I’m going to run a Game of Ships fest. Soon. June? I’d love some theme ideas for the different days. One day will be devoted to fix-it fanworks. Other ideas???
For anyone who isn’t familiar, @gameofshipschallenges is devoted to shipping whoever however you want and celebrating it through fanworks! Gifsets, edits, long fic, drabbles, playlists, whatever! It’s wank free and we support all creators. Whether you loved the ending of the show and feel inspired or hated it and need to flush the wound, let’s get to it!
Written for @gameofshipschallenges Until Hell Freezes Over challenge.
Author: jeeno2
Ship: Jon x Sansa
Brief Summary: Jon’s plan to ask Sansa out on New Year’s Eve goes awry. Fortunately, Sansa’s there to save the day.
“Um, excuse me? Jon? We’re closing up.”
Jon looks up from his Calculus textbook to see Sansa standing in front of him, wearing a fuzzy pink sweater (rather than her usual green-and-white checked apron) and an apologetic expression.
He glances at his phone to check the time. And he frowns.
“But it’s only eight-thirty,” he says, trying (and failing, he knows) not to sound pathetic. “You’re usually open til midnight.”
“I know. But tonight’s New Year’s Eve, you know? We actually closed thirty minutes ago.” She smiles at him in sympathy. “I know you’ve probably got finals to study for or something. But I gotta lock up.”
Jon nods, understanding. He moves to unplug his laptop so she won’t see the disappointment he knows must be written all over his face.
He doesn’t have finals to study for. He doesn’t have anything to study for at all, actually, because his semester ended two weeks ago.
And he knows – on some level at least – that his plan for tonight was completely ridiculous. If he’s being honest with himself, he’s known his infatuation with Sansa Stark would never amount to anything from the moment it started six months ago, the first time he sat at her table and she served him coffee.
Sansa Stark is a beautiful, gregarious young woman. From what he’s gleaned from his six months’ patronage here and their frequent conversations she has a loving family, loads of friends – and almost certainly more good-looking guys throwing themselves at her on a regular basis than a person could on two hands.
His half-baked plan of asking her out tonight at Java Jive’s usual closing time – at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, the most romantic moment of the entire year (according to When Harry Met Sally and literally every single stupid romcom he’s ever seen) – was never going to end well. Really, the managers are doing him a favor by closing early.
“Well then,” Jon says, resigned, gathering his things and pushing back from his chair. He looks up at her and tries to smile. “Happy New Year, Sansa.”
She looks at him a long moment, her expression unreadable. “Happy New Year, Jon.”
The next thing he knows, Sansa’s arms are around his neck and she’s on her tiptoes, pressing her beautiful full lips to his.
The kiss is gentle, and over almost as soon as it begins. Jon feels like he’s been struck by lightning all the same. His eyes are wide as saucers as she pulls back and he licks his lips involuntarily, before he can stop himself from doing it. He can taste traces of her cherry-red lip balm on his tongue.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for ages now,” Sansa tells him shyly, her cheeks nearly as pink as her sweater. Her words shock Jon to his core. “Figured New Year’s Eve was as good a time as any to give it a try.” She trails off and laughs nervously, her eyes on her fingernails. “It’s gotta be midnight somewhere, right?”
It takes what feels like ten years for Jon’s tongue to unstick itself from the roof of his mouth and for his brain to catch up with what’s happening. When he’s finally able to think straight Jon breaks out into a grin so broad it feels like his face might split in two.
“Oh, yeah. It’s definitely midnight somewhere,” he agrees. “Like… I dunno. In France, maybe.”
Sansa’s eyes meet his. She looks so adorably nervous and shy it takes all of his restraint not to pull her into his arms right then and kiss her senseless. “You think so?”
“Sure. Why not?”
She laughs. It’s such a carefree, happy sound, and Jon can’t help but laugh right along with her.
Tentatively, he reaches out his hand towards her and wiggles his fingers. She accepts his wordless invitation and takes it, threading her fingers through his. It feels fantastic, her small delicate hand in his. She’s fantastic.
“Wanna get a drink with me?” Her tone is quiet, shy – but her beautiful smile would outshine any sun. “There’s a place around the corner open late, even on New Year’s Eve.”
Jon swallows thickly and tries to tamp down the flurry of butterflies that have suddenly taken up root in his stomach.
“I’d love to,” he finally says, unable to believe this is happening..
They leave the coffee shop together, hand in hand. And as they watch the sun rise together the next morning, he makes her coffee for the very first time.
Traded a Jon x Sansa NHL AU fic for @gameofshipschallenges Until Hell Freezes Over event!
The chance of Jon being traded was something that was always in the back of Sansa’s mind, especially since it was the last year of his contract and he would be entering unrestricted free agency in the summer.
She had hoped that his manager, Sam, would have been able to renegotiate a contract extension so they would be able to stay in Toronto, but deep down she knew Jon wasn’t happy with the Leafs and they would be parting ways inevitably. Whether at the end of the season or before the trade deadlines, she was counting down the days left in this city.
Still, she shouldn’t have been a surprise when her new husband came home and told her a trade was imminent.
“Where to?” Her only serious question.
If they were leaving Canada, hopefully it was for someplace warm.
