Chapter 21

Daenerys Targaryen POV

Sansa, Marge and I are sleeping at Cersei's place tonight. I know Sansa wasn't super excited about seeing her, but I told her we could leave if Cersei pulled anything. She's been bugging me to spend time with her, and I'd rather be in a group than hang out with her just us at this point. Plus, we don't have much of the summer left so it's one of the last times we have to all hang out.

We're hanging out in Cersei's room, and it's actually sort of fun. It kinda feels like old times, and that's nice. "So are you guys excited to go back to school?" Margaery asks.

"Not particularly," Cersei says. "I'm still writing for the newspaper, but I was hoping to be an editor by now."

I want to tell Cersei that she's not an editor because she doesn't try hard enough and she's shown up to meetings drunk, but I don't say that. I know it won't help anything.

"Well it's about to be your third year," I say instead. "Maybe after this year, or even this semester."

"Maybe," Cersei says, shrugging. "I hope so."

"Is it weird having Tyrion at your school?" Margaery asks.

"I don't have to see him as you might think," Cersei says. "And when I do, other people are there so it isn't so bad."

"Are you seeing any guys right now?" Sansa asks Margaery after a pause.

"No," she says, shaking her head. "Most of the guys at cosmetology school are gay, and I'm kind of enjoying being single anyways."

"Really?" I ask.

"Yeah," she says. "I was really depressed after Gendry broke up with me, and it just feels good to not be tied to a guy right now."

"I definitely get that," Sansa says. "With all the bad experiences I've had with guys, it makes me never want to date again."

Cersei rolls her eyes, which pisses me off. Luckily Sansa doesn't see her. "I heard you were sort of seeing someone," Marge says to Cersei. "How's that going?"

"Bronn?" Cersei asks. Margaery nods. "I was never really seeing him, we just hooked up because he gave me Xanax."

"But he liked you, right?" Sansa asks.

"Yeah, I think so," Cersei says. "But I'm not really into him. I just sucked his dick a couple times."

"It was a stupid idea," I say. "He's a fuckboy."

"I know," Cersei says. "You know I was using it to my advantage."

Sansa and I give each other a look, she clearly thinks it's dumb too. I'm glad she and I are on good terms now, I like Sansa a lot and want to keep being her friend.

"So when do you move in with Jon?" Margaery asks me.

"In just a few days," I say. "We want to get settled early."

"Makes sense," Margaery says. "I'm jealous you have someone."

"You just said you were glad to be single," Sansa says, laughing.

"I am," Margaery says. "But it would still be nice to have someone to cuddle."

"And have sex with?" Cersei asks.

"That too," Margaery says. She turns to Sansa. "Are Gendry and your sister still friends even though they broke up?"

"No," Sansa says. "He decided he couldn't be her friend anymore."

"Why?" Margaery asks.

"They hooked up after seeing a concert and he tried to get back together with her," Sansa says. "She didn't want to, and he said his feelings for her were too strong."

"Ugh," Margaery says, rolling her eyes. "Sorry, I don't have anything against Arya. This is just all Gendry's fault for getting involved with her in the first place when he shouldn't have."

"He's so stupid for breaking up with someone like you, anyway," Cersei says. "You're hot, you were popular and you're older, he should be worshipping you."

This is all so stupid, I'm glad to be distancing myself from my high school friends. Gendry and Margaery had nothing in common, he clearly has more in common with Arya. It makes perfect sense to me, and I don't think it's right for Cersei and Margaery to manipulate guys with their sexuality like they do.

Sansa Stark POV

Being at Cersei's place hasn't been too bad, but I'm glad I don't have to hang out with her a lot. I feel bad for Dany that she feels a responsibility to Cersei, and to everyone she loves. It must be a lot to deal with. Maybe that's why she loves Jon so much, maybe they can relate to each other with how much they've had to take care of people their entire lives.

We wake up in the morning, and it's almost 11 when I check the time. Dany is still asleep next to me, but Cersei and Margaery are no longer in the room. "Dany?" I ask, shaking her. She stirs awake. "Where did everyone go?"

"Huh?" Dany asks groggily. "What time is it?"

"Almost 11," I say. "Where are Cersei and Margaery?"

"Probably downstairs cooking breakfast," Dany says, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "Shit, I didn't mean to sleep that late."

"Me neither," I say. "I guess we were really tired."

"Do you want to go downstairs and hang out, or do you just want to leave?" Dany asks.

"We can go downstairs," I say. "Being here hasn't been that bad."

"I'm glad," Dany says. "I was kinda worried Cersei would say some shit."

"Me too, but she seems a little down. Less bitchy than usual, just more sad."

"She's upset about Jaime, but she won't really tell me why," Dany says. "I'm not sure what's going on, she won't really tell me. She just said he's being more distant from her."

"Ugh, that sucks," I say. "Are you still going to see her after you move in with Jon?"

"Yeah," Dany says. "I'm just glad I won't be living with her anymore and I won't be seeing her as often."

"Makes sense," I say. "Let's go downstairs."

We head downstairs, Cersei is cooking breakfast and Margaery is sitting at a barstool chair. "Morning sleepyheads," Cersei says. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah," Dany says as we sit on the barstools next to Margaery. "I didn't expect to sleep that late, sorry."

Cersei chuckles and moves eggs to a plate. "Where's Jaime?" Margaery asks.

There's a pause, Cersei clearly doesn't like that question. "I don't know," she says. "He usually sneaks in at some point late at night, but his bedroom door is open so I guess he didn't."

