Chapter Text
“Queen Sansa is so intense but so interesting! She is very smart and calculating. Though I was scared out of my mind, I could not help but be impressed. She’s quite remarkable.”
Gendry looks at Clara as if she’s lost her mind while she only stares back in confusion.
“What? Look, was it fun to have her question whether or not I planned to hurt Jon and Yoren? Whether I planned to hurt her sister or you in the future for revenge? Whether I am lying about being okay with this? No, it was not. But I understand why she did it. The world of ladies is full of deceit. We wear our courtesies and manners as armor. Sometimes it is hard to know who is being honest and who is playing the game. Queen Sansa understands this better than most, she was in the Red Keep as her family declared war! But just like Princess Arya and I, we managed to clear the air and are all the better for it.”
Gendry could only shake his head. It was times like these that he understood why Arya always said she wasn’t a lady.
A week or so after returning home he receives a raven from Arya. It doesn’t say much but it says everything.
Stupid soft bull-headed man. I love it. I love you.
I am yours and you are mine.
He caresses the tiny spots on the paper that were clearly her tears. After the legitimization papers for his sons, he gets the idea to make a pendent of a bull for Arya. He includes tiny blue jewels for its eyes and engraves their promise to each other on the back. I am yours and you are mine.
She never knew him as Gendry Baratheon, he was always just Gendry, a blacksmith with a bull shaped helm. That was the man she fell in love with and that’s who he wanted to be with her always. That’s who he knew she wanted with her always. He takes Arya’s note and puts in pouch that holds his sons’ hair. Now he could carry all three with him.
When he gets the warning from Davos that Jon is in King’s Landing, he’s not proud to admit it, but he becomes extremely skittish. He knows Jon won’t be jumping out from behind a bush or just appearing out of thin air as Arya was prone to do, but he was nervous. It worsens as the days pass by.
A part of him feels like a coward for at least not sending a message to him. The non-communication from his side makes him feel horrible. He counted Jon Snow as a friend, and he should have tried to reach out beforehand. But it was too late now, and he knew Jon would be making his way to Storm’s End soon enough. He’s proven right the next day as he receives a raven from Davos letting him know that he and Jon are on the way.
A knock sounded at the door of his study.
“My Lord”
He looks up from his desk to see one of the guards of the gate.
“Yes”
“Riders are approaching.”
Gendry lets out a deep sigh, “Lady Clara and boys?”
“I was told that they are still at the bay.”
He nods in relief and stands, “Let’s go greet our guests then.”
The walk to the front gates calms his nerves some but as he stands still waiting for Jon Snow to ride through the gates, he can’t help but shift from side to side.
Jon rides in and it takes a moment to reconcile the man he last saw and the one he was seeing now. Jon looked every bit the Northman with his black furs and a beard that covered half his face. For a moment he remembers Ned Stark, a face he can barely recall having seen it so long ago and only for a moment. He gulps at the thought of Ned Stark coming through the gates of Storm’s End.
Jon isn’t smiling, but he isn’t giving him a hostile look either. If anything, that makes him more nervous. Jon giving him a blank look gives him no indication in how angry he is and if he should have armed himself to prevent Longclaw from running him through. He doesn’t take his eyes off Jon and Jon holds his gaze unwavering. Before he realizes, Jon has dismounted his horse and comes to stand in front of him.
He gulps, “Jo–”
He doesn’t finish as he is tackled from the side. As he regains his footing he looks into the laughing face of Tormund Giantsbane.
“Tormund?” he exclaims in shocked joy.
“Gendry! Look at you, finally a man grown!”
He laughs, the tension he had since finding out that Jon was in King’s Landing melting away, “I was a man grown when you met me.”
“Barely.”
He laughs and looks up to see Jon who kept a blank face. Next to him is Davos who watches Jon and him with a worried look.
He inhales softly, “It’s nice to see you Jon.”
Jon nods and looks around, “Where is your lady wife… and your sons?”
He flinches and answers, “They’re down at Shipwrecker’s Bay.”
