#lucien was enamored with her

[lavendersartistry]

Space Riders AU - @onyxonline

Tis the queen, Aurora!

Her hair flows like the princesses from MLP (she is very Luna-coded)

When she was Queen, she took a liking to the Astral Jellyfish from the gardens because they gave her peace

Her favorite bird were owls✨

#melon tea | art #space riders au #Space Riders AU - onyxonline au #queen aurora - space riders au #lucien was enamored with her #aurora's glare passed down to eve #yeaaah #she has a mouth tho #she just doesn't show it all the time #her beauty passed down to her daughters #she would have been proud of them

[starsxblazing]

Im sitting in the dentist office and my brain just thought of an azriel x reader fic / alternate universe where he and Elain have a baby or child and reader is the nanny. Its azriels pov mostly as he falls for reader while elain is still debating about lucien. And reader well shes totally oblivious of azriels attraction towards her.

Oblivious Attraction

You sat in front of your vanity while debating on how exactly you should present yourself. It felt as if the bar was set far too high for you to reach but you never turned down a challenge. There were so many different options but decided on a business casual outfit. You decided on a cobalt blue collared shirt paired black slacks and slip ons. As you began your work to form the loose curls, you ran through every possible word or conversation.

Your resume with great references made you a top choice for employment. Children were your passion and being a nanny was a perfect job for you. The hours were long but it never mattered to you even though it left hardly no time for a social life. That wasn’t a big issue either in your opinion because you felt fulfilled in life. 

The drive through the nice neighborhood had you enamored with the beautiful homes with matching or complimentary to the others. It was nicer than you had originally thought and it made it a bit intimidating.

You took a deep breath as you parked your car, muttering prayers to whatever force was above to be on your side.

Azriel watched as Elain flitted around the kitchen to get the remnants of breakfast cleaned up before leaving. An interview with yet another possible nanny would be happening within the next ten minutes and he was ready to get it over with. All three candidates had great resumes as they required but the first two hadn’t felt right in their opinion

It was important to the both of them to have the perfect person to care for their daughter while they worked so having someone that they felt that they could trust was imperative. His work hours were long and whereas the mother of his child’s was shorter, she usually spent her time elsewhere when she got off. It grated a nerve that the female was absent from the home so often but he had stopped complaining. 

What was supposed to be a one night stand had turned into weekly occurrences that ended up with her pregnant. For that simple fact alone, he had moved her into his home in hopes that something more would form other than physical attraction. It hadn’t gone as he had hoped but they comfortably coexisted for the sake of their two year old.

He knew that her attention was torn between him and another male, a fact that he had only learned by accidental chance. Even though it hurt a piece of his heart, he always felt as if he couldn’t fault her for it. She deserved more, especially when he wasn’t able to give her the time and effort that she obviously needed.

A knock on the door had him pushing the thought of Elain and Lucien out of his mind, feeling hopeful that their last contestant would be the one. They truly did need the help and time was of the essence. He was shocked when he opened the door, the beauty of you taking his breath away. Their last two prospects had been older but he wasn’t expecting a beautiful female around his age to be standing on his threshold.

“Oh, you’re early!” Elain exclaimed happily with Sophie following close behind. “Hello!”

Azriel glanced at the clock and you were five minutes early. Confidence emitted from every fiber of you, especially when Sophie looked up at you with a smile. His own hope began to cement when the girl’s smile was returned with a gentle one that set the room at ease. 

Elain guided you to the couch in the living room where they held their previous interviews. His daughter climbed up beside you, talking the best that she could at her young age. It was something that Sophie hadn’t done with the previous two so Elain and himself waited patiently while watching you engage with her.

“We’re so glad to have you here,” Elain started with a smile. “She seems to like you already.”

“She’s a delight,” you laughed, gazing at the girl momentarily with a tender smile on your face. 

“Your resume is impeccable.” He gauged your reaction but your confident expression as you held his gaze and found nothing negative about you. “It is rare to find someone so young with extensive experience and references.”

“I’ve always loved children.” Your voice didn’t shake and you didn’t cower under both of their watchful gazes. “I started babysitting at sixteen and I found my first job as a nanny at eighteen once I graduated.”

“You have extensive education.” Elain scanned through the classes that you had completed in college. “Early childhood education, special needs education, First Aid and CPR certifications, and multiple language classes. You were also in the top five of all of them.”

“All of said classes coincide with your first nanny job.” 

He had memorized your entire career timeline that also paired with your education. You still didn’t shrink from the question and he noted the hint of pride in your eyes. If what he was assuming was true, you had every right to feel that way about yourself.

“With my first official nanny job, I took classes online and then night classes for the ones that required me to be physically present.”

“Did that affect your job?” Elain countered, a small frown pulling at her lips.

“Not at all.” You shook your head as if in disbelief that you would be questioned about it. “I loved the two children that I was caring for and it was completely my pleasure to have every moment with them.”

Your answer was so genuine that he knew that calling the parents wouldn’t be needed. He also didn’t need to question your love and passion. Not when his daughter placed herself in your lap in contentment. The air around them was so light and it was a feeling that he hadn’t felt in a long time. 

“Do you have any concerns with the cameras within our home?” He watched your reaction carefully to see how you would react. “Some have had concerns about them.”

“Why would I be bothered by that?” you asked, your brows furrowing. “I don’t see why it would ever be a problem for a parent to not be concerned enough about their child’s welfare to check in when a stranger is keeping them.”

To him, that was answer enough for him. Even as Elain continued to ask you questions, he kept his eyes on you with a hint of adoration filling him at the sight of you and his daughter.

Once the interview was over, you spent the rest of the day bonding with Sophie. Elain had left shortly after the interview had wrapped up and you were left alone with Azriel. You knew that he was watching you carefully and you didn’t mind because you would have done the same thing.

“We never did go over all of the requirements for my job,” you started as you sat beside him at the table while Sophie ate her lunch. “I want to be sure that everyone is happy with the work that I do.”

“Well, she will be starting school soon so it would be beneficial to be sure that she is on track with the other children,” he replied thoughtfully. “Along with housework and errands that we are unable to do ourselves when needed.”

“That’s more than reasonable but with the agreed upon salary, I was expecting more,” you mused, more to yourself than him.

“Believe me when I say that with Sophie alone, you will have your hands full,” he chuckled, his hazel eyes shining with amusement.

 “I wholeheartedly look forward to it.”

You grinned at him and he only gave a small smile in return. The day was relatively simple and you were relieved that he didn’t constantly hover. He would come into his daughter’s room every so often to see how the both of you were getting along and seemed content.

By the time that you got home, you were exhausted enough that you didn’t bother with anything other than falling into bed.

Azriel had taken the previous day off of work simply to see how you were with his daughter. He was confident that they made the right decision and his daughter listened to you better than she did her own parents most of the time. You appeared a bit hesitant to leave when it was Sophie’s bedtime but left without a fuss.

Two hours had passed after his daughter had been in bed when Elain finally came home. A hint of cologne was on her but he said nothing as usual. He wished that she would make up her mind if she wanted to truly be with him instead of them being in this inbetween state in their relationship. The fact that the mother of his child was still entertaining her ex had once been somewhat of a sore spot that was now numb.

A month passed without any issues with you and Sophie was so smitten to the point that she hardly asked about why her mother always got home so late. He was always so exhausted when he came home but you never failed to have a hot meal waiting for him. It was something that he had never had and your eyes lit up every time that he thanked you. A spot in him warmed every single time that he saw that beautiful smile on your face just as it did seeing you interact with his daughter.

The slow feeling of longing began to form around that time and he got off of work as early as possible whenever he could just to be around you more. You always greeted him warmly in a way that he hadn’t felt from Elain since the first month of their ‘relationship’, leaving him craving more and more each day.

He stopped caring about what hour that Elain came home, enjoying your company more than he ever had hers. Small touches were exchanged every so often, a small brush of his arm against yours in passing or a gentle brush of his fingers over yours. No matter the subtle signs that he tried to give, you seemed completely oblivious.

“How was your day?” you asked as the three of you ate the food that you had prepared that afternoon.

“A bit stressful as usual,” he admitted, adoring the small frown that formed due to the fact that you cared about his well being. “But overall, it went well.”

“I much prefer dealing with children,” you laughed, glancing at Sophie who was focused on eating. “Corporate jobs just don’t sound appealing.”

“They aren’t,” he agreed before nodding to his daughter “It gives her the life that she deserves.”

You hummed in agreement, the sound running through him and causing a small smile on his face that you missed.

You were content with your job and utterly happy that you could do what you loved. Azriel was great company but a spot in you hurt for him when you noticed that he wasn’t used to having food already made for him. You rarely saw Elain and you wondered if she had taken longer hours with her job. The weekends were the only time that all three of you had any time off so you assumed that the mother made up for it then. 

It didn’t help though that you were bored during those two days. You were so used to getting up early and arriving at their home at six each morning. By the time that you had spent six months with them, you were still with Azriel and was present to put Sophie to bed yourself while her father caught up on extra work. You couldn’t lie that you loved it because the girl was the best child that you had ever had the pleasure of working with.

“Running late this morning?” she asked Azriel when he opened the door on a Friday morning.

“Just a bit,” he admitted, his voice still laced with sleep while Sophie was crying upstairs.

“Go ahead and get ready.”

You didn’t wait for a response before running towards the girl’s room.

Azriel had stayed up longer than he usually did the night before and he barely had time to throw on his business suit, the tie tied haphazardly around his neck. It had taken his mind a moment to realize why there was a knock on his door so early in the morning. Through his sleep filled brain, the sight of you and then your worried expression over his appearance sent his heart racing. Love was beginning to bloom within him for you but he was never sure if he should express it.

He did as you told him to do and by the time that he was fully ready, Elain was gone to her own job and you had Sophie at the table eating breakfast. It always amazed him how easily you were able to calm his daughter even though Elain and himself always had trouble doing so.

“Do you have time for me to finish making you a proper breakfast?” you asked, looking him up and down. 

“No.” He did the same to you, enjoying the sight that was you before him. “I appreciate the offer.”

“Is that everything that I need to accomplish today?”

You pointed to the list that Elain had made the night before. He nodded, feeling somewhat bad that you had more to do than usual today all while doing so with a now three year old in tow. You simply nodded with a smile and he had to force himself to leave his home. 

His stormy Friday workday felt as if it dragged by longer than usual. He usually watched the cameras in the home every so often just so he could see you but you were out running errands.. Not only was the normal hours of his work day long but so was the later hours that he had no choice but to stay late.

By the time that he rushed home, he found you asleep on the couch with Sophie curled up contently on your chest. It was a beautiful sight to behold and he didn’t have the heart to disturb either of you. His daughter loved you just as much as he was beginning to. He took a deep breath when his heart began to race when he gently pushed a piece of hair out of your face.

It was yet another form of the gentle touches that were exchanged between the both of you but a part of his heart hurt whenever you began to address him as a friend. He wanted so much more than that but knew that it would be inappropriate. It didn’t stop his longing but he didn’t have the opportunity to ponder long before the front door opened again.

Elain was home early for a change and the close of the door had you shooting up in a panic. Your eyes were wide as you held a still sleeping Sophie to your chest protectively. He didn’t think you had any means of protecting his daughter and yourself but it was admirable either way.

“I am so, so sor-”

“It’s alright.” He gave you a small smile even though your eyes darted between the both of them. “You have had a long day.”

“I still didn’t-”

“It really is okay,” Elain assured, picking Sophie up gently to take her to bed. “Go home and get some rest.”

You nodded and stood on slightly shaky legs before giving him an apologetic smile. He escorted you to the door as he always did and his heart picked up his pace whenever you held his eye contact. The way that you looked at him had him hopeful but he walked to the window to be sure that you got out of his line of sight safely.

He frowned when your headlights came on but instantly went out again and the sound of your car starting didn’t reach his ears. You sat in your car for five minutes in the hard downpour before you finally raced back to his front door where he was waiting for you.

“Car trouble?

“It won’t start,” you whined quietly. “I don’t know anything about cars.”

“Would you like a ride home?”

Surprise filled your face for a moment before you nodded shyly. He had to use all of his willpower to stop the laugh that wanted to leave him and used the excuse of retrieving his keys to doing so. By the time you were sitting in his passenger seat, you were both completely soaked and a pout was on your face.

“Does a little bit of rain bother you?” he asked in a teasing tone.

“Sugar melts in the rain,” you quipped and this time he wasn’t able to stop his laugh.

During the ride home, you told him about the busy day that you had while he listened intently. Mental images filled his mind with each story, the ones of you taking his daughter for ice cream being his favorite. Both of your arms were touching on the armrest and he wanted nothing more than to wrap his hand around yours. It was a strong testament to his willpower to not do so.

When he pulled up to the home that was smaller than he had imagined, you made no move to instantly jump out. He knew that you enjoyed being around him but he also knew that you were oblivious to how he felt.

“It doesn’t look like it’s going to let up,” you muttered while leaning up to look out of the windshield.

“According to the report, it’s supposed to be that way for the rest of the night.”

“Well at least I can immediately jump into the shower.”

He chuckled but when you looked at him, he realized that he had moved closer to you out of what felt like instinct. You didn’t break his gaze, even when his eyes darted to your mouth and then back to your eyes. His breath caught in his throat when there were mere inches between your mouths. Once you realized what was happening, you pulled back and jumped out of his vehicle without so much as a goodbye.

It was then that he realized that he was completely and utterly fucked.

