a-courtofdreams

[a-courtofdreams]

Where is my Rowan Kane who goes and books a whole author meet and greet just for me then whisks me off to NY to attend said meet and greet then treats my body like it's the most decadent feast he's ever had while taking in the view of NYC.

Why am I cursed to this life instead ?

#hands down the best way i've seen a billionaire hero spend money to impress their lady #rowan kane #dreamland billionaires

[a-courtofdreams]

Chances Are | Part 4

Roy & Keeley Fanfic | Ted Lasso

Summary: The chances that Roy & Keeley didn’t take prior to S1 of Ted Lasso.

Title based on the song Chances by Five for Fighting  “Chances are we'll find a new equation  Chances roll away from me  Chances are all they hope to be”

It was late. She and Roy had gone to bed almost an hour ago but Keeley’s mind still raced. She often had trouble going to sleep, usually because she was too busy thinking up a new campaign or mentally tallying her tasks for the next day, but tonight she was caught up in the past. Her and Roy’s past.

With Roy, she was happier than she’d ever been. But sometimes, she couldn’t help but wonder if they could’ve found this happiness sooner.

“You awake, Roy?” she asked, nudging him lightly with her elbow.

She felt him stir beneath her before he grumbled, “I am now.”

Keeley chewed her lip as she stared up at the ceiling. “Do you ever think about all that time we wasted?” she asked quietly.

“Whatd’ya mean?” Roy rasped.

Keeley climbed to her knees to face him. The street lamps outside provided just enough light for her to see how adorably sleepy he looked with his dark hair slightly mussed, one arm folded behind his head. She reached out and tugged one of her fluffy pillows to her chest before she continued. “I mean we were in each other’s lives for years before we started dating. We had loads of chances to be together and we just…didn’t take them.”

Roy propped himself up on an elbow. “Chances like…?”

“Like if I’d been more forward the day we met and just said I thought you were the cat’s pajamas instead of playing it cool. Or if I’d asked you to come home with me the night you stopped that cab.”

His dark eyebrows raised even as one corner of his mouth turned up. “You wanted me to come home with you?”

“Yeah, you looked totally fucking hot that night.” she grinned. “Or if–.”

“If I’d gotten off my arse and danced with you at that gala?” Keeley smiled as she remembered the night they’d both been ditched by their dates and had shared a moment. More than a moment, really. After their heart to heart, she’d ended the night back out on the dance floor and had felt his eyes on her the entire time.

“You don’t dance.” she shrugged.

“For you I would. And I decided so that night after I kicked myself for saying no.”

Keeley felt herself blush at his admission. Even after an entire year together, he still managed to give her butterflies.

He leaned forward to brush a lock of hair behind her ear before he continued, “I don’t look at those years as time wasted. We were both figuring out our own shit so that we could be what each other needed. I think it all worked out the way it was meant to in the end.”

He was right. She knew he was right. His eyes darkened as he angled his head even closer. “Make no mistake though, Keeley. I wanted you. I wanted you just as much then as I do now and I think that makes every minute we spend together even more valuable. Because I know what it was like to go without you for so long.”

Oh. Oh. For a man who didn’t say a whole lot, Roy Kent sure had a way with words. Keeley flung the pillow she’d been holding across the room and crawled into his lap. His hands settled on her thighs as she gripped both sides of his face. “Has anyone ever told you that you can be extremely romantic, Roy Kent?”

“There you go again. Ruining my image.” he grinned as he pulled her closer.

“I love you, you know that, right?” she said, holding his dark gaze, letting him see everything she felt for him and more.

“Yeah, I know. And I love you too.” Keeley nearly sighed when his lips found hers. She didn’t think she would ever tire of kissing Roy. His hands flexed on her hips as he moved under her slightly, creating a delicious sort of friction that had her gasping.

She could feel Roy smile against her lips before he broke away and began to kiss his way down her jaw. He nipped at her ear as he rasped, “Well, since we’re both awake…”

Keeley squealed as Roy flipped her beneath him and covered her body with his own. Any worry she had about going to bed at a decent time evaporated as Roy kissed a trail down her neck, across her chest, lower.

And Keeley knew then and there that she wouldn’t have changed a single thing about their past. Why would she when they could share a million more moments like this in the future?

Here and now, with Roy, she had everything she needed.

******

Ugh. These two have my heart. I’m gonna need an HEA for them in S3.

Fic Masterlist | Read on AO3

Full Masterlist

#roy kent #keeley jones #roy x keeley #roy and keeley #roy kent x keeley jones #roy and keeley fanfic #roy and keeley fanfiction #ted lasso fanfic #ted lasso fanfiction #ted lasso #reeley #romance #roy kent is a romance hero #grumpy sunshine trope #grumpy sunshine

[a-courtofdreams]

Chances Are | Part 3

Roy & Keeley Fanfic | Ted Lasso

Summary: The chances that Roy & Keeley didn’t take prior to S1 of Ted Lasso.

Title based on the song Chances by Five for Fighting  “Chances are we'll find a new equation  Chances roll away from me  Chances are all they hope to be”

Keeley

“Oi, these are free, yeah?” Keeley asked one of the bartenders over the music as she gestured at the bottles below the bar. The man looked at her strangely before he turned to finish helping someone else. She shrugged as she snagged a bottle of champagne and turned to survey the room for a familiar face.

Keeley had been to dozens of these football galas, but didn’t know too many other people in attendance apart from the wanker she’d arrived with. Which was a shame because she was suddenly desperate for a bit of company. She searched the sea of strangers until her eyes landed on a dark, familiar figure on the outskirts of the space.

Roy Kent: football sensation, extreme grump, occasional cab whisperer. He looked mad fit tonight in a sexy dark on dark suit, tightly fitted to his broad shoulders. Apart from his kit, Keeley had only ever seen him in black, but with the man’s rugged good looks, it didn’t really matter what he wore. He could make anything look good.

Roy sat alone at the farthest table from the action and surveyed the room with his signature scowl. Maybe he could do with a little company too? Keeley turned back and discreetly snagged a bottle of whiskey from the bar for Roy. She didn’t know his drink, but he seemed like a whiskey man.

Keeley was halfway across the ballroom before Roy locked eyes with her. His face showed no emotion but he became utterly still as she approached. She was fairly certain he didn’t even blink and she suddenly felt flushed under his intense gaze.

Being a semi-famous model, she was used to people looking at her; her clothes, her hair, her body. But Roy Kent didn’t care about any of those things and he didn’t just look at her. He saw her.

Keeley flounced over to his table and sank into the chair next to him with a small sigh. “Roy.” she said by way of greeting.

“Keeley.” he grumbled in return. It was the closest she ever got to a hello from the man.

“Care for a drink?” she asked as she extended the whiskey bottle to him.

He stared down at the bottle for a good long minute before he accepted it and lifted one dark brow at her. “Did you steal these?” he asked. Was that a hint of humor she detected in his voice? She glanced over hoping to catch a smile. No such luck.

“What? No! The bartender had plenty of warning before I took ‘em.” Keeley answered as she wrestled with the cork of her champagne bottle. 

Without a word, Roy took the bottle from her hands, effortlessly loosened the cork, and handed it back to her. “Right.”

Keeley bumped his shoulder with hers. “You really going to complain about free booze?”

“Good point.” Roy took a long swig of the amber liquid before he asked, “So, where’s your date?”

Keeley followed suit with her own hearty sip of champagne straight from the bottle. “Don’t know. Don’t care, really. Caught him snogging another girl at the bar. Can you believe that? He didn’t even have the decency to do it where I wouldn’t see.”

It had felt like a slap to the face when she’d spotted Antony with another woman. Keeley was used to idiotic men, but it had been a while since she’d been so blatantly disrespected. Most women would’ve screamed in his face or stormed out of the gala…but then he would’ve won. And Keeley wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“Fucking prick.” Roy growled. “Want me to beat ‘im up for ya?”

Her heart stuttered at the notion of Roy Kent defending her honor. “That’s okay. I appreciate the offer though, Roy. Real gentlemanly of ya.” He grunted as Keeley leaned back against the wall with another sigh, “She was fucking stunning too. Gorgeous purple dress.”

Roy stilled next to her. “Dark hair? Giant earrings?”

“Yeah, how’d you know?”

Roy

Roy huffed out a humorless laugh. The woman in the purple dress had been his worst mistake of the night. “Because she was my date.”

Keeley’s mouth fell open. “Oh shit! Are you serious?”

“Yeah.” Roy said as he knocked back another sip.

When Keeley threw her head back and laughed, a warm feeling settled over him, as it almost always did when she was around. “Well, would ya look at us.” she giggled. “Just a couple o’ rejects.”

“I don’t blame the girl, honestly. I’m a shit date.” Roy used to enjoy these things, but the older he got, the more he hated them. His date had wanted him to dance and introduce her to every major player in attendance, neither of which Roy was interested in doing. So, she’d stomped off and apparently found another poor sop to irritate.

Keeley smacked his arm and fixed him with an adorable glare. “Oi, don’t say that. I bet you’re a wonderful date. Any girl would be lucky to go with you.” The compliment made his heart beat faster. Roy knew he wasn’t great company, but that never seemed to deter Keeley. From the moment they met, she’d treated him as if they were old friends. And somewhere along the way, he’d begun to actually like her.

Roy had a very short list of humans he tolerated: Phoebe, his sister, the sweet yoga mums. That was about it. But then Keeley had wandered into his life and made space for herself on that list as well. Christ, she was the only reason he even agreed to make appearances at these stupid events. He could almost always count on her to be there, tearing up the dance floor and lighting up the room with her smile. The woman was a goddamn ray of fucking sunshine and Roy couldn’t help but be drawn to her light.

So yeah, he was a shit date because no matter how beautiful the woman on his arm was, he only ever had eyes for the golden-haired fairy sitting next to him.

Tonight she looked stunning as ever in a shimmery light blue dress that clung to every single one of her curves. The sparkling material caught the light every time she moved and tossed multi-colored pinpricks all around the immediate area. It was flashy, alluring, and beautiful…just like her.

Keeley fluffed her loose curls a bit as she went on, “Plus, I happen to know I’m a fantastic date, and I still got ditched. We are not the problem. It’s them.” she said, gesturing towards the bar angrily. “Christ, and they’re still going at it! Like we aren’t sitting right fucking here!”

Roy followed her gaze to the bar where, sure enough, his date was engaged in a rather detestable lip lock with Antony from Man City. Keeley had come here with that prick? Roy’s earlier urge to pummel the man returned tenfold.

“Fuck him.” Roy said.

“And fuck her.” Keeled agreed.

They glanced at each other and swapped angry looks for a brief moment before they both broke down laughing. “Oh my god, was that a real actual laugh from Roy Fucking Kent?” Keeley snorted.

“Might as well savor it. Won’t happen again.” he teased.

Keeley’s smile only widened. “Wanna know what I think?”

“Not really.” Yes, always.

“You’re always like ‘I’m Roy Kent.’” Her voice dropped an octave to imitate him. “’And I hate everyone.’”

Not quite everyone, he thought. “You making fun of me now, Jones?”

