Disclaimer: I recently got obsessed with Game of Thrones, but doesn't mean I own it!
Story: Roose has some very important things to say to Sansa, but two of the three Baratheon brothers come crashing into carefully laid out plans. While Roose contemplates murder, Stannis is in over his head, and Tywin still looms over everything Because He is a Lannister. Part 3 of the (Im)Perfect VERSE.
Set as a gigantic modern AU universe.
Spoilers: Nope.
Warnings: Nope.
Pairings: (Main) Roosa (Roose/Sansa), Stansa (Stannis/Sansa), and TySan (Tywin/Sansa) mention.

Be Still, Heart

The loud thud made her look up from her paperwork, only to see Roose in front of her. He'd placed a cup of coffee on top of her desk and merely looked at her calmly.

She grinned. "Is that for me?"

"But of course," he said smoothly. "On the sweet side, with creamer and sugar."

"You're the best," she crowed gleefully, accepting it and inhaling the smell. "If you're buttering me up to hire you, then by all means."

"Glad to know it's working," he said, only a hint of amusement in his voice. "I'm also endeavoring to hurry you up into it and to start focusing on your business. I also thought I'd get the practice in as your personal assistant and show you how fantastic I am at it. You know, to again get you to hire me on permanently."

Sansa laughed. "You are a show off and I admit your coffee-making skills are A+. Still not in a hurry to go off and do my own thing and hire you though, despite your overqualified-ness. Although your incessant need in trying to get me to take you away wouldn't have anything to do with the deal Robb is haggling with Walder Frey this morning, is it?" She offered her mug sympathetically.

"Part of it," he shrugged, accepting the mug and taking a sip of it, even though both of them knew he preferred his coffee black. "But mostly I really do want to hurry and start working for you. And only you."

Her cheeks warmed considerably and she was just thankful that he said nothing about it. She knew he knew since she saw him eye her with a slight smile before taking another sip of her coffee.

"Is that coffee? That better be coffee."

Sansa rolled her eyes at Ramsay, who peeked in, keeping the cup away from him after she accepted it back from Roose.

"Go away," she huffed. "Daddy Dearest and I are having grown up talks," she said snidely.

"Yes, Mommy Dearest," Ramsay winked at her. He eyed his father with a smirk, "Play nice with Mommy, Daddy, and make sure you make her happy!"

He hurriedly ducked out before Roose could say or do anything.

"Would you mind terribly if I murdered my son and dumped his body in the building's garbage dumpster?" Roose said, looking completely serious.

Sansa started snickering. "As much as I'm willing to look the other way, I would be losing a terribly wonderful personal assistant to the law."

"I wouldn't get caught."

She choked on her coffee, having taken a sip just then.

He continued blithely. "But does that sound like I'm hired?"

"You'll be continuing what you're doing regardless, acting like you've already been hired," she said wryly. "You might as well already be."

"Just wanted to make it official," he said offhandedly, though he looked entirely too smug for her.

"Then you're hired," she rolled her eyes, answering jokingly. She had a feeling he wouldn't take it as a joke though, and he'd purposely ignore the joke that it was.

"Wonderful," Roose drawled. "First order of business, I ordered some of those new materials you needed but had been putting off reordering."

Sansa almost gaped at him before she just shook her head and smiled at him warmly.

"You're really something else, you know that?"

"I try."

Stannis pulled his jacket around him more, feeling the chill more than ever —despite the fact that it was February. Well, it wasn't Spring yet, but still. Given the North, it was normally cold year round and being in Winter Town's airport didn't make it any less colder.

"Bloody cold, it is," Robert grumbled by his side. "I can't believe Ned is actually used to this…Or happy to be around here."

Stannis ignored him and took out his phone when he heard the chime.

Pawn to E3.

He gave a slight grin and thought about his response. Robert eyed him with narrowed eyes.

"What are you grinning about? Not that I can believe you're grinning at all."

He wasn't going to bother to reply to his brother, when Robert snatched his phone out of his hands and glanced at the screen.

"Are you playing chess? Why are you texting Sansa? Why are you texting chess moves to each other?"

Stannis bristled. "We're continuing a game we've been playing since we met last Christmas holidays."

"That long?" Robert gaped at him. "Godsdamn, Stannis!"

