#RuhnLidia moments

[acourtofquestions]

"The bedroom over there's got two beds in it," he said, pointing across the great room. "For your boys."

Her eyes were lined with silver as she faced the guest bedroom.

That had been Ruhn's main demand to the realtor: find an apartment with a guest room that had two beds. "They can visit whenever they—and you—want."

Her smile was so soft and hopeful that his heart ached. But she walked to the couch in front of the TV and sat down, as if testing it out. Testing out this house, this life.

"I think their dads will want to keep them close for a while after what happened," Lidia said, "but yes ... I would love for them to be here sometimes."

Ruhn sank beside her on the couch. "They're going to raise Hel when they're older."

"I'm fine with that, so long as it's not literally." Lidia sighed. "I've had enough of demons for a while, however friendly."

Ruhn chuckled. "Me too."

For a few minutes, they sat in companionable silence, the apartment-their apartment— settling in around them.

[spiritedstars]

Oh, I thought of an addition to that bean idea earlier. You know the Bryce, Lidia, and Ruhn one? That anon who wanted Bryce to have the extra bean and give it to Lidia so they can share embarrassing stories of Ruhn without him knowing what they're saying?

Well, does the bean only make one fluent in ACOTAR language or ANY language?

This meaning, if it were any language, Bryce and Lidia would pick up immediately on what Ruhn and his Frat Pack are talking about when Declan inevitably makes and teaches the new secret language.

Would Bryce or Lidia let them know then? Or let Ruhn have it?

See, Bryce and Lidia learned from the first time they teased him not to let him know. So yeah, let's pretend those magical beans work for any language and suddenly they're picking up on all the boring stuff the guys gossip about until... they use their new language (thanks Dec) to talk about feelings, and damn, do the girls giggle.

But they never let them know. They let Ruhn be all smug about it and are LIVING for the tea the boys don't know they're spilling.

Do they blackmail them with it later? Possibly. The united front of Lidia and Bryce is a hazard to all those who surround them.

[roseadleyn]

Lidia‘s SA was handled even worse. Sjm would have lidia fuck Ruhn in mind at the same time she’s getting SA‘ed by her ex. Lidia never received proper time to heal from that sh*t. The moment Ruhnlidia made up in the third book they had mf sex.

Nesta had sex with Cassian right after getting SA‘ed by that weirdo kelpie from the lake, and that other time when Lanthys made her see that vision in which he SA‘ed her too. The SA from Tomas was also never properly acknowledged.

At least Gwyn had 2 years to recover. Most SA survivors in her books don’t receive much time to at least process it all before fucking. You’re telling me Rhys is all cool with going down on Feyre after 50 years of SA? Feyre can easily forget the sh*t Rhys did to her utm? Great.

If Gwynriel is canon, Sjm will most definitely fuck up her trauma like she always does.

Sjm: „Oh you were touched against your will?“

Sjm: „Here have a cock. That will heal you quickly!“

Worst of all is that the sex is always so… rough? Specifically for Nesta. At least worship her and make her feel safe instead of dicking her down like she‘s a good one night stand. Poor girl.

ya i'm just realizing that gwyn is at least not as bad as nesta or feyre or lucien or rhys or lidia. i haven't read any other sjm books but i know abt lidia and that's insane 😭 it's like she doesn't know how to write intimacy. it's like she thinks emotional connections only exist in sex.

it was insane how feyre only rescued lucien from being raped because she remembered her darling rhys and not because lucien is her first friend and also it's just the MORAL THING TO DO

( also why is it that everytime a couple fights in sjm's novels, they always have sex when they make up? i get that angry makeup sex is soo hot etc but like can no one have a conversation? can she not show how sometimes issues are talked out not fucked out? )

do NOT i hate how she wrote nesta i hate everything abt it. nesta was assaulted by tomas and when he found out he restrained her against the wall??? in the same manner tomas would have?? also i'm never going to forget how cassian tugged at the skirts of her dress and asked her 'what're you hiding under all this anyways?' without her consent, during a time in which they didn't like each other, and he was there on diplomatic purposes.

and i just checked but literally RIGHT after she was sa-ed by the kelpie, cassian not only had sex with her but he left her without any aftercare. bed still warm. rough sex as if she's a one night stand. she's sexually assaulted and then left wondering if cassian was 'punishing' her by leaving immediately. ugh i despise him i hate him.

and rhys? he literally has one (1) traumatic flashback to his trauma and whoop that's it yall we're done. and feyre wearing the same clothes she was wearing when she got assaulted for rhys, even though rhys was the one who assaulted her.

it pushes an extremely unhealthy narrative. very young girls (literally 15-16 year olds) read these books and they'll think these toxic, unrealistic, unhealthy dynamics are normal. it's so concerning and i hate the entire genre of dark romance for it but that's a story for some other angry rant

i hate the rough jackhammering sex. i fear she's gonna do the same shit with elain and lucien (😭). nesta deserves to be worshipped and praised and then given plenty of aftercare free my girlll

( for acotar stans who for some reason go into anti tags: do not interact u will be BLOCKED !!! okay bye 💋 )

[throneofsapphics]

celebration masterlist

from this post. thank y'all so much for sending these in, there were a few duplicates, and a few extra might make there way out, but I kept it to 12 to keep myself realistic. I'll update this as they're posted! I love all of you and thank you so much for the support!

The Arrangement* - Rowan/Fenrys/Lorcan x Reader (2/25)

"You'll take what I give you"

A Favor - Dorian x Reader (2/27)

"I could help you forget him/her."

Loyal Friends* - Ruhnlidia x Reader (2/29)

At least I didn't get arrested. 

"You look so pretty on your knees."

"You look good with my hand around your neck."

Thin Doors* - Rowaelin x Reader (3/2)

"Please, pick one broom closet and stick to it."

The Other Side - young!Rhys x Reader (3/4)

"I hate you." "No you don't."

"How do you sleep at night?" "I usually go for a bed." 

Pretty For Me* - Mor x Reader (3/14)

"You look so pretty on your knees."

Last Avenues* - Feysand x Reader (3/24)

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" 

"Is that all you have?"

Stay In The Moment With Me - Rhys x Reader (3/27)

"I don't want to be alone tonight"

A Present* - Nessian x Reader (3/28)

“Take it off”

A Pretty Smile - Nyx x Reader (3/29)

"How have you survived this long by yourself?" 

At least I didn't get arrested

Breaking Point* - Manon x Reader (3/30)

"Do it already or I'll find someone else."