“But I think you’re really just a big ol’ softie inside and don’t want anyone to know.”

“You think that, do you?” She nodded, eyes smiling as she took another drink of champagne. Roy just shook his head. “Clearly I’ve been too nice to you. You’ll ruin my image if we keep this up.”

“Ha! As if anyone would believe me anyway.” she giggled. “Nah, it’ll just be our little secret.” Our little secret. For some reason, the idea of he and Keeley sharing a secret made his heart kick up speed.

“Alright, I’m done being sad.” Keeley announced, her tone far cheerier than it had been a few minutes ago. She hopped up from the table and her skirts sparkled with the moment. “I’m going to get back out there. You want to join me?” she asked, waggling her eyebrows at him.

“Fuck no.” he said. His coarse language didn’t deter her and only seemed to egg her on.

Keeley began to shimmy in place before backing away slowly towards the dance floor, beckoning him with the champagne bottle. “Oh, come on, Roy. I know you want to.”

“I would rather walk across hot coals that get out on that dance floor.” he said even as his eyes tracked every seductive sway of her hips. “But you go ahead. Show that prick what he’s missing out on.”

Keeley grinned at him before she turned and sashayed straight into the pulsing crowd. She was suddenly the sparkling centerpiece at the middle of the dance floor; as if the scene had been incomplete without her. She fit in so seamlessly wherever she went and, as impossible as it seemed, this vibrant woman even seemed to fit with…him.

As Roy watched her twirl blissfully beneath the neon lights, he started to feel like maybe he was the one missing out…

******

I’m thinking there will be one more small chapter, a glimpse at Roy & Keeley reflecting on these chances once they’re together. 

Part 4 | Fic Masterlist | Read on AO3

Full Masterlist

#roy kent #keeley jones #roy x keeley #roy and keeley #roy kent x keeley jones #roy and keeley fanfic #roy and keeley fanfiction #ted lasso fanfic #ted lasso fanfiction #ted lasso #reeley #romance #roy kent is a romance hero #grumpy sunshine trope #grumpy sunshine

[a-courtofdreams]

Chances Are | Masterlist

Roy & Keeley Fanfic | Ted Lasso

Summary: The chances that Roy & Keeley didn’t take prior to S1 of Ted Lasso (plus one more).

Title based on the song Chances by Five for Fighting  “Chances are we'll find a new equation  Chances roll away from me  Chances are all they hope to be”

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

#roy kent #keeley jones #roy x keeley #roy and keeley #roy kent x keeley jones #roy and keeley fanfic #roy and keeley fanfiction #ted lasso fanfic #ted lasso fanfiction #ted lasso #reeley #romance #roy kent is a romance hero #grumpy sunshine trope #grumpy sunshine

[a-courtofdreams]

Chances Are | Part 2

Roy & Keeley Fanfic | Ted Lasso

Summary: The chances that Roy & Keeley didn’t take prior to S1 of Ted Lasso.

Title based on the song Chances by Five for Fighting “Chances are we'll find a new equation  Chances roll away from me Chances are all they hope to be”

Keeley

The vicious winter wind had Keeley burrowing deeper into her gold puffer coat for warmth. After a night of clubbing, she’d been unsuccessfully trying to hail a cab on the busy street of Brixton for the better part of ten minutes. Not a single one had stopped. Dressed in only her usual club attire beneath her coat, she was certainly showing plenty of leg, so that wasn’t the problem…

“Keeley?” At the sound of her name, Keeley turned to see none other than Roy Kent standing behind her; a solid, unmoving presence amongst the bustling thoroughfare. 

She couldn’t help but grin at the sight of him. They’d run into each other a few times over the years; at games, league events, or parties of mutual friends. But never out in the wild like this, in real life.

And Keeley decided that she quite liked real-life Roy. He looked handsome as ever but seemed a bit more relaxed, almost approachable. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his sharp black winter coat and Keeley could detect the slightest hint of red on his cheeks beneath the scruff of his dark beard. Roy Kent made cold weather look hot.

“Roy! What’re you doin’ here?” she smiled.

“Just coming back from a pub.” he said with a nod in the opposite direction.

“A fun night out with friends I hope?”

“Mandatory team outing.” he smirked.

“How dare they make you socialize with them.” she giggled.

Keeley thought she saw his lips twitch with a smile but his scowl returned when his gaze swept over her bare legs. “What’re you standing out in the cold for?” he asked incredulously.

“Oh, I was just tryin’ to get a cab.” She’d just turned back to the road to scan for a cab when she felt movement behind her.

“Right.” Roy said as he brushed past her and stepped into the street. Keeley thought for a moment that he’d gone mad until he thrust his hand out. The very next cab that tried to pass was forced to stop for him.

Roy’s aggressive assistance caused her heart to flutter. She’d said she needed a cab and he’d immediately stepped into traffic to procure one for her. No hesitation. Roy wrenched open the back door of the vehicle before he turned back to her with an outstretched hand. “Now get in before you fucking freeze.”

“I think that was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.” Keeley said as she took his hand and let him help her into the back seat of the cab. “Your new moniker could be Roy Kent: Cab Whisperer.”

Roy just shook his head as he closed her door and rapped a knuckle on the driver’s window. He handed the man a few bills before he said, “Wherever she wants to go. It’s on me.”

Roy moved to step back, but Keeley quickly put down her own window and leaned out to get his attention. “Roy, wait!”

He immediately stepped closer and braced one large hand on top of the car, caging her in the frame of the window. His nearness provided immediate relief from the frigid winter air and made her heart kick against her chest. Their faces were only inches apart. Had they ever been this close?

“Yeah?” he asked roughly, almost expectantly. As if he were desperate to hear whatever she had to say.

She could’ve said, ‘Thanks for getting me a cab.’ or ‘What’s your number so I can pay you back the fare?’ Even ‘Come home with me so I can lick your entire body.’ would have been more interesting.

But she panicked under his undivided attention and instead blurted out, “Good luck at the match next week.”

There it was again, the slight twitch of his lips that gave away his urge to smile. Keeley found that she suddenly wanted to trace his firm lips with her thumb, with her tongue. Was it just her, or did his gaze darken, almost as if he could sense the direction of her thoughts? It would be so easy to lean up and press her lips to his, to finally find out if real-life Roy kissed as good as he did in her fantasies…

But then he took a few steps back and shoved his hands into his pockets again, effectively silencing her rampant thoughts. “Goodnight, Keeley.” he rasped, voice as rough as sandpaper.

Keeley pushed down the small feeling of disappointment as she settled back into the plush leather seat. “‘Night Roy.”

As the cab pulled away, Keeley told herself not to look back at him. The fact that he’d forcibly hailed her a cab to keep her from waiting out in the cold didn’t mean anything. He was just being nice to an acquaintance because that’s what they were. Acquaintances. Nothing more.

Still…she couldn’t stop herself from turning and seeking him out. She immediately locked on to his retreating form that seemed to part the busy sidewalk like the Red Sea. Everyone noticed him. Of course they did; he was one of the most famous footballers in the country.

Roy, however, couldn’t be bothered with their stares or whispers. In fact, he barely even seemed to notice them.

But he’d noticed her. He always seemed to notice her.

******

Part 3 | Fic Masterlist | Read on AO3 

Full Masterlist

#roy kent #keeley jones #roy x keeley #roy and keeley #roy kent x keeley jones #roy and keeley fanfic #roy and keeley fanfiction #ted lasso fanfic #ted lasso fanfiction #ted lasso #reeley #romance #roy kent is a romance hero #grumpy sunshine trope #grumpy sunshine

[a-courtofdreams]

Chances Are | Part 1

Roy & Keeley Fanfic | Ted Lasso

Summary: The chances that Roy & Keeley didn’t take prior to S1 of Ted Lasso.

Title based on the song Chances by Five for Fighting “Chances are we'll find a new equation Chances roll away from me Chances are all they hope to be”

Roy

Walking through the crowded arena at halftime was a specific kind of torture for Roy. Greener footballers would love it; the praise, the attention…but Roy hated every second. He normally wouldn’t be caught dead outside of the locker room but his blasted knee hurt and he needed to prep his ice bath for after the match. Unfortunately, the supplies were housed on the opposite side of the arena, which meant Roy would have to quickly maneuver through the rowdy mass of fans.

What a joy. 

Roy just gritted his teeth and steeled himself as he began the trek through the stands. He barely made it twenty paces before a small blonde woman bumped into him. “Oi, watch it.” he growled.

“Shit, sorry!” Roy was ready to fix her with a scowl until she turned to face him and he suddenly found himself lost in the largest pair of green eyes he’d ever seen. Roy quickly took note of her other features: sun-kissed skin, wild golden hair, small nose, full lips. But it was her eyes that captivated him. They didn’t glaze over with adoration at the sight of him like most fans. She simply looked at him, regarded him as a person rather than some famous footballer.

And when she smiled, it was as if they rest of the world fell away. The woman standing before him was radiant. Beautiful. Even if she was wearing the other team’s colors…

“S’alright.” he muttered once he finally found his voice again.

“Hey! You’re playing great out there today!” she said cheerfully.

“Thanks.”

“Man of few words. I like that.” she grinned as she thrust her hand out between them. “I’m Keeley by the way.”

He took her hand as if on autopilot. “Roy.” he replied. And for some reason, he found that he couldn’t quite let go of her hand. It felt good in his; warm and small. Just like her.

“Nice to meet ya.” she said honestly. “Ya know, blue is a good color on you. Thank god you play for Richmond, eh?” She leaned a little closer as if she were about to tell him a secret. “Much better than this god-awful green the other team is sporting. Don’t tell them I said that though.”

Roy knew fuck-all about what colors looked good on him, but this vibrant woman was telling him blue was his color and he couldn’t help but hang on her every word. In fact, he’d gladly stand there and listen to her ramble on about anything she liked because it was suddenly the most at ease he’d felt in weeks. She spoke to him so normally, in a familiar way as if they’d known each other for far longer than the past sixty seconds.

Roy didn’t get a chance to respond before a brunette appeared behind Keeley and gripped her arm insistently. “Keels, come on, we’ve gotta go.”  The friend’s eyes widened as she looked between Roy and Keeley but she didn’t say anything as she urged Keeley in the opposite direction. 

Roy finally let go of her hand.

“See ya around, Roy. Good luck with the rest of the match!” Keeley said, keeping eye contact with him even as her friend pulled her away.

“Thanks, Keeley.” he nodded.

Her mouth dropped open in shock but her eyes were smiling, teasing. “Two whole words that time!” she giggled before she turned around to follow her friend.

Roy watched her disappear into the crowd for far longer than he’d care to admit before he finished his trek toward the storage shed. And when the game was over? He feigned an extended rest on the bench and pretended to wipe his face with a cold towel, all so he could scan the arena for one more glimpse of Keeley’s golden hair.

They’d only spoken for a minute, maybe two, and yet her green eyes and quirky personality had invaded his mind. Roy couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a genuine interaction with someone who wasn’t trying to get something out of him. Keeley hadn’t come to him with a hidden agenda; she’d just been genuinely friendly. And there was something Roy found really endearing about that.

