Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

She took a trembling breath coming alive. Her mind was surrounded by a mist of confusion.
Opening her eyes she saw someone over her moving their lips, talking to her. She tried to answer to those words she didn't understand. With effort she managed to make some sound, not quite coherent at all, though. The person smiled and keep explaining the universe for all that she cared or understand at the moment. She felt frustrated with her drowsy drunk-like state. In her attempt to swim past that she blinked twice.
She didn't make it. Even so, she drowned into nothingness once again.
***
When she came around the second time, had been just the second one? Time had passed. How much? She didn't know.
First she smelt that awful sharp disinfectant smell of hospitals. The sounds around where clearly muffled and shushed. All her body was sore and clumsy. At last she opened her eyes to see the clean white ceiling. She was at an hospital indeed.
She tried to remember how she ended there.

Oh! She remembered. The nausea, the pain, throwing up, more pain. Excruciating pain.

Like in slow motion, her hand rose to touch her aching abdomen. She let go a soft grunt.
Before she could look down under the sheets to assess the damage, she felt it. Eyes on her.
So she turned slowly her head to the right.
There were grey eyes studding her with childish curiosity.
The boy was silent, as if he didn't believe his eyes, like mesmerized.
His expression changed to a cute honest smile and then she saw her mistake. It wasn't a pretty boy at all, it was a boyish girl.
"Hi, Daenerys" the grey eyed girl greeted her with a husky voice.

Daenerys didn't respond right away. Who was that person? How did she knew her name? She reviewed the situation.
The girl was mostly laid over the bed next to hers. Her spiky bedhair wasn't that long, it seemed a brown nest over the pillow. Her skin was pale so the angry scraps all over the left side of her face stand out. She wore a gauze over her left eye almost covering it up. She couldn't make out anything else from where she stood.
She tried to speak but it ended on a fit of coughs.
"Shit! Shit! Sorry. Just a sec" the girl strived to find the nurse call button.
"Got it! They will be here in no time" she tell her hurriedly. Meanwhile Daenerys tried to control her burning throat, the girl eyed the glass of water in her own table unsure if it was safe to lend it over to the coughing girl.
"Take it easy. Breath steady"
Daenerys was trying, she stopped the fit but it seemed it was hard to breath properly now. She was making suffocated sounds with every take of air. She ached everywhere now. Not even turning on her side helped.
"Ok. Ok" the girl keep on calling to her. Even with her calm demeanor, Daenerys could see a flick of panic in her eyes.
Her companion grabbed the side rails of her bed with both hands and pushed herself up "Fuck!" she cried abruptly. With a groan she got in a sitting position and turned left to face her, sweat now visible on her. She extended her bandagde arm towards her, searching to her.
"You're not alone" she said "so...ey, calm down, everything will be better. All'right?"
Daenerys exchanged looks with the girl. Something inside her made her reach back. Her fingers tips made contact with the offered palm and she felt the girl close her fingers protective around her hand.
The girl smiled that tentative toothy grin giving her a tiny squeeze. Somehow that made her felt already better.
"That's it. I'm with you. I'm not leaving you. Slow breaths, baby breaths. You're doing great." the feline voice of the young woman, her warm contact, did calm her down indeed.

"She's awake" someone new exclaim suddenly. A pair of nurses appeared beside her in an instant.
"How are you feeling, dear?" asked one.
"Gonna call the doctor" said the male one disappearing from sight.

"Arya Stark!" ranted the nurse to Daenerys' companion.
The girl let go of her hand shrinking back to her bed like a kicked puppy.
"Ow, ow, ow" Arya moaned softly.
"Your ribs won't heal a bit at this rate, missy. Can't you manage to stay put more than ten minutes straight? You're impossible" the nurse was scolding her with a huff.
The girl was taking it all without a word, though it seemed she was cursing under her breath.
Daenerys felt kind of responsible so she made an apologetic grimace .

Arya managed to cross a glance with her. Seeing her new roommate calm and breathing normally she dedicated her another smile, ignoring the nurse altogether. This time, Daenerys shyly smiled back.
Arya thought that some throbbing ribs were worth it.

Chapter Text

Daenerys felt overwhelmed. The doctor had been patient but his speech was tedious when she was still kind of groggy.
"How are you feeling?" he had asked.
She felt like shit
"Sore" she replied simply, her voice rasping.
"It's to be expected. You just had an emergency surgery. Your throat will disturb you for a little while because of the intubation but it will pass in no time. Your abdominal area would be swollen, that's normal too. Let me check the cut"
Daenerys felt vulnerable and it made her angry when the doctor just lift the sheets and put aside her gown to expose her belly. He started to appraise and approve the clinical work aloud.
She narrowed her eyes at the white coat just about to send him and his poking fingers to somewhere nasty but she forgot her anger when curiosity made her look down to the stitches on her skin, raw and vicious looking.
"Oooh" Daenerys felt faint. She was aware all of sudden that she was in pain. The man didn't notice the change, he keep on explaining she had to drink lots of liquids but not eat at all for a couple of days or something.
"It looks great" the doctor said with a smile when putting down all the clothes.
He was a liar, Daenerys thought, it looked awful.
"With luck the scar will be unseen. I'm sorry we couldn't do the laparoscopy. We were in a hurry, you know?" He faced her with a commercial smile. "Better a little scar than not being alive" he tried to joke. The girl did not find it funny.

