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Brienne has been avoiding Jaime, true, but that does not mean he has to bite her head off about something as simple as forgetting to turn off the bathroom lights when she went out for work this morning.
He’s been ranting for 20 minutes straight.
Brienne refuses to raise her voice at the absurdity of this man who’s pocket is lined with thousands of dragons and splurges on a new Valyrian sports car just two months ago. There is something petulant about his tone of voice that reminds Brienne of her 5 year old students at the kindergarten.
In the attempt to placate him, she tries to make him see reason.
“Okay fine. I’ll pay for the extra bill this month!”
“No. That’s not the point!”
“Then?” Brienne asked perplexed and just really, really want to eat her dinner.
“You don’t have to pay extra. I can cover that! Its about the principle!”
“Is this about the dying walrus up north?”
Jaime has been binge watching nature documentaries and was particularly struck by the effect of global warming on the environment.
“No! I mean yes, the walrus, of course.”
“So? What else is this about?”
“You’re rarely at home.”
A splutter rose from Brienne’s mouth, “W-what? That- so?”
He furrows his brows, “It feels like you are avoiding me. Have you?”
Brienne shuts her mouth, afraid she’ll vomit the truth out.
He looks beseechingly towards Brienne, drawing up the kicked puppy look quite well actually.
Brienne is terrible at lying so she walks towards the dining table and busies herself laying out the Dornish take out.
She sighs, “I’ve been busy. You know that.”
“Even when you had that kids theatre last year, you found time to hang out with me.” Brienne turns to look at him. Jaime is staring intently at the floor and flexing his only hand.
“You’ve spend an awful lot of time at Renly’s lately.” That comes out as a whisper and if Brienne isn’t already paying attention to him, she might have missed it.
There’s no point denying that. Brienne has been landing herself at Renly and Loras’s place convincing herself that avoiding Jaime on the brink of his renewed relationship with his ex, Cersei is the best way to salvage her battered and bruised heart.
“Why do you spend so much time with them?” He looks up with a slight flush high on his cheeks.
Brienne gapes a little staring at him, “I’m allowed to have other friends, you know. And you might need space, you know for other personal stuff.”
Her phone rings on the dining table before Jaime can answer her. Renly’s name and face flashes on the screen. She picks it up not making eye contact with Jaime even though she can feel him boring a hole in her head with his stare.
“Bri! Are you coming over? Because, disclaimer, we are getting hammered tonight!”
She turns her head away from Jaime’s glower, “I got take out so I think I’ll pass.” She pauses to hear Renly’s gibberish words which means he is well into his cups.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” She puts her phone down and realises Jaime has moved himself to sit at the table. He pulls his chair closer to Brienne.
“Was that Renly? Why is he calling you at this time of night?” She wishes it were easier to explain to Jaime.
“Jaime,” Brienne sighs, “you know I’m your friend. You don’t have to feel insecure and stress yourself about it.” She moves the spicy chicken towards him, knowing that’s his favourite and he moves the beef broth to Brienne, because he knows that’s her favourite.
“Not when you’ve barely been at home for 3 weeks!” The cranky child is back.
“I’m still around and you might- you can have other company around,” she says as she takes a seat ready to feast. She’s just really tired of this. And hungry.
“Oh my god! Is this about Cersei?! You know that’s over!I don’t even like her near me at the office, let alone in our house!” Brienne turns her head towards Jaime at that.
“You-.” She couldn’t get a rebuttal in before he jumps up and says,” You were there when I broke up with her. You rescued me for god knows how many times from the bar! You saw the texts! It’s over, Brienne.
Brienne flinches at his slight manic tone and follows his pacing by the dining table, “I thought things are better between the both of you? Isn’t this how it goes?” Brienne asks.
“NO! Not anymore. It took a longer time I admit but that part of my life is over,” he looks straight at Brienne and gestures with his hand.
“I don’t go back to her when I can go back home to you,” Jaime says softly.
Brienne’s eyes widens as she tries to process what Jaime said. Lost for words to say to this specimen of a man.
He grips the back of Brienne’s chair and tugs on it, so now Brienne is angled towards him.
“Brienne,” he starts, then swallows. “Brienne,” Then he looks a little constipated. All the bravado and determination seeping out of his gaze.
“Jaime.” Brienne is a little worried now.
“I have something to say. Brienne, for a long time now,” his grip on the back of the chair renders his knuckle white. He shifts his hand to hers on the table and kneels in front of her. Now they are looking at each other eye to eye.
“For the longest time, I feel like you are- you have been special to me.”
Brienne opens her mouth to respond, but he put up his hand to stop her. Brienne instantly misses the warmth of his hand on hers.
“You have been my best friend. My partner. My equal,” he steals a glance towards her beautiful eyes. From beneath his lashes Brienne can see a glint of nervousness. “My wench.”
One corner of his lips moves up and he hastily places his hand back on hers and squeezes.
“And I have loved you for awhile now. I love you still and I think,” he pauses, seemingly fighting the convulsing in his throat, “ I know I will love you always.”
He gives her hand another squeeze. “I know you don’t feel the same way and I don’t want this to change our friendship. I’m just taking your advice and owning up to the things that I feel.”
His smile has turned despondent and all this while he stares at their touching hands.
Brienne’s soul has left her body from the moment Jaime said my wench in that heartfelt quiet tone. As his short speech went on, his words have unravelled this substantial fact in Brienne’s mind.
He loves me.
Faster than Brienne could finish that thought, but how could that be? Jaime has been in love with the most beautiful woman in Westeros. He can’t go from that to me!
Brienne feels frozen in place staring at their hands as well. Slowly she turns her palm up and laces her fingers through his.
She furrows her brow. Maybe it’s time to heed her own advice and just let all the things she has been feeling for Jaime take its course.
She strokes her thumb on his and risks a look at Jaime’s face. He still looks a little downcast with a sad smile on his lips. Lips. Jaime’s lips. Now she’s staring at his lips. She feels her skin getting warm and her breath a little shallow. She blinks.
Jaime senses a shift in the mood.
They both look up at each other. An electric current so strong zings through Brienne’s body and the flash in Jaime’s eyes tells the same reaction in him.
He lurches forward and chances a kiss on Brienne’s soft lips. She kisses him back. Hesitant at first and becomes more insistent as the seconds pass.
Jaime moves his hand to cup her cheek and brushes his thumb back and forth as he deepens their kiss. Their first kiss. That hopefully leads to many, many more kisses.
Brienne is floating away and her only anchor is Jaime. His lips on hers. His smell. His warmth. She pulls him closer with her hand on the back of his neck and one resting on his heart.
“Jaime,” she gasps at a little nip he made to her lower lip.
“Wench,” he growls. A warm breathe against her lips.
“I love you too.”