When he finally spotted her, it was to see that she now stood rather close to a player from the opposite team. A wicked midfielder if he remembered correctly. Keeley smiled at him the same way she’d smiled at Roy and damn if that didn’t cause the smallest twinge of pain in his chest.

Which was ridiculous. He didn’t know this woman. She didn’t know him. Why shouldn’t she give her smiles to another player?

Roy looked away, unable to watch the rest of their interaction. He’d never been a particularly jealous man, and he wasn’t about to start now. As he stood and tossed the towel into the bin of discarded linens, Roy forced himself to push all thoughts of Keeley out of his brain.

What were the odds they’d run into each other again anyway?

******

I just binge-watched Ted Lasso and am in LOVE with Roy & Keeley!!! I immediately became obsessed with the idea that they’ve shared all of these little moments; moments that were chances they didn’t take. 

I’m planning 3-4 parts for this fic, so if you’re a Roy & Keeley lover, stay tuned!

Part 2 | Fic Masterlist | Read on AO3 

Full Masterlist

#roy kent #keeley jones #roy x keeley #roy and keeley #roy kent x keeley jones #roy and keeley fanfic #roy and keeley fanfiction #ted lasso fanfic #ted lasso fanfiction #ted lasso #reeley #romance #roy kent is a romance hero #grumpy sunshine trope #grumpy sunshine

[a-courtofdreams]

Okay but watching the grumpy Roy Kent fall for the absolute ray of sunshine that is Keeley Jones has been the highlight of my entire life. This man is such a goner for his hot, girl-boss girlfriend and I am SO HERE FOR IT.

No one is doing it like Roy Kent.

#brb writing a million fanfics about their relationship #roy kent is a romance hero #roy and keeley or bust #grumpy/sunshine #roy kent #keeley jones #roy x keeley #reeley #ted lasso #thoughts

[a-courtofdreams]

roykeeley + passionate kisses 

#ugh i am so in love with them #roy and keeley or bust #roy kent #keeley jones #reeley #roy x keeley #ted lasso

[a-courtofdreams]

The pure joy this art brings me 😌

Happy Christmas everyone 🎁

Art by the incredible @madschofield

[a-courtofdreams]

In Too Deep | Part 8

ACOTAR x It Happened One Summer AU

Nesta

There were a great many things Nesta didn’t enjoy about Velaris, but after a day of exploring the town, she’d finally discovered one bright spot in the form of a small bookshop on Main Street: House of Words. Based on the less than stellar aesthetic of the other local businesses, she hadn’t expected much from the shop. She’d never been so happy to be proven wrong.

The second she stepped into the shop, she was met with warm lighting, relaxing vibes and the comforting smell of books. The small space was painted blue and white and a gorgeous array of mismatched freestanding bookcases filled the room. All wooden. All handmade with intricate nautical carvings. Each case was filled with row after row of colorful books that brought life and energy to the space.

As she wound her way further into the store, she discovered even more hidden treasures. Beautiful driftwood shelves covered the entirety of one wall and displayed recommendations for every genre and there was even a sitting area at the back of the store with a leather couch and a few plush chairs situated around a brick fireplace.

The shop was truly stunning. Nesta immediately felt at home.

And to her delight? They had a rather robust romance section, which was rare for indie bookstores. After perusing the shelves for close to an hour and finally selecting two novels that piqued her interest, she made her way up to the counter where a pretty redhead sat reading a book.

The woman looked up at Nesta’s approach and offered a warm smile. “Did you find everything alright?”

“I did, actually. You have an impressive romance collection.” Nesta said as she handed over her selections.

“Thank you! I’ve been slowly building it up since I started working here.” The redhead rang up both books and smiled. “These two are so so good. It’s always nice to meet a fellow romance reader.” The woman stopped typing for a moment to extend a hand toward Nesta. “I’m Gwyn.”

“Nesta.” she replied as she shook Gwyn’s hand.

“Are you new in town?”

“Sort of. My sisters and I are renting a place.”

“Oh yeah! I heard someone was staying in the apartment above Rita’s. You guys have been the talk of the town.”

It had been over a week and Nesta still got stares everywhere she went. “So it would seem.”

“It gets better, I promise. I moved here about five years ago and got the ‘you’re an outsider’ stares for at least the first six months.” As Gwyn bagged both of the books, Nesta didn’t have the heart to tell her she probably wouldn’t be here longer than a month.

Once Gwyn handed over the bag, Nesta found that she wasn’t quite ready to go back to the apartment. “Do you mind if I just…” She motioned toward the sitting area and Gwyn just smiled.

“Yes, please! Our sitting area is one of the coziest reading spots in town. Do you want a glass of wine?” Gwyn asked,

“You serve wine? In a bookshop?” Was Nesta in heaven?

“We have coffee too, but I find that wine pairs nicely with a steamy romance. It’s a big hit with some of the other ladies in town too! We even hold a Words & Wine book club every week.” Nesta wasn’t big on group activities but that actually sounded…nice. She didn’t always connect well with other people, but Gwyn truly seemed like someone she could be friends with.

If she were staying in town longer. Which she wasn’t…

“I think I’ll take you up on the wine.” Nesta said with a smile.

“Great! Please make yourself at home and I’ll bring it right over.” Nesta did just that and settled into one of the plush, blue velvet chairs near the back picture window that overlooked Main Street. Gwyn brought over a glass of white wine which Nesta graciously accepted and, after a few generous sips, she was ready to get lost in the pages of her new romantic suspense.

Reading was her favorite hobby. When she couldn’t handle her own reality, she turned to books where she could escape into another life, even if just for a little while. And to be somewhere, anywhere, besides his sleepy little town was exactly what Nesta needed at the moment.

Thirty minutes later Nesta was on the fifth chapter and her second glass of wine, so totally engrossed in the story that she hadn’t even heard anyone come up behind her until… “Mm, looks like a stimulating book, sweetheart.”

Nesta jumped at the interruption and slammed the book shut as she whirled in the chair to see Cassian leaning over her with a smug grin. “Were you just reading over my shoulder?” she asked incredulously.

Cassian straightened and shrugged. “Maybe. Is that a crime?”

“It’s certainly rude.”

“Embarrassed by a little sex scene, Nes?”

“Hardly.” she scoffed. And she wasn’t. Nesta had never been ashamed to read romance, or for anyone to know it. But reading was a private activity for her, and Cassian had invaded that privacy. “Please leave.”

He didn’t. Instead, Cassian skirted the perimeter of the small sitting area and dropped into the chair opposite her. “What are you doing?” Nesta asked warily.

“Relaxing.”

“You don’t even have a book.”

“Can I not just sit and enjoy the ambiance?”

Resigned to the fact that she wasn’t getting rid of him, Nesta rolled her eyes and settled back in with her book. “It’s a free country, I suppose.”

She was determined to ignore Cassian, but only received two pages of silence before he spoke again. “So, do you exclusively read books with shirtless men on the cover?”

She glared at him over the top of her book that did indeed feature a rather attractive male torso. “Does it bother you?”

It was Cassian’s turn to scoff. “Of course not. There’s nothing that special about his physique.” he said, motioning toward her book cover. “I see a sight like that every time I look in the mirror.” Nesta couldn’t help but drop her gaze to his chest. Although she’d yet to see him without a shirt on, she’d seen evidence of his muscular build more than once. Nesta was certain he had a body worthy of a romance cover, a body she’d kill to get a better look at…

When Nesta finally managed to drag her gaze back up to Cassian’s face, it was to see his dark brows drawn together. He was still scowling at her book cover.

Was…was Cassian jealous? Of a cover model?

For some reason the notion struck her as funny and, thanks to multiple glasses of wine, Nesta couldn’t hold in the laughter that came bubbling up.

Cassian

Cassian froze at the sound of Nesta’s laugh; it was warm and inviting, two words that he’d yet to associate with Nesta Archeron. But he suddenly couldn’t tear his eyes away from her, from the slender column of her throat as she tossed her head back or the ridiculously cute way her nose crinkled as she snickered at him. And, it seemed, her laughter was infectious because Cassian soon found himself chuckling along with her.

If someone had told him he’d be laughing in the back of a bookshop with Nesta Archeron this evening, he’d have called them a liar. He’d done a double take when he spotted her through one of the Main Street shop windows, curled up in that blue velvet chair with a book. She hadn’t seen him from the angle she was sitting at but he, much like now, hadn’t been able to look away from her.

Cassian told himself the only reason he’d walked into the shop was because it was a perfect opportunity to annoy Nesta. In reality, he was just drawn to her. Inexplicably so. She irritated him and he set out to do the same to her, but the raw attraction he felt toward the woman was nearly unbearable.

Nesta stopped laughing when she caught him staring. Cassian thought he witnessed the slightest blush sweep across her cheeks, but she quickly ducked her head to look at her watch, hiding her face from him.

“I think it’s time for me to go.” she announced as she slammed her book shut. When Nesta stood and swayed a bit, Cassian was on his feet and at her side in an instant. Before he’d even thought about what he was doing, his hand was at her elbow, steadying her. He glanced at the empty wineglass next to her chair and realized that she’d been drinking.

“How many glasses of wine did you have, Nes?” he asked, fighting a grin.

“Just two.” she scowled.

“Two? You can still read straight after two glasses of wine?”

“Of course.” she said as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Cassian just shook his head at her response. “Come on, I’ll walk you home.”

“Uh, no, I am perfectly capable of walking myself home.”

“You can barely walk straight. I’d prefer you not stumble out into the road and get yourself run over.”

“I’ll call an Uber.”

“No one in this town Ubers. A driver would have to come from the next town over, if anyone’s available. You’ll wait at least an hour.”

Nesta blinked at him for a few moments before she lifted her chin and grabbed her bag of books. “Fine.”

Shocked that she’d even relented, Cassian followed her out of the bookshop and waved at Gwyn who waggled her eyebrows at him when they passed the counter. 

Cassian was on Nesta’s heels as she exited the shop and immediately shouldered his way between her and the road as she veered toward the edge of the sidewalk. He’d joked about her getting run over earlier, but after seeing just how unsteady she was on her feet, he wasn’t taking any chances.

“It’s so quiet out.” Nesta remarked as she glanced down at her watch again and made a face. “And it’s not even eight o’clock yet.”

For Cassian, this was a just a normal evening in Velaris, but he supposed someone used to the hustle and bustle of LA would find it strange. “Most everyone is in with their families by now. Or down at the bar.”

“Not you?” she asked, raising a brow at him.

Damn. What to say? He very well couldn’t tell her that he’d changed his course just to see her. “No family. And I was just on my way to the bar when I realized that I needed to buy a gift for a friend at the bookshop.”

“But you didn’t buy a book in the bookshop.” she pointed out.

“Couldn’t find any I thought she would like.” Cassian lied.

“She?” Was Nesta phishing for more information about him? That was…unexpected. And had him grinning like an idiot.

“Maybe. What of it?”

“Nothing. I just didn’t have you pegged as the girlfriend type of guy.”

His grin only widened. “And why’s that?”