Stannis rolled his eyes and grabbed his phone back, replying with his own move that he hesitated with after. Stupid Robert. Now he was unsure if that was the move he wanted to make.

"Shit, how are we going to get there? Ned's probably at work, so we'll have to head towards Stark Industries. Ah, we should call him or Sansa! Get a ride from them out of this infernal place!" Robert reached into his pocket for his own phone, just about to do that.

"Stop complaining," Stannis said irritably. "You wanted your visit to be a surprise, remember? That means we can't call them."

Robert then began complaining about that and Stannis looked at his phone. He thought about it.

He couldn't exactly call Sansa, but…

While he admitted Roose Bolton was an unsettling man, he did end up getting along with him that night with Sansa there and they'd even exchanged numbers as an interest in business.

"I'll get us a ride," Stannis told his brother, wishing he hadn't indulged him in this trip.

He sighed and called the other man, and waited as Robert grumbled in the background.

Half an hour later, Roose's tall form was striding over to him, his impassive face as foreboding as ever.

Roose watched as Sansa's phone chimed and she picked it up, smiling widely as she entered in a text.

"Who's that?" he asked casually.

"Ah, Stannis. You met him Christmas Eve, when we were all hiding out from family. We've been texting each other and trying to finish our chess game that we started from around then."

"You're playing without a chess board. Impressive," he said neutrally, still feeling a tinge annoyance at those two trading texts.

She grinned up at him after she looked away from her phone. "Dunno, we've just been using our heads to imagine the board. It's fun."

Roose managed a terse smile, leaving her to it. Only a few moments later, his own phone chimed and he glanced at it and then paused.

Coincidentally, he'd received his own text from Stannis Baratheon.

I hope it won't inconvenience you, but my brother and I need a ride from the airport to Stark Industries. It's supposed to be a surprise for Ned.

'And Sansa,' Roose irritably added in his head.

Still, he had no direct reason not to pick them up and would just end up being questioned about it if he didn't. There was no need to wind things up and cause unnecessary drama.

"I'll be back," he informed Sansa, who frowned but nodded. She took another sip of the coffee he'd made for her and went to look at the papers that had been on her desk.

From there, he headed to his office to pick up his keys, eyes drawn to the framed and restored ancestral flaying blades Sansa had found, that Ned had restored, and the two of them had gone out of the way to buy and gift him with for his last birthday. It reminded him, again, that he was picking the Baratheon brothers up, one of whom persistently went out of his way to remind Roose that he was the 'ultimate best friend.'

Not that Roose hadn't known the Stark family longer than Robert Baratheon ever had.

Because he did.

Scoffing to himself, he found his keys and then left his office and eventually the building. Knowing the good shortcuts on the roads, it didn't take him long to reach the airport. Bundled up in his jacket, he set off to go inside and find the brothers.

It was surprisingly easy to spot the brothers, whose tall heights made them stand out. One was still rather loudly complaining to the side, while the other looked annoyed.

Obviously, Roose also ignored the complaining brother and approached Stannis.

"Thank you for coming," Stannis stiffly said and he nodded simply.

"I was at work with them, so I can drive you over since I need to head back," he said quietly and turned without another word, expecting them to follow him.

Stannis grabbed onto his brother and ended up following after Roose hurriedly to catch up.

Inside the car, Roose was glad to have Stannis next to him and Robert in the back, pleased not to have that incessant complaining happening right next to his ear. Unfortunately, Robert was still ranting in the back and he and Stannis traded long, suffering looks.

"Is he always like this?" he asked.

Stannis sighed. "Yes, mostly regarding the Starks."

"That's…obsessive."

Stannis shrugged, not denying it.

Afterwards, while Robert continued his inanity in the back, Roose was silent and Stannis awkwardly followed his lead next to him.

When they finally arrived, he parked in his assigned parking and got out without a word. He knew they would be following anyway, so there really wasn't any need for him to be giving them step by step instruction like they were children.

Once inside, he decided they had enough sense to go find Ned and was heading back to find Sansa. She was still in her office with Ned actually heading over in her direction, so it wasn't a surprise when Robert rushed past him and launched himself towards Ned.

"NED! Surprise!" he practically attacked the man, whose eyes bulged at the incoming tackle hug. Sansa peeked out of her office and watched the spectacle with wide eyes.

Standing by her, he was about to speak, only for Stannis to come closer and clear his throat.