"Where was he?" I ask.

"Not sure, he didn't tell me," Cersei says. "Probably partying with Theon and Ramsay, he must have just gotten too drunk to drive home."

I can feel the tension in her voice and in the air once this was brought up, we all sit in silence until Cersei finishes and then make our plates. The eggs are a little burnt, but it's not too bad.

"So Sansa, have you made any progress modeling?" Cersei asks me.

"Not since I left camp," I say. "I want to definitely look more into it after I graduate."

"That's cool," Cersei says. "I just hope you can do it, it's a hard industry to break into."

I feel like that was a backhanded insult, but maybe I'm reading too much into it. She's right, and I'm not sure I can do it. We eat and then Dany and I head out. This wasn't too bad, but I'm glad I don't have to see her all the time. Being around her stresses me out.

Jon Snow Stark POV

I'm packing up most of my stuff today, Dany and I are moving into our apartment really soon. This summer went by really fast, and we still have a little bit of time left. I'm relieved to be moving into our apartment soon, I was enjoying college where I was but I could use a fresh start. It'll also be nice for Dany and I to start our lives together.

We're planning on getting everything settled in a couple days so we're not stressing about moving and school starting. Luckily transfer student orientation is only a day-long process, and Dany will be setting up the apartment while I'm there. I'm so grateful for her, I love her so much.

I'm moving throughout the house to get some stuff together that I want to bring when my dad comes out of his room. When I go back into my room, he follows me and stops in the doorway.

"Son?" He asks me. I look up as I'm packing my suitcase.

"What's up, dad?" I ask.

"Do you need any help?"

"No," I say, continuing to pack. "I think I'm okay."

"Okay," he says. "I just wanted to check." He doesn't walk away, he keeps standing there.

"Is everything okay?" I ask.

"I just wanted to tell you I'm proud of you," he says. "I'm glad you and Dany are moving in together."

"Really?" I say. "You weren't always stoked about me being with her."

"I know," he says. "Someday we'll talk more about that, but you have my support now. I just had to get to know her."

"Why can't we talk about it now?"

"I don't have time to get into it," he says. "Just know I have no issue with you two now, I like Dany. She's good for you."

"Thanks," I say. "Not that it really matters what you think of her, but it's nice that I don't have to stress out about it."

"You never did," he says. "It was never your problem, it was mine."

"Thanks dad," I say. "I appreciate that."

"I'm happy with how you turned out," my dad says. "I just wanted you to know that."

"Me too," I say. "I actually am happy with how I turned out, too." Most of the time I wish I'd never been born, but I've been having those thoughts less and less lately.

"I'm glad to hear that," he says. "I love you, son."

"I love you too, dad."

I'm glad my dad and I had this talk, and I'm glad he fully supports me and Dany now. I thought about pressing for details about why he was so upset at first, but I don't really feel like getting into it. I have enough to worry about, I don't want to deal with any more drama.

Cersei Lannister POV

I'm just chilling out in my room, the girls left a while back. I hear the front door open, it must be Jaime. He didn't come home last night, he's almost never gone for an entire night. I'm still so angry at him, I can't believe he's seeing someone.

I hear him coming up the stairs. "Jaime?" I call out. "Is that you?"

"Yeah," he says after a pause. "I thought you had people over."

"They left," I say. "Can you come here?"

He walks in and stands in the doorway. It feels very impersonal, we used to just be able to come in and out of each others rooms as we pleased without asking.

"What's up?" He asks.

"Were you with Brienne?"

He nods, looking down. "Yeah," he says. "Not that it's really your business."

I'm shocked, he never used to talk to me like this. "Jaime," I say. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure why you're doing this, did I do something wrong?"

"Cersei," he says. "You have to realize that your partying the last year or so has been really out of control, it gets exhausting taking care of you."

"Isn't that what you're supposed to do?" I ask. "As my brother, and with how close we are?"

"It was fine for a while, and I did feel like I should," he says. "But eventually you need to take care of yourself, Cersei. I know you know that, Dany isn't moving out for no reason."

I take a deep breath, I knew he would pull that. "But how does that give you the right to fuck someone else?" I ask. "Where's the correlation there?"

"I wanted to see what was out there," he says. "I've only been with you."

"But you kept it from me," I say. "At least when I was with other guys, I told you about it."

"You didn't care about how I felt," he says. "You just did it."

I pause. I can't say he's wrong, but I still hate this. "I thought after my miscarriage, you would always be there for me," I say. "I didn't think you'd even think about leaving me after that."

"Who said I was leaving you?" He asks. "And Cersei, that was 2 years ago."

"So I should just be over it?"

"I didn't say that," he says. "But we have to move forward, you can't let that control your life anymore."

I start to tear up. "I thought if we talked you would see how I feel and stop seeing her," I say. "Guess I was wrong."

"Maybe when you're in a healthier place, we can talk about it again," he says. "For now, I need to see what's out there."

"Well maybe I won't be around for you when I'm in a healthier place."

He pauses to look at me, I can tell he doesn't know what to say to that. "Maybe you won't." He closes the door behind him and I hear him walk into his room.

I didn't think he would respond that way, I thought I could get him to agree with me. He has to know I'm still hurting from my miscarriage, even if it was 2 years ago. That isn't something I can just get over. I wish he would stop seeing Brienne, but I'm sure it'll fizzle out when we go back to school. Maybe I won't be around when he eventually comes crawling back to me, and I know he will. He always does.