“Sam said the Penguins are very interested, and they actually have a shot at the cup Sans.”
Pittsburgh is definitely not warm.
The Knight of the Laughing Tree wasn’t a knight at all, but a girl who cared about honor, about what was right. Whatever it was that went on north of the Neck that got dreams of battles and tourneys into the minds of young ladies was hardly to be accepted, and so Lyanna Stark, against the will of her family, was ordered to court to become one of Princess Elia’s ladies that she might learn how to be what she was supposed to be.
But it was a year of false spring, and winter came again, sending cold throughout the Red Keep, and where earlier in the winter, Elia had found herself longing for home and the Dornish sunshine, she found that Lady Lyanna’s quick wit and earnest heart was quite enough to keep her warm.
for @gameofshipschallenges Until Hell Freezes Over event
Brief Summary: Modern AU Jon and Sansa work at The Seven Kingdoms a major multimedia conglomerate. She’s been crushing on him for the past year and tonight she’s going to do something about it.
Author’s note: In my opinion there can never be too many fics of Sansa pining for Jon. I may do another fic from Jon’s POV at another point in time.
Last Chance for Regrets
Sansa couldn’t take her eyes off the most adorable guy in the room. She took a shot to help gather her courage. Tonight’s the night, she thought to herself. Tonight she was going to ask out Jon Snow. Sansa adjusted her shirt making sure that the bottom lined up evenly with her skirt and tossed her hair over her shoulder before beginning a determined march across the room. She was halfway to her destination when her heart fell. The beautiful and vivacious Margery Tyrell had just looped her arm through Jon’s and started tugging him to the dance floor. How could she compete with Margery? Sansa felt a tiny bit betrayed. Margery new how Sansa felt about Jon, in fact she never stopped teasing Sansa about it.
Sansa glanced around suddenly aware that she was just standing in the middle of the room staring off into space. She quickly made her way back to the bar intent on drowning her sorrows in a bottomless glass. Sansa sat on a stool in front of a bar and waited her turn to place her order.
She gave a visible jump when she heard a voice directly behind her, “So you chickened out again, huh.”
Sansa spun around and glared at her assistant, “Gendry, what have I told you about sneaking up on me?”
Gendry looked a little sheepish, “That its hilarious?”
“No, I’ve told you not to,” she snapped. “I’m sorry. What were you saying?”
“That you seemed to have chickened out again,” he laughed out.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sansa tried to look composed as she spun back around on her stool.
“Sure, you don’t. Just like you don’t stare at him when you pass each other in the office or get all nervous anytime you know you have a presentation he’s going to be attending.”
Sansa huffed out a breathe and glared at Gendry from the corner of her eye, “How do you know all this? No else knows unless I’ve told them.” Sansa began to get morose as she thought about Margery her supposed friend out on the dance floor with Jon right now.
Gendry smiled, “What can I say? I’m an amazing assistant and an amazing assistant knows their boss well. And because I know you so well I’ll just say this, you should go talk to him. You’ll never forgive yourself if you don’t.”
Sansa knew Gendry was right but she just couldn’t take his upbeat optimism at the moment, “And why don’t you take your own advice?”
Gendry glanced at his boss a bit uncertainly, “What do you mean?”
“Oh come on. You think I don’t see the way you look at my little sister whenever she comes up to annoy me?”
Gendry looked away a bit flustered.
“Good bosses know their employees too,” Sansa said with a small smirk. “How about I make you a deal. I’ll go talk to Jon if you finally ask out Arya the next time she’s in my office?”
“You think she’d go out with me?” Gendry asked uncertainly.
Sansa smiled, “As much as I love Arya, we’ve never been the type of sister to get lunch regularly. How many times as she been by this week alone?”
“Three,” Gendry said automatically.
“I think you just answered your own question.”
Gendry smiled shyly his gaze off in the distance for a moment. “Okay,” he snapped when he returned to the present, ”You go and talk to Jon, and I’ll ask her out the next time she’s at the office.”
“Okay, then.” Sansa ordered up another shot for courage before pushing away from the bar and heading back toward the dance floor. She scanned the room and saw no sign of Jon. She started to panic thinking maybe he and Margery had left together when she saw Margery at the buffet with her brother Willas. She was relieved for a millisecond before she realized Jon probably left when she still didn’t see him anywhere.
Sansa heaved a sigh of relief and regret before thinking it was time she left herself. She walked toward her office to grab her purse and hoped Gendry didn’t notice that she wasn’t exactly keeping up her end of their deal, and her assistant and sister had been pining after one another for months and Sansa could relate to that feeling. She really wanted them to be happy.
Sansa was lost in her thoughts as she left her office and made her way to the elevators and away from the party. She started to search her purse for the keys to her cars and ended up bumping into someone else. She glanced up mortified, “I am so so…” she began before she even knew who she’d bumped into and her voice trailed off as she realized it was Jon.
“No…no it was my fault,” he stuttered out. “Are you okay?”
“I’m…” Sansa squared her shoulders it was now or never, “I’m perfectly fine. Actually, I had just been looking for you.”
Jon quirked an eyebrow, “Really?”