Tag List:

@amara-moonlight @allygrace74 @sidthedollface2 @historygeekqueen @hnyclover @kalulakunundrum @historygeekqueen @bubybubsters @thisblogisaboutabook @mybestfriendmademe @caroline-books @justvibbinghere @wisdomofthebrain @nighttimemoonlover

#azriel x reader #azriel x you #azriel shadowsinger #azriel #azriel acotar #acotar

[lovemyromance]

Things I would love to see in the next ACOTAR book:

The sisters mending their relationship

Rhys & Elain’s friendship

Elain, Nuala & Cerriweden friendship

Elain exploring her Seer powers

Elain the Spy (not torture and interrogate spy, like charming circles in ballrooms, the woman you’d least suspect)

“You came for me.” - Azriel

Elain proving she’s got a backbone of steel

Sweet Elriel garden moments

Amren & Az helping Elain train her powers

Elain & Lucien friendship

Vassien crumbs! A “be happy, Lucien” from Elain would be chef’s kiss 🤌🏼🤌🏼

Dusk Court?

Truthteller + Elain

People being so shocked when Elain shows her power / snaps

Sweet, sweet desperate elriel pining

Az snapping and having a “I burn for you” bridgerton moment 😭😭 “I cannot stay away”

Elain’s charm and beauty bringing people to their knees 🤩🤩

Elain saving the day, once again, as the person you’d least expect it from

Elriel baking/gardening moments

Elriel choosing each other

Elriel as Carranam?

Elriel marriage ceremony

Hand kisses

Dancing in the garden, under the cover of the night

Kissing in the rain

“Sssh, they’ll hear you, sweetheart.”

Bossy Elain

Elain meeting Azriel’s mom in Rosehall, and his mom being immediately enamored with our flower girl

Playing footsie under the dining table

Sly touching and brushing of their fingers

Drama, angst, desperation!!

I love them sm, I really hope their book delivers and satisfies this obsession 😭😭 After ACOSF, I want a LOVE story so badly. I want that Elriel all-consuming love!

#elriel #elain archeron #azriel #elain x azriel #pro elain #acotar #elain

[lalachat]

"And there you were..."

Author's note: WITERLLY WHAT THE HECK GUYS!!! You have made my heart so full! Almost 100 notes in under 24 hours😭❤️ yall gon make me cry! I am truly and utterly grateful that y'all are liking it so far! I'm a little insecure with my writing, but it's only because i'm so new. I am open to any kind of advice you can give me or constructive criticism that will help make this fic better for you readers. With practice comes improvement!! Also, look i'm evolving with my tumbler knowledge and added dividers, a tag list, and a masterlist that i hope works! Look at me go😭🤧 ANYWHOOOO... are y'all ready for this one?? I fully planned on posting this next week but i'm too freaking excited! Eheheheh writing this had me giggling and kicking my feet! Enjoy my loves<3

Summary: You and Lucien decided to leave Rita's after discovering your mates kissing each other. With no reason to stay, Lucien offers you the comfort of his home and a glass of your favorite wine to help decompress the stress of both your mates. How could you say no?

This is for all my Lucien girlies❤️

Warnings: usage of profanity, sexual tension growing between Lucien and y/n, some fluff bc why not, sharing a bed, potential grammar and spelling issues

Word Count: around 3,350

Chapter 2: "Scream my name..."

As you and Lucien walked out of Rita’s, neither of you had noticed two pairs of eyes lingering watching you both leave after they heard Rhys’ commotion questioning Mor into oblivion about what the hell was going on. Mor had almost smirked at the fact that all it took was for you and Lucien to leave together to make Az and Elain both glance at y’alls receding figures. If it weren't for Rhysand in her face, she well would have. Even as Rhys is trying to get her to talk, she could not wait to tell you the plan had worked! Even if it was just a glance, it was still something! Small progress is still progress, right? Oh, she wishes she could have Feyre paint their reactions to you two leaving because it was priceless. Maybe Mor would and give it to you for solstice? But for now, she has a very upset cousin to deal with.

You and Lucien stopped at a local market to grab snacks and your favorite wine for your impromptu evening at his apartment. As you walk out of the market towards his place, Lucien can’t help but to ask about Azriel. 

“So... The shadowsinger is your mate huh?” Lucien asks while tucking his hands in his front pockets glancing to your face as he asked you his question. 

“Yeah... When I first met Az, it was when Rhys had offered me a room to stay in for a night. Rhys and I had quite literally run into each other a moment prior. I was traveling through the night court and was so distracted by the beauty that I ended up running right into Rhysand. I had knocked his freshly bought paint that he was planning to give Feyre all over us. I felt so bad that I kept offering to pay him for the cost of the paint along with his clothes, but he kindly refused. I had no mental shields back then, so he easily saw I was a nomadic traveler that had no place to stay or wash up. He offered me a room in his home for a night and a training over mental shields as payment, and I kindly accepted. I hadn't had a nice place to stay in such a long time. But, little did I know it would not be my peace and that my mate lived in the home I was about to stay at.” you said as you walked in tandem with Lucien down the streets towards his apartment.  

“Always so generous that high lord. And, I assume you know who my mate is then?”  

“That he is. And yes, I do. If you don’t mind me asking, why doesn’t she want the bond?” 

“The same reason your mate doesn’t see yours... She’s too busy being enamored by him to try and pursue or explore things with me.” He finds a rock on the pavement to kick along as you two walk. Lucien kicks it towards you. 

“At least she knows you’re her mate.” you shrug, kick the rock back, and Lucien chuckles. 

“You have a point, and Azriel would know if you would just tell him.” 

“Yeah, but would it change anything between us? Probably not. It would most likely end up like you and Elain if I told him...” Lucien stops and goes silent for a moment. “No offense of course!” 

“None taken. How did we even end up in this mess? You and I both having mates who do not reciprocate any kind of feelings toward us because they like each other is almost ironic.” He laughs at this situation you are both in. 

“You know now that you're saying it out loud, it is quite ridiculous.” You giggle. For a moment you had completely forgotten about Azriel and Elain. Lucien once again, being so alluring that you forgotten what you had just seen at Rita’s.  

Lucien glances at you and finally takes in your appearance. Your cheeks start to turn rosy at the sight of his eyes trailing over your body. Your dress still leaving little imagination for Lucien. Your body grows hot from the sudden attention. 

“He’s absolutely dumb as rocks for not looking at you tonight, because you look ravishing.” and gives you a playful wink. 

“Lucien you're just saying that to make me feel better.” 

“Y/n I kid you not, I truly mean it. You are one of the most beautiful females I have ever seen!” 

“Thank you Lucien, that means so much more to me than you will ever know,” as you look into his eyes and smile at him. He stares at you, smiles and dips his head to say you're welcome before continuing. 

“Almost there, it is right around this corner.” 

“Perfect, because I am freezing and in dire of more alcohol. I am too sober for all this emotional shit,” you say as Lucien laughs at your comment and you both turn the corner. 

“And we're here! Home sweet home!” 

You walk into his apartment and your senses are engulfed by the smell of cinnamon sticks, crisp apples, cedarwood, and roasted chestnuts. It felt like home. Everything in his apartment felt so warm and welcoming. You sat down the groceries you had gotten on the center table near the living room couch, and slowly took in his décor. You were surprised everything looked so coordinated. His apartment was filled with warm colors like reds, oranges, and yellows. It reminded you of your brief stay in the autumn court. You wondered if that’s why Lucien decorated it this way. Maybe he had found a sense of belonging in those colors. While you were taking in his apartment, you hadn’t noticed him grabbing you a change of clothes to wear along with a warm woolly blanket.  

“Here, these are for you to change into, and this is for you when you get cold later because I know you,” Lucien handed you the clothes and sat the blanket down on the couch. “The bathroom is through the hall on your left! Let me know if you need anything.” 

“Okay, thank you!” 

You started walking to the bathroom, the floor creaking beneath your feet as you opened the door. You stepped inside and quietly shut the door. You could hear Lucien in the kitchen popping the bottle of wine and pouring you both glasses, but what you forgot to realize is how you were going to take this dress off. After Mor’s last minute dress change, you had to call Nuala and Cerridwen to help you into it. You had not thought about how you were going to get it off. You slightly began to panic. “It’s okay... you can do this. It’s just a dress, can't be that hard right?” You tried to maneuver your arms into reaching the back of your dress but to no avail, Mor had to pick the most complicated thing you have ever seen. She was right though, this dress did look hot as fuck on you. You struggled a few times more before huffing and giving up. So, you had to do what you had to do...  

“LUCIEN, I NEED HELP!” You could practically hear him sprinting down the hall to get to you in the bathroom. Without thinking he pushes the door wide open. 

“WHAT IS IT? Are you alright?” His face scans you for any kind of injuries but finds none. The only thing he finds is you still in that damn dress that drove him crazy. “Why are you not in the clothes I gave you?” 

“First of all, I could have been indecent. Didn’t your mother ever teach you to knock! Secondly, you see, as a male you would not understand this predicament, but I cannot get my dress off by myself. I need help unfortunately... I swear this is all Mor’s fault!” 

Cauldron boil him... “So, you mean to tell me, you screamed my name to help you with your dress because you cannot do it yourself?” 

“Yes...” you can hear Lucien sigh. 

“There are much better ways to scream my name y/n and you know that but for the sake that you are quite literally stuck in that dress, I’ll help you. Turn around.” Your face turns hot at his comment, and you swat at his arm. 

“LUCIEN! This is not funny!” he can't help but chuckle at your flustered state. 

“Okay, okay, you being stuck in a dress is not funny. Got it! Now stop being stubborn and turn around so I can help.” 

“No, wait! You have to close your eyes!” 

“Y/n, how am I supposed to help you with your dress if I cannot see? Besides you act like I haven't seen you naked.” Again, your face betrays you as your cheeks turn bright red at the thought. You huff. 

“Fine, okay you can keep your eyes open but no funny business Mr. Vanserra. I am watching you!” Lucien chuckles at how flustered he had made you and he is living for it.  

You slowly turn your back to him and lock eyes with him through the bathroom mirror. Lucien takes the back of his knuckles and traces them delicately down the skin of your spine, almost like if you were made of glass and that you'd break at the slightest touch. His hand radiates so much warmth you must stop yourself from letting out a couple of sighs. The entire time he does this his eyes do not leave from yours through the mirror. His hand finally reaches the back of your dress, and he looks away to start undoing the claps. Thank the mother because his stare was driving you crazy. Each clasp he undoes, he makes sure to take his sweet time on. He doesn't miss the way your skin crawls with goosebumps at the slightest touch of his hands against your back. Gods, you had missed his fiery touch. It had felt like forever since he last touched you.

You slowly felt the dress getting heavier with each clasp undone. You could tell Lucien was near the end when your dress had almost slipped off your chest threatening to expose your naked breasts to him. Luckily, Lucien was too preoccupied to have noticed you trying to regather it back up for coverage. You couldn’t help but to selfishly think about turning around to look at him as your dress falls to the floor. Heat slowly began to warm your lower abdomen. You had to clench your thighs together in hope of Lucien not catching your growing scent of arousal. What would Lucien do to you if you did that? Would he pin you against the sink and truly make you scream his name? Gods you wished. Just then you caught a whiff of your scent. Damn your mind and body for betraying you! You were so worried about Lucien this whole time, when you should've been worrying about yourself. However, you decide that this is probably not the time to be thinking about such lewd things after what happened with Az.

As he was on the last clasp, Lucien couldn’t help catching your lingering scent in the air. You were going to be the death of him. He kisses the newly exposed skin of your back as his scent starts to slightly change and mix in with yours. Your head fell back as your eyes closed in anticipation. His eyes had wandered back to the mirror to see your eyes shut reeling in his touch as he peppered kisses up and down your spine. He marveled at this moment for a brief second before unclasping the last clasp of your dress. Your eyes met his as the last clasp was undone, and you let your dress pool to the floor as a test of restraint. For you or him, you didn’t know which. He held you gaze for a moment, never looking away from your eyes, before ghosting his lips on the nape of your neck. 

“All done...” he whispered as he slowly turned around, shut the door, and walked away back to the kitchen. Cruel wicked male.

You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding and tried to recompose yourself. Gods would drinking more wine be safe anymore after what just happened? You sighed and you picked your dress up off the floor and folded it as nicely as you could. You grabbed the clothes Lucien had given you to change into and started putting them on. Immediately you are swallowed by the musk of Lucien's clothes. It is almost overwhelming if it weren’t for the fact that you loved the smell of the autumn court male.

You laughed at yourself in the mirror as you looked and saw his t hanging so loose on you, it was practically a dress. But let's be honest, you loved it. You slowly opened the bathroom door and made your way out with your former dress folded nicely in your hands. You sat your dress down on the table and turned towards Lucien with a smile. 

“So... how do I look?” and give him a twirl. Lucien looks at you and smiles. Gods, you looked even better in his clothes than in that dress but he wasn’t about to give in that easily. 

“Like a little boy.” Lucien said with a playful gleam in his eyes. 

“YOU TAKE THAT BACK RIGHT NOW!” as you shake a finger at his face. He laughs. 

“Fine... You look like a very cute little boy!” he says grinning from ear to ear loving the effects his teasing was having on you tonight. You instead stick out your tongue and give him that all too well known finger gesture. He is practically hurled over in laughter, but you just huff and plop yourself on his couch.  

“Be useful and get this “cute little boy” more wine! I'm definitely too sober now.” He laughs again and it warms your chest. You cant help but to grin back.

“Are you sure you can drink wine? You look a little young to be drinking such adult drinks” as he grabs the wine glasses along with the bottle for refills later.  

“LUCIEN, I WILL STRANGLE YOU IF I HEAR ONE MORE LITTLE BOY JOKE!” 

“Okay, okay. Here’s your wine doll.” He hands you your glass with a smile, “You actually look even more beautiful now that you’re in my clothes.” As he sends you a wink before sipping some of his wine. 

