#the fae aux

[captainsophiestark]

Nosy Best Friends

Tristan Flynn x Reader

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Based on this request from Anon! It was very fun to write and it gave me a second, related idea that I'm planning to post Monday, so thanks for sending it in! Hope you like it!

Fandom: Crescent City

Summary: Flynn's been disappearing a lot to spend time with his human girlfriend, and his friends have decided to finally figure out where he's been going.

Word Count: 2,219

Category: Fluff, Humor, maybe a tiny bit of Angst? But not really

A/N: This fic also has a prequel called Presentation Problems and a sequel called The Best Night Ever, but can also be read on its own!

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

Ruhn's POV

"Where the Hel are you going?"

Flynn barely stopped at the sound of my voice, half-turning back with an irritated look. I gave him the same one right back.

"I'm going out. Why do you care?"

"You've been disappearing doing Urd knows what for weeks. Come on, Flynn, what's going on?"

Flynn just rolled his eyes. "Nothing, mom. Just relax and mind your own business."

He turned on his heel and walked out the door without looking back. I watched him go, then turned to Dec on the couch.

"Something's going on with him."

"Yeah. Think it's time we do something about it?"

"Definitely."

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

Y/N's POV

I sighed, rubbing my eyes as I tried to reread what I'd written for the thousandth time. I'd been holed up in my apartment for almost forty-eight hours straight working on a paper for grad school, and I'd started to go a little crazy.

The only reason I hadn't gone crazy about twenty hours ago was my boyfriend, Tristan Flynn. He'd been keeping me company, providing a stream of encouragement and my favorite snacks and helping me take a break when I really needed it, even if I wouldn't admit it. He'd left a couple hours ago to go do something he needed to do, and I'd come very close to hurling my laptop at the wall in his absence.

We'd first met in a similar situation, when I'd hurled my notebook across what I'd thought was an empty classroom. Flynn had been looking for somebody the Aux had followed to campus, and only his fae reflexes had kept him from taking my notebook to his head. If I hadn't been stressed out of my mind already, I would've been worried about having accidentally attacked a member of the fae Aux, especially as a human, but I'd hit my limit that day, so instead I'd shouted at him for interrupting my studying.

Luckily for both of us, once he'd recovered from his shock, he'd seemed to be into that. He'd tried to get me to leave for safety reasons, and I'd refused, so he'd stayed. We ended up hitting it off the bat, and the rest was history.

We'd been together for a few months now, and despite every warning I'd ever heard against dating a member of the Vanir, it was quite honestly the best relationship I'd ever been in. We hadn't told anyone else in our lives yet, mostly because we didn't want our little bubble of happiness being burst, but I had a hard time believing anything could ruin what we'd found together.

The few seconds I'd spent losing myself in memories had been nice, but the glaring light of my laptop screen didn't let me escape for long. I sighed heavily, trying to decide whether it was worth it to power through. I didn't entirely have a choice, unless I wanted to drop out of grad school, but maybe I could find something to do as a small break.

Somebody must have been listening to my silent pleas, because a moment later my phone rang. I smiled when Flynn's face popped up, a terrible picture of him that I'd taken when he wasn't ready. He always switched it back to a shirtless one he'd taken himself when he got the opportunity, and it had become a little silent war between us.

"You have amazing timing," I sighed as soon as I picked up. I could hear his smile through the other end of the phone.

"I always do. Come downstairs."

"...You know I shouldn't. This paper-"

"Is something you've been holed up in that apartment working on for way too long. You're driving yourself insane, and last I checked, you can't turn in anything if you smash your laptop to pieces against the wall. Besides, humans need sunlight. And fresh air."

"An expert on that, are you?"

"I sure am," his voice purred over the phone and I rolled my eyes, but I also felt heat rising on my cheeks. "Just come down here, and I'll show you how much of an expert I am."

I let out a long breath through my nose. Flynn was right. Sitting in this apartment driving myself insane wasn't helping anything. And besides, I really wanted to go spend time with him.

"Alright. I'm on my way."

"Good. I'll see you in a second."

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

Ruhn's POV

"What in Hel is he doing here?" I hissed to Dec, trying to keep my voice down. We'd tailed Flynn to some apartment complex not far from the college we'd chased some monster down at not long ago.

"I don't know..." said Dec. "Maybe he's got a lead on something for the case? Or a new case, related to all that shit we dealt with last time?"

"You think Flynn's spending his time off work doing more work?"

I shot Dec a look, and he snorted.

"Okay, you're right. It's probably not that."

We turned back to watch Flynn, who had a full bouquet of flowers in his hands. He'd put on the nicest clothes he owned, and if I didn't know better, I would've thought-

"Oh! Tristan, holy shit!"

Dec and I stared wide-eyed as a human female came out of the apartment building, absolutely beaming at Flynn. She ran to him and jumped in his arms, hugging him tight, as he picked her up and spun her around. He kissed her, and when they pulled apart they stayed close, forehead to forehead, just staring at each other lovingly, something I'd never seen Flynn do with a female. I glanced at Dec to find him looking just as shocked as me, and when I turned back to find Flynn practically floating looking at the girl in front of him, I couldn't help my surprised shout.

"WHAT THE FUCK?"

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

Y/N's POV

Tristan and I whirled around in sync at the sound of a loud shout from across the street. I found two fae males staring at us, looking absolutely outraged, and I started to get a little worried until my boyfriend shouted back.

"What the FUCK are you two doing here?"

"I take it you know them?" I asked, turning to Flynn and keeping my voice low. He shook his head, but the irritation in his eyes faded the second he looked at me.

'Yeah, sweetheart, I do. They're my roommates and my friends from the Aux. And they're absolute idiots."

I turned to find the idiots in question storming across the street and towards us, shouting at cars that almost hit them in the process. Unconsciously, I took a half step towards Flynn, and he immediately wrapped one arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.

Not a moment too soon. His friends finally made it across traffic to come to a stop in front of us, and my jaw literally almost hit the floor when I realized one of them was the Crown Prince of the Valbaran Fae.

"What the Hel are you doing?" demanded the prince before turning to me. "And who is this?"

"I'm his girlfriend," I snapped, not quite able to stop myself. Both newcomers stared at me in wide-eyed shock, then whirled on their friend.

"Your what?"

"My girlfriend," Flynn said, an edge of steel in his voice that I'd only heard once or twice, usually in relation to Aux business.

The fae before us shared an absolutely shocked look, then whirled back around to look at Flynn.

"Why the Hel didn't you tell us?"

"Is that where you've been sneaking off to every day for the last few months?"

"What the fuck, Flynn?"

They shouted their questions at Flynn in sync, then without waiting for my boyfriend to get ahold of himself enough to answer, the one I didn't recognize turned to me with an apologetic smile.

"I'm Declan," he said, holding out a hand for me to shake. I stared at it for a minute, then slowly took it. "It's nice to meet you."

"...Nice to meet you, too."

"Ruhn. Also nice to meet you," said the prince with a chin nod of a hello in my direction. Then, he turned back to Flynn. "You know everybody's gonna lose it when they realize you've been keeping a steady girlfriend a secret from us, right?"

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Bunch of Aux members, a spy, and Bryce, it's your own fault for not figuring it out sooner. You should be better at your jobs than this."

Ruhn and Declan's mouths dropped open, and I laughed. I could see them getting ready for a comeback, so I stepped even closer to Flynn and fixed the other two fae with a bright smile.

"It's been nice to get to meet some of Tristan's friends, and I'm sure I'll see you both again soon. But right now, I was promised a break from my term paper by my wonderful boyfriend, and I don't intend to let anything get in the way of that."

"I'd listen if I were you," said Flynn, a massive smile on his face as he looked at me with the most lovesick expression I'd ever seen. It made my heart melt. "We met because she almost clocked me in the head with a notebook for interrupting her study session."

"Well technically I threw the notebook before you came in. And then I yelled at you for interrupting."

"Are you trying to say you wouldn't have thrown the notebook at my head anyway if it'd still been in your hands?"

"...No, I probably would've."

"I know. And I love it." He grinned, leaning in for a heated kiss. It still took my breath away, kissing him, even though it'd been a few months now, and he pulled away far too soon for my liking. "What do you say we get the Hel out of here for your distraction?"

"I say Hel yeah, let's go."

He gave me one last quick peck, then pulled back with a wink. His arm stayed wrapped around my waist as we turned to head off to whatever surprise he had planned, not bothering to spare more than a nod at his absolutely stunned friends.

"You get the weekend, Flynn!" one of them called after us. "And then we're having a party and getting to know this female you're so head over heels for!"

"Sure!" Flynn said, calling back over my head. "As long as she decides she actually wants to meet you!"

I snorted, and when I looked at Flynn I found a beaming smile on his face as we walked down the street together. He held out the hand that wasn't around my waist, finally presenting me with the gorgeous bouquet he'd first shown up with.

"For you."

"Thanks, Tris." I took the flowers and leaned into him, and we continued in comfortable silence for a moment. Then Flynn cleared his throat.

"So, do you... uh, do you want to meet them? My friends and everybody?"

"Well, that depends a little bit... why were they so shocked? Was it because I'm human?"

"No." Flynn's response was immediate, and he stopped dead in his tracks to turn me to face him. He put both hands on my shoulders, his warm brown eyes finding mine. "I would never voluntarily spend time with people who felt or thought that way."

"Okay... then why did they seem so surprised to see you with somebody?"

He grimaced. "You... might be the first serious girlfriend I've had. Ever."

My eyebrows shot up, and my heart skipped a few beats.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I think my record before this was... seeing the same female for two weeks? Maybe?"

I couldn't help barking a laugh, and Flynn grimaced again. My heart, on the other hand, was soaring as I reached up to gently cup his cheek.

"Well, I guess I can see why your friends were so surprised then. I'd be happy to meet them. And I'm honored to be the first female you've decided to stick around for."

He grinned at me, making my heart race even faster, then slowly leaned in until our lips were just a hair's breadth away.

"I'm honored to be a fae male you're willing to date. Based on what another friend has told me, a human like you wouldn't be willing to give just any of us a chance."

I snorted. "Yeah, no kidding. But I'm glad I gave you one."

"Me too."

I gave Flynn a little smirk, then leaned in to close the rest of the distance between us. He wasted no time kissing me back, hard, and we quickly deepened the kiss. I let my one free hand wander up to tangle in his hair, and I was ready to lose myself in him right then and there, but after a few long moments he gently pulled back.

"As much as I'd like to continue this... I think you'll really like the surprise break I have planned."

I smiled, going in for one last quick kiss, then pulling all the way back.

"Alright. Let's go. As long as we can continue this after I finish my assignments?"

"If I ever say no to that, you should be concerned."

I laughed as we headed off down the street together again, hand in hand. I still had many hovering stressors, from school to finally meeting Flynn's extended friend group, but I knew I'd have him with me for all of it. I was starting to get the feeling he was in it for the long haul, and even though that brought plenty of challenges, I couldn't help being excited for it all the same.

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

Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989

#crescent city #tristan flynn #crescent city fanfiction #tristan flynn fanfiction #tristan flynn x reader #sarah j maas #tristan flynn oneshot #tristan flynn imagine #crescent city oneshot #crescent city imagine #crescent city x reader #ruhn danaan #declan emmet #brcye quinlan #a house of earth and blood #a house of sky and breath #a house of flame and shadow #lord tristan flynn #the fae aux #prince ruhn danaan

[doggogills-but-worse]

listening to this and staring at the ceiling

I am mentally unwell

#rambling #i love ankle grease #which is a very strange sentence #idk #somethjng about the visceral way he shouts the lyrics #v good #Spotify #fae reveals their shit music taste moment #jk i listen to great music #it is simply not appreciated #i bring a certain kind of folk music to the aux that my friends really dont like #ankle grease band #ankle grease #what strange tags

[theostrophywife]

I love everything that you write and I was wondering if you would write a Ruhn fic where the reader is a friend of Byrce and are in a secret relationship but then get caught making out by the others and there all happy for them? Please and thank you.

best friend's brother.

author's note: it's been a hot minute since i've gotten the chance to write, but i was feeling our boy ruhn so please enjoy.

Ruhn fucking Danaan. 

The Crown Prince of the Valbaran Fae and the absolute bane of your immortal existence. 

The Vanir male leaned against the doorway of your apartment, dressed in his usual all black outfit despite the heatwave currently sweeping through Crescent City. Silky black hair cascaded down his shoulders and covered the Starsword draped against the back of his leather jacket. 

“What the hell do you want?” You growled through the small opening of your door. 

Behind you, the noise of the small housewarming party that had somehow spiraled into a rager thanks to Bryce filled the hallway with the pulsating beat of a pop song. Ruhn raised a brow and dangled the Aux badge between his fingers. His tattooed bicep flexed slightly as you swatted  his hand away from your face. 

“I didn’t know crashing house parties were so high up on the priorities of an Aux leader.” 

“It isn’t, but I made an exception for you, sweetheart. If I’m being honest, I’m quite offended that you didn’t even bother to invite me.” Ruhn smirked at the sight of your frown. “I’ve been told I’m the life of the party.”

“Bryce said you had the late shift,” you grunted. “And even if you didn’t, this was supposed to be a small gathering. Close friends only.” 

The Crown Prince flicked his tongue over the hoop pierced through his bottom lip, his heated gaze sweeping over your body. Against all common sense and logic, the sight made your toes curl in your high heels. 

“Considering the amount of times I’ve seen you naked, I’d say we’re a little more than close.” The sensual and seductive purr of his voice threatened to melt you into a puddle of arousal right at Ruhn’s feet. 

You pushed him into the dim hallway and shut the door behind you. “Say that a little louder, why don’t you? Everyone inside may be drunk, but that doesn’t mean their hearing suddenly stopped working. Your sister included.” 

“I don’t care if Bryce knows about us. You’re the one who seems Hel bent on keeping it a secret.” 

“You know how Bryce feels about being kept out of the loop. She would go absolutely ballistic if she knew we’ve been seeing each other behind her back. I mean, the best friend and the older brother? How cliche could we get?” 

Run closed the gap between you, his intense blue gaze dipping to your mouth. “So what do you propose? You want to put an end to things?” 

“No,” you retorted quicker than you’d intended. Ruhn’s lips twitched into a smile and you realized that he was baiting you. “I just think…we should take things slow. Warm Bryce up to the idea of us together. Maybe go out to dinner or something.” 

“Are you asking me out on a date, sweetheart?” 

“Not if you’re going to be an asshole about it.”

Ruhn rolled his eyes. “I’d love to take you out to dinner, but only if I get to have you as dessert afterwards.”

Before you could answer, the door swung open. As casually as you could manage, you put space between you and Ruhn as Bryce and Hunt peeked out into the hallway. 

“Ruhn, what are you doing here?” 

“Being a pain in my ass as usual,” you answered with a frown. 

“Honestly, I don’t get how the two people I love most could bicker so much,” the redhaired female said with a bemused smirk. 

Hunt appeared slightly offended, but seemed inclined to agree with his mate. “That’s because Danaan can’t seem to quit while he’s ahead. No matter how many times he gets his ass handed to him by the little witchling.” 

