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Talk of the upcoming Sansa Stark concert is already in full swing as Jon’s students pile into the classroom for homeroom. He’s already expecting to have a long Monday ahead of him, but hearing his students gush about the upcoming weekend event is making him feel more distracted than usual.
“I can’t believe we’re so close to the day now,” he heard one of his students say.
“I know, right? I’m just glad my mom got us the tickets. I can’t wait to see her live,” another pipes in.
“You’re lucky you got one. I was in the queue for days and then the site crashed. Three days in Winterfell and I couldn’t get a single ticket for any of the dates.”
“Well, it’s been so long since she toured, and even longer since she made a stop in Winterfell, so I guess everyone’s excited to see her perform here.”
It’s Alys Karstark’s group, he learns when he glances up from the papers he’s grading. He tries not to eavesdrop but they’re talking kind of loudly. Plus, he’s already having trouble focusing on his work when all he wants to do today is go home. He does still pretend to be busy, though, even if he’s only staring blankly at the papers on his table.
“Are you guys talking about Sansa Stark?” Lyanna Mormont, who had just gotten in, joins in on the conversation.
“Yeah, are you gonna go see her?”
“Yep. We’re going Friday. I actually didn’t think we were gonna get to go. There are no tickets anywhere, everywhere is sold out. My sisters and I lost hope of getting some but we ended up scoring them for free.”
“Wait, for real? How?”
“My uncle got them for us. Apparently, he used to be her teacher. Plus, he’s friends with her parents, I think.”
“Wait, your uncle as in Principal Mormont?”
“That’s the one.”
“But he’s been teaching here since forever, right? You mean to tell me Sansa Stark went to our school?”
“What? Did you seriously not know this? I’m pretty sure Mordane talks about it all the time. She also taught her in high school.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I’m not. It’s literally like the only cool thing about this school.”
“Maybe we can start a petition to get her to come for a visit, maybe even sing a few songs,” Alys suggests dreamily.
“Yeah! That’s a great idea. Lya, you should go ask Principal Mormont if they can set it up.”
“Wait, hold up, why are you guys not more excited over the fact that Sansa Stark went here? Imagine if she sat in this same classroom? In this exact seat? That’s crazy.”
Jon stifles a smile. Sansa did, in fact, have a class in this very classroom all those years ago. Though Jon’s not sure which seat in particular since he was in a higher grade and their classes were usually after the other. Plus, they were never close as kids. He mostly hung around her older brother, Robb, and didn’t have all that many reasons to get to know his best friend’s pretty sister.
“How about you, Mr. Snow? Are you excited?”
He looks up from his ungraded papers distractedly. “I’m sorry?”
“About the Sansa Stark concert,” Alys supplies with a teasing smile.
Some years ago, he made the mistake of leaving his phone face-up on his desk while he was talking with a group of students. When his phone inevitably lit up with a notification, a few of the kids gathered by his desk saw that his wallpaper was a picture of the pop star herself. It’s one of Jon’s favorite pictures, actually. It’s one with her smiling brightly at the camera as she sits on the couch with two massive direwolves by her side.
He didn’t realize then that his phone had a notification; he didn’t even know anyone else saw it. Then, a couple of months later, Sansa’s latest album was announced and one of his students teased him about being a fan.
Since then, he’d routinely have students asking him if he’s up-to-date with the latest Sansa Stark fandom events. Sometimes they even share the latest Sansa-related gossip, which is largely how he finds out about the newest barrage of rumors swirling around her. He’s pretty sure some of the students are even convinced he’s active in the online community of the so-called Stark stans, even though he barely knows how to use social media at all. His desk is also now full of Sansa Stark mementos, though most of them are gifts his students have given to add to the collection.
It’s all pretty funny to him, and they’re technically not wrong about him being a fan of her work, so he often leans into it. That’s exactly why he says, “I am pretty stoked, yeah.”
They all laugh and snort, expecting him to say just that.
“Do you want me to get you some official merch, Mr. Snow?” Alys offers. “You can add it to the shrine.”
By shrine, she means the small section of his desk with Sansa Stark photo cards, stickers, and other Sansa-related items his students have set up for him.
He laughs. “You don't have to get me anything. The shrine is gonna take over my entire desk if you guys add more to it.”
