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vladiator · 10 months

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Dragonstone Candle Company

A Jorleesi romcom fanfic that you can also read on AO3

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Fandoms: Game of Thrones (TV), A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms Relationships: Jorah Mormont/Daenerys Targaryen, Missandei / Grey Worm (background) Characters: Jorah Mormont, Daenerys Targaryen, Missandei (A Song of Ice and Fire), Sansa Stark, Lyanna Mormont, The dragons except they're not dragons Additional Tags: Fluff, Older Man/Younger Woman, Pining, Crushes, Mutual Crushes, Unrequited Love, Casterly Rock is a beach town, Missandei tells it like it is, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, meet cute, Modern AU, romcom Length: 16,720 words

Daenerys and her best friend own a candle store, which has been struggling in the summer months. Dany comes up with an event that will revitalize business -- and maybe score herself a boyfriend. Little does she know, one of her favorite customers has been pining over her for months.

(Exists within the universe of my Sansan fic 'Birdwatching for Dummies')

Chapter 1: That One Guy

Dany absent-mindedly drummed her fingernails on the sales counter. Summer was a tough time for a candle store, especially in a coastal city like Casterly Rock. It was hot outside and everybody was at the beach, tanning in the sun and playing in the sand.

We sell other things, too! Dany wanted to scream at the world. Soaps! Perfumes! Fucking car air fresheners!

But her thoughts, no matter how aggressive, did not seem to reach anyone, and Dany was left alone behind the front desk of her store, wondering if this really was her dream, after all. I should have moved to Winterfell or somewhere cold, she thought. I bet they love a good candle there. Sansa sure does.

Sansa was the shop's newest repeat customer, and both Dany and her best-friend-slash-business-partner Missandei had taken a liking to her immediately. Sansa was a little bit younger than them, but incredibly sweet, and Missi had been tempted to ask Sansa to hang out with them sometime. Dany also liked this idea, but her reservations and anxieties got in the way of the possibility of friendship. "What if we all hang out and she decides she doesn't like us and she never comes back to our store and we go out of business?" she had asked her friend on one occasion.

"We won't go out of business," Missandei had assured her. "There's always that one guy."

That one guy was named Jorah Mormont, which Dany only knew because he'd worn a name tag to her store a few times. He worked at a nearby apartment complex and popped into Dragonstone Candle Company at least once a week to buy a candle or some soap. Dany wouldn't ever ask, but he'd often provide an excuse for why he was there. Sometimes he'd claim he was buying a gift for his teenage cousin, and sometimes he'd claim he needed a new candle for his office. But Dany didn't care why he was buying things from her, she just cared that he did.

Although Dany didn't want to admit it, Missandei was right: no matter how tough times were, Jorah would probably be the one to keep the business afloat. When the two women moved to Casterly Rock the previous November, business boomed immediately and kept up all throughout winter and spring. But when the weather warmed up, business dried up. Nearly all of the regular customers they'd been seeing for months gradually disappeared, except for Jorah. He was always there, week after week. Dany had grown to appreciate him, not just for his patronage but how polite and well-spoken he was. He also had an oddly calming presence, and so she was always happy to see him.

Dany was broken from her thoughts by her cat, Rhaegal, jumping up onto the counter. Her three cats, all Sphynxes, were fairly well-behaved, and so Dany took them to work with her when Missandei had the day off. Like seemingly everyone else in Casterly Rock, Missi was at the beach, lounging around and being all cutesy with her new boyfriend Grey. Dany liked Grey well enough, he was nice, but she couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy whenever she saw Missi and Grey together. The two women, high school besties, had moved to this city in hopes of a fresh start for the both of them, but so far it seemed that luck was only shining on Missandei. Dany was happy for her friend, but also couldn't help but wonder when it would be her turn to find love. Part of her wanted to pack her shit up and move somewhere else for an even fresher fresh start, but she knew she couldn't do that to Missi. Besides, her cats probably wouldn't be able to handle another move, and then who would provide her second-favorite regular customer Jorah with the best candles and soaps his money could buy?

The bell on the front door jingled as the door opened, making Dany perk her head up. It was Sansa, and she was looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as ever. Dany couldn't resist the urge to call out, "Where've you been, girl? These candles aren't going to buy themselves!"

Sansa laughed and walked over to the counter. As she walked, Dany noticed a slight limp in her step. "I've been stuck at home with a broken ankle," said Sansa. "I only just got the boot off my foot yesterday."

"Ouch. What happened?"

"Fell off my balcony, like an idiot."

"That must have been terrifying."

"It was, but luckily there was someone there to take me to the emergency room, and now I have a boyfriend!"

Literally everybody but me, huh? thought Dany. But she was excited for Sansa, who she knew had been terribly homesick and lonely. "Congratulations! Maybe I should try falling off my balcony."

Sansa smiled. "I definitely would not recommend it. But that's kind of what I'm here for, I want to buy Sandor some soap. Not that he stinks, or anything. I just think he deserves better than a store-brand bar of soap that has no particular scent."

"I get that. What kind of scents do you think he's into? Or you could get him lemon soap to match you, or something complementary?"

"That should be your sales campaign thing next Valentine's Day, his and hers soaps with complementing scents. Like, forest for the man and vanilla for the woman."

"That's a good idea. So maybe peppermint for your man? Or cedarwood?"

"Let's go with cedarwood. I can already imagine him saying that he doesn't want to smell like Christmas."

Dany laughed. "So he's a big burly manly man, isn't he?"

"You bet," said Sansa. "I never thought I'd go for that kind of guy, but here we are!"

Dany walked around the counter and picked out a bar of soap that was designed to smell like a cedar forest. "Here we go. I can ring you up at the counter, or is there anything else you'd like?"

"I think that's it for now."

Dany went to the register and began ringing Sansa up. "You know, business has been slow, maybe I need a sales campaign like the one you came up with. But candles and soap are hard to sell in a newspaper or whatever, because people need to actually smell it to know if they like it."

"Maybe you can have an event here," suggested Sansa. "Sticking with the romance theme, you could do a singles night where there's romantic music playing and rose candles burning and all that."

"That's a good idea, but what if the event is too successful and I have people boinking in my dumpster out back?" She handed the soap to Sansa.

Sansa shrugged playfully. "That might just be a risk you have to take. Thanks, Daenerys." She then turned and left the shop.

Once the door was closed, Daenerys let out a long sigh. That might be what I need, she thought as she sat on the stool behind the counter. A pathetic little singles night. But who even goes to those anymore?

——————————————————————

Jorah sat in his car, his fingers idly drumming against the steering wheel. He'd been parked on the edge of the parking lot for about ten minutes now, trying to gather the strength to go into the candle store. Despite the summer heat, he wore a blue scarf around his neck, because when he'd been wearing it the first time he went to Dragonstone Candle Co., and Daenerys had complimented him on it, saying that it made his eyes "pop". He assumed that was a compliment, at least. The way she'd said it, with a smile that crinkled her eyes, certainly made it seem like a good thing.

He stared in the rear view mirror and gave himself an internal pep talk. You've got this. Just go in there and buy a candle. No big deal.

But it was, in fact, a big deal. He had been enamored with Miss Targaryen since that very first day, since the moment he laid eyes on her at the grand opening of her shop. He'd never really given a damn about candles before, but he'd went to the opening just to support a new local business, and found himself lost in those violet eyes and the most genuine grin he'd ever seen. Since then, he'd been finding any excuse to buy something from her. New tenant at the apartment? Soap. Teenage cousin visiting? Candle. Friend got a new car? Air freshener. And he'd always find a way to work into conversations with her that these were gifts, as if that would make her think he was the kindest sweetest man ever and fall directly into his arms. But in reality, she probably didn't care. Jorah wasn't ever entirely sure if she was actually listening or just being polite.

What's the point? he thought as he ripped the blue scarf off of himself. He took his jacket off as well and tossed it onto the passenger side seat in his car. She probably thinks you're creepy, always buying candles even though it's fucking summer. Who the hell buys candles in the summer?

Daenerys had always been so sweet to him, making casual conversation as he shopped. It was even better when her business partner wasn't around and it was just the two of them, chatting about life and work and everything in between. These conversations were often short but meant a lot to Jorah. He knew there was no chance of the young and stunning Daenerys reciprocating his pitiful little crush on her, as he was old enough to be her father, but he still enjoyed her presence.

Jorah got out of his car and headed for the front door of the shop, internally hyping himself up on the way. When he opened the glass door, he saw Daenerys engaged in conversation with two of her three Sphynx cats. He couldn't remember all the names, but the one had a green collar and one had a gold collar. He knew that in the back of the store a grumpy black Sphynx in a red color was probably asleep on Dany's jacket, which she'd mentioned he liked to do.

The ringing of the door's bell alerted Dany to Jorah's presence, and she looked up at him and smiled. That smile is going to be the death of me, he thought.

"Hey," said Daenerys, her voice as beautiful as a windchime.

"Hello," replied Jorah.

"How are you today?"

"I'm good, how are you?"

"Good. Missandei is at the beach today, so it's just me and the boys." Daenerys gestured to the two cats on the floor.

It took Jorah a second to remember who Missandei was, because Daenerys's beauty blocked out everything and everyone in the room, casting it all in a dull shadow. When she was there, he found it hard to take his eyes off her. He also found it incredibly hard to think of what to say to her. I adore you? I'm obsessed with you? I want you to have my children? That last thought had kind of run away from him, so he tried extra hard to focus on his surroundings, lest he pop a semi in a candle shop.

I've been spending too much time with Clegane, he thought. And Tyrion, for that matter. Same bullshit, different size. I need better friends.

"Lyanna's visiting again," Jorah said. "I need something to keep the teenage stink at bay."

Daenerys giggled and shook her head. "You're so mean. What did she ever do to you?"