Ruhn snarled, which only spurred his sister on further. “You two reek of sexual tension. If you ask me, you two should just spar it out in the bedroom for all our sakes,” Bryce stated matter-of-factly.

Burning fucking Solas. The gates of Hel may as well open and swallow you whole. 

“I’m honestly not drunk enough for this,” you muttered under your breath while shooting an incredulous look at your friend. “Which is just as well, since it looks like the Aux is officially shutting down this party.”

You subtly shot a pleading look at Ruhn. Please get these people out of my apartment. 

The Crown Prince had the audacity to smirk. It would be my pleasure, princess. 

I hate when you call me that.

Ruhn tried to subdue the shiteating grin spreading through his handsome face. 

And yet you’re asking your Prince Charming to rescue you from the big, bad party.

You glared at the Vanir male, but nearly sighed in relief as he ushered the crowd currently crammed in your living room towards the door. His roommates included. 

“Busted.” Flynn remarked, shaking his head at Ruhn. “That’s cold Danaan, even for you.”

Ithan, Declan, and Tharion all crowded around the Fae lord, who threw an arm over your shoulder before kissing your cheek goodbye. “See you later, babe.”

You swatted Flynn’s arm away, but smiled nonetheless. The male may be a shameless flirt, but you’d grown fond of him. Ruhn, on the other hand, appeared to be considering ripping his friend’s arm from your shoulder, but said nothing as his roommates filtered past him. 

“You coming, Ruhn?” Dec asked. 

“No, I’ll help clean up. Since you assholes are probably too drunk to even pick up a mop.”

Tharion whistled. “Someone’s in a mood, aren’t they? Don’t get your crown in a twist, Your Highness.”

Ruhn only glowered at the mer who winked at you for good measure. As though he knew exactly how much it pushed his roommate’s buttons. Luckily, Bryce shoved Tharion out the door before he could annoy her brother further. 

“We can stay and help clean up, too.” Hunt offered.

“No,” you and Ruhn answered almost instantaneously. 

Bryce raised a suspicious brow. Hunt’s knowing stare flickered between you and Ruhn before the angel smirked. 

He tugged at his mate’s wrist, garnering her attention. Thank Urd Bryce was drunk enough not to second guess the distraction. “I think they’ve got it handled, Quinlan. Besides, are we really the best pair to offer assistance with cleaning?” 

Bryce sighed in defeat. “Point taken, Athalar.” 

With that, your friend enveloped you into a hug and bid you goodbye. “If Ruhn gives you a hard time, just beat him with your broomstick,” she whispered non-discreetly. 

Ruhn snorted. “Don’t give her ideas.”

“Get home safe,” you said with a chuckle as you waved Bryce and Hunt goodbye. 

And finally, fucking finally, the door closed and you breathe a sigh of relief. You loved your friends, you really did, but socializing took a horrendous amount of effort. You needed to recharge. 

“Are you actually going to help me clean?”

Ruhn hummed in response, threading his fingers with yours. “I’d rather make a mess of you instead.”

Alone at last, you wasted no time and raised on your tiptoes to kiss him, savoring the surprised sound he makes and the smirk that followed after. Ruhn tasted like a mixture of peppermint with a hint of honeysuckle and you sighed in satisfaction as he kissed you back fervently, giving and taking in equal measure. He cupped your face, gently dragging the cold metal of his lip ring over the hollow of your throat in a way that makes goosebumps erupt all over your arms. 

His moan is a low and teasing timbre in your ears as he grazed your earlobe. “Admit it, princess. You missed me.” 

If only Ruhn knew how many times you kept finding yourself wishing he was beside you throughout the night, the male would never let you live it down. “It was…dull without you here.”

Ruhn raised a brow, pulling away to look at you. That startling shade of blue painted you with heat. “Fine. I missed you, Ruhn. I always fucking miss you. Is that what you wanted to hear?” 

“Perhaps I need a little convincing,” the male teased, tilting your chin up. “It looked to me like Flynn and Tharion were keeping you occupied.”

“Jealous much?” 

He smirked. A slow, feral smirk that showed all his teeth. “Not even close. Neither one of them could handle you,” Ruhn declared confidently, cupping your ass lightly as you moaned in response. “It takes a special sort of male to handle you, my little witchling.”

You swatted at his chest, but said nothing to deny his accusation. “You’re a pain in the ass, Ruhn.”

“Maybe so, but I’m your pain in the ass.” He squeezed your right cheek in his large hand before giving it a light smack. “And what a sweet ass you’ve got.”

“Gods, just fucking kiss me already.”

Ruhn’s cock strained against his jeans at the utter neediness in your voice. His fingers snaked through your hair, tilting you back right where he wanted you before his lips crashed into yours. You were filled with relief as the taste of Ruhn overwhelmed your senses. You had no idea what it was about this male, but you couldn’t fucking get enough of him. 

You’d missed this. Missed him. More than you cared to admit. 

A satisfied moan slipped past Ruhn’s parted lips before his tongue prodded against yours. The kiss was a clash of lips and teeth, heated and desperate as though you’d never get the chance to taste each other again. You bunched up the front of Ruhn’s shirt and pressed him closer, kissing him over and over again until you felt lightheaded and dizzy.

You were so consumed by him, so drunk on your own desire, that you didn’t even hear the front door opening. It was only when Bryce’s soft gasp echoed through your apartment when you finally pried yourself away from Ruhn. 

“I fucking knew it!” 

The red haired female stood at the door with her arms crossed. Hunt grimaced behind her, shooting you an apologetic look as his mate swatted at his chest. “What did I tell you, Athalar?” 

Instead of anger, Bryce looked triumphant. A reaction that you did not expect to receive from your friend after she’d caught you heavily making out with her brother. 

“You’re not mad?” you asked, gaping at Bryce. 

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. It was only a matter of time before this happened. You two are about as subtle as a bull in a china shop.”

“I’d say,” Tharion said from the doorway, leaning against the frame as Flynn and Dec peered over his shoulders. “Though I enjoyed watching Ruhn nearly pop a blood vessel every time I flirted with you, I’m glad we can all stop pretending not to notice the puppy dog eyes you two make at each other when you think we’re not looking.”

Flynn chuckled. “Sickening, really. But in an adorable way.”

Your eyes widened in accusation. “You all knew?”

Dec grinned sheepishly. “To be fair, you two weren’t very good at hiding it.” 

Ruhn crossed his arms, slightly angling himself so that you were behind him. You couldn’t see his face, but you heard him all the same. 

I’ll take the blame. I kissed you. I crossed the line. You don’t have to—

Ruhn.

His gaze flickered to you, an unreadable emotion dancing in his eyes before you twined your fingers through his. 

I don’t want to keep us a secret anymore.

A small smile formed on Ruhn’s face. So you admit that there’s an us.

You rolled your eyes, but mirrored his smile all the same. Don’t push your luck, Danaan.

He winked before squeezing your hand. You turned your attention back to your friends. Confusion danced on their faces as you pulled out of your silent conversation. 

“Ruhn and I are…seeing each other.” You fixed a hard glare at the males standing in your doorway. “And if anyone gives him shit about it, I’ll nail your balls to the wall.” 

Flynn and Declan winced, but Tharion only smirked. 

Bryce grinned, but threw you a pointed glare. “Brunch tomorrow. I need details of how this lovely union came to be.”

You sighed. Bryce would no doubt grill you over eggs and pancakes, but it was worth it if it meant that you and Ruhn could stop sneaking around. 

“Fine, Quinlan.” You replied with a fond smile. “But first, get the Hel out of my apartment so Ruhn and I can finish what you so rudely interrupted.”

Your friends groaned, but beamed nonetheless as they once again departed. As Bryce sashayed into the hallway, Ruhn triple checked that the door was firmly locked and that all of your wards were in place. 

Once he was satisfied, he hauled you over his shoulder and strode straight for your bedroom. You giggled as he deposited you onto the mattress. 

“I believe I promised to make a mess out of you,” he growled against your ear, pinning you underneath him. “And you’ll find that I’m a male of my word, princess.”

You smirked, tugging him down to you. “Prove it, Danaan.”

So he did.

#sorry if it's shit i'm trying to get back in the groove of things #ruhn danaan #ruhn x reader #ruhn danaan smut #ruhn smut #crescent city #hoeab #hosab

[danikamariewrites]

Hello 😊 can you do a Ruhn× shy library reader scenario/headcanon please 💗

I just wondered how he would be chasing after someone more quiet and introvert.

I also want to mention I really like your page, makes my tea break more entertaining 😄

Behind Bookcases

Ruhn x reader

A/n: aww thank you sm I’m happy you like my blog

the way I’ve thought about this before it would be such a cute dynamic 🥰

Warnings: none

You work in the Fae Archives and occasionally saw the Prince when he came by to research something for the Aux or to visit his sister. Your job wasn’t anything fancy. You were simply just the book keeper, making sure things were in there place and helping people find things.

Ruhn had asked were to find certain books and you had always fumbled your words and maybe seemed a little too eager when you brought him to the stacks. He was always so kind to you when he came in. Lately you felt like he was coming to the archives a lot. And he wasn’t even seeing Bryce most of the time.

You could’ve sworn the other week he was trying to flirt with you when he stopped by the front desk during your shift. You didn’t want to look too into it though. He was a huge party guy and your idea of a fun night was something quiet with a small group or just spending time alone at home. What could Ruhn possibly see in you?

One day after a month straight of Ruhn coming to the archives and lingering at the desk and asking you a million questions your confidence seemed to have boosted. You were typically nervous around people you don’t know. Ruhn had been coming to the archives so much you felt like you had known him for years. Even if you just had small, meaningless conversations.

You were putting books back when you heard muttering from the other side ancient bookcase. You know you shouldn’t be eavesdropping but the voice sounded familiar. Slowly taking a book out from your side, you peeked into the other aisle.

Ruhn was pacing back and forth. He looks a little stressed. His phone is pressed between his shoulder and ear as he tries not to yell at the person he’s talking to who is clearly teasing him.

“Dec for the first time I’m not sure what to do. I’m nervous. And don’t you dare tell Flynn what I just said…we’ll take me off speaker then, I called you not the whole house.” What could he be nervous about? Ruhn exuded confidence, not to mention he was a total charmer.

“No I’m not asking Bryce. I want to do this on my own.” You could hear yelling through the phone. It wasn’t angry, it sounded like his friends were cheering him on. You shrugged and gently put the book back going back to your task.

You gently push the cart out the aisle and run into Ruhn accidentally hitting him. “Oh! I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking.” Your cheeks turn beet red as he smiles down at you, handing you two books that fell off the cart. “It’s alright y/n. I was actually hoping to run into you.”

Your eyes went wide and your lips parted a little in shock. He wanted to talk to you? You wondered if he just wanted information on something. “Yeah, what do you need help with?” Ruhn chuckled a little and nervously scratched at the back of his neck.

“Well it’s not…I don’t need help persay…but,” Ruhn never stumbled when speaking. You didn’t want to get your hopes up, that would be embarrassing. Ruhn let out a small groan and dropped his head. Looking back up at you his violet, blue eyes seemed softer.

“I was wondering if you would like to go out to dinner with me?” You wanted to jump up and down and scream yes, yes, a thousand times yes! But you reined yourself in. Your face lit up, a wide smile breaking out on your lips. “Yes. I-I’d love to.”

The prince let out a sigh of relief. “Prefect. When are you?” “Tonight,” you responded quickly. You cleared your throat repeating the word softer, “Tonight. If that’s cool with you.” Ruhn’s smile widened as he nodded his head. “Yeah, give me your number and I’ll pick you up tonight at seven.”

After giving your number to Ruhn and walking with him back to the front of the archives you couldn’t stop smiling. You were going on a real date with a real prince! And you couldn’t wait.

#crescent city x reader #crescent city fluff #crescent city fanfiction #crescent city imagine #crescent city #crescent city fanfic #ruhn crescent city #ruhn danaan x reader #prince ruhn danaan #ruhn danaan x you #ruhn danaan #ruhn fluff #ruhn x reader #ruhn x you

[theladyofbloodshed]

Chapter 3 - Ruhn: Nesta's 25? she should be at the club

The phone vibrating on the bedside table told Ruhn Danaan three things. One – he was late. Two – the mirthroot that Flynn had bought was more potent than first thought. Three – there was a snoring faun next to him.

Ruhn leaned over her bare body to reach his cell. He’d missed the call. And six others. Plus a couple of texts.

Hunt Athalar.

Hunt Athalar.

Hunt Athalar.

‘Stalked by the Umbra Mortis,’ he groaned, flopping back against the pillows. Micah’s insistence that heads of the city’s departments should exchange contact information was proving more of a ball ache than anything.

The faun beside him – Ruhn couldn’t remember her name – stirred then blinked at him with bleary eyes. They’d had fun last night. Well, as much as Ruhn could remember.

He hit the shower, hoping she might find her way out to avoid the awkward exchange, but when he came to his room with a towel around his hips, the faun was still perched on the edge of the bed.

‘I have some, er, aux work to do. I’ll pay for your cab home.’

Her mouth twisted. ‘You can’t remember my name, can you?’

Ruhn flicked his tongue against his lip ring, stalling for time.

The doorbell rang. Over and over, somebody was buzzing at the door and Ruhn had a good idea who.

‘Official aux business,’ he said, ushering her down the stairs despite her muttering under her breath about him being an asshole.

A storm by the name of Hunt Athalar loomed on the stoop. He took a step back before the faun barrelled into him.

‘Seriously?’

It wasn’t Athalar who spoke but the pretty blonde that Ruhn had met a couple of days earlier. Her arms were folded across her chest. The fae look of you’re-a-worthless-piece-of-shit had been perfected on her features.

‘I need to work,’ said Hunt, turning to her and grazing his knuckles down her arm.

‘I am not a child, Hunt. I will manage a day without your company.’

He winced. ‘Nesta, you can’t cross a road without help.’

Her expression stiffened into stone.

Hunt’s wings spread out, veiling them, but not muffling the sound.

‘Hey. I care about what happens to you. Danaan won’t let anything bad happen. I’ll swing by when I’m done. Buy more cookie dough. Watch a movie.’

Ruhn couldn’t stop himself from frowning. This fallen angel was better known for gutting his enemies, not getting cosy with females and watching movies.

‘Answer your cell when I call,’ said Hunt, turning to look at him. Lightning wreathed his hands in warning. ‘Put some clothes on too. Ruhn – no shit today.’

In answer, he gave a lazy salute. The angel clenched his jaw, but didn’t pass comment. He turned to leave, touching Nesta on the shoulder as he departed, before bolting into the sky.

‘Welcome to my humble abode, Nesta Archeron.’

The place was usually a mess, but under her scrutiny, it seemed worse than usual. Ruhn was painfully aware of the peeling, graffitied wallpaper, the scrunched-up beer cans littering the stained carpet and the stench of smoke and alcohol clinging to the walls. The ashtrays were overflowing. A photo of a naked female was tacked to the dartboard with a dart piercing her head. Nesta peered over his shoulder to look into the living room where Flynn was naked and unconscious on the couch then her lip curled with disgust.

