#context if you don't get it (spoilers obviously dummy)

[cutest-silly-nb]

it gets worse with every turn

bonus

[lloydfrontera]

hi I'm going thru the spoilers and about the one with lloyd crying and javier listening outside. about javier wanting lloyd to trust him, i was wonderin when did javier explicitly says he trusts lloyd? since from what I've read so far whenever lloyd says to javier to trust him, javier is always dubious of him and actually doesn't trust him and simply follows the order. Is that why lloyd cried alone since he still thinks javier doesn't really trust him?

oh! javier does tell lloyd that he trusts him! straight to his face! several times in fact!

they vary from degrees of explicitness but there is absolutely no doubt at all that javier trusts lloyd and lloyd knows he does. how deep he believes that trust runs is up to debate but he very much does know that javie trusts him.

there's that time lloyd tells javier he can stop time itself and javier just goes "okay" and goes back to his breakfast because. duh. if lloyd says he can stop time then obviously it must be true. the crazier the thing he says the mostly likely it is to be the truth.

which lloyd then uses against him to convince him to bet his life against a dragon

"This will not do" Javier's voice dripped with alarm. "What won't?" "You are making a bad decision here. It's not too late now. Prepare yourself, Master Lloyd." "For what?" Meanwhile Lloyd's voice was cheery. "To run away. I will by some time." "You plan on fighting that dragon?" "Yes." "Tsk. Don't even try." "But Master Lloyd. Now is your last change-" "Do I look like I've gone mad?" said Lloyd. "..." "Answer me. Do I look like someone who's lost his mind?" Javier was about to answer yes when Lloyd's spoke first. "Who was it that said he would trust in my seemingly deranged behavior?" "..." "You said that," reminded Lloyd. "Those were your words. It goes the same right now. Do I look like I've lost it? In that case, trust me." "But Master Lloyd-" "I'm doing this for a reason." Lloyd didn't let Javier finish. "I've got a plan. So, do what you have to when I fail. Got it?" "..."

or that time they go to seoul and lloyd tells him to just trust in his hyung and follow his lead. to which, once again, javier just goes "okay" because. well of course he does.

“When you’re in a foreign land such as this place, all you’ve got to do is just trust this big brother of yours and follow my lead. Okay?” “I understand…” “Eh?” Lloyd tilted his brow. “It’s rare of you to accept my words so easily.” “Am I not allowed to?” “No. You can’t. It’s strange. I have the chills right now.” “…” “You. Who are you?” asked Lloyd in astonishment. “The Javier I know is far from being a docile, humble or loyal fellow. He’s even farther away from being someone who would just not at my words without snapping back.” “…” “You better tell me honestly. Where did you hide my dear Javier?” “Haah… Seriously…” Javier broke into laughter. “Who else could possess such a dashing appearance but me? […]”

or later on when javier straight up tells lloyd to get used to him just going along with what he says without protest because that's just how things are now. he does tease him that it's so lloyd lowers his guard and javier can stab him in the back but like. that's their love language <3

but yeah! lloyd absolutely does know that javier trusts him! javier has told him so himself! that he's a dummy who doesn't realize just how absolute that trust is it's a completely different matter lol

and as for the context of the scene you mention. here's a post i made a while ago about it but lemme summarize it.

first of all i need to show this set of illustrations because they make me sick in the head

the reason lloyd is crying is because it's finally crashing on him just how hopeless his situation truly is. how much he stands to lose if he doesn't pull off a miracle. how much pressure he's been under for so long and how close he is to breaking down.

and javier is listening through the door because he can tell there's something weighting down on lloyd but he can't confront him because lloyd isn't trusting him with his worries and he doesn't know how to make him.

javier wants so bad to let lloyd know that he doesn't have to worrym he doesn't have to be afraid, because javier is there for him. whatever comes next, whatever danger there is, javier will face it to protect lloyd. and if anyone needs to die then it's okay, because javier will die for him. so lloyd doesn't have to be afraid of something as stupid as him dying because javier simply won't allow it.

but he can't. because lloyd doesn't want to share his burdens. he doesn't want to let them drag anyone down with him. he thinks it's his fault everything that's threatening them is his fault and so he needs to handle everything on his own.

which is silly because javier is right there trying to coax the truth out of him and get him to share his burden with him and just!!! support him every way he can!! but lloyd is a very silly guy who thinks he doesn't deserve that :(

so no! it's not that lloyd thinks javier doesn't trust him! rather it's lloyd not wanting to trust javier with his worries, not out of distrust or anything like that, but out of a misplaced sense of responsibility that makes him want to carry everything by himself.

it's a very poignant scene i can't wait to get the translation for it!