"Leave a trail of nachos all the way from the living room to her bedroom," said Jorah. He lived on the east side of the apartment complex, in Building 7, which had three bedrooms, one of which he used as a home office, and another that was reserved for Lyanna. Her mother, Jorah's aunt Maege, had five daughters, four of which were now grown. Lyanna was the youngest and was, as her mother said, too smart for her own good, so she was shipped off to visit Jorah each summer.

"That is pretty rough," admitted Daenerys. "You know, studies show that the scent of lemons makes people want to clean."

"Is that so?"

"Maybe. I read it in a magazine once."

Jorah grabbed a lemon candle off the shelf. "Lemon it is."

Daenerys smiled. "Perfect. Anything else I can help you with?"

"Nope," said Jorah as he walked over to the register. He normally only bought one thing at a time, so that it didn't seem too weird when he came back a week later.

He handed the candle and his credit card over to Daenerys, and as she scanned the barcode she casually asked, "By the way, are you single?"

It seemed, if only for a moment, that the world had stopped spinning, and everything else in the universe faded into black, leaving just Jorah and Daenerys. His heart skipped a beat as her words fell on him, a million questions and possibilities racing through his mind. He had never been so surprised, and his hopes had never been higher. After what felt like an eternity but was probably only a few seconds, Jorah managed to answer with a weak, "Yes."

"Oh, good!" said Daenerys. "Well, not good, necessarily, but I've been wondering since I've never seen a ring on your finger."

"Yeah," replied Jorah, his voice nearly shaking. Could it be that all this time the feeling had been mutual? "Why do you ask?"

"I was thinking of hosting a singles event here, as a way to boost sales during the summer months. Do you think that's something people would be interested in?"

"Oh." All of Jorah's hopes and dreams came crashing down in an instant, and he desperately hoped it wasn't evident on his face. "People would probably like that. If you make flyers for it, I can put them in all the mailboxes at the complex."

Daenerys's face lit up. "That would be amazing! I'll have to make the flyers tonight. It's already August so I should probably do the event within the next two weeks. Do you think you could come by tomorrow to pick them up?"

"Of course." Jorah smiled at Daenerys, but knew there was some pain in his grin that he couldn't hide.

"Perfect!" Daenerys handed the candle and card back.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then," said Jorah as he turned for the door.

"See you then!"

As soon as the front door was closed behind him, Jorah let out a long sigh. This crush he'd had on her for over half a year now was getting to be troublesome.

He had never in a million years thought she would feel the same way, so even though he couldn't resist visiting her shop every week, he kept his feelings to himself, in fear that he would creep her out. She would have every right to be creeped out, considering he was at least twice her age. If she found out how he felt about her, how he daydreamed of her, she would probably think him a pervert and ban him from her shop.

Jorah walked back to his car, candle in hand.

——————————————————————

"So, this is like a Lonely Hearts Club, but for people who like candles?" asked Missandei.

"It's not just for people who like candles," said Dany as she stared at her tablet screen. She and Missi were sitting on opposite ends of the couch in their shared apartment, and Dany was trying to create a poster for the singles event. "I mean, ideally we would attract people who don't like candles, but then they'd come to our store and realize what they've been missing out on."

"We just have to wait another month or two and then business will pick up again. Once the weather gets colder, people will come buy candles."

"I don't want to wait another month or two, I want business now. It's so boring in there without you or customers."

Missi huffed playfully. "You act like I'm never there anymore. I'm still earning my keep," she joked.

Dany knew logically that she and Missi weren't spending too much time apart, but she still felt her friend's absence. Once upon a time, when they'd first moved to Casterly Rock and didn't know anyone else, they had spent nearly every waking moment together. Now, Dany felt like an outsider in her own ten-year friendship.

Dany pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping that would somehow spawn ideas in her mind. Then, a metaphorical light bulb popped up over her head. "We could call it Matchmaking. Get it, matches? Because candles?"

"It's cute, but it would make people think we're providing a matchmaking service."

"That's true. We'll workshop it." Daenerys went back to pinching her nose. "Maybe, I don't know, Scents of Romance. Ugh, that's stupid. I'm stupid."

"That's not terrible, actually. It's kind of self-explanatory. There's scents, there's romance. Well, it's a bring-your-own-romance kind of thing, but still."

Daenerys typed the phrase Scents of Romance onto her tablet's poster-designing app. "Let's roll with it."

"How are we even going to distribute these flyers?"

"Jorah said he'd help."

Missandei raised an eyebrow. "Jorah? Who's that?"

Daenerys shook her head at her friend. "You know, Jorah at the shop. With the blue eyes."

"Oh, that one guy," said Missandei, nodding her head in realization. "I guess he does have blue eyes. I never really noticed."

"How could you not notice? He has really nice eyes, bluer than the ocean."

Missandei laughed. "Are you writing a poem about him or something?"

"No," said Dany, feeling her cheeks turning hot. "Back to business. Scents of Romance, two weeks from Friday. No, one week from Friday. If it's too far out people will forget about it and not show up."

"Sure," said Missi, only half-interested. She was lost in her phone, probably texting Grey.

"I'll put some pictures of our sexiest candle on here. What's our sexiest candle?"

"I don't know, roses or something?"

"There's a plant that supposedly can make a woman orgasm instantly," said Dany, waving her hand in the air. "We should track it down and make a candle out of it."

"That seems dangerous. I also don't want to clean lady juice off the floor of our store."

"That's fair. Maybe I can put a picture of that little penis orchid."

Missi's eyes widened. "No no no, the clit flower! We need to make clit flower candles!"

"Butterfly pea flower," said Dany. "I think people use those to make tea."

"And that's what we'll serve at the event."

"I was thinking wine."

"Wine's expensive."

"Wine's available. Where am I going to find clit flower tea by next Friday?"

Missandei threw one of her hands in the air in defeat. "Good point."

"I'll just put a picture of a rose or something," said Dany as she swiped and typed away on her tablet. "Not sure how we're going to attract men to come, though."

"Mention the alcohol. Cheap alcohol. We can use our sales counter as a bar."

"Mm-hmm. And we can light incense and play sultry saxophone music or whatever."

"Sounds good."

Dany finished the flyer and put her tablet on the coffee table. As she leaned back on the couch, she said, "I'll print it tomorrow at the shop and Jorah will put it in the mailboxes of all his tenants and we'll have business in no time."

"Tenants?"

"Jorah works at that apartment complex near our store. The expensive one that Sansa lives in. Actually, I think he owns it."

Missandei finally looked up from her phone. "Oh, so he's rich? Maybe you should scrap the singles night idea and try to make him your sugar daddy."

"And risk losing him as a customer? No way," Dany said with a laugh. Besides, he's quite a bit older than me, she thought. Even though he's good company and he does have cheekbones sharp enough to cut diamonds. I really don't understand how he's single.

"You're too business-minded, Dany."

"I'm a business owner, I have to be business-minded."

"But you never take any time for yourself."

Dany sighed. "Honestly, that's partly why I want to do a singles night. Maybe I'll meet somebody new and we'll fall in love or something."

"Let's hope so. I'd love to do a double date."

Dany nodded. It would make for a perfect meet-cute, meeting someone in a candle shop, she thought. Leagues better than finding someone online. But, unfortunately, a hell of a lot slower.

——————————————————————

Jorah flipped the wafflemaker over and then continued stirring the eggs he was scrambling. The toaster went off with a ding! and he reached over to unplug it, before gently pulling the two slices of toast out and onto a plate.

"Wow, you'd make a great housewife," said a voice from the living room.

Jorah looked up and saw Lyanna there, already in her jeans and sneakers, with a band T-shirt to complete the look. "How long have you been standing there?"

"A few minutes."

"And you didn't come and help with breakfast?"

"You seem like you've got it all under control."

Jorah shook his head. "This is my third set of toast. I've burnt four slices so far."

"Maybe toast just isn't your specialty."

"But you like toast. And I'm making this for you," said Jorah. "Blueberry waffle, scrambled eggs, buttered toast. Your favorites."

"I'll eat later. I'm going skateboarding." Lyanna picked up her board, which had been leaning against the wall near the front door.

Jorah pushed the scrambled eggs onto a plate and turned the stovetop off. "I guessed that much. When the hell did you become such an early bird? I was hoping to surprise you with breakfast. Last summer you never woke up before 10."

"That was before I discovered boarding," said Lyanna. "The food smells great, though. You really need to get yourself a wife."

"I know." In fact, Jorah knew it now more than ever before. He was the kind of man who dedicated his entire being to something. In his younger years, it was the military, and he served with pride until the day he retired. Then he moved to Casterly Rock and bought his apartment complex from the people who built it, and he dedicated himself to fixing it up and making it brand new. Now the complex was decently luxurious, and actually worth the rent the original owners had been charging. But even then, the thought of settling down had only briefly crossed his mind. He'd had a few girlfriends over the years, sure, but they never lasted long, always telling him he worked too much. However, none of that had mattered to Jorah until last November, when he had met Daenerys. He had been instantly attracted to her, and instantly felt guilty about it. His crush on her only worsened over time and as he got to know her.

Visiting her shop was the highlight of his week, even if he only had a brief conversation with her. She was sweet, but also passionate about many things, and the fire in her lilac eyes was hypnotic. Jorah had never seen purple eyes before, but once he saw them he never wanted to look away.

"You can save breakfast for me, if you want. Or eat it yourself. Or throw it away. I'm heading out." Lyanna's words had no harshness or cruelty to them, they were a mere statement of fact. She had always been a headstrong girl who didn't give a damn what anyone thought of her. Jorah responded by nodding his approval, which Lyanna didn't need anyway. She exited the apartment with a quick, "See you later."

Jorah hadn't felt lonely in a very long time, and he didn't even truly feel it now. He was lonely for one person in particular: Daenerys.

