#julemmaes writing

[julemmaes]

Masterlist Clean Up

Given more than half the people in my taglist never interact with my content anymore and tagging everyone is a real pain in the ass, cleaning season.

Pretty self-explanatory, so, if you wanna stay just like or comment or reblog (that would help me a lot with new entries:)) and if you wanna be added—same rules;)

taglist under the cut

@letstakethedawn @kris10maas @awesomelena555 @sannelovesreading @queenamydien-of-nargothrond @ireallyshouldsleeprn @wintergilmore3 @ncssian @observationanxioustheorist @my-fan-side @booksstorm @maastrash @sayosdreams @thedarkdemigod @courtofjurdan @thewayshedreamed @gwynethhberdara @nahthanks @sleeping-and-books @bri-loves-sunflowers @thegoddessofyou @ghostlyrose2 @claralady @oop-theregoesgravity @perseusannabeth @fantastypenguins @laylaameer01 @thalia-2-rose @bookstantrash @imagine-me @the-regal-warrior @lordof-bloodshed @swankii-art-teacher @rowaelinismyotp @dealingdifferentdevils @moodymelanist @live-the-fangirl-life @flora-shadowshine @gabtapia @meridainthedisneyland @nessianforlife @superspiritfestival @rhysandswingspan @a-court-of-milkandhoney @mariamuses @sv0430 @duskandstarlight @dread3r @simpingfornestaarcheron @starksravings

#julemmaes writing #masterlist #acotar

[moodymelanist]

🎄 All I Want For Christmas Is Snow 🎄

Surprise, @emeriethevalkyriegirl! I’m your Secret Santa! had a lot of fun writing this so I hope you enjoy ❤️ thanks for putting together an amazing event as usual @acotargiftexchange and happy holidays to all who celebrate !!

Summary: Nesta and Cassian’s daughter has never seen snow, so they conspire to give their baby girl her first white Christmas.

Word Count: 4,875

❅❅❅❅❅ Cassian

“Daddy?”

Cassian turned from where he was picking out a book for bedtime to look at his daughter. Seraphina – Sera for short, as she’d been insisting for a while now – looked absolutely adorable in a pair of purple pajamas. She’d just turned five not too long ago and he was so, so thankful she still enjoyed getting a bedtime story and a kiss on the forehead.

“Yes, mijita?” Cassian answered, grabbing one of the My Little Pony books off Sera’s shelf before coming to settle next to her on her tiny bed. “What’s going on in that cute little head?”

“Is snow real?” she asked abruptly. Her hazel eyes had taken on that determined look that meant she wasn’t going to bed anytime soon until she got her question answered.

“Of course it is,” he answered. It struck him sometimes how little she knew about the world, and just how much he and Nesta had left to show her before she grew up. “It just hasn’t snowed here in a long, long time. Not since before you were born.”

“Why not?” she followed up immediately. “I wanna see some.”

“One day, baby,” Cassian promised vaguely. He couldn’t predict the weather any more than the average guy, but he didn’t want to completely dash all her hopes. “The weather hasn’t been good for it yet.”

“When’s it gonna get good, Daddy?” Sera asked with a sigh she’d definitely gotten from her mother. He’d never get tired of seeing a quintessential Nesta expression on their daughter’s face, so he just reached out and smoothed some of her dark hair back to do something with the warmth of affection that spread through him.

“I don’t know,” he told her honestly. They hadn’t gotten good snow in DC for years – certainly not enough for Sera to enjoy it like a child deserved, anyway – and although the weather prediction said they were in for some real snow this year, who knew if that would actually be true. “But the weather people say maybe we’ll get some snow this year. Isn’t that exciting?”

“If you say so, Daddy,” she replied, clearly not believing him but deciding to go along with it anyway. “Can you read my story now?”

Keep reading on AO3 here!

tag list: @perseusannabeth | @bookstantrash | @charming-butt-insane | @oversizedbats | @melphss | @sv0430 | @podemechamardek | @autumnbabylon | @live-the-fangirl-life | @julemmaes | @that-little-red-head | @jmoonjones | @sayosdreams | @thewayshedreamed | @hiimheresworld | @brieq | @pearlfortears | @swankii-art-teacher | @nerdperson524 | @snickerdoodlechittybangbang | @imsointobooks | @nesquik-arccheron | @sweet-pea1 | @champanheandluxxury | @dustjacketmusings | @mrs-shadowsinger04 | @unlikelypersonalknight1 | @goddess-aelin | @arinbelle | @talkfantasytome | @simpingfornestaarcheron | @duskandstarlight | @letstakethedawn | @vidalinav | @c-e-d-dreamer | @dealfea | @katekatpattywack | @burningsnowleopard | @thatsowlmazing | @avidromancereader | @a-little-disguised | @kale-theteaqueen

#acotar #acosf #nessian #nesta archeron #cassian #moodymelanistwrites #acotar gift exchange #kidfic #pro Nessian #pro nesta archeron #pro Cassian #pro Cassian acotar #Cassian acotar

[perseusannabeth]

Hi guys, long time no see! I've no been very active bc of some real life stuff, but I'm here with a snippet of smut from a fic I'm writing for elucien. It was inspired by @krem-does-stuff's wonderful art of a glorious, naked Lucien. Please go to her page to see it, because it was truly a blessing.

As you can imagine, the snippet of writing I have is nsfw so read at your own risk!

“Well Elain, I’m not sure the dreams you’re having about me are so lady-like. Why don’t you tell me what you dream of so I can assess it for myself?” She shook her head at that, so he took another step towards her. “You won’t tell me, but I think I can guess something. The material your dreams are based on might be scandalous for your human standards, but I bet they’re nothing compared to what I’d actually do to you.”

“What would you do?”

Lucien smirked. “That question is enough for me to know you’re not a good girl Elain.” He took another step towards her, caging her in against the work surface in the kitchen as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. “I would first spend time getting to know your body. I want to know which parts of your body make you gasp when I touch them, which parts make you shudder in pleasure and which parts make you cry out. It would be easy to touch your pussy during my explorations, and you’d be begging me to touch you properly, but I know that I have to pay your body enough proper attention. Once I get to your pussy, I know I won’t be able to come up for air.”

Tags list (lmk if anyone's @ has changed or they wanna be removed):

@sannelovesreading​ @bookstantrash​ @superspiritfestival @courtofjurdan​​ @thewayshedreamed​ @sayosdreams @letstakethedawn​​ @and-she-burns-with-it​ @nahthanks​ @arinbelle​​ @gracie-rosee​ @julemmaes @claralady​ @rowaelinismyotp​ @swankii-art-teacher​ @tswaney17​ @duskandstarlight​​ @the-regal-warrior​ @live-the-fangirl-life​ @oversizedbats​ @nestaisgod @vidalinav @gwynberdara @moodymelanist @emily-gsh @lady-winter-sunrise @dread3r @starryblueskies7 @simpingfornestaarcheron @mis-lil-red @catplayinvioline @vinylcryes @starksravings @vasudharaghavan @a-court-of-valkyries @nestaspegasus @sv0430 @champanheandluxxury @nesquick-arccheron @a-little-disguised @nestable @illyrianshadowhunter @readiajin @lordof-bloodshed @deedz-thrillerkilller16 @rachmkerch123456

#acotar #elucien #elain x lucien #lucien vanserra #elain archeron #fic snippet #text

[duskandstarlight]

A Golden Opportunity: Part Three (teaser)

Notes: I’ve not been in the mood for E&L lately but I’ve been on a modern Nessian writing spree. Here’s a snippet of the next chapter (just edits to come thanks to @noirshadow being on it, as always). I hope you like 🥰

Given Nesta’s reception so far, Cassian hadn’t expected theatrical gratitude. If the stars had been aligned in his favour—if this was him and Nesta eight days ago—Cassian would have wished for some banter or a smile. At the very least, scant acknowledgement that he’d tried to do something nice.

::readmore::

But when Nesta met his eyes for the second time that day, his breath caught. Her stormy grey eyes were… startled and Cassian watched her mentally stumble, watched as her lips parted in the exact same way that they had last week when he’d presented her with a bottle of his homemade chai. It was that somewhat heart-wrenching look that only ever came from someone who never expected to be thought of.

The anger in Cassian began to flake away and then it disappeared entirely as Nesta conceded a quiet thank you. As she, with one arm curled protectively around her abdomen, raised a hand to take the tin of chai from him and paused…

For a heartbeat, their fingers remained against one another, her ice cold ones, his warm ones. And Cassian had the distinct impression that Nesta wanted to command her body to stop looking at him - wanted to stop touching him - but couldn’t. Just like he couldn’t.

Tags (let me know if you want to be added/removed): @arinbelle @superspiritfestival @sayosdreams @perseusannabeth @mylittlebigplanet @trash-for-nessian @my-fan-side @sophilightwood @valkyriesupremacy @vidalinav @onceupona-chaos @thesunremembersyourface @teagoddess99 @misswonderflower @nessiantrashh​ @miamorganvel18 @nestaa-stan @castielspelvis @haigrr @dont-take-life-to-seriously @dontgetsalmonella @thewayshedreamed @fangirlishwandering @moodymelanist @lordof-bloodshed @sunflowermoonshinewrites @loverofallbooks @booksandbread @sv0430 @valkyriewarriors @lysakirova @hellogoodbye14 @meher-sumedha @nesquik-arccheron @julemmaes @selfdestructionfetish @whereismycashew @simpingfornestaarcheron @that-little-red-head @brieq @generalnesta @starbornsinger @sugardoll22 @euclavender @vinylcryes @embersofwildfire @chosenfamily-valkyriequeens @faeriebambula @thereadingrainbows @hereforthenessian @mandragorian13 @goddess-aelin @hiimheresworld

#nessian #acotar #cassian #acosf #nesta archeron #nesta x cassian #duskandstarlightwrites #nessianfic #acotar fanfic #a golden opportunity

[talkfantasytome]

Elf on a Shelf

Rowan and Aelin love the Elf on a Shelf tradition. Because isn't life more fun when you make everything a competition?

Warnings: None | Word Count: 2,485 | Read on AO3 | ToG Masterlist

Happy Yulemas @julemmaes!!! Hope you enjoy! 💕 Your comments on what you like were really helpful! Though, admittedly, I did actually start an entirely different story that, after about 2k+ words written, I realized was not going to hit your asks as much as I wanted to. 🙈 I so rarely write established relationships and stuff with kids, so really hope I did it justice here for you! 💕

Rowan paused to admire the bouncing locks of golden hair. Their soft curl swayed with Aelin's head as she finished cleaning the dishes.

It was the perfect view after the struggle of putting their girls to bed.

He'd literally had to fight Ollie into her pajamas, and Ellie refused to leave the bathtub until the water began to chill. And then came the saga of the prune-fingers. It took the promise of an extra story to keep her from screaming and sobbing about the wrinkles until Aelin came up.

