#I think miss veil jumper needs to be kissed next...

[nyxorra]

RIRRILL "ROOK" THORNE (they/them) their sacrifices are mourned by those beyond

[fanfictionfansmiction]

Call Me

Here is a Sirius X Reader which is another modern AU where he’s gone radio silent for two weeks and he finally calls you asking to come over. It’s very sweet and shorter than what I normally post also the writing style is a little different. Again if you have any requests for me please do send them in! 

Word Count: 1087

The room was cold. Bundled up in sheets and blankets wouldn’t stop it from biting at your skin. All alone again. It took everything you had not to check your phone. Had he called? Did he finally respond? You outstretched a sore arm to tap the screen to life. Its light cast a ghostly veil of white over your messy room. Still no message. You had two options; wait for him to contact you or you could phone him. He might not pick up but if you got through to his outgoing message at least you’d get to hear his voice. If only for a few seconds. Maybe it would help you sleep. Sirius had gone radio silent two weeks ago. Funnily enough it had been two weeks since you got any real sleep.  

“Where are you?” you whispered pulling the duvet over your head squeezing your eyes shut.

BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ

“Too early.” You croaked throwing your weight to the opposite side of the bed intending to snooze your alarm. But you stopped, it was still dark outside. You didn’t have to be up until nine and your clock read 5:30 so instead of hitting your phone you checked to see what it was.  

Incoming call: SIRIUS  

The tiredness fogged your brain delaying your response. The call rang through allowing you to see the notification on your phone.  

Five missed calls: SIRIUS

New Voicemail

You lightly tapped on the voicemail bringing the phone to your ear. The first message played. All he said was your name, he said it so softly you almost convinced yourself it wasn’t real. Then the next message played.  

“I just realised you’re probably asleep. No more early shifts. I was just calling to tell you I’m… I…. uh. Call me back. Please.”  

He sounded lost. Not enough light in his voice to be your Sirius. The next message played.  

“I love you. Please call me back.”  

No more messages. So, you called him.  

It rang once, twice and then he picked up. He said your name like he was wishing.  

“Hey stranger.” You said, your voice croaky and strained.  

A small laugh made its way to you.  

“I’m sorry.” He uttered. “I just needed some time. I know its early but is there any chance I can come over?”  

You sighed, visibly relaxing at the sound of his voice.  

“Of course, you can.”

“I’ll be over in twenty minutes. Thank you love.”  

Sitting up in bed you switch on your bedside light taking in how chaotic your room had gotten over the past few weeks. You sluggishly throw your dirty clothes into your hamper and attempt to clear some of the stuff on your floor. Pulling a jumper on you make your way into the kitchen to make yourself a cup of tea.  

Just as the kettle finished boiling you hear a small rap at the front door. You pad your way to the front door switching on the lights as you do. Through the frosted glass you see him. His raven hair a mess and his skin paling from stress. You turn the key and push down on cold handle. You pull him into you before he has a chance to register you. You can smell the chill on his cold leather jacket. Sirius relaxes and tightens his arms around you as he buries his face into your hair.  

He lifts you off the ground locking your front door and carrying you into your bedroom as you lightly dust his cool face with kisses. Hot tears roll quietly down his face. He lowers you down on the bed and removes his jacket and shoes before joining you. You tug him closer toward you holding him tight.  

“I missed you love.” He says, you can feel his heart beating.  

“What happened Sirius?” You ask lowly.  

“It was my Father. He died.” he paused, “I didn’t think it would bother me.” He paused again mulling over his wording of what he was about to say. “I needed some time, I was staying with Reg. He told me that Mother wanted to talk to me. Right now, I’m not sure if I want to talk about it but I had enough of being away from you.” Another long pause that was filled with a soft kiss. “It made me realise something.” He uttered. “I don’t really ever want to be away from you. And what I’m about to say… or… or ask might seem a bit soon. I know that we’ve talked about it before. And I went to see the boys before I came here.” He perked up, “they just kept saying how they never thought they’d here me say something like that. If it were three years ago, they would have thought I’d gone mad. But since meeting you. Since being with you I’ve changed. I want to keep changing with you love. And I don’t have a ring right now. I’m not even sure if we’d be able to afford a wedding. So, I’m not asking you to marry me right now. But I am asking you if you want to live with me. In the same place but also would you like to live with me for as long as we can live together?” He asked pulling away looking deeply into your eyes.  

“If these two weeks have taught me anything, it's that I want to be with you in any way you let me. So yes, Sirius, I do want to live with you. In every sense of the word.” you say.  

“Thank god for that.” Sirius laughs kissing you deeply.  

Two of you lay there through the morning watching the golden sun rise and stream its way into your room. Tightly you hold each other whispering promises of love between the deep kisses exchanged. He trails his hands along you back so delicate as though he’s afraid of hurting you. You make sure to tell him you know he’ll never hurt you. He tells you the same. The two of you ignore when your alarm goes off telling you it’s time to go to work. Sirius tells you that you should probably call them to say you aren’t going to make it in. You say only if he promises he won’t leave your side as you do. The two of fall in and out of sleep throughout the day, until the both of you finally fall to sleep, both sleeping better than you both have in weeks.  

[seasonofthewicth]

A Groovy Kind of Love - Chapter 16

AN: This chapter was heavily inspired by a scene from Queen of Shadows, but as this is a throne of glass fic I hope you’ll all enjoy! Happy holidays!

masterlist - ao3 - my askbox

-- 

The following week could only be described as bliss. 

Aelin barely registered the time passing, swept up in a haze of Rowan. The haze of his presence, his conversation, his touch.

