#actoar fic

[honeybeefae]

A Court of Wings & Fire: Chapter Three

Summary//

Eris had control of everything in his life. The war was over, he was planning to take the Autumn throne, and nothing was left to surprise him…until he met you. A mating bond with an Illyrian was like a spit in his face and neither of you could understand why fate had put you together. You both swore off relations to each other, refusing to even be in the same court, but you should have known that fate is not to be tested.

(ITS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING BUT I AM BACK BABY! I really really hope you guys are still reading and excited and love this! I missed writing for you guys and I'm so happy to be back!!)

((This is the dress I had in my mind but if you like something different, that's okay!!)

/ Chapter One / Chapter Two / Chapter Four / Chapter Five

Three weeks. It had been three weeks since your world had gone to shit. Three weeks of anger, bitterness, grief, and hundreds of other emotions that could all be summed up with one word. Hatred. 

You hated him, hated the bond, hated everything. It showed in your face, your voice, hell you were half convinced you could taste it. Rhysand had assured you that Eris would have broken the bond but yet you could still feel it deep inside. It was keeping you up at night with worry.

And if that weren’t enough, it seemed like everyone around you treated you as if you were infected with plague. The topic of what happened that night had not been brought up whatsoever but the tension was hanging thick in the air. Sometimes it seemed as if they were avoiding you altogether, specifically Mor, and it made your hatred grow. 

He had ruined your life.

If you knew how to break the bond you would have that night, that moment, but you had no clue. The books in the library didn’t give you any clear answers and you were too afraid of Amren to go to her. You had considered asking Rhys but he was busy with Feyre, Briallyn, and Nesta so you didn’t want to bother him with this more than it already was.

For now, it seemed you just had to grin and bear it. Faking your smiles and conversations while slowly dying inside. 

Training was the only time you felt you could truly let out your frustrations. Your knuckles were red and blistered, muscles sore for how often you were up on the training grounds. Today was no different as you stood before one of the punching bags, dawning only a sports bra and shorts, and beating the hell out of it.

The sun warmed your skin and wings as you threw punch after punch, feeling the eyes of two people on your back that you were sure belonged to Cass and Az. You would’ve thought by now that you wouldn’t have more anger left to give but as you stood there, picturing his face and the way he had stared at you in disgust, it only seemed to increase.

Your mind began to race over the encounter again as you replayed his snarl, the way his mouth twisted down, and his eyes raking over your body like you were the bane of his existence. The bag didn’t even have enough time to reset as you used every muscle in your body to strike it. 

His amber eyes appeared in your mind as you closed your eyes, chest heaving and sweat dripping down your neck. It was like he was watching you now and you swore you could feel something down the bond but you closed it off, curling your fist and raising it to hit the bag once more only to be met with a solid object.

Cassian was looking down at you with sympathy, your fist caught in his much larger hand before he let go. “Before you completely obliterate the rest of the training grounds, I suggest you go ahead and get ready.”

“Ready for what?” You ask out of breath, nodding towards Azriel as he handed you a cup of water. 

“Hewn City. Two hours.” Azriel replied, his arms crossed over his chest. “We have a meeting with Eris.”

Even the sound of his name made you grimace. You stood straighter, lips turned down into a large frown. “Do I have to go?” You asked quietly, already knowing the answer.

They both nodded solemnly, pity in their eyes. You hated it. You didn’t want their pity or to be treated like some broken doll. If anyone would ask you that, they would know. You just desperately wanted things to go back to normal.

“We will be by your side the entire night,” Cassian assured, clapping your shoulder with his hand. “This meeting is going to be attended by everyone. We want to know what his game is, why the bond isn’t broken yet.”

“You and me both.” You said snarky, finishing the rest of your drink before making your way to the doors. They fell in line beside you, their presence comforting. “And he agreed to come?”

“Rhys said that he was ‘very eager’ to see us, and you, again. I have no idea what that could mean but something does not feel right to me.” Azriel noted, holding the door open for you. “I know Eris and what he is capable of. There has to be another reason for this.”

“Well,” You sigh, finding your bedroom door and opening it. “Just make sure there is lots of wine tonight. I don’t think I will be able to get through this without it.”

Cassian grinned and Azriel gave a small smile. “We’ll take you out to Rita’s tonight to make you truly forget about this.” Cass promised, crossing his fingers over his heart. You chuckled and sent them on their way, shutting the door behind you and leaning back on it as you took some deep breaths. 

Dread was heavy in your stomach as you collected your thoughts. What if he was planning something tonight? You knew your friends had assured you that they would be by your side but you still didn’t fully trust that Eris wouldn’t try to kill you the moment they were distracted.

You also knew if you dwelled on the what-ifs you would go mad so you decided to get ready, bathing yourself and making sure you were “Court of Nightmares” potential. Seeing Eris was already going to be hell, you might as well look good to boost your confidence. 

The dresses you had were custom-made for your body and wings, a perk of being in the Rhys’s inner circle, while also being designed with your taste in mind. Tonight’s dress was no different. It was a dark green, almost black, with a halter collar that cut out around your shoulders and also completely backless. 

Small, golden beads made an intricate design around your breasts and neck while the rest of the gown flowed softly down your legs with a slit that ended right at the top of your leg. It was one of your favorites, allowing you plenty of movement. It was also the perfect dress to conceal weapons with as you strapped your dagger sheath around your thigh, tucking your trusty knife inside. 

For a brief moment you pictured Eris standing behind you, his hand on your waist and those damned eyes admiring your outfit with a smirk. You scowled at your reflection before turning away to grab some heels, knowing it was the bond making you envision things you didn’t want. It was pretty good at tricking your brain so you were hopeful tonight would go the way you needed it to.

As you slid on your shoes and went to a different mirror to finish applying your rouge and lipstick, you felt a small tug deep within you. It made you smear the corner of your lip from surprise. 

“Fucking hell.” You grimaced, ignoring it as it tugged a second time. 

Eris seemed to be testing if you would respond but you refused. You would not be giving him any satisfaction for this sadistic dance he seemed to want to draw out. Tonight was to be the end of it.

This story had one chapter, one page, and the happy ending of never seeing each other again.

-------------------------------

All eyes seemed to be on you when the eight of you strolled into the throne room of the Court of Nightmares. The bond was still a secret as far as you knew but the way they were looking at you made your skin crawl. You passed the tables piled high with food as well as the quartet while keeping your eyes out for a certain redhead, taking your position beside Cassian and Azriel. 

He was nowhere to be seen and while that made you more unsettled, you decided to turn your attention to your High Lord and High Lady as they put on their masks. You bowed with everyone else, though you and your friends were the only people in the room who truly meant the respect that came with it.

You looked up and saw Keir approach the throne, trying not to look at Feyre and addressing Rhysand instead. Mor smirked as Rhysand corrected him, putting him in his place in front of everyone, which made you smile. The bastard truly deserved it.

“Look alive.” Cassian whispered beside you as the feast began, sending you a friendly wink as he went to his post. You nodded and looked at Rhys briefly, feeling safer that his eyes were on you as you made your way around the room.

While you were by yourself you knew your friends were keeping attention on you subtly. It would definitely rouse suspicion if you suddenly had two of Rhysand’s best soldiers guarding you so you had to keep it lowkey.

The crowd naturally parted for you as you headed towards the back, your face stoic. Some of the males stared in awe at a grown female Illyrian with wings, others disgusted. Almost all of the women sneered at you. However, you knew all of them thought themselves better than you.

Their opinions of you did not keep you up at night. You knew how bitter and miserable they were, how the game worked down here, and if you were honest, you pitied them most of the time. They would always be stuck here, playing the same old game for the same old prizes that would only get them a vague understanding of freedom and power.

Eris was still yet to be seen and you felt yourself relax after about an hour. It would seem he either was waiting in one of the rooms or had bailed completely. Either way, it delayed your meeting as Rhys and Feyre dealt with small court troubles that Keir was rambling about. 

Mor and Cassian were discussing something over goblets of wine, the latter’s eyes straying to the oldest Archeron sister several times. To your surprise she also was watching him just as much, her cheeks lightly flushed if they caught each other’s gaze.

Interesting.

You looked for Azriel but he was nowhere in sight, though knowing him, he was probably lurking in the shadows. As you rounded around the table closest to the hallway, your eyes flickering upwards to admire the chandeliers for a brief moment, you felt a large hand wrap around your mouth and an arm around your waist.

They immediately pulled you into the hallway and inside a small room, their grip tight against your skin as you thrashed, kicked, and finally bit down on the hand covering your mouth. 

“Fuck!” Eris hissed in pain, pushing you away from him. “What the hell is wrong with you? Who bites someone?”

He was disheveled from your fight, his shirt wrinkled and hair tousled. However, his face was still the same. It still held all the disdain in the world for you, you could see it in his eyes.

“Someone who is being kidnapped.” You snap back, fixing your dress and standing as tall as you could. “I will slice you into a hundred tiny pieces and feed you to the dogs if you do not let me out of this room.”

“Going straight to threats again are we?” He raised a brow, looking you up and down. “I forget that your kind only communicates in violence and grunts. Shall I draw on the walls so you can understand what I’m saying?”

Before he could revel in his comeback, you had unsheathed your knife and shoved him against the door. The knife was cool against his throat, and your bodies pressed against one another as you stared at him with all the anger and hatred you had been swimming in for the last three weeks.

“I will only warn you once.” You say lowly, gaze locked onto his. “If you say anything against my kind, my people, one more time, I will not hesitate to kill you in every way that I know how. Consequences be damned.”

His pupils were wide as you curled your upper lip, pressing the tip of the blade into his pulse point. “Do you understand?”

There was a beat of silence, of tension, as you both shared the same breath before he held his hands up in surrender and nodded. You held him there for a second longer before stepping back and allowing him to fix his suit. 

“My apologies…”

Eris looked at you expectedly, his hand waving in front of him as he waited for something. When you only stared at him, he rolled his eyes. “Your name.”

“What?”

“What is your name?”

You crossed your arms over your chest, wondering if you should give it to him. He was sure to find out if you didn’t tell him so there shouldn’t be any true harm in it.

“Y/N.” You responded quietly.

“Y/N.” Eris repeated, testing it on his tongue. Your fingertips squeezed the upper muscles of your arms when you heard how he said your name. It made something flutter deep inside you but you drowned it as fast as you could. Damn bond. 

“My apologies, Y/N.” He continued, rolling up the cuffs on his sleeves. “For both the words and the ‘kidnapping’, if that’s what you want to call it.”

“That is what I will call it because that’s what it is.” You snark, frowning. “Would you rather me call killing you ‘expediting your trip to the Mother’?”

He couldn’t stop the genuine smile on his face at how quick-witted you were. “I suppose not.”

“Enough talk. Let me out this instant. My friends are sure to be looking for me.” You stated, going to walk around him until he shot his arm out and blocked your path. His face was dangerously close to yours as you turned your head, having to look slightly upwards in order to meet his eyes. 

“Move. Your. Arm.” You seethe, growing annoyed by how much enjoyment he seemed to be getting out of riling you up. 

“I wanted to talk to you before the meeting.” Eris explained, briefly looking at your wings before back to your face. 

“What could you possibly have to say to me?” You argue, stepping back and away from him. “Because I have nothing to say to you. Nothing except to break the damn bond.”

“And why haven’t you?” He asked, leaning against the doorframe. 

“Do you not think I have tried?” The words shot out of your mouth like poison. “I have no idea what to do or how to do it. Believe me when I say that if I knew how it would have been done the moment it happened.”

Eris hummed and it only infuriated you more. He was treating you like you were dumb, like a child trying to play chess. His arrogance was seeping through every pore of his body.

“And since you do know, why haven’t you?” You question, pointing your finger at his chest. “You don’t want this. I don’t want this. Break it.”

“It is much more complicated than that, Y/N.” He answered with a sigh, gesturing for you to take a seat. However you didn’t trust him, didn’t know if there was someone lurking behind you, so you remained standing. Eris studied you for a second before rolling his eyes and sitting down in the chair closest to him. 

“I’m not going to harm you-”

“I will remain standing, thank you.” You cut him off. “Explain yourself or I am leaving.”

“When a bond is severed, it is traumatic for both parties involved regardless if the bond is wanted or not.” Eris began, gesturing between the two of you. “Not only is it painful emotionally and mentally, but physically as well. We will both be sick, tired, feeling as if we had just been through a war.”

You looked down at your feet, mulling over his words. It didn’t register in your brain that it could be that painful. You thought it was as simple as wishful thinking.

“And I’m not saying this out of concern for your well-being, but for mine.” He added, ignoring your scoff. “If my father sees me like that he will know something has happened, that something is off. He will go snooping and if he finds out I am mated, especially to someone like…”

He trailed off as you narrowed your eyes, daring him to say something. Eris raised his hands up in an innocent gesture again.

“I will not restate my feelings for your…people,” He said the last word painfully, and your fist curled up at your side. “But if you think I do not like you, you have not met my father.”

“So it is for my well-being?” You counter with a smirk, letting your wings open just a tad. “You just said that your father was worse than you when it comes to my kind and if you think he will be hard on me-”

“Do not assume that is what I meant.” He snapped, eyebrows furrowed. “I have no care for what happens to you. I care more about the ant underneath my feet than I do for you or this court. However, even being mated to you will have my father’s anger turned to me.”

Your smirk fell as he stood, irritation growing in his voice. “If he finds out who I am mated to not only will he see me as less than he already does, he will know I have been spending time in the Night Court. It would ruin the entire plan and I will not have it jeopardized because the Mother, for whatever reasons, thinks we would be a good match.”