“Ah”
He had prepared for Jon to slice him in two with Longclaw since the moment he was in range, so Gendry was surprised that he wasn’t prepared for Jon punching him the face.
“Fuck!” he exclaims as pain blooms across his face. As he hears the commotion with the guards, he quickly tells his guards to stand down.
He looks up to see Jon looking so enraged he fears that maybe he should be more worried about Jon pulling his sword on him. Tormund is laughing next to him, and Davos just eyes him with pity.
“I guess I deserved that.”
It seems to be the wrong thing to say as Jon looks ready to throw another punch. Thankfully, Tormund holds him back.
“C’mon King Crow, you got your hit. Anymore and you’ll mess up that pretty face of his and your little wolf sister likes that face.”
Gendry sighs as he watches Jon grimace at the reminder of Arya.
“Jon–”
“Let’s go inside. We have a lot to catch up on My Lord.”
Gendry just nods in agreement, his jaw aching something terrible.
The walk to his study is filled with tension and he’s completely unnerved. He begins to feel that same skittishness since knowing that Jon was close by. He almost sighs in relief as they enter his office, away from the curious eyes of guards and servants.
The servants laid out a spread of light food and pitchers of different drinks. Tormund wasted no time grabbing a pitcher of ale for himself and a handful of cheese and fruits which he scarfs down completely unbothered by the tension in the room.
“Davos,” says Jon staring directly at him, “you should show Tormund around. He’s never been this far south.”
Davos looks at them both, not bothering to hide his worry.
“Jon–”
“I won’t hurt him, but we need to talk.”
Gendry has been dreading this moment since the moment he realized that Jon would hate him for essentially making his favorite sister his mistress. It wasn’t like that of course, he loved Arya with his whole heart, but Jon didn’t know that. He could still see that Davos was wary of leaving them alone.
“It’s fine Davos,” at Davos still hesitant look, he tries to smile but he knows it more of a grimace, “He’s right, we need to talk.”
Davos seems to want to dispute it but nods in acceptance. Tormund was already step’s ahead as he loaded up a plate of food to take with him. Davos gives them both a pointed look before closing the door behind him.
A silence settles over the room as Gendry and Jon watch each other. Gendry is debating if he should start, or he should wait for Jon to say something. He doesn’t even know where to begin. Thankfully, Jon settles that matter.
“Why didn’t you tell me you knew my sister when you met me?”
Gendry grimaces.
“I feared she was dead and that it was my fault. I feared you would tell me she died. There was no news of Arya after the Red Wedding and even before that most wrote her off as having died in King’s Landing. As long as no one confirmed that she was dead then she wasn’t. I knew regardless of where Arya ended up, she would make her way to Winterfell,” he answered. He hoped his honesty would win him some points.
Jon nods, sighing deeply.
“That’s what she thought was the reason too. I was happy to hear you were friends. That she had someone back then that she trusted and protected her. I was extremely grateful that you convinced her to come to Bran, Sansa, and I. I worried for her every day when she decided to sail West. I was even more grateful that you convinced her to tell us what had happened to her in the time we were separated. She even managed to convince me to talk to Sansa and come to Winterfell,” he smiled slightly as he remembered, “It was nice clearing the air between us all. Although Arya apparently, still, kept a big secret from me.”
“I love her Jon.”
Jon shakes his head, his frown more pronounced more than ever.
“She didn’t tell me the truth of your relationship until she was forced to. Her belly already round with child. Your child.” He chuckles, “Actually what made Arya tell me about you two was that I thought that Lord Edric Dayne was the father since he seemed close to her.”
Gendry clenched his fist at the thought of Ned Dayne doting on Arya and being by her side through her pregnancy when he couldn’t.
“That’s when she decided to stop hiding who the father was and told me the truth. I was ready to kill you. I mounted my horse, ready to head straight here to you and then Arya yelled at me to stop. She came running after me crying for me to stop, all the while holding her belly.”
