Winter's Thaw

Fallout

Gendry

The room is silent, and Gendry hesitates not a moment before following Arya out. She's walking purposefully down the hall, fists clenched, her grey dress swishing loudly.

"Arya." He calls out. She slows down, but keeps walking. He easily catches up with her. "Arya." He grabs her arm again to get her to face him. Her eyes are moist, and the sensation unmans him.

"Not here." She grabs his arm in-turn, and pulls him along. He follows readily, of course, breathing a bit heavy with the adrenaline of it.

"Please just listen, let's talk about this..."

She shakes her head, looking up and down the hall for eavesdroppers.

"Arya please, you have to believe me. I didn't do this. I swear. I would never..." He pleads. She stops looking around and focuses on him.

"I do believe you, Gendry."

"What?" His whole chest collapses in relief. He's not sure he heard her correctly.

"Or, I don't believe her." She lightly slaps him on the chest. "You wouldn't have a bastard, you're so sensitive about those things. I'd also like to think you wouldn't humiliate me this way in public." She grinds her jaw.

He laughs then, the intense relief doing nothing to slow his pulse.

"I thought. Oh God, I thought..." He's hysterical.

"Sorry. I just had to get out of there before I lost my composure. I could have strangled her. That or vomited all over the dessert."

"Thank the Gods." He kisses her palm and pulls it to his chest. "Thank you."

"I know she's lying. But the best lies usually have some truth mixed in. I'm still figuring out which is which." She arches her eyebrows at him. "Swear to me you never touched her, and I'll believe you."

He swallows, his first reaction. She sees it and her eyes narrow.

"No. I..."

"You hesitated." He swallows again.

"No, I didn't I..." She frees her hand.

"You did it again. You're hiding something."

"No. I, yeees. But it's not what you're thinking." He combs his fingers through his black hair.

"You don't want to know what I'm thinking." The line of her jaw is tense, eyeliner smeared beyond repair.

"Just, let me explain."

"Please, by all means."

"She tried to... there was a thing... but nothing happened. Truly. I thought I could handle it myself. Obviously, I was wrong. But I didn't think she would dare..." He trails off, but she's studying him.

"What thing?"

"It's..."

"Tell me 'the thing', now, Gendry. You won't get another chance." She crosses her arms in a show of strength. But her eyes are watering again.

"Well, it's. When we first got here. I came back to the room. I saw, what I thought was you leaning over. I thought I was grabbing your ass, but..." The look she gives him is blank.

"And then?" Emotionless.

"Nothing. I mean she rubbed all up against me like, and I sent her away." He scratches the back of his neck. "I really thought it was you." She blinks slowly.