Lilac orbs eyed the doctor with animosity.
"Well..." he at last seemed to take in the girl's lack of humor. He checked the monitor at Daenerys side and meddled an IV drip. Daenerys followed the tube to find started it was connected to her. She really was still muzzy.
"It's quite early still. You should try to sleep a bit longer. Your brother will be here in a couple hours"
"My brother?" she asked dumbly. Which one? Viserys had been always nagging her. He even teased her when she started complaining about the pain. Sometimes she thought he didn't care for her at all.
"The senator" arched his brows the man, exited.
"Rhaegar is here?" she exclaimed surprised in such a tiny voice, he didn't heard her so he didn't confirmed.
"Anyway, like I said, try to rest. You have to get your strength back. If you need anything call the nurse. Keep yourself well hydrated. " he pointed out a list of facts "Oh. Your bowels could be quite lazy right now, it's important they get to work again soon so if you feel the need to fart or something its wonderful news. Don't hold yourself back. OK?"
The doctor said the last part so naturally Daenerys didn't understand the meaning before a muffled laugh sounded at her right. Daenerys had almost forgotten her roommate completely. The nurse had pull a curtain between them but that hadn't make disappear the Arya girl.
Color rose to Daenerys cheeks. She didn't know the girl yet so she felt mortified, humiliated even.
The curtain was moved aside by the doctor so she could see the amused expression on her roommate, the funny grin was poorly hidden.
"Arya, play nice" the white coat advised passing her by. The girl just nodded.
"I'll come back later on for your checkup" the doctor pointed a menacing finger to the girl whose smug smile disappeared at once.
This time was Daenerys who smirked in satisfaction.

Soon, both of them were alone in the room once again. The rhythmic beeping the only sound disturbing the silence. Arya had a digital clock on her nightstand. It marked three forty five. Way too late at night, way too early to morning.
Daenerys wanted to close her eyes and sleep away the confusion and the pain. But she couldn't. There was a distant coughing, and a children wail. It didn't last. Somewhere the nurses footsteps on the hallway sounded quite loudly in the graveyard atmosphere of an hospital at night. Some far away snoring, some rustling sound, but mostly the muffled silence and the awful steady beeping keep her awake.
"You will get used to it" whispered Arya at her side like reading her troubled mind.
Daenerys looked at her. The tomboy stared back.
Because of Daenerys background, she didn't trust easily. She had been played too many times. People befriended her just because she was the senator little sister, never just for her. She had to always doubt if there were ulterior motives behind the closeness. Cautiousness had become second nature to her therefore she kept silence.
Arya's expression was sincere though, she seemed honest enough. They had just meet, were complete strangers, but something about the girl made Daenerys waver.
Maybe it was just the meds. Yes, it had to be. The painkillers were kicking in at last. She would be out in no time. She hoped.
The silver haired girl ignored her companion and adjusted her position trying to turn around to get more comfortable. The move wasn't smart at all. A sharp pull on her insides make it clear she wasn't supposed to move much yet.
A pitiful moan left her lips. She cursed afterwards while the pain subsided.
"Are you in pain? Want me to call the doctor again? Maybe they could get you high enough..."
"I'm ok" Daenerys interrupted with a tight jaw "It's bearable now" she said showing her partner she wasn't the fragile rich girly daisy everyone considered she was.
Arya studied her for a moment before smiling once again. It seemed she was that easy going. She nodded accepting Daenerys answer without judging in the sightless.
Uncanny as it was, Daenerys felt tranquil with the other girl company. She sighed, rubbing her belly over the mattress.
"Do you need to fart already?" came the cheeky comment from Arya. Daenerys' bows closed together into a frown. If Arya was that smart-ass kind of person she could not stand it for long.
The girl surprised her changing her expression "I won't mind" she declared truly, though. " I'm accustomed to things like that. I have four brother, you know? We even did burps competition as children...when mother was not around." Arya explained needless.
Daenerys was too dumbfounded at the bold familiarity to respond.
"I mean...I don't mind" Arya declared frankly once again. She was trying to make Daenerys comfortable.
"Thank you"
Arya's grey eyes light up at Daenerys' response, but she felt the drowsiness taking over at last to say anything more than "I'm kind of tired".
"Oh. Sure" Arya shut up. If one thing, Arya knew how to read subtext pretty well it seemed.

Sleep began to take her under. Nevertheless her fading senses, she heard the soft whisper.
"Daenerys?"
She um-ed vaguely.
"Are you awake?" Arya voice was cooing.
Daenerys answered almost unconscious with another "Mmm".
Another question was left in the air with a sough.
The reply was a replay of mumbling from an almost out cold Daenerys .
If only she remembered what she had just agreed to...

Chapter Text

Someone was caressing her tenderly. She lazily opened her eyes to meet another pair of violet orbs.
“Ey there, little one” Rhaegar’s masculine voice was low and suave.
Daenerys came awake and aware pretty fast after seeing her beloved brother there. She smiled happily.
“You came” she whispered.
“Of course I did” he said sweetly though his smile was almost apologetic.
The girl knew that tone and that smile well enough.
“How long?” she deflated.
“I talked with the doctor. It seems you’re going to make full recovery in a couple days. I want you to remain here until then though, just to make sure you’re well attended. I will leave Jorah with you. I arranged with the hospital already”
Daenerys hated when Rhaegar acted so politician, avoiding questions in such way. She understood his position and all the hardships it meant for the family but that didn’t mean she liked it.
“How long are you going to stay?” she asked like a petulant child.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be here sooner…” the man in the suit said evading his sister glance.
“Rhaegar” she whispered in a curt regal voice.
He sighed defeated by the tiny woman on the bed. Daenerys was capable of project such a proud and commanding aura, he sometimes asked himself if she was better for the ruling position than him.
“I have to go back tomorrow” he confessed sadly.

