#nessian bodyguard au

[thewayshedreamed]

It Can Wait

Nessian Bodyguard AU

> Something Anything Masterlist

a/n: Thanks for your patience with this update! This part [6] picks up where the last one left off— after the gala they attended for Emerie's award. Prompt used are listed at the bottom!

Warning(s) for strong language and smut.

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The sheets were cool against Nesta’s skin. Almost blessedly, if not for her traitorous limbs stretching toward body heat that wasn’t there.

Huffing, she rolled to her stomach and slid her arms beneath the pillow. The right thing had been to leave Cassian’s bed for her own— at least, that’s what she told herself as she fought to get comfortable. She hadn’t bothered with clothes before climbing into bed. The more she struggled, she regretted not taking the time to let her hair down and avoiding the pins stabbing against her scalp.

Footsteps moved down the hall. Nesta recognized the cadence immediately as Cassian, and that unsettled her almost on par with the thought of an intruder. She had become so in tune with him suddenly and thoroughly in a way she resented.

Her bedroom door creaked open. Before she could manage to prop up on her elbows, the covers were pulled away in a flourish, and her body was being rolled to her back.

“What the f—“

“Oh, no you don’t,” Cassian chided, scooping her up against his chest. “We weren’t done.”

Nesta felt her brow come together while she pushed fruitlessly against Cassian’s bare shoulder. Her voice was venom. “There’s a lot of evidence to support that we were very done. Put me down.”

Cassian walked casually out of her bedroom, seemingly unaffected by her hectic squirming. Nesta tried to push her thighs away from her chest with the intention of straightening her body and rolling out of his hold. The way he countered the attempt by keeping his arms steady, completely unbothered, had sweat erupting over Nesta’s skin.

“Don’t talk to me about evidence, Nes. It was poor etiquette to slip out of the room while I was gone,” he fussed, glaring sidelong at her in his arms.

“Etiquette?” Her tone was incredulous, almost shrill. That would have been embarrassing if not for her frustration.

“Yeah,” he countered, dropping her unceremoniously to his bed. “Would you rather I called it a dick move?”

Nesta glared, uncharacteristically speechless. As if he hasn’t notice her ire in the slightest, Cassian braced his arms on either side of her body and rolled over her, pulling her tightly against him as he settled his chin on her shoulder.

Nesta blew a rogue strand of hair away from her face. At this proximity, she couldn’t tell if it was Cassian’s or her own. “I think where I choose to sleep is out of your jurisdiction.”

“Maybe,” he drawled, nuzzling his nose against her neck, “but I’m not a piece of meat, Nesta. You could at least cuddle a bit before you ghost me.”

“I wasn’t—“ She pinched the bridge of her nose with the hand that wasn’t pinned against Cassian’s warmth. “It’s hardly ghosting you if I’m down the hall and will see you tomorrow.”

Cassian huffed, unimpressed. He pulled his face away from her neck to scoot up the pillow, prompting Nesta to roll so that her back was against his front. Something in Nesta purred at the security and warmth of his hold. Something bigger, far more quick to bristle, warned that purr into a growl.

“Tell me this isn’t more than it is,” she ordered. She needed to hear him say it; never mind that it would be more comfortable to take a physical blow to the throat.

Cassian flinched, but he recovered quickly and slid his forearm up her body. He splayed his hand beneath her collarbone and pressed his lips to her hair.

“This is hardly a proposal, Sweetheart.” Nesta felt him suppress a chuckle, heard it in the restraint he held over his voice. “Just settle down and relax. You can go back to your bed before you fall asleep.”

“Fine.”

She tugged and pushed at the pillow to fluff it adequately. Cassian’s hold tightened, and another chuckle rumbled against her spine. Irritation started to brush at the inside of her ribcage, but it died out just as quickly. The energy to fight anymore was gone.

—

Nesta’s eyes snapped open some hours later. She blinked furiously to acclimate to the dark and scanned her surroundings, relaxing only when she realized the human furnace nearby was Cassian. He remained curled around her, his breaths a quiet rasp that didn’t quite qualify as a snore. Regardless, it would serve as a solid argument against cuddles in the future, should the need arise.

They had moved barely an inch since falling asleep, but Cassian’s considerable bulk meant that he would have needed to initiate any shifting. Nesta eased her eyes closed and allowed herself the luxury of a deep breath, taking his woodsy scent into her lungs greedily. With a soft sound of contentment, she relaxed her weight into the mattress and pressed her body closer. One night wouldn’t kill them.

Her subtle movements were enough to rouse Cassian from sleep. With another press of his lips to her hair, he offered a raspy hum of pleasure at the feel of Nesta’s body against him. She stilled, unsure how to respond. Cassian was still a stranger in some ways— admittedly, those ways became more nuanced with each passing day— and Nesta had no way of knowing how deeply he usually slept. It was possible that he barely clung to consciousness and wouldn’t remember the moment the next morning, or perhaps he slept lightly when he shared his bed. Knowing such things was hardly in line with her role in his life.

His arms tightened around her, pressing each curve of her body into the waiting shape of his own. Nesta didn’t resist the affection and blamed the cloak of darkness around them for the audacity.

Her hips rolled without conscious thought at the feel of Cassian’s hardened length against her backside. A sound left her mouth, something of a breathy whimper, and his large hand pressed lightly against her collarbone to bring her that much closer.

“Nes,” he whispered, almost inaudible.

It was as if he uttered a secret he hadn’t meant or revealed a truth he hadn’t yet faced alone. Nesta’s skin vibrated. With a tilt of her chin, she pressed her head to his shoulder, encouraging his strong, deft fingers to trail lightly up her neck. They rested against her throat and sent wildfire down her spine.

Being with Cassian was a study in conflict in various ways. The most notable was his ability to evoke a certain vulnerability from her while simultaneously making her feel more secure than she’d ever felt. The thought alone disoriented her.

Their breaths became harsh, yet they held the same loaded rhythm as if rehearsed a dozen times. Nesta dug her fingertips into his bicep and forearm for nothing more than purchase. His quiet groan shot straight between her thighs, and she couldn’t manage a shred of shame for it.

His affection was softer than usual, his nose tucked into the hair at her temple. He breathed her in and pressed soft, warm kisses to her flushed skin.

Nesta dissolved with each touch of his lips. Cassian used his fingers beneath her jaw to tilt her face upward and claimed her mouth with a familiarity that was almost painful.

“Please,” she murmured against his lips. His breath hitched, but then, his tongue traced the seam of her lips in permission. Nesta opened for him eagerly, barely noticing how his body pressed hers forward and pinned her against the mattress. It was subtle, yet comfortingly restrictive, and her control snapped.

She wasn’t sure how she would never stop needing it— him. That was a concern for a very distant Nesta, though.

Cassian used his knee to bend hers outward and braced his hips against her ass. She arched her back in a pitiful attempt to have him push into her, but he wasn’t so easily persuaded into action.

His hand remained at her neck, his fingers wrapped along her jaw. Using his other arm to brace his weight, he pressed kisses to her hair, her temple, her cheek. When he buried his face in her neck, her hips rocked backward with a force that startled them both.

“Shit, I—“ His words died off in favor of a moan. “Baby, I want you.”

Nesta wished her breaths weren’t leaving her in glorified pants. But then again, her need for him hadn’t been particularly subtle from the beginning. With another roll of her hips, she felt Cassian’s shift backward to allow his cock to slide between her thighs. She could tell by the glide that she was soaked for him already.

The stillness of the room heightened each touch and made every sound more sinful than the last. The shift of the bedsheets, the soft creak of the bed frame, the rasp of Cassian’s calluses over her too-sensitive skin, they all left Nesta desperate enough to allow the most damning words yet to slide past her lips.

“You have me.”

Cassian froze for milliseconds, but he recovered before Nesta could take the words back, explain them away. With a small shift of his hips, he was lined up with her opening and pressing into her in one long, slow thrust.

They stilled when he bottomed out. Cassian ran his nose over her temple, pressed his lips to the shell of her ear. All Nesta could muster in return was some pitiful sound of need and an almost negligible roll of her hips. It was enough.

His hips rocked back and forth in the same slow, tortuous rhythm. Usually, it would have Nesta writhing, demanding a faster pace that was more a means to an end. In contrast, they moved lazily in the darkest hours of the morning, content to fill the space with shuddered breaths and a firm grip on each other.

Cassian groaned, the sound rumbling through his chest and vibrating along Nesta’s back. Into her neck, he whispered, “So close.”

The urgency alone sent a zing of pleasure straight to her core, but she wasn’t quite ready to topple over the edge. As if he could sense her need, Cassian dragged his hand away from her jaw and down her body. His fingers found her clit expertly and drew slow, rhythmic circles that matched the pace of his thrusts.

Pleasure tore through her, causing Nesta to fist the sheet near her head. The other clutched Cassian’s pillow to her face to stifle her moans, and his lingering scent added to the thrumming in her blood as she approached release.

“That’s it,” he murmured. “Let go for me.”

Nesta tumbled, headfirst and breathless, through her orgasm. Her back arched, and her knuckles ached from trying to keep herself together through her grip on Cassian’s bed linens.

He stroked her slowly through his last several thrusts; moaned his praise, her name, and a litany of nonsense sounds against her neck. When his hips stilled, neither of them moved for several moments to catch their breaths.

Cassian kept grounding pressure against Nesta’s clit as he pulled out of her and slid his fingers down to do the same at her opening to combat the feeling of emptiness. She appreciated the gesture. Nothing ruined a moment more than a too-swift separation.

Her body shuddered in the aftershocks of her pleasure, and Cassian pulled her tightly against him to weather it. Nesta wondered what his limits were in terms of weathering her storms. She hadn’t yet seen any indications that he had them.

“Sleep, Sweetheart,” he ordered, his voice firm and heartbreakingly gentle somehow.

It was the last thing Nesta heard before she dozed off.

—

Somehow, Cassian had known to slip out of bed before Nesta could properly freak out over sleeping through the night. She regretted his too cool side of the bed, but his absence was better all around. They’d crossed significant boundaries the night before and couldn’t afford to add morning cuddles to that list, for the gods’ sakes.

Nesta padded to her room on silent feet, grateful that she had managed to wake up early enough to complete her morning routine. She showered efficiently, dressed, and dried her hair. With a few strategically placed pins, she pulled it into a top knot and made her way to the kitchen.

The smell of coffee nearly made her moan, but she fought against it. Her roommate was already too familiar with those sounds, and she wasn’t keen to give him additional ammo.