“Because you’re…you.” She waved a hand through the air at him. “You don’t exactly look like the commitment type.”

Cassian stopped when they arrived at her apartment building, but Nesta kept walking. “Nesta.” he called after her. She wasn’t listening.

“I mean it’s not like I really care, I just figured since you brought her up you might be trying to say something…”

“Nesta.” This time he grabbed her hand to pull her to a stop just inside the alleyway entrance. The sudden movement sent her stumbling towards him and Cassian caught her against his chest.

She looked up at him with those stormy eyes, not in disdain but in wonder. “What?” she asked breathlessly.

“You walked past your apartment.” he said quietly. Nesta spared the apartment a small glance before she blinked up at him again, as if she couldn’t understand what was happening. Cassian barely held back his grin as he leaned down to whisper in her ear, “And I don’t have a girlfriend.”

He pulled away just in time to see her eyes round at his admission and drop to his lips. Was it possible that Nesta wanted him? He’d seen the way she looked at him in the shop, the heat in her eyes as they discussed cover models’ physique. It was exactly the way she was looking at him now.

And damnit if he didn’t lean in a little closer, until their lips were only inches apart. It would be so easy to close the distance between them, to kiss her as he’d stupidly fantasized about since the moment they met.

But Nesta was a little drunk. Not thinking clearly. If he kissed her now, he’d be taking advantage of her, something he wouldn’t even think of. “Nesta, I think it’s time to–” He didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence because Nesta suddenly lifted onto her tiptoes and pressed her mouth to his.

At the first feel of her soft lips, Cassian’s control promptly snapped. He snagged her around the waist to bring her closer, slid his hands along her sides, her hips, lower. Nesta moaned audibly in response, a sound that shot straight to his cock and had him deepening the kiss.

Cassian had told himself he wouldn’t pursue her, wouldn’t kiss her like this, but how could he not when she tasted so fucking good? When she felt so damn good in his arms? And God, the way she responded to him, moaned into his mouth and pressed impossibly closer with every caress he gave her.

He was on fire for her, so far gone that he’d do anything she asked of him in that moment.

But he wouldn’t get the chance because a moment later, Nesta pushed him away and held him at arm’s length as if she needed space to breathe, space to think. “I…that was…” Nesta’s eyes widened as if she only just realized what they’d done. “I’m sorry.” she whispered before she turned and ran.

“Nesta, wait.” She didn’t stop and, against his better judgement, Cassian let her go. He watched as she fled up the back staircase to the apartment and disappeared inside without a backwards glance.

The second she was out of sight, Cassian fell back against the side of the building. He’d kissed his fair share of women, but this kiss, Nesta’s kiss, was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. Not once had he thought of the bet or the fact that he was meant to be running her out of town. There had been only Nesta, the feel of her lips on his, and sensation of her body pressed against him.

And it had felt so right. Somehow, this woman that couldn’t appreciate the kind of life he lived and didn’t belong in the town that he loved, suddenly mattered to him.

Which meant he was royally fucked.

******

You know that scene in The Proposal where Ryan Reynolds nonchalantly corrals Sandra Bullock to the inside of the sidewalk? Yeah, I just love that shit and had to include it for Nessian 🤗

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Tag List: @alwayssara | @emilyondemand | @swankii-art-teacher | @ultadverb​

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#actoar #acotar fanfic #it happened one summer #modern au #feyre x rhysand #feysand fanfiction #nesta x cassian #nessian fanfiction #azriel x elain #elriel fanfiction #a court of thorns and roses #acotar fanfiction #acotar fic #a court of thorns and roses fanfic #pacific northwest #small town romance

[a-courtofdreams]

This is SO perfect ✨

Starlight

Summary: Every night Feyre, a star above the Prythian sky, wholeheartedly shines her light, looking forward to watching her Prince of Night below—that is, until unexpected trouble finds her.

Notes:

- This is inspired by Neil Gaiman's Stardust. 🌠

- Characters and text taken from ACOTAR belong to SJM.

- Yes, I could have posted this under the starfall prompt, but I'm saving that day for a bonus chapter I haven't written yet.🙈

Word Count: 1860

Fluff and Angst

.

.

Feyre was a star above Prythian. She wasn't the sun that shone bright in the morning waking everyone up to start their day or the sleepy moon telling everyone it's time to go home to rest for the night; no, she was a star, beauty for those who knew where to look, an enduring guiding light for lost souls, and a quiet wish maker as faceted as the night.

When the sun sets and darkness blankets the realm, Feyre and her sister stars wake to shine their light upon the seven courts: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Dawn, Day, and Night. Looking below, her sisters would set their sights on the ongoings of a different court each night, but not Feyre, for she had only eyes for one court: her beloved Night and its beautiful Fae Prince, who seeks her out every night.

Rhysand was his name, although he preferred to be called Rhys by his friends, as he had told her once. How Feyre wished she could tell him hers, but to him she was just a fixed luminous point in the night sky. He was a prince unlike any other, masking as a dark and malevolent fiend to his enemies but was a compassionate and self-sacrificing ruler to his people, and every night he would stroll to the open veranda of his moonstone palace to look up at the night sky and find her. Sometimes he would find her in the early evenings after spending a pleasant day with his inner circle to tell her his hopes and dreams for the future, while on other nights he would jolt awake from a nightmare, causing him to seek her out at midnight to tell her the painful regrets of his past that still haunt him in his sleep. It warmed Feyre's heart that he would share with her his secrets, both good and bad, and she found herself shining brighter each night for him.

Tonight, Feyre was a celestial deity sparkling in the skies, dancing with her sisters. Rhysand hadn't shown himself yet, but nonetheless, she was jovial and ecstatic to see him, causing the light emitting from her skin to be the brightest it had ever been, and she didn't care because what's a star meant to do if not shine?  Unfortunately for her, she had forgotten that those who shine brightest above often attract wicked beings below who plot their demise, so when an enchanted arrow painfully struck her left arm, she was wholly unprepared and could only scream in horror as its trailing thick chain wrapped around her body, pulling her downwards and causing her to fall from the sky. 

No star that had fallen in a millennium had ever survived to return home, and thus Feyre was terrified as she thrashed against the chain, refusing to go down without a fight before she finally lost consciousness. She had no idea that her Rhysand had finally appeared on the palace's veranda, seeking her out from the night sky, only to have his heart shatter as he saw his beautiful star falling and, amidst it all, hear her last coherent thought of his name as she plummeted towards the ancient forest in the Middle.

Rhysand knew it was foolish to have winnowed alone to the ancient forest at night without his brothers, but he acted instinctively, even foregoing making a plan first, because the moment he saw his favorite star falling, a breathtakingly beautiful female who thought of him, something tugged in his chest, and what happened next was out of his hands.

He had tracked three naga which were fairies made out of shadow and hate and rot that served the dark, twisted witches. They had laid her, his bright fallen star, on a large, flat gray boulder in a small nook in the moss thick forest of gnarled beeches. Her braided golden brown hair was loose from her fall as it fell on her freckled pale face, obscuring her still closed eyes, and her starlight was dimming each second that passed by as the arrow still protruded from her arm, causing stardusted blood to drip on her simple slip dress, though the chains around her body had gone limp, its magic exhausted. It made his blood boil to see her treated like that, and it got worse as he heard the naga's thoughts and what they planned to do. His magic begged to be released into the world, all the more so because he remained hidden behind a tree while he kept watching the naga move about.

One naga trifled with the chain, unlatching it from the arrow, causing it to slide off to the ground. "What do you say, brothers? Shall we wake her? Have a little chase?" it said, an impish smile forming on its face.

"Mistress will be displeased; she wants the star's heart ripped in haste and brought to her," said another, flexing its claws in the air.

"You're no fun, brother. Let's have our sport. She'd be an amusing thing screaming for mercy as she bleeds," the third said as it lunged for their captive, its razor-sharp teeth and silvery forked tongue darting out.

Rhysand had heard and seen enough. Thunder cracked as he unleashed his darkness that frightens, letting it erupt and slither throughout the forest. The shadows of the night covered every inch of that nook the naga occupied, binding them to the spot where they stood, unable to move.

A normal creature would have feared the naga's horrendous combination of dark scales, serpentine features, and male humanoid bodies whose arms ended in black, flesh-shredding talons, but they were nothing compared to what he was capable of as a Prince of Darkness gifted with Daemati powers, a more lethal nightmare that had beings running away at the mere sight of him.

A fissure appeared in the middle of the darkness as Rhysand let the naga see him prowling towards them as he slid one hand in his pocket. "Well, well, what prey do I have here caught in my spider's web?" he taunted.

The naga's amber eyes bulged in terror. Two were frozen speechless, but one was brave enough to retort, hissing, "You have no power here; no claim on us."

Rhysand tsked. "Yes, but the strongest, meanest, and most cunning do." A cruel smile formed on his face as he flicked an invisible fleck of dust off his black tunic, masking the cold rage he felt. "Any last words?" he asked, as his claws sunk, gathering any vital information from their feeble minds.

"The Dark Mother—" began stuttering the naga, but they never got to finish their thought as Rhysand's fingers curled into a fist, causing their eyes to widen and glaze before they collapsed dead on the forest's floor.

Darkness still ebbing and flowing from him, Rhysand stepped over their bodies and with feline grace gently lifted his fallen star from the boulder, cradling her to his chest before winnowing them both away.

Feyre awoke to a sharp throbbing pain as an arrowhead was being extracted from her arm, followed by a gentle, soothing warmth. She sat up abruptly, her hands clutching tightly to the blanket covering her on a large bed, and scampered backwards, still dazed from her ordeal and thinking she was in danger. "Get away from me!" she shouted, trying to scan the room for weapons or anything to throw but failing miserably as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the brightly lit room. It was morning, and the stars weren't used to waking up to so much light.

"I'm sorry," she heard a rich male's voice she recognized say, and she turned towards its direction. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Her eyes focused on a pair of dazzling violet eyes, followed by gleaming raven black hair and a perfectly shaped nose and mouth on a tan face, and she instantly felt at ease because standing before her was him, her prince, in an immaculate black tunic and pants.  "Rhys."

"Yes," he said, giving her a heart-stoppingly beautiful smile as his shoulders relaxed in relief that she recognized him. He gathered from her thoughts that she was aware of who he was from listening to him confide in her each night, but he was uncertain if she would be pleased to see anyone after her fall. He took the fact that she was then now curiously sliding her hands over the ivory silk nightgown the half-wraiths put on her and wasn't running away from him as a good sign.

"How do you feel?" he asked, showing her what he held in his hands—a small tray with pieces of the arrow he just pulled out of her arm—before setting them aside on an end table.

"Confused," she admitted, looking down at the healed puncture wound on her arm before raising her gaze to the open windows, where a gentle breeze fluttered the amethyst curtains, and then out to the sky. "I was up there with my sisters last night, and now I'm not." She looked back at him and asked, "How?"

Rhysand bore so much sadness in his eyes as he said, "I was looking for you, and then there you were falling." He nearly growled the next few words. "And all because of those nagas who did the bidding of a witch who wanted your heart."