——————————————————————

Daenerys was fairly certain her printer was about to die on her. She hadn't asked Jorah how many tenants he had, so she decided to print 300 flyers, just in case. If it's too many I'll just take them to the boardwalk at the beach and let the wind take them where they need to go, she thought as the printer whirred and hummed.

"We're gonna need more ink after this," said Missandei. Both women were in the back room of their store, watching the printer shoot out pages with no particular rhythm. "Or a whole new printer."

"Shouldn't you be watching the shop?" joked Dany.

"It's only 10, nobody's here yet. And that's what we have that doorbell thing for."

Just as the words left Missi's mouth, the aforementioned doorbell thing rang. Dany wiggled her eyebrows at her friend and said, "Looks like we have our first customer. I'll greet them if you watch the printer."

"Got it."

Dany went into the main area of the store and found Jorah waiting, which caused an odd flutter in her heart. His eyes lit up when he saw her, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Good morning. I hope I'm not too early."

"I'm printing the flyers now," said Dany with a grin. "But I've probably printed too many."

"It's okay, I'll find a place for them. I was thinking of going around and taping them to each apartment door, instead of putting them in the mailboxes. I don't think people check their mail as often as they should."

"You're probably right. I don't even know where the key for my apartment mailbox is. But I wouldn't want to trouble you any further, you're already being really helpful."

"It's no problem at all. I've got nothing better to do, really."

"I owe you one, Jorah, I really do."

Emotion flashed across Jorah's face, but which emotion Dany couldn't tell. It was only then that she realized she'd never actually addressed him by his name, even though she'd always known it. She had never been sure if she should call him by his first name or by Mr. Mormont, even though in her mind she referred to him as Jorah. It was a good name, a strong name, and it suited him.

The moment of semi-awkwardness passed by quickly and ended when Jorah said with a smile, "I'm happy to help."

"You deserve a free candle or something. Seriously, take your pick."

Just then, Missandei came out from the back room and handed Dany a large stack of flyers. "Here we go, 299 posters. Our printer gave up on the last one, and I think it's fully broken now."

Dany scrunched up her face in annoyance. "I only bought that printer last month, and we haven't even used it that much."

"I could give you my old printer," said Jorah. In her annoyance about the printer, Dany had nearly forgotten he was standing there. "I bought a new one last year, but I didn't throw the old one out. The old one doesn't have a scanner, but it should still work."

"Oh, no, we couldn't ask you for that!" exclaimed Dany. "You've been too kind to us already."

"You don't have to ask, I'm offering it."

Dany looked to Missandei, who shrugged slightly. "We'll take it, but you must let us repay you somehow."

Jorah shook his head. "That won't be necessary."

"Three free candles and soap and whatever you want. Hell, just take whatever you can carry, it's yours."

"I'm just happy to be of service to you. To both of you."

He's kind enough to give us a printer, yet Missandei didn't even know his name, thought Dany. "Thank you, truly."

"I'll take the papers and give them out today, and this afternoon I will check the printer and make sure it's still in good condition. I can drop it off tomorrow, if that's all right?"

"Yes!" Dany handed Jorah the papers. "You're the best, Jorah."

"See you tomorrow, then." Jorah gave a smile and a quick wave and then left.

Once the door was closed, Dany turned to Missandei and said, "He's so unbelievably nice."

"I guess so," joked Missi. "He barely acknowledged my presence."

Dany hadn't really noticed, but Missi was right. "He just doesn't know you as well, since you're never here anymore," she teased.

Missi shook her head playfully. "He probably has a thing for you."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Why else would he be helping so much?"

"He's giving out some flyers and donating a printer, it's not like he's trying to conquer the world for us."

"I bet he would, for you."

Dany only laughed. "He's just a nice guy. I hope we can find someone for him at the singles night."

——————————————————————

Jorah spent the majority of the morning taping flyers to apartment doors. He knew the majority of his residents well enough to know which were single and which weren't, but he put a flyer on every door anyway. He wanted to make sure that Daenerys's event was everything she'd dreamed of.

Once he was done, Jorah headed to his office in the main building to check if his old printer still worked. Luckily, it did, so he packed it in a duffel bag and put it in his car, before working on paperwork for the rest of the day.

At the end of the day, Jorah walked to his apartment and went inside, only to find Lyanna lounging on the couch, staring at her phone. "Good afternoon," he said.

Lyanna glanced at her watch and said, "It's a little past afternoon."

"In that case, good evening."

"What were you doing today? I saw you going around with a stack of papers."

"I was putting up flyers for an event at Dragonstone Candle Company."

"That's where the girl you like works, right?"

"The girl I– who told you that?"

Lyanna laughed. "You just did. Why would you go around to every single apartment if there wasn't a girl involved?"

Wiseass, thought Jorah. But he couldn't help but feel a small tinge of pride; he prided himself on his observation skills and ability to keep up with almost all the goings-on in his complex, and it seemed that Lyanna had the same gift. Maybe I should offer her a managerial job when she's old enough. "I could just be a nice person who wants to help out a local business."

"Tell me about the candle shop girl."

"I will not." Jorah didn't even know where to start: She's gorgeous, she's curvy, she's got the most adorable laugh, she's closer to your age than mine...

"I bet you tell Clegane about her."

Jorah ignored her comment. "What do you want for dinner?"

Lyanna furrowed her eyebrows in thought. "Mashed potatoes?"

"And?"

"Sausage."

"I'm on it." Bangers and mash was by no means a Mormont family original, but they all had it rather often, and it reminded Jorah of home. He went to the kitchen and set to work.

——————————————————————

The next morning, as Missandei straightened the shelves in preparation for the day, Dany watched the front door of their shop, practically buzzing with excitement. She expected Jorah at any minute, and she couldn't wait to tell him about her newest idea. She'd bounced ideas off of him before, like back in March when she came up with a sale promotion where soaps were buy-two-get-one-free. Jorah thought of calling the promotion Spring Cleaning, and it was a huge success. Also, although it was technically Sansa who'd come up with the singles night idea, Dany wouldn't have done it if Jorah hadn't told her people would like it. She trusted his knowledge of the city and its residents, and it didn't escape her notice how nothing escaped his. He was observant, and he actually listened to her, even when she was rambling on about something she was passionate about.

Dany wore her long hair in a braid that was swept over her shoulder, and a pale blue open-back sundress with spaghetti straps. She normally handled heat fairly well, but every time the front door opened a blast of summer air would rush in, leaving her and Missi sweating for a few minutes afterward. I need to plan an outfit for the singles night, she thought. It'll be in the evening so it'll be cooler, but I still need to be dressed for heat.

Missi turned and looked through the front windows. "Your boyfriend's here," she said.

"My boyfriend?" laughed Dany.

"The guy bringing the printer. It looks like he's got it in a duffel bag."

"Oh!" Dany had nearly forgotten about that. "Let's help him in."

Missi had barely moved a muscle by the time Dany had dashed over to the door, holding it open so Jorah could walk straight inside. When he saw her, he grinned widely. Once inside the shop, Jorah set the bag on the counter and unzipped it.

"You're quickly becoming my favorite customer," teased Dany as Jorah set the bag on the counter.

"I'd hope so, because you're my favorite candle shop," he replied. "Where do you want this hooked up?"

"In the back room, but I can do that later."

Jorah waved her off. "Nonsense. Show me where you want it and I'll set it up for you."

Dany beamed. "Follow me."

Jorah picked up the bag again and she led him to the back room, where he set it on the table next to the old printer. As he unzipped the bag, Dany's eyes wandered across his broad shoulders and his back. She knew a printer and its cords wasn't the heaviest thing on the planet, but she couldn't help but be impressed by the way he'd lifted the whole bag so effortlessly, like it weighed nothing. Jorah had previously mentioned that before he'd hired a handyman for his apartment complex, he did all of the work himself, and had fixed up the entire complex when he'd first bought it with only a few friends helping him out. The modest and professional clothes he wore weren't designed to show off any muscles that hid beneath them, but Dany could tell he was strong. A quick image of him carrying her bridal-style flashed across her mind, but she pushed the thought away.

"No cats today?" asked Jorah as he gestured to the empty cat bed in the corner of the room.

"No cats," Dany confirmed with a small smile. "I wish I could bring them every day, but they can get a bit rambunctious."

"I bet. There's a fat tabby cat named Rosie Mae who lives at the apartments, and she likes to lay in the grass outside her unit. You need a lazy cat like her."

"She sounds adorable."

"You'd love her. She's so fat she's practically spherical." Jorah untangled some cords and hooked them into various spots on the printer, before kneeling down to plug the entire thing into the wall. Although she'd resisted him at first, Dany was thankful he'd offered to set up the printer, because she would have had no idea where to start. "Maybe if you ever come by the complex, I can show you where she likes to hang out."

"I'd love that," replied Dany. "By the way, I had an idea."

"What's your idea?"

"I was thinking Missi and I could type up a little personality quiz and hand it out at the singles night, and people could take it and we could match them up with other people!"

"Matchmaking at a candle store. I like it."

"Yes!" cheered Dany. "You get it. I originally thought about calling the whole event Matchmaking, but we didn't want people thinking that's all it is. There's gonna be wine and mingling and sensual saxophone music or whatever."

"I'll be there for the wine, but I'm not so good at mingling."

"What about the sensual saxophone music?"

Jorah chuckled. "I'm more of a violin person myself."

"I'll add some to the playlist," Dany said with a smirk. "I've always preferred string instruments as well, but every time I Google romantic music it just shows me saxophones."

"Sounds like a good conspiracy theory, Big Saxophone paying Google to promote the music." Jorah pressed a few buttons on the printer, and it came to life. He stood next to Dany and said, "I think you're all set."

"Jorah, you really are the best. I owe you one. I owe you multiple ones. I'm going to print out more flyers and have Missi distribute them at the beach this weekend."