She ignored where he leaned backward against the counter, his hand bracing his weight and the other bringing a steaming mug up to his mouth. His pants pulled tight over his toned thighs, and Nesta couldn’t resist a quick glance upward to the exposed skin over the loose button of his white shirt. Perhaps she hadn’t successfully ignored him to the degree she intended, but she kept her eyes trained on her task. That had to count for something.

“You wouldn’t have happened to see my phone, would you?” she asked, pouring her coffee too slowly into her mug.

“It was on the entry way table. I plugged it in for you about an hour ago.”

His voice held the rasp of early morning, and Nesta tried not to let if affect her. Her track record wasn’t on her side.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” he replied, then drained his coffee and placed his mug in the sink. “I’ll be late tonight. We have a meeting with your firm after hours. Azriel will run point until I get back later.”

Nesta froze. “Meeting? Is something wrong? Is Az running surveillance, too?”

Cassian smiled, but it was reassuring as opposed to his usual smirk. “Just an update on how things have been so far, especially since we recommended a relocation a couple of weeks ago. While Azriel runs point, he’ll have Cerridwen and Nuala doing surveillance.”

“Okay. Sounds like a plan.” She’d been trying for cool and collected, but the change in Cassian’s posture didn’t give her much confidence that she succeeded.

“You’ll be in good hands,” he promised, crossing the room to grab her phone from the charger. “On the plus side, Azriel is much quieter than me.”

Nesta snatched the phone from his hand. “Thank the Mother for that.” She failed to hide her amusement behind the words, but Cassian didn’t call her on it.

“Let’s get you to work. You have everything?”

Nesta doublechecked her leather bag and pulled the charger from the wall. Her phone would need another boost mid-day without a full charge. She rapidly checked her various notifications for anything time sensitive and stopped short on her calls.

“Did you add yourself to my favorites list?”

Cassian slung his bag over his shoulder. “Never,” he teased, throwing in a wink to twist the knife once more. “Okay, yeah, but I added Azriel, too. It seemed like a good idea.”

“No, you’re right.” She couldn’t believe she admitted that so readily. “It was empty anyway.”

He didn’t say anything, and the silence felt loaded somehow. Her threshold for the awkwardness was at an all-time low, so she squared her shoulders and made her way out the front door. At the very least, she knew work wasn’t going anywhere.

—

Her days seemed to stretch longer and longer. She and Cassian had danced around each other for hours until Azriel relieved him to prep for his meeting, and Nesta thanked the gods for once that her day had been almost unbearably busy. The fewer quiet moments with Cassian, the better.

Despite that fact, his absence was an almost tangible thing on the way to the safe house with Azriel. He was markedly quieter than his counterpart, and it was a trait that Nesta usually preferred in her company.

Except when her company was a cocky, smart-mouthed bodyguard with a savior complex. Apparently.

She scrolled through her calendar during the drive, her eyes snagging on an appointment she’d added only an hour before. As if he possessed a sixth sense for secrets, Azriel chuckled next to her.

“Wondering how you’re going to break the news of lunch with Vanserra to Cass?

Nesta scowled. “Do we have reason to suspect Lucien is dangerous?”

Azriel released a heavy breath. “No. Aside from his relation to the defendant, anyway.”

“Then there’s nothing to tell beyond informing him of the appointment. Lucien is the one who risks a lot by meeting me.”

Azriel pulled into the driveway and shifted the SUV to Park. “True. Want me to look into it? See what I can find out?”

“Yeah, sure. Thank you, Azriel.”

“Don’t mention it.”

They met at the front of the vehicle so that Azriel could shadow Nesta per protocol. Sometimes it was easy to forget what was actually part of her protection and what could be reduced to Cassian being a mother hen. The time with Azriel would be useful in that regard.

He stepped ahead of her to make a preliminary sweep of the safe house, and as excessive as it felt, Nesta knew complacency was the most dangerous place of all. She had to appreciate the thoroughness and dedication in ensuring her safety.

Once Azriel deemed everything clear, Nesta went to her room to change into a sweater and joggers. Her next stop was the kitchen, where she gathered a bottle of wine, various cheeses, and some crackers. Her week had more than earned her a few glasses.

Placing the various items on the coffee table, she got to work on uncorking the wine. It was only seconds before Az glanced over from his spot on the couch.

“What are you doing?”

Nesta blinked at him. His eyes were remarkably similar to Cassian’s in color. “Having a glass of wine. Want one?”

“Can’t,” Az said, standing up smoothly and taking the bottle gently from her grasp. “I’m on duty.”

“Shit, of course. Sorry.”

A smile teased the corner of Azriel’s full mouth, but she got the distinct impression that he’d be horrified to know it.

“Where is this wine from?”

He rotated the bottle in his large hands to scan the label. Nesta thought for several seconds before the answer dawned on her.

“I brought a couple from my apartment— the night we relocated here.”

Az grunted, the sound noncommittal.

“Are you going to open it for me or just stare at it?” Nesta challenged.

His eyes glimmered at the tone of her voice, another trait he shared with his partner. “I’ll open it, but I’m going to test it first. Make sure it hadn’t been tampered with.”

He made his way to the kitchen area without awaiting her response. She stared at his retreating back until she snapped into action and followed.

“Test it for what? It’s mine,” she argued, ignoring the way she felt like a child for her word choice. “And it’s an excellent vintage.”

Azriel huffed a laugh and pulled whatever he needed from his bag. “I don’t doubt your taste, Nesta.”

“Okay, so—”

“We’re here because of suspicious activity around your place. You would be surprised how easy it would be to compromise this bottle of wine. I’m being cautious.”

His words were quiet, final. He turned his back to her while he worked, and Nesta busied herself making a pot of coffee for him. He often carried a cup on him no matter the time of day, so it felt like a safe assumption.

By the time it finished brewing, Azriel turned to her with a poured glass of wine. “All good.”

“Thanks,” Nesta said, albeit begrudgingly.

The pair traveled to the living area and settled into their respective places. Nesta sprawled across a loveseat and propped her feet up over the cushions while Az sat in an oversized armchair nearby. He thanked her for the coffee and lost himself in whatever task held his attention hostage on his laptop.

Nesta alternated between snacking, taking long pulls of wine, and answering game show questions aloud. She hadn’t meant to disrupt Azriel’s work, rather that she was used to watching game shows alone than with such stoic company. He looked unbothered, so ultimately, it felt the same as usual.

During a commercial break, she grabbed another bottle of wine from the kitchen. Standing up so suddenly had her a bit light-headed, but upon further thought, it could have very well been the wine paired with minimal dinner. She shoved the thought away with the vigor that she shoved the unopened bottle toward Azriel’s head.

“Can I help you?” he drawled, glancing up from his screen.

“You said you have to do the thing.” She replied, gesturing lazily at the bottle with her free hand. “I figured your caution applies to this one, too.”

“You would be correct.” He stood, snatching the bottle away from her and nodding toward the loveseat. “Get settled. I’ll be back.”

Nesta did as instructed and thought Cassian would be shocked off his ass to see how well she played with others. Maybe she could convince Az to tell him how delightful she was as a charge. It was about time he knew.

Azriel returned with the bottle and poured some into Nesta’s empty glass. Her focus had been on her own feet and how turning them out let the light from the window shine across her face. When she brought them back together, they served to keep the sun out of her eyes. That would be useful information as the sun set, she decided.

With a mildly uncoordinated hand, she grabbed her wine glass and some cheese from the table. The next couple of questions on the game show stumped her, and she had made peace with not knowing the answers until Azriel’s gruff voice answered the last one in her stead.

Nesta rolled her head to the side to fix her gaze on his face, still looking at his laptop and his brow furrowed in concentration. “Know it all,” she spat.

“You have no idea,” he replied, his tone teasing. “Think of how many I’ve answered in my head.”

She gaped at him and marveled at such a glimpse into his sense of humor. Admittedly, she’d assumed he had little to speak of in that regard. In the silence, she regarded him in a new light, and a certain fondness warmed for skin. It was promptly squashed in favor of jealously as she studied his infuriating bone structure.

“Has anyone ever told you that you're beautiful?" She hadn’t meant to say that, but what was done was done. She wanted to know.

Azriel leaned forward to grab his coffee mug from the table and took a slow sip. "Yes, actually."

Nesta barked a laugh at his candor. "Well, you are. Objectively speaking."

"Objectively." She swore the smallest twitch of Azriel's mouth exposed his amusement. "Now, I'm curious. What's this objective criteria include? Symmetry? Cheekbones? Jawline?"

The question was posed as if she was to make a choice, but the only answer that came to her was, "Yes."

Azriel let out a laugh of his own, and it transformed his face. Nesta wondered if she and Az could actually get along, booze aside. They seemed like they could.

“Maybe you should eat more.”

Nesta frowned. “I’m not drunk. I was making an observation.”

“An objective one,” he deadpanned, his eyes gleaming.

“Fine,” she muttered, gracelessly grabbing at a handful of snacks and turning her attention back to the TV.

She had just poured a fresh glass when she heard the keypad beeping at the front door. Without thinking, she lifted her hand in the air and gave Cassian a wobbly wave before dropping it heavily back to her chest.

His rough chuckle felt like callused fingers over her soft skin and harsh breaths against her neck. A shiver ran up her spine, but she wasn’t sure how successful she was in hiding it.

“This looks like fun,” he teased, walking around the couch and gazing down at Nesta. He bent at the waist to grab a cube of cheese and popped it into his mouth. “Did you two even miss me?”

“Meh.” Nesta failed in curbing her smile, but Cassian didn’t call her in it. Instead, he turned to address Az who was busy closing his laptop.

“Everything went smoothly?”

“Yep. We haven’t really done much other than this since we got in.”

Nesta swung her legs over the side of the couch to sit up and had to steady herself with a hand against the cushion. “Everything is fine, sir. I cooperated, and I even made Azriel coffee.”

Cassian’s eyes bounced from Nesta, to the table, and back to Azriel. “Is she drunk?”

“Getting there, I think. I encouraged her to eat a bit more.”

“Mm.”

Cassian’s gaze seemed stormier than before, but Nesta’s eyes were taking a bit longer to blink than usual. It was possible she’d imagined it.

Azriel’s tone seemed as though he agreed, though. “What’s with you? If you’re wondering, yes, I tested the damn wine before she had any.”

Cassian blinked. “I know. That’s not—“ He trailed off, pinching his nose between his thumb forefinger.