Ruhn guided her through the house, picking up discarded beer bottles along the way. Well, even if she wasn’t from Midgard, Nesta maintained the same stuck-up aura as other fae. He could imagine her and Sathia Flynn looking down their noses at one of the lace doily infested tea-houses the fae liked to frequent.

‘Do you engage in such activities every day?’

‘Not every day,’ he replied. Most nights though. And most nights Ruhn would wake up with a gorgeous female beside him with no memory of her name – but he usually sent them home happy. He had a reputation in the city, but it wasn’t a bad one.

‘Hello.’ Dec sat on a stool in the kitchen, already clicking away on his laptop. ‘You’re the fae who fell from space.’

‘Nesta,’ she replied tightly.

Dec held out a hand for her which she tentatively took to shake.

The three of them sipped at coffee in a painful silence once Ruhn had dressed. Dec kept throwing glances his way to encourage him to say something but Nesta had already made her opinion of him – and his home – clear from the pinched expression.

‘Do you need sugar for your coffee, Nesta?’

At Dec’s question, Nesta’s lips parted. ‘It can have sugar?’

‘Sure. And milk.’ Dec pulled open the fridge to sniff the milk. He retched. ‘We don’t have milk.’

Nesta frowned again. ‘How old are you?’

‘We’re only seventy-five.’

Her brows raised again. ‘Only.’

For an unknown reason, Hunt Athalar had taken a liking to this female who had a stick up her ass so Ruhn didn’t want a target on his back for cutting her loose in the city. It would be long fucking day babysitting her. Ruhn glanced down at his cell. A message from his father flashed on the screen. As if the day couldn’t get any worse.

‘What do you like to do, Nesta?’

She glanced around the kitchen at the piles of dishes in the sink and the overflowing bin. ‘To read.’

Thank Luna.

‘How would you like to see Lunathion’s library?’ 

She jumped off the stool as if sitting on it had been a punishment. Dec had probably cleaned them once or twice. He hadn’t. Flynn didn’t know what a sponge was.

Just as Ruhn thought of his friend, Tristan Flynn staggered into the kitchen. To all of their relief, he’d pulled on a pair of grey boxers. His chestnut-brown hair was flat on one side from his sleep. At the sight of Nesta in their kitchen, he pointed to himself then Ruhn, trying to remember which one of them had spent the night with her.

Ruhn cleared his throat. ‘This is Nesta Archeron. And this is Flynn.’

‘Oh. The female with the magic sword. Nesta. Hello,’ he said, winking. ‘I’m Lord Tristan Flynn.’  

Her eyes went from his head to his toes then back up again, entirely unimpressed. ‘You need to bathe.’

 ***

The reek of sex and alcohol lingered even when they were far away from Ruhn Danaan’s pleasure house. The male was patient with her at the roads – no doubt in response to Hunt’s reprimand that she didn’t know how to cross. It wasn’t Nesta’s fault that those metal vehicles moved so quickly. But it was her fault that she forgot to look each time. On the whole, Ruhn Danaan seemed… fine. Not cruel. Not overwhelmingly arrogant even for a prince. He yawned his way along the walk, stopping to greet people he knew. But Nesta could not shake her prejudice because he looked so much like Rhysand. Even the low timbre of his voice was reminiscent of Rhysand’s despite the differing accent.

‘I have to meet my father,’ he explained. ‘I’ll save you from that. He’ll be panting if he finds out about the sword and he’ll want you wedded and bedded to… somebody.’ Ruhn cleared his throat again. ‘At the library, you can read books for free.’

‘I know what a library is.’

‘Alright,’ he said. Ruhn clung onto her hood at the approach to a busy crossing to stop her from walking into the road.

‘I can do the ones with the lights,’ she insisted.

‘Yeah, wait for the green male, good girl.’

‘Don’t call me that.’

His violet eyes alighted with mischief. ‘What should I call you?’

‘My name,’ she snapped.

The idea of Ruhn – Rhysand’s facial double – trying to flirt had Nesta wanting to shrivel up and die. No, it was bad enough having to listen to her sister and her mate’s toe-curling conversations. Nesta did not want fake-Rhysand to turn the charm on her.

‘You, er, you’re really not from Avallen, are you?’

‘I am from Prythian.’

‘You know of Fionn though.’

Nesta shrugged a shoulder as they continued down a quiet street dotted with trees as a warm, summer’s breeze swept through it. ‘It’s a story that I heard.’

‘I like stories.’

‘I’m not a good story teller,’ she insisted.

They stopped outside an elaborate building of white stone, made to look ancient even if it was new. A row of pillars lined the front, holding the overhanging roof up. Many stairs led to the entrance doors which were propped open. Ruhn led the way and dropped his voice as he pointed out places she could visit within the vast library. There were sections for artefacts, an archive, ancient books which were kept in glass cases, and rows and rows of books that were free for anybody to browse. From his wallet, Ruhn pulled out a faded card. The handwritten numbers were almost illegible.

‘This should still work,’ he said, taking to Nesta to one of the screens with portraits.

‘A television?’

‘Computer.’ He gave her a queer look. ‘You don’t have computers in Prythian?’

‘Obviously not.’

His tattooed fingers glided across the keyboard too fast for Nesta to make out what he’d done – so she pressed him on it.

‘I’ve used my library card to log you in. Still works after all these years. Good old public funding. You get three hours browsing then it will boot you out. You’ll have access to news journals, the internet, videos, whatever you want. Alright.’

Nesta nodded, not understanding most of what the prince had said.

‘Keep this,’ he said, pressing the small card into her hand. ‘If you want any books or whatever.’

‘When will you return?’

Ruhn shrugged. ‘I’ll send Flynn along to keep you company.’

‘Not him,’ Nesta said quickly. ‘Why can’t the other one come?’

‘Dec has a job. Flynn also has a job but he never shows up anyway.’

Once Ruhn Danaan’s steps faded from the library, Nesta was left in peace. The tranquil environment created by a library seemed a universal thing. She watched workers returning books to their rightful place and thought of her brilliant friend likely hard at work in Velaris’ library. Had news of her disappearance reached Gwyn and Emerie or would they hush it up?

Out of curiosity, Nesta searched her own name. It took an agonisingly long amount of time to find each letter but it yielded no results anyway. Then she searched Ruhn Danaan’s name and found pages upon pages of results about him. There was a birth announcement then subsequent ones about major milestones in his life. The portraits – photographs, she reminded herself – of him showed his glossy, black hair lengthening in each one with more and more tattoos added to his skin. His father, the king of the fae, reminded Nesta of Eris Vanserra. Both shared shining, wine-red hair and a long, thin nose but there tended to be amusement on Eris’ face like he knew a joke that nobody else did. Ruhn’s father appeared cruel and unwelcoming.  

Nesta couldn’t help but think of Gwyn again and how this process would streamline her research. Rather than finding obscure references in books, a simple search could be entered and the hard work had already been done. It was magnificent.

Her fingers hovered over the keys, wondering what to search next.

H-U-N-T A-T-H-A-L-A-R.

Hunt had just as many entries as Ruhn did. Perhaps he was a prince of angels.

There were news reports that featured his name as one of the malakim who’d worked on a case in the city. He’d caught many demons from Hel, but also prevented a lot of crime in Lunathion. There was the odd photograph of him – where he looked entirely unimpressed to be photographed. Nesta laughed at that. He’d endured her experiments with his cell phone in good enough humour.

THE UMBRA MORTIS PURCHASED BY ARCHANGEL MICAH DOMITUS

Nesta sat close to the screen, scanning the lines of text to ensure she understood it fully. Hunt was a slave, as he’d told her. But he’d had many owners. The latest, Micah Domitus, was his fourth owner and the governor of the city. She hated the way those words were thrown around. Slave. Master. Bought. It made him sound like cattle.

She should have stopped delving into this. It wasn’t Nesta’s business to know – but she had pulled a loose thread and could not let it go until it was unravelled.

Hunt had fought in a battle against other angels. The general he had served had been his leader and his lover. And he’d watched her die at the hands of her sister. He had been prepared to die for his beliefs, but instead a slave brand was inked to his forehead. What had he endured for two hundred years? When would he be free?

‘Hello, gorgeous.’

Nesta scrambled to close down her search history as the irritating fae male slid into the chair beside her.

‘The Umbra Mortis? I can tell you what you need to know,’ said Tristan Flynn with an easy grin.

‘Shh. This is a library.’

‘Then lets get out of here so we can talk,’ he suggested.

Nesta couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him. He reminded her of Helion. No amount of charm would work on her.

‘Ruhn said you know about Fionn. I can tell you our version of the story.’ He dropped his voice to a whisper, ‘The fae one that’s not in any book or article.’

***

For a slave, Hunt rarely had interest in his day’s work. It could be made bearable by the company in the 33rd, but today, Hunt’s heart wasn’t in it at all.

He’d fired off a couple of texts to Danaan asking about Nesta. He didn’t trust the fae not to dump her or piss her off – and he’d learnt that Nesta wasn’t shy or retiring when it came to letting her mood be known. There had been no replies so far.

‘Hunt, you’re in daydream land,’ said Isaiah, waving a hand through the air.

Hunt spread out the papers in front of him at the table. ‘Because you’ve given me the driest task imaginable.’

There’d been an influx of demonic activity in the last four years so Isaiah had him searching for patterns – the time, the location, the type – through old reports. It could not have been more boring. Hunt wasn’t made for paperwork. Hell, nobody was.

‘You’ve been keeping tabs on our friend from the sky?’

Hunt raised a brow. ‘Is that what we’re calling her?’

Isaiah shrugged. ‘Micah will be away for another week. I’ve not let the word out yet. We’ve not found anything on the sword except that it’s magic and hated Ruhn Danaan anywhere near it.’

That did make him laugh. ‘He’s on guard duty today. I wonder if she’ll feel the same way as her weapon.’

***  

‘This is what we call a liquid lunch,’ explained Flynn, as he insisted on being called.

The pair of them had tall glasses filled with crushed ice, brightly coloured juice and strong alcohol.

‘And it is acceptable here?’

‘Oh yeah,’ he said, sipping through a straw. ‘You’re on holiday from Prythian. Enjoy the delights that Lunathion has to offer.’

It was difficult not to enjoy his company. Nesta knew he was trying very hard to be liked, but also had an aura that he wouldn’t have cared if she didn’t like him either. It was different to be with the males from this land. Nesta felt safe with them. She could not imagine being left in Illyria or the Hewn City without harm befouling her. Flynn was a flirt, but his handsome smile was offered to every female with a pulse.

Money seemed no object to him either, so she had to wonder what he did or what he was a lord of. When her eyes had snagged on a dress, Tristan Flynn had wasted no time in purchasing it. A pastry pumped with cream had also been bought for her to snack on as they walked along the Istros counting the otters. He’d introduced her to one of the Mer who basked on the bank, enjoying the sun streaming upon his glistening muscles, but Nesta had been reluctant to get too close to the edge after Hunt had mentioned creatures called Sobeks. It brought up too many memories of being dragged to the bottom with the kelpie.

‘I can’t pay you for any of this,’ she replied.

Nesta took a tentative sip of her drink – and found it to taste delightful.

‘Wire me it back from Prythian,’ said Flynn, winking.

‘I have no money there either.’

‘A kept female?’

How right he was, Nesta thought. Everything in Prythian came with a condition. Look for these items or we’ll dump you in the mortal lands. Train or we won’t let you out. Her food, her lodging, her clothing, her everything was benevolently provided by Rhysand as long as she toed the line and did as she was told.

A female pulled up a chair at their table. Flynn’s demeanour changed at once.

‘What are you doing to this poor female, Tristan? She looks positively morose in your company.’

‘Haven’t you got a rich male to sink your claws into in The Five Roses?’

The female was as petite as she was, with light green eyes that were at odds with her dark hair. ‘I was actually on my way to have my hair done then I saw you tormenting a female and thought I might offer her a lifeline out of your abysmal company.’

Nesta had been about to offer that Flynn was not that bad – a shameless flirt perhaps who thought money could buy her affections – when he announced that their guest was his sister, Sathia.

‘I’ve not seen you before,’ she said, in a tone that suggested Sathia knew all of the fae worth knowing.

‘Nesta is visiting from Avallen.’

‘Father will be overjoyed to hear that you’re courting her.’

A blush stole across Flynn’s cheeks. ‘I’m not. Ruhn is.’

‘He most certainly is not,’ Nesta shot back.

Sathia took hold of Nesta’s hand to examine it. ‘Your nails are ghastly. Have you ever had a manicure?’

Nesta did not know the word. She glanced to Flynn who was staring daggers at his sister. ‘No.’

‘Then we must remedy it at once. Tristan, go and find another female to pant over. We’re busy.’

‘Can’t. Ruhn’s tasked me with looking after her.’

Sathia smiled sweetly to her brother. ‘Then I suppose you can come for a manicure too.’

***

A visit with Einear Danaan always left Ruhn bitter and broken inside. No matter what he did, he was always reduced to a boy who could never match his father’s demands. Ruhn could shake it off, pretend he didn’t care, but he always left his father’s villa with another splintering crack running through him.

He hadn’t planned to spend so long there, but his father had kept him, demanding information about the wolves and vamps. They’d gone over reports then his father had insisted on showing him his working model of the universe. That had kept Ruhn longer as he tried to wheedle out information about Fionn and the northern rift from his father without exposing Nesta.

It was dark when Ruhn finally left the Five Roses. There’d been a couple of messages from Athalar. One asking how Nesta was and another saying he would be later than planned but to stay with her until he arrived.

Ruhn groaned. If she hadn’t killed Flynn in all the time that they’d been together, it would be a miracle.

‘Dec, where’s Flynn?’ Ruhn asked into his cell. ‘He’s not picking up.’

Music thumped in the background of wherever Dec was. Through the cacophony, Ruhn made out, ‘We’re all in the White Raven.’

Hunt Athalar was going to kill him.

***

Sathia Flynn was going to kill her.

They had managed to lose her brother in a nail salon when his patience frayed. He’d given Nesta a card and said it was for emergencies only. It was not like the library card that Ruhn had given her. This one allowed Sathia to purchase anything.

Both her fingernail and toenails had been trimmed and buffed then painted. They’d gone to another shop where Nesta’s hair had been cut an inch or two shorter, but Sathia had her hair painted too and complained keeping it dark was so much upkeep – whatever that meant. They had gone shopping for heeled shoes and clothes that Sathia used her brother’s card to pay for. Then they’d gone to another place where Nesta had experienced pain like no other. Hot wax had been put on her body to rip out her hair.

‘Is it supposed to be this painful?’

They were in the bathroom of a club. She imagined Rita’s to look similar, but music played so loudly that it made the walls vibrate. They had drunk lots of cocktails. Her favourite – and the most difficult to ask for – was sex on the beach. Sathia and her friends had dusted glitter on to her face – and their own. One, Alice, was applying more make up in the mirror. Nesta barely recognised herself with her hair unbound and cosmetics on her skin too.

‘You can go commando,’ offered Sathia.

Nesta narrowed her eyes. She knew what that meant thanks to Hunt. ‘Do males do the same? The waxing down there?’