For such an ardent believer of Santa Claus, she sure was skeptical when Rowan promised her fingers would be back to normal in the morning.

But, after two stories and extra bedtime kisses, the twin girls were snuggled in their beds, silver-star night light on, and a bell hung on the shut door to ensure they didn't sneak out again.

That was something they'd started the year before, after one too many nights catching their girls sneaking down stairs to try and catch the elf leaving to report to Santa. It worked most nights, though on Christmas Eve all bets were off. Last year they told the girls that Santa would take back the presents if they caught him - it didn't stop them. Rowan and Aelin still hadn't figured out what they'd try this year to keep them in their room.

Smiling to himself, Rowan tiptoed toward his wife. Ever so carefully, he wrapped his arms around her waist and bent down, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Surely the dishes are clean enough," he sighed, giving her a quick kiss on the neck.

Aelin chuckled softly leaning back against him. "Blame the man who cooks using a thousand pots and pans."

"You weren't complaining when you helped yourself to seconds of tonight's pasta."

Finishing with the last dish and turning off the sink, Aelin pivoted in his arms and breathed, "Well, it was very good." She grinned widely at him and brought her arms up to his shoulder, linking her hands behind his neck.

Aelin leaned in closer and a tingle traveled down Rowan's spine. "Are you ready?" she whispered into his ear.

Rowan grinned widely at her. "Close your eyes." She gave those bright, turquoise irises a big roll before adhering to the request.

They detached and Rowan went to grab the elf. The silver-haired elf - bought by Aelin specifically for him because it matched his hair - was still laying in a banana suit by the bananas. A masterful placement. It had taken the girls all morning before school to find him. They were actually almost late because of it. But that always seemed to happen when it was Aelin's turn to hide the elf.

No matter what, his wife always thought of the perfect spot to place the elf. Each one harder to find than the last. They'd been timing every morning, and literally each time she hid the elf, the time to find increased. Rowan's, on the other hand, had been decreasing.

Ollie found it in less than five minutes the day before.

He thought he'd been so clever, hiding the elf in plain sight, but not in a typical spot. The glass cabinet where they keep their glassware seemed perfect. It only holds the fancy glasses, and sits over a part of the kitchen counter only used when he's using the mixer. No one spends much time over there. He'd snuggled the elf comfortably into a crystal bowl they had, making him look like he was laying in a tub, and that was that.

Aelin still wasn't letting him live it down.

"I don't know why you bother!" she called from where she stood in the kitchen, a hand over her eyes to keep her from peeking. "You'll never find a better hiding spot than me."

"Yeah, yeah," Rowan mumbled as he made his way toward the tree.

There was a good chance Aelin was right. She was a genius at this, especially considering their main rule: the elf's face - at the least - must be visible without moving or needing to open any items. No hiding him in the refrigerator or the stockings, or underneath the mail. It made the task exceedingly difficult, as every idea Rowan came up with seemed obvious to him.

But not tonight. Tonight he was sure he had the right idea.

Getting on a step stool and reaching up, Rowan adjusted the elf so that it was hugging the star atop their tree from behind, the little head poking out between two of the points. It took him a minute to get the arms and legs just right, but when he stepped back it looked perfect.

The tree was large enough that, even with a stool, only Rowan was tall enough to reach the top. And with the elf having hidden on the tree just a few days before, he was certain the girls wouldn't think to look there again so soon. Plus, the tree was decorated with bright, colorful lights and big, flashy ornaments - a lot of distractions to get past before one's eyes would reach the star.

Ever so carefully, Rowan folded up and put the step stool away. He then tiptoed past the kitchen and began stomping and opening and closing doors loudly on the other side of the house, near one of the powder rooms and his office. Just in case she was listening closely.

Only after he made a proper raucous did Rowan make his way back into the kitchen. "All done."

"You know you don't have to try and trick me. I'm allowed to know where you hid the elf," she teased.

Rowan chuckled softly and leaned his hands on the counter as he threw back, "Alright, tell me where you're going to put it tomorrow night, then."

Her turquoise eyes narrowed at him, marking the shit-eating grin he was wearing. Aelin pursed her lips and crossed her arms like a stubborn child. He only smiled wider, stepping toward her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "I don't know yet."

"I'll make you a deal. You tell me tomorrow night, and I'll tell you the next."

"You're such a child," she sighed. Rowan went to open his mouth, but before he could say anything she added, "And if you say 'takes one to know one', I'm going to eat the rest of the chocolate-hazelnut ice cream and keep you up all night." She held an extended pointer finger toward him to emphasize her point.

Leaning down, Rowan brushed his lips against hers. "That wouldn't be the worst thing."

Slapping her hand lightly against his chest, Aelin groaned, "Then I'll send you straight to bed now. No dessert."

Rowan pushed his lower lip out, but could barely hold the pout, a laugh breaking through as Aelin held her 'stern' face. She was always so adorable when pretending to be mad at him. Actual anger was another story, but this - she reminded him of a kitten. He gave her a quick kiss to the top of her head and then walked to the refrigerator.

"How about we meet in the middle?" he suggested, bending over to open the freezer and pull out the ice cream. "Eat a normal amount of ice cream, and maybe we do some present wrapping. We've got a lot to wrap this year."

"Only because you spoil the girls."

"We spoil them," he argued. "I wasn't the one who bought Ollie that fancy doll house, or that massive track for the toy cars for Ellie."

Aelin shook her head and snagged the ice cream carton from Rowan. "And I didn't buy them each little cars they can actually drive."

"You know as well as I do that I couldn't just get one. Could you imagine the chaos and fighting?"

He watched his wife scoop some ice cream into a bowl as she huffed out a laugh. The corner of her lips curled slightly, a secret agreement. Rowan couldn't help himself. He sidled close to her and stroked her cheek gently. "You gave birth to two little Aelin-clones," he whispered, unable to hide his own smile.

She leaned into the touch, her eyes finding his. As Rowan always did, he dove headfirst into her gaze, into the sparkling waters and golden ring of sand. It warmed his entire body, gazing into Aelin's stare, and by the flush in her cheeks, he knew it was doing the same to her. It was enough to freeze him in place, his mind wandering to all the things he could be doing with and to his wife at that moment. But she'd never forgive him for letting her ice cream go to waste.

"You're right. I would never have let Aedion drive it if we'd been given a car like that as kids," she admitted.

"I know." He gave her cheek one last stroke and then stepped away, putting the carton of ice cream away and grabbing out the whipped cream for her as she grabbed the chocolate syrup from the cabinet. "You know, ice cream can be great without all the toppings."

"Says the man who only ever eats plain vanilla bean. Ice cream is always better as a sundae." She all but dumped the bottle of syrup onto the ice cream, and then topped it with an exuberant whipped cream swirl.

Twelve years together. Nine years married. Aelin still hasn't gotten over Rowan's distaste for most sweets. There was even a moment when they were first dating when Rowan thought it was going to be a deal-breaker…until Aelin told him he was being an idiot and she'd just have to learn how to enjoy all the sweets being for her.

What a sacrifice.

He put the whipped cream back in the fridge and then grabbed the bowl before Aelin could get a bite, eliciting a rather loud protest from Aelin. "In the living room."

Using the ice cream, he led his wife through the house, setting the bowl down on an end table next to their plush sofa. Rowan then got to work, grabbing the wrapping paper and gifts out from the closet under the stairs. They were going to need to find a better hiding spot. Or get a high-security lock for it. Rowan doubted they had more than a year or two before their girls started actively searching for their gifts.

It was slow work, wrapping the gifts. He was never satisfied unless the folds and corners were absolutely perfect. But it was better doing it alone. Aelin's presents always looked like…well, like their daughters had wrapped them. Even when she added a big bow to try and hide the imperfections. Easier to just have him do it, than to end up wasting paper when he'd inevitably re-do the gifts she wrapped.

"What a great way to end the night," Aelin sighed as Rowan cut down a roll of paper. "Ice cream and a view."

"Glad I can entertain."

"Mmmm." Rowan chuckled at Aelin's hum and then looked over his shoulder, his wife's eyes drooping.

By the time he'd finished with the gift, she was fast asleep. A bit of quick cleanup and re-hiding the gifts, and Rowan was holding Aelin close, carrying her up to their room.

He had to wake her up to get her into her pajamas, but within another five minutes she was dressed and in bed, passed out to the world.

Rowan watched her as he brushed his teeth. And when he came back into the bedroom after changing into his own pajama pants, he walked to her side first. Her hair was sprawled out across the pillow, but her features were relaxed. No worry lines or furrowed brows, no noticeable cares in her cheeks, no worries at her lips. He wished he could know what was going on in her head while she slept. It must've been glorious.

He brushed some of her hair out of her face and then walked around the bed to his side. He snuggled in close to her, wrapping his arms around her as he spooned Aelin. She probably couldn't feel him at this point, but that didn't stop him from giving her a quick kiss on her shoulder before resting his head on his pillow and letting sleep take him, too.

Rowan was still heavy with sleep as he made his coffee the next morning.

Half-way through the mug, but it wasn't the caffeine that finally full woke him. It was the pitter patter of little feet running down the stairs.

He smiled to himself, slowly walking to meet his daughters by the stairs. He wanted to watch them frantically search the house. To hear the little complaints about needing to take a break from searching to get ready for school.

It was exciting. And he was getting his lips ready to grin widely at Aelin when-

"Oh my gosh, look how cute!" Ellie called as she stepped off the stairs and into the living room. "The elf is on the star!"

Rowan nearly dropped his mug as his girls crowded around the tree, staring up at the topper and the little elf attached to it. The back of those little blonde heads stared at him, the curls waving as the girls swayed and giggled, waving up at the elf.

He felt delicate arms snake around his waist and a kiss that couldn't hide her smirk against his back.

"How do they do that?" he whispered, still frozen in shock.

Two seconds. It took his daughters two damn seconds to find the elf.

Aelin chuckled against his shirt. "They're clever. Just like their dad."

"Cleverer than that, apparently," he huffed. He glared up at the stupid elf, and he could've sworn it was mocking him. That little smile was just a taunt, reminding him he absolutely sucked at hiding the elf.

Brushing her hands up Rowan's arms, Aelin said, "You'll get them next time."

Rowan shook his head. "Next time they'll probably find it in one second."

Moving around Rowan, Aelin was now in front of him, hands interlocked behind his neck, eyes soft as she looked into his. "Then next year. You have eleven months to plot out your hiding spots."

Rowan huffed out a laugh and leaned his forehead against hers, breathing in her lemon verbena scent like it was his source of life. "Next year. Or the year after that. Or the one after that. I've got all the time in the world to finally beat you at this."

"Our girls are going to grow out of this eventually."

"Then maybe we talk about having another," Rowan suggested softly, only realizing as he said it that it wasn't entirely a joke.

