Work Text:
24th October 2015
Arya swore under her breath as she concentrated hard on the Batman vs The Joker video game she was playing. It wasn't as fun as it used to be when she played against Jon, but it was the only thing she could do that occupied her until he came home. "Oh come on! Fuck you!" she shouted as she was once again defeated. There was a knock on the door and Arya grumbled internally. "It's open" she called. The door opened and Arya turned her head to see Robb, her older brother standing in the doorway. She snorted at the site of him. Half of his face was covered in shaving cream, whilst the other was clear. "Phone just rung. Some dude called Sam. Says it's important you go meat him in town or something" he said. Arya shrugged before laughing. "Grenn probably trashed his 50CC again, anyway shouldn't you you be getting ready for you date with 'Cella?" Arya asked with a shrug.
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Arya beamed when she saw Pyp, Sam and Grenn sitting at a table in the local coffee shop. At first she didn't think anything was wrong until she registered the solemn looks on all their faces. "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" her voice came out more distressed than she meant it to, but right now she didn't care. Sam was the first to speak, "you should sit down. This is going to hurt" his voice was gentle, as if he was grieving. Arya sat, cracking her knuckles nervously. "What's happened?" she asked slowly. Grenn spoke next, and his words broke her. "It's Jon, Arya. He was sent on a patrol with Captain Mormont. He didn't come back. He's MIA, presumed dead. We're sorry, we're so sorry". Arya froze. She felt as if her her heart heart stopped beating. It wasn't until all three men's arms closed tightly around her, did she realise she was crying. "No" she whispered, "no".
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One Year Later - 24th October 2016
"You look like you've been to hell and back", is the first thing Grenn says to him when he opens his eyes. Jon groaned and sat up. "How long have I been out?" he groans. Sam shrugged, before dusting his hands on his shirt. "A week, give or take" he said. Jon's eyes widened, it can't have been that long can it? "Shit" he groaned. Then he remembered. He'd been missing in action and presumed dead for a year. Oh God - "Arya!" he burst out. Grenn raised his eyebrows, Pyp grimaced and Sam shrugged. "My family, Arya. Do they know I'm alive, do they know I'm safe?" he asked frantically. Sam placed a hand on his shoulder, "I told Robb as soon as you went into surgery..." he told him. Jon frowned, his eyebrows pulling together. He knew that tone all too well, "but?" he urged. "But he didn't tell Arya. No one has yet" Sam said slowly. "And why the bloody hell not?" Jon demanded.
Sam winced. "He says it'd be better coming from...you" Sam said. Pyp grinned all of a sudden and Grenn seemed to be catching on. Jon gave an internal groan. "And if you think about it" Grenn started, "it's way for you to sweep the girl off her feet and finally win her heart" Pyp finished. "Since when did you all give a toss about my love life?" he groaned.
Two Weeks Later
Jon sighed as he zipped up his kit bag and slung it over his shoulder. He was going home, at long last he was going home.
He walked out of the barracks building into the hot sun of Afganistan. He turned his head to see Sam, plump and kind, Grenn and Pyp thin and mischievous walking towards him, their own bags hung over their shoulders. Jon shrugged as they reached him. "Come on boys lets go home". They all jumped into the truck that would take them to the airport, Pyp, Grenn and Sam all talking excitedly. Ten hours later they arrived in England. It was raining and Jon felt relieved. He'd been stuck and damp, dark cell for the last year. Half the time he was being interrogated and the other half he was under torture. He stepped off the plain and embraced the feeling of rain soaking his flesh. "It's good to be home" Grenn said, getting down on his knees and started kissing the ground. Jon rolled his eyes and walked with rest of the soldiers to the passport terminals.
He yanked his bag of luggage belt and proceeded to walk outside of the airport to the mini bus that would take him back to the barracks in North Yorkshire. The journey was long and laborious and the exhaustion of events from the past forty eight hours finally pulled him into sleep.
Arya laughed as her arms wound round his neck, he elf her by her waist and lifted her gently off of the floor. She'd always been small. But now she looked positively tiny. He pressed his forehead into hers. And she sniffed and met his eyes as tears slid down her face and dripped off her chin. "I never gave up hope. I never believed that you were really gone" she whispered to him and he kissed her forehead. "I always knew you would come home". He kissed her forehead again and then he kissed her cheek. "I was never really gone Little Wolf. But I'll never leave you again. Not ever" he promised.