One of Sathia’s friends, Prunella, swigged at a bottle of wine where she sat on the sink. ‘You’re lucky if they trim.’

‘That’s why you get a vibrator,’ chimed in Alice.

‘What’s a vibrator?’

Sathia squealed. ‘I just love her.’ She ran her hand against Nesta’s hair. ‘Right. Shots and dancing. Let’s go.’

***

Hunt felt his age when he left the Comitium. A day spent at a desk had left his neck and back aching from holding up his wings. When he landed at Ruhn Danaan’s home, none of the lights were on. He bit back his irritation and dialled his number.

‘Where are you?’

Hunt had no doubt that Nesta would be able to hold her own. The issue was she was naïve in their world and he knew what fae pricks were like.

‘We’re out,’ said Ruhn.

‘Where?’

There was a slight intake of breath. ‘The White Raven.’

Fae assholes.

It was a short flight to the Old Square. The owner of the club was a butterfly shifter who was still on the door greeting patrons. At the sight of Hunt landing, with lightning crackling in the air, his jovial expression changed to one of concern.

‘Not trouble here, I hope?’

‘Off the clock,’ he replied tightly. ‘Come to visit a friend.’

‘There won’t be trouble?’

Hunt threw him a bland smile. ‘Let’s hope not.’

He spotted the three fae pricks drinking amongst other females at a booth near the door with Nesta not amongst them. Hunt worked his jaw as he marched over. One day, Ruhn Danaan would learn to grow up.

‘Where is she?’

‘In my defence,’ slurred Tristan Flynn, ‘it was my sister who brought her here. We’re just on guard duty, doing as we're told, Umbra Mortis.’

Declan Emmett, the most amenable of the three, pointed towards the throbbing dance floor. ‘She’s just enjoying the music.’

The others began peeling away from her at the sight of the Umbra Mortis striding through the crowd, a scowl on his face. Loose and free, Nesta was dancing amongst a group of fae females with her gorgeous hair tumbling behind her, without a care.

Gone was the female in leathers with a sword strapped to her spine. Gone was the female who found jeans uncomfortable. She was lost in the music, utterly free. One of the fae had shelled out on a new wardrobe for her, by the looks of the sparkly, black dress that skimmed her thighs and clung to her narrow waist. A shimmer of pink glitter dusted her cheeks.

When Nesta finally noticed the ebb of the crowd as he approached, she finally snapped her attention towards him.

‘Orion!’

Before Hunt could react, Nesta had moved at preternatural speed – faster than fae in Midgard could move – to throw her arms around his neck and lean all of her weight on him. Hunt lifted her off the floor to steady both of them and Nesta pressed deeper into his body.

Nobody had called him Orion for a long time – and never with such warmth.

She kissed his cheek. ‘Have you come to dance?’

‘No,’ he replied over the thump of the music. ‘To see you safely home. I was worried. Do you want to go with me?’

'I will go wherever you lead me, Orion.'

There was little resistance from Nesta who seemed happy to be led through the crowd towards the exit. From the giddy expression, she’d had a lot of drinks under Ruhn Danaan’s care. Hunt pulled off his jacket to protect her from the chill of the night on the way out.

‘Did you have fun with Ruhn?’

Nesta gave him a funny sort of smile with bleary eyes. ‘The Prince of Pricks.’

‘Shh,’ he reminded her as they passed a group of fae also staggering along the path. ‘You’ll get me into trouble.’

Hunt held out a hand for Nesta to take to steady her clumsy steps. Instead, she fell against him, knocking the air from his ribs as her arms came around his body.

‘Thank the Mother that he isn’t like Rhys even if they have the same face,’ she said.

On the walk home, Hunt hoped the fresh air might sober her up but it only emphasised just how drunk she was. Twice, he’d had to grab her before she planted her face into the concrete then she insisted she wanted to walk along a wall so Hunt had held her hand tightly while Nesta stepped across the crumbling brick in perilously high heels like a wobbling toddler. At the end, she leapt into his arms – before he was ready, so the pair had nearly gone down together.

‘I missed you today,’ she said with colour high in her cheeks.

It was just drunken talk, but Hunt would play that on a loop in his mind until he was dust.

It was too far to her hotel. If they walked, they might be there by sunrise with the pace Nesta was setting and Hunt didn’t want to risk her throwing up on him if they flew. The Comitium loomed on the horizon, still a hub of activity despite the late hour. He’d take her to the barracks. It wouldn’t be the first time somebody had been snuck in, although never by him.

‘Are you going to lock me up, Hunt Athalar?’

He grinned at that. ‘Have you committed an offence?’

Nesta gave him another inebriated smile as she clambered up another low wall to walk along. ‘I used to be a very bad girl. So they locked me in the House of Wind and destroyed my home and made me train until I was very good girl,’ she slurred.

Hunt lifted her off the wall before she fell and broke her neck.

‘Who locked you up?’

‘My family. My sisters. Cassian. Rhysand. All of them.’ She threw out her hands like it should have been obvious. ‘They all sat and told me how useless I am. You have become a pathetic waste of life.’ Nesta gave a low laugh then jabbed him in the chest. ‘Not eating won’t bring your father back, Hunt. And – my personal favourite – we did this because we love you. We ruined your life, ruined your future, but it’s because we love you.’

‘Stop,’ Hunt commanded, holding her still. ‘What are you talking about?’

Then it all came out, as if Nesta couldn’t stop herself. How she’d witnessed her father’s neck snap and retreated into herself because she couldn’t cope with the grief. How she drank every single night and took men to her bed to hate herself more. That her family had staged an intervention and forced her to become a warrior even if she had never wanted it. That her sister’s child would kill her but when Nesta revealed the truth, the male she was entwined with forced her to march until she collapsed. If Hunt ever met him, he’d kill him.

Nesta crawled onto the path then flopped onto her back. ‘The whole world is spinning.’

Despite Hunt’s attempts at trying to lift her up, she’d become a deadweight and patted the ground so he’d be beside her.

‘Nesta, we can’t lay in the middle of the path.’

‘Please,’ she begged, voice full of pleading so desperate that it twisted his heart.

What the hell was he doing? Hunt eventually lay next to Nesta on the concrete. The bright lights of the streetlamps blocked out most of the stars so he had the mad urge to fly her all the way to Mount Hermon for a better view. The night before that final battle, he and Shahar had fucked like animals – but Hunt had gone out to look at the stars one last time before the dawn took them. The stars had been stunning. And he had naively took it as a good omen because they’d made him hope of a better future.

‘I ruin everything, Hunt.’

He laced his fingers into hers. ‘That makes two of us then.’

Nesta closed her eyes, her other hand pressing against her forehead.

‘What did you drink today?’

‘Cocktails. Shots. Liquid lunch.’

Oh, she would need a medwitch in the morning to stop the hangover from hell.

‘They didn’t give you any mirthroot? No lightseeker?’

‘I don’t know what they are.’

When Nesta was ready, she pushed off from the ground and scrambled upright again. In the morning, he’d call Ruhn Danaan to give him an earful about getting a female who was lost in their world blind drunk.

From the bare shoulders that her dress exposed, Hunt could see the tattoo on Nesta’s back again.  

‘The male who made a deal with you and made you hike - is he your mate?’

Nesta threw up her hands then flopped onto a wooden bench on the sidewalk. ‘He trapped me in a house and laughed at me when I fell down the stairs. He fucking better not be.’

Hunt crouched down in front of her, touching a length of her hair. ‘Let’s get you to sleep. We will talk about it all tomorrow and see if I can help.’

Although, he doubted he’d get this much truth from her in a sober state.

Her mood was swinging to a different emotion every minute so Hunt wasn’t sure which Nesta he’d see next.

‘I don’t think you’d make me carry a heavy bag and make me walk until I collapsed.’

‘Never.’

Her hand touched his face, stroking it gently. Tears welled in her eyes. ‘I did something stupid.’  

Hunt caught her hand and kept it cradled to his face.

‘I went to the library and I searched your name. I know why you’re slave. I know what happened.’

It meant Nesta knew about Shahar. Sandriel. The war. The slaughter. Who he was. What he did.

She freed her fingers to touch the witch-ink on his brow.

‘Orion,’ murmured Nesta.

There would come the inevitable revulsion. Some still believed in their cause even if they’d never act on it, but most found it laughable. Each person had a place in life, a standing which would never change. If you were at the bottom, then it was tough luck. Those at the top would always be there. Hunt had been a fool to hope he could change the world. And he’d lost everything as a result.

Tears spilt down her cheeks. ‘I wish there was a Hunt Athalar in my world fighting for people like me.’

‘Nobody wants that,’ he replied, standing and deflecting from the tenderness in Nesta’s voice. ‘Let’s get you to bed.’

The bubble of emotion that Nesta had shown to him was replaced for a strange sort of anger where everything irritated her on the final portion of the walk. When she walked into the hedge, despite his best efforts in tugging her out of its path, Nesta kicked it – then told it off for hurting her leg. At the Comitium, Hunt took her in the elevator but forgot how curious it would make her. When he showed her how to press a button for their floor, she pressed every single one then complained that it was a ridiculous invention for stopping at every floor.

There were some battles that Hunt knew not to engage in.

He steered Nesta into one of the kitchens. It was a small, rudimentary thing for snacks with most meals provided in a mess hall. The toaster worked, so two slices of toast were shovelled into her mouth to try and sober her a little before sleep. Her lips glistened from the butter and she ate with her eyes closed.

‘Shall we watch Bangs and Fangs?’ Nesta asked as she tried to throw an arm around his neck, but managed to collide with the wall instead.

‘Fangs and Bangs. You need to sleep. We can catch a Sunball game tomorrow, if you like. I’m not working.’

‘I don’t know what that is.’

‘You’re in for a treat then.’ He unlocked the door and pushed it open. ‘In you go.’

Hunt made a noise at the back of his throat. Nesta had barely even stepped into the room before she whipped her dress off over her head, tossed it on the bed, then staggered towards the bathroom. Half-way there, she bent over – glorious ass on full display in a lacy green thong – to take off one shoe which she threw across the room then stumbled the final distance.

This was going to be a long night.

#hunt x nesta #hutn athalar #ruhn danaan #tristan flynn #nesta archeron #sathia flynn #declan emmett

[lorcandidlucienwill]

Ranking the top 10 most pathetic SJM men

10: Ithan Holstrom Come on, if you didn't think him simping for Bryce after knowing her for like 5 seconds was pathetic then idk what is. Also, him being mad about the Fendyr heir being enslaved and stealing fire sprites for revenge will never not be hilarious

9: Fenrys Moonbeam Bro was so desperate to escape Maeve that he almost killed himself. Then he had that "You'd rather my queen die than your king" line. Like bro is Aelin's dog at this point.

8. Eris Vanserra Thanks to @kateduchessofdolittle for making me see how pathetic Eris is.

-Fiancee goes to *great lengths* to get out their engagement. After all that, bro still bailed her out by dealing with her father Keir in ACOSF

- Got to be a passive little bitch to monster father

- seems to be a surrogate father to the *worst* people

- he's giving mama's boy

- his allies taunt him with another engagement and she laughs in his face too

At least he has his dogs.

7. Hunt Athalar Not sure how to explain this one. It's just the *vibes*

6. Tarquin Poor Tarquin. I felt so bad for him during that Feyre-Tarquin scene in ACOMAF (one of these days I shall write the Feyquin fanfic and rectify Feyre's mistakes here).

5. Ruhn Danaan You may be surprised Ruhn is so high up on this list. But bro, Hypaxia duped him so badly. Also, he was so desperate to get back in his sister Bryce's good books. Here are just a few examples from the book:

Ruhn bared his teeth at Maximus as the glowering vamp headed toward the golden steps. “Riso called me a few minutes ago and said you were here. With that fucking creep.” “Excuse me?” Her voice sharpened. It had nothing to do with the fact that she highly doubted the diplomatic club owner had used those terms. Riso was more the type to say, She’s with someone who might cause the dancing to cease. Which would have been Riso’s idea of Hel. Ruhn said, “Riso can’t risk tossing Tertian to the curb—he implied the prick was being handsy and you needed backup.” A purely predatory gleam entered her brother’s eyes. “Don’t you know what Tertian’s father does?” She grinned, and knew it didn’t reach her eyes. None of her smiles did these days. “I do,” she said sweetly. Ruhn shook his head in disgust. Bryce leaned forward to grab her drink, each movement controlled—if only to keep from taking the water and throwing it in his face. “Shouldn’t you be home?” Ruhn asked. “It’s a weekday. You’ve got work in six hours.” “Thanks, Mom,” she said.

She just opened the door. “If you hear anything about the Viper Queen, call me.” Ruhn stiffened, his heart thundering. “Do not provoke her.” “Bye, Ruhn.” He was desperate enough that he said, “I’ll go with you to—” “Bye.”

She flinched as Ruhn said at her ear, “You don’t need to see this.” This was another murder. Another body. Another year. A medwitch even knelt before the body, a wand buzzing with firstlight in her hands, trying to piece the corpse—the girl—back together. Ruhn tugged her away, toward the screen and open air beyond— The movement shook her loose. Snapped the droning in her ears. She yanked her body free from his grip, not caring if anyone else saw, not caring that he, as head of the Fae Aux units, had the right to be here. “Don’t fucking touch me.” Ruhn’s mouth tightened. But he looked over her shoulder to Hunt. “You’re an asshole.”

Ruhn was in the apartment lobby when Fury dropped her off. Tharion left them at the docks, saying he was going to help haul in the seized synth shipment, and Fury departed fast enough that Bryce knew she was heading out to make sure the Viper Queen didn’t abscond with any of it, either. Ruhn said nothing as they rode the elevator. But she knew Fury had told him. Summoned him here. Her friend had been messaging someone on the walk back from the docks. And she’d spied Flynn and Declan standing guard on the rooftops of her block, armed with their long-range rifles. Her brother didn’t speak until they were in the apartment, the place dark and hollow and foreign. Every piece of clothing and gear belonging to Hunt was like an asp, ready to strike. That bloodstain on the couch was the worst of all. Bryce made it halfway across the great room before she puked all over the carpet. Ruhn was instantly there, his arms and shadows around her. She could feel her sobs, hear them, but they were distant. The entire world was distant as Ruhn picked her up and carried her to the couch, keeping away from that spot where she’d yielded herself entirely to Hunt. But he made no comment about the bloodstain or any lingering scent. 4. Lucien Vanserra (or Spell-Cleaver? Vanserra sounds better)

Ah, Lucien, Lucien, Lucien. My poor baby just wants somebody to marry him. Does it get any more pathetic than "I'm a mated male now?" My man prepares for rejection every holiday without fail. He and Lucien did not exchange gifts, though the male had brought a gift for Feyre and one for his mate, who barely thanked him after opening the pearl earrings. Cassian’s heart strained at the pain etching deep into Lucien’s face as he tried to hide his disappointment and longing. 3. Chaol Westfall I don't think many people remember Lithaen, but Chaol was in love with her and she fucked Dorian's cousin instead. Also there was this:

Babe, ily but wtf. You ran into a different fucking dimension to save your ex-girlfriend's DOG??? Talk about pathetic. 2. Lorcan Salvaterre Bro abandoned the queen he served more loyally than any of the rest of the cadre the moment a tiny little human with witch blood showed a little cleavage and bossed him around. Bro wanted to be someone's bitch SO BAD. He RIPPED his shirts up for her periods even after she refused to even speak with him and said she hopes he's miserable and spends the rest of his life alone (and threatened to gut Rowan and Gavriel if they ever told her it was him). He swore a blood oath to his greatest enemy just to protect her and lost the will to live when she called him a monster. Absolutely fucking pathetic and we love him for it. 1. Tamlin It was a close fight to first, but nobody can beat Tamlin in the pathetic category. For one, of all the love interests we have seen, he is in possession of the least rizz. Negative rizz, actually. Lucien actually roasted him so badly for his negative rizz, and Lucien personally backed off so Tamlin and his negative rizz could rizz up Feyre. Bro sacrificed all of PRYTHIAN to keep Feyre safe, bartered with his enemy to get her back, only to have her destroy his court. Even after that, he saved her life at the Hybern camp and revived her mate. And unlike the others above, he didn't get the girl, and probably won't get any girl, actually. We could always put him up for adoption and one of the members of the fandom can take him? Maybe??? Maybe @kateduchessofdolittle will take him.

