Braavos [Jaqen H’Ghar x Stark!Reader]
A/n: I was rewatching old GoT scenes while trying to find something for a request and this came to my mind. Enjoy!
Words: 1000ish || GoT Masterlist
Being held captive by the Lannister army had been nothing but pure hell on earth. Seeing innocent northerners being tortured and slaughtered this way hurt you deeply. Knowing there was nothing you could do to help them was ever worse and you couldn’t help a feeling of guilt overtaking you. You had to get out of there and you had to do that soon. Luckily, your sister, Arya had managed to talk Jaqen into helping all of you out of Harrenhall. You couldn’t wait to leave this horrible place but you were worried at the same time.
What if you were caught? What if Jaqen was caught?
Over your time in the fort you had developed some kind of friendship with the strange man from Braavos. Being completely honest, you should admit the bond the two of you shared was something more than a friendship and you both seemed to know it, even though you didn’t dare address the subject in fear of having misread the other’s intentions. But deep down you knew. Friends did not spend so much time sitting together is silence. Friends did not stare at each other’s lips while they were talking. And most of all, friends did not fall asleep thinking how it would be to wake up next to the other.
“And that’s all he said?” you asked Arya for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. No matter how many times she explained what the red haired man had said, you couldn’t find it in yourself not to stress about it.
“We have to be at the gate at midnight, that’s all he said. You opened your mouth to form another question but she beat you to it "No, I haven’t seen or talked to him since then. Just stop worrying about it, you’ve seen what he can do” You sighted and nodded but your thoughts just couldn’t strain from him.
Time seemed to go by in an agonizingly slow pace but after a lot of anxious waiting it was finally time to head for the gate. Upon finally reaching the much awaited destination the four of you froze. You looked at each other and quickly came to your senses as you rushed to hide behind an abandoned carriage.
“There are soldiers up there” Gendry half whispered half yelled, fear being clearly evident on his voice.
“But Jaqen said…”
“I don’t know what your friend told you but I’m not risking that” Hot Pie interrupted Arya nodding towards the guards. Your heart was threatening to beat out of your chest as your brain struggled to find a logical explanation behind this. Jaquen had promised he’d do that and you knew he was a man of his word.
“I know this looks bad, but I trust Jaqen and so does Arya” you said after getting over the initial shock, hoping that if you remained calm the others would follow your example.
“There are two Lannister soldiers out there. This doesn’t look bad, this is bad” Arya deadpanned
“It is our only choice. I don’t know about you, but I’m not going back there. They are going to kill us and even in the exceptionally impossible case when they don’t I will not stay here and stand by as the Lannisters torture innocent people” you insisted, emphasizing on the fact that no matter what it took to escape, it was a risk you were willing to take.
“How much do you trust this friend of yours?” Gendry asked
“With my life” you replied before getting up and walking straight to the gate. You expected the soldiers to yell at you but no reaction came. Arya and the boys were holding their breaths while they watched you nearing the solders. As you walked closer you realized they were all dead, but their bodies had been placed in natural stances so that no one would suspect something was wrong. You let a breath you didn’t know you were holding and motioned to the others to come with you. The four of you ran out of the fort never looking back. You continued running until the sun came up.
Suddenly the shadow of a person appeared on a hill next to the path. Being unable to make out any features, you attempted to approached the dark cloaked figure, but before you had the chance to reach close enough he disappeared.
“What are you doing here?” you heard Arya ask, but you were too far behind to see whom she was talking to
“Waiting for you” The moment you heard Jaqen’s voice you rushed past the two boys and Arya and almost knocked the redhead down. At first he was surprised by your actions but he soon relaxed into the hug and even held you closer.
“Thank the gods you’re still alive” you whispered drawing a light chuckle from him. Hearing the relief in your tone was enough to make a warm feeling flood his chest as an unusual sense of joy and protectiveness got the best of him.
“It takes more than two solders to kill a man” he noted causing an equally wide smile to light up your features. You couldn’t help but miss the feeling of his arms wrapped around you the moment he let go. For a second your eyes met and Jaqen could swear his heart skipped a beat. What was wrong with him? He was supposed to be no one and that meant no attatchments.
“How did you know we’d come this way?” Arya asked again, interrupting the sweet moment the two of you shared.
“After all the things you have seen, this is your question?” Jaqen replied trying to appear nonchalant by keeping his poker face.
“How did you kill those guards? Was it hard?” the young Stark insisted. Your sister had always been the stubborn type and you knew she was able to achieve whatever came to her mind.
“No harder than taking a new name, if you know the way” Jaqen explained calmly which only served to intruige you as well. The way he talked about it was almost magical and you couldn’t resist wanting to know more.
“Can you teach me how?” it was your turn to ask causing his eyes to snap back at you as he observed the genuine curiosity in your eyes that seemed to be mixed with admiration and a hint of something else, he couldn’t quite place his finger on.
“If you would learn, you must come with me” he secretly hoped you’d take him up on that offer because even though he knew he shouldn’t, somehow he had fallen in love with you over the short period of time he had known you.
“Where?”
“Far away across the Narrow Sea to Braavos” he answered as a sad smile formed on your face. No matter how much you wished there was a way you could go with him, you couldn’t leave Arya behind. She was your sister whom you loved dearly and had sworn to protect.
“I want to… but I can’t. I just can’t leave Arya behind. I made a promise to father to keep her safe” you explained hoping he would understand your reasons, no matter how much saying goodbye hurt.
“Then we must part” For the first time you caught a glimpse of emotion in his eyes though you couldn’t really recognize what it was “Take this” he said giving you a silver coin. The moment your fingers touched an electrifying shock travelled up and down your spine.
“What is it?” you asked observing it closely, not aware of the burning stare Jaqen was giving you in an attempt to memorise your beautiful features and warm smile.
“A coin of great value. If the day comes when you must find me again, just give that coin to any man from Braavos and say these words to him, Valar Morghulis” he started walking away but you gripped his arm making him turn around
“Please don’t go” you said, the almost begging tone of your voice surprising the both of you. Since the moment Jaqen had met you had never begged for anything, always keeping your head up high proving how much of a Stark you truly were.
“A man has duties” It took every ounce of strength in him to remember his duties since the only thing he wanted at that point was to hold you as close as possible and ignore the world around him
You stayed like that for what seemed like hours, just staring into each other’s eyes. The tension was getting thicker and thicker with every passing moment, full of unspoken words. You didn’t want to let go of his arm, afraid that if you did he’d disappear from your life in the same sudden way he had come into it.
“Jaqen-” he silenced you by placing his lips on your pulling you into a passionate kiss. Your body reacted before your mind could even realize what was happening and you let your hands wonder in his chest and finally rest on his shoulders, pulling him even closer. You felt like sparks were running down your spine as his lips molded perfectly with yours lighting up a fire deep inside you. He pulled away and rested his forehead on yours, eyes still closed.
“Come to Braavos” he whispered and turned around. Not once did he look back, knowing that if he saw you one more time he’d completely forget about his duties. You stayed there watching him walking away. Your hand moved to your lips and you smiled. The moment you knew Arya was safe you’d take the first ship to Braavos. You heard footsteps behind you and saw her running to catch up with you
“Where is Jaqen?” she asked
“He had somewhere to go. I don’t think we’ll see him again soon… Now tell your friends to hurry up. We made it this far, we can’t get caught now”