Gendry looked away, his emotions overflowing at the thought of his Arya crying desperately. He held his tongue in wanting to reprimand Jon for upsetting Arya during her pregnancy.
“Sansa of course came at me yelling not to upset Arya when she was pregnant and to come back inside to talk,” Jon sighs, “Arya told me everything then, about how she turned down your proposal, how you loved each other still, that your wife is accepting of your affair, and how she wanted to have your babe,” he sighed as he looked away, “I was so angry, I felt betrayed by the both of you, but Arya especially.”
Gendry watched as Jon sighed deeply before taking the nearest seat. He held his head in his hands before looking straight at him.
“You know what the life a bastard is like.”
“They’re legitimized, they’re Stark’s,” he answers quickly, the mere thought of his children ever having to be bastard’s weighing on him.
“Aye, to some, and to others they’ll always be your bastard children. There’s no hiding that they are yours. Arya’s time here and the boys with their black hair and distinct blue eyes are a dead giveaway.”
This time it’s Gendry that sits, the burn of tears wanting to fall making him sigh in defeat. It was something that had been rattling in his mind, even he, who had been a bastard most of his life before being legitimized struggled with some who still viewed him as lowborn. It was worse when he first took up his lordship. He worried the same would happen to his boys and he couldn’t even be by their sides to explain it.
“I was so mad at Arya for condemning her child to such a life,” Jon sighs as he rubbed his face before continuing, “She was giving them my life.”
Gendry’s confusion must have shown clear across his face as Jon watched him.
“We both know the life of a bastard is hard, but you do not know what it’s like to know your father and yearn for him. To know that your father is a good man but that you are the greatest stain on his honor. You don’t know the pain of seeing your trueborn siblings able to interact freely with him but having to make sure that you aren’t offending anyone by being too near.”
Gendry is humbled by Jon’s sadness as he speaks because it was true. Him and Jon were bastard born but they had different experiences of it. There’s a part of Gendry that wanted to rush out assurances that he would do everything and anything to make sure his sons knew that they were loved and wanted but he paused. A large part of him was convinced to let Jon speak, he owed it to him to hear him out completely.
“If Robb fell and scrapped his knee, he could cry and he could run straight into our Lord Father’s arms… But when I fell, I had to swallow my tears and make sure that his Lady wife or anyone else that disapproved of my existence wasn’t nearby. If they were nearby, then I would have to deal with it alone.”
“Jon, I,” Gendry takes a deep breath, “I hear you; I do. I know that Arya and I seem impulsive and uncaring of anyone else but our love, but I swear to you, we care and worry. Neither of us did this with the intention of hurting anyone, much less our sons. I know it sounds like empty words, but I will always protect Arya and our children. Even if I can’t be by her side, I will always protect her. I love her more than anything else in this world. I love our sons, living proof of our love.”
Jon sighed deeply, grimacing in his direction.
“I believe you, despite everything telling me your full of shit. I believe you, but the truth is this, you won’t be able to protect them from how they will feel the day they realize they cannot treat you as their father.” Jon looks at him with a seriousness he hasn’t seen since he first met him all those years ago, “Although Rhaegar Targaryen is the man who sired me, Ned Stark will always be my father. I know he loved me. Loved me enough to insult his lady wife everyday by allowing me to live with them and raise me along with his trueborn children, but he couldn’t protect me from the world that saw me as his disgrace. He couldn’t protect me from feeling like it was true.”
Gendry swallows his words. He knows now why he avoided speaking with Jon. He knew Jon would never mince words about the truth they knew well of how the world viewed bastard children.
“I begged Arya to go North of the Wall. I begged her to let Sansa find a man who would marry her and claim the boys,” Jon gives him an unreadable look, “But she said the only man she would marry was you, so marriage wasn’t an option for her. That she didn’t care what anyone thought of her, as long as her family still loved her.”
Gendry watches as Jon rubs his head, trying desperately to keep the smile of his face at the mention of Arya willing to marry only him.