#ithan holstrom #fenrys moonbeam #eris vanserra #hunt athalar #tarquin #ruhn danaan #lucien vanserra #chaol westfall #lorcan salvaterre #tamlin

[life-winners-liveblog]

Hey, Moonlight! :) Quick question how is your string looking like right now?

-Fae

Pearl: Let me look, I haven't checked recently, did something happen to Scott- why did it become an aux cord?

#asks #trafficblr #traffic series #pearlescentmoon #fae

[throneofsmut]

SURPRISE SURPRISE

Ruhn Danaan x Female Reader

Description: Ruhn and reader celebrate her birthday in a rented out movie theater. Based off this request.

Warnings: Violence, fighting, mentions of blood and injuries, mentions of alcohol and smut.

Word Count: 4.2K

Author's Note: Sorry this took longer than i thought it would but im currently visiting family in another state but im gonna work on the other reqs in a few hours and post as soon as i can and i orignially didnt plan for this fic to be this long but sometime the fics write themselves. Btw happy birthday bestie @historygeekqueen ❤️ i hope you like it bestie !!

****

You’ve known who “Ruhn Danaan The Crown Prince of the Valbaran Fae” is ever since you could remember but you only met him almost a year ago. 

When he arrested you at the White Raven after you got into a fight with a lion-shifter after overhearing him talk shit about your cousin Tristan Flynn while you were celebrating getting hired as the club’s new bartender with your friends. Apparently his girlfriend had left him for Tristan instead and he was shit-talking him to another shifter.

You and Tristan didn’t look alike at all and even though you were only in your early 20’s, you were extremely close—he was the big brother you never had. 

It wasn’t the first time you got into a fight defending him and it wouldn’t be the last. He’s gotten into his fair share of fights defending you too. Which was why you didn’t think twice before punching the lion-shifter in the nose after you threw your drink in his face. A wicked grin settling over your lips as you heard a loud crunch and seconds later the tangy scent of copper filled your nose. 

You two traded blows before the other shifter—his friend—started swinging at you too when he noticed all your blows were landing and not the other way around. You dodged or blocked most of their hits but since it was two of them, some of them did land. But still almost all of yours were hitting their mark. Thanks to Tristan teaching you how to fight.

The Aux was there not even five minutes after the fight started. You felt strong arms—undoubtedly male by his scent—wrap around you right as you were about to land a blow that would hopefully knock the lion-shifter out. His friend was already laid out on the floor, unconscious. 

Your chest was still heaving slightly with effort. Your heartbeat wildly because of all the adrenaline. And you didn’t have to look at your hands to know your knuckles were most likely split, swollen and bruised. No doubt covered in blood. Theirs and yours. 

Groaning internally thinking about what you must look like. 

You tried lifting a hand to your lip that was throbbing but as soon as your arm shifted the tiniest bit, the arms that were wrapped around you clamped down harder. 

The male was practically carrying you out of the White Raven and towards one of the Aux’s patrol cars. 

“Where’s Flynn? I need Tristan!” You said to the male. Trying to turn in his arms to face him. You were just about to ask for your cousin again when his deep, sensual, voice filled your ears. 

“Just because you two had a one night stand doesn’t mean he’s gonna come and save you.” You could practically hear his eye roll as he put you in the back of the car. Seconds later the driver’s side door opened and the male slid in. Leaning your head back on the head rest, you let a knowing smirk grace your lips, feeling a slight sting as the split in it opened again. “What are you smirking at?” The male snapped. 

You didn’t open your eyes, settling further into the backseat, “You’ll see.” He was probably some Aux grunt and Tristan was going to rip into him. 

Ten minutes later you pull into the parking garage located underneath the Aux. You didn’t say anything to the male as he led you into the building and towards one of the interrogation rooms. 

A frown settling over your features as you took in your ripped dress while the male cuffed you to the metal table. You were so focused on your dress that you didn’t notice the way his eyes looked you over. Lingering on your thighs. He was already at the door when your voice halted him mid-step, “Flynn?” You asked, voice full of hope.

He didn’t respond; he only lingered in the door for a second longer before shutting it harder than necessary. 

You sigh, hanging your head and it’s only a couple minutes later that you realize that your dress had ridden up. Thick thighs on full display. You wouldn’t be surprised if the male had seen your black lace panties.

Letting out an annoyed huff, you look between your hands cuffed to the metal table and your thighs. Only letting a heartbeat pass before deciding to break the cuffs. 

And as soon as you stand up to adjust your dress two males walk through the door. The both of them just stare at you as you shrug, “I had to fix my dress,” you explain. 

The white-haired male scoffs at you as you sit back down, crossing one leg over the other. But the raven-haired male stares at your thighs unabashedly before lifting his gaze to the deep cut of your dress—so blue it’s almost black depending on the way light hits it—where it lingers before meeting your eyes. 

Tilting your head to the side, “You look familiar,” you say to the raven-haired male. 

He doesn’t take his eyes off of you as he directs his words to male next to him, “Go get her some water. She needs to sober up.”

“No. I only had a few drinks.” In other words, you’re not that drunk. 

“Go.” He commands the other male and he leaves.

“Where’s Tristan?”

“He’s not coming, let it go.”

“Call him.” You grit out, your annoyance dripping off of every word.

“No. He—“ The raven-haired male is cut off by the door slamming open. Your cousin stalks towards you, all but seething, but before he can reach you the other male blocks him. 

“Move.” Tristan growls at him. The male doesn’t move so your cousin shoves him out of the way and then drops to a knee in front of you, grabbing your face. No doubt trying to figure out if the blood on your face is yours or not.

“I asked for you.” You tell him quietly as he lightly taps your swollen brow, growling when you wince. 

Then he’s whirling on the male behind him, “Why didn’t you get me when she asked for me.” A command not a question.

The male crosses his arms, not at all fazed by your cousin, “How, am I supposed to know that you care about a random female that you had a one night stand with?” 

“She’s my fucking cousin!” He snaps and the raven-haired male's eyes widen. His eyes flicked between Tristan and you. 

That's when you noticed his eyes were blue—so blue they were violet. Beautiful. He was beautiful. 

“I-“

“Fuck you, Ruhn!”

You lean out of your seat to get a good look at the male. “That’s Ruhn?” You ask your cousin. “You’re Ruhn?” You ask the male.

“Yes.” They answer at the same time.

You blink once, “Hmm. Maybe I am drunker than I thought.” You say out loud to yourself before looking at  Ruhn again. “I thought you—“ you began to say to him but your cousin cut you off. 

“He is going to get me a first aid kit so I can patch you up.” Tristan says pointedly. 

You arch a brow, “For what? I’ll heal.” You argue.

“Don’t care.” You hold your cousin’s challenging stare. 

“Fine,” you huff. Ruhn takes that as his cue to leave to go get the first aid kit but you don’t miss the corners of his mouth tilting up in an amused smile. And as soon as he walks out the room, your cousin begins to scold you and you try to argue back but he’s not having it. “But he talked shit about you—“

“I. Don’t. Care.” He bites out.

“Oh! So you mean to tell me if someone talked shit about me in front of you, you wouldn’t have done anything?”

“Of course not.”

“Exactly!” The both of you cross your arms at the same time. Your eyes flit to the closed door then back at your cousin, “Tris, can I tell you a secret?” 

He arches a brow at you. Waiting.

“Okay, but you can’t tell anyone or make fun of me or laugh at me.”

He rolls his eyes but nods.  

You stick your pinky out to him, “Promise me?”

He smirks at you, “I promise.” He swears as he locks his pinky with yours before pulling away. 

“I used to have a crush on him,” you whisper-yell. Clearly drunk.

“Him? Who?”

“Ruhn!” 

Tristan tilts his head back, groaning. 

“Stop!” You yell at him, “It was years ago.”

Your cousin looks at you, a disgusted grimace on his face, “So not anymore?”

“No!”

“Y/n?”

“Tris, I swear!” He stares at you for a couple seconds before bursting out with laughter and you swat at his arm. Bursting out with laughter too, “I hate you.”

The both of you are so caught up in your own world that you fail to notice Ruhn was right outside the door.

****

It’s been two weeks since your fight at the White Raven and you’ve been making excuses to not go out with your friends when they invite you because Tristan has been dramatically over protective. Even fussing that you have to start your job at the White Raven.

Which is why you decided to stay in this Saturday. You had just finished cleaning your apartment, settling onto your couch with a pint of ice cream, getting ready to watch “Fangs and Bangs” when someone knocked at your door.

You threw your head back into your couch, groaning, before setting your ice cream down on your coffee table. When the person on the other side of your door knocks again, louder this time. “Coming!” You yell in response. 

Without thinking you throw your door open, your brows pinching when you see who’s on the other side of the door. It’s Ruhn. As in Tristan’s best friend Ruhn. As in Ruhn Danaan “The Crown Prince of the Valbaran Fae”, Ruhn.

His hand is still raised like he was just about to knock on the door again before you opened it. He takes you in. Looking at you from head to toe, those violet-blue eyes seem to gleam as they linger on your thighs longer than necessary. 

He’s looking at you like every other male does and yet it sets your skin aflame. Your thighs clenching beneath his gaze and finally your eyes meet and he gives you a knowing smirk. And it’s all you can do to glare at him before taking him in. 

From his long silky black hair, to his violet eyes, his lips, to his broad chest and then to his muscular—veiny arms. Gods, he had tattoos. You hadn’t noticed them the night you got arrested. And then down to his trim waist, his thick muscular thighs and his black combat boots. Frowning more at yourself than him. He was a dick to you but here you were lusting after him. 

When you meet his gaze again you notice his smirk falters. Then he finally speaks. “I just wanted to apologize for the way I acted. . . when I arrested you.”  

You blink at him, crossing your arms over your chest, and you don’t miss the way his eyes fall to your tits. 

Then he looks back up at you, clearing his throat, “So I got you these.” A bouquet of roses. Your eyes flick from him to the roses in his outstretched hand and in one quick motion you take them from him and slam the door in his face. Your face heating at the fact that Ruhn brought you flowers. Granted it was rude to slam the door in his face but he was rude to you too.

So it went on like that for a while. He would bring you flowers a couple times a week, either to your apartment or to the White Raven while you worked. Or he would simply drop off food for you at work. 

Then slowly you started eating together on your lunch breaks or you would share a pint of ice cream in your apartment while watching “Fangs and Bangs.” Never talking, just eating in silence. But it was a month later and he had started walking you to work and home from work whenever he had the chance to. 

You finally caved one day when you stood outside your door, keys gripped tightly in your hand, “What do you want from me?”

He answered immediately. “Go out with me. Let me make it up to you.”

“No.” 

“No?” He chuckled. “Why not?” 

“Because.” 

“Because. . . Why?”

You sigh. “Because, you go out with a lot of females and I don’t want to be just another female you go out with.” 

“Do you think I’ll break your heart or something, sweetheart?”

Your cheeks heat at the nickname but you meet his eyes, defiance shining in yours. “Nobody breaks my heart.” 

“So go out with me.” 

“Will you leave me alone, if I say yes?” He grins. “Fine. Just one.”

He grins even wider, “I’ll pick you up later at 7.”

“Just one.” You breathe.

“Just one.” He swears. 

You both lied to each other. One date turned into three. Three turned into five and you couldn’t lie that you had started to fall for him, but you both agreed not to tell Tristan. Since you both refused to put a label on your relationship, if you could call it that and it had almost been a year since he first showed up to your apartment. 

After that first date though, you’ve refused to give anyone else the time of day. Ruhn never said that you couldn’t see other people except they just didn’t compare to him. Males and females alike have tried to change your mind but whenever you thought about it your mind always strayed back to a certain fae male with long black hair, violet eyes, that towered over you. 

And you know you’re the only female Ruhn has been with too. 

Annoyingly, both of you were so busy which is why you’d only gone on five dates. But your schedule finally seemed to line up this weekend and he asked you out on another date. Which you instantly agreed to and canceled going out with your friends even though it was your birthday. You even canceled going out to dinner with Tristan to celebrate, breaking tradition and instead compromising to go out for breakfast. 

You’d rather spend time with Ruhn on your birthday even if he didn’t know that it was your birthday today. Any time spent with him was a gift, so when he called you and told you to get dressed and later sent you the address of where to meet you couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across your face. 

You had three hours to get ready before you had to meet him and your phone said it was only a ten-minute walk from your apartment. You didn’t waste any time starting your shower routine, doing your makeup, hair, and getting dressed. Deciding to wear a short red silk dress that accentuates your curves with black heels that lace up around your ankles. 

Making your way towards the front door you checked your phone and you were right on time. Turns out the address he sent you was to a movie theater, putting your phone back into your purse and locking the door to your apartment, you set off to go meet your prince. 

Once you get to the front of the building you check your phone again to see if Ruhn texted you again because it looks like it’s closed. But, right when you lift your phone to your ear you hear him, I’m here, sweetheart. Come inside. He says to you mind to mind. 

You let out a laugh, Why are you inside if it’s closed?

Come inside and you’ll find out.

You take a deep breath before heading inside the dark building, “Ruhn?” You call out. Walking deeper into the lobby you see one of the hallways is flickering with light. But once you get to the threshold you stop to take in all the rose petals and candles strategically placed on the floor of the hallway.

You’re about to call out for him again, when a shadow twines around your ankle and up your calf, before wrapping around your wrist and tugging you forward. The shadow excitedly leads you towards an open door that says “Theater 7” and once you get all the way inside the room you see him. Ruhn. 

Your eyes slowly sweep over his entire frame. He’s wearing black boots, black dress pants and a black dress shirt. His sleeves were casually rolled up, revealing toned, tattooed forearms. Then your eyes fall to lips that are curved up in a smirk and then to eyes that seem to darken as he takes you in. 