“So what is it that you are proposing here, Eris?” You question, taking a step closer to him. “To keep the bond? To remain mates and forever?”

“Just until the war is over, until I can take the throne and finally end his tyrant ways once and for all.” He corrected, watching you closely. “So as unfortunate as this situation is, and as much as I hate you, this is what has to be done.”

“And what if I refuse? Why should I care what happens to you at the hands of your father?”

“Because if I am killed, he remains in power. That means his alliance with Briallyn stays. They take over once more and kill everyone you love, and you are left with the guilt and regret for letting your stubbornness get in the way.” Eris ranted, stepping closer to you until you were toe to toe. 

“I hate you.” You cursed through your teeth. “I hate you, I hate this situation, I hate everything about this.”

“And that is fine. I think the only mutual feeling we share is hatred and if we can work together on this one simple task, we can end this in a few short months and forget all about each other.” He assured, his hand flexing in his pocket as your scent wrapped around him. “But, for now, we must endure this together.”

“Why did you want to talk to me alone before the meeting?” You murmured, the proximity getting to your head. “You know I have no secrets with my High Lord.”

“Of course, you don’t. You are all oh so loyal to him.” He chuckled without humor. “I approached you first because if you come at my solution with a level head around the others, it might make them more willing to understand. I knew you would react poorly to my news so I planned accordingly.”

You looked into his amber eyes, the same ones that had been haunting you since the bond snapped, before over his shoulder at the door. Rhysand and the rest of your friends were looking for you by now, already suspecting Eris. This needed to be wrapped up.

“So keep the bond connected until the end of the war, or your father's fall, whichever comes first. You give me your word?” You ask while brushing past him, ignoring the way your skin seemed to burn at the part where your arms touched.

“Yes.” Eris responded swiftly, his gaze giving away nothing. 

As you reached for the door handle you felt his stare on your back, on your wings, and you found yourself slightly turning around and asking, “Is there any way this could go wrong? Could fail? This bond will not strengthen, right?”

He snorted, actually snorted, and shook his head as he looked down at you. Whatever feelings might have just sparked between you from the touch and stares were now washed away with anger as he stared at you with disdain and distaste.

“As long as we steer clear of each other and harbor no romantic or sexual feelings towards each other, it will remain as it is now.” He explained, tugging on the bond which made you involuntarily place a hand over your heart. “That is the most you will be able to feel.”

You nodded, not catching the way he glanced down at your breasts where your hand lay, and opened the door. “Stay as far away from me as you can and you have a deal.”

He hummed and straightened himself out, watching as you left through the door and replying, “That should be easy enough.”

#acotar #eris vanserra #eris x reader #eris fic #eris imagine #eris x reader acotar #eris x reader smut #eris vanserra x reader #eris vanserra acotar #eris vanserra x reader smut #eris vanserra fic #acomaf #acowar #acofas #acosf #acowaf #rhysand #hewn city #actoar fic #mor #azriel #cassian #feyre #nesta #nessian #feysand #acotar fic #acotar reader #acotar reader smut #acotar reader fic

[talkfantasytome]

Stitches

Nesta gets a small injury in training, and Cassian won't rest until she's healed.

Warnings: Mentions of blood, nothing gory.

Word Count: 1,639 | Nessian Masterlist | Read on AO3

a/n: Well...it's been quite a while since I've written/finished anything that can be posted! I think I'm kinda out of practice. I guess I need to be writing more. XD Prompt request can be seen here.

For Day 1 of @nessianweek

"I'm fine Cassian. It's just a scratch."

Cassian chuckled and let his gaze fall to Nesta. "I think we'll let Madja be the judge of that."

"You're fussing. Put me down!" Nesta demanded, wriggling in his arms.

"Why would I do that? We're fifty feet in the air, and I've grown to like you."

Nesta huffed loudly and grumbled under her breath. Cassian wasn't entirely sure what she said, but it sounded an awful lot like overreacting Illyrian baby.

"If the bleeding stops by the time we land, then we can skip Madja and go back home," he offered. As if there was a chance that was happening. Nesta had been slashed good during training. He'd told her the young priestess was too early in her training to be using a real sword, but did Nesta listen?

Of course not. She never did.

Fuck him, it was one of the things he loved about her.

Nesta nodded and sighed, "Fine. But even if I am still bleeding when we get there, I'm sure Madja will say it's nothing."

He flapped his wings and propelled them forward. It wasn't a long flight, but with each beat of the black leather, his heart grew louder.

His mate was probably right. It wasn't an awful cut, definitely something that would heal overnight. But with the blood flowing down her arm, dripping into the air beneath them, his hold on her was the only thing keeping him together. That and breathing through his mouth to avoid smelling the blood. Seeing it was more than enough to drive him crazy.

Cassian landed gracefully in front of the Healer's practice. Nesta attempted to wriggle out of his arms, but he held her firm as he rushed inside. The blood was still trickling down her arm, she had no way out of this now.

"Madja?" he called, entering the small building.

"Can I get down now?" Nesta asked.

He let out a small chuckle and set her down on a chair just as the small Fae walked in from an archway leading to her medical supply room. "Yes-oh! I see." The female eyed the arm Nesta was holding up with her other hand and then rushed back into her supply room.

Cassian flashed Nesta a smug grin. "Told you so." Nesta stuck her tongue out at him and then went back to examining the gash that just refused to heal as quickly as most injuries. He'd have to go check the sword when they got back to the House, make sure it was clean and there wasn't something else on it that could be affecting her.

Madja returned with a small box and some bandages. She didn't bother to address them or speak as she pulled another chair and a table over and began to set up.

"It looks like you're going to need stitches, dear," Madja explained, already threading a needle.

"What?!" Both Cassian and Nesta shrieked the word, Nesta also hopping out of her seat so fast the chair fell over.

Cassian looked over to Madja as he said, "I thought you'd just be able to give her a tonic or rub something on her arm to help her heal quicker."

"I'm not getting stitches!" Nesta added, not waiting for Cassian to finish.

"Calm down, dear. It's completely safe. And the fastest way to ensure you heal." Madja leaned over to pick up the chair and motioned for Nesta to sit.

Nesta shook her head and took another step away from the seat. "No way."

That wasn't a look on Nesta that Cassian saw often. The way her eyes widened and refused to blink, how they focused in on the needle, how her jaw clenched - Nesta was…scared.

"Nes," he breathed, walking over to her, standing between her and Madja for a moment. He placed his hands on her arms and started to rub them gently. He whispered, "There's nothing to be afraid of."

"I'm not-" Cassian quirked his eyebrow at her and she cut herself off, pulling her lips thin. "I don't like needles."

"You were just slashed by a sword," he pointed out, laughing breathily. "I think you can handle a little needle."

He tried to hide the way the small frown broke his heart. That every moment she spent staring at the needle in Madja's hand with those big, grey eyes was torture. That wasn't what she needed.

No, Nesta needed a distraction, and a hand to hold. And maybe a reason to do this beyond herself.

"Can't we just let it heal naturally?" she requested, leaning into him.

She knew. Two years together, there's no way Nesta didn't know. Leaning against him like that, with so much of her body touching his…Cassian could practically feel his will melting away. That perfect scent of a winter's sunrise mixed with embers completely engulfed him, luring him away from reason.

And then the scent of the blood took over, and he was right back in that healing practice, an injured Nesta in his arms, a small healer watching them and waiting.

"The problem is that the cut is so deep, your body is struggling to heal itself," Madja explained. "You need something to help your body find its way, so to speak. That's what the stitches will do, just like they did for Cassian during the war."

"This wound is nothing like that."

Madja's expression didn't alter at the rebuttal. She simply patted the seat again and waited.

"Please, Nesta," Cassian begged. "You can still spend the afternoon recuperating. Maybe curl up with a book in the library. I'll have the House whip up an extra chocolatey cake for you."

Nesta rolled her eyes and huffed, "The House would do that for me anyway."

"Okay. How about you do this, and I'll join you in the library and read a smutty book of your choosing?" Nesta's eyebrows raised, her interest piqued. "And then maybe I'll draw us a bath after dinner?"

"With bubbles." It was an order as much as it was a request. She walked back to Madja and took her seat, and Cassian followed close behind, taking her hand so she'd have something to squeeze.

He lifted his other hand and pulled her face so that those crystal, blue grey eyes were on him. "Look at me, Nes. Don't watch Madja, it'll only make it worse." Nesta nodded, her eyes dropping to his chest as they started to shine. He pulled her head into him and kissed the top of it softly as he watched Madja work.

The healer broke the skin, and Nesta whimpered into him. He kissed her again, brushing his fingers through her hair and softly encouraging her through the process. Cassian wasn’t sure what else he could do, but this seemed to pacify Nesta. It was rather bittersweet, to be able to help her like this. It was nice knowing that he could. But he hated that he needed to.

She remained fairly still, only jerking slightly each time the needle had to pierce the skin again, but soon enough Madja was tying off the stitches and cleaning up the wound again before bandaging it.

"Is it over?" Nesta asked quietly.

"Yeah, it is. And you did so well, Nes," Cassian sighed, pulling back to smile down at her.

Nesta shook her head at him slightly, laughing under her breath as if she found his encouragement amusing now that Madja was done.

Using some fancy solvent, the healer sealed the bandage to itself so that it wouldn't fall right off and then cleared her throat to get their attention. "Now that you have the stitches, the healing will speed up quite a bit. The stitches should dissolve by tomorrow morning, and you'll be good as new by tomorrow night, no scar or anything."

"And I can train tomorrow morning?"

"Absolutely," Madja replied. "You may feel some pain tonight, but that should also be gone by tomorrow. Maybe a touch of soreness, but not much more than you're probably used to."

Cassian stood from where he'd been squatting. "Thank you, Madja. I really appreciate it."

She nodded and waved the gratitude off, focusing instead on cleaning and packing up the materials she'd brought out. "When you get the chance, can you please remind Rhysand he is no longer welcome at Nyx's check-ups? I cannot work with the way he hovers."

"I think you'd survive reminding him far more than I would," Cassian chuckled. He looked over at Nesta and found her wearing a restrained smile, as if she were trying extremely hard to not laugh. "Ready to go?"

She took the hand he held out for her. "Thank you, again, Madja."

"It's not a problem."

The two females nodded at each other. Nesta and Cassian made their way out of the practice and into the bright light of Velaris.

"So, where to next?" Cassian asked.

"We're going back to the House, to the family library. I'm going to pick out the filthiest book for you." Nesta's smile had turned into a conspiratorial smirk that had Cassian already regretting his offer.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and started walking down the street. "Yes, and we will do that. But I thought maybe we could stop by that bakery you love so much. Pick up some desserts for tonight."

"On top of the extra chocolatey cake?"

"On top of the cake," he agreed, pulling her in close as she wrapped her arm around the small of his back. He couldn't help but smile widely as they continued making their way to the shop Cassian spent too much of his money at these days.

Nesta looked up at him from the side of her eyes. "Sounds good. But I'm getting a snack for this afternoon, too."

"I figured."

@live-the-fangirl-life @generalnesta @secretlovelybeauty @nestaisgod @julemmaes @boredserpent @autumnbabylon @lady-winter-sunrise @moodymelanist @sv0430 @nesquik-arccheron @gwynrielsupremacy @katekatpattywack @moonstoneriver77 @deedz-thrillerkilller16 @swankii-art-teacher @lemonade-coolattas @emily-gsh @my-fan-side @champanheandluxxury @sayosdreams @simpingfornestaarcheron @perseusannabeth @clemidansleschoux @meher-sumedha @labetenoir @vinylcryes @shinya-hiiragi @starryblueskies7 @the-key-to-me-myself-and-i @a-court-of-milkandhoney @pintas3107 @embersofwildfire @cannellefawn @superspiritfestival @aks18 @thewayshedreamed @lunabean @xstarlightsupremex @mis-lil-red @captainchris-pike

#nessian #nessianweek2022 #nessian fic #nessian fluff #nesta archeron #cassian #nesta x cassian #cassian x nesta #canon universe #acosf #acotar #a court of thorns and roses #a court of silver flames #acotar fanfiction #actoar fic #acotar fanfic #fanfic fluff #fluff #small injury #cassian fusses #cassian archeron #nesta and cassian

[writtenonreceipts]

Prompt The things we can't say: Rhys telling his mom and sister he's dating (like Rhys' mom trying to make him date😂😂 he's like 😅 heee I'm fine and he ends up saying he's dating😂😂😂 I think it would too funny and cute)

last fic update for the year!  TTWCS reached over 6k hits on ao3, which i know in comparison to other writers is miniscule, but it means a lot this random story i started writing this year means something to you all.  happy new years and stay safe friends!

The Things We Cannot Say Masterlist // AO3

warnings: none, just my timeline is a mess so don’t ask me details on that...my bad.

...

The Things We Tell Others

>>Miss you ;)

The text from Feyre winked across his screen and he couldn’t help but smirk down at it.  They’d only been dating four months at this point, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t already infatuated with her.

They’d spent so much time together already, with her coming to the club, him visiting her at her art studio, and time in between talking or meeting for coffee.  The past few days they’d both been busy though and their communication was strictly text.

<<Miss you too.

He sent the message and headed into the small cafe a few blocks away from the club.  It didn’t take him long to find the two people he was meeting.

“Rhys!”

Thea lept from her seat in the back corner and was navigating through the other tables to throw herself at him.  Rhys caught his sister easily and pulled her into a bone crushing hug.  She smelled like lavender and lemon, familiar and comforting.

“Hey kid,” he laughed, swinging her around.  He released her and held her back at an arm's length. “When did you get so tall?”

Thea rolled her eyes. “It’s the curse of the Avitas’.  C’mon!  We ordered some mini-donuts.”