Supposed to Be Us - Asterin x Reader (3/31)

“Tell me it was a lie.” “I can’t.”

[greenleaf777]

Daynight/Elriel parallel

HOFAS spoiler below

✨✨✨✨

HOFAS - “Ruhn snarled, Saying the words he hadn’t dared voice until now. “She my Mate, you fucker.””

ACOSF - Azriel ignored the question. "The Cauldron chose three sisters. Tell me how it's possible that my two brothers are with two of those sisters, yet the third was given to another." He had never before dared speak the words aloud.

First of all. LOVE ruhn and lidia’s relationship and this moment is perfection and I also had this little parallel pointed out to me.

I honestly think Azriel feels a mating bond between himself and Elain.

Plus Daynights/Ruhnlidia and Elriels almost kisses match word for damn word. The parallels are so obvious.

[silverflameataraxia]

It's the way Ruhn had nicer things to say about Lidia in a bonus chapter than Cassian said about Nesta in their entire romance novel.

Cassian

Cassian had heard enough. He wanted to return home - to the House, to Nesta. His fierce, beautiful mate, who had saved his High Lord and Lady and their son. He'd never stop being in awe of her, and all she had done. How far she'd come.

Ruhn

He couldn't get enough of her. Even living together these past several weeks, working together most days in the Aux...he couldn't stop wanting her, needing her. It wasn't just her body, though. It was Lidia herself - her wit, her dry humor, her bravery and selflessness and compassion.

He didn't care how much Flynn and Dec teased him. He was unabashedly, unrelentingly in love with this female. With his mate.

Lidia pulled away, and for a moment, Ruhn let himself admire her. His mate. His brave, lovely, brilliant mate.

And as Lidia slid a matching titanium ring onto Ruhn's finger, he wondered if they'd also need to invent a new word for love, to embody what overflowed from his heart.

What makes matters worse is that Cassian spent Nessian's book gushing over Mor and Feyre, but could only bring himself to be in awe of Nesta. He says he loves Feyre and Mor, but never says he loves Nesta. He spends all book trying to mold Nesta into a Feyre or a Mor rather than just falling in love with Nesta for who she is.

Ruhn doesn't care how much Flynn and Dec tease him because he's in love with Lidia. But Cassian cares so much what others think (mainly Mor) that it prevents him from fully seeing Nesta, let alone loving her. He spends all series long being embarrassed of Nesta where Mor is concerned. He wants to be with Nesta, but is embarrassed to tell Mor. He's intimate with Nesta, but is embarrassed to tell Mor. He's embarrassed to hold Nesta's hand in front of Mor. He's embarrassed to tell Mor that Nesta wants an ornate mating ceremony.

I can't tell if SJM just hates Nesta so much that she doesn't think that she deserves love. I mean, yeah, Nesta can be mean, but Lidia was literally a torturer for decades. Everyone deserves to find love, though.

Now I will say that the Ruhnlidia bonus chapter took place after Ruhn fell on his face a little bit, whereas Cassian's internal monologue took place before he fell flat on his face in HOFAS. So it could be that SJM is waiting for Cassian to gush over Nesta until next book, as some sort of redemption arc. Since Nesta's story isn't over yet, there's still time for some much needed Cassian character development.

Nesta deserves to be loved, cherished, valued, cared for, protected, gushed over, romanticized, and prioritized.

[fieldofdaisiies]

@ruhnweek 🖤 my first time writing Ruhnlidia and I'm so excited to share this story with you. It is only a small drabble, but I realised that it fit much better than a full story. I hope you are excited about the two special guests in this story!!

It is the noise of soft laughter that draws Lidia to the living room. It has been a long time and she craves nothing more than finding comfort within her mate’s arms, lying on the couch with him, watching sunball or whatever. 

But Ruhn isn’t alone in the living room. Someone is with him and her steps grow faster the closer she gets, the louder the laughter gets, and she doesn’t have to think twice to know who is with her mate. 

“Actaeon, Brann.”

The boys’ faces light up when they both simultaneously turn to their mother, the flicking light of the TV making their eyes glow even brighter. “Mum,” they say in unison. They jump up and run to her mother, hugging her tightly.

Lidia kisses both their heads, holding them tightly. Over their heads she meets Ruhn‘s gaze and blinks her eyes rapidly.

“What are you doing here? I thought no one could drive you—?”

“Ruhn picked us up!” Brann grins. “And now we can finally eat.”

“We are starving, mum.”

Lidia‘s huff is full of emotion, her eyes lining with silver. She glances at her boys and then at Ruhn, lounging on the couch, arms spread wide, his grin reaching from one ear to the other.

She smiles at him, her eyes conveying everything she can’t say right now, too overwhelmed with happiness.

“Why haven’t you eaten already? You shouldn’t have waited for me if you were so hungry?” Lidia places her hands on her hips, after placing her bag on the ground.

“Ruhn told us to wait,” Actaean says matter-of-factly.

“He said we could make pizza together,” Brann adds, pointing his thumb at the kitchen behind him. 

So, only five minutes after the four of them find themselves in the kitchen, dough is already being kneaded in a bowl by Lidia, while her two sons pick out the ingredients – everything they can think of and want on top of their pizza. 

Ruhn lovingly curls his arms around her from behind, resting his chin atop her shoulder. He exhales a contented sigh, and Lidia smiles. “I can’t believe you picked them up, I thought you were busy.”

“I am never too busy to spend time with you and your boys,” Ruhn hums in answer, arms curling tighter around his mate. “You always come first, no matter what.”

“I love you,” she says and her voice is hoarse, tears once again bubbling up in her eyes, but vanish the second a handful of dough hits her. 

“You are so cheesy, it is gross!” Brann huffs and Actaeon makes gagging noises next to his brother. “Can we please focus on the pizza?!”

Ruhn laughs as he turns to the two boys. “Did you prepare the tomatoes?” He grins at them when they raise to handfuls of tomatoes, presenting them to him. “And the pepperoni, ham, sweet corn, and–what the hell is that?”

"Pickles!" Actaeon says matter-of-factly. Brann next to him, his hands braced on his hips, nods eagerly. 

“Why pickles?” Ruhn asks, quite in disbelief. “Who would put pickles on a pizza?!” His hands lift in despair and Lidia’s laugh sounds behind him, to this day still the most beautiful sound in the entire world. 

“We do!” the twins say in unison and Lidia’s laughter only grows.

“These are my boys,” she hums and rests her hands on Ruhn’s shoulder when stepping in line with him. “Pickles on pizza sound brilliant, please add them to my piece as well.”

