C U R I O S I T Y | Aemond Targaryen

F O R T Y - N I N E

Cordelia's P.O.V.

"Twenty-five, Cordelia. Twenty-fucking-five!"

Aegon exclaims while waving around a piece of paper, making me burst into embarrassed giggles. My reaction causes his smile to brighten as he watches me fall apart in laughter on top of my bed. I feel my face going bright red, so I cover my cheeks with my hands as I calm down my fit of giggles.

"You are a little Firestarter." Aegon chuckles while glancing at the list on the paper and shaking his head with pride. "My favorite is the blue hair. Genius... Fucking Genius."

After Aegon found out about the latest prank I played on Aemond, he ran to my bedroom with this list of his while I was reading. We're sitting across from each other on my bed, laughing like fools while Aemond is downstairs trying to untangle all of his shoes from each other. Daeron's on a date with a girl we have yet to meet, but I made it clear to him before he left about how he can't go on another date until we meet her.

Daeron hasn't even given us her name yet... I think he's afraid Aegon is going to scare her off. 

It's been a week and a half since Aemond's been back home, but it feels longer to me if I'm being honest. I know he's still dating Alys Rivers for the merger, but he does his best to hide it from me. Not only that, but Aemond is on his best behavior when he's around me and he's letting me get away with everything, like it will make a difference.

... But the damage is done. 

Returning to how things were before Aemond and I slept together is impossible for me, so I'm simply not letting us go back to the friendship we once had. These pranks of mine have become a distraction for me, to help me ignore the broken heart inside me. None of the Targaryen brothers are stopping my antics, since lately it is the only reason for my smile, but I know Aemond is slowly going insane for letting me continue these pranks against him.

Aegon is being the biggest help to me during this situation, even if his help is a little chaotic, and Daeron has been an overall sweetheart to me like usual. Aemond attempts to right his wrongs, but I can't look past everything, not when he chose Alys Rivers and the merger over me. No one has flat out said he chose them over me, but it's unspoken, since he makes no honest effort to put what we have first.

It hurts more than anything, but at least the pranks are helping me to not think about it too much.

Aemond's gentle touch, the way he handled me with such affection, is something I miss dearly. I miss the way his smile, a pure grin he only gave to me, would crinkle the corners of his eyes when I talked nonstop about anything that came to mind. Though I won't allow myself to admit it out loud, or even let myself to ease up on Aemond just for the tender affection he solely gives to me.

"Where did you come up with all these ideas, sweetheart?" Aegon blurts out in astonishment while reading through the list of pranks I've done in the past week and a half. "These pranks are brilliant. Like damn, I'm going to have to use a few of these."

"Remember how I told you it was hard for me to get adopted... Well, pranks are one of the reasons for that."

I confess with a tilt to my head, and a bright blush grows on my cheeks while glancing at him. His eyes dart up from the paper in his hand to face me completely, and I see in his gaze how he's surprised at my words about my life in Essos. Biting my bottom lip, I twiddle with my pinky finger nervously while waiting for him to tease me some more about these little antics.

"Are you kidding me? You're fucking with me, right?" He speaks up in an appalling tone, like he can't believe what he's hearing. "Your pranks are what drove away your chances of adoption?"