The shadow continues to lead you until you’re a foot away from him. “Hi,” you squeak out. Your cheeks burn at his undivided attention and he smiles smugly knowing that too. 

“Happy Birthday, sweetheart.” He says softly. 

You swat at him lightly. “You knew!”

He lets out a soft chuckle before wrapping his arms around you. “How could I not celebrate my girl on her special day.”

Your cheeks burn even hotter at his words. My girl. “You didn’t have to do all of this for me.” Your words are muffled by his shoulder but he still hears you.

He leans back, cradling your face in his face, “My girl deserves the world, sweetheart.” You sigh contentedly, eyes fluttering closed as a full smile blooms across your face. “I have another present for you.”

You gasp, “There’s more?” 

“For you, always.” He leads to a lounger in the middle, that’s in front of the movie screen and pulls out his phone. “Look at the screen,” he instructs and you do. Ruhn’s on his phone for a couple more seconds and then suddenly the screen comes to life with a slideshow of pictures—of you. 

Of the both of you together and some of just you. Some of them you remember he took while on or whenever you were together while the others you didn’t even realize he took. Your eyes well up with tears when you see yourself falling for him in the pictures—so clear in the way you look at him. 

And any doubt you had of him not falling for you is replaced with certainty that he is. You don’t know how you missed the way he looks at you when it’s so obvious in the pictures.

Once the slideshow ends you throw yourself into his arms, tears rolling down your cheeks as you wrap your arms around his neck. “Thank you, Ruhn.” 

“Did you like it?” He asks hesitantly. 

Nuzzling further into his neck, nodding, “I loved it.” 

He releases a breath, his chest meets yours as relief washes through him. “Thank gods.”

You pull back straddling him, wiping your tears away and his hands fall to your thighs. Rubbing them mindlessly. “Did you really think I wouldn’t love it?”

He shrugs. His eyes bore into yours. “I just wanted you to have a good birthday.”

“It would have been a great birthday regardless as long as I spent it with you.” You reassure him.

He nods, unconsciously licking his lips causing your gaze to fall to his mouth. You lift your eyes back to his and then drop them down to his lips again and then lightly graze your lips over his. Pulling him in closer, your fingers entwined in his hair as you brushed your lips over his again. Harder this time. 

His fingers dig into your plush thighs, earning a soft moan from you that allowed him to deepen the kiss. You grind your hips over his needly. Then you were swiping your tongue along the seam of his lips, seeking entrance, causing a groan to fall from Ruhn’s lips. As your tongue dipped inside his mouth, the both of you fighting for dominance before he won and explored your mouth. 

The both of you pull back at the same time, breathlessly gasping for air. 

The scents of your arousal thick in the air. His musky scent, intoxicating as it invades all of your senses. 

Your voice is breathy, “Ruhn, please. . .” still panting from the kiss. 

“Please, what, sweetheart?” His own chest was still rising and falling as he struggled to recover from the kiss, but his hands never stopped rubbing your thighs. 

“Fuck me.”

His eyes darken and a wicked smirk tugs at his kiss-swollen lips and it’s the only warning you get before he’s flipping you both over so your back is flat against the seat of the lounger. Ruhn hikes your dress up so it’s bunched around your waist before settling himself between your soft thick thighs. 

His large tattooed hands grip them hard enough you know you’ll have little bruises on them the same size of his fingers. He groans low in his throat while he places sensual teasing kisses along both of your inner thighs, alternating as he gets closer to your soaked cunt. 

Growling when a wave of your arousal hits him, “you’re gonna be the death of me.”

He murmurs under his breath and you can’t tell if it’s directed towards you or himself but it still elicits a whimper from you. 

“Ruhn, plea—“ your words die in your throat as he licks a long broad stripe along your clothed cunt. 

His dark chuckle is full of mirth as it echoes in your mind. Yes, sweetheart? 

I need more. I need. . . you. 

A heart beat later you hear fabric tear and then feel the cold air against your now bare cunt. Your light pink lace panties dangle from ring adorned fingers while you clench around nothing as he rubs tight circles over your swollen clit. 

Ruhn picks up the pace as he begins to murmur praises into your mind. Pressure begins to build at the base of your spine as he replaces his fingers with his tongue. Groaning at the taste of you on his tongue as he flicks, swirls and sucks at your sensitive bundle of nerves. 

“Oh f-fuuck, Ruhn!” You cry out as the overstimulation. 

Back arching when he slips a single thick finger into you. Then he slips in another, your walls spasming and contracting around them as your hips begin to buck unconsciously. “Good girl,” he praises. His voice thick with lust. “Just like that, sweetheart.” 

Then he dips his head back down, his tongue lightly and rapidly working your clit as he continues finger fucking you. 

You fall over the edge with a scream when he moans against your clit, the vibrations of it causing your back to arch off the lounger as your release barrels through you. 

Still coming down from your orgasm when Ruhn flips you so you’re on all fours. Your body threatens to buckle beneath you from aftershocks, but Ruhn places a large hand on your belly holding you up while rubbing the head of his cock through your slick folds. 

Your hips jerking while you whine from overstimulation, letting out shaky breaths as he talks you through it. “You can take it, sweetheart. Don’t you want to be a good girl for me?”

“Mhmm,” you respond. Not capable of words. 

Ruhn lets out a hiss as he buries himself in your cunt with a slow thrust, inch by inch, until he’s swallowed by your warmth. “Fuck. . . you take me so well.” His deep voice practically a purr, while he restrains your hands behind your back with your panties. 

He pulls almost all the way out to the tip before sinking all the way back in. Setting a merciless desperate pace as he fucks you. Your legs begin to shake as you feel another orgasm building. 

“Gods, I can feel your tight cunt squeezing me. Are you gonna c-cum for me again, sweetheart?”

You nod frantically, letting out a choked sob as he circles your clit with one of his hands.

“Fuck,” He grunts, never letting up as a second orgasm racks your body, working you through it. “Good girl.” He praises, slapping the side of one of your thick thighs. His words are drowned out by the sounds of skin slapping skin as his hips snap against the swell of your ass. 

His thrusts turn frantic as you feel your third orgasm about to tear through you. Ruhn’s hips stutter, “Give me one more. Cum with me, sweetheart.” And as soon as that last word fell from his lips you shatter, crying out his name as you both cum.  

Your name on his lips as you both collapse. He braces himself with one arm on the side of your body so he doesn’t crush you with his weight as he emptied himself inside you. Your walls spasm and contract around his pulsing cock, milking every last drop of his cum. 

The both of you stay there for a couple minutes and then he’s rolling you so you’re laying on top of him. “Thank you, for the best birthday my prince.” Your voice is still a bit shaky. 

He rubs his hands soothingly over your body. “This is nothing. We’re still gonna go back to your apartment for a few more rounds.” 

You lift your head to look at him, eyes wide. “Oh gods, you’re gonna kill me.” 

He laughs softly. “Just wait until next year,” he promises. 

Tagging: @historygeekqueen @misskennygirl

#crescent city #crescent city fanfic #crescent city smut #crescent city x reader #ruhn danaan #ruhn danaan crescent city #ruhn danaan crown prince of the valbaran fae #ruhn danaan fanfic #ruhn danaan smut #ruhn danaan x reader #ruhn danaan x you #prince ruhn #ruhn crescent city #ruhn fanfic #ruhn smut #ruhn x reader #ruhn x you

[shadowdaddies]

Hello! I love your stories!!! But I don't see anything of Bryce and she is my favorite character. What do you think about a Bryce x f!reader story? Something like being the fae princess's bodyguard and she wants a night of fun?? Thanks for your stories💖

hey love, tbh I was just thinking about how Bryce deserves more fics the other day but I didn’t know what to write for her. I love this request, thank you for sending it to me. this came out surprisingly angsty so I hope you're okay with angst, fluff, AND smut lol

Her Highness's Bodyguard

Bryce x Reader

A/N: this is angst, fluff, and smut idk what came over me

Warnings: smut below the cut, oral f!receiving, not proofread, minors dni

You were close friends with Ruhn through your work in the auxiliary, and had by extension became friends with Bryce, often hanging out with her at Ruhn’s parties. You weren’t close friends, but when you ran into her at The White Raven or other social events, it was a relief to see her. She was always so kind to you, and you’d developed a bit of a crush.

That all changed once she accepted her title as the Princess. The Autumn King demanded that Bryce have a body guard with her at all times, and Ruhn pulled every string he could to ensure that you were picked for the position. He and you both thought that having you as her guard was a way to appease their father, while allowing Bryce to have someone she liked in the role. Apparently, you were wrong. 

Bryce quickly changed her demeanor towards you, constantly cutting your conversations short and running off at inconvenient times, leaving you to chase after her. One night, she snuck out to the White Raven where you found her dancing on one of the tables. You stormed over to her, pulling her down by her arm. “What the Hel are you doing Bryce? It’s like you’re asking for trouble. Why can’t you just tell me where you’re going? I can’t lose my position in the Aux because you have some problem with me! I can’t lose you!” you ranted, spiraling in your anxiety as she finally broke you down. Holding back tears, you looked up at Bryce, who had gone silent.

She stared at you like she was seeing you for the first time, opening her mouth to say something before she quickly closed it again. As quickly as Bryce let her mask slip, she put it on again as she resumed her usual flippant, entitled facade. Smirking at you, Bryce taunted, “let loose honey, why don’t we have one night of fun?” She took your hand, a shockwave flowing through you at the touch, and dragged you to the dance floor. Bryce started dancing, grinding against you as she lost herself to the music. You were frozen in place, tempted to succumb to your desires and dance with her, but you knew it was against your better judgment. Not only was it irresponsible while you were on duty as her guard, but you knew she didn’t feel the same way for you as you did her. 

Needing to get away from the situation, you left Bryce on the dance floor, bolting to the bathroom in an attempt for fresh air. Before you could close the door to shut yourself inside, a familiar hand shot out, holding the door open. Bryce’s red hair preceded her face that peered around the door, amber eyes filled with concern. “Is everything alright, honey?” Bryce questioned cautiously as she stepped into the room, latching the door behind her. 

You found yourself on the verge of tears once more as the real Bryce was revealed, the Bryce you cared for so deeply. You realized you couldn’t go on like this, being around someone all the time who didn’t return your feelings. Taking a deep breath, you told Bryce the truth. “I don’t know if you hate me, if this is your idea of just a fun night, or what you are thinking, Bryce. But I can’t go on like this. I care for you, beyond being your guard, beyond being your friend. It’s too painful for me to constantly chase after someone who clearly doesn’t want me in their life. I quit.” 

You stepped around her, making your way to open the door when Bryce pulled you back. Resting her forehead against yours, Bryce held you close as she breathed, “it’s not just a fun night.” Confused, you shook your head as you looked to her for more answers. Bryce sighed. “It’s not just a fun night for me to come here. I knew you would follow me. I don’t know how to talk to you since you’ve become my guard, but I want to be around you. Even if it’s you chasing me around the city, I just wanted to feel like you wanted me like I want you.” 

You gasped at the admission, mind reeling as you came to understand what she was saying. Refusing to overthink any more, you pulled Bryce in and kissed her. She kissed you back eagerly, reaching down to grab your ass, eliciting a moan that allowed her to slip her tongue in your mouth. She backed you against the counter top, where you ground your hips against hers as you slid your hands up to cup her breasts. Spurned on by yours movements, Bryce lifted you up on the counter and began kissing down your chest before lifting you enough to slide your dress over your head. She pulled back to remove your undergarments, but you locked your ankles around her waist, drawing her closer to you. You began kissing and sucking your way down her neck as you brought your hands to the hem of her dress, pulling upwards to remove the clothing. You couldn’t help but gape at her body, her curvy tanned form that took your breath away. 

Before you could make any further moves, Bryce pinned you, towering over you against the countertop as she kissed you, all the while adjusting your hips to slide further down to the edge of the counter where she removed your underwear. Bryce smirked as she knelt down in front of you, pushing your legs apart as she wrapped her arms around your thighs. She kissed her way up each of your legs until she reached your dripping center, wasting no time as she licked a broad stripe up your pussy. Your back arched as you let out a loud moan at the contact. “Fuck, Bryce, that’s so good,” you breathed, lifting your hips in a silent plea for more. She obliged, harshly sucking your clit, bringing one hand to circle your entrance while the other roamed over your breasts, tugging and twisting your nipples. You were breathless, almost to the edge when Bryce slid two fingers in, curling them against your walls. She moved at a fast pace, switching between kitten licks and sucking on your clit. You moaned her name, crashing over the edge as you hit your orgasm hard. 

Panting, you looked to Bryce who was now standing above you, smirking as she licked her fingers clean. You grabbed her dress from the floor, throwing it towards her as you dressed yourself. Grabbing her hand, you gave her a promising look as you murmured, “come on, we’re finishing this back at the apartment.” 

#crescent city #crescent city fanfic #crescent city x reader #crescent city smut #bryce quinlan #bryce cc #bryce x reader #bryce quinlan x reader #bryce quinlan x reader smut #bryce quinlan x reader angst #bryce quinlan x reader fluff #cc3 #hosab #hofas #cc hoeab #ruhn crescent city #crescent city fic #crescent city imagine #bryce x f!reader #bryce x reader smut #bryce x reader fluff #bryce x reader angst #bryce quinlan x f!reader #smut #sjm smut #Bryce smut #Bryce quinlan smut #ruhn danaan #Bryce crescent city #Bryce quinlan cc

[oliviajdjarin]

Ruhn Danaan: Personal 

Pairing: Ruhn Danaan x fem!reader

Summary: Ruhn thought fake flirting wouldn’t get under his skin. He was wrong.

Warnings: Major jealousy, reader seduces a male, reader gets felt up by a male, reader wears a tight dress, reader has her hair done, Ruhn shatters a glass, allusions to sex, reader is alluded to having curves, LOTS of swearing, Queen Bryce is here too, ruhn bleeds, let’s pretend the White Raven didn’t *spoiler* explode. Set during the events of HoSaB (sort of), spoilers!!, I apologize if things don’t line up with canon.

A/N: I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this man since I finished HoSaB, so I thought I’d try something new. I hope you enjoy :)

If you’d like to leave a like, comment, reblog, or ask, it would be very appreciated <3

SJM Masterlist

(I found this drool-worthy art on Pinterest. Absolute full credit to the owner).

You had known the powerhouse that is Bryce Quinlan for over a decade.

And yet, no matter how much time seemed to pass, her stubbornness never seemed to dwindle.

“I’m going Y/N.”

“You’re mated, Bryce. To the Umbra fucking Mortis. They’ll smell it.”

“So? You would be surprised how little that matters to the right male.”

She placed her hands on her hips as she said this, and your eyes trailed down her body. Her skin-tight dress brought out the best parts of her, and the red of her hair was even more vibrant against the dark shade of black.

Beautiful, as she had always been.

“I’m being serious, Bryce,” you responded. “You’re Starborn. You saved this city. If this male has real, usable information on the rebellion, he’s not going to tell you.”

“And he’ll tell you?” she questioned back.

“Yes,” you responded breathlessly. “You would intimidate the Hel out of him, while I am a random female buying him drinks. If I get him drunk enough, he’ll spill.”