Aelin beamed brightly up at him and pushed herself onto her toes, bringing her lips to his. "Maybe we do."

@danibutterr @boredserpent @thestoriesyoutell @superspiritfestival @lemonade-coolattas @thegreyj @live-the-fangirl-life @morganofthewildfire @backtobl4ck @nesquik-arccheron @sayosdreams @autumnbabylon @charlizeed @rowaelinyulemasswap

#rowaelin #rowan whitethorn #aelin galathynius #modern au #fluff #just fluff #kids #christmas #throne of glass #tog #rowaelin fluff #rowaelin fic #throne of glass fic

[live-the-fangirl-life]

✨Hello wonderful Tumblr friends! ✨

If you’ve read any of my fics then you know that I have a passion for traveling 🌎🌍🌏 I havent been as active with my writing as of late because I’ve been pouring my creative energy into designing digital travel prints!

I wanted to shared my page with you because I am so excited about these designs!

I am absolutely not asking you to buy anything - there is no expectation or pressure to do so.

But if you like the designs, give them a share? And if you do decide to buy anything - an unnecessary, wonderfully appreciated gesture - then you can use the code TUMBLR50 for 50% off.

I am continuously creating new designs to add to my inventory, and if there’s something you’re interested in seeing that I don’t have yet, let me know! I can create a custom print with your request.

Have a wonderful day 💖

@acourtofsnakes @a-frog-with-a-laptop @astra-ad-mare @autumnbabylon @backtobl4ck @bankerfrog @becarefuloflove @camerooonchiu @captain-swan-is-endgame @charlizeed @cookiemonsterwholovesbooks @doubt-less @earthtolinds @elentiyawhitethorn @feyretales @goddess-aelin @highqueenofelfhame @jorjy-jo @julemmaes @leiawritesstories @lemonade-coolattas @llyncooljones @mariamuses @moodymelanist @morganofthewildfire @nerdperson524 @rhysiedarling @rowaelinismyotp @rowaelinrambling @rowanaelinn @shyvioletcat @stardelia @superspiritfestival @sv0430 @swankii-art-teacher @thegreyj @the-lonelybarricade @the-regal-warrior @tomtenadia @westofmoon @whimsicallyreading

#b’s ramblings #mine #etsyshop

[leiawritesstories]

a snippet

LOOK WHO'S WRITING AGAIN????? it feels so good to be back, thank you thank you thank you to everyone who puts up with me :))

enjoy this very small piece from Until Proven Guilty, which will (hopefully) be going into the editing phase soon! 👀

“Hey.” Elide poked her head into Aelin’s office. 

Aelin barely glanced up from her computer. “Yeah?” 

The petite woman dropped a slip of paper on Aelin’s desk. “Thought you might want to see this.” 

“Mhmm.” Distractedly, Aelin took the paper and set it by her keyboard, not really looking away from whatever she was busily typing. “Thanks, Ells.” 

“Aelin.” Elide’s voice was not the kind to be brushed off. “I need you to look at that. Now.” 

The steel in her second’s voice jerked Aelin out of her focus mode. She blinked, shook her head, and properly came to attention. “Okay.” She picked up the small paper and scanned the short message, and her eyes widened slightly, the only outward sign of her shock. “What.” 

“Go check on it.” Elide grasped Aelin’s hand and practically hauled her to her feet. “I’ll handle anything that comes to your office for however long it takes you. Go. Now.” 

Barely remembering to close her computer, Aelin hurried upstairs to her other office, rushing through the security protocols, and dropped into her boss chair. She snatched the small headset that rested in the second drawer of her desk and turned it on. The earpiece was barely in her ear before she was barking commands into the device. 

“Boss?” Nox answered within seconds of her ringing him. 

“I need to hear the chatter.” Aelin gave no explanation–she knew Nox would know exactly what she was talking about. 

“Right.” There was a series of clicks and taps on the other end of the line as Nox found the audio he needed her to hear. “Timestamp: 1147 this morning, Orynth PD Channel 074.” He pressed another button, and radio static crackled in Aelin’s ear for a few seconds before resolving into a few male voices. 

He’s supposed to arrive today.

Who?

The special forces officer, you jackass! Didn’t you listen to the captain’s briefing?

The hell would I? He hasn’t said anything useful for weeks. 

There was the unmistakable sound of someone swatting someone else upside the head. Whatever. Special forces comes today. 

Hope he’s able to get some kind of info on this godsdamn case. A snort. If he can’t, I hope to the bloody gods they toss the whole thing, cuz I’m just about done waiting around for some criminal who doesn’t exist to leave evidence of their supposed crimes.

The hell d’you mean, ‘doesn’t exist?’ We wouldn’t be on this fucking case if the criminal didn’t exist! Stakeouts take time, officer.

Not this much time. That was a new voice, Aelin observed, and she could hear the muffled curses and rustles of surprise that followed this new voice’s entry into the conversation. 

Just who the hell are you? 

Special forces. Interesting. Aelin filed that little fact away for later. 

Fine. Welcome to the investigation. Ain’t shit worth investigating, though.

The special forces officer chuckled sarcastically. That’s what all you morons think, isn’t it?

Who the fuck are you calling a moron?

