Chapter Text
After they spoke, Gendry stayed over for a few hours while they ate stir fry and watched movies together, restoring the normalcy in their friendship. Gendry went home that night, feeling lighter than he had before they spoke about anything. It's all going to pay off. He could feel it, no matter how long it took. She's worth the wait, she will always be worth everything.
He unlocked the door to his apartment and was greeted to the sight of Robb and Jon playing video games on his couch and Theon cooking-no- burning something in his kitchen.
"Theon how many times have I told you to leave the cooking to me," Robb said from his spot on the couch. Theon glared in his direction.
"You never let me cook. How can I learn to cook if you won't let me."
Gendry rolled his eyes at all of them. "Glad to see you lot making yourselves comfortable in my flat while I'm not around."
At the sound of his voice, Robb and Theon looked at Gendry while Jon stole the opportunity to kill Robb's character in their match.
"Oi! You cheated!" Robb turned to face Jon. Jon just smiled at him triumphantly before turning to Gendry.
"How'd everything go mate? Do we have to beat you up or what?"
Gendry looked at Jon before releasing an exasperated sigh at the 3 grown men that have managed to make themselves very comfortable in his flat.
"How did you guys get in here?"
Theon lifted keys from his pockets and grinned,"Made our own copies, didn't we?" He looked at Robb and Jon who nodded happily.
"Cheeky." Gendry said sarcastically.
"Anyways, things went well. We spoke everything out and while we are both very much in the know about how we feel, she needs time-"
"I don't blame her." Robb said, earning him an elbow to the rib from Jon and a glare from Theon."What? It's true!"
"He's right, she's right. Thanks for defending my honor though fellas." Gendry smiled,"But yeah, we're just rebuilding from here. Taking it slow."
"Taking it slow as in you're already dating? Or taking it slow as in you're building your way up to it?" Jon asked, his face scrunched up in confusion.
"The second one, I think. I mean I'm pretty sure- hold on let me ask her." Gendry left the living room to go call Arya and ask her, and after 2 short minutes came back "Yup definitely the second one."
Theon, Robb and Jon all laughed at how red in the face he was, earning a frown from Gendry.
"You guys have to be the worst wingmen in all of human history." He muttered, heading towards his fridge for a beer.
"Oh cheer up, you right bloke. We're only teasing." Theon said, before slapping a hand on Gendry's shoulder.
"Yeah, what he said. In no time will you and Arya be sucking face much to the horror of me and every other man in her life." Jon said grinning and grimacing, making his face contort rather funnily and making Gendry laugh.
Robb glowered, "Please never say sucking face and Arya in the same sentence ever again."
Arya felt ten times better after having spoken to Gendry about everything, and knew for certain that things would be alright. She just needed a bit of time before things could go forward.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of knocking on her door. She opened it to the sight of a very happy Ned Dayne, "Greetings old friend." He swiftly let himself into the apartment, while Arya rolled her eyes and closed the door behind them.
"Hi Ned. Sorry I wasn't here on Friday, I was-"
"Oh don't worry about it. I know all about it." Ned smiled understandingly. Arya smiled back.
"Can you believe he was jealous of me? Me Arya?! It's absolutely ludicrous.." Ned laughed.
"I know. I can't believe he ever thought either one of us would date the other. No offense Ned, we're just both so different."
"None taken, I completely agree. You wouldn't be able to keep up with me." Ned said the last part with amusement, hoping Arya would sense he was joking.
"Me not keep up with you? In your sorry dreams, Edric Dayne." Arya laughed. He smiled, happy to have found a friend in Arya.
"So what happened? Did you guys resolve everything?"
"Nearly, I'm just taking time before we jump into anything. I want to make sure we trust each other again." Ned nodded his head in understanding before staring at Arya expectantly.
"What?"
Ned rolled his eyes,"I need details Arya. You know, how did you guys 'resolve' everything? How did you guys proclaim your undying love for one another?"
Arya couldn't help but smile at how much of a romantic Ned is, so much like her sister Sansa and she told him as much. It made her heart hurt to know Jeyne couldn't see how good Ned was for her and anybody really and she promptly decided she'd do her best at being a friend helping another friend through a bad breakup and give him all the details of what Ned refers to as her and Gendry's 'undying love'.
