A Song of Fire & Snow (GOT)(Jon Snow)

Chapter 18: Jon Snow

~The Heat Between Them~

Jon's mind had been a storm since they left Daenerys's throne room. He couldn't shake the image of Alarys standing her ground, her voice calm but sharp as she confronted the Dragon Queen. In all his time in the North, he had never seen anyone speak so fearlessly to a woman who wielded dragons and armies at her command. She had defended him—without hesitation, without flinching—and though it had caught him off guard, it had also stirred something deep within him.

He found himself standing in the dimly lit corridor outside her chambers before he realized his feet had carried him there. His knuckles hovered in midair, ready to knock on the door, but he hesitated. What was he doing here? What could he possibly say? He had no right to interrupt her rest, especially after the tense conversation with Daenerys.

Yet, despite all those reasons, Jon couldn't walk away. His thoughts kept returning to her—to the way she had looked at Daenerys, unflinching and bold. He remembered her words: "No one wins a war by standing alone."

He drew in a steadying breath and knocked, his heart beating faster than it should.

A moment passed, then the door opened, and there she was. Alarys Martell, bathed in the soft glow of candlelight. She was wearing a loose, sleeveless gown, and her dark hair spilled over her shoulders, still slightly damp as if she had just bathed. Her amber eyes widened in mild surprise at seeing him, but she stepped aside to let him in without a word.

"Jon," she greeted quietly, her voice softer than it had been all day. There was no sharpness here, only curiosity. "Is everything all right?"

Jon stepped inside, suddenly feeling the warmth of the room surround him, a sharp contrast to the cold tension of the day's events. He wasn't sure how to answer her question. Was everything all right? It didn't feel that way. He had come to Dragonstone seeking an alliance, but all he had found was more conflict, more danger. But in the midst of it all, there had been her—this unexpected ally from Dorne who had stood by his side when it mattered most.

"I wanted to check on you," he said, his voice coming out rougher than he intended. "After what happened with Daenerys... I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Her lips curved into a small, appreciative smile. "I'm fine, Jon. I've faced worse than a stubborn queen with dragons."

He couldn't help but smirk at that, though it quickly faded as his gaze lingered on her. She seemed so calm, but he knew there was more beneath the surface. There always was with her—layers of strength, wit, and something else he couldn't quite place. Something that drew him to her in a way he hadn't expected.

"I should be thanking you," Jon said, taking a step closer. "For standing up for me in there. You didn't have to."

Alarys's eyes softened, and she shook her head slightly. "Of course I had to. We're in this together, aren't we? You're not just the King in the North, Jon. You're someone who sees the bigger picture, who understands that this war isn't about crowns. It's about survival. I believe in that. I believe in you."

Her words hit him harder than they should have. There had been so few people in his life who had spoken to him like this, who had seen him for more than the titles thrust upon him. Ygritte had seen him, but even then, there had been so much left unsaid. Alarys wasn't Ygritte. She was different—fierce and unyielding in her own way, but with a depth of understanding that unnerved him.

"I don't know if I deserve that," Jon said quietly, the weight of everything pressing down on him. The dead, the living, the impossible choices he had to make. "There's so much at stake, and I don't know if I'm the one who can—"

"You are." Alarys's voice cut through his self-doubt like a knife. She stepped closer to him, close enough that he could feel the warmth radiating from her. "You've already proven yourself. You've brought people together—wildlings, Northerners, people who should be enemies. And now you're here, trying to save all of us. If that's not enough to make you worthy, then I don't know what is."

Jon stared down at her, his breath catching in his throat. He had been so focused on the larger battle ahead that he hadn't allowed himself to feel anything else, but now, standing here in front of her, something shifted. It was more than just admiration or gratitude. It was something deeper, something that tugged at him in a way he hadn't felt in a long time.

Without thinking, Jon reached out, his hand brushing against her arm. Her skin was warm beneath his fingers, and the touch sent a jolt through him that he hadn't expected. Alarys looked up at him, her amber eyes wide with surprise but not pulling away.

He should stop. He knew he should. But before he could second-guess himself, Jon closed the distance between them and kissed her.

For a heartbeat, there was stillness. Alarys didn't move, didn't breathe. And then, to his surprise and relief, she kissed him back, her lips soft and warm against his. The tension in his body melted away as he pulled her closer, his hand sliding up her arm to rest against her neck, fingers tangling in her dark hair.

The kiss deepened, and for a moment, everything else—the war, the dead, the weight of his responsibilities—faded into the background. All that mattered was her—Alarys, her presence, her strength, the way she fit perfectly against him. Her hands found their way to his chest, clutching at his tunic as if she needed to anchor herself, and the heat between them intensified.

Jon's heart raced as he pressed her back against the wall, his mouth moving hungrily against hers. Alarys responded with equal fervor, her fingers curling into his hair, pulling him closer. It was a fire that neither of them had expected, one that had been building beneath the surface for days.

But just as quickly as it had begun, reality crashed back in. Jon pulled away, breathless, his forehead resting against hers as they both struggled to regain control. His chest heaved, and for a moment, they simply stood there, their faces inches apart, the space between them crackling with unspoken tension.

Alarys was the first to break the silence, her voice a little shaky but laced with amusement. "Well... that escalated quickly."

Jon couldn't help the grin that tugged at his lips. "You think?"

She laughed, a soft, musical sound that cut through the tension in the air. Jon's heart swelled at the sound, and for a moment, the heaviness in his chest lightened. There was something about her laugh that made everything feel... easier.

Alarys pulled back slightly, her amber eyes meeting his with a mixture of surprise and something else—something softer, more vulnerable. She placed a gentle hand on his cheek, her thumb brushing over his jawline. "I didn't expect that," she admitted quietly. "But I'm not upset."

Jon felt a wave of relief wash over him at her words. He had been afraid, for a moment, that he had crossed a line. But here she was, looking at him with that same fierce confidence, as if they had both known this was coming, even if they hadn't admitted it to themselves.

Alarys leaned up and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to his lips, a far cry from the heat of their earlier embrace. When she pulled away, there was a twinkle in her eyes. "Goodnight, Jon. I'll see you in the morning."

Jon blinked, still caught off guard by how quickly the mood had shifted. "Goodnight," he echoed, his voice hoarse.

He turned to leave, but just as his hand touched the door handle, Alarys's voice stopped him once more.

"And Jon?"

He glanced back at her, his heart thudding in his chest.

"If you get cold," she said with a teasing smile, "you know where to find me."

Jon's breath hitched, but he managed a grin despite the racing of his pulse. "I'll keep that in mind."

With that, he stepped out into the corridor, his mind spinning with everything that had just transpired. As he walked back to his own chambers, Jon couldn't help but feel that, despite the chaos surrounding them, something had just shifted between him and Alarys—something undeniable.

And though he couldn't say what the future held, he knew one thing for certain: he wasn't alone in this fight. Not anymore.