Nesta sprang to her feet, annoyed with how they discussed her like she wasn’t in the room. Like an afterthought. Just as quickly as she stood, her ass hit the cushion again. The room spun a little, so she took a steadying breath.

“I’m right here, you know.” Were her words slurring? Or was it her hearing that was a little too slow? She wasn’t sure. “Stop talking about me like I’m not around.”

Her stomach lurched. She squeezed her eyes shut against the sudden nausea and didn’t open them again until she heard the soft creak of the coffee table. With a some tense words and a hushed goodbye to Azriel, Cassian lowered himself to sit atop the wood and placed his hand on her knee.

“How many have you had?” he murmured.

Nesta swallowed the lump in her throat. “A solid amount.”

“I figured,” Cassian said through a laugh.

“Hey, wait!” Nesta’s eyes snapped to his face, suddenly curious. “How was your meeting?”

His eyes crinkled at the corners. Despite the similar coloring she’d noticed in Azriel’s earlier, Cassian’s amusement made his eyes a wholly different experience. They travelled over her in assessment, but his characteristic warmth shined through.

Straight to her bloodstream.

“It was fine; longer than necessary.”

“What was?” At Cassian’s incredulous expression, she remembered her previous question. “Right— the meeting.”

He hummed his agreement, and Nesta wondered how he managed to lace affection into a simple sound.

“Alright, you,” he said, slapping his thighs. “Time for bed.”

Nesta leaned sideways into the cushions and groaned. “Too much to do. I should check my email one more time and clean this up.” She let out another unimpressed grunt. “And I haven’t showered yet.”

Cassian stood up and gathered her empty glass and snacks. “This is done. I’ll put it in the sink and get to it later. Your email can wait until tomorrow.”

Nesta whined. “They’ve been coming in nonstop lately. I like to get a head start.”

“Maybe you should have done that before you cleared a bottle and a half of wine.” His voice was distant, as if he’d moved toward the kitchen, and Nesta regretted the loss of his body heat. She’d never say so, even if she was loose lipped enough to be tempted.

Her eyes were impossibly heavy. She struggled back into a seated position and cradled her head in her hands, massaging her temples with her thumbs.

“The shower can wait until tomorrow morning, too.”

Nesta glanced up at him, horrified. “I don’t get in my bed without showering.”

“You’re being a brat.” His smirk was back, and she was exhausted enough to admit to herself that she’d missed it.

“No, I’m not,” she insisted. “I can’t sleep if I’m not clean. I don’t have to wash my hair since I did that this morning.”

Cassian released an aggrieved sigh, but it lacked any bite. He unbuttoned the sleeves of his shirt and rolled them to the elbows, effectively capturing Nesta’s attention. Even if it was pitiful by comparison to her usual focus.

He lifted his brows in challenge. “Hop to it, Archeron. The longer you sit there, the longer it takes to get to bed.”

Nesta let out a sound somewhere between a grumble and a growl. Before she could push off the couch cushion, she noticed Cassian’s outstretched hand and dropped her palm heavily into his. He pulled her into a standing position and steadied her, chuckling at her expense as if she couldn’t hear him.

Rather than encourage anymore teasing, Nesta focused her efforts on walking a straight line toward her ensuite bathroom. Most of her motivation boiled down to proving she didn’t need Cassian’s steadying weight next to her, no matter how much she wanted to lean into it. Either she proved nothing, making her efforts pointless, or he read her mind and stayed close without a word.

She stripped her clothes into a pile on the floor and turned on the shower, barely pausing to let it warm up before she got inside. Cassian pulled a towel from her cabinet and hanged it over the glass door before making his way for the door.

“You’re not staying?”

His deep voice echoed in the small room. “I can if you want,” he offered, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. “I didn’t want to be a creep.”

Nesta snapped her head in his direction, her brows pulled together. “Nothing you haven’t seen before.”

A spark of heat flared in Cassian’s eyes, but he smothered it quickly, leaving only his infuriating smile in its wake. “True, but it feels a little different when you drank your weight in wine tonight.”

She ignored his jest and rinsed off her body, reaching sloppily for her face wash. She scrubbed her make-up and the day away and killed the water, blinking against the heaviness of her eyelids to find Cassian on the other side of the glass with her towel in hand.

Nesta wrapped her arms around herself before stepping into the colder air, and the warm towel came around her shoulders immediately. His hands pressed it into her skin, rubbing back and forth gently enough as to not shift her body around. Her eyes slid shut, and she made no moves to fight them open again. Instead, she leaned forward and pressed her forehead to the space below his collarbone. Tension left her shoulders with her weight resting against his chest, and Nesta wondered if she could actually doze off under his care. It felt possible.

Cassian’s voice pulled her rudely into full consciousness. “You take it from here,” he instructed, slowly pressing her body away from his. “I’ll get you something to sleep in.”

Nesta gave herself the most crude dry-off in recent memory, only managing to lose her balance a couple of times. Small mercies came in the form of the nearby countertop that repeatedly supported her at the hip with each sway. Cassian re-entered the room and held out her night clothes, and Nesta found that she was disappointed to be offered her own clothing. Such a stupid, fruitless thought, but she’d hoped for an oversized t-shirt that belonged to her bodyguard instead.

She snatched her clothes from his hand and put them on with impressive grace, if she said so herself. Before she could stalk to her bed, Cassian’s hands— steady and intoxicatingly strong— gripped her waist. The touch disoriented her, but it was gone as swiftly as it came. Nesta blinked, his motive taking longer than usual to reveal itself.

He had turned her so that her lower back was propped against the countertop near the sink. His fingers made her toothbrush look almost tiny, and a giggle bubbled out of her without warning. Cassian’s perceptive gaze slide her way, but he finished squeezing toothpaste onto her too-small toothbrush and passed it her way.

“Brush, Giggle Box,” he ordered, amusement dancing all over his handsome face.

His handsome, dangerous face.

Nesta complied, ignoring that it was hardly the best she’d ever done. She paused when a thought, nauseating and unwelcome, occurred to her.

“You know,” she began around a mouth of full of toothpaste, “this goes beyond your job description.”

Cassian glanced at her, unimpressed. “Hardly. It’s a bad look if you drown in the shower on my watch.”

Nesta brushed a few additional strokes and paused again, her gaze fixed on the wall ahead. “This whole thing feels excessive; you guarding me all the time. Azriel on standby. At the end of the day, the world would keep turning regardless.”

“What do you mean?” All signs of amusement left his face, replaced by confusion or concern. Nesta was too tired to decide which.

“Well, you know.” She gestured with her hand and brushed a bit more. “I work around the clock, so my family would hardly notice if something happened. Same with my friends. As far as work goes, someone else on the team would step in to lead the Vanserra case if needed.”

He was quiet for a beat. “Well, I would notice.”

“Yeah, but you get paid to care.”

She twisted around to spit into the sink and rinse her toothbrush. A bit of of shame crept into the back of her mind, but she didn’t give it much of a thought. Processing it was the job of her subconscious once she fell asleep. As she straightened again, Cassian pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger and angled her face toward his. The expression he wore was familiar, yet different somehow, and Nesta felt the intensity of his stare to the tips of her toes.

His words were firm, each with an intentionality that made Nesta want to crawl into herself. “I do not get paid to care for you.” A beat passed, then, “Understood?”

Nesta cleared her throat as he released her. “Yeah,” she lied.

Although, in her less inhibited state, it felt less like a lie and more like a hard truth she’d been suppressing since the first time they had crossed the professional bounds of their relationship. She had been clawing at those invisible boundaries for weeks, trying to rein them in and fix them back into place, but it seemed that it only served to make them more evasive.

“Good,” he murmured, his tone held together by secrets and good intentions. “Let’s get you in bed, then.”

He stepped in front of her, caging her in at the counter before she could step away. Nesta tilted her chin up in invitation, but he made no moves to accept the offer. His hands moved to her hair, removing pins strategically until it tumbled down around her shoulders. His smile was mesmerizing up close. She almost told him so, but he pulled away and nodded his chin toward the open door.

She climbed into bed, hissing at the cool sheets until her body heat made them more comfortable. Cassian pulled the blankets around her shoulders and left her room, presumably to get ready for bed himself. For half a second she wondered if he planned to join her, but sleep pulled her under before she could find out.

—

A blinding throb invaded Nesta’s sleep some time in the middle of the night. The room was dark, and Nesta didn’t dare chance looking at her too-bright phone screen for an exact time. She had her alarms set to repeat each week, so she decided to ignore the time in favor of finding water.

She eased to a standing position and padded to the kitchen, cursing her poor judgment in the amount of wine to drink on a week night. She held a small glass under the tap, downed the water in two gulps, and filled it again before trudging back toward her room.

Cassian’s door was open as usual, and Nesta risked a glance inside. Her vision cleared enough to see the impression of his hulking form beneath his comforter, and an odd sensation of embarrassment climbed up her spine. It usually meant she said things she shouldn’t have, whether it be lethal or overtly personal. Squeezing her eyes shut, she rattled her brain for any recollection of the hours before and getting only snapshots of her evening. Maybe things would be clear with a couple more hours of sleep.

She shook it off and continued toward her bedroom. Another bolt of shame slammed into her brutally as she crossed the threshold, sending a rush of blood to her cheeks. Moments of Cassian walking her toward her bedroom, drying her with a towel, and getting her sleep clothes. Putting her toothpaste on her toothbrush, for the gods’ sakes.

Lowering herself to the edge of her mattress, she placed her water glass on the bedside table only to find one already waiting. Two pain relievers sat nearby, and she cursed internally at the shit show she must have been.

She dropped her head into her hands and pressed against her eyes in frustration. His words traveled through her like lightning, and another rush of heat glided through her blood.

I do not get paid to care for you.

With a sharp intake of breath, Nesta dropped her hands and stared into the dark of the room. She resented the way she needed the medication to reduce the pounding in her head, just as he’d anticipated. Tossing them into her mouth, she gulped down the rest of her water and slid her legs under the blankets.

She eased down to her pillow, but sleep wasn’t a viable option. She’d made a fool of herself in trying to drink away her stress between work and the distraction of her bodyguard, only to pile it on by treating him like a glorified nanny.

She grabbed her phone, grimacing against the bright light. Sleep wasn’t going to happen, so she could at least get a head start on emails.

And maybe draft a plan for damage control.