"I'm happy to help," said Jorah, as he patted her on the back casually. Dany knew that this action was meant in a friendly, if not fatherly, way, but she still felt a rush of excitement shoot through her body when he touched her, sending a shiver up her spine. Her heart fluttered, and she desperately hoped that Jorah wouldn't notice the goosebumps appearing on her skin, which she had zero explanation for. It was like he had sent a jolt of electricity through her when his hand connected with her uncovered back, and the sensation was strange, but not entirely unwelcome.

Jorah rapidly pulled his hand from behind her and awkwardly straightened his posture, clearly worrying he'd made her uncomfortable. But he hadn't; if he had, he wouldn't have had the time to worry about it before Dany made sure he knew. She was tougher than she looked, and knew how to take care of herself, but she did appreciate how gentlemanly Jorah was. If anyone else had dared touch her without her consent, she would have kicked up a fuss. But with Jorah, Dany had to fight the urge to wrap herself up in his strong arms.

"I should head back to my office, I've got a lot of paperwork to do," said Jorah as he turned around and left the back room. "But feel free to call the apartments if you need anything."

"Of course. I can't thank you enough." Dany followed him through the shop. Right as he reached the front door, she had another idea. "Hey, Jorah, I have a question for you."

He turned around and looked at her. Dany felt like she was nearly drowning in the blue of his eyes. "Yes?"

"What do you think is the best scent in the world?"

He smiled sadly. "Home."

I'm not sure I can put 'home' into a candle, thought Dany, but before she could say anything, Jorah had left the shop.

"What happened there?" asked Missi.

Dany watched through the window as Jorah got in his car and sped off. "What do you mean?"

"He looked kind of flustered. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," said Dany. "I just... I just don't understand how he's single."

Out of the corner of her eye, Dany saw Missi's eyebrows shoot up. "Sounds like you're developing a bit of a crush."

Dany shook her head quickly. "No way. He's old enough to be my dad."

Missi only laughed and went back to organizing the store, while humming the song 'I Won't Say I'm in Love' from the movie Hercules. Dany narrowed her eyebrows in thought. How do I make a candle that smells like home?

——————————————————————

Jorah did not go back to his office that day, nor did he do any paperwork. Instead he went home and collapsed on his couch and thought about how badly he'd fucked up. I touched her. I shouldn't have touched her, he thought. I essentially made her skin crawl.

Jorah let out a deep sigh. He liked to think of himself as a strong man who didn't worry much, and for the most part that was true. But Daenerys, the "candle shop girl" as Lyanna had called her, made him feel weak. The way she said his name, the way her bare skin felt under his rough hand... it was all too much for him. Every time they made eye contact, his stomach flipped and his heart skipped a beat, and it was becoming increasingly obvious. He worried that he was one tiny facial expression away from revealing his feelings for her, and she would certainly feel disgusted.

Jorah picked up his phone to shoot the complex's maintenance man a text. Sandor Clegane was an asshole, but on occasion, the two old friends would share a few beers in the afternoon and complain about life. Jorah simply sent, "Clegane?"

Within a minute, Jorah's phone lit up with a text that said, "Mormont?"

The two men had known each other for many years at this point, and that was how they almost always greeted each other. Jorah sent, "I've got whiskey in my apartment if you want to swing by."

Clegane's reply came quickly. "And I've got pussy in mine. What do you need?"

Jorah had recently been made aware of Clegane's developing relationship with Miss Stark from apartment 620, and it gave him terribly conflicting feelings. On one hand, he worried that Clegane was somehow taking advantage of Miss Stark, considering how young she was. Then again, Jorah had been daydreaming of a younger woman for quite a while now, so he had little room to judge. Also, their relationship gave him some hope, because if ugly scoundrel Sandor fucking Clegane could find someone, surely Jorah could too. Also, Clegane was significantly less grouchy now, which was a massive benefit.

Jorah texted back, "Just wanted to complain about my love life."

After a few minutes, Clegane replied with: "Talk to Lyanna. She's a girl. Girls know things."

Jorah sighed. He was absolutely not about to whine to a teenager about his feelings for a woman he barely knew. That was the sort of thing he could only share with Clegane, who did not give even a fraction of a shit and barely listened anyway. The only other person he could talk to was his friend Tyrion Lannister, who had introduced him to Clegane years earlier. But Jorah knew Tyrion well enough to know that he'd probably advise him to ask Daenerys out, which was absolutely not an option. He'd already creeped the poor girl out enough by patting her on her back. And I said I'd show her where Rosie Mae hangs out, if she ever came by the apartments, thought Jorah, his own words from earlier echoing in his head. She's never coming around the apartments, you old fool. She's probably terrified of you.

When Jorah's hand touched Daenerys's back, it seemed to send a shockwave through the both of them. Jorah had noticed how her breath hitched slightly and goosebumps grew across her arms. Although he felt like Daenerys was the kind of person to stick up for herself when she felt uncomfortable, perhaps she thought she couldn't respond how she wanted to when he had just brought her a printer. On the other hand, Jorah's body had reacted in the opposite way; when he touched her soft skin, he immediately needed more. He wanted to pull her close and feel every part of her, run his hands across her shoulders and down her back, across her backside, undo her braid and run his fingers through her beautiful silver-blonde hair, and kiss her – God, he wanted to kiss her. He'd wanted it for so long and when he touched her this morning he felt like he was going to explode with longing. He was fully wrapped around Daenerys's finger and she didn't even want him to be.

Maybe I need to stop visiting the store every week, he thought. Or, if I stop all together, my crush on her will eventually fade away.

Even the term crush felt idiotic and inaccurate. He wasn't a schoolboy who liked a girl in his class, he was a 50-year-old man who was obsessed with a 20-something-year-old woman. But she did make him feel young again, the way his heart raced when her violet eyes were on him. She made him giddy like a little kid, and he would always leave her store wanting more. He felt that if he hadn't already fucked up enough to make her hate him, it wouldn't be long before he slipped up and said the wrong thing, something that would reveal his true feelings.

I need to avoid her for a while, he decided in his mind, At least until the singles event. I can't get out of that one.

But the truth was, he didn't want to get out of that one. He wanted to spend every waking moment staring at Daenerys, but he knew that it was for the best if he tried to pretend she didn't exist.

——————————————————————

Dany spent the rest of the week scheming and researching and planning. She knew that Jorah was from Bear Island, way up north near where Sansa was from, but Dany hadn't ever been there herself so she had no idea what it was like. A quick Google search showed her some beautiful scenery, tall trees and a hell of a lot of bears.

Sitting at her dining table in her apartment with her laptop, she read what felt like a million articles about the island, learning about what sorts of trees and flowers grew there. A distinct scent began to form in her mind, one of oak and pine and streams and ice.

Then, she finally had it: a recipe for a candle that smelled like home, Jorah's home. Dany smiled as she jotted down her ideas on her notepad, while Missi and Grey tried to whip up dinner in the kitchen. She planned to spend that weekend making the candle, which she would present to him as soon as he came by for his regular visit the next week. She couldn't wait to see him.

Chapter 2: A Bear in a Candle Shop

Monday rolled around, then Tuesday, then Wednesday. Each day Daenerys waited, excited to give Jorah the candle she'd specially made for him. But each day only brought disappointment, as Jorah didn't come by the store like he normally did. He usually visited early in the week, often on Tuesday, but he never showed. The Bear Island candle sat on the counter, ready for its rightful owner to come and get it.

Dany was concerned – she knew Jorah to be as reliable as the rising of the sun, and she couldn't help but be worried about him not visiting. She felt tempted to call the apartments and give some fake excuse for him to come to the shop, such as the printer malfunctioning, but she decided that was a bit too much. Besides, he was probably just spending time with his cousin who was visiting, right?

Missi was at the beach with Grey again, leaving Dany alone in the shop with nothing but her thoughts. But Missi's words, teasing Dany about developing a crush on Jorah, echoed in Dany's mind. She didn't have a crush on him, that would be ridiculous and unprofessional. She just appreciated his help and enjoyed his company and longed for his smile. Since she'd moved to Casterly Rock in November, Dany had grown fond of Jorah, but she'd never thought she'd miss him as much as she did.

What is wrong with me? she thought. I don't see a guy for a week and I go insane with worry. He's probably fine.

But as much as she tried to wish her feelings away, Dany couldn't ignore the ache that was growing within her. With one simple touch, Jorah had ignited something in her, and now it felt like they were two magnets being forcibly pulled apart. Well, it felt that way to Dany, at least. She was sure that Jorah viewed her as a daughter, since he had no children of his own and he knew that her father was long since dead. That was all this was, surely: a found-family type of situation.

But Dany would be lying if she said she hadn't thought about running her fingers through his ginger-blond hair. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't been thinking about his strong shoulders nearly non-stop since the last time she'd seen him. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't pictured, just once, his lips upon hers. But that didn’t mean she had a crush on him, and she was able to push all of those thoughts out of her head.

He was a handsome man, objectively. Well, Missandei didn’t seem to agree, but that was beside the point. He was much older than Daenerys so even if she did have a crush on him, which she didn’t, she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. It would probably upset him to find out that this young woman he’d been probably thinking of as a daughter had feelings for him.

Without Jorah or Missandei, the candle store was painfully empty. I should have brought the boys, thought Dany, thinking of her cats. Their mischief always helped her get through the long and boring summer days. So far that week, the shop had had zero customers, which made Jorah’s absence even harder to bear. Things will change on Friday, Dany told herself. We will have the singles event and we’ll get dozens of new customers. This shop will never be empty again.

But her hope for the future didn't change her current situation. The shop was still empty, and an empty shop is a shop in danger. If the Scents of Romance event didn’t go well, if nobody showed up, that could possibly spell the end of Dragonstone Candle Company.

——————————————————————

Ten years before Daenerys moved to Casterly Rock, Jorah injured his knee after falling off a ladder while fixing a window at the apartments. His doctor had prescribed him outpatient physical therapy, and it was there he learned a valuable life lesson: sometimes the process of getting better hurts like hell.

