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- Aren’t you going to bed too? – asked Brienne, watching Tyrion crawl along the wall towards the exit.
- I don’t have a bed, - Jaime smiled and bit into the remains of the kidney pie on his plate. – Just a bedroll on the floor in Tyrion’s room.
- There is one in my chamber, - she said quietly.
He choked on pie and started coughing. She lowered her head, muttered an excuse and stood up.
- Wait, - he managed to say in between bouts of coughing. – I thought it was an invitation.
- It was, - she was staring at her own boots.
- I accept it wholeheartedly. Lead the way.
***
Her chamber was small and sparsely furnished, just a bed, a wash basin, an old battered chest, and a table with a single chair beside it. There was a water pitcher and a goblet on the table, but most of the surface was occupied by cups with oil, pieces of soft cloth, and other things she used to take care of her armor.
- May I borrow these tomorrow? – he asked while taking his jacket off.
- Of course. But I do not recommend oiling your armor before you clean it properly. The wights may have disappeared, but the bits of them that stuck to the armor, unfortunately, did not. It stinks so badly, I had to leave mine in the yard. I usually keep it here, but the stench was just unbearable.
He nodded and began taking off his boots. Brienne bent over the fireplace to shuffle the logs.
- Alright, I added more wood, so it should last until morning.
- You are very diligent.
She shrugged and then nodded towards the bed.
- Get in.
He groaned with pleasure, pulling the furs over himself.
- I have not slept in a proper bed for almost a month.
She smiled awkwardly and sat on the bed to take off her boots, then joined him under the furs.
- Good night, Ser Jaime.
- Good night, Ser Brienne.
- Piss off.
- We fought the army of the dead together, don’t you think it’s time to let go of the titles?
- It’s just a habit.
- Well, get a new one.
- Just go to sleep.
She turned her back to him and he had no choice but to do the same.
***
Jaime was good at pretending to be asleep. Brienne wasn’t, she probably never had to before, so she climbed out of the bed as quietly as possible and sat on the chair, her elbows on the table, face buried in her palms.
- Brienne, - he called softly.
She started and shot a frightened look at him.
- Sorry, I just couldn’t fall asleep.
- You were crying.
- I wasn’t.
- You still are.
She wiped her eyes in one brisk hand movement.
- No.
- Brienne. Please tell me.
- There is nothing to tell.
- Brienne.
He got up and walked towards her. When he put a hand on her shoulder, she jerked away, as if his touch burned her skin.
- Brienne, - he kneeled beside her. – Please.
- I can’t tell you.
- Why? – he put his hand on her knee and she sighed.
- If I tell you, you will leave and never speak to me again.
- I won’t.
- You just don’t know.
- It doesn’t matter. I just won’t.
- Fine, - she turned towards him, all flushed cheeks and huge eyes. – I’ll tell you. After you arrived in Winterfell, I may have mistaken your politeness and your... generosity for something else. I allowed myself to indulge in a false hope.
- What hope? - he managed to ask through the lump he suddenly felt in his throat.
- That if I invite you to my bed, you would... – she stopped.
- Say it.
- You don’t need me to say it.
- I need to hear it from you.
- I can’t. I don’t have the words.
- But you want me, isn’t it what you are trying to say?
She jumped on her feet, so quickly and fiercely, like she did back then in Harrenhal.
- Yes! Yes, I do! Now do us both a favor and leave. You don’t have to say anything.
- Brienne.
- Please, please just leave.
- Brienne, - he repeated softly. – I’ve been terrified. I though you would throw me out if I only tried to touch you.
She slumped back onto the chair and bit her lip.
- Do you hear me, Brienne? Do you hear what I am saying?
She nodded slowly.
- Then let’s go back to bed.
She nodded again. He stretched out his hand and she took it uncertainly. He pulled her up and stepped close to her, chest to chest, his only hand still holding hers.
- Brienne, - he smiled and waited until he saw a shadow of a smile at the corners of her lips.
- Brienne, - he repeated and raised himself on tiptoes. She blinked.
- Brienne, - he said for the third time and kissed her.
They swayed, and turned the chair over, and stumbled over it, and knocked the water pitcher and a cup full of oil off the table, and cursed and laughed profusely while cleaning up the mess, and then laughed and cursed again as they peeled wet and greasy clothes off each other.