Song: Halsey - bad at love.

Imagine; you open up to Robb about your nightmares one night, leading to much more.

It's a long one, like 3,4 K... little angst and fluff.

•••

'Can't you two just get along?' Was often a phrase Y/n heard when it came to the King of the North and herself.

There was this tension between them, something unspoken and irritating. They felt drawn to each other in a way they both didn't enjoy.

She was strong, fierce and determined as was he. That's probably one of the many reasons they were bound to collide. Bud heads as some folks might say.

She always went with the men when they were off hunting, or off to battle, but the nightmares she'd have upon return, were always more gruesome than the previous one. She wasn't alone on that.

Y/n heard Robb wasn't as keen on sleeping as well. That's why she has the urge to just sit down and talk to him. To have an actual conversation that would benefit them both. To have someone hug her the way he hugs his siblings and mother.

'You're useless you know that?' Robb seethes at the woman while she throws your hands up. 'You have some nerve!' Y/n snaps back at him. 'If it wasn't for me you'd be dead and you know that... but no.. do tell me I'm useless..whatever makes you sleep at night Robb...' she tries her absolute best to not show the hurt lacing her voice as she turns around to walk to your own sleeping tent.

'I can't help it that the Lannisters are currently doing so much harm to us... don't take that out on me...'

Robb frowns when he sees her tear filled eyes. His words never have made her emotional, never like that. She always has a witty remark or something else to say to him but not this time.

He walks back to his own tent, beyond frustrated with himself that he once again couldn't control his anger towards the Lannisters and taking it out on the one person closest to him in that moment. You.

The truth is he's had a feeling in his guts, not of disgust or anger but if love. He admires the lady in more ways than one. She would be perfect for him, as his mother had pointed out many, many times.

As the evening falls, his guilt gets worse, the past few weeks have not been easy. He was almost killed by Walder Frey, Y/n prevented it, she found out they were to betray him and had put an end to it herself. He was also told that his little brothers were both missing, and his little sisters were stuck in Kingslanding.

Now he's on the way to Kingslanding to stop Joffrey from claiming himself king and to stop this madness once and for all. But he needs her to for that. She isn't useless. She never was. But now he fears he might've made her believe that.

So he sits at the table, staring at the different shapes of the pawns they use to coordinate attacks and talk strategy. His cup rests in his hand, he gulps it down before putting it on the table. He's about to leave when the curtain gets drawn and someone else enters.

The second Y/n's eyes lock with Robb's, her face turns stoic, expressionless. 'Didn't know you'd be here...i'll go-'

'No... stay... I... I want to talk..'

She nods before standing in front of him. She looks different in his eyes with her sleeping attire on. Her hair isn't neat, it's like a birds nest. She's covered in a thin layer of what he presumes is cold sweat.

'You seem distressed..'

'None of your concern..'

'Wrong... it does concern me.. I wanted to apologise for what I said... you're far from useless.. I'm sure I can't even do one thing right without you helping me with it... I directed my anger and frustration for the Lannisters towards you... it wasn't the right thing to do...'

'It was only a nightmare...' she comments and it confuses him for a moment. 'What?'

'The reason I look distressed... I had a nightmare... it's nothing...'

'For how long?' He asks with a gentle and genuine tone.

'Ever since we started going to battle... I get back and they get worse.. more horrible pictures fill my brain... I'm afraid to go to sleep at night as cowardly as that sounds...'

'It doesn't sound like a coward Y/n... I.. I have the same problem... I don't get to speak up about any of it because I'm supposed to be the king... why do you think I'm up at this ungodly hour? We are both insomniacs...'

She lets out a chuckle when she sees Robb's faint smile. 'I accept your apology... my lord...'

Robb cringes at the title, especially coming from you, you always call him by just his name and that makes her smile. She always enjoys making his face scrunch up.

His hand reaches up to comb her hair before resting on her face. Her eyes search his, there's no confusion or disgust in hers. She must feel this attraction as much as he does.

He wraps an arm around her and tugs her against him, making her gasp out before putting her hands against his chest.

A kiss follows, one with deep meaning and love. Love that had been cast away from the battlefield. But found again.

•••

Y/n hums as she moves around the small house she lives in. A bundle of happiness nestled in her arms. She gently rocks the small boy while moving to the window.

Braavos, not the best city in all the world but it's a place to hide from the war. Or at least the aftermath of the war since Robb put a halt to it.

Tommen is now the Man of the seven Kingdoms, and Robb is the King of the North still. Joffrey was spared, spending his life in prison while his brother now ruled with Margery at his side.

Y/n wished she could've stayed by his side, but her child would compromise many things for Robb. She was scared, scared that it would ruin everything, so she fled.

She fled until she set foot in Braavos. Where she found herself a home, nobody knew her here by face, gossip would spread around like a wildfire of anybody found out it was Robb's alleged wife that roamed the streets, with a child nevertheless. She forced a false name upon herself, she would be safe here. Not knowing that there was a Stark present.

The baby's face scrunches up just as Y/n looks down. She starts rocking him a little harder and she shushes him, humming a song from her youth. She leans down, kissing his small head before returning to the humming.