——————————————————————————

Prompts used:

"Swear to me this meant nothing to you." "How many of these have you had?" (Exact wording adjusted to fit context)

----

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#nessian #nesta x cassian #nesta archeron #cassian #acotar fanfic #nessian bodyguard au #nessian au #something anything #twsd fics #twsd writes

[hyacinthoideshispanica]

An idea for a Nessian au.

Nesta is a world-renowned prima ballerina who is being stalked by Tomas Mandray, an abusive ex-boyfriend who's turned obsessive. In her free time, she reads and takes self-defense lessons with her friends Gwyn and Emerie.

One night, she gets home and finds her door kicked in and a very vulgar/threatening note from Tomas beside a bouquet of fresh roses on the table.

For her safety, Rhys and Feyre set her up at their more remote house built into the side of a mountain, and Rhys also hires two of his friends, Cassian and Azriel, to be her bodyguards.

Cassian and Nesta obviously do not get along. Cassian tells her she needs to stop dancing for a bit as it draws too much attention, and Nesta refuses, making them take her to the studio every single day.

"I can't believe she's making us come here every day. Doesn't she realize how dangerous it is? He could be watching her right now!"

"I think it shows how brave she is. I mean, yes, she's scared, but she's also refusing to let him control her life.

"....Fine, I'll admit she's brave for going on with her life as normally as possible, but it's still really stupid that she's making us stand out in the hall like this. How are we supposed to protect her if we can't even see her?"

"Well, what did you expect, Cassian? After you spent the last two classes glaring daggers at Eris and making the entire room feel uncomfortable, I'm surprised she let you come along at all."

"Eris... I don't trust that guy. Don't like the look of him."

"You don't like the look of him, or you don't like the way he looks at her?"

"What's that supposed to mean, Az?"

"He's her dance partner, Cassian. It's perfectly natural that they have a certain level of chemistry, and if we were guarding any other woman, you'd be more than capable of making the distinction between a dance partner and an actual threat. When it comes to Nesta Archeron, you let your personal feelings get in the way and that can be dangerous..."

One night at the house, Cassian can't sleep and goes to the home gym but finds Nesta already there, warming up.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine. You?"

"I'm good, I just couldn't sleep."

"So, what? You figured a workout would help?"

"Well, I usually go for a drive, but I can't leave you."

"I don't need you to babysit me. I don't even know why Rhys hired you, I can take care of myself."

Cassian challenges her to a sparing match to test her self-defense technique, and a whole lot of tension happens. He tells her she has promise, but he can train her to be better.

A few months go by, and Nesta is preparing to dance the lead role in an upcoming performance. Cassian and Azriel are teaching her how to handle weapons, and she and Cassian have also started sleeping together.

The performance is only a day away, and Nesta is in her dressing room when a bouquet of roses gets delivered. There's been no sign of Tomas since he broke into her house months ago, so she thinks the flowers are from Cassian until she sees the note that's attached.

"I can't wait for tomorrow night. Love, Tomas."

She drops the vase, glass and water spilling everywhere, and Cassian and Azriel rush in. They immediately take her back to the house, and Cassian tells her she's not leaving again until they find Tomas. Nesta is furious, the performance is tomorrow, she can't just quit.

"Maybe we should let her dance, Cassian. I mean, if she's there, he will be too. It'd be easier to catch him that way."

"No! There's no way in hell we're using her as bait!"

"I agree with Azriel. I made a commitment to the company-"

"And I made a commitment to keep you safe!"

"I have dedicated my life to dancing, Cassian! I refuse to sacrifice that because of him!

"If you go on that stage tomorrow, you'll be risking your life!"

"And if I don't, I'll be risking my career! My passion!"

"I'd much rather my girlfriend lose her career than her life!"

Nesta stares at him for a moment, stunned that he called her his girlfriend, and then her eyes go cold.

"Let me make something perfectly clear to you, Cassian. I am not your girlfriend. I'm fucking you, I'm not with you. You can't tell me what to do!"

The next night, Nesta takes the stage, and Cassian and Azriel watch from the wings. Nesta hasn't spoken a word to Cassian since the previous night, and he's upset but also can't take his eyes off her. He's completely mesmerized by her. After the performance, Azriel goes to check the perimeter again and give Cassian a chance to talk to Nesta alone, but when Nesta sees him, she turns in the other direction and finds Gwyn and Emerie waiting for her with flowers.

Cassian decides to give her a moment alone with her friends, but Nesta uses that as an opportunity to sneak away. The girls celebrate by stopping by a late night cafe, buying all the cakes and pastries they can carry and driving a few hours away to Emerie's cabin for the weekend.

Cassian and Azriel are losing their minds trying to figure out where Nesta went, but then Cassian gets a text from a blocked number that shows a picture of Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie gagged and bound.

"If you really cared about her like I do, you never would have let her out of your sight."

Tomas followed the girls to Emerie's cabin and is now holding them hostage.

"I wanted to sweep you off your feet directly after your performance, but those two guard dogs got in the way. It all worked out, though, just as I knew it would. We were always meant to be together, Nesta."

Nesta starts cussing him out as best she can with the gag still in place. And Tomas starts laughing.

"Now don't start that up, Nesta. You'll give your friends the wrong impression of us."

He leans down and removes the gag long enough to kiss her, and she bits his lip so bad he starts bleeding. Tomas, completely unconcerned, makes a comment about how he's always loved her fire. Then says he has to go into town for a bit for extra supplies since he didn't plan on he and Nesta entertaining guests so soon.

As soon as he's gone, Gwyn jumps up, free of her restraints. This entire time, she's been slowly working herself free with a knife she always has on hand, and she immediately cuts the other girls loose.

"We have to get out of here."

"How? He took the car and our phones."

"We could walk to the town, but it's two hours away by car and even longer on foot. He'd probably find us before we got anywhere safe."

"My family's owned this cabin my entire life, I feel comfortable enough in the woods that I think we could hide out there for a while."

"OK. The woods, then. We'll be safe there until Cassian can find us."

The girls hide out in the forest for a day or two. In that time, Tomas started hunting them, and Cassian and Azriel have tracked the location from the blocked number so they show up and also take to the woods.

Gwyn hurts her leg, and Tomas is nearby.

"Oh, Nesta! Come on out, sweetheart! You know we're supposed to be together, so stop fighting it!

Nesta realizes they won't get away before he finds them, so she urges Emerie and Gwyn to go without her.

"We're not leaving you alone! That guy's psycho!"

Nesta continues to push them to leave, saying Gwyn needs a doctor and that as long as she's with them, Tomas won't stop.

"It's me he wants. You two go, get to safety. Find Cassian. I'll hold him off in the meantime."

They agree, and Gwyn hands Nesta her small knife before she and Emerie shuffle off into the trees.

Nesta waits in a nearby clearing, knife in hand, waiting for Tomas to show himself.

"I found you."

Meanwhile, Emerie and Gwyn are rushing back to the cabin as fast as they can and run into Azriel and Cassian. They explain where Nesta is in the woods and that Tomas wasn't far behind. Cassian bolts into the trees, and Azriel checks on the girls.

"...it doesn't seem like the bone is broken."

"Great! Now let's go help Nesta."

"You can barely walk."

"You and Emerie will help me. Besides, I don't need a working leg in order to punch that creep right in his creepy face!"

Cassian is running through the trees like his life depends on it, while Nesta stares down Tomas, who is circling around her like a hunting predator.

"If you touch me, I'll castrate you and shove your pathetic excuse for a dick down your throat."

"Oh, Nesta, always teasing. You know you won't do anything to me, sweetheart, you love me too much."

"I don't love you, Tomas. I never did, and I never will!"

Tomas hesitates, his eyes, previously filled with deranged affection, flash with deadly rage.

"And who do you love Nesta? That pathetic guard dog you've been screwing?"

He takes a step towards her, and she raises the knife.

"Take another step, and I will kill you."

Tomas laughs mockingly, "Do you really think that you, a sweet little ballerina, can actually hurt me?"

"Yes. Because my boyfriend taught me well."

Nesta lunges forward and stabs Tomas in the stomach right as Cassian comes bursting through the trees and screams her name.

They run to each other

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine, but Emerie and Gwyn are-"

"We're right here!"

Gwyn comes through the trees a moment later being supported on each side by Azriel and Emerie.

"What are you doing? I told you to run."

"We did run. And then we came back."

Nesta wraps her arms around herself, the shock and stress of everything finally getting to her. Cassian puts an arm around her, drawing her close, and suggests they head back to the cabin. Once their there, the girls shower, eat, and rest, then Azriel drives Gwyn into town to see a doctor. Once they return to the cabin, an ambulance is called for Tomas.

Tomas is sent to the hospital under police supervision, but it's very unlikely he'll survive considering his stab wound was left unattended for a few hours and may be infected due to someone, Emerie and Gwyn, poking it repeatedly with muddy sticks.

Azriel, Emerie, and Gwyn are asleep, but Cassian and Nesta have stayed up and are talking in front of the fire.

"You were incredibly brave today, Nesta. I'm just sorry he ever got that close to you."

"It's not your fault, Cassian. You tried to keep me home, and I wouldn't listen. Then, at the show, I snuck away and-"

"It's not your fault either. No one is to blame but him, and he's never going to bother you ever again. You made sure of that."

"Thank you, by the way, for teaching me how to wield a knife."

"You're welcome.... So, your boyfriend taught you well?"

"Shut up, Cass."

"Make me, Nes."

They kiss.

As always, if anyone wants to use this as a prompt, please feel free. I don't have the talent to write out an actual fic.

#acotar #nesta and cassian #nesta archeron #Cassian #nessian #nessian au #fic prompt

[romanticatheartt]

Ok hear me out... Has anyone read twisted series by Ana Huang? because I was thinking an ACoTaR x Twisted crossover... but not like a full fanfiction just a description (?) of what it can be cuz I can't write for the life of me (I can't write in my mother language let alone in another one!)

Twisted Love x Elucien Twisted Game x Gwynriel Twisted Hate x Nessian Twisted Lies x Feysand

What do we think?

I mean Twisted Love is my least favorite of all the books (like very least) so I have to change many things of it to fit Elain and Lucien. Lucien is going to be so sassy and cocky (not like Alex who has a personality of a rock) and Elain is still a florist but ALSO a photographer. I'm pretty sure a modern AU Elain would be a great photographer as well!!

Twisted Games is my favorite out of all of them if I'm being honest. So Gwyn is a princess who likes to sing sometimes. She has a sister who's is about to be the future queen but is she? (yeah we're not killing Catrin in fact we give her a wife!!) and Azriel is her bodyguard.

