A Holiday by Decree
~~Day 11~~
Sansa turned so her legs were drawn up to support her facing his direction, but she remained close enough that her skirt touched Tyrion's leg. He could even feel the heat of her shoulder, barely a breath from his own.
"Tyrion, I will tell you as many times as I need to that I have thought about who you are, and I'm attracted to you for the exact reasons that you have told me you are attracted to me, even if those things are what's scaring you," she said looking into his eyes across the short distance between them. They were close enough to count the flecks of the ambient afternoon light in each other's irises.
Sansa paused to put her hand out on her knee, and tentatively, Tyrion found the courage came more easily to put his hand in hers.
Miraculously, things do recover - even yourself. Tyrion thought of his own words when he considered the trust that had grown between them in those few short days.
"You and I became political creatures out of necessity," Sansa continued. "So we are both sensitive to people's issues, but that's because we've learned that problems are vulnerabilities to exploit or hide."
"However, I don't want to keep always running from my problems, Tyrion. A few years ago, I used to think I wanted to find a 'perfect' man, someone with fewer issues than me, who might somehow be stronger than me and able to handle my issues. Then, I thought my expectations were unreal, and it made me want no one. Yet, as I've gotten older, I've realized that I am actually one of the strongest people I know, but I still don't want to be alone, so what I really want is someone who can understand and be willing to work with me.
"Tyrion, I think that person is you, because the more I learn about you, I believe you know what that feels like. We both have terrible pasts that hurt us, but if you also want to be better, shall we try to fight our ghosts together?" Sansa asked.
It took Tyrion a moment to overcome his awe of her. "Gods, you really are one of the smartest people I've ever met - definitely smarter than me," he joked before rubbing quickly at a tear in the corner of his eye. Sansa shook her head at him with a soft smile, before their eyes met again.
"But to answer you more seriously," Tyrion continued, "I would very much like to face our fears together with you."
The island air around them was hot from the sun, but hidden away together in the soothing shade of the wide tree trunk and amidst the gentle development of their feelings for each other, all felt perfect.
Later, they would both recall how light they both felt for the first time in years, as they leaned together to kiss for the first time in the light of day.