Ruhn can only shake his head, but the boys are eager and happy, opening the jar already, the dough not even on the tray yet. “Well, Ruhn, it seems like you are outnumbered and the pickle lovers win this round,” Actaeon says, his voice tinged with amusement. 

“It really seems like it,” he laughs and reaches for the ham. “I’ll rather stick with the normal things–”

“The boring things,” Brann cuts in and flashes Ruhn a bright, and slightly mischievous grin.

Ruhn couldn’t feel any more happier than right now at this moment. His heart swells with the love for all three of them, and it draws a smile onto his lips that doesn’t fade for hours. This is just perfect. This is family and even though he isn’t their biological father, he tries his best to step up as the best step-dad they could have ever hoped for (but of course, he would never try to replace their foster parents.)

[darklinaforever]

Okay... I've literally seen anti Elriel people say that they couldn't end up together because they barely share moments in the books, like Vassa & Lucien, so believing that they would end up together is stupid.

Uh... what ? Sorry, but what book did you read exactly ?!

Elriel literally spends loads of time together in the books. It's literally stated every time, it's just from Feyre and Nesta's point of view, not yet that of the main people involved. Elriel spent as much time on the page as Nessian did before they had their own book. Seriously wtf ?!

Also, let's address the Lucien and Vassa case. Lucien is currently a secondary character who we don't see much, but who we know will be important later in view of Helion's son and this whole story with the court of autumn. Just like Vassa with this Koschei story. Also, a little tiny detail that people would forget... Lucien lives with Vassa (and Jurian). He literally spends almost all his time with her outside of the times we see him. So, yes, Lucien spent a lot of time with Vassa.

Just the Elriel relationships, and Lucien & Vassa haven't gotten their own books yet for fuck's sake ! (For Lucien & Vassa I think it will probably happen in the very last book of the saga which will probably be a multiple point of view)

Also, they talk about the fact that the Elriel stans would not like Ruhnlidia while... well I haven't come across one yet ? I tended to come across people in the Elriel tag who ship Ruhnlidia. (I ship both myself ! Ruhnlidia are incredible) On the other hand, ironically every time I go to the Ruhnlidia tag I see anti Elriel and pro Gwynriel...

Oh and I saw an anti Elriel claiming that Gwynriel was obvious because Azriel is a shadow singer and Gwyn who would be (perhaps according to the plausible theory in my opinion) a light singer. So light and darkness necessarily go together and...

There are some who seem to have forgotten that the light / dark coding has already been offered to Elriel in previous books, but nice try.

The fact is that it sucks. Because I don't hate Lucien and Gwyn.

I have loved Lucien since volume 1 and I wish him to be happy one day and I am convinced that he will be happy in the future with Vassa, but certainly not Elain. She doesn't want him and he doesn't want her.

Gwyn is a great supporting female character, but she is not Azriel's future mate / wife.

We can love Gwynriel and Elucien ! There’s some great content about them ! There are magnificent fanarts of both ships that I always like, and some very good Gwynriel fanfictions that I myself consumed briefly in the past.

But you have to accept when a ship isn't canon or isn't intended to be after a while because with all the stuff I see happening, this whole debate about who Elain and Azriel will end up with is becoming ridiculous.

Because there is no debate about it. Elriel is endgame, period. Sarah J Mass has already said several times that this is obvious. You have to be willfully blind not to understand.

[thesoulthatistainted]

e/riels are either in denial or trolling

because huh? do they think Azriel buried Gwyn deep in his lungs? esophagus? trachea? like do they really not have a lick of reading comprehension??

"How is smiling romantic" Yes because Azriel was unconsciously smiling thinking of everyone's smiles and bright eyes. Honey they are going to have a rude awakening when they realize that in a romantic book it is ONLY the LI who makes the guy unconsciously smile and is buried deep in his chest, LI's may have lust for other candidates but the endgame is the only one who is deep in their hearts.

This person goes to rant on about how it's sympathy and empathy for Gwyn which makes him unconsciously smile and spark and bury her in his heart. And honestly, they sound so salty that their ship doesn't have it and it is only Gwyn who made him feel this way and either need to love irl or read romance books because that behavior only reserved for the LI.

Nesta felt sparks and glows in her chest for Gwyn and unconsciously smile and buried her deep in his heart even though she spent more time with Gwyn than Az? Where can someone point out the chapter? or did this person read a fanfic?

The reading comprehension left the chat the moment this person started typing.

he didn't care about the gift (the way cassian didn't?)

He wouldn't call gwyn a friend? (and you skim the books because there is word "but" after that changes the entire meaning of the senstence like "you have a brain, but" "you do seem to know how to read, but" see the difference? this is literally KG level english)

and the saltiness and pettiness they have for sparks and glow is so funny ik it haunts them so much because feysand, nessian. ruhnlidia, quinlar all have it and they know it means something so either they're in denial or trolling. Or mad that it is only Gwyn who could make Azriel feel these feelings that Feyre, Nesta, Bryce, ruhn etc felt for their mates with the same context.

[acourtofquestions]

We finally got a Maasverse wedding😭🥹

[ruhnlidiasworld]

Ruhn x Lidia 🎡

Title: Rollercoaster

Pairing: Ruhn Danaan/Lidia Cervos

Rating: Free

Words: 2,132 (one-shot)

Summary: This is just Ruhn taking Lidia to have some fun post-hofas.

Warnings: This have small Ruhnlidia spoilers! I wrote them after their hofas ending, so pls be aware!

AO3: Link | Thanks to my ruhnlidia friends for giving me the idea 🥹

Pov-Lidia

“Drop everything you're doing. We're going on a date.” Ruhn stated, sitting on my table.

“Where are we going?” I replied without knowing if I understood his words correctly.

“A date.”

“We are in the middle of a working day!. We can’t leave Aux without superv…”

“We are going. Clean your desk.”

I cross my hands across my chest and look at him seriously, with my more menacing expression.

“You can't demand it.”

“I can.”

“You cannot.”

“I'm the Aux Commander, so I'm your boss and I'm kindly asking you to shut things down.”

Ruhn smiles. That damn charming smile, and he knows damn well that I lose the ability to argue against him when he does that.

“You can’t use the ‘I’m the commander’ card with your own mate.”

“I can't?” Ruhn says, leaning towards me until our faces are inches apart. “Who's going to stop me?”

I return the provocation with a fake smile, leaning further towards him.

“You can be the commander, Danaan” I whisper, bringing my index finger to his chin. “But I’m your mate, so I command the commander. And if I say you can't, then you can't. Am I wrong, Night?”