It gets rudely interrupted by the door slamming, she gasps and turns around with the child still in her arms.

'Arya?' Y/n asks shocked.

'Y/n?' She replies equally confused.

'She went in there!' A voice from outside can be heard, Y/n's instincts take over, she rushes to grab Arya's arm and drags her to the nursery and her own bedroom. She hastily lays the baby in his crib before using all her strength lifting up the larger bed frame.

'Quickly! Under here, I will cover for you...'

Arya follows the orders given to her and Y/n gently lowers the frame to the ground before rushing to the main room to not alert the guards.

They slam on the doors, the pounding gets worse and worse until Y/n opens the door.

'Step aside, there's a fugitive here...'

'I heard no such thing! What are you doing here?'

'We're searching your house...just step aside and you won't be harmed...'

'I won't stand here and watch you tear it to pieces.. I also have a child in here, a baby... so you might want to consider your next move very carefully...' she speaks with rage.

The guards share a look before nodding. 'No fugitive here...sorry my lady...' she watches them go before rushing to the bedroom again.

She lifts the frame again and Arya crawls from underneath it. She then turns to the crib and sees her boy sleeping peacefully, he's indeed his fathers son.

'Arya-' she turns to her again before two arms are wrapped around her middle.

'Thank you.... I've been running so long and now I finally found someone I know...' wet tears soak y/n's tears, where she was shushing her own child a moment ago, she is now comforting the young girl.

'Shhh Arya... Its okay... you're safe here...come on... I'll give you something to eat and drink... and some clean clothes...'

'I missed you...'

'I missed you too... I was so scared they hurt you... Robb went ballistic and so did I...' Y/n helps Arya to the main room again and gently sets her down.

After what feels like forever, Arya's head is empty with everything that happened to her. She got everything off of her chest and Y/n listened to every word of it.

'Well Its a good thing that you found me then... you can stay with me and y/c/n (your child's name) for the time being...'

The baby cries out and it alerts Y/n, she gets up and calmly walks to the nursery, not knowing Arya followed her there.

'So whose is it? And why isn't he here?' Arya's voice startles Y/n. 'Sorry...'

'It's.. fine... I don't like to talk about it...the father is far away...' and in a sense he is. He is halfway across the world.

'It's Robb's... isn't it?'

A pained expression creeps onto Y/n's face at the mention of his name. She softly nods without saying anything else about it.

'Does he know?'

'No... and I want it to stay that way.. this baby could destroy him and his reputation amongst the north...we weren't married when I received the news, so I fled...'

Arya's hand rests against Y/n's as a sign of comfort. She can see the pain this being Y/n, and if she wanted this to remain a secret, Arya would sow her mouth shut if she has to.

'I won't tell anyone... it will remain a secret for as long as you want it to... but you can still return to the north with me.. we will make up some lie about the child... but you will be safe in Winterfell as will the baby...'

'They're not fools Arya... especially your mother, she will see right through the lies... as would Robb... I want to stay here but I want you to return to Winterfell when your mother gets here to fetch you... Robb has worried long enough about you..' she gives Arya a soft smile as she walks back the main room with the child safely in her arms.

'Will you at least greet my mother then, let her know you are safe? I bet she's equally worried about you...' Arya argues.

A sigh leaves Y/n's lips before she gives into Arya, she never could deny that girl anything.

•••

'Arya!'

'Mother!' She rushes down the stone path to hug her mother while Y/n stays behind with the child. She smiles at the scene in front of her.

But what she had not counted on was for Robb himself to step out of the same boat Catelyn just came out of. Or that Catelyn makes her way over to her.

'Y/n...' she smiles before wrapping her arms around Y/n.

It brings tears to her eyes, she missed being hugged by her loved ones for so long. Braavos may have been her home for some time but still, she hasn't made any friends, she is and will always be an outsider here. And people did not like outsiders.

'You've grown...'

'I have...' she replies completely shocked. 'Even when you're not with us you're still protecting the North...' she glances at her daughter before returning to look at Y/n.

'And who might this be?' She reaches out unknowingly, to her grandchild. She rubs his soft cheeks with a warm smile, one y/c/n returns. 'You haven't been sitting still I see...'

Y/n stays silent, she doesn't know what to tell Catelyn, no I haven't been sitting still but this is Robb's child? Your grandchild? No she wouldn't say that to her.

'So how have you been? I never thought of you as a Braavos type of woman...'

'I'm not... but it's safe here.. and I have my own home now... a child to look after... I don't like to travel as you know..'

A chuckle makes it past Catelyns lips. 'I remember you always complaining when having to travel further...quite amusing actually...'

'I'm sure Robb found it less amusing...'

As on que, Robb walks up to the women with a harsh look on his face when he sees Y/n. He feels betrayal and disgust wrench his guts when he looks at her, a sour taste in his mouth.

'Your majesty...' she bows.

'Y/n...' his tone is cold, laced with venom. His anger rises even more when he sees the child in her arms.

He still can't believe she ran away and found herself another man to love, one that she had a child with and sure would be waiting for her to come home.