“Thank you...” you smile as you take a sip from your own glass. 

“So, other than your mate being an enigma to you, what else has happened since I saw you last?” you both get comfy on the couch and sip on your wine. 

You had failed to realize how long you and Lucien were apart. You told him about your travels through all the different courts, and he told you about his part in the war along with how he became a part of the night court. You both sat there and exchanged every story you could possibly think of, trying to catch up on every moment you missed together. Soon the stories turn into giggling. Neither of you could hold it together as one of you would say something slurred and the other could cry out in laughter. It was the wine-speaking now, but neither of you had minded. You both had forgotten what it was like to be in each other's presence. It was nice to rekindle old flames with your friend, but you had to be careful. Recatching old feelings would not be good for you with this whole Azriel situation. You looked out the corner of your eye to see Lucien trying to fight off a yawn.  

“Oh, don't tell me my lil fox boy has grown tired of me?” as you slightly pinch his cheeks. He grins as he sees you also fighting off your own tiredness. 

“Mmmm seems like my yawns are contagious then, because I could’ve sworn I saw you do one just now.” he raises an eyebrow at you. 

“Okay, maybe I did. All this catching up and wine drinking has made me sleepy.” You decide to grab the blanket Lucien sat on the couch for you earlier this evening.  

“I don’t blame you... Now if you excuse me, I am going to go change into something more comfortable, these clothes are killing me, and then we will call it a night.” he says as he sticks a finger in his collared shirt to loosen the neck and walks off still in the clothes he wore at Rita’s. You chuckle at his figure walking down the hallway to what you would assume to be his room. You don’t know how long he was in there, but you couldn’t wait any longer. Your eyes were too heavy, and you were too drunk to stop your movements down the hallway towards where Lucien disappeared. You find the door he dipped into and see it is cracked a smidge. You decide to knock, unlike Lucien earlier.  

“Hey Lu? Can I come in?” No answer. “Lucien I’m really tired and I don’t know where you want me to sleep...” you slowly push the door open but put too much weight on it and tumble forward into his room. Unlike your knocking, Lucien heard you tumble and was at your side to catch you in a heartbeat. You let out a laugh. “Oh, I'm too drunk for this shit... I'm sorry, I only came here too-” you look up to see him in gray sweat pants, hair loose, and no shirt. Mother blessed this man too much! Oh fuck. Get me out of here.  

“Y/n, you were saying something?” He looks down at you with mischief in his eyes knowing you couldn’t keep yours off his bare chest and gray sweatpants. Your eyes blink rapidly, and you shake your head trying to get that image out your mind but its seared its way in.

“Oh yes. I was just- um, why did I- OH! Where do you want me to sleep? I’m like minutes away from passing out on the damn floor!” Lucien laughs. 

“You can sleep in here, and I can stay on the couch for tonight. Is that alright?” 

“This is your bed and home Lucien. I can't let you sleep on the couch as I take your bed... it just feels wrong. I'll take the couch and you can keep your bed for tonight.” you say as you turn around to head back into the living room before you feel Lucien's hand around your waist stopping you.  

“Y/n I swear to the mother, do not be stubborn and take the damn bed please. It’s too late for this, I promise you it’s okay! I insist.” 

“I guess old habits never die. Always trying to get me in your bed Lu.” you smirk as you crawl in and wrap up in his silk auburn sheets. You thought his house and clothes smelled nice, but his sheets, his sheets were heavenly. You almost fell asleep then and there because it was so calming. Lucien walks over to you and kisses you on the forehead. 

“Goodnight doll, I am truly sorry for your mates behavior tonight. Sleep well...” He turns around, turns out the lights, and is about to walk out the door but hesitates as he hears you say-- 

“Lucien wait-” 

“Yes?” 

“We’re both adults here, right?”  

“Well one of us looks like a little boy, but yes. Why?” Lucien replied. You rolled your eyes at his playful remark from earlier. 

“Adults can share a bed, and nothing has to happen.” 

“Y/n are you saying you want me to sleep next to you?” 

“Yes, I am. I don’t want to sleep alone tonight.” you sigh. 

“Always so persuasive... scoot over.” You open the sheets and scoot over in the bed to make room for Lucien. You feel the bed dip down as he crawls in. You both lay there for a moment reeling in that you two are sharing a bed again. The only difference is now the lingering heartbreak you both feel from your mates. You turn around to face Lucien and ask- 

“Can I lay on your chest?” He doesn’t verbally respond but wraps his hands around your waist and softly pulls you closer to him. You lay your head on his chest, listening to his heart beat, and look up at his face. You tuck a couple of stray hairs that had fallen in his face and tuck them behind his ears and say, “Thank you for tonight, Lucien. Elain is so lucky to have you, she just doesn’t know it yet.” 

“Thank you doll, neither does Azriel. Now let's get some much needed rest. Goodnight,” said Lucien. 

“Goodnight Lu,” as you rest your hand on his bare chest next to your head and you feel Lucien's arms tighten around you. You can't help but to feel so at peace in his presence, and neither can he, as you both fell asleep holding each other all night.  

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Flame of Autumn - Chapter 25 Epilogue

Part 26/26 | Ao3

[Thank you all so much for your words of kindness and support while I wrote and posted this fic. As someone new to writing, having you here with me was everything. Your interactions mean the world to me, and I hope you all loved Tilly and Eris as much as I do. The art is from the absolutely incredible @VFisch on IG. She is open for commissions and absolutely LOVELY. ] Epilogue

Four Years Later

“Kieran, wait please!”

The boy was off like a shot, tearing wildly out of the front doors of the Forest House and out into the lawn, the troupe of dogs bursting out behind him like a cloud of smoke and fur. Eris trotted after him, Tilly following slightly behind. The sun was bright, and the air was warm for Autumn, the scent of sun-warmed pine needles permeating the air as the leaves swirled on the wind around them.

“Dada! I can climb!” Kieran was already scaling up the stone wall near the training rings, taking careful but quick steps as he danced around the half circle, his mop of bright red curls flopping into his eyes. Eris was transported to a similar scene in his mind of another small redhead dancing around a crumbling stone wall once upon a time. He couldn’t help his smile as Tilly snaked her hand around his arm and leaned her head against him.

“You climb so well, buddy!” Eris shielded his eyes from the sun with his other hand, then said lower to Tilly, “He makes me so nervous when he does this, but I don’t want to keep him from doing fun things.” She patted his arm, laughing.

“I know, love. I know.” She took a few steps forward towards the wall and their son. “If we stop letting your brothers watch him, perhaps he’d be a bit less rowdy.” She shot him a grin over her shoulder.

“He’s got enough practice swords. I thought he’d be safe with Bray, but do you know I caught him scaling the library shelves the other day? The very top. And every time Azriel visits he just ends up taking him flying. Do you know how stressful it is to walk outside and see that great bat toting our baby through the air?” Tilly just sighed.

“Yes, yes, my dear. Very frightening.” She feigned a pout at him, but couldn’t keep the smirk from her face as he huffed indignantly. “Kieran, love, would you like to go on a special trip?” His sweet hazel eyes widened comically, his nodding so violent that Tilly couldn’t help but smile. He loved surprises and adventures and dragons, and he demanded lots of books and stories and playtime revolving around them. Tilly and Eris were both enamored with their son, finding very little fault in anything he did. He was always running circles around everyone in the Forest House, and Alanna liked to point out frequently that it was like seeing a small Lucien running around all over again. Ironically enough, Lucien and Elain’s daughter, Sirene, often reminded Alanna of a young Eris, brooding and quiet and full of fiery temper. Helion liked to joke that perhaps they’d been switched at birth, much to Eris and Lucien’s collective irritation and violent eye rolling. Kyra balanced the two out–a quiet and silly girl who loved climbing trees and painting, and who loved to herd the two younger cousins around the Forest House property.

Sirene, Kieran, and Kyra, despite their differences, were inseparable when the families got together. Lucien and Eris had been tentatively rebuilding a relationship and long-overdue conversations had been had. While there was some lingering awkwardness between all the brothers, apologies had been given and tensions had eased greatly in the past few years. They knew it did Alanna’s heart good to see them overcoming the walls Beron had tried so hard to build between them, so they tried to make an honest effort. To everyone’s surprise, the relationship with the Night Court and their children had evolved as well, the children and parents getting together multiple times a year to catch up on less-than-official business. Ever since Gwyn and Azriel began making more regular trips to Autumn, the hatchet had been buried, and everyone had done their best to move forward. Strangely enough, in the aftermath of war, they’d found themselves becoming less allies and more friends.

“Come on, Mama. Surprise!” He tugged her hand as he jumped off the high wall, and Tilly could practically hear Eris’ heart rate spike behind her. The male had seen centuries of war, torture, and horrors, but nothing gave him more fear than the safety of his rambunctious child. She didn’t think she’d ever loved him more than she did seeing him care so deeply about their son. She’d been right from the very beginning–he was the most wonderful father. She held her hand out to Eris and he took it, winnowing them all through the world to a quiet spot in the deep woods, another wall of stone standing proud against the forest background.

“Ooh, where are we?” Kieran looked around in wonder, the massive trunks of overturned trees and moss-covered rocks an entirely new world to him.

“This is where I first saw your mother.” Eris was smiling, looking at Tilly with love that only seemed to grow over the years sparkling in his eyes.

“Mama was here?”

“Yes, I used to come here to practice my portals when I was a bit older than you. One day, I had an audience.” She shot a smile at him while Kieran climbed the crumbling rock wall, resuming his antics.

“Portals, mama. Like this!” He threw an arm out, casting a circle of flame, jumping into it before they even had a chance to shout, and then dropping out of the sky into Eris’ panicked arms. “Portals!”

Eris and Tilly’s wide eyes found each other immediately while Kieran giggled wildly in Eris’ arms, flailing so he’d drop him back to the ground. Eris obliged, jaw still agape, and Kieran ran back to the wall to play again.

“Well…things certainly won’t be dull now, will they?” Tilly leaned in and kissed Eris on the cheek, then rested her head on his shoulder as he wound his arm around her and placed his hand on her growing belly.

“Things have never been and will never be dull with you, love.”

Taglist (lomls): @cauldronblssd @queercontrarian @byyalady @thelovelymadone @clockwork-ashes @lovingkelj @lilah-asteria

#acotar #a court of thorns and roses #eris x oc #eris vanserra #eris acotar #vanserra brothers #flame of autumn #arranged marriage #allies to lovers #eris vanserra x oc #acotar smut #Eris smut #eris vanserra fluff #Eris gets his happy ending

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chapter xviii - gust & flame

Eris Vanserra x Reader

Eris Vanserra has been a prisoner in his own home since the day he was born. He has done what he had to in order to survive and protect the few he loves. And he is playing the long game. Waiting, waiting, and waiting for the right time to make his move, to usurp his wicked father and become High Lord of Autumn Court. But things become even more complicated when a human girl drops into his life. Perhaps Eris can wait no longer to take his throne.

Word Count: 5,000+

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The next week consisted of a new routine. 

Y/N would wake up to breakfast being politely brought into her room – despite insisting she could make her own way into the kitchens and save the servants the hassle.

When she emerged from her chambers, there was always at least two hounds waiting outside for Y/N. They followed her around the property, acting as both her companions and guard dogs. The servants and guards around the Forest House seemed shocked to find their High Lord’s blood hounds being pleasant and loyal to someone other than Eris. But Y/N ignored their stares. 

After breakfast, Y/N would train with the Weapons Master of Autumn Court, who did not take it easy on her just because she was his High Lord’s mate.

Though he did manage to compliment Y/N on the first day for the previous training she clearly had been given. But for some reason, Y/N stopped herself from saying she was a Valkyrie. 

The blood hounds would sit and watch Y/N train. And if she ever got knocked off her feet, they would growl warningly at her assailant. She tried to tell them it was OK, earning her a sad whine from them.

After training, Y/N would go to the main library of the Forest House – because apparently there were nearly a dozen. And there Y/N would research mating bonds, as well as the histories of Autumn Court. 

Y/N had asked Lucien to show the library to her. He had quirked an eyebrow at the question, but asked for no further information. And Y/N made sure to memorize the route so she wouldn’t be forced to expose her new habit to any of the servants. Though Y/N doubted that there were many secrets about her in a royal household. 

It had been just over a week of this routine when breakfast wasn’t delivered to her room.

Y/N was relieved, thinking that the servants had finally listened to her request and realized that she could find her own breakfast in the kitchens. 

But as Y/N opened the room to her bedchambers, she jumped when there was a small female standing in front of her, looking up with an innocent gaze. 

She bowed to Y/N, which felt entirely unnecessary. “Pardon the surprise, Lady Y/N. But Lady Leonora hoped you would join her for breakfast this morning.” Then the servant looked over Y/N's shoulder right before a loud thunder struck. “Since the rain will mean you have no training for today.” 

Y/N blinked. She had been so delighted with the servants not waiting on her hand-and-foot that she hadn’t even noticed it was raining when she woke up. 

Was it really a request from Lady of Autumn? Or was it simply the polite way to tell Y/N to do as she said?

“Right. Yes,” Y/N finally sighed. “You will show me the way?”

“Of course, Lady Y/N.” 

She had to stop herself from wincing at the second use of the incorrect title. 

“You needn’t call me 'Lady',” Y/N told her softly as they walked through the winding halls of the Forest House. “I am of no noble blood. Just Y/N is fine.” 

The servant somehow seemed to expect such a comment and smiled up at her. “But you are the High Lord’s mate. It does not matter where you come from. Even without your connection to our High Lord, you are a hero to most here. Calling you Lady Y/N is the least we could do in return for what you have done for Autumn Court.” 

