68. The Weeping Jon

Jon and Robb's recent encounters had been awkward, especially with the tension surrounding their status as soon-to-be eldest sons—one legitimate, the other illegitimate. Jon could sense a growing distance between them, an invisible barrier that hadn't been there before. The genuine smile Robb used to give him now seemed forced.

Jon had always been sensitive to how others viewed him, and it hit him that their once-close brotherly bond might be slipping away. As he lay in bed that night, a wave of sadness washed over him. He knew, deep down, that he was just a lowly bastard. He could never measure up to Robb, the rightful heir to Winterfell.

His thoughts kept spiraling—confusion about his future weighed heavily on him. He didn't know what Lord Eddard Stark, the man he could never truly call "father," had planned for him. Uneasy and uncertain, Jon spent many sleepless nights dwelling on these worries, until exhaustion finally took over.

Even Jason Liu noticed. The dark circles under Jon's eyes were hard to miss, and his behavior had changed too. Sometimes, Jon would sit quietly, staring off into the distance, a deep loneliness hanging over him. Jason couldn't help but feel sympathy for the boy.

"I think it's time I have a talk with him," Jason thought, looking at Jon, who was clearly troubled. Over the past two weeks, Jason had grown fond of Jon. He admired his hardworking, honest, and brave nature. At first, Jason had hoped to recruit Jon as a subordinate, but as time passed, he began to see Jon as a potential friend.

Still, Jason reminded himself to be cautious. Jon had a knack for getting himself into trouble, and while friendship was fine, Jason was determined not to get dragged down with him.

With that in mind, Jason grabbed a bottle of water—something he'd brought from his own world—and walked over to Jon, who was sitting alone, resting.

"Here, have some water, Jon," Jason said, handing him the bottle before sitting down across from him.

"Master Jason," Jon started to get up to show respect, but Jason stopped him with a gesture.

Jon accepted the water, thanked him, and drank quietly.

They were surrounded by piles of stones being used to build a warehouse and walls. The construction had been ongoing for over two weeks, and Jason's new shop was almost finished. The roof was being completed, and in a couple of days, the new store would be ready to move into.

Jason glanced at the busy workers in the distance, then turned his attention back to Jon, who sat in silence, sadness clearly visible on his face.

"How are you doing, Jon?" Jason asked gently. "I've heard a lot of rumors around Winterfell lately, even in my store. I imagine you've heard them too."

Jon looked up at Jason, but the anger and unease he used to show when his status was brought up had softened. After spending weeks together, Jon realized Jason didn't care about his illegitimacy and had come to see him as a friend.

For a long moment, Jon said nothing. But eventually, the weight of his thoughts became too much, and he couldn't keep them inside any longer.

"Master Jason, I... I don't know what to do. In the name of the old gods and the new, I swear I've never had any thoughts of competing with Robb... I don't want anything he has." Jon's voice broke as tears welled up in his eyes. He wiped at them furiously, but the tears just kept coming.

Jason watched as Jon broke down, his heart aching for him. He quietly handed Jon some tissues.

Jon took them, trying to regain control, but the tears wouldn't stop. His sobs were low, but full of pain, like a lost child crying for his mother.

Jason's guards noticed what was happening and glanced over, but Jason waved them away, letting Jon have this moment.

Jon's sobs slowly subsided after a long while, and he wiped his face with the tissues Jason had given him. The young boy, who had always tried to act mature and indifferent, now looked like the vulnerable teenager he truly was.

"Feeling a bit better?" Jason asked softly. "I've cried like that before. It helps sometimes."

Hearing that Jason, too, had once cried like this, Jon's embarrassment faded. He looked at Jason, curious to hear more.

Jason met Jon's eyes and continued, "I've had my own struggles with my father. He always tried to control my life, to make decisions for me. But I didn't want to be his puppet."

He sighed, seeing Jon listening intently. "The differences between us created a lot of conflict. In the end, I decided to leave home, to get away from the things that made me unhappy. I wanted to live a life that was truly my own."

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