“Are you attending the concert?” Lya is the one to ask, though he notices that almost half the students present seem to be waiting for his answer.
He nods. “I am. My friends and I are all going.”
“Really? What day? Maybe I’ll see you there,” Alys asks excitedly.
Hopefully not , he thought as he tried not to make a face. He loves teaching and he genuinely loves his students, but seeing them outside of school makes him feel kind of awkward. Especially in situations where he doesn’t really want to be adulting – like when he’s attending the concert of what his students think is his biggest celebrity crush .
In answer, he says, “I’m going on Friday.” But he doesn’t add that he’ll also be there on pretty much all the other nights.
That’s when the morning bell finally rings, effectively shutting down the present discussion about Sansa Stark. “Alright, settle down in your seats,” he says with a more authoritative tone. With his grown-up voice, his girlfriend likes to tease. He files the papers he’s failed to grade into a folder and starts the session with class attendance.
The rest of his classes go somewhat similarly, with students routinely asking about the upcoming concert and how excited he must be for it. Some even engage in conversation about which songs he’s most excited to hear.
Somehow, with just a few kids catching a glimpse of his wallpaper, his brand has become the teacher who has a massive crush on a global popstar. Not that he’s complaining, really. It’s a badge he wears with pride.
***
On top of his regular teaching responsibilities, Jon also serves as an adviser for the debate club. It’s a position Rickon initially roped him into taking some years ago, back when the youngest of his girlfriend’s siblings was still attending Winterfell High.
He mostly agreed because he usually drove Rickon home from school anyway, so he was going to wait until his club meetings ended regardless. Over the years, though, he’s become genuinely invested in the club and in seeing his students gain confidence in public speaking - a feat he himself never achieved in his youth.
The club typically met on Mondays after classes, which extended Jon’s stay at school for at least a couple more hours. It’s close to 6 o’clock by the time he’s done for the day, tired as hell, but all exhaustion leaves his body in exchange for excitement once he gets to his complex.
He’s grinning as soon as he enters his apartment even though his girlfriend is seemingly in the process of demolishing his entire living room. She doesn't notice his arrival at first as she pushes the couch from one corner to the other. Then she turns when Ghost and Lady run to the doorway to greet him.
“Hey, love,” he greets her softly.
All she can do in return is smile as she rushes towards him for a hug. He meets her halfway, lifting her slightly as they collide. Sansa Stark, in the flesh. Not the global superstar, not the top-selling artist, not the most in-demand celebrity of her generation – though, she’s all of that, too. But right now with just the two of them, with her clad in his boxers and ratty Winterfell High t-shirt, she’s just Sansa. His Sansa.
Jon shuts his eyes, swaying on his feet in relief. It’s been months since he’s seen her last, since he got to hold her in his arms like this, and he’s glad to have her back in his embrace.
“I can’t believe you’re really here,” he whispers disbelievingly.
She arrived home a few hours ago which made having to be stuck in school while everyone kept talking about her so much worse. She leans back a little and he sets her down so he can kiss her like he’s been wanting to all day.
He pulls away much quicker than he’d like, but he does so only to say, “I’ve missed you so much.”
“Me, too. The time difference in Essos was a pain,” she says miserably, leaning into the crook of his neck before letting out a contented sigh.
He huffs in agreement, pressing a kiss atop her head. It was hard enough to have her staying in King’s Landing for months at a time, it was even worse when her tour took her to Essos where they could barely catch each other awake or free at the same time. They mostly survived off of texts and the rare late-night-or-way-too-early video calls.
He doesn’t know how long they stay in each other’s embrace but it doesn’t feel long enough. After four years of dating, he’s not sure if he’s ever not missing her. Even now, even with her in his arms, he’s already dreading when she has to leave.
At least they have a whole week together this time, he grants. The last time they saw each other was when he flew to King’s Landing on a random weekend to surprise her. It was barely enough time to spend together, it pretty much felt like he was already flying back to Winterfell before he could even blink. Still, he’ll take whatever time he can get. It’s a small sacrifice when he considers that they’ve got the rest of their lives together.
The thought sends a fluttering in his stomach, quickly replaced by nerves as his mind drifts to the ring box hidden in one of his socks in the drawer. It’s been sitting there for about three months; he bought the ring right after he returned from his last trip to King’s Landing.