“Yeah, really,” Sansa said with a wavering smile. This was her last chance to try to make sure she had one less regret in the New Year.
Written for the @gameofshipschallenges‘ Until Hell Freezes Over
Author: Veridissima on AO3/FF (thestagthatlovedthewolf on tumblr)
Ship(s): Aegon x Myrcella; Margaery x Tommen; Arya x Gendry; Catelyn x Ned
NSFW? No, I don’t think so… (rated T)
Trigger Warning(s): None
Brief Summary: When you have plans to visit Santa at the mall, and he ends up being Robert Baratheon. Three little stories
AO3 | FFN (under the same name, can't add the link using my tablet)
“You’re so annoying,” Myrcella said, trying to escape from Aegon.
“You love it,” he said with a smirk. And she kind of did, she did love her stupid and immature boyfriend. And he was once again trying to kiss her neck, cheek, and every bit of her skin that was exposed.
“You’re impossible,” she said, getting away. “Tommen and Margaery should be here in a few minutes. And there are people everywhere.”
“Really?! I hadn’t noticed,” he said in his own sarcastic way, “Why are we even in a mall at Christmas? Couldn’t they just have come to the apartment?”
“No. This is our tradition, since Mom and Joffrey… you know… Normally it’s just the two of us. You decided to invade our family meeting,” she said with a smile.
“I love your brother.”
“You love my brother’s wife, that’s more like it.” It had bothered Myrcella a bit at first that Aegon was always flirting with Margaery. Tommen had been able to read it in Myrcella, and he reassured it was nothing, that after two years of marriage he knew that his wife didn’t mean anything, and with time she understood that Aegon didn’t mean anything either.
“Of course, he loves me. I’m fabulous,” Margaery said coming from behind, and quickly pulling Myrcella for a hug, while her brother greeted her boyfriend, and then they exchanged, and Myrcella pulled her little brother for a hug.
“I’m so glad you came,” she said.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he told her, still not letting go, and she didn’t let go either – he was her only family now. And he was spending Christmas with the Tyrells, and this year Myrcella was not going with him (or spending it with friends), she was actually going to Dorne with Aegon.
Aegon and Margaery started walking in front of them, trying to decide where they would eat. Tommen would want fried chicken for sure, Myrcella was in the mood for Japanese – very Christmas like.
“I went to see Mom, yesterday,” Tommen whispered. “She’s okay. She misses you.”
“I’m going to see her after I get back from Dorne, before the New Year. I was there last month. Did you see Joffrey or--” she didn’t say the name – they never said that name. They didn’t even know what to call him.
“No. The last time I was there, Joffrey had heard about the wedding, and he wasn’t really…” Joffrey had dated Margaery. And he had been the reason Tommen and Margaery had gotten married; Margaery pregnant when Joffrey had been jailed with the rest of the Lannister family, and the Tyrells wouldn’t let their daughter have a child out of wedlock, so she had married the next available Barat… Lannister (and then she had lost her child early into their marriage). “And I have never seen him.”
“Me neither.”
“Hurry up. I’m hungry,” Aegon complained.
“We’re going,” they both answered. “We know where we’re going. Have you decided what you’re going to eat?” Myrcella asked. She got both an affirmative and negative answer at the same time, and after she rolled her eyes, she got a real answer, and they separated, so each of them could get the food they wanted.
Back at their table, everyone had their own tray, Myrcella took her seat next to Aegon, who had gotten four huge slices of pizza and a huge cup of cola; and Margaery and Tommen in front of them, she had a salad with fruit and chicken, but mostly started eating fries of her husband’s plate.
“So when are you leaving for Highgarden?”
“Willas is using the jet right now, he’s been travelling for work. But they are sending it for us sometime tomorrow. You?”
“We’re doing an old-fashioned road-trip, starting tomorrow probably,” Aegon told them. “Not sure if we have to wait for Rhae or not; she’s coming from Essos, but I don’t know if she needs a ride from King’s Landing or not.” Myrcella hadn’t yet met Rhaenys, and she was quite nervous to meet Aegon’s loving sister.
“And this is your Lannister Christmas,” Margaery said with a smile. “And since it’s Christmas, we have presents for you. And I know, Cella, you only open them on the 25th, but I can give them to you now.”
“I’ll open mine now, for sure,” Aegon said. They traded presents between them, with each person ending up with two packages (okay, Tommen ended up three, because Myrcella had gotten her little brother two presents). Only Aegon opened his presents, and he got a cologne from Margaery – it smelled really nice and it looked like something expensive (not the Tyrells’ notion of expensive was the same as theirs) – and a new drawing notebook from Tommen, with the type of paper Myrcella knew Aegon liked.
“I promise to do a painting of you two.”
Aegon tried to convinced them to open their presents, but with no avail, but he was able to convince Margaery of something else. They both thought it would be fun to go take a photo with the mall Santa.
“No, Aegon, I do not want to take photo on some old man’s lap,” she told her boyfriend, and her brother seemed to agree with her.
“It will be a fun Instagram photo, for sure,” Margaery said – she had a huge league of Instagram followers, so that was a credible worry. “And it will be so much fun.”
“Yes, it will. And yes, Cella, I promise I’ll let crying children go before me,” Aegon said.