It was early morning by the time they arrived at the barracks. Restlessly and irritably Jon fell into his old bed in the quarters he shared with Sam, Pyp and Grenn. His thoughts went back to Arya. He wondered if she was alright. If she had accepted that he was dead which he wasn't of course but he couldn't help but wonder. Finally he gave into his thoughts and sat up. He rummaged through his bag and retrieved his phone, selected his contacts list and searched through the list of names. At last he found Robb's mobile seat ails and hit the 'call' icon.
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Groaning, Robb sat up and picked up his buzzing mobile phone. He couldn't help but hold down the smile when Jon Snow's phone number appeared on the screen. Immediately he extend the 'accept call' option. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear your voice" is the first thing he says to his best friend. "Hello to you too" Jon said. Robb laughed. "So how is everyone?" Jon asked, Robb huffed lightly, "how's Arya, you mean" Robb replied. "Come on Jon, you're my best friend and I'm not an idiot" he said. Jon sighed, "just tell me Robb. I need to know she's okay" Jon said. Robb didn't miss the anguish in Jon's voice. He winced. "In all honesty, she hasn't been great. She's good at hiding it but I saw straight through her. She's ill Jon. She needs to know that you're okay" he told his best friend. "Is she still at college" Jon asked, Robb chuckled. "Oh yes. She's switched courses though". "Really? What's she doing now" Jon asked. "She's still doing photography. But she's taking psychology, law and politics" Robb said. Jon laughed lightly. "That sounds like Arya". Suddenly an idea struck him. "Why don't you pick her up tomorrow instead of me?".
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Arya stuffed the psychology text book into her bag and made her way to the entrance of the college building. The day had been long. She had to put up with Jeyne Poole and Miranda being bitches with her again, and it didn't help that Ramsay had egged them on. Myrcella had been the one to shut them up, literally.
Gendry had broken Ramsay's nose and blackened his eye for the sixth time this week whilst Ben (Hot Pie), had held her as she cried. Myrcella smiled lightly at her as they walked out of the college. "I never new you had that in you 'Cella" Arya said to her blond counterpart, her own brown tresses falling in waves around her shoulders. "It's nothing" Myrcella said as she stared ahead. Her lips pulling into a toothy grin. She nudged her best friend lightly and said, "Arya look-" before the girl in question interrupted her. "No I'm serious 'Cella, you were the definition of girl-" finally Myrcella got out, "ARYA LOOK!".
Arya looked. Her heart stopped and her breath hitched. Standing just ten meters away from her was Jon Snow. He was leaning on his sleek black Range Rover, arms crossed over his chest. He was still in his military combat attire, tan t-shirt, sleeves straining to accommodate his heavily muscled biceps, his camouflage trousers were held up by the tab belt, the ends of the trousers were tucked into heavy combat boots. One foot was pressed flatly to the car, the other on the ground. Jon stared at her intently. His dark gray eyes held her in place. His curly dark brown hair was cut shorter that usual so it reached just below his ears, still curly and unkempt as ever. He had a silver chai that held his dog tags around his neck and on his right bicep was the ends of a black tattoo peaking out from underneath the sleeve of the tee-shirt. A soft smile was gracing his lips. Then he pushed off the car and walked towards her. Myrcella took this as her cue to leave. She squeezed Arya's hand lightly and walked away from them, giving the would-be couple some privacy.
Arya didn't fail to notice the suggestive looks other girls were giving Jon Snow. She couldn't blame them. He was hot, as in rock-star, sexy hot. He looked down at her and she had to tip her head back to look up at him.
And then she jumped up and flung her arms around his neck. He grunted at the impact, he gladly encircled his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground. Sobs shook her already fragile frame and rubbed her back soothingly. "You have no ideas how terrified I was" she whispered. He turned his head and kissed her cheek gently. "I thought I'd never see you again". He felt tears of his own slide down his face and hens her tighter. "But I'm here now" he reassured her. She nodded, still shaking. "Yes you're here now". He set her down gently and framed her face with his hands. Gently skating his thumbs across her cheek bones. He touched his forehead to hers, and he watched as she closed her eyes and how her arms encircled his waist. It was now or never. He knew that he'd be fool not to tell her now. "I love you Arya Stark." She froze. And then she pulled he'd and tightly to his chest. "I love you Arya. Now and forever".
He rested his head on top of hers, burying his head in her hair and closing his eyes. Then he heard her. Her response was so soft he thought it was just the breeze of the trees. But it wasn't. It was her voice. Her words.
"I love you Jon Snow". "I love you Jon. Now and forever".
And he kissed her. Gently pushing his mouth to hers, holding one hand in a loose fist under chin, and his other arm around her waist. Her own lips touched his gently. Her hands slid up his chest, one hand at the back of his neck and the other over his heart.