting area that Theon said he would be at, I spot him sitting across from Brienne at a table and my heart starts pounding. I'm not sure why, it's a weird feeling.

"Hey," I say, walking up to them. "You ready to go?"

"Sure," Theon says, closing his book. "Bye Brienne, thanks for helping me study."

"Of course," she says. "Hi Jaime."

"Hi," I say. "How are you?"

"I'm good," she responds. "Where are you guys going?"

"Just to meet Ramsay for some lunch," I say. "Do you want to come?"

Theon looks really surprised, and so does Brienne. "Oh, no that's okay," she says, closing her book and getting up. "I have to run actually, thank you though. I appreciate the offer."

"Okay," I say. "Have a good day."

"You too."

She walks away and we head to my car. We get in and start driving to where we said we would meet Ramsay. "What was that about?" Theon asks me.

"What?" I ask back.

"Come on, you know," he says. "Why would you invite her to lunch? You barely know her."

"We had a good conversation at my party the other day when she came to pick you up," I say. "I thought it would be cool to talk to her more."

"Are you trying to hit that?"

"Excuse me?" I ask, surprised.

"You seemed into her," he says. "I mean, I get it. She's cool and actually not bad looking. It wouldn't be as weird now that we've graduated."

"Okay, maybe a little," I finally say after a pause. "I'm just not sure, I'm nervous."

"You're worried about Cersei." He says it like it's a fact, not a question.

"It's not that at all," I quickly say. "I mean, I know she wouldn't approve. She doesn't decide who I date, it's just that I've never had a real girlfriend."

"Which is still shocking to me and anyone who knows you," Theon says. "You were so popular in high school, it literally makes no sense."

"I just never met the right one," I say. "I mean, I've hooked up with girls here and there, but never found the right one to date that my family would approve of."

"Even in college?"

I sigh, and we pull up to the lunch place. "No, not even in college," I say. "You know how it is."

I hope he'll drop it after I say that, it's getting harder and harder to keep Cersei and I's secret. People always had suspicions, but it's getting harder to be subtle now that we live together and we aren't in other relationships. I thought the increase in freedom would make it easier, but it's actually doing the opposite.

"Hey, how about this," Theon says. "I'll give Brienne your number, and she can text you if she wants. That way you don't have to do anything."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he says. "I can tell you're nervous to talk to her, and I want to help."

"That would actually be great," I say. "I feel like it would be weird if I asked her, since we don't really know each other and she was basically a teacher."

"You weren't in rock climbing though, right?"

"I went for a couple practices, but nothing beyond that," I say. "I wasn't in any of the other sports she coached, and she was only part-time so I didn't see her much."

"See?" He asks. "Then it's even less weird. I'd be happy to give her your number if you wanted."

"Yeah," I say. "That would be great."

"Okay, I'll do it next time I see her," Theon says. His phone starts buzzing. "Ugh, Ramsay's wondering where we are. We should probably head inside."

We head inside to have lunch. I'm incredibly nervous about this. Cersei's the only person I've ever been with, and up until this point I never saw myself being with anyone else. She's really been testing me lately, and I'm honestly getting fed up with her. I'm scared she'll find out, but I feel like I can keep it a secret from her. I want to at least try being in some form of a healthy relationship, I think it would be good for me.

Jon Snow Stark POV

I check my email one morning and see an email from an address that I don't recognize at first. When I look more closely, I see that it's from the leasing office of the apartment complex with the studio apartment that Dany and I looked at. I open it, and it says we've been approved for the place! I immediately call Dany.

"Hello?" She says. "Jon? Is everything okay?"

We usually don't call each other out of nowhere unless something happens, so I can tell she's surprised to hear from me and a little concerned.

"Yeah," I say. "I just received some news, and I needed to call you."

"What is it?"

"We got approved for the studio apartment!" I say. "We just have to call and set up an appointment to go sign paperwork, and we can move in in early August once we submit our security deposit."

"Wow, really?" She asks. I can tell she's surprised to hear the news this soon.

"Yep," I say. "Can I sleep over tonight? I want to make the appointment and then we can start planning."

"Of course," she says. "My dad will be here, but he won't mind."

"Awesome," I say. "I'll be over at 6."

…

I get to Dany's house, and I brought takeout from one of her favorite spots so we don't have to worry about getting food. She answers the door after I knock and sees the food I'm olding.

"Jon," she says. "You didn't have to bring anything."

"I wanted to," I say, walking in. "I wanted us to make the appointment as soon as possible."

We sit on the couch and I take out my computer. "What do we have to do?" Dany asks.

"They sent me a calendar link to make the appointment for the paperwork," I say, logging into my email. "I wanted to make the appointment right when I saw it, but I wanted you to look at it with me."

"That's sweet of you," she says. "You seem pretty eager about this."

"I am," I say, pulling up the calendar link. "It's our first place, I want to move forward with it as quickly as we can."

We're looking at the calendar, and the time that makes the most sense is about a week from now after the Fourth of July holiday.

"How about July 8th?" Dany says. "There's a 2:30 p.m. appointment available."

"Okay," I say. "Sounds good."

We schedule the appointment and are starting to eat our dinner when her dad walks in. "Hey kids," he says. "Hi Jon, how are you?"

"I'm good," I say. "How are you?"

"I'm well," he says. "I didn't know you were coming over tonight."

"Sorry, dad," Dany says. "I meant to tell you, but it kind of happened last minute."

"It's okay, Jon is always welcome."

"It was last minute for me too," I say. "We made an appointment to go fill out paperwork and submit our security deposit for our new apartment."

"Congratulations," he says. "I'm really happy for you two."

"Thanks dad," Dany says.

He walks to his room and we eventually go to Dany's room. We end up having sex before going to bed. We haven't been using condoms lately, but she's on the pill so it should be okay. I never thought I'd be okay with that, but I know the chances of pregnancy are very low with how strictly she takes her birth control.

"I know you're not super stoked about living in a studio," I say as we're cuddling in bed before falling asleep. "But I think it'll be a good starter place for us."

"I know," she says. "It's just something I need to get used to."

"I guess I'm used to being in a cramped space," I say. "My family had money, but not like yours or the Lannisters. I grew up sharing a room with Robb, so I'm used to it."

"I know," she says. "I'll be fine. I'm excited too, trust me."

"Thanks for being willing to compromise," I say. "Some of my friends thought you wouldn't."

"Cersei thought I shouldn't compromise," Dany says. "She thought I should insist on the bigger place."

"Really?"

"Yeah, that's what she would do," Dany says. "I don't know, I'm not super eager to take her advice. She's never had a real and healthy relationship."

"How are things with her and Jaime?"

"Toxic, but what else is new? She's mad at him about something, but I don't know what. And she got into a fight with Tyrion that almost got physical last time I was there, but that actually happens a lot."

"God, I'm sorry," I say. "I'm glad you're getting away from that."

"Me too," she says. "We'll probably still hang out with them a little, though."

"I know," I say, even though that isn't something I'm looking forward to. "I'm just glad you don't have to live with them anymore."

"Me too," she says. There's a pause. "I'm tired, I want to go to sleep."

I give her a kiss. "Good night, I love you."

"I love you more."

We kiss again and fall asleep. It feels good to be moving forward with her, and I'll feel better knowing she'll be out of a toxic living situation. I feel bad that her living with her best friends didn't work out, but I'm glad us living together can work out. It'll feel like our life together is finally starting when we move into the place.