A/N: Welcome! Some of you might know my other story Push and Pull. I haven't given up on it, I promise. Chapters will be up soon. In the meantime, here is my Arya/Gendry Modern AU. I'm really excited about this one, and it's pretty much already written, so updates should be weekly.

It's been three months since Gendry left King's Landing, moved to Winterfell, and enrolled into Stark University.

Gendry was never sure if he even wanted to go to university. He was happy to spend a few more years at Tobho Mott's car shop. He likes working with his hands. He likes working on cars. He likes that they are intricate and complicated, and he likes that he understands them.

When his Uncle Renly asked why he did not want to attend (which was frequently), Gendry's reply was always, "why would I want to go?" or "how's it going to help me?" He still didn't know, though Renly assures him that it will "help him decide what he wants to do with his life" and that it's an "experience no one should miss".

But Gendry did feel the need to get out. King's Landing was too chaotic.

He was tired of the events Renly dragged him to. He was tired of socializing with superficial people. He was especially tired of running into his piece of shit half-brother all the time. And his piece of shit father, but that happened rarely, for Robert was usually too drunk to attend to any gatherings.

Ten years ago, Robert Baratheon had left his wife and nine-year old son. He did not call, he did not give them money, he left them to fend for themselves completely.

Gendry was eleven when his mother, the only person in the world who had loved and cared for him completely, who had never let him down, died of a brain aneurysm. No one had expected it.

That's when his Uncle Renly took him in. He was the youngest brother to Robert, but somehow much more mature and well-grounded. Gendry had only met him once or twice before, they hadn't really known each other, but the man basically gave up his life for him. His then live-in boyfriend, Loras Tyrell, left because he wasn't ready to take on the responsibility of a kid.

And just like that, Gendry had someone else who loved and cared for him completely, who never let him down. Renly was the only part of King's Landing that he didn't want to leave.

But Gendry needed something calm for once, something real. He needed some fresh air.

The north would offer him that.

His grades were decent enough, and Uncle Renly offered to pay.

And so, here he was, nodding off on the sofa that he and his roommate had split the cost for, unable to make sense of the words on the gigantic chemistry textbook in his lap.

It is mid-November, and his classwork is fucking him over backwards and sideways. The end of term was nearing, and all of his professors decided to pile on the work. Hard.

He had been struggling all year, but it hadn't been this bad. He hadn't thought there was a possibility that he could fail!

"Gendry. You have to stop."

He looks up at his roommate, Jon Snow.

Gendry and Jon had become fast friends. At first, he had been a little freaked about being roommates with a Stark (even if Jon insisted that he was not in fact a Stark).

It wasn't because his father owned the school. It was because the Starks were longtime family friends of Robert. Ned Stark even went to grade school with him. And Gendry did not want to be associated with his father, whatsoever.

But Jon never so much as brought up Robert, except for once, after just discovering Gendry's last name.

"Is Robert Baratheon…"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

And that was that.

Jon was fun to be around, easy to talk to (something Gendry struggles with on occasion), and fiercely loyal to his friends and family, a quality Gendry admires.

"I can't, you know I have that massive test tom—"

"Yes, I'm aware of that massive chemistry test you have tomorrow, as you've complained about nothing else all week. And if you're not complaining about it, you have that fucking textbook right under your nose."

"Jon, I just want to pass."

"No. You want a break."

Gendry makes a show of considering this deeply, furrowing his eyebrows and looking up contemplatively. "No," he finally replies with a small shake of the head. "Pretty sure I just wanna pass."

Jon ignores him. "Put down the fucking book, Gendry, and come help me move my little sister into her new apartment with her boyfriend."

He scrunches up his nose. "Isn't she like, fifteen?"

"No, that's Arya you're thinking of, and she's sixteen. My other sister is the one moving out, Sansa. She's eighteen."

"I honestly think I'd rather torture myself with chemistry than help box up a bunch of shit and move it to your sister's boyfriends."

"Please." Jon sighs. "Robb is busy with Jeyne, and my dad is in a meeting…"

"Ahhh, the truth comes out," Gendry accuses, a smile threatening to pull at the corner of his lips. "You're not trying to help me at all, are you? You don't care if I kill myself studying, you just don't want to have to do all the heavy lifting yourself."

"Yep."

"Fine."

"Brilliant."

Jon drives them to Stark manor. Gendry fiddles with the radio every minute or so just to annoy him.

"Oi! Stop it." Jon smacks his hand away.

Gendry suppresses a laugh. "Okay. Christ, no need to get violent here."

They pull up to through gates, and Gendry can't help but admire the mansion and spacious yard. It's rare in King's Landing to see homes like these ones. Most live in posh penthouses, like Renly does, or extravagant townhomes. If you were poorer, like he was when living with his mother alone, you had a crappy flat in Flea Bottom.

Jon parks in the drive way, next to the big moving van. They slide out the car and make their way up to the front door where they have to pause for a minute, because Jon can't find his keys. He pats his front and back pockets four times before finding them inside his coat. Gendry rolls his eyes.