Y/N was taken aback by her words.

Most run from her when they see or hear of her witchcraft. It made them fear and distrust her. But fae were strange beings; they only ever seem enamored with her gifts. 

They reached the chambers of Lady Autumn much quicker than Y/N would’ve expected. With how close her own rooms were to hers, she was surprised she hadn’t run into her yet. 

The servant gestured to the door, making it clear that she was going to remain in the hall. “She is expecting your arrival. Please.” 

Y/N didn’t understand why she suddenly felt so nervous. 

It was obvious both Eris and Lucien loved their mother dearly – and were utterly protective of her. But that didn’t prepare Y/N for the type of female Leonora actually was.

Perhaps the centuries of being forced into a marriage with Beron had made her cold and brutal. 

But how could such a thing be when Eris and Lucien had both been nothing but kind to her? Surely that kindness came from her. 

When Y/N walked in, Leonora immediately rushed to her with a warm smile. 

“Y/N, thank you for joining me. I am grateful of the rain, otherwise I would never be able to steal you away from your training. Eris says its quite important to you.” 

“T-Thank you for inviting me,” Y/N managed to say. Though it came out almost like a question she was so out of her element. 

“I have wanted to come see you and ask how you were acclimating…but Eris is so worried about you being overwhelmed here. I did not want to add to it.” 

“Oh,” Y/N blurted out. “I mean, you are not overwhelming me at all, Lady Autumn.” 

Leonora tried not to laugh at the title. “Please, none of that. I am Leonora. In fact, I am no longer the Lady of Autumn.” 

“Aren’t you still the dowager Lady of Autumn?” 

Y/N truly didn’t know. If it was the mortal realm and Leonora had once been Queen, she would’ve become the Dowager Queen.

But everything was a bit different in the fae realm. 

Leonora smirked. “If I’m being honest, I don’t really care for titles. I never did. Now, I am simply the mother of the new High Lord.” 

Y/N kept waiting to offend, but Leonora seemed to not take anything too seriously. At least not in this moment. 

Leonora guided Y/N to what appeared to be her own small living room. “Now, Eris said you prefer coffee in the morning, saving tea for nighttime.”

Y/N had to hide her smirk at the idea that Eris talked about her so much to his mother that such a little detail of her personality would get passed to Leonora. 

Then Y/N took in Leonora’s dress. There were no greens or reds or rich browns of the Autumn Court to be seen in her clothes.

No, instead she wore mostly black.

Was she in mourning? Or had this place been her prison for so long that she felt sickened by its uniform? 

Servants came out with a silver trey filled with teacups, a kettle, milk, and sugar. But once they set it down on the coffee table before the two ladies, they disappeared entirely. 

Leonora gave Y/N a sad but considerate look. “Is there something I can do to make you more comfortable, Y/N?”

Her face got hot with embarrassment. “No! No, sorry! I mean, you must e-excuse me. I…I get very…umm…overwhelmed in such settings. I was never taught any sort of…e-etiquette.” 

Leonora immediately knew what Y/N was trying to say and gave her a warm smile before she reached over to place on a hand on hers. “If you ask me, such decorum is a waste of time and effort. Coffee still goes to the same place, no matter how you drink it.” 

As if proving her point, Leonora quickly poured herself her own coffee, purposely making it louder and ruder than a polite Lady would. 

“Y/N, I didn’t bring you here as some test or to interrogate you. I was just…Well, I was only hoping I could get to know you.” 

Suddenly a window flew open, and the wind rushed into the room. It was gentle, not disrupting anything in the room. It simply blew around Y/N’s face, fluttering her hair. 

Y/N finally seemed to relax and allowed herself to believe Leonora’s claims. 

Leonora slowly started to ask her personal questions – nothing controversial, and absolutely nothing even so much has hinting at her mating bond with Eris.

Leonora seemed fascinated by Y/N being a witch and asked many things about her craft and abilities. Not once did she make Y/N feel like some sort of freak or monster. 

It became easier and easier to talk to her. 

Now Y/N didn’t know why she expected Leonora to be so stiff and cold. She was the opposite: welcoming, warm, and understanding. 

A couple hours had gone by of them just chatting, getting to know one another. 

And it had made Y/N feel brave. 

“Why do you stay here?” She whispered softly when they found a moment of silence, watching Leonora’s face carefully. 

Leonora’s brow furrowed with confusion. 

Y/N continued, “Why do you not go to him?”

Leonora nodded slowly, somehow knowing exactly who ‘him’ was. “Eris told me you had a way of knowing things…”

Then she gave her a sad grin. “I fear it is much more complicated than that.” 

“Do you no longer love him?” Y/N’s eyes widened, realizing what she blurted out. “I apologize. I am…not good at keeping to my own business.” 

“I do,” Leonora surprisingly answered. “Love him still, that is.” She frowned and her eyes stared into nothingness as she got lost in her own mind and heart. “But much has happened. There is so much between us. Beron’s death did not just suddenly rid of us of the centuries we spent apart.” 

Y/N gave her a sympathetic look. “He loves you still. It’s so strong that it’s all they tell me about him.” She grasped Leonora’s hand. “He’s waited for you all this time…what’s a little bit more? But you should only go to him when you are ready.” 

Suddenly, there was a knock at the entrance of the chambers. 

A servant came out of nowhere to answer it and immediately stepped aside to let them in. 

A male servant entered and bowed to them. 

“Pardon the intrusion. The High Lord wishes to see you.” 

“Of course,” Leonora nodded and stood. 

The servant cleared his throat awkwardly. “The High Lord has actually requested both of you, Lady of Autumn. Lady Y/N is to join us, as well.”

The two females shared a look. 

“It will be quite alright, dear.” Leonora told Y/N with a reassuring smile. 

––

Y/N and Leonora were escorted to the great hall, where Eris stood around a giant round table with his advisors. 

The High Lord did a double take as soon as he spotted Y/N’s entrance. 

The servant bowed his head to Eris. “Lady of Autumn and Lady Y/N, High Lord. As requested.” 

Eris nodded his thanks. 

All of his advisors stared at Y/N. Apparently they were used to Leonora, and almost ignored her presence entirely after bowing their greetings. 

Y/N shifted her weight nervously, but kept her head high.

Was she finally being punished for helping usurp Beron Vanserra? Despite helping crown Eris, was there consequences for her to face?

She didn't know the laws of the fae realm.

An advisor cleared his throat and looked to Eris calmly. “I believe it would be best for you to explain, High Lord.”

Eris glared at his table. “Would it? Because I have made it clear what my position is on the matter.”

That was when Y/N noticed Eris was clutching a letter in his hand – quite violently by the look of his white knuckled grip. 

Eris sighed and looked at only Y/N, stepping away from the table to get closer to her. 

“The other High Lords of Prythian have finally decided to acknowledge Beron’s demise. When word reached that two Night Court Illyrians and Lady Death had come to our aid, it has made them…concerned.” 

Y/N narrowed her gaze. “It was Rhysand who sent them…why does he not answer for their involvement?”

“He will be questioned, as well. There will be a meeting of the High Lords in two day’s time. But they have…requested that you also attend.”

Y/N’s jaw dropped slightly. “Me?” She looked around at the advisors. “But how…how do they even know of my existence?” 

Eris frowned. “Those still loyal to Beron made sure to spread the news of the witch who cursed Autumn Court.” Then he hesitated before adding, “But the news of my mate has also become…known.” 

Of course it has. That was why she was stuck here, wasn’t it? 

Eris stepped closer to Y/N with a look of determination. “You do not have to go.” 

But Y/N swallowed and glanced at his advisors. Clearly they didn’t agree with that option. 

“I-I have a choice?” She asked so only he and Leonora could hear. 

“Of course you do,” Eris answered, as if it were obvious.

“But…I don’t understand what they want from me.” 

Eris frowned. “They wish to question you about the night of the usurping. The other High Lords are weary about Rhysand’s aid. They see it as a move for him to take over other courts – or at least an effort to force other High Lords to give him something in return.” 

Y/N’s eyes darkened. “You mean they wish to interrogate me. They don’t trust my role in all this.” 

“I will not allow it. I will be there the entire time, as will my mother.” Then he snapped a warning glare at his advisors before once again adding, “But the choice remains your own.” 

Y/N took in a deep breath. “I will attend the meeting.” 

—🍁—🍁—🍁—

The meeting of the High Lords took place in Summer Court, which Y/N learned still had somewhat of a contentious relationship with Night Court after they stole a forbidden book. 

Y/N had asked the wind to tell her everything it could to prepare for her for this meeting. If she was going to be interrogated – even if Eris promised to prevent such a thing – she wanted to know any secret she could about these High Lords. 

Leonora’s handmaidens had woken Y/N up, insisting on helping her get ready. They did her hair and makeup. Then they put her into a dress that was the colors of Autumn Court, but clearly a lighter fabric to deal with the warm and beachy climate of Summer Court. 

But when Y/N met Leonora in the hallway, she was surprised to find the former High Lady in a gold and white gown. She'd been expecting another conservative black dress. But now it was clear that Leonora was sending a message to her past lover. 

Leonora smirked, knowing exactly what Y/N had figured out. “I think there is no longer a reason for subtly, do you not agree?”

Y/N gave a shy smile and nodded in agreement. 

“Come. Eris is waiting for us in the great hall.”

When the two females arrived, Eris did a double take at Y/N’s appearance. 

“Did we do well, my son?” Leonora asked him teasingly. 

Eris tried to glare at his mother, but it mostly looked like amusement. 

He cleared his throat and stepped towards them, offering his hands to winnow them. “Let us get this over with, shall we?” 

Y/N couldn’t decide which she hated more: winnowing or flying. But the winnowing left her feeling rather disoriented. 

They had arrived at an entryway of a palace. Y/N assumed it was the home of High Lord Tarquin – or one of his homes.

But then she heard the waves and the squeaks of seagulls. And she turned to see one of the most beautiful views she’d ever laid eyes on. 

Immediately she felt a sheen of sweat cover her skin. Yes, the views of the ocean were beautiful. But Y/N was not meant for such a warm climate. Already, she wished to return to the brisk air of Autumn.

“High Lord Eris, Consort Leonora, and Lady Y/N,” the servant greeted them with a bow. “The other High Lords have just arrived. Please, follow me.” 

Y/N was surprised to find Eris’ arm extended for her to take. Leonora walked behind them, clearly trying to show that she was no longer the Lady of Autumn. 

There were seats set in a circle in what appeared to be an open room to the elements, surrounded by high, white arches that offered a perfect view of the ocean. Y/N could still perfectly hear the soft crashing of the waves. 

Y/N hated that they were the last to arrive. She was sure Eris did it as some sort of power move. But it meant that everyone stared at their arrival. 

She knew that Rhysand, Feyre, Cassian, Azriel, and Nesta would all be here. But Y/N couldn’t find it in herself to even so much as look at them. 

Tarquin stood at their approach and gestured to the only empty seat left in the circle. “Thank you for coming, Eris.” 

With a snap of his finger, Eris magically placed an identical chair next to his own and gestured for Y/N to sit in it. Leonora seemed to have no intention of sitting and stood behind them, gently propping her hand on the edge of her sons chair. 

To Y/N, it was a polite gesture for Eris. But really it was a show of irritation that Y/N was not important enough to receive her own place in the circle – despite being a High Lord’s mate. 

Y/N noticed that Tamlin – Feyre’s ex-lover – had even managed to show up. Apparently he had failed over and over again to tend to his duties as High Lord of Spring. 

“Let us not waste time,” Tarquin began, eyeing Eris closely. “You can understand how the recent events in Autumn have made the rest of us weary.” 

“I am not the first High Lord to usurp the throne,” Eris answered boredly. “I was not aware all of you were so allegiant to Beron.” 

“It is not your usurping. It is how you involved the Night Court in your attack against your own father,” Thesan commented. 

“I did not ask for their aid,” Eris answered instantly. “They came to save Y/N, not help with my effort to take the throne.” 

“Ahh, yes. The witch,” Helion hummed with amusement.

The High Lord of Day Court looked Y/N up and down, as if it would solve her mystery for him. 

“We came to Y/N’s aid because she is our friend and a fellow Valkyrie,” Nesta chimed in coldly. “Her gifts sent us a warning that she was in danger, that Beron had captured her.” 

“To cross Court lines to aid in foreign affairs is a risky one at best,” Tarquin answered. 

“Perhaps we should ask the witch of what happened to her that night,” Helion pushed with subtle amusement. 

“The witch has a name,” Eris hissed. “And it would be wise of you to use it.”

Helion’s gaze snapped to Leonora, only for a second. Then he nodded his head. “My apologies. Y/N, would you step forward please?" 

Y/N’s teeth ground together as she stood from her chair and stepped into the circle. 

“Why don’t you tell us about your journey?” Helion requested gently. 

“I lived on my own in the Mortal Realm…until I was captured by fae – amongst other women and children. It had become clear that we were being traded to wealthy fae, who wished to use humans as they pleased. I will let all of your imaginations come up with what exactly that meant. I attacked my captors as we passed through Autumn Court, and told the others to run for their lives. That is when…when Eris found me.” 

With the wave of his hand, Eris magically dropped a pile of papers beside Y/N. 

“What is this?” Rhysand spoke for the first time. 

Eris tilted his head. “Documents, proving that Beron was aiding wealthy merchants from the Continent in trading mortals as slaves. They were being brought to the Middle to be sold to the highest bidder and transported across the sea. Y/N was not the first to be taken – but she was the first to escape and save the rest of the victims in her party.” 

“Everyone here knows this is not the only evil Beron has released onto Prythian,” Eris added for good measure. 