"I can't wait for whatever time you need to pass so that the two of you can just be together already. This is actual torture." Ned said dramatically, causing Arya to roll her eyes at him.
"You are so dramatic."
"What? It's true. Anybody with eyes can see how made for each other you two are! Now all we have to do is wait, but like I said, actual. torture." Ned pointed out to her, "How much time do you think you'll need?"
"I'm not sure really. I think it's all a matter of spending time with him the way we do as friends as usual, and when it's time I'll know."
"Now who's the romantic? Little miss 'When it's time I'll know'?"
"Alright enough of your teasing, put the movie in!!"
"You got it, boss lady."
Arya smiled, and for the first time in a long time, felt all the pieces in her life falling into place.
"Okay which place are we ordering from tonight? Sandor's Chicken Shack or Hot Pie's Pot Pies?" Gendry asked Arya from the floor of her living room.
A week passed since their conversation and she invited him over for takeout and a marathon of The Twilight Zone.
"No way, it's your pick tonight. That was the deal. I pick the show and you pick the food." She said, exiting her room in her pajamas, before she tossed him a pair of his own to get comfortable in.
He stood up and moved to head to the bathroom and get changed.
When he finished he came back out and stood in front of her.
"Well have you picked where we're eating from?" She asked, looking up at him.
Gendry pouted at her,"Come on Arya. You know I'm terrible at making decisions about food."
Arya narrowed her eyes at him before shaking her head,"This is a hill I'm going to die on Gendry. Flip a coin."
"Why don't you flip a coin?" Gendry narrowed his eyes back at her.
Arya threw her hands up in the air in exasperation,"Why are you so bullheaded?"
"Arya just pick. This always happens. I pick somewhere and the food gets here and you say we should've ordered from the other place instead." Gendry spoke, his voice annoyed because this was very much an argument they've had before.
"Then just order from both places! Seven hells, Gendry."
"Was that so hard?" Gendry asked her with a amusement in his voice, earning him a glare from her.
He laughed before kissing the top of her head.
He froze before stepping away, scratching his neck and clearing his throat,"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- I mean I meant to - I just-"
She looked up at him through her lashes and felt a blush creep up her cheeks,"It's fine, I know what you mean. It's okay."
"You sure?" He asked, fearful he overstepped her time boundary.
She laughed before nodding her head, "Yes Gendry, I'm sure. It's okay."
He released a breath he didn't realize he had been holding in and felt the tension in the room dissipate.
"Now order that damn food before I kick you out of my flat." She said, a grin spreading across her face.
It was Gendry's turn to glare at her.
In all truth, Arya had been more than okay with Gendry kissing the top of her head. It felt so second nature and he did it like he had been doing it his whole life. Like it was what he was meant to be doing.
After Gendry crashed on her couch that night, Arya found it rather hard to fall asleep. She kept thinking back to the argument they had about the food, to him changing into his pajamas in her flat, never mind the fact that he already had his own drawer in her dresser. She kept thinking about how comfortable they were with one another and it hit her so suddenly how domestic things were with him, how domestic they felt.
It made her heart swell.
Home isn't a place. It's a person.
It had been 1 week since he kissed the top of her head and 3 weeks had passed since they agreed to take their time and Gendry fell into the rhythm of taking things slow pretty easily after the kiss on the head incident.
He treated her the way he always had, only now he didn't hide the love behind his eyes for her. He argued with her like day and night and they spent every weekend together whether it was holed up in his or her flat, or out eating with their friends and family. Arya was his best friend and taking things at whatever pace she needed came easily to him, especially if it was her.
It did not, however, come as easily to Arya. Not after she experienced, truly experienced first hand what spending a night with Gendry while they were both aware of how the other felt was like. And now here she was, on a Saturday night, complaining as such about it to Sansa and Margaery.
The experience, Arya concluded, was torture. She wanted nothing more than to jump his bones when she woke up in the middle of night to get water and saw him curled up on her couch hugging her pillow to his chest that he swears smells so much like her.
It was then she knew she was in trouble. 3 weeks is enough time right?
"I'm confused, isn't this what you wanted? Time?" Sansa asked Arya from her couch.