She shook her head in frightened understanding. She knew witches craved the hearts of stars to strengthen their spells, but none had dared to capture them for so long that they had forgotten the dangers of shining their light too bright. "Then you saved me from them," she said while moving to the edge of the bed closer to him, realizing it to be true. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome," he said, offering his hand to her if she wanted it as he gazed upon her blue-gray eyes. 

She accepted his hand, and he had helped her out of the bed, so she was standing right in front of him when she realized she could finally tell him her name. She opened her mouth to tell him, but was easily distracted by the stars sparkling to life in his eyes that she paused. She never knew his eyes could be magnificently wondrous up close, as if her home in the faraway skies were saying hello.

"Hello, Feyre darling," he whispered, having read her thoughts, and she smiled widely up at him, not just because his knowing her name made her giddy with delight but because it felt right as something tugged at her chest, pulling her to him and making her skin incandescently glow. She was afraid he would be taken aback by the sudden shift in her appearance, but instead he closed the distance between them, letting his darkness loose, filling the room with star-speckled night as he looked down on her with wonderment and awe, cupping her face as she set her starlight free. And as she stood on her toes and he leaned down and kissed her, she realized that maybe her home wasn't that far away after all.

Thank you for reading! 🥰

Tagging friends who might like to read it: @shallyne @msfeyredarling @the-lonelybarricade

#feysand fanfic #acotar x stardust

[a-courtofdreams]

these are seriously so beautiful

Bat Boys and Archeron Sisters - A Court of Thorns and Roses

Artist: @/shauna_the_author

#acotar fanart

[a-courtofdreams]

In Too Deep | Part 7

ACOTAR x It Happened One Summer AU

Feyre

From her perch halfway down the pier, Feyre had a spectacular view of the large ship barreling into the harbor. The sun was only just beginning to set, and the sky was washed with oranges, blues, and purples, a beautiful homecoming for the seafaring workers.

Feyre’s heart kicked up speed as the ship neared. She’d gotten a text from Rhys before they departed three days earlier, asking her to meet him at the docks tonight and it’s all she’d thought about since. To be fair, Rhys is all she’d really been able to think about since she’d glimpsed him that first night at the bar. His easy company, his mischievous grin, his sculpted, tanned body that she would die to catch a glimpse of…

A series of vibrations in her back pocket interrupted her thoughts. Feyre held her breath as she reached for the phone, silently willing the call to be from anyone else. A quick glance down at the screen revealed yet another call from the last person she wanted to talk to; the fifteenth one this afternoon. Feyre rolled her eyes as she declined the call.

Once the boat was docked, she began to inch forward against the flow of crew members and their families eager to vacate the pier. Some of them smiled at her, some of them stared, but she didn’t care. Rhys had asked her to be here, had wanted her here when they docked. That was all that mattered.

She finally caught sight of him amongst the sea of people, shaking hands, patting his crew on the back, hugging children. It was like he was some sort of local celebrity. And maybe he was? He provided for the town. Risked his life to keep more than a few of its residents employed. It was commendable. Brave.

When the last crew member stepped off the boat and only Rhys remained, his gaze swung straight to her, as if he’d known where she stood the entire time. Feyre couldn’t hold off the blush that immediately crept into her cheeks as he grinned at her mischievously. “Are you ready?” he asked as he stepped off the boat toward her.

“For what?” Feyre took a few steps toward him as well.

“For our date.” he grinned as he stopped just in front of her.

Feyre couldn’t hide her smile even as she arched a brow at him. “I don’t remember agreeing to a date.”

“But you did agree to meet me here. Which means you wanted to see me.”

“I’m really just here to keep your dignity intact. Figured you wouldn’t want your whole crew to see you cry if I didn’t show.” she joked. Feyre couldn’t remember the last time she’d joked with anyone. It felt good.

Rhys’s grin only widened. “Always thinking of me. Which means we might as well go on a date if you’re interested.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at his charm. “What did you have in mind?” In answer, Rhys stepped to the side and swung an arm toward the boat. Did he mean to take her out on the water? “Are you serious?” she asked.

“As a heart attack.”

“We’re taking the boat out?”

“We are. I just so happen to know a semi-decent and dashingly handsome sea captain.” His arrogant grin slipped for a moment as he searched her face. “Unless you get seasick. Or prefer to stay on land. Shit, I should’ve asked. I–”

“No! Are you kidding, this is perfect!” Feyre said as she rushed past him onto the boat deck. She’d been on a party boat or two back in LA, but never anything so massive or rugged. The vessel was all blue and white save for the wooden deck and black crab cages along the outskirts. The cabin sat a level above the main deck and faced the sea with a row of weather-proof windows looking out.

“It’s so clean.” Feyre remarked.

“You expected it to be messy?”

“Or fishy.” The wooden deck was shiny and spotless. If she hadn’t watched the vessel roll into the harbor, she wouldn’t have been able to tell it’d just returned from a trip.

Rhys chuckled as he pressed a button to reel in the anchor. “When you live in a fishing town, you learn from a young age to keep a clean ship.” She supposed so. Feyre was incredibly intrigued by how closely the area’s main occupation influenced the upbringing and lifestyle of its residents.

“Let’s go see the cabin.” Rhys said as he took her hand in his. “There’s an upper-level deck where you can watch the sunset while I steer us out.” Feyre practically vibrated with excitement as Rhys led her toward the exposed staircase leading to the upper deck. They had the entire boat, the entire ocean to themselves; it was exactly the kind of date Feyre didn’t even know she needed.

And best of all? No cell service.

Twenty minutes later they were in open water, the coastline only discernible by the pinpricks of light in the distance. The sea beneath them was a glittering black mass of movement and Feyre found its rhythm comforting, mesmerizing.

But the real showstopper was the sky. There was so much light pollution in LA that you could never see the stars. She’d glimpsed them a time or two during the past week in Velaris but had never in her wildest dreams imagined that they could look like this.

When the sun finally set, the last traces of color leaked from the sky and gave way to an entire universe. The sky above was vast and wondrous and made her feel so insignificant yet so incredibly content at the same time. She suddenly knew why people created art, and songs, and stories about the stars, trying to capture their beauty in as many mediums as possible.

“I’ve never seen stars like this.” she commented as Rhys came up behind her and draped a warm, checkered blanket around her shoulders.

“It’s my favorite part of being out here on the water.” he agreed. She looked back to see him bundled up in a dark flannel jacket. The cool wind whipped through his black hair as he looked out over the ocean. “On quiet nights when the fishing is done and the crew is laying low, I come out on the deck and just watch. I love those moments. When it’s just me, the sea and the stars.” Feyre knew what he was implying; that he wanted to share a moment like that with her here and now.

“C’mon, you haven’t even seen the best part yet.” Rhys said softly as he took her hand again.

“There’s more?”

Rhys nodded as he led her back through the cabin and toward the deck, but Feyre froze halfway down the stairs when she caught sight of what awaited them below. A collection of blankets and pillows covered the clean boat deck and warm party lights lined the entire perimeter of the ship. “Oh, Rhys.” she breathed.

“Surprised?”

“Very. How did you even manage all of this?”

“I paid one of the crew to help me set up the lights on the way back to shore. And rushed like hell to set up the rest while you weren’t looking.” The obvious amount of effort and thought he put into this gave her butterflies.

He continued to lead her down the stairs and to the middle of the blanket spread where there were two wine glasses, a bottle of Merlot, and a tray of cheeses. When Rhys let go of her hand and knelt beside the wine, Feyre followed his lead and made herself comfortable amongst the blankets.

“Rhys this is…the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me.” she said sincerely as he set to work pouring the wine. She gladly accepted the generously poured glass when he handed it to her and immediately took a large sip.

“Then you’ve been hanging out with all the wrong sorts of people, Feyre darling.” Rhys joked as he leisurely swirled his own wine in the glass.

Feyre gave a humorless laugh because he was actually right. “You have no idea.” She immediately snapped her mouth shut. Crap. Had she really just said that? She hadn’t wanted anyone here to know anything about her time in LA, but her tongue seemed to have a mind of its own around Rhys.

And maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. People went on dates to share personal details about themselves, right? That’s what Rhys was doing. She supposed she could respond in kind.

He was quiet for a few moments before he asked, “You’re running from something, aren’t you?”

“I suppose I am.” she admitted as she looked out over the sea.

She felt Rhys stiffen at her answer and his voice dropped on octave as he asked, “Are you in trouble? Some kind of danger?” Feyre glanced back to see a hardness in his violet gaze and a clench in his jaw. His concern warmed her heart.

“No. Nothing like that.” she reassured him. “I’m more running from the life I had in LA. From the person I let myself become.”

He relaxed a bit and nodded understandingly. “So, you’re after a new start?”

“Something like that. A new home. A new job. A new…me.”

“You know, Velaris isn’t a terrible place to call home.” Rhys said. His words reminded her of the feeling she’d had when she first set foot in town, that it had felt like coming home. Maybe this could be her new home.

“Yeah. I’m starting to see that.” Feyre smiled.

Rhys

If he hadn’t been sitting down, Feyre’s brilliant smile would’ve knocked him on his ass. Which immediately made Rhys feel like a total jerk. When she started talking about a new home it had seemed like a good moment to bring up the idea of staying in town. Rhys had a bet to win after all. But Feyre’s genuine smile told him she agreed, told him she may actually consider staying.

He felt like even more of a jerk because that made him so damn happy. Not because he might win a bet if she stayed, but because he’d be able to see her all the time. Because they might get a chance to see where this thing between them was going.

But it would all be because of an idea that he selfishly put in her head...

“You certainly seem to have made a life for yourself here.” Feyre continued. “Great friends. Steady career. Adoration of the residents.”

Rhys barked out a laugh as he shrugged. “Velaris is all I’ve ever known.”

“What about your family? Do they live in town?”

Rhys paused at the question. It had been so long since anyone had asked about his family; most everyone in town avoided the topic. “My parents are gone. My father died in a boating accident. Mom passed away a few years later.”

“Rhys, I’m so sorry.”

He shook his head and squeezed her hand in an effort to ward off the guilt he knew she felt over bringing it up. Rhys used to feel sick whenever someone mentioned his family, but over time that feeling dissolved into a dull ache. “It’s okay. It was a long time ago. Cassian and Azriel are my family now.”

“How did you guys meet?”

“Kindergarten.” Rhys smiled.

Feyre’s jaw dropped. “You’re joking.”

“Nope. We met on the playground on the third day of school and have been best friends ever since. Brothers really. At least we fight like brothers.” he chuckled. “They’ve been there for me through everything.

“That’s incredible. I can’t imagine sharing such a bond with someone.” Rhys was thankful for such loyal and steadfast friends every day. But lately, he’d longed for more. A partner. Someone he could share the rest of his life with.

And why did he suddenly find himself imagining what it would be like to share that kind of bond with Feyre?

Rhys heard the buzz of a phone and saw Feyre’s expression harden a second later. She pulled her phone out of her back pocket, glanced at the screen, and shook her head. “How do I even have any service out here?” she muttered.

“There are small pockets of service on the water, believe it or not.” Rhys explained. “We must be sitting in one.”