With a huff she looked away from her brother. It hadn’t been always this way. Rhaegar loved her very much, she knew that much. Their mother died giving birth to her. Soon after their father killed himself on an airplane accident. Rhaegar being the oldest became their guardian, Viserys and hers. He did a wonderful job. He was a loving brother, an awesome father figure, sensitive and just. But then he took after their father’s job and his time with them got shorter and shorter.

She then noticed Arya wasn’t at her bed.
As in on cue, from what she supposed was the bathroom door it came out a young man carrying her roommate protectively on his arms. They looked alike. The man’s hair was darker but their complexion was pretty similar. Their faces long, their eyes a beautiful grey. Daenerys though Arya’s grey was more alive than his, maybe. Daenerys noticed Arya was kind of skinny, she wasn’t sure if it was because the hospitalization or it was her own complexion. She wore a baggy pajamas two sizes too big.
She found it cute.
The pant's left leg was rolled up showing a cast.
Her hair wasn’t as messed up. The patch on her temple was out so a little line could be seen cutting her left eyebrow in two.
She looked quite happy, chirpy even, while the man smiled at her softly. There was a kind of intimacy and closeness you rarely saw nowadays. Even a blind person could see those two adored each other. Daenerys kind of envied her roommate right then.

At that point Arya looked up her way and arched her brows up. “Wow. You two really are like peas on a pod” she exclaimed.
Daenerys and Rhaegar did resemble each other with their white blonde hair and violet eyes and model-like beauty face. Rhaegar blinked at the two newcomers funny. Daenerys made a face. They were similar indeed, but Arya and the man who carried her were even more identical than them. She could not help the chuckle.
Immediately she regretted, the stitches gave her a piercing warning.
“Ow” she let go with a brief grimace
“Dany” Rhaegar was over her at once, worry showing clearly in his eyes.

The other man put Arya on her bed extra carefully. The girl was putting on a brave face but even Daenerys could tell she got pretty uncomfortable with some movements. She might be more hurt than she let go.
“Do you need any help?” offered Arya’s fellow to the silver siblings.
“We are just fine. Thank you” said Rhaegar.
“I’m Jon Stark, Arya’s brother” the man introduced himself nodding to Arya. “I hope she didn’t gave you much trouble” he added.
“I’m right here, brother” mumbled aloud the forenamed faking offense.
Daenerys smiled and Rhaegar too.
“Rhaegar Targaryen” the man offered his hand to shake.
“A pleasure, sir” said Jon shacking hands cordially.
“Dany has a fire temper, so I fear she would be more of a troublemaker than the other way around. Please bear with her, she really is a good kid” Rhaegar japed back, just midway because the fact was true, she was known by her tantrums.
“Ey” Daenerys complained.

A nurse came in with a tray, Daenerys looked to Arya’s clock. It was past noon. She had slept way too long.
Jon aided Arya into a sitting position, cushioning her with pillows here and there. It was obvious they were used to a routine. Rhaegar tried to do the same with her. He was really loving but he didn’t have any practice yet and she was especially clumsy.
Arya saw. She did nod into their direction to her brother. Jon and her communicated almost telepathically. It was an amazing thing to watch. Jon went to them and helped them giving tips about how handle the situation.
After giving Arya her lunch, the nurse went to Daenerys with her meal which was some kind of porridge between water and mush. Daenerys stared at it unblinking for almost one minute.“It’s something wrong? Are you feeling nauseous or something?” asked Rhaegar puzzled. Anyone knew hospital’s food wasn’t famous for being in the Michaelen’s stars list.
Finally Arya’s short-term laugh turned her to her senses.
“Ha ha, ow, ow. Damn it! Haw” the last sound was a laugh midway to a moan.
“You have to eat baby food for a couple of days to no upset your stomach…and bowels. The doctor said. Do you remember?” Arya said with a smile while still grabbing her torso.
Daenerys glared at her in a mocking way. She knew Arya wasn’t really making fun of her. She somehow had started to like the girl instead.

Rhaegar caught her in one of her side eyed glances to the other girl. The man arched an eyebrow suspicious.
“Do you want me to feed you too?” he smiled to his little sister. Daenerys blushed.
Jon was certainly feeding Arya who swallowed joyful. The Starks where in a world of their own.
“No need” Daenerys replied. She was a little jealous, she had to admit, though.
After some time, they both finished their meals. In the polite silence afterwards, she couldn’t help but make a childish request to her brother.
“Will you sing to me? Like when Viserys and I were kids.” She felt shy asking something like that.
The senator was a little taken aback. “Yes, sure.” He decided, therefore he looked to the other pair of siblings. “I don’t want to disturb, though” he was asking permission diplomatically.
“Oh, cool. Don’t mind us” Arya answered right away.
Daenerys smiled broadly.
Jon saw Arya smiling fondly to her neighbor at that. He didn’t say anything deciding to wait before draw conclusions.

The Targaryen man was astonishing good, his voice like velvet. Daenerys had always loved his singing, hearing him again made her remember better times from long ago. She sighed content.
She observed Arya closing her eyes and knew the girl was about to fell asleep. It was the first time she saw the girl so peaceful. She too closed her eyes pleased for some reason, proud even.

“Daenerys, dear” “Daenerys” “Wake up, girl” the insistence of the annoying nurse woke her up. At some point she had fallen sleep. She opened her eyes in a foul mood.
“We need to treat your wound, sweety”
Mother nature’s call claimed her full attention. “I need to go to the bathroom first” she groaned trying to get up.
“Wonderful” exclaimed the nurse helping her up.
Daenerys put her feet on the floor and tried to stand up poorly. She felt terribly useless when she didn’t manage to get herself straight. Each step was a slow intricate interchange of crone motions, the nurse at her side making most of the work while carrying the IV. Rhaegar was nowhere in sight. She looked to Arya’s side of the room almost expecting to see Jon sleep at Arya’s side, hands intertwined. Although the Stark young man had left too it seemed. Arya breathed slowly still deep sleep on the bed, alone. Daenerys observed her, taking on the goodness aura the young woman had at the moment.
“She looks like an angel when she sleeps, the little rascal. Doesn’t she?” The nurse interrupted Daenerys’ thoughts. “Did you two get along?” the woman asked her, opening the bathroom door and entering besides her.
“I suppose so” answered Daenerys wondering the question herself.
To her horrified realization, the nurse stood by her after she was finished. Once again she was aware of the lack of intimacy on the environment.

