Fic: Gift-Giving
Xmas ficlet for zweihand.
Title: Gift Giving
Rating: G
Characters: Theon, Sansa, Robb, Jon
Pairing: pre-Theon/Robb
Word Count: 625
Summary: Theon's name day gift to little Sansa isn't met with the reaction he expected.
"Are you going to the town?"
Theon hoped Sansa didn't want to go with them. It was bad enough Robb insisted on bringing the bastard Jon Snow everywhere they went, he wasn't going to spend his afternoon playing septa to a little girl. Before he could lie and tell her no, she continued, "It's my name day next week. I'll be eight."
"I've already gotten your gift," Jon told her.
Oh, that was what this was about. Theon hadn't gotten her anything his first year at Winterfell and the little brat had cried. Lady Stark had looked at him like he was scum and afterward Lord Stark had had one of his talks with him. From then on Theon picked up ribbons for the girls and daggers for the boys whenever gift-giving was expected.
"What do you want?" Robb asked his sister.
"A bunny rabbit," she answered eagerly. "Father's ordered me a new doll and Mother's ordered me a new gown and Arya will probably give me flowers again and-"
"A rabbit," Theon interrupted her. "We'll get you a nice fat rabbit. Now run along."
She gave him an offended look and marched off with her chin in the air. Robb looked bemused. "Rabbit. I don't think she'll like it. She didn't like the hare I caught a few moons ago. Said it was hard to chew."
That wasn't Theon's problem. He had no intention of getting a rabbit for Sansa and in fact all his thoughts were on a certain wench at a certain tavern. He was still thinking about that wench as they rode home and he almost didn't notice the rabbit running across their path. Robb, who'd taken to imitating Theon and carrying a bow wherever he went, shot at it. He missed. Theon didn't miss.
Figuring Sansa would prefer fresh meat, Theon sent a boy to fetch her as soon as he reached home. He was jesting with Gage the cook when she came running. "You got one already?! Thank you, Theon! Where is she?"
Theon picked up the dead animal by its hind legs and held it out proudly. "Here you go. You'd better remember you got your gift early and don't go complaining next week."
Sansa was staring at the rabbit in horror. She dropped the blanket and the brush she'd brought with her, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Theon was irritated. She was such an ungrateful brat. "It's a big one, and young. It'll taste delicious. You'll get a nice pair of gloves from its fur too."
"You killed her," Sansa sobbed.
"Of course I killed her." Gods, did she want to eat the bloody thing alive?
"I was going to take care of her and love her and call her Jonquil."
"Why didn't you say you wanted a pet?" Like he was supposed to read her mind.
She sobbed louder and ran away. Theon sighed in disgust and tossed the carcass to Gage. "This is yours then."
"Oh," Robb said, when Theon told him about it later. "That makes more sense. We should have realized."
"That's the last time I try to give anyone anything they ask for."
"What about me?"
Robb was different. He was the only one who'd been whole-heartedly welcoming when Theon first came to Winterfell, and he was still the only one who loved him. "Except you," Theon agreed. "What do you want?"
"I haven't thought about it."
"Well, let me know when the time comes." Robb hadn't asked him what he wanted, but Theon knew suddenly what he would ask for when he did: a day without Jon Snow or anyone else, a day for just the two of them. "I'll try to get it for you, whatever it is."
Title: Gift Giving
Rating: G
Characters: Theon, Sansa, Robb, Jon
Pairing: pre-Theon/Robb
Word Count: 625
Summary: Theon's name day gift to little Sansa isn't met with the reaction he expected.
"Are you going to the town?"
Theon hoped Sansa didn't want to go with them. It was bad enough Robb insisted on bringing the bastard Jon Snow everywhere they went, he wasn't going to spend his afternoon playing septa to a little girl. Before he could lie and tell her no, she continued, "It's my name day next week. I'll be eight."
"I've already gotten your gift," Jon told her.
Oh, that was what this was about. Theon hadn't gotten her anything his first year at Winterfell and the little brat had cried. Lady Stark had looked at him like he was scum and afterward Lord Stark had had one of his talks with him. From then on Theon picked up ribbons for the girls and daggers for the boys whenever gift-giving was expected.
"What do you want?" Robb asked his sister.
"A bunny rabbit," she answered eagerly. "Father's ordered me a new doll and Mother's ordered me a new gown and Arya will probably give me flowers again and-"
"A rabbit," Theon interrupted her. "We'll get you a nice fat rabbit. Now run along."
She gave him an offended look and marched off with her chin in the air. Robb looked bemused. "Rabbit. I don't think she'll like it. She didn't like the hare I caught a few moons ago. Said it was hard to chew."
That wasn't Theon's problem. He had no intention of getting a rabbit for Sansa and in fact all his thoughts were on a certain wench at a certain tavern. He was still thinking about that wench as they rode home and he almost didn't notice the rabbit running across their path. Robb, who'd taken to imitating Theon and carrying a bow wherever he went, shot at it. He missed. Theon didn't miss.
Figuring Sansa would prefer fresh meat, Theon sent a boy to fetch her as soon as he reached home. He was jesting with Gage the cook when she came running. "You got one already?! Thank you, Theon! Where is she?"
Theon picked up the dead animal by its hind legs and held it out proudly. "Here you go. You'd better remember you got your gift early and don't go complaining next week."
Sansa was staring at the rabbit in horror. She dropped the blanket and the brush she'd brought with her, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Theon was irritated. She was such an ungrateful brat. "It's a big one, and young. It'll taste delicious. You'll get a nice pair of gloves from its fur too."
"You killed her," Sansa sobbed.
"Of course I killed her." Gods, did she want to eat the bloody thing alive?
"I was going to take care of her and love her and call her Jonquil."
"Why didn't you say you wanted a pet?" Like he was supposed to read her mind.
She sobbed louder and ran away. Theon sighed in disgust and tossed the carcass to Gage. "This is yours then."
"Oh," Robb said, when Theon told him about it later. "That makes more sense. We should have realized."
"That's the last time I try to give anyone anything they ask for."
"What about me?"
Robb was different. He was the only one who'd been whole-heartedly welcoming when Theon first came to Winterfell, and he was still the only one who loved him. "Except you," Theon agreed. "What do you want?"
"I haven't thought about it."
"Well, let me know when the time comes." Robb hadn't asked him what he wanted, but Theon knew suddenly what he would ask for when he did: a day without Jon Snow or anyone else, a day for just the two of them. "I'll try to get it for you, whatever it is."