Rhys let his sister pull him back to the table where their mother was still waiting.  Alanna was beaming and wasted no time in standing and pulling him into a hug.

“I am so glad you’re here,” Alanna told him.

“Of course, I’m here,” Rhys replied.  He gave his mother a look, keeping a firm hold on her hand.

“I know that your father tried to get you to come to the event next week,” Alanna said. “I don’t know what he said or did, but…well it must have given him enough guilt because here we are.”

They took their seats again and a waiter came by to get Rhys some water.

“It’s fine,” Rhys said. “I wanted to see the two of you.  It’s worth it.”

While Rhys had been cut off from the family, to Benham’s devout insistence--things had changed in the last year.  Now that Rhys’ business was doing well and he’d even been asked to attend some networking events and do more networking that he couldn't pass off to Cas or AZ unless they were supervised.

At one such event he'd met his father, the first time seeing him in a long while. As it turned out the family business needed to host an event and The Court had been chosen. Without Benham knowing of course.  But it would mean having to interact with his father more than usual. But they'd come to an agreement that Rhys could see his mother and sister. Once. For now. Rhys was still a disappointment and failure to the family name of course.

"Now,” Alanna said, "tell me everything.  How are my other boys?"

"They're good," Rhys smiled, his mother had always seen Cas and Azriel as her own ever since Rhys brought them over at eight after giving Cas a black eye. His mother had asked no questions and only opened up her heart to let them in.

"Just good? Are you sure you boys are eating enough? I can go to the store with you and fill your fridge." Alanna was entirely serious.  If Rhys wasn't careful, his mother would indeed go to the store for him.  She’d then go to Home Goods and Costco just to be on the safe side.

“Mother,” Rhys began.

Alanna waved a hand, cutting him off.  "I just want to make sure you're taken care of."

"I know," he said. "and I'm glad you're here, you and Thea."

"Oh thanks, I thought you forgot about me again,” Thea said casually.  Rhys rolled his eyes and Alanna sighed.  Thea grinned. “Just saying it’s been five minutes and you haven’t even asked how I am.”

“How are you Thea?” Rhys asked patiently.  She kicked him beneath the table.

“I got into advanced chemistry, thanks for asking,” Thea replied. “Now, the important question is, how are you?  I’m supposed to be the one to ask you so mom can tell you she wants to set you up with someone.”

Alanna let out another sigh and dragged the small plate of mini-donuts closer to herself.

“Althea,” Alana chided. Though, in Rhys’ opinion, she looked none too upset by Thea’s brazen words.

“Please, ma, you would have taken twenty minutes to get there,” Thea said, a happy little grin sliding across her features, “this way we get to see Rhys make that face.”

Indeed, Rhys was making a face.  He could feel his eyes widen, frown deepen, and a sense of unease flood his body.  Hell.

“Mother,” Rhys began.

Alanna waved a hand to dismiss his comments. “I have a friend with a daughter that just graduated, she’s teaching kindergarten and is a delight.  I can give you her number.  You can’t scare her off.  I know you, Rhysand.  Just because you own a nightclub doesn’t mean anything.”

“Mother,” Rhys said again.  Thea pulled her phone out with a great flourish, training it on him to capture each of his reactions.  Rhys glared while she grinned. “I don’t need anyone’s number.”

His mother only raised a brow in that way he had missed.

“I haven’t smothered you in long enough,” she reminded him, “consider this is me making up for lost time.”

“Ma,” Rhys said.  He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “You can smother me all you want, but I’m alright in this.”

“Are you telling me,” Alanna said, leaning across the table to examine her son carefully, a far too knowing look in her eyes, “what I think you’re telling me?”

Alanna had long been pestering Rhys about dating. And if she wasn't on his case she was on Azriel or Cassian's. Her boys, as she said, were too good to be wasted on not caring about anything. And she wanted grandbabies.

He gave an exasperated sigh and stole a donut hole from the little tray before taking his phone from his pocket.  He unlocked the screen and pulled up his home screen where rested a picture of Feyre.  He’d captured it just last week when they’d gone to the farmers market.  She’d practically danced from stall to stall as she examined everything and spent the most time examining art and oil paintings.  This picture was of her burying her nose in a bouquet of flowers.  Her dark blonde hair fell in loose waves around her.  The freckles he loved were bright as stars on her skin.

“This is Feyre,” he said, passing the phone to his mother and sister. “We’ve been dating a few months now.”

“She’s pretty,” Thea said.  She snagged the phone and did a thorough examination. “What’s she doing with someone like you?”

“Ha,” Rhys replied.  

“How did you meet? What does she do?  Is she originally from Velaris?” Alanna launched into question after question.  Rhys knew what she was really asking: can I meet her?

And as he answered questions and accepted the teasing--Rhys realized that, yeah, he would really want his mom and sister to meet Feyre.

...

tags-bolded tags wouldn’t link

@aelinchocolatelover  // @sexy-dumpster-fire // @bamchickawowow // @ireallyshouldsleeprn // @courtofjurdan // @sassys-world // @sleeping-and-books // @superspiritfestival // @chieflemming // @julemmaes // @lysandra-ghost-leopard // @firestarsandseneschals // @emikadreams // @rapunzel1523 // @booksofthemoon // @highladysith // @fangirlprincess09 // @rowaelinismyotp // @vanzetanze // @cassianscool // @stardelia // @my-fan-side // @sjmships // @tillyrubes10 // @rhysandswhore  //  @story-scribbler  // @post-it-notes33 // @live-the-fangirl-life // @strangevil321 // @pastasiren // @lemonade-coolattas @foreverfallingforthestars // @feysand-loml // @realbookloverproblems // @ghostlyrose2 // @swankii-art-teacher // @foughtconquered // @bri-loves-sunflowers // @captain-swan-is-endgame  // @mystic-bibliophile // @cretaceous-therapod // @thenightgodess-feyrearcheron //  @thisloveseternal // @gracie-rosee // @magnifique1807 // @liars-lmao // @goddess-aelin // @thegloweringcastle // @tangledinsparkles // @the-lonelybarricade // @millsarcherfeykat // @sideralwriting // @nerdperson524 // @the-fae-are-taking-over // @sushisempai // @jenibearx3 // @the-introverted-bibliophile //

#feysand #feyre archeron #rhysand #feyre x rhysand #mute!feyre #ttwcs #the things we cannot say #acotar #actoar fic #a court of thorns and roses #fanfiction #fanfic #modern au

[captainsophiestark]

To The Stars

Rhysand x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Written for my personal fic writing challenge for 2024, Sophie's Year of Fic! Featuring a new fic being posted every Friday, all year long :)

Fandom: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Summary: With war on the horizon, Rhys and his mate have been busier than should be possible, with almost no time to even see each other. But sometimes, to stay sane, you have to make time.

Word Count: 1,064

Category: Fluff

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

I squinted at the words on the paper in front of me, trying to get them to stop blurring. My eyes burned, and my head ached, and before I knew it, I was face down on the desk.

Not the first time it had happened to me, and probably not the last. But the Night Court was basically the only court who had our shit together and stood a chance at stopping Hybern, which meant it was on me and the rest of the Inner Circle to organize what we needed to organize to save the world as we knew it. That tended to lead to a lot of exhaustion.

Even worse, it had left me no time to see my mate, Rhysand, as we were both running around like maniacs, often in different directions. His face floated across my subconscious as I fought to stay awake despite my body begging me to rest my eyes and stay down on the desk. I thought I'd finally lost the battle when I heard his voice, calling my name in his smooth, soothing voice that had come to feel like home. Then I felt his hand on my shoulder, and realized this wasn't an exhaustion-induced dream.

I groaned, slowly dragging myself back into a sitting position as I blinked at Rhys through bleary eyes. He hardly looked better than me, with dark bags under his eyes. Still, he pulled a soft smile onto his face when he looked at me.

"You look about as tired as I feel," he said, voice a little more gravelly than usual. I huffed a sigh.

"I'm absolutely exhausted. But we have to do what it takes to have a chance at winning this war."

"We do."

The silence hung between us for a moment, the massive weight we carried together resting heavily on our shoulders. Then Rhys, my wonderful mate, sighed and gave me a tired smile, running his hand along my cheek.

"Come outside with me."

I raised an eyebrow at him, but his face didn't change. I held his stare, but when his calm expression didn't crack with even a hint of what he was up to, I finally gave in with a sigh of my own.

"Fine. But only because I love you so much. If anyone else was asking me to accompany them for mysterious reasons rather than wading through these papers or sleeping, I would tell them to fuck right off."

"I'll make sure to remember how lucky I am to be met with a different response."

I snorted, at myself more than him, and he shot me a small smile as I got to my feet. He held out a hand and led me out of our bedroom and up the stairs to the roof.

"If we had even a single extra second to string together, I would've told you to close your eyes first," Rhys said, a smile in his voice from ahead of me. I raised an eyebrow, more curious than ever as he stepped out onto the roof of the Velaris townhouse and I followed after him.

Rhysand stared at me with a massive grin on his face, holding his arms out slightly on either side in a 'ta-da' gesture. I looked just past him to find a nest of blankets assembled on the roof, with glasses of sparkling wine waiting for us. A small fire roared in a firepit that hadn't been there the last time I'd checked.

"We have to rest at some point, or so I've been told by every other member of our court. And if I have to take a break, I'd much prefer to take it with you."

I smiled, none of the tiredness leaving me but most of the tension draining away. I crossed the short distance between me and my mate, wrapping my arms around him tightly and breathing in his scent. I could hear his heart beating in his chest, the soft thud mixing with the crackling fire, and for just a moment everything was right with the world.

"How did I get so lucky as to find you?" I asked, a soft smile on my face as I at last pulled back to look at Rhys. The corner of his mouth quirked up, and he leaned in until his lips were just a breath away from mine.

"I wonder the same thing, how we could be so lucky to find each other, almost every day that I walk this world," he murmured. My heart swelled, and a heartbeat later Rhys closed the distance between us. I lost myself in his embrace and his soft, tender kiss.

We stayed locked together for a few long moments, then finally, reluctantly, I pulled back. Rhys watched me like a hawk, but I just gave him a little smile.

"We'll have time for that after wine and stargazing," I promised. He sighed, playing it up a little, even as he leaned back.

"I suppose it would be a shame to let it all go to waste."

I winked and gave him one last peck on the cheek, then led him over to the pile of blankets. The two of us made ourselves comfortable, snuggling into the warmth together and staring up at the crystal clear night sky. I sighed, the light from the stars shining out through the darkness above.

"This is beautiful," I murmured. Rhys handed me a glass, which I took, my eyes never leaving the night sky above.

"It really is. It helps, to look at this. To look at Velaris. And you. To... remember what we're fighting for."

"Yeah. Yeah, it does."

I finally tore my eyes away from the starlight overhead to look at my mate, meeting his sparkling eyes. I would go to the absolute ends of the world for him, and I knew he would do the same for me. The road ahead would be hard, against Hybern and the other courts, but how could anything hope to stand against us? Especially when we had the rest of our friends behind us, too.

"To the stars who listen," he said, lifting his glass to mine with a half-smile. I returned the gesture, the soft clink of the glasses ringing out in the night.

"And the dreams that are answered."

****************

Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989

#sophie's year of fic #a court of thorns and roses #rhysand #sarah j maas #acotar #rhysand x reader #rhys #acotar fanfiction #a court of thorns and roses fanfiction #rhysand fanfiction #rhysand oneshot #rhysand imagine #actoar oneshot #acotar imagine #velaris #a court of dreams #a court of mist and fury #a court of wings and ruin #high lord of the night court #high lord rhysand

[mxtantrights]

Bounded by blood and shadow (23)

azriel x magic!fem!reader

You take him in from the distance. You just finished helping Semaj’s mom with the dishes. Of course Azriel and Semaj escaped dish duty because they had better things to do. Flying. Azriel takes Semaj for a flight around the village most days. Today is no different. Well, today is no different for them. It’s different for you because of the very important need to try something.

It’s been days of lingering touches and longing stares. But the two of you have not kissed. You’ve talked about your feelings at length with each other. About how uncertain almost everything in the world is , but you two are each other’s constants. 

But you haven’t kissed. Yet.

“You poor thing.”

You turn around from your place in the backyard. There in the archway of their family home is Semaj’s mother. She used to work in the palace, when you were little. She left as you grew into an adult and Cyril had to promise you that she wouldn’t be far from you. And he did his best, the house is one of the few at the very beginning of the village. But you grew fond of her in the short amount of time. 

“What are you talking about?” You ask.

“You look like you’re just about ready to throw yourself off a cliff if he isn’t near you for longer than ten minutes.” She answers.

You chuckle, “Well, I don’t know—I didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect him.” “Love is hardly something you can expect.” 

“You told him about Madrugada.” You say.

She smiles, “And by the way you two act I’m guess you felt it.” 

You nod your head.

“Take your time. Being in love is a great experience between those who share it.” She says carefully.

“If Cyril were alive he would ask if I was thinking of baby names already.” You joke.

She laughs at that, “Cyril was a love sick fool at best. He would have wanted to see you like this.”

“I’m happy.” “I can see it. We all can.”

-

Azriel shrugs off his leathers and throws them onto the corner chair of the room. You watch as he toes off his shoes and walks to the bathroom. Trying very hard to be respectful you just continue to read over the scroll in your hands. You’re trying to find out which—yeah you stopped thinking about it as soon as he walked into the room. Can’t even remember what it is you’re supposed to be doing right now.

He comes out of the bathroom, his hair bit wet and a towel around his neck. There is no way he just took a shower so quickly. 

“I need your help with something.” He says.