The returning to her bed was excruciating slow and it hurts. Maybe that IV the nurse was strolling around needed to be changed.
The nurse checked the stitches, everything was ok.
After asking for her brother, the nurse told her Rhaegar and Jon had gone together to the cafeteria, so they would come back anytime.
She was tired, therefore she decided to wait up quietly.

When Arya came around, they were still alone on the room.
“Hello there” Daenerys greeted friendly. Arya looked around still half sleep. The grey eyes fixed on her.
“Dude, you’re beautiful” Arya slurred with misty eyes.

Chapter Text

She had been told she was beautiful all her life, since she was little in fact. She was used to it by now. But when Arya said those words like a sleepy drunkard, Daenerys could just be glad the nurse had just removed the heart monitor because right now it would have jumped too high, giving her away.
She was little confused at her own reaction.
Arya blinked once, twice. Her eyes focused at last and the girl frowned and yawned and looked around like if she just noticed where she was.
She looked at Daenerys again and smiled, Daenerys wasn’t sure if her roommate had been conscious of what she just had said a moment ago.
“Where’s everyone?” the now fully awake Arya asked.
“Our brothers had gone to the cafeteria while we took a nap. Surely they are going to turn up any moment now” she answered glad of the change of subject.
Arya just nodded in acceptance. She was going to pull herself in a better position when she started to wriggle oddly.
“Are you ok?” Daenerys was worried.
Arya stopped at once with a frustrated puff. “This sucks!” she exclaimed.
Daenerys chuckled softly, her muscles still tight with the slightest movement. “It does” she admitted with a pout.

“What happened to you?” Arya’s question came out of the blue. “They did operate on you, it must had been something serious” she added.
Daenerys looked at the other girl unbelievingly.
After a tense silence she questioned on her own “How did you know my name in the first place?”.
Arya rolled her eyes. “There’s not much to do here. People talk, nurses talk. A girl has ears” she said flippantly.
The silver haired girl squinted her roommate. “So…you knew I’m the little sister of senator Targaryen?”
“The name rang a bell, actually. But no, I didn’t know. I do now, though.” Arya claimed nonchalant. “What has that got to do with anything?”
She seemed innocent enough.
“My brother has enemies. People know our family has power, money…” Daenerys explained.
Arya nodded to each fact. She trailed along quite fast.
“We got attacked…”
Arya held her breath.
“I got shot” Daenerys said sober.
“Really?!!” Arya cried astonished, her eyes about to pop out.
Daenerys said nothing. Arya was flipping out.
A grin cracked Daenerys lips. She suppressed a gruff chuckle somehow but seeing Arya’s uncertain expression and then the indignant blush at discovering she had been played was too much.
Daenerys broke into a full laughter, even with her abdomen throbbing, she couldn’t stop herself.

“You should stop that, you know? You’re gonna hurt yourself, idiot” Arya admonished.
The laughing young took a few minutes to control herself. When she did there were tears in the corner of her eyes. Her abdomen hurt, but she felt happy. It had been long since she had been so carefree. “I can’t believe you fell for it.”
“Ha, ha. Funny” Arya’s tone was sarcastic. Daenerys smiled at the girl. How old was she? She looked young. Daenerys had just turned twenty herself though sometimes she still felt like if she was still on high school.
“It was appendicitis” Daenerys admitted at last. Arya glared sideway to her mutely.
Smiling softly Daenerys lend to Arya. “Don’t be mad”.
“I’m not”
Daenerys wasn’t so sure. Was Arya resentful? They were just starting to know each other.
“So…what about you?” it was time to Daenerys to be curious. She had seen the cast on her leg, surely a broken leg. The gash over her eyebrow was another give away. The girl looked tomboyish enough to smash herself doing any dangerous activity. Sport or whatever.
This time was Arya who smirked crookedly “Guess” she dared.

“Guess what?” Jon entered the room with Rhaegar in town.
“Nothing” Arya replied instantly. Daenerys was glad she covered them up. She felt the little conversation and the game than come from it was something between them, just for the two of them.
Each brother went to their sister’s side.
“Dad called” Jon notify his sister “You were sleep at last, so we didn’t want to disturb you. Rickon was adamant on the background, he insisted on speaking with his favorite sister. You’re like a war hero to him right now”. He smiled.
Arya smiled a tiny smile
“Is everyone ok?” she asked.
“Mother is still a bit mad. Pop’s worried. Bran is just glad you’re ok, he misses you. Rickon is hyper to listen to your battle stories. I couldn’t talk with Sansa…you know how she is. Robb wanted to come right away, but he’s a little preoccupied with the baby’s due”
“Just my timing getting myself into this mess” she mumbled with a frown.
“Ey, don’t beat yourself over it” Jon put a hand on her cheek “we’ll all handle it, together” he caressed her tenderly, a second past to mess her hair wildly.
“Jon! You dimwit!” she complained, but she did smile broadly together with Jon’s sweet laughter.

