ｆｏｕｒ ° ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ.

[wolfchild]

[ for once, arya is well-groomed if drained by heat and stress. she donned her best new tunic and her hair has actually seen a brush. it has been pulled back into a delicate and seemingly simple braided updo by skilled elven fingers. her now long hair drives her mad otherwise in the suffocating heat that is engineering. grey eyes look steadily into the camera. just off-screen she clutches nymeria's scruff like a lifeline. it's the only outward sign of her nervousness. this speech was written out, repeated enough for her to memorize it, and she is still afraid she will somehow screw it up.

like robb, she thinks. she will be as eloquent as robb. taking a breath, she begins. ]

My name is Arya Stark. I am speaking for Tony Stark, head of engineering, who is in stasis.

We all know the temperatures are high. There is nothing to be found in the Engineering or Agriculture department as the cause. Two days ago the temperatures stopped going up. We have not stopped working on finding the cause, and we will keep trying to bring it down.

Until then, you ought take-take precautions against the heat: drink a lot of water, try to avoid exerting yourself. The pools are always open. You can swim. If you don't know how to swim, you can learn. And don't get lost.

As I am the only one officially left of Engineering, I take responsibility for everything here. If there is anything you wish to say, you can say it to me. My—team is doing the best they can and they are not to be blamed. Neither is anyone else in any of the other departments. If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them. We will tell you of any changes.

Thank you.

[ and she smoothly switches off the video. don't mind her as she collapses in a pile in a lukewarm corner somewhere and doesn't get back up for a while. ]

Comments

locked.

[wolfchild]

Shut up!

locked.

[bullshead]

You didn't need to do that. [ HE'S A MAN, HE CAN DEAL WITH YOUR BROTHER HIMSELF!!! ]

locked.

[wolfchild]

[ no, you really can't. shut up and let her undertake the herculean task of keeping you from becoming direwolf food. ]

Yes, I did. I don't want you getting in a fight over me.

locked.

[bullshead]

[ he scoffs. ] Wouldn't be the first time. [ he shifts about. ] This place have any ice?

locked.

[wolfchild]

[ she wants to tell him he's never had to fight jon before. not feeling up to another argument, she lets it be. ]

In the kitchens unless the cold rooms have stopped working too.

locked.

[bullshead]

Don't go anywhere. [ gendry stands and walks off.

whoops, he didn't turn off his device this time. maybe it will just shut off itself later or something. enjoy the fabulous background of the forge. ]

locked.

[wolfchild]

Where will I go? Gendry—Gendry! You stupid—

[ why does she even try teaching him anything. rickon would have paid more attention. ]

locked. → action.

[bullshead]

[ it's maybe an hour later when he manages to find engineering. most of the time was spent trying to find the kitchen and the ice he wanted, so the ice he collected in a funny clear bag is still mostly frozen. only a small pool of water sits at the bottom of the bag.

he walks right over to her as if he hadn't just been wandering about the ship (something she's told him repeatedly not to do) and presses a melting cube of nice against her forehead. ]

Here. [ with his other hand he holds out the bag. ]

[wolfchild]

[ arya had spent the time fuming. did he not understand how hot it was in here? but she had no way to contact him and if she left she was sure he would be stupid and get himself lost. some fifteen minutes prior she had opted for the floor close to the doors where it was cooler. nymeria lies on the floor like a creature felled. whatever arya's dicomfort, nymeria suffers it more.

she was petting nymeria, the wolf's eyes closed and her tongue out, when gendry arrived. her eyebrows rise with his approach, wordlessly asking "what?" she hisses quietly at the sudden cold, nearly flinching away but the discomfort soon gives away to cool relief. when he asked her about ice, she thought she wanted it for himself. even telling her not to move failed to clue her in. arya sighs and leans her head into his hand. she blinks at the bag when he offers it to her. ]

…Thank you.

[ arya sets it on her lap. opening it, she fishes out an ice cube and sets it on the floor in front of nymeria. then she closes it again and sets it against her neck and collarbone.

the direwolf licks the ice cube a few times before dragging it into her mouth. with a few crunches it disappears. nymeria licks her lips. with a little smile, arya lets her have another ice cube. she strokes her wolf's head. ]

[bullshead]

[ he sits down beside her, watching her and nymeria with a curved lip. the closest thing gendry has come to a smile in a some time. he knew she needed it more than he did. arya was born in the north, where even in summer snow blankets the ground. in summer king's landing would sweat and play amongst the waters of blackwater. and it was only hotter inside a forge. ]

Thought you'd need it. [ he shrugs, leaning his head back slightly. ] You northerners don't do well in the heat.

[wolfchild]

[ arya scowls deeply. ]

We do just fine.

[ don't even start up with her, man, it is too hot for this shit. she moves the bag around to the back of her neck and sighs. ]

Is the forge still open?

[bullshead]

[ another shrug. whatever you say, arya. ]

Wouldn't be any point in closing it. It's always hot in the forge. [ despite his lack of reaction to the heat, he feels it also. hair clings to his forehead, mattered and unkempt. ]

[wolfchild]

Isn't it hotter?

[ she would kill right now to be back in that freezing room on the killer base. at least for five minutes. she cannot imagine staying in the forge for long. ]

[bullshead]

Not by much.

[wolfchild]

Lucky you.

[ engineering decided to fuck with her personally, she's sure of it. arya slides the bag of ice up to her cheek. ]

[bullshead]

'm just used to it, that's all.

[ he holds his hand out for some ice. ]

[wolfchild]

You're going to have to get more.

[ arya drops a couple of ice cubes on his palm. ]

[bullshead]

When they melt.

[ one he places on his forehead, flinching only briefly at the suddenly coldness. the other he doesn't seem to do much with, until he drops it down the back of arya's shirt. ]

[wolfchild]

[ she jumps up with a wordless shriek of surprise. ]

Gendry!

[ arya jerks her tunic out of her breeches to let the ice cube fall. ]

Gendry, you—! [ she shudders from the cold. ]

[bullshead]

[ gendry laughs.

yes. he laughs.

mind you it isn't a loud laugh, it is more like a snicker. but shut up it's a christmas miracle. ]

[wolfchild]

[ she is going to kill him. ]

Gendry!

[ arya jumps on top of him. she tries to wrestle the ice from him to pour the entire contents on top of him. next to them, nymeria jumps up as well and barks in alarm. ]

[bullshead]

Hey! [ his arms go up defensively to shield himself from the possible rain of ice and water. a poor defense honestly. ]

[wolfchild]

[ that would be one ice cube—the only one she could get past his oh so stellar defense—slipping into his pants.

it's his own damn fault for refusing to wear shirts. ]

[bullshead]

[ he makes a noise, some sort of weird combination of a squeak and a yelp. eyes going wide with surprise. ]

Arya! [ now he is just trying to shakes his legs to get the cube out. HOW UNCALLED FOR. ]

[wolfchild]

[ she shoots him a victorious smirk, dancing out of reach. ]

You started it!