Helion's gaze darkened as it once again flickered to Leonora. Surely he was imagining all the abuse his past lover had endured by the hands of Beron Vanserra.

He was the first to break the tense silence. “No one here believes that Beron was a just and rightful ruler.”

Once again, his gaze snapped momentarily to Leonora. 

“Rhysand aided my cause because I asked him to protect my mate with his life," Eris announced. "Night Court was the safest place for her."

“Why not go to another Court?” Kallias, the High Lord of Winter, asked. 

“The Archeron sisters were once mortals. My brother is an emissary there. The Night Court was well aware of my plans to usurp Beron. They understood more than anyone why I could not leave my mate just anywhere to be protected from my father.” 

“And what did you promise Rhysand in return?” Kallias urged. 

“Autumn’s loyalty and aid – when it would be mine to give,” Eris announced. “But Night Court did not request this of me, I offered it freely.” Eris shifted in his seat awkwardly. “I was a male…desperate to protect my mate.” 

It took all of Y/N’s strength not to turn around to see Eris’ face as he spoke of what he did to protect her. She could only stare at the ground, her hands clasped behind her back. 

“Y/N became one of us,” Feyre spoke for the first time. “We would have protected any innocent with or without the promise of Autumn’s loyalty.”

“And are you innocent?” Tamlin also broke his silence, glaring at Y/N as if she had personality offended him. “You are a witch, after all.” 

But Y/N would not take it. “Careful how you speak to me, High Lord Tamlin.” Her eyes darkened. “Or you risk exposing secrets you wish to keep locked away. I know more of you than you could ever know of me.” 

She couldn’t see it, but Eris grinned at his mate with pride. 

“Y/N is not like the witches we have heard about,” Rhysand chimed in. “She comes from a coven who wished to keep to themselves, only revealing themselves to aid others. That was proven when she risked her life to save our son.” 

“Which was also an attack set by Beron,” Eris noted darkly. 

Feyre and Rhysand sat up straighter.

Azriel and Cassian’s fists tightened at their sides.

Nesta looked…murderous. 

If Beron still lived, Y/N was sure that Nesta would have singlehandedly killed him after hearing such news.

“The slave trade was not Beron’s only evil dealings. He planned on kidnapping Nyx, fearful of the power the child would grow to have. Whether he planned on keeping the child hostage for his own use or selling him to the Continent, I do not know. The assailants were no soldiers of mine, but they were of the Autumn Court.” 

“It would appear it was time for Beron Vanserra’s demise,” Helion declared darkly. 

“It should have happened long ago,” Eris answered back. 

“What power do you possess, Y/N?” Thesan asked with curiosity. “Your coven has hidden themselves rather well. 

Tamlin leaned forward in his seat, eyeing Y/N with suspicion. “The only witches I know of are desperate for power. They will kill whatever innocents they can find, and consume their blood.” 

Y/N had been waiting for such a question – dreading it, actually.

The thing was, she did not even know what she was capable of any longer. A new power had been unleashed inside her. Whether it was during life or death situations only, she did not know. But she feared losing control of it. 

“She is not a subject to be studied!” Eris snapped before Y/N could even think of a response to the question that felt more like an accusation. “Y/N has been through enough, and I will not allow her to be poked and prodded for your own curiosities.” 

Helion also came to her defense and claimed, “She is not the first of her kind. I have met other witches like her in my life. Their hearts are true and they hold no evil.” Then he smirked. “But none were as powerful as it seems you are, Y/N. Curious that the Cauldron chose a mortal witch for a High Lord’s mate.” 

“That is enough discussion of our bond,” Eris interrupted, leaving no room for argument. Then he addressed the circle of High Lords and Ladies. “Are you all content now?” 

“It is clear Night Court has no ploys to take over other courts,” Kallias nodded. “And I for one think Prythian is better off with Beron dead. Leave Eris to handle his court. He has a long journey ahead of him, gaining the favor of his fae.” 

Everyone else nodded in agreement. 

As everyone rose, some started quietly talking amongst themselves. 

Y/N watched as Helion locked eyes with Leonora. It was clear that he wanted to go to to her. He took half a step in her direction, but something made him hesitate. 

She was so distracted with the interaction, that she hadn’t seen her friends of the Night Court – if that’s even what they were to her anymore. Y/N still hadn’t figured it out. 

After Eris insisted he’d promised something in return for them all looking after her, Y/N felt like perhaps she’d been too harsh with assuming they had been using her for their own gain. 

Feyre stepped forward first, with a cautious warmth. “I am glad to see you well after the attack, Y/N.”

Then Y/N suddenly felt a warmth behind her. Eris was right behind her, close enough that she could feel the heat from his body at her back.

He wasn’t going to interrupt or cease the conversation, but he wanted her to know he was there for her. 

“Y/N, you must understand, we never wanted to keep any secrets from you,” Feyre continued. 

“For what it’s worth,” Eris muttered quietly to her. “I forbid them from telling you the truth. I thought things would be easier that way.” 

Y/N nodded slowly. 

Nesta and Cassian looked desperate for her forgiveness. Azriel watched her with a sadness in his gaze that he hid from everyone else quite well. 

“Everyone misses your store,” Cassian chimed in with a gentle smile. “Velaris’ isn’t the same without your witchcraft and medicine.” 

“Velaris isn’t the same without you,” Nesta corrected. 

Y/N took in a deep and shaky breath. “T-T-Thank you for taking me in,” she looked into all their eyes as she said it. “Deep down, I always knew even if Eris hadn’t promised you what he did, you still would have treated me as one of your own.” 

A wave of relief seemed to wash over the five of them. 

“But I wish to stay in Autumn Court,” she continued. “Until it’s safe for me to return to the Mortal Realm, that is.” 

Y/N tried to pretend that she couldn’t feel Eris’ entire body tense at the second part. 

“I hope we can continue to be friends,” she ended softly. 

“Of course, Y/N.” Rhysand answered immediately. “And you are always welcome in Night Court, whenever you wish to visit.” 

Nesta stepped forward. “And perhaps we could…visit you in Autumn.” 

Y/N nodded. But then quickly looked back at Eris for confirmation, as if he would take away such a privilege. 

He simply nodded, as well. 

Nesta hurriedly added. “Gwyn and Emerie said they wish to write to you, as well.”

Y/N grinned. “I would like that very much.”

“Are you keeping up your training?” Cassian asked with a smirk. 

“Of course,” Y/N narrowed her eyes playfully. “Eris has his Weapon’s Master training me every morning. Soon I’ll have mastered the fight strategies of Illyrians, Valkyries, and Autumn Court.” She quirked an eyebrow for good measure. 

“She will be a fearsome thing,” Eris muttered. 

Y/N didn’t expect such a compliment – especially from him and especially in front of such an audience.

Her face got hot from it. 

But when she looked up, Feyre and Cassian all seemed to be trying to hide their amusement. 

“We will send you the rest of your things by the end of the night,” Rhysand told her. 

“Oh, there’s no need. Eris has given me more than enough clothing.”

For some reason, it seemed wrong to take all those fanciful gifts Rhysand had insisted on gifting her after the attack on Nyx. It felt even more wrong to wear such things in a foreign court – and in front of her mate. 

But Eris didn’t seem to think so. “My servants will be waiting for their arrival.” 

Y/N’s brows raised in surprise. “But…if it’s not too much trouble to ask, I’d like my supplies and merchandise from my store.”

“Of course,” Rhysand said with a slight bow of his head. 

Leonora finally stepped toward the group. “Time to go?” She asked her son. 

He nodded. 

When Y/N turned back to her friends, they gave her an encouraging look. 

“We will see you soon,” Feyre insisted.

With that, Eris winnowed the three of them back to Autumn Court. 

Leonora already started to make her way to the dining room, leaving the two of them alone. 

“I really don’t need all those gifts Rhysand gave me,” Y/N insisted hurriedly. “They were beautiful, but they weren’t very…me.”

Eris shrugged. “You can sell them all before returning to the Mortal Realm. Open a new shop without trouble.” 

Y/N couldn’t understand why her heart sunk at his suggestion. Was he really so on board with her leaving and returning to the Mortal Realm? Did he not want her here at all? But that’s what she wanted, right? To be left alone and back in her old life of solitude and secrecy? 

-----

OK. This is quite long. Don't really know how that happened. But let me know what you thought! Everyone be like @pancakefancake

Chapter XIX

#acotar #a court of thorns & roses #gust & flame #eris vanserra #eris #eris acotar #eris x reader #eris vanserra x reader #autumn court #lady of autumn #high lord of autumn court #prythian #high lords of prythian

[acourtofthought]

I've occasionally seen comments where some feel Elain needs to hit rock bottom before her book as Nesta did and I never completely agreed with that because Nesta and Elain are so different and their responses to trauma were different so I don't imagine Elain will sink to the depths Nesta did. It's not that I don't think Elain is still struggling, I know she is. She was kidnapped a second time, stabbed someone and lost her father since being Made so she's got some stuff to work through.

But..... I did just have a thought that Elain may have actually hit her rock bottom, just not in the way we've been thinking.

“He wants to marry her,” Elain said dreamily.

Elain started off as the stereotype of a young girl who is enamored by the thought of love and romance and happily ever after. Then she found what she thought was her own:

The son, Graysen, is kind enough. As smitten with Elain as she is with him.

When Elain was given her bond with Lucien, it's understandable she wanted no part of it. She was in love with someone else and since we know a bond meant nothing to Nesta as she was human and raised on the idea of marriage, not bonds, we can assume the same to be true for Elain. So regardless of feeling pulled to Lucien, she still held firmly to her belief of a fairytale love between a husband and wife. But when Graysen rejected her.....

So Elain silently cried, the tears so unending that I wondered if it was some sign of her heart bleeding out. Some sliver of hope that had shattered today. That Graysen would still love her, still marry her—and that love would trump even a mating bond. A final tether had been snapped—to her life in the human lands.

..... It's like her lifelong dream began to crumble. It's the first major blow Elain has experienced in terms of what she always thought her life might look like. Even being Made hadn't completely ruined the hope that things might work out but Graysens rejection definitely did.

We see her struggle with this realization but then in the novella, we get hints that Elain still might be clinging to the hope that her fairytale with a man is still within reach. Az isn't a man of course, but he acts extremely gentle around her and his shadows tend to disappear when she's near (something Feyre tells us makes him look humanlike). So she latches on to the idea that she can still ignore her bond and focus on having something that reminds her of her human life.

Then in the bonus chapter of SF, we have the following:

She looked up at him, her face so trusting and hopeful and open....

But:

"This was a mistake".

It doesn't matter the "why" those words were said to Elain because to her, it was an echo of what Graysen said and what I imagine to be a complete shattering (not just the original sliver) of her girlish dreams. She had tried to convince herself that even after Graysen, she could keep the fantasy alive and with Azriel’s statement, it brought it all crashing to the ground.

I think that is Elain's rock bottom. She loved her father, she loved her human life but she was able to keep moving after the loss of them because the idea of love kept her going. It's not even that I'm under the impression she actually loved Az or had any real feelings for him, but I think she was hopeful at the thought of again finding that happily ever after found in human fairytales.

Because of the bond and how it fully represents the most Fae thing of being Fae, I think she refuses to consider it or Lucien so she's been desperately trying to hold on to anything that reminds her of being human and now that is completely gone.

So she turns around and immediately gives Azriel's gift back to him and I think we're going to see the start of Elain's book with her a bit hardened and jaded at the thought of love. I think we'll see her basically swearing off falling in love again and that might be the thing that drives her to into one of two directions:

1) Entering into an arranged marriage with Lucien, doing "whatever was needed" for the NC (since we know forming alliances would help them as they're preparing for war) because she no longer harbors any "foolish ideas" about love and marriage but she'd enter it with a bit of an antagonistic attitude towards Lucien. Holding a bit of an unfair grudge towards him as if he's the reason Graysen rejected her and her dreams were ruined. Obviously we know that wouldn't be true, Lucien is just as innocent in the whole mating bond situation, but it would finally give her that push into anger which would lead her to being temperamental with him as SJM likes her FMC to be with the MMC. We'd then see Lucien begin to get annoyed with it all because, as stated above, he's just a much an unsuspecting bystander in what fate threw at the two of them.

2) Maybe there won't be an arranged marriage trope but I could still see it all driving Elain to feeling angry that she's now sort of bitter and jaded and again, taking out that frustration on Lucien. I have no doubt Rhys will come up with one of his schemes, placing Elucien in close proximity and that's when we're going to see her sniping at him. Where she once pulled away because the feelings of the bond overwhelmed her, her anger will overwhelm even that and we'll have a chance to see that endgame couple feistiness that SJM prefers before a couple falls in love.

#elucien #pro elucien #elain archeron #lucien vanserra #elain x lucien #lucien and elain #elain and lucien #pro lucien vanserra #pro elain archeron #elucien supremacy #acotar theory #mating bond

[cynthiav06]

In which scenes do you think they should have given Klaus and Hayley a kissing scene?

Let's say we disregard the entirety of season 1, let the whole Elijah thing blow over.

Firstly, in season 2, when Klaus is consoling her after explaining the realities of being a hybrid, in the real moments are vibrant scene or even when he takes her out to kill witches, they could have given us a forehead touch in the for the former and a kiss for the latter part.[Both consumed by bloodlust mostly Hayley as Klaus can control it, she accidentally(definitely intentionally while acting on her true desires) kisses Klaus and he is so enamored he can't help but reciprocate.