"Yes it is. I just didn't take into account that knowing how he feels about me would change the way I wanted things to be. Like I know us talking about our feelings would lead to us being more, I just didn't expect to want it as badly as I do. I mean it's like needing to use the bathroom and being fine on the way home but then your bladder gives you absolute hell when you're right outside your flat-"
Sansa stared at Arya with wide eyes, not entirely believing the analogy she just made, "Did you just compare this to having to pee?"
"I couldn't think of a better analogy, but you get what I mean, right? It's like I'm so close yet so far!" Arya exclaimed
Sansa shook her head at her, "You are crazy Arya-"
"Crazy in looooove." Margaery said, returning from the bathroom. Arya glowered at the both of them.
"It's been three weeks and I don't know what to do. I'm the one who asked for time, he just agreed." Arya gumbled.
"Are you mad at him for agreeing with you wanting time now?" Sansa asked, staring at the enigma that was her sister.
"No, in fact the exact opposite. I love him for it. It's not like he's a saint in all this so I don't think he saw another way. I just- I don't know. I'm confused. I mean I'm not confused, I'm just sick and tired of waiting."
"Love does that to the head." Margaery inquired.
"I thought it was only supposed to affect my heart, not me entirely. This is bogus."
Sansa smiled and stifled a laugh at the sight of her sister in love.
"That's what it is Arya-"
"It doesn't look that way for you and Marg." Arya cut her off.
"It doesn't look the same on everybody. Plus, it wasn't always this way, not always easy. Marg and I dated in secret for 4 months before I told anybody about us."
"I didn't know that." Arya said with wide eyes.
"Exactly my point. It wasn't easy for us, I wanted it to stay a secret because I was so afraid. But being with Margaery taught me that things are less scary when you have someone there to hold your hand, someone who you know will love you through the ugly parts, someone who has seen you at your worst and still chose to stay. Being in love with Margaery has helped me more than I can thank her for. It's what made telling you and everybody that we were together that much easier."
Margaery looked at Sansa with hearts in her eyes. "I love you too Sans, you've taught me more than I ever thought possible. I'm better because of you, I'm better for you."
Arya watched her sister and her sister's girlfriend and realized how true everything Sansa said was. Not for the first time, she was thanking all the gods for sending Margaery Sansa's way.
"You guys are like a love fest. It makes me sick." Arya joked before the two other girls attacked her faces with kisses all over.
"You're one to talk, Arya Stark. Little miss 'I'm in love with Gendry Waters and can't wait to be with him already!'." Sansa teased her. They all laughed and Arya didn't realize how lucky she was for all the people in her life.
"What are you going to do?" Margaery asked her after a moment.
Arya thought for a moment before looking at the both of them. "I'm gonna go get my man." Arya smirked.
Sansa's eyes widened,"You little devil."
"Finally! It's about damn time." Margaery exclaimed happily.
Arya smiled at the pair of them."Okay, but not yet, Bran, Jon, Rickon and Meera are all coming with pizza and beer. And you know what that means-"
Sansa and Margaery looked at each other and cut her off "DRUNK KARAOKE!!!!"
"I'm thoroughly offended that we found out about this through a series of drunk texts from Sansa, and did not receive our own invites ourselves." Theon said as Arya opened the door for them.
Robb frowned at her, "I second that."
Arya looked up at them before laughing,"Don't be such babies. You told me you guys were going to watch that play 'Two Sides of the Same Coin' with that actress you love- what's her name?"
"Daenerys Targaryen." Theon answered her, "She is absolutely brilliant. Gods, if I wasn't so in love with your brother, I'd be sliding all up in those dm's." Theon wiggled his eyebrows.
Robb scowled at Theon, "I take MAJOR offense to that."
"Oh hush up, you know I only have eyes for you my little -"
"Okay enough, get inside already, my ears have heard more than they wanted to."
Robb and Theon walked in, Theon laughing at Robb's scowl.
"As if you'd stand a chance with Dany Targ." Rickon said from where he was perched up on Arya's counter.
"Whatever little dude."
"You know it's true, Asha has a better chance."
Theon scowled at Rickon before everybody started laughing.