He’s pretty sure she’d like it but it’s hard to know for sure; Robb and Arya helped him pick it out but they’re all pretty shit at that kind of stuff.
Part of him is tempted to take it out of its hiding place and pop the question then and there; he’s definitely been itching to ask her to marry him since he bought it. They’ve had enough conversations about it to know she’d say yes. But he’s waiting for the right time, waiting to figure out how he can make it special.
This means that for now, he settles for a different question. He glances at his living room, or what used to be it anyway, and chuckles. “So, what, uh… what have you been doing while I was gone?”
She follows his line of sight and lets out a laugh. “I was trying to keep myself awake,” she admits. “I’m so jetlagged that if I took a nap I would’ve been knocked out before you got here.”
He snorts. “And you decided dismantling my living room would do the job?”
“It’ll look good once I’m done, I swear,” she promises.
“I believe it. It didn’t look all that good before anyway,” he agrees. He’s had the same setup since he moved in last summer and he’s not particularly good at interior design. He mostly just threw stuff together and called it a day.
“And I figured I’d get it out of the way. You know, get it ready so I won’t have much to do later,” she says slowly, watching his face carefully. His brows curve in confusion at her statement and she gives him a big smile in return. “I told Shae to keep my schedule clear after the tour.”
His eyes widen in anticipation. “Yeah?”
She nods, her smile broadening. “I’m gonna be home for longer next time.”
“Hell yeah,” he replies gleefully, laughing slightly as he takes her in his arms again.
***
Though Sansa’s staying in Winterfell until the Tuesday the following week, her schedule is pretty packed with interviews, photoshoots, and local TV guestings. That basically means they pretty much only spend time together as they sleep. Jon’s grateful for it regardless, even more so when he thinks of how cold his bed will feel once she’s away again.
It’s somewhat surreal, though, to be with her at home and then to head out into the world and see her face plastered on billboards and everywhere else. It’s even stranger still to not be able to talk about her with anyone else outside his close relationships. It sometimes kind of feels like he’s living a double life.
It’s a thought that comes to mind during his Wednesday faculty meeting. Specifically when Principal Mormont invites the staff for a weekend barbecue at his house over the weekend. It’s an event his wife is throwing as a get-together celebration to mark his 30 years as an educator.
“She does it every ten years,” Mormont boasts to the staff with a rare smile. “So if you can’t make it, you’ll have to wait a little for next time.”
Several teachers laugh at that and affirm their attendance. Jon remains quiet, though it’s mostly because he’d already told Mormont’s wife that he’d attend. She must not have relayed it to her husband because Mormont turned to him expectantly. “You coming, Jon?”
“Of course, Sir. I wouldn’t miss it,” he confirms with a slight smile.
Jon was lucky enough to attend his previous celebration a decade ago. He was about nineteen then, just a year in college, and Mormont wasn’t a principal yet at the time, but the guy has been his mentor even then.
“You should bring your lady,” Mormont adds with a certain glint in his eyes. “She’s in town, isn’t she?”
Mormont also happens to be a close family friend to Sansa’s family. This meant that they often saw the guy in various Stark events, which also means he’s kind of in the loop when it comes to Jon and Sansa’s love life.
“Uh, she is,” he says in reply, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “But she might be busy that day.”
“Extend the invitation, anyway. The party’s at noon, if she can make it. It’s been a while since I saw her, I’ll be glad for a chance to catch up,” Mormont says to him gleefully. Then, to the rest of the faculty, he says, “One of my favorite students, that one. In fact, she’s one of the brightest star students that ever walked the halls of Winterfell High in my time.”
Jon tries not to look around but he can sense the rest of the staff’s eyes on him. Like all faculties, theirs is ripe with gossip. He knows his relationship status has been subject to some of that, especially during that weird time a few years back when some of them were trying to set him up with a fellow teacher. They still tease him about getting a love life sometimes, so he knows the news of him actually having one must be intriguing.
Still, he can’t believe Mormont is instigating the latest faculty gossip with him at the dead center. The man is known to be gruff and intense which intimidates many, even earning him his moniker the ‘Old Bear’. But years of knowing the man has shown Jon that he can also be pretty mischievous. Plus, in the context of pretty much seeing both Jon and Sansa grow up and establish themselves as adults, he’s probably feeling more accomplished as an educator as his 30th-anniversary approaches.