I trust you, more than you know scene should have definitely evolved into a kiss. Klaus can't help the jealousy and the feeling of fear that arises at the thought of her marrying Jackson (yes, yes, he is also worried about Hope's existence being revealed, but there's obviously more) and after hearing Hayley's words he wants to convey to her that he does trust her and care for her so yeah a kiss there for sure.

In season 3, Hayley turns back and is fighting Klaus but breaks down after seeing Hope and then hugs her? I think that scene should have also had Klaus hugging them both, maybe to symbolise his apology or other but not a kiss, but at least a hug.

After he saves her from Lucien, we really need a scene where he hugs her, and then she kisses him because she needs to feel that he is real and they are both alright. Klaus kisses her back equally fervently to assure her that she is safe as she is both afraid for Klaus's life and her own so he can feel her fear and relief now that Lucien's dead. That should have definitely been added. (So many missed opportunities for the building up to probably the most compatible and perfect couple you would think they didn't do it just to not brutally destroy the previous Klaus or Hayley ships. Oh shit that's exactly why)

When they are alone in the wood clearing, and he says, "I have given you a thousand reasons to abandon me, but you haven't yet, thank you?" A kiss would have gone really well with that.

Maybe a scene where Hayley shows off her karaoke skills, and Klaus is so amazed he kisses her? That would have been perfect.

When he goes to Marcel to sacrifice himself for Hope, Hayley and his family, a parting kiss

When Klaus, Hayley and Hope unite and Klaus and Hayley see each other's struggles they can't help but kiss because Hayley has missed Klaus's presence, his words, his protection and Klaus has missed his little wolf and littlest wolf dearly, moreover Klaus can't help but marvel at her strength each time for whenever he thinks this might just break my little wolf she perseveres through it and he has been wanting to kiss her since they last parted and as she was one of the few who broke him out the want only doubled.

A lots of kisses during that time cause two people don't go to such lengths for each other if they don't love one another like crazy.

When he has to leave with the hollow's essence, a sorrowful but desperate kiss. Yet again, parting ways and this just might be permanent.

I like to think Hayley gave him individual visits to check on him when Hope was grown enough and was in school and they kissed and everything.

Lastly when Klaus saves her from Greta, the Hollow's defeated and its all good for the rest of them, after Hope's taken back, passionate kissing and make out scene that results into another miracle baby is exactly what we deserved. [This is what I believe would have actually happened if the writers weren't bloody fools and also so I don't wallow in misery at the unfairness of it all for both of them]

#klayley #klaus and hayley together or not at all #The ending they deserved #the ending we needed #hayley marshall #klaus mikaelson #soulmates forever #anti klaroline #the originals

[dawneternal]

Take the World in Your Hands Eris x Elain | pt. 3

Summary: Eris's brothers catch wind of his proposal to Nesta. They plan to find and deliver her to their father as a gift, surely winning his favor. Their plan takes a turn when they kidnap the wrong Archeron sister and Eris finds her in the Autumn Court dungeon.

all aboard the crack ship???

Warnings: None

Notes: This part is not the best but we're building up to things!! I am trying to turn their handful of days together into a slow burn

Word Count: 1.8k

Ao3 Link / Masterlist

While Elain slept, Eris rummaged through the cabin and managed to find a balm that helped combat the effects of faebane. It was not as good as the updated antidote that the Dawn Court had created, but it would speed things up. Enough that he insisted he was capable of cooking dinner, though he still dragged a chair to the stove to sit on while he stirred.

Elain had slept most of the day, waking in the late afternoon as the sun became more gentle, filling the cabin with golden light instead of a harsh glare off the snow. Eris tried not to be too endeared by her sleepy eyes and messy braid, but a small part of him wanted her to be his. To wrap the sleepy girl in his arms and press a kiss to her forehead.

Everything that made her adorable had faded into a darker, more sinful shade as she had bandaged his ribs. Eris was never one to feel shameful of any form of debauchery. But her touch, so light it could almost be construed as innocent, had set him ablaze with a strange shame he had never felt. Like he didn't deserve it. He had assumed from her shy nature that any touching and teasing from her was a rare gift.

Now, sitting on a chair in front of the stove, he shook his head free of his thoughts. But not before feeling a bit of pity for his little brother, who he knew had not yet won her heart. If he had Lucien as enamored as he felt, he must be suffering.

Elain had begrudgingly agreed to let him cook, as long as he stayed sitting. But she was waiting until the morning to decide if he was ready for a trip into town.

"You take your shopping very seriously," She said when he protested, "you'd fit into the Night Court well, in that way."

"You can make your own dinner if you compare me to them again," Eris grumbled.

"I would have made it myself, but you insisted." She sat on the floor of the kitchen, back against a counter cabinet. She had pulled her knees up to her chest and tucked her legs under the fabric of her skirt.

"Yes, because you made the last two." He had found sandwiches pre-made in the fridge when he grew hungry around lunch time. Another thing she had probably done to pass the time while she couldn't sleep.

"It's supposed to be a lady's job, anyways." Elain said, tossing her braid over her shoulder. Even though she really believe that.

"How very archaic for the Night Court," Eris smirked.

"But not the for the Autumn Court, I suppose." Elain regretted the words as soon as they had come out. She wasn't sure where the indignation had come from it. It had been almost like an instinct.

She watched as Eris face twitched, and then a calm mask of detachment slipped into place. One she had not seen since he had come to her cell. By the mother, was that only yesterday?

"Not for Beron, you mean." Eris said quietly, his voice far away and icy to match the mask.

"I'm sorry," Elain whispered, shrinking into herself, "I didn't mean-"

"It's ready," He interrupted. He spooned stew into a bowl and held it out to her, keeping his eyes on the stove. Then he filled his own and winnowed the few feet to the kitchen table, sitting with his back to her.

Elain stood still for a moment, watching the steam curling up from her bowl. Apologizing again would do no good. She knew he didn't want to be pitied. He wore his pride around him like a solid shield.

Standing in the silence, her eyes drifted toward the curve of his neck and the small sliver of muscle that was visible above the collar of his shirt. His red hair fell in soft waves against his neck. He may be leaner than the Night Court warriors, but his sleeves were still snug around his biceps.

Eris sighed, pulling Elain from her thoughts. As insistent as she may be about propriety, Elain was not above admiring beautiful things.

"Come and sit," He said, though the warmth had not returned to his voice yet.

"Thank you for the soup," Elain scurried to sit behind him.

Then it was quiet again. Only the sounds of the crackling fire and the still-bubbling pot on the stove, mixing with the clink of spoons against ceramic bowls.

"Thought for a thought?" Elain asked, tentative. The thing Feyre always said when Elain was quiet. Eris said nothing for a moment, but he did seem to be considering.

"There are a lot of things about the Autumn Court that I wish were different," He sighed. Elain had a feeling that this was the Eris that most other people saw. Closed off, moping. An impenetrable wall of gloom around him.

"But there are things you love about it," Elain prodded.

"It is beautiful," He relented after another pause, voice finally beginning to soften, "And peaceful - in some parts. And I do love my hounds."

"Hounds?" Elain's eyes lit up.

Eris looked at her for a moment, more ice thawing by the second. He stepped across the room and grabbed a photo frame from the desk. He placed the frame on the table in front of her and sat back down.

Elain picked it up gingerly. A weathered, sepia photo of a dozen sleek, beautiful hounds sitting in a row, in a frame of carved maple leaves. Foliage of all colors piled up on the ground around them, dappled light across the whole image. Elain looked back at him, beaming.

"What was your thought?" He asked, his eyes smiling back at her. She liked this Eris more. The one who was tender and not ashamed of loving things. The one who teased her and talked to her almost like a friend.

"I'm thinking it's a shame how much pretending you do," She said, setting the frame on the table. Her boldness could push him right back into his fortress, but she took the risk.

"Maybe so, but that's a thought about me, not about you." Eris shrugged.

"There's not supposed to be rules to it. But ask me a question, if you want to know something about me."

"What was the falling out in the night court?" He eyed her as he said it, watching the hint of a scowl pass over her face.

Indeed, she was struggling not to let hypocrisy win and close in on herself in response.

"It's embarrassing," Elain protested.

"You know plenty of embarrassing things about me," Eris countered, gaze still on her as he sipped another spoonful of soup.

"I do not. I barely know you."

"Fine, then I'll tell you something embarrassing about myself next."

"You're a busy body and a gossip," Elain rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair, arms crossed. She kept her eyes on the table as she spoke. "I heard of something Rhysand had done. Something that changed the course of things for me a great deal. It happened quite a while ago, so I probably shouldn't care. But I do, anyways. Especially because he never would have told me himself. No one would have. Nesta let it slip because she had too much to drink, and she probably only knew because she squeezed it out of Cassian."

"What did he do?" Eris asked, engrossed.

"He forbid someone I cared for from seeing me," Elain gritted out between her teeth. She flashed him a look, warning him not to ask any follow up questions.

But he asked, anyways, "The shadowsinger?"

"How did you know?" Elain cried, blush creeping up her neck and the points of her ears.

"Well he wouldn't forbid a man from seeing his mate, so it couldn't be Lucien. Unless it's a stranger to me, that leaves Azriel. Everyone else is mated."

"Azriel is mated too," She said, voice full of bitter longing, "But he wasn't back then. They're on a honeymoon, now. Rhysand was furious with Nesta, though they're always furious with each other over something. She and Cassian have been visiting Illyrian camps since then, and Rhysand is back and forth between the Hewn City and Velaris, basically hiding from me."

"So you were alone," Eris finished softly.

"You can see how I might prefer to be here," Elain offered a weak smile.

"Stuck in a tiny cabin with a grumpy Autumn heir, hiding from his barbaric brothers and the overbearing High Lord of Night. I'm flattered."

"Tell me something embarrassing," Elain demanded.

"I tend to snore," He confessed, the corners of his mouth creeping up into a smile.

"I know that already!" She cried.

"My point stands, lady. You already know many embarrassing things about me." Such a crooning tone and teasing grin. A little part of her wanted to smack it off his face. He would probably enjoy it, the deviant.

"You do not play fair," Elain snatched her dish and brought it to the sink.

"But I thought there weren't any rules," Eris followed, standing far too close once again. How he loved to pin her, this way.

"Must everything always be a game?" Elain tried to pretend he was not so close, desperately pushing down the heat in her body.

"Something tells me you're not as averse to games as you try to seem," He answered, his breath hot against her ear. He was close enough to see the goosebumps that spread over her skin.

They were still for a moment, Eris waiting to see what she would do. Elain trying to make a decision as her heart thundered in her chest.

"What are you doing?" She whispered, turning her head enough to catch a glimpse of him in her peripheral.

Eris's smirk faded as if her words had woken him from a trance. He stepped back and opened his mouth to say something, only to close it again and leave her there in the kitchen. He grabbed a book and settled on the sofa, beginning to read with rapt attention.

As soon as he stepped away, the air around Elain felt cold and empty. It brought her back to that Solstice night, standing by herself in the hallway. Lonely and rejected. A mistake.

Overcome by a blend of unpleasant feelings, Elain sat down by the fire and rested her chin on her knees, basking in the warmth of the fire to replace Eris's closeness.

At some point, she had laid on her side and fallen asleep. When she woke again, in the middle of the night, she was back on the comfortable sofa, quilt tucked in tightly around her. Eris's soft breathing across the room lulled her back to sleep. She dreamt of autumn sunshine, the smell of fallen leaves, and of hot cider on a cold fall night.

#acotar #a court of thorns and roses #elain archeron #eris fanfic #eris fanfiction #eris vanserra #eris x elain #acotar fanfic #acotar fanfiction #acosf #a court of silver flames #autumn court #vanserra brothers #pro eris vanserra #acotar crack ship #acotar crack fic

[thegrunkiest]

Lucien Lachance x Antoinetta Marie Headcanons

I have recently been compelled to crawl out of my hole and spread propaganda. Since other WIPs currently hold priority I'm unsure when I will actually write for these ideas, but they refused to leave me alone. Thus, enjoy a self-indulgent thoughtdump on my dumb little rarepair OTP. I am normal about them 🥺

It was an open secret to literally everyone in the Sanctuary that Antoinetta was madly smitten with their Speaker. Everyone including the Speaker himself. He never openly showed any reciprocation, or even any acknowledgement to this attraction beyond a humored look or shake of the head at her antics, or when a Brother or Sister teased about it on occasion. After all, they would reason- it must be a passing fancy, right? She'll get over it.

One day, Lucien catches wind of Antoinetta's little boasts - perhaps the remark about, say, taking Ocheeva's place one day? He thinks that, hmm, a mere Slayer speaks so assuredly! It may be entertaining to test her. He had once used everything in his power to save her life; he'd like to ensure such an investment does not throw her life away from growing arrogance. When he finds time to spare the Speaker plans a personal murder for her to undertake, and accompanies her on the journey to examine her progress. One thing leads to another. Then another. Whatever happened out there, their Brothers and Sisters most certainly noticed they appeared... closer than before when they returned.

However, theirs' is a private affair. It's another open secret, yes, but not one they care to flaunt or tease. Antoinetta might think it would be fun to run her mouth off about it, as she's known to do with most things, but her respect for Lucien prevails over her urge to gossip.

Antoinetta had a strict habit of calling Lucien 'Speaker' to his face, and it took her awhile to break out of it. She knows how dedicated he is in his role and wanted to express her utmost respect of that. He stops her one time and says: "Darling, when it is only us? You need only call me Lucien." Darling? She swoons and nearly faints.

When their schedules allow spare time together, their dates are of two varieties. One is full-blown homicide; the other is a shockingly innocent outing, such as dinner or a walk along the Cyrodiil countryside. There is often overlap between the two. Nothing screams romance to two serial killers like a waltz in the field while covered in blood and guts!