Arya felt happy, but not completely. She pulled out her phone an started dialing the number that was #1 on her speed dial and that she knew by heart. She couldn't blame it on the one sorry beer she had (definitely not enough to make a dent in her high tolerance of liquor) if she tried, because she knew exactly what she was doing.
Gendry rubbed his eyes from sleep and looked at the clock on his night stand, trying to figure out who was calling him at half past midnight.
He saw it was Arya, and immediately woke up.
"Is everything okay?" He asked her immediately.
"Everything's fine! Except not really. Come to my place! Everybody's here, we're having drunk karaoke!!!!"
Gendry smiled at the excitement in her voice before he decided to tease her,"You want me to leave the comfort of my bed for drunk karaoke with two handfuls of drunk Starks and company?"
"Pleaaaaaaseeee Gendry! I want you to be here!!" He felt his heart speed up before nodding his head, and then realizing she couldn't see him, actually spoke.
"You realize it's half past twelve right? You're lucky I-" He stopped himself. He heard her breath hitch on the other side of the line. How many times over these past three weeks had he been so good at keeping it together, and here he was on the phone ready to let it go on the whim of drunk karaoke. Think before you speak dummy.
"I mean, I'll be there. See you soon Ar-"
"I'm lucky you what?" Arya cut him off.
"You know what."
"I want you to say it." She said softly. As softly as she could with a drunk Theon, Sansa and Margaery arguing over who Daenerys Targaryen would go out with.
"You also want time, remember?" He said, his voice dripping with love and patience. He would never reprimand her for needing time to proceed with their future.
"Ugh-" He could practically hear her rolling her eyes"-whatever mr.goody two shoes."
He laughed,"Just you wait, Arya. I'll see you in 20."
"See you in 20."
Gendry didn't know what to expect to see when he got to Arya's flat. Better yet, he didn't know what to expect to hear. But as he rounded the corner in her hallway, it was very very clear that Theon was serenading Robb with his favortie Whitney Houston song 'I Will Always Love You'. Arya opened the door for him and immediately threw her arms around him. He didn't hesitate in wrapping his arms around her and returning the hug.
This is nice. This is right. This is how it should be. The way it always should be.
Too soon for Gendry's comfort, Arya pulled away and dragged him into her flat and closed the door behind them. It was quite the sight to see, with Bran, Rickon, Meera and Sansa all in a very intense uno game, Robb watching Theon lovingly sing his heart out to him and Jon grumbling to Margaery that nobody ever serenades him.
"I'm so happy you came!" Arya said excitedly and completely bright eyed. Her eyes might be a bit glassy, but Gendry is positive that there are stars in those sterling grey eyes he loves.
"I'm happy you called. How did all this-" He motioned towards the commotion in Arya's joint kitchen and living room,"-happen?"
Arya shook her head with laughter as she actually took in the erratic states of her family and friends. "Sansa and Marg were here for girl talk and shortly after, Jon, Bran, Meera and Rick arrived. Then Robb and Theon, and I just couldn't help but think to myself that it didn't feel completely right without you here with us."
"I'm glad you feel that way" Gendry spoke, as he draped an arm over her shoulder.
"It's how I've always felt." She said sincerely.
Gendry feels his breath catch in his throat as his eyes lock onto hers. We're not even together yet and I'm already one lucky bastard.
"Oi! Are the pair of you going to stand by the door all night, or are you going to join in the festivities?" Meera asked from where she was sitting. Arya smirked at her and walked further into the loft, grabbing Gendry's hand and pulling him in with her.
"Oh so Gendry you invite, but Robb and I have to slum it with the second hand invites? I stand by my previous notion-"
"And that notion would be Theon?"
"Arya Stark, you wound me." Theon pouted. Arya rolled her eyes.
"Hush up and pass me the mic. Gendry and I are going to show you lot how it's done."
And they did.
It was nearly three in the morning when everybody except for Gendry left her flat, Theon and Robb letting Rickon stay at their place for the night while all the others departed to their flats.
"Well that was quite the party." Arya said, her voice laced with weariness and amusement. She and Gendry were standing side by side leaning against her kitchen counter after having cleaned up the mess her family left behind. While everyone else around them got absolutely hammered, they both managed to stay sober
"It certainly was. Thanks for calling me, even if it meant sacrificing a good 8 hours of sleep." He joked.
