Sansa sighed loudly as she fell onto her bed in sheer exhaustion. She would take a shower after her nap. It had been a long shift and the four car pile up on the M51 motorway had sapped her of everything she had, when the victims came ushered in one after another. She had counted at least seven of them.
Seven survivors and none dead, she thought, thankfully.
Just as she was about to close her eyes, her ears registered a faint knock on her door. Sansa rolled her eyes, wishing she had her own place for the thousandth time.
“Come in.”
“Hi darling, I thought I heard you come home,” Catelyn sauntered in to greet her eldest daughter. Her bright blue eyes danced as she sat on Sansa’s bed. Sansa was exhausted beyond doubt but there was no need to brush off and dismiss her mother because of it. It was probably something she needed help with.
“So, your dad’s birthday is coming up and instead of the usual date night we always have, thought maybe we could plan something as a family. What do you think?”
Yeah, there it is.
“Right, of course, Mum. What do you have in mind?”
“Oh I don’t know love, maybe go for a short weekend getaway? Rent a ski chalet up north with the family? You’re so good at planning all these my darling, whatever you think I’m sure your dad would love it,” Catelyn suggested.
She was right. Sansa had a talent in organising family events and the most recent one was a luau for Rickon’s 12th birthday. Everything went perfectly as planned that day, even the weather cooperated. Sunny and warm, without a drop of rain. Sansa knew Rickon’s obsession with surfing wasn’t just a phase. It was one party to remember and it had earned her heaps of praise from everyone who attended. She stifled a giggle when she remembered the look on both her parent’s faces when he boldly announced his wish to be a professional surfer when he grew up. No doubt, the party anchored that dream firmly in him. Rickon with his sandy auburn hair and blue eyes would have no trouble looking the part.
“Did someone say ski chalet? Ooh can we go, can we go please?” a voice rang in excitedly as Arya who was looking for her mother, walked past her room and joined them.
Ugh. Great, leave the door open Mum, please, don’t bother ever shutting it. Ever.
“We’re going skiing everybody!” Arya bellowed, obviously trying to rally the rest. Sansa slumped back onto the headboard in defeat.
Yeah, okay call everyone in here please, how thrilling. Sleep, what sleep I don’t need sleep.
“What? Skiing? Really? When?” Bran’s head popped in seconds after. “Ricky! We’re going skiing!”
“Oh my god really? Good lord, of all freaking times..” Sansa sighed, waving her hands up in exasperation.
“Now, now, nothing’s been planned yet but I thought for Daddy’s birthday we’d do something together as a family. So I asked Sansa if she thought renting a ski chalet for the weekend would be a good idea,” Catelyn explained gently to her excited brood.
“Sansa, we have to go skiing, what’s there to think about? Get on it, will ya?” Arya demanded, plonking herself on Sansa’s bed, which suddenly felt very crowded.
Rickon and Bran leapt in and sat on the carpeted floor beside Sansa’s bed. “Yeah, can we go please Sansa? Pretty please? We rarely ever go skiing with Mum and Dad. Please?” Rickon pressed his palms together in a mock prayer to Sansa, his earnest face scrunched up adorably. In spite of herself, Sansa chuckled, how could she say no to that face.
“What’s happening? Family meeting?” Robb’s voice greeted them as he entered the already stuffy bedroom.
“Sansa’s going to plan a birthday trip for Dad. We’re going skiing!” Rickon shared excitedly with Robb, who was now already leaning against the wall next to Sansa’s bed and the boys.
“ Is that right? So does Dad get to know or is this a surprise?” Robb asked, chuckling at his brothers’ enthusiastic nods.
“We should tell him, you know he doesn’t like surprises. Plus he’s the one who needs to drive us up there anyway. So would be better if he knows,” Sansa finally spoke amidst all the enthusiasm and excitement in the air. Everyone nodded in agreement.
“Well then, I guess that settles it. So a skiing getaway it is. So, I leave it to you my dear, I’ll leave my credit card details for the booking and let me know if there’s anything you need help with. Ooh, this would be such a great birthday trip for him, I know it!” Catelyn hugged her daughter and finally concluded the impromptu family meeting. Sansa nodded and smiled. She was too exhausted to say anything else and perhaps that would be a signal for everyone to get out of her room so she could rest. Sansa was seconds away from barking at them to leave but she was supposed to be a good example so she chewed on her lip instead.
“Okay everyone out of Sansa’s room, she just got home and she needs to rest. She can’t plan anything if we don’t let her rest. Come on everybody out the door now,” Catelyn playfully shooed the rest of them away towards the door and stepped out herself, as if on cue and gave a wink to Sansa. Sansa smiled back appreciatively and threw herself back on her bed and ducked under the covers.