Rhaegar by his part, was humbled. The Stark’s dedication to the family had touched him making him remember how much he loved his siblings.
“I will come back in a few days” he promised Daenerys. “I have been rearranged my agenda. I just need to put straight some unavoidable issues so I can take leave for a little while to get care of you”
Danerys violet eyes light up excited to the prospect of quality time with Rhaegar. “Meanwhile, Jorah will stand watch” he explained to her.
“Viserys will be around too. He was worried sick about you. He’s just too proud to admit he even cried in fear of losing you.” The big brother talked in behalf of the middle sibling. “He’s terribly ashamed of making fun of you, Daenerys. Can’t you tell? He didn’t know.”
Daenerys sighed. He was asking of her to forgive Viserys for being a prick. He often was. But he was family. She agreed to Rhaegar as she always did.

The four talked around friendly, Arya even invited the Targaryens to play a board game. The afternoon went smoothly until a suited man came to get Rhaegar, just before the nurse chased the men out telling visitor hours were done. After the loving farewells, the two girls were left alone once again.

Supper was served soon after. Daenerys was presented with another broth.
Arya smirked her way muttering “baby's food” in a mocking way. Daenerys ignored her. Truth to be told, the thing wasn’t that bad.
Daenerys knew she was getting better already because her appetite, she eat it all with gusto.
As soon as she finished, she noted Arya was having problems with her meal. She spilled over herself a full spoon of chicken soup.
“Damn it” the girl grumbled under her breath. Daenerys observed her curious.
She tried again with an odd grip before holding the spoon with her left hand. Daenerys saw the arm was bandaged too. This time she managed to rise the hand midway and started to bend her neck gaping like a fish out of water to meet the spoon.
The scene would be comical if Arya wasn’t trying so hard. It was obvious she had difficulties feeding herself.
Daenerys sighed “Why don’t you call the nurse?” she asked. The solution was so obvious and easy.
“No way. I can manage” Arya assured.
Daenerys blinked at the gir'sl stubbornness. In three minutes of observing her, Arya has just managed two bites.
She putted the mattress aside and slowly began to rise up. How was expected, she was pretty slow and kept being quite doubled over while walking.
Arya must had though she was going to the bathroom because she stopped her eating show totally surprised when Daenerys got to her side.
“Here, let me” Daenerys said simply taking Jon’s place and making herself comfortable.
Arya was looking at her dumbfounded.
At the lack of response, Daenerys frowned lightly. “Come on” she said a little grumpy. She had made the effort for the blockhead of a roommate she had, she at last could appreciate the gesture.
Arya clumsily gave her the cutlery's control. Daenerys started to feed the girl who swallowed silently, her grey eyes never leaving her.
Daenerys felt a light flush spreading over her face. She normally had better control on that, she admonished herself.
“So… you’re left handed?” the blushing girl tried to break that silence that made her self conscious.
“Yep” Arya replied after gulping down a potato’s slice. With Daenerys' assistance they got to the stew potatoes and veggies in no time.
When Daenerys came to get ready the dessert, Arya whispered a soft and sincere “thank you”.
Violet eyes meet gray ones. Both of them shared a smile.

Chapter Text

Time in the hospital was a funny thing, one could lose count easily. Minutes stretched on and hours lost their meaning. Night and day intertwined in one another and the rooms started to resembled cells at some point.
Daenerys knew night time was over them thanks to Arya’s little clock.
“It’s seems it’s time to go to bed” Daenerys joked.
“Again” Arya seconded.
“We can’t miss it” said the silver haired young playing along.
Her roommate grinned.
“Can’t you sing me to sleep, please?” the sassy request caught Daenerys off guard. She stared at Arya astonished. If it had been made as a joke, the bright twinkle in Arya’s eyes and her softening smile said otherwise.
“Me?”
“Your brother singing’s beautiful. I would like to hear you too” Arya explained without shame.
“He’s awesome. Isn’t he? You should hear him with the guitar.”
Arya wasn’t stupid. Daenerys surely was proud of Rhaegar’s talent, but she was evading the request overall all the same. “Not even a lullaby?” she tried again in a lightly mood.
“You don’t want to hear me, believe me. I’m not that good”
“Try me” muttered the dark haired in a husky tone.

Daenerys rejected her with a shake of her head. “It’s late” she said in a hurry. She took her IV drip and stood up awkwardly. She looked at Arya one last time. The girl was giving her such a puppy eyes, she was feeling bad already at denying such a foolish request.
“Maybe another day” she mumbled ashamed at herself for relinquish to that adorable expression so easily. At her promise-like phrase, Arya’s face broke into an excited happy one.

At the same slow pace as before, Daenerys felt more creeping than walking back to her bed. The ache at her belly had sparked alive once more because of the little trip. She swallowed down a couple moans until she reached her goal. She felt like if she just made to the top of the Everest for all that matter. With a triumphal smile, Daenerys turned her head to face Arya again.
“Made it” she wanted to cry but her voice left her in a weak puff of air.
Arya didn’t seem to react at all though. She was looking at her with a poker face, stiff as a board and eyes like saucers.
Daenerys was puzzled and worried. “Arya, are you ok?”
The Stark young came alive at once, she blinked while her face turned bright red.“Uh?” was her stupid reply.
Frowning, Daenerys was about to ask again when she noticed the cold at her back. The stupid old fashioned hospital gown was a little loose.
Had been Arya staring at her bum all the way?
She stared unbelieving at Arya. The girl looked away still ear reded.
She had!
She should feel embarrassed because of her exposing, angry at Arya too, which she was. But somehow, she found endearing that the young girl who seemed so bold all the time had turned so shy suddenly also. She smirked to herself suspecting.
“You pervert!” she exclaimed without the rage Arya might be expecting. It was more like a friendly scolding. “I would throw you a pillow at the face if I wasn’t so tired” she said making an effort getting onto bed.