After that, both of them just wanted to finish lunch, and they didn’t take much longer. Margaery kept talking about the huge Tyrell Christmas plans for the entire week – Christmas was a true event for them, and there were always so many business functions as well. Myrcella and Tommen had grown up like that as well, always having to attend Christmas parties and make nice with business partners of her parents. Myrcella was excited to have a family and small Christmas (it wasn’t that small considering that Aegon had a very large family).
After lunch, they followed Aegon and Margaery to the huge Christmas tree in the center of the mall, where Santa had his own chair. The line wasn’t that long, and they fell in place in the queue, which moved forward quite quickly, while Myrcella and Tommen waited on the side.
“It’s almost our turn,” Aegon said. “Be prepared to take the photo.” Myrcella and Tommen moved forward, and when it was their loved ones’ turn, the elf let them moved in to the zone where the parents normally stood. Myrcella took her actual camera instead of her phone and prepared to take the phone.
Santa reacted quite well with the two adults stepping forward in queue, he had a small reaction, but then went on with it. Margaery actually took a seat on the man’s lap, while Aegon stood to the side; Santa made conversation with them as they were just children, and Myrcella took photos of everything. And then she noticed that Aegon was pointing at her when he started talking about presents, she couldn’t hear what Aegon said, but it was about her, but then the Santa spoke.
“Myrcella, Tommen??” Santa whispered, and then the voice was quickly familiar.
“Dad,” Myrcella said, before shaking her head, he wasn’t really their dad anymore, was he? The last time they had seen him, it had been in Tommen’s wedding, when he showed up drunk, yelling that he wasn’t his son, and that Margaery was too hot for him, and that they had fucked up; luckily Loras and Garlan had gotten him away before he said anything else.
“I’m sorry,” he said, looking at them – even with the white beard and the hat, the blue eyes were still the same. “I’m sober.”
“Okay…” Tommen whispered. Santa Robert was up now, coming closer (and children in queue were very confused).
“You’re Margaery. Joffrey’s girlfriend.”
“No. I’m Tommen’s wife,” she said, pronouncing the last word very clearly, and then moved to stand by Tommen, taking his hand.
“Robert. I would ask you to respect my brother’s wife.”
“You have your mother’s voice.”
“I am my mother’s daughter still. Even if I don’t agree with everything she has done.”
“I didn’t mean anything, Cella. I’m really sorry how I fucked up.”
“Language. There are children here,” she whispered.
“Your mother wouldn’t have said that,” he said, and smiled under the beard. “I shouldn’t have reacted like I did. I did help raise you, and you and Tommen never did anything wrong.”
“You shouldn’t have come to my wedding,” Tommen finally spoke. “But I understand, that you…it was a mess… everything we are,” he said pointing to him and Myrcella, “It’s not normal…”
“I…” Robert started. “Yeah… You seem happy, the marriage…”
“It’s better than yours and mother’s,” Tommen answered, as Margaery pulled herself a bit closer to him.
“Not a hard thing to do, son,” Robert said, and then the sound of his laugh, such a familiar laugh. “And you are?” he asked looking at Aegon.
“My boyfriend. Aegon.”
“Aegon is a Targaryen name.”
“He is a Targaryen, Robert. I don’t think you have any say on it.”
“I’m a Martell,” Aegon said. He wasn’t a big fan of his father either – even if he had the name and a job in what was left of the family business. He was his mother’s son more than anything else. “It’s good to meet you,” he said offering him his hand, and Myrcella sent him a look cold enough to kill.
“Yes,” he said taking his hand. “I should get back to the throne,” he said looking behind him, at the queue and all the children waiting. “My shift will be over in just a little more than an hour. Can you wait?”
“No,” Myrcella was the one who answered. They had the time, but she wasn’t really ready to be with him like this. She would need to prepare. “But my number is still the same, and I can contact Tommen. Maybe to start the year,” she suggested.
“Thank you,” he said, but didn’t move any closer. There were no hugs or kisses as a goodbye, but just nods exchange, and wishes of a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
Myrcella walked away without any other look back, but she could hear the children happily clapping for having Santa back.
“You okay?” Aegon whispered in her ear, as he came closer to her, and took her hand. Aegon knew how much of a mess her family was, and especially the mess that were feelings through her family.
“Better than I thought I would be,” she whispered. “It was easier to see Robert than just thinking about visiting him. I still can’t see how Joffrey can be with him.”
“There aren’t many options in jail, Cella.”
“I know… but Robert was easier.”
“Do you want him to call you?”
“I think so… He wasn’t a great father, but he was still there. And if he’s really sober…”
“I know,” he said, kissing her on the top of the head.
Only now, Myrcella looked around, and she found her brother was still quiet and frozen, only Margaery seemed to make him move a bit, and feel better. Myrcella left them alone, looking at their foreheads put together, and seeing her lips move in a slower voice.
“Your brother is okay,” Aegon whispered, and pulled her down to sit at the bench to wait for Margaery and Tommen to be okay. “She’s taking care of him. She loves him.”
“I know,” she said resting her head on his shoulder, and closing her eyes.
“You’re tired…”
“I’m okay…” she said, and rested against his side, squeezing his hand on top of his lap.