Bryce gnawed on her bottom and lip and fidgeted with her rings. A faint pink began to show beneath her freckled face.

“I don’t like this Y/N.”

“I know Bryce,” you responded, “that’s why you’re coming with me.”

“Still,” she replied, “if you get pulled into a separate room, how will I know you’re okay?”

“You know I’ll be okay. I can handle myself,” you said, and moved a bit closer to her. “Whoever this male is and whatever information he has, it’s not worth you being in danger.”

“Danger?” said a voice behind you, deeper and more gruff than either you or Bryce had ever made your voices.

A shot of electricity shot down your spine, and your mouth instantly dried.

“Ruhn,” Bryce mumbled with a roll of her eyes. “Seriously? I want my key back.”

Ruhn Danaan

Half-brother to one of your closest friends, and the hottest male you had ever laid your eyes on.

You turned around with a gulp, reeling in the feeling that his voice gave you no matter how many times you had heard it, and squeezed your hands at your sides.

And there he was. Ruhn Danaan. The Crowned Prince of the Valbaran Fae, and your decade long crush.

Holy Hel did he look good.

It was obvious he had just gotten off from the Aux. His tight black leathers covered him from his back down to his legs, and his tattoos bulged on his forearms. His hair had been the same since the day you met him—long and shaved on one side—but it never failed to do his sculpted face justice. His lip piercing was just visible enough, and the Starsword strapped to his back showed just how broad his shoulders had become over the years.

He was intimidation personified, so much so that it felt like you were standing in his shadow, and you could not take your eyes off him.

You must have been crazy, stupid, insane, but the blue eyes that stared at you every time you closed your eyes didn’t seem to want to leave you either.

You were dressed similarly to Bryce—tight dress, glittery heals, hair and makeup done more so than usual, and fancy perfume emulating off of you— which was making you feel like you should sink into the floor.

Had he ever seen this much of you?

You weren’t embarrassed, you could wear whatever the Hel you wanted, but his slow gaze over you from your feet up to your face sent beads of sweat dripping down your back. He had to have been able to smell your fear—and, of course, other things.

You were so fucked.

“Danger tends to follow me,” Ruhn replied, “but it seems that I followed it this time.” His eyes didn’t leave yours.

He wasn’t talking about you. No way.

Bryce huffed in annoyance. “The only danger here is Y/N thinking she can seduce a rebel sympathizer into leaking information.”

Ruhn’s eyebrows raised. “Seduce?”

You swallowed. “If need be.”

“‘If need be,’ of course you will have to,” Bryce mocked. “It has happened every time you’ve done something like this.”

“Every time?” Ruhn questioned, and folded his arms over his chest. “So you’ve done this before?”

A hint of mischief coated his irises, and your heart had never beat so fast.

“Only out of necessity,” you responded with the best smirk you could muster.

Ruhn huffed out a laugh. “Well Bryce, it seems like Y/N is more experienced in this field.”

“You’re my brother,” Bryce responded. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”

“I’d really rather not see you get targeted by the rebellion because of your star Bryce,” Ruhn said, gesturing to her chest.

“I’ll hide it.”

Both you and Ruhn gave her an unimpressed look. You both knew it tended to shine whenever it wanted to.

Bryce groaned in annoyance. “You’re both the worst.”

“Either way I’m going with you,” Ruhn said, tipping his chin up with pride.

“Not in that outfit you’re not,” Bryce responded, and you chuckled.

“And what would you prefer me wear Y/N?” he asked with a tease. Heat began spreading from your cheeks down to your neck.

Nothing.

“Something without a literal target on your back.”

Ruhn laughed through his nose.

“Fine. I’ll meet you ladies at The Raven,” Ruhn said, floorboards creaking as he backed out of Bryce’s apartment door.

You couldn’t miss the hint of excitement coating his eyes, and the heat pooling in your lower stomach.

~*~

The last thing Ruhn expected to see when he entered Bryce’s apartment was you looking the way that you did.

And holy Hel did you look good.

He had known you since you and Bryce were sixteen years old, and as soon as you laid eyes on him, a girlish film went over them. He remembered it. Vividly.

You had obviously found him attractive, and he viewed it as one of Bryce’s silly little friends with a silly little crush.

Until, he was lucky enough for Bryce to reconnect with him. And that was when he saw you. Really saw you.

It knocked the wind from his lungs to see how you’d grown up, and the female you had become. The more he got to know you, the more he realized how self-assured, confident, and fucking smart you were.

And seeing you in that dress. Gods. It cracked the little control he had left into a million pieces.

He had his eyes on you now. He wanted you, badly.

In the beginning, he thought it was just a physical thing, but as the months developed, so did his feelings.

These quote-on-quote “feelings” made him feel like the sixteen year old. He thought he knew his way around women and females, but you tended to send him right back to square one.

And he was about to watch you, potentially, feel up a random man for information.

He brought his drink to his mouth and took a large gulp. He savored the burn of it in his throat.

“There she goes,” Bryce mumbled next to him, and the two of them watched as you slowly made your way closer and closer to the male target. His heart quickened with each step you took.

Bryce and Ruhn were seated at a table far enough from the bar to be subtle, and Ruhn had changed into a plain grey T-shirt and jeans. His hair remained down, and he sure as Hel wasn’t opposed to revealing more of his tattoos.

He saw how you looked at them. He didn’t want you to stop.

“I should be the one doing this,” Bryce mumbled. The male had finally taken notice and introduced himself to you.

“Relax, Bryce,” Ruhn replied. “She’s going to be alright.”

“You just want to watch this. Pig.” Bryce threw back a shot of some sort of clear liquid.

Ruhn raised his eyebrows and took another sip of his drink.

Maybe.

You leaned against the wooded bar in such a way that your curves were highlighted in the party lights. The makeup you chose brought out your eyes perfectly, and the male was becoming more and more interested in the way your hair curled over your shoulder.

Your eyes flickered over the male, and you leaned closer and closer, inch by inch.

Ruhn leaned forward in his chair, watching your every move. Blood pressure rising.

The male leaned in closer, and brushed your hair from your neck. You tipped your head back to show that you enjoyed it, and the male took the opportunity to whisper something into your revealed skin.

You smiled, eyes closed, and the male’s large hand squeezed around your waist. Pulling you into his chest.

And right at that moment, right as your hands covered his chest and his hands moved down your body, it was as if Ruhn’s senses had been dialed to 0.

The music disappeared. The slight buzz he had disappeared. The flashing lights and dancing bodies around him disappeared.

There was only you, wrapped in the arms of another male, looking fucking incredible.

And smiling.

He expected to enjoy this, but he didn’t. Not at all.

Never in his life had Ruhn’s vision tunneled so quickly.

He felt his heart plummeting to his feet, so fast he felt the nausea hit him like a wave, and his normally even breathing quickened to an uneven pace.

Fake.

Fake.

This was fake.

Don’t take it personally.

You brought your eyes away from the male’s face and down to his arms. Your fingers that were once splayed over his chest now moved to his bicep, tracing the intricate ink that Ruhn hadn’t noticed before.

It sure as Hel feels personal.

Ruhn didn’t realize how tight his jaw was until it started to grow sore, and he didn’t realize just how many times he had imagined you doing that to him until it wasn’t him.

He could make out Bryce’s faint voice next to him, asking if he was okay, but the lack of oxygen and blood flow through his body only allowed him to focus forward.

The male traced his finger down your spine, and Ruhn’s fae senses allowed him to pick up on the chills that erupted across your arms.

He felt his face begin to grow more and more red, and the grip on his whiskey glass become more and more relentless.

The male watched as you traced down his arm, smirking, and he brought his free hand to the side of your face. He tilted your head to the side, and whispered something in your ear once more.

You rubbed your lips together and nodded, and the male dipped his mouth down to where the tendons in your neck met your collarbone.

Ruhn’s nostrils flared.

And then, as if he had all the time in the world, licked a clean stroke all the way up to your ear, and you exhaled loudly from your mouth.

Ruhn heard it. As much as he didn’t want to, he heard it.

And the idea that he wasn’t the cause of it caused his control to finally snap.

The force of his grip on the glass became too much for the cheap material, and dozens of tiny glass shards rained over the table like a firework.

The liquid from the whiskey dripped onto the sticky wooden table, and the rest covered his hand to his wrist.

“Ruhn!” Bryce scolded next to him, shaking glass shards from her hair and brushing them off her dress. “What the fuck.”

He didn’t even turn to look at her. Or his hand. Even as he felt warm blood start to drip down his wrist as well.

No. He kept his eyes forward, like the trained leader he was, and felt your eyes meet his own.

The male next to you looked annoyed, but not shocked. Like he saw stuff like this all the time. He waved his hand to the bartender, gesturing to clean Ruhn’s table that was now covered in whiskey and glass.

But not you.

You kept your eyesight locked into his, and a thread of understanding stretched between the two of you.

You knew he had been watching you, you knew he shattered the glass, and you knew why.

Your lips grew into a toothless smile, and the thread of understanding pulled tighter.

He knew you knew, and he knew you liked it. He could smell you—what you were thinking.

A similar smile etched on his face.

The rest of the club, the city, the world disappeared as you looked at each other. Knowing how the night would end.

Tag list: (since this is a new character for me, I decided to start a new tag list. If you’d like to be tagged for Ruhn or for any of my fics, please let me know!)

@leahkenobi



#ruhn danaan #ruhn danaan x reader #prince ruhn #ruhn danaan smut #crown prince of the valbaran fae #ruhn Danaan angst #crescent city #crescent city fanfic #hoeab #hoeab spoilers #hosab spoilers #post hosab #throne of glass #acotar #sjm books #sjm #sarah j maas

[ofduskanddreams]

Chapter 8: Interlude

Summary: After nearly 40k words of Azriel, I think it's about time we saw things from Eris's point of view and got some Azris on screen :)

✦ READ ON AO3 ✦ enjoy the excerpt* below ✦

“Okay Vanserra, what’s wrong at home?” Declan Emmet, the Fae Aux’s resident cyber genius, asked. He was leaning against the doorframe of the armory, the bright white firstlights overhead painting him with sharp contrasts.

Eris opened his mouth, prepared to speak, but Dec rushed to add, “And don’t say ‘nothing’ because this is the fifth night in a row you’ve stayed late.” 

Scowling, Eris replied, “I wasn’t going to say ‘nothing.’ I was going to explain that it isn’t something I can talk to you about right now.”

[. . .]

“Okay, so you can’t talk to me about it, but is there anything I can do to help?” Declan asked. “Do you want to grab a drink or some late dinner?”

Eris shook his head. “No, I’m alright. I’ll head out of here soon.” 

He knew Dec was trying to help, but Eris simply wanted to exhaust himself during the day so that he could manage to sleep through the night in an empty apartment. The lack of his pack nearby made it difficult for his body and mind to settle.

Declan left with a pitying glance, and Eris finished cleaning his weapons in peace. 

It was dark by the time he left the Aux Center and began the twenty-minute walk back to the apartment. The warmth of the day lingered in the air despite the lack of sunlight. The smells of the city mingled with those of the blooming shrubs and trees liberally scattered throughout FiRo. Cassian’s allergies, Eris thought, must be giving him Hel.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and blinked in surprise at the name on the screen. He cleared his throat and answered, “Good evening, Azriel.”

✦ READ THE WHOLE THING HERE ✦

*the excerpt has been altered for this post. [. . .] <- marks where text has been cut.

tagging: @ablogofsapphicpanic @damedechance @panicatthenightcourt @iftheshoef1tz @moonpatroclus @octobers-veryown @foundress0fnothing @krem-does-stuff @melonsfantasyworld @lady-riel @queercontrarian @asnowfern @valkyrieassassin @brokeneveningstars @icey--stars @xtaketwox @itsthedoodle @areyoudreaminof @acourtofladydeath

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE CHAPTER ENDNOTE ON AO3 ♡

#like falling stars #eris vanserra #eris acotar #azriel shadowsinger #azriel acotar #azriel #azris #cassian acotar #ithan holstrom #declan emmet #rhys acotar #rhysand #ruhn danaan #crown prince of the valbaran fae #azriel x eris #eris x azriel #azriel x rhys #azriel x cassian x ithan #cassian x rhys #ruhn x ithan #polyamorous fanfic #acotar fanfiction #crescent city fanfic #crescent city

[captainsophiestark]

Presentation Problems

Tristan Flynn x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Fandom: Crescent City

Summary: We all need a little distraction from work sometimes, and lucky for Flynn and Y/N, they stumbled into each other's lives at the perfect time.

Word Count: 2,479

Category: Fluff, Humor

A/N: This is functionally a prequel to Nosy Best Friends and The Best Night Ever, but it can also be read independently of that!

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

I muttered to myself as I tried to force my brain to comprehend the words on the page, to write something coherent related to that, but I just couldn't do it. I'd been studying in an empty classroom, working on a massive grad school presentation due tomorrow for hours, and I just couldn't make another complete thought materialize. The stupid book was mocking me, and so were my notebooks, and so was my laptop.

And I'd had it.

"ARGH!"

I flung my notebook as hard as I could, as far away from me as I could get it. A split second later, the door to the empty classroom I'd commandeered flung open, and a very tall fae male stepped inside. My notebook hurtled right at his face, but at the last moment, he managed to catch it with a free hand. He blinked at it, eyebrows furrowed, then looked up and made eye contact with me.

I stared right back, both of us trying to figure each other out for a few moments. As a human, I wasn't totally sure I didn't need to find a way to get the Hel out of here, immediately, but I was also exhausted and more frustrated than I'd been in a long time. If ever there were a time for me to throw hands with a Vanir, it was now.

"Who are you?" he barked, one hand still holding my notebook and another drifting towards the gun at his side. Looking at him for more than two seconds made it clear he was part of the Fae Aux. Just my luck.

"A student trying to get some fucking work done," I snapped before I could stop myself. "Who the Hel are you, and why are you barging into empty classrooms on my campus?"

He blinked at me for a moment, apparently surprised by my outburst, but I just crossed my arms and stared him down with a raised eyebrow. I was exhausted, and I didn't want to get back to work, but I also didn't want to stay here a moment longer than I had to. And I couldn't get anything done if I had to deal with a member of the Aux first.

"We're chasing somebody who ducked into this building to try to lose us. They're dangerous, especially to a human, so I need to get you out of here."

His hand dropped fully from his gun and he started walking towards me with purpose. I took a few steps back to put a desk between us and glared at him.

"No way! Do you know what I'm doing right now? I'm fighting for my life working on a presentation that makes up a ridiculous percentage of my grade, and it's been absolute Hel, but I am so close to being done! I am not leaving now."

He raised one eyebrow at me, then held up my notebook.

"This is close?" He sounded a little amused, and I noticed a spark in his eyes that hadn't been there when he'd first stepped through the door. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I have more notebooks right here that I can huck at your head again, so I'd watch it with the taunting of the stressed grad student."

He let out a chuckle, a smile that he didn't try to hide breaking out on his face.

"You know it's illegal to attack a member of the Fae Aux?"