Lust stands out in the glance Ruhn gives me. He runs his tongue across the piercing in his bottom lip, pondering his next move.

“No. But if you refuse to go out with me to be stuck in this office on a very boring day, I will take it personally...Day.”

Appealing for my emotional side. Ruhn 1 x me 0.

“Why now?”

“Why not?” Ruhn teases.

“Where will we go?”

“That's up to you.”

I can't take it and let out a loud laugh, leaning back in the chair.

“Your plan was to come here and ask me out, but you didn’t plan where to take me?” I say, raising my eyebrows.

“ I've never taken you on a date. It would be our first, so I thought to let you choose where you wanna go.”

Even though we're having fun, I feel the weight of those words hit me. We are together. Married. We are mates. Still, Ruhn is right. We never had a date. The simple act of acting like a normal couple, developing our relationship like any other couple would, was taken away from us a long time ago. We had been trying to find a rhythm in our life as a couple, but with so much to resolve in our brief sigh of peace, marital plans ended up being shelved.

“And you're going to let me choose like this? Anything I want?”

Ruhn nodded firmly.

“I enjoyed my youth. You didn't. Anywhere you want to go on our first date, I'll take you.”

“Even if I choose a very expensive restaurant?” I tease him one more time.

Ruhn laughs scornfully.

“Money has never been a problem for me. But I doubt you want to go to dinner somewhere fancy.”

And he was right. Gods, sometimes I hated how well he could read me.

“And you're right, I wouldn't like it.” I ponder for a few seconds thinking about everything I've ever wanted to do in my life, but never had the opportunity. Fun. Freedom. And a childhood dream that I was never able to fulfill. “Anywhere, really?”

“Anywhere, Day”.

“Amusement park.”

Ruhn's confident face falters for a brief moment. Almost imperceptible to others, but to me it was visible.

“Any problems with the amusement park? I don't want to force you…”

“No way! I was just…surprised.”

I stare at my partner suspiciously. Ruhn was never the type to hide feelings and tastes, in fact, he was always like an open book that was even too open. Showing too much. Giving too much. Gods, he was on the verge of death, but he would run to save me even though he was mad at me, if the others hadn't stopped him. Of course I loved him even more for these attitudes. But I wouldn't want him to be uncomfortable because of me.

“Are you sure that's all?” I try to force it a little, checking if he will let anything slip.

“I am sure! Let's go before it gets crowded with noisy children.”

I smile at his overconfidence, but take his hand, leaving all the boring work behind.

***

The park is…noisy. Much noisier and crowded than I thought it would be. Despite our efforts, it was packed with a wide range of audiences. Children, family, teenage couples, elderly couples. It's a place for anyone, and everyone's so focused on having fun that they don't pay attention to us.

I squeeze Ruhn's hand tighter, afraid of losing him in the crowd. He squeezes my hand in response, offering a shy but welcoming smile.

“So, which attraction will it be?”

“Attraction?” I ask confused.

Ruhn laughs loudly.

“Do you even know how an amusement park works?”

“I never stopped to think about it.” I admit, shrugging my shoulders. “I only saw people coming here and I wanted to come one day too.”

“Well,” my mate begins to drag me across the wide space. “There are several attractions here. Some are more radical, others more calm. Most are made to get the adrenaline pumping in you. There's usually a lot of screaming, especially in the Haunted Mansion and the Haunted tunnel.”

“Haunted?”

“Yes, haunted. Like in horror movies.” amusement dances on Ruhn's lips. “You stay in a small, roofless car. Then you enter this dark, gloomy tunnel or mansion, full of scary figures, coffins, skulls, blood, people jumping at you screaming out of nowhere, it's very...chaotic. But good if you like horror.”

“We can go there, I think I'd like to! I like horror movies”

My partner looks at me as if I were a mental hospital patient.

“Come on, Night! You have a skull tattooed on your hand, don't tell me you're afraid of horror things.”

“I'm not afraid!” Ruhn defended himself. “I just...it's not my favorite spot.”

I cast one more suspicious glance in his direction as we walk through the park. I evaluate some of the attractions trying to judge which one would not be boring.

“Okay, what's your favorite ride?”

Ruhn seems to be scheming something in his mind.

“I like the Teacups.”

“Then take me there.” I encourage him to take action. For someone so brave, Ruhn seemed more fearful than usual. “I want us to have fun together, Night.”

I rub my thumb over his hand. Maybe he was nervous about it being our first date, but he takes a deep breath and smiles at me.

“Get ready then, I'm going to show you all my favorite rides to go.”

And he showed. The Teacups. A kind of chair that collapses from a frighteningly high height. The bumper cars that, although he denied it to the death, I won every time. Spinning gravity, The Rotor, Pendulum ride, he even encouraged himself to go in the haunted mansion with me and his frightened screams amused me more than anything. I have never felt so free and alive. Being able to be with my mate, without any worries, just acting like a normal woman was more than I could have asked for. Ruhn also won me a stuffed deer from one of the stuffed animal machines. I was still thinking of a name for my new creature when I felt like something was missing.

“I want to go on the roller coaster”

Ruhn doesn't show any reaction at first, but he seems to consider my request carefully.

“Are you sure about this, Day? Some roller coasters are dangerous, people vomit…”

“Oh please, Night!” I give him a quizzical look. “I've never been to one, I'm willing to do anything! Not to mention look at all the rides we've been to?! Every single one of them is dangerous, I'm sure we can face the roller coaster.”

Ruhn doesn't answer me, he just looks at me with a skeptical face and I knew he was about to give in.

“Please…” I give him my best pair of puppy eyes.

Ruhn catches me off guard and gives me a peck on the lips.

“Okay, sweetheart. Let's do this”.

I jump in celebration as we walk to the line. The queue was huge and we spent about five minutes standing around waiting until it was our turn. Ruhn was silent, making only occasional comments when I tried to talk to him. I didn't let myself be affected by his lack of words, I just held my deer plush and excitedly entered the attraction. Ruhn checked that the safety lock was truly secure about ten times and only stopped because the car started to move. At that time he grabbed my hand tightly.

“I love you.” Ruhn declared randomly.

I look at him confused

“Why?”

“Because you are brave, you saved my life, you are beautiful, you’re my mate, you….”

I start laughing hysterically.

“I meant, why did you say that out of nowhere?”

“Because if we both die here…”

Another laugh that I can't contain.

“Honey, we're not going to die! It's just a roller coaster.” I stroke his arm trying to comfort him.”

“That's what you 're saying!” Ruhn argues desperately.