“It’s almost my turn,” the girl between them said excitedly.
“Yes, it is, Maddie. Can you tell me what you’re going to ask for?”
“Of course not, Aunt Arya. Santa needs to be the first to know,” she said like it was the most obvious thing ever.
“Jeyne doesn’t want you to be calling her Maddie,” Gendry whispered. Jeyne was still completely against the nickname, but everyone had taken it on, even Paul, her husband and Madalena’s dad.
“Madalena sounds too biblical.”
“You know that’s the point, right,” he told her. “Only you still think it’s okay to follow an pagan Gods.”
“Shut up, stupid,” Arya complained, punching her boyfriend. “The New and Old Gods are not pagan Gods.” They were pagan Gods, and no one besides the richest and oldest families still followed them, mostly due to their old traditions – Arya’s family was Christian, but they always followed both the Old and New Gods.
“You can’t use bad words, Aunt Arya, and no violence. Mom says so.”
“Of course, Princess,” Arya said with a smile, ruffling the girl’s hair. “Can you at least tell me what you asked for the last three times your parents took you to see Santa?”
Yes, Madalena was coming to see Santa for the fourth time, according to Jeyne she had been asking non-stop for the last two and half days, and Jeyne was swamped at the Inn with the holidays and Paul was working overtime to have the week between Christmas and New Year free. So it had fallen to Uncle Gendry and Aunt Arya, and thankfully Maddie was a very well behaved girl, as Arya often pointed out to her brother Robb, whose kid couldn’t be quiet (Mom always laughed at that and said that Arya had nothing on her first grandkid).
“A bathing suit for my doll – it’s really cool!!! And I can actually take it with me when we go to the beach in the summer. The Finding Dory DVD!!” Arya knew about that one, since she and Gendry had bought her that one with a Hank plush toy (which was adorable and Arya wanted one for herself). “And then I asked for a trip to Winterfell – I really want to see your house, Aunt Arya, and the snow.”
“I’m sure my parents would love to see your adorable face again. You can stay in my old room.”
“I think it may scare her with all those dark band posters.”
“They are not dark – they are the coolest bands in the world!! And you can’t speak, you liked Justin Bieber.”
“I like Justin Bieber,” Maddie complained, and then started humming some music, before adding. “And I’m not scared of anything.”
“Really?! Anything?!” Gendry started making a strange voice. “Not even the tickle monster,” he said, attacking her with tickles, and kisses, making little Maddie laugh so much.
“No!! Uncle Gendry, put me down!! Uncle Gendry,” she said between giggles.
Arya laughed as well as Maddie asked for her help. Gendry and Maddie were adorable, and he was always so happy around her – he would be a great father someday, no matter his stupid fears. But Arya wasn’t really ready to think about that now, she was okay with being just Cool Aunt Arya for right now (and hopefully Gendry would wait until she felt ready).
“Put you down?! But don’t you like me?” Gendry asked with a smile.
“Yes, Uncle Gendry, but it tickles,” she whispered between giggles.
“Gendry, we’re moving on the line,” Arya whispered, as they were now at the front of the line, and the Santa was with the last kid before them. “So are you excited to see Santa?”
“Yes!! He’s different from the one I’ve seen before…” Arya didn’t know how to answer that, she didn’t want to be the reason behind Maddie stopping to believe on Santa. “Mom told me these are messengers to the real Santa, because Santa is really busy on the North Poll, and he couldn’t be in every mall to see the children. But he has so many people in just this mall.”
“They are all approved by Santa,” Arya promised. “I’m sure he will get the message to the North Poll, just like the other Santas did.”
“Next!!” One of the helping elves called out, and Maddie moved forward, and Santa helped her to his lap. “You can step forward if you want to take a photo,” the elf told them.
“She’s been here three times already. Her mother has enough photos,” Gendry answered.
“We should take at least one,” Arya said, stepping forward and taking out her phone, for a photo, and then she noticed that the Santa seemed familiar, first the voice, and then the eyes, and then the laugh was a sure thing.
“It’s Robert,” Arya whispered to Gendry. Robert was a messy subject, she and Gendry suspected that he was actually Gendry’s father – he had never met him before, but they had seen pictures of Arya’s father when he was young, and he almost always followed by his best friend, Robert (and he looked remarkably like Gendry).
“That’s my father…” he whispered.
“I could recognize his laugh anywhere. And his eyes… it’s like looking at yours. I had never realized before.” Gendry looked at the Santa’s eyes too, and it was uncanny… he didn’t know what to do, what to say, and then Arya just took his hand, and squeezed it really hard. “Do you want to say something?”
“Nah, it’s not time.” After that Madalena came to meet them, happy and unknowingly just made everything better; and then for just a few seconds Gendry crossed eyes with Santa, with his possible father – he couldn’t know if he knew, but that look was the closer he ever had been to his father.
“So can you tell me what you asked for now?” Arya asked, still holding Gendry’s hand, and giving her other hand to Maddie.
“I had to ask for a Bambi plush toy for Teddy. He told me he wants it, and he can’t talk so I had to tell Santa – he can’t forget Teddy just because he’s a baby,” Madalena argued, and Arya smiled, and made sure to remember to tell Jeyne about it. Teddy was their newborn baby, just a few months old, and for sure couldn’t speak, but Madalena seemed to be so sure about what her baby brother wanted.