You perk up a bit, “As the empress or your wife?” 

He looks at you with a dashing smile. He saunters over to where you are on the bed. He takes the scroll out of your hand and takes your hand into his. With that he’s pulling you off the bed and walking you over to the bathroom. Your mind starts to race with all the possibilities. And nerves. You haven’t even kissed yet.

“I’m a bit dirty and could use your help.” He speaks.

You pass him an incredulous look.

“You want me to…wash you?”

He chuckles, “Turn around.”

You do as your told. Which is weird now that you think about it. If Cyril could see you now. If Cyril knew all he had to do was get Azriel to ask you to do something, you would have met the shadow singer years ago. Huh. The two of them would probably get along too. 

At the sound of him clearing his throat you turn back around. He’s in the tub. His back and his wings are facing you. He’s in the tub. He’s not wearing clothes, because his undershirt and pants are in a puddle on the floor. He’s not wearing clothes. He’s sitting in the tub, he wants you to wash him.

“There are certain places I can’t reach.” He explains.

His wings twitch at the answer.

“Oh, I can help with that. Just tell me what to do.” You answer. Then you’re moving. You sit on the floor, your dress gathering into a mess. And you reach for the sponge. Before you can reach, Azriel takes it and dunks it into the water. He then lathers it in soap and passes it back to you. You take it without another word.

Just as you’re about to start, you stop. How do you wash wings? It’s not like you’ve done it before. And you haven’t see him do it himself. You gather it’s probably hard to do it alone.

“You’ll have to be gentle. My wings are sensitive. Start towards the middle.” He says.

You nods your head, “This isn’t going to hurt you, right?” 

Azriel shakes his head.

You slowly place the sponge on the middle part of his left wing. Softly you rub on the soap. 

“Okay you can go a little higher.” He says, his voice a few notches softer than before.

You follow his instruction and start to suds up the upper part of his wings. You notice that he told you higher and not the top. You think to yourself maybe he doesn’t need to wash those parts. You reach over and repeat the same step on the right wing.

“Do I—the top part. Can I do that?” You ask.

Azriel looks over his shoulder at you, “Yes, but those parts are the most sensitive.” 

“Like I should use my hands?” You ask him.

Azriel gets this look on his face. You’ve seen it before. Nervous. He’s nervous. Why would he be nervous when he’s the one that asked you to wash his wings? Maybe there’s something else you don’t know here.

“You’re the first.” He says.

It catches you off guard. His words aren’t an answer to your previous question. So at first you don’t quite understand them. Until you sit with it for another moment. You’re the first. You’re the first person to wash his wings. You can’t believe how nonchalant he was in asking you to do this before.

“I just wanted you to know. I didn’t want it to be weird. It’s something intimate.” He explains bit more.

“As intimate as drinking someone’s blood?” You question him rhetorically.  

He faces forward again. “I trust you.”

You take in a deep breath. You decide in the moment that you’ll use your hands to wash the top of his wings. Silently you lather your hands in the suds. And you place the sponge on the rim of the tub. As soon as your finger makes contact with him, you see him physically shiver. You want to stop. You want to ask him if you’ve hurt him. You should ask him if he’s okay.

“Did I do something wrong?” You blurt out.

“No, it’s just sensitive. Like an itch. Kind of.” He not so clearly sums it up.

“Show me.” You say.

“What?” He asks.

Azriel turns around in the tub. And you make sure to keep your eyes up. Not that you would see anything. The tub is murky with soap. But for his sake you keep your eyes on his face. 

“Show me how it feels.” You say again.

Azriel looks at you for a moment. Then he holds out his wet hand. You place your hand in his. But he pulls your arm out fully. Then he takes his other hand and runs his finger from the middle of your arm down to your palm. It elicits a bit of a shiver from you. But you don’t find it harmful or uncomfortable. In fact you wish he would do it again.

“Like that.” He whispers.

You lean forward, personal space cut into shreds. “That does feel very intimate.”

He hums in approval. He leans in closer to you now. His forehead just a few spaces shy of brushing yours. 

“Should I, should we, be doing this when we haven’t even kissed yet?” You ask him in a hushed tone.

“Do you want to kiss me, blood bender?”

“I’ve been trying not to show it.”

“You did a very good job.”

“Really?”

He nods, “If only I didn’t have heighten sense of smell.”

Your eyes go wide at that. You watch as a smile grows wide on his lips. He’s loving this. He’s eating this up. How far the two of you have come from where you started. Granted it’s not like you hated the male. But you feel so guilty for that. And the way that he still has a hold on your arm too.

You shut your eyes, “That’s a lot to take in.”

“I like it. Would you like to kiss me now?” 

You shake your head, “You’re being a menace.”

“Let make it up to you.” He says.

You feel him let go of your arm first. Then you feel his damp hand come up to cup the side of your face. You don’t flinch or shy away from his touch. Instead you lean into it a bit. All of a sudden you feel something else.

His breath. It’s fanning across your face. He’s that close. You can’t help the small smile that breaks out on your face.

“I’m trying to kiss you woman, stop smiling.” He jokes.

“I can’t.”

“I’ll have to kiss you senseless then.” 

You let out a squeal. The noise echoes in the bathroom. But you don’t move away. 

His lips brush against yours for the slightest of moments. And then again. And again. Until you can’t take his teasing and you’re crashing onto him. He accepts it like he was waiting for you to do it. His mouth opens just a bit and so does yours. His hand that is on the side of your face moves to the back of your neck, pulling you in closer.

It’s like nothing you could ever expect and everything you’ve come to want. It’s warm and gentle. It’s passionate and still appropriate. Or as appropriate as it can get with him being naked and you being on the floor. It’s the feeling of Madrugada. It’s everything.

#acotar x reader #acotar imagine #acotar fic #actoar #azriel x reader #azriel imagine #azriel fic #blood and shadow

[nightcourtseer]

Chapter 4

Read on A03

Elain hadn’t been expecting to see Azriel sat at the bar.

She hadn’t even known he had been planning to stay there - she’d expected him to be staying with one of the others in town. But then again, she hadn’t asked.

He was the only one sitting at the bar, the bartender posted up at the other end, glancing over every so often while drying glasses to gauge the status of the half empty tumbler of whiskey sat in front of his only patron. It barely looked tended, as the ice had long since softened the potent amber to something hazier.

Elain easily could have turned around and went right back upstairs without him ever knowing. His back was to her on the stool, and the sound of tinkling glass being dried and put away could have masked the noise of her footsteps.

But something, maybe nostalgia or curiosity or just the need to not be alone that night, pulled her further into the room. Her sneakers squeaking on the freshly cleaned floor as she made her way to the bar, which was only lit by a few candles placed on the counter and scattered throughout the room ob various bistro tables.

At the first sound of her footsteps, Azriel turned his head and locked tired eyes on hers.

She had never been able to hide from him. Not at a party, not at a full table when she felt incredibly alone amongst their friends, and not now.

“Hey,” Azriel called softly as she approached. Elain approached cautiously, like a skittish deer. She waiting to be rebuffed, ignored, thrown a cold shoulder.

That was how things had ended between them. Not in a fiery blaze but rather a slow freeze on a barren landscape. Elain still felt that ice in her heart that he had left like hoarfrost in her chest. Forever wondering what she had done to be left out in the cold.

But Azriel seemed just as desperate for company as she, and Elain took a tentative seat on the tall stool next to him. For the second time that day she felt incredibly underdressed next to him - she had thrown on a soft pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt on her way down, not having been too worried about seeing anyone she knew. Azriel remained in his dark suit from the wake, jacket thrown over the back of his chair and tie undone and thrown around his neck.

“I didn’t know you were staying here.”

Elain cringed at the accusatory tone of her voice, but if Azriel was phased by it he didn’t show it. He merely lifted his hand without looking away from her, to subtly call the bartender back over.

“Do you want anything?”

“Just a water,” Elain replied. She wanted to tell him that she hadn’t touch a drink since her father had died of liver failure. She wanted to tell him that her father’s was the last funeral she had attended. She wanted to tell him that she felt like falling apart when it felt like she had just glued all her pieces back together.

Azriel requested the water and Elain stayed silent, her eyes scanning his face.

He looked as tired as she felt. She wondered where he had flown in from.

The bartender placed a full glass of water in front of her, and Elain immediately lifted it to her lips, draining half the cup in desperation to quench her parched throat.

“I’m sorry about you and Lucien.”

Elain almost dropped her glass. Of all that she had expected him to say, it wasn’t that. But as long as she had known him, since the day she had met him her freshman year, he had never been known for much small talk. At least not with her.

“It was my decision,” she muttered, placing her cup gently in front of her, willing her hand not to shake.

“That doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt you.”

Hazel eyes bore into hers when she looked up, and Elain felt her own widen. There it was, that sense that he saw what others couldn’t, or didn’t bother to look for.

She had missed that feeling, of being seen. Of someone waiting patiently for her to open up. No matter how long it took.

“It was hard,” she breathed, her eyes locked on his as he turned more fully in his seat to face her. His drink long forgotten in front of him as he moved his scarred hands over each other.

She knew they bothered him at times, that the scar tissue would sting and ache. She knew so much about him.

When she spoke, she felt like she was 20 years old again, standing with him in a crowded bar while the rest of the world faded away around them.

“Leaving Lucien, that was hard. Starting over, finding a place on my own, getting a new job in a new town, that was hard.”

Elain stared down into her half-empty glass, swirling it around a bit, watching the condensation slip down onto the napkin beneath.

“But I think the hardest part has been coming to terms with breaking from everyone’s expectations of sweet, little Elain.”

Azriel remained silent, eyes fixed on her as she spoke.

She took a shaky breath, and kept talking.

“When I first moved in to my rental, there was ivy almost completely covering the back of the house. The landlord said he was going to hire someone to come in and take it down, so it wouldn’t do any more structural damage.”

The house had truly been almost drowning underneath the wall of ivy, little brick to be seen underneath the expanse of green leaves.

“I don’t know what possessed me to say this, but I told him I could handle it. Those were the days where I barely got myself out of bed to go to work, but for some reason I told him I could take care of all that ivy.”

Elain swallowed, her memory returning to that foggy space inside of her mind, a time that she would rather forget altogether.

“I remember that he looked me up and down, and then said, ‘Honey, it’s a tough job. It’ll take you days.’”

“But that only made me want to do it more. And so I insisted, and he said he would give me half off my rent that next month if I did it. That was all the motivation I needed - money was super tight those first few months.”

Azriel said nothing, only titled his head slightly as if to hear her better.

“I went out there every day after work that week and went at it. It was ugly, you should have seen me. I don’t think either of my sisters would believe to this day that sweet Elain would voluntarily get her hands dirty like that.”

She huffed a laugh, and took another small sip of water to wet her lips. She couldn’t remember the last time she had spoken so much, all at once.

“I was out there sweating my ass off and cursing and putting my whole body into tearing sections of this thing off. I didn’t even listen to music, I just threw my whole self into tackling this ivy. And it seemed like every night when I went inside, when it was so pitch black out I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face, it was like I had barely made any progress.”

“By the weekend, I wondered if I should call the landlord and tell him just to hire someone. But after I worked all that Saturday, I pulled off a big section and stood back, looked at the wall, and I was… done.”

Azriel gave a small hint of a smile, as Elain let out a long breath. She could still feel the weight of those vines in her bare hands, an empty brick wall staring back at her. It was covered in dirt, scratched in places, and a few of the bricks were falling out. But it was free.

“How did that feel?” He prompted curiously, and Elain met his gaze for the first time since she started her story.

“It was terrifying,” Elain admitted, her dark eyes glassy, candlelight from the bar throwing shadows across her pale skin. “Because if I could do that, what else could I do? What have I been doing with my life? It’s so much easier, to let other people tell you what you can and can’t do. What you should and shouldn’t do.”

“It limits the possibilities, it makes your decisions for you. And life is so much easier, when someone shows you the path to walk on instead of fighting through a forest of ivy to find your way.”

“And then I would look at you and Mor, traveling the world and doing important things… and I felt like I was wasting away - I was wasting my time feeling sorry for myself and guilty for a decision I had made, for myself. I still hate myself for that sometimes.”

It was the most honest she had ever been - more honest than she had ever been with Lucien. It was the dark, shadowed part of her mind still covered in those thick vines - the morbid, disgusting thoughts and feelings that she sometimes thought about herself.

But somehow - like telling a parent about the nightmare - sharing all of that with Azriel did make her feel a little bit better. Even as her cheeks flushed slightly at the nakedness of her honesty, her chest did feel a little bit lighter.

Besides those few words, Azriel had not interrupted her. Had not tried to fix anything, or rush to reassure her.

Now he looked at her appraisingly, eyes catching on the flush of her cheeks and the sheen of her eyes reflected by the flickering lights.

“You don’t have to water down your pain for anyone else’s comfort, Elain.” Azriel spoke finally, his voice as impassioned as she had ever heard it, even as low as it was.

Elain turned away, suddenly indignant at the ease he spoke those words.

“That’s easy for you to say,” she managed, downing the rest of her drink, letting the ice soothe her flaming throat.

“I’ve been working on that too, Elain.”

She turned to look back at him, trying to reconcile the 30 year old man in front of her against her memories of him, a new adult who slid through the world like a wraith, just as haunted and just as silent. She had never seen him erupt, never break down. Only that once, when he hadn’t even known she was there.

He pushed his hair back from his forehead, and when his sleeve pulled against his wrist Elain caught a glimpse of some tattoos that must be new. Black and swirling against his skin.

“I cried the whole flight here,” he admitted wryly, his hands returning to nervously twist around each other. “It was so bad the woman next to me asked to switch seats.”