“Raise your arms.”

“What?”

“Raise your arms, go!”

That's what I do, but Ruhn doesn't. When the carriage plummets at high speed, screams begin to echo and Ruhn's are the funniest. I couldn't stop laughing, I've never felt so complete. Full and sincere happiness runs through my veins and I wouldn't change anything right now. The wind whipping through the strands of my hair, the adrenaline burning in my blood, Ruhn's hand squeezing my thigh as he screams, terrified but smiling. Everything is a blur, the rise, the fall, the curves, suddenly we are upside down and before I could recover it starts again. And again and again. Happiness, freedom, fun, love for my mate who agreed to this madness for me, I experienced a real overdose of feelings in minutes, but it felt like hours until the carriage stopped and the lock released us to get up.

My breathing was labored and I still couldn't stop laughing. Ruhn, next to me, with his eyes closed, breathed deeply, trying to find the strength to stand up. My mate threw his head back and laughed loudly, slightly desperately, and it was the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard. The moonlight reflected off his lower lip piercing and I leaned in to give him a kiss.

Ruhn grabs my hand and we exit the attraction as quickly as we can to let the next group on.

“That was…Insane! I never felt like this! Wow, Night, that was absolutely hysteric…’

Ruhn lets go of my hand before I finish and sticks his face in the nearest trash can, throwing up his last meal. I have to bite my lip to contain the laughter rising in my throat, but the other part of me, the protective part, rushes toward him. What a great mate I am, laughing at my mate while he spilled his stomach.

I approach Ruhn, grabbing his hair with one hand and rubbing his back with the other. It doesn't take him long to get up and wipe his mouth with the sleeve of the shirt he was wearing under his leather jacket.

“Did you have fun?” That was all Ruhn asked me when he could speak.

“It was the most fun day of my life. In truth.”

“Great. So it was worth it.” My partner speaks still breathlessly and looks at me with satisfaction in his eyes.

He was much paler than usual though.

“I think we can go home now.” Ruhn declared

“I think we can face the roller coaster one more time.”

He looks me up and down in disbelief and I can't help the smile that appears on my lips. Ruhn gives me a playful shove and starts walking toward the exit.

I run until I reach him, intertwining our hands. I try to kiss him, but Ruhn avoids my face.

“I'm not going to kiss you tasting like vomit.”

“What nonsense! I've seen you worse.”

“I can't argue with that.”

We walked in comfortable silence to our apartment. As soon as Ruhn passes through the door and takes off his boots and hangs his jacket on the wall, I grab him with my hands in his strong arms. I look deep into those violet blue eyes, noticing the confusion in them.

“I also love you because you are brave, beautiful, my mate and…”

“Fuck you Lidia!”

Ruhn shows me the middle finger in response to my mockery and I throw myself on the couch, laughing uncontrollably, while I hear him close the bathroom door.

[dawninlatin]

As usual, here are my thoughts and reactions while readingHouse of Flame and Shadow! It’s obviously full of spoilers, and if someone’s looking for really intelligent theories and comments, this is not the post for you🤡

• there are still five days left and 30 minutes ago i complained to my roomie how impossible it was to wait….then, as if she heard me, SJM herself posts the first chapter??😍 thank you mrs maas😭🙏

• lidia🥺

• thanks to fucking tiktok, reading the words «ruhn danaan, crown prince of the valbaran fae» will never be the same😔

• NOT THE PIERCINGS😭😭😭😭😭

• i’m seriously going through the five stages of grief over a few piercings😭😭

• is bryce in az’s torture chamber?👀🥵 gurl do you know how lucky you are-

• zaddy azriel🥵🔥

• THREE WORLDS MANAGED TO KICK THEM OUT?!?!?! IS THE THIRD WORLD THRONE OF GLASS?!?!?!?! WILL I FINALLY GET MORE MANORIAN?!?!😍😭🙏 future me, can i finally rest?🥹

• lmaooo amren isn’t a historian, she’s just really fucking old

• YASSSS GET NESTA RHYS😍😍😍

• They might be tortured, but at least Baxian has friends now😭😭

• this ruhn and lidia angst is everything😭😭

• so rhys has a bunch of pet crocodiles?? good to know😀🐊

• okay, i wasn’t gonna mention it, but now i simply have to….WHAT IS UP WITH ALL THESE NORWEGIAN NAMES??? first einar, then sigrid, and now FUCKING HILDE?? sarah i know these names sound exotic and fantasy-like to you, but to me, these are just your average middle-aged people, and it’s throwing me off💀

• A MIDDENGARD WYRM??? babes i haven’t seen you in ages🤩😍🫶

• LIDIAAAAAAAAA👏👏 i bet she’s gonna team up with the frat pack to save her mate ruhn🔥🔥

• i wanna read about lidia living with the frat pack in their….house so bad💀

• YAY RESCUE MISSION

• OMG i had forgotten how good bryce was at bullshitting people💀 this whole middengard wyrm plan is aelin level🔥🔥

• there is no way feyre, AS A HUMAN, killed that wyrm so easily in acotar🤡

• ruhnlidia is SERVING WITH ALL THIS ANGST😩😩

• «Trying to figure out what it does has been driving us all crazy.» NO BUT I NEED TO READ THIS SCENE😭😭 i just want cassian with a phone, is that too much to ask?🥲

• hunt imagining his and bryce’s future kids😭😭

• 😳😧😦🖐️🦴🩸

• THE FUCKING HARPY???

• but she was beheaded?!?!

• also pollux is actually worse than tamlin himself🤢

• RHYSAND’S SISTER??????? I NEED AN INHALER

• DUSK COURT CONFIRMED???

• FAE FROM ANOTHER WORLD??? PERHAPS ERILEA🤩

• more asteris😒

• YASSS NESTA SLAY THAT ASTERI

• bryce just left prythian? no cassian?🥺🥺

• ALSO DID SHE TAKE AZRIEL’S EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DAGGER WITH HER????? SHE CAN’T DO THAT

• he needs it to sleep🥺

• JESIBA JESIBA JESIBA JESIBA JESIBA

• mommy😍🥵

• LIDIA😍🤩😭🫶🙏🧎‍♀️👑

• what do you mean lidia isn’t coming with them?😀

• SHE BETTER NOT HAVE FUCKING DIED🤺🤺🤺🤺🤺

• i was supposed to go to sleep after this chapter😭😭

• NEVERMIND SHE’S ALIVE😅🙏🧎‍♀️

• hunt🤜🤛baxian

• them being bros is all i wanted from this book🥺

• #throwback to all the memes i made about it last time🤡

• bryce booping the autumn king’s nose with her sword just became my favorite moment of all time

• i’m sorry….WHAT??