Yes. Finally. Peace and quiet.
“Hey Sans-”
Sansa wished her bed would just swallow her up. Sansa gritted her teeth. “Oh my god, yes! We are going skiing for the weekend and yes, everyone IS going and I’ll take care of it. Now if you don’t let me sleep, I swear to god I’ll cancel the whole trip and all we’re going to do is eat breakfast at McDonald’s for dad’s birthday! Please just go away and let me rest!”
Sansa’s head popped up from under her duvet covers to see who was disturbing her this time.
“McDonald’s breakfast doesn’t sound too bad, honestly. I personally recommend the hot cakes,” Jon greeted her as he sat at the edge of her bed, watching her with an amused look on his handsome face. Sansa groaned and sat up, giving him an apologetic frown. Jon reached over and gifted her a much needed kiss on her lips. It was brief but just what she needed from her beloved.
“Don’t ask. Two words. Dad’s birthday.” Sansa shrugged and held out her arms to Jon for a hug. “I missed you.”
They hadn’t seen each other for days ever since Jon started his shift as a paramedic a week ago. Granted, it wasn’t a new relationship but it was a new job that meant irregular hours for both of them. She still missed him terribly.
“I missed you too, my love. I take it you had a long day?“
Sansa nodded as she pulled away from Jon. She must look terribly exhausted to him, but she didn’t care. Jon was here and it was all that mattered.
“Stay in with me?” Sansa pleaded with a playful pout. Jon chuckled. There was nothing more he wanted to do than to cuddle in bed with her. But they weren’t alone and it wasn’t appropriate. Even though he practically grew up with the Starks, he still respected boundaries. If they wanted to be intimate, it would be at the privacy of their own home. Which was going to be soon, since they both had decided to move in together once Jon had settled in with his new job. Plus, Ned Stark would be home any minute.
“Ah, I would love to my gorgeous girl, but you are in desperate need of a nap and I promised Bran to help him build.. Something. I forgot what he asked me to do but I said okay.”
“Oh that’s too bad. Would be nice to have you in bed with me.”
“Oh no, no. Don’t you start it, Miss Stark. You know very well what will happen if I do get in that bed with you.”
Sansa giggled and nodded. True enough, having him in her bed would be the next best thing, but she wouldn’t get any rest, if her furtive glances at the zip of his jeans were any indication.
“Don’t worry, my shift is done for today so I’ll still be here when you wake up,” Jon reassured her and pressed a kiss on her forehead. Sansa inhaled deeply, he smelled of soap and clean clothes, which reminded her of the shower she so badly needed.
“Tuck me in, then?” Sansa asked, tugging at his sleeve playfully. Jon smiled and grabbed hold of the covers as Sansa laid her head back on the pillow.
“Kiss you later, sleeping beauty.” Jon kissed her again as she closed her eyes and finally drifted off to sleep. Jon stepped out and closed the bedroom door, heading downstairs to the kitchen where the rest of the Starks were.
“So, I take it she agreed to the skiing weekend thing?” Jon asked Robb, joining him at the dining table who was watching Bran and Rickon play their video games on their tablets.
“She did. Told Mum it was an idea for Dad’s birthday and run it by Sansa. I mean, it is DAD’S birthday. And skiing. If it’s one thing we Starks do well, it’s family vacations. And we’re crazy about the cold. Which is odd to me. But yeah, great suggestion. Mum liked it. Plus, it’s Sansa. She loves planning stuff like these. She won’t say no,” Robb grinned as he rambled on, passing him a beer.
Well she better not. I’ve got everything planned out in secret to make it a weekend to remember.
Jon stuffed his hand into the right pocket of his jacket and squeezed the little velvet box he had been holding onto for the past few days.
Robb saw and smirked at him. “So, you really going for it huh?”
Jon nodded and smiled at Robb. He took out the box and opened it for Robb to see. It was worth six month’s of his salary but he knew it was perfect for her.
**Disclaimer: Gifs not ours, will credit the source if provided**
The Gift by @lathwell55
“The dragon started to bring me things about three years ago… I never know when she’s going to turn up or what she’ll bring…. but she seems to always bring me something I am in need of” he licks his full lips and his eyes quickly flash up and down her frame. Something low in Sansa’s belly squirms and wriggles.
“And you’re in need of a girl are you”? Sansa says curtly with a sniff before wincing when she hears how her question sounded - she’d not meant it like that, like she was there to service his ‘needs’. Sansa shifts her gaze from the flames to the wildling, his mouth twitched in amusement. He was quite comely to look upon really, even with his scarred brow, riot of inky curls and a smudge of dirt on his cheek that Sansa itched to clean.
“Aye, perhaps” he smiled warmly “perhaps she thought me lonely”.
