GoT AU: The Heart Wants What It Wants

13: Fruitcakes

Ages:

- Talisa, Willas, Ygritte – 25; Robb, Jon, Gendry, Meera – 23; Sansa – 22; Arya – 20; Bran, Jojen, Myrcella – 19; Rickon – 15

ARYA

It was Christmas break and everyone had to return home. Driving back North, Arya had allowed the Reeds to hitch the ride with her. It was better having her brother Bran and the Reeds with her, than having to share it Sansa. They'd end up arguing about something again. The last time it happened Meera had to yell at them to shut up.

That last school term was sort of depressing. Not the school stuff, but the fact that she and Gendry had to hide their relationship from everyone they knew. Meera had been the first figure it out; then later Jon, during a football championship game; then her two brothers, Robb and Bran who both didn't take it well at first.

Robb, especially. Though Arya had already expected her eldest brother to go ballistic, he still exceeded her expectations when he shoved her boyfriend to a rack of blank canvasses. But days after that, Robb subsequently joked that he would be the best man at their wedding someday.

That day, Arya found something fishy about Bran too. When she had used her contingency and browsed through her brother's phone, which by the way, Bran had never bothered to put a passcode on. Apparently, Bran had been sexting Meera. But the text messages had nothing explicit, most were just sexy compliments and probably the dirtiest message she's ever read from their conversation bubbles was Bran talking about how he was tempted to run his hands on Meera's legs and see for himself if they were actually as smooth as they look. And Bran was smart enough not to reveal anything when she'd confronted him, but she was sure there was something else going on.

Aside from the four of them, no one else knew about her and Gendry. Not even their families. And after the University production play, in which Gendry's younger sister, Myrcella was in; he told her that he wanted to tell his parents that they were dating. And yes, the president and first lady of Westeros came to Dragonstone to see a university production play. (With the White Cloaks included.) At first, Arya seemed fine with it, but backed out after seeing his Mom's sneer. To this day, Cersei Lannister-Baratheon still scares the shit of out her.

The following day, their Mom, Catelyn had prepared two roasted chickens for lunch since it was the first time that all six of them would be home from Dragonstone and Military school.

They were seated in their usual seats, with their huskies by their feet. Their Dad at the head of the table; to his right were their Mom, then Sansa and Arya herself; to their Dad's left were Robb, Jon and Bran; and Rickon at the end of the table opposite to their Dad.

Afterwards, their Mom served their desserts, which happened to be her homemade fruitcakes, and half of them groaned. Their Mom had this yearly tradition of baking fruitcakes for the family on Christmas. And by family, it meant sending one for family members and friends all across Westeros. There was always some for her Mom's uncle, their Great Uncle Brynden and her Mom's brother, their Uncle Edmure in Riverrun; another for her Mom's sister, their Aunt Lysa, her husband Jon Arryn, and cousin Robin in the Eyrie; for her Dad's brother, their Uncle Benjen up further north in Castle Black Military Base; and there's even some for the Reeds.

As for Arya, she hated those fruitcakes. They tasted weird and she would never understand how Sansa, Rickon and Robb loved it.

Bran beat her to asking the question she was dying to ask. "Don't we have anything else?" He asked.

"Not to worry, Brandon," Catelyn assured, then placed a bowl of Fruit Salad on the table. "I also made this."

"Thank the gods!" Arya said as she scooped from the bowl of Fruit Salas first. Jon and Bran did the same.