“Seven hells,” Jon mutters with a low chuckle. He can't wait to tell Sansa about all this. She’s definitely going to find the whole thing hilarious.
When he finally gets home and tells her, she’s also pretty pleased to hear she’s apparently one of Mormont’s favorite alumni.
“I’m excited to rub it in Robb’s face,” she says with a laugh. Robb’s probably going to be annoyed, he’s definitely the overachiever among them and Mormont had dubbed him as a troublemaker in the past.
“I can’t believe that’s what you got out of everything I said,” Jon says with a laugh.
“It’s definitely a highlight,” she admits with a smile. Then, more seriously, she adds, “I’ll go with you if you want me to.”
He arches an eyebrow in surprise. “Won’t you be busy?”
She shakes her head. “Everything will be set up by Friday so I'll be free for most of Saturday. Rehearsals at four, but since Mormont's thing is at noon, I can make it. ”
“You won’t be too tired? With the concert and all?”
“I’m not allowed to be tired until after I leave Winterfell,” she proclaims. “I’m trying to get in as much time with you and the family as I can. Plus, I’m pretty sure Mom and Dad are attending Mormont’s party, so it’s a win-win for me. Unless you don’t want me to come?”
He senses just a hint of uncertainty there as she studies his face, which makes him smile. “Are you kidding? Of course I want you with me there. I’d take you with me everywhere if I could, that way I never have to miss you.”
She bites her lips with a smile, then leans in to kiss him. “For the record, I’ll go with you anywhere as long as you want me there.”
“So it’s decided, we’ll go to Mormont’s thing,” he says, shifting slightly on the bed to get ready to sleep. Not thinking too much about it, he figured that was the end of the conversation. He wraps an arm around her, nuzzling slightly against her neck to get comfortable.
But then, after a moment of silence, she asks. “Are you sure, though?”
He tilts his head to look at her. “About what?”
“That you want me there,” she clarifies. “Once we go there, that’s it. People will know about us, at least people at your work. I might complicate things for you.”
He can’t help but smile a little. “San, I’m pretty sure half of Winterfell High thinks I’m some weird parasocial Sansa Stark fan. My students find it hilarious but I think the faculty thinks it’s sad. Hence they keep making comments about me needing to get a girlfriend. I’ll be more than happy to let them know I already have the coolest, smartest, and most beautiful one.”
“But what if they tell people, and then those people tell more people, and then - ”
Before she could continue, he says, “People finding out that I’m madly in love with you is not the worst thing in the world, you know.”
“I know it’s not, it’s just -” She shakes her head. “It’ll probably get annoying when that’s all anyone wants to talk to you about. I’ve heard I’m a topic that gets tiring real fast.”
Four years into it might seem a little too late to start having this conversation but it’s not like they ever had a reason to. They got together at a time when she was on hiatus when she made a conscious decision to stay out of the spotlight. It seemed logical then to keep their relationship private, to let only the people that matter know about it.
Then her break ended and they were apart more times than they were together, so it took no effort on their part to retain the privacy of their relationship. If he’s honest, he doesn’t really care if more people know or not, but it’s different for Sansa. She’s been in public relationships several times before and he’s aware none of those ended well.
It’s why he never really minded that they kept their relationship largely secret. But then he just never really thought she wanted it more for his sake since he isn’t in the public eye like she is. And so, he wants to make one thing clear, “Sansa Stark, you underestimate how much I enjoy talking about you.”
***
Jon has been to Sansa’s concerts several times over the years but he doesn’t think he’ll ever stop being in awe of watching her perform. There’s something special about seeing her transform from the Sansa he knows and loves to the Sansa the world knows and loves; every second she’s up on stage is captivating, a fact her audience surely agrees with as they cheer her on and screams her name, which makes it nothing short of a privilege for Jon to bear witness to all the hard work she’s put into mastering her craft.
He’s immensely lucky, he knows. Lucky to be alive in her lifetime, and even luckier that she wants him by her side through it all. And he’ll happily spend the rest of his life right next to her as long as she wants that too.