“So you didn’t ask for nothing to yourself?”
“I asked for the new Taylor Swift CD too, but mostly Bambi.” The CD was already handled – Lommy had bought it for her.
“My sister, Sansa, loves Taylor Swift.”
“Really?! Can she take me to a concert? Mom won’t take me.”
“When you’re older, I’m sure she will be happy to take you.”
“But I want to go now!! Not when I’m older,” she argued.
“And what about now, we go for some ice cream,” Gendry asked, changing the issue, and making Arya sure that he was coming back to reality.
“Yes!! Yes, that’s good!!” she exclaimed, and Gendry took his niece and put her on his shoulder, as she strongly held on to his hair, and then took Arya’s hand again, as the other kept Madalena’s legs secured; and they went in search of the best ice cream shop in the mall. “Can I get sprinkles?” she asked.
“Chocolate or Rainbow?”
“Rainbow – they’re fun!!”
“Chocolate are so much better,” Arya argued.
“You can get chocolate, Arya,” Gendry said, “And you can ask for rainbow, Madalena.”
“Thank you!!” Maddie said, kissing her uncle’s head as they went up the escalator. “Mom taught me to braid.”
“That’s what she’s doing, right?” Gendry asked, feeling some hairs being pushed on his head.
“Yeah,” Arya agreed. “I’m sure you’ll look great,” she said with a laugh. Arya knew Gendry would never stop Madalena – he would let her do anything to him (as he would Arya).
They found the ice cream parlour quickly; and after Arya ordered her three scoops ice cream bowl with extra sprinkles and cookies, Madalena ordered her strawberry scoop with rainbow sprinkles (it was hard to convince her that she didn’t need three flavours like her Aunt Arya), and Gendry got double chocolate ice cream; they sat on one of couches, all huddled up to warm up in a cold winter afternoon, as they ate ice cream (because no matter the weather, ice cream is always good).
“It’s going to be okay, love,” Catelyn told him, as she squeezed his hand once again.
“How can you be sure?”
“I just know, Ned. And when have I been wrong?” she asked him with a silly smile, and Ned had the desire to kiss her in that moment. He stopped himself since they were in a crowed space – Ned hated the mall during the holidays. He normally only came once, with one or more of the children (this year it would probably just be Rickon) to buy Catelyn’s present.
“You’re sure he will be here.”
“I asked when I was here, buying the game Arya wanted.” Catelyn had that unbelievable look in her eyes, that asked how could her grown up daughter who’s living with her boyfriend still want a videogame for Christmas.
“They are all still kids, Catelyn.”
“I know. I’m glad that she still has time to play these games. And at least now I can buy games for over 18, without feeling like a bad mother.”
“Like you could ever be a bad mother.” Another hand squeeze.
They approached the Christmas tree, there were kids and parents looking around but no one in queue anymore, since the throne was empty; they stepped forward and were interrupted by an elf.
“I’m sorry but the line is closed. We’ll be back at 6 p.m.”
“It was Robert’s shift, right? We’re waiting for him,” Catelyn was the one who spoke.
“Yes, he’s just changing. We’ll be out soon.”
“It will be okay,” Catelyn rested her hand on Ned’s shoulder. She waited with him, until a large figure came out of a small house, unquestionably Robert, with his black hair and beard (that was barely greying, and seemed to be dripping water), and blue eyes, cleared than they had seen in a long time. Catelyn stepped back, leaving Ned alone, giving them this privacy.
She saw Robert looking around, and finally catching Ned waiting, and they both stepped forward.
“They told me there was someone waiting. I never thought it would be you.”
“It was time,” Ned said. They hadn’t spoken since Joffrey was arrested, and everything that happened to Sansa came up (Sansa and Margaery had been separated for more than two years by now, and Catelyn and Ned felt like failures for never realizing what had happened), and Robert was truly drunk, when Ned hadn’t seen his friend fully sober for almost five years, and he had said things that none could forget.
“How did you know I was here?”
“Arya came here with her boyfriend and niece.”
“I saw her, at least I though it was her. The boyfriend… is he my…?”
“I’ve suspected since I first met him.”
“Does he know?”
“I don’t know. Neither he or Arya ever mentioned it, but I’ve seen them looking at photos of us when we were young.”
“He looks like me. A copy of me, Joffrey never… I should have known…”
“You couldn’t have seen it, and Joffrey…”
“… he behaved like me, that’s what you mean. He learned from me. The way he treated your daughter…”
“Yes, he learned from you… but it was different. You’re sick, the drink… you never did that when you were sober.”
“But I was still never like you. I didn’t do what was right…”
“You didn’t enjoy hurting others. Joffrey did.”
Ned told himself this multiple times, because he wanted to be able to talk to Robert, and he needed a reason. He needed to justify carrying for a man that wasn’t that different from the man who hurt his baby daughter.
“I didn’t… I don’t… Ned, I really don’t.” There was silence after that, none of them knowing what to say next, but Robert spoke – words always came easier to him. “The girl with your daughter, you said niece. Robb’s, I heard he got married.”