Twisted Hate is my second Favorite and also the first book I read from this series (don't ask why I did that lmao). I always see Nesta in a modern au as lawyer!! She's studying and getting ready to become a lawyer. And Cassian is a sports massage therapist and a gym owner and happens to be her colleague and her trainer... he's a menace of course!!

Twisted Lies... well let me tell you the only reason I didn't liked this book as much as I wanted to, is Christian being so much like Alex but I liked the story in general and you can't tell me Stella and Christian doesn't give of Feysand vibes... Feyre has a art therapy degree and her dream is to open an studio but she's also a blogger on social media and tries to save money from their earnings but she has difficulty to reach a decent engagement. She also has a crazy stalker of an ex boyfriend that she still hasn't manged to get rid of (which is Tam/in). Rhysand is her landlord of the most secure apartment (she used to share it with Ressina, but now she's alone), and he's accepting the payment of her rent, which is way lower than the original price because she happens to be Nesta's sister who is his SIL and also Cassian's and Mor's BFF and you have to believe him that these are his only reasons... He has a security company and does other things as well... (and it's not illegal at all)

I mean as I go I'll defiantly add to the plot of each couple. But I'll start with Gwynriel because Twisted game was almost without any connection to the other books (and I love that book the most... and Gwynriel week is near) and from what I have in mind each one is going to be long lol

Lucien is a billionaire... cuz why not? Bat boys are adoptive brothers (Rhys' mother adopted Cass and Az) Azriel works for Rhysand but Cassian took a different road as you can see. Archeron sisters have a shaky relationship specially after their mother's death. Valkyries are bffs and went to collage together. Feyre, my baby, will go through it here as well. I'm not sure if I should keep Rhys' sister and mother alive and kill his father or kill them all... we'll see hehe

#this idea came to me last night #I was like I need to do something for Gwynriel week #and my mind went to a spiral and this happened... #it was out of my hands tbh #feysand #feysand au #gwynriel #gwynriel au #elucien #elucien au #nessian #nessian au #acotar x twisted series crossover #pro gwynriel #pro elucien

[thesistersarcheron]

Hindsight, a modern Elriel bodyguard AU

Elain Archeron used to be the world's darling, a sweet, wholesome pop superstar with millions of best friends. From a young girl bearing her soul with a secondhand keyboard in her bedroom to a seasoned artist selling out multiple stadium tours, her star never seemed to stop rising... Until a slighted ex leaked a video of Elain slut-shaming another singer, and her once-untouchable reputation was ruined.

Now, she only trusts her sisters and Azriel Shadowsinger, the bodyguard who has been on her team since her second album. He did everything in his power to help Elain avoid the public's prying eyes while she healed from her heartbreak after the backlash, and now that she's decided to launch a comeback album, he's going to make damn sure she's never hurt like that again, no matter what it takes.

After all, hindsight is 20/20.

[Elriel | Feysand | Nessian | Hindsight AU]

#i might go somewhere with this but uh #who else would be interested in elain's reputation era? #elriel #elain archeron #azriel #azriel shadowsinger #elain #acotar #social media au #(and an actual fic but for now it's social media) #let me have my cheesy social media au #i never write modern aus so i'm running with it #hindsight

[emdythewriter]

Let me be your shield | chapter one (Elriel)

Summary: Elain Archeron is getting a new bodyguard after her dad’s production company goes under fire. He decides to put the safety of his daughters first landing Azriel Mystic on her front door. Azriel finds a new friendship in his client, but the more he gets to know her the more he finds he wants her as more than just a friend. Dating a client is the biggest rule to break and Azriel might just break it.

The car ride was dead silent. Nesta was fuming in the corner of the car away from her sisters. Feyre was on the other end of the side Elain sat on texting her husband to distract her. Elain was just silent, she was processing what her dad had just told the three of them.

His company was under fire for multiple allegations. Bad deals he made in the past were resurfacing, some of the actions of the crew he’d hired through the years were coming to light, and their father was struggling to contain it. The public was getting antsy waiting for a statement but all the movie producer could focus on was keeping his young daughters safe.

Feyre would be fine considering her husband was the CEO of one of the best security companies in the business. Her husband’s father had built the company from the ground up and ever since his father’s death Rhysand Knight had become the face of the company. Nesta was currently dating an ex-marine that now worked closely with Rhys in the company and would be protecting Nesta even more with the news getting out of hand.

That left Elain who didn’t have a public image with a war veteran or some hotshot security guy, she was just herself. This meant that she would be getting more people added to her detail and a personal bodyguard, an experienced one apparently according to Feyre. Elain’s new personal bodyguard was recommended to her father by Rhys, but she knew nothing about him yet.

“Here you are Ms. Elain,” the driver said as he stopped in front of her townhouse. She smiled before grabbing her stuff and exiting the limo onto the street. Lucien, her ordinary boyfriend was waiting on the sidewalk for her and they quickly ran up the steps and into their shared home before the cameras could catch up.

“By the way your new bodyguard is here,” Lucien said before detouring to the kitchen, and that’s when Elain realized there was another person in her townhouse. The man could only be described as tall, dark , and handsome. His black suit paired with the dark shading of his hair made him seem like a shadow, looked like one too Elain thought. His hazel eyes were the only thing that seem to contrast the rest of him, and his skin which had browned from time in the sun she guessed.

“You must be Elain, I’m Azriel, your new bodyguard.” He said and she nodded not yet knowing what to say. “Don’t worry I’ll be staying in the townhouse across the street, and just wanted to introduce myself. If you need anything just call,” he said before handing her a slip of paper with ten digits written on it. He smiled slightly and nodded once before heading to the door.

“Do you know Rhys and Cassian?” Elain spoke up as his hand rested on the door knob. “My sister, Feyre told me you were recommended to my father by them and I guess I’m just curious,” she shrugged as if to tell him it wouldn’t be a big deal if he decided not to answer.

“They’re my brothers so to speak,” Azriel answered her after a beat of silence. “We served together for years before deciding to come back home for different reasons of course. Rhys came back to take over his dad’s business, Cassian came back because he started seeing Nesta.” Azriel stalled and Elain wasn’t going to push him, but she needed to know if she was keeping him from someone or something more important.

“And you? Why did you come back?” He looked from where his scarred hand rested on the door handle up to her, meeting her brown eyes.

“I found a better assignment,” he said smiling softly before leaving and heading across the street to his new home.

“I’m not sure I like him,” Lucien said from the kitchen. He was taking a plate out of the microwave and setting it on the breakfast counter for her. She walked over and took her seat on one of the leather stools they had bought when they furnished the place a couple months ago. Elain and Lucien had been dating for almost a year now, most of the relationship having been encouraged by her father.

He made her happy, don’t get her wrong but lately she hadn’t been feeling that connection. The one Feyre talked about where her and Rhys could always feel each others thoughts and feelings. The one Nesta said was like knowing when the other was or wasn’t okay. Elain didn’t feel that or anything else when she was with Lucien, and she tried to.

“Why don’t you like him?” She asked her boyfriend as she poked a few potatoes with her fork before eating them. “He seems fine to me.”

“I just have a feeling,” Lucien said looking through the kitchen window and across the way to where Azriel was surely getting ready for bed. Elain shook her head before she let those thoughts race further, why would she be thinking of her new bodyguard in bed?

“I think you’re just worried,” she said resting a hand over Lucien’s outstretched one. “He knows Rhys and Cassian and we trust and like them. I think you just need to warm up to Azriel before you can judge him, okay?”

“Okay,” he said before leaning forward and kissing her lips lightly. She smiled against his mouth, keeping the food she was still chewing at bay. “I’m going to go shower you finish eating and maybe we can watch a movie before bed tonight.” Elain nodded before pecking his lips once more.

When Lucien was gone and the sound of his feet on the stairs disappeared she picked up her plate and moved to the window seat. From there she watched the shadow move from window to window as he got settled in his new home, and for the first time in a long time, Elain let a real smile take over her face.

Across the way in his new townhouse Azriel began to open and unpack boxes. He had to unpack most things in his bedroom as that’s where he would be sleeping tonight, and also where he would keep most of his weapons. In fact that was the real reason he was unpacking was so he could hide his guns, knives, and other weapons he had been given throughout the house.

He planned on putting some in Elain’s townhouse earlier, but Lucien was home so Azriel created the lie that he was coming to meet his new client. He didn’t like Elain’s boyfriend though and he got the same feeling Lucien hadn’t liked him either. It would be tricky getting around him but that’s exactly what Azriel was trained for, getting around obstacles and taking down targets without anyone being the wiser, it’s what he did as a Navy SEAL.

Azriel looked across the street at Elain’s townhouse from his living room, he could see her sitting in the window eating. At least it looked like she was eating, but if he had to guess she was just pushing her food around. He smiled as he watched her. He had met both of her sisters and was good friends with Feyre, both of them seemed no where close to being related to Elain.

Elain was soft and gentle compared to Nesta’s brutal and hard exterior. She was quiet and shy compared to Feyre’s outgoing and daring nature. If it wasn’t for the hair, the frame of their faces and color of their skin Azriel wouldn’t have thought the three sisters were related.

She started to move from her place at the window, and Azriel watched as she took her plate to the kitchen, scraped whatever she hadn’t eaten into the trash can and place the empty plate in the sink. She shut off the kitchen light and he guessed she was heading upstairs to her bedroom for bed.

He shouldn’t think of her that way but he didn’t know how to stop himself. Elain Archeron was beautiful, nobody could deny that. He knew it was against his job’s code to sleep with her, and he wouldn’t cross that line for multiple reasons, but in another life Azriel hoped they had that chance to be together.

Let me know if you want to be tagged! Enjoy!

#acotar #a court of thorns and roses #elain archeron #azriel #elain x azriel #elriel #bodyguard au #acotar fanfic #elriel fanfiction #let me be your shield #lmbys fic #sjm #feyre archeron #rhysand #feysand #nesta archeron #cassian #nessian #lucien vanserra #elucien

[mightymorphingayagenda]

All fics are nessian and definitely not child-friendly but any that feature explicit smut are marked with a ** and those that flirt with a lil’ lemony content are marked with with just one. My inbox is always open.

