Work Text:
They existed in this weird antagonistic friendly limbo. One moment Jaime could be flinging sharp insults to Brienne and she would be suppressing a white-hot rage at his callousness. The next moment, Jaime would be sharing his deepest, darkest secrets, ones that leaves Brienne’s face white as paper. In all instances, though, Jaime has always been the one to instigate their banters and late-night conversations ever since that fateful party hosted by Brienne’s roommate.
Two years and at the end of her Architectural degree, she seemed to have found an ally in Jaime who was muddling through his Architecture of Ancient Westeros PHD paper. In a peculiar turn, Jaime seemed to join her all-nighters preparing for her final project.
He would sit at the table next to hers in the fluorescent lighted studio with stacks of research and a sleek laptop. He would fall asleep at 3.00am when the energy drinks couldn’t boost his energy anymore. Whenever his forest green eyes are open, he would run commentary on Brienne’s design, some are constructive, but some were meant to get a rise out of her.
Brienne’s studio mates whispered behind her back that Jaime is single-handedly helping her with her final project. Jaime’s almost constant presence the past few months did not help crush the absurd rumour. Several boys were cruel enough to call her names painting a ludicrous sexual nature to their odd friendship.
Yes, he brought her coffee some days and late dinners when she forgot to eat. He shared with her his past projects, one notably, Oathkeeper, an ancient keep he designed for his final year project. But Brienne would never allow him to help her literally. She values the honour in completing her work with her own hands hinging on her own creativity.
Besides, Jaime is a somewhat reputable senior, despite the plagiarism rumours surrounding him and is a good friend to Brienne. All he wants is friendship and his demented past relationships rendered him incapable of having friends in a normal way. It seems sarcasm and cynicism are a rite of passage to being friends with Jaime Lannister.
Brienne understands all this and somehow gladly extends her friendship loop to include him. Jaime, through Brienne has finally made friends, her friends are now his as well. Brienne is glad.
As the final week of presentation and exhibition approaches, Brienne has packed all her belongings and placed them in a storage to be transported back to Tarth. Jaime stood in the middle of her room with a roll of packing tape in his hand, looking around at the emptiness except for her bed and a large suitcase filled with things she needed.
Brienne was dead beat after the exhibition when her friends dragged her to a party before her departure for Tarth the next day. An alarming consumption of beer and onion rings had Brienne laughing and dancing, one hand always touching Jaime. Brienne never lets his surprising kindness, his closeness and his ridiculous good looks get to her but that night all inhibition flew out of the window.
Jaime seemed to hone on a particular razor sharp charm and flirting focusing solely on Brienne. Through the booze and loud music, they ended up making out in a dark corner of the dance party and stumbled into Jaime’s bed in the early morning. A string of strangled, breathy moans of each other’s names accompanied the creaking of his bed until they both pass out, limbs tangled under the sheets.
In the harsh morning light, Brienne, horrified collected her clothes with one last look at Jaime’s peacefully sleeping face, stepped out of the threshold and back to her hometown. In order to avoid their drunken mistake, she sent him a text apologising for what had happened and hoped that the friendship she has come to think she can’t live without still stands.
Jaime replied a week after. Short and clipped. A simple okay and she was devastated. Her urge to fly back to Kings Landing to find him and explain is hindered by her father’s sudden heart attack. Though it was mild, she spent a whole year taking care of Selwyn and his stubborn tendencies.
Every few weeks, Brienne would leave Jaime a text with no reply. She liked to think that he would read her texts nonetheless even if he doesn’t answer her anymore. Her heart breaks for any romantical notion she had of him before and hopes to only salvage their friendship.
A dark and windy winter night found Brienne curling up by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa. A well-deserved rest after a hectic day at the construction site. Even if she no longer designs as her heart desired but it was good work with a good pay. It keeps her here on Tarth with her father and that’s all that matters.
It has started to rain when her front door rattled then banged. Someone was at the door and her dad was asleep. Brienne plucked the replica sword of Oathkeeper from the living room wall and opened the door.