“I’m just going to turn the whole thing off.” Her finger was on the power button when the phone began to ring again. This time Rhys saw the caller ID.

Tamlin. A man. Rhys figured from Feyre’s sudden appearance and travel companions that she didn’t have a boyfriend. Could he have been wrong? It was absolutely ridiculous, but the idea of Feyre romantically involved with someone else made him…jealous. “Someone really wants to get a hold of you.” he said casually.

“Trust me, he’s nobody I want to talk to.” Feyre said. Rhys’s immediate relief was followed by a dozen questions. What had this man done to turn Feyre’s tone so cold? What did he want from her now? And who even was, Tamlin? A friend? An ex? A threat? She’d said she wasn’t running from anyone, but did this man factor into her reason for leaving LA?

All of these and more were on the tip of his tongue to ask, but he didn’t want to push her. So, he’d keep his questions to himself. For now.

“Well, in that case,” She didn’t want to talk to the asshat calling her nonstop? Rhys could help with that. “May I?” he asked as he held out a hand for her phone. Feyre drew her lip between her teeth in thought and Rhys had to fight a groan at the sensual gesture. Did she have any idea how incredibly sexy she was?

Rhys couldn’t help but grin when she handed over the phone and he made a show of clearing his throat before he accepted the call. He didn’t even have time to answer before another man’s angry, rushed voice filled his ear, “Jesus Christ, Feyre, where have you been?”

The demanding tone immediately spiked Rhys’s rage, but he kept his voice smooth as he said into the receiver, “Hm, not even a hello. That’s a bit rude.”

“I–who are you? Where’s Feyre?”

“Sorry mate. Feyre’s a little busy at the moment, aren’t you darling?” Feyre giggled when Rhys waggled his eyebrows at her. “Best not call again.”

He heard Tamlin sputtering on the other end, but Rhys didn’t give him time to respond before he hung up the phone. He and Feyre stared at each other for a split second before they both burst out laughing.

Feyre laughed so hard that she fell over against his shoulder. “Oh my god, I can only imagine his face.” she gasped before she dissolved into another bout of laughter and wrapped her arms around her waist. Rhys decided that her laugh was his new favorite thing, and he cherished the feel of her against him.

“Thank you for that.” she said once her laughter finally died down. When Feyre held out a hand for her phone, Rhys pretended to hand it back but pulled it away again just before her fingers closed around the device.

“Rhys.” she warned even as she continued to giggle.

“You know, I think I may need to hang on to this.” he laughed. “Screen your calls for the time being.” She reached for it again, but Rhys was faster and held it away out of her reach.

Feyre launched herself at him then and they fell backward in a tangle of limbs and blankets until Rhys caught himself on an elbow. Feyre settled over him and managed to snatch the phone from his grasp with a triumphant whoop…but Rhys’s attention was no longer on the phone. He was focused solely on the way that Feyre now straddled his lap, one thigh planted on either side of his waist, chest pressed closely against his own.

Her golden-brown hair fell around them like a curtain as she looked down at him, and all traces of humor left her face as she too realized their position. Rhys expected her to move, to crawl off of him and put distance between them once more. He was prepared for that. What he wasn’t prepared for was for Feyre to lean down and press her lips to his.

Or for her kiss to be earth-shattering. Her lips moved over his softly, and Rhys was so stunned, so goddamn happy that he didn’t respond at first. Until he felt the tiniest, tentative flick of her tongue. Then it was as if someone opened the flood gates.

Rhys pushed up from the deck until he was sitting upright and had both hands free to explore her body. He caressed her back, her shoulders, her waist, her hips as Feyre’s hands settled on his jaw, the back of his neck, his hair. Her legs tightened around him as she resituated on his lap, the motion causing the most wickedly delicious sort of friction against his aching cock.

He groaned into her mouth as she gasped and angled her head to deepen their kiss. It was a kiss full of passion and longing, the longing they’d had for each other since that first night. It was the kind of kiss that stopped time, moved mountains, and rattled the stars. Rhys was almost certain he’d never recover.

He slipped his hands slightly beneath her shirt, suddenly needing to feel her hot skin against his fingers. He gripped her hips lightly, caressed both hands up her ribcage until the tips of his thumbs just barely brushed the softest skin of her breasts…

Feyre broke away from him then and Rhys immediately removed his hands. They stayed where they were, both breathing heavily, staring at one another until Feyre said, “I’m sorry, I–”

Rhys interrupted her apology by pressing a finger to her lips, tracing the curve with the pad of his thumb. “You never have to apologize for knowing your limits, Feyre. That kiss was…it was–”

“Incredible.” she finished with a smile.

“Incredible.” he agreed. He wrapped one arm around Feyre’s shoulders and urged her down until she was stretched out beside him on the deck, one of her legs still thrown over his. He pulled a nearby blanket over them as she snuggled into his side and sighed as she looked up.

“Thanks for bringing me out here, Rhys.” she said.

“Anytime, Feyre darling.” he rasped; somewhat overcome with an emotion he didn’t often feel. Contentment. He’d never been happier than he was right now, with Feyre in his arms. And as she gazed up at the stars, Rhys could only manage to stare down at her.

The world could come crashing down around them and Rhys would pay it no mind. Nothing else existed to him in that moment; there was only Feyre, the sea, and the stars.

******

Tessa Bailey taught us that commercial fishing boats can be romantic so I just had to try my hand at a Feysand boat scene! A stargazing picnic date certainly seemed appropriate 🚢⭐️🍷

Nessian is up next!

Part 8 | Fic Masterlist | Read on AO3

Tag List: @alwayssara | @emilyondemand | @swankii-art-teacher | @ultadverb​

Let me know if you want to be added to/removed from the tag list!

Full Masterlist

#acotar #acotar fanfic #it happened one summer #modern au #feyre x rhysand #feysand fanfiction #nesta x cassian #nessian fanfiction #azriel x elain #elriel fanfiction #a court of thorns and roses #acotar fanfiction #acotar fic #a court of thorns and roses fanfic #pacific northwest #small town romance

[a-courtofdreams]

The Boogeyman | Part 4

ACOTAR x Halloween AU – Nessian

CW: injury, blood, violence

“Nesta, run.” Cassian said lowly, furious gaze trained on the man a few yards away.

Run? And leave him here, injured, after he’d come back for her? Nesta’s rage ignited at the notion. No. She wouldn’t run. She wouldn’t hide. This monster had come into her home. Threatened the safety of the kids in her care. Stabbed the man she may sort of be falling for… And he would pay.

Nesta took the knife from Cassian’s hand and rose to her feet just as The Boogeyman did. She marched toward him, furious and determined, and he let her, didn’t even move until she slashed the knife through the air at him. He blocked her blow easily and gripped her wrist until she dropped the knife. Then he punched her in the face so hard her vision blurred.

The blow sent her to the ground and Cassian roared behind her, struggling to get up. Nesta shook herself to clear her vision and twisted just in time to kick out a leg as The Boogeyman came over her. Her foot connected with his midsection and knocked him off balance enough for Nesta to turn onto her stomach and crawl to where her axe lay just a few feet away.

She’d just grabbed the handle when she felt a hand wrap around her ankle. Nesta tucked the axe beneath her and didn’t bother to fight as he dragged her back…at least not until he was closer. As he descended on her, Nesta renewed her grip on the axe, twisted beneath him, and shoved it deep into his chest.

She could feel him struggling to breathe, grappling with what had just happened as he momentarily sank further onto the axe between them. Nesta didn’t dare let go until he surprisingly rose to his feet with the axe still embedded in his chest.

She couldn’t tear her gaze away from The Boogeyman, could only lay there and watch as he took a few more steps into the yard, looked down at the axe, and ripped it out in one swift motion. He dropped it to the ground just as he sank to his knees and fell to the side.

Nesta held her breathe and waited for him to rise again. She’d thought they bested him more than once and had been wrong each time. She couldn’t imagine anyone surviving an axe to the chest, but he was The Boogeyman. Untouchable. Unslayable.

Cassian was suddenly there behind her, taking her hand with his uninjured one to pull her to her feet. “You got him, Nes.” he said confidently. “It’s over.” But it wasn’t. Not just yet. She’d seen enough horror movies to know she had one more job to do.

It was time to unmask the monster.

“Nesta, maybe we should wait…” 

She didn’t listen as she pulled out of Cassian’s grasp and marched across the yard to where the body lay, unmoving. “I have to know.” she muttered as she reached down and ripped off the haunting mask to find that she…didn’t know him.

Nesta had expected she might know whoever had decided to target her. She’d pissed off plenty of people in her life and you never knew who was secretly psychotic enough to go on a killing spree. She could’ve made some sense of all of this if it was a result of something she’d done to someone, but no. This was a completely random act of violence that she’d never receive any explanation for.

And that was somehow much, much scarier.

“Nes…” When Cassian’s fingers brushed against hers, Nesta dropped the mask and turned into him. She circled her arms around his waist and buried her face against the uninjured side of his chest, suddenly desperate for some form of human connection. Cassian stood frozen for a moment, clearly surprised by her reaction, before he enveloped her in his warm, strong arms. His heart raced wildly beneath her cheek, proof that although he was calm and collected on the outside, he was just as affected by tonight’s events.

“Please don’t ever scare me like that again.” Cassian muttered as his fingers delved into her hair to lightly massage the back of her skull. Nesta pulled back slightly to look at him and the sudden intensity in his gaze nearly stole her breath away. “When you closed that window on me, when you grabbed that knife out of my hand, I thought I’d lost you. Before I’d even really found you. Before we had any real time together.”

Nesta shook her head as emotion welled in her throat and Cassian’s gaze dipped to her mouth for the second time that night. It was the same look he’d given her earlier. She’d known he wanted to kiss her then and he’d held himself back. Nesta wasn’t about to let that happen again.

Without another thought, she fisted the front of his shirt and pulled his lips down to hers. She put every ounce of emotion she’d felt over the past hour into this kiss, a kiss that tasted of passion and relief and longing all rolled together. Cassian groaned against her lips and held her tighter as he devoured her. She could’ve stayed like that, right there in his arms all night, but there was something else tugging at her mind. Something she’d forgotten…

Nesta broke away with a gasp. “Oh god, Cassian, the kids! Where are they?!” Shame lanced through her. She’d been locking lips with her neighbor when she should’ve raced straight to the kids!

“They’re safe. Come on, we’ll go get them.” Cassian took her hand in his and Nesta let him guide her across their yards to his house. In the two years they’d lived next door to one another, Nesta had never been inside of his home. Under any other circumstance, she’d pause to observe the decor and the tiny pieces of Cassian’s life scattered around the home…but at the moment, she could only follow him through the house numbly.

Cassian led her though the front hall and into the living area. He went straight for the bookcase and, to Nesta’s confusion, knocked on the outside three times. “Tommy, Lindsey, it’s Cassian and Nesta. You can come out now.” Nesta was dumbfounded when a moment later, the bookshelf swung open to reveal a hidden compartment and two frightened kids armed with golf clubs.

