Someone [ARYA STARK]

TWENTY SEVEN

Edgar and Sansa needed time to talk and think, so Will and Arya left them to it.

It was peculiar thing, to watch his brother enamoured by someone other than himself. For as long as he could remember, Will never saw Edgar love anyone but himself. There was no love lost when he was ultimately sent away.

But there was no denying he at least cared for Sansa in some way from the way he looked at her. Will wondered if he ever looked at Arya in that way.

It was the first time Will sat down and thought, hard.

He was the bastard son of Jamie Lannister.

Jamie fucking Lannister.

The kingslayer.

He had so many questions that would probably remain unanswered his entire life. How did Jamie Lannister know his mother? Why did his father love him like a father? How did Edgar know? What did the Starks have anything to do with it?

Arya watched him carefully as his face was illuminated in the flickering fire.

"Will," she began tentatively and quietly.

His pale eyes snapped upwards to meet her pale ones and his concerned expression instantly softened at the sight of her worried face.

"I'm sorry." She muttered, "I'm really fucking sorry."

He frowned, "Why are you apologising?"

She leaned forward, "I have treated you like shit countless times. I left you when you only showed me kindness. You welcomed me back. You followed me here. You stuck by me when I was being unreasonable and stupid... it's not like you can help who you're born as. Honestly, I couldn't care less that you're the Kingslayer's son, 'cause you're just Will to me. And Will is the kindest, most selfless, honourable and bravest person I know."

"You saved me, Will." She said, "Oh god, I babble on too much, don't I?" A ghost of a smile flickered over her face.

Will grinned, tilting his head,

"You don't do it nearly enough." He replied honestly.

Their little moment ended abruptly as the door swung open and Sansa appeared in the frame.

She looked carefully between the two.

"Arya - Bran's here too." She said finally.

Arya shot up almost instantly.

"He is?" Her eyes were excited and youthful in joy. Will smiled at her happiness. "Where?"

Sansa smiled softly at her sister's brief happiness, "He's in the forest, but..." her smiled flattered a little, "He's... changed, Arya."

"I don't care, I'm going to see my brother."

Sansa shook her head at her sister's stubbornness and Will simply grinned even more, having a lot of first hand experience with it.

Arya shot one looked back at Will and disappeared out of the door.

He was now alone with Sansa in the room silent save for the crackling fire that shon a yellow glare across the room.

"Care to explain about you and my sister?" The lady of Winterfell broke the silence and seated herself across the table from Will, smoothing out her dress. Her tone was light and a not unkind smile flitted across her pale face.

Sansa had changed. A lot. Will didn't even need to speak to her to figure that one out. She had been moulded by a cruel world but somehow, she turned out better than most.