Everything about him was exciting now in a way that was different than it had been before. Spending time in the bar as a group was a regular occurrence while Rowan had shifts, but now each night they visited she made sure to curl her hair and prime her makeup just so. She wanted to look her best, even though these nights still weren’t their long-awaited first date. 

Rowan had promised her it was coming, if she could be patient enough to wait for the next weekend when they were both free. She had barely been able to agree, desperately excited after the tease that had been the last weekend. 

Their group dinner had only made her crave time alone with Rowan more. And the kiss they had shared… 

His kiss had been powerful, a sharp contrast to the gentleness with which he had cradled her face. He had teased and taunted her with his tongue and his hands, he had used his fingers to trail a burning path down her sides before coming to rest leisurely at her waist. 

Their kiss had made her dizzy, had made her head spin so fast she struggled to comprehend thoughts other than the sensation of his lips against her own and the hard length of his body crowding her against the wall. 

It had been almost impossible to separate, and she knew had he kissed her again after their goodnight she wouldn’t have been able to leave his side. She would have drawn him into her bedroom and kicked off her shoes. She would have peeled the soft jumper that he wore up until it was lashed somewhere in the corner of her bedroom, only pausing for a moment to mourn the delicious contrast it provided with his golden skin. Aelin was sure a shirtless Rowan would have more than made up for the loss. 

She had admitted to herself a long time ago that she wanted him. Bad. 

Now she stood in front of her class, desperately trying to claw her way back to the train of thought she had been on before her mind had been invaded by the thought of Rowan and his broad chest, the planes of toned muscle she knew were beneath his usual flannel shirts. 

Her mouth was dry. 

Gods, she needed to get a grip. She was standing in front of a room full of children. 

“Miss G?” A student asked, and Aelin was dragged brutally back down to earth. 

She cleared her throat and shot a glance to the clock on her classroom wall. “Yes, um, we’ll continue this tomorrow. Take lunch five minutes early, happy Friday.”

This wasn’t like her at all, and her students wore expressions of wary appreciation. She was never going to find her momentum again with the five minutes remaining in the period. “See you all next week.”

With that the class dispersed, not to look a gift horse in the mouth, and within seconds her classroom was empty. She shook her head with a slight laugh and turned around to collapse into the chair waiting behind her desk. Aelin fished around in her small handbag to draw out her phone. 

Her phone screen bore a number of notifications, one a text from Lysandra with a link and a number of heart emojis, Aelin would get to that later. The notification that widened her smile was a text from Rowan. 

Busy? was all his message read, and Aelin didn’t hesitate before tapping the call icon at the top of her screen.

“Hello, you.” Aelin could hear the smile in his voice as the call connected. 

“Hello,” She sang, unashamed in the smile that crossed her own face. There was an intimacy in his greeting that she revelled in. “What’s up?”

“You called me.”

She bit her lip at his tone of voice. Rowan Whitethorn a tease? Who knew. 

“I did. I thought your text implied you wanted to talk… I must have been wrong. I guess I’ll go.” 

Aelin leaned back in her chair and kicked her feet up onto her desk, if her phone had a cord she would have been twirling it through her fingers. 

“Alright, see you later.” Rowan’s voice was calm through the speakers of her phone and Aelin immediately dropped her feet back off the table as she scoffed. 

Rowan’s returning laughter was loud, the sound deep and rich that struck something in her stomach. Aelin couldn’t play offended for long as he spoke again. 

“I wanted to check in with you, it’s just me and Aedion in the loft today.”

Aelin knew his meaning immediately and she bit her lip for an entirely new reason. 

“Oh,” She said carefully. She needed a moment to think. 

The proposed ending of their relative secrecy was something she had delayed contemplating so far. 

Aelin had enjoyed the sneaking around she and Rowan had shared. Only a couple of nights ago she had joined Rowan and her other roommates on the sofa in their living room while they watched a football game. Aelin had slipped herself in between Rowan and Aedion casually, and the sharp look Rowan shot her when she had made sure her crossed legs pressed along one of his own had sent a flicker of heat curling through her. 

Rowan had adjusted himself, leaning further back into the cushions and uncurling his arm along the back of the seat behind her. Aelin hadn’t seen her cousin or either of her other roommates bat an eyelid at the movement, so she had allowed herself to lean backwards into the sofa, resting her head in the crook of Rowan’s elbow. 

Rowan had smiled down at her, another one of those smiles that said ‘we know something they don’t’ with the corners of his lips twisting in an almost unbearably attractive way, and it had left her attempting to hide her own smile behind a curtain of her hair.  

Aelin thought that maybe she understood Lysandra some more now. 

The secrecy was exciting, and the risk she felt when she trailed a finger along the band of skin between the hem of Rowan’s t-shirt and the waistband of his trousers set loose a cloud of butterflies in her stomach. He had been standing in the kitchen, talking with Aedion, and she hadn’t been able to resist teasing him. She had barely grazed her finger along the slim path of exposed skin but Rowan had tensed, delightfully responsive to her touch, and grabbed her hand below the counter, out of Aedion’s line of sight. 

Aelin didn’t think Aedion had noticed the tension in his friend, or the tightness of his voice as they continued their conversation, but Aelin had. She wanted to do it again, and was desperate to find any excuse she could to touch him. 

She was sure Rowan felt the same, even though it had taken him a little while to relax into the flirty exchanges. Just yesterday morning, as she had been about to leave the loft with Fenrys to journey to the school, Rowan had twisted a lock of her hair around his finger and tugged, ever so slightly. Aelin knew the blush she had worn at the gesture was fierce and she had shot a glance at Fenrys immediately afterwards, but he had seemed blissfully unaware of what had transpired between his roommates. 

