You took a step towards "Be safe Snow," you told him as you released him from your embrace and pressed a kiss to his temple. "Get back safely, else Arya is going to kill you when we back home," There was a slight smile that graced his lips at the comment.
"And you Stark,"
With that you nodded towards Ser Davos and Gendry and took a step back, letting Jon say goodbye to the ruler he seemed to like so much, ignore unsettled feeling within you. Jon was not Robb, he would return to your side. You had never had the chance to tell Robb you loved him, you were smuggled out as Roose Bolton plunged his blade into your brother's chest and your Mother's throat was slit. The sound of Greywind's howls filled your mind and you could not help but long for the feeling of your own wolf by your side, or better yet that Jon was taking the snow white ghost with him. You wanted to yell at him, not to leave you like Theon and Robb before him, and yet you said nothing.
You just prayed to the old gods that he got back safely.
It was poetic really, you should have known that the two of you would have found each other once more. The pull between the two of you was just as strong as it ever was, and without Yara there to guide him Theon was as lost as the sea foam that graced the waves he loved so much.
You were aware that you could have gone anywhere you wanted within Dragonstone's walls, but after the farewell you were not feeling much like keeping company, so you took yourself to the library hoping you might find something useful within its shelves with the aim of then going back to the guest quarters where you had been sleeping. what you had not been anticipating was Theon travelling in the opposite direction.
The two of you collide ungracefully, your eyes too busy scanning over the books that were currently clutched to your chest, you mouth stumbles out an apology before you even moved to see the others face, though really you should have known it was him.
"I'm sorry-" you blurt out before catching sight of brown hair that was so much shorter than you remember. "Theon," you comment the name slipping off your tongue as easy as the oxygen you breath. Honestly you hadn't been able to give too much thought to the Greyjoy's presence in the castle. Once you knew that it would have been all you could think about, you wouldn't even try to count the number of time you had laid awake thinking solely of what your future might have held in store, the number of children you would have, the grin he would have held on his face at the thought of coming home to you. You had as much power to day dream as Sansa, everyone said, when it came to Theon at least. But now you had other things to take up your mind, even the Night's King seemed like a warmer concept than the kraken boy.
"It was my fault," He responded, swiftly as if you were about to reprimand him. Ramsay's work you presumed, shaping Theon till he was no better than a dog.
Gods there wasn't a day that went by that didn't wish that you had been the one to plunge an arrow into that bastard's heart, for Robb, for Sansa, for Rickon, even for Theon. In some ways you felt guilty for him. You had been there when Robb had received a raven about Theon's betrayal, but you had been too occupied by the tears on your face to intervene when Roose suggested his bastard from the dreadfort. You wondered sometimes if you had been the one to ride back north, how much things might have changed. You would have been able to make Theon listen you were sure of it, maybe you would have been able to save Ser Rodrick, Bran and Rickon would have been safe, and Robb wouldn't have been forced to make such stupid decisions. Still Robb's words ran through your mind, your king's anger scarring you. "They'll be no talk, he will die for this," he had vowed in front of you, your mother and everyone present. Still you couldn't help but wonder what Robb would make of all that Theon had been through, in many ways he wasn't even Theon anymore. Then Theon you and Robb had loved, had left after he kissed you goodbye and simply never came back.
You could curse yourself for simply standing there, so you gather what little strength you have and speak. "We both know that I've always been the clumsy one," There is almost sentiment in your voice it takes you by surprise, but then you supposed there was little else you could do.
"A lot of things have changed since then my Lady," he returns, not glancing up at you even then.
You can't take the awkwardness of the interaction for much longer, so you move around him and prepare to continue walking through the hallway.
"Yes I suppose they have,"
You sat in your quarters till the next day, rejecting even the thought of food due to the fear that had taken such a deep root within you. There had been word from Davos that they had reached Eastwatch, but nothing since. You supposed that was a good thing, after all there was no way to send a raven from beyond the wall, but you knew you were unlikely to settle until you were at Jon's side once more, your mind unable to wander any further now. You busied yourself brushing you red locks, organising what few clothes you had been able to bring with you, until your attention was caught by a sound.
"Y/n," You jumped at the sound of Theon's voice and the knock on the closed door that accompanied it.
"Come in,"
The door creeaked open, revealing the Greyjoy's face from behind it.
"What is it Theon?" You asked, trying not to snap as you knew it would make him uncomfortable and might have even scared him away, not that you cared for his presence very much.
"There's been word from Eastwatch, Jon's in trouble, Danyeris is taking the dragons in the hopes that she might be able to help him,"
The gasp that you let out was audible as you felt yourself fall back onto the bed behind you arms drawn protectively around yourself as your hand comes to cover your mouth. This wasn't part of the plan, Jon assured you that he would have been back safely, now it was down to a girl the pair of you barely knew to save your brother.
"This can't be happening," you said more to yourself than Theon, who was awkwardly standing in the doorway gaze set hard onto the floor.
"Theon... What- What if he doesn't make it back," you choke out. Robb, Rickon, you had already lost Jon once you simply couldn't cope with the thought you might lose him once again. It was odd, but it was only then that you realised how Theon must have been thinking over the past few days, all whilst you yourself dismissed the fate of his sister.
The boy in questions took a few slow, calculated steps before finally crouching down in front of you, your Theon would have reached out and taken your hand, and yet this was not your Theon.
"Don't think like that Y/n," he spoke quietly, in a way he would have never before. The old Theon would have joked away your feelings until you were laughing once more, this one was far more serious. "Jon and Robb would want you to be strong for them," Were you in a different mood you would have cursed him for the mention of the dead Stark, but in that moment the sound of your twin's voice was nothing but a comfort.
You scrambled forward with your arm in that moment, taking Theon's hand in your own, in many ways simply to test that he was real, you knew you would be angry at yourself for seeking such comfort later, unsure of what Robb might or might not have thought, despite the fact your brother was long cold in his grave.
Things between you and Theon weren't fixed, perhaps they would never be but in that moment you allowed yourself to draw comfort from the fact that he was there beside you, that one of the boys you loved so dearly had come home to you.
"Your right," you nodded a fire from somewhere within you. "Jon will return unharmed, you'll see and when he does we will save Yara I swear,"
- h o m e 2
Start from the beginning