“You?” Elain whispered. She didn’t think she had ever seen him cry, at least not in front of her.

She wanted to reach out a hand to rest against his knee which was now jumping restlessly.

“Maybe we’ve both changed, Elain.”

The tone of his voice was unreadable.

“Hey guys,” Elain started, not having heard the bartender approach. “I’m sorry but I’m closing down for the night.”

“Thank you,” Azriel replied, sliding a folded bill across the bar and standing. When he stood, he towered over her as she joined him in walking to the elevator.

They rode the elevator in silence, until they arrived on the 12th floor. Azriel’s floor.

The doors opened, and Elain fumbled for something to say. Even as her restless energy to say, exhaustion seemed to have overtaken her usually thoughtful mind.

But she didn’t have to worry, because he spoke first.

“Do you…” he hesitated, turning and looking down to meet her eyes. “Do you want to keep talking?”

She knew she should say no. Her nerves were shot, her emotions twisted and frazzled. She was in no state to keep speaking with him.

“Yes,” she replied without hesitating. This may be the only chance she had to speak with him before he left town again. “Yes, I would.”

………………..

His room was larger than hers, with an expensive looking sofa in a separate sitting area from the “bedroom,” with a small kitchenette and dining area. It made sense. Ever since he and Mor had both been hired by an international news station, her reporting and him as a photographer, Elain had assumed they made good money. Their station sent them all over the world - rarely allowing them time to visit home.

They sat on the sofa, facing each other. Elain spied an unmistakable camera bag in the corner with his luggage.

Azriel spied her looking.

“I don’t trust it anywhere else besides with me,” he explained with a smirk. “My trusty sidekick.”

Elain nodded, thinking about everywhere he had been. The horrors he had seen.

Something about him inspired honesty. She thought he was in the right profession for that reason.

“I worry about you,” she admitted, her eyes still fixed on the black bag. “And Mor.”

At the addition of her friend’s name, Azriel seemed to loose a breath he had been holding.

“We’re okay, we’re careful,” he reassured. She could feel him scanning her face again, as he leaned back against the arm of the couch. “I know how to stick to the shadows, where it’s safe.”

She didn’t admit that she religiously watched the news twice a day. Frantically scanning his station for Mor’s beautiful but often grim face, Azriel’s name in a tag line beneath a photo. If one of their reporters were injured, she had reassured herself that they would know, it would be front page news.

“Do you ever miss home?”

Elain’s heart raced as the loaded question left her lips, biting down so hard on the bottom one that the coppery tang of blood filled her mouth.

She nervously pulled down at the hem of her shorts as she awaited his response. Silence filled the room, and instead of comforting as it usually was when she was all alone in her own house, this silence felt dangerous. Painful.

“Sometimes,” Azriel hedged. “I do miss home.”

I miss you. She wanted to scream. I miss you so much.

But she was tired. And the world was brand new - reshaping around them with every second that passed without Mari and Anna. And this was no time to hold on to the old when the new threatened to drown them all if they let it.

So she would be careful.

“I better get some sleep,” Elain exhaled, standing tiredly. She would give him an out this time.

“Okay,” Azriel responded softly, standing with her to walk her to the front of the room.

Each step was harder than the last.

But then, just as she had rested her hand on the metal door pull…

“Would you… would you stay?” Azriel asked tentatively. Elain turned back to look at him, hand drifting away from the door.

“It would be nice not to be alone tonight,” he explained, voice raw as he looked at her pleadingly, emotion churning in his hazel eyes.

Maybe she wasn’t the only lonely one.

She didn’t trust herself to speak, so she nodded. Just one night. Just one night to not be alone. One more night to dream of something that might have once been.

“I’ll sleep on the couch,” Azriel reassured her.

She was too tired to argue with him, and he made his way over to the bathroom while she made for the king bed in the middle of the room. Morning would be there before they knew it, and she knew she had to at least try to sleep.

Even his sheets seemed more expensive than the ones in her room, as she pulled back the covers to slip beneath him. Maybe it was just the lingering scent of him that seemed to permeate the room, but a wave of comfort washed over her, even as strange as the situation was that she found herself in. In Azriel’s hotel room, a man she hadn’t seen for two years. A man she had been so completely, head over heels in love with just a decade prior.

Rest called to her, and she let the familiar sounds of someone preparing for bed wash over her. She hadn’t realized how she had missed those mundane, ordinary movements of life shared with another person.

Not 10 minutes later, Azriel emerged, and she feigned sleep.

He paused, and she imagined him looking her way to see if she was asleep. Her forced movements of deep, slow breaths must have assured him as the light turned off, and Elain heard the throw being removed from the back of the sofa to drape over him as he got comfortable. She imagined it must be difficult, as he was much taller than the sofa was long.

And then, silence.

Elain was used to the sound of crickets, a rush of water from the creek near her house. But there was only silence in the city, an occasional siren.

A few minutes passed.

Another siren.

A siren.

Red flashing lights reflected against the shadows on the wall of the room, as her eyes adjusted to the pure darkness.

A siren.

Flashing lights from an incoming ambulance.

The burning, sterile smell of a hospital room.

Beeping monitors.

Her father, dying in the hospital bed as Elain struggled not to fall asleep. She didn’t want his last moments to be alone, and she had stayed up for three straight days to hold his hand, to read to him, to talk with him.

In the end, she had fallen asleep. And he had passed while Elain dreamt.

A familiar panic began to constrict her careful, slow breathing. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the flicker of lights still reflecting against the hotel wall.

Not here, not now.

But it was too late.

“Elain?” Azriel’s voice called softly from across the room. She could hear the worry in his tone.

Not here, not now.

But she couldn’t speak, her breath coming in shorter and shorter gasps as she curled further into herself in the large bed, wishing she could sink beneath the fabric and disappear entirely.

She heard movement through the pounding in her ears and soon the covers were being pulled from around her, Azriel slipping into the bed next to her and replacing the blankets. It was a small relief when she felt their weight on her again, the last tether grounding her to this earth.

Her eyes were still squeezed shut when he felt her reach for her hands, which she imagined must feel disgusting - cold and clammy, her rings squeezed tightly against her swollen skin. Her whole body felt swollen from how much crying she had done over the past few days.

“Elain,” Azriel’s voice skittered across her skin, even over the din of her panicked memories pulsing in her mind like a second, thunderous heartbeat.

“Where’s this ring from, Elain?”

She barely felt him lift her hand from where it had been gripping the sheets so tightly that the skin was turning white.

The texture of his scarred thumb scraped across the top of her ring finger, circling the emerald stone she had picked out to signify Nesta’s birthday.

The memory of the day drifted to her, a hazy thing that she reached desperately for before it could split through her fingers.

“A… a French market, near my new house,” Elain stammered, eyes still pressed closed as she fought to speak.

A desperate gulp of air.

“And this one?” Azriel prompted her gently, his touch moving over to her middle finger, where a simple gold band lay.

“We all - all have them,” Elain choked out, “Nesta, Feyre and I. We all have the same one, from a store near Cassian and Nesta’s old apartment.”

Another merciful breathful of air in her lungs.

Elain opened her eyes, and almost began to cry at the softness in Azriel’s features. A softness that she had once thought had been meant solely for her, before it hardened like it did for all the rest of the world.

And on it went, him asking where each of her rings were from, and then carefully sliding them off of her fingers, collecting them in the palm of his hand. When he was finished and her hands were bare, he carefully reached over her to set them on the bedside table closest to her, where they settled with a clatter.

When it was done, Elain was exhausted. But Azriel did not move, did not make to leave the bed. He didn’t even stop gently tracing over her hands, his own fingers ghosting over the edges of hers, and then moving to her palms, where he meticulously moved over the lines and callouses he found there. His touch was warm, and soft - even through the gentle scrape of his own textured hands.

She wanted to tell him that he didn’t have to stay. That she would never ask that of him.

She had tried once, she didn’t think she had the strength to ask and be turned down again.

But he didn’t move. And Elain let herself drift into sleep to the warmth of him pressed reassuringly next to her, his hand never leaving hers.

Tag List:

@ultadverb

@shadowflorecita

@illyrian-dreamer

@123moiaussi

@dailyelriel

@reverie-tales

@demarogue

@gracie-rosee

@impossiblescissorspeachpaper

@mis-lil-red

@tswaney17

@zdenkah

#elriel #elain archeron #azriel #acotar fanfiction #pro elriel #elain x azriel #pro elain #elriel fanfiction #azriel shadowsinger #elriel fic #actoar human au #acotar au #elriel au

[iambutmortal]

What Doesn’t Kill Me Makes Me Want You More

@elainarcheronweek Day 5: Travel & Adventure 

An infinitely massive thank yous to @tired-potter​​ for beta reading

Summary: Something’s calling Elain out of the night court. On Calanmai, she finds what she’s been looking for.

Pairing: Elucien

Word Count: 2.6k

Content Warning: Dubious Consent, Monster Penis

Something was calling Elain away from the Night Court.

She knew she should be happy in Valaris. Knew she should enjoy life with her sisters and their friends, her new family. But no matter how much she tried, no matter how much she worked in the garden or the kitchen, she always felt like she was missing something.

She was probably just lonely, Elain told herself, when she watched her sisters wrapped up with their mates. She wanted what they have, wanted to know if the cauldron had dared give her a mate.

But then she would wake up in the middle of the night, clothes sticking to her with sweat from the nightmares, and she knew it was something else. 

The flashes of red hair that seemed to taunt her, the glimpse of a golden eye, a scar cutting through an auburn brow. She didn’t know who the man was, only that he seemed to be calling to her, seemed to be a part of that pull that tugged her away.

It was that tug that led her up to the house of wind. Helion was coming to visit from Day, and Elain longed to actually talk to someone who lived outside the Night Court. She climbed up those 10 thousand stairs, unwilling to ask anyone to fly her up there. Going herself seemed important somehow, like staking a claim.

Dinner had already been served when she arrived, flushed and out of breath.

“So this is the famed Elain Archeron,” Helion said, rising to his feet the second he saw her.

Elain took him in, the dark skin and golden crown, and took an unconscious step forward. She knew that nose, that smile, just in a slightly lighter hue. Saw it in her dreams.

“Elain, Helion,” Feyre introduced from her seat at the head of the table. “Unfortunately, his son was too preoccupied to join us.” Feyre aimed that line at Helion, a pointed dig.

“Lucien’s been holed up in the library trying to find a way to break Vassa’s curse,” Helion replied easily.

Lucien, Helion’s mysterious son. Elain had never met him, had only heard of him from Feyre’s brief mentions. He’d been staying with Tamlin while Amarantah ruled, had worked to break the curse before returning to Day.

“Tell him that I miss him,” Feyre said. “And that he works too hard.”

Helion’s laugh was a deep, rich sound. “You’ll get no complaints from me, cursebreaker. Why do you think I’m taking Calanmai off this year?”

“You, giving up a chance at an orgy, I’m shocked,” Feyre teased.

“I have to let Lucien have his fun. Besides, sometimes it’s better to partake when you’re not a ravenous beast.” He sent a wink Feyre’s way and Elain’s face heated. She had no desire to know of her sister’s plans for tomorrow night.

Feyre smirked. “The Court of Nightmares is always open to you, if you get bored.”

Helion winked. “I’m sure the Lady of Day will keep me occupied, but I thank you for the offer.”

Calanmai saw Elain dressed in a tight fitting black dress, the skirts spilling out around her even as a slit in the front ran from the floor up to where her leg met her hips. She felt exposed, practically naked in front of so many eyes. Feyre had assured her she looked fine, was dressed for the occasion.

Elain hadn’t been sure how to tell her she had no interest in watching Rhys fuck her on the throne.

Her feeling of discomfort only seemed to be amplified when the drums started. She felt like she was going to come out of her skin, something seemed to be pulling, tugging her out of that dark mountain.

She looked over at Feyre, already grinding in Rhys’ lap, and made a decision. No one would miss her if she left for the night, she doubted they wouldn’t even notice she was gone.

So Elain took off down the long corridors, practically running until she felt the cold night air on her skin. There was a cord wrapped around her ribs that seemed to be leading her, taking her into the woods.

Elain didn’t know where she was going, didn’t know where she would end up. But the idea of stopping made her physically ill. She could still hear the drums pounding away in her head, but as she walked, she was half convinced they were a heartbeat instead.

The forest itself seemed to change, the dark overhang lightening, the trees themselves looking more golden in the moonlight.

Elain was half tempted to turn around, to go back and ignore that pull, when she saw it. Or rather him, if what was dangling between the beast’s hind legs was any indication.

She could’ve convinced herself he was just a fox, if foxes were the size of small horses, had it not been for the eagle claws sprouting from his front legs and ginormous, feathered wings pinned tightly to his side.

The beast turned to look at her, his eyes, one russet and one golden, staring her down. Elain stared back, taking in the blood stained teeth and claws. A dead stag lay at his feet, savagely ripped apart.

The fae, for it must’ve been some fae creature, cocked his head to the side. That small movement seemed to break Elain out of her trace and she ran, slippered feet sliding on the soft ground.

She could hear the beast racing behind her, the sound of rustling leaves as his large frame brushed against low hanging branches.

In the distance, she could just make out the border, the point where the forest became distinctly darker, soaked in starlight. If she could just make it there, she could get help, would be free.

Claws dug into her back and Elain went sprawling, her face landing in the leaves. Elain twisted, trying to escape the clutch of the talons currently cutting into her shoulder. She kicked out wildly, hoping against all odds she could beat the beast off.

By some miracle, Elain’s foot hit something solid. The talons loosened their grip, the creature reeling back. Elain rolled onto her back, looking up at the white fur of the fae’s underbelly. 