***
Jon notices that Sansa is acting a bit odd as they make their way to Mormont’s house but he writes it off as exhaustion. He knows she’s probably too tired to function, especially with all the work she’d put into performing the night before. But then he sees her heave out a heavy breath as soon as he’s parked in front of Mormont’s house and that tells him this is something else.
“Are you okay?” he finally asks, deciding not to turn off the ignition yet in case she wants to bail.
“Yeah, just… I’m kind of… nervous,” she admits.
“About seeing Mormont?” He frowns, somewhat confused about that because why would she be?
That gets an unbidden smile from her. “No, dummy. Not about that.”
“What then?”
“I don’t know, I guess I just… Well, I’ve never been your girlfriend before.”
Her explanation doesn’t really clear things up, so he says, “Unless I’m imagining it, I’m pretty sure you’ve been my girlfriend for four years, San.”
That earns him a snort this time. “I don’t mean it like that. I mean… publicly. I’ve never been your girlfriend in front of people we don’t personally know.”
“Ah,” he says, getting it now. “Well, I assume it’s not really gonna be all that different, San.”
“I know… I don’t even get why I’m suddenly so nervous.”
“I do,” he admits. After four years with her, he understands better than anyone that her public persona, no matter how genuine, is still just a persona. “You don’t have to be Sansa Stark the Popstar in there, you know. You can just be yourself.”
“Right.” She lets out another breath, then nods. “You're right. I guess I’ve become too used to using that as an armor outside of the people I love.” She shakes her head as though to clear it. “Alright, I’m ready.”
He climbs out of the car and rushes to open her door, helping her out of the car with an offered hand. And with their hands clasped together, they start to make their way towards the door.
They’re arriving a little later than the others, mostly because he wanted Sansa to get as much rest as she could, so the guests are already mingling in Mormont’s backyard when they get in. Several of Mormont’s friends and family already know of Sansa, especially since most of the older folks knew her family as well. So, after the initial shock of his co-workers from seeing her and the confusion of seeing her with Jon , everyone was polite and respectful towards her.
He does notice the lingering looks and the hushed conversations among some of them, but he doesn’t really care much about that. Once all the pleasantries and introductions are done, they make their way to her parents who are conversing with Mormont himself.
They offered him their congratulations and humored him for a bit as he took a trip down their shared memory lane, before finally excusing themselves. It’s then that Jon notices a familiar face from a distance.
“Oh.” He grins.
“What is it?” Sansa asks.
“One of my students is here,” he says. “I forgot to tell you she would be.”
“Which one?”
“Lyanna Mormont,” he answers and watches as she tries to recall her from his many stories about his students.
“The snarky top student who reminds you of Arya?”
“Yeah, that’s the one,” he says with a nod. “I think she’s a fan of yours. You wanna go meet her?”
A delighted smile erupted on her face. “Yeah. Where is she?”
Jon takes her hand and leads her to one of the tables where Lyanna is sitting — or where she has been staring at them the entire time. “Hey Lya,” he greets brightly, then he remembers that she had tickets for last night. “Did you enjoy the concert last night?”
Lyanna doesn’t even seem to hear his question; she's wide-eyed and frozen as she stares at Sansa. “Um.” She swallows, hard, as though she’s trying to regain composure. But then all she says is, “You’re Sansa Stark.”
Jon turns to Sansa who laughs a little. “I am. And you’re Lyanna, right? Jon’s told me about you.”
That information somehow makes her eyes go wider. And the look on her face is nearly enough to make Jon laugh because he's never seen the girl so speechless. “He… did?”
“Yeah, I hear you’re one of his smartest kids.” she continues, taking the free seat opposite hers with Jon right behind. “I also heard you’re a formidable opponent on the debate club.”
“I am?” She says, forming her words as a question again. Seemingly overwhelmed with the revelation, plus the fact that the biggest popstar on the planet knows who she is, she turns her attention to Jon. He assumes he’s less intimidating to talk to than her favorite celebrity. “So, wait, you’re not actually a dorky Sansa Stark fanboy?”
He laughs. “No, I definitely am.”
“Is that actually what people know him for? I thought he was exaggerating when he told me.” Sansa asks jokingly, more to make conversation with Lyanna than actually being surprised.
