My story for @psychvamp25 as a part of @gendrya-gift-exchange
I hope you like it. Unfortunately I didn’t get as much into it as I was originally planning to - I’ve been a bit exhausted and fuzzy headed since I had covid! I still put hours into it, but I just wish it was better, anyways, enjoy and have a merry and safe Christmas!
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“Arya, wait up!” she halted her footsteps at the sound of her name being called, turning her head over her shoulder to see someone rushing towards her.
She sucked in a deep breath in an attempt to compose herself, pulling her scarf tighter around her neck and adjusting her bobble hat as he slowed his pace down to a normal walk.
“Hey,” he smiled when he reached her side.
“Hey yourself.” she replied, lightly, or so she hoped.
“You heading to uni?” he asked.
“Yeah, you?” she responded, beginning to walk once more.
“The gym.” he said, rotating slightly so she could see his duffle bag.
She stole a glance at him when his gaze moved away from her, she couldn’t help but think about him at the gym. Or even better, at the pool. Or.. no Arya, no! she internally scolded herself.
“You look like there’s an entire conversation going on in that head.” he chuckled.
“Hm?” she murmured, wide-eyed.
“Don’t worry about it,” he smiled, his blue eyes shining like the bay of White Harbor, “I get like that too.”
The rest of their walk was less awkward, it fell back into their old regular routine, just without her older brothers.
Gendry had been a fixture in her life for as long as she could remember, since her two older brothers brought him home from primary school one day. Arya had always hung onto her brother’s shadows as a child. She never felt that she fit in with her sister and her friends, Rickon was too young and Bran usually had his nose stuck in a book or was shadowing mother around. But her older brothers were always up to something interesting, the something interesting seemed to increase once Gendry was around.
“So, how’s uni actually going?” he asked, pulling her away from her memories.
“Yeah, it’s fine.” she shrugged.
“How’s it really?” he pressed.
“I said it’s fine.” she retorted.
“Arry, it’s me.” he nudged her with his elbow, “C’mon.”
“My grades are fine, I have friends, what more is there to say?” she shoved him away.
“Are you going out much?” he asked.
“Have my brothers asked you to check in on me or something?” she scowled, halting her steps.
“No,” he responded hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck.
“You’re lying,” she cocked an eyebrow.
“They.. Jon just asked if I’d seen you lately.” he awkwardly tried to avoid her gaze.
“So you’re just lookin’ out for me?” she chuckled glumly.
Of course, she felt almost bitter.
“Arry,” he sighed, reaching towards her, “it’s not.. We’re.. I..”
She lightly chewed on her lower lip, feeling awkward about not knowing what he was thinking.
“Hey, sorry, I do really have to go,” she placed her hand on his arm momentarily, her heart feeling like it was about to beat out of her chest, “I’ll be late for class.”
“Yeah,” he nodded, rubbing his neck once more, “but.. Don’t be a stranger, Arry.”
“You have my number.” she stated plainly before turning to walk away from him.
It took him 8 days to use the number.
