A/N - This chapter is based on the song 'The Middle' by Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey. I hope you all enjoy it.
Jaime looked a little lost as he slumped down into one of the two small chairs that surrounded your table. You'd had one added the day you were married in an attempt to encourage him to spend time in your company, and for some time it had worked. But now, only a few years on, you had begun to bicker like enemies rather than lovers. Jaime could be as stubborn as an old mule, with a much shorter temper than he had once possessed. The world had worn him down, battle had ripped away his patience, and now the only place he could express his annoyance was in your shared chambers. Leaving you with the full force of his bad moods.
Your lips were set in a straight line, your jaw tight as you glared at him. He always looked so scared after he'd finished with his yelling, and rightfully so. He was well aware of how his outbursts hurt you, you had certainly expressed your thoughts on the matter enough times, and yet he continued to torture you with them. The smallest action could set him off. A spilt cup of wine. A tiny comment. Even sometimes just the way you looked at him could send him into a full screaming fit. You were on edge whenever he was anywhere near you.
"I'm sorry," he uttered softly, glancing up at you from his spot.
You shook your head slightly at that comment. Never had you heard such complete rubbish from him. He wasn't sorry. If he was sorry he would never be so cruel with you. "No, you aren't," you murmured back, eyes still fixed on him as he stared at your feet.
"I didn't mean it," he added, finally shifting to look at you properly. There were tears in his eyes that you had never seen before. Jaime hated being vulnerable, even with you, and something about his appearance caught you off guard.
In that moment, you wanted to hold him. You wanted to wrap your arms around him and tell him that you forgave him. But you couldn't. You couldn't just accept that he was going to continue to treat you so cruelly.
"We never used to be like this," you started, dragging your eyes away from his. "We never used to hate each other."
"I don't hate you." There it was again. That pained expression that left you breathless and terrified.
Your brow furrowed and you shifted ever so slightly on the spot, lifting your arms to cross them over your chest. "Well you do a great job of acting like you do," you murmured, shaking your head. "All you ever do is yell and belittle, and it damn well feels like you hate me."
"I'm sorry-"
"Stop apologising," you yelped out, silencing him in an instant. He looked a little taken aback by your exclamation, and he sat up straighter as you stared at him. "You shouldn't need to fucking apologise because you shouldn't be treating me this way. Start acting like a good husband. You used to do a brilliant job of pretending to love me."
There was a moment of silence as Jaime swallowed, getting to his feet. "I do love you."
"Then fucking act like it," you spat at him.
His hands were reaching for you a moment later, inching slowly closer to you as you attempted to calm yourself. The way he moved reminded you of the times you had gone hunting as a child. Your father had always been so incredible at slowly approaching the creature so that it wouldn't get frightened off before it could be killed. And here you were, falling for the same trick.
Jaime pulled you to him, wrapping you up in his arms and pressing a soft kiss to the side of your head. "I'll be better," he started, his hand holding your head to his shoulder, encouraging you to stay in the embrace. "I promise."
Gods, it felt good to be held by him again. It seemed like the only times you'd had any contact with him recently, he had been attempting to put a baby in you. But now, there was a sweetness to the way he was touching you. A gentleness in the way his hands held you.
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