“Aelin?” Rowan’s voice broke the silence, and she realised she had been silent for more than a moment, lost again in the visions of Rowan and the sensation of his skin against her own. 

“Yes, um, well.” She paused again to collect her thoughts. She’d have to get to Lysandra before Aedion did, but Rowan clearly felt ready to tell his best friend. Aelin squeezed her eyes tightly shut, thanking the gods there was no one around to see her smile. “Enjoy your day with him.”

“Yeah?” Rowan’s voice was soft as he double checked. 

“Yeah.” She drew her eyes open finally and glanced around her classroom as she braced a hand along the desk in front of her. “Make sure when you talk about me it’s all bad things.”

Rowan laughed. “I’m sure Aedion probably has worse on you than me.”

“Maybe.” She shrugged even though he couldn’t see. “For now at least.”

Rowan’s breath hitched and he only said her name. “Aelin.”

She loved the sound of her name on his lips. She wanted to hear it again and again. 

Movement caught her eye in the doorway to her classroom and Nehemia appeared waving a Tupperware container in the air. Aelin held one finger up in the air and then pointed to where she held her phone to her ear. Nehemia flashed her a thumbs up then disappeared back around the corner. 

“I have to go,” She said, already regretting the words, talking to Rowan was the highlight of her day. “But have a good talk with Aedion. I’ll see you later.”

“Of course,” Rowan sounded just as disappointed as she at the end of their conversation. “I’ll see you later.”

“Bye.”

Aelin ended the call and quickly gathered her things before joining Nehemia in the corridor. 

“And who was that getting you smiling like that?” Her friend asked with a knowing smirk. 

“Stop,” Aelin laughed as she led the way to the breakroom. 

-- 

Aedion sauntered into the kitchen and strolled over to the fridge before taking out a bottle of juice. He nodded to Rowan where he sat at the breakfast bar and Rowan steeled himself. 

Aelin had given her blessing for him to come clean to Aedion, even through the heavy veiling of their conversation, and it was something he had been waiting to talk to his best friend about. He just wasn’t sure how to broach the subject. 

“I’ve got a bone to pick with you,” wasn’t quite the approach he had intended to take. 

Aedion only turned, a golden eyebrow raised as he continued to swig juice from the bottle. He stood unashamedly shirtless in their kitchen, only a pair of almost threadbare joggers hanging low on his hips protected his modesty. 

After living with him for years, it wasn’t a sight unfamiliar to Rowan. Fenrys was worse, he would often stroll about the loft naked, and Rowan counted himself lucky once Aelin had moved in and Fenrys had been forced to cover up.

“Oh please do tell,” his friend laughed. 

Rowan narrowed his eyes at him, and Aedion’s smirk only grew as he placed the bottle down on the counter between them. 

“You crashed my date at the weekend.”

“Date?” Aedion laughed disbelievingly. “With who?”

“Whom.”

“Fuck you.”

Rowan only cocked his head and waited for the penny to drop. It didn’t take long. 

“Wait.” Aedion dropped himself onto the stool opposite Rowan. “No fucking way.”

Rowan nodded, now playing with a jagged piece of skin around the edge of his nail. 

“To be clear, you do mean Aelin?” Aedion leant forwards to Rowan and braced a hand against the counter.

“Yep,” Rowan said, hardly blinking as he looked towards his friend. 

His friend took another moment, before bursting into a loud explosion of laughter. Rowan waited for it to pass. 

“You and Aelin? On a date?” 

“Yes,” Rowan bristled. This wasn’t the reaction he had anticipated either. “Why is that so hard to believe?”

“Ro, man. It’s not hard to believe.” Aedion shook his head. “What’s hard to believe is that you seem to be pretending this is new.”

“What?” 

This was new. Everything with Aelin felt so new and exciting. The thought of her made his heart race, made his head spin. 

“What do you mean what? Now I’m confused,” Aedion said, playing with the cap of his bottle. “Is this new?”

“Yes, that’s why I’m telling you about it now.” Rowan had thought that much was clear. 

“Oh, shit, man.” Aedion laughed again, now rolling the bottle cap between his fingers. “Sorry for crashing your date then.”

Rowan shrugged again, it was done now, and he had big plans for their next weekend together. 

Aedion spoke again, seemingly brimming full of questions. “Is this serious? Are you going on another date?”

“Yes to the second question, maybe to the first.”

“Why maybe? Tell me you’re not messing with her, this is exactly what I wanted to avoid.”

A sliver of steel had crept into Aedion’s voice at the thought. 

“No, no of course not.” Rowan spoke quickly, flustered at the idea that he in any way wanted to play with Aelin. Well, unless she wanted to play the way she had been recently. Driving him crazy taking any opportunity to put her hands on him. 

She seemed to like doing while they weren’t alone, and it sent a thrill through him every time. The knowledge that Aelin’s hands were on him just out of sight of his roommates was exhilarating, the feeling of her pressed against him was invigorating. 

“Good,” Aedion said, placing the bottle cap flat on the top of the counter. He took a moment to consider his next words before smiling at Rowan with a predatory grin. “You need help to plan then?”

“Plan what?” Rowan asked, returning the smile gently but still somewhat confused. 

“Your date with Aelin.”

“You’re alright with this then?” He knew whichever way Aedion’s answer went he wouldn’t change his mind, it would just be nice to hear his friend’s support. 

Aedion laughed again. “You know as well as I do that we have no say in whatever Aelin does.”

Rowan nodded along and Aedion continued. 

“If she wants to date you, she will. I’m happy for you, I think you’ll be good for each other, hopefully she can whip you into shape.” 

Rowan flashed him the middle finger, but Aedion still wasn’t done. 

“I’ll just have to pretend I don’t know what will be happening on that side of the loft,” He winced. “Or what’s already happened.”