"If you bother to spend time on me when you're chasing an apparently dangerous perp and have a thousand other, better things to be doing in this city, then your whole department is a waste of time and resources."

He laughed again, that spark in his eye getting even more noticeable, not seeming the least bit bothered that I'd just called his job worthless. A loud crash from outside the classroom quickly sobered him, though. He dropped the notebook on the desk before me and raised one finger to his lips for quiet, then started moving towards the door, one hand resting on his gun again. I watched him take a deep breath, before flinging open the door on the exhale, drawing his weapon and launching into the hallway.

If I weren't so pissed at him, with the last bit of emotional capacity being taken up a sliver of fear, it actually would've been pretty hot.

Instead, I flipped my tossed notebook back open to the page I'd been working on, keeping half my attention on the door and getting ready to throw something heavier in self-defense if I needed to. It didn't take long though for my original interruption to return.

"Hey, don't throw anything at me, alright?" he called from the hallway, easing through the door a moment later. He hand his hands up in mock-surrender and he shut the door behind him with his foot.

"Why are you back in here?"

"Ouch. That's all I get?"

"For interrupting my studying? You're lucky you're not getting worse."

The corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile, but it quickly faded as he crossed the room to stand in front of me again. I eyed him suspiciously, still keeping half my attention on my notebook.

"The guy we're looking for wasn't in the hall. It's seriously not safe in this building until we find him, especially for a human. So you need to go."

"No way. I'm not leaving this building until I'm done with this presentation, and then I'm not coming back to this building until I have to. And I'm not letting a single thing change this plan for me. I will fight you tooth and nail if you try to drag me out of here, Aux boy, and don't make the mistake of underestimating the amount of fight I can put up."

The guy sighed, long and heavy, running a hand through his hair as he did. I crossed my arms again, and I didn't break or look away when he fixed me with a look.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

He huffed again, letting the silence drag out a little bit more, then spoke again when I still didn't budge.

"Dammit. Fine." He stepped aside and typed a few hurried texts into his phone. I watched him suspiciously, and after a few moments, he turned back to me. He plopped down in the chair at the desk across from mine, and I frowned.

"What are you doing?"

"Like I said, it's not safe in this building for you to be alone in an abandoned classroom right now. So I'm going to make sure you stay safe in here, since you won't leave, until my partners catch the guy we're looking for in the rest of the building."

I crossed my arms.

"So what, you're just gonna hover over me for the rest of the night?"

He shrugged. "Pretty much."

"No way! That's gonna be distracting as Hel, and I don't need a fae bodyguard."

"As great as your aim is with that notebook, sweetheart, this is a threat greater than half the Aux could handle. And unless you want to take time out of your studying to try to kick me out of here?"

I narrowed my eyes, mentally trying to calculate just how long that might take. He apparently could tell, because he fixed me with a grin and tried (and failed) to be subtle about flexing. I huffed and rolled my eyes, but I returned my attention to the notebook in front of me all the same.

"Alright, good," he said with a smile. "Glad we could come to an understanding. I'm Flynn, by the way."

"Flynn. I'm busy. Do me a favor and don't distract me any more than you already have."

He snorted, but I didn't look up from my notebook again.

It took me longer than I wanted to get back into focus-mode, but I kept waiting for Flynn to say something or do something that distracted me. Instead, he just sat on the other side of the table, flipping through some of the books I wasn't using but otherwise staying quiet.

It made me a little suspicious, but I decided not to question it. Thankfully, I eventually managed to get back in the zone, almost completely blocking out the fae before me. The distraction he'd unintentionally provided had been exactly the break I needed for one final push. My nose was barely an inch from my notebook and then my laptop screen as I finished putting everything together, then finally flopped back in my chair with a sigh.

"You done? Or are you about to pick up your notebook and start looking for another target?"

"You know what, I'm so happy to be done with this stupid project that I'm not even going to comment on your assumption that I'd find another target, instead of just keeping the one right in front of me."

Flynn snorted, but I just smiled at him. When he caught my eye, a small smirk slowly spread on his face too.

"So, are you ready to finally let me get you out of here? Or do you have more to do?"

I huffed, crossing my arms and leaning back in my chair.

"I should actually probably practice this presentation once or twice, since I'm supposed to be giving it tomorrow... no chance your mystery perpetrator is gonna get my classes canceled for a few days, is there?"

Flynn grinned. "Sorry sweetheart, but you're out of luck on that front. I got a text about an hour ago that my Aux partners managed to catch the guy."

I frowned, my brain trying to process that. If the bad guy he'd been after had been captured an hour ago, then why the Hel was he still here?

My face must've conveyed as much, because Flynn kicked back in his chair and crossed his arms before clearing his throat.

"You seemed like you needed some company. I wouldn't know personally, but I've heard it's easier to study sometimes when you're not just sitting in a room by yourself."

I grinned. "Wow. That's actually kind of... cute."

Flynn raised an eyebrow. "Cute?"

"Yeah. And since you've already proved your dedication to helping me with my work... any chance you'd be willing to let me practice my presentation on you?"

Flynn groaned, throwing his head back a little before fixing me with another look.

"I won't lie, I was hoping your sentence would go somewhere a little more fun."

I shook my head as I stood up, carrying my notebook and laptop with me.

"Nope. So, what do you say, Aux boy? You in?"

He huffed a dramatic sigh, but when I turned back around after setting up my presentation, he'd turned his chair to face me and was leaning back, ready to pay attention.

"Last chance to escape," I teased, giving him a little smile as I walked to the center of the room. He just grinned right back.

"I'm not going anywhere."

And for some reason, his words made my heart skip a beat. But I ignored it, instead launching into the final presentation of the project I'd been working on for way too long. I started out a little stilted, but I'd been staring at the material for so long that I hardly needed to look at my notecards, so instead I looked at Flynn. He smiled at me, nodding along and clearly showing his engagement, and slowly but surely it helped me find my rhythm. By the end of the presentation, I didn't need to rewatch the recording I'd set up to know I'd aced it.

"That was great! I normally don't give a shit about any of this crap, but you made it interesting. And... I think you actually might've managed to teach me something."

I couldn't help laughing, feeling lighter than I had all semester as I gathered up my project materials.

"I'm glad to hear it. Thank you for listening."

"Sure thing." I finished packing up, then turned to face Flynn, the two of us standing a few feet apart. "Are you sure you don't want to run through it again? I don't mind."

I smiled. "No, that's okay. I appreciate the offer, but I feel really good about this. And now that I'm done, I don't want to look at this shit ever again, except for when I have to present it tomorrow."

Flynn chuckled, his eyes scanning my face before meeting my eyes again. The corner of his mouth quirked up, and my heart stuttered in my chest again for just a second. By the look on Flynn's face, his fae senses had allowed him to notice it.

"Since you're all set for your presentation..." he started. "Maybe you could let me take you out tomorrow night. To celebrate, once you won't have any more reason to throw books at peoples' heads."

Slowly, a smile spread across my own face. Still, I tried not to let myself get too carried away. Not right away, at least.

"I didn't think fae usually took humans on dates. Especially not members of the Aux who are also fae nobility."

Flynn's eyebrows raised, the only sign he was surprised. But then that surprise turned into a smirk.

"Did you look me up, sweetheart?"

Heat rose to my face, and I quickly broke Flynn's gaze.

"I was hanging out in a room with you alone for over an hour. I saw you flipping through my notebooks, I figured I might as well get some information of my own-"

I stopped short at the feeling of Flynn's fingers just under my chin, gently stopping me in my tracks and raising my gaze to meet his. My heart sped up quickly, my eyes widening, and he immediately dropped his hand from my face.

"You don't have to say yes if you're not into it. But I like you, and I'd like to take you out tomorrow night if you're interested. Human or not, I've never been so interested in somebody, even if that somebody did begin our relationship by throwing a book at my head."

Slowly, a slight smile returned to my face as I studied Flynn with new interest. He was undeniably handsome, and based on everything I'd seen so far, he didn't show any signs of the red flags I'd seen or head from Vanir before.

"Alright. You're on. But you should know, if it goes well, I can't promise there won't be more flying books in the future."

"Good," he said, grinning and offering me a hand. I hesitated half a second, then took it with a smile. "I need somebody to keep my reflexes sharp, and it might as well be a gorgeous girl."

I laughed as the two of us headed out of the classroom together, hand in hand. We'd just met, but somehow, this just felt easy. It felt right. I hardly knew this male, but I just got a good gut feeling about what was coming next.

If only all Hel-cursed study sessions could end this way.

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

Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989

#crescent city #tristan flynn #crescent city fanfiction #tristan flynn fanfiction #tristan flynn x reader #sarah j maas #tristan flynn oneshot #tristan flynn imagine #crescent city oneshot #crescent city imagine #crescent city x reader #ruhn danaan #declan emmet #a house of earth and blood #a house of sky and breath #a house of flame and shadow #lord tristan flynn #the fae aux #the fae #fae

[windsofchxnge]

WINDS OF CHANGE — Ouverture !

Après plusieurs mois de travail, l'équipe est super contente de pouvoir enfin vous présenter son nouveau bébé ! On espère que le forum vous plaira, n'hésitez pas à nous rejoindre, il y a déjà une super chouette ambiance. ✨

MISE EN CONTEXTE — Eyora, ses terres légendaires et magiques, des bisons volants traversant les cieux de Qiujin aux panthères à dent de sabre de Sílfgard. Une terre dont les mystères ancestraux tendent à vouloir être découvert, des jungles dont la beauté mortelle subjuguerait n’importe quel·le fae. Mais derrière cette quintessence se cache quelque chose de plus insidieux encore. Tapi dans l’ombre, un mal guette. Il s’insinue à travers la magie, corrompt les âmes. La lumière pourtant, continue de pulser, tente de chasser l’hérésie par la sainteté. Ce n’est plus une guerre qui courrouce Eyora, mais une danse. Une danse entre le Bien et le Mal, une danse entre la Lumière et les Ténèbres. La valse effraie mais hypnotise également, et dans cette décadence entre la lumière et le chaos, il ne peut y avoir qu’un seul gagnant. Alors, fae d’Eyora, serez-vous de celleux qui iront vers la Lumière, ou serez-vous de celleux qui feront sombrer le monde dans le Chaos ?

design par lunarghost, codage par halamshiral, sur base du blank theme de geniuspanda @code-lab

FORUM · GUIDE DU NOUVEAU

#forum rpg #ouverture #winds of change rpg #forumactif #projet rpg #atla #the dragon prince #dragon age #the legend of korra

[lorcandidlucienwill]

Ruhn: Ruhn had been heading up the Fae division of the Aux for fifteen years now. His father had given the command, and he had obeyed. He had little choice. Good thing he’d trained his entire life to be a lethal, efficient killer. Not that it brought him any particular joy. Lucien: “Are you a warrior, though?” Would you be able to kill me if it ever came to that? Lucien huffed a laugh. “Not as good as Tam, but I know how to handle my weapons.”

“Well, I never want to fight in another battle as long as I live, but … yes, I’m in one piece.”

#lucien vanserra #ruhn danaan #nonviolent boys forced into violence #let them live in peace goddamn

[ofthornsandfury]

@legends-and-savages is getting a starter for Ruhn (and Lidia) cause, well, duh...

You'd think by now they'd be used to this -- Ithan or one of the other AUX members calling with some tale of what Seren and the rest of her squad had gotten up to. But was one ever really prepared to hear that their daughter, while high af, had decided to go skinny dipping in the fountain of the fae archives...wearing only a pair of purple heart sunglasses.

To be fair, though, it wasn't the AUX that had called this time. It was Maddox. Terrified that the AUX was only moments away and if not them, the press. They did NOT need Seren's picture all over the front pages.

Because yeah, sure, things had changed a while back. But that didn't change public interest in Ruhn. Or Bryce. Or any of them really.

Also he and Adrian were supposed to be keeping her out of trouble. They had gone to the White Raven and were on their way to drop her off when he decided a side quest was needed.

And so here they were...trying to keep their best friend from drowning while awaiting the arrival of the former fae prince. Who hopefully would not have told their dads that they allowed this...

#legendsandsavages #muse: seren #sorry not sorry ruhn

[watercolormogai]

Aptnouns

Aptnouns are a term that V've created to be used instead of "nicknouns". The original definition of "nicknoun" was heavily against xenogenders and neopronouns, while V am not and V feel like they are good ideas but are executed in a transphobic way.

What Are Aptnouns?

Aptnouns are similar to neopronouns, but instead of being used as pronouns, they are an alternative to neopronouns that are more accessible for those who are incapable of using/understanding neopronouns for whatever reason, while still offering a way for the individual to avoid using auxiliary pronouns.

For example: Someone uses fae/faer as faer only pronouns, but uses "fae" as an aptnoun because fae is uncomfortable with auxiliary pronouns and feels uncomfortable when people only refer to faer by name instead of using faer pronouns. You could refer to fae like "I went to the store with fae today, fae was really cool and fae bought some of fae's favorite candy for fae!" or "I went to the store with faer today, fae was really cool and fae bought some of faer favorite candy for faeself!"

Isn't this just nicknouns rebranded?

Yes! That is the point of the term. V am not transphobic like the creator(s) of the term "nicknouns", and V believe that people who use exclusively neopronouns aren't inherently ableist. However, there are a lot of people who can't understand/use neopronouns, usually due to cognotive disabilities and/or neurodivergency, and it's ableist to refuse to offer any sort of accomadation for them.

How are they different from neopronouns?

Neopronouns are actual pronouns - they follow the same patterns as other pronouns, like he/him and xe/xem. Aptnouns, however, are more similar to names, just (usually) not capitalized, but are used in place of pronouns. They're easier to understand than neopronouns, especially neopronouns that are formed uniquely, like some of vy pronouns (for example, vei/vin/vir/virs/veiself). You would list them the same as pronouns but you should list them seperately, for example "he/it, pup/growl/bark apt"

What can be an aptnoun?

Any word! For example, "fae" can be an aptnoun, "bat" can be an aptnoun, "jenny" can be an aptnoun, "xe" can be an aptnoun, etc. Keep in mind that they are formulated more like names than pronouns, so instead of saying the aptnoun as "fae/fae's/fae's self" you'd just say "fae". Also, instead of saying something like "cat went to the store and brought cats stuffed animal for catself", you'd say "cat went to the store and brought cat's stuffed animal for cat", like you would say "Max went to the store and brought Max's stuffed animal for Max". V vyself use narc, rose, plague, and void aptnouns, and may use a few others eventually as well!

Who can use aptnouns?

Anyone! You don't have to use neopronouns to use them, either, anyone can use them. V don't put restrictions on who can use vy terms/labels/etc. You can use aptnouns in place of pronouns, alongside pronouns, as a type of aux pronouns, etc. V would prefer it if you didn't use the term "aptnouns" if you hate on neopronouns, though.

Aptnoun user flag V whipped up really quickly lol:

#nicknouns #nicknoun #mogai #mogai safe #term coining #coining #coining post #pro mogai #mogai coining #mogai community #idk what to tag help vm #long post #first post in years lmao / j #vm having a panic attack rn but vm posting this anyways !!! wooooooo !!!!!!!