His Little Song Bird

The Little Bird Pecks

The Sunday dragged on, and Sandor couldn't find a place to put himself. He'd sat in every chair in his house, looked at every wall and picked up every magazine, tv channel and book in his flat. Nothing could settle the old dog's mind.

He shouldn't have put Sansa in that taxi, he should have held her longer, brought her inside and taken her home to look after. But he couldn't bring himself to have look into her pained blue eyes any longer, he couldn't carry on her trauma by trying to shield her from the fear she felt. The world is shit, this will do her good, he thought bitterly. Her naivety and innocence irked him, it made him want to protect her, wrap her in a blanket and not let her ever get hurt, but everyone has to be hurt.

He sighed and brushed his hand through his thick beard and laid on his leather sofa, not listening to the show on TV. He just stared at the celing and thought bitter thoughts about the world around him. He wanted life before the little bird, before he found this intense attraction to a girl who would never want him, a girl too pretty for a scarred man like himself. She was young, so full of life while he, while not even hitting his 30s yet, felt old and drained, only content with beer and swearing. The only thing that got him up everyday was The Brotherhood and his nightly beers with Beric, the man listened to him and understood him like his best friend Tormond, but Tormond was in the north working at the moment. Both he, Beric and Thoros were vets so they understood Clegane's displacement. A man doesn't give up years of his life to a cause and then happily plop back into the real world. Clegane struggled to sleep, full of past memories and the pills they gave him made him feel sick and numb.  A nightly beer with Beric worked far better then every drug they gave him, and even then he was still a bitter old git.He knew Sansa could never truly understand what that kind of torment does to a man, what pain really feels like. 

He carried on staring at the ceiling, waiting for night so he could sleep and go back to work the next day. At least until his phone buzzed in his pocket. He angrily pulled it out, hating being disturbed. Until he read the words.

'Come to the brotherhood immediately.

-beric'

Sandor leaped to his feel, hastily pulling on his boots and hoodie before fleeing through his front door to Beric's aid.

--

He thundered through The Brotherhood's doors, expecting the worst but only found the great room lit, with a table placed in the center of the square, one of the hanging lights lighting the table sharply. People sat around the table, he first noticed Thor, the Guy, Gendry, Beric and finally Sansa, who sat at the far end, his eyes lingered on the little bird a little longer then they should have.

"What the f*ck is this!?" The Hound bellowed, angry at his obvious betrayal from Beric, who turned and smirked at him. Everyone stared at him, Gendry looked a little scared, Guy, Thor and Beric looked amused while Sansa had an unreadable emotion behind her hooded eyes.

"Poker night!" Beric chirped! Everyone grinned, even Sansa.

"Come to The Brotherhood immediately?" Sandor questioned, nostrils flared in anger. "Do you not get how f*cking worried I was you daft cock?"  

"How else would I have gotten you to come?" Beric said casually, holding out a beer for his tall friend. Sandor knew his friend was right, he never took up Beric's invites so he would have had to of lied to get him to come. Sandor also knew if he was aware Sansa was there he would never of even toyed with the idea. He angrily took the beer, opening it with his teeth. "I saved you a seat."

Oh great, the seat across from the little bird, he huffed in his mind. He fell into his chair, seeing snacks, drinks and cards sat ready on the table, obviously awaiting his arrival. He noticed a light bruise on Sansa's shoulder, from her attack. She saw him looking and give him a quick smile, acknowledging the events of the night before.