"I believe it's your move," the man said in that stiff way of his, though Sansa looked delighted and came over to affectionately draw the surprised man into a hug.

Irritably, Roose watched on and reined in his jealousy, despite the scene grating on him. In the background, Robert continued enthusiastically attacking Ned in their own reunion.

His eldest son slid into place beside him, watching as well.

"You know, you're normally much better at hiding your emotions," Domeric idly noted to him. "But then again, Sansa has always been a sore spot for you."

Roose glanced at him indifferently. "If you have something to say, say it, Domeric."

"If you love her, let her go. If she comes back, it's true love," his son said mock seriously. Then he smirked, looking a little too much like Ramsay then. "For normal people. We're Boltons. I'll help you hide the body."

"Domeric, find your brother and just go," Roose said in exasperation.

He was not about to admit to his son that he'd briefly entertained the thought, even if in dark humor in his head.

On her lunch break, Sansa had just finished her quick sandwich and was about to cut her break short (barely spending the time on it), when there was a knock on her door and Stannis stuck his head in.

"I didn't want to bother you, but as I finished with your father and Robert has deigned to monopolize the rest of his time…I was thinking I could persuade you to our game."

He licked his lips hesitantly and opened the door fully, stepping into her office as he held up a chess board.

She clapped her hands in delight before she gestured to the chair across from her.

"Come on in! I have some time for my lunch break."

His lips quirked up and he sat down opposite her, placing the chess board on her desk. The two of them replayed their hands by memory until their most recent moves, and then they started to play.

She didn't even know how much time had passed and probably was over her lunch break, but she was determined to win. Sometime in the midst of the game, Roose came in with refreshments and a slice of lemon bread specifically for her. She tossed him a smile while Roose took the other chair opposite her and observed their game.

In a few more moves, she saw the end and sighed, conceding defeat as she knocked over her King.

"Good game," Stannis said. "We'll have to start a new one before I leave with Robert."

"Definitely," she agreed.

Roose cleared his throat. "Pardon my intrusion, but I was thinking lunch out would be good. I hardly believe your sandwich and slice of lemon bread was filling."

Her stomach said he was right and she gave him a sheepish look. "Yeah, you're right. Stannis, you haven't had lunch yet either, right? I suppose a little longer on break will be fine, considering Uncle Robert's harassing Dad anyway."

"We should leave then," Roose said calmly, face stoic.

Hmm, she'd thought she'd get a smirk out of him with that last comment.

Stannis was hungry, but decided that he should've begged off as soon as Sansa had invited him along. It was clear that Roose had no such inclinations to have him accompany the two and now he was thinking he was more or less a third wheel.

Along with Roose's unnerving gaze staring into him and the sense the man was probably imagining his death, there was a tenseness in the air that Sansa was oblivious to.

This was an outing Roose had planned and that he'd clearly intruded upon.

It was too late to back out now though, and it wasn't like he was going to be in Winter Town for long. He would at least like to spend as much time with Sansa as he could before he had to go. Roose had plenty of time to spend in her presence after all.

"What's the plan?" Sansa asked cheerfully.

"There's a small restaurant around this corner," Roose's quiet voice replied. "There's a spot reserved for us in ten minutes."

"You reserved a spot?" Sansa asked in surprise, while Stannis ended commenting, "Cutting it close."

"I did," Roose directed to Sansa first. "It was supposed to be a surprise." He looked to Stannis then, eyes boring into Stannis intently. "I wanted to let Sansa finish her game first."

Roose was definitely imagining his death, he was sure of it.

Roose wasn't going to change his plans for anything, despite the addition of Stannis to the outing. Everything was going to be the way he'd planned for it to be, down to the restaurant to the words he'd been meaning to say to her. Nothing, not even Stannis' presence, was going to change that.

"Oh, it's lovely!" Sansa exclaimed once they reached the small, intimate restaurant Roose had stumbled on some time ago. It was quaint and traditionally Northern, and he was sure both he and Sansa would've been comfortable and relaxed together here.

He glanced at the awkward Stannis.

Roose kept his face blank and approached the hostess, calling up his reservation and then was led to the private room he'd reserved. Inside was a small table with two chairs already placed on either side, and a bouquet of flowers he specifically selected placed in the middle of the table.

The waiter came then and glanced at the trio hesitantly. Roose refrained from sighing and nodded towards Stannis.