Arya glared at him before laughing,"Like you have anything better to do on a Saturday night."
"Hey! I could have plenty to do on a Saturday night!" Gendry said defensively.
"Like what? Hm? A hot date?" Arya quirked an eyebrow and bumped her shoulder into his.
Gendry's eyes widened. "No! no of course not. You are an absolute menace Arya."
Arya threw her head back in laughter before sobering up, "So no hot dates on Saturday nights?"
Gendry shook his head and turned his body towards her before smiling down at her.
"Not even me?" Arya asked, before turning to face him completely herself.
"Wh-what?" Gendry sputtered out.
Arya let the grin threatening to erupt over her features take over."You heard me."
Gendry wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her to him, "Really?" he spoke softly, not fully believing what he was hearing. She's ready, it's time. We're ready.
Arya nodded while she laced her arms around his neck, "Really." She whispered, afraid that if she spoke any louder she would disrupt the tenderness of this moment.
"So, does that mean-"
"Gendry, I've spent my whole life waiting for you. Maybe not my whole life, but it certainly feels like it. These past three weeks were enough to assure me that any problem that get's thrown our way, we'll come out of the end of it ten times stronger and closer than before. I'm ready, if you are." Arya found herself tilting her head up.
Gendry lowered his head, meeting her nearly halfway and pausing right when his lips were about to touch hers, "For you, I'll always be ready." And then his lips met hers and every fantasy either one of them ever had about kissing each other was well and truly bleak in comparison to the real thing. Their lips moved against each other in a soft, slow kiss before it quickly picked up in pace.
Gendry found himself tugging Arya closer to him, disgruntled by all the layers separating them. Arya's hands worked their way up from his neck and into his hair, grasping onto his black locks. Gendry groaned and bit down lightly on Arya's bottom lip, earning him a moan from her. He smiled against her lips, pleased with his ability to elicit such a reaction to her.
The only times they broke apart from kissing one another was when they needed air. Gendry lifted her up and hoisted her onto the kitchen counter. Immediately she wrapped her legs around his midsection.
"Bedroom. Now."
Gendry broke apart from her, causing her to whine.
He laughed before his expression went serious, "Arya, are you sure?" Gendry asked, his eyes shone with love and warmth for her and it made her melt and sent a fire burning through her core.
She leaned forward and pecked his lips lightly before smiling."Yes, I'm sure. It's one of the many parts of 'I'm done waiting' or did you snooze off while I was proclaiming my love for-"
Gendry cut her off with a laugh,"Alright, I get it I get it, you're cheeky. Bedroom?"
She kissed him once more, languidly, pouring every ounce of love, lust and want into the kiss.
"Bedroom."
"That was-" Arya started.
"Completely worth the wait." Gendry finished and she found herself nodding against his shoulder.
"But I want to be clear, that's not what I was waiting for Arya- I mean obviously it was amazing but I wasn't waiting just to have sex with you-" Arya cut him off with a kiss to the lips and then she pulled away laughing at Gendry tripping over his words.
"I know that's not why you were waiting, don't worry Gendry."
He pressed a kiss to her forehead before grabbing her arm and kissing all the way down until he was kissing every single fingertip.
Arya felt her heart beating erratically against her chest from how tender and intimate the act was.
Before she could stop herself, she cupped his face with the hand he was kissing, urging him to look at her.
He turned his face towards her and smiled.
"I love you Gendry."
She was so grateful to be looking at his face as she told him, because she got to see the effect her words had on him. His face went from awe and wonder to complete and utter adoration for his best friend and love of his life, Arya Stark.
He leaned his forehead against hers and dropped a kiss on her nose then her lips. "I love you too."
After a long night of showing each other just how much they love one another, they settled and got comfortable in each others embrace, ready to be pulled in what they were both convinced would be the best sleep they'll have in ages.
Gendry wrapped his arms around her while their legs were tangled together. He leaned his cheek on the top of her head, grateful and content. Worth the wait.
In no time was Gendry fast asleep, with the scent of Arya surrounding him, a smile placed delicately on his features.
Arya put the left side of her face against Gendry's chest and listened to his heartbeat letting it lull her to sleep and she immediately decided that this is what home sounds like.
Home isn't a place. It's a person.
fin.