Once in, Daenerys smile went down gradually. Her side hurt gnawing. She tried to endure but at some point it became too much. She held the painful side with one hand groaning pitiful. She hated to felt so weak, but she couldn’t stand the pain anymore.
While she pushed the nurse’s button, she felt moist on her belly. The hand over her injury got clammy. She looked at her bloody palm and felt dread fall over her.
“What’s the matter?” Arya asked taking in the change of atmosphere.
The nurse entered just then walking calming to Daenerys. “What do you need, darling?”
Seeing the pale shocked face of the girl and the red spreading on the bed, the woman demeanor changed immediately. “Dear gods, child!” she exclaimed in alarm.
She cheeked the source of the bleeding first. The incision on Daenerys’s abdomen was bleeding like newly done.
“What's happening?” Arya’s pleas for information fell into deaf ears.
The nurse called reinforcements as she moved around the room like a mad woman taking supplies and treating Daenerys.
“What’s wrong?” Arya’s voice was an octave higher, clearly scared. The girl was forcing herself to sit up, a grimace in her face.
“Stay put for once, girl! Don’t add to the problem at hand” the nurse growled at her.
Another nurse came in.
“She tore the stitches apart. I stopped the bleeding” the mawkish nurse informed “let’s get her to the doctor” she said in a hurry removing the stretcher’s brakes already.
The medics rolled Daenerys out of the room. As she passed by Arya, they exchanged fearful looks. The helpless expression on her roommate was devastating.
“Daenerys” the lonely call of her new friend was the last she heard before they went hallway down.

It seemed she did too much for a fresh wound like hers. Though it wasn’t life threatening at the slightest, the doctor reprimand her severely. She suspected they were too scared to angry her brother with a screw up with her; it was not tat much on her behalf but the consequences for them if she ended badly healed.
They dosed her up and patched her up anew. The doctor still hoped for the scar to be minimal even after her blowing up the first dressing.
It wasn’t after midnight they carried her back to the room.
She felt bad at seeing Arya still up waiting for her, but it warmed her too.
Daenerys just smiled waving lightly.
“Hi” she said tired.
Arya sighed a relieved smile, though it disappeared immediately. Arya turned away closing her eyes to sleep right away.
Daenerys found it a little off. But the odd behavior could be caused by many reasons, the sleep-deprivation for instance. Or maybe she was mad at her because of the scare, that would be sweet of her, that would meant she cared truthfully.
Anyway, she felt too tired and drugged down to think clearly, so she copied Arya and went to sleep too.

Later on it was the merciless sweet coated talking nurse again who wake her up for breakfast. She took a moment to recognize where she was and all that had happened until then.
“Good morning, love”
Daenerys grumbled to the annoying nurse. She just wanted to sleep.
“You had to eat something. The doctor dictated we could take the intravenous away, so you start with the pills. Therefore, you have to eat” it was almost a command.
She sat up halfhearted with the help of the nurse.
There was juice and custard waiting for her. Daenerys wasn’t excited at the prospect at all.
She looked at her side expecting Arya to humor her with some cheeky comment. Arya had finished hers already and looked her way in silence.
Daenerys arched a eyebrow. Was Arya acting weird or was she still drunk by the drugs they gave her hours ago?

After that, almost an hour and a half passed by in silence.
A knock was heard and Jorah Mormont entered the room besides another silver haired man.
"Who are you?" demanded the Malfoy look alike to Arya briskly, offended at seeing her there.
Arya frowned at the obvious Targaryen man.
"Viserys" Daenerys called to her brother who had stopped her walk towards her in his glaring contest with Arya.
"Why are you in a shared room? You should be in an individual suite or something? Doesn't this hospital know who you are?" the man was indignant. Daenerys knew though, down Viserys' outraged affront it was a worried brother who wanted the best for her. He was just bad at showing it. Or she liked to think so.
Jorah, the family's butler pushed him ahead softly. Arya followed them with her displeased grey eyes burning but providentially she kept quiet.
"How are you feeling?" Jorah asked concerned.
Daenerys smiled moved by the adoration of the old man. That was the encouragement Viserys needed to step forward and hold her hand softly. He rarely was sweet with her so she treasured the moment greatly.

The first hour of visitor's time passed by. While Daenerys had the rare company of Viserys who was the worst talkative partner by the way, Arya had no one. She had detached herself from them putting on high-tech headphones. Daenerys was curious about what kind of music did she liked. From time to time Arya shook her head rhythmical coming to hum silently. The Targaryen girl found it adorable.
Though she was a little uneasy about her being alone and what seemed like a sudden cold shoulder attitude towards her. If Jorah noticed her temporal switches of attention on the convalescent Stark in place of their conversation, he didn't comment. Viserys was too preoccupied talking about himself and his exploits to notice anything else.
She put up with the dull and egocentric chit-chat of Viserys until the doctor came in for the morning round.
They made the visitors leave to wait outside.
Arya was checked up first. She had to take deep breaths while the white coat examined her ribcage and tested her lungs with the stethoscope. Even from where she was, Daenerys could discern Arya's breathing was labored. She hadn't noticed before.
The doctor didn't say anything about it.
"There's still headaches?"
"No" Arya said plainly.
"Everything is healing correctly so far. Anyway, we are going to run some more tests, Arya" the doctor said writing down in his folder.
"Ok" came her curt reply.
Arya sure wasn't that chatty today.