'I imagine the trip here was long and exhausting, I want to invite you to my home to rest up... if you want..'

'That would be lovely...'

'Are you sure your husband would agree?'

'I don't have a husband your Grace...' she quietly replies as she turns to show the group the way to her house.

•••

Robb has been hurtful and borderline mean to Y/n, just as he used to be with her before their relationship when he would take his anger out on her. And it's started to annoy both Catelyn and Arya.

Even though she swore not to tell anyone about the baby being her nephew, she starts to think that maybe she should.

He doesn't know the reason she left, how could he? But that doesn't give him the right to be so spiteful towards her. To hate her for something so selfless.

'Robb... can I speak with you for a moment...' Arya asks and he gets up, walking after Arya and shooting Y/n one last hateful glance.

'Will you stop being so mean to her?' Arya seethes as she closes the door behind her.

'She left me in the midst of the battle against the Lannisters after courting for weeks! Without saying anything! Without a goodbye and now you expect me to be nice to the woman?'

'She had good reason! I swore to keep it a secret but you can trust me when I say she deserves no such hatred, especially since she has a child! She takes of him and she took care of me! Shielding me from danger and you have the nerve to act this way? She's still part of the North!'

'She lost the right to call herself a northern when she left!' Robb snaps back. Y/n heard him outside, the whole block heard him.

Y/n peeks out from the window, she makes sure she can't be seen. She stares at his face, his eyes don't hold the light they used to, the dark rings under his eyes show that the nightmares once again started plaguing him. The hurt in his voice says enough about his emotions at the moment.

She rethinks about her decision not to tell him, what would life be like if he knew? If he accepted the child and lived on with her by his side? She wonders.

'Y/n... I want to ask you something... meaning no harm..or offence...if you'll allow me...'

Her heart stammers in her chest as she turns around. 'Uh... yes.. yes of course Catelyn... you can ask me anything..' she replies.

'I would like to ask you... is this Robb's child? I am not good at counting but... I have knowledge about childbirth and the time you carry one...'

'I...I...' her head spins, she wants to tell Catelyn everything, to lay her heart on the table so there are no more secrets.
Catelyn deserves to know just as Robb does, but she's so scared she will take away the child, or her life.

'If it's his child... you don't need to worry about us hurting you...' she holds Y/n's hand close to her. 'You can tell me...'

'Yes... yes it's his... and I left because it would compromise so many things... were not married and-'

'WHAT?!' Robbs shout startles Y/n, and even the baby cries out from the tone of his voice. He rushes into the house while Y/n bolts for the child.

Arya gives Y/n a shocked look, she swore not to tell but she just did. He needed to know so he will drop the anger and disgust towards you. The only woman he has ever loved with his whole heart, other than his mother and sisters of course.

'Is it true y/n?' His chest rises and falls at a rapid pace, but the fear in the girls eyes makes him calm down a little. He doesn't want to scare her. 'Is the baby ours?'

'Yes...' she replies sucking in a breath.

'I'm sorry Y/n but you don't deserve him treating you like this while you were protecting him..' Arya apologises. Y/n puts her hand up. 'It's okay...'

Catelyn takes the now silent child from Y/n's arms. Not because she's afraid of her son, but because Y/n is.

'Is that why you left?' Hurt is evident in his voice, Y/n hates that she hurts him like this.

'Yes... we're not married and a child would compromise everything, you being king... the war, your fear was through the roof after we became a couple... you were afraid I would get hurt and with a baby... you wouldn't take the chances you needed to, I would be a burden and I didn't want that... so I left...'

'Without even saying goodbye?'

'If I were to even try to say goodbye I would fail, because you would've said something... anything to make me stay and I would've given in...leaving you was the hardest part of my life...'

'You listen to me y/n...' he steps forward with a stern tone. 'You couldn't even be a burden to me if you tried...you can and will never be a burden to me...' His hand comes up to rest on her cheek.

'When I found out you were gone... I couldn't handle it.. I have loved you my whole life and spend many years trying to stop.. and I had you... I thought you left because you wanted to run away from me... I thought I'd done something... I blamed myself and I got angry at you, loathed you... and I'm sorry.. for my behaviour, for making you believe I wouldn't fight for you to stay...'

His words bring tears to her eyes, this man that she was afraid of not even a mere second ago, now professing to her that she's his everything, his moon and stars.

'Come with me.. back to Winterfell... I want you to be by my side from now on... as my wife and the mother of my child.. Northeners be damned...I've spend so long looking for you...'

'But your reputation-'

'I do not care... Y/n please...'

A sob tears to her throat, she wraps her arms around him and lets her tears fall as his arms tighten around her. He kisses her head.

'I'm sorry...' she squeaks.

'Don't apologise.. you don't need to.. I love you...'

'And I you...' she replies as she tilts her head up.

He tilts it down and their lips meet halfway into a searing kiss.

'We will raise our son together... Y/n...'

Instead of replying she presses her mouth to him again. And that alone says enough for Robb.

He has his love back.

And silently he thanks the nightmare that was the cause of this.