If only…
“I can’t understand why you’ve both decided to continue on this way but there’s no use in continuing to question something neither of you of willing to let go of.” Jon pins him down with a serious look, “This better be just as serious to you like it is for her. I see you as a friend Gendry but if you’re playing with my sister’s heart, I won’t hesitate to kill you where you stand. I will do everything in my power to protect LittleJon and Yoren… even if I have to protect them from you.”
Gendry wants to protest the idea that his little boys would need to be protected from him but nods instead. He knew Jon wanted to make his position clear.
“I know it looks bad, but it’s just as serious for me as it is for her. I’ve loved her for most of my life Jon… I don’t think I can explain clearly what she means to me, she’s everything to me.”
Jon grimaces and looks to want to say more but is distracted by a knock at the door.
“Come in,” says Gendry, a little relieved that someone would interrupt their heavy conversation.
He smiles as Steffon peaks his head in before the door is thrown open by a grinning Robert who runs into the room.
“IS GHOST HERE!?”
“Robert Baratheon!” exclaims Clara as she rushes in behind her sons, “You were supposed to wait and see if your father was available! Not scream at your father and his guest!” She casts an apologetic smile towards him and Jon.
“Arya said her brother Jon wasn’t like a stupid stuffy lord. He doesn’t care,” Robert says uncaring of the gasp that escapes from his lady mother.
“Robert,” says Gendry sternly.
Steffon sensing that they were likely close to being sent away, stepped forward towards Jon.
“Welcome to the Storm’s End Lord Snow, I am Steffon Baratheon,” he says with a bow.
Gendry smiles while Clara practically beams at Steffon’s use of manners.
“I’m Robert!” he says not wanting to be shown up by his older brother.
Jon chuckles and smiles, “It’s nice to meet you both, Arya has told me much about you.”
At this both Steffon and Robert grin and come closer to him.
“Did Arya come with you Lord Snow?”
Jon shakes his head in the negative, “She had to stay in Winterfell and you can just call me Jon, I’m no lord,” he says as he gives Gendry a quick look.
Steffon smiles at him, “Arya doesn’t like it when people call her by her titles either.”
Before Jon could reply Robert speaks up.
“Arya said in her last letter that she has a surprise for us in Winterfell! Do you know what it is?” he asks practically bouncing in place.
Jon smiles, “Aye, I have an idea, but you’ll have to wait for her to share it with you.”
Robert deflates at that. A tiny pout across his face as he realizes he would have to wait for his surprise.
Steffon shifts in place, biting his lip before looking at Jon, “Is Ghost here?”
Robert comes alive at this.
Jon gives them a small apologetic smile, “I’m sorry, he stayed behind at Winterfell.”
Robert makes a noise of distress before groaning, “I’m never gonna meet a direwolf.”
“Sorry Robert, but Ghost doesn’t like coming down South. He really doesn’t like to travel farther than Winterfell to be honest.”
Steffon gives Jon a curious look, “Don’t you miss him? Arya says she always misses Nymeria, even though they’ve spent more time apart than together.”
Jon smiles softly at that, “Aye, I always miss Ghost when we’re apart, but I never want Ghost to be uncomfortable. He’s happier in the North.”
“Arya said that too. She said direwolves aren’t pets, they belong to themselves, so you have to respect their choices too.”
“Aye, she would understand that more than most,” he says before looking at Clara.
Gendry feels a nervousness creep as he realizes he needs to introduce his wife to the brother of the woman he loved and impregnated.
What a mess.
“Jon, this is my wife Lady Clara Baratheon,” he rushed out hoping to get it over with as quickly as possible.
Jon gives Clara a smile that seems more like a grimace, “Well met Lady Clara, I’ve heard nothing but praise for the Lady of the Stormlands.”
Clara seems just as uneasy, “I thank you, my lord. Princess Arya has told me much about you.”
Before an awkward silence could grab hold, Gendry stands and clears his throat.
“Alright boys I know that you have more questions for Jon, but we haven’t finished our conversation. Go on with your mother and no pouting Robert.”