Daenerys turn came right next. The man checked the new sewing on her lower abdomen and asked some question about how was she feeling, how was the pain and everything. In the time being Arya was trolleyed out.
"It seems your little stunt from past night has not done any significant damage" the doctor was commenting pleased.
"How is Arya?" Daenerys surprised herself with the question.
The doctor arched his eyebrows as stunned as she felt.
"Well, that's not a question I can respond, missy. Professional secret and all" he didn't seems that convincing though. "Why? Has she done or said something?"
Daenerys made a face. "No. It's just...I don't know, she acted a little aloof since my "stunt"" she refuted.
"She seemed a little down now that you said" he was pensive. Suddenly he straighted up "Oh!"
The man winced remembering whatever.
At her expectant demeanour he gave up "Don't worry about it, she will recover." he said.
"She just need a little time to cope. It has nothing to do with you, really, if that's what you're afraid of" he added watching closely Daenerys reaction.
"Cope? What about?" she was being an insensitive noisy prat with her persistence but she wanted to know about Arya so much...
The doctor shut his mouth for a while, but luckily for Daenerys, he was a pushover.
"It's not my place to tell, but I think you could help her so..." he started "You see, the day Arya was admitted to the hospital the E.R was swamped. There was a boy, he was your age more or less. What was his name? Michael or something. "
Daenerys listened careful even thinking the doctor storytelling beat around the bush too much.
"Like I said, that day was awful at the Emergencies. We had to pick carefully who to treat first. The patients whose life wasn't on the line had to wait their turn. Arya was one of them. Soon she found the young man in a trolley placed next to her. He had an accident because some nasty bulling going too far. He looked like he had been slaughtered. A shame really" he sighed.
"Thing is, trough the pain of their injuries and the fear, they found each other, formed some quick connection, a friendship. He was a tall ginger, I saw them holding hands and comforting each others in the corner their gurneys had been left on. Well, that was mostly Arya, the poor guy was too scared and hurt despite being older to do much." he almost smiled. Daenerys recognized her headstrong Arya in the tale.
"It was all frenzy for us. Time passed. When we got to him, it was too late" the doctor finished with a hint of shame.
"We didn't calculate the extension of his injuries well enough. Arya was still holding his cold hand then. He died in front of her". He admitted.
Daenerys gasped horrified at the traumatic experience Arya had suffered, as if getting yourself battered enough to land into an hospital wasn't plenty painful.
The doctor sighed "I suppose your episode last night triggered that memory. It's normal for some people to close off after that kind of events. I will talk to her family to see if there's need of psychological treatment. I will like you to keep an eye on her too, to inform me if there's some other weird behavior on her part" he patted her shoulder.

The information had left her a bit troubled. Viserys and Jorah came back soon after the doctor had left unaware of her turmoil.
They resumed where they had left of, but Daenerys mind drifted often to another places. To thoughts of a skinny tomboyish girl with grey eyes and dark hair.

Chapter Text

Dinner time came and Arya hasn’t returned yet. Daenerys was starting to worry.
Viserys made a disgusted face at seeing the mashed fish they were offering her. Jorah knew how to stop his tirade against the poor nurse who carried the food, so he did. To that was plenty thankful.
Among all the pleasant surprises her brother gave her with that visit, the greatest one was a bag with night clothes and underwear. Jorah nodded appraising the young man, for once he had been thoughtful.
After the meal, the two men went away to eat something themselves. Viserys' pride will surely won over her best interest and they would go out to the city to eat properly. Therefore, Daenerys would be left alone for a long while. She didn’t mind at all, she needed Viserys banter away for a while, for her own sanity, and she was getting sleepy anyway.
This way she was left alone and suddenly Arya’s void was bigger.
What was taking them so long? Had something happened to her roommate? Daenerys couldn't stop wondering with worry.
She closed her eyes and controlled her breathing trying to be reasonable and conquer her fears. Sometime between that, she felt sleep.

Something woke her up with a start. If she had been dreaming, she didn’t remember clearly.
“Sorry” a tiny voice apologized at her side.
Daenerys' neck almost whiplashed turning her face to the side too fast. She expected Arya. She found just an empty bed being placed on the spot quite messily. The care assistant might be new on the job, he had pimples still.
Ignoring the klutzy young man who just looked at her cowering, Daenerys' insides froze. Where was Arya?
Her heart constricted running with lightly speed over the worse scenarios she didn’t want to think about.
She wanted to ask, but her throat was suddenly closed up, dry. She was afraid to even ask.
“Daenerys” a happy voice called her cutting her dread at once.
Arya was pushed inside the room in a wheel chair by a fat doctor with a friendly face.
“Look at this” the Stark girl pointed out cheery her left leg, enclosed now in a fancy dark walker boot. She even moved around the appendage a little to make her point.
Daenerys was happily confused. Arya was ok. She felt a weight leave her shoulders. The last time she saw the girl though, Arya was a detached gloomy thing. Now she seemed a child sparkling energy about.
“They say I could start to walk with crutches in a few more days” the girl exclaimed proudly.
Daenerys smiled, the good news sure had improved her mood and Arya's cheerfulness seemed contagious.
“We haven’t said such thing” the doctor behind her sobered the speech. “Your ribs are still quite bruised so you HAVE TO take it very easy. “
“Buzzkill” pouted Arya.
“Arya, I’m being serious here” the man chastised, though his honest tone was more pleading softly. Almost wishing Arya to be reasonable.

