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Gendry stood outside the door with heavy breaths. He did not know whether he should knock or just walk in - the occupants temper was so unpredictable, and Gendry did not want to do anything to anger her. Not now. Especially not now.
The two of them had travelled with the Brotherhood for four years now, and not once had they seen a Christmas. Apart from today. The day they had not even been looking. The snow had fallen outside the inn, and the merry laughter and music from the inside had drawn them in. They entered to find holly wreaths decorating every corner of the room, the red ribbons tied around every table and chair. That was the moment Christmas hit them.
Arya had retreated to the room they had been given as soon as she could, and Gendry had not seen her since. He did not like to pretend he knew Arya - at least not completely. But he knew her better than every single man in the Brotherhood and because of that, he knew she was thinking of her family. Of her father. Of Winterfell.
That was why he stood now, unsure as to whether Arya would appreciate his company or not. But he had to do something. Lem had been sure to send Gendry up to draw Arya out of the room, knowing he was the only one who stood any chance against her.
So slowly, Gendry knocked on the door, and then stopped. He waited for an answer, but none came. For a moment he wondered whether Arya had run off. Maybe she had slipped out of the inn and none of them had noticed. But he quickly brushed the thought aside. She would not do that to them after so long. She would not do that to him.
Gendry drew in a sharp breath and twisted the door handle, opening it slowly so as not to alarm the girl.
He had not, apparently, and Arya was already staring at him when he entered. She was sat with her back pressed against the wall, on the single bed in the corner of the room. She pulled her knees up to her chest defensively when he noticed her gaze.
Gendry closed the door behind him, and leant against it. He fixed his eyes on the floor for no apparent reason, but he could feel Arya's eyes still on him.
"You're missed. Downstairs, I mean," Said Gendry, and out of the corner of his eyes he saw Arya shrug.
Gendry looked to her face, and then to her eyes. Searching them for whatever she would give away to him. But there was nothing. She had not been crying. Not that Gendry had expected her to be anyway.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Gendry spoke again, and this time he took a step closer to her. Arya continued to watch him as he sat down beside her, and Gendry smiled weakly at her. And to his surprise, Arya smiled back.
"I was just thinking about them," She said quietly, but her voice reassured him. Gendry knew who she meant, although she did not mention who they were. She never did. But Gendry always knew.
"But I'm fine," She continued, and smiled again at Gendry.
Gendry raised an eyebrow at her sceptically, "You're fine?"
Arya nodded, but Gendry still was not convinced. Even so, he would not push the matter any further.
The two looked at each other for a moment in silent conversation. Gendry took the time to notice Arya's features. Her eyes were wide and grey. If he wanted to, he could count each freckle that dusted her face. And then Arya looked away.
"Come on then," She said, grabbing Gendry's hand tightly, and pulling him up towards her. She pulled the door open and flew down the winding staircase, dragging Gendry along behind her. The two of them stopped abruptly when they reached the room which the Brotherhood were in. Arya dropped Gendry's hand without as much as a glance at him.
Anguy noticed them first, flashing Arya a grin. Arya smiled in return, and Gendry felt an unpleasant feeling settle in his stomach. Arya made her way over to them, and sat beside them easily, as she had done so many times in the past couple of years. Even though Arya had eventually relaxed around the men, Gendry had not. They were far too friendly with her for Gendry's liking. He knew he envied them, no matter how much he told himself he was only being protective of her as a brother should be. But he was not her brother, and he had not felt like that for some time. Still, he could not act on the feelings he had. She was Arya Stark and he was a bastard. That's just not how the world worked.
He caught Arya's eye and she waved him over, the smile on her face never fading.
Gendry walked over and sat beside her rigidly, his eyes set on the men talking to her. After a while, Gendry stopped paying attention to the conversation, waving away the occasional offers from the whores in the inn. Arya was here - he would have nothing to do with the women.
"Gendry?" A distant voice called his name, "Gendry!" The voice called again and Gendry's head snapped towards the source. It was Arya. Only Arya.
Gendry looked at her wildly and she frowned at him, "Are you alright?"
Gendry nodded, "I'm going to go outside for a bit. Fresh air, you know?" He stood up, expecting her to leave him alone, but Arya followed him.