Clara quickly grabs the excuse to leave and ushers the boys out despite Robert’s loud protests.
A loaded silence settles over them.
“Jon–”
“My sister deserves more.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Gendry frowns, “Of course I do. Do you think I enjoy not being with Arya? That I can’t give her the place in my life that she deserves? The place I wanted her to have the moment I was given a title worthy of her. All I wanted was a life with her.”
Jon sighs and frowns, “No one forced to you to marry.”
Gendry sighs, “I’ve made mistakes and Arya did as well. It sounds mad but we are making it work for us. Sometimes… sometimes we do insane things for love. I regret a lot of things Jon, but loving Arya and being with her now, knowing that she is safe with our boys in Winterfell… I don’t regret being with the woman I love in the only way that’s possible for us now.”
Jon says nothing, just watches him for a while before looking away.
“Let’s hope then that you don’t end up regretting this as well.”
Gendry says nothing, only holds the pouch around his neck that contains Arya’s note and his sons’ hair a little tighter.
A storm comes and extends Jon’s visit to from a day to a week. Things are still tense with Jon but are getting better. The bruise on his face gets worse before it gets better.
“Father what happened to you face?”
Gendry startles as Steffon watches him in concern. Jon makes a point to stare at anything but them. Tormund eyes dance in amusement as he looks both and forth between him and Jon. Mercifully, he says nothing.
“Ah, I accidently got knocked in the face by a door,” he rushes out hoping his son won’t question him further.
Steffon gives him a look full of pity.
“Arya said your clumsy because you’re so big and unaware. She said that’s why it’s easier for you to swing a hammer instead of a sword.”
Gendry jaw drops before he splutters.
“It was an accident,” he says, unable to hide the exasperation in his tone.
“Arya says we should always be aware of our surroundings and shouldn’t make excuses,” says Steffon after shaking his head.
At this Jon and Tormund laugh as Gendry blushes.
“Don’t worry Father, Arya can help you be less clumsy if you just ask her.”
Jon and Tormund seem to laugh harder at that.
“Aye son, I’ll be sure to ask,” he says dryly.
When the rain finally lets up Jon lets him know that he’s leaving. Gendry makes the impulsive decision to go as well. He had planned to leave in another two months, but he wants to see his boys. He wants to see Arya.
“You can come if you want.”
Clara smiles as they overlook the training yard where Jon and Tormund are teaching Steffon and Robert basic maneuvering. Ser Davos is close by offering comfort to a frustrated Robert who swung too hard and fell over.
“I know, but I think you need this moment by yourselves without me around. Honestly if I could keep Steffon and Robert here, I would. Just so you and Arya can spend some time together uninterrupted with your boys, but you will have to make do. I will make sure Storm’s End is still here when you get back.”
Gendry chuckles watching as Steffon and Robert listened to Jon raptly.
“Aye, they’ll likely raise the Seven hells if I leave them behind,” he says with a laugh. He feels lighter at having made the decision to leave earlier than expected. He just wanted to see Arya and their boys and make up for lost time.
To the boys’ delight, they travel by ship to White Harbor. Gendry’s never been a fan of boats or ships but he’s just happy that it’ll bring him faster to Arya. Almost as if the Gods are on his side, they end up arriving earlier than expected due to favorable winds. Ser Davos jokingly tells him that he’s more excited than Robert who’s practically vibrating in place the closer they get to Winterfell.
The Manderly’s greet him as his station demands but eye him with suspicion. They say nothing directly to him, but the way they eye him says enough.
Jon notices and pulls him aside.
“The Northern Lords adore Arya. Not only did she save the North by ending the Long Night but avenged The Red Wedding as well. They’re not happy that Ned Stark’s daughter sits in Winterfell unmarried with two sons by a Lord Paramount who is already married with children. It was only Arya and Sansa that has kept them from declaring war against you. You’ll likely see more of the same once the Northern Lords hear that you’re in Winterfell. They’ll make a point to visit.”