“He did. But it’s their niece on Gendry’s side, the boy.”
“He has a sister? A family?” Robert wondered; he had never stepped forward to raise his children, but maybe he had been okay, maybe the kid had grown up happily, with a real family (like Ned’s).
“No, only son. His mother died when he was young, six, I think… Madalena is Jeyne’s daughter, a friend he made in the group home where he grew up,” Ned answered. “I can’t lie and say he had an easy life, he worked hard to be where he is – but he is a good child – responsible, caring, and good hearted. And he made a family in his group home – they still take care of each other.”
Ned and Catelyn had met them all, Jeyne – the mother of the group – had invited them for lunch one day at the inn she run with her sister, Will, and Hot Pie, the cook, and then there was also Lommy, the skinny guy – they were Arya’s family in law, as much as the Westerlings were Robb’s (and if Ned was honest much nicer). Catelyn had made sure to buy a present for young Madalena and for the new baby too, she would always be there for everyone.
“He’s a better than I am. I’m glad. I wouldn’t want another of your girls to suffer because of me.”
“She doesn’t. Arya is good. Sansa is too, she’s happy, she’s moved on.”
“I saw Myrcella and Tommen a few days ago – they looked happy, smiling and laughing. They came here with their partners, I suppose that’s the word. Tommen’s marriage is actually working, and my daught-- Myrcella is dating a Targaryen… I don’t know how I feel about that, but there’s no reason for me feel things,” Robert admitted, “They said I could call them after the holidays.”
“That could be good,” Ned said. He couldn’t imagine not talking to his children, even with just Rickon leaving under their roof, the others still called more than once every week and came over a lot.
“It would. I’m not sure what our relationship could be now,” he said, Ned would know. He may not always been good people while they were growing up, but he has been made to be a father (and a husband). “You know I can see Catelyn back there, she could join us.”
“Walk with me. Have you eaten? We could eat something.”
“Yes, I’m hungry. Not drinking leads me to eat more.”
“You’re sober, then,”
“Yes, it hasn’t been easy but I am. And I’ve taken running again – thankfully I haven’t lost that much weight, this job is based on it.”
“Robert,” Catelyn greeted him, as they approached her. And then had a silent talk with her husband wanting to make sure he was okay, a simple nod was answer enough.
“Catelyn, it’s good to see you. How’s the shopping going?”
“Good. You looked good as Santa, I saw you the other day.”
“I like it. Most children are nice.”
“They love Santa,” she said.
“They do. Not being me is easier around children.”
“You do look good, Robert. Better. Healthier.”
“Thank you,” he said. “Let’s go eat something. I’m starving. It’s on me.”
Robert walked in front of them in direction to escalator, ready to go up to flights of stairs, and leaving enough space for Ned and Catelyn to be alone.
“I told it would be okay,” Catelyn whispered, resting against her husband’s chest as the escalator went up.
“He looks good. And he sounds different – he reminds me of Gendry.”
“Serious. Responsible. The world’s weight on him,” Catelyn added.
“Exactly.”
“Gendry is too young for that. But maybe it would do Robert some good. He has hurt a lot of people, and he needs to makes emends.”
“He seems to be trying. Cersei’s children saw him the other day, they seem to be ready to talk to him,” Ned told her.
“Maybe he’ll have a better year, with fresh starts. Including with you.”
“He’s better. And as long as he is healthy and sober, I can have him in my life, he won’t hurt…”
“Ned, Sansa doesn’t blame you. She told you it was a good thing for you to have Robert back.”
“She does, she really does?”
“She does, Ned,” Catelyn whispered, raising herself to kiss his lips – a reminder and a promise of his words.
They reached the food court to find Robert waiting for them, and Catelyn felt young again, when she first started dating Ned and would hang out with both of them on her free time.
“I was thinking McDonalds. I’m in the mood for a Big Mac and fries,” Robert suggested, and the Stark couple shared a look.
“I will take one of those glorious chocolate muffins,” Catelyn said with a smile. She didn’t indulge much on McDonalds or sweets, but those muffins were always really good.
“I will just have a cheeseburger,” Ned said. Robert stepped forward and ordered for them, and refused every offer of letting them pay for their food.
“It’s my work place. It’s my job to pay.”
“It’s a public space,” Ned argued.
“Just go and find a table. I got this.” Catelyn finally took Ned’s hand, and pulled him along to a table in the back of the restaurant – it was mostly kids at the other tables, they seemed to be the only ones over fifty in here.
“Thank you for convincing me to do this,” Ned thanked her, holding her hand under his table.
“I’m glad you trusted me,” she said kissing him, and he kissed her back, no matter that they were surrounded by people. Ned needed to thank her for giving him a chance of having his friend again.
Robert whistled, coming closer, “I used to be the one kissing girls, while you looked on.”
“Things have changed,” Ned said.
“Yes, they have,” Robert admitted, putting the two trays down. “And they will keep changing, but I will still be hungry.”