• the woman was too stunned to speak

• 👁️👄👁️

• i knew she was MOMMY, but she’s also mommy?????

• «Bryce Quinlan, Queen of the Valbaran fae» *que music

• *holds lidia as i glare at the ocean queen😠* «hasn’t she been through enough????😭»

• HE CALLED HER SWEETHEART😍😭🫶🧎‍♀️🙏🥺👑😩

• rhys being referred to as «that night court dude»💀💀

• fae and stags?👀🤩

• tharion for once just use your fucking brain🫠

• finally some smut😩⚡️

• if i ever get my hands on that bitch-ass rigelus-🤬🪓💣🔪🔫🧱

• THEY JUST KILLED ALL THE HUMANS IN LUNATHION????

• i need ruhn and lidia to just fuck already😭😩

• and so does flynn and declan, apparently💀 thanks guys😌🤝

• not the autumn king again😒

• if flynn and declan getting kidnapped is what it’ll take for ruhn and lidia to get together, IT’S FUCKING WORTH IT😩🧎‍♀️

• WE WERE SO CLOSE😭😭😭😭

• them cuddling is almost as good tho😍🥰😭🌸🫶💕

• «I’m calling it now, the Star-Eater is Hunt’s father» - me, reading HOSAB in 2022

• I TOLD YA

• it feels great to be me😌

• okay i wasn’t entirely correct but CLOSE ENOUGH

• YASSSSS BRYCE GASLIGHT GATEKEEP GIRLBOSS THOSE FAE KING BASTARDS🙏🙏

• RUHN ILY😭

• i’m not crying i swear😭👑🌷🌈🏝️✨

• i laughed out loud at the fact that declan’s biggest priority was checking if they had internet now💀💀

• Hotel Horseshit💀💀 baxian you’re my fave🫶🫶🫶

• «please don’t fuck right next to us» i’m deAD

• I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH THE WATERY BOWELS SARAH😭😭

• SYRINX😍😍😍😍😍

• Bryce and her mom😭🥺

• SO THE SHIFTERS WILL BASICALLY BECOME TRONE OF GLASS FAE???!🤩

• i’ll never tire of the prime coming to the rescue last minute🙏 hang in there old man✊

• SABINE YOU ARE ON THIN FUCKING ICE RN

• ithan🥹

• lidia in her girlfriend era😍💕✨🫶🥰💅

• OTTER😍🦦

• NESTA😭😭😭

• i just know ember is gonna yell at rhys😍

• i just read the ember&randall bonus chapter, and she did😍😍😍

• also I GOT TO SEE CASSIAN😍😍😍😍😍😍

• rare river queen W?

• NOT POLLUX🤺🤺🤺

• OMG THE UNDER-KING IS FROM ERILEA???????????????

• is he a skin-walker?👀

• WYRD???

• AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

• go hypaxia, slay him🔥

• 🍆💦👀😏

• i also miss your piercings, ruhn😔 gone but never forgotten✊🙏🕊️

• «…she was his and he was hers, and there was a word for it, but it eluded him.» THAT WORD IS MATE😍😭

• HE SAID «I LOVE YOU»

• screaming crying throwing up rn😍😭🥹🫶😩

• HE SHOT HER???????

• this level of angst is giving me life

• «She’s my mate, you fucker.» THE SCREAM I JUST SCRUMPT (sorry, roommates)

• 😍🥰😇🫶🔥🙏🥹😭😍😩🤩🥰🙏🔥😭🫶🫶✊🙏🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️

• SARAH JANET MAAS I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU KILL RUHN NOW-

• BRANNON?!?!?!?!?? FIRE MAGIC?!?!?!?!?!AKAJQKQKQJQKQKQLBDHFJFKEBEBJWJDVFJEJSVAVJSJAHSH

• DEAD. DECEASED. UNABLE TO FUNCTION.

• NO LIDIA DO NOT SACRIFICE YOURSELF-

• BRYCE?!😳😭

• shahar😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

• NONONONONONONONONONO

• SHE CAN’T BE DEAD, RIGHT?!?!

• i’m fucking crying, i swear😭😭😭😭

• THEY’RE ALL THERE😭😭😭

• NESTA AND CASSIAN😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

• ember quinlan not caring about how deadly rhys is whatsoever is the greatest thing i’ve ever read💀

• and azriel got his dagger back? he can finally sleep🥹

• yeah bryce, cassian is a fine piece of ass😏

• NESTA GOT TO SAY ALPHAHOLE😍😍😍😍😍

• ruhn getting a hug from one of his new stepkids😍😍

• nooooo ruhn moved out of the frat house? they grow up so fast🥺

• omg hunt getting a fine for fucking bryce so bad it caused several thunderstorms is EPIC

• PEGASUSES?!?😍😍😍😍😍😍

• i can’t believe it’s over….

• i’m…..empty

• i need more🥺

• BUT I’M SO HYPED FOR ACOTAR5🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

• i also have bonus chapters to read😏😏

• THE PIERCINGS ARE BACK🙏🧎‍♀️😭😍

• DID SJM FINALLY WRITE A WEDDING SCENE?!

• this has to be a first

• i am speechless

• 👁️👄👁️

• milly garkunos you queen🫶🧎‍♀️

• i need someone to draw lettuce-baby-hunt asap💀

[elains]

Funniest /and/or cutest moment between each couple

Spoilers for the ending. Also just the two major ones aka Quinlar and Ruhnlidia.

Ruhn and Lidia, love of my hearts, have the MOST ADORABLE WEDDING. It's all fluff in the bonus chapter.

Bryce and Hunt funniest one is DEFINETELY the one where she is about to take a sip from a bowl of black saltwater so she can Astral Project to Hel. Hunt starts to say "Don't do this -" and uses lightning to push the bowl off her hand. Bryce turns, indignant, starts telling him that now is not to time to act all alphahole... just for Hunt to finish with "don't do this without me."

It's both cute and funny LOL.

[fawnandshadows]

GO wild Caity Cait

1. Favorite character of all time.

2. Favorite OTP of all time.

3. A popular character you despise.

4. A popular ship you despise.

5. A character whose storyline you relate to.

6. A character who reminds you of someone you know.

7. A character you would want as a sibling.

8. A character who didn’t look the way you expected.

9. The character death that hit you the hardest.

1. My favorite character of all time ??? This is hard 🥲. I really, really love my girls Elain Archeron and Lily Calloway 😭🫶🏻.