"A third chair, if you'd please."

A third chair was brought in and placed on one side of the table, and then they were all seated. They were all able to order their drinks and appetizers before Sansa examined the bouquet in the middle of the table, gasping when she recognized them. Roose thought she should. When he required a peace of mind, he'd resorted to tending to plants and flowers, and had even learned the meaning of flowers —through which he had offhandedly taught Sansa one day.

"Those are —"

"Chrysanthemums and heliotropes," Roose said.

Red chrysanthemums say 'I love you' and heliotropes meant 'eternal love and devotion'. Both flowers were evenly spread together, with a single white chrysanthemum in the middle; meaning 'truth' but also alternately meaning 'loyalty and devoted love'.

Sansa would've read into them and should understand.

So to that, with a final disinterested glance at Stannis, he took out the folded piece of paper from inside his jacket pocket and unfolded it.

"My two weeks notice," he announced to her, watching her head shoot up from staring at the flowers to him. "'Ned, as informally sounding as this is, I am giving you this as my two weeks notice before I leave your employ. As appreciative as I am of your friendship and the years of employment under you, I no longer want to work at Starks Industries and seek instead to devote my time to working with your eldest daughter. You will probably not be surprised, but it should be obvious that my devotion has long been held by her by now…'"

He refolded his note and calmly placed it back in its spot, waiting patiently for Sansa.

"How long have you had that?" she asked, voice faint.

"I wrote it a few hours after the end of New Year's countdown," he said, giving her a meaningful look.

He saw her swallow thickly, looking back at the flowers. From the corner of his eye, he saw Stannis look curious but also briefly jealous, until his face was wiped clean except for his customary scowl. The other man started grinding his teeth and Roose mentally winced. What an awful habit.

"I have also, if you were inclined to, inquired about your former loft apartment that you'd shared with Renly and Loras," he continued. "Renly readily handed over the deed and if you wanted to move back in to focus on your business there…"

Sansa glanced at him and Stannis, her fingers twisting around each other.

"You know, since you're adamant on working with me and being my personal assistant, you'd have to move with me to King's Landing," she said hesitantly, finally keeping her gaze on him. "It's…not like the North, Roose. It's very different."

"I'll manage," he said uncaringly.

She still looked uncertain and he was going to further assure her, when Stannis spoke up.

"If he needs help or anything, he has my number. I don't mind making sure he'll be able to navigate King's Landing."

Stannis looked over to him and he understood the olive branch that it was, so he let his initial irritation at the other's interjection into this personal matter and his overall feelings of hostility over Stannis' presence there fade off a bit.

"Then I suppose that's settled," she murmured.

Roose was more than pleased with the results of his planning.

"Happy Valentine's, Sansa."

Stannis had, embarrassingly, just remembered it was Valentine's Day when Roose said the words to Sansa. Feeling like a fool and wishing he'd remembered so that he might've been able to gift Sansa at least a little something, he also now realized the significance of the whole setup and why Roose was probably exceptionally murderous at Stannis' appearance and intrusion, aside from intruding on the personal outing in the first place.

Was this some sort of confession? Shit, was he awkwardly interrupting all the cues and messing up the confession or something?

Part of him felt even more of a fool and the other part was a little relieved he was interrupting. He refused to acknowledge that part, seeing as it would mean acknowledging his own strong, rapidly grown feelings for the same young woman.

Thankfully, the rest of the time was spent enjoying the food, the place serving Northern cuisine, and then they were heading out to go back to the duo's workplace. Still, Stannis was still stuck on the fact he'd been unable to get anything for her, eying all the romantic vendors he was now finally noticing.

"They sell red tulips there," Roose mentioned to him, having silently moved to his side as Sansa walked ahead of them in thought.

Stannis blinked. "What?"

Roose's pale eyes stared into him. "You're tolerable and you offered your help. I am returning the favor."

"Why red tulips?" he asked curiously.

"They're flowers of passion and mean a declaration of love," Roose's eyes narrowed at him. "Don't play ignorant. Neither will I."

Roose indifferently turned from him and walked further up, heading towards Sansa and engaging her in quiet discussion about something he couldn't hear. Glancing at them, he headed over to the flower vendor and quickly purchased a bouquet of red tulips.

The two had walked further up before Stannis caught up, easily slipping into place on Sansa's other side.

