43Quite pleased with how this turned out^^
Disclaimer: I own nothing wish I did
Episodes: S1Ep10, S2 Ep(1),2,3
She was a sprite of a thing, as small as can be with a mouth too filthy and large for her own good. He had first thought she was a little craven squire that some hedgeknight had wanted rid of, then she started giving Hotpie and Lommy some of their own medicine. He had to do something he couldn't just let the two idiots get skewered, even if they were just little idiots trying to prove themselves amongst a group of backstabbing, murderous lot. Then again he couldn't defend them or they'd just think they were right and take revenge during the night. So he did what seemed to be the only awnser, diffuse the situation by scaring them all. Seemed to work, they ran off quick enough and now he could see the gleam in the newcomer's eye, he knew why it hadn't been an issue at all. Maybe he hadn't been lying about killing a boy, but he didn't care, they were all off to the wall midst a brewing war. The blade the squire had was of some interest though, you didn't get metal like that around here, at least not amongst them.
He couldn't really help but scoff when he insisted it was a gift. On the other hand, he really didn't give a toss, he wanted to be armorer, fat chance of that happening now, even if he could apprentice at the wall they didn't have Thobo Mott as a teacher. So he marched off, sooner or later though the lad who had a temper like something fierce was trying to chat away and ask about blades and armor and they slowly struck up a friendship, he took the youngster under his arm he told himself, but in truth she had simply chosen him. He didn't realize that Arry was actually a girl until much later, they were just more or less always in each other's company, either by choice or task delegation or both he suspected when Yoren looked at them both.
They both didn't really speak of home too much, not that he'd ever really had one and Arry, well he just seemed to shut down but sometimes he'd get a look in his eye as if he had seen all the sorrow in the world and at other times, when they spoke of the wall and who was there and what they'd do when they got there well then, he'd get a mischievous glint in his eyes and once even said, "Maybe Jon'll come back with me to Robb, then they'll see", Gendry asked what he meant and got a smack and the typical accompanying "Stupid Bull, what's it to you?". The kid gave him whiplash and sometimes he didn't seem ten or even close. The kid was weird about things like how men japed or swore at times saying he was too pretty to be on the wall, that the wildlings would take him, thinking him to be a girl.
He hadn't seen Arry ever get that wound up before and started calling everyone liars,(one of his favourite words) Yoren put a stop to it before Gendry had to save his hide from getting scalped. Seriously sometimes the kid was a pain in the arse and couldn't see how dangerously close he was heading for trouble.
It was the same with the three prisoners Arry had to go up them every now and then, pretending he was doing something when all he was doing was spying. The boy had too much courage. Then he started noticing, it wasn't on purpose he just noticed that when he'd get up to take a piss, Arry would turn away and he could swear he even blushed once. It wasn't normal, then he started to notice the kid would just suddenly disappear and reappear, it was creepy how silent he was. Then the incident happened, or at least that's what he called it in his mind.
Arry was meant to be helping him with the waterpails and they were mid-conversation too, then suddenly he turns around to hand over the bucket and he's gone. So he went off to look for him and that's when he saw him, or better said she , squatting and anxiously looking around just not where Gendry was. He immediately headed back to the river with his ears burning. Well that explained that. He hadn't meant to spy on him, her. By the time he, she returned his tips were still red, but he didn't say anything. Strangely though it explained a few things, i.e. why he had once or twice found himself staring into those steely grey eyes wondering how they had really really long lashes, and thought how full her lips were for a bloke. Slightly relieved, he decided he would talk her about when she was ready. There was a reason for her hiding beside all the rappers, and what was she doing heading to the wall anyway?
He slowly found himself grinning when she'd draw her brows together and would smile when she started going off in the huff, it was quite endearing in a way. It just wanted to make him keep her safe, that was normal wasn't it? The girl didn't have anyone else. He was protecting her.
Strangely enough they spent even more time together, that's why he eventually asked her what her story was. It felt like a blow to the gut. He'd killed her father, he had meant what he said, people always ended up dead when they asked him questions. When he was little he had fancied his mum was actually some knight's wife in hiding, being protected or something, it was a stupid fantasy but she was so pretty and well he always seemed to land on his feet somehow or another. Now there was another person asking questions, a little beautiful girl, who he knew he thought about more than he should, telling him that she was a Lord's daughter, then saying she wasn't a lady. Of course she bloody well was, explained how she thought she ruled the world and that everyone should bloody well answer to her. It also explained why she had behaved as if the secret was dangerous, it could kill them. Then he realized the magnitude of her position, of course she would think the Goldcloaks were looking for her. He sure as hells didn't know why they were looking for him, he had an inkling but he pushed those thoughts as far away as possible.