"I'll go with you," She said, the frown still set on her face. She knew something was wrong. And if Gendry knew Arya well enough, he knew she would not rest until she had forced the matter out of him.
"Okay," Gendry said weakly, knowing fighting was no use.
They reached the door of the inn when the catcalls reached his ears. He looked to Arya in confusion, but she was looking at the Brotherhood in the corner.
Gendry rolled his eyes, and tried to pull Arya away. But she did not move. She was staring upwards, her eyes wide with horror.
"Arya, what-?" Gendry began to speak but stopped himself when he realized what she was looking at. Mistletoe. Above both of them.
Gendry glanced back to Arya, who bit her lip nervously.
"Go on then!" Anguy shouted at them. Gendry had never wanted to kill the man more than in that moment.
"It's about time," Another voice shouted, which Gendry recognized to be another one of the Brotherhood. It's about time? What was that supposed to mean?
"Kiss her!" Anguy spoke again, and Gendry felt Arya's eyes on him. He looked to her, and she was blushing furiously, her eyes looking almost angry.
"Arya-" He began to say, but he stopped himself as Arya leant towards him swiftly. She moved up on to her tip-toes and kissed him on the cheek. And then, before he had chance to say anything, she ran off. Out of the door and in to the night.
Gendry stood, his eyes moving from the men who were now laughing hysterically, to the spot where he had last seen Arya. His cheek was burning where Arya had left her kiss, and he knew he had to go after her, consequences be damned.
He ignored the men's drunken cheers and spun on his heel out of the door. The cold air hit his face instantly, the snow crunching beneath his feet when he moved them. Arya would never have strayed far in this weather.
After a few moments of squinting his eyes in search for Arya, he found her, knelt on the ground against the inn. She noticed him as soon as he noticed her, and when he sat down next to her, she looked away with a scowl.
"Arya-" He began, but the girl stopped him.
"You knew. You knew the mistletoe was there and you-"
Gendry frowned in indignation, "What? No! Arya I had no idea. Why would I want to kiss-"
He stopped when he caught Arya's stare. She finished his sentence for him, "Why would you want to kiss me?" She said with a defeated smile.
"That's not what I meant," Gendry said quickly. It wasn't as simple as that. Of course he wanted to kiss her. He had known that for some time now. But he could not. He was a bastard and she, a high born. It was as simple as that. Besides, why would she want to kiss him?
Arya scoffed and looked away, her eyes unconvinced.
Gendry gulped in breaths of the frozen air, summoning all his courage before he spoke, "I do want to kiss you Arya. But I can't, you know I can't!"
Arya opened and closed her mouth stupidly at Gendry's confession, but he ignored it and continued, "Anyway, I will not kiss you without your permission. Even if we are beneath mistletoe in front of a hundred witnesses."
He finished speaking, and hit his head against the wall of the inn, pushing away snow with his feet. Arya said nothing, as the two of them sat in a heavy silence.
Finally, Arya's voice came out of the darkness, quiet and small, but brave all the same, "Gendry... You've always had my permission."
Gendry turned his head towards the girl, and her grey eyes bore into his. The moment lasted forever, as Gendry contemplated what to do next. He ran his hands through his hair in confusion.
"So, you want me to kiss you?" Gendry said, an eyebrow raised.
Arya nodded, and that was all he needed. Ignoring the cold, and the way that it froze every inch of him, he scooted closer towards Arya, until their knees were touching. She bit her lip, as he reached forward and traced the frame of her face with his hands. He smiled, as her eyes fluttered close in contentment, and Gendry tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
To all seven hells with consequence, he thought.
Arya's lips were parted, her breathing heavy. Gendry leaned towards her slowly, ready for her to pull away at any moment. Ready for her to laugh in his face and call him stupid. But she did not.
So slowly, he pressed his lips to hers, waiting for her to react. She did, placing her hands on his shoulders to steady herself. Gendry moved his hands to her tiny waist, pulling her closer towards him. Their movements were clumsy, but Gendry found himself smiling against her lips all the same.
Arya pulled away first, a smug smile on her face. Gendry looked at her, bewildered for a second, before leaning back against the wall behind him.
Arya's small hand found his, and he did not pull away as she squeezed it tightly. It was her silent way of thanking him, for she would never actually say the words herself. And when Gendry squeezed her hand back, it was his way of saying Merry Christmas. The first they had experienced in years.