Game of Thrones: Short stories.

Only the strong survive - Part 7 - Jon x Reader

"Y-y-you..........you........." (Y/n) stammered out. Jon steadying her as her knees began to buckle. His arms wrapping around her and pulling her close. The lioness sure that at any moment she would faint, as she looked deep into Jon's eyes.

"Did........did you just say that......that you love me?" (Y/n) asked. Not quite sure that she had heard Jon say what he had just said.

"Yes I did. I love you (Y/n) Lannister. I was just too blind to see that until I had to leave. Until I lost you.................."

"You are many things Jon Snow. But until this moment I never believed that you could be this cruel. I know how you felt for your aunt. You and she were nearly as bad as my own brother and sister. I was never foolish enough to believe that you could care for me like you did her. That you would ever love me at all, in fact. But if you did think that you might care, even just slightly, why after your aunt's demise didn't you say anything? Why did you leave me in Kings Landing? Why didn't you tell me there and then how you felt? Why did you say nothing when I argued with Bran? When I offered to fight singlehandedly against the entire Unsullied army just so that you could stay. No...........as much as I wish I could believe you. As much as I would give anything for this to be true, I know it isn't." (Y/n) retorted, as she pushed herself out of Jon's arms. And made her way to the door. Not wanting to hear any more of this.

"You call me cruel..............!" Jon shouted out angrily. The lioness stopping in her tracks. Her hand hovering over the doorknob.

"Which would you say was crueller, (Y/n). To leave you with your brother and Bran, both of whom needed you. To leave you with people that I knew would love and care for you and keep you safe, or to drag you up here with nothing? To have you come up here with a man that had been exiled. That has nothing to give or offer you. Was it crueller to not tell you that I loved you when I had to leave, in hopes that you would forget all about me; or say that I adored you and leave you in pain? No (Y/n), I do not think of myself as cruel. I do not believe that leaving you in Kings Landing how I did, was cruel. I believed at the time that it was the kindest thing I could do. To not drag you into my life. To not have you exiled along with me. But I now know I was wrong. That I should have told you there and then that you were coming with me. That I should have taken you and put you in front of me on my saddle as I rode out of the capital. That I should have had you with me every step of the way, because I have been miserable without you. Dead inside at the idea of never being able to see your face again. Broken by the thought that you might have found another. So yes, I was a fool, but I was not cruel. You on the other hand............you are cruel. I have just told you that I love you, and instead of staying and letting us talk, you call my feelings a lie and walk away. You have scoffed at me, ignored me. Moved away from my slightest touch. Thwarted every attempt I have made to make it up to you for leaving you as I did. So, Lady Lannister, which one of us would you say was the crueller?" Jon continued. His voice a mix of pain and hurt. Of anger and loss. Of pure love. (Y/n) dropping her head at his words. At the realisation that what he was saying was true.

"You're right, Jon. I am cruel. I am awful. Perhaps I am more like my sister, more like my father than I would ever want to admit. But you must believe that I never did any of that to hurt you. Though, in trying to protect myself from my feelings for you. In trying to not get hurt myself, I have hurt you instead. From the moment I met you, Jon Snow, I loved you. Perhaps I have loved you too much.................but there it is. I do love you. And in all honesty, I would rather be exiled with you a thousand times than to be without you again. I would have rather followed you, with nothing to our names, than to have been left behind. Than to have it seem as though I was being ignored. That you didn't even see me. If you have been miserable without me, I have been just as lost without you. If you have died inside at the thought of never seeing my face again, I can assure you, that I have been little more than a ghost wandering the corridors of the Keep since you left. The idea that you were up here with another woman in your arms, destroying what little I had left of myself. So, perhaps we are both cruel, you and I." (Y/n) replied, as she finally turned to look at Jon. The Lord Commander finding himself nodding softly in agreement. Watching as the last lioness made her way slowly towards him. Stopping as she stood in front of him.

"But, maybe, maybe now that we are finally together. We could learn not to be so cruel to one another. Maybe, we can show each other that all we have done, is out of love and nothing else. For in this world, only the strong survive, and as strong as I might be, I know that I won't survive any longer without you by my side." The lioness continued. Reaching up her hand to wipe the tears from Jon's cheek. The Lord Commander doing the same, as he pulled her close again. Jon placing his lips against hers, as lightening once again broke the sky outside. The son of fire and ice determined to never let her leave him again. And that together, they would be able to survive anything that this new world sent their way.