As they enter, they are immediately assaulted by a small girl, with fiery grey eyes. Since when was grey the color of fire?

"I can't fucking believe you came!"

"Good to see you too, little sister."

"Don't 'little sister' me! You're helping her ruin her life."

"I like Sandor."

"You fucking like Sandor," she mumbles, laughing dryly, "okay. Mother's the only one who agrees with me. Mum and I agree on something. What the fuck is going on…" She sighs, and finally turns to Gendry, realizing his presence for the first time. "Who're you?"

Gendry actually gets a good look at her for the first time.

Her eyes have calmed some, looking at him expectantly. But the fire is still there, just hidden.

She wears jeans that look so worn in that they've molded perfectly to her shape. A black sweater falls past her hips and swallows her tiny form.

Her brown hair is cut short, falling just beneath her chin, framing her face and making her look even smaller, which for whatever reason Gendry likes.

"This is my roommate, Gendry," Jon answers when it's obvious he won't be.

Oh shit, how long was he just standing there, staring stupidly. He wasn't staring though, right?

"Gendry, this is my little sister, Arya." He turns to her. "Where is Sansa?"

"Upstairs. In her room, with her big brute of a boyfriend. Probably fucking on her twin sized bed."

"Fucking hell, Arya." Jon stomps up the stairs, mumbling. "Did not need that in my head…"

All of this amuses her greatly. Her eyes brighten and dance with laughter.

For a moment, it's like he can't breathe. What is wrong with him?

After she's done watching Jon trudge up the stairs, she turns to him. "So I'm going to assume Jon forced you here and you were unaware that my sister was ruining her life?"

"Yep, completely unaware of anyone ruining their lives."

Her smile widens and she lets out a breath of laughter. "Her room's upstairs, on the left. I will not be taking part, because I refuse to have anything to do this."

"Understandable. I can find my way."

It's been two weeks since Sansa moved out. Her mother was quiet around the house and spent most of her time cleaning. Her father was worried about his wife yet happy that Sansa was happy.

Why couldn't Arya just be happy that Sansa was happy, too? She wanted to be.

She was in the kitchen, sitting at the bar with her textbook, unable to concentrate on studying for her upcoming exams.

All she could think of Sansa. She knows that she and her sister don't always get along, but Arya loves her and worries about her, like any sister would.

She slams the textbook shut, admitting defeat.

It isn't Sandor's size, it really isn't, though she may crack jokes about it… there's just something about him. His eyes… that's what really scares Arya. His cold, cruel eyes. They are so indifferent. Does he feel nothing at all?

Arya is suddenly thinking of her brother's roommate. Gendry is almost as tall as the Hound, and is actually more muscular… but he doesn't worry her at all.

His blues eyes are kind, and bright when he smiles. They are reserved and calm. She remembers the way he looked at her, his gaze soft and deep.

She feels heat rising to her cheeks. What is wrong with her?

She shakes off all thoughts of Gendry, and forces herself to return to economics.

Gendry walks out of his last exam with a smile on his face. He finished his first term ever of university. And he felt confident that he hadn't failed anything.

He collapses on his bed as soon as he returns to the dorms, exhausted. He passes out within minutes.

The sun is already set by the time he wakes up.

"Gendry."

Jon is hovering over him. This should scare Gendry, but this is not the first, or even second, time he has awoken to Jon staring down at him.

"Yeah?" he mumbles sleepily.

"I think I found my birth mother."

"But you… you said she dead?"

"Yeah, 'cause that's what I thought."

"I can't believe Dad lied to me."

Jon says it for the third time since they've been on the road. He shakes his head. "Why would he fucking lie to me?"

"Umm..." Gendry feels slightly uncomfortable. This is some heavy shit, and he is half-worried that Jon is going to start crying. "I don't know."

Jon freaked out back at the dorms, started throwing clothes and granola bars alike together in a suitcase. It was a weird scene.

"Pack some clothes," he said. "We're going on a road trip. We're going to Starfall."

And so now he's in the passenger seat of Jon's car, worrying about his roommate's current mental state.

Jon suddenly pulls out his phone, and scrolls down until he finds his desired contact. "Hey."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just… have you finished your exams? Okay, good. Look, pack some clothes and food. I'm coming by…" Gendry can faintly hear the voice on the other end, but has no idea who it is or what they're saying. "No, I'm not in any trouble. I'll explain when I get there, okay? Okay, I love you too."

"Who was that? Where're we going, Jon?"

"We're going to pick up my little sister."

Gendry watches through the car window as Jon runs up to the front door. Arya slips out, her suitcase in hand, along with the promised food, which is stuffed in an old shopping bag.

She reaches out a hand to his arm, concern etched into her face. Jon is talking, but Gendry cannot read lips so his exact words are lost on him. But from the shock in Arya's eyes, he knows Jon has told her about his mother.

Confusion is next, and questions are on her tongue, but Jon is pulling her towards the car.

Arya throws her stuff into the backseat before sliding in herself.

"Jesus, Arya. Be careful with the food."

"It's crisps, Jon, not fucking eggs."