Rowan shook his head slightly and Aedion smirked. 

“Just treat her right, or I’ll have to kick your ass. I won’t want to, even though you barely work out you could probably beat me, but I’ll be looking out for her.”

“Right.” Rowan wiped his damp palms along his trousers under the counter. 

“And I love you man, but if she hurts you you’re on your own. She could definitely kick my ass.” 

Aedion laughed and Rowan couldn’t help the bark of laughter that escaped him too. 

“Thanks,” Rowan said sarcastically. “And I think I’m alright, I already know what I’m going to do.”

-- 

“This feels like a kidnapping.”

Rowan laughed where he stood holding the car door open for her. He had asked her to meet him in the parking garage under their apartment building where his car was waiting. He seemed to have managed to persuade Aedion to share the one spot allocated to the loft for one day. 

“It’s not a kidnapping,” He told her, his eyes bright in the dim lighting of the garage. 

Aelin pretended to look around, her eyes widened dramatically. 

“I don’t know,” She paused as she rested a hand along the top of the car door. She was going to get in, she just wanted to tease him first. “Dark parking garage, no one else around, taking me to an unknown location…”

“Okay,” Rowan said, his tone filled with amusement. “It’s a kidnapping, and I had really thought you wanted to go on a date with me.”

Aelin knew he was joking from the smirk he wore, but she still rushed to reassure him. She did want to go on a date with him, she had been waiting for this moment for almost two weeks, but each time she was with Rowan it was too much fun to flirt with him to pass up an opportunity. 

“I do, I do! But you have to admit this is kidnap-y.” She said as she almost threw herself into the passenger seat of his car and she heard his laugh as he pushed the door shut and crossed the car to slide in next to her. 

“Ready to go?” He asked her as he buckled his seat belt. 

His expression was so light and so happy that she couldn’t respond for a moment. Even in the short time she had known Rowan she had noticed the change in him. His smiles came more easily, as did his laughter, and Aelin never wanted them to stop. 

“Ready,” She said finally and her voice came out past a catch in her throat. 

Rowan only smiled again as he turned to start the car. 

-- 

They drove for longer than Aelin had expected. She had thought he was taking her for another meal somewhere in the city but they had long since left the busy streets of the city behind. They drove through quieter roads now, lined with towering verges, filled with masses of wildflowers. There were blends of pinks and purples and greens and she watched out the window, entranced, at the sights that flew by.

She made sure to sneak regular glances over at Rowan who drove with one hand on the wheel and the other braced along the open window. The sleeves of the shirt he wore were pushed up to his elbows, allowing her eyes access to trace the paths of ink up his skin. Before him, Aelin had never considered herself particularly keen on tattoos, they were fine, just not for her, but the lines of elegant black ink worked well on Rowan, even more so now that she knew the meaning behind them. 

The breeze swirling in through the open window tickled his silver hair, sending it flopping down across his forehead and swooping back up off his face. He looked completely at ease in the gentle sunlight, his smile wide and easy, with his golden skin glowing in the clean light. 

They were far closer to the coast now and Aelin could smell the brine in the air, she could hear the calls of the gulls that swept in along the cliffs of the beaches. The coast always filled her with a childlike glee, and the smells and sounds transported her back to the trips she made with her parents as a child, the years of visits they paid Aedion and her other cousins in Wendlyn. 

He finally pulled up in a small space allocated for parking at the side of one of the roads overlooking the beach. Aelin could see miles of shining sand and sparkling sea and she could make out small groups of people enjoying the last of the summer sunshine. 

There were couples strolling down the sand, holding hands between themselves, and there were groups of children staring down into the small pools of water that were trapped in the rocks at the base of the cliffs. 

It was stunning, and she knew the smile she wore as she took it all in was blinding. 

“The beach?” She asked through her smile. 

“Is that okay?” Rowan asked with a hint of nervousness in his tone. He broke their eye contact to step out of the car and Aelin followed.

“Rowan, it’s perfect. It’s gorgeous.”

Aelin wasn’t lying. She had been looking forward to their dinner last week, but this trip was incredible. It tugged in her chest that he had thought to bring her here. 

Rowan smiled again, almost bashfully, as he met her at the front of the car. He held a hand out to her and she revelled in the feeling of linking her fingers between each of his. 

“We’ll get to the beach later, there’s one place I want to take you first.” 

Aelin squeezed his fingers between her own as he began to lead her down the street. Every time she formed an expectation of Rowan he smashed right through it. 

It didn’t take them long to reach his next surprise. The journey had only taken a couple of minutes of wandering slowly down the seaside path and each moment had been a delightful release of a breath. The feeling of the sunlight on her skin and the sea breeze through her hair didn’t compare to the feeling of Rowan’s hand in her own or his presence at her side. 

He led her away from the beach and into a small, rustic looking, town with small buildings that each looked over a hundred years old. They had an aged charm to them with white walls and wooden beams decorating their fronts and the cobbles of the street they walked down were enchanting in the way they were worn down after years of people travelling the same path Aelin took now. 

At the end of the street the space opened out into a large square filled with stalls and tents, the streets were busy but not overcrowded and there was an air of chatter filling the space. 

“Rowan, what is this?” She asked. 

“I found this place when I first moved to Adarlan. They have a market here every month where the people in the town come to sell their goods. There’s all kinds; food, drinks, trinkets. There’s usually a man who sells really great pan-fried trout. I get a piece every time I come.”

“Rowan,” She breathed as she came to a stop and turned to face him. “This is amazing.”

Aelin was almost overwhelmed, and flattered, that he had planned to bring her here and share this with her. 

“I know, now come on. You have to try this guy’s fish.”

