Little Wolf (Sansa/Petyr)

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Tyrion had not expected Sansa back for many days, even weeks. So he was shocked when he heard of her return not two days after she had left. He prepared everything as quickly as he could, but with such short time, it was difficult.

Varys was waiting for her when she arrived back to the vale. Sansa didn't know what to do. She was embarrassed and humiliated by the entire situation. When she saw Varys, she covered her face and shook her head in disappointment of herself.
"What happened, my child?" He asked, walking beside her.
"I forgot my brother has a war to fight." She sighed and Varys understood.
"He was not available to spend time with you?" He asked.
"He asked me to leave the very same day." She sighed.
"That does not mean that he loves you any less. Jon Snow is a very busy man." Varys told Sansa, not wanting her to get down about all of this.
"I know that. I just really could have used the time away." She sighed.
"I know." Varys concluded. Unsure how to advise her further.

Petyr had heard that Sansa had returned. He had spent the past few nights, tossing and turning, imagining every scenario where she could get hurt or worse. Knowing she was back safely at the Vale was a large relief. But now he was unsure how to act, whether he should go and see her or wait for her to seek him out. He had acted in a way he thought was in her best interest. But he had hurt her, he knew that now. He would wait it out and see how she acted towards him at dinner.

Daenerys wished that she could hurry up the marriage of Sansa and Baelish. But she knew that there was a fracture, a problem within the union. And until that was fixed, there was no way there was going to be able to have a wedding.

Sansa convinced herself to go and eat dinner in the hall with the others. She was nervous to see him, but someone had to make the first move. When she entered the hall, the table fell silent. Varys smiled, Tyrion kept eating and Petyr looked at her like she was the only thing illuminating his life. He hadn't seen her in so long, not face to face like this. He felt the air leave his chest, as if someone had punched him in the stomach.

Sansa could sit opposite Petyr or she could sit opposite Varys. She understood that this was a decision that should be given a great deal of thought. She looked at Petyr and felt her hard exterior melt a little. Maybe she had overreacted. He was only trying to protect her from slander. She took a deep breath and sat opposite Petyr, looking him in his steel grey eyes.

He couldn't stop staring. He knew that the whole table was observing this moment and would no doubt feed it on until everyone in the Vale knew. But he didn't care. Petyr could have lost her in the last few days, this was a fact that had only just become real. She could have been killed and he would have never been able to tell her how much he cared for her, or to apologise for his foolish behaviour. He could not let his pride get in the way, not again.
"How was your journey, Lady Stark?" He asked formally, looking down at his food.
"It was long, and cold. But the landscape has changed so much with the coming of winter that I found myself seeing sights I have never seen before." She replied, her tone light and Petyr looked up at her and smiled.

After dinner, Petyr asked if he could spend some time with Sansa, alone. They walked about the hallways of the Vale, it being too cold to walk in the gardens.
"Was Jon happy to see you?" Petyr asked.
"Yes, if not a little worried that I had travelled alone." Sansa admitted.
"You should not have gone alone." Petyr agreed.
"There was no one to go with me." Sansa looked down at the ground. Petyr looked down at her.
"That is not true. If you had only asked, I would have come with you." He stated and Sansa huffed and kept her gaze on her shoes.
"I thought it would have wounded your sensibilities." She chuckled to herself and Petyr gave her that one, feeling slightly wounded by her attack.
"I am sorry for what I did before. I now see that it was wrong for me to ask you to leave. But I was only trying to protect you." His voice was strained as he attempted to explain himself.
"I know." Sansa said, with finality in her voice. She took his hand and looked up at him.
"It was just hard. Hearing it from you." She looked down once again, but Petyr caught her chin with his finger this time.
"Please, tell me this next time. Don't run off on a journey that could potentially kill you." He pleaded.
"Very well." Sansa agreed.

They continued walking and an issue had begun to plague Sansa's mind. She knew if she did not speak with Petyr about it, she would become angry again.
"Petyr, I think our engagement has gone on long enough." She admitted. Petyr was glad to hear these words come from Sansa. He would have married her weeks ago if she had relaid this sentiment sooner.
"You wish to be wed?" He asked, ensuring that he understood her.
"I wish for things to come out of the shadows. To cease sneaking around in the middle of the night. I want a husband, a life that I can call my own and know shall be stable for years to come." Sansa breathed heavily, she knew she was taking a risk by declaring her feelings, but it was all she could think to do.
"Sansa, I have been waiting for you to be ready. I see you are now. I shall speak with the Queen. No more sneaking, no more secrets, I promise." He smiled down at her. She did not let him kiss her that night and he understood why. He was in the badlands and it would take a little while to get out.

"Goodnight, Lord Baelish." She said to him, as she closed her door for the night.
"Goodnight, Lady Sansa." Petyr replied as he walked down the hall, now with a greater understanding of his situation and the woman he was going to marry.