That was what Jorah told himself the week he didn't visit Dragonstone Candle Company. He hated himself for being so attracted to and basically obsessed with a woman so much younger than him, a woman who clearly viewed all of their interactions as friendly and innocent. The only way for him to rid himself of this crush was by avoiding Daenerys, even though it hurt. It hurt every time he drove past the store and every time he used one of the bars of soap Daenerys had made; but all of the soap he owned was from her shop. Jorah was starting to regret choosing this, of course. But he didn't give into his urge to go visit her, just to see how she was doing, just to see her gorgeous smile.

As he lay in his bed Friday morning, he wondered if he should go to the singles night. He didn't want to make Daenerys any more uncomfortable than he already had. He'd spent the last week replaying the events of his last visit to the candle store, thinking about the goosebumps on her shoulders, the way she practically froze under his touch. She had tried to be friendly afterward, asking him about his favorite scent, but he could tell he made her skin crawl. Guilt had been tearing him apart ever since then. But he had said he'd go to the singles night, and he didn't want to break his word.

I'm just making up any excuse to see her, he thought. I'm pathetic.

But what if no one else went? He'd taped a flyer to every single apartment door, but that didn't mean anyone was interested. Would she and Missandei be alone there for hours, waiting for someone to show up? The event started at 6 in the afternoon, so they would be by themselves at night, the store door unlocked. As tough as Daenerys seemed, that wasn't safe for two young women, at least not in this city.

On the other hand, what would Daenerys say when she saw him? Would she be glad to see him again, or would she kick him out?

I guess I'll find out tonight, thought Jorah as he rolled out of bed. If I go.

——————————————————————

Over the past week, Dany had been carefully curating the sexiest instrumental playlist of all time. Now, it was time to play it.

Missandei went around the shop lighting rose-scented candles as Dany hooked her phone up to the speaker. The lights in the shop were dimmed, making the burning candles and incense the main source of light, as well as some dull Christmas lights that hung from the ceiling.

Dany pressed the play button on her phone, but instead of hearing sultry strings and sax, the shop was instead filled with the sound of an advertisement.

Missi laughed. "I told you you need to get Spotify Premium."

"What's the point? I mainly listen to CDs anyway."

"God, Daenerys, you're such a relic."

"I spent all of my teen years collecting CDs, why would I throw them away for some app I have to pay for? It doesn't make any financial sense."

"Turn the business brain off," joked Missandei. "It's 6. People should be arriving any minute. Are the free sample bags ready?"

"Yep." The girls had prepared 10 free sample bags for the first 10 visitors. If they got any visitors.

"When I handed out flyers on the boardwalk, a lot of people said they'd come. I hope they weren't just being nice."

Dany nodded. She'd spent a lot of time and effort on this event, from creating the flyers to buying the wine to making the playlist. If nobody showed up, it would break her heart.

But there was one person Dany was really hoping would show up, and he was the soon-to-be owner of a Bear Island candle, which still sat on the counter, a blue ribbon wrapped around it. She stared at the door longingly, hoping for some sort of a sign.

Dany was pulled from her thoughts by Missandei gently asking, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. What – why?"

"You've been staring blankly at the door for a while now."

"'I'm just waiting for customers. I'm manifesting them."

Missi laughed. "I don't think it's working. Pour me some punch, will you?"

Daenerys nodded and turned around. On the sales counter she'd prepared a nice variety of drinks for people to choose from, including 3 bottles of wine, some punch, and some plain ol' bottles of plain ol' water. There was also a good selection of snacks, including chocolate covered pretzels and heart-shaped cookies, which she had baked herself. Her back to the door, Daenerys cracked open the large bottle of punch and grabbed a plastic cup to pour it in. As she poured the red liquid, she realized that buying this particular drink was a bad idea, because it would stain the mouth of whoever drank it, and having a stained mouth was hardly conducive for romance.

The bell on the door beeped, but Dany didn't turn around immediately, focusing entirely on trying not to spill the punch. Then she heard a unique and almost gravelly voice from behind her say, "Hello, Daenerys."

Dany put the cup and the punch down and spun around excitedly. "You came!"

Jorah smiled, and Dany could feel her heart skip a beat. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"I've missed you this week. We've missed you," said Daenerys. "This shop has been really empty without you. And in general."

"I'm sorry I couldn't come, I was…" he trailed off for a moment, seemingly thinking of the right word. There was a look of guilt on his face. "Busy."

"It's okay. I have something for you." Danys cheeks were already hurting from smiling. She picked up the candle she'd made for him and held it out. A small gasp of surprise escaped his lips when he saw it. "I made this for you. It's supposed to smell like Bear Island."

Jorah walked over and took the candle from her, their fingers gently brushing against each other for a split second. He held the candle to his nose and smelled it, before grinning. His smile looked like an odd mix of relief and joy. "You did well. It smells just like home."

"That's my way of thanking you for all the help. You do so much for us."

"And I'd do much more," said Jorah. "Daenerys, I–"

Jorah was cut off by the sound of the door opening. In walked a dark-haired teenager, who surveyed the scene before her and tried to hold in a scowl. She walked up next to Jorah and asked, "So, do I finally get to try some wine?"

Daenerys couldn't stop herself from laughing gently. "You must be Lyanna. I've heard a lot about you."

Lyanna smirked and nodded. "I wish I could say the same, but Jorah refuses to tell me anything about you."

Jorah shot Lyanna a stern yet still kind shut-the-fuck-up glare, but Dany only laughed. He'd make such a great dad, she thought. "I should have made you a Casterly Rock candle, Lyanna, for whenever you go back home and start to miss this crazy city."

Lyanna then seemed to notice the Bear Island candle for the first time, and she took it from Jorah and gave it a sniff. "This is pretty accurate," she said. "But it needs some moose shit. Everywhere you go in Bear Island, there's always the smell of moose shit somewhere in the distance."

"Lyanna," scolded Jorah.

"I'll keep that in mind," joked Dany. To her surprise and delight, she saw people outside, heading for the door. "But for now, help yourself to some of the snacks. There are some cookies you might enjoy."

Jorah nodded.

"Oh, and the matchmaking quiz is on that table over there, if you want to fill it out. You don't have to, it's just for fun."

Before Jorah could respond, Dany dashed over to the door to greet the new visitors, only to see that Missandei was already on it. Through the glass door, Dany could see the parking lot slowly filling up, as more and more people came to visit her store. She hadn't felt this proud since Dragonstone Candle Company had first opened, and her spirits were only lifted higher by the fact that Jorah loved the candle she'd made him. Even if the night had failed entirely, Jorah was happy, and that was enough.

—————————————————————

"God, Jorah, relax. Nobody's gonna take that candle from you," said Lyanna. As soon as she'd handed the Bear Island candle back to him so she could attack the snack bar, Jorah had held it close to him, clutching it in his hands like it was the most precious thing in the universe, because it was.

All of my worrying was for nothing, he thought. Daenerys doesn't hate me. She made a candle just for me.

"It's fragile," Jorah said to his cousin. "And you practically threw it at me."

"Yet it's still in one piece!" laughed Lyanna. "But now I understand why you come here all the time. Daenerys is really pretty, but she also looks like she's not afraid to cut someone who crosses her. Want me to pour you some wine?"

"No, I do not. I drove us here, remember?"

"It's fine, I have my driver's license. You need to loosen up a little."

"Having me drunkenly stumble around her store isn't going to make Daenerys like me," insisted Jorah. "I'll be like a bull in a China shop."

Lyanna snickered. "A bear in a candle shop."

"Even worse." Jorah looked over at Daenerys, who was happily greeting new visitors and handing each one a matchmaking quiz. She was clearly in her element, chatting about her candles and soaps to everyone who walked through the door. Jorah recognized the majority of these people as residents of his apartment complex, and he was glad to see that his rather aggressive ad campaign had paid off. He also couldn't help but notice the violin music floating through the air, meaning she had listened to his suggestion.

Jorah turned the candle over in his hands a few times. It was perfect, and it was just for him. As far as he knew, she'd never made anyone else a bespoke candle. The honor of being the first to receive such a gift made him want to cry, but he held it in. Maybe I was wrong about how she feels, he thought. He looked over to Dany, who was still talking with guests.

As always, seeing Daenerys smile was the highlight of his week. She looked absolutely stunning, with a black ankle-length sundress and her hair pulled up. He daydreamed of kissing her on her bare shoulder, then kissing his way down her arm until he reached her hand, then pulling her hand to his lips for a soft and courteous smooch. But he knew not to expect too much. He knew that no matter how kind she was to him, Daenerys would never see him that way, and he knew he had to learn to just love her from afar.

——————————————————————

Dany couldn't have wished for a better evening. The shop was full and people were mingling. Occasionally someone would pull her or Missandei aside to ask some questions about the store, and both of them were happy to help. Only an hour into the event, they'd sold a good amount of candles and soaps, much more than they'd sold in the last month. We might just have to have events here more often, Dany thought as she rang up a customer with her tablet.

But, of course, drumming up business was only part of its purpose. So far she hadn't found anyone she thought she'd be interested in dating. Typical, she thought. This shop is finally full of handsome single men, and I'm not into any of them. The customer she'd just rang up went back to mingling, candle in hand, and Dany scanned the room. There were tall men, short men, buff men, and skinny men, but none of them grabbed her attention.

Then, Missi elbowed Dany in her side and whispered, "Look at the door. Someone's coming in."

Dany looked up and saw who Missi was talking about. He was tall, dark, and handsome, and pretty much every lady in the room immediately started staring at him longingly. He locked eyes with Dany and smirked, and she could have sworn she heard a woman in the crowd sigh dreamily. Dany smiled at him, and he began to walk toward her with a confident stride, which made him even more attractive. Although this mystery man's gaze was unwavering, Dany couldn't help but look away from him for a split second and sneaked a glance at Jorah, who was already looking at her, a forlorn expression on his face. Luckily for him and unluckily for Daenerys, her enchantment with the new man was broken the moment he opened his mouth.