All of you. I wouldn’t be here if you were competent. Where’s the case file? I need it. Aelin knew it was bad of her, but gods, she liked this special forces officer. He wasn’t afraid to call Orynth PD out on their incompetence.

~~~

@live-the-fangirl-life

@superspiritfestival

@thegreyj

@wordsafterhours

@elentiyawhitethorn

@morganofthewildfire

@backtobl4ck

@rowanaelinn

@house-of-galathynius

@tomtenadia

@julemmaes

@swankii-art-teacher

@charlizeed

@booknerdproblems

@chronicchthonic14

@earthtolinds

@goddess-aelin

@sweet-but-stormy

@clea-nightingale

@autumnbabylon

@darling-im-the-queen-of-hell

@llyncooljones

@silentquartz

@sunshinebingo

@hiimheresworld

#my writing #until proven guilty #criminal/investigator au #aelin the crime boss au #aelin galathynius #rowan whitethorn #rowaelin #rowaelin fanfic

[writtenonreceipts]

Hi friend! How are you? Do you have recs for multi-chapters fics? Tog, acotar, even hp fanfics! I need something new to read. Sorry if I'm asking you too much, I had a long week and I need to relax but don't know what to look for ahah

hey, hey! i was a little under the weather this week, but it's fine. I have so many reccs. Here we go...Also, I am bound to miss people, so I’ll probably reblog with other stories too...

TOG

@morganofthewildfire--She has so many great fics to read.  As far as Multi-Chaps go; Same Time Thursday, Ivy, The Lucky One are some of my faves. She brings the angst, so be prepared

@shyvioletcat-- I love her fics.  you have no idea.  They are some of my go to comfort fic.  It Takes Two and Striking Matches have been the two that I reread all the time.  Some others that I love are The Calling, Smile, Touch & Go--really you can’t go wrong with any of her fics

@westofmoon--Retellings/AU galore. “Blood and Bone” is a Mummy AU, “The Heartbeat of Stars” is a Sci-fi fic, awesome moodboards and drabbles that I love.

@elentiyawhitethorn--Love, love, love. “You’re A Mystery to Me” is so great and you can tell the work she puts into it--its a mystery in the veins of Scooby Doo and it is the best thing ever. She has a lot of great fics to read in TOG and ACOTAR world

@sassyhobbits--had multiple TOG fics--”One Night Standards” and “Growth” are completed.  Misery Business is an ongoing Rowaelin that’s off to a great start.

@thewraithsofmorhogg--”Noisy Neighbors” is the holy order of slow burn

@imaginedhaven -- “Reluctantly Rooming” and “Call it What You Will” are so, so good.

@highqueenofelfhame -- i love em. she has so many fics to read. “Far Away From Sane” has murder mischief and pain.

@live-the-fangirl-life -- fluff master extraordinaire.  A World Away and I Dig you are two super fun reads.  She has so many other multi-parts and oneshots both in TOG and ACOTAR, seriously.  you need to read her stuff.

@punkassbookjockey26-- Of Authors and Angels! Such a great fic.

@whimsicallyreading--I love Val.  She is a delight.  “Dark Roast No Sugar” and “If I Had A Heart” are so so so good.  Seriously.

@tomtenadia--”A Little Braver” and “Island Of Dreams” <3

@talkfantasytome--she writes both TOG and ACOTAR--love love love her fics.  “How Could They Not,” “Model Students,” “Staghorn Slopes”

ACOTAR

@c-e-d-dreamer-- Nessian galore.  “Let Our Hearts, Like Doors, Open Wide” and “And They Were Roommates,” and “Who’s Counting” are all so great

@tealnymph24--love love love love.  Gwynriel fics for your hearts content. “A Song of Shadows” especially

@moononastring--lots of elucien to choose from, she also writes and ErisxOC fic if you’re interested in that “Shadow Meets Bone”

@the-lonelybarricade-- “A Court of Faded Dreams” is her current fic in progess, it’s a timetravel/rewrite <3 love it.

@julemmaes--i can’t pick just one fic, there are so many great things to choose from from both fandoms--seriously, you can’t go wrong.

@thegloweringcastle--”The Law of the Land” is so good!!

@mmvalentine--has a lot of great fics

Linkr--i think is just on AO3, but has a fic called 8:55 that is super, super good

@nomattertheoceans--has a fic called staying afloat that is great

Harry Potter--admittedly, I am not as active in this fandom as others, but I have my faves that I love

@petalstofish--this is her AO3, Sarah is so awesome.  I love following her, love reading her works.  She is a delight.

clarewithnoi--on ao3 “New Age Romancing” is hilarious, told completely in the form of texts. love it

@missgryffin--has lots of jily to read! I am massively behind, but I’m excited to read Secret Keeper!

BeeDaily--Commentarius is kinda on an endless hiatus, but it is no less wonderful to read, hilarious and so fun

#fics #fic reccomendations #fanfictopn #throne of glass #tog #acotar #a court of thorns and roses #harry potter

[imherongraystairstrash]

If life was good, the next sobh would be: Tessa to James

Dear Jamie,

How are you, my darling son? It feels like just yesterday you were in my arms for the first time. Just yesterday I was watching you laugh as you sat on your father's shoulders while he ran across the rolling hills of Idris, or seeing you come back from the academy, with your shy smile and your eyes full of regret.

Regret for what, I'll never know Jamie. I have always loved you and I always will. Even after all of these years, the mere thought of you brings tears to my eyes because I can never hold you in my arms again. I'm crying right now, as a matter a fact, and I don't think I'll be able to stop for a while. I love you so much James and I love Lucie just as much. You never had to feel guilty, and yet you carried it with you for so long.

If there's one thing in my life I would change, it's how much you suffered. My bach, even now I hate that I knew there was something strange about your moods, and yet I never intervened. You never deserved al that you endured, with my father, that bracelet, with Matthew.

Perhaps that's why I couldn't breath when Kit came in with your old gun today. Part of me wanted to grab it and caress it, knowing that your very hands (your father's hands) had touched it all those years ago, another part of me wanted to throw it into Thames where it may never be seen again. Kit, your half brother, didn't know any better and I feel I may have caused him to feel hurt, which I hate myself for. But I can't deny that protecting Mina was the first thing that came to mind, protecting Mina the way I couldn't protect you.

Seeing that gun stirred many emotions I tried to keep buried deep inside me. Saying Christopher's name hurt because it made me think of him which made me think of the four of you, the merry thieves, stirring up trouble. It made me think of you, Matthew and Lucie, all sitting together in the parlor, arguing over things I can't possibly remember. Watching you all dance at balls, I miss it all. I miss it all so much, it hurts my heart. I wouldn't trade what I have with Jem, Kit and Mina for the world, but I doesn't mean I still don't long to see you all again.

...

It's too late for my to be writing this, I should be writing requests not Tessa angst, but I just love her so much

Tagging: @tsccreatorsnet  @atla-lok143  @rinadragomir  @youngreckless  @autumnangel20  @julemmaes @cupcakesandkittens  @no-scones-allowed  @ninacarstairss  @stxr-thxif   @icouldnotask @jordeliasupremacy  @cordelia-cardale  @will-effing-herondale  @axoloteca @heronstairs2014 @ilovemanicures @ti-bae-rius @alastair-esfandiyar-carstairs1 @readersconfessions812 @nightshade3465 @livvyheronstairs @zemiraa @proudtobealuthor @neurogliadudette @theenchanteddreamer @cheeseandmacarons @shadowhunting-hoolingans @writeordie-4 @amchara @myangelbach @livingformyself @dancing-under-the-moon @julescarstairs @wouldyouknowmeblind @grace-lightwoodd @livingformyself @ilikebooksandtvshows

#sobh #tsc #tlh #tsc fanfic #tessa gray #james herondale #kit carstairs

[elentiyawhitethorn]

themoonthestarsthesuriel’s 550 Follower Celebration

I know that my writing has been pretty limited lately, but despite this you’ve still interacted with me and my fics and generally been pretty awesome—and now there are 550 of you! I know that’s not a lot to some people but I’m relatively young and new to writing so this is just crazy to me. I’ve never really celebrated followers before other than just mentioning it so I wanted to do something to thank you all not just for following but for sticking by me. I figured the best way to do this would be to write a little something :) below is what’s up:

→ I’m too lazy to come up with any rules or link any prompt lists so this is basically just a prompt call! Send in anything you want and (even if it takes while) I will write something for it. Be sure to specify ship if you have a preference.

→ Bonus: give me a fic (could be one of your own, one of mine, or someone else’s) and I will make a moodboard or something else creative (though I’m warning you, my art doesn’t always turn out well lol).

And that’s all! Thanks again :)

•••

Tagging everyone on my main tag list:

@aelin-bitch-queen @autumnbabylon @charlizeed @emikadreams @evolving-dreamer @feysand-loml @flora-shadowshine @gracie-rosee @infernoqueen19 @julemmaes @leiawritesstories @lemonade-coolattas @live-the-fangirl-life @midsizewitch @morganofthewildfire @mybloodrunsblue @nehemikkele @realbookloverproblems @rhysandswingspan @rowaelinismyotp @rowanaelinn @sexy-dumpster-fire @sleeping-and-books @story-scribbler @swankii-art-teacher @the-lonelybarricade @thebonecarver @thenerdandfandoms @yesdreamblog

#550 followers #y’all are the BEST #i’ve seen other people zooming past 1k but i’m still super happy about this

[booknerdnamedris]

Okay someone please tell me that they have heard the song Dust to Duat bt the Civil Wars and that it isn't Azriel and Gwyn?!

Sorry for all the tags but I was excited and wanted to share it with people I thought may enjoy it! and you all post things that I love and enjoy! So thank you all for being a part of my life! You have all posted things that have made hard days better!

@ghostiewriter @heyovivi @hlizr50 @highladydawn @jennierubyjanersblog @julemmaes @khajoors @kimstclair @lady-riel @lost-in-fictionn @loewenanni @moodymelanist @musicallibrarian93 @mystical-blaise @propagandaprincess @sarah-bae-maas @shadowsingerspriestess @silverflameataraxia @trashforazriel @tealnymph-writes @vikingmagic33 @writtenonreceipts @yazthebookish

@buttoncup @butterflyparasol @azrielshadowssing @daevastanner @azrielbedara @c-e-d-dreamer @duskandstarlight @emiliamildner @emilia3546 @gwynberdara-supremacy

[moodymelanist]

I Guess It's Half Timing (And The Other Half's Luck) — Epilogue

I can’t believe this story has finally come to a close!! Thank you so much to everyone who followed along with me on this fic, I had so much fun writing it and trying my hand at slow burn for the first time 🩷

Also, a very big and special shoutout to the GC for motivating me every month to write this and helping me come up with fun little ideas to sneak in. Y’all kept me going and I couldn’t have done it without you!!

I hope this ties up everything nicely!!! until next time and happy 2024 everyone :’)

✷✷✷✷✷

Cassian

Cassian had been enjoying his dream when he was abruptly yanked into consciousness by the sound of his daughter screaming her head off in excitement.

“Mommy! Daddy!” Sera yelled at the top of her lungs, her little feet just narrowly missing crushing Cassian’s hand as she jumped up and down on the bed. How she’d managed to even climb up without shaking him awake was beyond him, but she’d certainly accomplished her goal now. “Wake up! It’s Christmas!”

“Jesus Christ, what time is it,” Nesta muttered under her breath. She looked adorably grumpy as always, and Cassian fought the urge to tug where her hair pulled into two loose braids for sleep like he was the little kid here. “Okay, okay, Sera. We’re up, I promise, just give us a second.”

“Too goddamn early,” Cassian mumbled right back. He was usually an early riser, but he’d been pulling a lot of long nights leading up to the actual holiday. Sue him for wanting to sleep in a little later than six thirty in the morning. “Sera, mijita, calm down a little, okay?”

Sera had just turned four last month, so they were much more concerned about making an effort for the holidays these days now that the chances of her remembering it were so much higher. She’d been talking about Santa and wondering aloud about her presents for weeks now, and if Cassian hadn’t been so worried about making the day good for her, he would’ve been able to focus on just how adorable she was.

Keep reading on AO3 here!

tag list: @perseusannabeth | @bookstantrash | @charming-butt-insane | @oversizedbats | @melphss | @sv0430 | @podemechamardek | @autumnbabylon | @live-the-fangirl-life | @julemmaes | @that-little-red-head | @jmoonjones | @sayosdreams | @thewayshedreamed | @hiimheresworld | @brieq | @pearlfortears | @swankii-art-teacher | @nerdperson524 | @snickerdoodlechittybangbang | @imsointobooks | @nesquik-arccheron | @sweet-pea1 | @champanheandluxxury | @dustjacketmusings | @mrs-shadowsinger04 | @unlikelypersonalknight1 | @goddess-aelin | @arinbelle | @talkfantasytome | @simpingfornestaarcheron | @duskandstarlight | @letstakethedawn | @vidalinav | @c-e-d-dreamer | @dealfea | @katekatpattywack | @burningsnowleopard | @thatsowlmazing | @avidromancereader | @a-little-disguised | @kale-theteaqueen

#acotar #acosf #nessian #nesta archeron #cassian #Cassian acotar #nesta x cassian #nesta archeron x cassian #pro Nessian #pro nesta archeron #pro Cassian #pro Cassian acotar #moodymelanistwrites

[julemmaes]

honeybee

this is a following to my modern au nessian called drivers license (part one)

A/N: YOU REMEMBER WHEN I TOLD YOU I WASN'T SURE I WOULD'VE FINISHED DRIVERS LICENSE? CAUSE IT WAS LONG AND IT WAS TAKING A TOLL ON ME. WELL, FUCK ME. I DIDN'T KNOW REAL PAIN UNTIL I HAD TO FINISH THIS

