joy

“The moon was a crescent, thin and sharp as the blade of a knife.”

47. I didn’t cheat

Arya’s not sure who has the idea to play spin the bottle, but everyone agrees and she won’t be the one to chicken out.

When it gets to her turn, the game has somehow progressed to seven minutes in heaven. She curses as she spins the bottle, because if it goes anywhere near Aegon or –

– the bottle stops, pointing directly at Gendry.

Gendry. Gendry Waters. Her best friend Gendry. Gendry who doesn’t know she’s in love with him. Her Gendry. Gendry.

There’s a hint of a smile on his face, but he also looks like he’s expecting her to refuse. She wonders if that means he’ll refuse.

“Oh, please,” Jeyne Poole scoffs from behind her, sipping her wine cooler. “You obviously cheated.”

Arya bites. “How the hell do you cheat at spin the bottle?”  

Jeyne doesn’t respond, because Gendry’s already on his feet, holding his hand out to Arya and pulling her up.

She’s aware of the hollering and whistling, but she pays no attention; her eyes are stuck on Gendry’s and Gods, she forgets how blue his eyes are but she can also never forget how blue his eyes are. 

Sansa locks the door behind them with an encouraging wink. 

“Cheating at spin the bottle just to get me alone?” Gendry smirks.

“I didn’t cheat! It’s just… Jeyne.”

“I’ve told you before she’s jealous of you.” It’s true, he always tells her that. She always tells him he’s wrong - Jeyne’s pretty and boys like her and that’s all Jeyne cares about.

You’re everything she’s not, he told her once. Prettier too.

Arya knows that’s a lie, but she does have something - someone - Jeyne wants.

“Whatever, she’s just mad you’re not here with her,” Arya says, scrunching her face up. “She’s always flirting with you and you’re too stupid to see it.”

“I see it,” Gendry shrugs. “I just don’t care.”

That surprises her because Gendry never pays attention to girls flirting with him. She’s always just assumed he was blind to it. 

“Why not?” 

He closes the gap between them and suddenly, he’s pressing his lips to hers in a kiss; a bit hesitant, a bit nervous, only for a second. But it’s perfect. 

When he pulls back, she can still feel his breath against hers and they both grin.

“You don’t need to cheat at spin the bottle to get me,” he says again. “You’ve already got me.”

She playfully shoves his chest. “Shut up, stupid, I said I didn’t che-”

GENDRYA AU: Rival Professors

art prints available: https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/sansho/valar-morghulis/

My arya art nouveau piece. I combined elements I like from my previous got art nouveau pieces. I.e. the frost edges and red leaves from my sansa fan art, symbolizing both their home or the flower symbolism from my Braime fan art. The flowers represent wisdom, strength, devotion and cunning.

Jaime is the most chaotic and confused character in the history of literature and I love it. This is an example of what goes on in Jaime’s mind in rapid succession without even a bit of exaggeration:

“Oh shit my son is dead”

“Lolz I don’t care”

“I must be a monster like they say”

“I would totes prefer my hand to having my son back”

“my dear sister will be in despair and want revenge”

“It’s okay I’ll fuck her and make her more kids”

“I’m gonna be a super dad and a role model”

“Where’s Brienne”

“Brienne is stupid stubborn and I hate her”

“She cares for Robb more than I for Joffrey, she has such a pure heart”

“I should have let the bear eat her”

“ This proud and fearsome warrior woman looks so sad, I must find a way to make her happy”

“I ‘ll tell her she’s hideous and a burden to us all”

“Damn why is nothing working I’ll promise to send her to her father”

“What could possibly ever make Brienne happy?”

“She’s so ugly”

“I’ll have her join the City’s Watch”

And her crew, once as fearful as they were curious, had begun to take a queer fierce pride in “their” dragons. Every man of them, from captain to cook’s boy, loved to watch the three fly… though none so much as Dany.

They are my children, she told herself, and if the maegi spoke truly, they are the only children I am ever like to have.