2. My favorite OTP is Elriel (no one is surprised 🩷). Honorable mention to Lunnelly 🫶🏻🫶🏻

3. This one is a bit hard for me because I try not to think about characters I dislike 🧐? But the obvious answer for me is Danika from CC 😵‍💫. She was a horrible friend to Bryce and the more I read about her the more I dislike her 💀.

4. A popular ship I despise 😀. *clears throat* of all the canon ships out there it’s hard to think of one I dislike. So, I am going to tweak my answer and say the ship I find most overrated is Ruhnlidia /Nightbright. They left me very cold when I read CC2 and I felt more meh than anything else….however, I am keeping an open mind for CC3 🫶🏻.

5. I wish this was just a character you relate to because then I could say Lily Calloway and be done with it 😭. I feel like I’m too boring to relate to a lot of storylines that I read about or watch 🫠. Sooooo I am going to say Agnes Grey from Agnes Grey and Fanny Price from *Mansfield Park*…. Apparently no one from this century 😀.

6. LMAOO this one is so out of pocket, but basically every character Jason Bateman has play reminds me of my dad. Especially Michael Bluth from Arrested Development….and in The Gift there is a speech he does that is literally my dad to a t…we were cracking up in the theaters when we saw it 💀.

7. I would want Feyre as my sister!!!! 🩷🩷🩷

8. Ahhh, I don’t think I a pinpoint one character but I assume everyone is a brunette when I read….so many times I’ve had moments where is just “what do you mean they’re blonde???”

9. Let’s just say it’s an animal death that shall not be named.

Thank you for asking!!! 🩷🩷🩷🩷

[throneofsapphics]

weapons

Ruhnlidia x f!Reader

summary: Ruhn and Lidia are aching to use their guns in a way you didn't expect.

warnings: gun in v, smut

word count: 1460

kinktober masterlist

You eyed his gun, the one he’d gladly taught you to shoot, with a mixture of trepidation and excitement.

Ruhn said something, earlier, that stuck in your head no matter what you tried to get it out. 

Finger on the trigger, you almost missed your shot with Ruhn’s words, muttered in a low voice that sent shivers down your spine. “Watching you makes me think of other ways we can put that to use.”

The bullet struck right in the center of the paper target. Carefully switching on the safety before placing it down, barrel pointed away from you, you whirled on him. 

“What other uses, Ruhn?”

“You’ll have to find out,” he brushed your hair off your neck, his hand lingering a second too long to be appropriate. 

“When?” You demanded. 

He only smiled, and nudged his chin at the gun, a sign to keep going.

Not before shooting him a dirty look, you returned to the task at hand, all the time your mind thinking what the hell he meant and why he had to say it like that. 

As long as you’ve known him, Ruhn had never cleaned his gun. Lidia did hers nightly, but Ruhn hadn’t seemed to care. 

Now, he sat with a cloth and cleaner going through every tiny hole and crevice. 

“What are you doing?” You finally asked. 

“Getting it ready,” he answered noncommittally. 

“Haven’t put it together yet?” Lidia asked. She sat adjacent to you, long blonde hair loose behind her back. You took a moment to study her features, the beauty of her, of both of them, always ready to knock you off your feet. 

“Obviously not,” you grumbled, crossing your arms. Cthona, you hated when you weren’t in on something. 

“He wants to fuck you with it, darling.”

Your eyes widened before shooting to Ruhn, who was now glaring at the blonde. 

“Then it’s my turn,” she winked at you, ignoring the male in the room. 

Subconsciously, a small smile crept onto your face. For a former spy, she could be quite horrible at keeping things from you. She kept cleaning, the cloth digging into all of the little crevices. 

“I was going to ask you first, but I wanted to be prepared,” he rolled his eyes. “Unloaded, of course.” 

Was it what you wanted? Something you wanted? The sheer competency they both showed with their guns in their hands excited you, made it difficult for you to hide your scent sometimes, and maybe they’d picked up on it in the past. 

They’d both been so strict on gun safety that you’d never truly let yourself imagine this possibility. 

But, maybe you could stand to be a little greedy. If you wanted it ... you wanted both of them.

“I want both of you,” you emphasized, imagining them taking turns fucking you with their guns. 

“Oh?” Lidia paused her methodical movements. “Someone’s greedy,” she teased. You rolled your eyes. 

“Both or none.” It was a test, you supposed, if this was something they really wanted to do. You wanted to make sure they weren’t doing it just to please you. 

“Both was the plan, but I’m glad to see you’re already thinking of it,” Lidia confirmed. Relief swept through you, just as tension built in your core. “But it’ll wait till tonight,” she added, and frustration mixed in. It was barely the afternoon. 

From the corner of your vision, you saw Ruhn with the slightest pout on his face, like he’d expected to clean his gun and immediately get the reward for it. You wondered if Lidia was making him do it. 

After dinner, you were nearly bouncing with excitement. But a new episode of a show Lidia was just hooked on came out, and she made both of you watch it with her. She was enjoying playing game master, you could tell that. There was a slight twinkle in her eyes each time she caught you and Ruhn eyeing each other, and you wondered how much of the show she could actually be taking it, with the rising sexual tension between the three of you taut enough to cut with the slightest nick from a blade. 

Ruhn’s hand rested on your right thigh, your head perched on Lidia’s shoulder, her arm wrapped around your shoulders. The main characters were doing something, one person shot another but you couldn’t bring yourself to care. 

Instead you let your right hand slip around Ruhn’s back, just brushing over where he kept his gun holstered, before wrapping around his back and tugging him closer to you. 

A chuckle under his breath, but he obeyed and slid close enough for your thighs to touch. 

“Needy,” he teased, squeezing your thigh. 

“I just want you close,” you slid your hand out from behind him and rested it on top of his. 

“I’m trying to focus,” Lidia said half-heartedly. 

Well, you were sick of this kind of focus, and the show was available on streaming anyway. She could catch up later. 

You pressed a kiss to where her shoulder and neck met, she arched away to give you more space to work with. 

Ruhn groaned, well aware of every movement you made. 

Twisting yourself, you brushed a hand up her inner thigh, in time with an open mouth kiss to your neck. 

“Fuck this,” Ruhn echoed your sentiment and grabbed the remote, pausing the show. You built on the moment, twisting fully to climb on Lidia’s lap. She was the one you had to convince, after all. 

It didn’t take much convincing. A few more kisses to her neck, one to the corner of her mouth, and she fisted her hand in the back of your hair, drawing your lips to hers. 