[beyourowninspiration16]

I am sensing a bit of... anxiety of fear in the SJM fandom, over the released snippet from acosf.

Let's try and diffuse this.

This has been known as the Nessian book from before the title, cover and synopsis were released. This has probably been known as the Nessian book since before SJM had a plot.

There has been a lead up to them being together since long before the acotar series ended.

SJM frequently pairs her protagonists with guys who initially have conflict, but ultimately inevitably fall in love

See: Feysand, Rowaelin, Manon/Dorian, Lysandra/Aedion, Lorcan/Elide, Chaol/Yrene, and unfortunately *sigh*... Hunt and Bryce (I don't like them together, sorry not sorry).

And in all of these, the protagonists initially are attracted to another character, while also admiring the love interest. There is nearly always a dummy love interest ^ (see aforementioned attractive character). While the protagonist sorts out their feelings and their own healing from trauma, with the help of the actual love interest, they become friends. Now, this is an important step. They are ALWAYS friends just before they fall in love. ALWAYS. No matter how bad the tensions are between the protagonist and love interest at the beginning, and they have been BAD, they always work to become friends first.

Idk if Cassian and Nesta are mates. Idk if they know. Neither do other characters, but they all have their suspicions. But we have to remember, both Nesta and Cassian are incredibly private, vulnerable and secretive people. This could perhaps be the symbolism of the cover - with masks. Both use coping mechanisms to diffuse tension, deflect embarrassment and ignore trauma. Nesta lashes out with anger, Cassian with humour and arrogance. This is important. They're both TERRIBLE at communication. So they both need to work on that, and open up to each other about their anxieties, trauma and fears. This is linked to the becoming friends bit. But, that will obviously take time. Which is where the Eris scene comes into play. It is well known that Eris assaulted and abused Mor, and that the entire Night Court, including Cassian, are FURIOUS about this. It is also well known that Cassian, Mor and Azriel have had a 3 way flirtation/hookup system.

And because Nesta has been isolating herself from the Inner Circle, she might not know this. I don't know, I can't remember. Sue me. 🤷‍♀️

So, she and Cassian have an argument based on lack of communication and misunderstandings, and while at a masquerade ball (idk, context 🤷‍♀️), she knows of Cassian's aversion to Eris and decides to get back at him.

Perhaps because she's jealous of Mor or something and knows that Eris can be linked to that messy pile of shit.

This ^^ is the official synopsis of acosf on GoodReads which 100% sets up Nessian.

Now, let's look back at acomaf, for comparison purposes. Not until halfway through do Feyre and Rhys get together, after becoming friends. For at least the first third of the book, she and T*mlin are together. Although both traumatised, and on Feyre's part, currently being abused, both she and T*mlin want to be together, until a certain point. They even have sex. Despite all of this, it is not a healthy relationship, and does not last, nor should it have. The purpose of looking at this, is to compare it to the tiny snippet of a scene from acosf. T*mlin and Feyre have sex. And when reading that scene out of context, it could be seen as romantic and meaningful. However, from the context of this book, we know that it is not a healthy relationship. It is incredibly toxic and is built ENTIRELY on control. But without the context of the entire book, you may not know that. We only have a tiny snippet of one scene from acosf. We have no idea what is happening in that scene between Eris and Nesta.

Therefore, we cannot say that there is anything between Nesta and Eris. In fact, we can say that considering Nesta's past trauma, and Eris' abusive behaviour, we can be sure that if Nesta knew what Eris had done to Mor, she would cut of his head and drink his blood from his skull with a smirk on her face.

Almost finally, the scene is told from Cassian's perspective, who looks at it with a mix of devotion for Nesta, and anger and jealousy for Eris. Considering Cassian's admiration for Nesta, it makes perfect sense that he would describe her this way ^^ no matter who she's with. "Glowed as if she had devoured the moon too."

And finally, we're only seeing the end of this scene. We have no idea how they came to dance together, or why. There must be a reason SJM didn't give us the beginning, like major spoilers. And cos obviously the end has enough to terrify us.