"Hello," said the man. Dany couldn't believe her ears – did this brawny man have a squeaky voice? "The name's Daario."

Dany wanted to scream. Either this man was incredibly unfortunate, or his muscles were the result of steroids. "I'm Daenerys."

"You are such a gorgeous little thing," said Daario. His voice was tinny, like he was speaking through a metal can. Dany was holding her tablet in one hand, and he reached to grab her other hand before bringing it to his lips for a kiss. Such an act should have been romantic, but all her attraction to him vanished when she heard that voice. She turned to look for Missandei, but her friend was gone, probably having run for the hills as soon as she heard Daario speak. Dany also didn't take kindly to being referred to as a 'little thing,' even though she was rather short. Starting off by referring to a woman in such a casually demeaning way did not win him any favors.

"Um, yes. Thanks. You too." Am I being shallow? she worried. He's objectively hot. But he seems like such a douche, and that voice is a no-go. I like a low voice, low like Jorah's.

"Oh, trust me, baby, I am in no way little."

Dany's eyebrows shot up. She couldn't take this man seriously at all. She quickly glanced around the room until her eyes found Jorah again. He was still watching her, his face somewhere between sadness and rage, and she tried to flash him a help me type of look. She didn't truly expect him to realize what she was trying to silently say, but he did, giving her a nod of understanding before walking over to her and Daario.

"Excuse me, Daenerys, there's something you need to deal with in the back room," said Jorah. Now that the two men were next to each other, Dany could see that Daario was just about as tall as Jorah, but Jorah's presence was much more imposing. He looked like a man who was worthy of respect, but still wanted to earn it.

Like a petulant child, Daario replied, "I'm sure it can wait a moment."

"I wasn't talking to you," said Jorah, his blue eyes full of an intensity Dany had never seen before.

"Lead the way," said Dany. Without thinking, she linked her arm with Jorah's, and together they turned and went into the back office. Once there, Dany let out a deep sigh.

"Thank you, Jorah," she said. "I was not feeling that guy, but he didn't seem like the type to take no for an answer."

"For a moment, you looked like you were feeling him," replied Jorah, trying to force a jokey tone. He looked upset, but clearly wanted to hide it.

"I was, until he opened his mouth. Did you hear his voice? God, it was annoying. But I guess not all men can have a voice like yours."

A small smirk crept across Jorah's mouth, and Dany realized what she'd said. She hadn't meant for that last part to be out loud.

"You like my voice?" asked Jorah.

"I mean, of course. You have a good, strong voice. If we ever make a commercial for this store, I'd probably want you to do the voiceover." I'd also want you to moan my name… woah, where did that come from?

"I don't think I have the voice for a candle store," Jorah said with a slight chuckle. "But I'll take the compliment."

"Has no one ever told you that before?"

"I'm afraid not. The last compliment I received was when someone told me my blue scarf made my eyes pop."

Dany immediately blushed. She recognized her own words, and was surprised to hear that Jorah remembered them. "I'm sure I've complimented you since then."

"One nice word from you is enough to last me a lifetime. I usually don't worry too much about what people think of me."

"But you care what I think?"

"Of course. More than anything."

"Now, that's a compliment," said Dany. "I really missed you this past week. Next time you're going to disappear on me, I'll need a doctor's note and an apology letter."

Jorah laughed. "I think that can be arranged."

"I really didn't think you'd come tonight."

"I almost didn't," admitted Jorah, a look of shame on his face.

"Why not?"

"I was worried that I'd upset you."

"I think you know me well enough to know that if you'd upset me, I'd make sure you were aware. I'm not afraid to stick up for myself."

"You didn't stick up for yourself with that asshole out there."

"Because I didn't have to, because I knew you'd be there for me," explained Dany. "And because things are different when it's you."

"How so?"

"Because I like you." Those last three words were friendly enough, but Dany knew that there was a deeper meaning to them, one she hadn't wanted to admit to herself. Jorah seemed to notice the deeper meaning as well, because she could hear his breath hitch, his mouth open slightly as he searched for the right words to say.

"I… I like you too, Daenerys."

"You can call me Dany." Dany felt ridiculous for not correcting him sooner, but it didn't really matter.

"I like you, Dany." Jorah took a deep breath. "I know I risk ruining our friendship by saying this, but I didn't visit this week because I was worried you'd realize exactly how much I like you."

“What– What do you mean?”

“You mean the world to me. I’ve never cared about anything as much as I care about you. You’re my light, and… there are times when I look at you and I still can't believe you're real.”

Dany could nearly feel tears well up in her eyes. “That’s the most ridiculously romantic thing anyone has ever said to me.”

"I’m sorry. I should probably go.”

“No, you shouldn’t. And you shouldn't apologize.”

“I've made you uncomfortable.”

“I think you really should know by now that you shouldn't assume that about me,” said Dany. “You've never made me uncomfortable. In fact, it’s the opposite. I feel like I can breathe easier around you, because no matter my problem, you’ll be there with a solution. Jorah, I told you that I like you and I meant it.”

Not only was Dany confessing this to Jorah but to herself as well. She'd chosen to host a singles event in hopes she would find love, but now she realized that she'd had it all along. Jorah was thoughtful and sweet, handsome and strong. He was everything she didn't know she needed. Many times she'd found herself getting lost in his ocean-blue eyes, the same eyes that had drawn her to him in the first place. She felt stupid for not realizing sooner that her feelings for him weren't just a friendly appreciation of everything he did for her, but appreciation of him as a person. When she looked at him, she felt safe, and she knew she would feel at home in his arms.

Jorah had a surprised look on his face. "Dany, I–"

"Are you free tomorrow night?"

"Yes."

"Not anymore," said Dany. She wasn't normally this bold, but she realized Jorah was too polite to do anything. "I'm taking you out."

Jorah chuckled. "I think I'm supposed to take you out."

"Either way. Time and place and I'll be there."

"Or," said Jorah, a wave of confidence seemingly overtaking him as he took Dany's hand and brought it to his lips to place a gentle kiss on her knuckles. "I could pick you up at your place and take you somewhere for dinner."

Dany's heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest, and she almost wished that that asshole Daario could have seen this, so he'd know how it was done. "Sounds perfect."

"You should probably get back to your party," said Jorah.

Dany nodded. "Let me give you my number real quick." She grabbed a sticky note pad and a pen from the table the printer was on, and she jotted down her number and address. "I can't wait until tomorrow."

Jorah smiled. "Me neither."

"Where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise."

Dany grinned from ear to ear and handed over the sticky note.

——————————————————————

Jorah easily found Lyanna in the crowd, talking to some ladies who were all dressed to the nines. He couldn't hear what she was saying over all the chatter in the room, but she was clearly telling a story, waving her arms in the air as her enraptured audience watched on. Jorah couldn't deny that she reminded him of himself when he was younger, fiery and intelligent. He walked up to her just as she was finishing her tale, and all he could hear was, "Anywho, that's how I nearly got adopted by a bear as a baby."

One of the women noticed Jorah and smiled at him before saying to Lyanna, "This must be your father."

Jorah replied, "Actually, I–"

Another woman said, "It must be hard, being a single father to a teen daughter. But I'm glad you brought her here, she's told us a lot about you."

Father? "You must excuse us for a moment," he said as he pulled Lyanna out of the group. Once they were on the other side of the room, he asked her, "What the hell?"

Lyanna shrugged. "I was trying to get you some. The ladies loved the single father shtick. If anyone asks, your wife – my mom – was a brunette bombshell who died in a tragic hay bale accident."

"I don't need your help in 'getting some,' thank you very much. I've actually got a date tomorrow." He waved the pink sticky note in the air.

"Oooh! Guess I didn't need to tell them that you used to be a bodybuilder after all."

Jorah sighed. "Do I look like a bodybuilder?"

"You could look like a former bodybuilder. But that's beside the point, who is the date with?"

"The woman we came here for in the first place," said Jorah, a smirk forming on his lips.

"Candle shop girl?"

"Her name is Daenerys," he said, before correcting himself. "Dany."

"When's the date?"

"Tomorrow."

"Where?"

"I haven't decided yet, but I'm sure I'll find a place. I need something romantic yet unique."

"If you cook her dinner, she'll be sure to fall for you immediately."

Jorah chuckled. "That might not be a bad idea. But I feel like inviting her over to the apartments is a bit… meh. It needs to be obvious that I put thought into it."

Lyanna narrowed her eyes in thought. "I think I've got an idea."

Chapter 3: Property of Daenerys Tarygaryen

Trekking through the woods that surrounded the apartment complex wasn't exactly Jorah's idea of a good Saturday morning activity, but there he was, pushing brambles and branches aside as he followed his young cousin.

"There's this little clearing somewhere up here," said Lyanna. "Up that hill."

The previous owners had named the complex Coastal Rock for a reason; it was built on a rocky cliff, overlooking a lot of the city, including the beach. The woods surrounding it were quite hilly, making the Mormonts' hike through them fairly difficult. Surprisingly enough, Jorah had never actually walked through these trees, and thought that he should do it more often; the woods were peaceful, and almost silent except for birdsong.

"Here we are," said Lyanna. "I found this spot last week, it's a good place to sit and think. If you put a picnic blanket on the ground, it'd be a perfect first date."

"I have to admit, it's a good idea," replied Jorah.

"Plus, it's secluded and private, in case you two want to get jiggy with it.”

"We will not be 'getting jiggy with it' in the woods."

Lyanna shrugged. "Just saying. You know, I feel bad for Building 6, because if somebody stood on a chair or a step ladder or something they probably could see right into those windows." She pointed through the trees at the closest apartment building.

"Let's hope nobody else knows about this little spot," said Jorah. "So I need to get a picnic blanket and a recipe that Dany will love."