Aelin winced. The market was incredible, a spectacle of wholesomeness and she couldn’t wait to explore, but she was sceptical of the fish. 

“Trust me,” Rowan said with a smile as he tugged her into the heart of the market. 

Aelin gaped in awe at each of the rows of stalls, Rowan hadn’t been wrong. There was something for everyone to be found within the maze of stalls. They had passed a stall with hand knitted scarves and she knew her mom would love one for Christmas. There was a stall, manned by a young woman, selling bottles of freshly made lemonade that she made with the lemons grown in her garden. 

Aelin had spent a long while speaking with the girl, jealous of the space the young woman described that bore endless varieties of the fruit. Aelin bought herself and Rowan a bottle of the sweet drink and the taste had matched perfectly with their stroll through the seaside town. 

Rowan took her to the stall with the man selling the trout, he was an older man who was openly friendly with everyone, and he had even clapped Rowan on the shoulder when they approached. Aelin had been reluctant to try the fish but she had discovered that it was delicious, and she had finished off her own portion in minutes before stealing bites of Rowan’s own. 

Aelin was full on freshly made food and drink and the time spent with Rowan as they strolled through the grids of stalls. She was relaxed and satiated and looking forward to the romantic walk along the beach Rowan had promised her once they were finished at the market. 

They were heading towards the exit when Aelin spotted a stall she knew she would have been devastated to miss. An older lady sat perched on a rickety wooden stool, smiling at each person who passed. Aelin offered her own smile as they passed, but it was the lady’s wares that had caught her eye. 

There were rows and rows of delicate little chocolates, some covered in dustings of pink, dried raspberries, some covered in the green dustings of pistachios, some white, some dark. Aelin’s mouth almost watered at the sight. 

She tugged Rowan over to the stall and he followed easily, smiling a knowing smile as he took in where she was leading him. 

“Do you have anything chocolate and hazelnut?” She asked the woman hopefully. 

The woman smiled, the lines at the corners of her eyes deepening as she took Aelin and her question in. “Of course, I have some chocolate hazelnut truffles.”

“Perfect, please may I take ten.”

“Of course.”

Aelin felt Rowan watching her as she waited for her treats to be bagged up. 

“Ten?” He asked. 

“Ten is a very reasonable number of chocolates,” She told him. “Especially for two people.”

“Aelin,” He chuckled. “That’s very kind but I’m alright. I don’t want to eat your chocolates.” 

Aelin whirled to him, outraged. 

“Of course you do! Who doesn’t eat chocolates?” 

She caught the stall owner smiling at their exchange. 

“Me, Aelin. They’re far too sweet.”

Aelin shook her head as she turned back to the stall owner who held out the bag of sweet treats. Aelin handed over the money with a smile and a grateful thank you. 

“I put an extra one in there for you, he reminds me of my husband back in the day,” The woman told her. “He would pretend until his last breath that he didn’t want my chocolates, but I could always taste them in his kisses.”

Aelin smiled and glanced back to Rowan, who wore a slight pink tint on his cheeks at the woman’s words. 

“Thank you,” She said again. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”

The woman laughed and bid them farewell as they turned to head down onto the beach, chocolate truffles in hand. 

As they walked, barefoot along the sand, Rowan graciously carrying both of their shoes, Aelin popped a couple into her mouth, unable to hold in her moan at the taste. Rowan’s gaze had snapped to her face at the sound, his stare heavy and intense in a way that she craved, but he made no move to kiss her. 

She held out a truffle to him but he shook his head. “Come on, Rowan. I know you want one.”

“I really don’t,” He shook his head. “Save them for yourself.”

Aelin parked her feet deeply in the soft sand and turned to face him. She held the sweet treat up to his lips with her lips pursed in expectation. 

“Aelin,” was all he said, but she just waited. 

Finally he opened his mouth and she placed the sweet treat between his lips. He chewed in silence before smiling down at her again. She had never seen him smile so much, and with the backdrop of the setting sun and the soundtrack of the crashing waves she couldn’t help herself from leaning up to press her lips to his. 

His lips were warm and pliant as she kissed him, and his hands came up quickly to wrap around  her waist. She held tightly to the bag of sweets in her left hand as she brought her right up to cradle his face to her own. 

Their kiss deepened as Rowan’s tongue darted gently into her mouth, leaving her toes curling into the sand as she sank into him. The lady was right, he tasted of chocolate and hazelnut and she smiled through their kiss. 

She pulled back to gaze up at him, losing herself in the deep green of his eyes and the feeling of his arms wrapped tightly around her. 

“Thank you, for today,” She whispered. 

Rowan only pressed his lips back to her own.

-- 

Rowan had never imagined that his and Aelin’s first date could have gone so well. He had hoped that Aelin would enjoy herself, he had known that the market was delightful and that Aelin would have loved the sights of the ancient town and the seaside views, but somehow the reality had exceeded his expectations. 

He hoped, so deeply, that Aelin had enjoyed herself and his heart had lifted at the kiss she shared with him as they stood on the beach. It was a picture perfect moment he wanted to savour, but he couldn’t fight the desire to check in. 

“So, you’ve enjoyed today then?” He asked with his arm around his shoulder as they made their way back to the car. He balanced his trainers with her sandals in his spare hand as the other was linked with Aelin’s where it lay across her shoulders. 

She glanced up at him sharply, concern covering her face. 

“Rowan, are you serious?” She asked. “ I have loved today, it was perfect.”

Her words warmed him like the final rays of sunlight of the day. 

He dropped his arm from her shoulders as they reached the car, but kept their fingers linked as she leaned back against the passenger side door. 

“I just wanted to make sure.” 