Lethal Combination 

Growing up not knowing where her next meal was coming from didn’t exactly satiate Nesta Archeron’s appetite for the finer things in life. But at twenty-four such things are a collateral comfort; from her gorgeous apartment in New York, to the trigger finger that paid for it, Nesta Archeron has a lot of things. One thing she doesn’t have though, is a boyfriend, something her youngest sister Feyre seems intent on remedying when she sets Nesta up with her brother in law, Cassian. Now she has something else to add to her list of things: a big fucking problem. 

chapter one *

“Hey Feyre, just calling to say that I know you want me to go on this blind date, but I actually can’t because you see, I’m a gun for hire, which as you can imagine makes dating rather tricky. Also I’m absolutely gone for my latest target’s bodyguard, who I’ve never actually spoken to but in the month and a half I’ve been stalking him has somehow managed to make me fall head over heels for him. Anyway, we still on for brunch on Thursday?”

chapter two *

She knew it was irrational to be angry at him. But something uncomfortable and tight wriggled in her chest at the way he was looking at her. Because it wasn’t her he was looking at like that. Instead, it was the random girl he thought she was, all pristine ringlets and baby blue gaze like a god-damn angel.

chapter three **

God this man could kiss. He kissed her like her full lips were some overripe peach spilling a too soft sweetness he’d die before wasting a drop of, hungry and slow and indulgent he devoured her with an abusive and perverse affection.

chapter four **

Nesta’s hands might have been trembling slightly as she knelt to the floor and lifted one of the bathroom tiles, revealing what for all intents and purposes, should have been a bible. It wasn’t of course. It’s was an industrial safe.

chapter five **

“And I thought we’d grown out of sharing toys, but it seems both our expectations were thwarted.” 

“Humans aren’t toys!” Feyre reminded her. Not that Nesta didn’t already know that. No vibrator had never made her cum as hard as Cassian had.  

chapter six **

“Feyre only thinks she wants me there, Cassian. She’ll change her mind as soon as Rhys implies I think I’m better than him for not touching the carrots his private chef put too much butter on and I call him a hedonistic asshole who loitered round playgrounds looking for a wife before meeting Feyre.”

“Maybe don’t do that then?”

festive fluff

This was one of those little moments Cassian would bundle up like a cherished Christmas ornament and tuck inside his heart forever. If his heart remained in one piece. It was so full he was worried it might break. (Modern AU)

seasonal smut **

 “I figured we could both be naughty tonight and save Santa the trip,” she said, licking her upper lip in an arcing motion with the tip of her tongue. Eliciting a number of lovely memories that made his already half-hard cock stir. (Modern AU)

hogwarts au 

He’d have know that bracelet if it had hit him in the back of the head, which it had done before, twice. He’d watched Nesta tucking her hair behind her ear in a potions class or giving him the middle finger enough times to recognise the interlinking charms that normally graced her pale wrist.

“cassian begs nesta to wear a couples costume with him for halloween.” **

Cassian Siphon was her equal in ambition and lust for a challenge, but he didn’t seek to sooth his raw passion and volatility with a carefully curated air of intimidating class like Nesta did. He also had the impulse control of a teenager. (Modern AU)

“bikini shopping with your best friend is a lot harder when you’re in love with them” **

Thrusting her plethora of perspective bikinis into his arms she turned on her heels. “Come on, I need to try these on” she sauntered off and Cassian couldn’t keep his eyes off her ass as she lead him toward the dressing rooms. (Modern AU)

#nessian #nesta archeron #acotar #acowar #acomaf #acofas #sjmaas #sarah j maas #feyre archeron #elain archeron #a court of frost and starlight #a court of thorns and roses #a court of mist and fury #a court of wings and ruin #nessian au #nessian smut #nessian fic #nessian fanfiction #nessian drabble #nessian headcanon #nessian fluff #nessian angst #nessian assassin au #nessian modern au #nessin college au

[just-a-fangirlmore]

Does anyone have any nessian bodyguard au fic recs? 😩

#a court of thorns and roses #a court of silver flames #nesta archeron #cassian #nessian #nessian fic

[ncssian]

What r your WIPs?

i have soo many cool oneshot ideas lying around waiting to be written, but im focusing on two big multipart fics right now:

A Favor: modern nessian au; after a storm leaves nesta's apartment flooded, her sister's nice friend offers to let her stay with him in his fancy mountain cabin free of charge until she can get back on her feet. featuring forced proximity, socially awkward nesta, simp cassian, and an awful amount of tender moments between two people who are supposed to be strangers.

Mother of Death: velaris is a post-modern metropolis under night court rule. when night court residents start encroaching and killing on sacred and heavily protected witch lands (colonialism tingz), grieving witch matriarch nesta archeron is pulled out of her self-imposed isolation to protect her homeland and get revenge, with the help of night court member cassian, no less. featuring all types of supernatural creatures (CC style), scary powerful witch matriarch nesta, bodyguard cassian, and rhys as a big bad capitalist. all my favorite things/themes/plot devices from TOG/CC/ACOTAR thrown into one nesta-centric au (not a crossover, though).

idk what i want my next oneshot to be but it might be one with nesta having a sibling-type love/hate relationship with lucien bc they're both my faves.

#ncssian asks #wips

[ao3feed-acotar]

Something, Anything

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3aQjV0g

by thewayshedreamed

Very little plot for this one— written to fill the prompt: Nessian prompt Modern Au: Nesta needs a bodyguard to protect/scort her during all day and night. Smut maybe?

Shameless Nessian tension + smut. Enjoy!

Words: 3871, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas, MAAS Sarah J. - Works

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/M

Characters: Nesta Archeron, Cassian (ACoTaR)

Relationships: Nesta Archeron/Cassian, Nesta Archeron & Cassian

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Modern AU, Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Shameless Smut, Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Resolved Sexual Tension, Nesta Archeron/Cassian Smut, POV Nesta Archeron, Dirty Talk

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3aQjV0g

#ao3feed #acotar #a court of thorns and roses

[easkyrah]

Aeonian AU Series part 1

A Nessian Greek Mythology based fic and a darker twist to this ship. There will be this Aeonian series (Nessian) and an Antiscians series (Elorcan). 

“Well, aren’t you a little ray of pitch black?”

Aeonian 1

I.

“Poor Nesta,” Ianthe chided. “No longer a virgin.”

Nesta’s fingers wrapped around her fork, tightly gripping the cold metal.

“No God would want a deflowered woman,” the blond crooned. “Especially one who thinks she knows her place.”

The brown-haired woman stabbed at a piece of salad, and shoved it into her mouth. Chewing slowly on the hard leaves, she quelled the chaotic waves surging within her. She refused to give into her anger—to allow the resurfacing memories of Tomas to have the last hold on her.

“You always talked about not wanting a God.” The other female smiled, sharp as a blade. “I guess Tomas Mandray really did you a favor.”

That was the last straw for Nesta. Yes, no God would want to claim a non-virgin—which was perfectly fine with her, especially after all Feyre had been accounted for, still missing to this day—but for Ianthe to dare—have the audacity to—rub assault in her face, even from the dark times of three years ago—

The eldest Archeron sister twirled the fork in her fingers, staring hard at the dried, yellow leaves and mottled, squished fruit in front of her. It was against the law to attack a priestess, but an even greater sin to murder the village’s Head Priestess.

But no one said anything against accidents.

With a flick of her wrist, Nesta sent the fork flying out her hands and at Ianthe’s right eye.

A perfect execution. A warning that a line had been crossed. A sign that they would never see eye to eye—that Nesta’s gaze would never waver. Unblinking, and unflinching. 

A loud gasp escaped from Nesta’s mouth, and she lunged forward, knocking Ianthe to the floor. The High Priestess’s shrill pierced the air, and Nesta moved quickly, digging the edge of the fork deeper, twisting the metal. Even through the metal, she could feel the edges grinding against the root, white and pink liquid swirling.

“I’m so sorry!” Nesta cried. She pretended to feebly shake the hand gripping the fork in Ianthe’s eye and slipped on a mask of horror, climbing on top of the over female so the Priestess could not escape. Nesta’s hair fell across her face, a shadowed curtain—and she allowed Ianthe to see the dark smile cutting across hers face, sharper and deeper than any mortal blade.

For three years, the darkness’ isolation had cultivated into something icier and harsher—a ghost of a phantom whirling within her. She’d shown Ianthe just a pinch.

As the High Priestess shrieked, bodyguards stormed into the diner, clad in plates of metal, faces shadowed by a thick, black masks. Nesta allowed the memories of three years ago to consume her, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. Loosening her grip on the fork, she curled into herself, rocking on her heels.

The nearest guard grabbed her elbows and set her roughly onto her feet.

“What the hell happened?” he gruffly ordered, shaking her shoulders.

Ianthe let out a hiss, but Nesta’s contempt was a gaping abyss full of raw will.

The eldest Archeron sister harshly rubbed away stray tears seeping down her cheeks, and forced down the sick smile threatening to erupt across her face. “The High Priestess came out of nowhere—” Nesta hiccuped “—my reflexes spun out of control—”

“Psychopath!” Ianthe screeched. “Chain her! Whip her!”

When the guard reached out for her, Nesta collapsed onto her knees, and laid her palms against the Priestess’s heart. “Forgive me,” she loudly cried. “I meant no malice.”

She leaned in closer to Ianthe’s face, as if she were to kiss her cheeks, the fallen woman sobbing and shuddering. Nesta brushed a finger against the golden-haired woman’s forehead as an almost tender caress, and wrapped her hand around the emblem pinned to Ianthe’s robes. Pressing her lips against the High Priestess’ ear, Nesta whispered, “Now you can see half the darkness I do.”

Ianthe kicked upwards, trembling fingers grasping the hilt of the fork. Nesta rolled off of the blue-robed woman, burying her hands into her pockets and hunching her shoulders—the image of a thoroughly scared woman.

Ianthe’s throat elicited squeaks of gagging and gurgling noises, but her right eye pinned on Nesta’s form. Her mouth pinched, then hissed out, “Put her in an empty cell!”

The guard trapped Nesta’s wrists, tugging her away from the High Priestess. Two more went at her sides, caging her in. Little did they know cornering a wildcat, bred from the savageness only the true seers of society saw, would end in detrimental dysfunction. 

Nesta schooled her features into a blank, empty face, struggling within the solid grip. She spared a glance towards the blue-robed woman. “The only cells missing are those in your eye.” 

Stepping over the boots and knocking herself forward as she were tripping, Nesta twisted herself out of the guard’s grasp, using the falling momentum to bring him down on his back.