the song this fic takes its name from is called honeybee and it's by the head and the heart

warnings: abusive household, description of violence, hospitalization

have fun I guess;)

Word count: 9,246

the day

When Nesta had broken up with Cassian in the middle of the night all those years ago, she had never imagined that her life would change so much.

Looking at the sparkling ring around her finger, with that delicate tiny diamond set in the equally fine and elegant silver band, she couldn't help but think that she had made the right choice when he had gotten up and decided to leave.

She had never regretted that call and she certainly wasn't starting to on her wedding day.

five years, three months and eighteen days before

Nesta had mentally prepared herself to see him once the door opened. She had prepared herself to see his dark hair tied back in a tousled bun and his thick eyelashes framing his equally dark eyes, still they would sparkle upon seeing her - as they had done every time since the day he had found her on that library's floor.

What she hadn't expected to find on his doorstep though, was the girl with blonde hair and long slender legs bare of any clothing and her torso covered by a t-shirt that Nesta recognised as one of Cassian's. A shirt she had worn several times over the months they had been together.

He looked into her face and it was hard not to notice the imprint left by the pillow on her cheek, her tired eyes still heavy with sleep. She had been sleeping.

Nesta glanced towards the living room, completely visible from where she was standing, and any hope she'd had at that moment that Mor was sleeping on the sofa vanished into thin air like smoke when she saw no pillows on the cushions. No blanket.

She looked back at Mor, who was now staring at her with a dumbfounded expression, as if she didn't believe she was standing there in front of Cassian's house. If she wasn't sleeping on the couch, it only meant she was sleeping in his bed.

He didn't have guest rooms, she knew that.

She was sleeping in his bed.

Her ears began to buzz and Nesta's vision fogged as she tried not to scream.

She had known.

Pursuing her lips into a thin line, she lifted her chin upwards a little, daring the girl in front of her to say something, and then turned, starting to walk towards her car, poised never to return.

She could feel her heart beating in her chest like a war drum and every step she took felt like her legs gave out a little more.

She was tired. She hadn't been able to sleep for weeks. To eat, study, read.

Nesta had died again under the unrelenting weight of the loneliness that had found peace the moment Cassian had set foot in her life and that had swept through her existence like a hurricane, turning upside down everything beautiful she had managed to find.

She felt the sting of emotion build in her throat, the ever-growing knot of tears that couldn't wait to be released, that Nesta knew would explode as soon as she stepped into the car and his house was out of sight.

She was sleeping in his bed.

She had just tightened her fingers around the keys when she heard it, Morrigan's ringing voice, calling her, and then her hurried footsteps behind her. Nesta turned.

"You're making a mistake."

Her eyebrows shot up, "Sorry?"

Mor seemed to flinch at the tone of her voice, "You're making a mistake." Nesta had to laugh and didn't hold back the stunned chuckle that escaped her control as the blonde continued, "You shouldn't leave."

She seethed, "You're wearing his clothes." she pointed out, taking a step forward and then another, forcing the other to walk backwards. She looked into her eyes, frowning, "You were sleeping in his bed only a few minutes ago," her words spoken in a whisper, but the poisonous emotion and hatred that laced the words conveyed everything Nesta was feeling, "why would I stay?"

Mor remained silent, studying her face, "Cass should be here any minute."

The way she said his name. Cass, like she had some kind of dominion over his person. Like she was the only one who knew him.

Nesta couldn't stop the words before they were out, "Why?"

And this time she wasn't asking her why she should stay, wait for him to come back. No.

She took another step forward, "Why did you let him lie to me? Why did youlie to me?"

The dull, dormant pain she'd felt that month woke up like a child pulled from sleep by a nightmare and hit her full in the chest. That emptiness that should have been filled with anger, jealousy, betrayal.

"Why not ask him to leave me? Why steal someone else's boyfriend?"

And at those words, she recoiled, because it wasn't true. Morrigan had never stolen Cassian from her.

Cassian had never been hers in the first place.

The girl opened her mouth to reply, but Nesta didn't give her time to speak and raised a hand, continuing, "Cause I ask myself that every night. I wonder what he sees in you," she laughed, letting out a choked breath as her eyes filled with tears, "What else do you have? You're older, it's true. You're prettier, blonder, taller. Perfect." she spat that word out in disgust.

"And you know what? I knew it. God, I knew it and I was pretending not to. The way his gaze would occasionally wander when we were talking or the mornings when he'd arrive at school in his clothes from the day before because he'd been to your place and hadn't slept." she clenched her hands into fists and smiled mischievously when she saw Mor swallow.

She was about to attack, to bite, to strike wherever she could to regain the dignity that had been stripped from her, but a deep, surprised voice interrupted her, "Nesta?"

She stiffened, turning around slowly. She didn't want to say anything, she just wanted to run to her car, get on and drive away, but what was in front of her knocked the breath out of her.

Nothing. There was nothing of the man she had loved in front of her now. The ghost of what Cassian had been no more than forty days before.

His eyes were slightly wide and that excited glint Nesta had hoped to see when he opened the door was just a miserable memory, because the hazel brown she loved so much was gone, covered by an opaque veil of sadness and pain she saw every day in the mirror.

Her gaze fell on the slightly hollowed cheeks and deep dark circles under his eyes, the messy, grimy hair, the dirty clothes that looked like they hadn't been changed in days, and finally to the cast around his left arm.

"What happened to you?" she asked in a weak voice.

He sighed and his eyebrows drew together. His shoulders visibly sagged and then the bag he held in his right hand fell to the ground as he took a step forward, "Nesta." he breathed.

She looked into his eyes, "What did you do?"

He gave a half-smile, bringing his free hand to his broken arm, "I-" then chuckled, "You're here."

"Cassian." Mor's voice made them both turn, but Nesta's eyes quickly went back to the man.

She needed to know if he was going to enter the house with her or listen to her, should she speak.

It was as if he hadn't even heard the blonde. "How are you?" he asked her, taking a step towards her.

Nesta couldn't connect her brain to her mouth, she was like a broken record when she asked, "What happened to you?" because Cassian wasn't well. And she wasn't talking about the broken arm or the dirty clothes, she was talking about the light that she saw was going out even now with every passing second.

She couldn't move, but she wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him until he came to his senses.

"Nothing," he said with that stupid weak smile on his lips, "you came here- do you want to talk? Can we talk?"

She heard Mor inhale sharply and then saw her walk around her until she was in front of him, and although they were close, Nesta couldn't hear what she said. She felt her heart break a little more and wondered how it was possible that it wasn't already sand in her chest. All she knew was that Cassian stiffened and swallowed twice when Morrigan finished talking to him.

"I should go." she managed to whisper, torturing her fingers.

He shook his head, taking a step forward and the blonde's hand snapped on his arm. Both their eyes fell on that touch and Nesta couldn't take it anymore, she had to go. The grip of her lacquered nails around his jacket was overbearing, possessive, but it was also familiar to his body and he wasn't retreating.

She took a step back, intending to run away and never return, and lost her balance, stumbling on the grass of the flowerbed. She opened her eyes wide and saw the way Cassian lunged forward to catch her, but Nesta was already on the ground. She cursed under her breath and the urge to cry only increased when she realised she had fallen onto a yellow rose bush.

Nesta burst out laughing at the irony of the picture they were composing at that moment.

"Nes, are you alright?"

If it hadn't been for Elain explaining to her the meaning of flowers every spare minute of her days, she would never have laughed, but the fact that she was now removing the thorns of a plant that represented jealousy and betrayal while standing in front of the man she loved and the girl who had managed to take him away from her was comical.

She stood up perhaps a bit too quickly as her head spun wildly and a myriad of black dots blurred her vision. She staggered a little and it didn't escape Cassian's attention as he moved even closer and wrapped his hand around her wrist. Nesta held her breath at the touch of his skin, so warm, so rough.

He was looking at her with a wrinkled expression and she just wanted the ground to swallow her whole when he asked, "Have you eaten today?"

She looked at him in amazement for a second, breathing out a laugh and then turned her head to the side, biting her lip. Because of course he was going to find out. That Nesta was no longer living.

After all, this Nesta, the Nesta who was now staggering around like a desperate drunk in his front yard, was the same Nesta he had met on that library floor.

She snatched her hand from his grasp and without looking at him walked towards the car, "Goodbye Cassian."

"Nesta, what- where are you going?" he asked her, following her, his hands raised as if he could grab her, keep her with him once he reached her.

She turned her head and caught him by surprise as he jerked back when she pointed a finger at him, too close. "I'm leaving and I have no intention of coming back. Don't follow me. I was wrong to come here in the first place."

The shock on his face was like receiving a punch in the gut. He lowered his arms, defeated.

"Why are you here?" he said softly. And it was as if he wasn't really asking the question. It was as if his mouth had finally decided to speak the words that had been rumbling around in his head until that moment.

Nesta shook her head and a weak sob broke her breath, "I can't."

Cassian stood there as she made her way to her car and when she finally touched the door and opened it, feeling the relief of freedom, he met her gaze from over the roof. She met Mor's gaze and felt the world crash down on her again. Heavier. More imposing.

Cassian took a step forward, "Why are you here?"

And Nesta exploded, "Cause I still fucking love you."

Her voice broke on the last word and she didn't even notice as tears began to stream down her face, "Because I still love you!" she screamed, slamming the door and spinning around the car, "Because I love you and I don't have-" a sob broke the sentence, "And I'm not okay! But you seem to be doing just fine without me!" she squealed even louder, bringing a hand to her chest. "I'm hurting! I'm hurting and I'm alone! And I miss you!"

She couldn't see it, but his eyes were glazed over too, and as he slowly approached her, a lone tear slid down his cheek.

"Fuck!" she cursed, turning around again and opening the door. She took a deep breath amidst the crying and looked at him, really looked at him, trying to memorize every detail, "Goodbye."

He shook his head, "No."

And Nesta waited no longer, got into the car and drove away.

five years, three months and seventeen days before

Nesta

"How did you find my house?" asked Nesta, clutching her sweatshirt to her chest.

Mor, in all her beauty and poise, stood at the door of her house, with her own clothes on this time.

"Hi Nesta." she said, biting her lip. Not out of embarrassment, to keep herself from saying anything else.

She didn't move, "How did you find my house?"

"I'd like to talk to you," she continued, still ignoring her question.

"It's hard to talk to a person if you keep ignoring what they say."

The blonde closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, "I know where you work, I followed you here."

Nesta's eyebrows shot up, "I could report you for stalking."

Mor gave a tight smile, "But you won't. Can we talk?"

Nesta felt the sudden urge to call the police, just to show her that she could, but she only said, "Why would we?"

"Because yesterday after you left, Cass tried to get in the car and follow you and he can't drive," Nesta found herself nodding thinking about his broken arm, weakened from the sleepless night, surely not because she wanted Mor to know she agreed with her. "I had to pull him out of the car by force to keep him from killing himself against a pole. I've never seen him so shaken up in my life and-"

Nesta interrupted her, "I don't know why you think it's my problem. You're his girlfriend now, the fact that you're coming to me for advice is concerning." then she stepped back, clasping her hand around the door to slam it in her face.

The audacity...

"Cassian still loves you."

She froze, holding her breath and looked Mor in the eye. She chuckled softly, shaking her head, "No, he doesn't."

The blonde huffed, bringing a hand to her forehead and moving a strand of hair, "I'm not his girlfriend anyway."