Ned kept holding Catelyn’s hand as they all ate together, and Robert told them about how he had gotten the job as Santa – it was still probably the safest topic to talk about.
written for the @gameofshipschallenges “Until Hell Freezes Over”
artist: ipaintmylipsred
ship: Jon Snow x Sansa Stark
He hadn't seen her in nearly seven years but Jon could always recognize those long auburn locks, even pulled up in a messy ponytail. The sound of Christmas music blaring through the speakers of the store was muted by the vision of Sansa's slender form. She had her hands draped over the shopping cart and Jon gently touched her shoulder to grab her attention. It took her a minute to recognize him, his boyish curls of youth were cut shorter and black-framed glasses now rested upon his nose. Soon enough she did recognize him and a smile greeted her red lips.
"Jon snow" she whispered out, hugging him tightly.
"Sansa stark" he retorted, releasing her from the hug. "You look-"
"Older" Sansa quipped. Jon shook his head while Sansa laughed and within the same breath asked if he wanted to get a drink. Jon nodded and followed her out immediately. Despite the years of not seeing one another, they fell back into place. Like they had in school when they had been together.
No bars were open but the liquor store was and Jon ran into grab them a six pack. They had small talk at first, catching up on each other's family, where there roads went after school, or more specifically after their breakup. Jon had spent the last seven years traveling like he had always hoped to, spending the time writing of both his love of the world and of a girl who was not there to love it with him. Sansa had married Willas Tyrell, a wealthy banker. She spoke of him fondly enough but there was no spark in her eye. Not the one that would light up when she used to speak of Jon and hers future.
After the beer was emptied and the conversations coming to a close. Jon drove her back to her car and finally mustered up the courage to ask her a question that has set in his mind since he had seen her drive away for the last time.
"What did I do wrong?" Jon asks. Staring ahead of the steering wheel, at his hands, at the clock, anywhere besides her face. After several minutes Sansa grabs at his hand, forcing him to face her. When Jon finally looks up there's a glassiness over her blue eyes, from the beer or the question, he didn't know.
"Nothing" Sansa replies calmly. "You never did anything wrong".
"Then why him?" He rushes out. A question he'd been wanting to ask her for five years. Sansa blows out air and wraps her coat tightly around her despite the warmth of his car.
"At the end of the day Willas and I want the same things" she replies, fidgeting with her wedding band. "We may not have everything yet, but we will".
"And I didn't?" Jon asks. Reaching over and grabbing a strand of Sansa's hair. "Want the same things". He bites his lip anticipating her answer and he finds himself unsatisfied by the one she provides.
"If I had asked you to, you would have. But it would be unfair of me to ask". She answers calmly.
"I don't understand". Jon replies after several seconds.
"One day you will" she replied kissing him on the cheek, lingering long enough for him to smell that citrus scent she always smelt of. "It was good seeing you Jon" and with that she was gone again.
When the following Christmas had rolled around, Jon was living with a hot-headed bartender who's red hair was the only common trait between her and his first love. She had a dirty mouth but a kindness in her smile and Jon felt like maybe he could one day call her his wife.
"Hey there" Ygritte sighs, entering the studio apartment a little after midnight. Jon turns around from the desk at her voice, closing the laptop containing short stories about bad timing and Ill-fated love. "This was jammed in the back of your mailbox" she says. Without word, Ygritte heads to the bathroom after handing him the starch white envelope that contains the perfect handwriting of Sansa's. It isn't until after the water is running that Jon's fingers nervously rip open the paper. It's her eyes that catch his attention first. They are big, and blue, and unchanged by time. He notices Willas next. His brown hair beginning to show the slightest of grey. He looks as kind and handsome as Sansa said he would be and Jon can't help the jealousy he feels toward a man he has never met. A man who must have been better than himself. Jon doesn't notice the swell of Sansa's stomach until he notices that Willas' hand is resting upon it. It's when he directs his gaze back at Sansa's portion of the photo that he sees her eyes have changed. There was no longer doubt. The uncertainty present in her eyes eight years ago during their breakup and last Christmas over her life was gone. There was absolution and happiness there now.
In another life Jon and Sansa would end up together and it would be their family on a Christmas card, a light snow falling into the Crimson waves of Sansa's hair. But in this life they would only get two years together, Willas had the rest. Jon would never pretend to say he had loved anyone in the all-consuming way he had Sansa, but in his life he didn't need an all-consuming love. In this life he had found Ygritte and Sansa had found happiness. And in this life, that was enough.
written for the @gameofshipschallenges “Until Hell Freezes Over”
artist: youcancalllmequeenjane
ship: Jon Snow x Arya Stark
Jon should have known she was going to be there, but it didn’t stop the bundle of nerves he had became at the fleeting sight of her walking across the room. She was always enigmatic, precocious, but suddenly she seemed to control the room without even trying. She wasn’t like Sansa, never charming right away, but Arya demanded attention from people in a way that always intrigued him.
“Avoiding me?” Arya asked tapping him on the shoulder, and he can hear the hint of hurt in her voice that she has tried to mask with her sardonic wit, but he knows her better than that.
“Yes,” Jon joked with a wide smile. “I see you caught on to me then?”
“Always.” Arya returned his smile, and walked away without another word. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and took a long sip of the frothy beer in his hand. He tried to remember that she was the one to break his heart a year ago, that she ran away scared, but he can’t. He wished he were smarter.