She tried to scamper back, to get out from between those muscular forelimbs.

The monster shook his great head, snarling down at her.

“Please,” Elain begged, knowing there was no way he could understand her. “Let me go.”

In response, the beast placed one of those eagle talons on her waist, pinning her down. The pressure was enough that Elain knew if she tried to escape, he could snap ribs, but not so much as to be overly painful.

His nose pressed down, in the space between her breasts and he sniffed down the length of her body. Elain glanced down, swallowing thickly when she realized her struggle had caused her skirts to bunch up around her hips, leaving her legs bare.

He had made it to that cursed slit, the cold wet of his nose causing goosebumps to prick along her skin.

Unconsciously, Elain tried to squirm away, to stop him from finding what lay just above that spot.

The pressure of the claw increased, the tallons pressing uncomfortably against her skin. Elain forced herself to settle, lying back against the forest floor and squeezing her eyes closed.

And then the beast found it, nudged against the bundle of nerves at the apex of Elain’s thighs. And Cauldron damn her, but Elain lifted her hips, pressed up against that sensation. She couldn’t help it, was too shocked at the unfamiliar feeling.

From between her legs, those mismatched eyes met her, understanding seeming to flash in them. 

“Please,” Elain begged, not quite sure if she was asking to be released, or for him to do it again.

A low whine escaped from the monster, and then he was licking a long stripe up her cunt. His tongue was rough, the friction bordering on painful.

Elain screamed, her cries only seeming to spur him on as the beast continued to lick and nuzzle her folds. Elain could feel herself growing wet, her body’s reaction to such thorough attention.

Throughout it all, the wild creature above her continued to whine, almost pitiful sounds emerging from deep in his throat.

At some point, Elain gave up fighting it, let her body lie limp, wrung out with pleasure. Whatever type of fae was currently licking her clearly was in no hurry, was seemingly content to eat her out like his life depended on it.

It was only when Elain was practically sobbing, unable to take any more of that steady pressure, that his rough tongue finally found her entrance, entered her for the first time.

And Elain broke, pleasure crashing through her. She withered against him, trying in vain to drive him deeper, to feel more.

“Please,” Elain begged again. And again, she was ignored. The beast rode her through her high, licking until she couldn’t take it any more, was actually sobbing.

It was only then that he relented, lifting that taloned leg off her chest. 

Elain managed to sit up, muscles weak and shaky. The monster was standing several feet away, staring at her. He didn’t move, holding himself with unnatural stillness and Elain slowly rose to her feet. Elain took half a step back, towards that border between the courts. 

The beast snarled in response, baring sharp white teeth, now freed of blood. Elain didn’t want to think about what had cleaned them off, how she’d helped.

Still, she took another half step back. The monster lunged, its head aiming for the space between her thighs.

Elain shrieked as he used his momentum to throw her over his back, her head landing by his long tail. Those great wings were flapping, lifting them off the ground. They flew away from the forest floor, high over the trees. Elain squeezed her eyes shut, wrapping her arms tightly around the beast’s torso, ignoring how close her hands were to his swollen member.

She didn’t know how long they were in the air, how far away he was taking her from Valaris. Well, you wanted to leave, Elain told herself, close to hysterics.

And then they were touching down, landing on solid ground. Elain slid off the beast’s body, hitting the sandy ground with a soft thump.

She peered around, realized they were on a cliff ledge somewhere, perched on a narrow ledge between the sheer rock face and the edge.

The beast started walking, sliding his body between a narrow crack in the rock wall. Elain glanced down, swallowing thickly when she saw that the trees below were nothing but a green canopy, too far below to make out any details.

She stood and followed the beast.

He was waiting for her, pacing back and forth in front of a lit fire. His head turned to stare at her, and Elain could’ve sworn he looked nervous. It was an expression so human, so indicative of intelligence that it startled her.

Slowly, she inched closer, one hand outstretched. The beast held still, letting her approach at her own pace. Her fingers lightly brushed over his head, and the stillness was broken, the beast bumping against her hand.

His fur was soft, surprisingly silky, and Elain buried her fingers in it. The beast seemed to be purring, a deep rumbling in his chest Elain could feel in her bones, even as his cock seemed to grow harder.

A sickening realization struck her, as she looked at the fire. She’d seen this set up, had just left a party for the same purpose.

“Lucien?” she asked.

The beast—no Lucien—pressed his head harder against her hand, his eyelids fluttering.

“Oh,” Elain whispered. “Am I the maiden?”

In response, Lucien’s nose returned to that damned slit in her dress. Elain spread her legs, letting him snuff her dripping pussy, still slick from her orgasm.

Elain thought he would return to that licking, was almost looking forward to it. But instead, Lucien pressed his head against her hips, forcing her down to the ground. He climbed back on top of her, and Elain realized a second too late what he was planning.

“Wait,” Elain pleaded, even as he lined up the head of his cock with her slick folds. She was sure it wasn’t going to fit, he dwarfed Graysen’s and that had already been painful at first.

Lucien didn’t listen, entered her with one mighty thrust. Elain screamed, sure she was going to split in two. Lucien rutted into her, sliding in and out of her body, aided by her slick. Elain lay on the ground, panting, unable to move. Whether she wanted to get away or to meet his hips, she didn’t know.

The soft fur of Lucien’s underbelly brushed against her clit, and she felt pressure start to build. The pain was fading, giving way to pleasure and she managed to lift her hips slightly, allowing Lucien to enter deeper.

The tip of his cock grazed a spot on her inner walls that had her seeing stars, and Elain cried out, any discomfort forgotten.

Lucien moved faster, pounding into her with a messy rhythm, hitting that spot again and again.

Elain came apart, ecstasy washing over her. Lucien followed her with a howl, pumped thick ropes of cum into her eager pussy, some of it spilling out onto the cave floor.

Lucien held himself over her, tongue lolling out as he panted. It was only after he was spent that he removed his softening cock and, with a flash of light, transformed into a high fae.

Here was the male Elain saw in her dreams, that long red hair and strong jawline.

He collapsed on his side next to her, breathing heavily. 

“I’m so sorry,” he said, russet eye wide with panic. “I shouldn’t have done that, I had just killed the stag and I saw you and the magic wouldn’t let me transform and…” he trailed of weakly, even as he scanned her face, looking for any sign of discomfort.

And then Elain felt it, that golden thread wrapped around her heart that reached out to him.

“You’re my mate,” Elain whispered, sitting up.

Lucien recoiled in shock, and Elain heard his heart’s rapid pounding in his chest.

“We may need to come up with a better story to tell our families how we met,” Lucien said after a minute.

Despite the situation, Elain laughed, earning her a dazzling smile from Lucien.

“We should probably find a better place to get to know each other,” he said.

Elain shrugged, lying back on the sandy ground, spreading her legs slightly. “Or I could just offer you something to eat.”

Lucien raised one eyebrow. “You do know that doesn’t count, right?”

“Maybe I want to see how you compare to  your beast form.”

Lucien’s smirk was predatory as he crawled between her legs, lowering his mouth to her clit and sucking.

“So does this mean you’ll accept the bond?” Lucien asked between licks.

“Are you complaining about my offering?” Elain demanded.

Lucien shook his head. “Never.” He inserted one finger in her cunt, curling it inside her. “I’ll wait as long as you need.”

Elain gasped, legs tightening on his head. “I know where to find you,” she said. “Somewhere in the woods.”

“I think I was the one who found you,” Lucien said. Elain opened her mouth to argue, but he bit her clit lightly, her cry interrupting whatever she was going to say. “My little fawn waiting to be caught.”

#consider this my application to join monsterfuckers anonymous #this fic was the only thing that got me through this week #I'd cry over math #and then write a little monster peen as a treat #elucien #actoar #elucien fanfiction #elucien fanfic #elain x lucien #acotar fanfic #elainarcheronweek2022

[cordeliaandnestastan]

Can someone please write a nessian fic that happens after the war and diverges from canon so that once cassian gets better he runs with his comment from when he thoight they were #dying and is a good supportive boyfriend from the start that they dont have to go through the trauma™️ arc and “come back together” cuz they never left. Like give me the cassian that helps nesta cope with her first war / battle and is lovely dovey and that they are actually mf nice to each other. Plz.

#actoar fic promts #acotar fic #atowar fic #nessian fanfic #nessian promts #please #someone

[illyrian-dreamer]

Ok lovelies I’m back and I’m sorry I went MIA 🙈

Truthfully I enjoyed the holiday break FULLY - I drank, partied, relaxed, gamed (started playing Divinity Original Sin 👀), went to the Australian Open in my home city annnd completely switched off.

Then I was at my writers club last week - and inspiration has struck.

I’m going to try writing 2 series at one time 🤩

I see so many authors on here writing for multiple and have always been in awe at the different plots they’re able to keep up with, and want to have my go because I have so many ideas I want to put into writing 😩

The first series is an enemies to lovers - morally grey Rhys forcing the reader to work for her and she LOATHS him (this is not a modern fic FYI - all of my fics are based in the ACTOAR universe).

And the second…….. basically the reader is the LAST human left in the world, and is found by the Inner Circle 👀

I’m sooooo excited for this one, but look, it’s going to be dark. It will explore a deeper side of mental health and what it would look like for the reader to hit a true rock bottom.

I’ll put plenty of warnings on top of my fics so you can always know if it’s safe to read on ☺️

Also one shots - they’re never off the table.

I CANT WAIT TO RESUME POSTING A SERIES WITH YOU GUYS!!

For anyone wondering about the last chapter for Our Girl - I haven’t felt inspo to write smut at all because of some heartbreak, so I’m waiting to feel up for it again so I can do it justice 🥲

I hope you’re doing well lovelies - MWA!!! 🥰

#dream big with nic #acotar fan fiction #acotar series

[writeroutoftime]

Thank you to @captainsophiestark for tagging me in the challenge to post the last line I wrote. I decided I'll post the last 2 lines I wrote, since I'm trying to finish 2 fics right now!

She welcomed the small, but mighty crowd, and began a traditional blessing. Then she turned towards you and Rhys, offering a small smile, encouraging you to swear your own vows to each other.

(This is from a Rhys fic I'm trying to write!)

"...Yes, we might have understood what our duties would entail, but that doesn't mean we have to continue to stand for this."

(and this is from the Cassian story I'm trying to write - yes ACTOAR has drawn me in lol! hoping to get both of these stories out this weekend!)

I'm tagging @cinebration and @zepskies as well - but no pressure!

#tag game

[the-lonelybarricade]

Acotar Universe Curse Words/Phrases

A list for your fic-writing references. I've put an astricks next to the ones used the most. Pages are from the kindle version <3

Bastard (acotar pg. 46)

Piss-poor (acotar pg. 60)

What in the bottlomless depths of the Cauldron (acotar pg. 66)

Cauldron (acotar pg. 87)

Cauldron no (acotar pg. 87)

Prick (acotar pg. 92)

By the Cauldron (acotar pg. 106)**

Thank/Curse the Forgotten Gods (acotar pg. 120)

Go to hell (acotar pg. 133)

Cauldron save you/me (acotar pg. 152)*

Cauldron boil me (acotar pg. 192)*

Cauldron boil and fry me (actoar pg. 224)

Damn it (acotar pg. 225)

For Cauldron's sake (acotar pg. 328)

Gods-damned Cauldron (acomaf pg. 62)

Mother save you/me (acomaf pg. 153)*

By the Mother (acomaf pg. 192)

Mother above (acomaf pg. 206)***

Mother's tits (acomaf pg. 209)

Mother knows what/when/how (acomaf pg. 236)

Cauldron damn me (acomaf pg. 253)

Thank the mother (acomaf pg. 285)

Thank the Cauldron (acowar pg. 32)

Cauldron bless him/her/you/us/them (acowar pg. 203)*

Mother bless him/her/you/us/them (acowar pg. 226)*

Thank the fucking Cauldron (acowar pg. 279)

Mother damn it (acowar pg. 394)

Holy Mother (acowar pg. 510)

Gods (acofas pg. 3)

Cauldron knows what/when/how (acofas pg. 149)

Mother above and Cauldron save me (acofas pg. 202)

Mother help you (acofas pg. 227)

Fuck (acosf pg. 54)

Gods no (acosf pg. 147)

Cauldron boil him alive (acosf pg. 157)

Holy Gods (acosf pg. 247) (this is first used in acosf, but is used a TON)

Thank the gods (acosf pg. 306)

Gods spare me (acosf pg. 598)

Gods help us (acosf pg. 627)

Motherfucker (acosf pg. 666)

Godsforsaken (acosf pg. 722)

#this is definitely not exhaustive so if I missed any let me know! #the majority of the ones in acotar are from Lucien haha #interestingly 'Gods' isn't really used as a curse word until acosf #acotar #acotar fic

[honeybeefae]

Congratulations on 2k followers! We absolutely love you and what you write for us. We appreciate you and everything you do! For your ask spree, what if Lucien was appointed High Lord of Day Court but tradition states that to make it official he has to consummate the union with his Queen. And they’re mates or the reader is given to him and they’re both nervous and holding back but really want it. I don’t really know just drama and smut ensue 🔥

(I hope this is okay and it was so much fun to write and I wanted to write more but it was already nine pages long)

Royal Duties (Lucien Vanserra x Reader)

WARNINGS: Arranged marriage, worries over abuse, SMUT, 18+, super sweet, loss of virginity?

All eyes were on you as you were presented before the new High Lord of the Day Court, Lucien Vanserra. He had just recently taken over after the death of his father and although he was able to pick up on things rather quickly, the fine print of his crown made him raise his eyebrows.