“Nesta!” Tommy and Lindsey vaulted out of the crawl space and launched their tiny bodies at her. Nesta sank to her knees as they threw their arms around her and wrapped them both in a tight hug. “Oh god, are you both okay?” she asked, pushing back their hair, checking them over thoroughly for any sign of injury. When she was satisfied that they were both unharmed, she grabbed them to her again, unable to shake the sick feeling in her stomach over how much danger they’d been in.

“We’re fine. Are you okay?” Tommy asked. Nesta nearly broke down at his concern for her.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” Her gaze collided with Cassian’s over their shoulders.  “We’re okay.”

When sirens blared in the distance, they all filed out of Cassian’s and into his front yard just in time to see three police cars and an ambulance screech to a halt outside of her home. Laurie, the children’s mother, pulled up a moment later and was practically out of the car before she even put it in park. “Tommy! Lindsey!” When the kids spotted their mother, they pulled away from Nesta and ran for her. The family collided in a giant hug and Nesta couldn’t help but smile at the happy scene before her.

Her front yard was a flurry of movement; EMTs hauling a gurney out of the back of the ambulance, policemen running circles around her house. Wait. Why were they running around as if they were looking for someone? The body was right…

Nesta froze in her tracks as she surveyed the yard. “Cass.” she whispered, searching frantically for the body that had been there just a few minutes before. Cassian tensed beside her as he realized what had her spooked. He was gone.

The Boogeyman was gone.

She surveyed the once-quiet street, now bathed in blue and red lights. Neighbors were standing out on their porches or at the end of their driveways, hoping to get a glimpse of the action, but there was no one else. No shadows peeking around corners. No silhouetted figures in the distance. He’d truly disappeared.

“What if he comes back?” she asked dazedly, unable to look away from the spot where he’d fallen. She’d thought the nightmare was over. Convinced herself they would be safe.

Cassian moved in front of her, blocking her view of the scene and giving her no choice but to look up at him. “He won’t come back.” he said confidently.

“How do you know?”

“Because anyone dumb enough to go toe to toe with Nesta Archeron twice is in for a rude awakening.” Nesta almost laughed. Almost. Cassian’s eyes softened as he brushed a finger across her cheek that now sported a wicked bruise. “Seriously, Nes. You were so fucking brave. So strong. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Even in the midst of all this chaos, Nesta felt herself blush at his admiration. She wasn’t used to such gentleness from Cassian. But, then again, he always seemed to know exactly what she needed.

As the policemen and EMTs descended on them, Cassian took Nesta’s hand in his and gripped it tightly, reassuringly. His hand suddenly became her lifeline, an anchor tethering her to reality, to the here and now.

Whatever came next, they would face it. Together.

And if anyone dared to threaten them again…they’d better hope Nesta didn’t have access to an axe.

******

Fic Masterlist | Read on AO3

Oof. A bit of an ominous ending for this one. But the disappearing act is a Michael Myers hallmark 🤷🏻‍♀️ I pinky promise that Nesta and Cassian live happily ever after though!!

ACOTAR x Scream | Full Masterlist

#the boogeyman #halloween #acotar halloween #michael myers #nessian #nesta x cassian #nesta archeron #cassian #nessian fanfic #nessian fanfiction #acotar #acotar fanfic #acotar fanfiction #a court of thorns and roses #halloween fanfiction #slasher vibes #horror vibes #horror classics #horror writing #spooky #suspense #happy halloween #guaranteed hea

[a-courtofdreams]

Yess I am loving all the witchy vibes!!! ✨ Can’t wait to read more!!

Season of the Witch Masterlist

Feyre senses a storm coming and Nesta reveals to Elain that a witch hunter was in the area. Not know what to do the girls prepare for the worst, but what they didn’t expect was that their enemies would be incredibly handsome and quite charming.

Warnings: Angst, swearing, enemies to lovers

Status: ONGOING

Chapter One // Chapter Two

[a-courtofdreams]

Season of the Witch Chapter Three

Genre: Witch/Supernatural AU

Relationships: Witch!Elain Archeron x Witch Hunter!Azriel, Witch!Feyre Archeron x Witch Hunter!Rhysand, Witch!Nesta Archeron x With Hunter!Cassian

Word Count: 2.2K

Warnings: Fluff, Angst, Swearing, enemies to lovers, Feyre has a panic attack in this chapter, more warnings will probably be added later.

Description: Feyre senses a storm coming and Nesta reveals to Elain that a witch hunter was in the area. Not knowing what to do the girls prepare for the worst, but what they didn’t expect was that their enemies would be incredibly handsome and quite charming.

Feyre had no idea that there were three newcomers in their town but she still couldn’t shake the bad feeling she had had the night before.  When the door to her shop opened and a handsome man stepped in she straightened and put on her best smile.  It was rare that strangers came in, but it wasn’t unheard of.  But it was even rarer for one to be around her age and this handsome.  His violet-colored eyes stood out and pinned her to place.  There was something lethal about him and every instinct in her was screaming to be careful.

“Good afternoon,” she said, her voice a little rough.  “Can I help you with anything?”

He glanced around her shop, his hands in his pockets, looking every bit like a model.  She wondered if she could commit him to memory so that she could draw him later.  “I’m just browsing.  I’m going to be in town for a few days and thought I’d check out some of the shops here along Main Street.”  He looked back at her and her heart skipped several beats.  “Quite the quaint town you’ve got here.”

She chuckled nervously, “Yeah there’s not a lot going on here, but it’s not busy like the cities and I like the peace it brings.”

He moved toward one of her display tables where she had sketch pads displayed, “Not too boring?  I figured you’d thrive in a city, most people who love art tend to congregate in bigger cities.  More opportunities for them there.”

“Ah,” she ran a hand up her arm and shrugged, “I’m not big on attention.”  

Notoriety brought attention and for someone like her that wasn’t the best idea.  The more scrutiny she was put under the more people started noticing that there was just something different and magical about the way her paintings looked.  She sold a few here and there, but she made sure no one ever found out that they were hers.  Most people were still trying to figure out how the mysterious, faceless artist was that had sprung up in recent years.  She liked the money it brought it because to be honest the only people that ever came into her shop were the few tourists they got, art students from the high school, and a few of the older people that liked coloring in those adult coloring books.  Nothing wrong with that, but she barely managed to pay her rent some months and the sales from her art really helped.

He hummed as if he found that strange.  She didn’t know why he would because he didn’t even know her.  “Do you paint?”

That feeling of anxiety she had gotten earlier grew.  He was fishing for answers and she didn’t know why.  “Here and there,” she said cryptically.  “Not much time between shifts here and sometimes helping my sisters with their own businesses.”  She clamped her mouth shut when she realized that maybe she was giving the stranger a little too much information.  “I need to go check something in the back for a moment, I’ll be right back.”

Before he could say anything she raced into the back and grabbed her phone from her purse and shot a text to her sisters.

Feyre: SOS!!!!

When she returned the man was still there and holding a sketchpad and some pencils in his hands.  “I think I’m all set,” he told her with a smile.    

All she could do at that moment was nod her head for a moment and rang him up.  “Twenty-four dollars and thirty-seven cents please,” she said.  He handed over a card and saw his name was Rhysand Knight.  When the card went through she had him sign as she packed up his purchase.  “Have a lovely day, and stop back by before you leave if you’d like.”

“I’m sure I’ll return,” he responded and then walked out the door.

Her knees gave out and she collapsed behind the counter, curling up into a ball on the floor and trying to breathe through the tears and shaking.  The bell on the door rang and she heard Nesta’s familiar voice, “Feyre?!”

“Oh my gods, do you think–?”  Came Elain’s worried tone.

“I’m here,” she croaked and her sisters were there in an instant.

Elain pulled Feyre into her arms and held her as Nesta looked around to make sure they were alone.  “What happened, Feyre?”  Elain’s voice was soft and soothing, like it used to be on the nights after their mother’s passing.

“There was a man,” she said shakily.  “He wasn’t a local, he had these violet eyes and I remember thinking he was handsome.  I don’t know, I had a bad feeling about him though like he might be dangerous.  He was asking me random questions, stuff that seemed normal but felt like he was fishing for answers.”  She took a deep breath and then continued, “I don’t know why I’m like this.  He didn’t hurt me.”

“Thank the goddess for that,” Nesta murmured as she knelt before her sisters.  “Three witch hunters are in town and I think you just met one of them.”

“What?”  Her eyes widened and she sat up, pulling away from Elain.  “How do you know?”

“The one you just described was in my shop just a little bit ago.  Nesta was there,” Elain explained.

The way Nesta’s jaw ticked confirmed to Feyre that what Elain said was true.  “Gwyn came into the library today talking about three strangers that had just come into town.  I had a bad feeling and went running to Elain’s.  They’re checking up on us.”

“Well, what do we do?”  Feyre asked.  “If they’re here now then we’re in danger.”

“If we run we look guilty of something,” Nesta said.  “Remember what the cards said, we cannot act impulsively.”

A cold feeling settled over Feyre, “But if we do nothing then we’re just sitting ducks waiting to be picked off.”

Nesta pulled her younger sister into her arms and said, “I’ll talk to Emerie more.  Invite her over for dinner tonight and see what she can tell us.  Maybe she’ll have some insight into the procedures and be able to assuage some of our fears.”

But they knew that anything that Emerie had to say would not be able to calm their nerves until the three hunters were miles and miles away from them.

 

Nesta offered to drive Emerie up to their home after their shift at the library.  The three hunters had been spotted around town some more and the locals seemed pleased by the tourists.  Only Emerie and the sisters knew the truth of their visit and it wasn’t for pleasure.  The one with longer hair had come by the library earlier that day and Gwyn was happily chatting with them while Emerie and Nesta kept a healthy distance.

“That’s Cassian,” Emerie said in a hushed tone.  “He’s the brute strength of the three brothers that are here.  Rhysand is the leader, he isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, but he delegates what needs to be done.  The last one is Azriel, he’s the information gatherer.  He’s scarily good at finding things out.  Some say he’s even immune to magic because his mother was a witch.”

“Then how is he a hunter?”  Nesta asked as she glanced in Cassian’s direction after hearing him chuckle at something Gwyn was saying.

“His information gathering skills are parallel to none.  Plus Rhysand’s own father vouched for Azriel after raising him.  If Azriel has powers like witches have he’s never used them before or as far as the association knows he hasn’t.”  Emerie shrugged her shoulders, “It’s hard to say because he’s the most mysterious one out of the three.”

Nesta had grunted in response and then went back to work so she and Emerie didn’t draw any unnecessary attention to themselves.  And later that evening once the library closed and Gwyn had left for her own home Emerie and Nesta headed back to the sisters’ place together.  The drive was quiet and Nesta could tell that Emerie was a tiny bit nervous about joining two other witches in their home.  She had been trained to protect herself against them and not befriend them.

Elain and Feyre already had the takeout ready and their cat Enalius greeted them by looping himself in a circle around their legs.  Nesta bent to scratch behind his ears and Emerie eyed him warily.  “He won’t… bite will he?”