Gendry nods and though he knows he should take those looks of loathing and distrust seriously, it’s easier to brush aside the closer they get to Winterfell. Besides, growing up as a bastard had hardened him against feeling upset the Northmen likely viewed him. He couldn’t find it in him to care, his mind preoccupied with Arya and his boys being so close to him.
Steffon and Robert protest the idea of riding in the wheelhouse, both wanting to ride instead. Gendry compromises by insisting that they’ll travel by wheelhouse some of the way but not the complete journey.
Despite that, the boys are excited by their travels. Gendry and Jon switch between Steffon and Robert as they ride to Winterfell. Robert practically talks the entire way; Steffon is more subdued and in awe of the North
As they finally make their way through the gates of Winterfell, Gendry is reminded of the last time he made his way here. It reminds him of how much time had passed since the War of the Dawn was won. A gentle hurt washes over him as he remembers Arya’s rejection and how he left Winterfell brokenhearted. He pushes those feelings to the side as they make it into the courtyard where Queen Sansa and her household were already waiting. He can see Arya watching him with the most beautiful smile across her face.
Someone comes and helps Robert dismount before he does the same. Just as Robert, who likely caught sight of Arya, was ready to rush forward, Steffon grabs him.
“You have to wait Robert. We greet the Queen first; we can’t insult Arya’s sister. Remember Mother told you to mind your manners,” whispers Steffon before letting him go.
Gendry smiles and squeezes his son’s shoulder who flushes at the unspoken praise. Ser Davos stands by the boys and nods for him to go ahead. Jon is already greeting his sisters who are standing next to each other.
All he wants to do is grab Arya and kiss her senseless, instead he greets the Queen.
“Your Grace,” he says as he bows. Although he feels he should kneel, Ser Davos tells him that the Queen Sansa was not their monarch so he would have to bow instead.
“Welcome back to Winterfell, Lord Baratheon.”
He nods for his sons to come forward.
“This is Steffon and Robert, my boys.”
They both bow and Queen Sansa smiles at them.
“Welcome to Winterfell, I hope you enjoy yourselves while you’re here.”
They nod and smile.
Gendry steps in front of Arya and is blown away. He wonders if he should prepare himself for Arya always looking even more beautiful than the last time he sees her. He smiles, knowing there was no hiding his overwhelming love for her.
“Welcome back m’lord.”
“Good to be back m’lady.”
“Arya, I missed you!”
Gendry nearly falls as Robert manages to push him out the way to get to Arya.
He hears Steffon groan as Ser Davos, Jon, Tormund and Queen Sansa all laugh softly. He hears the household servants also chuckle, though they try to hide it. He can’t help but laugh a little as Robert hugs her so fiercely.
Arya kneels and hugs Robert closer to her, “I missed you too, I missed you both,” she says as she extends a hand to Steffon. Steffon smiles and runs into her arms as well. Gendry smiles at the sight.
Steffon pulls back, “I’ve taken care of Father, Mother, and Robert like I promised Arya.”
“I knew you would,” she says with a smile as Robert cuddles into her side.
“Though,” he glances at him and whispers, “You were right, Father is clumsy and not aware. A door hit him badly in the face.”
He groans as he hears the laughter grow. He watches as Arya bites her lip as she quickly looks to her brother, who has a blush across his face.
She snorts, “Well we’ll have to teach him to be a little less clumsy.”
Steffon nods in agreement.
Gendry gestures their maid forward.
“Bessa will show them to their rooms. I have baths waiting for you all to refresh yourselves from the road,” says Queen Sansa as she gestures her own servant forward.
“No need to show me, I already know the way,” says Tormund as he makes his way inside the keep.
Jon tells Ser Davos he will be staying in the rooms he occupied before as make their way inside.
The boys grumble about being separated from Arya but Arya’s gentle reminder that they’ll see each other soon calms them.
“Arya, I’m sure you’ll be kind enough to show Lord Baratheon to his quarters,” says Sansa with an eyebrow raised in amusement.