Soft, sweet, but firm she commanded the kiss, her hand guiding you by your hair to lie on your back, she knelt between your legs, running her hands up and down your sides. 

“Couldn’t even wait for the show to finish?” She glanced at the paused screen, you bit back your smile. 

“No, you’re too tempting.” You sat up, wrapping your arms around her shoulders, bringing her in for another brief kiss. “And I think it counts as tonight now.” It was dark outside, after all. 

“I agree,” Ruhn said roughly from behind both of you. 

“Fine,” Lidia said, and shoved you back down on the couch. “But I get to go first.” 

You heard Ruhn stand, and watched from the corner of your eye as he plucked Lidia’s gun from her waistband, emptying the spare bullets into his hand. He winked at you and piled them on the corner of the coffee table, before re-holstering her gun, his hand lingering on her waist for a few seconds, before he retreated to an armchair with a clear view of the show. 

Carefully, Lidia lifted your shirt, stripping you bare from the waist up. Leaning back, she examined you like someone who’d just won a grand prize. She nipped at your neck, softening the bite with her tongue, before leaving open mouthed kisses down your chest. 

Her fingers dug into your waistband, taking the rest of your clothes with her as she pulled. Cool air nipped at your skin, instinctively your legs pushed together. 

“No,” she corrected, and shoved them back apart. “You don’t hide from us.” 

“I wasn’t,” you half-whined, reaching for her, craving the feel of her against her. Always craving. 

“Sure you weren’t,” Ruhn cut in from his corner. 

You nearly rolled your eyes, but Lidia’s movements caught your attention instead. The female slid down, now prone between your legs. Her tongue darted out, leaving a kitten lick against the already wet area. 

“I bet I could shove it right in you,” she murmured, before almost burying her face between your legs. Your head fell back against the arm rest, an obnoxious moan leaving your lips. 

“Fuck baby,” Ruhn cursed, and you didn’t know which of the two of you he was speaking to. Lidia, currently devouring you, or you, wrapped in the throes of pleasure. 

At first, you barely felt it as something cold and hard poked at your entrance, but the gun quickly made itself known. Lidia’s tongue kept flicking your clit as she twisted the gun back and forth across your entrance, your legs parting wider to accommodate, one now thrown over the side of the couch. 

Each bit, every inch, was foreign as she slowly edged it inside of you. Ridges hit against your inner walls, sending your hips bucking. 

Footsteps sounded, and Ruhn was standing behind Lidia, whispering in her ear. You caught bits and pieces of it. 

“Look at her.” “How good you fuck her.” “Hot.” 

You wished there was a mirror so you could see yourself. 

kinktober taglist: @fourthwing4ever @rowaelinsdaughter @bookishbroadwaybish @lilah-asteria @nestaismommy

@erencvlt @daycourtofficial @emidpsandia @thelov3lybookworm @hannzoaks

@callsigns-haze @throneofsmut

general taglist: @rowaelinsdaughter @bookishbroadwaybish @nestaismommy @erencvlt @book-obsessed124

@callsigns-haze @littlest-w01f​​

[shadowqueenjude]

As someone who shipped Chaol and Celaena until Tower of Dawn, I can ALSO say that I was fully aware that when Rowan was introduced that he would be endgame. I didn't check any spoilers or interact with fandom; it was simply the way I comprehended what I read and it seemed clear to me the groundwork she was laying. Was I salty and delulu until ToD? Absolutely. But I didn't join the fandom and harass Rowaelin shippers and insist Chaolena was endgame because I knew it wasn't.

I ALSO knew Rhysand and Feyre would be endgame, I called Nessian the moment they met, I called Lysaedion, Elorcan, Ruhnlidia, etc. etc. etc. I didn't check spoilers; I simply used context clues. And my context clues are telling me Elucien and Gwynriel have been foreshadowed.

Chaol and Aelin had more moments than Elriel, Dorian and Aelin had more moments, Sam and Celaena had more moments, Chaol and fucking Nesryn had more moments, Dorian and Sorscha had more moments, Ruhn and Hypaxia had more moments, and you really think that Elain and Azriel have to be endgame because there's "too much buildup???"

Just ship Elriel as fanon for god's sake.

Chaol and Nehemia offering Aelin their weapons is one of the most heartwarming moments of the first book.

Azriel offering Elain his knife (which he has offered no one else in half a millennia, and which also became the cover photo of ACOWAR alongside an image of roses…) is similarly heartwarming.

So what exactly is the point of your post?

I also find it hilarious that you included a screenshot of this quote - the moment between Chaol and Aelin;

“Far inside of her, she found a golden chain that bound them together.”

That sounds like mate language, no? Similar to the “thread” between Elain and Lucien?

And yet Chaol and Aelin weren’t endgame. 🤷‍♀️

You forgot the part where Az only offered Elain TT because the female he canonically loved begged him with tears in her eyes to sit out of battle. You and I both know had he not agreed to doing what Mor asked he would have never given Elain TT.

I don't remember Chaol being in love with any other female during the scene where he offered his sword, do you? Or Chaol in the very next book going on to look at someone other than Celaena with heat and yearning?

No, Chaol was loyal to her until they both knew it was over.

You also forgot the part where Az never offered to give Elain any quick tips though she was concerned about not knowing how to use TT versus Chaol who helped train Aelin.

Chaol and Celaena were by far the superior ship to E/riel. In literally every way.

And you're right. Chaol and Aelin weren't endgame because she had a mate who was always going to be her destiny. Sarah J Maas is a millionaire because of the Fated Mates stories she writes. It just doesn't hit quite as hard to become a rejected mates author.

Despite Aelin initially wanting Dorian in book 1, despite her later calling Chaol her home and him thinking how 4 years (and not just one taste and that would be it like Az wanted with Elain) might not be enough, these men were not her endgame.

My point is it doesn't matter how special you think the moments for your ship are, mates are always going to fulfill something for these females that no other male love interest can.

And no, "chain" is not like mate language considering each Archeron's bond is described as a thread and we know the golden chain connecting her to Chaol was not a mating bond. You're doing my work for me.

Golden chain is pretty romantic though. Much more than "he hadn't gotten that far with his planning, certainly not beyond the fantasies he pleasured himself to".

You all get so fixated on your multiple books of buildup while forgetting that Sarah J Maas will take many beautiful moments between two characters and throw them out the window in favor of who she wants to be endgame.

Like she said, it's not about "want" but is about who the FMC needs to be with in order to have the most growth.

"There is a darkness to the Dread Trove that Elain should not be exposed to".