Plates of metal lumbered towards her, and Nesta tore out the the diner, blocking the sounds of Ianthe’s feeble cries of my eye, my eye, my eye over and over again.

Fixing her sleeve, a darker and sharper smile shot over Nesta’s face.

She didn’t even have to pay for that shit excuse of a meal.

II.

Nesta stole through the night and into the forest. Here, the darkness draped over her already black-clad frame. She knew this path at the back of her mind, weaving through thick tree trunks and sailing over high-branched roots. Slowly, the heavy clanging sounds of armor receded from her ears. Nonetheless, Nesta picked up her pace.

Ever since Feyre had been taken three years ago and Tomas had yanked her into a barn, Elain and Nesta had taken refuge in seven villages—this one included. Both Archeron sisters turned into wanderers, fleeing with the wind. Trust was reduced to bread crumbs, and even they could barely afford for the tiniest slice.

What God had taken Feyre—Nesta had no idea, but had her suspicions. It had been any other morning, Nesta serving buttermilk pancakes while Elain had went up to fetch Feyre from the drawing room. Rather than seeing their middle sister painting with her hair twisted up into a messy bun, the stench of alcohol and grapes had permeated the room.

Elain had screamed. Nesta came up running with a knife in her hand.

Feyre’s hunting clothes had been strewn all over the floor, a purplish-green scrap of fabric littering across a canvas. It was as if the their middle sister had given them a warning and a signal that she’d been claimed—by a God.

Nesta knew the rules. When Gods claimed humans, they dressed them in their ornamental colors and symbols. Yet green and purple were common colors, even found among the varying masses of minor Gods.

It was then Nesta banished all hope of desiring to be claimed by a God. She’d once dreamed, among the others, to be one with another force, to see through another set of eyes, and to ascend the mortal limits.

She’d once set apples and pears along the mantle of Athena, the one God she’d revered the most. Three years ago, she’d pray to the God of Wisdom, asking for guidance. Now all she did was pray to the minor Gods of vengeance and fear, demanding divine retribution for those who had wronged her—because it hadn’t just been her who’d been afflicted and twisted.

Nesta had watched Elain spiral into the coldness as well. The youngest Archeron no longer made honeyed offerings to Demeter, the goddess of the Earth. Instead, the roses the youngest Archeron grew turned dark and far more thorny, picking their fingers as if lines of blood served as penance. 

It was as if the darkness of the demons had descended upon the Archeron sisters.

No happiness, no protection, no understanding.  

A branch snagged the sleeve of her arm, and Nesta hissed. Despite the village’s soldiers pursuing her and having to move to another village, she felt oddly safe and warm, a blanket of false security coating her.

Perhaps it was because she’d stolen the golden emblem from the High Priestess, the coin tucked securely under her sleeve. The price would last them another to journey to another village.  

The moon casted swirls of strange colors of white against the darkness and the green of the forest. She slowed to a walk, taking in her surroundings. The branches hunched low, creating scattered, estranged shadows curving in odd shapes. Nesta slowly angled her body and slid through a cluster of vines.

The myths had become reality a long time ago, the Gods deciding to end their supposed boredom in waiting. The beginnings of their reappearance into society was more than often bloody, spurring jealously in both claiming humans rampant and in being desired to be claimed.

Their father had worshiped Hermes, the messenger God, and named the Archeron fortune in his name. Nesta had considered it justice when a business company across the sea had sunk their father’s ship, and had stolen every commodity on board.

Their father had never returned the sail back, his reputation reduced to a merchant following the God of Thieves who saw the end, robbed of life and fortune.

The obsession with the Gods had seen the decline in family values, many children left alone or pitted against each other. Their father had been no exception, travelling to Athens, Greece, in hope of appeasing Hermes.

Death had been his answer.

While Nesta believed it to be foolish to devote a lifetime in praying for Gods, the higher beings indeed chose humans. Those taken under their wing received immortality. It could be eons before Feyre would be brought back to them willingly and unwillingly, and there was a high chance Nesta and Elain would be six feet under in a coffin or reduced to ashes by that time.  

It had taken Feyre’s kidnapping for Nesta to realize that being trapped in a powerful body with no regard for lesser creatures and their emotions and past was something she did not want.

So by the fifth village that had been outcasted to, she’d stopped praying and stopped her offerings.

Elain had followed suit.

Both sisters had been shunned from their original village in consequence.

Now that Nesta had harmed Ianthe, it looked like they’d have to move again. Whisperings of rumors and fault had followed the Archeron sisters as they traveled, and it never seemed the words would never cease.

Cursed.

Yet solace stirred within her, and Nesta scowled at the feeling akin to comfort’s cost crawling within her.

Elain would be beyond worried by now. Nesta knocked away the thin branches and ducked under a canopy of large ivies she knew would reveal a large clearing only a couple of meters away from their temporary home. Soon, she’d be running in the veil of the night, holding Elain’s thin hands again.

Her head rammed into steely hardness.

She rubbed her nose and slowly backed up.

Seething, Nesta untucked a dagger hidden under her sleeve, and pushed the wall forward with her other hand.

It didn’t move.

Squinting through the darkness, Nesta realized that streaks of dark, dried red pooled down silver plates, sheer power exuding from the figure.

A soldier.

The amount of blood could only mean a dead man.

But if a soldier was here, then the chances of Elain’s safety was very low. She had to get out of here, quickly and quietly. 

Cursing under her breath, she turned around back under the canopy, but a gloved hand with a huge, red jewel pulsating at the center lashed out and captured her wrist.

It was a solid grasp, almost crushing her bones.

This was not the ordinary soldier’s strength. And it was a very much alive man.

She dropped the dagger into her other hand and sliced it vertically towards the hand.

Her blade merely bounced off, falling to the ground.

With a yank, the hand jerked her back against a chest of steel and coldness. Yet Nesta felt warmth pour over every vein and crevice in her body.

The male towered over her, dark, hazel eyes cramming into her own soul, sheer strength emanating from him, broad shoulders with muscles roping around an enormous form.

A purebred, dangerous warrior.

Those piercing orbs raked over her, starting from the bottoms of her torn boots to over her clothes and under the slope of her breasts, up to her collarbone and into her own stormy eyes. Black boots, black pants, black sleeves—and if he looked close enough, he’d see a black painted heart.

A brow flicked up. “Whose funeral?”

Nesta shuddered at the low, husky voice that shot down her spine. She refused to be weak again—the last time she was in a male’s embrace three years ago. She would not be fooled again.

“Get off me,” she hissed instead, and squirmed fruitlessly in his grasp.

His dark inked hair and ruggedly shaven face rang a bell, but Nesta didn’t care, not when Elain had been alone far too alone. The predatory glint in the male’s face heightened memories of three years ago, but her body remained strangely calm and soothed.

“That’s no way to treat a God.”

Nesta realized the blood seeping from the armor was not from the male’s, but a head hanging from the canopy above, a thin river of red raining down.

Nesta arched her own brow. “I’d suggest planning his funeral soon.” She could see the outlines of the dead body strung along vines and branches, gutted and torn apart.

The male shrugged. “If you want to plan a murdering liar’s funeral, then be my guest.” The arm around her waist hitched up to rub circles across her back, almost daring her to string the body back to pieces.

Nesta didn’t find the action disturbing, but rather reassuring. Perhaps he was a minor god in infatuation or magic along those lines. The gaze no longer seemed of predatory possessiveness, but of amused affection. 

A dangerous smile appeared on those rough-hewn features, as those seemingly pulsing eyes studied her. “I like women who can handle blood.”

“I like men who can respect boundaries.” Nesta damned her cover and swore if he didn’t let her go, she’d scream—even if it meant drawing the village’s soldiers here.

The male seemed to read her thoughts. “You think humans are match for a God?”

Nesta didn’t reply, and cursed her own traitorous body sinking into the comfort and warmth the male seemed to offer.

He leaned in closer, a hand stroking her hair. “A match for the God of War?”

Nesta’s eyes widened. “You lie.”

It was one thing to meet a demi-God or a minor God, but one of the Twelve Olympians?

“Now why would I lie, sweetheart?” The God leaned down and brushed his mouth against her ear. “Especially to one I want to claim?”

Another last straw for Nesta. She lashed out, but the God easily cupped her knee cap with one hand—just hovering over the V of his hips—and the other hand flattening a palm against her back.

“A cheap shot.” A grin.

Nesta went up on her toes, her hands cupping the God’s cheek. His skin was warm and sent delicious trills down her. The God leaned down as well, his eyes darkening, a low growl erupting from his throat, hands folding around her waist. Just before his lips closed on hers, Nesta’s knee collided with her aim.

It was a pity his armor covered his torso, but the God still doubled over in pain, a foul curse leaving his mouth.

Nesta didn’t wait before she sprinted around the clearing and to the house where Elain was waiting. Running past the locked front door, she hurdled over a bush into the back.

Slipping through the window and into their shared room, Nesta grabbed her bag, stuffing the nearest clothes into the brown material.

A frail figure rose from the tiny bed, and Elain rubbed her eyes. “Nesta?” she whispered, a sigh of relief escaping her chapped lips.

“Pack,” Nesta ordered. “We’ve got to move again.”

Elain immediately hauled herself out of the bed, rapidly opening all the tiny cupboards and sweeping the contents into bags. “What was it this time?”

“Ianthe, soldiers, and a God.” Nesta folded all the blankets and stuffed the pillows.

“The High Priestess?” Elain said, heading to the bathroom. When she emerged, all the toiletries had been zipped into bags and stuffed into a larger sack. “What God?”

A God of War.

One that made her feel alive instead of merely existing.

Instead, Nesta said, “Just a minor one.” She beckoned Elain to head to the kitchen so pack their last rations, the cold air seeping into their skin. She gave the guards about another hour before they found their refuge.

Locking the window shut, Nesta froze when Elain’s scream shattered the air. The oldest Archeron’s blood ran cold, the hair on her arms prickling. Not again, not again, she desperately prayed to anyone listening. She didn’t know what she would become if her another God took her other sister from her.

But that was what he was compared to them.

“Just a minor God?” the God tsked his tongue, staring at Nesta—as if Elain were invisible and as if he could consume Nesta right there and then.

“Get out of my house,” she seethed, and nudged Elain away.

Elain levelled Nesta with a clipped stare. “Really, Nesta? The God of War? Ares?”

Ares.

The name sent shivers down her spine. It made the situation too real, too risky. By no means was this some minor God, as Elain had realized, trembling. 

She supposed it was the small mercies—the God allowing Elain to bolt away—that mattered.