Lucien tends to let Antoinetta choose the occasion or location of their more pleasant trysts. He understands that she had lived a caged life before the Brotherhood, and wants to allow her the freedom to... well... simply live a little. It delights him more than he openly admits to see when she gets struck with wonder or excitement at a new sight or experience.

Antoinetta adores Lucien's robes. They are shockingly comfortable; it carries his weird scent of alchemy reagents and dead things; and it serves as a symbol of what she one day hopes to achieve within the Brotherhood. Yes she's put them on if ever she's awoken before him. Yes he has caught her in the act. She was initially fearful he'd find it disrespectful, but he just shrugged and let her continue. It's not that he found it... dare he say... endearing or anything. No. Not at all (lie). But she wasn't stealing it - not breaking a Tenet - so let her have her fun.

That silver dagger Antoinetta uses was a gift from Lucien. He is a man to put functional gifts in mind. If his lover cannot commit harm with the pretty thing he bought them, what is even the point? He once gifted her a bag of potatoes during a tryst; he was enamored to later watch her bludgeon a man into a coma with it. That was the moment when he subconsciously realized... by Sithis, he thinks he loves this woman.

I had an entire section written for how this ship would be affected by the events of the questline, but I believe it warrants a separate post. Enjoy the general fluff now; save the doomed romance for later 😏

Individual Lucien Lachance Headcanons

#lucien lachance #antoinetta marie #may I propose this ship to be called... #lucienetta #VS BS #headcanon #my writing

[aldbooks]

hello! how are you? How were your days off?I hope you enjoyed ☺️☺️Am I coming to ask for your writing? 🙈🙈 I can't help it 😃Would it be possible that you have one of Elain jealous hidden there? I need something like this to be able to continue my week ☺️☺️Thanks for creativity 😌😌

Hello! Thank you. My time off was very nice, wish I'd had more of it but don't we always?

Sorry this took a little bit to get to, I was very busy this week. Let's see what we can do. How about a snippet of a scene from a work I'm currently drafting. It may or may to remain in the final draft.

"You're staring," drawled Helion, suddenly appearing beside her.

Elain clutched the goblet of fae wine in her hand tighter in an attempt not to flinch as she was ripped out of her thoughts. "What?" she asked, a bit harsher than she intended.

Helion's golden eyes sparkled down at her in amusement before raising to where her gaze had been glued just a moment before. On the fire haired prince lounging across the room in his new throne, surrounded by fawning females.

One of them, an olive skinned female with silky dark curls and sensual curves was bold enough to plant herself in his lap, stroking her fingers through the open collar of his shirt.

It irked her. Irked her that these females acting like he was their property when they'd only been introduced mere minutes before. Irked her that he did not stop the female's explorations of his body in such a blatant manner. Irked her that he smiled and laughed at whatever she said in a way he'd never done with her...

Holy hells... she was jealous. An emotion she'd never experienced in connection with her erstwhile mate.

"If you disapprove of the attention he's getting," Helion mused. "You could just- turn away. Or... you could do something about it."

Elain sputtered. "I- couldn't care less what he does. He is free to do as he pleases. He certainly doesn't need my approval."

"Indeed? Is that why you've been drilling holes into each female who has dared to approach him for the last half hour?"

"I have not," Elain said, even as her gaze bored into the face of yet another female, a blonde this time, leaned against the unoccupied arm of his chair, thrusting her bosom in his face as she pushed aside of lock of his hair and toyed with the earring at the tip of his pointed ear.

She sat on his left where his golden eye roved over her, though she appeared undeterred by the gruesome scars covering half of his face. None of them seemed deterred by it. Many even seemed to be enamored of the scars. As she watched, the blond ran a red tipped nail across his brow, skimming the edge of the scars and made some comment that drew a smirk from him.

Elain realized she was glaring as Helion said dryly, "of course not."

"You approve of this behavior?" she asked, just barely keeping the snap out of her tone. "He is your heir, a prince. You believe this is appropriate behavior of a representative of this court?"

Helion gave her a dry look. "Flower, you've been in my court long enough ow to know the answer to that. I came by my reputation honestly, after all. Like father, like son."

Elain felt her cheeks flame hot as anger surged. She had indeed been in the Day Court long enough to know exactly what sort of mischief Helion liked to get up to, though he had not engaged in any of it since receiving word of Beron's death in anticipation of finally claiming his mate. The thought of Lucien doing any of the things she'd seen Helion do...

Helion laughed, reading her thoughts. "If it bothers you so much," he lifted a brow. "Do something about it."

Elain gulped the last few swallows of wine in her cup hoping they would cool her and knowing they would do the opposite. Before she had time to think, she slammed the cup down on the tray of a passing server and pushed her way through the crowd, ignoring Helion's deep chuckle that followed her.

When she reached the dias, everyone stilled, looking curiously at her. Lucien watched her with the same sardonic smile he'd worn each time they were in company since his arrival. The female in his lap sneered at her and Elain had to fight the instinct to snarl.

"Lady Elain," Lucien drawled, lounging in his seat. "Are you enjoying your evening?"

Elain dipped a polite curtsey before meeting his burning gaze. "My lord, I believe you promised me the next dance."

For a long moment, they held each others stare as she waited to see if he would play along with her game or reject her. Lucien's head cocked to the side, studying her like an interesting insect and she felt her cheeks begin to burn with humiliation. He was going to say no. Why shouldn't he? She'd humiliated him all those years ago, turn about was fair play.

Just as she prepared to slink away in shame, Lucien grinned. "So I did."

Elain's relief was profound but short lived as he raised the hands of each female on either side of him to his lips and gave them a kiss. "Forgive me, cherie. It seems I have other obligations."

With a wink and a charming smile at the other ladies around him, He gently set aside the one in his lap and rose, stepping down to stand before Elain. Holding out his hand, he bowed slightly as the final chords of the song playing ended and the dancers prepared for the next. "My lady."

There was a hard edge to the words that let her know exactly how pleased he was with her interruption of his evening's entertainment but he was far too polite to ought but acquiesce to a lady's request.

Laying her hand in his, she allowed him to lead her to the dance floor and was further humiliated to realize the next dance was one of the more sensual variety that required partners to move in wholly indecent holds and patterns. A lover's dance. But there was nothing for it now.

She gasped slightly when Lucien's warm hand slid around her waist and pulled her against him, his thumb brushing over the skin of her exposed back. She could feel the muscles of his arm beneath the soft fabric of his shirt as he hand came to rest on his bicep. Her body was pressed fully against his torso and, when they took their first step, his thigh pressed between hers, rubbing against her with each movement.

The hand holding hers gripped it tightly as fire sparked in his eyes but his steps were flawless as he led her through the dance executing perfect dips and turns and lifts, their bodies brushing together all the while until he was breathless and on fire.

When the music came to an end, he hauled her against him for the final pose with one of her legs wrapped around his hip as he leaned back so only the toe of her shoe was on the ground and he was fully supporting her against him, their nose less than an inch apart.

A wave of desire clouded her senses as his spicy, warm scent enveloped her and his lips feathers over her cheek as he brought them to her ear. "Don't ever, ask me to do that again," he hissed before setting her on her feet and turning away with a curt bow.

Elain stood int he middle of the dance floor, stunned and breathless she watched him stalk out of the ballroom.

#ask box #elucien #lucien x elain #elain x lucien #elain and lucien #lucien and elain

[artzychic27]

Sweeney Todd au, where Marc as Sweeney Todd and Nath as Lucy?

In 1846, young sailor Luka Couffaine and the mysterious Revere Bold, whom Luka has recently rescued at sea and befriended, dock in France

As they walk through town, a beggar man appears to recognize Revere for a moment, but he shoos him away

When questioned a couple of times in regards to his past by Luka, Revere explains that he was a naïve barber, removed...from his home by a corrupt judge who coveted after his husband

Leaving Luka, Revere enters a meat pie shop, where the owner, the widower, Lucien Rebois, laments the scarcity of meat and customers

When Revere asks about the empty upstairs apartment, he reveals that its former tenant, Marc Anciel, was transported for life based on false charges by Judge Emani Pulateur

When he talks more about the judge with a fire in his eyes, Lucien reveals each and every one of his crimes, including when Emani, along with Beadle Louis Secousse, lured Marc's husband, Nathaniel to a masked ball at his home where Emani assaulted him while Louis made sure no one entered the room

Revere's outraged reaction reveals that he is himself Marc Anciel

Promising to keep his secret, Lucien explains that Nathaniel poisoned himself with arsenic and he and his adopted son, Adrien, have been under Emani's care since that day

Revere swears revenge on the Judge and the Beadle, and Lucien presents Revere with his old collection of sterling silver straight razors, which persuades Revere to take up his old profession

Meanwhile, Luka is going for a walk through town when he spies a beautiful young man singing at his window, and the beggar man tells them that his name is Adrien

Unaware that Adrien is Revere's son, Luka is immediately enamored, and he pledges to return for him, even after Emani and Louis threaten him and chase him away

In the crowded Parisian marketplace, flamboyant barber Lila Rossi and her simple-minded assistant Xavier Yves pitch a dramatic cure-all for hair loss

Revere and Lucien soon arrive; as part of his plan to establish his new identity, Revere exposes the elixir as a sham, challenges Lila to a shaving competition and easily wins

He invites an impressed Emani for a free shave

Several days later, Emani berates himself in a frenzy over a growing lust for Adrien, but instead resolves to marry him

Revere awaits Louis' arrival with impatience, but Lucien tries to soothe him, making Revere uncomfortable until he sends him away

When Luka tells Revere of his plan to ask Adrien to elope with him, Revere, eager to reunite with his son and possibly even his husband, agrees to let them use his barbershop as a safehouse so that he can meet his family once again

As Luka leaves, Lila and Xavier enter, and Lucien takes Xavier downstairs for a pie

Alone with Revere, Lila drops her Italian accent and reveals that she is really Iris Verdi, Marc Anciel's former assistant

She knows Revere's true identity (having recognized Marc's shaving tools during the earlier competition) and demands half his income for life

In a fit of rage, Revere kills Lila by slitting her throat and temporarily hides her body

Meanwhile, Adrien and Luka plan their elopement while Louis recommends Revere's grooming services to the Judge so that the judge may better win Adrien's affections

Panicked at first on learning of Lila's murder, Lucien swipes her leftover coin purse and then asks Revere how he plans to dispose of the body instead of going to the police

Suddenly, the judge enters; Revere quickly seats him and lulls him with a relaxing conversation about love. Before he can kill the judge, however, Luka re-enters and blurts out his elopement plan.

Emani angrily storms out, vowing never to return and to send Adrien away

In a fit of rage, Revere drives Luka out, and, reminded of the evil he sees in Paris, resolves to depopulate the city by murdering his future customers since all people deserve to die: the rich to be punished for their corruption, and the poor to be relieved of their misery

While discussing how to dispose of Lila's body, Lucien suggests that they use the bodies of Revere's victims in his meat pies, and Revere happily agrees

Act II

Several weeks later, Lucien's pie shop has become a successful business, and Xavier works there as a waiter

The pies are very popular (They some cannibals), and Revere has acquired a special mechanical barber's chair that allows him to kill clients and then send their bodies directly through a chute into the pie shop's basement bakehouse

While casually slitting his customers' necks, Revere despairs of ever seeing Adrien and Nathaniel, while Luka searches for Adrien

Eventually, Luka finds Adrien locked away in a private insane asylum, but barely escapes being placed under arrest by Louis

After a day of hard work, while Revere remains fixated on his revenge, Lucien envisions eloping with Revere and retiring to the seaside with him... By any means necessary

Luka arrives to beg Revere for help to free Adrien, and Revere instructs Luka to rescue him by posing as a wigmaker intent on purchasing inmates' hair

However, once Luka has left, Revere sends a letter informing the Judge that Luka will bring Adrien to his shop just after dark and that he will hand her over in order to lure him back to the shop

In the pie shop, Xavier tells Lucien of his skepticism about Revere. Then he recognizes Lila's coin purse in Lucien's hands

He quickly distracts him by showing him the bakehouse, and instructing him how to work the meat grinder and the oven before locking him in

Upstairs, he encounters Louis playing his harmonium; he has been asked by Lucien's neighbors to investigate the strange smoke and stench from the pie shop's chimney

Lucien stalls Louis with "Parlor Songs" until Revere returns to offer Louis the promised "free shave"

Lucien loudly plays his harmonium to cover Louis' screams above as Revere kills him, and even plays a romantic song while thinking of Revere

In the basement, Xavier discovers hair and fingernails in a pie he has been eating, just as Louis' fresh corpse comes tumbling through the chute

Terrified, he flees into the sewers below the bakehouse. Realizing this, Lucien then informs Revere that Xavier has found out about their secret and they plot to kill him

Luka arrives at the asylum to rescue Adrien but is exposed when a prisoner screams at him

Luka draws a pistol given to him by Revere, but cannot bring himself to shoot the corrupt asylum owner. So, Adrien grabs the pistol and kills him

As they along with the asylum's freed inmates flee, Revere and Lucien hunt through the sewers for Xavier, and the beggar man, meanwhile, fears what has become of the Beadle

Luka and Adrien (now disguised as a sailor) arrive at Revere's empty shop

Luka leaves to find a carriage after he and Adrien reaffirm their love. Adrien hears the beggar man entering and hides in a trunk in the barbershop

The beggar man seems to recognize the room. Revere enters and tries to force him to leave as he again seems to recognize him

Hearing the Judge outside, a frantic Revere kills the beggar man, sending his body down the chute barely a moment before Emani bursts in

Once he has Emani in his chair, Revere soothes him with another conversation on love, but this time he alludes to their "fellow tastes, in men at least".