Nesta smiled sarcastically, "That too, the fact that you can't define your relationship, isn't my problem and I'd rather you leave."

Mor laughed in shock as her eyebrows shot up, "You're unbelievable," then she frowned, taking a step forward to push the door open, "Cassian and I aren't together. We never have been and I'm fucking lesbian."

Nesta's eyes widened in surprise, then she quickly recovered from her astonishment and shook her head, "It doesn't change anything."

"Doesn't it?"

"No, Morrigan," it was the first time she'd said her full name. That she was saying it directly to her, "It doesn't change anything because he would still leave in the middle of the night to come to you," she shifted her weight on her left foot, "It doesn't change anything because he chose you every day and I'm sorry I didn't realize that sooner. It would have saved everyone a lot more time and effort." then she held up a hand when she opened her mouth to retort, "And I don't care if you're lesbian or not. Cassian loves you and if he doesn't love you with words, he certainly does with actions."

Mor stared into her eyes for a while, silently, then nodded slowly, shifting her gaze to the houses around hers. She adjusted her sunglasses in her hair and then looked back at her, "Can I come in?"

"Why."

"Please, I just want to explain why what happened happened. And why things have changed or are changing, but I can't do that in half a minute and-" then she frowned, wincing, "Look, I'm not doing this because I particularly like you, but because Cassian has saved my life more times than he thinks and than he takes credit for. Talking to you is the least I can do to repay him in some way."

Nesta felt something tug at her heart and for a moment she thought about slamming the door in her face and going back to the couch to watch a black screen, but then she remembered the sleepless nights she'd spent thinking about what she could do. For her, for Cassian... to the person in front of her who was begging her to let her in, and she stepped aside.

The surprise on Mor's face was a small victory on Nesta's part, but she quickly recomposed herself, closing the door behind her once she was in the house and telling her to follow her into the living room.

And despite the situation, Mama Archeron had not raised her daughters to treat guests badly. She forced herself to say, "Can I get you anything? A drink, maybe water, I have wine if you want."

Mor gave the imitation of a smile, "I'd take something stronger, but I have to drive. Just water will do, thanks."

Nesta walked out of the living room and into the kitchen, and once inside she leaned against the table with both hands, breathing hard as if she had run a marathon. What was she doing?

She had let Morrigan, the reason for her break-up with the man she loved, into her house.

She closed her eyes, clenching her jaw, begging her body to relax, and then, when she realised it wouldn't take anyone that long to pick up two glasses and a bottle, she moved.

Walking back to the living room was like walking a thousand miles without ever eating, sleeping or drinking and by the time she sat down, she was exhausted. That conversation could have settled everything as well as confirmed any worries and erased any doubts Nesta had about leaving that city forever.

Mor drank a whole glass of water before she started talking and it didn't take long for her to realise that the girl was just as nervous as she was. The agitation evident only in the twirling motion of her ankle as she sat with her legs crossed.

She took a deep breath, "I've never talked about this with anyone but the boys." Nesta realized he was talking about Azriel and Rhysand, as well as Cassian. "So understand if I stop now and then, these aren't things I tell lightly."

She could only nod.

Mor cracked her fingers, then took a deep breath and brought one hand up to massage her right eyebrow, where Nesta had always noticed the small white scar that kept hair from growing there. It was the only thing that people could tell wasn't beautiful about the girl, but Nesta had never believed anything other than that it only added to her curiosity in getting to know the deity she actually was.

Every positive thought she'd ever had about that tiny scar disappeared as Mor began to speak and a horrible feeling clutched her stomach in an iron solid grip.

"My father is an alcoholic."

Nesta didn't react. She didn't know if she should say anything.

"He always has been. Even before I was born. I don't know how my mother ended up in a relationship with him, but she's a lost cause too. She started using drugs when I was around six. I still remember it like it was yesterday.

"Keir, my father, has also always been a violent man." Mor took a shaky breath, swallowing, "He did this to me," she whispered brushing the mark on her face, "when I was fourteen and got my period for the first time. He broke a bottle on my head-"

The fact she’d gotten her cycle so late only sprouted more doubts in Nesta’s mind while her thoughts ran wild, picturing a malnourished little girl in that broken home.

"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to," Nesta interrupted her, looking her in the eye, "I know you're trying to help me understand, that you're trying to help Cassian, but-"

Mor put a hand on her arm, blocking her, "Don't worry about it." she gave her a weak, sad smile, "I know I said I didn't like you, but Cassian loves you." seeing that Nesta was about to interrupt her one more time, she tightened her grip on her arm, "He loves you. And if this conversation ends the way I want it to, you'll be around for a long time to come. So you'd better be aware of everything, don't you think?"

There was something in Mor's voice that Nesta couldn't identify. She remained silent, contemplating her words, but then nodded weakly.

"There have been so many other episodes and I still bear the marks of most." she lowered her voice, clenching her fists several times. "If I'm here to tell you about them now though, it's only because of Cassian."

Nesta braced herself for what was to come.

Mor bit the inside of her cheek, "All the times he came to me in the night, all the times he left you alone at the last minute or had to come away in the middle of your dates... he was coming to save me." she said with teary eyes, "For years, they took turns as to who should come each time, between him and Rhys and Az. But when the other two had to leave a couple of years ago and only Cass stayed here, well," she sighed, propping an elbow on her knee and resting her forehead on her hand, "I feel guilty every day for what they do, what he does. I don't know how I'm ever going to repay him for everything he's managed to save in my life. My life itself. So I need you to understand that it's not his fault."

She looked into her eyes and Nesta was so shocked by everything she had just been told that she couldn't respond.

"The night you broke up with him," she resumed after a few moments, bringing a hand up to the neck of her jumper and shifting the fabric, revealing a portion of jagged skin just below her collarbone. The only evidence of just how bad the cut she had suffered must have been. "-I was going to die. Literally. I called the police so many times, Nesta, they never did anything. I didn't even try that night."

A rush of anger raced through her body at that truth. She knew she wasn't lying.

"My dad found out I liked girls, somehow, and things escalated quickly. My mom was half passed out on the couch and he had just come home," she paused abruptly, frowning. "The boys came into the house after I managed to lock myself in my room and while Az and Rhys were thinking about me, Cassian tried to take Kier down, that's why the broken arm."

Nesta's eyes went wide. For it to come to breaking a bone... it must have been a long night for everyone, frightening and scarring. She looked up at Mor, placing one hand on the one still on Nesta's arm and smiled reassuringly at her, but with a serious expression.

Mor returned the squeeze.

"I'm staying at Cassian's now, at least until the others find proper accommodation. We're all looking for a flat together so Cass can finally be free of us all." she said, fixing her eyes in hers, "From me. From everything."

Nesta nodded, then cleared her throat, finding her throat dry, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Why didn’t he, were the unspoken words.

Mor bit her lip, "It's my fault," she said apologetically, "I've been dealing with the opinion and criticism of the rest of the world my whole life. I didn't know you and all the guys' exes were always very quick to judge me without knowing anything at all about me. By the time I realised you weren't like the others it was too late."

"You can flip me off if this question is too personal, but why didn't you move out sooner? Why stay in that house if..." she didn't know how to finish the sentence, but it was enough to make the other answer.

"They controlled all my money and I was in no position to ask for financial support from the boys. I couldn't find anyone willing to help me get back what was mine by right, but we're looking for a way now. Az just got a job at a law firm, he just needs to convince them to take the case on probono." she smiled tensely and Nesta could tell that even that small act of generosity from her friend was weighing heavily on her.

Nesta ran her hands over her face, taking a deep breath as each piece fell into place and each question mark disappeared. Now that she knew the truth, it all made more sense.

But did that change things between her and Cassian? Did it change the fact that he had lied to her, despite for good reason?

She didn't have an answer.

But she did understand Mor. She understood why she had asked him not to tell her anything. It was the same reason she had never told anyone about Tomas except Cassian.

Looking at her out of the corner of her eye, as she poured herself another glass of water and drank it in one go, she made a decision.

She owed it to the person sitting next to her, to give Mor something back for the trust she’d put in her, she’d tell her everything about Tomas, her mother. The way her family had managed to heal and left her behind, alone, until Cassian.

She was about to open her mouth when Mor's phone rang and an amused smile appeared on her face. She lifted the phone so Nesta could see the caller's name and wrinkled her nose, "His ears must have been ringing, hmm?"

Mor chuckled and then answered, "Hello?"

In the deathly silence of the house, Nesta clearly distinguished the man's words.

"Mor, I'm so sorry about last night, we didn't mean to get drunk like that, I promise it won't happen again. I didn't think about what you would-"

"Calm down you overbearing mother hen," Mor said harshly, "but yes, it won't happen again."

"Where are you? Come home so I can make it up to you somehow."

The blonde smiled wickedly and looked at her nails before saying, "I'm at Nesta's."

A pregnant silence made its way into the room.

"What do you mean?"

"We're talking," the girl continued undisturbed.

Nesta had to restrain herself from laughing because she could well imagine the expression on his face at that moment.

"Mor, stop bullshitting."

"I'm not bullshitting, I'm serious, listen," and then she pushed the phone towards Nesta, who's eyes went wide, shaking her head. Mor nodded at her and she murmured a weak, "Hello, Cassian." before the blonde retracted the phone, bringing it to her ear again. "See?"

"What the fuck."

"Don't worry, I'll be home in less than ten minutes. I think." then she eyed Nesta, covering the microphone with one hand as Cassian began to insult her in every way imaginable. "Do you want to come with me?" she asked her with a hint of hope in her tone, "To talk to Cass maybe? I understand if you don't want to come, maybe you need more time."

But Nesta knew the truth now, and that seemed to be enough, so she nodded and smiled slightly at her. She owed it to Cassian too, to let him explain everything too.

Mor let out a squeak of happiness and then interrupted the list of insults that kept flowing from the phone, "Correction, we will be home in ten minutes."

“Morrigan-”

“Take a shower, we’ll be there in the blink of an eye.”

And then she ended the call without even saying goodbye.

Nesta snorted, "You gave him a heart attack."

Mor smiled at her, clapping her hands, "Do you need to get ready too?"

She looked at her clothes and thought that yes, she should have showered too, but furrowed her brow and grimaced, looking at her, "Actually, I wanted to apologize first. I know what it's like not to have the courage to talk about your problems and I know it must have been hard to talk to me. So thank you and sorry for calling you a cheating bitch."

Mor's eyes went wide, "He never told me-"

"Oh no, he doesn't know, but I felt the need to apologise for that too." she smiled sweetly.

The other burst out laughing and then they stayed at Nesta's for another good half hour, talking about their own terrible experiences with men, shedding a few tears and offering words of comfort only when necessary. They didn't notice how much time had passed until Az called Mor, asking if everything was all right. Overbearing mother hens, the blonde had said once the call had ended, but Nesta had gone to get dressed and now they were going to Cassian's house together.

Something had changed and she no longer felt the urge to slam Morrigan's head against the edge of the table every time she saw her, but things with Cassian would take weeks, months, before they were back to normal.

Or at least she thought so.

Cassian

"Cassian, where did you put... what the fuck are you doing?" asked Azriel as he entered his room.