Lyanna shakes her head in reply. “He wasn’t. He’s got a Sansa Stark shrine on his desk.”
“Hey now,” Jon cuts in, slightly abashed. “It’s not technically a shrine.”
Lyanna cracks a smile. “Now you deny it.”
Sansa turns to him with a somewhat mortified expression on her face. “You don’t actually have a shrine for me, do you?”
This time, she’s genuinely asking. He’s told her before that his student gives him Sansa Stark-themed stuff all the time, he especially gets them in bulk during Teacher Appreciation Day, and she’s even seen the ones he took home at the apartment, but he never mentioned he kept most of them up on his desk as a shrine of sorts.
“I kinda do,” he admits with an embarrassed smile. “I didn’t set it up, though. I think a student made it as a joke, I just never got rid of it.”
She laughs, shaking her head. “You’re such a dork.”
He grins. “What? It keeps me from missing you too much.”
Lyanna, looking between them in disbelief as she watched them interact, couldn’t help but say, “How is this real life?”
Sansa gives her an amused smile. “It’s not that crazy, believe me. Jon and I have known each other since we were kids.”
***
While it was incredible to watch Sansa perform and be in her element over the last three nights, Jon will have to admit that he’s glad once it is over and he finally gets to spend time with her. But she’s only staying for two days before she has to fly to Last Hearth for the next stop of her tour, so he's determined to spend as much time with her as he can.
It’s exactly why it’s so difficult to leave his bed come Monday morning. He groans at his phone when his alarm rings. Instead of getting up as he usually would, he hits the snooze button and burrows closer to her.
Just five more minutes, he tells himself as he shuts his eyes. He’ll get up and start his day in five minutes. Then he tells himself the same thing after hitting snooze a second time. Then the third. Then fourth.
Until finally, Sansa shifts to face him with half-lidded eyes. “Jon, I’m still gonna be here when you get back.”
Still, he ends up staying in bed for another half hour and gets to school later than usual. By the time he makes it to his classroom, about half his class is already present and chatting amongst themselves.
“Mr. Snow, did you hear?” Ned Umber asks as soon as he enters the room.
“Hear what?”
“Lyanna met Sansa Stark over the weekend,” another student answers.
Jon tries not to smile, feigning surprise. “Did she?”
“Yeah, she posted a picture with Sansa Stark on her social,” Alys lets him know. “She hasn’t responded to my chats yet, though. I’m so curious how that even happened.”
They continue talking about it, as well as asking how the concert was to those who attended, until Lyanna finally arrives. They hound her with questions, most of which she answers vaguely. How did you meet her? She came to my uncle’s party. What was she like? She was really cool. She talked with me for a bit. What does she smell like? Like flowers. Maybe like fresh winter roses. Is she really pretty up close? So pretty. She was like a goddess. What did you talk about? Just a bunch of random stuff.
Jon didn’t ask her to skip the part where he was present throughout the entire thing but he appreciated the gesture. Lyanna looks toward him once her classmates have calmed down from bombarding her with questions. Then, teasingly, she says, “Sorry I couldn’t get Sansa Stark’s number for you, Mr. Snow.”
He couldn’t help but grin. “Hey, it’s okay. If it’s meant to be, it will be, right?”
***
Sansa’s flight is early on Tuesday morning, so they’re up at around the same time. He had just finished fixing his hair when she came back into the bathroom, holding up one of his backpacks
“Hey, can I take this with me?”
He’s about to say yes, but he narrows his eyes suspiciously at her. She didn’t bring any clothes along with her since she already had some at his apartment. And he knows she doesn’t need to take any clothes for her trip because she already has them packed with her other tour stuff.
Though, really, it’s not that difficult to guess what she’s planning to use the backpack for. She’s already wearing his old uni jersey. “Will you at least leave some for me to wear?”
She grins. “Don’t worry, I will. I’ll leave the newer ones alone,” she assures, pressing a kiss to his jaw. “That way you can wear it out and I can take them for next time.”
He snorts, shaking his head as he follows her into the bedroom. As he expected, most of his ratty clothes were already on the bed. She starts piling it into the bag and he sits on the edge of his bed to watch her.
It’s as he’s watching that he notices something peculiar on her left hand. “Wait a minute,” he says slowly, his brows furrowing as he switches his gaze from her to her ring finger.