Emani recognizes him as Marc Anciel just before Revere slashes his throat and sends him hurtling down the chute

Remembering Xavier, Revere starts to leave, but, realizing he has left his razor behind, returns just as the disguised Adrien rises, horrified, from the trunk. Not recognizing him, Revere attempts to kill him, just as Lucien screams from the bakehouse below, providing a distraction for Adrien to escape

Downstairs, Lucien is struggling with a slowly dying Emani, who clutches at his clothes. When he finally gets him off, he then attempts to drag the beggar man's body into the oven, but Revere arrives

Revere then sees the lifeless face clearly for the first time: the beggar man was his husband, Nathaniel

Horrified, Revere accuses Lucien of lying to him

Lucien easily denies it, explaining that Nathaniel did indeed poison herself, but lived and has been under Emani's care. But, with Adrien also in his care now, Nathaniel was able to sneak out at times as a beggar to earn money so he could leave town and find Marc. However, thanks to Emani's lousy care, Nathaniel was left partially blind, which is why he couldn't recognize Marc

Lucien then tells Revere he loves him and would be a better husband than Nathaniel ever could have been

Enraged by his words, Revere attempts to attack him, but Lucien is stronger, and the two struggle for a while until Revere hurls Lucien into the oven, burning him alive

Full of despair and in shock, Revere embraces Nathaniel's lifeless body

Xavier, now insane and his hair turned white, crawls up from the sewer babbling nonsense to himself. He picks up Revere's fallen razor and slits Revere's throat

As Revere falls dead, Adrien, Luka, and some others break into the bakehouse. Xaver, paying them no mind, begins turning the meat grinder, repeating Lucien's previous instructions to him

#sweeney todd #miraculous ladybug #miraculous #nathaniel kurtzberg #marc anciel #marc x nathaniel #answered ask #ask me stuff #just saw this ask

[zenkindoflove]

Sjm ask game: 1, 3, 15

Thanks anon!

1. What's your favorite SJM book?

Hmmm probably ACOWAR? Though ACOSF is close too. ACOWAR has more Elucien so it really plays more into my biases. It's kind of comparing apples to oranges.

3. Who is your favorite character and why?

Lucien. Since he first appeared on page I was curious and enamored with him. I like that he has a tortured past (and present) but is always trying his best not to fall apart and hold everything together. I also like that his characterization feels very multifaceted. He's sassy, witty, and brave but he's also measured, kind, self deprecating, and a romantic. I appreciate that while brave in the face of danger he also doesn't always make the hero's choice. Also he oozes sexy at all times so I'm easily won over by that. Can't say no to a hot red head with a scar.

15. Favorite Archeron sister?

Elain. She fits a character archetype that I gravitate towards and I think the pieces of her we have seen are so fascinating. I also relate to her way of coping with trauma a lot which is to deal inwardly and not make a fuss. And try to move on and throw myself into helping others to avoid what's going on with me. I have a very specific vision of her based on this so I'm curious to see if my interpretation holds up once we get her book. I should say though I also adore Nesta. Been in love with her since she shook her iron bracelet at the Children of the Blessed and never wavered.

Sjm fandom ask game

#sjm fandom ask #anon ask

[dracolichbitch]

So thanks to @arnaerr and @lucien-lachance I’m totally enamored with the idea of lawyer Lucien so here’s him defending a TOTALLY innocent bitey

The sights and sounds of the court room were as familiar to him as the air he breathed. In the end, every court room was the same, as was the role he chose to play within them. Lucien had long ago forsaken the naive notions of right or wrong, of innocent or guilty. The only thing that mattered within these four walls wasn’t even what you could prove, but what you could make the jury believe. And he was nothing if not convincing.

“Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, you’ve been called here to serve judgment over what is being lauded as a heinous crime, but I am here to tell you that while such a crime is being committed, my client is the victim, not the perpetrator.” He began as he usually did when representing her. How many times has he defended her at this point? He wasn’t sure. He long since lost track. Enough times that his defense of her was a well oiled machine. He knew exactly what to say and how to say it to pull the heart strings of the jury, and make them sympathize with her.

Everyone wants to be a hero on the side of Justice. He noted as his eyes passed each member of the jury as he spoke the same impassioned words every time before falling on his client, who, much to his amusement and annoyance was wearing her favorite shirt about eating her enemies. It sure would make it easier if she wouldn’t wear that shirt every time though.

“Are we still trapped in the second era? As the last time I checked, merely being afflicted with lycanthropy is no longer a crime, and my client, Professor Zaire Rhapsodos, is a model example of what a citizen with lycanthropy should be. She is well respected by her colleagues in the conservation community, and has always strived to educate those who were not as fortunate as her to have attended higher education to learn about the important roles predators play in our ecosystem. She has always managed her condition appropriately, and has learned how to contribute to society even with it playing an active role in her every day life.”

His eyes slid over to Bitey once again, and he swore mentally when he saw that face she was making. It was that one she always wore when she was trying not to snicker and grin like the cat that ate the family canary.

At least she’s not outright giggling like she used to.

“But because of her condition, and her fondness for tongue in cheek attire,”

That I desperately wish she wouldn’t wear to court and just wear the suit I got her for this express purpose.

Lucien continued, “law enforcement has seen fit to harass her every time a rancher, or hunter, or really anyone who spends a degree of time outdoors happens to go missing, and their bodies are later found. Despite the fact that every time the bodies are found, they’ve decomposed to the point that no cause of death can be discerned. Some of you may be wondering why would she be accused so many times if she were innocent, and I ask of you, have you ever spoken to a person with lycanthropy before? Because I have, and I assure you, anyone you ask will tell you the same story. Anytime livestock is taken, or a hunter goes missing, they are the first to be blamed. When one lives with lycanthropy, they must not only contend with the phases of the moon, they must also contend with the backwards and bigoted beliefs of their countrymen, many of which cannot be convinced that they could ever possibly be innocent, and that anything that might happen, it must’ve been their fault.”

Lucien took his time staring into the eyes of each of the jury as he walked around the courtroom, making sure his words really sank in, before returning to the courtroom.

“The prosecutors have nothing. They have no cause of death. No motive. No evidence. The only thing they have is an easy scapegoat in a werewolf who does not live with her head bowed in shame like they think she should. I want you to keep that in mind, as while their victim is indeed a victim of nature, and his death was a tragedy, my client is a victim as well. A victim of fear as old as time itself.”

With those words he finished his statement and took his seat once again. A dart of his eyes over to the woman at his side revealed that she was finally restraining her smile better and instead wore a somber look that quite reminded him of a kicked puppy. She wore that expression like a mask for the rest of the trial, occasionally averting her eyes when the prosecution showed pictures of the grisly remains of the victim. That expression, which she dropped the moment she walked through the door of her apartment, tossing her keys on the coffee table as she headed straight to the kitchen.

In its place she wore a sadistic grin, the sharp points of her canines bared for only him to see.

“Another flawless victory. I must say, you really are a miracle worker, Lucien.” She snickered deviously, turning to face him as he followed her into the white tiled kitchen.

“I’m inclined to agree with you, considering you don’t make it easy.” Lucien stated dryly, setting his brief case on the kitchen table.

Immediately, silver eyes like a blade flickered to the black leather case.

“Business before dinner, I take it?” She asked slyly, dark mischief gleaming in her predator’s eyes, and Lucien could see her pupils narrow into slits at the mere thought of the hunt.

“Business always comes first.” He flicked open the latch before pulling out a plain Manila file. “I helped you with your case. Now help me with mine.”

Bitey’s grin widened. “Of course. Just show me who my prey is.”

There were many who didn’t see why he’d suffer the dent to his reputation in constantly defending her, but they both knew what the rest of the world didn’t.

Lucien Lachance always won his cases. No matter the cost.

#oc: bitey #lucien lachance

[kagedbird]

TESSDE "AU" (+ Taliesin but he's not here lol) - Lightly suggestive content warning! - Allora: *face flushed red as Kaidan kisses along her neck, struggling to maintain her composure as his hands trail lovingly across her sides* U-um- K- ha- Kai- Kaidan: *lightly hums in question, kissing up to her jaw and lips, hands settling just so on her sides* Allora: *pulls back and cackles, pushing his hands away from her and curling up in the fetal position* Ohmuygodpleasehahahaha! Kaidan: *bewildered as he watches his partner absolutely lose it while he was trying to show his affection for her, confused, not hurt* Somethin' about my kissin'? Allora: *pants and struggles to speak for a good minute, wiping tears from her eyes* I'm- I'm ticklish on my sides... oh my god... Kaidan: *slowly grins as his hands raise up* Oh aye? Allora: Don't you fucking- hahah- don't-! Kaidan Khim, don't you dare! Kaidan: Usin' my full name lass? Must be serious. Couldn't imagine what would happen if I- *easily slides her by her legs to him and tickles her sides, not even minding that she squeals sharply in response* Allora: *struggles to "fight" him off, laughing hysterically and begging for mercy* PleASEPLEASEOHMYGODAHHAHST-STOPHAHAHAHA Kaidan: *grins as he captures her hands and holds them over her head, looming over her* Quick to fold to "torture" there, lass. Enjoying yerself? Allora: *not at all being serious* Fuh- fuck you.... Kaidan: *snickers* I mean, if you're up for it. Allora: *groans, rolling her eyes* I cannot believe you're being so mean to me. On my birthday. Kaidan: Ah, c'mon now, it's not so bad, right? *kisses her neck again, humming a note of delight* Allora: *grumbles and squirms, feeling too flustered* Mean... Kaidan: Take it as punishment fer scarin' the daylights outta me with Lucien earlier, ey? Thought he'd actually gone and married you without tellin' anyone for a good few seconds there. Allora: Like I would ever allow that. If we ever decide on that, that's a group thing. *pauses* Do you guys even like... allow that? Kaidan: *confused how kissing has gone to wedding talk* Er... allow what? Allora: Multiple people being married together. Kaidan: Might have t'find a specific priest for it, but aye. Doubt Mara would be against anythin' you do, firstly, and second, would want to prevent anyone from bein' with who they loved. S'kinda her thing. Allora: Mm... another thing this world has over my own. *gently slips her wrists free from his hold and wraps her arms around his shoulders* ...I love you. Kaidan: *feels his heart flutter and gives her a soft, enamored look* I love you too. Allora: Kissy? Kaidan: *snorts* Yer as bad as Taliesin. Allora: Oh? *raises an eyebrow* Should I go see what he's up to then? Kaidan: *scowls, nipping her shoulder* No. Yer mine for right now. Allora: *snickers* You're all so possessive in your own little ways. It's kind of cute. Kissies please~ Kaidan: "Cute." I'll show you "cute..." *kisses her softly on her lips, keeping her quiet from giving any more snarky responses and enjoying his time with her*

#don't perceive me here shut up just shush it's FINE #I'M A SIMP GOD DAMN IT #It's MY birthday and I get to smooch my blorbos #Kaidan Khim #Kaidan Skyrim #Allora #Dragonborn oc #Skyrim #tes #Shorts #TESSDE AU #Suggestive #Lightly suggestive #ougughhghh

[lordofthestrix]

Continued from (x)

"I find nothing terribly unrealistic in the beckoning allures of a dark ecstasy. In a heart's primal, terrible yearning to be devoured with abominable hunger. What I oppose is the fragility and uninterrupted submission your mask to be responds with whenever confronted with the brutish commands of such mediocre excuse for an immortal. From the point of view of the narrative, your obedient relinquish exists so the leading lady is afflicted with spying eyes inside her own home. In practice, it turns you into a sort of Lucy Westenra without the kindness of her insomnia or Dracula's charms as her excuse." A look of derision made its way to the script resting at the table. No doubt lesser vampires would take delight in the sycophantic variation of the archetype. Feasting upon some defenseless silhouette after the spectacle while basking in how above they were to the surrounding humans. Pathetic and miserable showmanship of overcompensating egos. The name Lucien acted as a passing thought. Summoned due to its associated accuracy but soon discarded like unimportant things were. Tristan took no pleasure in that caricature of the ordinary creature of the night and his tamed, lovesick servant. Their species were not fate. Regardless of who he was now, his human days hadn't addressed the first vampires as the plague invading his home they had been so the world would believe all mortals were equally destined to kneel at the feet of a natural predator. All he saw among those pages was thin characterization and an offensive squandering of Marguerite's acting prowess. "The mere fact that you are, as soon as the meeting glimpse, so hopelessly enamored with..." With whom? Perchance there was a seed of potential there. His gaze returned to the actress in the exploration of the possibility. "Very well. Let's say that you are indeed the naive damsel who meets the ancient monster under the starry skies. Let's say that from the instant you recognize what he is, the eldritch lengths of that famelic thirst, the pure inevitability of that desire, you fall under the spell of its nature. Under the vampire's spell. But not of the man he is. The man you recognize in all of his flaws. That starry-eyed, subservient disposition your dialogue is so often accompanied with doesn't belong to him but to the primogenial dark phantom inhabiting his essence. His witless machinations and ogrish temperament you contemplate as the result of the human he once was. A superficial attire your vampire is forced to wear. It is what dwells within you are fascinated with. Your fantasy. And under that light, suddenly your lines can be granted new and complex profundity." A hand seemed to invite a spotlight over Marguerite. "A dark question begging to be asked at the quid of every scene the audience hears him barking orders in your direction if they care to notice. A question emerging out of a look from your eyes he misses after you are done swearing yourself to his will or a curvature of your lips at the right moment: Who is the one genuinely holding the other's leash here?" He proposed his alternative with a meaningful gaze. "You reckon that interpretation could give you more to play with while finding her voice?" @noblehcart

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