His head snapped up, only giving his older brother a glance before he returned with his fullest attention to the room. He was running from side to side, tidying up as fast as he could, but with a broken arm, swamped with dirty laundry and cans poised on his fingers, he probably looked crazy now.

"Nesta is on her way here."

Azriel's eyes went so wide that for a moment he thought they were going to pop out of his head, "Meaning what?"

"Meaning that Morrigan," he grunted his friend's full name, wrinkling his nose when he found a pair of dirty underwear under the bed, "went to Nesta's house to talk and now she's bringing her here to-" he threw his arms up, dropping everything he'd picked up and feeling a note of pain in his left, but he didn't pay attention to it, "I don't know what she's bringing her here for, but this house is a mess and I have to shower and tidy everything up and find a way not to go crazy and make her-"

He froze suddenly again, feeling a gag of vomit rise in his throat after the unreasonable evening where they had probably scared Mor with all the alcohol they had ingested.

Azriel sighed, running a hand through his hair, "How long did she say they'd be here?"

Cassian shook his head, "I have no idea. I stared at the phone for ages after she hung up." he narrowed his eyes. "I need to wash up."

The other nodded, "Why don't you go take a shower and I'll clean up here? Rhys went out this morning and I don't have a clue where he is." he warned him, pushing him towards the bathroom.

Cassian had only grunted a vague reply to him and then gone to get ready and was genuinely shocked when he had come out and the house was actually all clean. He imagined that the two years he'd spent in the house with Rhys had paid off. He remembered how dirty and messy their room had been when they all still lived together.

He was tucking a t-shirt over his head when he heard Mor's ringing laughter followed by Nesta's controlled, but still lovely, laugh. Then Azriel said something else and they both burst into louder laughter and Cassian felt his heart tighten in his chest.

These last few weeks had been devastating.

When Nesta had told him to leave and never return, he'd had no choice.

It had been a matter of deciding between Mor's life and his relationship with Nesta, and as much as he loved her, there would be no way to convince his girlfriend that she had to go, that she couldn't let her friend get beaten up again. Or worse.

When he'd arrived at Kier's house, it had taken all his self-control not to grab the man's head and slam it against the wall and get it over with once and for all.

He'd spent the week after the breakup in bed, eating and only taking care of his body when others reminded him. With a broken arm it had been easy to tell everyone he couldn't do anything about it, but they'd heard him the times he'd cried at night thinking about Nesta and it had been Rhysand who'd told him to call her after ten days. He had simply shaken his head.

He couldn't do that to her. He couldn't drag her back into a relationship where his head wasn't one hundred percent present.

He should have left her long ago, he just didn't have the courage.

He heard Nesta's laughter again and shook his head, now was not the time to think about what had happened in Mor's life. He needed to focus on his own now. He had to at least try.

And if nothing changed, if he couldn't win her back, he owed her an apology, an explanation.

He slipped on the first clean pair of trousers he could find and then, with steps far too fast to seem vague, hurried down the hallway until he found himself standing in front of his brother, his friend and the woman he had been convinced would never leave him.

Her eyes immediately found his and the smile she was wearing instantly dropped when she saw him, but she gave a small nod, "Cass, hi."

He felt something break inside him and his gaze misted over.

Azriel gave a cough then walked towards the door, tying one arm around Mor's and pulling her towards the exit, "We'll leave you two alone, text me later, alright?" he asked, but he didn't wait for an answer and suddenly Cassian and Nesta were alone.

Alone after all that time.

He took a deep breath and stepped forward, opening his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Nesta lowered her arms along her sides and smiled weakly, "I think we should talk."

He couldn't get the lump in his throat down, so he just nodded, pointing to the living room.

She looked well.

Not well physically, but she seemed to be more relaxed, more at ease than the other day.

Her cheeks were still hollowed out and the dark circles under her eyes so deep that the temptation to ask her if they could go to bed and sleep, cuddled up like they used to, so they could both finally close their eyes for real without regrets and nightmares pulling them from sleep was so high that he felt something crack in his chest again, for the millionth time.

He only wished he could hold her one last time.

When they were both sitting up, mere inches between them, Nesta inspected him as he had inspected her up to that point and saw the way her throat moved when she swallowed air, probably trying not to burst into tears herself.

They must have looked pitiful.

"How are you?" she managed to say, in a weak voice.

Cassian looked at her face some more, deciding whether to lie or not. He took a deep breath before answering, "I've never been worse in my life."

The muscles in her face twitched as she tried to keep her emotions at bay. She nodded softly, shifting her gaze to the unlit television, "I've seen better days too," she murmured, torturing her fingers, "Even before you came into my life I didn't think I could ever be this bad."

"Nes..."

Her eyes closed tightly. Feeling the emotion attached to that single word, her name whispered with that clear desperation.

She tried to change the subject as quickly as she could, "Mor told me everything. Why you ran away every time like someone was holding a gun to your head," she began, getting straight to the point, not wanting to waste any more time. She couldn't look at him though, despite the fact that there was now nothing but truth between them. "It was because it was admittedly life and death situations."

Cassian took a sharp breath, "I shouldn't have-"

"You shouldn't have, no," she interrupted him. "You shouldn't have, and if we had communicated in any way - if you had even tried to explain to me what the hell was going on, you knew. God, you knew, I wouldn't have blamed Morrigan. That I would have offered her a home if I'd known how serious the matter was."

He felt his stomach clench so tightly he thought he was going to throw up.

"I just want to be able to trust you." she whispered after a few moments of silence.

"You can." he replied immediately, "You can." he repeated, trying to convince her.

Nesta looked up at him. She licked her bottom lip, biting into the skin there a moment later and then shifted her gaze to the floor, "I miss you."

Cassian had to swallow a breath before he could speak, "I miss you too."

She said nothing and he continued.

"I miss you every damn second of the day. And at night, when I can't sleep, thinking about you, I stay awake until I pass out from exhaustion." his voice became rougher as he tried not to think about the day they had met, when he had found her asleep on the floor of that filthy library. "And when sleep doesn't come I regret and blame myself for all the wrongs that have happened."

"Every unspoken thing. Every misstep, every broken promise." said Nesta in a trembling voice. When her eyes fixed on him one more time, he no longer knew how to breathe when she murmured, "Cassian you broke me."

And the single tear that rolled down her cheek broke the last whole part of him.

He couldn't stop the instinct when his hand reached up to her face, the tips of his fingers brushing against her cheek and they both sighed, locking gazes.

And in an instant, the second his palm clung completely to her skin and Nesta closed her eyes, reveling in that touch and thrusting against his hand, Cassian felt every broken piece, every splinter and shard of his soul return to its proper place.

"I'm sorry." he said, extending his other hand to cup her face as well. "I'm sorry, for everything. Please forgive me." I love you, Nesta, please forgive me.

And as if she had heard him, she opened her eyes and nodded slightly before they both let go of a breath of relief that still echoed through the room when she launched herself forward, crashing her mouth against his in a desperate kiss that tasted of salt and love.

five years, three months and two days before

When Cassian had invited her on a date, this was definitely not what she had expected. After all, she doubted it was even remotely close to what Cassian himself had expected.

Their second-first date wasn't supposed to take place in a hospital, yet there they were.

Cassian was lying on the bed when Nesta entered the room. A tight bandage around his head was the only sign of the actual blow he had taken when he had carelessly fallen down the stairs in his haste to leave the house.

As soon as he saw her, his mouth split open in a bright smile, "Love..."

Nesta, who had stopped in the doorway and replied with an equally dazzling smile, felt her heart tighten in her chest at that pet name. The morphine they had given him must have kicked in. She took a hesitant step forward, clasping her hands around her bag, "How are you feeling?"

Cassian chuckled, turning to the nurse who had accompanied Nesta all the way there - Gwyneth, she had read on the label attached to her scrubs - before saying, "She cares how I feel."

The flame-haired girl snorted a laugh, "No shit." she said in a mocking tone, this time turning to Nesta.

She had the decency to blush under the nurse's amused eyes. After all, she had come into the emergency room demanding to know what had happened and where he was at that moment.

Gwyneth had been the one to reach her first and tell her everything she needed to know about the physical state of Cassian, who had apparently lied about Nesta being his wife.

The nurse wasn't stupid, and she'd told her as much when she'd realised that neither of them were wearing wedding rings, but seeing how terrified Nesta had been as soon as she'd set foot in the emergency room, she'd turned a blind eye and assured them that after a quick check to make sure Cassian was okay, she'd give them some time alone.

"She cares how I feel," Cassian murmured again, almost not believing the fact that Nesta was there, for him. Then he turned back to her and opened his mouth wide when he realised what she was wearing. He brought his good hand to his chest, over his heart, and whispered, "You are killing me."

"Try not to die while I'm on duty, please," the nurse muttered, before warning them that everything looked fine and that if he passed out they should call her immediately. She walked past Nesta, brushing her shoulder and winking at her, but she hardly noticed.

She only had eyes for Cassian.

When Mor had called her, telling her there had been a little accident, the world had fallen in on her. She'd kept it together until her new found friend had told her that they'd taken Cassian to the hospital by ambulance after he'd passed out from a very hard blow to the head. She'd been vague about how it had happened, but Nesta suspected that Cassian had already been late and had been running down the stairs when he'd fallen.

She certainly wasn't going to ask him tonight, because her non-boyfriend was out of it and completely high on drugs. And the only thing she cared about at that moment was that constant sound of the machines monitoring his heart, assuring her that he was alive, breathing.

The second the door closed behind her, Nesta moved and it wasn't even five minutes before she found herself lying next to him on the bed, her heels forgotten on the floor as Cassian wrapped his good arm around her and intertwined their fingers.

She rested her head on his chest and felt the way his lungs released a sigh of relief at the contact of their bodies. She could feel the beat of his heart, rapid and steady, alive, beneath her fingers.

They weren't saying anything to each other, and Nesta knew there was no need to.

In the end, it had always been like that between them. Their mere companionship was more than enough.

It wasn't until an hour later, when she began to close her eyes, that Cassian moved his other arm up to touch her shoulder, drawing her attention.

She lifted her head enough to rest her chin on his chest, and when she met Cassian's eyes, she smiled faintly at the expression of pure love and devotion that shone on his face.

She saw the way his Adam's apple moved up and then down as he swallowed and the way his eyelids flickered and he hunched his shoulders, wrapping his arms around her body. Before Cassian could speak, she did, "I love you."

And maybe it was the moment, the emotion that had surely both built up in the weeks leading up to their date that had ended in ruin, the sheer desperation and loneliness they had felt in that long month away from each other, but Cassian closed his eyes, nodding softly, "I love you, Nesta."

She leaned higher, stretching her neck towards him and pressing their bodies together until her mouth brushed against his. The kiss was not hasty, not desperate like the emotions racing through their hearts. It was like a window to the future. Their lips moved slowly in harmony, without worry, without urgency in that infinite kiss.

Because they both knew that there would be no one else for the rest of their days and they had all the time in the world to show each other the strong emotions of life. In that moment, they were each other's calm and strength.

