Sue Me / Sandor Clegane / Vaera Targaryen

22. Stay Like This

Vaera woke with sandors head on her bed. She was about to get up when she realized something was beside her. She reached out of hand hesitantly and felt his head. Fingers trail gently down his cheek, feeling his scars.

She didn't remember him getting here, but she liked that he was. His eyes slowly opened, but he didn't dare move as he watched her trace gently along his skin and into his hair

She closed her eyes once more but this time she had curled herself closer to him.

"I could stay in bed," sandor offered. Vaeras eyes open again. "With you." She nodded moving over. " I admit I missed you. I missed sleeping beside you."

" I missed this as well." She admitted.

Today was the big day the big fight. She wondered if she just stayed in bed a while longer if she could pretend- keep the day from coming if she just decided not to get out of bed today.

"You dont have to go." Sandor reminded her as she curled into his side. He thought she felt so perfect snuggled into him.

"I should. Tyrion needs my support." Vaera countered.

Sandor didnt answer just closed his eyes hoping her support wouldnt need to get out of bed for a while longer

"When did you get here?" Vaera questioned

"You didnt want me to leave last night." He reminded her. She thought back. "Said you felt a darkness coming."

"You stayed right here all uncomfortable at my bedside?"

"Wanted to sleep in your bed but you didnt invite me until this morning." sandor offeree

"What a gentleman."

"Indeed." Sandor mused.

"Sandor..."

"Aye?"

"Thank you for being here for me." He nodded as his breathing grew heavy. "You might just be my best friend sandor."

"Theres that stupid word again." He mumbled under his breath

"What Did you say?"

" It's stupid hot in here like a damn fireball." Sandor offered. Vaera chuckled.

"I like it hot. I have been cold recently. You can open a window if you like."

"You are crazy if you think im leaving now that you are snuggled up with me like this." Sandor countered. If only her imagination expanded to telling sandor that she wanted him to kiss her, that she wanted more than a friendship with him but alas her lips sealed shut. Postponing the future for a little while longer. 

Sandor stood hand on Vaera's shoulder as they readied for the fight, Vaera flinched back at the sounds, the stomping the slice of the blades through the air. Her lip quivered unable to see what was going on. She turned to Sandor.

"Who's winning?"

"The little guy." Sandor answered.

"What?" Vaera demanded.

"Fuckers gonna fall to the jumping shrimp of dorne." Sandor agreed.

"What?" Vaera repeated. She wanted tyrion to live obviously but she didnt want gregor to die. She couldnt have both.

It went on like that for what seemed a long time. Back and forth they moved across the yard, and round and round in spirals, Gregor slashing at the air while Oberyn's spear struck at arm, and leg, twice at his temple. Gregor's big wooden shield took its share of hits as well, until the raw oak showed through.

"Sandor?"

"Still going." Sandor answered with a yawn.

"Is my impending doom boring you?" Tyrion questioned

"Aye." Sandor agreed.

Gregor would grunt from time to time, and once vaera heard him mutter a curse, but otherwise he fought in a sullen silence.

Not Oberyn Martell however he was very vocal. "You raped her," he called, feinting. "You murdered her," he said, dodging a looping cut from Gregor's greatsword. "You killed her children," he shouted, slamming the spearpoint into the giant's throat, only to have it glance off the thick steel gorget with a screech. Vaera cringed

"That didnt sound good."

"Hes fine." Sandor countered picking at his nails.

"That sounded bad San."

"Hes alive."

"Oberyn is toying with him," said Ellaria. Vaeras ears tuned into her voice.

That is fool's play, thought Tyrion as he paced back and forth. Vaera knew his small uneven steps. "The Mountain is too bloody big to be any man's toy."

"Be quiet." Ser Gregor seemed to be moving a little slower, and his greatsword no longer rose quite so high as it had when the contest began. "Shut your bloody mouth."

"Gregor is mad."

"Aye."

"Is he hurt?" Vaera questioned

"Fight is still going. You sure you want to be here?" Sandor questioned taking a knee before her.

"I want to be here for tyrion" vaera agreed

"Ha! Ha that's Rich, considering you are rooting for my enemy!" Tyrion declared

"Gregor is not my enemy."

"He is mine in this moment. Pick a side vaera."

"You raped her," oberyn said, moving to the right.

"Enough!" Ser Gregor took two long strides and brought his sword down at Oberyn's head, but the Dornishman backstepped once more. "You murdered her," he said.

"SHUT UP!"

"I will hear you say it. She was Elia of Dorne."

Vaera hated to hear oberyn talk of gregor as such. Yes she knew he was instructed to do some awful things in the past, but that was in the past he was different person. Now he protected her. She hated that oberyn held a grudge this long. Gregor had changed. She knew it. Sandor wasnt so sure.

"Elia of Dorne," they all heard Ser Gregor say, when they were close enough to kiss. His deep voice boomed within the helm. "I killed her screaming whelp." He thrust his free hand into Oberyn's unprotected face, pushing steel fingers into his eyes. "Then I raped her." Gregor slammed his fist into the Dornishman's mouth, making splinters of his teeth. Vaera heard them crack. "Then I smashed her fucking head in. Like this."