"All right. Let's hit the store. Picnic blanket, picnic basket, a boombox…"

"A boombox?"

"So that I can play 'Kiss the Girl' from the trees."

"Nope."

——————————————————————

Jorah had told Dany via text that he’d pick her up at 6:30. So, naturally, she was ready by 5.

She paced around the living room of her apartment. She’d picked out one of her favorite dresses to wear, a flowy sky blue one she paired with golden sandals and a golden ribbon tied around her waist as a belt. She’d done her hair in a braid, as she often did, and she felt beautiful, but still incredibly anxious.

“Chill out, will you?” said Missandei, who was lounging on the couch, doomscrolling through social media. “Your pacing is making me nervous. It’s just Jorah.”

“Just Jorah?” replied Dany. “Missi, you’re the one who was teasing me about having a crush on him and making him my sugar daddy.”

“I didn’t think you’d actually do it!”

“He’s not my sugar daddy, this is just a date.”

“Exactly. So chill out, it’s not like your life's on the line.”

But it certainly feels like my life is on the line. "He's so sweet, and so strong, and so smart. God, I don't want to fuck this up."

"You won't fuck this up, you're Daenerys fucking Targaryen. You've got your shit together, and one dude isn't going to ruin everything," insisted Missi. "Besides, we'll definitely have some new repeat customers after last night, so if we lose him then no big deal."

"He's not just a dude. He's Jorah."

Missi laughed. "You've got it bad, don't you? Where the hell did all this come from?"

"Well, I didn't see him for a week, and as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"Maybe you two are a perfect match, because that sounds like something he'd say."

Dany chuckled. "It does, doesn't it?"

Then came a knock at the door, which nearly made Dany jump out of her skin in surprise. She took a deep breath and smoothed out her dress, while Missi joked, "Coming to your third-floor apartment for a first date, what a gentleman."

Dany quieted her friend with an insistent "Shh!" and opened the door, her best customer service smile on her face. Once she saw Jorah, she didn't have to fake the grin anymore.

Jorah was dressed in a nice suit jacket and held a bouquet of white roses. Once their eyes met a smile grew across his face, the most genuine smile Dany had ever seen. That was something she loved about him: the way his smiles always reached his eyes, at least when he was looking at her.

"You look so beautiful," said Jorah, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Thank you," said Dany. "You're not too bad yourself." Dammit, Dany, just tell him he's handsome!

Her awkward compliment seemed to land well enough, with Jorah chuckling softly and lifting up the roses. "These are for you."

"Oh, Jorah, you shouldn't have," Dany said sweetly. Although she was touched by the gesture and her heart had never felt so full, he really shouldn't have; she'd never been given flowers before and she had no idea what to do with them. Do I leave them here? Do I take them with me?

"I thought they might look good in a vase on your table, or something," said Jorah.

"That's a wonderful idea!" Dany took the roses from them and brought them into her apartment, giving them a quick sniff before placing them on the table. Her cat Viserion immediately jumped up to investigate them, only to be gently shooed away. When Dany turned back to the door, she saw that Drogon, the largest of her Sphynxes, was in Jorah's arms.

Dany smirked and gently scolded, "Drogon, that's not how we behave around guests. We can't just jump into anybody's arms."

"It's fine by me," replied Jorah.

"It's fine until you stop petting him, then he gets snippy." Dany reached out to pet the cat. "Come on, you raw chicken, come back inside."

Drogon jumped from Jorah's arms and went to curl up on the couch next to Missandei. Dany laughed and apologized, saying, "I'm sorry about him, he's probably the most spoiled out of all of them. And the heaviest."

"I've definitely met worse animals," Jorah replied with a wave of his hand. "Are you ready, my dear?" He extended his arm and Dany gladly took it.

"Where are we off to?"

"It's a surprise." Jorah smirked, and the two began to walk down the stairs.

Dany laughed. "Still?"

"Yes. And I probably should have scheduled our date for a little bit later in the evening, because my plan won't be perfect with this much daylight, but it'll be fine."

"Plan?" asked Dany. They reached the ground floor and walked over to Jorah's car. "Daylight?"

Jorah smirked as he opened the passenger side door for Dany. "I've said too much already."

As Jorah's car pulled out of the parking lot, Dany’s mind was racing. She just knew that this was going to be something truly special, because of who her date was. Jorah was not the kind of man to skimp out on things that were important to him, and he had shown on multiple occasions that Dany was important. She couldn't help but feel a bit stupid for not noticing sooner that Jorah adored her, but perhaps she would have just chalked it up to wishful thinking, even before she realized that she felt the same way. She also felt a bit stupid for not noticing that love and happiness was right under her nose the entire time she'd been living in Casterly Rock. But holding his arm as they walked, sitting beside him as he drove, felt so natural, so perfect, and Dany was surprised that she'd had no idea what she was missing.

The car drove past the candle store and up a hill, eventually turning into the entrance of the apartment complex Jorah owned. Jorah parked in front of the main building and went to open Dany's door. She asked "So, it's dinner at your place?"

"Sort of." That same smirk from before crossed Jorah's face again as he took Dany's hand. "Follow me."

Dany felt practically starstruck. Jorah, who had previously been too nervous to pat her on the back, was now holding her hand and leading her down the sidewalk. His touch was comforting and his confidence was enchanting. Clearly he knew that Dany would love the surprise date that awaited her, and she was nearly bursting at the seams with excitement.

Jorah led Dany towards the trees that surrounded the apartment complex, and they pushed their way into the woods. With any other man, Dany would have been nervous about this, and she likely would have refused to go any further. But she trusted Jorah completely. Besides, if he was secretly a murderer, he was a sloppy one, because Missandei knew who Dany was with.

Through the woods they went, with low branches snagging Dany’s dress. By the time we get where we're going, she thought, I'll have a ton of twigs in my hair. Eventually she could see twinkling lights up ahead. On a small hill there was a clearing where no trees grew, and she could tell that this was the surprise. A picnic blanket lay on the grass, and had a picnic basket and a bottle of wine sat on top. Multiple fake candles surrounded the blanket. The scene was so romantic and sweet that Dany thought her heart was going to burst.

"I wanted to use real candles," said Jorah as he sat on the ground next to the basket. "But I was scared I'd burn the whole forest down. So, battery-operated candles it is. Not that it matters, really, because you can barely see them in the daylight."

"It's perfect," Dany exclaimed.

Jorah motioned for Dany to sit on the picnic blanket, which she did. He opened the basket and pulled out a large ceramic food container, two plates, and some utensils. When he opened the container, a tantalizing smell hit Dany's nose, making her mouth water. Jorah used a large spoon to scoop food onto the plates, and now Dany could see that her dinner was to be meatballs coated in some sort of sauce, along with rice.

"I must admit, I stole this recipe from a mutual friend of ours, Miss Stark," said Jorah as he handed Dany a plate. "But I made it extra spicy, since I know you like spice."

"Yes, I do," replied Dany. The food was warm and looked delicious.

"Careful, it might be hot."

Dany only replied, "Fire cannot kill a dragon," before digging right in. The meatballs and rice were just as good as they looked, and she forgot all decorum as she shoveled food into her mouth.

Jorah laughed. "A dragon?"

"Yeah," said Dany, as she felt a blush creep onto her cheeks. "When I was a kid, my brother and I would pretend to be dragons. It's kind of embarrassing, now that I think of it."

"No, it's adorable." Jorah had a wide grin on his face as he watched Dany eat. "How do you like your food?"

"Oh my god, it's so fucking fantastic! I knew you'd be an amazing cook, I just knew it."

"I definitely could be better, but thank you."

"No, Jorah, this is truly wonderful stuff."

"It's not my recipe. You have Miss Stark's grandmother to thank for that."

"To hell with Sansa’s grandma," said Dany, before awkwardly correcting herself. "I mean, not that I want anything to happen to this lady, whoever she is, but she's not important. You made this food and you did great."

"You'll have to let me make bangers n' mash for you sometime."

Dany smiled. "I'd love that."

"Good. Now, tell me more about when you used to pretend to be a dragon…"

The two spent a while eating and chatting and laughing, discussing everything from their childhoods to their goals for the future. Dany learned that Jorah had been in the military, which was unsurprising. What was surprising was that Jorah liked to occasionally swim laps in his apartment complex's pool at night, when nobody was around. She also learned that despite living in Casterly Rock for many years, he'd never actually been to the beach there.

"Whaaaaat?" asked Dany. "All this time, not once? That was pretty much the first thing Missandei and I did when we moved here."

Jorah shrugged playfully. "I've always been too busy. Besides, I didn't want to be the one guy by himself at the beach."

"Next Saturday morning, I'm taking you to the beach. Or you're taking me. It doesn't matter."

"Who will run your shop?"

"I think Missi can handle it. She's always ditching the store to go to the beach with her man, so I think it's about time I ditch her to go to the beach with mine."

Jorah smirked. "So I'm your man?"

Dany hadn't realized the implications of her words. "Shit, I mean, I didn't mean to say it like that, but, um…"

"It's okay," said Jorah. "I just wanted to tease you."

"If you want to call yourself my man, I'm not opposed. I don't want you to feel like I'm rushing you into anything or–"

"I'll be anything you want me to be. I'm yours."

Dany's heart was beating faster than it ever had in her life. Jorah's words were spoken with adoration, with softness, as if what he truly meant to say was 'I'd follow you to the end of the earth, I'm yours until the end of time.'

"Jorah, I…" Dany trailed off, not knowing what to say. It seemed like for the last nine months they had been speaking a secret silent language, and they'd only realized it the night before. "I'm glad I moved here. Out of all the cities I could have opened my store in, I'm glad I picked this one."

"I'm glad too," said Jorah. The two looked at each other for a moment, and Dany desperately wished he would just take the leap and close the gap between them and finally, finally kiss her. Instead, he asked, "Are you ready for dessert?"

