Winter's Thaw

The Inn at the Crossroads

A/N: Awww, I got a couple of really nice reviews. Keep it up y'all; it's what inspires me to write faster. So, enjoy, we've got angst ahead.

The Inn at the Crossroads

Gendry

The day was not a pleasant one. The sky was grey, and dark clouds were gathered up above. Gendry couldn't decide if Arya was acting so cold and distant because of the weather, or if she was somehow indirectly controlling it herself. Both were equally likely in his opinion. She wasn't being particularly mean, just distant. It all started that morning after she disappeared for near a half hour. Rik thought she might be pregnant and moody, but Merilee shot that down. He supposed she would know. He did believe her, reluctantly. Despite the short amount of time the two women had known each other, they were already close. If Arya were pregnant, her new friend would definitely know about it.

However, Arya was definitely distant, and he was not just imagining it. At first, he thought she was just reacting to his reluctance to get to The Inn, but it was definitely more complicated than that. He knew he was overreacting, being overly sensitive. When he had first married her, he had assumed they would be as strangers, that the occasional smile was the best he could hope for. But after The Peach, he knew he would never be satisfied with anything less than a partner. Not now that he'd tasted it. In his wildest dreams, he couldn't have dreamed of a woman who could help him sleep at night, who would moan and heat up beneath his touch, who would support him, smile at him, curse him, and actually help him with his responsibilities. He knew she was stunning from the first, but it was the kind of beauty that showed him new facets at every turn; while flushing adorably, running around in trousers, astride a horse, dressed up, or breathtakingly furious. 

And now, she was being very quiet, barely speaking to any of them; not even her new best friend Merilee.

Humorously, the latest backtrack in their relationship was not his only concern, and shouldn't be at the forefront at all. 

As they approached The Inn, he knew they would find Jeyne Heddle there as well. Seeing her again after all this time, after how they'd left things, it was going to be extremely uncomfortable. And he was only thinking of his end. Jeyne would be nasty, and rightfully so. Arya, well there was no way at all to predict her reaction. She could be jealous and territorial; actually, he wouldn't mind that at all. She would also be disappointed. That, he did not want. And at that, he could imagine the space between them growing wider. No more unscheduled stops, no more shy smiles beckoning him off the path.

But his greatest concern by far was The Lady Stoneheart. He knew it was ridiculous; the creature had only ever been at The Inn but once, her presence made the children uncomfortable. She made him uncomfortable. The woman preferred to be around the killing anyway, not in the company of life. Still, he didn't know if he should tell Arya. The knowledge would only hurt her, he'd seen the way she was with her father's bones, and never wanted to add to her pain. Clearly, the loss of her family was still a very open wound for her. Knowing her, if he told her, she'd run off to The Twins to go see for herself. And he couldn't have that, something like that could destroy her. No matter what, he needed to protect his new wife, from all kinds of harm.

His mind went round and round in circles. He even considered bringing up one or all of these topics with her, just to have something to say, just to get her talking to him, but he's too much of a coward.

By the time they arrive, it is not quite dark, but no longer light either; the sky itself still threatening to pour down rain. 

At the sound of their approach, the entire Inn comes out to see them. A large chunk of The Brotherhood is there, and Gendry feels a smile make its way onto his face at the sight of Thoros and Lem. The grin grows wider still at all the little orphan children that swarm around him. He looks over at Arya to see a pleasant expression on her face. He is distracted by one tiny but strong body crashing into him, squeezing him tightly. He recognizes the little creature immediately as Willow.