He stumbled trying to rectify all the mistakes he had made, she was a lady and here he was behaving, well better than most but still as a baseborn bastard. Then she pushed him and it started to snap him out of it. He remembered muttering something, about it being unladylike and then she pushed him again sending him sprawling. He had to laugh, the girl, Arya, she, well, she was just something else. How she declared not to be a lady and then storm off like one. She was adorable and beautiful despite the muck, the thought crossed his mind as he watched her march away, then the thought caught in his throat. No, he couldn't be thinking that, not now, not ever, not now especially. She was Arya Stark, daughter of the Lord of Winterfell, shit, she was a fucking princess, sister to the King in the North. What the hells was he going to do? He pushed himself off the ground, stole a glance back at her tiny figure, still stomping away, he couldn't help but grin, she was still Arry, no matter what.
He teased her mercilessly for a while when they were truly alone, and she started to open up. She told him who Jon was and he couldn't help but get this strange twinge in his stomach when she spoke of him and her eyes would glow, he hadn't made her glow like that yet, but he would, he promised himself. He was just protecting her, and trying to make her a little happier, even if she was one of the most resilient people he ever knew. She was one of the most brilliant people he ever knew, and funny too. It was difficult to see where Arya begun and Arry started. That's how he found himself nearly constantly by her side and sleeping there half the time too.
It was also why he never said anything when she whispered to Yoren in the barn and was polishing her blade, he suspected she had used it, even though he hoped she hadn't. She couldn't speak to him about things she'd seen, he father's death and her sister. Sansa she had called her, said she was pretty too, unlike her. The silly girl had gotten it into her head she was ugly, but every time he tried to tell her she wasn't or that he had never met a girl her age as pretty as she was and that he couldn't think that anyone was more comely than her, with her steel dancing eyes and dark locks that even looked good in a boys haircut (things he knew he shouldn't think, or say, and that he might be gelded for even thinking those things, either by Yoren, her family or even by herself, and would most definitely be beaten for by her if he said it) but every time it was on the tip of his tongue his ears would burn red and his throat would tighten and he would just feel lost. So he listened and pretended to sleep as she spoke with Yoren and immediately rose when they heard the clumbersome noises of the Goldcloaks.
The Lothrak was right about her more courage than sense, "I'm not scared", he was shitting himself nearly and this little sprite of a thing wanted to go out and kill something. He was going to keep her safe, he really was going to, he promised Yoren. He'd sling her over his shoulder if he had to, but he would keep her safe. At least that had been the plan, then they saw Yoren confront them. He pulled her back from rushing in but not soon after he was storming in himself leading the attack on the cloaks! The goldhatted bastards had killed Yoren, Yoren who had kept them safe, Yoren who had become a bit of a father figure, Yoren who was a solid swordsman, Yoren a good man, one of few left. Gone. The bastards had taken him. Like fuck was he going to let his death go unchallenged.
He didn't actually believe he was letting Arya come in after him, but he didn't really notice she wasn't there until he was fighting the sods, he realized he had sort of expected her to be there to cover his back as he did hers, she was nifty fighter anyway, all the times they had play sparred with sticks. They'd teamed up before as well, but he didn't really think too much, it was all swinging and punching and letting his rage run free. But it was over before it had started, he didn't really know what he had been playing at anyway, but now they were standing in a row and he knew he really should learn to think. Now they were asking for Gendry and here he was just offering himself up to them practically, he'd promised to get Arya to Winterfell, like that was going to happen now. He couldn't help the fear coursing through his veins as they called out, someone was going to rat they always did, but he wasn't going without a fight, not chance in the seven hells.
Then Arya stood out, Arya, the one person he trusted, the one person he thought wouldn't betray him, but her voice was oddly steady and his gut told him to listen to what she was saying first, she wouldn't betray him, would she? Not after he had kept her secret? Or did she fear they'd find her out, so she'd sell him out to save herself? She wouldn't! Would she? Not Arya. No. Still he couldn't hide his confusion or panic completely, and then she spoke that stroke of genius, "You want Gendry, you already got him". It was true he loved that helm, but he had forgotten it in his attempt to protect her. He just wanted to scoop her up into his arms and kiss her in relief he wasn't going die, that was as long as no one else ratted.
He had intended on saving Arya, but she had saved him. She had been saving him from the moment they met, he just never knew it. He would make her smile that special smile like the one at the stream, the one just between the two of them. He would make her laugh and he would protect her whatever came, he would follow her wherever, do whatever she asked because she was Arya Stark , his brave little wolfling girl and God's be damned would he ever serve anyone else.
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