An eyebrow cocked towards her. “It’s won’t be your house much longer will it, Nesta?” When she didn’t answer—her veins on fire—he pushed further. “Guards are searching for you and closing in. I smell all sorts of war, and the encounter will not leave either of you—” the God briefly glanced at Elain—“unharmed.”

“What do you want?”

The God rose from the chair, the darkness wavering around him. The red jewels on top of each of his gloves exuded another type of power. A set of dimples winked down on her and those deep, brown eyes stared unfathomably at her. “I want to claim you.”

Nesta swallowed. This was her last defense, her last barrier to remain free: “I’m not a virgin.”

With swiftness beyond reason, the God moved so he was in front of her. He studied her eyes and the pulse along her throat—the fury and the rage in her own eyes and the quicker, beating pulse in memory of three years ago. Seconds passed before his eyes narrowed, and he gutted out, “Who?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You resist my claim, and the guards will be here sooner than you think.”

Nesta shivered. “Then you’re just as bad as him.”

The male who had taken her away three years ago.

The God of War looked down at her, and gently reached out a hand, traced with scars and bruises. When she didn’t bat it away, his knuckles slowly caressed her cheek. “I can help you, sweetheart.”

She’d wasted enough time. “Help is just another word for control.”

“Who hurt you,” the God snarled, the red stones flaring. Lethal dark oozed from them.

A crash sounded from the other side, and Elain meekly peeked up from under the countertop. “I packed all the kitchenware.”

The God of War didn’t spare a glance in the other direction, determinedly staring into her soul—seeing the darkness. “I can help you and your sister. You’ll be safe. You won’t have to run again.”

“At what cost?”

He leaned down so that his forehead touched hers. Warmth shot through her at the contact, and in that moment, she felt safer than she’d even been in his life.

“I claim you,” he murmured, voice dark and dangerous, deep and deadly. “As mine.”

“And if I refuse?”

A glimmer of amusement in those hazel eyes. “I hear cells in this village are quite cold.”

“Threatening a mortal?”

“What can I say, sweetheart?” A cocky, dark grin, honed from insanity and lunacy in the battlefield. “All’s fair in love and war.”

#greek mythology based #acotar #acomaf #nessian #nesta archeron #cassian #nesta x cassian #cassian x nesta #greek mythology #acotar au #acomaf au #acowar

[poonyo]

Royals Like Us, pt.2

Next part to my nessian royal au, for @accidental-rambler, @itsnotacrimetoloveyou and @klarolinestan, <3

Part 1

It took them two days more when they reached his village, the atmosphere was clouded and suffocating, the faint ash that followed war around like a faithful servant plunged the houses. Cassian swallowed the lump in his throat when he saw the traces of blood on the ground.

Beside him, Nesta walked, silently taking in the sights and for one bitter moment he wondered if she had ever seen beyond the capital. If the nobility ever knew of the suffering of those of lesser station.

A few children ran passed him and Nesta, a smile blooming across her face as she spotted the small colourful kite in a little girl's hand. At least the war hadn't touched people's ability to rebuild too quickly, he thought.

“How do you know of this place?” she inquired. Eyes looking as if devouring, not with greed, but with the sort of curiosity he had come to associate with her.

“I grew up here.”

Nesta’s surprise grew at his words. She pulled her cloak closer around her body.

“You’ve been my bodyguard for a year and then some and I never knew this.”

“Well, you can't know everything now, can you, your majesty?”

“Shush.” She looked alarmingly around, worried that someone heard his declaration of her title.

He cringed at the exasperated breath she let out. “Oops,” he muttered apologetically.

“If anyone is responsible for exposing me, it will probably be you.”

Cassian gave a lopsided grin but his insides burned with the promise to protect her, that he’d stand by her side as long as he could to see her ruling in her castle like should be.

Few men laughed and clanked their glasses together. The room swirled with the smoke of lit cigarettes and drunk wine. He coughed as tendrils of smoke entered his lungs.

Nesta looked disdainfully at the smoke, but did not comment, and he idly remembered how she loathed the private parties the castle held where the senators drunk to their hearts content. It had always been a facet of noble life that he knew she absolutely hated.

“I am going to find my friend and return, I'll be back in a second.”

“Honestly, you don't need to make me feel like a scared child who you're comforting. I can perfectly take care of myself.”

“It wasn't my intention,” he said as he walked away.

Cassian’s eyes scanned the area as he looked for any sign of Azriel anywhere. He debated asking around for him before deciding against it; it would only be unwanted attention drawn towards them.

He passed to where the small reception of the inn was then walked back to Nesta. He saw her eyebrows pulled into a frown and a tinge of alarm touched him before he recognized the expression for the pure exasperation it was.

“Do you think I can order these men to the dungeons under the guise of a royal decree?”

Sneaking a glance at the hoard of cackling men, he felt inclined to agree. The noise was distracting and his tired body absolutely screamed from exhaustion.

“I don't believe it would be appreciated, no,” he replied. “Come on, our sleeping arrangement are ready.”

A loud insistent knock kept banging on the door, rousing him roughly from his sleep. He grumbled low in his throat, stretching his back, and winced as the hard floor scrubbed against it. The noise continued causing Cassian to huff and sit up.

A quick look to the empty bed and the noise from the fresher told him Nesta was inside, probably splashing herself awake. He grabbed the dagger lying on the sofa, his senses alert. Knocking twice on the bathroom’s door he heard as the water stopped and Cassian knew that Nesta was getting her own dagger ready in her hand, and so moved to open the door.

“Azriel?” he whispered.

“Az,” he exclaimed happily, rushing to give his friend a bone crushing embrace. Azriel, quiet as ever simply pats his shoulder, though he too wraps his arms around him.

“How did you know I was here?” he asked, now that the elation of seeing his friend had lifted and alertness surged through him.

“It's been five years, Cass, and still subtlety is not your strongest suit.”

Rhysand stepped forward as he grinned, giving him a hug. “You didn't think your old friends would know when you came back home?”

He chuckled. “I was hoping to put your detective skills to the test.”

A throat cleared from behind them all and he closed his eyes, wincing. Without turning back, he was absolutely sure that Nesta was standing behind him, dressed impeccably as always no doubt, face void of emotion and one eyebrow raised.

And the fact that he could picture her expression perfectly, to the way her pinkie would be tabbing against her elbow filled him with confusion and warmth and the little bit of fright he always felt around anything that remotely relates to her.

Rhys and Azriel looked at her in disbelief and they sneaked a glance at each other out of the corner of their eyes. Their heads dipped in a respectful bow, murmuring, “your highness.”

He sensed himself moving closer to her, the blade that was still in his hand burning with its weight like the fire of a thousand suns.

Both of them did not speaks and it was Azriel who broke the silence, saying, “I believe it would be better if we spoke in privacy.”

Silence resumed through the closed room and Cassian could feel the tension as it plummeted each corner. All occupants studied each other with keen eyes, even Mor whose presence had always managed to turn the most stifling times into a more bearable passing was too, quiet.

“I believe a good question to start with would be how did you know who I am.”

Rhys’s eyes flashed to Nesta, a darkness coating them. They hold gazes in a duel.

“My father was part of the previous court, your majesty,” he spat the word like its poison. And Cassian suddenly found himself very, very tired. “I occasionally visited the castle. We might have met once or twice.”

Nesta’s burning glare didn't lessen in its intensity though they narrow in suspicion and a bit of contemplation.

Amren, who was sitting idly by observing, jumped in on the conversation. “The capital has fallen,” she said.

Nesta’s fingers dug in the arms of her chair, knuckles white as a sheet and her jaw clenched so tightly he feared she'd shatter her teeth. “What?” She croaked out.

“Shortly after the march on the castle started, the defense forces began to recede to a point that was worrying. Until any form of protection disappeared.”

“We were delivered this news a few hours ago,” Mor added.

Nesta up from her chair, the move abrupt. She didn't pace or even do anything, she just needed to change her position, to not feel like everything was falling apart.

“What else?” She asked. “What other news do you have?”

Rhys opened his mouth, whether to answer or argue, he didn't know. But the door was ripped before he could even a get a word out, ahead of flaming red rushing inside, one he recognized after several moments was Lucien.

“You will not believe it,” he said. a bit out of breath. “You won’t.”

“What happened?”

A grave look crossed Lucien’s eyes. “The enemy has declared a new kingdom.”

Cassian felt Nesta’s hand grip his own in fright and hopelessness and he squeezed, hoping the gesture would offer even the tiniest of comfort.

Lucien continued, “under the minister’s rule.”

A glass shattered.

Well, that is it for this one. I promise part 3 is in the works and hopefully this piece was good.

Please tell me what you think, I'd love to hear your critiques. 

#nessian #nessian drabbles #acotar fanfiction #nesta archeron #cassian #acotar #acomaf #my writing #my drabbles #*nessiandrabble

[thewayshedreamed]

O M G your rebloging !!!! Sometimes that means something new is coming! 🤞

Another Nessian bodyguard is in the works, anon! Hope to have it ready for y’all soon ♥️

#answered #twsd answers #Nessian #nessian bodyguard au

[thewayshedreamed]

Can I please be tagged in something, anything!

Absolutely! Consider yourself tagged! ❤️

#asks #twsd answers #nessian #tag request #something anything #nessian bodyguard au

[thewayshedreamed]

Hi!!! Your Nessian bodyguard au is one of my fave aus ever❤️‍🔥 Can you please please add me to your taglist?🥺

Aw, thank you! You’re so sweet 🥺

Absolutely!! Consider yourself added!

#Nessian #tag request #Nessian bodyguard au #something anything #sweet asks

[thewayshedreamed]

When you have the time I’d love to be tagged in the Nessian bodyguard saga ❤️. This smut is pure perfection!

Of course, my dear! I have a Nessian taglist, so I’ll add you to that! Feel free to disregard whatever doesn’t interest you!

Thank you for reading and for the kind words ♥️ you’ve made my afternoon!

#Nessian #Nessian au #nesta x cassian #Nessian bodyguard au #acotar fanfic #twsd answers #bondbabe2020

[thewayshedreamed]

I am obsessed with the nessian bodyguard AU… this newest update had me swooning !!

Aww, thank you so much!! Very glad to hear that you enjoyed it. You made me smile today, lovely! ♥️

#nessian #nessian au #nesta x cassian #nessian bodyguard au #acotar fanfic #something anything #it can wait #twsd answers #nessianshoe