Arya is all nonchalance as she responds, “Aye,” she turns as she expects him to follow but looks over her shoulder at him, “No worries m’lord. I’ll make sure no doors hit you on the way.”
He bits his lip, pushing back his smile and says nothing as he follows her. He can hear Queen Sansa’s laughter but all he can focus is on Arya. As she turns a corner, out of sight of everyone else, he smiles as her hands grab him to pull him closer to her. Her mischievous smile lights a fire inside him as he quickly takes her lips.
He has to remind himself, that he shouldn’t get carried away as he lifts Arya and her legs wrap around his waist. Though they had privacy now, that could change at any moment. He feels almost delirious as their tongues clash and their hands grab at each other, pulling the other as close as they can.
Their kiss turns softer, and they finally pull away from each other, both breathless and smiling.
“I’ve missed you Arya,” he says.
“I’ve missed you too.”
He gently places her back on the floor.
“Can we see the boys?”
Arya gives him a soft look that nearly pushes him to kiss her again.
“Aye, they’re sleeping now, but you can look in on them.”
She grabs his hand and takes him in the direction of what he assumes is the boys’ room. He wonders if she can hear his heart beating out of control. He’s full of nervous energy and excitement.
She squeezes his hand before they enter what he assumes is the nursery. A servant is sitting next to the cradle sewing. She looks up and silently stands, bowing before leaving.
Gendry feels almost frozen but pushes himself forward. He looks into the cradle and his vision blurs as he takes in the little bodies sleeping underneath the blankets. Their black curly hair stands out as their little chests’ rise and fall, their cheeks rosy and plump. Both are sleeping with their hands by their heads. Their faces are long and for a moment, he can remember how Arya was able to pass as a boy. He sees Arya in his boys and even Jon. But he already knew that when their eyes opened it would be all him.
All he wants to do is grab them both, hold them tight and never let go. He wants to pour all his love into them and hope they won’t hate him in the future. He wants them to know that they were born from a great love and not lust. That they would never be his shame, but his dream come alive. There was so much to say, and he feared he would never have enough time to say it all.
As he felt his tears fall, Arya pressed a kiss against his shoulder.
“They’re beautiful Arya,” he says completely choked up. He pulls Arya to his front, hugging her from behind. She leans against him as they both gaze at their sleeping sons.
“Aye, we make lovely babies m’lord.”
He hides his face in her neck, trying to get a handle on his emotions.
“That we do.”
She pats his arms and says, “They won’t wake for a while yet. Let’s get you clean m’lord before the boys come calling.”
He lets her go as she heads for the door; he gazes at his sons’ one more time before following her out. The servant that had been in the room before makes her way back into the room.
Arya leads him to the room right across the nursery. As he makes his way inside, he realizes that this is her room. He had never seen it before, so he takes in the hearth rug that had toys strewn on it, likely a place his sons played with her. There was also a cradle by her bed, and he wondered if the boys slept near her most nights. He feels a bit of self-loathing at not knowing the answer.
A tub is situated by the wall, the steam rising from the water. His attention is pulled back to Arya who slowly starts to reach for the ties of his doublet.
“Time to get you clean my lord,” she says as she kisses him. She pulled off his doublet and tunic before leading him to her bed before pushing him down. He breathes hard in amazement as she undresses herself.
Her body had change since having their babes and his blood runs hot taking her in. Her breasts had doubled in size, likely heavy with milk. Her nipples that had been a soft pink were a captivating brown now. Her hips had flared out in a way that made him want to run his hands all over them. Her stomach that had once been flat and muscled was soft and poked out the slightest bit. It made his cock twitch in his breeches. But seeing the bull pendent laying in between her breast nearly had him ready to spill all over himself. An errant thought that he would like to fill her full of his babe again made his cock harden to a point that it felt a little painful. He had loved her body before but now she was like a siren calling to him.
As she ready to pull her own breeches down, she smirked, “I believe we’ve had this conversation before. Take them off yourself.”