Feyre snorted, “Nah he’s harmless.  Great grandma Archeron cursed the poor bastard to live as a cat for the foreseeable future until he pays his penance.”

“Feyre,” Nesta warned when she saw Emerie’s stricken look and then glance at the cat who was now licking his paws.

“I’m kidding,” Feyre told the other woman.  “You looked a little uptight so I was trying to lighten the mood with a bad joke.  Enalius is a normal cat, we found him abandoned on the side of the road when he was a kitten.  He’s been here ever since.”

Emerie relaxed and then she bent to pet the cat who preened at the attention from the stranger.  “It’s nice to meet you all,” she said as she took a seat next to Nesta.  “Sorry if I seem a little stressed.”

Elain gave her a kind smile, “It’s all right.  We’re glad you’re here.”

“Can we eat now?  I’m starving,” Feyre said as she reached for some naan sitting on a plate in the middle of the table.

Nesta smacked her hand away and said, “Let our guest serve herself first before you go diving into all the good stuff.”

Emerie chuckled at the sisterly bickering, apparently, the sisters weren't so different from a normal family as she thought.  They had a pet, bickered, and seemed to be just living their life as quietly as possible.  Why Devlon wanted them gone was slowly becoming more and more of a mystery to her.  “Please don’t take this the wrong way but you all seem so normal.”

The three sisters froze for a moment and glanced at Emerie.  “May I ask why you wouldn’t think we would be?”  Elain sat up a bit straighter, no signs of anger on her face, just genuine curiosity.

“I think the association tries to make witches seem as not normal as possible,” Emerie said, shifting under the intense gazes of sisters.  “The more normal you all are the harder it might be to go on missions to take you out.”

“What I want to know is why we’re being targeted,” Nesta said as she scooped some butter chicken onto her plate.  “We keep to ourselves and haven’t drawn attention that would warrant a visit from the hunters’ association.”

“Devlon has a campaign going I think there’s something more at play, he’s become more intense in the last few months,” Emerie told her.  “Something’s wrong, but I can’t get close enough to figure out what that something is.”

“We could try scrying,” Elain suggested.

Emerie shook her head, “They have protections against a witch’s magic.  They would know and you’d lose your edge against them if they don’t already know.”

“How loyal are the brothers to the association?”  Feyre asked as she swirled her straw absentmindedly in her soda.

Emerie’s eyes met hers and said, “I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

 

Rhysand was staring out the window of his room when Azriel and Cassian entered.  “It’s weird that the sister from the library came running right?”  Cassian was asking Azriel when they entered.  “It’s like she knew we were there.”

“They are witches, Cass.  And sisters at that.  Maybe Elain was signaling to her sister and she showed up as backup,” Azriel said diplomatically.  “There could be a number of reasons.”

“And you with the calling the middle one by her name when you shouldn’t know it,” Cassian poked his arm.  “What the hell was that about?  Are you trying to get our cover blown?”

“They already know who we are,” he said cryptically.  “Something feels different like they’ve known we were on the way or somehow know of us.”

Rhysand looked toward his brother, shoving all thoughts of the youngest Archeron from his mind.  “Is it the shadows again?”

Azriel’s hazel eyes darkened a bit and he nodded, “They’re restless here.  I don’t understand why, but they were calm when we were in Elain’s shop.  It was almost as if her presence was soothing them.”

“Was it her magic?  Do you think she was using on you?”  Cassian pressed.

Azriel rubbed his chest, he didn’t feel the effects of magic.  If he were being honest it felt more like the magic was coming from outside the shop, pressing in on him.  “No, no it was something else entirely.  Something darker.”

“What the hell is going on here?”  Rhysand mused, turning to look outside again.  When he looked up at the moon he noticed a ring around it.  Trouble was on the horizon.  “Get some sleep, we'll do some digging tomorrow night.  We’ll head up to the Archeron place and see if we can dig up anything there while they’re asleep.”

Cassian and Azriel nodded leaving their brother alone with his thoughts and the image of a pretty witch with paint-stained hands and eyes that captured him from the moment they had locked onto him.

[a-courtofdreams]

Season of the Witch Chapter Two

Genre: Witch/Supernatural AU

Relationships: Witch!Elain Archeron x Witch Hunter!Azriel, Witch!Feyre Archeron x Witch Hunter!Rhysand, Witch!Nesta Archeron x With Hunter!Cassian

Word Count: 1.4K

Warnings: Fluff, Angst, Swearing, enemies to lovers, more warnings will probably be added later.

Description: Feyre senses a storm coming and Nesta reveals to Elain that a witch hunter was in the area. Not know what to do the girls prepare for the worst, but what they didn’t expect was that their enemies would be incredibly handsome and quite charming.

The only place the brothers could stay was a little bed and breakfast on the outskirts of the town.  It wasn’t ideal for what they were here for, but thankfully it wasn’t right in the middle of the town where the witches could spot them and identify them as witch hunters.  They didn’t want to be unprepared for a fight before they knew what they were up against.  Devlon had said they were a top priority so that meant they had to be powerful.  Plus they had to find out what had happened to Emerie as well.

Cassian and Azriel met Rhysand in his room and they started going over the files on what they knew about the Archeron sisters.  “They’ve lived here their entire lives,” Rhysand was saying as he read over one report.  “Born in the local hospital a few miles away.  Feyre is an artist, Nesta a librarian, and Elain owns the flower shop on Main Street.”

Azriel was looking over a specific report about Elain and her supposed magical abilities.  “I still don’t see why we were sent here.  The Archerons have lived in this area for generations and never once caused problems with the locals.  The sisters are upstanding members of their communities, and no reports ever have them leaving this area.  We all know Emerie hated the association so maybe she just decided to up and leave.”

“Or maybe she fought the sisters on her own because she caught them doing something naughty and they took her hostage or killed her,” Cassian spoke.

“I highly doubt that,” Azriel deadpanned.  “If the Archerons were killing people then we’d have a lot more bodies going missing around here.  The only person to go missing here in the last fifty years was a hiker that just got a little turned around and was found hours later.”

“We’ll get to the bottom of this,” Rhysand cut in before his brothers could start bickering further.  “We all know Devlon is a piece of shit, but we have to do this as we always would.  We investigate and decide what we need to do.”

The brothers agreed and went back to looking over their files.

Emerie brought some books to the counter and set them aside for Nesta or Gwyn to scan.  “Thank you for doing this for me,” she told Nesta in a hushed voice.  There weren’t many people around but she didn’t want anyone to overhear the conversation they were about to have.  “You didn’t have to trust me, but you gave me the benefit of the doubt and I really appreciate that.”

Nesta shrugged her shoulders, “You could have done something to us by now, but you didn’t and I don’t sense anything about you that says you’re a danger to me or my sisters.  We don’t get to choose the lives we’re born into.  Plus I need your help to protect my sisters from the association.  I can’t do this alone and who better to help ward against them than someone who was in the association?”  She grinned at Emerie who gave her a small smile back.

Gwyn rushed over and said in an excited tone, “Guess what Old Man Nick just told me?”

Old Man Nick was the local fisherman that had been in the area all his life and when they were children they would think that he was at least over a hundred years old.  He was also a notorious gossip.  “What?”

“Three men arrived in town last night and they’re staying at Miss Betsy’s bed and breakfast on the outskirts of town,” Gwyn was practically vibrating with excitement.  “It’s been so long since we’ve had so many visitors in the area.”

Emerie and Nesta shared a look with one another.  Three strange men arriving into town shortly after Emerie’s own arrival?  There could only be one explanation for this and Nesta was going to check and see it was right.  “Gwyn, could you continue showing Emerie the ropes?  I just remembered that I have to go check on Feyre at the art shop.  I’ll be back in a little while.”

Without waiting for a response from either of them Nesta grabbed her purse and took off for home.  Three strangers rolling into town after Emerie “disappears” from the face of the earth.  Both of them had thought that maybe they wouldn’t notice since Emerie got the jobs that weren’t considered important.  The man that ran her section of the witch hunters association didn’t like her so they assumed that maybe he wouldn’t care if she just never came back.  Maybe he would think she just decided the constant verbal abuse against her was enough and she left.  But apparently, that was just an excuse to go after her and her sisters.

Nesta burst through the door of her home, thankful both her sisters were at their respective jobs, and headed straight for the room where all their magical tools were.  There she pulled out the mirror they used for scrying and began the spell until three lone figures could be seen walking down Mainstreet toward Elain’s flower shop.  She felt her heart leap in her chest and she took off like a shot back down the road to town.  

When she reached the shop she parked haphazardly and hurried into the shop where Elain was chatting easily with the three newcomers.  Elain’s eyes met hers and she said, “Oh!  Nes, what’re you doing here?”  The three men turned and looked at her, the only one with the manbun seemed particularly interested in her.

Her mind was going a million miles per hour and she managed to say, “I forgot to stop by this morning.  We have a new employee at the library and I wanted to get them a little welcoming gift.”

Elain gave her a quizzical look and in her mind she asked, You look like you’ve seen a ghost, what’s really going on?

It’s them, she replied.  They're hunters, the ones the cards warned us about.

“Right,” Elain said.  “Well, you know where everything is.  I need to help these gentlemen, I’ll take an IOU from you.”

Nesta didn’t like the idea of leaving Elain alone with them but she knew it would look suspicious if she lingered.  So she grabbed something that looked good and left with one last look over her shoulder.  Elain gave her a subtle nod to let her know that she would be okay and that was that.

“You must really trust her,” the handsome one said.  His hands were badly scarred and Elain thought that she could have helped soothed them when whatever had happened had first occurred.  She wouldn’t have been able to stop the scarring but she could have helped heal them faster and made whatever pain he felt go away.

She hated seeing people in pain and tried whenever she could to ease the suffering of those in her little town.  She smiled at him, “She’s my sister so if she doesn’t pay me back then I can just steal all her left socks.”

He chuckled, “Why the left?”

Elain shrugged, “I don’t know, it just seems like it would be inconvenient for her to be missing half of a pair of socks.”

The one that seemed to be the leader of the group picked up a red rose, and said, “Is it nice here?  To live, I mean.”

Elain’s magic began to grow restless and one of the roses withered and died in the vase, thankfully it wasn’t noticeable to the man.  “Oh yes, my family has been here for generations.  I don’t think I could live in a bustling city, small towns are more my style.”  That was the truth, the one time they had gone to a bigger city than what they were used to Elain had thought it was too loud and crowded.  “Are you looking to move here?”

“Just passing through,” the one with a manbun said.  “Looking for a friend of ours.”

“Ah,” Elain willed someone else to come into the shop, prayed that one of her usuals was just a few steps away.  “Well, I hope you all find your friend soon.”

“Thanks,” the handsome responded.  “It was a pleasure meeting you, Elain.”

“You as well,” her voice came out a bit raspy and when they were gone from her shop she sunk against the wall.

It took her a moment to notice that he had called her by her name.  She hadn’t given it to them, there were no signs in the shop advertising it, and Nesta hadn’t said her name either.  She didn’t know if it was merely a slip of his tongue or if he was threatening her in some subtle way.  Maybe it was his way of telling her they were here and they knew all about her.