Red // Otto Hightower (1)

15. Awesome

SUNCHOKE / ARYA STARK out now!


Otto was smitten. There was no other way to put it. He was smitten with Aelsa lannister. Their relationship was very much kept in the dark. Aelsa didnt want anyone to think she got her position as Hand by fucking her counterpart. No, she got this position because she was skilled, smart, cunning, she didnt get it by sleeping her way to the top.

Otto started getting to their office late still early but not as early as usual, so he could walk past her desk when he got there and kiss her before starting his work. Aelsa knew when the door clicked open that she was about to receive long, slow kisses along her neck and lips.

A smile curved his mouth as he headed to his desk. He focused on the stack in front of him before looking up at the beautiful woman across from him. Aelsa smiled looking to him before looking back down after work. Her eyes drifted back up to him constantly. It was funny how well they work together in both the office and in life.

She never thought she would meet someone that she would want a future with. her mind had always been set on her goals her future making it to the top. Before she was willing to step on, anyone that was willing to get in her way of her dream. She did step on anyone they got in her way.

But she had changed. Otto hightower made her change. It was a strange thing to think that the man that she had first considered competition became the man she wanted to spend every night with.

" I know you've been spending a lot of time outside the castle walls. Did you find a place?" Viserys asked after a meeting.

"A place?" She counted

"I know you were looking for a house." Viserys recalled.

Yes she was. She was looking for a house. And then she found a man that already had a house. And she decided that she no longer wanted her own place if she could have a place with him. So that's what she did. She stopped sleeping at the castle And otto would walk her home. To his home.

"That's right I was" she agreed "I've been staying at a friends house seeing if I like the area. And I think I decided I don't want to live alone" she added. Aelsas smile shifted to Otto.

"I have never lived alone a day in my life. " Viserys declared . "Sometimes I wonder about the solitude of living alone."

"I think I would be bored". She admitted. "I'm too talkative to spend my nights alone. I might just get into trouble." She smirked and otto knew what sort of trouble a girl like her could get into and he preferred her to get into trouble with him.

As soon as Aelsa was out of the castle grounds that night she made her way to Otto's home. Since his sons were grown and married or busy being knights elsewhere and Alicent was queen, he had the place to himself. 

He heard the door open and seal, heard the click of Aelsa's little heels on the floor growing louder as she turned to the kitchen finding him. She dropped her bag down with a little thud, kicked off her heels leaving them in the middle of the floor. Anyone else Otto would have demanded they be put away but with Aelsa he didnt mind. 

"I'm so popular," Aelsa remarked jumping up on the counter. She poked through his ravens, she saw a Lannister seal and pulled it from the pile. Otto glanced back at her. 

"Of course you, beauty and brains, the world is amazed by you, Aelsa." OTto agreed, the wooden spoon tapped along the pot as he stirred. "Can you check on the bread?" Otto questioned. 

"My aunt is relentless." Aelsa remarked. 

"Ceira wanted to make a formal... I dont know, I thought it was for you but I kept reading and my mind spun." Otto admitted. He shoved the bakers bench knife into the stone oven and freed the loaves. Aelsa had prepped the dough that morning, letting it rise while they were at work. 

"I'm burning this." Aelsa informed him. 

"Go on ahead," Otto agreed. "You ready for supper, love?" 

"Ready." Aelsa agreed. She sat down at the table with bowls for the stew and Otto placed the warm loaves before them. Aelsa sat criss cross on her chair, her knee leaning into Otto's. He reached a hand over stroking her leg while they ate. It seemed so normal. So simple, yet so intimate, Otto forgot what it was like to not have her beside him. 

"Oh I was thinking for the market tomorrow we get some of the garlic dip." Aelsa remarked. "And those sprouts, you know you like them." Otto chuckled. "And my brother is coming to town, I want to get all his favorites, and I have to figure out where we are going to stay-"

"Stay here." Otto requested. 

"Otto-"

"Stay here," Otto repeated. 

"I didnt mean to make it sound like-"

"I want you and your brother to stay here." Otto assured. "Please, I have plenty of room."

"Thank you, that would be great." Aelsa agreed. 

"You speak highly of your brother," Otto added. Aelsa nodded pulling at the middle of her warm bread. 

"He loves sweets, I want to make him a blueberry cake, cookies, he loves chocolate, I want to take him with to the capital but I know he will want to hang out with the knights, see them train... maybe I can see if could join them," Aelsa pondered. 

"If you need some time off, I won't steal you job and ruin your reputation." Otto mused kissing her cheek. 

"I want to show him how awesome his big sister is, co hand of the king." Aelsa corrected. 

"As if he doesnt already know how awesome you are."