Gendry laughs as he quickly takes off his boots and pulls his breeches and small clothes off in one go. He leans back on his elbows as she walks to him, with the same confidence she had all those years ago.
She straddles him and he sits up to kiss her hungrily. He lets his hand roam all over her, paying attention to her hips that looked and felt amazing in his hands. He groans as he feels her hand grasp his cock as she rubs it against her. The heat of her cunt has him worried that he might spill too soon. She pauses as she recognizes the pouch he had around his neck. The one she gifted to him to have something of their boys. She kisses him with a hunger that has him feeling dizzy. His thoughts are cut short as her warm heat envelops him.
Her moan as she carefully slides down his length has him kissing her neck, understanding that they need to go slow. He rubs her back and kisses her face as he watches her for any extreme pain she might feel. They kiss softly as she accustoms herself to his cock again.
As their kiss becomes more heated, Arya shifts her hips that causes him to thrust sharply against her. She gasps, wincing a little, and he immediately apologizes.
“Fuck Arya, I’m sorry.”
She bites her lip before adjusting herself.
“It’s fine, just give me a moment.”
He nods and he can feel the sweat pooling on his forehead. The instinct to thrust inside Arya has him nearly shaking as he fights against the urge. He’s determined to go at her pace.
Arya kisses him again before pushing him down to lay flat against the bed. He watches as she rolls her hips slowly against his.
“Fuck,” he moans, as she presses her hand against his chest to keep him in place. Watching as she rides him becomes too much as he closes his eyes and throws his head back. His hands rub her hips as the sound of their hips meeting make the pleasure even more intense. It’s a sweet torture to have to go this slow. His body feels like it’s on fire, the pleasure feels overwhelming, and he feels half drunk on it. He almost cries in happiness as Arya picks up speed.
He opens his eyes to see Arya with her head thrown back as her hips move faster against him. He watches the soft bounce of her tits and licks his lips at the bead of milk that escapes her nipples. Feeling the fluttering of her cunt on his cock makes him thank the Old Gods and the New because he’s liable to explode in any moment.
“Gendry,” she moans softly as he rubs in between her legs. He’s determined that she reaches pleasure before him.
She places her hand over his that is gripping her hip as she rides him faster. The bed begins to creak loudly, and he swallows as Arya begins to tremble on top of him. She screams and freezes, head thrown back as her body trembles over him. The flutters and pulsing of her cunt have him on the very edge. As he tries to lift her off him, she grinds down on him harder which has him yelling out as her grabs her hips to keep her still as he spills into her. He hopes he’s not hurting her by holding her so tightly to him, but his pulsing cock can’t take any more movement from her.
Arya collapses against him as he struggles to regain his breathing.
“I missed you, Gendry,” she whispers against his ear.
Gendry closes his eyes as he hears to vulnerability in her voice.
‘She deserves better than a half-life with you.’
“I’ve missed you every day,” he says looking at her as she smiles softly.
She raises herself upright and he follows to capture her lips. She sighs as he trails kisses down her neck. She raises herself on her knees, so his kisses trail to her chest.
Gendry pressed soft kisses to her breasts, keeping careful not to be too rough just in case her breasts were sore.
She gives him an amused look when their eyes meet.
“Go on,” she says.
He doesn’t need to be told twice as he licks the bead of milk that’s leaking from both her nipples. It’s a strange taste, he contemplates as he suckles at her breast, but he likes it all the same. He switches to her other breast and pays it the same attention.
Arya moans softly as he suckles her, but she pulls away far sooner than he would have liked.
“Don’t give me that look. Your sons are greedy, and I’ll need to feed them soon. Besides, we should get clean before we’re interrupted.”
Gendry gives her breasts forlorn look that has Arya rolling her eyes at him. They stand as they make their way into the tub. As he and Arya clean each other and catch up, he knows he made the right decision in coming sooner rather than later. He really had missed her so much and as she smiled and kissed his lips whenever they were in reach, he knows that she missed him as well.