He felt satisfied and overjoyed at their day, but he still struggled to believe that Aelin could feel the same. The smile she gave him did well to wash away those thoughts. 

“Rowan,” Her voice was soft as she took him in, seeming to read more on his face than his words gave away. “Rowan, I’m all in.”

“You’re all in.” He repeated softly and Aelin only smiled. A sight so beautiful it caught his breath in his chest.

“All in.” She confirmed and took a step towards him, bringing her free hand up to rest against his chest. She smiled up to him, her mouth set and her gaze unwavering. 

Rowan lifted his hands to rest against her waist, her soft skin and warm curves fitting his hands perfectly, as he smiled widely at her, unable to control the curve his lips adopted. 

“I’m all in too,” He told her as he leaned down to press his lips to hers. 

-- 

tags:

@jesstargaryenqueen​​

@maybekindasortaace​​

@slytheringalathynius​​

@http-itsrebecca​​

@morganofthewildfire​​

@in-love-with-caramel-macchiato​​

@fictional-horan​​

@tottenhamboys20

@dressedindustandshadows​​

@sleeping-and-books​​

@perseusannabeth​​

@ireallyshouldsleeprn​​

@superspiritfestival​​

@aelinfeyreeleven945tbln​​

@spyofthenightcourt​​

@jlinez​​

@queen-of-glass​​

@booknerdproblems​​

@sjmships​​

@elriel4life​​

@bamchickawowow​​

@woollycat22​​

@claralady​​

@illyrianwitchling​​

@SHINYA-HIIRAGI

@fangirlprincess09​​

@darlinminds​​​

@bookittothelibrary1​​ <- this came up as the url please let me know it its not right

@thenerdandfandoms​​​

@danibutterr​

@inthecityair

@autophobiaxx​

[asunafairywizardessheart]

Tomorrow’s Safari

Yukiya/Asana

Requested by: Anon

Summary: On holiday on safari, they enjoy a night camping on the deck of their lodge where the Yukiya’s daughters transform him into a lion. 

“I will never get tired of this view,” from their mountainside apartment holiday lodge a romantic panoramic view of the dry savannah greeted them as the sun set on another day of their family holiday.

Mountains in the distance were shaded in a veil of blue light and curtained by the rainbow effect of the sunlight steadily sinking below the earth. Herds of black horned wildebeest and zebras with pricked ears were silhouetted across the endless meadow of sunburnt grass.

“It’s weird,” Yukiya murmured softly in her ear and circled his arms around her waist.

“What is?” she placed her cool hands over her husband’s as the had a discreet moment alone as their children roasted marshmallows behind them, on the fire pit cleverly built on the deck of their apartment.

Yukiya had one of those realisations that could never be explained, “Well, we see romantic sunsets setting behind the ocean at home, yet here, it is the same sun but it holds a different beauty I have never seen before. Why is that?”

Gazing out at the savannah in the background, with a sea of green tree tops flowing out from underneath their deck to meet the distance plains, she tilted her head in thought at her husband’s question and offered a theory, “Perhaps, we see the sunset at home so much it lost its romantic touch.”

Immediately, he refuted that theory, “I don’t think that’s it,” he kissed her exposed shoulder.

“Then, what?” She tried making sense of whatever was going through his mind.

He had a sound reason to refuse her theory, “How can I be exhausted of looking at something so beautiful every day? I mean, those sunsets were not romantic because I was alone,” his golden-brown eyes, the same shade their two five- and four-year-old daughters, Anastasia and Violet had inherited pierced her pink eyes, the same jewel-rose colour their nine-year-son, Caden had developed.

Even after ten years of marriage, those kinds of unexpected compliments made her blush as she used to when they were still dating and were at the academy, “Why are you looking at me like that?” she averted her gaze and tried to wiggle out of his arms.

“Don’t hide,” he wore a soft smile, “I think it’s cute you still blush like that.”

If her cheeks were warm from his first compliment, they were now burning red-hot from a line like that. Those arms around her tightened but his body felt nice and warm against her skin as a southerly breeze whirled through the mountains.

Within that breeze there was a chill and Asana peered over her shoulder and Yukiya to the kids sitting at the fire pit. Caden carefully watching his younger sisters and teaching them his go-to technique for getting a crispy and melted marshmallow then a burnt one. Aside from his large pink eyes, he was a clone of his father.

Asana could see he was wearing a jumper alongside Violet with her brown hair tied into twin braided tails. Apart from her golden-brown eyes, she was a physical and spiritual copy of her mother. Anastasia, however, hugged her arms around her body to keep warm, “Ana,” as she was nicknamed.

“Yes Mommy?” her golden-brown eyes were shaped like her fathers and along with her dark blue hair and straight lips, her button nose, defined cheekbones and face shape came from her mother.

“Go put a jumper on, I would hate for you to catch a cold while we’re on holiday,” she instructed.

Not disobeying, she disappeared into the inside of the apartment lodge, the entire building made of treated pine where the yellow planks of the nailed wood shined brilliantly in the setting sun. With a noise, the glass door rumbled across the tracks below and in a matter of seconds, Ana raced outside with a jumper covering her exposed arms.

Yukiya and Asana suddenly found greater joy watching their three kids than the sunset sinking behind the vast savannah. “Daddy, you should try it,” Violet ran over to him and offered him a roasted marshmallow that was partially burnt.

“Is that for me?” he knelt to her level and closed his mouth around the gooey sweet.

“Do you like it?” she asked, adorably smiling at him through those round brown eyes and eyelashes which mirrored the shape of her mother’s, the natural winged tip reminding him of the fragility of butterfly wings fluttering in a breeze.