When they broke away, it was only because Gwyneth had brought them food. If cherry jelly could be considered food. Either way, they'd been forced to interrupt their make out session to stock up on some sweet, clear edible stuff, which Nesta had devoured like few things in her life. Cassian had left her half of his portion and then they had snuggled back under the covers, talking about this and that, happy just to be both alive in this cruel world.

four years, six months and twenty-one days earlier

"When did you say they were coming?"

Nesta shifted her gaze to Mor's face, who kept her head resting on her thighs while her very long, very smooth legs remained on display against the wall of their living room. The position couldn't have been the best, especially considering the amount of alcohol her friend had swallowed, but the blonde had promised not to vomit on her so Nesta had no choice but to accept her temporary role as a pillow.

She shrugged, taking a sip from her glass, realising that the wine had finished. "They said they'd be here around ten, so any minute now." Mor nodded absentmindedly, toying with a lock of Nesta's hair.

Someone took the glass from her hand and she lifted her head just in time for her lips to collide with Cassian's, who had intended to kiss her on the forehead. They both smiled into the kiss and when he made to pull away to go and refill her glass, Nesta grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back to her mouth, making him laugh.

A cry of disgust came from down between them, "I preferred you when you weren't together."

Without taking his eyes off of Nesta's, Cassian told her to fuck off, adding shortly after, "Remind me who went to Nes' house to beg her to get back with me."

The blonde mumbled something not too nice and Rhys, who sat next to Azriel on the couch opposite to theirs, was about to retort, when the front door rang once and then twice. Az frowned, eyeing Nesta, "They're impatient."

Nesta shrugged again, a gesture she'd begun to pull too often and which Cassian said stemmed from her spending too much time with Mor.

That was going to be the night her sisters would meet her new group of friends from a few months back and Nesta knew it would go smoothly. Elain would be her usual kind and festive self and Feyre would have everyone in that room wrapped around her fingers in a matter of seconds. She didn't have to worry.

Besides, the only opinion she really cared about was her boyfriend's, and Cassian had had a chance to get to know his sisters well before their breakup.

Rhys had gotten up, staggering just enough to go answer the door, but Cassian had already done the honors, and when the youngest of the brothers looked up at the newcomers, he stumbled over his own steps for a completely different reason than the alcohol in his veins.

Feyre Archeron stood at the entrance to the living room in all her beauty. The tight black dress she had chosen to wear showed off everything the younger of the sisters had to offer and Rhysand looked more than ready to pick up every bit of whatever she threw at him.

Elain walked past her with nonchalance, greeting Cassian with a chaste kiss on the cheek, then introducing herself to Azriel and Mor, who had pulled herself up to hold her in a breathless hug.

Nesta felt Feyre's gaze on her and turned to her, waving whimsically. Feyre chuckled, shaking her head, "How much have you had to drink already?"

Nesta would have replied that she didn't know if Rhysand hadn't lunged forward towards her, risking bumping into Cassian, who was returning from the kitchen with a chalice full of wine for her and her sister.

Her boyfriend's eyes went wide, "What the fuck, Rhys, be careful."

But it was as if no one but Feyre existed for the man anymore.

Feyre stepped back, eyeing Cassian and taking the glass with a simple thank you. Az had approached as well, but as he tried to speak, Rhys interrupted him.

"Hello Feyre darling, I'm Rhysand."

Nesta rolled her eyes, just as Mor did beside her, and Elain chuckled.

Meanwhile, Feyre had never seemed so hesitant in her life. Nesta saw the moment she decided to let go and reached out to shake Rhysand's hand. And then Feyre used the voice that Nesta had only ever heard her use when her sister wanted to get something out of the evening and understood perfectly well how it was going to turn out in a few hours. "Feyre, but I assume you already knew that."

The look Rhys gave her and the nod of assent he did made her think that maybe they wouldn't even wait hours, but mere minutes before leaving the party to go find somewhere more secluded.

When the introductions were over, Cassian took a seat next to her, forcibly pushing Mor away until Nesta was clear of everyone else. Circling her shoulders with one arm and pulling her as close to him as possible, Nesta soon found herself sitting on his lap, sipping wine as one of his hands rested on her thigh, massaging circles with his thumb.

Hours passed between board games and indecent jokes exchanged between the younger in the room and Nesta thought she could never be happier than she was in that moment.

Relaxed as she was, it didn't take Nesta long to let herself go completely and when Elain and Azriel also started talking about their partners respectively, sharing funny stories on how they met, she closed her eyes as well, lulled by Cassian's breath on her face and the fleeting kisses he occasionally left on her cheek.

She could feel his eyes on her, but she couldn't find the strength to open hers, and it wasn't until Feyre and Rhys had left and Mor and Azriel had offered Elain a ride that Cassian held her tighter in his arms and carried her to their room, where a bed that had smelled like both of them for two months now remained unmade from that morning's activities.

And though exhaustion was at an all-time high, it wasn't until Cassian lay down behind her, pressing his chest against her back and wrapping himself around her, that sleep finally found them both.

the day

Nesta kept one hand on Cassian's shoulder and the other on his forearm as he rocked her on the dance floor of the venue they had chosen for their wedding.

A few feet away from them, over her husband's shoulder - husband, she was going to have to get used to that title from now on - she could see Elain by the buffet tables laughing carefree as she held onto Lucien, who was laying both hands on her ready-to-burst baby bump, talking to his girls. Nesta smiled as she thought of the countless times she had caught Lucien on his knees entertaining his two unborn twins with conversations about sports.

Moving her gaze to the other side of the runway, she saw Feyre clinging to Rhys, who was surely whispering to her about all the dirty things they could do in the wardrobe of that place judging by her sister's lost and giddy expression.

Trying not to think too much about Feyre in compromising positions, she found Mor and Emerie at the bar, drinking leaning against each other, exchanging jokes that Nesta knew had to do with the outfits of some of their relatives.

A little further on still, Azriel was pirouetting Gwyn so elegantly that she felt a note of jealousy. Az had a faint smile on his lips, but the way his eyes twinkled as he admired her friend's fiery red hair twirling as she spun and spun made her wonder how much longer he was going to wait before he proposed.

She was about to voice her doubts when Cassian's hands lightly squeezed her hips and she shifted her full attention to the man of her life.

Nesta's breath caught for the thousandth time that day when she looked into his eyes.

She raised an eyebrow in question. Cassian smiled, bringing a hand to her face and brushing her cheek, "You look beautiful." he whispered in a hoarse voice.

Her features relaxed and she smiled back, "You're not bad yourself, Mr. Archeron."

Cassian threw his head back, moaning awkwardly and drawing the attention of everyone present. Azriel gave them an amused look and Nesta waved a hand in mid-air, to say it was nothing fancy.

"Mr. Archeron." repeated Cassian, pulling her away from him for a second, as if expecting from that specific dance, only to pull her back against his chest a second later. "If I hear you call me any other name in bed from now on, I might file for divorce."

Nesta chuckled, moving a hand to his chest, "Of course, my love."

His eyes softened even more when they moved back to her face. And Nesta searched his expression for something to tell her that he regretted his decision. That he was lying to her and that in fact the idea of bearing her surname, of being linked to her, repulsed him.

She found nothing that day. Just as she would find nothing in the years to come.

Only adoration and love and respect for the woman she had become thanks to him.

acotar tag list

@sjm-things @kris10maas @awesomelena555 @sannelovesreading @queenamydien-of-nargothrond @ireallyshouldsleeprn @messyhairday-me @ncssian @observationanxioustheorist @my-fan-side @booksstorm @maastrash @sayosdreams @thedarkdemigod @courtofjurdan @thewayshedreamed @ladywitchling @nahthankz @archeron-queen @sleeping-and-books @bri-loves-sunflowers @thegoddessofyou @ghostlyrose2 @claralady @queenestarcheron @oop-theregoesgravity @perseusannabeth @firebirdofscythia @anne-reads @fantastypenguins @laylaameer01 @thalia-2-rose @darkshadowqueensrule @bookstantrash @lanyjoy-13 @the-regal-warrior @lordof-bloodshed @swankii-art-teacher @rowaelinismyotp @tothestarswholistentodreamers

#nessian #nesta archeron #cassian #ansgt #modern au #acosf #acotar #acotar fic #nessian angst #julemmaes writing

[duskandstarlight]

Hi, how are you? I noticed that when Cassian calls Nesta "love" in Illirian he uses Italian. I wanted to ask if it is an intentional choice and if so why. Also, I would like to compliment you on your skill, I really enjoyed your stories.p.s. English is not my first language, so I apologize for any mistakes

Hello! I’m very good, thank you. I hope you are too 🥰

He does! That would be thanks to my Italian writing and Nessian pals @simpingfornestaarcheron and @julemmaes who leant their language to E&L and meant I didn’t make any translation errors 🥰

And thank you! I’m so glad you like my writing. I hope you continue to enjoy it ❤️

#nessian #acotar #acosf #cassian #nesta archeron #nesta x cassian #embersandlightfic #duskandstarlightwrites #nessianfic #acotar fanfic

[talkfantasytome]

ACOTAR Tag List Update

Hi all!

I'm going to be combining my ship tag lists into one main ACOTAR tag list, as it's difficult for me to manage. As I do this, I want to give people the chance to opt out of the tag list. And, of course, ask to join the tag list if you're not on it! 😄

If you're not sure what ships I write, I mostly write Nessian, but also do some Gwynriel, Elucien, and Cresserie. Doesn't mean I won't add other ships to that list, but so far all others have been side ships.

@live-the-fangirl-life @generalnesta @secretlovelybeauty @julemmaes @boredserpent @autumnbabylon @moodymelanist @sv0430 @nesquik-arccheron @gwynrielsupremacy @katekatpattywack @moonstoneriver77 @swankii-art-teacher @lemonade-coolattas @emily-gsh @my-fan-side @champanheandluxxury @imsointobooks @sayosdreams @simpingfornestaarcheron @imsointobooks @perseusannabeth @shinya-hiiragi @a-court-of-milkandhoney @pintas3107 @embersofwildfire @superspiritfestival @thewayshedreamed @lunabean @xstarlightsupremex @mis-lil-red @wannawriteyouabook @dealfea @bridgertononmymind @daydreamer-anst @chosenfamily-valkyriequeens

Let me know in the comments or feel free to DM me if you wish to be taken off or would like to be added! 🙂

#tag list #update #acotar

[live-the-fangirl-life]

🌎Travel Posters🌏

Hello wonderful friends! 🫶

I know I've been a bit inactive in my fic writing, but that's because I've been pouring my creative energy into new projects. If you've read A World Away then you know how passionate I am about traveling. That is why I create travel posters - so you can bring the beauty of the world into your life.

I wanted to share my page with you all because I am very happy with this work!

Etsy | Instagram

I've said it before, but I am in no way asking you to buy anything. There is no expectation or pressure to do so.

But if you like my art would you give it a share?

If you do decide to order anything - an unnecessary, wonderfully appreciated gesture - then get excited because everything is 15% off through Mother's Day. No code is necessary. And if you don't celebrate Mother's Day you can still appreciate the discount!

Even better - get 25% off the entire order when you choose 3 designs or more! Just use code 3FOR25OFF.

I am constantly creating new designs to add to my collection. I currently have more than 130 available. And if there is something you want but don't see, let me know! I offer custom orders to showcase any destination in the world!

Have a beautiful day 🩷

@acourtofsnakes @a-frog-with-a-laptop @astra-ad-mare @autumnbabylon @backtobl4ck @bankerfrog @becarefuloflove @camerooonchiu @captain-swan-is-endgame @charlizeed @cookiemonsterwholovesbooks @doubt-less @earthtolinds @elentiyawhitethorn @feyretales @goddess-aelin @highqueenofelfhame @jorjy-jo @julemmaes @leiawritesstories @lemonade-coolattas @llyncooljones @mariamuses @moodymelanist @morganofthewildfire @nerdperson524 @rhysiedarling @rowaelinismyotp @rowaelinrambling @rowanaelinn @shyvioletcat @stardelia @superspiritfestival @sv0430 @swankii-art-teacher @thegreyj @the-lonelybarricade @the-regal-warrior @tomtenadia @westofmoon @whimsicallyreading

#travel #travel poster #travel prints #etsyshop #etsyseller #etsy art prints #travel art #digital #digital prints #digital poster #digital travel art #garrowaysgraphics #b’s ramblings #my stuff #art #custom art