He stoped the chair next to the bed braking it. Arya tried to stand up by herself but in no time the friendly doctor was at her side helping her. “What have I just told you! Don't be difficult or I will have to use the Jon card”
Arya smirked "You won't".
Affronted, the man looked at Daenerys. After a few seconds of scrutiny, he smiled like if seeing her for the first time “Hello there, miss." he greeted "Daenerys, isn't it?”
Daenerys just noded with a polite smile. She wasn’t the appendicitis girl, not the senator’s sister or the Targaryen person. She liked being just Daenerys.
“Mmmm” the doctor smile grew up while she nodded. "I'm Samwell Tarly, though everybody calls me just Sam. It's a pleasure to finally meet you"
Turning to Arya in a shushed manner he whispered quite loudly “You were right she’s beautiful and seems quite nice too” he added with a wink.
Arya’s face turned quite comical. First her eyes rounded and her mouth opened in shock. Immediately she frowned in embarrassment and her face bighted red.
“Sam! You stupid idiot. What are you doing?” she hushed him with a punch to the arm, flustered in rage or shame, Daenerys could not tell.
She had blushed too. The angelic round face of the doctor made her doubt, but she suspected the man had meant for her to hear him.
"So..." Sam looked to one girl to the other "I have to go. Need to finish my rounds and all"
"Yeah, I bet" Arya fumed a soundless "traitor".
"Don't forget your new schedule, Arya. Tomorrow there's another round with the physio"
"Yeah, yeah" Arya smile was returning.
"Thanks for the meal, Sam"
"Anytime. You're my brother's sister so...I mean... You know."
Daenerys heard Arya lightly laugh. It was a pretty sound. Alluring also.
"I know" she said searching out with the right hand into a fist. Sam gladly punched his fist with her in a buddy-buddy fashion.
"Thanks, Sam. For all" Arya sounded deeply candid then.
Samwell nodded dismissing the issue. "See you around" he was walking backwards already.
"And good luck" he added before turning around and be away. He had said so pointing with the thumb Daenerys way. The violet eyed young wasn't that naïve to just don't know there was something there going on.
"Dumbass" Arya mouthed under her breath to the man.

"He seems nice" Daenerys broke the strange silence that followed acting like she hadn't catch up about the not so secret languaje between the two, obviously talking about her.
"He is. Sam was Jon's roommate at the uni dorms, they bonded like true bros. He's truly a good man." Arya explained. "With Sam working here I too have a vip treatment at times, with some stuff" she grinned to the white-blonde.
Daenerys arched an elegant eyebrow and smirked back "it's that so?"
Arya chuckled.
"Congratulations, by the way" Daenerys said. Arya looked at her one moment before understanding what she mean.
"Well, thank you. I'm really happy to see the light at last. Live at the hospital gets boring fast after the first week. I can't wait to leave"
"You're so eager to get away from me?" Daenerys asked sadly. She was just pretending, making fun of Arya, but someway deep down she knew she would be hurt if Arya replied an affirmative too quickly.
"Of course not! I like your company very much" Arya defended herself. Soon enough seeing the amused twinkle in the violet orbs she knew the other girl was just messing with her.
"Dude, are you playing with me? You're worst than them" the younger accused.
Daenerys laughed.
Arya blowed up the cheeks like a child with a tantrum. She felt that free, acting silly around Daenerys.
"Now I am not sure if I want to keep you as my pal. Maybe I vote with that jerk of a brother you have next time. Let's them get you into isolation so your cruelty gets down" Arya grumbled.
Daenerys laugh died right away.
Arya got stiff, her mind catching up with what she had just said. "Shit" she bit her lip.
"Daenerys..." she looked to her silent roommate "...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult your brother or anything"
"He is a jerk all right " Daenerys deadpanned.
Arya blinked a little taken aback.
"Not all the time though" Daenerys clarify with a fond smile. Arya relaxed a little bit.
"Were is he by the way?" asked Arya.
"Back at the city, to some fancy restaurant I presume" Deanerys shrugged.
"I can imagine" nodded Arya with a knowing smile.

"Jon hasn't come in today" it was the turn of Daenerys asking.
"Tuesdays he does double shift"
Daenerys wanted to ask about the rest of her family. But she knew better than anyone sometimes the issue was thorny.
"Don't you have anyone else..?" she asked at last, bravely.
Arya glanced her way a moment and smiled. "Yes I do. They are back at home. Up north. Well, Sansa, my sis, is the only one who picked a college way south, away from all us. I was planning to see her after my visit here at Jon's when it happened" she made a move with her hand over herself with a sigh. Daenerys had still to know what happened to her. "A snowstorm blocked the way down here so dad, well, they could not made it here at first. Afterwards I was better so I convinced them to keep from making an unnecessary trip."
"Oh" Daenerys learnt Arya was a very practical girl.
"I'm used to be on my own, so there's no big deal. They call me often anyway, so don't sweat it" said Arya. "Oh, ey. Wanna see them?" she asked Daenerys.
"Sure" Daenerys was curious.
Arya searched in her nightstand's drawer and putting out a tablet. She rolled her finger on the screen, when she found what she was looking for, she smiled that toothy smile so childish and cute and passed her the device.
Daenerys grab it with two hands in front of her and looked amazed at the daunting flow of redheads.
It couldn't be. They were nothing alike. Arya was pulling her leg. There were charming redheads, tall, proud and shiny.
Jon and Arya were easy to find because they were a dark contrast in the picture, long faced and slim. There was another dark haired figure, a bearded man who looked like a woodsman.
Arya snickered at her reaction.
Daenerys was mystified, she tried to put the tribe together "So... this must be Sandra?"
"Sansa" Arya corrected. "The beardy one is Robb, the big brother, Bran goes after me, though Rickon, the baby brother, is taller than us already..."
"Wow"
"Your mother is pretty" Daenerys said touching the screen over the woman face. She never knew hers. Sometimes she wondered how might be to have a mom. Rhaegar had been awesome as parent but she had always missed the feminine approach.
Suddenly the device trembled at her hands, started she let it fall at her lap. Facing to the ceiling the woman she had just been staring at showed full screen.
"Arya Stark" a voice thundered from the tool.
Daenerys was stunned, a deer in highlights.
She heard Arya wincing "Shit".