Despite the burnt bits and the goo getting caught around his teeth, it hit the bullseye of his sweet spot, “I love it, thank you,” Yukiya suddenly had a hunger for more, “You kids better go to bed early tonight too.”

“Why?” Caden tilted his head, cutely.

Cushioned with colourful pillows, a long bench circled around the fire to entertain larger crowds. With Violet in his arms, Yukiya and Asana sat opposite their other two with Violet not moving from her father's lap. She impaled another marshmallow on her poke and hovered it over the flickering golden flame.

Yukiya answered his son, “Tomorrow's the safari on the savannah.”

“Already?” not even Asana could believe they were already halfway through their family vacation.

Caden had not even registered tomorrow would be the day they get to journey through the savannah and watch the wilderness with their own eyes rather than through some documentary. Much like their brother, Ana and Violet’s golden-brown eyes sparkled with excitement, “We’ll see lions!” they cheered together.

“Mommy?” peering at her adorably in the warmth of her father’s arms, Violet called out to her.

“What is it sweetie?”

“Do you think I can talk to a lion?” she asked, giving her best lioness grin.

Being the offspring of two taming wizards, Yukiya and Asana, both passed on their talent to understand animals to their children. It was inevitable too, they would learn of their abilities at a younger age than Asana since they were always waiting for their parents, at the animal and magical creature hospital and research facility, tied with the city’s public zoo, when they finished school.

Violet possessed a very energetic and imaginative personality, much like her mother’s that seeing her twisting her face to mimic lioness was as adorable as watching a cub. Ruffling her brown hair as though it was a mane, Asana laughed along with her playfulness, “You remind me sometimes of a little lion cub.”

“How?” she tilted her head confused, not concentrating on her roasting marshmallow.

“Because, you’re a cute like a little cub,” Asana pinched her cute little nose but from the corner of her eye where she could see the flames flickering the impaled powdered sweet caught on fire.

Violet's gaze turned to the burning torch and watched her treat disappear into the flames, “Aw,” she pouted, “I wanted to eat it.” There was something amusing in the way she mourned the loss of her marshmallow that made Yukiya chuckle.

Rasping a hand through her hair, he had an idea. “I know we were thinking of going out tonight but what if we had a campout dinner by the fire?” he suggested, looking across at Caden, Ana then Asana beside him, “It's only a suggestion?”

“It's nice up here,” Caden smiled and nodded.

“Can we roast more marshmallows?” Ana tipped the empty bag over to express they needed more.

“Of course,” Yukiya smiled at her, “We'll go get some supplies.”

Asana being yet to speak but sitting around the fire with her family was a better afternoon than sitting at a restaurant deciding what food to eat off the menu. It wasn't exactly camping but it was close enough to the real thing. With the flickering fire and the warmth radiating from the flames and the savannah becoming one with the darkening skies, it was as perfect as it could get.

Yukiya squeezed her hand. The touch unexpected and off in her own thoughts, she flinched in startle. She turned her head and saw Violet standing behind him and teasing his hair with Ana helping, she couldn't help but laugh, “What's up?”

“Did you want to go to the restaurant?” he misunderstood her silence, perhaps not seeing the proud smile she wore when she stared deep into the flame before her, “We don't have to do what I suggested.”

She shook her head, “No, that's not what I was thinking about.”

Peering over at Caden, he was poking the flame with his stick and glanced up at his sisters making a tangled mess of his father's dark blue hair. Asana faced Yukiya with her unwavering smile, “This is perfect, don't you think?”

His daughters giggled behind him and Caden smirked amusedly, “Mom.”

“I know,” Asana laughed with her son.

“He looks like he's been struck with lightning,” Caden laughed.

Ana poked Yukiya's cheek and suddenly gasped with a good idea, “He's a lion but not yet. He's missing something.”

“I know!” Violet jumped down off the sofa and ran into the inside of the lodge, through to her parents’ room.

Asana turned to Caden, “Will you cone with me to get some supplies?”

“Uh-huh,” he looked across to his father, “Before they give me a makeover too,” he urged.

Violet came running back with a black case in her tiny hands. Somehow, she knew where Asana left her makeup bag within the bathroom inside the suite of the master bedroom. “Daddy, you need to be a lion,” she put the makeup bag on the bench next to him and began searching for something.

“Mom,” Caden tugged on her sleeve, “Let's go to the shops now.”

She could see her son's desperation to leave before he became the target of his sisters makeovers. It was always dangerous when they reached for their mother's makeup bag and Caden always ended up a victim along with Yukiya. Unlike his father, who relaxed and allowed them to paint him like a canvas, Caden didn't enjoy it so much and tried to run away from their deceiving cuteness.

“Will you be right here?” Asana asked Yukiya.

He responded with a lion's roar, “That's lion for yes.”

“You need to be fiercer than that Daddy,” Ana giggled.

“Don't attract real lions, okay,” Asana gave him a kiss and rubbed cheeks with her daughters, like a lioness would rub her head lovingly against her young cubs fur, “Be back soon my cubs.”

Caden had already grabbed his mother's handbag and was standing by the entrance door, “Come on, Mom!” he called, his voice filtered through the glass doors.

“How did he get there so quickly?” his speed to escape his sisters was more amusing than Yukiya's teased hair with the way his straight strands were fuzzed and surrounded his head.

“Be careful,” Yukiya whispered up to her, “Take your wand.”

“Yukiya, I'm just going to the shop next to the lobby,” Asana assured him, “We'll be back soon.”

“Mom!” Caden called impatiently.

Ana giggled and whispered something into her sister's ear. Yukiya and Asana traded glances trying to guess what this big secret was, and whatever Ana had whispered to her Violet giggled and nodded too, “He can be a cub,” Violet whispered.