A very haphazard and drowned looking man stood on her front porch. A few seconds later Brienne gasped and pulled in Jaime for a bone crushing hug. She ran her hands on his sides and saw that his right hand was bandaged. He kept looking down and gave no reason to be there, on Tarth.
So, she shelters and takes care of him until he tells her his story. That’s what friends are for.
He told his story, sometimes very little and on other days like a huge wave crashing to the shore. What his father did, what his sister did to him and his brother, Tyrion. How he broke his hand and all the while Brienne feels ashamed for not being there for him. She held and soothed him when it gets too much, and he does the same in return.
It was exactly a fortnight after Jaime lands himself on Tarth, he snuck into her room to sleep on her bed. He has his reasons, but Brienne finds she sleeps better with him there.
Two months in and her dad stopped asking when Jaime was going to leave. Jaime didn’t want to go back to a cold apartment and an even colder family and Brienne was not going to force him.
Another month in and the arrangement has turned domestic. Jaime’s hand was healing well even if he lost 30% dexterity. He was helping with Selwyn’s medicine and preparing meals. He was there in the living room when Brienne comes home from work. He shared Selwyn’s study room to write his research. Selwyn’s comments are only that he keeps the room too warm and he doesn’t mind another person in the house to interact with.
All the while, Brienne and Jaime shared a bed to sleep at night. It was only strange when Selwyn asked her when exactly does Jaime plans to make her an honest woman and tie each other in marriage. Brienne’s blush returned in full and she thanked the gods Jaime was out on grocery duties.
Late spring day, 4 months into co-living with Jaime, he returns to Kings Landing for three days and came back with more luggage. He sheepishly said that he works best in Tarth like no other places before and offers to pay rent for the spare room. He resumes to sleep in her bed a few times a week as if he was scared to cross a line.
Brienne is equally delighted and disheartened at the fact that she might have entered the house-mate zone with Jaime. However, Jaime puts in extra effort in the house, he painted the deck one afternoon, so the transition became seamless. He helps with the chores; he finds a part-time job at an architectural magazine which he can accomplish from the comfort of her home.
He takes her out for dinner in town every weekend at the urge of her father. He buys her friendly yellow daisies for the dining table. He brushes her brittle hair back when the wind whips it around. He holds her hand and touches the small of her back when they walk down to the beach.
It is all a bit much, but she forgets what they are when she basks in Jaime’s attention. She forgets that she’s taller and broader than him. Her crooked nose and wide jaw. She forgets and loves Jaime even harder.
Jaime will eventually have to leave, she thinks. Even though he gave no indication that it will be soon. Some nights he wraps her in his arms and buries his nose in her hair. He dozes off like that and Brienne doesn’t sleep a wink.
She confronted him one Saturday morning. She woke up with his left hand under her shirt placed precariously under her small breast. She struggled to set boundaries after all the intimacies they have gone through. But this needs to be done or she will spiral further into love and lust with Jaime.
They talked on her bed, voices raised, and they were both close to tears. They haven’t had a row like this since the early days of knowing each other.
He asked her. He asked her if she feels anything for him. If she loves him or is that a boundary, they can never cross. She asked him the same, insecurities rising its ugly head.
They answered in kisses and touches, melting the tension from pining for one another. Jaime moves on top of her with one intention of giving her his all.
In the hazy afternoon light, Jaime placed a soft kiss on a dark freckle at the base of her throat. He murmured against her skin, his promises, and words of love. Brienne snuggled into his embrace and whispers the same.
He fished out a small, blue velvet box from one of his luggage. Placed it in front of her during breakfast. He flips in open and Brienne choked on her cereal. Selwyn whooped with joy on the rear deck when Brienne said yes.
They marry on the beach framed by the sapphire blue sea that Jaime swears is reflected in Brienne’s eyes. Surrounded by close family and friends, Jaime and Brienne stepped forward to the rest of their lives.