She stops what she’s doing when she sees his expression, then smiles. “Right. About that ring in your sock drawer….”
“How did you even find that? It was hidden inside a sock. I thought it was safe.”
She walks over to him, that classic Stark smile of mischief on her face. “I had to borrow one of your socks when Arya forced me to go hiking last week,” she explains, leaning down to where he’s sitting to press a kiss on his lips. “The answer is yes, by the way. If my wearing it isn’t clear enough of an indication.”
He smiles into her kiss but he honestly can’t help but feel slightly disappointed. “I wanted to make it a whole thing. You know, do something special for you.”
“I did consider just waiting,” she admits, letting him drag her to his lap. “But I already saw it and we both already know my answer, so I didn’t want to have to leave without it.”
He chuckles, then he takes her left hand so he can see it closer on her finger. “You like it?”
“Yeah. It’s perfect.”
“And you don’t mind that – ” he waves a hand around. He remembers how she used to go on and on about this kind of stuff when she was younger; she’s a romantic. He wanted to make his proposal to be like one in those fairytales she loved so much. “You know, that there wasn’t some big –”
She shakes her head, planting quick kisses on the corner of his mouth. “I don’t need any of that,” she says as though reading his mind. “I just need you, me, and a godswood somewhere. And maybe also a witness.”
***
Two weeks later, Sansa is photographed wearing the ring as she dined at some restaurant in Queenscrown. Speculations over her engagement don’t take time to spread, though no one seems to know how she could be engaged when she hasn’t so much as hinted at being in a relationship.
His kids, wacky as they are, greet him the following morning after the news broke with handmade cards to relay their grief over the news. He gets a few ‘get well’ cards, a ‘sorry you missed your shot’, and a ‘better luck next time’ card. All of it makes him laugh, though his favorite would be Lyanna’s card, which just says ‘congrats on getting engaged or whatever’ with pukey faces all over.
Two months after that, once Sansa’s Winter Queen tour has ended, she’s photographed in Winterfell. In the various photos taken that day, she’s seen walking hand-in-hand with a brooding man and accompanied by their two massive direwolves.
The images started circulating online while he was in the middle of his Wednesday history class, which means he doesn’t find out about it until —
“Mr. Snow, is it true?” Alys shrieks from her seat, wide-eyed and bewildered.
He’s in the middle of his lecture, on a topic that didn’t really require the question, so he’s a bit confused. “Alys? What’s going on?”
“Are you actually engaged to Sansa Stark? This whole time?”
His entire classroom laughs because of course they would. From the outside, it does sound kind of insane. Some of the kids start joking around, others asking what Alys is even talking about, and then –
“It’s true, there are pictures of them all over the Winterfell Today site,” she says, then lifting her phone to show a picture of him and Sansa on a random date.
At that, many of his students start to pull out their phones to fact-check. If anything, he’s kind of proud that they don’t just believe reports at face value. As his students are going wild, his phone also starts pinging with a barrage of texts from Sansa, the family, his friends, and pretty much everyone in his contacts.
“Alright, alright, chill, guys,” he says, trying to get his class to settle down.
Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t work. They all start talking over each other, with some even throwing him questions, and they’re all just overall chaotic as the truth about his and Sansa’s relationship sinks in.
“Okay, everybody hush,” he says a little bit more loudly, more authoritatively. They all quiet down in an instant but they’re still staring at him in disbelief. He can’t help but snort, realizing there’s no way out of this. “It’s true, alright? I am engaged. But we’re in school, remember? We’re not here to talk about my personal life, we’re here to talk about history. So, why don’t we get back to the lesson and - ”
“But isn’t Sansa Stark a direct descendant of the old Northern monarchy?” Lyanna asks, a shit-eating grin on her face. Jon narrows his eyes at her and it’s clear she’s been holding this in for months. “So aren’t we technically asking about history?”
She got him there, Jon grants. And everybody starts echoing the sentiment.
He bursts out laughing because it’s actually such a genius retort. “While that may be true,” he grants. “The Stark ancestry is not part of this week’s lesson plan. So, how about I make you guys a deal? Let me get through today’s lesson and if everybody promises to pay attention, then I’ll answer all of your appropriate and non-invasive questions about my love life. Sounds good?”