"Dessert?" asked Dany with a laugh. "Is that a picnic basket or Mary Poppins's bag?"

"It is surprisingly roomy." Jorah reached into the basket and pulled out another food container. When he pulled off the lid, Dany immediately smelled brownies. "I didn't originally plan on dessert, but Lyanna insisted. She said that the easiest way to a woman's heart is via chocolate, and so we made brownie bites."

Dany giggled. "She's absolutely right."

"She has to head back to Bear Island next week. I think I might miss her." Jorah handed a brownie to Dany.

"I guess I need to get started on my Casterly Rock candle. What do you think this city smells like? I'm thinking beach vibes."

"All I ever really smell is seagull shit," joked Jorah.

"Well, she did say that the Bear Island candle needed some moose shit. I just don't know how to put 'essence of seagull' into a candle."

"If you make a candle and leave it outdoors long enough, I'm sure a seagull will drop a little scent onto it," said Jorah, before his face and tone both turned more serious. "But… the Bear Island candle is the best gift I've ever received. I can't thank you enough."

"You earned it, through months of kindness."

"Still, to be the owner of your first bespoke candle is an honor."

"You're the only one worthy of that honor." Dany meant every word she said, and so much more. She worried they were skirting around what was important again, just barely saying the words they wanted to. He was clearly still too nervous to truly admit how he felt for her, and it seemed he was waiting on her to make the first move, in fear that he would make her uncomfortable. Dany knew he didn't think he was deserving of her attention and affection, but he was. He was deserving of everything she had to offer. When she looked at him, she felt safe, but also excited; his blue eyes stared right into her soul, and his button-up shirt had the top button open, putting his neck and a small amount of golden-red chest hair on display. He was absolutely gorgeous, but didn't realize it. Dany wanted to grab him by the collar and pull him on top of her. She didn't want to be too forward, but she desperately hoped he would kiss her before the night was over.

"I try to be.”

"Jorah." Dany leaned forward, reaching out to put her hand on Jorah's, which was propping him up as they sat on the ground. "I really, really like you. You're so amazing and you make it seem effortless. You're everything I never knew I needed.”

Jorah looked away for a moment, perhaps out of shyness. When he looked back to Dany, a smile grew across his lips as he said, “You’ve got crumbs on your face."

“Do I?”

Jorah reached up, taking Dany’s chin in his free hand. His thumb swiped gently across her chin and lips. Then he said, with a hint of hesitation in his voice, “You’re beautiful even when you’re messy.”

Finally, as if he received the silent messages Dany had been sending all night, Jorah slowly leaned in, his lips meeting hers delicately, as if he was afraid she would shatter into a million pieces at his touch. Dany deepened the kiss, but only slightly, and let out a sigh of contentment, taking joy in the fact that her heart had found a home. She raised one hand to the back of his head, tangling her fingers in his curls, while her other hand rubbed one of his biceps, eventually resting on his shoulder. Although she’d likely never admit it, she’d wanted to touch his arms since she’d first met him, and feel those muscles that hid under his professional button-up shirts. And his shoulders - sturdy and strong. The idea of her legs resting on those shoulders as he licked at her floated through her mind, and she couldn’t hold in a slight shudder.

Worrying something was wrong, Jorah pulled away entirely. Breathlessly, he said, “I apologize, I should have asked before kissing you. That wasn’t proper of me.”

“Fuck proper,” teased Dany. “Kiss me all you want. You probably should have kissed me sooner.”

Jorah smirked. “I wouldn't want to upset you.”

“I don't think you can. I'm yours.”

The weight of those last two words, the same he had said to her earlier, were not lost on Jorah. “Daenerys–” he said, before correcting himself, “Dany… I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you, back in November. But I never thought you’d feel the same way. I keep wondering if this is a dream, and if I’m going to wake up in my bed alone with an empty heart.”

“You never have to have an empty heart again,” she said, “On one condition, of course.”

“Yes?”

“Kiss me again.”

Jorah leaned in again and kissed her, cupping the side of her face with his hand. Dany smiled into the kiss, enjoying the slight taste of the spicy and tangy meatball sauce from his mouth. The moment was perfect, Jorah was perfect, and she pulled him close, her arms wrapping around his shoulders like they belonged there. His arms wrapped around her as well, and Dany felt at home with him, like she knew that as long as she had Jorah by her side, nothing could go wrong.

It was finally starting to get dark, but the hauntingly romantic atmosphere created by the candles was completely missed by Dany, who felt as if her entire world was now Jorah. His being enveloped her, and she could smell on him the scent of sandalwood from a bar of soap from her shop. Dany would have stayed in that moment forever, but it was interrupted by a sharp pain on her arm.

Dany pulled away from Jorah with a muttered "Ow!" and looked at her arm. Just above her elbow was a bright red spot.

Jorah delicately held Dany's arm and examined it. "It looks like a mosquito bite. I've got some cream in my office."

"I'll be fine, it's just itchy." That was a hell of an understatement. In reality, it felt like Dany's arm was on fire. She reached up with her other hand to scratch it.

"Don't scratch at it," insisted Jorah. The commanding yet caring tone of his voice made Dany drop her hand immediately. "Let's get you something for it."

Dany nodded. Jorah stood, and helped her stand up as well, before gently swatting at her hand which instinctively went to scratch her itchy mosquito bite. "You're such a dad, Jorah."

"Lyanna gives me a lot of practice."

"I can tell!"

Jorah and Dany began their walk back to the main building. They walked mostly in silence, focusing on the branches ahead of them. When they reached the parking lot once again, there was a surprise waiting for them in the form of a round tabby cat, sitting in the center of a parking space as if she was a car.

"Rosie Mae!" cheered Dany. She immediately went over to pet the cat. "Jorah, you were right. She is spherical!"

"I'm surprised you remember me telling you about her."

Dany stopped petting Rosie Mae and looked at Jorah. Did he still think so lowly of himself? "I remember everything you say."

"I hope not everything," said Jorah. "I'm sure I've said a lot of embarrassing things, including tonight."

Dany knew exactly what he was talking about, but it didn't truly register in her mind until now. I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you, back in November. His accidental proclamation of love now rang in her ears like a bell, replaying over and over again. She dashed over to him, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a deep kiss. His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her even closer.

When she finally broke from him, Dany looked up into his ocean blue eyes and said, "You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Ever. I'm yours. And you're mine."

Jorah grinned. "Maybe you should go into the shirt making business and make me one that says Property of Daenerys Targaryen."

"Don't tempt me," teased Dany. Then she tried to scratch her itchy elbow, but was stopped yet again by Jorah, who grabbed her hands.

"Let's get you some itch cream," he said.

"Good idea."

Jorah unlocked the door to the main building and they both walked in. A few steps from that door was the door to his office, which he opened to find Lyanna sitting in his chair, her feet on his desk.

"Lyanna," scolded Jorah. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the apartment."

"I didn't want to interrupt if you guys wanted to go in there in order to get jiggy with it," said the teen. "Hey, Daenerys."

"Hi," replied Dany.

"For the last time, we will not be 'getting jiggy with it' on our first date," Jorah said to his cousin. "I'll never understand your generation."

Lyanna laughed. "You do realize Daenerys is closer to my age than yours, right?"

"Lyanna!"

"We're just here for some itch cream," said Dany, while trying to hold in a laugh. "I got bit by a mosquito."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," replied Lyanna as she opened up a drawer in a cabinet behind a desk. "Jorah, you should know better. You should have brought bugspray. And sunscreen too, can't have your woman getting burnt out there." She handed a small tube of anti-itch cream to Dany, which Dany promptly put on and handed back.

"Bugspray might have been helpful," joked Dany. "But sunscreen? Not so much. We were in the woods, there wasn't enough sun to do any damage."

"That's how the sun gets you," said Lyanna, as if there was some sun conspiracy Dany was supposed to know about. Then she turned to Jorah and said, "By the way, when I went to set up the picnic shit I found some binoculars in the grass."

Jorah's eyes went wide. "Please tell me you're joking."

"Nope. I took the liberty of throwing them in the dumpster."

"Fine by me."

Dany smiled and let out a long breath. "Jorah, I've had the best night of my life. It’s getting late, I should probably get home to my cats."

"I understand. Thank you for allowing me to take you out on a date."

"And thank you for making this the most amazing, romantic, memorable date I've ever been on."

Jorah smiled. "It's been an honor."

Lyanna snorted. "You guys are so cute I'm gonna vomit.”

Jorah ignored his cousin and asked Dany, “Beach day next weekend?”

“Oh, yes!” exclaimed Dany. “I can’t wait!”

With that, Jorah took her hand, and led her back to his car. When he opened the door for her, Dany thought to herself, God, he's perfect. It’s like he was made for me. The car ride back to her apartment was all too short, and she secretly wished that the night would never end. But she also felt that it had to; she worried that she couldn’t have such an amazing thing for long before something went terribly wrong. The way Jorah stole glances at her as they went down the road, the way he drove with one hand while the other hand held hers, the way the dwindling evening light made his eyes look even more gorgeously blue – it was too perfect.

Jorah walked Dany up the stairs to her apartment, and when they reached her door she let out a sigh. “You know, when I first moved here, I was terrified. I worried our store would fail, I worried everybody would be rude, and I worried I’d be sad and alone. But then I met you, and all my worries melted away,” Dany admitted. “I feel like I have a lot to thank you for, but I can't even find the words.”

“You don't need words. I know a way you can thank me.”

“How?”

“Give me a kiss goodnight.”

Dany grinned from ear to ear, then lifted herself up on her tiptoes to reach his lips for a soft kiss. “I don't know what I did to deserve you.”

“I don't know what I did to deserve you.”

“I should probably go inside now, before I drown in your eyes.”

“And I thought I was cheesy.”

Dany laughed. “I’ll see you next week.”

“Yes, you will.” As reliable as the rising of the sun. "Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Jorah.”

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