It was written that the next in line to be the High Lord must not only take a Lady but also consummate the marriage. This was to ensure that the line would not end and that the thrones never sat empty. Lucien could have his pick of any court member or even one of his subjects in the villages. It was all within his hands.

And he had picked you.

You did not know why and had spent the better half of last night and this morning trying to figure it out. He had chosen you out of a lineup of noblewomen in the court, not even sparing a glance at the others once his gaze fell on you.

As far as you knew, he didn’t even know your name. This complete stranger had turned your world upside down with a point of his finger and wave of his hand. You were still coming to terms with it as your ladies dressed you in the court’s colors, making sure not a hair was out of place as the veil was draped over your head.

“My Lady, you are a vision.” Yuri smiled as she fixed the train of your dress. “Our High Lord will be most pleased in your attire.”

“Most pleased indeed.” Savit agreed, finishing the final touches of kohl and powder. You gazed at your reflection and barely recognized the woman staring back at you. The one in the mirror was fierce and beautiful, a true Lady of the Day Court. But that wasn’t who you were.

“Is he…” You swallowed as your voice squeaked in nervousness. “Have you heard anything bad about him? Does he treat…people like us fairly?”

Savit caught onto your worries and ran a soothing hand down your arm. “He is a good man, my Lady. He will treat you well.”

The words gave you some comfort but it all disappeared when you heard a knock and saw the advisors waiting for you with pleasant smiles on their faces. You almost tripped over your own feet as you followed behind them, the grand doors to the ballroom waiting to open for you.

“Good luck my Lady.” They bowed slightly just as the doors opened, revealing a room full of your family, friends, and other people of the court. You stood there for a moment, too scared to move, until you looked up at the front of the room.

Lucien was standing there, a vision of his own as the white robe clung to his body like water. His hair was halfway tied up and his golden crown was atop his head, matching the color of his mechanical eye. He was staring at you, drinking you in just the same, and gave a small smile when your eyes finally connected with his.

Something in his aura told you it was going to be okay and so you took a deep breath, held your head high, and gracefully walked up the steps until you were facing him. Golden light filled the room as the priestess said her words, both of you tuning her out as he held your hands.

His thumb was stroking the back of your knuckles in comfort when she finally ended her prayer, looking at the two of you expectedly. Your eyebrows were knitted in confusion until Lucien gingerly dropped your hands and lifted the veil off your face to reveal yourself to him.

Your very breath was stolen from your lungs as he gave you a wider smile, turning to grab the crown on the pillow beside the priestess and placing it atop your head.

He pulled away and admired you as the entire room erupted in applause, your heartbeat drowning out everyone as Lucien bent down and gave you a simple kiss on your lips.

It made your mouth tingle as he pulled away and you had to resist the urge to touch your lips where he had just been. You could feel him watching you as you turned to the room and gave them a smile and a wave, both of your hands conjoined as you walked down the steps and back through the doors you came from.

After that you barely had time to converse with your new husband as you got introduced to everyone in court, all of them bowing and offering bountiful gifts of different sizes and shapes. A grand buffet was served almost immediately and you noticed it had some of your favorite foods along with Lucien’s.

You didn’t have much time to eat though because the music started up and the festivities went in full swing. People were dancing, drinking, and dining while you were being whisked all around the room so much that you thought you would get whiplash. 

The entire night was like a dream and you found yourself actually enjoying his company. He was funny and sarcastic, whispering jokes into your ear about certain members of the court as they approached you. You were pleased to notice that he seemed to enjoy you as well, the two of you conversing easily over many different subjects.

Everything was going great until you heard an advisor stand up, his glass raised, and shout, “To the marriage bed!”

It was luck that you hadn’t eaten much because as soon as those words registered in your head, you felt your stomach drop with nerves. Your mother and sisters had given you a brief explanation of what would happen tonight, telling you it was not very pleasurable but to grin and bear it for the new High Lord.

They had warned you of pain and bleeding but had made clear that you should not cry. You felt your hands go clammy as Lucien grew distant immediately, dropping your hand and frowning. Did he not want this? Were you not desirable?

“Off you go, we must hurry!” One of your ladies whispered into your ear, taking your arm and gently leading you to a side room. You turned to look for Lucien, uncertainty in your eyes as he watched them lead you out.

“I thought he would be taking me here, Yuri.” You mumble as you are brought into a grand bedroom with a four-poster bed. 

“He will meet you here later.” She assured you as she began to undo the ties of your gown. “We need to get you oiled and ready for him before then.”

“Does he not do all that?” Your voice was laced with confusion and concern as the dress fell off your body, leaving you in the lacy undergarments they had put you in earlier that day. Savit took the dress and laid it on a hook, shaking her head at your naivety. 

“No, my Lady, he-” She began only to jump in fear when she heard the door open up. All three of you turned and were shocked to see Lucien standing there, his lean frame resting against the doorframe.

“Leave us, please.” He ordered. Both Yuri and Savit stood immediately, bowing their heads and gathering their things quickly. You were near trembling when the door shut behind them. It was the first time you had been alone with him.

“Do you, um, I just,” You were fumbling over your words as you wrapped your arms around your body. “Is there anything I can get you?”

“I won’t touch you if you do not want to be touched,” Lucien assured, walking towards you in two long strides. “I do not want to force you to do anything of that sort, though I realize the irony of that statement given our quick marriage.”

The corners of your lips turned up in a smile. “It’s not that. My mother told me what would happen tonight.”

“Do you not know yourself?” His voice had dropped an octave, realization dawning on him. “Have you not been with any man? Or woman?”

Embarrassment made your cheeks heat up as you shook your head once, fiddling with a stray string on your panties. “No. I haven’t. Does that displease you?”

“Displease me?” Lucien chuckled in disbelief, shaking his head in bewilderment. “Displease me? What about you? Mother above, I picked you because you seemed smart and capable and beautiful, I just assumed you had lovers before…and for this to be your first time?”

He began to pace around the room as if he were battling with his inner morals. You felt guilty for making him upset or whatever emotion he was currently experiencing. You let out a breath and reached out for his arm, stopping him midstep. Lucien’s eyes instantly fell on your body, his skin turning warm from arousal at the sight of you.

“I will be fine, Lucien. I promise.” You gave his arm a tiny squeeze. “Shall we get on with it?”

You didn’t wait for him to confirm, too afraid you were going to lose your nerves, as you climbed atop the bed and laid on your back. According to your mother, this was the position that would hurt the least. Lucien watched you with amusement as you situated yourself between the pillows, noticing the slight shakiness of your hands.

It wasn’t until you began to pull down your underwear that he stopped you, following you up the bed and gently grabbing your wrists. “You look absolutely silly, Y/N.”

“I’m not trying to look silly.” You huffed in frustration. “My mother told me this is how it is done. I lay here, you do something down there and I just look up at the ceiling. Simple as that.”

“Cauldron save me…” Lucien mumbled under his breath. “I’m sure that some people do it that way but this is supposed to be pleasurable for the both of us.”

“That’s not what I was told.” You purse your lips, rising up on your elbows. “Are those men still coming to watch?”

His frown returned as he rolled his eyes, the mechanical one whirring. “Unfortunately but these curtains will be drawn so they will not see you or I. I want you to feel as comfortable as you can tonight.”

“Really?” You ask with a raise of your brow, smiling as he gave you a sincere nod. “Well, if you truly mean what you say, could you, um, show or maybe tell me what it’s supposed to be like? I was told there will be pain and if I am being truthful, I do not deal with pain that well.”

The air between the two of you seemed to shift as his gaze darkened. “I have no problem showing you what your body and mine can do, but I need your consent first. This should not be out of force of duty.”

“Consent to what, exactly?” You breathed as he hungrily drank in your body once more. 

“To touch you, Y/N,” He replied huskily, raising a hand and skimming his knuckle down your arm. Goosebumps followed in his wake and you felt small tingles of excitement going down your spine. “To taste you, to make love to you…”

“Do I have your permission?” 

“Yes.” 

Your reply was instantaneous as was the kiss that followed. He tipped your chin so you were looking up at him, his body hovering over yours as his lips pressed against you. It felt like fireworks this time instead of tingles, the kiss was deeper and longer than before.

He tasted like sunlight and cinnamon, an intoxicating combination that made you crave more. When he tried to pull away you surprised yourself and him by throwing your arms around his neck, bringing him back to you.

“I didn’t know you would be so eager.” Lucien teased as he nipped at your bottom lip. Your thighs pressed together in need as he trailed his lips from your mouth to your ear. “However, I must say it is a good look on you.”

“Please, Lucien.” You panted, not even sure what you were truly asking for. It was like your body was on fire and his lips were the only thing that could put it out. 

“What do you need, my lady?” He asked you, appearing in your field of vision once more. “What do you want me to show you?”

“Everything, just, please! Please touch me!” You whined. 

One of his hands trailed down your neck, his fingertips ghosting over your skin until he brushed against one of your clothed nipples. It made you suck in a breath when he pulled on it, testing your reaction.

Lucien’s pupils were blown wide as he had you raise up and remove your bra. You threw it somewhere to the side, your body buzzing with excitement as he licked his lips at the sight of your bare breasts.

“You are gorgeous…” He hummed as he took both of them into his hands, squeezing the flesh while watching you bite your lip in need. Slowly, with his eyes focused on you, he took one of your nipples into his mouth and sucked. You couldn’t hold back the moan in your throat at his action, your eyes closing as he lavished you with attention.

“Feels so good.” You praised, fists clenching the sheets as he moved to the other one. The panties you were wearing were wet with your arousal, something that had only happened to you during your dreams, and the lacy material kept rubbing against you in a way that was making you wild.

You hadn’t even noticed you were grinding your hips until Lucien placed a firm hand on your stomach, holding you still. 

“What are you doing down here, princess?” He asked you, his voice teasing. The nickname was unexpected but it made your stomach fill with butterflies. 

“I…I don’t know.” You looked away, ashamed, while closing your legs tightly. “It just felt good.”

His hands came up and pried your thighs apart, admiring the way your cunt glistened in the candlelight of the room. Lucien’s chest rumbled with satisfaction as you allowed him to touch you, his jaw clenching at just how soaked you truly were.

“I’m gonna show you how good you can feel, Y/N.” He growled, peeling your panties off and stuffing them into his robe pocket for later. You tensed, watching him with uncertainty until the first swipe of his tongue had you melting into the bed.

“Oh, Lucien…” You sighed, the feeling foreign but good. He wrapped both of his arms under your thighs and held them apart so he could feast on you, his tongue darting in and out of your hole before coming back up to your clit.

When he flicked your clit with the tip of his tongue you almost jumped in surprise. You heard a small chuckle from him as he repeated the action but this time, this time you moaned loudly. 

“Right there, please.” You pleaded, your face flushed with desire and embarrassment. Logically you should be horrified that he would be anywhere near your sex. It was something you had thought was taboo, or at least had been told, but this pleasure he was giving you made it go out the window. You were on a euphoric high.

As he continued you felt something building up inside you. You started to squirm, wriggling your hips and even humping his face which he did not seem to mind at all. The pressure kept building and building and when you tried to pull away to explain, his hands roughly grabbed your ass and kept you still.

“Wait, Lucien, I feel like-” You tried to get out but then he started to suck on your clit, humming softly, and your entire body suddenly seized in pleasure. 

“Oh, oh!” You cried out, your core clenching as your hips rose high in the air as Lucien continued to eat you out. He drank every drop of your cum as you rode his face, your head thrown back in the pillows.

It was what you imagined heaven to feel like as he slowed down his licks, pulling away to gaze at you. Your hair was a mess, cheeks pink, eyes wide, and your mouth smiling as you stared up at the ceiling. 

“Are you okay?” He asked you, smiling when you rose up to look at him. 

“Can we do that again?”

#lucien x reader #lucien fic #lucien acotar #lucien vanserra #lucien smut #lucien x reader acotar smut #lucien x reader smut #lucien x reader acotar #acotar #acotar smut #acotar reader fic #acotar reader smut #actoar reader #actoar smut #lucien vanserra smut #high lord lucien

[talkfantasytome]

Punk Rock Princess

Cassian is always playing with Nesta's iPod, but Nesta has no idea why.

Warnings: None | Word Count: 2,141 | Nessian Masterlist

Read on AO3

a/n: This is a throwback to different technological times! To the early/mid 2000s and the first few generations of iPods. For Day 5: Music of @nessianweek.

Nesta walked through the crowded hallway straight to the student center, head bobbing along to the music playing in my ear.

She loved her massive, over-ear headphones. They really did the trick of drowning the entire school out. All she could hear was the music cascading through her bones, and it took a great amount of control to keep herself from starting to rock out and dance in the middle of the corridor.

Do or die, you'll never make me Because the world will never take my heart Go and try, you'll never break me We want it all, we wanna play this part

She made a beeline for the student center, finding a table on the outskirts of the junior section quickly before the other students with an open period started filling up the tables. Gwyn and Emerie weren't free this period, and she had no interest in hanging out with anyone else.

The room was basically a massive square with tables organized into four sections. The sections created a big, open square in the middle of the room that students walked through when traveling to the different wings of the school. From the entrance to the student center, the senior section was first. To the right of the open square was the freshman section, at the top of it was the sophomore section - which was right in front of the cafeteria that was open almost the entire day from about 7:30 until the end of the last lunch period - and then to the left was the junior section.

Nesta picked a table in the far corner, so close to the stairwell to the library it was practically beneath it. The chairs around her were strewn about in a way that made most of them look like they belonged to none of the tables. High schoolers didn't care about pushing chairs in when the bell rang and it was time for class. And the other tables nearby remained empty as the student center cleared out, leaving only the sophomores, juniors, and seniors who had an open period.