"It's not much but Happy Valentine's," Stannis handed the tulips to a caught off guard Sansa. "I'd actually forgotten it was Valentine's Day and wanted to get you something."

"Thank you but you didn't have to!" she smiled at him, though she looked at the flowers and then him in consideration. He kept his face neutral, thinking that if Roose knew the meaning of the flowers, she could just as easily know as well.

Which meant maybe there was more significance to the flowers from the bouquet on the table, that Sansa also now held. He'd have to look them up…

Stannis' lips quirked up. "I wanted to."

Sansa glanced at the two of them and shook her head, smiling fondly.

The three of them traveled all the way to the top floor of the building, where Roose and Sansa's offices were, only to stop short and freeze in shock at the sight of Sansa's office.

It was entirely transformed, red roses decorating the entire place. The edges of her desk were lined with a 'rope' of weaved together roses and the four corners of the office held stone columns that held up large vases of more roses. Rose petals covered the floor like a carpet.

A man stood in front of the office, holding a bouquet of white roses and a large heart box half filled with red roses and the other half with…gold chocolates?

"Complements of Tywin Lannister," the man announced as Sansa drew closer, mouth open and eyes comically wide. "Happy Valentine's and please enjoy the roses and the Delafee gold chocolates."

Well, fuck, those really were gold chocolates.

Stannis hid his wince. Remembering his hastily bought, simple gift of tulips, he cringed inwardly. He'd already felt inadequate with his gift in regards to Roose's carefully planned, specially thought out Valentine's outing, but now —even thousands of miles away —Tywin Lannister outshone them both.

"Way to go about red and gold," he muttered, knowing the man's penchant for his family's colors.

Speaking of Roose, he turned to lament with the other, only to shut his mouth at the man's obviously murderous gaze. Stannis knew that if he could, Roose would've traveled straight to King's Landing and murdered Tywin, with his bare hands even.

Maybe those eerie rumors of Roose being the Clegane brothers Northern equivalent held some truth to it.

Stannis patted the man's shoulder carefully. "Roses are cliche and overdone anyway."

"That arrogant asshole. He included white roses, probably knowing they meant 'I'm worthy of you.'"

Stannis paused, scowl returning and deepening.

That arrogant asshole indeed.

Started 2/12/20 – Completed 2/15/20

Omake!

The Maiden was in a fit of giggles, causing the Smith to roll his eyes. The Warrior, however, was also grinning.

"Battle Royale," he declared.

"It's started," the Smith began grinning as well, rubbing his hands. "Haha, Roose almost got another point, but Tywin stole it."

"No, I don't think so," the Mother interjected serenely. "Roose was more meaningful."

"Gold fucking chocolates."

The Mother made a contrite face.

"Poor Stannis needs a leg up," the Stranger snorted. "Not one for courtesies and affection; never has been!"

"He's…learning," the Father sighed.

"Better than the first time around," the Crone cackled. "Wouldn't know how to not scowl for the life of him!"

"At least Oberyn didn't make a cameo," the Warrior noted.

"Not for lack of trying. His gift was delayed," the Maiden tittered.

"Whatever for?" the Mother asked in surprise.

"A live tiger isn't the usual kind of shipment."

Started 2/16/20 – Completed 2/16/20

A/n: Lolol, poor Roose's plans. Poor awkward, third wheel Stannis. Hell, poor both of them –Tywin's ballin', y'all. Though now I gotta figure out whether I do Stag Night already or find another holiday/event to do first. Might do Mardi Gras~ Happy Belated Valentine's Day, lovelies! Send some feedback :D

Quick Points:

1. Current GoT Fics: Her Song of Fire and Ice (SansaxRoose/Stannis/Tywin), A Red King Bowed (Roose/Sansa), and March to My Heartbeat (Stannis/Sansa). Also The (Im)Perfect VERSE, including Deck the Halls and now Count Me Down to Midnight, and now Be Still, Heart.

2. Mardi Gras or no?

3. Was thinking about playing an actual chess match against myself and using those moves XD Although Stansa continuing their game through texting is a headcanon.

4. Roose is a jealous bby. A jealous, possessive bby XD He is also a Man With a Plan. And Stannis is more or less a cockblocker ;D

5. I love the Language of Flowers and will always use it in stories lol. Also, writing it here, I realized it and flower/plant tending is a very good hobby for someone like Roose to have…