Asana couldn't help but laugh, her daughters already planning to ambush their big brother when he came back with her from the shops. Although Caden protested whenever they did ambush him for a makeover, he ended up going with the flow eventually because of the time he spent with his younger sisters. Like his father, he had a strong sense of family and usually took on the role of protector whenever his parents weren't around.

Yukiya often saw himself in his son because of his strong sense of family.

“Daddy, what animals will we see tomorrow?” Ana was excited, “Will we see a tiger?”

“What about magic lions?” Violet wondered, “What about a wolf like Wolfy?”

Violet opened the eyeshadow and Ana had a round tube of foundation which matched the fair complexion of her mother. He felt the cool liquid of the foundation hit his skin and the gentle brush of the eyeshadow across his eyelids.

“We won't see tigers,” as they applied makeup, Yukiya was prepared to answer their questions, “They live in jungles but we'll see other big cats, but how about we make a game of this.”

“A game? What kind of game?”

“Tomorrow when we go out on the savannah, try spot as many different animals as you can,” Yukiya proposed, “Whoever sees the most will get a special prize and there are two runner-up prizes too. We’ll include your brother, Mom and me.”

“What’s the prize?”

Yukiya had to think for a moment, “Now, it wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you the prize.”

“I will see heaps of animals tomorrow!” Ana promised.

“There is only one rule,” Yukiya said.

“What’s that Daddy?” Violet asked.

Like himself and Asana, their two daughters had a frightening habit of wandering away. It was the primary reason why they always had one daughter to each parent. Even Caden, used to wander away and ended up becoming lost within the forest around their country home. With the help of Elias and his family, Yukiya and Asana managed to find him a day after he had disappeared but it still haunts them to this day that he was alone.

Yukiya said very clearly, “Seeing animals only counts if you remain inside the tour bus.”

“So, we aren’t allowed out?” Ana asked.

“Not unless you have me or your mother and we say so,” Yukiya’s instructions were serious.

That tone carried in his voice in a way his daughters understood and dared not to disobey. Rarely did Yukiya become mad at his kids or used any force in his voice other than the usual firmness whenever they became naughty. But when his voice was blunt and serious, his kids knew to follow his instructions without question and trusted him.

“Okay, Daddy,” Violet agreed.

Ana agreed too, “Okay, we won’t go outside the bus Daddy.”

“Good.”

Asana and Caden, meanwhile, roamed up and down the shops aisles grabbing supplies, not forgetting the marshmallows to roast over the fire. Eggs, bacon and bread with sausages too to cook over the fire and feast on.

“Caden,” Asana called out to him.

“Yes Mom.”

“Tomorrow, when we go out on the savannah,” she worried he would become distracted and wander off, “I do not want you to wander off.”

Caden sighed, “Mom, are you and Dad ever going to let that go?”

“Caden, we could have lost you that night,” Asana reminded him and her voice was free from its playfulness. Gently cupping her son’s face in her hands, she looked into his eyes and easily could see those traits she admired in his father, “You are just like your father sometimes.”

“How?” he didn’t understand.

“Your eyes are full of the lively curiosity and spirit just the same as his,” she smiled into his eyes, “Your father and I love you and your sisters very much but the three of you have a bad case of wandering away.”

Caden was six when he had wandered off into the forest but as he grew older, he remembered how his parents cried when they had found him. He had spent an entire night lost and alone in the forest but his father’s wolf familiar was never too far behind him. Now older, he understood why they were so worried and glad they had found him.

“I know Mom, I love you and Dad too,” he didn’t need a long lecture to get what she was saying, “Besides, I haven’t wandered off for a long time. I’m nine now, not six.”

He was growing, he wasn’t wrong, “You are growing too quickly,” Asana hugged him tightly and kissed the top of his head, “Even when you are all grown up, you’ll still be my little boy,” the thought in only another few years he would be leaving childhood made her a little sad.

“Come on Mom, we’re in public,” he laughed and released himself from her embrace.

“Is there anything else you want?” she asked before they went to the counter and paid for their items.

Caden walked ahead of her but he was walking backwards as he spoke to her, “Hey Mom. What is your favourite animal?”

“My favourite?”

“Yeah, Dad likes dogs and wolves,” he had asked his father when they were out trying to find an injured magical creature in the woods, “I like birds, Ana likes dolphins and Violet…I think likes every animal, but I don’t know yours.”

Asana didn’t really have a favourite animal because she saw the value each animal possessed, even the scariest predators she respected, “Hmm, that’s a tough question,” she said, “If I had to say any animal though, I would say cats.”

“Cats?”

Asana watched the cashier scan and bag the items, “Well, I respect every animal and magical creature but cats, even when they don’t have some real magic to them, are magical in their own way. They are cute, the ultimate silent predator and can adjust to almost any climate. There are desert cats, snow cats, jungle cats and home cats.”

“So, Dad likes dogs and you like cats,” he repeated to himself as if he had learned something new about his parents that he had never known before, “There are lions, cheetahs and leopards that live in the savannah right, but I don’t know if there are dogs,” he rambled.

As the last items were bagged, the cashier announced the total price and Asana handed over the cash in the country’s currency. Carrying the bags, they both made their way back to the hotel lodge that facing the city side looked as though it didn’t have that enormous deck overlooking the savannah on the other side.

“Do you think they have finished putting makeup on Dad yet?”

“I doubt it,” Asana laughed, “But, do you want to help me cook dinner?”

“Anything to get out of being their doll.”

“They just love you,” she smoothed her hand through his hair as they took the elevator up to their room at the top of the building, “Besides, we all need to go to bed early tonight, like Dad said, so we have all of our energy for tomorrow.”