The room seemed rather quiet once the bell rang again and classes had officially started. Far more preferable.

She pulled her iPod and computer out of her bag and set them both on the table. The movement caused her earphones to wiggle a bit, and she had to push the connector back into the jack fully.

That had been happening a lot lately, much to Nesta's chagrin. But there wasn't much she could do. Two years prior she'd saved up about a year's worth of tutoring money to buy her forty gigabyte iPod, and she had no interest getting back into tutoring. People could be so dumb and she had no patience for it.

Sure, she'd love to get a new iPod. They now have ones with video capability and go up to sixty whole gigabytes. She probably wouldn't use the video much, but the screens also are in color. And she's always watching that storage bar as she gets increasingly close to being told her iPod is full. But she also loved her current iPod. It's far sturdier than the new ones, and she'd spent so much time working to get one. How could she just throw it away?

Opening her laptop, Nesta pulled open her iTunes and started working on a new playlist. She'd just purchased My Chemical Romance's album 'The Black Parade' and was obsessed with 'Welcome to the Black Parade'. So, of course, she needed to create a playlist themed around that song.

She'd managed to plug her iPod in - it needed a quick charge, it ran out of battery so fast these days - and add that one song to the playlist before a chair was pulled up to her table and a large mass of a boy plopped down into it.

Cassian Laskaris sat there, grinning at her as she looked up from her screen. And damn him, he looked good. It was only the second period of the day, so his hair was still slightly damp from his shower after Monday morning football practice. He left it all down that morning, falling in dark waves to his shoulders, instead of the typical half-messy bun. Nesta had to fight back the impulse to run her fingers through those luscious locks. It would give him the wrong impression.

He mouthed some words at her, but with her headphones still on, she had no idea what he'd said. She pointed to her headphones and shrugged her shoulders to say as much, but Cassian's smile only grew.

Apparently, he took that as an invitation to lean over and pull the headphones off of her. Nesta would've fought against him, but she was frozen by the nearness and the woodsy scent of his body wash.

"I said, 'Good morning, sweetheart'," he repeated, flashing her that damn crooked smile that had her toes curling involuntarily. Gods she hated him.

"I've told you not to call me that."

He chuckled, "You're right. My sincerest apologies. What are you doing? Working on a playlist?"

Nesta straightened her back and looked down her nose at him. "As a matter of fact, yes. I am."

"Cool! Let me see!" He took her computer and slid it over to himself, turning it so he could look at the screen. He also pulled the iPod closer so that it wouldn't disconnect.

"Hey!"

Cassian was always doing this. He shared every open period with her and, without fail, always came to join Nesta…uninvited. And he was constantly stealing her iPod, looking through her playlists, commenting on her music. She wasn't sure why he bothered. He always had the newest model, the joys of being part of one of the richest families in Velaris.

Nesta couldn't help but wonder what that must be like. To always be able to get the newest model of everything. To never have to worry about your gadgets breaking cause you can just get a new one. She'd practically built a bed for her iPod to make sure the back wouldn't scratch too much, and that her iPod wouldn't fall off her nightside table as it charged while she slept.

He started clicking around her computer and Nesta moved to pull it back, but Cassian just slid it away from her further.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Nothing," he replied. "I'm just looking. Finally have access to your full library."

Her lips thinned, her eyes narrowing into a glare. "I don't want you on my computer."

"Why? What do you have on here?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her as his lips spread into a stupid smirk. "Something dirty? What are you trying to hide?"

She rolled her eyes and stood, the chair scraping on the floor and letting out a shriek. "Nothing you'd understand. So fine, have fun. I'm going to the bathroom."

It took Nesta at least five minutes to get to the bathroom, use it, wash her hands, and look herself over. She was absolutely in love with the deep blue streaks she'd put into her golden brown hair the week before. They brought out the blue in her eyes, and were a lot of fun. She even matched her American Apparel solid-color zip-up to them that day, hoping it might bring more attention to them. Tomorrow she might have to pull out the deep blue, super tight skinny jeans she has hiding in her closet. Today, she chose her black ones.

Yet, even as she checked over her outfit and hair, every second her brain was focused on her computer and what Cassian might be looking at, what he might find. What if he went into her writing folder and found all that fan fiction she wrote but never posted. No one was supposed to see that. Luckily he couldn't access the internet on her laptop at school, so she didn't have to worry about him checking her browsing history - all that research being done for her new fic…he'd definitely get the wrong idea.

Not that it mattered what he thought of her. But she'd rather he not go tell his friends about whatever he finds. She didn't need the entire football and cheerleading teams knowing about it. Being ignored by them was a far preferable existence.

Bracing herself, she took one last look in the mirror and headed back to the table, where she found Cassian sitting there with her computer closed, his hands folded over it.

He was grinning like an idiot. She didn't like it.

"What?" she asked as she sat back down.

"Nothing."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing!" His voice got a bit defensive, but his smile didn't falter. "I told you, I was just looking at your iTunes."

She didn't believe him, but she doubted he'd admit to anything. And she really didn't feel like continuing with a pointless conversation. "Whatever."

Nesta had just sat back down when the bell rang.

"Well, see you later, Nes!" He popped up and practically fled the student center. He really was one of the weirdest guys she knew, but it sure was a good view from behind.

She shook the thought away, cursing herself for even thinking it, and then packed up her computer, sliding it into her backpack. She then picked up her iPod and pulled her headphones back on. She didn't yet have her new playlist, but she could just go back to the new album and listen through it again.

She went to click play and pick up where she left off, only to find that she was on the playlists screen, and at the top was something called 'Punk Rock Princess - Nesta's Mix'. That definitely hadn't been there earlier. She'd never once put her name on a playlist.

Class was starting in three minutes, Nesta didn't have time to look through it, so she put her iPod and headphones into her bag and rushed to math. She tried to distract herself with her classes, but her mind kept drifting to the playlist.

It had to have been Cassian. There was no other explanation. Playlists weren't just randomly generated or created by her iPod. She wished iTunes was so advanced. That would make life so much easier.

What did he put on the playlist? And why did he even bother? She couldn't imagine it being any good. He didn't know her music taste that well. It was probably just a joke playlist, maybe a bunch of dumb sounds. Something to annoy her, as he loves to do. Or worse…it might just be Disney Channel pop. A bunch of TV stars autotuned and singing songs written solely to be popular. Gross.

She should just delete the playlist. Not give Cassian the pleasure. But something was stopping her. She wasn't sure what it was, but she couldn't bring herself to get rid of it. Not without listening first.

So, the moment the bell rang for her lunch period, she grabbed her iPod and headphones, and headed to the library where she could sit in the stacks and listen in peace. Clicking into it, she found the first song was, in fact, 'Welcome to the Black Parade'. Surprising, but she wasn't going to turn that gift away. She clicked play and then began scrolling through the list.

It was one favorite song after another. Blink-182, Green Day, Good Charlotte, Sum 41, Autopilot Off, Simple Plan. But there was also a sprinkling of stuff she didn't know. In particular there were a couple songs by a band called Paramore she hadn't heard of yet, but damn were they good. The vibes were on point and Nesta was shaken to her core. This was exactly the playlist she'd wanted to make that morning. She wasn't sure how that was possible, since she didn't even know all the songs earlier in the day, but this was it. This was what she wanted.

Nesta couldn't believe it. It was the perfect playlist. How did Cassian know? All he ever did was comment on her music, and ask questions about it. He'd never heard of half the bands he saw on her iPod, at least. So how did he make something like this?

Unless…was that why he did it? Why he was always looking at her iPod, asking her about her music? Had he been planning this?

She skipped around a bit, playing through the songs she didn't know, listening to the ones she did only partially so she could get through it all during lunch. And with just a few minutes left she made it to the last song, "Punk Rock Princess".

Nesta listened to it the whole way through, and for some reason she almost felt as if it was Cassian singing that song straight to her.

a/n: If you don't know "Punk Rock Princess" by Something Corporate, here's what the meaning is as written by someone on genius.com, but it's the interpretation I always had of the song, too: "It’s a classic story of a boy obsessing over a girl who’s outside his circle—Andrew is the classic surfer boy playing small gigs when writing “Punk Rock Princess” but he’s in awe of the coolness and attitude of this punk girl, and wants to find a way into her life." So hopefully that makes sense for the ending. XD

No shame or judgment to those who enjoy music by past Disney Channel stars' music from that time (or now). I owned Metamorphosis by Hilary Duff, and the Lizzie McGuire soundtrack. And I still listen to those cause they had some true bops. I just felt little teen punk rock Nesta might be a bit pretentious about them. Lol

Also, about Nesta not knowing Paramore, and/or questions on the timeline. That band came out in 2005, but didn't become more well known until 2007. This takes place autumn 2006, and while it's totally likely a Nesta-type would know them, I needed something for Cassian to have to make her be like "oh?".

@live-the-fangirl-life @generalnesta @secretlovelybeauty @julemmaes @boredserpent @autumnbabylon @lady-winter-sunrise @moodymelanist @sv0430 @nesquik-arccheron @gwynrielsupremacy @katekatpattywack @moonstoneriver77 @deedz-thrillerkilller16 @swankii-art-teacher @lemonade-coolattas @emily-gsh @my-fan-side @champanheandluxxury @sayosdreams @simpingfornestaarcheron @perseusannabeth @clemidansleschoux @meher-sumedha @labetenoir @vinylcryes @shinya-hiiragi @starryblueskies7 @a-court-of-milkandhoney @pintas3107 @embersofwildfire @superspiritfestival @aks18 @thewayshedreamed @lunabean @xstarlightsupremex @mis-lil-red

#nessian #nessianweek2022 #nessian fic #nessian fluff #nesta archeron #cassian #nesta x cassian #cassian x nesta #canon universe #acosf #acotar #a court of thorns and roses #a court of silver flames #acotar fanfiction #actoar fic #acotar fanfic #fanfic fluff #fluff #nesta and cassian #music #music day #ipod #throwback #cassian is a dweeb #that is the theme of the week

[vivictory-draws]

Tamlin and Briar for @goforth-ladymidnight for the ACOTAR Secret Santa 2022 gift exchange @acotargiftexchange

I must admit that I was quite stressed out over how this work would end up looking, primerly because I'm not too used on drawing backrounds, but I actually think I'm quite satisfied with it! I had so much fun being the secret santa for @goforth-ladymidnight, who is a lovely soul and gave me a ton of ideas for how to visualize Briar and Tamlin for her. Please make sure to check out her fic A Garden of Thorns if you would like to read more about the pair, she's one of the most talented writers who's work I had the pleasure of reading so far in the actoar fandom.

Art by me (vivictory_draws on Instagram). Please do not repost without my permission, but likes and reblogs are very much appreciated.

#acotar secret santa 2022 #brilin #briar #tamlin #acotar art #acotar fanart #acotar #acosf #acomaf #acowar #acofas #briar acotar #mine #my art

[cadiacore]

❀。• *₊°。25 days of TS ❀。• *₊°。

hello everyone! so my wonderful friend @azriels-angels came up with a great idea of doing a countdown to solstice but with fics! It's a great idea! So, I decided (with help from Lia) that I would do it as well! Now, she will be doing hers through requests while I'm going to be using the song's "prompt"!

Now, I will mostly be writing for characters from ACTOAR//CC but there are some that are part of other fandoms just to include all of my babies. The other fandoms I will be writing for are the inheritance games, the cruel prince, red queen, and kingdom of the wicked. The prompts will mostly center around ACOTAR//CC since that's where my mind is lol.

I have all of the songs picked out but if you want to send in your favorite taylor swift song, I may just make some extras! Bonus content (kinda).

I won't be doing a taglist for this event but the event starts December 1st and so does Lia's! Go send in your requests to Lia and let's get ready for the holiday season! love ya babes!

-A

#cadia's chaos #ruhn danaan x reader #cassian x reader #nesta x reader #wrath x reader #taylor swift #acotar #azriel x reader #azriel shadowsinger #ithan holstrom #hunt athalar x reader #the inheritance trilogy #grayson hawthorne #nash hawthorne #cardan greenbriar #red queen #kingdom of the wicked #crescent city #connor holstrom #cal calore

[iftheshoef1tz]

Aside from ACOTAR, what were the biggest influences (books, music, movies, shows) on the way you wrote OBPBL?

As i mentioned in @legionsofthehungry’s and @yanny-77’s response, Have You Passed Through This Night? by Explosions in the Sky is responsible for the initial creative burst, but enderpeoples’s series One for Sorrow, Two for Mirth made me realize that there was so much room in the actoar world to explore, both from lore and from a messy emotional standpoint. I also was heavily influenced by Manacled, a dramione fanfic by senlinyu. All of the characters are messy and imperfect but still so believable in a way i literally could not stop thinking about, and i realized that that’s what i wanted to bring to my characters’ interactions in obpbl.

Before acotar, i basically only read nonfiction and like super serious fiction that i suppose one would classify as “literary,” and i feel like it’s helped me understand characters’ motivations and helped me kind of divine how they might react given the correct amount of pressure in a given situation. The last books i read before acotar was The Round House by Louise Erdrich (about an Ojibwe boy whose mother is savagely attacked, and, frustrated by the poor investigation, sets out to solve it himself with three of his friends) and The Phonebooth At the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina (a story of grief and learning to live with it in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan on March 11, 2011).

I also have been heavily influenced by poets: Scheherazade by Richard Siken, obviously (this is the poem analysis that inspired me to title it what i did); Mary Oliver (wild geese is spiritually a huge driver behind this fic); and Amy Kay Sullivan, a poet i discovered on instagram. I mean - “joy is not a trick” made me cry the first time i read it!