do you think jon or sansa already has romantic feeling and/or attraction to one another in seasons 6 and 7? are they aware of it,
Because sparks were flying right away, i think they were instantly attracted to one another but that they could write it off as nothing more than relief and gratitude over having found each other and being the only two Starks left (to their knowledge).
Jon most likely grew increasingly aware, though, and increasingly bothered by it. But attraction doesn’t have to mean love and I think he could keep brushing off little moments where it was sneaking up on him.
When she gave him the cloak and he had his little, “Wait, what?” look, he could blame it being an emotional moment in general. When they argued in the tent, he could blame the intense life-and-death situation and their desperation to come out of it alive.
But then he kissed her forehead. That’s the day he could no longer pretend this was anything but romantic love. His instinct was to kiss her on the mouth too. He felt himself leaning in, lips still slightly parted… He wanted more and it was no denying it any longer.
The pain in his eyes, the way he now presses his lips together, nods, attempts to leave asap for no good reason… Oh, he knew.
By season 7 I think he accepts it. Not without shame, not at all, but that it’s how he feels and that he can’t do much about it and that hopefully it’ll mellow and maybe even go away in time. And if it doesn’t, he’ll just keep doing his best to protect her and never let her know how he feels.
She really is his secret treasure, his shame, and his bliss, and I think he avoids alone time with her if he can help it. Their confrontation after the meeting could’ve taken place in his office, in private, (like in the leaked outline) but that’s too intimate, isn’t it? Instead he talked to her in a place where they’re somewhat secluded, granted, but technically in public. Anyone in the courtyard could watch them. And there were no closed doors keeping anyone from approaching them and interrupting them.
While away, he also avoids talking about her. She’s in his thoughts and in his heart day and night, though, and he worries that she won’t welcome him home after what he’s been forced to do, but then he sees her in the courtyard, waiting for him, smiling at him, welcoming him with open arms and…
That look. He loves her and maybe that’s obvious to everyone around him, but in this moment he does not give a shit. All he sees is her. All he wants is her. Everything else be damned.
Sansa, however… I don’t think she’s fully aware. The attraction’s been there since their reunion and it’s evident in several scenes (like in the tent, where she’s definitely affected by the tension). They even made sure to show us that she likes gazing at Jon like a proud wife when he speaks while Davos keeps his eyes forward instead of craning his neck.
But she doesn’t carry the same kind of angst about it that Jon does. Sansa is better at controlling her emotions, so she’s repressed it and kept her focus elsewhere and, I think, mostly relaxes in his presence because Jon doesn’t expect affection or touches from her, which is quite the relief after what she’s been through. (And why it easier for her to give and accept affection, and why it’s easier for her to walk into his space or grab his hand, his arm etc, and why she doesn’t shy away when he moves into hers. She trusts him the way she trusts no other man.)
Jon’s behavior in the forehead kiss scene leaves her looking perplexed, but not uncomfortable. She even prolongs the interaction by calling him back when he tries to leave. I think she’s also perplexed that he got so hurt by her Joffrey comment, but that she doesn’t want to examine it further. It’s easier to think Jon’s just sensitive and move on, because the truth is a bit much to swallow.
Then Jon leaves. That was painful for her. Painful enough that she had to make herself smile to ease his worries. Painful enough that she stayed on the balcony long after Jon was out of view. Painful enough that LF instantly realized that what he just found out down in the crypts could be reciprocated.
But if Sansa had been fully aware, I don’t think she would’ve mentioned Jon quite as much. I think she would’ve avoided talking about him.
When she and Arya talk and she remembers the reunion and how happy Jon was (and how happy she herself was), I think it’s clear from Sansa’s behavior that it’s a memory that means the world to her. It’s probably one of her fondest memories since leaving home because it’s affection untainted by ulterior motives. It’s so important and makes her so happy that she needs to share it, but she can’t quite keep eye contact as she does it because there’s some part of her that knows that it’s precious and private. Some part of her knows there’s something about it she needs to keep hidden. Jon’s her shame and her bliss and her secret treasure too.
Once Littlefinger goaded her about a j0nerys marriage, though, I think it got harder for Sansa to lie to herself.
Jealousy is jealousy, after all, but because of the taboo, I think she’s tried to keep lying to herself even after this. She can easily pretend she’s just protective of Jon and worried about him. That she’s protective and worried about the North. She has good reason to dislike D*ny that has nothing to do with romantic jealousy. It doesn’t have to mean what she knows in her heart that it means.
That won’t last long, though. Once Jon returns home Sansa will know.
Both from the relief of having him back and from how she’ll feel about D*ny, who’ll be a rival in more ways than one. Sansa will remember that awful sensation in her chest from when LF talked about a j0nerys marriage and she’ll know. And then it’ll be very hard for her and Jon to suppress their instincts and repress their feelings. And that should become pretty obvious early on.
Thanks for the ask!
